we're running out of candy here!

Here are a few Easter pictures for your viewing pleasure. I'll have to get the pictures of Katie and Alexander in their Easter finery from the folks, since they had a sleepover at Oma and Opa's Easter Eve, and we didn't make it up there fast enough to catch Alex before he'd switched to outfit #2.Katie understands and loves chocolate. Alex was more interested in the Easter grass. Katie's bunny lost his ears in no time. Alex had more fun with the Peeps. Now if only we can get back to the natural smile vs. the 'cheese! for the camera' smile!

I like Roger's basket carrying moves. Princess Katie doesn't even have to carry her own eggs!

katie loves . . .

(make sure you have the sound up for this one)

In case the lyrics aren't quite clear to you:

I love going to Oma's house,

I love going to Opa's house,

I love my Cinderella dress . . .

All week long Katie has been singing 'I am a pink fluffy princess.' Basically, she is now living in an opera. She sings about everything she's doing. Sunday at Oma's house she was playing in some rice, measuring it back and forth, singing 'I'm making ratatouille.'

Monday we went to the rec center for a little swimming. Alex let me put him on his back, but the poor kid was stiff as a board - his arms and legs were sticking straight out from his body, but he didn't fight being on his back.

Tom's friend did a little Photoshop magic to complete the look for Alex. A few more teeth came in this past week!

rental rant #4

photo from www.wiredfool.com

An alternative title for this post could be 'Hope springs eternal;' although the chances of my tulips making it through a spring snow are probably higher than the current tenant actually getting caught up on her rent.

With spring comes another possible eviction. It's so interesting in this landlord game, trying to discern if someone is really just having a rough patch that they are honestly trying to work out, or if the scam is on. I'd still rather err on the side of the former, but it can be a costly lesson AGAIN when it's scam time.

The current tenant in default got a reprieve because when I went to court to file the papers last week, I was informed that the judge would be out of town the following week (procedural note: file for an eviction one week, the hearing date is set for the following Friday; you have to serve the defendant not less than 5 and not more than 10 business days before the hearing date). My options were to drive up to Boulder to file there for a hearing on the 21st, or wait until this week for a hearing date on the 28th. We heard some more from the OUR Center (local Salvation Army) that they would be able to help out a little, and the tenant PROMISES to pay the rest on Friday (tomorrow) when she gets paid. And she'll make up the rest (I call it back rent, she thinks of it as deposit!) by 4/3. PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE.

So, here we are playing the waiting game. I should start a pool: will she or won't she pay tomorrow? Since the OUR Center paid part of the rent, we have to start the whole process over again, which means 3-day notice, I can file next Tuesday, and a court date would be April 4. Another month gone. Sheesh! Had I known how hard it was to get rid of a tenant it could have changed my attitude about paying rent all those years!!! ;)

project week

It's been a week of projects!

I finished painting the trim for Katie's new playhouse. If I had been thinking the slightest bit about color theory I would have started out with a slight yellow, but I had a brain lapse. Getting white for the trim actually worked out OK, because I painted the first coat and the inside white, and then added some yellow from the kitchen paint to warm it up a bit for the second coat. Turned out great. Now I just need to go back and touch up all my messy spots. :)

I FINALLY figured out how to hang the piece of handwork we got in South Korea 2.5 years ago! I was going to just go with a wooden dowel, but when I was outside poking around the garage looking for such an item I came across some copper pipe scrap. SO much more interesting than a plain dowel! One hour later, and the project was done and on the wall. I was hoping the wrinkles would fall out as it hangs, but I will probably break down and dust off the old iron to really finish it.
A friend of mine organized an Easter basket exchange, so I used that as an excuse to try a fun little project I had seen on Designmom. Who doesn't need fun magnets? And they couldn't be easier. I used SOBO glue instead of the smelly turbo silicon glue recommended on the notmartha site. This set is to make me jealous of Tom out traveling the world right now . . .

Another project inspired by the exchange was truffles. Godiva makes some great ones, but come on. $3 a truffle? Are you kidding me? That would make for a pretty empty basket unless I were to go rob a bank to fund said package. I tried 3 centers: dark chocolate raspberry, milk chocolate caramel, and white chocolate pistachio. For those of you near enough to eat them, I need votes on which ones should be keepers. The chocolate raspberry centers turned out FANTASTIC - so soft and smooth. They were of course a huge pain to dip. And if anyone wants to contribute, here is what I want for my birthday. I know it seems pricey, but think of how much more chocolate will be in YOUR life if I score this bad boy! :)
Last night Katie and I made 'tiny pies.' The pies turned out OK - I went for individual so we could have peach and blackberry in one baking fest - but not half as cute as my little princess helper, who couldn't get enough of the flour.

update

The past week, when I say anything to Katie about 'where's my princess?' her reply is the following: I'm not a princess! I'm a GIRL! I ask you all: who's right? Anyone that wears as much pink as Katie and who must have her sparkly pink shoes on at all possible times MUST be a princess!

The other phrase of the week for Katie is 'of course.'

Katie, do you want to have some breakfast?
Of course!

Katie, do could you help me with 'x'?
Of course!

I'm hoping this one sticks around for a long time.



Captian Handsome is now 10 months old! He is always smiling, especially when chasing after his sister. Too bad his mom keeps dressing him in floods. ;)


Thanks Aunt Mag for my cool Chinese getup!
(Correction: thanks go to Oma for the cool duds, but Aunt Mag was part of the shopping!)

Check me out with Uncle Mark. All I need is the goatee and we'd be twins!

And so we don't leave anyone out . . .