Peace out kiddos. It's been real!

Twelve weeks gone by just. like. that. I return to work on Monday. I will miss them. The title of my post does not reflect my true sentiment.

I had a mental list of what I wanted to do during my break. At the top of the list: birth a baby and hold that baby as much as possible. For Parker, my list changed six weeks in. I dropped teaching him to dress himself, use scissors or draw shapes. (I was forced. He's not interested in any of the above.) I changed the goal- learn something new everyday. It's really fun to teach a 3 year old. You feel like the most amazing mother/teacher ever because they learn so easily. Little sponge I tell ya.

We filled our days with zoo trips, story times, museum visits, swimming, cooking, indoor play grounds, and every community event I could fine. I'm so excited I won't be working Friday's anymore so we can continue to be out and about.

I've heard people who warn against SIDS say, "Mothers bond with their babies when they are awake. Not when they are asleep." I beg to differ. Mid-day naps with Baby Ben are at the top of my list of things I will miss while working.

Another thing at the top of the what I will miss list is having time during the week to do laundry, housework, and grocery shopping. I didn't realize how much our little family was missing out on by filling our Saturdays with chores.

I have two goals moving forward: 1. Continue to learn something new everyday.

2. Don't let Saturdays become the day of housework.

I also hope I can find time to continue scrapbooking. I have so many pictures of Handsome Ben I need to scrap!

Case in point:

Thank goodness for friends!

Freshman year at BYU my BFF was Wendy. I was from Texas. She was from Oregon. We met in the dorms.

(Christy and Wendy 2001 or maybe 2002)

Wendy had a crush on a boy from California.

(Mark and Wendy 2002)

She spent a semester chasing him- finding any way to hang out with this California dreamboat. Often dragging along her BFF.

She did that one too many times.

(Mark and Christy June 10, 2005)

Don't feel bad for Wendy! I'm the one that lost my BFF! Just kidding... we're totally facebook friends. She found her real love and is happy with her hubby and two kids!

Happy 6 Years!

A Check Off the Bucket list

This last week we took a family vacation to New Orleans, LA. New Orleans feels a lot like home. Familiar streets, familar faces, familiar food! I've been wanting to take Mark there since we met... and finally he got to experience a part of my family he never has.

My favorites (in this order):

1. Getting pictures of my kids with their Great Grandparents. (And visiting with these grandparents.)
2. Seeing Parker run around my grandparent's house with my cousin's kids- just like I used to run around with those same cousins.

3. Showing Mark and Parker the town- seeing them make memories in the same places I have so many memories.

My Maternal Grandparents, Reid and Jewel, in New Orleans

My Paternal Grandma, Betty, in Mississippi

Parker's favorites:
1. Grandma Betty's house in Mississippi. He sweat-ed it out all day chasing dogs, cats, frogs, lizards, hornets, etc. Little boys are made for the country.

2. Alligators on the swamp tour and the sharks at the aquarium.

3. Riding airplanes, buses, a train, boat, and ferry all within a weeks time!

Parker was a sweaty mess the entire trip.)

Mark's favorites:
1. The food, the music, and the architecture of the French Quarter.
2. Experiencing the greenery and country pace of Mississippi.

Ben's Favorite:

1. Always having someone's arms available.

This post doesn't near capture the flavor of New Orleans! I wish I could pass on the taste and sounds thru blogger. But I can not. You should just add a trip to the Big Easy to your bucketlist! Be sure to get some po boys, beignets, crawfish, shrimp, jambalaya, Hubigs, snoballs........

Oblivion

Today Parker tells me, "No. Not Baby Ben. That's Baby Jared."

Really Parker? Nearly two weeks later you're noticing we don't call him Jared anymore?

That tells you just how much attention Parker pays to his little brother.

What's your favorite Dr. Suess book?

Parker was in the bathroom without the lights on, and as he's sitting on the potty I hear. "Say! In the dark? Here in the dark? Could you, could you, in the dark?" Parker continued, "I NOT in the dark! Not in a train, not in a tree, Sam LET ME BE!"

How cute is that?

Every night we read the same three books: Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and Hop on Pop.

"Parker which book do you want to read?"

"Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess". (He always includes "by Dr. Suess" ever since his studious Uncle Brent read it to him.)

His favorite is Green Eggs and Ham (can quote almost the whole thing). But MY favorite is Hop on Pop.

"Where is Brown. There is Brown. Mr Brown is out of town." (as you see Mr. Brown soaring across the page.) And also, "That thing can sing. That thing can sing a long long song. next page -> Goodbye thing. You sing too long."

Seriously. If you haven't read Hop on Pop in a while, you should. I laugh out loud while reading it.

How's that for a book review, Jana?

The Day I Thought My Heart Would Burst

Sunday morning I couldn't sleep. I was up at 4:30 in the morning baking cookies. I was misty eyed thinking about what a special Mothers Day this was.

Mark and I had both of our mother's in town; and both of our sister's that are mothers. I can't remember the last time we spent Mothers Day with any of our family.

It was Parker's 3rd birthday- the little boy who made me a Mom. And we were blessing my newest little boy- and hallelujah! he would be blessed with a name that I thought suited him... Benjamin Adam.

It was my favorite Mother's Day to date. Thank you to all my family members that made it so special!

Mark's family who came from California.

My sister's family- they're in Maricopa. My only local family.

My parents came from Texas.

Mr. Wonderful

One lucky and proud mamma!

the song that never ends

"Now I know my a, b, c's, d, e, f, g........."