Sunday

Still no sign of my camera cord...and if I don't find it in the 'you've all gone back to school, so now I can really clean the house' clean-up, then I will know it is gone forever.

But I'm still holding out hope.

So if I had my camera, I'd show you one of the 22 pictures I took of my cats sunning themselves yesterday or the one of my brand new flip flops or the Peeps I bought on clearance for $.37 or of Brian and Alex each wearing a half dozen nerf guns during their nerf war in our tiny little house.

But instead you'll just have to use your imagination.

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It's Sunday afternoon and I am currently sipping an absolutely divine cappuccino while eating a whoopie pie made with carrot cookies, all while trying to not think about the fact that tomorrow is a 'back to real life' day.

And yes, real life is good.

But nothing beats a vacation day.

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Spring Break, Day 4

If I could find my camera cord, I would post lots of pictures.

But I can't find it.

Maybe it's a sign.

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This morning we (the 'we' being Alex, Brian and myself) lounged. And lounged. And made bon bon's (for reals) and licked the bowl. For breakfast.

Cuz hey...it's spring break.

I then loaded my car with bikes and razors and skateboards and helmets and the morning was spent at the skatepark where I returned all the phone calls that I have been meaning to return while watching boys perform all kinds of scary (for me) stunts.

Then a trip to Wahoo's for fish and brown rice and black beans...Brian's choice today. When I was 11, my food of choice was fish, too. Not.

But he's a keeper, that's for sure.

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Target followed for odds and ends and then home for a few hours to check the status of the bon bon's.

Which were tasty, by the way.

Off again to the chiropractor, home to heat up leftovers (the wine was new, though) and then I was out the door for tea with my two favorite girlfriends.

Tomorrow we're hanging here all day, though I may have to go buy a new camera cord in between loads of laundry and a sweep (or two) of the kitchen floor. Grand plans, I tell ya. Sounds perfect, doesn't it?

Please don't end spring break...please don't end.

Spring Break, Day 2

I am so totally digging Spring Break.

(can you tell from the so and the totally that I went to high school in the 80's? Like, yes I did!)

It started off a little quiet. Right off the bat, Brian was invited to play at his friends house the next town over, which then turned into a sleepover. Alex, at the ripe old age of 16, is experiencing (thanks to good grades and open communication) some new found freedom like never before. And that guy that I like so much is hard at work putting food on the table.

So the beginning of Spring Break was quiet.

And I was bored.

But eventually all these young 'un's that I love so much GOT HUNGRY and made their way back to me.

Whatever it takes, people. Whatever it takes.

And once their bellies were full of all sorts of Spring Break-ish kinds of food, like burgers and corn dogs and burritos and smoothies, I sprung the schedule on them.

"Sweet boys of mine?" I said as I placed another piping hot plate of chemical laden treats in front of them. "Tomorrow after the dentist, let's go get new shoes!"

"OK, Mom!" they managed to say with mouths full of food.

I smiled.

It was a full 10 minutes later when Alex comes back out from his man-cave.

"Did you say DENTIST????"

He's quick, I tell ya.

So on this Day 2 of Spring Break, we covered the dentist and the haircuts and the shoes and the doctor for camp physicals. I threw in some fun stuff too...like a trip to the bank.

Tomorrow we play.

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Easter Monday

Dear People Who Make Peeps,

I love you.

Sincerely,

Michele

Easter Weekend

Saturday morning we received an SOS call from our oldest, whose car wouldn't start.

The exciting news...the call came on a day where that guy that I like so much had off, so together we went to assess the situation.

Turns out it needed a new starter, so a call was made to Morales...our handy, dandy cheap car repair man.

While waiting for him to come, we took a little walk through the hills surrounding the college. The sun was shining and it was warm and the mustard was in bloom...so we brought home armloads of it and I now have vases of it all over my house.

And then we waited while the car was fixed.

Today, Easter Sunday, was glorious. Church was amazing with all my favorite hymns...it was one of those services that just came to life for me and literally brought me to tears. My Savior has risen.

Home...and the arrival of the bunny cake.

My nephew Logan brought us a charlie brown easter lily.

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We ate antipasto for lunch.

Karen came over. All together there were 17 of us.

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Matthew and Ella...the oldest cousin with the youngest. There's a 20 year gap!

More cousins...Garrett, Alex and Devin.

Pictures I wish I had taken:

• Joey and Michelle. Sigh. My family.
• Hyunjoo, who came and brought sushi AND korean beef.
• My boys, who had both sides of the family there.
• The rather large lasagna that fed us.

Oh...and did I mention the LONG and BIG earthquake that shook my little house on my little street? 7.2, centered a few hours south of here. Thankful that we were all here together when it happened!

We Made It

I am happy to report that we have officially made it to Spring Break.

Yep, we did.

It was touch and go there for awhile and today was a bit rough, but we did make it.

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That guy that I like so much has been home the last few days and spent lots of time taking our backyard from dreary winter to spring time...and it is gorgeous. He's actually cracking me up...there is just no way he can relax with it being Holy Week (once a church worker, always a church worker) and the Messiah opening next weekend, so he's been pacing. A lot.

But the backyard is pretty.

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Last night we celebrated Good Friday at church...I love the conversations that are happening in my houseful (or car full, in this case) as my boys get older regarding the true sacrifice that God made for us and witnessing it become more personal for them.

The drive home was lively and included a stop at Nick's for pizza's to go...some sort of meat laden creation for the boys and my dream pizza for M and I.

No sauce, just cheese and spinach.

And a sicilian tomato salad on the side...tomatoes, capers, olives, olive oil and basil. I could seriously live on this stuff.

I went to bed late and woke up way early...I made pot of coffee, grabbed a blanket and sat outside to work on my bible study. No one is even stirring yet and I don't expect them to for awhile.

Today I am doing all the cooking for Easter...lasagne, meatballs, stuffed pork roast with white wine and caramelized onions and maybe a dessert or two. An Italian feast for that oldest son of mine and who said, 'please...no ham.'

And because I like him, there will be no ham.

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Busy Week

Me, when I was 3.

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I've spent the week counting down to spring vacation....T-1 day now.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

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My boys need a week of hanging out with their mama...they'll like me until I announce the dental appointments that they each have on Monday morning. Then I'll become an island...the kind that floats in shark invested waters.

But no worries...they'll like me again once I cook them food.

Also on the agenda are new shoes for two and a haircut for one...I was going to buy shoes for the third, too, but his car is getting a new starter instead.

As for this week, it's been the week of all weeks. But tonight...tonight is a home night for all of us. While scrounging in the outside freezer (and after pushing aside 4 pork roasts...like why are there 4 of them in there?) I found a crown jewel... a leftover whole turkey breast with gravy, leftover from Thanksgiving. It's warming in the oven...with it we'll have mashed potatoes and cranberries and some sort of green veggie.

How many month's ago was Thanksgiving? Hmmm....don't answer that.

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I then plan on sitting on my couch and planning out Easter. It looks like there will be 20 (possibly 22) of us in our little house and I need to figure out food and church schedules and easter baskets for my boys and possibly a time to paint the remaining barstools.

Gotta love spray paint!