Announcement!

We interrupt the regularly scheduled evening blog with the following announcement:

Jeff is currently leading and I need to catch up.  This is NOT because I'm competitive, I simply don't like being second :)

We will return tomorrow with your regularly scheduled programming.

What would you choose?

"You can't buy Happiness.  But you can buys books and that's kinda the same thing."

If I could make a living reading books, I'd be a millionaire   I'm a sucker for a good story.  Same with Jeff.  Will was definitely born with the gene too.  I'm hoping that as Hunter continues through his busy life, he finds time to escape in a book from time to time.  

I'll read anything.  Autobiographies, who done it's, political satire, romance and paranormal.  If it doesn't scare the daylights out of me, I'm good.  But I have to admit that my favorite books are the ones that make me think.  I love a good moral/ethical conundrum.  If you've read the Hunger Games (or cheated and watched the movie) you know what I'm talking about.  My love of the Game was less about the people and more about the internal, ethical debate of whether or not I could kill someone to save myself and help my family.  I read it last year and I still haven't figured out the answer to that one.

So when I ran across a review for the Veronica Roth trilogy, Divergent, I was sucked in within the first few sentences.  Five factions, five traits to choose from.  Are you honest?  Courageous?  Selfless? Smart?  Peaceful?  And what if you could only choose one?  Would you be courageous if you couldn't help others too?  Would you be honest....at the expense of everyone else?  And would you give up your family forever to find yourself?  That's not the review...those are all of the questions that I asked myself after the first few chapters.  

Book two (Insurgent) made me hold my breath for the two days it took me to get through the 500 pages.  Now, I have to hold my breath until October when the last book is released.  I guess that gives me a little time to think about it.  But to be honest, I know I won't have an answer by then.  I'm not sure that I'll ever have an answer.  What I do know is that the more you read, the more you know....or the more you think.  And a few minutes thinking about something else is a wonderful thing.

Toddlers

Toddlers.  Curious little ones seeking knowledge of how things work.  Frustrating at times, funny at others.  That's what having a house full of puppies is like.  Apparently, we haven't lit the rock in a while because our littlest toddler is VERY interested in it.  Notice, she managed to blow one out.  She's now laying on the flooring licking her nose....it got a little too close to the flame.  Maybe she'll learn, probably not.

She's Back!

I'm now afraid to leave the house.  I'm pretty positive that if I leave Will home alone for more than two minutes, we'll have another mouth to feed!

Don't tell him, but I'm not totally opposed to it :)

We made it through...again.

Sorry we missed last night, unfortunately Apple isn't as dependable as I had hoped.  It was a great weekend anyway.  Seeing Mom, Hunter and Shannon was wonderful.  Spending the banquet with all of them wasn't necessarily quality time, but it certainly was a lot of fun.  Here's the highlights....

Tradition.

It's a tradition.  That's what I was told.  Mexican food the night before the banquet.  Mom was nice enough to join us and bring Hunter home too.  It's going to be a great weekend!

It's almost here.

Frigid temperatures, winter storm warnings and accumulating ice.  All definite signs that winter still has a firm hold on us.  My nose is so cold I'm positive that I could give Jack Frost a run for his money.

But this warmed my heart.  A sure sign that Spring must be just around the corner!  If it's not, you'll find me a Meijer, sipping an umbrella drink in the seasonal isle under their warm, florescent lights.  I'll take what I can get. 

Hang in There!

It's a picture like this that makes a momma worry!  I told him he looked wiped out....he responded with "Dead".  With the banquet this weekend, midterms next week and a job interview thrown in....he's starting to show signs of wear.

Just hang in there until Spring Break, honey!  Nine days of rest, home cooking, big hugs, lots of sleep and even more laughter await you.  Miss and love you!

You are....

my sunshine, my only sunshine.  You make me happy when skies are grey.

Now you're going to be singing that all day, aren't you?  I'm sorry for that, but it's one of my favorite songs.  When Hunter was born, the song became a staple in our bedtime routine.  It was one of the first songs both of the boys learned.  Am I unique in that?  No, I'm sure every parent has lovingly sang it to their child at some point.  But just the thought of the song still makes me smile.

That's why I was sooooo excited when I won an online contest a few weeks ago.  The prize?  A personalized necklace with the lyrics.  It's beautiful!  I love it!  So what do you think?  Cute, huh?

Permission to Board?

Look what Jeff got for his birthday....last year!  Apparently a nasty cold was the motivation he needed to take advantage of a quiet weekend.  It'll be the perfect addition to the theater room.  It was worth the wait.  Johnny Depp is a cutie, even in Lego form!

The Delivery.

It's official, Will has wheels!  Ok, so those wheels come with a stick shift so there's a little bit of a learning curve, but I think he'll have mastered it by weeks end.  He does too.  But only if he can stop admiring it long enough to get in the drivers seat.  I can't wait for a ride!

Homecoming

It's Homecoming weekend and we're making the most of it....by staying home.  Unfortunately, Will's not home so the prep work and pictures falls elsewhere.  So to brighten my mood, I declared it "I'm not going anywhere instead I'm Sewing!" day.  Jeff was left to his own devices (which included throwing away a bunch of my stuff).

What did I make, you ask?  Well, a few things for the studio which will be revealed at a later date and an item I'm really proud of.  A little history before the big reveal?  We have three dogs and a cat.  I know, you already know that.  But what you don't know (or can't imagine) is the places you will find a stray dog hair.  Daily vacuuming keeps it to a minimum, but any crack or crevice too small to vacuum just attracks the stuff.....especially my sewing machine.  I looked for a cover, but lets be honest, I'm too cheap to buy one for $30.  So I took on the task.  Here's my $4 alternative!

Not too bad, huh?  I'm actually in love with it!  I learned a few new skills, saved a little cash and have the rest of my days to admire my handy work. And the whole process only included a few bad words!  In my book, that's a successful day.  In fact, I had so much fun, I'm going to do it again tomorrow.  When's the next Homecoming weekend?

TGIF

Enough said.  

I must confess.

It's that time of year again.  Facebook has been telling me all day that I should send a gift to Jeff.  The TV has bombarded me with a plethora of commercials for last minute flowers, jewelry, cards and candies.  Thank goodness for TIVO.  I must confess though.  I did send Hunter a care package, deliver Will a small gift and surprised Jeff with a hero....all in the name of "Valentines Day"!

I'm sure you know I love you all.  So instead of professing my undying devotion, I thought I would share some of the other things that I love that you may not know about.....no laughing, please!

• Sequins.  I wouldn't wear them, but they're sparkley and cute!
• The Frame Games in the USA Weekend insert.  I have to look up 75% of the answers...but they're still fun to try.
• The yucky smell of the marsh.  I miss it every day.
• Judge Judy.  If only we could all be that honest and get paid for it.
• Getting the mail.  I'm like a two year old waiting to see what's in it for me.
• Coloring books.  You're never too old.  
• Using power tools.  It makes me feel big and strong.
• Bugs.  Doesn't matter the type, I love them all.
• Butter Mints.  You know them.  They're the pastel, chalky mints you get at showers and weddings.  I LOVE them.

There you go.  Some blackmail material and/or something to make you giggle.  If you're daring, comment with the unusual things that you love.  After all, it' Valentines Day! 

Never right

Brrrrr....it's cold out here!  I've come to the conclusion the easiest job on the planet is a weatherman.  No need to be right, no need to be accurate.  For that matter, you really just need to point and smile.  Jeff asked me for the forecast and I told him it would be cloudy and 40.  Imagine my surprise when Will texted me and asked me when the snow was going to stop!  Just under 2 inches in an hour or so.  Did I mention that I am so over the winter?  At least Will got to enjoy it on the slopes.  

That's Justice.

Smallville.  Yep, we've been watching it for a year.  Will is addicted.  Oh, who am I kidding?  We're all addicted.  I admit it....I'm just as eager as Will and Jeff to spend the evening with Superman.  But we were all waiting for tonight.  Waiting for the first glimpse of the Justice League.  And here they are.....

I thought you would have to be a child of the 70's to appreciate this.  For as excited as Will was, I guess I was wrong.  It's so nice to see that we still have so much in common with the boys.  Wonder twin powers....activate!

I Gave.

Will gave blood at school today!  He says it was for a great cause, I think it was because he saw the opportunity to eat Oreos for breakfast.  Either way, he was a great sport and said it only hurt a bit.  And look, he got an awesome sticker too!

The Sunset.

It's our last day of vacation.  One last day to stay in, spend time together and relax.  Even laundry and cleaning is better than work.  So tonight, as the sun sets on our day, I just want to say thanks.  Thanks to anyone and everyone that had a part in making this week so special.

Leaving Las Vegas!

Nothing is better than a great plan.  Unfortunately for us, we didn't execute it as well as we thought we would.  We got up too early, ate dinner at 3 and tried to get back onto Cincinnati time a day early.  That had to make travel easier, right?  Especially when you had to get up at 3am  to catch the flight home.  What we didn't take into account was that Friday night in Vegas isn't necessarily quiet.  It's loud, there are bands playing and all of it was happening right outside our window.  So on three hours sleep, we began our trip home.  I'm tired, can't wait to sleep in my bed and trying to catch up on an extra episode of Smallville with Will. So in a nutshell....

My Vegas view at 4am....

My favorite airport decoration...they show you the direction of the escalator.

Our quick visit to the Denver Airport.

And a quick peek at Payton!

Our not so quick delay on the airplane while they changed the tire.....

O-H-I-O!  Our first glimpse.

A sight for sore eyes!

It's Time to Go!

Like all good things, our vacation must come to an end.  It's hard to believe that we arrived here six days ago.  It's been a week filled with laughter, smiles and love.  Just like our honeymoon!  But now it's time to return to the chaos and craziness that is our lives.  Since I have to head to bed to catch a few zzz's before we get up at 3am to catch our flight...I thought I would just leave you with a few highlights.

Love you all and can't wait to get home!

It's My Birthday!

Yep, I've offically turned 40.  They say 40 is the new 30.  I don't know who "they" is, but I'm thrilled to be turning 40.  I've got two AMAZING boys to show for it and a wonderful husband and family.  I haven't dreaded it, I haven't wallowed in pity...I'm embracing it.  The best is yet to come, right?

So in honor of our Vegas birthday celebration, I thought I would detail the 40 things that Vegas has taught me about life.

1.  No matter where you go, family can find you (and let me thank you all for the amazing dessert you had delivered tonight!).

2.  Money can't buy happiness.  

3.  Although money can't buy happiness, it's more fun to win than lose.

4.  Be yourself, everyone else is.

5.  Just because it's All You Can Eat doesn't mean you should eat it all.

6.  Everyone has to work.  It's not your job to judge them.

7.  Some of the best shows in life are free.

8.  Being friendly and personable will always pay off.

9.  You can make your own luck.

10.  Sometimes winners lose and sometimes losers win.

11.  The only form of transportation you'll ever need is your own two feet.

12.  Having too much fun is good for you....in moderation.

13.  Make friends in all situations.

14.  Some foods should never be deep fried.

15.  Customer service means everything, especially if you work for tips.

16.  Time marches on.  Sometimes, change is good.

17.  Sunshine will always improve your attitude.

18.  Try new things.  Did I mention that the buffet had sushi?

19.  Karma can be a bitch....but not always.

20.  Bigger doesn't always mean better.

21.  Be green when you can.  Remember, water doesn't fall often in the desert.

22.  A break is good, but you can't run away from your problems.

23.  There are some places that are inappropriate for children. 

24.  Dream big.

25.  Create something beautiful and people will travel from across the globe to see it.

27.  There are rules for a reason.

28.  Frugal is good, but an occasional splurge is better.  

29.  Always take a minute at the end of the day to unwind.

30.  You can find God anywhere.

31.  Everyone has a story.  You can learn a lot about yourself by listening to theirs.

32.  Nothing in life is free.

33.  It's ok to admit defeat.

34.  Drink plenty of water.

35.  Know when to walk away.

36.  It's never alright to be a jerk.

37.  It's ok to turn your phone off.  Everyone needs a minute to themselves.

38.  Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

39.  Caffeine can only get you so far.  Rest when you need to.

40.  Find somewhere you love and visit often.  But remember, there's no place like home.

Sisters!

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.  ~Author Unknown

A giant thank you tonight to my best-est friend!  I'm lucky enough to have her as a sister too.  I don't know how she pulls off things like this (or thinks of them either!) but I am so thankful for her generosity and thoughtfulness.  The vacation was just what the doctor ordered.  Time to get away from my thoughts.  But the pedicure was just what my soul ordered.  One solid hour of me time with a huge glass of cucumber water and steamy towels.  I'm more relaxed than I've been in a year.

Thanks Big Sis!  Wish we could have shared it together!

Sunny Days

Happy days are here again.  The skies above are clear again.

Ok, that was the first thing that came to mind today when I got the chance to watch the sun set over the mountains.  I know that most of you are sticking out your tongue at me as you read this (all except Will who is hoping for snow!).  Its just a reminder that winter doesn't last forever.  It won't be long until the grass at home is green, the butterflies are out and the birds are singing.  That's my hope.  In the meantime, this will have to get us through.

Happy Birthday Baby!

2-4-6-8...who do we appreciate?  You know, we've been married for almost nine years and it never dawned on me that was his actual birthday...February 4, 1968.  Yep, I know I just gave away his age but we're all family, right?

For as much as I love him, I should take the time to provide a lengthy essay on how wonderful he is and  how lucky I am to have him in our lives.  That, however, would take away from the time I get to spend with him celebrating his special day!  So instead, here's my birthday wish to him in a nutshell.

I love you.  I'm beyond thrilled to spend the day with you.  I can't imagine my life without you.  I hope you win the million dollars.

We have arrived.

First let me apologize for being a little late.  Technical difficulties.

After 8 hours on a plane, endless hours in airports, de-icing and thousands of Superbowl fans....we've finally made it.  Thankfully, the crowd will move out tomorrow morning and we'll have most of Vegas to ourselves.

Great Day.

The morning with Will and the evening with Hunter.  That makes for a great day.  It's only made better by the anticipation of a morning flight to Sin City! Oh, and lets not forget that the groundhog couldn't find his shadow today....welcome Spring!  Wait, it's snowing.

The First.

It's February 1st and the kick off to the weekend!

Apparently, it's the weekend of firsts.  Will gets to stay home overnight for the first time (the dogs will be thrilled!).  Hunter got to go to his first ever hockey game and I'm sure had the time of his life.  Jeff and I are leaving on our birthday trip....a day early, a first.  Unfortunately, the weather doesn't seem to want us to leave the state but we're going to give it a good old college try.  Here's to hoping Mother Nature is nicer than expected and that we don't spend an extra day in Ohio.  Not that that would be a first!