I Forgot About Blogger

For Christmas and my birthday I got an iPhone and an iPad, which are both really fun and really easy to use. So much so, that I kind of don't feel like blogging because I've been snapping pictures from my phone and doing instagram instead.  Even though it's a totally different thing. And I only have like three friends (my Mom and my stepkids).  But it's just so easy! The kids are doing something fun- snap, share, done. So these are my instagram pics and things we've been up to this week. 

The kids have colds and coughs.  Nothing too bad but enough that we've been spending more time inside.

Ice cream for sore throats.

Watercolors.  Left, Maxwell's "Our Family.  Right, Ella's "Dinosaurs."

Cuddles

Our library had a princess come for story time and dancing. Our kids dressed up and it was the cutest thing ever. This princess does parties and even though I think it's over the top I'm so tempted to have her join us for a half hour to make Ella's day at the twins party in March.

She made Ella feel so special :)

 

I'm @meghanelainebeck on instagram if you want to follow along :) 

Awareness

We drove by a homeless man yesterday with a sign, HOMELESS, WILL WORK 8 HOURS FOR $50.  It's not uncommon to see this in our community.  The kid's haven't asked about it in the past, but I pointed it out to them. I explained that the man was looking for work to get money to take care of himself. I told them there are lots of reasons someone might not have a job and we are grateful that Daddy has work. The had a few questions and then Ella quietly said, "I hope someone gets him job soon."

After leaving Target today we passed a young couple as I was getting off the freeway. Their sign read HUNGRY. Before I even processed it both Maxwell and Ella pointed them as we drove off. "Mom what did their sign say? Do they need a job too?" I nodded. "They don't have a house either?" Maxwell asked.  "I'm not sure," I said. "But it doesn't look like it." 

"Silly Mom," Maxwell said. "We have too many beds at our house. They can sleep in Michael's room" (our guest room). And just like that my eyes filled with tears and I said a prayer of thanks for the innocence of a child's heart. Because he's right. The simple truth is we do have too many beds. And those were cold, hungry people on a rainy day. 

Of course it's much more complicated than that, but it was a gentle reminder. I have more than I need, even when it feels like I don't have enough. And my kids are watching me. Imitating me. Not just with this, but with everything. Now that they're aware of homeless, how do I want them to respond to them? Should we give money when we can? Keep bags of food in the car? Buy meals? Maybe. I think all of those things are good. But I think the most important lesson for me to teach my children is not to look away. I want Maxwell and Ella to look at people in the eye and smile. They can show love by seeing people who may be feeling invisible. I want to teach my children awareness, so that they can show compassion to others but also so they appreciate all that we have.

There are a million reasons someone may hold a sign. I don't need to judge these reasons.

Catch up post

I wrote a post this morning and it disappeared...here's the gist of it...
Life has been really good.  I know there are ups and downs in marriage but I've been enjoying a heck of an up. Mike and I are appreciating each other and just enjoying our family.  I think we've had three spontaneous date nights in the past few weeks, which is a lot for us. He's been working in town and its been so fun to have him home every night.

I'm a bit spoiled and the 55 degree weather we've been having this month was killing  me-until the sun came last week. Mike came down with a yucky cold but I took the kids to the beach yesterday and enjoyed my favorite place. It was at least 73 out.  Looks like rain is coming this weekend but I'm so grateful for the sunshine while we have it.  Beach days with m & e will be the thing I miss most when I eventually go back to work.

Maxwell especially looks so big to me. He's long and lean and, just...grown up. These two ran in the waves for hours. I love that they enjoy the beach as much as Mike and I.

My favorite thing ever? When Mike calls in the morning and tells me to get a sitter because he's taking me out. I love looking forward to it all day. Here we are out to sushi.

Fishing

Just a little Sunday fishing.

I'm learning how to use my iPhone. What apps do I need?

Haircut

I don't cut my kid's hair. I tried it once and Maxwell ended up looking like Loyd from Dumb and Dumber. I do NOT want to be blammed for that again. I usually take Maxwell to Fantastic Sams or some place with a coupon. He thinks haricuts are fun because he gets a lollypop. Ella has never had one. Maybe it's because she was bald until she was almost two so we like her locks long. When we were at my parents we took them to this place for kids in the mall called Whipper Snippers. Oh my goodness, too cute.

Maybe they have these places all over but I've never seen anything like it. Maxwell got to choose his 'station' and was given a binder of movies to pick from. He got to drive a silly little car and watch Cars 2, his fav. It was just about the cutest thing ever. I need to open one of these in Atascadero.

Check out boy with hair gel! He reminded me of a 50's boy, all he needed was rolled up jeans and a white shirt.

Not to be left out, Ella got in on the action with glitter and a flower in her hair. 

It's not just haircuts, little ones can get manis, pedis, and feathers in their hair.  I'm assuming this is normal other places, I've just never seen anything like it. Neither have my kids. Fantastic Sams is going to seem pretty boring after this trip.

 

Happy Birthday Mom

A couple days late...

Mom, You're amazing. You have such a selfless heart you are always looking for ways to bless others. I wrote this post last year and the words only get more and more appropriate, THANK YOU. It sounds too simple, but I hope I take care of my family like you take care of us. I love you.

~meg

The kids and I spent the night at my parents while Mike was working out of town. 

Chocolate face

The kids had a tea party with Nonnie

 

I got to sneak away with my Crystal for drinks and dinner. Crystal's one of my oldest friends and being with her makes me so happy, she's like family to me. AND, she just had a new baby girl.

Nothing like brownies in PJs. We sang to my Mom and Maxwell kept whispering to me, "Where's the party?" He was so disappointed that my Dad, Mike and my brothers weren't there to celebrate. Hard to explain to a three year old why they have to be at work.

 

 

Nautical Guest Room

Now that we've finished Ella's room, it's fun to think about the rest of the house. Our plan is our bedroom next, then we dream about doing an outdoor covered kitchen/bbq area...which would be so amazing since we love our property and we are out there rain or shine.

But I also daydream about giving our guest room a quick redo. When I became pregnant with the twins, we added a room onto our house for Maegann. It was her senior year of high school and I wanted her to feel like she was getting something special, not getting kicked out of her old room as we made hers the nursery. Mike let me choose the flooring and we put in beautiful dark hardwood, the only real hardwood in our house. Little did I know that these floors show everything, but they are perfect in a guest room. Little Maeg has long since moved out and spread her wings so this room is now dubbed Michael's room (when he comes home) or our guest room. It still has big letters from Urban Outfitters that spell out M E G across one wall. The other wall holds the nails of paintings that she took with her.

The room's fine as it is but here's my vision for it someday...hints of nautical without being too theme y.

Got to start with oars, above the bed

Or maybe above the dresser...

And sweet words in pretty frames...

 Throw some rope in a bowl...

 

Frame a BIG vintage map like this, or a fishing map would be cool

I'd keep the bedding all white or do a stripped duvet in yellow, navy or gray

 

Mike already drywalled and textured the walls, which look really good, but how cool would wide planked walls be painted white?

 

Thank you pinterest for keeping me up too late.

I've Got A Brand New Pair Of Rollerskates

Ella tries out her new skates from Santa. She's very serious about telling me that she wears her helmet because the directions say to. Love my safety girl.

 

 

The Most Special Gifts

My birthday is New Years Day. I turned 32 and I have to say, this has been the best birthday year to date. I had my fabulous wine tasting the week before, and New Years Eve was spent at home with Mike and the kids. We did our favorite thing, back yard BBQ, and early to bed. New Years day Mike asked what I wanted to do and my one request was the movies. We went to see This Is 40, which I loved, at 10 30 in the morning while my mil watched the kids.

We were home in time for the kids to take a nap, which meant Mike and I got to be lazy, then we went out to Mexican food for dinner. My mother in law made a cake for me, because she loves me- but also because the kids were soooo excited to sing happy birthday. When we got home from dinner Max and Ella insisted I give them wrapping paper and tape. I cut out big squares of paper and they raced to their rooms where they spent 15 minutes at work. At one point Ella ran out and said, "Mom, do you think I can ask Santa for tape next Christmas?" Poor girl, I never let her use tape because they go through it so fast. That night I let her use the whole thing.

After they sang to me and helped blow out candles, I opened presents. Cue the cutest moment ever...Maxwell had wrapped up his treasured plastic tool set for me. Ella snuck in my closet and wrapped my favorite old flip flops and a belt. And Mike gave me an iPad for Christmas/Birthday! How sweet is that? It was a perfect birthday. And it just keeps going. On Sunday I went to lunch with girlfriends, we do an annual December/January celebration for a few of our birthdays. This Wed I get to have dinner with my friend Crystal. I'm telling you- best birthday ever :)

 

 

 

My Birthday Part 1

Now that I'm older birthday's aren't usually a big deal. I love to celebrate, but my birthday's now measured by how excited my kids get to help me blow out candles. Well, this year (32) I got a super fun surprise. Cue my dysfunctional/happy family...my stepson Michael was home from New York for Christmas. Some of his friends from LA, who we love, came home to visit for part of the break as well. So Michael's Mom (my husband's ex wife), arranged a fabulous day of wine tasting in a ginormous limo for my birthday/Michael being home/family and friends. I didn't know the details, which made it all the more fun for me. We had such a great time and I felt totally spoiled. We live within 15 minutes of this beautiful wine country.

I can't be sure but this has got to be a posed fake laugh...

 

 

 

 

Little Maeg and I died of happiness when we discovered these bread sicks

What? Mike drinking wine? He was over the wine pretty quick, but he was a trooper for the day

Our only family photo and it was blurry

Michael and Maeg's mom Jennifer, me, my mother in law and little Maeg

I'm thankful that this works for us~