December/Christmas 2016 Recap

This December recap should be an easy one to write since it really wasn't all that long ago, but it feels harder to recall because of the pace of things.

We jumped right into the holiday spirit the first weekend by attending our little town's holiday fest and tree lighting.  I went early to volunteer for our church's booth and David and the kids came later. Unfortunately the weather was chilly and drizzly, but thankfully the event planners thought it through and put all of the booths in the lower level of the covered parking deck.  We helped the kids make reindeer ornaments out of pinecones, rode in a horse-dawn carriage around the downtown area, listened to the orchestra play a few Christmas carols, and watched the tree light up.  Most of our small group was able to meet us there for it, so it doubled as our end-of-semester social.  The kids and I took the van home and changed into cozy pajamas while David picked up Zaxby's.  We lit the fire, turned on the tree and garland, and ate while we watched Frosty.  Ahhhhhhhh.

The next morning we went to church and turned in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes that the kids helped to shop for and pack.  If you haven't heard about Samaritan's Purse and the incredible work they do, be sure to check them out at www.samaritanspurse.org.  It is a fantastic, tangible way to involve kids in giving.

That afternoon we headed down to our neighborhood clubhouse for "Cookies and Cocoa with Santa."  The kids hesitantly approached him and gave him their letters: 

I heard Santa point to the word "Jesus" on Audrey's letter and say, "He takes care of all of us, doesn't He?"  So sweet that Santa knows his rightful place.  They talked with him for another moment and then I took as many pictures as I could in two minutes before they ran off for the cookies and cocoa portion of the evening.  We visited with some neighbors, profusely thanked the organizer (because, boy, do I know), and went home.  

Audrey and Luke with Santa 2016

The next week things began to pick up a bit.  I had a meeting with Audrey's teacher and my co-room mom about their class's winter party, there was a PTA Board Luncheon, and David had his potluck lunch at work.  That Saturday we got all dolled up and attended his company party at Chateau Elan.  It was very well done and we had a nice time mingling and catching up with people.  I am so very proud of him and how he's advanced over the twelve years he's worked there.  I got to meet a lot of his employees that are under him and, aside from feeling really old, I loved getting a glimpse of that side of him.  

 David and me at his company Christmas Party at Chateau Elan

The next week was Luke's class party and Christmas program, both of which went very well. For his party we made snowman soup, reindeer food, decorated an ornament and a cookie, and played "pass the candy cane" and bell toss.  His program was just as precious as it could be and he went after it with the seriousness and focus of a Buckingham Palace guard.  He barely cracked a smile the entire time, but he hit every note and motion with precision.  We went back to his classroom for "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake and punch.  We presented his teachers with their gifts and helped clean up before racing to get Audrey back to school.  (Yes, I took her out so she could go because family support matters more than missing two hours of school.)

Luke (in the blue head wrap) giving it his all at his preschool program

That Saturday we had our "Alabama Christmas" with David's mom's side of the family.  We ate and ate and ate and then unwrapped and unwrapped and unwrapped.  The kids played with their new toys while the adults watched and catnapped.  As usual, it was delicious and filling on multiple levels.  We left there and headed home blaring our Alabama Christmas CD.  

That Monday the 19th was when I got the word that my grandfather had passed away.  I went over to my mom's that night to be with her.  By the next morning, I'd decided I was going to go to Baltimore for the funeral, so I booked all of my travel arrangements and then went to put on Audrey's class party.  I thought I was doing fairly well at staying focused on the task at hand until I stepped back to admire the banner I hung and it read "WONDERLAND WINTER."  Thank goodness for a co-room mom who handled more than her fair share of the work and watched my back too!  

The party went really well.  The theme was snow/snowflakes/wonderland winter (apparently).  The kids made a snow globe ornament with their pictures I'd taken the week before, put together a tea light snowman ornament, played Plinko with a giant board my co-room mom had left over from one of her kids' birthday parties, and had a make-a-snowman relay where teams raced to wrap each other in toilet paper and put on buttons and a hat. After everyone had cycled through the stations, we let them walk through a popcorn bar where they mixed their bag of popcorn with a bunch of treats like marshmallows, chocolate chips, pretzels, and skittles.  The kids had so much fun, but I will say I really miss getting to go around and enjoy it with Audrey because I'm always leading a station.  Still, I got to see her when she came to mine and stole glances and pictures the rest of the time. 

That evening I finished getting everything in order for our Christmas celebrations and started packing.  The next morning I hit the grocery store, took Luke to school (and thanked the Lord I'd already planned on having the pizza delivered directly for his class's special lunch), and went home to finish packing.  David's mom was picking up Luke at school, so I got on the road to the airport around 1pm.  The details of the trip are all written out here, but in summary:  it was a heartbreaking loss of a hero at a really tough time of year, but God was faithful to bring peace and comfort.

I got back late on the 22nd and we went to my brother's house on the 23rd to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family (less my mom of course.)  There was an understandable and mostly unspoken sadness that hung in the air.  I shared a story or two I'd heard on the trip, but we all wanted the focus to be on giving the kids their cousin Christmas, so we kept the reminiscing to a minimum.  Some time around 3 o'clock that day the adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins since Monday wore off and I hit a major wall of bone tiredness.  We got in the van, waved goodbye, and snaked our way around 20, 285, 400, and Hwy. 20 to home.

The five cousins celebrating Christmas 2016

The next morning after the first decent night's sleep in about a week, I got up and put on my running clothes.  Even though it was Christmas Eve, my body and my soul desperately needed my Saturday morning run.  I didn't go fast or far, but I did get my usual post-run Chick-fil-A biscuit and David's burrito and headed home to my couch and coffee.  That thirty minute window of post-run chicken biscuit and coffee is always one of the biggest highlights of my week and it felt especially comforting that morning.  

David's parents came over mid-morning and we celebrated Christmas with them.  We exchanged gifts and enjoyed a pizza lunch (I had actually planned on cooking this year, but they graciously understood my need to not mess with it.)  His mom was nice enough to bring two homemade desserts, which is really the most important part, so we managed just fine. We ate and went back to gifts for a little bit before cleaning up and getting ready for Christmas Eve service at church. 

David and I had to be there early to work the greeter team, so the kids gave his parents the grand tour and then we joined them for the service.  The music was both salve and salt to my wounds as praise and worship usually is for me.  The message was good, but truthfully I still wasn't 100% focused.  The kids got to join us in "big church" for the occasion and they truly enjoyed it.  We closed with a candlelit "Hard the Herald Angels Sing" and went out to the lobby where David and I worked the first time visitors' table for a few minutes.  We said goodbye to his parents and went home to cook our traditional Christmas Eve taco dinner.

Audrey and Luke with their Grandmom and Granddad (David's parents) 

before the Christmas Eve service

After we ate, we let the kids open their ornament gift of the year: a pink bicycle for Audrey to commemorate her learning to ride a bike and a GT football for Luke since he became such a big fan this year.  We set out cookies, milk, and carrots and spread reindeer food in the yard before hustling them upstairs for our final Jesse Tree devotional and a reading of "The Night Before Christmas."  They were excited, but jumped in bed quickly and stayed very quiet.  Santa came and we watched part of a Christmas movie and went to bed.

The next morning, I got up early and went downstairs to enjoy some peace, quiet, and coffee in front of the Christmas tree.  I prepped breakfast a little and then finally around 7:15 decided I was tired of waiting on everyone to wake up and went to stir them.  The kids did their very own walk down the stairs this year (I've usually carried someone or held a hand) and stared at their gifts with big smiles.  As requested, Audrey got a typewriter and a lego set and Luke got a robot costume and a lego set along with some other surprises for both of them.  (Don't worry - their stockings had the stuffed kitty and toy tiger.)  They dug in and played and we sat back and soaked it all in, loving every minute.  We took a break for breakfast and then did stockings.  They opened gifts from each other and one from David and I (we only do three for each of them from us) and then David and I opened ours from the kids. This year I'd surprised David with a six-string "banjitar/guitjo" and he was stoked. We don't do gifts every year, but I do love when something cool comes to mind and I get to pull it off.  We ate lunch and all took naps/rests...well, David practiced on his new toy, but the rest of us napped.

After we got up, we gave the kids their biggest gifts - new bicycles from us.  They were pretty shocked.  Audrey wasn't necessarily pumped, but Luke was.  She was nervous about how big it was and not being able to touch the ground easily.  Reassuring her she'd get the hang of it, we loaded up and took them over to a nearby park to test them out.  After some coddling, Audrey gained some confidence.  We thought Luke might be able to do it sans training wheels since he'd dabbled on the balance bike, but he wasn't quite ready for that yet, so David put them back on.  We let them ride for about 45 minutes and then went home to open the last gift and start prepping dinner.  We ate our ham, corn pudding, green beans, mashed potatoes, potato salad, rolls, and macaroni and cheese on our fine china in our pajamas in the dining room and it was as delightful as it always is. We played some more and turned in for the night fat and happy.  It had been a truly wonderful day and I was so grateful for it. 

David playing with his new banjitar in his new pajama pants from the kids

Audrey and Luke on their new bikes

The next week involved a lot of core family time and rest, which is exactly what we needed. The days that followed were a mix of chill and a little adventure.  Each family member got to pick one thing they wanted to do on the break, so we worked our way through the list. Audrey wanted to go roller skating (the kids did great!), Luke wanted to spend that night at his grandparents' (they did on 1/1), David wanted to go on a hike (we went near our usual lake trails), and I wanted to do some bookstore perusing and eat lunch out (and declutter a little and get a mani/pedi...so Mama got to pick a few things...so what?)  It wasn't anything particularly grand, but it was nice.  The Taylors came through town towards the end of the week, so we had them over for dinner and caught up a bit, which was wonderful.  For my birthday we lounged at home and then ran some errands.  Dinner was our usual Provino's Italian restaurant (free + a gluten free option = done.)  David and the kids gave me a gorgeous 13.1/triathlon bracelet that I loved and much cake was eaten.

The next day we stayed in, took down Christmas decorations (or started to at least - lawdy, we have a lot), and watched Georgia Tech beat Kentucky in the Taxslayer bowl.  That night we cuddled up and watched Fixer Upper, our new family-friendly tv obsession (I've always loved it but got them hooked a few months ago).  I discovered a streaming video on YouTube that let you watch New Year's in London, so we turned that on around 6:50pm and rang in their new year early with sparkling cider.  The kids went to bed around their usual time because we are mean parents and we settled in for four hours of trying to keep our eyes open.  We barely made it, but we made it...not unlike how most people feel about surviving 2016, I imagine.  

All in all, it was a really nice Christmas season.  Less busy/stressful than years before, which takes a ton of intention and work, but is well worth it.  Thank the Lord we were all healthy for the festivities this year because I think an illness would've been enough to do us in. Expectations were kept in check and the schedule of family celebrations was just perfect this time around.  Looking back I see all of this as God's grace.  He knew what was coming for our family with the loss of my grandfather and He covered us well.  

I hope your December/Christmas 2016 was a special one as well & here's to 2017!

May 2016 Recap

While this May was a lot less stressful than last May, there's a reason this month is still considered the "New December."  David was gone the entire first week, which of course makes things tough.   Not only do I pull double-parent duty, but it always takes creativity to keep up with my workouts when he travels since he's not home for me to go early in the mornings.  Still, I managed to squeeze them all in, which probably helped with my mental health and stability a good bit. ;)  Later that week, the kids and I met my Dad and stepmom for dinner one night and his parents came over another night to help break up the witching hours of 4-6pm a little bit.  

Luke's preschool's Mother's Day Tea was that week as well, which is just the most darling thing.  He was so excited to have me there and to show me all of his crafts he made for me.  The teachers had filled in one of those little questionnaires with the kids' answers and the results are always so comical.  He'd confidently responded to the age question by saying that I was 40 years old ("If I'm four, that means she's four-TY!") but he redeemed himself when they asked when Mommy was the prettiest and he answered "now."  

David came home that Friday just in time for me to have my annual day off on the Saturday before Mother's Day.  I did my brick workout early and then went up to the outlets and moseyed around my favorite stores.  I left there and went by Target to buy a new book and then found a quiet scenic spot at a little park that overlooked Lake Lanier.  I read and catnapped for about an hour and a half before packing up and hitting a new eclectic local store that had everything from jewelry to kitchen tables.  I went through the entire place twice (I think that's my favorite part of days like that...just being able to take my sweet time) and then headed home a little early.  On the drive home, I realized that since Luke started preschool this year and therefore I have weekly quiet time to myself, my need for an entire day like that isn't quite as strong as it has been in years past.  That evening, David and the kids took me out to Ippolito's for dinner and it was delicious.  The next day on Mother's Day, we went to church and then had a picnic and short hike near the Buford Dam.  David grilled out for us that night and we enjoyed our newly finished/painted deck.  I kept recalling how I'd spent last year's Mother's Day weekend in bed with a stomach bug and was especially grateful that this year's festivities went as planned!

By week two of the month, all of the end of school year preparations were in full swing.  I was busy drafting letters about teachers' gifts and parties and attempting to field questions from parents that I was only scarcely less scatter-brained than.  (If I can take the time to organize this, please take the time to read it, people!)

Unfortunately, the first grade teachers also thought that May was a perfect time to have the students do their largest project of the year:  Making 25 homemade items and creating a step-by-step how-to guide to orally present to the class.  They would earn fake dollars for good behavior and then spend them at the market day on the last day of school.  After giving Audrey multiple project choices, she picked homemade soap and bookmarks.  We made the bug/butterfly-shaped soap in one afternoon and then bagged it and added personalized stickers later.  For the bookmarks, she did 3-4 each day over the course of several days and then I laminated them for her.  She knocked out the guide in two sittings, complete with illustrations.  Even though the teachers treated this as their homework and didn't assign anything else for the month, I calculated that we still spent at least three hours not including shopping time on everything compared to the 20-30 minutes of homework she has per week.  (So 180 min. vs the usual 90 min.  In the midst of May madness.  No thank you!)  Regardless, she did a great job and everything turned out well.  She sold out in the first few minutes of their Beach Blanket Bizarre! 

I got to go up to Kara's for a visit the third week.  I was just stunned at how well she was doing and probably drove her nuts telling her so.  To my great relief, her youngest was very happy to see me.  I was worried he would associate me with being away from his mommy since I saw him a few times while he was staying down here with Kara's sister.  Turns out that I'd apparently moved up a few notches in his book and he couldn't wait to show me and tell me everything, which made me so happy.  We ran a few errands (not only was she walking, she was driving!) with her youngest and then picked up her middle child and ate lunch out.  We caught up during their rest time and then walked down to the bus stop later that afternoon to get her oldest.  We played and caught up all afternoon and then I headed out around dinner time.  Though I always hate when we have to end our visits,  it was the best feeling to get to wave goodbye to her on her driveway surrounded by her family instead of in a hospital bed.  

Later that week, Audrey had her Field Day rescheduled due to rain.  Unfortunately, the new date coincided with Luke's last day of school.  Though he wasn't having a party, I still had to deliver the teachers' gifts plus the 16 bags I'd stuffed (each students sends in 16 items such as sidewalk chalk or bubbles and then they're dispersed in beach buckets or bags and sent home as "school's out" treats.)  I prayed that morning that God would just help me enjoy the day and soak up their separate milestones as best I could despite the franticness of attempting to be in two places at once.  

In Luke's class, we gave the teachers' the presents, took some pictures, and I handed them notes I'd written expressing my deep appreciation for them.  I couldn't believe our "Mrs. Alyson" days were over!  I was extremely grateful that we still had one more year of him there in the safer bubble of a church preschool program.  I hugged the teachers tightly and dashed over to Audrey's Field Day.  She was having a pretty good time and tried just about everything in the gym portion of the centers rotation.  The weather was very nice and cool compared to last year's event.  We made our way over to the field for tug-of-war and I laughed as several boys from the class huddled up to "talk strategy."  Her class won one out of three matches and then we walked inside to hand out popsicles.  While her teacher got them started on a writing assignment, I quickly decorated the door with a camping theme in preparation for her end-of-year party.  I finished just in time to go pick up Luke from his last day of three year preschool.  Just like when they had their Christmas parties on the same day, it was a bit crazy and frazzled, but I knew that without a doubt I would be longing for those hectic days in the not-so-distant future

The next day I took Luke in to Audrey's class with me to finish having the kids sign a photo mat and so I could put up a few party decorations.  He ate a picnic lunch in Audrey's seat while the kids were at their lunchtime and I hurried to tie large camping signs and a banner to the ceiling.  We finished just in time and headed home, where I began to load and double-check all my gear for the next day's triathlon.  I wrote in great detail about all of that here, so I'll skip the recap on it except to say that it was really, really awesome.  

The following Monday was Audrey's class party and it went well.  We had five centers set up:  painting sun catchers, campfire bingo, Let's Go Fishing game, sticker scene/worksheets, and paracord compass bracelet assembly (David and I prepped them for the party by completing about half of each bracelet and it was still very difficult for most of the kids.  I do not recommend them, but since the teacher bought them for us to use I felt obligated!)  After the students cycled through all five stations, we fed them a hotdog lunch in the classroom.  We presented the teacher with her gift (a monogrammed beach tote bag full of goodies and gift cards) and a framed picture of the class with their signatures on the photo mat.  We cleaned up party decor while the kids finished lunch.  I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I loaded up the van and drove home.  My first year as double room mom was finished!  I'd survived!  It may not have always (read: ever) looked like a Pinterest-quality job, but hopefully the teachers felt supported and appreciated and the kids made some good memories.  

Audrey had her last day of school that Wednesday and when she let out, we met up with neighbors and had treats from the Kona Ice truck that the neighborhood reserved.  Summer had officially begun!  Many of the kids had squirt guns (mostly from their parents who squirted them as they got off the bus!) and were spraying each other mercilessly.  After avoiding it for awhile, Audrey asked me if she could get wet in her regular clothes.  I told her to go for it and she had a ball running around with the kids and getting soaked.  I still get surprised at things like that when I realize just how much she's come out of her shell.  A year ago there would've been no way she'd have wanted to participate at all! We walked home, dried off, and had a special mid-week pajama pizza picnic party and watched a movie to celebrate the end of the school year.

That Friday was David's birthday.  I feel badly for the guy because he's always robbed on Father's Day since it falls right around Audrey's birthday and now, since the kids have started school and May means crazy end of year stuff, his birthday gets moved to the back burner as well.  He's a trooper about it though.  We took him out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant and gave him a pretty pitiful gift of a shirt, a hamburger press, and some grill seasoning made locally since he's really into grilling these days.  (Some years are easier than others to come up with a great idea...this year was not a good one.)  Thankfully he'd taken the day off to play golf, so at least he enjoyed that.  The kids and I had gone strawberry picking that day, so I made a gluten-free strawberry cake for them, his mom had made a regular strawberry cake for him, and we celebrated with those.  It was a low-key celebration, but hopefully made him feel as loved as he is.

The next day I did a brick workout and then we sent the kids off to his parents' house for an overnight.  We loaded down his dad's truck with bags of cedar chips and came home to do a few hours of yard work.  After showers and naps, we continued his birthday celebration with the restaurant and movie of his choice.  We ended up at a local BBQ spot that was delicious and then saw the new Captain America film.  The whole thing was nearly ruined for me as I couldn't take my eyes off the little four or five year old girl in front of us.  I'm really working on becoming a less judgmental person, but SERIOUSLY?!  There is no excuse for that.  Anyway, the movie was okay, but I was disappointed that the Avengers turned on each other.  I told David that I didn't like that part and that they should've named it something that made that clear.  I actually suggested "civil war."  He just looked at me and blinked, then gestured toward the enormous movie sign that read "Captain America:  Civil War."  We died laughing.  I had to have known that somewhere in my subconscious.  We came home and binged our new favorite show "Longmire" on Netflix.  

The next morning we drove out to pick up the kids at his parents' house and enjoyed a nice boat ride and picnic with them.  The kids are getting more and more used to the boat and I think this will be the summer we attempt some tubing with them.  The water was still a little too cold for any playtime in it that day, but there is still plenty of summer and subsequent heat left.  We went home for some rest time and spent the rest of the long weekend in some pattern of hikes, picnics, and vegging out.  

We ended the month with Luke beginning swim lessons.  He did a great job and was a lot less fearful than last year.  He had a male coach this year, which probably pushed him to be a little braver than he would've otherwise been.  He did feel the need to attempt to negotiate everything ("Well, how about you stand at that black line and I'll swim to you there?") but that got better as the week (and my warnings to stop it) went on. 

We also had our first family photo session in over two years at the end of the month.  My, how much easier that has gotten since the kids have gotten older!  No one griped, even though it was pretty warm out.  Audrey was practically modeling!  They turned out great and I'll be posting them on FB pretty soon.  

So that was May.  Other highlights include the completion of the deck makeover (we'd had to let the wood dry out on the newly-built extension for six weeks before having it stained) and getting the concrete patio underneath painted.  I was thankful to have both of those wrapped up.  There were also a few friends' birthday parties, a PTA Board meeting, and an All Pro Dads thrown in there.  It was busy as always, but it just makes the relaxed pace of summertime all the sweeter when it finally arrives. 

I'll close with two of my favorite quotes from Luke this month:

 - "Mommy, is today my twoth swim lesson?" (Meaning "second".)

 - "Mommy!  You are NOT going to believe how much hair is growing on my legs now!"  (He is seriously so proud of that.  It's hilarious!)

Happy Summer, Y'all!  

May 2014 Recap

Since it's almost time to do the June recap, I think I'm going to get over my perfectionism and do a quick, bullet-point recap of May so I can finally move on and quit having it hanging over my head.  So here's May (in a long nutshell):

• We had a cookout to celebrate our final small group of the semester.  I summarized my feelings about it on Facebook:  "When you're house hunting, you imagine the future in every potential place you walk through. Tonight as we celebrated the end of a great semester of leading couples' small group, I looked around our patio full of strangers-turned-friends and our yard full of kids playing and realized I was experiencing a dream fulfilled. Back before the contract was even signed, we committed to using this house to serve God and our church and I am oh-so-grateful we had the opportunity to do so."

• Luke attended his first official friend's birthday party when his buddy Patrick turned two.  He seemed to be a fan, especially of the cake.  

• Mother's Day was great.  I enjoyed some time off the day before, which was much needed and appreciated.  The day of we went to church and then hiked around the Buford Dam down to the Chattahoochee River and back up.  We had a picnic lunch near the lake side, then came home and did some yard work and had some of David's yummy hamburgers on the grill for dinner.  Luke gave me a Willow Tree angel figurine and Audrey gave me hanging baskets for the porch and pink gardening gloves.  So blessed to hold the title of "Mom" to those two. 

• Audrey's Pre-K graduation was awesome.  I nearly burst with pride at how well she did with her brave singing, especially since she was on the first row!  I didn't cry at the event itself (saving all of that for August), but I definitely teared up at seeing how she overcame her struggle of stage fright.  We'd been praying for weeks and then that night I took her aside before walking her to her room and prayed over her.  After we got home when we were praying before bed she said, "Hey!  God DID answer our prayers!"  So cool.

• We picked strawberries at a local patch with friends.  We ate most of them fresh, but turned some into yummy smoothies.  

• One weekend we visited my dad and stepmom's new house and then went to David's parents' home to hang out.  We were supposed to do a boat ride, but it was chilly and wet, so we just hung out at their dock then went out to eat. 

• Audrey got her glasses towards the end of the month.  She handled them like a champ and it didn't take me nearly as long as I thought it would to get used to seeing her in them.  

• Of course, the highlight of our month was our Anniversary Trip that I wrote about here.  

• My sweet husband turned 33 while we were in MX.  We celebrated when we got home, too, with lots of homemade cards and a homemade peach cobbler.  

Notable parenting struggles/stories:

• I jotted down some notes on my phone for this month's recap but it's been so long ago that I can't remember what some of them mean.  For example, "Luke's sleeping troubles."  So apparently, I need to record that the early part of May held some sleeping troubles for our youngest (and therefore, for us) but since I wrote that in a state of sleep-deprivation, I don't really recall what they were.  Oh well.  I'm sure it's for the best that way.  

• Audrey has been struggling with comparing what she has/gets vs. what Luke has/gets since he was about 18 months old.  I've lost count of how many times I've reviewed all of the things that she gets to do because she's older that he can't.  One day I fixed them a snack and ran down to get something from the basement while they ate it.  Suddenly, I hear a very accusatory little voice shout down, "Moooommy!  YOU gave Luke four teddy grahams and you only gave me THREE!" (I'd thrown a couple in their regular snack to be NICE.)  I took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and then walked upstairs.  I took the three Teddy Grahams out of Audrey's bowl, had her follow me to the kitchen, and I promptly dumped them in the trash.  We had a long talk about how comparison steals your joy and I explained that if she'd never noticed how many Luke had, she would've been perfectly content with her number.  I promised I hadn't meant to give Luke more, but that I just hadn't been paying attention and, by the way, stuff like that was going to happen a lot in life because, newsflash: LIFE ISN'T FAIR.  She didn't cry or pitch a fit, she just let that sink in.  We're well past a month since it happened and while she still succumbs to comparing every now and then, it's gotten much better!  Score one for Mommy.

• Just in case the story above didn't prove what a mean mother I am, we also started using spanking as an occasional punishment for Luke.  We began earlier with Audrey, because a) she understood more at a younger age and b) I'm a bigger sucker the second go-round.  I know this is a huge hot topic amongst parents so let me assure you it's not something we entered into lightly nor do at the drop of a hat.  For perspective, Audrey probably had about 15-20 spankings total from the ages of 2-4 and now averages about one every 6-8 weeks.  I expect Luke's number will be slightly higher because, ya know, BOY, but so far the couple he's had have worked wonders.  

• Audrey is doing really well with reading, but I have to be careful that the material is still age appropriate.  A lot of the early reader first chapter books will have some name calling among the characters or words like "stupid" and "dumb" that I really just don't want her exposed to.  Case and point:  One night while we were getting ready for bed, she said, "Luke, you're a jerk" and giggled.  I gasped, she burst into tears and explained she'd read it in one of her books.  We had a talk about what that meant and I assured her she wasn't in trouble because she hadn't known better.  It may be prudish and I know public school is going to rock our world, but for now, I'll be previewing Nancy Drew's Clue Crew thoroughly thankyouverymuch.

Cute Quotes from the Kids:

• When leaving Cracker Barrel one night, Luke said happily, "I like to eat.  But when I get bigger, I [will] eat salad."  ?!  Enjoy the carefree pre-salad days now, Buddy!

• I always cheer runners on when we pass them in the car and I guess it rubbed off.  When cruising by a jogger, Luke's little fists pumped in the air and he yelled, "GO Runner GO!"  :)

• David to Audrey: "Where did you get all of those bug bites?"  AJ:  "Uh, from bugs."

• Luke has started saying, "Mommy?  You so cute!"  I'll take it.  

So that was May.  Sorry if it felt a little disconnected and strung together.  Turns out short bullet points aren't really my strong suite, but at least it saved me from having to come up with transitional sentences and paragraph breaks.  Maybe June's recap will be better.  Maybe. 

Until the next time, check out May's pictures here and be sure to view our Anniversary Trip album too if you haven't already by clicking here.  

Pre-K, Baby

Well, we made it.  School started today for my sweet Audrey.

On May 16th as I picked her up from her last day of school, I almost cried. I remember staring blankly at the vastness of summer before us as I wondered how I would survive three and a half (hot!) months of two children at home.  Sure, she had only been going eight hours a week.  But that was eight hours a week we both thoroughly enjoyed.  

Today I pulled away from Audrey's preschool and had to forcibly steer the wheel to make myself leave the parking lot.  It wasn't emotional the same way it was last year.  I wasn't worried about her or desperate to know how she was going to fill her day, at least not to the same degree.  It was more of a quiet realization that this growing up thing - yeah, it's happening.  And that I had just survived the longest consecutive break I'll ever have with her. Ever.  Next year she'll start kindergarten in August, so her summer will be much shorter.  

That makes me really, really sad.  Except it also doesn't.  

This blog sums it up incredibly well:  http://putdowntheurinalcake.com/2013/09/im-ecstatic-schools-starting-except-when-im-not/

So since someone else already put into words how I feel about all of this school business, I'll save the rest of the post for putting into words a few things I liked about this summer in the form of a note to my big Pre-K student:

Dear Audrey,

You started Pre-K today.  You looked so adorable in your pink ruffle-tier dress and black mary janes.  Your running nose bothered you a bit, but no way were we going to let some sniffles stand in the way of this most wonderful of days!  (Sorry, classmates.)

When we walked through the doors, the teachers were having their morning meeting and prayer circle just down the hall.  We waited with the other parents and kids for them to finish and usher us in.  You kept pulling my hand and inching us closer toward your room.  "Are they finished YET, Mommy?" you asked impatiently.  I told you no as I took another picture.  

Finally, an entire five minutes later, the meeting ended and it was off to the races.  You nearly jogged us both down the hall to your class.  The first one in, you shyly put away your lunchbox and looked around the familiar room.  The teachers were new, half of the students would be new to you, but the room itself was the same.  As a fellow creature of habit, I imagine that gave you some comfort.  

You chose a coloring page and opened the box of brand new Crayola crayons.  Ahhh - that smell.  Is there anything nicer than a box of fresh crayons?  As you colored, I smiled at other moms, dads, and kids walking in and let my mind wander.  

We kind of rocked this summer, didn't we?  I mean, last week I began having this haunting feeling that we didn't soak it up as well as we should have, but when I look back, I realize we did pretty darn good.  

You took ballet and looked so precious in your pink leotard and sheer skirt.  You did a week of swim lessons at our neighborhood pool and, though it was no Coach Kara experience, you fearlessly tackled those too.  We started reading and handwriting lessons with Mommy (almost) every day when Luke would go down for nap.  Amazingly, we got through 70 out of 100 of them; you are becoming an incredible little reader!  We hit the beach with family, the fountains with friends, and the park with playmates.  You had the most adorable Tea Party birthday party a four year old could ever ask for.  You saw your first movie in a theater, drank your first milkshake, went on your first crab hunt, and ate your first ice cream cone.  You stopped sucking your thumb.  We visited family and said goodbye to dear, sweet friends who moved away.  We saw the aquarium.  We saw a magic show.  We saw your pediatrician and an ophthalmologist.  You splashed in the wade pool in the front yard and strolled down the sidewalks on after-dinner walks.  We shopped, played, and picnicked our way through the lazy days, what few of them there were.

Yeah, we did alright.  

What's most amazing to me about all that we did and experienced these past few months, though, is you.  How you handled each new thing with the perfect balance of bravery and grace. Oh sure, you gave me some trouble.  You're getting a little more argumentative in your old age.  There were also a few instances (per day) that you'd get upset at Luke for having an opinion or playing with the very thing you decided you had to have at that moment (the nerve!)  But overall, occasional four year old tendencies aside, I witnessed quite a bit of maturity blossom in  you this summer and I liked it.  I am SO proud of you.

Just like I knew you could handle your Daddy and I being gone for five days, I know you can handle Pre-K.  You'll step up, figure it out, and help others along the way.  You're brilliant and capable, Audrey.  God made you that way.  Don't let anyone ever tell you any differently.  

Go get 'em, Sugar.

I love you,

Mommy 
xoxoxo

Letter to Audrey

Dear Audrey,

Yesterday I admired you for the first time.  I mean really, truly admired the person you are.  Now don't get me wrong.  Your Daddy and I are very proud of you.  And we've been awestruck by you hundreds of times in your nearly three and a half years of living.  But yesterday, I saw you in a different light and I...respected you.  Not just because you're a child of God and you deserve basic respect like any human being.  But because I saw a glimpse of who you're becoming and it struck a chord with me that I'll never forget.

I know this may not make any sense.  I tried very hard to explain it to your Daddy last night and I think he got it.  At least, he acted like he did.  But sometimes that's just code for, "it's really late.  Can we go to bed now?"  He knows I can be a bit dramatic at times.  I mean, after all, this particular chord-striking did occur at your basic preschool pizza party.  How earth-shattering could it have been?

For me, though, it was a very big deal.  As I stood there attempting to slice pizza with the dullest of knives (guess they don't keep too many sharp things around for obvious reasons), I watched you and your classmates file in from the playground.  You stood there quietly, waiting in line to wash your hands.  At the sink, I finally caught your eye and gave you a wink.  Your grin lit up the room.  You walked over and sat down near me, but didn't say hello or give me a big hug.  I gave you a small wave as Mrs. Lindsy started talking about the letter P and the sound it makes.  (Something, by the way, you've been well aware of for at least 18 months, but bragging on your intelligence is for another time.)

After the lesson, we started passing out "P" foods and I kept an eye on you.  You were quiet, but polite, as each helper walked by and asked if you wanted that particular thing.  As I hurried around refilling pink lemonade and giving Alex his third slice of pizza (someone cut that kid off!), I watched you carefully.  None of the children in the room were really talking to one another.  I know it's still a bit early to expect a lot of deep conversations from that age group, but I thought about all the meals you and I have shared and all the chatter that takes place then.  I knew your mind was busy thinking and I was a little saddened that I didn't know what about.

After lunch, I helped stuff the kids' folders with their artwork from the day.  Mrs. Lindsy called two or three kids at a time to get their folder and put it in their backpack in the hall.  You waited patiently until your name was called and then did what you were supposed to.  You came back in and found a spot to sit criss-cross applesauce on the carpet for group time.  Mrs. Lindsy began talking about God's creation and all the things He made, including pumpkins.  As she cut off the top of your class pumpkin, she explained the purpose of the seeds inside.  She held it and went around the circle, asking if anyone wanted to put their hand in and feel the goopy, stringy stuff.  You watched intently with your hands clasped tightly together in your lap.  "No way is she gonna go for that," I told myself, especially after the three kids right before you all shook their heads no and talked about how yucky it was.  She stopped in front of you.  You paused.  Then you slowly extended your hand and stuck it right smack in the goop.

At this point you must think I'm officially crazy.  "So THAT'S it, Mom?  You admire me for using good manners and sticking my hand in a pumpkin?!"

No.  I admire you because I realize how hard it must be to be three years old and be thrown into a class of strangers, most of whom don't speak very well yet.  I admire you for following directions without having to be asked fifteen times like Brian or Michael were.  I admire you because of all you've adapted to in such a short time.  I admire you because you are brave.  I admire you because even though your Mommy was in the class, you clearly didn't need me to be.  I admire you because you are mature.  I admire you because you can think for yourself and you didn't cave under the "yucky pumpkin" pressure.  I admire you for thriving in that little world in which I really have no control over or daily part in.  You're becoming a little girl.  An individual.  And a really, really awesome one at that.

I heard a sermon recently that challenged parents to raise children to become adults that they'd want to be friends with.  Not to befriend the child now, but to have that goal in mind.  Yesterday, I saw the glimpse of a person I'd definitely like to be friends with one day.  I've known you're smart and beautiful and funny.  But yesterday, I learned you are also marvelous in so many other ways.  And so I marveled.

Keep up the good work, Sugar.

I love you,

Mommy
xoxoxo

Letter to My Big Girl Preschooler

Dear Audrey,

Tomorrow you start preschool.  It's a wonderful little program at a church about ten minutes from our house.  Your teachers, Mrs. Lindsy and Mrs. Caroline, are just as nice as they can be (and their voices sound as sweet as strawberries, you told me.)  You're going to crush them academically and gain so much socially.  You'll meet new friends, get to practice following directions, and interact with others.  You'll learn about God's Word and study Bible heroes.  Each day you'll have music class and play on the playground.  Sharing, creating, playing, growing...  Not to mention your little brother Luke will get to have some of my undivided attention like you got when you were a baby.  It's only going to be from 9:30-1:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It's a good decision.  It's the right thing for you AND me.

But, nonetheless, my heart still hurts.

I feel like it's the end of the beginning.  I realize that sounds so dramatic (as if there was any doubt who you get that from).  You see, I know you aren't mine.  Not really.  God gives us children for just a short time, but they don't really belong to us.  They're kind of on loan for parents to take care of, raise, and shape into adults.  But this is really the first situation that drives that home for me.  With very little exception, you have been in my care 24/7/365 since June 20, 2009.  Technically since October 1, 2008. And now, for 8 hours a week, you are going to be someone else's responsibility.

I laid awake last night and worried to death about it all.  I worried whether I should pick different shoes for your outfit in case the first choice hurt your feet.  I worried that you would be scared of the bigger kids on the playground.  I worried that they would forget to ask you if you needed to go potty and you would have an accident and be embarrassed.  I worried you wouldn't speak up if some other kid was being mean to you.  I worried your teachers wouldn't realize how smart, funny, and adorable you are. (You are, you know.)  I worried you would feel overwhelmed and lonely.  I worried about you washing your hands well, being able to open up your lunch box, and even tripping down the concrete stairs on the way to playground.  You name it...I worried about it.

I would do anything for you, Sugar.  I want to spare you from bullies, hard situations, and sad feelings like fear and loneliness.  If it were a perfect world, you'd never have to go through anything tough.  But it's not a perfect world and I realize I cannot protect you from experiencing that forever.  I have to think about the end goal:  you becoming independent.  I have to remember that, as our Pastor says, I'm not raising a child, I'm raising an adult.

So tomorrow marks a new step towards that goal.  I'll hold my breath and bite my lip and do whatever it takes to keep my tears from spilling over until you are safely out of sight.  Then I'll bawl and pray and bawl and pray all morning long for you.  And when I pick you up (I'll be the first in carpool line), I bet you'll look a little bit taller and a little bit older than when I dropped you off.  I know for sure we'll both be a little bit better for taking this step.

You are the light of my life and I can't wait to see you shine in this new way.

I love you,

Mommy
xoxoxoxo