Our Life...'Better Together'

Father's Day Weekend

2013-06-18T11:00:00.002-05:00

This weekend, we celebrated. We celebrated the start of summer and we celebrated the great daddies and grandpas in our life. We are blessed with a lot of them. There's Grandpa Merle, who proudly gave me the title of his favorite (ahem, only) grand-daughter my whole life, spoiling me with cuddles, weekend trips to La Crosse, and his black oldsmobile with yard sticks to hold up the sinking ceiling when I turned 16. Living just up the street, he and Grandma were two of the most involved grandparents one could have, and we're so blessed they continue to be active and involved with their great-grandkids.

Then there's Papa Ray. He raised one of the most important men in my life, and instilled in him a lot of strong values I admire in him today. Like the new Weber grill Gabe and Beau purchased for him for Father's Day. When Beau called to see if he received it, Ray thanked him for it and said it will be nice to have when his other one decides to bite the dust. And instead of purchasing a brand new pontoon when the boys were growing up, he put the time and resources into a hand-me-down one that used to belong to his grandpa. Beau always said he could have afforded a pretty nice new boat by the time he fixed that old one, but we've learned that according to Ray, if it's broke, you fix it.

And then there's Papa Curt. My dad is very special to me and has lived a life of hard work, sacrifice, and love for his family and kids. I always remember him working hard to provide for us, but also remember him always around to be there for us. He coached little league, never missed a school event, and still seems happiest when his kids are at home. I love the ease of watching him as a grandpa and smile when I think he's exactly the way I pictured it.

Endless 'tractor' rides and all.

And finally, my Beau. At first I may have fallen in love with his wit, his sweetness, and his big blue eyes, but soon discovered qualities far deeper and unique. He's smart, he's kind, he's devoted, and he knows me and loves me exactly as I am. He would do anything for our family, and loves Cruz with every fiber in him. I'm so lucky he's mine and so blessed I get to spend forever with him.

Father's Day last year. One of my favorite pictures of the two of them...

And this year! And we thought Cruz couldn't get any more rambunctious!

And because my man deserved the world this Father's Day, we decided to start with a good breakfast. Cruz and I surprised Beau with a very special breakfast in bed, complete with a yummy bacon, potato, and egg skillet, cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, and Beau's favorite Donut Shop coffee. We gave him a homemade photo card from Shutterfly for his desk at work, and surprised him with a new Cubs shirt and travel mug. After breakfast, we got ready for church and Beau fired up the Big Green Egg. We were off to a good start.

Some after-church pictures and play...

We spent the afternoon at Mom and Dad's, soaking up the perfect summer day with cousins, picnic food, blow up pools, and a makeshift home run derby in the front yard. It felt so good just to relax outside, sit in a lawn chair, and watch Cruz, Charly, and Hayes have a ball with the sprinkler in the pool. We ate watermelon slices, raved over Beau's smoked pork loin, and laughed, and then consoled, one child after another. And after Dad kept putting the lawn mower away, only to get it back out again, we decided it was finally time for bed. Cruz cried for 'tractor rides with Papa Curt' halfway home!

The night was perfect. After a hot and humid day, the night eventually cooled as the dusk settled in around us. It was still, and quiet, and felt like barefoot toes on the pavement, sun-soaked skin, and pajama'ed kids running through the thick, soft summer grass. We gathered in the driveway and became a picture of my dreams, of another Iowa summer just as it should be.

Cruz Things

2013-06-13T22:31:00.000-05:00

Summer is here, and once again we find ourselves moving on slow time. The days are longer, the weeks move slower, and we move at Cruz's pace most of the time, allowing us more time to watch and soak up who our boy is right now.

Take today for instance. First, we tackled a quick trip to the grocery store for some essentials. Cruz wanted to walk beside me in the parking lot, wanted to help me lock the door to the car, and wanted to pick out his own cart, a process that took ten minutes longer than it should have. After "helping" me in the checkout line by handing every food item to the cashier and staring at her until she announced what it was ("pineapple...yogurt...ketchup..."), we left for home just long enough to grab a quick lunch, change into swim trunks, and head to the pool. Only instead of my plan, Cruz decided to fall asleep on the five minute ride home, leaving me in the driveway, tanning my legs while my boy continues to sleep in his carseat with the windows down. We'll get to that pool eventually...

All this time, all these detours, and all these changes in plans leave me the opportunity to witness just who Cruz is right now. He's independent and happy, defiant and a little bossy, but easy going and content with wherever life takes him. He's always been so content to be along for the ride, and can usually explore and find something amazing no matter where he is. He's also growing so much again lately, leaving his dad and I astonished with what he knows and what he says. Last night, Beau and I were watching the tornado warnings on TV while Cruz was on the floor with the iPad. All of a sudden, he climbed up on the couch beside me, put his head on my shoulder, looked up at me with his big brown eyes and said, "Nice to see you, Mom." He melts me.

Other 'Cruz Things' to remember right now...

Our boy is officially potty trained. He still wears a diaper at bedtime, but wakes up dry most mornings. He loves his big boy undies and I can tell he feels freer in them. At first, Beau and I bailed on the undies in public, as Cruz didn't quite know what to make of public restrooms; however, just this week he's pottied at the library, in the urinal at Mulligans, and in the woods! Thanks, Charly, for modeling that move at the park the other night. ;)

His vocabulary has exploded lately. He's stringing more words together in coherent sentences all the time, but what's even more astonishing is how much he absorbs. The other day, after setting up a little waterpark in our front yard with his water table and sprinkler, Cruz said, "Mommy, I'm so happy!"

Our boy is an independent one and uses the phrase, "Me do it myself," maybe more than any other right now. This works fine, unless it's something he clearly can't do on his own, and then Cruz gets frustrated and mad at mom and dad for not trusting him.

Cruz loves to help. With everything. And more recently, I'm learning that he actually can help. He helps me throw a load of laundry in the wash every morning, and loves to do everything in the kitchen.

Cruz has little quirks that make us laugh. For instance, he likes to take all the throw pillows off the couch and line them in a perfect row. He requests water every night before bed, but prefers to hold it like a stuffed animal instead of drink it, and lately, I've noticed he's been picking his nails (to which he refers to as picking his toenails).

Our boy loves to dance and doesn't care who's watching. He was the life of the party at a wedding dance the other night, and fit right in with the wedding party! I don't think he has a shy bone in his body, and I'm pretty show he'd go home with just about anybody (which will definitely provoke a few serious conversations as he ages, into childhood and adulthood).

He's defiant. He's happy most of the time, but holy cow can he throw a tantrum. He's only had one in public, after he didn't understand that we had to wait in line for a juice box at Movies Under the Moon the other night. And yes, we got the stares. So, I prayed for the waters to part so we could get our juice box before I lost my mind. We made it, and within minutes, as usual, our boy was a happy camper. I'm beginning to think all two and a half year olds are bipolar.

Cruz loves hiding, loves pirates, loves books, and loves his drum set. He's a picky eater, and prefers kid food --- chicken nuggets, peanut butter sandies, and fruit. He can read Little Blue Truck start to finish and has started throwing a fit before bedtime. He manipulates us by telling us he has to go potty. We take him, he doesn't go, we put him in bed, and five minutes later he says he has to go again. He hits us where he knows we're weakest --- smart little soul.

Cruz is growing so big and we are so excited about who he is - tantrums and all! We love the way he shouts, "Umi-zoomi" before going down the slide at the park, how he always wants us to draw rocketships and houses, and how he immediately declares which room is which at the playground. Life is pretty fun when you get to experience it through the eyes of a little person, and we're doing our best to not speed up Cruz time, but go at his speed and enjoy the view.

Orange Orange Orange

2013-06-12T07:47:00.001-05:00

Summer means more time at home with Cruz and more opportunities to engage in play and create with my toddler. Summers at home also mean more opportunities to risk increased boredom and lack of structure; thus, ensuing toddler-sized tantrums that make me want to pull my hair out and go back to work! While I love summer for its flexibility and loss of routine, I've found that a balance is important for utmost happiness around our house. I think little ones thrive on structure, and creating opportunities for learning and play ensures that we don't spend too many mornings watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, visiting the same playground, or reading the same book over and over and over again.

Except Little Blue Truck, of course, which Cruz has memorized and can recite in the most animated, adorable way possible.

Last summer, I introduced a new color to Cruz each week through a series of fun, laid back learning activities. It became a creative outlet for me to put together fun ideas each week, and put a unique twist on each week. Last year, Cruz was just starting to learn his colors, but it became more about the switch up and experiences that associated with each week. This summer, however, Cruz knows his colors and it's been fun to pair our weeks with 'I Spy' games and actually witness him pick up on our theme. It's been fun to stick to a similar theme, but change activities and ideas to make them more age appropriate to where Cruz Man is now.

Last week, we focused on the color orange. I started with a discovery box similar to last year; however, decided to make one box to use each week instead of trying to round up storage each week. I filled the box with orange objects from around the house. I included a couple of books about pumpkins, a tiger flashlight, some Goldfish crackers, a basketball, a bag of Cheetos, some carrot seeds to plant in our garden, and some orange playdoh. Cruz loves anything that resembles a present and had fun exploring all of the orange things (including his Cheetoh-stained fingers!)

I also brought back a loved tradition from last summer --- our muffin-tin lunches. I'm not sure I will do this every week, but the color orange is everywhere in the food pyramid and includes many of Cruz's favorites. We did a cheese sandwich, some peach yogurt, cheese puffs, mandarin oranges, jello jigglers, and milk in an orange cup.

We explored the color orange throughout the week with a lot of other fun activities...

Cruz wore his orange shirts. I had no idea that he had so much orange!

We made orange creamsicle pops in our Zoku pop machine.

We went for a walk by Price Lab and watched the orange construction trucks...

And spent some time riding his own at Wal-Mart. Beau and I avoid Wal-Mart with Cruz because we can't get him out of the play zone by the check-outs. So this afternoon, I made a point to go to Wal-Mart with one thing on my list: time for Cruz to ride the digger!

We read two great books: Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett, and Monsters Love Colors, by Mike Austin. Monsters Love Colors talks about the primary colors and mixed colors, and gives the formulas for creating each. So Cruz and I followed suit and had some fun mixing red and yellow paint to get our orange.

We also did some painting and made a neat orange tiger mask. I hollowed out a paper plate, hot glued a popsicle stick to the bottom and some ears to the top, and let Cruz paint away. I have plans to attach some orange and brown yarn and add other colorful animal masks to our collection throughout the summer.

We had some fun experimenting with a simple orange snack. Cruz could tell me each of the parts of a boat, and we had fun constructing our little cheese and orange boats and keeping the goldfish away from the fisherman!

We planted a few carrot seeds in our garden and made some carrot-inspired pudding cups to eat outside.

We made a big orange fire one night and roasted some marshmallows.

We talked about the sun a lot (since I was starting to wonder if Cruz would forget about it) and learned the song, Oh, Mr. Sun.

And we ended our week with one of our favorite orange cinematic friends, The Lorax, at Movies Under the Moon at Overman Park.

This week, we're exploring the color red just in time for strawberry season!

For more ideas on color weeks, see our blue week, green week, orange week, and yellow week from last summer.

Birthdays, Bacon, and Break Dancing

2013-06-10T20:17:00.001-05:00

Although the sun still seems to be awol around here as of late, that didn't stop us from creating some summertime fun this weekend. We've been getting over some long nasty colds, so between naps, chicken noodle soup, and the Game of Thrones season finale, we forced ourselves outside and had some fun by the fire, on the dance floor, and underneath the moon.

Highlights of our weekend...

Birthdays, Bacon, and Break Dancing

Cruz was pretty sick last week with what we eventually learned was a sinus infection and clogged tear duct. And because Beau's birthday was spent waiting in line at not one, but two Walgreens for antibiotics, we decided to hold off and celebrate when Cruz was feeling back to himself. We celebrated a couple of nights late with grilled steaks and baked potatoes, Italian pasta salad and peanut butter pie, and relived an annual tradition of a very special gift from Cruz, picked out all by himself with an allowance of $2.42 at Dollar General.

Cruz perused the aisles of Dollar General for an hour, casually investigating objects and announcing "Daddy wouldn't like it," before setting it back down and finding something else. He finally decided on an orange hoola hoop ("hoola hoopsie") and a cool pair of shades. Cruz thought is was pretty neat presented Daddy with his very own gift and immediately proceeded to demonstrate how to use it.

Saturday morning started in a way quite typical for the Jorgensen's --- bacon, bed head, and underwear! Our little monkey is pretty much potty trained, and he's enjoying the freedom and comfort of underwear! He may kill me for these pictures someday, but I just can't help myself - chicken legs, his baseball t-shirt tucked into his Superman undies, and eating bacon like a piece of candy.

Saturday night, we traveled to Allison for a wedding. For a few years, it seemed our summers were made of weddings; however, they happen less frequently lately and I relish the opportunity to get dressed up, eat wedding cake, and see how two people take such a lovely tradition and put their own unique spin on it.

Cruz looked so handsome on Saturday and got into all things wedding. He preferred to drink his water from the wine glass at the table instead of the sippy cup we packed, quickly spotted the candy and popcorn table from across the way, and broke in his dancing shoes by creating quite the spectacle on the dance floor.

He was so funny! Surrounded by mostly strangers, this little man held his own as he followed the groomsmen's moves, and other times, let them follow his lead! At one point, I couldn't find Cruz on the dance floor, to which my dad pointed him out in the middle of a giant circle of dancers, taking his turn during Jeremiah was a Bullfrog! My favorite moment was when I saw him go and wave his hands back and forth in Carly's tulle wedding skirt! He lost himself for a moment!

Popcorn, Puppets, and New Park Adventures

Friday night, we met Jordan, Kelli, Charly, and Hayes for one of my favorite summertime traditions. Our town does this thing called, Movies Under the Moon a few times each summer. Families of all ages gather on the grounds at Overman Park, spread blankets, open picnic baskets, and settle in for a night of popcorn, snuggling, and movies under the moonlight. Friday night was the perfect night for this sort of thing - the weather just right for blankets and past-bedtime cuddles. We ate pizza out of the box, passed toys and kiddos around, and watched the Lorax with a sea of people. Stepping back and soaking up the huge crowd was a pretty neat sight. Small town America at its finest.

Sunday brought playtime in Cruz's room, stories out of the mouths of puppets, and new parks to explore. We found a wonderful little secluded one just right for Cruz's size, and he spent a half hour concentrating on conquering the digger toy all by himself.

Fish, Forts, Fires, and Farmer's Markets

This weekend brought blanket forts (because Saturday morning cartoons are really much better from under a blanket fort), trips to the Farmer's Market to replace some of our rabbit-plagued pepper plants, and backyard fires, s'mores, and books after bedtime.

And finally, our weekend brought us Sam. Sam-I-Am to be exact. We decided Cruz needed a pet, and since my allergies currently prevent any furry friend from joining our family, we went to Pet Smart and let Cruz pick out a finned one instead.

He went with this bright blue beta fish, and I had fun picking out and decorating a little bowl to match Cruz's room. Sam made it through the first stretch of getting home, as Cruz proudly demanded he hold the plastic container, sending Sam on quite the roller coaster on the way home. While I was at first thankful for a 14 day guarantee, it looks as though our little fish friend is enjoying his new home. Now if we can just keep him in the bowl. ;)

It was a pretty good weekend and you know what? The sun is peeking through the clouds as we speak. Hoping for a chance to dip our toes into some chlorine this week.

Untitled...

2013-06-05T21:01:00.001-05:00

It's there -
but it's not.

The bricks,
the stone,
the hallways.
Even the posters

still fill the walls
as if eagerly waiting for
another school year to begin.

New worlds to invent,
New stories to tell,
New faces to love.

Some would say the building was broken,
But I say the world is.

I believe it would wait there forever
to be filled with that life again,
but instead it withers away,
hoping we don't forget.

I miss it all this time of year.
That distinct smell of freshly waxed floors,
and the heat that permeated through its air.
I miss the patchwork carpet in 222,
and the conversations shared inside its walls.

Conversations about mockingbirds and semi-colons
and carousels and dreams.

And just like the building,
we're there -
but we're not.

Carrying with us its lessons,
its power,
its uniqueness that only us who walked the halls
understand.

And when that last brick falls
and all that was will be,
we'll stand -
and remember.

Just Keep Swimming

2013-06-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on my skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink when the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."

I had plans for this week. Plans to pack a picnic lunch and surprise Beau at work for his birthday. Plans for outdoor play and maybe an afternoon at the pool to break in Cruz's new swim trunks. Plans for fires and marshmallows, projects and pictures, and a coconut-scented start to another hot summer at home. But as soon as I crawled out of Cruz's bed this morning at 6:00 to the sounds of Cruz crying and screaming, "Mommy, I can't see!" I knew we were in for a long one. And the rain once again falling outside only added to the bad omen that seemed to wake up with me from the wrong ~~side of the~~ bed.

The day wasn't great. Cruz has been battling some sort of cold/allergy thing for the past couple of days and it seemed to peak this morning when he woke up with his poor eyes matted shut. His nose was runny, he had dark pink circles around his eyes, and his mood was less than favorable. He cried when I got the toilet paper from the roll instead of letting him do it himself, cried when we ran out of frosted Cheerios, and cried when I refused to put goldfish crackers in the milk in his cereal bowl.

Later on, I helped Cruz construct a birthday card for Daddy, to which we was content and happy. But soon, all hell broke loose when I left him listening to Raffi and looking at books in his room while I went to put craft supplies away downstairs. First, I tumbled down a few stairs. I wouldn't call it a fall, but more of a graceful slide. After attempting to catch my breath, gain my composure, and attempt to figure out what was out of place, I literally heard what could only be one sound coming from Cruz's room. I walked in to find exactly what I knew I would...only worse. There was Cruz, standing in a significant puddle of pee, splashing with his feet and grinning from ear to ear. I was mortified and impulsively scolded him and sat his bum on his potty chair while he cried a mix of embarrassed, ashamed, and apologetic tears. To which caused Mom to cry a mix of embarrassed, ashamed, and apologetic tears.

After cleaning up, getting soaked on the way to Hy-Vee to pick up a balloon bouquet for Beau's birthday, and a slow service lunch and mediocre food at one of our favorite establishments, Cruz had a nap and I called the doctor.

Funny to say, but the highlight of our day was the doctor's office. Cruz loves the doctor. After hopping up on our pediatrician's lap, helping him listen to his ears and conning him into reading him a story, we left with a handful of stickers, a lime green sucker, and two prescriptions for antibiotics.

On the way home, we stopped by Walgreens to pick up prescriptions. It was raining, again, so instead of unloading Cruz I chose the drive thru service. I said a prayer of patience as I pulled up to the long line of cars at the drive thru window. After a half hour of waiting and listening to Cruz demand "chocolate milk" as he does every time we go through a drive thru, I was informed that our prescriptions were accidentally sent to a different Walgreens. I pulled away, drove the five miles to the next Walgreens and waited for another fifteen minutes while I watched my gas light turn on and listened to Cruz continue to request his chocolate milk and attempt to throw himself from the car by unlocking the child safety lock over and over and over again. Little did he know, I was ready to go with him.

Oh, and the school where I learned to teach and became part of a truly amazing family was leveled to the ground today.

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

By this point, I had officially entered survival mode. That happens sometimes, and you know what? It has to. While I wanted to throw the towel in, and came pretty close as I resorted to a diaper on Cruz, chicken nuggets in front of the TV, and a sippy cup of milk to bed, I kept swimming. It wasn't graceful and it wasn't pretty, but it was grounded. And sometimes, days like this are important, too. Because at the end of the day, they help us strip away all the gunk and really see the small little glimmers of good as enough fuel to make it across the finish line.

Because there are good things in every day, even the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad ones.

Cruz fascinates me at the doctor's office. He paid attention to everything the nurse and doctor did, and followed directions with an interest and trust that few kids possess in an uncomfortable setting. From the way he put his hand on our pediatrician's leg as he showed us his charts, to the way he grabbed the nurses hand as she listened to his heartbeat, I melted at his sweetness and innocence and completely forgot about our early mishaps.

Bundling Cruz in a chair to eat his supper in our cozy house while the rain poured outside. It's a rare occurrence to eat in the living room, and sometimes the rarities offer a little magic to an otherwise mundane routine. I watched Cruz eat, tickled his toes from under the blanket, and felt thankful for a warm house and a gentle rain.

Reading books to Cruz before bed. Because no matter how hard the day has been or how many times I've held back tears of frustration or said silent prayers for patience, the days always end with peace. Peace in the form of the two of us cuddled in the chair, reading books, snuggling with blankies, and soaking in exactly who he is on a night I'll never have again. Everything else kind of withers away when we read those books together.

These kinds of days are inevitable and important in the sense that they keep us grounded, keep us vulnerable, and keep us aware. I've been reflecting a lot on a quote I saw on Kristin Rogers', one of my favorite instagrammer's feeds: "Each day is, in a certain sense, a complete life by itself. It has its own duties, its own trials, its own burdens, its own needs. The very best we can do for the perfecting of our life as a whole, is to live the one day well. We should put all our thought and energy and skill into the duty of each day, wasting no strength, either in grieving over yesterday's failures - or in anxiety about tomorrow's responsibilities." JR Miller

Working hard to live each day as a life. To laugh through frustration, add one more book to the pile at night, and when all else fails, just keep swimming.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2013-06-04T19:01:00.002-05:00

Stopping in quick today to wish our one-and-only a very Happy Birthday! We love this guy to pieces and wish he could be here hanging out with us on this rainy day instead of at work!

Last summer, we enjoyed the warm June morning and painted a banner for Daddy to greet him when he got home from work. This morning, however, we woke up to rain (go figure), and decided we needed a rain check on any outdoor plans for the day. We got out the art supplies and stickers, made a homemade card, and swung by Hy-Vee for a surprise bouquet of balloons and Beau's favorite, Hot Tamales, tied as a weight.

Then, the two of us decided to go surprise Dad at work and take him to lunch. Cruz definitely understands that it is a special day for his dad, and he looked so cute marching into the Farm Bureau office with a bouquet of balloons and a card he made all by himself. He proudly displayed the balloons and we were both quite pleased with the look on Daddy's face when he turned and saw our little surprise! These are the little moments with kids that I couldn't wait to experience.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! We love our taco-eating, insurance-selling, Big Green Egg-loving, guitar-playing boy more than anything else!

Anniversaries, Concerts, and Corn Dogs - The Jorgensen's Kick Off Summertime!

2013-06-03T20:39:00.003-05:00

Although Memorial Day weekend is considered the unofficial kickoff to summertime, I always consider this past weekend our own family's official start to the season. In the past, it's typically been my first weekend following the end of the school year, and a celebration of another year through, final grades complete, and a classroom packed until next year. This weekend also marks the celebration of two important events in our family: Beau and I's wedding anniversary and Beau's birthday. Beau and I got married on the anniversary of our very first date, so for nine years, the second of June has been an important one for us. One third of those years we've celebrated in Mexico, but the other years have been a hodgepodge of events that have reflected our journey as a couple and now, our family of three. I think my favorite is still our very first anniversary where we spent the weekend demoing the kitchen of our new-to-us home and installing one we built together. You can't get more romantic than that! ;)

This weekend, Beau and I dropped Cruz off at Grandma Mary and Papa Ray's and drove a few hours north to spend a couple of days in Minneapolis. Besides trips to see friends, shopping trips to Edina and Ikea, and several Twins games as a kid, I've never really explored the downtown area of Minneapolis. So that became our goal of the weekend - just the two of us, staying at the beautiful W Minneapolis, exploring, and of course, eating our way through this charming city. Oh, and we also got to see one of our favorite bands perform one of their largest concerts ever at the Target Center.

Beau and I decided that these little overnights might be our preferred form of getaway. We didn't pack a lot, didn't have to say goodbye to Cruz for too long, and had a sufficient amount of conversation, good food, and relaxation to recharge our batteries and reconnect as a couple. Because it was short, we felt the freedom to splurge a little on a couple of good meals and fully soak up a night for the two of us, and more importantly, a morning of sleeping in!

Beau and I had so much fun together and were quickly reminded of how important it is to create these opportunities together. We people-watched on the outdoor patio at Rock Bottom, tried pastor tacos and home brew, and had the dinner of the century at the Brazilian Steakhouse, Foco de Chao. Beau, being the meat connoisseur he is, has been wanting to eat at this place for years, and finally had his dream come true on Friday. This place is unreal! It was a little pricey, but Beau declared that next to our wedding day, the birth of his son, and the day his Big Green Egg was delivered, this was the next best experience of his life! After all, it's not every day you have 20 waiters walking around, just waiting to cut you a piece of 17 kinds of meat at the turn of a coaster! :)

After filling ourselves to near oblivion, we walked over to the Target Center for a night with The Lumineers. I knew it would be a fun concert, but was really blown away with how great they sounded live. Their simple, organic sound, humble and real personas, and the constant clapping, chanting, and twirling, created the most fun atmosphere. I followed the adorable Neyla's lead and danced like no one was watching. We had a blast and could have listened to them all night long.

Saturday morning, we filled up with huevos rancheros, signature sausage bread, and homemade peanut butter at Hell's Kitchen (whilst listening to a Johnny Cash cover band at 9:00 in the morning, mind you), and did a little shopping before heading to Beau's parents to see our little boy. We felt recharged and reenergized and quickly put it to good use chasing Cruz around the rest of the weekend.

...We celebrated both Beau and Gabe's birthdays at Beau's parents with grilled pork chops, pirate sword fights, and vintage fisher price airplanes.

...We were welcomed back to Iowa with the most gorgeous sunset on the way home Saturday night. With Cruz asleep in the backseat, I made Beau pull over on the side of the highway so I could snap a few pictures of it. Although we sure enjoyed the tall buildings and lights of the city, an orange sunset over fields of green will always be home.

...We got early morning breakfast donuts at Johnson's Bakery before church.

...We headed to our own downtown to take part in a few My Waterloo Days festivities - popcorn and bands and corn dogs and lemonade shake-ups.

...We watched Cruz ever so carefully pick a duck from the duck pond and proudly earn himself a new pirate sword. Beau helped him attach the sword holder to his waistband, and he walked around the park staring at his shadow and making sure everyone caught a glimpse of his weaponry. Boys will be boys.

...We were again mesmerized at our son's interest and comfort with animals. Another year exploring the petting zoo, only instead of feeding the goats and chickens this time, Cruz upgraded to carrots for the donkeys and horses. He had no fear sticking that carrot right up to the sweet horse's mouth, and he giggled as the horse chomp chomp chomped his way through the carrot stick. He chased the chickens, laughed at the piggies, and stood and stared blankly at the llamas. Me too, Cruz, me too...

...We chalked our sidewalk, drawing rainbows, and pick-up trucks, and even tracing Cruz after he requested I draw him. Dude doesn't stay still for long, so my outline was a bit lopsided and ill-figured. We'll try it again one of these days.

It was a wonderfully full weekend, and a great start to another summer. Hoping that soon summer temperatures will be here and we can start working on our tans!

Happy Monday, everyone, and thanks for the anniversary wishes!

Six Years Ago...

2013-06-02T07:27:00.003-05:00

The sky was intense. Overpowering, majestic clouds contrasted a bright blue sky and threatened an immediate downpour at any moment. This sky seemed to reinforce the intensity of the day - the emotion, the build-up, the excitement. The clouds lingered until the last photos were taken, and erupted with a quiet, warm rain just as the ceremony began. And afterwards, a double rainbow - a peaceful, perfect conclusion and start of a new chapter for a husband and wife.

Today, Beau and I celebrate six years of happiness. Six years of growing and learning from one another, of changes and new chapters to our history-in-the-making, and most of all, of a love that has only continued to grow and deepen as we discover more of who we are and what we're made of. And while the day of our wedding and the adventures of our past bring back so many memories that make me smile at who we were then, the pages we write today far exceed that white dress, that first dance, and even that exotic honeymoon to Mexico.

Yes, even that.

I remember so much about our wedding day. I remember how the satin of my dress felt against my skin, sneaking a peek at Beau through the window of where we got ready as he waited to see me for the first time, and the look on my dad's face just moments before we made our way down the aisle. I remember standing forehead to forehead, laughing with Beau when our unity candle wouldn't light, and the calm look of assurance on Pastor Steve's face when we decided to give up. I remember our first kiss as husband and wife, our walk down a streamer-filled drive, and holding Beau's hand in the privacy of his white impala as we drove to the reception with a rainbow guiding our way.

Beau remembers walking his Grandma J down the aisle and switching pants with his dad minutes before the ceremony because his waistband broke. He remembers the overwhelming feeling of seeing Dad and I turn the corner of the church to make our way up the aisle, and the wide-eyed, I-can't-believe-we're-doing-this smile I gave him as I approached the front of the church.

Our wedding was wonderful; however, the days following were some of the best. We were in a newlywed bubble, making a life in our little duplex, cooking exotic meals with our brand new cookware, and spending late nights on the back patio, playing scrabble, drinking wine, and dreaming up plans for our future. Plans that look a lot like what we're living now.

I'm so thankful for this man that spilled a drink on me nine years ago today. I'm so thankful for this man that put up with my drama for a year and a half of dating, and put up with my planning for a year and a half of engagement. I'm so thankful for this man that put a ring on my finger six years ago today. I'm so thankful for this wild and crazy life and for the partner I have to share it with. There's no life I'd rather live than the one that's next to him.

A billion thanks to the amazing Karen at Muse Photo Design (previously Cooper Image and Design) for contacting me about my old photo proofs. I cherish these digital copies so much!

a boy and his boots

2013-05-30T15:19:00.004-05:00

Although Cruz is quite selective with his footwear, his pirate rain boots are proving to be the one exception. And with the buckets of rain we've been getting lately, they're also proving to be quite practical...

So much rain! Last night, it poured...for three hours straight. And with headlines of already-saturated ground, river levels, and flood stages, this is beginning to feel all too familiar. Just five years ago, the historic floods of 2008 left us all redoing our basements and watching the news footage and river levels in awe as the majority of our state was literally under water. It was one of the weirdest summers in memory and I remember thinking that we have lived through something we'd likely not see again. After all, they call it a hundred year flood for a reason, right? But now, as the flood warnings seem to have a permanent place at the bottom of the TV screen and as neighbors help neighbors clear out basement belongings and attempt to salvage what they can, I'm starting to question what we're in for. Beau and I discovered water in our basement this morning, but were thankful that 2008 smartened us up and that nearly everything was water-proofed and protected.

Thinking of all of you who stayed up late sucking water out of your basement last night! The sun will shine soon, right?

Life has changed for us since 2008 and we now have a two year old boy who thinks the rain is quite fascinating. Although rain storms will always bring a twinge of anxiety around our household now that we are homeowners, they are also cozy and inviting, especially when you can enjoy them from a (partially) dry home. Last night, we watched the rain pour, I taught Cruz the words to 'It's Raining, It's Pouring,' and when the rain gave us a break for an hour or so, we went out to explore, save some night crawlers, and splash in the river that had formed in our street. Cruz trudged up and down the gutters, hummed the theme song to 'Jake,' and bravely touched a worm or two. It felt good to get some fresh air and soak in the smell of spring before we began to get wet again.

We've been doing our best to make the most of mother nature this week, but as June inches closer and closer, we are ready for the sun! The pool was supposed to open last weekend and our summer pass is burning a hole in my wallet! Hopeful the ground will dry soon and the sun will shine again. Hopeful...

But for now, I'll let Cruz wear his pirate boots and continue to acclimate myself to a world of night crawlers, puddles, and wet socks!

End of the Week Musings...

2013-05-24T20:15:00.002-05:00

Feeling content. It's Thursday night and both of my boys are asleep and it's just after nine. I tucked Cruz into bed wearing his Jake and the Neverland Pirates headband, said his prayers, and cracked a window in his room to let in the crisp spring air. For the first time all day, the house is completely quiet and I'm soaking in the serenity. I pulled on a fleece sweatshirt and went outside to give the gardens a drink and spent a lot of time staring through my windows into the home we've created here for the last five years. I see so much when I look through those windows - a kitchen ripped apart and remodeled with our own blood, sweat, and tears, newlywed nights, dinners on the deck, and dreams and plans for our future, a feline friend we'll always love, and a brand new baby in a carrier here to see his house for the very first time. This house, but more importantly, the life we've created here means so much to me, and I'm a bit of an emotional wreck thinking of leaving it. We're here for the time being, but I tell ya, sometimes I want to live here forever...

Eating greens. We didn't have a lot to eat around here for lunch today, so I grabbed a scissors and took to my cut-and-grow lettuce bowl for a healthy salad. Have you seen these lettuce bowls? I found ours at a local greenhouse and supposedly, you just cut what you need as you go and it will continue to replenish all summer long. I topped my salad with some cherry tomatoes and an avocado, along with salt, pepper, and some balsamic vinegar. I feel this amazing sense of independence when I'm able to grow my own food and begin to have visions of cows and pigs and a coop full of chickens...before I remember that I don't really like the smell of them...

Reading Glennon Melton's, Carry On, Warrior. I just started it, and have plans to dive in after I'm finished with this blog post. I love Glennon's Momastery blog, and appreciate her sincerity, her hilarity, and her amazing way to write what is in my head so eloquently. I have high hopes for her book.

I also just finished M.L. Stedman's, The Light Between Oceans. It's truly a wonderful book and a definite must-read of the summer. And if you don't trust me, read the Amazon reviews. They're off the chart.

Listening to lots of things. I'm not sure what's gotten into me, but I've been listening to a lot more country lately. Blame it on summer, but that Rodney Atkins', Back Road song makes me want to hop in a car and be back to 16 again...just for an hour or so ;)

Proud of my boy. It's been a big, amazing week for Cruz, a week of potty training, and patience, and much to celebrate. Of all the developmental milestones and markers, this one has definitely been the most daunting, but I'm thankful for one amazing lead teacher at daycare who lives up to the reputation of being a potty training queen. She decided it was time for Cruz to start going diaperless during the day at school, and asked that we bring lots of extra clothes, an extra dose of patience, and good plans for reinforcement at home along with us on Monday. Four days later and our boy is proving to be a prodigy. He's went dry just about every single day, wakes up dry after nap time, and even tells us when he has to go. We've been really blown away by this, as a week ago I would have said he wasn't close to ready. We've been celebrating with stickers on his rocket ship chart, lots of potty dances, and tonight I took Cruz on a special trip to Target (our first public outing in underwear, aka, terrifying) to wander through the aisles and pick out one new toy. He picked out a Jake and the Neverland Pirates telescope (go figure) that came complete with a matching red headband and secret treasure map. He proudly marched through that store holding his new toy and felt like a million bucks handing it to the cashier. We celebrated another dry night with a treasure hunt in our backyard and a popsicle before bed. I'm still holding my breath a bit with the whole potty training thing; however, am pleasantly surprised with how smooth it's going thus far. Now if we can just get Tricia to move in with us after this week...

Our potty trainee with the first two stars on his potty chart. He filled up that chart by today - a week ago, I told Beau it would be all summer before we'd hit 26 successful times. #neverunderestimate #overthediapers

Loving my newly organized pantry and linen closet, a crossed-off to-do list, and a rediscovered treasure map we bought Cruz when we visited Cape Cod when he was just a baby. Lemon in my water, peonies almost ready to bloom, and a blueberry cheesecake cupcake from Scratch. Our thick grass in the backyard, long conversations with my brother on the phone, and unexpected calls from my dad during the day. And finally, a three-day weekend, and long summer that awaits...

Gardening 101 from a Green-Thumb-In-Training

2013-05-23T08:05:00.006-05:00

We got our garden veggies in the ground last week and much to my disappointment and impatience, they aren't towering with produce quite yet! I have a perfect view of our ~~two~~ three garden beds through Cruz's window, and find myself watching and willing them to grow multiple times during the day. I realize it's only been a week, but I thrive on instant gratification...

We had great luck with our garden beds last year and had tomatoes, banana peppers, and basil coming out of our ears by the end of summer. I specifically remember telling Beau that we just had to cut back this year, as we started having cherry tomato throwing contests by the end of last season. That said, a couple of Weck jars, dreams of sweet pickles, and a discovery of kohlrabi later and we not only have as much produce, but a third garden bed to put it in!

We did cut back our tomatoes from last year, planting two beefy, two roma, and two sugar sweet (yellow cherry tomatoes), and dropped our banana peppers and jalapenos to 1 instead of 2 each. In addition to our bell peppers and herb garden (basil, mint, lavendar, cilantro, and rosemary), we added some new veggies I'm anxious to try: onions, lettuce, kohlrabi, three varieties of cukes, snap peas, and some climbing green beans. Who knew you could 'climb' cucumbers, peas, and beans by sticking some stakes in the ground and creating a wall-like structure with a trellis? It's the same reason we decided to plant our mint in a pot this year --- some greens will get a tad territorial and take over your garden if you let them. So, to save room, we are going to try climbing our cukes and beans and hope for the best.

Until I spent a night or two on Burpee's website, I had no idea that gardeners had their very own language. I discovered that my cilantro 'bolted' as soon as it got hot outside and that in order to cultivate a crop through the summer, I would need to plant new seeds every week or so. I also discovered that when cilantro bolts, it turns to coriander, and that human hair sprinkled in your garden is not only a good fertilizer, but helps keep the bunnies away. Amazing stuff, huh?!

I have goals to use every last bit of our produce this year, to try my hand at canning tomatoes and spaghetti sauce and pickles and salsa, and find creative ways to make the most of our backyard grocery store. I'm most definitely a work in progress when it comes to this gardening thing, and would welcome any tips, recipes, canning advice from my fellow green thumbs out there.

Finally, just a few tips I've learned along the way...

-Peat moss is a must for your raised beds. I have no idea why, but we are convinced it led to our abundance last year!

-Have I mentioned yellow banana peppers grow out of control?

-Pick your basil and snip the ends before they begin to flower. Do the same with your cilantro.

-Mint leaves are a wonderful addition to just about any drink. Water, lemonade, iced tea, mohitos...

-Cute bunnies turn into beastly savages as soon as your garden is in the ground. Keep them away by spraying a mixture of vinegar and tabasco sauce around your garden, or sprinkling human hair in the dirt. Both are much better alternatives to the wolf urine you can buy at your local gardening store ;)

So you wanna have a picnic?

2013-05-22T08:44:00.002-05:00

If you've been visiting this blog for awhile now, you know that I'm a fan of a good picnic. Nothing says summertime more to me than setting up our own little island in a secluded spot outside, eating picnic food on patchwork while our bare toes skim the soft sea of green around us. I've always loved picnics and remember them as a child. Sometimes, they involved nothing more than a peanut butter sandwich in the loft of our custom swing set in the backyard, and other times, they included trips to meet Dad on his lunch break, bringing Happy Meals for us and leftover bread for the ducks by the river.

I love picnics of all kinds – quick, unplanned, easy prep picnics of sandwiches and juice boxes packed in the back of our bike trailer, post-pool picnics of pizza, hot dogs, or Tropical Sno on the swings, and sometimes, elaborate picnics with homemade summertime food and drinks. There’s something very summery and carefree about setting a picnic table, eating food out of mason jars, and reading stories outside. It makes the normal routine of mealtime a little more exciting by changing the scenery and getting away from the kitchen.

Over the course of a few summers, I've discovered I'm getting better at planning and prepping for these sorts of things and no matter what kind of picnic you have planned, there are a few go-tos I'm always sure to have on hand.

1. a good quilt. Not too big so that it's a pain to lug around, but long enough to lay on and not get itchy from the grass. The one that you see in all my pictures is from Etsy; however, I've seen beautiful quilts purchased for pennies on Ebay or from thrift stores. J.J. Cole also has picnic blankets that fold into a bag for easy transport on the go.

2. a picnic basket. I'm also eying all the cute insulated totes they now make for picnics since it seems I'm always packing my basket and a cooler.

3. fun, fancy drinks. An easy way to class up a picnic is with unique and refreshing summer cocktails. Dress up a jug of water with lemon slices, blueberries, or mint leaves, buy a cool beer, or try San Pellegrino's Limonata or Blood Orange sparkling soda. Just don't forget a bottle opener!

4. a plastic bag for your trash - in case your local park asks that you take it home with you.

5. wet wipes. A must, especially with little people.

6. sandwiches on baguettes. I like to hollow out one side of a French baguette and use that instead of regular sandwich bread. It's thicker, tastier, and won't get soggy. Last weekend, I made a pesto caprese sandwich. It was delicious and incredibly easy. Just hollow out one side of the baguette, spread some pesto on one side, then layer with sliced roma tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves. Cut the sandwich in half or thirds, wrap tightly in parchment paper, and tie with a string to secure it in place.

7. finger foods for the littles to eat. I like to bring along fruit, trial mix, or dry cereal for Cruz, along with something for him to do so we don't eat and leave as soon as dinner is over. His Cheerios book, some bubbles, or a lift-the-flap board book work great for us.

8. Finally, I like anything that comes in a jar! I want to try these cherry crisps in a jar and love all the jar ideas in this beach picnic.

Happy Picnic'ing this summer! I would love to hear your own go-to picnic recipes and tips. And remember, when all else fails, a $5 box of pizza and some plastic dinnerware can be just as fun!

This weekend, we...

2013-05-20T14:36:00.003-05:00

I love weekends in the summertime, especially ones like this one. This weekend brought the perfect mix of productive and relaxed, of things to do and look forward to, with pockets of unplanned, open space for us to go with the flow a bit and find our own fun. Other than a few graduation parties and an anticipated morning play date with good friends, we didn’t have much planned, and we made sure to savor the open canvas with a slower pace and some of our favorite summertime distractions.

This weekend, we…

…reunited with the old crew at graduation parties. It was so wonderful to see so many familiar faces on Friday night, and made me feel honored and blessed to be part of this forever family.

…played at the park ‘til bedtime. Friday night was gorgeous, and we decided to replace books at bedtime with curly slides and stepping stones at Pfeiffer Park. Cruz made friends with some older kids with a skateboard, and they even let Cruz have a ride or two. Suddenly, Mom and Dad were standing in the middle of the playground by ourselves, feeling dejected and old. I can’t imagine when he’s 16…

…shared donuts and coffee at the park with Nate, Kate, Harper, and Will on their last weekend in Cedar Falls. We will forever remember Harper as Cruz’s first true friend, and have loved getting to know this wonderful family. We wish them the best of luck on their next adventure and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing our first Tulip Festival in the future…

…got a little productive in our backyard space. Planted one last garden bed, mowed the lawn, cleaned up Cruz’s pirate ship water table, and secured our outdoor umbrella in its spot on the deck. It felt good to do some spring cleaning outside, and I felt myself officially ushering summertime in as we manicured our space.

This year, we had a little more help from our growing boy. For being quite picky on wardrobe choices and especially shoes as of late, I was surprised to see Cruz shed the clothes little by little the longer he stayed outside. Soon, in nothing but a diaper, Cruz was getting reacquainted with his water table, splashing in its leftover puddles, and doing his very best to keep up with Beau with his lawn mover. This mental image I have, of my diaper-clad boy pushing his mower every which way behind Beau is classic summertime. And although he was having the time of his life pushing that little mower around, I have a feeling Pap’s riding lawn mower rates a bit higher than Daddy’s push.

…went on a picnic. Although we had plans for a picnic last weekend for Mother’s Day, we decided it was a little chilly and decided to postpone for a nicer night. The night was perfect, maybe the best yet, and I made Beau promise we could stretch the evening out, take our time, and go home when the sun went down.

Cruz fell asleep on the way to George Wyth, so we opened the windows of the car and let him sleep while Beau and I enjoyed a surprise little dinner just the two of us. After Cruz woke up, we read some books, blew some bubbles, and ended the night with a walk to the park playground.

…played cribbage by candlelight on the back deck, just Beau and I, followed by my first s’more of the season on the Big Green Egg. We cheat a little by using the egg, but holy cow does it roast the best mallow.

As I think about Memorial Day weekend and the first official kickoff to summer right around the corner, I am thankful for the prequel we’ve already enjoyed. We have a lot of big decisions to make and some upcoming changes to prepare for; however, I’m anticipating a summer full of fun, carefree, and happy memories in the making.

Bluebells

2013-05-17T15:05:00.002-05:00

"The bluebell is the sweetest flower,

that waves in summer's air,

it's blossoms have the mightiest power

to soothe my spirit's care."

-Emily Bronte

Spring may have come a little late this year, but it's in full bloom now and has been spoiling us with absolutely gorgeous weather lately. The maple tree in our backyard seemed to bud and leaf overnight, casting that familiar area of shade in the middle of the lawn. The grass, the tree, the clothes on the line, and the sun tea warming on the deck bring back memories of my summer with Cruz last year, sitting on the quilt reading books, doing crafts, or telling stories as we enjoyed the stillness and simplicity of summer.

And just as our backyard is a canvas for the things I love about summertime, our town comes alive with little pockets that show off this season's best. The outdoor patio furniture is set up at Soho and Mulligans, the bike trails lead to wooded Hartman Reserve or picnic perfect George Wyth, and Overman Park readies itself for Farmer's Markets, Movies Under the Moon, and the annual Sturgis Falls Celebration.

Sometimes, I grow a little tired of the same ole, same ole, and wish our town had more to offer in terms of restaurants, sights to see, and things to do. But having lived here for almost a decade now, it seems we continue to discover hidden pockets and treasures along the way. Things like the splash pad or Herb's Barbecue in Waterloo, Alice Wyth Lake, a little lake about as far back as you can go at George Wyth, or the revival of College Hill with the arts festival and the first annual music festival.

To add to our list, the three of us discovered (thanks to my friend, Megan) the Katoski Greenbelt this past Mother's Day and were told it was the best place to catch a glimpse of the amazing bluebells that had bloomed over the weekend. We've driven by this greenbelt many times; however, from the road it's nothing more than a roadside parking lot with a couple of picnic tables. This vast expansion of woods is tucked away for what seems like miles. Its dirt trails run parallel to a creek, with big shade trees meeting on both sides to create a canopy over the water. There are places to stroll off the beaten path, with big tree limbs serving as bridges over waterways and even bigger limbs serving as resting spots or time for Cruz to play hide and seek. Besides the picnic tables by the road, there is no sign of civilization in this greenbelt, making it feel farther away from reality the deeper you explore.

And then there are the bluebells. Fields of never-ending purple, so pretty that you hate to walk through them. And just as this greenbelt seems to preserve its natural bounty in the middle of the man-made world around it, the bluebells stick out, surrounded by a sea of green.

It's been three summers now of me watching Beau carry Cruz on his shoulders. Three years of trailing behind the two of them, amazed at my very own image of what I always dreamed about. They are my world, set out to explore this bigger world with me and discover our own pockets of beauty in the most unexpected of places.

Counting My Pennies

2013-05-16T08:31:00.002-05:00

Cruz has been changing a lot lately, growing more boy and less baby all the time, and constantly surprising us with the things he knows, remembers, and thinks to say at the best times. He has always been so game for trudging through the bits and pieces of this life with us, and his ability to embrace and soak up his surroundings, no matter where he is, has challenged me to do the same so many times. I watch him and am overtaken with awe at his sweetness. The way he watched Charly's every move at the playground on Sunday, smiling from ear to ear at the chance to play with his friend. The way he closed his eyes tight and stretched his ear to his shoulder, all the while trying to be brave as our neighbor's dog gave him kisses on his face. The way he wraps his legs around my waist as I rescue him from the top of the stairs in the morning, this little figure with disheveled hair standing there in the dark holding his water cup, his baby, and sometimes a puzzle piece, race car, or spoon, depending on what he chose to bring to bed with him the night before. These small little snapshots of raising him evoke so many different emotions, emotions I've learned come with the territory of motherhood. A mix of a overwhelming happiness, a humbling thankfulness, and a aching twinge of sadness knowing how quickly these moments slip away and fade into new moments.

Writer, Annie Dillard, compares these free surprises to pennies on the sidewalk and says in an essay called, "Seeing", that "the world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside by a generous hand." These moments are uniquely ours, strewn across a life that is full of other reminders that have the power to overshadow the sweet ones. These reminders of the reality we live in are constantly present, but instead of sticking out like pennies on the sidewalk, they sort of slip together into a fog, making it hard to see the pennies. Sometimes, I get sad thinking about how many pennies I miss or fail to see because my sights are focused on something else. Dillard says, "It is dire poverty indeed when a man is too malnourished and fatigued to stoop down and pick up a penny."

But then I remember that the reason surprises are surprises are because they are unexpected and evoke a sudden feeling of wonder or awe. If I surprised Beau with a Big Green Egg for his birthday every year, he would come to expect it or look for it every year and over time, even with a Big Green Egg, it would lose its luster. These pennies of motherhood, the moments when I'm overwhelmed with wonder and awe at this boy I created, occur in the midst of the regular, routine, and reality, and remind us that the clock ticks in moments, not minutes.

Motherhood is hard, and sometimes, it feels like the foggy realities outweigh the pennies. My nerves get frayed, my patience wears thin, and it's easy to dwell on everything that's undone or out of order. A penny is worth just one cent, after all, hardly enough to keep the boat afloat, the laundry done, and the bills paid. But then I'm reminded that it's not really about how many pennies you collect, but how you strive to see them. Dillard says, "if you cultivate a healthy poverty, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have bought a lifetime of days."

So, I wait. I trudge through this life and wait to be surprised with moments of wonder and awe. Responding to Cruz's fifteenth, "Why?" only this time stopping and noticing how brown his eyes have gotten. Feeling how his hand fits in mine as we look both ways before crossing the street. Watching him concentrate as he takes his time climbing up the ladder at the playground. These are my pennies and they have bought me a lifetime.

Flower Picking

2013-05-14T21:30:00.005-05:00

Can you believe this wild weather we're experiencing lately? First, it was snow in May, and now, less than two weeks later, record high temps. of 96 degrees! And while I would have otherwise embraced this abnormal heat wave, I traveled with a group of colleagues to Mankato State University for a site visit today and our university van decided to forgo its AC unit on the ride home. That's right, three hours in a van with dress clothes, the windows down, and hot air blowing through the vents. Oh, and the gas station we stopped at for a cup or five of ice just happened to not have a fountain pop machine.

Brutal.

I wanted to share a few more snapshots from our Friday trip to Hoover's Greenhouse. If you live in Iowa and have never made the trek to the ribbon of greenhouses that exist in the Ionia, Charles City, Orchard area, I highly recommend it. Inexpensive, lots of variety, and very healthy plants, and it's more of an adventure than simply buying your plants at Wal-Mart.

Especially when you have a helper like this...

We have plans to plant tomorrow. Looking forward to slightly cooler temperatures, a pile of new dirt, and a few made rites if we're lucky ;)...

This Mother's Day weekend...

2013-05-13T15:17:00.005-05:00

...started with our annual tradition of greenhouse hunting in farm country. Cruz and I picked up Mom early Friday morning and spent the day searching for pretty flowers and hearty vegetables for the garden. This was the third year Mr. Cruz came along and every year he brings a new version of his growing self. This year, he completely absorbed his surroundings, pushing the cart of flowers down the narrow aisles, greeting the chickens, goats, and cows, and attempting to drink water from the fountain! He looked like a farm boy and did a wonderful job entertaining himself and the rest of the shoppers. Afterwards, we scored some drive-thru food and had a little picnic by the river under the weeping willow trees. Oh, and Captain Cruz had a run in with a gigantic garter snake. As Cruz put it, "he tried to eat my stick!"

...Beau and I scored a date night, complete with martinis and sushi at Soho, a purse full of hot tamales and milk duds, and our first official summer bucket list item, The Great Gatsby on the big screen. The movie was just as I expected - a lively, colorful Luhrman-inspired adaptation with Jay-Z music, amazing visual effects, and of course, Leonardo DiCaprio. Although I was slightly disappointed with Tobey Maquire's version of Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan's version of Daisy made up for it. I got a little tipsy, used the word splendid more than all my years put together, and begged Beau to take me to New York City before we're too old to enjoy it.

...we made pancakes with bananas and blueberries and ate breakfast with the sun seeping through the kitchen.

...Cruz pooped in the bathtub. While Beau built this mama just one more garden bed to complete our own produce farm, I nestled in the bathroom for a Saturday morning of suds and Johnson' bath wash with my boy. And what I thought was definitely the better end of the deal, I soon wished I was Beau digging dirt instead of me digging poo out of the bathtub. And for those of you who can relate to this disgusting situation know that quite the process unfolds following this unfortunate incident. First - remove all contaminated contents (toys, cups, children, etc.) from the tub; Second - Think happy thoughts and remove source of contamination; Third - Bleach everything but baby; Fourth - rinse and remove bleach; and lastly - begin all over again. I managed to laugh my way through most of this, especially after seeing my obliviously content child playing racecars butt-naked in his room awaiting round two.

...I rocked Cruz to sleep, finished my book, and laid next to him for two and a half hours on Saturday while he slept. I smelled the top of his head, counted his eyelashes, and studied his nose as he slept next to me in our unmade bed. While I had originally promised myself a Target run during nap time, I abandoned my plans and did nothing but finish a book and watch my baby sleep all afternoon. It was a perfect opportunity to reflect on what it means to be his mama.

...We had a little fiesta in the kitchen. I did score my trip to Target and came home with all the fixings for margaritas, tacos, and fresh guacamole. We made a batch of my favorite margaritas, ate way too many chips and guac, and let Cruz join in on the fun with his very own wine glass of apple juice and a lime wedge. We did lots of cheersin' and even some dancin' and had a fun little impromptu celebration of summer and moms and of course, tacos.

...Beau surprised me with eggs and bacon for breakfast, tickets to see The Lumineers in Minneapolis at the end of the month, and a gurgle pot of tulips on the table when we returned home from church. I kept asking Cruz if it was Mom's Day and he kept replying with, "No, it's BOY'S day." He's been very into this "I'm a boy" thing lately, but did butter me up a few times, once touching my hair while I changed his diaper saying, "your hair's really nice" (in his best Borat voice), and another time yanking my brown maxi skirt and saying, "ooh, it's pretty." I have a feeling I know where his charm comes from...:)

...We discovered the Katoski Greenbelt and the BLUEBELLS! Never have I seen anything like this place. The secluded trails, the quiet current of the creek beside us, and the endless fields of purple flowers were like something out of a Thoreau book. This place and our afternoon deserves its own post, but for now, a few pictures from our bear hunt.

...We ended the day at Seerley Park with my family, followed by pizza around a big table at Tony's on the parkade. My family around a big square table, sharing pizza and stories and babies, was the perfect way to end our weekend.

Hoping everyone had a wonderful weekend and experienced more fields of bluebells than bathtubs of poo.

On Mother's Day...

2013-05-12T13:37:00.004-05:00

Three generations of mamahood right there - of God-fearing, baby-loving, easily-crying, strong, spirited women - and two women who taught me very early on what it meant to love a child. To my two biggest blog fans, I love you!

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When I was a young child, my parents got my brother and I a paper route. This 75-paper duty was shared by the whole family and on Sunday mornings, involved my dad driving us around at 5:00 in the morning with the side door of the mini-van open so Jordan and I could dart in and out and ensure that every elderly folk in town had their paper on their doorstep before dawn. We secretly loathed this Sunday morning duty, and I still remember crawling back into bed just as the sun was coming up every Sunday morning.

Until they woke us up for church, that is.

There was one Sunday every year, however, that I didn't crawl back into bed. We got home, washed our ink-stained fingers, and as Dad and Jordan crawled back into bed, I got to work. I quietly found the plastic fruit cup I snuck in the cart at the grocery store, put some toast in the toaster, and did my very best to not leave any egg shells in the muffin mix. Although I now realize that Mom heard every sound coming from the kitchen, I tiptoed around that kitchen and sought to prepare the very best breakfast in bed for a mom who deserved the world. I did this for years on Mother's Day, and remember feeling so clever, so proud, and so blessed to honor her.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. You've been there for the paper routes, the prom dresses, the girl fights, and the breakups. You've hugged me, prayed for me, and taught me what it means to love your children with your heart and soul. Thanks for raising us, and loving us, and always being there for us. The older I get, the more I see what a presence you were in my life.

Midweek Musings

2013-05-08T19:40:00.005-05:00

Feeling Thankful For: I'm thankful that it finally feels like spring out there. We've had two of the nicest weather days I can remember, and it's amazing how fast they overshadow the winter that lingered well past its welcome this year. I sat outside and graded on my deck this afternoon, and am typing right now with what feels like a summer breeze wavering through my window. Back are the familiar smells of grass clippings and lawn spray and the sounds of faraway cars on the highway and the occasional passerby on the sidewalk. It's amazing how beautiful weather leads to beautiful moods, and how much more content we feel when we can be outside. Sometimes, it makes me wonder why we don't move to a climate that's warm all year long, but I wonder if it feels the same when you never have to say goodbye...

Laughing at: My night with Cruz. It was our regular Tuesday night just the two of us, and I decided a picnic at Seerley Park is how we'd spend it. With a happy meal for Cruz and a chicken wrap for me, we popped a squat on my favorite quilt and had the playground to ourselves. I'm not kidding - less than five minutes into what seemed like the perfect idea, Cruz spilled most of his chocolate milk onto my patchwork quilt. Then, less than five minutes after that, he 'accidentally' stuck his entire hand in a packet of sweet n' sour sauce, after I had depleted our supply of napkins on the chocolate milk. After teaching Cruz the good ol' 'wipe 'em on the grass' technique, I was slightly relieved when Cruz abandoned the rest of his chicken nuggets and went to play on the playground. And just as I started to forget the chocolate milk stain and enjoy my chicken wrap, I saw it. The poop face. Unmistakeable lately. And while I silently cursed myself the entire way home for not packing a quick bag of diapers and wet wipes, I knew that if I had, we probably wouldn't have had any accidents. The one night I'm not prepared...typical.

Eating: We ate outside on our deck for the first time this season. I made one of our favorite burger renditions - the Maple Yum Burger, courtesy of one of my blog friends, Chelsi. I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing with you! All you do is mix a pound of raw hamburger meat with 1/4 cup of real maple syrup, some minced onion flakes, and whatever other seasonings you prefer on your burgers. Then, you make them into patties and grill them like you would a hamburger. Sounds weird, but trust me, they're amazing.

The toppings, though, are what make this burger. Top with an apple slice (I use honeycrisp apples and throw them on the grill a minute or so before serving), a slice of smoked cheddar, and a couple slices of crispy bacon. Toast the hamburger buns (of course), and let the toppings get to know each other on the bun before devouring. I'm telling you, these burgers are incredible, and even my husband, who doesn't like to mess with a good thing, will attest to these. We served them last night with some jalapeno cheddar stuffed mushrooms and a couple of mugs of sun tea straight from our driveway.

Watching: Friday, we have plans to cross off our very first summer bucket list item with a little Leo and Luhrman. Is anyone else as excited as I am for this movie? I love the artistry of Baz Luhrman and the scandalous, starry-eyed storyline of The Great Gatsby. If I could take a time machine to any decade in American history, it might just be the roaring twenties. And I'd probably start my trip on the veranda at Jay Gatsby's mansion.

Listening to: I'm listening to this song by Young the Giant an awful lot lately, and it always puts me in a good mood. And makes me want to dance a little.

Looking forward to: Turning the chapter of my first year as a field experience coordinator here at UNI. I'm reliving my college days again, trudging through finals week only this time as a grader instead of a test-taker. Only a couple days left before this transition year is in the books. There have been ups and downs, but I'm mainly feeling blessed.

Loving: Cool washcloths on dirty knees after a night at the park. Books before bed with the windows open. Cruz's new pair of aqua short pajamas. My new phone. Sipping iced tea and thumbing through my new Anthropologie catalog. Garden plans and Mother's Day plans. The sound of Cruz yelling, "Hi, will you play with me?" to every child at the park. Spring blooms, Elephant and Piggie books, and kisses before bed.

More pictures from our weekend...

2013-05-07T20:37:00.005-05:00

Some of my favorites from our weekend at Kyle and Jen's...

I'd say we did pretty good getting four kids under the age of three to cooperate for a picture or two...especially with an indoor playground on the opposite side of the room!

This is what four kids up way past their bedtime the night before looks like. Fast forward thirty years, and their daddies didn't look a whole lot different Saturday morning!

Landon introduced Cruz to Happy Feet this weekend.

Jason was the first to take over book duty on Friday. He had lots of practice for his own little boy who will be here in July. And although we decided he has some work to do on the tune of 'The Wheels on the Bus,' he's gonna make one great daddy.

These two made quite the connection this weekend. I think Emi stole Cruz's heart, along with everyone else this weekend.

Mallory didn't feel the best, but was such a little trooper. And she's got the kind of smile that makes you smile back. You know, the best kind.

And then there's this boy. Landon is almost exactly a year younger than Cruz, and it was fun to relive how much fun they are at 18 months. And between those lips, those cheeks, and those sweet Gangnam style moves, I could eat him up.

Moments before the kids started melting on Saturday afternoon, Jen saved the day with a couple of sombreros, maracas, and margaritas. We played some mariachi music, took turns dancing with the kiddos, and soon, we were all ready to party again.

It wouldn't be a trip to Kyle and Jen's without some tub time for the boys! Last time, Landon wouldn't take his eyes off Cruz and was totally mesmerized by him. This time, however, I think Cruz was mesmerized with Landon's bubble blowing skills and splash distance.

Love this one.

Bedtime stories, lullabies, a room full of freshly bathed and lotioned babies - one of my favorite parts of the weekend.

Homeward bound! Cruz telling Grandma about all his adventures with his new friends.

Bacon, Gangnam, and Glory Days

2013-05-06T20:18:00.001-05:00

"Me had lots of fun."

This was Cruz's reaction as we buckled him in his car seat next to a pillow, a deflated air mattress, and a cooler that once held a cured pork belly. And although the three of us were pretty exhausted as we climbed in the car to make the trip home from Woodbury on Sunday morning, we left with so many wonderful memories with some of our favorite people. Memories of meeting babies for the first time and immediately snuggling them as if they were our own, reading books in pajamas after splashing in the tub, and listening to four best friends tell the same stories and laugh at the same jokes they did eight years ago!

Our weekend with good friends, in numbers.

1370...the number of miles we traveled to get to Kyle and Jen's on Friday night. Heath and Nicole from Dallas, Jason and Danielle from Des Moines, and us from home. Eight adults, four kids under the age of three, and one baby boy on the way.

3...the number of times we saw Landon's rendition of Gangnam Style. Seriously, this kid's got some moves.

2...the number of Emi squeezes I received. She totally melted my heart this weekend, especially when I quickly became her girl pal Friday night.

2...the number of pounds of bacon Beau cured, smoked, and forced us to all eat at 1:00 in the morning; that is, before he put the rest in his pocket.

4...the number of pizzas that were delivered Friday night.

3...the number of air mattresses blown up and slept on (as well as a crib, pack n' play, and two beds).

30...the number of toes that received an overdue pedicure while the kids napped.

42...the number of Ron Swanson references I heard throughout the weekend.

28...the number of books read to littles.

4...the number of maracas Jen found for an impromptu (and awesome) Cinco de Mayo party.

12...the number of times Cruz climbed up the cliff and slid down the tube slide at the indoor playground we visited on Saturday.

16...the number of attempts it took before we gave up on a group picture (thanks, Mel!)

I think when we made these plans to get together at the beginning of May, we had visions of grill outs, playgrounds, and outdoor excursions with the kids. We would have never guessed that the first weekend in May would bring snow on the ground for most of Iowa and Minnesota. Our plans for sun were soon replaced with a house full of people who hadn't all been in a room together since one of our weddings. Jen once again had everything planned to a tee --- from the strawberry shortcake and baby shower for Jason and Danielle, to the cute disposable cups for the kids, and the taco bar, inflatable cacti, and margaritas on Saturday. It was fun to just share the simple routines of family together. From watching Cruz and Landon giggle and splash in the tub Saturday night, to watching four littles having the time of their life jumping on an air mattress, it was special to share a house with these people for a weekend, and relive those college days in Apartment 504.

Only this time, with a lot more sippy cups and diaper changes.

More pictures to come!

Mid-Week Musings

2013-05-02T21:57:00.003-05:00

Prologue: I wrote this earlier this week. If you're from Iowa, you'll understand why I say this in a second. As my husband put it tonight, "Monday we had hail, Tuesday I mowed the lawn, Thursday it snowed four inches" --- makes sense.

Feeling Thankful For: this gorgeous weather. I had forgotten how peaceful it is at night with the windows open. We're in for another cold spell the rest of the week, so we made sure to make it count tonight. We had pizza at the park by our house, Domino's on our favorite quilt, and chased Cruz around the slides until he grew thirsty and tired. Then, we walked. First around the neighborhood in his stroller, listening to the sounds of the track meet at the nearby stadium, watching Cruz munch on a piece of pizza because he was too busy to eat at the park. Then, we got home and went for another walk, this time pulling Cruz in the wagon. We made it almost home before he decided to get out and demanded that Beau and I sit in the wagon. I'm sure we looked awfully silly to the neighbors!

Helping another little boy up the ladder. Teamwork!

Eating: it's officially grilling season and my charcoal loving husband is back in his element. We've had pork chops and brats, burgers and fajitas, and Cruz has had his fair share of hot dogs the last couple of days. Soon, we'll put some veggies in the ground and add fresh tomatoes, peppers, and cukes to our plates. I have big plans to find my inner green thumb this summer.

Watching: The Following's first season ended last night. I was once again on pins and needles during the entire episode and reminded that anything is possible on shows like this. I was not expecting one of the lead characters to die, but then remembered watching every season of 24, just waiting for Jack Bauer to die because they always pulled surprises like that. I was halfway glad it was over because the show is disturbing, yet already anxious to know when Season 2 will begin.

Reading: Still reading The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. I'm over halfway through and still impressed with Stedman's renaissance writing style. I'm not sure how the book will end, but have this feeling it's going to make me cry.

Looking forward to: This weekend, three of Beau's closest friends from college, their wives, and their babies are getting together and camping out at Kyle and Jen's house near Minneapolis. Four former college boys, now daddies, spending the first weekend together since we all grew up and became parents. This doesn't happen often enough, and we are all giddy thinking about being in the same place for a couple of days, without a wedding to attend, just watching our kids play, watching our husbands tell the same jokes they did eight years ago, and just being together.

Loving: I love that finals' week is next week. I love how much cleaner Cruz seems following his bath after we've been outside all night, and how cute he looks in his pajama shorts and bare feet. I love typing with the windows open, my mint green nail polish, and my nails, long enough to paint. I love the smell of fresh cut grass, the blossoms on the trees, and watching Cruz discover new parts of the playground. I love that we've made it to May and love all we have to look forward to this great month.

He loves watching the neighbor boys play basketball. He sits there like a spectator and even cheers them on sometimes.

May Baskets

2013-05-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

Happy May, everyone! I'm so glad it's here and am completely ignoring the fact that tomorrow's high temp. looks to be around 34 and that Minneapolis is forecasted to get snow! I'm plugging my ears, turning off the TV, and singing "You Are My Sunshine" at the top of my lungs because it's May after all and it should never snow in May. I will sip my sun tea and wish this winter away once and for all...

with May baskets!

I kept with last year's simple paper cone theme, and added a spin with some little cutout flowers stuck in the cone. It took 12 sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper, some wide popsicle sticks, a glue gun, and some scotch tape to secure the cones. I was hoping to find some pastel candies to glue to my flowers, but ended up with good ol' silver Hershey's kisses. I stuck a couple of flowers in each cone and filled the cone with our favorite May Day staples: puff corn, teddy grahams, and animal crackers.

These were super easy to make and would be so cute for a birthday party!

The Jorgensen's 2013 Bucket List

2013-05-01T07:25:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. The mornings brighten up a little bit earlier and dusk sticks around a little while longer. Simple pleasures speak volumes --- tucking the coats away and welcoming a morning commute without bundling Cruz in his stocking cap, nightly neighborhood walks, and using the Big Green Egg as our chief cooking appliance. Summer also brings us one of the best gifts of all - three months at home doing what I do best and soaking up simple routines and creating fun moments to celebrate the season of sun with my little squirt.

And as much as I love summer for simple, easy going days of trips to the pool, nights at the park, and weekends on the bike trail, I am also motivated with a plan --- a plan to commit to fun new experiences to soak up summertime with all it has to offer. I start our summer bucket list during the dreary days of winter and make it the topic of conversation on car rides or during dinner time to give us something to look forward to when the days get long. It's not something we feel obligated to complete, but a reminder of new ideas to explore together. I have hopes to make it a summer tradition for our family and it will be fun to involve Cruz as he grows and see how the list changes over the years.

It's the most fun 'to do' list I do all year long!

Last year, our Summer Bucket List included a lot of firsts: Cruz's first ice cream cone, his first trip to the zoo, our very first vegetable garden, and our very first family vacation via plane - an amazing week in the mountains of Lake Tahoe. But it was also filled with my favorite summer pleasures --- pizza on the grill, cotton candy at the fair, and Saturday mornings exploring the farmer's market. Many of the items on this year's bucket list are repeats, but I'm excited to try some new things this year.

So without further adieu, the 2013 Jorgensen Family Bucket List!!

1. Make fresh-squeezed lemonade
2. The Jorgensen Family Road Trip 2013

3. Make awesome soundtrack for said road trip

4. Road trip artwork - for our gallery wall

5. Start our garden – add green beans and cukes this year

6. Learn how to can delicious preserves

7. A night at Alice Wyth Lake, just us - picnics, guitar, and sunset

8. See The Great Gatsby

9. Host a pretty dinner party outside

10. Watch a sunset

11. Have a water fight

12. Paint the sidewalk

13. Sing to the guitar by a campfire

14. Go to an outdoor concert (or two)

15. Bake a pie (or two)

16. Spend a day at the lake at Gabe and Gina’s house

17. Help Cruz catch a chicken at the Butler Co. Fair

18. Ride a Ferris wheel and eat cotton candy until our tummies hurt

19. Start to crochet (again)

20. Host a taco bar and s’mores party

21. Movies under the Moon! Grease, The Lion King, The Lorax? Yes, please!

22. Experiment with our Zoku machine

23. Go on a bug hunt with Cruz - catch lightning bugs in mason jars

24. Go to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market

25. Spend a day at Adventureland

26. Have a pitcher of flavored water on hand – all the time

27. Potty train little monkey

28. Work on that baseball swing

29. Buy some succulents at Trader Joe's

30. Takeout and picnic at the park

31. Swim through supper, eat hot dogs on swings at the park

32. Go on a walk in the moonlight - sing Moon River - watch for shooting stars

33. No electronics day

34. Read a book in the hammock

35. Use coconut water for something

36. Go fishing

37. Try a new park – every week

38. Pick our own strawberries - bake a strawberry pie

39. Make a cardboard pirate ship

40. Find some ducks to feed

41. Summer date jar - $2 dates!

42. Buy a beach hat and wear it on the beach

43. Bike ride and Mulligans detour

44. Explore the newly revitalized College Hill area

45. Find a new summer quilt

46. Make some herbed flat bread on the grill – does this not look amazing?!

47. Daytime date with Beau – golfing, patio beers, etc.

48. Start playing my uke again

49. Pack a picnic for the beach

50. Perfect a pitcher of sangria

I hope you comment with a link to your own summer bucket list! I love getting new ideas and seeing how others plan to spend their summertime :).

And check out Little Wonders' Days' Summer Bucket List linkup here!