Friday, May 29, 2009

It's Not You...It's Me

Dear Blog,

I'm breaking up with you.

Just for a little while...I think.

Not that I haven't loved our time together. You have been at my side almost 2 1/2 years and we've been through a lot. Accidents (both bike and potty). Unemployment. Sickness. Snow Days.


Thanks to you, I've found the humor in the everyday. I've seen the beauty in my children's faces. I've come out of my shell, drawn closer to faraway family and made a whole bunch of great new friends.

But the truth is--you're starting to crowd me a little. I feel you breathing down my neck. The kids say something cute or funny and my first thought is, "Oh, I'd better tell Blog!" When I hear a great song or read a good book, I wonder, "Does Blog know about this?" I plant a garden/bake a cake/get my hair cut, but find the act incomplete unless I share it with you. It's creepy.

I hate to say it, but I've grown tired of being witty for your sake. Sucking in my stomach to look good for you. Feeling like I have to check in all the time.

And, I think you're too nice to say so, but you're getting a tad bored with me too, right? All the whining and complaining? The self-righteous opinions and hair obsessions? I know. It's enough to drive any blog crazy.

So. I'm not suggesting anything permanent, but let's give each other some space, k? A few months on a break. You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Hoping to feel fonder soon.

Your friend,
Gabi



I've decided to try living blog-free this summer. (Maybe longer, if I like it.) Because I want to finish things off with a bang, however, I will post one last time next week. So, if you have any burning questions for me to answer or some good advice for a recovering blogaholic, please post in the comment section and we can share with the whole class.
p.s. I will still be reading YOUR blog, so don't get any ideas...

Sepia Sisters

My little sis and hostess with the mostess!
Photo by Heidi--another great sis

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Seven Questions...Family Ties

My favorite subject is family and my favorite kinds of families are happy ones. What ARE the secrets of a happy home? In any profession there are tricks of the trade. Since I think being a mom is the most important job ever, I am always on the lookout for role models and mentors. Blogging has introduced me to some pretty amazing mothers and I love peeking into their windows and learning from what I see. Today's expert is Rachel. A down-to-earth mom who seems to know the secrets to raising good kids and supporting a busy husband.








Here are a few of her professional secrets...

#1--Will you tell us a little about you and your family? What are your top
five secrets for a happy home?
Our family’s story began 14 years ago when Rob and I were married in the San Diego Temple. We have been lucky enough to have three great children. R.J. just turned 12 and is in 6th grade. He loves to read but his life is centered around sports. Madison is 10 and in 5th grade. She was just elected Student Body President of her school. She is our shy, serene girl but can tackle any challenge. Payton is 6 but, thinks she’s 13. She is in first grade. Payton is our little entertainer and knows how to work a crowd. Rob is an accountant and I have just started working at the kid’s school two days a week since they all attend school full time.


The secret to a happy home is, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” Just kidding, I read that on a plaque when I went to my husband’s house for the first time to meet his parents. After reading that, I knew I’d fit into the family just fine!


Our top 5 secrets to a happy home are simple and basic and work for us...
1-Always Put Family First, Our family motto is “Family First”. We adopted this motto when the R.J. and Maddie were very young. . R.J. and Madison are only 18 months apart in age and a year apart in school. R.J. has taken the role of big brother very seriously. He is always looking out for and protecting his sisters at school and activities. And Madison does the same for
Payton. We always try to remind our kids about how fortunate they are to have siblings. Friendship is important, but comes second to family.
2-Break Bread Together Around the dinner table is where the family connection happens. One thing we do are “Highs & Lows”, each family member has a turn sharing their High Point and Low Point of the day. This usually gets the conversation and laughter rolling freely and naturally without trying to pull information from the kids.
3-Build & Honor Traditions I am a big fan of traditions. Traditions promote a sense of belonging. The kids have something to look forward to which gives them a sense of assurance in a busy, always changing world. The tiniest things can become traditions, like the way you wake up or say goodnight to your children. We have a lot of family traditions for holidays, birthdays and even for General Conference time. Some traditions are based on God's commandments, such as having family prayer and reading the scriptures every morning.




4-Love & Support Your Spouse Parents need to show their kids they love each other and they need to hear you say it too. As parents we set a real example of love for our children to follow. Parents also need to stand as a united front for our children. When making any decisions, do it together. Kidsare often guilty of pitting their parents against each other when they want
their way. We caught on to this real quick when one of my kids got an answer that they didn’t like and would go to dad for a different one. We then made a point to be on the same page for “Parenting” the kids.
5-Enjoy Each Other Just spend time having fun and laughing together brings our family closer together. Our family is big on games; we love Dominos, Phase 10, Uno, Guitar Hero and puzzles. We also try and have “Date Nights” with the kids. They love spending one on one time with us. It makes them feel special and help create strong bonds.


#2--I know your husband is volunteering as a Bishop for your church congregation. For anyone who doesn't know, tell us what a Bishop does. How much time is involved? How does it affect your daily life?

Our Church leadership and organizations are made up of lay members of the Church. There is no paid clergy. The Bishop is the local leader of a congregation called a ward. There are many administrative functions that a Bishop oversees including the organization of each congregation. Our Church also supports the Bishops as they counsel with members on spiritual and temporal matters.
Our Church meetings are three hours on Sunday. The Bishop is also involved in other meetings with auxiliaries before and after Church. He is involved with Sunday meetings on average about 7-8 hours. He also meets with members during the week in the evenings. Other time commitments include visiting individuals who may not regularly attend church, visiting sick or elderly, Scout campouts and other activities with the youth.
Fortunately most of the leaders of the other organizations use e-mail, text messaging and cell phones, so much of the administrative functions can be handled during the week without adding more meetings. Our daily life is busy, but Rob being Bishop doesn’t add too much to that. We are lucky that he is able to work a lot at home for his job. He helps me with the morning routine with the kids, he helps with car pools, he coaches R.J.’s baseball team and often cooks dinner. We are even able to sneak away a few times a week to have lunch together.

#3--What is the biggest challenge with this assignment? What is the best thing about it? How do you support him in serving others and still keep your own family a top priority?

The biggest challenge I think with this assignment is not being able to talk about things that I know are bothering him. Hearing and trying to help those members of the ward with challenges physically take a toll on him. But, I am so proud of him for keeping confidences. I know now when not to ask questions. That is one of the best ways I can support him in this calling, by not probing or trying to find out stuff about confidential matters. This has been really hard on us because we do talk about everything. The best thing about him being the bishop is seeing the love and admiration on the faces of the little children. They love to come visit him in his office (or it could be the candy jar he keeps on his desk.) It’s also nice when the Activity Day Girls “Heart Attack” us and bring him cookies in appreciation of his service. The whole family benefits from that! Our family has been blessed. We continue to see Heavenly Father’s tender mercies confirming to us we are being cared for.

Learning to keep the family a top priority has been easier than I thought. When Rob was called to be Bishop our Stake President gave us some words of advice: “Your family’s needs come first!” He said, “If your child has a game or recital on the same night as a meeting, you choose to go to their event. Just delegate things to others when you need help.” Those words helped a lot to balance home and church without feeling guilty. The Stake President also told us to not put undue pressure on our kids. He told us that our kids should make their decisions based on their knowledge of what is right or wrong not because they are the children of the Bishop.

#4--How do the two of you work to keep your marriage strong? Tell us some
of the fun things you have done together.


Keeping our marriage strong IS hard work, but definitely worth it! For starters, we go on a date every weekend without fail. The activity itself is not important, just getting time for the two of us. It’s during these times when we are laughing together that we remember why we married each other. Another way we keep our marriage going strong is Romance and Intimacy. Little things like holding hands and other small displays of affection make me feel loved and wanted. Rob is full of compliments and never leaves the house without giving me a kiss goodbye (even when I am asleep!)

Communication is another key to our marriage. I am lucky, Rob is a talker! Sometimes I have to remember that he is not a mind reader, I have to let him know what I am thinking and what I want,too. Rob and I have the most fun together when we travel. We love to sneak away just the two of us for trips. He has even surprised me with a Hot Air Balloon ride in Napa and Bungee Jumping. It’s during these times we concentrate only on us!

#5--What are you doing to help your kids "fit in" with their peers without lowering their standards? How do you help them have good, CLEAN fun?
I asked my kids this question, and they said, "You always tell us, 'Be a leader, not a follower!' 'Make being “good”, the cool thing to do.' "And, of course, we encourage and nurture the relationships they have with good friends. It’s so important for our kids to create strong bonds with kids who share their beliefs and values. My kids are just coming to the age where peers' opinions matter. And having good, clean fun is harder to do in today’s world. R.J., for example, wants to meet with friends to go to the movies. We are both not ready for him to be on his own so we will go to the movies with him. We will sit far away from him so not to embarrass him or we will go to a different movie in the same theater. We had to come up with compromises that make us both happy. But, still let the kids have their space to be themselves.

#6--How do you try to make your home the "hangout" place? What do you do to create an environment that welcomes your kids and their friends?“IF you feed them, they will come”. I heard that once at a Women’s Conference. Boys like to eat and have big appetites; I believe that if you have a stocked pantry with the best snacks in the neighborhood your house will be the “Hangout”! We are just starting this phase. I still have control of where my kids go play. If my kids want to play with their friends, they come here. I feel safer with the kids being on
home turf. I still can keep an eye on them, see what video games they are playing, what music they are listening to, what they are watching on T.V.

One fun thing we have done in the past for the kids and their friends was have an outdoor movie night. We set up a big screen and put out lawn chairs and blankets, had popcorn and snacks and watched a “clean” family movie under the stars. They loved that and we were able to be right there with them.

#7--Who are the families you admire most? What have you learned from them?
I would have to say that I admire my own mom and dad most. They raised 7 kids and had fun doing it! I know they had their trials with each one of us but they stuck together and did what they thought was best. I never ever doubted they loved us. My mom and dad taught me how to have a great marriage through their example. I don’t think I have ever heard my parents call each other by their first names; they only refer to one another as “Dear”.
I learned my love of traditions from them too. I try hard to carry those traditions on and I hope that one day my children will too. All of what they taught me, I am trying to teaching my children.



Thanks, Rachel...today you've taught me, too!


To meet Rachel and her family, check out their Everyday Happenings. Not only are they extremely attractive people, they just have a whole lotta fun together!



Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Non-Fic Picks

You know you've had a good vacation when you can dig your way through a big bagful of books. This trip my faves were all non-fiction. Here's where my nose was buried...



This book is smart, well-written and makes me want to completely change my lifestyle and eating habits. I agree with just about everything Pollan says. Eat whole foods. Mostly plants. Don't buy foods with more than five ingredients. Now I just need him to come to my house and do the grocery shopping, lunchbox packing and cooking for my four little omnivores. Until he does this, I can only swallow his advice with a very large grain of (organic) sea salt. Three and a half stars.

I read this book twice in 48 hours. I was so emotional during the first read that I had to go back for the tear-free version. Excellent. Every mom who wonders "Why am I doing this?" needs to read. Full of good quotes, stories and examples. I would lend you my copy, but it is going to be permanently stationed on my nightstand for those days when I need inspiration. Five stars.

Ever notice that there are a zillion infant/toddler/adolescent/teenager books and almost nothing for the 5-10 year old demographic? This is the perfect one for the ages and stages of my children right now. Greenspan writes great parenting books. His advice is realistic and helpful. After reading I felt reassured. My kids are normal after all. I think. Four and a half stars.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Catch Ya Later

Takin' the little softball softie on a run to my homeplate.
Let's hear it for the girls!
Happy Memorial Day, everybody.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Beautiful Noise

Last night was Jake's first band concert. And-- even though the whole thing was hot, crowded, and way past bedtime--I was just so proud of my Big Guy. What a long way he has come!

For years, Jake went to speech therapy to deal with major articulation issues. His tongue, jaw and palette were so weak, as a preschooler he couldn't even blow soap bubbles or drink through a straw. The speech teacher and I spent hours with him using all kinds of tubes and whistles to strengthen those muscles. Now, the fact that he can play the clarinet (quite well) in the fourth grade band is a mini-miracle that I don't take for granted.

If you are his grandparent and want to watch, he's in the front row, mostly hidden by the music stand, just right of the microphone. Hopefully, you'll recognize the tune.


This was also his first year in Chorus and the music teacher is fabulous! (If you don't believe me, just glance at her shoes and listen for the ambitious harmonies. Fierce.) Jake is in the back row, right under the "s" in MUSIC. Special appearance by the principal.



The final song had me in tears...by this point a younger sib had confiscated the camera and I gave in because I was hot and cranky and up past my bedtime. So, I have no recording of the chorus singing this song, but listen to it anyway. Imagine these words in pure, sweet fourth grade voices, you might get misty, too.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Saturday on the Sevens or Does Hopping In & Out of the Car For 12 Hours Count as Cardio?

This photo was totally staged...but the rest are an accurate account of my crazy Saturday. Enjoy.

Why did I bother?

Did I mention Daddy is out of town?

Did I mention I have been looking at this square on my calendar with complete dread for weeks?

Don't worry...it's a red light.

I was Backstage Mom for the dance recital...


I think the experience guarantees a spot in heaven.


Direct quote: "My favorite was the belly dancers."


The title for this afternoon is "En Route."


What's a busy Saturday without a birthday party?


Or another ball game?


Just moments after this snap, Sam fell off the bench and whacked his head obscenely on the table.

(BTW, just exactly what is the polite response to "You've sure got your hands full"?? I'm not sure whether to say "Thanks!" or "Really?" or "But this is us on a goooood day!" Your suggestions appreciated...)

Aloha!


Do you see that huge bump on his noggin? Me neither. He's fine.

I just remembered, I'm substituting in Primary tomorrow.

I love my kids so much right now.

The photographer was only too happy to stay up past bedtime to complete his assignment.

This day was brought to you by: Coppertone Sport, Wendy's Drive-thru, Allison the Babysitter, Purell, Aunt Cami who sent the twins' awesome t-shirts, Wachovia ATM, Ghiradelli semi-sweet morsels and Excedrin PM.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Beauty Secrets

I knew Mom was my beauty-partner-in-crime the day she took me to get my ears pierced.

After years of pleading tears and pitiful begging, I had managed to convince my parents that having a couple of little gold balls in my lobes would not be the first step on a path to teen pregnancy or delinquency. I promise-promise-promised that, even with holes in my ears, I would still choose good friends, be on the Honor Roll and clean my room.

(And, actually, I'd probably do these things a whole lot more effectively with the added confidence and self-assurance one can only achieve wearing a pair of green, plastic m&m studs.)

Whatever the argument, Mom gave in. Or maybe she just let me think she was giving in. It was my twelfth birthday and I got her all to myself as we drove to Castleton's Department Store for the Big Event.

(Moment of silence in memory of Castleton's, please. You SLC gals of a certain age know what I'm talking about. Was it not THE place to shop? Smaller than ZCMI, classier than Penney's and the nicest salesladies, ever. You could pay for your entire back-to-school wardrobe of Espirit camp shirts and chunky cotton vests with mountains of crumpled babysitting dollar bills and they wouldn't bat an eye!)


Anyway, Mom walked me to the jewelry department, held my hand while the deed was done and then (wonder of wonders!) announced that she'd like her ears pierced, too. The rest of the summer we were religious about using hydrogen peroxide and twisting our studs. We went earring shopping together, too. I felt beautiful and grown up and thrilled that I was sharing it all with Mom--the most glamorous woman I knew.

I think my mom was smart to share beauty secrets with her daughters. While other mothers were tsk-tsking about miniskirts and Maybelline, Mom would sit down at the kitchen table with a stack of fashion magazines and clothing catalogs. While her teenage boys were drawn to the Doritos in the pantry, her teenage daughters were drawn to J.Crew and marie claire. As we girls flipped casually through the pages , Mom was subtly sharing classic style secrets, encouraging modest clothing choices, and getting the lowdown on life at the high school. It's amazing the profoundly life-changing discussions that can occur while leafing through the Nordstrom summer shoe circular.


Instead of treating makeup like forbidden fruit, Mom took me to the Clinique counter. She spent hours looking for clothes to suit my hard-to-fit shape. We got our colors "done" together and took an aerobics class and made facials out of eggwhite. I had so much fun with Mom that I forgot I was supposed to be a teenage rebel. Of course, I made plenty of hair and fashion mistakes (it was the Eighties, after all) and, of course, my mom was still the Strictest Mother Alive when it came to being home on time, respecting adult authority and helping around the house.


But it's a whole lot more fun helping around the house when you're wearing navy blue mascara.



This Mother's Day my mom gave me a beauty book. It's fun and light and helpful and the perfect kind of reading when you're sitting at baseball practice or waiting for piano lessons to end. The book is full of tips and products and fun "insider" stories. Still, all my tried-and-true glamour tips come from Mom. Here are a few of the beauty secrets she taught me:
  1. Red shoes go with everything.
  2. Spend the most money on the clothes you wear most often.
  3. An organized closet will save time, money and space. (Check out her closet...she practices what she preaches!)
  4. If you're old enough to wear makeup, you're old enough to wash it off every night.
  5. Don't try to look like anyone else. Emphasize your own beauty assets.
  6. Beauty is not about size or age, it's about style and attitude.
  7. The goal of looking your best is to feel confident, forget yourself and focus on others.

What are your beauty secrets?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Seven Questions--How Does Your Garden Grow?

The week after Mother's Day is the time for planting around here. Needing some inspiration this year, I turn to my cute Aunt Polly--my mom's little sister, my cousins' mom and one of my dear real-life (and now, blog-life) friends!



I've spent many pleasant hours in Polly's backyard--playing with cousins, listening to grown-up talk, having my bridal shower, and watching my own kids play in the sandbox--and I can tell you it is a fabulous place to be.


Here are Polly's tips on flowers, family and fun...right in your own backyard!


1. When did your love for gardening begin? What have you learned over the years about "taming the earth"?
I can't remember when I first began to love gardening. I have always loved the feel of the dirt as you pull weeds out and plant new flowers in the ground. I like the smell of new soil in spring and I love wandering around nurseries and just looking at all the varieties of flowering plants. Maybe it started when I was little and loved getting lost in my Grama Bagley's flowering bushes which surrounded her backyard.


Over the years I have learned that cutting back vines and flowering bushes in the early spring makes a big difference in their health throughout the season...they get stringy and don't produce as many flowers if this isn't done. Good soil and cleaning up the winter mess and starting out with a cleaned up palette is a good idea.


2. How do you begin planning your garden each year? What preparations do you make? What suggestions do you have for first-time gardeners?
I usually plan my garden around a color scheme. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a variety of colors. Other years it's pastels and sometimes I've done red and white with a little yellow thrown in...just depends. It also depends on what grows well where. Over the years my yard has gotten quite shady, so I tend to plant more shade-loving flowers rather than sun-loving ones.




*Look in magazines for ideas and ask for help in the nursery when you go to pick out your flowers.

*Think of your yard kind of like a painting you are creating.

*I know it's hard, but crop off the tops of the flowers when you first plant them...the plants will spread out and become bushier if you do this at first.

*Keep deadheading and they will continue to do this throughout the season.


3. How much time do you spend in your garden? What are your favorite gardening tools? At the first of the season I spend a lot of time. Cleaning out flower beds, pruningcan take a couple weeks in April. Then planting the flowers and vegetables, another week or so in mid-May. After that, it is just a little up keep..keeping weeds away and deadheading, and watering, which I love to do in the evenings. It's like visiting my friends to see how they are doing each night!






When my Scarlett bean vines start shooting up by leaps and bounds, it is amazing and a very rewarding part of this whole process!



I just use a rake, hoe and a little hand shovel and, of course, my garden gloves. I do have a tiny stool that is just above the ground, so I don't bend over too much (I'm kind of getting old and have a bad back.)



I always have an old laundry detergent bucket I drag along with me to throw weeds into and an apron with lots of pockets to put phone, shovel and any other things in so I don't have to get up once I've gone to work.

4. What were your biggest gardening mistakes? What did you learn from them?
Too many to count. Wrong flowers in the wrong place. I learn something every year! I did pour my own cement in "upper garden" because I was to impatient to wait for my husband, Jim, to do it. It is very uneven (I guess it adds to the charm???) I learned to wait for Jim when I have a big project.






5. Polly, the thing I love most about your backyard is that it has a cozy, comfortable feeling. It's almost like being in a beautiful family room with really high ceilings. What are your secrets for creating this environment?


You are so nice to say that! Our yard started out a huge hill. Jim built retaining walls with railroad ties, this along with our vine covered fence, trees and bushes and the levels created by the retaining walls helped us achieve kind of a cozy feeling in the middle of a busy neighborhood. I like the English garden look, a little wild rather than more manicured. But that is my taste. Each gardener needs to find the look and feel you want along with the space you have. You can create anything!



6. What are the five essentials you think every outdoor living space needs?
I think every outside living space needs a place to lounge, a place to play, a place to hide and meditate or be quiet in. A vegetable and flower garden, a workspace (for the husband-- if he doesn't have it, he'll take it anyway!) and a nice entry. I have some of these but not all.


My family makes fun of me, because my areas have names. I have an area called "lower garden" for lounging with comfy chairs, surrounded by my lilac and snowball and rose bushes and other flowers. Beautiful in the summer!



"Upper Garden" is my place to hide! No one can see me when I am up there and I can just sit and think or read or whatever I want. In the summer, at dusk, it is pure heaven.




There is a larger area of grass for grandkids to run and play and roll down the hill.


My husband has a shed (this could use some work) and we have a vegetable garden.


I have two entries to the yard. Neither are the way I would like them.. .but my yard is always a work in progress!



7. Finally, what are some of your favorite backyard memories?
My yard has 30 years of memories-- when my kids were little and they played baseball out back and jumped on the trampoline. Nowadays, we have family get togethers in the backyard.


I don't have expensive outdoor lighting, so when guests are over, there are candles on tables and a few lights glitter in the trees.


Sitting there, seeing my small vines--which started out as seeds--winding around the trellis along with my family and friends, enjoying the fragrance and beauty nature offers, truly is worth any work put into gardening.


Thanks, Polly! I'm ready to dig in the dirt!

Polly blogs about family and nature here. This post inspired me to plant!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Eventful


Anyone else feel like this time of year is just one big sprint toward Memorial Day? Our life right now is an Olympic event. One venue after another. I want a gold medal.


Here's a peek at our family's steeplechase...



Baseball and softball, contrary to my earlier doubts, have provided a great experience for the older two. Personally, I like the games a lot. You know why? Because I get to sit in a chair for two hours. And watch someone else tell my kids what to do. Grandslam!
Not to be outdone by their big sibs, the twinks had their own athletic event...



My cute friend, Marci, was in town doing a QVC show with Lisa Bearnson, Scrapbook Guru. She invited me to the live taping. I was hoping someone I knew would call in and order a Sissix machine, but apparently you were all too busy. Still, it was fun and fascinating.


But, the best event of the week was a Mother's Day Tea, which included...

fine art,

elegant refreshments,
handmade gifts,

and a certain classroom classiness.
Here's hoping your Mother's Day (and mine) are completely UNeventful!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Things I Learned at the Kentucky Derby

1. Getting dressed up is really, really fun.

Dress by Ann Taylor Loft, shoes from Macy's, accessories from Talbots. Best fashion purchase was a black pashmina from Dillard's on Derby-eve. It was chilly.

2. The most important accessories are paper.

We spent most of our time indoors in the Churchill Downs Museum. Brad's company hosted a luncheon there, which meant we could stay indoors and watch most of the races on screens. On padded chairs. In warmth. With waiters. Then we could venture to the grandstands for people-watching and the big event.

3. Wearing a hat is a transformative experience.

Wasn't too sure about the whole hat thing in the beginning. But I am a convert. The headgear at the Downs was amazing. By the end of the evening, I was absolutely craving color, ribbons and feathers. Everyone looked so ladylike and feminine. Hats, however, do cut off peripheral vision. There were a few side collisions.

A few of my favorites...


A few of my non-favorites...




4. People are just as exciting as thoroughbreds.

Attending the Derby is basically like going to a really long football game with no cheerleaders or marching band. There is much downtime between races. Also, if you don't partake of the local exports--i.e. bourbon and tobacco--you are in the minority. Thankfully, the fashion was a happy distraction. Intoxicated racegoers are also semi-entertaining. Next year, I think I'll sneak a paperback into my bag.




5. There is no such thing as a non-alcoholic mint julep.
Julep minus bourbon equals crushed ice, mint sprig and a straw.

So, we just got empty glasses.

6. A day at the races is pretty romantic.
Especially if your date stays sober...and wears cufflinks.

7. Never underestimate the underdog with the funny name.

Congrats to Mine That Bird!

8. A long weekend without kids and responsibility, wearing fancy clothes and eating at fine restaurants reduces stress and improves your love life.
And yet I was surprisingly excited to come home again...I like my kids a whole lot better than racehorses.
Just in case you missed the action...

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