Contributors

Our List

Before Erika headed back to Wisconsin last week, we made a list of all the things we had experienced this summer. It ended up being a real long list. I don't expect much of it to make sense, but here it is:

  1. We camped at Pismo
  2. Made beanbags
  3. Peach chaos & Blonde Control
  4. Spit Watermelon Seeds
  5. Farmers Marketed
  6. Boba Tea
  7. Sewing Machine Lessons
  8. Made Ice Cream
  9. Hung Pictures (mine won)
  10. Found BD (a wild kitty in Home Depot garden dept.)
  11. Watched BD (SVU, lots of it)
  12. Celebrated BD (Matt's 30th)
  13. Destruction Party
  14. Mustache Party
  15. Greek Festival
  16. Venice Beach & L.A. Film School (& walked 2 miles with the girls)
  17. "Manned" the grill
  18. Pickled
  19. Grilled 2x in one day (burgers + kabobs)
  20. Tortured flies
  21. I said awkward things (on accident)
  22. We thai chai pie (& thought Chey should too)
  23. Hissing Beetle
  24. Fusion Friday (Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2)
  25. Scooted
  26. Ladies Night Out
  27. I Swept, She Sharked
  28. Tehachapi Days
  29. Awesome socks (we made some & were gifted some)
  30. Chased awesome clouds
  31. You know what summer means... (windows down, music up)
  32. I chunked it....
  33. Erika died (or at least acted like it)
  34. She Yakzired (bless her)
  35. Cave Cheese
  36. "Hi, hi, kitty"
  37. Dear facebook...
  38. Sam
  39. Sewed covers
  40. Moved Bunkbeds
  41. Flew
  42. F & M Fabrics, Mac & Cheeza
  43. People-watched at MMA Fight
  44. Switched kids
  45. Bought Cigar
  46. Yellow Picnic
  47. Textmexed
  48. Yoga-ed
  49. Beated Each Other Up
  50. Up & Down


That's about it!:)

Mamas

Since we've been in California, we've heard people refer to our little girls as mamas. For awhile we were confused so we started to ask around why on earth they were being called mamas when they were indeed very small and not mamas at all.

Well, it turns out they call little boys papas as well.

Any theories?

Well I've heard a few. The Hispanic people really value family and hold the parental relationships as very valuable. So they view the little girls as little mamas and the little boys as little papas. Isn't that sweet?

Seems like this idea is cool in a lot of ways. You are more likely to value someone if you know he or she will likely be someone's parent someday. Plus valuing the future parent in them gives them a deeper meaning to their existence from an earlier age. Knowing that side of me has been so cool... I didn't know how important being a mama was until I was one and if this culture prizes that, well, i think it's neat for young girls to know that being a mama is a wonderful role to have.

That's all... mamas & papas!

We Made Monster Feet

I'm setting new goals in my life as the seasons have been changing and swaying. One of them is that each afternoon that I have the girls (monday, Tuesday & Friday), we are having Magical Mom Afternoons where we set out on an adventure of fun-ness.

Today, we had 3 fabulous tasks to do together.
1) Make Nannerfins (Banana Muffins)
2) Have a Homework Tea Party (because having a party makes everything more fun)
3) Make Monster Feet -- pictured below



It was magical indeed. We were all engaged, laughing and loving. Good day!!

Now you need to make some monster feet!!
Posted by Picasa

what i do best...

Hello.


I have happily taken the role of family archivist (better than family anarchist... am i right?). So I'm traditionally the one who writes on this blog, but sometimes you do hear from Matt as well. He writes maybe 2x a year to my maybe 2x a month, but hey... it's collaboration. :)

I was looking at pictures from this summer and man have we covered a lot of ground!! It seems like so much has gone on, it's been hard to keep up with all the sweet moments. In short: Pismo camping, pita chips, 4th of July, watermelon seed spitting, sewing, Matt's 30th birthday countdown, freezer cooking, sophia's therapy, trip to ND, 8 years celebrated, growing peaches, creative team, milk bubbles, sunburns, yakzir maka, freedom, Tehachapi days, film school, muscle beach, walks, mustache party, Fusion Fridays,  fabric, riding a horse, Comic Con, costumes on the kitchen floor, cooking with my girls, Pokey Little Pupply, scrapbooking, Dan O' Day, chalk, swim lessons, backyard play... and so much more. Blessed summer!!

We've been on a bit of a journey with Sophia. I've written before how she has been a little behind on her physical milestones. It's interesting to me how as a mom I instantly take the pressure and guilt on that my child being behind is because of something I did wrong. So lame that I think that. I've been working on that. Sophia is so close to walking now. Today she totally walked as her soft prompt just hung from her. So basically she thought she had support, but she didn't... and she was totally walking. She just needs to get through the fear & she'll be walking like a pro. The end is near :) ... Then we'll open a new chapter for her.

Zoe loves Kindergarten....... she is so happy to go to school. It is so sweet to see her run to me after school. Today she colored an "Itsy Bitsy Spider" booklet and on the cover wrote "to mom from zoe." Oooh man that was so sweet! I love it... I'll keep it forever. I love us both having the structure from the school schedule and I love what they're working through in Kindergaren. So basically, it's been good.

It's been such a blessing to have Erika here since late June. It's been huge. We've been making tons of memories and having her help here has been beautimous. Dang it I am so grateful!! I really enjoy Erika's company, but I am excited as she works on her next steps.

Been thinking lately about how truly amazing moms are. So so so so so amazing. So selfless. So hardworking. Even the light working moms are hard working compared to any other profession. :) I can only now appreciate my mother... and probably only a fraction to what it's worth. Hug a mom today!!

I've been doing a lot of missing lately... Wish I could visit my family on a regular basis. Wish we could visit matt's family on a regular basis. And now with my parents selling their house and Erika heading back, I want to be where they are. I feel like we're jipped by not getting to make memories with them every year & they're jipped in the same way. I need to be patient and grateful... The Lord is my Shepherd. :)


This is a piece of patch... a little this, a little that... but a time to recognize the beauty of today.