Better Week

This week has been going much better, except for the dumb Ohio weather. Sunday was 81 and beautiful.  Monday it rained a ton and was just dreary and bluck.  I worked from bed and it was actually quite cozy and productive.

And then yesterday it snowed - real snow, not just the little flurries that don't do much.
I have captioned this "The Agony of Defeat" - poor things. They are still all slumped over like they've given up for good.

Silas and I have been butting heads quite a bit for the last couple weeks.  He's been very whiny and quick to lose his temper and I've been lacking patience myself.  He's such a funny kid though.  For example, last week:
Silas: Can I have my vitamin? I've got white bumps on my arm.
Me: White bumps?
Silas: I'm not sure but it could be scurvy...
Me: ???


It's so easy to get lost in and overwhelmed by the millions things that always need to be done. Household stuff, work stuff, friends/family obligations...on and on.  I feel lucky that most often, I have the ability to step back and put things into perspective.  Clean the toilets or spend time outside with Justin and the kids on a (currently rare) sunny day.  I'll go with the latter.  And by the state of my house...I probably make that choice a bit too much!  But oh well...

At least I've got my sanity...right?!?  ??

April Fools?

Oh, I hope today's weather wasn't a big tease! I can't remember ever longing for warm, sunny weather like I have this long, long winter!

No soccer practice this evening (Justin is coaching both teams again this season) so the kids got to come home and play outside until dinner and then we walked up to the school for some extra outside time.
Ella, mason and Silas were all playing soccer against the garage again...it looks like someone scored!



Ella roller bladed up to the school. I think i need to get mine out soon and give my knees a break from running.


Found this when looking for my other pictures from today. She is getting way too big...hard to believe that 6th grade in a new school is right around the corner.


I'm ready for yard work and gardening and bike rides and sitting on patios and...no.more.snow!

Random update #129

So, it's finally been nice enough weather to get out and do some gardening, planting, hang out outside...it's a super busy time of year with the spring sports for the kids, finishing up school / end of year activities, outside yard work, busy times at work for both of us and sick kids...Si and Ella have both recently had a pookie bug.

Last weekend was my lovely book group and it was our first gathering of the season in the gardens at Susan's.  I could go over there weekly and never tire of taking pictures of her wonderful garden.

I'm finding that May is routinely becoming a very busy month.  This year I did the Race for the Cure again and it was an incredibly beautiful morning.  We had SO much fun. And we stopped afterward and had a yummy breakfast at great little cafe in the Arena district.

(Sarah's - I would never eat such an atrocity of calories! ;)

Emma Lou (Beth's mom) and Margie at the walk

Cool video clip of the race here

This week started some of the final count down stuff at schools.  Ella had crazy hat day on Monday.  She pulled out the perfect hat.  Tuesday was mismatch/backwards day and she wore striped pants and flowered shirt - both backwards. But i forgot to take a picture of that.

This week has also been "first corn on the cob eating" week.  Yay for Florida corn!  It was yummy and made Silas very happy (something that has been very hard to do these days...)!

And speaking of corn, we also planted our own this year.  When we first plant the garden it's so disappointing - how barren it looks. But I know within a month it will be absolutely bursting.  We planted some corn, 3 kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, beets, snap peas, lettuce, some herbs...and we have a rhubarb plant the size of Texas. Looks like a big weed!

I was able to sneak out last week and take a few pictures - lilies, a bull frog hiding in the grass at Tara's, 

we have a nest and eggs in our shrub, some gorgeous roses have been blooming and I finally planted some pots and hanging baskets.

I'm ready for summer - bring it on!!

Spring Sports

This spring all 3 kids are in sports - makes for some hectic running around but it's fun to see them all doing different sports.

Mason ran track and did great for his first year (especially since he wasn't a runner before practice started). He beat his goal of under a 6 minute mile.

Ella is playing soccer and Justin is coaching again.  She does a great job of going after the ball and elbowing her way in on plays.

And Silas is playing t-ball this spring/summer.  Justin and I are coaching and it's QUITE an experience!  I came home black and blue after the first practice, as bat control is not in the skill set at this early stage in the game.

Doing some base running...

And some batting practice - this time he hits the ball and not me!

WOW, what a gorgeous weekend!

Spring has sprung! It was beautiful this weekend! It was packed full of so much stuff - we can't even begin to get it all down...working around the house, washing cars, Ella's first soccer game, bike riding, grilling out, book group, running errands, bumps and bruises...the list goes on.

I have to say, if my husband ever leaves me, it (probably) won't be because we fight about money or sex...it will be because of the state that I sometimes (regularly) leave the counter tops...
After a VERY full day of running around, washing cars, soccer, iPoding - I also had book group tonight ( and we had a wonderful, fun book group tonight!) and it was my night to make dessert. So I made dessert and then looked at the MESS of a house I was leaving my husband to deal with (and his MAJOR pet peeve is mess/clutter on the counters).

I felt really guilty (but was running late) - of course when I came home, he had them cleared off (kids were still awake but hey, I'll take that trade).

I have about 145 pictures of mostly soccer to post but here are a few of them:

Warm-up (one armed push-ups)

Ella was a big grump before the game

Silas practices his "Word-up" pose

Ella gets her feet on the ball and does a little dribbling

More tomorrow :)

Birthday party pictures and Congrats!

Here is the link to the party pictures that Melissa took (right click to open in new window):

Ella Birthday party

Justin had Good Friday off from work and started the spring cleaning. The kids are on spring break this coming week - hopefully we'll have some decent weather so that we can get outside some. We all have Spring Fever - I'm ready for cookouts and porch sitting!!

Congrats to Sean and Kim - they welcomed baby Michael into the world on March 18th - 5 lbs., 5 oz. - He's a doll:

I finally got a chair to match my desk - it's just like our kitchen chairs but wood. $20 at World Market!!

And El and Si (with a boo-boo on his chin)