The Groove

Daphne is on her last 2 days of medicine.  The weather has been delightful.  The flowers are blooming.  And I am getting my groove back.

Signs of the groove:

• Making time for hanging out with friends
• Spending time on the porch
• Going for walks
• Returning to my Pilates class
• Eating less bad food

These things have all happened this week.  Tonight, I am going out to dinner with Kev.  If I can just get my house cleaned up and start knitting again and get some Girl Scout stuff done, I will be in full on Groove.

Baby steps.

Meanwhile, my mood has improved 100%.  This is the cherry tree in my back yard:

And the one in the side yard is about to burst forth into pink greatness:

It is easier to be in a good mood in the spring.  I am choosing to just appreciate that, and not dwell on the impending summer.  (And apparently the impending return of the 17 year cicadas). 

The weekend looks promising.  Temps in the 60s, no plans on Saturday, and a day at the Girl Scout Camp on Sunday where there will be hiking and s'mores.  As long as no one gets sick, my groove is in good shape.

I hope I didn't just jinx myself.
Stay tuned...

Ten

Today is our 10th anniversary.  And our second Squirreliversary, but that's another story. Our wedding was a lot of fun in spite of the fact that there were NO TABLECLOTHS.  (Only my mom will get that.  But it's funny, trust me.  I mean, WE WERE PROMISED TABLECLOTHS!)

Good grief, look how young we were in that picture.  Today, I don't feel so young.  I am beaten down because all three of us are in various stages of sick.  I'm almost over a cold, Kev is smack in the middle of one, and Daphne has pneumonia.  Pneumonia!  She had to get a chest x-ray and everything.  So, we probably won't be doing much celebrating today.  But we have big plans for later that may or may not include NANTUCKET, so I can wait to celebrate.  And all things considered, Kev would probably rather have a cold than to have to get squirrels out of the wall today.  We'll just make this whole year our Tenth Anniversary Year.  Once we all get well.

Anyway, it has been a good ten years.  There have been some highs and lows, but I can't complain.  I'm feeling pretty lucky.  Looking forward to the next ten!  Happy Anniversary Kev!

My Owl is Here!

Here is the finished owl I made at the pottery place.  He is awesome and shiny and blue.  One foot is slightly raised and his wings are flared out and he looks like he is ready to break into a tap dance.  He makes me happy every time I look at him.

Sprink Break in Pictures

Spring Break started off great.  Everyone was healthy for once.  Kev and I went to school on Friday to surprise Daphne at lunch, then we told her to go ahead and get her stuff and we'd go home early.  In the car, she noticed her sleeping bag, and after a couple of clues, she realized we were going to GREAT WOLF LODGE.   Pulling off this surprise was definitely worth all the planning and secrecy.  She literally (and I'm literally using the word "literally"here as it's meant to be used) squealed with delight when she figured it out.

We swam, we went down big scary water slides, we ate in tents, we went to the arcade, we did the whole magic wand wizardy thing, we howled -

It was really really fun.  That place is expensive, but it was like a dream come true for Daphne.  We will never have to go to Disney.  Woohoo!

On our way home, we spent about an hour in Colonial Williamsburg, which was also really cool.

So, for two days, things were great.  Then, when we got home, Daphne woke up crying in the middle of the night with what turned out to be an ear infection and high fever just in time for our house guests - Kev's mom and dad, sister, and two of our nephews. We had big plans for our time with them, but ended up doing pretty much nothing because all three kids were sick.  Still, it was a nice visit, and the kids got to play, Kev got to record some stuff with his dad and sister, and the Easter eggs got colored:

By Easter, Daphne was feeling better.  The Easter bunny was good to her and brought many Lindor Truffles and a Lego Star Wars game for the Wii among other things.  My Easter basket contained wine and chocolate and flower seeds and a kick-a$$ rolling pin from one of Ye Olde Williamsburg Shoppes.  Thanks, Easter bunny!  Kev got beer and a Star Trek shirt and some snacks and things.  We had a great Easter Brunch in Manassas, and we got to play with Scout.

Yesterday was Monday, and the kids had an extra day off, so I decided to take Daphne into DC for a final little field trip.  We met Uncle Jeff for lunch at the Good Stuff Eatery, and the toasted marshmallow shakes did not disappoint.

After lunch, Daphne and I walked around Capitol Hill, and visited the American Indian Museum.

Finally, we took in a planetarium show at the Air and Space Museum. 

It was a good day out.  But by the end of it, the nice warm sunny day turned cold and windy, and by the time we got home, I was full blown sick.  Again.  I swear to you that our family is keeping the good people of Kleenex in business.  I bet we went through at least 25 boxes of tissues in the month of March.  On the way home from DC, I stopped and bought six more.  We'll see how long those last, because now Kev says his throat kinda hurts.  Just in time for our tenth anniversary, which is Friday.

Supposedly, this has been one of the worst cold and flu seasons on record, and I believe it.  I think Spring is finally here now, though, so hopefully this is the last round of sick.  Because I have had it.  I don't like to complain, because I know things could be so much worse, but this winter has seriously been the opposite of fun in almost every way. My groove keeps getting derailed and I can't get anything done.

I hope that wherever you are, you are healthy and enjoying the beginning of spring.  Get ready for pictures of tulips and things!

Owls

Pottery classes are fun.  My owl is hiding in the back.  Soon he will be all shiny and glazed and blue. I can't wait.

Trap Times Two

When I was a kid, the only thing we did to "celebrate" St. Patrick's Day was wear green to school so we wouldn't get pinched.  But now, it's all about the Leprechaun trap.  If you have read this blog for long, you may remember my first introduction to this tradition.  What an awkward scene, and a moment of Mommy Failure. Last year, we were prepared.

But this year, things have gotten a little out of hand.  Not only will we be making a HOME trap, but Daphne also made a trap for SCHOOL.  It was an optional assignment, but how could she pass up the chance to tape things to other things?  She proudly took it on the bus this morning in a brown paper bag, clutching it tightly to keep it from blowing away in the crazy wind.  The teacher will be leaving traps all around the classroom over the weekend.  Monday is sure to be an entertaining day at school.

Daphne and I worked on the "crafty" part of the trap after school...all the decorating and stuff.  Then, Kev helped with the engineering last night.  I have to say that Daphne is a pretty clever little inventor, and it's fun to see her get all caught up in these projects.  We had to talk her down from some pretty lofty ideas, but everyone was happy with the final result. 

I wonder what she'll catch in there.  Hopefully not more flu germs.

I don't know if I have it in me to execute another trap for home.  I think I am going to suggest some double stick tape to use like fly paper, and a beer for the bait.  Nice and simple.

PS.  Last year, the leprechaun turned over a couple of chairs and threw around some stuffed animals.  Last night, Kev actually suggested that THIS year's leprechaun might sprinkle glitter all around.  It is clearly the fever talking.  If this leprechaun knows what's good for him, there will be NO glitter sprinkled in my house.

Good Eats

I feel like I am coming out of hibernation.  This has been such a strange winter.  I don't know if all the Slow caused my immune system to think it could take a break, or what.  But I just finished my third round of sickness since mid-January.  This time, it was the flu.  I blame the petri dish that is Daphne's school bus, and the fact that she has a loose tooth and can't keep her fingers out of her mouth.

Friday night was so nice.  Kev and I went to our Hawaiian cooking class and it was a blast.  We made delicious coconut braised chicken, bacon and pineapple fried rice, and awesome caramelized bananas.  The teacher was great, the food was great...really really fun.  I want to go again.  But halfway though eating the meal we worked so hard to prepare, I started to feel feverish and achy.  Then, I touched my eye.  And even though it had been a couple hours and several hand-washings since I chopped up that serrano pepper, touching my eye was a big mistake.  Eye On Fire.

In spite of all that, though, it was a great night out.  But Saturday was a different story.  I knew I was really sick because my hair hurt.  I do not like the flu.  I am feeling much better now, but Kev isn't feeling great.  Fortunately, he started on tamiflu the day I got my diagnosis, so he will probably not have it too bad.  Plus, HE did not have to get his nostrils swabbed.  Taking it for the team.  It's what I do.

Yesterday, I went outside for what seems like the first time in months, even though it had only been a few days.  The sun was out in the afternoon, and I noticed a couple of my bulbs have bloomed.  I would go take a picture, but I am still in my pajamas.  I am ready for spring.  And I am officially done being sick.  Dee. Yoo. Enn.  No more.  It's time to get outside and take walks and knit on the porch and all that stuff.  I have to enjoy it before summer comes along and sucks the life out of me again.

Last night, I took Daphne to Sweet Frog for a little Girl Scout's 101st birthday celebration.  She could not stop eating long enough to let me take a nice picture.  Sweet Frog is greatness.

Tomorrow, the good eats continue.  I'm going to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants with some friends, and then the owl-making pottery class.  Good eats, and good times.  And no more sick.  Spring!

Sad Sad Snow Day

Well, Kev still has a job, the sky hasn't fallen, and we haven't been swallowed up by the earth.  It snowed yesterday as promised, and school was cancelled.  Woohoo, right?  Um...no.

Daphne woke up with a temperature of 101 on the day of the one and only significant snowfall of the season.  No snowman, no sledding, no snowball fights for this kid.  She did get to have brownies.  And watch a couple movies.  And have some snow ice cream with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips.  But still.  Sick on a snow day.  Poor kid.

I suppose it's OK, though.  I heard that the snow was wet and mushy, and that it was so windy out that it wasn't much fun anyway.  And the other kids had to go back to school today, but Daphne got a second day off. 

Sigh.

I am ready for spring now.  And for a consistently healthy family. 

PS.  I am not really jazzed about any of the kids on American Idol this season.  My two favorites, if I had to pick, would be Burnell and Kree.  (Spell-check seems to agree with me that these are not real names.)  That poor Charlie kid...what a disaster.  And the big guy, Curtis (?), is really over-rated.  Most of the other kids are just boring.  If I have to hear another Whitney Houston song or "I Believe I Can Fly" again, I'm afraid I might start hurling things at the TV. 

Yes.  I watch American Idol.  No apologies.   I also watch Project Runway, Worst Cooks in America, and Sweet Genius.  And Mister Rogers.  And Star Trek.  So there you go.

Spring?

Hello, Blog!  Nice to see ya!  It's been a long tiiiime...

There is no real reason I haven't been here for so long.  I just haven't.  I haven't been taking pictures.  I haven't really been doing anything blog-worthy.  I've just been hanging out at home,  volunteering at school, taking care of Girl Scout cookies, and dealing with allergies. I've done a couple things with friends, seen some movies with Kev and Daphne, gone to a couple of events with the troop.  We had a skunk for a couple of days, but it went away.  Nothing anyone would want to read about.  But I miss this blog, so I'm back.  

I thought I needed a photo, so I just now went outside and took this one.  It's nice out.  Sunny, not too cold.  My bulbs are coming up.  BUT.  Tonight, it is supposed to snow.  A lot.  Finally, just when I had given up on winter and started to embrace the idea of spring.  I'm glad for this last little opportunity to play in some snow.  I hope it actually happens.  I have filled up the car with gas.  There is at least three days worth of pork bbq in the crock pot.  My milk and toilet paper supplies are good.  I bought a brownie mix and got a giant pile of library books. I have a sleeve that I really need to knit.  Bring it on.

They are calling this storm the Snowquester.  Funny.  But the real sequester isn't funny at all.  Over 100 people at Kev's office were laid off yesterday.  I think Kev will be OK, but I guess you never really know with these things.  I try not to fret about things, but I am a fretter.  It's in my genes.  Lay-offs, sink holes, asteroids...one can never just breathe easy.  If one is a fretter.  Do they have Fretters Anonymous?  My hair is getting really silver.

Some good stuff is coming up.  Kev and I are taking a cooking class on Friday night.  We'll be learning to make Hawaiian food.  The band is practicing on Saturday.  Cookie Sales are almost over.  I'm going out with my friends next week for dinner and a pottery class - we're making OWLS!  We're surprising Daphne in a couple of weeks with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge (shhhhhh...).  Kev's mom and dad, his sister, and my two awesome nephews are coming for a visit.  Kev and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary soon.  So, as long as Kev has a job, the sky doesn't fall, and we don't get suddenly and violently swallowed up by the earth, things are good.  It would seem the odds are in our favor.

I shall be back soon, I hope, with stories of fun times in the snow.  Stay safe and warm!

 

Happy Valentine's Day - LRHS Style

Good Times, The Slow Continues

This is Walker Texas Robot.  He was built over the weekend by Daphne and Kev from a kit that Kev got for his birthday.  I tried to post a video, but it didn't work.

Since Mardi Gras was coming, we celebrated on Sunday with some Slow Cooker Creole Red Beans and Rice.  Delicious.  Details coming soon on the other blog.  I hope.

Yesterday, I went to a big parking lot full of trucks and trucks of Girl Scout cookies.  Sixty-one cases were loaded into my little Subaru. Then, I brought them home and unloaded them into the playroom. 

 Daphne thought this would be a good place to do her reading homework.

We have also been working on Valentines for the class party.  This year, we're doing Shrinky Dinks.  Definitely good times.  But a little labor intensive.

Kev and I got to go to lunch and a movie on Saturday.  We had awesome Lightfoot crab bisque and saw Argo, which was really really good.  I like going to the movies.  I wish we could go more often.

I feel good about our pace at the moment.  We're doing Just Enough stuff.  We're not bored, but we're not overwhelmed.  How long can it last?

Two Hour Delay - In Pictures

I woke up in a bad mood.  Kev said to do something fun.  So, Daphne and I took advantage of the two hour snow delay and walked downtown to the Leesburg Restaurant for pancakes and hot chocolate.  I am in a better mood now.  Thanks, Kev.

Big Tex

Today is the 100th day of school, and to celebrate, the first graders dressed up in their best western-wear and played math games. I got to go to the celebration as a parent volunteer.  Daphne wore jeans, a horse shirt, a bandana and a hat.  What she did NOT wear are her boots, which she left sitting sadly in the middle of the floor:

She will now not wear any shoes that she cannot curl her toes in.  I fear there may be some shoe related battles ahead.

At school, one of the activities was to imagine what you might look like when you are 100 years old, and then make a self-portrait.  Here is the conversation that occurred in Daphne's class:

Mrs. D. (the teacher):  So, what do you think you will be like in 100 years?

Daphne:  (Hand shoots up)

Mrs. D.: Daphne?

Daphne:  Um, not alive any more?

Then, she proceeded to make her 100 year old portrait look like a ghost.  That's the spirit, Daph.  (Haha...get it?  Spirit?)

Daphne told me that if we go to Texas, she has two outfits to pack.  The one she's wearing above, and another pair of jeans with a button-up denim shirt.  I said I hate to tell you, Daphne, but nobody really dresses like that.  We lived in a big city.  I could tell she was disappointed.

We are still in the early talking stages of thinking about possibly planning to maybe go to Texas.  My awesome friend Emily has already said we can stay at her house, which is great.  If I get my act together, I can take my owl sweater down there and she can help me attach the sleeves.

If we go, it will be nice for Emily because she will not have to cook one single meal for us.  Most of my To Do in Texas list consists of getting my fix at my favorite restaurants..  Here is my list:

TO DO IN TEXAS:

• Try to see as many of my friends/family as possible
• Take Daphne to see our old house/neighborhood and G-Ma and G-Pa's old house in Garland
• Attach the sleeves of my owl sweater
• Go to the Dallas Arboretum
• See all the new stuff downtown
• Cafe Madrid (tapas)
• La Duni (Sunday Brunch)
• Freebirds (burritos!)
• Dream Cafe (Cloud cakes and cheese grits)
• Barbec's Diner (Beer biscuits and gravy)
• Sonny Bryan's (BBQ)
• Hattie's with Anne and Emily (more grits)
• Gloria's (black bean dip and tres leches cake)
• Mai's (#38a)

What am I forgetting?

OK.  Time to go do something productive.  This afternoon we are taking the Daisies to the library to celebrate the 146th birthday of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  We have been promised some Hoe Cakes.  Our library is awesome.

A Better Pace

This weekend, things were sort of back to normal.  No one was sick.  There was a good balance of getting things done, relaxing, and doing fun stuff.  On Saturday night, after a day of errands, we had a Clone Wars marathon, and then Daphne and Kev camped out in the attic.   On Sunday, we drove to Maryland for breakfast.  Just barely Maryland.  Less than a mile in.  We went to Beans in the Belfry, which is right across the river in Brunswick.  I had biscuits and gravy.  I have been craving biscuits and gravy, and these did not disappoint.  It's funny, though, that I had to leave a confederate state just to get some good southern food.  The part of Virginia where I live is definitely not part of The South.  What it lacks in biscuits, however, it more than makes up for in scenery.  On our way to Brunswick, we drove through the country and saw wineries and farms and sheep and alpacas.  Even in the middle of winter, it's pretty out there.

We had a little bit of snow off and on throughout the weekend.  Nothing you could play in, but it was pretty.  This is the winery where I go for my pilates classes.  It's beautiful out there, and sometimes you can hear the hounds running in the woods and it sounds like wolves.  The guy next to the winery keeps hounds.  There are owls out there too.  We work out up in the loft of the barn.  Much nicer than a yucky old fluorescent-lit smelly gym.  This is about 8 minutes from my house.  I suppose I could just make my own biscuits and gravy.

I have learned to play the Cotton Eyed Joe on the fiddle.  It's fun to play because it's pretty easy and really loud. We have band practice next weekend, and as usual I am not prepared.  Band practice is stressful for me because I have the loudest and least forgiving instrument, so when I mess up (which is a LOT), it messes up the whole song.  When the other guys mess up, no one even notices.  This wouldn't matter so much if we were just playing for our own amusement, but there is a little bit of a push to play an open-mic.  I think I'd rather have a shot in the eyeball than screw up on the fiddle in front of a bunch of people. 

I'd also rather have a shot in the eyeball than fly on a plane, but Kev has recently introduced the possibility of taking a trip to Dallas, which I really want to do.  I wish I was a normal person.  I was sort of starting to psyche myself up to go, but then I saw a thing on the news this morning about planes having lithium batteries that catch on fire, and no one is bothering to do anything about it.  I wish there was a fast train to Texas.  I can get REALLY good biscuits and gravy there.

OK...Off to start my week.  The laundry awaits.