Z is for Zippadee Do Dah!

So, what a month!  I have never written so much in my entire life, at least not on 26 nearly consecutive days...not even my thesis took this much effort!  The month in review....My 7th anniversary, angry bird Easter eggs, art projects, bathroom and several other home renovations, stitches at the hospital for Jackson, strep throat for all but me, planted a garden, I'M PREGNANT, many more medical ailments (I could call this the month of co-pays!), seeing the shuttle, and then a play!  I wonder if I do this much every month.  I've never really written it down before, except in my calendar.  Hmm...Something to think about.  Well, here's to May and all it may bring!  Zippadee do dah day!

Thank you to all my new readers for your comments and consideration and to all my seasoned readers for your continued love and tolerance!  Love you all!

Y is for Yesterday

What a great song...

But, seriously, yesterday, I spent the day with my mother and sister seeing Mary Poppins at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore.  We started the day early, stopped by my friend's house so I could deliver the most gorgeous PINK princess dress to her daughter for her 3rd birthday, then we stopped at the B&O Restaurant for brunch, then off to the play!  It was pretty good.  I'm now set on actually reading the book!  To be honest, it never even occurred to me that it was a book.  However, once reading it, I will probably not be able to watch the movie in the same light.  Isn't that always the way?  I feel the same about Wicked, even though, I know that is a completely separate piece of literature from The Wizard of Oz......I now view the Wizard of Oz as a political propaganda meant to sway us to believe Elfaba (sp?) in order to promote the agenda of Oz......anyway, I’m getting totally sidetracked......hmm....oh yes, the play.  It was great and I have been singing "I’m practically perfect, in every way...” for most of the day.  Good stuff!

X is for X-Ray

yep, i'm THAT lame!  Recently had an x-ray of my hand as part of my diagnosis of carpal tunel (tunnel sp?).  Took a picture of the x-ray with my cellphone to show Mikey because he'd think it was cool, and thus, I have something to post today!  I bet there will be quite a few X-rays out there today....or maybe it's just me!

W is for Winter

As I’ve mentioned before, I love the Holidays.  I guess you could say that I crave the Holidays!  I love the smells, the preparations, the projects, etc.  This year I have an even bigger reason to crave that time of year.  A big reason in a small package!  I imagine around 21 inches long and probably pushing 9 lbs (based on my last little package).  This special delivery also means that I will get to pursue the Holidays even earlier just to make sure that I am prepared!!  So excited!

V is for Vision

I have a vision that someday I will finish my projects.
I have a vision that someday my grown children will fall all over themselves to take care of things around my house.
I have a vision that I will lose 100 lbs and be a stunningly beautiful MILF.
I have a vision that if my previous visions actually came to light, that I might be bored with life......
Vision over.

U is for Unkempt

not much to write about tonight, so I thought a word lesson would work.  My sister once told me about an argument she had with someone about the word Unkempt.  The other girl swore it was Unkept and that my sister was nuts.  Sorry, Other girl, you're wrong!

unkempt

 : [uhn-kempt] 
adjective

1.

not combed: unkempt hair.

2.

uncared-for or neglected; disheveled; messy: unkemptclothes; an unkempt lawn.

3.

unpolished; rough; crude.

T is for Talking

So, I’m very much winding down on the ideas and writing thing......it's a good thing we're on T!  I've also noticed that I am not capturing as many readers or followers as I was in the beginning, oh well, so I’m boring.  That's news.  *insert sarcasm here*.  I am listening to my son talking.  It’s a never ending train of thoughts piled on top of thoughts mixed with random noises his body and mind have insisted he make and topped off with a "Mommy!!!  Mommy!!  Mommyyyyy!!!  And to think, I had him tested because he didn't really say anything until he was nearly 3.  It's like the parents (I’m guilty with the first one) who try and try and try to get their babies to walk at 8 months......you think you are rip-roaring ready for all of those milestones....you're baby has to be THE ONE!  It takes about a week before you realize how easy they were when they stayed where you put them.  Even when they crawl...at least you can kind of follow the path of destruction and yes, they can crawl fast, but not nearly as fast as when they figure out how to, as my Pastor once described, "purposely lift a foot, fall forward, and catch themselves over and over and over again.  Otherwise known as 'walking'".  Then they are gone.  Oh they come back on a regular basis for the cuddles and the 'ups!', but they are pretty much carving out their own path and they are on their way.  Inevitable and bittersweet.  

Silver lining = learn to walk means learn to do chores! :)

S is for Saturday AND Sunday

This was some kind of weekend!  Friday, we got the HVAC, Saturday, we got the garden done, and then Sunday, my husband and his friend demo-d our utility/storage room and then we had my parents and my sister and her husband over for dinner where we announced that our youngest would be joining the ranks of big brother!  What a weekend!  I'm so pooped this tiny little post will have to suffice!

R is for Renovations

So....the list keeps growing, but at least things are actually getting done!  So, we've been working diligently on our garden and the dirt will be delivered tomorrow morning, with any luck, and hopefully I can get most of it into the lovingly built garden boxes before it rains.  The ultimate goals is to get my desperate-for-a-real-garden plants into the ground before the rain, but we'll see.  I started that plants in those little pellet starters....then moved them to solo cups...yes, red........but I admit, I was excited by warm weather and did this entirely too soon.  I now have zucchinis blooming in solo cups.  I’m sure there's an extra verse to the song in here somewhere...

Anyway, so there was the bathroom, almost done.........then our cat ran away.....and we've decided to try to convince someone to take the boys for a weekend so we can really shampoo all of our carpets to get rid of the cat-ness.  Of course, we also got a new HVAC today.......thank goodness!  We bought this house 2.5 years ago, had an issue the first year, but whoever the warranty sent for some reason did not feel the need to recommend replacement at that time.........so, here were are, funding it ourselves, but we do have good, steady, reliable, temperature controlled air for the first time in a long time.  However, the installation of the HVAC revealed some 'messed up' fixes from previous owners..........to which we now are going to begin the 'un-finishing' of our utility room so that we can move the washer and dryer back across the room to prevent the collection of rainwater in the dryer vent tube and the need for the washer to drain out over our heads.  Yes, they installed the washer and dryer on the opposite wall of where the connections were and decided to run all the lines across the ceiling.  They also built out the walls leaving a full foot of space between the original wall and the new wall........it's a hollow space.....so; here we go on another project.  I'm grateful that the hubby is into it this year and will take a bunch of the grunt work.  Usually, I’m stubborn and will just start doing things myself without asking for help...........dumb dumb dumb.  Ok, I’m calling it a night before I write myself into another project!

Q is for Questionable Taste

I have labeled this as questionable taste to describe my sense of humor.......or rather, my husband's.  These are eye rollers.  In the car this evening, my son was asking if we knew what the alphabet (pronounced alfffa-bit) was.  My husband said, "Do you know what an alpha-bite is?"  I gave him a strange look, and then Mikey said, "What is it?".................8 times as big as an alpha-bit...........many may not get this one.  I couldn't help but laugh; geek that I am.

Then he morphed back into himself...."A man hits a woman in his car.  Whose fault is it?"..............The man, he shouldn't have been driving in the kitchen..........grrrr.........oh well, I love him anyway!  Please share your dumb jokes!  We need some new ones!

P is for Painting with Crayons or Practicing

Tonight, we did it.  We attempted another often-seen-not-often-tried craft.  We glued crayons to canvas and got out my old hair dryer and ta-da!  I'll call it painting with crayons for the sake of the letter P.  The first one, i went free style and we just put on whatever color in whatever order.  It was cool and chunky, but i wanted to try it with the colors the 'right' way.  I found a more efficient way of melting the crayons, but....it did not produce the chunky effect i liked with the first one.  I do have one more very large canvas that maybe i will attempt when i don't have a lot of little hands helping me out.  Maybe try some shapes or introducing other bits and pieces of craft items to create crayon-fall barriers.  hmmm....you just never know!  So, have you done this?  Please share your experience!!

The first one

The second one, of course. 

They both wanted to pose for the camera.

O is for Observation

Today, I observed the Space Shuttle, Discovery, on top of a 787 jet not once, not twice, but three times!  It went right over me!  You'd have thought there was a fire drill at my building with the amount of people that were out on the grounds on the parking deck.  It was really something to see.  I seemed to be the only one who brought a pair of binoculars, though.  I honestly didn't know it was going to be as close as it was to my building, so I asked my dad to bring the binoculars so I might have a chance of seeing it....turns out it gave me a unique perspective of being able to see how banged up dirty the shuttle was up close.  Apparently, they are not going to clean it up either in order to preserve it in its last active state.  

I did learn something that seems so bizarre to me, though.  Someone informed me that the shuttle can't get wet.  I'm sorry, we have waterproof cell phones....but our space traveling, bust-through-the-atmosphere shuttle can't get wet?!  I wonder if the Russians have the same problem or if they have a secret laugh about our weather issues.  

Anyway, it was pretty cool, but no, I do not have any pictures because I had binoculars with me, my keys, however, stayed at my desk, so my phone remained unreachable in my car, even though I was standing next to it for the whole event.  I assure you, though, any pictures you have seen.........and I’m sure you've seen one or two.....dozen......by now, are pretty much what I saw.  Amazing!

N is for Nine New Neckties, Nightshirt, Nose!

Big N, little n, what begins with those?  Wow, that really is all I could come up with.  And yes, for you avid Dr. Suess-ers, I have the abbreviated version that I have now replaced 3 times due to use and...well...chewing.  Both of my sons have now consumed portions of Dr. Suess's ABCs (the abbreviated version).  I don't know what it is about a board book that looks so yummy to a toddler!  Most of our board books have a bite mark in them.  I should write a series of books call "What MJ Ate".  (the MJ being a combination of both their names).  I could theme them........I could do places, I could do countries.....could be a pretty good series for kids.  Hmm...a NEW idea!  Hey, this is mine and if I see these books out there somewhere, I will find you!  Ok, now my brain is gone off on this new project.......see ya!

M is for Managing

I am like almost every other woman I know.  Our lives are run by managing........managing the house, the yard, the kids, the family, the calendar, the menu, a job, the bills, the packing list, the cleaning schedule, friends, cars, Holidays, Birthdays, anniversaries, reading lists, time with your significant other, personal upkeep, clothing, shopping, and yes, even free time!  Even those of you who strive to live your life with as little stress and planning as possible...are managing what isn't part of or included in the stuff you that you manage!  Yep, face it, you’re stuck!  

Now, I admit, to someone who has not known me long, I probably appear to be managing too much, but like I have said before, I don't know any other way to 'be'.  I was raised by to great managers and my life was very full because of it, but they put in a lot of effort to manage to fit everything in and still not be too overwhelmed.  I believe my sister and I turned in to very good managers ourselves.  I think that if you take on enough for long enough, it becomes second nature.  Everybody has their own tolerance level for items they can manage, but I bet if you stopped and made a list (list making can be very therapeutic!) of everything you already managing, you will amaze yourself.  You are far more capable than you give yourself credit for! 

If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's like dieting, write it all down and figure out what you can do without.  If you're feeling board, find out where your time is lacking and fit something in...Heck, start a new blog!  If your list gives you just the pat on the back you were looking for, then have lemonade and get back to managing it all!!

L is for Little Sister

Happy Friday!  I have to apologize to my readers first off because my recent posts have been seriously lacking in substance.  I am not a writer.  I am a working mom with opinions, but i do not always feel the need to bless the world with my opinions, so i really do have to be inspired to write something that you would want to read.  So, last night i was really trying to think of something that inspired me to write and somehow i would figure out how to start it off with an L.  So, instead of S for sister, today is L for Little sister.  

My sister, born at 11:59 pm on June 12, 1987.  Born to be my live barbie doll, or so says my mother.  So the story goes, the child slept through the night at 2 weeks because big sis would never let her take a nap during the day.  I've heard this story so often over the past 25 years, who knows the extent of its truth?  oh well.  it matters not.  Now, I could give you the minute by minute details of some fantastic stories through her life like when she snapped on the evil Jackie Babbs, the 5 year old nightmare of a child who bullied everyone in her way but was a favorite of teachers.  M snapped one day, tackled her, sat on top, and shoved dirt in her mouth and then refused to apologize.  Yes, I could tell you all about that or like the time when she had just started shaving her legs and she shaved one and forgot the other.  Could tell you all about it, but I won’t. 

I instead want to tell you how she surprises me everyday!  How she has become a woman that I respect and admire.  She’s been through a lot of stuff and I find we have a lot in common.  I am jealous, though, that she has traveled all over the place!  I and look forward to growing old together.  We had these two aunts, old as dirt, sweet as pie……well, to us, I’m pretty sure they were not the angelic ladies of the 20’s that society would have had them be.  They were rebels, and traveled, and ruled the roost………and gave out soap (inside joke).  Anyway, I can see my sister and I someday ending up in the same home where our kids dump us and attempting the cheesiest craft projects together.  I will cover the place in hand prints and glitter and she will fill up every container she can find with dried split peas!

I’ve said before, I think it’s a good idea to take a moment to tell people that they are special to you  from time to time.  So, Little Sister….who I know is a reader…….keep surprising me with your new crafty-gene and keep sharing!  I love you!!!

K is for Keeping Up Appearances

Yes, I AM referring to that wonderful old British show.  That woman is ridiculous......yet, I am very much aware of the fact that I could become Hyacinth.  I have to protest that I am not like I used to be; I once made, not ordered, but made custom change of address cards and sent to EVERYONE......as if the world cared!  My parties were always "just so" and plentiful........leading to some serious debt, let me tell you.  If you are young and have not explored the possibility of living beyond on your means and lavishing your friends with wonderful goodies.......DON'T!!!  It's not worth it.  Also, you are still young, you have plenty of time to get to where your parents standard of living is.  You don't not need to equal them now!  Anyway, sorry for the sidestep...so, doing way to much as a hostess......then I had kids.  The oldest excuse in the book, I know, but it's true.  Now, I still throw one hell of a party and, I think, people have a pretty good time.  Only now I have the parties because it gets people down to our little corner of Stafford and.......well, no one else has parties and I want to see people!  I guess I still go overboard on my get togethers.......I can't just have a Party Lite party....it has to be an Event....a wonderful time....something.....Blog-worthy!  It's just the way I am, I don't think I could be happy with myself if I had people over and put some chips on the table.  It's just not in me!  I have a friend who claims she plans her social calendar around what the Cooper house is hosting.  Once had my boss tell me that I should go into business with his wife just to plan parties and I used to plan weddings, but like I said, I had kids.  Now I barely have the time to put together their birthdays and my few yearly events.    OK I should probably proof this post as it's been a very broken effort in writing it........between the diaper blow-out on my couch, my oldest attempting to blow up a balloon, the cat walking across the computer, etc.....you moms know where I’m coming from.  My husband once told me that to get privacy he goes in the bathroom.   HA!  What mom actually gets to go to the bathroom BY HERSELF!  Even the dern dog joins the party and lies in the middle of the floor!  Now where was I?  Oh, yeah, become Hyacinth Bucket (boo-kay)..........I have the potential, but I don't think my kids will let those seeds settle and grow anytime soon!  Thank goodness!!!

J is for....ummm....Jenna? or Jackson!

Jenna and Jackson, the J's of the Coopers!  Well, since I’m older, I’ll go first.......30, married, long hair, fair skin...well, OK, red/pink skin, tallish, biggish, pretty laid back except when I’m not, likes a clean house, likes to craft, sews some when the bug gets me, one sister, mom, dad....wow, I’m boring.  

Ok, Jackson, the real star of this post!  Almost 2, dark curly hair, darker skin than mommy, adorable little dimples on ALL cheeks! precious smile..........biter.  Yes biting.  

Ooooo, a topic!  I have had a biter before.  Seemed like the longest stage or phase ever!  Looking back, it was only about 2 weeks or so.  I remember being frantic at daycare because I was afraid they were going to kick the oldest one out for biting!  Then it was over.  However, I did find out something disturbing...or maybe that's not the right word.  I looked everywhere for help, magazines, books, internet.  I even wrote letters and emails to authors of child behavior books........guess what?  If your child is being bitten, there are a ton of biter-hater-helpers out there........how to advocate for your child, how to encourage the suspension of the other child by the school, bla bla bla.........there is nothing out there for parent's of biters!  It's as if a biter had been tagged and there is nothing you can do so just give up.  You have no rights if you are the mother of the biter!  It’s very frustrating.  I’m not a biter; I’m not trying to raise a biter.  Argh!  Anyway, so now Jackson has picked up this ugly habit.  Only, he's not in daycare so big brother becomes the one and only target.  He hasn't bit mommy or daddy...he wouldn't dare, but any part of Mikey, it seems, is fair game!  Today, he even bit the center of his back.  How does one even begin to do that?  Mikey doesn't exactly have any extra flesh, pretty scrawny and muscley as 4 years olds go.  We're at a loss....yelling is ignored, popping his mouth is met with a broken heart, biting him back isn't really a logical option.........I suggested that maybe Mikey could bite him back.....you know have him practice on daddy so he knew how not to bite too hard?  Are we nuts?  I don't know, maybe we'll just put Mikey in thick sweat suits and a mask at all times until this phase passes?  *Sigh*  I realize this is just a phase and all in all it will probably amount to nothing more than 2 weeks, but it sure is difficult waiting it out!!!  

I is for.....I have no idea

I cannot come up with anything to write about for I.  I am at a loss.  I am hoping that other bloggers have found themselves in the same position.  I have thought about I all day long and I have come up with nothing.  If I use the letter I enough in this blog of nothing, does that count?  hmm...how about Interesting.....an Interesting fact (or 10) about you!  Who are my readers?  

1.  Where do you call home?

2.  What is your favorite pudding flavor?

3.  What is your favorite candle scent?

4.  Who's seat would you put a woopie cushion on?

5.  Mounds or Almond Joy?

6.  Sleep Number?

7.  Favorite cartoon from the late 80's early 90's?

8.  McDreamy or McSteamy?

9.  Sweet or Salty?

10.  Root beer or Mountain Dew?

totally random, but what do you really get out of age, sex, location anyway?

H is for Hospital

Happy Monday!  So, i started out the day at the doctors for myself, just some routine stuff.......got to work, got through an hours worth of emails and received a call from the hubby that little J has cut his head open and they are going to the hospital!  Didn't even log off, just hit the power buttons and ran....literally...ran through the halls of my building.  my brain was telling me, "he's fine, you heard him screaming so he's conscious, he's with his Daddy, we don't live far from the hospital" but we all know the mom heart/brain conflict.  So, I ran.  May have actually helped with the adrenaline rush since once i got to the car, i was pretty calm.  I did rely on my best friends to talk to me as i tried to safely, but quickly, make it the 45 miles to the hospital.  yes, i drive 44 miles one way from home to work everyday.  He was being so good.  Had the numbing cream applied and were waiting for the the doctor to come back.  Hubby took little M out and i managed the parental participation part of stitches......singing twinkle twinkle 2 inches from his ear and blowing on his face......i think it's nice that they get you involved!  so, all in all, 2 hours, 4 stitches later, and a popsicle, we're home and napping.  And i was worried about finding an "H"!

G is for Graveyard

So, today, on Easter, everyone in the house took a nap except for my Mom, oldest boy and myself.  So, we went for a walk.......went up the street, found a random path going into a wooded area and found ourselves looking at a small graveyard.  My mom said she knew it had to be in that general area and that she remembered some kind of hoopla going on about it 3 years ago.  We think it was actually a slave graveyard that was found when they opened up the land for construction.  I must say, it has been nicely preserved and marked and is well cared for.  Very interesting looking around.  My son was really excited by rocks with letters on them.  He didn't really understand what we were looking at, but he though they were cool anyway.

Since I'm posting on Easter, i might as well fill you in on the rest of the interesting bits of the weekend....Went to a housewarming party yesterday for some friends from church.  Gorgeous!  Someday, i hope to have it together enough (and the talent) to also plan out every room with precise color schemes and details.  It was really fabulous!  My current house is very much a work in progress.....kind of just an expanded form of our townhouse before and the apartment before that.  Seems like we have always moved while i was pregnant and just getting things in and unpacked and put away in a semi-orderly fashion is enough.  I have put a little effort into a few rooms.......as you could see from the bathroom.....but nothing like my friend's!  So jealous!

To top off the weekend, Easter dinner was great and my sister made me so proud!!  She has recently been doing a lot more crafting and she branched into the food arena!  Below are some pictures of what she shared with us today!  Adorable! (oh, and I also made a bunny cake, not as impressive as my sister's bit, though.  A pic is at the bottom.)

Those are white chocolate chicks and bunnies and 'carrot' strawberries!  Too cute!

E is for Egg....follow up

Ok, here they are.  Not great, but i didn't want to dunk them in paint either, so sponged with faces painted on (sorta)...here they are.  And if i find out that someone put this on craftfail.com (mandy)  you will be in big trouble!  At least, now there are step by step pictures so someone can do it better!

 I like to use the egg cartons turned over to hold the eggs..only downside is that one carton only holds 5...

 inspiration

 Before faces

* only one pig was hurt in the making of this craft.  He sustained facial lacerations from a fall while posing for pictures.  He will probably be side-lined during game time.

F is for Fever

Yep, it just wouldn't be a holiday for the Coopers if one of the kids weren't sick!  I came home to a cranky 2-year old with a 102.3 fever wanting his mommy.  Poor thing.  i'm pretty sure it's just teething since i change his shirt twice in 4 hours because the front was totally soaked from slobber.  So, we started the Motrin/Tylenol schedule and, while it hasn't broken yet, he was more like himself.  he at least ate and participated in some loving battles with his big brother.  Meanwhile, in another room......... I've got two cakes baking for a special treat and the angry bird eggs have begun.  The base color is on.....now to dry and apply ANGRY eyes!  party tomorrow and then off to Mimi and Papa's, where hopefully, the Bunny will be able to find us.  I assured Mikey that Santa and the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy are good friends and Santa would surely tell the Bunny where to find the Cooper boys.  Good times!  Happy Easter to all!

E is for Easter Eggs, of course!

So, that special time is only a few days away!  The eggs are hard-boiled - i hope - and ready to go.  You know, it's funny, but 'how to hard boil an egg' is always a new concept to me.  for some reason, i can NEVER remember from one time to the next what on earth i'm supposed to do!  So, i looked it up.  Now my refrigerator smells like eggs, but it's not awful, so i hope i did it right.  This year, the little one and I are going to make Angry Bird eggs.  Saw it on, where else, Pintrest!  Only, i have not been able to find any instructions for them.  There are a couple of demos out there for making angry bird things, however, the picture of the eggs that is circulating seems to just be a picture and not attached to a blog anywhere.  Best i can figure out is that they did it with acrylics.  How else do you get an egg black?  i'm open for suggestions if you know.  i guess i could have gotten the little tub of black icing coloring at the craft store and then used a sponge, but that seemed a little to extreme and, well, costly for what will amount to 2 black-dyed eggs.  When else am i going to use black icing coloring?  ok, strike that, i can figure on many times when i would.......check out the ladybug cake in one of my earlier posts.........however, i don't foresee any blackness in my cakes anytime soon.  Anyway, the other eggs in the picture also appear to be painted and not dyed.  No one, i don't care how long you let that egg sit in the red dye, ever produces a bright cherry-red egg...it's always some form of pink, dark pink if you're lucky!  So, anyway, i'm thinking i will use a sponging method and use scant amounts of acrylic paints to color the eggs and then we will draw on the beaks and eyes and such.  The egg shell should be thick enough to protect the egg, right?  i'll have to check the toxicity warning on the bottles.  I'd used watercolors, but even a little dew in that grass and we're ruined, RUINED I TELL YOU!  ok, any other ideas?  I'm open for suggestions, otherwise, i'll report back what we come up with.  I'll even take pictures along the way, so in case we do a good job, we'll have a step by step out there for other people instead of a mystery pic!  Wish me luck!

D is for Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead!

tonight i am sharing a funny incident about my son......

My son's favorite movie is "The Wizard of Oz".  He loves the big fire head of Oz and thinks the flying monkeys are hilarious!  He would watch it 24/7 if we let him.  A few months ago I asked him if he would like to watch a movie, he said yes and that he wanted to watch, what else, the Wizard of Oz.  I said, no, you need to pick out another movie.  he responded, "Mommy, do we have any other movies with flying monkeys?", i said no, he said, "then, we're watching the wizard of oz."  Couldn't argue with that.  tonight is short, but i have a ton of other stuff to do!  I'm off to see the wizard.......

C is for Christmas

Yes, Christmas!  Why is it that the preparations for Christmas almost seem more exciting and magical than the single day itself?  The invisible connection while putting together cards, the moments dedicated to single individuals while we choose just the right gift for them, the joy and fun of putting up the tree and the stockings and any other decorations you deem worthy.....we, for instance, started a paper chain that goes around our entire family room.  This year, both kids should be able to assist in adding to it.  Maybe it will creep into the kitchen this year!  My favorite part of the season, though, has got to be the smells!  I wait all year to stick a brick of Apple Cinnamon or Holiday Spice into the warmer!  Anyway, the point i was going to attempt to get to was this...we put so much effort into the holiday season and then it's...just...over.  there is a slight delight of putting things away and getting things re-organized, but it doesn't last that long....it's still winter after all.....then Spring, which I will admit have it's own merits, then Summer......i'm good for a little bit of summer, but i'm not much a hot weather person.  There's only so much a person can remove, you can always add layers, but once you're naked....you're out of luck (or not?)  Anyway, back on track......you spend a lot of effort, it's over, you try to put your all into the rest of the year, but for me, i'm really just always looking once again to The Beginning..........First day of Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas!!!  My favorite season?  the Holiday Season!  What's your favorite part of the Holiday season?

Ok, not so much of a cohesive thought as I would have liked to present, but it was the only alternative to my first choice for the letter C as developed through a short brainstorm with Ms. Heather.

Title:  C is for Cat

Blog:  Damn cat.  The end.

B is for Boys

My life is run by boys!  This is a true statement although this post may have nothing else to do with it other than I am the only woman in the house!  I know I'm a day late with this post and i need to stay on track with this challenge, but, surprise, i tried to do too much yesterday and ended up hurrying off to bed so i had a prayer of being up on time this morning!

So, a thought from yesterday....'they' say there is woman's work and men's work.......well unless your respective hoo-hoos are performing the work, i don't see how possessing one or the other uniquely qualifies you to only accomplish one type of work.  The only time when this segregation of responsibility applies is in carrying of a child in the womb and giving birth.  OK, there.  have a good day!

A is for Anniversary!

So, this being the first day of the A to Z April challenge....i need to start with "A".  Good thing this has been my anniversary weekend or you may have been treated to a blog about ants or antibiotics!  So, how do you spend your anniversary?  We chose to take on a project to test our relationship!  The hubby and I spent the majority of this weekend renovating our kids' bathroom.  I also completed the refreshing of our half bath (just a a little paint).  It has only taken us 2 1/2 years to complete the bathrooms in this house.  I can't believe we're nearly there!  I have 2 entire Franklin Covey planners where every week has "bathroom" listed as a 'to do' item.  I may have to take the day off to cross it off! So, we started off with icky white walls, cracking light-colored tile, and a builder's grade sink and vanity set.  We've actually had all the stuff since the day we moved in because we wanted to replace all the sinks and vanities in all 3 bathrooms and also paint them all the same color.  So, we've done this twice before, right?  It's the biggest bathroom in the house and.....drumroll please.......it's square!  Hallelujah!  Umm..right?  So we, started off....took out the toilet..no biggie.....took out the vanity and the cabinet.....easy enough.  Ok, tile removal time.  Yeah, ok.  so not cracked enough to come up easily.  Poor Mike.  Then we discovered that the tub we had put in when we moved in was.....wait for it...... professionally adhered to the old tile!  Fabulous.  (insert sarcasm here)  Slowly, and painfully, e managed to get it out.  No worries that the tub is now floating about our new floor's level by half and inch!  ok, so then we needed a break....he took a nap.....me, i can't sleep in the middle of the day, so i took to painting.  coat downstairs, coat upstairs, another coat up......you get the picture.  Then i tried to apply the boarder in the kids bathroom....the roll is 15 ft....the wall.....15 1/2 feet!  Darn it! (again!)  Mind you,  bought this border 2 years ago!!!  So, off to Walmart we go.  No luck.  oh well, i'll figure it out, right?  So, on to dinner..actually had our nice romantic-spend-too-much at 'Jimmy the Greek'.  I highly recommend the French Onion soup!  So, back to the house around 10 and decided neither of us can do it anymore.  To bed.  First thing this morning I got up, my brilliant idea to paint a mural on the wall to account for the missing 6 inches....i ended up painting a palm tree with a monkey, copied from the border.  Mike got up, we attacked the floor....i won't go into the full drama, but let's just say we now have a contractor friend fitting us into his schedule to completely uninstall and re-install the bathtub so that it is done 'right'.  At least the toilet and new sink are back in and the vanity will be shortly.  Below are the before, during, and after pics...the after pics aren't totally complete since the vanity and sink are still missing doors, but the little one went to bed and drilling had to come to a stop for the night.

I AM happy to report that we are still very much in love and no threats of violence were uttered this weekend!  Happy 7th Anniversary, Mike! and, Thank You, Mom and Dad and Mandy for watching the boys and making this possible!