Sweet Noah called me out to the front yard the other day to show me something. He said, "Happy Valentimes Day!" Look at the footprints in the snow...see it? My little guy made a valentine for me all by himself--no direction, no crafty supplies, just the sweetest heart and some careful steps in a shape that spoke volumes to his mommy. I think this was the most precious valentine I've ever received.
February 15, 2012
January 17, 2012
Double Digits
Sweet Abby turned 10 years old yesterday! We were all glad that she had the day off from school to hang out. Reflecting on this tenth year, Abby said that one of the biggest highlights of the year was getting her kitten, Ellie. They are fast friends, and Ellie can often be found snoozing at Abby's feet, or waiting in the window for her to come home from school.
Abby's experience of life has been different from a lot of her friends around here. Matthew and I married young and had Abby when we were 24 and 25. We had just started grad school and the long road to figuring out what kind of work we would do (we're still on that long road eleven years later...). So our lives have held uncertainty and cross-country moves, long seasons of job searches and impending change, living far from family, and always budget constrained. Matthew and I are both good at some things and lousy at others, and in the places where our "lousy" overlaps, there are these gaps that make life more challenging. We're not great at being consistent and intentional about traditions. Not great planners. So much of life feels ad hoc, a little last minute, a little chaotic. Matthew is in his head a lot and I am "available" to the kids but feel stunned and dazed by the pace of life and of the kids' questions. I rarely have an immediate answer to any question--needing to say the words back to myself at least once before answering (can. Noah. get. chocolate. milk. UH, yes, I think so. Can he? Wait, no. We never have chocolate milk. Is there chocolate milk in the fridge? How did it get there? Or are they planning to melt chocolate and make chocolate milk?). This makes me a frustrating person to ask a question of, I bet. But they keep asking.
It would seem that Matthew can answer every question asked. Usually without looking up the answer. ANd we all wonder how in the world he knows that answer too...
So chaos, creativity, clutter and a simultaneous aversion to clutter (and no budget for hiring someone to help with it) make us a family always just a little bit unkempt.
Abby is the product of all of that plus a ton of love. She's grown up with the security of a mom and dad who love each other and who try very hard to trust God and love the gifts He has given us. We point her to Christ when she's sad, when we're confused, when things are great but our hearts are not grateful. So she has this wildness to her--she has the creativity without the same hang-ups we have. She is smart but doesn't think that a PhD is impossible to get (nor is she sure she'd want one or that it matters right now for her to know either way). She is easily frustrated, has high expectations of herself when it comes to drawing and creating with her hands. Her feelings are easily hurt and she is annoyed by kids at school, but she comes home and shares her heart without holding back. And then she feels better.
Abby is loving, intense, capable of more than she realizes, clever, funny, blessed, healthy, modest, energetic, prone to headaches and bellyaches (especially when she needs to clean up her room). She's not tidy--she's way too busy and creative for that. She's a good friend, loves to spoon and snuggle. She's learning to be an encourager. She is beautiful.
Happy Birthday, precious Abby, we love you so much.
Abby's experience of life has been different from a lot of her friends around here. Matthew and I married young and had Abby when we were 24 and 25. We had just started grad school and the long road to figuring out what kind of work we would do (we're still on that long road eleven years later...). So our lives have held uncertainty and cross-country moves, long seasons of job searches and impending change, living far from family, and always budget constrained. Matthew and I are both good at some things and lousy at others, and in the places where our "lousy" overlaps, there are these gaps that make life more challenging. We're not great at being consistent and intentional about traditions. Not great planners. So much of life feels ad hoc, a little last minute, a little chaotic. Matthew is in his head a lot and I am "available" to the kids but feel stunned and dazed by the pace of life and of the kids' questions. I rarely have an immediate answer to any question--needing to say the words back to myself at least once before answering (can. Noah. get. chocolate. milk. UH, yes, I think so. Can he? Wait, no. We never have chocolate milk. Is there chocolate milk in the fridge? How did it get there? Or are they planning to melt chocolate and make chocolate milk?). This makes me a frustrating person to ask a question of, I bet. But they keep asking.
It would seem that Matthew can answer every question asked. Usually without looking up the answer. ANd we all wonder how in the world he knows that answer too...
So chaos, creativity, clutter and a simultaneous aversion to clutter (and no budget for hiring someone to help with it) make us a family always just a little bit unkempt.
Abby is the product of all of that plus a ton of love. She's grown up with the security of a mom and dad who love each other and who try very hard to trust God and love the gifts He has given us. We point her to Christ when she's sad, when we're confused, when things are great but our hearts are not grateful. So she has this wildness to her--she has the creativity without the same hang-ups we have. She is smart but doesn't think that a PhD is impossible to get (nor is she sure she'd want one or that it matters right now for her to know either way). She is easily frustrated, has high expectations of herself when it comes to drawing and creating with her hands. Her feelings are easily hurt and she is annoyed by kids at school, but she comes home and shares her heart without holding back. And then she feels better.
Abby is loving, intense, capable of more than she realizes, clever, funny, blessed, healthy, modest, energetic, prone to headaches and bellyaches (especially when she needs to clean up her room). She's not tidy--she's way too busy and creative for that. She's a good friend, loves to spoon and snuggle. She's learning to be an encourager. She is beautiful.
Happy Birthday, precious Abby, we love you so much.
September 29, 2011
First Day of Pre-K!
Noah Bean started pre-K. Is it possible this little guy will be in Kindergarten in just a year? His language skills have exploded this year and so has his sense of humor! He's as loving as ever, gives kisses he calls "smakerals," loves to play chase, and snuggles every morning. How he managed to get a Jersey accent is beyond me, but hopefully we will remedy that with time :)
A quick Noah interview:
G: Noah, who is your best friend right now?
N: Well, I am a horsey cowboy, and I am riding a horse. Daddy! Daddy is my best friend.
G: What things do you like to eat?
N: Um, broccoli and cheese and pizza.
G:What do you like to do?
N: I like to play with my toys.
G: What makes you happy?
N: WHen you get me a lollipop, some brand new toys, and cherry picker trucks, and tree picker trucks.
G: will you tell me a story?
N:Twinkle twinkle little star. My horses are all locked in the fence. Once upon a time there was a little chicky crossing the lake and then he would go back to the farm with the eggs and the chickies and the mommy chick. That is a story.
Once upon a time there was a BIG daddy chicky, um, and he got some food for the babies; and once upon a time there was a little birdy going in its nest and then the mommy and the daddy were getting some food for the baby. that's a story?
Once upon a time there was a tiny chicken and he crossed the lake and then he went "cock-a-doodle-dooooo" and waked up all the animals on the farm.
Once upon a time there was a big truck coming and he took all the horses to the dancing party and they danced and danced and danced. The End.
Well, a decidedly famish bent to these stories this morning. Yesterday it was space travel, the day before race cars and diggers. I love the variety.
A quick Noah interview:
G: Noah, who is your best friend right now?
N: Well, I am a horsey cowboy, and I am riding a horse. Daddy! Daddy is my best friend.
G: What things do you like to eat?
N: Um, broccoli and cheese and pizza.
G:What do you like to do?
N: I like to play with my toys.
G: What makes you happy?
N: WHen you get me a lollipop, some brand new toys, and cherry picker trucks, and tree picker trucks.
G: will you tell me a story?
N:Twinkle twinkle little star. My horses are all locked in the fence. Once upon a time there was a little chicky crossing the lake and then he would go back to the farm with the eggs and the chickies and the mommy chick. That is a story.
Once upon a time there was a BIG daddy chicky, um, and he got some food for the babies; and once upon a time there was a little birdy going in its nest and then the mommy and the daddy were getting some food for the baby. that's a story?
Once upon a time there was a tiny chicken and he crossed the lake and then he went "cock-a-doodle-dooooo" and waked up all the animals on the farm.
Once upon a time there was a big truck coming and he took all the horses to the dancing party and they danced and danced and danced. The End.
Well, a decidedly famish bent to these stories this morning. Yesterday it was space travel, the day before race cars and diggers. I love the variety.
September 15, 2011
4th grader!
Here is our sweet girl on her first day of FOURTH GRADE! I really think Abby is destined to do something creative and whimsical. Something that makes the world more beautiful and interesting. The night before school started, we were talking about life, identity, school...Abby said: "We are a family of geeks. Daddy is a bike/computer geek, mommy is a sewing geek, Noah is a car and truck geek, and I am a crafty clothes and fabric designing geek." She then said, "I'm not popular, but I like me." Abby's sense of style is so much more bold than mine, and I can say with confidence that she is her own person! For day one, she chose blue tights, jean shorts, a yellow top and a tomato red coat. (Today she has her lime green shoes on to go with her curious george t-shirt). I love this kid! LOVE LOVE LOVE her.
July 4, 2011
who needs fireworks?
Happy Fourth everybody! It would seem that we are still in the phase of life during which our kids are wiped out and asleep by 9pm when fireworks get going. Last year Noah buried his head on me, held my hands to his hears and cried during the fireworks show; this year we decided to have a mellow and fun evening with friends and let the kids go to bed at a normal hour.
We joined our friends Andrea & Todd (and their boys) and Sharri & Bob (and their kids) for a BBQ, some swimming, and relaxing. Well, relaxing was the plan. And it happened eventually, but before that, we had a big mess to deal with. I relate this story in part so that nobody thinks life for the four of us is perfect or that we have perfect kids or that we don't ever seem to deal with setbacks and messes. I hope I don't give that impression--but lots of my posts are written when I am cheerful or otherwise feeling proud or loving. I relate this also in part because I don't have a journal and I want to remember some of these ridiculous moments too.
So we arrive at our friends' lovely home and everyone runs off to play or chat or cook or drink sangria. Noah heads straight for the den with the awesome collection of legos and trucks. Before heading to the kitchen to join the grown-ups, I said to Noah "Sweetie, if you need to go potty, you have to use the bathroom. It is right here. Do you see the potty? OK. Do not tee tee or poop in your pants. Understand?" I said this to him because we've had a few accidents at home of late, despite Noah being potty trained for quite some time. Anyway, fast forward 15 minutes. Noah has been quiet (not unusual especially if he is playing with new toys), and I decide to check on him. I knew it the moment I saw the look on his face. Noah had pooped in his (white, clean) pants.
Not 20 minutes into the party and I am cleaning up my wailing kid in the bathroom as five other kids are listening at the door and wondering what I am doing to the poor kid. They should have been wondering what he was doing to me. Now, this poop was not a friendly, easy, just shake it out of the undies into the potty kind of poop. It was voluminous, stinky, and fully blown out of his undies. Matthew got the unsavory job of running the clothing outside to be hosed off. He returned to me and said "that was an epic poop." "Yes, it was," I said as I finished bathing a naked Noah in our friends' marble sink and tried to let compassion win over frustration and anger with my kid, who clearly was embarrassed and sad. Well, he recovered. No more accidents after that. He played, swam, ate, and played some more. We borrowed clothes and made the best of it. And our friends laughed the whole thing off without a second thought.
Sigh. Well, the kids are asleep, Matty and I got to enjoy eating some leftover peach cake that he made--from scratch, of course (DELICIOUS!!!), and--now the part that makes you think we really are some kind of 50's TV family--the evening ended with my sweet husband watching a movie with me while helping me baste a quilt with hundreds of safety pins. Not kidding. He knew I wasn't looking forward to it and offered to help. How sweet is that? So no traditional fireworks this fourth of July, but still plenty of spectacular moments.
We joined our friends Andrea & Todd (and their boys) and Sharri & Bob (and their kids) for a BBQ, some swimming, and relaxing. Well, relaxing was the plan. And it happened eventually, but before that, we had a big mess to deal with. I relate this story in part so that nobody thinks life for the four of us is perfect or that we have perfect kids or that we don't ever seem to deal with setbacks and messes. I hope I don't give that impression--but lots of my posts are written when I am cheerful or otherwise feeling proud or loving. I relate this also in part because I don't have a journal and I want to remember some of these ridiculous moments too.
So we arrive at our friends' lovely home and everyone runs off to play or chat or cook or drink sangria. Noah heads straight for the den with the awesome collection of legos and trucks. Before heading to the kitchen to join the grown-ups, I said to Noah "Sweetie, if you need to go potty, you have to use the bathroom. It is right here. Do you see the potty? OK. Do not tee tee or poop in your pants. Understand?" I said this to him because we've had a few accidents at home of late, despite Noah being potty trained for quite some time. Anyway, fast forward 15 minutes. Noah has been quiet (not unusual especially if he is playing with new toys), and I decide to check on him. I knew it the moment I saw the look on his face. Noah had pooped in his (white, clean) pants.
Not 20 minutes into the party and I am cleaning up my wailing kid in the bathroom as five other kids are listening at the door and wondering what I am doing to the poor kid. They should have been wondering what he was doing to me. Now, this poop was not a friendly, easy, just shake it out of the undies into the potty kind of poop. It was voluminous, stinky, and fully blown out of his undies. Matthew got the unsavory job of running the clothing outside to be hosed off. He returned to me and said "that was an epic poop." "Yes, it was," I said as I finished bathing a naked Noah in our friends' marble sink and tried to let compassion win over frustration and anger with my kid, who clearly was embarrassed and sad. Well, he recovered. No more accidents after that. He played, swam, ate, and played some more. We borrowed clothes and made the best of it. And our friends laughed the whole thing off without a second thought.
Sigh. Well, the kids are asleep, Matty and I got to enjoy eating some leftover peach cake that he made--from scratch, of course (DELICIOUS!!!), and--now the part that makes you think we really are some kind of 50's TV family--the evening ended with my sweet husband watching a movie with me while helping me baste a quilt with hundreds of safety pins. Not kidding. He knew I wasn't looking forward to it and offered to help. How sweet is that? So no traditional fireworks this fourth of July, but still plenty of spectacular moments.
June 22, 2011
Such a Good Daddy
Father's Day morning:
G: Abby, what is one of your favorite things about daddy?
A: He is FUNNY.
G: Noah, what do you love about daddy?
N: He makes things!
Both of these are true of Matthew. But what seems really interesting to me is that these describe Matthew at his happiest and most fulfilled moments. I love that the kiddos value and recognize a happy daddy who is funny and who makes things! Matthew's gifts are not lost on this family; we really are blessed when he is using those gifts and enjoying the process! I love that when something is broken, Noah says "that's ok. Daddy can fix this." Or that when I hear true cackling coming from the family room, I can be certain to find Matthew and the kids clobbering each other or playing a game or watching kittens on you tube.
This has been a tough year for Matthew in terms of feeling personally fulfilled and able to use his creativity. And that has taken its toll on his levity. But it would seem that these kiddos bring out the best in him and provide the most lovely glimpses and reminders of Matthew's best self. I am very grateful for Matthew, for our kids, and for the way God gives us hope by giving us meaningful relationships. Happy Father's Day, baby. It's a good thing you're a daddy.
June 5, 2011
Practice 5K!
Superstar Abby ran her practice 5K this weekend in preparation for next week's official 5K. She ran this one 5 minutes faster than her 5K last Spring! We are so proud of Abby for taking on the challenge and the fun of being a part of Girls on the Run two seasons in a row now! And we are loving watching our girl grow in confidence and grace. WoooHoooooo! Go Abby!!!
Check out the pictures posted on flickr...
Check out the pictures posted on flickr...
April 11, 2011
Four Years Old today!
Sweet Noah is such a grown up little boy now! He is clever and snuggly, busy and imaginative, empathetic and ALL about his cars...
He says hilarious things. Yesterday he was jumping in a bounce house and fell out of the entry way, dusted himself off and said: "Hmm, I misjudged that!" He loves to say prayers, most often thanking God "For my family and for my house and for my toys."
Most early mornings he ends up getting in our bed to warm up and snuggle before having a bowl (or three) of cereal. Noah loves to help. His current favorite jobs are: unlocking the front door with the keys, answering the door when someone knocks, filling water cups at dinner time, and gathering his cars into a wagon to take them to another room. He drags fallen limbs to the street, carries baskets of laundry, and loves to use the spray bottle to wash anything in sight.
Noah adds so much to our lives! Abby said of him, a few months ago: "Without Noah our lives would be gray. With him, life is hot pink!"
We've had a great day today celebrating him with his pre-k buddies (Daddy, Abby, and Mommy were all there!), and tonight we'll have cake and presents at home!
But before all of that I'll take a sec to ask Noah some questions:
What is your favorite color? "Blue. That is my favorite color, blue."
Who is your best friend: "Abby"
What is your favorite thing to eat? "Jelly Beans. They're sweet." (I think he's had them at twice in his life)
What do you want to do when you grow up? "I wanna be a fireman to drive the big fire trucks at the fire department."
Do you like animals? "Yes." (favorite is a lion today)
What's your favorite thing to do in the daytime" "Eat snowballs"
What do you dream about? "Um, machines and elevators and dump trucks. They make loud sounds in your ears and they are very very so so loud!"
He says hilarious things. Yesterday he was jumping in a bounce house and fell out of the entry way, dusted himself off and said: "Hmm, I misjudged that!" He loves to say prayers, most often thanking God "For my family and for my house and for my toys."
Most early mornings he ends up getting in our bed to warm up and snuggle before having a bowl (or three) of cereal. Noah loves to help. His current favorite jobs are: unlocking the front door with the keys, answering the door when someone knocks, filling water cups at dinner time, and gathering his cars into a wagon to take them to another room. He drags fallen limbs to the street, carries baskets of laundry, and loves to use the spray bottle to wash anything in sight.
Noah adds so much to our lives! Abby said of him, a few months ago: "Without Noah our lives would be gray. With him, life is hot pink!"
We've had a great day today celebrating him with his pre-k buddies (Daddy, Abby, and Mommy were all there!), and tonight we'll have cake and presents at home!
But before all of that I'll take a sec to ask Noah some questions:
What is your favorite color? "Blue. That is my favorite color, blue."
Who is your best friend: "Abby"
What is your favorite thing to eat? "Jelly Beans. They're sweet." (I think he's had them at twice in his life)
What do you want to do when you grow up? "I wanna be a fireman to drive the big fire trucks at the fire department."
Do you like animals? "Yes." (favorite is a lion today)
What's your favorite thing to do in the daytime" "Eat snowballs"
What do you dream about? "Um, machines and elevators and dump trucks. They make loud sounds in your ears and they are very very so so loud!"
April 4, 2011
Eats with an Audience
And sleeps, plays, travels, chats, bathes, LIVES with an audience. Noah is seriously attached to these cars (from the movie, Cars). He lines them up, races ("vrooms") them, you name it. Many a night I wake up to the sound of cars crashing to the wood floor out of his bed after he rolls over. If his hair were not so short, I'd have to check it for cars.
cute haircut for Abbs
Abby is a happy camper these days, and this new haircut seems to mirror her new carefree feelings. Isn't she adorable?
March 11, 2011
A Mia Sighting!!
Living on the "other" coast has meant visits from family are especially savored. We got to see Mom, who made it here for Abby's 9th b-day! The first day of her trip she spent holding down the fort with the kids as a crew dug out the 550 gallon oil tank from under our driveway. This was NOT how I wanted her trip to start; the tank removal company had been putting us off for months and this day worked--for them. Turns out it was a blessing in disguise because the kids were having a blast when they otherwise would have been miserable, since the tank removal became tricky and I had my hands full with that.
Thankfully the rest of the trip was more fun. We toured Princeton and had a most delicious dinner in Hopewell. Matty car and kiddo sat while mom and I snuck away to look at some antique shops and laugh about life a little. It was great to have her see where we live and meet our friends here!
Nothing prepares me for Abby's tears when her Mia has to go home. I mean, I know they are coming, but oh it is sad to see her hurt. And it is sad to live too far from family. But we continue to be grateful for the visits and opportunities to stay connected. Now if we could only get my sis and her kiddo out here...
Thankfully the rest of the trip was more fun. We toured Princeton and had a most delicious dinner in Hopewell. Matty car and kiddo sat while mom and I snuck away to look at some antique shops and laugh about life a little. It was great to have her see where we live and meet our friends here!
Nothing prepares me for Abby's tears when her Mia has to go home. I mean, I know they are coming, but oh it is sad to see her hurt. And it is sad to live too far from family. But we continue to be grateful for the visits and opportunities to stay connected. Now if we could only get my sis and her kiddo out here...
March 5, 2011
Abby did turn 9 in January...
I just haven't been blogging. I need to write a catch-up post, because we have been SUPER busy. But for now, I'll just post this adorable game Abby made for her b-day party (which included having her buddies decorate lots of cupcakes. And eat them.) Abby drew a cartoon version of herself. I helped her color it in (though she doesn't need my help any more; she is a great little artist!). Then her buddies colored in cupcakes and "pinned" (stuck) them on with magnets--with the goal of putting the cupcake in Abby's hand. There will be no pinning of tails on donkeys here. Not when Abby can come up with stuff like this!
Happy b-day, Abbs! You are our delight!
Happy b-day, Abbs! You are our delight!
I've got a pocket full of sunshine
His name is Noah. A few days ago as he was laying on the ground (eye-level with his cars, of course), and I was sitting at my sewing machine, Noah looked at me and said: "Mommy, I love you in the night and I love you in the day." It was a hug and kiss-fest after that.
Oh, and the day before that, he ran out to the dining room and (out of the blue) said to his sister with great excitement and purpose: "Abby, do you need rescuing?!"
(He has his moments of disobedience and whininess too--pretty much all of today was an example of that--but for the most part he is a very sweet kiddo).
Oh, and the day before that, he ran out to the dining room and (out of the blue) said to his sister with great excitement and purpose: "Abby, do you need rescuing?!"
(He has his moments of disobedience and whininess too--pretty much all of today was an example of that--but for the most part he is a very sweet kiddo).
January 4, 2011
Are you smarter than a 3rd grader?
Abby was doing her homework this afternoon and said: "Mommy, they don't give you enough information in this question."
Here is the question: "Mary is making lemonade for lunch. There are 5 people having lunch. Each person's glass holds 9 ounces. A can of lemonade makes 32 ounces. Will Mary have enough lemonade for everyone? Explain why or why not."
She was right! How can one answer this question without knowing the amount of lemonade Mary has?
Matthew told her to give as her answer: "Yellow Dump Truck" and when the teacher asks her why she wrote that nonsense, to tell her "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer." I gasped. Matthew snickered. Abby giggled.
Here is the question: "Mary is making lemonade for lunch. There are 5 people having lunch. Each person's glass holds 9 ounces. A can of lemonade makes 32 ounces. Will Mary have enough lemonade for everyone? Explain why or why not."
She was right! How can one answer this question without knowing the amount of lemonade Mary has?
Matthew told her to give as her answer: "Yellow Dump Truck" and when the teacher asks her why she wrote that nonsense, to tell her "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer." I gasped. Matthew snickered. Abby giggled.
December 13, 2010
Thanksgiving
In her take-home folder today was this most precious card from Abby, expressing what she is thankful for:
"I am thankful for my 3 year old brother. His little hands keep me warm at night. When he tells me he loves me it warms my heart. I can not think of a better time than with my 3 year old brother, Noah, my sweet heart."
My cup runneth over.
"I am thankful for my 3 year old brother. His little hands keep me warm at night. When he tells me he loves me it warms my heart. I can not think of a better time than with my 3 year old brother, Noah, my sweet heart."
My cup runneth over.
November 15, 2010
Our first 5K as a family!
Abby is involved in "Girls on the Run": an awesome group dedicated to getting girls together, teaching them about healthy living and choices (physical, emotional, mental), and encouraging them while they train together for a 5K run. This Sunday afternoon was the big race and parents were encouraged to run with their superstar girls. We all had a fantastic time!
Matthew did forget his shoes at home somehow, so he ran it barefoot and ended up with some blisters and soreness; but considering that he pounded out a little over 3 miles on pavement, he's in great shape. He didn't wan to miss out on running this with his girl! Abby was awarded "Most Inspirational Runner" at the awards tailgate party for her perseverance with running and for her keen insights during their weekly talks about important issues. She said on the way home: "I'm really proud of myself for doing that." Those are words these parents LOVE TO HEAR their little girl say. We are incredibly proud of her too! She has trained for ten weeks, Mondays after school and Saturday mornings, with her coaches and friends to do this. She learned a ton of cheers: the screaming eagle, the pencil sharpener, crazy eight, watermelon cheer, superstar cheer, and more. And she developed her confidence for sure!
Abby, you rock! You are our superstar.
One funny moment while we were running (and Noah was chillin in the jogging stroller):
Abby: My feet hurt so much!
Gen: Yeah. I bet daddy's feet are hurting even worse.
Noah: My feet don't hurt! My feet are feeling good!
Yeah, no kidding, Dude.
Matthew did forget his shoes at home somehow, so he ran it barefoot and ended up with some blisters and soreness; but considering that he pounded out a little over 3 miles on pavement, he's in great shape. He didn't wan to miss out on running this with his girl! Abby was awarded "Most Inspirational Runner" at the awards tailgate party for her perseverance with running and for her keen insights during their weekly talks about important issues. She said on the way home: "I'm really proud of myself for doing that." Those are words these parents LOVE TO HEAR their little girl say. We are incredibly proud of her too! She has trained for ten weeks, Mondays after school and Saturday mornings, with her coaches and friends to do this. She learned a ton of cheers: the screaming eagle, the pencil sharpener, crazy eight, watermelon cheer, superstar cheer, and more. And she developed her confidence for sure!
Abby, you rock! You are our superstar.
One funny moment while we were running (and Noah was chillin in the jogging stroller):
Abby: My feet hurt so much!
Gen: Yeah. I bet daddy's feet are hurting even worse.
Noah: My feet don't hurt! My feet are feeling good!
Yeah, no kidding, Dude.
November 4, 2010
chocolate lips
Noah had just eaten a trader joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cup (YUM), and had chocolate around his mouth. Matthew was holding him while we looked at decorative pillows at Pier One when three african american women (ages 30-40) walked by--one was holding her little girl, and she said to Noah "Hi chocolate lips!" Then, without a moment of hesitation Matthew blurts out: "They call me that too, sometimes." Then, stunned and processing, all of us busted into peals of laughter. Not one of us knew what in the world to say. I grabbed one of the women's arms to say something, but I couldn't stop laughing as I saw the older of the three women doubled over and bracing herself at the thought of this 33 year old white guy in his polo shirt and flip flops being called "chocolate lips." It was possibly the funniest thing Matthew has ever said.
October 29, 2010
halloweenies
Our two kids are simply not fans of Halloween. Abby begged to stay home with me today instead of going to school for fear of scary masks. Since she was begging to miss a day on which there would be treats, party activities, and basically no work, I figured she must really be apprehensive. So, she attended Noah's parade with me...the parade in which Noah was going to be an adorable bumble bee. When it came time to don his stripes and stinger, Noah decided that would be a terrible idea. There was no way he was going to be a bee or anything else but himself. EVERY kiddo in the school was in costume, except Noah. Even the teachers were decked out! But Noah preferred to be in the parade with his regular cloths on, and holding his sister's hand. I think this quality is kind of funny and cute: our kids are imaginative, funny, playful, and up for dressing up at home. But for some reason Halloween freaks them out such that they want life to be as familiar and normal as possible on this day. I'm betting they will want to participate more in the years to come, but for now we're kind of appreciating the tender and special sensitivity they both seem to have about it all.
October 26, 2010
oh yeah, I turned 33 last month!
Things have been so busy here that I've neglected to write. This is becoming a trend, I'm finding. But I will try to persevere for the sake of my 5 readers ;) whom I love and probably tell all of these tidbits to by email or phone anyway...
I had a fantastic b-day. Matthew took the kids to church Sunday morning and I got to stay home in my jammies, drink my coffee, and sew while watching an episode of Friday Night Lights. I was totally, unashamedly indulgent as I basked in the aloneness of the morning. I had only myself to dress, and hey! I was already wearing pajamas, so why bother? I had only myself to feed, and Matthew and the kids had made coffee and treats. It was a morning to remember! After that Matthew came home, kicked me out (sending me to the quilt shop near here to buy a little bit of fabric that I've been desiring) so that he could make my favorite dessert: his unmatched apple galette and hand whipped cream. We shared laughs and galette with friends. I felt celebrated and loved and--dare I say it? Rested! Amazing.
I had a fantastic b-day. Matthew took the kids to church Sunday morning and I got to stay home in my jammies, drink my coffee, and sew while watching an episode of Friday Night Lights. I was totally, unashamedly indulgent as I basked in the aloneness of the morning. I had only myself to dress, and hey! I was already wearing pajamas, so why bother? I had only myself to feed, and Matthew and the kids had made coffee and treats. It was a morning to remember! After that Matthew came home, kicked me out (sending me to the quilt shop near here to buy a little bit of fabric that I've been desiring) so that he could make my favorite dessert: his unmatched apple galette and hand whipped cream. We shared laughs and galette with friends. I felt celebrated and loved and--dare I say it? Rested! Amazing.
September 23, 2010
don't let this cute face fool you!
Last night Matthew came into the family room, flopped onto the couch and said:
'It's like playing whack-a-mole, putting those kids to bed!"
'It's like playing whack-a-mole, putting those kids to bed!"
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