A Valentine's Carol

On a day like any other day, out of the blue... I found myself suddenly pulled into an alternate universe for a moment in time when the ghost of valentine's past came crashing into valentine's day present.

My sweet little boy loves to give me things. He loves to work hard for me, and create things that he puts special thought into just for me so I will feel loved by him, and be surprised and blessed. And I always am.

This part of him reminds me so very much of another boy I met about a decade ago, and fell madly in love with at the tender age of 16.

But that is ancient history.

...or so it would have seemed, until a couple mornings ago, when Dawson sat cutting and coloring at the kitchen table, reminding me every few moments not to peek at what he was creating since it was a surprise.

When he was done cutting and scribbling away, he presented me with this:

I thanked him and praised him politely like a good mother should, and then waited for him to be busy enough that I could "find a special spot for it..." (the trash needed to be taken out anyways. Lets face it... you can't save em all!).

He turned around and as if reading my thoughts aloud asked where I was planning to put it.

Before I could answer, he suggested I put it in my wallet.

My purse was in a convenient proximity to where we were standing, so I told him what a wonderful idea that was, and plunged into my goldfish crumb and crumpled tissue sack to fish out my designer knock off pocketbook (keep it classy, Atascadero~!).

I flipped to the very back, where I keep outdated business cards I never bother to sort thru, and pictures of my kids from so long ago you would never recognize them.

I irreverently folded the paper heart from my sweet boy and went to cram it in the least occupied spot remaining.

My fingers fumbled onto something already resting in that compartment, and I took it out and unfolded it in an absent minded moment for a closer look.

That's when history came screaming into the present where I stood.

Almost ten years ago, to the date... the first boy I ever loved had the same brilliant plan to remind me of his love for me. (*note the penciled date in the top right hand corner).

Like father like son.... what thoughtful, creative, attractive men I am lucky enough to call mine.

Here's to the brilliant boys in my life, and the next decade filled X's and O's... and many more to follow.

xoxo

"Belle" of the Ball

Anabelle had her first official date last weekend. Its hard to believe she's so grown up already... but since we knew she was ready, I wanted her to have the best. So I gladly loaned her my handsome prince for the night.



She made sure he had a red tie to match her dress. Classiest 4 year old I know!






I had SO much fun getting her all primped. I think she enjoyed it almost as much as I did... I can NOT keep that girl out of my jewelry and makeup to save my life. She told me she wanted a "Cinderella Bumpkin." I think she meant 'bun...' but I cant get old lady images out of my head at the thought of it, so I prom-styled her out to my liking anyhow. She didn't seem to mind... she could NOT stop staring at herself, it was hilarious.

Tyson came home from work and rang the doorbell with a corsage in hand. She acted like it was something he did every day... "Oh, is that for me?! Thanks."

I think she was pretty proud of it once it went on her wrist though.

Dawson and I headed out for our date, and Tyson did what ANY rookie prince would do for the maiden he loves... he took her to Le Golden Arches for the Happiest Meal on Earth. Juice boxes and white lacy gloves: she is KILLING me with cuteness.

Of course Ty was suckered in to the $20 photo op at the front door. What a pushover! (Not gonna lie, I can't wait to see the picture...)

The rest of the night sounds like it was filled with lots of twirls, and bottomless trips to the snack table (all the M&Ms and juice boxes you can eat... what more could a girl want?!).

So it seems the dance was a success, there were over 300 fathers and daughters there. Our dear friends John and Julie were supposed to be among them... but got sick in the hospital at the last minute! Even more to look forward to next year.

Tyson I think wanted the honor of blogging his evening... but he has been SWAMPED with working out of town and taxes in his down time that I decided I better make it happen before its old news.

I am so thankful for a husband who is willing to take his lovely little girl out for an evening filled with all the wonderful ways a beautiful woman should be treated. When she finds the man of her dreams one day in the VERY distant future, he will have some HUGE shoes to fill.

But for now, we aren't even worried about that... she says she's marrying Obe Wan Kenobi, and last I checked he's toast...

Fairy Berry Eifth

The baby of our family isn't that anymore... and she could NOT be more thrilled about it.

Our darling daughter is four years old on this very day.

I sat down with her this morning to take one final snapshot of her third year, so I could remember her this exact way forever and ever in the land of blog. Because she is just SO great right now, I hate that a single day passes (especially a nasty day that adds a whole digit to her age!).

Heres what her highness had to say:

Her favorite song is Baby Mine.

Her favorite color is pink.

She wants to be a baker when she is a grown up.

Her favorite thing to do in the whole world is play with Addie.

Her favorite place to go is America.

Her favorite animal is a kitty cat.

Her favorite movie is Disney Princess sing-a-long.

Her favorite food is M&Ms (she gets that from her mother... and grandmother...)

Her favorite game is 'tickle scratch...' which she demands of her dad and I any time she thinks she can get away with it (like before bedtime, or when we're watching a movie or reading a book...)

She wants to marry Obe Wan Kenobi when she grows up. Well, her first choice was Kaeden across the street... "but he said no."

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I would be so sad and lost without this lovely little jewel in my life. She is the very best parts of her mother and father, and then a whole heap of things I only wish we could be. She is pure love and joy, I absolutely ADORE every inch and every moment of her from the top of her sassy blond head to the tip of her chipped pink sparkly nail polished toes.

Happy Birthday, to the Beautiful Anabelle Lee.

X0Xo

Dapper Dawson Paints the Town

So I had a pretty wild night last night with the man of my dreams (and Tyson didn't even mind!).

My son took me out on the town.

A few weeks ago Tyson won tickets on the radio to a father/daughter sweetheart dance, and we thought it would be a perfect night to pair off and spend some quality time with the kids one-on-one.

I had SO much fun dressing them up, they looked even more delicious than usual, and we were all very excited.


Dawson could NOT have been more thrilled about the "real flower!" I got him to wear on his handsome shirt. He kept asking why you pin it on with an earring (the straight pin had a pearl at the end of it).

On the way there, he shared a recipe he had been thinking I ought to try: "You cut a coconut in half, and you put it in the microwave, then on top of it you add cinnamon, more shaving coconut, and rainbow sprinkles. Does that sound yummy, Mom?"

He got to choose what we did. We went to dinner of course (although I DID get to pick the restaurant... what a sweet man!),

and dined on an ice cream sundae and french fries from Good Times Cafe (yep, that's right. I ate ice cream for dinner! It ruled, im not even a little bit sorry).

We played "I Spy," colored pictures (he liked my ice cream cone drawing, then promptly one-upped me by drawing one with a triple humped scoop and THREE cherry's on top), and talked about all our favorite foods. He drooled whipped cream all over his tie and my dress, but I didn't mind one little bit. Everyone in the restaurant was looking at us (it wasnt a big place, and I heard them whispering. It was hilarious).

The 'real' part of the date that Dawson was DYING to do was go to Powell's Candy Shop. He was the most delicious thing there.

He thought these rubber chickens were SO hilarious, he is priding himself on his sense of humor more and more these days. Telling him he is funny is one of the highest compliments you can give him.

We had WAY too much fun goofing off in there, I'm SURE the employees were annoyed at how we played with all the merchandise without buying it (they weren't as romanticised as the people at the restaurant... what do THEY know, anyways!?).

And this last shot... I told him he exactly like Edward, only even more devastatingly beautiful.

We rounded out the night with a 7pm showing of the Tooth Fairy movie, which was surprisingly bearable to watch as far as little kid movies go. We feasted on our candy score (I found sugar free gummy bears AND sugar free sour worms! Just to help offset the ice cream dinner binge), and I WISH I had gotten more of them, I am sad to say they didn't last long.

When we got home, it was after 9pm. I was surprised he didn't pass out in the car on the way home, and when we got inside, he asked me to snuggle him till he fell asleep. Which I was more than happy to do, and he was dreaming peacefully in no time flat.

What a babe.

xoxo

When Running is Bad For Your Health

This is my ankle:



This is my ankle post-sprain:



Any questions?


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