Toes and roses...

 Aaron and Jake are on the father and son camp out (Dad, Saku, and Sam went too.  Every year on the Friday before Mother's Day our church does this) so Anika, Mom, and I decided to have a girls night out.  We started the night with pedicures. 

The before...

The during...

 And the afters...

Anika's toes...

Mom's toes...

And mine...

No I didn't let a 7 year old paint my toes.  This is "chevron" by a professional...I lied and told her I liked it so I wouldn't hurt her feelings but really I hate it because it looks like a 7 year old did it.  

But after the pedicures and dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Bronco's, we came back to our house and smelled (and photographed) the lovely roses in our yard that were covered by rain drops and smelt delicious!

I am going to cut some tomorrow and put them on my table.

I think this is my favorite picture.

How can you feel bad that your big toes are painted ugly when these babies are blooming in your very own yard?!

And look how many there are!

We also watched Masterpiece Classics version of Mansfield Park.  I love the book.  We all do.  But the movie was only okay.  When the lead role is cast poorly you can't expect a real masterpiece.  I am so glad books are better than movies. :)

Now I am going to sleep in the middle of the bed and sleep in....I love my guys but girl time and alone time is nice every now and then too!

Things I've Learned this week...

*I learned how to play chess and Jake is the one who taught me how to play.  He has been wanting a chess set and for Christmas I found one on the dollar aisle at Target.  We just now got it out today for homeschooling and March=Math Month which is going smashingly (is that a word? I swear I have heard someone with a British accent say that before so naturally as I type I am speaking in my head with one).  I learned that I am a math smarty pants after all. I beat the pants off of Jake after him stomping me several times before I got the hang of it. He is smiling in this one because he was happy he taught me so well.  A few games later of me winning he wasn't smiling at me so much.  Is he too old to let win?...

*I re-learned that having a house on the market requires a lot of work but it really is nice when every room in the house is clean and tidy.  With two families living in a house and all the painting, and weeding out of stuff it has been a while since it has been.  Mom you will be so happy when you get home and you see your cute little house all show ready. :)

*I learned that eos (don't know what it stands for...) is awesome lip balm.  Try it you will love it.  I am a bit of a lip balm addict so you can take my word: it works and it smells delightful!  I also learned that lavender nail polish makes me happy. :)

*I learned that sometimes this is the best place to do homeschooling and that I am extremely blessed to be able to be teaching and learning from this very smart boy. 

*I learned that the second book in the Hunger Games series (can't remember what it is called at the moment.  When you read a book on your Kindle you don't see the title all that often) is almost as hard to put down as the first one. 

*I  learned that seeing someone else lose their dog brings back a flood of memories of the two sweet dogs we have lost.  I know if you are not a dog person you don't get it but they are part of the family and it is hard.  We are thinking of you Nana as you mourn the lose of your sweet Pooha.  We will miss her too.  I am sure she is rolling in a meadow happily in Heaven with Sam, Abby, Daisy, Emily, and all the other dogs that we have been blessed to have in our lives.  We love you Nana....
(This is a picture of me holding Pooha as we went on a walk while we were dog sitting.)

Simple Pleasures: Nail Polish (and venting just a little...)

I don't consider myself a girlie-girl but I have recently found great pleasure in nail polish. Yesterday we had to run to Target to get refill tape for my label maker (I will show you why later...) and stumbled upon this nail polish:

I have found that hands down Sally Hansen brand stays on the longest without chipping. I saw "Mint Sorbet" and fell in love! At work we all wear ugly, manly clothes. Khaki pants with blue polo shirts-that we have to tuck in. Wearing nail polish seems to make it more bearable. Plus 75% of the people that come into Bi-Lo have lovely fake nails. I can't afford them (neither can they...yes that is me judging, but this is my blog and I need to vent...I know they can't afford them because they are paying with Food Stamps. How can you use food stamps and justify fake nails, fancy clothes, and expensive purses? Okay-done venting.), so I buy $2.04 (Sally Hansen is usually more than that so I was even more pysched!) bottles of nail polish and look at my pretty nails while I push the buttons on the register. :) That is my simple pleasure this week. What is yours? Link up to Chocolate on My Cranium and join the conversation!