Celebrate?

June made me promise I would post this picture on the blog.  She had to share her work of art entitled "Swinging with Friends."  From top left:  June, Caulder, and Winnie.  Bottom left:  Kazzy, Arlee, and Jordan.  Yeah, Caulder's quite the ladies man.

 

Here comes the angry bride.  This face pretty much sums up the week Winnie's been having.  I swear, she endured a week of a rotten cold, only to end up with a terrible stomach flu the very next week!  I'm sure you fellow moms know exactly where I'm coming from when I say that we have been sick at our house since January! 

 

Here's Kolby celebrating his 32nd birthday on Friday.  What could be more fun than blowing out candles while holding a bucket for your baby to spew into?  Happy birthday babe - we'll celebrate for real when everyone's healthy.  

Cousin Lyra celebrated her first birthday this week too.  I can't believe it!  Sadly, she was battling the very same stinking flu.  She was a trooper though, and ripped into every delightful, girly present.  We sure do love you little L.P. and we hope you get feeling well enough to enjoy your new loot!

Right now I'm crossing my fingers and toes, praying that the rest of us can avoid the plague for just one more day.  June is turning five tomorrow.  We've planned a wonderful day full of fun surprises and it will be totally awesome if we can spend the day partying and not with our heads (or bottoms) glued to the toilet.  We need all the luck we can get so cross your fingers too! 

Kolby's Medicine Ball

Last night we went to Kolby's med school ball - "Casino Royal."  I can't remember the last time Kolby and I got dressed up and enjoyed a fancy night out together.  To be honest, the school throws these events on a pretty frequent basis, but because we don't drink, we usually toss the flyers put on our sweats, and just stay home and play the "Ticket to Ride" instead.  I don't know what made us change our minds, but I'm really glad we did.  

I'm not going to lie, polishing up was an all-day affair filled with flash backs of high school prom preparations - you know, finding the right accessories, shoes, skin color, etc.  But in the end, the ball was a blast.  We danced, visited with friends, and (all in the name of charitable contributions) hit the blackjack, roulette and craps tables.  It was a much needed night of fun with my love Kolby.  Maybe now we won't be too scared or lazy to venture out to a few more of these parties.  

Happy birthday to me . . .

Well, it's official.  I'm 28 years old.  Just a hop, skip and jump from the big 3-0.  The only thing bringing me any sort of comfort is knowing that my Wii age is a youthful 21!  That's why Kolby was kind enough to use my Wii age in candles to decorate my red velvet cake.  Thanks buddy.

Apparently OU is not very considerate of birthdays when it comes to scheduling tests.  Kolby was testing his guts out all week and couldn't really celebrate with me.  So I forced my best friend Stephanie to be my date to dinner and a movie.  I still can't believe that Steph and I are lucky enough to live by each other here in Oklahoma.  I guess our friendship was just destined to be from the start.  Like peas and carrots!  I found this picture from high school the other day so I thought I'd toss it on the blog, since we were too busy partying on Wednesday night to take any pictures.  Thanks for being my BFF Steph!  

  

Be Mine

I just have to say, we had the best valentines day this year.  It was a day filled with surprises of love, laughter and thoughtfulness.

 

Here's a couple of special valentines of mine.  I was enjoying a morning bath when I got a knock at the door (followed my many more impatient ones).  These two chickies and their dad surprised me with a valentines day treasure hunt.  I followed the path of hearts and found some special treats.  June is such a schemer - on Friday she told me that she and Kolby had to run to the store to pick up a card for Yaya Julie to thank her for these lovely valentine shirts.  Only five and already skilled at covering her tracks.  Kolby said she made the story up all on her own!

So the ladies (Tish, Amy, and Steph) and I have been planing this romantic valentine dinner for a couple of weeks.  I knew it would be beautiful because Amy and Tish are pros at decorating, but it was better than anything I could have imagined!  Amy turned her home into the most romantic destination we could have hoped for!

  

The rooms were filled with romantic music, glowing with soft candlelight and filled with beautiful flowers . . .

They were also decorated with pictures of each couple.  You know, back in the dating days when the ladies were super hot and the boys still had hair.

Because we always use each other for babysitters, we had no choice but to bring the kids along.  But we gated them off in the hallway, put them in their jammies, and let them have a movie slumber party.  Surprisingly, they were all pretty good.  Tish and Amy made these cute little party favors to reward the kids for their good behavior and even made a couple of romantic party favors for the adults too!  I won't get into details on those . . .

 

I can't get over this beautifully romantic table setting!  A restaurant could not have been any better.  Tish, Amy, and Steph made a beautiful and delicious meal - yummy fish with rice, the tastiest carrots I have ever had, heart-shaped rolls and chocolate-covered strawberries.

And for dessert I contributed some treat-loaded valentine cupcakes with frothy milk.  We spent the remainder of the night playing  romantic, spicy and of course, hilarious games.  Amy took some pictures of those, so I'll have to steel a couple from her when she puts them on her blog (as long as they aren't to racy :)

I have to say that I feel really blessed to have such great friends.  There is never a dull minute when we all get together and I love them all dearly. 

  

Curt, Tish (and Lyra)

Stephanie and Spencer

 Rob and Amy

And my true love shicks - Kolby.  It was love at first sight and it has only gotten better.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Cousin Time!

It's so nice to grow up with cousins.  We're so lucky that Amos and Lyra live close enough to have a lot of play dates with us.

This crew knows how to have a good time!  Sure, they have their battles, but there is a lot of love here.  Yesterday, June and Amos were playing chase and I guess it got a little heated.  June took Amos by the shoulders and said, "Amos, chill off."  We adults weren't quite sure what "chill off" means, but Amos got it.  

This was supposed to be a picture marking a glorious new day for Winnie.  Big girl panties!  Sadly, our attempt was a flop.  It was a day plagued with accidents, tears spilt over a poopie Ariel, and loads of laundry.  I'm sorry, but training June was so awful, I don't know if I have it in me to start it all over again with Winnie right now.  Maybe when it warms up and she can just run around in panties.

 

On Saturday, we had a wonderful day at the park with the Ivies.  It was so warm and sunny, we packed a picnic and played all day!

June loves to mother all the children.  And although Lyra has a lot of spunk and a mind of her own, she doesn't mind playing the role of Mother June's baby doll.

This particular park, Mitch Park, has an awesome skate park that Amos insisted we check out.  We sat in the bleachers and witnessed some amazing tricks by the high school punks who were more than willing to show off!  The next time we go, however, I think we will have to bring earplugs.  Those high school punks and their potty mouths!  Curt was so funny, he made all the kids promise that they wouldn't start smoking or saying the F word if they wanted to come back.  

I think June just needs to say no to crack!

Curt is such a good uncle.  He helped June do a little boarding on the way back to the car.

We also had a great time at cousin Charlie's second birthday party.  Can you guess theme?  That's right partner, it was a cowboy party.  Here's Sheriff Winnie saying "Cheese," with a mouth full of it!

June and Kiki love to get together.  There's just something about playing with older kids that thrills the heck out of Junie.

Five posts rolled into one . . .

I have a confession to make.  I have become a bit addicted to Facebook.  Kolby warned me it would happen.  Consequently, my blog has suffered.  I'm sorry.  Hopefully, it is just a phase.  So, let's see if I can do at least a half-assed job of bringing you up to speed on our winter wanderings.

   

It's pretty sad when you have to schedule play dates for your dogs.  We kidnapped Tooder's sister Posey for a week and, as we hoped,  Tooder quit acting out (you know, digging holes, pooping everywhere, leaving a path of destruction in his wake).  Kids and dogs!

We also survived a mild ice storm.  Kolby's school was cancelled for two whole days!  Although we enjoyed the frosty house arrest, it just wasn't the same without Grandma Sara, Grandpa Kyle and a heated game of head and foot.

 

Snow is rare in these parts, so the girls made the most of it!  

It wasn't quite snow, it wasn't quite ice - it was "snice."

I think Uncle Curt got a little loopy from the freeze, and decided a Mohawk was a good look for him.  I'm not sure if Amos agreed.

The girls drove me nuts for days over these promised valentines presents from Nana Deb and Papa Lee!  I swear they would rip into a flaming sack of dog poo if it came in the mail.  Nothing thrills them like a visit from the mailman!

Winnie got a replacement pony (Let's just say there was a Christmas catastrophe, and Nana is a sap!)  The new pony, Scoot-a-loo, crawls like champ and Winnie insists we all give her kisses on the "yips."

 

It was Twister for June.  Mom did the spinning, June and Dad did the stretching, and Winnie did the wailing and gnashing of teeth.  If only she knew her colors, appendages, and left from right!  Serenity NOW!!!

I'm not sure what was going on in this shot.  I suppose Winnie is taking a virtual cruise on the Polar Express and Lyra wants on at the next stop.

Steph and Spencer promised the wide-screen, HD, Super Bowl-viewing experience of a lifetime.  Little did we know, we would get to enjoy the game in 3D!  

Yes, Stephanie and I were there too.

And let's not forget our valentine spirit.  We had a girls day in and got all beautified!  This is Winnie's first experience with polish, and she is hooked.  For two days now, she has followed me around the house with outstretched fingers crying, "Mom, fix it, it's chipped."  It must be the monster inside her nose that keeps eating the polish!  

There now, that wasn't so hard Jess.  See, blogging is fun!   

Getting caught up . . .

January has always been a tough pill to take.  And so, in the midst of my winter depression, I have neglected my blog.  How do you out-do the holiday posts with all their merriment and wonder?  I don't know, but I'll hop back in the saddle and hope for the best.

  

If you've been wondering but haven't yet called, we did make it home from our month-long stint in Utah.  We arrived to one small flicker of joy - all of our Christmas presents under our Oklahoma tree.  We celebrated Christmas on January 3rd and that did help ease the blow of the month I most despise.  

June and Winnie hit the mother load yet again.  Mom was smart this year and bought a bunch of Halloween costumes on November first at fifty percent off.  Seriously, all these girls do is dress up.  Our favorites were these wearable horses.  The girls went nuts for them!  June named her pink pony "Clarabell" and Silly Winnie named hers after a very special friend she left in Utah, "Uncle Willie."

Here's a shot of June's unicorn and mom looking ever-so-lovely after an astonishingly turbulent flight to Denver, a LONG day spent at the airport, and a couple hours of sleep.  I know, you're asking yourself, "How can I look that ravishing?"

 

In this house, June is NEVER the bridesmaid, ALWAYS the bride.  Winnie usually gets stuck with bridesmaid duty, but she doesn't really mind.  That's what little sisters are for, right Auds?

Tooder got a special chew toy for Christmas.  I'll be honest, he roughed up Squeaky Lizard without remorse, but let him sleep in his bed to make up for it.  There is a real love affair budding here, I can feel it!

We've already broken in our new Bosch mixer.  Kolby got up early on Sunday morning and baked four loaves of bread.  I hope his baking infatuation lasts, because we are definitely reaping the fruits of his labors!

Winnie decided that she loved the Bosch too.  On cookie night.  Guess how many she ate . . .

To be fair, the bleak, frosty winter isn't as hard to bare here in Oklahoma.  We do get the occasional nice day of 60 to 70 degree weather, and we head right for the park.  June is an old pro on the twisty slides.   

And here's Winnie's sliding debut!  For months she has LOVED going to the park.  She plays in the wood chips, climbs the stairs, and catches a breeze on the swings.  But she never slides.  Until today.  She took a major leap of faith - you can almost smell the fear on her in this picture.  But now there is no going back.  I think we spent over 2 hours just sliding.  I guess the trip to Disneyland did the trick and now we just have to make up for lost time!