the big 3-4!

today my best friend and most amazing partner in all of life's adventures turns 34 years old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REZA!

i love you reza, so super much and here are just a few reasons why: you are always the calm in the storm, you make this cute snoring noise when you sleep, the kids think you are hysterical, you dance like a white boy but you dance nonetheless, you are never too practical, you love to go out to eat, you love your truck as if it was child, you love me more than i new anybody could, you love to "go with the flow", you never see the dirt, you've touched a lawnmower twice since i have met you, you are such a wonderful friend, you are perfectly content to sit in the yard with a beer, one of the first times we hung out you told me you were going home to study the stars, you never squish bugs in the house (always catch and release), you are an amazing father and husband, so loving, and everything i ever dreamed of.

have i mentioned that i love you, 'cause i do, a lot!

happy 34th!

** please note that aside from a few scans, the pictures start during the digital age (hence no pictures of high school/college days!)

happenings.

we haven't been up to much here. mostly just planning our upcoming move, you know, figuring out the little details like getting a loan. but here is a glimpse of the other shenanigans we have been a part of:

1. lias has been crying for the past 40 minutes because he can't, for the life of him, figure out how to keep ada's "glass slippers" on his feet as he walks around.

2. ada now has a chore chart. it went something like this:

me- "ada, please take your purse and mermaid to your room and put them away."

ada- "no thanks. you can do it."

me- "little girls that don't help don't get dessert."

ada- "its ok."

fuming, i took her stuff, put it in her room, grabbed markers and paper and made her a chore chart. it reads:

ADA'S CHORES

1. HELP PICK UP TOYS

2. TIDY ROOM UP

we went over it together, i told her she gets a sticker ever day if she does what it asks. after five stickers she gets a treat. she understood, then

ada- "can i make a chore chart too?"

me- "that would be awesome!" (you know, thinking that ownership will help her want to take part in her chores more)

ada made a beautiful chart, minus "real"words and told me she was all done.

me- "beautiful"

ada- "it says-- no cleaning up earns you lots of special treats. now can we hang this one up?"

ARGGGGGHHHHH!

3. we have large pests living around (and in) our house. the pest control people came by, determined rats and raccoons, put traps and poison and told me they would stop by and check occasionally. (really? rats and raccoons. i might faint.) the next morning i peek at the trap going under the house and a baby opossum is hanging out in the trap. i call the pest people, ask them to humanely take the possum away, and they say "oh, its just a baby. there are going to be lots more!" awesome.

4. apparently some very famous celebrities have moved into our neighborhood. like, really close to me. i won't say names but the dad's name sounds like den gafleck. i think we are going to be friends. that is my plan anyway. they came into my starbucks while i was having coffee with the kids. of course i didn't see them, i don't see much when we are in public (i'm a little focused.) but the woman beside me told me and was very excited. don't worry, soon enough we will be like family. it would be a great ending to my stay in shreveport!

5. and last but not least, reza's 34th birthday is friday! HOORAY for birthday parties!

waterslide

ada stickerhands

the tikes have been pretty entertaining lately, to say the least. in the moments that i turn my head, they do pretty bizarre yet very silly things. one morning ada covered her entire hand with stickers!

pretty sure this could be an exhibit at the local museum of modern art (you know, if shreveport actually had one!)
thanks for the stickers, nande! they were put to good use as you can see.

reza is elias' hero. i think reza has been waiting his entire life for this moment. li thinks reza's truck is the coolest thing EVER!
we scored a great find at a local garage sale. an old church bench that will store more kids toys that ever imagined. ada and i spent the weekend sanding and painting it. she was so excited that we had to be "so not fancy" while doing it. we picked out our rattiest clothes and enjoyed every minute of it! i can't wait to put the bench in my new kitchen!
we are so NOT FANCY. and our faces show it!

ada broke out her unc cheerleading outfit! after 5 minutes of instruction (thanks youtube!) she was a professional cheerleader. it went something like this "GO CAROLINA GO CAROLINA GO CAROLINA", two small jumps, fists in the air, and a big TWO THUMBS UP (she came up with that all by herself!)

then i left the tikes alone with the hose. i came back to the barbie mermaids taking a relaxing bath in a homemade swamp. beauty has its price!

happy 36th mom and dad!

marriage is not easy.

but best friends bicker and fight and work through every day, not always with ease.

36 years is not only wonderful, but a major accomplishment!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!

back from vacay.

this is my world.

it has been hard to readjust since coming back from our two week trip to north carolina. we were constantly surrounded by family and friends so it made coming back to shreveport seem a little bit lonely. lots of time with just. us.

despite this, we had a fantastic easter weekend. complete with a trip to tyler, texas to visit the zoo. anyone who has young children knows that there is no place more entertaining. we had a blast and the kids were so excited that they actually ran around holding hands half the day! it about melted my heart.

lias checking out the leopards.

once again, ada feeding the birds. this is all she wanted to do.

little guy.

it is so hard to believe that one day he will probably be taller than me.

ada loving her second time ever having nachos. the first time was at the zoo too!
playing house in the old pick-up.

li's favorite part.

elias was not very kind to these goats. he treated them about as nicely as he treats most dogs and cats. furious patting. as hard as humanly possible.

ada followed the baby goats around.

easter morning. 6 am.

please can i eat gum balls?

easter egg hunt in pajamas. 7:10am.

easter day walk at norton art gallery gardens.

sometimes ada looks like this.

but mostly she just looks like this.

my main squeeze.

we tried to take a lovely picture of the little ones together for easter, but most of the pictures came out like this...

or this...
kissy face.