Geez, do I ever post pictures?

I have every intention of posting pictures. I mean, this blog started as a means of keeping in touch with far-away grandparents.

But in scanning over the past several months' worth of posts, there are very few pictures (I don't think I've posted ANY since July--except for the Michael Bublé concert!?!)!

So, let's do a little 2010 in random review, okay?

I'm challenging myself to choose just a few pictures per month or event (brevity is always my challenge. What? You already knew that? Did I ask you? Shut up.) and post a little bit about them.

Grandparents, this is especially for you.

Winter/Spring 2010
(Summer/Fall 2010 post to follow)

There was some celebrating (of love) . . .

Awwwww . . .

We had a little Valentine's celebration with friends.

We did some crafts.

More crafts.

We enjoyed themed party food.

We played Valentine's Tic-Tac-Toe,
watched Charlie Brown's Valentine's special,
and went around saying nice things about each other.

Mark made us a Valentine's breakfast.

---------------------------------------

Our labor of love

Me in our clinic on one of my work days

Scout came in to visit me after my clients left --
their dog had given Scout a present!

---------------------------

Mark led our homeschool group in a dissection class.

Thing 2 looks on as his buddies dissect a frog.

Mark teaching the group.

It was packed!

Thing 1's group got TOTALLY into it.

---------------------

We like books.

How sweet is this picture?

These two really got on a
Guiness World Record Book kick!
And snuggling with a puppy while reading?
Awesome.

This is our library crate.
We typically have over 100 books checked out
at any given time.
This crate helps us not get them mixed up
with our books.

--------------------

We have an annual (nerdy) tradition
of celebrating Pi Day (3/14)

Our friend Cristin made this awesome
fruit and veggie platter -- she is so creative:
See how the green fruits and veggies
form the Pi symbol?

Eating Pizza Pies!

Mark is a master with the dough.
And OH is our dough delicious!

Some of the "pies"

And more pies!

We like Pi(e)!

And since we love to eat out with the Salefskis
(and are, apparently, gluttons for punishment),
we went out again later that night.
It was ridiculous -- we were all SO FULL.

---------------------

I love when the weather warms up!

Me and Scout in our backyard.

The library asked us to help them out with a really fun project.
Mark led a big group of kids in working on various banners
representing different authors and books.
Look closely and you can see his fingers over the top holding up the banners.

The library used them in their annual gala auction
and now they are permanent parts of the library's display areas!
I'm only showing 2 of them, but we made several.

Dr. Seuss!

Thing 1's first time attending a baby shower!
She was so excited.
Here she is with her BFF.
What's amazing is that this picture
is less than a year old and
they both already look so much older!

-------------------

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Pork Medallions

Omigosh, Mark found this amazing recipe
and it was UNBELIEVABLY good!
We're pretty sure the secret was the ingredients. ;)

---------------------

Cultural Studies

Thing 1 and her BFF making Portuguese cookies --
think they're having fun?

They're ready for their presentation!

Kirsten's grandma made them skirts and vests
so they could dress in the old, traditional dress style.

Thing 2 presented on South Korea,
country from which Tae Kwon Do originates.
He made a really great lapbook and did a presentation.
He showed everyone some Tae Kwon Do moves.
And he also made and served Kimchi.

A group picture

(The two in togas presented on Rome and Greece)
The one on the left is Jake -- before his cancer diagnosis.
Amazing how different he looks.

---------------------

A cute Scout picture

Love this picture of Scout sitting behind Mark in scrubs
while he does some paper work in the office.

-----------------

4-H

We've seen this Reptile Rescue guy
present around the community several times.
We never get tired of it.
He's SO interesting to listen to.
It'd be a dream job for our friend Axel.
The guy basically rescues and houses
LOADS of reptiles
and presents about them
and raises awareness about them
and funds for them as well.

Thing 1 is always eager to hold snakes and other creatures.

-----------------

Spring has sprung!

We'll be doing gardening again soon!

Finding Easter eggs around the backyard.

Scout likes to help, too.

Their loot!

We planted several cherry trees
around the front of the clinic
and they're LOVELY when they bloom!

--------------

These kids!!

When Mark and I go up to bed,
we aren't ever sure how we're going to find those two.
Sometimes they've built a fort or a tent.
Sometimes they've fallen asleep cuddling in each other's beds.
And sometimes they camp out in the hall.

We had an arts month including a poetry slam,

music day, and art gallery.
This was the music day.
It was a lot of fun and they kids got to share their talents!

I got video of both kids playing piano and violin
and it amazes me how far they've come with that in
the past year, too!

We'll have to get some more current video soon.

--------------------

Thing 1's Webkinz Birthday Party
(Seriously, I didn't even blog about this??)

I'm pretty impressed with my own handiwork on this one!

Webkinz Food, of course!
These are the favorite foods of many of our Webkinz.

That's not soda! That's Gak!

The kids played stuff like Checkers and Connect 4
while everyone gathered.

We also played Balloon Dartz, Zingoz Bounce,
Gem Hunting (in a pile of sand),
and they all pulled their own Webkinz out of a bag.

They earned Kinzcash that they spent in the
W Shop!

Mark leading the kids in one of many Webkinz games--
I think this one was a trivia game
(Quizzy's Corner)!

The birthday girl with her cake!

-------------------

WAY cute video of Scout
(and please note how shaggy she is so that
you can better appreciate the next post's video)

-----------------------

Making our clinic handicap-accessible-
This is the ramp being put in

------------------

Various activities

At Thing 1's skating lessons --
on the day they wrap up each session,
each student is allowed to bring a friend.
Thing 1 brings Thing 2.
She already has a lot of friends in her class.

YMCA weekly homeschool class

Thing 1 and Thing 2 are 1st and 2nd in line
to kick in this game of kickball

Thing 1 reads her winning poem at the reception
for winners of the contest

Scout's toys -- she MUTILATES them.
She hones in on squeakers and does not stop
until she has gutted the toy, pulled out the batting,
and destroyed the plastic squeaker.
It's so much fun to watch.

At the YMCA
with Miss Kathryn
(She's in the middle)

At the YMCA
with "Big Fish"
(he's in the middle, too)

---------------------

May Day

Celebrating May Day

Going around the Maypole

Thing 1 and Thing 2
with friends and Scout

-----------------------

That's all for now.
Another to follow soon.
Oh, and Happy Pi Day, everyone!

Why do I get sucked in EVERY year?

It's getting tiresome, right? And no Simon, right? And seriously, J-Lo and Steven Tyler?

We didn't even bother watching auditions and I said we'd "give it a shot" once Hollywood started. I fast forwarded so much this year. So unlike me.

And then the Top 24 sang and I didn't feel compelled to blog. And besides, I have other things I want to write about! I just got caught up on A LOT of stuff hanging over me and I'm ready to WRITE!! And post pictures. UGH.

So, the whacked out, crazy results of the Top 24 almost had me venting calmly discussing their new WTH method of chopping 24 down to 13 in one fell swoop.

And that joke they call Wild Card? Where they choose 6 and have them sing to "see who will continue on," which apparently is judges' code for "get your hopes up for nothing, because we've already decided on the diva, kid-that-reminds-me-of-my-husband-Marc-Antony, and Carmen Miranda over there."

EVEN THOUGH THEY SUCK. That's right. Robbie and Kendra blew all three of them out of the water, but they had to go and choose those three.

But here's where I admit stuff.

I couldn't care less about Simon being or not being there. All along, I've missed Paula the most and Jennifer Lopez is lovely and she radiates that genuine kindness that Miss Abdul used to bring to the show.

And Steven Tyler? AWESOME. When he said that the first performance was kick-ass, I busted up laughing. You never know what he's going to say, but even when he critiques them, he sort of sounds like a kind, concerned, and loving grandpa. And not even in a creepy way. Which surprises me. Unless he's ogling the girls. That is creepy. But really, I'm seeing a whole new side to the lead singer of Aerosmith. And, like Mark says, he sounds like a greeting card on drugs. Now, in light of that very comment, every time he opens his mouth to say things, I am excited.

So J-Lo brings Paula's genuine softness and Steven Tyler brings Paula's all-over-the-place, but surprisingly articulate and erudite comments.

And Randy? Well, he borders on useless. I haven't ever really liked Randy as a judge since he's always seemed like such a follower. But I can give credit where due and I have to hand it to him this season. I don't know if it's because Simon's gone and now he's like the Big Man on Campus sitting in Cowell's chair, but he actually has the cojones to disagree with the other two. About. Freaking. Time. And bonus, Randy usually has a good ear for talent. Except for that mess of a wild card pick. That was a diva pick all the way. I was like WHAT?!?

So, the Top 13 performed and 1 got sent home. Here's my assessment. I'll try to keep it brief.

Lauren Alaina -- She's a nice girl who clearly saw that the dumb blond schtick worked for Pickler, so why not have it work for her. She sang Shania Twain's irritating song "Any Man of Mine" and it was not good. And she looked utterly abashed to receive negative feedback. It was like, "What are these words I'm hearing? Was I . . . NOT amazing??"

Casey Abrams -- I totally heart this guy. I mean, he looks like one of two things -- a serial killer or a computer geek. I choose to go with computer geek. But somehow he's making it sexy. At least when he performs. NOT when he's meeting with the producers in those ratty plaid shorts. I REALLY love that he's making geeky sexy, because well, I already KNOW it is, but now Casey can show America so they can catch up. Dude who looks like he plays hours on end of World of Warcraft in his basement while possibly dressed up as a Jedi can channel Joe Cocker like nobody's business. And I can't wait for him to break out the bass again.

Ashton Jones - Do. Not. Like. Never like Divas. So annoyed she's there at all. She's all attitude over substance. And in her interview, she referred to herself in the third person. Nail in the coffin. Her problem, contrary to what the judges seem to think, was not choosing a song no one knows. Her problem is that she stinks.

Paul McDonald - I like his voice A LOT. That being said, the way he moves around the stage reminds me of what Woody looks like in Toy Story when Andy is holding him around the middle and flopping him around the top of his toy box.

Pia Toscano - She is hot. I can say that, right? Because she is. And she sang the whatever out of that song, even though it's been sooooooooooo overdone on Idol. Or maybe I'm thinking of all the Friends reruns I've seen. Ah, Joey and Chandler. Sniff.

James Durbin - LOVE him. He can rock out any song, but even when he's not screeching and screaming, he has a beautiful tone to his voice. And I love that he sang "Maybe I'm Amazed," because I love that song (and Sir Paul McCartney).

Haley Reinhart - What? You don't remember who she is? Neither do I. She yodeled.

Jacob Lusk - When they played the intro to "I Believe I Can Fly," Mark was so hoping he'd sing "Trapped in the Closet." But no. Talk about overdone songs on Idol. Even his producers said that. But Jacob was AWESOME. I really, really like him. And they're bringing out the gospel choir on week 1? What in the world will they bring out for the finale?

Thia Megia - It's fun to say her name. She is REALLY good and doesn't seem to understand that she was complimented and not criticized. She will have a breakdown and soon if she doesn't learn to take the feedback better than she did. The judges told her she sounded like Michael Jackson, so of ALL the songs she could've possibly chosen, she chose "Smile?" Yeah, I don't get it either. Just like I don't get what the hell they did to that song. J-Lo called it a "jazzy beat," but it was like ballad-meets-hip-hop and that just doesn't ever work.

Stefano Langone - He sang and J-Lo beamed. I don't think it even matters what he does or how. He sang some Stevie Wonder song with a horrible arrangement and it wasn't great.

Karen Rodriguez - She sang in English, which is worth noting, because she usually doesn't. And, ironically, it was a Selena song. She smiles a lot.

Scott McCreery - I don't get it. He sings well, but I'm ALWAYS bored. My mother loves him, but she's always liked deep bass voices like that (why, Mom, why?). He predictably sang Garth Brooks. The most memorable part of the performance for Mark was how Ryan made fun of the backdrops. I'm sure the technical crew appreciates the constructive criticism from a guy whose toughest task at his job involves pushing a button to start his radio show (oh wait, his producer probably does that).

Naima Adedapo - Seriously, she's closing the show? We get it, she cleaned toilets, so give her a break, right? Wrong. She should still have to sing. She tried. But WHAT WAS THAT?!?!? From Gershwin to Rihanna in 7 days. I think we just titled her memoirs. Which are sure to come out next week when she's booted so that we don't have to watch anymore of that god-awful dancing. Is that what that was? She was moving and there was lightning and converse sneaker boots. I don't know. When the lightning struck and she started convulsing, Mark wanted to scream, "She's ALIVE!!" I was too speechless to say anything. But that's okay, I "overstand" what she was trying to do, even if I didn't "overstand" what on earth she was saying to her husband. What??

And then the results show. Dirty Diddy Puff Daddy P. Shawn Puffy Combs Money made me sad. I long for the days when rap was good. You know, M.C. Hammer and Young M.C. rap.

My favorite parts were fast forwarding, watching Adam Lambert, and texting my girl friend Cathy. Oh, and when . . . oh darn, I already forgot her name. Well, she left. And there was much rejoicing. Yay!

It's a Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Little Miss!

Another year has passed and you are still the same wonderful, beautiful, perfect girl for me.

I love you!