Suzanne's Half Marathon

Got your attention didn't I? Well I did not run a half marathon, I rollerbladed one and it was the MOST fun ever! I recruited two of my crazy friends, Andrea and Nicole and we committed to the race. I only practiced a few times...maybe 7 or 8. I was up to about 6 miles a "blade" and I never really got winded. I would even rollerblade the girls to the gym in their double stroller. They were totally strapped in of course and I only did that AFTER I was certain I could do so safely.

We had matching T-shirts and wore our regular blades, Andrea even sported the vintage 1996 blades. They ended up in a trash can behind a taco shop in Imperial Beach - don't ask!

The morning we showed up for the race ALL the other racers were wearing skinned jerseys with logos and speed skates, they looked NOTHING like us and we were a little concerned. It is a good thing that didn't stop us! We lined up at the starting line in Coronado and when the gun went off we exploded! We skated passed the kids with Jamey, we skated passed the Hotel Del, we skated the whole length of Silver Strand and ended up in Imperial Beach in record time! Since we had never rollerbladed a half marathon before, we figured our time was record time...with enough time to spare so we can beat ourselves next year of course!

It was an awesome day! The kids all believed we WON the race and the quiche and champagne at Nicole's brunch afterwards was enough to make us feel like medal winners!

Here's to next year!

What a Day!

This Blog is really meant to keep record of all the craziness and effort it takes to keep life rolling along. Something we will look back on and the girls will have to see what it was like because I know most moms "forget" all the tough stuff and "pretend" the details for what they really are. Today was a DAY! Ben has been traveling more and as much as I would like to complain I am just thankful he has work when so many of our friends and neighbors are struggling with jobs. The girls are both old enough now to understand when Ben is gone and since we decided for me to take a part time job, the stress of Ben being gone really leaks into every crevice of Yellowstone Street.

I took the girls down to Nana and Papa's so we could drive Pepper Drive for Christmas lights, bake treats and have our favorite Pajama time we love so much. Well things were going VERY well until I noticed black crayon on Papa's leather couch in the living room. If you know my dad at all you know not to mess with is stuff. The rules were strict when I was young and I followed them mostly out of fear. Ben and I have more relaxed rules in our house but still are teaching respect and care of things - certainly not allowing Natalie to color on our furniture.

We were on our way (freshly showered, coordinating outfits for gingerbread house building, hair brushed ready to go) and when we were kissing Cay Cay goodbye I noticed the crayon on the couch...I went to get a towel and some warm water to rub it out and I made it worse...I hadn't announced anything yet and while I was doing such handiwork Natalie had moved on to a vase with silk flowers my mom had brought back from Italy...she was tugging on the flowers and the vase was about to fall over. I picked her up and whisked her to the couch in the den. Feeling my anger surge and spill over. Not only was I so UPSET, my parents were about to witness my parenting front row and I felt their eyes on me. I was blessed with the quick thought of NOT to spank. There was a pause...my flesh wanted to spank away but I never spank out of anger but out of consequence (I hope in 20 years my kids agree). I KNEW a better punishment was to take away the playdate involving gingerbread construction. They very activity Natalie wanted more then ANYTHING that day. A spanking lasted a moment, taking away this exciting playdate would last ALL day...

It worked, she was remorseful, apologetic, and I really felt bad, but KNEW I picked the right punishment. She was "sad" all the way home, and when we arrived she sulked off into her room and got under the covers to take pity on herself. I saw what life was like for a preteen for a moment. I was proud of my parenting, thought I fixed the mistake, that she would recover and forever have learned the lesson of wrong doing. Little did I know what I was in for...

I entered her room with my imaginary parenting ribbon on my chest, thinking so highly of my meticulous decision. I knelt by her bed and pushed her hair behind her ears and we made our peace, she explained why she was feeling so blue and I took it hook line and sinker. I invited her out of her room and asked her to help me with a craft. NO TV and NO GINGERBREAD HOUSE, but a craft? Come on Suzanne, that is her favorite thing to do! How could I have followed up my exquisite parenting with such a ridicules idea?

She started getting silly with the glue, the threats came again, "If you don't pay attention we'll put the craft away." "You need to be careful, stop now" "Natalie, dot, dot not a lot." Thinking about it now in my head I am so frustrated - I totally should have left her in her humbleness under the covers...

Then it was the card crafts, my scrapbooking, the ornaments on the tree, playing nice with her sister, on and on. She had two time outs for various infarctions and then a spanking for repeating the original offense of hurting furniture. It was one of those days that if she were older I would have just closed the door and made her stay in there all day - or taken away all her toys, etc, etc....

The day ended and I'm sure I'll wake up to my sweet Natalie who is creative and funny, loving and quirky...but really, today? Ben gone for 3 days - 3 days left on my own...oh sweet Natalie - I know I'll forget these days. I am so glad that my girls are tucked into bed getting the rest they so need after a FUN weekend at Nana and Papas...tomorrow they will be rested and happy! I realize now that my proud moment wasn't in my false belief that I made a revolutionary decision but that I actually made it through the day and took the time to reflect on what I did wrong and how I can do better next time.

Why isn't there a manual? A way to do things approved by the National something or other? I just want to do it right...these are the days we need to remember too! Not just sugar and spice and everything nice...

pictures to follow...

Ally's Heart - take 2

I have amazing news!

I know all of you are not religious, but Ben and I are so moved by the amazing grace we have received that I must share the details from my heart. I am a part of MOPS which is a "Mothers of Preschoolers" group at my church. We only meet twice a month and I have only really just begun to make friends there. Well, the group was meeting at the exact time Ally's appointment and they did a prayer for Ally's heart.

Remember that Dr. Ramos said the diagnosis would be one of two things, a hole in her heart (the most common) or a leaky valve. After a long, quiet, dark and otherwise uncomfortable test using an ultrasound machine. Dr. Ramos was amazed to find NOTHING wrong with Ally's heart, nothing abnormal, nothing unusual, nothing that shows any signs of ANYTHING!

Ben was almost in tears (sorry Ben) I had chills and was speechless (amazing in itself). Dr. Ramos read my mind's questions when he continued unprompted, saying...she will not be limited in any way, physically, she can play sports, immunity, she is healthy and strong, developmentally, she will continue grow with no worries. He went further to say, she will grow up, get married, have children, and her heart will be PERFECT. He used the word perfect repeatedly. You all know me well, and he answered all my questions without me needing to speak. He truly is an amazing man with incredible bedside commitment.

He said we will never need to return to his office unless her pediatrician recommends it.

I am so thrilled to be passed this obstacle. I am amazed that GOD has granted us this peace and truly feel that HIS presence was with Ally through that day.

I already feel more confident as a parent for her, I feel that she has made me stronger and has taught me so much already!

THANK YOU for your thoughts and prayers, we are so appreciative! Hug someone you love today and be THANKFUL for you health and theirs!

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is a tricky time for me, I love all the visits to our door and for most part really enjoy seeing all the kids get dressed up - as you know we dress up most everyday here at our house! I struggle with how scary it can be for kids, especially Natalie. She thinks she is so grown up at 4, and she is REALLY independent and thinks she can handle so much more then she can. She came up with two terms this season that makes lots of sense. Do you celebrate a "Happy Halloween" or a "Scary Halloween"? We celebrate a happy one, with pumpkins, and scarecrows, and turkeys, and such - definitely an artificial fall! NO crazy demons, or scary guys, as Natalie calls them. They are scary! and that is something I don't want to teach my kids!

You think as a parent you get the choice in the matter, but in reality you still have to address the worldly ways - do I ignore her questions, or explain we do things differently...it is so hard. Things I never thought about while I swaddled and nursed and sang lullabies.

I was thrilled to take the girls to our church carnival this year. Finally, Natalie was old enough to wait in a line and play a game and enjoy the festivities. Well, our church didn't host their carnival this year, instead they had a concert. We did end up having a great day. Our cousins, Ian, Sandy and baby Gracie came to carve pumpkins and roast seeds, and enjoy some all day cooking! The little ones, Allison and Gracie were bugs. A ladybug and a bumble bee. Too cute! Natalie's costume this year was over the top! I say "never again!" She selected a fairy, Silvermist, from the new Tinkerbell movie. Well, I couldn't find a costume for it so I thought I'd try my hand at the old sewing machine and make her costume. Simple enough...NOT!

The pattern was $15 alone - RIP OFF!

The fabric about $30 - can you see where this is going?

A wig was required - probably THE most exciting part of the costume - $15

Orange paint dropped all the way down the front...

Natalie saying, "Don't worry mommy, it is still beautiful"

=Priceless

Ally's hand me down ladybug costume - FREE!!!!

Natalie at 4 years old

Natalie at 4 years old...my neighbor Stephanie, took these randomly after an afternoon at the pumpkin patch. Natalie had changed her clothes and had run over to ring the doorbell of Matt and Austin. Steph grabbed her camera and I got an email.

I looked at them and shuffled them away. They weren't a significant time, or day or outfit, or any other special occasion. Just a weekend in her life of being 4.

I since looked at them and examined them and finally found what Stephanie saw. A PERFECT example of Natalie at 4. These shots show exactly what Natalie would love to do everyday of her life. Wear princess shirts, have her face painted, show off her "I did it myself haircut" and bug the neighborhood kids "to get out here and play!" I love Natalie at 4, I love having a 4 year old.

Ben and I were pretty weirded out by imagining ourselves as a parent of a 4 year old. No longer a baby, or toddler, but a 4 year old kid. Wow, that sounded weird. Well, here we are and it is pretty cool. You can really enjoy spending time with a four old.

Natalie LOVES life and I love that about her because I LOVE life and she has to get that from me. She has a great sense of humor, she is creative and spunky (I wish I could get Punky Brewster on DVD). She loves food, and treats, and rides, and shopping, and traveling, and her family and friends. She loves swimming, and gymnastics, dance and singing. She is an awesome kid! I have to admit I have had my struggles as a parent, figuring out that I can't "turn her into" the perfect child. Well, after 4 years of being a mom, she is the perfect child! She is Natalie, and I hope this world is ready for her! I love you sweetie, keep throwing me the challenges, because slowly but surly you are turning me into a pretty good mom!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

I have wanted to take out our builder grade 10 foot long mirror since BEFORE we even moved in. Somethings have to wait and wait it did for over four years until I got my honey do wish list taken care of by our fix it friend Larry.

He came in thinking I

was crazy. But before he was through his wife and one other person were already planning on him doing just the same thing.

It really is a simple fix and makes such a difference. The room seems taller and even though we choose inexpensive fixtures and mirrors it looks much nicer then the builder

grade we had.

Here is my dilemma...what goes in the middle between the mirrors? Ben is thinking a third mirror, I am thinking some open shelving for perfume bottles and pictures. Some facebook friends have suggested sconces...

We will have to keep looking...until then it is one less Honey Do on the wish list...

P.S. Since Ben took my linen closet to store the wine, I have been suffering from an ill

equipped, poorly utilized laundry room. Well Larry helped me out there too...I LOVE spending time doing laundry now...I know I'm weird.

***Here is a during picture...sadly I can't find a before..

Back in the tent...

We managed two quick camping trips this month. We had a hectic month for traveling so they were single parent camping trips which made it VERY adventurous.

While Ben was in Mammoth on a BOYS only fishing trip, my wonderful group of MOMS planned a family trip and I knew I would have back-up so I braved the wilderness as a single mom and pitched my own tent for the girls and me. We had a great time, I only wish Ally slept more. 3:30AM was a little early to get up but I hung in there and made the best of it!

We met the group on Saturday in Idyllwild and had a "bring your own meat" pot-luck. I was grateful for the dads who did come who BBQ'd my chicken. The temperature dropped and the fire was going strong. We laid out all of our treats and filled a whole table of desserts, cakes, cookies, smore's so much good stuff!

We had story time by the fire and then a movie in Nina's Expedition. Camping is so different with portable DVD's...

Morning was rough - Ally was up most of the night. Natalie sleeps and snores like her dad while camping - Lucky girl! We had oatmeal and my favorite - percolated coffee..

We packed up before lunch, Ally was tried again - surprise surprise, so we headed home to rest up and clean up. I was proud to be so adventurous to go camping alone.

Then, after another trip of Ben being gone, I was able to sneak in a girls weekend away with my two dear friends...while I was gone, Ben packed the girls up once again and met up with two families at Lake Perris. They had a great time camping with daddy, and of course as he would have it, Ally slept most of the night. The girls played with their friends and Ben bragged about using the small tent again...such the minimalist. I am curious to see how much help my friend was (the only wife on the trip) she probably gave Ben a few reminders...wipe the noses, wash the hands...etc...

Camping is so fun! We enjoy it so much. Next year the girls will be just that much more independent and soon we may even get to go on a hike...