Our Holiday Greetings

Advent Calendar Days

Sometimes I look at my kids and wonder where the time has gone.

I miss the little versions of them.

I miss rocking them to sleep and carting them around on my hip.

But, time moves on and my babies are growing up.

This past week, we have been busy opening our advent calendar each day.

We've watched Jim Carrey's The Grinch while drinking hot apple cider.

We painted wooden sleighs and filled them with candy and the kids gave them to a child in their class who needed a friend.

We've made yummy treats and created some really cute decorations.

Some of the other things we have planned this month are:

I love this time of year and all of the very talented and creative people out there who share their great ideas!

My Oldest

Do you have a child that pushes you to your limits of parenthood?

I do.

His name is Max.

His name is spoken from my mouth more than any other word each day.

"Max, please..."

"Max, NO!"

"Max, why??"

He has more energy than his little body can contain.

He is too curious for his own good.

His creativity could challenge even the Greats.

And... he is as smart as a whip.

He is simply one of those kids who is hard to keep up with.

But, I know why God blessed me with this one.

He makes me a BETTER mom.

He pushes me to open my mind and accept that my child is special and unique.

He pushes me to change my perspective...

"Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

-Albert Einstein

Dumb Phrases Annoy Me!

Are there words or phrases that just get under your skin?

I have several...

"I don't mean to be offensive, but..." (Uh, yes you do!)

"You can't afford not to..." (Actually, sometimes you really don't have the $ CAN'T afford to.)

"Everything happens for a reason." (...or by chance or accident or really crappy circumstances?)

"Whatever." (or, I cannot come up with a witty comeback.)

"Money can't buy happiness." (Then you've never been broke!)

"I could care less." (translation- You couldn't care more. Is that what you meant to say?)

"Better late than never." (Ugh, this is for the habitually tardy and it's FALSE!)

"It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." (Come on! Really? It's better to have wasted time, money, your pride and have your heart broken into million pieces than to never have met that person?)

"110%." (100% is not good enough?)

"The Devil is in the details." (Isn't there another saying? "God is in the details." So, which is it?)

"Cross my heart and hope to die." (What the?)

"To be honest.." (So, you're usually lying to me?)

Some are unnecessary and some are just plain aggravating, but if you catch me saying any of the above, you have permission to slap me silly!

Happy Halloween

What's With Trees & Little Boys?

Above the patient bed, hung this cute painting.

How appropriate was this?

Well, since we were there because MY little monkey decided to climb a tree of his own, it was VERY appropriate.

BINGO

I made this Bingo game years ago when I taught school.

I recently found it when I was going through my old school tubs.

It has kept my kiddos busy, busy, busy.

I found some other cute versions here and here and here.

Halloween Mani

Elle loved these candy corn nails we painted on yesterday!

They were surprisingly easy.

Go here for instructions.

Busy

Our days are flying by.

Now that school is in full swing and the kids' activities are back up and running,

my head is spinning.

The boys are playing basketball again, so Saturdays are officially game days.

Calvin has now joined his brother as a Cub Scout and he loves it!

Elle is having a ball in gymnastics and I am waiting for another ER visit with her.

She is fearless and determined.

And, I finally got around to putting Elle and Calvin in tennis.

I'm pretty sure they are both going big places in this sport (at least that's my plan)!

Anniversary

We made it through our first year together as man and wife.

I love this man more than I can express.

We celebrated our anniversary with dinner at Olive & Ivy in Scottsdale...

A perfect night with the man of my dreams.

It's Here...It's October

I'm going to be making these for my kiddos...

From Glorious Treats



Happy October!!!!

Fall Baking

Now that my favorite season has arrived,

I can get started on a few of these...

That Kind of Day

There are those

gloomy days

when you just need

some pretty flowers

to make

you

smile.

In My Heart and On My Mind

Yesterday marked one of those anniversaries

that you don't mark on your calendar,

but somehow insists on creeping in

and parking it front and center of your mind

year after year.

Yesterday marked four years since I said, "Goodbye" to my mom:

four years since I've seen her face,

four years since I've held her hand,

and four years since I've heard her voice.

The time has passed in an instant...

Another of God's little gifts to those of us who grieve.

50 Miles

I am a runner.

I am not a cyclist.

But, when you are continuously being plagued by injuries, you realize maybe it's time to change up your workouts.

And, so I took up biking.

Biking is far more complicated than running.

A runner laces up her shoes, turns on the Ipod, and goes.

A cyclist must gear up: get into the spandex and shoes, put on the helmet and sunglasses (must be over helmet straps...some cycling unwritten rule?), and fill your jersey pockets with phone, tube, flat repair, gels, and bars.

You must check your bike, fill your tires, and load up your bottles.

Then, there is the application of chamois cream, but I'll spare you those details.

It's just a lot of prep work- not what I'm used to.

Then, there's the high.

Oh, the high.

Runners know all about it.

You know when you feel it and I've felt it on many runs.

I've yet to feel it on the bike, but I'm not giving up.

Today, I set out and accomplished 50 miles.

No high,

but I'm pretty darn proud of myself just the same.

Back to School

Braces

I could barely coax him out of bed this morning.

He DID NOT want today to come.

But, after I told him he looked like a teenager, he decided to embrace his new look.

Basketball Camp

Max has been waiting for months to go to the Suns' Basketball Camp.

It was his dad's birthday gift for him back in February.

Well, we got him packed up and prepped him for 4 nights away from home.

We drove him up to Prescott and dropped him off with a lot of really rowdy little boys and VERY TALL grown men.

He was so excited!

Then, came the phone call in the middle of the night.

The stomach flu has really bad timing.

I jumped in the car to rescue my heaving boy.

There's always next summer.

Countdown

"We spend the first twelve months on our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up."

-Phyllis Diller

I am relating to the above quote, which tells me that it is time for the kiddos to get back in school.

My three sweet angels have had a little too much together time and are ready for a much needed separation.

Only 11 more days.

We can make it.

Getting Me Through the Heat

My favorite things for this summer...

My C.O. Bigelow Ginger Mint Mentha Lip Tint

My Sanuks.

Designed for comfort.

Enough said.

La Croix Sparkling water in all sorts of great flavors.

The ONLY thing that keeps me away from the soda!

My favorite Sunblock-

On my face everyday.

The yummiest, healthiest on-the-go protein drink...ORGAIN (it's at Hi-Health).

The Tour. I love watching with my man, even though I've been encouraged not to repeatedly ask stupid questions.

Gold nailpolish.

Thank You, Mr. President

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month.

He also established National Ice Cream Day as the third Sunday in the month, so that means today is

NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY!

Hooray!

In its honor, here are a list of my all-time favorites...

Baskin Robbin's Peanut Butter & Chocolate

(so good there's even a facebook page dedicated to it☺)

Dolce Vita Gelato- Best Gelato in AZ and close to home!

The old standby...and perfectly all-natural.

Soynami (think Blizzard) from Green in Tempe.

I was skeptical that this vegan version couldn't hold up, but it is GOOD!

And...of course,

the hometown favorite, Nielsen's Frozen Custard.

Simple Vanilla is my choice.