Month: May 2015

If it’s not already here, summer is so close I can feel it! Literally, it’s getting hot around here…

I’m working on my family’s diet. I’m trying to go all organic and antibiotic free. So far, so good. I think it’s actually going to be cheaper too! Let’s be honest, that’s a big factor . 

  
Love this hot weather, it sure tires the kids out! The hot nights do not make for good sleeping for Chris or I though. 

 
   

  

 Caidoc has become so confident. I’m so happy with his progress and he just seems like a happier dude. I am starting to need to socialize him more, it’s so good for him and he’s started asking for certain friends to come over sometimes. It’s so cute! But play dates can be a lot of work. I’m beginning to realize he’s more social than I am, and that I need to make sure he gets around little people more often. 

   

Zelie is a great playmate, but he does need people his own ish age. Zelie loves people too so all the more motivation . 

   

 It doesn’t take much either, just a couple times a week if he gets to play with his friends then his little social tank is full. It’s important for me to get him with other kids especially since he’s not in daycare or school and we don’t plan on having him in those. Soccer Saturday’s is a good opportunity for social time but it’s structured enough where I don’t think he really feels socialized. 

 
He is excelling in our school like crazy. I’m having a hard time keeping up honestly. He’s just learning so fast and some things I want to put more attention towards but finding the prep time is hard. Most people keep telling me, “it doesn’t take much, just keep reading to him” or “he doesn’t need all that curriculum stuff” . First off, rude. I wrote an entire curriculum because I know my son. Secondly, he loves challenges and I’m going to let him be challenged. I’m going to supply all the learning possibilities possible. As long as he loves it, I’m gonna foster it. 

  Zelie wants to be a grown up so bad. She just loves to do her “school” with Caidoc. Her independence and intelligence is amazing and surprising me daily. She just put together her first puzzle  and took out a pencil and paper all on her own to draw. I found her on the kitchen floor scribbling away. This girl doesn’t even walk yet! Little smarty pants. 

I completed my first evergreen trail run 10k. I was so nervous. But I’m super proud to say I rocked it. I ran it in 53 minutes. I came in like 25th or something. I also learned I do not photograph well during runs. 

 
This is at mile 3. I was trying to make a “I’m excited ” face. It just turned into a “IS SOMONE AFTER ME?! ” face. Oh well. Better luck next time 😉 

Speaking of next time. I kept telling Chris, “oh 10k will be the longest distance I ever run, blah blah blah”. Then last night I go, “so… I was thinking..” And Chris says “so when you running a half?” Haha, that man knows me way too well. 

My goal is to run the Dash Point half marathon trail run in early September. They also have a 10k so if I can’t reach my training goals I can always run the 10k. I don’t know why I’ve started this big running craze. My guess is that it keeps me sane, gives me personal goals, and keeps me healthy and strong. I really like feeling strong. 

Chris is running his mud run next weekend and I’m very excited for him. He also did the hot yoga sessions I did and I think it really helped him sleep better. Of course when I have these big running goals I always start to look for things for husband to do as well because I feel like he should get to have an outlet too. And if I don’t push him towards if he will never ask, he doesn’t  like to put more on my plate. It’s good for me to remember that he won’t ask for personal time and I need to remind him to take it, for all our sakes! 

 
I got new running shoes. I’m very excited. I felt like it was such a splurge. However, I am extremely glad I did. Turns out I’ve been running in shoes a size and a half too small and now have wide feet (thanks pregnancy) . That would explain the two fractured toes and constantly swollen feet… Duh 😳. I think that’s why I was able to rock the 10k so well, my feet felt like they were on clouds! Yay, for Brooks shoes! 

Summer is gonna fly by, I can already tell. We have lots of little family adventures planned like hikes and such but no big trips , after buying a house and starting Brock Soccer Academy and having a baby this past year, we are going to have a mellow next couple of years. That’s just fine with me. Traveling even a couple hours with the kids is hectic and exhausting. Plus! We have so many projects to complete around the house. Stay tuned for those 🙂 

Have a great weekend! 

After the last couple of weeks, I have been really looking forward to spending a week just taking care of the house, getting our schedule back on track, and decompressing. 

  
I schooled Caidoc all during the hectic times, which I knew were going to be hectic when I wrote the curriculum, so this week was a less intense week. We have been reviewing what we’ve learned so far and focusing on the concept of “opposites”. He. Is. So. Bright. I know it may seem like I’m just saying that because I’m his mom, but truly his desire to learn is so strong! I am so very glad I started schooling him so early. I had doubts that I was “robbing” his innocent childhood, but that hasn’t been the case at all. He’s eating it up and asking for mom, I can barely keep up! 

 
 

I’m fairly certain he will read early. So, to promote his strengths so that his love to learning will grow, I’ve committed to reading out loud to him as least a half and hour a day, not including meal times which he reads even more, just less focused. This doesn’t include all the time he spends reading on his own. 

On his birthday we took him to the aquarium. His party was the day before, and two days before that we were at the ocean with my MIL. Yea, it was all planned because that week was our ocean theme week! I don’t have any pictures of the aquarium because Chris and I just wanted to relax and engage with our kiddos so we left our phones at home 🙂 

But! I got some ocean pictures 🙂 

  
Caidoc loves the ocean. It’s so wonderful to be 15 minutes from it! 

 
He even waded up to his waist in all his clothes totally fearlessly! I think swimming lessons are in the docket 😉 I’ve been putting them off because he’s always been nervous around water but it seems like that’s changing haha! 

Besides school I’ve been working on my garden . 

 
I could write a whole post on the sad saga of my garden . But, we did eat a kale salad from my little garden last night! So there’s that. It’s a work in progress! 

I’ve also been madly training for the 10k I’m running this weekend. I feel prepared, as in I’ll be able to do the whole thing, but not in the time span I’m aiming for 😔 oh well! We will see ! I’m counting on adrenaline to help out. Cross your fingers for sunny skies! 

That’s all for now, cheers! 

We went on a hike for Mother’s Day which was really fun. Caidoc wasn’t super pleased about hiking but I think he was just tired . He hasn’t been sleeping well lately. None of us have!

Husband and I started hiking with the littles  because I think it does us all good to get out  and unplug. We made Sundays a “no electronics” day which meant no phones except for pictures. But, I found even the pictures are distracting and keep me from fully engaging . So we are now trying no phones at all all day Sunday.

I kept feeling like I was only half way paying attention to things around me. And I hate it. I feel like I’m so busy taking pictures of the kids so that I won’t forget what they are like at this sweet age, that I never even take time to enjoy the moment.

I think I’ve been feeling this way since I got a smart phone. All of maybe a month ago, and I already feel kinda trapped. Don’t get me wrong. I love it. It’s so helpful. Right now I’m blogging on it! But I did predict that I would get sucked into the non reality of it and sure enough- I feel like I did. My electronic flow is much brighter now. Which is a bad thing.

         I think I recognized it just in time. So I’m really putting strategies in place so I’m not the person who is sitting on their phone at a party, obsessing over their social media while at  an actual social event… I loathe nothing more than when someone whips out their phone in a group of people. Pictures are the exception.

I’m no angel I’ve done it, I know. But I don’t want to look back at a photo I’ve taken and not even remember the actual memory.

  I want to be more present with my kids. More focused. I don’t want them to remember me as always looking at my phone- because no matter the reason, no matter how noble, the reason will not be what they remember. I think it also shows them how to not be reliant on electronics themselves. I discovered that the more Caidoc see me read the more he reads.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m on my phone a lot. But I’m trying to limit it to when I’m nursing or naps or after bed time. There is nothing wrong with pictures or social media. I guess what I’m trying to work on the the habitual,almost addictive process of staring at a screen every ten second if even just to “take a cute picture” , or “check my steps” , or “comment on something real quick”. I guess I’m saying, I don’t need it. I can do all that in a focused ten minutes during nursing, then be done for the next couple hours.

  

Speaking of, my time is up 🙂 time to go grocery shopping and hopefully, pick up my head and notice the world around me, not the world that’s not.

Have to share this gorgeous gift I got for Mother’s Day. I LOVE THEM.

Thanks hubs!

When did my little boy get so big?! Ack! The time is flying. I’m so impressed and proud of the person he is becoming. He’s a smart as as whip, incredibly intuitive, and so very sweet.

This was the first time he actually asked for a particular type of party, which was of course, a “tow tee” party. If you don’t speak Caidoc that translates to a “Cars” party, tow tee referring to Mater , Caidoc’s favorite character.

I’m so happy with how his party turned out, much like Zelie’s it had been in the making for MONTHS. My super rad friend Brittany took pictures (totally free!) and really saved my bacon since I didn’t get very many good ones.

He requested a “tup take!” Rather than a big cake. And “beu” candles since blue is his favorite color of course 🙂

  Although not typical to do a board like this for a birthday other than a “first birthday” I am SO GLAD I did! Because I got to “interview” Caidoc to get all the answers and oh. My. Gosh. It was the sweetest experience.

For example:

“Caidoc, what do you want to be when you grow up? ”

“A daddy. Wit a beard”

❤️
  The table looks bare but that’s because this was where the presents were suppose to go, however, it proved to be a little too low for curious hands 🙂

Like Zelie’s party, I made 90% of the decorations. I print everything at the library and cut it myself.

I used the same recipe for cupcakes as Zelie’s party but went with a cream cheese frosting instead of the marshmallow. Yum.

Busy boys in the sandbox! It was a big hit to have that open for the party.

 I splurged on this sign because it was so “on theme”. I’m planning on re selling it to recoup some of the cost… Which was like $15 so I really can’t complain haha! Loved those little “speed limit 3” signs, too cute!

    Zelie trying out the new swing set! We rushed to get this up in time for the party because it wasn’t delivered to the store on time. I’m so glad we did! It kept all the littles really busy.

We are so lucky to have such a fun space to decorate!

Since Caidoc is getting a little older I wanted to try having an activity for the party so I went with a loosely structured water balloon toss. It was a huge hit. The perfect amount of fun without totally pandemonium aka no tears!

  Ah, sweet victory 🙂

The loot! Caidoc has such generous and thoughtful friends – he made quite a haul.

He’s growing up much too fast.

Some of his buddies! He’s known these guys for a couple years now!

 

 Much to the parents dismay, I’m sure, I had gift bags full of candy for the kids to take home.  Hey, ya only turn 3 once 🙂 I think it helped most of it was hard candy which I think little kids don’t like. It just looks pretty 🙂 
Our May birthdays are over! Such fun!

Like I promised, here is the first installment of the our kids’ birthdays! Boy, May is a busy month for us! But a very fun one 🙂
  

   
  
Our darling, sweet Azèlie Eloise turned ONE! We had a party a week early since we had to fit in Caidoc’s as well (birthday’s two days apart makes for interesting logistics). I planned, and planned, and planned this party. I decided on a Sweet Shoppe theme, since she is our little sweetie 🙂 And I think it went really well. Most of the decorations I made in the most economical way I could find. My sister in law took pictures so I can show you all the neat details.

I can’t believe my baby is one. With Caidoc’s first birthday, I felt like I had finally made it to some sort of finish line, like I the hardest part was over (HA!). But with Zelie, it just left like her babyhood blazed by, and I could barely remember her infancy! It made me a little sad. But, I suppose that is the way it is with a rambunctious toddler running around and the busy year we had. ANYWAYS! I digress.

I wish I had gotten some pictures of the other banners I made, they were hard work but totally paid off and were super cute. I’m sure they will show up at other parties 🙂 But all in all I think the party was a big hit and I was able to keep costs relatively low, although, how often does our precious little lady turn ONE after all, and can one really put a price tag one the cuteness? I think not.

Cheers!

 

This chair was made by her pop-pop! Turned out to be a perfect photo prop. 

My sweet beautiful girl

In all her frills! 

Princess Zelie on her throne with her lollipop scepter. 

 

Baby Addie 🙂 

Some of our awesome and supportive friends (my brother far left)

 

Another brother and my sister

Handsome Caidoc couldn’t get enough of the bubble machine 🙂

Pink toes! I mean, what’s a birthday party without painted toes?

Trying out that walking! (she can walk, she just choses not to, like any good princess, why walk when one can be carried, right?)

Husband and baby Alex! She’s such a cutie!
Pop-pop and Zelie munching blueberries.

It’s not a party without a funny face cameo from my bro. He’s got the hots for the photographer 😉

reaching high, she wants those balloons!
Oh hey, it’s me! It was lovely to see all the months of planning and party prep take shape. 

Cupcake time! This little one year old went right for it!! “What is this mom?”

“Whatever it is its DELICIOUS! “ This photo probably sums up Zelie’s personality the best, haha! “MORE! ALL IN MY FACE! NOM NOM NOM!” Um, die of cuteness much?! Finally got a balloonOh dad I love you here have some!
Daddy’s girl! Scrub scrub, must get clean for present opening Cutest outfit, and just happened to fit the theme! Love it. It’s an Amazon find. Cousin Jack! All the glorious pudge Caidoc and cousin Macie, being so patient and not unwrapping presents for Zelie. I was so impressed! “CLOTHES! I LOVE FANCY CLOTHES!!!” “MORE CLOTHES?! I LOVE IT!!!” Seriously, she like, LOVES cute clothes. “here gramma, lemme just taste this first”

My darling, my perfect, my sweet, my Zelie belle!I love you so much baby girl.

 

Happy birthday you silly girl, you! You are so loved. 

 

The Best Is Yet To Come.

 

We spent all Saturday morning and afternoon cleaning and doing yard prep for the birthdays coming up so we needed to get out of the house on Sunday.

Husband and I have been wanting to start hiking with the kids but we were wary of how they would take it. But, we bit the bullet and it went great. We will probably invest in a good backpack for Zelie but other than than that we had a ton of fun. Caidoc hiked almost the whole way by himself. We were pretty proud. He wanted to keep going to Zelie started to get annoyed by the pack and wanted to get down and wiggle. I think we might try and go during her morning nap next time so she’s not so antsy and more willing to be placid for awhile.