Mid-Week Goings On

 Saw this last night. A good friend of ours from NYC theatre days is in it. Pretty good, some great voices. My second time seeing Constantine - does this mean I'm a groupie?

 Intermission snack. Theatre + Adam + Chocolate might be my perfect date.

Our church is doing a road show (basically an 8 minute play/skit with music) and Adam and I were asked to write and direct. Gonna be a crazy three weeks. Show goes up right around Adam's 40th birthday.

This is in the crock pot today. Gonna serve it with rice. Cheese, sour cream, avocado on top. Smells good, and it was easy and cheap!

Gorgeous day today. Windows open, Audrey and Paisley played outside all morning while Paisley's dad, Jason, helped us write the show. Daylight Savings right around the corner - one of my favorite times of year.

Done!

Knockin' off those New Years resolutions. Audrey is finally out of nighttime pull-ups. Long time comin' but we pushed it a couple times in the past and it was not happening, so we backed off. Did it on her own, and picked out this Barbie as her reward. She lined up all her dolls and they watched a Barbie movie together this morning. Girl is pretty proud of herself, and I'm sooo happy to no longer purchase pull-ups! Sometimes it's the little things.

Party

Family dinner party tonight. Tyler requested Hawaiian haystacks and lemonade.

The decor was minimal. Part Lego, part Angry Birds.

Another shot of the awesome cake.

Tyler's loot.

What was inside - lots of Legos, and new books!

The party - Grandma and Grandpa Tait, Uncle Mikey.

One with me, too.

The birthday boy and his cake. The Lego candles were a great find - thank you, Target!

Tyler went right to work. Still up late as I type this, putting together new Legos. Happy boy.

Tyler's Day

This year's birthday plans were choose a favorite outing. Since they had to pick me up at Ladybug, Tyler chose lunch at his favorite hot dog train first, then aquarium.

This kid is officially seven on Monday.

Best family shot I could get. Nice Audrey face.

My heart.

Tyler loves the aquarium. (One of the things he wants to be when he grows up is an oceanographer.) It's a bit of a drive, but worth it once you're there because it's so beautiful. As part of the birthday celebration we bought a year membership - who wants to go with us?!

The outdoor play area is always a big hit, and we end up spending a lot of time there.

Petting tiny sharks, sting ray, and other fish.

Didn't get many fish pictures (aquarium on a Saturday is no joke, so spent a lot of time keeping track of my three kids, not taking pictures). But did get a shot of these guys - the new penguin habitat. They were pretty cute.

Perk of going on your birthday? You get to stop at the souvenir shop (which rarely happens). Big treat.

Lovely family day celebrating our boy.

Cake

We all know Tyler is Lego-obsessed, so when my wonderful friend Sarah offered to make him a Lego birthday cake, I said "Yes!" She chose Ninjago, one of Tyler's favorites - if not most favorite, and here's how it turned out: 

Amazing! I love this cake. Surprised Tyler with it tonight and he loves it, too. Sarah's cakes are delicious, so needless to say we're excited to delve in after tomorrow's dinner party. Thankful for a thoughtful, generous friend so willing to make this for our Lego Ninjago-loving boy.

Hello Weekend

This boy will be seven on Monday. Seven! What happened to my baby?!

Birthday weekend kicks off tonight with dinner at the Bartys. Spending Saturday at the aquarium (Tyler's choice). Sunday night family dinner party with grandparents and Uncle Mikey. Cake and ice cream, of course. Monday sending treats to school to celebrate with friends.

How perfect is this face?!

This week Audrey told me a story about hiding behind the fence at school and kissing her friend Brandon on the lips. "Because we're in love, Mom." Four going on sixteen right here. (Sound familiar, Aunt Lauren?)

One is hands-down my favorite age. Doesn't seem possible, but everyday Cole does something even cuter than the day before.

Happy to celebrate this weekend.

My Gymnast

Sometimes you gotta brag about your kids. Audrey's doing a great job in gymnastics. It sure brings out her competitive side. She has to be first in line for every event, and will even forgo a drink of water to be first. There are about 8-10 kids in the class, mostly boys. They start running laps, and she laps all of them easy. Seriously she will finish her five laps while the rest of the class is on lap 3 or 4. Girl is tiny and fast. Maybe a future track star? Who knows... but she has fun.

I wanted to get an amazing shot of this, but didn't happen. That blur is Audrey catapulting into the foam pit. She is fearless.

Family, by Tyler

One of my favorite Tyler artworks lately:

Always love pictures of the five of us. Cute to see us through his eyes. Like Audrey's short hair, wearing her favorite colors. Cole with his blue blankie (that he always has in tow).

Who Wants Cookies?

These are in the oven, smelling my house up all yummy. Made with Tyler and Audrey. Come over if you want some because there are too many for us. Meant to make these yesterday - guess we're still celebrating Valentine's Day. Oh well... chocolate all weekend.

Happy Birthday Clara

Today is this awesome little girl's birthday.

What we wouldn't give fly cross country for Clara's birthday party. Six years old! Seems like yesterday the cousins were this itty and bitty. Six is going to be a big year for Clara - she'll be a big sister in May! We sent her a card with some goodies, and this. Maybe a trip to California is a good way to celebrate seven next year?!

Break

Kids have a five day weekend! Kinda looking forward to it, actually (no early morning drop-offs). Might use my Huntington Gardens free tickets, or keep things simple and stay local - hanging around home, library, park. I have stuff to make cookies. A couple deals will help us have some fun - like $1 smoothies at Jamba Juice, and a free movie at redbox. Not to mention it's Valentine's Day, (heart-shaped waffles this morning). Pretty much solo tonight - with Nashville (kinda love Deacon), and the rest of my See's Candy. Happy long weekend.

 Today's Jamba Juice outing.

Will never get enough of Cole's chubby toddler fingers.

Love

Starting to stuff the mailboxes. Celebrating tonight with a few small gifts, and a family candlelit dinner thanks to Adam's 16 hour day tomorrow. Happy Valentine's Day.

We All Have Our Faults

In many ways Cole is my easiest baby, but he is my worst shopper by far! From the second he gets in the cart he wriggles, cries, and is generally unhappy. Samples? Don't want 'em. Snacks? Maybe a bite. Sippy cup? He'll drink while cortorting his body to a million different positions. Tighten the seat belt? Doesn't matter. Wanna hold something from the cart? Throws it on the ground. Hahaha! Good thing he's my third - most of the time I laugh my way through it, and I've become an expert at fast-as-possible-well-organized-grab-and-go shopping.

Today's run to Trader Joe's for Valentines yumminess.

I will get a picture of him in the Target cart sometime, too - those are the worst. Costco he does ok when Audrey is there to sit next to him. Maybe he just needs a buddy?

Approaching Love Day

Made these for my kids this morning in honor of Valentine's Week, and they could've cared less they were heart-shaped. Haha. Kids are funny. Good thing they took zero effort since they were Pillsbury.

Gathering Valentine's Day ideas. We still fill the mailboxes (they're five of them now). Thinking of baking some cookies with the kids, too. I'd love to know what you're doing with (or for) your family this year.

Friday Catch Up

How cute are these two? Sydney and Audrey. Play date today - girly toys everywhere.

Today I made these muffins. Very good. Added raisins for my raisin lovers.

Audrey and I made this soup yesterday. (Remember Glitter and Sparkles Cafe? Still in business). With ham instead of bacon because that's what I needed to use up. Deeelish with warm bread!!

Last to taste it, but Audrey and I have been enjoying cookie butter on apples the past two days. Had a sample at Trader Joe's and Audrey yelled, "Mom we have to buy this!" A spoonful in my oatmeal this morning was pretty awesome.

Bought my first jar of coconut oil. Everyone's using it right? To bake, cook, make homemade magic shell? My mom swears by it as her new moisturizer.

Spent the evening putting Valentines together for family. Valentines Day is kinda lame except when you have little ones. The mailboxes full of school Valentines?! Love that. Kids picked out their Valentines - Tyler Lego Ninjago, Audrey Hello Kitty. Tyler especially wanted chocolate for his teacher.

Tyler surpassed his reading goal. On his way to the reading trophy! Planning his birthday. How is my baby seven this month?

I think Cole threw his first fit at Costco this week. I couldn't exactly make out what he was saying, but pretty sure he wanted his blankie bad. Sorry buddy - blankie stays at home, or the car. Poor little guy.

Adam's 40th birthday is creeping up on me. Next month!

Things feel balanced with Adam back at work, and me teaching a little less Ladybug. We are all settling back into our roles, and it feels nice.

Tyler came home talking about Justin Bieber this week. I said, "Tyler, do you know who Justin Bieber is?" He said, "I'm not sure, but I know he's awkward, Mom". Funny! I replied, "Yes, yes you're right Tyler, Justin Bieber is awkward" That night I had a cougar-esque dream about Justin Bieber and I'll just leave it at that. Definitely awkward.

Enjoying a rainy Friday night (and probably weekend). A creepy raccoon just came to my back glass door and checked me out. Not afraid one bit, even when I swatted the door. Last week was an opossom (he was creepy). Shudder. And we seem to have a group of cats that congregate somewhere around our back yard. Guess I was in the city too long - this is neighborhood living.

In the Mail Today

This catalog showed up today. Yep, pretty much all I need for Valentine's Day.

Shed a Tear for Hair

Audrey's officially growing her hair out. I held off as long as I could because I love her short hair (her signature style since she was itty and bitty), but she's asking more and more to have longer hair, so it's time. Today was our last short hair cut - stylist trimmed it up so it will grow out nice. Funny that it makes me a little sad.

I mean, how cute is this little face with her bob.

Stop it with the cuteness. Cole all trimmed up.

PS - Took these photos on my new fancy phone. Slowly gettin' the hang of it. Probably the last person to get the upgrade.