181/366: Saturday

I could wait weeks for a day like this. A Saturday with not a stitch of responsibility. No place to be. No children tugging on my shorts saying "I'm bored, there is nothing to do."

I sit here with a device filled with new books to read, some I've deleted after the first too pages (now I know why they were free downloads), my cup of coffee and the fan on full power directly cooling my face.

It's a good Saturday. Days like this make a couple of loads of laundry palatable.

180/366: The Sammich

THIS was a good Sammich.

Oven roasted turkey, smokey swiss cheese, apple slices, lettuce and a touch of mayo.

It was a big bite, a big gluten free bite.

179/366: {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.


A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

178/366: The Procrastinator

When will it end?

When will I learn?

Why o' why do I do this?

It may not seem so bad, but I was picking up the boys at 3:45...

Here is the finished cake.

Anyone know what it is?  Hint:  Mickey Mouse.

177/366: Two-Day Birthday

Birthdays are a lot of work!

Tonight we celebrated with Sam's friends from school at SkyZone. Very cool place, they certainly have a profitable thing going there!

Tomorrow, I'll show you the cake!

Photo: Courtesy of Big Boy Himself

176/366: Lunch Time Drive

I decided that my birthday boy needed one last gift to celebrate his day. I took a Chicago Lunch (1:00 pm here) and drove to Kenmore for coins.

Yes, my boy wanted coins from around the world.

And he loves them.

And I love him.

175/366: Moss

We have lots of nooks and crannys in our back yard.  Between the rocks by the pond and in between the cracks of the slate patio.

This Scottish Moss is near the pond and it's delicately delightful.

My Irish Moss doesn't really like the heat near the front of the pond.  I have two other spots where I have the moss and it's doing well. 

But this Scottish Moss...perfect. 

Perfect little flowers.

174/366: Parenting

Two weeks ago, Little Man had a Sing-Along and Author's Tea in his Kindergarten class.  I'm so proud of how he has developed through Kindergarten.  He even researched and created a PowerPoint presentation on Sea Turtles, complete with migrating (moving) photos.

The Big Boy had a stellar year as well.  With an excellent teacher, BB was encouraged to work hard, read every night and try.  Just try.

He did try and that's all we really wanted, when he tried, he learned.  We have lots of math memorization to work through this summer, but we are so proud of how he has matured and developed strong friendships and has begun to accept reason.  He rolls his eyes when his father does something silly, he shrugs when his brother doesn't get his way and he tells me he loves me at night.

For this child, speaking feelings was never part of his daily life.  He has been very closed off and frustrated.  Love was the first step, next up, working through the frustrations.

The other night, Big Boy asked me to lay with him in bed and share my deepest darkest secrets.  I got a little scared, thinking of those deepest darkest secrets and decided making something up might be best in this situation.  I told him my fear of drowning.  I was so delighted and nervous for his fears and secrets and thought about how I'm being an excellent parent.  I'm talking one on one with my kid.  Patting myself on the back, I asked BB what his secret was. 

You ready?

"My deepest, darkest secret is...are you sure you are ready, Mom?  My darkest secret is...

...my favorite color is Red."

Yes, I am an excellent parent.

173/366: Wad of Flowers

Coreopsis, Tickweed.

What a delightful flower on a dainty stem.

I've spoken about my neighbor lady, the German speaking gal that lives two door down.

Have I told you all the amazing things she gives us?  Like the year Tom came home from Trick or Treating with Sam and brought a silver plated serving dish?  Or when the boys drew her pictures?

She is so grateful for the thought.  We could probably bring her an empty box and she'd tear up.  But the most exasperating part...she always reciprocates.  Always.  And it's usually tenfold.

Today, as a break from sports day, I cut some daisies and some other flowers in my yard and took them over to her.  All bunched together in order of cutting, nothing arranged, nothing trimmed to correct height.  A wad of flowers.

I tried to get out.  I tried to walk back gallantly with nothing in hand. 

Alas...Swedish fish walked back with me.

I'll get you one of these times A.S.!

172/366: Sports Day

Tom set up the basketball net. The boys have declared this sports day!

They have centers: basketball, hockey, tennis and tennis-baseball.

Don't know tennis-baseball? It's when you hit the tennis ball with your racket, then chase after it.

Good times.

I know I'm behind in my posts...if anyone other than my mother is keeping track.

171/366: {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

170/366: Listening

Source: spirituallythinking.blogspot.com via Carrie on Pinterest

This week has been hectic, to say the least.  But the hurry up and do nothing kind of hectic.  I've been rushing around trying to pack in a full days work in a not so full days time.  Working at night, before the kids get on the bus...just to make it all work.

Then I rush around trying to get a bag packed for the pool.  We stay through dinner, so we get awfully hungry.  Then, come home at 7 when the pool closes to eat a light dinner.  I like it, except that the kids then think it's only six pm when it is really nine pm...which makes bedtimes linger.

But in this rush and wait scenario, I sit by the pool, or am in the pool with the boys and we talk.  About their important things.  So and so isn't my friend because of this; My teacher scolded me for something I didn't do; Look how long I can hold my breath underwater;  Want to watch me do the best cannonball ever?

These words that seem so simple and repetitive are the most important words in their world at this age.  I need to remember that this is the big stuff for them.

And I want to be there for the really big stuff.

169/366: Vanilla Milkshake Day!

Boring flavor? Not on Vanilla Milkshake Day!

168/366: Dry

I feel as is my posts are getting dry.  Blah-zay.

I can only tell you its hot.  We have been eating cereal for dinner and going to the town pool.

My body is quickly being overtaken by freckles -  this girls' tanning method.

Boys birthdays are coming up and I don't really have the desire to go big this year.  Or next.  We are done with the big family parties.  Only down side on that is that these parties seem to be one of the few times we get together with our extended family.

So, they get friend parties this year.  Maybe next year it will be a trip...

Tomorrow, it's going to be a hot one.  More so than today. 

You bet I'll be at the pool...

167/366: Hot Flowers

It's so hot and muggy.

Even the flowers agree.

Usually the daises can withstand the heat. 

Not so much today.

This is day two of the daylillies.

And I'm also appreciating my newest plant of the season, the clematis.

The flower is a richer purple and the inner stripe is close to the color of our house.  I'll need to play around with the camera to get the color just right.

How is your garden?

166/366: Monday Morning

Monday mornings are difficult.

Luckily, only four more early wake-ups until school is out.

Unluckily, they go to camp early next week.

And when I say unluckily, I clearly mean for the boys.  I love camp.

165/366: My Dream Pool

Want to come for a dip?

164/366: {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.


A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

163/266: Quote

Source: instagr.am via Andrea on Pinterest

Love this...

162/366: Detroit Zoo

 This past weekend, I took the Littles to visit our friends in Michigan.  The Customs guy leaving Canada into Michigan asked me how I knew someone in Michigan if I lived in New York.  Strange question.  Maybe he was trying to trip me up?  I mean, a mom in a car with two boys...very suspicious!

 Moving on...we visited the Detroit Zoo on Saturday.  This was the coolest (not temperature) part of the zoo.  The kids pretend they are a prairie dog and go up into a tunnel.  The Prairie Dogs are right there.  This one next to Little Man never moved.

 Big Boy was able to get into that tunnel and check him out, too.  Super cool.  If it wasn't so hot and I wasn't so irritable, I may have tried myself.

They also have a great Giraffe exhibit.  The Egyptian backdrop was cool since Big Boy studied Egypt in school this year.  More importantly, you can see the giraffes.  You can get closer than we are in this picture, and even sign up (and pay) to feed them on the deck where the giraffe is next too.  The giraffe's exhibit at the Buffalo Zoo is so frustrating as the giraffes are so far back and never seem to be close enough to see.

It was a great zoo.  They even had an Australian Outback exhibit where the kangaroos roam freely.  They were relaxing in the shade under the trees, so we didn't experience much movement from them.

I would definitely recommend a visit if you are in the area.

161/366: Crush

Cupcakes!

I love how these came out.  They took a long time for prep, but I also made 4 1/2 dozen, so it obvisoulsy would take some time.  Cutting the spearmint leaves was the most time intensive.  Sticky, gooey, messy.

I think this is a Family Fun recipe,  I found the pic on Pinterest.  Peach Rings for the shell with a gumdrop inside, gumdrop for head with mini chocolate chips pressed in for eyes, spearmint leaves cut in half and half again to form 4 fins.

The best part...I finished at 11:47 pm!  A record for this procrastinator.

160/366: Pond Talk

Tonight we celebrated my Dad's birthday with ice cream treats and 'pond-talk'. I love pond talk with my Dad.

I'm involved in an algae battle and he is involved in a pond addition and relocation project. It makes for great conversation. Tom and my mother aren't all that jazzed with pond talk,but it was his birthday and he could talk about anything. We also planned our next flea market trip!

So as we sat outside and looked at the one empty pond and listened to the water fall into the "lower" pond, this guy stopped croaking and begged for a picture.

All we had out there was Tom's iPod, so it's quite grainy.

The fun part of the moving of the pond... He found the missing Easter egg left by the Bunny!

159/366: All American

Last week, I was craving a messy, hearty, all-American meal. 

Please don't get all 'google' and tell me ribs are from Indonesia and watermelon is from Trinidad and Tobago, or just Tobago.  To me, this is a good all-American meal.

I seared the ribs in butter and put them in the crock pot with some Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce (my favorite).  Steamed some corn and cut the first watermelon of the season.

Delish!

Hope you all are having a great weekend.  We are on the two week countdown to the end of school for the kiddos.  They are very excited. 

Me?  Not so much.

158/366: Snapped

This is my table.  Not a store.

Last summer, we discovered these freezer treats.  Since removing artificial food coloring from Big Boy's diet, these were our go to freezer pop.  I originally found them at Rite Aid (drug store) and have been looking for them ever since.

I was packing for a weekend trip to visit some friends and like to have little surprises for the boys at different mile markers.  I almost didn't go into this store, but as I browsed through the summer toys what appeared?  Yes!  Snapple Sorbet Bars.

I bought 20 boxes.  Part of me feels like I should go back today and finish clearing their shelves.

Which store, you ask?  Well, I'm afraid to tell you. This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's contraceptives are taken off the market.  Here is the link to a clip from that episode.

So, conserving I shall do.

Still wondering where you can get these, here is your hint...they only cost me a buck a box.

157/366: {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

156/366: Dinner Beverage

I love Pizza Plant.

Five gluten free beer/cider choices.

I went tried and true, Redbridge.

We had a nice dinner with boys, until the obnoxious family showed up.  Man, were they loud.  Yes, the kid is cute, but we don't all have to hear it.

155/366: Bottle Boys

A little light fun for Hump Day.

154/366: Baseball

After I had my boys, I knew I'd be cheering them on at baseball games.

I've always wanted that for these boys.

Unfortunately, we don't always get what we want.  I don't think Little Man will continue with baseball.  It's really sad to me. 

So, until the inevitable, I'll scream the loudest at the four or so games we have left.

And always hope for the opportunity to cheer in another venue.

153/366: Leaf Prints

Source: pinme.ru via Momma on Pinterest

I love this...super cute and easy.  It would be pretty in all the same leaf color, too.

152/366: Mango Tango

This evening, Big Boy and I went to watch my niece perform in her dance recital.

It was great, brought back lots of memories, and made more, being the Aunt in the crowd was fun. My brother-in-law took part in the fun as a part of the Fathers dance. Nothing like seeing hairy legs sticking out of raincoats and dancing to "It's Raining Men".

Our drive was adventurous as well. After missing a turn and adding 20 minutes to our route, it started pouring. The "put-your-flashers-on" rain that is difficult to navigate going a mere 10 mph.

We arrived 13 minutes after curtain, and our tickets had been sold 3 minutes prior to our arrival. I bought the final remaining ticket that a man had returned, and BB and I sat on the stairs. Quite comfortable, actually. We could stretch out and move around a bit.

On our way home, the rain began again. Driving along the lake is so beautiful at sunset. This evening was spectacular. The low clouds broke for the sun. The sun illuminated the clouds which reflected on the wet pavement. It was a color that was almost indescribable.

Until Big Boy piped in, it's Mango.

Mango Tango.

Yes, BB, Mango Tango.

Perfect.

151/366: Pattern Making

There is a type of crochet called "filet".

It works in a series of solid and open blocks. It is a flat piece with no dimension to it.

I have been thinking of a curtain for a long window I have by our front door. I've looked at fabric, thought of weaving a piece and lately was inspired to bring weaving and crochet together.

Last night, I pulled out my weaving pattern book and some graph paper and started coloring in blocks. I remember doing this as a young girl, loved drawing and making patterns on graph paper or drawing wild scribbles and filling in all the spaces with different colored pencils.

I had fun trying to replicate old weaving patterns into filet crochet. Since weaving is mainly over under or black and white, it wasn't a huge stretch to convert. Some worked better than others. Then, after deciding on a pattern, I moved to the computer, Excel, specifically. I made my worksheet cells to be small squares and started filling them in.

Today, I may pick up some thread and see how I need to adjust my pattern to fit my window.

150/366: {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.