You all know how much I like my playdates: I love being with other moms while the kids play, sharing experiences and feeling normal. I've realized that another reason I love playdates is because I get to witness other people's kids act up. Cruel, I know, but it is so nice to see other moms that I respect deal with their children, children who I think are precious, while said children are throwing tantrums. It is so nice to know that my kids are normal!
A few weeks ago my friend Jessi and I took our kids to a play at the Wichita Children's Theater. Jessi's husband's cousin Heather met us there with her six children. SIX. CHILDREN. They all got out of their Suburban, lined up on the sidewalk from oldest to youngest, and introduced themselves by stepping forward one-at-a-time then saying their name and age. Very "Sound of Music" and very cute. All of the six were adorable and sweet and very well-behaved.
Yesterday Jessi and I went over to the Heather's for just a bit. It is a beautiful, huge house, where six kids and two parents live. Heather was slightly embarrassed at the mess, explaining that "they live in their house." But really, six kids and two parents live there. How could everything always be put in its perfect spot? If I had gone over to their house and everything was sparkling clean in a home with six home-schooled kids it would have been too overwhelming for me and I would not allow myself to ever return.
I can only handle normal people in my life.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Antiques Roadshow
About a month ago, Hubby and I got an "exclusive" invitation to go to an Antiques Roadshow pre-party at the Hyatt, hosted by Architectural Digest and Subaru. My mom bought me an Architectural Digest subscription for Christmas and that is how I got invited. So my sister and brother-in-law watched the kids for us and off we went!
When we walked into the party Hubby and I drastically brought down the average age of everyone attending. There were two different groups of girls who were around our age (late twenties/early to mid thirties), most who were in their 40s and 50s, and then quite a few who were in their 70s. But Hubby and I had a great time. They had great food! Three or four tables of hors d'oeuvres--cheese and fruit at one, tapas at another--and then servers who walked around with yummy stuff as well. So Hubby and I each got a drink and got to business eating. It should have been embarrassing, eating so much, but really, who were we there to impress? The food was delicious!
Then I had my chance: Mark L. Walberg, the host of AR, was close by! He seemed very nice, walking around and introducing himself to groups of people, then chatting for a bit. So when he was by himself I walked up and asked if I could have a picture with him:
After the picture, when Hubby and I were about to walk away, he started making conversation with us. It totally threw us. I didn't want to talk to him, just get a picture! I mean, small talk is difficult, and I was sure that he had lots of other people to talk to. But we did learn that AR only has one of these fancy pre-parties per season and Wichita was the lucky city to get it. Lucky us! Really I wanted to ask him if he liked the viewers of Antiques Roadshow better than the viewers of "Moment of Truth" and "Temptation Island," but really, that would have been tacky.
Then they started telling us that the "presentation" was going to begin soon so we should make our way into another room. That's when Hubby and I ditched. We didn't want to be sold any Subarus.
When we walked into the party Hubby and I drastically brought down the average age of everyone attending. There were two different groups of girls who were around our age (late twenties/early to mid thirties), most who were in their 40s and 50s, and then quite a few who were in their 70s. But Hubby and I had a great time. They had great food! Three or four tables of hors d'oeuvres--cheese and fruit at one, tapas at another--and then servers who walked around with yummy stuff as well. So Hubby and I each got a drink and got to business eating. It should have been embarrassing, eating so much, but really, who were we there to impress? The food was delicious!
Then I had my chance: Mark L. Walberg, the host of AR, was close by! He seemed very nice, walking around and introducing himself to groups of people, then chatting for a bit. So when he was by himself I walked up and asked if I could have a picture with him:
After the picture, when Hubby and I were about to walk away, he started making conversation with us. It totally threw us. I didn't want to talk to him, just get a picture! I mean, small talk is difficult, and I was sure that he had lots of other people to talk to. But we did learn that AR only has one of these fancy pre-parties per season and Wichita was the lucky city to get it. Lucky us! Really I wanted to ask him if he liked the viewers of Antiques Roadshow better than the viewers of "Moment of Truth" and "Temptation Island," but really, that would have been tacky.
Then they started telling us that the "presentation" was going to begin soon so we should make our way into another room. That's when Hubby and I ditched. We didn't want to be sold any Subarus.
Monday, July 28, 2008
art
A picture G drew: Notice the teeth! This was the first time he'd drawn teeth on one of his happy faces. Hubby and I are very impressed with his creative mind.
she comes by it naturally
You all may remember my obsession to find a double stroller. I found one on craigslist and I love it, I really do. Well, my love for strollers is something I passed on to my daughter, because Little Missy loves her play stroller. When friends come over to play I hide the stroller because it is the one thing Little Missy screams about if somebody else touches it. Hubby and I bought her a small pink one for Christmas, and through all it's lovin', it has been torn apart. So for her birthday we bought her a new one, one that is stronger and fancier. Little Missy loves it. She loves it so much that we have to park it in a special place at night while she sleeps, so much that she is content to push it in a circle from the living room to the dining room to the kitchen and back to the living room, so much that we had to take it on a walk around the neighborhood.
birthday party
A week ago we had a party for Little Missy's 2nd birthday. I wasn't sure how many people would come, since it was a party for a little girl who doesn't understand birthdays and barely understands parties, but we were surrounded by her little friends and their parents whom I hold dear. Our home, filled with people we love, was a great way to celebrate the birth of our precious daughter.
My brother-in-law Todd, readying his camera to take some fantastic pictures http://flickr.com/photos/thetoddblog/sets/72157606293903955/, and my pretty sister Hayley, demonstrating one of her favorite poses:
Little Missy, getting a look at her birthday cake:
My brother-in-law Todd, readying his camera to take some fantastic pictures http://flickr.com/photos/thetoddblog/sets/72157606293903955/, and my pretty sister Hayley, demonstrating one of her favorite poses:
Little Missy, getting a look at her birthday cake:
Little Missy with her first piece of cake, internally asking "Daddy, why did I get the lamest piece? This one doesn't have any icing!"
Wearing her spoils:
Thursday, July 24, 2008
happy birthday, little missy
39 weeks of pregnancy
5 hours of labor
4 pushes
2 ecstatic parents
1 beautiful baby girl
1 blessed little family
Saturday, July 19, 2008
there must be a full-moon
"After I eat my Pop Tart can I go back to cleaning the living room?" My son said this to me, no more than 30 minutes ago. I kid you not.
Our living room is where the toys reside. Some toys are upstairs in G's room, but for the most part they live in the living room. And the living room floor gets covered with them. So everyday, before we leave and before bedtime, I pick up the toys. This morning we were late for a playdate so the toys were left on the living room floor. After we got home I was unloading groceries from the car when G runs into the kitchen with me, frustrated and a little out of breath.
"Mommy," he begins, "the floor is messy so I can't play."
What did he say, you ask? I couldn't wrap my mind around it, either. My logical reply: "Well why don't you just clean up the toys and then play?"
"No!" Illogical response, but I could see where he was coming from. I don't like to clean up the toys.
"Well," I said as I continued unloading groceries, "you can either clean up the toys and then play or just sit on the couch and look at the mess."
"Oh, okay. I changed my mind. I'll go clean up the toys." He then ran into the living room.
So when I told him his Pop Tart was ready he ran into the kitchen and asked me the question that started this post. I will say, though, that he has since finished his unhealthy snack and is not cleaning the living room. But it was a nice thought.
Side note: this was Little Missy's first Pop Tart. G and Little Missy were in the cart at Target, where all the sugary-nonsense is on their eye-level. G asked for the Pop Tart, I didn't feel like a fight, so we bought a box. Little Missy should love Pop Tarts--sweet and sugary and lots of pretty sprinkles. I half decided that if she liked these I would just start putting sprinkles on all her food so that she would eat something other than oatmeal, yogurt and fruit. But she didn't like the sprinkles! I give up.
Our living room is where the toys reside. Some toys are upstairs in G's room, but for the most part they live in the living room. And the living room floor gets covered with them. So everyday, before we leave and before bedtime, I pick up the toys. This morning we were late for a playdate so the toys were left on the living room floor. After we got home I was unloading groceries from the car when G runs into the kitchen with me, frustrated and a little out of breath.
"Mommy," he begins, "the floor is messy so I can't play."
What did he say, you ask? I couldn't wrap my mind around it, either. My logical reply: "Well why don't you just clean up the toys and then play?"
"No!" Illogical response, but I could see where he was coming from. I don't like to clean up the toys.
"Well," I said as I continued unloading groceries, "you can either clean up the toys and then play or just sit on the couch and look at the mess."
"Oh, okay. I changed my mind. I'll go clean up the toys." He then ran into the living room.
So when I told him his Pop Tart was ready he ran into the kitchen and asked me the question that started this post. I will say, though, that he has since finished his unhealthy snack and is not cleaning the living room. But it was a nice thought.
Side note: this was Little Missy's first Pop Tart. G and Little Missy were in the cart at Target, where all the sugary-nonsense is on their eye-level. G asked for the Pop Tart, I didn't feel like a fight, so we bought a box. Little Missy should love Pop Tarts--sweet and sugary and lots of pretty sprinkles. I half decided that if she liked these I would just start putting sprinkles on all her food so that she would eat something other than oatmeal, yogurt and fruit. But she didn't like the sprinkles! I give up.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Monday blues
Lately I have been setting my alarm so that I can get up early. On the mornings that I actually get up when my alarm goes off (instead of hitting snooze) and I'm able to get everything done that I have planned--before the kids wake up--I am in a good mood the rest of the day. Well this past weekend was a busy weekend: Antiques Roadshow, parents in town, two weddings, dinner at the farm. Not one of those mornings did I get up early. So I was in a funk. And Hubby has been gone too much, what with working 7 days a week and all, which makes everything less fun. I miss my husband and that throws everything else off. When he finally gets home at the end of the day I have to share him with other people--family, friends, extended friends, and my children. People that I love and truly enjoy being around, but I am sharing him nonetheless.
Monday morning we had friends over to play and after they left G really wanted to go outside. It was the perfect opportunity to sit on the porch and let the kids play in the gorgeous weather and throw myself a little pity-party. So I was sitting on the porch, reading a book my mom left for me, when G asks me for a cup. He uses the cup I subsequently gave him to water my plants. Very cute and it made me smile a little. He was doing a good job of turning off the water in between trips, but then I noticed the water was not getting turned off. And then I noticed some intoxicating giggles coming from around the water spout. So I peeked around the corner and found G and Little Missy playing in the water. This is a picture after G loaded his cup with lots of mud, water and bark shavings, then dumped all of it on Little Missy's shoes:
Little Missy surveying the puddle that is forming at the neighbor's fence:
And then they were pooped:
So my day started out sad and I let myself get carried away with it, but then my sweet little ones made me remember that my life is pretty good.
Monday morning we had friends over to play and after they left G really wanted to go outside. It was the perfect opportunity to sit on the porch and let the kids play in the gorgeous weather and throw myself a little pity-party. So I was sitting on the porch, reading a book my mom left for me, when G asks me for a cup. He uses the cup I subsequently gave him to water my plants. Very cute and it made me smile a little. He was doing a good job of turning off the water in between trips, but then I noticed the water was not getting turned off. And then I noticed some intoxicating giggles coming from around the water spout. So I peeked around the corner and found G and Little Missy playing in the water. This is a picture after G loaded his cup with lots of mud, water and bark shavings, then dumped all of it on Little Missy's shoes:
Little Missy surveying the puddle that is forming at the neighbor's fence:
G playing in said puddle (which grossed me out, so we came inside and they had a bath):
And then they were pooped:
So my day started out sad and I let myself get carried away with it, but then my sweet little ones made me remember that my life is pretty good.funny things overheard at the farm
Our friends Joel and Jessica recently moved to 40 acres outside of town, so they invited a bunch of us over this past Sunday night for dinner and a chance to hang out. In the car on the way over we were singing songs when Little Missy says 'Sing Du Hast, Daddy!' Yes, the Du Hast from Rammstein, the song that is a little scary. That is the song my precious, innocent little girl wanted her Daddy to sing. And her Daddy was so proud.
After dinner we were outside, exploring huge brush piles and a well-house with a 6-foot snake when Joel says 'Hey, Brodrek, bring that axe over here.' Joel says that to his 2 1/2 year old son, who is actually dragging a real axe behind him. Dangerous, much?
After dinner we were outside, exploring huge brush piles and a well-house with a 6-foot snake when Joel says 'Hey, Brodrek, bring that axe over here.' Joel says that to his 2 1/2 year old son, who is actually dragging a real axe behind him. Dangerous, much?
trains are important
Last night was my turn to put the kids to bed, and after our prayer we got to talking about Heaven. That Max Lucado kids' book about Heaven came to mind and I told the kids how in Heaven we'll never be hungry or sad and we'll just be happy all the time because we'll be with God and Jesus.
Then a few minutes later, after I thought he was already asleep, G said, 'Mommy, can I just ask you one more thing?'
'Sure, baby.'
'Will God have trains in heaven?'
Then a few minutes later, after I thought he was already asleep, G said, 'Mommy, can I just ask you one more thing?'
'Sure, baby.'
'Will God have trains in heaven?'
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Yay for Wichita!
My sister found the following article:
http://www.ajc.com/travel/content/travel/otherdestinations/us_stories/2008/07/03/Wichita_Travel_0706.html
Don't you all want to now move to Wichita? :)
http://www.ajc.com/travel/content/travel/otherdestinations/us_stories/2008/07/03/Wichita_Travel_0706.html
Don't you all want to now move to Wichita? :)
Monday, July 7, 2008
busy busy
Lately we have been busy. Sometimes I love being busy (see previous posts) and sometimes it stresses me out. Well, for the past few weeks it has been stressing me out and poor Hubby had to listen to me rant about it last week. Why was it his problem, you ask? It wasn't, but he heard about it. And now he is watching me as I type this, and that is a little strange. Anyway, I have been preparing invitations for a baby shower that I'm helping to throw and making invitations for Little Missy's 2nd birthday party. And I'm working on a project that I am super excited and very overwhelmed with, but I will fill you all in later. So that is my long and weak apology for not blogging more in these last few weeks.
Side note: Hubby and I are watching "The Bachelorette." Or, I mean, just me. Hubby is not watching it. But we are wondering: why did DeAnna choose the snowboarder? Or, I mean, I am wondering. Hubby liked the snowboarder, naturally, seeing as how Hubby quit his job and took off for Colorado just so he could snowboard everyday. My thought is that DeAnna is boring, Jason is boring, so don't they belong together? Two sweet, boring people should be together. I just can't see how Jesse won't get bored with her.
Something else that's cool: Hubby and I got invited to an exclusive (well, maybe not all that exclusive, but cool nonetheless) pre-party for the Antiques Roadshow! This Thursday we will be rubbing elbows with the stars of A.R. Soooo exciting. I'll borrow somebody's camera and take pictures for all of you to see!
Side note: Hubby and I are watching "The Bachelorette." Or, I mean, just me. Hubby is not watching it. But we are wondering: why did DeAnna choose the snowboarder? Or, I mean, I am wondering. Hubby liked the snowboarder, naturally, seeing as how Hubby quit his job and took off for Colorado just so he could snowboard everyday. My thought is that DeAnna is boring, Jason is boring, so don't they belong together? Two sweet, boring people should be together. I just can't see how Jesse won't get bored with her.
Something else that's cool: Hubby and I got invited to an exclusive (well, maybe not all that exclusive, but cool nonetheless) pre-party for the Antiques Roadshow! This Thursday we will be rubbing elbows with the stars of A.R. Soooo exciting. I'll borrow somebody's camera and take pictures for all of you to see!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
small-town America
When Hubby and I first got married I wanted to move somewhere BIG--somewhere like New York or Boston. Hubby wanted to move somewhere smaller--somewhere like, well, small. So we compromised and moved to Tulsa. While in Tulsa we had our kids and I started paying attention to such things as schools and violence, things that I hadn't worried about too much in my life pre-kids. One lady I worked with said it best "With my kids in Coweta [super-duper small town] I know everything about all of their friends." Just the kind of breathing-down-your-neck opportunity I want to have with my kids. And I'm being serious when I say that.
So when the opportunity came to move back to the Wichita area, Hubby and I started looking into small towns. We wanted the small schools close but the violence far away from our front door. And here's the thing: we moved here for the kids and now I love it. I would not want to be anywhere else. At the grocery store I run into friends. When I meet new people they already know a lot of the same people that I know. We walk downtown for the hometown parades, and while there we'll see and talk to lots of people we know. And when we take our walks around the neighborhood we run into people from church.
One night my sweet sister and her husband came out and watched our kiddos, so Hubby and I went to the "Indiana Jones" movie in Augusta at our historic theatre. Hubby and I sat down and started chatting with eachother when a girl in front of us jumped in on our conversation. It sounds weird but it wasn't. It's just part of living in Augusta and it was fun. Then the credits started, only before the credits there was a flag waving on the screen and the national anthem started. Friends, everyone in that theatre stood up while the national anthem played. And another benefit of being in a small town: unabashed patriotism.
We thoroughly enjoy all of it.
So when the opportunity came to move back to the Wichita area, Hubby and I started looking into small towns. We wanted the small schools close but the violence far away from our front door. And here's the thing: we moved here for the kids and now I love it. I would not want to be anywhere else. At the grocery store I run into friends. When I meet new people they already know a lot of the same people that I know. We walk downtown for the hometown parades, and while there we'll see and talk to lots of people we know. And when we take our walks around the neighborhood we run into people from church.
One night my sweet sister and her husband came out and watched our kiddos, so Hubby and I went to the "Indiana Jones" movie in Augusta at our historic theatre. Hubby and I sat down and started chatting with eachother when a girl in front of us jumped in on our conversation. It sounds weird but it wasn't. It's just part of living in Augusta and it was fun. Then the credits started, only before the credits there was a flag waving on the screen and the national anthem started. Friends, everyone in that theatre stood up while the national anthem played. And another benefit of being in a small town: unabashed patriotism.
We thoroughly enjoy all of it.
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