The end

It is with great sadness that I announce the end of 2TRDMOMS blog. It's been a good run and I've so enjoyed blogging with Annie and reading all your comments. See, Annie and I got in this huge fight over the background color on 2TRDMOMS and we just decided we can't work together anymore because of our artistic differences. Okay, that's totally a joke. If you'll notice our blog background has been white for a long long time and both of us have more important things to worry about. You can catch me on my new blog at:

http://erardfam.blogspot.com/

Please join me there, change you blogroll links for me, and you can catch Annie on Facebook.

Milestones

Emma has hit some big milestones this year that I keep meaning to write about. She is so excited about them. She has learned to blow a bubble with bubble gum, tie her own shoes (I'll admit this is the first year I've bought her shoes with laces, that's called lazy parenting), whistle, and is almost riding a bike. Most of the time she is challenged at doing them by her little brothers so I know she could have done many of them earlier since they are doing them but that's what she gets for being the oldest :). She'll be riding a bike at six and Ben will be riding one at 3 I can guarantee it. Anyway, it is so fun to see kids hit milestones and celebrate along with them as they feel so accomplished.

I had a fabulous weekend in San Fransisco with a old high school girlfriend. We hung around the city all day shopping and reminiscing (SF used to be my old stomping grounds in high school, it was the nearest big city to me and we used to go there all the time) and then we finished up the night with a night at the theatre and saw Wicked which was a fabulous play. I couldn't even believe the nice break it was to be away from the kids for a couple of days. I love my job of being a full time mom but whew is it tiring :). Just sitting on the airplane for an hour by myself was a luxury. I had so much time to sit and think and relax. Every time I have a night away I remember that I need to do it more often but don't seem to get around to it.

I have summer on my mind and can't get it off. I feel like it's Christmas Eve. Yesterday Emma's teacher sent out and email saying there was no more homework for the rest of the year. Emma started dancing a jig and yip-eeing all over the living room and I felt like jumping up and joining her. With all of our summer plans I can already tell that it's going to fly by though and I'll be sitting her next year at this same time before I know it looking forward to summer again. Awww, the circle of life.

Looks like another Friday...

This was our only Easter picture this year!

I got the garden started. So far we have tomatoes, beans, sunflowers and lots of strawberries. I still have a long way to go but I'm so excited for my summer harvest again. It was so wonderful eating fresh veggies last summer.

Last night was bliss...I took dinner over to a friend and on the way home around 6:00 both boys fell asleep in the car. Jacob woke up when we got home and then fell asleep on the couch so I put him in bed. Ben I had put in bed and then he got up and came and laid on me on the couch and we both fell asleep. Poor Emma was stuck watching T.V. all night (I'm sure she was just heartbroken) until dad got home at 9:00. He put Ben back into his bed, covered me on the couch and I slept the rest of the night! Of course Dave got up at 5:00 to go to work so it was an early morning but I got a really good nights sleep!

Ben decided my bedroom carpet needed watering this week so he stood at my sliding glass door with the hose on and the door open. I'm not sure how long he was there before I found him but my floor was sopping wet! I'm sure my entire neighborhood heard me scream "NOOOOOOO" when I caught him doing it. Luckily I had my MIL carpet clean and I spent a good hour sucking up water! That kid is going to be the death of me. Once day I'll walk in and have a heart attack when I see what he's doing I'm sure of it.

Painting birdhouses for grandma for Mother's day.

Jacob had a mother's day tea at his school this week. His class reenacted the story of Moses and then fed us lemonade with muffins. I can't believe he'll be in kindergarten next year! He's so ready for it though. He's already starting to read a little bit and our summer goal is for him to be reading by the time he starts kindergarten. Anybody know a good website for teaching? I'm looking for the site words so I can make flash cards.

Jacob and mom at Mother's Day Tea

Tball season is coming to a close on Saturday. Jacob loved every moment of it. I foresee many future Saturdays of mine sitting in a folding chair on the sidelines.

There is a little bird at the top of my chimney right now chirping and it's so melodic it doesn't even sound real. I wish you all could hear it. They sit on my chimney and chirp and you can hear it in my living room. What a great way to start the weekend. Although it seems our weekends are so packed lately they don't feel much like weekends. Summer is just around the corner! We had a water balloon fight yesterday and then swam in the pool and next week we are starting up with swim lessons again. Can't wait!

Friday

Yeah! It's Friday. After a week like this one I need to celebrate something so I'm celebrating Friday. We are all feeling the end of school year blues around here. The weather is warming up, the pool is beckoning, and we are ready to be done. Only another month and a half that will hopefully fly by. The summer plans are pretty much set and I'm getting excited at the thoughts of lazy summer days.

On a different note, I have a heavy heart this week as a good friend of mine just discovered she has colon cancer that has spread to her liver and ovaries. She is just 35 and has two small children at home and the news was absolutely devastating. She's in the hospital now and we'll find out soon what the prognosis is but it's not looking too good at the moment. Please keep her family in your prayers her name is Vann. I'm praying daily, no hourly, for my lovely friend. She is one of the finest, just a sweet, sweet lady and deserves a miracle in her life. Learning news like this really puts into perspective the little things in life. I've snuggled a little more with my children this week, been a little nicer, and tried to slow down a bit and remember the purpose of my life and what's important.

Trying to keep track

Today at church Ben took off his socks and shoes. I was trying to convince him to put his socks back and because we needed to wear them at church. He said "mom, God didn't make socks". What do I say to that?

Yesterday Emma asked me if she could have "a buck" for garage sailing.

Jacob asks me every night "mom, do you like how I behaved today?" He really is such a good kid and so eager to please.

Every day my kids say things I want to have recorded forever but it seems the next day they have fleeted from my already overwhelmed brain. I never want to forget the feel of smushy toddler cheeks and giant squeezey hugs. The triumph of NO MORE DIAPERS....YEAH. All three fully potty trained now and it feels like such a milestone. I think I've been changing diapers for 7 years now. I know many have gone a lot more years than that but boy it seems like forever. Jacob's determined face when he runs the bases in Tball. He takes his sports very seriously. He told me this week he wants to be a hockey player when he grows up. Yikes.

I don't keep a daily journal as I ought. I always think I'll do it on her to record every precious moment of motherhood but tired eyes always seem to trump recording the days events. I love the daily failures and successes of motherhood. It's just hard to try and keep track of it all sometimes. Hopefully its stored somewhere of that brain of mine and I'll always be able to remember.

Back from Vacation

We spent Spring Break in Sacramento visiting family. My baby sister is getting married - MARRIED- in August. He's a great guy so it's okay but my baby sister is not supposed to be old enough to get married because that makes me really old!

Today has not been a good day. I woke up this morning to flooded carpet from my bathroom shower broken pipe. And my cat of 11 years is gone :( Winston come home. Plus I was tired from driving all day yesterday home from Sacramento. And I had to leave my family there :( And my now potty trained 3 year old has peed twice on the carpet. And my feet are cold but my warm boots got all wet as I was ripping up wet carpet. Which I had to cut and rip up all by myself because my husband is at work. Which I'm really grateful that he has a job but not when I have to rip up the wet carpet by myself. Especially since it was his shower that flooded the floor. Boo hoo. Pity party for me.

But life is good. I'm glad to be home. Only 2 months left until summer. And no more diapers! Yeah!

Hello Again

Can any 80's music lovers tell me who wrote the title of that song? I'll give you a hint - Pennylover.
So much has gone on since I last wrote! I've been bad. It's hard not having a comrade inspiring me to write but alas I think I'm giving up on Annie (sorry, I still love you). Are you coming back old friend or do I need to change the title of the blog to 1 Trdmom?

Yesterday was General Conference for our church which is when our church leaders address us with inspiring and uplifting messages and counsel that always help me re-evaluate my path and things I can do to be better. USAToday had an article about it here which I was pleasantly surprised to see on my yahoo homepage this morning. One of the topics that seemed to be revisited several times was the importance of motherhood and parenting which really touched me and made me more resolute to do a better job at my job - being a mom. It scares me to think of the world as it is out there for my children as they get older. I sometimes think we should just hunker down in the house - I'll homeschool them, and I can keep them away from all the bad influences that exist. But then I realize that by doing that I wouldn't be teaching them anything, instead I need to arm them with the tools they will need to withstand the temptations they will encounter and teach them to be strong, independent thinkers with loving and accepting hearts. That's so hard. Teaching children to hate the sin but love the sinner. Our greatest example of that is of course our Savior Jesus Christ so I hold fast to his example and try to teach them about Him and the things He did for us. But often I find it difficult to explain to them how there are bad things that go on in the world but we love everyone no matter what they do. How do you teach them to Love all but to watch out for strangers who want to sneak you in their car at the same time. Anyway, I was reminded yesterday of how important my job really is and that there really isn't time to waste when raising young kids.

Ben is still wheezing. He got lots of allergy tests done but they all came up negative. I have some pictures of his tests I'll have to post when I get home. Right now we are up in Sacramento spending Spring Break with family! So fun to be here and see everyone.

Jacob is having a blast playing Tball and is so cute! Again, I'll have to post pictures when I get home. And Emma is almost always found with a book in her hand. I have to take away her books at night or she'll stay up all night reading.

I'm going to be better about blogging. I listened to a message yesterday about keeping a journal of our children's life and felt a little guilt because I've been so bad at writing down the things my kids do and say each day. Honestly with the technology we have today I have no excuse. So you can hold me to it - I'll be on here more.


postedit: I have no problem with homeschooling and would actually love to do it if I had the organizational skills and patience to do it and I admire those out there that do. My reference was more to the effect that I would love to lock my doors to the world and protect my kids from everything but know that I can't do that.