Jared is ridiculously tan.
(I know...right?! It's April?!)
Those pies were yummy.
(Even though there was no rhubarb to be had)
Easter was really nice.
I meant to post Saturday.
(Whoops)
and Sunday.
(uh-oh)
Obviously that didn't happen.

today

the house smells delicious.
someone should come up with a homemade roll scented candle. seriously...

For the record I much prefer when he brings me home dandelions...

Too frustrated with Jared today to post anything requiring much thought...

It does makes me a little giddy that Karen Russell is now shooting with a Nikon.
Someday I hope to take this class, and now I won't feel like I should have gotten a Cannon...
happy happy.
She is truly my most favorite photographer...

What else.
Last night I sat and watched the coldest baseball game I've ever had to sit outside and watch. I think Jack felt the same way, and considering he was out playing and not huddled under a blanket, he probably has more whining rights.
The 70 degrees to 30 degrees to 70 degrees is still something I'm adjusting to.
note: baseball is much more enjoyable to watch when it's 70degrees.

Back to the doctor tomorrow. Hoping someone will figure out what is going on with my knee.
I'm not a knee expert, but I'm sort of an expert when it comes to my knee....and something is wrong. Let's just hope the doctor-man doesn't tell me to take advil, or I might lose my mind.

Planning Easter dinner. It's a yummy one. Of course the boys are most excited about Jello eggs.
Got to love that. Still can't decide on dessert...hmm....

Forgot to mention the big red truck's name is Roxy. Sort of an ode to the coast we are missing so much...Of course Jared added LaFawnduh (thank you Napoleon Dynamite) so her full name would be Roxann LaFawnduh....aka Roxy.

Off to the store...
I must remember to buy some white eggs....
the brown ones we normally get don't so much work for egg dying.
Not so much at all.

They're like 4-foot whirling dervishes...

Well.
I took very few photos actually.
None great, or even good really.
Way to go me.
I got into watching the game.
and the fence around the ball field was very unforgiving in my attempts at photo taking...

here is Coley listening to the Beastie Boys. looking very disgusted.
the other team was chanting
"Batter batter what's the matter...can't you hit the balllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll....."
(imagine the word ball going on for a good 2-3 minutes in high pitched little boy voices....I'm not sure Licensed to Ill was drowning it out completely.)
Jared looking furry and texting.
and ooooooooooh my goodness.....the small one in the dugout. Looking so ridiculously cute it's painful. Hey! bend those knees Jack. Yes. He desperately needs a haircut...but I could definitely tell which red shirt was my son.The team started off a little slow. I think they forgot they were suppose to hit the ball the first game. They rallied though and everyone was hitting by game two.
They won games 2 and 3.
Which meant two more games on Sunday...
They ended up playing the team that beat them the first game, and they won that game 17-6.
(what a difference hitting the ball makes)
They got third overall... pretty good for their first tournament.
And can I just tell you what a blessing it is to have a great coach?
A coach that makes the boys feel good about what they do well....
and helps them learn from their mistakes.
Watching the other coaches just reaffirmed my feelings about our coach.
The other team from our town was there, and their coach is Jack's coach from last year....
think Will Ferrell in Kicking and Screaming (when he's crazed and wearing the tiger striped warm-up screaming at the boys...not at the end when he's nice again)

I leaned over to Colin and said "We really got lucky, David is really good coach"
Colin replied with "David is really good person"...
how true.

Wild Thing...I think I love you.

Tomorrow Jack has a baseball tournament.
I'm pretty excited to see the boys play, and it's suppose to be 70s and sunny.
I'm hoping to get lots of great photos...or at least lots of photos.

Colten has a request-
He has been collecting state quarters on a map that hangs in his room, and has found all the quarters, except Florida. Florida is playing hard to get.
If anyone finds a "Florida" quarter we would gladly send you a little something in exchange for said quarter.
We really can't find a FL quarter....we've been looking forEVer....

and two quotes for today------------>
Coley: "I would like to play the drums. Is that a possibility?" oooooooh boy....

The littles and I watched the Where the Wild Things Are trailer this weekend...
and of course read the book afterwards.
When I finished reading Coley, being very literal, said
"Well... that's going to be a short movie..."
ha.

Happy Weekend.

*** I've been gone because our computer was a little sick, it's better now...thank goodness!***It's April.
and for the first time in 3years,
we aren't some place new.
I am not sure if this is a good thing, or a bad thing. I guess time will tell....

conversations from this morning: (for Colin who had to go into work early)
"Jack go put on the socks I laid out for you."
"I don't recall seeing any socks."

Cole: "I'll have some of that Gorilla Munch cereal you got."
Jack: "Can I try some of yours?"
"yeah... here..."
Me: "Jack do you want that?"
Jack: "No..it's stale."
"It's not stale, I just opened the box."
"Well, it tastes stale."
"It's just crunchy because it's healthy."
"Eating stale cereal is not healthy."
"It's not stale!"
"It sure tastes stale."
Cole: "Yeah it does"...
(after getting Jack something else)
Me: "Do you at least want to read the box while you eat?"
Jack: "Ok....(pause) Ohhhh...that's why it tastes so bad...it's organic."

Jack really wears his shoes. those were 6months old. they look like they're 90.
I wish my shoes looked more like that...
muddy
falling apart
holey
frayed shoelaces
a sign of being happy I think. a sign of really enjoying life...

What I've been thinking about lately:

My friend Kari who is preparing to run a marathon in Paris on Sunday.
A marathon.
In Paris.
How amazing is that? How amazing is she? I'm just completely inspired by her. My dear friend that I've known since I was Jack's age. Makes me teary eyed thinking about what she's doing...
and it also motivates the heck out of me.
Seriously, what excuse do I have not to get on the treadmill for a measly 30 minutes?
I bet her shoes look like Jacks.
Go Kari! My heart and prayers will be flying to you on Sunday. I love you friend.

An email from a woman I went to college with and reconnected on FB with:
"...I'd say something trite like: So, are you workin' on your Art, hey?" But, perusing your profile I see that your life is art and grace, and that you don't fail to capture and rejoice over a single solitary moment."
how beautiful.
how I hope that my life is art and grace.
how I aspire to just that.

Another email from my MIL after returning from a family member's funeral:
"His best friend spoke followed by Dick Hamilton, a former pastor who was quite eloquent. What touched me was his saying that Frank lived his life with such gratitude. Having had cancer, hip and knee replacements, congestive heart failure, Frank lived life knowing about the day's precious gifts. Dick said he lived life as a "thank you."
That surely was Frank.
Always kind, remarkably gracious, thinking only of the other person.
What a lovely perspective:
Life as a thank you."
Life as a thank you. We should all live like that.

and sweet Baby Stellan has been on my mind.
very much on my mind.

yesterday:
guitar lessons.
monsters vs. aliens.
new chucks.
barnes and noble.
kid's choice awards.
ice cream for dessert.

today:
Cavs on tv.
pizza for lunch.
soccer with dad.
magazines for mom.
settlers of catan.
popcorn.
pop.
baseball - batting cages.
youth group.
waffles with blueberry sauce for dinner.
ignoring the fact that tomorrow is monday and spring break is over...

Isn't She Lovely

It's like my old truck went and got an extreme make-over...
She is currently nameless, Jared has deemed naming the truck his job,
and yet only suggested things like "FloRida"...
sooo that's still in the works,
but it's a huge blessing going into sports season
(5 soccer teams, and 2 baseball teams worth) with two cars.
ahhh...happy day.
:)

Sleep-in Break

Currently enjoying having my boys home for Springbreak...
be back later.

ps. and for the record...I'm not home drinking that's a Shirley Temple. :)

Jack.
The only one that will still pose for unnecessary photos for absolutely no reason.
Oh, how I love that about him.
I wonder how much more time I have before he revolts like his older brothers...
my guess is not much.

Conversation last night in bed before falling asleep:
Me: "I think we should try to eat less meat. It would be cheaper. I'm not saying no meat. Just less."
Col: "Yeah, just come up with some meatless recipes and we can figure it out."
"Well, that's the hard part, you guys don't like vegetables."
"I like broccoli now."
"I know, that's awesome. I want eggplant though."
"Make eggplant parmesan...I think I'll like it breaded."
"What? You gagged the last time I fed you eggplant. You actually gagged. You gagged, and took all the vegetables off the sandwich and ate a mayonnaise and lettuce sandwich."
"I know, but aren't you glad I gave you something to still laugh at today? ...I really like broccoli."
"Yeah ok, then I'll just fix a big bowl of broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. How's that sound?!?"
"No...no cauliflower...just the broccoli."
"Ugh... Good-night!"

If anyone has any good meat-free recipes please share them with me. Please.
Anti-vegetable kid-friendly ones.
Yes.
They can include broccoli....

Wandom Wednesday

one. Jack comes home from school and paints everyday.
(until Coley gets home, and then they go outside...because nothing can compete with dirt)

two. Jared got written up on the bus THREE times yesterday. for switching seats.
the bus driver said not to switch seats when the bus was moving. he interpreted that as when the bus was stopped, he could move. I am led to believe the driver meant do not leave your seat.

three. conferences tomorrow at school. I'm trying to decide the battles to fight, and what to let go. I'm sure I will begin the homeschool debate (again) tomorrow night.

four. Jared is really smart at math and science, and yet he broke my microwave the other day by heating leftovers ... leftovers with FOIL on them.
(and he got written up on the bus. did I mention that? brilliant)

five. we need another car. stat. I am soooo over the one car thing . momma needs a new truck.

six. I need to workout. my workout hiatus needs to be over now(ish). opting to start "next Monday" is not working...seven. I've noticed lately that my husband has become increasingly more food safety conscience in my house. he has decided that I positively can not have the lunch meat in the same drawer of the fridge as the raw meat (double bagged raw meat in defense of me) this is only funny to me because I'm the one that is normally overly concerned about food borne illness.
now I'm throwing E-coli caution to the wind and he's nervous.

eight. Jack is still ticked off that Colin refused to take us to the monster truck show last weekend. "his only excuse was it was going to be loud....he could have just shoved some ear plugs in...geez!" poor guy. I'll take him next time.

nine. rainboots are the best thing ever. now I want a raincoat.

ten. I'm going to shut-up now and go outside and sit in the SUN and read my new book...
happy Wednesday!

spring = love

2 of my favorite things...
my youngest coming home from school with a fistful of flowers...
declaring "they're back! they're back! the dandelions are back!"
and
getting to use one of the beakers.
nothing says I love you more than glassware.
and weeds.
at least not to me.

magazines always sneak in...

The fields this weekend were a little way too wet to play on, so no soccer. (again...sigh)
Spring in Arkansas we are discovering is rainy.
very
very
rainy.
We went to Barnes and Noble instead.
Everyone got a book, except Col, who doesn't so much love reading.
I'm very much trying to make Jack love it.
(as if that was possible)
so far I'm failing,
and he is taking after his Dad.
who is incredibly smart...
(considering his aversion to books)
so I guess that's not really a bad thing.

Little Mister Jolie

I knew that the removal of the white paper from the table would not be well received...
so I just replaced it with some conversation starters.
coincidentally stouffers has some online here...
not that I have any ties with Nestle,
or umm...stouffers...
(wink)
but yeah, they have like ten of them.
(Colin...hello, 10? how about a few more.)
so, yes. I just found lots (from different places),
printed them, and cut them into not-very-neat little strips.
I know y'all can be much more creative with the execution.
me. not feeling the need.

the boys all think this is pretty cool.
I will say they enjoy certain questions more than others
"What kind of superpowers would you want to have and why?"
a much bigger hit than questions like -
"What is one nice thing you did for someone else today?"
in fact I think Jack answered that last one with
"does it have to be today? can it be last week?"
excellent. one of the questions last night was:
"If you could invite three famous people to dinner, who would they be and why would you like to have them to dinner?"

Jack - "David Beckham because I want to be a professional soccer player. James Bond (having a little trouble grasping that he's the character, not the actual actor) because I might want to be an actor, and Tom Cruise because I want to be cool like him, but minus all the crazy."

Colten - "David Beckham because I want to be a professional soccer player. Angelina Jolie because she's hot, and Gordon Korman because I like his books."

Jared - "Ronaldinho. (yes, because they all want to be professional soccer players) Will Farrell, because just seeing him makes me laugh, and Stephanie Meyer or maybe Fabio from TopChef."

I said (and lets not dwell on my shallow answer please) "Martha Stewart of course because I love her... and probably just Brad and Angelina. they can bring the kids because that would just be fun"

Colten "Mom..."
Me- "Just a second, it's Daddy's turn"

Colin "Michael Jordan (Col loves MJ). Don Mattingly because he was my favorite baseball player growing up, and Rainn Wilson in the character of Dwight."

Colten - "Mom"
Me - "Yes Coley"
"umm...are Brad and Angelina married?"
"Yes, they're married buddy, they have kids"
"CRAP!"

Sorry dude.

Agent Michael Scarn

(in typical Colten fashion)
Last Thursday evening Cole casually mentioned that the following day for school he needed to dress up as a character in a book he's reading.
dude.
dress up?
the next day?
seriously?
thanks for the heads up.
So, I instantly said he could be Harry Potter.
(I knew we still had that costume from when Jared was little)
he replied with no way "I hate Harry Potter".
which is true, and he hasn't actually read the books (details)...
were there by chance any 10 year old boys in the book being read?
or,
soccer players?
no, and no.
but there was an FBI agent.
so Colten got to wear his beloved and never worn suit.
and I got to call him Michael Scarn...

winwin.

(He really was NOT Michael Scarn....btw)
*Agent Michael Scarn is the star of Threat Level: Midnight, a derivative spy/action hero screenplay written and illustrated by Michael Scott. He had kept it hidden in his desk drawer until it was discovered by Pam without his knowledge.
A thinly-veiled portrayal of himself, Michael also adopts the persona in one session of his improv comedy class, ignoring the rule to base his dialogue off of his scene partners, and ultimately shooting everyone in the room, regardless of their participation in the scene.

New Office tonight....and no soccer practice because of snow.
Happy Thursday!

it's because I really like him...

(I am not exaggerating when I say my kid is huge)

while the teenage years come with hormones, and vanity....I fail to allow teenager to be an excuse for bad attitude.
talking back will just never fly.
Jared forgot this, and ended up losing his cell phone Sunday for his horrifically bad attitude.
instead of accepting his punishment and letting it go.
he continued to mouth off.
with each sentence he yelled,
I just replied with "another day then?!"
It ended with me getting his phone for seven days.
SEVEN.
hello slow learner.....
and yes, I felt like dick...er....richard vernon.

Richard Vernon: You're not fooling anyone, Bender. The next screw that falls out will be you.
Bender: Eat my shorts.
Richard Vernon: What was that?
Bender: Eat... My... Shorts.
Richard Vernon: You just bought yourself another Saturday.
Bender: Ooh, I'm crushed.
Richard Vernon: You just bought one more.
Bender: Well I'm free the Saturday after that. Beyond that, I'm going to have to check my calendar.
Richard Vernon: Good, cause it's going to be filled. We'll keep going. You want another one? Just say the word say it. Instead of going to prison you'll come here. Are you through?
Bender: No.

thank you Breakfast Club....
disciplining this age....is just so much more difficult then with little ones. challenging to say the least.

Last night his varsity team had a game and he "needed" a phone so he could call when the game was done.
I handed him my phone.
my pink phone.
I think he considered arguing cruel and unusual punishment, but opted to take the phone and shove it in his pocket.
It wasn't until Colin texted him later to find out how much time was left
and my Britney Spears ringtone went off, that I think he decided that being nice was the way to go...
because his mom.
she is horribly mean.

Jack Benjamin Blaise

interview with Jack about his favorites at eight...
favorite color: orange
favorite food: hibachi chicken, potatoes (mashed and baked) and jello favorite tv show: Sponge Bob
favorite things to do: "playing outside with Jamison and Colten. sports. and video games"
favorite subjects in school: math and science
favorite major league sports team: the Cubs
the past 3 birthdays have been spent bowling. this birthday we all picked "power animals" (little too much fantasy factory) to "help" with our game. lots of orca sounds were made. Jack. taking photos of his cake while I was trying to take photos of him.

in other news.
Jack is clearly in need of a haircut, as is his momma.
and
Jared has lost his cell phone this week. yes. the whole week.

between the the birthday, the four soccer games, a basketball game, 2 guitar lessons, and the 2 and a half hour baseball practice this weekend, I'm still struggling to get caught up with everything that is involved in keeping a home....
so. that's all I've got today.

oh. and ETA: essie - mermaids actually. mermaids were in/on the cups. they really were just there to be festive. I got them at World Market awhile back. they're drink markers, but I thought they were cute. and decided while pulling out a little of this and a little of that to include them. cuz that's how I roll.

marigold is my favorite yellow

the white paper "tablecloth" was a huge hit.

in fact,

a new one is on the table now...

I think the boys would prefer I just leave it there permanently.

8 is Great!

Jack "Eight is great for lots of reasons."
"Probably the best one is now I can tryout for travel soccer."Jack
shiny-happy-can't sit still-hysterically funny-sensitive-story telling-brilliant-movie/commercial/tvshow quoting-spongebob/tom and jerry loving-hungry-hungry-creative-mathematical-lover of words-baseball soccer basketball playing-sweet natured-slow moving-vegetable hating-lets me call-him banana-still loves his oldbaby-wonderful-wonderful
Jack
my baby.
is eight. today.
can you believe it?
I hardly can....
Happy Birthday Jack Banana!
we love you like crazy.
(official real birthday post to follow later)