St Pattys Day

I think St Pattys Day is so much fun. We always make a big deal of it out our house. Our Leprechaun comes and plays tricks and leaves prizes. This year we tried to catch the leprechaun. The kids and I built a trap for him. We made it look like a leprechaun hat and had a false top on it, with a ladder on the side. It had 2 tiny signs, one that said "No leprechauns allowed!!" and the other said "Do NOT climb the ladder!!" Because leprechauns like to break the rules. We put gold on the top, knowing he wouldn't be able to resist. The gold was a giant glob of gold glitter glue that never dried. The ladder took me ages to make but I think it was worth it. The kids put gold fingerprints all over the hat to make sure he leprechaun knew there was gold. 

The leprechaun did come but he is a tricky fellow. He fell in but managed to pull the ladder in so he was able to climb out. He did leave some gold coins, chocolate of course. You only get the real stuff if you catch him! (by the way, the dogs got on the table in the middle of the night and stole all of the dang coins) He also left a t-shirt for each green peeps, a book about leprechauns, some green lizards, a ballerina barbie that was wearing blue and purple (best he could find) and a Hero Factory guy. Turns out the Hero Factory guy was a Hero Factory GIRL. Zach was sure that he left 2 things for Chelsea and none for him. Because he doesn't like girl stuff!! I had to convince him that the leprechaun just didn't know. Every time he plays with it he prefaces it with "I am making Breez be a BOY!" Oooppps. He also left a poem note that basically says haha you didn't catch me but I liked the attempt. Here are some prizes and make sure you wear the shirts so you don't get pinched. 

As tricks this year, he (attempted) to paint both kids nails green while they were sleeping. They both woke up but neither remembered. They both thought it was neat when they woke up and their nails and mine were green. He changed all he computer backgrounds to a picture of himself that said HAHA! You cant catch me! I can go anywhere! And he put pictures of him and his friends all over the front door. He also turned stuff green all day. Thats the funnest part for the kiddos. 

I didn't get a picture of us all dressed up in our green. I'm so mad at myself for that. Chelsea was wearing green leggings, a denim skirt and her tshirt. Zach had his tshirt with jeans and a shamrock tie that he wore all day. We had suspenders for him too but they didn't work with his tshirt so we nixed them. Brandon had his silly St. Patty shirt. It has a giant shamrock and suspenders on it. He also wore a GIANT bright green bow tie. I had a green tshirt that says "I love St. Pattys Day!" I wore it with a denim skirt, green tights and knee high "I love St. Pattys Day!" socks. We were all decked out. It was pretty awesome!   

I hope you all had a great day too!

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

Ode To Zach Braff

Man, I love this song. It used to be my ringtone. I need to figure out how to do that again.

Raja and Rusties wedding

My baby brother is now married. I do realize at some point I have to stop calling him my baby brother, I'm working on it. I am so happy for him. And I love Rustie. I hope they have a long happy life together. I was an emotional wreck yesterday. I tried to not be but it was beyond my control. It was an emotional day and I'm an emotional person. I don't want anyone to think for a second that it was because I was anything less then ecstatic for the 2 of them. They are adorable together and so happy. I just cant believe he is all grown up. He has always been my baby brother. I've always thought he has needed me and now, not as much. We have been close, always. When I got married we lost some of that closeness and I worry that we might lose more of it now. I pray that doesn't happen. I need him.

Anyway, it was a BEAUTIFUL wedding. So many people worked so long and hard on it and it showed. We had to be there early for the rehearsal, so it was a fairly long day. My kids did really good for having to be there all day though, I was thankful for that. Rustie held together better then most brides, as far as I saw anyway! And she looked beautiful. There was no doubt from either of them, that I am sure of. They were ready to begin their lives as Mr. and Mrs. The ceremony was short and very sweet. Chelsea got to be a flower girl and Zach got to be the ring bearer. They were both so happy about that. They love Raja and Rustie and were happy to be part of their special day.

The reception was great. There was tons of food, I am curious what they did with all of those leftovers. They cut into their beautiful fairy tale cake and smeared it in each others faces. Which made me happy. I always hope people will smash cake on each other! They had their first dance and it was so sweet. I cant remember what song it was but along the fairy tale theme. She danced with her dad and he danced with mom also. She threw her bouquet from the balcony upstairs and it hit the ceiling fan then landed right into her sisters arms. It was a bit funny. Raja threw flipped the garter and his buddy caught it.

I want to thank Rustie for including me and asking me to be a bridesmaid. It meant so very much to me. I am so happy to have you as part of our family. We are crazy and intrusive and we WILL make you crazy from time to time but we cant change our stripes. Its who we are. Take good care of my grown-up baby brother. He is a great man who loves with his whole heart. I love you both so much.

I feel the need... The need for speed!

I've been thinking that I want to do something bucket list-ey for my 30th birthday. I can't seem to decide what to do though. The thing I want to do the most is ride a bull. It's been the highest thing on my bucket list since before I knew what a bucket list was. I looked into it though and the only place I found that would let me requires a 5 day class in spanish fork first and it costs a fortune. So that's out. Next I was thinking of bridge bungee jumping. Yes, if all my friends jumped off of a bridge, I would too. I'd be the one scheduling it. But there isn't a lot of bridges in greater salt lake city. I've already been skydiving and I'd really like it to be something I've never done before. La Dayna and I are going hang gliding or paragliding or something so that's awesome. Brandon suggested cliff diving but jumping into water is the one thing I won't do. So what is left? What should I do? Right now I'm thinking of doing the alpine slide and zip line in park city. Not as cool as riding a bull but would still be fun. Unless someone comes up with something better for me to do!

But he's my baby brother!

Oh my god. My baby brother is getting married on Saturday. It's not new news to me but it might as well be. I was just thinking, it really hasn't hit me yet I wonder when that will happen. Yeah, super, made it happen right then. I feel like I have been punched in the gut. I wasn't expecting this at all. The feeling, I mean, I was expecting the wedding. And I'm so happy for him and I adore Rustie and I hope they have a long happy life together. It's just that he's my baby brother. I helped raise him. He is my other kid. I can't believe he is at this point in his life. 

New room

I just put my kids to bed in separate rooms for the first time. Its a very strange feeling. Zach just moved into his very own room in the basement. I cant believe he is big enough for it. It always felt so far away. 

It took a lot of work to get that room ready to be a bedroom. Its still not completely done but its close enough that he could move in. It used to be the "toy room" it was basically the room we stashed the toys when no one was playing with them. We had no organization in there. It was a crazy room that no one went in unless they had to. Except me. It was also my computer room. I had my computer in there with a gigantic desk that had a separate set of drawers. Plus Brandon's god-awful humongous filing cabinet. The file cabinet is long and short. It took up entirely too much room. And it was COVERED in mail that Brandon swore he was going to file one day. It was a disaster area. 

So, I got all the toys out and got rid of most of them. I figure anything under the top layer probably doesn't get played with anymore. And it went away. I was able to paint half of the room after that. Then I shredded all that damn mail that was on the cabinet. It took forever and my shredder hates me now but man, it felt good! Next the desk had to go out and I had to wait until Brandon could help with that. Then the filing cabinet. We had to empty it before we could move it. I have another stack of paper for when my shredder recovers. But we moved it all out. 

I finished painting over the icky plyellow color (thats the color you get when you paint pale yellow over dark pink and it doesn't really cover. Its about as purty as it sounds) and Brandon tore out the nasty, old carpet and put it laminate flooring. It looks pretty cool. Zach wanted the brightest blue and the brightest green we could find and thats what he got. When I finished painting he came in and said "wow! I don't even know what to say! It looks so amazing!" The kid knows how to make me happy! It does look pretty awesome though. We got his bed in, he wanted his old white bed not his fort bed anymore. The white bed shows off his awesome super-hero bedding better. I still have to get his dresser and toy chest in for him. But he's pretty much set. I took him out and bought him a star wars poster he has been wanting for ages today. We are going to go buy a frame and get it hung up tomorrow. 

He is excited about his new room. Nervous though. He is sleeping downstairs all by himself and that is a big step. He tried to do it tonight but he got scared and came up crying. I went down and read to him for awhile then just laid with him until he fell asleep. I'm trying to convince Zelda that it would be a good place for her to sleep but since there isn't a door yet it's not going so great. 

Next up is selling a fort bed, a computer desk and a filing cabinet on KSL. Then transforming Chelsea's room into a big-girl Fancy Nancy princess room. Cant wait!

Preschool

Zach went to CCNS for preschool and I could never say enough about how wonderful it was. He thrived there, it was an amazing experience for him and me. I think it got us both ready for the way we hope his education will continue to be. I loved being involved and he had a wonderful class and a fantastic teacher. It was everything I could ever ask for in a preschool.

Chelsea started there this year and it is a very different experience. She was very excited to start and I was SO excited for her to have the same super beginning her brother did. I even made ALL of our friends sign up there. But it hasn't been as wonderful for Chelsea. I think its still an amazing school and I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a preschool. I cant pinpoint exactly why it hasn't worked for us this year. I don't know if its because they have a new director, we are very good friends with the last director. The new director and board staff seem to have changed a lot of things. Or if it is the class, most of them are on the very young end of the deadline and 2 or 3 that is a big difference. Or if it is that the teacher seems disengaged this year. She has told me that her other classes are testing her this year. Maybe its just the combination of everything. Maybe its just that its not the right school for Chelsea. Just because it was so perfect for Zach does not make it right for Chelsea.

So, I took Chelsea to lunch today, after a very frustrating field trip, and I talked to her about it. I asked if she loved school or if she wanted to stay home with me until next year when she can start her new school. She said she wanted to stay home. Honestly, it wouldn't be a big difference. She basically goes on her co-op days anymore and thats it.

We did find her a new school for next year that seems more Chelsea-suited. Its a preschool located inside of a dance studio, she would start the day with a dance or tumbling class then spend the rest of the time in an academic preschool. We took her in to see it and she is very excited. She is very into anything dance lately. Her favorite line is "should I twirl?"

I really wish CCNS had been a better fit for her. I'm beyond disappointed. It was my <3 school. I could not say anything bad about it. And I still don't think its the school. Its just how it works sometimes. I have to do what is right for my baby though. I know it seems silly but I don't want her to begin her education in a place she is indifferent about. CCNS helped Zach love school, I owe it to Chelsea to find the place that does that for her.