document life now

the story of Friday night

Friday nights are family nights at our house. They usually involve either going out to eat or carry out (or big splurge since we eat at home during the week). Coming home to either catch up on DVR stuff or renting a new movie. Relaxing.

This past Friday was a bit different.

First, I had to be back at school around six pm. Second, it was the NFL draft. These two things are not compatible.

Then I wanted Mexican. Dan did not. The kids really didn't care. 

So I took the girls. 

That's a taco dinner. They take the meat, put it in a flour tortila, close it, and then throw the whole thing in the deep fryer. Seriously delicious. Ches & I did the tacos. Kiah had a guacamole tostada. If you're wondering what that is, substitute guac for the normal refried beans and you've got it.

Then it was over to school. I went to our gym for a bit and the girls wanted to go to my classroom. I let them have my purse, and when I got my phone back, this picture was on it.

Girl was in some serious heaven. A trampoline to bounce. A microphone to sing. She asked if I could get a tramp for home for her birthday gift. The ADHD runs strong in this one. It's not a bad idea.

On the way home, Mykiah and I were talking about looking professional and it made me realize that I couldn't hold off on a haircut any longer. It had been 7 weeks and it was looking rough. The bad thing about a super short hair cut is that it needs to be cut frequently... and I'm really bad about stopping what I'm doing long enough to get a haircut. In addition, I have this big trip coming up and I need to think about timing with the next trim so I don't end up with crazy hair while we're gone. Or needing a trim at Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street USA. 

We swung into Walmart -- because although I recognize the need to regular trims, I'm fine with going to the walk-in places -- and I was lucky enough to get the girl who cut my hair last time. She does an excellent job. While she was cutting my hair, the girl were out walking around the store, and I was talking to her about my problems with Chesney's hair.

Chesney's hair: Thick. Has some wave to it (would probably be curly if it wasn't so thick). Did I mention thick? She needs it long so that if she chooses to play basketball next year, we can put it in a ponytail and get it out of her face. However, it's so thick and long that right now I just want to hack it off. Chesney doesn't take great care of herself yet and I'm the one who ends up nagging her to let me put it up every day. 

The girl cutting my hair talks me into letting her trim it and take out some of the thickness. Ches freaks a bit because she's scared we won't be able to get it to stay in a ponytail if it's cut, but she's eventually convinced. It took almost an hour, and that's a long time for my movement needing girl.

So much better. For her to wash and care for. For me to put up in a ponytail. So glad I let myself be talked into it and that Ches let her do it.

Brady

My mom had nothing to write about so I'm writing for her. This will probably be short because I don't have a lot to write.

Lately, Kansas weather has been very unusual. We've had 6 snow days in the last 54 days. Following the latest, the next day temperature was 70 degrees. Now it's in the 30's again.

Hayden learned to climb dog steps. He's only done it once so far, and even then I don't know if forcefully dragging him up counts as climbing.

Mykiah read me some forensics speech all the way home from school. Her teacher edited it for her because she is one of her favorite students.

I think we're having sloppy joes for dinner. Of course, by the time you read this it will have been yesterday.

Well, that's pretty much it. I know that you will be extremely entertained by this fulfilling content.

a new spin on Life 365

I started doing Life 365 back in February, and I think I've only missed 1 day in all that time, and it was just after we got back from California and I was overwhelmed. I've also mostly kept up with doing my weekly review layout on Saturdays, again only missing them when we were on vacation this summer.

About a month ago, I was reading a message board and found a really fun twist on Project 365.

I'm starting a new book of layouts that I will have printed a year from now, on my 40th birthday. That means all the photos I've taken up to this point (and all the layouts I've done using them) will just be considered practice, but I'm really excited about this idea. A photo a day for each day of my 39th year. I've decided that the photos in this book will be more about the stuff that makes my life *mine.* I may have photos of family and friends here and there, but the journaling is going to be about what makes them special to me this year. A year from now, I want a book that I can someday hand to my grandchildren, and by reading it and looking at the pictures, they'll get to know the person I was.

Dan's grandmother died unexpectedly a few weeks ago, and what a treasure something like this would have been. It's made me think about the legacy I want to leave, and I hope this book will be a step in that direction.

Here's the first layout in the book. Just 3 days of photos so I can get back in my Saturday to Saturday routine (which works really well because I do 90% of my layout creation on the weekends).