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!! :)

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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! :)

The Pledge Of Allegiance

I recorded Christian reciting the Pledge of Allegiance back in November, and Jonathan has asked me to post it on our blog, but I keep forgetting (bad mommy!).

 

So here it is! 

 

 

Little Freckles

Just look at these precious freckles which now adorn Christian's face!

100 Year Old Man

To celebrate 100 days of school,  the kiddos were asked to dress up as a 100 year old person.  Here is out take on old age ... along with a poorly tied tie (even with a step-by-step chart, Mommy cannot toe a tie!).

A Sweet Lil' Visit

Our nieces from Colorado came for a visit this weekend, and along with them came our adorable nephew, Montese.  What a happy, happy baby he is!

Christian and Scarlett even got to go swimming!