Mommy's Trip Away....

I have to say, as much as I was looking forward to being with my family to celebrate Nana Betty's life, I had some severe angst leaving my precious kiddos and Steve. It's incredible how a little bit of anxiety can show up as a physical pain. A pain in my heart... Grief for losing my nana and now for being away from my family.

I am on day 2 of being away and I am enjoying my time with my family and my niece and nephew who I hadn't seen since  thanksgiving 2013.  We went to the children's museum today and are headed to another tomorrow. I even get to sleep with my sweet firecracker, Paige.  

As for Steve, he told me he now understands why I am constantly losing my phone and my keys.   There is just so much going on and too much to keep track of.... Oh and the house is a mess and he doesn't know how It got like that. Steve has always been so good to tell me what a Great job I am doing as Mommy and CEO of the household but this is the first time he has has had the reigns for more than an afternoon.  I am proud of him, he was excited about this opportunity to have the kids all to himself and I don't even care if I come home to mess.  He has been hard at work installing our elfa shelving in our closet. A task I wouldn't even try to do if I was flying solo with the kids. 

Did I mention my precious gem of a friend, Elesha, who took the kiddos and was genuinely excited to do so. Today was technically a work day for Steve so that worked well! How blessed am I to know that my sweet babies are in such good care while I am gone!  And how even more blessed am I to have such amazing friends and family who have sent sweet sentiments by mail and text letting me know they are here for me and praying for our family.  What an amazing support system I have... I am truly blessed! 

The kids with Elisha today.... She said... "Yay, I have them!"  And they had such a great time! 

P.S. Thank you Apple for FaceTime!  I especially love to see Sydney give me forehead kisses, Luke encounter Witch guys on minecraft, and see love pouring out of Ava with her ear to ear smile as she talks to me.  I can feel the love! 

Nana's memorial - January 2, 2015

Today would of been my Nana's 96th birthday.  We had a beautiful mass to honor her life at our family parish, Ascension Church in Cheaterfield, Missouri.  If is the church I attended 7th and 8th grade, the place where Steve and I were married, and also the church where we baptized Luke and Ava at. 

Auntie Jen did a great job delivering the readings from the Old Testament and New Testament and my Mom did a great job with her eulogy as well.  I really wanted to write a eulogy as well, because we were so close and I was lucky enough to have had her living at our home growing up.  

Happy birthday Nana, I could feel your presence today as I shared so many wonderful memories of you with everyone  who did not know you on the same level that we were fortunate to.  Your presence gave me the strength I needed to deliver my words.

To my kiddos, how lucky you are that you were able to know your amazing great grandmother for a short time.  I hope you never forget your special memories of her.  The words below are some of my best memories of her....

"Words are so limiting when I stand here today to express who my Nana Betty was to me.  I will try to do my best to explain her beautiful soul. 

Nana was a different kind of grandma. Her love was shown to me through action.  Her homemade soups, her nurturing way,  and her love of god through nature.  Particularly birds and gardening... as I used to see her stare out the window and notice things that only a person who is fully present can. She never rushed through life like a lot of us tend to do.  Nothing was a means to an end.  She was calm, poised and never spoke to soon. 

I remember many Saturday nights listening to her laugh so loudly with tears pouring out of her eyes as she watched the "golden girls" on TV. I loved seeing her so joyful, as she tended to be a more serious and quiet person. 

Nana was wise and independent. I used to love to hear her stories as she lived in such an interesting time of history.  She was born into the world at the beginning of the Great Depression to her Russian parents.  She moved from New York to the other side of the country and lived in Medford, Oregon while my grandfather was fighting in war.  She worked for an Art dealer in her early 20's and was quite the artist herself! I have many of her ceramic pieces adorning my home, especially at Christmas time.  

She had 2 kids, 5 grandchildren, 7 Great grandchildren and was one of those people that mothering came to naturally! Even in her 90's, I saw her getting down on the ground to play with her great grand babies!  When we would come to visit, you could see her light up.  She loved and was so loved by all who were lucky enough to have their lives touched by her. 

Whenever asked her age, she would always respond "I'm over 21."  Maybe she said that because she knew that what is important in life, is ageless.  There were no limits for her and I truly believe that is why she lived such a full and long life! 

Heavens to Betsy, Nana... I will miss being in your physical presence for a while but until then, I will continue to see you showing me your peace through god's grace.

Thank you so much for teaching me through your example... Teaching me about peace, strength, perseverance, and lastly, the wisdom  and insight which all of those gifts bring."

Christmas 2014

What an amazing and blessed Christmas we had this year.  We started a new tradition for our Cheistmas Eve.  Steve and I have been long time fans of Mortons steak house so we decided the kids are old enough now to go.  

On Christmas Eve morning we all woke up and I made so sides and a breakfast casserole for our Christmas Day meal.  Better to make it the day before so we can just play on Christmas Day,  we left the house at about 11:30am for the movie "Annie." We wanted to spend the whole day downtown.   I didn't know how it would be compared to the original that we all love so much... Especially Syd.  We all loved it!  They did a great job with it!  After that we got our favorite drinks at starbucks and then went to Game works to play some games.  The kids loved the hummer racing game where 2 of them drove in the hummer and it moved around all over the place while they crashed into things.  Luke liked air hockey quite a bit! 

Next we walked around outside and enjoyed all of the Christmas storefronts and decorations lighting up the city. The kids went on the carousel and then it was time for dinner.  The kids ate Mac n cheese while Steve and I enjoyed our steak. 

We drove home and the kids went to bed  and woke up around 5am to go downstairs to see what Santa brought them. Santa put lots of lego's in Luke stocking and saved all of most wanted presents of minecraft figures for under the tree.  After he opened his stocking he looked at Steve and I said, "Santa go it all wrong." He was scared that Santa forgot his beloved minecraft figures... Lol.  That is Luke... His love language is "stuff and things." 

They all were blessed enough to get everything they wanted!  Luke received his minecraft figures, minecraft Legos, and a robot amount things. Ava received the girl of the year from American girl, Isabelle, and a lot of accessories and clothes.  Sydney received her bitty twins and accessories.  The girls also got a huge play-mobile Farm that they live!  Our families and friends also showered us with many generous gifts!  

First tooth for Ava

Ava lost her first tooth on November 28! So funny how dramatic a little girls reaction can be compared to a boys! 

Tooth #2 is almost gone as well! 

3 more rainbows spotted today!

God's Grace... 

The Eve before our Ava's 6th Bday!

She has been counting the days till her birthday and it is finally here!  All of her special and thoughtful gifts from family are wrapped and ready for her.  Last year I set out a new dress and boots for her hanging from her closet door and she loved it!  This year it is an American girl dress she has been wanting since we saw it in the store at the end of summer.  

And she has no idea the biggest surprise is yet to come, after tomorrow :)

Caught on camera

Sydney and Wyatt kissing caught on camera by Pea and Ava.  I think I am happy that the picture is not focused!  Sydney has been studying the art of the kiss in her princess books and movies!  Just look at her form! 

God's promise to me!

Two days after thanksgiving, my Nana Betty had a massive stoke on the right side of her brain caused by a clot.  I had called her that morning and no answer.  It wasn't until later that day that Grammy and Pop pop found her.  Clots run in the family but I always hoped she would go peacefully in her sleep than have to suffer what she did.  And I wished I would of called her thanksgiving :( so I could of had one last conversation,  I miss her already.  She was Jen and I's 2nd Mom growing up as she lived with us when we moved out to St.Louis.  She was one if the strongest people I know as she put up with many ailments late in her life,  I thought she would live forever knowing she wouldn't of course i have never been able to imagine life without her spirit. 

A day and a half before she passed into peace, I saw the most the most beautiful rainbow circling around the moon and I knew that was God's promise to me of peace.  I wept and asked everyone come and look at it.

It's hard to photograph the moon but you can see it.  It was way more brilliant that night of the 6th. 6 months previously, Ava, Syd and I had witnessed a rainbow circled around the sun on the day that my Uncle Bob passed.  Two weeks and 1 day later we saw another rainbow around the sun and that was the last day I saw our beloved  cat PJ, that Steve and I adopted as a kitten in 1999.  We miss you PJ.  He was so warm and loving that day, a disposition I had not seen from him in years.  I knew he was saying goodbye. 

Thank you God for your signs that help give me peace and know your presence more than ever in our physical lives. I know my grandma always wanted to come out to Seattle but never felt comfortable enough to make that big trip.  I do know that she will be be so happy to be joining us for Ava's big shindig on Saturday in spirit.  I told Ava that and I knew she understood,  the look on her sweet face said it all.  

I will miss you my sweet, nurturing, warm, independent, strong, methodical, patient, poised, and eternally beautiful Nana Betty! I am so fortunate to have had you in my life for so long and that my children knew you in person and not just from my stories.

January 2,1919- December 8, 2014

Ava's first recipe

Ava made her own recipe today.  Here it is in her words.  We are bringing it to Pea's house to share with our friends. We are not quite sure how it tastes. 

The 1st day of Christmas

The kids and I are celebrating Christmas every day of the month with our advent calendars.  They have lego calendars but I am also using a special book I bought that tells 24 stories that lead up to Christmas tying in the celebrations and icons we celebrate to Jesus.  

Dec 1st celebrates the star.  The shooting star is bright light of Jesus we are supposed to follow.  On top of our tree, it points up to heaven to remind us of god. 

The kids found a star cookie cutter in their 3rd advent calendar and we made bright star powdered sugar cookies.

The many expressions of my passionate girly...

The sun has been beaming through the frosty windows for the past week so I figured I would take advantage of it for our christmas pictures.  I love the photo shoots I have these days.... I trained the kids well and both Luke and Ava are very cooperative for me!  Ava models away and I eat it right up!  Sydney, on the other hand.... it is hit or miss.  Huge smile, then a second later, screaming at me.  She cracks me up.  I happened to get some funny pics of her!  

Happy 14th Anniversary to us!

How blessed are we to still love each other and have 3 beautiful children as a result of our love?  It isn't always peaches and cream but we have grown up together and we are growing in the same direction.  We have been through all of it together and we treasure every moment!  I love you Steve! Thank you for being the amazing person you are!  My wish for m kids is that they too can be happy in love someday!

Our visit to Mississippi 2014

I am still sad to think about leaving Mississippi a couple weeks ago.  We had such a great time visiting our cousins, Nana and the Uncle's and Aunts.  It was really hard leaving :(. 

We helped Abbey get ready for homecoming!  What a beautiful girl and a personality to match!  

Love love love! I miss my nieces! 

We had a great time playing on the playground together!

Chris's wedding at the Royal Sonesta

What a great mini reunion for my family!  My Aunts, Uncles and cousins finally met the kids!  We had such a blast at the wedding!  

New Orleans

What a great time we had at my cousin's wedding in New Orleans!  The kids were able to see the culture on Bourbon Street as we arrived at 11pm at night.  Our most interesting sight... A red guy in a red kilt holding a chicken and roaming the street like that is what he does every day! And a naked  lady painted silver.  We let them choose some beads and Sydney wanted the "booby" beads.  She was sad we made her get the pink flamingo beads!