Precious

There are times as a parent that are precious, well just being a Mommy is precious, but there are those time that just stand out.

Mornings at our house are a bit hectic. Taylor has a hard time getting out of bed to stay on task so she can get to school on time. No matter how hard Aaron and I try. I know this is something I should model better myself. We both tend to get distracted easily.

Anyhow, the mornings are times that my "Mom Voice" gets used. I really dislike using the Mom Voice. You know what I am talking about because either you have a Mom or you are a Mom. It is this, I mean business, you are pushing all my buttons, do what you are supposed to do NOW...voice. This morning I had to use the "Mom Voice" and mixed with my morning voice it is not so pretty.

I just decide to explain to Taylor how when I have to talk like that to get her to listen it is not fun. Just like when she has to get upset at someone it puts an icky feeling in her tummy it is the same for Mommy. That I would really prefer to not have to get upset and would really like her to listen to us the first time. And how if she is not being heard she needs to use her voice and not whine. Everything gets done, we get her caught up, and we have smoothed things over.

Well, as she is kissing me good-bye (Aaron and her were riding bikes this morning). She looks me right in the eyes and says, "Sorry Mommy." I ask her for what. She tells me she is sorry for the way she was acting and for not listening. My heart melted. I felt full of love and grace. I thanked her for saying sorry and gave her a big hug. I could truly tell she was remorseful. It was not a sorry that was said only to not have a consequence for an action, it was sincere.

We have always tried to apologize to Taylor when we were in the wrong. I firmly believe that respect is given where it is received. I have a hard time respecting anyone, even with authority, when they do not show me the same respect. Same with parenting. There have been a number of times where I have had to apologize to Taylor, because I was out of line. Most of the time she would say okay Mommy I forgive you and that would be that. Today I feel like forgiveness was an action not just a word.

A precious Mommy moment. And a glimmer of hope that we are teaching her right. And raising her to think and act on her own...and today she got it spot on. She is such a beautiful little girl both on the inside and out.

Just like her Momma

When Courtney got into her teens she thoroughly enjoyed taking up the sport of rock climbing. She ran a ropes course at the summer camp she worked at including a climbing wall. It appears she passed that right along to Taylor

Taylor getting ready to scale the mountain

Up she goes
Lookin' good
Hello down there
Undaunted
Totally Determined
Ever Vigilant
Refusing to let go
My OTHER little climber

I'm so proud of you baby girl!

Taylor and her bike with NO training wheels

A few of TJ

It's been a while since we've put some Tommy pictures up so I thought I'd put up some pictures of Tommy. Generally, he's a pretty happy kid (except when he's not =O) That tends to be one of the comments we get the most from people, "He's such a happy baby". I think this picture pretty much get's that point across.

He has the most contagious laugh and frequently when he's in the middle of a gut busting giggle, I see more than shades of his big sister. These 2 are pretty much 2 peas in a pod.


TJ and I have this ritual where I go out to pick up the doggie poo in the back yard. His job is to walk around and point it out to me. But he doesn't pick it up because he knows it doesn't taste good.

Tommy loves to laugh and he's such an excited little guy. And as much as he loves to laugh, he loves to make us laugh.

As much as he loves to make us laugh, he's also a thinker. Sometimes he thinks funny thoughts and makes himself laugh.

Sometimes he gives you this look. And you know, you just know ... Man. I'm in trouble.

And like any little man ... he likes to walk around in daddy's shoes.

34 Years Ago

34 years ago my wonderful, amazingly handsome, smart, and dare I say incredibly sexy husband was born. That is a day I am very thankful for. I wasn't even born yet but on that day God brought my husband into this world. We joke that on Aaron's fifth birthday he could have held a one week old me. Cute.

Eleven years ago right around this time we had our first date. I had just turned 18 and Aaron had just turned 23. I remember telling my Mom, that now that I was 18, an adult (LOL), I was going to ask this guy out. Sometime in that week between our birthdays we had our first date. I think I made two of my roommates come along and we went to Dairy Queen to get Blizzards and drive around in my smoking hot, booger green Subaru Hatchback. Nice! In the next few days we went on our first official date to play pool, in Aaron's even hotter 4 door Toyota Corolla that had a red door (the car was blue). Fun times!

Anyhow today he turns 34. Wow. I am everyday thankful for my husband. For his patience and understanding with me and the kids. He is funny and we really have a good time together! He is open to being used by the Lord and feels most at peace when serving Him. I love that. He works hard at work, church and home. I love that he is balanced and plays just as hard:) Please feel free to leave a "Happy Birthday" comment and if you have one share an Aaron story! Happy Birthday my love!!!

This is one of our favorite love songs...John Fogerty, Joy of My Life....

Blush Lady

Dear Blush Lady,

I need to write a note to you to apologize, you see you came into my store tonight to purchase a blush for an upcoming wedding. I asked you if you had a good foundation and from there it turned into a sit down consult. You are beautiful and everything we did you loved. I loved the smile you had when we were done. Your patient husband watched everything I did and gave you compliments along the way. Very precious. I love what I do, I love to give women that extra boost of confidence. To bring out and highlight their beauty. We had so much fun playing with everything...giving you brows, lips, highlighting your eyes, and so on. We had a lot of fun and you were really loving everything we did!

I need to tell you that after you agreed to purchase everything I had put on you I was a little in shock. Not because I have not had huge sales in the past, but business has been slow and we needed the sale. Tonight I challenged myself to "rock" it. To have huge sales. So I was more than thrilled that you loved everything I did enough to purchase it all. However, I forgot to add to your basket the blush. The very thing you needed and I feel horrible about that.

I feel I have learned something from all of this. So I have to thank you. I only want to do the best at my job, work as if working for Jesus is my recent motto. I am SO very driven and competitive that when I had set my mind on having a huge sale and realized I was, I forgot the blush. The very thing you needed. Blush, to match your pink dress for your day of not one but two weddings to attend. I am so very sorry.

I learned that on top of every sale I need to make sure each client knows how to use everything I have put on them. I don't want them lost when they go home. Everything is very simple, yet not knowing what is what I can see how it might be confusing. I also want to thank each client. Thank you for teaching me this most valuable lesson, I need to be driven but also aware.

So tonight, as silly as it may be, I prayed you would remember how to use everything you bought and would not feel overwhelmed. And that maybe you do have your blush I just don't remember grabbing it! Have fun with it all!

Sincerely,

The Makeup Gal

Nap Time

My 17 month old son has yet to sleep all the way through the night. His swing was his favorite place to sleep during the day. Since he is now past the weight limit we no longer do the swing. We have been working on him to be in his crib both during the day and at night. Kind of a big thing since I was a big advocate on co-sleeping...because Tay actually slept. Tommy on the other hand will fall asleep and then wake up to nurse, all night...and like I have told him I am not a 24 Hour drive thru. So we are working on the weaning and the sleeping. Both big things for my little man. He has the past two days fallen asleep in his high chair while having a snack. He goes into the kitchen will tell you what he wants and then he climbs up into his high chair, yes all by himself and then patiently waits for you to bring him his snack. After eating a little or all I will notice him being very quiet only to notice him very peacefully sleeping. I snapped a picture today. I would move him to his crib but I run the risk of him waking up very grumpy and today I happen to washing all his bedding. Enjoy the pictures of the cutest Little Man ever:)...if I do say so myself!!!

Fall and Stuff

Fall is in the air. I love this time of year, my favorite. In so many ways Fall feels more like the beginning of a new year than the actual New Year does. There is so much to look forward to like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. All holidays I love. I love all the warm smells and colors. The smell of vanilla and pumpkin spices. This is also my favorite season to decorate the house, I love all the mini pumpkins and gourds. And of course the day after Thanksgiving decorating for Christmas. Just love it!

Soccer has started. The smell of fresh cut grass and heading out to the field on a Saturday morning is another favorite thing about Fall. Which if I may brag, Tay scored two goals her first game, the only two goals her team scored. That's my girl! I told her I would give her fifty cents for every goal she scored so today I had to pay up one whole dollar! I love that she loves the game...I really miss playing too. Maybe I will again one day:) The picture is Tay right after her first goal!

First grade is well under way. Taylor has adjusted amazingly well. I on the other hand have had a harder time. Last week I started my time in the class and that was helpful for me. I will be there each week during their library and music time. And then every other Monday in the class. I just miss her but her teacher I adore. Tay is having a blast too. I think her highlights so far is that she can climb up and almost do a flip on the bars, for which she now has bruises for. She is also making progress on the monkey bars, for which her hands are blistered. But like I told her they are trophies to show off her hard work:) This picture is the first day of school.

Today, Sunday, I had the day off. I love Sundays off. I need Sundays off. It is such great family time. Tommy and I stayed home from church to give him a good nap, so hard when church falls right at nap time for him. When Aaron and Taylor got home, my girl and I ran errands together. Exchanging a few items from school shopping that didn't work out. Then we hit the grocery store. It was timed perfectly for the Seahawk game being over, so we picked up the boys and headed to our local barn. It was wonderful. Fall was in the air. Warm but crisp outside. There are baby goats right now and the kids loved it. Okay, I do just as much. The babies were about the size of Tigger, our cat...and yes I wondered if I could take one home. Tommy gets so excited he runs from pin to pin and sits down right in front and calls the animals over. This is so cute to watch. However, we were a little too trusting of the Mama goat because she nibbled a little too hard on his finger! I looked over and Tommy's whole little hand was in her mouth! I reacted and ripped it out. My reaction caused his finger to scratch on her teeth. Poor little guy! We missed the hay ride but will for sure be back. I absolutely love that place. This picture is the kids with the baby goats.

We came home and I made a nice dinner and we got to sit together as a family at the table. I miss having dinner with the kids when I am working. I am realizing I need to make the best of my nights off...with school, soccer, work for us both, and other life things all happening I feel like we are establishing a routine and things will begin to fall into place...in the last two weeks we have had such overwhelming days! I gave the kids a bath, we splashed and laughed. This is another thing I miss while working. My husband wonderfully cleaned the kitchen to give me this quality time. Then Tay and I decided to bake cookies, one of our favorite things to do together is bake. While we were baking Aaron made us a fire in the fireplace. Fall is definitely here. Despite our 80 degree days, the mornings and evenings are cool and that marine layer is beginning to hang a little longer. So nice. This picture is from Saturday at the game. Yes he has a black eye. See all posts on his climbing obsession. The boy is non-stop go. His latest was trying to sit in the windowsill like Tigger.

Taylor and I have started a little routine of having weekend slumber parties. Aaron pulls the futon mattress out and we sleep out in the living room together. I think this is something we can do together to really have some quality time in the midst of my schedule. The nice thing is that I am off early on weekends, our town is still small town enough that stores close down early on the weekends:) Tonight we got to lay down in front of the fire and smell baked cookies, Fall is for sure here. Picture is from one of our slumber parties that was crashed by little brother long enough to enjoy some popcorn with chocolate chips.

Well...I know my blogs have been fewer and fewer. Being a working Mom is a challenge. I just have to say that Aaron has totally stepped up to the plate. He is wonderful with the kids and I know he takes care of everything so well. This allows me to really do my job when at work. Work is going good. I love what I do, I get to meet such great women. I have better days when I pray on my way to work and ask the Lord to be with my shift. I really felt overwhelmed with it all last week so I had to have a talk with God. I just laid it all on the line. I felt I needed to repent for working for the man and not working as if working for Him. We had it out. I asked for affirmation. Since that talk the biggest thing that has changed is my attitude. Work is tons better. I have a job where I get to tell women they are beautiful, I get to help work on the esteem of women. How freaking lucky am I? The hardest part is just missing the kids but I am so blessed to have the majority of the day with them. Picture is of my most handsome son and his Thomas the Train backpack...he loves to wear it:) His eyes disappear like Papa's when he smiles!

So I sat here to tell you all...whoever may read this...that Fall is in the air here and I shared a bit more. All the pictures are for the grandparents:) Enjoy!!! Are you loving Fall where you are? What is your favorite thing about Fall?