Back to Where it All Began

Did you go outside today? It was nice and warm but boy was it windy. At one point in the Aldi parking lot my hair swirled around my face and straight up in the air like it was being sucked into a vacuum cleaner. I'm sure my kids weren't the only ones that pointed and laughed. 

But last week we went to the park on a beautiful day and got cured of some major cabin fever-full moon crazies

And even though we did do a little bit of schoolwork (nature journals) it was still a lot of fun.

I didn't notice at the time that she was trying to keep her skirt up (down?). She's a rough and tumble tomboy but she's a lady too.

This is the same bench I got proposed to on. 9 long, long...long years ago. 

"But where was us?" Caden asked

"Whobody was watching us?"

Oh yes I did. 

Let the record show that Ethan said " MOM! Don't show this to anyone ok?" 

Look its a slide!

SLIDE!!!

It amazes me how much of a multitasker I really am. 

1. Hanging on to baby

2. Taking his picture

3. In focus

BOOM.

Its My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To

It's my birthday today. Again.

Remember when you were little and your birthday took about 17 years to roll around?

Yeah, not so much anymore.

Today I am being forced to turn the big 3-0. Ok, I guess its not as bad as the alternative, but still.

I'm old now. I'm halfway to 60. 

 I remember dial up internet. I remember life before internet. Rotary phones,pay phones, scrunchies, New Kids on the Block, riding in the front seat when I was younger than my kids who are still in carseats, Zelda, cassette tapes, jean purses, card catalogs, phone books. "Wow look at that phone you can CARRY AROUND WITH YOU! It even has its own antennae!"  Film that took like 3 weeks to get developed.

When I started driving ( which was 1/2 my life ago, thanks for asking) gas cost less in dollars than the number of gallons my tank held.

People called each other, and didn't know who it was before they answered the phone.I remember the first time we got an answering machine. It was like magic. 

And the only texts we read were our school books. 

I had a gameboy- the screen was green and the only game I had was tetris, but when we went shopping at Sears for school clothes, we could play Sonic the Hedgehog in the kids section, if we were lucky.

Our quarters only had a face on them, and we had manual credit card machines(without buttons!), with carbon copy reciepts that got your hands dirty.

You had to look at a real clock to check the time.

We had real, metal, jungle gyms. And they were only one color: metal. We had wooden playgrounds too. We got splinters and bruises and had so much fun. 

I remember one time in second grade we had these tickets we earned for something-cant remember what now, but we could pick prizes with them. I got a little wooden picture of Jesus.

And we said the Pledge of Allegiance every single morning. Do schools still do that?

I know today is an important day in our country's history. I can't believe its been 11 years. I will never forget where I was or what I did that day. My kids have never heard about it. They don't yet know things like that happen in real life, and Im so thankful for this peaceful, fun, innocent time of their lives. I can't imagine what they will look back on in a few years and remember as being the simpler times.

I Believe I Can Fly...

I finally did it.

After nearly 30 years on this planet, I have finally recreated my mom's cinnamon rolls.

I feel like I can do anything.

I can touch the sky.

And I don't think 3 cups of icing is too much for 10 rolls.

Pi-shaw.

That is like saying, "My husband is too handsome" or "My kids are too well-behaved"

or Heaven forbid-

"There is too much bacon on this table."

Too much of a good thing? That only applies to... well certainly not icing. Or bacon.

This was the second pan and really, I contemplated just staring at it and swatting any hands that got too close. Maybe framing it and putting it up on the living room wall?

Yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I can tell it's going to be a great year. Full of all kinds of possibilities.

And cinnamon rolls.

7 years

We just celebrated our 7th anniversary last weekend...

with far less fanfare than that blessed day oh so long ago...

We ate at Siki and had our eyebrows nearly burnt off with the flaming onion volcano.

Then we smelled all the candles in the Yankee Candle Store. I think my favorite was the Lemonade one, but I didn't like God Bless America. I just don't think America smells like strawberries. At least not where we live. Cows maybe, or Sonic Onion Rings, but not strawberries.

(My mom made that dress.)

oh, the butterflies!

This picture cracks me up. What was I thinking?

I think maybe he was saying his vows.

Totally posed.

This was the cake of my dreams. Just like I wanted it.

My dad is so funny

We were so young! What were we thinking?!

Charlotte will not be getting married this young.

Maybe, MAYBE when she is like 30. We'll see.

But we still got it, is all I can say. Not too shabby looking, are we?