My inspiration for this record of my days:

“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” -Anna Quindlen

Sunday, May 15, 2011

My own personal cheerleader

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The other night I was trying to open a new box of diapers.  It was a big box, with tape running all the way around it.

As I was tugging at the tape, trying to get it off, Simon came up and stood in front of me.  He started cheering.

“Come on, Mom!  Pull!  Pull, Mom pull!  You could do it!”

“Gimme a O!  Gimme a S!   Goooo Mommy!”

Who could  possibly fail with a cheering section like that?

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Secret Weapon

Jonah has been getting picked on at school._MG_6638

Some mean boys at school tell him that he HAS TO play the chasing game at recess, and  that he HAS TO be on the girls’ team.  Then they chase him down and shove him into the fence or wrestle him to the ground.

Recess was becoming less than fun for him.  Until yesterday.

We were having a talk about standing up to those boys.  I told him that he did NOT have to do anything they said!  He came up with an idea of his own.

“I know!  I can just breathe in their noses and they will run away screaming!”

It’s a technique that has proved successful against his brothers and sisters, due to a chronic and potent case of halitosis.

Yesterday he came home from school feeling successful and powerful.

“It worked!” he proclaimed.  “I just breathed in their noses and they all ran away!”

They haven’t dared to bully him since.  I’m so proud!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Seattle

Jeff and I wanted to visit Lindsey (and Preston, I should add,) in Seattle before she moves in June.  So we left all the kids with Sarah and my Mom – bless their hearts- and took off!

Lindsey was a great hostess/ personal tour guide. She even provided us with lovely, sunshiny weather, which I hear is pretty hard to come by!

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We visited the famous Pike’s Place Market, and ate the yummy homemade doughnuts.  We sampled lots of fun things, and took home some delicious rosemary-garlic pasta!

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We toured the underground of Seattle.

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We got to ride on a ferry, and tour some gorgeous countryside!

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We saw beautiful Snoqualmie (sp?) falls, and got caught in a little hail storm.

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We took some “couples pictures,” as proposed by Lindsey.  First Jeff and I…

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Then Lindsey and I…

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We Tiptoed Through the Tulips at the annual tulip festival.

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It’s too bad I can’t include all of the pictures. Jeff really got some great ones!  It’s interesting though… as much as I loved all the entertainment, and the new sights, they weren’t the highlight of the trip.  For me, the best part of the trip was getting to sleep in every day.  I rested when I felt like it.  I ate when I felt like it, and didn’t have to worry about any responsibilities for a couple of days.  What a treat!

It sure was nice to get home though, to my wonderful kids.  It’s nice to be missed and loved and needed!