living the dream

mad men

2011-02-08T08:10:00.003-06:00

Do you watch the show Mad Men? If not, you should. Jeff and I are completely hooked! We have watched the first 2 seasons and are starting in on season 3. In real life, season 5 starts airing on AMC this summer.

The show is an AMC original and according to their website: The series revolves around the conflicted world of Don Draper, the biggest ad man (and ladies man) in the business, and his colleagues at the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Advertising Agency. As Don makes the plays in the boardroom and the bedroom, he struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly changing times and the young executives nipping at his heels. The series also depicts authentically the roles of men and women in this era while exploring the true human nature beneath the guise of 1960s traditional family values.

Ahhh, it's so great! It hasn't been since NYPD Blue was on that Jeff and I have really enjoyed the same show. He has his shows that I either don't mind or I find something else to do. And my shows, well, I just have to watch those when he isn't home. But Mad Men is something we both love.

For him, there is a front row seat to office politics and to watching the power struggles that take place within the office.

For me, there is the fun of seeing all of the glamorous costumes and knowing that my grandparents lived in an era when men wore hats and suits to work and women wore gloves and dresses to the grocery store.

For both of us, there is the marriage of Don and Betty Draper and watching the 1960s roles of the housewife and the business man and seeing the suburban household where their worlds come together.

The fact that the show's setting is in the 1960s makes it all the more interesting. For one thing, the characters smoke constantly. Literally everyone on the show walks into a room and lights up a cigarette. Another funny things is that all of the business men have wet bars in their offices. And, they drink almost as much as they smoke. The men call their secretaries "Sweetheart," and expect them to only be employed only until she gets married.

I'm telling you, it's a great show!

the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week

2011-01-29T07:45:00.003-06:00

This week has seriously been one of the worst I can ever remember. Jeff's company is moving to a new office space and so he has been working a ton! He worked late almost every night last week, all last weekend and late every night this week and has plans to work all weekend. We are fortunate that all of this is very unusual for our family, but maybe that is what is making it so hard...

Anyway, we've known that all of this was coming and we had both psyched ourselves up for all of the extra work. I was determined that I could manage the kids and the house and do everything in my power to give him a peaceful environment to come home to. I had a plan and was feeling up to the challenge.

On Saturday, Avery started throwing up. She had a 24 hr stomach bug and was on the mend by Sunday. But, what a looong Saturday.

On Sunday, our 11 year old dog started having nose bleeds. Aside from the obvious mess, I was terrified (still am) that this was somehow indicative of declining health for him.

On Monday, I returned home from my workout to find a huge bloody mess in my bedroom from the dog. I got the girls to school and Ethan and I took Miles straight to the vet. I had a lump in my throat the whole time as I listened to the vet tell me that the nosebleeds were either caused by the cold, dry winter air or a cancerous tumor in his nose. Time (or a CT scan) would be the only way to tell. So, I headed home with some medication and instructions to sleep with a humidifier.

On Tuesday, I called Jeff in the afternoon and discovered he was having a very stressful day. So, I cancelled my Bunko night and stayed home to put the kids to bed so that he would not have anything to worry about when he got home. Earlier in the day, we had some firewood delivered. When Jeff got home, the first thing he wanted to do was start a fire. Only problem was that he forgot to open the damper when he did it and our house very quickly filled with smoke and set off the smoke alarm and terrified Hannah in the process.

On Wednesday, everyone went to school and work as usual. I was excited to try a new pot roast recipe. So, I made that for dinner. I thought it came out pretty well. When Jeff got home after the kids went to bed, I served it to Jeff who proceeded to gag and spit out the two bites of meat he tasted because they had fat on them. So, given that tensions were high, we snapped at eat other a couple of times before going to bed in a huff. And, I am never making pot roast again.

On Thursday, we woke up to find that despite the medication and the humidifier, Miles had had another nose bleed in the night. And, later in the morning, he had a potty accident by the back door. So, I cleaned up the blood in my bedroom and the pee on my kitchen floor and tried to make the best of the day. Jeff wanted me to go and buy a kennel for Miles to sleep in since he didn't want to risk damaging our new bedroom carpet. So, the kids and I went to the pet store that afternoon and then took some dinner to Jeff at his new office. On the way home, I was hit with the one of the worst allergy attacks ever. By the time I got home, I was a hayfever mess. Somehow, I managed to put the kids to bed and assemble the new kennel before Jeff got home. I'm really not sure how though, since both my eyes were practically swollen shut.

On Friday, Hannah and Ethan slept in. Given that she seemed tired the day before and given that I really wasn't in the mood to be in any kind of a hurry. I made the decision to let her stay home from school (something I never do). I envisioned us hanging out in our pajamas, coloring pictures and playing board games. Around 10:30 she started throwing up. To make matters worse, it was a sunny, 70 degrees outside and we were stuck inside.

Hannah is feeling much better today and seems to have had the same 24 hour bug that Avery had last week. I don't know who will be the next victim of the the stomach bug. Although I hope it isn't Ethan because I think I've cleaned up more than my fair share of messes this week. And, I don't know what is going on with the dog but the good news is that aside from the nosebleeds, he seems perfectly fine. I do know that this is Jeff's last weekend to work and then I can have my husband back. Boy, have I missed him!

milestone city

2011-01-10T09:55:00.003-06:00

We have been busy marking milestones at our house lately. The kids are all at exciting ages and seem to be moving from one stage to the next at lightening speed. The biggest milestone is that this past weekend we moved Ethan out of his crib and into a "big boy bed." He has done great with the transition and is so proud of his new bed. Yesterday, he even took a 3 hour nap in his big, comfy bed.

The furniture came from my mother in law's house and I think it looks really nice in his room. We didn't paint the walls but I changed out just about everything else. With all of the darker colors, it looks so different than the pale blues and greens that were in his nursery. It's definately a big boy room now!

Another milestone came when we realized that Hannah had grown too tall for her car seat. So, we moved her into a booster seat and are now down to having only one car seat. It will make car shopping a little easier in the next few months now that I no longer have to think about having to accomidate 3 huge seats for the kids.

And last but not least, Ethan has started sitting on the potty. The whole idea just makes me groan inwardly because there are few things in life that I hate more than potty training. If I had my way, we wouldn't even be starting this until around May. But, he is ready. He is forever telling me when he needs a new diaper. And, he was crushed when I wouldn't let him wear the big boy underpants Santa brought for him. So, here we go...Wish me luck, lots of it!

why i liked it better when they were watching tv...

2011-01-06T09:01:00.004-06:00

Almost every night I climb the stairs to start our bedtime routine and find something like this...

And, this...

Then I do little bit of yelling and try my best to remember that they are my sweet babies and that the mess means that they have been playing together and using their imaginations. So, we clean up the mess and I kiss them goodnight.

like it's 1999

2011-01-01T09:19:00.007-06:00

I love New Year's. There's something kind of magical about the year changing from one minute to the next. I love the renewed enthusiasm of New Year's Day and the feeling that I can do anything I set out to do.

From the time I was about 16 or so, I had been dreaming of New Years Eve of 1999. Somehow, I just knew that that night would be magic. I knew that I would be 21 years old then and would be able to toast the new year with a glass (or two) of champagne. I knew that I would be on the verge of graduating from college and starting my own life and following my own dreams. I felt sure that the new century would mean nothing but open doors for me.

When I was 20, I met Jeff. He was, simply, my soul mate. He proposed to me on that New Year's Eve I had been dreaming of for so long. And, it was magic. Our engagement meant a new start for us, the beginning of our life together. Every year, I look back on that night and think about how young we were, how much we have changed and how much we have learned. And, I smile with the excitement of what's to come.

I love that each new year brings a new beginning, an opportunity for a clean slate. I don't usually make a grand list of resolutions but can usually come up with a couple of things I would like to improve upon in the new year. This year, I plan to continue to take better care of myself. To work out at least 4 times a week and to eat better. I plan to be more organized with the kids and to play more. I plan to take more time to appreciate the little things.

bah humbug!

2010-12-21T08:15:00.002-06:00

I am severely lacking the Christmas spirit today folks. I am NOT in a good mood. I am tired. My kids are doing a lousy job of sleeping in during their break from school. They are doing a great job of tearing through the house like a giant tornado, leaving toys, clothes and books strewn about everywhere.

Yesterday I got up and went to Jazzercise which was all well and good but then I spent the bulk of yesterday afternoon doing yardwork and bending and squatting and now I am sore. So, this morning I rolled over a few minutes before my alarm was set to go off at 5 am and turned the dang thing off. I stayed in bed a couple more hours, until I could no longer ignore the panting, whining dog next to my ear and could no longer stand the guilt of staying in bed while the hubs was getting ready for work.

I am mad that the gifts I need to mail have not yet been mailed. I am feeling guilty about not sending out a Christmas card. I am not at all interested in baking treats for the neighbors and feeling guilty about that too.

The only light at the end of my tunnel is that the kids are spending the night with my parents tomorrow night and I will have 24 hours all to myself. I will have ample opportunity to clean my filthy house and to finish wrapping all of our unwrapped gifts. But what I really want to do is spend that time curled up on the couch and watching trashy tv like "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

Heaven help me, our plans for today include a trip to see Santa at the mall and a trip to the post office. Good grief!

just another manic monday

2010-12-07T08:42:00.007-06:00

I snapped some shots on my iphone as I went through my day yesterday, so you can get a feel for a typical Monday around here.

At least 3 days a week, I get up at around 5 am and head to Jazzercise. The class starts at 5:40 and lasts for an hour. There's nothing like a little "Turning Japanese" to start the morning.

And, it's cold!

I walk back in the door a few minutes before 7, in time to feed Avery (and Hannah if she's up) breakfast, make lunches, fix hair and send Avery out the door with Jeff no later than 7:30.

7:45 and Ethan has his first meltdown of the day because I gave him the juice he requested instead of the milk that he now wants...

Jeff and Avery are gone and the little kids have been fed so I finally have a chance for a much-needed cup of coffee mixed with a generous amount of creamer.

8:00 am and the first load of laundry goes in. See my new washer and dryer? Aren't they pretty? I surprised myself by not purchasing a front-loader pair. But when the salesman at Home Depot showed the the size of the washtub on this washer, I was sold! It's huge! I can fit all of the kids sheets in one load and all of their towels in another!

Then, I remember to plug in the Christmas tree.

After dropping Hannah at school at 9, I head back home and steal a few minutes for myself at the computer checking email and Facebook. I look over at my dogs laying in the sun and think that it must be pretty nice to be a dog...

After lunch, Ethan lines up his cars before heading off for his nap.

And, I fold some laundry...

Now that Ethan is down for a nap, I finally have time for a shower (just 6 short hours after my workout). I am trying out these Whitestrips in an effort to a) avoid the dentist's office for professional whitening stuff and b) avoid paying an arm and a leg for the aforementioned professional whitening stuff. I actually think they are working!

After I pick up Hannah at 2 and then Avery at 2:45, I head out with my entourage to do some shoe shopping. Avery came out of school on Friday with her sneakers literally falling apart. We had no time to shop over the weekend, so today was the day!

We also stopped in at Target and picked up a hat and some mittens for Ethan who surprised me by wanting to wear them after we got home. Probably won't be able to get them on him again...

5:00 and I am just now getting around to looking through Avery's backpack. There are various things to sign each day and assignments to do. Blah.

The girls amuse themselves by playing dress up and dancing all through the house while I make dinner.

During dinner we burn our Christmas candle. I remember having one on our table as a kid and when I mentioned it to my dad, he was kind enough to track down some for us to have at our table. He had them shipped all the way from England!

Thankfully, tonight is not bath night so after dinner Jeff plays with the little kids while I work with Avery on her research paper for her piano class. Then, it's upstairs for jammies and bedtime stories. After the kids are tucked in, I do a bit of this and that and then head off to bed myself. I have a book on my nightstand that I can usually manage to read about 4 pages of before I fall asleep. It's not the book, it's that I am exhausted! And, I will wake up and do it all again tomorrow (except maybe with less laundry).

the one-eyed babysitter

2010-11-06T20:51:00.005-05:00

I have a problem.

My kids have been watching too much tv. And by "too much tv," I mean way too much tv.

I find them slack-jawed and glassy-eyed on the couch watching the likes of Spongebob Squarepants or some other equally nauseating animated character. And then there are the "teenager shows" that send my girls into fits of giggles over some obnoxious teen who has done or said something that only a 7 year old and 4 year old would find funny.

It's not their fault. It's mine. It's a crutch I use to keep them entertained (and still) while I get things done or have some all-important "me time." The excuses in my head range from, "I just need to get the upstairs bathrooms cleaned and then I will turn it off." Or, "I have to give Ethan something to do while I'm in the shower." And the saddest of all, "She is tired and just needs some time to veg out in front of the tv." I'm pathetic.

I have never been one to have the tv in the background all day long. So, turning it on and changing the channel to one of the kid ones is a deliberate act. I pick one of the above excuses, then the show is over and I go to turn the tv off and the kids say, "No! No! I want to watch the next show!" And I shrug my shoulders, leave the tv on and go about my business. Did I mention that I'm pathetic?

And as long as I am no longer kidding myself, it is no coincidence that I have been overwhelmed lately with all that has to be done after school lets out. Avery has 20 minutes of math and spelling homework, 20 minutes of reading homework, plus at least 30 minutes of piano practice. Nevermind playing outside, having a snack and occasionally having a friend over to play. Now, I'm no rocket scientist, but I'm pretty sure that eliminating tv would free up a lot of time for those things. And, just maybe I might not be so overwhelmed by them.

So, this past weekend, I made up my mind to drastically reduce the amount of time my kids spend in front of the tv. I chose not to tell them about my decision in the hopes of avoiding the inevitable arguments and drama. At first, the kids were especially obnoxious, dumping out all of the toys in the playroom and making all sorts of noise. They had to re-learn how to play with their toys and I had to re-learn (still learning) how to manage them. But, by Sunday night things were looking better. After school we have spent tons of time outside playing and riding bikes. Ethan and I went to the library and checked out some new books to read. And, most amazing of all, my girls have started playing Barbies together!

I am exhausted, my house is filthy but my kids are better for it...

miscellaneous

2010-11-03T20:41:00.003-05:00

We had a very happy Halloween and hope you did too. This year the kids dressed up as a Frankenstein, a witch and a Spiderina (I don't know...). We trick-or-treated on our cul-de-sac and the one next to us and came home with plenty of candy. I am trying to limit the kids to 2 pieces per day but Daddy seems to have no such restrictions :-)

This past weekend, Daddy also decided that it was time for Ethan to have his hair cut. His hair is very slow-growing but was entirely too long in some places and starting to look a little funny. Jeff did a fantastic job of trimming his hair and Ethan was so good through the whole thing! He just sat there on our bathroom counter and didn't care a bit that Daddy was cutting his hair!

In other news, I took the girls to the dentist yesterday. It was Hannah's first visit and the dentist told us that it was time for her to stop sucking her thumb (I knew he would). So, I bought a sleeve-type thing that fits over her thumb and around her wrist for her to wear at night so that she won't do it in her sleep. Last night she was so nervous about going to bed and not being able to suck her thumb. But, she was a brave girl and came downstairs this morning so proud of herself. I promised her a new Barbie doll if she could go two weeks without sucking her thumb. Wish us luck!

weekend away

2010-10-25T20:46:00.009-05:00

Bright and early Saturday morning we loaded the kids in the car and drove 4 hours to Brenham, Texas to attend the annual Baranowski Halloween Party/Reunion. The family gathering has been a long-standing tradition in the Baranowski family. I have been going to Brenham (or to "The Country" as we like to call it) with Jeff ever since we started dating. We look forward to it every year.

This year we were blessed with beautiful weather and the good health of everyone. We spent a beautiful day eating, talking, playing in the dirt, riding 4 wheelers, carving pumpkins and even going for a hayride. It really could not have been a more perfect day...

On our way back home on Sunday, we stopped in Waco to take the kids for a walk around Baylor's campus. Jeff and I wanted to show the kids around and see for ourselves how much had changed. I have always loved how pretty the campus is and how much the architecture makes it feel like a traditional college campus. Although there were several new buildings, the campus still felt very familiar. Jeff and enjoyed our walk down "memory lane" and it was a nice break for the kids on the long drive home.

the light at the end of the tunnel

2010-10-14T08:04:00.002-05:00

We have been sick. We have been sick for weeks. First Hannah and Jeff got sick and were both sicker than I've ever seen them for a week. Then, two days later, Avery got sick and was down for 5 days. A day later I got sick and was pretty much miserable for a solid week.

After spending $200 on multiple doctor's office visits and antibiotic prescriptions for Hannah, plus whatever Jeff had to spend on his multiple doctor's office visits and prescriptions, we found out that the culprit was a virus. A nasty, nasty virus that causes pink eye, fever, sore throat, body aches and a cough. The virus lasts a full 5-7 days and there is nothing to do but wait it out.

Now that we are almost 4 weeks out from where we started and now that the nasty virus has made its way through 4 out of our 5 family members, I think I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Fingers crossed that Ethan doesn't succomb to the wrath of the adenovirus...

5 lessons from a 4 year old

2010-10-03T08:05:00.003-05:00

1. Don't be afraid to smile at strangers. I cannot tell you how many times I have been in the grocery store (or some other such place), completely absorbed in what I was doing and looked up to find some stranger smiling and carrying on a conversation with Hannah. She doesn't care if she knows them or not, she just smiles...and they smile back. I need to break out of the habit of self-absorbtion and remember to flash an occasional smile at those around me.

2. Speak up for what you want. Hannah has only recently started standing up for herself and I have loved watching her learn. Avery no longer bullies her and I can no longer tell her what to wear or how to fix her hair without hearing her input. The truth is, I think the world might be a little better place if more people stood up for what they want and didn't let themselves be bullied by others.

3. There is no shame in the afternoon nap. Hannah loves to sleep. I'm pretty sure she gets that from me. I will often find her asleep on the couch in the afternoons. Taking a nap is so often considered a luxury or for lazy people but shouldn't be so. In fact, it is a great way to refresh your body and your mind and to turn a bad day around.

4. A little hug goes a long way. There is nothing like someone coming to you with a hug to make you stop whatever it was you were doing and remember what is really important.

5. Be confident in your choices. Just the other day, Hannah came downstairs wearing a long sleeved silver sweater and a pair of blue jean shorts. She chose the sweater because she liked the way it was sparkly and the shorts because it was warm. She didn't care that I was telling her they didn't match. To her, her choices made sense and she wasn't about to change just because someone else didn't agree. How wonderful would it be to have that much confidence?

starting preschool, take 2

2010-09-15T20:28:00.003-05:00

Officially, the first day of preschool for Hannah and Ethan was last Wednesday. But, I didn't take pictures because it was pouring rain and Hannah was crying and I was running late. So...better late than never.

Both Hannah and Ethan attend preschool at our church. I love it there! It is a really loving environment and I felt like Avery came out very well prepared for kindegarten. Plus, I like the fact that the building is familiar as are many of the kids since we also see them in Sunday School. This year (her last), Hannah is going to school Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Ethan is going only on Wednesdays. Both of them go from 9 am to 2 pm, thus giving me 5 hours of freedom one day a week.

Hannah loves school but complains about going every time. She says that she'd rather stay home with me :-) After school, when I ask her what her favorite part of the day was, she says "All of it!"

I really wasn't sure how Ethan would react to being dropped off at school. Sometimes he cries when we leave him in the nursery room for church. But, from the beginning, he just went right in and made a beeline for the toy trucks. I am so proud of him for not crying! Just the thought of my baby boy learning to walk in a line, eat from his lunchbox and sing songs, totally makes me smile! He is going to have such a great year!

soccer star?

2010-09-14T18:38:00.009-05:00

Saturday marked the season opener for our local recreational soccer league. Starting at 8 am Saturday morning literally half the town trudged out to the soccer fields with their collapsible chairs, water bottles and cameras in tow. Parents, grandparents and siblings all came to see their very own soccer stars in action. We were no different.

This year, Hannah is our soccer star playing in the Girls Under 5 bracket for a team called the Gators (so creatively named for the color of their jerseys). She is on a team with 7 other little girls her age, one of whom happens to be her good friend Paige whose parents Jeff and I know from our days at Baylor.

Hannah has been telling us that she wanted to play soccer for months now and so naturally, when the big day came, she was super-excited. And, we were excited for her. So excited, in fact, that we didn't realize her first game had a 12 pm start time. Our excitement dwindled significantly as we trudged the half mile from the parking lot to the field in 95 degree temperatures with 100% humidity (no, I am not exaggerating).

Nonetheless, Jeff and I just knew that Hannah was going to have a great game. After a bit of warm up time, the girls took the field. Hannah was chosen to make the first kick off. She did great! She kicked, she ran, she kicked again. Soccer at its finest!

Then, about a minute and a half into the game, the other team took control of the ball and somehow Hannah got hit in the leg with the ball. At this point, the heat, the frustration and the pain all got the better of our little soccer star.

Poor Hannah had to learn the hard lesson that the other team will, in fact, try and take the ball away from you. She was so angry and upset that she didn't stop crying until we left for home and her thumb never left her mouth, even when she did go back onto the field. Fingers crossed for a better game next week!

cousins

2010-08-24T20:31:00.002-05:00

We were so happy to have our cousins Macyann and Madison come over yesterday afternoon with Gramma Judy. Both girls are turning 13 this year and as a special birthday present, they flew in to spend a week with my parents. Madison lives in Ferndale, Washington and Macyann lives in Raytown, Missouri. So, we rarely get to see the girls and they rarely get to see one another. My girls were so excited to see their cousins and the hour and a half that they were here flew by. Both Macyann and Madison have grown into such special young ladies. They are so kind, smart and funny. I know my parents have had a great time with them this week.

and she's off...

2010-08-23T20:30:00.004-05:00

Today was the first day of second grade for Avery. She woke up bright and early with her alarm clock, made her bed, got dressed, brushed her teeth and came downstairs for breakfast just like she had done every school day of last year. After breakfast, I fixed her hair, forced her to smile for a picture and sent her off with Jeff. In true Avery style, there was no drama and very little obvious excitement.

Last night we did stop at the grocery store, per her request, to get some flowers for her to take to her teacher on their first day together. So, in addition to her new backpack and lunchbox, she left home carrying a dozen hot pink roses for her teacher. A nice touch, I thought.

When I went to pick her up, somehow there was a mix up and she ended up in the line for the carpool kids in the front of the school rather than the line for the walkers at the back of the school. So, Hannah, Ethan and I had to stand in the 105 degree heat for 20 minutes while the teachers "worked the kinks out." I literally thought I was going to melt.

When I tried to ask about her day, I heard, "Mom, I'm too hot to talk about it." I couldn't blame her. After a snack and a cold drink, she did report that her teacher was really nice and that she had had a good day despite having to suffer the degradation of wearing a nametag.

Personally, I am really looking forward to second grade. First grade was a real whipping what with the introduction of homework and spelling tests and all that stuff I was so happy to have finished for myself. I know there will be homework and spelling tests this year but at least we are already used to it. I have also heard that second grade is a year for expanding on the things they learned in first grade, so I am looking forward to us being more successful than stressed. In short, I am looking forward to a fun school year for Avery...and for me.

the grand finale

2010-08-13T14:49:00.002-05:00

Over the past few weeks, I have gradually come to accept the fact that summer is coming to an end. Well, the 100+ degree temperatures show no sign of disappearing, but the lazy, sleep-as-late-as-you-want mornings are. We have exactly 10 days until school starts for Avery. The little kids start a week later, but I haven't yet started that countdown. Anyway, our past few weeks have been filled with errand running to acquire new backpacks, lunch boxes, the all-important closed-toed shoes and even a few new outfits. Not to mention haircuts, soccer sign-ups and the quest for a piano teacher.

So now that the countdown is officially here, the pressure is on to squeeze as much fun as possible into these last few days. Part of our weekend plans include shipping the kids off to Jeff's folks (it really is fun for them) while Jeff and I entertain some friends of the grown-up variety out at the lake. Next week, I plan to take the girls to the movies one day, make one last trip to the pool another and even take them out to lunch at a restaurant with a built-in play area (gulp).

Then, bright and early Friday morning, is Meet the Teacher at 8 am. And then our lazy mornings will be no more...until next summer.

birthday girl

2010-08-05T08:49:00.012-05:00

Last weekend we celebrated Avery's 7th birthday. For her first party, she celebrated with her friends at Sweet and Sassy. Avery and her friends got to choose an outfit to dress up in, then have their hair, make-up and nails done. Then, they danced, put on a fashion show, ate some cookie cake and ice cream before heading out for a ride in a pink limousine! Oh my! I can tell you, those were some very excited little girls! Admittedly, the limo was a little over the top, but it was actually free so how could I refuse?
On Sunday, we invited our families over for another party and, of course, more cookie cake and ice cream. Avery had a great time at both parties and received lots of wonderful gifts. I, on the other hand, was exhausted and in denial about the whole thing :-)

just to make you smile

2010-07-27T20:59:00.002-05:00

This is what we saw when we went outside after dinner tonight.

seven years ago

2010-07-26T15:24:00.006-05:00

Seven years ago today I became mother. I woke up that Friday morning feeling bone-tired and wanting so badly to call in sick to work. I forced myself to go anyway, as it was to be my last morning with my boss before she left for vacation. I told myself that I would just work for the morning and go home at lunch. But, my commute was a good 40 minutes each way and at lunch I decided to just stick it out for the remainder of the day. As the afternoon wore on, I continued to feel worse and worse. I was exhausted and I ached all over. When I came home from work that evening, the first thing I did was get into a hot bath thinking that it would ease my aching muscles. Instead, I started having contractions. Almost from the beginning, they were the sort of contractions that stop you in your tracks. My due date was four weeks away, I didn't have my bag for the hospital packed, we were planning to host a wedding shower at our house the next day and neither Jeff nor I could wrap our heads around the idea that I might actually be in labor.

After about an hour and a half of trying to walk around the house and hoping for the contractions to go away, we called the doctor who advised us to go ahead and go to the hospital. I arrived at the hospital with nothing more than the clothes on my back and a picture of our dog that Jeff had grabbed off the refrigerator so that I could have a "focal point." After the nurse confirmed that we were indeed going to have a baby that night, Jeff made the phone calls to summon our parents, his grandparents and his sister. We also had to call our friends and let them know their shower would have to be cancelled. I think we arrived at the hospital somewhere around 8 pm. Everything seemed so surreal and so fast.

Avery Alexandra was born at 1:45 am, weighing 5 lbs 1 oz and measuring 18 3/4 inches. She was welcomed by a waiting room full of sleepy friends and family and two awestruck parents who couldn't take their eyes off of her.

Today she still occasionally stops me in my tracks. And, after seven years, I still can't seem to take my eyes off of her.

happy birthday hannah!

2010-07-12T16:01:00.005-05:00

Our little Hannah turned 4 this past week and so we celebrated with a party at Jump Town on Saturday. She had invited several of her school friends as well as some neighbors and cousins. She had so much fun running around with all of her friends! Jump Town is one of those places with all of the inflatable slides and bounce houses where the kids run wild and scare themselves silly sliding down the big slides. As luck would have it, Hannah's was the only party there that morning and so we had the place to ourselves! After the kids played for about an hour an a half, we sat down for some ice cream and cupcakes.

I can't believe that Hannah is four now and that this coming year will be her last year of preschool. It is such a cliche but time truly does fly by. She is such a fun little girl and is so charming and has a loving spirit. Over the past few months, we have also begun to see a bit of her sassy side and she has certainly learned to stand up for herself when it comes to her big sister. Hannah loves to color in her coloring books and to play with her baby doll and her Barbies. I am relieved that she is finally starting to grow some hair and the more it grows, the curlier it gets! I hate that she is four because it means that she is growing up and I love that she is four because I get to know her more every day.

happy independence day!

2010-07-05T14:59:00.004-05:00

I started to title this post "4th of July" but changed my mind because all of our Independence Day activites actually took place on the 3rd of July. I guess the town where we live figured that not all that many people would have the day off work on the 5th, so they planned all of the festivities for the day before. Fine by me, I guess.

We started our day with our local, family-friendly parade. It really is a cute parade, very patriotic and informative. Informative because there are floats from all sorts of organizations that I never knew existed, most of them associated with the Republican party. Anyway, they pass out flags, necklaces and candy for the kids and the kids, of course, love it. This year we went with some of our old Baylor friends and their two little girls. Everything is more fun when friends come along.

After the parade, we went home for lunch and naps in anticipation of a late evening. Then, we headed out with our neighbors to Jeff's parents' boat at the lake. We had planned to cook chicken fajitas, let the kids fish and then take a boat ride and swim for a bit before the fireworks show. Unforuntately for us, the remains of Hurricane Alex had other plans. About an hour after we got to the lake and just as we were sitting down to eat, the sky opened up and it poured for several hours. The boat was still in the slip at the marina but it was raining so hard that all 15 of us sought shelter down in the cabin of the boat. As the rain eased up, more and more of us ventured upstairs to the dock and went on with our afternoon, minus the boat ride and the swimming.

What happened next can only be described as divine intervention as the rain stopped literally just as Jeff was driving the boat out of the slip on our way to watch the fireworks. The sky cleared, the rain stopped and the fireworks were spectacular! Everyone, except our little neighbor who thought the fireworks sounded a little too much like thunder, loved it. And no one could remember a 4th of July celebration where we were huddled under blankets instead of sweating like pigs. It was a day to remember!

vacation bible school

2010-06-28T07:30:00.004-05:00

Last week the kids and I were busy with Vacation Bible School at our church. We look forward to it every year and it is always one of the highlights of our summer. But man, it is exhausting!

Our VBS meets Monday - Friday from 9 am to noon. By 11:30 all of the mom-volunteers are walking around shaking their heads and saying, "I just don't understand how 3 hours can be so tiring." It is tiring but wonderful!

This year I taught Hannah's 4 year old class. I teamed up with the same co-teacher I had last year and we had a great time. My co-teacher has 4 kiddos, the oldest is going into 4th grade but her younger 3 are the same ages as my 3. So, her 4 year old little boy was also in our class. We had 11 kids in all, plus 2 teen helpers who provided much needed extra hands.

This year's theme was "High Seas," so everything was nautical somehow. We learned:
Day 1: God's Word is True, with the story of God freeing Peter from prison. Acts 12:1-19
Day 2: God's Word is Comforting, with the story of God comforting Paul in a storm at sea. Acts 27
Day 3: God's Word is Surprising, with the story of Paul surviving a bite by a poisonous snake. Acts 28:1-10
Day 4: God's Word is Life-Changing, with a story of Peter and John teaching about Jesus. Acts 3:1 - 4:12
Day 5: God's Word is for Everyone, with a story of how a community of believers share. Acts 2: 42-47

We took the kids all around the church where they made crafts, sang songs and danced, ate snacks, played outside and even saw puppet shows. They had a great time!

But for me, it just wouldn't be VBS without someone getting sick. On Thursday night Ethan came down with a fever and so I had to stay home with him on Friday. Turns out, he had an ear infection. It stunk that we had to miss the last day, but what can you do?

On Saturday we realized that Ethan is allergic to the antibiotics they gave him for his ear infection. He developed a terrible rash and some pretty awful diarrhea. Since we had been out at the lake and I was worried about putting him to bed, a 10 pm trip to the after-hours pediatrics office was in order. The doctor there confirmed that his rash was probably a drug reaction, assured me that his throat would not swell shut during the night and wrote him a new prescription.

On Sunday, everyone was tired from staying up so late the night before. Avery had a birthday party in the afternoon and came home running a fever. So, we'll see what the day brings...

happy father's day

2010-06-20T21:12:00.003-05:00

I'm not big on sappy holidays and neither is my dad. But, I do think it's nice to have a day to remind us to stop and show appreciation for those we love and the roles they play in our lives.

My dad and I have a particularly strong bond. We have been through some of the worst heartache that life has to offer and come out on the other side the stronger and wiser for it. He is the only person who has known me from the beginning and I take comfort in knowing that he is my strongest supporter. I cannot go for more than a few days without hearing his voice on the phone and am forever turning to him for advice.

Despite our bond, I do not consider us friends. He is my dad and would never want to be anything but. Today, as I reflect on Father's Day, I smile knowing that I will never outgrow my dad and that I love him more than words can say.

car fever

2010-06-17T15:43:00.004-05:00

It is really unlike me, but I have the fever. The kind of fever that makes you want to have a new car. Except I don't actually want to buy it, because then I would have to pay for it, and probably somewhere in the range of several hundred dollars a month. No, no that's not the route I want to go. I would much prefer that someone just bring me one, curbside, and hand over the keys. That'd be great!

These days I am dreaming of the Nissan Armada. Have you seen them? They are big, boxy and beautiful! I particularly want one of the dark grey ones. On the inside, they have a navigation system, a DVD player and the most exciting feature of all is the captain's chairs in the second row. Oh, how I dream of the day when my kids don't all have to sit on the same row...within arms reach of one another! With captain's chairs I would no longer have to hear the likes of, "Mommmmmyyyyy! Ethan's pulling my hair!" Ahhh.

Well, that was a fun daydream. But now its back to reality and the goldfish-crumb infested 2001 Ford Expedition parked in my garage. That thing has over 130,000 miles on it and still runs like a champ which is all I really need. And its best feature? We paid cash for it 2 years ago. That, my friends, is a feature that's pretty hard to beat...even for captain's chairs.

party at the park

2010-06-08T13:10:00.003-05:00

On Saturday we celebrated Ethan's 2nd birthday with family and friends at the park. Lucky for us, there is a nice park at the end of our cul-de-sac complete with a playground, a pavillion and a built-in grill. It was definately a warm summer day but the kids still managed to have tons of fun on the swings and slides before coming in for a hot dog lunch and then some birthday cake. Towards the end, Ethan was getting pretty hot and decided to play with the ice from the cooler and managed to get himself all wet. It was a fun time and a special thanks to everyone who came out to help us celebrate!

what a day!

2010-06-03T20:47:00.003-05:00

For starters, today is Ethan's 2nd birthday. I went into his room this morning with camera in hand and singing "Happy Birthday." I'm pretty sure he was laughing at me and not with me.

Anyway, he had a check-up appointment this morning with our pediatrician. He is perfectly healthy and now weighs in at a scrawny 24 lbs and 9 oz (10th percentile) but is a lanky 36 inches tall (90th percentile). There really isn't much else to report from the appointment since E is such a healthy guy. Ethan's verbal skills are a touch behind schedule but I'm not worried since he is picking up new words practically every day. I am confident that he'll be just as chatty as his sisters in no time...

This afternoon was the last day of swimming lessons for the girls (I cannot tell you how happy that makes me!) So, being that it was the last day, Ethan and I got to go in and watch the girls show us what they learned. Hannah's class was first I am proud to report that she is officially a swimmer! She does great but occasionally runs out of air and so I will need to stay close to help her catch her breath until she gets the hang of it and can do it herself. Avery's class was right after Hannah's and we got to watch all of the progress she has made with her strokes and side breathing. I don't think I can swim as well.

Let me give a bit of history, if I may, Avery has had a loose tooth for several weeks now. It is her first and she is way behind her friends in the tooth loss department. Naturally, she has been eagerly awaiting the opportunity for a visit from the Tooth Fairy. All of this to say that Avery decided in the middle of swimming lessons to pull out her tooth! Oh my! There is nothing like a kid jumping up and down beside the pool and screaming "I lost my tooth!" to take your eyes off of the poor soul half drowning in his attempt to cross the pool.

So, now Avery will finally have her visit from the Tooth Fairy. I hope she's not disappointed...I heard that a kid at her school got $20!

hitting the ground running

2010-05-25T21:00:00.002-05:00

I really believe that for the past month our family has been busier than we have ever been. I am counting down the days until school is out for the summer (Hannah has 1 and Avery has 6 1/2). I am counting the days until we can stay up late and sleep in, until we spend our days playing and eating popsicles and, until we are no longer in a constant hurry.

Here are a few highlights from our house over the past month:
* Jeff completed a huge mission project for our church, repairing and repainting homes in a low-income neighborhood. The project was meant to only take 3 weekends but turned into more like 6 because of rain.
* The kids attended no less than a half dozen birthday parties.
* We are 98% finished with our master bedroom makeover. I still need to make it out to buy some frames for the walls.
* We had a Family-Fun day at Fair Park and took the kids through the museums. We spent most of the day looking at dinosaur bones and cool, hands-on science exhibits.
* The girls completed 2 of 4 weeks of swimming lessons with Miss Margaret. The lessons are every day and were back-to-back at 4:45 and 5:30. We rushed home from school, had a snack, did homework and rushed off to swimming lessons. Then, we rushed home, hurried to eat and hurried to get everyone bathed and in bed. This round (started yesterday), we have better times and are getting home earlier. I keep telling myself (as I struggle to entertain Ethan for an hour while the girls are in their lessons) that it will all be worth it when Hannah is swimming independently this summer and I only have 1 child on my hip in the pool :-)
* I started going to Jazzercise. I love it! But, it has been a real challenge because going to Jazzercise means losing 2 hours out of my workday by the time I do the actual workout and then shower later. I have had to really "trim the fat" out of a workday where I really didn't think there was much fat that could be trimmed.
* We have survived 3 cases of Fifths Disease.
* I helped throw a baby shower for my sweet, prego friend (who was banished from my house because of the Fifths Disease).
* We farmed the kids out to our parents' for 2 Saturdays so that Jeff and I could do yardwork. The first weekend, my parents took the kids while Jeff was away and I spent 6 hours working in our front flower beds. I cleaned out acorns and leaves and planted all of my annuals including the caladium bulbs that I had dug up and saved from last year. The second weekend, Jeff's parents took the kids while Jeff and I trimmed hedges and laid a whopping 50 bags of mulch in the front flower bags and 10 more in the back. Everything looks so good!

I think that about sums it up!

it gets worse before it gets better, part 2

2010-04-29T20:46:00.003-05:00

Here is a photo of our recent progress on our master bedroom. Do you like the new carpet? Oh yeah...there is no carpet, no pad either. Yeah...

The new carpet was ordered from Home Depot and was scheduled to be installed on Wednesday. When we ordered the carpet, we read in the fine print that the furniture moving fee did not include the bed. So, we decided that since we would be moving the bulk of furniture ourselves (the bulk being our queen-sized iron bed), we would skip the fee and move it all on our own. Then, we decided to cut a strip of carpet away from the wall so that the painters could paint all of the baseboards. Jeff then decided that he would just cut the remainder of the carpet and pad into strips and haul it away himself, saving us $30 or so in the process. All of this was done Monday and Tuesday in preparation for Wednesday's installation of the new carpet.

When the installers showed up on Wednesday the first red flag was that the carpet they brought was in a 12ft roll rather than the 15 ft we were expecting. With the 15ft width, the installers would not have had to make any seams when they laid the carpet in our room. When I followed the guy out to his truck to inspect the label on the roll he brought, I immediately knew that not only was the carpet the wrong width but was also the wrong color! %#@*!!!

Now we have no choice but to wait the 7-10 days that it takes for the carpet to travel from the manufacturer somewhere in Georgia to Dallas. To their credit, the friendly folks up at Home Depot have been very apologetic and very good (thus far) at trying to correct their mistake as quickly as possible.

On the bright side, the painters have come and gone and we love the color we picked out! We chose Colonnade Gray from Sherwin Williams which looked deceptively light on the swatch, but is just perfect on our walls. Always, alway, always spend the time and $5 to buy the sample paint can before you choose a color!!!

We (Jeff) also replaced the ceiling fan with one that was not manufactured in 1983. It looks great! Also, my new drapes arrived today and they are nothing short of lovely! They are so elegant and simple and just exactly what I wanted. Now the room is so soothing, until I look at the floor...

Even our poor pups don't know what to think!

grumpalotapus

2010-04-22T21:16:00.002-05:00

Five reasons I had to be grumpy today:

1. My little E-man is sick. Last night he spiked a 102.7 fever and this morning he was still warm but with very large glands in his neck. A trip to the pediatrician and a negative strep test revealed that he has Adnovirus. Yeah, a virus. A virus as in it just has to run its course and there is nothing to give him but Motrin for the fever and wicked sore throat that will last four days. Super.

2. My little E-man is sick. He is sick and contagious. That means no Jazzercise for me until he is well again which really stinks because I was really looking forward to going today and tomorrow.

3. I left a bag of flour sitting on the kitchen counter and the ever-michevious Shelby Ann picked up the entire bag with her teeth. Her teeth made holes in the bag and spilled flour on my freshly-swept kitchen floor as she made her way to her hiding place under the kitchen table. Then, as I attempted to get the bag of flour away from her...it ripped. And then there I was holding a half a bag of flour with the other half on the floor under the table.

4. My husband is stressed out. Work is crazy. He is heading up a big mission project for our church that may very well get rained out for the second weekend in a row. And, our bedroom is not quite right. Jeff is not the type of person who does well when things are "not quite right."

5. I have a headache. And my eyeballs are sticky.

Tired of my whining yet?

it gets worse before it gets better, part 1

2010-04-19T13:27:00.006-05:00

So this is our master bedroom as it stands now. Note the lovely red toile draperies that in no way, shape or form match the green and blue paisley comforter. And, the picture does not do the dingy walls and ceiling justice. Trust me, they are bad. Moving on to the floor, the patterned carpet that I liked so much when we moved in 2 years ago has been ruined by our dogs. Never, never, never put down patterned carpet if you live with dogs!

After living with our room like this for 2 years, Jeff and I decided that it was finally time to make this room a retreat for ourselves. Easier said than done. We have spent weeks shopping for furniture, carpet, fabric for new drapes and testing out new paint colors. Now I know why people pay interior designers to do all of that for them...it is work! Not to mention that it was, at times, torture for our entire family. Lugging 3 kids in and out of furniture stores and shushing them as they run all over the carpet store is seldom featured on HGTV :-)

So, over the next couple of weeks the walls will be painted, the carpet replaced, and the ceiling fan replaced. Then comes the fun stuff, we have new, custom white drapes, new bedding and even new furniture. Out goes the red toile, the faux wood nightstands and armoire and the dingy, old comforter. Then, we will be able to enjoy our grown-up master retreat!

i love sundays

2010-03-29T13:42:00.011-05:00

Sunday is, by far, my favorite day of the week. There is something almost tangible about the feeling I get on a Sunday. It's an entire day devoted to savoring the fun that was had on Friday and Saturday. Sunday brings a wonderful feeling of being on cloud nine because the day before had been filled with birthday parties, productivity and maybe even a yummy dinner at a restaurant.

The best part is that on Sunday, you have permission to relax. Actually, you have been commanded to relax but that's for another post. Sunday afternoons are just made for taking naps, reading and lounging.

At our house, a typical Sunday involves getting everyone fed and out the door for church then home for a boxed mac & cheese lunch (I'm relaxing, remember?) then down for naps and "room time." Room time is an idea borrowed from my sister-in-law. She used it with her kids when they were younger as a way to institute some quiet time once the kids had outgrown their naps. At first, I thought it cruel to send Avery to her room for 2 hours every Sunday afternoon. Like a punishment even. But, we made it clear to her that it was not a punishment. I think its even good for her to have some down time to herself. So, while I am downstairs napping, Avery plays quietly in her room and every once in a while even she herself takes a little snooze. That evening, we have dinner and prepare for the week ahead.

This past Sunday was our annual Sunday School class egg hunt. We always have it at a local park and families bring picnic lunches and the kids all run around together. Somehow, the past 3 years the weather has been absolutely miserable! There were 40 mph gusts of wind combined with a high temp of about 58 degrees. Ahh! The kids could not have picked up those eggs fast enough!

This was Ethan's first egg hunt. Jeff was by his side, and he caught on pretty quickly. I haven't gotten around to getting him an Easter basket yet, so he hunted with his Frankenstein trick-or-treat bag. Ha! Afterwards, he loved shaking the eggs and then opening then so that the jellybeans inside spilled all over the ground. Funny boy!

The girls always enjoy any activity involving candy. Yesterday, I had their Easter baskets out on the kitchen counter and had been rationing out small portions throughout the day. Hannah and Ethan got some after their lunch and Avery had some after she came home from school. While I was busy with chores, my sneaky girls decided to take candy rationing matters into their own hands. I heard the two of them giggling in the powder bathroom, which is a big red flag for me. So I knocked on the door and asked what they were doing in there. Avery hollered out that they both just had to go really, really bad and they were taking turns. Hmmm. I sat down in our computer chair just outside the door and waited for them to come out. About 5 seconds later, Hannah popped out of the bathroom and said, "We've been eating lots and lots of candy!" Avery was completely dismayed that Hannah had given away their secret plot so quickly while I immediately proceeded to take the remainder of their candy and throw it in the trash. Sneaks!

isn't she lovely?

2010-03-16T12:56:00.003-05:00

When you are the mom of a little girl, there are certain milestones in her life that you look forward to. Her first Barbie doll, getting her ears pierced, shopping for a prom dress, and shopping for a wedding dress are a few that come to mind.

I have always told myself, and Avery, that she could get her ears pierced when she was old enough to ask. Well, she's been asking and so yesterday was the big day. We went to Sweet and Sassy, a place recommended by a friend. And it was really exciting! We picked out her earrings and then Avery sat in a big, velvet chair while the girl cleaned her ear lobes, drew the dots with a marker and applied some numbing cream. When it came time to pierce her ears, Avery hardly flinched. I was really proud of her!

To be totally honest, Jeff and I did not expect Avery to go thru with the ear piercing. This is the same child that I had to restrain at the doctor's office last summer when they needed to prick her finger. She is also the same child who practically refuses to learn to swim because she claims to be afraid of the jets in the pool. So, we thought that there was no way she would willingly sit in a chair and let some stranger poke holes in her ears. But, she did it! I guess that she was really ready...

blankie brigade

2010-03-14T10:28:00.004-05:00

If my kids ever had to choose one possession to save in the event of a fire or other disaster, it would, without a doubt, be their blankies. My children all have completely unique personalities, but the one thing they have in common is a love for their blankies.

Avery started out with a pretty yellow sweater blanket that gradually became unraveled. Aboout 3 years ago, I tried to replace it with a new one. That didn't work and so now she has 2. Even at almost 7 years old with requests for earrings and lip gloss, there is no way I could convince that child to go to sleep without either one of her blankies.

Hannah's blankie came from a Sunday School friend of mine who gave it to me at a shower before she was born. It is made from an incredibly soft lavender fabric that matched her crib bedding. So, when she was about a year old, I started sticking it in her crib for her to snuggle with. That blankie's fate was sealed the night we rushed her to the emergency room with a febrile seizure. I grabbed the blankie from her crib on our way out the door thinking it might be comforting for her to have at the hospital. She has not been without it ever since.

"Mr. Elephant" aka Ethan's blankie, came from a bag of hand-me-downs a friend gave me. Ethan's nursery is decorated with an elephant theme and there at the bottom of the hand-me-down bag was the softest, most perfect, little elephant blankie. It has an elehant head at the top, a blanket body, and feet and a tail at the bottom. Ethan likes to hold onto the elephant's trunk and suck his thumb with one hand and stroke the elephant's floppy ear with his other.

As much trouble as it can be to keep track of them and to remember to always make sure that they make their way into the suitcase, those blankies are symbols of their childhoods, and I love them!

open house night

2010-03-11T20:39:00.003-06:00

Tonight was Open House at Avery's elementary school and you had better believe that you could feel the excitement in the air! There were kids running everywhere, dragging their parents off to see this or that, making shy introductions to their friends and teachers and most of all, so very proud of themselves.

It seems that everything in an elementary school is brightly colored. There is so much to look at and take in. The walls are practically covered with murals, student artwork and motivational messages. A parent cannot help but smile as she moves slowly down the hall, making her way from one display to the next.

Avery's school structured the open house around a "student led" conference. The students were supposed to take their parents through their work and show their progress, there was even an agenda for them to follow! It was neat to watch Avery flip through her notebook and try to explain some of the things she had learned. Jeff and I had to take turns with Avery while the other parent kept an eye on the little kids who could also feel the excitement in the air and were excited to explore a new place.

We are both incredibly proud of Avery and how hard she works and how much she is learning. She has a great teacher who really understands the type of student Avery is and helps us to get the best out of her.

Open House was fun, I just can't believe that I am the parent now....

making french fries

2010-03-11T12:31:00.003-06:00

The parents of one of the little boys in Hannah's class own a burger restaurant, a very good burger restaurant. They invited all of the kids in the class to the restaurant for lunch, a tour and a chance to make some french fries. Yesterday was the big day, so off we went. It was a really fun morning and Hannah really loved getting to be around some of her school friends outside of school.

inspiration for the day

2010-02-19T07:57:00.003-06:00

"The fundamental mission of motherhood now is the same as it always was: to nurture, protect, and instruct children, to create a home environment that enables them to learn and grow, to help them develop a heart for God and his purposes, and to send them out into the world prepared to live both fully and meaningfully.

-Sally Clarkson from the Mission of Motherhood.

I saw this quote on another mom's blog yesterday (www.flythroughourwindow.com) and instantly adored it. Every so often, I need a reminder that as a mom, I do have a mission and that there is a bigger picture. More often than I'd like to admit, the job of motherhood becomes about surviving the day and I wind up parenting more out of emotion than good sense. I wish that I could say that I jump up out of bed every morning eager to see what new adventures the day will bring for myself and my children but those romantic visions are sometitmes shattered by the realities of life and the words, "Mom, I peed in my bed."

I love my children more than I ever thought it was even possible and I do relish so many moments in our lives but temper tantrums, soggy sheets and runny noses can have a way of bringing even the most enthusiastic of mothers down. So, it's nice to have an inspiring quote that reminds me of my mission.

storytime

2010-02-05T09:10:00.004-06:00

This Wednesday was the start of preschool storytime at our public library. So, I invited a friend to meet us there with her 2 little girls and I loaded up Hannah and Ethan to go and listen to some stories. I thought it would be great. I thought I had found an outing that could become the type of ritual that Hannah and Ethan would one day look back on and say, "Oh I remember when Mom used to take us to the library for storytime when we were little. I loved it..." Well, let me just tell you, not only was I wrong but the whole thing was a real beating.

First of all, preschool storytime lasted for 45 minutes. I don't know many 3 year olds who can sit still for 45 minutes but they don't have the same last name as me...Then, the very dry, very out-of-touch librarian read book after book. All the while, I attempted to entertain Ethan with every toy and trinket in my purse and Hannah fought him for space on my lap rather than sitting on the rug with the rest of the kids. After half an hour, I had to give up and take them out.

Later that night, still clinging to the idea that I might be right about having found a beloved ritual, I asked Hannah if she had liked storytime at the library. "No. I didn't like it. I just like the one where we sit in my bed and you scratch my back."

"Yeah, I like that one too," I said smiling and realizing that the beloved ritual had been here all along.

controlled chaos?

2010-02-01T21:13:00.003-06:00

This is what our playroom looked like yesterday, less than 2 hours after the kids got up from nap time/rest time. I really struggle with toy messes at our house. I know that my kids have a real need to play and that they will make messes but there has to be a better balance between their need to play and my need to not have my house look like something in the path of Hurricane Katrina.

The other aspect of toy messes that I struggle with is the picking up and how much responsibility to put on the kids. The playroom was obviously a complete disaster but Avery’s room needed to be picked up as well. So, in an attempt to establish a weekly ritual where she picks up her room on Sunday evenings, I sent her upstairs to tidy up. I felt like it would be asking too much to have her then come downstairs and help clean up the playroom even though she had, no doubt, been one of the main culprits in the playroom mess.

That left me standing in our post-Katrina playroom with a 19 month old and a 3 year old. I recruited their help with some age-appropriate tasks but the bulk of the work fell to me, Mom. What a shock…

So, my rhetorical question is this: How do I allow my children the freedom to play and be creative without having my house turned upside down at least once a day? And, how do I balance the need to teach them to be responsible for their things with not wanting them to feel as though they spend their entire day picking up?

i heart primroses

2010-01-26T12:23:00.002-06:00

I feel in love with these pretties a several years ago when I saw them in a magazine. I just love how bright and happy looking they are. So when I saw that they were on sale at Calloway's, I decided to go and get some for my front porch. Don't they make you wish for spring?

unsolicited advice

2010-01-22T08:30:00.002-06:00

Recently one of my best friends announced that she and her husband are expecting their first baby. So exciting! They have been waiting so long and now it's finally their turn! So, being the wise mother of 3 that I am (stop laughing), I decided to put together some advice for her.

1. Enjoy being pregnant. Those sweet little kicks and somersaults don't last and are the beginning of you bonding with your baby. Savor it!

2. Start stashing your extra fast-food napkins in your glove box. You never know when (or what) you will have to clean off your kid and his car seat.

3. Pregnancy and breast feeding ruins your boobs. Period. Just go ahead and wrap your head around that now.

4. You don't know what it means to be tired. Sorry to break it you, but all the times in your life that you have thought you were tired will pale in comparison to life with a 4 week old. Go ahead and wrap your head around that too.

5. Be prepared to miss your mom more than you ever imagined. Becoming a mother when you don't have a mother is very difficult. Friends cannot take her place, but they can listen to you cry about it...

6. Invest heavily in products from the Clorox and Lysol companies. But be warned, your house will never really be clean enough. You'll get over it. Babies have survived dirt and germs for generations.

7. You will become far more familiar with poop that you ever thought possible, hence the need for the aforementioned Clorox products.

8. There are a lot of parenting books, but unfortunately none written specifically for your child. Use the bits and pieces from books that you like, trust your instincts and wing it.

9. Make time for yourself. Even if it only means taking 15 minutes to shower, take the time to do something for yourself every day. Read a chapter in a book, watch a TV show, browse the internet, whatever. Maintaining your sense of self as a person and not just a mother is important.

10. Make your husband a priority. As hard as it might be to muster the energy, try and set aside a few minutes for him each day. Ask about things that matter to him, aside from the baby. I promise, you will both benefit. Trust me.

society of the sick

2010-01-16T10:08:00.002-06:00

Two days ago I boarded a plane just before dawn and made my way to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to be with my parents as my Dad underwent heart surgery. The Mayo Clinic is a world renowned hospital where people from all over the world come to seek help and hope for their medical needs. There are so many people here that it feels as though there is a separate sect of our society whose lives have come to revolve around doctors' appointments, various forms of testing and hospital stays, a "society of the sick," if you will. As I walk the halls of this famous institution, I cannot help but notice their faces.

There are families of all sizes and walks of life who have gathered here to be with loved ones, each of whom means as much to their family as my Dad means to me. There are sick children, whose parents wear brave, capable faces. There are elderly couples, who have spent their lives together, holding hands as they struggle to navigate the maze of underground tunnels and skybridges on their way to the next appointment. They walk slowly, unsure both of where they are going and what the future will hold. And, there are those who have traveled here alone whose faces are taut with worry.

I do not spend much time in hospitals. I have been oblivious to those who do. There are those to whom hospitals must feel like a second home, distressing though it may be. Loved ones put their lives on hold to help care and advocate for the sick. Huge sacrifices are made in the blink of an eye.

Fortunately, the Mayo Clinic is able to help and offer hope to many of the patients and loved ones who come here -- as it has done for our family. But, I know that not everyone can be helped.

I am glad that I have made this trip, not only to offer support and companionship to my parents but also to learn a lesson of gratitude. My husband and I are healthy, our families are healthy and our children are healthy. We are truly blessed and I am grateful...

back in the swing of things

2010-01-08T08:37:00.002-06:00

We officially got "back in the swing of things" this week. Jeff went back for his first full work week in quite some time and on Tuesday, Avery and Hannah headed back to school. With everyone else back at their normal routines, I had no choice but to return from my housecleaning hiatus and get down to business.

Now its the end of the week and we are all exhausted. Avery moaned about having to go to school this morning and can't seem to keep her mind focused long enough to learn her spelling words. Hannah is sleeping late, very late. And I am not even finished with my coffee and am already trying to talk myself out of going to the grocery store this morning. Who needs bread and milk anyway???

more snow

2009-12-30T17:08:00.002-06:00

Yesterday marked the 3rd time we have had snow so far this winter. Believe me, snow is typically a rare thing around here. But, this winter seems to have a mind of it's own.

according to martha...

2009-12-30T08:40:00.002-06:00

I was lucky enough to get this giant book as a Christmas gift. I love it! It is over 700 pages full of all sorts of useful information about taking care of your home. I have only just begun to flip thru and read, but I have already learned quite a few new things! Anyway, Martha isn't for everybody but I thought I'd share a bit from her book just for fun.

Six Things To Do Everyday

Get into the habit of completing these basic tasks daily. With just a few minutes' work, you'll easily be able to keep chaos at bay.

1. Make the bed
Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you'll let other things-such as clothes and papers-pile up around it.

2. Manage Clutter
Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.

3. Sort The Mail
Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort the mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing.

4. Clean As You Cook
Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.

5. Wipe Up Spills While They're Fresh
Whether it's tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.

6. Sweep The Kitchen Floor
Every evening once you've finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.

christmas memories

2009-12-27T19:03:00.004-06:00

This year, our Christmas was one to remember. Unfortunately, I don't mean that in a good way. Our Christmas Eve was the worst ever. Seriously.

Our plans for the day consisted of hanging out, waiting for the snow and doing some cooking. My parents were supposed to be over at 4:30 pm to exchange gifts, eat dinner and then go to church. The "fun" all started about 9 am on Christmas Eve when our electricity went out. After several frustrating attempts to call the electric company to report the outage and get some information regarding when we could expect our lights to come back on, I learned that we could expect our power to be restored around 11:30 am. So, we tried to make the best of the situation. The snow started around lunchtime and was so pretty (and exciting)! I read somewhere that the last time we had a white Christmas in Dallas was in 1926!

The snow continued to fall and fall and the winds picked up so that we really and truly had near-blizzard conditions. When our power still wasn't back on by 2:30 pm. Jeff ventured out into the blizzard to talk to the Oncor repairman working up the street. He came back to report that there were 2 bad power lines and a blown transformer in our neighborhood and that Oncor hoped to have power restored by 5 or 6 that evening. Panic started to set in for me at this point. I had no way to cook our Christmas dinner, and I even started to fear that the power wouldn't come back on at all that night. What about Santa??? Where would we sleep?

We decided to ditch the plans for church and take the food to my parents' house (half an hour away) to cook, eat and open presents. So, we loaded the car and braved the blizzard. The drive over was a pretty one with all the snow and the lights.

At my parents' house we were warm, we cooked and enjoyed opening presents and spending time together. All was good. When we were ready to head for home, it was dark, it had stopped snowing and the roads were frozen. We made it to the first overpass on the highway before we hit a patch of ice and slid into another car which then slid into another car. Sigh.

Thankfully, there were no injuries, just some busted up bumpers, broken lights and bent up panels. After the accident, one of the other drivers insisted on calling the police rather than just exchanging insurance information. So we had to wait for the officer and then wait for everything to play out. We finally got home about 2 hours after we had left my parents' house and tucked the kids into bed just after 10 pm. Santas elves got busy right away getting things ready for Christmas morning. Jeff and I finally got to bed around 1 am.

Christmas day was much better! The kids loved all of their gifts and Jeff and I were able to put the previous day's woes behind us and enjoy the day. But we sure hope to never have another Christmas Eve like that one!

2009-12-27T17:25:00.001-06:00

gingerbread houses

2009-12-23T13:18:00.003-06:00

This morning we had our neighbors, Zoe and Jake, over to eat candy. I mean, decorate gingerbread houses. :-) The kids did pretty well. Zoe had a pretty good idea of how she wanted her house to look and Avery was very detailed and spent lots of time on hers. Jake and Hannah didn't last too long with the actual decorating but the moms had fun taking over. Merry Christmas!

just the facts ma'am

2009-12-15T20:01:00.002-06:00

Most who know me, know that I am pretty laid back. I am even pretty laid back as far as the kids' health goes. Don't get me wrong, we have had our share of trips to the emergency room and even a 911 call...but it takes more than the likes of an ear infection to freak me out.

Over the past few years, I have been hearing lots of talk about childhood vaccines and whether or not they are safe. For the most part I just listen. I listen because I am really pretty ignorant of the whole topic. I know that there are people who claim that vaccines are linked to autism and other disorders, but I really can't tell you why they think that or if they are wrong. I know that my pediatrician has a big poster in his exam rooms that claims that vaccines do not cause autism. But again, I can't tell you why the poster creators think that.

A couple of weeks ago, I took Ethan in for his 18 month check-up. While we were there I inquired of the nurse about his seasonal flu booster (the office had been out of the injection for awhile). After some searching, the nurse came back in and said that she had a shot that would work for him. But, she explained, this shot would not be exactly the same as the first he had received. This shot had thimerosal. She went on to quickly rattle off that they were completely comfortable giving him a shot with thimerosal. I nodded, not really understanding much of what she had said. Ethan got his shot and we went home.

I felt like such a bad mom! What was thimerosal anyway? And what had I just agreed to inject my baby with? I didn't doubt that everything would be okay, I just felt uneasy with my ignorance. And, I felt helpless. I didn't know where to turn to find trustworthy information on vaccines, their side effects and all of the rumors swirling about. I knew enough to know that there is a lot of really passionate misinformation out there and I didn't want to get tangled up where I shouldn't be.

My moment of opportunity came when I took Ethan in to see the nurse practitioner about his head bump and I asked her about where I could look up unbiased information about vaccines. Thank goodness she wasn't at all defensive, but understanding of my need to be informed for the sake of my sanity and my childrens' health. She recommened that I check the Centers for Disease Control website. She said that the CDC is who they report any vaccine side effects to. Whew! Good to know!

Anyway, I checked out the website and it has a ton of great information! Now at least I feel more confident about my decision to have the kids vaccinated (including seasonal flu and H1N1) and I can know what the other moms on the playground are talking about...

Check it out for yourself: www.cdc.gov

shepherds, sheep and a baby

2009-12-11T08:23:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, was the Christmas program at Hannah's pre-school. The program was titled "Shepherds, Sheep and a Baby" and featured the vocal stylings of 3, 4 and 5 year olds. Listening to a bunch of little kids belt out "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a really fun way to start your day!

o holy night

2009-12-11T07:58:00.002-06:00

This song is one of my all-time favorite hymns, easily in the top 3. One of the reasons I love this time of year is because I get to hear this song a lot. But, I never get tired of hearing it. To me, the song encompasses all of the awe and majesty of Christmas Eve and when I hear it, my thoughts cannot help but wander to a shabby manger in Bethlehem. Not only is the music beautiful but the lyrics really speak to my heart. Take a moment to really read the lyrics and perhaps experience a bit of the "thrill of hope" as our "weary world rejoices" the birth of our Savior.

And, if you are like me and just have to hear the song, I have posted a video for you. :-)

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining.
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born!
Oh night divine! Oh night! Oh night divine!

Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother,
and in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise his holy name.
Christ is the lord, that ever, ever praise we.
Noel! Noel! Oh night;oh night divine!
Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!
Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!

mr. 18 months old

2009-12-07T11:49:00.003-06:00

Last week marked a pretty big milestone at our house, Ethan turned 18 months old. 18 months is kind of a big deal to me. It means that he is no longer a baby but a full-fledged toddler. Our house is virtually empty of baby items save for the highchair (I'm still using that one to save my new kitchen table from destruction) and the nursery furniture. Today I threw out all of the teething toys (he's pretty much got all of his teeth now) and the old baby rattles. I have to say that I am a little sad that time is passing so quickly and that there will be no more babies at our house but at the same time I am happy to be moving on.

Ethan is really developing quite a personality. He is kind of a ham and loves to draw attention to himself by way of doing something silly. He also has a lot to say, we just don't understand any of it yet. Almost every night when Jeff gets home, Ethan follows him around babbling for a good five minutes. He is no doubt filling Jeff in on the happenings of his day. Our house may be empty of baby toys, but he is full steam ahead into the world of big boy toys. Ethan particularly loves blocks, cars and playing with Hannah. One of his new favorite past times is rolling over his sisters when they are playing on the floor. At 18 months, he is equally cuddly and wiggly. His favorite place is still on my hip and I'm happy to have him there.

The story behind the picture is that last night he was playing with Hannah and fell face first into the corner of the coffee table. We have a square coffee table and the corners are pretty sharp. I have always known that sooner or later one of the kids would fall into a corner and get hurt. To tell the truth, I always thought it would be worse than it was (think stitches). I heard the thud from the kitchen and managed not to panic when Jeff brought him into the kitchen with blood pouring out of his nose. This was at least his 5th bloody nose, I think that the girls have maybe had 1 each. Maybe. I guess that's one of the differences between boys and girls.

starting fresh, part 2

2009-12-02T16:07:00.002-06:00

So my plan to feed my family more fresh foods and fewer prepackaged, preservative-filled foods has been going pretty well. I have managed to stay on budget and not lose my mind for all of the extra time and effort my new plan requires.

Some of the positive things about our new style of eating are that:
1) The food tastes better, much better.
2) We are all trying new things (just the other day the girls gobbled up hummus and pita bread for an after school snack).
3) Our digestive systems have adjusted accordingly and we can no longer tolerate fast-food, which means we avoid it big-time.
4) Our menus are more spontaneous and that is fun.

Some of the drawbacks are:
1) It takes a lot of time, lots of time cooking and lots of time running to the store.
2) It takes a lot of creativity to come up with our meals, as opposed to opening a box of Hamburger Helper and calling it good.
3) Our digestive systems have adjusted accordingly and we can no longer tolerate fast-food, which means that I pretty much always have to cook.
4) It takes a lot of work to learn about nutrition, cooking and meal-planning.

We are far from perfect. Just today we drove thru McDonald's to get ice cream and milkshakes as an after-school snack. But, my kids absolutely eat way more good than bad. Budget-wise I have learned that pre-packaged, all-natural, organic snacks are more expensive than their unhealthy counterparts. But, fresh produce is pretty darn cheap. With regard to cooking, I have learned to stockpile a few things that I know I use in recipes so that I don't have to worry about having the basics on hand (flour, chicken stock, olive oil, etc). I am still learning. I read things that tell me I should roast a chicken every week and then use the chicken in various recipes and the juices to make my own chicken stock. I don't know why, but that idea intimidates me. Maybe I'll come around but for now my chicken comes frozen, from Sam's. I have yet to pinpoint the criteria that makes one olive oil better than another and I'm really unsure of the pros and cons of bleached vs. unbleached flour.

Overall, all is well but I'm still doing a bit of fine-tuning...

a conversation with hannah

2009-11-18T15:36:00.001-06:00

Me: Hey! Hannah, it's time to go get Avery from school. We can play on the playground today.

Hannah: Okay, just let me get my high heels...

i wandered lonely as a cloud

2009-11-16T10:10:00.002-06:00

By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils

treading water

2009-11-11T20:47:00.002-06:00

This week I feel like I'm treading water. It's a busy week and I haven't been sleeping well and I'm pretty sure that I have spread myself a little too thin. I am so overwhelmed this week that I really would have to look at my calendar to know what day it is.

It started Sunday afternoon when I looked around my house and realized how filthy it was. I don't just mean that there were toys strewn everywhere (there were) but that the house was actually filthy. Untold amounts of dog hair, fuzz and crumbs had accumulated on the floor. Dust was so thick on the furniture that I could see where someone had touched the table (or whatever) and the bathrooms just needed to be scrubbed from top to bottom. Plus, there are dozens of little things that needed to be done cleaning-wise. Then, there was the laundry. There is always the laundry. So, Sunday night I did a couple loads of laundry, swept the kitchen floor and picked up all of the toys and I felt like I was keeping my head above water once again.

Monday morning I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned and found out that I have three cavities that need to be filled to the tune of $500. I felt like I was drowning again.

Tuesday morning the man from the furniture store came out to repair our new kitchen table. After he left, I managed to get the kitchen and hardwood floors mopped and the downstairs vacuumed. I wished for more time but had to pick up the girls from school. But, the things I had accomplished made me feel like I was keeping my head above water. Then, I remembered that I had promised Avery's elementary school music teacher that I would finish a project for her and I was under the water again.

Today, Wednesday, Avery got out of school at noon. Rather than check things off of my list, I chose to spend the afternoon with her. I did get my sheets and towels washed but my bathrooms are all still filthy. I also got the news this afternoon that my dad's cardiologist is sending him to the Mayo Clinic on Minnesota for treatment of his condition and my head promptly went under the water...way under. Tonight, I have chosen to sit at the computer and research my dad's condition rather than glue ribbon for the music teacher. My research has made me feel better with regards to my dad but I still have the gluing project looming over my head.

Tomorrow is a new day and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can spend more time above the water than under it. Hannah will be at school and Ethan and I only have a couple of errands to run, so I should be able to get some things done. I swear my whole outlook would change if I could just get those bathrooms clean!

starting fresh

2009-11-09T13:49:00.002-06:00

Recently I have decided to change the way that I feed my family. It all started when I was watching an episode of the Martha Stewart show. Martha's guest was a woman who had just published a cookbook of recipes that she had fed to her 3 sons as they were growing up. During the course of the interview/cooking demonstration, the cookbook author made the statement, "I don't believe in pre-packaged snacks." Hmmm. That statement really got me to thinking about what it is that I have been feeding my family. Sure the little plastic fruit cocktail cups are convenient to toss into a lunchbox, but maybe fresh fruit would be better? The turkey and cheese sandwiches I made everyday seemed like a good idea but a closer inspection of the packaging left me with an uneasy feeling. What exactly is a "pasturized processed cheese product" anyway? And the fat-free turkey? Since when are turkeys fat free? I'm not sure I want to know what all has to be done to make meat fat free...The more I thought about it, the more disgusted I became.

So, I have decided to start serving my family more fresh foods. Gone are the days of processed foods, microwaveable side dishes and pre-packaged casseroles. The changes I have made do require more work on my end. Instead of shopping for an entire week's worth of groceries at once (hence the need for frozen vegetables and fruit with preservatives), I am now going to the store several times a week to purchase fresh produce, lunch meat and bread. And, it means that my menu is at the mercy of the produce selection at the store. But, its all worth it. Our food tastes better and we are all (even the kids) more open to trying new things. I also like to think that we will all be healthier in the long run.

At this point, I'm not too picky about organic vs. non-organic foods but as I become more educated I have a feeling that will change. I don't think I will ever go back to the way I was shopping/cooking. Maybe someday someone from the Kraft company will explain to me just what that powdery substance in their boxed macaroni and cheese really is...

boo!

2009-11-02T14:14:00.005-06:00

Let me preface by saying that Avery has been looking foward to Halloween for months now. She was perusing online costume shops back in August and had all sorts of elaborate plans for decorating our front yard. So, we were all excited when Halloween finally arrived. But, who can blame her? When you are 6, every holiday is a big deal...especially the ones involving candy.

Avery dressed up in her witch costume, Hannah dressed up as Ariel the mermaid and little Ethan went out as a firefighter. Ethan's best buddy Luke (a.k.a. the dinosaur)came over to do some trick-or-treating with us. We kept the kids confined to our cul-de-sac for the trick-or-treating but they still managed to hit a dozen or so houses. Trust me when I say that they came home with plenty of candy!

good times on baranowski bush road

2009-10-30T09:36:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, the five of us traveled down to Brenham for the annual Baranowski Family Bonfire. While we were there, I heard someone mention that this was the 30th anniversary of the bonfire and family gathering. Wow! It is so much fun to be part of such a great tradition!

Jeff's family has been in the area for several generations (hence the name on the street sign) and there are more great aunts, great uncles, cousins and second cousins than I can keep track of even after 9 years. Jeff's grandfather, Charles, was actually born somewhere around there along with his many brothers and sisters, 12 to be exact. The land has been passed down through the generations and has been kept up in recent years by Jeff's Uncle Edwin as a country house and place to escape from Houston. Each year, the weekend before Halloween, he is generous enough to play host to extended and not-so-extended family members. Everyone gathers throughout the day and spends time catching up, eating and ultimately, watching the bonfire.

As we were not able to make the trip last year, we were so pleased that Jeff's grandmother was able to meet Ethan for the first time. I was able to snap some great pictures of the 4 generations together. Our kids had a great time playing in the dirt, going for 4 wheeler rides and watching Jeff's cousins shoot off rockets high into the air. The weather was perfect and the weekend was great!

2009-10-30T09:36:00.001-05:00

purging closets

2009-10-11T16:30:00.002-05:00

On a recent trip to my sister-in-law's house, she confessed the she had recently found her whole house cluttered with excess stuff and had been cleaning it out. While I didn't notice any of her clutter, her comment sent me back to my own house with a fresh pair of eyes. In our house, we are fortunate to have lots of great closet space. But with my new eyes, I could see that even all of that great space was now filling with our own excess.

So, this week I started in on Ethan's closet. I loaded up a storage bin with baby hooded towels, a baby carrier, clothes, a freebie diaper bag from the hospital, and some baby blankets. I also filled a trash bag with old burp cloths, tiny socks, broken wipes cases, even an old smoke alarm that had been replaced long ago.

My next stop was making my way through the girls closets. Their closets are a bit trickier and require more thought and organization. I am saving some of Avery's outgrown things for Hannah and I am saving some of Hannah's outgrown things for a friend. So, I took a deep breath and started making piles, piles of things to keep, piles of things to donate and piles of things to trash. At the end, I had another storage bin filled with clothes to donate, one to send on to our friends, and one bound for the attic.

This morning Jeff and I tackled our own closets, the coat closet and our big storage closet under the stairs. Together, we filled a large trashbag of clothes to donate, threw out stained and torn things, gathered up old shoes and even put aside two shoeboxes of old receipts bound for the shredder.

Now, the question is where did all of this stuff come from? It's mostly a rhetorical question since I pretty much know exactly where each and every little thing in my house came from. But, when you put off purging and organizing for a long time and just keep stuffing the closets, it all adds up. Like 9 Easter baskets worth, adds up. The good news is that now that we've finished our closet purging, I feel so much better...lighter somehow even. I love the fact that I can walk the length of our closet under the stairs now, its a really good feeling!

Next on my list? Filtering through all the toys before Santa comes...

howdy ya'll

2009-10-05T13:20:00.003-05:00

Yesterday afternoon we took the kids to the State Fair. It was kind of a rainy morning but by the time we made it down to the fair, the actual rain had pretty much passed us by. Since we were getting there right at lunchtime, we made a quick stop in the horse barn before heading to the Food Court where we feasted on corny dogs, nachos and frito pie. Collectively, we thought that the fried butter sounded pretty gross and though the fried peaches and cream sounded interesting, we didn't try any. We wandered instead through some arts and crafts displays before watching a pirate high dive show. Our next stop was the Midway for some rides for the girls. Hannah enjoyed the spinning teapot ride, Avery did not. Avery enjoyed the airplane ride, Hannah was terrified. After giving Hannah her first taste of cotton candy and Avery a major sugar fix, we were on to the petting zoo. My favorites are always the goats, they are so fun to watch (especially the playful babies). We also saw a 13 week old giraffe who was already 7 feet tall, a pig and her piglets, some calves and even a zebra. The car show was next on our list of things to see. Avery and Hannah enjoyed climbing in and out of various vehicles and testing out the seat belts while Jeff and I compared sticker prices and gas mileage. As we walked, we saw some folk dancers, heard some music and visited Boris the 1100 lb hog. Before we knew it, it was time to head home. Next year I hope that we can stay longer and see a bit more but for this year, 5 hours was about our limit.

a day in the life

2009-09-30T08:21:00.006-05:00

5:45 am: My alarm goes off and I hit the snooze...twice.
6:01 am: I get up, let the dogs out, fill their water bowl and head in to shower and get my hair dry before Avery comes downstairs.
6:56 am: Avery comes down dressed for school but I have to coach her a bit on tying her shoes, something we have been working on lately. I warm up some frozen blueberry pancakes for her breakfast then move on to making coffee and lunches.
7:10 am: After I fix Avery's hair she goes to play a computer game until its time to leave. I unload the dishwasher and then reload it with whatever didn't fit last night.
7:25 am: Jeff and Avery head out the door for school and work. Jeff already has hayfever so the day ahead doesn't look good for him. Fortunately, its his day in the office, so maybe it won't be that bad.
7:30 am: I have just enough time for a quick bowl of cereal and a glance at cnn.com before Ethan and Hannah wake up. He gets frozen blueberry pancakes for his breakfast, she gets instant Strawberries and Cream oatmeal and I think to myself that I am grateful not to be living in a pre-microwave era. While they eat I take some chicken out of the freezer to thaw for tonight's dinner and pour myself a generous cup of coffee.
8:15 am: It's Wednesday and that means that the sheets and towels in my room need to be washed, so I throw in a load of towels while the kids play in the playroom. Wednesday also means that Hannah is home from school so I head back to the playroom to ponder our morning's entertainment.
8:40 am: I decide to go ahead and get the vacuuming done downstairs so that I can mop the wood floors while the kids are napping later. I am always amazed at how much fuzz and dog hair accumulates in my house...
9:05 am: I herd the kids upstairs to get them dressed. While I am up there, I notice all of the old baby items stashed in Ethan's closet and resolve to clean it out sometime in the next week.
9:30 am: I come downstairs to find that Shelby, in retaliation for having been banished downstairs, has taken my very large, very favorite bottle of lotion off of my nightstand and chewed the pump off. Ahhhh!
9:40 am: I load the kids into the double stroller and head out for a walk. The air is cool and the kids are happy to be outside. When we return home, we head out to the backyard for some more outdoor time. While the kids and dogs mill around the yard, I chat with the nurse from the pediatrician's office about giving Ethan an OTC allergy medicine in an attempt to stop his runny nose.
10:40 am: I head inside to make lunch for the kids. Pizza for Hannah, bread, cheese and yogurt for Ethan.
11:25 am: I put the kids down for their naps and head back downstairs to switch out the laundry and mop the floors before I have my lunch.
12:30 pm: I finish cleaning up the last few lunch dishes and start to work on assembling our chicken enchiladas for dinner tonight.
1:35 pm: I am just finishing the clean up from my enchiladas when Hannah comes downstairs and demands to know, "What's that smell?" I assure her that dinner will taste good and we start to work coloring masterpieces in her coloring book.
2:00 pm: Ethan is awake, relaxed and refreshed. After a 2 1/2 hour nap, who wouldn't be?
2:37 pm: Armed with snacks and water bottles Ethan, Hannah and I head out the door to pick up Avery and spend some time on the school playground.
3:45 pm: We arrive back home, wash hands and Avery and I start in on her homework. I wish that someone would have warned me about 1st grade homework. Reading, spelling and math every night!
4:17 pm: I put the sheets back on the bed and sneak in a few minutes of Oprah while I work.
6:00 pm: The enchiladas are out of the oven, Jeff is home and we all sit down to dinner.
6:40 pm: Jeff offers to take Avery and Ethan for a car ride while he runs an errand. Hannah and I stay behind to clean up the dinner dishes and do some tattoo removal before her bath.
7:08 pm: The kids line up for their nightly dose of allergy medicine and we all trudge upstairs for their baths. Hannah and Ethan take a bath together then Jeff entertains them while its Avery's turn.
8:14 pm: Everyone has been bathed, teeth have been brushed, stories have been read, and all the kids are in bed.
8:35 pm: I sit down for a bit of computer time, checking email, reading Facebook, etc.
9:04 pm: I crawl into bed and fall asleep listening to whatever was on the History International channel.

labor day and lemonade

2009-09-07T18:54:00.003-05:00

This Labor Day weekend Jeff headed out to west Texas for some dove hunting. So, the kids and I were left to create some fun of our own. On Saturday we went over to Gramma Judy and Allen Pop's house for dinner and some play time at their neighborhood park. On Sunday Avery and I baked some Oatmeal Chip cookies from our handy Paula Deen cookbook. And then the grand finale was the lemonade and cookie sale on Monday afternoon. We did some pretty good business thanks, in part, to our neighbor Zoe and brought in a whopping $16. Tomorrow we are headed to Target to spend our earnings!

hannah's turn

2009-09-04T07:43:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Hannah's turn to start school. She was very excited about taking her new nap mat and getting to use her lunch box again. But otherwise she had a few mixed emotions. Hannah kept telling me, "I don't want to go to school. I will miss you all the time!" In reality I knew that she would miss me for about 15 seconds and then go on to have a great day, which is exactly what happened.

I got her up, fed and dressed no problem though she did insist on wearing lip gloss (thanks Gigi). Then we headed out the door for our 2 minute ride to school. When we got there, she proudly carried her lunch box to her classroom, gave me a kiss goodbye and went right in to play at the dollhouse with her friend Gillian. I picked her up at 2:00 and after we got Avery from her school, we celebrated Hannah's first day with ice cream.

Now my only dilemma is how to keep myself and Ethan occupied for 2 days a week while the girls are both at school...yeah, not really. I have plenty to do and not do, as the case may be. :-)

the curse

2009-08-28T07:37:00.002-05:00

You know the curse, the one where your parents, in a moment of frustration, tell you that they wish that someday you will have a child exactly like you? Well, Jeff and I were both recipients of the curse as we were growing up and the result is just about the most headstrong 6 year old you can find.

Family dinners have recently become downright unpleasant with the amount of whining and complaining about the menu. Last night was no exception. Baked fish was on the menu and baked fish is not one of Avery's favorite dishes. Jeff and I suffered through a bit of Avery's complaining, listened to her proclaim that she would never eat the fish in front of her and and snickered while she demanded that I never cook fish for dinner again. Jeff, in a hurry to get out and mow the yard, excused himself early and on his way out the door issued the command that Avery not get up from the table until she had eaten all of her fish. Since contradicting the other parent in front of the kids is not something that Jeff and I do, I had no choice but to groan inwardly and prepare for the ultimate battle of wills.

Now I would like to tell you that I had found myself in uncharted territory when it comes to battles over eating but the sad truth is that I've been here before. I have vivid memories of sitting at the kitchen table, all alone, after everything had been washed and put away and trying to swallow bits of zucchini with tomato sauce (shudder) or stalks of canned asparagus (yuck). My parents also used the kitchen timer as a weapon in their arsenal. They would set the timer for a reasonable amount of time, and if I hadn't finished my food when the timer went off, I had to eat the food for breakfast...cold.

So last night my husband cheerfully mowed the yard, oblivious to the screaming and moaning in the kitchen, and I knew what I had to do...I set the timer for 10 minutes and told Avery to eat her fish or she would be having it for breakfast. After 5 minutes, Avery asked if she could just go ahead and get up because she was not going to eat the fish. 5 minutes later Avery headed upstairs for her bath and the fish went into the fridge.

This morning I carefully explained to Avery that she needed to finish the fish before she could have anything else to eat. Then came the longest 20 minutes in history along with an Oscar caliber performance on Avery's part. She gagged and choked and cried and ultimately ate the fish, leaving just enough time to eat 2 pieces of peanut butter toast before heading out the door for school.

I am quite confident that she will never eat fish as an adult after this experience, especially given that I will never eat zucchini in tomato sauce or canned asparagus. But, I've made my point with her. I understand that there are some things that people genuinely don't like so next time I will probably try and disguise the fish a bit before I put it on her plate...

grade 1, day 1

2009-08-24T15:46:00.003-05:00

"Mom, I had a great day! First grade is so fun!" It is such a relief to hear that Avery is starting the year on a positive note. Despite not being in the same class with her best friend, she claims to love her teacher and seems satisifed with the other friends she has in the class. I asked her what she did during the day and whether or not she had gotten to go to any of her specials classes. Avery said something about having gone to PE class just briefly before the teacher realized that she was supposed to be in Music instead. I can only imagine what it must have been like leading a bunch of clueless 6 year olds around the school trying to get them in the right place at the right time. I swear, I don't know how elementary teachers keep up with it all.

Our new morning routine worked out great. She set her alarm last night and then was up and ready to go in plenty of time this morning and I didn't even need to nag once. Day 1, under our belt!

P.S. In case you were thinking that the lighting in the picture looked a little different, that would be because the dawn was just breaking...School starts at an appalling 7:45 am!!!

happy birthday paw paw!

2009-08-24T12:49:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we headed out to the lake to celebrate Paw Paw's 62nd birthday. It was so nice to see him feeling like himself again after his heart surgery and bout with pneumonia. Thank goodness that's all in the past! The afternoon was breezy and warm, the perfect atmosphere for relaxing on the dock and doing some fishing. Cousin Gavin even caught his first fish! Then we ate some dinner, washed it down with chocolate birthday cake and headed home early to prepare for the first day of school. No one can complain that this family doesn't do a good job of celebrating birthdays!

Rise and Shine!

2009-08-17T14:22:00.004-05:00

In exactly 7 days, Avery enters the 1st grade. Not that I'm counting down...This year, I plan to further her independence a bit by introducing the alarm clock. I think it's time. I am going to set her alarm for 6:35 am. This should give her plenty of time to make her bed and get dressed before coming downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast, I will go back upstairs with her to fix her hair while she brushes her teeth. Then, she and Jeff head out the door at 7:25 am. I know that an alarm clock doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is. If you could have been a fly on the wall and witnessed our morning routine last year, you would understand. I had to literally follow her around from the time she got up until the time she left just to make sure that she was staying on task. The battles that ensued were no way for either of us to start our day. I am hoping that by putting the responsibility on her, that she will 1) embrace it, 2) have a more pleasant start to the day and 3) be mad at the alarm clock instead of me. Wish us luck!

The Next Big Thing

2009-08-05T07:44:00.002-05:00

Have you ever found yourself thinking that your life is going pretty good but will be better when X happens? And if so, what is the X? Is it a raise? A new baby? The prospect of paying off a debt? Losing weight? Why does it always seem as though there is some elusive bigger and better out there that distracts us from enjoying who we are and where we are at in life?

I have been mulling over this idea for a few weeks. Let me tell you how it all started. I set out to enjoy the summer with my kids. I made lots of fun plans to enjoy swimming and playing, not to mention all 3 of their birthday parties. About a month ago I went into Hobby Lobby to buy some ribbon for Avery's birthday invitations. All 3 kids were with me and when I noticed that there were some fall decorations already out, I suggested we walk down those aisles to take a look -- a little distraction from summer. It was then I noticed that there were already at least 10 aisles devoted to Christmas decorations. It was mid-July for crying out loud!

The other thing that got me going was a conversation with Avery about what activity she might like to participate in for the upcoming school year. Did she want to take a dance class? Play soccer? Her response was that she wanted to play basketball. So, I got online to do a bit of research and found that that sign ups were already open for the fall season (again it's mid-July). I also decided to do a bit of research on the dance class that I really wanted her to take and found that the classes start on August 17.

Now, how am I supposed to enjoy the summer with my kids when the last half of the summer apparently needs to be devoted to preparations for fall? Everywhere I turn there are school supplies out, sales on jeans (it's still 100 degrees out) and fall sports starting! How can I think about going to the pool when the commercial world is telling me that I need to be planning and purchasing my Christmas decorations a full 4 months in advance?

But the sad truth is that we don't even need the commercial world to tell us that we can't be satisfied with the present. We can do it all on our own. We (and when I say "we" I mean "me") can get so hung up on whatever we think we are lacking that it spoils everything else. Do I really want to look back on my summer and see that I wasted half of it because I was so looking forward to school starting back and daydreaming about how the house will look with all of the Christmas decorations out? I am making a conscious decision to enjoy the rest of our summer, and be happy in the present. I am tossing out the idea of X and hope you will do the same!

Avery's Birthday Weekend

2009-07-29T15:41:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Avery

2009-07-26T09:19:00.005-05:00

Today is Avery's 6th birthday and I'm feeling very anti-cliche. Instead of feeling like I can't believe that she's 6 already, I can believe it. So much has changed since that night 6 years ago when I went into the hospital with nothing more than strong contractions and a terrible fear that my baby was coming too soon. She was born at 1:45 am and weighed only 5 lbs and 1 oz. She was 4 weeks early and had spells of apnea where she would quit breathing and turn blue at random. We had to give her doses of caffeine and keep her strapped to a machine that monitored her heart rate for four months.

Today she is one of the tallest and smartest in her class. She loves to draw, play card games and play with her dolls. She begs me for things like press-on fingernails and to have her training wheels taken off of her bike. She has started to fix her own hair and insists upon name-brand sneakers.

Sometimes I feel sorry for her because she is the oldest and we often find ourselves in uncharted territory. I learn from my mistakes with her. Despite all that she has taught me these past 6 years, I still stand in awe of her and find it hard to believe that I have such an amazing daughter.

I Used To Be Smart...

2009-07-23T16:17:00.003-05:00

I used to be smart and interesting, I really did. I used to watch the news and read books by authors other than Dr. Seuss. I used to be able to carry on a conversation with getting distracted and having to say, "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" at least twice. I used to have a witty answer to the question, "So, what have you been up to?" I used to be a lot of things before I became a mom.

Now, I don't watch the news because not only do I not have time but I have a 6 year old who soaks it all up like a sponge and then asks questions about tragic events for days. I still try and read on occasion but I have been reading the same 20 pages of Anna Karenina for two weeks now because I am so tired when I get into bed at night that I just can't keep my eyes open. As for conversations, well I am usually trying to keep an eye on all 3 kids at the same time and am therefore virtually unable to maintain eye contact which, in turn, leads to other distractions like wondering whether or not I remembered to take the chicken out of the freezer. And, I have come to hate the question, "So, what have you been up to?" I hate it not because it isn't genuine but because the sad truth is that I don't have an interesting answer. When I quit my job 6 years ago to stay at home with Avery, my days and duties came to revolve around childcare and homekeeping. I seriously doubt that anyone really wants to hear about how I did the happy dance when I finally got the grease stain out of Jeff's work pants or about how I got Ethan's diaper rash to clear up in just 1 day. Please.

But, there are always trade-offs. I may not be able to tell you the name of any cabinet members (okay, maybe 1) but I can tell you by the sound of the cry not only which of my 3 it is, but if he/she is actually hurt. I can tell you not to waste your time with Boudreaux Butt Paste, but that an oatmeal bath works wonders. I know that Wal-Mart has the cheapest groceries and that rubbing alcohol will erase Sharpie marker from stained wood cabinets.

As useful as all of that may be, it probably isn't what you would want to chat about over cocktails. Unless, of course, you used to be smart--like me....

Another Year With Miss Margaret

2009-07-16T19:04:00.003-05:00

Most moms know that you get all of your best insider information from other moms (usually while you are waiting for your kid at some activity or other). It is through this insider information that I came upon what I believe is the best swim teacher in town. Miss Margaret, as she is called, is near 70 years old and has perfected her technique over the course of 30+ years of teaching. Also dubbed "the Swim Nazi" for her abrasive manner and blunt instruction (if she told me to jump in the pool, I would) she absolutely works wonders with the kids. Her classes meet for 9 days, Monday thru Friday the first week and then Monday thru Thursday the next week and are taught in her backyard. Parents sit outside the gate and wait during the 30 minute class and are permitted inside only on the last day to observe what the kids have learned. It is a tough time commitment to keep for two weeks and heaven knows its hot outside while you wait, but it is worth it all!

This is Avery's 3rd summer with Miss Margaret and this year she worked on perfecting her breathing techniques as well as learning elementary backstroke, regular backstroke and even began working on the butterfly stroke. This year was Hannah's first-ever swim lessons of any kind. At the end of the 9 days, she was able to go underwater to pick up a ring from the bottom, swim to the wall and pull herself out, jump from the diving board and swim to the ladder and slide down the slide and then swim to the steps. Awesome!!!

"All Hail the Swim Nazi!"

A Party for Hannah

2009-07-12T13:06:00.005-05:00

Yesterday some friends and family came over to help celebrate Hannah's 3rd birthday. Since Hannah loves the Little Mermaid, that was the theme. We decorated the house to look like we were under the ocean, had some inflatable sea creatures and a birthday cake with a picture of Ariel right on top. The cake looked so good sitting there on the table that Hannah just couldn't resist sticking her fingers in the icing before her guests arrived! She got lots of great presents and totally had a ball!

Boys Are Different

2009-07-08T18:52:00.002-05:00

When I was pregnant with Ethan, people would tell me over and over, "Boys are different." They would glance down at my little girls, complete with hairbows and painted fingernails and smile in a way that made me think maybe they knew something I didn't.

Until now, the differences between Ethan and the girls have been minute. Today that all changed. To set the scence: Ethan was in his highchair in the kitchen having a snack. The highchair was used for Avery, then Hannah and now for Ethan. It has safety straps you can use to buckle the baby in but we have never used them with any of the kids because they get all gunky and the tray locks in place to hold them in. You see where this is going, right?

So there he is, sitting in the highchair and finishing up a fruit bar while I am typing an email on my phone. Not looking up from my phone, I walk to the pantry to get him some Cherrios. I am aware of him jabbering in the background while I type but don't really look at him until I have walked over to where he is and start to open the cereal box. It is at that point that I think my heart literally stopped. Ethan had managed to climb his way onto the top of his highchair tray and was sitting there, squatting like a frog. He looks up at me and in a very matter-of-fact little voice says, "Out!"

"Aaahhhh!!!"

So it is true...boys are different.

Happy Birthday Hannah!

2009-07-06T07:45:00.003-05:00

Today is Hannah's 3rd birthday. She was born on a Thursday at around 10 pm. Probably the most striking thing about her delivery was that it was fast. We got to the hospital at 5 pm and she was born just 5 hours later. After she was born, the nurse cleaned her up, swaddled her in a blanket and gave her to me. Then, they let me keep her. I was really sort of surprised and not quite sure what I was supposed to do. Right after Avery was born, she had some issues and had to be taken to the nursery . We didn't get her back until we left the hospital 10 days later. I was so happy to have Hannah healthy and staying in the room with me, that I never let her leave unless she had to. I kept her with me all night, dozing with her snuggled against my chest in that way that only a new baby can do.

The other thing I remember most about Hannah's birth was that when Jeff came to get us from the hospital, he informed me that he had been up all night with Avery who had a terrible stomach bug. Less than 24 hours later I got it. Seriously, the worst stomach bug of all time. I lost 7 lbs in one day! Thankfully, our tiny Hannah never got sick but we did manage to share the "joy" with all of our parents who came over to help out. About a week later we were all back on our feet and getting to know the newest addition to our family.

The word that I would pick to describe Hannah's personality is: endearing. She absolutely knows no strangers and charms everyone she meets. She loves to throw her arms around you and give huge hugs. But at the same time, she is smart as can be and doesn't miss anything. She can really blow your mind with some of her observations. I can't wait to see what this next year will bring for her!

So far, so good...

2009-07-01T15:50:00.002-05:00

I have been looking forward to this summer since about mid-March. For months, I have been collecting ideas for ways to keep the kids active and entertained after the school year ended. I feel I owe it to the girls, especially Avery, to show them a good time this summer. Last summer, Ethan was born right at the start and with a newborn to care for, we just had too many restrictions and too little energy to get out much. Consequently, we spent a lot of our time at home, watching TV, in our pajamas. Not exactly ideal...

This year, we are fed, dressed, beds made and ready for our day by 9 am. We have an outing almost every day, usually in the morning. We swim, we go to the park, we go to the library, we go out to lunch, we play at the mall playground, etc. I realize that I only have one month under my belt, and still have two more to go before school starts again, but I still have some more ideas rolling around in my head.

I am enjoying my time with the kids this summer and I like to think they are having a pretty good time too. Next week...swimming lessons!

Living La Vida Loca!

2009-06-14T12:33:00.003-05:00

So last Thursday, armed with snacks and various forms of kid entertainment, Jeff and I boarded a plane with our kids and headed down to Cancun, Mexcio. The idea was to spend 4 days playing on the beach with our kids, away from the distractions of everday life. We had no delusions about how difficult a family trip would be with 3 kids under 6 but we were determined to show them the beach, the ocean and generally have a good time. Our plan worked!

We stayed at the Crown Paradise Club all-inclusive resort. It was a very family-friendly place (in other words, don't go there if you don't have kids). We booked a "Family Suite" which had 2 bathrooms and 2 levels, one with a king-size bed for Jeff and I and the other with a set of bunk beds (the girls were thrilled) and a double bed. We ordered up a crib for Ethan and and the room was perfect for us. Jeff and I were even able to watch some movies after the kids went to bed, something you can't do when the kids are 3 feet away from you in a regular room.

Avery, in particular, enjoyed the all-inclusive portion of our hotel stay. She loved having a variety of fruits for breakfast and the awesome selection of desserts after dinner, not to mention getting to eat ice cream in the heat of the day. The food was surprisingly good, for a resort in Mexico. The cocktails were nothing short of delicious and a most welcome treat for Mom and Dad after a busy day of swimming and playing in the sand :-)

The resort even had a special kids club with a huge pirate ship and slides going down into a shallow pool. Very fun! One day they even did face painting for the kids, some of the most elaborate I have ever seen.

The beach was beautiful and so was the ocean. Avery absolutely loved the beach and playing in the waves. Hannah, on the other hand, was not such a fan. It was a bit hard for her to walk on the sand and she lost her balance and fell into the water a couple of times. A mouthful of sand and salt water is enough to make anyone want to leave and head back to the pool.

At what seemed like just the right time, our 4 days were up and we packed our bags and headed to the airport to return back home. When we tried to check-in, we learned that all flights back to Dallas had been cancelled due to bad weather in Dallas and that there was no way for us to get home for another 2 days. What a fluke! It is just so rare for there to be bad weather in Dallas in mid-June! Nonetheless, we checked back into our hotel and made up our minds to make the most of our 2 extra days in paradise. After all, there are worse places to be stuck than Cancun!

Of course no family vacation is complete without at least one hang-up. I supposed the cancelled flight was the first. But in the cab on the way back to the hotel from the airport on the day we were supposed to have gone home, I realized that Ethan was running a fever. Nice. Fortunately, I had packed some Motrin for just such an occasion. We figured, from his gunky nose earlier in the week, that he probably had an ear infection. As soon as we got home on Saturday, I took him in to the doctor and not only did he have a double ear infection but he is also cutting his 1 year molars! Poor baby!

Last night as I was tucking Avery into bed, I asked her what her favorite part of the trip was and she said "Everything!" Music to my ears and made it all worth while.

Now, I'm thinking Disney in 2 years....

2009-06-14T12:29:00.001-05:00

2009-05-30T22:10:00.001-05:00

Birthday Boy

2009-05-30T21:43:00.004-05:00

Well it actually happened, we celebrated Ethan's 1st birthday. Hard to believe, but its true. We had a great time at his "cowboy" themed party. The weather was gorgeous and many of our friends were able to come and help us celebrate. Ethan loved his cake and wasted no time in taking a bite right out of it! He got lots of fun, "boy" presents and everyone had a good time. Now I just have to wrap my head around the fact that my baby boy is a year old...

Hannah and the ballet recital

2009-05-26T13:09:00.004-05:00

So today was the last day of Hannah's ballet class and the teacher invited the parents in to watch the girls perform some of the things that they had learned in the class. Knowing that this would happen, I invited Gramma Judy over to watch our little budding ballerina perform. What I did not know, was that the very same little budding ballerina would come down with a case of stage fright and refuse to dance. It was very unlike Hannah to bury her head in my lap and refuse to participate. Fortunately, about half way through the class I managed to bribe her with the promise of a "special treat" if she would show us her dancing. She then proceeded to get up and dance along with the rest of the girls. They were all so ridiculously cute and fun to watch!

It's almost here...

2009-05-26T07:48:00.003-05:00

Now that Memorial Day weekend has come and come (it was fabulous by the way) there are so many things that are "almost here," it really kind of makes my head spin. This morning I sent Avery off to school with the reminder that after today, only 7 1/2 more days of school left before summer! Whoa, when did that happen??? And, Hannah's last day of Mother's Day Out is this week. We are celebrating Ethan's birthday this coming Saturday, just a tad early. Then, we are leaving for our first-ever-family-of-five-beach-vacation to Cancun in only 10 days!!! So, as you can see, we have lots to look forward to and lots of prep work to be done because it's all almost here...

"Why?"

2009-04-29T12:13:00.002-05:00

If I had a nickel for every time I hear the question "Why?" these days, I would have enough money to buy something really cool. Lately, Hannah has become obsessed with asking "Why?" and it is driving me insane! It is her new response to any sort of instruction, explaination or observation. A typical conversation these days goes something like this:
"Hannah, please stop doing that, it's not safe."
"Why?"
"Because you could fall and get hurt."
"Why?"
"Gravity, Hannah. That's how it works."

I tell you, I am swallowing Advil like its candy to cure the headaches from this child! Hannah has historically been my "easy child" (if there is such a thing). But the past few weeks, she has not been so easy (see previous entry). I guess maybe it's her age. She's almost 3 and apparently wanting some clarification on authority :)

Don't get me wrong, she is still the same sweet Hannah who wraps her arms around my neck and tells me she loves me. She is also very smart and going through a time where trying to articulate feelings = tantrums and trying to exert independence = breaking the rules. But I like to think that this second time around, I have a little more clarity and can be a little more sympathetic to these things. I have learned from her that it's not easy being #2 in a family. Despite our trials, I am very proud of her.

But then again, maybe that's just the Advil talking...

Why they make washable markers...

2009-04-23T17:41:00.002-05:00

First Taste of Summer

2009-04-22T21:16:00.004-05:00

Today after school the girls begged me to hook up their Elmo sprinkler toy so that they could play in the water. It was a sunny, 93 degrees outside and they had a blast. It was so exciting to them to get to wear their swimsuits. Summer is definately on its way!

Playing Photographer

2009-04-17T08:31:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to play photographer for a friend and her little boy who just turned one. I have always had a lot of respect for great photography and was grateful for the opportunity to try and mimic some of the things I have seen. We were blessed with a beautiful morning and a cooperative little boy. Here are a few of my favorite shots. Enjoy!

A Conversation Overheard

2009-04-14T20:22:00.001-05:00

Hannah: " Look Avery, its a chicken."

Avery: "Where?"

Hannah: "Oh no, its just a dog."

Easter

2009-04-13T07:37:00.003-05:00

I just love Easter and everything about it. The excitement of spring's arrival, the pretty pastel children's clothes, an opportunity for spending time with family, and most importantly, a reminder of the grace that comes with sight of a stone rolled away and an empty tomb.

Once again we were so fortunate to have our familes at our house for Easter. Even living so close to one another, it is still sometimes difficult to stay connected. We had a great celebration and even had enough of a break in the rain to have an egg hunt for the kids. It was a good day!

The "E" word

2009-04-07T21:26:00.002-05:00

Exercise. That's it. That's the word, the concept, the supposedly all-important ingredient to life and well-being that I just don't get. I find myself wondering these days if it's really all it's cracked up to be.

Those who have known me for awhile, know that I have a long history of doing just about everything possible to avoid exercise in any form. I never played sports as a kid, the closest I ever came was drill team in 9th grade (and I really don't even know if that counts). In college I was majorly irritated by the fact that those earning a BA were required to earn more PE credits that those earning a BBA. So unfair for the English majors! I actually asked a tennis instructor at Baylor one time if he was serious about testing my serving skills. Wasn't it enough that I showed up? Did he actually want me to perform? I genuinely didn't get the point.

Lucky for me, I have been blessed to inherit a pretty good metabolic rate. It allows me to eat just about whatever I want (although I do try to make more good choices than bad) and stay the same size without any particular workout regiment. I am expecting the ball to drop at any moment.

Anyway, I keep hearing this "E" word and I'm having a hard time ignoring it. The main source is my husband who has started running. What started out as a 20 minute jog around the neighborhood has morphed into an unbelievable 7 mile run that practically takes him all over town. He started about 4 months ago, has lost about 30 pounds and looks fantastic. Now, seriously, how can I ignore the "E" word with evidence like that staring me in the face??? I also have this cousin who is nothing less than a brilliant doctor. I jokingly asked her the other day if I should be taking a calcium supplement (she was giving a talk on osteoporosis). She said no but emphasised that exercise is important to maintain bone health. There is was again.

So I've decided to give it a try. A real one, like at least 10 weeks or so. I will run around the neighborhood and see what happens. I'm going to find out for myself if this exercise is really all it's cracked up to be.

Texas Bluebonnets

2009-04-05T13:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we took the kids out for some pictures in the bluebonnets. Here's what we got...

The Grocery Game

2009-04-04T11:04:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest parts of my job as a stay-at-home-mom and housewife is to do the weekly grocery shopping. I like to plan our meals for the week, make a list of any ingredients I need from the store as well as any misc. household items we might need and then get all of my shopping done for the week in one fell swoop. I generally buy only what we need for the week and don't keep much in the way of reserves. Come Friday morning, our cupboards and fridge and darn near empty!

So yesterday, I packed up Hannah and Ethan and headed off to the store with my list and coupons for the week. When it came time to pay, I was floored by how much I had spent! Granted, I knew that we were pretty much out of everything from milk to jelly and bread and turkey, on and on. But $190!!!! Wow!

As I loaded the groceries in the car, my stomach was in knots because I knew that there was no good way to break the news to Jeff that I had spent almost $70 over our weekly grocery budget. He wasn't mad but I felt bad. Since I have no way to contribute financially to our household, my contributions come in the way of not making too many deductions, if you follow...

The cost of groceries for a family of five is amazing! The absolute crazy part is that with my coupons and store card, I saved us $45 but was still left with a $190 bill. I do cook about 18 or 19 meals a week for our family. So when you break it down, I guess that $10 per meal for 5 people isn't all that bad but next week I am definately going to have to figure out a new plan.

School of Hard Knocks

2009-03-26T17:49:00.004-05:00

So yesterday I got a phone call from Nurse Jill, the nurse at Avery's school. She said that Avery had had a collision with another little girl in PE class and that Avery had hurt her eye. Nurse Jill said that Avery was fine but warned me that there was some swelling and some bruising. Being the laid back mom that I am, I hardly gave it a second thought. The nurse had said she was fine, after all.

I got my first glimpse of Avery's injury while in the carpool line and she was on the sidewalk. "Oh my! That's much worse that I thought!"

So, it turns out that there was a little more than "some swelling and some bruising." To be fair, these things always get worse before they get better and her teacher said that it had gotten worse throughout the day. But, what a shiner!!!

Now my job is to convince Avery, who has never been a very good patient, that she needs to keep a warm washcloth on her eye for a little while every day. You cannot imagine the drama that that entails....

A Day at the Park

2009-03-19T13:47:00.001-05:00

Ethan's 9 month check up

2009-03-09T14:13:00.002-05:00

I took Ethan in for his 9 month check up today. He is, thankfully, perfectly healthy and continues to grow like an absolute weed! He is 30 1/8 inches long (96%) and weighs 19lbs 9oz (45%). Apparently the "long and lean" gene didn't miss Ethan. Gramma Judy is already laughing over the fact that one day, in the not-so-distant future, I will be looking up at my kids when I boss them around. Ha Ha.

Party Animals

2009-03-09T14:02:00.002-05:00

This Saturday our kids were invited to not just 1 but 2 birthday parties. The first was for our neighbor Jake who turned 2. His party was at a gymnastics place where the kids had lots of fun climbing and jumping all over. Even Ethan was able to get in on the action a bit. The second party was for our friend Luke who was turning 1. He and Ethan are only 3 months apart and have already become great pals. It all made for a very fun day!

Yeah, yeah...

2009-02-27T13:10:00.002-06:00

Okay, so its been awhile since I've updated my blog. But, its because I've been really busy. Its not that we've been doing anything too exciting but more of the everyday life kind of busy. Ethan is just shy of 9 months now and is crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything and has even attempted to climb the stairs (time to put up a gate!). I am busy running Hannah to her ballet class on Wednesdays and then mother's day out on Thursdays. Not to mention taking Avery to gymnastics on Tuesdays, choir practice on Sundays and remembering to pick her up from school every day (haven't forgotten yet!). Somewhere in there I try and find time to keep the house reasonably clean, the laundry done, the pantry stocked, the kids entertained (away from the TV) and my Bible study homework done. Man, just typing all of that has made me tired...

But, its all good. I am busy with all of the things that lucky moms with healthy, growing kids like me do. I am so thankful that I get to stay at home with them, chase after them, take them places and greet them after school. Life is good!

A Haircut for Avery

2009-01-25T14:41:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I took Avery for her first professional haircut. Until now, I have always been the one to trim her hair but I decided that it was time for some professional help. I found a salon that specializes in naturally curly hair and made an appointment for her. After some discussion as to how much we should cut (she wanted it bobbed to her ears and I vetoed), we decided that shoulder length hair would be good for now. Avery was excited to go and even more excited when the hair stylist had a bowl of lollipops at her station — a rare treat at 9 a.m.! A little water, several snips with some pink scissors and the deed was done. I happen to think her hair turned out really cute, but then I am slightly biased...

"Ballerinas Don't Wear Diapers"

2009-01-21T20:47:00.002-06:00

Just after Christmas I signed Hannah up for a ballet and tumbling class at one of our rec centers. When I told her about it, she was so excited that it was "her turn" to be a ballerina! So, as incentive for potty training, I would remind her that "Ballerinas don't wear diapers!" I am happy to report that Hannah has been without diapers for about 3 weeks now and is doing great! Today was the first day of her classes. She was so excited to get to wear her new leotard and ballet slippers. When we got there, she kissed me and went right in with her teacher. I was able to watch from a window as she got her first lesson on being a real ballerina. I have to say, I can't think of anything cuter than a group of 2 year old girls dressed in tights, leotards and ballet shoes!