The latest phase

Symantha is obsessed with gymnastics. Handstands, cartwheels, walkovers, etc., she just can't get enough. She looks for every open floor space she can find, and it doesn't matter where we are. It is annoying sometimes, but the funny thing is that I went through the same phase. I counted how long I could stay up in a handstand and cartwheeled everywhere. I understand the obsession! She hasn't been in a gymnastics class since Little Gym a couple of years ago, so it's kind of funny that now is the time she chooses to love it. Here is a sampling of her latest tricks:

My cool friend who had a perm

Yep, that was what drew me to Amy Jo back in 1987 (if I'm doing the math right... Amy Jo would know, she remembers EVERYTHING). I never had a perm, but when we were in seventh grade, most of the girls had one. I preferred the bangs with feathered sides look (see the yellow sweater picture below), which my mom had perfected. Thanks Mom, for the great laughs as I look back at my pictures. I never could get the big bangs look right - I didn't have the curly hair I have now (that came some time in high school, while I was blow-drying it straight and then putting it in hot rollers), but I had plenty of wave and it was just all around bad. Too bad I didn't have my curl then - my life could have been so much easier! But I digress... a lot...  this post was not to be about my hair.

This post was supposed to be about having fun with my friend of twenty some years, Amy Jo. I love that I still have a friend who knew me when I was 11. She is the only one, except my family, who has seen ALL my hair styles, fashion adventures, important life moments and so on. We worked on a scrapbook page together last year to celebrate 20 years of friendship and it highlighted some of our favorite pictures. I LOVE THESE PAGES.

As always, it's hard to take a picture of scrapbook pages, but you can get some good glimpses of us through the years. So many great memories. And we keep adding more:)

We got to go out last week and spend the afternoon and evening together, while she is on Spring Break. We started out the night thinking we were going to take lots of pictures and I was imagining some great blog post, but we got caught up in shopping and eating and seeing a movie and ended up with just a few pics. These two pictures below were taken at Ross, where she found a cute dress for a wedding and a fun purse...

While I did not find a dress for Easter and we ended up grabbing a random large dress so I could have a picture too, complete with a headband with the tag attached. We felt so cool taking pictures at Ross.

The next place we actually remembered to take a picture was in the bathroom at Stanford's Restaurant. Seriously, we couldn't find a better spot?? Real nice lighting, in the bathroom.

We then went to see Valentine's Day (the movie), and despite it's horrible reviews we still kind of liked it. And continued our eating spree, because it is seriously what we do best, by heading to Red Robin for dessert and french fries. Nice and healthy at 11pm. 

Good times, as there have been for years and years and years.

The posts that would have been

So, life did go on although I didn't have a computer or camera for a few weeks. Here is a little glimpse of the posts I may have written if I had not had to give up my precious possessions... it's the short version.

Symantha's Second Grade Musical Performance

She had a speaking part based on the book, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" and she did so great!

Addison's other birthday celebrations - good times with family

With Grandpa D. and Grandma D. at Red Robin

At Spaghetti Factory with Nanna, Leon, Aunt Megan and Paul

Surprise Getaway with Daddy

Derek has been having to work so much lately, that he planned a surprise family night (minus Addison who went to visit Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Kurt!). We went and stayed in a hotel at Southcenter, ate at the Rainforest Cafe and saw the movie, "The Tooth Fairy". The girls thought the whole thing was so cool.

The Ending of Upward

The season finale of Upward is always so cool. All the kids go on stage, it's very LOUD and they really do a good job celebrating a season of fun and hard work. How I longed for my good camera!

A friendly letter

Dear Computer,

Welcome back! I am so glad that your USB ports are fixed and that it was covered under warranty. You have no idea how I have missed you. The first few days, I constantly wandered back over to where you usually sat and wasn't sure what to do with myself. I actually sometimes found myself moving the mouse around, although there was no computer there. Twenty days without you was difficult, my friend, but it also alerted me to some disturbing facts. I am a little too dependent on you and things are going to have to change between us. I'm not breaking up with you, I love you too much for that, but I have to set some boundaries in order for us to have a healthy relationship.

In your time away, I was able to read two novels, take random naps, play more with my kids, stay up on the laundry and housecleaning and accomplish many more random tasks. I learned that you actually can accomplish something in 5 minutes, when I would have usually just wasted that time checking email or facebook. I do not need to know what everyone is doing all day, and can be perfectly content checking you a couple times a day and CLOSING you for the rest of the time. Of course, you will be needed for projects, picture editing, blogging, etc. but you have to stop wasting my precious little bits of time through out the day.

I do not want my children to remember me constantly on the computer or the phone (I'll save the letter to my phone for another day), and so as difficult as it may be, you need to understand you are not my priority. Things are changing, dear friend, and I need to have some discipline. Thanks for understanding, and please don't break again.

Love, Amy