against abortion?
don’t have one
against birth control?
don’t use it
against gay marriage?
don’t have one
Do you see a pattern here?
reunited and it feels so goooooood!
Scotty travels. A lot. And while I love to call his business trips a “vacation,” I know he’s actually busy working and doing important stuff (but don’t ask me to explain, I’ll only embarrass myself and reaffirm my blondness and make you question my higher education). Anyway. When Scott travels that leaves 100% of the responsibility for getting the kids to their various activities, and while usually it’s not an issue, yesterday was a different story. Stella had softball practice 30 minutes away from 5:30-6:30, and Chasen had baseball practice across the street from our house from 6:30-7:30. So we left Stella’s practice 15 minutes early to get to Chasen’s practice 15 minutes late. No big deal. We got to Chasen’s practice, and Lucy asked for her puppy. We were already walking towards the field, so I sent Kylie and Stella back to the car so I could get Chasen to his field. They came running back, empty-handed. I assumed that they just didn’t look hard enough and decided not to worry about it until after practice. Fast-forward 45 minutes, and the 5 of us were literally tearing my car apart looking for Lucy’s puppy. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. So while it was already 7:45, and Lucy hadn’t had a nap, I did what any insane loving mother would do… drove back out to the first practice spot 30 minutes away so we could start our “search and rescue” of the puppy. We arrived, we jumped out of the car, and we ran to the playground, where thankfully puppy was found within 30 seconds. Can’t even begin to explain our relief and excitement as Chasen came running, holding puppy high as if he’d just found the biggest treasure ever!
Next time puppy is getting put on a leash.
last day of school
It’s official… the girls have finished their school year! I cannot believe how fast this year went. I mean, like lightening speed-fast. I was so worried at the start of the year as how the girls would do in an American school where they were back in a very familiar situation of not knowing a soul. Often times I questioned if we had done the right thing, and I can confidently shout from the rooftops, “YES WE DID!”
The girls both had amazing years, and learned and grew so-so-so much. Towne Meadow Elementary is a fabulous place of learning and nurturing, and I am so pleased the girls are students there. The love and attention all of the teachers and specialists show for each and every kid is nothing short of incredible. We are some lucky folks to be a part of TME!
And just for kicks… a little comparison of how much the girls have changed since last August…
{first day of kinder}
{last day of kinder}
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{first day of 2nd}
{last day of 2nd}
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and the pool is open!
Back in March we had some HOT!HOT!HOT! days. But those days didn’t last, which only made our spring that much harder because after all, when the hot weather is here to stay, we get to open the POOL! Over the weekend, that day finally came. We got the pool cleaned, the chemicals balanced, and the heater working. The weather was hot, the water was freezing swimmable, and the kids were insistent. Sooo…. let the fun begin!
mommy makeover day!
This morning was Mommy Makeover Day in Stella’s kindergarten class! We had the BEST time. This was by far the cutest idea ever!
There were refreshments and mingling, a craft station, makeup station, and hair station. Stella read a poem to me and filled out a questionnaire all about me! I was loving all of the attention!
But the best part of the day was seeing how special Stella felt. She is definitely the “middle child” in our family and I hate to admit it, but sometimes she gets left-out or overlooked. Not today! Today she was in the center of it all. This was her day, her special occasion. And this is a day I don’t think either of us will ever forget!
{ before }
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{ during }
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{ after }
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dancing through the seasons
This past weekend Stella had her dance recital! She was beautiful and so very much in her element all dressed up and on the stage! She did two dances – one tap (the all black outfit) and one ballet (the poofy tutu outfit). Classes started back in January, and apparently this is a big deal because to perform in the recital, the girls had to be enrolled in two consecutive classes. Stella just loves dancing, and I love that she is so independent and trying her own things!
in limbo
I love writing, I really do. However, I just can’t force myself to write when I’m not feeling it. And I’ve been SO busy with just everyday stuff around here, the idea of writing about it made me anxious. And then I kept getting comments and emails asking why I’m not posting anymore. And then I felt like I was letting people down.
So I made my blog private. I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of relief I felt as soon as I clicked “private.” It was great for a few weeks. Fabulous. No monkey on my back screeching you should be blogging about that! Then things started happening and I kept thinking, I want to remember this! I want to share this!
So in the spirit of getting my groove back, here’s what has been keeping me busy, 24/7…
Chasen turned FIVE and Scott surprised him with a ski trip to Park City.
The girls started gymnastics, and Stella also started dance.
We signed all three kids up for baseball/softball, and Scott is coaching Chasen’s team.
Scott traveled for four weeks straight.
I decided to start our seeds this year and so far have over 200 seedlings getting ready for transfer.
We had a tornado warning, as in, sirens ablazing, girls kept late at school, me & LB hiding in the basement.
I let Chasen do my NCAA bracket. So weird I only have 7 teams left…
Lucy is her ever-loving cute and sassy self.
I’m pulling Chasen out of preschool. Next Wednesday will be his last day.
And today marks day 9 of being above 70 degrees for this time of year. Happy first day of spring. We’re 30 degrees above the average high. And I’m LOVING it.
I really hope I can keep up with blogging. Even once a week would be good. Slow and steady, right?
happy happy to me!
I was S-to the-POILED for my birthday! Coffee, donuts, and flowers, lots of gifts, a nap, and out to dinner for Mexican food. I have to say, I like getting old if it means getting treated like this all day!
all of my gifts!
I had to wake Lucy up… how can you not love this face?!
reading one of my many love notes and cards from the kids
Like I said, I was spoiled. Or spoilt, depending on who you ask. 🙂 I got cooking stuff, gardening books, a dinner bell, and pink tool belt. The most meaningful gift was Scott had the kids all write 5 of their favorite things about me… my favorites of the favorites include: she signs my reading log even though it isn’t real (Stella), let’s us help with making food (Kylie), she is nice when we are sick (Chasen), and let’s me have butter with dinner (Lucy Belle).
♥
♥
♥
p.s. my aunties always warned me I wouldn’t have the tiny little ass forever… kimmy k.’s got nothing on this mama!
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mary, mary, quite contrary…
Apparently it’s that time of the year! What time, you ask? Time to start getting everything ready for spring planting! In a couple weeks I need to start my little seedlings, since I am bound and determined to start a real garden now that we’re settling down. Our yard is huge (an awkward shape, but still big), we get tons of sun, and I have lots of little helpers that are more excited than I am about getting our crops started!
I’ve been brainstorming. A LOT. I’ve been reading. A LOT. I’ve been bugging Julie. A LOT. I’ve been on the computer. A LOT.
This is the list the kids and I came up with… so far.
I’m excited to start, but still very nervous. There’s a lot more to growing veggies than I ever imagined! I really want to start my own seeds instead of buying plants, and that takes planning ahead (not exactly my forte). I know it will cost to get started, but am positive if I can make this happen will pay off huge. So I’m hoping I don’t get totally overwhelmed and throw in the towel… maybe I’ll start small, maybe I’ll go all out. Who knows? I do know I have about 2 more weeks until I need to have my little seeds planted under a warm growing light, watering from the bottom up, and maybe/maybe not a heated blanket thing.
I hope if I blog about my gardening experience it will keep me motivated to continue, and not throw everything in the pond, cursing the goddess of gardening and anyone who crosses my path at the time of said tantrums. However, if I do, that would probably make for a great post…
Wish me luck.
…I’m not exactly known for the green thumb in my family….
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can someone please pass the lysol?
It all started in mid-December….
Chasen woke up at like 4am crying, saying he just couldn’t sleep any longer. I told him to try, after all, it’s 3 hours before he usually gets up. He went back to bed, then at 4:30 was crying again saying his ear hurt and sleeping made it feel worse. I gave him some ibuprofen and somehow in my zombie state convinced him to go back to sleep. By 8am he was burning up, so we went to visit our favorite pediatrician….
double ear infection, buldging ear drum, and strep throat
Then a few days after the New Year the same sequence of events happened – up early crying, complaining of a hurt ear. We took him back in to the doctor, and wouldn’t you know it…
another ear infection
So we get Chasen on a different antibiotic, hoping we’ll really “get it” this time! We went home with the idea that everything would be better in a few days. And it was. Until the antibiotics stopped and the very next day Chasen started coughing. And not like “oh I have a little tickle in my throat, excuse me.” It was like hacking, can’t stop, about to pass out because of the lack of oxygen to my brain, coughing. By the 20th of January I finally decided something wasn’t right. And when Kylie woke up that same morning saying her ear hurt, I decided to just take all 4 kids in and see what was going on…
Kylie – ear infection
Stella – sinus infection
Chasen – another frickin’ ear infection
Lucy – bronchitis
I know you think I’m going to stop here. HA! The girls were feeling better after a couple days. But Chasen? No. Sunday his eye turned a little pink and he just didn’t seem like himself. He said he felt fine, but he just wasn’t “right” (according to me). So Tuesday we made the trek back to the ped’s office…
Chasen – bronchitis and pink eye
Lucy – ear infection
Seriously. You can’t make this sh*t up. And this week has been Scott’s busiest week since we probably moved home from England. And guess who got a fever and was sick for two days? ME. Did you know mothers actually do get sick? Me, neither. It was one rough week.
As for ChesterBoy, we have orders to get his adenoids x-rayed and some bloodwork done… once all of this crap clears. Could be April at the rate we’re going.
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just barefoot... 
