Lunch With Friends

Remi set up a birthday lunch with a few friends today. (Nancy, Ginni, Joy, Marcy, me and Remi.) We met at Mezza Grill and shared a few kabob platters, humus, pita bread and salad. The little boys--Ethan, Tommy, Sam and Matthew--had their own table and enjoyed french fries while jumping on the benches. I just have to say that all of these friends are Friends with a capital F. Usually F words are frowned upon, but a friend with a capital F is someone who is loyal, understanding, forgiving and would help you at the last minute even if their own day were a complete disaster. I truly love and value the friendship of each of these ladies! They are devoted mothers, supportive wives, and fabulous Friends. How lucky am I to have each of them in my life!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today I turned 38 years young. It's actually not as bad as it sounds, since a few years ago I thought I was already at 40. Dan had to walk me through the math to convince me that I was aging myself prematurely. So 38 is good. I definitely would not want to go back to 28! Life was so mentally and emotionally taxing with little, little kids. Now the kids are medium kids and everyday life feels more manageable. However, I still agree with the statement: The years are short and the days are long.

So my birthday was a good day! It had the possibility of being a bit depressing: Dan is in Germany; it rained most of the day; only one of my children made me a birthday card. But I decided this morning it was all about attitude and I was not going to be a martyr! While I was getting ready, the doorbell rang and Susan Hicks was at the door with a giant sugar cookie--for the kids and an adorable Birthday gift basket--for me. So sweet! I love surprises! Then I headed off for Tysons Corner Center around 9:30 and shopped all morning. I found cute things at the Loft, Nordstrom, White House Black Market and Laila Row. The biggest bargain of the day were some adorable black ballet flats with a flower on each toe...$8.50 on clearance at Laila Row!

                                        Susan's surprise Birthday basket--almost too cute to open!

                                    Yes--it looks like my shopping day was a success!

I was home later with all of the kids and helping Syd with her piano when the doorbell rang. A delivery man was there with a Birthday balloon and a dozen, gourmet chocolate covered strawberries. Another surprise! This one from Dan the man. Yummy!

                         Who needs birthday cake when they have chocolate covered strawberries?

The best birthday present came from Mikelle and she doesn't even know it. She wrote a talk for her Young Women's New Beginnings program on integrity. Attending the program with her and watching her stand and bear her testimony of integrity and the importance of being true at all times was one of the best gifts I could ask for! I'm reminded of the scripture in the Bible that says, "I have no greater joy than to know my children walk in truth." (3 John 1:4) To see her sharing spiritual insights that she has learned made me pause and think...OK, she's headed in the right direction. She loves the Lord and wants to do what is right...this makes up for many mornings of drama and complaining. Thank you, Mikelle. This birthday present was just what this mom needed!

Mikelle Makes All-District Chorus

Last weekend Mikelle participated in the all-district chorus for Loudoun County schools. She had to audition and was selected to sing in the SSA choir with 90 or so other seventh grade girls. Friday they traveled to Smarts Middle School and rehearsed all day with a guest conductor. Saturday she arrived at Tuscarora High School at 7:45 AM to continue rehearsing. We came to see the concert they presented in the afternoon. Her group sang six songs in all. "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" was our favorite. The "Swallow" was interesting and "Jaberwoky" was very difficult.

I was impressed with the mature, full sound the conductor was able to get out of this group of young girls. The songs were quite difficult and yet they performed them very well. Mikelle sang second Soprano and did a wonderful job!

Love Is In the Air

We started our Valentine's Day celebration early. Dan and I went out with Marcy and Zane Kerby last night to see a Washington Capitals game. Zane had the lounge level seats, so we could help ourselves to an all-you-could-eat buffet and sit in comfy chairs and watch the game. It was fun, but freezing! I wore my coat and mittens the whole time! The Caps, unfortunately, didn't have a stellar night and lost 3-5.

This morning Dan gave me a nice card and a plethora of candy. Since going gluten free, my desserts mainly consist of candy, so he was very thoughtful to restock my supply of peanut butter and peanut M&M's.

I decorated the kids bed with tons of colored hearts and some of their favorite candies. I left a note that said, "This heart-attack is brought to you by Mom! b/cuz i luv u". Dan received colored hearts and a balloon on his bed--with some candy too. His main gift is a labor of love I undertake each year. He loves sugar cookies! So I spent the day making my mom's sugar cookie recipe. I even made the frosting from scratch. Dan is very picky and likes the cookie and the frosting in the same ratio. Thick cookie and thick frosting is apparently the winning combo.

Ethan's preschool class had a little cookie decorating party. Or more accurately, they were supposed to decorate cookies, but most enjoyed eating the frosting with a spoon and the sprinkles with their fingers. The cookie was optional for most of the class. Miss Patty said that next time we should just leave out the cookies and give them a bowl of frosting and let them pour sprinkles on top! I remember being little and just loving the frosting too. Alas, the good ol' days!

By far, my favorite Valentine this year was the one that Sydney made for Dan in Daisy's last week. It is a cute wire heart with yarn of different colors stretched across the frame. The note says, "To 'bad' (as opposed to DAD)  I Love You". Isn't that the sweetest thing?

Kudos to you and you and you...

Lots of exciting things happening for the Kotter kids this week:
#1 Kudos to Mikelle for receiving all A's on her second semester report card. We celebrated with her on Tuesday night at the 7th grade award ceremony where she received an academic pin for her accomplishment.
#2 Kudos to Sydney for scoring 18/18 on her first spelling test! (She especially found it fun to spell d-a-d i-s   f-a-t  while we were learning the short a patterned words. You should have seen her eyes sparkle with glee as she teased her dad!)
#3 Kudos to Logan for earning his Weeblos badge at the Blue and Gold Banquet on Friday. He also earned his communicator, craftsman, and showman badges and table tennis, computer and music belt loops.

I {heart} My New Kitchen Table

 I know I'm not supposed to love objects. I know love is an emotion reserved only for people, but can you believe this kitchen table I found in Lucketts on Friday?!? Remi and I went to check out the Ground Hog Day Sale and I found this table and these 2 benches in the design house. The table is a 52 inch, square pedestal table. The top has an extremely weathered look-like old barn wood. Dan was kind enough to go out Saturday morning and pick it up for me. We brought it home and put it together and I love it even more now that it's in my kitchen! I've only been searching for a new kitchen table for four or five years, but it was worth the wait!

Super Bowl XLVI

We had a fun Super Bowl celebration at John and Remi Candland's house last night. Of course it was a feed-your-face fest and we loved it! Rob Greenbaum made his famous wings and potato skins. Remi made nachos and her famous guacamole. I contributed mini franks in a blanket and apples and caramel for the kids. Laurie made a four-layer ice-cream sandwich cake that the kids (and adults) devoured in a matter of minutes.

Here are my top 5 memories from the evening:
#5  Madonna's half-time show. We all gave it a big thumbs up! A good mix of old and new songs and can I pick it or what? Vogue--I not only called that she would sing it, but as the opening number! You go girl!
#4  The Doritoes commercial that the Grandma sling-shots the baby to get the bag of chips. LOL hillarious!
#3  The food
#2   Logan, Robert and Benjamin doing the "salsa" dance
#1  Craig (age 6) telling the adults cheering for the game to be quiet--so he can hear his Mindcraft game on his i-touch. Sure thing Craig!

Logan shows off the shirt that he made BEFORE the game that reads "XLVI Giants Super Bowl Champs 2012." Ahhhh. The hubris of youth.