This past weekend I went to visit this chic-a-dee. Long story short, I pretty much invited myself to stay with her! I'm awesome like that. We have developed a friendship through blogging. We went to college together, have mutual friends -but haven't gotten to really know each other until the last few years -via the world wide web. I love living in a time where such things are possible! I love blogging/email/facebook for this reason. It's so easy to CONNECT. We are lucky.

The weekend was lovely and relaxed and I am so grateful for the hospitality shown to me... I really enjoyed hanging with this little 'growing' family. I love learning from others examples. And, I already have Wyatt betrothed to this bundle of joy. Not even kidding. She melted my heart.


And it was so nice to know things were just fine w/out me at home thanks to Nana and to Jess. I know I am very lucky.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So now I am trying to play catch-up with life. Here are some thoughts.



-I met the sweetest sisters on the flight back home. (We sat by each other). They must have been in their late 70's at least. I am grateful that I am becoming better at making conversation -life is so much more interesting that way.

-I am really in love w/ Jess. We go through rough patches on occasion (Well, I suppose I do, I don't think he has ever had a rough patch! Ha! Is this true for you too? Is it a Mars/Venus thing??) but overall I think we have it pretty good, although it takes a conscience effort sometimes. :) I am grateful for this life and for the opportunity to work on ourselves... our being, and our relationships.

-I spent 3+ hrs. OUTSIDE this afternoon turning the earth over in my humble garden and working in the yard -trimming the grass, pulling weeds etc. The boys and I all got in our bathing suits, lathered ourselves in spf, and enjoyed the warm sunshine on our skin while we worked. The winds were calm. It was a celebration. I had LOADS of laundry to attend to, and floors to mop - but I wanted to be outside. I love working in the yard. We took a late lunch break and ate on the front porch swing. (The manuer stench is dying down...Jess covered our yard yesterday...I didn't think I was going to be able to handle it) As I sat there w/ Wyatt I got so excited for summer. This is hands down, I decided, my favorite time of year. Life is in the air. All is well.

-One of my closest friends from high school just moved into town! I can't wait to share this little city with her and her family - the city I have come to love, adore, and be protective of (if that makes any sense) over the last 10 yrs. It's hard to believe I have been here that long. It's just all around exciting.

-Sometimes it's really hard to juggle motherhood and a small business. But I am grateful I get to attempt to juggle.

-Lately I have looked at my boys and thought, "Dang, these are MY boys." or "He was actually in my tummy at one time!?" It is almost surreal. Life is amazing.

Goals This Week:
-Boys room, our room.
-Laundry
-Redo my calendar for May-stat!
-Get organized -mostly my head!

GIRLY FRIENDS
Nat sent me these pictures of when we got together a couple weeks ago...

It is really nice getting together...10 years vanishes and we are back to 'how it was'.

Laughs, laughs and MORE laughs.

So much of who I am is because of these girls. (I should have
a picture of our guy friends because I could say that about them too.)
We were very lucky.

Pictured back to front....
Holly (Tucker) Gibb, Cassie (Davis) Simonton, Sheri (Heywood) Huber, Becky (Opfel) Trejo, ME
Melissa (Farnsworth) Harmon, Marnie (Smith) Kiehl, Natalee (Abney) MacDonald
Sadly missing Abby & Tori...

love you girls.

Our fisherman friend, Shane, went fishing in San Diego and graciously shared some of his spoils with us.
Behold the Yellow Fin Tuna. Isn't it a pretty fish?

I've never been a huge fish person, but I could eat this
EVERY day. The filets are seasoned w/ course salt & pepper,
and seared in a hot pan coated w/ olive oil.
DELICIOUS. MOUTH WATERING. HEAVEN. YUM.

I told Jess it was time to go to San Diego for a fishing trip!

It was a great week - it went by really fast w/ Jess being gone. I think it gets easier and easier, which is awesome -but I think I was mostly excited for my weekend. That's what got me through.

Vegas was really, really fun and a FAST drive. It was good to connect with women. I really need that in my life. It's so comforting to know that there are people going through the same things, and so nice to laugh about so many similarities. It feels good to open up, and have people open up to you. But I honestly don't know how we kept talking non-stop for so long! Only women. :)
Something I failed to mention. We were seriously in our 'own bubble'. I think we spent at least 45 min. in Nordstrom after getting our makeup done at MAC posing in front of the mirrors in the shoe dept. and taking pictures - oblivious to our surroundings and eyes of bystanders... WHO DOES THAT? We do.

It is so good to have Jess home! I missed him. We have a friend who is going to be renting our back shop...Not sure for how long, but it should be good. Interesting at the least. We cleaned out the shop yesterday... That feels good!!! Most things are still looking for a home though. :) We'll finish it up today.

Goals this week:
-Get stuff I want to sell on Craig's List or Ebay - don't know how to do that.
-Take donations to Goodwill
-Keep my voice calm and sweet with my chillins (boys)
-Wash all the fingerprints off the chairs and appliances
-Take the boys to the pool.
-Get to bed by 10pm

I heart Dierks...There's nothing like being swooned (• to be emotionally affected by someone or something that one admires; become ecstatic) by this guy! And did he ever swoon the two of us last night!!Wow- he put on a G R E A T show!!
Right here in our little ol' town!! ...OUTSIDE, in May, at 8pm!! (coo coo)My favorite was in the beginning he said something like: "We're not gonna let a little cold weather get us down. I'm gonna give ya'll I got!" It was hot. And boy did he ever!
And no, these pictures were not taken with a zoom lens...we were that close!
(We had to throw some elbows)

I think I had this perma-smile the whole time...well, actually, I still have it.

Um. And I'm pretty sure he was thinking of me here, not his wife.

Alrighty. So we had some technical difficulties with the camera... Wow. I promise I will get the hair out of my nose and wax my eyebrows, well, my whole face for that matter.
I can't stop laughing at this picture.

Take two - that's better!

I really had the best time. And it was fun to catch up with Tia. -Thanks for the pics!!!

ENJOY! L O V E his voice!

Another ONe

Eiley came to visit. Brock promptly busted out the "Ride with me on my train" card.
Boys.

Eiley: "Watch this... ppppppthhhhhhhwwwwww"Brock: "I can do that too, ppppppthhhhhhhwwwwww"Eiley: "Quit that!" (I hope he doesn't )
Brock: "No YOU quit that!" (gosh, she's cute)
taheeeeee :)

This gal and this gal know how to throw a party!!!!! This is what we were up to this past weekend! - A little Halloween shindig at the Palmers. FUN!

There were some cute costumes!!!! I had a great one to wear (french maid), but one of my grocery store incidents was right before this, and I really wasn't in the mood to dress up anymore!! :( party pooper.

There were so many fun games & activities
Pin the face on the pumpkin...

Donut on a string. This was hilarious!

Is this not the best Harry Potter?! I loved it!!

Bobbing for Apples!!

Apples awaiting to become 'gourmet candy apples'

YUMMY

I also painted faces - but obviously didn't get any pictures! (Bodie had a spider on his left cheek -can't really see it in this picture - and it kinda came off after bobbing for apples.)

And ranger rides too!!!

These party favors w/ candy inside (I had like 4 pieces *sorry Kim*) were to DIE for!!! Really, really cute!!!

Good job Tia and Debbie!!! It was a lot of fun!!!

There's nothing like making 3 kids seem easy to handle, when you take care of SIX of 'em for two days!! (Wyatt is napping)

Meet (3 of the 4) Webb kids:

Ellie
She's a little firecracker - her favorite color is blue, like her beautiful eyes, she is super good with 2 yr. olds and babies, AND dogs, and is in the 2nd grade. She can devour 2 eggs before I can even get the toast on her plate, and is asking for more by the time I turn around. Truely a metabolic wonder. (To be 7 again) Oh, and she is a fabulous speller.
Beck
This is the smartest 1st grader I know! Especially on the topic of giant squids - Wow, did I learn a lot. Seriously. Did you know that a giant squid can put the smack down on small sharks (and EAT them) and work a sperm whale over?? We saw some amazing videos on YouTube. Oh, and he is very fond of 'nature' -"Did you know killing insects/animals is killing nature?" Luckily he didn't view flushing a spider down the toilet as killing nature - He just got to see it swim.

Olivia
Oh, how cute is this little girl? She is in Bodie's pre-school class. She claims he tried to kiss her on the first day- he denies it, but they are still friends. :) She is a madwoman on a bike and likes to snuggle (so sweet). She really made me want a girl. -But she adamantly refused to have her hair braided - she prefers it down and blowin' in the wind! (oh, and her favorite color is pink)

We had a really great time (despite Brock constantly being a stinker to Beck and Olivia - I really didn't know what I was gonna do with *or to* the kid!) The older two go to school just around the corner, so it was really convenient -although I have to say I must have been a sight to see with 6 kids under the age of 7 in tow! It was actually fun. :)

Kona being such a sport! Shown with her beautiful necklace/adornment, no doubt added by miss Olivia!

Oh, the story of the baby frogs. I will omit this one, however, I will mention that two have yet to be accounted for...I really hope they made it outside. *shudder*

The Photo Shoot....

Tooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!

Driving around and running errands today with ONLY three kids to account for was almost a breeze. It's funny how your perception can change so quickly! :P

Regretting:
We stopped by the fire station on our way home from the athletic club to watch Dad in action, teaching the Fire 1&2 class. They had the burn tower smokin' and the big trucks out, ladders up, and the nozzles streaming. (approx. 600 gal./minute) It was fun to see, and of course the boys had died and gone to heaven. Oh how I was wishing I had my camera with me!!! My man is pretty hot in turnouts. It gets me every time!