Seven years ago...

...Matt and I were married on a beautiful (scorchingly beautiful) day at the Chateau Lorane outside of Eugene. I can't believe it's been 7 years but also it seems like we've been together forever. Maybe that's what a healthy (dare I say, ideal) relationship is like. Time flies by but it seems like there wasn't a time when we weren't together.

Since Matt's out of town we're planning on celebrating this weekend by taking in a show probably at the Fox Theatre or some other venue in Atlanta and also buy a new desparately needed digital camera. (any recommendations for cameras under $200?

Lauren's second week at school has gotten off to a successful start. She's been bringing home lots of artwork and worksheets of which she's so proud to show me. She's learning to write her name with a capital L and then lower-case for the rest of the letters. I had taught her to write her name in all capitals but we'll work on the correct way now. She says everything about school is her favorite and there's nothing that she doesn't like. I'm thrilled that she's so happy at school...I hate to even ponder having a child who doesn't want to go.

While she's been having fun at school I've been torturing myself at the Y. Yesterday I took the Body Sculpting class. I should have run away when I entered the class and saw that all the participants were obviously doping. However, I struggled through and made myself pretty sore. And since I'm a sucker for punishment I thought I'd try another class today...this time Cardio Core. The Core part in the name made me think it would be some sort of hippie, granola-y seance/yoga class....NOPE...again all the participants were obviously on steroids. After no less than 186 lunges in a row, with a 12 pound body bar I thought I was going to die. I know I didn't because every muscle in my body hurts right now so I'm painfully aware that I'm alive. We'll see if I make the Step and Sculpt class tomorrow.

While I worked out Tyler had a great time playing in the child watch. He walks right in by himself now and just smiles at me when I come to pick him up. The workers there are amazed at how much he's changed...going from the crying baby with his ever present blankie to the big boy who walks right in grabs a toy and plays.

This evening Emma and Shep came over while their mom ran a quick errand. Tyler pretty much copied everthing Shep did. Shep was a very good sport to play with Tyler although the 4 year age difference. Emma on the other hand didn't really like it when Tyler copied all of her actions and repeated all her words. I tried to tell her that he "thinks she's really cool" and also this is how he learns things. But she wasn't having it. The kids all had fun and while they played I made dinner.

My dinner

Caprese Salad

tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, oil, basalmic, salt & pepper

The kids' dinner

Wiener Weenie Dogs

These were time consumingly easy to make. Just take a hot dog and wrap it up in dough from a package of refrigerated croissant dough. Bake and add pickles for legs, red pepper & grape tomato for ears and olives for the eyes. The kids LOVED these. Let me rephrase. The kids got a kick out of these. In the end though they only ate the breading around the hot dog and Lauren ate the olives and tomatoes. That was it. Since this didn't get my kids to eat hot dogs, I'm done. Personally I think they are gross....so I won't mind if they do too.

We had our work cut out for us after dinner. After the tornado named "4-Kids-Playing-in-My-Living-Room" came threw, the house was a wreck. We spent the next 30 min. picking up all the toys. Then it was bath and bed. For the 3rd day in a row we read "The Rescuers." This is Lauren's current favorite book. Good thing I stole (errr borrowed) it from my Mom during our last visit home.

Happy Anniversary to you Matt.