Four eyes

It's time for me to pick out new frames (before I'm kicked off of my parents insurance this Sunday). I've been searching all the local eye providers in the area with no luck until today, and now I have WAY too many to choose from. Which ones are your faves?

(if you follow me on instagram, you've already been flooded with these pics!)

I'm so indecisive!!

that HAIR!!!

Your captions in the comments make my heart smile.

A Whole New World

Currently, Kuck and I are coming up with a plan that involves a magical adventure. It's one part spontaneity, one part planning, one part genius, and one part stupidity. Mixed together for what will hopefully turn out to be a fantastic idea.

Sounds vague? Yep. So I pose a question:

If you could move anywhere in the world, money is still an issue (as in you have it, but you can't just go crazy and buy up a villa in Morocco or anything - this isn't a dream, it's reality), and you don't speak any foreign languages, where would you go and why?

Lots of stipulations to this game? Yep. But isn't that the way real life works? 

Wed.

Why did we spend six weeks apart? Waiting for this wedding to happen:
Brad's little brother got married on a beautiful sunny day in May (funny! this was over two months ago). His wife is probably the nicest person in the world. Hands down. You think you know the nicest person in the world? You are wrong.

Oh how I'm sure that Crody will miss his boyfriend/cousin/roommate.

My nephew was NOT amused.

Who knew that dressing like PeeWee Herman was so LEGIT!

 I volunteered to be in charge of the car decorating to prevent a smorgasbord ending up on his car... we kept it simple and fun. Filled with balloons and a little just married banner on the back.

Farewell apartment.

Just some stuff from the end of my six weeks as a single mom living in an empty apartment...

Giant calendars keep you sane.

Saying farewell to beloved houseplants.

I don't know anything about this picture except that I took it and I love my kid.

Fighting.

Please feel free to add your caption in the comments.

5

Sometimes you think you want to post something clever on Friday the 13th.

Instead, you end up posting about one of your baker's dozen of goals for the year.

#1: Take 5 generation photos.

I knew that I was already pushing the limit on time. I felt strongly that I needed to make it a priority to take my son to California to meet him. So as soon as my sister and I could work it out, we headed to California with my dad and our babies.

This is my Great-Grandpa McIntyre, my Grandma Jhil, my dad, me, and my son Beck. Five whole generations. Taken in his home in January.

I'm glad I made that a priority because after 96 years, my great-grandpa passed away last night. I'll always remember visiting his house back when my great-grandma was alive. Hearing him tell stories about when he was nicknamed "Red" and he tried out for the [San Diego Padres?] (ok so maybe I won't always remember the details...). Receiving the aluminum Christmas tree that he had in his garage.    Seeing his collection of Wheaties boxes. Cleaning his house and visiting him for Christmas instead of our traditional Christmas celebration. 

We'll definitely miss him, but I'm glad that he can be reunited with his wife.

PS Anyone with photoshop magic tips to get rid of that lovely lamp glow (you have no idea what a lighting mess this was), I'd love your help!

Color Me Rad. April ends.

Back in April, I ran a 5k with my cousin and my sister. It was a magical run in which we were pelted with paint and chalk and choked a little bit and felt like hipsters. It was not timed, so I'm allowed to make up a time... an unrealistic realistic time is... 30 minutes! YAY ME!! We were running pretty slow. ;)

Before, in our clean white clothes:

Tip: Wear your number in the front so you can see the pictures they take of you. If you wear it on the back, you end up in no man's land.

Fake Running.

 After, in our tornado of unicorn throw-up:

 Tip: If you want to keep the explosion of color in your clothes, soak them in vinegar THEN wash them. If you wash them, THEN soak them in vinegar like the volunteer told you to, then you will end up with white clothing.


Tip: If you want to get the excess chalk off, roll around in the grass and make grass angels. The chalk has a better chance of being removed from your skin by doing this.

And thus ended the month of April.

Back to the Future: A Day at the Hogle Zoo

This day was FREEZING. And the ninja cared much more about the people than he did the animals, but whatever. It's good to get out of the house. ;)

I didn't get to see the baby elephant, which made me REALLY sad.

These bald eagles were FREAKING OUT. Apparently bald eagles are very territorial and the zookeeper had to go in twice in the same day and so they were yelling at him.

Also, did you know that different giraffe species have different spots? I did not.

So cold that the gorilla even snuggled up in a blankey.

Harry Potter... It's an honor to meet you.

Please feel free to add your witty caption in the comments.

Just watch the fireworks.

I have had that song title stuck in my head for days. Not so much the actual song, but just the song title.

I'm pretty sure I could browse through people's pictures from the fourth forever. I love fireworks, food, and family so the fourth is like my personal jackpot! Luckily, this year, the celebrations and festivities lasted for DAYS!

Our celebrations started on the 3rd. We went down to the Burlington waterfront to watch the fireworks. I'm pretty sure I could take pictures of fireworks all day (or night)... There are probably like 300 pictures from that night...

The ninja LOVED the fireworks. I don't think that he fidgeted for at least twenty minutes. He just stared in awe.

Even Brad was entranced.

These were the finale... they don't look like much, but they were INSANE. They were lights that just floated like balloons in the sky. Neither Brad nor I had ever seen anything like it before... Can you imagine controlling the movement of light so that it appeared to be floating?!

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The real 4th was a kick back day full of lots of food.

Brats with Cabot cheese (it's a big deal in Vermont) and sauteed onions and peppers for lunch, a hurricane-like rainstorm (Brad and I ran to the grill in our swimsuits and it was like being inside a waterfall), and steak for dinner.

 

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And then, to top off my celebration, while blog-stalking this morning, I discovered that Alt is offering free classes?! WHATT?! I've always been fascinated by Alt and now I can dip my feet into their pool of magic... #thanksBing

Yay for FREEdom!!

How did you spend the fourth?

Happy Pre-Fourth of July!

I'm feeling LAZY today. So... if you still wanted to join the friendship bracelet exchange, I'm not organizing the names till after the fourth so you can still make your way in and play! You can do any number of bracelets that you want (1-10, because after that it's just ridiculous), and you can make them, buy them, steal them, whatever, just send them! ;)

Doing our patriotic duty by wearing red, white, and blue and stripes.

Tonight we're going to the Burlington waterfront to watch some fireworks. I don't know what it is, but I LOVE fireworks. I think they remind me of magic and Harry Potter and parties and Paris. Brad, not so much of a fan. The jury is still out on Beck, so we'll see if he stays awake long enough to decide.

Your 4th of July fortune: May your 4th be as exciting as it is for the ninja to drink from a cup!

The upside about the 4th of July being on a Wednesday is that it feels like it lasts TWO days... the 3rd of July is also a holiday! Yay two holidays! Yay America!