...+159...

I only had two kids at work on Wednesday so I decided to walk them down to the park in the afternoon to play for a while and watch Connor's second playoff game.

I love the path down to the Rec Center.  It's on a super busy street, but they builders put in a wide sidewalk and a bunch of shrubbery to encourage walkers

Connor caught for most of the game.  He's really strong behind the plate and like a vacuum cleaner...he just sucks up everything thrown that way.

He's gotten much better at his throw outs to second base as well.

This was an InstaGram picture from yesterday...green grass, blue sky, absolutely GoRGeouS day...perfect for baseball! 

I was hoping the boys would lose so that we could get the 9am game on Saturday...but the boys had other plans...our Cardinals won 17-6.

So now we have a 3:00 game on a day scheduled to be 90 degrees and Sanford has to be at prom at 6:00...I'm thinking that a nice dinner before the dance isn't going to happen and I'm going to be picking up fast food and driving it down to him...sigh...I was really looking forward to the Prado....

...+158...

Tuesday I started planning the dessert bar for Kaylin's graduation party.

I laid out all of the dishes

checked that they would fit on mom's counter and then planned the desserts accordingly.

There will be cupcakes, a 6" layer cake, whoopie pies, royal icing decorated cookies, and the ever popular LiL DeBBie SwiSS RoLL diplomas :) ...CLaSSY...

...+157...

We may not have celebrated in a traditional way on Memorial Day, but we still had a good time :)

Well...maybe not at first...the day started with getting Connor's big English essay written, edited, and printed up...but after that was done...we were off for a day of fun....CarvaJaL style...

BoWLiNG and MexICaN FooD

We live LaRGE over here!!

BwaHaHahAaaaa!!!!

...+156...

Sunday we went down to visit Banana with Jessica.

It was a nice visit, but after the late night of camping and staying up to talk to Jess when we got home, I was running on about 3 hours of sleep :/

I tried to nap but was unsuccessful so I spent the afternoon flaking out in front of a screen...

looking at dream kitchens

...LoVE the dark cabinets and light countertops here!!

...and playing my current video game of choice

CaNDY CRuSH SaGA

I know it's a good game...cuz I've got Sanford hooked too! :)

...+155...

The Hodges invited us up to Vail Lake in Temecula for the day on Saturday.

They were camping for the weekend with several Shoal Creek families.

Sunday was Laura's birthday and her hubby Tom asked if I could bring up a special dessert for her...I brought her FaV...chocolate chocolate chip cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.

We had a great day...swimming, riding bikes, driving the razor and the Wilson's cool buggy, grilling in the woods, singing happy birthday, and roasting marshmallows and making s'mores over a camp fire.  It was AwESoME!!  I'm so glad that we were invited and that there was no baseball to get in the way :)

...+154...

Friday, the boys went to baseball practice and I met my sister and her friends at Kaylin's choir performance.

Since she's a senior, this is her last show at Mt Carmel.  They sang and danced to a bunch of Broadway show tunes.

The choir and band obviously spent a LOT of time and effort preparing for the concert.  They did a great job!

...+153...

Thursday, Connor had his first playoff game.  I got to go to the first 30 minutes of it, but then had to leave to attend First Aid class.

The Cardinals won and  are guaranteed 2 more games :)

I picked up Laura who is taking the CPR and First Aid classes with me and we headed off to Pomerado Hospital.

Everything was going along smoothly until the crazy lady next to us shushed us ...she'd already talked about how she uses paper bags to stop bleeding and told a story about how when her mother broke her femur she forced the poor woman to stand up and walk...so I guess she REALLY needed the class and to hear the info repeated MuLtiPLE times...but being shushed in a class full of adults was a little ridiculous...especially when we were whispering about first aid related things...

When we left the class, I just bust out laughing as soon as we hit the door!  We got into the elevator with two other ladies who were also convinced that out "shusher" was a nut ball!  At least she made the evening memorable!! :)

...+152...

Wednesday night was the Great Gatsby party at Laura's house.  

We were all meeting for drinks, appetizers and cupcakes and then going to see the movie.

I made Lemon cupcakes with Limoncello Lemon Curd filling and Lemon whipped cream cream cheese frosting dusted with crushed lemon drop candy.  

I spent the morning beating the tar out of the lemon drops with a hammer :)

The cupcakes turned out yummy...another make again :)

I remembered the book being depressing...but I'd forgotten what a CoMPLeTE downer it is...drunks, fornicators, liars, phonies, and dead bodies...not exactly warm and fuzzy.  It did lead to good discussion later though...not all movies have to be fun and happy...that's just the kind we usually go to.  It was a beautiful movie and Leo certainly isn't hard on the eyes...plus it was a lot of fun to see a movie with a big group of women...a completely different experience from seeing one with the family...a lot rowdier... and no one gave me a hard time for needing a bathroom break! :)

...+151...

When I walked the boys out to the car on Tuesday morning...we saw this as we loaded Sanford's trunk...

...not pretty...and really NOT how I want to spend $500...sigh...



I had to renew both my CPR and First Aid cards this week...which is horrible timing since Connor has a band concert AND playoff game that correspond with the two days I'm stuck in the classroom :(

It was nice that there were plenty of dummies and everyone got their own...class went by pretty quickly...

Sanford had arranged for the Orchestra performance (that I was missing while blowing air into the  plastic bag lungs of Fred my CPR dummy) to be in the GorGEouS Mt. Carmel Theater.

He was also sweet enough to video it for me and had it all set up when I got home from class.  I just had to come upstairs and hit the space bar and the concert played for me.  It wasn't as good as being there, but a whole lot better that what I expected.  That hubby of mine sure is a keeper :)

...+150...

On Monday, I made Limoncello Lemon Curd for the filling of the cupcakes I was planning for the Great Gatsby party at Laura's house on Wednesday.

Sanford picked up Connor from school early for an appointment with Dr. Koumaris.

Afterwards, they went bowling again for Sanford to get in a little more practice for the BiG BoWLinG ConTeST at the end of the month :)

...+149...

Sometimes the boy just SLaYS me!!!!!

What BoY you ask....

...why that perfectly camouflaged one of course! :)   BwaHaHHaAhaHa!!!!!

...+148...

Saturday after baseball, we went over to the Troop fund raiser.

 One of Sanford's ASB students was nice enough to make some signs for the Troop! :)

The boy's pre-sold tickets.  Part of the money went into their scout account and the rest of the money is to sponsor a family in need this Christmas.

Some of the boys were washing and a few were standing on the corner being live advertisers :)

They all did a great job and had a lot of fun.  The car wash raised over $400 towards helping the family this holiday season!

After the car wash, we dropped Connor off over at Grammie and Grandad's house and headed out to my current FaV place for dinner...

...Hacienda de Vega...the VeGGie RoLLeD tacos are soooo YuMMY!!!

After that we went to check out a couple of potential prom venues...the flower fields in Carlsbad and the Marine base.

At Westview's prom, we were wandering through right as the green screen photo booth guy needed someone to pose and make sure everything was working...Sanford pulled us right up and volunteered :)

...nothing like CraSHinG someone else's prom and making off with a souvenir :)  how CaRVaJaL!!!

...+147...

Friday night we had absolutely nothing going on...it was GReaT!!!

The boys were playing video games and watching TV and I was reading.  I finished my book and started playing with a goofy new app on my phone.

After I made Sanford and me...I asked Sanford to make us both too...of course, he looked at me like I was an idiot and I had to offer to rub his feet while he did it...

The pics on the left were made by Sanford and the ones on the right are the ones I did.

It cracks me up that we chose the same hair style but not color :)

I tried to do a Connor too, but it was hard...maybe because he still has a boy face and not a man face...this was the closest I could get.

We got at least 90 minutes worth of enjoyment out of my free App...I guess we're just easy to amuse! :)

...+146...

Thursday night was book club at Tracey's house.

The book was light summer reading :)

I made cupcakes...pumpkin with homemade dulce de leche filling and whipped cream cinnamon marscapone frosting...in the book there isn't a lot of food mentioned, but they repeated say "I'm carving pumpkins" which is why I went with those...the frosting was AmAZinG!!! Not too sweet and super creamy...I'll definitely be making it again!!

...+145...

Connor had baseball practice on Wednesday.

Ever since I rearranged the patio furniture and the weather has gotten a little warmer, this is where we can all be found several nights a week.

Connor plays on his phone or watches a movie, Sanford brings out the computer, and I have usually have a book...it's AwESoME...I hope we get to spend every night out here this summer!

...+144...

 Tuesday night was Scouts...we've been so busy with baseball that this is the first meeting Connor has been to in weeks!

...and this is what we'll be doing on Saturday after the baseball game..

...anyone have a dirty car they'd like to be washed by a group of SQuiReLs?!?!?!

...+143...

So Monday, May 13 started out completely normally....there were no hints or foreshadowing about what was going to happen that afternoon :)

I knew Sanford was up to something...some kind of planning and scheming...I knew my neighbor Lucy was in on it...but I didn't know what it was or the time frame...ok...to be honest...I ReaLLy thought it was going to happen on Mother's Day and was QuiTE disappointed when it didn't....

Sanford needed to pick up the kids from school on Monday afternoon...which is out of the norm...so when he showed up at the door at 2:30...I asked him if he forgot...he claimed he had but since he didn't need to get them until closer to 4:00...he came in any way to relax and get a drink.

A few minutes later...the doorbell rang and he jumped up to get it...that in itself is UnUSuaL!  Then when he only opened the door a tiny bit, snuck out, and shut the door behind him...it added to the weirdness...but the topper was that I saw that there was a total stranger outside holding a bunch of BiRTHDaY balloons...I couldn't figure out WHAT was going on since it wasn't remotely near anyone in our house's birthday.


Sanford led the man in and the stranger handed me the balloons and a card.

Inside the card said...

...BwaHaHahAhAHaaaaa...Sanford made me read it out loud...he is one SiCK twist! :)

The guy is a contractor...the same one my friend Chris has been working with and he was there for my HaLF-BiRTHDaY to change my kitchen and give me whatever I wanted to make it.

There were balloons, cards, presents, and even my FaV cake from the Swedish bakery.

I was VeRY surprised...and Sanford was VERY smug and pleased with himself! :)

Ty will be over soon with pictures and samples...I can't WaIT!!! GooD BYe GRouT!!!!!

...+142...

On Mother's Day morning, Connor was still at Grammie's house so I got to sleep in :)

My mom and sister picked me up and we headed over to get my aunt and then to brunch and shopping in Solana Beach.

The weather was gorgeous and the area is adorable.

There are funny art installations all up and down the street.

We ate at the Wild Note Cafe...which is attached to the Belly Up.

While my food left something to be desired...everyone else thoroughly enjoyed theirs...and the music playing was so good that I didn't mind that my brunch was a little squirrely :)

We had a nice time wandering the shops and the farmer's market.  It's definitely something I'd like to do again since we didn't get to go in all the cute little stores that I was interested in.

When we got home I ran over to Jo-Ellen's house to finish helping her stage her home to go on the market and then I met the boys at Island's for dinner....so I didn't have to prep , cook, or clean up after a single meal all day. Woo-Hoo! :)

...+141...

Connor had a game at 11:30 on Saturday and we had snack duty...so I made cute tags and filled AdoRBs red gingham print take out boxes and lugged everything down to the field only to discover that the Hopp's were there  selling Coldstone Ice Cream...since it was 96 degrees...it was pretty much a NO BraiNeR!  I lugged the boxes back to the car and bought the boys frozen snack! :)

After the game, the plan was to meet the family at the Poway train park and let the boys ride the train and go to the Hamburger factory for dinner.

Unfortunately, the train wasn't running...so we drove over to Fillipi's and had Italian for dinner.

My sister and her family are moving back to the States from Germany and were in town for Mother's Day weekend.  So all the cousins got to visit.

There's quite an age range here from 17 year old Kaylin down to 1 1/2 year old Maggie.

Sanford and I needed to go look at prom venues so Connor ended up camping out in Grammie's living room and spending the night there.  He generally does pretty well with younger kids and when I went to pick him up the next day, he was happily building a new Lego contraption bought for him by Uncle Jose and had no real interest in leaving :)  It was nice that he got to spend some time with his cousin.

...+140...

I told the boys that I would just take care of my own Mother's Day presents this year and all they had to take care of was getting cards (and flowers)

I ordered my mom and myself the CuTeST Kate Spade bracelets!

Here's what the tissue looked like when I opened the box...ADorBS!!!

And here is the box they come in...sigh...someone ReaLLy knows their stuff!!

...and here's the bracelet...

Inside it says...MOM ALWAYS SAID...

Outside it says...follow your heart, play fair, have another slice,chin up, take my advice, be nice

I think it is just the SWeeTeST thing!

...+139...

Thursday breakfast...just because....

:)

...+138...

Wednesday, Sanford had some kind of CRaZY WiLD hair.

He came home from work, changed his clothes and went out front to work on the "science project"...the area he dug out and was supposed to finish so I could plant...the area I refused to help with and decided was an experiment where I could see just how long it would take him to finish something without help or nagging.

There were definitely moments where I almost caved and just finished it myself...but I'm glad I didn't! :)

He did a great job...even if it did almost kill him and he complained about being sore for the next 4 days....

...+137...

It's Teacher Appreciation week.

This year I made a list of what I was making for Connor's teachers and sent it to a few ladies who always are interested in buying goodies from me...I made enough money to almost pay for Connor's gifts :)

Here's one of the orders...

The jars that say "Teacher Treats" on them are filled with smarties and dum-dums.  The tag on the bottom says "thank you for helping me to be a "smartie" not a "dum-dum"...I do LoVE the puns for Teachers!! :)

Most of the things I made were straight download copies...it made life sooooo much easier!  I'll gladly part with photo paper and printer ink to save myself HouRS of time!!!

Here's an ADoRaBLe eighteen25 download I made and Connor took 5 of these to school

I can't remember where I found the pencil printable...but it worked GReaT on the day we sent in paper and pencils!

This mint and dark chocolate candy bar was probably my favorite...I LoVE how they turned out...of course they were the most crafty and labor intensive...but once I had the prototype done, they were super quick and easy.

I was very happy that Connor still wanted to take things in to his teachers this year.  I'm afraid it will be the last year he's willing to do it...but I don't think teachers get nearly enough praise, credit, and perks for all they do...and most of his teachers this year have been AMAZING.  They are quick responders and very interested in what is best for Connor.  It was a pleasure to make treats for them!