Last Day

May 23, 2014May 22, 2014Leave a comment

This year’s last day of school kind of snuck up on me. Really, we’ve been running hard the last few weeks with school activities…this year feels a little more like crossing the finish line of a marathon – it’s relief rather than saddness!

It’s been a tough year. It was our first experience with “life’s tough, get a helmet” type teachers. It was not the greatest experience – but – it was a great lesson in how to get along and make the best of a less than perfect situation. And really, I’d rather do that now in 3 day a week preschool than when it really matters.

In looking back over teh year, I realized how much B has learned. At the beginning of the year, she could spell her name, but not identify it. Now she can read it, write it and write any word you spell for her. I was in awe as I dictated a thank you note to her and she not only wanted to write it, but could write it! Her hand writting has become legible, her drawings more precise and her vocabulary is a crack up. I’m a little worried about her use of the word lure…as in “I’m going to lure Auggie in here with some crackers”.

Watching her imagination, comprehension and verbal skills grow is amazing and so fun to watch. Although the days of not being able to spell the words I don’t want her to hear is rapidly approaching. I think PW and I should probably look into developing our own language.

Wow. It’s not until you look at August v May that I can see how much she’s grown!

(Also, it’s pajama day at school. The Uggs were a fight I could not win. Yes it is going to be 95 degrees today.)

Disneyland!

May 15, 2014May 15, 20141 Comment

This picture sums up our whole trip. We were in line at the gates when the park opened Friday morning and were on the first ride of the day on the Astro Blaster. And this was our girl’s face waiting in line. It was all I needed to know that she was over the moon that we were finally in Disneyland!

Man. Not sure if my look could scream “I’m a MOM ON VACATION!!” any louder. Oh wait, I was carrying the camera that Peter was using…

If Autopia is any representation of how Baylor will drive at 16, we are in serious, serious trouble.

Brave B rode the Matterhorn and then we ventured to Pixie Hollow for some face painting

Since the day Baylor was born, all Mamie could talk about was taking her to ride the Tea Cups. So we saved a seat for her.

On a recommendation, we hit the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. Thankfully part of the recommendation was to bring our own dress. She came in looking like Baylor and went out looking like Cinderella!

Before….

And After!

How cute are the clips?

So the thing I didn’t know about Disneyland is that the characters don’t really walk around any more. You have to go to them and visit. Which is guess is nice because you know you’ll get to see them…but the fact you wait in line for an hour+ is not so fun.

Finally, Minnie herself!

(Side note – B is a little bit terrified of the characters with costume heads. Good to know when you’ve just paid several hundred dollars to see CHARACTERS WITH COSTUME HEADS)

And because we couldn’t get enough waiting in line, we saw Mickey too

Thankfully the wait to see Tinkerbell was much shorter. And honestly more fun because Tinkerbell talks unlike Mickey and Minnie. Which was Baylor’s immediate response after meeting Minnie. We were really dumb kids and that thought never really occured to me. PW and I were tap dancing for answers…we landed on the fact that she’s a cartoon and can only talk on TV. The look on her face said she wasn’t buying it, but she stopped asking – phew.

She is so our daughter. 10 seconds after these two girls sat down, she was in the middle of them introducing herself.

By dumb luck, we caught Cinderella walking towards her castle!

The new and improved Mickey Mouse Ears.

Until next time Disneyland! And by next time I mean like 3+ years from now!

Brilliantly Stupid

May 14, 2014Leave a comment

A few weeks ago, we (ok, that’s a royal we. It’s more like I decided and then wore PW down until he finally ~~agreed~~ surrendered) that it was time to paint our house. Like the whole house. Our paint had been battered, bruised, slapped with pureed spinach, scraped, sunburned and whatever else happens to a house with a collective 3 dogs, two kids and countless shin digs over the last 7 years. The breaking point was when I went to hang our new Jake Early pictures, only to discover that the prints that were already on the wall had left discolored squares behind them.

But how? When? I had a vision of Auggie and Mac walking through a paint tray and then finally getting some actual progress made during nap time only to realize it was time to pack up and go get Baylor from preschool. PW acknowledged the only way to do it was to either hammer it out over a few free weekends (which we don’t have) or hire someone.

But how to organize a full house painting, drywall touch ups around nap time, lunch time, dinner time, play time? And then it hit me – Disneyland. We had our trip to Disney planned a few weeks out and the painter agreed he could get it all done (and then did, which is amazing in itself). The plan was both brilliant and insane because on top of planning and packing for our trip, we were literally moving out of our house. Everything off the walls and that was near a wall that could be lifted went out the door to the garage. You never know how much crap you really have…

Long story short – neither the painting nor the trip could have gone better! Peter said a few times “man, your planning has totally paid off!” which is the best complement from mister “we’ll figure it out”. House pictures to follow when someone finishes my mirror…get that PW?

But first – Disneyland!

Super Hero Afternoon

April 30, 2014Leave a comment

We are busy lately. Like 4 events each weekend day, tball, swim, school, birthday parties, weddings, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, brunches, end of school parties – you name it, we’re doing it. And usually all in the same day. But once in awhile we get an afternoon where everyone has napped and is happy AND we don’t have any plans. I got to watch Baylor’s imagination stretch out and she decided she needed to be a super hero. She dug into the dress up basket and came up with a cape and mask – and a cape for Mac. It was fun to watch her stomp around looking for bad guys – and to have her want projects. I cried and said that some bad guy had pulled all the shoes off the shelf in the closet and I desperately needed someone to organize them…I really wish she wanted to be a super hero everyday.

This guy was his own kind of super hero. Of course at Halloween he refused to wear this helmet but now…NOW it’s awesome! He walked around and says “wooowooo! woooo!” – his version of a siren.

Ham it Up

April 28, 2014Leave a comment

This guy? Is a ham. Like ham sandwich hammy. I think he’s learning how cute he is and is thinking it will get him out of trouble – and he’s probably right.

Take for instance his impromptu photo shoot on Easter:

Ham

Hammier

Hammiest!

Cousins? Just a good excuse for some hamminess

Maybe he gets it from these knuckleheads…

Eggs-selent Hunt

April 25, 2014Leave a comment

Trying to get the three of them to A. Look B. Smile and C. Do them at the same time just doesn’t happen!

Some people take their hunts seriously….very seriously

Others…not so seriously

Good thing there’s a Grandma to help!

Such a pretty day

Arizona Gives Day

April 9, 20141 Comment

It’s Arizona Gives Day!

If you loved reading about Ben’s Bells, then please consider donating $10 today to help this amazing charity earn up to $18,000 in additional prizes!

Do some good and remember to be kind 🙂

http://azgives.razoo.com/story/Bens-Bells

Ben’s Bells

April 2, 2014Leave a comment

I was so thrilled when a college friend posted to her FaceBook about spearheading a Phoenix chapter of Ben’s Bells. It’s an adorably simple concept: hang bells around town for people to find. Ask them to take the bell home and remember to practice kindness when they hear it ring.

The charity’s namesake, Ben, was a precious three year old living in Tucson. He awoke with croup like symptoms but seemed to be feeling ok. Like every mom would, his parents waited and watched his condition. In a flash, his airway swelled shut and they were unable to get him the help he needed in time. His parents began Ben’s Bells as a coping strategy that has blossomed into a beautiful tribute to his memory. And it has touched the lives of other tragedy victims including those in New Town Connecticut.

We were gifted 7 bells to distribute around town. We took them to our regular haunts and waited ~~patiently~~ for them to be discovered and taken home. We realized later that people were a little confused as to whether they were supposed to take the bell, leave it for someone else or take it and then put it back out to be found by someone else. So after a few educational conversations with friends and aqaintences, all of our bells were found. We asked the friends that we knew to spread the word about the project. We’ve since bought a few more from the website as gifts and a few to leave for others to find too.

They make the cutest gifts for any occasion so order some up for you, friends and strangers: https://bensbells.org/shop

Leaving one at swim lessons – someone was not pleased about posing…

I couldn’t tell that sweet little face that we weren’t allowed to “find” one, so it is hanging outside their bedroom door

Successful What?

March 31, 20142 Comments

A friend once told me that successful people do 5 things before 8am. If my kids are up every 2-3 hours at night requiring water, clothing changes (vomit), bedding changes (you don’t want to know…), rocked back to sleep, patted back to sleep, tucked in – that is way more than 5 things we’re doing before 8am. And the fact that this pattern has been happening the last 5 nights that should make us really successful. The question is what we are successful at. At being sleep deprived? At being crabby? At being zombies? PW and I have yet to determine….

Run Team Olivia!

March 12, 2014Leave a comment

This past Saturday marked our second run as part of Team Olivia in the Children’s Cancer Network’s Run to Fight Children’s Cancer. I’m always excited to sign up, but the morning of the run Peter and I say to each other at least three times “let’s not do this next year” as we try to wake, feed, dress and load the kids by 6am along with their snacks, waters, joggers, sweatshirt and contingency gear.

But once we get there, we realize why we go. After the run, there is a survivor walk. As we followed our friends, the B family, I realized how amazing it must feel to know that just a few years ago, they were pulling sweet Olivia in a wagon because she was too weak to make the quarter mile walk. And this year, she was the horn blower to start the walk and then ran the entire track.

It’s hard not to get teary as you walk and realize how amazingly lucky and blessed we are to have two healthy kiddos. And for those that aren’t healthy, it’s worth the effort to run for them.

Team Wand ran the 5k in 33 minutes trading off pushing a 100 lbs jogger. Not to shabby. BTW, check out how much this team has grown since last year!

B got in on the running action

Post run celebration Auggie was slightly less enthused about the whole thing. We also learned he is terrified of mascots. The Sun’s Gorilla, Howler the Coyote and the Grand Canyon University Antelope all scared the bejesus out of him. Note to self.

Buddies ready to take on the obstical course

There was tons of media coverage – I love how easy the Team Olivia shirts are to see! Check out the honoree herself getting caped up for the survivor walk.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/24923482/2014/03/08/run-to-fight-cancer-child-survivors-given-cancer-fighting-capes

The Goon Room

A little of everything and nothing, all in one blog

Tag: kids