I know I know I know! I'm so behind

I don't know where life is going!  It is ZOOMING by 4 million miles an hour.  There are so many things and changes and happenings that have taken place in the last 5 months. 

It is crazy--it just 5 months, we have done so much!  It is both awesome and amazing, this thing we call LIFE.  We must enjoy every minute of it.  Somehow!

 Opa had a birthday.

 My yard hates winter and looks forward to spring!

 

My kids are still  goofy, cute, fun and amaze me daily!

 

Correction:  SUPER goofy!

Rookie and the boys went to a Mariners game!

We had Easter on Nana & Paca's farm.  It was a beautiful day, but kind of sucky.  Three days before this, we found out my brother has Stage 4 Lymphoma.  Cancer sucks.  There is no other word for it.  This is blog worthy--I just didn't!

Easter Egg hunt.

I had a birthday (my 31st--for the 11th time!)

I love my new camera--having fun with it!

 My yard does not suck as bad any more!

 My strawberries boomed this year...just went CRAZY (but we only got to eat a few--because we were in Yellowstone during their PEAK!)   

The boys played baseball in the spring and LOVED it...more than they have ever loved any other sport we've introduced them to. 

  He's outstanding!  (...in the field)!!!  Baseball is blog worthy--I just didn't!

My garden boxes are awesome, and the broccoli was even better.  It was so good, Rookie didn't believe that it was from our garden when I served it to him for dinner! 

I got a new wine rack...love it.  But also discovered I have a "sulfite sensitivity" which means wine and me don't get along.  (...or shrimp, or crab, or margarita mixes, etc. etc. etc.)

We went to Manzanita Beach at Spring Break--this trip is blog worthy--I just didn't!

We had great, wonderful family time! I treasure these times!

T "graduated" from elementary school---yikes oh yikes!

 My yard is looking great.  It loves the summer!

I am still loving my camera!

My brother turned 40.  We went bowling and played mini-golf for his birthday.   He has started Chemo, and his tumors are shrinking.  He physically feels (and looks) better than he has in months.

We went to Yellowstone...this is definitely blog worthy...and perhaps I will! 

God is ever-present in our lives and continues to bless us in many ways.  I must remember this and be humble and thankful for all He graces us with.

Luck O' da Irish & Breakfast Bombing!

You have heard the expression that March comes in like a Lion and goes out like a Lamb, right? 
(at least I think that's the saying) 

Anyhoo...my point is it is ALREADY MARCH 17th and it has come in like a Lion---really fast and right in my face!!  Like I've ever seen a lion up close or had one in my face!
How is it already March 17th!?!?   

I have a love / hate relationship with St. Patty's Day.  Back in the olden days it was an excuse to par-tay and drink green beer (note:  I have never drunk green beer---but I know other's who have)!

When my oldest was in Kindergarten, the Leprechaun's messed up his Kindergarten classroom tipping over chairs, leaving foot prints, and glitter all over the place.  It was quite exciting.

When my youngest was in Kindergarten, his teacher had a "family project" of creating a Leprechaun trap.  It was really fun.

HOWEVER--fast forward 5 years and I am becoming less than thrilled with these traditions, especially when they come home from school on a Friday night at 4pm and say--"We have to make our Leprechaun traps!" and then proceed to tear the house apart looking for appropriate craft supplies to make said traps.  And let's not forget what must be done after the kids go to bed, and then the next morning to clean up the mess the Leprechaun's make. 

It is a vicious cycle! (And furthermore, during this particular weekend I am virtually a single mother with the "March Madness" going on in our house in the form of sloth like couch activities and 18 hours of basketball viewing on TV.)

Even with limited time restraints, these are no slap-together traps.  They are complicated machines with trip wires and catch basins!!! It's serious business!

But--being the MOM-of-the-YEAR that I am....I push forward and keep the thrill alive! 

We did not catch the Leprechaun this year...and he sure did make a mess...but it was fun!
According to the boys, he escaped through the toilet!!!!

In his wake of mess, he left a hefty supply of gold-covered chocolate coins...so he's not totally horrible!

But here is something fun that has tipped the scales to more love than hate in my love/hate relationship of St. Patty's Day!   Late last night on a whim, an early morning Rainbow pancake breakfast date with some fun folks was planned!  My friend Jenny at www.jennyonthespot.com posted the most pretty picture of rainbow pancakes on her Pinterest board and we invited ourselves over! 

At the crack of dawn !!

Who does that?

Well, actually it was 9am and we did bring coffee (and bacon)!

I'm pretty sure neither of us have done something like that!  Yes--dinner with friends, that's a no-brainer.  Meeting for lunch, or even meeting for morning coffee...that's all pretty normal.  But showing up on someones doorstep for breakfast--unheard of!  It was fun!

And what a spread she put on! 

 So fluffy and pretty!!!

 Heart-attack anyone?!?!?!

 And GREEN whip-cream!  Jenny, will you be MY mom?

 Commence eating the feast!!!

You've heard of the, "Boys of Summer"???  Well, these are the boys in green--and I'm pretty sure Paul talked Rookie into buying an iPhone!   

What a hoot of a morning.  We were in, ate, and out about as fast as a Leprechaun, as we started our busy days going in different directions...but what a GREAT way to spend time with friends you adore, but rarely get to see.  I highly recommend "breakfast bombing" your friends soon!!!  Thanks J, P, J, O & L!

(editors note: Rookie has never heard the term "bombing" before when referring to something where you just pop up and do something spontaneous with fun (or funny) results.  Pioneer Square has been "yarn --bombed" (google it) and people "photo-bomb" all the time (where they stick their face in random people's photo's.  So he was nervous when I was using the term "bombing"--which  I can understand--so I had to educate him on the finer terms of this decade!)

March Madness

March Madness could mean ANYTHING! 

It could mean:  "I am sick and tired of winter, give me SUN!"
It could mean:  "I am sick and tired of my dirty car and sloppy, wet car-mats, give me SUN!"
It could mean:  "I am sick and tired of the plants in my yard looking dead and brown, give me SUN!"
It could mean:  "It's March and I'm going mad!

But around here, it doesn't mean any of those things.  It means my husband is going mad....for basketball.   March Madness specifically refers to NCAA College Men's Basketball tournament--and even more specifically the first 4 days of of the tournament.   48 games in 4 days! 

He lives for this time of year almost more than the births of his own children.  *eyeroll*

He and his friend, Chris, plan for this weekend MONTHS before it's even here.  They barely tolerate Christmas because it means they can officially start talking about "March Madness"!   They plan food, drinks, where and how they are going to sit.  They even plan what shirts they'll wear according to who's playing that day!  AND THEN THEY DO NOT MOVE FROM THE COUCH UNLESS THEY HAVE TO! (It's mad!)


Rookie had to "prep" the living room--not with ONE TV--but TWO!!!!

The house is primed with basketball decor!

Brackets are hung!!   (I got new camera for my birthday--and it's NICE...however--I can't rotate the pictures--they keep going back to lateral!!!  Annoying--but you get the idea!)

The freezer is stocked with all kinds of "toaster oven friendly" foods.  Because no dishes can be cleaned, or time can be wasted waiting for food.

Other snacks are readied in massive, Costco quanities!

Mojitos are made (for me)!  They drink yuckier stuff...like Crown Royal and Coke--blech!

 Luckily for me--March Madness does also mean SPRING is in the air and right around the corner!

Unlucky for me...this goes on every weekend until April 2nd!!!

Legos & Barefeet = not a happy couple

If you have Legos around your house, you know what I'm talking about. 

Legos are everywhere.  (I feel something Dr. Suess-ish coming on!)

They are on the floor.

They are by the door.

They are in the bath.

They are in the cat. (not really...we don't even have a cat!)

They are underfoot.

They are under beds.

AND...they multiply at night (or after Christmas and Birthdays).

Not that I'm complaining.  I'm really not.  My kids LOVE Legos, and they have the very best time with them and make the most wonderful creations.  It is imagination usage to the max. 

However, it's a fact: Legos are everywhere. 

I'm tired of stepping on them, or WORSE, trying to avoid stepping on them, only to twist my ankle or tweak my back in some Mission Impossible poses to avoid the land mine piles of Legos that plague my upstairs. 

So one bored day over Christmas Break I decided that Ry and I should whip up a Lego Table out of some scrap wood in the garage in an attempt to get the Legos off the floor!  (HAHAHAHAhahahahahahahahahahaha)

Pile #1--the Legs

Pile #2 - the Table Top

Now, I missed a few steps in my photography here, because frankly, I didn't think we'd whip it out SOOOO fast.  We're talking an hour.  That includes getting the chop saw and electric sander out.

I let Ry do most everything, except chop with the saw.  He sanded, drilled, filled holes with wood spackle, designed the logo on top (to look like a giant Lego--his idea) AND I even let him stain.  I did have to talk him out of wanting to stain it RED, however.

It has a few quirks here and there, but for THREE whole days it served it's purpose.  It kept the Legos up off the floor and created a walkable space in the playroom!  It was a short lived blissdom.  If I took a picture today (almost a month and a half later), you wouldn't be able to see the table!

I mean look that this killer Lego City.  So fun!

And look at the happy couple--they are happy!  No more stepping on Legos!