Memorial Day

How'd you spend your Memorial Day?

Boating at the lake?

Pool side?

With family or friends?

I spent mine in bed until almost noon (which was glorious) and then working in the yard. 

I know you're jealous.

We started the day with no plans besides yard work but a text from my cousin Amanda gave us a goal to work toward.  They had driven into town for the day and wanted us to join them for dinner.  I suggested Pop's and we set the time.  They went to the zoo but we hit the back yard.  That doesn't seem right. 

After they ended their zoo time early we quickly showered and headed that way.  Our group of 10 had grown to 16 before we knew it....and Pop's really isn't set up for large parties.  It's a gas station after all.  After waiting about an hour we were seated, at 3 separate tables.  And there was one person who only had one cheek on the booth the entire time we were there.  I don't need to name names. 

But you know what?  Everyone had an absolute blast.  Kennedy, Reagan, and their 13 year old cousin Skylar ended up at a table together.  They looked completely uncomfortable.  Kennedy and Reagan pulled out their cell phones and started playing while they waited for their food.  Skylar only spoke once during the in the restaurant time and it was to say he wished he'd had his phone, but he was grounded from it.  As soon as they were done eating they asked if they could go outside to a big grassy field and play.  We of course said yes and finished our meals and chatted before heading out.  By the time we got out there they had seriously bonded.  As in running around chasing each other.  For about 30 minutes.  Non-stop.  Then the bubbles came out and even McKinley played with them.  The adults spent a lot of time chatting, and me?  I of course took pictures.

So my Memorial Day was alright.  Good sleep, good food, fun location, yard work accomplished, and wonderful time spent with family. 

Who needs a crowded lake?

Not this girl!

Presidents Day!

Since Presidents Day fell on McKinley's 15th birthday we celebrated her for breakfast and lunch and presidents for dinner. It was our traditional meal (I'm saying that because I forgot to take pictures.) I did take Lincoln Log Cabin pictures so I'll share just a few:)

We of course had to have candles and the happy birthday song, so the cherry pie had to do. It worked! And was delish.

Yum.
Hope you all had a wonderful Presidents Day:c)

Valentine Love

When I got to Reagan's classroom for the Valentine's party she was bubbling over. She said she needed to show me what Evan had given her. I think we've established here before that he is the sweetest boy in the world.

And this proves it.It's a Love Pup.

Only I knew that she'd been wanting a pillow pet. But when he spotted it one Saturday he wanted to get it for her. The next Saturday he took all his money and a small loan from his mom, and bought it. His mom told me the story with the biggest smile on her face.

When McKinley saw it after school she said, "I want one of those!" When we asked her if it was a Pillow Pet or a boyfriend she wanted, she said, "Either!"

My Valentine and I hardly saw each other thanks to an emergency case that kept him late at the hospital, gymnastics, a soccer game, and a huge project that swamped me. But when we all made it home he'd bought each of his girls a single red rose. Years ago my grandmother said that she never needed a dozen roses, a single one was plenty. I agree one hundred percent. One is plenty.

Two hours after bedtime we were all gathered around the table eating Red Velvet cake with two recipes of ruined Fly Paper Icing. But that's another story for another day.

I hope you all spent your Valentine's day feeling loved:c) And I hope you had better icing than me.

On This Day

For those of you who know what today is....I don't have any thoughts.

But I do have a story.

In Pre-K the students of course learned what this day meant. Kennedy's best friend Meredith took it to heart. When their family was doing their devotions for that day it talked about liking and being nice to people who had a different skin color than you. Meredith said, "I like Kennedy and she's brown."I wonder where she got that idea.

How Did I Miss These??

So maybe because I'm behind on laundry....I missed this.

But how in the world did I not see these until Shawn bumped his head into one?? I'm in the kitchen every single day. Several times a day. And three days later...they're still there.

What?? I don't know where the box is they go in.

Okay, okay...but I know where the attic is that they go in.

Getting up now.

Just When You Think...

You're done with putting away the tons and tons of Christmas decorations...Dangflabit.

Air Soft

When McKinley and her friend and I got back from a day wearing me out at the mall, we found this in the living room and dining room. Remember the air soft guns and target? Well, here they are. In my living room and dining room. Not exactly what I had envisioned. Especially since it was over 70 degrees outside.

In December.

And that light next to the target? That was the light on the piano. It used to have a shade on it. But as we were driving down our street McKinley and Paige saw a boy selling the paper that they recognized as the new creepy guy from school. They rushed into the house, through the shooting area, and stared at him through the front door. When we were finally able to remove them from the entry way, Paige's jeans caught on the glass shade. Bye bye shade.Shawn of course challenged me, and soon it was my turn. I can hardly beat him at anything. Any-thing. He is quite competitive, in a nice way though. The bowling victory of mine a few days ago was rare. Rare I tell you.

I tried my best, but I came no where near beating him. And how, you might ask, do you know where a tiny little plastic pellet lands when you're pretty far away?

The videographer of course. Actually she wasn't video taping, she was just looking at the zoomed in image of the target and keeping track of the points on her Daddy's cell phone. The piano light was making it easier to see.

My man thinks of everything I tell you.

Everything.

Merry Christmas!

Since it's New Years Day it only seems fitting that I'm blogging about Christmas Day. Maybe a New Years resolution should be to blog a little faster.

Doubt that will happen.

Santa was good to the girls this year. One Santa took the other one shopping for a simple guitar and the other Santa insisted we leave with a keyboard and stand. It's a good thing one Santa had a new job this year and saved her money. The thinking of Santa #2 was that with three girls playing piano and the piano being up against our bedroom wall, it would be nice to have another piano that came with head phones somewhere else in the house.Genius I tell you.

The guitar was a hit and a teacher is soon being contacted. But the hit of the Santa gifts?A rubber chicken key chain. Of course, to her, the laptop Santa #2 felt was necessary was a hit. Santa #1 has to make sure computer time and website regulations are being followed so she wasn't as excited. You know it's a good sign when the keyboard has your name on it! After our traditional Christmas breakfast it was time for gifts.

After dining at my fabulous bosses house Shawn couldn't stop talking about their salt and pepper pump grinders. I asked some questions, did some internet searching, and finally found them. Sorry I didn't get a picture of them opened. The funniest part of this gift was him demonstrating to everyone how they worked and hearing a funny sound. He'd peppered the wrapping paper on the floor in front of him. Every year there's one gift I'm so excited to see opened. When it's for my aunt Janis, it's even better. She is impossible to buy for because what she wants or needs, she gets for herself. But this year I knocked her socks off. There is a tree by her house that she mentioned to me once she just loved. She asked me to take a picture of it for her. After I did I put it in a folder on my hard drive and promptly forgot about it. She never asked for it either. But after driving by it a few months later, I got an idea. So I started taking a picture of it in every season. Yep, I'm cool:DShe was very surprised and I couldn't be happier.And now, just a few fun Christmas faces. And my gift?? It wasn't a surprise but I was thrilled to get it.

Especially with a tag like this.

At our wedding rehearsal my wonderful former Senior High pastor was our officiant. When he got to the 'Do you Stephanie take Shawn part' he said he couldn't say that. If he did, we'd be married. So he said, "Do you Milk, take Cornflakes to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Since then we've called each other those names. We always put it on our Christmas gifts to each other. A Keurig! I'm so deeply in love with it. And since no one thought to get a trash bag at the beginning of gift opening...and no one was willing to leave during it to get one...we had a big pile of trash. That became a lot of fun before Mommy made them get out so I could find the carpet.

I need to see carpet.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by your family.

What was your favorite gift?