Firestation

Gunnar’s present was the Clipper’s suite from his auction, and this was Sawyer’s. Our auction has a category where parents organize and pay for a party and then other parents can bid on a spot for their kids to attend and then all the money goes to the school. I tried to bid on this last year and it filled up too fast. So this year, it was my first bid for the night. A family organized a tour and dinner with the whole fire house last month. It was fantastic. The firefighters were awesome! Sawyer and I got to go and have a mexican feast with a few other kids who won spots as well. They even toured us of their sleeping quarters, and handball court. Best part of the night, they took us on a ride in the fire truck throughout the neighborhood. Bonus, they got 2 calls while we were there so the kids got to see some of them suit up and head out. Very cool. Needless to say, Sawyer was in awe the entire night.

Seriously, look at that smile. The. Best. It was wonderful to get to do something like this just he and I. So special to have little adventures just one on one with them sometimes.

lookey lookey what have we here. . .

Hmmmm. . . . guess what I came home to from vacation????

SEE! There’s positive things that come from posting your likes and loves on a blog!! I think ultimately my mom was so excited that I liked a piece of jewelry, even if it was just a watch, that she couldn’t resist getting me a present. She loves me. What can i say. And for everyone that thinks I’m hard to shop for? People. I post what i like on my blog. with a picture. and a link. only thing easier would be writing me a check. but in all seriousness, i would’ve purchased this for myself regardless. it’s fantastic! thanks mama.

And yes, I am very aware that my forehead will be in need of botox one day. And yes, that is a picture of me with no makeup on, right after a facial. And why yes, I am looking a little tan because I just got SPRAY TANNED by my sister! Seriously people, best invention ever. Maybe a better invention is having a sister who does it as part of her business. Double yes.

happenings in the home

Things getting done this week:

-Unpacking. It’s never-ending. The laundry. The toiletries. The mail. The new goodies we bought while away.

-Took my new drivers’ license photo today. Finally. I am so sick of getting questioned when I travel. My new passport is in the mail and my license is complete. Now I just have to keep this hair for the next 10 years and then we will be hassle free.

-Boys had their Spring Concert at school on Wednesday. I am so thankful that our public school has decided to keep the music program despite budget cuts. It used to be partially funded. No more. Now it’s 100% parent contributed funds funded. I went back and forth for awhile trying to decide if it was as important as say our librarian or science lab teacher, our computer lab teacher. And you know what, I think it is. I think music is really forgotten these days. The boys program was so cute. They both sang the songs and played the instruments and did their little dances perfectly.

-Greta gave me a bit of a scare Tuesday night. She had been complaining about a tummy ache Tuesday afternoon. But once she went to the bathroom she seemed to have forgotten all about her belly problem. Fast forward to 12:30 that night, and she was not a happy little girl. For about 3 hours she complained and cried and I really couldn’t figure out what to do. She even threw up once. I took her in to see the doctor Wednesday morning. Immediately he guessed it would be related to an ear infection, and sure enough he was right. Did you know that with some children, when they complain about their stomachs aching, it’s because of their ears? They’re related. Right after he said that I flashed back to about a year and half ago and remembered the similar sleepless night we had and the same result in the morning at the doctor’s office. Ear infection. My little girl is much happier.

-Friday the kids have no school along with Monday. So we have a 4 day weekend ahead of us. Not sure what we will tackle, but I’m sure I can come up with some lists. I have tons of polaroids to scan, closets to go through.

-The kids have been taking swim lessons for May, just twice a week. And sadly, the weather didn’t cooperate as much as we would’ve liked. This was the first year I decided to try the spring swim session. And out of 8 lessons, I think we only managed to get the kids to agree to go to 5. The beginning of May, hot and beautiful. The end? Freezing! Their last class was Wednesday and since Greta had an ear infection, she had a free pass. But the boys? It was 66 degrees outside and they were troopers. Gunnar is an amazing swimmer. I mean amazing. Each lesson his teacher asks him to join the swim team. His class is full of 12 and 13 year olds that are twice his size. And he’s 8. So proud of him. And Sawyer? Hasn’t complained ONE time. I guess it really comes down to his teacher. He loved his teacher. And that makes all the difference to that little boy.

-My burn is healing. It’s just a red/pink open looking wound at the moment. But no blisters! No oozing! Hooray!

-Scheduling summer has begun. As of today we have one saturday in June free, that is until September! We’ve never had a summer that is as crazy as this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the kiddie parties and vacations, but ONLY ONE SATURDAY FOR ALL OF JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST? Kind of ridiculous.

-Finally started my Blurb book #5. So overdue. I had to go back to February to begin. But almost caught up.

-Could it be??? Just got my auto insurance premium and it didn’t go up!? Remember that ticket I got? I was dreading my next bill, but alas, it stayed the same! Phew. phew. phew.

-Hope your week was more relaxing and fun than mine. Just reading this list makes me want to take a nap.

Wordless (how about a few words) Wednesday(i did it again Thursday!)- Let’s Bowl

This is how we rocked it in style for our 10 year anniversary. We are celebrating with family this coming weekend, and a few weeks ago my sister and awesome friends rented out this place. And can I just tell you. Best. Idea. Ever. As if you couldn’t tell we like to drag out and celebrate our anniversary for a looonggggg time. Come on, 10 years? Married to the same guy? Milestone! More photos to come I promise. Just have editing overload over here at the moment.

(photo taken by Mike, editing by me-you can see more of his work on my sidebar under My Photographer)

Ads

Love this ad campaign and think it’s truly beautiful.

back back back

Aaron and I spent 4 days and nights in New York, and we returned back home yesterday afternoon. It was in celebration of our 10 year anniversary. Sorry the tip of the building is cut off, but Aaron did a pretty good job overall. Mostly I have building pics, and ones of Aaron alone, me alone, but that’s what happened when you spend a lot of time just with the two of us. It was fantastic. Fun. Fun. Fun. More details to follow. But I haven’t gone through our photos yet. We walked, we shopped, we dined, we slept, we drank, we partied.

See my lovely burn dressing in the photo above? Big, huh? I have some photos to share of my burn phases, but don’t want to gross anyone out without fair warning that it’s coming. So we’re back, trying to get back in a normal routine of what it’s like to have little people to care for once again. My parents and Jessica and Carl were awesome for the kids. They did great without us, and I think they could’ve been more excited to see us than our actual kids were. All in all, so happy to be home. So happy to have been gone. So happy. So happy.

wordless wednesday, i mean thursday

sorry wordless wednesday skipped my mind yesterday! here it is a day late.

vegas part deux

You cannot go to Vegas and NOT go dancing at a club. It would be just wrong. And this is the part where Aaron and I and Jessica and Carl realize we are old. Seriously, we were tired. I cannot keep up with these kids anymore. I’m old and I need to accept that. 30 is approaching quite fast. But it was still a blast. My sister and I could’ve just taken a seat and watched these people for hours. We had whole scenarios going on about different people around us. The bachelor party, the professionals mens’ weekend, the birthday girl group, the bachelorette party, the couples’ weekend away with no kids, wait, that’s us!

We went out Saturday night and then Sunday Aaron and I had to wake up the two sleepy heads so they could check out of the hotel on time. Needless to say, Sunday mornings at breakfast in Vegas are not people’s finest hours. We were the most put together people there by a long shot.

Blurry, yet still i heart.

Then the drive home with some more poor music taste, but the last hour I took over as the title of DJ and it was much better. Oh, and Aaron was not feeling so hot. Because of our two sleepyheads we waited to eat breakfast for quite a while and Aaron has blood sugar issues. He denies it, but trust all of us, he has issues. Thus, he was not feeling great for the rest of the day. Poor Jessica had to sit in the back seat with Mr. Grumpy.

All in all we rocked Vegas. again.

almost time to bite the bullet & DWTS

random title, huh? well i should probably do 2 separate posts, but it kind of irritates me when the blogs I read have 3 posts in 1 day, why not just make 1 post?

firstly, if i like something i try and make sure i like it for several months before i buy it. well, we’re talking purchases that are not frivolous or involve an afternoon at target or old navy. things that would stay in my home or closet for a long time. like rock band, going on 2 months that i kind of still want one, but haven’t bit the bullet because i cannot imagine what minutes there are in any day to play this game. i have a hard enough time getting enough minutes of sleep in, let alone a video game. other things i try and follow this guideline are expensive shoes and handbags. large items for the house. you get my drift.

well, it’s almost time for this watch. i have a gorgeous watch that aaron gave me 5 years ago for our anniversary, and it’s my sole watch. needless to say, when the battery went dead for the first time in 5 years like it did last month, i have no clue what time it is until i search through my bag and find my phone. i have been eyeing this watch for about 3 months now. i like the big size, almost mens size, the gold color, which is opposite my other watch. to my mother and sister’s dismay i’m not a jewelry person. not at all. i’m lucky if i get out the door and remember to put studs in my ears and half the time i am not even wearing my wedding band. true story. a few weeks will go by and then i frantically search for my engagement ring. i always find it, relax. but i just rarely wear it. so it’s kind of exciting that a piece of jewelry, or maybe this is considered just an accessory, has caught my eye.  yeah, it’s almost time. . .

and secondly, Dancing With the Stars. Last night I got to go to a taping of it with a friend. Well, a taping for west coast, it’s live for east coast. It was the first time I have been to something like that. Pretty amazing. I have lots of juicy details.

We got VIP seats which means we didn’t have to wait hours in line like the people who sit in the balconies do. We walk through a back entrance and right into the stage area. It’s not as big as you would think. I could see every single face in the whole room. If your seats are on the floor you can mill around before the show starts. As the crowd was getting warmed up by a crowd warmer upper person a lady came up to me and my friend and asked if we could please move a few rows down. RIGHT BEHIND THE JUDGES. Oh, and YOU WILL BE ON CAMERA THE WHOLE NIGHT SO NO GUM CHEWING AND PLEASE CLAP AND SMILE. Sure! No problem!

The show was wonderful. There was a row of girls who were dying over Max and he was indulging them by blowing kisses and winking from the side stage. I immediately noticed Jake from the Bachelor and Vienna. BLUHHH! Can’t stand her. For half the show she looked bored out of her mind, yawning, fixing her lip gloss. And I noticed they didn’t hold hands or talk. He was too busy chatting with Kate Gosselin who was next to him. She looked really good, and seemed to be making a list during part of the show. The last half Jake and Vienna held hands and were more affectionate. Rick Fox was yummy looking, and he was sitting next to Kareem Abdul Jabar. Donny Osmond was there and I’ve never seen so many middle aged women crooning over someone. David Charvet, Brooke Burke’s hubby was there. She was beautiful. Very easy going. But the girl judge, Carrie Ann, got primped and sprayed and fixed EVERY SINGLE COMMERCIAL BREAK. And for you Project Runway fans, remember Mila? She was the wardrobe person for the judges! I think I was the only person who knew who she was. Each commercial break she would come out with her lint brush and adjust them.

There’s my juicy details from the show. Oh, and thirdly, my burn is second degree possibly third. Aaron told me last night, “too bad, you used to have beautiful legs.” Thanks babe.

What happens in Vegas. . . part 1

Before we get to the road trip. Can i just say that i am so sick of medical emergencies. Seriously, i think we have had MORE than our fair share for several years in the last few months. I’m not talking coughs and colds. It seems like we never get those anymore. The kids are pretty well almost all the time. And fortunately for me, I have noticed since I started regularly exercising that if the kids DO catch something, I skate on by unscathed. I’m talking about major things like ER visits, broken bones, eyeball issues, stuff like that. Saturday night Aaron and I settled in to watch a movie on Apple TV, we even opened a bottle of champagne, had our favorite snacks to dine on, kids asleep. About 5 minutes into the movie Aaron brought over some hot tea and he went back to the kitchen. I decide to pick up that mug of tea and rest it on my right thigh. Unfortunately maybe the champagne had my balance a little off, and instead I missed my right thigh and rested it on my inner right thigh thus spilling the entire mug of scalding hot tea all over my left thigh. I scream. I jump up, cannot even tell you what I did with the empty mug, ran a few feet into the dining room, still processing the pain and events that just happened, and then rip my sweatpants off. Aaron then realizes what has happened and ushers me into the bathroom. Without looking I get in the shower and after a few minutes I think I’ll be okay. Then I get out of the shower, and the pain begins. I stood in the hallway, crouched in a standing fetal position, writhing in pain.

I can honestly say that I have never felt that kind of fire. Next to natural childbirth with an almost 9 pound child, it was the most painful experience I’ve ever been through. And, unlike childbirth, where between the excruciating pain you have moments of calm and peace before the next wave hits, this never lets up. There is no less intense moments. The only thing that would dull it a smidge was ice packs. Which, when my brother in law came over he recommended against it. Thus, the tears and sobs until my sister couldn’t stand it anymore and put my ice packs back on my thigh. ahhhhhhh, thank you sister.

for about 7 hours i had to concentrate just to breath. forget about actually answering a question. i couldn’t comprehend, and the fact that i was in my panties sitting on my couch and not caring who walked through the door can tell you the pain level. Sometime around 3am I was dozing and realized that my  1am ice pack was now warm and my thigh was no longer on fire. Finally. I woke sometime after 9am and finally took the brave move to look at the damage. Not pretty. I think I am scarred for life. I have about a hamburger bun size burn that is mocha pink brown with the lower rim covered in blisters. And then about 2 inches above that I have about a half dollar size burn with a few blisters on that. It’s been wrapped and taped and fortunately no more pain. I just have to be super careful about keeping it clean and not touching the blisters.

I now can only imagine the pain real burn victims go through. And I understand why they have to be induced in comas because of the pain alone. Mine I’m sure was very minor compared to what people go through. And I’m sure I will have this scar from this point forward. But it could’ve been much worse. And I realize I’m dumb. I’m accident prone. And I need to use my brain more. There. I said it.

Now. Road trip.

first stop on any road trip . . . In n Out. It helped break up having to listen to my brother in law’s awful taste in music. Just think Color Me Bad followed by En Vogue. For 5 hours.

I knew if we didn’t stop here first thing, we never would. FINALLY we made it to the Vegas sign. Little dream of mine fulfilled. Check!

Yes, that would be Elvis in the background. Kind of steep however, one photo will cost you $10!

We stayed at Trump’s Hotel this time and was very impressed. No casino so less smoke and less weaving through slot machines and tables to get to where we want to go. Beautiful rooms.

Bouchon. Awesome French cuisine. For all those who may have received some text msg photos, it was from this place. And I had nothing to do with it.

The next day was the real reason we went to Vegas. It was the annual esthetician conference that my sister and I attend. It was great, everything we needed and then some.

Oh, and if you are in need of an awesome spray tan, call me. Don’t want to leave your house? No problem. I will hook you up with her. Her name is Jessica. I tried it out at the show myself and for someone who hasn’t seen the sun in 10 years except for underneath a huge hat and sun umbrella, well, I looked good! That really healthy glowy tan that I shake my head at as I walk by people since I know they just went to the tanning salon, yeah, that was what I looked like.