simple Analogy

Just Blew In

My parents and I met up with my sister and her family in Chicago for the weekend.  From the moment we arrived to the moment we left we were in constant motion.  My parents watched the kids so my sister and I could shop H&M.  Yes, she's a good sister!  After shopping we added a great brother-in-law, a bag of Garrett's pecan caramel corn, and a ride on the water to round out a perfect Chicago evening. 

Then we all loaded into the car for a little road trip to Indiana to see my mom graduate with her MASTERS degree!  I can't tell you how proud I was.  She has worked so hard, and has accomplished so much.  She is an inspiration to me.

Back to Chicago for some playtime with the niece and nephew and a night on Navy Pier w/fireworks - the best I have ever seen!  They were celebrating you, Mom!  Hee hee!

Sunday at Moody Church, the Magnificent Mile, a yummy lunch and even yummier cupcake for my birthday, and Garrett's again.  (When I unpacked my suitcase this morning it smelled like caramel corn.  Yum!)

It was a whirlwind weekend filled with multiple celebrations and love.

Chasing Squirrels Doesn't Pay

Scene From Spring Break

 
Oh, hi there!  Yes, that's a dart stuck to the leg of my ironing board.  The joy of having boys is that before you walk around any corner you holler "It's just me!  Don't shoot!" or else you get one of these in the middle of your forehead.  Hope you're having a lovely week!  We are.

The After-Christmas Relaxation

 
We had a mighty fine Christmas with both sides of our families congregating at our house.  About the only thing that went wrong on Christmas Day was that the hydrangeas in my center piece wilted.  I have a hard time with hydrangeas.  Can't grow them, and obviously can't even keep them alive in an arrangement.  Oh well, out of the many things that could have gone wrong, I'm glad it was only that.

Since then we've been sleeping in, making coffee (rare), having cups of chai, snacking on streusel that my sister made from our Oma's recipe, reading good books, and writing thank you notes.  The slower pace after Christmas is one thing I enjoy. 

We're having leftovers for dinner (another rarity) and will probably light a fire and watch an old movie together tonight.  Cozy family relaxation.  Love it! 

Just Days Before Christmas

 
I went to the grocery store to do my Christmas shopping.  The place was crawling, my list was long, the aisles were packed, my cart was overflowing.  Thank goodness my grocery store believes in creating plenty of jobs for our community.  They had almost every lane (like 20) open, and a permanent sacker at each one.  Love 'em for that if for no other reason.  Holiday grocery shopping is not one of my top ten things to do. 

Since I'm hosting both sides of our families at my house this year, the cleaning has begun.  I know these people well, and my dirty windows and blinds will not cause a family scandal.  However, when your husband has just given the house a fresh coat of paint and the yard is immaculate, the windows might as well keep up with the Jones's.  I gave myself a quota of three windows and their respective blinds a day.

And then there was the last minute mojo that kicked in that I really did not have time for, but while the juices were flowing I went with it.  All of a sudden I felt the need to make a baby blanket because I had enough left over fabric from another project.  So I stopped all my Christmas crafting and made the top.  Then I felt like I was behind because I did it.  I'm not really behind; I'm a step ahead of the game for the new year.  At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Actually the crafting part of Christmas should be finished up today, as well as the windows and blinds, and the Christmas dinner menu is in order.  That is the beautiful part of Christmas.  To me having a clean house for company to hang out in, preparing a nice meal, giving a handmade gift to those I care for are all just another way for me to say "You are loved!" 

The Beautiful Game

We woke up this morning to the pitter patter of an anxious boy's feet.  He was dressed in his uniform and pacing at a little before seven.  Yes, the beginning of the new soccer season will do that to a boy who normally hates to get out of bed.  Why the pacing?  It was cloudy and sprinkling.  Would the opening parade and game be canceled?  That would have really ruined his day.

After hearing from coach that the parade was off but the game was on, we decorated the car with black and white balloons and headed to the field to see our boy play the beautiful game.  He loves soccer and played his heart out.  (Scored a goal!  Woo hoo!)

So I guess you can add me back to the soccer mom list.  It's been awhile.  Oh yea, and while you're adding me to the list, add Joel to the homeroom dad team manager list.  I don't think he quite knew what he was getting into, but he's there for you, kids! 

Go Killer Whales!  Go Noah!

Easter Weekend

This weekend I...

Suppressed my revulsion of lotion, and slathered my poor feet.  Ick!  I hate they way that feels!  I know - I have issues.  It was a necessary evil.  Desert dry feet just don't look good in strappy Easter shoes.

Got one panel of my skirt done.  It would have made a beautiful Easter skirt.  Maybe Mother's Day?

Found a replacement pair of black dress shoes.  Love 'em style-wise.  Comfort-wise... we'll have to see after a full Sunday's wear.  I think I'm fooling myself!

Napped on the couch.

Date with my favorite guy.  That's my husband, y'all!

Decorated eggs with a bunch of three-year-olds.

Told the Easter story.

Forgot to give the children all those Easter eggs I spent so much time filling on Saturday.  It was an uber-busy morning in the nursery.

Lunched with Joel's family and recovered from my morning napped on the couch while everyone played games.  Am I seeing a pattern here?

Marveled at Noah's creation.  He took the picture and I quite like it!

Ate too many peeps.

Feeding the Cold

Bad cold, colder weather - like snowing AGAIN, three hour nap, husband making dinner - specialty spaghetti.  Is this a tweet or what?

Documenting the Un-Glorious

Monday can be one of those "Ugh!" days, so today I made mine more fun by documenting what I did all day long.  Just normal, common, non-ivory palace life happening at my house today.

• Exercised (2 mile high calorie burn) - Yes!  Me!  And I liked it!
• Made banana/mango/peach/blackberry/yogurt smoothies - Trying to clear out the fruit I bought last week that no one ate.  It didn't taste too bad, really!
• Shower, no makeup
• School
• Talked to Bev
• Pizza rolls for lunch - Running low on staples.  Resorting to whatever was still in date in the freezer.
• Sent Joel to the grocery store - He volunteered and I'd be a fool to say No!
• Worked on the nursery schedule for the next two months
• Email, email, email
• Skimmed my "everyday" blogs
• Laundry - Apparently all the towels in the whole house had jumped into the hamper without my knowledge.
• Took a picture of the daisies Joel brought back from the store for me - He knows I hate to do the nursery schedule and these were to help cheer me up.  OK, all together now... "Aahhh!"
• Found out that the ever so slight discrepancy on my paycheck was a raise. - A WHAT?!!  Not that it will fund my dream vacation to Greece, but it made me feel appreciated.
• Spray painted ear buds - Huh?  Later.
• Prayed for Paul - Landon's friend had a heart transplant Friday night.
• Put my feet up for a bit and read a little Jane Austen.
• Picked up take out Chinese for my dinner - My guys were having fish.  Yuck!
• Settling in for a quiet night filled with more reading.

There you have it, my non-exciting Monday, documented for all posterity.

Shivering

You should have seen my dog, Dorrie, last night when I opened the door for her to go out.  She's little (Chihuahua/Italian Greyhound) and according to my grandma "naked".  She looked outside at the freezing cold wind, shivered, and gave me a look like "You GOTTA be kidding me!"  Poor thing.  Poor me too because she wouldn't go unless I went out there with her.  I guess she needed company in her misery.  At least the cold weather sped up her normal hunt for the right spot process.

So how are you all spending your time during this Arctic blast?  We did school this morning and the rest of our day is being spent in the living room.  Fire, loads of blankets, good books, hot cocoa, popcorn, movies from the library, a new knitting project...  Dorrie is even in on all the fun.  She's either under the blanket with me or curled up in her own blanket in her bed by the fire.  She loves it there.  Sometime I'll have to get a video of her whole cocoon yourself in the blanket routine.  It's quite ingenious and a necessity for a "naked" dog. 

Happy Friday and stay warm!