Green Streamers Are Hitting The Fan

and Chocolate chip cookies are on the counter.

Preparations for Wendy the tooth fairy are complete.

Pray she makes an appearance tonight,

or we'll have to endure the madness again tomorrow.

Izzy woke with a start this morning,

"MOM, the tooth fairy didn't come!!"

Whoops.

"I have to call Papa right now and see who is on duty!"

She called at 7:30 a.m.

He informed her it was Wendy.

Apparently Wendy likes fans and chocolate chip cookies.

Apparently Carl ate all of ours.

Izzy asked if I'd please make Wendy a batch.

Trader Joes was out of chocolate chips.

I caved and bought a tub of cookies instead.

We don't have a fan.

Thankfully Izzy got clearance from Papa at 5:15 this afternoon.

A ceiling fan would work...

as long as streamers were attached.

Thankfully we had some green ones.

I assured her they didn't need to be pink.

This added to an afternoon of pickups,

tutoring,

piano lesson,

soccer practice,

pick up at the train,

homework help (test on Pompeii...yawn),

dinner on the table,

taping streamers to the fan...

two grouchy sisters,

("and how do you think I'll sleep in here with that noise?")

and I was done.

I hit the gym at 9:10 p.m.

Wore my swimsuit,

PJ pants,

Bog Boots,

Wool Coat,

and scarf.

I looked pretty special.

For those of you not in IL,

I don't want to hear about your weather.

I wore my boots yesterday,

and my wool coat most of the day today.

My mission tonight?

Hit the steam room and hot tub.

Apparently if you hit the gym after 9:10 p.m.,

it's a little different crowd.

I didn't know.

I rained on a few parades.

Including the gossip fest in the steam room,

and then the naked hot tub soaker.

My first clue should have been body parts floating,

and swimsuit on top of her towel.

I was on my own mission,

sat down to relax,

and then looked across the tub.

I'm sure my jaw dropped to hit the bubbles.

I closed my eyes.

Stifled a laugh.

Then she told me she was getting out.

I closed my eyes again....

for a long few minutes.

Out of the tub to find the gossip girls doing mud masks together.

Thankfully the woman who dries herself with paper towels wasn't there.

She's there around 2 p.m.

There are towels.

I'm home.

Time for bed.

Pray that Wendy comes in the night.

The other top tooth is really loose.

I'm scared to find out who is on duty next.

-julie

Count down begins

My kids have been counting down for a week now.

They aren't out until June 13.

My sister and her family arrive June 13 for two weeks.

I'm madly trying to

1. Enjoy the quiet.

2. Finish up projects.

3. Catch up with daily life.

4. Exercise and eat right.

5. Enjoy the end of the year flurry.

6. Clean and organize.

7. Schedule my students that I tutor.

8. Stay calm.

9. Deal with the endless paperwork.

10. Try to figure out Summer calendar.

Oh my.

What are you up to?

I'm breaking out the Winter coat today to walk up to school.

I'm already wearing a sweater and boots.

What's with the pic?

I don't know.

Random thing 9,099 that makes me happy.

I'd like to get lost in my studio right now,

but I've run out of time.

Again.

-julie

Charmed

Many women like diamonds or pearls around their neck.

My husband's given me both, but this is what I wear every day.

It's tarnished, and to many I'm sure it looks like a pile of junk,

To me it's a bit of my story,

and worth more than diamonds or pearls.

Here is the end of Grandma Izzy's spoon,

My sister made it for me a few years back.

She was a gem, and I miss her so very much.

It seemed a little lonely,

So I added this little piece,

I don't know the story behind it, but it was from my first mom.

There are two empty frames.

I've never filled them, and like them that way.

With four kids and a husband, how could I pick just two? :)

My brother gave me this after my second mom passed away.

He had given it to her while she was sick,

I added this little piece a few weeks ago, but decided it was too bulky.

It reminds me of blogland, and the kindred spirits I've found in this virtual world.

I added it to a longer chain with another sweet charm from a dear friend.

I clink a little with all of these pieces as I walk.

Oh well.

I'm not trading them for all the diamonds or pearls in the world.

-julie

P.S. I was still wearing my Winter coat a week ago when I photographed these. :)

Days I Want to Remember

In the busy moments raising four kids,

This day is one I want to remember....

Kidnapping Linnea at 7 a.m. on her birthday.

She was in the middle of the morning chaos,

and I threw a dishtowel over her head.

We put her in the "new to us" van,

and picked up two of her good friends.

They were already in on our plan. :)

Linnea hates secrets and loves the table in our mini=van.

It was perfect.

Sofi and Izzy kept the big secret.

A minor miracle.

I decorated the van the night before and had locker favors for the girls.

We drove through the new Dunkin Donuts drive thru for smoothies and donuts.

The mess and the smiles and giggles and thank yous I will remember forever.

It was the fastest birthday party I've ever thrown,

but will always be one of my favorites.

-julie

How the Other Side Lives

Izzy and Sofi took matters into their own hands...

Disappointed that their color blocked area was neither cork or magnetic or dry erase,

They improvised.

Sofi's had to bring in her favorite thing to school a few weeks ago.

She brought an Expo dry erase marker.

Totally serious.

She spends about two hours a day teaching...to nobody in particular.

She's quite good.

I keep thinking she'd make a decent sub...if she could ever get on the sub list.

Sore spot.

Sorry.

I'd like to sub.

Can't get a packet.

Have a teaching degree.

Doesn't matter.

Some day.

Anyway,

here is their creation...

Apparently they used every post it note in the house....

I knew I waited too long to take a pic!

They created "special" days for the rest of the school year...

and wrote down outfits they'd wear.

There's a Hawaiian day, a yoga day, and of course a polka dot day.

Innovative, creative, and they were busy for thirty minutes.

Not a bad thing.

Plus they worked on their spelling skills.

We celebrated Linnea's 12 birthday last week.

Can't believe she's this old...yet some days I feel like she's about 25.

If I were 12 I'd want to be her friend.

She's thoughtful, intelligent, caring, and absolutely hysterical.

She's developed a very amusing sense of humor.

Not sure where that comes from. ;)

Here she is with her champagne taste dinner.

Always steak and artichokes.

The bigger the better.

Someday I'll make a birthday book of her and her artichokes.

First year forgoing one of my cake creations...in favor of tiramisu torte.

I happily obliged.

These too are a funny combination these days.

Some days it's tough having a sib with a similar personality.

They drive each other crazy.

-julie

The Girls' Room Redo

I've cleaned, painted and purged.

Three girls pack a lot of stuff into one room.

I had to rethink the organization of the room, and this is phase one.

Here is Linnea's little nook...

I color blocked the area over her bed, and Mark added the border.

The "L" is paper maiche, and can be found at JoAnn Fabrics for $8.

She added the pom pom strand, and the drawers do push in. :)

Third time is the charm on the chandelier.

Originally it was in the dining room encased in glass.

We switched out the fixture, and used the innards over her bed.

I was tired of the brass.

Quick spray of white and it looks like new.

Bookshelf found curbside has a fresh coat of paint.

She arranged her treasures...

including the lime green drum she made in 4th grade.

Teacups were replaced with polka dot ribbon bands.

I repurposed their shoe organizer.

To be honest, the shoes never made it there.

Each section is now reorganized....

chargers, electronics, lotions, brushes, clips, etc.

Probably my favorite thing in the room.

They are even using it...day 5!

Took down the cute little dressing table.

Gave the found curbside mirror a fresh coat of pink.

Purchased a second organizer from Target.

Need to buy more polka dot ribbon for each bin.

Switched out the light for one we already had.

Second best thing.

Each girl has a color...to match the color block over their bed...

which matches their duvet cover.

Top bin is for their stuff,

Middle bin for their dirty laundry,

Third bin for their shoes.

Can you tell which daughter loves shoes?

Coming tomorrow...the other side....

I really should have taken pictures before they lived in it. :)

Paint colors- all Valspar from Lowes...the sample sizes are great.

Walls- tropical spray

Linnea's color block and Izzy's "I"- spring leaf

Sofi's color block and Linnea's "L"- La Fonda fiesta blue

Izzy's color bloc, mirror and Sofi's "S"- frosty berry

I'm Back

Really I am!

18 more days of school for the kids.

I've been cleaning and organizing for Summer.

My motto is "no surface left untouched."

I've hauled 11 bags to Goodwill this week, and oh does it feel good.

I'm almost done with a room redo.

Can you tell whose it is?

Linnea, Sofi, and Izzy all share a room.

They needed a little tweeking.

Seven days of work,

and it's almost ready to show you.

One more pic that's going on the wall...

Linnea surprised me with this beauty last week.

The colors are perfect for their room.

-julie

Proud of My Boy

Confirmed on Sunday.

Here he is carrying all 3 sisters...

I can't find heels tall enough anymore, so why bother? Oy.

Best buds still....

My two boys...
Thanks Carl for bringing so much joy to everyone you meet!

Love you,

Mom