it won't be long.....

before you'll be out there with the rest of them.....

I promise you!

Spring is just around the corner....

and I know you are going to love the outdoors!

Yeah, you, baby Nash!

Just a little longer!!

"spring is nature's way of saying, "let's party!" -- Robin Williams

auction success....and a few other good things

So at the last minute Amelia and I decided to join mom at the local auction house to watch her bid on something she really wanted for the cabin.  And of course when I got there I got caught up in the fun of it all and came home with a few treasures for myself!  My new mustard yellow chair ($4!!!!)  is the coolest.....and no matter what Brad and Shay say .....the chair stays in the living room!

I love it with the black and white pillow on it! 

The cool thing about vintage things is that you know there's a history behind that piece.  Just adds something a little special to it....

Amelia scored a box of beaded necklaces

At one point she had them all on at the same time.....quite the princess!!

These will provide countless hours of play....thanks Nana!

I also found a neat painting to add to a grouping of paintings from local artists that I have.

And a really sweet chenille (no that's not what it's called, mom -- help me out!) bedspread.  And a lamp that is going to be a future project (no pictures of the lamp).

I totally loved the curly hair Audrey gave me yesterday.....made me feel like a different person!

And, yes, I do take pictures of myself in the mirror sometimes.....still trying to figure out so many things on my camera!

We ended the day with chicken parmesan and devil dogs.  Of course I had my trusty little helper by my side....

Devil dogs are pure sin on a plate!

Happy week all!!

"being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect, it means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections" -- unknown

hockey night.....

was fun.....for the majority of us

we got there early and the boys watched the players warm up

some nice guy caught a puck that came over the wall and gave it to Josef....how cool is that?

Wouldn't it be fun to drive the zamboni?

I forgot how much fun hockey games are.....I love the rock music, cowbells, flashing lights.....very high energy!

the kids had a great time....

except for poor Mack -- his sensory issues didn't let him enjoy it too much:(   And then Sam started not feeling well.....so we left early

We'll definitely do it again!

"surely as cometh the winter, I know, there are spring violets under the snow" -- R.H. Newell

****just went to an auction and got the coolest things!!  Sharing pictures of them tomorrow:)

gearing up....

to fold this.....

play with her  (how do you like the new bright yellow cast?)....

and him......

and preparing myself for a wild night at the hockey game with these crazy cats.....

READY....SET.....GO!!!

"you will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love" -- Henry Drummond

being present

After being a mom for over 17 (yikes!) years now, I have learned a lot of things about mothering.  Some have come from mistakes I've made or mistakes I've seen others make. And of course I've learned a lot from my own  mom:) But I think most of the way I choose to mother comes from instinct.  I haven't learned how to be a mom from any manual or book....it's all straight from my heart. Lately my heart has been telling me to sloooowww down and be present.  

Not just sitting on the floor with the kids while they play, or sitting with them while they read a book out loud.  I'm talking about paying full attention to them.....with no t.v. in the background, no magazine in my hand, no phone close by to check Facebook, no thinking of all the bazillion things that need to be done (laundry, cleaning, dishes, meals, etc.)  I'm talking about listening to them, watching how they interact with each other, memorizing their little ears and toes, and trying to soak it all in. 

I mean, seriously, look how Nash studies this little toy, trying to figure out how it goes.....makes me want to pick him up and squeeze him like crazy!

And I want to watch them make their towers and then see the pride in their face when they are praised....

And I think I'm doing an okay job.  But I am a work in progress.....I have a long ways to go.  After being present for about 5 minutes, thoughts creep into my head of all the things I need to do.  But that instinctive mothering part of my soul is telling me "no"......sit and enjoy your kids and just be with them. And it will always be a struggle, but being present in the moments I share with my kids is the focus of how I want to mother my children.

So I guess I wasn't too "present" when I was cooking Shay his "eggs in a heart" this morning because I never noticed the picture he took of them until I checked my camera later......I love this.

"if there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves" -- C.G. Jung

margaritas, walking and wrestling....

Happy National Margarita Day....I celebrated with my best buddy Val at my favorite place to eat and drink margaritas -- Chapala!
Nash is taking 3-4 steps on his own now...so cute to see him discover that he can do it on his own.  Sad to see him leaving the baby stage though:(

The rest of the day has consisted of normal kid play, which at our house includes a LOT of wrestling......

Poor Josef....he tries his hardest!  Happy week to all:)

"if live gives you limes, make margaritas!"

to blog or not to blog....

That is the question!  Do I want to add one more thing to my already crazy busy life?  But it would be fun to have it to look back on and remember these days that my grandma insists are the best days of my life.  I will ponder and  see.....this may be my last post ever.....but here is a cute picture to leave you with.

"look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come.  Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering."  --  Ida Scott Taylor