The Best is Yet to Be

Sometimes it can be scary and daunting and sometimes it's never looked better

I just read my new favorite inspirational article for the year here. I am now going to look forward to the future and to all of the great things that lie ahead - for me, for my family, for my kids. I often find myself wanting to stop time and enjoy the moment or fear leaving the present behind. Yes, I need to do that. But, too, I need to not be afraid of tomorrow or the tomorrows after tomorrow.

There is truly much to look forward to and much for which to be hopeful.

Each week we have our "Best of the Best" at Monday night's Family Night. And for this year, our motto: "The Best is Yet to Be." There's always more best to come.

Here's to a great 2010 for our little family.

Happy 4th Birthday, Big Stud!

Happy Birthday, Mr. A! The Big 4! We love you and are so happy you're ours. Let the balloons and bowling balls fly today!

California Dreamin'

19* or 32*. Frankly, I don't care. It is just plain cold right now. And, really, 19 feels just like 32. I've been in denial all week and keep thinking that we'll go right back to where we started from a week ago - Sunny, bright, warm, southern California. I'd just like to be beamed back for a few days a week that's all. This cold stuff stinks.

And, see, we all just smile more when it's warm and sunny (unless you're Miss M and you're just plain tired most of the time so you tote your blanket and binkie around far more than you should).

More pics to come of our wonderful, packed 2 weeks on the West Coast for the holidays. We missed the massive snowstorm of the century here and smelled the roses of the Rose Parade floats in sunny 75 degree weather! We romped on the beach, biked along the beach path, visited Mickey and Minnie's house and playground at Disneyland, saw lots of friends and family, and generally loved the getaway.

Our kids, of course, got sick, but with a dr in the house, that was all quickly righted. Thanks, Big D!

Back to my fleece pajamas, slippers, and flannel sheets. DH, when do we leave for Hawaii??

Sweet Cheeks

(Miss M at the Mars Boo Bash double-fisted these packages around with her the entire time)

See that cute left cheek Miss M is showing off? It must just be so yummy. Today she was bitten AGAIN in her Nursery class - by the SAME girl as before. Only, this time it was on her cheek instead of her arm. Seriously?

I even covered her up today - tights on legs, sweater with long sleeve shirt and high collar.

I guess she needs to go in a snow suit and hat now. That is if I can even get her to go back to that room. I'm doubtful.

Looks like at least a few more months of hall-wandering for us ladies during church.

Neither of my kids have been biters so I am at a total loss on this one. Any suggestions on how to deal?? Maybe just turn her into a Cullen already?! :)

So Neglectful

I've got more pictures to download than I know what to do with.

I've got plenty to write about - more than I have time for.

I am feeling way way behind - more than I should when it's only December 4th.

Can I have more time? Ok, thanks.

A few things to note:

• I love preschoolers. Mr. A goes 3 days a week. And, every single day, he comes home with multiple answers to - "How was school today, Mr. A?"
• "It was good, Mom. Rachel didn't steal my toy today."
• "It was good, Mom! But, Mom! Rachel took my toy! And she take Michael's toy too. Mom, she was a naughty girl and didn't get a sticker."
• "Oh! Good! Mom, Owen was the line leader today. I was not the line leader because I not bring the snack. And, Mom, Mara was in trouble because she not get out Owen's way."
• Every.Single.Day.

• I love Nursery class at church. Miss M finally hit the magic 18 months mark where she can officially spend her time during church playing, singing songs, and eating snacks with others her age, instead of leading me up and down the hallways.
• I'm not sure, however, that Miss M will go back to Nursery. Her first Sunday - she was bit on her arm by a little girl not much older than her. This bite drew blood. That night in the bathtub her arm was so red with the mouth outline still there. Poor thing!

Just have to mention how very thankful we are for our Thanksgiving holiday. The time away from reality was delightful. If only we could have taken more naps!

Done

Mr. A -Mom, I'm all done with my spaghetti.
(said with a defiant humph)

Me - "Why? You still have half a plate full."

Mr. A - But, Mom, my spaghetti is being so naughty. I not like it anymore.

When you try and try and try to get spin your fork and wind up your spaghetti and it doesn't stay on, that really is downright naughty.

Freeze Frame

I had one of those moments today where I hoped the world would stand still for just one minute and time wouldn't go on anymore.

It's been baseball-crazed around here as of late. If you didn't know, the local town team was playing in this kind-of-a-big-deal sequence of games - the World Series. So, we've walked around like zombies while we hang on every pitch thrown into the wee hours of the morning. And, thanks to the kindness of almost perfect strangers, DH and I even got to attend one of those games. And we hung on almost every pitch. Until the wee hours of that morning.

Mr. A has even gotten in on the action. "Mom, are the Phillies playing tonight?" he asks me every night. "Mom, I want to watch the Phillies," he tells me every morning.

Fast forward to the gorgeous day we have outside today. We went to the park. The one with lots of play equipment for toddlers and big kids alike. The one where the swings are set up on the hill where you can see the fall beauties for miles and miles around. The one that has a baseball diamond next to the swings. (see where i'm going with this?)

After a few minutes on the swings...
DH: "Mr. A, come with me."
Mr. A: "Where we going, Dad?"
DH: "Just follow me."

Out they walked onto the baseball diamond. The one with no bats and no balls and no bases. Just dirt and grass and a pitcher's mound. And DH proceeded to show Mr. A how to play baseball - with imaginary bats and imaginary balls and imaginary bases. It was so simple. And so sweet.

After some coaching from and practice with his dad, Mr. A even hit an imaginary home run. And he ran the bases. First. Second. Ooops. Forgot to tag the base. Second. Third. And then home. He touched the plate (unlike Ryan Howard-who got credit anyway).

"Mom!!!" he yelled to me while I pushed Miss M on the swings. "I did it! I hit a homerun!"

Miss M wanted to go too. And so Mr. A hit another home run. And he touched all the bases this time. And guess who chased him all the way around? His little sister who wants nothing more than to be just like her big brother. And do what he's doing. And run where he's running. And swing where he's swinging. We all cheered when she touched homeplate.

I really kind of like that they have each other to cheer on. Miss M claps for Mr. A when he hits his homerun and Mr. A claps and screams for Miss M when she runs the bases and into her daddy's arms and up into the air.

You two - I hope you'll cheer each other on forever - in whatever you're doing. Love you both.

Been Lately?

Maybe I'm just out of it, but I went here tonight and felt like I was having a totally different shopping experience than I had previously! The shopping carts are sleek and new. The merchandising seemed more organized and less cluttered. The product offerings seemed cuter. We even have a significantly expanded food section now (complete with potatoes, salads, apples, limes, oranges, etc) and we don't even have a Super Center! The checkout lady even "gifted" me with a very snazzy reusable tote (I need to be better about reusing them, though, and not forgetting them hanging in my garage). Way to step it up, Tarjhay!

post note: i still think it's awesome when a married man shopping solo proudly carries his basket to the checkout lane with the large maxipads package perched squarely on top. that's confidence for ya.

Crying for Help

I reunited with my bed on Saturday. Is there anything better than your own bed?

Mr. A reunited with his bunk beds on Saturday. Should I be concerned that, after we had put him down for his nap, we found him reading a story on the top bunk? (mind you, there is no ladder on the bed and pre-Seattle that worked)

Miss M reunited with her crib on Saturday. Does anyone know why a baby would cry like she was being royally tortured when she was put in said crib?

I thought maybe she missed her pack n' play and her walk-in closet (her "room" for 3 months). So, I put up our pack n' play and put her to sleep in that on Sunday afternoon. No dice. More screaming. If she could speak the words she would have said, "You are the meanest people I know. How dare you leave me all alone in this spacious setting."

Back in her crib, a few naps/sleeps/days of her crying herself to sleep ensued (she hasn't done that in over a year now) and we are all back to normal. Kind of.

For some reason they have both decided that I should just not sleep tonight. So, I haven't bothered to try. I guess they're making up for lost time. They're both usually really good sleepers. Mr. A has been up 5 times already (at least that's when I stopped counting) for unknown reasons (asking to sleep with me in my bed - sorry) and Miss M, I think, is cutting teeth and now she knows it (whereas with the other teeth she has slept right through it). One round of Tylenol, one round of teething tablets and a diaper change, a round of rubbing back/stomach/head, and hopefully we will now all settle in.

No more crying for help. Remember, kids? Unlike you two, I quite like my bed, so I just might not hear it.

A funny

While driving over Lake Washington tonight on our way into downtown Seattle to have dinner at A. Kimmy's house, Mr. A alerts us all:

"Hey, look! There's the football station!"

Or stadium.

And, while watching the float plane approach the lake:

"Mom, that plane is going to land! On the water! (a few seconds go by) Oh, no, it's not. It doesn't have enough surfboards on it."

Moral to all you float pilots: make sure you have plenty of surfboards to land that puppy on the lake. good luck.