easter: 2017

the boys no longer believe in the easter bunny. i think scout stopped believing at age 7. i think it's near impossible, even for the most dedicated and diligent parents to keep up the magic of the easter bunny. I mean a bunny that hides eggs is a tough sell...even for a child who wants to believe.


regardless, finn and scout still enjoy the traditions that we have created over the years. we dye eggs the day before. finn joined me this year, but with less enthusiasm than last year. scout still fully enjoyed it.  the following morning, they waited in their rooms patiently until i called them to come out. this allowed me time to hide any last minute eggs, grab my camera and get that all important cup of coffee. the boys, run to their baskets which are always set on the kitchen counter with nametags on them or something to identify who's is who. like last year, scout's basket was soccer/german themed and finn's was space themed.

this year, scout asked for a 'scavenger hunt' as well as a traditional hunt. auntie jen spoiled him with one a few years ago and he is hooked. i had no energy or the time to come up with a dozen clues off the top of my head, and was thrilled to learn that someone has already done this and shared them on the internet. i happily 'borrowed' them for the boys' eggs. 

in the end, the kids got their scavenger hunt AND did a traditional hunt which led them literally ALL over the house, backyard. kitchen, garage, C's car, plants in the front yard, the library, living room, bathroom (working one and the gutted one), and the treehouse. whew!  it was exhausting to hide them, but they wanted the eggs hidden "really hard" and i took my job seriously. so seriously, there is still a silver egg missing. yes, it's plastic. i learned NOT to hide real eggs when finn was a toddler...that story is for another time. i assured the boys it will turn up eventually.

we had a wonderful day - hiding and finding eggs, eating lots of candy, skyping with grandma and auntie jen and having a picnic on the beach. finn and scout braved the cold water temps and boogie boarded, while c and i sat in the warm sand catching up with each other. it was a perfect spring day - sunny and 78 degrees and with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, i had time to relax, reflect and to appreciate. i have so much to be grateful for and though our family doesn't attend church, on the way back from the beach, we talked about easter being a symbol of so much more than eggs and baskets - it's really about hope and renewal.



friendship...how sweet it is

two days before scout and i crossed the atlantic for our spring break vacation,
i received a message from andrea, the  mother's of scout's bestie. she attached
this poem that spencer had shared with her and she couldn't resist sharing with me.
it warmed my heart and made me smile.  i'm not sure if i will see the final version,
but i wanted to save this draft here as a reminder to all of us that friendships are
blessings at any age, and that scout sure has found a great one in spencer.

counting down to barcelona

the big day is just around the corner and scout and i are literally counting down the hours!
on friday, after a 10+ hour flight and a short stop in amsterdam, we will arrive in beautiful
barcelona for a week long adventure. the morton family has lots planned for us and i will
do my best to document the highlights and share here on my blog when we return.

about scout

scout benjamin gerber, age 9

i pulled out my favorite book on raising boys a month ago because it had

been almost a year since i had read it, and, with a new teenager and a little kid

who is becoming a big kid, things are changing.

the biggest changes lately aren't with finn, our new teen. the biggest changes are

with scout. he has moved away from the 'lover' stage {ages 5-8} and into the

'individual' stage {ages 9-12}. it's exciting watching him grow and become independent,
but it's also a little bittersweet too. childhood just goes by so darn fast.  

a year ago, scout would literally jump into my arms every day when i came home

from work and plant a big kiss on me.  these days, he greets me with a quick hug,

asks how my day was, and as soon he hears good, he launches in about his day...
what he's reading, how bayern munich is playing, and then he'll ask is if he can go

play until dark/or dinner {whatever comes first} and he's gone. he's become fiercely
independent and his friends have become increasingly important.

he seems to have one foot in childhood - running around the neighborhood with a pack of

boys having nerf funs wars or playing football, and asking why he can't live with us forever.
other days, it's like he is a teenager. he'll stand in front of the mirror styling his hair and dabbing,
or practicing 'celebration dances' for the future goals or touchdowns he hopes to make.
last week, i found him hanging from the bunkbed trying to do pull-ups and at least once
a week he will lift his shirt to show us his six pack. *sigh*

this is scout at age 9. i catch myself stopping to think, what happened to my baby boy?
he's growing up is what's happening....and so very fast.

because i haven't blogged in so long, i want to capture a few highlights from his last few months:

1. scout made the competitive 2006 blast soccer team

this is significant because scout was born in 2007. the team he played with previously were boys born the same
year.  at this year's tryouts, the coaches there thought he had enough skill to play up with boys who are a year older than him. it was both exciting and scary for me.  i was hesitant about this at first because scout is small...he's actually the smallest boy in his classroom. i didn't say anything about his stature, i simply asked him if he wanted this. he responded,  "are you kidding mom. playing with kids who are bigger and more skilled will be more fun AND  i'll improve more quickly than playing with boys my age".  so that was that, he accepted a position on this new team. his previous coach will be coaching this older team and 2 other players who we be playing 'up' as they call it.  i'm still on the fence about this, but coach reminded me that he may be mini, but he's mighty.  his practices started last week, and his first tournament will be in late may. soccer season has officially begun and evenings and weekends will be full. 

2. scout's a big buddy to a 2nd grader

one of my favorite things about explorer elementary is their 'buddy program'. i'll explain briefly. every child between grades k-2, are 'little buddies' to older S3-5th graders who are called 'big buddies'. these matches last for almost an entire school year, and the pairs get together once a week so big buddies can mentor in a variety of ways: they read together, do math problems, and sometimes they just play games and talk.

because scout is socially mature and does well academically, he typically gets matched with students that 1) need extra support or 2) who excel in class.  he prefers the later, but i believe their are benefits to him working with both types of children. last year, he was challenged. his 'little buddy' was a kindergartener named dylan, whom scout referred to him as 'Dylan the Devil'. i gasped when i heard him say this and he quickly said "don't worry mom, i'd never say that in public or around any other child at school. it's just a nickname i made up to explain to you, dad and finn how difficult this kid is. apparently this child used his 'outside voice' all the time, had a 2 minute attention span, and literally would love around the classroom. scout was definitely challenged with this 'little buddy', but again, i think he learned some valuable skills from it. more patience for sure.  

this year, he was paired him with audrey, a 2nd grade girl who scout adores. before we began reading one evening last week, scout spent 30 minutes telling me how he and audrey are the "perfect match". he told me she loves to read like he does, and that this 2nd grader was on book 3 in the harry potter series!  he went on to tell me he was a bit skeptical she may not be understanding the story, so he quizzed her. he reminded me he was qualified because he's read the series at least 5or 6 times. after asking her questions, he was thrilled to learn she understood everything pretty well. he told me she could read and she had good comprehension too.  a match made in heaven?  no, just a great pairing by his teacher and the 2nd grade teacher. they told me it was purposeful, and i thanked them both profusely.

3. scout made a new neighborhood friend

three months ago, a family of 4 moved into our neighborhood, just one block away from our home. the couple have two boys, dash {11} and drake {7}. scout and dash became instant buddies. if the boys are home and the sun hasn't gone down, you can find them together. they are either in dash's backyard jumping on his trampoline, playing lacrosse or soccer or roaming the neighborhood. unlike our backyard, this family has grass so it's better for playing sports. when the boys want to play an actual game of some kind, they knock on the front door of another neighborhood family who have 8 children {gasp}!  they instantly have a team.

though no one will ever take the place of scout's best buddy spencer, dash is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and to our family. i always hoped the boys would find friends in the neighborhood that kept them outside more than inside and scout has found this with his new friend. {we're still looking for finn}. they literally knock at each other's doors at 9am and play until lunch and are then back at it until it gets dark.  oh and c and i really like the parents too! both are professional, but easy going, physically active and they are big UA fans. {the mother played lacrosse for the university of arizona}. i believe she graduated the same year mr. g did. seriously cool!

4. scout will make his first trip to europe next week

tomorrow is the last day of school for the boys and then they will have 2 weeks of spring break.

c and finn will head to mexico for a surf/volunteer vacation, scout and i will be heading to barcelona to visit spencer and his family. we've been looking forward to this trip for months and it's finally here!  the boys have been emailing and/or messaging each other almost daily for weeks and they Skype every weekend {a little tricky with the 8 hour time difference, but we make it happen}. i'm looking forward to exploring a new city and eating lots of new foods, and scout is most looking forward to spending time with his very best friend. and i almost forgot, the morton family got tickets for us all to see a professional soccer {futbol} game - barcelona vs sevilla.  it should be pretty amazing.  this will be a trip of a lifetime. it won't be often that i get to travel abroad with just my youngest. 



st pattys day run: 2017

we continued our tradition of eating lucky charms for breakfast,
dressing in green, wearing shamrock stickers on our faces and running in the
annual st patrick's day run at the bay. actually, i was the only one who wore the
shamrock on their face this year. the boys refused saying they were "too old for that".




we invited mr. g to join us as a courtesy, but we know he plays tennis on
saturday mornings and since the run has been a mom/son thing more or less
over the years {with auntie jen joining a few times}, we were perfectly ok with this.
despite a wetter than usual winter, it stayed away for the run and the weather
turned out to be perfect for running. this year we stayed together for the first mile
and a half, but after that, the boys took off. i was in no shape to sprint to catch up as
i haven't been running regularly. as i ran, i came across my neighbor's 6 year old daughter,
grace alone. since her mother was no where in sight (she has triplets), i told her to stay
with me and we'd meet up with her mom at the finish line. my boys were there to greet us,
and a few minutes later, grace's mother crossed the finish line.


there was no time to eat pizza or drink green beer this year. the gerblets  needed to
get home asap so they could shower and get ready for the FIRST robotics competition
with c.  i chose to stay back this year as i didn't have 8 hours to watch other kids compete.
as i explained this to finn and gave him a big hug goodbye, he said "don't worry mom,
in two more years, i'll be on the Holy Cows team and then you can come watch ME compete.
absolutely i said.

cutting the apron strings

i think the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them
to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to
experience life on their own terms, allow them to take the subway...
let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves.
- c. joybell

i came across an old article from 2008 titled,
why i let my 9 year old ride the subway alone.

i was so moved by this mother - her ability to put her
fear aside for the growth of her child and her confidence to
write about it, even though she was judged harshly by other mothers.
she got so much grief for it, but i admire her for knowing her kid and
sticking to her guns.


i don't live in a densely urban area where I can put my boys on a subway
and send them to school. i wish i did, but i don't. i no longer have 'little'
kids and because of that, i don't worry much about them...at least not in
the same way i did years ago. when they start driving, that will change,
but until then, bodily safety isn't a big concern for me.

the only thing that causes me a degree of concern is scout riding his bike all
over the neighborhood. i will clarify here. i struggle NOT because i am afraid he will
be taken. statistically, i know the chances of a child being kidnapped are extremely low.
he's been taught since he was a toddler about 'stranger danger'.  even when he was
young, i didn't worry about that {though my mother did}. how often is a young
child away from an adult anyway? not often.

there were ONLY two things i worried about regularly when the boys were young.
they were drowning and getting hit by a car. that's it! those were legitimate and
real concerns.

water safety was, and still is, HUGE to me. because our boys have been around water from birth.
by age 4, we worked with both finn and scout so they were good swimmers, and i felt good about them in pools, but the ocean is a whole different thing. it's powerful and often unpredictable. c and i have tried to teach them everything we could about ocean safety, and put them in junior lifeguards as soon as they were old enough. we now sit on shore and let them go out alone. we just keep an eye
on them....or try to. 


preventing my kids from getting hit by a car was pretty easy when they were little.
in essence, i basically scared the s*&! out of them to keep them safe. by law, bikes aren't
supposed to ridden on sidewalks, but i made sure they did until they were a little older. i made it clear that if they were ever up against a car whether they be on foot, scooter, skateboard or bike, they will always be
the loser.


finn was {and still is} logical and a rule follower.  i could trust him to wait at curbs
and not go into the street at age 2. to this day, he was and remains cautious and
aware of traffic. scout on the other hand, would run into the road to retrieve a ball
that went into the street or his flip flop when it fell off as he was crossing.
he simply didn't think about traffic.

the family had to be a separate set of eyes for him. it wasn't until he turned 8 that i was really comfortable letting him ride his bike around the neighborhood alone, meaning without his brother
by his side. it may sound extreme, but he really wasn't ready before then. for other children,
they might be ready alot earlier. we live in a neighborhood with some pretty steep hills, and kids and cars can't see each other in many areas. some days, i literally held my breath {and said a small pray}, that scout would make it to his destination and then home.

being a parent is hard...really hard!

we have to access risk and know our children well enough to keep them safe.
finding that article about the mother who let her 9 year old ride the subway alone was just what i needed to remind me that it's important to know when to cut those apron strings.

finn's laser tag birthday

over the year's finn has had some pretty amazing birthdays.
most have been backyard parties, but a few were a little fancier,
one even on an aircraft carrier. {i think that might be my favorite}.


since finn is a winter baby, beach and pool birthday parties are never ideal,
even in san diego, so we have to be a little more creative in our planning.
this year, he decided to have a laser tag themed birthday. he had never had one,
but he's been to plenty of them.  this is what he chose for his BIG #13!

i booked a 3-game party at ultrazone which is just 10 minutes from the house.
a birthday 'host' was part of the package and we were lucky to have been given
a 20 year old male to keep finn and his friends engaged and entertained. he
actually went into the laser room and played with them. the boys really enjoyed
this guy, and i enjoyed hanging out with my dear friend aspen, who kept me company
throughout the entire party. 


the cake: once again, c outdid himself and presented his firstborn with an accurate
scale model of the falcon 9, spaceX's landing barge. i thought c had exhausted all the
space cake ideas, but apparently not.  he talked to finn and this is what they came up with.
{the birthday boy gets to select the design}. c worked on the model for several evenings 
leading up to finn's birthday celebration, so it wasn't a complete surprise, but it was VERY
appreciated. as i watched finn's face light up as c lit the candles, which i believe were representing
the boosters of the rocket, i thought how lucky my boys are to have a dad who enjoys making his boys'
birthdays so special. he has a talent for creating and building and he builds these cakes with
lots of love. 


some photos highlights of finn's #13:

thirteen years today

there really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child.
- anne lamott

dearest finn,
thirteen years ago today, your dad and i became parents to a bald and bouncing baby boy - YOU! from day one, we were smitten...literally on cloud nine for probably the first year of your life. i think our faces probably ached from all the smiling. for ten years, your dad and i had lived a relatively carefree life together before you arrived, but you turned everything on end! still, we welcomed it all - the chaos, the bliss and the pure exhaustion. we were as ready as we could ever be to be parents. now you are 13, and we are in awe of the person you have become. i have mixed feelings about you entering your teen years. a part of me wants to freeze time so i can enjoy just a little bit more of your childhood years, but another part of me is really excited about what is ahead of you. as tradition goes, here are 13 things i have observed about you and would like to remember about you as you enter your teen years:

1. you dream big and are discovering your place in the world
your dad and i tell you the world is your oyster, and you believe it. you look at the world with endless wonder and possibilities and talk often about what you might do someday. some days you tell us you want to work for elon musk at spaceX and other days you think you'll design aircraft or rovers as an aerospace engineer. we remind you there is lots of time to decide what you want to study in college and what job you want when you are an adult.  for now, just enjoy being a middle schooler and exploring your interests.


2. you love sushi
if you have your choice of any meal for a special dinner, you chose sushi. you weren't a fan of it after eating grocery store bought sushi {ick}, but absolutely loved it after trying fresh sushi at a restaurant. your favorite place to go is wasabi sushi, our neighborhood restaurant, that is just around the corner. i take you here very other month when we have our mom/son evenings out. we sit at the sushi bar where the sushi chef knows your name and your favorite dish. you tell me about your latest projects at school and whatever else is on your mind. i treasure these evenings with you and i think you do too.



3. you are still an old soul 
from as far back as i can remember, you've been wise beyond your years. during your preschool days, i journaled that you were like an adult in a tiny body. you listened to reason from a very early age, spoke clearly and looked adults in the eyes and would tell us what was best for you to watch on tv {even before we told you}. i'll never forget the time when i was trying to find something for you to watch on tv while i made dinner. you announced that the cartoon network was "dumb tv" and that it didn't teach kids anything. you told me pbs kids was the best because it was educational. i was already a fan of pbs kids, but i didn't know a thing about the other network. a few weeks later when the family was staying at a hotel somewhere, i turned the television and the carton network was on and you were absolutely right {hopefully it's gotten better over the years}? it's as if you knew at the tender of 4, that if you are going to spend time doing something, you might as well be learning. you have so much discipline finn, more than most adults really. you are unique in this way and it has and will serve you well.  sometimes i think you would really like to fast forward into adulthood. you see adults as having endless freedom, a car, and our own money. what you don't see is all the responsibilities and stress that can come with a mortgage/rent, a job and the responsibility of raising two humans. these things are ALOT harder than being a child, trust me. try to enjoy these years finn and don't wish to grow up too fast.  adulthood comes soon enough.



4. you are loyal
you are a great son, friend and brother, and spend your energy on this small group. you don't have or seem to want a big social network and i'd consider you more of an introvert than a extrovert.  some would never guess this because you engage with others, know how to build consensus and be a leader, but social engagements don't excite you in the way they do for your little brother or your mom. you prefer the company of your two closest friends to a big group of kids. while most of the boys are throwing a football around at school after lunch, you and andrew, your best friend, prefer to talk about rocket designs, ksp or the next spaceX launch. someday your conversations might include girls, but for now they don't. you told me recently that "it's ridiculous to even think about girls during middle school and you might think about them after grad school. a part of me truly believes this might be true. you have so much self discipline finn, but then again, you just turned 13. time will tell.



5. you love dessert
i joke that you and scout got this from your southern mama, because you want something sweet or salty every night after dinner. you and your brother tell me you have a 'second stomach' just for dessert. your favorites dessert is ice cream {you enjoy many flavors} and you absolutely love popcorn. you can easily devour a bag or two on your own if we let you. in trying to raise 'healthier' kids, the typical desserts are now reserved for weekends.{now if only mr. gerber will get on board}



6. you still enjoy reading but...
about two months ago, when we selected the diary of anne frank from our library shelf, you asked that it be our last read aloud book together. you said it gently, with your arm around me knowing that it would be hard for me to hear. you and i have been reading consistently together since you were a baby. it's something we have both enjoyed for years, but as you started saying "i'm a teenager now mom", you didn't need to say more. i understood. the conversation ended with you telling me to keep recommending books i think you will like and you will read them and we can discuss. oh how i loved this finn.


we currently have 1/4 of anne frank left and we are both thoroughly enjoying it. you are getting insights into teenage girls, which is new for you. your eyebrows have gone up several times throughout the book, and i chuckle inside my head when this happens. when we finish this book, i imagine there will be tears flowing from me, not just for anne frank and her family, but for the end of this chapter in my life with you. i will miss reading with you. of all the things i've given you over your 13 years finn, an appreciation for books and reading might be what i'm most proud of. i've watched books open your eyes to things you were didn't know exist and fill your mind when things you wanted to know more about. books have taught you more compassion, more vocabulary, and to be a better speller. you know have a strong foundation finn, and my hope is you enjoy reading for the rest of your years...alone, to your children and someday your grandchildren.




7. you look up to your father
i watch you daily and see how important it is for you to have your dad's approval. even more than mine, you want your fathers. i believe this has much to do with you being a male like him. you are learning what it is to be a man and i hope you continue to look at your father as a role model because he is a good man. he is kind, intelligent, hardworking, resourceful, has a great sense of humor and he values family. he puts hours of effort and energy into our family and into you and scout. there isn't a week or weekend that goes by when he isn't engaged in some type of project with you boys {you spent 4 hours today building an estes rocket}. work and making tons of money is not his priority, nor are his friends or even tennis and surfing.  the old saying, 'people make time for what they love' leaves no room for doubt who your dad loves finn. he makes time for US because he loves US most of all. you are a lucky kid....we are a lucky family. stay close to your dad and he'll help you navigate these teenage years ahead.



8. you enjoy surfing
you prefer warm water to cold and wish san diego had warmer water {me too}, but you still surf. you have a full suit and even booties but it's still cold.  still, you find it worth it and enjoy the calm of the ocean from the shores and the thrill of riding a wave. when you see dolphins in the water while you are out in the surf, it's makes your entire day. though you enjoy catching waves, you don't care much about surf competitions. if you have a choice, you'd just practice with your team every week and skip the competition part. typically, you are an 'alternate' on the roster during competitions, but 3 out of 5x tournaments, you compete because your team needs you. today, they did and you took 4th in your heat which earned 3 points for your high tech surf team. you didn't seem to care, but c and i are  proud of you and glad you have something that you enjoy, and that you contribute to a team when you are needed. and don't forget, when the water is warm, or we ware on vacation in a tropical climate, surfing is something the entire family can do together. {your mom isn't as tough as you when it comes to cold water, but will go when we are somewhere tropical}



9. you want more privileges and responsibilities
this past year has been full of changes for you and our family. since you turned 12 last january, you babysit on occasion for neighbors and for family friends with young children, AND you get to be home alone with scout for a few hours every week. because you have shown you are responsible, your dad and i are having regular weekly date nights since we are saving money on a sitter. you and scout are getting free reign of the house for a few hours and you both absolutely love this! honestly, i would have left you at home alone with scout at age 10 because i felt you were ready, but your dad insisted we wait until you were 12. i think he worried more about you and scout fighting and getting hurt....not burning down the house. these days, we don't worry much about that anymore. you two have found ways to get along or at least are able to do your own thing so there is less confrontation.


another privilege you received was your first cell phone. *gasp* we had planned on giving you one for your 13th birthday, but your dad was upgrading and there was a 'special', so you received a phone 2 months early. you were ready for it and promptly told us that you wouldn't abuse it. to date you haven't{it's early yet but we are hoping it lasts}. you have no interest in social media, claiming it's for "girls and a waste of time", so that's one less thing your dad and i have to worry about. what you do on your phone is what most boys your age do, you text and talk to your buddies, watch youtube videos and play video games. we've set boundaries and overall, you've been responsible with this new freedom. last, you have no complaints when we asked that you plug your phone in to the 'central charging station' in the kitchen every night so it doesn't go to your bedroom. this is a non-negotiable! it works wonderfully for couples and will for growing teenagers who need sleep for their growing bodies.

for the last 3, i decided to do something a bit different. i felt the need to give you a short list of things i want you to remember over your teen years. there is so much more, but there will be more birthdays. for now....


10. Be Kind
being a teenager can be really hard. your dad and i were once there and though it was a long time ago, we remember what it's like. your body is going to go through lots of changes, you'll have deadlines and projects at school, piano recitals, peer pressure and probably a bit of girl drama {at some point} and lots of other things that will cause you frustration. your dad and i will do our best to be patient and show you kindness through all this, and we ask that you do the same. i know your little brother can be a pain sometimes, but keep scout close. friends may come and go, but your brother will always be there. he loves you so much and looks up to you. be especially kind to him.




11. Own your life
no one owes you anything finn. you must work hard to get what you want in life so take the time to think about what that is. it's never too early to think about your future - even if it's just in some areas of your life. your dad and i have encouraged age appropriate independence since you were a toddler and will continue to do this during your teen years. our job is to prepare you to be a capable and contributing adult in the world. we will do our best to support you, but always remember that YOU are responsible for your own life...YOU shape your destiny.



12. Always call home
No matter what the situation, check in with us. As you get older, you will be away from us more and more and for peace of mind, we need to know you are safe. We may not always like the decisions you make, but we always want to know you are safe and will always be here for you.


13. Think positively
Your life will move towards what you're constantly thinking about, so don't think negative thoughts. Think happiness, success, and that you have enough. Show gratitude and often...this will help you be content in your life.

i am deeply grateful to be your mom and am grateful you were our firstborn. you made it easier for us to decide to give you a brother. you bring calm to our home, help us see the world in a new ways and you bring up our family's collective IQ. for this and so much more, thank you finn.
we love you. happy thirteen!!




Your Stats: at 13, you are 57" (4-9"), weigh 75 lbs, wear a size 10 in jeans and shirts, and a size 3.5  tennis shoe. you are slight compared to most boys your age, but this doesn't bother you in the least. because sports aren't important to you, you don't care about being tall or having big muscles. you are a 'thinker' and your brain is your biggest asset. as long as that's intact, you have everything you need.

la la land: a lovely musical

it's been forever since i've blogged and i have been feeling guilty about it.
not because i've let down my handful of followers (all of 5), but because
so much has happened in my life and in the lives of my boys that i've missed
documenting.  blogging/journaling is truly is a beautiful way to feel time as i
write about my life, my children and the people who make our world. 



i typically don't post out of order but over the next few weeks,
i will be back posting about some of the bigger events in our lives - vacations, holidays,
new babies in our families, school events, family get togethers and of course my thoughts
and observations on our children and parenting them and all that comes with that.


until then, i'll start with sharing that i had the wonderful experience of seeing
a new movie musical la la land, with my sister-in-law shannon. the boys and i
took a short roadtrip just after christmas to visit the lovely utah gerbers and
one morning us ladies swooned over ryan gosling and smiled as we watched
the lovely emma stone sing and dance.


the boys had been waiting for months to see rogue one: a star wars story, i had
been waiting for months for la la land. it was everything i was hoping it would be -
fun, lighthearted with lots of dancing, singing and some lovely piano playing.
i've downloaded the sheet music for two of my favorite songs from the movie and
have been playing them every chance i get. {my boys might say too much}


i'll say no more. if you are a fan of singing in the rain and movie musicals, this is
a must. it will be part of my home library eventually, and it will be the feature
movie at my next Girls Night...date yet to be determined.



for those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing the movie,
here's the trailer teaser:

~ and for those non-cali's who might know this, los angeles is often referred to as la la land.

new bebes

2016 was a year that brought a few more babies into our family's life!

unfortunately, none of these babies are here in san diego, but spread out
all over the country.




first, my sweet sister in law, heidi and her husband gregor, welcomed
their 2nd child, duke john into the world. duke was born on july 2nd,
just a few weeks after the boys and I were in phoenix for a visit.
{just my luck}. this little guy joined his 2 1/2 year old sister, anoka,
and he's just adorable as ever. we are planning to meet his this summer.





second, my brother and his wife heather's baby GIRL, ashlyn Elizabeth
arrived on october 27th. after 2 boys they were hoping for a girl and their
dream came true. she is absolutely an angel and i know this for a fact because
her sweet parents let me hold their precious baby in my arms for a good 2 hours
while she napped. it had been a year since i had held a newborn and it was truly
a bit of heaven. 



















the last baby to be born on december 20th, just before christmas, was my sister
leslie's baby girl ella.  she is a little doll and looks just like her big sister, aria.
with 2 boys, a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn, my sis is  beyond busy juggling all
that comes with 2 school aged kids and 2 at home. i hope to meet the newest
addition this summer or fall!