New do & a book

I'm headed to the salon to freshen up my hair color today and this is my inspiration.

via Pinterest

Don't worry, I'm not delusional enough to think I'll leave looking like Olivia Palermo.  My hair has been so dark for so long though that I'm ready for some auburn dimension.  Yay, can't wait!

And I started reading Insurgent.  I like it.

But I can't lie. I miss Fifty.  Not the raciness, just the characters.  I really want to know more about Christian and Ana! Oh please write another one Mrs. James.  Incidentally, do y'all do GoodReads?  I just found it, where have I been?!

Mini leap list

via Pinterest

I saw this on Pinterest and it really stuck with me.  I've always got thoughts rolling around in my head of things I'd love to do, things I'm interested in, things I really want to learn about.  But being a mama is all consuming and it's really just recently that I've tried to start doing some things for myself again.  As a mom I often feel guilty for doing things for myself but there's a quote from the movie Jerry McGuire that I love...when the old man says to Jerry "You gotta get rid of that darn guilt".  Really, my mind hangs on to the strangest things!  My family is what's most important to me but I sometimes forget that that includes me too.  So here's my list of things I'm going to work on accomplishing this year.  For me!

1.  Learn French.  I took a year of French in college so I have a little head start.  I know this will make me feel smart and cultured.  

2.  Learn to play the piano. This will be a work in progress.  I took a few lessons as a teenager but had a scary teacher who used a stick and scraped it across the notes in my piano book.  It scared me and I stopped.  It took me 20 years to recover but now I'm ready.  Christian and I have informed my parents that we will be stealing their piano and moving it here.  Thankfully they are okay with that! Woohoo for a free piano.

3.  Read a few of the classics. One or two, nothing crazy.

4.  Run a marathon (or half marathon) in the fall.  It will be my first and I'm SO excited.  I was planning to run one in April but quickly realized I was not willing to train in the cold..brrr. I'm not a huge fan of treadmills because I'm clumsy and I haven't worked out in a gym in oh, 10 years (yet another fear I need to face).  But I love running outside; it clears my head and it's a rare moment of solitude. It is amazing how good I feel after a long sweaty run. I'm going to stick with it this time and I'm gonna do this!!!

What's going on

Last night we made the loooong trek across the street to Jennifer's:) They had us and some other friends over to cookout and let the kids play.  Dinner was delicious as always (she's seriously the best cook ever), the husbands had fun hanging out, the girls had fun sipping yummy drinks and catching up, and it was a great time.  It was the sweetest thing ever to see our kids running around holding hands and singing ring around the rosey! Nothing cuter.  And I don't have a single picture to show for it!

On another note, I'm mopping the kitchen floor today and listening to this song.  I'm thinking it's perfect for a roadtrip too and we're getting ready for one. (Virginia here we come!)

Happy Memorial Day

I snapped this picture in Seaside, Florida a week or so ago and thought it appropriate to re-post today.  Happy Memorial Day and a BIG thank you to the brave men and women who serve our country!

Memorial Day Weekend

We've had a fun start to our long weekend.  We started off by getting on the boat.

But we didn't actually pull it out of the garage.  That would be way too much work.  The boys just cleaned her up in case we're ever wild and crazy enough to put her back in the water.  And in the spirit of keeping it real this is what my garage looks like. A haven for boy toys.  

We had some sprinkler fun.  Husband and I sat in our adirondacks (the classy plastic kind) and drank cold Amstel Lights while the children frolicked in the water.

Then we grilled this. Very yummy.

Balsalmic Chicken Legs via Pinterest

Then we drank this. Also yummy.

So far so good!

What's cooking

Chicken Florentine Pasta via Pioneer Woman

I've cooked this several times since I found it on Pioneer Woman's blog.  I followed directions the first time and it was delicious. The next few times I made it, because I am too lazy to thaw chicken thank you, I used pancetta instead.  And it was divine. I actually cooked this twice this week. It is light and delicious with my new favorite wine.

On another subject I took my sweet boys to see the dinosaur exhibit at the zoo yesterday.  I was afraid they might be scared of them so after a quick talkin' to about how they aren't real we made our way into the woods.  They really liked it!  Christian kept his map handy and proved to be an excellent tour guide.

Honestly looking at the pictures I can't believe we weren't the ones running and screaming from the woods.  They look a little scarier in these pictures (the dinosaurs, not my children). Oh, and their eyes move which was creepy. And their arms move (also creepy).  And one spit water on us.  That actually did draw a few squeals (from me, not the boys).  They laughed:)

Have a good holiday weekend!

Hodge podge

Phillip Phillips won Idol last night--yay for him! I love his Dave Matthews-ish style and I can't wait to buy his album.  Great choice America!

And while on the subject of music have you heard John Mayer's new album Born and Raised? Christian and I are digging it.  Some of the songs have a James Taylor vibe that I like.

While in JCPenny yesterday (shopping at Sephora, for some reason our Sephora is in JCP?) I stumbled across some surprisingly cute clothes for super cheap.  This red dress has an adorable open back that you can't see from this pic and is 45 bucks.  Terrible picture, sorry!

Speaking of cheap chic, our Target has really stepped up their shoe department. I saw these yesterday. So cute! They also had them in a cheetah print.  I would prefer some Tory Burch ones but for now these will do.

I'm finishing up the Fifty Shades trilogy.  For the second time.  And I really hope Ian Somerhalder lands the role of Christian for the movie.  Yes, I have now posted this picture twice on my blog. 

I'm not liking this season of The Bachelorette.  Ninety looong minutes of listening to goofy guys say "You're so beautiful" over and over is gagging me.  I hope it gets better but I don't see that happening unless they fire all the guys and find 25 new ones.

My children are here at the computer begging me for breakfast. Perhaps I should feed them!! Before I go here are some pictures of kite flying at the beach.  Laters!

What I'm loving

While we were at the beach last week I tried a new face sunscreen that I loved.

Josie Maran SPF 40 lotion; it was great.  It went on smooth, has a mild scent (too much fragrance doesn't work for my skin), and did a great job keeping my face burn free.  It's not greasy like other sunscreens I've tried and didn't cause a single breakout after long sweaty days in the sun.  I give it an A+.

Good ole' Neutrogena was another favorite.  It's called "dry touch" and it was. I loved that it wasn't greasy/sticky/icky.  And it worked.  A+

I love these kicks. Nike Free Run 3's.  Husband and I have a goal to work out like maniacs this summer and get in excellent shape.  And I'm planning to run my first half marathon at the end of summer (it's in writing now, I can't back down!).  Nike's marketing department has assured me that I need these shoes and once they are on my feet I will become a track star.  SOLD! Plus they are pink.

I picked up the adorable Jcrew neon pink shorts at the beach last week and I *love* them.  They are way more neon in person but so super cute.

And finally, I had a glass of Riffault Sancerre at George's last week and it was *so* delicious.  It's a dry white (I don't like sweet wine).  Go getcha some!

Sweet little memories

This was our home away from home for the week. Little yellow beach house--I miss you already.

If you could see my real house right now you would know I have no business sitting at this computer. After a week at the beach and prior to that both families visiting, Christian's birthday party, and school ending I can barely see the floor.  But... oh, I'll get to that tomorrow.  Right now I'm going to post *tons* of beachy pictures and pretend I'm still vacationing in paradise with my 3 favorite boys.

Campbell was always very tired and very hungry after days on the beach.  We can't keep him full and have no idea where he puts all this food.  Poor thing fell asleep eating cheez-its almost every afternoon.

There were some very narly waves this week, pretty much every day the water was a bit rough.  You really had to hang on to your trousers if you know what I mean.

Christian is turning into such a big boy.  I can't believe how tall he's getting.  The ages of 3 and 5 are seriously adorable and fun (and a tad exhausting) but mostly fun:)

Thank you kind lady on the beach for snapping our one and only family pic of the week!

I'm covered in sand and I don't care. *Finally* we are all looking at the camera!

Our little beach neighborhood..until we meet again:)

The beach is THAT way

We were trying to get the boys to show us their muscles and say "The beach is that way"..they will love me for this someday..

Our week is flying by.  We've fallen into a little beachy routine..coffee (I wake early and drink mine in peace:), breakfast, beach (lunch on the beach), then out to dinner. I could get used to this. We've been spending some time down at Seaside in the evenings. There are some great restaurants, some great shops (to husband's dismay, why do men hate shopping??), and it's a darling little place. The Truman Show was filmed there which makes me love it more since that's a favorite movie of mine.

We've eaten so far at Great Southern Cafe (which lived up to its name with fried okra sticks and shrimp and grits that were out of this world), Pickles, home of delicious grass fed beef burgers, cold beer, and of course fried pickle spears (which Little C actually liked!) and an ice cream joint called Heavenly that lived up to its name.  Christian is like mommy and got tried and true chocolate while Campbell is more adventurous and went for strawberry cheesecake.

Downtown Seaside

The Truman House!! I thoroughly embarrassed my husband by standing here and taking 6 million pictures. Okay I have to say it: "Good morning! Oh and in case I don't see ya good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"  ;)

 I love that the houses are named and have the family names on them too...Truman's is special of course..these houses aren't cheap, they go for a mil..

When Christian is on the beach his feet rarely touch the sand..he's like a little bird jumping and fluttering around.