This week, Zach and I spent a lots of quality time together and with our families.

Monday my mom and I drove down to Lehi after work to help her friend.  She’s moving into a darling new home and she wanted to see what furniture would fit in her new place!  We measured all her existing furniture, had dinner at Kneaders, and then went over to her new place to see what would go where.  This place is perfect for her…and the house number is her birthday [5/18] – it was meant to be!

Addiction is a funny thing.  You know how people that quit smoking usually have a “fix”?  Like my co-worker quit smoking years ago but now chews bubble gum excessively.  And a college friend of mine quit smoking his freshmen year and quickly became fixated on Dum Dums.  He went through bags and bags of them.  When I quit Diet Coke I found my fix within 24 hours.  Trader Joe’s milk chocolate covered peanut butter pretzel bites.  They are I N C R E D I B L E.  One addiction for another, I guess.  I think not sipping on something sweet all day makes me crave sweet things…all day.

Since I finished our custom New York subway map, I decided to tackle a Paris metro map as well.  This one is a little more near and dear to our hearts.  I have decided I have accomplished my map collection with just the NY and Paris maps.  I’m done mapping for now.

Tuesday was a fantastic work day for me.  I completed all the new Cobra Puma Golf fixtures for their 2014 roll-out.  I also [ironic timing] received a lovely package in the mail from the guys at CPG.  They sent a giant neon and pinstripe staff bag.  Everyone was dying laughing at me carrying it around the office.

Tuesday after work my aunt texted me that my cousin Tyson had a lacrosse game at the park just across the street from our house.  I was on my way home from work with our dinner – Zach suggested Chinese take-out would be perfect for a rainy evening and I obliged.

We gobbled down our food, read each other our fortunes, and then rushed over to the park to root for Tyson.  Turns out the game was postponed due to the weather – but it was great to catch up with my aunt and uncle for a bit!

I spent Tuesday evening at another adult hip-hop class in Sandy – always a great time!

Wednesday night we met up with Zach’s family to celebrate an early Mothers’ Day.  We dined at Longhorn Steakhouse [Zach and I’s first time].  Mark chose the restaurant, obviously.  It was great to celebrate Jeanene and all the other mothers!  My sweet mother-in-law always includes me in the celebration even though I am not yet a mother.

On the way home from O-Town Zach’s car got a flat tire.  Believe it or not [considering my driving record] this was my first experience with a flat tire.  I remember my dad went through a brief period where he either thought I was never going to get married or something awful was going to happen to my spouse…so he taught me all the basics.  How to patch walls, find a stud, hang a picture, check my oil, change a tire…and so forth.  So when it finally happened, Zach and I were a pretty good team!  We did have to Google how to release the spare tire of our make and model, but that was the worst of it.  I basically held the flashlight the whole time, let’s be honest…

We didn’t get home until 11:30 pm and Zach had a roller hockey game.  He rushed off to make it down to WVC and I rewarded myself for all my hard work with an ice cream sandwich and a hot bath.  You forget how amazing ice cream sandwiches taste after going without one all winter.

Have you tried this pizza from Papa Murphy’s?  The thin crust Chicken Bacon Artichoke?  We paired this pizza with the NBA Playoffs this weekend up at Zach’s cabin.  It’s our new favorite.

Saturday night we went out for a date.  Dinner at Market Street [Early Bird Special before 7:00 pm: because we are ancient now] and a movie at the Gateway.

We did make a brief stop at Brookstone to get Zach a new nose hair trimmer.  I told you we were old.  That meant I got to sit in the massage chair – I was quite fond of the calf massager.  You see, it’s only acceptable to sit in the massage chairs if you are actually going to purchase something.  Right?

We spent the rest of our night in Gatsby.  Such a beautiful film.  If you’ve read the book [it had been years since I had read it] you would remember the story line.  Not the most climactic story; but the filming, the sets, and the special effects were to die for.  My co-worker actually built a model and someone from the special effects team on Gatsby purchased it to be in some of the computer generated scenes of the film.  It was pretty exciting!

Sunday after church [Mother’s Day], and before we went to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, Zach and I spent a little quality time together ‘blasting fools’ in COD.  Just another feel-good activity in honor of Mother’s Day I guess.  It was his idea, obviously…quality time, remember?

We dined at the Fotheringham household later that afternoon.  My Grandma and Grandpa even joined us.  I had to get a picture of all three of us together in honor of the holiday, ya know…

After we grubbed we spent the rest of the evening outside in the back yard.

I believe all the excitement started when my husband challenged me to jump over a plastic lawn chair.  He cleared it with ease.  Mine was not so glamorous considering I was wearing a skirt…

Then the chair was out – and in its place:  the recycle bin.

I don’t know how it evolved, but not long after the garbage can was a back-yard obstacle course.  Mostly conjured up by the seven-year-old Camron.  The tasks were:  1.  Do a cartwheel  2.  Jump over all the random stuff placed in the yard [he mostly collected items from the side of the house and garage]  3.  Walk across a sketchy wood pallet  4.  Leap over the tipped lawn chair  5.  Climb the monkey bars  6.  Slide down the slide  7.  Jump on the tramp

In honor of Mother’s Day – my mom and I did the obstacle course together, holding hands.  A team building exercise, if you will…

Yes, my one stunning leap over the lawn chair – arms extended and all.  I realize it wasn’t very lady-like to do this in a skirt, but I couldn’t just sit by and watch everyone else have fun…

Showing her true motherly instincts – there to catch me if I fell off the top of the monkey bars…and trying not to let my skirt flap open.  That happened anyway.  What can ya do?

In typical family fashion, we managed to turn a regular night into something…different.

My family wouldn’t be the same without my mom.  She’s been the best mother to Blake and I – and I can’t wait to see her as a grandmother one day.  And a special thanks to my mother-in-law for raising my best friend.  Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful moms in my life!  I hope your day was special [not as in “special” like ours, like really special…in the normal way.]

Happy Mother’s Day!