Life Bytes

I found this picture when I was sorting through the masses last weekend and thought it was funny enough to remember. Last fall Sandra and I went to Vegas for her photo shoot with Jennie. When I got home this was the kooky cake that greeted me. Ah Nicholas. I believe you.

Isn't she lovely. Come to find out this new friend of mine is actually my cousin. And not even a distant one. My dad and her grandpa are first cousins and I knew her great grandma Madge very well. It's crazy to think you can have family members in your backyard (Steve?) and not even know it! Sandra just released an amazing cd this week and when Jessica posted a link to it on FB a week or two ago, Aunt Nancy said, "you're related to her." We are all still reeling from the irony of it! We all took an immediate liking to each other this past year and this fun news sealed the deal! Her voice and persona are equally beautiful and her album is a must-have. Love ya Cuz!

A few months back Nick and I were discussing the evils of video games with Nicholas based on a great book, Boys Adrift, by Leonard Sax. It was a light hearted talk but sincere. A little while later he brought me this doodle with just the right amount of smirk on his face. Clever, clever. Lately he has reminded me so much of my brother, Mitch, it just blows me away. It's so crazy and nostalgic to see the same teenage expressions and funny/not-so-funny quips surfacing again.

Camille and Alexis had their first sleepover and darling little Nat couldn't make it just ordinary so she treated them to spa night.. pedi's, pampering, the works.

gotta do whatcha gotta do

the prisoner's playing Canon in D, Arabesque and Ballade so my methods aren't all bad

homeschool grub, made by the kid

Natalie makes cupcakes with the little people

neon smoothies

Banana in training-- lookin' good!

Springtime Splendor

Mom called to see if we'd come with them to check out a gorgeous neighborhood called Kenwood, where the cherry blossoms supposedly rival the show downtown. I still can't believe she and Dad are here--so awesome. Anyway, doesn't take much for me to pull the kids from school and the homeschool couch. Glad we did it; every street was absolutely gorgeous. The day was warm, nicely overcast and we had a fun time together. We loved the area and it's definitely worth another look.. hopefully we'll hit it up again this weekend with Mr. Man.

I love spring here..

BEAUTIFUL DAY

Mine all Mine

Today has been spectacular and it's only just past noon. I can't believe what a little solitude can do. Let me recommend sending your husband and children away for a few days while you stay home; no hotel necessary! Yesterday I cleverly hired a cleaner to come clean my house so my weekend would be dust, clutter, kid and crud free. Then.. I went to Whole Foods and bought exactly what I wanted to eat. I slept until 8:00 and tweaked a great playlist in bed until 9:00. Then I went to a yoga class that was amazing--super packed and super hard. The drive was beautiful--the weather is all spring with blue skies and daffodils; I opened the sunroof and plugged in my favorite tunes. When I got home I took a shower and put a scrub and mask on my face and teeth whiteners in--I'm not messin' around! I opened almost all the windows in the house because the temperature is unreal gorgeous and put on my aqua robe for the day and cranked my "Relax" playlist which made the birds go manic. I know I've been using far too many superlatives this post, but I swear I have the best music for a day like today.

Just as I was finishing my lunch prep Nick pulled in to get something, so we ate together. I made an awesome salad with grilled chicken, tomatoes, avocados, kalamata olives, pumpkin seeds, feta and the best garlicky lemon dressing you've ever tasted (thanks Jek!). So good in fact my neighbors called to say they could smell my breath from their porch. Anyway it was nice to see Nick coming up the drive and even better to see him goin' back down it. Best thing he said was "I think I'll take the kids camping every month." Can we swear in blood on that?

I then took up a spot near my bedroom window and began again to plink away.. life is good.

Real Time

It's 11:38 and I'm writing in real time. Having spent the last four hours recapping, fudging, faking dates and furrowing my brow in search of memory, I can say I am finally cutting it close to current. Of course you can never really do justice to a year you failed to record, but I'm giving it a fair enough effort with plans to resurrect my blog from the floor of the virtual wasteland it's been dozing on.

I told Nick I needed a weekend or I'd never get control of it. I made mental reservations to leave town, destination unknown, then I decided to make it easy on myself and send him out of town with his kids. They are sleeping in real time twenty minutes away, and I am here rewriting history. It's eight minutes shy of midnight.. and I'm fat and full on fifteen fake blog posts. Here's to holding up my end of the bargain.