Our Happy Spot

Since it's a little obnoxious to instagram 20 photos, I'm blogging my phone pics instead. The beach is our happy place. Each of us love it. Mike called me from a job he was finishing in Morro Bay and we threw towels in a bag at 3:30 to meet him there. I'm so glad we did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Star Struck

Last week the kids had their first school performance. It was an end of the year program their Preschool put on (they go to preschool Tuesday mornings). You would have thought they were graduating high school by the way my heart felt. I brought my camera but ended up recording in some crazy night vision so good luck seeing anything. But it was so, so sweet.

Ella is on the left in a white polka dot dress, Maxwell is on the far right wearing a white shirt. I'm the one behind the camera BEAMING as if they are the only ones on stage.

X's and O's

I cherish these years I've stayed home with the kids. Lately it feels like time's getting away from me. There's always a new phase, always a new season. This one feels busy- but in a good way. Sometimes I look at the clock and can't believe it's almost dinner time. Maxwell and Ella feel like such big kids. They wake up with their own desires and ideas and do their best to fit all they can into every day. Instagram has become the easiest way for me to capture our little moments, although I miss writing here. I have to be intentional about recording these passing months because I'll never have time to go back and remember it as fresh as it is now.

Last night M & E discovered the joy of tic tac toe. Caked in chalk, they covered our driveway in X's and O's. I felt the tug to slow down a little bit and make the ordinary things exciting again. The metaphor is too easy but I felt tremendous gratitude and love for this family of mine.

xxx. ooo. xoxo. 

 

 

 

 

 

Track Stars

Seeing our kids try something new is just about the best feeling ever. Maxwell and Ella participated in their first informal track meet. We were so proud you would have thought they were competing in the Olympics. All I had was my phone so Grandparents, here's a horribly fuzzy video of your little track stars.

Smile, All Six of Us

Michael's been traveling for work the past year but he was home earlier this month and he'll be home again at the end of this week...wait, tomorrow! Yay! The only time we usually have a family picture of all six of us is Christmas morning in our jammies with sleepy eyes. And even then it's not all of us together. My friend Amy took our family photos this month and she did such a good job! If you are local you should be in touch with her, she does great work and is so affordable (search Amy H Photography, Atascadero, CA). And she's my friend and I love her :)

Having pictures of our big and little kids together is so special to me...so I'm giving you a photo overload...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Ella, So I Always Remember Her Like This

Every once in awhile Mike and I get each of the kids alone for awhile. The other day Maxwell went to work with Mike and I found Ella imagining away in her room. She is very into playing pretend. I am very into listening to her.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Summer.

Mike bought us passes to our local water park. Last week was our first time...and we can't get enough. It's been so fun having a cool place to play. Maxwell has been brave going down every kid slide and Ella enjoys floating down the lazy river and bobbing up and down in the wave pool (didn't take pictures of these parts of the park- these pics are only the 'kiddie area').

Hello summer. We love you.

Just life.

This morning is lazy. The kids have ridden bikes, played tea set, and played super spies with new walkie talkies from their Dad. In this moment I feel calm, content, thankful. Earlier in the week- not so much. Lots of arguing between the kids, talking back to me, and tolerating the annoying parts of caring for a puppy. Cute as he is, Scout is also another responsibility who needs time and attention. Lots of the time, Maxwell and Ella share an incredible friendship and bond between brother and sister. I've posted this before, but my favorite phrase I hear them whisper to each other is, "Remember, best friends stick together."

And they do, but I guess best friend's fight too. Last week went something like this, on repeat.

Laughter and playing until..Sister and her imaginary friend Simba plan an amazing pretend party that brother's not invited too. Brother then gets too rough and karate chops sister. Sister reacts with the shrillest most ear piercing cry/whine. Later outside, the puppy pounces brother and rips brother's new shirt. Wardrobe change inside, then brother throws a fit because he doesn't like dinner. I fail to meal plan so dinner is already stressful to me and I'm tense from kid's talking back. Cue husband who walks in from a long day of work. While I want to greet him with a smile and "how was your day?," what really happens is brother/sister/puppy are whinning and arguing and I'm feeling the exact opposite of this calm moment at the computer.

Then I feel like the whinny kids, the naughty dog, and the stupid dinner I made make me a failure wife and weak mother. Mind you, I come to this conclusion before he even gets out of the truck. What I want is to press rewind on our day so he can see the house like it looked like five hours earlier after I cleaned all morning. I want him to see my patience while playing Chutes and Ladders, painting water colors, and making a castle with play dough. I want him to see well behaved kids that listen and honor their mother. But it's six o'clock and those versions of ourselves have somehow faded like the afternoon.

So while he walks in and grasps the crabby state we're in, I imagine that I grab Mike's hand and run out the door. I pretend to hide with him in the backseat of the car where no one can interrupt us so I can have my turn to demand someone's attention. But just as he doesn't know every trial of my day, I don't know his. So what really happens is we say hi, make it through dinner with poorly mannered kids, and I say a 'thank goodness' at bedtime.

That was kind of how our week was going. But, like always, life went on.  And lately our happy moments are outnumbering the grumpy ones. And as I type this out, it just seems so trivial. Because right now, it's good. We are healthy. We are happy. And we love each other. Lots of hard moments in a day just seem to overwhelm me sometimes. I've been a Mama for over four years now, and I still have so much to learn. So I let them teach me. And I continue to admit, I do not have it all together.