Quinn and his girlfriend :)

Like I said yesterday, it gets harder and harder to come up with something at the end of the day when I am tired....But I took a pic of Quinn and his girlfriend this evening.  Of course, I didn't call her that when they posed for me, and he'll deny it if you call her that.  But I think they make a cute couple ;) And he likes this pic because it makes him look like his body is invisible.....Seriously.  That's what he said.  Have a great night everyone!!

Strawberries....

I really need to get back into doing this every day.....but I am so tired by the time everything else is done, if I haven't taken a pic in the course of the day then it really seems more like a chore to find something creative to put on here....I realize my pics don't have to be anything amazing but once the kids are in bed everything else is kind of boring - right?  I could take a pic of the pile of laundry but that would just be embarrassing :)

Anyway!  Today is a pic of my strawberry plants.  I don't actually eat strawberries, or any berries, for that matter.  But the kids LOVE berries.  So when we ordered plants from Jude's PTO fundraiser, I thought it'd be fun.  They are seemingly doing well.  They are flowering (which I think turns into the strawberry) and once they are ready to pick we are supposed to be able to pick every 3-4 days.  So the kids should enjoy it.

And here is Mickey...shedding all over my storage ottoman.  All of my animals are getting shaved next weekend.  I am over the tumbleweed hairballs floating down the hallway every time I turn around.  I can't wait until they are hairless for the summer :)

My camera needs charged....

The shutter was disabled just before I could take my actual pic for today, which was a pretty picture of all the pins I broke while working on the curtain panels tonight :)  I am lucky I didn't break the actual needle on my sewing machine.  I actually have quite a talent at breaking sewing machine needles.

So, anyway, my pic for tonight is my almost, not quite finished panel for Lucy's room.  This was a giant pain in the butt so far.  I have a normal sewing machine and there is a ton of fabric to fit through that tiny hole when turning around the curves.  Also, sewing the centers of the flowers was quite challenging as it is one continuous curve (duh) and I corner with a sewing machine like a semi on ice in February in Cleveland.  It's ugly.  Seriously. But that's ok :)  Tomorrow hopefully I can get the other panel all pieced and sewn.  Then I have to fray the fabric (wash) and back it and I'm done.........so, another week or so :)  Yay.

My back hurts....

I previously posted about my new "sewing room"....which used to be my dining room :)  Well, I have started a project.  I am hopeful it will come out as well as I see it in my head.  I need curtains for Lucy's room...It just so happens that I have some creamy linen-y curtains that would be perfect, if they weren't so plain.  So I am decorating them :)  With giant flowers....my intentions are great but we'll see how they come out.  Last night I ironed everything (oh the joy) and made a new curtain loopy thing at the top of the panels for the rods....tonight I spent a good three hours cutting petals and centers..........yes, three hours.  I also looked through my giant tin of vintage buttons and managed to find six that match.  So I may use those when all is said and done.  Tomorrow I am hoping to pin everything and possibly sew (probably not).  After that though my project will sit and wait until the day I go buy some sort of energy efficient, light blocking material to sew on the backside of the panels (so I don't have to install dark shades as well as curtains.  And by "I", I mean Travis.)......I'll post the curtains when they are finally done.  Maybe in September?! :)  For now enjoy piles of petals.  Oh, and a cute pic of Jude :)

Meet Liesl :)

I think Liesl is Lucy's second favorite thing in the whole wide world - right behind Barney.  I have to admit I love Liesl too :)  And she is purple, just like Barney (Darn it!  How'd that happen!).  Liesl makes me feel feminine and old school.  I love Liesl, and I love listening to Lucy sing stupid Barney songs while riding behind me on Liesl.  Liesl is my bike :)  And Liesl has a bike seat for Lucy.  We went on a family bike ride tonight and it was so much fun.  I did have to drag my bike up from the basement (good LORD she is heavy!) and Travis was nice enough to fill the tires...but I love bike rides with the fam.  Today was sort of the perfect evening for it, since it was unexpectedly sunny, and sort of hotter than the surface of the sun.  What better way to get in some time in the great outdoors while still keeping fairly cool?

By the way, my bike is named Liesl because I had always said, if I ever had a girl, I wanted to name her Liesl.  And then I found out Lucy was going to be a girl and I just couldn't do that to her!!  I still love the name, but I don't think enough people know the name for her (Lucy) not to eventually hate the name.  So Lucy she is!  And my bike is Liesl!! :)  And she's a purple cruiser :)

Baseball....

Today was such a beautiful day!  Lucy woke up at 5am so I brought her into my bed and we slept until 7:30...I woke up to her leaning over me giving me a kiss :)  She is the best baby ever, when she's not being totally melodramatic :)  Once I was out of bed I went for a 6 mile run.  I really felt like this was a hard run!  I was so beat by the end, and my last mile was my slowest, which is so not my style!  After I got ready for the day I went to Old Navy to return something I had ordered online, for myself, of course.  Heaven forbid anything I order for myself actually fit right, even if it is the right size.  Anyone that loves Old Navy will know why today was just about the single most stupid day of the year to make this return.  Today was Old Navy's $1 flip flop sale.  I knew this when I set out.  And once I arrived at the store I should've just walked back out.  It was worse than the year I went there for Black Friday shopping.  No joke.  But I waited for an hour in line and returned my purchase.  The rest of my day, believe it or not, was consumed by baseball.  The boys both had games at the same time again today.  But Lucy actually behaved the entire game and I survived.  And the boys are both doing so well!  Jude is playing coach pitch, and while I didn't see his game, I hear he had quite a hit today.  Quinn did great, as always.  He's the teams big hitter, so no one really cares when he plays in the dirt while he's in the field :)  Except me :)  After that Travis and I went to a Clippers games.  I over ate.  I love stadium food and really can't help myself.  The new stadium is really nice.  But I miss the old one, the one I grew up with.  It just had more of that farm team feel to me.

Tomorrow Lucy and I have a playdate with Alex and Julie.  Alex is about 6 months younger than Lucy, but I think they'll get married someday :)

Anyway, here's Nolan.  I love this cat.  Though I don't know how, or why, he always bends his front paws back like this.  Maybe his feet don't go to sleep like mine???  Don't mind the smudges on our front windows.  I am pretty sure the kids purposely get them as dirty as possible when I'm not looking so the next time it's sunny I'll have something to do :)

Finding Nemo....

Today was Quinn's "un-birthday" at preschool :)  His real birthday is July 24 (He'll be five)....So I think it's really great that each of the summer birthdays get celebrated during the school year.  I am fairly certain that never happened when I was in school.  My birthday was always about 2 days after school let out.  Anyway....Last night while Quinn and I were sitting around talking about the all important un-birthday, he told me that he wanted to read a book to his class.  Ummmmm, ok?  Not that he isn't capable of it, but for as outgoing as Quinn is he really tends to be shy when the situation calls for it.  I was very supportive though and told him that would be great!  Go pick a book and you can read it to me.  First he picked Fox in Socks.  When I pointed out that this particular book is 62 pages we both agreed he would pick a different book.  Finding Nemo it was.  I had so much anxiety for him this morning despite the fact that he woke up looking forward to reading to his class.  I was counting down the minutes until I could call and see how he had done!  And I am super proud to say that he did it!  And he is very proud of himself!  So proud of himself, in fact, that he asked if he could be "The Letter U" tonight.  Who am I to say no?

I would just like to add, that while this is most certainly Quinn's accomplishment, I have to be proud of Jude too.  Jude is such a great big brother that I am almost positive he taught Quinn to read :)  I have the best kids ever!!

And the World's Best Husband Award goes to.....

Travis!!!  My husband!!!!  Sorry all of you lost out.  But I get to reap the benefits of this exceptionally well behaved husband.

This evening a friend and I (Amanda!!) went to Kohl's to do some shopping....Her awesome kids came over here to play with my awesome kids.  So Travis took care of five awesome kids while we shopped!!!  On top of this Travis moved and organized all of my sewing stuff into my new sewing space (formerly known as the dining room :)).  We have been eating at the kitchen table and since we probably won't be moving to a larger space anytime soon, we re-purposed the dining room so I can actually use my crafty crap to hone my crafty skills, I hope :)  Anyway, photo bomb below :)

Whose bright idea was this?!?!

Good Lord, someone in my house thought it would be a good idea to get a pool membership for this summer.  Sounds like a great plan, right?  Get some warmth and sunshine in while the kids perfect their swimming skills all the while enjoying time together.  WHO ON EARTH DESIGNS SWIMSUITS.  It is most certainly not me.  Otherwise I'm pretty sure I would be able to find one that didn't make me feel like the offspring of an albino elephant and a humpback whale (please notice my use of the phrase "feel like", as Travis says, we are all our own worst critics).  I don't know, though, why designers, manufacturers, suppliers, whoever is responsible for the crap that passes as swimwear and needs to rot in someplace warm, thinks that any adult female alive would feel anywhere near as good in a suit as the people they have in the pictures!!  I am 32 years old for crying out loud, I've had three kids!!  Can I just get a bikini bottom that strategically covers my problem areas without creating more problem areas?!?!?!?!  Ones that didn't even exist as problem areas until I put on said suit?!?!

On the other hand, whoever designs toddler swimwear is a genius.  Lucy is a bathing beauty.  Though apparently the aversion to having a photo taken while wearing a swimsuit starts rather young.  Below, I present to you, the beautiful, smart, funny, fiery Lucy telling me "no" while I try to take her picture :)  And could her bangs please start to stay tucked nicely behind her ears?!

Having a girl

is so much fun :)  Even though I often complain about Lucy's erratic, demanding, bossy attitude, it really is so much fun having a girl.  It doesn't just open up a world to me, it opens up a world to all of us.  The boys are a blast and I am so proud (and blessed!) to have them.  But if we had never had Lucy, the boys would've never had a toy vanity or tutus or play shoes, baby dolls, etc, etc etc.  I know some would think this is a good thing, but by having a little sister the boys get to learn to nurture, they get to be themselves, they get to learn how hard women are to deal with :)  I think this is a bit unfair actually, if we had ONLY had Lucy she would've still played with trains and cars and everything else...bit of a double standard!  Now, in full disclosure I did buy each of my boys a "baby" because I think it's good for children to not be forced into gender roles at the age of two, but they didn't really play with "girly" things until Lucy came along :)  And I benefit by having a girl because she makes me more feminine.  Tonight I gave her a pedicure...and now I'm giving myself one :)  Just one small example :)  But it's fun!  And for Travis, he gets to have that "daddy's girl"....I think that is pretty self explanatory :)

Lucy actually thanked me for painting her piggies "Barney" tonight.  She's so much fun :)

cell phone pic....

Since I haven't taken a real picture for a few days...tonight my pic was supposed to be a cell pic I took today....Only it won't be because I don't know how to get it

HERE

So just pretend like that big purple word is my pic :)

Some happenings around the house lately...I attempted a sewing project for the first time in a while the other night, aside from hemming pants, and it just didn't turn out.  

http://www.themotherhuddle.com/tutorialrepurposed-shirts-and-a-guest-post/

This pic is from the blog.  Mine would have been an upcycled maternity shirt that I was sentimental towards.  I neglected to follow like the second step in the tutorial properly and cut the whole neckline off (after starting in the front instead of the back, realizing what I had done, and thinking I had the skills to salvage the project). It didn't turn out at all reinforcing my total disdain for working with jersey material (my sewing machine likes to eat it) and prompting me to think it was a good idea to sell my stupid sewing machine.  I'm not really good at it anyway and I don't have the time in my life (and probably never will) to really commit to improvement.  After Travis and I talked in circles while I ranted, I was sad when he caved and agreed I should.  I mentally decided I'm not because even though I will never improve, I do enjoy sewing while I am sewing....so what if the finished project is crap.  Right??  RIGHT?!  I'm actually thinking that instead of attempting simnple projects that require me to follow tutorials without actually forcing me to gain any technical skills, I need to break out one of the real patterns I have and attempt that.  With real directions, real seam allowances, and real technical terms maybe I will improve, maybe.  

Another awesome thing to share, Travis brought home a can of chocolate whip cream for my mochas :)  Yum.  I am drinking one right now.  It happens to be some new fangled invention, whip cream with some alcohol.  So, I can't take it to work in the morning, or drink one really any other time besides a rainy Saturday night at home.  But it is GOOD.  Let me tell you.... :)  I may have some milk with whip cream next :)

The boys finally got their ball uniforms today and had their pictures done.  So Lucy missed yet another nap.  But today really wasn't as horrendous as Wednesday evening when they were both playing at the same time and Travis and I couldn't tag team Attila.  Quinn had fun playing at his game today too and I think 4yo t-ball has to be about the most fun sport to watch ever.  The kids are awesome.  They'll hit the ball and then try to field it themselves.  Or the runner will step off second base to try to field it.  And the kids playing the field don't even seem to notice the giant yellow ball hurtling in their direction.  It just makes it so much fun that it is not at all competitive - it's just for FUN.  And I am being serious, not sarcastic, when I say this!!

And lastly.  I am hoping to get out tomorrow and run a few miles...If I can manage to do this I will hit 300 miles :)  How many miles does a pair of shoes get?  Mine don't seem worn at all...but I have worn them mostly inside...so......  And we are only a few weeks away from the Warrior Dash!!!  I cannot wait for this!!  We get fuzzy viking helmets :)  

Anyway!!!  Have a great Saturday night everyone!!!!

Ahhhhh, Quinn...

We had baseball and t-ball at the same time tonight.  It was such a joy!  Both boys have shown improvement with just the few practices they've had so far.  Lucy has not.  She just doesn't get it.  She's the youngest.  Isn't she supposed to just go with it?  Fall in?  There are too many people in this family for her to think she's always going to get her way.  I can't wait until she's old enough to understand when I tell her that :)

Speaking of Lucy, she forced me to go for a run tonight.  When we got home from ball I gave her a bath and put her to bed.  Which she didn't stay in.  So I went for a run.  She is so much better when I am not here.  She behaves so much better.  When I am here she is a little mess of power play.  When I arrived home from my run she was asleep.  I am starting to take this personally.

Anyway, I have chores to do - catch you on the flip side!

I just want my ice cream....

All I want to do right now is sit down with my ice cream and watch an episode of Bones...Laundry is put away except for the 3 loads in process.  The kids are (presumably) all in bed.  Today was beautiful and tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same.  Tomorrow I finally will be taking Quinn to his kindergarten evaluation (waste of time and energy) and then both boys have ball tomorrow night.  I just want my ice cream :)  Is that too much to ask?!  I think not.

Here's Jude.  He checked a book out from the library.  I stupidly assumed it was really what the title implied.  It wasn't.  It was more along the lines of "break a dish while you're loading the dishwasher so you don't have to do it next time".  Good thing Jude is too smart to think we're stupid enough to fall for that.  Just to prove a point I had the boys pick up the rec room and their bedroom tonight - including changing their sheets (we don't have a schedule in this house)....Jude was not happy about this.  But it's done now and we enter tomorrow one step ahead :)  For once.  Lucy was sadly in not so rare form at bedtime insisting she had to potty or requesting Twinkle, Twinkle just one more time.  I took her potty.  I sang Twinkle.  Then I just kept putting her back in bed.  I don't hear her anymore so I assume she stayed that time.  But almost one and a half hours to get to bed at night is kind of ridiculous.  Come on.  I need my ice cream.

The boys also had some monkey faced, chocolate covered cake balls on sticks for snack tonight.  It took everything I had not to eat them last night :)  Aunt Deb made them for Jeff and Eva's baby shower last Saturday.  I am sad I couldn't be there - I want a monkey!  :) :) :)

Quinn is all grown up.....

Quinn had his final Spring Art Show of his preschool career tonight.  He has grown in so many ways over the past two years of preschool.  I remember his first preschool performance.  I wasn't actually there, because I was a the place I despise most in this world (for this very reason), work.  But I remember it because he sat down with Travis in the audience about halfway through the first song because I wasn't there to see him sing.  I cried.  It still makes me feel guilty.  But sometimes we don't have a choice, right?  Back to Quinn though.  I could actually hear him singing (read: yelling) on their loud parts tonight.  He has grown so much.  He really is just about the most well rounded, hyperactive four year old ever.  And I couldn't love him more.  I am so proud of him.  In a few short weeks he will be done with preschool forever.  Next year is the big kid bus and kindergarten :(

Tired...

And I'm avoiding hemming some pants by doing my blog.  There was a nice sunny rain a bit ago while we were outside organizing Jude's flowers fundraiser order that we picked up tonight.  And then there was a double rainbow.  By the time I grabbed my camera there was a single rainbow.  It was a full arch over my street.  REALLY cool looking.  By the time I got my camera to focus on the empty sky it was a single full arch rainbow with a giant dark cloud covering the entire top center of the arch :(  Boo!  So....I tried playing around to do some neato editing things to it.  But I'm out of practice and tired and have some other things to (sadly) get done yet this evening.  So here's my pic!  Happy weekend everyone!

Beyblades....coolest toy ever....

Travis took the boys to the store tonight to spend some of there hard(ly) earned allowance money.  Somehow, at some point in time, they cam upon something called Beyblade....It is a show, a video game, and a toy from what I can gather.  I think it's like Bakugan and Pokemon only so much cooler...The little whatever they're called (battle things?) have launchers and a battle dome and they spin around (like tops, duh) and crash into each other and whichever one is left spinning wins....Seriously cool.  And they have some metal on them so they make sword fight noises while they are spinning.  I could not be happier with my the boys cool new toys :)

Quinn got his haircut today too.  :(  It looks really good.  And he looks so grown up.  But the fro is gone and I have to admit I am a little sad.....he looks so grown up....Thanks Nena though for cutting it!  It does look good :)

Just a little aside, I read Water for Elephants this week.  Great book if any of you are looking for a good read.  I am a little behind the times so most of you have probably already read it :)  But, you know :)

And, the moment you've all been waiting for - tomorrow is Friday!!!

Can someone tell me please why this kid always has dry snot on him????  I edited this a smidge because my flash washed him out....

And the Beyblades :)

Happy Birthday Lucy!!!

Ok, not really.  But her first birthday gift arrived in our home today and I am not the type to make her wait.  It isn't like she's old enough to understand yet anyway, right?  So, Lucy and her vanity.  She loves it!  The boys do too :)  They actually went to the basement to get her tutus and tiara to put with the vanity.  And then put her tutus and tiara on.  I would've taken a picture of Jude dressed as a pretty princess (since he actually stopped playing to ask me how he looked), but I was making dinner.  I know, I was cooking.  Mark this date on your calendar.  The important thing to take from all of this though is that Lucy loves the vanity.  So Happy Birthday, Lucy - Part 1.

photo fun with Quinn...

It's always just all in good fun when I try to get pics of Quinn.  He doesn't know how to just pose and stay that way :)  And he doesn't know how to just ignore the camera so I can take candids :)  He's interactive.  Enjoy!

 

Yum....

It's odd for me to even admit this, since I grew up refusing to try most pastas, but we had spaghetti and cheesy garlic bread for dinner tonight.  Yum.  This is now (as an adult) one of my favorite meals.  I still have to have smooth sauce, unless it's meat sauce (double yum).  And I prefer angel hair pasta to other forms of spaghetti.  And I do not like al dente.  And the only other pasta I will eat is chunk free (aside from the meat) meat ravioli.  But I like spaghetti :)

Because of my extreme picky eating habits, I sort of refuse to let my kids not try things.  It isn't really an option. Once they hit a certain age that is.  Lucy isn't really old enough just yet to eat or else.  So there are a million and three things that she won't even try.  Kid staples at that.  She will not eat mac and cheese.  She will not eat hot dogs.  She is hit or miss with chicken nuggets.  She just recently tried real banana and loved it.  When she asked for one I actually showed her a banana before peeling it thinking she couldn't possibly know what she was asking for.  She won't eat rice, most veggies, real meat, etc, etc, etc.  She won't even eat mashed potatoes - one of my all time favorite foods.  She almost tried spaghetti tonight.  She said she would after eating a few raw noodles (which I also used to do as a kid).  But then she didn't.  I even stripped her down and pulled her hair back out of her face.  And she just didn't try it.  Maybe someday.  Sooner than when I tried it.  There are still a million things I won't even try.  But I'm old and set in my ways.  I am healthy and don't see a point in changing.  Two of my three kids like fruits and veggies, eat well balanced healthy meals.  Regardless of what I will or will not eat at least I'm mean enough to force them to be normal :)

Anyway, it's May already and time is flying by.  One week from today Quinn has his kindergarten evaluation and his preschool art show all in the same day.  One month (and four days) from today my last baby turns two years old.  Travis and I both turn 33 years old shortly after.  I am starting to say things like "When I was young..." in reference to gas prices and the attitudes, behaviors, and styles of "kids today".  I am tired at the end of the week and would rather go to bed earlier.  My brain has betrayed me and forgets things (which kid are you?! :))....I guess it isn't that bad.  But I really am tired and time really just goes too fast to keep up anymore.....someday!!!!  As for my "projects"...I quit already....read above...no time, too much to do :)

Lucy, Lucy, Lucy.....

It was another one of "those" bedtimes tonight.  Lucy fell asleep in front of her closed bedroom door after trying for a good bit to get us to let her stay up.  Needless to say I had to push her with the door to squeeze into the room and put her in bed.  She stayed asleep though.  She didn't get a nap today due to back to back baseball for the boys.  That went swimmingly.  From now on we will be getting a sitter for Lucy so Travis and I can both be supportive at the games.

Quinn did fantastic at his very first "ragball" practice today.  Ragball is, apparently, t-ball with a larger, softer, brighter colored ball.  Quinn is only four and they wouldn't let him play up.  But he's already quite the batter since he went with Jude and Travis to the batting cages over the winter.  He can really hit!  He's working on throwing, but he's a lefty.  Which means I can be of no help.  And in a world where he needs to learn how to be just as functional with his right hand, well, he can throw just as well with his right hand.  So, Travis will be working on it with him:)  He really seems to do so well though!  And Jude did much better with paying attention at today's practice....I guess the bounced ball to the neck he took yesterday really made him think :)

Anyway....I have had a pounding in my head since I climbed my tired bones out of bed this morning....And tomorrow is, regrettably, Monday yet again......so without further ado....Quinn.