9/22

Fall '07

4/12

Dear Buddy

Snips and Snails

At Two

Now I Am Three






I guess it's normal to feel this way, like time flies. We've just had so many changes, so many LIFE EVENTS since finding out that we were expecting Buddy. I finished grad school, Hubs changed jobs, I changed jobs, Hubs earned his doctorate. We moved across the state, to a new city with new friends and new jobs (again).

The one thing that remained consistent was our little family of four. We stick together, fight, laugh, play. These kids have a funny habit of growing up and it's incredible to watch.


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The birthday doughnuts just keep getting bigger!!

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3/10

She sang in a trio, had a few lines, a couple of costume changes...it was her final elementary music program. Buddy's was tonight too. It was all so fantastic.

Regarding Bee: we are starting to have a lot of "last times". She'll be done with elementary on May 21. Moving on to middle school. Of course we are excited, but we also need to shed a tear [or two] for these beautiful lasts.

2/9

I love that she loves to make Valentines for her friends!

Some Nature

The kids and I enjoyed a nature walk at a park outside of town earlier in the month. The weather has been so warm this fall and Buddy wanted to go rock hunting! We wandered the trails and did find some rocks [gravel]. They walked through the swim pond, all emptied out for winter.

I need to remember to take more opportunities like that. To take an hour and unplug. There is beauty to be found, year round. I don't have to wait for spring or summer. It's there waiting whenever we need a break...
 

Carving

Bee and I spent a bit of time this year on our jack-o-lanterns. We cruised pinterest, looking for what we thought would be best. Then discussed how to put the plans into action. And finally did the carving. She helped with the eyes and the tiny one, I handled the teeth on both - one of which required a figuring out a new skill!

Buddy and the Hubs went for a more classic looking one and a scary-faced guy, the result was a very diverse population on the front steps this year!

I'm mostly just excited to roast the seeds and eat them. The jack-o-lanterns are second to that for me.

Busy and crazy or not, we are coming up on my favorite time of year. Halloween ~ Thanksgiving ~ Christmas...so much to look forward to!!

Happy Halloween!

our front porch ~ with a little help from pinterest this year

This Phase

July 2012 ~ Bee's birthday

No, Bee did not get glasses this summer. She sure likes to wear pretend ones though! She is a fourth grader with her own distinct sense of style.

Buddy is in first grade this year. He now takes spelling tests and tells us about lines of symmetry.

We are definitely getting used to being parents of school-aged kids. There is a new found independence, but also a new sense of busy-ness. Balance is something I am still seeking.

These days it's piano and flag football on Monday. Church on Wednesday. Volleyball on Thursday. Youth sports games on Saturdays. Mixed in with the work and recreational things we try to accomplish as well.

I looked at the calendar today and said out loud, "What??!". Can't believe we are halfway through this month. And that I do that every month.

Savoring each day for the day that it is.

And trying to capture the moments in a photograph, if I can, for when it is all a big blur later!

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NINE

Somehow, we went from this...

to this...

Our Bee.

Each parent can name the unending list of wonderful adjectives to describe the children that they love so much and I am no different.

This child is so creative, energetic, bold, and clever.

She still enjoys playing and does so with great zeal every day. This summer alone she has been a spy, detective, puppy, wedding organizer (stuffed animals), gardener, caretaker to fairies and an actress. I know that list doesn't include every scene she's done, but those are the ones I've known about!

Being here to watch her grow from the tiny bean who came into this world on this date nine years ago into the tall young lady she is today has been one of my life's great adventures.

Happy Birthday Bee.
Thanks for letting us come along for the ride!

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It's silly, how proud I am when I get to harvest a vegetable I've grown in my garden. I'd be a terribly arrogant farmer. With acres and acres of crops, my pride would really get out of hand.

Being able to cut up a cucumber that tastes so delicious and put it into some dressing for lunch the next day. The taste of a tomato fresh from the garden cannot be compared to anything you can get in the store.

I enjoying weeding, watering, checking it for signs of problems.

It is small, our garden. The amount of happiness it brings us through the summer is well worth the work.

 We've got squash, tomatoes, basil, jalapenos and cucumbers. We've also started a strawberry patch (fingers crossed) that we'll be able to harvest in two years.

 Bee and her grandmother outfitted her fairy garden, which turned out to be such fun. We water those happy plants too and make sure that everything stays in good shape.

It really is one of the best parts of summer. I love my garden.

blurry but good

June is gone. It was a blur of activities, all fun, but a bit exhausting. Baseball, softball, swim lessons, library trips, splash park, swim pond, playground, free school lunch, a grown ups only trip to St. Louis, a few nights of 4th of July fun.

I'm trying not to be one of those moms who is forever complaining about all of the stuff we are doing when we're the ones who made the choice to do it all! Instead we find joy in each day and sleep really well at night.

It is a really fun phase we are in right now. The kids enjoy most everything we do and are so much more portable. I think we are in the magical period of time between the exhaustion of having toddlers and whatever having teenagers will be like. I had read once that it is a very contented period of time to be in as a parent.


I plan to savor every second.

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4017 Days

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Today we celebrate eleven years of marriage.
4017 days.

Last night, J baked me a cake. The guy does not typically bake cakes, I cannot remember him ever baking a cake, this was an EVENT. He made it from a recipe I found on Pinterest (thank you pinterest!). It's delicious. I may go have some when I'm done typing here...

This morning, our kids brought us breakfast in bed with homemade cards. Cheerios for J, toast for me.

In my estimation, the next 4017 days stand to be just as good. Maybe better.

Knowing I've taught my kids that breakfast in bed is a good thing and that cards are required on special occasions means that we are all set until they leave the nest. I'll have to teach Bee how to do a quiche and hollandaise before next June.

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SIX

My Buddy turned six. SIX. We are now the proud parents of two full-fledged school-agers.

There were cupcakes on Easter, a birthday cookie at his party on Tuesday, six candles in his birthday doughnut on Wednesday morning, and birthday singers with his ice cream sundae out to dinner Wednesday night. Celebrate, yes we celebrate, how could we not?! Life is grand.

On Thursday morning, he woke up to huge excitement. "MY TOOTH IS LOOSE!" Six for twenty-four hours and he's got his first loose tooth.

"It feels good to be six," said Buddy. I'll bet it does.

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It is a wonderful feeling to stand on a bridge, watching the river flow beneath you.

We hosted some friends from Omaha this weekend and took them crane watching. Now, bird watching may sound like something that only nerds would do. But don't you know me at all? I'm a card-carrying nerd! Love nerds! Let's learn about science and nature everyone, come on!!

My heart really does belong to Nebraska. The prairie is beautiful to me and leaves me in awe of the beauty of this earth.

The kids went with us Friday night and yes, I spent a good chunk of my time shooshing my children, trying to keep them out of the mud and telling them the birdwatchers were going to CALL THE COPS IF WE DIDN'T PIPE DOWN! But it was a really great experience and they did enjoy the time we spent by the river.

The next morning, my friend and I went out at sunrise to watch them again and it was wonderful. The birds come in to the river at night to sleep and then head out to feed again when the sun comes up. Listening to the sound of them waking up and watching them take flight was beautiful.

It's only about 20 minutes from our house, but we had never taken the time to do this. I have a feeling that now I'll have to go every year, whether anyone joins me or not!

 

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Wanting a little winter

It had been so warm, all through December and January. We loved being able to be outside all the time, but it didn't feel like winter...

We felt very lucky when we got snowed in a few weeks ago. It gave the kids huge piles of snow to play on and the grown ups an excuse to stay in their jammies for two days straight. Or maybe that was just ME.

Now if the warm weather would like to return, that would be just fine by us. We just needed a little winter.

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What we're up to....

 Daddy Daughter Date Night is a new tradition for us. The community parks and rec program puts it on each year and they have such fun. Hubs is a great dancer and Bee just raves about what a great date he is. It's a dinner and dance night and a great excuse to get all dressed up!

 The weather stayed so nice for so long this year. We had Marigold, the kindergarten traveling pet, a few Mondays ago. Buddy took Marigold for a bike ride and they played Legos. Never thought we'd be riding bikes in February!

Both kids had big school projects. Bee had to make a planet project (she chose a mobile) and Buddy had to make something for the 100th day. He chose 100 marshmallows and wanted an ELEPHANT. We did our best and it turned out okay. His teacher was surprised because their sound that week was for the letter E and we had written 'E is for Elephant' at the top. It worked out perfectly!

Basketball, piano lessons, family time...it has been a crazy couple of months.

I'm looking forward to spring (gardening! sunshine! being outdoors!) and of course, summer break. It will be here before I know it!

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48 months ago...

Four years ago, they were lining up animals and making a meal for them.

This morning, they are dressed as pirates, playing in the junkyard (toy room) with the animals all lined up, being fed.

Feels so good that everything doesn't have to change all at once.

Because honestly, so much has.

That same month, we took the front rail off of Buddy's crib.

He was nearing age two and kept climbing out. He would only have that binkie for two more months.

Tonight I'll tuck him under that same dino blankie. The same one he has slept with since he was in that crib.

Thank goodness it doesn't have to change all at once.

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CARROTS

We decided on Monday to dig up the remainder of carrots in our garden. Bee is always wanting "Bugs Bunny" carrots, so we left a few to see if they would get nice and big for her to chomp on.

It worked! How fun to dig up a huge batch of fresh veggies in winter. Luckily, the weather has been so nice, we didn't have to dig through snow and ice to get to them.

Now I've got a big batch of carrots in the fridge, minus the ones the kids ate, and am pondering carrot soup. I've never made it before, but this batch is just begging to be cooked up into a nice big pot of soup.

Does anyone else get that song stuck in their heads when I type that?!

           Carrot stew, carrot stew! It's our favorite thing to do.
           Get a pot and a carrot to two, and cook up a carrot stew.
           Nothing makes our tummies so full and keeps us happy too.

I had an orange Disney tape when I was a child and this song was one of my favorites.

I may just make the soup so that I can sing the song all day. 

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January 5th, 2012: We had this carrot soup last night and it was delicious. I chose ginger for my spice, but then ended up adding some thyme because I'm impulsive like that. I went the heavy cream route for my first try, knowing that would make any soup tasty. I like that you could make a different variation each time. It was not hard to make and I love any excuse to use my newly purchased immersion blender. That's just good fun.

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