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Quick Funny

The kids were watching Aladdin on Disney channel. Haley came out to give me an update:

"Mom! There was a prince and he was riding in the market and he saw Aladdin and he kicked him! He kicked him and knocked him over into a puddle of red juice!"

{hands on hips, disapproving frown}

"Mom, that was NOT good manners!"

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Our anniversary was yesterday and we had a lovely snowstorm dump a foot of snow on us. We were thinking through it, and this is the third time (in 9 years) that we've gotten pretty significant snow on our anniversary causing problems with our plans. But luckily it was not as much snow as the year we ended up snowed in for days following a blizzard the day before our anniversary!

Since the day before yesterday it was 70 degrees, the roads were really warm. Most of the snow was melting as it hit the roads. We went ahead as planned and took the kids to the museum for the afternoon because the roads were pretty clear. We had a really nice time. By the time we headed home, the roads were really quite bad, though. We knew we wouldn't be able to make the 40 minute drive back downtown to go to the fancy restaurant where we had reservations. =(

But since we already had a babysitter lined up, we didn't want to waste the evening. So we went to a local place, since the roads in our neighborhood weren't too bad. It's really good food and we like it a lot... as evidence that we go there fairly often, one of the waitresses came over and asked us where the kids were! =)

So it was nice to have an evening out on our own anyway. We thought about going to a movie after, but there was nothing good playing. So we went to Target (woo! big exciting anniversary event!) and bought the first season of Glee on DVD because I've recently become obsessed with it.

Aaron wasn't much interested but for my sake agreed to watch with me. So we went home and the whole family snuggled up on the couch to watch several episodes. And for the record, Aaron agreed that it was a good show and was interested enough to discuss plot points with me as we were getting ready for bed.

Still hoping we can manage to get to the fancy restaurant at some point, but it was a wonderful anniversary anyway! Happy anniversary to my incredible husband. It's been a great 9 years and I'm looking forward to many, many more!!

Is Today the Warm Before the Storm?

We've watched the weather the last couple of nights and that's the phrase that the weatherman kept using.

"Enjoy these spring-like temperatures, folks, because this is the warm before the storm!"

So much hype about how this is going to be such a big storm. A possibility of 5-10 inches they claim. And:

"I don't want to use the b-word here just yet - but I think we just may see some blizzard-like conditions!"

Everything is said with big exclamation marks! They're positively giddy at the idea this could be a big storm! They kept talking it up on the radio this morning, too:

"You want to be sure you've stocked up on essentials at home! If this storm is as big as they think it will be, you could be snowed in for days!"

Hmmm... maybe. I did go through a quick mental check of the contents of my pantry and freezer, but I don't see running to the store to stock up. It seems like every time they hype up an incoming storm like this it fizzles out to practically nothing.

It's not that we CAN'T get big storms like this in March. In 2003 we had a March blizzard and we really were snowed in for days. I really only remember this because we were snowed in and didn't get to go out to celebrate our anniversary. But more often than not, the big storms they predict don't materialize... and then we get nailed with a big storm by surprise when they thought it wouldn't amount to much.

Then again... maybe all this cynicism about the weather predictions is just because I don't want to be snowed in for another anniversary! =)

Hooray for Spring!

I just love it when the weather is nice enough to play outside. On Saturday we went to the library in the morning, then went to the park and ate lunch outside. Then the kids spent an hour or so playing on the playground before we went to the store and then home to do a few things around the house.

They played on the front porch for a while - while that probably doesn't sound like a lot of fun to you, we actually have a decent size porch. I put a baby gate across the front entrance so they can't take off to the street or anything and they can play there for big chunks of time. There's a table for snacks or playing with play-dough. There are chalkboards to draw on. It's apparently endless fun for them. =)

(Yes, that is chalk drawings all over the side of my house behind Preston. Apparently two chalkboards on the porch are not enough and they feel the need to draw on every other part of the porch as well. Oh well, it's only chalk. It washes off!)

After front porch play, they decided they wanted to ride their scooters for a while. I took them down to the sidewalk across the street and let them ride for a bit, but I just don't especially like them to ride their bikes that close to the road. Haley I trust not to shoot out in front of a car - the boys, not so much! (I know, it's not like there's that much traffic in our cul-de-sac, but still...)


So we loaded the bikes in the car and went to the skate park down the road. It was empty so my kids had a blast riding their scooters around the large space, playing on the ramps, and just generally goofing around.

And when the sun went down and it was time to call an end to all the fun, they were all so tired from their busy day that bedtime came early! That's a win for Mom. =)

Oh We Like Sheep

In my scripture-reading blog, I generally try and find something that was personally meaningful to me as I read that morning. It may be an overall concept from the chapter, it may be a single verse or line that really struck me. And what feels important to me today may not be what feels as important the next time I read it. But I generally try really hard to find something meaningful each day when I read.

All this is a prelude to saying that I didn't find something deep and profound today. Instead, I had a fun memory and just wanted to share it. I was reading Mosiah 14 and came to verse 6:

All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

Once I read verse six, all I could think of was the memory of the time I went to a performance of Handel's Messiah. It was called "Too Hot to Handel: The Gospel Messiah." It's The Messiah redone in a gospel style. It's actually incredible and I enjoyed it so much I went again the following year.

But there was one passage... the one where they sing the line "All we, like sheep, have gone astray." And they sing that line over and over. Many times. And every time I heard them singing, "Oh we like sheep." Even though I knew what the line actually was, all I could hear was, "Oh we like sheep."

To this day, any time I hear that section in The Messiah, I think of, "Oh we like sheep." Probably inappropriate that I tend to laugh out loud during The Messiah! =)

I Love Daylight Savings Time!

Ah, finally back to Daylight Savings Time! I just love having that extra daylight at the end of the day. I'm thrilled that they shortened the amount of time we spend on standard time so we can spend more time on DST. I would be just as happy if they did away with standard time and left us on DST always.

Yes, I now go to work in the dark again. But I was doing that in the winter anyway, so it's not much of a change to go back to that. And truthfully, I kind of prefer it. It's easier to take a nap on the bus to work. People are quieter. The dark is conducive to napping. And there are enough streetlights on the route from bus stop to office building that I can (mostly) walk in the light once I'm off the bus.

But most importantly, now I have those extra daylight hours to spend with my kids at night! When we're on standard time, I pick up the kids at 6:00 and it's already dark or almost dark. We go straight home. The kids play in the playroom or at the computer for a bit, but it seems like almost immediately it's time for dinner and bedtime and I've hardly interacted with the kids at all. I know that's my own fault. But once we're home, it's so easy to send them off to play while I throw in a load of laundry or do something on the computer or even take a few minutes on the couch with a book.

Now that we're back to DST, the kids and I have plans for any evening with good weather. I pick them up from daycare and we head to the park. It's not always the same park - we like to switch it up and visit various playgrounds. We go have fun at the park for 30-60 minutes before heading home for a quick dinner and bedtime. I love it and so do they!

So hooray for Daylight Savings Time! I'm so glad it's here again. =)