Our family room project is almost done.  We have been painting so our main computer hasn't been plugged in.  I cannot wait to have "project mode" over.  And then my mom comes!  Yay!

Around our Abode

While I was waiting for Hallie to come home from preschool (and while Claire was napping) I snapped some pictures from around our home.  I started in her room (because I really missed her) and then I just ended up walking around and snapping this and that.

Painting her closet doors is on my "to-do" list. :)

Ruffles!

Previous owners had a dog for a week (seriously, they changed their minds).  We don't need a doggy door so we turned it into a chalkboard last summer.  We usually put seaonal messages or love notes on it.

This trunk is in a new location.  We're still figuring out what to put on top.

We love our home.  It is our fifth member of the family!  We really missed it while we were in California this summer.  It is not the just house that is special, it is the spirit that dwells here from the memories we've made.  We are slowly making changes that are exciting.  We'll share those as projects are completed.

Preschool Pictures

Poor Hallie thought she got it good when I only took one picture of her dressed for preschool.  She came home to find me anxiously waiting with a smile, a hug, and a camera.

The first thing she did was grab a glass to put her picked dandelions in.

The makings of a first day tradition . . .

Eating her cookie and getting mad that it crumbled . . . aah, she is still three!

She told me "this stupid cookie!"  There's a first.

Crumbly cookie aside, I'm so happy to have my girl back home.  And so happy she had so much fun!

Hallie's First Day of Preschool

Today is a big day in Hallie's life.  Her first day of preschool. 

She woke up cute as a bear in her Alaska pajamas.  I asked her "Guess what today is?  You get to go to preschool!"

Hallie had her choice of breakfast and selected Raspberry-Blackberry Muffins (those were already made . . . awesome) and hot chocolate.

Contemplating the change to come . . . (or just eating a muffin).

During the normal "get ready" routine we talked about good bahavior and listening to our teacher and other Moms at preschool.  I braided her hair in tight braids and we chose a white flower clip.

And before you know it she was ready to go and out the door!

I only had one chance to get a snapshot dressed before school.  You better believe we are going to take some after school pictures to even the score.

Now it is just Claire and I left to roam the next two and a half hours.  Claire is already relishing having toys to herself.  And based on her language skills, she could be ready for preschool before I know it.  She just told me "Ball . . . ball stuck." Then she retrieved it and said "I did it!"  (She is only sixteen months mind you).

And now, I move over to my mushy mom segment . . .

Dear Hallie,

When did you grow from a little chubby baby into a beautiful little girl? Lots of moms are excited for a break from their active three and four year olds. Me? While I am excited for this for you, I am a little sad. What will I do without my little friend for two and a half hours two days a week? You are such a sweet companion and helper. Although this milestone is just a small one it does signify that start of a new era. The start of learning outside the home. The start of new friendships. The school age was so delightful for me. I know you, little one. You are bright and happy and you will flourish with this new change. I will love watching you go through it and will thrill to hug you again at the end of each new day and challenge. And don't mind me while I mourn a bit. It's just that those first years were so fast and what does that mean about the tenacity and speed of the next years? At least we'll still have you for our sunshine in the morning and peaceful moon at night.

Love, Mommy

Crewmates and Capsizing

Isn't the concept of family just incredible?  I was thinking about a new analogy for our family where I liken us to a little boat  crew.  You like your crew.  There are enough oars for the three of you.  And you don't need anything else to make you happy and complete.  Then, you add another to the crew and for a little adjustment period your boat almost capsizes.  But then the waves turn to ripples and finally the pond surface settles.  And you have another crewmate on your boat that you can't imagine living without.

just words

Wow!  A week just flew by before me in a flash!  Chris and I have been doing some home improvements.  One particular project involves lots of lumber and paint.  We are having so much fun doing it and are once again thankful to finally own a home so we can do these fun things. 

The girls are flourishing.  Hallie had a cold last week but she didn't let that get her down.  This is a big deal because normally when she has a runny nose her world falls apart.  She seems to be more mature about it now.  She is great about making good choices.  Her behavior in stores is so impressive.  And even if she starts a tantrum, she is able to recognize it and correct it.  We are so proud of her.  She starts preschool tomorrow.  I'm so excited for her.

Claire is talking and moving so much!  She doesn't have quite the number of words that Hallie had at this age but Claire is saying incredible phrases at just 16 months.  Things like "I need some milk" or "I see grass" or "I don't want it."  She blows our minds!  She is starting to cruise around furniture and anticipate her walking soon.  She is still a mommy's girl but loves to cuddle with Daddy.  She was hugging Dad yesterday and I wanted some of that action too.  I stole her away and she said "I ont Daddy!" and dove back into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. 

Chris has started off a new school year and is passionate about the classes he teaches.  We are so proud of our teacher Dad/Husband.  We know the kids who have him are so lucky!

I caught Hallie's cold so I have a soar/scratchy throat.  I am one of the new nursey leaders at church so I spend two hours with the 2-3 year olds each Sunday.  I've only done one week so far but they are so cute . . . and exhausting.

We've really revved up our saving lately and feel proud about the little amount we socked away for August.  Let's hope we keep it up.

faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust!

Here is a project I have wanted to do for some time.  I just thought it would be so exciting to have a fairy house outside!  I wasn't sure how to execute it.  Finally, today Hallie and I collected sticks and just went for it.  Here is our fairy house for Tinkerbell and her friends to come visit in our backyard.  We used sticks, floral tape, hot glue, and dandelions. . . and the whole faith, trust, and pixie dust bit.  We will probably add to it as we go.  Right now there is a little swing.  I imagine we'll add more flowers and rocks and such.  Now Hallie has a fun place to imagine outdoors.  It's not perfect, but a three-year-old and her impatient mother made it.  And it's supposed to look like fairies put it together from found objects (great excuse, huh?).  We love it.

Searching for flowers for Tink's house . . .

 

After Claire woke up from her nap, she entertained herself by stuffing rocks in this watering can.  Cheap thrills.

Now that we are satisfied, and a little tired, the girls are watching the Tinkerbell movie as I type.  Fun stuff, I tell you.  Fun stuff.

Transportation

Today I am thinking of transportation.  And not transportation in the traditional sense of trains, planes, and automobiles.  I am thinking of how pictures can transport you to another time.  I'm starting work on Claire's baby book.  You can call this my method of transportation. Back in the day, I was as big a scrapbooker as they come.  These days, I simply compile the girl's first year in a scrapbook and maybe do a theme scrapbook here and there.  Otherwise, I am so enthralled with the digital era.  I love blogs and look forward to compiling these entries into hard copy books someday soon.  I also like doing movies for our family.  The point is, something has to be done with pictures.  We owe ourselves the thrill of transportation.  I barely remembered these photos existed.  And look at what they capture . . . Claire just three days old.  Her skin looks so soft.  Her face looks so content.  I look like I haven't had much sleep but you can tell I feel so peaceful.  Those newborn moments are so unique and so fast.  And although, I am not ready to drive into that era again quite yet, I am so happy that I have pictures to transport me back for brief moments. 

Daydreams

I really, really like having these kids.  I just love being a mom.  I want to say that this was what I always dreamed about motherhood, but I can't. 

You see, my daydreams about motherhood involved six children, Kevin, Kimberly, Ryan, Ashley, and the twins (a boy whose name I can't recall) and Carissa.  The reason I had six kids was 1.) I really liked six names and wanted to use them up and 2.) I needed kids with different shades of my brown hair.  Kevin was my dark-haired son.  Kimberly had dark brown hair as well.  Ashley and Ryan had light brown hair.  And the twins?  They were just babies.  They didn't really have hair . . .just peach fuzz.  I never imagined a dad . . . he must have been at work.  I never ever imagined taking care of the babies . . . they were just cute, fat placeholders.  My visions were mainly of my older children lined up in first day of school clothes with Disney character backpacks on, thick combed hair, and smiles on their faces.  They didn't really talk.  They never made messes.  I never had to feed them.  I just looked through catalogs at how I would decorate their rooms.  And I took them trick-or-treating by pulling a wagon around the neighborhood (the oldest three would walk, the youngest three would sit in the wagon).  These kids never fought, never screamed, never had trouble going to sleep, never woke up screaming from sleep.  And always looked picture perfect. 

Right now I have Hallie and Claire.  Their names certainly weren't on my name list.  And Hallie's blond hair . . . never in my wildest dreams.  My real kids have well coiffed hair from about 10am until 10:20 when Claire rips out her bows or Hallie ruffles her braids by rolling in blankets.  I have to change at least six diapers a day and I have to feed them and work really hard to get their rooms even close to orderly (and nowhere near catalog worthy).  They smile a lot but they scream and cry a lot too.  And the older one is smart as a whip and knows how to reason and talk back a little. 

But they have loads of personality.  The love me and think I am as pretty as any princess.  They gush "Mommy" with such adoration when they wake up from their naps and they hug with gusto as they wrap their arms around my neck and lay their heads on my shoulder.  They delight when a dog barks or when a bird is in the backyard.  Their eyes are so expressive and their energy brings such an alive spirit to our home.   

These two bring joy that my thirteen-year-old imagination could never comprehend.  In fact, I never imagined being joyful with my pretend family, only being proud of how perfect they were.  These kids keep me so busy I barely even have the chance to reflect on how proud I am of them.  All I know is they bring me joy.

And the dirty work involved in parenting is what gets you to that joyful level. Take for instance my newborn Claire.  She was so content during the day and so unsettled during the night those first weeks of her life.  I would do everything I could think of those nights and just pray with all my strength that she could just fall asleep.  One night, I was singing to her, terrified that the screaming onslaught would begin.  As I sang her her lullabies I thought "Does she even know me?  Does she even care that I am singing?"  An overwhelming feeling of assurance and the thought came to me "This is how you will bond.  This investment now is what will make her love you and make her calm as she is older."  Cut to fifteen months later, and isn't it the truth?  That little one loves to be held, and stroked, and sung to.  I know she feels safe and protected and loved.  And I know she loves me.

So, is parenting what I imagined?  No way, because I didn't know what to imagine.  Are these two kids better than I ever could have imagined?  For sure.  They are better than my best dreams because not even my dreams could have taken me here.

This is what I feel like today . . .

I had a dream that my dad was dying. Then I awoke . . . and he was already gone. :(

The scale was being mean to me this morning (as if it wasn't the late night salt-fest I treated myself to last night).  I am a little blue and a little blah.  But, I am a stubborn gal, and I won't let that get me down.  So, as soon as this post is up, the computer is off and I am going to storm through this house like the tasmanian cleaning devil.  Because there is no way I want to wallow.  There is nothing like a feeling of accomplishment to knock away the "woe is me."  And some good music and scripture reading will temper my tantrum too.

And how can I feel down when this cutie just flitted over wearing. . .

three hats, fairy wings, a tutu, and wand.  Now that's pizazz!  And I want some of that too!

Edited and added later:  Guess what?  My perfect potion worked.  I cleaned the upstairs, read my sciptures and prayed, worked out and am now feeling fantastic again.  I am totally stoked to be out of that funk . . . even if I am a little sweaty from the work-out . . . and let's not talk about the messy first floor. :)  I know not all problems can be solved that way.  Some people don't just get the blues, they get knock-down drag-out depression and they can't just snap their fingers to make it better.  I am so happy though that I have the tools to make myself feel better on a down day. 

Backyard Beauty

Sometimes, pictures don't need any words to accompany them.