Equality for All!

A few Saturdays ago, as I was slave-driving my children to wash walls, clean toilets and mop floors, I got a phone call asking if I would be willing to bring my kids over to be used for some photo practice. Sounded good! Who doesn't love pics taken of their kiddos?!

I had about a million options of things for Preslie to wear, but as I was looking through the boys closet, I came to the very real conclusion that I have picking favorites. The boys options for cute, bright, fun, spring clothes that would be lovely in a photo, were pretty much non-existent. In the PP years (pre-Preslie) I had Easter attire obtained well before the snow was melting. Since the arrival of "The Miss"- (currently called RALPH, like Wreck It Ralp,by her Brothers, because she wrecks everything) I have been spending all budgeted wardrobe funds on all things not boy. As I was scrambling to round up something for Brody and Zane I was really feeling quite guilty. Luckily they are boys and didn't care one bit. But in my mind I heard tiny voices of unjust screaming "Its not fair!" So anyways- I will do better. Equality for all! Girl or Boy. 

Love me some happy

You know those days that are just great?
I'm having one.
No reason. In fact- my kitchen is super messy and I have a really busy week that is stress worthy.
But man I'm happy.
I have an awesome awesome husband who is nice to me and works hard.
We are healthy.
My family is more awesome then your family. All of them. There's a lot of them. (it's MY blog yo, I can say that)
We have a car that works.
I have the BEST friends in the world-They are funny and talented and giving.
The snow is almost melted.
I'm skinnier then I have been in 15 months.
Life is good. I have these awesome kids, and all sorts of fantastic people who enrich me. And today- I'm happy.
Thats all.

Laundry

Somehow while chatting with a friend the topic of laundry arose. And I discovered I'm a lunatic.

Preface:
Out of all household duties laundry is my favorite. I don't really mind it at all and sometimes it is calming. I probably can't really explain it without sounding weird or crazy.

But here is my "insane" system.

Sort:
Denim
Darks
Devins darks- this is a seperate load because his work clothes are gross.
Mid darks
Reds and oranges
Bright pinks (NO these cannot go with reds)
Brights
Lights
Whites
Bath towels
Kitchen linens
Rags
Swim clothes

After sorting I examine each item for stains or marks that need special attention.
Spray stains depending on what it is- i have a whole system of stain removals. Spray then soak if needed.
I then sort the sorted piles for delicates and wash those first.. On extra gentle.

Oxy clean liquid color booster pre wash
Tide HE liquid detergent
Fabric softner

Most cycles get ran on cold warm gentle

Denim and towels run warm warm on regular cycle.

Whites and bed sheets on hot

When clothes are done in the washer I sort again.

The majority of tops get laid flat to dry

Pretty much all of Preslies dainty little clothes get laid flat to dry.

Jeans and pants go in the dryer.

Pants get folded. Majority of tops for the whole family get hung up.

Crazy. Insane. Obsessive. More work then needed.
I know!
But this is how I like to do it. And I'm stinking good at laundry :)

Hmmm

Zane is feeling under the weather and sleeping a lot. So me and Preslie are closet cleaning and going thru the too smalls. Always kind of a sad thing to do. When we were done this is the majority of the pile of her size 4-5 shoes. Not including boots, and California shoes that are in the car still.
Oops!!
They are just so dang cute!!!

Seven

You've had a birthday shout hooray-
We're going to celebrate for 9 days.

Brody is seven! It baffles my mind that I have been a parent for seven years.

We skipped a big party considering we just got home from CA and Disney.

Frosting free school treats- chocolate chip cookies, strawberries and beef jerky. Brody's pick.

After school play date then family diner of the birthday boys desired menu:
Shrimp scampi
Peas, broccoli with cheese sauce
Fruit salad
Bread

Then we did cake and ice cream aNx presents.

Brodys BFF celebrates her birthday a few days after so we took them for a day (with no siblings) to have some extreme adventures- rock climbing, sky diving and bumper cars. Plus Texas roadhouse and an unforgettable adventure in car key drama :)
So fun! All of it.

Brody is Mr.Social. He loves playing with friends, reading, being outside, building Legos, playing hunting/guns (much to his mothers dismay) loves to swim or anything water related. He is an awesome big brother, does great in school, and is a pretty cool kid. It's fun being his Mom. As of today- when he grows up he would like to be an orca trainer at SeaWorld, a master Lego builder, a beach lifeguard, a search and rescue pilot, a guided hunt guy, or a professional ninja at the white house. Awesome :)
Happy Birthday Brody!

Take a long drive with me, California One

Anyone else The Decemberists fan?? I might have had you converted if you were on our trip. :)

I'm pro driving vs flying.
The 125,000+ miles on our car is proof of that.
I mostly like having our little family crammed into the confined space of a vehicle and you might not know this, but I am a talker. So it's a fantastic opportunity for hours of yapping. I have Devins undivided attention. We also have come to love car games. Eye Spy, color bingo, license plate search, alphabet town, exit addition- they have gotten pretty exciting. We also play learn to love your sibling, movie compromise, patience patience, bladder control limits, and stay in your imaginary bubble. Those are some of my less favorite. This trip we were south bound and tried to think of songs that involved Las Vegas (not many) and then California. Holy smokes! That was quite the list! Sunny Cali is quite the muse for those in the song writing industry.
And if I were at all a musical person I would join the ranks. Because I too, love the golden state.
We left Evanston Friday afternoon and our first big excitment was watching the temperature display keep going up and up the farther south we got. We stayed the night in LasVegas and did the happy dance when we saw palm trees and pranced around with no coats!
We left super early Sat morn. Brody was up at 4:40 AM ready to swim
We arrived in Oxnard - where Grandma and Grandpa Mecham are serving a mission. It probably wasnt quite the reunion they had imagined because both boys had to go to the bathroom SO BAD!
Everyone was so incredible happy to see them none the less. It had been 11 months-ish since they had left.

Awesome tree outside the Church building

Trying to put into perspective how HUGE and amazing this tree is outside of the Church 

After church we went up to Cross park, beautiful views! 

Zanes head got cut off. In all of the pics of us all. Darn.

Beautiful views at Cross Park

Doppelganger!
When out for a stroll around the channels, we passed a man and I said to Dev, that looked just like my Dad! Then we passed him again and I had to get a picture. It was crazy. They even dressed the same. I really couldn't get over it.

We all LOVED the beach. 

Disneyland California adventure!!!

Buzz Ride

A Disney highlight for Brody- Jedi Training!

He was "chosen" to train with real padawons and then battle Darth Vader!

He still believes 100% that it was the real Darth. 

It was a marvelous trip. It was so SO good to see Randy and Jolene, to spend time together as family.The sunshine and weather was perfect!

It was REALLY hard coming back home to winter.