Missing Mike

Mike's working out of town again. He leaves early Monday morning and gets home Thursday night. It's only week two of this schedule and I have to say...we miss him. We had such a good summer and got into our perfect routine of family nights by the BBQ. I'll never complain that he has work, and this job's good for the bills, we just miss him. And in this house, Thursday's the new Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday

Mike,
I always love you, but lately, I really love you. Thanks for making life good for our family. Some of my favorite things you do:

- When you start the water for Maxwell when he insists on 6 am showers
- When you balance the checkbook and do other scary adult things for me
- When I hear you brag to friends about our older kids
- When you take me on golf dates, "A happy life is a happy wife"
- When you play catch with the kids
- When you take the kids to work with you
- When you BBQ the best dinners for us
- When you tell me I'm beautiful, even when I don't feel it
- When you tell me and anyone who will listen that all you really care about is us, your family

Happy Birthday handsome.
 ~Meg

Um, hello Top Gun

Ella's Room, In Progress

Mike's bringing my vision of Ella's room to life. I love how the paint color turned out. The pretty, pale gray is such a contrast to the chocolate walls that were there before (the color is Sherwin Williams, Front Porch). The window seat looks so nice! He's just about done, then we work on putting everything back in. I looked at fabric yesterday for a seat cushion. It'll all come together soon :)

Mike's helpers.

Just like Daddy, a headlamp and safety goggles.

The detail up close looks really good...you'll see when it's all done. Mike even put in the hinges that don't slam, it's so nice!

What Kind Of Couple Are You?

A guilty pleasure of mine...PerezHilton.com, celebrity gossip site. It's cheaper than People Magazine (free), and because Perez lives in LA, it feels like local news...totally joking (about the local news). I know the privacy invasion is shallow and unkind, but honestly, I'm intrigued with celebrity couples. Especially the ones that actually last, which aren't many. You know how there are those golden couples that you feel are meant to be? The ones that will make it despite all odds, fame and fortune can't touch them? The ones you're convinced will be the exception? Tom and Rita? Ellen and Portia? Gwen and Gavin? What is about them that makes you  me root for them? They seem...just, genuine I guess. I know, hilarious to even speculate on a stranger's marriage. On anyone's marriage. But it makes me think, what kind of couple are we? What do people think about when they think about Mike and I? (Cue Carrie Brandshaw).

 (Truth: These are engagement photos. Er, ten pounds lighter ago sevenish years old...we need some decent current pictures of us).

At first glance we invite the obvious joke of age difference, that's thirteen years folks. But after that, what else? My hope, what I want for us, is to be a couple that loves and is real. And that's not always pretty. But I want us to be ourselves and to love others. If it's warm outside, and Mike's working locally, there's a good chance you'll find a bit of a gathering at our house. Not every day, but lots of days. Atascadero is like that. It's kind of an 'open door' policy. At least, in our group of friends it it. We are blessed to live on land and we spend the warm nights outside, with our family and friends. Show up with a tri tip, 6 pack of beer, or simply on your own, and you'll be greeted with a smile and pointed to the BBQ. Once you get there, one of us will ask you how you are, and we'll really listen to the answer. So that makes me think, we've got to be half way there.

I always want my house to be relaxed, loving home. The kind that you know you're welcome in, especially if it's a 'stop by,' but you're really hoping you'll be asked to stay. There are many things I admire about Mike's parenting, right now I'm talking about his older kids, but one that sticks out  is that his kids have always wanted to bring their friends home. Michael was pretty much out of the house and on his own when I came into the picture, but Maegann was only 13. With her, I was involved from Jr. High through High School, and those are some pretty big years in anyone's life. Maeg was with us, at the least, every Thursday through Sunday. And many times, on the weekend, she had a friend or two over. We camped, we went to the beach, and lots of time we were just at home. But it was a house that kids wanted to be at (And there's no reading between the lines here, the adult fun was for adults. This was not the teenage party house. Ask Maeg, you DID NOT want to be in trouble with her Dad).

 So is that a reflection of Mike and I? Of us as a couple? Or is that more of a family philosophy. Now that I think of it, this post was prompted by Emily's, at Jones Design Company. Emily wrote about  her sister's 'family moto,' and challenged her reader's to think about their own. (Emily is actually Hillary's sister, one of my best friends...can't WAIT to see you Hill!).

I intended to write about what kind of couple we are. But I guess that can't honestly, fully, be written about in a blog post. We're certainly not perfect, but I hope that when people think of us they will think we are a down to earth, generous couple that loves each other. Back to my frivolous, celebrity analysis, would this be enough to make the people root for us?

Clearly that doesn't matter, but it's enough to make me cheer loudly. What kind of couple are you?

Thanksgiving Recap: Awesome!

We spent Thanksgiving in Tahoe with friends and it was AWESOME (do I sound like an 80's movie? when I really want to stress how great something is, I always go back to 'awesome,'...because it was). Michael didn't end up coming :(, but other than that, it was a great trip. Here's a blurry picture of the house we rented. It was huge. And beautiful.



The kids were enthralled with the Foosball table. Mike was the Foos champion of the weekend.

Night #1: Some serious card games went down. These boys are Tallon and Noah: the sweetest, most fun and patient boys our kids could have asked for. They humored our kids with pillow fights over, and over, and over.

Day Two: Casino adventure. The kids played and I took at brief visit upstairs to the $.01 slots. $5.00 kept me entertained for 20 min. Then I was over it. (Blano, do you remember our trip to the casino? I think I won $75 and I thought I had won the moon! That was such a fun visit).

Thanksgiving Day: I kid you not, Mike made Thanksgiving dinner for all of us. I posed for a picture and peeled maybe three potatoes, but Mike made us the MOST AMAZING prime rib dinner. It was so, so good.

Fireplace posed pictures.

My girl and I.

Now the Barrett's turn.

Feeding our faces. Before we ate we went around and did the traditional 'This year I'm thankful for...'. Without missing a beat, Maxwell said he was thankful for, "Toy Story1, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3."
Ella looked at me and said, "Me thank my Mommy." Cue Mommy's teared up eyes.

Black Friday: South Lake Tahoe does not have much in the way of get up really early and you'll get a huge TV for cheap. But we did find a Pier 1. And a Kmart. But they didn't have much. We ended up ditching a girl's spa day to drive 25 min. to Carson City in search of great deals. And the funny thing is, I ended up buying things at Costco and The Dollar Tree that I could have bought any day of the year. But being with Maeg and going out on 'Black Friday' made it way better than shopping at these stores at home.

The lake was a two minute walk from our 'home.' So pretty.

Maeg and Zack. We obviously love her. But we like him too. A lot. (If you press zoom, you can see his blond mustache that I made fun of all weekend. Oh, No Shave November, you are killing me).

Five of my favorite people.

The trip was great. The only thing missing was Michael (that, and there was no snow). But this makes me extra excited for Christmas. As I'm typing this Maxwell and Ella are watching a Christmas movie and we have glowing candy canes lighting up our lawn. Every year since I've had the kids, I've said everything just keeps getting better. And this year, it's even better. Hearing Ella talk about the North Pole and Maxwell talk about how he has to go to sleep because Santa is going to come makes me glow from the inside out. Having two, at two and a half is awesome! (see..the word just fits).

Happy Birthday Mike

Today is Mike's birthday. He's working two hours away and my plan was to go surprise him. The company he is working for usually puts him up in his own hotel room. A month ago the kids and I went up for the night (which was super fun, until we went out to a nice dinner and they were throwing forks and dancing around our chairs and then we went back to the hotel and they fell out of bed because they are in cribs at home and I might have slept a total of two hours the whole night and I cringed because Maxwell ACTUALLY ended up sleeping on the floor between two queen beds and did my mother not teach me anything about hotel germs through those Dateline specials she recorded?! How's that for a run on sentence?)

Anyway, it's just me showing up tonight. But luckily last night he told me that he's sharing a room. Which would have been kind of embarrassing if I didn't know, because I don't think his roommate or I want to sleep in the same room. So I got a nice, beautiful room at a nice, beautiful hotel and I can't wait!
So to Mike, happy birthday. Here's my top three reasons I love you this year:

1. I love that you took over cooking for me this summer. Even after the longest day of work, you often BBQ for me and that makes my night so much easier. And I love when the kids are playing and you and I are sitting in our chairs together by the firelight. It's getting dark and cold now so it's my turn to step up, but I appreciate all the meals theses past months.
2. Thank you for your personal sacrifices this year. You've given up fishing, playing at home with us, you name it-You work so much and you do that for us. Staying at home with the kids is my gift, thank you.
3. I'm not the same. Some thing (lots of things) happen to woman after they have kids, and I'm different now. I'm not talking about my body, although WHEW, things have changed there too. I'm talking emotionally and physically, after a day with our twins, I'm spent. Motherhood has changed me and I'm not the girl I was. I'm crabby and I'm tired. And you still want me. Thank you.

So happy birthday babe. Hope it's a good one.

5 Years

Right after we got our new car, we spent our 5 year anniversary in Morro Bay for the weekend. The kids stayed with my parents and my brothers. Mike golfed and we visited with friends from out of town. I want to do it all over again. Because it was great.

Happy 5 years Mike. Love you.

My Husband Loves Me

Lately I have been feeling a little lot down about my weight. Clearly not enough to do anything about it, but I think about it everyday. If you know me in real life, you have seen me get heavier. If you know me through blogging, you have seen selective/cropped pictures. I've never been huge, but I have been conscious of my weight my whole life. I go up and down and most days I don't care. Until I get to a point where I do. And I'm almost there. But this post is about something that my husband said to me last week. We were having a little fun during nap time, wink wink, and I said something about being uncomfortable with how I look. Mike shook his head.

"Sexy isn't about weight. It's about your attitude and who you are. And I promise you, you're sexy." Melt. Thanks Mike for loving me when I'm up and when I'm down.

Happy Father's Day To Mike. Early.

I'll be gone this weekend so early Happy Father's Day to my husband. An amazing father.


I wish I had videos of Michael and Little Maeg growing up to include...

Daddy's Helpers

Mike came home from work early yesterday to do some work around our house. Maxwell and Ella were more than happy to help.

p.s. this cold wind is killing me...i want the sunshine!

Wish You Were Here

For Mike...wish you were here. See you tomorrow~

We Went Out

Parts of the night felt like we were on a first date. The music was loud and he was pressed up against my back as we sang along to the band. In seconds the cold beer in my hand and smell of the bar made me feel like I was 21. It was a friend's band in a dive bar, and it was so so fun. I haven't been 'out' for a long time. When I do go out it's usually with the girls, but Mike and I were together and it felt so good. A couple of times over the night I looked over and I saw him watching me. He had that smile on his face and I tell you, there's nothing more that this stay at home mom needed than to be out, feeling flirty and have my husband looking at me like he wanted me. We were out all afternoon/night, and got home after 2:00 a.m.! For a couple that is usually in bed by 9, that's an occasion. I loved being your girl Mike. Thanks for a night on the town.


(and thank you grandma Judie! it's the best feeling to know that our kids are 100% happy and taken care of).

Thanks Honey

Mike left the house at 2:30 a.m. this morning to make it to work by 7 to start his week of four ten hour days. I think I would throw up if I had to wake up that early and leave the house. Thanks Mike for working hard for your family. We love you. Lots.

On another note, this makes me laugh. Because, ain't it the truth?

www.themompetition.com

For My Valentine

For my Valentine. I love you Mike~

In My Life, By The Beatles

 There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All this places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
In my life-- I love you more

Training Day

Dads are just fun. We got the kids this train set at Costco. At the store I started to tell Mike how we should save it for Christmas and he got this look on his face and shook his head like I was crazy. So this is what they did this weekend. Maxwell loves the new train. Ella jumped in, when she wasn't busy eating or sleeping.