My Lily Flower

We're alive!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 06:10:00 +0000

I honestly haven't even thought about this blog for months it seems like. Between the holidays and crazy life I've been just barely been getting to the daily stuff- much less the peripherals. Now things have slowed down a bit (at home anyways, work continues to be all out insanity). Hopefully we'll get back to updating around here a bit.

Lily took an after school martial arts class. She broke a board with her karate chop and got a white belt! Very exciting. She also took level one (and passed) swimming. Boy did that keep us busy for a few weeks there.

Then there was Christmas tree cutting, The Lights of Christmas, and Christmas too.

The holidays always go by too fast. I wish I'd had more time to relax and enjoy but our girls were happy and that's matters more in the end. These are the Christmases they are really going to remember. Part of me can't wait until they are old enough to tell the stories of their childhoods : )

Everything Pumpkin!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 05:51:00 +0000

Last weekend we went with friends to the pumpkin patch. It was so packed! There was a lot of fun stuff for us to do- yummy food, corn maze, hay ride- all that fall fun that we love. We were missing Kendra this year but we found her a nice pumpkin anyway.

Tonight we made the pumpkin cookies Lily got from Papa and Gramma Di for her birthday. Everybody got to decorate their own huge cookie with frosting and halloween-y candies

We have a really busy week coming up with stuff coming up at school and then Thursday I am leaving for the weekend to scrapbook my little heart out. I can honestly say I haven't even done one page since the last scrapbooking weekend...was that last October??? Can't remember even. But it will be a nice little break. Then Halloween next week...what? Time flies.

Fairy Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 04:33:00 +0000

My birthday gift to Lily was all the parts to make her very own Fairy Garden. Martin built the wooden box out of re-purposed fence. We used live plants- moss and grass and the figurines. Now we just have to try and catch one!

Holy Moly! Two posts in a month.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 01:58:00 +0000

Birthday tradition- happy birthday on the mirror!

I am on a roll!!! We celebrated Lily's 8th birthday last Saturday with a slumber party! It was mayhem, complete chaos and completely exhausting.

We had a total of 7 girls overnight. We played and ate and watched a movie and were all together too silly. It got a little too screechy and overwhelming for Lily a couple times but her friends were very understanding and I could tell all of them really cared about Lily and how she was feeling.

I am so proud of her that she has made such great friends. She really has come a long way in the last couple of years.

Silly Girls

The big "8"- cake by Gramma Di

Silly String Tag in the dark!

I am glad she had a good day and I am also glad it is over : ) until next year!

Another month has passed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 03:44:00 +0000

The girls started school last week and seem to be adjusting to the new school year quite well. It seemed like an easier transition for Lily since she knew she would have the same teacher again. Kendra, of course, was excited for something new. She was disappointed at first with the teacher she got but quickly changed her mind when she realized how many friends are still in her class.

Once school starts the rest of the year seems to go so quickly. The weekends fill up fast and all of a sudden it is Christmas, right?

I hope I get some time to slow down a bit between now and then but we already have a lot of fun stuff coming up. So who knows.

Here is a project we did last weekend and put up in the living room today. I did the background and the texturing then we all did the splatter painting. Believe it or not it was Martin's idea to do a family splatter paint project!

I've also been working hard using the food from our garden. I've got tons of frozen green beans and carrots. We made pickled onions, peppers, green beans, carrots and pickles! So far we've only eaten the pickles but they were very good. I made sun dried tomatoes and fresh spaghetti sauce that was super yummy and sweet. I've been eating all the squash since no one else really likes it. Last week we finally cut the 4 pumpkins we grew off of the vine. I think they should last until Halloween.

I've got lots of ideas for our garden next year- what to do differently, new stuff to grow. I've been trying to make a kind of garden calendar because with so many plants growing it is hard to know what to do for each of them when. I just realized I have no photographic evidence of any of the work we've done since way earlier in the summer...so I guess those pictures will have to wait.

Miss Lily is turning 8 next Saturday. Hard to believe she was 2 when I started this blog. She's grown up so much. We've invited her friends over next weekend for her first birthday slumber party. I now realize why these parties are so popular with parents- so much less expensive than going somewhere or renting a place. We've got some pizza and cake. Kids bring sleeping bags and...we're good. It'll probably be a zoo at our house but they will have a blast. Totally worth it.

The Mariners Game

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

We got free tickets to the Mariners game last weekend for all four of us. It was Lily's first time at a baseball game and it was really fun to share that with her. I remember going with my Grandma for the first time at about the same age. I love watching baseball even though I don't take the time to watch very often. Growing up spending time with Grandma, the game was always on so it brings back a lot of good memories.

Last Sunday also just happened to be "Kids Run the Bases" day. Both girls ran all the way around the bases- along with about a thousand other kids- but what a chance!. So cool! I was totally living vicariously through them at that moment : ) Lily had no qualms at all running without me. We were very proud!

The next best part was that the entire afternoon cost just $6 plus gas. It would have cost nothing but Martin couldn't resist getting a hot dog. So many hours of wholesome family entertainment on the cheap is totally my kind of day.

These kids have no idea how lucky they are!

Sarah and Martin sittin' in a tree!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 22:17:00 +0000

After 6 months of planning, we pulled off our backyard wedding and wedding reception. It was pretty neat to see things that up until that point were just visions in my head come together into something really beautiful. It was so much planning for just one day but I think it was worth it. If you had asked me last week I might have had another answer but oh well. Now that there are fewer looming deadlines for us hopefully I can start posting again more frequently.

Here are just a few pictures from our big day. We will have photos my brother took as the "official wedding photographer" soon. He's working on whitening teeth and smoothing wrinkles...I mean adjusting contrast and brightness : )

I don't think it was even a couple hours after we got married that Martin asked, "So, what's next for us?" Love that guy. I think it helps both of us to have something to work toward- as far as getting things done. It was so much fun seeing the transformation of our yard. All the hours of hard labor really paid off and I am super excited it is in "maintenance mode" now. Just weeding and mowing and harvesting our vegetables in the garden for the most part. But, what now?

This week I've been mulling this over as we've had time to come down off the "wedding high." I've really enjoyed getting involved with the kids at their school but feel like I could make a difference in some other areas. I put my name down on another list (of course) to help with the Shoreline Arts Festival in September. I am excited about that prospect and where it might lead. I can really see myself as an arts advocate of some kind for the city- all volunteer of course. Not quittin' my day job! I just know that the kids are both getting so big already and doing their own things. I swear we'll be empty-nesters before we can blink.

I guess that is all for now. I'm sure I'll be around.

The month of May

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 May 2013 04:45:00 +0000

Another month has come and gone and as per usual, I can't believe how time flies. We've been busy every weekend checking things off of our to do lists- one by one, day by day. I finally feel like we're almost there with only a few minor hiccups along the way. Two weeks ago we had a windstorm that left us this:

We were so lucky it didn't hurt anything but grass, although it did take an entire weekend to get it cleaned up. Which of course led to this:

This completely unacceptable joke of a woodpile had to be fixed. Now it looks like this:

The mess is now more organized and more importantly out of sight. Thank goodness. And this last weekend we transformed the too cool matte gray walls into a much warmer "golden tan."

Before

Photobomb!

Goofing as usual : )

Kendra always the helper

After

Dining Room- pre-recluttering

Somewhere in there we celebrated Mother's Day, mailed out our wedding invitations and harvested our first vegetables from our garden.

I'm running on empty right now- but I have a goal in sight and I just gotta keep on going. Lily and I were at Barnes and Noble the other day picking out a friend's birthday gift. She found me the perfect book (with no help from me, by the way) called "Meditations for Moms Who Do Too Much." When your seven year old knows you've got more on your plate than you can possibly handle I guess it is time to take a step back, right? So, I am getting away for a couple days soon to relax and restore- then the final push for the wedding which is 1 month and 3 weeks away from happening. I can do this ya'll!

At our house...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:40:00 +0000

We have a woodpecker in the backyard.

Is this the same yard?

Redone back garden

Easter came and went before I knew it.

Love these girls : )

Happy 8th Birthday Kendra!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:16:00 +0000

It was freezing but Martin got her a sprikler for her birthday and let them run through it. I can't believe they actually did it, *So cold!!!*

More work on our yard

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:23:00 +0000

I'm never going to want to garden again after all this! We spent another weekend of labor in out the back yard. Things are starting to look better. Finally the progress seems more measurable. We've got a couple more weekends of hard work before it becomes maintenance work rather than complete overhaul work. So here are a couple more pictures (this time I got a few before pics!).

Kindly left by the previous tenants: a pile of rotten wood, a carpet, some buried garbage and lots of loose leaves/yard debris.

Northwest corner Before picture

We're not done yet but we're getting there. We found a ton of bulbs growing back there that we replanted once we cleared the area. We'll see how they turn out. We also planted some leafy shade growing plants (I can't remember their name), which will help cover the fence damage and we'll plant some more grass later too.

Here comes the big part!! We took out part of the "useless" fence and it completely changed the whole look of our backyard. It feels bigger (which is a bit overwhelming) but way more open and less dumpy.

Martin Posing for the before picture

Another Ugly before pic

When we began digging over there we discovered the railroad tie went under the fence and made the perfect shape and size for our garden! Martin rototilled the crap out of it and once we sift a bit more and get that weird bush out of the corner (lol) it will be perfect for tomatoes and lettuce and sunflowers...can't wait! Can you even tell it is the same backyard?

We're going to have a yardwork party/bbq pretty soon - we'll need a bit of help with the last few parts. I'll be sending out an invite soon!

Yard work!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 04:22:00 +0000

We have taken advantage of every minute of sunshine to work out in our yard. There is so much to do but I think it will all come together just fine in the end. I want to start on the inside too but when it is sunny out, what is better than pulling weeds and getting dirty? Even Lily was outside most of the afternoon- helping here and there and playing. We'll make an outdoor girl out of her yet!

Before this section was edged with rock and covered in old bark and weeds. Bleh! Now we just need a little more dirt and some plants and it will be all better!

This garden area was basically used as a yard waste pile- now it is mostly cleared and started a rock creek.

Front Yard

This was a two week project- one weekend we did the gravel and rock wall, the next weekend we laid the sod. Before it was just dirt and weeds.

Now we're just getting settled for another busy week. Martin started overtime last week and it will continue for the next couple months and I've got a bunch of work to do for the girls' school plus lots going on with my job. Kendra and Lily are doing Cheer Class on Mondays this trimester and starting Wednesday they are both going to take a series of after school classes on different countries- learning about different cultures and languages.

I bought my wedding dress last weekend. Well, I ordered it. It won't come in until May.This weekend I got the invitations mostly sorted out (a huge thanks to Briana's dad for making it happen for me!). So I'm feeling productive on that front : )

Doing good in most areas all except the housework which just didn't get done at all really. Meh. I'll get to it eventually.

Caught red handed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:49:00 +0000

...reading the directions....

He's been working so hard making our home beautiful! Love you sweetie : )

Ice Skating

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 19:07:00 +0000

Lily was invited to a birthday party at the local ice rink. She had never been ice skating before and she wasn't sure she wanted to go. She told me she was afraid she'd fall through the ice. I laughed a little then explained there was no water beneath the ice only concrete. She didn't really believe me.

We went anyway and she held onto the wall as I skated beside her and held her hand. After a lap or so she let me hold onto her in front of me and I pushed her around the rink. She was very afraid to fall and cried a bit here and there out of that fear but she mostly got over it. It was a good experience for her- outside her comfort zone but still safe enough. It is hard to know what is too much and how far to push her beyond what she thinks she is capable of. This time I think I got it right.

I need to start taking more pictures around here...I'll post some of our new house soon!

This week

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 05:46:00 +0000

I forgot to post these. Gramps was hilarious with his snowman earmuffs. What a goof!

Martin and I are going to see the Hobbit this weekend- I am so excited. Date night! There is also a *small* wedding show at the Tulalip Casino on Saturday...but do I dare?

So long 2012.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 06:36:00 +0000

Well, we've had quite the year. More ups and downs than I can really count. I can say one thing though. I am ready to leave 2012 behind and start fresh.

This year we're getting a house.

This year we're getting married.

This year we'll have 8 year olds.

This new year can't come soon enough.

See you on the other side!

What's going to happen for you this year?

Keeping Up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:34:00 +0000

Some pictures of our other adventures. Maybe I'll start writing on here again sometime...sometime.

Zucchini Racing

Carving Pumpkins

Oooh! Spooky!

Lily the Witch

Kendra the Pirate

Lily of the Leaves

The Fairy Circle in the Garden

Fall Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 03:58:00 +0000

Oh Fall!

We're still here. Always busy or finding trouble to get into. Last weekend we helped Auntie Briana rake a huge pile of leaves and then jumped in them. What could be more fun?

Looking forward to Thanksgiving this week and spending time with family and friends. Thankful for the time we get to spend together.

Lily's Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 05:10:00 +0000

We celebrated Lily's birthday with her friends at Paint the Town this weekend. I tried to keep it pretty low key with just a couple kids. It went well and turned out to be really fun. I can't wait to pick up the pieces we painted next weekend and see how they turned out. Lily asked for leaf cupcakes so we did a google search and came up with an idea to do chocolate cupcakes with colored fondant in the shape of leaves. While we were shopping I found a cute ceramic owl and had the idea to make paper owls to go on top of the cupcakes too. Lily loved them and I had fun working with the fondant for the first time.

At Paint the Town the girls all got to pick one piece to paint- I think some of the concept went a bit over their heads like the glaze layering etc but each of them worked very diligently to finish and the amount of time we had to paint was just about right- with enough time for cupcakes and presents at the end. Then of course, how could we resist playing in the fountain for a few minutes before we headed home.

Last weekend she had so much fun bouncing on a backyard trampoline that we decided to give Lily a trip to Sky High with a friend as her birthday present. I can't wait for the next adventure!

Today you are 7

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:56:00 +0000

Dear Lily,

Today you are 7. It seems you are on the cusp of something much bigger. You are growing up too fast. Some words that have been used to describe you recently: precocious, smart, sweet, intense and thoughtful.

Your memory astounds me. I can't believe how much you can remember of things that happened years ago. I am constantly surprised by your attention to detail. You love order and predictability- it makes you feel safe after a year of lots of changes and some really tough stuff.

I never thought I would come to love that gap tooth smile as much as I do. When you laugh you just light up. You make lots of jokes and fall down laughing at them sometimes. Since I bought you a radio to help you sleep at night your love of music has grown. You listen and sing along all the time- just like me. We are always singing buddies in the car. I think your confidence in singing has grown too.

I hope you continue to grow in your self confidence and learn to be comfortable with who you are.I hope you have so much fun being a first grader and making new friends. I hope you always know that you are my baby girl and I love you with my whole heart!!!!!

When the going gets tough...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Look at baby pictures.

Just ignore the incorrect date stamp.

Thinking about the good times to get me through some tough ones. I love my baby girl but man is she giving me a run for my money these days.

Elementary school, growing up and other terrifying things

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 04:44:00 +0000

We're gearing up to start another school year. My baby girl is growing up too fast and is starting First Grade- and Kendra is starting Second! It feels so foreign to me to have two very definitively school age children. At times over the last several years it felt that Lily's toddler-hood would never end. Kindergarten felt like a million miles away...and now here we are: the first year complete and ready to start the next. Sometimes I miss those days feeling goofy and being silly and saying silly things. I think they've grown out of that in some ways, though not completely. I can't get away with being as silly in public anymore- I have no toddler in tow to entertain. I don't get the knowing looks from other mom's as much, and they are definitely cute in a different kind of way, having completely outgrown their baby faces. Both girls are a bit gangly and haven't quite grown into their skin yet. They still need their snuggles though.

I'm trying to get more involved in school this year. I don't know exactly how it happened but last year kind of got away from me, so this year I am trying to do more. I'm working on PTA stuff and working with a group of parents creating classroom networks for parents. I want to take a more active role in both of the kids' classrooms and make fewer excuses to myself about why not- about not having the time or flexibility. I know it will come if I make the effort. I know I'll never be a volunteer in the classroom everyday- or even every week- but I can work on helping where and when I can and building community in the school and classroom.

I still feel like the impostor mom sometimes. Just like at work- where it feels like a game of "pretend you are the manager" every day. (How can I be the manager???) How can I be the grown up mom in charge of getting people together...taking the lead...facilitating get-togethers? So surreal. I guess I always wanted to be involved but it was hard to picture what that would look like. Now I am here and it feels strange but also I think I'm not the only one who feels the same way.

Anyway, I guess I am rambling on a bit here. We've got lots coming up, school clothes/supplies shopping, possibly a "Fair Day", Lily's 7th Birthday...I'm thinking about getting them into swimming lessons in October and also I have a weekend scrap booking getaway in October too. We're going to have new routines to get used to and new teachers to meet and get to know. It is exciting but also exhausting just thinking about it. So, here goes. We're jumping in feet first.

Summer Family Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:01:00 +0000

We took our family vacation this year on a road trip camping down the Washington Coast. We were lucky to have great weather and find some really fun spots to camp. Just wish we had more time!!!

My latest project

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:00:00 +0000

My first finished "Torn Paper Painting." I've been working on this for the last several weeks and am glad to finally have it finished. I used an 18x24 inch canvas and found a picture that I liked. Then I sketched the outline before starting to paint.

I used acrylic paints to create an underpainting before applying the torn paper.

The technique for the torn paper is pretty simple. I used paper I had on hand that had similar coloring, then I painted over the entire surface of the paper using the colors I used on the underpainting. After drying I tore them depending on the look I was going for. I did a lot of uniform type pieces for the sky but for the water I tore a lot of them in long strips to mimic the waves in the water.

I applied the torn paper with Modge Podge and a paintbrush (and tweezers for the really small stuff). The splashing water was by far the hardest part. I am overall very happy with this piece and I've learned a lot for the next time I take on a project like this. I created this piece to go on the wall of my work office in memory of my coworker who recently passed away.

When you can't sleep...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:08:00 +0000

The moon will keep you safe. The moon will stay awake for you. (From a long gone children's board book of Lily's)

For some reason those words have always resonated with me though it isn't the dark or the eerie night quiet that keeps my eyes open.

The din of a million thoughts each vying for space and attention finds me at night. In the stillness of the night my thoughts become crashing cymbals- one after the other- waves on the shore. The next thought forms before the last completes on an endless loop.

I may be lulled to sleep eventually but for now I blog. I blog because I don't know what else to do but throw my thoughts out to the universe and hope to find peace. Hope to find a moment of peace that allows my eyes to close and forget.

******************

Logic. Logic brings order to seeming chaos. Logic finds the words in the scramble the numbers in the puzzle.

Yet I can't logically wrap my head around gone-ness (if that is a word). Of being here one moment and not the next. Of taking a breath and not taking another. Of life and death.

And what is more confounding is that the world doesn't stop or hesitate or even pause a breath for that first moment of goneness.

It doesn't make sense- logically- even though I know it is so.

********************

There are a certain number of so called stages to grief. It makes sense to go through phases after the passing of a loved one, family member....or friend. I seem to have had some part in many of those but it still hurts and I can't seem to grasp the whole thing. And yet I also have to keep moving through the day to day. What stage is that? The one where you hurt and hurt but have the knowledge that this earth holds no answers.

That one. Just let me get through.

Photo by Lori (Estep) Willson

Rest in Peace Lori- I know you are really flying with the Angels now.