Five for Friday

(My brother, Tom, at his swearing in ceremony this week.  He's now an alderman in Blue Island, Illinois!  I'm so proud!)

Hello Friends!

It's Friday!  Yahoo!  All six of us are scattering in different directions this weekend.  The boys (including Buster) are heading down to John's parents' house for the weekend.  Jack is going to hang out with Grammy while John plays in a tournament.  Emily and Maddie are headed to Chicago for the drama club trip.  They are going to see Oliver and Blue Man Group (I'm so jealous!).  Raffi will spend the weekend with her friend, Klara--they have a lacrosse game tomorrow and they are going to Wisconsin Dells on Sunday.  I am heading to a coaching clinic in Oak Brook, Illinois.  I'm not sure who is going to have the most fun.  Ready for some link love?  Here's five things that caught my attention this week:

1.  Two things that are making me super happy right now:  my new sandals and the A Beautiful Mess iPhone app.  http://instagram.com/p/ZWHfCvspoK/.

2.  I bought this book and plan on bringing it with me this weekend.

3. This post by the inspirational Lisa Leonard really made me think.  Everything doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

4.  This pizza looks divine.  She had me at caramelized onions and blue cheese.

5.  This video of kids trying new foods is completely adorable.  I wish I had captured my kiddos making these faces.

Have an awesome weekend!!

XO,
Vicki

Words to Live By

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XO,

Vicki

Project Life {May 6-12}

 Hi Friends!

I had so much fun doing my Project Life spread from last week--I think it was because the week was jam-packed with activities, so I had no problem filling up the spaces.  I decided I'm going to do prom as its own 2-page spread so I don't have to try and cram it in an already busy week.  I'll be sure to show you the prom layout in another post.

 Last week was a big one, even without prom!  Maddie started Driver's Ed on Monday.  Holy cow!  I can't believe it!  It seems like Emily just finished Driver's ed!  Maddie is in the classroom part right now.  She'll get her temps in July, and then she can get out on the road.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Emily started her AP tests last week.  I was so excited to stick those "I heart math" pencils in her good luck bag.  She loved them.  : )  Last week also included Jack's last archery club meeting and Emily's final band concert.  Time is flying by!

 Of course, the other highlight of the week was Mother's Day.  Christy came up on Saturday to help Emily get ready for Prom (she is the best Auntie!!), and I loved getting to spend some alone time with her before she left Sunday morning.  We spent Mother's Day at Amy & Bob's house.  It's the second year in a row that we spent Mother's Day together--it's such a fun tradition!

After Emily and Raffi left for prom, Christy, Maddie, and I went to see Gatsby while Jack and his friends saw Ironman 3.  I completely enjoyed Gatsby-- it was grand and lovely.  Jack & his friends loved Ironman 3.  Did you see the awesome blueberry bush I got for Mother's Day?  It was a total surprise.  Blueberries are one of my all-time favorite foods.  I can't wait to be able to pick my own berries!

I love this project.

Thanks for looking!

XO,

Vicki

I'm linking up with Jessica over at The Mom Creative

Prom

 Hi Friends!

Prom was every bit as magical for Emily and Raffi as I had hoped it would be.  Both girls looked completely lovely.

 I had so much fun taking their pictures.

 Raffi got ready over at her friend, Klara's house.  Klara is an exchange student, too.  We zipped over to Klara's house to get some pictures of Emily and Raffi together.  Raffi went to prom with a huge group of girlfriends.

After a few pictures of just the girls, it was time to head over and let Emily begin her Prom night with Greg.

 Greg and Emily have been dating for 7 months.  They looked completely wonderful together Saturday night.

 Emily & Greg went to dinner at The Melting Pot with their friends, Luke & Kirsten and Ben & Charlotte.

 Don't the ladies look lovely?

 It rained and hailed pretty much all day on Saturday, and then about a half hour before we were supposed to meet to take pictures, the sun came out.  Magical.

 Greg and Emily were very patient as I repeatedly asked for "just one more picture, I promise!"

 I love this picture of Emily laughing:

Hooray for magical Prom nights!

XO,

Vicki

Five For Friday

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1.  Emily started her AP (Advanced Placement) tests this week.  First up:  Calculus.  I marvel at the fact that someone who is part me loves math.  It just doesn't make sense.  I tucked a set of these into her good luck package this week.  They said it was the first set they've sold, which did not surprise me at all*.

2.  I liked this article about Grandmothers and their best meal.  If my grandma was alive, I'd take her picture with her spinach ravioli.  It was magical.

3.  Even though I know I'm not supposed to, I often judge a book by its cover.  I never buy a book that has the movie tie-in cover with the actors and actresses on it.  Yuck.  This article about gender-specific covers was interesting.  In every case, I preferred the "male" cover.  I wonder what that says about me?

4.  Do you like Arnold Palmers (the drink, not the golfer)?  Jack is obsessed with Peace Tea's Caddy Shack, which is basically an Arnold Palmer without his name.  It comes in humongous cans, and he can down one in a jiffy.

5.  Maddie is counting the days down until Lollapoolza.  She loves music.  Loves it.  She wants to start collecting vinyl records.  I think she needs this gem to play them on.  Isn't it cute?!?

Have a wonderful Friday, friends!  I'm off to celebrate Amy's fabulousness--it's her birthday!

XO,

Vicki

*They didn't really says this.  But really, how many sets of "I heart math" could they have possibly sold?  : )

Words to Live By

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XO,

Vicki

Smile and Wave

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Hi Friends,

Every morning after I drop off the kiddos and go through the drive through to get my chai latte, I pass by a crossing guard at the corner of Lake & Caroline Street.  Every morning, without fail, that crossing guard smiles and waves at me.  Every morning.  I have no idea who that woman is.  In fact, if I fell on her at the grocery store, I might not even realize it was the same person, but her smile and wave never fails to make me happy.  

She waves when it's bitter outside and all you can see is her eyes and nose peeking out from under all the layers of clothing she's wearing.  She waves when it's raining and the water is dripping off her yellow reflective vest.  She waves when it's sunny and the birds are singing.  She waves when the Packers win (I know she's a fan because she wears a Packers scarf), and she waves when the Packers lose.  Each and every day she waves.

One time I was picking up a friend who lives in the neighborhood around Lake & Caroline Streets.  The crossing guard was standing at her corner.  I said something about how I always got excited when the crossing guard waved at me.  She said, "Oh, she waves at everybody."

I thought about that for a while.  Here's a woman who is known for her waving;  she's the woman who smiles and waves at everybody.  There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of crossing guard action at the corner of Lake & Caroline Streets in Neenah.  It's not an especially busy intersection.  I'd imagine that job could get downright boring day after day.  But this woman (who I lovingly refer to as my favorite crossing guard) has chosen to make the best out of every single day.  Who knows how many people she waves to each day?  Who knows how many people look forward to her wave as they pass by her each morning*.  Who knows how many people have a bit brighter day because my favorite crossing guard took the time to see them as they passed by her each day.

I tell you what;  I love her spirit.  I love that she takes the time to smile and wave at me each day.  I don't know her, but I am so fond of her.  She completely makes my day.  

Such a small thing done with great love.  

XO,

Vicki

*Full disclosure:  I always put my tea in the cup holder before I see her so I can wave back to her.