Travel: Staycation Airbnb

We stayed at this adorable airbnb downtown to celebrate our kids being out of school and the beginning of summer. It was the weekend of Mayfest, an art festival in Tulsa every year, and we decided to do a staycation rather than travel. We love doing this periodically to explore our city. Staying somewhere new helps us feel "away" enough to enjoy our vacation, but less expensive and time consuming than leaving town.

(I love the peeling wallpaper in the bathroom! But if I tried that, it would just look unfinished. How do they make it look so good?!)

The first night it rained really hard so we weren't able to make the festival, but we stayed indoors playing cards and snacking. The living room had a record player with local artists on vinyl that we really enjoyed! It encouraged impromptu dance parties. Sometimes a rainy night spend indoors is the best connector for a family of five.

Saturday we spent our day at the festival drooling over beautiful art and eating horrible but delicious festival food.

It was a great start to summer break!

Have you ever stayed at an airbnb? Do you like stay-cations?

5 Cheap Family/Date Ideas for July

Around here, July gets pretty hot. It's perfect for outdoor adventures as long as you stay hydrated and don't overheat. Here are five cheap outdoor dates for July:

1. Drive-in movie and sno-cones.

There is something super fun about seeing a movie at the drive-in ~ throwing frisbees before the previews, laying out blankets in the back of your car (or reclining in camping chairs). It's a great mix of outdoor/indoor fun. I'm a movie-lover but my husband likes the interaction of it, so sometimes a group date makes it even better. Stop by your favorite sno-cone place before going or buy from the ice-cream trucks once you're there. 

No drive-in theater in your town? No problem. Make your own little theater in the backyard like this or this. No sno-cone place nearby? No biggie, try making your own with these recipes.

2. Progressive picnic in the park.

You've heard of progressive dinners, so why not make it a progressive picnic? Have appetizers of watermelon shishkabobs by the duck pond (with some bread crust for the ducks), fried chicken by the swings and popsicles at the picnic tables.

3. Catching fireflies and star-gazing.

Remember staying out late when you were a kid with a jar and a lid poked with holes to catch fireflies? Why not do it again? Take your jar and head out of town. Find a secluded spot, pull over and see what fireflies you can catch then lay on the car hood to gaze at the stars.

4. Walk to the ice cream shop.

Take an evening stroll together to the ice cream shop. Walking + ice cream may sound like a contradiction, but you're allowed to splurge in the heat, right?

5. Evening swim or water-fight.

I love to swim. Our neighborhood pool is a lot less crowded in the evening which makes it perfect for a date swim. But if you don't have a pool or lake nearby, there's always a water-hose fight or washing the car. Have only one rule: to get as wet as possible.

What do you love doing in July?

My Secret Parenting Side

You may not know this because I don't share my parenting side very often, but being a Mom is huge to me. My kids are older (11 - 17) and they don't enjoy being the center of blog posts. Out of respect, I keep them absent here most of the time. But the truth is, I would love to brag. I would love to tell you about the uniqueness of each of them and how they impact my life. I would love to share tons of photos of them.

Secret: I'm one of THOSE Moms. The kind that when she gets started about her kids, you might as well get a monster cup of coffee because you're going to be here awhile. It's difficult not to prattle on when you have three of the coolest people in the planet to call your own. They're genuine, grateful, heartfelt and passionate--not to mention, hilarious. Ooops, better get that cup! Haha. No, I'm stopping now.

It's just that sometimes I feel like I'm giving only a tiny bit of the story here on the blog without sharing this integral part of my life. So I had to let you know, in case you didn't, that I love being a Mom to my three amazing kids.

Much Love Monday: Dancing to the Beat of a Bongo

This week I'm celebrating the birth of my second born--my baby girl. She dances to her own beat; always.

I love:

• her amazing voice and ability to break out into song at any moment
• her organization skills and serious determination
• her silliness
• her laugh; which she uses often
• her tender heart and pied-piper ability to draw children to her

And I hope she always dances to the bongo beat inside her soul.

Much Love Monday: Little Mister

He's my baby, and he's turning eleven this week.

I love how:

• He yells miscellaneous words like "potato chips" just to see if I'll laugh (I always do).
• He can make a Lego war stretch across his entire room.
• He's sweet about letting me taking pictures of him (even forming a hand-heart for Much Love Monday).
• He gets talkative when I say good-night.
• He's named after a book character (poor little son of literary freaks--no, it's not Harry).
• He's still willing to give me hugs (just not in public).

I love you, little Mister!

Good at Hiding

On the day I was born, no one knew I was in the womb. I've always been good at hiding.

My twin sister's heartbeat and my own were in such sync, I wasn't expected.  There were no ultrasounds and Mom wasn't awake for the ordeal.  I've been told when she came to and found herself responsible for TWO babies, she cried.  My grandmother screamed for joy.  My father received word over radio in Vietnam and had to ask twice if the man said "daughters" plural.

I can't really blame being hidden in the womb for how the next decades played out, but it does seem conspicuous.  If I sense disappointing someone--I run for cover.  I play dumb or do my best to keep the uncomfortable subject from surfacing. Hiding is a destructive relationship killer.

Truth is always better.  Though not always fun.

I've hidden in the worst ways--lies, false pretense, blame, self-contempt. And although playing a game of Hide-and-Seek can be thrilling; life plays that game differently.  So I'm trying to come clean: attempting not to run when faced with a scary situation; admitting the lie before it festers; sharing truth before pretense gets center stage; and refusing to blame or engage in self-contempt.

It's terrifying.  Like when your stomach lurches because you know IT is close enough to find you.  After awhile you start longing to be found so you can crawl out of your cramped hiding spot.  When IT eventually finds you there's a sense of relief; you're free to laugh and help search for others.

I hope I won't always be good at hiding. I think I'd like to be IT.

The Mysterious Jersey

It's time to tell the truth.  Jennifer at Unedited introduced me to Truth Thursdays--hers are always fun!  Now, here are my truths:

• A basketball jersey mysteriously turned up in the wash (probably a hand-me-down from cousins) and no one claimed it. My husband put it away in our daughter's room.  She didn't want it so she put it in my son's room.  A few days later, she found it back in her closet.  She sneaked it back into his dresser when he wasn't looking.  He stuck it behind her robe when she was gone.  Every time I hear a Homer Simpson-like "DOH!" come from one of them, I know the game of Hide-the-Jersey continues on.  We believe in cheap entertainment.
• Guess what?  The rain stopped and the sun came out!  Thanks for all your sunny well-wishes!  Now the porch is my favorite "room". 
• My daughter introduced me to the show Glee and *gulp* I like it.  (Don't hate, I'm only in the first season and I may tire of it soon)
• Found my long lost back-scratcher hidden under pillows.  That invention is worth gold! *scratch, scratch*
• A friend of ours gave me an easel he found at a thrift store. Yipppeee!  I'm so excited.  It makes me feel like "real" artist. Ha!

What about you?  Any truths you'd like to share?

Happy Birthday Bro!

Ironically, my brother's birthday is the day after mine (and my sisters).  He came 6 years later and was ALMOST born on our birthday.  Lucky for him, he had his very own.

I always thought he was the cutest little brother EVER!  Just look at that smile.  He's forever frozen in my mind as this white-haired little boy.

Little Bro, your amazing and hilarious storytelling abilities make me snort with laughter!  Life would be dull without you!  Thanks for making my life more fun!  Love you.

Is This Funny?

Belated Halloween pics of my cuties

Alice-in-Wonderland turned vampire.

I'm working on a picture book that I've been "editing" for a year now.  Every time I think I've got it right, I put it away.  When I pull it back out months later, it needs work.  I feel like I'm really close now.  My critique group is not covering it in red anymore.  **Happy Sigh**

But there's still something bothering me.  The nagging question of "Is this funny?"  It's supposed to be.  I find it humorous...but my family tells me I'm easily entertained.  Which leads me to ponder if this is amusing to me but not REALLY amusing.

How do you add humor to your writing?  When do you KNOW it's funny?

P.S.  If anyone would like a Picture Book critique buddy, I'm game!

When on Fire...

For the record, I've owned a fire extinguisher almost nineteen years. It's hung in the garage near the kitchen door unused.

Until this week.

First my eldest daughter set an almost-perfect-funnel cake on fire.  And while I ran back and forth squealing (I'm stellar in emergencies), she raced for the fire extinguisher. She sprayed the fire (and most of the kitchen) eliminating it.  We were all relieved.  (Minus the cleaning of powdery goo off every possible surface)

Then last night, I put taco shells in the toaster oven.  Apparently the rack was too high and the shells touched the top.

In a calm manner, my son said, "Mom, the tacos are burning."

He has a dry sense of humor, so I laughed.

"I'm serious," he said, pointing to the oven.

I turned to see flames on the inside.  I unplugged it, but the fire raged on.  My daughter ran for the extinguisher.

Fire extinguishers only work once.  Did you know that?  We opened the oven door (this time with perfect fire extinguisher aim) and--nothing.  Not one poof of powdery substance.  The flame lapped up and out of the oven.

My daughter once again, came to the rescue.  She doused the toaster oven with a bucket load of water.  And me.  And everyone else.  But once again, she saved the kitchen from going up in flames.  We decided she might have a future in firefighting.

The odd thing is, three weeks ago I randomly bought a new toaster oven. Maybe it was a premonition.

Wish I'd bought an extinguisher too.

Celebrating!

Today my second born, my baby girl, turns thirteen.  She is shifting from a child into a beautiful woman.

To my sweet girl: You are beautiful and golden from the inside out.  You make me laugh even on the toughest days.  You're tender-hearted enough to refrain from making fun of me when I cry in lame movies.  Little children flock to you like the pied piper.  I admire your wisdom and grace.  And what would I do without my snugglybean?

I hope you'll remember this day among your treasured ones.

Happy Father's Day!

My Dad is a major prankster. (Sure he looks innocent and precious here, but don't let it fool you)  Once my sister and I were talking in the bedroom (when didn't we talk?) when we heard a little thumping against the window.  Assuming it was a moth stuck between the shade and the glass, I opened the shade to find my Dad's face there.  We screamed loud enough to wake the neighborhood and he laughed till he couldn't breathe.  Yeah, that's my Dad.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!  I love you.

A 90 Year Old Jewel

My Grandmother's turning 90.  People say I'm like her with my loping walk and full cheeks. She loves working word searches, watching Andy Griffith re-runs, and wearing sparkly jewels.  So for her gift, I crafted a jewelry case out of a cigar box.  Here is the front of it:

I liked the clasp that was already on the box:

Here's the heart on the bottom (to show how much I love her):

The inside:

 

I fixed the crooked paint line at the top after seeing this picture but I ran out of time to snap another photo of it.

And her:

When I was young, her hair was dark like this and she had naturally red lips (which unhappily I did NOT inherit)

Happy 90th Birthday Memaw!

Sleepover and Flowers

 

 A sleepover happened here.

 

 The snack chair (much depleted at this point).

Last night my twelve-year-old daughter had three friends over.  They giggled in the van, in the movie store, on the trampoline, on the floor playing games, at the table painting their nails, on the couch watching Ponyo and in their beds until they fell asleep at 12:30ish.  SERIOUSLY.  I don't think they stopped once.  

My fifteen-year-old daughter gave me an exasperated look about half-way through.  I told her it wasn't too different with her friends.

She said, "I know.  I'm feeling sorry for you and Dad right now."

Thank goodness the youngest is a boy. ;)

Myrna Foster gave me this award.  I love it because I'm so ready for spring I could burst and these flowers give me hope that it might near.

I'm going to pass it along to these sweet ladies:

Cross Your T's
A Woman's Write
Art by Jema
Walking Butterfly
Play Off the Page

As always, don't feel obligated if you don't "do" awards.  Just know I was thinking of you. :)

Three Twins

I feel lucky in life; I have two best girlfriends.  One who's known me since birth.  Literally.  And the other who calls herself "the third twin".  (Yes I know it should be triplet but she prefers her title)  With them I can be myself.  A brat at times.  Hyper at others.  Silly, thoughtful, optimistic, and morose--it doesn't matter.  They stick around. Even when I make them mad.  They love me and I love them.

Who are your closest friends?

*Art inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts.

Happy Anniversary Baby!

Today is my 19th wedding anniversary.   Four days after Christmas as newlyweds, we headed into a snow-caked day to start our adventure together.

In light of our nineteen years, here's nineteen observations I've made about marriage:

1. Loving another person can draw out the best in you.
2. It can also reveal the worst.
   
3. It's nice to be loved in the middle of both.
4. It's miraculous how two normal people can breed three geniuses.
5. He will surprise you.
6. It's doubtful you listened when they said marriage would be work.
7. Now you know they were right.
8. It's best to quickly admit your wrongs.
9. And to be even quicker to forgive.
10. Even after nineteen years, his smile can give you tingles.
    
11. Say "I love you" everyday.
12. Do the unexpected; it's fun to throw him off.
    
13. Your parenting styles will be the opposite of each other.
14. You'll learn to compromise.
15. Compromise is harder than Sesame Street makes it seem.
16. You'll laugh until you can't breath.
17. You'll break each other's hearts.
    
18. You'll work it out.
19. And love each other deeper than you did in the beginning.
    

Once again, we celebrate by heading out into a snow-caked day.