So April 27 and 28 was my high school EOC's, or end of courses, for Biology. Me being somewhat a genius is in Biology. The first day of testing wasn't that bad and i felt pretty good about it. The second day was a little trickier but i thought i was doing well.....that was until the last open response on the test. It gave me a giant amino acid/codon chart with a strand of amino acids, making a DNA, and asked me four things:
1) transcript to mRNA
2) translate into tRNA
3) find the amino acid bases that code for the DNA
4) now what is the complementary DNA strand

Now i was a little lost on number 1.....so getting number 4 done was near impossible....so i thought "HEY! I'm just going to be funny!" so the picture was my answer to the last open response question on my end of course Biology exam.
Look at the genius answer.Complementary DNA.

I was planning to tell a funny Jared story today.
However, this morning when I was reviewing the details,

and he said to start off by saying "I had a giant codon/amino acid chart" ...
I quickly decided it might be best if Jared just told the story.

(a codon whaaaa?!?)
J will be guest blogging this evening.

So...

My mother-in-law {aka Gaga, aka LadyGaga} was visiting &

brought those lovely lollipops you see above,

(they really are lovely)

thinking they would be a nice treat for our car ride to Mississippi.

{baseball tournament}

She gave them to the boys and said they were for the trip,

that they were...

"road suckers".

Road.

Suckers.

I of course giggled, because I'm actually a teenage boy.

And since last Thursday,

my boys have asked everyday for a road sucker.

Guys sure love road suckers.

What? They are apparently very tasty.

That's all I was saying...

..................

whew...
funny stuff.

but
Jared is way funnier. trust me.

{oh. wait. I have a blog?}
we have been ...
painting the purple room. {it's no longer purple} playing baseball until 10pm. a little sick with a cold. watching soccer. visiting with our Gaga. playing soccer. going to movies. eating yummy food. laughing. watching Gaga make our flower beds look lovely. playing baseball until 10pm. getting a fake-fake tooth put in. {technically called a temporary crown...but really, it's a fake-fake tooth} reading. watching the weather. finding a fantastic pizza place. eating fantastic pizza. getting a mohawk. {again. it's baaaack} forgetting to send april snack to school. {just like I forgot march, february, january...you get the idea} playing cards. out of town for work. laughing with the baseball parents. texting each other while out of town. wishing for a phone with a keyboard. seeing claire. taking EOG tests at school. soccersoccersoccer. playing baseball until 10pm. loving haagen-dazs pineapple coconut icecream. {lots} watching the weather. {to play tournaments this weekend or not. that is the question} picking up extra boylies from school. talking with crazy soccer peeps. in love with the sun. {if we move I will miss you dear sun} enjoying spring.

xoxoxox

ten (or less) on tuesday

"If you read my blog,

you know I'm a pilates freak...

and by pilates...

I mean waffles"

(Zach Galifianakis on SNL)

1. I have not been a good blogger.

2. Jared has a big Greek-food project due tomorrow and it has taken all the restraint I have not to just make the dish for him today.
It would be done now.
I know that's wrong...
but come on. Now I have to wait for him to finish at soccer practice,
and Jack has a game at 7:45....
It could be done now...that's all I'm sayin'.

3. Went to see the movie Date Night...
it made me laugh...lots. I love Steve Carell.

4. I'm getting my house ready to put on the market.
Which is kind of like nesting, but much less exciting...

5. Can't tell you more about #4 yet...

6. Because it's not for sure...

7. I'm making garlic chicken for dinner tonight in the crockpot...or "sprite-chicken" as my boys would say...smells delish, however the garlic has turned blueish-green, and has now grossed me out.
Umm...it's never done that before.
Colin says this is normal.
Since he is the food-safety man I am trying to trust him on this...
Trying. To.
Weird.

8. I firmly believe every post should have a photo, however my computer is disagreeing with that..stating that it has no more memory left and my photos are the root cause.
I sense it's going to try to go all blue screen on me again because it's old.
(and grumpy)

9. Jared got chocolate on my new(ish) couch, didn't fold the laundry after I asked him to, and left a dent in the wall by throwing things in the house...and that was just yesterday.
My fifteen year old.
Whaaaaat is going on here??!?!?

10. I know that's not really ten things.
I really don't even have five interesting things to share.
(see #1)
Have I mentioned I could be cooking right now, and the food for Jared's project would be done?
(I'm a horrible mother...I know)

Instead I sense I'm going to be up late...helping him.
and by helping
I mean waffles.

"I enjoy playing outside with Jamison. I play lots of things like football or kickball. My favorite game is capture the flag. I like it because it gets your heart pumping like a beatbox on loud."
(excerpt from Jack's paper: What I Like To Do)

Here lately:
Jared got a yellow card at Friday nights game.
When I asked how,
he told me he "accidentally pulled the other player down by his jersey"...
hmm...

Jack told me he'd like to find out who invented bagels so he could thank them.

My neighborhood had a "neighborhood garage sale" a few weekends ago
the boys managed to buy a basketball hoop.
excellent purchase.

Just a few from Saturday...

*Colin and Colten left this morning for Kansas City.
*Colten has a soccer tournament there.
* I think it will be nice for them to have some one-on-one time...but I miss them both already.
*To make myself feel better I went to Target after they'd left.
(Target = happy)
*I talked on the phone with Colin and not more than four hours into the trip & he'd already fed my child a corn-dog from a gas station.
*Yes, from a gas station.
*No, I don't know what's wrong with him.
*Jack has a baseball tournament this weekend.
*Actually it starts tonight.
*The tournament is called the Big Nasty.
*Yes, I'm so getting a shirt.
*Because Jack has a game I'm missing Jared's soccer game tonight.
*This makes me a little sad.
*To make myself feel better I dropped off some treats for Jared at the office while he was at school today.
*He texted me thank you.
*Jack and I have to go eat dinner now...so we're not late for the Big Nasty.
*Yes, I'm trying to say Big Nasty as many times as possible.
*Who do you think picked that name?
*We have to go get new baseball cleats before the game.
*I just bought a new bat today.
*If you know how much bats cost you feel my pain.
*I also ordered new cleats for Jared yesterday.
*Again...painful.
*But it's ok. It's their favorite thing. So I love it too.
*Ok, now we really have to go.

pre-game Jared:things I am loving right now:

the weather (t-shirt and jeans, my favorite), having the windows open, my crock pot, The Good Wife, febreze SPORT, pear jelly bellys, funny baseball parents that make me laugh hard, Colten saying "give me knuckles", Pastor Jason blogging again, teachers that don't give homework, cherry-chocolate chip ice cream, & our new basketball hoop...

not so much loving right now:

 the number of things my boys have forgotten this week, the train situation (3 yesterday... Lord please grant me more patience), relatives that read my blog and say they don't (and clearly don't know that I know they do...annoying), having to stay home from Kansas City this weekend, & ants...

really just ants at this moment...
we are at war.

"Well don't kill the one I named"-Jack

"You named the ants?"

"I named one...Gabby"

"Ant Gabby...that's funny" -Jared

dyed eggs on Saturday...

Sunday:
Was beautiful...
Sunny and 80+ out.
Colten had a soccer game...which I found odd,
but it ended up being the perfect mid-day activity as a bonus...Coley-O was quite happy with the way he played.And all the boys enjoyed being a little star-struck...(his wife's brother plays on Colten's team, and seeing as how it was Easter and all, I guess they were in town for the weekend... She = gorgeous btw)

We came home and they played outside until dinner.
I love weekends like that.

But the most beautiful thing about Sunday didn't have to do with the weather, the soccer, the jelly-bellys (but man they're good), the rainbow jello, the rockstar, the pretty eggs, or the massive amount of desserts I made...

"...Easter redefines how we should live everyday. Redeems our past...our present...our future. Reminds us we were bought at unspeakable price. We are here to worship a King who endured a sinner's death. Conquered our enemy. Sacrificed His life for ours. We are here because Easter is proof that God offers grace to us all. God loves us more than we could know. We are here to remember that Easter does end with an empty tomb... Death defeated... An offer of redemption. We are here because redemption is available to all. For all. That's why we remember. That's why we celebrate. That's why we are here."
{from the video We Are Here (Easter) found here ... love.}

so yeah...it was a beautiful day...

Monday however...not been so beautiful.
Monday started off with...
Wet...
sweaty stinky soccer socks (how do you like that alliteration?!?)
left in the truck {please remember the 80degree weather}
Which made the truck smell like...
well....
ummm...
hot poo
this morning.
which made gaggy-von-gagster
{otherwise known as - Jack}
throw up when he got in the truck.
Which made Jared late for school.
{And made me have to clean up puke, and I hate puke}
so yeah, that was awesome.

happy Monday!

Cute - even when he's trying to ignore me

Back from yet another IEP meeting...
feeling so very thankful for good teachers
that help make sure Colten will succeed.

Somehow

I did manage to refrain

from chasing his teacher down the hallway to give her a huge hug

and maybe a high-five...

but just barely.

{she is amazing}

.....
...and just because I feel like bragging...

Coley has straight A's this quarter.

How about that?!?

so darn proud of my boy.

.....

Have a wonderful Easter weekend friends.

xoxoxox

Not fooling it's random...

1. yes it's April-FOOLS-day...
I've got nothing...

2. when we move I need to paint a room the color of my kitchen because I love it...

3. I told my boys that they wouldn't get any Easter candy until their Halloween/Valentine candy was disposed of... I meant in the trash. They apparently thought by mouth...

4. I said "physical altercation" like 70 times on Tuesday.
Really e? Physical altercation?!? Ummm...how about fight.

5. I'm trying to encourage Jared not to get into a physical altercation fight at his next soccer game. Colin is encouraging the opposite.
Hello?!? Have you seen that boy's teeth? Come on ...

6. No Jared does not want a mouth guard for games.
I asked.
Several times...

7. After watching UFC Ultimate Fighter last night I am also worried about his nose.
(Did anyone see that fight? Ewwww...that nose was SO broken it was crazy. And gross. Really gross...oooh my gosh... Ok, I have to stop thinking about it now...)

8. Jared would like it known he is not a mixed martial artist...and I am crazy.
What?!? I broke my nose playing soccer...it can happen.

9. How do I get my kids to eat dinner? I am mean.
Jack is always hungry and I don't offer him any options when it comes to dinner, so he can eat, or not eat... Jack will always eat.
{Disclaimer: I am not soooo mean that when I make something I know he truly does not care for like haystacks (beans/rice), or veggie chili...I have a backup. PB&J, or something "Daddy made" (LeanCuisine, or hotpocket) I just want him to try what I make.}

10. I bought so much JellO at the grocery store this week I was embarrassed.
Jack was overjoyed and categorized them for me...
Raspberry for "applesauce JellO"
Lime for "Green JellO"
5 assorted flavors for "Rainbow JellO"
and a bunch for JellO Eggs...
I TOLD you.
Jell-OHhhhh with a side of ham.
{One of a million reasons my boys are thrilled that Uncle Mike joined our family = his Mom's recipe for rainbow jellO! They love Easter dinner for rainbow jellO alone}

11. I had so much soup leftover from the last two meals (even though all the boys had seconds both nights, even Jack) that I don't have to cook tonight. We will just have leftover soup and quesadillas. Brilliant.
We never have leftovers...So exciting for me.

12. We have a soccer game on Easter Sunday. Ummm?!? Huh?

13. I told J he is auditioning for AmericanIdol next year...
he said "Mother. I can't really sing"
I said "It's ok...You are cute. Girls will vote for you."

the end.