The Morning Sun

Just about every morning after breakfast has been served to all and we've walked Spencer to school, I can almost always find Leda here:


just enjoying the morning sun.





Seeing these pictures reminds me that I need to stop and enjoy the small moments, like my little girl does, and like most little people do. So this next week I'll resolve to do just that. I'll plan to lie here with my nearly five-year old daughter in the sun for as long as the sun sticks around in this here spot.




What small moment will you plan to enjoy this week?

Mother's Day 2010

Just getting caught up.

My Mother's Day was wonderful.

How could it not be when I woke up to this?



This is always my favorite part of the day. Where my children eat more off my plate than I do.



and I felt truly loved.


Sweet Mother's Day cards are the best





And after nearly 11 years eating on the same plates, Aaron gave me new dinnerware and my folks bought me new utensils. That was NOT planned. I guess I really needed them!


I'm so very grateful for these three blessings that call me Mom.

Grandparents & sleepovers

A few weeks ago, it was Leda's turn to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house for a sleepover. They pretty routinely take turns with the kids like this. So this time it was Leda's turn and well, one night turned into two...and two turned into three...that's just how Gma & Gpa roll---they're so cool like that!

So on the day (Saturday) that Leda was to return home, she was VERY vocal about the fact that she was NOT going to be coming home. She was ready to pack her bags and move into her Grandparents house for good. Grandma was way more fun than Mom, so I was told.

Hearing all this brought back a flood of memories for me. Such good, good memories.

My Grandma Leda provided the best EVER sleepovers. Home cooked meals with cooked carrots & basil butter, cuddling on the couch together to watch the latest episode of Wheel of Fortune, endless trips to the candy cupboard, upstairs to take a bubble baths in her ginormous tub where she'd let me stay in until I got all pruney, then a trip to her nightgown drawer where I'd borrow one of her soft floral nightgowns that she'd carefully tie up at the bottom so it wouldn't drag on the floor; then getting tucked into a clean, crisp queen bed all to myself, but not before a bowl of frozen grapes and a smothering of hugs and kisses that only a Grandma can lay on thick and good. Oh what sweet memories! I am a better person because of the unconditional love I felt from my Grandparents. And yes, I got misty writing that paragraph, oh how I miss my Grandma & Grandpa Duncombe, and wish they'd lived long enough to meet my children. Sigh.

Isn't this such a beautiful picture of my Grandma Leda in her 20s?


So you can see why these days I'm so grateful to my parents for being hands-on and for creating these types of memories now for my children. And I know that if Aaron's folks in MT lived closer they'd do the same. Having good grandparents means so much!

So now here we are at the Saturday evening when Leda was to come home from her extended stay and the following is what down: (and yes, I had my camera because it was sitting right by my front door so I opted to take some shots because it was so funny)

The stand off: "I'm NOT getting out of this car, Mom!"


The hand: "Don't look at me because I'm not here, I'm not coming inside!" her words, seriously.


And then this is where I should have put down the camera because it turns sad, but I took two more shots so I might as well finish the story.

The pout: She was ignoring me here, so upset to be home.




And finally, the meltdown after admitting defeat:


And while that last shot breaks my heart, it also shows the clear love she has for her grandparents and their love for her. And I LOVE that!

little things

I was cleaning up pictures on my desktop and came across a few that I want to post so that I'm sure to remember these few random little things that I love.

I love that when Leda colors a picture lately, it's a picture of just the two of us and if you look close---the hearts on lips mean you're wearing lipstick :)




And I love that Leda's now old enough to really dig a day trip to the salon to get pedicures!



And I also love that a trip to Daddy's office is just about more fun than a trip to Disneyland. A little golf, candy at every desk...lots of attention. What more do they need?


And this is so random, I love it. A few months ago I came downstairs to start the day and these two turkeys were just sitting there like this, watching cartoons...just chillin'. Hilarious!




I'm grateful for these little things that remind me how fantastic it is to be a Mom. Because last night when the sister missionaries from church were here for dinner, and Aaron was running home late from work so we did dinner without him, I was certainly NOT feeling the Mom thing. My children were high on "show-off performance" mode and I wanted to crawl into a deep dark hole, but not before "un-claiming" each and every one of them.

Motherhood and loose teeth

Motherhood is such an interesting job, isn't it? There are some aspects of the job that come somewhat easy to me and others that I don't deal with well at all.

Well, in the 7 years 3 months since I first became a Mother, I've learned that I'm squeamish around two things. And it's not obvious things. I mean, it's not puke or even the other end stuff that gets me.

(sorry to be so blunt)

It's the following, ready?

1. clipping fingernails
2. loose teeth


Yep, I'm a wuss. Aaron's words totally...but it's fitting, I know. And I'll own it.

So Spencer came to me after school on Thursday to tell me that his bottom tooth was really loose and he wanted me to look at it.

(insert sweaty palms and rapid heart beat)

So I looked, and indeed it was loose. So what did I do?

I called Rhonda Hynek. My "go-to" person for almost everything and in her other life: a dental hygienist and Spencer's first-ever-tooth-puller.

Well when she wasn't available (how dare her?)---I told Spencer to wait until Dad was home. Fast forward a few hours and one CrAzY dinner experience later...there was NO way Aaron was going to put forth the effort to pull a loose tooth and delay bedtime. So Spencer went to bed a bit upset.

Poor kid. (but don't feel too bad for him, he was 99% of the crazy that night)

So Friday came and truth be told, we all forgot about the tooth--Spencer included. Aunt Kiki was in town from Utah for just a few days (sans kids!) and so in all the excitement, we just forgot about it...that is until dinner with the family at California Pizza Kitchen.

Here we are, enjoying a nice dinner and all of a sudden Spencer yells, "I DID IT! I PULLED MY TOOTH OUT!" and that was that.

What a champ! Pulled out his bottom-left tooth all by himself in between bites of pepperoni pizza.



Go Spencer! Looks like you're not a wuss, like your Mother. I'm so proud.

Bullies

(forgive me while I vent)

Well, it's happening. And it's only the FIRST grade.

And it's not what you think: It's not hard core pushing, shoving, roughhousing, or cussing.

It's simple (but hurtful) teasing and overall a case of just general "not being nice" going on with two specific "friends" in our neighborhood. One kid is in 3rd grade, the other in 1st like Spencer.

And I'm heartbroken over it.

Aaron and I have decided that Spencer can't play out in front any longer when these two particular "friends" are out there because a combo of 2 against 1 just ain't happening on our watch.

How do you deal with things like this? Would you talk with the parents? How do I help him not be sad he's not outside playing? Playing the Wii with Mom and making cupcakes (as we did today) can only last so long!

He does get to play outside when I'm able to sit out there, or when all (or a good majority) of the 9 (yes, NINE on our street, alone) neighborhood boys are out...it's just this combo of 2 against 1 that we're not a fan of.

Is it normal to still want to desperately play with people who aren't very nice? My Mom (Queen of all kid stuff) says it is...but as a Mother, I can't fathom why he gets hurt over and over and yet still wants to play with them?!

It just seems like this is happening WAY too soon to my sweet boy. My boy who hardly ever cries, but is doing much more of it lately. He was so upset about not being able to play out front today that he even said, "I wish I never told you they were being mean because then I could still be playing with them!"

SIGH.

Have you dealt with this? If you haven't yet (lucky) do you have any advice anyway?

Being a Mom is hard work!

Milk& Muffins with Mom

Cottage preschool has a tradition each year of a brunch of "milk & muffins with mom" and then Moms get serenaded with lovely poems and songs sung at the top of little lungs.

It's glorious.

Here's a peak into my special morning with my Leda and Chase.



Leda insisted on serving me and even asked what color straw I wanted, she was so darling.





Cute preschool friends




Getting ready to sing. I kinda love here that Chase looks so nervous...last year he was giving everyone the stink eye, this year he was almost digging it, and actually sung!



Leda's close up (wish I were as photogenic as my daughter, man!)


Chase's close up, complete with spilled water down the front of him, this nervous thing he does with his mouth and his foot turned on it's side when he's a little unsure of himself. Love how this shot captures all these little quirks. Love this kid!


Post performance with my proud little perfomers. Me---with no more eye make up on.


A close up of my flowers all hand glued by my kiddos. Love it! And love even more how proud they were to give them to me.



We love Grandma and LOVE Grandma's school!


How blessed I am to be a Mom. How blessed I am to have been raised by such a good Mom and have such a terrific Mother-in-law who I love.

Thank you Leda & Chase for this special Moms day and for reminding me of how much you love me.

I'm mighty proud to belong to the two of you.

My other half

I'm so grateful for my other half.




9-day business trips stink. (but insert here much thankfulness for a great job, a job that he loves)

So glad he's back!

We don't claim to have the perfect marriage (of almost 11 years!), but we're doing pretty good...if we do say so ourselves.

Wednesday night I received this text:

"Passed a picture of you and the kids around the table at dinner the other night and everyone freaked out. I'm pretty lucky"

Aaron's a man of few words, but I always know the love he feels for his family and it's always evident in his actions. He's a good man.

I'm the lucky one, for sure.

Kindergarten packet

This morning we walked to school to turn in Leda's Kindergarten packet. She was so excited, that she insited on holding her own folder to turn in herself. I wish I'd had a camera of the smile on her face and paperwork in hand as we walked across the street, pink folder in hand.

(yes, the pink folder was planned...she's my only girl, I run with things like this...)

Once at the office, she proudly walked in and announced (unrehearsed), "Here's my paperwork, I'm ready for Kindergarten!"

:)

I didn't have my phone, or camera...but luckily my friend Julie happened to walk in and offered to take a picture of the cuteness going on as Leda handed her folder over to Maria.




So come September this chica will be in Kinergarten...how did THAT happen?!

I was talking with a good friend yesterday about how true that saying is: "The days are long and the years are short"

Time needs to knock it off.

Growing boys

Spencer can now throw down a footlong Subway sandwich in about 20 minutes flat. My seven year old can handle a footlong. What?



His favorite: Spicy Italian on wheat with only the following: cheese, olives, pickles and mustard.

And Chase can now eat an entire #2 at In n Out by himself. My three year old can eat a cheeseburger, fries and a drink all by his lonesome. What?


There goes the days of splitting entrees with siblings to cut cost!

Leda isn't in this post cause she can't hold a candle to her brothers in this department.

How are my boys eating so much lately?

If they keep this up, I dare say we're in trouble come their teenage years.

edited to add: These pictures were not taken in the same week...just so you know, I DO cook around here. Not as good as In n Out or Subway (according to these boys) but I DO cook!