Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Loot

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Delicious peaches and figs not shown.

A friend of mine told me how to find a co-op for locally grown, organic food and I was SO EXCITED.


Every week I pick up a good sized crate of fresh-from-soil (or trees or whatever) produce and I wonder why I ever bought this stuff from a supermarket.  Prices on the pictured loot are competitive, dare I say cheaper than the store and they taste worlds better (the loot, not the prices.)

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy frolicking in the farmer's market but this is so much more convenient.  Also, going this route I'm given things I never normally would have chosen.  Up until last week I had NEVER tasted a fresh fig. Imagine that!

Now, what the heck do I do with an eggplant?

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Expressive



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Showing me her bruised upper lip (caused by her, literally running straight into the fridge)


Diva is very expressive.  I blame her eyebrows.  She's had those curious little caterpillars wiggling and squirming on her forehead since the day she was born.  Whereas Munchkin's are non-existent. 

Diva's expressions are part of her intense and fiery personality.  When describing her to other people whom have never interacted with her I use my sister Cindy's (ironically whose nickname is Cindiva) words, "She wears her heart on her sleeve but all of her emotions are multiplied by TEN." 

I've done my fair share of expression, mostly about my exasperation toward Diva but there are sooo many things about her that I should be sharing and really kinda haven't.  And I thought about apologizing in advance as the next few things I say will sound a lot like bragging but then I realized it's my blog and I can say whatever the heck I want.  So there.

Diva is an artist.  She can draw, paint, sculpt, glue, color and magnadoodle from sun up 'til sun down.  And she's good.  Her stick figures are evolving into fuller-figured masterpieces equipped with hair, clothes and accessories. 

She loves, loves her little sister.  She holds her hand when we cross the street.  She retrieves her when I'm lazily standing in the doorway calling Munchkin's name to get back in the dangfreakin house!  Most of the time she is fabulous about sharing her toys, even her coveted Barbies.

She has the articulation and vocabulary of a preteen.  Sometimes I look at her and think, "Are you seriously only FOUR?"

Her imagination is a faux world of craziness, obscurity, extreme girliness, love, giddiness, excitement and more often than not-morbidness.   For example, while relaxing in the spa a few weeks ago she very matter-of-factly stated, "Mommy I'm going to go under the water and my lips aren't even going to bleed."  Also,  several months ago she told my sister a long, drawn-out story about how she (Diva) scraped her ankle on the trampoline and there was blood everywhere and she was crying and bleeding and the whole nine yards.  Yeah, that never happened.

And lastly, Diva's athleticism becomes more and more apparent with each passing year.  We never put her in swim lessons and although we gave her some tips on how to control her body in the water, most of her ability is innate.  She's been swimming on her own since last summer but her confidence has grown immensely.  She runs and jumps into the deep end, swims over to the shallow, twists, treads, turns, floats and just recently she surprised me when she demonstrated swimming on her back. The "I love you" hand sign in the collage below is her in the deep end (which was completely her idea to pose like that.)  She starts soccer in a couple weeks and I'm excited to see her experience a new outlet for all that energy!




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KC calls her Squints while wearing her goggles. Ten points for the reference.


I love everything about her...expressiveness and all!


Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Bug

Sometimes life throws you for a loop.  You think you have things figured out and all will happen according to plan.  You feel you are adequately prepared for the journey.  But then that journey takes a completely unexpected turn and you are left wondering, "How did I get here?!"

I was able to visit my brother and sister in-law over the weekend.  They are on one of these unexpected life journeys and it was wonderful to watch them cope and adjust so gracefully, without the, "Why us?!"  mentality.  

My sweet little nephew, affectionately nicknamed "Bug", was born a little over a month ago.  He was born with an adorable little nose, perfect tiny ears, a really cool webbed big toe, a receding hairline, soft little kissable cheeks, pouty lips, a frustrating habit of sleeping through feedings,  beautiful dark eyes and unbeknownst to his parents, an extra chromosome. 

The only feeling I felt in their home for the past four days was the feeling of pure, unconditional love and a desire for their son to achieve his greatest potential....

....and upon seeing him and holding him and praying about him,  I know he will do just that. 

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Love you Bug!

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Monday, August 16, 2010

Savoring

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I find her like this all the time.  On the floor, next to the bed. 

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Crap, she caught me.


For many months now, every night before I go to bed I quietly slip into her room and I watch her sleep.  I trace her little nose, kiss her squishy arms and breathe in that unique, sweet, delicious toddler smell.

And every night I think, another night closer.  Closer to where this will no longer be possible.

It's alarming and depressing to see how quickly these girls are growing up.  It's like a part of me is wilting with each passing day.  They'll be teenagers before I know it and I'll be faced with an entirely different set of challenges.   I'll worry about grades, boys, cars, cell phones and puberty and I'll think back to these days and say to myself, I should have savored more.  I should have stressed less, played more, loved more, tickled more, imagined more...BEEN.MORE.  

So now I must go and do just that.  Savor. 

Friday, August 13, 2010

Twins?

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Grandma Nee Nees at 6 months old. (with older sister)


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Munchkin at 18 months.



Sunday, August 8, 2010

Long lost relative!

We were contacted via Facebook by Uncle Chuck, a relative we never knew existed! He wanted to come for a visit!

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Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Market's Farm

Oh how I looooove the farmer's market.

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As of late I've been trying to shift my family's eating habits. We eat pretty well as is but we need more organic, whole, unprocessed foods. And what better place to find those than this?

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And of course we can't forget the samples. Munchkin here also stole a strawberry, a plum and almost made off with a large peach. Can you blame her? They are scrumptious!

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Then the girls made a beeline for the crafts. And craft they did.

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Maybe she thought it was finger-painting.


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"I'm making this for the air conditioning man."



Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Backseat Driver



The other day I found myself explaining the rules of the road to a four year-old.

Well I'm allowed to turn right on a red because there are no cars coming and uh...well...because the policemen said it was O.K.

I can still go when the light is yellow. Sometimes yellow means slow down, sometimes it means I can keep going before the light turns red.
(yeah yeah yeah....save it)

And then I give up. She's four. Simplifying traffic laws is surprisingly difficult.

But let me back track. The only reason I'm doing such a thing is because I'm chided, scolded, reprimanded if I don't go ONLY when the light is green.

Mommy, you have to wait until the light is GREEN!! Oooooh. Okay. Gotcha. What would I do without her? :)




In other news....


See the blades? They just ain't turnin'

Our air conditioning is broken. Peeeeerfect timing. It's August. It's hot. Duh.

Our management company is on top of things but first they have to send out a few different companies to gather estimates....over the next few days. Uh ok, we'll just be waiting here in the interim.....melting.

LW

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