The Weekend Report

Well hello, internet friends!

Aren't I turning into the slacker blogger! Life's been good, all is well, and I'm here to play a little catch up, mostly because I just finished my third book for the week and I'm feeling quite accomplished and like anything is possible... even blogging!

First off, it's been gorgeous. Cold, sometimes wet, but gorgeous.

Second, puppy update: they are cuter than EVER.

{this little guy sold over the weekend, only 3 left available!}

Also of note: I recently purchased my first ever hair wand (super sale on Amazon) and promptly gave myself two small 2nd degree burns on my neck. This thing means business. 

{hair attempt #1. Am getting better and yesterday didn't burn myself at all so... improvement.}

Friday night was Girls Night In at my Nanna's with my cousins and aunts, mom, and sister (and soon to be sister-in-law). This is the second time we've done this this year and it is my absolute favorite. Girls Night In involves fondue, desserts, yummy drinks, sweatpants, possibly games, girl talk, and more girl talk. I got home at 2am. Worth it. 

And I have to show you my Nanna's walking cane. This blinged out beauty epitomizes Nanna. It's perfect.

Unfortunately I had to be at Blake's basketball game at 8:45am Saturday morning, and my short night of sleep, interrupted twice by a yelping puppy who had escaped his pen in the night and was lost and alone in the corner of the living room, led me to be more than just a little bleary-eyed that day. 

In short, After Blake's game I was supposed to go pick up Cooper from a sleepover at a friends. I totally forgot. And then when they called to let me know they'd brought him with them to their younger sons basketball game, I said I'd come get him there and then DROVE TO THE WRONG SCHOOL.  

Sleep is important, guys. 

Thankfully I was able to get a nap in that afternoon, Which was a good thing because I went to hear a guest speaker at our church Saturday night, and after the service ended at 8:45 pm, Russ and I sent Blake home with his grandparents and surprised our older two with a late night date to see Mockingjay Part 2!  Weeeeeee!  

{It was so gooood!}

We still made it to church yesterday morning, but another nap was top priority afterwards. So basically, it was a perfect Sunday. 

And I had to take this picture of Blake because he is cracking me up with his latest clothing obsession: his two-sizes-too-small old snowsuit that he pulled out of storage and has decided is the perfect thing to wear indoors when playing with toys or when going to bed. 

Goofy, adorable child.  

{and no, our house isn't even remotely cold. Our woodstove has been keeping it nice and toasty!} 

So, anything exciting happen over your weekend? Catch the Mockingjay premiere? I kind of want to go again!

Monday Confessional

I have a secret quest in life: to ensure that my only daughter properly (and passionately) falls in love with all the same old books and movies that I have loved ever since I was her age. (Some true classics, some 80's & 90's classics!)

So far I've had about an 80% success rate... so I'm feeling pretty good about it. And I'm hugely enjoying my quest, especially when it means Kendall and I can go hide in my bedroom with the laptop or our books while sports games are going on in the living room! We've knocked out so many favorites and I have so many more still to introduce.

Biggest hits: Pride & Prejudice (watched 4 times now), My Fair Lady, The Fiddler on the Roof, The Princess Bride, Sleepless in Seattle, my entire Lori Wick book collection, and as of last night, Anne of Green Gables.

I originally introduced my dearest Anne a little too early, in both book & movie form, so Kendall remembered nothing except that she found the first book daunting and the movies boring. Oh was she pleasantly surprised yesterday! We had ourselves a little movie marathon, to be continued today, and she also found the books on my bookshelf and is ready to dive on in.)

{I love you, Anne Shirley! And now Kendall does too!}

Biggest failures: Grease, and Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. We are talking BOMBS, here. She walked out on me during the first one, saying it was way too racy and she was uncomfortable (while I was busy singing and bebopping along to Sandra Dee), and swore to never watch the second one again after the slightly disturbing forced wedding scene with Marian, Nottingham and the witch.

Girl's a prude. Err, I mean, MY BAD!

(Funny how many scenes you forget about when remembering movies you watched as a kid/teen!)

(Note to self: give her a year and try again ;)

Awkward & Awesome Returns

I haven't done one of these in a while! Please, let my awkward life entertain you!

Awkward:
- When you're sitting in the back of a room full of kids who are being entertained by The Reptile Man, and he is introducing one of his rattlesnakes, and happens to mention that his snake was in a movie about a lady walking the Pacific Crest Trail, and you instantly know he's talking about "Wild", and abruptly interrupt his story by shouting, "ooh, ooh, did you get to meet Reese Witherspoon?!"

LIKE A DORK MOM.

(For the record, yes he did. And told a story about it. So yes, it was worth it.)

- When this picture is captured from the event by the coordinator, and of course it's YOUR son kissing the giant python.

OH BLAKE. 

- When you have plans with friends for Veterans Day, forget about those plans and try to make plans with a different friend, and then have to attempt to gracefully back pedal after remembering your first plans.

It was as awkward as it sounds. 

Awesome:
- My original (and super fun) plans for Veterans Day... a writer's retreat day with some of my blogging friends! It was AMAZING. We showed up in sweats, with yummy food to share, and our laptops to spend a day writing and working on projects without a single interrupting child. (or husband. ;) Next up, a writers' retreat weekend in January! (aka the girlfriends' play weekend ;)

- Conversations with optimists:
Blake: Mom! Mom! It's almost my birthday!
Me: you mean your birthday next March? That's 5 months away, bud.
Blake: well... that's getting pretty close! *grins excitedly*

- Freezer meal parties. I didn't know this was a thing, you guys, but I got invited to one with the option to either go help prep and come home with 7 delicious crockpot meals for my freezer, or pay a little extra and just pick my meals up. There are so many options and all the shopping is done for you and I was pretty much like, "SOLD", within 5 minutes of learning all about it. 

I AM  A LITTLE EXCITED. 

- Dates with handsome fellas.

- Dates, period :)

The Sports Vacation

Our family goes on two kinds of vacations: family trips, and sports trips. Family trips are everything they should be... fun and relaxing getaways with lots of quality time together.

But sports trips... they are exciting! It's a family vacation with a side of high hopes and expectations, and camaraderie with your sports family.

Last Thursday we traveled to Redmond, Oregon for the 1A State volleyball finals where we cheered on our Lady Cougars who were making a run at their second state title in a row. We also went to help cook for the team - staying in an adjacent condo in Eagle Crest Resort... a big condo!

Besides the team and coaches, the coaches families were also there... including my nieces and nephews, making it extra fun for my kids!

But on to the tournament!

Game 1: VICTORY!

After game one on Friday afternoon we played again Friday night, with a blackout theme for the crowd (we have a lot of school spirit :)

Game 2: SUCCESS!

Winning the second game put us into the championship match Saturday night! We wiled Saturday away by playing games, taking the kids swimming at the resort rec center, and generally being nervous about the upcoming game!

Blake and Valerie sporting their school colors

Introducing the players before the game

Game 3: DOMINATION! 

We won in 3 sets, winning back-to-back state champ titles! YEAAAAHHH!

Coach Janin hugging her oldest daughter, a senior, who won player of the game. 

Besides having a niece on the team, two sisters-in-law for assistant coaches, and a nephew as team manager, as well as being close friends with coach Janin, almost all of the girls also play basketball for Russ so we have a LOT of love and pride for this team! It was such an awesome night. 

Best post-win moment: all the dads doing the whip/nae nae with their daughters... priceless! 

Next sports vacation: crossing our fingers for Baker City next March for the basketball finals!

Poopageddon

Fact: Miley doesn't like going outside in the rain. Even when she's eating for seven (nursing mama) and hasn't gone potty in hours, and it's bedtime and her last chance to go out and she KNOWS IT.

I tried three times last night, walking out onto the porch with her while she trotted to just under the edge of the porch roof that was being beaten with monsoon-loud rain and then looked up at me like, "that's a solid pass, lady", and high-tailed it back inside. So I said, "fine then", and went to bed.

And thus, last night will long be remembered as Miley's pooping reign of terror.

7 PILES.

ONE OF THEM FOUND HALF STEPPED IN.

On the plus side, my house now smells like the inside of a Pine-Sol bottle because I was forced to go on a sanitization rampage. Good times.

Also on the plus side: the puppies have opened their eyes! They are two weeks old now and growing like weeds and are the cause of much wasted time due to their adorableness. It's a real problem.

My kind of problem.