outsourcing

Last year Kaleb took a cooking class at the community center. He thoroughly enjoyed learning some basics and devouring all the delicious food they created in class. One of the favorites was fish tacos.

After the classes were over, I asked him to make the tacos for our family. Parker wanted in on it too, so they had a battle of the fish tacos. (not sure why this never made it on the blog)

 I was the judge for presentation, taste, and creativity. And so you know the class wasn't all about snacking, Kaleb won. (well really I won because my kids made me dinner and they were both so good!)

Now it is Parker's turn. He just attended his first cooking class. Let's just say I am looking to outsource some of my domestic responsibilities. Boom.

mini mancave

Parker has the other bedroom on the basement. It didn't start as foreboding as Aden's, but the wood paneling & gold-starred ceiling tile are hard on the eyes. Of course he loves it and doesn't want it painted. So I came up with a few changes he and I could live with.

 First off was a photo collage above his bed. It has room for a few more rows of pictures but for now it adds interest and personality to his space. (And it's not a NKOTB poster like I had as a teen)

Next up is this great picture my friend Mary took. Her blog, Fairly Candid, is full of amazing photography. I commented that this photo of hats would be the perfect poster in a boy's room and wouldn't ya know.... she emailed it to me! I had it printed through Mpix and found a frame the exact size at the Goodwill for $7. I also found those stars for a buck each. I think those will get spray painted in the colors of his favorite football team. Lord know there is enough brown in the room! And a shout out to Grandma Ellen for passing on her flatscreen TV to a thrilled grandson.

Of course, the sweet vintage couch is still in his room. (just in case you are keeping tabs)

Memphis!

Off we went, my mother and I, to Memphis. My cousin Michelle was getting married and many of my mom's side of the family was there. 

Grandma Beryl let us get her all dolled up for the wedding.

My wild Aunt Lisa who lets me steal perfume from her purse.

This was my suitcase. Apparently, I dig stripes.

Cruising around town. my mom drove the rental car and I navigated with Google Maps on my phone. Oh, technology, you sweetheart.

We did a few tourist stops like Sun Studio, where Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis made their names famous.

There is an old trolley we rode around the city. (until someone in the other car lost their lunch :/)

 Can you imagine a more perfect store front downtown? This place was available for rent.

And I was looking to move after lunch at Gus's. Life changing, folks. I totally get the fried chicken thing now. Also, we had fried green tomatoes, it seemed like the thing to do.

The Peabody Hotel has a fun tradition of marching the ducks that live in a rooftop pond down to the hotel fountain every morning through the hotel elevator. We visited at 5pm when they are marched back up to the roof for the night. But way more interesting than all that was this phone setup, to me anyhow.

My mom had a moment with the Maple Bacon magic at Gibson's Donuts. Light and the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

I thought their bathroom tile was noteworthy as well. (also, pink pants and gold bows on mah shoes!)

 We had a day to explore Little Rock, Arkansas before catching a flight home. The weather was perfect for the entire weekend. They had this glowing orb in the sky, I think they call it the sun? Anyhow, this Seattle-ite soaked it up.

After despairing that nothing would compare to Gus's, this shrimp flatbread did us right. Also, sweet potato fries and bread pudding!

 Rushing to catch our flight. We made it, our bags didn't.

They say the BBQ is divine, and it was. The fried chicken, though. GAME CHANGER.

And reason #103 why my dear arteries could not pack up and move to Tennessee; Honey Shortbread from Bluff City Coffee. Again with the sweet and salty. So good. ( I found out about this and the donuts from this guide.)

The trip was definitely bucket list worthy. Full of funny stories and how people are so strange no matter where you travel. I am grateful my momma was happy to do nothing but eat our way through town. Let's do some sit-ups and go somewhere else next year!

A huge thank you to Papa Ken and Matt for holding down the Man Cave. You two made it easy for us to enjoy our time away.

bucket list

  I am in Memphis with my mom and her family this weekend for a cousin's wedding. It has been a little dream of mine to go on a trip with my mom before she is senile ;) So here we are! Looking forward to family memories and gaining 10 pounds. See you on the flipside.

this guy

Parker, age 6

  This young man is incredibly loved. He is so very lovable. Parker is witty, and inquisitive, and down right smart. So he is easy to love, but it is not easy on us. He pushes us as firstborn always do. He stretches our hearts to love more and love better.

  He is a teenager now. I keep mulling over those words, trying to make sense of it.
I have a teenager. I have a teenager. I have a teenager.

  The teen mom now has a teen. A strikingly handsome teen who will make terrible teen decisions. And a marvelous young man who will surprise us in the most wonderful ways. He will get it right and he will miss the mark. He will have the most obnoxious cheering section and we will chase his goals with zeal alongside him.

  We'll be the embarrassing parents he wishes would back off. But he'll admit it would be awful if we ever really did. We never will. He is stuck with us. And we are so lucky to have him.

  So my son, my good teacher, you who pushes the limits, Happy 13th Birthday. It is going to be rough, but let's do this thing. Let's tackle your teen years like we did childhood, with far more tears than anyone expected but with enough joy to fill 10 lifetimes.

  You are so loved.

thirteen

Almost ready to talk about this, almost.

holiday hangover

  I found this little saying someplace on the interwebs when we first moved to Seattle. I meditate on it often and it really helps.

  How is your January going? I am slow-moving but motivated. My oldest is trying to turn into a teenager on Monday so I am working on a post for that.

  Happy weekend, Friends.

remember when

You first had a cell phone with a camera? And you were like, "Nah, don't need my camera. I'll just use my crappy cell phone to take really convenient, really bad photos."

Well, I am certainly glad of that.

remember when

I took a hundred photos of the exact same thing? Well, may I proudly present: A flashback to a sofa wrestling match and playing king of the hill. (wherein Dad is the hill)

You're welcome.

year 6

Did you think I forgot about this series? I kind of did. But I don't want to stop even though the posts are more challenging than just posting some cute pictures of the kids. 

Here we are after we left off at the farm.

Every time I hear that song, We Found Love, I choke up. A lot, like sometimes I pullover if I am driving because it gets that ugly. Matt and I have this wild story. Or maybe it just feels wild because I am such a control freak and when I pictured my future before I met Matt, it was mostly an all white apartment with no kids. No kids ever. (Ha! Universe, you are so funny.)

Anyway, Matt and I pulled right up to the edge in our teen dating saga and somehow did not fall off. Maybe we fell off and climbed out of the pit. Either way, I had these days when I would just marvel at how in the world we weren't both dead. And not only were we not dead but things resembled some kind of love story, one you would want to be in.

I was worried about the edge though. I hoped it was a one and done. That we had checked the box and were never going to let things get that way again. This meant a lot of working for Matt. Extra hours being a good provider and a great employee. For me it was apparently changing my hair and baking cupcakes. (No one is ever a mess with good hair and baked goods!) But we found the edge many times.

We found the edge when I tried to make Matt go to Baptist church events. And that same cliff appeared when we were outnumbered 3 kids to just the two of us. And again when we welcomed Collin into the world, moved from Weiser to Nampa, got in a fender bender and had out of town family visiting in one week's time.

That was year six. The edge. Again. The farm was not a good fit anymore, for many reasons outside our control. (gas was almost $5 a gallon and Matt had an hour commute, for one) So we of course had a baby and moved into a blue shag-carpeted dump close to Matt's work.

There was a year seven but that was year six of marriage.