Movie Quote 86

I'm on a roll with movie quotes recently. Here's another one that was cracking us up last night. This is such a funny movie! I thank Emily for making me go see it when it was in the theaters instead of going to see The Proposal, which I was dying to see.

So, here it is -- Movie Quote 86:

I didn't know they gave out rings at the holocaust.

Red letter day!

So yesterday was just another day for everyone else in the world, but in our house, it was a day of great celebration because Luke and Evie got bunk beds. I wish I could have captured the excitement involved with this development. The kids were running, jumping, shouting, and acting crazy. It took an hour and a half or more to put the beds together, and the whole family helped. And I mean everyone!


After getting it all put together by 9:50 (at which point the kids were exhausted but hyped up), we put the kids to bed and collapsed, unable to fully restore the room to order. In fact, we still have to put together the trundle for George.

Anyhow, Luke climbed to the top bunk and slept perfectly. Unfortunately, George wanted to be on the top bunk also and Evie was terrified of sleeping in the lower bunk because she thinks the top bunk is going to fall on her.


So, George ended up on the bottom bunk and Evie slept on the floor. After all that work, it looks like Evie may be sleeping in the trundle out of pure terror and the boys will occupy the bunks. That will probably work out just fine since Evie is going to need to move to her own room at some point.


Heavens! I wish I could sleep this comfortably on the floor! Oh, to be young again.

Movie Quote 85

Peter Faulk died. How did I miss that? Anyway, this leads us to Movie Quote 85.

The eel doesn't get her. I'm explaining to you because you look nervous.

Registration Again.

I've once again missed the registration date for my kids' school. Evie is starting kindergarten and she already is at a disadvantage with me for a mother. Oh well. Luke lives with it and so can she. At least we made it to Kindergarten Roundup this year. Luke missed that too. Maybe we'll get it right with George . . . although it's doubtful.

Longing for the Lake

I'm too tired to blog. Y'all have a great weekend!

Hopefully I'll be restored after a girls weekend at the lake!

Never Boring

You know how my life is never boring? Well, Chuck just called me to say that he is stuck on the side of I-45 between Conroe and Huntsville because he ran into some kind of ginormous metal highway debris that punctured his gas tank. Seriously? How does this stuff happen to us? Bring on the tow truck. Bring on the rental car. Bring on the insurance. But, as we always say, "If this is the worst thing that happens to us, then we're doing alright!"

Movie Quote 84

While I was getting my coffee at Starbucks this morning (an addiction I can't break), I was grabbing up my coffee and my keys, and my keys slipped out of my hand in front of a male customer who had just walked into the store. This would usually be no big deal (and it really was) but the way the keys fell looked like I had deliberately tossed them at his feet, when really, it is just a glowing illustration of my severe clumsiness. But, for the barest second I considered that this would be the perfect opportunity for the infamous Bend and Snap. (By the way, I have no idea what the guy looked like, since I only saw his loafer-clad feet, but the thought still crossed my mind). I obviously, did not execute the Bend and Snap, but it amused me that the thought even crossed my mind. Thus, we arrive at Movie Quote 84:

The Bend and Snap! Works every time!

Come on ladies! This movie was released 10 years ago. Can you believe that?!

What a Week . . . Already

So, the dentist "wiggled out" Luke's two front bottom teeth. Luke was not pleased. In fact, he was a big baby about it, but I'll let it slide for now, you know, since he's just seven. Still, they gave him gas and numbed up his lip. He didn't feel a thing.


We seriously have the best dentist ever. He was firm yet comforting. Luke even gave him a hug afterward and the dentist gave me a hug too, not that I was emotional or even in need of comforting, but I guess it just comes with the job. Luke and the other two kids got toys and balloon animals afterward because our dentist's office is more like a carnival than a dentist's office. It's way cool.

George was slightly jealous about not getting his teeth looked at while we were there. In fact, he kept mentioning it to people like his Grandma that evening. He would say, "I have loose tooth." I kept reminding him that he didn't, but you know it is difficult to reason with a two year old.


And Evie, well, Evie got to be what looks like a Super Hero, what I thought was a Super Spy, but actually what she told me was a Princess. Who knows. Whatever this is, she is spectacular in it! I have the most awesome little girl!

This is definitely my new favorite picture!

Movie Quote 83 & the Tooth Fairy

He's home! He had a great time and we spent a lot of time hugging! I missed him desperately. I have no idea how I'm going to function as an empty nester. Oh well. I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow. (That's Movie Quote 83).

So, to me, the biggest news is that the Tooth Fairy is going to be making plenty of stops at the Berend house for the next year or so. Not only is Evie's tooth loose, but Luke's is loose too AND his other tooth is coming in behind it. I've gifted you with a disgusting picture of it and all the food stuck in his teeth because we had just eaten lunch when I took this picture.

Can you see the adult tooth moving in?
Forgive me. I hope you're not squeamish!

Coming Home

Luke comes home TODAY! I can't wait. I only got to talk to him once while he was gone and that was yesterday afternoon. He's so sweet, and I can tell he can't wait to be home. With that said, he had a hell of a trip! He got to see the Painted Desert, the Grand Canyon, the sequoia's, Sea World, and Carlsbad Caverns. And, he got to spend the last two weeks with his grandparents and three of his cousins. What a fun time!

Still, I'm so ready to get one of his hugs.

What do you say?

Evie was sitting on the ground in my room a couple days ago while I was getting ready for work. The kids often come "help" me put on my makeup and dry my hair. It definitely slows things down. This particular morning, however, Evie was just sitting on the ground silently, examining bits of the carpet, and looking generally forlorn. I asked her, "Hey? What's wrong?"

She looked up and said:

"Mom . . . well, um . . . it's just that . . . I wish we could be super spies."

I laughed. "Oh yeah? That would be pretty cool."

Seriously, how do you respond to that?

Unofficial Spokeswoman

Did you know that I'm the self-appointed, unofficial spokeswoman for Smart Barre? Yeah, I realized that when I started getting questions about Smart Barre everywhere I go since I've posted it all over my Facebook page (I'm a freak like that). I'm shocked that anyone would take workout advice from me, but then again if they look at me and see that I actually survived the classes, then I guess I might be the perfect advertisement, aside from the fact that the results haven't shown up on my body yet. Then again, I'm not sure that Allison (the owner and official spokeswoman for Smart Barre) would be too thrilled with this turn of events.

For example, here are some comparison pictures.

Her:

Me:

Her:

Me:

Her:

Me:

Her:

Me:

I think you get the point.

(And yes, those are all ridiculously terrible pictures of me. I mean, just look at my arm in that last picture - it looks like a thigh!)

Still, it is so much fun! The Smart Barre website says you can see results "in as little as 10 classes." I'm half way there, but it may take more than 10 classes for this body to see results. The classes take place in the Smart Barre studio which is located where Bluebonnet Bakery used to be on Camp Bowie. All you need to do is show up wearing modest workout clothing and socks. Everything else is provided. And then, just follow the leader as Allison or one of her six assistants guides you through small movements that strengthen and tone all parts of your body in one hour (or 30 minutes for the express class). You don't run, jump, or do any other vigorous activity, but you will be sweating and your muscles will be like jello when you leave. It does not require any prior ballet experience although you will hear terms like plié, arabesque, and relevé. All sizes, shapes, and degrees of health can do this workout, and you will be shocked when you leave the first class at how exhausted, sore, and accomplished you feel, even if you're like me and have to take breaks because your legs are shaking like a jackhammer.

My favorite part is the soreness of my body - a good sign that things are really working. My second favorite part is getting to go through the happy misery with my friends. And my third favorite part is getting to actually work out again. What a wonderful gift!

Thank you, Allison, for making this happen!

And to all my readers (all three of you), I'll try to make this my last obsessive post about Smart Barre!

The Professional Balancing Act

A dear friend of mine and fellow professional mother, Sue, has decided to take the "professional" out of her motherhood. I'm so pleased for her and wish her the very best.

However, this news makes me pause to evaluate what I'm doing and whether I'm doing it right. (Because even though this is really about Sue, I can always find a way to make anything about me). The truth is, who can really tell what the right decisions are when it comes to each individual mother and child? My kids love me, but I know they miss me too. It has a lot to do with the fact that I'm busy beyond the hours required at my job and the additional hours that I spend donating my time (my time with my family) to philanthropic activities. I'm always questioning whether I've balanced it all correctly. I believe I should lead by example by having a good work ethic (which can be demonstrated by working in the home just as easily and maybe more by working in the home) and by donating my time to the community. Still, I have a full-time job (that does not confine itself to the hours of 8-5, Monday through Friday), ambitions of dedicating some time to getting in shape, commitments to three different community endeavors, the desire to spend quality alone-time with my husband, and the desire to spend quality time with my children. How can I possibly make all that work and still keep the house tidy and the laundry clean? Truth is, I don't.

So, back to my original question prompted by Sue's decision. Am I doing the right things? Am I? I don't know.

Summer Mornings

I have some silly munchkins at home.
They make me laugh!

And then there's the dignified person in our family.

She's the First

Luke always gets to be the first in all the major milestones, and I know Evie is a little disappointed by this sometimes. Well, she's going to be the first in the house to lose a tooth. That's right! She has a loose tooth!


She discovered it last night. And after a couple years of Luke insisting that his teeth are loose just a little bit (which means not at all), I took the opportunity to check it out. Turns out, she has a legitimately loose tooth and she cannot stop touching it now. It's precious and she is so proud. She even asked if we could call Luke on his vacation and tell him that she has a loose tooth. And, convinced that she was going to lose the tooth last night, she asked for an apple.

We are still waiting. She's so adorably excited!

Champions, Baby!

Go Mavs! For once, I don't mind that you're from Dallas.

Summer Camp Realization

Evie started summer camp at her pre-school this week. She attends Tuesday through Thursday. I really played it up because Luke left Tuesday to go on a trip with his grandparents and I really wanted her to feel like she was doing something special too. So all last weekend I would ask her, "Are you excited about starting Camp this week?" She would smile and nod her head, clearly excited about Camp.

So, when I got home Tuesday night, I asked her how Camp was. She was bouncing around the house as usual and only slowed down a little to say, "Oh mom, we didn't do it." I squinched my eyes up and said, "What do you mean? You went to school today, right?" She answered, "Oh. Yeah!" I continued, "Well, was it fun?" She responded as she continued playing, "Yeah." I shrugged my shoulders, realizing I wasn't going to get any more information from her.

The next night, I came home and asked her the same thing, "How was camp today?" She stopped what she was doing, came over to stand in front of me, cocked her head to the side and announced, "Mom. We didn't do it again today."

I was confused. "What do you mean, 'you didn't do it'?"

She answered with serious confusion, "Camp. We didn't camp today."

Dawning understanding overcame me and I replied, "Ohhhh. Oh, sweetheart, did you think that you were going camping?"

She nodded, "With a tent. When are we going to put up a tent and camp?"

My heart ached for accidentally misguiding her expectations, and I explained, "Summer camp is different from camping. Summer Camp at your school just means you go to your school and do fun projects at your school. You're not going to actually put up a tent and camp at the school or outside the school."

She looked crestfallen. I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to me. "I guess you really want to go camping, huh?"

She responded in a small voice, "When can we go camping?"

I sighed, thinking to myself that I would probably die if I had to sleep outside in the 95 degree weather that we have this time of year (yes, I'm a bit of a princess like that). I briefly contemplated if there was any way to get a fan out there to make it bearable and then quickly dismissed the idea. I finally answered her after hemming and hawing for a while, "Well, it's too hot to go camping this time of year, but maybe we can talk to dad and see if we can work something out."

She seemed fine with the answer, but man, I feel like I need to make it up to her somehow. Maybe indoor camping with a tent in the living room is the answer.

To make it up to her, I allowed her to do my hair and dress me up that evening. Here's the progression of pictures. I was quite dazzling by the end of the evening and even George was thrilled about the game.

The first attempt:

The second attempt:

First addition of jewelry: 2 bows, 1 necklace:

Second addition of jewelry: 2 bows, 1 necklace, 1 bracelet

Finally: 2 bows, 2 necklaces, 2 bracelets:

And then I took it all off as I put the kids to bed and they asked innocently, "Why did you take off all your bows and jewelry?"

Smart Barre

To all the Girls in my Smart Barre Class:

Because of me, you had the pleasure of going home tonight with the knowledge that you were not the fattest girl in the class tonight. I know you are silently thanking me, so I just want to say, "You're welcome."

Sincerely,
Me aka "The Chunky one in Gray"

What We Are Made Of

Luke read us some Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes a few days ago. Evie and George and I sat on his bed while he read them to us, picking out his favorites, and skipping the ones he didn't want to read.

He got to this one and read it out loud:

What are little boys made of?

What are little boys made of?

Frogs and snails

And puppy-dogs' tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of?

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice

And everything nice,

That's what little girls are made of.

Evie shook her head, sat up straight and announced, "That's not what little girls are made of."

I looked at her with surprise in my eyes, "Oh yeah?"

She shook her head again and said, "I know what little girls are made of . . ."

I smiled, "What's that?"

Evie answered with confidence, "Little girls are made with love."

I chuckled a little, "That's right! You're right about that."

Evie continued, "Everything is made with love."

I smiled some more, ruffled the hair on her head and said, "I guess so."

Love

Me: Luke, you are the best 7 year old I know! *hug*

Luke: Mom, you're the best 33 year old I know. *hug*

Orphans

Here's my soon-to-be second grader with his brother and sister. He finished his last day of first grade yesterday. *sigh*

The whole crew look like they just came out of an orphanage - which sometimes I feel isn't too far from the truth!

Seriously, look at Evie.

She looks like one of the orphans from Annie.

You can even see a glimpse of our dog Walter (who looks a lot like the Annie's dog Sandy in the movie). And her hair is falling apart and somewhere in that mess, there is a bow hanging precariously from a few strands of her hair. Nonetheless, she's precious and adorable.

Thoughtful

This blog post by my friend Angela really spoke to me. I hope you will read it too and tell me what you thought. Angela is such a sweetheart and an amazing person. She has good stuff to say. Click on the link below to visit her post:

Pretty In Orange

Don't ask . . .

This is my nose.

My nose is red.

And looks way worse in person.

It is most likely a pimple (or four).

**************

Before bed, Evie asked, "Mom? One thing. What is that red thing on your nose?"

Me *cringing*, "It's a boo boo. Don't worry about it."

**************

A man at work asked, "What happened to your nose?"

Me, "I think it's just a pimple."

He laughed awkwardly.

**************

Another man at work asked me, "Did you fall asleep and hit your nose on your desk?"

Me *pouting*, "Uh!"

He laughed.

**************

Chuck walked into our bedroom and, without saying a word, he just started whistling Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

**************
How many more days will this go on???

Mystery Bruises

Mystery bruises.

Got 'em after my tough and rowdy weekend.

Anyone else get mystery bruises?

I have one on the top of my foot, on on the back of my leg just below my knee, one on my shoulder from trading punches (a trademark drunk move for me), and one on my stomach.

If you haven't guessed already, let me tell you that my White Trash Beach Bash is pretty tough on my body. I think my liver is still working overtime to filter all the toxins out of my body. With all that said, I'm up for another weekend at the beach. The only thing holding me back is the apparent shark attack at the beach we were at this weekend according to this article. A girl was bitten twice by a shark and here's a picture!


This could have been me!
I'll settle for the bruises and stop complaining!


But seriously, doesn't this look fun?!

Can't believe we're in our thirties!