Made our semi-regular trip to Portrait Innovations at the Shops (Shoppes?) at College Hills 45 minutes north of home in Normal (yes, that's the actual name of the city) -- for the annual quick, inexpensive, fun, prop-filled "birthday" picture-taking. It was supposed to be to get caught up with Jameson and with Bay (belated; bdays were in Feb. and March!), and then I realized that Anna's bday is just over a week away, and, so, we gotta get hers, too. THEN, it was brought to my attention by the nice lady on the phone that I can use the $9.95 promotional package deal only once every 3 months, and I got to thinkin' that I'd better do all four kiddos together in a group shot for the package deal (Hunter's NEXT birthday is just 2 months away) and do one cheap add-on sheet of each kids' individual pose. (Anna -- pinky-purply dress and new favorite doll in matching colors; Hunter -- GIJoes shirt and khaki/camo attire topped with Pap Cluver's Marines' hat from Vietnam; Jameson -- red/blue/white plaid shorts and red top surrounded by his four favorite plush animals; Bay -- denim skirt, cowgirl boots, and tropical scarf (?) with Toy Story's "Jesse" doll and other Disney critters.) I'm too, um, frugal (shall we say) to buy expensive enough packages that include the photo CD; so, this 'scription is what I gots for ya. That's lots o' outfits and props, but we got it done -- pose-to-print -- in 40 minutes. Great pictures, kids well-behaved, prompt service. Check.
Two orders of dough nuggets with marinara dipping sauce at Firehouse Pizza something-or-other also at College Hills. Can't remember the exact name of the restaurant, but boy have I remembered for a year and a half the name of that delectable "appetizer" that I've made a meal on more than one visit. Freshly deep-fried yeast dough nuggets sprinkled with garlic salt and served up with a perfectly balanced sweet-tangy tomato sauce . . . refined carb Heav-en! Four lidded kids' cups with bendy straws and a totally nice waitress made for family snacking perfection. Yum.
A couple of sale items from Children's Place (best kids' clothes store ever; okay, a tie with Target).
Two donuts each from Krispy Kreme . . . yes, sugar coma is underway. Totally. After twenty minutes into the kids' intrigue of the chocolate cake donut production line (through store-length window for customer viewing), I finally managed to bribe them out of the store with the promise of a library trip. Movin' on.
Books and movies returned. Reading program cards checked in and prizes got. New books and movies checked-out and zipped into backpacks before the dash in the rain to the van. "Day out" done.
Just as Anna received her "Our Generation" doll as a random "love you" and "catching up on missed childhood" gift, Jameson was interested in having a "big guy" (like the 10" GIJoe guy Hunter has), but "brown." As GIJoe doesn't have any movies on the immediate horizon, the merchandise is really, really scarce. Yesterday I picked up a large-sized "Goliath" figure (from the "Thor" story), and figured if it wasn't right enough, I could return it and keep on the search. Late this afternoon, upon pulling it out from under my desk and pulling off the bag, Jameson's face lit up -- big -- "OH, COOL!" (smile, smile, smile), and tight, long, thank-you hug. Mommy mission accomplished.
And now, as we move into the evening, the kids munch on leftover dough nuggets and donuts (great dinner, huh?), Anna has painted her large wooden "A" and added sprinkles, water-colored a gorgeous sunset painting, and done her yoga. The boys and Bay are watching the "boy library movies" in the girls' playroom. And I'm tying up loose ends while chillin' in my favorite sweats before Chad and I watch (finally!) "Slumdog Millionaire."
Lots of little somethings for everyone.
[Disclaimer: My kinfolk (and kids!) can attest that my children are often strong-armed into eating fruits, vegetables, proteins, fiber -- in the form of "sticks and twigs" (kidding!); actually, lots of Kashi granola, yogurt, nuts, seeds, berries, poultry, bananas, mixed greens . . . And my high school and college friends and coworkers and adult friends and, okay, lots of people, know I also like carbs and sugar. Ya gotta live a little. Or a lot.]
Two orders of dough nuggets with marinara dipping sauce at Firehouse Pizza something-or-other also at College Hills. Can't remember the exact name of the restaurant, but boy have I remembered for a year and a half the name of that delectable "appetizer" that I've made a meal on more than one visit. Freshly deep-fried yeast dough nuggets sprinkled with garlic salt and served up with a perfectly balanced sweet-tangy tomato sauce . . . refined carb Heav-en! Four lidded kids' cups with bendy straws and a totally nice waitress made for family snacking perfection. Yum.
A couple of sale items from Children's Place (best kids' clothes store ever; okay, a tie with Target).
Two donuts each from Krispy Kreme . . . yes, sugar coma is underway. Totally. After twenty minutes into the kids' intrigue of the chocolate cake donut production line (through store-length window for customer viewing), I finally managed to bribe them out of the store with the promise of a library trip. Movin' on.
Books and movies returned. Reading program cards checked in and prizes got. New books and movies checked-out and zipped into backpacks before the dash in the rain to the van. "Day out" done.
Just as Anna received her "Our Generation" doll as a random "love you" and "catching up on missed childhood" gift, Jameson was interested in having a "big guy" (like the 10" GIJoe guy Hunter has), but "brown." As GIJoe doesn't have any movies on the immediate horizon, the merchandise is really, really scarce. Yesterday I picked up a large-sized "Goliath" figure (from the "Thor" story), and figured if it wasn't right enough, I could return it and keep on the search. Late this afternoon, upon pulling it out from under my desk and pulling off the bag, Jameson's face lit up -- big -- "OH, COOL!" (smile, smile, smile), and tight, long, thank-you hug. Mommy mission accomplished.
And now, as we move into the evening, the kids munch on leftover dough nuggets and donuts (great dinner, huh?), Anna has painted her large wooden "A" and added sprinkles, water-colored a gorgeous sunset painting, and done her yoga. The boys and Bay are watching the "boy library movies" in the girls' playroom. And I'm tying up loose ends while chillin' in my favorite sweats before Chad and I watch (finally!) "Slumdog Millionaire."
Lots of little somethings for everyone.
[Disclaimer: My kinfolk (and kids!) can attest that my children are often strong-armed into eating fruits, vegetables, proteins, fiber -- in the form of "sticks and twigs" (kidding!); actually, lots of Kashi granola, yogurt, nuts, seeds, berries, poultry, bananas, mixed greens . . . And my high school and college friends and coworkers and adult friends and, okay, lots of people, know I also like carbs and sugar. Ya gotta live a little. Or a lot.]
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