I Heart Date Night

I heart date night.  But especially my date.

Vanessa

Behind one of those masks is a little girl that I think it's safe to assume Kekoa has his first elementary crush on.  This was at their Halloween party.  Vanessa's assigned seat was next to Kekoa and about halfway through the party, I heard a sweet little lilting voice sing out, "Ke-KO-ah,"  in only the way a little Kindergarten girl that likes a Kindergarten boy can.  Kekoa's face turned up into a half smile while crinkling up his nose and squinting one eye...  looking at her shyly in only the way a little Kindergarten boy being flirted with by a little Kindergarten girl can.



When he brought home their class picture from school a month back, the first person he pointed out was Vanessa.

This week Kekoa got mail.  Inside was a birthday invitation.  Vanessa and her twin sister were inviting him to their birthday party in February... say around... oh let's say Valentine's Day.  Inside was a picture of the two girls standing in pretty red dresses in front of the Christmas tree.  He took the invitation and carefully removed the picture.  A few minutes later he was nestled in the recliner gazing at the picture.  A short while later he came up to me and said, "Mommy, I think we should hang this up next to my 'K' in my bedroom."  The "K" just so happens to be at the head of his bed.  I suppose he just wants to take one last look before he drifts off to sleep in hopes for sweet dreams.

It's cute to watch him.  It's also a lesson to me in how transparent we really are.  I was never really good in hiding who I liked, either.

Not Looking

Been enjoying this song:

Who Are You When I'm not Looking? by Blake Shelton.  And I'd be lying if I said I didn't think he was kinda cute.

Under Appreciated

There's at least 15 years difference (if not 16) between these two pictures. The first one was taken when we were dating. The second one was taken on our trip to Mexico this February. Sometimes, I don't think I acknowledge how much our relationship and marriage means to me, so I think it's time to take a moment and reflect. By all means, I need to make sure those people most important in my life don't go unappreciated. So pardon me while I write a public love letter to my husband. I'm in a "shout it from the rooftops" kind of mood.

Dear Craig,

You are my rock. It sounds cliche. Maybe it is, but I don't think I've ever known or understood it more clearly than I do now. You have no idea what it does for me to see you down on your knees in the morning making sure you get your strength for the day from the most important and effective source anyone can draw from. Making sure your feet are set on The Rock. This makes it safe for us (your family) to trust in what you can do and be for us. I have never felt safer. And it also encourages me to make sure I'm getting my strength and guidance from the same place. Thank you.

Watching you with our boys, enjoying them, makes me love you and them more. They love their Daddy. I love their Daddy. I hope you know that. Sometimes I get too focused on myself. It can be an ugly thing. Pure selfishness. Thanks for putting up with that and waiting patiently for me to realize it and then helping me get refocused on more important things. God gave me a gift when he picked you for me. Who else would put up with all my quirks and still think I was cute? You understand me like no one has ever understood me. And because of that, I am a better person.

I love that you will run your fingers through my hair at night until I fall asleep. Even if you have a cramp in your shoulder. I love that you tell me often that I'm beautiful. Even when I don't feel beautiful. When I'm not acting very beautiful. I love that you understand that when I'm being grumpy and short with you it means there's something deeper going on. I love that you support me in whatever crazy endeavour I get in my head knowing this too will pass. I love that you pull me back and rescue me from the edge of myself - over and over and over again. I love that you think I'm the smartest, funniest, loveliest, most brilliant woman that's ever walked the planet (or at least you tell me/make me feel like that). Even if I'm quite aware it's not true. You think so and that's all that matters. Just for the record? I find you to be the funniest, hunkiest, most patient, most long suffering, most loving, most caring, steadiest, most unwavering, smartest, most brilliant man that ever walked the planet. Did I mention hunkiest? I'm so glad you're mine.

Thank you for being a great husband and Daddy. Thanks for being my dark and handsome. I love you more than I ever have. Even if I don't say it often enough.

All my love,

Lani

Now I can let March go out like a lion. Rowr. Even if it is going out like a lamb. You won't hear me complaining.

Giddy On Up

At the risk of being inappropriate (my poor mother!), I bring you another of my favorite songs. It's just really, really fun. If you don't like the visuals, just close down the screen and listen to the song.

And I also am partial to this one:



It might possibly maybe be because I have a teeny tiny crush on Blake Shelton.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Snowphia

We went to Sophia's birthday party tonight. Kekoa's unintential pet name for her is "Snowphia". A term of endearment to be sure. Snowphia is undeniably his first crush. The way he looks at her and vies for her attention gives him away every time. He and his friend, Caeden, have long standing tradition of battling it out for her attention. Who's winning you might ask? Well, it's not Kekoa sitting next to her at the dinner table now, is it? Was a nice evening with lots of other kids just our size and the adults enjoyed a little social interaction while the kids entertained themselves, too.

You Have NO Idea

If there was a number higher than one, you would find The Rock just went up on my celebrity crush list a notch. He very graciously (and from what I can tell, involuntarily) confronted a fear on Ellen's show - a fear most people obviously do not understand unless they've been there. In this instance, it's arachnophobia. The Scorpion King he may be, but the Spider King, he is not.

I'm with you on this one, Dwayne. In high school, I was a favorite with pranksters. "Hey, let's stick a giant spider in Lani's locker and see what her reaction will be when she opens it." Or "I know, let's get the giant tarantula out of Mr. Moore's science class and corner her with it." Or "What do you think will happen if we put a large plastic spider on her shoulder while she's not paying attention on the school bus?"

Reaction? It was always the same. Mass hysterics and screaming followed by the shakes and tears. It was all in good fun (right, you guys?), but I doubt they ever fully understood the magnitude of my fear. I seem to be doing better with my phobia recently, but its in a large part masked so I don't pass along my fears to my children. Or at least to avoid giving them ammunition against me when they get a little older. If they don't know I'm scared, it won't ever be an issue, right?

The bummer of this whole thing is I now know The Rock and I have no future together. Though it's now clear we have some common ground, who would smash the spiders that appear randomly around the house?

Revised Crush List

I've added a few more people to my "crush" list. Specifically, James McAvoy and Rufus Sewell.

First Crush

My Hollywood "crush" confessions made me think back to some of my firsts. This will date me, I know, but my first ever was Ralph Maccio of Karate Kid fame.

Which in turn reminds me of some of my first favorite movies - The Outsiders (1983) and Grease (1978). I wasn't introduced to my all time favorite movie from that same time period, LADYHAWKE (1985), until some years later.

And while we're on the line of remembering, my first ever music favorite was the Let's Get Physical album by Olivia Newton John thanks to my elementary gym teacher who used this music in our gym class. Then, of course, there was the Michael Jackson craze which led to my love affair with the likes of Thriller (1983), Beat It, and Billy Jean.

And my first ever sports hero crush? Steve Carfino who played for the University of Iowa circa 1985. Followed by B.J. Armstrong who played basketball from 1985 to 1989 at University of Iowa, as well. He was part of a talented trio of guys that should have led them to a national championship - Eddie Horton, Roy Marble, and B.J. Armstrong. If my mom would have allowed it, I would have had news articles and pictures of his baby face plastered all over my bedroom walls.

My McDreamy

Every Tuesday night, Craig and I have our date night. When we were expecting our first baby, a good friend who has four kids advised we reserve time and money for a weekly date night, just the two of us. I honestly think it's some of the best advice we've ever taken. Not only can we reconnect on a weekly basis, but sometimes I have to literally stop myself from taking flight out of the house. I need a break from the boys THAT bad.

While everyone obviously knows my McDreamy is my husband, Craig and I were talking tonight about Hollywood stars we find attractive. Honestly, the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Leonardo Dicaprio or Tom Cruise do absolutely NOTHING for me. Sorry guys. On the other hand, whether it's a bad movie/acting or not, I can spend a couple hours looking at any of the following:

1) The Rock
2) Patrick Dempsey
3) Vince Vaughn
4) Bruce Willis
5) Adrian Grenier
6) Johnny Depp
7) James McAvoy
8) Rufus Sewell
9) Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Some favorite actresses of Craig's is Michelle Pfeiffer and Kate Beckinsale.