Picnic in the park

I went to Tara's picnic in the park with her fellow first graders yesterday. I still don't know a lot of people and Tara was pretty busy. Being a social queen requires work and dedication and she really could have cared less if I were there. So I stuck around for a good 20 minutes or so. In that short period of time I had two ego-stroking interactions. The first happened with one of Tara's class mates and went something like this:

Girl- How come you don't have a job?
Me- I do. I work at my house.
Girl- You have a job at your house?
Me- I take care of Tara and her sisters.
Girl- OHHHHHHH! (with a total- you are such a loser tone to her 7year old voice)

Moving on from the little girl, I took Coryn to play on some swings. There were two ladies standing near me in the shade. They kept looking at me and smiling. I finally said hello to them. The following interaction took place with them:

Ladies- Kristen, Is that you?
Me- Um no I am not Kristen.
Ladies to each other- I have been looking at her the whole time she has been here thinking she was Kristen. You look just like her.
Me- I don't know Kristen.
Ladies- Well we were surprised to see you here....SINCE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING A C-SECTION this morning!!!!!
Me- ?!?!?!?!

On that note, I left the picnic in the park.

The day I have been waiting for

I have a funny friend! Well I have quite a few funny friends, but I have this ONE friend who is particularly funny and I (and many others) have told her she needed to blog. Well I couldn't be more excited to introduce you to Rachel and her new blog, Turds and Whey.

http://web.me.com/rluft/Turds_and_Whey/Blog/Blog.html

hummingbird fascination

I am completely and totally fascinated by these extraordinary little creatures. We are the lucky ones who get them as they are only found in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in North America although they do winter in Central America.

I have a feeder on my deck and on any given day can look out to find a hummingbird about half of the time. I think it helps that I am not alone in the love of the little birds in my neighborhood. Which brings me to my story.

My neighbor, hi Teresa, found a hummingbird on her screened in porch the other day. It apparently had gotten trapped in there and couldn't find its way out. She was sad about the little bird who had lost its life, but planned on burying it. She gently laid the little bird in a planter on her porch where she saw it all day long. She said it was so beautiful as it looked like it was sleeping. As her son carried it in a towel to the little hole they had dug, he stumbled and the little bird fell. When they bent to pick it up, it was just gone. Vanished! They looked for an hour and still never found the little hummingbird. Interesting. Where did it go? Had it really not died? She then told me how some people feel that the hummingbird is the eternal bird. So it got me thinking about hummingbirds and I started reading up on them. I have learned some interesting things. The greatest of these is the following Public Service Announcement:

NO RED DYE- Most modern feeders have brightly colored bases and therefore do NOT need food with dye in it. Years ago when feeders were made out of jars and tubing people added the dye to attract the birds attention. It worked, but it is just an additive and we are not really sure what it does to the little birds so let's just leave it out. K? I am guilty of buying pre-made hummingbird food, but feel foolish that I have been doing so, because it is a simple recipe...4 parts water to 1 part sugar. NO DYE!

I hope that I haven't bored you with my fascination, but really if you don't have a feeder, you should try it. They are such cool little birds. You should also read about them. I wish I would have sooner.

It's my Birthday!

I love my birthday. I always have. It doesn't matter how much older I get, I enjoy celebrating it. I have had some great birthday celebrations with friends and family over the years. I had intended on picking through pictures from birthdays past at my mom's but alas I am lazy so it didn't happen.

In 1973 I was born in Hampton Virginia at Langley AFB. I love this little fact. The AFB often appears in movies as it is also the CIA headquarters.

I celebrated my 1st birthday in Abilene Texas. My mom made me a ladybug cake. I repeated this same theme for Ella's first birthday.

I celebrated my 13th birthday by wearing an odd get up that I picked out for my birthday(this is when pictures would be handy), and in art class having an entire bottle of indigo ink splatter all over me. Have you ever gotten indigo ink on you? It doesn't wash off for a LONG time. I then got in trouble in the same class for talking...SHOCKER...and was given a detention by Mrs. Chester. Ahhhh Mrs. Chester who had gone to high school with my dad and who I swore had had a crush on him then because she constantly asked me about my dad. Gross! Thanks Mrs. Chester for the AWESOME 13th birthday memory!

I don't remember many more of my birthdays. They all kind of blend in together.

But I know that I love them and even though J.R. is out of town for this one, I intend on having a really happy day, talking to my phone well-wishers and also reading my cards and facebook messages. I am SUCH a geek.

Day at the Zoo with the Nigros

Yesterday Coryn and I went to the Kansas City Zoo with Felicia and Gabriella. It was a gorgeous day out and the girls had a lot of fun together.

My yard projects

I have been busy in my yard and with all of my pots and plantings the past few weeks. I love nothing more than being in my yard, tending my little plants. Here are a few pictures of what I have been up to.


Funny story about the pepperocinis. Several months ago, my friend Kelly mentioned these. I had no idea what she was talking about. You see we don't call them pepperocinis here. I had never heard that term used. Most often you see them listed as banana peppers or yellow peppers. Just yesterday I was talking to my friend Heather and she mentioned them. Weird coincidence. So when I was planting my garden guess what I found? Pepperocinis!!! Woohoo. Now I have them growing in my backyard with no idea of whether I like them or not.

I hauled 10- 40lb bags of pea gravel to the back for under the playset. I hate sand but wanted Coryn to have something to play in, so this is as good as it gets here at the Bucky household.

Gerberas are my absolute favorite flower EVER!

And all of my herbs in pots on my deck!

These are the planters on my front porch with Asiatic lilies!

Happy Mother's Day

My mother's day gifts from my girls


Yeah yeah yeah, I know I am two days late. Our Mother's Day was anything but relaxing. Why is it that Mother's Day is rush rush rush, go here, go there, cook this, mediate that, finally collapsing in a chair of exhaustion. How is that different than any other day? Let's compare it to Father's Day....hmmmm wake up smile at your family, open cards and a gift, smile at them again as you walk out the door to the golf course where you will spend your day doing what you love. Yeah I am totally going to be a dad next year. Where is the sign up for that one?

OK That said, as I woke up on Sunday to Tara and Coryn in my bed with me sleeping peacefully, I looked over at them and truly felt the blessing that it is to be a mom. I have been blessed three times over and maybe Mother's Day should be more about me stopping and thanking God for the chance to be a mother and experience the love that only a mom can understand. So maybe while I am a little jealous of the freedom of a dad, I am really glad that I am the mom, because there is just nothing like it.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

I am late on this, but just HAD to post about this movie. I watched it yesterday on Netflix View it now and am SOOOO glad that I did. What an amazing movie. If you haven't seen it, you really need to. It is the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor of Elle magazine, and how he suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed with the exception of his eyes, his mind fully intact. He wrote a book, by blinking his eye, about being trapped inside his body, which is what the movie is based on. AMAZING! And the music is just as amazing.

Vegas 09

You know it's been a good vacation when it takes you a week to recover from it. And that is just about how long it has taken me to get back into my real life. That and my need for underwear, as I let the laundry go for long enough that I ran out. We had such a great time in Vegas. J.R. had an IT conference there and I got to tag along. The weather was perfect, the company superb, and the food.....ah the food was exceptional. I can attest to this since I gained over 3 pounds while there. It was worth every last bite.

We flew in Friday evening. I had developed an awful sore throat which I was pretty sure was strep. I had some left over amoxicillin so I self-medicated. I wasn't going to miss this trip for anything. We got to our hotel and got settled and then met at California Pizza Kitchen for our dinner. I didn't feel much like pizza, I was wanting a club sandwich. So being the gentleman that he always is, J.R. hoofed it over to Carnegie deli where he bought me the BIGGEST club sandwich I have ever seen.

We were tired so we turned in early, plus with the illness I needed some rest.

The next morning we went out for an early stroll where I bought this: It will be delivered in the next few weeks and I can hardly wait. I LOVE Olbinski!

We wasted... I mean paid for tickets to The Secret Garden where we saw these:

The Secret Garden sucks, don't waste your money on this little field trip because it literally is the size of a backyard and $15 a person. Total ripoff. I should have totally dropped that money in a slot machine. After the SG adventure one of my best friends showed up. Kelly drove up from San Diego and I am SOOOO SOOOO glad that she did. She is awesome and we had so much fun together.

We immediately went to eat lunch and had some interesting pickles:

We then headed over to the Bellagio where we went to the Andy Warhol and friends exhibit which was no where near as cool as the Ansel Adams exhibit we had seen two years prior. We didn't leave the Bellagio before we spent some time in the Botannical Garden though:

Kelly was ready to do some damage at the casino, so she and J.R. went and did that, while I rested...still weary with my throat. I think Kelly won and I know J.R. didn't.

That night we drove to Red Rocks casino and ate at the Mexican Restaurant there. Very cool ambiance if you sit at the back of the restaurant with a view of the fire pits.

The next morning, J.R. was off to play golf at TPC Canyons. It was the perfect day for golf AND also for the pool. Kelly and I had way too much fun at the pool LOL!



You will have to turn your head sideways to watch our waitress act out a chicken wrap sandwich for us. She was awesome.

That night was the reception. J.R. was the man, showing up with two women:


We then headed back to Bellagio where the guys surprised us with a dinner at Prime which holds the record for the world's most expensive appetizer. $350!!!! and so not worth it:


We also had the spitting waiter. I think at least 4 of the 7 of us, got spit on at some point by him. But we had fun and laughed a ton.

Kelly and I finished the night off at the Rhumbar.

Monday morning Kelly was going to have to leave, but not before we went and enjoyed some crepes at the Creperie at Paris. YOU HAVE TO TRY THESE! I had the Napoleon which was lemon custard with all sorts of fresh berries and whipped creme. It was to die for which might explain why I went back the next day. You might be seeing where the 3+ pounds is coming in to play at this point ;)


We had some fun at the Venetian before Kelly had to leave:



I was sad to see her go. Really sad. I can't wait to see you again, Kelly.

That night we had the banquet. Jay Leno was our performer. He had just gotten out of the hospital and you could tell he wasn't 100%, but I still love Jay and he was funny.

We went to Carnegie for dessert. You can't stay at the Mirage without having dessert at the Carnegie. Blueberry Cheesecake with whole milk. J.R. had the carrot cake.

Tuesday was back to the Creperie and shopping. Our Anne Taylor Loft closed here so I had some fun shopping there and getting the girls some gifts. We spent some more time at the pool and that evening Pete took us to Stack. YUMMY! This was by far our best meal. We had this awesome appetizer of premium beef, that we cooked ourselves on a lava rock in the middle of our table. PHENOMENAL!!!!!!! And before we retired to our rooms, one last trip to Carnegie deli for dessert:


Fabulous trip.

I love her

Tara never ceases to make me smile. Today as we were driving she told me this:

"Mom, I don't really like it when people ask me if I want to be their friend, because you kind of HAVE to say yes."

She also found some ladybugs who have been giving A LOT of piggy back rides to each other and then amazingly laying eggs. I don't think she needs to know that the ladybugs aren't piggybacking just yet.

***Warning*** Complaining coming your way

So if you don't want to hear it, close me out, ignore me, or tell me off. Whatever, but I need to get it out.

Hey lady at the grocery store who GRUDGINGLY lent me your shopper saver card and acted like I asked you for a kidney donation, while I was also asking for you to BUY my groceries(which I didn't), could you smile EVER? I noticed your bling and also all your namebrand...well everything. Your life can't be that bad. The fact that you are standing in a grocery store, buying food that you didn't have to grow outside your third world country shack is something, isn't it? So smile, you never know how your downer presence affects those around you. I don't think you noticed your checkout person apologetically smiling at me, because you are too consumed in what you perceive to be your awful life.

To the rest of you, it's the little acts of kindness and graciousness that make a person's day, such as smiling, holding a door, buying doughnuts for your neighbors on the weekend, checking their mail while they are away, noticing those around you and making an effort to not be a jack-ass. People notice things and carry them with them for the rest of the day, so Please don't be the lady at the grocery store. Smile. Enjoy life. There is enough heartache out there already. No need to work on spreading it.