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girls’ weekend

last weekend craig took the boys skiing in colorado.
that meant our house was all girls.
we kept busy.

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we curled hair and painted nails.
went to the mall and window shopped.
spent time looking at everything in claire’s boutique

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bought ring pops to keep annie happy
talby spent some allowance here on littlest pet shop toys.
(check out that floor at limited too…it was awesome!
wouldn’t that be great in the craft room?
ohhh…sparkley pink floors!)

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i let talby try on expensive princess dresses
just for fun!!
she loved that.

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we had to try the sunglasses in every store.

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we went to the movie “Nim’s Island”.
annie slept through it.
hey look there’s lauren…
she was with us but not really “with us” if you know what i mean.

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sunday we had a long walk/bike ride to sonic
rewarded with hot fudge sundaes.

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threw rocks in the creek
looked for frogs but didn’t find any.

other things we crammed in:
swimming at the hotel
pizza hut dinner
ride bikes to school
and lots of cuddling

it really was a great time…
but we were so glad the boys were back.

we missed them.

candy - Not sure how I found your blog, but I love it! It is so fun. 🙂 I made your stuffed shell recipe last night and it was wonderful! I’m going to post about it on my blog today. 🙂 YUMMY!! Thanks!

chris - That sounds great, really wonderful.

Holly - So much fun and how precious they look- even sourpuss over to the side (texting?)
I noticed the floor before I read it and it is so cool. I also noticed the unique combo that Talby put together- totally her own.

hipmomofboyz - oh how fun. Can I come to the next girls only weekend? What is that like? SInce I spent my weekend watching 6 baseball games……
Let me know when the next one is and I will bring the fingernail polish and ice cream

Jimaie - what FUN girl time, i love the curled hair, too cute.
and OOoo! the sparkly pink floors are my FAVE!! i want those in my bedroom stat. how purty!!!

traci - wow – you got tons crammed in one weekend. and it all looks like fun to me. i notice lauren looking at her phone or something right away. how cute and normal she is. i would have loved to join you on the walk/bike ride to sonic. love walks and last summer while at the cabin we enjoyed our first trip to sonic – yummmmmm!!

Liz - Ooops, somebody already said that. I meant to say what a fandabidozy weekend!

Liz - What a fab weekend!

kristin - oh, we’ll get one of these soon too.
fun stuff.

Kate of All Trades - How fun! A girls weekend around here would just be me and the cat. She hates the mall.

Jennifer P. - There are few times when i am not completely content with my all boys, but when I see fun girls-only weekends, I kind of wish I had some hair to curl :).
Thanks for sharing all the lovely photos. I agree you should really have a sparkly pink floor for your craft room!

mom - Talby looks so pretty and grown up in her princess dress. I think Melissa has the answer to your outings with Lauren.

Blanca - Looks like so much fun. What lucky girls and I totally get you on the oldest because I have one of my own. Mine is usually too busy texting away that is until she needs something from me. By the way talby looks so much like you.
Blanca

Brenis - How FUN!!!!!! 😀
You are such an awesome mom! I think I need to expand into “girly world” and do something like this with my girls!! Thank you for sharing it!

melissa @ the inspired room - Totally fun! Except for your oldest, I know how they “go along” because they have to be a part of the family. My girls have sat through more cartoons at the theater than they care to remember. It is so hard for them, and hard for mom to pull everyone together in any sort of activity everyone will enjoy.
Hey, one idea we used was that our girls could bring along a friend when we went places, even to the beach for a vacation. It made them SO much happier. I didn’t love the idea of extra kids on a family day until we tried it and saw that the mood was elevated and the moping stopped. We could focus on the younger one and the older ones entertained themselves.
In spite of it all, it sounds like your day was a blast! Love all the photos!

jessi nagy - now that’s a fab weekend!!!
oxooxx,
jessi

Lanny Stanard - I’m thinking you had a great girls week-end.
Love the pictures.
Lanny.

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the big four-oh

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hope your day is great.
we do love you so much.
we don’t see you enough.
we miss you.
have a great birthday!
we’ll eat some cake for you.

Jill (One Wired Woman) - Oh, Wow!! Yesterday was my birthday too! I’ve got Sherri beat by two years. Being “forty something” is fabulous! 🙂 ~Jill

Deanne - What a cute way to send Sherri a birthday greeting. I’m sure it was the most creative one she received!

jessi nagy - aaahhh this is so sweet.
you made her day!
oxoxoox,
jessi

Jimaie - this is so cute, mmmm, the top sign looks DELICIOUS!! LOL
guess what? you’ve been tagged, visit my blog for details! 😀

Sherri - AWWWWWW that was GREAT!!!!! THANK YOU ALL! I miss you guys too and love you!!

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to do list:

1. clean up my bedroom

2. put away laundry

3. get groceries for sunday lunch

4. clean up craft room

5. find military school for 13 year old daughter

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(i am kidding…..kind of)

melissa @ the inspired room - Been there. You’ll both get through it. It is a tough adjustment!
xo

traci - the good thing about 13 – it only lasts a year. hang in there.

Melanie - I have a 13 yr. old too but he is a boy and I think that they are easier. I know how I was with my mom. I thought I knew everything. I feel for ya!

Jennifer P. - 13 was not a kind age for me either. I think I got humbled out of the “I’m too hot for you” stage somewhere around 15. Can you find a 2 year military school :)?

Crystal - I am afraid for the day I have teenagers…
🙂

Jimaie - LOL military school…oh how i vividly remember being 13 and a pain in my mothers booty.
gooood times 😉

Denise Kessler - Your posts make my day. I’ve been following along for awhile now and even show things to my family. Speaking of that…as you research the military schools, I have a 15 yr. old son, see if they have room, please. Just kidding..
kind of!

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today

i am feeling grateful.
i am so happy we live in kansas.
while living in chicago
i missed this so much.

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i missed this all around me…livestock and crops and farms.
wide open spaces.
it’s not that i want to touch these cows…
but i enjoy seeing them
and being aware of all the hard work behind farming.
i admire these animals every time i drive to the gym.

in chicago i remember seeing the guy shouting religious things
into a megaphone on the corner on my way to the gym.

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never saw this in chicago parking lots…

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i can’t recall goats at preschool in chicago either.
ms. trey brought in another baby goat this week.
she was named clover.
so precious.

i know it’s not for everyone of course.
and i love chicago dearly
but i am really happy to be here where we are.

here are some other random things i am grateful for…

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happy spaces for toys and books.

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licking brownie batter from the bowl…i do it too.
but usually i wear more clothes.

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our bird, sunlight.
she gets out of her cage all the time now
and we all dodge her as she flies around he house.
i am happy for her to be flying instead of trapped.

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sam’s club…getting stocked up.

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family dinners.
they are hard work and tiring
but happy memories are being made.
(i hope)

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and spring bursting out.

what are you happy and grateful for today?

Liz - I’m grateful for your stuffed pasta shells recipe! I made it for dinner last night and it was delish!

Allikayes Mama - I’m grateful for your blog! I just love it! hehehe!

Linda - Have I told you lately how much I love your blog? I always feel inspired to comment…even though it takes awhile to get through all the steps!!! You’re worth it…
Linda

carissa - awe… great things indeed!
the days of licking cake batter IN a swimsuit… too cute!

Jenn Thomas - Waking up late this morning (9:51 AM Saturday) while Russ and London are still in bed – I love our beautiful Kansas big blue sky – I have missed it this past week. I appreciate this sunny morning – it looks like it could be 80 outside but I know it’s not. We do have a lot to appreciate out here in Kansas – thanks for reminding me. Jenn T

traci - Im GRATEFUL for someone who appreciates KANSAS!! I used to live there ( I live in Oklahoma now) and Kansas really is a great place. I dont know how you get better than what you showed in your post…GODS creation and the simply life!!! I agree with you completely…I dont want to touch a cow..lol…but I do have a sense of awww at what they stand for and what they do!! I have a HUGE, HUGE amount of respect for farmers…NO ONE works harder and loves their animals more than a real farmer.
And their is NOTHING better than a goat in preschool..LOL
You have a precious family!!

Lanny Stanard - Very nice, wish I was there!
Lanny.

jessi nagy - so so nice!
you have such a cute family! and you are making memories!!
ok, that little goat, eekk, so dang cute!!!
i love baby goats. hubby won’t let me get one, why? hmm. o well some day!
have a great weekend!
oxooxx,
jessi

traci - what a wonderful post meg. i too love to see livestock. they all have such personalities. my son gets to take care of our neighbors cattle again next month for a week and he is so excited. have a great weekend. love the pic of annie in her swimsuit eating the batter. put a smile on my face.

Diane - What a precious post. I wondered what state you were in. Your home (the outside anyways), reminded me of the homes in Old St. Augustine. I adore those homes and fell in love with yours instantly.
I’m grateful for so much tonight…grateful that my parents live near us and we were able to go get pizza with them tonight, and I was able to meet my good friend for coffee at Starbucks tonight. Nothing like catching up with friends and family.
Have a terrific weekend.

April - beautiful post….that bathing suit wearing batter licking kid is too cute…reminds me of my Chloe…I adore carefree….throw it in the wind…doin’it my way kids.
Bless

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obsessed

scott has become obsessed with basketball.
and we couldn’t be happier about it.

yesterday he spent an hour in his room for hitting his brother.
as soon as he could come out
he grabbed his ball and went out to shoot…

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in the rain.
for over an hour.
i love it.

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he was so into the tournament.
KU is his favorite.
he loves all things Jayhawks.

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getting to watch all the tournament games…
staying up till 11:00 on a school night….
seeing his jayhawks win in ovetime…
knowing every player and coach…

it was the best month ever!

and craig can’t stop smiling about it.

Liz - How cute. I think that’s what we lose as adults, that childhood excitment. Its a beautiful thing.

Erica - I can imagine Craig is so proud. That is fun to be able to have him so into March Madness. If your husband is going to be so into it might as well hope that at least one of your kids will be too, so that you don’t have to entertain all 5 by yourself. 🙂 Oh and about that family fun book. It was eh. Got some ideas. More for when they are older I think. Are you guys going to MI this year? So we can do our annual Maggianos run?

melissa @ the inspired room - I am hoping that at some point our son will get jazzed about sports. He is only 7, and he does play sports, but he is like a firecracker. He is not showing any emotion about it and suddenly in the middle of a game he is ON IT. An amazing athlete. Then, the burst is over and he isn’t jazzed about basketball any more. Maybe once he sees how good he is or feels the peer pressure to do better he’ll start saying he likes it.
Happy weekend!

amy - I’m commenting from school! Our filter has decided you are not inappropriate anymore, apparently. 🙂

trojan91 - Plus he’s got that D1 blood in him!

Jill (One Wired Woman) - Boys and their sports… too cute! I love to go outside and play H-O-R-S-E with my sons. They beat me every time… 🙂 ~Jill

amy - When I was making supper last night I heard dribbling outside and thought, “I bet that’s Scott.” Sure enough!
Monday night Corey and I were wondering if Scott got to stay up and watch the game. I’m sure he was thrilled!

carissa - that is super… seeing kids really have a heart for something! how fun!

cynthia - that is awesome!
atleast in our house it’s constant ramblings of spiderman, power rangers and batman…total useless information that begins with “mommy, did you know…”
but then again there is quite an age difference between yours and mine!
i’m looking forward to a basketball sort of thing!

traci - I lived in lansing/leavenworth ks. for years and my family still lives there. LOVE the jayhawks!!! It is neat to see our boys really get “into” a team and sport.

mom - I can see him as a Jayhawk recruit! Keep up the hard work Scott!
Wasn’t that the best game ever? It’s been so fun to live in Lawrence this past month.
ROCK CHALK!

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yellow

yellow is everywhere.
have you noticed that?

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don’t you feel bright and sunny now?
i hope so.

cjs - what kind of camera do you have?
your pics are exquisite.

Tiffany C. - I do actually! Just goes to show that color can really change your mood, cus I was more in a blue-gray kinda way until I saw these….
Thanks for the lift!

Jennifer Peterson - Usually yellow kind of gives me the creeps–I guess it’s too in your face happy for me. But you made yellow seem sunny and mellow :)! Lovely photos all of them! And I loved the pictures of you and Annie out for a walk in the rain. Precious!

hipmomofboyz - I love yellow,, I feel very spring-like (is that a word) lol

cynthia - we actually have “yellow” in our sky these past few days! thank goodness!
i just hope it continues.
keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Julie K - You can even make a raw egg look pretty! I don’t know how you do it. You’re photography is amazing. Love it. I’m taking a class this summer after I get my DSLR. (Still saving). Can’t wait – I hope my pictures are as beautiful as yours!!

Laura T. - Love the pictures — yellow is such a beautiful color (at least in my eyes).

Jimaie - mmm, mango & banana?? YUM!!!
did you go see my blog entry singing your praises? I really am so thrilled to have found your blog!

Liz - I thought I didn’t like yellow. But then I saw those photographs!

carissa - yes! thank you!
bright… bold forsythia always makes me smile!

Lanny Stanard - Love the pic’s nice and springeee. It’s cold here in Michigan, I heard snow this week-end but I’m not buying it!!!
Lanny…

jessi nagy - love this sunny post! im so OVER winter! i can’t wait till spring is here for good, and i can see all the beautiful yellow daffodils!
oxooox,
jessi

traci - thanks for the wonderful burst on sunshine on this dreary day. i’ll probably be back to this post quite a bit this week cuz it’s going to be icky and rainy all week.

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spring swap

oh the joy!
i came back from a cold windy walk today
and found this on my porch.
happy mail.

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i set it on the table
and made myself get all my cleaning done
before i would allow myself the pleasure of opening it.
i have never cleaned so fast.

crystal suggested a spring swap.
i said “count me in”
i was so excited to be in my first one!

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i did smile.

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what fun, what fun!
i love the sticky dots!
and the candy is just perfect for me…
it will be quickly hidden away from little grabby hands.

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she sewed these little flowers on wash clothes!
so adorable.

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and this is the happiest thing of all.
WOW.
i was beaming all afternoon.
thank you so much crystal.
i’m glad you like yours too.
that was fun!

Jimaie - i blogged about you, i hope you don’t mind!
come check it out!!
http://jimaiemarie.blogspot.com/2008/04/color-adventure.html

Allison - WOW WOW WOW!!! Love this blog! LUV LUV LUV! Thanks to my friend Gini for sending me here–and thanks to you for keeping it SO STINKING REAL! I read all of the posts on this page, what sticks out to me is your so cute red and white polka dot shoes, the yellow paint (HOLY CRAP my hubby would just die if our son put paint on his TV), the great old bureau you will put in your bathroom (someday) and the pics from the visit to Grandpa’s place. (I need to know where that is, a lot of my work focuses on creating spaces like that for our elders.)

Lee Ann - Oh my goodness that package could must make a girl giddy! What a fun idea.

Crystal - Yay Meg!!!! I am so SO glad that you loved it all…I had such a good time putting it all together for you…I had to laugh that we used the same grass in each others package…and I almost sent you one of my used magazines too but took it out at the last minute!!!
Enjoy it all…I hope the dots are too mod for you! 🙂

mrs. french - Such a wonderful idea! I love all your treasures!

traci - I just checked out crystals stuff and she is not only talented but has such a fun, whimsical style…I will definately be ordering from her soooon.

Liz - Now THAT is a box of presents! How fabulous.

traci - holy moly that is an awesome box of goodies. how fun for you!!! love the towels. i also zipped over to crystals blog to see her stuff – that makes for a happy day!!

hipmomofboyz - I just came across your blog and It is so cute….I love the swap that you received….How do you get in a swap?

Liz - What a lot of goodies! I’m a newcomer to your blog from “over the pond” and have caught up on all your posts. Gorgeous photographs, by the way.

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