1 New to Me Van

I bought myself a new used van a few weeks ago.  It’s been so hard to find a minivan that fit my requirements (one owner, no accidents, less than 100k, leather seats etc).  But I finally did and I snatched it up.  

Hopefully this will be a good car for us - I know it will come in handy when we have extra friends for play dates as the old crv just didn’t have space for friends.  

My kids are very much in love and I am just rocking the soccer mom vibes because I am in fact a soccer mom.  Lol

I also sold my 2003 CRV and had over 200 people interested it in, desperate crazy people too.  The market for a used car is crazy right now.  

38 - hydrangeas

This probably looks like nothing but it’s one of 6 new hydrangea bushes.  I learned from a friend the local Soil and Water Conservation Department had native barefoot bushes and plants they practically give away in the spring.  And to my delight when I read the list of available plants hydrangea bushes of two varieties were on the list.  They also had lilac bushes so I ordered some of each.  I finally got them planted today I am hopeful that they will make it a few of the bushes seemed a bit dry.  I wish now I had bought enough to line our back fences, but if they do well I can get more next year.  

“Twinnies”

The other day my daughter asked if we could get some “twinnies”. I thought at first this was another way of asking for siblings which of course is a hard NO.

But we were at the store?  Specifically in the snack aisle.  

So I said “do you see any twinnies?”

She looked around and came back with “twinkies”.  I told her they were called “twinkies” and she again called them “twinnies”.  Well we bought the twinnies.  I am not even sure how she knew what they were since I am pretty sure I thought they discontinued them and I had not had one since way before she was born.  

Today she requested she pack her own school snack and she got out her “twinnies” and packed it in a Tupperware because she didn’t want it smooshed up.  

I wanted to remember this moment so I am leaving it here.  It reminds me how she always thinks Dolly Parton is Dolly Partment and no matter how we tell her she still insists Dolly Partment is her favorite singer. 

(Photo unrelated because I did not take one of her and the twinnies although I should have but she did win the Wiggle Worm award at the cheer banquet which seems fitting for someone who wants Twinnies.)

7 - Great Wolf Lodge

Last weekend my brother and sister in law invited us to join their family at Great Wolf Lodge.  We came just for the day and enjoyed the water park, bowling, arcade, quest, and more.  I will say that the day passes might be the best way to enjoy the GWL.  It’s less than an hour from our house to the Ohio one so it was convenient to drive up for the day.  

I did one big water slide and reconfirmed my decision that I prefer the small ones, wave pool and lazy River.

The kids had the best time, and it was a good way to spend time with cousins.  Thea now talks of nothing but returning and thinks we should just head there after school or with play dates.  

Thanks for the adventure Schreve and Alicia.  

13 - Book 2 Cultish

Second book down - Cultish, Amanda Montell.   I finished this one up on spring break.  I enjoyed it although I felt myself wanting more on the topic.  Such an interesting topic.  

8 - Spring Break Carolina Beach

Over spring break we traveled to Carolina Beach, North Carolina.  It was a little before their perk season and it’s a smaller beach destination but this worked well for us.  But we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.  

We stayed in a hotel right on the beach, and enjoyed our beachfront balcony and going out to the beach 3-4x per day.  The water was a bit cold but honestly I don’t think much colder than Lake Superior.  

We built soooo many sand castles and braved the cold waves and started a new alligator castle tradition prompted by my cousin (who’s family always makes alligators at the beach).  We checked out the aquarium, arcade, boardwalk, swimming pools, nearby fort, took ferries, shopped and more.  It was a good time together exploring the area.  We also saw my great aunt and several cousins although they were short visits.

1200 Miles - March Update

Well I started March out good but it feel off mid-month and then picked back up while on vacation then feel back off but ultimately I only hit 81.8 miles for March it’s probably slightly higher as I know multiple days my watch battery was dead midday but this is what it says.  So here I am quarter of the way through the year with 282.7 miles off target.  

But onwards - in April Lita and I started doing dance exercise videos daily and my miles are already up and it’s only the 5th, and on days when we can’t do it we are going to try to walk the neighborhood or sometimes it’s actually the ice rink.  

Leprechauns

In past years I have done small things for St Patricks Day buying lucky charms, having a scavengers hunt etc.  This year my kids seemed to not be aware of the holiday so I made no attempt at anything.  My kids mentioned we should wear green or we’d have to be pinched and most of the day the holiday went on unnoticed.  

At bedtime however Thea felt the need to make a leprechaun trap in her bed and put coins in it to capture them.  She slept right next to it.  It was little more than a plastic box she propped up.  

Naturally to amuse her I snuck in to get the coins and she’s already sprung the trap and the money was scattered about her bed.  I gathered up like 5-6 coins I could get without moving her from the bed, and left her a note written in green.  

This morning March 18th now she comes to tell me that she’d “not caught the leprechaun.  But I think he stole my money.” I have no idea where my note went but she did not find it and when I looked I didn’t see it either.  She then pranced around looking in her doll houses to see if the lazy leprechaun was napping in there.  (He was not).  She checked to see if our milk was green or if there were misplaced rainbows. No such luck.  Sadly I had disappointed her.  But never mind that she dyed her own milk green and went about chattering about how the leprechaun was probably at school instead.  

Perhaps next year I will be more prepared to pretend leprechauns.  

1,200 Miles February

Well February came a went.  We had the flu for what seemed like two weeks although it just was one kid then the other.   We also had a little snow storm.  I also didn’t wear my watch a few days.  Regardless to say i did not smash any walking records, despite having three big days.  I only hit 90.2 miles walked.  This combined with Jan puts me right at 200.9 so I am still right on target but no longer ahead.  

Here’s to hoping I can bring this up a bit in March, we have a spring break in there and vacation always brings my numbers up.

Six

She turned six a few weeks ago.  Gosh time has flown by.  Holy cow how did we get from the baby that used to cry all the time to this silly, smart, beautiful lady?  Where did the time go?  

She loves all things LOL, Elsa, princess, art, drama, swimming and weird apocalyptic cartoons.  

She dances hip hop, ice skates and attempts basketball.  

She is the queen of pretend.  

She lives her best life with sass and sweetness.  

She loves school and her little friends.  

She loves to eat ice cream and peas and carrots.  

She struggles to go to sleep at night she’s so high energy.

She likes to help mommy with all the things.

She HATES to clean up and her room is almost always messy.

She mixes patterns and loves a twirly skirt.

She is learning to read.

She is brings us so much passion at joy.

Happiest of birthdays birdie!