Feeling Thankful...Post-Christmas letter.

I think I am a little backwards this season.  Today I am feeling thankful.  I think I am about a month and a week late for this feeling to be coming on strong, but that is me these days.  I am thankful to be alive, I am thankful for my family.  I am thankful for this week of not-so-busy schedule and for my two sweet children to be playing together so nicely.  I am thankful to have had many Christmas parties to attend, even if I had to skip a couple, because that means we have many friends and family who love us.  I am thankful to have had another year with the people I love.

I am thankful for this beautiful girl.  She amazes everyone around her with her crazy smartness, even as she cracks us up with the funny things that come out of her mouth, like in this picture, she is singing:

And in this one, she is thinking about what she wants for Christmas: hmm.....

I am so very thankful for my son, and his maturity and kindness.  I forget sometimes that he is five years old, sometimes we have conversations as if he is an adult.  He had a Christmas list for himself, of course, but he was just as excited to pick out gifts for other people in the family, as well.  He wanted to find a Cowboys action figure for his aunt Sonya, and Twilight action figures for me(seeing a theme here?) He is such a special soul and is going to be an amazing man someday.

And then there are these two crazy kids:

We have been together 14 years now and are approaching our 10th wedding anniversary, already.  A long time ago from these days:

(In case you missed this picture from a couple posts ago, or wanted a better comparison picture.)

How time flies when you're having fun!  My, how we have grown up.  Just the other day we were talking about the ways we had changed, and the ways we'd stayed the same.  We have learned a lot about ourselves in the last year or two.  We have learned how to stick together in times of crisis, and what it takes to endure hard times when they seem to be never ending.  We have learned to embrace the fun and joy in life, even when you only get tiny glimpses of it in your day.  We have gained a new appreciation for each other, and the different things we do to support each other.  We love the family we have created together, and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  I am thankful for the boy in this picture, as well as the man in the picture above.  They are the same, but different to me.   I love them both.  The boy always had a smile on his face.  He had many friends, but managed to make me feel like I was the only person in the world.  The man is still a dreamer, like the boy, but now he takes action.  He works hard to make his dreams come true, then he always has a new dream ready to work toward.  He handles things with maturity.  He is loyal and selfless to a fault.  He is an incredible man.  Being the boy and having that side peek out from time to time is so precious.  Seeing him play and joke with his son and being wrapped around his daughter's tiny little pinkie finger warms my heart.  He is an amazing dad. 

So this is why I am feeling thankful today.

Decisions, Decisions

I need your help, my faithful readers(the one or two of you.)  My dear sister recently took our pictures and I can't decide which is my favorite.  So please help:  Here is number one:

Number two:

Number Three:

Number Four:

Number Five:

Number Six:

Please pay no mind to the cranky looking child on the left.  She may, quite possibly, be the most beautiful little girl on the planet who hates having her picture taken more than anything in the world. Thanks in advance for your help!  Please vote in the poll to your right.

Why Are the Holidays So Hard?

As I sat feeling so sad and sorry for some unfortunate people this Christmas season, it occured to me:  Why are the holidays so hard?  So stressful and depressing for some?  This is definitely a tough time of year, especially with these tough economic times.  Why do we let it get to us at Christmastime?  It should be a time for celebration and love, not inadequacy and sadness.  It seems like people either feel stressed out about trying to afford everything they want to give their family, not being able to afford those things, or charging up the credit cards in an attempt to give their families a "good Christmas." 
I have a theory this Christmas: There will always be one more thing you would like to get, one more gift under the tree and Christmas will feel complete.  Or so you think.  But get that last thing and you will remember another thing that would be just perfect.  Or one child's gift cost just a bit less than the other, so you need to spend an equal dollar amount on both while still making sure they have the same number of gifts to open, so you have to buy another, smaller gift for child #1.  It is neverending, if you let it be.  For some reason this bothers me more this Christmas than in Christmases past.  I think it may be because while my children have made their Christmas lists, there are so many big gifts I would like to get them that are not on their lists.  And it would be so easy to talk myself into it.  Like a new swingset that will support my dear son's weight.  That would be so nice in the backyard.  Or a trampoline.  So many fond memories I have from growing up.  But if I were to get everything on their lists and everything on my list for them, not only would I have gone way overboard, but what would be left for next year?  A car?  And then I think how lucky we are to have utilities paid every single month, let alone being able to have Christmas gifts at all.  So many people are not going to have those things this year.  I remember the small amount of charity work I did last year and being concerned about teaching my son to appreciate the things he has and the gifts he gets.  I suppose I will ponder again on this next year. 
Son is struggling with understanding why he does not have every toy he wants and every single toy every other kid he knows has.  He has enough toys and clothes for three kids, yet there is always something he can find that he doesn't have.  How do I stop the cycle and teach him to start appreciating what he has?  Because there are millions of adults who never learned that lesson, and they have billions of dollars in credit card debt to prove it.  This year, I have food to eat, a roof over my head, a husband and two beautiful and healthy children who I would give my life for.  I have things to complain about, tons of things, but I am alive and breathing.  Which is more than some can say.  So this Christmas, please join me in celebrating what you have, don't worry about what you don't.  Stop running around and enjoy your loved ones while you can.  They will be grown up and gone before you know it.  So what if you couldn't get them every single thing you wanted to for Christmas?  I think it is a good lesson to learn that they may not get everything on their list, but they may get some things that were not on their list.  Life doesn't always give you what you want or think you deserve, but you have to make the most of it.  Merry Christmas to all of you.

Happy Birthday Dear Husband...

Today is the special day my husband was born, many(but one less than me) years ago.  So today, he is a year younger than me(again.)  Yesterday he was two years younger than me.   I felt like such a cougar.  But today, for another 10 months, I am only one year older than he.  Who cares, right?  I do.  Maybe when we are 90 and 91 one tiny little year won't seem so much, but 29 and 30...wow.  Who is that old broad he's married to?  With a little help from Oil of Olay(I guess I should buy some)  I hope to age slower than he does so that in 10-20 years, I will look younger than him.  I am hoping his gray hair comes in quickly, that will help.  Just kidding.....but am I?

So I struggle every year with making sure my darling has a good birthday.  I always buy his presents waaaaay too early and can't hold out, so he has had his birthday(and Christmas) presents for months now.  So every year I sigh when the event comes 'round.  What else can I do to make his birthday memorable?  Like the year my son was born, and was four months old.  My dear partner woke me gently and whispered, "Do you know if I have any clean underwear?"  True Story.  I did manage to find a pair for him, but still.  Bad wife of the year.  So this year what can I do but write a loving and sweet tribute to him that he will read again and again.  Aren't I already doing that?  Hmmm...it doesn't look like it.  New Paragraph.

Happy Birthday, my darling husband.  I remember the first birthday I shared with you.  You were turning 15, and we were at a rehearsal for the Messiah, when our choir director requested it of us.  I remember thinking, "Oh, crap.  He is just turning 15!"  I was really feeling like a cougar in those days.  But I know how you love it.  We have been through many many years since then, some easier and some tougher.  But somehow we have made it through all of them together every day.  I look forward to sharing many more birthdays with you, and I promise that each one will be more special than the last.

Here we are at 17 and 18, I think:

See the stars in our eyes?  Ah, young love.

And here we are, last weekend. 

Sorry, for some reason this one wouldn't go any bigger.  And maybe you don't want to see our wrinkles up close anyway.  I didn't.  Just kidding.  I hope you have a great birthday, babe.

Another Proud Moment

Pride is supposed to be a deadly sin, right?  So maybe that is the big sin I am guilty of.  So why don't I feel guilty?  I am so proud of my family.  They impress me daily with things they learn and accomplish. 
Today I'll share how proud I am of my husband.  He works so hard to provide for our family.  He is the reason I am able to be a stay at home mom with my children, which is something that is very important to me, as you may have guessed, seeing as how you have memorized my every blogging word, I'm sure.  And if that wasn't a good enough reason to be proud of him, he has been studying for 5 years straight.  On top of being gone 11 1/2 hours a day, he has stayed up at night nearly every night with numerous dry and heavy texts.  And taken many expensive and excruciating exams.  But now with all of his effort he has accomplished one of his long-term goals: he now can claim the title of Certified Building Official.  This means he now has extra initials of C.B.O. behind his signature and qualifies for many exciting positions for Building Officials all over the country.  He is a hot commodity, let me tell you.  And his skills are much sought after outside of our home, as well. {wink}
And all this from a man who gets up at 5am to chop wood and start a fire so his family can wake up to a warm house. 
How could it possibly be a sin to be proud of all of that?   Well, I do not apologize for it.  I am proud to be married to such a man.  I am proud of all his accomplishments and I am proud of him as a person.  I am proud to walk beside him on this long journey we call life.

How to Go to the Grocery Store Alone With Small Children, Step by Step

1. Make sure the scheduled grocery trip is nowhere near naptime. Or before mealtimes.
2. Bring snacks, stop for a Happy Meal if necessary. Don't skip this step. Seriously, a tiny box of raisins, a Dum Dum, a pack of fruit snacks. Anything.
3. Park near the cart area. Like right next to it, so you can have good manners and return the cart without a long walk after. Stay away from the car carts that have your child seated 10 feet in front of you. Keep your enemies close, so to speak. Not to mention, those carts are very hard to steer, as many knocked-over boxes can attest. See #7.
4. Bring baby wipes. Just do.
5. Chatter to your kids about every little thing you can distract them with(Ooh look, there are the lobsters, let's go say "Hi!"{aka look away from the doughnuts})
6. Steer clear of the candy aisle. This should go without saying.
7. Drive the cart as fast as you dare, especially through snack and cereal aisles. Apologize profusely to every shopper you crash into. Which is most of them.
8. "Ooh and Aah" profusely over the various fruits and veggies, especially those on sale. "Ooh, Canteloupe, my favorite! Oh My Gosh! Let's get one!" "Would you like to help me cook this awesome cauliflower? It looks like a brain!"
9. Kids are going to spot every cartoon character item dangling in front of them. They are everywhere, and kids won't miss a one. So you say..."Say hello to the princess...have a good day, princesses! Oh look! Cheerios! How exciting! And look! Around the corner is chicken! Yum!" Zoom away. Distract.
10. Keep moving at all times. Do not stop the cart to comparison shop. Eyeball it as you approach and grab it as you pass. Do not stop. Do. Not. Stop.
11. Choose your checkout line. Eyeball the cashier. Does he or she look friendly? Fatherly, Motherly, grandmotherly? If he or she is already scowling, they won't have patience for you and your mountain of groceries. Or your kid(s.)
12. Checkout. Have your child "help" you unload the groceries onto the conveyer belt. Hand them small items as fast(or faster) as they can unload them so they don't have one moment to scope out the candy ever so conveniently placed at their eye level directly behind them.
13. If you manage to complete steps 1-12, go ahead, reward the kids with a candy bar, if they are on sale. Praise them until you lose your voice on how well they did and how fun it was to take them to the store.
14. If things don't go so well, breathe. Like if your 4 year old son thinks he can muscle 2 gallons of milk simultaneously onto the conveyor. And misses. And drops a gallon on the third try. And it splatters all over the whole world. And you want to crawl in a hole and die. Breathe. This is not the end of the world. Chances are, the cashier and bagger will feel sooo bad for you, they will clean up the mess with a smile and take your groceries to your car without even asking if you want them to. Don't cry until you get to the car. Or if you load up on two weeks' worth of groceries successfully but get to the car and it won't start. In the dead heat of an Arizona June. Breathe. Cry, just a little. But tomorrow it will be in the past. And you will call someone who loves you to come and rescue you. And they will. And the next trip we will try, try again.
I will stop here, because #10 is long past, I won't make it to #20, and I like the number 14, personally. So here are my super secret Super Mom secrets to grocery shopping. They are not foolproof, see above. Nor are they to be taken quite literally. I write tongue-in-cheek. I hope you realize that when reading most of my posts. Please know what that means.

My lovely children...

are famous.  Not really, but my up-and-coming photographer sister in law took some amazing pictures of them in a real live photo shoot.  She did such a fantastic job, especially considering that while my children may be among the best looking in the world, they are also ranked among the wiggliest and least cooperative subjects.  Put me to shame, she did.  Want to see her work?  Glad you asked... see her amazing photos here and my children's sneek peek here.  Incredible, seriously, click.  Isabelle did have one swipe of mascara applied for effect, in case you were wondering. I'm terrible, I know. 

Awww!

Look what I got from my darling tonight.  He is so sweet.  I won't lie, I did drop a hint a couple weeks ago, but he remembered and picked these up on his way home from work for me.   I love them, I love that they are not cut and still alive(ask me again in a couple weeks as to whether they still are) and so cute.  Now I am off to google how to take care of them, as I have been born with a black thumb.  I hope you have a lovely weekend with your loved ones.  Cherish them every day.

His Father's Son

Yes, that is my son doing multiple pullups on his father's pullup bar.  He is quite the strong boy, but he is our only son so we didn't think he was out of the ordinary.  Then we watched this TV show about this little Hercules boy(I don't remember exactly what they called him) and we laughed the whole time.  We said, "That kid is nothing out of the ordinary!  This is ridiculous, making such a big deal because this kid is strong."  Well, either there was no reason to make a TV show over that kid, or Son is just as amazing, because here is my bad(he was in the dimly lit hall and his dad was spotting) photographic evidence that Son does the same thing.  He also does two handed swings with a 20-pound kettlebell, 10 at a time.  He lifted his friend up(who is the same age) and put him on his shoulders, helping him climb.  When his sister was born, he was almost 3.  He used to pick her up and carry her around the waist.  People were shocked that I let him pick up his sister, but I figured that it was better to let him and make sure he was being safe than have him do it while I was not around.  I thought nothing of him being that strong even then.  When he laughs hard or yells, you can see his six-pack.  He has biceps and pectorals at 5 years old, and has had them all along.  And we don't have him in gymnastics or karate to try to push him to get strong.  He just is.  Like I said, he is his father's son.  And he has brains.  Look out world!

You can Thank Me Later

As you may know, I am a creative cook.  After a long hiatus, I have finally started writing down new recipes I have created.  I have generously decided to share with you again and I've posted them on my recipe blog.  Why should my family be the only ones who benefit from my fabulousness in cooking?  Please weigh in and tell me what you think.  I have made up most of the recipes on my blog, the ones that are not solely mine are noted, so be nice.

Happy Birthday to Me

I decided last year that I was never going to reveal my age again.  A lady never does, you know.  Son would ask me  how old I was and I would tell him it was a secret, all he ever needs to know is that his mommy is young and beautiful.  True story, but obnoxious, right? (right)

So last year I turned none-of-your-business, and this year I thought I was going to turn a-lady-never-reveals-her-age.  But apparently with age comes wisdom, and who cares, really?  So this year I turned 30.  Maybe next year I will turn a-lady-never-reveals....

My dear sister showed up with a present for me first thing in the morning(self portraits to follow of me in my lovely pink ensemble,)  Then a visit from a dear friend with yet another one.  Numerous texts and calls and messages later, I am feeling pretty popular this year.  30 may not be so bad, or were they all just feeling pity for the old lady?

My darling husband took the day off to pamper me, and in doing so sent an email to his director telling her that I was celebrating my 29th birthday.  Heehee, I guess the lies were taking effect on him finally.  And now I ruined it by coming out with the truth.  Darnit, will I never be able to lie effectively?

And he made from-scratch pancakes for me.  All by himself for the first time(with a little stirring from a lovely assistant.)   I just helped tell him the recipe(I guess I should write it down for future generations to know of my splendiferous pancakes.[Oh, wait, I think I kinda posted it on my recipe blog already{note to self.}]

Then we went for a romantic dinner to a lovely place we hadn't been in many years.  It was almost quiet.  We did make a small mistake in choosing a secluded table in the corner.  There was a very talkative person at the next table, so talkative that I think the whole restaurant listened to him prattle on.  The whole time.  I whispered at one point to L, "Has he even stopped to take a bite?"  Apparently he had, but somehow the one-sided chatter hadn't been interrupted long enough for me to notice.  It was sorta funny, and the food was delicious, so we didn't mind too much.  We just stared into each other's eyes in between checking out the numerous tattoos on the waiter.  It was really quite romantic.  Then a romantic trip to a not-so-romantic store that I will not name.  Luckily, I wore my "comfortable" heels.  Meaning I can shop blister-free, but not pain-free.  Beauty is pain.  My mantra for this year.  Then to pick up the kids from my lovely sister/sitter-for-the-night.  Then back home for comfy clothes and TV shows.  All in all, one of the best birthdays I've had.  So I might as well celebrate it.  With a giant ice cream cake.

The End.

A Change

Thanks to a dear friend, I have made a small decision.  I am going to lay low(er), www-wise.  I have been thinking about ways to keep myself and my family more secure online.  I did not want to privatize my blog and exclude some family members from being able to see it, so I have changed my URL and removed all of our names.  If you know us, you have the pleasure of knowing our names and locations.  If not, you shall be doomed to forever wonder.  Sorry, them's the breaks.  So let me introduce myself.  My name is J, a woman, wife and mother, among other things.  My husband is L, and we have two gorgeous children, whose names for this purpose, are Son and Daughter(or Sister and Brother, depending on my mood.)  We live in a cute little town near a cute little city in a cute biggish state. 

Why continue blogging at all, you ask?  Well, thanks so much for caring!  My blog makes me happy! I love looking back at the cute pictures and my cuter commentary(sorry, a little ego here, the pictures are probably cuter, especially if my darling husband takes them.)  It makes me smile to look at it, and makes me look at the positive things in my life, as I have promised myself that I will never vent or complain here.   It is my oasis, my utopia of all things happy big and small(Utopia...20+ year old inside joke.)  So I will continue to write, to cheer myself and you up.  You're welcome.

My Little Hobby

My daughter has a new obsession...ponies.  Many thanks to a dear friend who handed down many lovely ponies and a pony castle to entertain for years to come.

And the ponies have hair.  Lots of hair.  Nylon hair.

It tangles even easier than this beautiful girl's hair.  Hard to believe, but true.

Her hair is a blessing and a curse.

So my new hobby: combing hair.  Pony hair needs fixing every time she wants to play, my job is getting them combed up and ready.  Combing my darling daughter's hair day in and day out.  Combing my son's hair every single day before school.  Then we arrive at school and I think that combing hair has gone out of style.  My son seems to be in an overwhelming minority of children, both male and female, who have their hair combed before school.  When did the bedhead look jump from the runway to the playground?  I must have missed that, but regardless of how pointless or out of style it may be, still I comb.  And will continue to comb for many years.

Why Silence is NOT Golden...

At least in our house.

Quiet kids who are supposed to be napping can get into a lot of trouble and redecorate the bathroom in a delightful shade of bubble-gum flavored toothpaste blue, mixed in with a pot of Mommy's makeup.  And all without making a peep. 

And somehow I could not manage to keep a straight face while scolding her.  And because I grabbed the camera to take a picture, somehow she knew she would not be in that much trouble, she giggled the whole time.

Until the schmear got into her eyes and she started rubbing her face against my jeans as I ran her bath.  Somehow, I could not find any sympathy for her.  Anywhere.  Strange.

A Bicycle, A Scooter, and a Dog

Son got a new bicycle for his birthday, and Daughter got a scooter for hers.  This is the Year of the Wheels in our family, I think.  Son is also the proud owner of skates and a skateboard, and a little patience to learn how to use them.  Daughter also inherited brother's old bike and got a princess tricycle for her birthday.  So they are on wheels as often as possible, so far no major injuries to report...yet.  I'm sure they're coming.

And they got a cute new dog named Fiona.  She is their new best friend, especially Daughter.  She won't let anyone who comes over hold or pet her.  Fifi is HER dog!  And Son has not had a problem with his allergies from her, which is a small miracle.  She is a mix of a few breeds, all of them are supposed to be low-allergy, and we got lucky.  She is so pretty and white, but there is some time involved keeping  her that way!  So here is our new family member, Fifi:

Let's Get Cracking

Let's fix the health care system ourselves.  Anyone interested?  Hey, if Fantasy Footballers are running rampant this time of year, can't we have Fantasy Heathcare Reform?  Maybe we can come up with some money-saving ways to get better health care.  I am tired of hearing complaints about how the people in charge are not doing a good job...let's give them a boost.  What things do you like about the current health care system?  What things have got to go?  I do not want to argue about health care reform, or hear any negativity any more.  I have had enough.  I just want to pretend.  What would we like to see, in a perfect world, from our medical system? I'll get you started...

1. Salary caps.  For Doctors, Hospital administrators, CEO's of the drug companies, insurance companies...you name 'em.  Just like the NFL(although I have heard rumor of the salary caps going away next season...)
2. Limits on what hospitals and Doctors are allowed to charge.  I know I am not the only one who looks at the details of their hospital bill in shock and awe... $5.00 for ONE ibuprofen?  The outrageous amounts that are charged to the insurance companies have got to stop.  Likewise, they knock the prices down when the insurance company haggles them.  There should be a set price for what health care costs, and it should be kept to a minimum.
3. A person should not be denied healthcare they are needed.  If they have insurance and their doctor determines that a procedure is necessary, it should be covered.
4.  Doctors need to learn how to do their jobs.  I am sorry, but in the extensive experience I have had with many doctors in the last two years, they seem to be playing a very expensive guessing game.  With my money, not theirs.  I have been to more wasted appointments where nothing was accomplished, consults, followups, et cetera, than I can count.  Not only is this monetarily wasteful, it causes unnecessary time wasted for the patient in pain and frustration.  Doctors should know how to treat a patient, and if they are unable to diagnose, they should do more than throw their hands up and leave the patient to find a doctor who knows how to help them.  They should care enough to find another doctor who can really help the patient, otherwise they should not be doctors themselves.  See the hippocratic oath.
5. We, as patients, need not to waste our doctors' time.  Not to mention our insurance companies'(read: our) money.  We need to better educate ourselves on when a doctor visit is needed, when emergency care is needed, and when rest and time will best serve our recovery.  Emergency rooms are crowded with non-emergencies and people who cannot get in to see their primary doctor.  People cannot get in to see their primary doctor because their offices are crowded with people who are there for a virus or cold which the doctor can do nothing for.  It is an endless cycle that we need to break.
6. I laughed out loud to hear someone outraged at the healthcare reform, saying they wanted to be able to choose their own doctor.  I can't choose to see whatever doctor I want.  Not if I want my insurance to pay for the visit.  I have to choose from a book put out by my insurance company of doctors who are under contract with them.  My most recent new doctor does not have a contract with my insurance company, or probably yours.  Maybe Medicare, I think, but that is the only one.  I was specifically told that he may be the man to fix my long and ongoing problem.  What choice do I have?  Pay for the visits out of my pocket.  And that is just one example.  Heaven forbid you get sick while you are...gasp...out-of-network!  How dare you go on vacation!  Shameful!  The point of #6 is that I can't choose my own doctor under the current system.  And I am not pretending to know everything(or anything) about the proposed reform. 
7. Insurance companies should be charities.  Non-profit(or not-for profit) organizations.  They should be focused on helping and healing, not making money and greed.  Or they should go the way of the Dodo bird.  Extinct.


That's all I have for today.  Leave a comment and I will add on more and credit you for your contribution.  Please leave out negativity, constructive criticism and opposing viewpoints welcome as long as you tell me how pretty I am. ;)

Oops

I downloaded quite a few pictures from my camera to show off. I think Pride is my deadly sin. Because I don't think any of the others quite fit me, and I know for sure that I must have one, so I'm guessing it's pride. But every now and then something happens to humble me. Like when I realize that 80% of the otherwise beautiful pictures I was going to brag about are a little...funny looking. And then I examine my camera and there is a CSI-worthy fingerprint right on the lens that gave a nice cloudy glow to my pictures. Not that I intended to brag about my photographic prowess, I was going to brag about the beauty of my life and the subjects of the pictures, not the photos themselves, so I suppose as long as I tell a good story with them you will forgive the cloudy fingerprinted-lensed pictures, just pretend I got a filter and made them that way on purpose for me.

Daughter is 2 now. And she has all the wisdom of a 22-year old. Which, I suppose, is not that much more, is it? But now that she is so grown up and mature she wants to help me cook our meals. I let her help, stirring, measuring mostly, but now she has decided that she is old enough to scramble eggs. She lets me help so she doesn't get burned, so I let her cook.

But then, last week, she decided that she didn't need my help at all any more.

She has also figured out how to undo the child lock we have installed on the refrigerator. While I was occupied washing sheets, she decided to scramble some eggs all by herself. Two dozen of them. But although I should be thankful she did not attempt to scramble them on the stove, strangely I am not. I emerged from the laundry to discover cracked eggs all over the bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, and dog. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to take a few pictures before the long and drawn-out cleaning process, so I can guilt-trip her with them until she is 30, or until I die. But the smell was too much. I may never eat eggs again. On the bright side...the floors got nice and shiny clean again, and again, and again.....and I got to see a dear friend who rushed over to help with the cleanup and smell removal, bless her heart.

Two-gether

This morning my children were up early. Far too early for my taste. But I have been thinking about them and their relationship and how it has changed recently.

Brother is at school all day now, so sister is alone most of the day with me. Bored.

But something else has happened. They have started sharing a room. It started during the summer when Son asked to sleep in Daughter's room and we made a big bed on the floor for them to camp out in. But somehow, she ended up sleeping in Son's room every night. Every night I ask her where she wants to sleep and every night she answers, "I want sleep in Brudda's room." So every night I put them to bed together and put the lights out, with only some quiet music to keep them company. I warn them that if there is any funny business, they will be separated. Not once have I had to separate them. Daughter's room is all but abandoned. Son has no longer had a problem with nightmares and they both sleep peacefully all night.

They have become inseparable. They were singing together as they read books before lights out last night, the songs they listen to at bedtime..."Hot Potato" and "Hickory Dickory Dock." And Son asked if we could have Hot Potatoes for dinner tonight. They pounded their spoons at the breakfast table this morning in rhythm together. They fight, of course, it would be unnatural if they didn't, but they are best friends. They miss each other when they are away from each other. I just need the key to keeping their relationship this way when they hit the teenage years...with each other and with me. These precious times will seem so short when they are grown, already they have flown.

The downside? Son woke up at 5:30, and since Daughter was nearby, she was about 5 seconds behind. Is it bedtime yet?

5 years in pictures

Oh, how my life is different than 5 short years ago. This sweet boy came into my life and changed it forever at 6:13pm.

And just for your entertainment, here is a short picture essay of his life thus far:

This year is a big milestone for him and I wanted to make it special. I baked two kinds of muffins to bring to his Kindergarten class. Homemade from scratch, of course, is there any other way? Blueberry, and then Banana chocolate chip(my invention) were a big hit with the class.

Then our fantastic daddy took off of work a couple hours early to surprise Son! We took a special surprise birthday trip, since his party isn't until the weekend and we wanted to do something special for him on the right day. Our first Toros game since they have been back. It is, of course, a school night, so we only stayed for about half the game, but it is the experience that counts for them(I hope.)

Bubblegum and cheesecake-flavored ice cream(separately, not mixed) were the favorite treats of the night. It was a great opportunity to teach Son about good sportsmanship and how everybody strikes out, etc. I just prayed we wouldn't see any big-league temper tantrums(we didn't, thank goodness!)

And Daughter has a new love: Tuffy the Toro mascot. The whole time that was all she would talk about was Tuffy, if she saw him it was "I see him! There he is!" and if she didn't: "Where Tuffy go? Where is he?" And when we left she said over and over, "I had fun with Tuffy."

"Das' Tuffy!" check the pointing finger

PS:Son wanted nothing to do with Daughter's new boyfriend, Tuffy.

Proof

My daughter may, quite possibly, be the cutest thing ever to walk the earth. And here is today's proof:

I heard her count flawlessly from one to ten from around the corner, but there are only four magnets she was playing with. By the time I grabbed the camera and snuck back to video her, she was counting from four up and missing eight. Still cute as can be. And she's barely two, so cut her a break.

First Day of School

My sweet boy started Kindergarten this week. School for real this year.

There were many mom-tears on the school grounds as moms kissed their kids goodbye for a few long hours until school was over. Mine, surprisingly, did not flow. I managed a cool "See ya, Dude. Have a good day. Be good, I'll be back when school is over! Love ya!" No tears. Amazing for this mom who tears up at the smallest thing when her kids are involved. But maybe that is what he needed. Cool mom, reassuring him that it's no big deal to go to school and I will see him soon.

Daddy took the whole day off to be there to drop him off and pick him up from school. That is a pretty big deal in our family.

But, of course, we forgot to take our camera to the school, so these few cool shots L took before leaving are all we have of the first day of school. Oh, well, he looks soooo cool on his birthday skateboard. I suppose I can cheat and bring the camera to the school tomorrow.

It had to be done

I didn't want to do it. I swore I would never do it. I swore that a pair of scissors would never desecrate my daughter's gorgeous locks of curly hair. But I had to do it. When wet, the curls straightened almost to her tailbone. But when dry, they tangled so easily. Especially after sleeping. The top layer of hair just needed a little tiny trim. So, we had time alone together and a good opportunity and I did it today.

Here is the before picture:

Just kidding, this is a couple weeks old, but I thought it was cute. You know, the typical "before" picture when people look almost intentionally bad. I don't have any pictures that really showed the length in the back, but here is one I took yesterday:






It only shows the front view, but you get the picture. Cutting my only daughter's hair for the first time is a big deal for me, a tragedy as well as a reason for celebration.

Aaaaaaannnnd Affftteeeeeerr!

Ok, so maybe you don't see a huge difference. Bad photography. But I do, and hopefully now her hair can be healthier and easier to take care of.

Like the model pose? She moves too fast to capture...literally a blur.

The back view, if I had a before back view you could really tell a difference, it is much shorter. So here's hoping we can go through one less gallon of conditioner and detangler a month!