Picture day and new bar stools

Abi never ceases to amaze me with her stubbornness. She completely refused to get her picture taken at school on picture day, so I said fine. I can't force her to do it. She was the only kid that refused. The picture guy was really nice though and they pretended like they were taking a class picture and made the whole class line up just so he could focus in on her to a get a picture. So it is a miracle they got one at all, the first one cracks me up. (I let her pick her outfit)

 

 Old bar stools that we've had forever, I think they were a wedding present.

New beautiful bar stools!

 

I've been wanting new bar stools and we've had our eye on these but they are expensive new ($80 a chair). Yay, for craigs list the chairs are like new and cheap! 



 

The most beautiful hair in the whole world (not that I'm biased or anything), miss Abi's. She is like a real life Rapunzel. We'll have to get this mop trimmed up soon, it's almost down to her behind.

Yummy din, the kids ate it. Never used farro before, but it has a lot of protein and fiber.

 http://www.bhg.com/recipes/from-better-homes-and-gardens/march-2013-recipes/#page=2

My weekend

This weekend I realized when left to my own devices I can survive off sauteed mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, sun dried tomatoes, bread, and goat cheese -since the husband was on a man trip. I wanted to earn mom points this weekend so I made glitter play dough for the kids and let them craft and paint. I learned (the hard way) letting the kids paint together is a very BAD idea. Usually I let Abi paint when Ben naps but Ben doesn't nap anymore so I thought how messy can they be? Well, the kitchen had to be mopped/scrubbed down because there was paint on every surface. I had to strip the kids nudie because their clothes were covered in paint, face and hair too so they had to take a bath. Abi will have to get her painting in at school because we are not doing that again. Markers and water color paints are all this mom can handle.

I was excited I actually had time to work in the yard, although it's depressing the damage one dog can do to a yard. The grass and flower beds are ripped to pieces and covered in dog poop. I touched up the paint on the inside and outside of the house, or in other words painted over dirt. Painting over dirt is actually very satisfying, but really the moral of the story is that everyone in my house (and yard) destroys everything and I spend all my time putting it back together. But I did do lots of things that made me happy this weekend, like working out, getting the perfect fireplace mantel off craigs (pics to follow), starting a tiling project around the kitchen sink (pics to follow), and finding the perfect bar stools on craigs (just need to get them), and decorating for Easter (why not?).

Buzz cut

Little buddy got a buzz cut, doesn't he look handsome? He wasn't happy about it but he let me do it. I was looking at a picture of him from a year ago when his hair was short I thought it was really cute so why not. It's just hair and it will grow back. He looks like such a little boy.

I heart bath tub pics. Sweet Abigail.

The kids did this and every time I walk through the room it cracks me up. Big bear lounging in the chair.

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
...
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you...” he told them.

“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Kids having fun with Grammy and Papa while we were off having fun.

An adorable picture of miss Evie wearing her kitty slippers shopping with her momma.

Vacation (no kids!!!)

Vegas was a good time! We stayed at Treasure Island which was decent. It had a fun country bar Gilly's, good restaurants, and a decent pool, but the best part was that we were right across the street from the three nicest hotels the Venetian, Plazzo, and Wynn. One of the first bars we wandered into was Rock of Ages in the Plazzo and they had some ridiculous and hilarious free entertainment.

 

We packed our swim suits to sit in the jacuzzi but we lucked out by getting super nice weather which was totally unexpected and awesome and they had the yummiest pina coladas at the pool.

 

Happy hour on the 107th floor of the Stratosphere was by far the coolest thing we did the whole trip. Sorry Space Needle this was way cooler, free, had live music, and drinks and appetizers were half price. At first we all got a little motion sick because it was a weird feeling watching the level below us rotate around in a circle, and when the roller coaster on top was running it made the whole restaurant shake a little.

 

 

 



Pictures don't do this view justice, it was breath taking.

 

 

 

The Chandelier bar in the Cosmopolitan and yes Nicole is drinking a Lime-a-rita (or bum juice as Jon would say) from the convenient store. They had crazy drinks here, Jon got a leather infused Makers Mark with Mexican Coke and cherry and smoke infused ice. We thought it tasted like an old leather belt.  

Pirate ship

The Wynn had the coolest water falls.

 

It's hard to see but this is a giant water fall wall.

Jon was kind enough to be our pack mule packing around our case of beer in his back pack. I'm quite sure they weren't impressed with us at the Wynn.  

 

The Venetian canals

We had a great kid free vacation, it was fun and relaxing and much needed!