Mother's Day

Mixed in with all the mushy and sentimental portions of my Mother's Day card, there was something that made me laugh out loud: "I wouldn't survive a day without you by my side. My clothes would always be dirty, my kids would be terrible, and my dishes...well, my dishes would still be dirty, but your intentions are good." Well, I just can't be good at everything!

With Alfonso at work today, I have to admit it felt more like an ordinary day with the kids. Yes, my nerves were worked a bit this afternoon, but the day ended well. I gave Spencer a big old hug and told him how glad I was to be his mommy. He bounced back the compliment and said, "Mommy, I'm so glad I'm you're brother." Too cute!

That can't be comfortable, part two

Spencer's had a "thing" for Mia's pony since she arrived at our place and that was long before Mia was here. He'll probably kill me for outing his first crush, but I'll take my chances. This is what I found when I went to check on little guy.

First trip, but certainly not our last

How we remained unscathed and somehow protected from a trip to urgent care or the emergency room up until now is beyond me. Of course that all changed today after Mia fell on her little cabeza. Mia was such a trooper and proved once again she's one tough cookie. Mommy and Bubba on the other hand, could have done without the blood and the needles...yikes! Here's proof that you can still smile after a few stitches (although the red vines and stickers may have helped some).

If Mia's Flintstone-like gibberish could be translated, I'm sure she's said: "That's how I roll, Ma. That's how I roll."

(Another) Spencer funny

Mia was a little crabby for a few minutes this afternoon. Of course, those were the same minutes Spencer insisted on playing with his sister and it didn't go over well...she needed some space.

I explained to him that we needed to show Mia some grace. I've used this phrasing in the past, but it's been awhile so he asked me what "grace" was. Here's how our short, but funny conversation went:

S: "Mom, what's grace?"
H: "Grace is giving someone something even when they don't deserve it"
S: "Oh." long pause "Well, when I don't deserve dessert, I need grace."

The kid catches on quick! Maybe I'll use that same excuse, eh?!

Forever Friends

Our good friend Christen came by tonight to visit. It was a visit long overdue considering we haven't meet up for seven years or so. I meet Christen way back in middle school, but we weren't exactly pals then. That's her story to tell :).

We reunited in high school and became very close friends. And just a year after graduation, she stood alongside me on our wedding day. Soon after our wedding, our paths separated some, mostly due to distance. After our get-together tonight I'm sure she's just one of those friends you never really lose. As she prepares for a move to Peru, I find myself so thankful for those forever friends. Although our distance will soon be far greater, I certainly hope our desire for a deeper friendship was rekindled. I know it was for me.

Just a few reasons I love spending time with Grandpa...

This is just a sampling of the bizarre, but always amusing conversations that take place between the family and Grandpa (he's ninety by the way!):

"Will you please put a chicken behind my back?" (We're thinking he meant "cushion")
"How's the second crop of opium coming along?" (No explanation to offer there)
"Where's the other gun?" And after I gave him a funny look he preceded to ask the question again.
"You're a pretty little girl too." Apparently he didn't want me to feel left out after the same compliment was given to little Mia. This is a far cry from the Grandpa who guessed I was was forty years old a few months back. Ouch!!

We decided a while back we better just laugh a bit and since then, it's provided some unforgettable moments. Sorry Grandpa!

We had a chance today to honor a friend and firefighter. Jay lost his battle with cancer a few days ago and to say he'll be missed is quite an understatement. This was my first experience witnessing the support provided to a brother in need and I'm amazed at the love and bond forged by fire. As a wife of a firefighter, I find myself swelling with pride.

Now I'm absolutely convinced that Alfonso's found family in his fellow firefighters.

The kids

I don't claim that the above pictures are fantastic or future favorites, but the kids are in the same frame and they're both smiling...sorta :)

I'd live there, pal!

Spencer was the recipient of a free bird house. I wasn't with him at the store, but he insisted he said "thank you" (and he's retold this portion of the story several times).

We broke out the paint and now we're certain we have the most colorful birdhouse around. Mia added a bit of paint also, but she was much too busy to participate come picture time.

I'm no prankster, but...

I thought it would be funny to play along with this whole April Fools' Day thing. Usually, I'm not any good at participating in a prank as the truth is written all over my face. Its a bit of a curse really.

Yesterday I had the perfect opportunity to get my prank in as Alfonso was away at work. Because we'd be speaking over the phone, I knew I could put all my energy into not busting up. So, my idea was to tell him I was pregnant. Yep, and you wouldn't believe the reaction: absolute silence. I thought maybe I'd get a little chuckle or something, but the laughter didn't arrive until he was certain this was indeed a prank.

I should be a little easier on the guy. After being solo for two full days and with one left to go, I might just be a little glad it was a joke too :)

Pictures of Miss Smiley

Easter

Nope. Not one picture of the kids dressed in their Easter best, well, because it was a busy morning. Instead I took a few of the kids testing the candy for poisonous ingredients (it's an excuse they've learned from the parents).

Last night I made Easter cookies with Spencer. Each ingredient signifies a portion of the Easter story (i.e. eggs=new life, salt=tears shed by Jesus' followers, white=purity) and I found it to be a fairly simple way to explain Jesus' death and resurrection. I just about teared up today as I heard Spencer telling the Easter story as we ate our cookies. To think that he's beginning to understand why Jesus died for him just blows me away.

Its so easy to get lost in the details and forget the significance of the Easter story. Before you know it, things become complicated. As you're probably well aware, "complicated" doesn't work so well with little ones, especially if you'd like the meaning to stick. As I explained the power of the resurrection to Spencer, I found my eyes reopened to the simplicity of the story. Today I saw Easter through the eyes of my son. And like never before, I find myself holding tight to the promise provided to me through His death and I'm refusing to let go.

Now that's a good reason to eat some cookies :)

The kids and I colored our eggs this afternoon. Spencer ensured each egg was as vibrant as possible. I'm almost certain the color will make it through the shell. Thankfully, I'm not a fan of hard boiled eggs :).

Mia observed from her perch (AKA highchair). After seeing Spencer's mess, I was a bit hesitant to involve our adventurous daughter in the egg dying process. Instead, she was provided plenty of stickers and made her own little mess. My carpet is thanking me!

We're going camping?!

Spencer's been a bit excited about this camping business he's overheard. We missed out on roughin' it last year because we were hesitant to make any plans without knowing when Mia would be coming home. This summer will be different, or so we hope :).

With our camping trip in mind, he announced he was going to get us packed. I thought this "packing" would be interesting enough, so I went along with the plan. Spencer decided it would be best to use our rolling suitcases (I think we'd most likely be laughed at) and then invaded the cabinets. He finished earlier than I expected. Apparently we'll be taking the trip without any clothing, but plenty of smelly stuff, including: deodorant ("Daddy needs to wear this everyday so he won't stink"...glad I was left out of that one!), baby oil (your curious aren't you?), bar soap, and a bottle of lotion I've had since before we were married (spring cleaning?!). And all this packaged nicely in a small zippered case.

Now that would make for an interesting camping trip.

Specification required

We've had some beautiful weather here lately and we're both getting the itch to work on the yard. How long will that itch last? We shall see.

Yesterday I was outside sizing up our out-of-control lavender bush. Deciding it needed a haircut, I went looking for our prune shears without any luck. Before we had shears, we resorted to using scissors instead and I thought I'd revisit the old days and get a pair from the junk drawer. Spencer and Mia were playing in the garage and I figured I'd be gone for 30 seconds max, so I asked Spencer to watch his little sis.

I did come back within 30 seconds and Spencer did watch Mia as he had promised. The problem was he watched Mia crawl under the car to fetch a few stale cheerios she spotted AND eat them. Next time I will be far more specific...if there is a next time!

Wii crazy

Imagine how surprised Alfonso was when I brought up buying a video game system. I had played the Wii during my trip to Tennessee and I laughed more than I had in awhile. In case you're not familiar, many of the games require physical activity and the players are able to interact. Here are two pictures from a boxing match between son and father (now there's a way to get out some aggression). The first shows Spencer ahead and beating Pa as he had in the prior match. The second picture shows his reaction as he realized he just can't win every match. Poor guy!

It's feeling (a little) like spring!

Spencer says the darnedest things!

I just love having a four year old. Yes, I do miss the early years when I look through pictures, but I'm finding I enjoy each new stage more than the last (of course, there were a few I REALLY didn't care for). The conversations we have with Spencer sure make me look forward to the day Mia will communicate more.

If you have kids around this age, you probably realize how much they hear even when it appears they're not listening at all. We had a discussion in the car about (finally) paying off our car. A few days later, Spencer brought the subject up. This is that conversation:

S: Mom, what kind of car are we going to get now?
M: Honey, we just paid the money we owed for this car. Daddy and I are happy not to have a loan anymore. We aren't planning on buying a new car any time soon.
S: What's a loan?
M: (Insert my boring and brief description of a loan here)
S: No, Mom! Alone means you're by yourself!

For the life of me, I just couldn't figure out how to use the word "loan" in a sentence without using an "a" in front. So, the confusion continues.

I picked Spencer up from school and as usual, we discuss his day and it's happenings. I was slightly disturbed when he mentioned that the read a book about a man who was shot with a gun. We were in the car at the time which meant Spencer didn't notice my stunned reaction in the front seat. I kept the conversation going and that's when I realized he had "read" a book about Martin Luther King, Jr. I still think this may be a bit of a mature subject for a group of preschoolers, but it did provide an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation about the real world, even the ugly parts.

Last night as we were driving home, he proclaimed the following:

"Martin Luther King said love and peach. Some other people said hate."

And that wasn't some goof up on the keyboard. He did indeed say MLK stood for "peach".

I love this kid!

We just got back from a six day trip to Disneyland. There will be more on that trip later :)

I'm still wondering what prompted my desire to go on a three mile walk with the kids after we just returned from a trip FULL of walking. Both kids were crying when we got back to the car. Such is life with kids. Sure makes you appreciate the fun times more!

She's a hoot!

Mia's not talking much yet, but she's quickly learned that we're not fans of whining. For the most part, she's given up on the whole whining business. If she wants something, she claps as that's her (silent) version of please. This was something we began to teach her in Guatemala when we realized she was a clapper. But clapping only works if the person is looking at you, so that left Mia in a tough spot.

Just recently, Mia found her solution. If you've got something she wants, she says "baby, baby, baby" or "Mimi, mimi, mimi". Its hard not to laugh.