Meet the Puppies!

Today we made a trip here to meet our new puppy! We picked Cooper up from school early and didn't tell him where we were going until we just couldn't stand it anymore. He was so excited, and so were we.

Introducing....our puppy and her sister!


(we don't know which is which yet- we can pick for certain when they are 5 weeks old)

The owner was so sweet, and brought out an 8 week old puppy for Cooper so that he'd have a better idea of how the puppy would be when she comes home with us. She's lucky that we didn't grab her and run- the adorable factor was high!!!





The countdown begins....I'm not sure who is most excited about our new addition. How will we ever pass the time??

It's Human in Here....

This weekend, although beautiful, was HOT. Hot enough that it was 86 degrees in my bedroom. I'm NOT a fan of intense heat...or sweating (you can say perspire if you'd prefer...but it's really sweating).

Cooper and I walked upstairs together and the heat hit me immediately. Clearly it hit him too because this is what he said:

"Can I turn on the fan? It's really human in here." (His face was completely serious.)

"Um, (gulp)well of course you can turn on the fan! But Coop?"

"Yes, Momma?"

"I think the word you meant to use was humid- instead of human."
"Oh. Yes. Humid."

Hilarious!

Before & After

This weekend we had perfect weather, the kind that begs for beautification projects. We made our 1st trip to the river to open the house for the season.....I love this time. No TV, no computer, no stress. Just family, amazing friends and the great outdoors. We got so much accomplished- take a look!

My goal was to spruce up the beds which were clearly in need of some help! I've still got the window boxes to do. If you look closely, the before pic is sans a light on the right. Our handy neighbor helped Jon (or really, the other way around) to install new lighting fixtures. They are just darling- now our little cottage is lit up to to welcome us home!

Before


After




Before


After


Our other priority was to plant the garden. The crop we (read-Cooper)most want to grow? The 300 lb. pumpkin of course! Ohhh- if it could be only 1/2 that size we'd jump with joy. We can wish, dream, hope, pray and coax...


Think good things for us- October is a looonggg time away.

(Why do I always take squinty eyed pictures? Have I no skill?)

Hope your weekend was wonderful too!

It Just Made Me Laugh-

This is supposed to be a Thankful Thursday post...but I was going through my e-mail account and deleting things that I didn't need anymore and I came across this picture.



I had to chuckle. This is a picture from Jon's phone, taken during Indian Guides. If you'll look closely, the child is eating breakfast. On his plate there are scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage......in his hand is a Hersh*y bar. The cup is filled with Yoohoo.

So with this in mind, I am thankful for the following (in no particular order).

-Yoohoo, which evidently contains 25% of your recommended daily allowance of calcium and Vitamin D, seven vitamins and minerals, and has only 110 calories per serving
-the bonding that happens on father/son weekends
-iPhones that allow for glorious memories to be captured that would otherwise be lost in the woods!
-my sweet child and funny hubby
-time alone in the early morning dedicated to checking e-mail, blogging and paying bills
-knowing that the weekend is almost upon us
-having a sense of humor & loving the hilarity of it all.


Happy Thursday!

Happy Easter!

We celebrated a bit early with an Egg Hunt on Saturday. Our little group was cobbled together, Jess brought the kids (George is counting down the days until April 15th), my mom (my dad was at an Army Band Reunion until late Saturday) and Jon's sister and her family. In years past, I have made Wade and Katie search for beer and money so that Cooper wouldn't search alone. Sean & Patrick filled that gap this year!



Sadly the weather didn't cooperate and so we searched inside-



They didn't seem bothered and the bounty was plentiful (although he does look a bit worse for the wear)!!



We had a super time together, celebrating with wonderful food, good friends, family and so many things to be thankful for. We are all so amazingly blessed.

I love Easter- the new beginning, a fresh start, a bright outlook and so much happiness. A time to really be glad and to celebrate.

Our children's sermon this morning captured the Easter message in a way that made the whole thing much more clear for Cooper. The children was given a noise maker and they were able to use it each time we said Alleluia because we were practicing exuberance for God...."going crazy for Jesus". Totally out of character for our typically conservative church- but really powerful none the less.

Hope your Easter was filled with love, happiness & just the right bit of crazy!!

Class Play

Cooper's school is big on public speaking. This is great, if you're outgoing and a not deathly afraid of crowds and well, speaking in public.

Last year he cried through the first month of school, the patriotic program, the Christmas pageant and the Norway program. He made it through his class play and Author's Day without tears- I was elated and thought we were making progress!

This year, he cried on the 1st day of school and at Mexico Day. He made it through the Christmas Pageant (barely) but flew through the Poetry Reading with no issue. The class play was a total gamble.

He rocked it!



He was the best python ever to appear in a production of Why do Mosquitoes Buzz in People"s Ears? No offense intended to the other python in the program- he too did a great job!



We were so thrilled for him (and more than a little relieved)- you know those moments that you beam with pride and it just overwhelms you and you think that your heart just may explode with the complete feeling of love and adoration for the being that is your son, but you have to keep it tucked inside so that people don't think that you're completely over the top and obnoxious?? I think I was able to achieve that delicate balance (Jon confirmed it so there!)



One of the best parts of class plays is the school tradition of "star mail". The rest of the lower school attends each production along with parents and grandparents. Once the children get back to their classrooms, they each choose a character in the play and write that child a note telling them why they liked their play. I LOVE this exercise for so many reasons- for the lessons it teaches, for the pride it builds and for the school community that it builds.

The below are notes that that Cooper received with spelling as is*!

Dear Cooper,
You were so good. You spoke so loud and clear. Your costume was very cool. You were the stare* of the show.

Your friend,
Thomas


Dear Cooper,
Your costume was graet*. You were a star.
Your friend,
Andy

PS. A is for Awesome C is for Cool E is for Excellent
PPS. You were the best
PPPS. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is an awesome name.


The faces of the children as they read their mail- pure joy! How great is that?? For a group of 1st graders- the experience is priceless.

The same is true for their moms.

Pet-less

For the first time since 1991, I am pet-less. Similarly, for the first time since we met, Jon and I are pet-less. On Friday, we had to put my sweet kitten to sleep. I say kitten- she was almost 4. She was a stray that we rescued from the river. We called her Allie (yes, for alley cat)and for all intents and purposes, she was my cat.



Our neighbors fed her and she would come and sit on their front porch and sun herself beside their pool. She was teeny- and as time wore on, they were worried that she'd fall into the pool or would get sick from lapping up the chlorine filled water. She had a litter of kittens herself- and nature took its course with each of them. They were going to take her to animal control and my heart got the best of me.

We brought her home, and took her to the vet. He gave her the needed shots and sent me on my way. Less than 2 hours later, he called and said that she had tested positive for feline leukemia- it wasn't active- but she wouldn't live long. Did I want to bring her back for him to put her to sleep? WHAT??? Have you lost your mind? I/We loved her, and she wasn't sick. I did some research and found that cats can live for years until they actually get sick. We took the risk. She had to stay inside and we just needed to keep an eye on her for obvious changes in her demeanor.

She wasn't nuts about Jon- he could pet her once in a while IF she felt like it. On Tuesday she let him pick her up and cuddle. Her water dish (an old cup and saucer that she adopted) was full. I knew something was not right. On Wednesday I took her to the vet. He gave her some fluids, said she had an infection and prescribed some antibiotics. His direction was to call him on Friday if she wasn't better. On Thursday night, I couldn't find her- Jon finally found her curled up inside her litter box. On Friday I called the vet, was told that he was booked all day but that he'd call me back. I explained why I was calling and that I had an extremely sick cat- we needed to see him. I was polite- and implored them to relay the message that my cat was in dire need of attention. 4 hours passed without a response and I called back- he was again not available. I asked whether he had an appt on Saturday and was told that he was booked until Tuesday. I said that my cat wouldn't make it that long and they begrudgingly offered me an appt. on Saturday morning with another vet. I took it- and hung up.

I called Jon and through sobs/hysteria told him the story. He told me to pack up the cat and be waiting for him. He called Savannah's vet (yes, we see different vets- this will no longer be the case, but there's a long story attached), explained the situation and they told him to bring Allie in immediately.

Enter sobbing girl with sick cat and husband wearing an invisible superman cape. I adore this man!

His vet took one look at Allie and told me what I already knew- she was very ill and he couldn't save her. He did 2 tests- a red blood cell count and a feline leukemia test. She tested positive/active for feline leukemia and her red blood cell count was 7. Apparently, normal range is 35-40.

I adore this new vet who, because he loves animals so much, was able and willing to see me- and my cat, simply because we needed help. His kindness and compassion during our visit was amazing.

I am filled with so much anger for my own vet- who not only couldn't (and hasn't) return my call/plea for help but who clearly missed the major signs on Wednesday that my cat was beyond help. I am filled with agony to know that she was so miserable for 2 additional days- and that I couldn't help her.

I am filled with sadness that she's not a part of my life- but am at peace knowing that she was happy with us and that we made her 4 years the best that we could.

I'll miss you, Allie-

Missing this Face....(just a teeny bit)!!

These are the finished planes from last weekend- they turned out really well and now have a place on the shelves in the family room. At least for now!

This is the coveted Indian Guides weekend (see here for details from the fall session). My list this time is much less involved.

Friday- eat a great dinner (I bought a filet and had it and some awesome mashed potatoes) and watch the 2 episodes of Grey's and 1 each of Desperate & Bro/Sisters.

Saturday- sleep in, do laundry, accept delivery of new bedroom furniture, read the pile of magazines that continues to grow (although without my favorites- RIP Country Home & Cottage Living) and attend the 50th birthday party for a friends hubby.

Sunday- playing it by ear!

I adore being alone, but really only because I know that my boys are having the best time (did I mention that it rained cats and dogs last night?) and that being all by myself makes me appreciate them all the more when they arrive home- dirty, wet and full of stories and smiles.

Cooper has been looking forward to this weekend for months- and secretly, I think Jon has too. We did make a trip on Thursday to purchase an air mattress. As he said, "you know, I'm not getting any younger and that hard ground nearly killed me last time".

So far, I've rec'd 2 text messages-

The 1st in response to my "how are things?"- a single word- WET and then this one around lunchtime today- Cooper was the top shooter in his age group for our tribe! Ahh, we're so proud!

So, yes....I'm missing that face- but I know he's smiling and having the time of his life.

Me too!!!

Generation Gap?

Cooper spent Spring Break with my parents, and when he came home (almost 2 weeks ago) he told me that he was glad to be home because "Grandma and Pappy talk sort of weird". Huh??

Apparently they used words for things that he thought were strange. I asked him to expand....and he couldn't remember any of the specifics. He said that they called coats something that "drove him crazy". Ok....jacket, overcoat, cover up? Nope- none of those.

This morning I told him that he'd need to wear a fleece AND his coat because his class is having their Easter Egg Hunt today (long story- but it made sense in September). And he yelled-- "POLAR TEC!! That's what they always said. POLAR TEC, it drove me crazy". Seriously? Then he started saying- Cooper, come put on your polar tec, Cooper, don't forget your polar tec, Cooper, do you need your polar tec? Hilarious!!
My parents are wild about fleece, er- polar tec. Clearly, it rubbed my funny kid the wrong way.

Then on the way to school he says, "Oh- the other one they said was waste basket. How come they don't just say trash can??

Honestly- the things he latches on to make me laugh so hard!!

Only 15 minutes until the Easter Egg Hunt- I'm off today to play the part of Mom extraordinaire and I cannot wait!!!

Have a great day-

East Coast/West Coast

My brother lives in Laguna Beach but his life in no way resembles that of the popular TV show. His house is within 2 blocks of Laguna Beach High School. When I say house, I use the term lightly....it's really a super sweet little closet maybe 400 square feet. Maybe. He lives there with his wife and her dog. The wife and dog are there illegally.....but the rent is cheap by CA standards and the location affords them the ability to walk to the beach.

Anyhoo, this is not the point. The point is that they were in from the west coast and we made the trip up so that my mother would be the happiest woman in the world. She just wanted her entire family to be together. I adore the woman, and so I went- willingly. Once I arrived, it. was. a. struggle. We could have been a reality tv episode...

I could go on....and on, and on....

I should not judge, and I really tried not to- bottom line, I inherited a gene that escaped my brother. I'm responsible, he's not, I'm a planner, he's fly by the seat of his pants, I'm a worrier- he doesn't worry about anything, I'm fanatical about following the rules- he never met a rule that he didn't break. I live in the real world, and he lives in this fantasy place where surfing and drinking wine by the gallon and wearing nothing but flip flops all the time is the norm. I'm east coast, he's west coast..she's TOTALLY west coast. But they are happy- in love and blissfully happy.

I wouldn't trade for a minute!

Happening Right Now in my Kitchen...

...is a father/son activity that makes me chuckle. Instead of the norm, father coaching son through teeny & often difficult details to ensure perfection, the roles are reversed. Cooper is a pro after spending all week with my parents and in particular my dad who is a big fan of the model!





Finished product coming soon!

Thankful Thursday (100th post)

When I logged in today I realized that this is my 100th post- who knew??

I haven't been keeping track really but I'm so proud of myself! I started my blog to remind me of the little joys in life and to hold myself accountable for being thankful and not taking things for granted. It has become a place for me to do this, but also to record our lives, the things that make me laugh (and cry) and a way to keep in touch with friends/family. I love this place- I feel at home.

Lots to be thankful for....2 top the list-

I work at home on Wednesdays. Angela called to check on me and asked if I was in the mood for a bagel. Sure! Within minutes she delivered a hug and a warm bagel to my front steps. I have been slammed completely annihilated at work lately, and this kindness was almost too much to manage. I felt wrapped in a hug for the rest of the day. Thanks Ang- you can't know how much that meant. I am thankful for my wonderful friends.

Cooper had spring break this week and my incredible parents came down last Friday to spend the night and take him home with them for a visit. I realize what a gift this is- and I am thankful in so many ways.
I love that Cooper has the chance to spend quality time with my parents- they are his only grandparents- and know that each minute builds amazing memories. I want this for him and equally for my parents. They have a bond that warms my heart.

I love the time that Jon and I get to spend as a couple. Although we worked all week, each night was spent at a favorite restaurant or with friends enjoying adult time without worry and babysitting costs. We are refreshed and reminded of how much we still love each other. Sometimes it's hard in the day to day- this time is so important for us and makes us better parents, partners and friends. I am thankful for my parents, their health and their willingness to be the best grandparents imaginable!

Hope you're having a good week!

If I were the President....

This came home in Cooper's book bag on Friday.


It made me laugh out loud- it also made me proud that at least I have instilled in that kid the importance of starting your day off right! It was a parenting lesson learned the hard way for me.

I cannot say that breakfast in our house is always completely healthy. I am forever mortified by the time that our pediatrician asked Cooper what he had eaten for breakfast that day. The conversation went like this.

Dr. Jan- Did you eat breakfast today?
Cooper- Yes.
Dr. Jan- What did you have....oh wait- let me guess!! Cereal?
Cooper- No
Dr. Jan- Pancakes?
Cooper- No
Dr. Jan- Oatmeal?
Cooper- No
Dr. Jan- Yogurt?
Cooper- No
Dr. Jan- I give up- tell me what you ate for breakfast
(note at this point I am ready to crawl under the table and DIE because I know what is coming!)
Cooper (giggling)- COOKIES!!!!!
Dr. Jan was not amused.

I have always been of the belief that something is better than nothing. Clearly not in this case! Since that time- breakfast is a must in our house and it never includes cookies.

Egg on my Face

No school for the boys & lots of snow = happy kid & momma eating crow!

Gladys Loves Jesus (among other things!)

Recently after church, we started heading to breakfast at E!isteins Bagels. It is ALWAYS miserable (crowded, loud, overpriced and with uncomfortable seating) but we continue to go. It's easy, close by and they have good bagels. Today I couldn't handle the stress of it all any longer so we drove a mile further and arrived in the pure delight of P@anera Bread. I love it there! We sat by the fire, Cooper enjoyed hot chocolate, Jon and I read the paper and our bagels were significantly less expensive. It was also not crowded and the other patrons were just as happy as we were to be there.

We left after almost 2 hours and came home to spend the rest of the day in front of our fireplace reading, watching TV and in my case....jumping from blog to blog. A perfect way to spend the afternoon.

I was reading this blog, and typically don't click to watch videos, but decided differently this time. This made me laugh so hard that I couldn't resist borrowing it for myself. I think whenever I am having a bad day, I'll take a 7 minute break and will be instantly cheered!



Ok, worth it?? Definitely!! We are having a Bible Study reunion dinner on Tuesday and I think this MUST be our theme- can't wait!

Jon and Cooper have left in search of snow pants- because it is supposed to snow and Jon is convinced that they will have no school. Seriously?? That's all Cooper needed to hear and so he's planning on going skiing tomorrow. Someone forgot to mention that it is rare that the weatherman is correct. Wonder who will break it to our more than excited 6 year old that in addition to there not being any snow- he will also have to attend school rather than hitting the slopes. Nice- oh well, all in a days work!

Hope you have good week-

We are not on Facebook- Love, Dad

My dad makes me laugh! There are times when he hits a bit of a dry spell, but then there are others when he's on a roll. This week he has been a riot.

He sent me an article via e-mai from Time called Why Facebook is for Old Fogies. The message said. We are not on Facebook. Love, Dad

Hilarious!!

Balance

It is days like this.....

(Sunday) Jon took Cooper to the boat show, which allowed me to do some shopping on my own. I found some new jeans and a few things to bridge until spring for work. I also bought the "decoration" project so that Cooper could get his Tiger badge at Cub Scouts. I ended up with 17 flower pots. My vision is that the boys will decoupage them with scraps of wrapping & tissue paper (wish me luck). After I got home, I watched a dvd'd episode of Grey's.

Then, it was boys night. I had girls night with Maura & Kristin at PF Ch@ng's. I had a crazy good apple pie martini to begin with and the lettuce wraps. LOVE those.

These were the things on Cooper's list while I was gone-

1) Play a game of chess
2) Pop some popcorn
3) Watch the entire Star Wars, Attack of the Clones.
4) Just hang out

Ahhhh- the luxury of it all.

That make days like this.....seem almost worth it.

(Monday) Woke up at 5 to walk 2.5 miles with my neighbor. Got back, got ready, remembered that it was Teacher Appreciation Week and I was responsible for a a fruit tray and 20 bottles of water. Woke Cooper up, got him clean and rummaged through my closet for some hair gel (evidently, he now cares about his hair!!)...made his lunch, tidied the house and was ready to leave at 8 on the dot. Looked outside and saw the pest control people in my driveway. UGGHH! Let them in to spray and had to re-order my trips. School drop off and then to the grocery store for a fruit tray. Drat- forgot that I was also responsible for getting paper towels, hand sanitizer and Clor0x wipes since his teacher ran out (homeroom mom, not all it's cracked up to be). Got everything and made it back to school at 8:45. Just in time for the Poetry Reading. Turned off ringer on blackberry, listened and smiled appropriately, said a prayer that my child would have the strength to overcome his fear of public speaking (Thank you, God). After reading, held Class Play meeting to get the troops organized and dashed off e-mail summarizing to those who missed. 10am- in my car on my way to work and dialed in to the conference call. Whew-

5 meetings and a work session later, I am on my way home- left work at 6:50. Home at 7:15. Arrive to Jon and Cooper playing chess. Dinner, not started. Homework, not started. Seriously??

I whip out some semblance of dinner (spinach & ricotta ravioli (from Sam's with vodka sauce from a jar) and french bread. We eat, I clean up, beg Jon to help with his homework and then put Cooper to bed- not before completing the glow in the dark puzzle that he's been dying to finish, reading 1 chapter of Encyclopedia Brown and clipping his fingernails.

Good Night Cooper
Good Night Jon

Now....time for me to do the rest of the things that moms do after everyone else is asleep.

But really, isn't it all about balance?

Must See TV

We watched the HBO premiere of T@king Chance last night.
It was amazing. I was mesmerized and horrified and saddened and so incredibly full of pride for those who ensure that our freedom is protected- and at the ultimate sacrifice.

When Jon was in the Army, he was to be stationed in Dover. Preparing fallen soldiers for their journey home was the job that he would have done- he was discharged before that happened. He said that he learned just as it was depicted in the movie.

If you are able, I highly recommend seeing this film.

Thankful Thursday & Funny Story

I am thankful for friends who send me things like this on days when there seems to be no end in sight to the nightmares at work! This is exactly as she sent it except that I altered the name of her child. I would just include a link to her blog, but it's private because she's a bit of a freak about strangers. I still love her dearly! Thanks Diana- I know the boys had a blast at the circus despite the near death experience for G (and you!).

******

Off topic, but I've got a happy Thursday thought for you guys that I think falls in the category of telling you first and not making you read about it in my blog...

While at the coliseum with no less than oh..500 people, I tripped and fell. And not just any old fall... I was walking down those steep, cement, overwhelming and scary steps that take you from row 150 to the floor when I lost my balance and completely ate it down several flights of stairs... Did I mention I was carrying G??? And that the snowcone guy was in front of my balancing 40 snowcones on top of his head??

When I fell I managed to get out "WATCH OUT SIR!" and then toppled, head first into the cement and down 10 rows. My mommy instinct managed to kick in so I twisted my body to make sure G didn't crack his head, but totally twisted my ankle, skinned my knee, and crashed headfirst into a row of seats. Seriously. My head was on the ground (yes - the gross coliseum ground) and my feet were 6 steps up. And poor Victor (the snowcone guy) was completely shaken up. Bad, bad, bad.

If it wasn't so humiliating and if it didn't hurt so bad it would have been hilarious. Ok - so it still is kind of hilarious even if my ankle does hurt like h@ll!

(Lest you think that I'm a terrible friend.....Diana is doing just fine and we laughed until we couldn't speak when I called to check on her!)

******

Night #2, 3 & 4 have been fantastic on the new bed. It may be completely in my head, but I do feel as if I'm waking up more rested. Who wouldn't be thankful for that! Cooper has spent his week trying out the rest of the beds in the house. Sunday, our room. Monday, the original guest room which is now home to our old queen. Tuuesday, the old guest room bed which has moved into what was supposed to be my "work room" but never got any further than a comfy chair and a huge work table from Ik@a (also known as the kitten's room since her food is in there). His verdict- he like the kitten's room and has been there since Tuesday. Seriously- we could have saved a ton of money and bought a 2 bedroom house rather than 4. That kid is nuts about sleeping! Oh well, I am thankful for his adorable quirkiness and that sleepy little voice that says, 'I love you momma' before I turn out the light each night no matter which bed he's in.

I am thanful for this country that is my home. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I am thankful for my husband, who took my car for a test drive immediately after I told him that it felt "funny". He said that he thought I needed new brakes, and he was right. I also got the tires rotated and the fluids changed. For the bargain basement price of $635, I am now driving in a safer vehicle. I'm also thankful that I was able to pay the bill because that nightmare job of mine is really, when you get down to it, a pretty great one!

Am looking forward to the weekend!
Enjoy-

Take Two

I thought that I'd wake up this morning and be refreshed and bright eyed. I am not. Evidently, Jon and I did a fantastic job of building up how great it would be to sleep in our new bed. Those little ears that belong to our sweet child took in every word and wanted to share in the festivities.

This is one of those times when we (I) should have been firm, and maybe even mean. There is no reason that we should have allowed him to sleep with us last night. But we did. He was so cute, and soooo excited and he said, "but it's my 1st night to have a king size bed too- pllleeeaaase can I sleep with you?" We gave in. We shouldn't have.

I think I slept on what amounted to 1/2 a twin size bed last night. Jon is still asleep so I'm not sure his verdict. I'm looking forward to tonight.

Happy Monday-

Last Night with the Queen!!

Ever since we slept on the king size bed at Wintergreen, Jon has been a man obsessed. He can talk of nothing except getting a new king size bed. Truth be told, we have been sleeping on our queen size since we were married, and we're at that 10 year mark. It's time for a new mattress. And a king sounds heavenly- but shopping for a mattress ranks up there with shopping for a new car. TERRIBLE. I don't want to offend anyone who may make a living selling mattresses- but I can think of little worse (well, I can...).

We planned a day of shopping (I could hardly wait!) and as luck would have it, Presidents Day Weekend is THE time to buy a new mattress. I learned more about mattresses than I care to know. I've been profiled, questioned, tested and schmoozed- and it worked. We are the proud new owners of a a KING SIZE BED!!! We pick it up tomorrow, because as some of you know- we are also the proud owners of a trailer that beats all trailers (another story for another day).

I cannot wait- to be able to completely spread out and to be cradled by a super luxurious pillow toppy thing.....oh, the JOY!!

This also starts a chain effect....what do we do with our bed....we need new sheets, blankets, pillows and bedding.....and lottery winnings to accomplish it all. More to come on how it all pans out.

Valentines Day ended with what I thought was going to be an amazing dinner (lemony shrimp and cannellini bean with cous cous). Instead of theses incredibly fresh flavors that I had hoped for, it was sort of bland. Ughhh- Real Simple rarely steers me wrong- this time they did. At least the wine was good AND we talked the entire time about how AWESOME our bed is going to be! Can't wait!

Happy Heart Day-

Funny Kid!

Cooper is working on his Valentines. It. Is. PAINFUL. I tried to spread out the agony over 4 nights, and we're at the bitter end. He's whining, crying, stomping his foot and begging for candy to get him through. I am brutal and am not giving in to the pressure. Apparently, it's worst than I thought...

Here is our conversation-

Me: No, you cannot have any skittles until you finish ALL of your Valentines.
Cooper: I don't even want you to be my mother anymore!
Me: Well, who would you want to be your mother instead? Grandma? Aunt Kathy?
Cooper: (after thinking for a second) I think I'd pick Aunt Kathy- she has a pet.

If I wasn't trying to suppress my chuckles, I might have cried. That kid does need a pet!

Tubing Weekend!!

We took Cooper to Wintergreen for the weekend. We've been there before, but not in the winter (and that's sort of the point of going...). Jon was dying to get him on the ski slopes- and as it turns out- the child loves to ski. Neither of them could have been more excited. Here they are getting ready to head out.


Saturday they took advantage of the cheaper "night ski" and Sunday morning they went tubing. I went along to capture the memory and then went back to the house to read decorating magazines by the fire and enjoy the view! Next time, I'll definitely tube. Skiing is out- I had an unfortunate episode with a tree when I was younger that resulted in being taken off the mountain via the ski patrol. NOT my finest hour to be sure.





Tubing "rules" seem very strict when you read them on line, but I felt much better when we actually arrived and saw the set up. It reminded me of the Banana Splits, only with snow.


I love this picture. He's squinting, but he's so happy!!


There they go!

Such a great weekend- beautiful weather, incredible surroundings, fun with family, and many fond memories. This is what its all about.

Thankful Thursday

Wow- it seems like FOREVER since my last post. Some weeks I can think of a million things to capture about the week and our lives, and other weeks, it's all I can do to remain upright! This has been one of those weeks.

I got sick last week/weekend- the kind of sick that you ignore at first because there is no way that it can really be happening. There are so many things to do....so you do what any normal mom does and you fight through it. But then it becomes too bad and you realize that you've been defeated by a microscopic bug. It's over. Momma is sick.

My friend Diana thinks the story is hilarious, and perhaps it is- I got sick at home, denied it and went to work anyway. Cooper heard me in the bathroom and said, "Momma, are you ok? You sound like you're throwing up" Yes, I am- but not to worry!! I came out, got dressed, packed his lunch and grabbed the keys. He said, "Momma, you're sort of tough". Indeed I am! I have to be- I'm the momma.

Fast forward 3 hours and I am huddled in a conference room at work hugging a trash can and hoping that the walls are at least slightly soundproof. Clearly, I am not that tough anymore.

I couldn't move, and the thought of getting to my car was too much. I was trapped until I finally felt stable enough to walk out of the building, drove home and collapsed on the sofa. My temperature was 101.5 when Jon came home 2 hours later. I was miserable! 36 hours later I could at least function- by Monday I was back to my old self. The good side- I lost 4 lbs!

I am thankful that it was just a bug and that my health in general is good!
I am thankful for that little shove from God to get started on my weight loss plan! When I put my jeans on, that 4 lbs made a difference, and that was such great motivation.

The night before I got sick, Jon and I celebrated our 10 year engagement anniversary. My parents have always celebrated their engagement anniversary, and so it felt normal for me to do it too. I didn't realize that it's not the norm. Most of my friends don't remember their date, let alone celebrate. I cannot forget mine- it was the greatest day for me and it changed my life forever! I am thankful for my incredible husband, and for the happiness that being with him has brought me. We have had our rough times, and we agree that year nine was definitely the roughest- but we are both committed to ensuring that our marriage is strong. We always joke that we're stuck with each other. I couldn't imagine being stuck with anyone better!

Work, ah, work! With all of the job loss in the country, especially my friends at Circuit C!ty, I am truly thankful for having my job. It challenges me, angers me and frustrates me on some days- but those things will just make me stronger in the end. The best part are the people-those that I work with and for, and those that I help as a result of my work- they are the ones who make it all worth it. We had a meetng this week, when one of our senior executives spoke about the economic state of the nation, as well as our company. He started by telling us that he didn't have much good news- but proceeded to make sense out of all that seems so looming. It's not good- but in his words, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how far away that light may be. I'm following that light- and I have hope. I am thankful for that.

We are heading to the mountains this week so that Cooper can try tubing for the 1st time. A fun weekend after a much needed longgggggg week!

Enjoy your weekend!

Roasted Vegetables & Melted Mascara

My meal planning continues and I've been trying to eat more veggies in general. My parents gave me new pots and pans for Christmas and I adore them! Having the right tools really makes a huge difference and I'm making an effort to try new things.

Enter roasting- I have a brussel sprouts recipe that is to die for (I realize that may be an alarming statement- but it's completely true). I decided that if roasting can make brussel sprouts better than I should just roast everything. Last night I roasted squash. I added some olive oil, sprinkled on some seasoning and roasted for about 15 minutes. I opened the oven door to peek in and see how things were coming along and apparently this was a mistake.

A poof of heat came out when I opened the door and all of a sudden I felt my eyes pull back- it felt very strange and my 1st reaction was- Oh NO- I have singed off all of my eyelashes (which if you know me is troubling because I have an eyelash issue in the first place). Anyway- I ran into the bathroom and honestly- I looked like Tammy Faye Baker. The heat somehow melted my mascara and made my eyelashes clump together and stick to my eyelids. Thankfully, fully fixable with a little make up remover. Whew!

Before my food and beauty experience, I shared a treat with Cooper. My sweet friend Diana gave me a box to deliver. There is really nothing that my kid likes more than to get a treat, and today was no different. His eyes lit up and he opened the note on the top of the box. I asked him what it said and he said that he didn't know- since he can read most things these days, I didn't give it a thought and said- well, read it silly. He looked at me, then at the note and said- I can't. Look! He handed me the note and I had to laugh (she did too when I relayed the story). Diana clearly has little boys....her familiar handwriting was staring me in the face and it was not "easy reader friendly"! The note was so thoughtful- and offered him some solace since he had lost his favorite sleeping pal. A Webk!nz retriever was inside the box to help him with those lonely nights. He was thrilled, promptly named her Savannah and has slept with her for the past 2 nights.

Thanks Diana- wonderful friends are such a blessing!

ps- the squash was a hit!!