i heart spring on the way...

hooray!
it's just around the corner...
let the rain begin!
(or rather, continue...)

:)

spring break, staycation day 3: food, friends & films...

(via camera phone)

plan: go to the store & get only what's on the list
result: a 6 year old with three suckers

plan: daddy daughter date to see 'tangled'
result: 'tangled' was sold out &
according to brian hell is pronounced 'pic-a-nic basket'

plan: have Q do a bit of homework every day
result: well, at least he can spell x-box

plan: have my bff, angie's, family over for a lovely dinner
result: calzone
+adult beverages
+ a few minor meltdowns (by the kiddos, honest.)
+charlie & lola
= a really lovely night

all the kiddos...
(via camera phone that wouldn't let me crop)

plan: kiddos sleep in their beds tonight
result: one's on the floor, one's in the closet...

plan: another rockin' staycation day
result: yes!

:)

spring break staycation day 2: snuggle down!

jammies til noon
xbox competitions
movie snuggles
cookie baking

3 hours at the park
sand creations
swing, swing, swing
reading in the sun

easy dinner
soccer practice
sunset fun

family movie
sleepover under the dining room table
netflix instant for mom & dad

spring break...
hooray!

:)

spring break staycation day 1: just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

it was just supposed to be Q & brian
but then miss m heard about it
& we all were in on the trip...
i had my doubts
she's kind of unpredictable
my best description of her is
'she's really really happy
unless she's really really mad'
but she loved it & we all had a grand time!

i even swam some laps
which i wasn't sure if i could do any more...
over the last 7 years my 'swimming' has involved
holding a small child or at least being
upright enough to rescue one if needed...
it was very cool...
& so tiring!
three hours later
we were home & passed out in various parts of the house...
the best kind of tired, if you ask me :)

hooray for spring break
& husbands who are teachers
& kids who like to do stuff
(most of the time :)
& staycation!

:)

rose accepetance: what i learned from 'the bachelor'

i just watched 'the bachelor: after the finale rose'
& i know it can be called many things
(fake, trashy, a dream come true)
& i know that it's not for everyone
but out of all of the seasons i've watched
this felt like was the most real & honest...

i loved how they talked to past
bachelor/bachelorette couples who are still together...

it goes with what i think is becoming
my personal life philosophy:
people just want to connect.
they want to be noticed
& heard
& relate to someone else...
to know they aren't alone
& that someone else has gone through it, too
& survived!
(oh, that's a different reality show :)

& really it doesn't even have to be that deep,
it can be, of course,
but even just a little
'what a cute coat!'
or
'have a good day'
is connecting...

& think about when someone
says something like that to you...
it gives you a little jolt of happy
even if just for a minute:
someone else noticed you
& took a second to say 'i see you'

& this relates to 'the bachelor' how?

i know, i know, but
as the established couples talked to this new couple
you could see they wanted to help...
& who better?
i could give advice all day long
(& sometimes do)
but i've never been there...

& brad & emily were listening
& understanding
& having light bulb moments...
you could even tell when the last music played
that emily said to brad 'it's just you & me'
which is what ali said roberto says to
remind her that when it comes down to it
they are the two in the relationship...

i love that inspiration comes from everywhere
& when you're alert
you can see examples of good things...

even on the bachelor.

:)

i heart concrete cheerleaders...

after playing around with
this picture in photoshop
i'm beginning to think that i'm
the only one who will think that
there are hearts in that spot on the sidewalk...
but i see them
when i go for a walk or jog...
every time i go out,
at 5:30am
or 4 in the afternoon...
my little row of hearts,
cheering me on :)

we really don't let ourselves say no to an idea...

yesterday i listened to a great
interview on npr, fresh air...
it was with grant achatz
an award winning chef who lost his
sense of taste to tongue cancer...

it was so inspiring!
i love listening to people talk about things they love
& taking risks...
the tongue cancer part was sad
& great because he has gotten it back
but the parts that i loved the most were
hearing him talk about the
unique things they do with food at his restaurant:

"What makes the food that we do at Alinea so interesting on the outside is that we really don't let ourselves say no to an idea," Achatz says. "When we start looking at things really critically or even very simply, we realize that there's more than one way to actually get the same results ... You're deconstructing the components of a course and putting them back together."

(he tells how they make this dish...
pretty awesome)

he talked about these small pillow cases that they
infuse with scents & then put them on the table
with your plate over them
& throughout the meal the scent comes out &
is a part of your dining experience...
is that the weirdest, coolest idea, or what?

it made me think that the ideas i have
i should just go for it...
one step at a time, of course
but so what if it sounds weird to some people?
let's just try it, okay?
yes!

you can listen to is here
or free through itunes...
:)

ps he sounds so much like james franko
(from the fresh air interview with him)
& i loved that, too...
he's totally young & laid back
not at all condescending
(that's terry gross's job anyway...
i do love her, but sometimes...:)

it was a great thing to listen to as
i did errands yesterday...
yep, i'm that anti-social girl you see
walking around the grocery store with my headphones on...

:)

oscar memories, 2011...

do i not have the coolest, most creative friends?
they are so fun
& up for any goofy thing...
(see everyone's costumes here)

oscar night was so wonderful...
just full of
laughs
(when melissa leo dropped the f-bomb)
sighs
(anytime they showed colin firth)
cheers
(when the movie we voted for would win anything,
even sound editing)
oo's & ahhh's
(reece, sandra, haillie, halle, michelle & a couple of anne's)
jeers
(cate, mila, a couple of anne's)
groans
(who wrote the presenter's lines, anyway?)
munching
(these creative girls brought amazing food)
confusion
(james franco & his vaguely stoned hosting)

& from me:
love
(what a super spectacular group of girlies!)
& relief
(it was a wonderful 8 weeks of movie watching
but i need a little break :)

& you really should go over to my
night owl oscar club blog
& see the other costumes...
so so great!
(especially loved the viking girls :)

& the winner is:
me!
(such a fun oscar season :)