Celebrations

Lots of celebrations this weekend.

Jasmine & Justin got married.  It was beautiful.  I made a small cake.  I felt so bad because I was running late.  Arrived when the wedding was just going to start, but I didn't realize the wedding reception was in the same room as the wedding and the CAKE.  The cake was "presented" in the middle of the room.  I arrived right when the party was getting ready to walk in.  So they stopped, directed me, watched me trip and fall with a cake in my hand (Sofia told me later my butt was in the air and skirt up.  She asked me if I wore holey tights.  Nice.)  Luckily I saved the cake.

After things were settled in, it all turned out well.  Jasmina was beautiful.  The party was beautiful.  And weddings warm my heart.  To see two people so in love and ready to start a life together, what a blessing.

The girls danced the night away, and then fell asleep on the way home.  It was a good night.

And the kids celebrated Carter's birthday with a surprise party.  SURPRISE!!!

Somewhere over the rainbow

Looking for an easy buttercream recipe for the wedding cake I'm making tomorrow, I found a new blog to follow, Whisk Kid.

And I love her visit with Martha Stewart here, she's only 19!!

But Meg inspired me first, back in 2009.

I want to make one so bad.

Do you think?

That if you lived on 3 small meals a day, no snacks, no butter, no bread, no cheese, no egg yolks and lots of fruits and vegetables you could lose weight?  Add some night time wine too?  Oh, yeah, and no chocolate.

I was just away for 3 business days with a colleague who ate just like that.  Yeah, and she weighs probably 120 lbs.  I don't know if her diet has anything to do with it, but it could, I'm just saying.

I ate very similar.  Yeah, don't be shocked.  But I'm not one for munching down warm baked fresh bread with butter while the person across the table eats a bowl of tomato soup, without the floating croutons.


So I ate as she ate.

Perhaps I lost some weight.

I survived 2 days of an arbitration.  2 days of testifying.  2 long days.  I'm glad to be home.  But it was beautiful there.  On the Oregon/Washington state line.  With the Columbia River flowing, the beautiful mountain sides, with flowing green hills.  Maybe I could live there.  In Lyle.  As long as I could go across the bridge to Hoods River, and eat warm bread with butter.

A view from the high school parking lot.  Amazing.

Easter

The Easter Bunny has a tough job.  Especially with his busy schedule.  I wonder when he'll get a rest.

Week in Review

Sunday:  Alex did the Big Climb for Leukemia at the Columbia Center in Seattle...76 floors, 1137 stairs.  He did it!  Great job Alex, I'm so proud of you.

Monday:  Papa comes home from the hospital.  Whew, what a scare.  Lesson learned, don't eat fish from Denney's.  Stick to pancakes and a Grand Slam.  Food poisoning can kill you!

Tuesday:  Lilia has her first check-up.  No cavities.  She amazes the dentist/hygienist with her ability to cooperate and sit through xrays.  She's growing up!

Wednesday:  JH last basketball game.  Another season done.  He enjoyed it a LOT.  I enjoyed it a LOT.  I do love soccer.  But I can live with basketball too :)

Sofia, chooses to read instead of watch.  That's okay.  I love my book worm too.

Thursday:  JH has a pre-season family BBQ with his baseball team.  I do like Coach Steve and Coach Bill.  Hey, I like baseball too!   Let's hope for a dry, warm spring.

Friday is here!  The flowers are blooming....wahoo!!!!

Pet Peeve

You want to know what really bothers me?  If the answer is no.  Please close this tab.

Why can't people put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher, immediately.  I mean really.  You walk to the kitchen with a dirty dish.  Rinse it.  Open the dishwasher.  Place it in the dishwasher.

Instead.  Walk to the kitchen with a dirty dish.  Set in the sink.  Leave.

Okay, it's 3 more steps.  A little more energy.  But really.

Yes, it happens at my home sometimes.  But more so on the job.

And those that don't put their dishes in the dishwasher are probably the same ones who don't wipe down the counter after they've used it.

I can gently remind the children I live with, but do I really need to remind the adults I work with?

Really.

Home

It's been a busy week.  Work, kids, out of town.  I'm glad to be home.  It's Friday night, the house is quiet, sans the washer spinning.

I went to Spokane for work on Wednesday.  It's quite a production to go out of town under somewhat "normal" circumstances, but when my dad got the flu, I was struggling to arrange kids in different places, sometimes at the same time.

A sample of this week's activities.

M:  JH church 6-8 (he will receive his 1st communion in May!)
Tu:  Alex guitar, 2-2:30; JH basketball 6-7; Sofia soccer 6:15-8
W:  JH basketball game 6-7
Th:  Sofia choir concert 6:30-7:30 (normally a soccer repeat)

You can see why me being gone for 24 hours can cause me some angst.  Luckily Uncle Don and Ashli came to the rescue, taking them to school, picking them up, and getting them to their commitments.  Thank you....we love you!!!

I'm home, I'm glad.

But I did have fun in Spokane.  I trained about 65 amazing members on analyzing a district's budget.  No bumps, pretty smooth, great crowd.

Typically when I go to Spokane I stay at the Holiday Inn.  This time I opted for something different, off beat and downtown.  The Montvale Hotel.  Very old.  Very cool.  Old hardwood floors throughout, crickity old stairs, high sealing, thick crown molding.  Great atmosphere, much different than the usual.

The night I arrived I met macGirl Sally for dinner and drinks.  We thought we'd get crazy in Spokane on St. Patty's Day...hey with Gonzaga, party town, nows the chance!  The reality, by 9:30  my vino was kickin' in and I was ready for bed.  I held out for a few more glasses of wine and more conversation.  Fun.  I finally settled to bed a little before midnight.  But I could hear the party-goers on the streets until about 3am....my 6am alarm would come too early.

Sally took me to see the most amazing historic hotel in Spokane, The Davenport.  The hotel was built in 1914.  It is beyond beautiful.  The detail.  The greatness.  The ballrooms.  The chandeliers.  I think I could get married there.  Maybe someday I'll stay there.  Everyone needs to pop in, you too will be in awe!

Tomorrow is Bella's birthday at the pool.  Not looking forward to go in with Lilia.  Especially with auntie visiting :)  I'm hoping I can get her Auntie Alesia to have the honors and I'll set up the party.  Sounds like a plan.

Sunday will be soccer, Alex is doing the Big Climb for Leukemia in Seattle and a family lunch with the padres (I hope).  Poor papa is still feeling week.  Need to pay a visit.  Oscar, Ashli, Jen and whoever else will show up too, we need to start planning our Seattle Sounder soccer season.

Good night.