Happy Easter!

I'm convinced that every weekend should be of the 3-day variety! This one was great. On Friday, I got caught up on laundry, housecleaning, and grading. The boys got a special delivery from Germany -- a sweet Lego castle (three-direction-books sweet) from Uncle Tarl, who bought it for a fun photography experiment. I'm waiting for my tickets to Venice from another photography experience. (Speaking of photography, my camera has not been the same since it was whacked with a basketball at a school event--hence the grainy, washed out, out-of-focus shots--grrrr!!) 

There was a day full of Lego building, beautiful weather, and a friends' birthday party on Saturday. Then, Sunday brought the usual festivities. Easter egg hunt in our finest, most well-matched attire (only because Daddy is a spoil sport and wouldn't allow undies and a Scooby Doo blanket).

Off to church in just-for-Mom outfits, then on to spend the afternoon with family (after immediately stripping out of "fancy clothes").

Happy Easter, everyone! 

Full

Why my weekend rocked:

1) Decorating

I got to help decorate for Ryan's school's (soon to be mine, too) prom. The coordinator bedazzled that ballroom like a champ! She has only sons and it gave me hope that I may never get to help plan a wedding, but I could be a prom mom and still get in on some big, fancy events (and not on my own dime!)  The boys "helped" too - moving balloons from air compressor to dance floor - and then all over the entire place, including under tables and chairs.

2) Color Run

I ran my first 5k! My sister-in-law, Rachel, and I had signed up on a team with some of her friends. Rachel invited me to join a fitness motivation facebook group she was in, and it's been really inspiring. We've done plank and squat challenges and shared recipes and then a few decided to try out this Color Run.  I've never had good endurance, and I totally hadn't trained for it - just went on a couple jogs a week and tried to run a minute longer each time. But, I figured it couldn't be too serious, if the participants were willing to be accosted with colored chalk multiple times throughout the race (and wear tutus, which approximately 50% did). Then, the night before, I dreamed that I busted out the 3.1 miles in 22 minutes.  Then dream Ryan yelled at me and I cried.  

I went there hoping to a) run as much of it as possible, b) not look a fool. I ended up running all but the three steps I walked by the water station! I was slow, but that was the longest I've ever run without stopping - both time and distance. And I even got to re-live a tiny bit of my competitive athletic career when two 50-something ladies thought they were gonna pace on me and pass me just before the finish. When they passed me early in the "race" (I use that term very loosely) I thought to myself, "Dang! I just got passed by two old ladies!" Soon, they slowed down to a walk, and I thought, "Ha! Ha! Nice try old farts! Slow and steady wins the race." As soon as I passed them, they started jogging again. This happened the whole race. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, but the fact that it happened seconds after every time I passed made me suspicious. Then, when I was jogging right by them and spied a shortcut, I joked, "Think anyone would notice if I snuck through there?" I didn't get an amused chuckle. Just a dirty look. From then on, it was on. "On," meaning that I hoped they wouldn't run faster than me and every time they passed me I called them mean names in my head and every time I passed them, I mentally trashed talked them. When we were in the last couple of blocks, they were behind me, and I thought they were getting close. I picked up the pace from dog turd slow to a snail crawl. Then I heard someone say, "Come on!" That made me step it up to turtle mode. Pretty soon, I heard the disappointed "Ahh!" of defeat and I finished my glorious approach to the finish line, victorious. Grannies everywhere, fear me.

3) I had "people" all day Saturday

By "people," I mean a personal stylist and nanny and chef and chauffeur. My sister and her hubs watched the boys all day, hauled Ryan and me around town, grilled us a yummy lunch, and yelled, "We love you!" at me when I panted by them toward the finish line (ok, that mightta just been my sister). Then, after I scrubbed the rainbow off of my body all over her shower, she offered (or, rather, begged) to help me do my make-up and hair for prom. I felt like a diva all day--even though my stylist told me that only old ladies use hot rollers. Maybe old ladies who kick other old ladies' butts in super-competitive sporting events.

4) High School Prom

Ryan was a Junior class sponsor this year, so we did a little reliving of the good ol' days at the high school prom. It was actually really fun, especially knowing the next prom I attend with Ryan will be for "our kids."

5) Sunday

Super relaxing day of rest with family fun, which we've been short on lately. Reed, who wants to train for next year's Color Run, went on a short jog with me. Then Calvin and I made a homemade bow and arrow. Then, we had a strawberry and banana "shake" that's completely lent friendly, followed that evening by brinner (waffles and bacon) and jalepeno poppers (recipes below).

I love my life!

...And then, we ended the night with this little gem:

Mom: Max, you need to get your toothbrush and bring it to Mom or Dad.
Max: I'm picking up. (which, to his credit, is rare and shocking)
Mom: No... I said you need to brush your teeth.
Max: (casually) I can do whatever I want.
Dad: (quietly) hee hee hee
Mom: Come here. Look at me. No, look at me (etc., etc., etc.) You are NOT the boss.
Max: I'm the son of the boss!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Strawberry Banana "Shake"

chopped-up-then-frozen bananas
chopped up strawberries

- Put strawberries in bottom, then frozen banana slices.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.

(In a week, I'll be making this with peanut butter and cocoa powder instead of strawberries. Heaven!)

Easy Jalepeno Poppers

jalepenos, sliced in half and de-seeded
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
6 slices of bacon, crumbled
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

- Mix bacon and cheddar into cream cheese (my sister-in-law's brilliant idea--waaaay easier than wrapping them in bacon).
- Smear mixture into each jalepeno half.
- Bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

My life is !&@+

Many moons ago, I was looking at cute wedding photography with my newly in-love sister. We loved the ones of the couples holding an ampersand (weirdest word ever, btw). It sparked an idea in me. I jotted the idea down. Over a year later, I brought that idea to fruition. This is a small feat in and of itself. I have lots of ideas. I do about as many of them as I do pins on my Pinterest boards. But I’m on a roll lately. Glow in the dark bubbles? Tried it. Frozen toy ice chunk thingie? Party entertainment for the chilluns. I have now completed two pins. Only 732 to go!

So anyway, my idea was to illustrate my life using symbols. I thought of all the major events in my life, then found a corresponding symbol. I ordered all the pics in black and white 8x10s. Then, I borrowed the new love of my life: Mr. Cricut. We’ve spent many a late night together, I have to admit. He made me beautiful punctuation marks out of carefully selected scrapbook paper and I was ready to rock and roll. I bought a couple yards of fabric and some cheap wood. I mitered and staple-gunned my own frames (29” square). That’s right—mitered and staple-gunned, baby.

Then, I attached a piece of foam core to each frame to give me something flat to glue to.

Then, I stretched the fabric over the frame, staple gunned it to the back, and laid out my pictures.

Needed a little cute in these boring pics

I backed each picture with a 12” square piece of scrapbook paper. Then I mod-podged the crap out of those bad boys. Only I made my own mod-podge, thank you very much (Elmer's glue-all plus water). Some of the papers wrinkled pretty bad, but I kept rubbing as they dried, and now they look flat as can be. I hung both frames on top of each other in our master bathroom. You’ll see why I chose such an out-of-the-way room in a minute.

If you’re annoyed by my bragging and/or not totally amazed by this procedure, I don’t think you understand the magnitude of this accomplishment! I did carpentry! And completed a multi-step project that required patience! With children in my house! Sometimes awake! Afterwards, I thought I was a frickin’ genius. I couldn’t wait to show off my creation! I imagined pinning it and it going viral. Women everywhere would recreate their lives in symbols. They might call such art Tobi-esque.  

Appropriately enough, the first lucky person to see the masterpiece live was my sister, who unknowingly started the seed that became this magnificent flower. She looked at it, complimented its cuteness, stared a little longer, then said, “I don’t get it.” I had to explain the meanings. Then, when my mom came for a visit, she acted like she got it, but she totally didn’t, so I had to explain it to her. So I might as well explain it here. The  countless pinners who come to check out this amazing project might be as dense as my female relatives:

 !      Yay! I met a cute boy and we fell in love

&    We became Mr. & Mrs.

@   We lived @ our first  house.

+     We added a baby to our family.

+     We added another baby.

@    We moved to where we’re @ now

+      We added yet another baby

?       I wonder what God has in store for us now 

(though my sister insists that it stands for, “I wonder when we’ll have our accidental baby girl?” and my mom thought it was an elaborate, “I’m pregnant!” announcement. It most certainly was—and is—not!)

As I explain it, a little bit of its brilliance wears off. So maybe I’m not a genius. “!&@+  my life” may never catch on. Oh well. At least it does a good job covering up this.

My life really is !&@+


Linking up to Kammy's Korner: Trash 2 Treasure Tuesday

Picture Perfect

Looking at our family photos, you might think we are the perfect family. After all, according to facebook comments we are the most beautiful family ever and our boys look like perfect little angels. I’m also, apparently, the happiest mother.

L. To the O. To the L.

If the photographer would have posted the OTHER 421 photos she took (ftr… I don’t have a real number, but that number is a close estimation, not a gross exaggeration) the truth about my family would be revealed. You would see:

-          Reed sighing, rolling his eyes, and asking if we’re FINALLY done, since, “we’ve been doing this for, like, six HOURS.”

-          Calvin pestering Max, “helping” him smile (with hands on cheeks), making goofy faces, looking off to the side of his eyeballs, and whining about being thirsty, hot, tired, bored, and having any number of other major maladies.

-          Max fussing and fighting to be out of my arms, in my arms, away from Cal-cal, on the tractor, off the hood of the car, out of the cute jumbo picture frame, over the edge of the bridge, and generally everywhere but where we wanted him.

-          Ryan yelling at the boys for the previously-mentioned infractions and shooting me several, “Seriously?” looks when I said, “Oh! Yes, let’s try that!” about a new pose idea.

-          Me with a fake smile pasted on my face and a nervous giggle about the boys’ various behaviors, while my eyes slowly grew and rolled into the back of my head.

The photo shoot was a favor from (and, she says, for) a friend/coworker of Ryan’s who is starting a professional photography business. She was awesome with the boys. She managed to capture several photos where we were all smiling, looking at the camera, and not throwing a fit. One of those woulda been a miracle! And then she actually thanked us for the experience afterwards, saying that she needed to know what to expect when shooting families with young kids. I, personally, would have been shooting us with something other than a camera, but that’s just me…


P.S. Linking up to my favorite blogger on her "Money Shot Monday" picture-themed post. Flower Patch Farmgirl is always the first blog I stalk - well maybe after I creep on my sister's...