Intermission

{and would you just look how excited i am}

****

we're headed toward the neon lights

and the sun

we're hoping to find the sun

i'll let you know if we find it.

until then

no {seven o'clock} posts

stay cool,

kim

(seven o'clock) on the 19th

{7:02}

{in the parking lot}

flame-broiled dinner...and no dishes

(seven o'clock) on the 18th

{7:51}

{at our house}

Brynlee's rendition of Spongebob

(seven o'clock) on the 17th

{7:09}

{at our house}

Wii be playin' The New Super Mario Brothers

(seven o'clock) on the 16th

{7:28}

{at our house}

hangin' out

*****

I busted Brynlee today.

In preparation of emptying her evening dosage of  amoxicillin.
In the potty.

Little rascal.

Smart little rascal!

Smart little rascal that hates amoxicillin.

(seven o'clock) on the 15th

{7:28}

{at our house}

the fridge art spilleth over

(seven o'clock) on the 14th

{sometime before 7:00}

{at our house}
a valentines day feast

 

*****

and then we pulled out the hide-a-bed

curled up next to the fire

and spent the rest of the evening

catching up on dvr'd olympics

while i complained about how sick i was.

i got all sentimental when the pair skating came on...

ice skating reminds me of my childhood

it reminds me of my mom and my siblings

it brings back good memories.

while spence laid next to me making fun of

the ice skaters revealing outfits

every now and again

laughing out loud at

the cheesyness of it all.

after each routine he would judge them American Idol style...

"it was just ight for me dawg"

"bloody boring, if you ask me"

"we got a hot one tonight"

which would make me laugh,

that "spray-milk-out-your-nose" kinda laugh

that laugh that he so often makes me do

 

i'm one lucky girl

with the most perfect valentine

(seven o'clock) on the 13th

{7:00}

{at our house}

Love Day Wishes from our house to yours

::insert image of my big sister rolling her eyes here::

****

Valentines Day subway art idea from here.

(seven o'clock) on the 12th

{7:08}

{in the car}

in a hurry to refill the gas tank

(seven o'clock) on the 11th

{7:51}

{at our house}

eating ice-cream plus cone

on couch minus cushions

(seven o'clock) on the 10th

{7:02}

{at the doctor's office}

in hiding

The story of a heart-shaped potato chip

I cried today.

I'm sick. And tired. And my kids are sick. And grouchy and tired. And Spencer is sick. And dizzy and nauseous. And tired.
As they say…I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Uggh!

I don't cry very often. And I 'feel down' even less.
I really am an optimist.
I try to find beauty in everything.  I think there's always a silver lining.
My glass is half-full. My glasses, rose colored.  And they lived happily ever after. And all that optimistic blah, blah, blah.
I don't think being optimistic makes me better. I don't think it makes me worse. It just makes me…ME!
It might make me naive. It might make me sappy. It might make you gag.
But, that's me. It's who I am.
An optimist.

But today.
Today I'd had it. I was frustrated. And overwhelmed. And did I mention we're sick. AGAIN!
I tried to handle today with a smile. With dignity and grace. But I was fresh out of all those things.
My kids wouldn't stop C R Y I N G!
My head was spinning. I couldn't breathe out my nose.
And I wanted nothing more than to crawl up in my bed and pull the blankets over my head.
But, I couldn't. I can't. Because I'm a mom. And my kids, they were C R Y I N G, and lunch needed made and favorite toys found, and stories read, and noses wiped.
Plus, my sick husband was already upstairs on my side of the bed, with the blankets over his head.
So I endured. The best I could.

And then when I felt I just couldn't endure anymore.
…both the kids took a nap.
God is good.

The house was quiet. The fire a'blazin. I curled up on the end of the couch with a blanket. AND C R I E D! I felt sorry for myself. Which only caused more tears. More C R Y I N G.
And right when I was getting into a real good cry-fest, Brynlee woke up.
She called for me. Told me her "body hurt all over" and asked me to "snuggle her with both my arms".
And so I did. We curled up on the end of the couch together. Snuggling. And eating Ruffles cheddar and sour cream chips.
Because of all the congestion neither of us could taste a thing. But the greasy empty calories still tasted good.

Then Brynlee pulled a chip from the bag. Looked at it for a bit. Then handed it to me saying, "Look! A heart, mommy. You can have it."
I took the heart chip from her little hand, and while fighting back tears snuggled her tightly and said, "Thanks Brynlee. I love it. I love you! You're my favorite little girl."
And then as she kissed my cheek she replied, "And you're my favoritist mommy. I love you!"

And suddenly it was all worth it. Every.single.bit.of.it!
Which made me cry again. But this time very different tears.
Tears of joy. Of happiness. And love.
Tears of family. And togetherness. And motherhood.
Tears of joy and delight. Of optimism. And sappy-ness.
(I mean it was a potato chip for crying out loud)

I know I'm far from perfect. I know there are times I screw-up. I can be controlling. My house gets messy. Sometimes we spend the entire morning watching cartoons. And forget to brush our teeth.
But you want to know what. I'm happy. And loved.
And at the end of the day that's all that really matters.

(seven o'clock) on the 9th

{two hours after 7:16}

{at our house}

weekly tv night with Kate

*****

Do you watch American Idol?

Are you as glad as I am that we've made it to Hollywood week?

All that audition junk makes me a little nauseous.
But not nauseous enough to not watch. 

And I'm still angry about Ellen D. as a judge.
But again, not angry enough to not watch.

Do you sometimes break out in a little "pants on the ground"?
I do.
One million percent yes, i do.  Dawg.

What do you think?
Love it?  Hate it? Never seen it?
Do share.

(seven o'clock) on the 8th

{7:44}

{at our house}

Filling humidifiers.

The bad news:  This winter {at our house} we've been sick more than we've been healthy.

The good news: By 7:40pm both kids were in bed.  ASLEEP!

(seven o'clock) on the 7th

{7:02}

{at our house}

Brynlee and I crafting a Love Day goody bag

to be delivered to preschool friends

My baby sister’s EIGHT. It’s great.

On Saturday, Marie, was baptized and confirmed
a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

by her dad.

My dad.

It was a wonderful day.

Shared by family.

Those that love her.

idolize her.

Marie smiled.

She glowed.

She was happy.

*
*
*

I'm so proud of her.

She's perfection.

(seven o'clock) on the 5th

{7:26}

{at Costco}

buying bulk size chicken wings for our Super Bowl Party

and y'all know how we celebrate the Super Bowl

*****

*photo credit goes to Brynlee

In case your wondering, I don't typically hold a photo shoot in the grocery store.

But she really wanted to.

Plus, it was 7:00.

And she argued that the halogen lighting was just pur-fect.

And who am I to limit her artistic vision.

She also took these pictures.

And about 821 others. 

(seven o'clock) on the 4th

{7:06}

{at our house} 

Dinner

Sweet Red Chili Chicken over White Rice and Eggrolls

*****

Yesterday was one of those days.

Brynlee was sick…AGAIN!

And grouchy.

And whiney and irritable.

I spent the day wiping noses.

Forcing Tylenol in little mouths.

And trying to comfort the sick.

AND DOING IT ALL WRONG.

Only causing more whining.

And frustration.

When the kids FINALLY went to bed.

I debated spending the remainder of the evening either…

ordering parenting books off of Amazon.

or watching TV while I ate myself into a coma.

I chose option two.

{Jillian Michaels would be so proud.}

After I had cleared our house of anything of the chocolate sort,

Spencer escorted me to bed.

Then Brynlee woke up bright and early this morning.

All chipper, bubbly and feverless.

She gave me hugs and kisses.

Just like yesterday never happened.

And I'm going to pretend like it didn't.

Because I think it's healthier that way.

…if only the bathroom scale would also forget.

Here's to a better Friday. 

(seven o'clock) on the 3rd

{7:05}

{at our house}

curtains left wide open

*****

p.s. it's her birthday tomorrow (on the 4th)

clickty-click on her blog and wish her some birthday fabulousness.

Love you Erin.

Happy, happy birthday.

(seven o'clock) on the 2nd

{7:31}

{at our house}

one of these things is not like the other

one of these things just doesn’t belong…

(seven o'clock) on the 1st

{7:48}

{at our house}
winter clothes hung fireside to dry

soaking wet from FHE at the sledding hill

****

*This is what {seven o'clock} looks like at our house.

*What does {seven o'clock}look like at your house? 

Do you care to play along? 

*Only rule: picture has to be taken during the {seven o'clock} hour on said day.