I love the love

And Speaking of Santa...

When we got home from the mall, Cortlan realized that he forgot to mention a very important present.

He sat down and wrote this very important note to Santa and gave clear instructions to Caische to deliver it.

I love this kid.

Happy St. Patrick's Day - a touch late

A few weeks ago, we were celebrating a milestone birthday of my sister-in-law at a restaurant.  We had a little bit of a wait, so I gave my kids a pen, crayons, and some paper.  This is the masterpiece that Cortlan created.  It wasn't mine to keep, so I took a picture.  I meant to post this on Sunday, but I had other things on my mind, like getting the corned beef in the oven and trying to make it to our high school's production of Footloose on time, so it obviously never happened.

Groundhog Day

Usually, Groundhog Day falls during the week and we catch the prediction at some point in the day.  This year, with Groundhog Day on a Saturday, it was a little more exciting.  The kids got to watch the big event and were so pumped.  (Phil had made a visit to their school earlier in the year with one of the members of the Inner Circle.  Everly has been sleeping with the stuffed replica they gave all of the students ever since...they even got "gold coins" commemorating the experience, so this was a pretty big deal.)

Groundhog Day on a Saturday also meant a great excuse for a play date.  Square pancakes and a fun snowman craft (who knew that Phil wouldn't see his shadow!) bookended by kids playing nicely by themselves and adult conversation that was scarcely interrupted made for a perfect morning.

Getting ready to make the snowmen.

The kids enjoyed the challenge of getting the rice into the socks.  Not all of it made it in.

 

Next up was dressing the snowman.

So proud!

Of course, no snowman would be complete without some buttons!

 

The finished products!

 

Happy New Year 2013

The year 2012 did not necessarily end on a high note for us...with a funeral, a trip to the ER on Christmas Eve, nearly everyone in my family (including extended family) getting sick, and being holed up in the house and having to cancel or postpone plans with friends and family we were to get together with, I seriously could use a do-over for the last couple of weeks.

But there were some great things that happened through the year...new friendships developed, old ones were reaffirmed and strengthened, new memories were made and milestones reached, growth and change happened all around us.  Those things cannot be overlooked.  Life is good.

Still not one for resolutions, I do appreciate the sense of starting fresh and beginning a new journey.  I feel as though I lost focus of a few things last year, and my hope is to bring the right things back into perspective.  In comparison to the prior couple of years, for one reason or another, I would say that I was a bit more negative, self-doubting, and insecure in 2012.  I would like to change that.  I would like to continue to strive for balance and renew my efforts to savor the moments in life that make it so special.

Shortly after the clock struck 12 last night, my neighbor said, "I resolve to be happy in 2013!"

Sounds good to me.

Fall Festival 2012

When Cortlan and Everly started attending the school that they currently attend, Cortlan began in the "California Room" with Ms. Kaylee.  Everly was but a not-quite-18-month-old at the time.  As I went down the hall to pick Everly up the other day, the 18-month olds toddled by.  I could hardly believe that my little "big" girl was that little when she started...and now she is in the California Room with Ms. Kaylee.

Each year, the school hosts a Fall Festival, complete with refreshments, decorations, a stage, and lots and lots of practicing.  Thinking back to Cortlan's first Fall Festival with Ms. Kaylee, I remember being so excited to see him on the stage for the first time.  While some kids cried because they clearly didn't want to be there and other kids hammed it up and grabbed everyone's attention, Cortlan fell somewhere between the extremes.  He stood quietly, occasionally mouthing a word or two, but mostly stood there in some sort of trance.  He did much of the same, with slight improvements, last year. 

This year, as we headed into the fall festival, I had high expectations.  Kindergarten (or perhaps just getting older) has changed Cortlan in a positive way - he is becoming more confident.  He loves to learn and tell people what he knows.  And who knows, maybe the hours he has spent in the high school auditorium watching play rehearsal has made him realize what performing on stage can be like and that you don't have to be nervous if you are prepared.  Cortlan had certainly prepared.  For what seemed like months (I actually think it was), he practiced his lines for the Thanksgiving alphabet - he was E for Explore - and his songs, including What a Wonderful World, which incorporated a sign language component.  He seemed ready.

 

And he was.  He spoke confidently, he sang the songs, and he signed the signs.  When they played bells to the song I have Peace like a River, he hit every note with his bright orage bell.

 

Everly also seemed very prepared going into this year's festival.  She had been singing rousing renditions of The Farmer had a Tree and more for quite a while.  Keeping in mind what Cortlan did at her age, I wasn't sure what to expect once she got on stage.  Her class had the same dynamic as Cortlan's three-year-old class did a couple of years ago - again, there were the attention seekers and the wall flowers.  Everly seemed to attempt to hide behind a friend most of the show, but when I could see her, she was singing...or at least mouthing the words.  She did a great job, but was clearly not in her element on stage.

 

 

 

They both did a great job, and I was the ever beaming mom through the entire thing.  I was, and am, so proud of them both.

Happy 4th of July!

Mother's Day 2012

I was standing in my bathroom on Sunday, fixing my hair, listening to the conversation happening in the living room between Cortlan, now five, and Everly, now 3, and it wasn't too pretty.  Suddenly, I heard things crash off of what I believe was the coffee table to the floor, and I could only deduce that it was Everly who had done it and that it was Cortlan's toys that went a flyin'.  It wasn't too hard to figure out based on the conversation that ensued, which went something like this:

Cortlan: EVERLY!!! Why did you do that?

(no response)

Cortlan: Fine.  I just don't care about you anymore.  I don't like you and I don't care about you.

(This was the first time that he had used the "I don't care about you" phrase, but not the "I don't like you" phrase, unfortunately.  There was still no response.)

Cortlan: Do you know what?  I am going to e-mail Santa Claus or write him a letter or tell Mommy to write him a letter and tell him that you shouldn't get anymore toys ever.  And I might break your toys so you don't have any.

(This got her attention.)

Everly: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Cortlan: Well, you shouldn't do that then.

On one hand, I wanted to go in there and discipline them.  On the other, I wanted them to figure it out themselves.  On one hand, I wanted to cringe at the words.  On the other, I wanted to laugh.

This parenting thing sure isn't getting any easier.  And no, my Mother's Day wasn't perfect.  But I loved it despite the stinging words and the rain that fell from the sky.  I loved it because of my handmade cards and my special breakfast.  I loved it because I got to spend time with my family, including my own mom and my mother-in-law.  I loved it because I didn't clean or do laundry.  (Ok, that isn't true - I did have to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer.)  I loved it because I read the newspaper in silence on the sunporch and fell asleep on the papisan and didn't feel the least bit guilty. 

I loved it because I am a mom.

Weekend Recap

• The weather lately has me completely unproductive at home.  Typically, I clean on the weekends.  I just could not bring myself to spend hours in the house (and hence, keep my kids in the house for hours) when it is over 70 outside in March.  So, my house is a mess.  But, at least most of the laundry is done.  And we got more fresh air and Vitamin D than we have had in months.
• I realized that my kids have no summer clothes.  Typically, I do not need to have them at this time of the year, but it was definitely shorts-wearing weather this weekend, and will be for the rest of the 10 day forecast (unbelievable!).  So off we went to Target to buy some $4 mix and match shirts and shorts.  Cortlan seems to be developing quite an opinion as to what he wears, and his choices sometimes baffle me.  But I let him pick which shirts he wanted, so he better wear them. 
• Saturday was St. Patrick's Day.  Friday night, I put some fruited Irish oatmeal in the Crock Pot so we were able to have a nice Irish breakfast in the morning.  I had never made steel-cut oats before, but this recipe was delicious.  As the kids sat at the breakfast bar, I thought I might make them a special surprise.  I got out the food coloring and put a drop of green in each of their cups.  Then I took the cups over to them, and I poured their milk, which instantly turned green as I poured it.  I wasn't really trying to act like anything magical happened, as I thought for sure they had just watched me get out the food coloring and drop it in, but Cortlan's eyes lit up, and ever since, he has been telling people that a Leprechaun turned our milk green.  After nap - homemade shamrock shakes.
• We truly enjoyed the beautiful weather on Saturday.  It is so nice to see everyone emerging from hibernation.  Our neighborhood is typically alive with kids running around and parents talking once the weather breaks.  This weekend was just like summer.  Ahhhhh....
• The musical at the high school where I work was Peter Pan this year, and for the first time, I decided to take the kids.  Honestly, I can't imagine a better high school production than the ones that go on at our school, and Peter Pan did not disappoint.  We had seats in the fourth row and Cortlan absolutely loved it.  He laughed so hard even when no one else was laughing...the orchestra members were turning to look to see where the giggles were coming from.  He could not stop talking about it.  On the way home, he even said, "I just can't wipe the smile off of my face!"  I loved it.  Everly enjoyed it, too, and she did pretty well at sitting still and being quiet.  Though, I think her favorite part (besides when Peter pan did flips in the air) was folding herself up in the seat so her knees were in her face and then smiling, saying, "I'm stuck!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love Valentine's Day for the sentiment.  I don't love Valentine's Day in the way that it seems like a fabricated holiday that basically seems like a marketing ploy to get us to spend money.  I have said it before: I am not good at giving gifts.  I absolutely loved (and was completely surprised by) the roses and chocolate that John brought to my classroom.  But I hope I am not considered a bad mom or wife because I didn't buy any Valentine's gifts this year.  In fact, my entire VDay shopping consisted of a bag of Hershey Kisses, two cards (one for John from me, and one for John from the kids), and Valentine's Cards for the kids to pass out at school.  Instead, I tried to do special things to celebrate, like making our second annual Valentine's Day breakfast on Sunday, which consisted of pink, heart-shaped pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream:

So excited!

I think he liked them!

And making brownies with the kids, which we cut out with heart -shaped cookie cutters for their teachers.  And on Tuesday, a special dinner of heart-shaped italian four-cheese raviolis with a homemade pink alfredo and shrimp sauce.

Don't be too impressed - it took less than 10 minutes to make this meal once the water was boiling.  It does look pretty, though, doesn't it?

For dessert?  A Hershey Kiss...and lots of love.  But I hope that my family feels that all year round.



Happy New Year

The tradition began long ago: each year when I was a child, as we packed up the artificial Christmas tree, my dad would write some notes on the box.  The notes could be big events of the year, memories of the holidays, milestones that were reached, or just random things that came to mind.  The next year, with many of those memories buried along with the tree in the storage room, we would look forward to reading what we had written over the years.

The tradition continues in my house, with a fond trip down memory lane each year as we unpack the tree. The process of taking down the tree after the hustle and bustle and festivities of the holiday season is never one of my favorite things, for the chore itself is time-consuming and not very fun, but also because it marks the end of a wonderful time of the year and of another year's passing.  But I do enjoy the thoughtful reflection of the year behind us as I take the time to write on the box.

So with the year of "Everly was potty trained!" and "Cortlan started gymnastics!" and so much more behind us, it is time to look ahead and to wonder what the new year will bring for us to write about.    It is almost hard to imagine 2012 being as good as the past several years have been, but the great thing about a new year is the sense of hope and possibility, and that I have.  Never one for resolutions, my plan is just to continue to strive to be attentive and present and to enjoy the moments while they last.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Highlights

This week has got to be one of the fastest of the year.  A much needed break, time with family and friends, a visit to the museum, playing and dancing, and lots of cleaning and organizing pretty much sums it up, but here are some details of Christmas Eve and Christmas:

• We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with John's side of the family (minus one) that included the fifth annual reading of The Night Before Christmas.

And to all a good night...

• The kids fed the reindeer and set out cookies for Santa.  They were sad to say goodbye to our elf, Caische, for the year.  Caische chose a great spot for his last day and watched all of the unwrapping from his high vantage point.




Can you see Caische on the wreath in the background?


• After a strict discussion of when it would be ok to wake up on Christmas morning (only after the sun comes up), the kids managed to find one ray of light to use as evidence that 7:00 was go time.  They were so excited.  We headed to the livingroom where the magic happened overnight.  They excitedly opened their stockings and then the presents Santa left them under the tree.  Sadly, the process went much more quickly than last year, when they wanted to savor each gift as they opened them.  This year, they wasted no time tearing through the presesnts.  Everly got the Dora watch that she was so hoping Santa would bring; Cortlan got the Legos he wanted and has been hard at work building with them ever since.

One of the highlights.  Nevermind the Loving Family Dollhouse; she wanted the Dora watch.

• There were many other surprises under the tree, as well.  My favorite gift was a Garmin running watch; I have already run 16 miles with it so far.  And now I know it was actually 16 miles and not some number in that ballpark.  I also know that I am a bit slower than I thought.  But that is ok.  John's big gift this year was a set of integrated turn signals for his motorcycle.  (Don't be jealous.)
• We played with our new toys and enjoyed a nice brunch together.  While the kids napped, still in their PJs from the night before, we prepped to go to my parent's house, where there were still more toys, as well as some great food and some singing and dancing.

My niece got this karaoke machine for Christmas.  The kids had a blast.

• The kids have had such fun visiting their friends this week and playing with all of their new things.  I have had fun visiting as well, but not so much fun trying to figure out where all the new things should go.  We are blessed to have all that we have, though, especially our family and friends. 

It was either this one, or the one where Cort had his finger in his nose.  The kids weren't into getting thier pictures taken this Christmas.

Amazing that another Christmas has gone by.  Here's to another year of memories...

The note that Santa wrote

Merry Christmas, Cortlan and Everly!

I hope you have a wonderful and magical day.  I brought you some things I think you might enjoy.  I hope you treat your new things nicely and take good care of them.  I noticed this year that you are both very good at sharing.  This makes me happy and I hope you continue because there are somethings I brought that you will both enjoy.  You have both been very good this year (though lately, there may have been a few things that could have been better!).  Always remember to be respectful and the best little boy and girl that you can be.  I am proud of you for trying hard.  Thank you for the delicious cookies and the food for my hard-working reindeer!  See you next year!  Merry Christmas!!

Love,
Santa (and Caische)

A pretty sweet weekend

This weekend was filled with cookie baking and decorating.  We made three kinds at our house (never mind two of the three were prepackaged mixes) and the kids helped as much as kids can help.  They were definitely a huge help in the eating department.  Cortlan has a shirt that proclaims him as "Grandma's Official Cookie Taster."  He was sure to ask if he could be mine, too.  Specifically, he asked, "Mommy, can I be your 'officianal' cookie taster?"  He did a great job and fulfilled all duties of the postion.

Funfetti cookies are exceptionally kid friendly.  For the first time ever, the kids may have actually expedited the process as opposed to causing it to take twice as long.

At Grandma's house, we baked sugar cookies.  The kids had a blast rolling the dough, pressing the cookie cutters into the dough, and of course, decorating the cookies.  Or over-decorating, to be more accurate.  

Regardless of how they looked, they were delicious and filled with memories.  Their teachers were thrilled to recieve some as gifts, too.

My wish list

As Christmas approaches, I decided that I am going to start a wish list.  Unlike other posts, I am going to post this unfinished, and continue to add to it as my wishes pop into my head.

With Christmas comes holiday entertaining at our house.  In fact, more people probably see the inside of my house in December and January (for Cortlan's birthday) than any other month of the year.  With that comes my first wish:

1.  That no one will give me a reason to get down on my hands and knees and scrub the bathroom floors before next Saturday, as I just finished doing that very chore in three bathrooms.  (Read: Cortlan, the pee goes in the pot.  Please.)

2.  That I will be able to create a complete grocery list and will not have to send John out for that "one thing" that I forgot to get.  And then send him out again for that "one other thing" that I didn't include the first two times.

3.  That no one else will surprise me with a gift that far outdoes anything that I have done for (or given to) him or her.  While I do enjoy giving gifts,  it can be pretty stressful for me at times.  Trust me, the thought is there...I am just not the best at the execution.

4.  That the turkey will be thawed this year when I go to put it in the oven, unlike last year.

5.  That I will someday see the end of my to-do list.

A fun Saturday, Part 2

When the kids woke from their naps, they were thrilled to see that the decorations were being hung outside.  I promised them that we would go out and they could have a special treat if they would just do one thing for me:  pose for some Christmas card pictures.  Anticipating the frustration that might come, I decided I wasn't going to get upset if the pictures were less than stellar, and I was not going to freak out at my kids to "JUST LOOK HERE AND SMILE!" I limited myself to a quick 15 minutes of photography, knowing that if it didn't happen in that time span, nothing good was going to come out of going longer.  These are two that I didn't pick:

I was thrilled that the weather was so nice, so after changing back into "regular" clothes and as darkness began to fall (which seems to be so early these days), the kids and I took a nice walking tour of the neighborhood Christmas displays.  We came in for dinner, and then came what they had really been waiting for: decorating the Christmas tree.  This year, they were more involved than ever.  Cortlan was bound and determined to hang the ornaments high, and used the step stool as often as he could.  Everly was bound and determined to take as many ornaments over to the tree as possible, but was more interested in handing them to John than she was in actually hanging them.  I unpacked them as quickly as I could and we managed, for the first time, to get the tree entirely decorated without me having to finish it after the kids were in bed.

Cortlan put the star on.

A fun Saturday, Part 1

I was looking for something to do with the kids yesterday, and ended up at a paint your own pottery studio to paint some Christmas ornaments.  This was the first time that Everly had done anything like this.  For Cortlan, it has been years, and he likely has no memory of it except for the picture that we had in a frame for a while.  The kids were very well behaved, but there is no doubt that we entertained the other patrons who couldn't help but overhear our conversations.  In the end, the kids painted their ornaments exactly as they saw fit, so we will surely have an interesting looking candy cane, snowman, and gingerbread man, as well as a circular ornament.  And I am pretty sure that Everly may hold the record for the most paintbrushes used for only four colors.

A trip to see Santa

We took the kids to the mall yesterday to sit on Santa's lap.  Knowing that it is a different experience every year, we did a practice run in the car.

Me:  So, Everly, what are you going to tell Santa when you sit on his lap?
Everly:  Umm.  I want a Dora watch and  Minnie watch.
Me:  Ok.
Everly:  And a Dora watch.  (pause)  And a Minnie watch.  And a Dora watch.
John:  And a Minnie watch?
Everly:  Yep.  And a Dora watch.
Me:  Ok.  Got it.
Everly:  And a Minnie watch and a Dora watch.
Cortlan:  Everly.  Why do you say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over again?
John and me:  (chuckling in the front seat because it is oh so true.)
Me:  Cortlan, what are you going to tell Santa?
Cortlan:  Ummmmmm.......
Me:  What do you want Santa to bring for you for Christmas?
Cortlan:  Um.  Legos.  And some Geotrax.
Me:  Nice.  Now don't forget to tell Santa nice and loud so he can hear.
Cortlan:  We will.

When we got to the mall, the kids wanted to go directly to see Santa.  Everly was starstruck.  The look on her face was one of nervousness, not quite fear.  She timidly sat on his lap, with Cortlan on the other side, and told him exactly what she wanted.  Cortlan then surprised us both by saying, "Everly, is there anything else that you want to tell him?" Part of me was waiting to hear her repeat the same thing ten more times, but she just looked at Cortlan like, "Wait.  We didn't practice this part!"  and she just said, "Ummmmmmmm..." until I let her off the hook by indicating that was all she wanted to tell him and that it was Cort's turn.  He told Santa the same thing that he told us in the car, in his quietest voice (of course), and then the kids got their picture taken.  Multiple times.  With only one or the other smiling in each one.

But oh, how I love the magical moments and memories of Christmas time.

This week's highlights

I am unbelievably busy these days.  A lot of great things have been happening, but I haven't had much time to write them down.  So, here is my best recollection of the week's highlights:

• Everly didn't bite, hit, or kick anyone at school, and she didn't prevent any of her friends from taking naps by screaming.  Not that she ever did that or anything.
• Early in the week, when I was telling Cortlan to use his manners and be good (as I do every day as I am dropping him off at school), he said to me, "I will do what is appropriate, Mommy."  Seriously?
• I loved seeing the kids parade around in their costumes with their friends at school.  They got to trick or treat through the school, and Cortlan and his class got to go on a special trip to a local nursing home to sing a few Halloween songs.  (I especially loved that, and he did, too.)

• Thanks to DVR, we got to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  The holiday movies and shows are always on past my kids' bedtimes, so this is the first year that they will get to see any of them.  I really don't get that show, though, to be honest.  I mean, Snoopy flying around on his doghouse in a war, Charlie Brown only getting rocks in his bag, and the Great Pumpkin never showing up.  If you ask me, it is kind of a downer.  But the kids seemed to enjoy it.
• I ran 7.5 miles on Saturday catching snowflakes on my tongue.  It was my first run in the snow since those early track practices in high school, when we would occasionally see a few of the last snowflakes of the season.  This was some serious snow I was running in - big huge snowflakes with some actually sticking to the grass - and the surprise was that I actually enjoyed it.  My plan this winter is to continue running, but to only run outdoors.  So far so good.
• Our local grocery store really outdid themselves with the Halloween festivities.  They led us trick or treating through the store and gave us free hot cocoa, coffee, and cookies.  They took our picture (we still need to pick it up).  There was a fire truck and a petting zoo, and the kids could paint pumpkins.  Thank goodness the weather was kind of crappy or I imagine it would have been packed.  My two favorite parts: Cortlan asking the lady, "Can I get an extra one for my mom?" and him picking out a special piece of candy just for me, and Everly and I going into the petting zoo, where she fed a little pig out of a bottle all by herself and then chased the rest hollering, "Here piggie!!" hoping to give them some, too.

• Pumpkin carving was fun:

•  And of course, Halloween night is always awesome.  This year, despite the rain, was just as fun as ever. 

Happy Halloween!!