Suzanne McGrath Photography

Six on Sunday

Hello!  I hope you had a good weekend and had a chance to enjoy the weather like we did.  

Let's get going...

1.  I had a super fun Girls' Night last Wednesday.  Four of my friends and I went to see Vance Joy and Elle King at the Midland Theater.  Neither of them disappointed!  Here's a grainy picture, but you get the idea:

Elle King opened for Vance and she was amazing.  Her voice is reminiscent of Patsy Cline, maybe?  I'm not sure I can place it.  It has a bit of raspy-ness that I adore.  Plus, she chatted with us, the audience, in between songs and I love it when singers do that.  But let me tell you, that girl can sing!  If you have a chance, I highly recommend you see her in concert.  And Vance Joy did not disappoint, either.  He sounds just as good live as he does over the radio.  His set was a bit quiet but I still love his voice and his songs.  Another one I'd recommend.

Not only was the music fantastic, the company was great, too!  It's always fun to spend time with other working moms who "get it".  We were an eclectic bunch but we still had a blast!  Now we just need to find another concert to attend.

 

2.  The weather was awesome beginning last Thursday with the warm-up.  The little girls couldn't wait to get home from school so they could play outside with their friend, Ellie.  For three days in a row, this was the scene around here...

I have to tell you, I think I enjoyed it just as much as they did!

Friday night the hubby and I had drinks in the driveway while the kids played.  My favorite!

I am now officially ready for spring.

 

3.  #2 had two soccer games this weekend - one Saturday and one this afternoon.  I have to say, it has been sheer joy to watch #2 and her team improve steadily since they have been with their current coach.  Not only that, the girls are awesome and the parents are a joy to be around!  

They play with such heart.  Their foot skills have done a 180 in the last year or so.  And they pass so well now.  Seriously - I love watching them play!  I'm really looking forward to next weekend when they play in a tournament.  They'll have a game Friday night, two Saturday, and one more on Sunday.  I just hope the weather cooperates.

 

4.  I am officially training for the Bentonville, AR half marathon on April 2nd.  This weekend I needed to run 12 miles.  Rather than running on Sunday, I met my friend, Sarah, to run on Saturday.  I mapped out the route from Shawnee Mission North high school since #1 had swim practice there at 7am.  I figured - two birds, one stone, you know?  Drop off #1, run, finish just in time to drive her home.  

Anyway, when mapping out the course I failed to really pay attention to the elevation map.  It looked like this:

Pace is the top graph and elevation is the bottom graph.  I'm not sure I've ever run a course with that many hills.  By that last hill I thought I was going to keel over.  But I managed to run up that last hill and not walk.  I was so happy to be done!  But let me tell you, last night and today I've felt like I had never run a mile before.  I am so sore!  Yikes.

(Forgive me for looking rather haggard - I hadn't showered after my boot camp class that afternoon.  I'm classy like that.)

 

5.  We had family movie night last night after dinner at Chipotle.  (Yes, I'm a risk-taker and that burrito was worth it!)  We rented Jem an the Holograms and I thought it was such a cute movie.  Plus, the message for girls was solid.  I would actually recommend it despite the beating it took on Rotten Tomatoes.  We also had brownies for dessert and I swear that made it the perfect night for me.  Dinner out, family time, dessert.  Does it get any better than that?!

6.  I've been catching up on my scrapbooks.  I have a Project Life scrapbook for every year starting in 2009.  I have everything in albums through last fall.  I actually have all the pictures printed out but ran out of page protectors.  I had to insert some pictures into the 2010 scrapbook and the girls and I had so much fun looking through those pictures.  Looking at old albums made me happy I do these scrapbooks.  Just all the little memories printed out for us.  I love it.  (So do the kids - they actually fought about who got to look at the albums first!)

 

Anyway, that's it!  I'll give you a bonus tonight in case you'd like to see our menu for the week:

Sunday: Spring rolls + Beef and Broccoli

Monday:  Salmon tacos (Nachos for the little girls) + roasted sweet potatoes

Tuesday: Skinny Creamy Italian Chicken + Roasted Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts

Wednesday:  Burrito Bowls + Fruit + Roasted Broccoli

Thursday: Crockpot chicken and wild rice soup + Salad

Friday:  Pizza + Salad + Fruit 

Have a great week!

 

Six on Sunday

Howdy!  I'm just going to dive right in tonight...

1.  I ran the Gobbler Grind this morning with a bunch of friends.  The run itself was miserable and 17 minutes slower than my April half marathon, but brunch afterwards totally made up for that!  And it was a really special half for my friend, Carmen.  It was her 30th half marathon - and it was also her first half years ago.  How cool is that?!

Don't let that picture fool you (I'm the front right - wearing orange) - I look like I'm bending down so I don't block the back row, right?  Wrong!  I could barely stand straight I felt so crappy.  I was the least prepared for this race I've ever been (trying to ward off my hamstring/glute injury by not training) and also, I had used my inhaler twice in the past 12 hours because I'm so allergic to my sister's cat.  Neither of those issues bode well for running 13.1 miles.  Ahhh well, such is life, right?

I have to say the saving grace was the beautiful, albeit hot, weather.  It started out in the upper 30s and when we finished it was mid-50s.  I got HOT!  But the trees and the trails were gorgeous so not all was lost.

2.  Last night my family and I headed out to my sister's house.  I shot their family pictures at Lake Lenexa and we stayed for dinner and a rousing match of laser tag.  Check out our backdrop for pictures:

Not too shabby, eh?!  

And to make it even better - our cousin Vicki was in town and drove out to Aimee's house to hang with us for the evening. It was so fun to get to see her!  I stole Vicki's picture off Facebook:

The evening was capped off with a Husker win and I haven't seen the hubby that excited all season - such a great finish to a great evening!  Loved it.  (Well, I didn't love being allergic to Aimee's cat because that makes my lungs hurt and I become wheezy.  Gross.)  But still a great time!

3.  Speaking of wins - how about them Royals!?  Remember last Sunday I posted early because we were getting ready to head to our neighbor's driveway to watch the game?  Yep - this is what it looked like.  So awesome!

I am just sad I didn't wake the big girls up to watch the finish.  But, hindsight is 20/20, right?  

We celebrated with 800,000 of our closest friends on Tuesday!  (I totally stole this photo off Facebook to show my friends and family what it was really like here in KC.)

But seriously, school was cancelled, the hubby and I each took an emergency vacation day, and we headed downtown.  What should have taken us 30 minutes ended up taking an hour, but honestly, that was nothing compared to what some people went through.  (The interstate looked like a parking lot because people seriously parked their cars in the middle of the street and walked to the rally/parade.)  We ended up parking about a mile and a half away from the parade and walking down.  We met our friends and hung with them for the day - and we didn't lose each other once!  

The kids were TROOPERS!  For real - there was no whining or complaining.  Here was our view while waiting for the parade:

It was nuts but seriously awesome.  We didn't have any trouble at all and people were nice and just so excited to be there.  The big girls "got it" but I don't think the little girls really, truly understood what a big deal this was for Kansas City.  My hope is that attending the parade will take on more significance as they get older and realize how cool this was for our city.  

The players were so classy - they all wore T-shirts that said "Thank you Kansas City".  It's hard to adequately describe the feeling.  I think we were all just so darn proud of this team and our city.  It was really a special (though exhausting - not gonna lie) day.

4.  We were able to celebrate another winning team again on Friday night!  #2's soccer team won their division for soccer this past fall and were recognized at the Comets game.  

Obviously not all the girls were able to make it but we still had fun.  It's fun to see the girls interact with each other outside of just playing soccer.  Plus, I love all the parents on the team - everyone is no-drama, down-to-earth and just plain nice.  That is priceless.

5.  I almost forgot to show you my goods from my day thrift shopping with my friend, Christi.  We headed down to the West Bottoms early (arrived at 9:15am) and did some damage.  But mostly - we just had a blast!  Here are my treasures:

The vintage sled is for Christmas/winter decor on my front porch.  The stool is going to be a plant stand in my bathroom (needs to be cleaned up) and the watering can will be put to good use next summer.

Here's a close-up of the smaller stuff:

• Fluted milk glass pedestal (for my nightstand)
• Fluted milk glass candy dish (it was just too cute and cheap to pass up)
• Glass jar with a lid (for my bathroom china cabinet)
• Set of 3 brass candlesticks (I already have a set of 6 of these but you can never have too many)
• 2 Readers Digest books (Christmas-y covers will be great for staging the house this season)
• Milk glass Goblet (I'm going to use it as a planter)
• Brass owl (just so darn cute!)

Luckily, the weather Friday was almost perfect and we were able to eat outside.  We both love the Crave food truck and totally indulged.  So good!

6.  I took pictures of my girls yesterday - in 25 minutes.  Seriously, so fast!  But I think we got a good one for a Christmas card so it was worth it.  Here's an outtake:

Aren't they so cute?  Man, I love those girls!

And there you have it.  I'm headed to bed.  Have a great week!

Six on Sunday

Welcome!  Did you have a good weekend?  I hope so!  Let's get started.  As always, total random, stream of consciousness...

1.  I ran Rock the Parkway again this year.  I am happy to report the weather was nearly perfect!  It was right about 50* at the start of the race, low humidity, sunny skies, and little wind.  Seriously, near perfect.  I think the weather contributed to my performance.  I PR'd and I wasn't even trying for a personal best!  Can you believe it?  I came in just under two hours which I never thought possible.

 

I started out with the 2:05 group - not even sure I could keep up with them after last year's dismal performance.  But after mile three, I still felt great so I started running a little faster.  I don't wear a watch when I run so I'm never sure of my total time.  My running app only reports the distance and current pace.  So I wasn't sure how much ahead of the group I was because I never turned around to look back.  I just kept running my race.  And the miles kept ticking off.  Five, Six, Seven.

I felt like I was holding back because I was so afraid to bonk.  But after mile nine, I kicked it up a little more.  My last two miles were both under 9 minutes.  As I neared the finish line I saw her - the 2:00 pace girl.  She was waving her arms and encouraging runners to kick it in gear.  I had 30 seconds to finish in under two hours.  You better believe I sprinted the tenth of a mile or so!  And I did it!  1:59:43.  Ha!  But it still counts as under two hours.  It was a great feeling.

Plus, it meant I was able to stand at the finish line and watch my friends cross, too.  And my friend, Christi, ran it for her first ever half marathon.  That was really cool to watch!  What can I say, it was a fabulous start to the day.

2.  We eat a lot of fruit at dinner; especially now with strawberries and blue berries getting better.  But my girls are like me - we don't like our food to touch.  So the other night when their plates were "dirty", this is what I looked up and saw:

Rather than get a new plate, they both just started eating out of the bowl.  Nice, huh?  Oh well, I pick my battles and this one wasn't worth fighting that night.

3.  As you know, #2's soccer team were the champs during the indoor season.  And today they were recognized (along with all the other champs).  The FCKC women's team played out at Sporting Park this afternoon.  The game was really fun to watch.  But to make it even better, all the champion teams were recognized at halftime.  Here is #2's team walking down to the field:

Sadly, they didn't get to walk out onto the field but paraded across from side to side.  Regardless, it was still a fun opportunity for the girls!

4.  My family went to Omaha without me this weekend.  That meant I had the house to myself for 48 hours!  It was FABULOUS.  

Friday night I met Christi and her family for pizza and beers.  Chad and the kids had to leave early but Christi and I were able to stay and hang out together.  It was such a fun night and very much needed after a tough day at the office.  Plus, carb loading!

Saturday was the race.  Then I ran errands to my favorite places:  Ikea and Home Depot!  I worked on several smaller projects this weekend:

• Finished a floating picture frame for the powder room downstairs (forgot to take pics - Oops)
• Spray painted a Goodwill frame and hung it in the dining room
• Stripped the clawfoot tub (so gross)
• Cut out plywood for marquee letters for the little girls:

I still need to finish the letters but I love the direction they're headed.

Saturday night I bought This is Forty and got Panera for dinner.  It was nice to have the TV to myself and actually be able to hear it!  Plus, I didn't have to cook.  At all.  Bonus!

This morning I got a massage which was heavenly after the half marathon.  I ran to the grocery store and  worked on a few of the above projects.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my alone time but was really happy to have my family back tonight.  Two nights alone is just about right.

5.  I forgot my lunch one day last week and picked this up:

I got it in the corporate cafeteria, but damn!  It was so good.  I may have to "forget" my lunch more often.

6.  Taxes.  I hate them.  I do them myself because I'm too cheap to pay someone.  Which is why I hate them.  I'm still not done.  I mean, I'm 97.82% done.  But that is not 100%.  I need to get them wrapped up this week.  Why am I such a procrastinator?!  Ugh.

And there you have it.  I hope you have a fabulous week!

 

Six on Sunday

You guys, we had a great week.  Seriously, I love summer!  

1.  Monday started off with a bang!  After gymnastics Monday night, #2 and I high-tailed it to the airport to pick up her BFF.  I love these girls:

They haven't seen each other in person since December but I swear it felt as if it was yesterday.  They didn't skip a beat.  And we love having Addy in town - she just fits seamlessly into our family as if she's here every day.  I'm not going to say they haven't had disagreements, because they have, but they work them out just like sisters.  I love that.  I'll be sad to send Addy back to Dallas tomorrow.  But I know they will remain friends.  That is one thing I do not worry about with these two.

2.  So my deck project is about 95% complete.  I'm going to add a couple removal poles in the corners so we can hang adorable little lights I picked up at Target.  And I'm going to add risers to the steps to add a little fun with color - and to hide the ugly that is underneath the deck.  But we can use it now and with this gorgeous weather I hope to use it THIS WEEK!  I can't wait!  

3.  #2 had her birthday party Friday night since her BFF was in town.  As she has the past few years, she chose a swim party and the girls had a blast.  They were down at the pool for over two hours!  Then they came up to the house, opened gifts, and had ice cream cake.  (And of course a sleepover.  Duh.)  I simply love these girls.  They are so kind and funny and just make me laugh.  And mostly, they are very easy to have around the house!

(Edited with pic-tap-go.  I could play with that photography app for hours.  It's addictive.)

4.  Our nanny took the girls down to the Nelson-Atkins museum on Friday afternoon.  I think they had a fun time.  The little girls were a little bored and #4 kept trying to touch everything but I'm glad they made the trek down there.  Introducing a little culture is never a bad thing!

5.  We had a fun, busy weekend.  What's new, right?  Saturday morning I managed to sneak in a 10 mile run (marathon training has commenced).  I even managed to get to the grocery store on my way home from the fun - and this was all complete by 8:30am!  I took the little girls to pick out flowers for our planters - which they helped plant.  And I even trimmed our rose bushes - YUCK and OUCH.  Meanwhile the hubby majorly trimmed some trees.  To celebrate our productiveness, we all went to the pool for an hour or so in the afternoon and to enjoy the beautiful weather.  Seriously, we could not have asked for a prettier day.  

Saturday evening we had dinner over at our friend's house.  Their little girls are the same age as our little girls.  (I know I've talked about them on the blog before.)  Even though the girls don't go to the same school anymore (and haven't for a couple years), they get along fabulously!  (The big girls hid out in the basement playing silly games and watching their iPods.  They were really good sports about it.)

This morning my sister and I met our parents halfway to Bella Vista, AR and dropped off our four kids - her two and my two littles.  So far today I've already received two text messages with pictures from my parents.  They have already taken the kids on a hike and made a fort out of a large box.  My parents are going to be EXHAUSTED by the time we get there on Wednesday.  But our kids will have an absolute blast making these memories.

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6.  Lastly, we went to a Going Away party for my friend, Lori, tonight.  In one short year she has become such a great friend - all through running.  I think it is simply awesome the power of running has on our lives - for all of us runners.  We form bonds through the miles that are hard to describe to non-rummers.  We can laugh together and commiserate together and it is just awesome!  I will miss Lori but I know we will visit - and take over their house like only our crazy family can do.  And I hope she ends up moving back here in a few years and we can resume our friendship right where we leave off.  Here is our little running posse, from left to right, Sarah, Carmen, Me (sorry for no make-up.  had to say it), and Lori:

Have a great week and a fabulous 4th of July!

 

 

Six on Sunday...Mother's Day Weekend

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there.  I hope you had a great day!

1.  My bucket is overflowing tonight.  We had such a great weekend!  Friday night started out with pizza and beer - our staple dinner after a long week.  And I'm not kidding when I tell you I look forward to it all week.  Seriously.  Like I count down the days:)

The night got even better when we watched #3 graduate from "kindergarten".  She is in a kindergarten class at daycare but will go to real kindergarten next year.  She was so excited and it was simply adorable.  She looked like this the whole way to the ceremony:

All the kids were able to walk across the stage and receive their diploma.  This was her turn:

When we got home from graduation we hung out with the neighbors while all the kids hung out in the cul-de-sac.  All in all, it was a fantastic night!

2.  The hubby has been removing our fence for a while now.  Since our dog is too old to go down the deck stairs to our back yard, we really have no use for the fence.  Plus, it's really old and ugly.  I am loving the backyard without it.  Anyway, my point is this...after posting these two pictures on Craigslist for free wood, our in-box was flooded in less than an hour!

The best part?  The guy that picked up this load will come get the rest of it after it's down.  Score!

3.  I posted this picture (using Instagram) on facebook last week.  It just cracks me up!  These two caused more work than help, but it was totally worth it just to snap this picture.

4.  I finished up a project this weekend.  Here's a sneak peak:

5.  Yesterday was a busy day!  We managed to fit in gymnastics, two volleyball games, a soccer game, trips to the grocery store, Costco, and Target.  I was hoping to shoot #2's soccer game, but the littles were napping, so I didn't make it.  Hopefully next week... 

6.  I think today was the perfect Mother's Day for me.  We all woke up at the crack of dawn (not my favorite part!) to head to the Mother's Day 5k.  This is what we looked like:

#1 and #2 ran together and I pushed #4 in the stroller while #3 walked next to us.  I was slightly disappointed to not be able to run with the older girls, but I couldn't be in two places at once.  Maybe next year?  Anyway, this was the start from back of the line.

It was a perfect day - cool but not too cold.  The best part?  After about a mile the older girls found our friend, Mellissa.  And Mellissa took them under her wing and ran with them the rest of the way.  It just made my heart swell that someone guided them and helped them run their first full 5k.  That was so nice of her!  

How did we do?  Great!  After about a mile the run turned a corner and there was the finish line on the other side of the boulevard.  So while we were supposed to keep going, we totally took the easy way out and cut across the street.  It was perfect timing.  We waited about two minutes and watched #1 and #2 sprint across the finish line!  Mellissa was about 30 seconds behind them with two of her three kids who ran the last little way across the line with her.

The end of the race was great!  We hung out with our friends and found as much food as possible.  Free breakfast = totally awesome.  

Next up on the list?  Home Depot.  We bought enough dirt to refill our raised garden bed.  We bought pebbles to fill up the sandbox.  And we found enough flowers to finish planting our planters.  So fun!  Here are the fruits of a little bit of our labor.  The girls all helped in their own way.  (Read:  #4 made a mess and the other girls cleaned up after her.)

Ignore the gross deck railing.  We have spent the last 8 years thinking we're going to replace the deck.  We've finally come to the realization that it just needs a little TLC because we have many other bigger, more important projects!

Also - I totally forgot to take a picture of the front door planter.  I'll have to get a picture when the flowers are a little bigger and more filled in.  I think it'll be cute!

I also managed to squeeze in an 8 mile run this afternoon.  It was just too gorgeous not to go for a run - especially since my morning 5k actually equalled 1 mile.  And let me tell you, it was the best run I've had in a LONG time.  I think it was a combination of the 20 minute nap with #4, extra caffeine, and extra-extra carbs!  My last mile was the fastest mile of my entire run and it was almost all uphill.  Sweet.

And for dinner?  The hubby made shish ka bobs and asparagus.  It was really delicious.  I told him I would have been happy with Taco Bell.  I just didn't want to cook.  He totally came through for me!

And there you have it.  My Mother's Day recap.  It was such a great day.  Maybe it's because the last few years have been spent at swim meets in far away places?  But more than that, I think it was because it was filled with the people I love the most just enjoying each other's company and not feeling one ounce of stress.  

I am one lucky mama!  

 
 

 

Six on Sunday

There is nothing earth-shattering to report.  It was just another run-of-the-mill week.  

1.  I promised pictures of the family room after last week.  I have one to share.  I'll be back tomorrow or Tuesday with a full reveal.  I just don't have the energy to edit all the pictures so this one will have to suffice.  It's a pretty good representation of the color.  (In a room this size, there is no way I could light it with my speedlight so I made sure to capture some images this afternoon when it was actually light outside!)

2.  Remember a few weeks ago I talked about #2 and how her BFF moved to Dallas?  Well, they still "play" together on the weekends.  It's just virtual instead of IRL (in real life).  It totally cracks me up!  They call each other and talk over speaker phone while playing Webkins on the computer.  Or, they facetime each other on their iPods.  They literally walk around the house showing each other on over their screens.  

The best part?  The way they hang up.  Every single time.  Together, they count down to three and say "peace" and hang up at the exact same time.  I love it.  Sometimes I curse technology (being connected 24x7) but in this instance I'm so grateful for it.

3.  Our weekend was pretty low key.  We had gymnastics (#3 and #4), a birthday party (#3), a soccer game and swim practice (#1), a play date (#2), and lots of hanging out and playing.  We managed to go for a walk today and enjoy the warm temperatures.  Even Chloe managed to walk the whole walk even though her back leg has been bothering her.  I'm so thankful for this time with her!

The best part of this whole weekend?  Watching #3 and #4 play together.  I swear, #4 counts the minutes until her sister wakes up in the morning.  Then they play together pretty much the rest of the day.  It's simply priceless.

Here they are playing with my purse.  It was the object to play with this weekend!

And here is #4 all dressed up and ready to "shop".  Don't you love her "packpack"?

4.  We did manage a few easy projects this weekend.  At least we're making progress!  The hubby managed to get two more coats of poly on our window seat.  That's been a long time coming!  He also hit the drywall with more mud so we can (finally) paint the area in the laundry room where we installed the new window LAST MAY!

As for me, it was lots of little things.  I organized the china cabinet in the kitchen.  I also organized three different drawers in the kitchen.  I sewed a couple new pillows - thanks to pinterest inspiration.  I also spray painted some random glass bottles (think wine, beer, olive oil bottles) with chalkboard spray paint.  Lastly, I switched out some artwork in our frames in the family room.  Fun times!

5.  This morning I met Carmen again for our long run.  We were able to recruit two more runners so there were four of us today.  At first I thought it was going to be super cold, windy, and wet.  However, the only truth to my prediction was windy.  It was actually fairly warm and not that wet.  It ended up being a great 10 mile run!  Sweet.

6.  Lastly, I thought I'd give you an update on Meatless Monday.  Last week was a shocking hit!  The girls really liked the fondue type meal and ate really well.  We had Mmmm sauce with a bunch of things for dipping plus some apples.  Unfortunately the hubby missed it because he really likes Mmmm sauce but he had a work dinner.  Check out the happy faces!  (Forgive the photography - it was dark and I was too hungry to get my speedlight.)

So what's on the menu for this week you ask?  OK, so maybe you didn't ask.  But just go with me here...

Saturday:  chili + spinach + strawberries and kiwi

Sunday:  Greek Gyros + carrots

Meatless Monday:  Salmon burgers + asparagus

Tuesday:  Potato soup + Green beans + French bread (a total carb splurge!)

Wednesday:  Southwest chicken + casesar salad

Thursday:  Quinoa + Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts (for me - love them!)

Friday:  Papa Murphy's, baby!

OK, folks.  Have a great week!

 

 

Six on Sunday

I almost forgot today is Sunday!  The hubby and I have a three day weekend, along with #1 and #2.  Sweet, huh?  

1.  Remember when we were so excited to buy a chinchilla?  Well, we're over that.  Easaw is just too lonely.  He doesn't get enough attention anymore, so we're looking for a good home for him.  If you know anyone that is looking for a pet that is super soft, let us know!  Here he is:

2.  I have spent a lot of time this weekend devoted to projects.  The biggest project I undertook was painting the family room.  I totally psyched myself up to get the first coat done Friday night.  I started when #4 headed to bed around 8:30pm and finished up right around midnight.  Of course I had a lot of "help" from #1 and #2.  (Actually, they are getting pretty good at rolling.  I just have to load the roller for them.)  Here is the before:

Here is a during:

I chose December Eve from Behr.  It's not as gray as it looks in the picture.  It's really more of a navy blue.  I was pretty nervous to make such a bold statement but I love it.  Once we replace our current couch with a light gray it will look AWESOME!  (We really need to wait for Chloe to head up to heaven first - she tends to leak every now and then.  Yuck, I know.)

I also finished my Roman shades last week.  We have one up and need to hang the other two.  They're just what the family room ordered - white to balance out the blue.  

I can't post any picture until it's ready - hopefully tomorrow!

Speaking of tomorrow...I'm going to silver leaf a bench bottom for my room.  I'm so excited to try it.  If it looks good I'm going to silver leaf two lamps for the family room.  Every room should have a touch of glam, don't you think?

The girls even got into the decorating spirit today.  They put up all our Valentine decorations (not much) and punched out about a million hearts from some paint samples I grabbed courtesy of Home Depot.  Tomorrow we're going to sew them together into a garland.  So fun - thanks Pinterest:)

3.  I made an exciting purchase last week.  I feel like I finally entered the 21st century.  I bought an iPhone!  I love it and really can't use half of it's features.  But it's totally awesome.  I haven't been on facebook since Monday because I haven't yet figured that out yet, but I'm sure it'll come in due time.

4.  The weather this weekend was great - especially today.  I think it made it up to about 60*.  Can you believe that?  In January?  Last year we had a ton of snow at this time but not this year!  I definitely took advantage of the high temps today.  

I went for a long run with Carmen this morning.  We've started joining the Rock the Parkway Groupie runs.  It's actually kind of fun!  The runs are all over the city and it's fun to see new scenery and not have to think up a route.  It's all done for us - including water, gatorade, and kleenex.  That's my kind of long run!

This afternoon our family headed out for a walk.  It was so nice the girls all ditched their coats about halfway into it.  And Chloe was thrilled - she walked the entire time WITHOUT slowing down.  Not bad for an old lady.

5.  The two little girls started gymnastics yesterday.  So far so good.  #3 is taking it with her bestie, Taylor.  So they were off and running the whole time.  They had a blast!  #4 wasn't as sure.  She was really clingy during warm-up but once they let the kids run around on the obstacle course, she really got into it.  It was fun to watch her come out of her shell a little bit.  

It's nice to be able to focus some attention onto them for once.  Being the littles, they really get shuttled around a lot to their big sisters' events.  I like that we get to shine the light on them for once.  And the big girls really get a kick out of it, too.  Yesterday #1 came with me and helped me with her little sister.  That was pretty sweet.

6.  Last but not least...I have instituted Meatless Monday at our house.  The hubby and my sister just laugh, but I think it's a good idea.  The kids like routine and I like trying out new recipes.  (Or not, we could just have spaghetti sans meat, too!)  Last week we tried chickpea tacos and I loved them.  The girls weren't as sure.  Especially the little two who generally just eat meat and cheese.  But I'll keep working on them.  They'll come around eventually:)

And with that, here's what we've got on the menu this week:

Saturday:  Papa Murphy's!

Sunday:  My sister made stir fry tonight.  It was such a treat NOT to have to cook.  Loved it.

Meatless Monday:  Mmmm sauce served fondue style with veggies and pita bread.  Fruit on the side.

Tuesday:  Chicken taco soup - the hubby and I can take leftovers for lunch

Wednesday:  Cioppino + salad (girls will have soup)

Thursday:  chili + spinach (I had to call an audible last week and serve tacos rather than chili because I was missing an ingredient.  Oops.)

Friday:  Not sure?  The girls might go to the Father/Daughter event at their school.

All right folks, that's all I've got tonight.  Have a fabulous week!

Six on Sunday...a typical week

1.  I know some of you are probably tired of hearing about my knee issues.  If so, skip down to number two!  I had my MRI almost two weeks ago but finally got in to see the ortho on Friday afternoon.  Basically, the diagnosis was an entire line long - degenerated meniscus, bursitis, and tendonitis.  Nice, huh?  

We decided to go for another cortisone injection.  Only this time I went straight home and went for a run.  The doctor told me to run as soon as possible since my knee was completely numb.  If I experienced any pain, that meant I had more going on than just the degenerated meniscus.  Sure enough...I felt some pain - still.  Ugh.

So, I have tendonitis in my hamstring which I noticed for the first time Friday.  I suppose the meniscus was bad enough that it blocked the pain of the tendonitis.  And the inside of my knee still hurt - not as bad - but it was noticeable.  I think that's the bursitis.  So...what does this mean?  I'm not sure.  I did manage to get in a nice, six mile run this morning.  I wore a pretty substantial knee brace that helped a TON.  I'm hoping that I can control the other two issues now that the meniscus is better.  We'll see how long it lasts.  My fingers are crossed that I'm good to go for quite awhile!  I'm just not ready to give up running yet!

2.  I'm going to switch gears completely now.  #1 loves to bake.  She doesn't love to cook as much as she loves to make cookies, cakes, and pies.  Fabulous, I know (except for my waistline)!  This weekend she made a Chocolately Cookie Cake out of chocolate devil's food cake and oreos.  It was truly divine.  And the best part?  She did it almost completely on her own.  I love that she tries new things.  And she was so proud of herself - it was so sweet.  Take a look for yourselves...

3.  Friday night we had some friends over for dinner and to just hang out.  It is so fun to watch the kids and just shoot the breeze!  I managed to sneak in a few pictures, too.

Caleb is three.  He is trying to prove that point in this picture although it is coming off as six.  What a ham!

Here is Kendall - the oldest and in first grade now.  She is obviously much too cool for my camera!  Notice the hesitant, fake smile...

And here are the BFFs - their #2, Taylor, and our #3.  Aren't they adorable?

It was a totally laid-back evening and a great start to the weekend!

4.  This weekend was beautiful.  We managed to spend quite a bit of time outside.  #1 had a soccer game Saturday at noon.  Only is was HOT on those turf fields.  I thought my feet were going to burn from the bottom up.  Yikes.

Both #1 and #2 have switched to play in Premiere leagues rather than Rec leagues and the competition is crazy good.  It is especially fun to watch #1's team play.  Their footwork is amazing - and they're only 10 year olds!  I hope they enjoy playing as much as I enjoy watching.  

We also hung out in the driveway, too.  It's just so nice to be able to sit outside and watch the kids play (or watch the kids wash the Trailblazer!).  They play so well together even though the age range is 8 1/2 years!

Here is #2's favorite pastime these days - throwing a tennis ball against the garage...

And this is truly #4's favorite pastime - playing in the car.  Yes, we remove the keys first!

5.  #2 and #3 had their last swim lesson of the summer last Monday night.  The amount of progress they both made in three short months was amazing!  We signed them up at Midwest Aquatics and I couldn't have been happier.  

#2's strokes are really pretty and her confidence just blossomed this summer.  I think she's going to try swim team against next summer.  I'm so happy for her because she is the one who is by far the most shy of all the kids.  

And #3 - what can I say?  She can now jump into the deep end of the pool and swim to the side.  It's definitely not the prettiest stroke but it is much better than just a doggie paddle.  And I feel good about her around the pool.  I know if she falls (or jumps in), she can at least get to the side of the pool.  Don't worry - we still watch her like a hawk!  Here she is practicing her "stroke".

6.  Lastly, I've had a few people ask me what I typically fix for dinner in a week.  So, I thought I'd write it out this week, just to give you an idea.  I plan my menus from Saturday - Friday because we always go to the grocery store on Saturdays.  This is not to say I don't shuffle meals based on what I feel like on certain days.  But I at least have meals planned out and the groceries to make them.  I'm anal - what can I say?  It's just how I operate and survive in a busy family of six!  

Saturday:  Cheeseburgers (#3's favorite), corn on the cob, and watermelon (I forgot to make the baked beans - no harm, no foul)

Sunday:  Greek Gyros - I showed you the recipe here (#6).  These are just fabulous!  However, I only make them on the weekends because they are fairly time-consuming unless you make the sauce ahead of time.

Monday:  Whole chicken in the crockpot.  I'm trying a new recipe.  We're also having "mashed potatoes" which are really made out of cauliflower.  Another new try.

Tuesday:  Chicken stir fry with broccoli and egg drop soup

Wednesday:  Salmon burgers and fruit

Thursday:  Shrimp in a spicy white sauce along with roasted veggies.  (The girls won't eat this - they'll get something else)

Friday:  Either breakfast for dinner or Papa Murphy's pizza.  Most likely pizza:)

And there you have it!  Another Six on Sunday edition is done.  Have a great week, everyone!!

Six on Sunday...This and That

I can't say there is anything particularly memorable to write about from this weekend.  You will therefore be stuck with a little of this and a little of that.  Although now that I think about it, that's pretty much how I roll every week!  So I guess nothing will be different tonight:)

1.  This weekend pretty much revolved around wrapping up the window seat.  And I can proudly say it is this close to being finished.  Seriously, we never work this quickly.  These projects usually drag on for months.  (For example, we finished our basement right before #4 was born - over two years ago.  We still don't have framed out windows down there.  True story.)

Anyway, Friday night took me down to Home Depot - with #3 and #4 in tow for reinforcements.  I had my list and bought the remaining lumber.  As soon as we got home I deposited the little girls with the big girls inside and I escaped to the garage.  I proceeded to cut the remaining pieces I needed for the drawers while the hubby and my sister sat out there and drank beer.  How's that for help?!

Saturday brought more building after #2's soccer game.  We just about wrapped it up except for the drawer pulls which I installed this morning before we left for #1's soccer game.  The only piece we have left (besides paint) is to finish out the top.  Hopefully we can wrap that up this weekend!  Here are the pictures so far.  I have to say, we're really excited because they look nice!

 

2.  I have done remarkably well on the allowance front this past year.  Sometimes we go two or three weeks between payment, but it's not bad.  And since we sometimes go a few weeks between payment, we may forget how much is owed.  Queue "Kids Allowance Bank".  It's a free website.  I signed up first and created three accounts for my three oldest girls.  Then, each child gets to set up their own account so they can see how much they've earned.  

I set it up so the girls will see money "deposited" into their accounts every Saturday.  They can then log in and request a withdrawal.  Once I actually pay them - in cash - I can mark that I paid the requested amount.  The whole idea is that this website tracks how much I owe to each girl.  So far it's great.  #1 has already requested to receive her withdrawal.  I hope it lasts.   

3.  I had an MRI last Monday.  After the cortisone shot in May my knee got better for a little while.  However, the nice, long run I took a couple weeks ago seemed to have done it in.  I tried to go out for a slow run a couple days later and only made it a mile before I had to turn around.  So I decided to suck it up and have the MRI to see if there is anything really wrong.  My fingers are crossed that I'm not dreaming and whatever it is will be easy to fix.  That's not too much to ask for, is it?  

4.  Organization has set in.  I realize our mornings flow much more smoothly if I am dressed and ready to go BEFORE waking up the girls.  That means I need to make my lunch the night before or at least have things easily ready to throw together that morning.

And our evenings - man, they are busy!  Monday = #1 and #2's soccer and #2 and #3's swimming lessons.  Tuesday = relief or nothing.  Wednesday = #1's soccer.  Thursday = #2's soccer and #1's volleyball.  Friday = #1's swim practice.  Saturday and Sunday = soccer games, volleyball games, and swim practice.  Busy, busy. 

To that end, I made two dinners tonight.  Well, maybe one and a half.  I made enchiladas which are completely ready to bake.  Then I made rice for Chicken Fried rice (because the rice needs to be cold to make fried rice).  I also cut up two bunches of Romaine for our salads this week.  Sheesh.  

5.  The girls ran down to say goodbye to their summer nanny, Ashley.  She is headed back to Arkansas.  Luckily, I managed to snap one picture before she took off.  Good luck this year, Ashley!!

6. I am in heaven these days.  TWO of my FAVORITE shows are on:  Design Star and Project Runway.  I love Monday and Thursday nights.  I DVR the shows and then watch them in no time!  Do you have any favorite TV shows?  How many?

All right, folks.  That's all for me.  Have a great week! 

Six on Sunday...Random Thoughts

This will be another random installment of Six on Sunday.  In no particular order...

1.  I was all set to run this morning when the thunderstorms interfered.  I mean, I had set the alarm clock for 6am hoping to get outside by 6:30.  However, almost right at 6:30 it started really rumbling and then the rain came down.  I didn't actually make it out until 8:00am after the thunderstorm which meant it was about 100% humidity and just gross.  I only made it 7 miles.  Oh well.

And the reason I ran on Sunday?  The hubby ran yesterday and I needed to stay home with the kids.  This is what he found when he got home around 7am.  Yep.  We were already outside playing!

2.  I have talked about Project 365 on here previously and promised an update.  It's going in fits and starts but I'm still glad I'm doing it.  Below is an example spread.  I love that it includes things beyond simply pictures.  It's random stuff from our lives at the time and I like to mix it in every now and again.

3.  This week is our staycation.  As in, we are not leaving our house.  As in, I'm TOTALLY EXCITED!  We have all kinds of fun stuff planned.  We're going to Worlds of Fun, Schlitterbahn, Science City, the Nelson-Atkin museum, and Cinderella at Starlight.  We're also going to do other things like ride our bikes for bagels, go out for Peach Wave, you know - fun stuff.

4.  I'm also excited to have the week off to work on some projects and get some things wrapped up.  

• I need to hang the second headboard in #4's room
• I need to put the final coat of paint on our new-to-us dresser for our master bedroom
• I need to put the final coat of paint on an adorable little table to use as a night stand for #4's room
• Lastly - and the biggest - we are building a window seat in our front room.  I have the design plans all mapped out (in my head) and we started working on it today!  I'm going to make a series of boxes with drawers and top all of them off to make a window seat.  Of course I'll post pictures when we're finished.  This is where it's going to go...

5.  #4 is in her big girl bed!  Yep, after more than 10 years, we were finally able to take down the crib.  Woo Hoo.  The transition was super easy.  We went to my folks house for the 4th of July and they didn't have a crib.  (My mom got rid of hers after Christmas.)  At first, I was terrified.  How would she sleep?  Would she wake up a lot?  Would she EVER fall asleep?  And you know what?  It was great.  She didn't have any problems at my parent's house and when she got home, she went right into her big girl bed.  Sweet.  It's really nice to be out of that stage.  Now, I just have to get her out of diapers:)

6.  I shot senior pictures tonight down in the West Bottoms and Loose Park.  Despite the gross weather, it wasn't that bad and I know I got some GREAT shots.  I can't wait to post them.

Have a great week.  I know I will!