The Backyard is Done!! (For now ...)

Cold Floor, Hot Water

 I remember the days when this six year old big kid was little kid.  I still see that little kid when he's sleeping.   Awwww ... just look at that face!

 

Tonight Christian got into some hot water when I stepped on a cold floor.   Huh?  What?   Let me explain.

 

I will set up the scene:

 

Christian and Scarlett love the iPad.  If Scarlett is playing with it, Christian asks to for his turn non-stop.  Seriously ... every few seconds, he asks when it is his turn.

 

Today I let him take it to his room to play with, since Scarlett had been in possession of it for a while.

 

This evening, I went into his room and stepped onto a cold, wet floor.   I asked him what spilled and he very matter-of-factly told me he'd peed on the carpet.

 

???????????????????????????????????

 

After a round of questions from this confused Mommy, I learned he needed to use the bathroom, but was too busy with the iPad to get up and use the toilet. 

 

Oh, I was livid and yet, somehow managed to control my reaction.  We called Jonathan on the phone, who handles these things WAY better than I do. 

 

Christian must have peed a lot into the carpet, because he can usually hold it for a long time.  And there all that pee sat - soaked into the carpet, soaked into the pad - for HOURS.  

 

Christian was concerned that I was mad at him and I explained I wasn't mad, but I was disappointed.  I informed him his carpet is going to start to stink, and his bedroom is going to stink.  We chatted some more about the situation, and I told him he cannot use the iPad for a week - period.  I told him to read three paper books in bed while I put Scarlett to bed ... and that there would be no iPad books tonight.  

 

After getting Scarlett to bed, I returned to find this precious little boy had fallen asleep while waiting for my return.    It is a good thing he's so darn tootin' cute and melts my heart when I see him like this.  And it helps to remind me that he is, in fact, still just a little boy who is figuring things out, like how to test his boundaries.  He's not a little adult ... he is still just a little boy who needs guidance and reassurance from his Mommy.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

I married a wonderfully kind, generous, loving, hard working and godly man. He is a wonderful father and husband who loves his family more than anything. For his special day today, he only asked for a simple picnic with his family, because that is the sort guy he is.

Christian, Scarlett and I got him a tent and a lantern so that he and Christian can go camping in our new backyard next weekend. And I secretly baked him some chocolate University of Colorado Ralphie cookies.   He knew I was baking cookies, but he thought they were for an up coming birthday party for a little girl we know.

Happy birthday, Papa!  We all love you so much!!   Jennifer, Christian and Scarlett ... and Bella, too! :)

My Middle School Sweetheart - Rick Springfield

Rewind:  It was the 1980s and I was a pre-teen/teen obsessed with Rick Springfield.   Oh how I loved Rick Springfield!

Fast forward to today:  Rick Springfield is 64 (yikes!) and still making music!   For our community's Annual Founder's Day celebration - and 10 year anniversary - they brought in Rick Springfield to put on a free concert.

Oh man, I was excited!  And Jonathan agreed to stay home with the kiddos (after all, he truly had no interest in seeing Rick Springfield anyway).  

As I watched the concert, all giddy to be seeing my childhood heartthrob, this list came to mind:

Jennifer at a concert 20 years ago:
• Paid big bucks for the ticket
• Dressed in my trendiest of clothing
• Uncomfortable shoes
• Lots of makeup and perfume
• Hair perfectly done
• An adult beverage (or two or three)
• Didn’t matter when I got home afterwards

Jennifer at a concert in 2014

• Free concert in the park (Rick Springfield!)
• Dressed in yoga pants and a hoodie
• Comfortable running shoes
• Makeup and perfume were applied that morning – and not reapplied
• Bangs simply pulled back in a clippie
• No adult beverages
• My husband is on-call this week, which made me on-call during the concert. I had to be ready to run home at a moment’s notice.

A friend of mine won backstage passes to meet Rick Springfield.  I admit:  I was envious!   But then it ocurred to me that I hadn't dressed myself up for this concert.  Looking like THIS was no how I wanted to meet THE Rick Springfield.  

Turns out, meeting the man was a big disappointment for my friend.  He said NOTHING to her.  Not even hello. He paused for one blurry mobile phone photo and left.  And that was it. 

As for me, I got some semi-decent pictures on my phone ... but of all, I had a blast - esp. after we made our way to the front and got to sing along with Jessie's Girl ... just 10 feet or so away from Rick Springfield.  GOOD TIMES!! :)

.   

Three happy "old ladies" loving us some Rick Springfield

Elvis has Left the Building

Elvis has left the building and entered the body of our favorite 6 year old!! :)

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (and wait, and wait, and wait ...)

After a few very small landscaping projects, the time has come for a BIG landscaping project to start this week!  We are soooo excited!   We'll be getting an extension to the patio and a LARGE section of artificial grass.

Artificial grass used to be so very expensive, and people typically got a little "island" of the grass because that was all they could afford.  For example, here is an arial shot of a house down the way.  It is a cute little patch of grass, but awfully small.   And I have seen smaller ...

We wanted a large chunk of grass, and turns out it is ON SALE, so the timing is perfect!   We will still have large sections of the yard that are unfinished (or, one could argue they ARE finished in the style of the natural desert landscape:  rocks, dirt and weeds).   But this phase of the landscaping project is HUGE.  HUGE!!!

Here are the before pictures.

Work beings tomorrow, April 3.  Stay tuned!!!!

Silly Little Family

I love this picture of my silly little family! 

 

It is so hard to get a pic with all three of them looking at the camera and actually giving some sort of smile ... finally got one! :)

Outside Fun (Before it Gets Hot)

The heat will all-too-soon be upon us, so we decided it was a perfect day for a picnic and outside adventures!

This picture cracks me up ... it is a pine cone, but looks like she pooped.

The New Table

To me, our home has always felt somewhat like a frat house.  We don't have much furniture - we don't have end tables, or coffee tables or shelves and arm chairs, etc.   We don't have much on the walls, either.

Since getting married, our tables have been an old, small set of blonde wood nesting tables that came from Jonathan's apartment.  The were all too small for the living room and just never looked right.

It took me years to find a table I like.  Years, I tell you.  We wanted something attractive, something unique and something indestructible.   Many tables out there have glass, and that is a "no" in our house.  I also didn't necessarily want wood, which could get scratched, dented, etc.  

I finally found the perfect table with brown iron base, with a shelf on the bottom and a lovely travertine top and it is HEAVY, so it won't budge when the kids will inevitably climb on it. We simply had to seal the travertine and VOILA!   A table we love, and a table we needed!   

Now we need to find the perfect lamp.  That might take another few years. :)  

The Lucero Men

Two of the Most Excited Kiddos You've Ever Seen!

For years (yes, years!) Christian has coveted "Remote Control Gordon" from the Thomas the Tank Engine collection.   And Jonathan decided the time was now!

Of course, Scarlett needed something, too.  Given her obsession with my iPad and smart phone, an age-appropriate electronic gadget was right up here alley.

Enjoy this video of the two most excited kiddos you've ever seen! :)