life with WE

Let's end March with some normalcy.

Today, life returns to the usual.  And I couldn't be happier!  Warren's spring break is over.  He'll go back to school today, and Elaine heads back on Tuesday.  Perhaps there will be less fighting and more calm.  Perhaps I'm dreaming.  Either way, I want things back to routine.

I also want a gazillion dollars, a vacation, and like an hour to myself.  Think any of that's gonna happen?

Hey, a girl can hope!

Now I have to get back to figuring out how to coach 4-5 year olds soccer, and finding more new recipes for dinner.  Clearly, I'm very busy, no?

And then

Warren bounced back from the stomach flu only to have strange attacks saturday night while sleeping.  I'm pretty sure he was sleep walking/talking/freaking out.  Either that, or he was possessed by the devil.  Whatever. 

All I know is, it's back to school tomorrow!  YEA!

For real.

And then, this one time, we were on our way to KC for a bday party.  And Warren developed the stomach flu - puking on the sidewalk outside the gas station, and continuing to puke/dry heave in the car in trash bags purchased said puked on gas station.

But today, he seems MUCH better.

Let's hope it stays that way.

Is it Friday again already?

Because it's March madness (and we know Ben is suffering from the madness), let's make today's philosophical phriday sports-related.

If you could attend one major sporting event, what would it be and why?  (Of course, money and location are not issues.  You've got all kinds of money and probably even your own plane.)

And by major I mean you cannot include things like your kids' little league playoffs.  Nor can it be the trampolining finals - oh I guess it could be, that's an Olympic sport now.  Anywho - would you like to be at the NCAA National Championship Basketball Game?  Soccer World Cup?  Wimbeldon?  The Masters?  The Superbowl?  Game 7 of the World Series?  Something at the Olympics?  The World's Strongest Man Competition?  Daytona 500?  The Rose Bowl?  Monster Truck World Jam?  (Oh wait, just Warren would go to that one.) (And, am I allowed to really name these events without the express written consent of MLB, NFL, NASCAR and whatnot?)

I'm hoping that this will draw out my male readers.  Ben, Ffej, Mike - I'm talking to you.  Smiles, Skillz - come on now.  And all my Ladies, don't let me down.  Holla!

Me?  You want to know what I think?  Thanks so much for asking!  Quite honestly, I'd love to see any of them.   There's something pure in college sports that would make me enjoy any college championship game.

But what I would chose would be Game 7 of the World Series, featuring the St. Louis Cardinals.  I'm sure that won't be anytime soon - we're very busy rebuilding the team you know.  The Cards are one of the few teams I have been a loyal fan of my entire life.   And although I have tons of money and could choose ANY seats at game 7, I'd try to sit in the bleachers.  With the real people.  The beer drinkers who love the Cardinals.  I'd hope to be next to some old guy who's watching the game, tracking everything on his scorecard, and wearing giant headphones as he listens to the play by play on AM radio.  I'd drink my Budweiser, eat my peanuts and hot dog, and cheer on the Cardinals as if I was a member of the team.

Now, your turn.  What do you choose?

W spring break day 3

We got adventurous yesterday.  By 9 AM, the kids and I had been to the ATM, the drive thru for a giant Diet Coke, and to get my allergy shot.  We then proceeded to drive to the St. Louis Zoo.

It was a great day for the zoo!  60 degrees, not too sunny, and it wasn't crowded at all.  Most of the animals were active and we caught a lot of feeding times including the sea lions, the penguins and some monkeys.  We were there for four hours, and Elaine walked the entire time!

I'd love to share pictures with you, but um at the first animal - a cute little baby black bear - I dropped my cheapy point and shoot camera.  And, it hasn't lived to tell the tale.

My new favorite.

I was flipping channels yesterday and stumbled onto Oprah.  I had no idea what the topic was, but there was a man on stage talking.  When they flashed his name under him it said:

Steve
Son of a Hoarder

Son of a hoarder.  LOVE IT.  It's my new SOB, which I can't say because I have kids.  Example - I smash my finger in a drawer, I exclaim, "Son of a hoarder!"

Try it.  It's fun!

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Also, do you know what is the coolest?  Watching your son start to read.  I'm serious.  It's freaking awesome.  Even though at times he gets so fired up he just guesses at the words based on the first letter, but still - it rocks.  The brain working, the cogs turning, the pride welling up in him and me.  Reading.  The boy is starting to read.  Who knew memorizing sight words would turn into this?  (Probably his kindergarten teacher, but whatever, I didn't.)

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And, new recipes and reviews - part 3, take a look - over to the right.  That makes 9, count 'em NINE new dishes I have made.  Mostly success!  I'm going to gather some more - I have a fish one I haven't made yet and a greek scampi I haven't made yet - and I'll begin the cycle anew next Monday.  If you have any recommendations, feel free to email me!

W spring break day 1.

I'd say from Warren's point of view, his first day of Spring Break was a big success.  He got to stay in his pajamas all day, and at one point he got to play his monster truck video game.

Day one.  Relaxation accomplished.  Check.

A glimpse forward.

Do you ever have moments with your kids that make you fear for the future?

I had one of those moments yesterday.  As Elaine got out of the tub, she asked if I would curl her hair for Easter.  I agreed, and moment later I had a princess sitting up on my bathroom counter watching herself in the mirror with anticipation as I blew dry her hair.  Can I take this moment to mention that Elaine is rarely, IF EVER, still.  And not only was she still, she was calm (not loud), and in sheer bliss.

Once her hair was dry (um, all of two minutes), I plugged in the curling iron.  She started role playing with me.  "Um hi, what's your name?  And do you do hair?"  Round and round we went - me pretending to be the hair dresser while she was my client.  Again, while I curled her hair (which was a sad attempt, but still she enjoyed it) she sat still.  She kept checking herself out, and had nothing but absolute contentment in her smile.  I tried to pouf her hair and then sprayed it with hairspray.  She promptly went downstairs to show off to daddy.  She was so proud and so confident.

If only it was that easy for grown women.  To pouf our hair a bit and then smile at ourselves and carry ourselves confidently.  I do think confidence makes someone beautiful, don't you?

Anywho - while she was in this fabulously calm mood, I decided to offer my manicure services.  She gladly accepted, and within a minute was sitting on my bed, towel in her lap, choosing her nail polish color.  A hot pink; but of course.  Again, she sat still and even continued sitting ten minutes after I was finished for the polish to dry.  Mike sat with her for part of the time, and every so often he'd look at her and she'd look back, with a self-assured smile.  Happy as can be.  Like the cat who swallowed the canary - or whatever that saying is.

I fear for the age of 13.  And 14, 15, 16...

Hippity hoppity snow?

This has been the strangest weather we have ever had on Easter.  We woke up to sleet, followed by rain, then snow then sleet, then rain, then SUN for awhile, then oh look at that, sleet and rain again.

So bizarre. 

It makes me just want to go to bed.

Dive, dye, die.

W: Are we going to dive eggs yet?

Me: It's dye.  Not dive.

W: Uh mommy.  We don't say die.  Or kill.  Or stupid.  Or hate.  Remember?

Me: I know.  It's a different kind of dye.  Not die, but dye.  It means to color.

W: We don't say die!

Me: Let's just say color then, okay?

W: Great.  Cuz that's a lot like paint.