Is it Saturday today??

We woke up today, and Hunter said...is it Saturday today? He was all confused! Don't you love summer? Well, love it and hate it, right ;)

I am pooped. I got a wild hair today, and decided we needed to do some yard work. We really did need to pull weeds and "mess up" the mulch with a hoe. Scott enjoyed saying that word over and over and over. It is actually hot here today though. LIKE it's supposed to get up to 97*!! It's 3 pm and we still don't have our air on. Upstairs is a bit warm, but the basement feels just fine. We are talking about going to see Wall-E today. Later, after I take my nap. Not joking.

I tried to run today, but since I didn't leave the house until 11 ish (Scott was gone all morning playing basketball), and I took off straight up a "mountain", I only lasted 12 minutes. I came back and went to the gym. It was too hot, my legs were itching terribly, and well I just didn't feel it today. I did feel it, however, feel it at the gym. My current gym has been listening to me (and this trainer named Rosemarie) and got a Bosu. Yeah! I have one at home, but it's nice to have one there, too. AND a foam roller!

I have the hugest pile of laundry to take care off. I was on laundry strike pretty much the whole time my Mom was here. I don't recommend that. Now I have to pay.

A couple cute things...at least I think so...I found Hope and Hayden sprawled out on the carpet yesterday watching Sponge Bob together. Hope calls Sponge Bob....Bobbie now. I find it amusing. Prior to the yard work extravaganza, I told everybody to get socks and gym shoes on. We have this evil mulch that gives you splinters. Like if you wear your Crocs into the mulch even for a second you'll have like 10 splinters on the bottom of your feet. (note:it's so bad, I caught Hunter and his friend Reed play basketball with gardening gloves on this week, the splinters were sticking to the ball, ouch!) Anyway, so Hayden comes out with red baseball socks pulled all the way up and his cleats on. He's no dummy.

Things I'm loving today

1. That store Anthropologie-I used to "shop" there...but haven't for awhile. I do love that store-but it's a little expensive. I had fun looking around today-if only I felt like spending $78-$130 for a little shirt. I don't :)

2. Sweet's taffy. Yum yum yum. My Mom bought a bag while we were at the Wal-fart the other day and it's goood. Sometimes, I need a little help getting my inner piggy on, but once she's out-watch out!

3. Window shopping. I used to not really love to wander the stores so much, but lately...I am completely satisfied to walk about. I love it. You get your shopping fix without spending too much. I just need the kids to see the light. Hunter sees the light. I tried on a dress in "the" Banana, that was $130...he told me we couldn't afford it ;) Hannah would have EVERY Webkinz know to man, if I let her.

4. Hayden's new Crocs. He busted his old ones a while back, and has been needing some new ones. Today was his lucky day. I also enjoyed buying a couple of new Jibitzes for the kids' Crocers. So cute. I like collecting stuff like that...did you know, that I used to have (still do-someplace) a mean sticker collection? I did. Melissa Hilston and I would spend ALL of our money on stickers. All-of-it.

5. Lunch at Macaroni Grill-thanks Mom. I love eating with my Mom. We usually will split something. Today we split the Pasta Rustica and we each had a Caesar salad. We like the same stuff. What I really love to do, (at dinner) is to both order something and share. Scott usually doesn't like that option, but I do.

6. I really like that Goodreads. I have gone book shopping lately (again just browsing-I am rediscovering my love of the library...or at least trying-in an effort to keep the clutter down. When I moved I realized just how many books I had-most are in the basement!) But, I have so many good books I want to read right now. I love getting excited about books I want to read.

7. I am loving the weather right now. Summer is the time to live here. Winters may be cold and rainy, but the summers are glorious.

Great day of shopping with Da Muz.

I'm so excited...my MOM is in town. Lots of fun stuff planned for this week!! We got up this morning and we were out shopping by 11 ish. We didn't pull in until after 6 ish. (Hope has been running a fever off and on for a few days, and she only had 2 20 minute naps-poor girl, so I did a lot of baby holding today- you KNOW we were dedicated)I think I even impressed my Mom-the world's #1 shopper ;) Nordstrom Rack is my long lost BFF. I found some new lovely sheets that I will be sleeping on tonight. They are in the dryer as we speak. Can't WAIT to sleep on those bad boys. Anyway, it was a lovely day of shopping with my Mom and kiddos, eating lunch at Noodles and Company, eating See's candies (dark chocolate buttermilk caramel chews), cinnamon apple raisin bread from Great Harvest, fresh pineapple, carrots, snap peas and yogurt for dinner- yummy. We laughed because we both said our husbands would NOT consider this a meal :) Kids loved it too. The weather is perfect, we are getting into our jammies at 7:45, and I just put Hopey to bed, ahhhhhh.

Ahhh, Benadryl!

Apparently, Benadryl has the same effect on Hayden that it does me. We were at the park playing tennis and Hayden touched some grassy plant. It was "tall and fuzzy", I guess he couldn't resist. (his allergies have been bad lately anyway) Well, his eyes got puffy,red and very itchy, he got hives, he looked miserable and he wanted to go home. I took him home and gave him Benadryl, he was OUT within about 30 minutes.

We did get a few fun minutes of tennis in today. I discovered I don't have a backhand anymore...just two forehands. I'm not sure where it went, but...maybe with some practice it will reappear.

Scott was in Vegas for a few days this week. He is on his way home as we speak. But anyway, he got me all excited last night when he called and said he was walking by some slots and he noticed one had a balance. So, he walked over and pushed the button. Jackpot!!! Really??? I said. Yeah, but it was only the penny slot, so he won $1! Wow!!

Still NOBODY like Jordan!

I do love some NBA finals! I don't watch much (if any) regular season basketball. It's not because I don't like it, I do...I just...forget I guess it's on. There are so many games. But it never fails when the finals come on (sometimes even the playoffs) I get all into basketball, and wonder "why have I not been watching this all season long??" We watched the game tonight- Celtics won, yippee. I'm not a huge Lakers fan. I do however like Phil Jackson. He is a little "different" but hey he coached the one and only...Michael Jordan sooo, I like him. I was growing up/first married when the Bulls were in their glory days. Ahhh, those were the good old days...when I would actually watched basketball all season long. Still nobody like Jordan.

First day of summer was today BTW. Hayden didn't have any school and Hunter and Hannah had 2 hours. Why bother, right? I've got Ethan W. here tonight for a sleepover. (Ethan is Hunter's buddy from TX-he is the "other" kid in the beach pictures) The Williams came over for a BBQ. It's been fun seeing them again. They are taking the boys hiking up to some waterfalls tomorrow. They will have a great time, I'm sure.

We decided not to go back to Houston this summer. It was a hard decision, but I think it's for the best. First of all, we are going to Disney and blew all our miles (frequent flier miles) on that. Second, how expensive is air fare right now, goodness! And last, like I already said, it's expensive...and too expensive just to be sad!! I don't think I'm ready to go back yet. Anyway, I don't want to go back right in the middle of summer. Maybe this winter!! I'd (all of us) would be sad, soooo sad to leave again. It just hasn't been long enough yet. I was talking to my friend Jennifer yesterday, and without thinking, at the end of the conversation I said to her, " I'll see you later." Uhhh, no I won't. Boo Hoo!! Hunter has been a little sad"ish" too the last couple of days. I think it's having Ethan here. I'd keep that kid all summer long. He (Hunter) actually told me he didn't want school to end, hello? Hannah said the same thing. They were just getting settled and all. It doesn't seem like summer that's for sure. Hayden didn't say he wanted to stay in school though :) He has been doing the happy dance.

Just so I mention everyone, Hope was delightful tonight. But she does have a little diaper rash, and I had to run out "special" and get some Desitin. I still like that stuff the best. She hasn't had a rash in forever! Waaaay tooooo much pooping going on today, she must have a little somethin'.

***Oh oh oh, I think until my friend Julie is ready to teach my kids piano (she just had a baby), I'm going to try teaching them. Have any of you taught your kids how to play the piano? Hunter is starting to play out of the Children's Songbook. He is probably almost as good as me. I can sight read better, but he knows his theory. I don't know theory. I should just have him teach them....hmmm I don't think that would go over well, for anybody. Any suggestions?

re-do

I wasn't totally happy with my succulent garden, and being the one tracker that I am...I couldn't rest. SO, I went out today, to a local garden center and found a nice shallow pot that I like. Plus, it was on sale for 40% off, which made me like it even more. I replanted and also added a few more succulents. Home Depot has the best selection of succulent plants that I have found. Now I have something very interesting to look at while I do dishes. It makes me happy. When Scott saw it, he said he thought I needed to squeeze in a few more. :) I tried to help him understand, they are supposed to be a squished up in there. That man never reads Martha. Hello???!!

June?? At the beach in sweatshirts!

Fun at the beach, in June...in sweatshirts! The kids didn't care. Really, it was a beautiful day. Hayden is the only one that forgot his swimsuit. As you can tell, that didn't slow him down a bit. They ran across the water, Hayden in his jeans and sweat shirt at first, but that got too cold, so he stripped down. :) Ethan (Hunter's friend from Houston) is here visiting with his family. We drove to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast. Have you ever seen Goonies? Astoria, OR is where that movie was filmed, with the beach scene at Cannon Beach. I took a walk on the beach all the way down to these rocks. It took about 1/2 hour. Lovely lovely. I saw a dead sea otter on the way, not so lovely. I walked barefoot, and got a fabulous free pedicure. haha

These two images are courtesy of flickr. This is Haystack Rock.

I did make the cake, and boy was it good!!

What a life.

So, if you ever want to know just how big your son is getting, go to school and look at the GIRLS. Holy Cow. I kept saying "Are THOSE girls in 6th grade??" We made a journey to the middle school today for some roller coaster fun. For science, all the 6th graders (divided into groups of 4) worked on this roller coaster project. They had to design and decorate blah blah blah. They had a great time, and they all showed off the stuff today in the gym. How fun is this?? On Monday, the day before the last day of school, all the 6th graders are boarding buses and going to Seattle to some water roller coaster park for a field trip. ALL day, from like 7 am-7 pm. They call when they get back to the school. Hunter is way excited. Not to mention his friend, Ethan, from Houston is in town. What a life :)
Hayden at his school, in front of the penguin display. (Penguins=school mascot) He wanted his picture taken. Typical Hayden. He had a pretty great day too. My twin, Molly, has twin boys. And THEY CAME OVER TO PLAY. Have I told you today, that I love having a basement playroom!!?? They really were good kids.
We were just making the rounds today. Later in the afternoon, Hannah had a something something museum day in her class. We got to go in and she showed us a bunch of cool things she has been working on. Among them, she read us a creative writing story, she showed us her map of Cheesy Cheese Cheese (fictional town she made up-she has a thing for cheese apparently) AND this power point on Canada. Hello?? When did she start making power point presentations? Crazy. It was great, too. Way to go Hannah.
I took a bunch of pictures of Hopey. None of them were very good. She kept running over to me. She has the cutest little plaid skirt on that matches this shirt, I wanted to bite her all day.


I have forgotten just how much I like to plant stuff. It just wasn't any fun to plant anything outside in Houston...heat+mosquitoes+fire ants=misery outside :) I now have a fun porch that I wanted to hang something from. I planted two of these planters pictured above.

Have you ever smelled freesia? LOVE them. Planted some today right by my little table outside on the front porch. I will be planting some jasmine maybe tomorrow out in the flower bed. Funny thing...I went to Home Depot to get jasmine and some stuff for the planters. I got so excited about my planters...I forgot to buy the jasmine. GRRRR :) Ahhh jasmine. Another heavenly scent. My Grandma Jones had jasmine outside her front door when she lived in CA, and I still think of her when I smell it. I had jasmine planted outside my front door in TX. Loved walking by that stuff, EVERY single day.

Kind of a sad little picture of my succulent plants. But they make me smile. I don't know why I think they are so cool, but I do. I have put them right behind my kitchen sink, but that doesn't make for such a pretty picture, so I moved them...still not so good, but you get the picture-literally. Now I can stare at them while I do dishes.

I bought two diffusers today, and my whole house smells divine. I am a very smell oriented person I think. Anyway, this one tuberose and gardenia, yummy!!! The one in my kitchen is passion fruit and papaya. Equally as delicious. Can I just say, that Father's Day can't get here fast enough, that cake has been on my brain all week long. I will post pictures, I promise.

"Baby!!"

It's been awhile, but today Hope and I sat down and looked through old pictures on Picasa. I used to do it all the time, but then moving happened and it was just too darn sad. Hope loved looking at the pictures. "Nannah!!!!" "Daddy!!" "Papa!!!" She called herself "Baby". She hadn't called herself anything yet. I kept trying to get her to say "Hope" but she wouldn't. "Baby". Speaking of babies, Hope LOVES to play with her dollies. She is constantly carrying one around. She has several that she likes. But she likes them naked. She even likes the American Girl Bitty Baby and the twins. We tried to dress the Bitty Baby up like her on Sunday, they looked so cute! But no way! The picture of Hope with the hat was taken today. She pooped through her cute Gymboree pants, and you'll have to excuse the yogurt ALL over her, and the hat????...but that's my girl!! She LOVES her "Da Da" slippers. Hunter just walked in the door, so I'm off!

Oh MY!

All I'm saying is, I'm glad it's Father's Day this Sunday...and Scott likes Reese's, because now I have an excuse to make this! Thanks Bakerella! I like her thinking, too. She takes the recipe and then doubles the amount of Reese's! Oh yeah! Yummy!

How to live with 100 things.

I just read a very interesting article called How to Live With 100 Things. Do go read it. This guy, Dave Bruno, has gotten rid of all jeans except 3 pairs. He is debating going down to 2! His method is WAY too extreme for me, but I do find it all very interesting.

**"Stuff starts to overwhelm you," says Dave Bruno, 37, an online entrepreneur who looked around his San Diego home one day last summer and realized how much his family's belongings were weighing him down. Thus began what he calls the 100 Thing Challenge. (Apparently, Bruno is so averse to excess he can't refer to 100 things in the plural.) In a country where clutter has given rise not only to professional organizers but also to professional organizers with their own reality series (TLC's Clean Sweep), Bruno's online musings about his slow and steady purge have developed something of a cult following online, inspiring others to launch their own countdown to clutter-free living.**

They also quote that Peter Walsh guy from Clean Sweep. I have seen him on Oprah too. Again, way too extreme for me, but it does have me thinking about how I can do better in this area. What do you think? Could you live with 100 personnel possessions?

Saturday is a special day

I am my father's daughter. Saturday mornings (usually unless there is something special going on) is our day to get ready for Sunday...I mean Saturday is our day to clean/pick-up the house. It's 11:30 ish, and it's done. Everybody helped and it's clean and smelling good. We even got the garbages cleaned. I love having older kids that I can boss around-well that doesn't sound very nice-I mean I love having older kids that can really HELP out. It is so refreshing. They worked their booties off, AND I'm feeling so generous, I'm going to give them all a buck. I know I know...big spender!! :)

In other exciting news...Scott found the Titanic book! It was in a box of some of Hunter's "stuff" in the top of his closet. Hayden has been carrying it around like a long lost friend.

I also needed to clear something up...the other day I posted Hunter beat Scott at ping-pong. While that is true technically, Hunter did have some cushion points. I didn't want to artificially inflate anyone's head :)

I'm off to go run. The hills are a killer here, so I will need a good soak when I'm done. Why didn't I like the bath before? I do not know. Truth be told...if I am real gross, I do still shower first :) Old habits.

My little fella

Hayden asked me yesterday if I had ever heard of that place Sylvanex. I asked if he meant Sylvan Learning Centers? Yeah, that's it. What about Sylvanex (that place will forever be Sylvanex now) I asked him. He got a big smile and said he thinks he needs to go there because he doesn't know what 100+100 is. Well, he does. He just knows how to "get me". They do make Sylvanex look mighty fun, now don't they? haha

Hayden has had a fascination with the Titanic for as long as I can remember. Funny, that's one of my obsessions too. Maybe that's why I didn't have a problem spending $20 for this super cool pop up book for him at the book fair in Texas before we moved. *sigh* This book was one of the treasures we deemed worthy of getting packed into suitcases to be brought out with us when we first moved here. Hayden said to me last night..."Mom, have you seen my Titanic book?" NO! When was the last time you remember seeing it? "I haven't seen it since we moved into our house." GRRRRRR. If there is one thing I hate (let's be real, I hate lots of things) it's looking for lost stuff. Maybe I'm not the most patient person in the world. But seriously, I'd rather have something break than just not be able to find it. The unknown of where it might be. Did we leave it at the townhouse? Certainly not. Did you happen to leave it someplace? Heck no, I don't let them take books out!! But then where the heck is it. It's a big old book! I have driven myself (and Scott) crazy looking for this book. It has become an obsession...just like the Titanic itself. I even went down into the basement and dug through all our suitcases. No luck. Deep breath Heather, deep breath.

But I did it anyway!

First of all, not to brag or anything...but I beat Hunter this morning in ping-pong. It was late start for him today, so we had a little extra time. He might not have been playing his "A" game, but I sure was :)

I love as the kids are getting older, and doing more jobs around the house, they are truly "getting" it. One of the jobs that rotates is the vacuuming. On Saturday, it was Hunter's turn to vacuum the house. One of the things that you do BEFORE you vacuum, is pick up all the little stuff. You know all the crap, right? Hunter says to me, "Mom, do you ever feel like it's just not worth picking up all the stuff and vacuuming? It's just going to get messy again in a few minutes!" EXACTLY!

Along the same lines, have any of you seen that paper towel commercial...I think it's got a punch line of "but you did it anyway" or something like it. I've tried to find it...but I can't even remember the exact quote or the brand. But I remember I liked it. It goes through this woman's day, showing you all the things that we all do, and we all think twice about but we do it anyway. Like giving your pre-scholar a real glass of milk (not a sippy) because they want a cup, and they spill it all over. Hope loves rice. Rice is such a pain to clean up (all over the floor and in her highchair) but I give it to her a lot to eat (same with oatmeal) because she loves it! But every time it's the same, big mess. That's okay, I just wait for it to dry and it sweeps up pretty easy, the key is being patient and letting it dry...otherwise...sticky mess. Hunter was given the task of sweeping last night. As he was cleaning up the mess, he asked me why I keep giving Hope rice when I know she will just keep making a mess with it? I answered because she likes it, she eats it, and it keeps her good and quiet for a looong time :) Worth the extra clean-up. I could go on, but you get the point. I'm sure you all have your own, "but I did it anyway" moments.

I am so thankful to have smart little kids who try their best at school. At Prune Hill Elementary, the 3rd grade had this Battle of the Books thing (for lack of a better word) Anyway, at the start of the trimester, the kids were given a list of 8 books they were to read (if they chose to participate). Hannah was all over it. She loves to read. So, at the end of the set time (few months), all the kids were given a test to take. Hannah scored one of the highest in her class (comprehension questions about each book). So, she got to go (along with 4 others from her class) to the Battle of the Books Competition today. There were 5 teams and her team got 2nd. The 1st and 2nd place team were in a tie at the end so they had a tie breaker. The other team was faster! But anyway, the whole reason for this explanation is this...I was sitting next to a woman (who goes to our church+they have moved and are switching schools) but she was saying how her daughter was struggling. How she can't get her child to read, and how the teachers have talked about holding her back. So sad. Again, I'm just thankful for little ones that have quick minds that try their best!!

blog worthy

A strange and wonderful thing happened the other day...something that will NOT happen again for many many moons...I saw the bottom of EVERY single laundry basket in this house...on one day. That's right, you read it correctly, I was 100% caught up on ALL laundry for one day. Ahhh. Well, not even for a day...for a few hours, until bedtime. But it felt gooood.

Hunter is the new ping pong champ at our house!!

I have started "making" Hunter and Hannah practice the piano again. I have been pretty hit or miss since we moved into the house. But not anymore. Practice practice practice. Hunter has been practicing his clarinet so, he has been musical. He is down there playing the Children's Hymns right now and doing so good. Dare I say better than 3 months ago? How can that be...without practice. He thinks it's all the clarinet practicing. Funny.

We have been in this house for 6 weeks (or something close) already. Really, it seems longer. To me anyway. Everybody was talking about how fast the time has flown by, but to me, it's been a LOOOOONG 6 weeks, full of growing for me. The further into this experience I go, the happier I am. The happier I am to be happy. I still mourn my "old life", but I had it good in TX. Still hating my hair, but that will grow out! My twin called today to see if I wanted to go to dinner and a movie. It's the fancy type of restaurant/movie all rolled into one. I couldn't be more excited. Movie with no kids! Ahhhh!! And big comfy leather chairs. Can't wait!

This ward (church) is very social. Lots of parties going on. We went to Sam's 40th birthday party on Saturday and had fun. They are also very into karaoke. Since I don't drink alcohol, I need to loosen up a bit. I haven't taken hold of the microphone, but just wait! When I do...there will be some bleeding ear drums. ha. They'll just need to turn my microphone waaay down. I didn't know there were so many karaoke type games out there. I think we have now played at least half of them. Scott is a champ, everybody loves his falsetto. He is famous now. :)

Oh, and other good news...Hunter just beat Scott at ping pong!! First time ever. Cause for celebration! Nobody has beat Scott at ping pong!!!

**update-Scott has done something to his back, and I'm afraid it's a "man sized" back ache. You do remember that video I posted, right...about the man cold. I can only say this because he said it first, and laughed. I hate bad backs!!