Un-Boring 2012! The Reveal!

I can't believe it is already almost March! I'm writing this post just before midnight on the 29th of February - this crazy extra day. An extra day is great and all but it's not like it was really a free day. If today was an actual free day, we all would have been off from work. We all would have hung out and had barbeques in this untraditionally warm weather. We all would have marched in a parade. But it wasn't a free day, no, it was a regular day, business as usual, time marches on - we just got to write 2/29/12 on the tops of papers and on checks.

I'm sure somewhere in the world, someone is celebrating the exciting-ness of an extra day. I'll have to look for such celebrations or plan some of my own the next time a Leap Day rolls around. It's too late for Leap Day but it's not too late to make the entire year un-boring!

My friend, Alison, declared last year a year of fun and created an un-boring list for herself. When I visited her in August, I got to witness her cross of glassblowing from her list. There is something really cool about actively deciding to take hold of your life and make it fun. Since high school, I have been a very reflective person. Everyday, I take time to think about what I love about life and what I am so grateful for.

This year, I decided to take Alison's lead and to make an Un-Boring List of my own. I didn't make it too long and I didn't make it to extravagant but I did make it fun. Fun will be had, come what may!

Here's what's on my list:

#1 - Go on a cruise *check*

#2 - Take French lessons

#3 - Go on a Segway tour

#4 - Visit a butterfly garden *check*

#5 - Host a book swap

#6 – Go to Mall of America

#7 – Go to a Bulls game

#8 – Picnic and play at Michigan Dunes

#9 – Makeover an old bridesmaid dress

#10 – Make a pie

#11 – Grow herbs and a tomato plant

#12 – Volunteer for Sophia’s Heart

What would you put on your Un-Boring List? Want to join me on any of my un-boring fun? Have an ideas for how to get some of these done??? Un-Boring support wanted!

Photo Booth Fun House

The other night Jordan, Danny, and I were having some fun with the special effects on Photo Booth. It's fun that my boys are playing with each other more and more. Jordan is great at making Danny laugh and Danny seems to be growing out of the phase of being in motion all the time. Danny can sit and focus and have fun more now than before. Case in point, we were able to sit and take these pictures...at least until while a while when Danny finally lost interest.

Valentine's Day 2012

It already feels like Valentine's Day was forever ago when it was only last week. Somehow February feels like it should be short but drags on! We had fun designing Valentine's this year. I persuaded Jordan to let me make Valentine's instead of buying Valentine's and Danny has no choice, so that makes things easy (for now). I owe my inspiration to eighteen25. Those girls have some great ideas over there!

Jordan loves Star Wars so I asked him to find his most favorite Lego Star Wars toys and we took pictures of them, then I did my Photoshop (basic) magic to come up with this:

I love the irony of the hearts on their armor. Star Wars is awesome.

For Danny, I got to use my even more sophisticated (but still waaaaay basic) Photoshop magic to cut Danny out and then add text to come up with this: 

Even with my basic Photoshop skills, I was pretty proud of what I was able to do. Of course, the kids had these ultra-cute Valentine's to take to preschool and daycare and I bought them each a shirt and an activity to give from Chad and I and I thought I was doing really well until Jordan's shirt was way too big for him and he couldn't wear it right away. He was so excited and then so upset when it didn't fit. And then, I took Danny to daycare in his own new shirt that was super cute on him only to have the sitter cry out in shock when she saw his shirt wasn't red, pink or white. I had to tell myself that I did my best and that they did have nice cards to give to their friends but sometimes I am overcome by how much I want to be the best mom I can for my kids and what that means. I know they are going to have to deal with disappointment at some point in their lives but I hope and strive to be the one to disappoint them the least.

Awesome Brothers

How insanely cute are these two kiddos? They are so different but at the same time so much the same. I love watching them grow up and seeing them play more and more with each other and grow into great friends. It's indescribably wonderful.