A Day in the Life

I was recently asked what my life is like as a mother of a busy household.  This was my response...

My day starts with approving HRH's outfit and hair style--yes, she wakes me every morning for this chore. lol

Get breakfast for the little boys. No, Max--you cannot survive on Wheat Thins. JJ you need more than 10 calories. Zeke--27 bowls of cereal is quite enough.

Let the dog out.

Let the dog in.  Feed the dog.

Get the boys ready for school, including telling M that his shirt is on backward, making J re-brush his teeth (this time with toothpaste), and telling Z that neither a pajama top nor a short sleeved shirt are recommended for the dead of winter.

Let the dog out.

Comb the boys hair, threaten to shave their heads.

Decide their teeth are still gross and re-brush them all myself.

Drive the boys to school--in my jammies, quite a sight...

Come home, let the dog in.

Do dishes, fold a load of laundry. Toss wash into the dryer.

Take a shower. Hair, makeup, clothes--not in that order...

Let the dog out.

Collect 47 items of laundry from bedroom and bathroom floors and start another load of laundry.

 Let the dog in.

Work on computer to fulfill customer orders.

Make phone calls to place new orders and locate new vendors and price lists.

Crate the dog.

Run to office and then panic when I realize that HRH is ready for a ride home from school and I'm still in SLC.

Pick up HRH from school.

Let the dog out.

Figure out something for lunch.

Let the dog in.

Help HRH with homework.
 
Do more laundry.

Talk to a friend.

Wash any remaining dishes, which is usually in the form of pots and pans for things I didn't even cook...

Finish up a little computer work.  Send emails.

 Let the dog out.

 Let the dog in. Crate the dog.

Drive to the school to pick up Sarah for our carpool. Drive HRH and Sarah to dance.

Get stuck in traffic on the way back from dance.  Make frantic calls to get someone prepared to do a rescue pick-up in case I don't get to the elementary school on time for the boys.

Dash home to get boys dressed in whatever uniform or outfit is necessary. Grab suitable snacks and deliver the boys to dance, tumbling, scouts, karate, or whatever oddity that they might be doing.

Let the dog out.

Let the dog in. Crate the dog.

Watch odd class in which boys participate in case of accidental injury causing an unforeseen stop by the ER.

Run to moms to save her from data-loss disaster.

Drive to Provo to pick up HRH. Stopping on the way to pick up print orders for work.

Drop Sarah off in Cedar Hills--dash home.

Let the dog out.

Get home in time to make ravioli and meatballs (from a can) for whomever will eat it. Scrounge for the rest of us... (I've been known to dine on Cheetos and Diet Coke.)

Let the dog in. Feed the dog.

Work on homework with the boys--once they graduate to Fourth grade, I will have successfully passed Third grade a grand total of 6 times...

Dump all three boys in the tub and threaten them with their lives if they don't use soap and shampoo.

Help HRH with more homework.

Let the dog out.

Let the dog in.

Talk to The Mister: this might equal a grand total of 3 sentences--especially if he's out of town and I am still struggling to get everyone off to bed.

Send everyone to bed--after brushing teeth (again, with toothpaste) for all the boys.

Do a little more computer work.

Watch The Big Bang Theory (I have 4 complete seasons on DVD).

Find anything that will pass as pajamas.

Read a book in bed.

Let the dog out.

Let the dog in. Crate the dog.

Pass out. Repeat.

Notice that I did not get all the laundry into the dryer, nor did I cook an appropriately nutritious meal. I didn't buy any groceries, nor did I pay the bills.  I neglected to clean the toilets. I didn't go shopping at the mall. I did not get a Smash Burger (tragic!). I didn't pick up the dry cleaning nor did I get the oil changed in my car.  I hope to do some of these things tomorrow... Or the next day... Or maybe next week......  We'll see.
 

Time

It's so crazy how quickly time gets away from us!
This photo was taken in July 1991. 

The little guy in the photo is The Boy. The handsome guy (with the cheesy grin) is my brother. I just realized that The Boy is now almost two years older than Tom was when this photo was taken.  Isn't that just too crazy? And mom, I'll send you a copy of this photo!

My Teen Redux--Sorta

It's always an interesting predicament to find your adult self back in your parents home.  It's happened to me briefly before, always as a temporary stop-over to a new landing place... The first time was when my ex-husband and I were in the middle of a military relocation...  (Ha ha...  you didn't even know there was an ex-husband, did you!?)  Later, I was in the process of re-labeling aforementioned man from Husband to Ex-Husband...  Both times, it was just a matter of months, but there is nothing like living in your childhood home to make you feel like you are reliving your teen years.  There's a certain feeling that you need to surrender your adulthood when you return to your parents home.

First, you are back in the territory dominated by your parents.  Always interesting when you have been queen of your own domain for a while.  There are the expected hours--to get up, to go to bed, to do assorted tasks...  There are the rules--don't leave that there, make your bed, put the dishes in the dishwasher.  Not that I wouldn't do those things anyway--but it's different when you're doing them because you are expected to, and not of your own accord.

And then there are all the old friends and neighbors...

Hello, Mrs. Quigley...  

How are you, Sister Day?  

Julie!  I haven't seen you since high school graduation!!! 

It's hard to be an adult in these situations...  You want to catch up with everyone, but how to do that?  You're not exactly the same person--circumstances and situations have invariably changed you (and the others, too).  You can't hang out in the bedroom with the stereo playing...  You can't stay out too late--that isn't exactly considerate to someone who is hosting you at their own inconvenience...  And yet, you want the opportunity to fill in the missing blanks in the lives of the people you have missed...

There are the familiar faces at church.  The same faces at the ball games (although those faces are now in the crowd, cheering their own children, and not on the playing field).  The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker...  It's all so familiar, and yet, it's all different.

Today, I find myself, once again, in my mom's domain.  We moved into my parents house nearly two weeks ago.  Our deadline for moving from our most recent home had arrived...  Unfortunately, our new home has not yet been completed.  **In fact, it is seriously behind schedule.**  So, here we are...  Not the young couple with the little baby...  Not the single mom...  No.  Our whole (rather over-sized) family.  That's two full-grown (theoretically) adults, a teen, The Buddies, and a dog.  This extreme multiplication in residency may prove to be challenging...  It's cozy, to say the least, but pleasant.

Besides the exponentially higher number of people, how is this  unifying-of-households different?  Well, for one thing, this isn't my childhood home.  My parents relocated (at my persistent urging) a few years ago.  It's been fabulous to have them so close...  And for this short-term tenancy, their relocation has been a blessing.  My children are able to stay in the same schools, see their usual friends, go to dance, soccer, and assorted activities...  Other than not having a bus--little has changed in their day-to-day lives.   But, the fact that this isn't the home of my childhood means that I don't know the neighbors.  I don't know the ladies at church.  I can't catch up with old friends...  And I'm not really feeling motivated to pursue new acquaintances because we won't be here very long...

So for me, life is in upheaval.  While I don't feel like I'm no longer a card-carrying member of the Adult Party, I do feel the sting of being The Secondary.  I miss my kitchen (not the physicality of it, just that it's mine--filled with my things).  I miss my brand of milk in the fridge.  I miss my collection of cookbooks.  I miss my high-capacity washer that can wash three sets of twin-sized sheets at once.  I miss knowing which channel shows my favorite TV shows.  I miss knowing where my stuff is...  Being able to find that shirt, those boots, this jacket...

But, really?  I can't complain.  My parents are Saints.  I do less cooking (mom and I are trying to share that responsibility).  Dad seems to enjoy spending time exercising Lola.  The Buddies love showing off their rapidly-improving reading skills to Grandma and Grandpa.  I have back-up chaperons, chauffeurs, and care-givers.  And best of all, I have about 4000 fewer square feet to clean!  Maybe we'll just stay here...

JUST KIDDING, MOM!  Don't have a heart attack!

Life here is rather pleasant, but I'm still looking forward to getting back to "normal" in our new home.

Scraping the Bottom...

Well, after a much anticipated night free from nocturnal wanderings, it's time to blog on a new topic. Problem is, life's gotten a little dull around here (**snicker/snort** actually, I'm just not sharing yet). So with nothing of interest to blog about, I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel to find a topic. You're free to either check out now, or just plow on through the muck.

School has started for the Crazy Beans. The Buddies are loving Second Grade. Per our previous decision, all three boys are in separate classes. This arrangement, while beneficial for The Buddies, has proven challenging for Moi. I'm afraid I threw a bit of a tantrum the other day over a particular assignment. The assignment involved making paper dolls resembling each boy. Sounds fun enough, right? WRONG! I've had to do this same assignment three times each year for three years in a row now! Did I say "I" had to do it? YES! Me. Moi. I. And I have enjoyed it only that first time. Technically, I guess it was only two years in a row, because HRH stepped in to stop the meltdown this year. Really, after six paper dolls I just couldn't do it again.

As for school for HRH... This year has been experiment in unconventional, or at least nontraditional education. There is a learning curve, for sure. But it's getting easier every week. Last week I threatened to change my name from "Mom" to something less effortless to holler through the house. It was a constant barrage of,

Mom, can you take a look at this? Mom! Mom? Moooooommmmmm...

I had to be very firm and remind her that I am NOT her teacher. She still doesn't like emailing and Skyping her teachers, but she's less resistant to it this week... It's getting better... Really... It is! :)

The Mister and Me

Sometimes life comes at you like a freight train.  You flinch as you bail out of the way and hope you cleared the carnage!  It's times like that when I'm so happy I have such a great guy at my side.

The Mister and I certainly have our differences of opinion.  We disagree on bedtimes (for us and for the kids!), we can find no common ground regarding literature, he likes lemon, I prefer chocolate...  But the one thing I know is that he will always be my rock when I really need it.

Tonight we attended the 50th Wedding Anniversary bash for some family friends.  As we were getting ready for the event, The Mister adamantly informed me that we would be having no such celebration.  When I raised my eyebrows, he informed me that one of us will have killed the other long before then!  Truth is, he'll be in his 80s by then...  But given the family history, he should still be alive and kicking.  And unless he significantly ups the amount on his insurance, he's actually more useful right here...

So, there it is...  My ardent admittance of undying love for The Mister.  Romantic, wasn't it?

The Cabin on the 24th

I know I'm a little behind in posting these photos, but I wanted to get them up before our next little vacation.  We were lucky enough to get to the cabin for the 24th of July (Pioneer Day for those of you not familiar with Utah holidays!).  It isn't very often that we get to go to the cabin these days...  School, dance schedules, sick days...  so many reasons.

But I'm so glad we made it this time!  We brought our new paddle boat and the kids had a blast with it!  It's like that big box at Christmastime.  All the kids want to play in the box instead of playing with their new toys.  Someone remind me, why did we buy the big, expensive motor boat when the kids are just as happy pedaling across the lake...?

The Princess captained the maiden voyage onto Puffer Lake.

 The Buddies all took a turn powering the watercraft.

 Later, we took a hike.  

Everyone was a little apprehensive about the posted warning of BEARS!
(pst, Grandma!  You are supposed to look scared!)

 Then we hiked to this remote location...

 We don't know where it got its name--but if this is poison, it sure is beautiful!

 We climbed as a group and were able to summit with a minimum of whining...
and only a couple grumpy faces...

 The last stop for the day was at the top!  

Above the tree-line and with plenty of snow for a snowball fight!  

No better way to cool off on a hot July afternoon!

Before we know it, there will be more snow than we can handle!  But for this day, this was the perfect ending to a really fun holiday at the cabin!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday.  We wish her many more years, good health, and lots of adventures!  We love you!

Happy Fourth!

There's always a bit of confusion when a holiday like The Fourth of July lands on a Sunday.  Do you celebrate on the actual day, the day before, the day after...?  For me, the confusion is amplified by the fact that our traditional activities have evolved. Actually, maybe they haven't evolved as much as they've fizzled out a bit.

Let's just say that July 4th was always a big deal when I was growing up in Fillmore.  In fact, it was even a big deal when I moved away.  I know that I am not unlike many other people, many of us return year after year...  The Mister didn't exactly see the draw of the Fourth of July in a small town.  Luckily, he was always a good sport and went along with it.  In fact, he started attending the festivities with me even before we were married.  

There's something All-American about a hometown parade, games in the park, fireworks on the baseball field...  I'll never forget those amazing days full of Popsicles, watermelon slices, games in the park, talent shows, and falling into bed after the fireworks (with a blooming sunburn).


Now that my parents have moved away, Fillmore just isn't the same for us.  Sure, we could still drive down for the day, but it isn't the same without a shady backyard to hang out in...  Ice cream maker slaving away, mom's pasta salad chilling in the fridge, water fights, and evening sparklers...

And it makes me sad to think that my kids will miss out on all of that.  Sadly, we no longer see fireworks light up the sky.  We don't decorate bikes and wagons for a kid-powered cruise down Main.  We don't throw balls at the Dunk Tank, eat Navajo tacos, or ride on the bouncy wagon.  We don't sit in the back of a pick-up truck and cheer the fire trucks, cheerleaders, and football team.  It certainly isn't the Fourth that I remember.  


This year was especially quiet for us.  Maybe we can make up for it with some fun festivities tomorrow.  I guess this is our chance at a Do Over...  Maybe it's a good thing that July 4th fell on a Sunday this year...

Happy Memorial Day!

After a fun day out on the lake with my family, I'm enjoying a relaxing evening at home.  The kids are freshly scrubbed and in their jammies.  The friends have all gone home.  I'm sunburned in a warm glowy kind-of-way, as opposed to the miserably fried kind-of-way...  And as I just said to The Mister, I love holidays that fall on a Monday.  We got to enjoy all the fun and togetherness of a Saturday, but tomorrow we don't have to rush off to church meetings and obligations...  It's a bit of a perfect scenario.

Memorial Day has always been meaningful for my family.  While we spent today on the lake, I remember many a Memorial Day spent driving from one cemetery to another to clean the family headstones and place mums or other florals upon the graves.  In the past few years there have been several additions to the graves that we visit...  Not only have some of our loved ones passed away, but through genealogy, we have identified other lost family members.  I joke that I don't want to take over the "older" generation's commitment to the cemetery pilgrimage...  But the truth is, I'm glad they do it, and I hope that somehow it will continue to get done.

And for those who have served, and who continue to serve our country, Thank You.  You, too are remembered today.  And I'm certainly grateful for all you have done to serve me, my family, and our glorious country.

Goodbye 2009

Our house has seen a lot of change this year.  Most of it good...  Here's the synopsis: 

The Boy found this wings this year and left the nest.  He moved into an apartment to be closer to school (and the social scene!).  We miss his fun personality, but he's happy, and that makes me really happy.  High School Graduation was a big event.  We're just waiting to see what comes next for him.

The Princess made a big change and left her dance studio.  She is now studying at a classical ballet studio.  We were surprised and flattered when she was asked to join Provo Civic Ballet, a pre-professional ballet company.  She is thriving with the new curriculum and we expect big things from her.

JJ lost his first two teeth this year.  He loves school, and his teacher has a real soft spot for him.  He wants to start taking hip-hop classes, but his propensity for visits to the ER have discouraged me from enrolling him...  Heaven, help us! 

Max is quite a little reader.  He's made some great friends at school and is always friendly.  He's been cracking us up lately with his home videos.  He's really a ham!  I wouldn't be surprised to see one of his films at the Sundance Film Festival in the future!

Zeke has lost one tooth so far this year, but he's working hard on another.  He's my best helper.  And my biggest, little boy.  He's gonna make a great football player some day!  Unless he decides to go to culinary school instead.  He's a big question mark...  Good at just about everything he does, but not  settled anywhere...

The Mister is still working in the pharmaceutical industry.  He travels more than I like, but he's doing well and he likes his job.  He bought a boat this year and has been renting it out to justify the cost.  It was going great until a renter hit a sandbar and curled the prop...  Oh, the joys of small business...

I'm not sure what I've actually been doing this year.  I'm always busy, but I don't have much to show for all my busyness.  I'm still in real estate, but it has taken a back seat to chauffeuring, chaperoning, and cheffing...  If things go as planned, I hope to do more with photography this coming year.

The Bean Family is healthy and well.  We look forward to seeing what 2010 will bring our way.  We wish our friends and family a prosperous new year, and wish you all the best! 

Happy Birthday Papa!

I have the best dad in the world.  (Don't argue with me, it's just the truth.)  And today we got to celebrate in his behalf.  I know his birthday was yesterday, but we celebrated today, deal with it. 

We took dad to Flemings for dinner.  If you've never been there, please go.  And don't forget to order the house specialty, Flemings Potatoes, with cream, jalapeños and cheddar cheese...  so yummy! 

Dad, Happy Birthday, you really are the best!  We all love you! 

Christmas Devotional

I spent this evening with my family.  We gathered at the home of my parents, and I was happy that The Boy came to join us.  We sat (not exactly reverently) in front of the fireplace and enjoyed some time together.  The goal was to watch the Christmas Devotional by the leaders of the LDS church.  But what I enjoyed the most was spending time with all of the people I love.

My wish this season is to spend more time enjoying my family.  I hope that today was a glimpse into the days to come.

A link to the devotional follows for anyone who would like to listen.

First Presidency Christmas Devotional

Cooking for the masses...

OK, so maybe cooking for a family of seven isn't really cooking for the masses.  I think cooking for the masses might be easier. 

Something about the term the masses makes the situation seem a little dire.  I think the masses would be more appreciative of my cooking.  But around here, the masses have distinct opinions.  It doesn't matter what I cook, someone is going to grumble and complain.  I figure it's a good day if the eaters outnumber the grumblers.  Sometimes I get lucky, but most often it falls upon The Mister and myself to come up with something additional for at least one picky eater.  Additionally, it seems like the more one child likes my entree, the more his brothers dislike it.  It's a no-win situation for sure.

Tonight I made quiche.  I thought I was a safe bet as everyone has claimed to like it in the past.  Of course that wasn't the case tonight.  Max loved it.  So, of course, JJ couldn't tolerate it.  Zeke was fairly ambilvelant, he ate some of it then requested to leave the table without finishing his meal.  oy.

Maybe I need to shake things up a little more.  I could always try some entirely new dish about which nobody has preconceived ideas.  The danger is that nobody will eat it.  Oh well.  I guess I could always just make dessert.  Nobody ever turns that down!  Actually, that's not entirely true...  Max won't eat ice cream...  how can anyone not like ice cream?

If anyone has suggestions, I'm open to them.  What does your family eat?

My Favorite Outlaws

We had a little fun on Pioneer Day... Always an adventure around here...

Afternoon at the Movies

It seems like there is nothing more relaxing than an afternoon at the movies. With the temperature climbing, I thought a family movie day was in order. You'd think that would be easy... Trust me, it's not! First, consider the age spread of our flock. At the high end, we have the Senior Citizens (No! Not me!!! grandma and grandpa! sheesh...), at the low end we have the kindergarten-graduated Little Buddies. Between, we have the teen, the tween, The Mister, and myself... Now try finding a movie that everyone is willing to see!

Enter, the second dilemma... We settled on a movie--UP--but, lucky us, it comes is two versions, 3D and 2D...

For those of you who haven't met JJ, let's just say he has issues. And 3D cinema comprises a major portion of his entertainment issues... He hates 3D. And no, hate is not too strong a word... Of course, everyone else (I thought) was excited to see the 3D version of the movie. After all, how many 3D movies are released each year--it's a fun change of pace, right?

Grandma and I decided to accompany JJ to the 2D version, leaving the rest of the clan to attend the 3D showing. Thank heaven I confirmed with everyone before purchasing my tickets in advance!

As it turns out, The Boy didn't want to wear the goofy glasses, and Zeke wants to sit next to JJ. So that leaves The Mister, grandpa, HRH, and Max in the 3D showing.

Of course, there are still issues because HRH doesn't want to be the only girl in her group, but she doesn't want to sacrifice the 3D experience. And just as a side note, Max (while insistent that he must attend the 3D version) has problems with his vision. Technically, we are paying more for his 3D ticket (3D showings cost $2/person more) so he can attend the 3D showing, but he physically cannot see 3D. He has no depth perception, so the 3D technology is lost on him... Geez!

After much discussion about which theater, what time, and who will sit by whom, we made it to the movie(s). The kids claimed to love it. Grandma said it was cute. I'm going to tell everyone how much I loved it, and how cute it was too... But don't tell my kids... I actually fell asleep! I'm sure glad mine wasn't one of those expensive 3D tickets!!!

Happy Memorial Day

I think it's safe to say that I come from a patriotic family. My grandfather was a Colonel in the Air Force. I remember him displaying the flag from a bracket and pole next to the front door of his house. My dad took up the tradition as well. We always flew a flag on important occasions.

Many people view July as the month for patriotism. And I remember our family gatherings on the Fourth of July. I remember that my cousins and I stopped at every flag along the street to say the Pledge of Allegiance. But more importantly, I remember Memorial Day. And I knew the meaning of that holiday as well.

I don't think there were many kids my age who knew the reason behind this holiday. They identified Memorial Day only because it heralded the coming of summer vacation. But I learned the meaning at a young age. In fact, I served as Miss Poppy for our local American Legion Auxiliary post when I was about eight years old. That year, I visited several area cemeteries, gave speeches, and placed wreathes on the flagpoles. To this day, I try to make my annual contribution by purchasing a veteran-made, paper poppy. I know it might seem like an insignificant gesture to some, but to me, it isn't.

My family had a Memorial Day tradition of it's own. Every year we made the trek to scattered cemeteries to place flowers on the graves of family members. Fillmore, Hinckley, Spanish Fork... Those were the important destinations for our family for the weekend. And as we tidied the headstones, and placed flowers and wreaths, we were reminded of who these people were, and why they were significant. I can't say I always enjoyed the hours-long car ride, but I recognized it's importance. And I did learn our family history in a way that made those far-gone people seem relevant to me and my life.

I know my mom worries that this tradition of placing flowers on the graves will die with her generation. And while I can't promise to locate all the family markers, I do recognize the importance of the tradition. And I won't ever forget the stories that my grandma shared with me. So, don't worry mom... When the time comes, I'll do my best to honor the tradition. Thanks for sharing it with me.

It's not always about the shoes...

I tried on some snazzy shoes today. I wore 'em around for a couple of hours... I played, I danced, I jumped up and down... Then I returned them. Oh, did I forget to mention that they were rented, bowling shoes?


The Boy is finishing up some independent study courses before graduation. While I'm happy to support this worthy endeavor, I didn't realize that it would include $72.00 in bowling charges!

Apparently, The Boy has signed up for bowling as an elective. He needs to turn in score cards showing that he has been working to improve his game. So, we packed up the family for FHE (Family Home Evening) and headed down to Jack and Jill Lanes.

Our bowling styles were as varied as our sizes... Grandpa was the best bowler--he outscored all of us without much effort. Grandma was the designated cheerleader--YAY! The Mister was his typical, efficient self... I was Queen of the Gutter, didn't matter which one, I used them both. The Boy had difficulty finding the lane with his long hair covering his face, but scored acceptably anyway. The Friend was equally acquainted with strikes and gutter balls. HRH has a very dainty style, which seems to be more suited to Wii bowling. Max likes the ramp. JJ is fond of the bumpers. Zeke slides down the lane, handily attached to the ball.

And at the end of the evening, the consensus was that the evening was fun, and that my shoes were uglier than the rented bowling shoes. I disagree. I have very cool shoes--wanna see?They were wrong--right? These are cool shoes! Well, that's what I believe, and I'm sticking with it! As for the bowling? We'll be back for a second go at it. Any suggestions for which bowling alley has the best shoes?

I Met My Sister...

For many of my friends, meeting with a sister isn't a big event. Things are a little different for me. When I say I met my sister, I don't mean,

Let's meet in Vegas. I'll book the room...

What I actually mean is something more along the lines of,

Hello. Glad to meet you...

I know some of you were confused by this post, and then this and this did nothing to enlighten anybody. And then there was this (notably, numbers 15 & 25). And even this from yesterday left some people wondering... And now that you know I've just met my sister for the first time, maybe it all makes a little more sense.

The background of my story isn't really so unusual. I was adopted as a baby. I always knew about my adoption, and it never bothered me. I grew up in a happy and healthy family. I never felt disconnected, nor did I feel like I was missing something.

At one point, I needed some family medical history. I contacted some of the names from my legal file, but I never really got anywhere. I posted to a reunion website--I didn't want a reunion, I just wanted the info... Anyway, I forgot about that web posting and 13 years went by...

Two years ago, a brother googled himself and my web posting came up. Talk about a shocking revelation--he'd never heard anything about me. We made contact, but his sister didn't believe his story. A few months ago, this brother put my photo on his Facebook page. That was the beginning of a lot of chaos. I would seem that my looks were startling, to say the least... After considering the situation, this sister decided to contact me.

Anyway, after many long phone conversations, along with prolific emailings and copious text messages, we decided to meet. And the past three days have been exciting and fun and amusing and enlightening and... I've struggled to put a title on our budding relationship. I know what it's like to have a friend. I even know what it's like to have a brother. But I've never had a sister... until now... because that's how I feel about her.

A Perfect Winter Weekend

Our Cabin Fever has been eradicated.

This is where we received our treatments.

The first step of treatment looked something like this.

The second step was something like this.

Treatment would not be complete without a little of this.

And it's hard not to indulge in a little of this.

By the end of the weekend. We looked a little like this.

It's a good thing...

Cabin Fever

My idea of Cabin Fever and your idea of Cabin Fever are probably dissimilar. The difference? I am able to rid myself of Cabin Fever by a weekend getaway at an actual cabin! We love to pack up the kids and run away for a weekend of snowmobiles, sledding, snowball fights, and snow forts.

So--we're off! I hope you're weekend is as fabulous as ours will be!