Carter’s Big Theatre Field Trip

Quality Time... my personal love language... Touch, Carter’s love language. It is so easy to lose sight... to run the motions... head down, tunnel vision, full steam ahead yet completely missing the obvious... my boys are growing up right before my eyes! 

Today was Carter’s 1st Big Theatre Field Trip!  The whole morning was ours: We walked to class hand-in-hand, waited for the kinder gate to open (him wrapped in my coat ... just because, and it was pretty cold!!), I watched him at the school’s opening ceremony and waved that crazy-mom-wave (I know you know it!) when he looked over his shoulder to find me in the crowd. 

I had to tone down my helicopter mom status on the bus ride to the Gallo Center 💔😆, but I soaked up more quality time before the play started... I Spy (He won). During the show, Carter snuggled, hugged, loved, and leaned on me. On the bus ride home, he insisted I sat next to him. He and his friend played Rock, Paper, Scissors, bomb, lava, and water 😳when done playing, he held my hand again and looped his fingers with mine. 

Back at the school and almost dismissed, I told Carter he could pick where we went to lunch... he chose In And Out, with Ice Cream for dessert. He wanted to go through the Drive Thru, so I ordered matching orders (plain cheeseburgers with fries and strawberry shakes) and we had a picnic lunch in the front seat of my car. 

After lunch, we got ice cream at Cold Stone (he got strawberry ice cream with sour gummy worms on the side; I got chocolate with peanut butter cups.) The card reader wasn’t working so they comped our ice cream 🎉  We played Rock Paper Scissors ... with a twist,  he added volcano, lava, water, dolphin, house - with hand signals to match. His favorite color: green blue (our eye colors); his favorite food: clam chowder; his favorite car: carrot car (apparently they are made of candy and they are very rare! Who knew?!?!). We played hand tag and he gave me so many snuggle hugs I lost count. Then we jumped over puddles!!

This day, this moment, this memory... so truly thankful for it. It’s true what they say... don’t blink.

Normal Night as #BraveMom

 Like all brave moms who come home from work and see no milk, no bread, no ranch - you know, the essentials... I decided to take the boys grocery shopping while the hubby was at his softball game. At this point, someone should have rescued me, slapped some sense into me, bribed me with frozen pizza from a box and called it a night ... But Nooooo....I'm a brave mom! After corralling the cats to get their shoes on and get into the car, we set out for our journey... But wait, what was that?!?? Drove over a mother effing scooter!! What the hell?!?!  Scold Thing 2 - who nods like a deer in headlights... And proceed along our merry way. Stop 1: Costco - prime parking in the front row and Thing 1 & 2 move at a snail's pace getting out of the car- clearly I'm the only one with an agenda. Shop, separate children from playing tag around the cart for the ump-teenth time, scold Thing 2 for licking his brother, scold Thing 1 for mocking Thing 2 with his Tranesauraus (ya, that's spelled wrong) Lego - why did I agree they could bring a toy into the store - moment of weakness, I suppose. Wait, you have to go AGAIN?!?! Thing 2 has the smallest bladder in the world - who pees twice in 20 minutes?!?! Seriously?!?! And why didn't you pee before we left the house?!?! Whatever.  WASH YOUR HANDS! Done. Check out... ERROR... Crap, receipt won't print.... OF COOOUUURRRSSSEE it's out of paper and you need the dude in the back to fly to Egypt to print it again. No, no, I'll wait patiently while Thing 1 and Thing 2 block traffic during rush hour with their entertaining game of tag as "Closing Time" plays on the loudspeaker. By all means - take your time. Success!! 8.5X11 paper receipt in hand as we mosey to the exit - new kid with the magic highlighter that let's me leave can't figure out why my receipt looks different - whatev... He streaks the paper (minus the happy face - DUDE!!! THAT'S THE ONE THING MY KIDS COME TO COSTCO FOR! ... (That and the samples, let's be real.) Thing 2 asks for the receipt *you had one job dude!* but Thing 2 is just happy to be riding on the cart over the rivets in the road. Done???? Nope! I'm not that smart! Stop 2: Food MAXX. Oh Lord! You name it, they asked for it - Dude, you don't even like onions!! Put it back! The fun continues. Thing 2 asks Thing 1 "What does that sign say?" thing 2 "Nothing." ... "You can't read it"... "It says Nothing".... "Austin, you can't read it?" ... "IT SAYS NOTHING!" ... Suddenly I'm in my own "Dude, Where's My Car" movie!! "Nothing better!" You can't make this shit up!!! A few more can I, can I, can I's and we're finally on our way home. Perfect timing - Hubby arrives just as we are unloading the groceries - I'm a frazzled hot mess by now and he dutifully jumps in to help before the Armeggedon of maternal rage beats down upon the castle. I retreat to higher grounds for some alone time, HA! WHAT'S THAT!!?? Begin corralling the cats that followed me upstairs to wash up, brush teeth, put their jammies on and get in bed... Tell me why they miss the clothes hamper EVERY FLIPPING DAY!!! It's RIGHT THERE!! We're talking inches people, INCHES!!! Moving on... Rugrats are finally tucked in their beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.... Except Thing 2. Thing 2 is now wide awake and "wants to talk". Never fails!! It's like the act of closing the door reminds him of something CRUCIAL, IMPORTANT, LIFE ALERTING that we HAVE TO hear or all will be lost to dreamland! For the love of all that's holy - GO THE @$?%# TO SLEEP! AND... Success! They nod off to sleep and as the house quiets down, there's still a light burning of my laundry list of to do's... But not tonight. Tonight I celebrate the calm after the crazy, their larger-than-life personalities, and the fact that one day shopping for groceries will be much different ... & I will long for these days back... one day... Not TODAY! Right about now, shopping without a peanut gallery ranks right up their with piña coladas and getting caught in the rain!!

And to think it's only Wednesday!! #BraveMomClub

Dinner Conversations

Sitting around the dinner tonight when Austin randomly says: 

"Carter, do you know where pork chops come from?" ... "Ya, the Freezer."  😳 {love these kids}

"No, before that. I'll give you a hint, it's an animal. And you have to kill it." ... "Austin, not at the dinner table, please." ... "Ok, mom. Carter, You have to catch it first and they're fast!" ... "You think they're fast, Austin?"... Ya, I saw one run at the fair once." 🐷

Austin: "Mom, do you think a p-i-g is fast?" ... "I guess they can be. Carter, what sound does a p make?"... "P"... "what sound does an I make?"... "i" ... "what sound does a g make?"... "Gu"... "what does ppp-iii-ggg spell?"... "Goat." .... "Yup! Good job, Carter!" 🐐

#DinnerComversations

10 more minutes

After a weekend of riding quads at Don Pedro and La Grange, Carter and I are cuddled on the couch ending our hour-long nap. I whisper that it's time to get up... He rolls into me, snuggles me a little more and whispers back, "Ten more minutes." 

The Penny

Carter: "Austin, I'm rich! I found a penny!"  😂😂l

Jokes with a 3 year old

"Knock, knock." ... "Who's there?" ... "Banana" ... "Banana who? ... "Banana Interrupting Cow" ... "Wait, that's not how the -" ... " MOOOOOO!!!"

5/16/2015 - Stargazing

Tonight we grabbed a few blankets and pillows and laid under the stars. Daddy, Mommy, Austin and Carter all snuggled together as we hoped to see a falling star. We saw airplanes, LOTS of satellites orbiting Earth, a few constellations and yes, a falling star. How EXCITING!!! We all made a wish - then Carter slowly blew out the make believe candles (love a 3-year-old's mind). Austin was our little storyteller - sharing on planets, meteors, and the many colors of the stars in the sky. I loved seeing Carter point his baby hands at the night's canvas. Daddy saw a white owl flying overhead, and the boys were in awe. Two stars were clearly the brightest - maybe planets, but they were so beautiful. We laid in silence, blankets to our noses, watching the stars twinkle. A moment later, Daddy realized Austin fell asleep. What loves! What blessings!! What a beautiful memory. Thank you Daddy Brandon for the spontaneous evening trip to outer space. We love you. 

3/28/2015 - Puzzles

Carter wanted to put together puzzle pieces this morning. He's so good at it!

"I'm good at puzzles, Mommy!" What a love! 

2/5/2015 - Katy Perry

"Mom, I love Katy Perry." ... Oh really, Austin?!?!... "Ya, she's beautiful!"

One Super Bowl halftime show of her riding a lion was all it took for my 6-year-old. 

2/7/2015 - Breakfast in Bed

He wanted to make me breakfast in bed

which turned into bedtime snuggles and "hiding" under the sheets until Daddy was finished getting ready for the day.