You know I have had my ups and downs with the library.  Well, yesterday, I finally FINALLY got a free pass to the zoo.  I have checked everyday for the past 2 years and there’s never been a pass available. Until yesterday.  You see, the library has passes to certain things around the city and they only allot a certain amount to be checked out every week.  So, there’s never a pass to the zoo, ever.  Sure, I can go to the other places, but I’ve been waiting on the zoo.  And there it was, the pass.  And I know I shouldn’t have, because it’s the library and all, but I shrieked.  And then I led my peeps in song: “we’re goin’ to the zoo, zoo, zoo, how ’bout you, you, you.  We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.”  Yes, friends, we love the zoo.

And so bright and early, we ventured there.

And here she is…(plus a bonus joke)

Miss Fairy Belle

I kinda want to keep her for myself.

🙂

Anyway, the birds have been showing up lately.  Must be the big bag of birdseed I recently bought.

And the tomatoes have been growing like mad.  There hasn’t even been any sun for days upon days. Just rain.

My ds told me a funny joke today.  I think he really made it up.  Really.  Because he’s brilliant.  I also got his report card in the mail today.  Let me just say, he doesn’t get it from me.  :):) Anyway, here’s the joke:

Why did the fish cross the ocean?

To get to the other tide.

funny, right?

A little concert and a little dirt

DS sang in a concert the other night.  See that look he’s giving me?  You’d think he was having a bad time, but he said he was just nervous.  Sometimes, he’s such a sour puss, I don’t know what to do.  Yesterday, when I made dinner, he cried.  I made a perfectly good pasta salad with artichoke hearts and olives.  I’m so worried when this kid is a teen.

And my other kid?  Well, she’s happy even when she’s playing with dirt.

Not that I am comparing them, because we’re all different.

As for comparing, I’m finding I took the same exact pictures of my garden last year as I have been this year.  How do I spice things up?Hrm.  Well, at least last year didn’t have an ant on the peony. Check it out:

And really, you can never have too many pictures of your garden, right?

I love my garden so much, I put a lil dirty Buddha there to protect it.

my poor neglected blog

I’m sorry I forget about you sometimes.  Here’s what I’ve been doing:

whew. busy, busy.

ds got a double. dd has a green tongue.  dd at rehearsal.  me and my friend.  at preschool.  on the bus.  to the farm.  with my animal friends.  and her boyfriend (not really, but they are so darn cute together!  (good thing I like his mom, too.))  day of the recital.  (a video from the droid may be in the works, we’ll see how it pans out)  p.s.check out my farmer tan! yikes.

my love affair with the library is back on.

Have you been on the edge of the seat, wondering if my library card worked or not?  Well, IT DID!!! I got books.  yay!!!  So, I’m in love with the library again.  All is good in the world now.

So, after getting a buttload of books at the library, my dd and I went to the hot dog stand, because yay! it is open.  That’s the first sign of spring/summer – the hot dog stand being open.  Usually, the tulips aren’t up yet, but since the weather has been so nice, those are up, too, and everything just feels so right in the world.  I wish I could put my seeds in the ground.  I cannot wait!!!  Anyway, at the hot dog stand, which by the way my ds and I are volunteering at tomorrow (moneys go to his school!!!), an old lady came up to me and my dd and said, “two peas in a pod,” very matteroffactly.  “Well, yes, indeed we are,” I replied.  And it’s totally true.  My mom says I am her best friend and I think my daughter is my best friend, too.  Doesn’t the thought of that just make you smile?

Well, and my ds is my bestie, too.

So, I decided to do a mini photo shoot:

Easter egg huntin.

And I made ham and homemade rolls.  Granted, the ham was fully cooked anyway, but I added some pineapple, cloves, and brown sugar for some extra flavor. Yum.

Dinner Linner Brunch was scrumptious. (what do you call it when you eat at 2?)

And my sweet, sweet main squeeze got me some flowers. awww.

everyone can like pink and yellow means slow down

Yesterday, I overheard my dd saying to my dh that there was a boy in her Sunday school class that likes princesses.  How could that be, she asked.  Only smart GIRLS like princesses, she stated.  My dh replied, “I don’t know.”

“AHEM,” I shouted.

“Oh, oh.  Boys can like princesses, too,”  he told her, “is that better?”

“yes,” I said.

“no, no, no,” dd came back at us matter of factly, “boys CANNOT, CANNOT like girl stuff.  No, no!!”

How do you argue with that?  Well, yes, indeed, the conversation went back and forth for a while until she was utterly perplexed.  How is it that boys could like girl stuff?

I wonder where they learn that from.  TV? Parents?

Oh speaking of learning from your parents…you’ll never guess what dd screams as I come to a stop light.

“Momma, if it’s yellow, speed up.”

Ha!

I asked her where she learned that and she said, “daddy.”

Spring fever.

Charlie passed his obedience class.  With flying colors.  He’s the only student in his class that accomplished the shake and roll over tricks.  I’m not bragging or anything.  Okay, kinda I am.  We had to take the test in front of everyone.  Let’s just say, we were a hard act to follow.  The last person got up to take the test and said, “well, i don’t want to show off or anything” AND LOOKED RIGHT AT ME WHEN SHE SAID IT.  Uhhuh, that’s right, my dog is bad ass.  The thing is, I never realized how competetive I was.  I actually asked the teacher to give my dog a grade.  She said, “we only do passes.  And we believe in ‘no dog left behind’.”  Well, I graded him myself and he got an AAAAAA++.

Anyhoo, now that I have a very obedient dog, it seems like the possibilities are endless.  Especially since it’s March and it got up to 70 today.  Tomorrow, it’s supposed to be even warmer.  I see dog parks, long drives, and brisk walks.

It just so happens that my kids are on spring break right now.  Today, we went to the zoo.  First, we went to the conservatory and took pictures of the pretty plants and flowers.  Can I just say something?  Nature is very sexual.  I got the giggles at like every picture I took.  Here are some:

I mean, right?

Not to mention all of the statues.

And I love it, I really do.  When Spring comes, I get all mystified by the world and how lovely and magical it is.  I know it’s kind of sappy of me, but it tames my cabin fever.

Well, darlings, here’s a picture of my loves of my life:

Oh and speaking of magical, isn’t it crazy and cool that these little beings grew inside my belly?  I know, I know, I’m getting a little weird.  And no, I am not pregnant.  But yes, Spring brings out the baby fever in me.

🙂  Sorry Honey.  Hurry and get that vasectomy!!!

xxoo, ciao, momma

ta dah, a random thoughts diary post.

Remember when I said I was going to post everyday?  Well, that was a lie :):):)

Anyway, I’ve been busy trying to lose weight.  I joined a fitness club and I’ve been doing water aerobics.  I think water aerobics is da bomb.  You know why I think it is da bomb?  Because I am the skinniest and youngest person in the class.  You might think I am shallow, but you know what that does for the ego?  It makes me feel real good.  Really.  Except the other day, I had to stop for a second – we were treading water in the shallow end (do you know how hard that is?  Really.)- and the instructor stopped the entire class and said, “oh lovely, the youngest person in the class just stopped for a break.”  That wasn’t that great for my ego.  !!!    Forty pounds to go…ugh!

Have you ever known someone who looked EXACTLY like someone else you know, but it’s not them and you cannot get the similarity out of your head and so you even call that person by the previous person’s name?  Well, there is this lady that looks EXACTLY like one of my mom’s cousins; her evil, backstabbing cousin.  And this lady is in my water aerobics class.  At first, I thought my mom’s evil cousin was following me.  And so at first I was giving this lady the stink eye.  But then we started talking and laughing and I realized there is no, no way she is my mom’s evil cousin.  But it gives me the heebies thinking they look so much alike, but are so different.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about all of the things that give me the heebies.  Like, I thought this handmade pledge was gonna be super easy, since I am so thrifty anyway.  But I’ve been realizing how particular I am about things.  You know, I already told you about the shower curtain.  Well, underwear!  Sorry, there aint no way, no how I am gonna go used with those and that’s including tanks.  I’m sure you are thinking, “oh duh, no one ever buys used undies.” Ahem, well, did I ever tell you about my garage sale where I put out all my thongs for 25 cents a piece and they went like hot cakes?  Uh huh, seriously.  So, anyway, the weird thing is that I don’t like used undies and shower curtains, but I will wear used shoes without socks.  I know, sick, righhht?  But no hats, gloves, pillows, or rugs.  Those all have to be new.  But I’ll buy used sheets and possibly towels.  Hrm, I guess I am just weird like that.

Anyway, the weather is getting warmer here and I’ve been thinking about gardening.  It is so hard to make myself wait until Mother’s day, which is supposedly the day that marks no more frosts until the fall (around this neck of the woods, anyway).  Last year, I started seedlings indoors in February and they were these amazon-like plants by May.  Unfortunately, all they had were those tiny seedling pots and so…most of them died.  It was rather tragic.  I hate to see living things just go to waste like that.  So, this year, I am not doing seedlings and I am just going to buy starters.  AND guess what?  My dearest mother sent me a gift card for FIFTY DOLLARS to home depot for my gardening stuff.  That is like the best present ever!!!!

But I still have two months to go!!! 😦

Sunday morning, March 21, my dd jumped into bed with me and said, “wake up.  Happy Spring.”  Isn’t that adorable?  When you live in a place that’s so cold for so long, Spring and Summer are so anticipated it makes your heart hurt.  And so you wear lots of flowers.  And pink.

Take my dd.  Here she is in her spring dress, spring hat, and spring pants (because it’s still too cold to go without).  –Today, she wanted to wear her jelly sandles.  Um, kid, NO! — She’s adoring herself in the reflection of the doorknob.  (note my new shower curtain)

Well, darlings, I hope you are having a warm (ish – if you live where I live.  Anyway, it’s all relative, right?) Spring.

xxoo, momma

Mr. Sun, please shine down on me…

Yay, the sun came out today.  And while the kids rode bikes and played hopscotch, I looked for signs of spring.

And here’s a little sneak peek of what I have so far for the spring boutique: