The Dog Days

Traditionally associated with madness and lethargy?
The dog days are here.

Anyone want to listen to the Whatever After series over and over and over for hours on end? Come to our house. That's what we've been up to. Hour after hour. Hours. Hours upon hours.

Carolena knows how to turn on the computer and pull up Hoopla and get the story started. Some days she wakes up before any of us and comes into the kitchen and starts listening.

The kids only want to be home. Listening to Whatever After. They've heard every single book in the series numerous times. They sabotage me when we leave the house by standing too close to me in the grocery store and whining until we come back home and press "play."

The ennui. The ennui!
And now the madness has set in.
The dogs days are here.

Headlines Don't Sell Papes. Newsies Sell Papes.

Reading: Theft by Finding by David Sedaris. Good Lord, I love David Sedaris. He seems like he would be friends with my sister and thus be forced to run into me at baptisms and bar mitzvahs. He would probably try to linger in the dining room doorway waiting for me to choose a dinner chair and then take the seat furthest from mine. He would avoid my eye and try to look very engaged in conversation with the person next to him. I would move though. You know I would. I would get up for more wine and then pull up a spare chair right next to David, squeezing out the bewildered guest who was innocently describing to him her latest oral surgery in detail. Later as they were driving home Hugh would laugh about David's inability to escape Kelly's weird younger sister.

Drinking: COFFEE. My caffeine intake is delightfully out of control. My migraines are in control (aaaaahhhhlelluia!) and thus the coffee floweth like... well... like coffee bean flavored hot water. We bought a new coffee pot that is programmed to automatically brew every morning. It is heavenly, like having a little robot in our kitchen that makes me coffee. In fact... it is LITERALLY a little robot in our kitchen that makes me coffee. I love it. I've gotten into that strange place in which I stay up too late and then sleep poorly and wake up and drink too much coffee. So then by the afternoon I drink more caffeine and thus the cycle continues. Not complaining though. Just how it is at the moment.

Eating: welllllll. This past spring was rather stressful to say the least and I may or may not have gained like 20 lbs. I finally pulled it together these past few weeks and am back on healthy foods. Unfortunately, I'm discovering that losing weight this time around isn't as simple as back when I was breast-feeding. Bummer. But, nonetheless, I'll just keep plugging along.

Carolena and Nils are really into audio books as of late. I mean really into them. Like, hour upon hour upon hour of listening to stories. We didn't leave the house for all of Monday and all of Tuesday because they were so engrossed. There aren't pictures or animation - just someone reading the books. I spent Monday crafting and cleaning and yesterday doing pretty much the same. By today I was about to lose my mind and forced them out to run errands with me. All they wanted to do was come home and eat lunch and listen to more of the book they were on. It's awesome. And weird. And awesome... but also weird.

The Rodeo Ballet

Yesterday afternoon I received a complimentary ticket to an exclusive performance. I gladly accepted and showed up in our living room at the appointed time.

Ah, the rodeo ballet. A performance for the ages.

Nils had previously worked as a stagehand constructing scenery by placing blankets and assorted toys around the room. Carolena put on a Nutcracker Pandora station, lending the performance a certain yueltide je ne sais quoi. The costuming was second to none.

I turned in my ticket and took a seat.

There was jumping. There was Rody riding. There was twirling.

In fact, there was excessive twirling until a certain ballerina complained of a headache and nausea and had to retire to the audience. The announcer assured me she would remain available for autographs despite her inability to finish the performance.

Dear readers, if you ever get the chance to attend such a daring and graceful performance, take it! 

It is worth every penny.

Feeling Hot Hot Hot!

Man, we are good at summer around here. Other states might be good at winter with all of their snow and fires crackling in the fireplaces and whatnot, but man, when it comes to summer: we win.

The kids and I wore ourselves out at the pool yesterday. We spent the morning getting lunch packed and suits on and getting out the door. C went to swim lessons (and had a blast) and I was "that mom" who pretended to be sixteen and took off my coverup and lounged in the sunshine reading my book. It was glorious. Other moms sweltered in the heat and humidity chasing their kids and trying to find shade and all that jazz. I decided to embrace it and it was pretty heavenly. A book, a bathing suit, a ton of sun screen, a drink. I got half an hour all to myself to just lounge by the pool. Hmmm... maybe C needs more swim lessons...

After lessons we picked up N and headed back out to the pool. One of my bff's (Megan) and her kiddos met us there and we picnicked and played for hours. Hours!

When we got home Nils walked straight into his room, closed his door, and went to sleep (that guy) while C and I snuggled into my bed to chat and giggle. An hour later I woke up to find C and I had dozed off as well. Heaven.

We ate popsicles for snack. Homemade chicken nuggets for dinner while we watched The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version - love it). Then we had to all spend time pretending a lizard had climbed in our mouths (Nils' idea). Bedtime and books.

Today, let's do it again. And we need to go to the grocery store... because tomorrow we're going to visit our friends who (wait for it...) run summer camp! Woo!

Yeah, we know how to do summer.

Summery Summary

I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that there is nothing in this world cuter than a happy little Nils wet from a pool, wearing a puppy hooded towel, and eating a zebra cake.

Nothing. Nadda.

You'll have to take my word for it because our pool doesn't allow people to take photos.

We've been spending our mornings at the pool as C is in the midst of swim lessons. It's been a joy this year. It took three years of misery, but finally this year has been great. Evidently 1015 is a perfect start time for us. We can have a leisurely morning and get there with enough time to check a protesting Nils into the kid's club. C swims. I chat with other moms or lounge around reading. Then we pick Nils back up, change him into his suit, and head back out to the pool for some more fun. A picnic lunch in the shade and we're ready to head home for naps.

Like how easy that all just sounds? I left out the part where dropping off Nils takes a lifetime because we have to crowbar him off of my leg. And the part where it takes an eternity to get everyone and all of our stuff into the car and then out of the car and then into the car and so on. And changing diapers in the midst of everything. And sunscreen. And stopping for various things like reading signs and checking out bugs and getting stamps from the front door at the pool. Oh, and neither kid can swim. It's a circus. A wonderful crazy circus. Swim lessons are thirty minutes long. Getting ready, getting there, swim lessons, a short swim, lunch... it takes our whole day.

*

Carolena wanted to introduce two of her girlfriends (one of whom has two sisters) so we hosted a luau this weekend. It was a genius idea as the parents totally would be friends as well (duh, why didn't I think to introduce them?). As per the usual party planning was put into motion and C and I enjoyed making decorations and hitting up the dollar store.

We had a house full of little girls and they all had a blast... that is... until 830 when they all simultaneously started melting down and we realized the party was over.

*

Luau decorations are staying up as they just scream summertime. Plus, they will fit right in with where were going with Carolena's birthday theme. C is getting giddy as we made invitations yesterday. I won't ruin the surprise, but excitement around here is at an all-time high.

Scenes of Summer

It feels like it's been summer around here for quite some time. Is it not the middle of July? Huh... weird. I could have sworn it was. I'm thrilled that it isn't as we are having a great time. Going to Disney World and then the beach twice really threw us into summer mode around here, and things are going swimmingly. It seems everywhere I turn there are things that make me smile. Sure, the house is a mess (which I'm swimming upstream trying to clean it), but at least the mess is largely due to people having fun and using their creativity. We've watched little to no tv as we have all been have been too busy reading and playing and painting and creating and imagining. Ah, bliss.

I love when the tv is off. I'm convinced my children are far better behaved when they are getting out energy and creativity rather than zoning out in front of a screen. So, behavior around here has been pretty great lately too.

I can't remember the last time we ate dinner in the kitchen. Why would we when we can eat outside on our deck? A tablecloth, a "summer time" meal, dessert most nights, and candles that get promptly blown out by the wind, yes, we love eating on the deck. The lizards scamper around and we dream about what our deck dweller rabbit might be up to. And then we walk back inside carrying all of our plates and utensils, toss them into the sink, and clean up is nearly finished!



Bathing suits have been constantly drying in showers and laundry room. Watermelon is staining our clothing. A pile of "to be tie-dyed" has started in the kitchen.

Summer is in full swing around here and it's pretty darn swell.

Bees Will Buzz, Kids Will Blow Dandelion Fuzz

Yesterday was Carolena's first day of preschool.

September 2013

Oh. Wait. That can't be right.

Yesterday was Nils' first day.

September 2015

September 2015

September 2015

Errr... wasn't that yesterday?

Wait. Today was the last day.
Wow... so just like that C is done with preschool. What a gal. Those kids are so awesome. I'm so happy that they are growing and thriving and moving onward and upward.

May 2016

May 2016

May 2016

May 2016

May 2016

May 2016

First Day in the Fish Class, Last Day in the Fish Class

First Day Panda Class, First Day Puppy, First Day Ladybug, Last Day of Preschool

SUMMMERRR!

Rainy Days and Sleep Deprivation

Oh you know, just drinking coffee and watching youtube videos on how to braid. Normal stuff going on around here.

Yes, I know how to braid. No, I don't know how to do fancy crazy Elsa fish tail wombat divine braids for my daughter whose hair hasn't been cut in a year (at her insistence. somethings aren't worth fighting). If it were up to her she would have her hair scraggly and unbrushed and "just down!" all of the time. Up to me? Fancy and well kept. I don't have long hair - I have to have fun with hers.

The kids just ran through the room screaming "Go Injas!" (aka ninjas). C is wearing a coonskin cap and Nils is carrying a stuffed animal beaver we named Tobias.

Last night I went to check on kids and dole out some kisses before heading off to bed. Carolena was snug in her bed sound asleep. When I went into Nils' room he was... nowhere to be found. This has happened before. I creep in quietly and walk up to his pillow expecting to kiss a sleeping little angel... only to find the bed completely empty. It is terrifying. Luckily, last night I stayed relatively calm as I searched the room for Nils. Not finding him, I went back to look around his bed again. That's when my foot stumbled upon a soft little head snoozing UNDER the bed. I carefully got him back into his bed and then had to crawl under it to find all of his lovies that he'd brought with him.

Later both kids got into our bed at separate times during the night. Chris ended up sleeping on the floor of Nils' room just to score some sleep for the rest of the house. My elders who tell me to "keep them young forever!" when they see us in the grocery store don't remember how little sleep parents actually get.

Go Away Bird!

Did you ever stop to think that maybe I'm not drinking too much coffee... maybe you're not drinking enough?!

Well, unless you're Kelly. If you're Kelly, well done on the coffee intake. Well done.

Speaking of my sis, we met her and two of her kiddos at the zoo yesterday. Now you are probably imagining all of us smiling as we stare at the majesty of the giraffes, laughing as we watch the flamingos, cheering "Go-Away Bird!" as we look upon Nils' favorite zoo animal. You would be wrong. Except for that last thing - Nils always has to cheer for his bird.

Instead, we ignored the elephants behind us (how?!) and scarfed down our lunches at 1030am. We then moved to an area outside of the bathrooms and sat on the ground eating pretzels. After that we sat in a stroller parking area and chatted some more. It was a weird and wonderful morning. We did manage to visit the current Washed Ashore exhibit. Mom, Dad, you guys should make some huge jellyfish out of beach trash for under your beach house. You would be so inspired by the exhibit. Do it! Do it!

My bro is currently planning a trip to Norway. Yes, really. Lucky. So I am living vicariously through him and researching places I would go. First stop: FRAM!

Home, Home on the Range

Last night we lit a fire in the chiminea and all snuggled up outside to enjoy the fire. I started singing and Nils' face lit up and he immediately ran inside to grab our Family Car Songbook. We ended up singing "Home on the Range" over and over and over as C just learned that one at school.

Home, home on the range

Sitting on our deck. Fire popping and glowing. Children snuggled in our laps with their lovies. 

Where the deer and the antelope play

Chris and I tucked in those munchkins (to the tune of more Home on the Range) and then went back to the chiminea. I dozed off in my chair and awoke to Chris telling me it was time to go inside.

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word.

Home.

Zoo Days and Holy Days

Yesterday began with a list. "Pick up the car with the repaired tire." "Run by the church to scan and send something." "Finish prepping for Saturday's Quiet Day." "Insurance blah blah." "Grocery store." "Etc. Etc. Etc."

Yesterday began with a list.
And a phone call from my sister.

The phone call from my sister led to ditching most of the list and heading to the zoo. Time spent with family is always time well spent. Time spent at the zoo is always time well spent. Time spent outside when the weather is perfect is always time well spent. Holy days.

This morning began with a Quiet Day. I led my sisters at church through a day of reflection and meditation. Quiet. Study. Reflection. Holiness.

Nils is sleeping. Carolena is painting. It is a holy day indeed. Holy days abound.

Happy Groundhog Day!

f you grew up in a home with a father who is the President and Founder of the official Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Club Republic of Texas Chapter then yeah... Groundhog Day is kind of a big deal.

Punxatawney Phil! Photo from groundhog.org

I get it. Who wouldn't love Groundhog Day?! Just look at that guy. He's going to predict the weather! Pomp and circumstance. A groundhog. A large adorable rodent... who predicts the weather. Does life get any better than that?! Yeah, I definitely get the appeal.

Festivities have been ramping up around here as Carolena started talking about Groundhog Day eons ago. Costumes will be made (with whatever supplies we happen to have on hand as I forgot to ask for brown bags at Kroger yesterday. *sigh* That was half the reason I went in there!). A special dinner will be served. Our "Happy Groundhog Day!" banner will be hung.

Groundhog Day 2015

We're rooting for an early spring but not selfishly. It's been spring here since... uhh... the summer. We don't have many seasons in Tejas.

Groundhog Day 2014

And yes, doubters, I'm correct. It IS Groundhog Day (not Groundhogs' Day). Show Phil some respect.

A happy Groundhog Day to all! And to all an early spring!

And then...

And then there was the time Carolena and I built some amazing log cabins while Nils was asleep and she got a seventeen year old version of herself to sit in for the picture.

 

And then there was the time I found Nils decked out! 

 And then there was the time this happened...

And then I sewed another dress!

Ta-Da!

As Nils likes to say (about anything and everything of note), TA-DA!

Ladies and gents, we have a clubhouse (my term)/fort (Chris' term)/pirate ship (Carolena's)/sliiide! (Nils')!

We've been talking about building something for our kids since... well forever really. Even before having kids we talked about how we would one day build something for them to play on in the backyard.

This time last year we started really talking about it more and couldn't come to a consensus. Chris wanted to build a huge ship to the tune of like 4.7 million dollars. I wanted to find scrap supplies and build "a series of platforms" to the tune of roughly the cost of screws.

So we dropped the conversation and continued to think about it on our own. Then we went to a friend's house where we saw a small platform he'd built for his kid... and the light bulb finally went off. Chris was like, "ohhh NOW I see what you mean... why would you call that a 'platform?'"

And then our idea for "platforms" grew into "with a slide!" and "a deck underneath!" and extra room on the end so that "maybe one day we'll add on a swing!"

Very little conversation actually went into the finished product. Chris whipped up some plans (because he's awesome like that). I tossed in a few ideas (very few because he looked deep in thought and calculations).

I think all of the planning happened on Friday morning, and then Chris went to Home Depot, came home with a truck bed full of supplies, and we went to work!

I committed to the project as "the brawns" and dubbed Chris "the brains." As long as he gave me clear instructions I would just work. And... low and behold... it worked! No fighting went into the making of our clubhouse. I became a master at holding up boards while Chris attached them (helllo shoulders! yikes!) and then I became a master at using the drill as I attached more than half of the boards on that bad boy. Chris was in charge of measuring and cutting as that made me nervous. So, no fighting went into it, but plenty of blood and tears (there would have been sweat but the weather was a perfect Texas spring January day). The tears were Nils' (it's hard to be two) and the blood was mine as I once missed the screw and hit my finger with the drill. Eeeww.

Chris and I had a blast building something together, we have an awesome (insanely sturdy) clubhouse/fort/pirate ship/slliiiiide, the kids are giddy, and all is right with our backyard (for now!).

We finally got around to putting out the mailbox I found in Goodwill months ago and c has had just as much fun with that thing as she has the huge "pirate ship."

There were only two snafus along the way (well, besides drilling my finger which went by with a lot of blood and little to-do). Snafu one happened on Saturday morning when I awoke worried that the structure was too tall. We weren't home that day to work on it and when we came home I confessed my concern about the height. After some thinking and talking about the height (and consulting my bro-in-law), we Chris turned the entire thing on its side and cut off a foot from the bottom! Hercules! Hercules! We hadn't built the bottom deck yet if you are wondering how that was possible.

Numero dos? Wellll as you can probably imagine Chris and I have different ideas as to what should happen with all of the leftover wood. Yesterday Chris and I dubbed our project "finished!" and while I gazed lovingly and thoughtfully at the pile of scrap, Chris was already walking into the backyard with the trashcan. Hmph. So we compromised. I gave Chris plans for two "planters" and he built two boxes. Free?! And we can put some cute plants in there?! Yes. Then I agreed to let him to throw away a bunch of stuff while he agreed to indulge me in sticking a bunch of very useful and awesome and "we paid for this already!" boards into the garage. You know, to sit next to the fence boards I salvaged from our new fence project two years ago... oops.

Man, speaking of things I've salvaged... I have four truck tires in our backyard right now. I had big plans for those tires like "sink them in the grass!" but it turns out they are too rubbery/springy for that, and "make alligators!" but none of our saws can cut through the metal in the tire (believe me I tried and tried), and now "uhh... tire swing?" crap.

I'm looking forward to hours and hours of fun in our improved backyard. Let the mint julep season begin!

TWO!

Once upon a time... way back in 2014... our darling Nils was born.

January 2014

And he grew and he grew and he grew...

January 2015

And then he grew some more.

Nils, is two! What a fabulous guy he is. Nils cracks us up daily. How can someone so little be so purposely hilarious? What other two year old sings "Buddy Holly" and "Mamma Mia Sopapilla?" Yes, he sings "Mamma Mia Sopapilla." Nils, we love you with all of our hearts.

2015

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December