What a Week, oh what a week!

What a Week, oh what a week!

Rise and Shout the Cougars are out!

We were so excited this week to get Marisa’s acceptance to BYU-Provo! We are all so ecstatic!! She is a 4^th generation cougar and we are just thrilled. Congrats to Marisa on all the hard work and effort that it took to get there.

Senior Solo

Marisa had her senior solo this week. She looked so beautiful up there and was absolutely brilliant. She did a beautiful piece from Beethoven. I, of course, cried through the whole thing. She is so talented. Bob will be posting the video and for fun we thought we would post her very 1^st time playing as well for a comparison. (You’re welcome Marisa!)

She also played in the Winter Orchestra concert and, as always, did an amazing job.

Solo/ensemble Festival

Tyler did a solo at the band festival this week. He did a wonderful job! We don’t have his results yet but I bet he scored well.

Without Valentine's Day, February would be... well, January. ~Jim Gaffigan

We had a wonderful Valentines Day! Bob bought me beautiful roses and we got a heart shaped pizza. For the 1^st time ever I tried Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I thought they turned out great! Although I must admit I, um, cheated a little. I was going to make them completely from scratch but I saw that Marisa picked up red velvet cake mix from Hyvee, so I used that instead.

Blecky germs

Alayna got sick Sunday night and started running a fever. I stayed home with her and Kayla on Monday and then her and Tyler on Tuesday. For me, it was nice to have 2 days off. I had some sort of flu thing so I had to relax which I really needed. We are all better now.

Spring cleaning

I do realize its February and actually nowhere near spring, but I have had this drive to start my spring cleaning anyway.

So, one day I realized, “You know, that wall paper trim in the girls bathroom has been yellowing and peeling off the wall, I should take that down.” Before I knew it, I had gone all postal and I was on the sink covered in wall paper and glue thinking I REALLY should have waited until summer. I ended up ripping some of the paint off and made a mess of things. Tyler and Alayna repainted it off-white today and I will be decorating it. I can’t wait for you all to see the final project.

Domestic News

I am thrilled with my “trying” new things.

I tried a homemade calzone Stromboli thingy for dinner last night. My 1^st one looked like I had hacked a dead body and it was bleeding with bones protruding through it. I pulled it out of the oven and the kids gasped in horror. But when they tasted it, they said it was awesome. So, I win. My 2^nd one turned out better although when I finally moved it onto the tray it looked more like that creature from tremors than a calzone, but again, it tasted awesome. More details will be on the other blog.

Oh My Shibberdegibbertdoopoop!?!?

Oh My Shibberdegibbertdoopoop!?!?

Friday night was a bad night mixed with insomnia and not feeling well. At 5AM, Alayna came in asking where her “Big Planet” game was. When I asked why in heavens name she was up so early, she said that Kayla’s alarm had gone off for seminary. I guess when Kayla went to her slumber party, she forgot to turn it off.

Then I had to get up at 6AM to get Tyler up because he had the Showchoir Sweetheart tour all day. I saw Alayna downstairs on our nice couch with a huge bag of buttered popcorn (Tyler brought it home from the movie last night. He and friends went to Star Wars 3D without me. Rude!) I explained that she CANNOT have that downstairs because 1) that’s new carpet and 2) that butter will leak straight though the bag to seep grease into the nice couch. So, I took it back upstairs and tried to go back to sleep.

I woke up with a start of another migraine at 8:30 on a Saturday!! Grr! So, I started cleaning the house while Bob and Alayna took a load to the garbage dump and did the grocery shopping. Guess what I found on our nice couch?? The stupid bag of buttered popcorn and the greasy butter had seeped through into the entire arm of my couch. I was almost in tears. When she got home, I really laid in to her about how upset I was that she deliberately disobeyed me and ruined my couch! Her response? “Well, at least I didn’t cut it with a pocket knife”! Huh?

She went on to tell us how Tyler thought his iPod was lost in the couch so he cut the bottom open and tried to get it. So, Bob and I turn over the couch and sure enough there is a HUGE hole cut out!! Are you kidding me??? Bob and I ended up flipping the couch over and over. We could hear it ringing in the couch and couldn’t get the dang thing out. We finally had to unstaple the whole bottom to get it out of this small spot. Ugh! Bob got a splinter and I cut my finger on a staple. Argh!

Then the girls were supposed to be back from the slumber party to go help Bob set up for the ward party, but they showed up 2 hours late because they overslept. (Isn’t that what usually happens at a sleepover?)

*And no I didn’t take any pics because it broke my heart

Show Choir

Tyler had his 1^st showchoir performance of the year. He did a wonderful job and knows all the choreography, which probably comes easy to him since he watched dancers from the time he was born! His group also did the Sweetheart Tour yesterday where they performed at the mall and retirement homes.

Did you Know?

Bob and I had our 19^th anniversary of the day he asked me to marry him. Friday, February 10.

Odds and ends

This week Tyler also had a band concert and the girls had New Beginnings for YW.

Pinterest

You will be shocked to know I have started a supplemental blog to post about things I try at home. Most of the ideas and recipes come from Pinterest. Its dorky, but in the world of dorks, I could be Queen. I pin everything I like on Pinterest, but there are things I actually want to try. I wanted a place to show what things I try work and what doesn’t, so feel free to follow along or not. It could be entertaining…

Creative Décor with a side of Pinterest Addiction and a pinch of Awesomeness

Creative Décor with a side of Pinterest Addiction and a pinch of Awesomeness

We had a quieter week- thank the heavens above. We needed a break!

Creative Décor

This week I got enough guts to ask my boss about me possibly doing some decorating. The library was built in the 1960s and I am pretty sure not much has been done to it since. Now, I am by no means creative, but I can organize like nobody’s business. But I kept thinking that you get better at things as you try and practice right? I spent all week running between Michaels and Walmart.

(For Iowa teen awards)

So, I brought in a small sample and she said it looked good and to go for it. So, I put all these things together this week and put them up on Friday while she was at a meeting all day. Then I worried and had a bad dream that she hated it. But this morning she sent me all these wonderful texts on how she loves it and she loves working with and loves all my ideas. I was in shock and so very thrilled.

Pinterest Addiction

So, I am absolutely in love with the new pinterest site. I get such great ideas and I love it. Some things make me laugh out loud, and some help me dream. Anyway, I decided to try a cookie recipe yesterday and the cookies were to DIE for! They had a secret ingredient- vanilla pudding mix! Anyone want the recipe?

I am also trying to make these Texas Roadhouse rolls for dinner. I never make rolls from scratch so we shall see how these turn out. AND it has homemade cinnamon honey butter.

I found all these amazing red velvet recipes so I am going to try one for Valentine’s Day.

I also started a pinterest binder. Yes, I have issues. But not they are issues with a dreamy future!

A Pinch of Awesomeness

We started on Monday looking for a formal length evening gown for Marisa’s upcoming solo. I was worried it would take weeks. The 1^st store we went to was a HUGE fail. Then we hit David’s bridal and found 3 gorgeous gowns! We finally went with the one that is ocean blue and she looks stunning.

We FINALLY got our new sink in!! We bought it before Thanksgiving and finally found someone who could help us get us in. It looks great – so a big thank you to Bob and Craig!

Alayna vacuums with a moustache. Brave soul!

And Marisa gave a wonderful family home evening on energy conservation!

“What the world of tomorrow will be like is greatly dependent on the power of imagination in those who are learning to read today” Astrid Lindgren

“What the world of tomorrow will be like is greatly dependent on the power of imagination in those who are learning to read today” Astrid Lindgren

I found this quote at work this week and it is so true. I see every part of the spectrum from kids who check out and read 3-4 books a day to ones that haven’t been in the library all year and “hate to read” which absolutely breaks my heart.

Once again, we have had a CRAZY week. We are all ready for Spring Break, yet it is so far away! I think this is when that winter sluggy sets in.

Highlights (or disasters if you will) of the week:

Flowers Bob got me to get me out of the winter sluggy!

 

The Day NOT to be repeated. Ever!

Sometimes I worry about Tyler. How is it that so many crazy things can happen to one guy? Several people this week suggested he write a book. One even said, “he needs to write and illustrate his own books patterned after the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books (those cartoonish illustrations) only just call it the Life of Tyler Hart. Best seller. Truth is stranger than fiction and it sells!” So true!! So here is what happened:

In gym he "accidentally" ran into another a kid. I guess they both thought the other one would move. I bet that was comical when they smacked into each other. What wasn’t so comical is that as a result of that head-on collision, Tyler tripped and fell on the pregnant PE teacher and in the process actually broke her leg! Tyler had to race to get the nurse, an ambulance came, and she had to stay in the hospital for 2 days! The good news is that the baby is fine and she was worried the whole time in the hospital about Tyler and hoping he wasn’t feeling bad.

Then, Alayna told us that she accidentally kicked her art teacher while trying to parkour around a table...thank goodness that teacher only said “ouch”.

Then, Kayla tripped on the way to the dinner table and splashed stroganoff sauce into Alaynas hair and all over the dogs, which made Alayna cry because she HATES meat (no clue why). Really? So, it made her cry? The dogs LOVED it! (not the crying, but being covered in meat sauce!)

THEN, Tyler was teasing Kayla, Kayla kept poking him with the colander, and it broke. What a day oh what a day!

He looks great in his new glasses!

Dog-sitting

We are watching Whitney and Taylor again. They sure love Alayna and Tyler. It does make it a little nutty around here though because its almost like we have two extra kids….that bark…

Metro

Marisa had her final metro concert last night. She made 4^th chair, but she actually beat the other 3 in all-state auditions so as far as I’m concerned, she is the best 1^st violinist in all of Cedar Rapids! The music was tough and she was amazing!

This week we have to go get her a formal gown for her upcoming Senior solo on Valentines Day. Everyone is invited to come!

Merit Badge Clinic

Tyler and Bob attended a Family History Merit Badge clinic last night, so hopefully Tyler can work on completing that Merit Badge.

Snow Day

We did get our long-awaited for snow day this week. However, it was not comprised of me studying my inner eyelids for 5 extra hours and not having to get dressed or function in any way. Instead, Tyler and I got up to do our workout at 5am. Then, Kayla came in and told us school was delayed. Me, being the smart, intelligent person that I am, decided to go to work early and get stuff done (and paid for the extra hours) while students weren’t actually present.

I carefully slid my way to work and it took 45 minutes. The parking lot was a sheet of ice, so I figure-skated my way to the entrance. Then I had to track down the keys to the library and no one has the key to the lights. There were already kids there who didn’t know school was delayed. I let them come inside and warm up only to find out a few minutes laster that school was cancelled. So, I painstakingly made my way home, got in warm pjs and we watched movies all day.

Family Time

Linn Grove had their dinner/open house this week, so we got to go see some of the fun things Alayna has been working on in class. She kicks butt in social studies. I wonder where she gets that from? Lol!

We also went to Pancheros as a family to celebrate Tyler and I kicking booty on our 5AM workouts.

Proof Im becoming senile and loopy

Anyone see whats wrong with this blog book (the yellow one)?

“I deserve a bonus…for making it through the week without stabbing someone with a fork”

“I deserve a bonus…for making it through the week without stabbing someone with a fork”

My Mom sent me this saying this week which sums up the week perfectly! We got a HUGE snowstorm and once again, we had school! I HATE driving to work on icy roads. It scares me to death. It also scares me thinking of my kids driving in it.

We had to shovel and I am more irritated than ever that we don’t have a snow blower. Everyone else on our street has one. The kids went out to shovel but didn’t last long, so I went out and shoveled for an hour an a half and was quickly reminded why I hate winter and how old im getting. Oh, my aching back! The cool thing about my new camera is I can now get close up shots from INSIDE the house. So much better!

We did have a bullying incident that happened to Tyler this week. My inner mama bear came out in full force like never before. Im always surprised at that instinctive protective instinct to guard our children. He is doing much better now and he will have his new glasses this week. I think he looks pretty sharp.

Speaking of which, I am SO proud of him for getting up with me every day at 5am to workout with no complaints. This week he finally got to see some progress and was so excited. He is getting stronger with more endurance. Plus, we gave him a cool haircut and with that, his workout watch and his his new pfiten, he says he has upped his cool factor by 80%! Supposedly it keeps him on “balance”.

Oh, and we finally got to see “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and we loved it!