Spring Break 2017

Spring Break 2017 has come and gone! We had some plans around St. Louis and some plans out of town. And some unexpected plans. But first, enjoy this picture of my crazy kitty!

Nate & Lila's Spring Break started on Friday, March 17th. With a bang. I suspected that Lila might be coming down with strep throat (again) (3rd time this school year if you are counting) and when she ran into our room on Friday morning saying that her throat hurt, I knew we were probably headed to the doctor. I got up to go downstairs to get the thermometer...and...drumroll...I fell down the stairs. Like missed the the top step of the hard wood stairs leading to the kitchen and fell the rest of the way. Womp Womp. My left arm took most of the fall but I got up, took a boat load of ibuprofen and tried to move forward with our day. Starting with taking Lila to the doctor. Where she did in fact have strep throat. Womp Womp.

I had planned earlier in the week to take the kids to the Ulysses S. Grant Home/National Park (his wife Julia Dent's home place) here in STL. We decided to head there despite all our ailments and we were not disappointed! It was so neat. We toured the house (built in 1816), the museum, and the grounds. The kids each got a booklet of activities to do while we were there and they both loved completing the tasks!

Of course, if there is dressing up to do, Nate will be doing it!

After we were finished, the ranger swore them in as Junior Rangers. It was kind of hilarious. But they loved it.

Showing off their badges!

Lila actually prompted our trip to the Grant home. She has been very into the presidents lately and even memorized the whole president song over her break. Here she is with her flashcards.

On Saturday, we hit up the library and two different parks. Lila did gymnastics of course.

Then we took advantage of Sonic's $.50 corn dog day. Love.

 Sibling love...

On Monday, we went to the Zoo, along with every other person in St. Louis. Rookie mistake. Except I'm not a rookie. But we managed to see a few animals and have a good time. Lila requested to see the gorillas.

Nate requested to see the reptiles. I get a little nostalgic when we got to the zoo now. I remember those days when just the two of us spent many a day at the zoo. When he was not tall enough to lean over this counter I might add.

Since March 20th was the first day of Spring, Dairy Queen gave away free cones. We stopped by on our way home!

On Monday afternoon, I finally decided to give in and go to the doctor because my shoulder had not stopped hurting. Since Scott was working, my Mom was sweet enough to come up to watch the kids while I went. Well, the news wasn't great. But I keep reminding myself that it could have been a lot worse. The x-ray showed a fracture in my shoulder and an MRI showed a tear in the labrum. All of that from a fall in my own home! I feel so silly. TBD on exact treatment.

Since we were planning to stay at my parents house on the way to Nashville to meet up with the Boyle/Odoms on Thursday, my mom was again sweet enough to take the kids home with her. I was so thankful to be able to rest and not feel guilty that I wasn't entertaining. Ha!

We really enjoyed our time with Mimi, Paka, Amanda, Noah, Gavin & Levi in Nashville! We went to the Antique Archaeology store from American Pickers on Friday, Nate is a huge fan!

Then Mimi, Amanda & I took Lila to the American Girl store. It was a first for her and she was in heaven of course.

On Friday night, we headed to Mexican, where Lila was really happier than this picture shows. Ha!

Gavin brought his pie face game and the kids didn't waste any time! Siblings...

Mimi & Levi...

 Noah & Scott...

Mimi & Nate...

Siblings...

Nate & Scott...

The littles...

And the best...Mimi & Paka!

 :)

On Saturday, we ate at The Pharmacy which is a very delicious burger place in East Nashville. It is so yummy!

It was a lovely Spring day and I was thankful to be outside!!

Thank you for reading this long post! Despite all the obstacles, we had a great time at home, at Nana & Wayne's and in Nashville with our family! It was a wonderful break and we are in the home stretch to summer now!

Podcasts

I am a late adopter to podcasts. I never really understood them and didn't think listening to someone talk would be all that interesting. I, of course, was wrong about that. Just like with Netflix, I think it will be fun to look back on what I was listening to in 2017. 

The Big Boo Cast was the first podcast I ever listened to...and that was only because I read both of the ladies blogs. They are hilarious. I have to be careful with where I'm listening to the podcast because it will make me laugh out loud!

I love a mystery. It's my favorite genre. I'm not sure where I heard about this podcast, but it is one that I listen to every week. Some of the stories are about people I know or have heard of, and some are new to me. They are also pretty light considering the subject matter so that appeals to me as well.

Oh my goodness. I heard about this podcast on Unsolved Mysteries and since it involved Georgia and a true story that I had heard about before, I was immediately intrigued. I usually listen to a podcast when I'm cleaning the house, and let's just say my house is super clean right now because like a good book, I could not put this down! If you listen, start at the beginning and you will be amazed at the outcome.

In addition to my very favorites, I also frequent The Best Podcast in Baseball (for Cardinals fans of course), and I just started Can He Do That? (It is helpful and educational in the current political climate), as well as The PopCast with Knox and Jamie (about a whole manner of pop culture stuff).

All podcasts are available on iTunes!

Life Lately

Last week, Nate's school held their Spring Exhibit Opening (his school is "School as Museum") and the theme was Steam Punk. Now, before he uttered those words in our house, I had never heard them. So needless to say, he had to educate us. He told me that he would need some Steam Punk goggles and a black top hat. When in doubt? Consult eBay. He's the most handsome Steam Punk-er I know. 

He put this piece of artwork together and it was hanging in the middle of the library. We were so proud!

It's cold as I type this, but we've had a super mild winter and some really beautiful weather. Lila takes advantage by hanging upside down.

This has been the winter of sickness! Nate came down with what we think was a watered down version of the flu late and was a super sick boy. Thankfully since he had a flu shot this year, it did not get full blown. He went to the park with us since he felt like getting some fresh air. I really hope the sickness has left our house for good now.

Truman doesn't like to cuddle very often but when he does, he wants to be right up in your grill. See Exhibit A.

This is what happens when little girls get a hold of your phone. Sweet Lila.

Netflix Junkie

I've become a self-diagnosed Netflix junkie over the past couple years. I never really understood how someone could binge watch a series until I actually tried it. I mean, I'm a child of the 80's & 90's where you actually had to wait until NEXT WEEK to see what happens on ER. The olden days, I tell ya. Since trying out the whole watching a series on Netflix, I've become hooked. I thought it would be fun to look back at the blog in 20 years to see what TV series I thought were worth watching. 

I did not watch one episode of Friday Night Lights when it was on - that goes for most shows I've watched on Netflix. But one day I was getting my workout started and didn't have anything else to watch so I said why not, I'll try it. Well that was all it took. Hook. Line. & Sinker. It remains one of my favorite series I've ever watched. Maybe it's the high school drama (I have always loved me a high school drama. No shame.) Or maybe it's the fact that I grew up in a small town where football was pretty important and I was a cheerleader. Or maybe it's because I want to be Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) when I grow up. I loved every minute of it and was very sad when it was over. 

Because I liked FNL so much, I naturally had to try out Bloodline because Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) was in it. He's a completely different character so it's very interesting. The first season is some of the best TV I've seen in a long time. Warning if you decide to try it...the language is terrible. Like make you blush terrible (or maybe that's just me). But the suspense is something else. I'm looking forward to season 3 this year.

I never really got the whole Mad Men craze. I watched maybe half an episode when it was on TV. It didn't catch me. But I love Jon Hamm because he's from St. Louis and loves the Cardinals, so I decided to give it a try. I admit, it took me 3-4 episodes to really get into it, but after that I was hooked and was really glad I watched it. Just for the mere fact that Betty Draper's kitchen looks just like my Nana's used to, right down to the cabinet hardware. I know the show will always have a place in this time period's culture so I was glad I took the time to watch it.

I also never got the Parenthood craze. But oh my word, this show was one of my favorites too. I laughed, I cried, I begged for certain characters to GET BACK TOGETHER ALREADY. It's lovely and the acting is superb. I love that it focuses on family - the good, the bad, the ugly. Because we all know that's how family really is, right? One of my favorite scenes is when one of the mothers is asking another mother how they get their child to comply with certain house rules. The mother asking is obviously expecting a profound piece of parenting advice as the answer. The other mother pauses for a moment and then pulls out a giant candy container. "We bribe him. You gotta do what you gotta do to get by." Keepin it real...keepin it real. I appreciated that so much. Ha!

I finished this one recently. It's one that I probably never would have watched in real time. But Glenn Close? She's phenomenal. Straight up. The acting in this series is fantastic and I loved that each season focused on just one case. In one of the seasons, Lily Tomlin and Martin Short are guest stars the whole season. So you have an FX show with Glenn, Lily and Martin. Talk about some good TV. Warning on this one too...the language is kinda terrible. Yes, I'm a prude. But y'all knew that already. 

I do watch a couple of shows in real time, and although I like them, commercials really annoy me now. Ha!

The Bird in the Wall

Y'all remember that movie People Under The Stairs? I saw it when I was in high school and have never forgotten it. I definitely would not have ever seen it, but I was a freshman and an upperclassmen boy asked me on a date, and I really wanted to go, so I sat through probably the scariest movie I've ever seen in my life. But I digress. 

Over the past few weeks, I had heard some scratching in the house here and there. I ignored it and blamed it on the cats. But thought of People Under The Stairs several times. Then one day, Scott & I were both at home and I heard it again, this time loudly and coming from the guest room. Scott let Truman in the room and he immediately honed in on where the scratching was coming from in the wall. 

I left the house at this point to run errands and began to receive many texts from Scott. 

I think it's a squirrel! 

It's stuck in the wall and can't get out! 

And my favorite...

I think I should call an exterminator. 

Now those of you that know Scott know that the likelihood of him asking for an outsider's help for, ya know, ANYTHING, would be a departure from his normal personality. I knew good and well that we were not calling an exterminator. 

So, after consulting the Google, he cut open the wall and trapped the creature. Here it is inside the plastic tub he used to trap it. 

a

A starling. Gives me the heebie jeebies. But apparently my husband happens to be part exterminator. Who knew.

Coming Soon, our own feature film: The Bird in the Wall