A good dose of Daddy

It's no news that Tony has been away a lot with a crazy work schedule lately. So any time with Dad is special and the kids love it when he walks through the door, especially if he makes it for dinner.

Last night was one of those nights and somehow it ended up in an all-out wrestle mania.Sometimes it all becomes a bit too much for TaggartAgain, he is standing beside watching and crying. The funny thing was that his crying lasted about 5 seconds at a time and then he jumped right on top of the pile again.See...Tag's back in, but that scream coming out of Reagan's mouth here was something out of a horror film. She doesn't handle tickling very well.

They thought they looked tougher with their shirts off. Ha!Tag wanted to be tough too.They ended it all with a good dose of 'pink-belly' for Cooper. Tony holds his arms while everyone slaps his belly until it's pink. He took it like a man.

Thankful for the unexpected

the view from our deck at the Kingfisher

This weekend came with high expectations on my part. Not about the place we stayed or about anything material like that, but more about how it would make me feel and what it would 'do' for me. I guess it had been such a long time in coming that I had some time away from the kids that it packed a big punch for me.

I got a lot of what I expected. I had some great time to do nothing. I relaxed. I read more in two days than I have in two months. I got to do a whole lot of whatever I wanted and not feel the least bit guilty about it. I got to have some time alone with Tony and share some conversation over dinner, uninterrupted.

But it's more what I didn't expect to get from this weekend that has made me the most thankful. I realized how much I need to be with my kids. I was made aware of how much they want to be with me even when I don't feel worthy of it. Their love is the most honest and genuine that I will ever experience and it felt so good to discover that where I really feel the most like me is when I'm with them. This time away, short as it was, was long enough to bring me home again. Physically home and also mentally home.

On a completely different note... Cooper made the All Star team in roller hockey. From the minute he discovered that there was going to be an allstar game (way before his first game) he went on and on about how he really wanted to make that team. Tony and I gave eachother sideways glances wondering how we were going to break it to him when he didn't. He hasn't, after all, ever played hockey on any sort of a league. He didn't even own rollerblades up until 3 months ago. So we really didn't have any expectations of him being an 'all-star'. Well, he has proven that when he really wants something he will go after it. He's top-scorer on his team and 5th in the league.

Tony was really hoping that he would make the team and tonight after checking on the web-site we discovered he had. He was already asleep but Tony thought this was important enough info to warrant waking him up. His response: a very sleepy "that's good, Dad" and then straight back to sleep. I don't know who's more excited, Tony or Cooper. We'll see if Coop remembers the info in the morning or if he thinks it was all just a really great dream.

Random quote of the day:
Cooper: Cold pizza and milk for breakfast?!?! This is almost as crazy as that time that I had chow mein and hot chocolate for dinner.

Do we live the life or what? :)

After being in a major creative rut for what seemed like forever, I'm finally back. I have spent hours at my desk this week and I am loving it again. Loving it so much that it's hard to think of anything else but the next time I can get to it. This is a good thing becuase of the real enjoyment I get from playing and creating but there is also a downside. The fridge gets empty, the floor gets dirty and the laundry needs folding. All these things are a sure sign that my scrapbooking obsession has kicked in at full force. It's okay, I tell myself, because tomorrow is another day and the kids won't starve and they won't go to school in dirty clothes and I am happy. And I heard somewhere that a happy Mom means a happy home. So I will continue to make stuff at my desk and the dirty floor will possibly wait until my next creative block.

My latest layout - Reagan's birthday last year. Can't believe she's almost ready to have another one.

On another note, we finished another set of swimming lessons today. Taggart has finally graduated from Seat Turtle to Salamander. I had to bribe him to jump into the pool without holding the teacher's hands but he did it. The other three need to work on their front crawl before they can move on. We have now done 6 weeks in a row and the big boys feel they need a break but the little ones want to keep going so we will try and do it when the big boys are in school.

Roller hockey has started and the boys love it. Cooper scored the first goal of the first game and needless to say was very proud. Me too. Hudson loves it too but is a little less agressive than Cooper therefore no points yet. Sometimes I feel bad for Hudson because he is always trying to keep up with Cooper - hockey, swimming, etc. It's a tough place to be for him but he handles it pretty well.

Friday Tony and I are heading for a romantic weekend away. Words can hardly describe how much we both need this. I am helping Hudson count down the hours until his (and Cooper's) weekend starts with Nana but really I am counting down for myself. Thanks to Nana for having the bigs and Uncle John and Aunty Christine for having the littles. Love and appreciate you guys.

Off to watch American Idol - go Brooke!

Friday adventure

We woke up to snow today. I checked the calendar...yes, it is Apil 18th.

We had no school to rush off to so it meant watching some TV in our pajamas and having a late breakfast.

Then the sun broke through and I figured let's get outside before the snow hits again.

We have a great little old fashioned candystore/tea shop about a 20 minute walk away. We hardly ever go there, I don't know why, we just don't. So when I suggested we take a walk down there this afternoon I recieved a very excited response from everyone.

We had a great time walking there.

Hudson was always way up ahead (so typical of him). Reagan alternated by running to catch up with Hudson and then hanging back with me. Cooper mostly brought up the rear and chatted to me about all his latest obsessions (currently Indiana Jones and Star Wars Lego). Taggart laid low in the stroller.

We're almost there.

Cooper being a 'dude'. Love this shot.

Then...Hudson was the first to go around the corner and as he turned around his face immediately told the story. CLOSED.

Big disappointment. For Reagan, this is the third time in a row that she has walked there on a "normally should be open" day and they are closed. I know, I should have called first. I felt so bad. Poor guys - Reagan definitely took it the hardest.

We stood there for a while and they all looked in the windows and salivated over the giant suckers and other yummy treats they could see. But eventually we did the only thing we could do - make the not so fun journey home. Reagan cried for the first half and complained about how 'freezing' she was the second half (funny how she never felt the cold on the way there). The boys were brave and we all discussed how we could still make the day "special", to quote Hudson.

We decided on ice cream floats and that seemed to appeal to everyone. Smile all around.

As I was taking pictures at the closed candy store, Cooper asked me why I was taking pictures of Reagan crying. "It's part of the story" I said. "What story?" he asked me. I can't remember if I actually answered him or if our conversation was interrupted as so many are. One day he will realize that all these little adventures make up his story and I hope he knows how blessed I felt to be a part of them.

I'm on my way

Haven't been blogging...or scrapbooking...or feeling much like doing any more than what I need to make it through the day. I can blame it on the fact that Tony hasn't been home much because of crazy work load or on the fact that it is mid April and I still feel like I want to wear my winter coat. Whatever the cause, I have been trying to find my groove again. Last night I unloaded on Tony a bit about feeling a bit like a robot of a mom - going through the motions but little else.

Maybe getting it off my chest is what I needed (and that he reminded me that sometimes we can be too hard on ourselves) but today I finally feel like I'm on my way.

Taggart and I broke out the paints and made a mess (wouldn't have done it yesterday).

I created at my table and it felt good (yesterday it felt forced).

Today I felt like the Mom I want to be (yesterday I didn't).

Today Tag and I danced to "I'm on my Way" by the Proclaimers while watching Shrek this morning(a new favorite of his). It's corny I know but hey, whatever it takes right?!

scroll down to the very bottom to hear the song on my playlist

Tag and my mom

Tonight Mom and Dad came for dinner. We hadn't planned on it but Dad phoned around 5:00and Mom had just made grapefruit platz (my fave) and they would like to come by and bring us some. I had just heard from Tony and he was staying late at work again so there was plenty of dinner to share. I asked for them to join us and they did.

Tag is always so excited to see his Oma. He had just asked me this morning if he could 'play' with Oma today and his wish came true. Playing 'house' is Tag's favorite thing to do and Oma is always willing. I know that after she leaves she is exhausted because his energy wears her out. But it is a good kind of exhausted. Mom's face is really filled with genuine joy when her and Tag play. I am so thankful that she has Tag and that Tag has her.

Timing

Sometimes, things come at just the right time.

After a few weeks of feeling crappy due to something called ITP (low platelets in my blood), I am now just starting to feel back to myself. And as the tests show my platelets are back on the rise.

After way too long of wearing way too many layers, I heard today that we are expecting 19* weather this weekend. That is music to my ears.

Tonight as we all sat around the kitchen table doing a varied number of activites the sun was shining brightly in our kitchen window and then the rain began to pour down.

"There's probably a rainbow somewhere" i said. But we stayed inour chairs and carried on.

A few minutes later, Tag whispered to me, "I want to go find the rainbow"

So I scooped him up and opened the front door and this is what we saw. The best one I've ever seen.

Sometimes, things come at just the right time. Brighter days are coming.

Double digits

Happy Birthday Cooper!!

Hard to believe I have a ten-year old. I was gathering photos of Cooper last night to make him a brithday card. Went way back 10 years ago and found a picture of him for every year. It was nice to remember all those birthdays and see all those photos of him so little. Our little miracle baby - turning 10 today. It's easy to get sappy about all those memories, but I won't. I'll just say that I'm so, so proud of him.

Well, that says it all now, doesn't it?