I forgot...

...to make a post dedicated to Zach's book.  So happy it's done, and it will be here a week before it's even due...SCORE!  He's really proud of it.  He wrote up a full page of brainstorming for the basic idea, then wrote about 4 pages of the actual book (notebook paper, single lined) adding in more details.  Then he drew the pictures with pencil, I scanned them in and gave him a quick tutorial in Photoshop, showing him how to choose colors, adjust paintbrush size, color opacity, etc, and let him go.  He colored them all and is just tickled pink at how much work he put into this thing.

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1272973

I think the 'preview' option will actually let you read the whole book, due to its short length, but you'll miss out on the 'about the author' page.  Which is pretty cute ;)

Hello again...

This seems to be becoming a bad habit, and this early in the year?  Not good....  I have honestly been sick this time, though.  For realz, yo.  I actually broke down and went to the walk in clinic yesterday and walked back out with a script for a Z-pack and some codeine to help with the cough that's keeping me (and Kevin!) up during the night.  I really wish he'd given me something for this nasty sore throat, but hey, I should look on the bright side and be thankful for a bit of weight loss, as a result of not wanting to eat.  Ouch.

Here are a few pics of Owen having fun in the bath.  And for those of you not reading my Facebook, here's a short Owen story:
Last Tuesday, the only day this past week when I actually had any energy, I was in my room cleaning up our bathroom.  I had left him sitting on the couch in the family room watching Thomas the Tank Engine on TV.  He was semi-clothed, but acceptable, in a T-shirt and cute little toddler undies.  And I'd set him up with a bowl of snacks, some Nature's Valley graham cracker sticks.  Good to go for a little while, giving me the freedom to clean for a little bit and not worry about what he might be getting into.  But alas, I should know by now that he is NEVER without another card up his sleeve.  He came marching into my room, carrying his bowl, and his underwear was nowhere to be found.  Rather than graham sticks in the bowl, it was now full of pee.  I guess he didn't feel like trekking SO FAR to the bathroom.  Little fart.

It's a good thing he's cute.

In the last photo,  he was 'playing' some game on the Wii.  Zach was actually playing the game behind him on the couch, but Owen was holding on to the nunchuck and whenever Zach would move or score a point, Owen would scream and dance around "I did it!  I did it!"  

No excuses

I guess I have just been lazy.  Well, maybe ONE excuse or two.  Easter week/weekend had me pretty busy, and Zach's book project for school was a higher priority since he wanted to get it 'published'.  And I haven't been feeling very inspired.  Le sigh.  BUT...Easter was fun, his book is done and now I'm sick so it's the perfect time to post, right?  Zach actually got sick the very first day of his spring break, he started out with a fever which progressed to sore throat, congestion, snotty nose, etc...something new every day.  For 2 weeks plus.  Owen is snotty and coughing and now I have laryngitis, mild fever, super blah-ness, etc.  Fun fun.

I did take pics, just not every day, and I had full intentions of posting updates.  But you know what they say about the road to Hell, right?  So I tossed those intentions out the window.

I do have one cute story to tell...the day after Easter I took a day 'off'.  Didn't change out of pajamas, told dh I was taking a day off and didn't do ANYTHING productive.  I caught up on the prior week's tv shows, played some Wii, spent some time in bed reading...ahhhh.  When Zach came home from school and saw me curled up in bed with a book, he was worried I might be sick.  I assure him I wasn't, but he insisted on handing me his little notepad and a pencil with instructions to write down anything I might need and he'd get it for me.  So just for fun, I made an entry.   Nectar.

"What the ....?  How do I get NECTAR?"  He pondered on it a bit and while he was trying to figure out what to do, I wrote down another pressing need.  Taipan anti-venin.  Yeah, google it.

He brought me some juice for the nectar.  Not bad.  He glanced at the paper.  "TAIPAN ANTI-VENIN?  How ...What....HUH?"  I gave him free reign of my spice cabinet, a bit regrettably I might add.  It's a mess now.  But he concocted something that would probably kill the snake, even if it didn't cure the bite.

Number 3...four drops of dragon blood.  He didn't even question me this time.  He promptly came back and deposited 4 strawberries in my lap.  "The blood is frozen."  Wow, Nicely done!  I was impressed.

Then fourth on the list I had requested two lizard toenails.  Not too much time passed by before he came back in the room, hands behind his back.  "It was a very large lizard" he explained, and pulled out two tan colored oval cookies.  Btw, if you have never eaten Biscoff cookies, you are missing out.  I had them a few times on flights and they are heavenly little crumbly brown sugar and gingery tasting morsels.  Divine.  I even googled them after a flight once, but could only find them sold in bulk.  But I recently found them in Publix, so I had to indulge myself.  Never did I consider they might actually be giant lizard toenails.

The kid is way smarter and more creative than I could ever hope to be.  Love you most, Zach!
Here are some pics.  Not gonna bother with dates and such, just have fun with 'em.

Practice makes perfect

Well, I'll probably never hit perfection, but that's no reason to not practice is it?  Kevin made me promise to take down my backdrop/setup from the garage before this weekend, as we are expecting company and will need to put his car in there to make more space.  Sigh.  But as luck would have it, our neighbors have grandchildren visiting now and then and I happened to notice their cute little granddaughter riding her bike outside today.  Score!  I ran over and asked if she would come and play with me aka allow me to take photos of her.  My own boys were at Grammy's house today, so I had freedom to do what I pleased without fear of total house destruction and injured children.

She is just too adorable.  AND she loved to pose.  It was nice b/c I was able to focus the camera, check the settings, make changes and such instead of rushing to click photos before someone got hurt, ran out of the frame, started crying, or otherwise.  I need to get them printed at a reputable place b/c the quickie prints from Walmart had awful coloring problems and I don't know if it's my computer (b/c they look fine here!) or just cheap printing.

I added a copyright to protect her, don't want anyone grabbing her photos for unsavory purposes :)

March 30

Can you believe March is almost over?  Crazy! 
Here are a couple pics of Owen, loving on Tessa (who seems rather dubious about the whole thing) and again being rather pissed off at me.  I can't recall what caused his minor heartbreak, but he has forgiven me.  I still get the best kisses and hugs and snuggles from this little guy.  Every morning he wakes up early and comes to our bed where he wraps himself up with me, like he just can't get close enough (although screaming for "Dee!  Juice!" which Daddy gets for him) and puts his arms around my neck, my head, my face...whatever he can accomplish.  It's just too sweet.

March 29

I don't remember much about this day, other than what my photos tell me.  Owen loves having Daddy play with him outside and they ride the swing together.  Later Zach and I colored eggs, doing that thing where you use a 'clear' crayon to write on them so that the dye doesn't stick in certain spots.  He made one in memory of Misha and Elmo.  I didn't dare tell him that he misspelled Misha.  He's such a sweet boy, and he misses them both.

Brokeback Beach

Today one of Kevin's friends from 'way back in the day' came over.  Steve was actually in our wedding, and he's local to this area, but somehow he and Kevin never seem to manage an actual get-together.  A miracle occurred today, all the planets aligned, something, and Steve walked in our front door.  After I picked Kevin up off the floor (just kidding) they had a nice little chat before Steve dashed off to spread good cheer elsewhere.  But not before Kevin got in a few choice photos.  We'll use them to blackmail Steve into visiting more often.