kill the fatted calf! (which you know I would never do)

 In early August my oldest boy came back from spending 3 months in Laos! WAHOOO!

WELCOME HOME DANIEL!!! :)

A non-profit organization had hired him to do research for them.

I hate, hate, hated to see him go :( But it was a good job offer, so he needed to take it.

And as you can see from the computer on his lap and the boxes full of packages to the left of him, he did a LOT of online "retail therapy" while he was gone! Now that's my boy!

 It was fun for all of us to see him open everything - it was like Christmas actually!

But most of all it was just wonderful to see my boy, my precious boy, 

and to have all 3 boys together again. As you know, that's my all time favorite thing :)

It didn't take long for them to rip everything open and start playing new video games, heh!

One of the VERY FUN things we did after Daniel came back from Laos, was to go to 

the Baked Potato!

It's an AMAZING jazz dinner club down in Studio City (close to where we used to live when Daniel was a baby!). It's been there for a long time (since 1970) - just a teeny little place, but lots of famous people perform there. John, Davy, and Matty had been there several times and couldn't wait to take Daniel. This time Davy's girlfriend Taylor and I joined them and it was SO FUN!

And talk about the size of their baked potatoes! HOLY SPUDS!!!

~ Leland Sklaar ~

(no, not Billy Gibbons!)

Okay, you may think this is silly but I don't care. If you know anything about amazing musicians - or if you happen to look on at least half the albums you have - you'll see the name Leland Sklaar. One of the most sought after and highly regarded bass players, both in the studio and to tour with. We've seen him perform with some of the greats for over 30 years, and we've even spotted him in Studio City before - but never sat in a jazz club with him all evening! It was SO AWESOME! The Mouse even went over to shake his hand and introduce himself. He told him how much we all admired him. He was so nice to Matty, asking him questions and was genuinely interested in his answers. It was a really neat experience to see the Mouse go over and meet this great man :)

what doesn't belong

 so I'm standing in the garage where all the guys practice their music.....

standing where Davy's foot pedals are set up..... and what should catch my eye.....

 but a certain pair of red heels that look very out of place amidst all this musical equipment..... 

 I go into Matthew's room, and where does he decide to hang his hoodie? Um.....

 an all too familiar sight: various guitars, mandolin's banjos, what-have-you..... 

sitting in our chairs as if they are waiting for someone to turn the tv on for them.....

 if I didn't make my rounds every night to collect all the stray cups after everyone goes to bed.....

I fear that some day I would wake up and my house would be the subject of a Shel Silverstein poem..... 

Davy's kitty thinking she is the owner of MY brand new Mad Men chair :/

I'll give you 3 guesses who did this when I wasn't looking.....

my attempt at making angel food cake = EPIC. FAIL.

~

So friends... you may have noticed, I haven't been posting much. 

A crazy little thing called life has been demanding my time and most of my energy.

More specifically, I'm feeling like the life has been sucked right out of me.

I don't often have anything left for the little things I enjoy so much :/

I will be posting sporadically for a bit - just wanted to let you know.

Sending love to you all - xoxoxo

boys pets toes rose

As suggested by my title, a virtual panoply of topics with accompanying photos season today's post! So much is happening this weekend! Let us waste no (more) time getting started, because I am literally shaking with excitement. Actually, I'm shaking from Exedrin and diet Coke, but I'm really excited too. I feel a little buzzed. Kind of like that time I passed out in Hot Topic. And luckily John caught me before my head hit the floor. And the Hot Topic employees were like "whoaaa". And my kids thought it was hysterical. But that's another story.

So first up, my firstborn son Daniel, the gorgeous boy in the photo above, is as I type, driving home from college! WAHOOOOO!!! Isn't that such a great photo? It is Daniel and his best, best, best friend & partner in crime Alissa, at their all time favorite place on earth, In-N-Out. They have a slight addiction. But we figure since Daniel will be spending all summer doing research in Uganda, and Alissa will be volunteering in Haiti, they will either come home broken of their addictions, or broken people - I guess we shall see. In the meantime, we are sooooo thrilled to have Daniel home for 3 weeks before he has to take off again! He needs to slap his brothers around big time.    

Speaking of which, I took this photo of Davy and Kitty a while back and forgot to post it. Kitty is the biggest, fattest, crankiest kitty on God's green earth, which is probably why Davy picked her out in the first place. Their crankiness compliments each other. Plus she's naughty. But you rarely see Kitty. In fact, most people don't even know we have a kitty at our house. She stays in Davy's room most of the time, unless he's playing his guitar or mandolin (she HATES that) or has a friend over. But she does like to lurk around the rest of the house occasionally, and announce her presence as though she were the queen and we are to treat her as such.

Here is cranky Kitty laying in the antique cradle on MY minky. She mostly likes to daydream about all the awful things she could do to make my dogs lives miserable. She thinks they are pathetic and will hit them in the nose. 

Which is why I must add this photo of Luna - the most perfect pet EVER - and say just LOOK at that sweet nose!

AND... I forgot to mention my friend Diana and I got another pedicure. Stressed? Me? Nah... :D

Now here's something I've been waiting for! If you've read my blog for a while you know I take a photo of my first rose bloom of the year. Well, here it is - and just look how GORGEOUS! I probably should have at least taken the time to adjust these pics a little, but I didn't - I was too excited to share them. HAPPY SPRING INDEED!!!

* to everything there is a season *

* bloom where you're planted *

AND HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

HOME!

We're HOME from our 4th of July family reunion! This is the adorable sign Davy's friends Liam & Emily & girlfriend Valerie had waiting for us on our white board - too cute :) Val took special care of my dogs (thank you Val!!!) and I am so grateful to her and Liam & Emily for staying here and hanging out :)

We had a fun holiday reunion with my husbands *wonderful* relatives in northern Utah. It is always a joy to see them, as they are such warm, welcoming, loving people. And I got to see my beloved cousin Shell for a split second also ;) But you know how it is - always such a comfort to return to your own home and familiar surroundings. I am exhausted and can hardly wait to sleep in my own bed tonight! Make that momentarily - LOL

Stay tuned though: I have NEAT STUFF coming up right around the corner!

Secret Insanity

Ah, here we are at the peaceful Walker home during the Christmas holidays. Carols playing in the background, the house smelling of pine and treats, hot cocoa at the ready... a study of everything the season should be...
Ah, here we find the Red Power Ranger, home from college, relaxing with his dad in front of a crackling fire. The picture of holiday bliss...
Ah, a few more lovely details of a Walker Christmas. Stockings lovingly handmade over the years, precious to each one of us, like seeing a beloved old friend each Christmas.
Yes, yes, the happy couple in front of the tree Christmas morning (still tired. no make-up). Happy for the season, happy to not be old geezers yet (just go with it), happy to enjoy the rare occasion of having all three boys under the same roof.
And speaking of those three wonderful boys, just look at how adorable they are :) The Red Power Ranger age 22, the Mouse age 13, and the Complex One age almost 18. Have you ever seen such handsome boys?
REALITY CHECK. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE TOGETHER. IT'S LIKE THE THREE STOOGES ESCAPED FROM THE ASYLUM.
This is what happens nearly the whole time they're awake, all day long. They stink, and they make unspeakable noises, and they break things, and they sneak into my shower, and they make incredible messes, and they brawl. Brawl, brawl, brawl. Today I caught them smacking each other on the head in church. And yes, that is the Complex One being ground into the carpet by the Red Power Ranger. 
And the NOISE! They are SO LOUD! SO. LOUD. Here they are playing an innocent Nintendo 64 game. No blood & guts. No death & destruction. But you can hear them playing even the simplest game all the way down the freaking street. All the way down. The freaking. Street. 

Okay, I admit I am loud at times. My husband has had it with me. He won't even sit next to me when we play games anymore. And I do have a really loud laugh. Really loud. Really loud. But come on! I mean seriously!  
Not to mention our coffee table which has now been transformed into an internet cafe. Admittedly, one laptop is mine. And the cup of diet Coke. Okay, and the catalog. With my cell phone on top. Hmmm, what else do we see..... dog brush, assorted glasses, a school book, a lint roller, scriptures, the TV controller. Kind of like playing "Where's Waldo", eh? And endless cords. Cords and cords and cords. My favorite thing.

And Christmas is now GONE people! GONE! All packed up and put away. Look at my little dining room. It looks like a bare wasteland. Not a trace of the most amazing Christmas we just had. It's all been wiped clean. Ready for the new year. Sniff :( 

But you know I'm just spouting off. Because you know I absolutely *adore* my boys. My stinky boys. My loud, loud, LOUD boys. Their messes. Their endless cravings for Wendy's. Their hysterical impersonations. Their incessant movie quotes. Their brawls. I love it all because it means they are here together. And when they start growing up and moving away, that's too rare. So I cherish every moment I can with them. 

As I type this ending, the Red Power Ranger is resting on the couch with his head on my dog Angel :) And the Mouse is watching the Complex One play a computer game. Watching with his head on the Complex One's shoulder :) Too few and far between, these moments. 

I'd better get to bed before they start fighting and I want to throttle one of them ;)