The Widow Family Avatarded

I know these were the rage a few weeks ago but I just had to do something to take my mind off of the never changing same story fear mongering GOP.

The Chef, Biggie Smalls, & I lounge in Sandusky

This week has been a tsunami.  Sunday started the week with a bang.  The Chef & I worked a wedding party at Cento and about halfway through the Chef came down with a super virus.  When we got home (@ 4am) he was a wreck.  Monday morning rolled around and I let him sleep and picked up the kids to get ready to head up to the lakes (aka Sandusky).  When I got the kids, they were also sickies.  We decided to still head up to the lakes to hang with my family.  The Chef ended up sleeping for the day and the boy learned how to fish in between bouts of sickness and crankiness.  Biggie Smalls was generally angry the entire day although she did perk up when dinner was served.  Sickness or not my girl loves to eat.

Catcher fishes.                                                              Louisiana eats.

 

We drove home and everyone went to sleep before 10pm.  Something that rarely happens in the widow household.  I woke up at 5am for my 5.45am Boot Camp Class.  That’s right friends I am a nutcase.  The girl who never works out signed up for a class at 5.45am, two days a week.  Much to my surprise the class was fantastic and I was strangely energized.  After boot camp I raced home to get ready for the Young 3’s orientation at Catcher’s new school.  When I got home I found my family in shambles.  All three were miserable, coughing, sweating, and being grumpy asses.  I immediately called our Doc and made an appointment for the three of them to go while I was at orientation.  The Chef was none too happy about having to cart the kids and his sick ass to the doc’s but what can you do?  It happens and action needed to be taken.  Welcome to my world Chef.

I got back from orientation and the Chef let me know that all three of them had ear infections and a virus.  Yippee!!!  Happy Anniversary to me (Tuesday was our 2 yr church anno)!! The kids and I headed to Border’s, bought the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a personal fave) and went home to snuggle and watch Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael kick some foot solider ass.

 

Happiness Is…

Wednesday, the kids still under the weather, was the first day of school for my boy.  The family packed into the Prius and headed south towards the valley.  The drop off was a bit emotional but my pride overcame any tears that I thought I would shed.  Catcher was so grown up about it and seemed genuinely happy to be there.  

His program is only three hours so the Chef, Biggie, and I went to Mustard Seed for some groceries and then drove around the valley looking at bad ass houses that we can’t afford.  We picked up the boy who was super HAPPY to see all of us and headed home for some much needed family time.  We played and ate and sang and climbed until I had to go downtown for my LEED class.  The kids seemed to be feeling better and the Chef actually had a little color back in his face.  Whew!

Celebrity Stylist D & J get down and dirty on Ev & Aren

After my class I headed home to get ready for our Wednesday night Haircutting party.  Some friends and stylist friends stopped by to drink wine, play with the kids, and cut hair.  Not in that order of course.  At 10pm we watched the Chef & the Iron Chef rock out Seder Supper on the new episode of Dinner Impossible.  If you missed it you should definitely check it out.  Totally great and entertaining.  The show is a HIT!  The Chef in a Yamika really does it for me:)

Yes I am totally THAT GIRL  You know the one who pauses TIVO to take a picture of her Chef on TV

This morning my ass was back in Boot Camp @ 5.45am.  I even had the privelege of finding out my fat:muscle ratio.  And it was awesome.  HA! I wanted to kil myself.  

5am gave me my fat ratio but it also gave me this beautiful sunrise

The Chef took the boy to school and Biggie & I snuggled with Potato & Vito.  After some much needed girl time we headed down to get the boy.  He was a little off and still kind of sickly.  I think today may have been a tougher day for him at school.

So basicaly my week was filled with the sickness, a wedding anniversary, a first day of school, 5 am boot camp, lno sleep, good friends, and some awesome Cantillon.  Can’t wait to see wha’s in store for next week!

These two super ridiculously cute crazies turn my frown upside everyday no matter what.  And that’s why I am one lucky mamma!

Biggie Smalls & CatcherCrazyFace attempt to play with a balloon while fighting the sickness.

My poor kids.  Both have fevers and poor Lou is so sad.  My heart is breaking (as well as my back as I fell down the CMA steps yesterday).  The chef & I pulled an all nighter.  Biggie won’t eat, won’t sleep, won’t smile.  Damn you influenza!  Damn you!

*****UPDATE*****

After a grueling day of no sleep and very loud crying Lou has finally gone to sleep.  It is now 10pm and she had been awake for over 24 hrs.  The docor told us that not only is she cutting 2 more teeth, she also has a superbad ear infection.  I am now drinking a very LARGE glass of red wine (w/ ice…don’t tell the chef).

Louisiana shows off her new moves and her rockin’ Beatles do (circa 1960).

Louisiana, Potato the Pitbull, and Catcher ham it up for mamma.

Because I am still trying to recoup from all of last week’s festivities, I am not much for writing.  Here’s why:

Wedding #1, five of us drank 10 bottles of Proseco in less than 4 hours.

Catcher’s 1st TBall Game, the morning after the 10 bottles of Proseco were drank.

Wedding #2, Beautiful & amazing, although a bit lonely as I slow danced by myself due to the fact that the chef was in NYC filming Iron Chef.

Fourth of July.  3 am.  PBR’s & Hotel Pool.  Life is good.

Fourth of July.  11am.  Family, food, and this crazy contraption.

Fourth of July.  6 pm.  Symon’s new digs.  Kids everywhere.  Pig & Clams in my belly.  Yums.

Orange You Glad Catcher’s 3 Birthday Party.  All day.  All night.  Fantastic fun, friends, food, & orange.  It looked like an ocean of Tang drowned us all. {more pics to come}

As you can see, my 7 days were a bit hectic.  Hopefully this week will be a little bit calmer.  Or at least without a wedding or two.

Catcher’s third birthday is next Sunday and we are having a rager for him in the Metroparks.  We decided to go with theme of orange as he has been obsessed with it since he could identify it.  He prefers orange foods, orange shirts, and even orange juices (carrot included).  The chef is coming up with a menu consisting of orange foods.  His first idea was melons & moonshine.  Yep that’s right people. When my husband thinks of a three year old’s birthday party moonshine comes to mind.

I have decided to purchase items that are only orange or feature the color orange as the main color.  I found him this really cool Eco backpack and a great tricycle.  The chef wanted to get him this one but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend so much dough on something he will only use for a year.  We are also buying cheesy popcorn from the West Side Market and hand it out as party favors.  So fun.

Catcher Crazy Face is fascinated by the intriguing jellies at the Akron Zoo.

MY CHEF

MIO PADRE, the one who started it all.

MY GROOVALICIOUS GRANDPA

MY PHENOMENAL FIL

“He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. “