finn write a book: kindergarten author's tea event

i hope you all had a WONDERFUL memorial weekend!

this past week and weekend have been packed full of fun things
and the 'Author's Tea' event held in finn's classroom this past
thursday started the holiday weekend off on a happy note.

in a nutshell, the students in this kindergarten class are all authors.
they spent the last month or so writing a story,
editing it and and drawing illustrations for each page.
all week the kids have been taking turns sharing their story with
their classmates and their parents.

finn was super excited about this day as he knew
grandma barby, daddy and mommy were part of the audience.
he chose to write fiction over non-fiction.
can you guess the title of his book?
ALIENS (not surprising as he's passionate about anything science-related)

he dedicated the story to his dad and began reading.
he read page after page (12 total i think) and shared each illustration.
he made it through without asking for any assistance from his teacher
who was sitting close by to help if needed.

it was clear to all, he was enjoying himself up there
he had his little legs crossed while reading
and a mom leaned over and whispered in my ear
"he looks like a little professor."  i agreed.

now finn has wanted to be an 'engineer' of some sort for the past 2.5 years.
as of this year he'd like to to be a 'robotics engineer',
and i wouldn't be surprised if he is an engineer nor would i be
surprised if he teaches at the university level someday too.
it's a long ways away i know, but not a stretch for me to imagine at all.

c videotaped the entire reading (appx. 5 minutes)
it's a bit long to share so i'm sharing a picture or two from his special day.

~ i almost forgot to share that finn was the hero in his story.
HE saved the human race from the aliens that were there to destroy it. *smile*

finn's favorite flick

i'm only five so there's alot of stuff i don't know yet.
 - dennis the menace (after being asked why he asks so many questions by mr. wilson)

my sister stacey recommended i consider dennis the menace for our next 'kid' outdoor movie night. i came across it at the target last weekend and the little boy on the dvd looked SO much like finn, for $5, i couldn't resist!

the boys and i sat down and watched the 1993 version of dennis the menace last weekend and it was absolutely ADORABLE! the little boy reminded me of my precocious, good-hearted, blonde little boy - who, like most healthy young boys - is curious.

if you are familiar with the cartoon, wherever dennis goes, trouble follows.

this version we watched is rated pg and though we typically don't allow the boys to watch pg movies, as they have a knack for picking up the exact thing(s) that make it rated pg.
this film had no bad language, but there is a creepy thief throughout the film.
scoutie was terrified of him. i certainly wouldn't recommend for children under age 6.

so dennis the menance is now finn's favorite movie.
he asks to watch it constantly.

i've only allowed it twice this week but it's a long weekend... *grin*
i'm glad my sister recommended it and that i purchased it to add to our home collection.
oh, and walter matthaeu is AMAZING in his role as mr. wilson.

SUPER cute movie for families - a must see!

rollercoasters

life is a roller coaster.
you can either scream every time you hit a bump
or you can throw your hands up in the air and enjoy it.
- unknown

the boys are OBSESSED with rollercoasters right now.
finn wakes telling me he's dreamed of riding them
and scoutie simply talks about them all the time.
he tells everyone he's "almost big to ride shipwreck rapids
and journey to atlantis at sea world."

he's actually a few years away from riding either of these,
but we don't have the heart to tell him this.
we simply remind him that eating "grow food" will help him

get there quicker. it usually works.

this past sunday, i was out and about with scoutie and
christopher surprised finn with a quick trip to sea world
just to ride a rollercoaster. {a big benefit of living minutes away
and it's not being a sprawling park like what i grew up with}

here are 2 of my 3 lovelies enjoying the ride.

finn shared with us he had to hold his breath because he "almost threw up."

this picture fits with today's quote, reminding me life IS really like a rollercoaster.

it's full of ups and downs, moments that make us scream, or want to scream,
but it's SO worth the ride.

have a wonderful wednesday!

(i found this picture of scoutie and finn enjoying the only kind of coaster scoutie
can ride right now -a simulated rollercoater video game. *grin*

bits and pieces

SO many things are happening and i felt the need to document some random bits and pieces of my life.

a new home:  not for the gerber family, but for my brother todd and s-i-l heather.
the newlyweds just closed on their first home, located in clermont, florida.
talk about life moving fast, here's a recap of their past year and a half:

- todd proposes to heather in paris in early 2009
- tied the knot in oct. 2009
- honeymooned in ireland
- expecting a baby in october 2010
- just closed on their 1st home

whew - those are major life changes! 
todd shared photos of their new home.
it's lovely and BIG. (i think my entire home could fit in the garage)
i was told the window on the far left is their 'guest room'.
looking forward to enjoying this room when i visit next. CONGRATS!!

bootcamp/workout update:  i was doing so well for the first 2 weeks,
but last week, i was a slacker. i only went once and i ate lots of bad food.
christi was visiting and i let that be my excuse but honestly,
it doesn't hold water because i could have gone to the 5:45am class before work.
so this week, i'm going 4x and i am pushing myself HARD.

oh, i pulled off my first 'double under' on the jump rope tonight.
so what is this?  it's basically doing 2 rotations for every single jump.
it's a BIG accomplishment for me because i've been trying to do it for weeks
and just not getting it. there's a rhythm and technique to it and i've almost got it!
i think. *grin*

selling our little home by the sea: 
we are just *discussing* this right now but everyone knows
our cozy beach cottage has grown cozier since scoutie arrived.
and as much as i'd LOVE to just add another story to our home,
we can't  make the numbers work. we've tried.
construction costs are just as outrageous as the real estate here in ca.
c could stay in our cottage forever as it is and be perfectly happy.
i can't see us here without more square footage (even just 600 SF)
so c is letting me make the final decision - whatever i want.
no quick decisions here but i've been doing lots of thinking.
stay tuned...

nanny search: summer is almost here and since we are without christi,
we are on the search for someone to watch the boys in july and august.
grandma is flying out in mid june to help out for 2 weeks
and we hope to find a nanny to start right after the 4th of july. 
christi set the bar SO high and c and i agree no other nanny will come close to her.
he reminds me it's just for 8 weeks (not for 2 years) but still it will be tough.
the search has begun...

more visitors: the cottage is going to have LOTS of visitors this summer.
christi just left, and we have grandma barby arriving on thursday for a few days. 
it's been a while, so we are excited to see her.  she'll hardly recognize scoutie.
a week later, my beautiful sister leslie will be arriving for a FuN filled girl weekend!
she'll be flying solo this trip (her first time ever w/out her little guys in tow).
like all mommas, she needs this and my #1 goal is to show her a good time.
in july my mom arrives, my my b-in-l trevor and his family. and then
dear girlfriend connie from tucson.  whew - but i love it!

new puppy: again not ME (the boys wish they had a puppy).
my niece, kristen, got a puppy last weekend and can't be more excited.
i think i've gotten 10 emails about this little sadie so far.
can't wait to meet her!

bare backing it

bare back grill is my favorite place in the neighborhood for burgers and fries.
though the meat is imported from new zealand, organic and from grass-fed cows,
it's still a burger and not the healthiest thing to eat. regardless, there's no debating it's delish!!

so when maddy came over for a girl's night/sleepover with christi and i last weekend,
we went looking for a place to grab dinner. we walked down to mission bay drive
along the beach in hopes of stumbling upon something that 'sounded good' to all of us.

we came across bare back and when the girls (and tyler) said they had never eaten here,
well the decision was made. they had to try it.  they did and loved it.
it was a treat for me too - an excuse to indulge in bad food with my guests. *smile*

side note: the maui waui is veggie burger is my personal favorite. you must try it.

later, us girls (only) retreated to the cottage and stayed up till the wee hours
playing games and doing what girls do best - TALK. *grin*

missing you both already.

hugs!!

things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ date nights
i never called evenings out with my hubby 'date nights' until i had kids
but kids change things - everything. *grin*
once they come, night outs become less frequent and they take planning.
c and i try to have a 'date night' at least once a month - more if we can.
christi and tyler were kind enough to give us one last night.
we went to olivettos - a cozy wine bar and restaurant.
we had one of the best 'date nights' we've had in a long time.
was so needed and so appreciated. (thx c+t) *mwah*


i ♥ when finn and scout blow me kisses
i can expect one every morning before i leave for work.
those kisses just make my day.
even though we give kisses on the lips or cheek,
they still like to blow me a kiss as i leave the house
it's a little ritual they've been doing for for a long time.
one i hope never ends.


i ♥ good neighbors
they are hard to find.
i've got some good ones close by and they are a blessing.
they'll watch my children when i'm in a bind,
feed my fish, loan me eggs, baking dishes and
even turn off my flat iron for me if i've left it on and
realize (while in a meeting) what i've done.
today, my house still stands and i've got good
neighbors to thank. *wink*

first field trip: butterfly farm

i went on my first field trip yesterday - as a mom that is!!

i think this is a rite of passage for parents of a school-aged child,
something we look forward to so much.  we know the day is coming
when our little one won't want us there because it's not cool. *sniff*

i am hoping and praying this is still a few years away??

i packed lunches for finn and i, filled the gas tank and the

and joined 20 kindergarteners and a handful of parents at the school
before caravanning to the butterfly farm in encinitas.

i volunteered to be a driver, and this was an adventure in itself!

words can't express how BIG of a deal this day was - for finn and for me.
i was finn's 'guest of honor' all day. he introduced me to all his little friends, and held
my hand as he showed me *every* caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly he could find.

i enjoyed learning about the life cycle of butterflies, but more importantly,
i enjoyed spending the day with my sweet fair-haired finn.
looking forward to future field trips with this little guy!

some photo highlights of our special day together:

childhood

children have neither past nor future; they enjoy the present, which very few of us do.
- jean de la bruyere

isn't this the truth?!

children really do live in the present - completely!
they don't know of another way.
i think it's one of the qualities in kids, adults are in awe of.

sometimes i sit and play with finn and scout
other times i sit and observe them play
but most often, i sit and listen to them play

they enjoy each other and their playtime soooo much.
they are happy as clams and can spend hours this way.
i can't help but sit back and smile
(until of course they start fighting). *laugh*

oh to be a child again...even if just for a day.

here are my sweet boys, playing with their chevron cars. 
these cars are inexpensive and basically indestructible .*cheer*
their daddy created this make-shift 'car wash' by cutting up an old t-shirt.
you may remember finn's similar wash a few years back...

get your swag on

i rarely get emails from christopher. we send each other text and voice messages but our emails are generally 'calendar requests' - something we had to start doing a few years back so we can keep track of each other. so when he sent an email with a link to this youtube video, i figured i should take a peek at it. it took me a week, but i just finished watching it and well, it made me laugh outloud! it's a suburban white family *trying* to rap about toyota's new sienna minivan.



minivans are kind of a joke between us because c likes 'em and i'm not a fan - of *any* big vehicles. he appreciates their usefulness and doesn't have the hangups alot of men/dads have about driving one. he simply doesn't care (one of the many reasons i adore him).

he's a proud dad and will say outloud that minivans are practical for families. they are comfortable, offering space for kids, their friends, visiting grandparents, sports equipment and yes, surfboards! oh and how could i forget the sliding doors. he feels these should be standard on EVERY car and will have anyone convinced of this. (he's got a point - i wouldn't have so many little dings from people opening their car doors into my car)

when the day comes an electric minivan is on the market, i wouldn't bat an eye if we had one sitting in our driveway. *grin* ~ i did just read something in the paper this week announcing toyota's 2012 prius - it will be ALL electric. about time! you can read a little more here

the modern dad

i came across this card last weekend and had to get it. 

inside:  looking forward to our next girl's night.

isn't it the cutest??
i'm not sure who i'm going to send it to but i have an idea.

this card reminds me of all the great daddies out there who are hands on.
with so many working moms, so many dads are stepping up and carrying
their weight with what was traditionally known as woman's work -
ya know, cooking, cleaning and childcare, etc.

here's to the modern dad {my honey included}. we thank you!

a little crazy for christi

guess who's coming to town this weekend???

ok, so i gave it away in my post title *grin*
YES - miss christi maclaggan will be in san diego for a whole week!
oh how i've missed her beautiful smile and yes, admittingly, the help she gave our family.

i know things can't last forever but she truly was the world's best nanny! 
c and i are convinced of this. remember we interviewed 12 girls remember before we found her?
we looked forever and she was a diamond in the rough.

i could tell you christi is coming because she misses the gerber family SO much
but the truth is, her boyfriend lives here and and he's graduating from college next weekend.
she is here to celebrate with him and his family (and it's also their anniversary - 1 yr together) *congrats*

she might give me a hard time for this, but here's a picture of her with her guy, tyler.
i took this the same afternoon i was shooting her and my boys before she moved away.
i hope she's ok with me using this.  i asked her for one but didn't get it... *smile*
aren't they adorable?  i think so too.

so after many loooong months of waiting to see christi's smiling face,
she'll be here in a few short days.

and the bonus...

she's staying in the cottage
so we'll get to see her between the graduation festivities
and when i can pry her away from ty.

finn and scout are excited to see her too.
finn verbalizes this and although scout's been a bit quiet on the subject
we are sure he remembers his second mommy.

i even have a slumber party of sorts planned for next weekend.
the guest list is small to keep it intimate: maddy (my niece), christi and me
we'll all be out in the cottage eating junk food, playing board games and chatting until late. :)

oh how we've all missed you christi! 

4 days and counting.

my momma's day: 2010

i wanted to be sure to record a little my mother's day.

c made sure this mom was able to sleep in - a rare treat.
it was just until 8am, but for me, this is sleeping in.
let me tell ya, it was pure pleasure waking up to silence - no 'boy noise'.

later in the day, i took the little guys to tecalote canyon for a short hike.
since christopher spends more time with them during the week,
i suggested this just be a mom and son outing only. c said 'whatever momma wants'.

so the little men in my life and i went, and had a great afternoon - hiking just under 2 miles.
we almost made it to the end without anyone asking me to carry them
key word - ALMOST.

the last 10 minutes of the hike, finn (yes, the 6 yr old) asked me to carry him

i reminded him he was almost as big as me, and that was NOT going to happen! *laugh*

some photo highlights of our lil' trek.

 



photo was taken by scoutie, who insists on taking photos now whenever i pull my camera out.

mother's day: 2010

we never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves.
- henry ward beecher

























i adore this photo of my mom and me.
there are very few of just the two of us, so i treasure it.

i feel a little sad for those woman who choose not to experience motherhood.
i know not everyone is able to have a baby, or may not even have the ability to adopt,
but i can't help but think if those that simply chose not to, would think differently if they
knew that, as tough as it is, it's also a bit of heaven on earth.

i think about all the different kinds of love we have - love for our partner, friends, family,
and our pets. these loves are strong, very strong, but i don't think they compare to the love a
mother has for her children.  it's fierce, protective, and permanent. i'm convinced there is
nothing more powerful.

as my boys shower me with love and affection today, i celebrate my mother too.
though i can't be with her physically, she is close to my heart.  i wanted to share some
heartfelt reasons why she is so special to me. here are just a few:

1) mom takes the time to talk to me.
i wish i would have talked to her more during my 20s but i was selfish on some level and didn't realize all the wisdom she possessed. when finn was born, things changed. our talking increased 10x. i called her all the time - to ask questions about parenting, to bounce my ideas off her, etc. i didn't have many friends who were moms yet, and i needed to talk to a pro. there was NO ONE better than my mom to call. today, we continue to talk often and about everything - children, marriage, siblings, friends, work, etc. our conversations flow like wine at a great dinner party. they are warm and so good.  

2) mom makes me laugh.
she has a great sense of humor and can even laugh at herself. i love this quality in her!
parenting brings huge responsibilities and since becoming one, i've become a more serious person.  i realize this is normal on some level as the task is monumental, but sometimes i'm probably too serious.  mom reminds me that - even in all the responsibilites, it's ok to stop and laugh - at the kids, life and myself.  she also reminds me that kids grow up and alot of the physical tasks i have to do now will be far less.  she helps put things into perspective.

3) mom is the most selfless woman on the planet. she always puts others before herself. there are thousands of examples of this: staying up late hemming pants i bought that evening because i *had* to wear them to school the next day, putting in endless hours helping with school projects, taxiing me all over town, staying up all night nursing sick children, etc. she sacrifices so much to her family, yet she seems to balance her own needs which makes her even more incredible.

4) mom has never met a stranger.
she's outgoing and makes everyone feel special when she speaks with them. 
she has the art of conversation perfected.  no one would be surprised if a walk around the block took well over an hour. we know she'll have probably stopped and had conversations with several people along the way - some even strangers (until that day). i love this about her and attribute my love of people and my outgoing personality to her. whether she's seated next to a CEO of a major company or an 80 year old grandma on a plane, she's comfortable and will enjoy the company of this person.

5) mom has shown me what a good wife and good marriage is all about. she understands what committment is, has loved my dad through ups and downs, and always made marriage her priority. she taught me how to set boundaries for my marriage, counseled me, and encouraged me by telling me what she’s noticed i do great in my own marriage and even reminds me of the great things my husband does. mom and dad are approaching their golden (50th) anniversary and well, this is special.  not everyone is so lucky to witness great marriages between their parents. i am blessed.

happy mother's day mom.
you really do make everything and everyone around you more beautiful!

and to all the moms out there, happy mother's day to you.

a good man

today is my father's birthday.
i found this poem by Debra Stiles that sums up my father so well.

A Good Man
He’s a good man, so smart and serene.
Always keeps his word and always says what he means.
He’s never selfish or boastful, would give the shirt off his back.
Giving isn’t something this man lacks.

Family comes first and he'll protect them at all cost
Working too many hours he knows that's a loss
Integrity follows where ever he goes.
He is a proud man, and it shows.

His wife is so happy and eager to please.
She appreciates him, and all his kind deeds.
His words are loving and uplifting, and always makes her smile
so she's more than glad to go her extra mile.

He knows he doesn’t have to worry. he does his up most best.
He faces his challenges and passes the test.
His friends all gather round and look forward to their visits.
He just has a way that is hard to resist.

He’s a good man, so smart and serene.
I enjoy my time with him, if only in my dreams

i miss you dad and am so grateful to have you in my life.
you are the epitome of a good man
a man who truly understands what's important in life.

if everyone had a man like you in their life,
i think this world would be a much happier and peaceful place.

i'm a lucky girl
happy birthday dad!
xo

things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ making the boys' sandwhiches for their lunch boxes
the reasons: i feel like this little gesture connects them to me - in a small way
and because i use various shaped cookie cutters and it's kind of fun!
i started collecting them years ago when i was a big sister with big brother/big sisters.
i am guessing i have over 100 now.
recently finn announced "mine can be plain mom as long as it doesn't have crust."
by plain, he meant he didn't need his cut into shapes anymore. 
i wonder if this is his way of telling me he's too old  for them?  *sniff*
and then there's scoutie who LOVES shapes so much he insists on picking his own daily.
this week he chose a car, fish, rocket and a dog.  and my favorite? you might have guessed it.
the heart.

i ♥ skype
i've been trying to use it more to keep in touch with folks far away
the boys aren't interested much in talking on the phone
but when they SEE their grandparents or cousins, it's much more exciting.
i feel the same. i connect with loved ones on a level that i can't over the phone.
it's a wonderful tool - i only wish i started using it earlier.
looking forward to skyping with my brother and his family this weekend.


i ♥ ranaculuses
these might just be my new favorite flower
they are in season from january to may so i've been seeing them alot lately.
finn's kindergarten class took a trip to the flower gardens last week
and rananculuses are the main flower grown there.  i so wish i could have gone.
since i missed the trip, i must pick up these pretties from traders joes this weekend
before they are no longer available!

YUCKY

ask your child what he wants only if he's buying.

- fran lebowtiz

YUCKY has become one of scoutie's favorite words at dinner time.
like most 2 year olds, he's a picky eater,
not interested in trying anything that looks different.

i get a little frustrated with this attitude,
but what's no longer frustrating
is feeling like i have to find something he will eat.

when finn was a baby/toddler and at this same 'picky stage',
we would go through *so* much work trying to find something he'd eat.
i'd pull lots of food out of the fridge and cupboards, offering him choice after choice.

it sounds ridiculous i know, but he was a peanut
and there was some concern about his weight for a while.
later, we were told he was "small like his parents and healthy." *ugh*

now, the boys no longer dictate what we serve for dinner.

there are usually 2 or 3 dishes to chose from,
and if they don't want any of them, so be it.

we don't believe a missed meal is going to hurt scoutie at all.
he has plenty of reserves on him,
and from past experiences, he makes up for it at breakfast the next day.

i enjoy meal time so much more now.
like finn, i think scoutie will become a more adventurous eater as he grows
in the meantime, i will hear, from time to time, what i've prepared is YUCKY.

a whirlwind weekend

weekends go by so darn fast and this past weekend was no exception.
once again, i crammed a week's worth of activities into 2 days.  i simply overbooked myself.
i am exhausted but i did have get alot accomplished and had some time with my girlfriends.

some highlights:

- visit with the eichorn twins: kai and katherine (now 17 months)
- attended a nutrition class saturday morning
- grocery shopping/errand running
- photographed girlfriend erin and her family
- wine and cheese night with the kindergarten moms sat pm
- book club/brunch at char's house sunday
- laundry/cottage cleaning (not a 'highlight' but this took a while)
- mowed lawn (yes i did! i volunteered as i haven't done it since i was in high school). enjoyed it.
- met with a teenage girl in the neighborhood for occasional babysitting (her mom came over too)
- sea world with the boys sunday evening (just 2 hours - we had never been at night)

so there it is. 
can i possibly cram in any more into 2 days???
i don't think so either.

next week, i VOW to relax...take more time for me. it's mother's day weekend so i'm entitled right? *grin*
i've got a massage and facial scheduled for saturday - not a mother's day gift. it was a b-day gift from my very generous and kind coworker. i've been anxious to use it and am finally able to squeeze it in!

here's a pix of katherine (kai was on the go and i didn't have energy to go after him - next time)



the lovely nye family: Lucas (4), ben, erin and sydney (2)



the mean man

i'm starting a new fitness program tomorrow with bootcamp 619.  this was one of the bid items i won at explorer's art for the heart auction back in march. *yay* i had decided to wait until after our family vacation to start going so there wouldn't be a break in my training.

so this morning, i attended their nutrition class which was highly recommended before i started my workouts. on my way out the door, scoutie asked where i was going and i held up the bootcamp 619 flyer and said i'm going to this man's class and showed him this picture:

scout replied "you are going to see that mean man mommy?"  c and i both laughed outloud because this trainer DOES look pretty tough. i can see why a 2 year old would say that. *smile*

so this trainer, chris keith was in the military and is known for being a total hard ass when he's instructing.  i admit, i'm a little nervous about training with him, BUT i think he's what i need to REALLY get more motiviated. when i first met chris, i thought he was aggressive and extreme, but in yesterday's nutrition class, i saw a softer side of him.  i'm sure i won't see it that often and probably never during our sessions, but it's good to know he has one.

what i'm most excited about is the cross-fit classes he offers.  i love bootcamp classes (and he does teach these), but i've reached a plateau and need something new to get the results i'm wanting. cross-fit classes incorporates weight training which has been missing so i am hoping to see some significant changes in my body over the next few months!! i'll be posting from time to time and may even share some photos  - maybe even some before and after. (ugh).