homaha pride

here in my 430,000 people populated city, we have the 5th largest fashion week in the nation!  i'm really beginning to love this city - populated just enough to have some big city charm yet it remains homey, safe, and friendly.  going to the runway show this year was another reminder of homaha pride!

top 10 laveen lists

i just came across some very funny top 10 lists that my dear friend holly concocted to remember the uniqueness of laveen.

top 10 reasons to miss the capitol ward:
1. the chance to renew weekly your appreciation for your own neighborhood
2. the adrenaline rush as you determine the appropriateness of certain RS lesson comments
3. having church cancelled due to the A/C going out
4. having to communicate only by email the 2nd half of the month because you are out of minutes and texts
5. seeing an occasional dog or cat on the stand to break up the monotony of fast and testimony meeting
6. the courtesy police patrol in the parking lot
7. playing the game 'whos left' when you're bored in sacrament meeting
8.  the scenic drive past dried river beds, recycling plants, landfills, anti-meth ads, and homeless men
9.  getting hit on while teaching sunday school
10. the comfy 'new' chapel pews (complete with a crayon and marker eater feature)

top 10 reasons to miss laveen:
1. the ability to blame your farts on the natural 'dairy air'
2. your sex offender neighbor's phone number to give the babysitter in case of an emergency
3. the savings on your water and air conditioning bill while the copper pipes are being replaced
4.  the soothing sound of mexican polka and drunken karaoke lulling you to sleep on the weekends
5. live entertainment of car chases and shootings from the comfort of your very own front window
6. walking in the room to find your children playing 'lockdown'
7. the beautiful sounds of wildlife:  aka the crickets chirping in the bathroom and the pigeons out your window at night
8.  fine dining at the delicious and ever popular applebees (and if that one's busy, it's just a quick jaunt to the other applebees)
9. the insurance payouts from your stolen car
10. the use of trendy and very chic, security doors

every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

paper crafting has been on its way out of my life (and let's be honest, out of our modern culture) for some time now.  over the past year or so, i've lost interest as i've focused more and more on cycling.  rather than sitting at the craft table, i find myself tired after a long ride. rather than pinning cute cards, i'm researching bike routes.  so after years of scapping baby pics and organizing cardclub, i'm calling it quits.  and what started as an interest in spin class has culminated to a point where dave giggles (as i stand in front of the mirror with jersey and bibs on), 'i never would've thought in a million years that i'd see you in full cycling gear.'  me either babe, me either.

... the maiden voyage

(full cycling gear that causes giggling not pictured!)

violin vs piano

we pay for her to take violin lessons but this is where we always find her in her spare time!  (sitting just like this with her toes sticking out)

...perhaps it's time to consider switching instruments (?)

dalia's posh schedule

dolly has a posh schedule.  she goes to the gym every morning with mom and then has something fun every afternoon: preschool, rhyme time, play group, a dance class, and fun fridays with mom.  (wherein she gets spoiled with messy crafts, milkshakes, zoo visits, toy buying and loves every minute of it!)  here's just a sampling of her activities this past week

our tax season crisis

i dont think i've mentioned tax season yet on our blog - which is funny because it's actually a very important part of our family calendar.  dad sets off for work on february 1 and we don't see him again until april 15.  (ok - there's some saturdays thrown in there and he's valiantly maintained a work-free sunday!)  as the calendar years turn, we've adapted and made progress:

1. i finally gave in to making 'kid dinners' (tacos, sloppy jos, spaghetti) and now embrace it as a mini vacation from the demands of cooking finer cuisine.  
2. as the kids have gotten more involved in their own activities, they forget his absence a little easier. 
3. likely tired of the whining i do every year when my birthday and spring break fall together during his absenteeism, my parents lovingly provide a 3 day respite from the kids.  
4. dave and i have set up a workable honey-do system so that nothing gets overlooked.  
5. i began using the extra time to enjoy chick flicks - last year, it was the series gilmore girls.  
6. so glad the days of saving all my errands and self- preservation shopping for saturdays are over and i have enough free time to do it at leisure.   
7. i'm getting quite good at planning kindin's birthday party sans dad and breathe a sigh of relief every year that it isn't jack with the tax season birthday (because that's where dave shines).  
8. and the kids now use 'tax season' in their every day vernacular.  

it really is becoming much more manageable.  still, once a year, i have a little crisis.  i'm lonely without his optimism, his playfulness, and his calming influence.  i get over it with the help of a very tired, overworked husband - usually in the form of begging him to spend precious free time glued to the couch while we all pile on top of him for a few hours.  then, the crisis is resolved and we're back to making progress!