Sunday's Snapshot

Mickie and Avery toasting the mallows

Indoor S'mores.....yummy!!  All the goodness of a campfire S'more...minus the bugs.  You just never know what fun treat nana is going to have on sunday.

What have I done????

Well, I may just be crazy!!  I decided to join Team in Training again this season.  Not sure what I just got myself into.....but it is all good!   I have done a couple of triathlons with them and I believe in their program in many ways.  I trust the trainers/coaches, I know if I follow their plan I will cross the finish line in the end.  Also, I very much believe in their work raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I had been kind of on the fence about joining or not this season.  I thought it would be good to get back in shape and hopefully lose some weight...etc.... but then yesterday I was reminded of a far more important reason to join the Team again.  We NEED to find a cure for cancer already!!  Avery came home from school with  a bit of heavy heart and reported that a little boy named Cash, who is a cousin of her classmate "is going to be with Jesus really soon"  They have been praying for him all school year...2 years old with cancer....just so heartbreaking.  Cancer....ugh it is just so ugly, unfair, powerful and though the money that I raise is so little I feel like it helps take some of that power away from cancer when put to good use in research and treatments.  Anyway, Cash did pass away yesterday and Avery took  the news with 'faith like a child'  she said " that she is sad that his mommy will be sad but happy that he gets to be with Jesus and not be sick anymore"   So...settled it for me...I'm IN!! GO TEAM....and the icing on the cake:  I somehow talked my good friend Shara into joining me on the journey. YAY!  We are going to do the Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon in seattle this summer.   We had our first "training" together today at the track.  Went well.  Really cold and REALLY wet day today, but we managed to stick it out for 30 minutes.  Can only get better from here.  How this is all going to work.....well I am not sure about that, minor details.  I will have to go back to work soon and be a parent to 3 little kiddos and a wife and a housekeeper etc...but it is all good!! I have faith that it will all come together.

H---E---double hockey sticks

A scene from our favorite movie (Madagascar) prompted a discussion about 'cuss' words between Avery and I.  In the last year we have probably watched this movie 20 times give or take.  There is a scene on the beach where alex the lion spells HELP out of logs....I had never even noticed it until Avery yells
   "that says HELP!!, funny mom, I never even noticed there was a word there before"  As I was about to say "wow av, super good reading" the top of the P falls down in the movie spelling h--e-- double hockey sticks and avery shouts out
  " What THE?.....now it says HELL!!  I just gasped and said "well really good reading Avery but that is a bad word and we don't say that in our house."  She looked at me very puzzled and said "No, its not a bad word...it is a real place mom.   You are right that hell is a BAD ..BAD place, but it is not a BAD word mom" 
  Well, that was tough to argue with her on that one.  I tried to explain the "context" of words and when it is ok to use them etc...but I was interrupted by her revelation  " why would alex (the lion) call Hawaii, hell anyway?  Hawaii is AWESOME!!   and besides mom my teacher says hell at school so it can't be that bad of a word."
OI!!  I wish that some how I could get a warning about what she will say next.  I would even take an hour or two notice, just to get some thoughts together on how to respond.  So, maybe I could seize the good teaching moment or even sound semi sensible or something.....NO, instead I am always like uh...umm..derr...um..hmmm...good thought Avery, let me think on that for a while??
                Well,the positive may be that I will be more knowledgeable for the younger kids?? 

Sunday's Snapshot

Picture Perfect!!!

Kenzie on her way to swim at aunt Lyza's today.....picked out her own outfit, doesn't she look perfect !?!?   Totally random that she chose to bring a plate as a pool toy, but that is a toddler for you.  And, those are "cowgirl---coolchick boots" not cowboy boots....don't get it confused. 

And yes Angela, I am sort of stealing an idea from your blog.  I really enjoy your "wordless Wednesday's"  so I am swiping it and making it my own with "Sunday's snapshots" 

3 months old

Presley is three months old today.  Time is going so fast.  I wish I could just slow things down a bit.....(sigh)  I know that's not possible but a girl can dream right?  Presley is doing well.  She is really an easy baby, great sleeper, mellow, and a 'mamas girl'.  I must admit that I LOVE IT.....when she screams or gets irritable and upset with somebody else and the minute she is in my arms she falls asleep! Yay, such an amazing feeling.  Doesn't happen often that she makes any noise at all though.  She sleeps all through the night...have yet to hear a peep out of her in the night.  She sleeps 10 to 12 hours straight through and wakes up HAPPY and wanting to talk and coo and give big cheeky smiles.  Not a bad way to start my day!! In the last week or so, she has become very interested in what Avery and Kenzie are doing and prefers to be held so she can see them running around.  She is trying hard to talk to us.... she coos and smiles alot now and has one super cute little dimple. Cute as a button if you ask me!!

Presley "squealing" at the train each time it came around

Biggest challenge for me right now is definitely finding time and energy for each of them individually.  The 'newborn' stage is just so precious and goes so fast....so I find myself just wanting to hold her all day.  But, I also have 2 very fun, precious older girls who want me to do puzzles and play barbies and build forts and so on and so on.  I often have to remind myself, that they need me and my attention just as much as Presley.  So, in the evening when daddy is home to play with Avery and Kenzie I take full advantage of snuggle time with Presley and find myself staying up an hour or two past Avery and Kenzie falling asleep just to hold Presley.  But during the day, I put Presley in her crib to nap and take the time to be 'fully' present for my big girls.  Challenging yes, but the rewards far outweigh the work!!!  Warning, if you come to my home....there will be toys on the floor and laundry that should be done.etc....each day these sorts of things seem less important to me, I just prefer to spend my time enjoying my family.  A sterile looking_ squeaky clean home is so overrated anyway....boring!! =)

girls just wanna have fun!

Averys idea of "comfy clothes" to do house work in.   Every time she puts these headphones on she sings "girls just wanna have fun and boys just wanna be workers"  (sorry boys...thats the way she sings it)  Kenzie sings it "boys just have a be boring"  ???not sure where those lyrics came from??

she was getting too hot in her "vacuuming outfit"

Snow Day

It was a short lived snow fall, but it cancelled one day of school for Avery and we filled it with making snow angels, taking a hot bath, drinking hot cocoa, and playing with the neighbors.  It was a most enjoyable day! I was very glad that it was about 40 degrees outside by the time they went out....the snow was still good (not slushy yet) and they were comfortable, not too cold.  So they actually stayed outside for close to an hour and got some good 'running' time in for the day.  They only got cold when they built each other birthday cakes of snow and 'smacked' their heads in it like "it was my very first birthday again" according to kenzie =)

you win some.....you lose some!

Some days I get to the end of the day and think...Wow, good job mama! You know that feeling of accomplishment, like you met your goals and maybe even a little extra.  Well, yesterday was definitely not one of those days.  I went to bed thinking, "i want a do-over" no parenting awards coming my way any time soon.  
    I had the day all planned the night before (my first mistake!)  I had to go to work for my CPR recertification class in the afternoon.  My mom was going to watch the girls at her house for me.  So I planned to leave my house at 10 am so I could run on the treadmill and do a little pilates in my parents basement while mom fed them lunch, then I would shower, feed Presley at noon and then take off for bellingham.  Plan sounds easy enough right?  Well, in reality the morning was a disaster!! To start, Presley woke up 2 hours earlier than she has everyother day in the last 5 weeks...totally throwing off her feeding schedule. Avery and Kenzie both woke up early, complaining of stomache aches and wanting to be held.  Presley screamed for most of the morning (totally unlike her, usually sooo mellow)  Kenzie throw up 7 or 8 times over about 3 hours.  She refused to throw up into a towel, sink, or toilet.....no she needed to be wrapped up around my neck and throw up on me!  Avery was a busy beaver running around the house and packing a total of 5 bags plus 2 dolls and one stuffed animal into the car to take to nanas ( oh , she does not travel lightly!  I am contemplating  a new travel rule------1 toy per child!)    Poor Presley, every time I sat down to feed her, Kenzie would come running saying she was going to throw up again.  So, again I had to lay down Presley( who was super mad and hungry)  Avery was complaining of a headache because of "presley screaming mad" and a stomache ache because of "kenzies stink"  At approximatley 11 oclock ( one hour behind schedule) I got Avery and Kenzie into the car, went to get Presley strapped in....only to find that she had pooped everywhere, I mean up her back and down her legs disaster!! So, quick sponge bath and a change of clothes and into the car where avery and kenzie are waiting and both crying.  As we are backing out of the driveway, Presley projectile vomits in her carseat and avery and kenzie are yelling "mom. go back in the house and change she!....you have to mom, it is so gross"  well, i didn't!  Avery probably wont let me live that one down for a while.... how could I let the poor baby be in barfy clothes?   Heading down the road, Avery and Kenzie are complaining how cold they are " MOM, why didn't you pack us blankets?  that is not good mom, you should have packed us blankets....you knew it was cold outside...MOM!"   Silly me, somewhere in the mix of the 7 bags that were brought to the car, the bowl, wash clothes (2 , one wet one dry) and water bottle for Kenzie, in case she got sick again....I forgot blankets. And , the gas light comes on in the car...rats, have to get gas too.  Somehow in the next 30 seconds I forget that I was going to get gas and find myself already at the west end of badger...no turning back now.  Hope I don't run out of gas.  Well, we arrived at my parents house and it took me only 5 trips to and from the house to unload all the toys and stuff that the girls "needed" for their 5 hour stay at nana and papas, now just enough time for me to shower and wash the vomit off my neck.   (gross, I know...parenting aint always pretty)  No workout for me, again today...oh well. Then off to Bellingham for me,  I realize at this point that I haven't eaten or had my coffee or anything!  whew, no wonder I feel so icky. Thank goodness moms fridge is always stocked with diet coke and food...grab a quick lunch and out the door, wet hair and all. I hope and say a little prayer that I can make it to costco to get gas.  I did make it to costco, only to find a super long line and I had to be to class in less than 15 minutes...say another little prayer and head to class.  Made it and passed all required tests at class and stopped by the shell station on the way back to get just enough gas to make it to safeway later on.   Arrived at mom and dads to find a peaceful household and mom making a very yummy steak dinner for us.....aaahhh, thank you mommy!  The girls and I head home and all is totally peaceful in the car on the way home. YAY, came home to Dean, who had a very nice warm fire going...and helped me unload all the stuff from the car...YAY for good husbands  And peacefully the girls went off to dream land...tired little angels.  Phew, survived the day...but it wasnt pretty!!  Parenting is hard work people!! To all you mommies out there, I think you are amazing everyday!!  Don't ever forget you have the best and toughest job in the world.  I know this story may sound like I am complaining, but truly not at all.  I love my job as mom, more than anything. I would not trade one day with these girls, even when the days go like this.  At the end of the day, you just have to laugh about it, kiss the little angels good night and say.....you win some and you lose some!   

after all is said and done....who could ever get upset with these innocent little faces !!!???

she is reading ?!!?!

Can hardly believe it.  Avery read me the bedtime story last night.  My grandma bought Avery some ' Dick and Jane' books for her baby shower and I have kind of kept them tucked away for the day when Avery would start to learn to read.  Recently we started reading them together and she would occasionally point out a word that she recognized.  Well, last night she just took off and read---sounded out the words herself and stuttered along---but successfully read the first 5 stories in the book all on her own!!  Dean and I were beaming proud parents as we listened to her read us a story!!  It is so amazing to watch these girls learn new things each day.

Sundays in Birch Bay

By far, my favorite day of each week is Sunday.  For the past 7 years my siblings and I (and now significant others,spouses and children) have gotten together at my parents house for yummy appetizers and dinner prepared by my mom.  Thank you Lydell for such a great idea! Sundays are really laid back days....typically Dean and the girls and I get to lounge around a little in the morning before heading off to church, then we pack up and head out to Birch Bay for the day.  My parents have a great view of the bay, in warmer days the girls typically can talk papa and /or aunt bucky (my sister Lyza) into taking them down to the beach.  We just sit around and chat and watch the kids play together.  In the summer we sit in the sun on the deck or play in the pool.  In the winter we watch football/basketball/ whatever sport can be found on tv. Often some sort of board/card game will sneak in there somewhere. Usually the girls then talk uncle big boy (my brother Lydell) in to sitting in the hot tub with them.  It is always just a 'most enjoyable'  day.  I love watching my girls be so excited to see their nana and papa and aunts and uncles.  I love staying connected with my siblings and parents and I love that I don't have to make dinner( hehehe)

beautiful sunsets from the hot tub 'oasis' and the deck.

Kenzie, Avery and their cousin Mickie
recently our sundays have included pool time at aunt buckys pool.  Lyza and Shawn moved into a condo a couple months ago that has a great clubhouse and pool and it is only maybe a mile from mom and dads house.

Avery spent the day mastering backward and forward rolls in the pool
'my little fish'

Kenzie and cousin Jaeger
they prefer to float and play with the barbies and rubber duckies

Avery and Kenzie with papa digging for 'special rocks' this past summer

Presley just soaks up all the attention,  perfectly content to be snuggled all day long!

Family is so very important and I am so thankful for mine....I will cherish these simple days forever.

riding the bus...part 2

Well, today was day 2 of Avery riding the bus to school.  Did not go well for me again, but she could not be more pleased with herself riding the cool-cool school bus!  I didn't even get out of bed because I did not want to see her get on the bus in front of our house.  She came bouncing in to give me a hug and kiss before she left and to say " mom, you know I love you, but I like riding the bus anyway"  and off she went.  I could still hear the bus stop in front of our house and of course...I cried.  Kenzie came in to snuggle with me, and said "mommy, no crying, no more"  " you should only cry when you get hurt, like crashing your bike or something"  and "you shouldnt be mad at avery, everyone rides the cool,school bus and I will too.and avery is a smart good girl...she will just go to school and play and learn how to count!"  thanks a lot Kenzie, just what I needed "wise words' from a 3 year old!!

Avery brought this home on monday and said that I should keep it so I remember that "she still loves me while she is at school"  oh my goodness!!  what am I doing to this poor kid?  Making her feel so guilty for wanting to ride the school bus.  I never, ever rode the school bus to or from school.  My mom brought me and picked me up everyday!! Maybe that is why it scares me so much...because it is such an unknown to me?  Well at least I know where my craziness comes from!  And I did call the school this morning and ask the receptionist to make sure that Avery made it to her class ok.....she laughed a little at me and then said she would be happy to check and call me back.  I could almost hear Avery rolling her eyes from here!! the school called back to say, "yes, Avery is in class and looks to be doing well"   hehehe!

sweet little lou lou

Those of you that know Kenzie (lou lou)   know how much I love her voice, her raspy growly little voice!!  I could never get enough of listening to her sing.  Today, as I was making lunch for her and I, I hear a little unsettling groan come from Presley.  I find Kenzie holding Presley and rocking back and forth looking out the back window.  Presley had huge eyes with a look that said "please help me" . I wanted to jump and take Presley quickly ,when I saw the sweetest little look on Kenzies face and heard her singing a very creative little medley of her favorite veggie tales songs.  It went like this............"God is so good, God is so good, so good to Presley and me!! God is so good , so good to Presley and me and I thank God for my special lullaby...cause a thankful heart is a happy heart and a happy heart 'dos' the hokey pokey!!  so you put your bottom in you put your bottom out you put your bottom in and you wiggle it about...you do the hokey pokey cause God is so good to you and me"   So-so- so sweet, lou lou knows exactly how to melt my heart!  The singing went on and on for several rounds, each time with a little variation of the lyrics but each time equally sweet.  Of course I went for the video camera, only to find that the disc was full and I couldnt find a blank one.  By the time I got my camera out of my purse from the car, kenzie had set presley down and already started eating her lunch.  Oh well, here is a super cute picture of the two of them together.  Kenzie loves being the "middle sister" cause its "just the right place"  in her words.

these are the moments

These are the moments.....that I want to remember_cherish forever!  Cold winter day, warm fire in the fireplace, the smell of dinner in the crock pot, our little family all together doing.....well nothing!  What coul be better?  Avery and I were playing her new favorite game ,Guess Who. (She is her mothers child, she Loves to play games nearly as much as I do.)  Lucky daddy, getting to snuggle with such sweetness and get a nap!  Lucky little girls to have such a good daddy.  Blessed Me......I get them all!!

uggh.....back to school already?

Well, it finally happened! Avery got her way and got daddy to put her on the bus to go to school this morning.  Here I sit....already two cups of coffee in plus three advil and already a mess of kleenex around me.  They tried to sneak out to the neighbors house to catch the bus with them, I woke up as dean was finishing packing her lunch.  Of course, I instantly burst into tears.  She is too little to ride the bus, my heart just can't handle how grown up she is.  In true Avery fashion, she gives me a big hug and says "really mom? it is just a school bus...kids are supposed to ride the bus to school and I rrrreeeaaally want to ride the bus.  You can pick me up after school if you really have to. "  by then I was just a big bawl baby-snotty mess and I couldnt even say good bye or take a picture or anything.  Dean walked here down to the neighbors house and I watched from the kitchen window about  100 yards away as Avery happily bounced out to the school bus with her friends.  Oh that child!!  why must she grow up so fast?  I cant help but feel proud of her as I write this....she loves school and is so excited to get out and see her friends.  It makes me think of a really sappy song I like that has a line that goes " I'll have tears as you take off, but I will cheer as you fly"  that is definitley how I feel right now.  I know, I know a little dramatic right?  Well, this is just minor compared to me on the first day of preschool and kindergarten!!  After the first day of kindergarten my doctor was so worried about me that she actually prescribed medication to 'sedate' me and calm my anxieties(which I never took) and had a psychiatrist call me at home that night.....just to check on me.  I think they were worried I would send myself into premature labor, boy I must of scared them.  Anyway, its ridiculos I know.  Now poor Kenzie is so worried about me again.  She keeps saying 'lets just go get avery, so you have no more tears'  although honestly Kenzie seems a little pleased this morning to have free reign over all the toys and clothes in the house.   So, thank you to my neighbor Hannah, who is a sweet_gracious superMom of four for letting avery crash her house this morning unannounced and sending avery off on her merry way......I am sure Avery is very pleased with herself right now.  Oh, how I love that little girl.

like I said, no pictures today, but here she is on her way to her very first day of kindergarten in August.

here goes nothing!

Well, here goes.....yet another thing that I said I would never do...yet I find myself attempting to create a 'blog'.   I really enjoy reading blogs of friends and family and started thinking how fun it will be for their kids to look back and read someday.  I love to scrapbook and plan to continue to do so. I notice that I scrapbook all the 'big' events like birthday, vacation, christmas etc....but what about all the cute, exciting, comical things that happen every 'ordinary' day?  That is where I plan to use this 'blogging' thing.  So, here goes!!  I am not a writer by any means....so please excuse the poor grammar and run on- improper sentences etc..... I just want a place to document all the cute, funny, weird things that my girls say and do.  No eloquent writing or wise words of wisdom here! Just a super proud mommy that needs a way to remember all the 'small stuff' in my life. You know the simple things that seem so boring and ordinary to the outside world but make a mommys heart melt.  
So meet the 'small' people in my life, who mean the whole wide world to me.

Avery Lee-----my first born!  5 years old. my little 'mini me'  she is a total 'mother hen' to her little sisters, rule follower, sensitive soul, a bit of a perfectionist and very determined....when she gets her mind set on something...look out, she will get it one way or another. Super shy in new situations, very observant and smart, constantly challenging me with difficult questions and dont ever try to answer her with a 'just because' . 

Kennzie Louise-----my sweetie pie!  3 years old, my little snuggle bug, gives the best 'super squeezie' hugs.  always the 'peace keeper' my go with the flow kiddo.  Loves to dress 'fancy' all the time and always needs many accessories like headbands and necklaces etc...you can always count on kenzie to tell you exactly what happened (usually in a very long-detailed and animated story) but she always tells the truth, even when in gets herself in trouble!!

Presley Justine-----my lil pumpkin.  born 10-22-10.  we don't know a whole lot about her personality yet...but we do know that she is adorable and healthy!! we are so thankful for her and so excited to watch her grow into her own.  So far..she is super easy going and mellow. She already gives great big smiles, particularly when her big sisters are talking to her.  She loves to be held and snuggled tight...which works out great for me because there is not much in this world that I would rather do than snuggle with a sweet little baby!!

there you have it, my three little loves that keep me running.