i scream you scream.

it was a little like a day at summer camp here today.  5 littles.  one somewhat cloudy/rainy/gloomy day.  5 coop-ed up bodies full of energy.  we played play-doh, colored, watched movies, ate, ate, ate, played house and dress-up, did make-up and then we made ice cream sandwiches.  homemade brownies were first and then i pulled out my cute ice cream sandwich molds from willie s (williams sonoma).  filled them with some creamy ice cream.  they were hit.  and luckily by the time they were ready, the sun was shining and we were able to take them OUTSIDE!  devoured.  in a matter of minutes.  i have a feeling these molds are going to get good use this summer.

birthday.

birthday.
Originally uploaded by juliepass

happy birthday to little two. 2 years old. he had a super fun day with all his grandparents, friends and family to celebrate with him. we munched on lots of elmo cake, opened presents and had lots of fun. he loves his shovel and truck (from oh beehive) and his doctor's kit from natasha. much fun for a little guy. oh beehive was even nice enough to stay after so that we could go out to dinner after at an adult restaurant! nice!

gym etiquette.

so.  yesterday i was at the gym.  on the elliptical.  listening to my ipod. when suddenly i heard it. the clip. clip. clip. click. of a nail clipper.  i could hear it through my earbuds.  i turned the sound up.  i could still hear it.  surely not in the gym.  i turned around.  there.  on the weight machine behind me.  a man.  sitting.  clipping his fingernails.  i'm not ocd.  but i can't stand the sound of nail clippers.  especially in inappropriate places.  (i once had someone on a plane clip their nails in the seat next to me.)  i almost fell off the elliptical.  turned up the ipod louder.  tried to drown it out.  not think of those nails.  flying. everywhere.  

stage mom.

tonight was little one's first dance recital. as an angel. of course she looked the part - white leotard, tutu and white wings. she even had a halo. she even (after awhile) acted the part. so cute. so fun to see her grow up and do "big girl stuff". she loved the makeup and glitter, but the mascara was a battle.

i'll post a video of the dance. you can judge for yourself whether she has a career ahead of her...

how does your garden grow.

it was time.  today was the day.  dig my hands back into the earth.  start planting my garden for the year.  i was tired of looking at the empty pots, the bare ground where flowers and plants should be.  

so i started.  the annual trek to the garden centers, the nurseries.  i've been plotting it out in my mind for weeks now.  but today it felt right.  it felt like the weather is finally going to hold out and i can safely plant.  i made two trips today to the garden center.  got a lot planted, but still need to plant more.  still on the hunt for those elusive plants i search for every year.  it might sound crazy, but but there's a lot of thought that goes into what i plant.  the color combinations, the scents, the display.  it's artwork to me. 

it seems that i'm into a purple, blue and white theme this year. with one little splash of orange-y red.  i can't wait to get it all bought, home and planted.  there's something so satisfying to get it all planted and see it grow and look beautiful all summer.  something about the birds and bees that they attract, something about knowing that i did it myself.

mother's day.

or just more craziness.

so today was mother's day.  it was a sweet day.  unlike others, i don't think it's a day about getting things.  some people measure the day by what they get.  oh, don't get me wrong, i got some lovely things.  but things.  but really the best parts of the day were laughing with my littles, seeing their crazy happiness and knowing that i'm a part of that and enjoying their smiles, giggles and silliness.  the big hugs and kisses, the flowers that they picked out themselves, the paintings they made me at school.  those are things that i treasure about today.  seeing their shadows on a gorgeous spring day, laughing at delight on our walk over a bridge on the plaza the simple things that that bring wonder and smiles to their faces.  the joy in knowing that i'm their mom.

so really it's not about things.  it's about the things they bring to my life everyday.  smiles, laughs, happiness, wonder, awe, insight and peace.

sale day.

so i've been busy setting up my sale this week with my friends.  i've purged the house and hauled it all out to the garage.  oh how i don't like these sales.  but the purging feels good and the cash is always nice, so i hunkered down and went through everything and got it ready.

it was a good day.  despite the pouring rain this a.m., it was a good day's work.  oh beehive, practically sold out.  people were asking that she go back through her drawers and find more things to bring to the sale.  she should be proud.  i'm just glad to be rid of things.  stuff is so tiring.  it's good to purge. of course, by this time next year, i'll just have filled the house back up again but for now it feels good.  

the thing about these sales that drives me crazy are the people.  someone actually offered me $10 for a item that i had marked $125.  was she serious?  yes.  she was definitely serious.  did i laugh?  pretty much so.  

one more day.  more crazy people.  more purging.  it's all worth it.

people.

well.  did you see the oprah show yesterday with tom cruise?  i mean really.  did you believe it? was that a spin job or what? i watched it whilst talking to my friend on the phone.  hysterical. that man is nuts i tell you, nuts.  and how many times can you use the word amazing in an hour show? i'll give oprah some credit.  she did ask the questions - the fake marriage, the today show debacle, the jumping on her couch.  did he answer them?  well, if you consider a scripted "amazing" answer an answer then I guess, yes he did.  

do celebrities think that us common folk believe the stuff they say?  get a grip folks. most people don't believe it and don't really care.  and when it's so unreal, it's even more unbelievable.  it was an hour of two over-inflated egos sitting on a couch not answering each other's questions.  just your usual oprah celebrity worshipping hour.

weather.

some wicked weather moved in last night.  right during the big kids re-sale sale. big dark billowy clouds.  sirens. rain. hail. time in the basement and wind.  oh my gosh, the wind.  i thought the house was going to blow away.  instead the storm blew over us and hit further east. crazy crazy crazy.  gotta love this kansas weather.  the weather people were besides themselves with excitement.  now the calm after the storm has moved in.  but it's cold.  and it's may. may for goodness sake.  

and it's all the news people can talk about.  the morning shows stayed on the air all morning - interrupting the today show so that they could rehash the same things over and over.  we get it.  it was bad, people's lives were terribly disrupted.  but seriously?  does interviewing the same people over and over and over again, repeating the same story about the damage again and again really help anyone out?  i especially loved the reporter who chuckled when she asked a guy who had lost his house and gotten out only in his pjs and a robe what he was going to do today.  SERIOUSLY?