3 THINGS

1. zac posen annoys me. i have a "fashion" board on pinterest and i am finding that lately when i need to unwind and destress, staring at haute couture and deciding what i find acceptable to make the cut is a pretty relaxing feeling. and even though most fashion designers seem to be condescending, out of touch, overly-serious, pretentious narcissists, some annoy me more than others.

case in point: zac posen.

even though there are a few things i like. really like. i can't bring myself to "pin" him on my "board". and even though he probably won't admit it... i think it bothers him.  

it's up to you to change my mind, z-man.

2. the other day i read about this sock-bun thing. supposedly it is perfect for the busy mom who doesn't have the time (or desire) to do her hair every day. it sounds like something that has probably been around a long, long...time (although so far no one else i've talked to has heard of it). this is the video i watched. i'm sure there are shorter demos out there, but this is just the one i happened to see.

you basically make a donut out of an old sock, put your messy hair in a high pony tail, and wrap it around the sock - which stays in place all night without anything to hold it in place. (that sort of wow'd me i admit).

so i gave it a try.

this is how my hair looked immediately after taking it down the next morning.

now, just a tiny sidenote...a few hours later i went to the doctor to find out i had the triple play (ie. ear infections, sinus infection and bronchitis) and i never planned on putting these pics on my blog.

so just skim thru them and move on.

move on, i said!

andrew said it looked like a lion's mane.

i am 85% sure he didn't mean that as a compliment.

this is what it looked like after i ran my fingers through it for 30 seconds.

-i also threw on some makeup...despite the pasty appearance-

and there you have it! a lesson in hair by... me?

who saw that coming??

ps. this has been known to be the case in the morning...

the sock-bun may have

changed my life.

3. ian has gotten a perfect behavioral grade in school every day for a month! as a reward, he and the other kids who did the same get to eat lunch in the classroom with their teacher tomorrow. 

not to brag..... but, it's kind of a big deal.

it became a bigger deal when ian informed us he was the ONLY boy in the class to make the cut. LoL. i don't know if that is 100% factual, but i figure he can't be too off about that info. i will find out tomorrow when i visit his class as the "mystery reader".

after doing some thinking about being the only boy to receive this honor, ian informed us he should probably "only hang out with the girls from now on".

(yes, that is a giant eye-roll followed by a sigh).

it would be one thing if he were simply connecting the dots and making a smart observation...

it takes on a different meaning when ian's first day back to school after track out, (before we were even out of the parking lot), he told me the girl he THOUGHT had a crush on him all year did in fact have a crush on him. something we have already established SEVERAL times before. and just for some background, when ian came home a few weeks ago with his class valentines, he showed me a valentine with an arrow thru a heart and let me know that he did indeed know that feeling.

i wanted to yell,

"you should NOT be thinking about girls or talking about girls! focus on school!!!! on academia, you 1st grader, you!!"

but parenting 101: do not act shocked and appalled when your kids confide in you.

even if you are.

seriously though, we are in trouble.

a lesson in practicality

all but one pair of these were purchased today...

(full disclosure: ian has on a new pair of basketball shoes not in the picture).

and YES, they already have other shoes including church shoes, get muddy shoes, soft slippery toddler shoes, corduroy shoes, etc...

and YES, they possibly have 5 sets of shoes that match each other.

and NO, i do not find that cheesy.

and YES, there were many, MANY other shoes that i desperately wanted, but walked away from.

and YES, i was so strong to do that!! *thank you~

and YES, we are all grateful to have

2 boys instead of 2 girls because

can 

you 

even 

imagine?!

i am just preparing them for every conceivable outfit. and isn't it good to

always be prepared?!

be prepared - just like the boy scouts.

nap threat

last night we stayed out late. the boys didn't get to bed until after 10pm (and these are kids that are in bed and asleep almost every night between 7-8pm). today, i am paying for it. owen has cried 3 times already and it's only 10am. ian had the sassy attitude of a 15 year old on accutane. and so i threatened... the nap. actually, i stated "NAP".

"nap is soooohohoooo happening today for BOTH of you! it is in your future so i don't want to hear any complaining later when the time comes. understood?" i said to ian and owen.

 to which ian replied, "PLEEEEEASE MOM - NOOO! PLEASE just give me ONE more chance to change my attitude! please?!!!" and so i agreed.

ONE. MORE. CHANCE.

since he has been incapable of getting along with owen this morning, i knew a nap would be in his future regardless. i left the room and heard ian begin project angel-face by asking owen if he wanted him to put on "du-du-du-dora".

"hmm...nice start", i thought.

since then, (and without me asking for any of these things), the following have ensued:

- all kitchen counters sprayed and wiped down

- floors swept (as well as a 7 year old boy can sweep anyway)

- dishes put away

- kitchen trash taken out of trashcan and put in outdoor can

- trash bag REPLACED in kitchen trash.... what?!!

- dirty clothes and toys picked up off the boys' bedroom floor

- beds made

- extreme patience and love beamed all over his cranky 3 year old bro.

and project angel-face continues even as i type.

which leads me to this question: how is it POSSIBLE that a human can HATE taking a little nap THIS MUCH?!!!

and this realization: i have underestimated the power of the NAP-THREAT for far too many years.

 never. again.

(photo of the guys taken the other day with ian's leappad)

a sunkissed moon

immediately after dinner tonight owen decided to spit out a sip of water so as to get his legs and feet wet so he could say "i need a bath!" (perfectly logical if you're 3). he quickly stripped and ran past ian when ian said,

"OWEN! you STILL have sunshine coming out of your bum?!"

"IAN! " i sort of gasped, fumbling over my words 

about to say 

"where did you even hear that expression?"

but before i could...

a streaker ran past and i saw owen's tiny bum.

complete with the fading lower back tat that daddy thought was hilarious to draw on the other day while owen was wearing his pull-ups.

literally: sunshine coming out of his bum.

 that's how awesome my kids are. sunshine shines from their bums.

literally.

can you say the same?

hero's work

Dear Memere & Papa,

Thank you SO MUCH for giving the boys stickers at Christmas!

They enjoyed them for an hour or so... until I took them away.

Forever.

Dear Random Stranger From the Internet Whom I Found After Typing In; 

"how to remove stickers from the kitchen floor",

 Thank you for the weird and gross advice.

Sure enough, after about 2 minutes slathered in mayo -

the stickers came right off with a paper towel and minimal fingernail work.

This? This I call, Hero's Work!

(mostly because i do realize if this is really the highlight of my day, I have fallen a long, loooooong way...)

ALL's FAIR...

corn dogs

fries

roasted corn on the cob

 philly cheese steak

candied apples

fried milky way candy bar

cherry snow cones

fresh chips

funnel cakes

***

2011 NC State Fair = CONQUERED

***

art purge

a while ago i started a new blog. a secret blog. a blog (there is just no way to make the word "blog" sound respectable or grownup btw) where i could say things.

deep, thought-provoking, fancy things.

 alright, that's a lie. but someday i will post something thoughtful on it and not my usual gripes and trivial concerns and ramblings. i don't know why i have this need to EXPRESS. to use various art forms to purge my emotions or to help explain what doesn't feel explainable by conversation.

i just do.

i'm not very creative in my pattern of self expression though.

if i'm drawing, andrew knows to tread lightly. i'm in the bad place and needing to numb out.

if i'm playing the piano, i want to be left alone. it generally brings out the quiet,

sometimes somber side of me.

singing = the happy place.

however, singing WHILE playing the piano??... probably feeling reflective and possible a bit blue.

please don't interrupt.

feel free to take a seat and enjoy the show though.

obsessively editing photos? getting stuff DONE.

stay out of my way.

writing often means venting. although sometimes it's from the fun place. you know, a fun-vent.

dance.. yes, i dance! *insert jazz hands. i still do a mean shuffle-kick from ballet class, age 6 thankyouverymuch. and i didn't take "street jazz" for one whole year during puberty just for the heck of it. you can't unlearn sweet moves like those from street jazz.

they just become a part of you.

where was i? oh yes, dance.

dance = some kind of frantic HIGH. and almost always involves ian and owen accompanying me.

theater geeking = i'm in the mood to TALK.  and you will be expected to listen. and learn. and then appreciate all things theater and performance related.

hmm.. not really sure how this all came about or how to end it.

i think i will go do an angry flight of the conchords dance to resolve this random post.

artpurge, done.

and to prove the apple doesn't fall far from the weird, artsy tree; a photo of my youngest - whose older brother had his own purge of artistic self-expression yesterday.

all over his younger brother's face.

"..gone to carolina.."

i knew i missed the east/south - but how MUCH i missed it wasn't clear until we arrived. i love the sound of cicadas at night. i still vividly remember the first time i realized how silent idaho can be at night. i went on a date once to the sand dunes (no napoleon dynamite jokes please...) and we made a fire. something was "off" that made me uncomfortable and i couldn't put my finger on it. finally i realized it was the complete and utter SILENCE.
no bugs.
no critters.
no leaves in the wind.
no traffic.
nothing but the coyotes occasionally yelping in the distance.
(which incidentally abruptly ended the date and sent me speed walking for the car..)
i never got used to that silence. but oh the cicadas! i love their sound. ian was terrified the first time he heard them once we moved back. he's adjusted though.

driving around my home town, i felt like a weight had been lifted. not that i hated the places we lived. in fact there are things i miss from every state we've been in, but it just felt good to explore MY city again.
an AMAZING house fell into our laps here, which put ian in an amazing school~ we have a creek in the back yard and unlike the one in cascade, i don't have to worry about the rushing water carrying the boys away or bears possibly drinking from it. we do have copperheads though...ugh. we live in a cul-de-sac. and not a dirt one either. to the best of my knowledge, we have never had a mountain lion in the yard. or fawn carcass in a tree. or a bear cub by the garage. no large bears have punctured our trashcan. (although flies have invaded it.) i can't say the view is as beautiful here. there are no snow capped mountains surrounding us as we swim in the lake. the lake water isn't clear either. it's tinged with a combination of pollution and red clay. it's hard to find a place where a house isn't blocking your view. but the beach isn't too far. the mountains are within driving distance. there are lush, green trees everywhere. and the state fair is coming soon! fall is my favorite time of year - probably because i grew up here. the leaves are already starting to change.

okay, these are the opposite of the kinds of blogs i like to write. but consider yourself updated.

we are home, baby!

a few random pics

We're Baa-aaaack

BOAT TIMES
Mommy & Ian - the whole Fam - Mommy & Owen

Owen with his cousin Sofie & with his Aunty Donna

FAMILY TIME
Aunt Bebe & Caden - Uncle Andrew & 'Fia

Sofia, Papa, Caden and Memere

Tia Maria with Sofia and Owen - Ian saying "goodbye" to his sweet cuz -

Baby 'Fia in LOVE with her big cousin

This one did NOT end well...

Sick boy wanting to be no other place than his Memere's arms~

the Crazies

SCHOOL DAYS
Ian's first day of 1st Grade - Owen kissing Ms. Jan on his first day of Preschool

NC Thunder Storm

Daddy's Secret Fishing Spot - Shrek in the Mud

 

Owen's 3rd Birthday

"Pony" rides in the back yard

     

Memere's Birthday!

Trying to be like Daddy...

Boys exploring the back yard - My little Poser

Randomness complete.

today as i dropped ian off at school he came to my window to give me a kiss (as he does every morning), and i licked my thumb and started

mom-cleaning the grits that were left on his face from breakfast. he backed up in horror and said,

"MOM! you're doing that in front of EVERYBODY!!"

- even though no one was watching.

i embarrassed him.

i...embarrassed...my kindergartener.

*sniff...

granted he will be in 1st grade soon so he is practically a man. it really did make me a little sad though..

fortunately on his walk into school he continued to do what he does every morning, which is wave incessantly at owen and i, flash "i love you" signs, and even blew a kiss or two to his brother who every morning screams from his window,

"BYE IYO!!! YOVE UUU! GOOD DAAAY!!"

over and over until he his big brother is out of sight.

as long as he is still little enough to realize how uncool signing "i love you" and blowing kisses are then i guess we're still okay.
still, that was a close call.

as we were getting out of the car at home after dropping him off, owen marshall grabbed ian's old "CARS" backpack, tried to put it on himself and said for the first time ever,

"i go school"

i think i'm fighting a losing battle.