Vegetable Soup

Okay, it’s not really grocery shopping…

We all went to Home Depot the other day to pick up some flowers & things for the house. First of all, I have to say that Home Depot gets the gold star for best carts. It’s fun for the kids & leaves me plenty of room for my goods.

I had Ava & Garrett in my cart & Grady was in Adam’s cart. All of a sudden Ava goes, “Let’s race.” Instantly, Adam glanced back & began taunting us with his challenging grin. I was already too far behind him & knew it would be futile to try to catch him…at that moment. So, I told Ava, “No, I don’t think we should race right now.”

By now Ava & Garrett were excited. “Come on Mommy, you can beat Daddy!

And then we got another challenging look from Daddy.

“We’ll race later,” was my reply. And then I told my husband that I’d clip the back of his heels with my cart if he didn’t stop teasing us!

Now, if you know me, you get that there is just no way that I won’t step up to the challenge. So, I instantly began strategizing. We made it down to one end of the store & had to turn around. I knew this was my moment!

“Hey honey, look at these cool rocks. What do you think they’re for?”

It worked like a charm. He stopped to examine them & while he was in the middle of his theory, I quickly passed him with my cart.

Ava: “We’re winning!”

Me: “Yes we are!!”

Adam: “Kelly be careful, you’re about to drop your phone.”

Oh, he is so sneaky! And I fell for it!! I slowed down enough to glance down, only to realize it was a tactic he used to try to pass me.

I was left with only one option. I will say that I’m not proud of my decision, but hey, my kids wanted to win the race.

I quickly turned my cart to the left to block him. It worked, but then both of our carts went into a floor display & we almost took down a worker. (Don’t you just love the example we set for our kids – yikes!) We both quickly offered our apologies & then continued on.

You’d think at this time one of us would have had the sense to stop this silly race. Wrong! I kept my cart in the middle of the aisle so he couldn’t pass us & Mommy’s cart made it to the end of the store first.

Ava & Garrett cheered & I smiled. Adam was a good sport & Grady had no idea what just happened, but laughed anyway.

It was fun, but I don’t think my husband & I are allowed to shop together anymore!

My husband’s gonna kill me…

I was at our church garage sale this past weekend & received a delightful surprise.

My mom used to have a picture by Margaret Kane hanging in our house. There is something so sweet & innocent about this picture – I just love it.

I took it with me to college & after I graduated, it disappeared. No one remembers donating it or throwing it out. I was really disappointed, but moved on.

So, I was at the garage sale wandering around & happened to look down at one point. Low & behold, there before my very eyes was the picture…for 50¢!

I was so excited – I couldn’t believe it!

And, just so you know…

I’m pretending that it’s the very same picture that we used to have in our house – that sounds way cooler!

Here are a couple of fun pics of Ava’s treasures from Cancun:

As I mentioned before, we love painting while we’re there & have accumulated quite a collection over the years. Ava painted all of these. They have an artist who adds the detail (the black lines & white swirls), but the color choice & painting is all her. I was really impressed!

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Here, we have a butterfly that she painted for her room and a car for Garrett:

Here is a fish for Grady & a plate for Adam & me:

A collection of starfish & a conch shell:

My beach baby is now home!

She had a wonderful time & hasn’t stopped talking about her trip all weekend.

She was so excited when she saw us – especially her brothers. It was funny, you could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn’t know who to hug first!

So, she definitely got her daddy’s skin. I could go to Cancun for a month & still come back pasty – thank goodness for self tanner! She does though, have a few freckles around her nose – she gets that from me. Her hair looks really cute too!

btw – I gotta love my mom. She sent her home with a suitcase full of clean clothes. Woo-hoo, less laundry for me! Thanks Mom!!

We go get Ava from the airport this evening!

It’s been 13 days since she left – wow! We talked again last night & she is having so much fun. I have missed her, but it’s been easier having her away knowing that she is not homesick. Also, my parents make sure that she talks with us every night. When Adam spoke with her, he asked if she was ready to come home & she paused before replying, “Not quite yet.” I don’t blame her. I know I’d have a hard time coming back to!

Grady was looking at her picture yesterday & going, “Aba! Aba!” I can’t wait to see the boys reaction when they see her. She was very excited about the presents she got them. I love that she remembers to do little special things like that for her brothers.

Ava said she got her hair braided with pink & purple beads. I bet it looks really cute. I’m also curious if she tanned at all. If she’s like me, she may get a very faint one. I rarely tan – I typically burn, so I always glop on the SPF 45. Adam, on the other hand, gets darker pretty quickly – so we’ll see which one of us she takes after!

This made me laugh. She told me that last night she had so much “yummy” dessert. I asked her what it was & she goes, “chocolate pudding, vanilla milkshake, a brownie & a cookie.” She also had a lime daiquiri – virgin of course. Oh my word! Sorry baby girl, the best I can offer you here is a Fudgcicle.

I can’t thank my parents enough for taking Ava on this special trip. I know they made lots of fun memories together that she will cherish.

Adam & his friend, Dave, went to Rockford to pick up our piano this past weekend.

This is the piano I learned to play on. My parents said they no longer needed it & when they asked us if we wanted it, I was overjoyed!!

I loved pulling out my old songbooks this week to sing & play. My fingering is pretty rusty, but that’s what practice is for, right? I always loved “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Beauty and the Beast.” I played them all the time! When I opened the books & sat down to play, I was amazed at how quickly I picked it up again. It kinda felt like riding a bicycle – you never really forget how to do it.

When I talked with Ava last night, I told her that Adam & I would teach her to play. She was very excited. The boys on the other hand, just enjoy getting their hands on the keys – ouch! Garrett will bang play & say, “Look Mommy! I play music!”

I love getting lost in music – it’s a great escape for me. I also love praying to music. I find that it’s in those times that I am really open. I don’t focus so much on the words of my prayers, so they flow much easier. It’s one of the best ways I keep in tune with God.

Anyone else out there like to play?

My sister just sent over a few pics of Ava in Cancun.

Just check out this sunset – it’s absolutely gorgeous!!

Ava told my mom that she wanted to see a sunrise and sunset while she was there. Hmmm….I think someone has been reading My Bucket List!

We talk with her every night & my parents send an email every day. They ask her what she wants to tell us & my dad copies it down verbatim. Last night, as I was listening to her describe all she is doing, I kept wondering, “who is this little person?” She sounded so grown up. She told me that she & Brandon rode wave runners at 50 mph (and then said, “just kidding!”). She is having lots of fun swimming & looking for shells along the beach. Mom said that practically lives in her swimsuit! Ava also told me she is enjoying chicken “on the bone.” I had to laugh at that one. Those who know me, realize how much that word gets under my skin (ha!!) and enjoy playful banter with it. I don’t know…I guess it’s the vegetarian in me!

She is painting a lot. I’ve been to Cancun 7 or 8 times now (my parents own a timeshare) and every time we go, we always do a ceramic painting. There are things I painted when I was a teenager, stuff Adam & I did together & also items that Ava has painted. We have quite a collection going on upstairs in our loft! It’s a fun family tradition & I can’t wait for Garrett & Grady to get involved to.

My family joked with me that she is non-stop! Yep – that’s Ava!! She definitely keeps you on your toes. She’s always been that way. I remember that my dad would say, “you can tell Hurricane Ava has been here” when we would visit. She has so much energy!

I saw last night that I had a blog hit from Mexico. So, “hola” to everyone – I love you!!

Well, Sunday was the day Ava was waiting for.

She is now in Cancun, Mexico!!

My parents took her for two weeks. To say she was excited is a huge understatement. She’s been counting down the days for the past three weeks. She would call my mom every day to tell her how long it was untile the big day. My friend Holly even knew how long it was before Ava left!!

We finished our basement this year, so that was our “vacation.” Also, it’s difficult traveling with all three kids at their current age. I know we’ll enjoy our time more on a vacation like that in another year or two.

Packing up her suitcase was a little hard for me. I am happy for her, yet at the same time I knew I would miss her. Now, don’t get me wrong. Ava’s an extremely busy little girl, so the extra quiet has been nice. But, 2 weeks is a long time! Garrett in particular is missing his fellow playmate. But, we’re making sure that he is getting extra attention while she is gone.

My parents & I coordinate our schedules, to make sure we’re home when they call. It’s a great way for us to stay in touch. We will also email, but I enjoy hearing Ava’s voice.

So, while Ava is enjoying lounging by the pool, we’ll settle for some fun in the sprinkler.

Yeaahhh, that doesn’t quite sound the same, now does it?!

Ava came home the other day, with a beaming face.

She said she had a surprise for me.

I had to close my eyes & when I opened them; there, before me was a fistful of clover. They were clutched tightly in her hand so not a single one would fall.

“Mom, I picked these for you!”

And then I got a big hug!

It’s moments like these that I love.

They are just so sweet.

You know, there are plenty of gorgeous floral arrangements out there, but in my eyes, nothing is more beautiful than the bouquet that is proudly displayed on my counter…

Happy Graduation Day Lindsay!!

Today, my sister is receiving her Doctorate in Physical Therapy – way to go sista!!!

This video is in honor of her special day…

This is one of Grady’s favorite games. He loves when we all clap together. Watch what happens when we stop clapping – his expressions are priceless!

Well, Ava had her first friend spend the night yesterday.

Oh my word – she was so excited! All day it was, “When is Anicka coming over Mommy?” over and over again.

Anicka lives just a few houses down from ours. She & Ava enjoy many of the same things & play nicely together. I am so thankful that she has a special friend her age that lives nearby. And to top it off – her parents are great! They are very kind & considerate. Adam & I have really enjoyed getting to know them over the past few years.

So, the girls enjoyed Wendy’s, milkshakes & popcorn last night. (thankfully there were no tummyaches!) Adam took them to rent a movie & they played lots of dressup. They were in bed by 11:00. I actually put them down around 9:30, but come on, you know how girls are! I could hear them giggling from downstairs – it was sweet.

They are already planning their next get together. I know they are going to have lots of fun together this summer!

So, I got the chance to watch my kids live out one of my favorite childhood pastimes yesterday. We were in the front yard, enjoying the afternoon sun. You can tell school is wrapping up & summer is here! The inflatable pools are popping up now, the neighborhood kids are running around everywhere & all the sounds of screams & laughter create an enjoyable chaotic atmosphere.

Everything was at a high pitch yesterday, when all of a sudden, my kids went silent. They stopped what they were doing & slowly stood, mesmerized. I looked around & all the kids seemed to be under the same spell. The street became quiet as a faint jingle grew louder & louder.

Garrett whispered, “It’s the ice cream truck.”

Then BAM, instant pandemonium as children begged their parents for ice cream! I just had to smile. Oh, I can remember waiting for the ice cream truck as a child & how excited my friends & I were when it finally came. I loved getting BombPops – nothing like sticky red, white & blue all over your face!

I have since switched to drumsticks and the occasional pushup.

One of things I really appreciate about being a mom is that every now & then, I get the chance to relive my own childhood. When that ice cream truck came, even I got a little excited!

Ice cream…

You know, in a time where everything seems to change, it’s nice to see that some things remain the same.

We had a fun conversation at my sister’s graduation dinner Sunday night. We were talking about our childhood days & the things we used to say & do. This may not sound like a big deal, but we had four different generations sitting at the same table!

Every once in a while we’d land on something that we all could relate to. For example, my aunt, Mary, asked, “Did you ever say to a friend, ‘I’ll invite you to my party’ if there was something you really wanted them to do?” It didn’t matter when your “party” was – it could still be 6 months away – but party invites were a big deal to a kid!

I remember using the party line before & others. If there was something really important you wanted a friend to do, then you would say to them, “I’ll be your best friend!” The other favorite was, “I’ll give you a piece of gum!” And you know it was huge if you were promised either Hubba Bubba or Bubblicious…the grape flavor.

Ha!! Wouldn’t it be sweet if promising a piece of gum worked on us adults?

This one is courtesy of my friend Chris.

He & his fiancee, Alisha, are getting married next month & I am so excited for them!!

Anyway, since he’s got wedding on the brain, he came up with this little diddy:

“What did the older melon say to the young engaged melons?”

You “cantaloupe.”