what a weekend...

It started with the Bee's game on Friday, followed by an ice-cream par-tay at our house (yes, we DID fit eight adults and three children in our apartment...), moving on to a Saturday morning bike ride, a sleepover in charleston with ken, missy, and the girls, and then down to uncle mike's b-day party...and, I'm happy to report that there were good times had by all!!

mama deb and big daddy mike

larsen fam

some photo posing strangers...(i look like a man in that

picture--and this is jessi, not matt, so it's a bit alarming...)

hallie

ky and cayden

mrs. merilee

clay...two hats is the new 'it' thing...don't you know...

matt and ken cuddling on the bean bag...

elise

sleeping addie

when do we eat?!?

snow, anyone?!

this picture is for carpy's mom (love ya Mama C)...she lives in mississippi where there are no snow banks taller than people that stay for months and months and months...

div>

crocheting is fun

SO, TO APPEASE MY BESTEST FRIEND MISSY, I WENT WITH HER TO A CROCHETING CLASS TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE BEANIES. I BOUGHT THE PATTERN AND THE HOOK AND THE YARN AND WENT UPSTAIRS TO THE CLASSROOM WHERE I PLANNED TO TURN MY BRAIN OFF AND WATCH MISSY CROCHET A MASTERPIECE. TURNS OUT, I DUG IT. I DIG IT. I DIG CROCHETING. IT'S FUN, ALBEIT TEDIOUS. SO, THESE ARE THE HATS WE MADE (IT TOOK GOING BACK TO CLASS FOR A MONTH TO ACTUALLY FINISH...IT'S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS):

Are 'at home' vasectomys still safe???

the grand tetons project that kevin told me about at 5pm the day before it was due...

mini golfing and boondocks

easter morn

So, the 'rents were out of town for seven days leaving matt and i to babysit. that's right, homework, piano lessons, guitar lessons, last minute projects (that required a paper, a model, and a map...), dinners, cleaning, etc. it was all us, baby. after the first 24 hours, which always turns me into a bit of a stress case (what ever made me think that 12 & 13 year old boys listen??), it was [fairly] smooth sailing. we hung out, watched tv, played wii, ordered pizza, bowled, did some mini golf, had the whole easter celebrations sans parents (don't worry, the easter bunny still found us), and went on a simulated roller coaster ride (when i say 'simulated,' i don't mean star tours at disney land--we're talking full out upside down, twirling around, cork screw motions, and the whole shebang!). all in all, i'd say it was a pretty fun week. and, now that i've had a couple days to rest, yes, working 8-4 IS rest, i would gladly say that i'd do it again!! i love my family!!

he's baaack!

Yes, after 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 days, Matt has returned from his 'utah landforms' field trip. I've missed him so much! WELCOME HOME!!!!

fish face

TGIF...that's all i can say...

birthday boy

On March 8, 2008 Matthew Gale turned 25.  A good solid number, I think.  A quarter of a century.  Nothing too bad.  To Matt, however, turning 25 was like turning 90.  Though most of his anxiety and moodiness was inflated, and just to make me rant about how 25 isn't old, I tried to ease his transition by getting him 25 presents.  Getting everything for a wind-up sushi toy to the last season of 'King of Queens,' he excitedly opened all the gifts that had been wrapped and crammed in the corner of our family room.  We also went out the breakfast (matt's fav) at Ruth's Diner, and to dinner at the Himalayan Kitchen.  All in all I'd say it was a pretty successful day...except for the fact that he got one year older.

P.S. Matt's favorite presents were probably the new golf club he got from his parents and the wii he got from mine...they will both be put to good use!!