Catch ya Later

I don't really have any desire to blog lately.  Maybe its just this crazy busy time of year, or maybe I'm over it.  I don't know.  But for now, I'm signing off.  Maybe I'll catch ya later.

XOXO

Mush

Dingos and Dalmations and White Queens and Punk Rock Chicks

Sometimes it seems like my kids are growing up too fast - changing too quickly.  It breaks my heart.  But then I took our Halloween pictures this year and realized, a year later - Violet is still the crazy little doggy she was last year, and Lucy is still a fierce beauty. 

These two are my very favorite part of each and every day.

2010 Dingo & White Queen

2011 Dalmatian & Punk Rock Chick

I love these girls!

Bats, BBQs and Boobs

So I don't have anything to blog about, but that frozen image of me that Youtube has decided to use for my duet with Lucy is embarrassing and I need to move that post on down to the next page.  So that means I need to start blogging.

Its October and we have bats:

I used the Instagram app to make this picture look creepy.  It totally worked, no?

Last weekend we had our very first BBQ of the year.

(actually our very first BBQ on Lucy Ave....which we have lived here for 4 years)

Turns out, if you wait long enough - someone will just give you a grill.  Boo-Yah!  We just saved $500!  

(is that even how you spell Boo-Yah?)

We made chicken and steak kabobs and rice and opened a can of baked beans.

It was beautiful and delicious.

Have you noticed in the two videos of me and Lucy singing how my face is a completely different shape now than it was 3 years ago?  Its weird.  That's what losing 40 lbs will do I guess.

Also, the other thing that losing 40 lbs will do:

Jacob used to tell me "Your boobs are Amazing"

and now he says:

"Your boobs are cute"

Oh well.  I like cute.

Lucy Land

I'm obviously having a hard time blogging lately.  But Lucy isn't!  She started a blog yesterday and so far, this is what she's written.

I love that she calls them Back Round Dancers instead of Background Dancers.  I don't think I'll correct her.  Its too cute.  Also, Pump Rock!  Hahahaha.  This is going to be fun!

Check it out! 

And leave her a comment.  She'll love that!

Duet #2 - 3 years later

Remember this?

Lucy was 5 when we did this video.  She has been asking me for a couple of years now if we could do it again since now she can actually sing all the words. 

 We finally did it this morning.  She had been up for about 20 minutes getting ready for school.  I had been up for about 5 and still had my morning frog voice.
(Plus, I'm really trying hard not to steal the spotlight this time.  Its hard for me to not sing loudly...but I wanted Lucy to be able to be heard this time!)
I can't believe how big and mature and grown up Lucy is.  The difference in her in these two videos is huge, and it makes me just a little bit sad. 

I love this girl!

The rules are - there are no rules!

I'm talking about fashion rules.  We've all heard the rule about no white pants after Labor day, but I'm not listening.  I have been on the hunt for a good pair of white jeans all summer and whaddya know - I found some!  Who cares if you're not supposed to wear white pants after Labor day.  Labor day is just around the corner but I plan to be wearing these sweet pants all winter long.

I actually got two pairs of sweet white pants.  But I can only wear one at a time so for now you just get to see one pair.  And you can't really tell in this picture, but these pants are really bell-bottomy.  I love them.

(oh, and both pants were on super clearance at Gap.  These were like $7, and my other sweet pair were like $12)  That's how I could afford two pairs.

Also, I haven't been blogging because my computer is on the caputs and I can't download any pictures from my camera to my computer and I can't write a blog post without pictures.  Tammy saved the day today and took a picture of me with my iphone so that I could blog.  Thank God!  (and thank Tammy)

I'm fresh than a mu-what?

A friend of mine posted this on facebook a couple of weeks ago - and I've watched it a million times since.  Its so great.  This girl, Amy, is so entertaining.  I could watch her all day.  I'm smiling just thinking about watching this video.
(as well as all of their other youtube videos - but this one is definitely the best)

Ladies and Gentlemen:  Karmin

Fedora

Apparently, I am the kind of girl who can pull off wearing a Fedora.

  Even one with feathers. 

You know how you see someone wearing something cute and you think to yourself

"she looks cute, but I could never pull that off" 

Well, I just decided that I wanted to be the kind of person who could pull it off, so I bought one, and I've been pulling it off all day.  I haven't left the house in it yet, but I bet I will tomorrow.

I just got back from a week long trip to San Clemente.  I have lots of fun pictures to share from my trip, but I'm too busy taking more pictures of myself in my new Fedora. 

Oh, and in case you are wondering about my very cute shirt, it is one of my new purchases from H&M

Marie is here!!  She arrived last night and will be here for a week before we head out to her house in San Clemente for a week!  So basically I'm on vacation already since Marie is here.  This morning Lucy made her breakfast in bed.

lemonade, fresh fruit, cinnamon toast crunch, and a note that says:

Breakfast in Bed

Enjoy your first day staying here

Love, Lucy

Turns out I didn't need to go to San Clemente to get a striped maxi dress from H&M.  Marie brought one with her for me!  Thank you Marie!  

(this dress was only $9.97.  I can't wait until we get an H&M here!)  

We headed out to Target first thing this morning to get a few things for a chocolate coconut cake that Marie is making.  (Its in the oven right now and my house smells amazing!) While we were there we found a new dress for Marie too.  Oh how I love summer dresses!  And I also love Marie's boobs - and you can plainly see why.

And since we're talking dress prices - Marie's dress was on clearance for $12.  And it has pockets. 

I need to go back to Target and find one in my size.

 

This is going to be a fun couple of weeks!

Summer is off to a good start

School is over and this week has been our first full week of summer.  So far we've had 2 playdates, gone to the pool twice, and the park once.  I am going to be tired come September!

My little Kindergarten graduate

The pool wiped Violet out.  After about an hour she crawled up into my lap and slept for about 20 minutes.  It was the greatest.  Even though she's totally a kindergarten grad, she's still not too cool to snuggle with her mama at the pool.

Lucy, looking effortlessly cool while eating a Tootsie Pop at the pool

Dear Taylor Swift,

Today while cleaning out Lucy's backpack I found an note she had written.  It said:

Dear Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Bridget Mendler,

I am having an Arts and Music party at my house and I would like to invite you!  I hope you can come!

Love, Lucy

P.S. Please bring Rootbeer

San Clemente - Round 10 (or so)

I'm making plans to go visit my sister Marie in San Clemente later this month.  Marie's house is the ideal vacation destination.  She makes us chocolate croissants and takes us to the beach.  And there are rumors that a striped maxi dress in my size is waiting there for me.  We have to put up with her grumpy husband, but he usually buys us dinner at least once, and Marie's amazingness totally makes up for the rest. 

(I'm totally kidding - Phil is amazing too and is so nice to let us come invade his house and take over his family a few times every summer.  I just like to give him a hard time - we love you too Phil!  Violet is looking forward to hugging you again)

 This time my all time most best BFF, Teresa, is going to come with us, which is going to make it all that much funner!

Things I am looking forward to:

Chocolate Croissants

The rumored maxi dress

Trader Joes

H&M

Reading on Marie's front porch

Phil buying us dinner (at least once)

Wearing a bikini and a sun hat while sipping lemonade that may or may not be spiked 

(it will be spiked)

Sewing something with my sister

Cooking delicious meals with my sister

Hanging out with my sister

Listening to Violet and Belen play
The San Clemente Pier
Sharing all of these amazing things with Teresa

I'm so lucky. 

Oh, and add Man Fries to the list of things I'm looking forward to. 

Man Fries or Kaluah Pork Nachos.  

Maybe both.

That about sums it up

This is beautiful.  I think something like these same thoughts when my children crawl into my bed in the morning.  I would write about it if I could write like she can.  But since I can't, I'll just share with you what she wrote.  Thanks C Jane, for a beautiful post.

The morning was yet pink and cool when a little body showed up in my bed. His head tucked into my stretched shoulder, his arms wrapped around my torso in a snug fit. My early-rising son had out done himself this morning. He was up even before the singing birds congregating in the fir tree just outside the window.

I kissed his furry head and the smooth spot between his earlobe and cheek. The gods blessed this boy with enviable skin, more like satin than human, a new compulsion to my fingertips. His eyes closed and mouth opened, I watched him return back to the realm of rocket-infused dreams.

Here was the point of no return. A temporary place in the human existence tucked in between mother and father and away from worries. I wanted to tell my son's spirit to remember this moment, a safe spot anxiety-free. This is where we want to be when our hearts our broken, our dreams are slashed and reality settles in. To return to the luxury life of mornings enfolded in your parents arms and safety blankets when college exams beat at your will, taxes come due with no way to pay and the roof of your new little house begins to leak.These rapture-less moments are nothing like this.

Isn't heaven a replica of morning's burrowed between two relaxed parents?

And then my spirit says to me the same.

Remember this moment, a safe spot anxiety-free. It is the point you will want to return to when he gets too busy for you. Cursed with the speed of time, his mornings will soon be filled with the beeping of waking alarms and swift breakfasts on his way out into a world you can't share. This is where you will want to return when he's tiptoeing past a curfew or moving out to save souls or heaven forbid, falling in love with another woman. There is a finite time, the spirit says, when you occupy so much of his consciousness. This moment is for you.

And I decide: this is heaven. 

Bamboozeled

I am a mom to sticks to her guns.  I don't feel like my kids can talk me into most things.  Once I pull out my serious mom voice, they know I am not kidding around.  I am the boss and I mean what I say.  I don't make threats that I can't follow through on.  At least that's the way its been...until yesterday.

Yesterday we went to Target to get each of the girls some new sandals.  And some ice cream sandwiches.  But this story is about the shoes.

Violet saw the shoes within the first 2 minutes of entering the shoe department.  She immediately put them on and fell in love.  They were ridiculous and totally impractical.  Sparkly and gaudy, and they had a little heel.  Right off I told her in my very serious mom voice:

"Violet, those shoes are ridiculous.  There is no way in the world I am going to buy you those shoes"

  Those are the words I used.  But somehow, over the course of the next 40 minutes and trying on every other pair of shoes in the store, I lost my resolve.  At some point, my mind must have shifted from "NO" to "maybe".  And eventually that lead to "yes."  She wasn't throwing a fit or demanding them (that would have been a no-brainer - she wouldn't have gotten any shoes were that the case)  No, she was smarter than that.  Her manipulation tactics are much more sophisticated.  She put these shoes on between trying on every other pair.  She put them on and sashayed up and down the isle, and looked at me and said "Mama, Please.  These are the most beautiful shoes I have ever seen!"  Then she sauntered over to the mirror to admire herself in the shoes.  

So we bought the shoes.  When we got in the car she said, bewildered:
  "I can't believe you bought me these shoes.  You said there was no way in the world you would buy them for me.  But you did."

Shit. 

I just lost all credibility.

I've totally been bamboozled. 

  

 They are a size too big and she can barely walk in them.

As soon as we got home she put on her fanciest dress, laid down a "red carpet" (ie: a pink towel) and walked up and down the hall.

Do you see a resemblance?

A few weeks ago, I walked into the kitchen and found this picture on the table.  Violet drew it.  What do you think?  Future artist?

Where I've been

This past week my family took a road trip to Hood River, Oregon

You might remember that just over a year ago I met my biological mother.  She lives in Hood River and invited us out to visit.  (Thank you Sharree!!)

It was sunny and beautiful the whole time we were there - then last night we rolled into Salt Lake at about midnight - and it was raining.

( I think Alanis Morissette would call that ironic) 

Highlights of the trip:

Kids barely whined or complained the whole 24 hours we were in the car (Wow!)

Seeing Amanda Seyfried and her dog at Multnomah Falls.  We actually talked to her and pet her dog. 

(I didn't take a picture, but if I did, it would have looked like this)

 

Seeing Multnomah Falls

Mike's Ice cream

(we went here three times)

 My Bio sister Candice and her boyfriend Nic enjoying their ice cream. 

And Lucy in the background, awaiting her next patient.

I did a fish braid

I went for a 2 mile run

...and I enjoyed it!  I haven't run since last summer - so I was proud of myself.

(It was actually 1.9 miles but that doesn't sound as good)

We went on some hikes

 

My Bio sister Karrie turned 18

Actually, the whole trip was a highlight.  We had so much fun and can't wait to do it all again!

She still fits!

After pulling out my old sling for my niece Scarlett the other day, I decided to see if Violet could still fit in it.  And she can.  And so it turns out I don't need to have another baby because I can just keep right on pretending that Violet is my baby.

When Teresa babysits

My friend Teresa  (and her big white dog, Indy) came over and babysat my girls for me the other night so Jacob and I could go out for his birthday.  I found this on my computer the next day.  My girls obviously had fun while in her care.  Thanks Teresa!

Jump for Joy!

Jacob took some pictures of me and my girls yesterday.  It was warm outside and we were jumping for joy about the sunshine.

If Tyra and the Jays were critiquing these photos they would say:

"You totally forgot about your face!  HTT!"

 

And then we tried our best modeling poses

(Lucy obviously has this down)

If I were graduating from something soon, these would be my graduation pictures.

And then we snuggled

(actually we snuggled first.  See?  This is the first picture we took - before I put makeup on) 

And then we came inside and Jacob made us cheeseburgers.