typical sunday

Sundays are quickly becoming my favorite day of the week. A typical Sunday for us goes something like this...

After lunch, which is really dinner, Adam and I head to our bed. Traditionally this is when we would talk together until I fell asleep, but I can't do the nap anymore so we just lay and talk. Apparently we've done this for so long that the girls now know to let mom and dad have some alone time; however, there comes a time when they just can't take it any more and inevitably we find them sneaking in to reclaim us.

It usually looks something like this...


[this was one of the first Sundays with his iphone and he was thrilled that the two of us could lay in bed talking with music playing right next to us without having to hook it up to speakers. He will deny it no longer, the iphone has changed his life.]

Our comfy little haven broken up by our girls climbing all over us. It goes on for a while until we can't handle it anymore and then we begin to tickle.




[she doesn't look like she's enjoying herself, but I assure you she is.]

Then everything calms down for a bit. Adam does his thing, the girls do there's, and I do mine. The girls are really passing the time until Adam let's them know it's baking time.



We usually make cookies, but it varies. Last week we made banana bread because we had lots of ripe bananas and today, because we are having a BBQ tomorrow, we made chocolate cake.





and there is of course a lot of taste testing.



Now this is where the normal routine stops and it beomes a little unclear. Some Sundays we sit down to watch a movie together or Americas Funniest Home Videos. Other times, like last Sunday, we picked pears off our tree.



Then because we were outside we made an evening of it. Adam and I hunkered down and talked (round 2) while the girls played with one another. I so enjoy watching them play, especially when they get along, and hearing/seeing where their imagination takes them. I will definitely miss these warm summer nights.





Last Sunday we took a walk and delivered some banana bread to our new neighbors. Walking use to be a big Sunday tradition, but when there got to be too many kids to push in a stroller and too many hills we stopped. I think I'm ready to reintroduce the walk...it was so enjoyable.



The other thing I love about Sundays is Mondays are next and I love Mondays...especially holiday Mondays.

Did you know....

Did you know I sing to myself in the shower?
Did you know I have a guilty conscience?
Did you know I had an eating disorder 12 years ago?
Did you know dude is a huge part of my vocabulary?
Did you know when I read to myself I practice my English accent (which is hideous)?
Did you know I love English men...even Nigel?
Did you know I can do 40 push ups without stopping?
Did you know I don't love to exercise?
Did you know I look like this when I wake up?


[no edits. idea came from tara whitney]

Did you know I feel lonely?
Did you know despite that I feel very blessed?
Did you know I am or was a massage therapist (I don't do it too much these days)?
Did you know I'm goofy, silly, boarding on annoying to some?
Did you know I dream of having my own gallery?
Did you know I'm Mormon?
Did you know I love to people watch?
Did you know Twilight got me reading again?
Did you know I never graduated from college?
Did you know I'm going back to school in a few years and majoring in design?
Did you know I have a hard time making decisions?
Did you know I often go to sleep at 9:30pm?
Did you know all I drink is water?
Did you know I can easily pass up dessert?
Did you know when I was sick in bed pregnant with Megan (2003) I lived for my two hours of Dawson's Creek on TBS?
Did you know each time I write a post I hesitate to publish wondering how it will be received?
Did you know I'm insecure?
Did you know I bust out dancing at the most random times and places?
Did you know I'm afraid to fly when leaving, but can easily get on a plane coming home?
Did you know I'm not afraid to try new things?
Did you know I fail a lot?
Did you know I'm a crier?
Did you know I love lyrics and dream of writing my own?

fridays at our house

[photo taken last friday afterschool]

Because fridays are early out days a group of kids walk home together and somehow they all congregate here for drinks, snacks, and some good/needed play time. They did this quite a bit last year, but you never know if these things will stick. Well, so far we're two for two.

I always wanted to be the house everyone came to. Now, to think of a way to keep it happening....better snacks?

our two week in town vacation: a photo essay

Although school is in full swing and I feel like we're already set in our new fall schedule I've been thinking about just a few weeks ago when our time was all ours. Don't get me wrong we were all ready for the school year to begin (the girls especially), but there is always a bitter sweet feeling of saying good bye to the carefree days of summer.

So today I'm looking back and finally sharing some, ok lots, of photos from when my sister was in town. I'm sorry there's so many, but I couldn't help it.




shopping




water fights


slip and slide


quiet time for little ones


quiet time for big ones


we spent an evening tie dyeing




and the next revealing our designs


Have you ever played the game blockus? I think it's a lot of fun as long as I'm not playing with my siblings. They did a lot of passive aggressive blocking.




celebrated a birthday


painted my toes my favorite color of blue


stuck on the chair lift with a crazy Megan heading up the mountain to ride the alpine slide.


poor Tess struggled to pull her slide along




can you believe I was actually able to take a photos while going?





Jeni on the zip line


apparently I got to ride with Megan on all the rides.


















Amy and I joked that these two are so close in personality that they are frienemies. I figured out though, if they were alone together they were the best of friends.








my family takes miniature golfing way too seriously or I should say my dad and brother do. Too bad for them, I beat them both. My 2 holes in one sure didn't hurt my score.








She was just too cool to go on the kid rides after experiencing the bigger rides so while everyone else got on, she waited.

headliners from the missing 8 days

1. So it was "the summer of the clean house" after all.
Last Wednesday we officially took our house off the market. If I had known the amount of realtors that would call me begging to take over my listing I may have made a different decision...except it wasn't mine. I could have gone either way, even though I did have a preference, so I finally just told Adam to do what he thought was best. We are here for now, but I know my time is limited. Speaking of which, the thought of packing up my house was so overwhelming that I am determined to simplify. All last week (this is where I've been) I spent decluttering my house. I still have a ways to go, I only got a few rooms done, but purging has felt so good and therapeutic.

2. leaving on a jet plane


Tess flew on a plane, she thinks for the first time, this morning with my parents to visit her "best" cousin Alan and attend his baptism. It was weird saying goodbye to her knowing she'd be taking this adventure without the rest of us (I've never had a child go without me), but I was excited for her. You could tell she felt all grown up, and a little cool, to be going alone. When I spoke to her this afternoon all she said was, "it was awesome". I guess she's having a good time, but she's too busy to talk to me about it.

3. Do over


Megan started kindergarten Monday afternoon. She started asking me at 8:15am when her sisters walked out the door when it was her turn. I told her all morning "in few hours", "in a couple hours", "in one hour", "in 30 minutes", and then when the time came we were late. $%#@! We ran up the hill (missed the line up), but luckily met up with her classmates hanging up their backpacks...and then she was gone. She didn't even look back to say good-bye. Is this what I have to look forward to? I wondered. I saw several moms crying, but there wasn't time for that. Thank goodness for do overs.

4. Seeking motivation
Boot camp is officially over and I'm trying to figure out what to do next. I think I took for granted how easy it was to get a workout in when it was at 6am, especially when someone was counting on me. I am finding it more difficult now that I have to motivate myself. It's not that I haven't done it before, but it's certainly easier said than done.

5. next generation


Monday night I meet up with some high school friends for a BBQ at my friend Christie's home. It was good to see them again...it always is. I don't know what it is about that time in your life, but I will always feel connected to them. Perhaps it has something to do with figuring out who you are and they are the ones going through it with you. Anyway, it has been fun for me to a) see my friends as parents, and b) see our kids interacting together. It's like little versions of us living it all over again. Thanks for hosting Christie and getting us together.

6. lost and found


Found this drawing outside this morning while picking up shoes my girls had left out the night before that they were bound to tell me they couldn't find. I couldn't help, but smile when I saw it. It was exactly what I need to start my day off right.