NCAA heartache

I hate this feeling! It's that feeling of loss during the NCAA tournament time, especially when you're one game away from the Final Four. Bleh. My family and I watched One Shining Moment from the 2001 championship this weekend. After watching it, I had tears in my eyes! My dad just texted us saying: "Yep, championships are very hard to come by. That's why they are so sweet."  Maybe next year. Oh, and my thoughts are with the Louisville player who got hurt. :( 

The good thing is after the game, I needed to do something to make me happy so Andrew and I delivered some small lemon cake loaves to our neighbors. And! The lady two houses down said it was her birthday!!! So of course I gave her two cakes! 

I'm already starting to move on and think about things such as what I'll be doing this week since it's SB2013!! 

Me & Andrew at the Duke game here in Clt a few months ago.

Mint

 Andrew and I went to the Mint Museum in Uptown tonight!

Last year/this year

A nice change of pace on this cold, spring evening. It's also really nice that we live a mile from it!

Easter Egg Hunt!

Ok, so since a good number of my friends have little ones in our neighborhood, I decided to have an Easter egg hunt at Rozzie!

I rode around on my bike with Andrew and we hand delivered invitations a couple weeks before. 

Invites:

 The centerpiece is the easiest Easter decoration ever. I got a package of egg ornaments at the dollar store and then branches from the backyard. 

Menu: Greek panzanella, chicken salad, and fruit for the adults. Pb&j sandwiches, cheese sticks, and fruit for the little ones. Carrot cake cupcakes for dessert. Oh, and fruit tea because it's now spring.

Bow in the hair! My favorite!

Time to hunt! The bigger kids were so excited.

 

After the children collected their eggs, I gave them a cross with their name on it. Inside the eggs were heart stickers and they put them on the cross. One friend told me her daughter walked around the rest of the day with it. So sweet.

The crew!

Photo courtesy of my friend Carrie.

 The after party: running around in the backyard!

Strange as this sounds: I loved cleaning up from the party. I found peanut  butter on the floor and crumbs were everywhere. But those things make a house feel lived in, I think. Also, I love Ikea's plates/cups/bowls/utensils for kids. They work so well!

That time I ran a half marathon

 Yep. I ran a half marathon. I didn't walk too much but I didn't go too fast, either. The thing is... I didn't really enjoy it. I don't think I like running with people. The most I ran before the half was 10 miles and I really enjoyed it. I think I like running when no one knows I'm running. Or maybe I don't like the pressure of running a race.

On my way...

Here's the Bechtler Museum on the way to meet friends. 

Getting pumped up! My friend Jocelyn {white jacket} finished 39th out of 450ish people. She's so fast. She also came back and ran the last 1/2 mile with me. What a friend! "Jocelyn, where is the finish line?! How many turns left? Why, WHY did they make the last mile UPHILL?!"

I think I was so excited to see everyone that I didn't mentally prepare for the run. I also didn't eat breakfast and depended on Pandora for music instead of a playlist. Two huge mistakes! I also didn't realize when signing up in December that I'd have to train for it during the cold & wet winter months and therefore, oftentimes I chose my warm couch over running in 30 degree weather outside. Obvi, this isn't a "how to" blog post on half marathon running.

Finished! Almost slept with this thing under my pillow that night. I also have never loved cut up orange slices more than after running 13.1 miles. So. Good.

Take that, New Years Resolution! It wasn't the fastest or best run of my life, but I finished!

Happy Spring!

Oh yes! We're so excited about spring at preschool!

We're also getting ready for Easter! 

 The sheep didn't work out like I pictured they would, but that's ok. They have cotton balls for fur and the fingers are legs. I guess that's all they need.

The lil chicks are my favorite. I try to put out the materials and then let them design how they want it to look.

We're so happy it's spring!

I think one thing that bothered me about the elementary school I taught at is how most of the rooms are filled with printed, commercialized pictures and words. My favorite thing about preschool is displaying their artwork all around the room. I mean, it's a lot of work to put up/take down, but worth it!

Currently...

This is inspired by my sister, that Ginna girl, who just did a blog post on this.

I'm currently...

Watching... nothing. I hardly ever watch television except when Andrew and I watch Friends reruns or Downton Abbey. I do enjoy watching documentaries every now & then on Netflix and the next one up is probably Hungry for Change.

Enjoying... another week of spending time with some of my favorite 3/4 year olds. I have Fridays off and I really do miss all those sweet little chickadees over the weekend. I also love sitting and thinking about our week. The things they say are so funny and here's an example (names are changed): Sam comes to me very upset: "John said I don't have enough fingers!!"

Planning... meals! I've never been a meal planner but this week I planned/shopped for all our meals and I'm always left thinking, "I should do this every week!" So easy and wonderful except when you try a new recipe like this one. It was not good at all.

Excited for... spring break!! We're staying put this year and I can't wait to do house projects all week long including pressure washing our front & back porch/deck. Oh boy!

Cooking... maybe a pie since it's pi day. I also need to make something for the weekend. I made the easiest/healthiest potato soup last night for the Mister since he went to the dentist and had some work done. The best feeling is watching him take a bite of whatever it is and waiting for the "this is really good" face. If you get that, then you know you've done well. (Except when it's brussel sprouts pizza and then the man who can eat most anything will throw even that in the trash.)

Inspired by... a Sunday School class we've been attending called Theology of the Old Testament. On Sunday we talked about the transcendence (holiness) and immanence (the closeness) of God in the OT. It is so incredible going through Scripture and seeing how a holy God is both just and loving to His people. I have been blown away.

Remembering... to be content with what I have and what I've been given! :)

Oh party hats!

 I was going through some old pictures and found these from Andrew's 30th. If you ever host a birthday party, put these party hats on all the pictures you have of that person. It's festive and so hilarious!

Especially months later!! :)

Scenes from the Rozz

I thought I'd do a lengthy post on what's been going on at Rozzie.

New Years Day we had an appetizer party for our friends in the 'Hood.

 Happy times.

My dear Memo in my kitchen! She loved being in the kitchen.

 Andrew is on the Missions Committee at church and we had everyone over for a brunch. It was also Kate's birthday!!

Front porchin' it.

The very best mug ever.

Hanging out with Sweet Baby B one afternoon.

Hanging up pictures.

MIL here for a visit!

Anyone else notice the gross green stairs? Or just me? It's on our list. :)

*Please note our lil rosemary Christmas tree under the mailbox.

Snow!!

Brunch with friends and Tim brings Krispy Kreme. Wildly popular.

Rozzie gets a new driveway! We don't have to go off-roading any more!!

Getting ready for Easter and spring! Can't wait!