Watch Out For These Guys...

...because they're thick as thieves. 

And when they're together, they're fearless, man. They'll take your ice cream and then splash you with water. Trust me. I know. 

Some Befores, Some Afters...

I'd like to say that I've just been so busy with life that I haven't posted in a while...but really there is just so much nothing going on that its not even worth it.

I even thought I'd make something up just for your (and my) sake but I couldn't cheat you like that...that's not how I roll.

So instead I waited until we finally DID something. We just went to the zoo.

But I took this picture:

And it reminded me how about 1 year ago I took this picture:

 

And then I was like, man, look how grown up Finn is looking! And also, I'm really glad I'm not that fat/pregnant anymore (Cheers for cheekbones!). Growing/shrinking all around!

And since I made that connection I also made a connection with a picture I took of this thing:

 And how 5 (only five...) months ago she looked like this:

And THEN (I'm almost done here...) I realized that I love these growing up pictures because I'm not one of those moms (yet? ever?) that love to cherish how small and helpless their children are. Oh no. I'm more of a proud, look-my-children-can-now-fend-for-themselves-aren't-I-cool-? kind of mom.

And that suits me just fine.

Plus, it means that Finn will soon outgrow his "why?" phase (although, knowing Luke, he might not...). Every. Single. Thing. I. Say. Is answered by "why?".

Why are we going to the store? Why is there electricity in the outlet? Why are you shaving your legs? (Awkward). Why does the balloon float? Why are you eating so many cookies? (Because you keep you asking me all these questions, that's why).

I really truly try to answer honestly but sometimes I don't know the answer and it makes me question my own intelligence.

Other than that the kids are totally groovy. Isla's getting another batch (bunch? herd?) of teeth so that's making life a bit sub-par for the girl. But she's talking a little more and quickly becoming fast friends with her big bro. They share food and toys and everything. Sometimes.

And today Isla got a hold Finn's undies and put them on her head.

So that happened.

They were clean.

Playrooms and General Under Productive-ness...

I really wanted to ride out that intellectual high that one gets from going to school this summer. That way, come Fall, I'd still be in the swing of like, reading and writing and saying intelligent things other than, "do you have to go potty?".

Alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, in the two weeks since I finished (AND PASSED!) my first semester of g-school I have:

-Read TWO Norwegian thrillers (my Scandinavian love has reared it's head once again) (I swore once I started school I'd never read or watch a Scandinavian thriller ever again...)

-Dyed my hair a couple of times.

-Watched the entire run of Freaks and Geeks (oh so very highly recommended). My infatuation with this show has nothing to do with James Franco circa 1999...nothing.

-Watched the first series of Inspector Lewis.

-Read none (NONE!) of the recommended summer readings.

-Run to the top of the 'Y' a million times (once in over 100 degree weather like a boss). It's my new favorite thing to do and I just can't explain it.


-Eaten a lot of ice cream with Finn and Isla because it's how we roll.

I really need to be more productive and start weeding my garden or something. But Summer! It imbibes me with this lazy spirit and who am I to resist? Especially when it's, I don't know, 400 degrees outside.

Approximately.

New hair!:

But we DID redo our office into an awesome playroom for the kids (thank goodness something has been done!)  I felt bad kicking Luke's desk and computer to the proverbial curb but now we share a desk! How cute is that?! Feel free to please not answer.

It's got a canopy, it's got a book case, an easel, desks, chairs, A PICTURE OF ZEBRA. This place is bitchin'. But don't take my word for it. Take a look:

Nobody Thought This Day Would Come....

I completed. One whole semester. Of grad school.

Done. Fin. Completed. Passed? Jury is still out on that one.

Hear that? That’s the round of applause that has been following me around for the last day or so.

Like a boss.

The first (most) part of it was super stressful. No joke, I gained 5 pounds of stress-induced-gorging weight (I’m reasonable like that). It was fine once  I finally realized which class I had to actually read and study for and which one was more like, “whatever, we’re just glad you’re here, you cool kid, you”. 

And once I got past the first, I don’t know, 5 (out 6) weeks, I warmed up to it all, hit my stride, got on my A game, etc. and it was all fine and groovy…Fun, even??  
 

Maybe not fun, but there’s just something about thinking that I’ve really come to enjoy. It's like my brain is thanking me for not wasting it on internet-centric garbage (except this...this is GOLD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPkByAkAdZs).

And hey, maybe if I’m not hit by a meteor (or I fail every paper I thought I rocked) I’ll go back in the fall? And by the end of it all I’ll be so stressed I’ll eat myself to the size of a hippopotamus. 

BUT I’ll be the smartest hippo. EVER.  

Confession: I google-imaged “smart hippo” but all I got was "cute hippo"...because google wants me to feel good about my hippo-self.

That One Time Our House Got Broken Into..

I use the term "broken into" a little loosely...our garage door was only halfway shut (unbeknown to me) and so whoever it was just walked right in.

So yeah, about a week ago I woke up to find my computer missing, Luke's work computer missing, all the chargers, my sweet-awesome leather diaper bag, wallet and purse GONE.

It was honestly one of the worst moments OF. MY. LIFE.

To know that some asshat(s) decided to come into our house. While my kids were SLEEPING. And then take my stuff is a feeling of violation I can't even describe. I'm still in denial about it because it creeps me the hell out when I think about it.

Thankfully, we were able to freeze our bank accounts before they could spend any money. Unthankfully, all of my schoolwork is gone and I haven't had a decent night's sleep since.

Extra-thankfully, we have absolutely amazing neighbors who brought us dinner and foodstuff to make up for the fact that I couldn't go grocery shopping for a day. It was a huge blessing.

The (possible) question on everyone's mind...where was Jussi during all this?

Welp, seeing as that dog has the guard dog instincts of, I don't know, a passive, slightly stupid Labrador, she slept through the whole thing.

Which is fine. I'm slightly relieved that I didn't get woken up only to go downstairs and encounter whoever it was that was here.

Anyway, life moves on. We now double check our doors yadda yadda yadda...but hey, maybe they'll find out who did it?

(Judging by Springville Police's truly lethargic response to the whole situation, I am extremely doubtful.)

To be perfectly honest though, it has put me into a pretty drastic downward spiral that I am desperately trying to get out of. 

In other news! One more week left of school! It is still up in the air if I will get the requisite 'B' in each class but I'm preparing to actually go to the library. To study. A concept all very new to me.

Also, I found a wicked awesome desk at a garage sale for $5 which I refurnished like a boss. It is my (well, Isla's) new pride and joy.

 Before!

After!

It's all about the knobs, man. They cost the most out of the whole project, but hot damn, they were worth it.

Tall Tales...A.K.A. #@!! Was That a Bird?!

My mom and I have this tendency of going on runs together where a handful of ridiculous things happen.

One time (back in California) we were running at 7am on a fairly remote trail when a group of cholos decked out in swag and some seriously dapper threads come around the corner and start walking off the trail into a really big, random gully.

Seriously one month later a few good people went into that gully and shortly after there was the biggest marijuana bust ever seen in SoCal.

Yesterday, nothing that cool happened. But we did get dive bombed by an honest-to-goodness bird. I almost stepped on a rattlesnake and there was a bear apparently chilling out in the area.

By the end of that run, I was so on edge that a bike came up behind me and I let out a string of expletives enough to make a sailor blush.

And the guy on the bike was probably like, "Chill out, lady...a bear doesn't sound like a bike, right? Sort it out."

Anyway, we've been running to the top of the Y during the week (this particular run was rerouted due to search and rescue operations. Dramatic.) and Luke and I took Finn up there last weekend. While we just hiked up for about 10 minutes it has become apparent that this boy likes to spin a tall tale...since then he has been telling people:

I climbed that tall, tall mountain ALL BY MYSELF.

I touched the Y!

I climbed to the top of the MOUNTAIN.

I fully support exaggeration especially when it makes you seem manlier than you actually are. Work it, kid.

Isla, if recent goings-ons are to tell, will be following his footsteps up that mountain in a very literal way.

As of late, when Finn runs around yelling, Isla runs around yelling.

He throws something. She throws it too.

He climbs onto the bed. She finds a way to CLIMB ON THE BED, TOO.

The best is when he is talking with hand gestures because she sits there and copies him to a tee. It's unreal.

Thankfully, he not only doesn't mind, but it, perchance, has increased their sibling-y bond. She can't go too close to the stairs without him grabbing her and pulling her back (even though she can go down the stairs on her own). She can't go too close to any ledge at the playground without him yelling at me to come grab her. Put something untoward in her mouth? He's taking it out, thankyouverymuch.

There's still a lot of pushing and shoving and toy-taking so I still feel balanced. Thank goodness.

 Finn's gymnastics graduation picture!

Things I Learned in Chicago...

...first thing, kids don't even care that you're gone when they've got a grandma as stellar as theirs running the ship.

I don't know whether to be insulted or relieved (hint: relieved).

Anyway, let's get serious and get a numerical list going, shall we?

1. I didn't miss my kids so much as I was pretty bummed that they were missing out on new things. I want them to experience life, man. And trust me, they ain't experiencing much in Springville, UT.

2. I used to pride myself on being a big city kind of person. But as soon as we hit downtown I felt like I was breaking Amish. I had no idea where to go or how to get there.

3. Seriously. I saw a Chili's and was like, 'Can we just go there?'

4. We did not go there. We had legit Chicago pizza and it imbibed me with some city spirit. After that, I owned that city.

5. A hotel down the street from us was (seriously) hosting a leather daddy convention (seriously). Ass-less chaps everywhere. It was fantastic.

6. The first night out felt like a first date all over again. Complete with awkward who-are-you-again?-ness. I almost asked if he wanted to go Dutch on the bill.

7. After the whole weekend (even at the wedding we went to), we didn't get ONE picture of us together.

8. Getting back from vacation is like being hit by a reality brick right in your forehead. Room service? Yeah, right you crazy dreamer... I AM room service.

9. And with no further interruption, pictures of us (separately) being fab:

Luke at Giordano's...

3 feet away at Giordano's...

Candid shot! (I never have any idea what's going on, anyway)...

30 seconds later...seriously, couldn't we just have asked someone to take a picture of both of us?!

We're in the same frame! Success! This was the night I ate so many burgers I wanted (and still want) to die.