Sunday, September 15, 2013

birthdays

Three birthdays have gone by, this year...the first:


Evolet Olivia Grace
03/20/2012
We didn't get a chance to celebrate her shabby chic birthday party, due to fact that she had a stomach virus, that was passed around the five of us. But I did manage to take some pictures of her in the little outfit that I made.

the birthday board I created with photoshop




I made (mod podged her name on) the blocks too


I made the burlap crown 

These 12 month pictures are way overdue...cause she'll soon be 18 months on the 20th!-oops!

The 2nd:

she woke up to balloons and music playing

Elena Leigh Maria
07/15/2006

since Evie didn't have her big birthday party, we decided
to keep the rest of the birthdays simple and small with just
family






and the 3rd:


Auntie Laura threw Christopher a little birthday party, this weekend
THANK YOU, AUNTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



dinosaur theme!!











I just love the candles!






Christopher Revie Ned
09/15/2006







Chris and I often find ourselves recalling, how it wasn't very long ago, we thought we would never be blessed with little people of our own. But look at us, now. Three. We have three little people. And it's hard to believe that they are now a seven year old, a five year old, and a one (almost eighteen months) year old. <WAAAHHHH!!>

class of 2027

look out world!

,


Sunday, September 8, 2013

bless you

So, the first school week has gone by, fast-AND! rather smoothly. Kids have (re)adjusted well to their bedtime routine and since they hardly ever sleep in past 6:30AM ( I know, I'm soooooo lucky about that), the morning routine has gone by just as well.
Ellie had face timed grandma Karen during the week to let her know how her first day went. She was so excited, went on and on about how much she loves school and her new teacher. Then she informed grandma, how...on the way home, we had seen a dead deer on the side of the road.
Grandma, "do you know what I say, when I see a dead animal? I say bless you. Isn't that nice...for them to get a final bless you?" The kids agreed and then said their goodnights.
The next day, we all went to the Y, I picked up some paperwork to renew our membership. Yay! I miss  working out and having someone else watch the kids. Uninterrupted workouts and showers, getting ready...I might even shave my legs without nicking myself.  Anyway, on the way out, Ellie walked up to a moth that was on the sidewalk and... she stepped on it.  Looks at me and sees that my jaw had dropped because I was kinda surprised. I mean, if we see a moth in the house, I do suck it up with the vacuum but that's because...it's in my house. If you're a spider outside, I leave you alone...but if you're in my house, you're dead. That's just the way it is. So, right after she killed the moth and saw the look on my face, she quickly leaned over the squashed moth and said, "bless you".



Tuesday, September 3, 2013

hello, first grade!

Today was the first day of school for my big girl. I stayed up (way past my bedtime) the night before, making sure her backpack had her new gym shoes, getting her lunch box semi-ready (she is a very picky eater, that girl of mine), I ironed a couple of outfits (and mind you, I am severely allergic to this chore but I faced the possible outbreak, all for the name of "it's the first day of school and my child shall not have any wrinkles on her 100% cotton dress). Picked out outfits for the other two, and set the table for breakfast. Woke up at 5:30, took a shower and got myself ready, then proceeded to wake my girl up and have her shower. By the time we were all ready, it was 7:15am and already behind schedule. How?-do you ask?? is that possible?? Larson time. Folks, it simply does not matter, how early I get up, get everything ready. How, I have the best intentions...we.are.always.late. No matter what. I did manage to get a couple of shots of my FIRST GRADER, holding up the (DIY-thank you pinterest) chalkboard.

it just blows my mind how big she's getting


To say she was nervous, about her first day of school, would be an understatement. She was fah-reaking out. And it took a good talking from daddy, at bedtime, to calm her down. She woke up in good spirits, ready to tackle the day. She was doing her best to be brave and kept commenting on how excited she was but through her smiles, I could tell, that she was still nervous and a little anxious.

We all went as a family to drop her off. Placed her book bag in her very own locker- cause first graders get their own locker! And she showed daddy her desk. Then she looked at us and said,"okay, you can leave. I mean, I love you. But you can go now. I'm okay." Just like that. She was ready to face her fears and day...alone.  She gave us all hugs and kissed us goodbye, a quick I love you and that was it. We left her and she didn't look back...because I did...and it's only NOW, at this moment...that I get a little teary. Cause MAH BABY is a big first grader! And, oh! how I'm PRAYING, that she has a fabulous year, that she makes friends, that she doesn't struggle with any lessons. She's such a sweet little girl, my Elliebear. You just want everyone to love your kid, and to accept them, and to just be nice to them. Know what I mean?? Does it get any easier?? This, having your heart step outside of your body, all on it's own?

On a lighter note, since I only had the middle and the youngest, I decided to take them out for breakfast.  Pooh was over the moon to go to his favorite place- The Friendship House, otherwise known as: "da bacon pwace" cause that's what he gets- bacon and fries (or as Chris calls it- cholesterol on a plate). I don't have any pictures to share because I wanted to give him my full attention-as best I could with a toddler who loves to shriek like a banshee when she's out in public and hears the word NO.

Surprisingly, the day went by fast and before I knew it, it was time to get my girl. Who, by the way, exclaimed "I LOVE SCHOOL!!" when I greeted her on the blacktop, for pickup. She loves school. Let's hope that lasts <fingers crossed>.

messy hair. wrinkled dress, big smile, and one finger
up: proof that this first grader had a great first day 

Monday, September 2, 2013

fresh

the blog, that is. I wanted a different look. I found a theme that I just fell in love with...but it was on wordpress and I'd have to pay to customize it. Ah, nothankyou. But I really loved that particular theme. I mean LOVE. It's called Ever After and it's just simple and somewhat elegant and I love it. But not enough to pay a yearly fee-I mean, that's a real commitment. Know what I mean? And sometimes (like the past 7 months-give or take) I don't have the chance to blog. So, I began my search for free blog templates, backgrounds, headers. Nothing that I was interested in. So then, I thought-hey! I'll make my own!! Thru photoshop. Which is the devil. THE.DEVIL. It took my awhile and like 5 different drafts but I am reallyreallyreally pleased with the final one. I love it. I've really been into the whole family tree with the bird family lately...so, that's what I came up with. And I love the font for my title, it's called pacifico-simple and somewhat, elegant.
So, I'm hoping to start up again, writing about my little family. Lot's of stories have been missed, but hopefully I can play catch up. Not tonight, it's midnight and I have only six hours left before my alarm goes off. Tomorrow is the first day of school for Miss. Elena-she's going to be starting first grade!!! Can you believe that?

Friday, January 18, 2013

instagram

fake fish but the closest we have to pets

diy pea pod necklace

yay! suburban is back

proof that 1 out of 3 slept in the crib

baby girl has 8 toofers

baby jail

in desperate need of a dentist

soooo big, feet hang

pukefest 2013, you kicked my a$$ and made me cry

For some reason, it is always a bit difficult waking you kids up on the mornings you
 have school. For some reason, it's not a problem for you kids to wake up before the
sun rises on the mornings you do NOT have school. Go figure.
This particular Saturday was no different. Ellie was the first to wake up, around 5:30
and Pooh woke up shortly afterwards.  You both were excited because later in the
afternoon we were going to go to a friend's birthday party and there would be a
bounce house. I was still in bed when Ellie walked into the room and woke me up,
letting me know that she had just thrown up once but that she was alright and 
could still go to the birthday party. Bounce house!! I quickly got up, felt her head,
no fever. Walked into the kitchen and noticed that she had indeed thrown up 
once but had kept walking when she was throwing up. So, there were at least 
three vomit "stations". I cleaned it up, disinfected the area, then steam mopped it up.
What? I have a toddler that crawls.

I inform Ellie that, no…no, we will not be going to the birthday party. That I'm
afraid she may have the stomach virus that is going around. She, of course, gets
all dramatic. That she had been coughing and that the cough made her throw up,
that she felt better. As I start to think that maybe she's not coming down with
anything, I find out that the baby had thrown up all over my bed. 
Strip the sheets and start the laundry. Inform Ellie that no, no….we're not going
to the birthday party. She, of course is very upset to have to miss it and that I just suck.
Really?

And as she goes on insisting that she's fine, her face starts to get pale and her
eyes get glassy. She lays down on the couch, then abruptly rises up with this look.
A look a mother knows only too well. I run and grab a large bowl and just make it to
her in time as she hurls into it. I attempt to pull back her hair but it's no use. We
walk towards the shower and clean her up. She looks at me and says,
"I feel all better now" she really wants to go. But no…no, we're not going to the birthday
 party. I get her dressed and throw towels across the couch, lay her down, and place
another bowl near her. Within minutes of doing this, Pooh had complained that
 his stomach was hurting. I inquire if he feels sick or if he has to go potty. Potty. 

As I'm comforting a fussy baby, a naked Pooh walks into the living room, holding
an iPad. He's gotten into the habit of "borrowing" it whenever he goes potty.
He walks up to me, handing the iPad over, explaining that he just "drew up on da iPad".
Which do I take care of first? Sick son? Vomit on the iPad? Vomit on the floor??
I set Evie down and I clean the iPad. As I'm walking from room to room, a crying
baby is crawling behind me. Oh! and daddy has already left for work
prior to Ellie getting sick. So, I'm doing this solo. I console Pooh, start the
shower for him and run to clean up the vomit from the bathroom as I see
Evie crawling from the bathroom, looking for me, trailing vomit behind her. Yup.
She crawled through Pooh's puke. I cried. Scoop her up and quickly undress her
and stick her in the shower with Pooh and clean them both up. 

All three kids are showered and dressed in clean cozy clothes. I tackle the bathroom
and gag thru the whole thing. All this and it wasn't even noon yet. AND that was
only round one. Kids ended up vomiting thru out the day, followed by the
dreaded D. Ellie laid comatose on the couch, Pooh and Evie wanted to cling to me
and I wanted them on the other side of the room. I just did not want to get sick.
Because moms don't get sick days! 

 By the end of the evening, I had started feeling light headed, my stomach felt funny,
my joints ached…heck my flesh ached and all I wanted to do was pass out. 

I'm not sick

I'm just going to rest but I'm not sick

poor Pooh

a cold washcloth seemed to help

view from my death bed

Pukefest lasted 'till Tuesday night, with Evie barfing down my back 
(missing the couch).  Fun times.