"Yes" is a dangerous word...

My kids asked to start their own blog. I thought that seemed like a fun idea. My friend Jill's kids have a blog that is so precious. We've had fun conversations with me as their "blog mentor". Here I am pictured with my blog padawan's...


I can't send you a link to their blog, but trust me you would never guess children are the authors. Way to go Katie, Sydney, and Hudson!

So I have this sweet picture in my mind when my children ask for their own blog. Dear ones who want to journal about our memories and honor our family through the blog. Not quite what they had in mind. Here is their introduction:

Our Mom gets her chance on her blog, now we will avenge ourselves with our very own blog. And we will put up funny and embarrassing pictures of her. Tate is the powerful, courageous, mighty leader of the kids. Emmie says "Huh? What?" to that. He likes football, basketball, The Warriors series and FOOD. Emmie is cute and sassy (even Tate agrees). She likes dancing, singing, volleyball and when she grows up she wants to work at the mall. Jack is our Energizer Bunny. He likes yelling, playing drums and guitar, rock music and his long, shaggy hair. Koko, who we will be adopting from Ethiopia, is already adored by us even though we don't know her yet. Koko is a nickname that stands for "littlest Kollar". We don't have a real name yet.

These are the kinds of pictures that my kids are talking about:
There I sit with 3 laundry baskets full of laundry to fold,watching TV in my jammies. The picture of the Proverbs 31 woman, isn't it?

Emmie snapped this bootie beauty...

What have I done?!

My friend Beth said if the dog asks for her own blog I'm going to need to say "no".

I have been inducted into a not-so-secret society. It's THAT family tree society. I love Kristen's blog. She featured my blog this week as part of THAT family tree society. Go check it out here. There was no hazing involved, by the way.

I have embraced that we are THAT family. Thanks Kristen for creating a place for those who embrace being THAT family too.

Live THAT family.

Love THAT family.

We are THAT family.

Yep. That means him too...

Spring is official for me when our Cherry Blossom tree is filled with blooms...

and little people...


It's official!!!

Spring, I've been waiting for you, old friend.

(Although truthfully, it feels more like summer right now.
Tomorrow it's supposed to be sunny and 89 degrees.)

He did, She did

Weekend in Review: we split up boys and girls for a fun-filled Saturday. The boys headed off the the Spring Football Game and the girls to a Tea Party and Fashion Show for our church.

The Spring Game is the boys annual tradition. We love supporting our team!

Reminder: my husband can be crazy...

Check out the kid on the cell phone, he thinks Bill is weird...
and I thought I was the one who would be embarrassing the kids!

Love that first touchdown tradition...

Watching the balloons...Cousin Lane joined in the fun this year...
Loved this one of jack (and bill's bushy side-burn)...

The girls were busy focusing on our inner and outer beauty...
Emmie modeled in the fashion show...
along with her best friend
Love this "maxi dress"...

The food was amazing.
So were the decorations.
So was the conversation.
Did I mention the food?
Savories and scones,
Chocolate-covered strawberries and desserts...
I like tea okay,
But I love the stuff that goes with it!

Farmer Jack

The annual Kindergarten Farm Program was last week.

Jack had fun...

as you can see.

He loved his horse's tail...

he relishes any chance he gets to shake his booty.

We heart his teachers...

and his buddies...
and corn...

E-I-E-I-O
(what does that mean anyway?)

My First Giveaway

It all started with this conversation:

"Mom, I want to do a blog post." She's 8, mind you.

"What do you want to blog about?" Nick Jonas, perhaps?

Instead she said, "I want to do a giveaway."
How does she know that "bigtime" bloggers do giveaways?
What in the world is going on here?
She continued, "I am making this special ticket and I want you
to take a picture of me with it and then put it on your blog."

Why not?

So, here it is: our first giveaway.

Can you read the ticket and see what the giveaway is for?
It's a free ticket to go to her room.
Her room is pretty special as we are re-doing it
to make way for a little sister.
She's not really thrilled about sharing her room,
so the re-decorating is a bit of a bribe I guess.
It's still a work in progress, but we have the bedding so far.
In the Pottery Barn catalogs it always looks so
cute to have a duvet folded back over a quilt.
When I do it just looks messy.
Oh well, like I always say
"Life is not like a Pottery Barn catalog!"
(Actually I've never said that before, but it is true.)

Back to our exciting giveaway...
Here's a picture of the rules for her room that she has posted on her door.

You should know in case you win.
Keep in mind, you "haft" to do what she is doing or
you will get kicked out.
I don't think I'm going to have to use a random generator for this one.
I think her Dad is going to be the winner.
She just hopes it's not one of her brothers.

Sorry if you were disappointed that there is no real giveaway.
I kinda like fake-outs sometimes afterall.
Don't hold your breath for a real give away:
I barely remember to have my kids brush their teeth,
there's no way I would remember to send you something in the mail.

Africa on our minds...

"Mom, your cold sore kind of looks like Africa."


That made me feel a little better about my eye sore cold sore.
I couldn't zoom in any closer for the "Africa sighting" on my lower lip,
there was way too much girl-mustache and large pore action.
Go ahead, zoom in for yourself and you will sadly see
that this time I am not exaggerating.
One appointment for a lip wax, coming right up!

Speaking of Africa, my sister is on her way to Zambia as we speak.
She says she spent much of her adult life begging God not to send
her to Africa, but in the past year or so has found herself begging Him to let her go.
I'm so excited for her to use her gift of teaching and heart of compassion there.
I have a feeling she will never be the same.
You can check out her team's blog here if you want.

Did I really just put that picture of myself on my blog? I better hit publish
before I lose my nerve...