Blame it on the Rain...

Ahhh, Milli Vanilli. Remember them? We had a talent show in high school and two girls dressed up like them, hair, outfits, etc, and did that dance and kept running up to each other for that belly jump. Still makes me laugh!

Anyway, they have nothing to do with this, except we went camping this weekend, Girl Scout style, and it rained and rained. A LOT. All of Tate's troop and moms went - it was really, really fun. But by Saturday, it was not raining, although quite wet, but we were able to do stuff outside without getting wet!

We have plans to do this again in the fall, same troop. But maybe not a sponsored event, and at a non-GS campground, because, well, wine.

Before the trip, Tate was beside herself with excitement - she did a scavenger hunt in the house, with the letter "C" for camping in a path to "something that goes with camping." It ended in our pile of sleeping bags in the living room. Love her love for everything!

Pre-trip, our Great Leader, Tara, and I, made these awesome shirts. Tara taught me how to do silk screening - we made one for every girl in the troop, and one for the 3 leaders (Tara, Michelle, and me), but as usual, I left it at home. Sigh. I will wear it soon to a meeting so all the girls can sign mine!

Some pictures from the trip:

See how awesome Tara is? She let all the girls who wanted to try and light a match to do so - chaperoned fire!

Shirt signing

My favorite little girl!!

Sunday was Mother's Day, and I got spoiled rotten. David and the kids went out the day before to buy some provisions - gluten free pancake mix, fruit, etc. I was served breakfast in bed - actually we all ended up eating in bed as they couldn't get enough of the pancakes either! We then went to Smith's soccer game. They are a good team in that they have the least amount of scores against, and they talk to each other, and they pass, and and and...but we don't have any natural scorers. So while our scores against are low, we end up losing because we don't end up scoring any goals. Well, this Sunday was AMAZING. Not only did they play great, like they almost always do, WE WON!!!!!!! It was just the best. An amazing game, happy mom's, dad's and BOYS! Smith said he forgot how good it felt to win! At the end of the game, the boys each got a flower from our great team manager, and they came running across the field shouting "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!"

faces blocked out to protect the innocent

My parents came to the game, and we met up with my brother, SIL and niece for a great lunch nearby afterwards. Mom and I even got to sit at the bar, just the two of us, for a fancy drink!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Great day - started with gluten-free pancakes in bed with the kids (lots of sharing going on), then off to Smith's game.

Smith's game WON! Quote, "I forgot how good it feels to WIN!" It was an intense, extremely well played game, and it has been a long time for a win. At the end of the game, the boys come running across the field with flowers in their hands, shouting "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!" 

Afterwards, we had an impromptu lunch (my brother worked out a reservation for all 9 of us while we were at Smith's game). Great food, great company. Mom and I even got fancy drinks, just the two of us, while our table was getting ready. Love how this picture turned out.

I feel very lucky to be the mom of two such wonderful kids, a part of the family that I have by birth and marriage, and friends with the strong, wonderful women I am around. I enjoy my life, and am thankful to be surrounded by so many beautiful people!

Variety Show

Tate recently participated in the Variety Show at our elementary school! She and one of her dear friends started the show with The Star Spangled Banner. They did a GREAT job! We went shopping beforehand to pick out the outfits, and they finally settled on what Sheila and I thought would be a great choice of outfits (had to make them love the idea, though). Look how stinking cute?? I did not get video of the night-of, but here is the dress rehearsal. So proud, hard to hold back the tears while they sang, both in rehearsal and the real deal. I sure love our school.

On the needles

This is admittedly a bit weird. I just finished a GORGEOUS scarf. My mom bought me some yarn from some little sheepies in New Zealand when she went there. It is white with some gray, very fuzzy, and I did not know what the heck I was going to do with it. So my sharp-brained friend, Tara, told me to do a search for it on Ravelry (had NO idea to do that!) and I found this:

However, I did not have enough yarn to do the body and the ruffle, so I bought some charcoal gray with white (do you see where this is headed?) to make the ruffle. I was rather confused about how to do the ruffle, but YouTube and The Google helped me, along with Tara and her knitting guru friend, as always. So now I have this:

The weird part is that I have this warm and elegant wool scarf ready for...May. Ah well, it'll be fun to wear in the fall.

Just on my needles is this

Which will become my own version of this

which I may be making more of if they turn out as cute as this one. My niece has already said she thinks it'll be a good hat for Pittsburgh...

Green

I'm trying to eat green. Actually, I'm succeeding, which is pretty cool. I did a 10 day cleanse with Little Green, which is run by an old friend. We started in a playgroup together when our boys were about 6 months old. Wow - that was 11 and a half years ago!!

The cleanse started on April 20, and it's a whole food cleanse, so it eliminates gluten, dairy, caffeine, processed food, etc. I've stuck with it except for coffee...just added that back again yesterday. It's been good, energy level great, trying lots of new recipes, making easy, yummy stuff. I've lost a little weight which is a nice bonus.

A friend told me about this Clean Gut book, and how maybe it can help arthritis if you follow it. I feel like I'm on this weird path that's really like a confusing maze. I so want to have food be a key to why my arthritis acts up. Or, actually, I kind of don't. Well, not if it means gluten. Or cheese. Argh. If I'm being perfectly honest, I would give up foods that exacerbate pain. I would! But nobody really knows, right? So I'm eating really well right now, lots and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and non-gluten grains and fish. But this Clean book is saying that only to eat quinoa but not too much, and only berries for fruit, and do this and don't do that and ARGH! 

Guess I'll stick with this for at least a month, maybe longer, see what happens. My wrists still hurt but not as much. My energy level is good. I know I'm eating really well. So, what's the downside? Lack o'gluten. But I did find these...

I love scrolling through my photos - I forget sometimes that we do a lot of cool stuff.

It's been almost 20 days since I last posted, and not for want of something to write. It's just busy. I'm tired of busy. Spring is always like this, with soccer (times two now), gymnastics, WORK, and this pressure to be outside ENJOYING it all. Although I do, enjoy it that is.

We've just about out of firewood season, which is nice and sad all at once. I love sitting in our little back room, all snugly with a fire and kids and David and beagle. But I'm also fine with the sun setting closer to 7:30 now and getting a bit more out of each day - and the warmth and flowers are overwhelmingly pretty right now! I could do without the yellow haze over my entire car, though. I do not remember a prettier spring - we've had spring weather instead of that weather where it turns from cold to hot overnight. We have chilly mornings, warm afternoons, and chilly evenings. Perfect.

Here is a little bit of our spring...

See that fireplace? and Scrabble? And my two favorite littler people?

Love her sentences.

No, this isn't Tate; I'm going to a party. Yes, dressed like that.

Bike ride - hope to do lots more of this coming soon.

 Red bridge park with a kite

Awww, see that smile??

Maria Cart

Chicken at the farmers market

Goat at the farmers market

Pretend cow at safeway. What the...?!?!

The garden has begun! Brussel sprouts, spinach, lettuce, snap peas. 

Daisy camp

Making an "edible fire". We have a great troop leader!

March in Pictures!

March is always a busy month for us - lots of family birthdays. This year, David was going to a coaching seminar on Tate's actual day, so we had family day the day before, and then celebrated with my mom, who's birthday it is, too (they share a March birthday! So special!).

Family day was special in another way, too, as one of Tate's best buddies has a birthday the day BEFORE her. So roller skating at another friend's party, then went to see the final game of Smith's indoor season where they WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP - we saw the game winning ending which was a nail biter for sure. Next up was Rebounderz, the indoor trampoline place - super fun (and expensive) and how can you say no to the indoor hurricane machine on a girl's birthday?? We had a simple dinner at home, David went off to do more soccer learning, then, sleep.

Birthday morning, we met my parents for some bagels, then headed off to Cunningham Falls for their Maple Syrup Festival. Mmm - pancakes and sausage and Maryland maple syrup. It was a beautiful day!

So, 7 years ago, on my mom's and Tate's birthday:

And today:

Pretty cute, right? And Smith, still in orange!