Those Were the Days

Not sure. Crazy Kids

Senior "Fall Formal"

Family Camping Trip

I'm sure more people end up marrying their high school sweetheart than I realize.  (I did, my sisters both did, and about 10% of our senior class did).  And why not?  High school stinks for most people - the ones who say it's the best time of your life are lying.  They were probably just popular bullies.  So if you find someone that makes you feel like a million bucks, why not hang onto them for the rest of your life?  Assuming, of course, that they don't turn around and dump you the moment college comes. 

I've been enjoying a few days of  nostalgia while we have been house bound by a sick 4 yr old.  Combine that with searching the house for new, older pictures to hang in our bedroom, and I found myself sitting in front of Kevin's "Things worth remembering" box.  (I made him widdle it down to one box to keep the really important details of the past.  No need to have a basement full:).   So as I pulled out odds and ends that I'm still not sure why he felt they were worth remembering: (piano books?), I also pulled out a gold mine of old emails during our high school days.  Gross, I'm sure my family is thinking about now.  Yes, I'll admit, we find no shame in grossing people out with affection.  So why stop now?

A years worth of daily emails that we have kept in a Christmas tin were pretty cool to read through.  I'm still convinced that I would have married Kevin after our first date - That is, if we weren't living with our parents, and in high school. And although reading them has made me grateful for the growth in my writing skills,  it also made me grateful for this relationship that we somehow knew would last way back in our Junior year.  Our parents were terrified, (I would be if that were my kid).  And I'm positive that they had some good laughs over our letters that we left laying around the house way too often.  Yet they had the wisdom to encourage us because they must have known too. 

So now, they are good for this mom to read. Especially on the days where enough sleep didn't happen, and my big blue bathrobe is the cutest outfit I could find.  I have been reminded that this life we are living now is what we hoped for back then.  That our "Someday" as we called it, has already come.  A reason why I refuse to let the tune, "Back to reality" be hummed here.  Our reality is pretty great, even on the days when kids scream, and work sucks.  And I am as sure now, as I was back then, that I will still follow you anywhere, Kevin Mitchell.  It's all I wanted back then, and it's really all I want right now.   Three cheers for email back in the 90's.. and an extra three cheers for high school.  - even if I want to block the rest out.

Compressed Excitement

Today was a big day in my life as a part time construction apprentice.  I have a lot of hero's, Moses from the Bible, George W. from the White House, and John Adams from way back when.  But my hero in the realm of redoing and rehabbing is Amy Matthews.  She's on the DIY network, hosting the show, Sweat Equity.  She's the real deal.  A licensed contractor who can handle power tools like no ones business.



You Go Girl

 So, when I find myself in the midst of another room redo (like our current Master Bedroom project), I try to channel, "What would Amy Do?"  But there was always one area that no matter how hard I would try, I was still at the mercy of Kevin's busy work schedule, and his limited time to help me.  Not today friends. 

Today, (after a brief tutorial from Kev last night), I mastered the nail gun.  The loud one, attached to an air compressor.  The one that makes it sound like there is a real construction crew working upstairs.  It was awesome.  I'm pretty sure Callie thought I was as cool as I felt.  She sat on the bed, a safe distance away, while I nailed in the wood trim like an old pro.  I only had to tear out one mistake, but quickly found my way back to Amy land. 

Needless to say, Kevin's nights will now be less filled with my sad pleading for help, and nap time for the kids may be a bit louder as the compressor does it's job.  This house is becoming complete, and I can finally sleep in my bedroom again.  All great things for everyone. 

Move Over Beethoven

Yes, it may take a few years, and some unexpected flash of music genius.  But today we are officially on our way to creating three little musicians in our house.  Or at least one step closer to actually having a way to practice if our kids should decide that piano lessons are in their future.

Kevin's Grandpa Bill kindly gave us his baby grand piano, and his parents generously had it shipped to my living room.  It's a beautiful antique, even if none of us ever become players at Carnegie Hall.  At least I like how it looks in my living room. 

So the question becomes, at what age should I start Callie at her lessons?  If I were a Tiger Mom, I'm sure I would have had a teacher here when the piano arrived.  But I'm not.  I just hope she practices a bit more than I did way back when.  I was too obsessed with making it home to watch "Hey Dude" than I was to concentrate on what my teacher was telling me.  What can I say, for a not so outdoorsy girl, that Dude Ranch captured all of my Nickelodeon interest. 

And just so my family is aware.  I've already tested it.  "Thy Word" has busted it's way through this house, even without the sheet music.  I was a bit rusty, but I'm sure with a few more days of playing the same song over and over again (because it's all I know how to play)... like Celine said, It will begin to all come back to me now:). 

So thank you Grandpa Bill, and Peggy and Geoff.  We feel very lucky to have it now in our house.  Here's hoping that someday we will be able to do it justice, and let it play like it used to under the fingers of Grandma Jo. 

Things I've Learned about Being Cheap

First of all.. I will be honest.  There are things I'm not cheap about.  For one, I just can't compromise about Gap Jeans.  I love them, and I won't go back.  But even saying that, they are basic compared to some brands.  Second, if I find a Pottery Barn sale, I will buy it if I can afford it.  (Did you see the previous post on the boys room?).  And currently, although I do not cut or color my hair frequently, I will not go cheap with that either.  My years of Kevin in law school, and about 4 different home done colors can attest to that.  Currently it is way longer than I prefer, but when the good cuts are few and far between, I've learned to always be armed with a rubber band.  Ponytails can hide a plethora of hair sins.  Plus, I can always send the rest of the fam to Great Clips $5.99 special.  I'll take the savings for myself, thank you very much.

With the above disclaimer, disclaimed, here are a few important facts that I have learned during our years on a cash only grocery budget.  The first, and this mainly applies only to pregnancy months, is that the grocery budget will be larger.  Growing babies demand certain things at certain times.  And I have learned that if I do not feed this baby such things as a Bacon Turkey Bravo from Panera exactly when this baby wants it... the words "Bacon Turkey Bravo" will be in my thoughts in 10 minute increments until I feed that baby its sandwich.  Good thing I ate one today so that I can move on to the next craving.

Second.   Dishwasher soap matters.  Value Brand does not work.  Take my word, and the weird white crust on most of my stainless steel pans for example.  Cascade has a big job ahead, but I am confident that along with his newer, and yes, more expensive friend, Jet Dry, they are capable to clean up the mess.

Third.  Cheap primer also, is not worth the cost savings.  If you want to easily paint over stained woodwork, my suggestion is to invest in some good (and not even expensive) better brand of Zinsser primer.  It just works better.  And bonus, when the kids accidentally scrape against it, your hard work won't be wiped off like butter.

Third.  Jack's brand pizza should not be consumed by anyone, anywhere.  After really trying to cut down our Frozen Pizza Monday budget (from a whopping $5.99).. we decided that we were, in fact, not that poor to make ourselves eat this anymore.  Therefore, this family will be enjoying the luxury of DiGiorno's, or even Tombstone, before we ever inhale a Jack's again.  There are some things that should simply stay frozen.

Finally, although the above seem to suggest that brand names are better, I am far from those thoughts.  I will store brand my way through the cereal, crackers, peanut butter, bread and milk aisles like no one's business.  Money can be saved.  Just not on everything.  Sometimes you have to realize that peace of mind, and ease of dishes and a good fit can out weigh any amounts of left over cash in the piggy bank.  And that, friends, is how we stay on budget, and in a good mood.

Let's See How Far We've Come

In the words of one of my favorite musicians (Rob Thomas)... Kevin, myself, and the fam set off this past weekend to relive a bit of our past, and see just in fact, "how far we've come."  Because this year is a year of no vacation (saving up for the big 3-0 and 10th anniversary trip next year), we decided to give ourselves some sense of a break and visit some incredible friends who we haven't seen in more than 4 years.  Or in terms of kids... in more than a combined 9 kids ago. 

Akron, Ohio was the destination.  The place where we first ventured to law school, where I got my first non-retail job, and where we met two couples who although are not neighbors, are lifetime friends who had a huge impact on us while we were there.  And still do today by phone and email. 

I have slowly come to love where we are now, the people that we interact with on a daily, and weekly basis, and even the job that Kevin has.  It provides, makes us crazy, but again, provides.  And for that we cannot ask for anything else.  But there comes a time when old friends just need to be seen rather than heard, when pictures of kids no longer suffice, and you just want to share a meal together, while actually sitting at the same table.  And that is exactly what we did.  We ate well, talked a ton, and couldn't believe how much we love these people who we count as some of our closest friends, and who we admire for everything they do. 

Apart from the socializing, we braved two nights in a semi-2 roomed hotel, (or "showtell" if you ask Callie).  And after calming three wild monkeys in new surroundings for about an hour per night, we actually got some good rest of our own.  Only next time we go on a non-vacation, vacation, I may splurge a bit more to have some cleaner rooms and some non-brown water out of the bath faucet.  But budget is budget, and it gave me a new appreciation for my own bathroom when I returned.  Bonus for Kevin.

Highlights of the weekend include, but are not limited to:
1. Seeing one of my best friends and her three adorable boys.  (A supermom)
2. Seeing another dear couple and their four boys (another Supermom).
3. Being encouraged that four kids, although crazy, is do-able, enjoyable, and survivable
4. Eating Bruggers Bagels - not sure why they don't come here
5. Getting a picture in front of the Star-bucks where I found out I was pregnant with Callie - What are you supposed to do on work lunch breaks?
6. Going to a Home Goods, because we doesn't have one
7. Stopping by Ashland, Ohio, and seeing that our first apartment was still standing, and looking beautiful
8. Showing the kids, who could have cared less, our College and it's campus.
9. Going to bed at 7:30 every night because that many kids is sheer exhaustion, but great sleep

And 10: Realizing that this life for us was not what we thought it was going to be, living in multiple places in Northeast Ohio, and now Indiana, but we have seen God's hand in every location.  Remembering when we moved to our 500 sq ft apartment in Akron, I locked myself in our bedroom, sobbing, refusing to come out, as our cat did the same.  And that now, driving back in, it was no longer bitter memories, but some of the best times of our young married life.  Because we have moved a few times, we are stronger than ever, have more friends in more locations than we could have ever dreamed, and are welcomed in many cities around the Midwest.  So our Rejuvenation Tour of 2011 (yes, we named it that), was well worth the drive, the price, and memories. 

The Richardson Boys and Mitchell Kids... we think they all just got done picking their noses here

Megan and Me. 

Akron Tourists?  You Bet.  My Bruggers Bagels and the lucky lunch break Starbucks