Tulips and Bluebonnets

Last year KJ and I spent a wonderful day at the tulip farm cutting our own stems for a bouquet.  This year the tulips were peak during Spring Break and since I'm working and she was in San Antonio for break we kind of missed it.  However, I found out there's a bluebonnet field near my office so I might have to go check it out!  We teased KJ terribly when we were moving here that it's a right of passage to have your picture taken in a bluebonnet field.  She declined. 



Speaking of the office and work . . . holy hell!  (As my pappy used to say) "I am busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger!"  But seriously!  The phone DOES NOT STOP.  It's wonderful to sell two gorgeous, popular properties but sometimes I just want to shut my office door and put my head on my desk for a nappy.  I love having a career vs. a job and love what I do.  And I can't wait to spend my bonus. 


Lax season is kinda sorta but not really winding down.  Both Coach and KJ still have games but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  TCU has already had their end of year banquet and KJ's is at the beginning of May.  This time of year seems to go by in a blur --- all that end of year stuff gets smushed in.  She's got prom mid-May and leaves for Costa Rica the beginning of June. 


This past weekend was absolutely gorgeous!  One of the most beautiful weekends I can remember.  Both days were sunny, warm and bright blue skies.  Coach had a game @ SMU Saturday and afterward we went downtown for a little Mexican on the patio.  Sunday he had a game @ TCU but I didn't go.  I've been having a cleaning lady come on Sunday's (since I don't know her well enough to leave a key for her I prefer to be home). 


We've got our Easter brunch reservations made.  This will be our 3rd year in a row at this restaurant.  T and her sorority little are having a girls weekend is Savannah so it's just going to be the 3 Cos's. 


We've been getting the pool and the backyard ready and Coach is thinking about buying some wave runners so we can spend some time at the lake, too.  I don't care about the wave runners, I just want a paddleboard.  I'd probably have to stick it out my sunroof since I don't think a paddleboard would fit on my car.  I love, love, love to paddleboard and really need to try paddleboard yoga, too! 

So Happy It's Friday

So, So Happy It's Friday!  It's been a lllloooooonnnnngggg week. KJ is supposed to have her very first official high school lax game today but it looks like this freaky Spring storm may cancel it.  They had a great scrimmage Tuesday afternoon and I know she's really looking forward to getting the season underway!  She played great -- a little attack, a little defense (she likes attack better) and, of course, Daddy's been warming up the goalie for the team.  I knew he couldn't stay away.  Lacrosse, to him, is like the Mafia.  It pulls him back in.  It's like crack.

Really looking forward to the weekend -- we have absolutely nothing to do!  No where to be, no games to sit at, no commitments.  Unfortunately, KJ does have a viewing to attend at some point this weekend.  One of the girls from her volleyball team's father passed away suddenly Wednesday night.  Very nice family and my heart just breaks for Jenna.  She's a very sweet, very quiet young lady and her parents were at every game, every event and always held hands.

I think it's time for Cosmo to stary looking for a new car.  He has my old Lexus (which has 250K+ miles on it!).  It's time to say good bye.  I loved driving the Lexus and hope he gets something similar.  We definitely need some type of SUV for our "stuff."  The Lexus got great gas mileage and I don't think we need to get a big rig or anything like that.  We're down to one kid so it's not like we're carpooling and doing a bunch of stuff like that.  We're beyond that.

Easter is fast approaching and I'm so glad the four of us (possibly 5 of us!) will all be together!  Last year T flew home but because of the limited number of direct flights from BWI to Memphis, she had to fly out early in the morning and didn't even have Easter dinner with us.  Matt and Kristen came for dinner so that was nice.  This year I think we're going to have brunch at the Gaylord or something.  IDK.  Cosmo is handling it.  Although I don't mind cooking, it will be nice to have someone else doing it.  And cleaning up!  :-)

We received some additional info about our cruise to Europe and couldn't be more excited!  Rome, Florence/Pisa, Cannes, Barcelona and Naples.  Whoop!  Whoop!  T and I have been to Rome, Florence and Pisa but I am SO looking forward to experiencing those cities with Cosmo!  This will be a different trip -- definitely more romantic than when I traveled with my high school freshman!

Spring???

What a nice, lazy weekend!  We had originally hoped to go into DC and see if the cherry blossoms were in bloom but it rained all day Saturday and Sunday, today, it turned to snow!  We did a few things around the house, made cupcakes today and watched a Harry Potter marathon.  Even though I read the books, I hadn't seen the last three Harry Potter movies.  My life is now complete.  

Friday, Cosmo and KJ were planning to go to the high school lax game but the weather wasn't great and the game ended up being cancelled.  I asked Cosmo if he was going to wear the high school colors, green and yellow.  And of course, his response was "hell no!  Red and White or Orange and Black or nothing at all!"  

I'm So Over It

I am SO over it.  No, not the snow.  I love the snow.  I'm so over people bitching about the weather.  C'mon people.  According to the calendar, it's still technically winter.  This is what happens in winter.  The temperature drops.  It snows.  Bitching and complaining about it won't make the snow melt any faster.  If you don't like it, perhaps you should look into relocating to a more mild locale.  Or consider not leaving your house during the months of November to late April/early May.

Seriously?  Does bitching about the weather on EVERY possible social media outlet change anything?  Did your 5 posts on Facebook and Twitter raise the temps in your area?  Do you have a direct line to Mother Nature?  Yeah.  I thought so.

Just enjoy it.  This is nature at it's best.  It's beautiful, it's white, it's fluffy and most of all, it's peaceful. Get out there and enjoy the snow with your kids.  Throw some snowballs.  Build a snowman.  Make a snow fort.  Go for a long, romantic walk holding hands.  Enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate with tons and tons of marshmallows.  If you can, go sledding.  Then, come inside and snuggle by a fire.  Wear warm fuzzy socks. 



And, mark my words, the same people who complain about the snow, will be complaining about the heat and humidity come July and August.
http://sassandbalderdash.com/2014/01/07/an-open-letter-to-people-who-hate-winter/

Oh Spring! Where for Art Thou??

We are currently experiencing some cooler than normal temperatures in Birmingham.  Having lived here for almost 15 years, you kind of forget that this is the kind of Spring weather that most of the country experiences at this time of the year.  As a matter of fact, it was warmer today at my brother's house in PA than it was here.  I, of course, am enjoying the weather and love having the A/C off and the windows wide open.  Plus, I don't have to water the flowers tonight. 

Coach had a good week in MD.  He really likes the people in the office but is definately not used to being on Eastern time and is definately not used to the traffic!  Thursday night he was able to find a single ticket on line and went to the Rangers vs. Capitals game.  Can't remember the last time he went to an NHL game much less his beloved Rangers.  This morning he drove up to my brother's to surprise my nephew at his lax game.  After Mr. B's game they had lunch w/ his temmates (one of his little buddy's is JoePa's grandson) and then they stayed for my cousin John's game and walked around campus for a bit.

Thursday night the varsity boys team played Vestavia in semi-finals.  I did NOT want to go to the game at all but had to take some stuff to Patrick and KJ begged me to stay.  I swear, that kid thinks of all those boys as her big brothers, her extended family.  Well, I'm glad we stayed because it was a great game and they ended up beating Vestavia 12 to 7.  Plus, I think Coach was glad we were there "representin'." 

In other, equally exciting sporting news, KJ made the 8th grade volleyball team!  They had a clinic Monday and Tuesday and try-outs Wednesday.  The coaches weren't sure if they were going to put the list on the gym door or on-line.  KJ had checked the website a couple of times but nothing was up.  I was about to make her go to bed because it was getting kind of late but let her check on-line one last time.  She must have timed it just right because her name popped up and she sq2uealed!  So proud of her!!!

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

March roars in like a lion

So fierce,

The wind so cold,

It seems to pierce.

The month rolls on

And Spring draws near,

And March goes out

Like a lamb so dear

(by Lorie Hill)

 

I think March roared in this year and is starting to go out like a lamb.  Guess it just depends on where you live!  Here in the South we had a lot of rain and several cold days, in the North they've had a lot of snow.  Yesterday and today the weather has been just beautiful (although very windy today!). 

 

 

When I was a kid we had a gorgeous lilac bush in our backyard and forsythia bushes around the perimeter.  To me, that lilac bush and those forsythia bushes just screamed SPRING!  Looking back at some old photos, we had some pretty momentous occasions captured in front of that lilac bush!  Communions, prom photos, Easter photos.  That was "the" spot to get your photo taken when you were all dressed up.  I find myself doing the same thing with my girls.  We've been standing in the same spot(s) for the last 14 years for Communions, 1st Day of school, proms, 1st Day of t-ball/softball (fresh new uniforms!), graduation (pre-school, elementary school, middle school and high school!), heading off the college, etc.  Some day we'll have an engaged couple, maybe a couple of wedding photos (1 wedding per daughter, please!) and hopefully some healthy, happy beautiful grandbabies!



Despite the chilly temps . . .

...Spring has sprung!  Well, inside my house at least! While I had the house all to myself, my goal this weekend was to get my Spring tablescape up.  Mission accomplished. 

The two little birdies and topiary are new this year.  I picked them up at Michael's the other day.  I've had the vase for a while (Southern Living at Home, maybe??). 

The tealight holders are also a new purchase this year.  I found them on One Kings Lane and instantly fell in love!

It's OK Thursday

It's OK . . . 

...to be sarcastic. 
...that no one in my family knows how to replace a roll of toilet paper or load the dishwasher. 
...that I am completely bored with my current wardrobe.  Spring shopping spree!
...to not "get" the Harlem Shake videos.