Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is such an exciting week of fun for our family. It seems that we have some sort of traditional family event each night of the week! This week was spent with family and friends that bring such love and joy to our lives. We are so thankful for all the blessings this year has brought us and wish each of you the best holiday season.
We are also thankful for our wonderful camera because it means that we have about 1000 photos to document all the little memories we are thankful for- enjoy!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Dear Santa
Today Molly made her Christmas list to mail to Santa. Molly also created Gabe's list.
Gabriel added the finishing touches to his list. His sister was not pleased.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Porch Swing
We all have those few memories or items that take us right back to our own childhood. Every time you stumble across this familiar moment it becomes a rush of nostalgia that is irreplaceable. I love this. And while the smell of dial soap, taste of juicy fruit and nighttime road trips will always remind me of home, porch swings will always take me back to Grandma's house.
My grandma and grandpa have lived in the same home my entire life...well, to be honest, basically my mom's entire life too. Positioned right in the center of Dallas, Grandma's house was always the go-to place. One of the joys I think of having an ENORMOUS family is that someone is always over for a visit. This fact makes a visit to Grandma and Grandpa's always seem more like a party. And what kid doesn't love to party?!
Out front is a porch swing that can very easily be transformed into a "cradle". Perfect for a little rock-a-bye baby session if you ask me. I think that I might have spent 1/3 of my time at the house playing outside on the porch swing. There was always so much to do on it. It was a place to sit, to rock, to take care of your babies, to visit with your cousins, to fight with your siblings, to write in your journal or even just take a nap. I always knew the exact amount of oomph needed to get a great push going without hitting the brick wall. Although, sometimes that was the goal :)
So I cannot begin to tell you how amazing it is to have a picture of my children playing on the same swing that I played on at their ages. How many constants like that do we have in our lives? These days it seems that the longest you live in your home is 10-12 years. Most people change jobs at least 7-8 times in their lifetime and the reality of your entire family living in one place is quite obsolete. This is our generation. And while I think that there is so much excitement in change, I am thankful that I still have small moments to wrap myself up in the comfort of familiar.
So as a part of my prep for thanksgiving, I am going to really make an effort to reflect on often overlooked things that I am truly thankful for. I am so thankful for that porch swing and all the memories it continues to create for my little family.
*Survey: In efforts to change things up a little...feel free to comment about something that reminds you of home... ALL LURKERS OUT THERE ARE WELCOME!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The First Sleepover!!!
On the way to dinner...
Color fest at Papa and Mama Sue's house...
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Bundle Up...It is COLD!
I guess it is never too cold to play outside...well, it was too cold for Mommy but I was clearly outnumbered.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Start to day
We take breakfast seriously at our house... After all, it is SO important to start your day with a balanced meal. This goes for everyone in the house (including those with fluff for organs)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
out as long in...
GUESS
WHO'S...
Can you believe it? Our little boy has now officially been "out as long as he was in". That is just unbelievable to me! It has just gone so fast! My ability to be a part of every one of his milestones has been such a blessing!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Happy Times
Okay, so you might be wondering why I posted a picture of a giant mess in my closet. And while I agree that this most definitely is a daily mess (thanks to our shoe queen) - it also is a moment that made me SO incredibly happy.
You see it is very easy for me to remember life before kids…eating out WAY to much, frequenting our favorite local bar for darts and beer on a Wednesday night and sleeping in as late as we wanted on Saturday. Ahhh...sleep. I do remember what that was like. In a world of parenting, there is a lot of unknown. We are just at level 2. Just as in Mario World, I have learned that it gets exponentially more challenging the higher up you go...but that much more rewarding. There have definitely been those hard days where you find yourself clutching to the memories of before instead of embracing what is now. That is why this messy closet is SO important for me.
This picture represents one of the happiest things about my life right now and serves as a consistent reminder at how different things are nowadays. If you look really closely in the picture you might notice two tiny pink "shoe lights". Do you see them? I opened the closet last night on my way out to the gym and there they were. I knew that this was no random placement of shoes. It was very deliberate. More than likely our Miss Molly, after a long day of chasing Milo, scaling the slide and parading through the house in Mommy's shoes was ready to call it a night. When your day is done, shoes are put away...in the shoe closet of course.
Our life is very messy these days. I was at Kohl's returning a shirt last night and reached in my purse to pull out my wallet and out with it came a backup "just in case" pair of Dora panties. I have the secret stash of wipes in the trunk and about 15 little bows in my make-up bag. All this "clutter" serves as daily reminders of just how immersed we are in the world of our children. We would not have it any other way. It is really easy for me to focus on how tired I am or how much I long for a random date night without the effort of lining up babysitters. But it is the presence of the little shoes, the little bows, the little fruit snacks wedged in the seat of the car... these little things remind me how wonderful it is to have little Mays here in our lives.
Our "shoes" may be a little worn at times but our "soles" are full of joy.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Try a little harder.
Does this picture look like a brother that is sorry for eating his sister's chocolate chip cookie right out of her hand?
Try a little harder to look sorry cookie monster.
Houseguest
Our guests always bring such wild delight!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
mmm... waffles.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Soul Sisters
Friday, November 14, 2008
Potty Trauma
So...here is a story for you. Imagine a bodacious mom and her vivacious crew hanging out at one of the grooviest area parks. We're chilling out and laughing it up on the swings when those few words ring clear..."I have to go potty."
You see pre-potty training you never notice whether your groovy park has incredible bathrooms or not. Why would you? But alas, now the search is on. After a detour past the slides, a loop around the tennis court and a close encounter with a squirrel we were there. Our luxurious bathroom... isn't she a beauty?
I can now tell you that it is NOT easy to convince a two year old that this box in the forest is in fact a potty. Molly has referred to it all day as the "yucky brown potty"... I hear ya' girlfriend. So after 5 minutes of helping Molly on the potty, 3 moments of dry heaving, about 16 prayers and several scans for scary bugs we were out of there... accident free. Thank the lord Gabe didn't try to lick the wall or something from his stroller.
Say it with me: PURELL
I think it will suffice to say that our groovy park is definitely a lot less groovy. Once we have the whole potty training thing down our next lesson will be how to pee on a tree. We definitely could have utilized that skill today.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Elmo to the rescue?
Today we are trying something new and Molly is very excited. It is our official kick off to Elmo panties ALL DAY. Mommy is feeling a slight bit nervous. I see lots of laundry ahead.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Southern Revelations
Last Thursday Gabriel, Molly and I embarked on an adventure to visit my best friend Melissa (or as Molly lovingly calls her Aunt Balissa). Mel is expecting her first baby right around Gabe's first birthday!
It is so exciting to walk through such a familiar timeline to baby with her. Right now, Uncle Chris is off training for special agent superhero status and is unable to be with Melissa for all the prebaby fun! What a great excuse for the May family to live in San Antonio three days a month through February!!!! This month was the first three day stint. This was my first time to travel sans daddy with both kids in tow. Such an adventure. I really feel that I learned so much about the Mays and our traveling to San Antonio.
For instance, did you know that the smell of San Antonio is rosemary?
On Friday, we met up with our cousins that live in SA for a play date. The Severson and May children are exactly the same distances in age from one another. It is really fun to see them all together.
Did you know that San Antonio promotes triangle sleeping?
Did you know that in San Antonio you can be whatever you want to be?