Beach, May 2014

Beach, May 2014

Thursday, April 28, 2011

the Birthday post... a few days late

 And so my little girl is 2!! TWO can you believe it? I can't.  I still remember so clearly when she was born (wanna walk down memory lane? here's her birth blog).  I bought the Easter Lilly for me, because I did all the work on this day 2 years ago.. and it smells amazing.
 So as always I had my gift out for her to find when she woke up with balloons, two for her, one for Aiden...just because he's a good big brother.
 She seems to really like her quilt even though she's been watching me make it for way too long... I started it oh a year ago and bought the kit when she was 4 months old.
 My happy birthday girl in her birthday dress and crown.
 She got a sleeping bag from Loren.
 Now we're ready for some serious camping!
 Since she's not big into cake and LOVES berries I made some caramel sauce and some caramel whipped cream and layered them for her birthday desert.
 She loved blowing out the candles
 but when all was said and done, she poked at my creation and said "don't yike it"
 So this is what she ended up having for desert.
 Aiden wanted to wear his crown too!  Look at what a big kid he's getting to be!
 We went to Portland for Easter and continued the celebration with Uncle Ryan, Aunt Shanda and Nonnie. She got her own legos, garden tools, a horse family and some buggies.

 Easter night we had cake for her,  champagne cake with raspberry filling and frosting.
 I got her the magic re-light candles and she thought it was just delightful.
 Everyone 'tried' to blow them out.
 can you tell it was good?
 and made everyone happy!  Happy birthday to my sweet, beautiful, silly, amazing, clever, smart little girl.  I can't believe you're two!! I seems like just yesterday you were turning one!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

homebirth video...

this is for those of you out there who are concerned about the choice we have made to have a homebirth.  Here is a beautiful video of an amazing water birth.... see how calm everyone is?  see the kids NOT freaking out about being there?
http://vimeo.com/22765005

watch it!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A Mother's Prayer For Her Daughter

I was all set to do a birthday post, but then I saw this on Sarah's blog... and just had to re-post it.  The birthday post can wait until tomorrow...

A Mother's Prayer For Her Daughter 

 By Tina Fey


First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long,
For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

The lego fairy

We have a Lego fairy.  (never heard of one?  me neither until the Legos appeared, and a Lego fairy is the only explanation, right?)
The Lego fairy sent us some really fun Legos today.
 A wheel set, a door and window set,some more blocks and some base plates.
  The kids dropped everything they were doing to build stuff...Aiden made a belly dump
 With a trailer and lots of wheels... we previously always had a shortage of wheels.
  Natalie and I built a house... with double windows on both sides, two door and a proper roof.  She was quite excited.  Now we are set to decorate with a couch and a chair. 

Thank you Lego Fairy... we love you, and the kids (Aiden) really does believe that you exist. I even called Loren at work to tell him about your visit and even he is excited to come home and play Legos!!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

This week

 Aiden 'reading a book' to Natalie "I don't really read the words, Mama, I just tell her the story my way."
 My baby blue eyes...
 Aiden wanted this picture taken of him on the arrow
 A man, a dog and a dock... notice that the reservoir is filled back up.
 A man, a dog and his shadow...
 Nonnie and Natalie at the swimming area
 Rock throwing!


 yes, I know she needs her hair back but on this day she just didn't want it back..so it's in her eyes.
 Running at the Ranch, this is our first time back since we moved last year... how I've missed this place.
 Aiden had me take a ton of pictures of him in the trees,  clearly he's missed it here too.
 I can't believe he's going to be 5 this year!
 the old dog (who's going to be 10 this month) actually caught a gray squirrel this visit, she let it go right away, I think she was as surprised as the squirrel (and us)
 On the tractor... I have so many pics of this boy on this tractor.
 Natalie taking Malaki for a ride
Today (Wednesday) Aiden participated in a psychology experiment at the U of O (his 3rd since he was born) and earned his choice of a t shirt or a gift card.  He picked the gift card and spent it on a lego fire truck with a trailer, that he put together all by him self.  He is so good at following the directions.  So that's been our week so far, and sorry I've been such a slacker, I know a certain someone has commented that they have just about given up on me ever adding new pictures.  So, HERE YA GO!!  Happy Thursday everyone!