Acoustic vs. Electric

Sam plays guitar.

I love his acoustic guitar.

It has a nice friendly tune and I can sing along.

It's very khumbyya-ish.

He now has an electric guitar.

It's not so nice and friendly.

I cannot sing along because the noise fills the entire house!

When he plays, it gets louder and louder.

"HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN, SAM?"

"When I am playing, I get into it and have to turn it up!!"

I should have know...in January 2009 I wrote this blog post about the boys jammin'.

I just look at Jason.

Jason says, "I love it!! This doesn't 't bother me at all!"

Which he has to yell and repeat three times before I realize he is not saying, "I love you and don't you love basketball!!

The things you do for your kids.

The Death of Me...

I love Valentine's Day...

Or should I say I love Valentine candy.

My absolute favorite Valentine candy are the cinnamon jelly hearts. I will eat those until I get a canker sore, wait a couple of days and start again. 

My second favorite are the tiny conversation hearts. I don't read what is on them. Who has time for that when I am shoving them in my mouth as fast as I possible can!

I also will buy bags of Cherry Jube (what the hell is Jube?) Jell Hearts and Sour Cherries. Is it bad that my mouth is actually watering as I write this post?

Every bite, pure sugar. 

And I love each and every bite.

But my butt doesn't.

Bad Blogging Slump!

Have you ever been in a slump and felt like a slug?
You have the best intentions to do things and go do things, but they just don't get done...no matter how many lists you have created?
I have been in one of those for January.

Several things have suffered...including my blog.
It's just one of those things that happens every once in a while...just no mojo or motivation.
So, what do you do?

Well, I have "rethought" my blog, while enjoying valentine candy and watching Netflix from my couch. I know...I have said I would "change" my blog before. But my goal will be to blog at least three times a week with weekends off. I try to do every day and sometimes life gets in the way...or a reality TV show I may be marathon watching. Then I get all stressed out and don't do any posting what so ever. So three new posts a week, more if life allows, will be my goal.

 The blog will still be about all the things that go on with the family, but I think it's time to include some other things, too.
Like what, you ask.
I'm still thinking that one through. 

I do know though, 
Some post will be stories, some will be a few sentences and some will be wordless. This is because that is what I want to do and how I am envisioning my blog. Some weeks will cover more stories about Jack. (you do waaayyyy too many stories about Jack. What about Sam?) Some weeks will cover more about Sam.(you do waaayyyy too many stories about Sam. What about JAck?) Some will be about Moose. Some will be about scrapbooking (even though people have told me that they shut off my blog if it has scrapbooking on it) But that is part of my life, our life and that is what I want to share on my blog. 

Life goes pretty well at our house, but don't get me wrong, there are times and days when it is plain down rough and I want to pull my hair out! Our house if not "facebook" happy 24/7. The boys are growing up and want more independence and that is becoming a learning experience! Maybe I need to share those adventures to, though, my mom warns me...do you really want to put that out there? 

Well, I am not going to share my deepest darkest secrets (even if I had any!) I have read others blogs and have come across events that I can relate to, I found myself thinking..I am not the only one. Phew!

So, with that said, I will try to blog more often and be a better blogger! Hope I haven't lost too many readers through my absence! And hope you enjoy the new and improved, but basically the same blog!

OH MY...

I am sure you have heard about all the hype over the new book "The Girl on a Train." I did and thought I would pick it up at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday when it was released. Couldn't find it! Went to the customer service counter and asked about it...SOLD OUT! It was 1:00 in the afternoon!! Luckily, another B and N had it and held one for me. Anyway, started reading Wednesday and finished it Saturday. I could have finished it earlier but I wanted to enjoy the build up and the ending.

 

 

From Amazon:

The “girl on the train” is Rachel, who commutes into London and back each day, rolling past the backyard of a happy-looking couple she names Jess and Jason. Then one day Rachel sees “Jess” kissing another man. The day after that, Jess goes missing. The story is told from three character’s not-to-be-trusted perspectives: Rachel, who mourns the loss of her former life with the help of canned gin and tonics; Megan (aka Jess); and Anna, Rachel’s ex-husband’s wife, who happens to be Jess/Megan’s neighbor. Rachel’s voyeuristic yearning for the seemingly idyllic life of Jess and Jason lures her closer and closer to the investigation into Jess/Megan’s disappearance.

Many are comparing this story to Gone Girl. I would say yea, but this one is a sloooow build, just like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. You know how Hitchcok takes a loooong time building the story and slowly  gets to the climax of the movie and then you just LOVE it!  I found this book to do the same thing! Sloooow build up and then WOW!!  I loved Gone Girl, but that ending...UGH and double UGH!! This book will not make you want to throw it out a 10 story building (or burn it in you fire pit) such as Gone Girl did for me.  I wold definitely recommend this book, but do not get frustrated with the build up...it is well worth the wait!!

 

A Friend...

Sometimes when I am getting ready in the morning (or afternoon) Jack comes in and hangs out with me. Sometimes he reads, sometimes he chats, sometimes he plays a video game...

But he always makes himself comfortable in the empty tub!

Wordless Wednesday...

Brrr.

A Little Baller...

Jack's basketball season has begun! I enjoy watching the kiddos. Most are out there just having a good time and enjoying when they get a pass or the chance to dribble down the floor. It's even so much more exciting for these "little" ones when they make a basket and they immediately look over at their families with those HUGE grins!

So, off we go to the game.

 

This picture cracks me up! He has a pull over non, shorts, not pants, flip flops on because his shoes are in his bag along with his basketball...just like Sam! Who else squints on a cloudy day?

 A little warm up! Checking out were his bigest fan, ME, is sitting. Well, he is probably looking for Sam and Jason, too.

 Matching up to guard the other team. Will need to get those hands out of his pockets!! Some of Jack's teammates get super excited!

Let the game began! 

Jack made a basket and immediately looked over at us!  Gave him a huge thumbs up!!

Love that!!

Brrr...

On Monday, we got about 7" of snow in our town. I picked up Jack from school and it was really coming down at that time!

Jack and his friend came out of school and trudged across the great tundras AKA the playground.  It was a rough walk, but they made it. It's one that he will be able to share with his kids, "When I was your age I had to walk for miles to get to the car in a snowstorm that lasted for hours!!"

 

Yep.

"Hey, Mom! Would you like me to show you how to play Little Big Planet 3? (a video game he got for Christmas) It's really easy!" said Jack to me one afternoon. 

"Well, sure." I was flattered I got invited to play!!

So off we went and played for about an hour. I didn't do that bad. I had a good time. I was definately a little rusty.

Later...

"Jack, are you going to have mom play Little Big Planet with you again?" asked Sam.

His answer:

 "AH!! What is that?" I asked him.

"You just weren't that good. You couldn't jump and you didn't' stay put when I asked you to." he told me.

So being the adult that I am, I replies, "Well, you never stay put when I ask you to and you jump when you aren't supposed to. And I am talking about real life."

Yea. That got him. 

Later I found out that Jack had told Sam, "Mental note to self. Don't try to teach mom how to play video games."

Trying!!

I am soooo trying to get back in the swing of things after having everyone around for two weeks. I just haven't been able to get going or inspired!! I guess the relaxing, hanging out, reading, playing games was just to wonderful!!

Plus, my blogging progam has NOT made things easy once again, along with my photo organizer! Everything keeps putting pictures in places I don't want them along with not letting me load photos..UGH!! So I get frustrated and call the whole blogging thing off!

Anyway...

We did get one thing done that we have been meaning to do since...mmm..spring...when I bought a vintage red bike for the top of our shelving unit. After a little polishing up, Jason hauled the bike up a ladder and muscled it to the top. Believe me, vintage bikes are not light weight!

I took this picture right after we got the bike all set up. Then Jason and I both had panic attacks about the bike falling down and take out anything/killing anyone or anything that might be under it! We gave the boys strict instructions NOT to run or walk heavy anywhere near the book shelf!

The next day Jason got some brackets to secure the bike to the wall. A secure success! And happy to report the boys can once again walk normally.

 Wanted to show how my mantel was decorated for the holiday. A friend's daughter makes these wonderful holiday signs and I couldn't pass up the red sign with the old wooden frame. I really don't want to take it down and isn't every time of the year the most wonderful time of the year? See. I can make it work!

Intagrams...

I love instagram! 

Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to print or copy from instagram, so I take screen shot of things I come across that bring a smile to my face. Here are two of the latest thing that made me smile!

I am sure everyone has a day or two like this!

 

This one made me laugh out loud!! I may just do this next year!!

Hope these brought a smile to your face today!

Throw Back Thursday!

Happy New Year!! 

 

(Oh, I just miss Jack wearing those jammies!!)