hot mess.

ok. so, i love getting my haircut. i get my haircut at bijin in prairie village. it is my single-most favorite place in kansas city. it has it's own distinct fragrance line, and slippers, and robes, and quiet music. and did i mention a glass of wine while i wait? it's glorious.

jenni has cut my hair since i moved here. she's cute and sweet and cuts only curly hair. i never have any fears when i go see jenni. her hair-cuts cost more than a pair of shoes, but i can't bring myself to go anywhere else. one wrong snip, and i look like weird al. (and i only get three haircuts a year, so i think it kind of evens out with the rest of the female population?)

first, picture this: yesterday. haircut time. i decided to go straight from the gym to the salon. sweaty, gross, no make-up, red-faced, and in black stretchy pants and a sports bra.

now, jenni has an assistant. her assistant is always changing, it's usually someone who is starting out at the salon. said person is responsible for washing my hair, getting me a smock, taking my purse, getting me a beverage of choice, and giving me a scalp massage.

so as i'm sitting waiting to be taken back to the back- i'm actually getting a bit antsy. mostly because i've been waiting a few minutes, and i'm so sweaty i'm starting to worry that i'm going to leave a mark in the chair when i get up. (gross, i know.)

and i hear, "megan? for jenni?" and i look, and THIS is calling my name.i'm not kidding. i mean, he had a shirt on. but this is what this kid looked like. exactly. and i was mortified.

i don't have anything else to say, but that. MORTIFIED.

it's all because of the food.

i totally dig award shows. like, love them. maybe it's because i love movies so much, or entertainment in general? i don't know. but my friends? they humor me. they come to my house, they fill out a ballot, they listen quietly while people give their (mostly boring) speeches. they eat and drink and bring something to help out. mostly for the fellowship, and they love movies, but mostly for me. and this year the oscars didn't end until 11:30!!! but they hung in like champs. sweet friends.

there were more of them (friends, that is.) but i'm terrible at taking pictures when i'm busy filling glasses and bellies. this is all i've got.

this is the spread. i can't take credit for all of it, sadly. but most of it kept me up all night saturday and working all day on sunday!




i'm most proud of my desserts! the little cheescake recipe was from redbook, called black-bottom cheesecakes, and they were delicious! the recipe called for creme freche, it was an excellent change in place of regular sour cream. and the other is irish coffee cupcakes. the frosting has whiskey in it. i had my doubts, but it was just enough to give the perfect flavor.


i told todd that if he didn't smile i would post this as 'todd passed out from drinking too much early in the evening." so, it is. (but not really.)

leah and shaune, the cutest little besties.

april doing what she does best. haha! really, she loves food. i don't know where it all goes.

because mindi doesn't

a couple weekends ago i went to manhattan to visit my favorite family. (you can guess who it was.....) i joked with mindi that it was time to start blogging. she mocked me. so...i returned the favor and antagonized that i would do it for her. she laughed. but....like i said i would, here are some shots of my favorite kiddos. (in case you wondered how big they are getting...BIG. a small army, i might say.)

so...since mindi doesn't:

here's zeke. little, but with a BIG opinion. :) he's so funny.


here he is checking out the gecko. i'm not sure of it's name....
i'm lead to believe the name changes on a regular basis.

and the finished product of the disaster you are about to witness. the cookies. i made dough and some of the frosting ahead of time...definitely cut down on the mess and work time. but...i may have made cooper chuck some green frosting in the middle of the night due to sugar overkill! sorry brian and mindi!!!

a patient brian helping out zeke. or shall i say "monitoring the frosting intake?

the only picture of mindi i could manage. and a picture of a very grown up elijah. (i know you're not supposed to have a favorite, but how could i not love this face?!? don't tell him i said that, he's far too grown up to have 'aunt megan' gushing over him.)

and a very grown up emma as well. she took this job very seriously. and made sure to nab every 'girlie' cookie cutter possible.
(turned her nose up at the teenage mutant ninja turtles....what am i supposed to do with flowers and ribbons??? this girl is ALL girl!)

and my very own heart with my name on it. the best one i've ever recieved. elijah was very proud and couldn't figure out why i didn't want to eat it right away. i might have saved it a couple days....but e- it DID get eaten!




eating the goods all along the way.



zeke managed to lick several clean. we snuck them into the trash when he wasn't looking. trust me, no one wanted to eat those!

poor cooper. little did he know, that frosting was not going to stay with him long. seriously. how

cute is that face? ugh. so cute.

coop helped me make frosting during the day. and i couldn't tell him no when he requested licking the spatula. those eyes. no one can resist those eyes.

the boys rocking out to michael jackson. they're so hard core.

i mean really, look at these eyes. i told cooper that his father will have to teach him to use them for good, not evil. seriously, the sweetest little batman ever. my hero.

on a more serious note, i got to go to challenge with mindi on thursday and listen to brian speak. so much fun. it was sort of surreal to be in a place that held so many memories, but to feel like such a different person and to wonder how to return to a place where faith seemed much simpler. the journey with God certianly does change as we experience more life. regardless, hearing brian is always special and important. thank goodness for that. i'm so thankful that they have walked SO much life with me. and that they know me so well. family.

anyway, it was a priceless weekend. my goal is to have these weekends as often as possible. this family is so precious to me. i really just don't know what i'd do without them.

and for the record, after over 48 hours....i now know why mindi does not blog.