In The Picture.

 Those of you who are long time readers know that the LM and I spend quite a bit of solo time together.  I hate to say it, but it's  probably more than Gray and I do, strictly because I somehow became the de facto parent when it comes to athletics around here.  This means I'm the one who drives for hours, and hours, and hours to take him skiing or stating, and while most of the time I love it, there are times that it can be pretty exhausting, especially when we reach our destination and it turns out that the LM is not having it that day.  "But we just drove 2 hours, I say," shaking my hands in the air.  "Nope," is his usual response followed by a few hours of begging, cheering, and tears.  Luckily, this is not the norm, and without question my greatest memories of his childhood will always lie in some freezing cold skatepark in the middle of nowhere, or on the slopes, trying to play catch up as my 6 year old bombs down the mountain.  

A few years ago, when I was feeling a little defeated, wondering if I was more of a stage mom, than a motivator, a friend of mine whose mother had passed when he was in his teens, texted me to let me know that his greatest memory of his mother was her cheering him on and watching him skate. In that moment, that was the most beautiful thing that someone had ever told me, and it most definitely what   I have tried to focus on while driving though blizzards, sitting in traffic, and basically freezing my ass off, while plying my kid with Cheetos and Gatorade... just to keep him going.  The LM is definitely appreciative of my efforts, more so when I bring a friend of his, but until a few weeks ago I never really knew what our weekends actually meant to him.  Without knowing it, one little journal entry was the greatest gift anyone has ever given me, and since that day when talk of whether or not I should take him somewhere comes up, it is now me who quickly raises my hand and says "me, me, me"

You can click to enlarge, but it says that his dream for the future is to be a pro skater, and over to the right that's me IN the picture.  I can hardly even look at it without tearing up, and I wonder if he actually knows that me standing there in his dream future cheering him on is also MY dream for the future as well, but either way, I'm there and that's all that matters. 

Ventana- I Want To Go Back There!

We're back, and even though we had an incredible trip, coming home is always one of the best parts of leaving.  There is nothing better than that moment when you walk in and see your kid's eyes light up, seconds before they envelop you in the greatest hug ever known to man. Believe me, these days it is very rare to get that kind of reception when either of us walks through the door. Our transition home has been seamless, but that was largely due to the incredible job that my in-laws did, holding this place together while we were gone. Seriously, they should rent out their services... they would make a killing! The biggest surprise has been, that so far, we haven't "payed" for our trip.

 Usually, the kids are always a bit off the week after we get back, sometimes wired, sometimes moody, usually clingy, but this time back it's been business as usual. Actually, it's been way BETTER than usual. Before I left the kids and I were in some kind of downward cycle. With all the cold weather and the holidays, we were spending a LOT of time together, and pretty much just driving each other crazy. Now, after a week away, we all remembered what we liked about the other, and no joke, I haven't had to raise my voice once, and the two have really been on their best behavior. I'm not holding my breath, but man it would be a awesome bonus if this nice, calm household was here to stay. 

The only downside of being back home is that I've had to face the fact, again, that I live in Boston,  it's February, and it's snowing. Long gone are the sunny days we spent walking around San Francisco, which were only surpassed by the the lazying around we did while we were in Big Sur. I know it wasn't even 3 days ago, but right now it feels like it was already last year! 

I have to tell you, we stayed at the most magical place for the end of our trip, Ventana, and I really couldn't have dreamt of better place to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. As we were pulling away, we both said they we absolutely want to go back there... tomorrow would be nice! Imagine the most peaceful place you possibly can, throw in the most insane mountain views you have ever seen, ocean views as far as the eye can see, and sprinkle on Redwood trees as high as skyscrapers. Throw in in a Japanese bath, an in room fireplace, some deer, and more wine than you can drink and you have Ventana. Yes, it was that good. I wouldn't believe me either, so here are a few pictures to back up my story.

{the deer that would cross our path throughout the day}

The only thing it doesn't have? My kiddos. 7 days is the longest I can go without seeing their sweet little faces. Well, until next year at least. 

How Adventurous Are You?

 I always liked to think of myself as a free spirit, someone who colors a little bit outside the lines.  But, the truth is, I pretty much live and die by my routines and I am not one who handles change very easily.  I've made a few big decisions in my life, the first being moving to California when I was in High School, and the second was moving to the East Coast for Law School. At the time they didn't really seem that big, and both were ultimately changes for the better.  Now, I am very settled in my life, and even though every day is a page out of the movie Groundhog's Day, I am perfectly happy, and content living my day to day routine. If it was up to me, I'd probably live here, in the same town until Gray graduates, not changing a thing about my life.  Well, since I'm married, it isn't all up to me, and from the beginning I knew that "someday" we would probably have to move to further my husband's career. That "day" has come and gone so many times, and up until now the conversation has always been would the move be to Northern or Southern California. Lately, however, discussions have shifted, and the dialog has me seriously questioning how adventurous I really am. 

As I've mentioned before, my husband grew up in Switzerland, and my kids are both Swiss. Since I've met him, my other half has always talked about moving back to the "motherland"and recently we have been seriously considering whether it would be an option for us to move over there. Whew, I said it out loud. Just so my best friend doesn't have a heart attack, the big move probably wouldn't be for another 5 years or so, but the idea of even considering such a move really has had my head spinning. 

Up until now, my main hesitation outside of what it will mean for me (meaning how can I live without my family and friends) and what it would mean for the kids. I can tell you right now, I love their primary school so much, that I can't stomach the idea of pulling them out of that environment, especially since Gray hasn't even had a chance to benefit from such an amazing school. Any time the topic of moving to Europe has been brought up, it has just as quickly been shut down with, "talk to me when it's time for High School." Well, my crafty husband did a little research, and would't you know it, there is a very similar American school, in a picturesque little town, exactly where he wants to live. We thought it would be ridiculously expensive, but wouldn't you know it the darn thing is actually cheaper. After this revelation the list of my reasons for not moving just got a lot smaller. 

Again, this is all superficial conversation, and no one is going anywhere yet, but I have to admit the prospect is gaining some traction around here. I mean, it is Europe!!! If we moved there the boys would have such an incredible life, with the Alps in their back yard. Paris, Italy... the world at their fingertips (or a few hours by train) and socially/ politically the kind of environment we dream of them growing up in. No mass shootings, reasonable gun control, the kind of place where you don't have to worry about them playing in the yard or walking to school by themselves. This really is the dream, isn't it? Sure, maybe not for everyone, but I'm starting to see that this may be our dream. 

I'm still not sure what this all would mean for me as an individual, but it would be one hell of an adventure. I can't even put in to words how much I would miss this life of mine, but with a six hour direct flight from Boston,  I'm pretty sure I could negotiate more than a few visits back each year, and really, who would't want to visit us if we were living in a town that looks like this?

Gorgeous, right?

I would LOVE to hear from any of you who have ever lived abroad... especially with little kids. Was it difficult to assimilate? I hear that most Americans who move out of the country naturally gravitate to other Americans. Is that true? The few times I've been to Switzerland I was in awe of its beauty, but put off by the rigidness of some of the people I met who lived there.  I wonder if I would ever get over that, or if I would change to adapt?  Serious food for thought over here. 

This one is go down as a to be continued...

Can These People Please Adopt Me?

 Okay, I like to think that I have a "fun" family. Some nights we blast gangster rap and ALL of us dance in our living room. Some mornings we eat cookies for breakfast with a frosting chaser, and on the weekends we often play musical beds, so everyone gets a chance to sleep with everyone else.

That's fun… right?  

Well, clearly we don't know what fun is, because after seeing this video, I've now seen the light, and I'm pretty sure this family may be having a little more "fun" than we are. You guys have to watch this!

The bar has seriously been raised, friends. Now, where do I find some of those awesome Christmas jammies!?!?

Unplugging.

 

This video has been making its way around the Internet, and after watching it I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. I know I am so guilty of a number of these, and admittedly, I am the first to whip out my phone to capture any and every moment with my little ones, which in turn I send to Dad, family members, post to Instagram, Facebook... you know the drill. That's the great thing about technology, it makes it easy to feel connected to those around you, and it has absolutely changed the way we all communicate and stay in touch, but that all comes at a cost and we end up having a closer connection to our phone, than we do to those around us. 

While we might be documenting a memory to share years down the road, we are also documenting the minutia, instead of actually experiencing it. I have some 2,000 pictures and videos on my phone alone, all of just my kids, and probably 90% of that is something I will really never look at again. Don't even get me started on the compulsion to refresh my Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest feeds. I saw on 60 Minutes, that each time you get a new piece of information, your brain lets out a small amount of endorphins, which is why scrolling through feeds is so addictive. I can say there are times I will be looking at my news feed, and it hits me that I just did the exact same thing two minutes ago. What could have possibly changed in two minutes? Nothing. Nothing at all. Yet, there I am, mindlessly doing it. 

I think it's all about finding a personal balance, and for me this is something that has been on my mind for the past few months. I've been trying really hard to leave my phone behind when I know I won't need to be reached, and even when I have it, I've been making it more difficult to reach for on auto pilot by putting it in the back seat, or zipping it into a concealed compartment in my bag. I've also deleted all games, and unnecessary apps, and put a lock on my home screen. I'm this close to deleting Facebook and Pinterest, thereby forcing me to wait until I get home to see my latest "news." When I am home, I try to leave my phone in the charging station, out of reach, with the volume on so I only pick it up when someone is trying to get ahold of me. These are small things, but together they have definitely helped me to decrease my own screen time, and do some very necessary unplugging. 

What about you all? I'd be interested to know your feeling on this, and what you do to avoid the trappings of the smart phone. Isn't that video so powerful? Good stuff. 

Point of View.

 The other day, thanks to a friend the LM skates with, I was able to get a glimpse of what it's like to be a six year old skater. Seeing things from his point of view was a wow moment for me. 

It's almost like he is an artist, and the park is his canvas. What a cool feeling that must be. Even though he sometimes drives me insane, I sure do love being this kid's mom. 

Our Favorite Children's Books.

 Around the time school started, something magical happened in our house. At night, after dinner and baths, BOTH of our kids decided that they wanted nothing more than to sit and read books on the sofa with us. Usually for as long as we are willing to do so. Prior to the birth of Gray, this was something we did every night, but I have to admit that this tradition got lost in the mix the two years that followed.

 Until recently, most nights I would climb in bed with the LM and read to him, while my husband would try to corral Gray long enough for us to get through at least a book or two. Sure we would "read" to Gray, but I have to be honest, he was usually happier throwing the book than listening to it, and any books that he would want to read were too "baby" for the LM (his words, of course.)

 Over the Summer I did a large book and toy purge, while prepping the boy's room for the makeover, and I tried to pull out all the books that the LM really, really loved for the past few years. It's not surprising that Gray too started to love these books, and by having his old favorites on hand, the LM has become incredibly excited about sharing these with his baby brother. Sure, we still try to sneak in our Harry Potter time, but most nights I let each boy pick out one book, and then we all decide on one book together (usually a new library book.) I've noticed a trend over the last few weeks, that the boys tend to gravitate to books in the same series over and over. Some of it has to do with the content (trucks, superheros, etc) but more so I think it has to do with the fact that these are just really good books. I never tire of reading them, and the boys rarely tire of hearing them. For you seasoned parents out there, most of these will not some as a surprise, but for you newbies, or those looking for gifts, here are the book series that get 4 thumbs up from my little guys (mom and dad too.)

Awesome Man is by far the LM's most favorite book. The second in the series Bumblebee Boy is great for those with siblings!

From day one, any and every Leslie Patricelli book has been a hit in our house. I'm pretty sure we own every book she's ever written. Yummy Yucky has to be the house favorite, followed closely by No No. Yes Yes. Gray probably asks to read it no less than 15 times a day!

I Stink is a story about a garbage truck. I'm not exactly sure what the allure is, but every kid I know who's read it, loves it. There are two other books in the series I'm Mighty and I'm Dirty.

Knuffle Bunny is by far my favorite children's book EVER. So is pretty much every other Mo Willems book, but Knuffle Bunny takes the cake. There are three book in the series, and we usually have to read them all once we get started. I still get teary at the end of book three!

I have to say I will buy any and every book that Todd Parr writes. The man is a genius when it comes to explaining "big" things to children in a way they can easily comprehend. The Family Book is forever on the top of my reading list, followed closely by The Earth Book. If you have yet to crack open this series, I say run to your local library now!

What about you all? Do you have any books your kids can't get enough of? I'd love to hear!

School Daze.

 

Today is the day I've been waiting for, the last two years. From 1-4pm this afternoon BOTH my kids will be in school. Ahhhhhh just the sound of that is so heavenly. Cue the chirping of the birds, the twinkling of the pond, the Disney fairy princess singing as she walks through the garden. This is IT! Three completely guilt free hours to myself. 

Right? 

Well, sort of. Thing one woke up this morning not too psyched on the idea of having to go to school when it is so nice out, and when I even mention school to thing two I get, "no school, mama" in return. This is always his mantra, so it's nothing new, and I know he will do great, but still, it would be really nice if everyone could just skip out the door with their backpacks and give a little wave as they cross the street to their neighborhood school. Since this is real life, and not a Disney movie, we all know things are never that easy, and even though our carpool has changed my life DRAMATICALLY, commuting to two separate schools at two separate times still has its challenges. 

However, don't think I'm going to let a little separation anxiety, and traffic hatred get me down. I already have my manicure/ pedicure booked, and I plan on sitting in the AC for three glorious hours getting pampered while I work on my book with wine okay, iced coffee in hand. I will do my best to forget the crying squishy face that Gray will give me as I walk out his classroom door, and not even think about what my 5pm commute is going to be like when I go pick up the LM. Nope, I'm not going to let any of that get me down because I have waited for this day for 750 days, so damn right I am going to enjoy it. 

For those of you going through the whole school separation thing, for the first time, I found this post to be pretty helpful, and very true from my own experience. I can tell you when the LM first started preschool at the age of 2, I was sick about walking out while he was still crying, and would often hide around the corner for a half hour until I knew he was settled. Of course, now with child number two, I've treated it like a band-aid and try to get out as soon as possible, without leaving a mark, and get as far away from the school as I can... rip that baby off! 

I realize that in 10 years I'm going to be reading this, dying for my boys to be home from school, so we can hit the beach on such a beautiful Summer day. But for today, there is nothing more exciting than the prospect of having a few guilt free hours to myself. Anyone want to join me? :)

Back in the Saddle.

Yesterday was the LM's first "real" day in school, and 56 hours later I have yet to recover. For the past few years his school day has started between 8:45-9:15, and it took us a whopping 10 minutes door to door. Now he HAS to be at school no later than 7:45 and even though his campus is less than 5 miles away, with traffic it can take up to 30+ minutes. Talk about a change in routine.

 I thought I was ready for it. I made these sweet potato muffins the night before, so I wouldn't have to worry about breakfast, and had everyones' clothes laid out. I woke up on time and instead of lazily browsing my latest Pins, I literally jumped out of bed and sprung in to action. We were out the door on time, and if it hadn't been for a last minute coffee stop that should have taken no more than "a minute" (famous last words) we would have nailed the morning run. After patting myself on the back, I very quickly realized that getting to school was only half the battle. We still had to drive back home in bumper to bumper traffic, and with a two year old in the back, who was pulled from his crib to a car seat, let's just say this was not the most pleasant of morning commutes. The worst part of it all, is that by the time we arrived back home, it was only 8:30! 

Now, I realize that if you have to be to work of somewhere else, at this time you declare #winning, but if you have nothing to do but stare in to the eyes of your cranky toddler than you are most definitely losing, and you're probably feeling very happy that you stopped for that coffee. To add insult to injury, the LM had a half day, so we turned around 3 hours later and did the whole thing all over again. When we got home at 12:30 I felt like I had already run a marathon. We had lunch, I put Gray down, and then the LM and I departed for his afternoon skate lesson which is 45 miles away. 12 hours after we left the house in the morning, we returned for dinner and baths, and let me tell you, I felt like I had been run over. Can you say OVER SCHEDULED? 

Certainly this type of commuting isn't abnormal, and I know we aren't the first or the last to have days like this, but having had things fairly easy for so long, this was most definitely a shock to the system. This morning when I looked in the rear view mirror I found exactly 14 gray hairs, and I swear they weren't there yesterday. I blame the traffic on the Mass Pike for those babies. 

Today, I woke up in a panic, thinking we had overslept, before I realized that today was a holiday, and we wouldn't have to do what had been dubbed the 'drive of death,' but I'm not sure if I can say I was relieved, because I really think we just need to do it over and over so we can get used to it. Like exercise, or sleep deprivation, or juice cleanses. Don't I make parenting sound so appealing? 

Thinking back, I do recall the beginning of every school year having its ups and downs. Coming off of a long summer, with late bedtimes, and lazy mornings, makes that alarm seem just a little bit louder than it used to be, and I'm sure by October we are going to be old hands at this. Next week our carpool is hopefully kicking in, which will make Gray one happy camper and I'm sure driving at 7 and 4, will be a lot less painful than 7 and 11, when we finally get a full day. At least I hope this will be the case. 

After yesterday, I'm starting to get a glimpse in to why people say having big kids can be more time consuming than littles. It's because all of a sudden you spend your life in the car, which means nothing else can really get done. School, sports, play dates, birthday parties... etc. We are entering a whole new realm of life, and last night you can bet I thanked my husband for my satellite radio (I have a new/old obsession with Ryan Seacrest... oh the shame) and my heated seats (which will be in full use in T-minus 3 weeks.) 

I know it's only 3 LONG short years until the boys will be in school together, and my days will again be mine, but I have a feeling that until then, we are going to be in for a lot more days like yesterday. Which means I'm going to seriously need to invest in a good coffee machine. and you can bet the whole "no Ipad on the way to school" rule has gone straight out the window. Cut to me downloading every season of Calliou and Lego Chima as a type.

Tomorrow is a new day... This time I'll be ready. I think. 

P.S. I forgot to add that in the end, the LM had an AWESOME first day of kindergarten, and the skate session of his life, so really the day goes down as a win... even if it mans I was comatose by 9:30. 

The Teacher and The Student.

 In my attempt to stay relevant to my little skate rats, you all know that I have decided to take up skateboarding. I quickly have learned that 1) my kid makes it look easy, 2) it is really hard, and 3) grown women look really really awkward when they are learning. I discovered the last one by looking at videos that the LM loves to take of me, to show me how proud he is my effort. You all are about to learn number three, for yourselves, and all I ask, is that when you see me around town, that you don't laugh at me... for too long ;). My skate career seems to just be beginning, because the LM loves skating with "skater mom" so much, I swear I will do this as long as he will let me, or until I break something. 

Here is the teacher.

... and his goofy student.

Those videos were taken a few weeks ago, and since then, the LM has again progressed with his skating. This video is from last weekend.

I tell you what, I'm afraid to see what this kid will attempt when he's 6! All I can say, is that I am NEVER trying that!

Big News! (In Our House)

 Someone lost his first tooth yesterday! In case you forgot what it is like, this is a VERY big deal for a little kid. We have been on "tooth watch" for about 2 weeks now, and much to his delight, the tooth popped out while he was in school yesterday, doing yoga. He came out of down dog, looked down, and boom! there was the tooth. Apparently, this became the talk of the school, which tickled the LM beyond. Last night the very generous tooth fairy came, and someone is 10 dollars richer today! That sweet little fairy even left some fairy dust behind, on the bills, that looks remarkably similar to spray glitter. She sure is a crafty one. ;)

Back with more later...

Over The Weekend...

 Over the weekend...

LM: Mom, did you know that I am really, really brave? I am only scared of two things in this whole world.
Me: Really? Wow, you are brave! I'm afraid of a lot more than that (snakes being at the top of the list.) What are the two things you are afraid of?
LM: Dying, and waking you up early.
Me: Oh sweetie, you don't have to be scared of dying.
LM: What about waking you up?
Me: It's okay to have one thing you are afraid of. That seems like a good one. 

In my defense, one needs to be fully rested before dealing with these two ANIMALS all day. It's only fair ;)

Prep.

 If you had asked me two years ago, where our kids would be attending school k-12, I would have undoubtedly said, "the public school around the corner." After all, this is why we chose the neighborhood that we did, and ultimately why we bought our home. We had no problem investing in a private early education, but we figured that by the time the LM was 5, he would be more than ready for  a traditional kindergarten program. It's important to point out, as well, that my husband and I are huge proponents of public school. We both were in public school k-12 (my husband actually deviated for a year in his youth, hated it, and found himself back in the local school the next year), and both went to public universities for undergraduate, and graduate school. We are the first people to say that there really isn't that much of an advantage of private over public, and as an adult, it is so obvious that where you went to school makes no difference, once you actually secure a job. 

I feel like it's important to give you that background, so you understand why it was such a difficult decision when we ultimately concluded that we would only be seeking independent schools for our children. We actually felt as though this decision was somewhat forced upon us, when the school system in our town was unwilling to consider students on an individual basis (specifically our LM) and instead relying on set policy when dealing with issues of enrollment and placement. Basically, our little dude was born 6 days prior to the Sept 1 cut off for kindergarten, on the advice of his pre-school, which he had attended for 4 years, and our observations at home, everyone was unified in the belief that he would benefit astronomically by delaying kindergarten for a year. I've learned that this is a common issue for a lot of late summer, high energy kids, and more often than not, it is boys who end up having problems, not right away but often down the line, simply due to the fact that they weren't emotionally ready to begin school when they did. When it was time to apply to kindergarten last year, we brought these concerns up to our local school contact, we were told that even though it was 6 days, under a week, the LM would have to begin kindergarten at age 5. Funny enough if he had been born in April, he would have qualified for two years of kindergarten, but since he was three moths past, they felt he was "ready" having never laid eyes on him. 

We took this news in stride, and decided that we would keep our guy in private kindergarten at his current school, hoping there he would get the preparedness he would need, and then we would move him to public school in first grade. Sounds great, right? Wrong. Turns out the lottery is only available for the entering kindergarten class. Not only would we not get to pick a top three, we basically would get whatever was left at the bottom, and in our town, everyone supports and shoots for the same 4 schools, and gone would even be the chance of him attending a school anywhere near our home, and his playmates. So much for community, right? 

This is why, last year, we made the decision that we consider looking at independent schools for our kids. Recognizing that this is, of course, a luxury to make this decision, it still wasn't one entered in to lightly. Financially, and emotionally the cost is high. We realized that there were some choices that we would need to make, simply to foot the bill, and ultimately there would be sacrifices that made in all areas of our lives. The fact that the public system refused to even consider what would be right FOR OUR OWN CHILD, and instead talked about rules and guidelines, made our decision pretty easy. Finding the right school, would prove to be more difficult.

We started our search by looking at independent schools that truly prided themselves on making the most diverse and unique student population. These were of course the most liberal schools in town, and that worked just fine for us, given our left of the left political leanings. I was very disappointed last year when we were turned down by a school that we truly fell in love with, and learned this year after applying again, that it was because our LM wasn't able to help fill their diversity quota. In short, he was a boy... and they had enough of those. 

That realization was a hard one for us. Here we were, willing to do anything to find the right "fit" for our little guy, and it seemed like almost a game, public, private, independent, blah, blah, everyone seemed to be following some sort of script, and with the competition so high for spots, I really felt so defeated. In the end, the LM stayed where he was, and his school WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, in delaying kindergarten. Our little guy was given a year where he could be the leader, he could mature in  his body, and he was given the time he needed to discover more about who he is, and what he likes. Oh, and he found skateboarding, which has done more for his focus and maturity, than any school could .

Which brings us to this year. This year, having already decided that we were only going to apply to independent schools, we decided to cast a wide net, and not be limited by the overwhelming amount of applications, interviews, follow-up interviews, group interviews, and really commit to finding a school that we thought would be the right fit for our kids. Along with the trio of liberal leaning schools we had heard about, we also looked at a few all boys schools in the area. I know, I know, this is the opposite of diverse and liberal, but after hearing this talk a few years back, from Michael Thompson (the guru) I felt as though we owed it to our boys to have a look. I'm sure you all know where this is going. 

Much to my surprise, when it came down to decision time, there I was, pacing the floor during our romantic vacation, hoping that one of the two, all boys, jacket and tie required schools, would be accepting our little skater dude, with parents that verge on hippies with no religious affiliation. We got both our first choices, and funny enough, the schools that we actually were accepted to, were the ones that are the more conservative boys schools, and not the more liberal leaning ones, that we felt were the most like "us." It just goes to show, you never know what you are going to be drawn too, and unlike last year where we felt like no one was going to be able to give our child the education he deserved. This year, we feel 100% confident that our little guy is going to be starting his education, in the most perfect place for him.

Now, I know what you are thinking. Jacket, tie... how is that going to work for a kid who likes to skate, paint his fingernails, and has more swag than his father and I combined? After letting him pick through a box of clothes I got for him during crew cuts big sale last week, let's just say I'm not concerned in the slightest.

Behold Little Man 2.0

I know kindergarten is just the tip of the iceberg, but I can't tell you what a relief it is, that my little guy is going to be in a place, that we all love, that loved him back, for the next 10 years. I am so glad that we stuck it out, focusing solely on what is best for our child, ignoring what everyone else thought would work for him. Through this whole process, my husband and I were given our own, unexpected education, regarding being and advocate for your child, and standing strong in the knowledge that you know your kid better than anyone else.

P.S. Here he is on his first day of school, age 2. I can't believe it, but even then he was wearing his beloved vans! I guess he was destined to be a skater boy!

Weekend Links.

  Hello friends, sorry for the lack of posting this week. WE decided to act like grown-ups and hired a financial advisor at the same time that we are in the middle of a refinance, which means that I (me, and me alone) was in charge of finding 1,000,000,000 documents so that everyone would have what they needed. I pride myself on keeping everything, but locating it was a completely different adventure. That coupled with the 1,000 passwords that we needed to remember to access everything.... well you get the idea. I quickly learned that me + paperwork + deadlines would NEVER work, and my new fear in life would be waking up tomorrow... as an accountant. Eek. Thank goodness there are people out there who can handle that!

Anyway, the weekend is now upon us, and we are smack in the middle of what we like to call "family fun time." It started with a visit to Chuck E. Cheese, where we spent the morning looking for every strain of the flu in Boston (kidding, I hope) and we are ending it with a date ALONE to celebrate our anniversary. We aren't like most people, and our idea of a dream date involves a movie! My sister is babysitting, and we figured we could, and do, go to nice dinners all the time, but when can we go to dinner AND a movie? Never. Seriously, the last time must have been 6 years ago. So tonight we are grabbing sushi, and going to see something super romantic; Zero Dark Thirty. I'm actually really really excited. This date is second only to waking up and doing nothing for 4 hours but reading the New York Times in bed... just like the old days. Remember those mornings? Sigh.

Ah, well, c'est la vie! I hope you all have something wonderful planned this weekend. We have a warm front coming our way, and I can assure you, that tomorrow, the boys and I will be spending as much time as we possibly can in the 60!!!!!!! degree weather. If you have nothing planned, might I suggest a flu shot? I have to say, not to get one at this point seems borderline crrrraaaazzzyyy!

Here are a few links for those of you who will be lounging in bed tomorrow. Lucky bastards ;)

This oral history of Good Will Hunting is fascinating! What geniuses those boys really were/ are.

My new haircut looks exactly like this, and I LOVE it! I don't think I will ever go back to my long, long hair again!

After seeing this pin, I can't stop dreaming of these shoes. Gah!

We had a couple of these moments this week. I would sincerely like to apologize to my parents. 

Other than my rings, I am not a jewelry girl, yet I am kind of obsessed with these earrings. 

This year I am all about getting REALLY organized. I may start with cleaning the sofa. This tutorial is AWESOME!

Considering we go to about 50 birthday parties a year, I would love to make a bunch of these. Such a great gift. 

... and of course wrap the Lego's like this. So sweet!

Ever since I got back from NYC, I have been wanting to wear only clean lines... and black. How understated and stylish is this look?

As a former Cali girl, I HAVE to put this is my room. It is perfect!

I hate being such a stereotype, but this is spot on.

My SIL and I discuss this all the time! I would be a terrible dater in this day in age!

This is great, the TED talk equally so. Show this to all your daughters. (the line about the Senator is priceless)

Considering that Gray doesn't move without the promise of a pretzel, I was so happy to read that I'm not the only one who uses what I deem "harmless bribery" to get through the day!

P.S. Rag and Bone in Boston is having a huge in store sale. I was in the other day to exchange a sweater for my hubby and my heart almost stopped. 

Happy Saturday!

Random Randomness.

 I didn't realize it until my mom texted me last night, but apparently The Bachelor is back. Normally I would be like, "yay Monday nights are back on," and instead I'm meh. I think the Ben, Ashley, Emily disasters have cheapened the show for me (as if that's even possible) but that coupled with the fact that the main man is a blond, and as a blond I'm ashamed to say, blonde's just don't do it for me. That being said, you know I'm going to find my way to my DVR this week, so there is still hope for some Bachelor talk around here. HOWEVER, speaking of men that I do find over the moon attractive, I jumped so high I almost hit the ceiling when my hubby told me that Californication is coming back next week. Cue my renewed Karen obsession, and incessant talk about David Duchovny (swoon, double swoon, swoon again.)

Since we are talking about all things delicious, I have to tell you that I can't stop thinking about this mushroom pasta that I had at the restaurant L'Artusi, while in NYC over the weekend. It honestly is the best thing that I have ever tasted. Ever. I'm trying to sort of recreate it tonight, using this recipe, but topping it with Ricotta Salata vs Parmesan. I can only hope it is 1/10th as good as the original. If you ever in the area you HAVE to try this restaurant!

Oh, and don't even get me started on our weekend in New York. I've been to the city quite a few times now, and after staying with a friend in TriBeCa, I could finally envision raising kids there. That part of town is so family friendly, and kid oriented, my mind was literally blown. Our kids spent their days scooting up and down the empty sidewalks, hanging at the park and skate park, and eating very very well with our first trip to Shake Shack, and dinner at a place when they were served by "real" Ninjas. The Little Man hasn't stopped talking about it ever since! Beyond the amaziness of the city, and of course spending time with friends, my trip was made when we learned that Gray + a pack n play + a dark bathroom = 14 hours!!!!!! of sleep a night. Houston, I believe we have a traveler, which means things are about to get global. Fast.

Which leads me to travel. I did tell you this was random randomness, right? So, as you know, my husband and I have been planning a trip to Chile for quite some time now. I'd like to say a year, but really this has been in the works for as long as I can remember. We had been emailing a surf touring company that we wanted to use, and they were taking forever to get back to us. We started trying to map out the trip on our own, and were getting overwhelmed. Christmas, we began thinking of a totally different trip, to the Maldives, and were soon planning a week long boat trip cruising around uncharted surf destinations. And then we got real. Actually, my husband did. Obviously, we have all been affected by the Newtown tragedy, and for us it made us realize there there is no way we can be halfway around the world, without our boys. If they get sick, we just can't be floating on a boat in the middle of nowhere. With them? Yes. Without them? No. So, Chile, Maldives, Australia, South Africa... these are going to have a wait a bit, until Gray can handle the flight. Until then, it's going to have to be a mix of Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean. Yeah, things could be a lot worse. 

Now, we were back to square one on the travel front. I basically said, I don't care where we go, I just do not want to go back to the same place in Costa Rica. We are already spending a month there, again, over the Summer, and this will be our 15th (or more) visit. Don't get me wrong, I love it there, I was just kind of excited about the idea of a new adventure. We started looking at places like Panama, and Nicaragua, but long story short, we soon realized that no where was better than where we go in Costa Rica. The bottom line is, if we only get a week to ourselves, why risk it on a sub par vacation. Also, after some convincing, I get that this is not going to be the same vacation that it has been since the little man was born (and coming with us.) The trip itself is so easy, and the idea of reading, lounging, surfing, eating dinner at an normal hour, is so inviting, that I'm actually getting pretty pumped for the trip. Best part? We are three hours outside of Miami. Done and Done. We leave in early March, my in-laws get to spend the week cuddling with the kids, and I am already dreaming of sun and surf!

My last little tidbit has to be about Gray. Gray, my love bug. My buddy. My perfect little boy. These are words that I would not have used to describe my kid from age 12- 17 months. Dramatic, whiny, (dare I say slightly annoying???) squiggly... those would have fit the bill better BUT, something happened. The same thing that happens with almost all toddlers... one day they just wake up and they are nothing but lovely, a joy, perfection. This is what the last few weeks have been like with Gray. He has begun to talk, eat like a human, play independently, play with his brother, cuddle... you name it, man, he is doing it. AND IT'S WONDERFUL. Sure, I know we are going to have toddler moments, but his growing up has made my daily life so much easier (and way more enjoyable) that I almost have forgotten how hard the last few months were. Almost. 

Whew, there you have it. For those of you who didn't fall asleep, that's a little bit of what's been going on around here. I'd love to hear any of your random randomness that you would be willing to share!

P.S. Tomorrow I'm going to cut another inch inch/half off the hair. I'm obsessed and still loving my new look! 

Brothers.

The boys are finally getting to the place where they can actually play together (versus Gray ripping everything away from the LM, and the LM using Gray as his personal wrestling toy) and I, for one, couldn't be happier. I used to worry so much about what having another baby would mean for the quality of life of the LM, but now I  can't imagine what his life would look like if he wasn't a big brother. Sure, he's lost a lot of our attention along the way, but I now realize that he's gained so much more. I just can't wait to sit back and watch the relationship that will continue to develop between my two loves, for the rest of my lifetime.

Today thing #1, was teaching thing #2 how to roll marbles around in a circle. Totally random, and totally heart melting at the same time. I can't even begin to tell you how lucky I feel, that every day I get to wake up and be the mom of these little guys. 

 

The Son Rises Early.

Note: This is NOT my kid. How do I know? Because I'm guessing that this kid sleeps past 5am!

So, on Saturday my hubby left for a week long work trip to Canada. When I can't count on his arrival at 6:30pm to step in and entertain the LM and add some additional conversation to our motley crew, it makes for a VERY long day. When you throw in a weekend, it makes for a VERY VERY long week. When you day starts at 5am and ends at 8:30pm and the only people you talk to all day are your own kids... well you get the drift. 

Look, I know people do this all the time, completely by themselves, and I consider myself to be very fortunate that I do have such an awesome hubby who really does every thing in his power to come home on time... that being said, holy crap can this week just be over?

On Sunday, I was reminded of one of the many odd jobs I had in college, where I would babysit a very low traffic children's store from 10am-7pm on the weekends. I remember one day looking at the clock, and then looking back, after what I thought had been an hour or two, and to my surprise it had only been 10 minutes!!!!

That's how this week has been for us. That plane hitting the tarmac at midnight tonight can not come soon enough. 

My one observation from the week is that you all are clearly not doing enough Facebooking, Pinning, Tweeting, and Blog writing between the hours of 5-7 am. I need more to read people! Even the New York Times let me down... c'mon, you can't update more than every hour? ;)

Talk about working for the weekend... a Daddy filled weekend!

(Image via Pinterest)

The Lost Week.

Whattttttttttt.... It's already Thursday? Where has this week gone? My little man has been home from school all week for break and we've spent every day/ hour/ minute at skate camp, which just so happens to be in the middle of no where. As much as I would like to complain about the lack of internet access, I can't because the kid is having the time of his life.... even though he is 10 years younger than everyone else!