The Weekend

This past weekend we had our dear friends the Falls come in for a visit. We had a great time catching up and enjoyed seeing the kids play together. 

Back Off Ladies, He's Mine!

Well, not him exactly, but if you swap this guy out for Ben (leaving the socks, of course), then you have it about right. 

Yes, my man is the proud new owner of a motorized scooter which will soon become his only form of transportation in an effort/challenge to save the $11 dollars a day it costs to own his current car. 

If you know Ben, then you know he annualizes every expense from toilet paper to Dr. Pepper and he recently did the inverse of that calculation to find the cost per day of owning a car - specifically his. He was shocked and appalled at the price he pays for a vehicle that only takes him 2.5 miles to and from work. Thus, the scheme of swapping his car out for a scooter was born.  

We'll keep you posted on the success of this venture. Life with Ben will never be boring.

Does This Make Me the Ugly Stepsister?

"Now Where Did I Put My Purse?"

Before and After

This is what I was busy doing last week - painting the master bedroom! Here are the before and after pictures.

BEFORE

AFTER

I know, I know - the change is so drastic.  But believe me, the switch from "Dark Storm Cloud" to "Seafoam Storm" was imperative to achieve color harmony within our home. :-)

Elena's First Crush

This is Elena today. We watched the movie, "Enchanted" at Abby & Nate's Saturday night, and Elena is still talking about, "da Pince". She is quite taken with him and is graciously overlooking the fact that he is quite the "mimbo" in this movie.  Why just now, as I was writing the previous post, she came up to my side and whispered with a giddy grin, "Mama, do you like da Pince?"

Celebration of baby Micah

My sister-in-law Abby and her husband Nate are expecting their first child (a boy) in July. Ben and I are really excited for them! This weekend we went to Houston for a baby shower. We had a great time seeing family and it was just special to be a part of the preparation for baby Micah. 

Carrots!

I know I already posted pictures of Evan trying solids, but this picture taken yesterday was too good to pass up.

Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolli lollipop...

It's subtle in the pictures, but Elena can be a cruel tease. :-)

7 Months Old Today

Pass the Tylenol

We're under the weather here. I'll miss seeing some of you at MOPS! 

My first Tag

You’re feeling: mellow


To your left: notepad and earplugs


On your mind: can I attempt painting my bathroom today?

Last meal included: cereal

You sometimes find it hard to: steer Peach when playing Mario Cart 


The weather: warm


Something you have a collection of: 
diaper bags

A smell that cheers you up: anything citrus

A smell that can ruin your mood: Ben’s soap – don’t even get me started on this subject.

How long since you last shaved: 3 hours

The current state of your hair: needing a hair cut

The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): a lamp

Your skill with chopsticks: I have NEVER been able to use them


Which section you head for first in a bookstore: home improvement/decorating or photography

Something you’re craving: ice-cream

Your general thoughts on the presidential race: I’m worn out from the media’s excitement over the “Clinton and Obama Race”

How many times have you been hospitalized this year: none in ‘08

Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: if someone is watching Elena, then I love to go to Target to relax.

You’ve always secretly thought you’d be a good: teacher

Something that freaks you out a little: being the mother of a school-aged child in the near future.

Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: cereal, umm or ice-cream.

You have never: dyed my hair


You never want to: move from our neighborhood

Beep, beep, beep...

Those of you in Sunday school yesterday know where this is headed.

Ben and I were sitting in the back row of our Sunday school class,  listening to the teaching yesterday, when Ben leans over to say something (his "chattiness" in church is a huge pet peeve of mine - I hate being a potential distraction.)

Ben: "Do you have any Chapstick?"

Amy: "No, just Carmex."

Ben makes a "That's disgusting!" face and goes back to listening for a few seconds, and then...

Ben: "Okay, I'll take it."

I then pick up my purse to begin looking. Just to paint a picture - my purse is possibly the size of some carry-on luggage...but very cute! I look in small outside pocket #1 (the usual place for my Carmex), but it's not there. 

Amy: Sigh, this will not be easy to find. (Italics are thoughts to myself)

I look in small outside pocket #2, small inside zipper pocket, medium inside zipper pocket. Still no Carmex.

Amy: What's that? 

I suddenly stop looking because I'm distracted by the sound of a faint, "Beep, beep, beep.."

Amy: What an odd ringtone for someone choose.

"Beep, beep, beep..."

Amy: Wait a minute, that sounds like it's right by me. 

"Beep, beep, beep..."

Amy: My pager! Something's wrong with it! (We have pagers for our kids in the nursery.)

I turn my pager off.

"Beep, beep, beep.."

I try hitting my pager. No luck. I begin slapping the other pager on Ben's belt.

"Beep, beep, beep..."

The looks from everyone in the class now confirm that we are the source of the problem... more like the source and the problem. But I am so baffled.

Amy: Could it be something in my purse?

I look in small outside pocket #1, small outside pocket #2, small inside zipper pocket, medium inside pocket...

Amy: Wait a minute, what is THIS?

I then pull out the culprit.... Catchphrase!

There is really no good explanation as to why I had this noise-making game in my purse. I'll just say, that I put the game in my purse the night before so I would remember to return it to the Kadanes. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Obviously, I had completely forgotten about it being there.

Ben's "chattiness" does not seem as distracting as before.