Thursday’s Quote

I’ve always been a lover of words, quotes, language. I would love to be one of those people who could quote all the books they’ve read and know 3 or 4 languages, but alas I’m not one of those. I will say I have the extraordinary gift of paraphrasing I might not ever be able to quote my favorite authors, but I’ll be able to give you the gist of it. I stumbled across a perfect quote for a blogger today:

“We write to taste life twice, once in the moment and once in retrospection.”

                                                                                   -Anias Nin

I love that she used the word taste, it’s perfect, when we read someones work we get a little taste of their lives, emotions, physical presence. I hope that a decade from now I’ll be able to come back and read what I’ve written here and “taste” my 20’s, the early moments of my marriage, the struggles of building and sustaining a family, and the sweetness of my energetic monkeys.

Grey’s Party

We had a little part for Grey yesterday with his new classmates. The crowd was hard to warm up since they had just finished rest time. His new class looks cute (I don’t know any of their names yet), and how cute is Mrs. Treva.

Mrs. Trevas 4s

Robot Cupcakes

 Jineane came over while I was making the cupcakes and Vlad crawled up in her lap, he thinks he’s a yorkie.

Puppy Love

SOOO EXCITED

I just got this picture in an email from my sister in law who’s just about to have her third baby and she looks so cute that I just had to share. I cannot wait to meet this little guy/girl and learn his/her name.

Eli, Jen, & Benjamin

10 things on Tues.

Here are 10 things on the docket for the next couple of weeks.

1. Get new phone, I lost mine in Philly.
2. Start yoga classes Aug.26 (every tues)
3. Bake cupcakes for competition on Aug. 30
4. Bake cake for neighbors birthday Sept. 1
5. Bluegrass Ladies Club dinner Sept 3
6. Go to Micah’s bike race (tour de London) Sept. 6
7. Boys birthday party Sept. 7
8. Hopefully head to MD for the birth of new niece/nephew
9. Go to Ashley & Richards wedding (new neighbors) Sept. 13
10. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something…insert here.

Too much to tell

We’ve done so much since I blogged last that you would probably get bored and stop reading if I put it all in one post so here’s the weekend update. We got home Friday from Micah’s ACS conference in Philly, we got up early Sat morning so Micah could do the Lame Duck Tri in Georgetown. He did Awesome! His overall time was 1:11:05 to do the .53mile lake swim, 9.1mile bike, 2.6mile run. He only took 10 min longer than the overall winner. He placed 3rd in his age group and I couldn’t be prouder!!!

my precious hubby

this years team shirt

proud family

Collin, Kasey, Cooper

Brock, Collin, Micah

The Martek tri-team. (and some really great guys)

I thought I’d throw in some treasures I’ve recently acquired. Thanks to my Grandma I’m one of those people who LOVES a bargain. I bought the following items for great prices. The rug which is 2.5′x5′ was $5, the black dress was $7, the white dress was $20 (80% off), and the hat was $3. SO FUN!!!

jute rug for boys room

Pucci-esq dress

Gorgeous white linen dress

I fell in love with this dress when I saw it but I decided I HAD to buy it when I was in the dressing room and Grey said “Mommy, you look so beautiful, like a ballerina.” One of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten.

cute bucket hat

heading out east

The Needham clan is heading to Pennsylvania tomorrow for a week of family fun and work (we’re hitchiking on one of Mr.’s business trips). Grey will be turning 4 while we’re gone so we’re hoping to find something really fun for us to celebrate with. So I don’t have the time or energy to say much tonight but I will give you a snippet of my evening.  I put the boys to bed tonight and went to shower, when I got out I heard this:

Gentry: ub oo bubba, ub oo bubba, BUBBA! i ub oo

Grey: I love you too Gentry.

Grey: Gentry, will you keep me safe? (currently having issues with imaginary wolf in his room)

Gentry: ya, bubba

I really must have the sweetest sons in the world!

brotherly love

no rest for the weary

I’d planned on blogging all kinds of things today, but we’ve got a showing at 5 so I’m furiously cleaning. So far I’ve mowed the lawn, clean the bathrooms, and our bedroom. I’ve still got to clean kitchen (ugh!), kids room, guest room, mop all of the above. Don’t you wish you were me???

Bluegrass Ladies Club

The idea started when Emily wrote a post on not having as many close women friends in her life as she would like, and Lord knows that I’ve felt that way myself. So 6 of us ladies decided to make an effort to get together and have dinner. And being the crazy lady that I am I couldn’t just leave it at dinner so I wrote a little newsletter and proposed the Bluegrass Ladies Club. I started feeling a little timid about the idea so I decided to wait until the end of dinner and feel out the crowd out before bringing it up. Well the idea was met with giggles and cheers.

So I bring to you the Bluegrass Ladies Club

lovely ladies

Membership: Open to anyone, anywhere, no dues (but you kinda gotta be a girl)

Objective: To give support and encouragment to one another, to eat and laugh, to try and do a volunteer or charity project occasionally.

Emily's first sushi

 

Me and Jineane

 

beautiful Mary

Jen and Maria

Though Jineane and I have been friends for years I’ve wanted to know Mary better since we met in exile while breastfeeding in the lobby at church. I first met Emily, Jen, and Maria at Patch’s Halloween party dressed as Betty, Wilma, and Jane Fonda (how could you not want to know them better). After blogstalking each other for far too long we have chosen to become great friends, because friendship doesn’t just happen it is a relationship like any other…it takes effort.

Brewed Chocolate???

I stumbled across this on a Cupcake Projects blog and am totally intrigued with the idea of brewed chocolate. They brew it in a way similar to coffee and it takes a full pound of beans to make a 6oz. jar. (the equivalant of whats in 2lbs of dark chocolate.) Then they sweeten it with organic raw can sugar and reduce it to a syrup.

 And contrary to some popular belief, cocoa beans contain only small amounts of caffeine. Instead, they are very high in theobromine, a cousin of caffiene with significantly different effects. Theobromine is a gentler, longer-lasting stimulant that lacks the “jittery” quality of caffeine and which also promotes general mood enhancment and a sense of calm.

The flavor is supposed to be light, delicate, and remarkably complex. I can think of a ton of ways to use it…icing, mole, cocktails, teatime with the kids. It sounds wonderful…I just wonder if it’s worth $14.95?

Love

Grey has definitely always been a heart breaker, but this morning my heart burst!

Grey: Mommy will you sit closer to me I want to feel you.

Me: Sure baby

Grey: Mom, I love your heart.

Me: Oh, I love you too honey.

Grey: Mom, you’re sweet to me. You’re precious to me.

Me: {speechless}

Jumping for Joy