Easter time, cake time.

Cari came over today to have Easter dinner with us. I cooked up some lasagna in the crock pot and we had us a real fine meal. Steven took off for the coast with Jennifer, so it was Mark, Cari, Doug, Brianna, and myself. It's always a treat when Cari comes over.

Look at Cari's hair....how amazing is that? See, I told you she's a treat!!! I'm one very lucky mom, and I think she's the greatest.

Cari and I decided to watch Ratatouille (Doug and Brianna had other ideas about movies they'd like to watch), and Mark worked on setting the DVD player up while Cari and I made fun of him....sorry honey....... I have to say I really enjoyed the movie much more than I thought I would. Always a good thing. Remy is the cutest rat I've ever seen. And the ending is just perfect!

And of course there was cake for desert. Good cake. GREAT cake. And of course I sent the leftovers to Brianna's house. If the cake was left here, the good, great cake, I would eat it all up. I swear I would. I know I would. And I will always be that weak when good, great cake is alive and well in my home. And so the cake had to go. End of story.

A new fridge and our favorite Duck!

Today our new fridge came home to bring us joy. Wonderful!! Mark has spent all day cleaning out the old fridge and loading up the new. I just love him for doing stuff like this!!!

And now he's in there watching "The Matrix" with Nick, home from U of Oregon. We love having him come around, always making sure we have enough Popsicles to keep him coming back for more!!! It wouldn't be spring break without Nick coming around.

Rush WAS right????

Steven found an old postcard with Rush Limbaugh's picture on it. He cracked up and then decided it was time to play a prank on the old man. So he used his 'artistic talents' to embellish the card and posted it on our bedroom wall. Just waiting for Mark to come on in and find a little love note from 'the man'. We were both laughing so hard it was a riot! And Mark got a kick out of it when he came across it. We're such a funny little family.

I don't have a picture of Mark finding the picture, but I do have a picture of Steven posting it and showing off his wicked ways.

Years ago, when Cari played indoor soccer, every time she was the goalie her coach Dean used to have her wear one of his large old shirts that proudly proclaimed, "Rush Was Right!". To this day Cari just cringes when she thinks about it. Well Cari, this one's for you!!!

I shouldn't give up my day job.

Cari bought me a softies book a while ago. It's a great book, outlining how to hand sew cute little rabbits and such. I bought myself some felt this weekend, with the idea of practicing like crazy! Well, with how I sew, the results are rather crazy. But I have to admit I had fun with my first little bunny, even though she has no legs. It's cruel, but true. I have to practice, practice, practice my sewing skills.

She seems to enjoy hanging out with Tigard the T. Hmmm....could be the color combination.


And for all of you moms out there who are currently dealing with small children and their fusses: here I deal with a 20 year old that doesn't want to give up the computer for 5 friggin minutes so his mom can do her blog. He's back.

Mark meets KISS

Tonight Mark was watching Gene Simmon's (I think that's how you spell his name) reality show...Mark got quite a kick out of Gene and his family and was laughing out loud! Kathy is right: the kids are a riot!

Considering it was about Gene having a colonoscapy (again, I can't spell), and other medical tests, it cracked me up that he was laughing so hard. Of course, the part about the lie detector was the highlight!

Orange bedroom: good!

We're pretty much done with our bedroom and I LOVE it! I added "the adventures of Mary and Ned". Cari drew this for me and it always inspires me to want to create something. So since I'll be working in my room, it's perfect for me to have it right in front of me, inspiring me to make something cool. And my own Ned is right there, keeping me company.

And I love the two pictures I've framed. They're both from our cruise, the one on the left is at the beginning of our trip, and the other is at the end. They remind me of the wonderful time we had. And it's kinda funny that Mark's shirt matches the color of the wall and I hadn't even realized it!

We found some curtains that match the picture by my side of the bed, and the color of the penguin sitting there on my bed (very important that my room matches the penguin). Mark even admitted that the curtains look quite nice. Shock!

And Lire loves the room cause it's nice to sleep in. And she's giving me "the lazy eye", as in Fievel Goes West, letting me know it's time to turn out the light and get my butt out of Dodge so she can sleep. Cats. Go figure.

Happy St Pat's Day to you!

Today was the Hillsboro St Pat's Day parade and we had a blast! Relay For Life was well represented.

Carisa and I hung out, keeping a sharp eye out for cute firemen.....

Some of our amazing survivors. Shows that cancer hits all ages. We have to find a cure!!!!!

And don't you LOVE her green granny square coat??? She's adorable as it is, and her coat was just too perfect. What a sweet girl, a very sweet young lady.

Talking about sweet ladies, here are some true cuties!!! I don't remember the name of the woman on the left, but she's 92 and a doll. Then there's Gloria and Paula, two of my favorite folks. Women like this are why I Relay.

And my friend Rhonda's granddaughter came along and she was good as gold. She is a doll as well, and could she be any cuter? I don't think so.

And what would a parade be without Ronald McDonald? You go boy!

And of course I carried my sign on why I Relay. I Relay for my Mom and Dad because I love them so very much. Why should YOU Relay?????

Football rules!

We're in the process of redoing the house...painting, some new furniture, and moving stuff around. But one thing never changes: football rules in our house. Tigard High School and Seahawks football is the bomb!!! And Mark's Kurt Wellnitz Sportsmanship Award sits proudly in our home. This is an award created by a father to honor his son's memory and it means a lot to our family. Kurt must have been a wonderful young man.

Tigard the Tiger is proud to be a part of Vander Yacht Football. Go Tigard!!!!

Rainy Days and Tuesdays.....

Today I had a parent/teacher conference with Doug and his teacher Su. He is doing extremely well and keeping on track. This year has been a good one, and the program is a good fit for Doug.
So after school I ran a bunch of errands, spend lots of money, and had a great morning (it's a good thing to take time off from work...loving it!!!). I got some pillows and lamps (hey, they're orange and blue and green striped: perfect!). The room is really coming together and Mark and I are both enjoying the difference.

For now I'll leave my scrap booking area in tact, but someday I'll have myself a craft room and then I can put a lounge chair here for some sitting and some reading. And again, aren't the lamps cool?

When Jennifer and I were out and about Sunday, we went to Home Goods and I found 2 small suit cases. I thought they will look good in the room and I can store some of my scrap booking stuff in them. I guess I was right about the colors in the suitcases: I went out and bought the bedspread shortly afterwards and look how close in design and color they are! Amazing!

We were going to paint the dresser black, to match the bed we're getting, but we decided for now we like the white and we'll paint the other dresser white to match this one. And we took the mirror off the larger dresser, put it on this one, and it looks darn good.

And yes Erik: someone really CAN be that happy! (note the picture on the dresser)


So I've pretty much got the orange bedroom I wanted, including a penguin to keep me company. Life is good.

Shopping, coffee, and progress.

Jennifer and I went to the big old fabric store we LOVE to go to in Portland. Lots of amazing things, not just fabric. We both bought fabric, myself buying wool felt to practice making 'softies' with, looking at using the patterns in the book Cari bought me. I'm so excited!

Okay, so another reason we like to go is the little coffee place in the parking lot. They make some of the best coffee drinks there and Jennifer and I have no idea why, but a trip to the fabric store is not complete without a latte afterwards. It's small and it's purple and it's good.

Lattes and fabric make us happy.

So once back home I started putting some items back in the room. Above is a head vase that Cari gave me years ago and I'm so glad she finally has her place of honor in an orange room. She's perfect, just perfect.

And I went and bought a bedspread, greenish blue base color with orange highlights. It looks good. Real good. Mark likes it kind of good. And that's a good enough for me good!

Mark put together the night stands we bought at Ikea. Way cute.


And after all his painting, and assembling bedside tables, and cleaning up, he is enjoying watching the Sci Fi Channel. He deserves it. Good job Mark.

Peanut Butter and Coffee mornings.

Deacon, Lire, and I have a morning routine. First thing (and I do mean first thing) after I wake up EVERY morning, Deacon waits for me to say those magic words: "Go get your toy!". His eyes light up and he races off to go and find his Kong (not sure how it's spelled....but you get my drift). He drops it at my feet and I go forth and put a bit of peanut butter into the Kong. He races off again, this time to go and fully enjoy his morning treat. Life at this time is good for a dog.

I then go and make a pot of coffee. My favorite mugs are some Christmas ones from Starbucks, and of course there are penguins on them. Mary Jo and Mom V got themselves one of these for a Christmas gift, I fell in love with theirs, and on the way home from Washington Cari and I stopped at a Starbucks so I could grab myself a few. Two red ones and two light blue ones. And I don't care if they're for Christmas: they're being used year round. End of story. They make me happy, and I don't want to just be happy at Christmas. Hey, it's Christmas all year long at the Vander Yachts! At least when it comes to morning coffee.

Lire's morning routine? She waits for the coffee to be done and for me to sit down and enjoy my morning coffee in my favorite penguin mug. For when I sit down I create a lap just perfect for a small cat to cuddle up in and get some morning loving. In this picture she's at my feet, just waiting for me to sit down. She follows me while I go through this whole routine and if I don't sit down soon enough she runs out of patience and beings making noises, letting me know I've gone over the time limit. Her time limit, not mine. Cracks me up.

We make progress.

We began painting again tonight. I taped up the trim, did a bit of edge work, and then Mark began working away.

And the fun is, we're just touching the tip of the iceberg. We're looking at painting the living room, family room, and Doug's room (Steven doesn't think his room needs painting, thank goodness!).

The walls are taped up, and ready to go.

Work awaits.

Doug, Lire, and Happy Feet!

One of the things I love the best is the artwork the kids did when they were younger. Cari has left so many amazing pictures, showing how creative she has always been. I have several war scenes that Steven would draw, with elaborate battles going on, and as for Doug: most of the stuff I have from his is stuff he was made to do in school. But I have to say most of his stuff is just plain fun! I have some monkeys hanging around in a yellow sky, and the picture above. I really don't remember what it was drawn for, but it cracks me up and so it's framed and hanging in his room.

Here are Doug and Lire, hanging around in Doug's room, perhaps admiring the fine artwork hanging on the walls. Or perhaps watching TV and taking a nap. Perhaps that is it.

And today, while out buying Doug some jeans and new shoes, I found some WONDERFUL penguin Converse shoes!!! Oh my gosh, I AM SO IN LOVE!!! The penguins are too darn cute, and the little fish are a great highlight.

As Steve Martin would say, I have "Happy Feet"!!!

Orange walls and nocturnal folks.

Mark and I got busy yesterday and began work on our bedroom. It needs a complete redo. We painted one wall bright orange and I LOVE it!! Came out just like I wanted it to.

The other walls will be ivory, with lots of orange and blue stuff in the room. And a new bed. New dressers. Stuff like that there. I'll keep you posted.

Ah, there are signs that Steven may be home. We never see him anymore (he has become nocturnal), but we find his "droppings" everywhere........

Another mellow Saturday at the Vander Yachts....

Today was Mark and Doug's last basketball game for Rec league. They won the first game (great game!) and then since the next two teams didn't show up the teams played again. Lots of playing time, and the other team won the second game. Then we went out for pizza at Pizza Caboose and a good time was had by all. When we got home Doug settled down on the couch to watch some TV and Mark just couldn't leave well enough alone....

And then, to make matter worse, he decided to give Doug a little kiss. Doug did not appreciate that. Therefore the face.

Ah, Mark loves bonding with the kids. And Doug likes kicking his dad's butt.

More bonding. More love. More Mark getting his butt kicked.

As the carnage goes on Brianna waits so she and Doug can watch Saw 4. Now doesn't that sound like a fun way to bond as a family? I don't think so.