Here, There, and Everywhere

Last week Jeff flew to Phoenix, Arizona to visit his dad and step-mom for his dad's 60th birthday. He enjoyed sunshine, warm temperatures, and quality time with family. 

Jeff's sister, Jami, and her husband, Kris, joined them also and they surprised Randy on his birthday with a surprise party with his close family and friends. 

I was told Jeff spent most of the party like this...not a bad way to relax, right?!

The Arizona desert is beautiful...Jeff shared these landscape photos while he was there. He enjoyed his trip, but was very happy to see us again when he arrived back home. 

Back at home, the munchkins and I enjoyed our normal routine...but we missed Jeff a lot. 

Ella is growing so quickly. She's quite tall for her age and when we are out and about, people often think she's four or five years-old, and are always surprised to find out she's only two and a half. The fact that she never seems to stop eating combined with her daddy's height genes make for one tall toddler. 

We have been enjoying sunny, warm temperatures these past few weeks, but even when it's rainy, Ella will put on her raincoat and boots and brave the rain to play outside. She's an outdoors girl at heart, just like her daddy. 

The kids have been having fun in the bathtub. Ella decided her plastic princess tea set would be much more fun in the tub what with all the water to pour, scoop, and drink. 

During Nicholas's bath, little sister proudly blows bubbles for his bathing entertainment. He thinks it's great and they both erupt into fits of giggles every time. 

When Ella was just a baby, her Grandma Stephanie gave her this adorable ceramic woodland tea set. Since she decided to put the princess tea set in the bath tub, I decided to bring out the ceramic one for her to play with (supervised, of course). She loves it with the dainty leaf spoons, the adorable tea kettle shaped like a house, and the itty-bitty bunnies hiding on each piece. Her friend, Bella, came over to play a couple of weeks ago and Ella was thrilled to server her tea in her new keepsake. 

During the day Ella is Miss Busybody, but in the evenings she gets super cuddly with me. I adore this special time with our sweet girl. 

A few nights ago we had a dance party in the living room right before bed. Ella was busting out all her best moves and liked twirling around with mommy the best. I can't wait to enroll her in dance classes this fall after she turns three. I just know she will love it!

Last Friday Ella, my mom, and I went shopping together. My mom treated us to lunch and Ella was delighted when the waitress asked if she would like an ice-cream sundae. She gobbled up every last drop and was kind enough to share with both mommy and Gramme. 

On Saturday I was blessed to attend a women's retreat in the beautiful Gorge with a group of amazing women. We were able to participate in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the sacrament of Reconciliation, and listened to some amazing presentations from Sister Mary Eucharista, who is one of the most holy and most personable nuns I have ever had the pleasure to meet. It was a blissful and a much-needed day of recharging my spiritual batteries. Plus, we got to look at this gorgeous view all day which was the icing on the cake. 

On Sunday we threw a baby shower for my lovely sister-in-law, Tina, and her soon-to-be-born baby girl, Vivien. Vivien should arrive in the next six weeks and I absolutely cannot wait to meet her and kiss her squishy brand-new baby cheeks!

Tina received many things that Vivien will need for the first several months of life, most notably a closet full of the cutest baby girl outfits I have ever seen!

Ella really wanted to open all of baby Vivien's gifts and had to be reminded several times that it was not a party for her. However, Tina, being the gracious lady that she is, let Ella help open presents as much as she wanted. 

The best part happened at the end of the shower, once most of the guests had gone home. Tina asked me if Jeff and I would like to be Vivien's godparents!!! I jumped up and down, hugged Tina, and of course said, "Yes!" immediately. We are both thrilled and honored to have such a special title bestowed upon us. It makes this new child's arrival even more sweet. Vivien An, we cannot wait to meet you. You are already more loved than you will ever know. 

Yesterday, Nicholas had a routine dental appointment. He is always a little nervous when visiting a doctor or dentist (rightly so with all he's been through), but he was so excited when Connie, his wonderful dental hygienist, told him he could wear cool Mickey Mouse shades and watch any cartoon he wanted on the big TV. He chose to watch Kipper and it kept him entertained (and distracted) through his whole cleaning. And what's more, he left with no cavities and a nice clean mouth. 

I am so blessed to be mother to these two very precious souls. They make me smile and laugh every single day and never cease to amaze me with their knowledge, their bright humor, and their wise, godly hearts. Children are truly such a blessing and I am privileged to guide this two munchkins through this crazy, beautiful life. 

Yesterday afternoon we had to wait for a prescription to be filled at the pharmacy following Nicholas's dental appointment, so to kill time, I took the kids to Top Burger and bought Ella her first swirl cone. She loved it and shared some with me. Swirl cones from Top Burger are so nostalgic for me because my family went there when I was little girl on special occasions for the very same treat. 

Ode to Spring

 Oh, beautiful spring sunshine, how I adore thee.

We have been lucky enough to enjoy some warm, sunshine-y weather this week! Jeff, the kids, and I have been talking walks during the morning before Jeff leaves for work. We absolutely love our quiet, peaceful neighborhood that has nice flat roads for Ella to practice riding her tricycle and a gorgeous green space with trails to explore. After being cooped up inside for months, we are soaking up every minute of this glorious spring weather!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Last night as I was tucking Ella into bed she said to me, "Mommy you look like a princess who lives in a castle." It must of been my floral nightdress combined with Ella's sleepiness. Ha!

Today as I was getting the kids dressed for the day, Nicholas requested he wear his favorite dinosaur tee. I asked him which dinosaur is his favorite. He paused for a moment and then said, "Me! Roar!" and erupts into a fit of giggles. Ella then says, "I am a shark. Chomp, chomp, chomp." Nicholas looks at me and says, "Mommy, be careful, dangerous creatures live here." I am treading lightly today and hoping not to encounter any animal attacks :)

The kids were watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Junior the other day and Mickey asks the kids what shape was displayed on the screen. Ella immediately shouts, "A triangle!" And she was right. I was surprised because I didn't realize she knew her shapes, especially tricky ones like the triangle. Then she proceeded to name the other ones when prompted: a circle, a square, and a rectangle. Smart girl. I texted Jeff at work and jokingly told him she must get it from her mother (who's terrible with all things math related). Jeff texted back that he's sure she gets it from him, the guy who is a math whiz. I think the latter is more accurate. At any rate, I am so impressed that she knows her shapes at two and a half. Later in the show, Mickey prompted the kids to say the opposite of small, Ella instantly responds says, "Big." She just amazes me.

A few days ago when Ella was with me in our bathroom she randomly starting rubbing my tummy. So I leaned down close to her face and said, "Did you know when you were very, very small you lived in mommy's tummy?" She replied, "Yep. I know. It's dark in there and warm like soup!" Her response caught me off guard and it was a full three minutes before I could stop laughing.

Nicholas is starting to develop the silly side of his personality. He will often sing the entire opening song of some of his favorite cartoons and after he is finished singing, he will say aloud, "Thank you, thank you very much." The best part is that he giggles uncontrollably after he says that and has a huge grin plastered on his face. He cracks himself up. He is starting to become quite the comedian.

A few weeks ago Ella was walking around the house telling us she needed a "hot cock." Our reaction was both a bit of shock and lot of uncontrollable laughter. It took until dinnertime for us to realize that she simply needed a washcloth to wash up after meals.

Every time I tell my children that we are going to get ready to go somewhere, Nicholas asks me, "Are we going to church or to the doctor?" My poor kids are so isolated during cold and flu months, these are typically the only places we visit.

A few days ago I was marching through the house putting laundry away and Ella was following me, so I started singing, "We're following the leader, the leader, the leader. We're following the leader, wherever she may go." from Peter Pan. Ella started singing along with me but her rendition sounded more like, "We're following the wiener, the wiener, the wiener. We're following the wiener, wherever she may go!" Hopefully our neighbors couldn't hear her part sing-song, part shouting voice.

The Good Stuff

Lately I feel like this parenting business is rather difficult. I think its because there is no manual for this job so I find myself constantly second guessing every little thing I do as I realize that my children are silently watching, judging, and mimicking every move I make. This realization came last week when I was making dinner and accidentally grabbed a hot pan with my bare hand. Several obscenities flew out of my mouth, one being the not-so-pretty 'f' word. So my toddler being the Minah Bird that she is, now randomly says the 'f' word herself, usually when she's mad that she doesn't get her way. It's a bit unsettling to realize that literally every word, action, gesture, and facial expression I make is being analyzed by my children. It makes me realize what a huge responsibility Jeff and I have to give our children kind words, to build up their self esteem, and to model good morals and behaviors. Not to mention we have to show them to be loving, honest, and respectful to others and to themselves. I also  find it rather challenging to manage my time properly. I worry that I spend too much time on work, too much time cleaning and organizing our home, too much time gardening, paying bills, on the phone with medical companies and all this time spent doing the necessary (but less important) things take away from the time spent with my children and husband. I have been working toward striking a balance between all the necessaries of life while dedicating significant time every day to do things my children absolutely love. To be present with them, in the moment, for a period of time each and every day so that they feel my love for them. This parenting gig is the biggest challenge in my life to date, but with all that said, I wouldn't change one second of the last (nearly) five years of this crazy, messy role of being Nicholas and Elizabeth's mommy. 

Spring in the Pacific Northwest brings lots and lots of rain...so what to mommy and daughter do on a drippy, drizzly Saturday? Why, we go shopping, of course. Ella and I snapped a quick photo in the dressing room, so its a bit dark and blurry, but we had fun nonetheless. Ella is following in the family tradition and loves shopping just as much as her mommy and grandmother. 

I have also been busy planning my sister-in-law, Tina's, baby shower. I love Etsy for all party planning supplies...its so easy to customize things and get exactly what you need to fit a theme. I ordered this adorable banner for the shower for baby Vivien, which will take place at the end of this month, and I think it's the perfect combination of whimsy and modern.

On Sunday evening Jeff & I snuck out of the house for a couple of hours for a date night. We hadn't been out together (just the two of us) since January so we really enjoyed a yummy dinner and a movie. 

These cocktails were so pretty, but more importantly, potent and delicious. 

Part of our shopping excursion last weekend involved purchasing these kelly green pants. I had been envying all those adorable colorful pants I keep seeing other stylish women wearing, so I jumped on the bandwagon and got me some of my very own. In my favorite color. I don't think my husband is up-to-speed on current fashions though. Or at least he doesn't seem to appreciate them the way I do. When he saw me wearing them today, he said, "What's up with your green pants? They're weird." Thanks, hubs, for your style input, but me and my comfy, trendy green pants and sticking together-for now, at least. 

Ella is kinda obsessed with anything associated with cooking. She pulls up a kitchen chair and jumps right in stirring and mostly bossing me around. Future chef, maybe?

When my bestie was here last month she made this delicious spaghetti sauce for the kids and froze the rest. We defrosted it and ate it over noodles last night for dinner and it was so comforting to have Lyndsey's cooking, even if we did miss the woman herself. 

Today the rain held off so every time the sun peeked through the clouds, Ella would run outside, pull on her boots and explore our backyard. She is starting to try to climb our smaller trees, and loves to hunt for bugs and rocks. Or just run. Boy, does she love to run.

 She also requested that she wear sunglasses to shield her eyes from the bright orb we only see a few months out of the year.

Every night at bedtime, Nicholas has been requesting that I read books. And then more books. And then more books. Now, I know that the kid loves books, but I also think he likes prolonging the inevitable sleeping part of the night. Last night we read On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman and the kids were so concerned about me because as I was reading I was choked up with emotion and my kids noticed that my words started sounding funny and I had tears running down my cheeks. Ella patted me on the back and said, "You okay, Mommy?" God, I love her and the little compassionate being she is already blossoming into. If you haven't read it, run (yes, run) out and buy it to read to your kids. It's such a tender, beautiful story and one of my most favorite children's books. 

Today I was in the kitchen being a domestic goddess when I heard my two munchkins in the living room giggling and being silly together. I snuck around the corner and just watched them for a couple minutes until they noticed me. They were smiling at each other and said something similar to this, Ella: "I love you THHHHHIIISSS much!" Nicholas: "Silly Babe." Ella: "Brother, you're so funny. Ha, ha, ha. I kiss you." Nicholas: "Oh, Babe. I love you." 

It was all so lovely and the moment so fleeting, so being the memory keeper that I am, I ran to my camera to snap a photo. It's one that I know I will catch a glimpse of in the future and marvel at how young they both look, how precious this time was, and how lucky I am to have been given these two beautiful souls to raise. 

A Beautiful Easter Sunday

We enjoyed the most wonderful Easter Sunday together. The Easter Vigil service on Saturday night was beautiful with ten new people joining the Catholic Church at Holy Redeemer. The vigil mass is longer than a regular Sunday service and it's late at night, but all of readings, the worship music, and the sacraments of initiation make it that much more special. It was a great way to begin the Easter season. 

 On Easter morning, both kids were so excited to see what the Easter bunny left for them in their baskets. They both got sticker books, pajamas, DVDs,  plastic eggs filled with coins, play-dough, books, and tee shirts. Ella also got some candy in her basket. Nicholas lucked out and got his very own piggy bank. He has wanted one since the tooth fairy visited a few weeks ago, and the Easter bunny was happy to oblige. 

This tree in our front yard is in full bloom and it's gorgeous!

Little Elizabeth let me snap a couple photos of her in her Easter outfit. She looks so grown up in this photo.

Jeff & I were so grateful that Nicholas was back to baseline just a few days before Easter. He really enjoyed the holiday since he is back to feeling like his happy-go-lucky sweet self. 

I feel to blessed to mother these two precious souls. They make me laugh everyday and I feel such joy in their small accomplishments. They love each other so dearly and they have created such a beautiful bond between them. 

We had Easter brunch at my folks' house with my brother & his wife, my sister-in-law's brother, my grandmother, my parents, and us. My parents' yard was full of beautiful blooming daffodils, which were perfect for Easter Sunday. 

After brunch I hid several plastic eggs and Nicholas and Ella went on a hunt to find them all. Nicholas was much quicker than Ella this year of spotting an egg, calling out to Jeff, and helping his daddy put it in his basket. 

Ella ran all over the place searching for eggs, but she would often run right by one and I would have to coax her back to look again. Her cheeks were all rosy and flushed after all the running in the warm sunshine. It was nearly eighty degrees yesterday, and for Washington weather, that's HOT!

My sis-in-law snapped this photo of our family. It's probably one of the best photos of us since every body's eyes are open and everyone is smiling. I also love that my boys are wearing their sunglasses. They are such cool dudes. 

After the Easter egg hunt, Ella wanted all of the eggs in her basket, including Nicholas'. Her kind brother was more than happy to share with his little sis. 

While the rest of us sat on the patio, chatted, and soaked up the sunshine, Elizabeth got on her tricycle and pedaled around and around the sidewalks. Nicholas enjoyed playing with Eric & Tina's dog, Moco. It was a great opportunity for Jeff to point out that he thinks Nicholas should have his own dog. I will admit, I think if we found the right dog (small, no shed, not a barker, good with little kids) I would be okay with getting a pet. I know both kids would love one (and Jeff would be thrilled) but I am reluctant because I fear that I would be the one taking care of a puppy most of the time, and I already feel like there is so much to do! 

Thank you God, for sending your only son to Earth to live and die for us, so that we may see you again when we return to Heaven. Jesus is risen, Alleluia! Happy Easter everyone!!