Our room, Jake's room, and the living room...

I had the day off on Monday and I was doing my usual tornado clean up after the weekend. Is it like that at your house over the weekend? The house can start off looking great on Friday but when Monday rolls around and everyone is back to school and/or work you look around and wonder when the tornado actually hit. Before me is always a disaster. It's not like there is dirt and grime...just 4 pairs of socks around the living room...or a couple (hundred) of Jake's action figures randomly placed in every room in the whole house...or dishes all rinsed (hopefully...) and ready to go in the dishwasher that just needs to be emptied to fill it up again! Yep that is my usual Monday. This week was worse because I worked Thursday-Sunday..Need I say more? Let's just say we didn't go into the weekend looking great... Any way back to the original reason for this post. My mom and dad's house is full of charm and character and our stuff looks good in it! I took a few pictures just to remind myself of how nice it is when it is all tidy and picked up...even if it only lasts for 1/2 day...Until Aaron gets home from school and changes and leaves his clothes on the floor next to his side of the bed...until Jake goes into his room to read and decides to pull out his old Halloween costumes in his dress up bin and comes out dressed up like Obi Won Kenobi (who rocks by the way)...Or I decide to cut out coupons and half way through the project realize it is time to make dinner...Or I blog instead of picking up...(Yes I admit it I am a large part of the problem.)This is one of those brief moments that you just stand and look at how pretty it is, if only but for a moment.
Our quilt doesn't really match the wall color but I don't care. I like it there.

Jake's science project is in the window because he isn't ready to get rid of it and I was sick of vacuuming around it.

From the other side. Notice the awesome "robot box" we made in one of the bins.

Our living room...

Saku if you are standing behind your mother while she is at the computer look away...

Bi-Lo is a great place to find bargain books. I found this awesome book for one of my awesome nephews Saku. He is 6...wow is he really 6 already? Where the heck does the time go?! Anyway...I am getting an early start on Christmas (I used to shop a little all year and I am starting that again! We are on a tight budget people!) and I found a very cool book at Bi-Lo (in a random box of books...I am going to go digging in it again and see if I can find more gifts) that was only...are you ready for this? It was 75% OFF THE STICKER PRICE $3.99!!! (all the books in the box are 75% off the already LOW price!) It is this cool book about dinosaurs and asks questions like-did dinosaurs blush? It is really a fun book and I know he will love it. And I love a deal!

Trying to repay an AWESOME compliment, but it backfired...

So, I come home on Sunday after working all day (for the 4th day straight and yep I have to work on Sunday every now and then, it's kind of a bummer.), and the house was a mess. Aaron did unload the dishwasher just like I asked him to though. That was about the only clean surface in the house...Aaron was really craving some cookies and he reminded me how mine are the best ever (yeah right, he just didn't want to make them) and maybe I could make some...Not what I felt like doing at all. But then I thought back to a compliment-the best one ever, in my whole life-that he gave me a few weeks ago. Let me take you back to that moment. I had to work one evening and got home later than usual. That is when Aaron told me he was going to figure something out because he didn't want me to have to work. Here is the best compliment ever, in the history of the world...are you ready? He said he wanted me to stay at home because, and I quote: "it is just better when you are here." Simple words that seriously spoke to my soul as a mother and homemaker. Even though I sometimes leave the clean clothes folded in the basket rather than putting them in the dresser, it is better when I am here. Even though I am notorious for waiting until 5:29 to figure out what is for dinner at 5:30, it is better when I am here. Wow. You mean what I do is important? I always thought is was...well hoped it was...really I just hoped someone would notice I scrubbed the toilet! And guess what they do. They notice. And they miss it....Any way since he said that and when I have the energy I try to be the wife and mother and homemaker I always wanted to be. So, after Jake went to sleep I started making cookies. The kitchen was already a mess and I made more of a mess. See, I even took a picture..after the bad part of the story took place. (For documentations purposes...to show the effort was there...)

I felt so good. I was making it better because I was home! They came out looking a little different than they usually do, but no problem cookies never really look the same. Then Aaron excitedly ate one. And he made a face...Not a good face either. He said they didn't taste right...they tasted..floury. I looked at the bag of flour I found at the back of the top cabinet, because the container it is usually kept in is empty...The flour expired in in September of 2008...I will try to "make it better when I am here" again once the house is back in order and I have the energy...for now I am going with-it's the thought that counts!

Aaron living the dream..well sort of...

Living the dream would probably be more like playing in the game he got to go to, but that is a whole other story! We have a wonderful friend who just got a job at Time Warner Cable-way to go Elizabeth! In case you don't know the Charlotte Bobcats (if you are really not a sports fan you may not know that is the name of Charlotte's professional basketball team..you know in the NBA) play in the Time Warner Arena...Are you seeing where I am going with this? I am talking CHEAP tickets to the first ever playoff game in Charlotte-for the Bobcats...The Hornets were in the playoffs too when they were still in Charlotte (sigh..I miss them). By the way I went to the very first NBA playoff game in Charlotte EVER. It was when the Hornets played the Celtics and kicked there butts and it was a LONG time ago. Anyway, Aaron and Norb were able to get CHEAP tickets to the game and they were like little kids in a candy store! Unfortunately the Bobcats lost in the end, but only by a little. Aaron was a very happy camper just to be able to go! He got a free t-shirt, prowl towel and a lanyard.

On another note Jake came home from school the other day and said his friend Jayden asked him if Aaron played in the NBA. I guess Jake was telling him how he plays basketball (2 or 3 times a week...plus Aaron has been to school functions and is usually one of the taller people at 6'2") and he just assumed he was a professional. Aaron seemed to like that a lot...That would really be living the dream. But going to the game works too!

Young Author's Day

This past Wednesday (I am almost completely caught up from being MIA for so long! YIPPPEE!) was Young Authors Day for the 3rd graders at Jake's school. Aaron wasn't able to go because of classes (he is almost done with this semester!), but I was able to go because that is one of the days I always have off. The whole 3rd grade has been working for a couple of months on books about their life. As parents we had homework (which Jake thought was awesome) to send in baby pictures and right down details of them as babies. They did the rest by writing in all and putting the book together. Jake is more of a math and science guy so writing a whole book was I am sure like pulling teeth for his teacher! But he did a great job and we are so proud of how hard he works even at the things that don't always come easy. We will cherish this book forever!

The chapter about himself as a baby. He picked one of my favorite newborn pictures of him. It is actually the one we sent out in his baby announcements.

The back cover shows him doing his two future professions: the right side is him as a spy and the left side his him as a dog tag maker. This came from the chapter were he described his future: "I will get married (which he said he would do in college-true Mormon style!) to a blonde hair girl with sky blue eyes and her name will be Abby. We'll have 13 kids named (ready for this?) Sara, Jacob Jr., George, Bob, Bill Bob (really?), Winter, Saratoga (okay...), Charlotte, Anikan (too much Star Wars..), Emily, Faith, Annie, and Jack (the last 2 are from Magic Tree House books.) That's my Jake! :)

Jake's class making funny faces with their books.

Me and Jake enjoying the refreshments.

In the classroom...

Jake and his book.

Jake with his buddies Jayden and Corey.

More Spring Break...(almost caught up)

Over Spring Break Jake had a couple of friends over. One spent the night and one for the day. I am really not ready for Jake to spend the night at other peoples house (and may not ever be...excluding family of course!) but I don't mind if they come to our house...I know that is a double standard, but sorry! The friend (from church) that spent the night was Griffin. He is a little younger then Jake and has been dying to get together with him for a while. They play together really well but were both tired (it was the last weekend of Spring break) and went to bed pretty early. It wasn't as awesome as Jake thought it would be (they didn't really get to play a lot because by the time Griffin was able to get there that evening they were already wiped out. They pretty much hung out and played the Wii. Jake was hoping to play with action figures since he can play the Wii all the time by himself, but there aren't always friends to play with...okay I am rambling) but they had fun. Corey is Jake's best friend from school (and I totally forgot to take any pictures of either of these events..). They spent the day playing the Wii, being boys (laughing, saying weird things, making weird noises, and running around crazily playing who knows what!), and playing at one of our favorite playgrounds. One friend Jake was supposed to get together with over Spring Break, but wasn't able to (I got called in early to work), came and spent the night the weekend after Spring break. That is another one of his buddies from church named Kevin. They had a blast doing all the things boys do. And this time I remembered to take pictures! Jake and Kevin rode scooters to a park near our house and had a picnic. They had a blast. Kevin even asked me to make sure when Jake's grandparents get back from their mission and we move to make sure we gave his parents our address so that they can still get together to play. Don't worry Kevin we will be here for a while!

Spartanburg

During Spring break we went to Spartanburg for the day to spend time with all the cousins together! All of Aaron's siblings live on the east coast but it is hard to get everyone together at once. This is the first picture of all the Harmon cousins in a a couple of years. Jake loves these girls and so do I! (The little dots on the picture are raindrops.) Don't worry Nana, I haven't forgotten to send it too you!

From left to right: Megan (12), Jake (8 1/2), Kayla (almost 17), Addie Kate (almost 5) Sara 18, Della (9 3/4) and Riannon (12).

A message in a bottle

Nee (you all know who I am talking about by now right?) has seen some cool packages sent to the missionaries of Seattle and decided to send one of those ideas to Jake. He was thrilled over Spring break to receive a message in a bottle! Inside was a letter, some funny cow jokes, and milk dud candies. The milk duds went along with one of the jokes. Q: What do you call a cow who doesn't give milk? A: A milk dud! Jake didn't get it at first, (he had never heard the term "dud" before) but when he did he thought it was a good one. And he now really enjoys a milk dud!

Thinking outside the box..

Over Spring break I had to work a couple of days (Aaron was home with Jake but he was having to do tons of homework) and Jake was ready to play when I got home. One day in particular I was tired but couldn't let Jake down (I don't know how mom's work full time! I feel guilty being gone.), so I thought outside the box. We cut up a box and made Jake some Robot gear. He loves it and still has it with his other toys. Jake said I was awesome and the best mom ever. And the best part was that I could spend time with him, having fun but I also got to SIT (standing on concrete floors all day makes your feet TIRED!) and relax. That my friends is thinking outside the box. And yes that is laundry that I needed to fold on the couch...

Believe it or not this was not an annoyed, really another picture face...This was a tough robot face.

This is his annoyed face...

Cinnamon rolls

I am not a huge baker (I make rolls but that is usually the extent of it!), but every now and then we go for it. Jake decided we should make cinnamon rolls so we did and they rose beyond belief, so they were a little funny looking but delicious!

Notice how Jake's pointer finger is bending up? He is double jointed...I will have to take some creepy pictures of Aaron and Jake's fingers...

WARNING-Tons of pictures of Easter morning

At some people's houses the Easter bunny hides eggs or the whole Easter basket. At our house he hides jelly beans and other small candies. I think the Easter bunny of the South must have learned that the Graves (my maiden name) family was so used to hunting for eggs inside (in New Hampshire there was still snow some years or at the very least inches of yucky mud), that he thought it was okay to carry on the tradition. Jake swears he heard the Easter bunny leave our house at around 5:30 am. I wonder if this is the last year he will think that or if he really still does believe in the Easter bunny...I know I humored my parents a couple of extra years before admitting I knew it was them.


A one pound chocolate bunny. Yep it is already gone...

The Easter bunny must have had extra candy because he even put some in this conviently empty container on our shelf.

Hunting for eggs...






That tricky Easter bunny-hiding them behind a bunny!

Nice picture of Jake chewing candy.

The Easter bunny must have heard Jake is saving for a dog because he got $7 in his eggs!

Easter breakfast and Jake trying to give me his peeps. No one in our house really likes them but is it really an Easter with out them?

Jake in a sugar coma while quietly playing and listening to conference. How lucky was it that Easter was General Conference weekend. What a great way to celebrate the real reason there is an Easter. And as usual it was amazing and uplifting (and best of all I had the whole weekend off and I didn't even ask for it off. I just said a little prayer and hoped for the best!), and just what I needed! We are so blessed...

Almost caught up....Decorating Easter eggs!

I took tons of pictures and couldn't decide which to post...so here are a million pictures of Jake decorating Easter eggs! (Aaron was somewhere...I can't remember where...)

The first dip always takes the most concentration...

The posed egging dipping picture...

The first egg...

Q-tips are for more than just cleaning your ears! Aren't you glad they don't really look like that when you do use them for the intended purpose?!

I dipped too! See my hand for proof!

The beginning of a great idea!

I bet your really glad your Q-tips don't look like this after you clean your ears!!!

Papa with his missionary tag!

And of course his companion...

More dipping...

A beautiful multicolored egg and a cute boy.

A couple more dips...Love the "smallish" hands...They are growing too fast.

Nee and Papa as missionary eggs!

And its a wrap!