Awkward & Awesome Thursday...

The Living Planet Aquarium

Talking myself into touching a sting ray...and yes I did it.

Awkward

- Waiting half and hour on hold to make sure my name was right on my ticket, then the lady treating me like I was stupid because they had my first name and half my middle name listed as my entire first name

- Dreaming that was I in an epidsode of "the office" and debating whether I should tell Angela her boyfriend the Senator (state senator) is gay.

- Repeating something four times and the lady at GAP looking at me like she still didn't hear me. And her nasty leggings worn as pants.

Awesome

- Chubbs started crawling!

- Leaving for Ohio 

- Munchkin seeing Chubbs crawl for the first time to a toy he picked out because he knew he would crawl to it. So cute!

- The aquarium we went to.

- Munchkin playing tball.

- Vacations

Awkward & Awesome Thursday...

I have been busy. Sorry. Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging. Wait. No...I was busy with life, my kids, my husband, my family. They always come first. 

My boys relaxing in the sun.

We stopped on our walk to play soccer with the neighbor kid for a few minutes.

Hopefully with these pictures of a rare, sunny, warm day we had this month it will inspire Mother Nature to pull back on this rain and let the sun shine. 

Red Top: Forever 21 ($5). Belt: Thrifted, DI ($1). Jeans: American Eagle ($15ish). Shoes: Target ($9). 

Awkward

- A runny nose during a soccer game.

- Trying to change my entire outfit into clothes for soccer game in the car, while still staying buckled

-  Trying to put a diaper on Chubbs when he insists on rolling over. And he is one strong little sucker

Awesome

- Munchkin being so independent and learning so many new things

- Me reading the Book of Mormon stories to Munchkin and him not wanting to, but then after the first story making me read at least six more stories

- Getting to go to Ohio oh-so-soon

- Playing Dance Central on Kinect while wearing big chains and sideways hats

I wear my sunglasses at....

me at less than a year old....

Then twenty six years later...

 

Thanks to my sa-weet new phone for these photos...not too shabby for a cell phone. 

Hope you have to wear your sunglasses on this gorgeous Friday!

My two reasons to love Mother's Day...

Reason #1-Munchkin, Reason #2-Chubbs

And they love each other too.

 When you share a kid (which really isn't very much fun), sometimes we can't celebrate holidays on the actual holiday. The Easter Bunny came to our house on Thursday night before Easter and Mother's Day was partially celebrated for us on Friday. 

Friday I got home from work and called Hubster because he was not home. I only have a few minutes with Munchkin before he leaves so I like to see him as much as I can. 

I call Hubster a little upset, "Where are you?!" 

"I'm coming."

"Well, where are you? I want to see Munchkin before he goes."

"Don't worry, we are almost home. And we can have him for an extra half hour". (Which was a nice little surprise...thank you)

"Ok. But hurry please."

"Yes Dear."

Several minutes later I heard a little banging on the glass door and there is Munchkin with his shirt off and a huge smile on his face. 

Me: "Why is your shirt off?"

Munchkin: "Because it's all wet."

Me: "Why is it all wet?"

Munchkin: "I can't tell you that."

Then I get instructions from him to close my eyes and wait in his room. The door opens and I am now allowed to open my eyes. There are my three boys holding a g-g-gorgeous bouquet of lilies. 

Then I knew why Munchkin's shirt was wet. 

It was such a sweet surprise. But Munchkin then quickly informed me that they had yet another present for me and assured me I would like it much better than the first. I told him not likely, but he promised I would like it better. 

Again, I was instructed by my five year old to close my eyes and stick out my hands. I peeked and saw his eyes light up and a grin I wanted to kiss off his face. He handed me a small box with an....iPhone! 

Oh, I am spoiled. 

Spoiled from the new iPhone, but mostly spoiled for having amazing children and a stellar husband. 

Thanks my loves.

Baby Boy...

Chubbs after eating Prunes

Today I cried at work. 

I swiftly went to the bathroom so I could collect myself. Luckily I was the only one in there so I let out some sobs and then just gave myself some time to settle down. 

I read blogs out of boredom and curiosity mostly. 

And lately I have been thinking about death. I know it sounds morbid, but it is inevitable. Munchkin and I were talking about it, mostly in terms of the Resurrection, but I kept thinking about it long after I kissed him goodbye at preschool. 

I know I'm going to die and that my children will too. But I truly hope that I don't have to see them die and that I am a ripe old woman when I go. I read a blog post a while ago (and have searched everywhere trying to find it again) about a woman who would take pictures of herself with her children once a month. She didn't care how she looked or what she was wearing. She made the point that when she looked back at pictures herself and her mother, she didn't care what she was wearing, or how her hair looked, just that she had a picture of them together. She had a tangible object that held memories and emotions of her and her mother. 

I want to be able to do that for my children. I told Hubster that I wanted him to take more pictures of me with my boys, and I try to do the same for him. I want my kids to see the love we have for them and sometimes a photograph can do that. 

My tears came after reading about this woman.

Natalie Norton. 

I have not the slightest clue who she is, except that she is an amazing woman and excellent photographer. I found her blog today through a friend on facebook today and immediately was taken in through her trial of losing her son.

I literally wept as I read the tragedy of his short, three month life and couldn't help but think of my Chubbs. What if I lost him now? What if when I said goodbye for the day, it turned into a goodbye for our lives. What if that was him?  The moisture keeps creeping in my eyes as I write. 
That could have happened to me. It still could. I could lose my children. How could I move on after that? What meaning would my life lose? Or guiltily gain? 

I read her blog, but not of all of it because it made me cry and I wasn't strong enough to get through it all. I felt her words so deep, and her pictures made my heart ache for such a loss. 

I admire her honesty, and her faith and her work.

So Natalie Norton, stranger who touched my heart, I thank you for your story. For your vulnerability and honesty. 

You will be in my prayers tonight. You and Baby Gavin. 



Cried again after this. 

Akward & Awesome May Day...

Ok, so it's not actually May Day. I obviously missed that one. But I did take these on May Day, does that count?

I had a nice little place in mind to get some pictures of my cute family, but when I got there, some stinkers were already. The area was too small to share, and I'm sure I would have looked silly with my tripod and nifty little remote control trying to get Chubbs to look at a boring black camera. Yeah. Great idea. 

We made it work with the terrible lighting and super short attention span/patience level of the boys (all three), and I will go through the pictures again and see if I can find a half way decent one of our family together. 

Hubster: Yellow Shirt: Express ($10). Sweater: Express ($20). Pants: Old Navy ($6). Shoes: No idea...

Chubbs: Green Top: Children's Place ($4). Plaid top: Children's Place ($6). Bottoms: Gap, Kid to Kid, ($5).

Munckin: White Polo: Old Navy ($3). Sweater: Children's Place ($10ish). Pants: Children's Place (Gift). Shoes: Target ($12).

Me: Blazer: Gap ($20). Red Top: Thrifted ($4). Necklace: Dillards ($10ish). Belt: DownEast Outfitters ($4). Jeans: Old Navy ($6). Shoes: BCBG, TJMaxx? ($30ish).

They were way to busy looking at each other and laughing to hold still and smile...but who cares, this is way cuter.

Is he not the cutest five year old ever?

Awkward/Annoying
- the bruise and large bump on my thigh from my soccer game. 
- Hubster realizing his khakis (pictured above) are fleece lined. 
- Trying to carry Chubbs in his stroller down about 4 flights of stairs...and back up.
- Neighbors dogs barking from 9pm-1am. 
- People who are surprised when you show up when you tell them you will and they don't have their stuff ready or together


Awesome
- After dressing Munchkin in his pants above he says, "Man. I wore these back in the 80's!....Was I alive in the 80's?" 
- Chubbs getting his first tooth and handling it like a champ
- Warm weather...finally.
- Munchkin telling me that he does in fact now want me to buy him more clothes. He always asks if I have a surprise for him when I get home and when I do and it's clothes he is normally disappointed, it's not nearly as exciting as toys. 
- Having a 15 minutes conversation with Munchkin about Jesus Christ, Resurrection and angels. And he had such great questions.  
- Getting visits at works from my family.


Post Edit:
The Royal Wedding happened...everything was amazing. I mean, a girl really became a princess. Pretty sweet. I loved this dress...