Going to see Celtic Woman In Concert!!!

I'm sooooooo excited!!!! I LOVE Celtic Woman and the other day, I was folding laundry when a commercial came on saying that they are coming to Knoxville next week. I was like, "OOOH OOOH OOOH!!!!" and the next thing I know, I'm being handed a printed confirmation of tickets Erik purchased for us!!!! :) He also rounded up a babysitter last night, so I guess we're really going. :) Yay!!! I may get a little emotional as Mom loved them so much too. Wish she could come with us too.....maybe she will! :)
Now to decide what to wear...... :)

Rescheduled......

Got a call this morning that Connor's preschool has been rescheduled for the second time this week. He only goes 2 days a week. I have really loved that this program was in effect in our ward and that we've had the opportunity to take advantage of it....but it's sometimes a little frustrating too. Last Thursday, it was canceled completely.....and she had rescheduled one day either the previous week or the week before that (can't remember now) and I wasn't informed and drove all the way over there to discover that no one was home. So, now, it's just feeling like we're in a bit of a bad pattern. I get that people get sick and I appreciate not having the germs brought to our house.....but this wouldn't happen in a regular preschool. We didn't have much choice in preschools here. There are only a couple that aren't actually day cares with a supposed preschool curriculum....and they had wait lists that were a mile long when we moved here. So no chance of getting in really. Leaving Shining Stars Preschool is the one big regret I have about leaving Rio Rancho. It is such a great program and it was so cool that Connor had actually gotten one of the very coveted spots. Barring snow days, it never would have been canceled. Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad that we've had this preschooling option available to us.....but it's disappointing to Connor when school that he looks so forward to is canceled and it puts a wrench in my plans too. Oh well....got a nice thunderstorm going on outside and it's nice just being lazy and staying in my jammies and watching the storm too. ;)

The difference 2 days makes!

The forest behind us just keeps getting greener and greener and DARKER. I took the pics below two mornings ago. Look at the pics of the forest in that post....then check out these I just took. Crazy, isn't it???

Spring time in Tennessee!!!

I have to say.....I have been LOVING spring time here in Tennessee!!! :) After 4 years of living in the barren desert, it is awesome to see the Earth coming back to life after a long, cold winter. :) We've had a little bit of allergies, but really not too bad. The juniper pollen in New Mexico used to absolutely kill Erik and Connor. So, in comparison, it's not been bad....especially considering there are so many more things blooming here that could get to them. A couple of weeks ago, I took pictures of the daffodils along the roadway as we were driving in to Knoxville. I had noticed that they were all over the neighborhood (including our yard!) but then realized they are growing like wild flowers EVERYWHERE. It's so beautiful to look at! Then, we were gone this past weekend and came home to see our yard in bloom! Not having been here before, we had no idea what our yard would look like. After having been admiring the other yards in the neighborhood, I'm happy to see we have some of our own right here in our yard! :) Here's some pics of the daffodils on the road way and our yard! :)

Fabulous Weekend!!!

Spent a great weekend in Franklin. Started the drive Thursday evening when Erik got home from work. I had everything ready to go and he literally drove up, went potty, locked the door and we were off! Love it when things work out so smoothly! The ride was decent...except for about a 13 mile stretch that we were stuck in bad traffic and moving at a snail's pace because they were re-striping the freeway. WTH were they thinking on a holiday weekend! It took us an hour to get from that point to the exit at Cookeville, where we stopped for dinner. All in all, it put us about 2 hours behind schedule.

Friday, Debi and I went out and I bought new sandals, then she treated me to a pedicure for my birthday!!! HEAVEN!!!! :) We mostly chilled the rest of the day and colored boiled eggs with the kids.

Saturday, Erik and I were able to get our BY OURSELVES (woohoo!!!!) and do Easter shopping and go to lunch! It's been so long since we've been out really alone together, it was awesome! That afternoon Erik took the boys to a movie and I ran errands with Paul & Debi. We met up later with Erik & the boys and Caity & Maddi and went to dinner at Logan's for my birthday. :) That ended with me being embarrassed with the announcement of my birthday and having the entire restaurant giving me a birthday "YEEHAW!!!" lol She did tell everyone I was turning 21 though. HAHAHA Don't I wish! We got home and Erik and Paul hid the eggs around the yard and then the kids went on an Easter Egg Hunt. He worked Sunday, so it worked better to do it that way so he could be there. After we put the kids to bed, we put the baskets together and then I fell asleep as we were watching The Ten Commandments.

Sunday morning, Erik got out of bed and was getting dressed to go downstairs. I thought to myself "AWESOME!!! I get to sleep in for my birthday!!!" Then Erik said, "Jodi, we've got to go downstairs." Oh yeah. The kids were ready to see what the Easter Bunny had filled their baskets with. Crud. lol So, I had to wake up AND watch other people get gifts. Birthdays and Easter for adults kinda stink. lol Then we got cleaned up and gathered our stuff to go home.
It was obvious an Easter dinner wasn't in the plans there.....Paul was at work and Debi is on the Medifast diet that we're going to start soon, so she wouldn't be eating anything. So, we left so that we could get home and do something for my birthday. I refused to cook an Easter feast on my birthday.....and we'd have had to go to the store to get everything....so we ended up at Wasabi for dinner. lol I have *NEVER* eaten out on Easter before and it felt a little like A Christmas Story when they ended up at a Chinese restaurant for Christmas dinner. HAHAHA
It was really slow there AND we ended up with the BEST chef!!! He is HILARIOUS and so entertaining as he cooks. :) He really took his time too, because there wasn't really much else for him to hurry for. Erik even got in on the fun. :)

Then we came back home and put in some solar lights along the sidewalk in front of the house and had some cheesecake with strawberries for my birthday cake. :) While we were gone, our yard absolutely BLOOMED!!! I need to go outside and take some pics so that I can post them here! :) Was an AWESOME weekend!!! :)

Oh my achin' hands!!!

Alex needed to help the Primary Presidency with preparations for an activity as one of the requirements to earn his religious knot for Cub Scouts (last thing he needed for it!). So, they asked him to put together SIXTY of these little Easter Favor handouts for the activity Friday evening.....which he will not be attending because we will be in Nashville! lol I helped him of course.....because they just wouldn't look as nice and would have taken FOREVER for him to finish, had he done it alone. So, he filled all 60 eggs with candy while I cut out each strip of card stock and then we put them all together, together. Between cutting 60 strips, punching 120 holes (to tie the ribbon through), and tying and curling ribbon....my hands are aching!!! I must be getting old! lol
At least it's done now!

Tonight is pack meeting and Alex will be awarded his Webelo and his Arrow of Light awards! :) Can't believe my baby is crossing over the bridge into Boy Scouts tonight!!! *SNIFF* Not sure if he'll get his religious knot tonight or not. Not sure if that's been mentioned to the Cub Master as well. We'll see. But, he's done the requirements for all three now! :) Will post pictures tomorrow!!! :)
Here's a couple pics of the things we made today. :)

Need motivation!!!!

I am just blah this morning. Have no drive to get up and do the things I need to do. Would rather just laze around and do nothing but what I *want* to do. lol At least we have a nice, long weekend to look forward to. It's Easter this Sunday AND my birthday!!!! We will drive to Nashville when Erik gets off work on Thursday and spend the weekend at his parents' house. I hope that he's been on top of arranging childcare with his Mom or sister or both. That is the ONE thing that I have really said that I wanted and that was the provision for us spending my birthday weekend there....that we'd be able to go OUT without the kids. We've not had a date since we moved here.....I guess really since HE moved here. Which means last JULY!!!! Holy cow. Didn't realize it had been quite that long, but it has. The last few times that we've been at his parents' house we've pretty much just stayed AT the house and done a bunch of nothing. Actually, I have gone out with Debi & Caity.....but not with Erik. I told him that it was up to him to get that worked out for us because I shouldn't have to arrange things for my own birthday. lol So, I hope he has. I'll be really disappointed otherwise.
On a bright note.....the weather is supposed to be just about PERFECT this weekend!!!! I'll be sooooooooo HAPPY to have a nice sunny weekend!!! :) I guess I should dig out my capris and see if my sandals are in decent condition or if I need new ones and maybe get a pedi! Haven't had a pedi since the weekend Dad got married in October and it's an absolute MUST when wearing sandals. I don't like looking at people's ugly feet.....so I'm sure they'd not want to look at mine being ugly either. lol Yay for SPRING!!!!!! :)