to avoid making a budget for march, i blog...

Plus, I really felt the need to post something a little more cheerful; that last post was dreadful.  I've had a much better week.  Can I share?

I have to admit, as much as I crave and love the alone time that comes when the kids are with Ken, I really start to miss them after the first couple of days; after I've worked out enough and caught up on cleaning, laundry, and errands.  I really have a pretty amazing deal - not only do I have the best ex-husband EVER, but I get to see the kids even on the days that he has them. We meet every morning so I can take the kids to school and then I usually have them until he gets off work and takes them for the evening.

Tax season is a little different though; not only do I work the full 40 hour work week, but it's at a different time each day.  Ken's parents have been amazing helping with the girls on the days that they don't have school, and also letting me drop the kids off right after school on days I work late, rather than waiting until Ken can get them around 5:30-6:00. They get so bored being at work, and I have a very hard time concentrating (and being patient with them!!!).

Anyway, long explanation, but what I'm trying to say is that it seems that I haven't seen them so much in the last two months since tax season got underway.  So I picked them up on Tuesday and we've been having a great time!  Tuesday I got off work early and we hit the library and swimming at the Rec, followed by half-price Happy Meals at McDonald's (truly, the best day of the week!), baths, homework and bed.  Then today it was work and school, dinner at Andrew's, home for homework and washing faces, hands, teeth, brushing hair, and bed.  Nothing too terribly exciting, but it felt a bit more normal than things have felt lately and it has made me feel happy. And I love feeling that way...happy, that is.

Not so happy items thus far in the week:

*Back of my iPhone cracked! WHAT HAPPENED!?!? We'll never know, but I'm pretty sure this girl was the culprit:

Who? Me? How dare you accuse me of such a heinous crime...

I had a Zagg on the back and so I didn't realize anything was wrong until I took a very close look and saw that something was amiss, pulled the cover back and discovered the unthinkable...so I took it to Verizon, but they couldn't do anything for me since I didn't have their super expensive insurance package.  Then I called the Apple store in the Boise mall, explained the situation and that I was in NAMPA, and asked what they could do. They set up an appointment for me for 8:10 that night to replace the back for $29.00 (sweet!), and Mo and Anna were kind enough to not only accompany me, but DRIVE me there.  So we got there, and guess what?? They didn't have the part in stock!! I know, I know...I was disappointed in Apple too.  So that was lame, but it was fun to hang out with Mo and Anna.

*Olivia hyper-extended her fingers today while horsing around on furniture at Andrew's house (let THAT be a lesson to you, after I've scolded them a hundred times about not jumping on furniture). The middle, ring and pinkie fingers of her right hand were the victims, and not only are they painful, but they are starting to swell and discolor. She had to color a picture left-handed tonight, and let me tell you folks, it was not pretty.  

Olivia, in happier, goofier times...

*Can any one else explain to the adult acne fiasco to me? I avoided the awkward teenage acne years, only to be bombarded in my very late twenties.  What the hell?  Drives me crazy. Also, slightly embarrassing since Adelaide will point out any blemish on my face, quite loudly, to any one that will listen, as an "owie". Thanks for the reminder, Adelaide.

I'll leave you with some pictures from Christian's last basketball game. They didn't win a single game, but he had such a good little attitude and never complained about it once. He was just happy to be playing the game.

bad day...

No one likes to read a depressing post, so I'll keep it short.

I had a bad day. Well, I've had several as of late.  There was a great quote I found on Pintrest (man, I love that good-for-nothing, time-wasting, inspiring, yet depressing website!!) that I try and remember:  "Don't let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life".

I have such a good life; I am so blessed with health, employment, wonderful, beautiful children, and surrounded by a family that loves me and takes care of me.  But some days are hard. I feel weighed down by my responsibilities as a mother, employee, house cleaner, laundry and dish doer, etc. I don't feel like I do enough, slow down enough, enjoy enough, these days when my babies are still babies.  It makes my heart so heavy.

I know I only have like, two readers (you know who you are!), but do you ever feel like that? Like life has turned out so differently than you thought it would?  If you do, what do you do to pull yourself out of that awful funk?  Suggestions appreciated...

inspired...

So I have to tell you about my sister-in-law.  This girl is amazing.  In fact, I can't decide if she is perfect. I think she might be.  Can I tell you why?

1. She has an amazingly positive attitude; she is ALWAYS smiling or laughing!

Exhibit #1:  Mad cheerful skillz...even while hefting a large pumpkin...

2. She is Mother-Teresa kind. She always has a cheerful greeting and kind word for you, and never lets any one feel left out.

3.  She is a smart cookie!  She got her Bachelor's degree in Nursing and is an RN at St. Al's in Boise (now why didn't I think of going into nursing!?!).  And she's been doing that awhile! I think she got her RN when she was basically a teenager, which means she didn't dilly dally in college like the rest of us.

4.  She is an amazing baker. She worked in a pastry shop in Sun Valley when she was in high school (also very cool!) and she makes crap that can only be found in Food Network magazine and on pintrest. But believe me, her stuff LOOKS like the pictures.  And tastes even better.  We all hope and pray that she brings dessert to Sunday dinners every week.

Exhibit #2: Mad baking skillz....

5.  She is a bit narcoleptic.  The girl can fall asleep anywhere within 45 seconds.  Give her a shoulder, a couch to sit on, or enough room to stretch out on the floor and bam! She's out.  But she's even cute asleep, so we all just nudge each other, point, and chuckle while shaking our heads at her.

Exhibit #3:  Mad sleeping skillz...

6.  She is beautiful!! Like in a classically beautiful way.  Ro and I have compared her to Audrey Hepburn, and her patients have too.  I'm sorry, but my brother married WAY up.

Exhibit #4:  Mad beauty skillz... 

7.  She adores my brother.  They are so lovely to watch together; the way Mo teases her mercilessly, but is so terribly affectionate towards her, that you know he's only teasing her about the things that he secretly adores about her.  And the way she can't resist reaching up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek or snuggle into his arms, you know she is so happy with him.  Together they enjoy biking (like serious biking, people, not some random 10 minute ride semi-annually) in nifty spandex shorts and fancy shoes, and I think that's pretty cool too.

Exhibit #5: Mad being-in-love skillz...

8. Oh! And she is an AMAZING blogger!  She really stepped it up this last year, and I cannot tell you how much I enjoy her posts.  She is funny, well spoken, and comes up with the coolest topics and pictures.

Bottom line: I am inspired by this woman! I want to be more like her (except for the baking part, she can keep that).  It's good to have role models, even when you're almost 30.