re:defined

back in the saddle

2011-02-25T11:18:00.000-05:00

wow. it's been a while.

hi again, friends!

i woke up tuesday morning and thought to myself for the first time in months and months (& months), "i really want to start blogging again." so here i am, back in the saddle, getting really excited. aaah! so much to write!

i'm in the process of moving my blog to a website (with the help of my amazing husband and some great friends), so i'm having fun looking for url's, checking out page designs, and figuring out what i want to change and how. while i'm building, i'll be writing here and gearing up for the move. as i'm creating this new blog, though, i'd really love your input, my faithful readers! anything you'd like to see? things you want to hear more about? huh huh huh??

i'm ready, i'm excited...let's hear some thoughts!

there's always tomorrow

2010-09-13T10:19:00.000-04:00

i need a morning sitting at this desk.
i want a morning to play dollhouse with pippa.

to lounge around since the house is clean, and the laundry is done, and elias is at preschool.

maybe do some puzzles, or dress some dollies, and have a little mama/pippa time.

what will happen?

i'll sit here and try to knock out a few things real fast, like the email i need to draft for mom's group, and the phone calls to switch doctor's appointments and make other doctor's appointments, or filing these piles, opening the mail, and transferring my life into my new planner (see below. i LOVE it.).

piper will climb all over me until i want to scream.

and i'll be forced out of productive mode and into play mode.

(in the time it's taken me to write this, she's climbed up and down 15 times. as i type these very words, she's playing doctor (? i think), holding me my the eyelashes and sticking a magnifying glass into my eyeball, saying "i yook into you's eyelashes?"

why not put off until tomorrow...what you've put off until tomorrow for over a week...

right?

my big girl

2010-09-03T14:37:00.001-04:00

i'm realizing more & more that i have to document piper & i's little conversations because they're really too adorable sometimes.

me: (laying on couch)
enter: piper, who proceeds to climb up and lay on top of me
piper: "you ressin, mum?" (resting)
me: (umm, i was until you started climbing all over me) "yes, mummy's resting"
piper: "you back is hurtin you?"
me: (laughing) "uh, yes, love, my back is hurting me today" (hilarious. i guess i complain enough about my back that my kids know what's up?)
piper: "oh. otay. you have dis rock? dis eli's rock? you feel all betta?"
me: (extending hand, assuming those were rhetorical questions) "thank you, piper. that's very sweet." (giving me your brothers special rock to comfort me...awww)

:) i love this girl.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

god willin and the creek don't rise...

2010-08-17T14:14:00.000-04:00

i have two hours.

two hours until i escape from the nuthouse and head into boston to see ray lamontagne and david gray at the bank of america pavilion with lee and kate. !!!!! i could not be more excited.

some tunes in my new ride, a little dinner in the city, music on the waterfront, time with other adult females whom i quite enjoy?!

i think i might be dreaming.

until i realize i haven't finished putting away the groceries, or flipped the laundry, or unloaded & loaded the dishwasher, or watered the garden or flowers or shrubs, or prepped all the meat i bought at the grocery store OR showered and gotten ready. (not like dave cares, and i don't know about you other moms, but i can't leave a mess and then go out and live it up. what's up with that guilt?! i'd leave it any other day for any number of other reasons...)

SO. i shouldn't be sitting here, eh?

except i needed a moment to rest my back so i can handle this oppressive heat and get it DONE. ready set...GO.

and while i'm at it, buy every CD they ever made.

best monday ever.

2010-08-16T15:01:00.000-04:00

this is what i'm doing today:

i know, it's not very exciting.
but if you're an organizational freak who's genius husband just created 20 feet by 10 feet of storage space in a house without any? well, then you're pretty darn excited.

but perhaps organizing is not quite as exciting as picking up my new (to me) mazda cx9! TONIGHT.

so if you're on the roads, you'd better look out.
i don't need no swagger wagon to be able to strut :)

stratton 5

2010-08-13T09:15:00.001-04:00

this pregnancy, a lot of people keep commenting on how big my belly is. (every woman's dream, hearing 'wow, you look so BIG!'. has anyone ever seen the movie away we go? if not, go watch this video clip immediately. and make yourself a note to rent the movie. oh, and then you can read on.)

i mean, it is big. and was bigger sooner. but i also just realized yesterday that i only have about 11 weeks before stratton 5 is born.

whoa.

(so it makes some sense that my belly would be big at this point, yes?)

i think having two children to distract you really does make a pregnancy go that much faster. i tend to have no idea how far along i am, which makes me look kind of daft when people ask, but make pregnancy be less of a countdown and more like a temporary part of life (not to be scrutinized too closely. unless you like things like watching grass grow). i'll be induced 2 weeks before my due date, which is november 13, so stratton 5 will join the party right at the very end of october/very beginning of november.

i literally cannot WAIT!

for so many reasons, not the least of which being the calf and shin cramps, or my back aching constantly, four months of contractions, or the inability for my pregnant body to keep up, but also because i'm so looking forward to meeting stratton 5 and loving on him!

let's be honest, carrying this much baby on the front of my body will be the death of me. and not having to hear commentary on the arbitrary nature of how "big" the womb of my unborn child is? well, that will be nice, too :)

tasty vittles

2010-08-11T20:08:00.000-04:00

As if you need one, here's reason #3597235 to love the Food Network:

Tyler Florence.

If you're looking for something really delicious to make for dinner, eat this:
(Dave has literally insisted that I only make this dinner for the rest of his life, and has agreed to go to the gym in the middle of the night every day just so he can eat it. I guess he liked it.)

Rigatoni with Eggplant and Sausage

Ingredients:

Kosher Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 links fennel pork sausage (about 3/4 pound)
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large can (28 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
Leaves from 1 small bunch basil
1 pound rigatoni
1 pound fresh mozzarella
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.

Turn the heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.

Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes.

By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

And for dessert?
A berry trifle.

I will be serving mine shortly as individual servings and used lime juice and lime curd to improvise :)

Ingredients:

Berries:

1 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries,
hulled and cut into thick slices
2 pint raspberries
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Lemon Cream:

1 quart whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (11-ounce) jar lemon curd
1 store bought pound cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Directions:

Place the berries into a large bowl and sprinkle with half of the lemon juice. Lightly toss.
Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch and remaining lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the berries begin to break down and give up their juices, about 3 minutes. Take the berries off the heat and let cool; the mixture should thicken up as is cools.
In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and the vanilla to soft peaks. Put the lemon curd into a second bowl and stir in a little of the whipped cream to loosen it. Then fold in the rest of the cream.
To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon cream into a large glass bowl. Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the slices into pieces that fit. Then soak the cake with a layer of berries and their juices. Keep going to make 3 or 4 more layers, depending on the size of the bowl, finishing with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

guilty

2010-08-10T16:38:00.088-04:00

okay, so old habits die hard.
and despite humid 89 degree weather...

yes, i was in the garden weeding.
and yes, i did have to use a pick axe to get the last of the weeds up.
and yes, my back is very sore and tired.

and yes, i am still aware that i'm pregnant.
so yes, i did in fact lay down after i finished so i'll be able to walk later.

AND
yes, i'm guilty.
BUT
i had help this time!

dave's parents and sister are in visiting from indiana, and they like to help with projects (so you can imagine why i love them so much).

dave and his dad have almost finished painting the garage doors black (from white). the shutters used to be white, and we did those over in black last year, and the doors were white, and are now a fabulous puke-y yellow, and now? the garage doors will be finished to complete a front of the house face-lift.

next up: the house trim needs a new coat of white, and the house will get a grey/blue/slate paint update. it gets a lot of full morning fun, so it's faded a lot in the 4 years we've been here. i need to find just the right shade, though- not too light, and not too blue. i'm open for suggestions :)

dave transplanted this arborvitae from it's random spot on the other side of the garden to here to the front left side of the house (where it can hide the propane tank and canoe until we put a fence up. don't get me started on my desires for a fence, though...)

and look what i found hiding under, i don't know, eight inches of tall grass and a thicket of crawling weeds:
OUR GARDEN!
we weren't actually going to do a garden this year, but when my friend deanna had extra plants that she didn't have room for? well, i couldn't say no to that!

it's actually kind of fun, because some of the plants are mystery plants, so eventually, we'll get to find out what they are! i do know we have tomatoes, roma cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, basil, strawberries, and...maybe squash?

later today and tomorrow while i'm at work we'll also finish installing an attic staircase in the landing upstairs. our 163 year old home, though lovely, has no storage. we have a dirt basement and not even CLOSE to enough closets, so the attic, albeit small, if accessible (and not via a 2x2 portal in our bedroom), will add a lot of value to this old house. and make more room in the garage again, so maybe, just maybe, i'll be able to park my car in there before winter :)

what can i say?
i love life in the projects.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

where my kids at?

2010-08-08T20:52:00.007-04:00

my friend nickey sent this link to me today and i almost peed my pants.

i'm suddenly rethinking this whole car thing- i mean, maybe i should get a minivan, especially if i can call it a "swagger wagon" :) what's sexier than swagger?!

(no, seriously, hunny, where are the kids?)

a perfectionist manifesto

2010-08-05T15:30:00.004-04:00

“This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.” -Saint Augustine

the past few months have been an interesting journey for me. physically, emotionally, spiritually. i've found myself getting pretty mad and overwhelmed, but i haven't known exactly what has frustrating me. i mean, besides the obvious fact that i'm...quite pregnant ;)

being that i am generally not a hormonal, girly, dramatic, or psycho kind of girl, and instead find myself drawn to more logical thinking patterns, being pregnant always reminds me that i am, in fact, a girl. (this always strikes dave as funny. when i get upset at myself for being upset? yeah, he finds that irony hilarious. he'll goad,"michelle, you are a girl. why are mad about being a girl?!")

i think i arrived at a place where motherhood was overwhelming, being a pastor's wife was overwhelming, not being capable of physically doing the things i wanted to do was overwhelming, and feeling like i didn't have an avenue to express it? you guessed it: that was overwhelming.

yes, i'm tired. being pregnant with small children is not particularly easy at times. being pregnant...is taxing, demanding, exhausting, & strenuous.

yes, i'm busy. dave's super-busy. and we have something going on almost all the time here at the strattons and it can be a lot of work.

but none of these things are new to me. they're old hat. i've been living in this world for five years. so articulating and even discovering what this "new" struggle was? it has proved challenging.

let me elaborate further by backing up a couple of weeks, when i stumbled across this show called "the fabulous beekman boys" on discovery; it's about this gay couple who happens upon farming and are building a brand called beekman 1802. more "original" reality television, right?

well, the guy below, on your right, brent, is essentially every stereotype of a gay man in one person. i mean, he worked for martha stewart- need i say more? brent is a perfectionist. he likes things to be a certain way, look a certain way, and presented a certain way.

even pigs.

he's such a perfectionist that in the one episode i saw, he was literally in the pig sty washing the pigs.

now, most people would call that pretty crazy. i, on the other hand, could understand very well the logic behind brent's "philosophy," if you will.

a few examples off the top of my head:
i cut my grass with scissors. (no, seriously. i edge my flower beds with them)
i prefer to serve water in glass pitchers with sliced lemons.
i insist on keeping an extremely clean & tidy home.
i generally will not bring my children places without their hair done and clothes that match.
i like fresh flowers on my table as frequently as possible.
i will not allow wrinkly clothes to be worn out of the house.
i almost cannot walk by something dirty and not clean it. immediately.

and much to my surprise, this approach, this philosophy?...it has a name.
it's called perfectionism.

most of you understand this word, but i've only jokingly ever referred to myself as a perfectionist. and never have i ever imagined that this can be a problem for people. i only realize now, at 28, that to some degree (66% according to a discovery health quiz), i am, in fact, a perfectionist.

and not because that's what anyone expects from me, or because i have some weird need to impress, or some fear of rejection. i've really tried to think about myself critically and honestly. i am a pretty confident person, i'd say. so i really don't do what i do for other people.
i actually just like it that way.

and i don't know how to do it any other way. does that mean my house must be immaculate at the expense of my children? no. does that mean my yard looks like professionals landscaped it? lol, no. (i only wish that). does this mean my house is never messy or dirty? heck to the no.

it's more like this: i am simply NOT satisfied giving ANYTHING less than my 100% (this is not to be confused with anyone else's 100%). this can be a good thing. in and of themselves, there's nothing wrong with wanting a clean house or a project finished. i find that like brent, presentation is important to me. i like when things look beautiful, and i do not like when things are messy or disorganized or unfinished. in my house. i don't care about anyone else's house. just mine.

on the other hand, this can be a detrimental thing when it gets in the way of your own health, relationships, etc. i tend to work hard in general; a trait in our culture that is considered a positive or admirable characteristic. and i think it certainly can be, and am very glad that i had good role models in this. however, fairly recently, i've realized that it is in fact possible to work too hard. my father, who gave me these crazy bartlett genes in the first place, is a perfect example of this. (imagine: a guy who is 67 and digs ditches, works 12 hour days, climbs trees with chainsaws, and rides ATV's almost every weekend. but most of he time, he works himself so hard that he has to keep moving so he can be distracted from the pain he's in. that's just a glimpse into my gene pool.) in the past couple of months, i've heard myself telling him 'he can't work as hard as he's used to', and 'he has to take care of himself,' and wouldn't you know it,
I'M TALKING TO MYSELF.
eeek.

for me, the frustration i feel is the tension between being able to do what i want to do versus what i actually can do. which translates mostly to the physical work that i enjoy. i like to work around the house and in my yard. you all know this because you tease me all the time :) i get ideas in my head about things i want to do, like "build a brick walkway" or "weed this jungle of a garden" or "plant numerous shrubs" or "paint this room real quick"...and i am determined to not only do them, but do them alone, do them in short amounts of time, and do them with excellence.

this is not always an issue for me when i'm not pregnant, because given enough time (also tricky, but that's a blog for another day), i can get a whole lot done. but being pregnant really exacerbates the frustration i have with not being able to finish things and not being physically able to work as long or as hard as i genuinely want to. i literally just can't. unless i want to have a broken back and contractions every three minutes.
and end up in labor & delivery.
on my birthday.
and have to beg nurses to let me leave.

and i guess...i don't want to have to do that.

i know some of you will identify the thought of not being able to do what you"want" to do. maybe it's not cleaning or digging or projects or excessive exertion, but i think mothers run into this a lot in motherhood. it can feel a little bit like jail (or maybe a lot like jail). motherhood can be isolating. maybe some moms would rather be scrap-booking or reading or journaling or watching television or shopping or baking or taking a class or going to the gym or getting a coffee with a friend (right, lee?!). and maybe you, like me, (although perhaps not a perfectionist, if you're lucky), still have a lot of things you can't finish, or can't start, and maybe, just maybe, you get frustrated too. as i talked about in this post, when you're raising small people, you have to sacrifice little pieces of who you are. and it's an amazing and life-changing experience to know what it means to sacrifice...even just a little. but there is this tension that you come to understand between doing what you have to do for your kids, your family, your spouse, and doing the things that make you who you are.

anyone who knows me would agree that i tend to think in absolutes and i'm prone to overstatement. (somehow, this doesn't madden my husband, and instead he fancies me just the way i am.) the things i "have" to do, i really don't. and the things that "need" to be done "right now,"...they really don't either. dave reminds me of this all the time. and then reminds me that i am, in fact, married, which qualifies me to be eligible for this thing called "help." what i'm learning (and what God has been teaching me, despite every fiber in my body wanting to resist this reality) is that it is okay for me to have "standards" that i think are necessary. as long as i also remember that they're not, in fact, necessary. and although i don't usually want to let certain things go, i can, if i want to.

i think God is using my third pregnancy just to make me have to slow down. he usually has to let me injure my body enough to make me slow down, and when i'm pregnant, he's also made my body to contract a whole heck of a lot if i push it too much. subtle, eh? but i need these (not always so) gentle reminders to expose my tendency to overwork, overexert, overstate, over-everything, so that i can try to learn my limits and embrace them, rather than, say, ignore them until i can't stand up...and then stop.

i guess what i'm beginning to understand is that perfectionism can be a healthy drive to do your best. but it's possible to expect too much from yourself. and that isn't, in fact, a good idea. sometimes just "good" is good enough, and sometimes, you should even ask for help. certain things are reasonable for pregnant people. others things, like anything with a pick axe, my husband insists, are not reasonable. unobtainable objectives just make perfectionists disappointed and mad. so although i wouldn't wash a pig before a party, i've been guilty of similar insanities. (ahem, like laying sod.) so thanks to my dbs and to my friends who tolerate my insanity, who help me with my overzealous undertakings, and love me anyway.

and thus is the beginnings of the epic inner workings of my mind in my blogging absence. thanks for waiting for me to get my mind right; trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to have to read all that angry profanity, senseless drivel, or frustrated prattling anyway :)

any other perfectionists in the house??

straight up

2010-07-17T15:38:00.006-04:00

let's be frank: i think i might need one of these

today: was 95 degrees and humid
and: i am almost 6 months pregnant
with: poison ivy on my arm...and hand...and face (spreading, in the heat, as it does)
and? i decided to have a yard sale today.

which was a great success, thanks to our friends cody and nickey.
who are awesome, and occupied our children allllll day.

and i don't always recognize that i overexert or overextend, but yesterday setting up (with the help of nickey, thank goodness) and today being out for 8 hours, setting up, pricing, peddling wares, cleaning up, and re-orging the garage...i actually realized that i AM in fact, a little crazy.

it's good that at least i know i have a problem...right?

dear piper, 2010

2010-07-16T09:10:00.021-04:00

dear piper,
when you were born, i imagined you would be the serious one. as it was, your brother and i were handling silly quite well, and i figured by your furrowed brow, you'd probably be serious. but i was wrong. that furrowed brow was a mark of determination and willpower unlike anything i've experienced; your fury is nothing to underestimate. like this morning, when you calmly walked over to your dad and handed him your chocolate milk cup, just so you could proceed to throw yourself on the floor and throw a little fit. what about? we don't really know.

we've decided that you're essentially an alpha female. when you wrestle with daddy and elias, and daddy pins your arms? unlike elias, who laughs, you get angry. and yell, or as your auntie kristen would say, "freak your freak" because you are being dominated. and the dominant alpha? she doesn't like to be pinned. mostly, these traits make us laugh because we're almost always shocked and alarmed at how you walk and talk and roll around this place. we also love you enough to know that we can't let you be strong-willed and demanding, and we're working diligently to lovingly teach you how to behave and communicate effectively. in other words, no piper, you cannot just yell, you cannot cry, and you cannot have whatever you want, when you want.

your dad and i know that when you're all grown up, we won't have to worry about you holding your own. we know you'll be fierce. we just want you to be as beautiful inside as we think you are outside, so we'll put our heads down to weather the piper storm to know that you'll be a respectful, thoughtful, patient, caring, self-controlled, joyful force to be reckoned with.

beyond your ferocity and vigor, lies my second goofball. i didn't imagine that with such a furrowed brow, you could be so silly, but much to my delight, you're as silly as your brother. you make me laugh, pip, every day, and the number of times my mouth hangs open, or i'm shaking my head in bemused bewilderment? many. never a dull moment with you, pip: chalk on the walls, marker on the floor, half-eaten sticks of butter, or in the past few months especially, it's been the things that leave your lips as your expanding dialogue and vocabulary find their, well, voice. true to form, you're very chatty.

heard from the mouth of pip?

me: "do you want help?"
pip: "yes no." and not because she's indecisive. she is just independent in ways she's not actually capable of being yet.

pip: "mum! see?! see?! see?!" and not because i didn't hear her, no. because piper will repeat herself (for effect?) until i am doing or getting or attentive to what her small pointing finger is hyper-focused on. an then even after i've acknowledged it.

pip:"mum you's a beau-eee. dada, you ha-some. mum, mum- a BEAU-EE. dad, a ha-some...ha-some..." you've picked up some cute little habits from your brother. including over-complimenting. see previous bullet.

pip: "I WANT THAT!" self-explanatory?

pip: "no mo muk-ees jumpin on a bed!" and "bup! goes the weasel!"...a couple of her favorite songs

pip: "owww!"
me: "what happened, love?"
pip: "i hurt my body!"
me: "how'd you do that?"
pip: "eli do dat to me!"

looking back over this past two years and remembering the things you say, the way you've grown, and seeing who the little person you're becoming is makes me slightly overwhelmed with affection. we unabashedly adore you, doodle bug. who you are, how you are, and so many other things, too.

like how endearing the things you love are:

play doh and books. definitely your faves. and dollies, of course. i have a feeling you'll make a great mama one day to real babies, seeing your love and care and affection for your favorite doll, baby ruby (or as you'd say "baby yoobi"). it makes me excited (and slightly nervous) to see how much attention you'll give your baby brother this fall. he's going to be a lucky little brother...as long as i can keep him safe from you picking him up and putting him in your baby stroller, that is.

your belly button. okay, and your nipples. but you love your belly button best. you play with it like girls twirl hair- there's no self-awareness in it.

taking off your shirt. every. day. you'll say "dooo hot mummy." as if telling me too hot will make it okay for you to always be topless like your big brother. i think it's cute that you think you can outsmart me.

the water. any body of water is a pool to you. the ocean? a pool. a lake? a pool. a river? a pool. if you can swim in it, it's a pool. my bird...is becoming a fish, like her big brother.

making noise. constantly screaming, screeching, yelling, talking, singing. honestly, girl, that's the most exhausting part of your personality. God gave me you to help me to be patient and loving when i want to put duct tape over your mouth.

Jesus. she loves her books about Jesus best. i'm hopeful it's not just his long flowing hair and kind smile that interest you. i hope you grow up one day wanting to be just like Him. (i, admittedly, have to say i'm also in love with your tiny little prayers and how tightly you squeeze our eyes closed and how deep you insist on burying your head while you thank God for things.)

bags. purses. anything that you can carry on your shoulder. while you swing your baby by the arm, as your shoulder pushes a pretend cell phone into your ear.

emotions. your awareness for emotions is very keen. if you see a picture of yourself when you're not smiling? "i yook saddd. i yook not happy." if you see a commercial for the mspca? "doggy is sad, mum. he's sad. sad...see?! he's sad. ohhhh..."

i love you as vehemently as you live every moment, piper. i adore your ferocity, your resolve, your determination, and your vigor. i love watching you grow and learn and evolve.

and your cheeks? truly scrumptious.
your teeny tiny girly voice? deceptively sweet.
your engulfing (slightly overpowering) squeezy hugs? the best.
your big blue eyes? with the glint of adventure and intrigue and intelligence.
your run? dangerously unsound and unstable -looking. dangerous, like you, really.
your inability to be careful? hmm, just like your mama.

thank you for letting me dress you up, play with your hair, and paint your toenails. thanks for all the snuggles, all the smiles, and all the laughs you bring to our home and our family. we think you're a delight, and we look forward to what lies ahead (okay, and we're a little nervous, too.)

xoxo,
mom

in case you're interesed, readers: last year's birthday post- so much changes, and so much stays the same! and last year's picture post. my baby...is a big girl. man...

piper's picture post

2010-07-15T15:00:00.014-04:00

in honor of my pippi doodle bug, my pippa, my pipski, my pip, my whiner, my demander, my snuggler, my goof, my silly, quick-to-smile, piper glory stratton. tomorrow you are 2 years old. here's how you've grown and where you've been since july 16, 2009...

with hands in the cake, of course

you still make this face at me

love that smile

"hmm?!"

loved that headband, as obnoxious as it was

ahoy, pirate piper!

catching a ride with e man

at nana and gp's pool in your mama's old bonnet

on the train with eli's conductor hat

okay, and i loved these boots

always with a purse. then and now.

princess?

following mom

apple picking

those eyes!

finally- pigtails!

twins with mommy at little gym

reading with your "bruddy"

always taking your shirt off, trying to be like elias

braids :)

and mullets...

one of my favorite faces

what your mama sees a lot of

pool-a-holic

snuggling "yi-yis"

enough oatmeal on your clothes, orrr?

jumping in!

my beach bum

july to july, i can't believe you've grown SO much! what a difference a year makes!
love you monkey head :)

fast, sexy, and seats 7

2010-07-13T14:08:00.016-04:00

growing up, my father, who is a guy who knows cars, grew up working on cars, hot wiring and stealing cars, and just loving cars in general, would always be the dad in the car yelling "59 ford- did'ja see that?! what a beauty..." (and then he'd usually make a growling noise).

and any time an old car would drive by, you could trust he'd know just what it was, the kind of engine it had, and which guy he knew that had one when he was growing up. so, at this point in life, i could give a fair amount of guys some competition when it comes to make and model. and genetically, i'm a girl who gets a little short of breath at the sight of vintage corvettes.

namely the 69.

(my heart done just jumped into my sock, to use the famous words of an older man who stalked me in college.)

now that baby 3 is en route and the murano only seats 5, we're in the market for something a little bigger. the other day, our friend cody was asking me what my criteria was for car shopping, and i said:

it has to be fast
it has to be dead sexy
and it has to seat 7

ahem. seriously.

i was thinking about my criteria later on, and wondering if my criteria is a bit inappropriate for a pregnant mother of 2. like, what about safety, michelle? and what about economy? or cargo space? and those are important to me. i mean, i'm not trying to get us all killed or anything.

but i really can't drive cars that aren't fast.
and if it's ugly?
i mean, it is some kind of vanity to say i need a sexy car, i know it must be, but if i'm going to be in it, it has to be aesthetically pleasing. uncompromisingly, i have to like to drive it and look at it.

but, really?! how many cars out there fit that criteria? i fall into the camp of minivan-avoiders, and not because they don't make WAY more sense, or afford the room you need to accommodate so many small people, or that they're not fast enough.

i just. don't. like them.
(if anyone sees a sexy minivan, let me know, okay? because i'd consider it.)

on our way back from a spontaneous drive down the cape yesterday, dave and i took the kids car shopping yesterday (luckily dealerships have play spaces for kids now, and besides the waiting and the car seat switching, it wasn't as bad as you'd imagine. if you'd dare to imagine.). we took these 2 cars that had made our short list for a test drive (i, like my father, love test driving cars. going fast and racing around on someone else's gas?! pure joy.).

we drove the nissan pathfinder

and the mazda cx-9

i liked them both. both were 2007's (we are pre-owned car-type people) with lower mileage, and were in good condition. but i have to admit...the cx-9?
was fast.
and it was dead sexy.
AND? it seats 7.

does it have a lot of extra cargo space? well, no.
(but it does have roof racks for when we travel)

is it super on gas? well, no.
(but no car or SUV or minivan that carries a bus load of people IS fuel efficient, unless i robbed a bank and bought a hybrid)

BUT. it was fast.
and it was dead sexy.
AND? it seats 7.

and for a girl who would rather be in a 69 corvette?
it might be the best fit. (or the only fit.)

so we'll see, but this one has some promise.
so tell me- does anyone have any other suggestions of 7 seaters that provide a driving experience that is more like a, well, 2 seater??

whoa whoa.

2010-07-12T08:06:00.014-04:00

wait- is piper really turning 2 on friday?!

and am i really 5 1/2 months pregnant?!

and have i seriously only blogged 8 times since the beginning of may?!

and did i really just consider writing back-dated blogs?! (yes. i did. and i really just may, so watch out.)

blogging is a funny thing, and i honestly do blog as much for myself as i do for family, friends, and the occasional random person. i want to remember this crazy time in life, because i already don't know what exactly has absorbed my time since may.

so i'm going to recount our busy lazy days of summer.
where we've been, and what we've been doing.
right now.
before i forget.

let's start with baby. as you know,

which we recently discovered at one of my innumerable appointments at BIDMC in boston. YAY! is it november yet??

and then there was eli's 4th birthday party (i owe him a birthday post, and like i said, don't think i won't back date one)

of course, he chose a star wars theme, and we spent a very warm and sunny afternoon with all of eli's favorite (and my favorite) people, swinging light sabers at darth vader's pinata head and having squirt gun fights. WAY fun.

then there's our couple's group every other friday, filled with the best people ever, where we get to talk about our marriages and books like this one, which is the one i'm trying my best not to ruin over the next few weeks

and there's the moms group, which i try to organize meetings for twice a month. moms need other moms. these get togethers are good for the soul, for serious. you want to come? hit me up!

and there was our trip to florida. which was so so SO fabulous. and even relaxing. and beautiful, and exactly what our little family needed. we got to celebrate dave's grandmas birthday, and elias and piper were especially ecstatic to see dave's "cussins"

happy 90th birthday grandma skip!

and then there are fun days out to places like the artesani water park in brighton with our friends, the bazdars. this place is awesome. you should go.

and trips to the beach with some of my kids' very favorite people (and my favorite people)

and parties! graduation parties, welcome home parties, tons of birthday parties...man, we've been partying like it's 1999.

and in between we've painted our skin blue like avatars

and done a fair amount of swimming in nana and gp's pool with family

and made as many spontaneous trips to the beach as possible. like dennisport last week to see the shea's. oh, how we LOVE the beach.

and when we're not planning fundraisers, or hosting small groups, or enjoying time with friends, doing play dates and spending time with family and as a family, or doing house projects (more on that soon)?

well, we're goofing off.
because that's what this mom likes to do in those stolen moments.

Don't say no one ever told you...

2010-07-09T09:14:00.004-04:00

Below is an excerpt from an interview with Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the book Committed (a follow-up of sorts to the ever-popular Eat, Pray, Love). In preparing a discussion for our married couples group tonight, I came across Liz's thoughts on the romanticism of motherhood, which is idealized as much as marriage is. I've started to realize how detrimental it is to romanticize two of the most difficult roles created: mother and wife.

It is an encouragement to me as I read, knowing the weight and significance of both of those life choices, and although I truly adore my husband AND my children both, I realize the implications and impact I do and will continue to have on those people. Forever. (Scary much?)

See, I just want to make it a POSITIVE impact. So today I am grateful I am not alone in such weighty endeavors, but I am supported by the strength of a mighty God, and His Spirit in me. And that's what I need to rely on.

Because let's be frank, if I were relying on myself, my children could be in immediate danger sometimes :)

Committed was an interesting book on marriage in America and what it means to commit your life to someone in the context of history, fidelity, compatibility, family traditions, social expectations, divorce risks, and humbling responsibilities. Here is the interview:

Interviewer: You tell a story in the book that is pivotal for you, about your grandmother. She was born with a cleft palate and thought to be unmarriageable, so she got an education and took care of herself, one day rewarding herself with a $20 fur-trimmed, wine-colored coat, which she adored. Eventually she does marry. And when she gives birth to her first daughter, she cuts up the coat to make something for the child.

Liz Gilbert: That's the story of motherhood, in a large way. You take the thing that is most precious to you, and you cut it up and give it to somebody else who you love more than you love the thing. And we tend to idealize that, and I'm not sure we should. Because the sacrifice that it symbolizes is also huge. Her marriage and her seven children, in a life of constant struggle and deprivation—it was heavy. And that beautiful mind, that beautiful intellect, that exquisite sense of curiosity and exploration, was gone. I went to Africa when I was 19, and when I came back, I was showing her pictures. And I remember her stopping me and just—she had to collect herself. And she said, "I cannot believe that a granddaughter of mine has been to Africa. I just can't imagine how you got there." I think that her story is so central to my story. To be able to choose the shape of your own life—you sort of must do that, as an act of honor to those who couldn't. There were times, especially when I was traveling for Eat, Pray, Love, when, I swear to God, I would feel this weight of my female ancestors, all those Swedish farmwives from beyond the grave who were like, "Go! Go to Naples! Eat more pizza! Go to India, ride an elephant! Do it! Swim in the Indian Ocean. Read those books. Learn a language. Do it!" I could just feel them. They were just like, "Go beat the drum."

So moms, wives, soon-to-be moms or wives, now you can't say no one ever told you how hard it will be (because, really- no one does ever tell you). I'm taking the opportunity to tell you now, straight up, that being married and having children will be THE two most difficult undertakings of your life. And they WILL also be the two most rewarding, as long as you don't think marriage is about happiness, or that raising children is about you.

Cheers, moms, and cheers, wives. Keep loving and sacrificing :)

dive right in

2010-07-01T10:36:00.005-04:00

that's what they say right?

don't just walk around the pool, thinking about how cold it might be.
don't wade in slowly, waiting for just the right time.

just dive right in.

(splash)

i miss you, blogging, and to my readers, i miss you, too :)
summer is busy, huh? want to know what i'm doing today?

here it is: (get excited. you'll need to. my life isn't that exciting...)

yard work. what a great day for yard work. i'm thinking i'll weed the garden, water it, then weed the driveway, and then water the grass and flowers and the transplanted shrubs. so they don't die. because i transplant things like it's my job.

make lunch.

put piper down for a nap (in her new big girl bed! yes, pics to come ams). she has teeth coming in and a little smoker's cough (which makes her tiny voice even more adorable). maybe i'll take a nap myself. apparently, staying up WAY too late is so hot right now. but my head hurts. i need more sleep.

get up. finish laundry.

go through heaping piles on desk.

make to-do list (now that i've discovered how many things i've been ignoring for weeks on end)

unload dishwasher, do pots and pans. i wish i cooked everything in throw away containers JUST so there wouldn't always be piles of pots and pans.

grill up the chicken for dinner (i'm making chicken caesar salad.).

discipleship with lindsey. she's bringing me iced coffee. what more do i need to get me through the day?!

then maybe a show with dbs and bed early? i've been addicted to bravo reality television, namely top chef and the next great artist. and last comic standing. i'm also at the end of a really good book, so maybe i'll finish that tonight.

that's my plan.

so what are you doing today? anything good?

spring scrub and grub!

2010-05-14T11:02:00.000-04:00

well, in case you live under a rock, i've been planning a fundraiser for new hope over the past few weeks (hence my MIA status).
and guess what?!
the big day is tomorrow! join us for the
new hope spring 2010 scrub and grub!
we're offering a free car wash and $5 car vacuuming services. what's better? while you wait, you can head over to our outdoor cafe, grab a pastry and a cup of coffee, and listen to some music.

i mean, does it GET any better than that?!
(answer: no.)

and hey, bring the kids- they can play sidewalk chalk and blow bubbles while we wash and vacuum your car and you sip your coffee.

do you want to know how to find this utopia??

i'll tell you. find the intersection of rt. 138 and rt. 106 in south easton, and new hope is a stone throw from there. we'll be at 6 meadowhill court from 9 to 3 tomorrow (saturday, may 15) anxiously awaiting your arrival. and the arrival of all your friends. and family.

don't miss it! (no really- DON'T miss it!)

more info on boston.com and on craigslist or on new hope's website :)

you need this.

2010-05-11T16:44:00.006-04:00

this is not a matter of wanting.
this is a matter of life or death.
of necessity.

you need this.

what is this, you ask? it is the is9100 by rowenta.
it is the end of ironing, the end of wrinkly, the end of wasting time.

this, my friends, is your new best friend.
a garment steamer.

i have spent the day with my new love, steaming wrinkles out of every dress that i hang to dry, every one of my husbands shirts, every one of piper's dresses, and every polo shirt elias owns.

what would have taken me days and days, hours and hours, relentlessly ironing wrinkles out of (and then back into) clothes takes mere minutes. I can iron all our wardrobes in the span of laundry day, and be left with nothing to press, nothing wrinkly, nothing i can't wear unless i bust out the gigantic squealing ironing board and heavy as all heck iron.

(wait- this is sounding like an infomercial. maybe that's my true calling...)

listen. i LOVE this thing. because frankly, i HATE ironing, but i like our clothes to look pressed and wrinkle free. which means...well, we never have any clothes to wear because i hate pulling out the iron. abhor. almost as much as the grocery store.

my boss has this steamer, and i'll admit, i was covetous because of how amazing it was. i went and bought the travel version, but it's just that- it's a travel version, not a "do your whole wardrobe version." so i starting scoping it out (since i wasn't going to by it at bloomingdales for over $200...that's a little over budget). i had a store credit to bed, bath, & beyond, and a 20% off coupon that was looking promising. after a couple phone calls and some research, i scored an is9100 for $104.

you heard me. $104.

dave said he was almost proud of me for using some of the extra money i've earned over the past month on myself. he said the steamer didn't quite qualify as a gift just for me, but knowing me as he does, and seeing me dance around when no one was looking, he saw that it did in fact bring me delight/joy/rapture/etc., so he was satisfied.

so if you hate ironing, and you have a little room for this bad boy, start wheeling and dealing and get yourself an is9100. (here, let me help you. i found it at amazon.com with free shipping.

(and rowenta, you can go ahead and get the check in the mail.)

the real diehl

2010-05-08T15:27:00.007-04:00

i know, i know. i couldn't help myself with the homophone. it's just true: john diehl is the real deal.

i asked johnny if he's mind if i spotlighted him on my blog in light of his very own art gallery opening celebration tonight. at 28 years old. right?! yeah...it's like that.

i've always been a big fan of johns and have followed his art career for almost a decade, from when he used to sketch me in college (i was more than happy to be his muse), to when he studied at RISD and then in florence, italy. i told him the other day that i was proud of him, and not in a mothering or patronizing way, but in a friendly, awe-inspired, impressed, and amazed kind of way. and i am, because God has gifted him immoderately, and that is something to celebrate.

so tonight, along with droves of others, will be spending the evening with a wine glass to say "salut!" a very talented artist. want to see for yourself? check out his website or his blog or his facebook page. see what i'm talking about. and if you're local, you should come check out all of the amazing pieces adorning the walls of mr. diehl's very own art gallery (if you're not already, all you wbhs alums) :) and if you're not local, you should go shopping online and get yourself an original for that empty space above the couch.

see you there!

tired much?

2010-05-07T07:53:00.006-04:00

last night, after dinner, per my usual, i had to lay down on the couch and take 5. for some reason, after i eat any meal, i feel far more nauseous than i did before i ate. (good times, good times.) so dave finished up dinner with the kids, and then we put the kids to bed around 7:15.

so 7:45, the kids were asleep, and we regrouped on the piece of couch that is free of both wall hangings and laundry (yes, i have to finish painting today before company shows up at 6:30). we're both pretty exhausted, and i feel awful, so we lay on this 4 foot parcel of couch, and within 10 minutes, we're fast asleep. unconscious.

dave, apparently, wakes up and gets back to working creating a new flash web site for new hope. it's one of (what we've now labeled, because it's a slight illness?) his "immersions," currently, so he essentially doesn't sleep. he works for hours on sermons, websites, and any number of things...starting at 10 or 11 pm when i turn in. he eventually sneaks into bed in the middle of the night like he's been out drinking with his buddies or something, but no, he's been working.

i, on the other hand, continue sleeping until 1:30 am, when i wake up and realize i just went to bed at 8:00.

8:00?! i mean...really?!

and when i woke up to dave still working (huge surprise here), i made fun of him for a minute or two after he pretends like he'll be up soon, and then headed to bed (again?). and i fell asleep. mind you, i had already slept for almost 6 hours, and i managed to fall back asleep and sleep straight through until this morning at 7:15 when the kids woke up (and elias proceeded to admonish me for taking his soccer uniform to wash it. what was i thinking?! [uhh, that it was really dirty?]).

i mean, by the time you have two children, you've got to be behind, what, months of sleep? so i'm not trying to be hard on myself for sleeping like a raging college student, but...

it seems a bit profuse.

so- anyone else have a tale of ridiculous sleeping?
don't leave me hanging, guys.

laying it on thick

2010-05-06T12:44:00.005-04:00

i'm making lunch this afternoon and elias is shouts from the toy room:
"mom, it's so great of you that you're making such a nice lunch! thanks, mom!" (note: i'm making annie's mac n cheese and nuggets. not exactly gourmet, but...)

and then he adds:
"you look beautiful today, mom. absolutely beautiful!"

enter: a running piper, pointing up at me, yelling (because piper, aptly named, mostly yells...everything):
"you a beu-eee, mum! a beu-ee!" (yes. she's calling me...a beauty.)

as we sit down for lunch, my kids actually won't stop telling me that i'm a beauty, and that i look beautiful today. must be the sweatpants and no makeup? i found myself trying to change the topic because the flattery from my nearly 4 and sorta almost 2 year old was, uhhh, overwhelming. and sweet and adorable, of course.

now, you may be wondering where my children got these complimetary notions.
do i vainly teach them to shower me with praise?
have they been watching leave it to beaver?
do i brainwash them as some part of the dharma initiative?

funny thing is? it wasn't me. not at all. i have my husband to thank for teaching our kids to always say thank you to whoever prepared the meal (Lord knows it's not always me; dave cooks a lot), and to tell me that i'm beautiful, which they learned from his example and from him encouraging them to tell me "how pretty" i look every day.

kinda nice for a pregnant lady in sweatpants to have her own personal confidence-boosting team. who cares if they don't really understand it?!
so husbands- teach your children to love and respect mom, but don't forget to teach them to shower her with praise and gratitude, too. it should be like mother's day EVERY day. moms need it wherever they can get it. and teach them lay it on THICK. like it's supposed to be.

that's what I'M talking about.

productivity

2010-05-05T09:14:00.001-04:00

i read a great book years ago called "having a mary heart in a martha world" by joanna weaver. it talks about the story of mary and martha, and about how martha sat at the feet of Jesus while martha ran around like a chicken with its head chopped off trying to get a meal together for her guest. most the time, i think moms feel like martha, like "holy crap, Jesus is at my house, and it's a mess, and i've got to whip up something delicious, fast, and look at mary, just kicking back, talking to Jesus. awesome, mary, i hate your guts." now, had martha been thinking, she'd have been like "Jesus, can you whip up some food and some wine so we can get this party started properly?" but, hey, maybe that's just me. what Jesus taught martha was the better thing is to have a heart like mary, which was a heart that knew that the right priority in that moment was to sit next to the great Teacher, not cook.

thinking about this lately has made me realize the priority for me has to be the baby i'm carrying, my children, my husband, and my faith. nothing more, nothing less. it's important for me to rest, and it's okay to rest. and it's important for to me to be able to feel well enough that i don't want to rip someone's head off or scream at them, which is essentially what i want to do, altogether too much (like tonight, when it was 6:45, and i hadn't yet fed my kids dinner {yes, because i was painting} and someone apparently spilled greasy greek dressing all over the floor in the kitchen AND the foyer. and walked all in it and tracked it around because silly me, i thought it was water that had been tracked in. so i had to wash the floors. and THEN make dinner. and try to put my kids to bed before 10:00. aaahhh, one can only laugh...).

times like these have led to me being reflective on why it bothers me so much that i can't get a whole lot done beyond the basics (because when i can't, i chide myself and call myself lame, so i guess i'm a work in progress). as i thought about it, i realized i have this thing for productivity. it's sort of like crack for me. i like it, i want it, i need it. it is GOOD. now, don't confuse productivity with busyness. i do NOT like to be very busy. productivity is different. it's efficiency. input. output. it's when i can accomplish ridiculous amounts of things in short periods of time, especially lurking, looming items on my to-do list, or things i've been dying to get to. it's part of my genetic code, this desire for being productive.

so you can imagine what it's been like for me the past 3 months, feeling nauseous (times infinity) from sunrise to sunset, and not really going (or wanting to go) above and beyond the basics of feeding and diapering my children. i don't want to do laundry, dishes, make phone calls, send emails, clean my house, make meals, play with children. ANYTHING. despite my very genetic makeup, i simply cannot be productive. i want to lay. on the couch. in silence.

you can also imagine THAT'S probably not going to happen. unfortunate and frustrating when you sort of want to throw up everywhere, but you can't. and won't. and then you have to...live life and nurture others. and treat them with kindness. and love. and patience.

so then, i'll bet you can also imagine how ECSTATIC i am, because for the past 48 hours, i've been motivated! i feel (sort of almost) like myself, ish. am i still feeling sick? well, yes. but i feel like God has divinely intervened and blessed me with enough extra energy and esprit to bring me just a little bit of the joy and satisfaction i get from being able to clean the house, cook meals, do laundry, and heck, paint my living room! (more on that soon. it IS fabulous!) i cannot explain it any other way, because nothing is different. right now, at 9:36 pm, i feel gross. same gross that i felt at 9:36 am. but that's just it- it's not me that's doing it. it's him IN me.

despite a social and work agenda for the month that is absolutely staggering and on the verge of overwhelming (doctors visits for me and e, girls night out, work, couples group meetings, friends visiting from WA [canNOT wait], art gallery openings [also ecstatic], mother's day, an open church meeting, a car wash/bake sale fundraiser [more on that to come], graduation parties, eli's birthday party, and a 7-day trip to florida with two small children (which i have BARELY considered), somehow, God is giving me peace. AND energy. honestly, i'm exhausted just thinking about this month, it's true, and part of me wants it to be june (please?). i'm too quick to forget how many things are not in my hands (ahem, all of them) and i've been grateful that God's been teaching me to focus on the right priority. to be satisfied doing much, and doing little. to sit at his feet, and also to accomplish what i need to, when i can. just not when he's visiting. i mean, let's not be rude when Jesus stops by, right? ;)

things i don't want to talk about

2010-04-29T16:32:00.005-04:00

i don't want to talk about, ie, blog about (and yet, here i am?):

how tired i am.

how busy the past few weeks have been.

how much more busy the month of may is going to be.

how overwhelmed and on edge being this busy is making me.

or how i can't help but see life through these green-colored glasses i'm wearing. every. single. day.

ugh. nausea. central.

okay. i'm done complaining. i don't care to elaborate, because i'm desperately aware at how unnecessary my whining drivel is. and painfully aware at how little anyone cares to read it. but for those of you who were wondering where i went, well, since my 5 day workation (a whole lot more work than -cation), i've been pretty behind on life and my ever-increasing responsibilities and endeavors beyond motherhood and wifehood.

and since i'm not a big fan of having to actually participate in life in my current condition, well, i was simply trying to avoid what i'm doing this very minute, which is being a yuckface whinerhead.

which is almost as gross as how i feel EVERY day.

(okay, now i'm really done.)

onwards and upwards, right?!

workation

2010-04-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

yeah.

this is the kind of day i had yesterday. not pretty.
ugh. is it just me, or do kids like to misbehave more when you're really having a productive day? i feel like they sense that you're on a roll, getting a lot done, and they like to sabotage it. no?

i spent the entire (literally. entire.) day monday lying on the couch watching the food network feeling like death. (thank you baby 3. don't think i won't remember this time.) is it just me or is the food network addicting? even for a girl like me who wanted to barf all day because every smell was obnoxiously nauseating, the food network was still an okay choice for television. not a lot of logic there. but it's true.

i was up early at 7 with piper, and i went full blast all day. 6 loads of laundry (note: save electricity: hang them on the line. great idea. until you bring the clothes inside and theres about a bazillion inchworms all over the place. g-ross). dinner prep. emails. lots of cleaning. birthday party planning. oh, and packing our life up real quick. dave and i are taking a sort of vacation...to work? hmmm. well, we're watching my bosses kids while they're away for 4 days sowe're moving in to their beautiful home to take on 2 more kids. (this is going to make or break dave's idea that 4 is a good idea. we'll see what he think after having an 8, 7, 4, and 1.5 year old for 4 days. lol.)

after a day of being ignored, followed by a day like today, i think e & p are ready for a little mom and dad saturation. some focused playtime and attention. i think i'm ready, too. i've got another new book (yay!), a clean-ish home, bathed children, and a sorta packed up life.

i say bring it on! i'm ready for a workation!