Lesson Learned

It goes without saying that we don't know what we've got until it's gone. Thank goodness we didn't have to know the true meaning of those words this weekend. At 2:42am on Saturday morning, I was startled awake by the phone; the voice on the other line belonging to Jim's captain Paul Lee. He was frantically looking for Jim. After sharing that Jim was at Station 30, I disconnected the call and quickly sat up...."what is going on?"

Ten minutes later I received a call from Jim with the news; Jake, our dear family friend, had gotten in a car accident and had injured himself. I will spare the details, but let's just say that Jake was in no condition to be driving, and at 20 years old that made the news even worse. I did not realize until that exact moment that this young man was part of our family, a real big part. What would my kids do without "uncle" Jake? He had just been at my house that same night to play with the boys so I could enjoy a workout at the gym. He has always been that way...he would drop everything if we called him to come over. After several phone calls back and forth to Jim, I finally learned that he would be okay, but that didn't ease the restlessness that had overcome me.

I met Jim at the hospital on Saturday morning and made sure Jake knew how much we loved him. The boys and I paid him a visit yesterday as well. The boys had a million and one questions to ask him, and I think he needed the attention from the little guys that absolutely adore him. Matthew climbed up into his lap and wrapped his little arms around his neck and gave him the biggest hug. In case he didn't realize it, yesterday he absolutely knew that he is family. We were pleased to learn that he was released from the hospital last night.

Friends are one of life's true blessings. We are relieved that Jake is on the road to recovery and that we still have him here with us.

A Day with Nana

Although this post is a week past due, I certainly didn't want to forget to share it. First off, allow me to say that I am so blessed to have the best mom on the planet. Not only does she provide me with priceless advice and unconditional love, she treats my kids like kings.

Dominic had a "Grandparents Day" lunch at school two weeks ago and was so excited to invite Mickey Nana to attend with him. Unfortunately it was not in the cards as my mom had to work and was not able to get the day off. Instead, she planned a surprise visit last Friday, and let's just say my Dommy was speechless. She arrived at the daycare just before the lunch hour and waited in the lobby as our sitter, Kimrah, ushered Dominic through the double class doors from the playground. He had absolutely no clue what was going on and was absolutely stoked to find the surprise awaiting him. I can just see him yelling "NANA!" and running towards her.

My mom spent the entire afternoon with him, visiting Morro Bay for lunch, shopping, and a walk on the beach. I had to laugh when she shared that he inadvertently fell in the ocean and became soaked. Imagine Mr. Talkative in the backseat with wet undies and a sweatshirt. I'm sure that conversation was priceless. They also enjoyed some special cookies from a new bakery in Cayucos. (Thanks, boys, for eating them all so that Mommy didn't get to try them, although I certainly didn't need them). All in all it was a fun and memorable day for both parties.

Thanks, mom, for always being there for me and the boys. I don't know what I'd do without you. You are my strength when life gets rough, and you are certainly the best nana that my three boys could ever ask for. We love you more than words can say!

Weathering the Storm

As I sit here typing I wish I were somewhere else. You see, my dear friend Brandie is dealing with loss today and I so much want to hop on a plane and fly to Tennessee to be with her. I have tried to stay strong and find the right words to console her, but I have no clue what she is going through and where she is emotionally right now.

I met Brandie in July of 2001 when I graciously brought her onto my sales team. What would ensue was a lifelong friendship that borders on the lines of family. Brandie is like a sister to me, and even though she chose to move thousands of miles away from me in 2005, I still have that connection, that love for her than can never be severed.

Brandie was the first person (aside from my immediate family) to show up after the birth of both Joshua and Dominic, and she has been there for me in every milestone of my life for the past 8 years. I remember her hiding out in the backseat of a car so that she could attend our wedding. She is crazy like that. There is something about the two of us that we can go months without seeing each other and just pick up where we left off. She is truly a kindred spirit; a second sister; my best friend.

For the past two years, Brandie has gushed as she talked about wanting a second child. JR was a honeymoon baby so her husband, John, wanted time to adjust to family life and ensure that they could financially afford a new addition. She became pregnant a year ago and lost the pregnancy within weeks. It wasn't easy for her to cope with, but I know her strength carried her through the ordeal. John insisted they wait to try again for fear that they just were not "ready" for additional strain on finances. Brandie patiently waited for the past year to get things in order, sell and buy a vehicle to lower monthly payments, and took excellent care of herself to ensure that when they were ready to try again there would be no hiccups.

I was elated two months ago to get the call.....she didn't have to say anything, I knew. She was pregnant again, finally! I was so excited for her and John (and JR). She waited 10 long weeks before she made the announcement to her entire group of friends and family, only to find out on Monday this week that this pregnancy was not meant to be. As I drove to Bakersfield Monday I received the call, "do you have a few minutes to talk?" The exact words from my mouth were, "this is not going to be good." I knew.....the sound of her voice said it all. My heart sank and I held back tears as I knew she would weather another storm, and all I could do was be supportive and stay strong.

So today, Brandie, as you deal with a hurricane of emotions, please know that I love you and that I will be here for you in any way that you need me. You truly are a blessing in my life and I want nothing more for you than to be happy, and to be a mom again someday. It WILL happen and we will all celebrate when it does.

Gushing

There are so many little things I love about my Matty Moose. It's those little things that just melt my heart and make me so giddy about being his mommy.

I love how he runs to greet me at the door and yells "mama!" right before he barrels into me and wraps his little arms around my legs.

I love how he is eager to give everyone kisses and puckers up like a little fish and makes a little smooching noise when he "let's go" of the kiss.

I love how he falls to sleep every night next to me and likes to cuddle with his taggy blankie.

I love that every morning he awakes with a smile on his face and is excited to greet the new day with excitement. I also like that he wants nothing other than to be with mommy in the morning and especially enjoys putting make-up on with me.

I love how he is eager to talk on the phone to nana (and anyone else for that matter) and says "aye" about 15 times until you actually put the phone up to his ear, and then there is silence. Maybe someday soon Nana will actually have a conversation with him, but until then I will enjoy the conversation from my end as I watch this little guy mesmerized.

I love how he climbs on my tummy at night and insists that we sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" over and over again and how he only likes it if we do all the hand motions and tickle him along the way.

I love how anytime he sees a camera he instantly goes into picture mode and scrunches up his face and an intense "CHEESE!"

I love that he is fascinated with shoes, and is meticulous about wearing them all the time.

I love how he tells everyone "bye-bye" and waves to them over and over again until they are out of sight.

I love how he reaches out his little hand to place in mind when I ask him "can you hold my hand?" He loves the sense of touch and especially enjoys the human touch.

I love that when he is restless, I can stroke his head and he instantly calms down. In this sense, he is so much like me. I remember my grandma doing the same thing to me and getting the same reaction.

I love how he looks like a little stink bug when he sleeps at night with his booty in the air.

I love that he is independent in his own little way; he carries his lunch box into his class, insists on using the "boom" to help me sweep, how he selects his own cup for water each day and proceeds to spill it on most occasions.

I love how he calls all of the animals their own little names and is so excited to see them; Gigi (Angie), Sissy (Sydney), and Eo (Leo). He loves to give them all hugs and kisses even though they general growl or hiss at him. He is such a lover.

And one of my favorites, I love how he absolutely LOVES ice, and screams for it anytime he sees it in a cup (...so Jim got him his very own cup on Sunday night)

And I especially love how our lives have changed since this little guy entered them. How blessed we are to share this life with such a precious little boy.

A Few Disney Pics - Compliments of the Disney PhotoPass

Disney has this great program called the Photo Pass. I've seen it in use for many months but didn't know until my dear friend Michelled told me about it during our visit in May. Guests can load up a photo card and have all their pictures edited and made into a photo CD for the bargain price of $59.95 which means you own the photos. We took advantage of this program last month and after arriving home I edited 16 pictures into, like, 125. Really cool stuff. Anyhow, the disc arrived last week and I'm finally sharing a few of my favorites. I see a Christmas card coming from one of the many options I received. Enjoy....

We Survived.....

at least it seems. The flu bug ran amok in our house over the last week. On Saturday it claimed it's first victim, Dominic. Thank you mom for taking care of him while I worked. I would say it was the mildest of all the cases. Sunday provided us a reprieve, but on Monday morning, Joshua awoke afflicted with the yuck, shortly followed by Matthew. By mid-day, both appeared to be on the mend as Joshua was full of energy, and Matthew downed a cup of Mac and Cheese. On Tuesday morning Joshua declared that he was still not feeling well so I kept him home; thank goodness! I suspect that the fact that he hadn't eaten for over 24 hours created the need to empty his stomach again, but either way it was mom to the rescue. I'm happy to say that all three little guys seem to be feeling much better.



I thought I was free and clear since I survived four days, but boy was I wrong. I awoke on Wednesday with some horrible mutation of what the boys had. I could have dealt with a mild case of the "throw-ups," but what I had was a day of aches and pains which were only healed with the help of sleep and my wonderful babysitter, Cynthia. She graciously arrived at 6:45am to prepare the boys for school and promptly picked them up at 5:45pm and fed them dinner and bathed them. By yesterday I was on the mend and am completely back to normal today, just in time for a two day trip to Bakersfield. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the bug has moved out and does not return!

My Gerber Baby

When my daycare asked if they could use a photo of Matthew as a gift for the owner, Ella, I quickly replied "sure!" You see, Matthew has been chosen as one of the favorites and I know this because I have to peel him off her hip each night when I arrive for pick-up. He cries and doesn't want to leave. Little did I know that the picture they would use would melt my heart. I was so impressed that I asked for a copy and have now scanned it in for posterity sake. I truly feel blessed to have/have had the most handsome little guys anyone could ask for. Isn't he a doll?

Fishes, Family, and Friends

After talking about it for several months, we finally received the prompting that we needed to make the two hour drive north to the Monterey Bay aquarium. Brandie, John, and JR were in town for their bro/sis in law's wedding so they invited us up for a visit. Truth be told I was more excited to see Brandie than I was to visit the aquarium, but either way the crowds were definitely worth it.

Jim also has a friend, Brian, who lives in the Monterey area so we headed out early yesterday to join him and his mom for lunch at Chili's. Holy cow....the city was sooooo packed. After lunch it took us nearly 30 minutes to go the 4-5 miles to the aquarium. Let's just say we were less than pleased to find both large parking structures full and what seemed like thousands of people roaming the streets around the wharf. We found a spot a few blocks from the aquarium with no meter or pay required; a bonus! Imagine my dismay when we found a line of nearly 100 people (at 2pm might I add) waiting to buy tickets to enter the museum. I had done my homework ahead of time so instead of paying $95 for a one day admission, we splurged on an annual membership for the bargain price of $149. Thank goodness, because after cramming into tight quarters like the anchovies on display, a second or third trip is a must! The boys (and the adults too) enjoyed the multitude of jellyfish, sharks, and otters on display, and even expored several of the discovery displays during our visit. We never even made it to the other half of the museum since we finally met up with Brandie, John, JR, and John's mom Jenny just outside the "Outer Banks" at around 3:00pm. Jim and I had dinner plans at 7pm so we were on a tight schedule.

Words cannot express how good it was to see my dear friend Brandie. It seems so strange that we can go months without seeing each other and we just pick right up where we left off. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of her second child in the Spring and are hopeful that we can pay a visit to TN before then.

Matthew and Joshua review the map of the aquarium. Note that Matthew is pointing out something he wants to see.

Matthew enjoyed laying on the ground in front of the HUGE tank as the sharks swam below. He was so cute!

Joshua and Dominic gaze at the colorful jellyfish. These were just one of many species on display.



Matthew learns some new aquatic facts

Dominic tries his hand at the microscope and discovers new organisms

...and Joshua follows his lead

Matthew peers into the bay as the Sea Otters feast in the kelp beds

Jim helps Joshua and Dominic do the same, only they got a close up view

Love you Brandie!

Brotherly love....sometimes I capture moments of them sitting together conversing and I just can't help myself. I know Joshua truly loves his little brother even though he is adamant that he doesn't.

As if the aquarium wasn't enough excitement for the day, there was more in store for us. Earlier in the day we had made arrangements to have dinner at our local sushi restaurant with a few firefighter friends. Mid-day I received a text from my friend Kara explaining that her parents had offered to watch the kids and that she and her husband Paul were coming over. Of course she was kidding, but I was not when I replied and told her to be here by 7pm for sushi. She took us up on the offer so we had extra fun company AND house guests for the night....YAY!! We all enjoyed each others company and even stopped and grabbed a movie to watch. The pick of the night? Mirrors with Kiefer Sutherland. Let's just say that it kept us on the edge of our seats. I wouldn't recommend watching this one alone.

Unfortunately we awoke early this morning to one sick little boy which was quickly followed by another. Poor Joshua and Matthew contracted the stomach bug that Dominic had on Saturday. At this point, they both seem to be doing much better so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow is a bright and healthy day!

Thanks Brandie, Kara, Paul, and my family for a wonderful Sunday. Family and friends are truly a blessing!

A For Effort?

Before you laugh, remember that mom's wear far too many hats in the family. Dominic's class had two, yes two, projects in the last week. The first was a family photo collage for their family tree in the class. I can assure you the mine was the most decorated since I had far too many photos for the "leaf" they sent home and had to make a bigger and better one. The second project was to decorate a body as your child for their wall in studio. I was doing well until I got to the face. I'm sure it didn't help that the background was green. I suppose I could have found a way to cover the face in something else, but I was strapped for time and wanted to get it done. So.....do I at least get an A for effort?

Clint Eastwood, a regular day cowboy in most movies, is not an actor that I rush to the box office to see. I must admit that when I read the short description of this movie at the RedBox booth before adding it to my cart, I thought "hey, Jim might like this." I arrive home Sunday with my one night rental and found that Jim had already seen this rough and tough movie, so I threw it in my purse on Monday morning. I was taking on the phone with my friend Julie from work as I walked into Albertsons to visit the RedBox kiosk when she quickly declared, "you want to keep that one until you watch it!" Okay, okay, so I returned to my car. Monday night came and went with no time for a movie. I arrived home last night and declared to the boys that mommy had a movie to watch so we needed to get through dinner, homework, baths, and reading quickly, to which they obliged. I found myself nodding off about half way through the movie, as usual, but awoke at 1:15am (as usual too) and pressed play to continue. WOW!! If you have not seen this movie, it is well worth the rental (or even purchase price)! I found myself laughing and crying, and in a way saw my grandfather in Eastwood's character every now and then. This one gets 5 STARS from me!

Travel I Must

Monday was a big travel plans day for me. My friend Kara is celebrating her birthday in October with a Girls' Weekend in Avila and has invited me to join her! She booked the weekend yesterday and we are beginning to plan our "festival" of sorts. I'm sure it will include a trip to the salon for massages and pedicures, maybe some time on the beach (weather dependent of course), a night out in downtown SLO, and maybe even a visit to a few wineries. No matter what we do, it is sure to be a fun and fantastic weekend with just us girls!

Most of you probably remember my defunked trip to Nashville in June thanks to United Airlines. I haven't quite recovered from that one, especially since I ended up in the hole on money. Did any of you watch the replay of the CMA Festival on ABC last night? If you did then you know where this is going. Through tomorrow, tickets to the 2010 festival are half off using the code ABCTV. Thank goodness my best pal Brandie is always looking out for a deal and booked us tickets for the bargain price of $85 for four full days. How's that for a bargain? Words cannot express how excited I am that I get to do a "do-over" for half the price. There are tons of flights available with my airline miles so I am sure to experience no hiccups this time around.

....and to Kara and Brandie, my life would not be the same without you two wonderful ladies. God has certainly blessed me! I love you both.