on-hand modern

my house on 8.31.12

this summer was equal parts awesome and awful.

i hate it when people write cryptic sentences like that without any further elaboration as to why or what happened, but i hope you'll forgive me because it's honestly all i have words or energy for.

the point is this: i went weeks without picking up my camera. weeks. it felt strange and sad to see it looking all forlorn on top of the refrigerator or languishing on the desk, neglected and gathering dust. but on the other hand, i also knew it would be ready when i was ready. and then one day i was.

the result is this not-quite house tour. all photos were taken on a rainy friday afternoon, in light that doesn't normally inspire me, but for whatever reason, it spoke to me to that day. i hope something in the photos speaks to you too? even the messy parts. or especially the messy parts? because that's what life is--messy. right? and maybe some of you out there even feel like you're a mess? sometimes? maybe? that's okay. i do sometimes (most of the time) too.

hello again, internet. i've missed you.

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independence day

we went to breakfast again like last year (sidenote: no buffet this time. we couldn't find one! an unfortunate circumstance we all agreed = distinctly un-american. ha!) and swam and watched fireworks and somewhere in between browsed at the bookstore for new activity books to keep everybody busy in the car on our upcoming road trip. all in all it was a good family day, and for that i am grateful. the long summer days, while completely awesome in many ways, aren't devoid of challenges and i've been pretty discouraged of late by what i perceive to be an excess of negative energy in our home. teasing, arguing, getting on each other's nerves--all of it normal stuff but, you know. sometimes it feels like...a lot. i'm hopeful that a vacation and change of scenery will be just what the doctor ordered.

how are things with you?

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it's summer here

i did a strange thing a few months ago: i bought my first cell phone. that's right, i had never owned a cell phone prior to february of this year. a total of about 12 people have the number, and i still get nervous that they will, you know, call me (i know i know, but i'm not a phone person), but i have to admit, this mini-computer-in-your-purse thing is really very, very handy. <insert reader's knowing look here>

anyway, long story short: i joined instagram. i'm only telling you this because i can't seem to get it together enough to post here as regularly as i would like and instagram is so quick and easy and if you want to follow me you can, but of course you shouldn't feel obligated because, believe me, i know, it's just one more thing to keep up with and i'll be honest, i probably won't follow you back because i have such a limited amount of head space my head is already *this* close to exploding like a swexy half-peruvian pinata with bangs...

i'm @cee_dee_oh there.

and it's summer here.

p.s. i know it might seem like it's over between me and blogging. it's not. think of instagram as sort of OHM lite: more photos of daily life, less (actually, i think it's fewer?) run-on sentences. and obviously i have no problem re-posting instagram photos here for all you non-instagrammers. 'right then? okay! xoxo!

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a low-key LEGO birthday

Okay, so Asher turned 6!

On his actual birthday, he was on a Man Campout with K and the other fathers + sons from church. We didn't get to celebrate like we usually do, but the upside is that Asher found a real live skull in the woods, and after bleaching it and baking it (safety update: our smoke detectors work) he now has a super manly keepsake of the day he ceremoniously entered the second half of his first decade of life.

We decided to forego birthday parties in favor of family adventures this year. Asher wanted to go to LEGO Land, so a week or so after his birthday, that is what we did. I wanted it to feel like a birthday, even if were celebrating a week late, so we did it up right and decorated his bed the night before (LEGO colors) and put out surprises like we usually do. There is one major DIY surprise not pictured, but I will show you that in a separate post. (This is me committing. To posting. You are hereby permitted to hold me accountable.)

You'll notice I made a cake. From scratch. It was six layers of LEGO-colored awesomeness that tasted like...nothing special. Ha. We threw 2/3 of it away. Do I still get points for over-achieving?

And there you have it: Asher's 6th birthday. I love birthdays! But most of all, I love Asher. There is so much that is strange/mysterious/endearing about him. He likes the *idea* of candy but rarely eats it. He loves animals and wrestling and inventing and pretending and the outdoors and anything that can be classified (however loosely) as manly. More than anything in the world he wants to grow up to be a...dog. Or a wolf. Mostly a dog.

Oh, he makes me smile. And shake my head. Mostly smile. Happy birthday, Asher!

***

hello again

i'm just gonna say it: coming back after a long blawging break is haaaard. somebody say something encouraging. :)

photos are of the delicious mother's day fajita feast prepared by k and kids.

i hope your summer is off to a great start!

p.s. this would make a great summer read. it's non-fiction but reads like fiction. fascinating. loved it.

***

my sister comes to KC + an unofficial restaurant guide

i forgot to post about my sister's visit to kansas city last month. (and the pictures of her are so classy and flattering!) ah, well, instead of a trip report, how about a short list? one which i shall cleverly entitle:

favorite places to eat whenever, but especially when we have family come to town--

oklahoma joe's bbq in mission (pictured)

yes, it's literally a restaurant inside a gas station. you'll love it. order the pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw on it, and FRIES. they're amazing. (fyi, there's almost always a line here, but don't worry, it moves fast.)

vietnam cafe

i've never tried anything but the beef pho (beef + noodle soup dish) here. i like mine extra spicy, so i load up on the jalapanos, hot sauce, and fresh basil. but leave out the extras and the kids will love it too.

dos reales mexican restaurant

this is our favorite neighborhood hangout. the fajitas are the thing here, but we also like to go on tuesdays and order a bunch of tacos at a dollar a piece. (where else can the whole family eat for $15, including tip?)

papa kenos pizzeria

this is a great place to feed a crowd. when we bring out-of-towners, we order the pizza that's roughly the size of a small planet and never fail to impress.

sheridans frozen custard

you can't go wrong here, but the lemon lush concrete (when it's available) is life-changing.

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and the gang's all here

have a great weekend, everybody!

***

kansas city temple

here are a few photos i took with my phone while volunteering at the open house last week. the temple at night is my favorite.

i was so nervous to play the organ! i barely slept the night before, my palms were sweating (let's be honest, everything was sweating, there is no anti-perspirant on the planet that can compete with my anxiety), i snapped at my husband about his driving on the way to the temple and then pretty much had a full-on nervous breakdown when we got there and i realized my life was over because what!?!?! static cling!!! disaster!!!

i know, dramatic much? turns out that, duh, everyone at the temple is a volunteer just like me and we're all doing the best we can and believe it or not to my knowledge no one has ever gotten fired from being a volunteer church organist for sweating too much on the organ keys, so...eventually I calmed down a bit and enjoyed the experience.

plus, the temple itself is a calming influence. i believe that if we really try, we can feel close to God in many ways and circumstances, but for me it's easier in the temple. thankful for that.

have a great day, friends.

***

easter traditions 2012

1) making resurrection bread

2) dyeing easter eggs

3) new saltwater sandals (read more about that tradition here)

4) new for 2012 : eggs filled with "fish and honeycomb" (i.e. swedish fish and sugar babies) + reading luke 24:39-42

i hope your easter holiday was happy and meaningful. i miss being in this space more often and connecting with all of you. fyi, tomorrow evening i'll be playing the organ at the kansas city temple open house. eek! i'm nervous and excited. cross your fingers i don't do anything (too) embarrassing. maybe i'll see you there? i hope i do.

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spring break tour of parks

this one is for the local folks mostly.

so we stuck around for spring break and explored some new parks around johnson county and the KC metro area. we have our favorites close to home (especially this secret one, it's where we had scout's birthday picnic) but it's always fun to try somewhere new if you don't mind a little bit of a drive, don't you think?

- pirate park (can't find a website for this one; it's listowel park at 71st and quivira in shawnee)

- penguin park (at north vivion and norton in KCMO)

- castle park (this is black bob park in olathe, on 151st street between black bob and pflumm)

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