Thanks Mommas

May 13, 2013Leave a comment

I thought about writing a post that called out some of my friends for the amazing things that they do and that I admire them for. After starting a draft, I found myself worrying that I might accidently insult someone. Like if someone wrote about me “she works hard and keeps her house and family pulled together!” my first thought would be that’s so nice! I love when my friends lie to me and my second would be wait, but I am a good mom to my kids too, right?! People think that part too, right?? So I decided I would write out the things that I’ve learned from my momma friends sans names. Because at the end of the day, the lesson is the important part so here goes:

~Laugh. Make simple things funny. Instead of responding with an honest answer all the time, give a funny answer once in awhile. Your kids have their whole lives to be serious. Make them laugh now while they still think you’re funny.

~Work it. Work hard at your job and then work hard at giving your kids your full attention.

~Be cautious. They’re little and sometimes delicate While it’s good for them to learn cause and effect (jumping off of the couch will hurt), it’s equally important to not let them learn the effect of their cause all the time.

~Give in. It’s ok to lose the battle BUT, lose graciously.

~Listen.

~Shut up. Don’t be quick to give the answer to their question. Let their imagination wander and ask them what they think the answer is and then be gentle when giving the real reason.

~Save the drama. You are not always going to win every day. Some days you’re just going to survive. Don’t dwell on the negative, look at the positive that happened in the day and then get ready to make the next day better.

~Rest. You are not a robot. It would be cooler if you were but since you’re not, let the laundry sit and you do the same.

~Be kind. Teach your kids that not everyone is as lucky as you are and that it is our duty to care for those around us.

~Don’t judge others. Mostly because we’ve all been that mom that is walking the SCREAMING kiddo into preschool while the baby is still in his jammies with a dirty diaper and blueberries on his face.

~Don’t judge yourself. Some days you’re the mom who got a shower AND both kids out the door. Some days you’re not. Both are ok.

~Laugh. A lot. Enjoy the simple things. Smile.

So thank you to all the lovely moms I get to call my friends. You are all an inspiration, whether you know it or not.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Easter. Better Late Than Never

May 10, 2013Leave a comment

While I was downloading pictures, I realized I never got any from this past Easter up. Auggie’s sweater was a great idea in theory, but Mother Nature decided to make it 85 degrees so it didn’t last long. At least I got a few pics first!

Those loafers on those chubby feet kill me!

“Smile! No SMILE!!! Ok, look at me. Thank you for trying to make your brother smile by tickling him….”

“Ok, seriously. How are both looking in different directions!! Look here!! Smile!!”

Ok. They aren’t looking, but they are both smiling and looking really cute…

Digital Detox

April 29, 2013April 29, 2013Leave a comment

After a full week of a nasty little virus that left Baylor feeling well enough to get out of bed but not good enough to go to school, she is FINALLY feeling better. Fever gone and ear infection cleared up, she was back to school on Thursday. But after a week of constant cartoons, I was left with a little girl who felt better and yet was acting like a beast. She was constantly asking for cartoons and throwing tantrums when she wasn’t getting her way. Cut to me standing outside of church Saturday evening with a soon to be four year old screaming her head off because she didn’t want to sit quietly and I was threatening to leave her on the bench outside so I could go to mass inside. I decided that it was time for a digital detox.

I told PW my plan and he was on board; no cartoons (except on runs…I get to be a little selfish). Sunday was rough. The harsh reality of “when you don’t listen and you act like a lunatic, you loose privileges and cartoons are privileges” set in. We had friends over for brunch and Baylor was EVERYWHERE. It would have been so easy to turn on Sophia the First and get some less-interrupted time with our friends, but we stayed strong. By Sunday night, it was a game. She would ask half heartedly just to see what we would say. And this morning, it was a non event. She asked, I said no and we moved on. We did get a run in but even then, she easily handed over the Ipad and found something to entertain herself. I found her playing in her playhouse in the backyard and having a great time. I realized we were long over due for a cleanse. As the temperatures begin to really heat up, our outside time is going to be less and less. So giving her a reason to go outside, get bored and use her imagination is the best reason to turn off Disney Junior. Not to mention she’s a way nicer kid when she’s not hopped up on Doc McStuffins.

Don’t Lose Your Head

April 24, 2013April 24, 20131 Comment

Shirley is Baylor’s favorite doll. Shirley is generally never far away, always necessary for bed time and is responsible for teaching B how to pump her legs on the swing (according to Baylor). She is periodically the reason that Baylor can’t sleep as she likes to talk – a lot. And sometimes when Shirley has a bad dream, it wakes Baylor up. There was a time when Shirley did not like Noni and Noni spent much time and effort to win Shirley’s affection, which she eventually did. Overall Shirley teaches B good things so she’s allowed to stay.

Yesterday Baylor was busying herself “cutting the strings off of Shirley”. I didn’t know what that meant, but it was quiet and I figured I could repair anything that was cut. About a half hour later, Baylor walked into the living room with a face that I can only describe as sheer panic. In her left hand she held Shirley. In her right hand she held Shirley’s head (I’m dying as I’m writing this). I immediately burst out laughing and could. not. stop. myself. Baylor yelled “IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY!!!” which only made it worse.

I assured her that I could fix dear Shirley and put a safety pin in her neck as a temporary hold. I was able to sew her up this morning and Bay gave her a nice new princess band aid to cover her stitches.

Last night as Peter was putting B to bed he mentioned that Shirley had an accident. Bay abruptly turned to him and said “now, who told you THAT??“. Clearly, we are not talking about the accident.

Shirley. Shirley, are you ok?? I don’t think the drugs have worn off yet…

Morning Sunshine

April 17, 20131 Comment

We are so lucky that a week of “cry it out” went really well and the little guy was actually able to move into his crib in Baylor’s room. It went great! Like too good to be true….which means it wasn’t surprising when he started waking up every morning around 4am and waking Bay up too. We spent two weeks pulling him out every morning around 4am and putting him back in his pack n play in our room so he could fuss himself back to sleep without waking up B. I’m hoping another week or two of cry it out in our room will get him over this 4am wake up and back into his crib!

Until then, it’s hard to resist this view:

He’s trying hard to crawl – he gets on his hands and knees and rocks so hard that it scoots the PnP across the floor…

Pancake Update

April 16, 2013Leave a comment

The Dad’s Pancake Breakfast couldn’t have turned out better! All the hard work and stress paid off 10 fold; we raised nearly $1000 for the school and the dads, grandpas, uncles and kiddos had a really fun morning together. Here are the highlights:

Stephanie’s ADORABLE centerpieces

Pin the Tie on the Daddy game

Make Your Own Tie

A happy recipient of Make Your Own Tie

These two were like a well oiled machine. They found every flat surface that could go on the stove and were flipping cakes at a rate of 20 every 2 minutes!

PW working hard manning the serving table. Please note that Auggie is eating a paper napkin.

Happy customers

For being at the school at 630 am and flipping pancakes, refilling toppings and doing whatever else needed to be done – we didn’t look too shabby!

A HUGE thank you to Ms. Stephanie D. I would work with you on any project, any time lady 🙂

Patio Living

March 22, 2013Leave a comment

Nine months of the year, our living space grows by several hundred square feet. We have a huge back patio and almost every room in our house has a door to the outside. This time of year they are rarely closed and life seems to just move outdoors. We eat dinner on the patio, play in the grass, pick lettuce to eat and even watch whatever game is on (I learned long ago that in March, there will be either basketball or baseball on our TV. Trying to change it is futile. So I joined) thanks to PW’s handy work converting an old armoire into an outdoor TV home. It was too pretty not to snap a few pictures this weekend.

In about a week, I’m going to have a whole bush full of these little beauties!

My new kumquat tree

I love the way lavender smells – this one under the kumquot looks distinctly Tuscan

The ocotillo loved all the rain. It’s finally getting it’s leaves back and it will have blooms in a few weeks

The prettiest thing in the yard…he was mid sentence when I snapped this one

Lettuce and herbs

Sprinkler time already!?

Boys of Summer

March 20, 2013March 20, 2013Leave a comment

We are a baseball family. We played baseball, watch baseball and hope that our kiddos like it as much as PW and I do. Peter stocked up on spring training tickets the first day they were available. We’ve been to I think 4 games already and have two more on the calendar. It is a lovely way to play hookie, get a tan and enjoy cold beer.

We decided to take just Baylor to a Rockies v Dodgers game and sit in the grass. We knew we wouldn’t see much of the game, but we wanted to have some big girl time with Bay. We got to Salt River Fields (my second favorite stadium) early, laid out a quilt and proceeded to eat until we were full. She got to get lemon aid from the vendor, hot dogs from the concession stands and Italian Ice in a baseball helmet. She and Peter scoured the stadium looking for Dinger, the Rockie’s mascot, and she had her glove ready to snag any foul ball that came our way. The weather was perfect. She was happy. It was a sun soaked memory in the making.

Dinger. She is in love.

The crowd in the grass

Italian Ice in a batting helmet

Run For Their Lives

March 19, 20131 Comment

We have had the pleasure of befriending the B family over the last year. Baylor and Ella have been in the same class for the last two years and Olivia, Ella’s older cool sister, is one of Baylor’s favorite people. Gretchen and Mike are their hilarious mom and dad and two people that Peter and I are always excited to spend time with.

This past January marked the end of TWO YEARS of chemotherapy for Olivia. She had been fighting leukemia for almost half her life and so we were excited to participate in all of the celebratory runs, luncheons and parties. We ran on Team Olivia in the Children’s Cancer Network 5 and 10k a few weeks ago. It was a fantastic event – there were games, obstetrical courses and tons of free food and swag. We ran like crazy and had a ball and the kiddos did too. We were so excited to follow Olivia in the kid’s walk as this was the first time she would be doing so as a survivor.

I did not anticipate the kiddos cooperating so I told PW to run on and I would just get as far as the kids would allow. Apparently running in a large group was wildly entertaining because they were angels the entire time. We finished the 5k in 38 minutes…which when you’re pushing a jogger that weighs 75lbs (no joke, we added it up), isn’t too shabby!

Ready to run…errr, ride!

Auggie, Baylor, Ella, Olivia and Morgan