Awesomeness 41-50

Halfway done with this challenge.  Catching up!  

Day 41. Sunday March 2 we celebrated Lauren's birthday with the family.  We went out for lunch at Red Lobster..then we had cake and ice-cream back at our house.  I always love getting together with our big old combined family.  Here is my little family. 

Day 42.  I couldn't resist posting this picture of my little boy.  I love that sometimes he will say "Mom, take my picture".  When he looks this cute, who could resist?

Day 43. Tuesday March 4th, 2014.  My last Diet Dr. Pepper...at least until Lent is over.  I wanted to make it challenging for myself this year.  So I gave up..all soda pop, candy/cookies/cake, and elevators.  I wanted to limit breads, coffee/tea, Facebook/games and weighing myself.  I wanted to add 4 random acts of kindness, 10 rosaries, reading the bible with the kids, and being a better wife.  Whew.  So far, so good.  BUT still looking forward to Easter and to having an ice cold DDP!

Day 44.  Wednesday March 5th.  Matt left for Chicago that Monday...so I took the kids to Ash Wednesday mass by myself.  I am slightly clausterphobic and at our church..holidays and special events like this are SUPER packed and I usually avoid it.  I do think it was good for the kids to experience it.  I told Jamie to not wipe his ashes off, but he came straight home and washed them off!  What a stinker.  So..here is JUST Lauren and I with our ashes on. 

 Day 45.  With Matt being out of town, the week felt SUPER long.  I took one day of PTO to come in 2 hours late for 3 days...but the days felt just as long..and I was more tired than usual, despite going in later.  I posted this pic because I couldn't get that dang song that Lauren loves out of my head... "I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world".....

Day 46. Friday March 7th.  This day would have been Suzanne's 60th birthday.  I miss her so much and think of her everyday.  I would love to spend just one afternoon hearing her opinions on everything that has happened since she has been gone.  I still remember her beautiful blonde hair...and how much she loved Lauren.

Day 47.  I came home from work on Friday, and my husband surprised me with this Blu Ray of Catching Fire.  He said "to thank you for taking care of everything while I was gone"...how sweet is that? I love everything Hunger Games..the books, the movies, the soundtracks.  I totally geek out about it.  Sigh.

Day 48.  Sunday March 9th.  Jamie has had a raspy voice on and off for the last couple of months.  This past week he had complained here and there about his throat being sore.  I kept taking his temperature and he hadn't been running a fever, on our way out the door for church, I took his temperature and boom, he was running a fever.  SO...instead of church, we all headed to Instacare.  He was positive for Strep!!  Lauren tested negative.  We came home and snuggled on the couch and watched Freebirds.  It seems we have less and less snuggle time...so I enjoyed this time with my boy.

Day 49.  This week I bought my Divergent premiere tickets.  I also purchased the soundtrack.  Love it, love it.  One more thing my bestie and I have in common...the love for books and totally nerding out over them.

Day 50.  We are in the process of getting the kids' rooms in order.  The #1 problem is that they have TOO much stuff in a tiny space.  We bought this bookshelf from Ikea to bring the books that were crowding up Lauren's room into the loft.  For her birthday, we bought her two new dressers.  It is still a work in progress, but we are getting there.  One step at a time.

Keep on being awesome.

Days 31-40

Trying to stay on top of my Days of Awesomeness.  Time flies!

Day 31.  Two days a month, Matt takes a class at work, so he is away from the office.  I asked him to take a selfie and send it to me.  He never does stuff like this...but being the sweet hubby he is...he made my day by sending this to me.  What a handsome fella.  I really am so lucky!

Day 32.  I don't know what happened...I can't find #32.  Facebook is so weird sometimes.  Oh well.

Day 33.  On February 21, my best friend Misty and our friend Destiny went to the Walk Off The Earth concert at the Venue.  It was seriously one of THE BEST concerts I have ever been too.  I danced so much I literally danced the curls right out of my hair!  I sung at the top of my lungs and just had the time of my life.  I SOO much want to do that night all over again.  I don't ever really get "girls nights out", and the hubster once again was the hero dropping us all off and picking us up and taking us out for donuts and hot chocolate after.  Sometimes life is SOOO good.   Can you see me in this pic?  (hint balcony-pink shirt, middle!)

 Day 34.  Sometimes Lauren and I are alike and sometimes we are VERY different.  Sometimes it is good and sometimes it is bad.  One way that our differences are good is that she LOVES green and yellow Sour Patch Kids and I love the red and orange ones!  It makes splitting a package SUPER awesome.

Day 35.  I keep this picture of my grandpa on my visor.  Call me silly, but it makes me feel like he is guarding over me.  Seeing him just like I remember him, just makes me plain old happy.

Day 36. Usually life is pretty awesome but sometimes I have rough days.  Yes..sometimes I fail to see the bright side of life and can be somewhat crabby.   Nothing can make me happier faster than this sweet little boy and his little smile. Here we are one Tuesday...in the car...waiting for his class to start.

Day 37.  February 26th...my baby turned 10.  Holy crap.  It is hard to even remember life before her.  She really is my best little buddy.  I love her more than she will ever know.  She can be sassy..fun..smart..sweet..cute..fashionable...daring...outspoken...quirky... I adore her.

 Pic Collage was TOTALLY bugging me this day..it kept leaving a picture out...grrr..so here are two options. I am REALLY into birthday pictures.  They mean so much to me, capturing a moment in time forever.  I love to look back at these old pictures and see how my baby has changed over time.  I remember each of moments so clearly..it makes me happy and sad at the same time.

 Day 38.  I have never had fish before.  I have to say that I do enjoy these finned friends.  I am impressed that these four have lasted almost 2 years! They have grown so much!  We had to invest in a larger tank.  I know Matt dreads cleaning the tank every week...but we have learned a lot about taking care of fish, and it is harder than you think.  We even tried to get some little Tropical fish for the smaller tank that the big fish had outgrown and they were doing pretty good until I brought home a suckerfish that I had INSISTED on having...which consequently gave ALL of the fish ICH and slowly killed them all.  I felt HORRIBLE.  I loved having suckerfish, but can't bring myself to get another one after that incident.  Well...Finn, Dash, Gulliver and Mr. T have done very well, so I just sick back and enjoy these guys.  They really do brighten my days.  Matt's too...and most mornings he usually is heard saying "HI FISHY FRIENDS"....he is the morning person NOT me.

Day 39.  February 28th...we had Lauren's FRIEND birthday party...for the 5th year in a row..at the Fitness Center.  This time we tried swimming.  It was fun to hang out with both of my sisters too!

Day 40.  We rang in March with a trip downtown to City Creek.  We had lunch at the Blue Lemon and walked around to check out the creek.  These three are my WORLD.  Such cuties.

Jamie's 6 year photos

My wonderful friend and fantastic photographer delivered great pictures of my little long haired boy.  This little stinker sure has me wrapped around his finger.  

 Bree asked Lauren to step in for a few shots, and I am so glad that she did, I love this pic.

 Great collage!

I wouldn't let him cut his hair until after these pictures.

I love the background.

 Cute brown eyes.

 Dimple chin.

 Six years old.

 Yup 6.

What a stud.

Now a Kindergarten graduate!

Class of 2025.

 Long lashes.

 Such a better sport than his sister.

 Who could say no to that face.

 He loves to BBOY!

 Ouch.

 What a pouty face.

 How cute is he with his tongue sticking out.

 Love that smile.

 And his crinkle nose.

 Siblings...alike..yet so different.

 Precious.

 I can't tell if he likes it or doesn't like it.

 Thanks Bree.

 I don't know what that face is all about.

 Okay that is better.

 Such long and thick hair.

 I love the tie.

 Handsome in blue jeans.

 Sweet serious face.

 Precious pic...I may order this one.

 He kept smiling weird...I told him "show your teeth"!

 That is a better.

 Momma's boy.

 Cheese-tastic.

 He still has chubby cheeks.

 I love him sooooooo.

 Black and white.

 James Mathew.

 2013.

 That is my boy.

 What a cute bum.

 That is the look he would give me if he heard me tell him his bum was cute.

 I hope this picture is in their (separate) wedding videos one day.

 In the far far away future....

 My snuggle buddy.

 He has my nose.

 And he is stubborn like me.

 And sweet like me too...he he he.

 Things he loves at 6: His DS game, legos, superheros, quesadillas, mac n cheese, pizza, dancing, and sleeping in the car.

 Things he hates at 6: Spiders, vegetables, fruits, soup, doing his chores, and sleeping in the dark.

He is such a sweet boy. He did so good in school..straight "5s".  He truly is the apple of my eye and I truly adore him.