{Weekly Bits and Pieces}

It is after 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon.

I haven't figured out yet what I am making for dinner, other than buying some focaccia bread randomly a few hours ago.

I have bookwork to do and the kids will be home in less than an hour.

But sometimes, when you feel like writing, you just have to take the time to do it.  It feeds the soul!

Inspired by my friend Rachel, I thought I would do a "Miscellaneous Monday" post.

I am hoping that she subscribes to the philosophy that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Otherwise, she might be annoyed at my blantant copying of her idea. 

I did think it would be a bit over the top to call title my post "Miscellaneous Monday", hence the name you see for this blog post! ;-)


This morning I went for coffee with a good friend. I ordered a decaf mocha (it was too bitter for my liking) and sat and chatted with her for about an hour. 

In the midst of our discussion, she told me how much she likes my blog.  I didn't even know she read my blog. She went on to say some nice and encouraging things about my writing and I somewhat sheepishly admitted that I do have a dream to one day write a book.  She said "Well, maybe when the kids are older you will be able to take some time off and do that."  I've thought the same thing.  But I also wonder if that is just excuse for me not to get started now.

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Have you ever noticed how certain phrases really catch on in the on-line world and pretty soon everybody (including me) is using them?  Even if they wouldn't use them in real life?  It is actually kind of annoying and I am bothered by the fact that I participate.

For instance:

"hand raised"
"excited squeals" and it's more active but quieter cousin "happy dance"
"love, love, love __________"
"hugs" and, I think you might get extra points if you use a "z" at the end instead of an "s"
"if I lived closer I would totally..."  (Really?  Are you SURE you would?)
"melt me"
"yay"
"I totally heart that"

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Our basement is where I send the kids when they get too rowdy.  It is where they can leave things a mess and don't have to clean up.  Unless someone is coming over.

The other week we were having company and I had the kids clean up the basement. Just in case. As our guests were about to leave for the evening Nikki said, loudly, and in front of them -- "Why did we have to clean up the basement?? They didn't even go down there!!!" 

Thanks for that, Nicole Danielle.  Thankfully, our friends have a good sense of humor and got a big kick out of it.

Anyway, most of the time our basement looks like a Toy's R Us and a Bed, Bath and Beyond mated and then had about 100 children and abandoned them to fend for themselves in our basement.

I could have taken more pictures, but you get the idea.  I think I have sufficiently proved my point!

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This morning at the coffee shop I bought a dollar's worth of these little bits of awesomeness.

Dark chocolate covered sea salt caramels.

Seriously. So good!

I would totally share them with you if you "lived closer".

Like in my own house.

Maybe.  Or maybe not.

At least that sounded generous.

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Lately I have been experiencing an irrational fear when I am lying in the tanning bed.

I have been tanning once a week for years.

But recently I have been afraid that I am going to be lying there and the bulbs are going to inexplicable burst and cut my body a 1,000 different places.

I picture a huge slice of glass cutting my throat and as I lie there naked and bleeding to death, no one will know.  Because the timer still says "7 minutes" to go.

I'm not sure how to get this idea out of my head.

I am also not sure if this ever happens, but I am afraid to Google it for fear it DOES happen and then I will have some proof that my fear actually could happen.

And then I might have to quit tanning.

And I am SO not ready for that.

There. You can feel better about yourself now.  I really AM the crazy one.

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Nikki's latest drawing for me, which was presented to me yesterday.  It is "her blowing bubbles in the summertime."  I love it.  She still draws people like that and I really don't want to tell her to stop. I know she'll figure it out soon enough.

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I don't know if anyone remembers me talking about how my Mom has written my grandmother a letter every.single.week of the year for 23 years now!

And how we all thought that my Grandma had throw some of the letter away.

I so mourned the loss of those letters because I was planning get them back from my Grandma and read through them. They are such a snapshot of our lives!! I'm not even usually that sentimental, but about this, I was.

Anyway, last summer my Mom was cleaning my Grandma's garage and she found a whole sack of the letters. Apparently, my Grandma was going to burn them and never quite got around to getting them our to the burn pile.

I was estactic.  In January, Mom and Dad were in Pennsylvania and Mom brought back this whole box of letters.  There must be over a thousand of them.  I started reading some yesterday and brought another stack home with me to read when I get a chance!

So fun! 

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On Saturday the kids and I worked on their Valentine's.  I know I am early, but I was freaking out about when we would get them done.  Between Kendall's birthday party and Jeremy and I going away for the weekend, I knew Valentine's was totally going to sneak up on me.

And since I really enjoy doing that kind of thing with them, we decided to get it done early.

This is for Derrick's classmates.

Kendall's

Nikki's

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Saturday evening Jeremy and the kids were all sitting around watching "America's Funniest Home Videos" while I was spending some time alone in the other room.

It was so cool to hear them laughing together.

Finally, I came out and took a picture. 

This picture makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

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That was also the same night that I made the family some peach milkshakes. 

And when one got spilled on the table, this is what happened next.

I am not sure who raised these boys to be this unmannerly, but I am NOT taking responsibility for this behavior!

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This is the door to Nikki's room. 

A list of who may come in.

A picture of her aunt and uncle.

A Sponge Bob sticker.

A February calendar.

And a ground-hog puppet.

Did I mention that the door to her room is right off of our dining room?

So yes, she adds a touch of "class" to my dining room decor.

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Since this seems to be the post of inspiration by others, I will also mention my friend Amber. 

She writes a wonderful blog and back in November she wrote a post about how she let the kids skip school one day.  You can read it here.  Very interesting.

She inspired me to do something with my children that I have never done before.  I decided that I would, through out the rest of the school year, pick one day where I would let them play hooky from school and they would just have a fun day with Mom.

Totally centered about them.

I decided Derrick would be first because he is most likely to keep a secret so that I am able to surprise the other children in the same way later in the year.

I communicate with his teacher beforehand, and then at 9 o'clock on Friday I showed up at his school and had him called up to the front office.

Just the look on his face was totally worth it!!

Once we got in the van, I explained that, yes, he was skipping school for the rest of the day and he and I were just going to hang out!

He was so happy.  Except that he did inform me that they had gym that day, which is his all time fav!

But, he hastened to add "This is more fun!"

This is apparently the fact that Derrick now makes when he knows I am taking a picture.

Let me just tell you. He looks much more handsome when he is NOT making this particular face.

But I guess this will have to do until he figures that out.

We went bowling.  He almost beat me.  But not quite.

Lunch was at Applebees.

This is Derrick famous line whenever I ask where he wants to go to eat

"Just give me any restaurant that serves a cheeseburger and I will be fine!"

So a bacon cheddar cheeseburger it was.

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And I will leave you with this parting shot.

Kendall can do things with his body that should be earning him some kind of awards. Somewhere.

He was seriously just laying on the floor like this.

Relaxing. 

If I tried this, I would probably be crying. 

He can also use his foot as a pretend telephone and scratch his head with his foot. 

That boy is "bendy!" 

Be impressed. Be very impressed!

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Happy Monday to you! 

Monday is always my worst day of the week.  Now that it is almost over, the rest is all downhill!

Yay!

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