The Badmintons are in Bloom

You know Spring is nearly here, because I bought badminton rackets. Yes, I do buy them every year. Kids destroy stuff. On lucky years, I can find them at the dollar store. (The kids say these rackets aren't as good, but...same rate of destruction.)

You may drive past on a sunny day and see us "playing" (or: feebly attempting to) in the front yard. It's not impressive and we're terrible, but I think that makes it even more thrilling when you actually are able to hit that danged birdie back and forth a couple of times.

Guess who is a fascinated spectator?

Matt loves the birdies...enjoys watching them fly back and forth and attacks them with glee once we bring them back inside.

Mail

It's a while after Valentine's Day too...but, since these weren't actually done until after Valentine's Day anyhow, I'm just calling this prep for next year:

I just love the dollar section in Target. They have the cutest stuff for every season, and I don't have to feel super guilty about spending a mere $10 on it. Also, unlike any of my homemade projects lately, they are mostly finished! I just wanted to add a little something to the mail boxes I got (from the dollar section), so I found some cute rub-on letters (from the dollar section) and put the kids' names on their boxes.

Now I just need to tuck them away somewhere findable for next year.

Cozy hid her mailbox under a chair in the living room to try and keep me from putting hers away. Sneaker! 

Blue and Gold

Anyone who has a cub scout knows that the Blue and Gold Banquet is in February...and that I'm clearly lagging behind in the blogging department. Many apologies to my husband who been waiting to see Jonny's amazing "pinewood derby" cake.

Totally Jon's conception, down to the checkerboard finish line and york patty wheels.

I think our rice krispy cars may have turned out better than our actual derby car.

Can you guess who Jon got to play in the Bears skit?

I'll give you a hint:

It wasn't Santa.

Joseph F. Smith, who was the president of the LDS church when they started using the Boy Scout program.

James wanted to try the beard on too. He wanted to "look old". I told him to just wait. Most of us get to look old eventually...and it might not be as fun as it looks!

DC Zoo

My lovely, kind mother took pity on me and came to "visit" (which is code for "try to keep me from totally losing it"). We all enjoyed her calming presence and continual helpfulness. Every time I'd turn around (in between running kids from here to there and back again), she'd be making us food and doing our laundry. 

So, not very vacation-y stuff for her, but hugely helpful to me!

We did escape the house once while Mom was here. 

We took advantage of a sunny day, skipped preschool and went to the zoo.

One of the lions escaped while we were there. All of the zoo employees claim it was a drill, but 

we know better.

Little kids rode the carousel. (Sofia declined.)

Cozette only stayed on this alligator until she noticed a nearby pony.

James stuck with his initial choice and looked like one of the borrowers, bouncing through the grass on his giant grasshopper!

Jon, however, was on a different animal every time I glanced over at him! (Thank goodness for tolerant carousel operators!)

You always hope their "favorite thing" at the zoo will be some fascinating animal...

...but those animals just couldn't compete with the giant pizza. :(

Cozy: queen of the olives!

Sofia came with us very happily and walked without limping (thanks to some super-supportive doc martins) the entire time! Yea! I was so proud.

That's a big improvement from limping around or relying on crutches. She's also started seeing a chiropractor, so we're now optimistic about getting her rib issues sorted out as well. 

Hooray for potential  wellness!

Matt

We got Sofia a "therapy cat", who she named Matt. We thought he'd be cheaper and more enjoyable than actual therapy.

And, "Go to your room and cuddle your cat!" feels like better parenting than "Go to your room and eat chocolate!"

Somewhere to Rest my Weary Reary

Anthony Jr. and I went to Ikea over President's Day.

He's not my most enthusiastic shopper, but he is my most capable lifter.

After our shopping trip and much dragging, lifting and squeezing, we managed to get an unassembled couch into the basement.

             

My Mom and I got it together with no problem...and I love it.

                                                                     

...mainly because I now have a comfy place to fold laundry, only feet away from the washer/dryer!

That's what couches are for, right?

Now I just need to get the TV moved downstairs, so I can have lazy, laundry-folding time at night, once all of the hooligans are in bed.

...and then no one will be quietly sitting on the stairs behind me, lured out of bed by the sweet, sweet sound of the Walking Dead.

Just to make you a little hungrier...

Earlier this year, Tony brought home a cupcake to share.

A friend a work had a birthday, and, yes, even in med school, people bring treats on their birthdays.

(Probably just awesome people?)

But, since they're adults...or because of the school's proximity to Georgetown Cupcake, the cupcakes are WAY BETTER than any I ever had in school!

When Valentine's Day rolled around, Tony wanted to get me a dozen.

...but he didn't want to pick the flavors for me or pay for shipping, so I fetched them myself.

(So, it was sort of like getting permission to spend a bunch of money on cupcakes and eat lots of calories for V-Day....which I was totally cool with!)

Of course, I knew I wouldn't be eating them all myself (so many helpers!). I stuck with four flavors, to make sure I got to try each of them!

Maple, coconut,....

....salted caramel, and I let Sofia (who navigated me...however poorly...through Bethesda) choose lemon blossom.

Yum. 

Happy Late Valentine's Day!