The Bagel Shop

A weekly request from my kids for lunch is "pink cream cheese, mom, we want pink cream cheese!" It had been awhile since pink cream cheese...and so we went. My kids are 2 and 4 now; they can sit in a regular chair and eat and I can glance around...notice things I haven't been able to see for 4 years. Today it was a woman with her elderly mother, chatting over bagels and coffee. I thought to myself, "I will never see my mom as an old lady, never enjoy bagels and coffee and then help her to the car." Sometimes I simply forget my mom is actually gone for good...strange I realize, but it's like she's just going to pop back into my life and swoop up my kids...make my favorite meal, read to Dane and Glory, take me shopping, fold some laundry in her perfect way, braid Glo's hair in her perfect way, and surely give me some pointers on how to be the PTA President someday. I love the bits of me that are her - perfectionism in all things small and yet the ability to throw a bunch of papers in a pile on the counter for later. Life is too short people. The papers can wait...there are bagels to eat and kids to read to, dolls to play with, hide and seek, "the firefighter," Valentines to make, dance parties in the kitchen to attend. Just a little of our day...

It has been a year?!?

Have you ever heard the line "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans"? It's from a song by Julian Lennon. I try to keep it in mind and savor every single day. This is also why I am pretty disappointed that I have let a whole year go by without a single post. I do not keep a journal anymore and I don't even write down random things my kids say or do that make me laugh, cry, or shake my head in amazement. However, the other thing I do not do is live with feelings of guilt or remorse. "Every day starts fresh, with no mistakes," another quote from a favorite particular teacher...Ms. Murial Stacey from Anne of Green Gables. Fictional or not, the woman has a point! Let go of the past and live in today...

SO, there is no sense in me trying to convey all the events, activities and milestones of the past; rather I will start fresh with today...and today was quite interesting! Last night was the "Blizzard of 2011." We did wake up to a winter wonderland complete with blowing and drifting. The kids and I had a play date in the morning (we bundled up and walked across the street to play with our neighbors...INSIDE). We came home for some lunch and down-time and then ventured out ourselves. Turned out we chose the right time to go out and play because the snow had stopped and even the sun showed her shy self! It was a beautiful day! However, two snow days in a row...well now let's not get so excited...mom needs a break!

finger painting session...gift from Neema

Christmas Eve Morning activity

Dane turns Three

Dane's knitted hat and scarf from great-grandmom

Our Christmas scene

The indoor Children's Gardens at MSU

The kids would not go near Santa...so they sit in the sleigh alone...

The amazing poinsettia "tree"

Fun Times

Visiting with my San Fran friend Melissa and her daughter Adelle

My Birthday

Dane's Gingerbread house

Picking out our Christmas tree

STL, con't...

The cousins got a night out while the aunts watched all 11 of our kids...in our family if you look at your significant other you get pregnant. I'm not kidding. If my numbers are right only 5 of the 11 babies were planned. That's a lot of "surprises!"

Dane and Glory at the water table, Magic House

The Magic House is by far the biggest and most amazing Children's Museum for young children I have ever experienced.