Swagger Wagon

Mel, this awesome song is dedicated to you...bc y'all need a "swagger wagon"...I've seen what your back seat looks like w those three kiddie seats wedged in there. :)
It's also a shout out to all my hommies w their own "swagger wagons." SO worth the 2+ min. to watch & LOL at...make sure to check it out w your hubby...mine loved it. :)

Cuts, budget, and a raise? (oh my.)

As a few of you know, we've just missed our profs being laid-off where B. works. Instead they aren't getting the raises they were supposed to get under their old contract. In w the new (to save jobs, cut costs...), out w the old (raises yearly). We did pretty well, considering IL's university are just plain running out (or have run out) of money. Lots of other states are feeling pinched, too. So we're all in this mess together; budgeting, readjusting our plans for the future...and then...

This story (about tuition going higher, while a someone makes the "big bucks") makes me want to yell at someone...lots of someones.
Could those "someones" put themselves in the the rest of our shoes? And who in the WORLD needs over $600, 000 to survive?
**sidenote--This is the reason I can't...1.watch pro sports w out thinking about how much these folks are being paid...and how it makes me sick. 2.truly dig any "celebrity" (unless...*maybe* unless...I also see them GIVE, GIVE, GIVE) 3. trust those folks who are "rolling in it" and make decisions for those of us who are making ends meet.**

and I step down from the soapbox. before it breaks. 'cause we can't afford to get a new one...maybe I'll phone that dude w the $620,000 coming...maybe he's got an extra.

Ah and ha! *zumba update*

I found some really fun dances for my Zumba classes! I hope those gals are ready to shake it. :) Here are a few that I'm planning to do. I already know I'll change a few things, but they seem really fun "as is." Enjoy!
Boom, Boom Pow! dance
Billie Jean dance
the "maybes"...
Just Dance dance
Say Hey (I Love You) dance
I found 13 new ones (and have about that many oldies).
If you are in Macomb & haven't signed up, there is still time. Classes begin at the Y on June 7th...please join us!:)

Zumba-ish

If any of you have any Zumba dances that you love & they are posted online, please let me know. I'll be teaching again this summer & I'm searching for fun stuff that we'll all enjoy for the next 16 classes. :) Thanks so much!

facebook's evil twin

I was catching up on some of my blogging buddies' posts and came across Lamebook, which is totally "LOL," but also seriously SAD. Check it out. You'll see what I mean. I feel like Langston could be a grammar coach for some of these folks. Whew.

Mommies, mommies, mommies!

Happy Mother's Day, all you moms! When we were in Poland, I think I missed YOU the most. My mom friends. I barely survived w out you. :) When life changes from "all about me" to "all about this tiny person in my arms," I think we all search out people who have the same view on life. It hasn't mattered which state (or country) we've moved to, I've been blessed to find other moms (from all over the world) who mom like me (or give me something to strive for). I've found moms to confess to, laugh with, depend on, help out, and share in this life of rearing and loving our babies together. I'm so thankful for this "village" of amazing people (esp. the moms) who are rearing our kids together. I love you, ladies! I hope you have an amazing day & feel so loved!

A post-library playgroup lunch date.

More lunch in the park.
And below are some "what we've been up to" pix...

I tried to do an "ice cream after lunch" run, but...
she didn't make it through this cone...too close to nap-time. :)
Yea, this was a mess!
An attempt at a shot of all three of us...
While Tim is in Turkey (hi, Tim!) and Emily works for a couple of hours, L. and Z. got to play w some of their fav pals, Sumner & Zoe!
Langston had to be in the girls' pic...
Zoe and Zora in their tutu-suits. :)
Two super spidees.
Our "around town" outfits. :) We went everywhere w them dressed like this a couple of days ago.
My wonderful mother's day gift this year...my Japanese Maple! I remember babysitting some absolutely sweet girls (Hi, F.J. and Em!) and spending lots of time in their backyard w this amazing Japanese Maple. Since then I've thought I would like to have some red-hued beauty in my yard someday.
A shot of all my cuties in Po-land.
I had a horrible cut on my foot...Zora needed to match. :)

March Madness

Since we got back home at the very end of February and then spent weeks unpacking and reorganizing life, I got a little (okay, a LOT) behind on sharing via blog. (You are so right, Kellie, it's time to rejoin blogland. :)
So here's our month in a few pix and stories...
Donna and DeWayne helped us w suitcases & kids from Chicago to Macomb & then stayed a day or two following. They were super helpful. Below are some pix of us enjoying b'fast at our favorite b'fast place in Macomb, The Old Dairy. Micheal Stipe (of REM) joined us. What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

Side story...One afternoon I took Joanna to lunch at the Dairy. As Z and I were getting seated she asked, "Where Grandad?, " as if to say..."Okay, we're out to eat (which we don't do often) and we're at the Old Dairy (which we do w the grandparents)...so if A, then B. Where's that guy?" :) My kid and her logic.



We made it back in time for Amir's 6th b'day party (which was held a little later than his actual b'day). L. was thrilled, but somehow I didn't manage to get a pic of the b'day boy w L.

We have been really enjoying the real spring weather. This has been our first non-frosty Easter since moving to the mid-west. It's been lovely. Here are the kiddos making bird-feeders...which turned out to be squirrel feeders. :)
Here we are at a neat park about half an hour away from Macomb. We packed a lunch & headed out to a baseball game, where we found out there was a delay since the spring-time field was soggy. Since we've got one napper, we couldn't wait around for the 1pm game time, so we did a park-picnic instead.
Langston helped me make a really yummy roasted veggie pie. It turned out great. His expression is even greater...
Zora making a face beside a pic of her namesake. We were at the university for a pre-school program for L.
L. acting crazy at his program.
Here are the kiddies at our YMCA's Kiddie Karnival (have I ever mentioned that I detest when words are spelled incorrectly for "cuteness"...like in "Karnival"?
Anyway, they had a blast. They planted grass in Wild Thing cups (last year it was beans...which totally took off in our flowerbed later:), played in various booths and Zora walked across the entire gym (where it was held) multiple times w/out me...to exchange her tootsie roll pop for different flavors (hey, can't a lady change her mind a few times?).

Zora's first dental exam! She did grrreat! I really like our dentist and all his staff. I've always been impressed. This time was no exception.
Z was so excited. :)
I'm not sure what's w the crazy grin, but I wanted a pic of us in our jackets & jeans. And that face is one of the many "silly Zora" faces she makes. She's just like L...a little clown.
Jean-clad...only, yes, I'm wearing my awesome slippers.;) And check out our sweet "Welcome Home!" sign (in orange & blue, no less) than my girlfriends made for us. Aw.

This one is PRICELESS! Spiderman is showing off his cool, buff muscles (yes, I let him wear that costume to his hair cut...hey, his stylist needed a laugh!). And beside Spidee is...clown, tutu, French scarf, fairy holding...muscle lady? Z wears the most awesome combos of dress-up clothes. :)

Finally, we are signed up for our first year of tee ball! L. is really excited. B. is a little let down by L's lack of catching skills, but I keep reminding him to be patient...it's his first year. And his batting is pretty good. Games begin in June and B is an assistant coach. :)

Also beginning in June, I get to teach two "kid's Yoga" classes...one ages 3-7 w parents and another ages 8-12 w/out parents. Also, I'll be teaching Latin Dance again. Our harvest season w Barefoot Gardens (our local, organic co-op) begins May 10th and the last piece of news...I have a meeting w my advisor next week to begin going back to school in the fall!
I'll start w undergrad sciences & then by the time Z is in grade K, I'll be ready to apply for the school of nursing & get my RN. I hope to do my Master's in Midwifery after that. It took us a while to decide on when to do all this bc we both still have a desire to adopt, but I wasn't sure I could take on so much. I finally made the decision a few weeks ago to go back to school and lay the adoption dream to rest. We both feel like we want foster parent when the kids are older and I have a job. I admit a little (sometimes a lot) of guilt about the decision. One of the many things that we've always agreed on as a couple (and as Christians) is that there are far too many babies and children (and teens, for that matter) out there who need a home and a chance to be loved by parents. And even as I type this about "decisions," I know that we never know where God, the future and/or life may lead us. So there it is, y'all. Our life of recent. :)