SOOO much to do...

So I work for this school and we start attendance days on Tuesday the 19th. My daughter starts schooling at home for K through them that day as well. I have spend 4 of the last eight workdays (I work 4 days a week from home usually) in meetings away from home. And I still have SO MUCH TO DO for my first meetings with my families on Thursday and Friday next week. I know it will even out...but man, if only I could just be mommy right now. I know I like (and need) the money. I know I don't want to be dirt poor. I know I paid all that money for a credential that we are still paying off. I know I want to do this so we can stay in ministry and my husband can be the Pastor he his extremely called to be. I know I kinda secretly like having some adult thoughts to think and a career to develop. But, I look at my cute, precious kids and just wish I were playing games on the floor and creating this euphoric childhood of memories. I wish my house were cleaner and I was doing chores instead of work during nap. I wish it were less hectic. I hope I am making the right choices. I hope their memories of me are not of stress, but of love. Don't we all hope that? I mean look at them. Who would ever want to stare at an email computer screen rather than these two?

(Don't you love their matching shoes? Gwyn is so excited when she is like Aggie-and she LOVES shoes right now. That's my girl!)

BJs and Old Navy

I went out with the girls tonight for my birthday. Cristi, Nicolle, Shannon, Christina, Holly, and Ashley came out for the festivities and I had such a wonderful time. I miss Annette, Alyssa and Emily though. We always did the BJs and Old Navy thing together and though my evening was supreme with such great girls around me, I missed these girls. Two babies came along (KJ Hughes and Audrey Rodrigo) and I commented that it was so appropriate that babies were at MY birthday. I love babies (I am finally going to start my doula training in March 09) and I got to hold them both for quite a while since Gwyn was not there to be jealous! All my girls seem to be starting their families and I am finishing. I feel so old and mentorly. It is weird, but good. I love my girls and their babies!!!

BTW: I started work again for the year and man, am I overwhelmed. Did you ever get stressed in college on syllabus day? I always went back to my dorm and had a panic attack about how I was going to possibly going to get it all done. That is how I feel right now! Syllabus day as an adult! How can I balance the crazy work expectations this year with mommying, homeschooling, ministry, art, housekeeping and marriage? Hmmm...I am sure it will balance out cause it always does but I have had more than one outburst of emotion at the girls and Adam about it and I don't want to be that way to the ones I love! Pray for me. I have tightness in my chest just writing about it.

Boating with Dad

We went boating down San Diego way with my Dad today. He has owned his boat for almost two years and this is the first I have been on it! With babies and the drive to Chula Vista is has been a chore to get there. But is was a wonderful day once it came.

Though Gwyn hatted the drive there and really hated the lifejacket we had some wonderful moments. We swam in the ocean (Adam said I would be the cool mom who jumped in when I compained about the freezing water and that it would mess my hair-I had a homeschool mom meeting afterward really), sunned on the front deck (Gwyn was annoyed that she could not roam free), had a picnic lunch and cruised the harbor with the sea breeze in our hair (or knotting your hair-take your pick).

It was nice to spend time with my dad in his element-I miss him.

Plus, my baby brother (almost 21 so not so baby anymore) came down to boot. He and my dad are peas in a pod (in a good way), so it made for a fun day.

My favorite moment was when my baby fell asleep sitting up against me and my normally wiggly five year old snuggled in for a 10 minute cuddle while we cruised the harbor. The boys were distracted with driving the big toy-I mean boat. The wind was wipping. The sea mist off the back was misting my face. The engine was roaring so I didn't have to talk to anyone. It was such a peaceful mommy moment. All I had to do was hold them close and kiss my girls heads.

My beautiful friend Adrianne

This is Adrianne and Sunshine. Sunshine is a new addition to the Ashley family and is helping them heal a bit from their recent loss of their lovely three year old daughter Karissa. Karrissa suffered from epilepsy and went home to be with Jesus about a month ago. Crazy hard. Crazy grief for this mama. But this couple, Mark and Adrianne, have shown incredible beauty and grace and faith beyond what most would even dream possible in this situation. They aren't afraid to cry and let it out and scream that this sucks, but they don't stay there. They have a hope in their future and what God has for them. They are finding ways to move through this. They are amazing. Adam and I really feel called to help people through this time of grieving as pastor and pastor wife. Adam calls it his sweet spot. We feel most comfortable supporting and listening and just being with them. We love them as dear friends and I have learned so much from these classy people on how to deal with loss and trust in a future. They are true beauty in Christ.

VBS fun with the Spiers

We attended a VBS at a different church than our own this week and had a wonderful time (not that our week at the Grove wasn't fabulous). Aggie was able to sing in their church service with the VBS kids and (my little performer) was so excited. We had fun at the service and BBQ. Though I must say it was strange attending such a traditional methodist church after my years in a non-denominational. They were so loving and open, but the robes and readings and hyms and kneeling at the front for communion were a wierd flashback to my presperterian childhood. Aggie didn't know what to do with it all and actually climbed over a pew during the closing hymn!Other than some great preschool friends that Agatha was able to reconnect with we hung with this lovely family. (though the younges Matthew is not pictured)

They are homeschool friends and just wonderful to be with. Despite age differences we always have a enjoyable time when they are around.

And I think I have found my nanny to play with Gwyn while I work. She doesn't warm up to anyone like she does Emma.

I love Pomplamoose

I just found this fun little indie rock band that started this summer. They are great aren't they? I can't wait till they have an entire CD!

My friends the Foors

This is an old picture because I have not blogged for months, but I figure I will catch you all up. We try to see the Foors at least once or twice a month and our families love each other. We just mesh. Have you ever met a match like that? The husbands have been best friends for years. The wives became best friends when they were married in and the kids just get along (or not) like siblings. We parent in similar fashions. We have like childhood experiences. We both work in ministry and understand those pressures. We both love music and the arts. We have like values for marriage, finances, feminity, masculinity, everything. We just click. I feel so relaxed in their presence. We can vacation with them and feel refreshed. I can talk to Aaron and Adam can talk to Em. I have that feeling of being home when I am with them. They are truly our garden friends and I cherish days like this one when our busy lives and schedules come together for a day of fun at Disneyland or some other activity. We recently got to see them twice in one week and I pined for the days when we were all in Riverside together. I am glad they are only and hour and half away, but I wish they were closer. I am so thankful God has provided such friendships for me to lean on. Words just can't express. (too bad they don't read blogs-this got kinda sappy!)

Gwyn is 14 months!

This is for all the distant friends and families. Gwyn is beautiful. She is walking now and making jokes and laughing and talking (a little-though she understands everything we say) and doing fingerplays and doing tricks like answering "How old are you?" and rock on and high five and pound. We love her.

I know it has been months-but here I am. I am 31 today! This is me on my fancy art date with my husband. We went to an art opening at the Riverside Art Museum for the Monothon. I am standing with my Monotype print that was selected for the show and silent auction. We also ate a an upscale resturant called Saffron. Totally out of our price range-but it was my birthday. At check time a member of our church and art patron had picked up the check! Happy Birthday to me! At the risk of sounding like a pastor's wife-God really provides for us! We are blessed.

Saw the...

We stopped by the Rodrigos today. I miss having Holly in our extra room...or even them just down the street. I miss our more frequent chats. It was lovely to see them for the few minutes we had together. They seem to be adjusting to parenthood well and Audrey is getting so big and aware. Babies are one of my favorite things I think.

My mom and brother dropped by and Gwyn had such a good time playing with them. She was all smiles! She showed off all of her tricks like patty cake and standing up on furniture. And I registered my little brother to vote-my good deed for the day. I was just trying to get another Obama voter out there!!!

Roadtrip to Monterey

Oh my goodness...Gwyn does not like the car! As we were sitting on the grass of a Shell station half way up the state I thought "What have we gotten ourselves into?" The 5 hour drive took us 9 because of the screamer. But it was well worth it.

We saw the beloved Risingers. They have taught us amazing things about life, and marriage, and ministry over the years. It was so nice to be in there company again. They took us to wonderful places, but my favorite times were just sitting at their house catching up with them. They seem peaceful. I miss them and this time with them was refreshing. I couldn't figure out who Aggie enjoyed more-Bill or the dog!

They also got us free Aquarium passes! It was so nice not to have to pay that bill and we had a wonderful time in Monterey playing at the Dennis the Menace park, seeing the fishes, going through shops, eating ice cream and visiting a quirky little interactive children's museum. My favorite part was climbing out on the rocks with Aggie one afternoon and tide pooling. It was just the two if us and she was so brave! We climbed way out and touched all kinds of green anemones (Adam is afraid of them!!!), learned about barnacles and muscles, saw hermit crabs and whelks and even saw big sea stars. It was such a great moment together.

We also met Megan, my lovely sister, for dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp on Cannery Row. She drove 2 hours each way just to see us. I love her and it was great to talk face to face and catch up. She is so beautiful and relaxed and interesting. I love every moment we have together. I am so glad she found me and is in my and my girls lives.

We rounded out the trip with the grand finale...a visit with some of our closest friends-the Osbornes. We figured everyone else has gotten there we better get there too!!! They have been gone for over a year now! This was such a restful stop! I love, love Annie and miss her being in my daily life. We had such good, honest talks that I think we both ended up facing life decisions and changes we have been going through. We had time to cruise the streets of Santa Cruz shopping like young, free girls (no kids!!!...or husbands!!!) I love Santa Cruz. Everyone is as green as me and they have whole shops devoted to it. They didn't even offer me plastic bags for me to turn down. Everything was so organic and earthy-it is my new favorite vacation spot. Good friends and good earth. I will be back! Payton and Aggie were so bonded I felt like I didn't really interact with Aggie the entire time we were there. No one can make me laugh like Trav. Jonah and I had some good talks and he even warmed up enough toward me to tell me I was funny and hold my hand. Davy is quite the little man now and he was so sweet with Gwyn. It was a wonderful visit...I wish I could have packed them up and brought them home in my suitcase.

Our road trip was a wonderful one of friends and relationships. I wish it could have been longer...and I wish they could have slept this peacefully for the whole trip. Isn't Gwyn cute when she is sleeping rather than screaming?

Easter...

Lest I repeat myself...I love holidays. So here is what Easter held for us.

We dyed eggs and Gwyn kicked over the blue-our butcher block now has a permanent stain! All of Aggie's were pink I think. Go figure.

Aggie counted, estimated, sorted and graphed a bag of 95 jelly beans for homeschool. She is really getting good with numbers and her concentrations-or maybe it is because I told her she could eat jelly beans when she finished!

We went to a Easter Egg hunt at the park with another church. It was so fun and everything was free! It was interesting being at another church's neighborhood outreach event...


We hunted for Easter basket's on Saturday night (because there is no way all us girls are getting up before Daddy has to get off to service on a Easter morning). To make it special we started a tradition of hiding the baskets and hunting for them with clues. Aggie (as you can see) was pretty excited! She hid mine and was my "Easter bunny". She and Adam worked out this great clue, but she told me "Mom, don't look in the dryer" and posted a "NO MOM" sign across it. I didn't really need the clue :) And we discovered in the morning that Gwyn had a earache. She gladly ate the candy in her basket even though she looks miserable.

After church on Sunday we went to my Mom's new place and had a BBQ with the family by the pool. We had an egg hunt and Gwyn would only take eggs within grabbing distance cause she din't like the grass on her legs. But they had goldfish in them so she caught on fast! We had egg races and a wonderful day.

It is nice to have family time and traditions. What a wonderful holiday...can't wait till Earth Day! Did I mention I loved holidays?

An Olympic Sport: Clothes Shopping with kids

I never go shopping anymore. I know my body and the stores/brands that fit-so I just order online. Who wants to try on clothes with two kids crawling on you? And my alone time or date time is so limited I don't want to spend it trying on clothes in unflattering lights worrying about whether these purchases are worth spending the limited funds we have for free spending. With that, I ordered my Easter dress online (I love a new spring dress-it's a tradition) and it is back-ordered until April 28th-which I found out today! SO, I dosed my teething/fever child with Tylenol and bribed my four year old with dinner at a fast food establishment and went shopping to one store within 5 minutes of my house. And there it was-A femine white and pink ensemble-shining like a beacon-AAAHHH! (choir with organ) I wanted to try it on because it is a junior's store (reference Annie) so we went in the dressing room. I set up the blanket with toys in front of the mirror and set to stripping. It looked cute and my four year old approved-at the top of her lungs. She was singing SOOO loud and I kept having to stop her from jumping or yelling or...acting like we were on a playground. Then while I am half dressed Gwyn crawled under the door and across the isle so fast I couldn't grab her. By the time I covered my boobs and got out she was gone! I got down on my knees and scanned...she was in another stall with another woman who was changing!!!! I knocked and the woman looked down...turned Gwyn around... and she crawled out. Good times. Then as we were checking out she started fever screaming cause she wanted the sparkly choking hazards at the register and just didn't understand why she didn't feel good. Agatha was complaining that this was just a Mommy store and where where all the clothes for her and why couldn't she get something sparkly and fancy and couldn't I just watcher do her ballet skip and...Whew-It is an Olympic sport! We did catch an Easter bunny on the way out and I had to pay for this moment cause I left home without my camera (shame on me). Gwyn was pointing and bouncing in the sling, she was so excited. She sat right down and poked and giggled at the big bunny. I think she wanted to take him home. Agatha, of course informed him that she knew he was just a person in a costume and that the REAL reason for Easter was that Jesus died on the cross and then rose from the dead and went to heaven so we could. I swear-she laid it all down-informing him that eggs and bunnies and chicks were just symbols for new life-like Spring and Jesus' new life and our new life in heaven! He just gave her a thumbs up.

Laundry, anyone?

Anyone want to come fold my 6 loads of clean laundry? I have a sick kid, learning records to write, Easter homeschooling to do, (and obviously time to waste blogging!), so this keeps getting pushed off. I think Aggie has been pulling undies out of this pile for three days! Ah, the memories I am instilling.

Easter has begun

Steve and Karen came over to watch LOST last night (frustrating episode for me-how many questions can my brain hold before it explodes?) and I was rushing around getting the last of my Easter decorations in place-3 days before Easter! The leap year and moon have made this a VERY early Easter and it won't happen again for 152 years! It definitely feels weird and rushed for a girl who loves holidays, homeschools and is married to a arts pastor. But, here we are!

Aggie had her Easter parade at preschool and we spent the whole morning doing room mom stuff at the school. She is so cute-her costume has "an egg on the front so it can hatch and a chick on the back that came out of the egg" I was informed. I love her mind.
Gwyn in teething or sick-I can't figure-but, she has had a fever for 3 days and this was her take on all the festivities.

We went to Eggstravaganza at the library with a homeschooling buddy. Aggie is so charismatic that all the librarians know her by name now! They did crafts, dyed eggs and ate cupcakes. Then Aggie read THREE readers with me while Gwyn played...and earned a reading certificate from the librarians. She was so proud and so am I-she is on the cusp of real, independent reading and we both feel the excitement!

St Pat's at the McIntyre's

We had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day with yummy Irish food (Adam made bangers and mash Sunday and I had a Ruben-cornbeef and cabbage-sandwich at Kilarney's on Monday) and lots of homeschooling about the story of St. Patrick (Agatha wrote a wonderful 3 sentence story about how he loved GOD, told people about God's love and used the shamrock to tell about God's 3 parts-I was impressed!). She finally can spell her last name on her own too-fitting with the holiday (McIntyre...Irish...just in case you didn't follow my rabbit trail). We spent the evening with the Reid family eating almost all green food, 4pt. (wieght watchers reference) cupcakes and letting the girls play. It was lovely. I am ordering Adam a kilt with the McIntyre tartan and next year he can wear it-that would make it REALLY lovely! :)

We had some homeschool friends over for graphing Lucky Charms marshmellos and it was great to see Agatha work in a group setting instead of just with me.
And went to Killarneys to see these awesome Irish dancers. Aggie of course wants to be one. I thought about it cause of the heritage point, but they announced that the costumes cost 300-5000 bucks! Shot that one down. I thought of Annie as I watched and hoped she danced a jig this holiday. We are going to see the Osbornes and Risingers next week! Ahhh...vacation. If Adam and I can just get there with all we have to do before Easter!

I love St Patrick's Day

I am so glad I married an Irishman cause now I can more justly claim St. Patrick's day. I even want to get Adam a kilt! I decorate with shamrocks everywhere (Aggie can recite the St. Patrick Shamrock metaphor of one God with three parts...and does so everywhere with anyone!), have children's books galore, do homeschool with Lucky Charms and know all the lore. I am kind of a holiday nut! If you want a email list of some fun kids activities-let me know and I will forward my composition for my homeschool families. But if you live in Riverside come on down to Kilarney's. Adam I went there for great date night tonight (both girls went successfully to my Mom's abode for the first time!). It was so fun and festive and they are having a Irish festival all day on Monday. It starts at 11 with Irish dancers and goes into the night. I hope to see you there...here is the poster.

Adam and I had so much fun giggling and flirting across the table. I love that we can still do that. Isn't he cute? I felt like we were young and free again-for three hours at least!