finn is a graduate

"i'm so glad to be graduated. i'm ready for summer"

- finn oliver, pre-k graduation

finn graduated from pre-school this past friday.

after 3 .5 years at st. andrews by-the-sea,
he will be moving on to kindergarten in the fall.

the teachers and the mothers were filled with mixed emotions
 but mostly i can say, i was excited more than anything.
because he has a january birthday,
he was one of the older kids in his class,
and though he wasn't eligible or ready for kindergarten last fall,
i can confidently say, he couldn't be more ready this year.

he and i will miss his wonderful teacher, miss melissa,
and will still get to see her in the fall as scoutie will start there.
she won't be the 2 yr old teacher,
but we will pop our head into her classroom and say hello often.

the graduation ceremony was simple -
the graduates wore homemade paper graduation caps,
accepted their certificates proudly and
and sang cute songs for us parents.

finn's favorite part was the cake afterwards of course.
he takes after his mother in that he has a huge sweet tooth.

congratulations finn!  mommy and daddy are so very proud of you.
we look forward to watching you grow and learn so much more.

downsizing

on friday a girlfriend of mine downsized - not in home or vehicle size,
she had a breast reduction. i don't hear of these quite as often as the other. 

she mentioned wanting one years ago and after giving birth to her son a few years ago,
and she decided it was time. while hanging out at the pool a few weeks ago,
she was telling us girls that she could hardly wait.

she was looking forward to not having back pain, jogging, wearing clothes she's never been able to,etc.
all the while, i'm thinking, gosh could your surgeon save what she takes out for me!
i'd love to be a size bigger - well actually i'd just love to be firmer. *grin*
after breastfeeding two kids and just getting older, well, you ladies know.

i was never 'blessed' to know what it is like to be voluptuous -
i have always just been average.
funny because my friend would be very happy to be just 'average'.
i've never been an advocate of cosmetic surgery.
i guess i always thought we should be happy with what we were born with.

if someone was disfigured or in pain of course,
those are where i would make exceptions.
but for vanity alone, i thought it was a bit ridiculous.
that's me - i'm a natural girl in most everything.
i'll take jeans and a tee over a cocktail dress,
a cozy cafe to a 5-star restaurant and
being outdoors to spending a day in the mall.

so confessing that i might consider a little cosmetic help in this department a few years
from now is strange even to me. maybe a little lift or a some density to my 34Bs?
as i get older, my perspective has changed.

for now, i just cheer my girlfriend for doing something for her -
something that she really wanted.
i look forward to seeing her new makeover in a few weeks after she's healed.
without the burden of big boobies, who knows, maybe she will join me for a morning jog
on the beach this summer. *wink*

deep breaths

hope is always available to us. when we feel defeated,
we need only take a deep breath and say, "yes,"
and hope  will reappear.
- monroe forester 

closed doors, lowered voices, serious faces -

these have been common at my workplace over the past two weeks.

 times are tough and i know companies are downsizing.

i have been preparing myself - financially and emotionally

in case i found myself unemployed and was just waiting.

that was the toughest part.

final decisions were made today and i lost some great coworkers.

for now at least, i am still employed *sigh of relief*.

my business development coworker in san diego also remains

and we will continue to work hard helping to bring work in the door.

my heart goes out to my friends and coworkers who were affected today

and to those in management who had to make the tough decisions.

i would never want to be in their shoes. it's got to be hard for them too.

i'm keeping those folks in my prayers and hoping they and their famlilies will be ok.

**********

unrelated to work, i should note that the boys and i are all a healthy bunch now.
we had a horrible stomach bug and it was a very real reminder to be thankful for good health -
something we so often take for granted.

we look forward to getting out this weekend and making up for living in our pjs most of the
memorial day weekend. (christopher did end up catching it too poor guy)

a little bedtalk

bunk beds have been the subject of conversation in our family for the past week.
what did you think i was going to write about? you should know my posts are g-rated.

for the past six months, c has been talking about purchasing a bunk bed so the boys
can share a room. i told him we'd revisit the topic when scout got closer to his 2nd birthday
(he was only 18 months at the time). i reminded him that i was going to let my last baby
enjoy his crib until he was at least 2.

finn made the transition from big boy bed to crib at 2 and it worked out well. he knew this.
now that scoutie's 2nd birthday is just around the corner, c's started to talk 'beds' again.

since the bedrooms in our home are small and the ceilings are low,
i suggested we get a trundle so we could just pull out the bottom bed
for scoutie when he sleeps, but that didn't go over well.

c and finn have their minds set on a bunk bed. i suggested ikea.
their furniture is inexpensive, durable enough and we generally can find something with clean lines
that we both can agree on. after looking at their selection,
we were disappointed to learn they had nothing more than the typical wood-slated beds -
nothing remotely unique. i would have settled for one anyway, but c wouldn't.

he started talking about building one, but i steered him away from that idea.
i'd rather have his time on the weekends then have him spend a whole weekend (my guestimate)
building a cool bunk bed. he's currently researching bunk beds on-line so who knows.
so far he's found several that he loves.

he shared these with me. i love them all too, but our budget doesn't love them.
here are a few pictures of some very cool and well-designed bunk beds out there.
some start around $1,200 and can go up to $3,500+.

i always hear from architects and designers that good design costs,
and this was an example for me. ouch!!
i guess there is a market out there for these beds,
but we certainly don't know many of those families.
we know plenty who'd want them though.
i should note that all or most of these beds are designed by italians.

it's too bad there aren't more affordable modern bunks out there designed by americans.
if you see any that are ubercool and affordable, please share with me!

under the weather

scoutie went to bed saturday night and fussed which is unusual. i
 was hoping he was just overtired but that wasn't the case.
two hours later, he woke up crying and and with a slight fever.
as i held and rocked him in the chair next to his bed, he threw up - all over himself and me.

we showered and the incident repeated itself a few hours later but while he was in his crib.
poor little guy. he spent alot of the night dry heaving as i laid next to him on a pallete i made on his floor.
i didn't put him in my bed fearing he might have another incident and well, i've learned that at least one adult should get a good night sleep because it could last a few days or pass to another child.

sure enough, finn and i both woke up feeling horrible. i couldn't keep breakfast down and finn is lethargic and is running a fever. i can't remember the last night any of us felt this bad - it's no fun! somehow christopher remains unscathed - for now. the bbq that we all planned on going to tomorrow is out as well as my morning run. even if i feel better, i doubt i would have the energy. the little boys and i haven't had more than a few sips of water and even then, scout couldn't keep that down. so much for a fun 3-day weekend.
i hope we crawl out from under this cloud soon.

stay healthy out there.
i'm going to try to catch some zzzzs.

christopher is on duty tonight.

bye bye binkie

for the past few months, christopher and i have mentioned needing to start weaning scout off his pacifier. his pediatrician recommended it be gone by 2 years and it was fast approaching.
we had finn weaned at 18 months so we knew the drill but were dragging our feet.

as with finn, we only allowed scoutie his binkie at bedtime, but over the past few months,
he started asking for it whenever he got hurt or was upset,
and we realized we needed to put a stop to it quickly or it would only get more difficult.

after christi mentioned he was getting more attached to it,
i told her we *really* needed to begin the weaning process, but i didn't talk specifics.
the next day, i came home from work and christi shared the good news.

scout had napped without his binkie and without a fuss!
she hid it up high and when it came time for his nap,
he asked for it and she said "i don't know where it is. let's go look for it."
they searched under the couch, the bed, and the toy box.

they couldn't find the binkie so she said "just snuggle up with patches (his sock dog) and go to sleep".
he did.  she said it was as simple as that.
that evening, i repeated her technique and it worked.
i never dreamed it would be that easy.

since he's my last, i was a little less aggressive with the push to get rid of it.
thank you christi - you help our family is so many days.  you are a gem! 

lil' climber

climbing is what I do.
- anatoli boukreev

here's a clip of scoutie doing what he does best.
i recently discovered that his father has been letting him climb the cottage ladder *alone*
i almost had a heart attack. seriously, he is not even two yet and well, i worry.

he's a great climber but regardless,
we're going to have to be on our toes more than ever before.

rule #1: he can not climb this ladder unless mommy,
daddy or christi are there to catch him.
as a backup, i'm moving the boys' large beanbag to just below the steps.
just in case...

 

OUCH

this is one of scoutie's 'top 10' words and has been for months,
so when i came across band-aids at old navy that had the word 'ouch' printed on them,
i had to get them!

our scout, is a bit of a daredevil and because he's the second child,
christopher and i aren't as protective of him as we were with finn.
we let him explore more and push his boundaries (sometimes c allows it more than i'd prefer),
but that's a topic for another time.

the combination of his free spirit and and his constant struggle to keep up with finn,
he's become no stranger to bumps and bruises.
i came home from work today to learn that during a tantrum,
he flung himself off the couch and onto his firetruck toy face first.
he has a few cuts and a small bruise on is face, but he is fine.

i commented to christi that he'll probably not do that again.
he comes to us often saying "ouch" and points to where he hurts.
often his owies aren't visible, and once they were actually ink pen marks!

no matter, i'm always happy to kiss the area(s) he points to and he walks away happy.
someday a simple kiss won't be able to make everything 'all better' but for now,
i'm glad my kisses are like magic.
i hope they will work a little bit longer.
(i should note that daddies and christi's kisses are pretty special too)

james taylor at his best

after running errands this afternoon,
i promised finn he could watch the movie cars while i prepared dinner.

he's probably watched it 500 times but it never fails to keep him captivated
 and it gives me a little window of time for me to get caught up on things.

finn and scout love all the different cars in and all the racing that takes place,
and c and i like the messages it teaches the boys.
i especially love the james taylor song in it our town.

whenever it comes on,
i ask finn to turn it up for mommy and whatever i'm doing,
i stop and just listen.

for some reason i'm reminded of my dad when i hear it and i'm not sure why.
maybe it's because it's about a simpler time and my dad has told me alot about
 his little town where his mom ran a grocery store right off their main home.

i have vague memories of his town but what i remember is all good.
i almost get nostalgic for a time and place i never really even knew.
for alot of reasons, i love this song.

if you haven't ever heard it, take a few minutes and watch this little clip from the movie
and listen. i promise, you'll be happy you did. it's james taylor at his best.

the lyrics:
long ago, but not so very long ago the world was different,
oh yes it was you settled down and you built a town and
made it live and you watched it grow it was your town

time goes by, time brings changes, you change too
nothing comes that you can't handle,
so on you go never see it coming,
the world caves in on you on your town.
nothing you can do.

main street isn't main street anymore
lights don't shine as brightly as they shone before
tell the truth, lights don't shine at all, in our town sun.

comes up each morning just like it's always done get up,
go to work start the day open up for business that's never gonna come
as the world rolls by a million miles away

main street isn't main street anymore
no one seems to need us like they did before
it's hard to find a reason left to stay
but it's our town,

love it anyway
come what may,
it's our town.

meet sam

sam is finn's stuffed dog.
he's been with him since his first birthday,
a gift from aunt sherry and uncle randy.

a perfect gift really for a little boy who didn't
have a lovey or a stuffed animal to call his own yet.

i'm not sure if it was the cute pointy nose, the long floppy ears,
or the orange hoody, but finn instantly fell in love with him.
he never became obsessed to the point he had to carry him around all day long,
but in the evenings before bed, he wanted sam in bed with him.
when we traveled, sam accompanied him.

last year, when we took our family vacation,
finn said he was didn’t need sam to come.
it was a sign that he was growing up and not my baby anymore. *sniff*

yet, finn hasn't given him up completely.
sam sits on his bed every day,
and every night finn pulls him under the covers with him.
a sign he’s not that grown up…not yet at least.

when he is ready to retire sam, he won’t go too far.
i will store him away so that i can give him back to finn someday.
who knows, maybe he will be a father of a little one who will enjoy
him every bit as much as he has.

mother's day: 2009

my mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.
i may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.
~graycie harmon




happy mother's day to my BEAUTIFUL mother. i love you so!
and to my wonderful mother-in-laws, sisters and friends who are all mommies,
have a wonderful day.

************
here's how this mommy spent her day:

i started with a run and then i spent the day at sea world with the boys.

finn and i rode journey to atlantis (his and my first time ever).
though finn was officially 1/8" too short (had to be 42" tall),
the teenager that worked the ride let him go anyway.

his eyes lit up and he RAN all the way through the line.
we were lucky there wasn't a single person in front of us.
it was the highlight of our day.
just LOOK at his little face in the picture below!

we all took naps after we got home and later we went on a 3 mile bike ride,
stopping for ice cream at tasty freeze afterwards.  Yum!

it was a perfect mother's day for me...
nothing fancy, just a fun day hanging out with my three.

finn's first rollercoaster ride, journey to atlantis {sea world}

the mother's day card finn for me in preschool, age 5 it reads:

she is 20 years old (thx finn)
she is 5' tall she weighs 30 lbs
she likes to wear clothes 
her favorite food is corn
her job is on the computer
she looks prettiest every day (aw)
she is special because she takes care of me

sailing with grammy

the days pass happily with me wherever my ship sails.
- joshua slocum

our days passed happily but too quickly with grammy barby when she was visiting last weekend. instead of spending the day at the beach, christopher came up with the idea of renting a sailboat and it was a treat for all. it had been a while since we had gone, and much to our surprise we learned barby had never been so that was especially cool.

it was a nice day - sunny, 75 degrees, and a little windy - just perfect for sailing. we rented a 18' capri which we all fit in quite well. first mate finn was at the helm at the beginning of our journey, but after going in circles a few times, christopher took over -before we turned green. we saw a regatta, talked about how awesome it would be to own a sailboat, and just enjoyed each other's company while the sun shined on our faces and the wind swept our hair all over the place. the little guys discovered they could go below deck and found small windows to look out of which kept them entertained.

after sailing, we grabbed sandwhiches and headed to the soccer field to watch finn plays his last game of the season. he was exhausted from sailing but managed to score two goals which made him feel so proud. barby seemed to enjoy herself and i'm sure she found watching this under 6 (yrs) league as entertaining as any comedy.

though grammy barby is far away, she is always close to our hearts. we love you!!

back in five

out of my mind, back in 5 minutes.

- my coworker's screensaver

anyone associated at all with business development right now is probably insanely busy!
i can't recall when there's ever been a time in my working life that i've been this busy and this stressed.
i've been getting weekly headaches and my coworker has had stomach problems.
my guess is these ailments are both related to our stress.

this is a rare thing for me so it's causing me some concern.
in order to make it through these tough times, 5 minutes breaks (or more) are in order.
i'm going to remember to get away from my desk a few times a day and take a break.
my health depends on it!

if you are struggling too, hang in there - it's gotta get better! *wink*

an unsung hero

mom forwarded an email to me today and in general, i delete forwards, but for some reason i opened this one. i'm SO glad i did because i learned of an irena sendler, a woman who's name i have never heard, but should have. she risked her life to save over 2,500 children during the holocaust. mom's email was a short blurb on her compassion and heroism. i was so moved, i googled her name to learn more and i found this. it brought tears to my eyes and my heart was so full of gratitude for this woman who i never met but whose name, i won't forget. thanks mom.

goodbye cottage living

 i just learned one of my favorite magazines, cottage living
is no longer around and i'm so bummed!

i *loved* this little magazine for so many reasons.
it was jam-packed with old houses (or new old houses)
and since traditional cottages are small - usually no more than 1,500 sf,
and i live in a small cottage so it gave me real solutions/ideas for our home. 
the additions, layouts and solutions were all so thoughtful and purposeful.
even my very modern hubby could appreciate it and he's a tough sell. ;)

i'm crossing my fingers cottage living will make a come back -
maybe after this darn recession is over?
here are a few pixs taken from the website i thought are adorable and/or unique.
.

krazy for krispy kreme

before finn went to bed last night,
he asked if we could have a special morning.
i asked what he meant by special.
he responded "can we go to krispy kreme." *laugh*

donuts are something we rarely eat in our home,
but since it had been a long time,
i said 'ok' even though i knew c would give me a little grief for it.

i just had to remind him that finn actually loves watching the
donut-making process more than eating the donuts.
if i told finn we were just going to go through the drive-thru,
he wouldn't want to go.

so before we went on our field trip and to get our morning sugar buzz,
i got an early morning run in, c fed them a *real* breakfast,
then i headed to the bakery.

as soon as we walked through the door,
the boys ran straight to the window to watch the donut making process.

they were fascinated with it all,
from the rotating wheel that drops the donuts into the hot grease,
 to the conveyor belt that takes them through the sugar waterfall.

it was a good 15 minutes before i could coerce them over to come
over to the case and select a ready-to-eat donuts.
even with all their choices (sprinkles, chocolate, jelly filled)
they both ended up with a simple glazed donut.
my favorite too.