whatever

do you have zingo?

it’s bingo – with a ZING!
annie adores this game…
but it’s for bigger kids.
i got it at target.
it’s for ages 4 – 8.
but it’s easy enough for her to play
(even though she doesn’t play fair)
my other kids love it too…when annie lets them play.

do you like the shirt?
this is the picture that talby drew last school year for ms. kristin.
now it’s the new school logo.
it’s grandpa in a wheel chair and a little girl…both very smiley.
their preschool is in a nursing home
and they visit the grandma & grandpa’s everyday.
it is so neat.
annie tells me if “gwwammpa howard” was there.
i have a shirt too.
i’m one proud mama.

i have so much too do.
and of course that means i can’t do anything unless i do one more scrapbook page…
i am horrible about that.
if i have chores that must be done…
i can’t think of anything but scrapbooking.
my brain is a mess.

so here it is…
sticking with the love of preschool.

now.. i guess i have to get some cleaning done.
bummer.

can you hear that?
shhhhhh….it’s quiet.
okay.
12 years in the waiting…
i have all my kids in school
and i have a small break 3 times a week.

since lauren was 6 mon. old i have been surrounded by children.
i was a nanny and took her with me.
then when i quit that i did daycare from our house.
when i quit that i had so many kids of my own that it was its own daycare!

i have had 4 or 5 kids with me almost everyday for 12 years!
wow.
and it’s been great.
that’s exactly the way i wanted it.
but now i am ready for what lies ahead.

i have no big aspirations.
i want to be creative…
relax…
exercise…
i will enjoy every minute.

naturally i started with the creative.

(technically i made this one 2 weeks ago.)
i just wanted lorel to see it.

and those brown letters…so cool.
they are made from transparency sheets…
the designs are clear and the letter is brown.
they are made by Making Memories.
self adhesive…love them.

this was what i made today.
i don’t think i’ve hand sewn on my page before?
maybe once.
it was fun to work with.
some paint too…and the last of my blue bling.

more of the same…
but they were just begging to be photographed.
i couldn’t help it.
the mums are an even prettier purple then i expected.
and the green on my favorite chairs…
(from the flea market store)
i love all that chippy paint and rust.

for lorel.

last week was parent’s night at church for jr.high youth group.
they are nuts.
during the singing they are jumping up and down
and yelling and body slamming.
just like it’s supposed to be.

jim is our church’s youth pastor.
what a calling it is.
it has to be.
if you feel comfortable & willing to spend hours and weeks
and years serving and teaching this age group….
it has to be from God.
and i am so glad.
they need it.
they need someone to listen.
someone to talk to to who can build them up, set an example,
have fun and let them be crazy.
jim is focusing on a theme of
Don’t Waste Your Life.
sounds like good advice to me.
i am so thankful for jim…and our church…and how kids are important there.

i love chicago.
i think i do because i feel like i know where i am going…
most of the time.
it’s full.
full of people and life and noise and action.
i love the shopping.
i was loving the no kids factor.
oh how i miss walking into pottery barn or crate & barrell
whenever i felt the need.

the apple store was so cool.
it’s just tables & tables of all their products
and you can try everything out.
then upstairs there was a theater where a tech guy stands all day and gives talks on iProducts…everything they do. i think if craig got in that store we would never get him out of that theater.
standing there about 2 minutes i learned 2 new things about my own computer.
very cool place.

everywhere you look there are flowers.
in the city.
they make you stop and take notice…
it’s such a different setting than a yard or park.

and i am in love with cloud gate sculpture.
my sister pointed out how cool it would be to be here in different weather.
why didn’t we go back at night?!!
i regret that.
i could spend a lot of time here.
it’s a camera lover’s dream.

my sister & i went to the art institute.
i had never been.
just never did it.
all the paintings you’ve seen in books in real life.
it’s strange.
and now for my ode to ferris bueller.

kind of sad really that i’m in the art institute and i kept thinking of movies!
that’s just me.
i can memorize movie lines
and i love watching the same movies over and over.

we had a wonderful time just hanging around chicago.
i never saw any of my IL. friends or even talked to them!
but there just wasn’t time.
we were having too much fun to even take a break.
it was good to be back.

the trip home was longer than we cared for…
but pretty.

and then when i drove home at 7:00 am monday morning…
even prettier.
it was so perfectly kansas
and felt so much like home.

this past weekend i got to go back to chicago
for my cousin’s wedding.
i haven’t seen him in at least 5 years.
and i have never seen him look happier.
he married an amazing woman.

this picture went all glowy from the lighting…
but look at this room.
“isn’t it beautiful?”
it was.

and she was.
wow.
i could’ve maybe worn a dress like that back in 6th grade…
she’s so tiny and cute.
gorgeous.

watching them through their wedding was just adorable.
they must have whispered “i love you” 25 times.
and her smile is so genuine and sincere.

officially mr. and mrs.
way to go!
you did it.

it was across the street from the art institute on michigan ave.
these are the lions that greet you.
way cool to be here for a wedding.

i absolutely loved getting all dressed up.

this is my other grandma.
not the exercise ball grandma…but just as sweet.
she is such an elegant lady.
always dressed up no matter what.
she told me she misses wearing high heels so much.
“the shoes were my thing!” she said.
and she laughs so easily.
i am so glad she was able to make to chicago…
and to be there for brian.
she even listened to mom’s iPod on the plane…

and my sister lorel…
isn’t she wonderful?
isn’t she beautiful?
i salute you.
what a great time we had together this weekend!

wait…how did this picture get in here?

my mom and aunt jan.
they were party animals…
dancing on the tables…lampshade on the head.
oh…i hope their co-workers don’t read my blog…
how embarrassing for them.

me and my mom and sister…
our dad is tall.

all the cousins.
all grown up.
and our new cousin julie.
congratulations brian and julie.
thank you for including me in your special day.
i had so much fun.

more chicago girl’s weekend photos to come.