Quest For Treasure

My Special Valentine's Gift...

2009-02-15T14:55:00.005-05:00

Brian is forever a people-pleaser by nature. He does it 365 days a year. At any given moment he could bring home my favorite chocolate, a simple flower or make me a special dinner in which he had ample help from Google in finding the perfect recipe. That is on a "normal" day. Special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries or Valentine's Day, he really does try to do something extra special. But this Valentine's Day was a little different. He actually made my gift! It reminds me of the Friends episode where Chandler and Monica had agreed to "Make the presents! Make the presents!!" I knew he was working on something because he had mentioned doing so at my dad's house. I have to say I was a little anxious as what he could possibly make for me. If you know him well, you know he stresses over the smallest details. Not really because he is a perfectionist, but because he really does care about "sending the very best!" He spent a whole day on my gift trying to get it perfect simply because it was for me. That, in and of itself, was enough to make me feel so very special. But when I actually saw the gift I was touched beyond words.

Want to know what he made me???

Sitting on the edge of your seat maybe???

Well -

here it is--

Now first, let's clear up any confusion. The actually shape of the heart is the third word of the phrase: TARHEEL AT (implied) HEART. It took me a minute so I wanted to make sure you got the message. The foot is actually HIS foot traced on the wood and cut out. He struggled to get the colors, shape and sentiment exactly right.
You would think that this is the ultimate gift for me because it has to do with the TAR HEELS. But you would be wrong in that assumption. The gift was himself. He has gotten into watching the games with me, striving to understand the rules and even knows a few of the players names. Not because that is a requirement for living with me (contrary to popular belief), but because he wants to love the things I love. He wants to be a part of the things that I am a part of. To the point that he even offered his own foot as a template, as if to say: "Here is a small part of me so that you can always remember that I forever want to be a part of every aspect of your life, no matter how trivial, because you are important to me." Okay, so that exact sentiment may not ever come out of his mouth, but his actions have always spoken louder and more eloquent than his words ever could.!!

Thank you for that, Brian! A Hallmark card or Shakespearean sonnet couldn't have said it better!! I am truly blessed to have such a loving, devoted husband that treats me as if it were Valentine's Day EVERYDAY!

A Couple of Basketcases!!

2009-02-09T20:28:00.008-05:00

Most of my day-to-day is pretty routine....as are my kids. They get up, snuggle with me for a few minutes, eat a predictable breakfast, Kaliese goes off to school, Braedyn sets up his toys, laundry, dishes, play, lunch, DVR catch-up while Braedyn naps, Kaliese gets home and does homework, they play, eat dinner, take bath, read a story and lights out. However, there are a few moments every now and then that really catch me off guard. Just odd-ball things that make me actually do a double take as a little "?!" appears above my head.

Here's one of those times:

Now the really amazing thing about the photo, first of all, is that it shows a single moment in my life that my laundry was actually done!!! But more than that it was simply an unexpected site. I'm not even sure what they were watching, but as I walked by I just had to laugh. They weren't playing or being silly, but just simply sitting there in those baskets, snuggled up as if it were the most normal place in the world to sit. And didn't they just luck out that there was one for each of them?!

Of course, they also have so many moments of just being caught in the act doing something cute or sweet and I love those moments just as much. Of all the things I envisioned that I would find precious about my children, I never knew how much their love for each other would affect me. Don't get me wrong...they have their moments of "Battle of the Wills", but for the most part they get along very well.

I so enjoy being caught off guard by my children. Whether its listening to them come to some odd conclusion about life's little mysteries, or seeing their imagination transform the most mundane object into exactly what they need it to be in their 'land of pretend'. I frequently find myself thinking "I have never thought of it that way" as they continue to inspire me with their wit, their ability to completely pretend and their keen powers of observation. Daily I am amazed by their creativity, compassion, cunning, character and curiousity. Not only do I hope they never lose those qualities, but I pray I never cease to learn from them!

Let me 'splain! No, there is too much. Let me sum up!

2009-01-27T10:30:00.007-05:00

Okay, so its been over 3 months since my last post. In my defense, I've been a little occupied and also less than motivated. But!! It's a new year and so (a few weeks late) a new resolve to keep updating this masterpiece of a blog! LOL!

Kaliese is still doing well at school. She brings home constant homework with an occasional project mixed in for kicks. She has completed a timeline of her long life, which was actually very educational for her. She is currently working on creating a prototype of a product, which includes drawing it, writing about it, creating it, and advertising it. And yes, she is still in first grade. She is also working on telling time and counting money which she has grasped fairly easily. She got a watch for Christmas (not digital) and does very well telling time. Her report cards communicate that she is excelling in all except for sitting still, but I'll take it.

At home, she enjoys playing with her brother, but also likes some alone time. She reads and draws a good bit, as well as continues to expand her skills on the computer. She received little Barbies and Littlest Pet Shop creatures (both with several accessories including a house and shopping center I found cheap on craigslist!) She loves to play with those by herself or with Braedyn and Kadyn. She continues to grow in beauty and spirit and I continue to be a proud parent and am so grateful for her.

Braedyn is not necessarily growing by leaps and bounds, but has moved from 6% to 10% in his growth chart. There's a lot to be said for PB&J!! He continues to be my faithful companion in cheering for the Tar Heels and once in a while allows us entrance into his make-believe world (where he seems to spend most of his time). Brian and I have been working with him on letters and numbers and such. He is grasping it slowly but surely. While we remain impressed with his ability to name most any superhero, transformer, etc. and his uncanny memory for the weird and obscure, we know that he needs to move into the realm of traditional academia. If only Indiana Jones could take him on a quest for knowledge through the alphabet jungle, we would be set!

He received Indiana Jones and Star Wars action figures for Christmas, to add to his growing variety of heroes of all kinds. He plays with them constantly and never tires of cracking his whip!! You would think after 8 months, he would tire of the IJ theme song....but no, not even close! He, like his sister, is just a joy to know. He cracks me up daily and is such a little entertainer!

Brian and I are doing well, in spite of the unemployment anvil that's been weighing on us for 6 months now. We have really been challenged spiritually, but God continues to be faithful on a daily basis. We have received prayers, encouragement, support and gifts from friends, family and even anonymously without which we never could have survived. It is amazing how God uses people to touch our lives in so many ways. We hope we are as effective in the lives of others. Brian is scheduled to begin training in a truck driving job on Feb. 4. We are not sure where that will lead, but trust that God has a plan.

So....this has been a lengthy summation of the past few months. The next one, which will be soon, will be a little more specific and hopefully a better read!!

My silver (or blue) lining

2008-10-10T17:31:00.002-04:00

This week has been particularly trying in so many ways. But on Thursday, I picked Kaliese up from school and we drove down to the tag office. I had been informed that my "specially made for me" license plate had arrived. With screwdriver in hand, we proudly walked out with our lovely addition to the van.
A man walked by and casually asked, "You're not a tarheel fan are you?" To which Kaliese, not seeing the question as rhetorical, promptly answered, "Yes she is, my mom loves the tarheels!"
Today I rented two movies at the little dollar vending machine at Kroger. One was for the kids and the other was Made of Honor. Braedyn was excited about his movie, but asked what the other one was. I just told him it was a movie for mommy. He said, "Its a tarheel movie?" LOL! You may think I overdo it a little with UNC, but so many children are far worse. They are taught to hate the Bulldogs or the Yellowjackets. I don't encourage enmity against other teams, just positive vibes for our team!!

Another notch on the growth chart...

2008-09-28T21:18:00.008-04:00

It's been awhile since I've updated, but that doesn't mean the children haven't secured a few more accomplishments on their growth chart.

Kaliese looks and talks more grown up everyday! We've started a new hairstyle of growing her bangs out, which at her rate of hair growth, could take a while. Meanwhile, it just means we have to pull her hair back every day. But she's still just as beautiful and as a bonus I get to see her eyes!

She has also started riding the bus home from school. I still take her in the mornings, but to save on gas and allow her brother a nap at a reasonable time, it has become convenient for her to ride the bus home. She enjoys it mostly. Its a big kid thing! However, she does come home with just a wealth of knowledge, both useful and not so useful. She is doing really well at school!

Braedyn has also grown by leaps and bounds (almost literally!). He still enjoys having his sister read to him from time to time, but now shares that joy with his best friend. A darling sight if ever I saw one.....

He is gaining ground on learning ABCs and 123s. It always helps if Spider-man is your tutor!!

But still he mostly enjoys dressing up as superheroes/villians (sometimes both at the same time - hey, you do what you have to do when playing by yourself!), playing with his transformers and spending time in his new "big boy room" layout.

Oh yeah... and he is also now potty-trained (except for at night). It was one of those things where he wasn't going to bother with it until he was ready, but once he was ready it seemed like an overnight success story! So he is officially a Big Boy!

(No, I don't have pics of that!)

They both now have a chore chart. They check off the items as they do them and earn money at the end of the week. We are taking the Dave Ramsey approach and they each have a giving jar, spending jar and saving jar. So far, they really seem to enjoy it!

Although I am so proud of all they accomplish on a daily basis, time is flying by just a little too fast!

A Story About a 6 Year Old....

2008-08-19T13:59:00.018-04:00

Once upon a time (August 17, 2002 to be exact) a beautiful blue eyed princess was born. From her earliest years, books were a favorite hiding place for her. She would meet the strangest of characters and quickly become the fastest of friends with a Cat in a Hat who spoke in rhyme and a curious little monkey with an uncanny perspective of the human world. She met a mulitude of bears, pigs, girls in capes, princesses in castles, brave knights and even ferocious monsters and dragons. Some would lull her to sleep while others would spur her imagination into action!
After 6 years, we decided to throw a huge party for her and all her friends (both real and thought to be real). So, we gathered all the best books and characters from across the land and appropriately displayed them around the room.

All who were gathered were invited to create a storybook of their own using their imaginations and a few necessary tools provided(you know: crayons, stickers, markers, stencils, etc.).

A game filled with cunning, strategy and skill was played by all with the grandest of prizes awarded to the champion! (Ok, so it was a literary bingo game and the winner got to call out the next game - but still filled with adventure.)

Afterwards, a great war broke out! Brave knights wielded their weapons against mighty foes! There were many casualties and only the most courageous were left standing. (Who knew balloons could be so much fun!!)

Her friends brought extravagant gifts of every shape and size - gifts befitting such a princess. Each came with a greeting wishing her well on this momentous occassion. She read each with care and treasured the sentiments of her loved ones. (It was the first year I didn't have to help her read her cards!!)

There was cake and goodies for everyone as the festivities continued. And each special guest received a bag of treats as they headed out the door on their long journey home!

And the princess lived happily ever after...

View complete birthday photo album
here

No Kangaroo attacks....Whew!

2008-08-08T11:02:00.004-04:00

Well for all of those who immediately thought of the mishaps of Billy Joe McGuffrey on Kaliese's first day of first grade, I can happily report that all went well! No pencil box obstacles and certainly no kangaroos pulling out hair (however, she was closer than you might think to such an atrocity as her school mascot is a wallaby!!)

I must say she really, really loves school. She got the perfect teacher. She's young, fun and full of sass which fits Kaliese to a tee. But she's not a softy, she's got a firm handle on the class. We spent some time in prayer about her teacher for this year and God certainly came through.

Watching her thrive in school just means more to me than you could ever know. Every parent wishes to impart some of themselves into their children. Just a little piece of me that creates a special bond with each of my children individually. And I can see where this has taken place to some extent. Kaliese loves to read, loves classical music, and even musicals! She enjoys watching Jeopardy with me and as I answer the clue, she repeats my answer just before the contestant rings in. She gets such joy from being right!! Of course she has my eyes and resembles me in appearance, so you can definitely tell she's my child in more ways than one.

However, there are pieces of me that I would never want her to experience. My memories of school were filled more with fear and shyness. I was forever self-conscious and worried about everyone's opinion of me - certain it was never good. It was mostly just a severe case of being shy, but it felt like a prison. Once I got to know a few friends I could be very social and have a great time, but there was always that lingering sense of discomfort.

I was afraid of everything: the dark, shots, snakes, public speaking, the public in general, new places, new faces, etc.

I overcame a lot of this when Kaliese was born, as I did not want her to experience any of the fears or uncertainties I had. If she ever felt that way, I had to make sure it wasn't an inherited trait from me.

Well, today I talked to her teacher briefly and her principal. I just wanted to let them know how much Kaliese enjoys school and how much that meant to me. The words used to describe her? Miss Personality, Social Butterfly, Charismatic! They used these terms in the most positive sense. I was assured she was not one of those "in-your-face" children and she was not a distraction in the classroom. The teacher said Kaliese sat down on the carpet with a book and her peers gathered around her, so she "took over" and read them the book. The teacher was impressed because it was a lengthy book, but she also noted Kaliese's personality in the situation.

What that says to me? Love of learning, love of school, and self-confidence to conquer all (without being overbearing). That was priceless information to my heart.

The principal asked where she got that personality, because I had made it clear that Kaliese was the opposite of me at that age. However, I do have a tendency to act like that around one person: Katie. For those who know us, Katie and I share a unique relationship that tends to take 10-15 years off our age. She makes me laugh. I mean, at our age, we still cannot be trusted to sit together in church without causing a distraction. Katie is full of fun and sass and uses that in her job, which is why the girls she keeps LOVE her! Well, Kaliese got a nice healthy overdose of our combined personalities the entire first year of her life. Apparently that was enough to stick! So thanks my sista!

I count my blessings daily and this one (Kaliese and her blooming personality and self-confidence) is more than just a blessing - it is a most treasured gift!

On the First Day of First Grade.....

2008-08-04T09:07:00.002-04:00

Well, she's off! Back to school as a big 1st grader. Of course, we called it 'Big School' when she went to Kindergarten. But really, how hard is Kindergarten --its just all play (or at least we thought as much until we got the homework -WOW!).

Kaliese and I spent a wonderful afternoon yesterday shopping for the rest of her school supplies and her 1st day outfit. The tax free weekend must mean a lot to a lot of people, 'cause Tanger outlet was packed like Christmas Eve!!! Walmart and Target were out of most everything, so we stood in an unreal line at Staples to purchase the last few items. At any rate, Kaliese and I had a great time. She loved picking out her own stuff and putting together her outfit. We ended the day with an Oreo Candy Blast Frappe!

When we got home, we put it all together in her lovely backpack. We made a custom decorated cover to slide in the front of her binder. We put beaded strings on her backpack as well as added her 'cousins' keychain. She decorated her spiral notebook with 'Horton Hears a Who' stickers that she picked out herself.

This morning she was very excited to go to school. She didn't eat much for breakfast, so I think she was a bit nervous. But she got dressed in her new clothes, put on her favorite necklace that her brother gave her for Christmas, and threw on her new backpack.

She walked into class like an old pro - gave me a quick kiss and 'I love you' and her life as a 1st grader began.

I look forward to seeing her at 2:30!

Meanwhile, Braedyn and I will do our best to entertain each other!

Thank you for the pigs.....

2008-07-17T09:29:00.005-04:00

Funny Story (that has nothing to do with this picture, I just thought is was a cool set of Kaliese doing her flips off the bar!).

Last night I made grilled porkchops for dinner. As we were setting the food on the table and getting ready to eat, Kaliese made the comment that all meat comes from pigs. I told her that some does and some comes from cows and some from chicken. She wasn't sure how that worked. But she volunteered to pray for dinner, "Thank you God for this food and thank you for pigs and cows and chicken. In Jesus name, AMEN!" Later as we were eating, she asked about the skin of the animals. Did we cook that? She asked about more details of just how this meat related to pigs. I kindly asked her to wait until after we had finished eating to have that discussion. Something about eating porkchops and talking about pig skin just doesn't digest well!!!

Anyway, about the picture. The kids had a wonderful time playing outside and Kaliese used the swingset as a obstacle course - trying to get from one end to the other without touching the ground. The picture is of her fantastic dismount!! They played tee-ball for awhile and barked at the dogs on either side of the yard. They were filthy, but a good filthy!!

The Beras are Back in Town!!!

2008-07-14T11:03:00.004-04:00

(A scenic picture of the Beautiful Napa Valley)

After a few days home from our wonderful vacation to California, I think we've finally adapted back to the Georgia routine. We woke up at a fairly normal time this morning, grocery shopping has been done to refill our fridge and pantry, and pictures have been edited and put together in this wonderful album for you to browse at your leisure. Admittedly there are quite a few pictures (but not nearly all), however we were gone 10 days - did you really expect less??

We had a wonderful, relaxing vacation. The kids did really well on the flights. We spent a good amount of time at the pool and what time was left over was spent at the park, playing with cousins, relaxing and enjoying the company of family.

Kaliese was very sad to leave, as were we all. Every year we wish we could stay a few days more. The kids truly enjoy Emily and Natalie and have such fun playing with them! We enjoy spending time with Al, Mary, Jeff and Anne as well as other family and friends we get to see. It is always a very treasured time for us.....not to mention a wonderful break from our everyday lives!

Another Post from the West Coast...

2008-07-08T14:09:00.007-04:00

It's been a few days since my last post, but nothing much has changed. Basically we swim most of the day and make s'mores at night. The kids are still having as much fun as ever.

Saturday morning we went to the park to play and feed the ducks, pigeions, geese, etc.

On the way home, Uncle Jeff picked up some birdhouse projects and some aprons from Home Depot. The kids had much fun putting them together and painting them.

Yesterday we took the kids to see WALL-E. They were all very good and the movie was mucho cute!!! Pixar just doesn't do its movies justice with their trailers. There have been several Pixar movie trailers where I was left with a less than enthusiastic feel about the movie. I have always been pleasantly surprised that the movie was tons better than the trailer let on. WALL-E was one of those times.

I'm not sure what we are doing today, but I'm sure it will be fun.

Sorry the pictures are not up to par, but the editing is taking soooooo long trying to do it online. So you just get the raw pictures.....except for the one of them feeding the ducks of course!!!

S'more Family Fun

2008-07-05T12:35:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was spent mostly swimming. The kids would swim, get out and rest, eat snacks, swim again, etc. The adults did the same, the cycle just went at a slower pace!

Kaliese found she likes swimming under water. She would push off from the ledge and swim face down for about 5-7 seconds.

Jeff barbecued some ribs that were way yummy and the kids ate hotdogs. It got too cool to swim about 6:00pm, so we gathered round the fire pit to roast marshmallows and make s'mores.

This was Braedyn's and Kaliese's first experience with these, so they were very excited. They each ate most of theirs, but afterward Braedyn was mostly interested in eating just the chocolate and Kaliese wanted to roast marshmallows for everyone else. Well, at least they can say they tried it!

More fun later!!!

Happy Fourth!!!

2008-07-04T12:19:00.004-04:00

Happy Fourth of July to all!!

Yesterday afternoon we went swimming for a few hours! The kids played hard. Kaliese is still trying to swim on her own and Braedyn let us take him around the pool (he usually insists on sitting on the shallow ledge!).

After dinner we went to a golf course to watch fireworks. The kids played until it got dark, constantly asking when they were going to see the fireworks. Kaliese wasn't feeling well and laid down on the blankets -- she was asleep before the show started and didn't wake up until we were putting her in the car. As for Braedyn, he kept his face in Brian's chest the entire time. So much for their excitement to see the fireworks!!!

Today is another cloudless day which hopefully will be in the mid-80s. We are going swimming and having a cookout so it should be a fun and relaxing day!

Greetings from CA....

2008-07-03T10:49:00.005-04:00

Well we made it safely to California! The trip was relatively uneventful except for the one hour delay. The kids were actually very good.

Kaliese and Braedyn have loved playing with their cousins daily. They have been swimming in the hot tub 'cause the pool is a little cold (the highs here have been between 79-82!). They went to a really nice park yesterday morning. Braedyn even went down a slide all by himself!!

The extended family came down for dinner last night, so there were two more cousins to play with.

Auntie Gay brought fun presents for all the kids. Kaliese got some cute notebooks and Braedyn got a fun hackey sack which his dad tried unsuccessfully to show him how that's done.

The children actually braved the cooler temperatures last night and jumped into the big pool. They insisted it wasn't cold.

Braedyn decided he wasn't going to risk it and stayed where it was toasty warm.

However, lured by the excited jumping and splashing of the older kids, he found his way over and stood on the steps. After about five minutes I asked him if he was cold. It was more a rhetorical question because he was violently shaking. He did admit to freezing and quickly jumped back into the hot tub.

For the most part they have slept well. They slept 'til 7:15am today which is an hour later than they slept yesterday!!!

Its supposed to be a little warmer today, so maybe we will go swimming.

I will keep you posted!!

Beautiful....in spite of their best efforts!

2008-06-09T07:51:00.004-04:00

There are a few things my kids know for certain about their mother. One of those things is that she loves to take pictures. At first, it was fun. They loved to say cheese and do their best poses. Now, Kaliese tolerates it at best and Braedyn is cooperative when he is dressed as a superhero. But when they are in their Sunday best or I want a great picture of them together, its Mission Impossible.

But they don't know the secret trick. While I don't get full face shots, the results are still just as beautiful. Lucky for me, my children have great profiles! LOL!

Sometimes the perfectly posed pictures can seem a little forced. These shots are definitely more natural and therefore result in a warmer feel. So when I look back 20 years from now I can see a more sincere love of a brother and sister rather than a forced "Mom made me sit here" look on their face. And after all, that's really what I want to remember just as much as their faces!

Even this one, with her hair a complete mess, just makes me smile!

Our little grad!

2008-05-31T10:03:00.004-04:00

Well, Kaliese's kindergarten year is over. Except for the first few, she loved every minute. The first day I dropped her off she cried and didn't want me to leave. Her teacher took a picture of all the children that day and she was smiling, so her anxiety evaporated quickly. I enjoyed taking this journey of firsts with her and watching her grow and learn. Just the amount of words she is able to read has amazed me, but she also absorbed tons more. She knows money, what each piece is called, who's on it and how much its worth. She can add, subtract, sort and compare. She can write much better and even spell a good deal without copying off another page. Her drawing and storytelling have developed into very entertaining hobbies. She has learned to share, cooperate, try new things, be a good sport, be respectful and how to be a good friend. She even learned to like new foods by trying the school lunches! They say everything you really need to know you learn in Kindergarten and that comes pretty close. However, she has such a love for learning that I hope every school year is as fun as this one has been!

Her first day

Her last day

Braedyn's Big Birthday Bash!

2008-05-27T07:16:00.008-04:00

Saturday we had Braedyn's 3rd birthday party. Theme: CRAYOLA.

I think the kids all had a great time because they were an absolute mess. The proven theory, I believe, is that a child's fun is directly and proportionately related to how much of a mess they made.

Thanks to dad for collecting glass doors and for setting up the great fingerpainting station. The kids had a blast with that!!

There was also coloring, sand, and bubbles!

Braedyn loved his crayon cake and the colored icing on the cupcakes contributed a little more to some colorful faces.

Each child received their own personalized paint shirt and colorful goodie bag!

Braedyn's birthday loot was everything he could have hoped for; from Ironman and Batman to Taters of the Lost Ark

and a voice changing Optimus Prime helmet with which everyone took a turn (especially all the dads!).

Thanks to Grandma Bera and Papa Albert for the transforming Bumblebee car. He was so excited to see that!!!

One of his most immediately played with gifts was a Pirates of the Caribbean birthday card that played the theme music when he opened it. As you know, he is a theme music kind of guy. He ran around the rest of the party opening and closing the card, providing his own background music to his birthday adventures. The potato head also plays Indiana Jones theme music when you press his hat. He loved that as well!!

Sadly, most of the pictures are not my own. I had used my camera the whole day, only to realize that night that the memory card was not in there. So, thanks to Sara and Susan for taking great pictures and to mom for getting video of the celebration!!

For the rest of the birthday pics, click here or visit Sara's slideshow

And if you need any more proof that the boy partied hard, well, here is what the next day looked like:

From early morning to late afternoon, he was either in the bathroom or lying lifeless on his bed, my bed, the couch or the living room floor. It was so pathetic. The poor boy couldn't even play with all his new toys. He didn't have any other symptoms and by the evening was feeling fine.

Monday he was full force again!

Another year older....

2008-05-22T21:26:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, Braedyn!

Today he turns 3 years old! I know I will say this every year, but it seems like yesterday....
It's the first year he has really understood his birthday and all the benefits that come with it. He got to spend the day with Kadyn and grandmother. We went to the outlet mall and let them run around the toy store. Kaliese made him one of her famous birthday cards. He got a chocolate doughnut and an Ironman balloon for breakfast. He was so worried about his balloon floating away that he wouldn't let go of it to eat. I had tied one of those plastic hearts to it to anchor it. I tried to show him that he could set that on the table and the balloon would stay, but he insisted that I had to hold on to it. Eventually, I had Optimus Prime stand on the plastic heart in such a position that it looked like he was holding the balloon. That satisfied Braedyn. A little later I saw him on the floor studying Optimus Prime trying to figure out how he was holding it. Its hard to describe, but it was pretty funny! Amazing how a $2 balloon can just make a birthday complete!!
Well, we are gearing up for his big birthday bash on Saturday. I will post pictures of the event then.

Treasure of the day:
Just a little note for my beautiful boy. You have such a magnetic charm about you. That, along with those big brown eyes get you out of more trouble than you will ever know. I love your sense of cautious adventure and hope that your knowledge of all things "super" will serve you well as you continue to explore your expanding world. You have packed a lot into 3 short years and I look forward to watching as you absorb more and more each day. This treasured day is almost over and another birthday a sweet memory. While it is perceived that I go overboard on birthdays, it is just my way of making sure I can hold onto them for as long as possible. You grow so quickly that I fear your childhood will become a blur and I want to remember every second in vivid color. So, I wish you the happiest of birthdays and always remember: I love you, love you, love you!!!!

All HAIL!!

2008-05-21T19:38:00.003-04:00

So we had a big storm yesterday with plenty of lightening, thunder, buckets of rain and yes, even some hail. It didn't really frighten the kids at all until a bolt hit the TV in the playroom. It knocked out the TV, DirecTV receiver and DVD player. It was a loud sound and you could even smell burning plastic if you got close enough. Kaliese jumped at the sound, but Braedyn really had no response for at least 10-15 seconds. At that point, he comes screaming into the room. I thought that was a kind of a late reaction until I heard him wail, "Mom, the TV is broke!"

Anyway, the kids loved watching the hail. That was a different sight for them. They didn't really miss their TV that much, which is a good thing.

Having a Field Day...

2008-05-20T08:06:00.006-04:00

Kaliese had field day yesterday at her school. It was unlike any field day I ever had. I remember long, hot days outside with little water or refreshment to be found. Races were run, legs were tied together to create awkward 3 legged creatures, ropes were tugged and various objects were passed in unconventional ways down a line. Some of it was fun, but all of it was hot.

Kaliese spent most of her day doing relays and races that involved lots of water, and those that didn't had bigger kids with Super-soakers standing there keeping them cool. Needless to say, she had a BLAST! They even had an inflatable waterslide! Is that fair???

I took Braedyn with me to take some pictures of Kaliese's day. With all the water being sprayed and poured, it was a lost cause trying to keep him dry.

I've put all the pictures on webshots, click here to see them. I even added captions on many of them so you know what's going on.

Treasure of the day:

When Kaliese got home from school, there were packages waiting for her and Braedyn from Grandma Bera and Papa Albert. They just returned from a trip to Cancun and we are very glad they had a safe and fun vacation. They sent the kids shirts, which both were very excited to receive. Thank you very much!!!

Pimp my ride!!!

2008-05-15T07:51:00.004-04:00

So, I upgraded my van considerably! No longer the stereotypical, dreary "soccer mom" vehicle; I now have an eye-catching testament to something way cooler than soccer! My "TRHLMBL" license tag is on the way. A nice antenna topper, a seat cover perhaps and this baby is ready for basketball season to begin! Ok, so its still 6 months away, but being a fan is a year round commitment.

And like any loyal son, Braedyn is in awe of mommy's "tattoos" on her van!!!

Treasure of the day:
As you know, I continue to be impressed with Kaliese's drawings. She has such an eye for the details. You could have in your mind just how to draw something, or a good picture to copy, but somehow, once you've put it to paper it doesn't look anything like the original. Sometimes the essence of the picture is in just a few details. You've seen the people who can quickly take a few brush stokes of paint across a canvas. At first, it looks an undiscernable mess. But after a few crucial lines are added, you suddenly see a very recognizable celebrity face. Well, I think Kaliese has the ability to know which details are important which make a figure recognizable.

Below is one of her story pictures. Its about a mother mouse, who is trying to take a hot bath while her children nap. She keeps getting interupted by familiar storybook characters admiring her shoe house. She tells each one in turn to get their own shoe and "put it over there," until eventually a shoe town materializes around her. Each character picks a different kind of shoe. You can see below that Kaliese has drawn the Tortoise and the Hare (note his 'bushy tail'), the Big Bad Wolf, and the Little Red Hen all in their own shoes. I also love her newly learned skill of curly letters.

This is just one of her lovely works of art. It may not seem like much to most, but I am the mother of a world famous artist!

His many moods....

2008-05-09T19:39:00.006-04:00

As most children do, Braedyn has many moods. Any one of which could surface without a moments notice. There are usually no gathering storm clouds, or predictable pattern....just moments that really take you by surprise.

He is fussing in the grocery store, mad that I didn't pick up something he wanted or because we went down the wrong aisle....and then BAM! All of the sudden a lightening bolt of silliness strikes!

We are leaving Papa's house. Things are good as we cheerfully give hugs and kisses good-bye. Kaliese is getting into the car and I've lost Braedyn. I walk back around the corner to the front of the house and there he is performing one of his unforewarned sit-ins. I'm not sure what he's protesting. Certainly not the deforestation of third world countries or the inhumane testing of beauty products on animals, but something just as vital to life as we know it.

And whether its his inner-starving artist without a canvas or the ancient innate warrior within, he has not been able, for some time, to eat without painting his face with whatever materials he has been given to express himself. Not just his face, but hands, arms, chest...whatever he can reach and however far it spreads. From lasagna to chocolate pudding, its a Picasso (or Braveheart) in the making.

Treasure of the day:

I got to go on a field trip with Kaliese today. The Kindergarten classes went to the Imagine It! Children's Museum. She got to play in a very cool water table, run through a playhouse, pick out produce from a market, play with moonsand and play dressup in front of a green screen. She had a blast playing with her friends. Her buddy for the day was Mya, a very sweet and social little girl. I loved being able to hang out with Kaliese and her friends with no other distractions or pressures on my time. I got to simply enjoy being a mom watching her child have fun being a kid. Thanks to mom for keeping Braedyn! The day meant more than you'll know.

Many of the children fell asleep on the way home, including my two charges. However, Kaliese wasn't asleep for more than 5 minutes or so.

Celebrating 30 - 80s style!

2008-05-05T20:08:00.004-04:00

Saturday we got to celebrate Sara's 30th birthday. Adam thought an 80s theme would be appropriate for her, so we Googled and Ebayed all we could find to put the party together. Adam did a great job creating a Jeopardy game with 80s categories as well as Sara categories. But he did an even better job keeping it a suprise. She was genuinely shocked. Kudos to Adam and his buttoned-lip!!!

For more totally rad pics, check this out!

We had a blast Sara! Happy Birthday!!

If you have pics of the party, put a link in the comments so we can all see!

Something other than the kids....

2008-04-27T20:04:00.003-04:00

Ok, so most of my posts are focused solely on Kaliese and Braedyn and rightly so, since they occupy 99.9% of my day-to-day. While this post still speaks of them, we will branch out to other areas of interest.
Saturday started out at Kal's baseball game and then we ate lunch with Sara, Kal and Kamden. We had a very good visit.
The main event followed with attending WWII Days at the airport in Peachtree City. That was a little less fun for the kids, but Braedyn still enjoyed the airplanes. This wasn't really an airshow, even though they did have some of the planes flying. It was more of a WWII re-enactment. They had some battles, demos and presentations of different aspects of the war.

To see more pictures of this really cool event click here

Afterwards, we dropped the kids off with the wonderful aunt Katie, so we could meet our Sunday School class for an outing to Stone Mountain. The plan was to get there, eat, play some games and watch the Laser Show. However, about the time we finished eating, it started to rain. We headed back to headed back to Mcdonough and finished the evening with milkshakes at Truett's. Not really as planned, but a fun night out with friends just the same.

Treasure of the day:

While at the WWII days, we had the pleasure of meeting "Dutch" Van Kirk, who was the navigator on the Enola Gay. The record log he kept of all the missions of the Enola Gay (including their most famous) sold for over $350,000 at auction. He was there signing books in order to help fund a WWII museum in Savannah. He addressed a book to Braedyn and Kaliese and was a bit confused about why their names needed to be so difficult to spell (we get that a lot). The kids really didn't understand who he was and they may never care that they have an autographed book from him. But Brian and I thought it was a very unique opportunity, and should one of them ever be half the history nut that their parents are, then this should be a cherished memory for them. The book was also signed by "Hap" Chandler who flew over 35 missions during the war.

Kaliese's First Art Show

2008-04-25T08:15:00.004-04:00

The art teacher at Walnut Creek has set up an art show to display student pieces. Every student has a piece! They mat it and frame it for family to purchase. The show is actually Friday, May 2 from 6:00pm-8:00pm as a fundraiser for the art program.

If you would like to see Kaliese's artwork click here and then type in (or copy and paste) the code 2008248422.

Spring Fling Fun!

2008-04-22T21:21:00.003-04:00

Saturday Kaliese's school had a Spring Carnival. There were about 6 huge inflatables along with some other games and lots of food. She had a blast. Braedyn came a little later after going to see Kal play baseball with Ganjee. My post was taking Luau pictures of the kids in front of a beachy backdrop.

Here are some pics of the fun!

The inflatable pictured here was a straight up climb (of about a 70 degree grade) at least 15+ feet high. You then reach over and grab two loops on the top and let go. Kaliese's teacher was monitoring that slide and so Kaliese wanted to go say "hi" to her. I told her that was fine, but that the slide might be a bit big for her. I walked over a few minutes later to an astonished teacher. She explained that several kids had gotten half way up and came back down, others got to the top and then panicked at the thought of sliding down that long, steep drop. Even her own daughter, who was about 9, had to be coaxed down the slide. But Kaliese apparently climbed straight up, reached over to grab the loops and without thought or hesitation she lets go! She has very few fears! Not so sure that's always a good thing!

Treasure of the day:

It's been a while since my last post because we had some serious computer malfunctions. NO FUN! So after working through many programs, updates, spyware and virus protectors (and making a few phone calls outside my realm of knowledge) I think this thing is finally on task again. Hopefully (fingers crossed)! Its really amazing just how much of my life revolves around being able to access all my computer magic. And not on games and leisure either. Just checking weather in the mornings to dress Kaliese for school and see if she needs a jacket. Checking emails and ebay auctions (for Braedyn's upcoming bday). Making calendar stickers for Kaliese (so she knows exactly when we are going to Napa, CA and when Wall-E comes to theaters). Editing pictures for the school, Selina and the blog. And of course all the fun stuff like paying bills and checking account balances, etc.

So anyway, my sad little link to life is back up and running! Yahoooooo!

The inevitable has occurred.....

2008-04-15T20:27:00.004-04:00

Well, we did it. After many painstaking weeks of searching, discussing, traveling, negotiating and deliberation we finally mangaged to acquire a minivan. Hopefully we will at last get a glimpse of the ever advertised paradise only accessible to those with the power of the ultimate family vehicle.

It's not new, but still a great deal. 2001 Nissan Quest (which was one of our top picks). A nice dark grey which will coordinate nicely with the necessary Tarheel car attire. It does come with a drop down tv screen, but it only plays VHS. That will do for now I suppose (even though we just got rid of most of our VHS movies). It has a 6 disc-CD changer which is just great because Braedyn likes to switch back and forth from Pirates of the Caribbean music to the Transformers theme song -- they are on two separate CDs! It has a few other really nice options. The guy selling it paid for a really nice detail job, so the inside is really clean and the outside has a few very minor scratches, but otherwise shines.

We can cross one thing off our to do list....397 other things to go LOL!

We Got 'Munked!!

2008-04-11T20:30:00.007-04:00

The Chipmunks had a concert today at Northpoint Mall. It was a long drive to get there, but for the kids it was worth it. They were so excited and their jaws just hit the floor when the "major rock stars" appeared. They sang a few songs and then stayed for some photos. Both the kids got a Chipmunk activity book and an Alvin dogtag. Below is a picture of Kaliese in front of a green screen. They gave me a flash drive to upload the picture on my computer. And all of this was free!!!

Braedyn wouldn't participate in either of the photo opportunities. When I asked him if he wanted to go talk to Theodore, he replied very firmly that he wanted to see ALVIN!

Here's some video of one of the songs. Keep in mind this was taken on my phone so the picture and sound quality are not fantastic, but it gives you an idea of just how cute the concert was!!

Treasure of the day:

I thought the concert started at 4:00, so we got there about 3:45 only to discover it started at 4:30. So we sat on the floor amongst dozens of others kids and parents for about 45 minutes. After the concert was over, we stood in line for about 25 minutes to get a photo with Theodore and then another 15 minutes for the green screen photo. How did I do this with both kids by myself???? Well, they were angels. They stood so quiet, still and patient. Not once did I have to speak to them about staying with me or being still. I could not believe how patient they were!!!! And to top it off, I bought them cookies and an ICEE as a reward. In the car, Kaliese thanked me for the treat. I said, "Your welcome...I'm glad you like your cookies." She said, "No mom, seeing the Chipmunks was our treat!" I was so touched!

The Grass is Always Greener.....

2008-04-08T21:19:00.007-04:00

I bought Kaliese and Braedyn these Pixster games about a week ago. They are like a little Palm Pilot thing where they can play games or draw. They both have one. Kaliese's is pink and Braedyn's is blue. For the most part they play the same games. Likewise, they also both have bedrooms with their very own beds. Yet this is the picture this evening:

Playing with his sister's game on his sister's bed. I wonder what makes something that's not ours so inticing. He loves his sister's room and she loves his. There is something special about playing with something that was bought specifically for someone else. Not convinced? Not 10 minutes later I took this photo:

Are you kidding me? He couldn't believe I took a picture of him doing this, but I couldn't resist! Admit it....we've all had a little more fun than we should playing with our kids' toys!

On a different note, Brian made me a wonderful birthday cake this weekend. In spite of my Tarheels' gut-wrenching loss Saturday night, he fought to keep my spirits up with one last nod to the fabulous boys in blue. He was critical of his efforts, but I thought it turned out great. It tasted even better. I don't know how he does it, but he can make a superb cake-from-a-box!

Treasure of the day:

I was in the backyard with the kids today. I was mowing while they played (a safe distance away, but very much in my sight - mom). The kids' picnic table was in the way, so I shouted to Kaliese to push it over to a part I had already mowed. Braedyn didn't hear the instructions, but seeing Kaliese on a mission spurred him to action. She ran over to one side of the table and began pushing. He ran to the opposite side of the table and did the same. It took him but a moment to understand the goal and he ran over to the other side to help his sister. She was pushing with all her might, but only when aided by her brother did the table move. Together, they easily moved the table out of the way. It seems a small thing, but watching their combined efforts to accomplish something that was bigger than either of them individually just warmed my heart. Even now, the event is forgotten by them . But I hope, somewhere in the backs of their minds, the lesson was introduced: Together we are stronger!

Day After Laughter

2008-04-02T22:28:00.002-04:00

Ok, so its no longer April Fool's Day! But I figure every day is April 1st when you have a permanent Joker living under your roof!

I drink hot chocolate out of rather large mugs and he loves to finish off the dregs for me (the unmixed powder that leaves a thick chocolate substance at the bottom). Without hesitation, its just bottoms up which usually leaves a very messy face! This one looked like a permanently affixed Joker smile so I got out my camera. Braedyn, excited at the prospect of having his picture taken, says "Cheese me, mom!" That's his new way of saying "Take my picture!"

Treasure of the day:

This evening our church had a special prayer meeting on behalf of my friend who is seriously injured. There were about 30 people there praying specifically for different aspects of her situation: healing, spiritual strength for her and her family, wisdom for the doctors, etc. It was very intense and I walked out of there with a sense of overwhelming peace. As the purpose of our prayers was NOT to grant ME peace, I can only imagine the wonders God worked this very evening in that dreary hospital room! I will continue to 'praise Him through this storm'!!

No laughing matter....

2008-04-01T17:40:00.002-04:00

Usually I'm all for the practical April Fool's Day prank. I enjoy watching just how clever people can be in manipulating others and the other half being just gullible enough to make the entertainment complete.

However, today is not that day.

On Easter Sunday, as you may remember, I woke up with a pulled muscle in my neck. We made it to church where I saw a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a few weeks. We exchanged small talk for a moment and then parted as she said, "Please call me this week."
Well, Brian left for Tennessee that day and was gone until the following Friday. I spent the week trying to manage my neck pain along with the daily tasks of getting Kaliese to school, cooking dinner, washing clothes, etc. My plate was full.
Brian came home and we spent a short time together before he was to leave again the next Sunday. We woke up Sunday morning, after a night of pouring rain, to discover our laundry room and garage had flooded. Monday, dad came by to fill in the gaps around our pipes on the roof to prevent the same from happening again (its supposed to rain all week). While he was here, the boy next door was playing with his BB gun and shot out my glass in my screen door that leads to the backyard. So I dealt with that while trying to get ready for a PTO meeting that was changed at the last minute.
Again, my plate was full.
But along with all of that, I received news that very same friend I was supposed to call last week was in a terrible accident. She was life-flighted to Grady where it was discovered she had broken both ankles, her shoulder and crushed her T5 vertebrae resulting in paralysis from the waist down.
Suddenly, everything on my plate seemed so meaningless. I had been praying for this friend frequently as she had been diagnosed almost two years ago with Lupus. It has been a downhill battle for her and she stayed frustrated about her situation. I helped her out with small things when my schedule allowed; running errands with her, hanging out with her or just trying to encourage her. But the past two months I have not kept contact.
Sure, I could wallow in my own shortcomings as a friend, but that would not help her now; and focusing on myself at a time like this would be too inhuman for words.
As her friend, it is frustrating not being able to do anything to help make this better for her. But ironically that is where my comfort and peace come from. If I were able to help in any way, it would be far too insufficient for her needs. But in my inability, God is able. It is in this position that I have to completely rely on him and not myself. So that is what I offer. My sincerest prayers that his strength fall on her, she will need more than is humanly possible to get through the next few months. What is more amazing is that God could give her everything she needs and still have enough left over to give her family and friends everything they need to receive comfort and strength as well.
Selfishly, on her behalf, I pray for that miracle only he could provide. That she does walk again! But it is no less a miracle that should this condition be permanent, she has the peace and encouragement of spirit to keep fighting, keep living, keep giving God all she has to give.

Driving Lessons

2008-03-30T19:54:00.006-04:00

A teacher. Ask Kaliese what she wants to be when she grows up and that's what she will tell you every time. Some of it comes from me substituting last year, but I think mostly it comes from having such wonderful teachers care for her.

For now, she practices on her brother. Believe it or not he is a very eager and willing student. In the picture above she is showing him how to put his foot on the pedal and how to turn the wheel and you can tell he is not missing a word of it. She also goes over his letters and sounds with him. Showing him each one and having him repeat after her. He sits patiently beside her repeating everything she asks him to. He also loves for her to read to him. Now that she can actually read pretty well (instead of just describe pictures in her own words) it is one of their favorite things to do together.

So far, she is an amazing teacher. Especially if the enthusiam of her student is any indication!

Treasure of the day:

These angelic moments...they are really not so few and far between. And lucky for him too, because that precious look gets him out of more trouble. In the midst of chaos, or one of his more rebellious stances, those big brown eyes just soothe the raging beast that would sentence him to eternal time-out! Both of my children have that power. I could be having the worst day, and when I come to the point of crossing the line into being frustrated with my children its like God gives them a visible halo and their adorability factor goes through the roof. In those moments they can say and do the sweetest things. It is truly a blessing to me daily and those precious faces are forever imprinted in my mind.

Spring Has Sprung!!

2008-03-26T20:51:00.006-04:00

Join Braedyn and I as we walk through our neighborhood on this picture perfect Spring morning!

Treasure of the day:

Braedyn played outside for the longest time this morning. The beautiful sun and warm weather seemed to invigorate him. At first, he played on the swings, slide and various other things in the yard. He even hit a few balls off of the tee ( and yes, he bats left-handed!!) But after that he just took off walking laps around the yard. With bat in hand, he marched on a mission that led him around and around and around non-stop for at least 15 minutes until I finally suggested we walk around the neighborhood. He had trouble staying on the sidewalk, because he is a very "off the beaten path" kind of guy. But as he got used to the sidewalk as his guide - he was off leading the way! He is a walker. I often watch him in different environments: in the backyard, at various parks, etc. He loves to just walk and walk and walk. I wonder what he thinks about or where he is going (in his mind). Is he in fact just a wandering thinker or a determined explorer with unknown destinations in front of him?

Hangin' with my Peeps!!

2008-03-25T20:48:00.007-04:00

Well, Brian is out of town this week so its just me and the kids. That kind of makes for some long evenings so going outside is a great way to pass the time and expend some energy. Kaliese has been working really hard on learning to pump her legs to swing by herself. Just as she did with riding a bike, she easily got frustrated and wanted to give up. But we have kept at it and she now does a fairly good job of keeping herself going. I am so proud! We tried that same tactic with writing the number 2 tonight. Again, getting frustrated at first but with the promise of jellybeans she completed two lines of near perfect 2's. I love to watch them achieve new levels of greatness!!!

Treasure of the day:

Ok, who can tell me what he is doing? I watched him with curiousity as he sat there motionless for several minutes, moving only to take a drink from his imaginary cup. Finally, curiousity won out and I asked him.

Note the 'TV' on the wall of the house:

"I'm watching Psycho T mom. See look, Go Tarheels!"

It just melts a mother's heart!

A Person's a Person....

2008-03-24T08:35:00.003-04:00

.....no matter how small!

We are still in 'HORTON' mode as the kids still squeal every time they see a trailer on TV and we've read the book countless times (Great movie if you haven't seen it).

Anyway, these are some of the pictures from the park this weekend with Kadyn and Braedyn. Braedyn didn't really want to swing, but insisted on pushing Kadyn. Now from the pictures its hard to tell, but he couldn't actually reach her swing well enough to push her, but that didn't stop him from being 'big' enough to do so (Katie is actually pushing her just outside the picture). And in the second picture he's not exactly in danger of getting hit. It does remind me of "Watch out for that tail! Watch out for that tail!" (for those of you who know what that's about!!!)

These two are really so cute playing together. They just run from place to place as if attached by an invisible string. Hopefully they will always be so close!

Treasure of the day:

I've really been struggling this weekend with a neck injury. I can't turn my head very well and spend the mornings alternating heat and ice just to be able to move around. Brian's been great about getting me everything I need: ice, medicine, hot chocolate and keeping the kids from jumping on me; even in the middle of the night he doesn't mind getting up to help. The kids have been very understanding. Kaliese comes in to gently give me a hug and say "Mom, I'm sorry that you hurt." Braedyn asks me what's wrong. When I tell him my neck hurts he says, " Let me scratch it for you." (Background: He likes to scratch my back and I always tell him "Thank you, that feels much better." So he just assumes that's a cure all for everything!) Sometimes I feel like its my God-given duty and honor to take care of my family's every need. I enjoy it mostly, sometimes its a bit of a struggle - but it's what moms do! As a mom, when in need you feel like you just battle through it while still taking care of everything. I am truly blessed to have a family that insists I sit back and let them take care of me. The encourage words from my kids and the extra effort from my husband truly help me heal faster than any amount of pain relievers!

A Very Good Friday!

2008-03-21T21:09:00.004-04:00

Today Kaliese had an Easter egg hunt at school. She was excited to get to wear her very cute dress (compliments of Grandma Bera)! They had an interesting way of making sure all the kids got an equal amount of eggs, as well as make it educational. They numbered all the eggs 1-12, then gave the kids egg cartons with each section labeled 1-12. The kids were supposed to find the eggs and match them with the numbers on the carton. Very cool! Kaliese had a blast! And, oh yeah, she wanted me to make sure that Grandma Bera knew she was very careful and didn't spill anything on her dress today!

Braedyn and I went to the park with Katie and Kadyn. They had fun climbing up and down and all around. Braedyn terrorized older kids on the bridge and flew around the park screaming "FLAME ON!" (for those that don't know - that's the phrase for the human torch in the Fantastic Four). It was a beautiful day and they were both very cute!!

For more pictures of both events Click Here

Treasure of the day:

Braedyn Rhys - a beautiful child, gift from God, entertaining, adorable and can be oh so sweet! But don't be fooled - he has his moments. I brought a big chocolate cookie to the park today for Braedyn and Kadyn to share. Braedyn was very excited! I broke it in half and then before giving Braedyn such a big half, I again broke off a piece that would better fit in his hand. Well, he completely lost it. Running around angrily wailing with heart-broken yet piercing screams. You would have thought I had thrown the cookie into the dirt and ground it in with my shoe! I mean I literally thought - REALLY?? This is your reaction to this??? How dramatic! If only I could show him the bigger picture so he could understand just how small of an issue this really was....

And then I think, how many times has God watched my reaction to someone or something and thought: Kelly, REALLY???

Invasion of the Little Green People

2008-03-17T19:25:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patty's Day! Not that we're Irish, but we need an excuse to celebrate. Though, I have been asked occasionally if we have an Irish background based on the spelling of my kids' names. Anyway.

The kids played in the backyard while I grilled porkchops. They love when we 'cook outside', cause that's automatic outside time for them!

Treasure of the day:

Kaliese was visited by a Leprechaun at school today. Apparently he gave them all chocolate gold coins and they made a cute hat. You know, its a common analogy that moms wear many different hats: a cook, driver, maid, teacher, etc. But very few of us have such a tangible display to show for all our efforts as this:

And all of them have meaning: the sombrero from Barcelona, the princess hat from the Renaissance Festival, the cowboy hat from her 3rd birthday, the tinkerbell santa hat from grandma Bera, the clown hat from Ringling Bros...not to mention the ones she makes herself: her first day of school, the indian hat from Thanksgiving, the chinese hat from the chinese new year, and of course, her shamrock hat. Oh and on her desk is her 100 days of school hat! What memories! And all this at age 5!

The Ultimate Transformer

2008-03-15T21:10:00.001-04:00

Braedyn has seriously gotten into the whole Transformer bit (as well as the Justice League, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, etc). He understands it so well that he has become somewhat of a "Transformer" himself. In extreme contrast to the holy terror depicted in the previous post, here he is calmly and adorably playing with his transformer friends. He was so cute playing by himself. Talking with each character and putting them into action (and yes, he can tell you the name of each one!) Both of the children actually had very good days---maybe because they knew we were going to see "Horton Hears a Who!"

We took the kids to breakfast and to the movie Saturday morning and they loved both (as did mom and dad)! Kaliese thanked us both several times for breakfast and the movie. Of course, as soon as the credits rolled Braedyn pipes up with "Mom, watch it again?"

Treasure of the day:
I don't exactly remember what it was for, but Kaliese remarked to me "Mom, you're the best in the whole world!" Oddly enough this isn't an uncommon phrase for her. Sometimes its because I did something out of the ordinary for her or made her favorite dinner; sometimes its for no reason at all. I can't help but wonder when her perspective will change. I will still be the same mom I've always been. Doing my best to keep their best interests at heart whether they like or not and sometime they will like it and sometime they will most definitely not. But apparently for now, the good Kaliese sees in me far outweighs the bad (or at least unlikeable). We all know that there is a tragic point in time where a child's view of their parents is skewed temporarily because the perspective of what is good and what is right meshes together into an alternate reality for them. So between now and then I will be searching for the magic solution to permanently affix the rose-colored glasses view of me to the eyes of my children --if you find it, please let me know!!

Boy Gone Wild!

2008-03-14T12:25:00.000-04:00

Inspired by my lovely sis-in-law, Sara, I have decided to re-up my blog (most of you didn't know I had)! Hopefully I will be motivated to keep this one going.

I was also motivated by the need to vent about my youngest. Someone has apparently been praying for my patience, because it has been tested!! Wednesday I had a busy morning of cleaning up after Kaliese "got sick", running her to the doctor and then to school. Later that day, Braedyn decides to cover both arms and his jeans with a black marker. Next, he grabs my compact out of my purse and crumbles all the powder all over the playroom floor. Luckily, they both clean up with a little effort.

Yesterday, Braedyn decides to be a rebel. After a few minutes of timeout in his room I go in to find he has emptied two bottles of teething tablets! The bottles held 375 total - we counted 222! I can almost guarantee that no more than 50 were used to begin with, so that's over a 100 unaccounted for! But before anyone calls DFCS, Poison Control said that they were basically harmless and yes, I have put them out of reach - again!

This child is just found in the most unusual places doing the most unthought of things. Whether its sitting in his top drawer of his dresser, hiding behind the entertainment center or sleeping on the shelf of his toybox - he is definitely an "out of the box" kind of person!

Treasure of the day:

While reading with Kaliese last night, she continued to amaze me with her progress. We were reading a book about a farm and she conquered words like 'nightfall', 'make-believing', and 'settle' without skipping a beat. She struggles with stopping at punctuation and adding inflection, but at one particular point she read about the 'squawk' of a goose. Not only did she know what the word was, she spoke it in the most perfect imitation of a 'squaaawwwk'! You had to hear it, and I'm not sure she could do it that perfectly again - but it made me laugh!

Where a Dad Can Be a Kid!

2006-06-26T08:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterday my husband and I along with our two kids, my sister and her daughter and my brother, his wife and their son all had lunch at Chuck E. Cheese's! The thrill of that is usually reserved for the children, but I have to say my husband usually has the most fun around venues of that sort. He's been that way for as long as I've known him. When we were in Vegas, he loved to hit all the arcade/carnival rooms in the casinos. His goal was to win as many cheesy stuffed animals as he could by playing those impossible carnival games. The odd thing: he was actually very good. I got a pair of huge fuzzy dice, some alien looking thing, a bunny rabbit and several others that are still around here somewhere. I don't have the heart to throw them out after he worked so hard for them! And the fun doesn't stop there! There's a little icecream truck that makes its way through our neighborhood daily during the summer. My children are usually napping and my husband is normally at work when it comes through. But one day my children were playing in the family room when I heard its musical chimes. I walked in the room and said, "Guess what I hear? Its the icecream truck!" I expected some reaction from the kids, but what I got was my husband jumping up with the exclamation of "SWEET!" and dashing out the door before my kids really had a chance to absorb what was going on. (Of course he came back in with treats for all.) Yes when people ask me how many children I have, I can honestly say, "3, Kaliese is 3, Braedyn is 1 and husband is 34 going on 7." Our trips to amusement parks, Chuck E. Cheese's, etc are as much for my husband as they are for the kids, but it really gets the kids more excited and we all have a better time for it.

Treasure of the day: Watching my husband with the children at Chuck E. Cheese's today, put a smile on my face. He had his picture sketched with our youngest, Braedyn. And he took our daughter on her first waverunner, and the best thing was I didn't have to worry about her drowning! I am made aware everyday just how wonderful he is. I am blessed to have a husband who takes time, not to just play with the kids, but to make everyday an adventure for them.

The "post-it" parent....someday

2006-06-22T14:37:00.000-04:00

We all strive to create bonds with our children. Whether its by spending good quality time with them, sharing stories, bringing out the characteristics we have in common, or simply giving them a good solid foundation of family. We create these bonds to give our children a sense of security and love in a parent/child relationship, a relationship that hopefully represents a place of permanent belonging for them long after they leave childhood. The funny thing about bonding...it doesn't just bond our kids to us, but us to our kids. That's what kind of scares me a little. Someday my children will not be children anymore. They will reach a point where they will be trying to loosen that bond a little just as much as I will be trying to tighten it. So that's where my theory of the "post-it" bond comes in. Those little sticky notes with an odd chemical make-up that allows it to bond with whatever you want it to stick to, but when the time is right it peels aways gently, without ripping either the paper or the object to which it was attached. So, I guess that may be the kind of bond I try to create with my children. I want them to be independent and confident, even though the thought of them being even a day older sends a wave of panic through me. Of course this only applies to the outer layer of the bonds I have to my children. There is a bond that is the superglue to our relationship that will never let go, no matter how far apart we are or how old they are. That's the tricky part, knowing that the superglue is always there should make removing the post-it a little easier. But that day is, for now, safely tucked away in the distant future!

Treasure for the day: My 3 year old daughter and I love to go to the movies. Our local cinema has the free movie summer program where we can go to a special movie at 10am for free. This morning it was Madagascar! She loves getting her own popcorn and lemonade, carrying her booster chair to her seat and watching in awe at the giant characters in front of her. What I love is hearing her laugh, watching her face, the way she makes a big deal of sharing her popcorn with me by putting pieces in my mouth throughout the movie and finally her consistent gratitude as we walk out "Thanks for taking me to the movie mom, I love Madagascar." She does that everytime. Sure its a cheap date, but hopefully it will always remain one of our "post-it" activities!

Treasure hunting 101

2006-06-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

As a wife and mom of 2, my everyday blah jobs of laundry, pb&js, bathtime, etc. can seem much less mundane by a constant quest for treasure. Sure sometimes it comes in finding a couple of dollars in my husband's pants pocket before they are thrown into the wash, or in finding that long lost remote in one of the toy baskets. But I'm speaking more of the hidden and unexpected finds that make the days a little more exciting. They come in many different forms, venues and genres covering the wide scope of the goings on of my days. First, of course, they come in my children. That unexpected hug from my 3 year old telling me she loves me. Watching my one year old take his first steps. Not hearing any noises from them in a while, only to find that they are sitting in the playroom quiety playing blocks together. Other times it comes from my hobbies of photography, scrapbooking and yard sales. Capturing the perfect picture or finding a much sought after army footlocker for $2 for my son's WWII room. And most importantly, finding little treasures even about myself. That I really could make one more pb&j without pulling my hair out, or that I am worthy of a few minutes of quiet time without feeling guilty. All of these little treasures are preserved when I can through pictures, journals and scrapbooks, but the others are just to take with me to experience, learn from, cherish and hold as a mom always does.