Five Things Friday: Spring Fever

April has been one of my very favorite months ever since I started college. It's a month of so many good things, which helps balance out the obnoxious amount of torture this month brings. Trying to learn all of the stuff my teachers were supposed to teach us weeks ago, taking tests right before being destroyed by finals, begging people on the street for coffee and/or Xanax donations.. you know, the usual.

1) Crawfish, family, and a birthday makes for a perfect weekend.
I love my family. I LOVE THEM. And you're like WE KNOW, ALEXA because I never stop talking about them. I read an article for my Developmental Psych class a few semesters ago and it said that family is VERY important to middle children. So I'll just blame it on that. Every year, my aunt and uncle have a crawfish boil to celebrate their anniversary which is right before my birthday. So every year, the crawfish boil and my family birthday party fall on the same weekend. And it's perfect. It's my favorite family event. What could possibly be better than food, crawfish, and chasing my little cousins around?

My heart explodes with happiness every time I look at this picture.

And this one. I have BEAUTIFUL cousins!

                                              

I also don't like making a big deal out of my birthday, but my mom always insists and I don't mind using it as a reason to hang out with all of my awesome aunts, uncles, and cousins a little longer. :) Even when my mom is pressed for time, she can still throw together an awesome cake. My mom LOVES birthdays when it's not her own, which is obviously where I get that from. She starts singing days/weeks before, and will excuse almost anything with, "It's okay, it's your birthday week/month!" I guess life is pretty good if the worst thing you can say about your parents is that they insist on making a big deal out of the day you were born. Right?

Also, a huge thank you to my best friend/roommate, Jen, for always making me feel so special on my birthday! I hate attention, so getting me to celebrate my birthday with anyone other than family is like pulling teeth, but Jen always forces me to anyway. My bedroom is still beautifully decorated with streamers thanks to Jen and my other sweet best friend (and a professional streamer decorator) Amber! I was so overwhelmed this year with everything they did for me, along with all of the calls, texts, and posts on social media. Thank you all so much! I am so lucky to be so loved.

2) Zoe's NO MORE CCD!! celebration.

I passed on Super Bulldog Weekend this year because my beautiful baby sister made her Confirmation! If you're not familiar with Catholic stuff, this is a big deal in church world. It means you're joining the church as an adult and all of that good stuff, but it ALSO means you never have to go to a CCD class ever again. Not having to go anymore after going every Sunday/Wednesday (okay- most Sundays/Wednesdays) for 11 years is just really exciting. But it was fun sometimes, and I have some good memories from Fatima and St. Elizabeth. Most of them involve donuts in Fatima's parish hall after class, but Jesus probably likes donuts so it's okay. 

Anyway, it was just a little thing and we didn't invite anyone or make it into a big event, but Zoe picked me to be her sponsor and I was so proud! She picked Saint Lucy and will tell you all of the ways poor little Lucy was tortured. Just a small warning: the story includes digging her eyes out or something. It's gross but Zoe really likes telling the story because she's weird.

She is constantly giving me more reasons to be so proud of her and I can't believe she is going to be graduating from high school in a month! I don't know why I call her my baby sister, because she's only two and a half years younger than me, but she's my baby in my mind! I can't wait to have her (and her wardrobe) here with me in Starkville in the fall, even though she's going to make me look bad because she's way cooler than me. I love you, Zo Zo!

 

3) What's going on in 4-year-old world?

My kids have spring fever. We went from never being able to go outside because it was freezing to not being able to go out because it rains EVERY SINGLE DAY. That's an exaggeration. But it really does rain at least one or two days a week which means the playground is too wet to play on for days. 

April showers might bring May flowers, but they also bring psychotic children. I would be looking forward to summer, except we also can't go outside if the heat index is too high. You're killing me, Mississippi weather. Killing me.

Apparently, any life problem is due to the fact that my hair is messy. Oh how I WISH brushing my hair could solve any and every problem. If only.

Sometimes my kids say things that are so amazing it takes my breath away. And sometimes they run up to you all sweaty after playing too hard in centers and say, "Ms. Awexa, feel how warm my armpit is...." So. There's that.

We are entering the "I want to tie my own shoes" phase since only 3 out of 12 of my kids wear velcro shoes. Which is great! I'm so glad some of their parents are starting to teach them how to tie their own shoes. Except now they want to tie their own shoes every time they "accidentawwy come undoned all by demselves." Which is also really cute because they are trying to be independent. Except for one teeny, tiny detail: they don't actually have the whole shoe-tying system down yet. And of course the one time they don't shove their foot in your lap and tell you to tie their shoes is when we are walking out the door to go to the playground. Because kids work against you that way. :) So they scream because their shoe is untied. And then they scream because they want to do it without your help. And then, of course, they scream out of frustration because they don't actually know how to do the whole thing yet. These are fun times. Our next mission is to either 1) teach them how to button/unbutton their own pants or 2) convince parents to buy elastic pants and/or pants with snaps. Miss Alexa's speedy unbuttoning skills vs a 4yr old's tiny bladder. The odds are against me. And belts? Don't even get me started.

Mother's Day is coming up, so I've been looking up crafts to do and I think we are going to do one of these! 

 

I love the poem on this one! And they love doing anything with paint and glitter, so they would have a field day.

 

But I also REALLY love this idea! Because magnets are something that you can keep on the refrigerator forever! There are still magnets of my siblings and I on our fridge that are from so long ago. I would use different color foam though. Probably some cute pastel/spring colors. They love gluing stuff too, so they could do that and I'd probably let them draw on the foam if they want so they can add their own adorable 4-year-old touches. Or I might completely change my mind and pick a totally different project since I'm so indecisive and they are all SO DARN CUTE.

I'm such an elementary ed major. I know. And I love every single second of it.

4) The best birthday present ever.

My parents got me some really great stuff for my birthday and my mom took me shopping to help me find some clothes I can teach in when I start the education program in the fall. HOWEVER, they also got me this and I may or may not have actually jumped up and down out of excitement. It's one of those Fathead things that you can peel off and stick to the wall, but I'm keeping it like this so I can save it forever. Now my beautiful husband is on my wall and I get to look at him every day. 

What can I say? I'm easy to please. 

5) In case studying for finals has caused you to forget how to laugh. 

Crazy Delta Gamma Lady -- I'm assuming everyone has heard about that crazy letter from the Delta Gamma president at the University of Maryland since it's basically the #1 topic being discussed in America right now. It really expanded my vocabulary. This video is even funnier because Michael Shannon is HYSTERICAL. 

Louis C.K. "Goodbye Jews" on Conan -- My brother showed me this video a long time ago and it's still my favorite video to watch when I need to laugh. I love Louis C.K.

Jessica's Daily Affirmation -- Everyone has seen this, but I still  love it. If only we could all feel like this every day! 

How Animals Eat Their Food -- I really don't know why this is so funny. 

 

I have 7 finals. Yes, that is the number SEVEN. Don't ask me if I'm ready for them, because I'll probably going into cardiac arrest.

Happy Friday and Happy (Almost) Finals Week!! Good luck!!  

xoxo! :)