My Jill fix

Jill & I have been friends for about 2 1/2 years (right, Jill?).  Our friendship has always been easy.  For us it was more of a reunion than a first time meeting.  More of a "Hey, well here's where you've been!".  We have lots in common & love nothing more than a Target run & pedicures.  Once we had our "reunion" we became close quick.  Since her move to Kansas in May I have really, really missed her & our almost daily visits.  So it was only obvious that I go and visit her for some much needed together time. 

For those who have never been to Kansas it is much like the NW.  The differences are:  the lack of Mountains (Hood, St. Helens) & their fabulous views, there are very few evergreen trees, butterflies are like bees here, everywhere (really gross on the windshield), all the malls (at least the ones I saw) are outdoor & the gas stations are far & few.  I know that last one sounds weird but it is so true.  Anyone looking for a good business opportunity should move to Kansas & open a gas station, anywhere would be good.  I know, I'm missing an obvious difference - the tornadoes.  But I'm just going by what I saw in my short 4 day trip, which fortunately didn't involve any tornadoes.

Thursday
My flight left at 7 am & I finally landed in Kansas City at 6 pm.  I had a nice 3 hour layover in my long day.  I really didn't see this as an inconvenience, I was flying solo.  I got my rental car & made the drive to the great city of Louisburg.  It would have been a shorter drive had I been able to properly read the map quest I printed out or even my google map via iPhone.  It also would have been really nice to not see road signs like this.....

Which only confused me more.  Especially when, on one occasion, I turned after a sign much like this one thinking I read it right only to read a whole new number right before I merged onto the highway.  Let's just pick a number & stick with it Kansas!

So after my nice drive through downtown Kansas City scary, I safely made it to Jill's house.  We were both so excited!  The kids gave me a tour of the house & their rooms.  I was glad they were excited to see me too.

Friday
After everyone was at school Jill took me to the Louisburg Cider Mill.  This was the cutest little place, honestly.  I bought some peach butter & apple butter & of course had to have a glass of apple cider.  As you view the pictures just imagine the smell of apple cider & fresh baked donuts.  It was heavenly!

Really, could this place have any more country charm?!  It was so great & since I was a tourist I acted like one.  Jill snickered as I took pictures.

Oh & I bought some of this there.....

I had to, when else will I get the opportunity to buy it!

We also went to a great antique/boutique store.  I had a headache from trying to look at everything & take it all in.  Jill bought a few things since one of our projects was decorating above her kitchen cabinets.  We both decided to go to bed early that night feeling sleep deprived & head achy. 

Saturday

This was a crazy busy day.  "N" had a soccer game @ 9 am, so did "S".  "M's" soccer game started @ 10:15 then "N" had another one at noon.  Oh and the other "M" had a Boy Scouts camp that day, all day.    Here's a few pics of the kids playing.

Out of the four games there were 2 wins & 2 losses.  "M" scored a goal for her team.  It was a very fun morning!  Jill & I then headed out to go do girls things aka shopping & pedicures. 

First we had lunch at 5 guys burgers & fries, which was very yummy!  I'll spare you all the details but we managed to hit Home Goods, Ulta, Target, Broadway shoes (twice), Nebraska Furniture Mart (holy cow that is a gigantic store!  It's like Best Buy & Home Goods combined.  And them some.  From the outside it looks like you're entering a mall, no joke.  I saw a tread mill at one point & a See's candy store - crazy!)   See for yourself.....

 The guy behind me on the escalator was smirking at my picture taking.  Again I pulled the tourist card!

We got caught in a downpour & as we ran by a nail salon we decided that was a perfect time to get those pedicures. In honor of Dorothy I really wanted a sparkly red color because after all, I was in Kansas.  I couldn't find one. 

Another stop was a BBQ store.  I think it was just called KC BBQ.  Basically they carry every BBQ sauce made & rub too.  Again the tourist in me took over

It's a sight to behold.  Of course I left with a few bottles, who wouldn't!

Our final stop of the evening was dinner.  Let me just say that everywhere you go you see "Joe's famous BBQ" or  "______ BBQ".  These Kansas people are serious about their BBQ.  And I'm seriously a fan of this delicious food.  As an outsider I don't know good BBQ, so I was told.  And I wasn't offended because after having some of that good stuff I will agree!  So that night we had pulled pork, burnt ends (I had to ask what that was & I don't think I remember, just know they were yummy), sausage & beef brisket.  Along with baked beans & pepper coleslaw.  Just roll me down the stairs to bed.  It was so good!  I think I've said that a few times, huh?

After dinner we assembled the four bar stools that we bought earlier & decorated the tops of her kitchen cabinets with all the stuff we bought.  Except the shoes, those weren't for her kitchen cabinets.  I'm sorry I forgot to take a picture of our finished project.  Just know it was lovely & we have good taste. 

Sunday

Her church didn't start until 12:30 so we spent the morning watching the RS Broadcast that we missed the night before.  As we listened we made cute flower hair clips for our girls.  I wish I took a picture of those.  I guess I still can but I'm almost done with this post, keep moving along.  They have a great ward & she has some new great friends.  Which really made me happy to see.  I know it sounds cliche but I just want her to be happy in her new place.  After sacrament I changed & headed to the airport.   My first flight was delayed by 30 minutes to Denver.  The Denver flight was delayed by 1 1/2 hours.  Unfortunately the kids were in bed when Judd had to come get me.  The original plan was for them to come too.

I'm so glad I got to go to Kansas & visit!  Jill & her family are doing well & are happy with their new location.  I know I can speak for both Jill & I when I say Thank you to our husbands for holding the forts down while we played.  

And thank you Jill for being a wonderful friend & hostess! 

Matthew's First Day of School

He has been waiting & waiting for this day.  Because he goes to the preschool at the HS they had to train/orient the HS kids first before the preschool kids came along, hence the wait.  He picked out his own clothes, I had nothing to do with it.  I'm learning he's pretty particular.  He has his own little fashion sense & I think it's adorable.  His choice of bright blue converse was kinda fun.  The day we bought them he told Savannah that he thinks all the girls at school will think he's cool with his blue shoes on.  so funny!  But when he chose the skeleton sweatshirt I grimaced.  He loves the attention from the old ladies at the stores who tell him they can see right through him.  He chuckles.

Height: 3' 8"

Shoe size: 11

Teacher/Tutor: Ms. Deb & "some girl"

Favorite part of the first day: playing with his friends

Musical beds & Judd's office

I know the two don't seem to go together, but they were both a part of our Saturday........ 

Judd's parents informed us Thursday night that the missionaries were indeed moving into their home in 1 week & that if we could come get the queen size bed we promised to store sometime before Monday (aka, NOW) that would be great.  So here we are wondering where to put this bed.  To make this short Haley now has a queen size bed in her room & I hope she doesn't get lost in it.  Or worse come to love it so much that when it goes back in 6-12 months she just can't bare to sleep in a twin bed again - oh the horror!

Her bed went to Matthew.  And Matthew's race car bed went to Luke.  And Luke's crib went to his cousin Cohen.  We hope he loves it!  So in short half of our household has new sleeping arrangements.  Haley is in hog heaven, Matthew feels so much bigger (even though he went from a twin to a twin) and Luke has taken this house officially out of "baby bed" mode.  I haven't been without a crib in my house for over 10 years.  Hasta La Vista Crib!  As you can see I'm not sad about it one bit.  And I have to add that Luke still willingly lays down for his naps.  Yes I know we'll see what tune I'm singing in another month.  Actually today he grabbed his blanket & Binky (next to go) and started to head upstairs for his nap.  I had to call him back down so he could have lunch first.  Love that kid!

Ok, so the bed situation was all done & over with by noon yesterday.  The girls & I then went to Wal-Mart (why do I punish myself?!?!) to get cleaning supplies & headed to clean Judd's office.  The girls tackled vacuuming, dusting & window cleaning.  I had garbage duty & the bathroom.  I realized that I have yet to post pictures.  I've been waiting for it to be decorated.  But until then I took some pics with my phone that I'll share.

This is what you see when you walk in.  Lori's desk/reception area.

The view down the hallway. 
To the left, door one is Judd's office, door two is hallway to kitchen (shared with the office on the other side of building - an Allstate agent).  To the right, door one is Ryan's office, door two is conference room.  At the end of the hallway is a bathroom to the left & a utility/storage closet & across the hall (to the right) is a nice open area for storing filing cabinets.  And straight back is the backdoor, if that wasn't obvious.

Judd's office (it would be nice to have a wide angle lens)

Another view of Judd's office

Ryan's office

Conference Room, which still has no chairs.

Pretty bare bones huh?!  I really need to decorate this whole place.  It needs a coat rack & plants & something on the walls.  Honestly it needs lots of things.  I have this great idea of using local photography, Portland area stuff.  Mt. Hood,  Multnomah Falls & downtown stuff.  I found a photographer I like but I don't want to drop $1500+ on artwork right now.  And I have to add that all the of the pics seem to make the walls (that aren't green or brown) look yellow.  They really are just a neutral cream color. 

So there you have it musical beds & Judd's office.  They still don't go together do they?!

Crazy Hair Day

Today is "crazy hair day" at Haley's school.  She was all up for it.  The best part was, I rolled right out of bed & could do "crazy hair day" with one eye open & it was deemed appropriate for the day!

She was excited about her day & went to show her siblings.  Their replies were:

Savannah : "Who are you trying to be?"

Matthew:  "You look ugly.  Whenever hair is stickin' around like that it's ugly."

Luke:  "Wow" (said with a wrinkled nose)

Just so you know she didn't care that none of the reactions were "cool", "how neat", etc.  Their rather not so nice reactions did not dampen her good mood.  Perfect!

First Day of School

The girls had their first day of school on Wednesday.  It was perfect back to school weather & very typical Northwest weather.  Here's a look at their stats.

Name:  Savannah

Height:  4' 6 1/2" 

Shoe size: 3.5

Teacher/Grade: Mrs. Vonderharr 3rd Grade

Favorite part of the first day: When the new principle came to visit her classroom

Name:  Haley

Height:  4' 10 1/2"

Shoe size: 4.5

Teacher/Grade:  Ms. Bailey 5th Grade

Favorite part of the first day:  The new cafeteria.  There is a big screen TV & a pizza bar

They both came home with big grins on their faces & that's when I finally felt relieved!  Haley gets home about an hour before Savannah, which is apparently very cool.  I think the plus to it is getting one-on-one time with each one as they walk through the door.  Instead of both chatting full speed ahead for 20 minutes.... at the same time.

We're looking forward to a fun & busy school year.

Labor Day with the Lavender's

Yesterday was a productive day!  I started on the treadmill then went to clean out my garden.  I was so disappointed with my garden this year.  We got one lemon cucumber & just a handful, if even, of cherry tomatoes.  The strawberries flopped & I ate 3 snap peas.  So I decided yesterday that instead of letting the green foliage continue to grow I was going to fill up my yard debris bin.  And that I did.  I came across this pretty vine.  Yes those red ones counted as part of the handful.

We then had a dance/clean party Lavender style.  I'm starting to worry that the neighbors maybe don't love our dance/clean parties or our thumping sub as much as we do.  We got a wild hair to shampoo the family room carpet.  The kids were excited to have a new furniture arrangement.

I took the kids to the grocery store while Judd did all the work.  We had lunch then headed out to let the carpet dry.  Our choice was Clackamas mall.  If you know Judd well enough that was obvious!  I was feeling bad that the only thing I bought the kids for school was their school supplies & tennis shoes.  So they each got a sweater & shirt.  They really don't need anything, so I wasn't about to break the bank. 

We returned home for more yard work.  Judd mowed & edged while I applied fertilizer.  We then rushed over to Grandma & Grandpa Smith's house for a Birthday dinner for Jordan.

Yum.... lasagna, salad, garlic bread & jello salad

Maybe it's not nice of me to put this pic on but I think it's funny!

Jordan & Judd in their 'That's What She Said" shirts

We then dug into an ice cream sandwich cake

Happy 24th Birthday Jordan!!

I have only sat through maybe 2 or 3 episodes of Glee but you don't have to watch the show to appreciate their songs.  I love any song that the cast of Glee sings.  Where else can you find Madonna, Neil Diamond & Journey all in one place?!  Besides they brought back the great rump shakin' songs like " Push It" & "Bust a Move".  Yes I opted to go with more tame & mellow songs for the blog.......for now.