7 Quick Takes Friday {#2}

Here we go again, thanks to Jennifer at Conversion Diary. In no particular order...

1.) Last night we headed to a nearby town to celebrate an extended family member's birthday. We met at a concert-in-the-park, and it was a Beatles cover-band that was playing.

I love the Beatles.

When I was a kid, my parents would listen to the oldies radio station anytime we went somewhere in the car. Every.single.Sunday, on the way to church, we listened to "Breakfast With the Beatles", on that station. (Basically just a lot of Beatles songs in the morning.) I remember getting soooooooooo tired of oldies, and being none-too-impressed with The Beatles at eight and nine years old. BUT, apparently at some point I fell in love with their music.

Anyway, we had a great time at the park last night, the company was wonderful, the kids had a blast dancing to the music, and I loved getting to hear songs like "Nowhere Man" and "Imagine" while sitting in the warm sun looking over the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

2.) Yesterday I had some fun things planned for the kids and I. Library program and meeting Daddy for lunch. I got all the kids loaded into the van, ran back to grab my keys (I hadn't locked the van up last night, thus they were able to get in without my keys)...and couldn't find them...and finally had to tell the kids to come back inside, that we would NOT be going to the library program magic show, but hopefully I'd find the keys in time to meet Kevin at lunchtime.

No such luck.

I looked and looked and looked for HOURS. Hours. Where could they be??? I offered a prize to whichever child could find my keys. Nope, none of us could find them. I scoured the house, the yard, the van...nothing...and finally gave up, defeated.

Later that evening though while I was on the phone with my mom, I found them!!! In a totally random place that either I absentmindedly set them, or Kaitlyn somehow put them there (in a linen closet wedged between some towels!) Whew!

3.) Since becoming pregnant with Mary well over a year ago, I have become a bit of a soda addict. Yes, I admit it. I know it's not organic (at least, not the kind I drink!) or remotely healthy. In fact, it's the opposite of healthy. But I craved soda (from a fountain--it's just better that way) my entire pregnancy, and hoped it would subside once Mary was born. Well, Mary is eight months (!) old now, and still I want it. And drink it. My favorites are Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper and Root Beer. It is really pathetic and I am incredibly embarrassed to admit that at age 28, I'm completely in love with soda. But, it is what it is. Cheers!

4.) Anna cries at movies. She has done this for as long as I can remember. If a movie is remotely emotional, sad, heartwarming, what-have-you, I can guarantee that if you look over at my six year old daughter, she'll be crying. She bawled during Astroboy on Wednesday, when Toby died...and when the dad sent Astroboy away...and when the dad was going to deactivate Astroboy...it's hilarious. She's really not a huge crier in general, and I wouldn't say she's a particularly emotional child, but movies get her every time.

5.) I had something horribly creepy happen at a park on Tuesday. Let's just say I pulled into a parking spot, looked over and this guy in a van was, well, leering at me. Wouldn't stop staring. In a super awful, creepy way. Then I noticed a huge sign hanging from his rearview mirror that read, "I {heart} my _____" (you can all guess what part of the male anatomy completes that sentence). Um, yeah. He just kept intensely looking at me, and right before my precious, innocent children (including one who can read) piled out of our car, I put that puppy in reverse and circled around again to find a different spot. I felt so incredibly violated. I know exactly why he was parked there and how he was spending his afternoon. Yuck.

6.) Being an at-home mom to many children is hard work, but I'm so glad I'm not in the workforce. Honestly, the thought of having to get up every single day and go in to work does not appeal to me in the least. Sure there are jobs I'd enjoy, and I loved working in a legislator's office (the only "real" job I ever had--incidentally, my former boss is now Lieutenant Governor of California), but the day-in and day-out of a 9-5 type job seems none too fun. Kevin works so hard to provide for our large and seemingly ever-growing family and I don't envy him at all. (I need to reread this tomorrow when I'm frustrated by all the crumbs on the floor or by the child that pees their pants for the umpteenth time!)

7.) I love summers in Denver. So many fun things going on, gorgeous weather, free kids' movies at the movie theater, late afternoon thunderstorms...the beautiful mountains...picnics with friends...it is great. I miss the ocean, but summer is magical in its own way here.

Okay, I'm suddenly really sad that I can't see the ocean whenever I want to.

Boo.

Good thing there are so many other fun things to do.

But, still, boo.