I suppose it's time for a post, when I look at the date and it's been almost 2 weeks! Sorry about that. Not much to post because for the most part I have been reading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, yesterday and today (thank you Amy for the gift card to Barnes and Noble!). Unfortunately for the family, they haven't seen much of me, but I'm almost done with Catching Fire. Then I can be a mom again. :)

We've also had some fun weather lately, high 50's/low 60's. The kids have enjoyed playing in the backyard, trying to make a tree house on the ground, which ends up looking like a shanty. But that's okay, I like the creativity of it. And then they put our poor dog into "cussody" and then she escapes and they do it all over again. I think both parties like it, but it's hard to tell...

Single White Female

Since we are going to California (don't tell the kids, it's a gigantic secret!) I've been looking online for places to stay. We wanted to go a different route than a hotel, which in my opinion, are often overpriced in peak seasons. Which is when we are going. I ran into this sight called airbnb.com. This site was amazing. I don't have too many issues with renting out a section of someone else's house or a studio apartment. In fact I think it's a pretty fun idea.

I know there's going to be some audible gasps from some of you, thinking, " You mean, you don't know these people? Think about the danger. Think about the...I don't know what... " And the answer is no. I do not know this cute single mom and her pre-teen kids. Maybe you're thinking Single White Female . I don't know. But, what I know is, we are going to be staying with a family in a residential area 10 minutes away from Disneyland with a separate entrance to our section of the house and we have access to a kitchen and our own bathroom. I'm stoked about it. Really. This will be our first REAL vacation as a family alone to somewhere the kids really want to go. I literally can't wait. But I'm having a hard time keeping it a secret and the kids know that! They keep pestering me to tell them because they know I can't keep things a secret very long!

Birthday, Surgery, and Green Eggs and Ham

I guess I'm going in order of events here. Firstly, my birthday was last Saturday. It was great. Really. There was no pressure and no agenda. The kids and Bucky made me a big fat German pancake for breakfast in bed. Then when I got out of bed to eat it at the table the house was clean. The kids had cleaned their rooms and Bucky had cleaned. Anyone with a husband can appreciate that. :) In addition the kids made me books. Evie's is below and it is so cute because it says nice things about me that normally she's screaming the opposite of...But if you can't read it, it says, "Mom's are very nice." I love it. Ethan's was a frog hunting adventure of some sort.




My poor sister Missy had shoulder surgery yesterday and I'm glad I was there. That's all I'm saying Missy. :) Love you. Before and after pictures below.





Lastly, and this happened today, if any of you follow my blog, you know that I go into E's class every two weeks with some sort of art project that the kids can do. It's been a challenge to say the least. Well, yesterday was Dr. Suess' birthday, so I thought, I'll just do a fun word find, the kids can color a place mat that goes with Green Eggs and Hamand ready for this, I'm actually going to make Green Eggs and Ham for the kids. Sweet, right?!

Wrong. Dead wrong.

Apparently in this most awesome of schools you can't have any food in the classrooms. At all. Ever. I tried to plead my case at the office, but they were having none of it. So, now sits in my fridge 2 dozen scrambled green eggs and ham.

Anyone want to come to dinner? :)

Holy Cow

Boy it is a season in my life where I am BUSY. I started writing about all the things that make my life busy, but then it sounded a little whiny, so I'll provide an equally annoying over view.

1. Called to Relief Society 2nd Counselor (which I have never done or anything close to)
2. KIDS and Carpooling
3. Planning a cheap trip to California, laughable I know.
4. Trying to start up my Cookie Lee business
5. Dog in heat (it's gross, don't even ask)
6. My birthday. Gulp.

But, besides all that, I had a good laugh yesterday because I couldn't figure out what was going on with my mailman. Here's the picture. He's parked on the side street of my house with his shoes off and his feet propped up. Uh, hello sir, would you like a soda? He sat there for at least 40 minutes reading and talking on a cell phone. What the freak, dude?

The Girl is 5

Yeah, these pictures have a really sweet effect on them because of these orange curtains I have in the front room. I thought it would be a smart idea to close them to take pictures of the cake with candles lit. But it was two in the afternoon. So, they look a little spooky...

Food for Thought

Well, our awesome new Mac is turning out to be maybe not so awesome! We have loaded pictures and music from an external hard drive onto the computer and then, POOF, disappears. Crappy. So I guess we will have to take it into the Apple store and see what they can do for it. And to make matters worse I can't seem to get on the internet for more than 2 minutes. I'll open my email or get halfway through a post and then it will stall or better yet, just freeze and stop working. ARGGGG.

So I'm trying to hurry and write this post and share a funny thing Ethan said the other night at dinner. As a family we do High's and Low's for the day. On this very special night, Ethan announced that he didn't have any lows today. Then Evie quickly piped in, "Ethan has a girlfriend."

Cricket Cricket

"Uh Ethan you know you're too young to have a girlfriend right?" That's me, by the way.

"Mom, you can't stop love."

Cricket Cricket

And then we all busted up laughing. While in the back of my mind I was screaming a terrified scream.....

Newer Family Pics by Kelly

It looks like I'm trying to strangle Buck, but I've actually got him a Vulcan death grip, trying to squeeze a smile out of him. It's also indicative of our marriage in a way, I can't think of how...

This is our first professional family pictures with Alyssa and E and Ev all in one shot.
I think it's adorable, but I'm biased...

Thanks again, Kelly, I LOVE them! If anyone wants info on Kelly's business go here.