Being the "Cool Mommy" Joy.

i'm joining blog friend kristen with another week {or two} of joys (btw- kristen is hosting a give-away at her blog}.

i'm the mom that wants her kids to think she's cool {"cool" for me equals off the wall, silly, spontaneous, and playful.  note webster's definition of "cool" is entirely different than mine}.

however like all mommies i get caught up in laundry, school work, bills, "training them in the way they should go," disciplining, and the daily droll of life,  thus the playful/joyful  side of me becomes non-existent.

when i am out of sorts with that playful side of me i feel that i am in a "cool mommy" deficit. 

i loose what brings me joy...

me bringing my family joy. 

i want to be a source of their joy {not The source, but a source}.    

so  i kicked my "cool" up a notch. 

   breakfast date with my kids; french toast n' bacon, chocolate milk, playing skip-bo and uno, and being told "you're so cool mommy" 50 times {back in the saddle again}. 

breakfast date continued at the bowling alley.

30 more "you're so cool mommy" praises.

noah is 12 {hence the smug look on his face.  the age 12 is the top reason i am in the "you're a cool mommy" deficit}  finding joy with a jr. higher is becoming increasingly more difficult.   awe, but it is not impossible, i just have to be more intentional about finding it, spreading it, living in it! 

noah playing pinball with the "king of rock'n' roll."  a girl i knew in high school decorated her room in elvis paraphernalia.  in 1990.  weird, right?

that girl was me!   

 

 a much needed double date night with friends, eric & michelle. 

pf chang's, 3 rounds of lazer tag, and dessert at marie callendar's. 

my lazer tag name was "swpdalgjny" {sweep the leg johnny, watch this video if you don't get it}.

this date night was lonnnngggg over due (our last date was in october).

lazer tag is fun... note to self "wear depends."

i shared a kiss with michael,

and that yummmmmyyyy brownie sunday with michelle. 

michelle and i scored "your the coolest wife" praises from our husbands for planning an awesome date {i'm never in a "cool wife" deficit with michael because he is crazy about me}.

i do a little side job for someone from home. it's mindless busywork that can be done while homes schooling or watching gilmore girls {or "glamor girls" as josie refers to them}.

this side job is paying for michael and i to go to MAUI this summer to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary!!!  just anticipating joy brings joy.  i have enough saved so we can go. woot woot!  child care is arranged so we can go, yipeee!!  now i need to work on saving for meals, outings, and souvenirs (like a t-shirt that says my parent's went to maui and all i got was this shirt for my kids).

breakfast courtesy of the kitchen of lorelai and rory gilmore; rice krispies and mini marshmallows... they're magically delicious, and equal a dozen more "your so cool mommy" accolades!

finally, michael went snow-camping with my our good friend jeff this past weekend {crazy menfolk!}.  snow-camping would bring me absolutely no joy, however it brings my husband TONS of joy, and that makes me joyful. 

while they trekked through blizzards and slept in what might as well have been an igloo, jeff's car "ginger" was parked in my driveway.  

she is so nice to look at. 

to sit in.  

to smell.  

to pretend you are driving.

i'm in love. 

i neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed one. 

this car makes me feel giddy, and reminds me of a past joy.