a few fish, a tea party, and girls night!

i am supposed to be doing stuff, like laundry. you know...the kids are sleeping, the house is quiet. it is the perfect time to get stuff done. kitchen is clean, but i could be sweeping the floors, cleaning out a closet, but i'm not doing any of those things. i'm cool with it.

instead, i sit here with lit candles, a movie, a glass of wine, a celery stick that i am trying to make believe is a chocolate truffle (not working so well), and my blog that i have been wanting to catch up with like a friend i haven't seen in a while bc we have both been busy working. i love how chilly it is outside and that i have to wear my fuzzy slippers to keep warm. it's not snowing outside my window, but i'm still comfy cozy in this crisp florida weather and i will enjoy every last degree, or lack of degrees, that is. maybe that doesn't make sense.

sitting here thinking about my goals...about how to reach them...make them happen because i am the author of this life. i am feeling fulfilled in so many areas of my life and yet there always seems to be that one thing i can't get a handle on. i won't bore anyone with the details, but i will get it done this year, starting NOW! i'm excited about being healthier, a good example to my children, and to empower myself.

we have done so many fun things since the holidays. it seems to never end now. it must be because our children are doing so much more now. our days seem to fill up more and more with something we have to do. always a fan of getting out of the house, seeing people, doing something; i realize more and more how much i love to be home. at home we have tea parties, we visit candy land, we act like cheetahs (peyton's new thing) or batman (beckham's new thing), we are learning to write our names, count,...i love it.

yeah, it's true, once in a while when jeff walks through the door from work, you would think someone told me sarah jessica parker has personally asked that i play her new best friend in the sex and the city movie sequel (yes, that is happening...not the b-fri part, but the sequel part), and needs me to meet her at nordstroms to try on the lastest Manolo's for the big 'welcome' to the cast' party. yes, i have been known to make dinner and run away from my house for a couple of hours on my own. i do it every once in a while. head to barnes & noble, a movie, grocery store. it recharges my battery and makes me ready to be a really good mommy the next day!

with that said, other things make me want to sing out loud in the car too (so to speak)...

afternoon tea and manicures with linnie and heather...my new sister-in-law to be!!!!

~

jenn and i take 5th avenue...

SO MUCH FUN!!!

the laughing pictures make me crack up everytime i see them.

laugh out loud kinda fun with my super sweet and super fun friend.

watching jeff with our children and my friend's babies that we love so much.

lainey was lovin' uncle jeffy!

spending time with sister-friends and their little babies and big babies. ! lily was trying to get kell's beer...notice how she is pretending not to look at the beer. busted! i love jordan in this pic!

friends loving my babies!!!

impromptu family dance sessions ROCK!

and a few memories from the duck races...

becks wanted a pink and blue robot.

recharging, loving, making, doing is my thing right now. taking it one day at a time and enjoying each day more fully because of it.

movie plug: so not getting paid for this, BRIDE WARS is a must see. go see it. so funny. emotional. vera wang bridal gowns. weddings at the plaza. loved it. also, it has my new favorite song in it...dream by priscilla ahn-should be playing now on my blog. a little dark at the end, but the beginning makes me think of dressing up and playing house in a treehouse i never had. lol.

xoxoxo

damn, forgot about the fish...this part is for my man. he rocks. he catches big fish!

this really is kinda cool tho:)

quality time with gramps, steve, and jeff!

darwish...out!

all mine!

"A child reminds us that playtime

is an essential part of our daily routine!"

-Anonymous

.

there are days when i don't want to play. i don't want to dress-up, make pretend tea for a tea party, throw the ball, go outside, bring out the paint, make a creative mess, play candy land, make a craft.

there are days when i would rather read a magazine, put the tv on, clean the house, take a nap (miss those naps), blog, scrapbook, on-line shop, go to the gym, take a shower, run errands...sounds a little selfish, maybe. maybe not.

however, more times than not, i do it! i get up, i look in their little faces and say, "okay. yes, i would love to. let's go!"

100% of the time, i am glad i did it!

first, we went on a long bike ride!

peyton got a brand new big girl bike!!!! this is her third 'big girl' bike. she picked it out herself and did not want our input on her decision at all! thats olay though...she did a great job.

then, we had a tea party...with fuzzy friends, of course!

...made a PEYTON necklace...

...beautiful job, peyton!

beckham painted a masterpiece and...

played photographer. he would fiddle with the tripod just like he sees me do. then, he would run in front of it and yell, "CHEESE!!!!" he amazes me daily. they both do!

tonight, while reading the kids a bedtime story, i asked them both what they wanted to be when they grew up. i didn't expect beckham to even understand what i said, but he sung out in a loud voice..."A cowboy!!!"

~

a little shocked and very proud of my little man, i then repeated the question to peyton. she thought about it for a while and then in her saddest voice and face said,

"but i don't want to grow up."

i laughed, but she seemed so serious, so i said, "i don't want you to either, baby girl."i guess that is not really true. a part of me can't wait to see the woman will become, but mostly, i want her to stay my baby girl.

becks makes this face so often and it is one of my favorites!!! notice his hands behind his head...he does this every single time we get into the car.

~

i know deep inside that they won't always want to play with mommy. they may not always adore me as they do today. they won't always be as little as they are today...in this moment. today, i am what makes them happy!

~

being greeted by their little smiling faces each morning is a like a gift i get to unwrap each and everyday!

~

we are lucky. very, very lucky that we get to teach, mold, love, comfort, grow these two little babies into the people we will watch become the young adults that we WILL be proud of.

~

another remeinder that beckham is growing up...

"yay...i'm on the big boy potty!!!!!"

"did something happen down there yet?"

"no dipey here!!"

~

we love you bubbies and peyton mae!!!!

xoxo

five peas in a pod and a pizza/pop picnic party in the park!!!

(this blog title is a result of a combined brainstorming effort of all the girls)

today i played mommy to 4 beautiful little girls!!!!

never expected to have so much fun, truly enjoy the company of girls so young...

it was wonderful, heavenly, refreshing, and sweet!!!

wonderful mommy carin let me borrow her girls today! peyton had 3 big sisters for the day!!! she LOVED it. she loved them. i loved watching them, listening to them, learning from them. these girls are ALL heart and each one of them shared stories and insights

on what makes them tick.

it all started with peyton wanting to dress-up in big girl clothes because she was going to 'hang' with the big kids. so she found her most mature outfit (okay, i'll be honest, it kind of looks like something julia roberts would have worn in Pretty Woman, but she loves it and it and she did look cute!)

then, our adventures began...

...a little starbucks never hurt anyone and the scones were YUMMO!

then, we made our way to BOE!!! that's right baby, with $5 in our pockets we vowed to find a treasure and meet back to share with the group. a little breakfast at tiffany's challenge and it was OH SO FUN!!!!! i would hear things like, "oh, yeah that is pretty but it's one dollar to much, go find something else!" OR

"maybe you could get a bracelet this time, and then every time we come back you can add a charm that makes you think of naples!" OR

"come here you guys! what do you think? do you like this one or that one?" OR

one of my personal favorites...

"mommy, i'm gonna buy the heart earrings so in 50 years when i have holes in them, i can wear 'dese' special earrings!"

the team work, the counting, the decision making...it was so fun!

two peas in a pod!

we dressed-up endlessly and took a few pics before we were warned that taking pictures was against the rules:(

over an hour later...

sydney found a turtle bracelet, savannah found some blinged out sunglasses, peyton and summer found a couple of nifty scarves!!!

peace out!

next, we made it over to the park for a pizza party picnic!!!!

dig these chicks!!!!

finally, we made an ice cream stop and watched some angelina ballerina on the car ride home...

thank you girls for giving us such a fun day!!!!

we love you.

xoxoxo

new stuff

wasn't done.

want to shake things up a bit. maybe mess

with my blog. hopefully not mess it up,

but instead add some color. not sure how to

do it, but i'll try, because this year, i will do.

i will do what i say.

i will be a doer!

not a word, but you get the pic.

i'm doin' it!



i might even paint a picture. have wanted

to for years. why not? i'm doin' it!



:)

aunts and uncles ROCK!

papa and evie
uncle peter loves all the babies!

peyton dragging heather around the house...LOL!
all of us and my dad!anutie taryn and in the back...my grandma who just moved to mi after living in italy most of her life! welcome home gram!

...auntie hi-o (auntie heather)

peyton and beckham are blessed to have many aunties in their life, including an uncle. when we visit michigan, my kiddies are sure to be loved, doted on, played with, by a few different aunties in mi. peyton and beckham are very lucky people.

auntie hi-o takes the cake with pride. she knows the kids adore her, and she knows why...(hee hee) i often call her peyton's slave. heather will do just about ANYTHING to make peyton or beckham happy. ANYTHING. she will trudge/tredge through snow in her pjs because peyton wants a picture with her, she will let peyton DRAG her around the house to play game after game after game, she will dress-up, draw, encourage, try to make a case peyton and beckham's behalf to stay up just one more minute, sneak hugs to them during time-outs, sneak treats before and after meals, love, laugh with both of my kids...endlessly. you name it, she will most likely do it often resulting in mommy (me) having a long talk with auntie hi-o about it being okay and encouraged to say 'no' once in awhile:)

what can i say? she is wonderful to our kids and we love her for it. peyton and beckham agree!!!

we love you auntie hi-o!!!!