Tell Me A Story Too

Life Lessons: Being Nice

2010-08-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

If you don't have anything nice to say,

don't say anything at all.

P.S. This blog is for family and friends only please.

Life Lessons: Drinking & Driving

2010-06-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

This morning while driving to Jena's to play, and I was sipping on a sweet protein shake, when Paige let me in on some information.

Paige: "Moooooooooooom, your gonna go to jail."

(Insert that special Oooooooohhhhhhh-I'm-Teeeeeelllllllling tone here.)
Mom: "Uh....why is that??"

(Spoken with genuine concern, I don't wanna go to jail. What was I doing? I thought I was obeying all traffic laws....seatbelts-check.....stoping on red-check......)

Paige: "Your drinking and driving! That's illegal."

(Said with the I'm-Five-And-I-Know-More-Than-You tone.)

Mom: "Paige, your not allowed to drink alcohol and drive...."

(Complete confusion on how to explain this one)

Paige: (Silence)

Mom: "Alcohol is...........like..........beer."

(I used beer for lack of another term. I know she doesn't know what liquor is, we don't drink at home.)

Paige: "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

(Insert the Wow-I-Thought-I-Knew-Everything-But-Perhaps-I-Was-Wrong tone here.)

Cute huh?

All About Daddy.

2010-06-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Little to well known facts about the man we love the most around these parts.

1. He has an obsession with cars. (Of course you know this) Yet, I don't think you understand how deep this obsession runs. Until you live with him, you can't know.

2. He does what he wants, when he wants. Sometimes I think we are just along for the ride.

3. He's the fun one. Yep. Hard to believe, I know.

4. He lives and breathes projects. Which is a good thing. Usually.

5. He loves me when no ones looking. If you know us, you won't believe this.

6. He does an amazing front/back flip on the tramp. When he's not about to break his neck anyway.

7. He's the funniest man I know.

8.He can accomplish a large amount of anything in a very short period of time. This stems from his unusual ability to procrastinate until the very last moment, then he becomes obsessed with finishing whatever it may be.

9. He doesn't know what NO means.

10. But mostly, he adores his girls. AND I MEAN IT. He truly is the best Dad in the world for our children. He plays, teaches, disciplines, and mostly loves them both dearly. We are the luckiest girls to have such a great Daddy around. ♥

For more awesome pictures from Father's Day check out my Facebook!

You Know It's Time To Potty Train When.....

2010-06-14T13:16:00.001-07:00

You find diapers all over the house, and a nakie butt running around because your daughter doesn't want to wear them anymore.

But mostly cause your child brings you at least two poopy diapers per day.

(And by bring I mean hand delivered.)

Yuck.

P.S. Wish us luck. Because thanks to Paige's new favorite movie Look Who's Talking Too, my little cupcake is deathly afraid of Mr. Toilet Man. She won't wear her diapers, but she afraid of getting her tush bit off. Bad combo.

A New Heart

2010-06-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight ater bathtime we had a bit of a challenge with the oldest daughter. She is sweet as pie and sour as........well.......something really sour.

Daddy and I were trying to get everyone ready for bed and she was having a hard time listening and following directions.

That's when I learned that it's all from the heart.

Daddy : " I love you to death Paigey, but you really need to work on your attitude."

Paigey : " Well it's because I need a new heart!"

Mommy : " Uh.....why do you need a new heart?"

Paigey : "Cause this one is always telling me to do naughty things!!"

Awesome.

Life Lessons: Pride

2010-06-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

The following conversation happened randomly while watching Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (the OG) last night..

"Mom. Do you know why I'm proud of you?"

"No.......why?"

"Cause you went back to college."

"Awww........... Thank you Paige!"

I Don't Know If You Know.........

2010-06-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

But I do this too. Right now it's just a collection of quotes I happen to find amazing. But someday I hope to find the courage to post my own stories, quotes, etc.

Someday.

Life Lessons: Cause & Effect

2010-06-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

Doing this all day:
(with no nap to speak of)

Leads to this :

(Ha ha)

Chores and Punctuation.

2010-04-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

This evening while discussing the possibility of earning her own money, Paige agreed to start doing daily chores.

So after dinner we all sat down as a family and brainstormed.

We came up with a chore list. Or, Paige did. But we agreed to it.

While writing down above mentioned chore list I realized my daughter is receiving quite the education in her kindergarten class.

First of all she made me label the paper with ~Chores~. Which I thought was just cute.

After the list was completed, I explained that the list was a preliminary one and I would re-do it to make it look all spiffy. But even knowing this, Paige insisted that I use proper punctuation.

You see when I wrote the list it looked like this.

~Chores~
Clean Paiges room
Pick up the toys in the living room
Clean Lillies room

But Little Miss Smarty Pants insisted that I put commas (apostrophes) on Paige and Lillie. To make Paige's and Lillie's. I have to admit I was a little shocked. I had no idea that my 5 year old knew anything about punctuation.

Now I know that she said comma instead of apostrophe, but I think we can let that slide. The fact that she knew the correct placement and that something belonged there in general is pretty awesome to me.

Pretty awesome indeed.

Solutions.

2010-04-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

I think we have a solution to the problem we call "Lillian".

(I kid. I do love her you know.)

We put her to bed in our usual way, but instead of keeping her confined to her room all night, we let go.

We don't close the door.

We don't have the baby gate up anymore.

We just let her be.

Our house is pretty much baby proof anyway. The kitchen (which is, to me, the most dangerous place in any house) is gated off, so she's relatively safe.

Besides, when she does wake up, which she always does, she just comes and gets me. No more screaming in her room for hours..........just a nice calm "Mommy" in my ear to wake me.

I prefer this method.

Although I was pretty anti roaming-baby-all-night for the last year, I have come to realize she really isn't that interested in roaming the house causing trouble. She'd much rather just know she's not stuck alone in her room.

After all who would wanna be stuck in one room for 11 hours?!

This all sounds like common sense now, but two years of sleep deprivation can make you a little loopy.

P.S.

She still isn't sleeping through the night, but at least she isn't waking up the entire house. Maybe the sleeping part will come on it's own?

A girl can dream can't she?

Well I guess she can't if she doesn't get any sleep..........

Moving Update.

2010-04-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

Well.....................

THAT sure blew up in my face.

I didn't get her to sleep until 3 a.m. (Seriously. No joke.)

Back to square one. (Or her room.)

Eh..........sleep is overrated............

Moved.

2010-04-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

The television didn't work out as planned.....

On to plan one thousand four hundred and eighty six............

We've moved her back into our room.............

A year and a half since she's been in there..........but at this point ANYTHING is worth a good nights rest.

ANYTHING.

She can't wake up crying for me if I'm in the room now can she?

Can she???

I hope not..............

This Week......So Far.

2010-04-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

My car took a poop.

Fixed itself.

Then took yet another poop.

So yippee for my birthday present! A new transmission! Hooray!

(Did you like the birthday hint? Very strategically placed I know.)

My youngest child decided (yet again) sleep is just "not her thing" and she'd prefer to just stay up all night and cry about it all day.

I love her.

I REALLY do, but come on! When (oh when!?) will I get to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time!??

Someday right?

So against everything I stand for (okay that might be a bit melodramatic)we gave her our television and DVD player.

Please Dora, babysit my 2 year old. Sing her to sleep. Lord knows she won't allow me to.

(As a side note, it's 8:15, a good 45 minutes after we put her to bed and she is still up, yelling for me.....Oh the joys of motherhood.)

On the upside, my laptop (which pooped out about 6 months ago) decided to randomly start working again. So at least one thing is working out for us.

Finally.

This is our week so far. And it's only Tuesday.....

Apology.

2010-04-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

I'm a bad blogger.

Blame it on my computer please.

I do.

For some reason whenever I try to upload any pictures it does this really neat trick and

BOOM!

it freezes.

It's pretty awesome.

Anywho,

I apologize to the few people who actually read this.

I'm working on fixing this sucker.

But by then the kids will be all grown and out of the house.....

..........so don't hold your breath..................

Two.

2010-03-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

Two years ago today we were blessed with this amazing little girl. I have truly loved you every moment. Happy birthday "Baybay Lil'"

Top Ten.

2010-02-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

Things I SHOULD be doing :

10 ~ Opening my new toy (Sweeping the floor with my new broom and dustpan)

9 ~ Dancing (Mopping)

8 ~ Shooting hoops (Tossing laundry into the washer)

7 ~ Making bubbles (Dishes)

6 ~ Coloring (Cleaning up all of the artwork on my desk)

5 ~ Playing dress-up (Finally going through the huge boxes of old baby clothes)

4 ~ Building a fort (Disposing of the boxes from the before-mentioned baby clothes)

3 ~ Bubble bath (Cleaning the bathrooms)

2 ~ Playing Secretary (Paying bills)

1 ~ Hide & Seek (Or doing none of the above.....Wait..........I AM doing that............)

Daddy Daughter Day

2010-01-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

Last week, Daddy met up with his friends and their little girl to take the baby to the Phoenix Children's Museum while Mommy was at work and Sister was in school. They had a blast! Here is the evidence to support my theory.

I Spoke Too Soon...........

2010-01-24T17:41:00.000-08:00

Do you remember the other day when I posted about Nick's little adventure in the mud? Well it seems I spoke a little too soon.....

We all have bad days.

Days when nothing seems to want to work out right.

For me it's usually the days when the kids are acting like a couple of lunatics, Daddy is working late, and I just want a little peace and quiet. For Nick though, it is always vehicle related. Pretty much always.

Last week he got his truck stuck in the mud in the middle of a rainy work-night (see previous post). I thought that story would be the end of the muddy adventures.

I was wrong.

He insisted on taking the truck out yet again last week with his friends. He managed to make it out of the mud but not without a few technical difficulties. So on Friday evening he spent the entire night working on the truck, taking branches out of the suspension, cleaning off the mud so he could get the truck in tip top shape for Saturday. Because the third time is the charm right?

Right.

Saturday comes.....as they do.....and off they go.

I must preface this with my explanation as to why I never go on these adventures in the mud. Mostly it's because Nick scares me. His driving is.....let's just say....unique. I have no desire to sit in the truck and see a never ending replay of my life flashing before my eyes while he has his fun. Nah, I'll just stay home. Thanks anyway. Plus, if God forbid something bad happens, we both can't get ourselves hurt!

Back to Saturday. Off they go. Four guys. Two trucks. One camera.

Now this is the part in my little tale where things get interesting. Thing is.......I wasn't there. I only know the aftermath. But it is my duty to do my best recounting the story, for historical reasons.

They were having a blast. They made their very own dirt course. Drifting the trucks going a good 35+mph. Getting good and muddy. They even made a new friend. Chasing each other around a light pole having a grand ol' time.

Until Cj had a little setback. He somehow managed to hit a bush. You wouldn't immediately think a bush could really do any damage...but of course it did. A branch pierced his radiator and it started leaking everywhere. So his driving for the day seemed to be over.

Seemed to be.

Being the good friend Nick is, he was taking the guys around in turns. But seeing how bummed Cj was about his truck Nick figured he'd let him have a go.

So he did.

Cj set off taking things a little slow. Gotta get the feel for the truck ya know? He didn't wanna drive it hard like he did his own. Very responsible.

That's when it happened.

He and Nick B. headed off to do a 180 around the light pole in 2nd gear when the front tire seemed to catch. It all happened so quickly no one really knows exactly how it happened.

Nick remembers talking and laughing with Chris about how much fun they were having, when they saw the truck suddenly roll. From the passenger side, hood, driver side and stopped. Of course they immediately ran to see if Cj and Nick B. were ok. All they could see was Cj getting out holding his head and Nick B. still dangling in the truck, not moving.

Thank goodness everyone was ok. Nick B. couldn't get out because of the position he was in, he couldn't reach the seat belt. Other than being quite shaken up, they were all ok.

That didn't stop someone in the nearby neighborhood from calling 911. Three ambulances, three police cars, one firetruck later I got my phone call.

I'm gonna be honest. I thought Nick did it. I thought he was covering it up because I always worry about something like this happening. But after seeing how distraught Cj was I knew it was him driving.

In the end the truck is pretty amazing. They managed to flip it back up, with the help of Seth's new truck and amazingly the thing drove home. After a few minor repairs that is.

That's not to say it looks pretty.

It looks pretty..............bad.

Those boys........I tell ya.....

Thank goodness everyone is ok.

That's all I have to say about that...........

Before :

During:

The Cause:
(Cj's newly pierced radiator)

After:

(Still buddies)

That Guy.

2010-01-22T13:10:00.001-08:00

Rain is a big deal around here.

But not for the reasons that one might assume.

Not because it's Arizona, which as all of you know, is a big fat desert. Not because of the amazing smell of rain. Or the fresh look the sky brings the morning after. Not even because of the little puddles in the yard that the girls jump in and out of.

It's the big puddles.

And it's not the girls who enjoy them so.

It's the dad.

He is like a little boy at the sign of rain.

So needless to say, this was bound to happen eventually.

Wednesday evening we were settling in to watch a movie when we realized we had no milk for breakfast in the morning. Being so wonderful, Nick offered to go. As I showered 45 minutes after he had left, I started wondering what store he could have possibly gone to.....they are all within 5 minutes from our house.

That's when my phone rang.

The call of the rain hadn't gone unnoticed. The nearby "Turtle" mountain was just to inviting to pass by.

He figured he had time.

He figured he could drive through a few puddles in the storm and get his "fix" until the weekend when the puddles were ready and willing to be splashed in.

He figured that since he had gone through so many tonight, that just one more wouldn't hurt.

He figured wrong.

I got a call my impatient boyfriend was "That Guy".

You know the one.

See's the huge lake in the road/off the road/wherever there is water that can be driven into and thinks to himself, "Self, I think we can take this one. It's not that big/deep."

Cut to : the evening news where you see him standing on top of his vehicle while the fire department sends a rescue team out to save him.

Embarrassing.

Luckily for us his rescue team consisted of his amazing mother who picked him up in the desert at 10:30 on a work night, and his best buddy C.J. who happen to notice a truck that looked strikingly similar to Nick's while out 4-wheeling the next morning.....

I am glad it all worked out.

But mostly I am glad he didn't make it onto the evening news.

Because I Wanted To Break Into The Hundreds.

2010-01-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

I officially broke into the hundreds. This marks post 100 for this blog. I'm patting myself on the back as we speak.

But mostly the reason for this post is simple.

I ♥ these two.

And it must be said.

Again.

Happy New Years & My Daughter Is Awesome.

2010-01-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!!!!!

There.

Now that that is taken care of.........

My daughter is awesome. She is doing even better in school than last semester (how is that even possible??!! Well....somehow....it is.) She got another big fat A in every subject. Not to mention she is making excellent progress in class, makes friends easily, and is well-liked by classmates. Oh let's not forget about Honor Roll again......and awards galore! We are so proud of her.

♥I can't help but brag. ♥

Christmas Time.

2009-12-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

The girls had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you everyone!!! Here are a few highlights from our Christmas this year.
Be prepared for way too many pictures......

Christmas Eve morning we let the girls open some gifts. Thanks Uncle TJ!

Lil's face is AMAZING.

I love this expression (she has done this face since she was a weee baby!)

To Grandma's house we go to listen for Santa..........
And open gifts!
Home to watch the Christmas Parade and leave some cookies and milk for the man in the red suit.
Gotta taste it to make sure it's good.....

Christmas Morning. Thank you Grandma & Grandpa Schnell for the wagon!!!

There is always time to read a good book.

Mommy opening Paige's gifts she bought all by herself! I got a ring, picture, and a glass teddy bear that says "Mom"!
Daddy got a Speed Racer tire guage and a back scratcher!

Off to Aunt Jeanie's to see Grandpa John and even more gifts!

Gotta ride Grandpa's toy!

Who's The Boss?

2009-12-15T15:53:00.000-08:00

Not me I guess. See Paige's story below for the proof that I'm not the one pulling the strings around here.....

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Paige. Her dad told her to go to the beach because it was her special day. Her grandma was there. Then her grandma left her all by herself and she didn’t follow directions from her dad. She did what her grandma told her to do. Her grandma told her to color so she colored. Her grandma told her to drink a lot of drinks. Then Paige had to go to the bathroom and her grandma told her to do that. Then she is going to bed. Good night!!!

The end.

Isn't she a smarty pants?! She wrote that all by herself....I typed of course. ♥

The Little Moments.

2009-12-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

This morning at about 6:00 a.m., like many mornings before it, I awoke to the sound of my little girl asking me if she could go sit at my desk and color.

Of course, sleep being my favorite pastime, I agreed.

I always do.

She is quite the little smarty pants.

Not a moment goes by without a question of, "What does __ number plus __number equal"

Last night we even got a fraction. "What does 4 over 5 plus 6 over 7 equal?"

But mostly we get," How do you spell __________"

Those being a few of the questions in her never ending quest for knowledge.

I am grateful.

Yet this morning, half asleep, I can only remember " Mommy, how do you spell AND?"

"Paige can't this wait until I wake up? This isn't the best time to ask me how to spell.......It's A-N-D. Ok? Please wait until I am out of bed next time, I'm half asleep."

I didn't give my words much thought.

For all I knew I was dreaming.

Yet.....tonight as I got ready to go lie in bed and read my book, I noticed a piece of paper folded up on my nightstand.

I opened it.

She spelled it all perfectly.

Well.........everything looks perfect in my eyes.

P.S. I decided to leave her a little note for when she wakes up. I hope it makes her heart as happy as she does mine....and a little Hershey kiss won't hurt either. ♥

Soft.

2009-12-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

"Mom? Do you know why I love you so much?"

"Why?"

"Cause your soft."

"Thank you Paige.........I think?"

I don't want to be soft anymore.

I mean, yes it's nice to be cuddly and warm.

Especially in the winter.....but I think I'm good.

I tried it on for a few years.....I'm ready to be.......... un-soft again.

Like I used to be.

You know, pre-babies.

But I am thankful that my family loves me soft

not.

♥

Getting Ready.

2009-12-07T12:37:00.001-08:00

Last night we got ready for jolly Ol' Saint Nick.

We can't wait.......

Cut. It. Out!

2009-11-20T18:44:00.000-08:00

My daughter has the unique ability to listen and follow directions.

Only.....not from adults or any type of authority.

She prefers the directions from her peers.

Because really, isn't it more fun that way?

Today, she missed out on a huge Thanksgiving celebration in class. She thought she would listen to __________ (insert classmates name) instead. He told her to cut her hair instead. Cause that is so much more fun than activities and pie...... So right there, in class, she gave herself some "layers", if you will. Looks fantastic. If you like that one-inch-bang-chopped-randomly-all-over kinda look. Which unfortunately for her.......I don't. When we got home and we had a little chat about her new do, I asked her why she did it. "Cause mom," she whispered " I get a little crazy sometimes." Wow. Right on Paige. Right on.

The culprit.

On a side note...I got her progress report. An overall 98%. So really. How mad can I be? She may look crazy but she is still learning something. ♥

"Mommy!"

2009-11-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

"Mommy!!!!!"

"What Lil?"

"Paige!!!"

"Paige did what Lil?"

"Meeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn!"

"Paige is being mean to you Lil?"

"Yeah."

Awwwwww. The first of "tattle" from the baby. How sweet. ♥

Happy Birthday Daddy.

2009-11-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

♥ Happy Birthday Daddy. We love you. ♥

"My New Best Friend"

2009-11-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

"Odin is my new best friend."

"Oh, really? That's cool!"

"Do you know why he's my friend?"

"Why?"

"Cause today on the playground I told him he was cute. He is my new best friend cause he's cute."

"Wow............ Awesome?!"

Patting My Own Back.

2009-11-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

I am proud of myself.

Yesterday afternoon while feeling a little sorry for the loss of my "old" self and the things I used to do, I suddenly got some inspiration. I was mourning the loss of my younger days. The ones where I could read books. I could sit and write in my journals for hours. I could sleep. (But sleep is another post altogether.)

This one is about my eureka moment.

Finally.

After having my girls, I have been somewhat lost in being a mother. Which isn't all that bad. But sometimes I wish I had time to do some of the other things that I really love. Read more. Write more. Writing is something I never expected to ever get thrown to the wayside in my younger years. Still you will never see me without a journal and a good pen by my side. I set a goal at a very young age that I would somehow, someway, publish three books in my lifetime.

Yet, all I seem to be able to do is write quotes or blurbs for the books.

Most times I feel restricted by my own mind.

I have the stories. I have the characters. I just need to learn how to put it all down on paper. Maybe I have set my goals to high. Expecting myself to just sit down and write a 600 page novel might be a little out of my reach.

For now.

But last night, when the kids were fast asleep, Nick gone out riding, I finally did it. The ideas had been brewing in my noggin.

To the point of me jumping out mid-shower just to write them down.

So I finally sat down and began to write.

I think I am finally onto something here.

Can't wait to see where this goes.....

All Hallow's Eve.

2009-11-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

(Mom & Dad getting ready for our night out.)

Hope you all had a great Halloween. We did.

It's An Honor.

2009-10-27T15:59:00.001-07:00

My little one is growing up.

I will soon have a sticker on my car.

I vowed not to be that mom.

But.........I get it now. ♥

October. In Pictures. So Far.

2009-10-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

A Day At The Park

Schnepf 's Farm

(Notice that Paige and Jenna are in the front car!!!)

Knotty Paige.

2009-10-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

My daughter is obsessed. She feels the urge to constantly tie anything tie-able to something untie-able.

Example 1 - All shoe laces are triple tied.

Example 2 - All long, bendable fabrics are tied to something. Usually that something is a chair, toy train, stuffed animal, or possibly some body part.

Example 3 - Recently she decided to tie her and Lillie's hampers together using a frilly purple scarf. That was not enough. She then tied them both to our entertainment unit using my headband.

Basically it's a pain. I spend half of my cleaning time, untying something. Makes for a unusual pastime.....don't you think?

Well, Hello Again.

2009-10-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

Things have been quite interesting around these parts for the last month or so.

We were plagued by a never ending sickness.

It all started September 5th 2009. We woke to a sick baby who had no voice at all. I mean that. None. So sad. About a week or so of sad Lil and finally she started feeling better.

That's when it happened. I got sick. Me. I don't usually get sick, and if you recall from an earlier post I am a complete mess when I'm sick. Call in the Wambulance. That lasted about a week as well.

Next comes the Lil. She managed somehow to get sick yet again. My heart went out to her, poor thing.

Now comes Paige. We woke on Saturday morn at 4:00a.m. to a feverish little girl. She was sick. Got better. Got sick again. All in about a week and a half. It was awesome.

Just when I had sanitized everything I imagined my children could possibly get a germ on (so everything in this house) it happened. Lillie got sick. Yes. Again. This time much worse. She is still recovering. Actually, so is Paige.

In the meantime, Nick said he wasn't feeling well. On the verge of running away, I insisted he take a million vitamins and please don't mention being sick to me again. What I don't know won't hurt me right? There was no way I was taking care of yet ANOTHER sicko. I'm only one woman you know?

The other great thing that happened was while in between sicknesses, Lil managed to get two nasty bites. One was a spider (I think) and it was gross. The other bit her eye and made it swell shut. Thank goodness for Benadryl. I was already on the verge of a mental breakdown, a bitten up baby was all I needed to take the leap into the abyss.

Things are looking up now. Kids are recovering. Nick is not sick (least I don't think he is...) And I am finally getting a chance to relax and blog my life away. Life is nice. Hopefully we can all stay healthy and sane.

Well......let's at least shoot for healthy.....

Progress Report.

2009-09-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Paige got her first progress report.

She got a big fat

Good job Tator. I ♥ you.

What A Difference A Sticker Makes.

2009-09-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten is rough. You have to sit in a tiny little chair, color, write, listen, play, and even learn all day long. Kindergarten is not exactly what I remember from my youth. I recall talking to my friends about Cookie Monster accidentally mistaking the letter C for a cookie and gobbling it up that morning on Sesame Street. Bringing home my giant J book at the end of the week to show my parents how I could identify, sound out, and possibly even write the letter of the week. Painting. Playing with the blocks. Singing songs about wheels and buses and all that jazz. Kindergarten is more like 3rd grade nowadays. My mini-me comes home with work I can't imagine she could actually do. Surprise. She does it. She does it with ease. When can you recall having to learn how to write letters, numbers, add, draw, identify : first;last;middle;second;third etc., color-code, identify : left;right, connect-the-dots, read sight words, and much more all in one evening of homework. Most of which in one single assignment? How can her little brain contain that information!? But she is doing so well. No complaints. Academically that is.

Two weeks ago I was embarrassed of my parenting skills. Or.......lack-there-of. This was the first of many times, I assume.

My little Tator never went to pre-school. "She's smart. She doesn't need it." I ate those words so fast, Cookie Monster would be proud. Let me warn all of you "newish" moms out there. If your child has never been in school, please, please, please put them in pre-school. Your welcome. Luckily, I learned that it's not about how smart my child is. It's about the social interaction/awareness. Or......lack-there-of. As many friends as my little one had prior to class, nothing could have prepared her for the excitement of having 29 little lemmings to perform for. I have a star on my hands. Brittney eat your heart out. Little Miss Popular is a little too popular. To spare my child's future embarrassment,(as I am sure she will read this someday, most likely sooner than I had originally planned; see 1st paragraph) I will not go into too much detail about her first few weeks of school. Although I must say I was extremely shocked by seeing a sudden increase in the reds, and yellows on her behavior chart. She was being such an angel at home since school started. More willing to help, so sweet with the Lil, even missing and loving on the mommy and daddy. How could she be acting up at school!? I suppose all her "sour" energy was depleted by 2:50 so by the time that she was home only "sweet" was left. Adjustment is the worst. So many kids to play with, show off for, who wants to sit still and work? But luckily for me she has a great teacher. I would imagine you would have to be crazy to want to teach a bunch of 5 year old's all day long. God bless teachers. But as crazy as she must be, she is very sweet. And understanding. I don't know what I'm doing after all. When I had Paige I didn't see past her turning one. Then two. Then three. Then four. Now, at five....I'm lost. I didn't expect these days to ever come. I sometimes feel like a fish out of water with this whole "parenting" thing. Ooopsie got a little sidetracked ahem....So me and the "teach" came up with an ingenious plan to get my little "red-light/yellow-light" munchkin back on track. God bless stickers. A sticker chart. Who'da thunked it? It has truly been a blessing. She eats now. She gets all green lights. She cleans up her toys. It's ahhh mazing. Sticker charts, where have you been all my life!?

Now I know. Chalk it all up to the experience. Lil -you will be in pre-school. You will use charts and stickers. You will. Thanks Paige. You taught me a valuable lesson. I ♥ you.

Our New House.

2009-09-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

We had a full four-day weekend. Paint was finished (finally!). Garage was cleaned. Bins were organized. Boxes were emptied. I finally feel like this home is almost finished. While I was doing who-knows-what in the kitchen, Daddy was hard at work with some of the leftover, empty boxes. What's better than the recycling? Our girls. They adored Daddy's hard work. A new house, complete with a door and two windows. They even decorated the inside and out. Heck, I even tried it out. Thanks Daddy. We ♥ you.

Workin' Lil.

2009-09-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

I was working from home yesterday.
Lillie likes to copy everything.
So when I came out of the kitchen.....wa la!
There she was.
Clicking around on the mouse like she was working hard on that budget.
Work it out Lil.

Notice all the random items on my desk....Lillie likes to bring me almost anything she get's her little fingers on. That's why I have lotion, ice packs, a dog, a devil tail, and a water bottle. I try not to make it a habit to have a messy desk....but it happens.

Crazy Hair. Crazy Socks.

2009-08-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Paige has the pleasure of experiencing her first Spirit Week at school this week.

Today was : Crazy Hair & Crazy Sock Day!!!

Enjoy.

Photographer Lil.

2009-08-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

My Lil found the camera.

She is the newest photographer to hit the scene.
Enjoy.

Lil.

Crazy Lil.

(Can you deny the awesomeness that is her hair? I submit that you can not.)

Mommy on the phone.

The Desk.

The First Day of School.

2009-08-12T09:39:00.001-07:00

It's finally come. Kindergarten. My little girl is growing up!

Today I woke up earlier than my children. That is a first. The alarm helped though. But I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time. I woke the girls and Paige was so happy and excited! She even ate her breakfast without to much coaxing. That, in itself, is a small miracle. She looked so cute and grown up in the new outfit that she picked herself!

Me and Lillie walked her to class today. We met her teacher outside, where I told her she should go talk to her and ask her any questions, if she had any. But she said, " But I have no words." I said she would think of something. Luckily her teacher was really sweet and thought of plenty of things to ask. Afterword,we walked to the playground, which was packed with kids and parents, so she was a little apprehensive about playing. Lil, on the other hand, wanted to go play! But in the end we all waited patiently until the bell rang.

I walked her to class where she got in line with all the other girls. I have to mention she is by far the smallest in her class. Well, there is one other little girl who looks a lot like her (same hair and stuff) who might be about the same size. She did so great, everyone!! She didn't cry, despite the fact that half of the other little girls were totally loosing it!! But the boys all seemed happy to be there! I watched my little, tiny kindergartner walk into class where she'll remain for the next 12 years!

You will be happy to know, I held my composure for about a whole entire minute after she walked into class. I cried. Of course I cried. I'm a mom. It's what we do. Well, at least it's what I do.

P.S.
She had a wonderful first day! She was so happy when I drove up and saw her sitting so patiently waiting for me. She told me how she had made new friends, and even showed me a little girl who was her new friend that she wanted to come over sometime and play! Her homework for the night is to find things that explain her, and to put them in a little brown lunch bag. How cute is that!? I am so proud that I have raised such a sweet, reasonably well-behaved little lady. I can't wait to see what she'll do next!!

Ed Word.

2009-08-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

A sentencing trial has been set for my buddy. The judge asked that his friends and family write letters expressing how they feel about the 25 to life Chad Coker is facing.(And the 25 more for kidnapping the woman previous to the murder). I felt very strongly that I should do this. I wanted the judge to know he is not just another case number. He is a real person. He will always be remembered. His ex-wife was brave enough to post his eldest daughters letter to the judge. It truely is heartwrenching. I have never felt so lucky to have known those beautiful, intelligent little girls. I fought with myself about posting this letter. In the end I feel somewhat....relieved....even grateful. Over a year now I have lived, waiting for some closure. Maybe that will never come. But what I do have is the ability to speak on his and his childrens behalf. It's the least I can do. I KNOW he would do that for me. He was arguably one of the most amazing people I have been lucky enough to have in my life. He will not soon be forgotten.

"But you will get over their death, although you don't believe it now. Know why? Because you knew him alive. Memories of life and living always win. You knew him dead for one terrible night but you knew him alive for a decade. Death is strong and has a viciously powerful hold for a while, but life is constant and insistent. It refuses to let go or be pushed back. When his death has eventually stopped bullying your memories, life will shove it aside and say, "Give me my place again. You have had your time in the spotlight but it is over. Go to the background where you know you belong."

Judge Lamb,

William Edward Westover was my best friend. He was everything to so many people. His three daughters, Brianna, Tatum, and Alyssa were his life. He lived and breathed for them. His family and his friends meant everything to him. He was always there when we needed him, with a shoulder to cry on, or a joke to make you smile. He would do anything for anyone, no questions asked. The most intelligent man I have ever met, along with the most dangerous and silly. He did anything to make you smile. Even if it meant doing something dangerous or embarrassing. My life is empty without him. His girls’ lives are forever damaged. He was so much more than I can express on paper. No life can be summed up in print. Our actions are what make us who we are and what people will remember. His will live forever in the hearts of those who knew him. His life was taken, not lost. Chad Coker is responsible for murdering my best friend. He made a conscious decision to take his life. He has no regard for the most precious thing in this world. Life. His life may be altered, but his heart still beats. His children may still see their father. Brianna, Tatum, and Alyssa will never again set eyes on their father. Never hear his voice. Never get to share the memories he should have had with them. They will never forget the day Chad Coker took away their daddy. I will never forget the day my best friend didn’t answer my call. So many of us are scarred by the carelessness of one horrible man. I believe in justice. I believe something must be learned from this. Chad Coker deserves to spend his life in prison. He deserves the maximum penalty. His sentences should be served consecutively. Life is about the choices we make. Ed made the choice to walk a woman home. He did not make the choice to die. Chad Coker made that choice. He made the choice to murder my best friend and run away. He felt no guilt when he ran. Nothing he can say can justify murder. Ed was the definition of innocent. He did nothing to deserve losing his life. Please, judge this man by his acts. He is a murderer. A kidnapper. An addict. Do not let him commit another crime. He does not deserve the freedoms of society. He should be locked away and he must pay for the crimes he has committed. To know Ed better please read his blogs on his MySpace. Read his friends comments. See him as the man we cherished. William Edward Westover was a real person. He was everything to us.

Jessica Dawson

Little.

2009-08-10T15:56:00.001-07:00

We have new family member. His name is Little.

The details on Little are:

He lives up to his name.
He is antisocial.
He stays up all night.
He seems to like the girls.
He doesn't say much.
He (surprisingly) doesn't stink.

He's my kinda guy.

Yet, girls seem to love him.

Here's to a long happy life Little. Hope you like it here.

Happy 5th Birthday Paige!

2009-08-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone who made Paige's 5th birthday party one to remember! She is so thankful and we appreciate everyone who made it, and those who sent cards and well wishes!

Please excuse the laziness of not arranging the photos in chronological order. I'm sleepy. : )

Last Night.

2009-07-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Last night the baby cried. What's new? She cried. I pretended to imagine it was only temporary, but in the end my motherly instincts couldn't bear it. I had to do something. Up I went. First things first though. I had to go potty. It was 3:00 possibly 4:00 in the morning after all. In my sleep deprived state, (a state that never ceases or ceases to amaze me) I didn't put on my glasses. Once seated, (I won't bore you with the details, I'm sure you know how this part works) I glanced down just in time to see something scurry over my toes. Needless to say in my sleepy and blinded state, I freaked out! I squinted best I could, and there it was....a scorpion!! And not a teeny tiny one! Large and in charge! And what fast little bugger too. Of course I did what any self respecting woman in my position would do.....wake up the man to dispose of the little creature. Although killing is not condoned in my household, I wanted to torture the thing and make a spectacle of him so any future intruders might take heed. So the groggy and not so happy Daddy came to my rescue. What a man. When I pointed out that he in fact was the same identical color as our tile and ran behind the toilet, Nick was not so pleased. Who wants to crawl, half asleep, behind a toilet to find a deadly animal anyway? Not me. Obviously. Out the little dude ran......only for Nick to very quietly (and for the circumstances very sweetly) explain that he was indeed a lizard. Not the notoriously dangerous scorpion I am always dreading. Just a cute little baby lizard. In my defense, I was blind, and he was the same color as any other scorpion I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyeballs on. Plus he had little stripes on his tail that I mistakenly identified as a stinger. Sounds ridiculous now. But I still don't believe it was a lizard. Even knowing that we watch them roaming our backyard daily. I say he's a shape-shifter.

P.S. I did eventually make it into the girls room to do my motherly duties. Explaining to Paige what took me so long, and again begging Lillie to "please, please, please, sleep!" It'll happen.

Someday.....

This City.

2009-07-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

"We built this city!"

"We built this city on rock n roll!!!!"

Paige's new favorite song. Thanks Grandma!

Dress Up.

2009-07-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

Last week while waiting for Daddy to come home we played a little dress up. I was the snow queen....

Wearing my princess high heels.....

Paige was....well....uh...ahem....I don't know. But let me explain the outfit. First she put on her pink long sleeved leotard. Layered that with a yellow 0-3 month onsie, added some 2T capri's, topped it off with a belt, and finished with her white glitter shoes. Interesting. Very interesting.....

I can't wait to play again.

What A Day.

2009-07-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

Today started hectic. Door bell ringing at 4:45 this morning. Two alarms going off about one minute later....you know....the "norm".

Well not really.

Daddy had yet another hernia surgery today. So we spent a good 7 hours at the hospital getting him all fixed up. He is doing great. He is sore, but hasn't needed any pain meds. Good for him. Now if only we could get rid of his horrible nausea....but this too shall pass. I am just praying for the first 24 hours to be over and done, and hopefully he will be good as new...well...close anyway. I hate seeing people I love so fragile. Makes me feel so helpless when there is nothing I can do to make it better. But like I said he is a tough cookie. Hasn't complained.

I love that man.

And oh the girls. The girls are so good to him. They keep going in and checking on him and giving him kisses and love. What sweet children I am blessed with.

So with that I'm signing off. I'm sure I won't remember writing this because I'm delirious with exhaustion....but hey, it's my job.

Fourth of July - Condensed.

2009-07-06T21:06:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of spending Fourth of July with both of my children. Phooey. No fair. Tator Tot did however have the pleasure of spending it with her grandparents,aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins. Perhaps even a dad. From what I understand she was nice and "wound" and had a blast! The way she tells it, it was obviously fabulous to see everyone and the fireworks were the best.

Regardless, I was bummed. Lil is just not really up to "Firework Age". She could care less and would rather sleep....or is it I would rather her sleep? Tomato. Tomato. (Wow, that phrase doesn't work when written...insert a long A sound for the second of course. Maybe a short A for the first if your so inclined.) In short, with Daddy's insistence, Debbie Nama made her weekly pilgrimage to our home (now located in Mesa!) to hang with the Lil while we went and braved the crowds of Tempe. Fun, we did have. Staying up late regardless, Lillie did too.(Yoda I must be as well.....)

Moral being we had a lot of making up to do. Luckily Daddy was off today and we had a day to do it in. The story of our day is here for your visual enjoyment. Enjoy it. We did.

Start with a few snow cones....

Don't forget to buy a new play pool to spend the remaining summer days in!

The end.

The Song.

2009-07-01T13:52:00.001-07:00

The following is the song I have to announce ten times daily. The announcement is as follows.....

"Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. I am pleased to present the amazing Paige Madison!!! Ready. Set. GO!"

On cue the performer begins.............

"I love my mom!

I love my dad!

I don't know what I'm gonna do with em!!

My mom's the bomb!

My dad is rad!

I don't know what I'm gonna do with em!!!"

Repeat fifty five and a half times daily and enjoy!

Today I Was A "Great" Mom.

2009-06-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

"Your breaking my heart!!!"

Gosh, my daughter sure knows how to make a girl feel special.

This Weeks Goal.

2009-06-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

De-clutter-ize.

Words of wisdom by Jessica Dawson:

When moving, get rid of all your unwanted, unneeded, unnecessary junk PRIOR to the move. Heed this warning or else you might just end up like me.

Happy Daddy Day.

2009-06-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to appreciate all of the father's that have touched our lives. You are all such amazing men and we love you all very much.

*Daddy
Of course you are first! You are the most important daddy in our lives. I love watching you when you don't know I am looking. The way you treat our children equally and make them feel so special is amazing to me. You are a wonderful father to our children and I am glad we get to share our lives together and watch our girls grow.

*Papa Mike
Your always so excited to see the girls and they love visiting! They love you and we appreciate everything you do!

*Grandpa Leon
The girls are so lucky to have you. You always make them laugh and they love you so much!

*Papa John
Even though your far away the girls love you and Paige talks about her Papa John all the time! Love you dad!

*Opa
Sometimes a grandfather can make an impact on a child even only being there for a short while. Paige misses you and talks about you all the time and we love you.

*Grandpa Schnell
Again a grandpa in our lives who is not nearby but we love you none the less!

*Uncle Robert
Even though you only were around a short while when Paige was young I know you enjoyed her and couldn't wait to be a grandpa! You are now, and Lyla is a beauty! She looks just like you! We all miss you more than words can say and I am so glad to have had you in my life as a dad. You will always be in our hearts and Lyla will always know her Grandpa loved her even before she was born.

*Ed
Although your not around either, you have made such an impact on my life as a dad. You were amazed by your girls and loved them all dearly. Your girls are growing up beautifully and we all miss you terribly. I will never forget you as a father and a friend.

Moving.

2009-06-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my recent sabbatical from blogging it up. Life has been hectic, to say the least. We moved! We are so excited for our new beginning across from our old high school. Aww, memories. We are still in the process of unpacking, although I would say the packing was worse. Still worse is the fact that the old house is not completely empty just yet....oh well. We are doing our best! The girls LOVE the new house. Let me just list a few of our favorite features.

Grass! Yes! The kind that is actually living! No way, you argue. Way. I swear it.

Hardwood floors! Ah, no more carpet stains on my living room floor. Sweet.

R.V. gate! Yay for Daddy and his twenty vehicles!

Storage galore!
Playroom! Need I say more?
Big grassy front and back yards! Can it get any better? I submit that it can not!

Porch swing! Nothing cuter than that.
Re-decorating!!!! Every room!!! Hooray!!! Can't wait to show you all the finished product, especially the girls room. I envision it shall be gorgeous!

There are many more perks, but I will save you the boredom of me listing every single detail. Hooray for new houses!!!

Firsts.

2009-05-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

We had a very productive day with "first times". Let me elaborate....

We are moving and I found my first GIANT wolf spider in a box given to me courtesy of my aunt and uncle. Thank you.
I finally broke down and went grocery shopping today, only to realize halfway through the check out, I didn't have my card. That is a first. Hopefully, since it was so embarrassing, a last as well.
Lillie brushed her new molars with her first toothbrush. Well, I helped.
Finally. Paige is having her first slumber party at my aunt and uncle's house with my adorable cousin Victoria. I am a nervous wreck, but was assured they have done their fair share of raising the four kids they have...so in other words, I should shut it and not to fret. Besides, Tori is as cute as pie and no matter how fun our slumber parties are at home....she is seven or quite possibly eight... Therefore much cooler than me. Can't argue with that....

Fear.

2009-05-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid. I'm afraid of everything. I mean EVERYTHING. But let's all focus on my fear of the day. Dentists. Not really for the drilling, spitting, and scraping....more for the shots. Not even really the shot itself. The medicine. Let's get right down to the heart of things. The medication. I won't even take NyQuil. Yeah. That bad. If it can't be cured by Tylenol or Aspirin, it better not happen to me. Until now. I have a toothache. And I mean TOOTHACHE. Constant and unrelenting since last Thursday. Well, that is what happens when you are afraid of the dentist. Things get neglected. I tried my best for years. I brush twice daily (or more when I can), floss, rinse with mouthwash (ahh fresh...). No good. I had children. I broke two teeth. Count em. Two. Dos. Ouch. Well the second has come to haunt me. I have been in so much pain for the last 6 days. I finally gave in and went to the dentist. He was amazing. Everyone was so understanding of my fear. But they can't fix it until next Wednesday. Stupid insurance. Guess I need an approval....no fun. So until then, guess I pray. Pray for some relief. It must come, right?

Getting Ready.

2009-05-12T20:18:00.000-07:00

Paige is officially a kindergartener. Yes. We registered today. She got into an amazing school that is well known for it's gifted students. I always knew she was Ms. Smarty Pants! Lord have mercy. I am the mom of a kindergartener....

Happy Mommy Day.

2009-05-10T12:07:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there. You have all influenced me in some way and I wanted to send all our love to you on your day. Thank you for everything you do!

Don't Press My Buttons.

2009-05-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have very unique children.

I mean that.

Lillie has suddenly developed a totally irrational fear.

Omphalophobia.

The fear of.............BELLY BUTTONS! Yes, you read that right. Now you may scratch your head in confusion. I am.

It started strangely enough when she decided to pull up my shirt and check out my "mommy-tummy". ( You know the kind girls. Two beautiful little girls later, my tummy isn't as "cute" or "tight" as it was 6 years ago....)

She started freaking out. Crying. Pulling my shirt down. All that jazz.

I should be horribly offended by my child's obvious repulsion to the belly that made her who she is today. But instead of crying, I laughed. I took her cute little hand and tried to have her touch it and said, "Belly button. This is a belly button, Lil." She would have NONE of that. More pulling away. More painful face. Like it actually hurt her to look at it!

Fast forward a day or so. I decided to see if this was a freak occurrence. Oh no. It was not. Well, maybe it is just mine that she despises. Nope. She won't even look at or touch her own. I tried. I took pictures of me trying to convince her they are just a button. On the belly. Nothing horrible. But she is convinced. Something in her one-year-old brain says "Stay away from those freaky holes! Don't even touch!"

Strange.

But unique.

Well unique is her middle name.

Getting Over You.

2009-05-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

"But you will get over their death, although you don't believe it now. Know why? Because you knew him alive. Memories of life and living always win. You knew him dead for one terrible night but you knew him alive for a decade. Death is strong and has a viciously powerful hold for a while, but life is constant and insistent. It refuses to let go or be pushed back. When his death has eventually stopped bullying your memories, life will shove it aside and say, "Give me my place again. You have had your time in the spotlight but it is over. Go to the background where you know you belong."

~Jonathan Carroll's Blog~

Stand By Me.

2009-05-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

I found this on Jonathan Carroll's blog which I read almost religiously. Definitely worth checking out. Amazing.

Two college kids traveled around the world and recorded street musicians doing their "take" on several different songs. They turned it into a short documentary which appeared on Independent Lens on PBS.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

Turning Points.

2009-04-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

I feel like I need to make some decisions. To go back to work, that is my main concern. Well that and the impending global disaster of the month, Swine Flu. But let's discuss that at a later time.

So I have been mentally listing the pro's and con's of being a working mother. I hang my head in shame when I admit I LOVE having a job. Who does that? But I do enjoy watching my children grow and learn everyday. I LOVE that too. Hmmm...let's just list my pro's and con's so I can finally see them in written format.

Pro's :

I get to have adult conversation every single day.
I get to leave my house to a location other than the grocery store, park, or the occasional restaurant.
I make money. (That's my personal favorite.)
My children learn to be more independent and not rely on me solving every problem every moment of every day.
My house might stay clean longer than the 45 minutes it takes me to clean each room.
I will finally have the sense of accomplishment that I miss from being "in charge" of something other than the dishes.

Con's :

I will not have nearly as much time on my hands to do random things such as blog, Facebook, and check my e-mail all day long.
I would have to pay for childcare, again.
I would miss my children terribly. (My worst con by far.)
I might miss the first time one of the girls does something new.
I would have to wake up, get dressed, and look presentable everyday.
I would never have a nap again.
Can I even FIND a job in this economy?

So. What's a girl to do? I have really been struggling with this dilemma. I really want to finally step up and do what I have longed to do since I can even remember. Write. That is my biggest dream. Well, as far as career-type dreams are concerned. I have started writing again. Thinking maybe I will give up the "write an entire novel for your first try at getting published" idea, and possibly starting a wee bit smaller. Short stories. I love em. You love em. You read blogs don't you? That is short story-ish. Though mine would be fiction, of course.

Well, guess I should keep mulling it over in my noggin'. When I do something, either go back to work, or publish something, I'll let you know. Until then, I'll keep on writing and dreaming. It's what I do best.

Las Vegas.

2009-04-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Late last Thursday night we decided to be totally spontaneous and take ourselves our first "solo" road trip (in 9 years I might add!) to Vegas! Of course we only stayed one night (we are parents you know) but we had a blast!! I have to say with all the glitz and glamor you see on T.V. my favorite part was the car rides. We sang, we danced, we talked. It was "our" time. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a nice reminder of why I love this man as much as I do. I can't wait to do it again.

Saturday before we left we went out to a drift event Nick's friend Forrest was in. It was amazing. Nick got to ride with him, and here is the best I could do. I didn't think to grab the camera until last minute so take it or leave it. Good times.

The Culprit.

2009-04-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

It's Roseola. Lillie has finally shown us the culprit that has been plaguing her for this last five days. I was going to post pictures, but decided to save her the embarrassment. (So I opted for the cute little red spots to represent her cute little red rash) She is doing just dandy though, still pretty grumpy but sleeping better. Which is all I really wanted. Sleep. Sounds amazing. Maybe I'll take this time to check out what the fuss is all about.....

Sick.

2009-04-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Our poor baby is sick. A fever. We are going on three days now of inconsolable baby. Poor thing.

Doctors ran tests today. No UTI (thank God) No pneumonia (whew) most likely just a virus....but no symptoms. Other than fussiness, no eating, and of course the dreaded fever.

This is my time to shine. You would think. She is absolutely in love with me. Can't get enough mommy time. But that's what scares me. I'm used to a carefree, albeit slightly mean to me, baby girl. Though I enjoy my hugs and love, I miss the little stinker. Not to mention the anxiety I have when I can't fix a boo boo. No fair. Thought mom's could kiss anything away.

Good thing Daddy is the calm one. He keeps us both relaxed. And big sissy is a fabulous distraction. Always good for a giggle that Paige....

Ok, off to check on the family. We're going to camp out tonight. Fort in the living room, complete with movies, chocolate, and whatever else the little one's desire.

Hopefully that's all my baby needs. A little love and affection. Then, off to biting and hitting me tomorrow.

I hope.

Happy Easter....Ish.

2009-04-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry. I am a grade A slacker. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Enjoy.

"AAAIIIGGGEEE!!!!"

2009-04-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

We never even knew.

Sad really.

It took outsiders (Grandma and Great Grandma) to make it a known fact.

Lillie says "Paige."

Well.....more like "Aaaiiigggee!" slurring the g as any respectable one year old, with no molars to speak of, would.

She says it CONSTANTLY.

We never noticed.

Guess I'm not used to "baby talk" anymore....

Guess I get used to it.

She loves her big sissy.

The feeling is mutual.

Once Upon A Time.

2009-04-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

"Once upon a time there was a little girl named Lillie. She was cute when she layed her head down. She wanted to have new brothers and sisters but she couldn't because she was mean and pulled people's hair. Her mommy wouldn't let her have a new brother until she was nicer. The end."

By: Paige

Morals: 1.Don't be mean and pull hair.

2.Guess the girls want a brother.....

Achoo.

2009-04-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm sick.

So basically I'm on vacation.

When mommy gets sick (which, mind you, isn't often) she becomes the baby. Not everyone loves this arrangement. But they have to respect it. After all, when the real babies are sick it is mommy who stayes up rocking them, dosing out the Tylenol, wiping the little noses, and cuddling them until they are 100% again.(This is by default, daddy works and needs his beauty sleep. But he is a wonderful medicine dose-er I might add.)

So......it's my turn.

I'm worse though. I demand: ten showers, tissues, vitamin C, Tylenol (which I might add is the ONLY thing I will willingly digest, medicine scares the bejesus out of me), mint tea with sugar, a book, and don't forget tons of attention.

High maintenance. Yes.

But they all help out. Paige always wants to know if I need anything and keeps Lillie busy. Lillie decides to be a little less high maintenance herself and doesn't demand my constant reassurance. Daddy goes miles out of his way to buy me vitamin drinks and tissues. Only to find out I'm afraid of vitamin drinks too....Poor guy. And Grandma Gaby does me the amazing favor of taking my children for a few hours so I can rest. Which, I am going to do now.

Thank you family. I will be up and running (chasing you kids) before you know it.

♥

Bicycle Built For Two...Or Three.

2009-03-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

I am the luckiest gal on the block. Neighbors for miles gawk at me. Eyes full of jealousy. (I can tell.) What do you ask are they staring at? My birthday present! (Ok it is not my birthday until mid-April, but Nick is HORRIBLE at keeping secrets!) (That and I guessed it.)(I know him to well....)(Guess that'll happen after almost 9 years of knowing someone....) ANYWAY!! I am the proud new owner of this bad boy!!!

I sure do fancy my new toy. Lillie is super excited (or more scared out of her mind, which I'm sure with a little persuasion and more time will turn into pure excitement) to have her own personal chauffeur. Us girls went on our first outing yesterday before dinner. We had a blast. Thanks Daddy. Your the best. ♥ you.

Best Day Ever.

2009-03-26T13:20:00.001-07:00

Not the show. The day is today. We just returned from a hard, but totally necessary day at the hospital and the urologist. Lillian (Drum roll please................) IS REFLUX FREE!!!! (Applause now.)

Yes, my amazing little trooper underwent a few tough and uncomfortable tests today but they were 100% worth it! Just don't ask her, she may disagree. She went from a grade 3 vesicoureteral reflux to having a totally clean and normal urinary tract and kidneys!!

Prayers were answered. Medicine is finished. Now my baby girl can grow up and play outside like a normal little one. Thank God.

Writer's Block And Rambling.

2009-03-24T18:17:00.001-07:00

I haven't been very diligent about keeping up with my blog lately. A few pictures here and there to tide anyone who checks in over for another day....but not much insight. I suppose when life is going just dandy there is no need to put it down in words. Or maybe not.

I want to say something profound here.....nothing comes to mind. My kids are wonderful. Lillian is walking. Paige is about to test into kindergarten. Nick is happy as a clam to have his new 4 Runner in our garage for the fixin. I'm content. Just dandy.

But I feel unsatisfied. I feel as though life is going by so quickly, and I am just an innocent bystander. I don't like that feeling. I want to wake up every morning and exclaim to the world "I'm here! I'm ready!!!" But. It's not like that. Life has it's normal moments. I guess this is just one of them.

I'm reminded now of a passage out of Jonathan Carroll's Sleeping in Flame :

"There are long quiet periods in life that are very much like waiting for a bus on a nice day. You don't mind much because the weather is sunny and nice, and your in no hurry. But after a while you start looking at your watch because there are much more interesting things you could be doing, and it really is time the bus came."

What am I expecting? A burning bush to tell me what to do with my life. I am enjoying my children. Watching them learn and grow each day. But I don't want to loose myself in the living. I feel as though there is a status quo for mothers. You must stay home, wash clothes, clean, cook, and take care of the children. In this you must find your happiness. What if you don't? Then what? Are you an unfit mother? I disagree. You must find your own happiness. Wherever it may be hiding. I find happiness in my children for sure. After all they are the people that have shaped me into the person I am. And I do the same for them. That is a huge responsibility. Shaping lives. Making decisions that reflect upon who your children become and what they believe. I take the challenge with open arms and a full heart. But we must not loose ourselves in the process. We are parents. Yes. But we are people as well. We need to find the delicate balance between motherhood and sanity. I choose both.

So what you ask is the point of all this rambling on? You know...I don't know. I just do that from time to time...

Party.

2009-03-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

A big, giant, huge THANK YOU to everyone who came and shared Lillie's special day with us. And especially Debbie-Nama and Papa Mike for all the help with the BBQ! THANK YOU!!!

Just Another Day At The Park....

2009-03-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

♥ I love my life. ♥

The Blessings A Year Can Bring.

2009-03-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

Lillie Bump.

Happy Birthday beautiful girl.
March 11, 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

♥ Happy Birthday Lillie Pie. ♥

March 11, 2009

Something Old....Something New....

2009-03-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

http://www.dearoldlove.com/

Family Vacation : Day 4

2009-02-24T12:56:00.001-08:00

The Carlsbad Beach

Family Vacation : Day 3

2009-02-24T12:29:00.001-08:00

Disneyland

Family Vacation : Day 2

2009-02-21T21:13:00.001-08:00

Sea World

Family Vacation : Day 1

2009-02-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

Lego Land

Sea Life Aquarium

No Ego Trips Here.

2009-02-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

After feeling pretty darn tootin' proud of myself the last 6 months or so for loosing the rest of my baby weight (and then some!) I got a good dose of Come-Back-Down-To-Earth-Jessica's-
Head the other day....

Paige : "Mom, wanna see me do a push-up?

Mom: "Sure."

Paige: ~~~~Insert child version of a push-up here. You know the kind. Butt in the air, elbows bent, face kissing the floor...not so much what the gym teacher wanted but eh....~~~~

Mom: "Awesome job kiddo!"

Paige: "Mom, why don't you do a push up with me?"

Mom: "Ehhh, I'm not really feeling like it right now sweetheart."

Paige: "Why? Cause the floor will break?"

Mom: ~~~~(Laughing)~~~~"Wow. That wasn't very nice...."

If you ever feel like your doing well with your weight loss, just come to our house.

P.S.
Don't be jealous for my awesome ability to recall my conversations with my four-year-old. Thank you Brain Age.... : )

Missing you.

2009-02-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

I won't forget you my dear friend....love you. I'll be seeing you....

My Little Artist.

2009-02-12T22:16:00.000-08:00

Since my beautiful little Tator is such a good artist...I decided to remember her cute beginning. In a real, forever kinda way. Thanks Tator. You can always tell your future fans and followers that your Mommy IS your biggest fan. I have proof. : )

Yes it IS real. A reproduction of her amazing talent of course. You think I'm the kinda mom who would willingly hand a tattoo gun and ink to a four and a half year old child! Jeesh. And I thought you knew me better..... : )

Sleepy Lil.

2009-02-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

So sweet. Never seen her love her dolly like this before. ♥ Sleepy Lil ♥

Be At Peace.

2009-02-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

"Opa" - Albert E. White

12/01/1940 - 02/06/2009

What is Death?

Death is nothing at all.

I have only slipped away into the next room.

I am I and you are you.

Whatever we were to each other,

that we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.

Speak to me in the easy way

which you always used.

Put no difference in your tone.

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed

at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word

that it always was.

Let it be spoken without affect,

without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same that it ever was.

There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind

because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you,

for an interval,

somewhere very near,

just around the corner.

All is well.

~ Henry Scott Holland

Grateful.

2009-02-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

I am feeling full of love and very grateful that I was able to spend a little quality mommy/daughter time with my amazing little Tator Tot. It really has been a long time, and was much needed. I sure do love you kiddo. You are adorable.

Tasty.

2009-02-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

Here is my cute little mouth and 7 new teeth.

This looks good.

Mmmm socks.

Wanna taste?

5

2009-02-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

5 Addictions:
By Jessica Dawson

1. Love. Sounds silly I know. But it's true. I love.....love. Being loved, giving love, sending love. You name it.

2. The smell of tires or that kind of rubber. MMMMMmmm. I would go into the garage a few weeks ago just to smell my new tires on my car. Or when Nick looks at car cleaning stuff at Wal-mart....yummy. I just stand in the tire section.....Other smells I love : Leather, Permanent Markers, Clean Babies....

3. Biting my nails. Gross. I know. I hate it.

4. Checking my e-mails, blog, MySpace, Facebook. Another annoying habit....

5. My children. Yes. I am addicted. Can't help it. HAVE YOU SEEN THEM! They are the light of my life.

As far as tagging.....if ya wanna do it....do.

Bubble Time!

2009-02-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

I Spy With My Little Eye....

2009-01-30T18:53:00.000-08:00

"Someting................................... handsome!"

"It's you Daddy!"

For the record Paige....I agree. ; )

Guardian Angel

2009-01-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

Rolf Jacobsen

I am the bird that flutters against your window in the morning,
and your closest friend, whom you can never know,
blossoms that light up for the blind.
I am the glacier shining over the woods, so pale,
and heavy voices from the cathedral tower.
The thought that suddenly hits you in the middle of the day
and makes you feel so fantastically happy.
I am the one you have loved for many years.
I walk beside you all day and look intently at you
and put my mouth against your heart
though you’re not aware of it.
I am your third arm, and your second
shadow, the white one,
whom you cannot accept,
and who can never forget you.

The End Times.

2009-01-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

I'm very tired. Paige decided to get up last night at 11:30 and stay up until I finally practically forced her to sleep in my arms at 5 a.m.. She had a bad dream. Well many, I'd say. I had to go in her room numerous times before the final awakening. The crying and whimpering is as sad sound as any. So feeling sorry for the continuous nightmares, grinding teeth (I never knew she did that!) and miscellaneous sad noises, we watched the Critics Choice Awards (ha ha Angelina) and finally I gave in to Hanna Montana and the Disney folk. (She loves it, but I say she's still too young)

Point being, this morning at breakfast, yes, breakfast was still served on time. (How do they do it! I'm so sleepy!) She finally decided to tell me what was so horrendous last night in her sleeping mind.

" I had a bad dream last night. The whole city broke, our house broke, the sun broke, and my beautiful backyard broke and that's it."

Good job mommy. That's what I get for watching Armageddon week on the History Channel. In my defense, I didn't know she was paying attention!

Goodness....

Merry Late Christmas! And A Happy New Year!

2009-01-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

I'm a slacker...I'm truely sorry. Let's all catch up....

Christmas Eve at Grandma's. They hear Santa on the roof!

All the cousins!

The getaway!

Christmas morning!

Betty Crocker, Eat Your Heart Out. Oh! And A Merry Christmas Too!

2008-12-24T14:59:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! God Bless!

We Elfed Ourselves!

2008-12-12T21:23:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Crazy Hair Day.....

2008-12-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

Lillie's first pony tail!!!

Don't you dare laugh. I have been waiting a LONG time for this day.

And NO. It is NOT ridiculous.

Look closely. Paige did her hair in a little mini clippie thingee.

It's all about style over functionality. Bedtime is as good as any other time for fancy shoes and hair. Gotta love these girls.

There's Something About Meatloaf.....

2008-12-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

It makes my kids go CRAZY! This time Lillie had her first taste of Mommy's special made meatloaf.

The following events took place December 3rd 2008 at approximately 6:30p.m.

What a big eater! I ♥ you my Lillie Pie!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Thanksgiving I asked my family to list 5 things each that they are thankful for this year. And the list goes :

Daddy:

*Being healthy. ( For those of you that don't know Daddy had surgery Monday for a pretty good size hernia. He is doing well, but still pretty sore. Get better soon Daddy!)
*Having a loving family that takes care of me. (To which Paige replied, "We don't carry you. Your too heavy.")
*Having two beautiful daughters.
*Still having a job.
*Having a girlfriend that supports me and my hobbies.

We love you too Daddy!

Mommy:

*Having a healthy, happy family.
*Having an amazing boyfriend that loves me no matter what.
*Having two super smart, super cute little girls.
*Getting to spend time with my family.
*Having awesome friends that support me.

Paige:

*Mom & dad & baby
*Playing games
*Picking my nose (lovely.)
*Butterflies, princess dresses, & clothes
*Biting my nails (nice.)

Aw, my funny little Tator. We love you!

Lillie:
(these are assumed....)

*Mommy, Daddy, & Paige.
*Learning everyday.
*Baba's.
*Clean diapers.
*A big sister who plays with me all the time.

Silly Lillie! We love you too!