A Letter from Mom~

My Dearest First Born Son!

It is September and we are embarking on a new school year. You are entering Kindergarten at the age of 5 and I have been amazed at who you have become since your birth. The day I found out the blessed news that your father and I were expecting you was the day that all my hopes and dreams for you began. I waited nine full months in wonderment about who you would be. What your personality would be like, and where your life would take you.  The day you were born was one of the most happiest days of my life. Your first cries filled my heart with joy a joy that only a mother would understand.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have known what lessons I would learn while being your parent. 

I have learned so much about who you are. You have an incredible knack for teaching me patience, humility and how to enjoy life with you. I enjoy your shy nature, your ability to love and be empathetic, and I love how you have a sense of family and home.  Son, I have watched your shyness in the past two years dissipate with each new experience. You've made great friend connections and have learned lessons along the way as well.  The road certainly is not a straight one. The road ahead with each new year, experience and the unknown is curvy has peeks, valleys and twists and turns.  But you are equipped at the age of five to begin navigating those roads.  I will be right there with you. I will be your mother, a supporter, an encourager, a friend, and will help you navigate those tough times and ride along with you in those grand times. 

So you are entering your Kindergarten year! I am terrified of letting go, sad that the years have flown by so fast, proud of the accomplishments you've made socially, emotionally and academically, and overjoyed that I am here to watch your life unfold! My wish for you through this school year is that you have enough support, enough time, enough experiences and enough love from us to have one heck of a successful school year.  I will be amazed at the end of this school year at what you have learned about yourself and the world in which you live, who you have grown to be and what you aspire to do.  I am blessed to be your mother and I couldn't be more proud of you than what I am today.

So as I write this letter that I share with you and the world, I am thinking of all of the last minute things that I could do to make your first day of Kindergarten the best memorable day ever.  AND yes, we will take your first day of school "picture" with a chalkboard as we always do, so no groaning over that.  YES, I will walk you to school and be late to work (my boss already said that was okay)! I am excited to pack your lunch (with a little something extra special) of course. I will most likely shed a few tears as I leave your classroom (of course after watching a few interactions and lingering around as long as I can). I will trust your teacher and teacher assistant to take good care of you and I will trust you to do your best! I will think about you all day long, wondering how you are doing, if you are having fun, meeting new friends and chatting with your old ones, and I will ask you about your day! Son I love you with all of my heart and I wish this to be a great year together. 

Remember, you are my son and I love you so very much!


Sincerely,

Mom~

Becomming a Runner 5K What?

Five Thousand What?

 
I recently have decided to address my bucket list.  On that list is completing a 5K and Half Marathon, though I am no where near ready! After fully recovering from my mini-strokes last Spring I spent a lot of time reflecting on my health, preventative care, and what I want to accomplish while living.  I thought about my kids and husband and the activities I want to do with them and then I started looking at my bucket list.  A friend of mine posted on her Facebook page about and opportunity that would help me accomplish something daunting like a 5k run! It looked fun and I decided no better time than the present.  Signing up for that opportunity would make it official and provide me the motivation and accountability to exercise and put my money where my mouth is. 
 
I signed up for the Dirty Girl (mud run obstacle course) for June of 2014.  One year.  One year away would give me enough time to get it together, exercise, feel good about it and stop saying I don't have time.  Time! Time! Time! Make time! Being a full time working mother of two young boys is a lot of work.  That is an understatement.  It is a juggling act, balancing act, to invest time in the kids, providing them opportunities for growth, creating family time, carting them around to appointments, games, swim lessons etc., along with your own career goals, day care needs, date nights (the few they are) and your own hobbies and desires for life.  Time is a hot commodity any mother (or father) know. 
 
So I registered for the Dirty Girl and felt good about it. Of course nervous because I've never experienced that type of event before. I felt good though, that I am reconnecting with girl-friends and family members through this process too.  A few months went by and I kept talking about it but not taking any action.  Ugh.. Put your money where you mouth is.. Really! Recently in August on a whim I decided that I needed to register for something closer in timeline than June 2014, so I registered for the Color Vibe 5K in Salem, Oregon.  My sister decided to run it as well. OMG right around the corner!  I began to run.
 
What was a 5K I knew it was less than a half marathon in terms of miles. I knew it was somewhere around 3. 8 some odd miles, but 5K seemed more like five thousand miles. It is super daunting.  In fact I was talking to someone about it the other day and they were like so I hear your are running a half marathon?" Immediately I corrected them indicating that I am no where near ready to run all of THOSE miles but getting ready for a 5K.
 

NO EXCUSES

I found a place and a time to begin my training and began.  Now it is consistency, maintaining a schedule to complete the task I have before me and not making excuses.  I am still battling schedules like my full time work that sometimes eats up my early afternoon and evenings with meetings, my son's swim lessons, dinner on the table by 5:30 or 6 pm and time playing with my kids as well as my current obligations to my son's school as the Vice President of the Parent Club.   No excuses is my mantra.
 

Inspiration

 
I have found inspiration from many people to address my bucket list and this specific event (these events).  Many of my friends in my community are into running, some just completed Portland to Coast, other friends have been runners for years, and then there is the realization that life is too short not to complete or attempt to complete (no matter how good, fast or slow you are) activities that intrigue you.  I am realistic about my own goals for both 5K's that I am running and my motivation is to feel good about myself, show my kids how to be healthy and proud about what you like to do and know that you can do anything you put your mind to it. 
 
I run for many reasons. I run for life, accomplishment, pride, self awareness, my kids, my husband and most of all for myself! I am important!

Oh Boy Oh Boy!

Raising Two Boys

Recently I read an article someone posted on my Facebook feed that was written by a mommy blogger titled, "Sibling Roughhousing: The Benefits of the Wrestling Ring".  It was a great read for me because I myself am raising two boys (five and 21 months, who acts like the five year old).  Each of them have their distinct personalities and they are fun to watch. However, I too find myself wanting to protect and deter my kids from this kind of play. Boundaries and rules are good so that mayhem does not ensue. 

But after reading this article my beliefs around structure, boundaries and rules hasn't changed but my understanding of the roughhouse play and need for it has grown.  I was watching my two boys engage in running laps through our kitchen, dining room and living room (a perfect running track if you will) and caught myself grimacing when they began to tug, pull and take each other down.  Both laughing and smiling of course, taking turns and egging each other on.  I watched and watched, even took some video.  They WERE okay, they WERE playing, they WERE communicating and they WERE being boys.  At one point I did remind them that the tile floor would hurt should either of them tackle each other and or fall on it.  Though that only deterred them from continuing to engage in this kind of play.

I am the oldest of three in my family. I have one sister and one brother, both who are younger.  My sister is three years younger and my brother eleven years younger.  We did not have this kind of play growing up.  My sister and I played with dolls, toys, played outside, imaginary games, rode bikes, played sports and created games.  I was much older than my brother so got little play time with him except for the weekends and evenings as I was in school most of his growing up years.  My husband however has an older brother and sister, he is the youngest of three.  His approach to our boys IS more physical, daring and includes a TON of roughhouse play.  Neither of us is wrong in our play with the kids but in my mind provides a balance for them.

If you are a parent of a boy I would encourage you to read this article I am referencing.  It is a great article, allowed me to engage in my own self reflection and understand being a parent of BOYS.  Isn't it the best!

Summer, Summer, Summer Time

Ahh yes Summer is HERE!

I have been blessed with having at least three plus weeks off each summer which I cherish with the kids.  This year we have embarked on daily outings and most that include water. 

My five year old has had a difficult time for one reason or another to complete swim lessons which has made his father and I extremely nervous because we are a family that own s boat and enjoys days up at our local lake.  So this year I decided it is time to see what Private Swim lessons will do for him.  BOY, why did I wait? 

My son is totally moving through swim lessons and building confidence  with each lesson! 30 minutes of uninterrupted swimming instruction by a wonderful instructor is just what he needed.  I don't have any pics to post because while my five year old is learning to swim I am in the water with my youngest, who I might add is not afraid of the water, dunking, leaving me in the water, it is almost scary.

We will continue with these as long as we can!

Celebrate your Independance with BBQ

I don't know about you but I surely enjoyed my Fourth of July celebration! In fact we ended that celebration yesterday! We started our celebration with a large and in charge BBQ to share with our friends and their kiddos!

Of course I like to decorate and take into account the smallest of details. So we started with Evite (easy invitations online only) but allows you to post updates and communicate, provide directions and is fully customizable. It is a free account as well. Super easy and a tons of designs to choose from! Next the idea was to have a BBQ with a vintage red, white and blue look to it! So I found several things as a Plumster! My favorite website for cute and discounted items Pick Your Plum had several items from cute washi tape, red and white striped bags as well as blue and white striped bags which I used for the utensils.  I also found the cutest wooden staked chalkboard labels from Pick Your Plum and used them to label items on the bar and the food table. 

Being a Pinterest gal, I wanted to make new items such as Apple Pie Pops! So read up on different recipes for these and decided because I didn't have time I would make them but use pre-made and purchased items.  So I bought Pillsbury brand pie crust and pulled out my cookie sticks (purchased at Michaels/ Holly Lobby). Then I bought pie filling. I took a round cookie cutter and made crust circles, put a 1/2 tablespoon of filling on one, stuck a stick in it, placed the second round on top, took a fork and pressed the two pieces together, painted on egg white and baked for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.   They were super yummy and a big hit. With the left overs I made an apple pie!  You can find additional information on my Pinterest board titled "Fourth". 

I wanted to have a couple signature drinks. I bought enough for two types of signature drinks but only ended up with one.  Sweet Bourbon Peach Tea! OH so yummy and potentially dangerous, (if you know what I might mean!)  My friend provided me with the best recipe one that I couldn't find anywhere but came close.. check out my Pinterest board "Drinks" for different recipes. See below for the best version courtesy of my friend and not sure where she found this one!


Also the best tip she gave me (if you are making large quantities) is to purchase a 5 gallon bucket with sealed lid from a local hardware store, rinse out and mix your drink there and store during the party!


I wanted a bar! I looked for a cheap portable bar but found nothing! So I borrowed two wine barrels from a friend, found two boards and place that on top! Used glad mason jar, and pottery barn barrel dispensers with the alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, placed bucked around with other drinks such as soda pop, water, Capri-suns for the kids etc.  It was great!

The weather was super warm with a nice breeze. I had placed in our yard tables and chairs with red and white gingham table cloths! and bough cute American flag pendants to hang on the fence-line.  It was cute with just a hint of décor. 


Games were provided to keep everyone busy! Ladder ball, and Bad Mitten! Everyone had fun!

We ended the night lighting off our own fireworks with the people who were remaining! A great time was had by all.  Next it was off to the Lake for the fireworks and water fun for the rest of the weekend!

The Red, White, & Blue of it All

Celebration:

This year I've decided to try my hand at being crafty for the Fourth of July!  In celebration, I decided to create some outdoor décor for my home.  I love going to our local crafty antique stores and am certainly a Pinterest fanatic.  So on one of my "waste time might as well go to the antique/craft store" adventures I found a bundled stack of old stakes.  I was intrigued and put them in my basket.  Of course I loved just the look of the bundled sticks tied with a single piece of twine.  I thought I would just hang on to them for a rainy day project.

Light Bulb

The other day my light bulb came on, and I realized exactly what I would do with these stakes.  I would try my hand at creating a small sized wooden American flag for decoration.  I had a million ideas about how to put it together but really wanted a easy go of it. 

Looking like an American Flag yet?  Well it will I promise.  What a few cans of Red, White and Blue spray paint and some blue with white stars washi tape (from Pick Your Plum) will do for the finished project! Take a look.

 

 

 



Happy Fourth of July!

Jammin~

BERRIES BERRIES BERRIES

It is strawberry season, which arrived a bit earlier than last years season! I always get super excited about berries because that means two things:

1) Fresh berries to eat
2) Canning and making Jam time

It also means it is the beginnings of summer, better weather for the most part, and fun times with the kids and family.  I absolutely love where I live. I have encountered the most wonderful friends and best of all friends who own local farms: Berry Farms. 

Reagan Purdy is a wonderful friend and one of the owners of Purdy's Enterprises. This time of year she not only works in the school setting at the local high school in Mt. Angel, Oregon but she also manages operations of the farm with her husband.  I can always depend on her for the best time to get my strawberries.


THIS YEAR~



 

 

We have had so much rain lately I wasn't sure about picking up my strawberries but due to a busy, (yes I said busy!) crazy life lately now was the only  time I would have to pick up the berries! They look great. Mary was there to greet me and showed me where my picked flats were. I had a flat of hoods and another flat of berries I planned to make jam out of.

 

 

LITTLE DID I KNOW~

 

 

When I arrived home both of my boys were eyeing the berries like hawks. Little did I know they wanted to eat as many as they could. I swear they would turn into strawberries! I washed a few and let them chow down on them while I began washing and freezing two quarts and washing the others that I would soon turn into jam.

 

 

I enjoy canning, though it is a process.  It is somewhat relaxing! Not to mention my kids are eating something that I made. You should have seen the Marion berry jam I made last year.  I think I still have a few jars left.  My oldest son loves it so much he just asks for JAM SANDWICHES! That is another story.

 

 

Here are a few pictures of the process and the finished products!

 

 

 

Cheers!