Ritual

i'ts late...

the house is quiet...

although the wind is howling outside...

i'm grading away....

i'de rather be snuggled in my cozy bed...

or watching smut on t.v.

or cleaning toilets, really...

anything but this....

i need a little something, something...

cocoa with hazelnut syrup

yup, you'll do...

my dear, late night ritual...

you're back!

p.s. the shift key on my computer died. it is posing quite the problem.

Upon Request

My friend Karrie Jo, who happens to be my sister-in-law too, sent me an email requesting a blog post with photos of my kids. So, I hunted through some old picture files for some snapshots of the monkeys. I happened across some adorable ones of her little man, when she, Beckham and Robert's other sister, Aunt Mikkel, came to visit for the weekend. Is he the cutest, little, blue-eyed baby boy, or what?!
We spent an afternoon in downtown Boise....and had fun dressing Beckham in all the cool hats at Helly Hansen.Owen was looking killer in his over sized, red shades.The girls danced around the fountain. I had my camera ready, secretly hoping to get a shot of a slip!We enjoyed our pumpkin spiced fraps. while strolling the streets.Crazy, fun, Aunt Mikkel.... has some serious hops!And this picture below, is my favorite for sure.

Nothing staged......just a lucky capture of mid-air bliss!

So, there ya have it, Karrie Jo!

I hope these pics. will make ya smile.

They made me miss you all.....and warm weather too!

Jumbo Box of Kleenex

Nie Nie on Oprah... tomorrow?

Oh, you know I'll be watching.

I can't wait!

There's just one thing this girl's going to need,

A...

JUMBO BOX OF KLEENEX!

( I chose this pic. of Oprah, not because she looks fab. (which she does), but because of the expression on the man's face in the background! Cracked me up!)

Missing... Book Club

So, I finished my book last week.

It was cold and windy outside.
The kids were playing in their new spot under the stairs,
so I snuck up and snuggled in Pay's pillow filled bed,
and READ!


I might have fallen asleep too.
At least that's how Robert found me when he arrived home from work.
I opened my eyes to find him staring at me, wearing a crooked smile.
You know, the, "So this is the life you live while I'm slaving away at work all day?" look.


Anyway, I sadly finished the book. Sad because now it's over.
Currently I'm speaking and writing as if I lived in Guernsey.
How does that happen?
What's wrong with me?
It's absolutely ridiculous how overcome and involved I become in a good book.


So, it's no surprise that my thoughts are on Guernsey, the characters, the author, etc.
My mind is racing, and I am making all kinds of connections.
For example, remember how I commented on my last book post that the story reminded me of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales?
Well right there on page 243, just about 30 pages from the finish, it's mentioned.
Yup, discussed at the Society and referenced as Sidney's favorite book.


Aah haaaaa... a light went on.
I knew I had a connection to this author and book.
I became giddy and looked her up, you know, did a little google research.
You bet, she majored in Medieval Lit.
Medieval Lit. the genre that finally awakened my senses as a learner of Lit. at USU!

Guernsey has sure left me pondering.
Which really makes me miss book club,
and long for discussion, delicious food, and wonderful company.


Some day my life will allow time for book club again, right?
Oh, I can only hope.
Until then, I'll briefly blog about the books that take a hold of me and carry me away.
All I know right now is......
This grey, rainy, too cool weather, makes me long for another.


(Bob just came in and read my post. He laughed out loud at how ridiculous, dramatic and nerdy it is. "Ridiculous, Dramatic and Nerdy,"......he knows and describes me so well!)

Playgroup 2009

From Collages

What did your Monday morning look like?

Here's a glimpse of mine.

Oh, you're seeing right.

9 kids....5 and under.

Robert calls it, "Insanity."

I figure you can do ANYTHING for 3 hours!

Honestly, I don't mind.

I even made my friend leave her 7 mo. old.

She is adorable, and I wanted to hold and love on her all morning!

Plus, Owen and Avery think playgroup is the bomb!

"Is it playgroup today?" "Do we have playgroup today?"

EVERY, SINGLE, MORNING!

I mean, look at the smiles on their little faces.

Proofs in the pics., Robert!

Owen is in heaven wrestling with the gents.

Avery has turned into the little mama, holding and helping with all the little ladies.

Quite frankly, I don't know that I would have managed too well without Miss Aves.

She was a HUGE help, indeed.

Now, for the next 5 weeks, Monday mornings are all MINE!

Playgroup.....

It's not for everyone.

For me....

TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Can You Believe It?

BSU football is ranked 5 in the nation!Bronco Nation is going CRAZY!

Flags are flying and Blue, and Orange, is EVERYWHERE!

We're biting our nails and crossing our fingers....

for another bowl game this year!

5th in the NATION???.....CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!

The Killers

Who had fun at The Killer's concert last night?!

From

I KNOW WE DID!

All Ya Need Is Love

I celebrated my 35th birthday yesterday.

I crept out of bed and told Robert I didn't want to be 35.

"Well yesterday you could have done something about that," he said. "Today, it's too late!"

I could have cried.

35 felt OLD. Nah, I don't FEEL old. It SOUNDS old.

So, I played my birthday off like it was, "NO BIG THING."

I laughed and told everyone, "When you're young birthdays are all about cake, presents, and parties."

"When you're 35, they're just a nasty slap in the face reminder that you're getting older!"

But, secretly, I relished in the entire day.

I was hugged and kissed and loved on by my kids.

"Happy Birthday, Mom.....!" (all day long!)

Bob gave me perfume, which I really wanted.

I had many facebook birthday wishes from dear, old friends.

My family, and loved ones far away, called.

My friends stopped by with gifts.

Oh, how they know this girl LOVES the accessories!

I received thoughtful cards in the mail.

It was a GREAT DAY!

Even though it was the day I turned 35, and I did NOTHING spectacular....

I FELT LOVED!

.....and you know what the old song says, "All ya need is love!"

Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom,

"All ya need is love, love, love.....All ya need is love!"

I am in LOVE

With my new book.

Thank you for the gift, Becky.

I can't keep from reading it, although I desperately do not want it to end.

It reminds me a bit of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Everyone has a story.

My nose was buried down deep in its pages....

the entire drive home from Logan to Boise,

giving Robert the ammo he needed to shoot at me, once again,

with those hurtful words..........

''YOU are the world's WORST road trip companion!"

I love you too, my handsome chauffeur!

Score!

What's better than a pair of skates and gear to match, given to ya for FREE from the neighbor girl down the street????

NOT MUCH!

Miss Avery J.....that's what we call a....

SCORE!