Awkward and Awesome Thursday

Awkward
- Waiting in line at the taco stand and overhearing one middle-aged man loudly remark to another: "that dress is confusing". Being as that I was the only one in a dress, and not 3 feet away, I couldn't help but answer with a smile: "Confusing?" The man's eyes met mine for a second and he responded: "yeah, sorry I can't even look at ya!"

And then there was nothing but awkward silence because I didn't really know what to do with that. Apologize? Assure him I was happy not to be looked at anyway?

^^The offending article^^

Stripes. They may cause you problems in life. Who knew?

- When your son gets a gruesome black eye a week before his kindergarten graduation.

^^accidental kick to the face by a sibling on the trampoline^^

Yes, it looks a lot better than this now, but it sure ain't gone yet! Drat it all.

- Realizing that every time you cook asparagus you post a picture on instagram to share your love of the vegetable with the world.

- Also... asparagus pee. It is a real thing, guys. A real pungent thing. (And it's worth it.)

Awesome
- Dinner outside.

- Children outside. FOR HOURS.

- The return of So You Think You Can Dance just when every other show has ended until fall.

- End of school excitement and the promise of schedule-free summer days!

- Blooming peonies and the new studio+ app for making pictures even cooler.

- when your graduating kindergartner learns how to tie a ponytail and sets up a video shoot with your camera and tripod all on his own to record a tutorial. HILARIOUS.

- Listening on the outside of your daughter's bedroom door to see if she and her cousin staying the night are going to sleep like you instructed, and hearing them pray together. SO SWEET.

Memorial day lowdown

My sister informs me it's practically been a week since I blogged and that is NOT okay with her.  Oopsie daisy, holiday weekends have that effect! Sorry, single most devoted reader/blood relation!

(As if we didn't talk and/or see each other every single one of those days.)

But here are pictures! And they include our finished half-court that my husband is oh-so-happy with and wouldn't mind me showing off one teeny bit. :)

I give you: Memorial Weekend 2014.

We didn't have the best weather for pouring concrete, which happened on Thursday and Friday. Day 1 they did the first half and it was super hot, which meant the concrete set up really fast. Then on day 2 it drizzled rain the whole time! It could have gone horribly but thankfully my father-in-law used to own his own concrete business and Russ worked for him as a teen and together, along with a couple of friends, they were able to pull it off and still make it look awesome.

While we waited for it to cure we spent the rest of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday doing various activities such as: attending a friend's sleepover (Cooper), hiking into the Columbia Gorge for an overnight backpack trip with Grandma Wilson and a cousin (Kendall), working around the property and participating in a skeet shoot (Russ), napping, movie watching, reading, and playing (myself and Blake), attending my nephew's fourth birthday party (all of us), and having friends over for a barbecue.   

By Monday morning the concrete was ready to play on, and thus began one jillion games of horse (with the hoop lowered for Blake.) 

While Miley and I just enjoyed the sunshine and watched. 

After lunch we took the kids off to swim at a fun swim center in a neighboring town, stopping at Dairy Queen for treats afterwards. 

(Hello crazy tattoo eyebrows! Without a stitch of makeup on they are still a little "bold" ;) And yes, Blake has a black eye. The result of an accidental kamikaze kick from his brother on the trampoline!)

By 5:30 pm we were back home for more basketball, this time with Papa Wilson. 

And finally, what's Memorial Day without a BBQ? My parents joined us for barbecue chicken, grilled zucchini and baked beans. 

Easy and good. Just like our weekend. 

When bad dreams collide

^^21 years old and pregnant with my first child... I pretty much fell asleep everywhere I went and embarrassed myself by drooling on people's furniture. And in payback I got my picture taken (thank you, Cara ;)^^

Yesterday morning I woke up in a foggy state with my dreams fresh in my mind. And my first coherent thought was basically, "what fresh hell was THAT?!"

It's pretty funny really. We'll call my dream "Jodi's everyday fears, combined"

Part 1: I'm leaving on vacation with my sister-in-law's family and realize we leave in 3 hours and I haven't even started to pack yet. Panic!

Part 2: I try to run home from the store to start packing, and I have no pants on! I'm just in a sweatshirt and underwear. The funny thing is, in my dream I decide to humiliate myself and run down the street anyway, the packing must go on!

Part 3: Suddenly I'm not packing for a trip, I'm showing up to a wedding. With Blake as my date. Instead of rows of chairs there are tables to sit around and I can't find a seat anywhere... I ask and ask and ask and every table is full or is being saved for someone else. I have no one to sit with and it's very awkward.

Part 4: I take myself off to the bathroom to decide what to do, and upon looking in the mirror, realize I have no makeup on! Not a stitch! Accckkkk!

And I think that's where I woke up. Strange. On a bright note, not a single bear or cougar showed up in my dream at all! Yes! PROGRESS! ;)

Monday confessional

Well this happened last week and it may top my worst confessions of all time.

I'm throwing together dinner for the family and I decide to make it special by bringing out the last two bottles of my homemade grape juice from the batch I canned two years ago. I mix them together with water and sugar and then pour the kids' cups for them and laugh as I watch them guzzle it down like it's the best thing they've ever had in their life.

And then for some reason I can't explain, I decide to sniff the empty bottles.

Huh. Sniff again. Sniff a third time.

Yep, pretty sure I just gave my children wine.

FERMENTED TO THE HILT, GUYS.

So I'm all, "Russell! Is fermented grape juice actually wine?"
And he looks at me like I'm crazy and says, "Uhhh, yeah!"
And then I'm all, "Aggghhhhh! Stop drinking everyone! Wait, you drank it all ALREADY?!"
And Russell says, "well it's mixed with water, right? It's probably fine."
And I say, "PROBABLY??"

And then I force everyone to drink water because I have no idea why, but it seems like the right thing to do.

Really, one of my proudest moments.

The end.

ps. no one was affected. I'm pretty sure.

Good morning, Friday! The photo dump

New bird house/giant telephone-pole post in my garden, because my husband loves me :)

Oregon is green, green, green right now! And warm! Perfect combo for just sitting outside in the evening and enjoying country life.

You're never too old to do your nails over coffee with your Nanna. Never.

I love her hands and the years and years of love they have given out to so many people. Especially me. 

Blake decided to write his name and age on his ruler, and then to make things clear, added "mioynoo".

(when I asked what that word was he answered: "it's says mine!")

CUTE ALERT.

Late night porch visitin' with the birthday girl, because what's a best friend if she doesn't show up unannounced at the front door, at 9 pm at night, to bring a card and gifts and stay for a lovely chat?

(Or maybe I just really wanted a mom break and for Russ to get the kids in bed after they were all wound up from ice cream at Wednesday night church... who knows.) 

Excited for blooming peonies in my garden. Peonies may be my very favorite. 

Did I mention the awesome warm weather we've been having? This picture was taken at 7:30 pm last night - enjoying a late dinner while looking at our newly formed basketball half-court that's going to be poured next weekend. 

Also: MY BOYS. Good grief.

And now it's time for weekend fun! On the agenda: date night, a wedding, and The Wizard of OZ musical theater. 

(May, you've been pretty awesome so far, carry on.)

Retreatin'

Here's where I was this past weekend!

^^awesome shot by my friend Maggie^^

And it was pretty darn fabulous. 

Our church women's retreat is on Mother's Day weekend every year (initially because it was the only weekend available all year at our awesome conference center in Cannon Beach) and it's a true getaway. Relaxing, fun, and easy, with powerful sessions and worship and plenty of free time in between. I look forward to it every year! 

^^Shiree, Jana, Kelly, Tricia, and me^^

I drove to the coast with these lovely ladies and we stopped for dinner at the Screw & Brew... a restaurant/pub inside the local hardware store! Our waiter wore denim bib overalls, and seeing as that he was well over six feet tall it was quite the sight let me tell you. Bonus: the food was really good!

One of the best things about the weekend is getting to spend it with my mother and sister...

And my two sisters-in-law. (We missed my mother-in-law big time this year, as she was off gallivanting around the state on a retiremoon with my newly retired father-in-law. Which I guess is a legit enough excuse...)

And on top of those important ladies in my life, I get to hang out with all my girlfriends too! 

There is nothing hard about this weekend, let me tell you.

Sunday morning we stood out on the sand and watched two precious ladies get baptized in a little water inlet on the beach.

Annie used to play on Russ's basketball team and has been at OSU for two years now. We stayed up late Saturday night talking and when she shared her awesome testimony Sunday morning it totally made me cry sentimental proud tears, I just love her!

And I love these retreats :)

A happy mama's day

Mother's Day was a delightful affair, from start to finish. I came home late Sunday afternoon from the women's retreat I was at all weekend with no expectations for my family because my present was the getaway, with plenty of spending money to boot.

Yet my husband still filled my love-tank by making sure the house was spotless, there was a cute card waiting for me with notes and pictures from everyone, and then:

A special pedicure from Kendall

With dinner by Cooper (fried egg bagels), and a back massage and hairdo session from Blake (who kissed me at least 20 times and told me he was never ever going to leave our home ;)

And if that wasn't enough, after the kids were in bed Russ patiently sat and listened to me gab and GAB about all the details of my weekend, without a hint of boredom. BLESS HIM.

The only disconcerting moment was when I opened a handmade card from Cooper and read this:

Upon questioning though Cooper assures me he wrote DARN... that's just a squished R and N!

Getaway pictures coming tomorrow :)

Friday photo dump

A quick glimpse at life lately.

Around the yard

snowies after school (because it felt like summer)

lunch dates at the park

Hay Day fun with auntie Sarah

caught snoozin'

caught camera stealin'

Subtle clue found in my kitchen that my kids want me to bake sugar cookies :)

grocery shopping partner in crime (who I totally bribed with Dutch Bros. to come with me ;)

Gold Rush marathonin'

Annndddd... I'm back in the saddle. Hello, old friend! Looking forward to change. 

Also looking forward to my weekend at the Oregon Coast starting in T - 2 hrs! 

Road trip! Girls weekend! Mother's Day shopping! My favorites have collided in a fabulous way :)

Happy weekend.

A little update

"Little" because I've spent the past 24 hours trying to get my internet working and am so over it now! Though I'm happy to report that a tech guy just drove off with a very corroded piece of something from our electrical box outside after replacing it and I am finally back in service!

Hi. I've been a sketchy blogger of late and I blame life in general and too much Hay Day in particular ;)

We had a fun/crazy weekend though and I even took some pictures so I am choosing to power on and get a blog post up already, sheesh!

First of all, here we have a couple of cedar trees from the back of our property being driven off to get milled into decking for our new porch. Exciting business. (It may look like Russ is leaning against one of the trees, but I can assure you he is not because they were crawling with biting ants. Very creepy.)

And in even more exciting news, the basketball court project began! Along with a new power and water line from the pump house (closest gray building) to our house behind it in the picture (which is really in front of it because this is a view from the back yard). (Confused?). This involved a giant ditch being dug between our driveway and back door and since we can't use our front door right now because there's no decking on our porch, our life currently consists of daily ditch-hopping until the track hoe comes back in a week.

^^option B: you can also walk the plank^^

Speaking of track hoes, we accidentally ripped our water line with it on Friday, Russ fixed it that night, and then managed to break it again Saturday. So yeah, that was fun. 

Luckily I took myself off to a couple of baby showers Saturday and wasn't home to hyperventilate at the sight of my boys literally rolling around in all that dirt and then not being able to have them wash immediately upon stepping inside.

^^Noelle (soon to be mama) and her sister Nicole, party host extraordinaire^^

I failed to take pictures at the 2nd shower, or the potluck we went to at a friends later that evening (after water was restored and every single member of our family had showered), but it was a fun day. Followed by piano recitals Sunday, helping a friend pack Monday, work, bible study, working out, the kids' hunters safety classes (finally over after today, hallelujah!), and lots of other regular life stuff. 

I think that sums it up!

I'll be back later with my regular What I Wore post. Happy Wednesday, guys!