End of Summer?!

I feel like it can't possibly be the end of summer already. Besides the fact that I feel we need a few more pool playdates,and, hasn't summer just started?, the high temperatures do little to get me in the mood of getting back to regular routines and 6:30 wake ups. I feel like the summers are great ways to measure where the kids are at in their lives and the end of it is always a good time of reflection on what made the summer so special... Here are a few things that are peaking into my memory at the moment...
* M and K playing well again together just like last summer. Their favorite "games" to play are school, swim lessons, puppy, and hunting for froggies.
* K learned to really swim this summer. Head underwater, jumping in, big arm scoops, and the list continues, but, my favorite part of watching her swim is her coming up from underwater with her blonde hair wrapped and tangled around her head, seeing her push some of it out of the way to reveal those long eye lashes all stuck together and soaken wet.
*M toted a Junie B. Jones book with her in the car for errands this summer. I loved it when she would tell me about a funny part she had read and I must say I did enjoy the quieter car rides :)
* M and K (and me!) experienced one of husband's favorite places; Kennywood. We learned that K loves roller coaster, and after a bit of coaxing M will ride most rides her older cousins will.
And alas, summer ends...school bag is hanging by the back door, lunch is packed, outfit is laid out nicely....thank-you God for another great summer, praying many more memories on the school year to come :)

A Note on Couponing

In a life where day to day stresses including waters rising, raising children, and other serious issues it is almost "fun" to worry for a moment, just a moment, about something not so important like the general craze happening right now with coupons. I feel like everytime I turn around a new mom has started a money saving blog/website/facebook following, and, let's discuss the TLC show for .2 seconds. I have two main problems with the show. #1 Do you really need 345 candy bars in your home at one time? The whole stockpiling extravaganza seems more like hoarding to me on many levels. My other issue with the show is that what percentage of the items that they buy (using coupons) is remotely healthy for you? Probably less than 2 percent, scary.

All of this being said, I will be the first to admit I have an envelope for coupons, but darn it, if by the time I get through the trek that is a grocery store trip with a week long list and one or two "helpers" with me it is a miracle if I remember which coupons I have, where they are located in my purse, and finally if they make it to the cashier, pitiful i know, but oh so true.

Although I will never be stockpiling toothbrushes underneath my child's bed (yes, check the show) I would like to be a bit better about my coupon discipline. What are your strategies or do you even use coupons?

Ok, back to the bigger worries like the topic that my six year-old came up with today for discussion, THAT will have to be another blog for another time :)

friends in low places

So I just heard this old Garth Brooks song on the radio (my first country song I ever did like) and I thought with all of the flooding and low elevation here in my great state what a great title for today's blog :)

We are coming up upon six (yes six for those of you who knew us when we were packing our boxes with Katrina news on in the background) years of living in the Rouge. With our original game plan of no more than four years here and hopes of moving back closer to home with a better job for husband, this can be chalked up as yet another bit of evidence that #1 we are not in charge of the "game plan," and #2 He has so much more in store for you than you could possibly ever imagine.

It is true that this place does feel like (as the narrator on Swamp People so nicely put) "the far corners of the world" sometimes. Street names, town names, and last names (Arceneaux, Naquin, Taliaferro, Fontenot being M's kindergarten teachers last names) did at one time haunt me and made me feel like I was living in a place where my language wasn't going to cut it. However, after living here this length of time I don't know if I could stand living in a place that doesn't know how to spell geaux correctly and I now would eat a po-boy (fully dressed) over a hoagie anyday.

There is such a sense of pride here. Pride in our city, our university, and the culture of families that I feel thankful to get a glimpse into when people from here willingly, lovingly open their family to yours and make you feel like one of them. I also feel a sense of nothing being taken for granted. Between hurricanes and right now a bulging Mississippi people love what they have today and appreciate each day, knowing tomorrow they may not be so lucky.

If you would have told me six years ago that my husband (one of the most pickiest eaters EVER) would anticipate crawfish season almost as much as college football season or that I would love etouffee, jambalaya, and gumbo (and more importantly be able to tell you the difference between them) I would call you crazy. But even more unanticipated is our love for this place, a place we would be proud to raise our girls in and a place to call our HOME.

cleaning

So I'm taking ten minutes (my daughter is counting the minutes because she is wanting me to try a new game with her) to write about something we all do (except for those of you who are lucky to pay someone to do it), cleaning! Especially for those of us whose office space, home space, entertaining space is one in the same, having our surroundings clean is a must and honestly it drives me crazy when things are not.
I follow the principles of flylady who I have mentioned before, but on days like today (oh yes, forgot to mention family is coming to visit for a week starting tomorrow) really digging in is a necessity. I learned early on in my marriage that the one space you didn't clean will undoubtedly be peeked into and my God let's be honest is there much worse things than exposing your own dirt to company? Yuck!
I also should mention that I get this trait honestly. My mother is the most exceptional hostess you have ever seen and I still don't know how she gets her shower as clean as she does.
Do you all feel the same as I do? What are your tricks for keeping things (as so well said by an ex-principal) "company clean?"
Oh and PS before my last minute is up, I also don't think there is a better feeling than finally being done and knowing you can really relax and enjoy your company once all of your dirt is a thing of the past :)

today i'm thankful for...

1. Snow days where no snow is present
2. My older daughter's input on planning K's birthday
3. Cats who love you unconditionally
4. Doing yoga with M and K
5. M's ideas of what to buy at the grocery store
6. Photos of old days that make you giggle
7. Warm blankets on cold nights
8. M laying on my back while I'm typing this :)
9. Children feeling better after sick days
10. Quietness of K's naptime (which are becoming fewer and fewer...)

New Year/New Blog

I used to have "new season/new blog" but obviously life has taken over (not a bad thing) and I haven't blogged in quite a long time. I am thinking for my new blog just to list and make note of those obvious and not so obvious things to be thankful in our lives, and maybe even expand on a couple of them in my spare time in between running children to school and activities, my own activities, and just living a happy southern life :) So, here it goes...TODAY I AM THANKFUL FOR:
1. 2 cats that we prayed for even before we knew them
2. the town i live in. i do not take for granted the mossy oak trees, the college town environment, or being able to swim outside 6 months a year.
3. a neat home. i say this now as i look around, BUT, in two hours i should be thankful for the papers, shoes, and occasional rock scattered amongst our kitchen and great room because it means my kindergartner had another successful day at school.
4. the internet. i can have glimpses into my friends across the country lives in the middle of my day of playing dress up and taylor swift barbie with my two year-old. grown up moments are not to be underestimated!
5. bible verses that creep into your hands just at the moment you need them.

What not to spend your time doing

Worrying! I often, too often, find myself worrying. Worrying about the what-ifs, the maybes, and the God please don't let it be's. I am just a born worrier I think. When I was younger I would worry about my grades, worry if I was good enough, worry if my friends were mad at me, and when I would find out everything was ok (which 98 percent of the time it is) the release of tension and stress (and sometimes migraine headaches) was almost immediate. Now that I am a wife, a mom, and an adult I have tried my best to let go of these worries. I know they aren't good for my health (and who wants more wrinkles from stress? not me). A couple of quotes have stuck with me that I try to repeat when I am faced with a worry. "If you aren't going to stress about it in six months, don't stress about it now." Good one, right? The other one I most recently read definitely has a double edged sword, "Change is coming, prepare for it." We don't live forever, the walls at some point will come crashing down. At this point the what-if's usually creep in, what if this bad change is now? Then, I usually fall back on my faith, "God will never give you more than you can handle," "If He is for me than who can be against me?" Well, unfortunately, just watching the news can make you wonder just how much people can take. I know two of the closest people to me deal with it much better than I do, which is probably why I was put in both of their paths. My mother. I can call my mother crying,worrying, boo hoo-ing to her and she is calm as anything, puts it in prospective, says it will be fine, and 9 times out of 10 I will call her when the issue is resolved and it is just that, fine. My husband. "It is what it is." Great words that often brings things back into prospective for me.
How do you all deal with worry? I would love to know and the lack of headaches and wrinkles from your advice will be appreciated too!

Back to School!

In many ways to me M will always be about this age, however, this picture was taken about three years ago when back to school meant three hours, two days a week. Now, starting this year, back to school has come to mean 6 hours, 5 days a week, also meaning we are spending our days very differently than we did just three weeks ago when it was still summer or three years ago when I only had one little one to take care of. Some of the changes have been challenging and others inspiring.
Challenges include (but are not limited to) me feeling like a race car driver trying to find the quickest way across town to M's school; moving in and out of slow lanes of traffic, and all the while trying to maintain the best fuel efficiency possible. Also gnawing at me is the feeling that I am missing some secret way that will cut my travel time by even more, but I think that might just be my competitive side peeking out.
But just as I'm about to be overwhelmed by the challenge that being in that car sooo long everyday brings, I have to remind myself of all of the good that has transpired in the two short weeks since M started kindergarten. It is nothing short of a gift to get to have some one on one time with the littlest. To see her out of the shadow of her sister and see what she is interested in without the outside influence of a six year old is fun to watch. We have also had more time to work on her letters, numbers, shapes, etc. without the added pressure of making sure the oldest is being stimulated also. Speaking of the oldest (and inspiration) it is inspiring and reassuring to see M come out of the classroom door (outside corridors) as the end of day school bell rings, confident with her backpack and listening to her teacher for instructions. Even better is to listen to her babble on during the trek home about what she learned, who she played with, and discussing what she learned about unhealthy lungs today at school.
And so bring on the bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils and let these great school days continue!

The Summer I didn't want to see go

I have been thinking about this post the past few days as I'm wrapping up loose ends around here with our two week trip to California pending. After we get back we will have approximately 1 day to be ready for M starting Kindergarten, bright and early on August 16th (this is the way we roll here in the south with super early start dates).

When I looked for the picture to attach with this blog I looked in (of course) the Summer2010 file and was immediately flooded with memories of one of our best summers (I'm hoping I can say that with each summer that passes). This was a summer of many firsts. This was the first summer that my girls played together, and played really well together at that. Hence, this was the first summer I wasn't designated playmate for M. This was the first summer my older girl was water safe, finished her swim lessons, will start swim team in the fall (fall being mid-August when school starts and we are still having heat indexes to pass the days), and just as important learned a flip turn, and went off what normal people call the 3m spring board, but to those of us lucky ones who knew about the high dive at SPRA call the 3m, yes, the high dive. Over this summer I went from looking at K as a baby to a little girl; a beautiful, fun loving, really observant, kind hearted girl. And, this was the first summer that girl showed us just how big she is by using the potty for just that. Summer 2010 was both of my girls first concerts, something I couldn't claim until I was eighteen, they are way ahead of me. This summer K learned how to drink out of a big girl cup (after a good example from her cousin), and one of my favorites, M became a reader this summer, what a beautiful thing.

For our family this was the first summer we didn't go up north which was hard in many ways not to be able to see our families, but it also meant we had more time for our just the four of us family, which is never a bad thing. This summer marks our first trips to Huntsville, AL and, the day after, California (husband has been, but this will be the first taking us along, I'm sure the experience will far out weigh his previous trips there :)

Usually summers here in Louisiana are hot, unbearable, and I'm counting down the days until our Saturday mornings consists of playing outside in cooler weather while College Gameday is on inside. Believe me when I say I will not complain when Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium get here, but honestly, the heat did not affect me so much this summer. Maybe I'm getting used to it, or maybe I was just soaking in all of our "firsts" to notice. What a great summer.

Break from Routine

As I'm sure I have mentioned before, I am definitely a woman of routine. Between our mornings of chores, gym time, and waiting for daddy to get home for lunch, and then afternoons of errands/pool time, cooking dinner, and finally evenings of semi-coolness enough to play outside our days are pretty, well, routine. I have heard for safety reasons you should mix up the comings and goings from your house; can't say I have done a very good job at this. Most days my day is planned even before I'm done eating my pb and honey english muffin. However, on those few sweet, glorious, beautiful days that the errand list is non-existent, or, the weather is cool enough for some morning time outside, having a moment out of routine feels nothing but perfect. To have a moment to sit and let the heat from the sun and sidewalk that I have found a spot to sit on while the girls do sidewalk chalk soak into my body can relax as me (almost) as much as being at the beach. Another hidden moment I love is when the weeding is all done in the backyard and, again, I have a moment to just sit on our back porch and watch our girls, digging, putting on talent shows, or just loving on each, there really is nothing better. Nothing planned, organized, or needed, just a moment of perfectness wrapped amongst the craziness that is the life of having little ones.

When daddy is away

There are so many disadvantages when DG travels: Only me taking care of the girls (no handing off when he walks in the door so I can have a much needed moment), missing adult conversations, not conversations centered around Fresh Beat Band, glitter, or Barbie (not all bad topics every now and again), not to mention no help unloading the dishwasher (my least favorite chore), and no one to get the new roll of TP from the cabinet above the refrigerator that is so darn hard for me to reach. Kind of fortunately our girls don't know any different (he has traveled a lot for all of both of their little lives), and as my wise mother in law said, what is normal is different for each family. So although my husband missing out on everyday adventures, and not so everyday events (birthday parties, trips, etc) may not be seen as normal to others, to us it is and we make the best of it when our magic is gone for a few days. With the help of cell phones, email, winkball.com, and of course treats and stories when DG comes home our lives are for the most part smooth sailing and very blessed.
So as to not dwell on the poor me attitude of my husband traveling ( I know many other wives who have a lot tougher things to deal with), there are some hidden advantages with husbands traveling. Meal time is a lot easier (you all don't want to know how many pancake dinners my girls have had while the husband travels), tv time revolves around chick flicks (You've Got Mail, one of my favorites), and I can go ahead and put the light ash blonde back in my hair and pretend the sun just lightened it up ;)
Don't get me wrong, when he walks through the door and the magic is back all is right with the world and as it should be, until he pulls out the suitcase and starts packing again...

Our SIX year-old

I am pretty much in shock about where the last six years of MG's life have gone. Countless blessings, prayers, laughs, and a few tantrums down the road of childhood and here we are parents to a six year-old girl. This birthday has hit me harder than I pictured it would and I think it has everything to do with when I look at M I definitely don't see the baby pictured about ( what a darling baby she was though), not a toddler, but a full on girl. When did this little girl stop playing with other's shoelaces (one of her favorite pastimes as a baby) and start (almost) mastering tying her own shoes? When did she change from hiding in the house and locking all the doors when the neighbors dog was near to wanting to become a veterinarian? And, what happened to the little toddler, arms crossed, defiantly telling me "I'm not never going to grow up?"
This new stage is a little daunting and I'm wondering if any other moms look at this stage in the same light as I am. I know how to parent babies, I'm good with toddlers, but what about girls, and God help me, preteen and teenage girls (which can't be far away considering how fast the last six years have gone)? I take comfort in the fact that both M and I have sort of learned as we have gone from this point on, remembering my mother asking me while pregnant with M if I even knew how to bathe a child, harsh, but an honest question at the time. Now six years later, thank-you very much, I think if I would get an evaluation for this stay at home mommy job I would be doing a.o.k.
I do know one thing for certain. When M was a baby I told my friends that having her (and KG a few years later) was the best thing DG and I ever did. At the time my childless friends snickered and I suggested they get their heads out of the gutter (jokingly of course), but until you have a child you really can't understand this fully, and then when you do have a child you understand it completely.
So the next years of raising this brilliant, likable, unique girl will undoubtedly hold blessings from the one who gave us this most precious gift, prayers, laughter, and I'm sure a few tantrums, but I'm in for whatever the future holds and I'm thankful DG and I get to raise these special girls even if I am a rookie at it all. Happy sixth birthday, MG.

Friday Night Pizza

There are definitely some family traditions not worth keeping up with (example #1 Sauerkraut on New Year's, yick), but one we have kept in our family is that of Friday Night Pizza. When I was growing up Fridays were celebrated like no other day, because along with weekly pizza Friday meant my dad having a couple of days off work, high school football games, and the arrival during football season of my aunt and uncle in town for the Penn State games just to name a few. My mom would alternate between her homemade pizza (known pretty well by family and friends), ordering, or us going to a local pizza shop. I can remember many a swim practices wishing I hadn't eaten so much pizza prior to practice, but it was just that good. Unfortunately (and fortunately) things change, and my replica of Friday Night Pizza is not always hit with high marks. Take for example tonight when I attempted to do the homemade pizza bit. Comments from my soon to be six year-old included, "Mom, please don't try this again," " Next time bake the crust alone for 40 minutes," and " Mom, I taste nothing but flour," (have I mention my un-love for cooking or how my husband thinks my next blog should be about my adventures in the kitchen?) But it is about the thought and consistency, right? The knowing that whether daddy is out of town or not, whether a football game is being played this weekend or not (although now cheering for another team), we will eat as a family and on Friday night we we celebrate the coming weekend and have pizza (even if this means children do not eat the pizza and mom must make pb & j as to not sacrifice their nutrition). I will keep trying to hold on to this tradition (even if I surrender and just order some Papa John's) and pray my children continue it when they are mom's and not think of Friday Nigh Pizza as I think of Sauerkraut on New Year's :)

Curbing!!!

I can't believe I have forgotten about writing about one of my most favorite pastimes, curbing! For those of you who don't know or use a different term (junking, dumpster diving) curbing is when you take something that someone else has put out to the trash. I do have some dignity and won't actually open a trash can and take out an article out, but, for example, if someone is moving and leaves something that I can salvage I will. I have loved curbing before it was considered "green" to do (that is an excuse I like to use as to why I do it; we don't want it to end up in a landfill!). Growing up, our neighborhood had "riff raff" days a couple of times a year where people would put out bulky items that they didn't want (thankfully our Parish takes bulky items once a week, what a treat!). I would come home hauling a new to me container, chair, etc. begging my mom to let us keep it. My mother only fed my love and would either refurbish it or find the perfect spot for each item I lugged home.
I recently had a friend come over and speaking about a mutual friend she said, "did you know that like half of the stuff in her house she has gotten from other people's garbage??" At which point I laughed and said, let me show you around my home :) Take the above picture as example A. The plant container, Adirondack chair, and two captain's chairs, yes, you guessed it all were set to fill up space in a landfill, but with a little sanding (thank-you, hubby), paint, love, and even help from the kiddos they all turned out pretty well. We (yes, my husband now occasionally curbs too although he is much more selective) have come across some other treasures that now grace our home including an old coat hanger, old windows (so great hanging up), shelving units, wicker baskets, and the list could go on. It is great because it is so conducive to the style we love. Freecycle also now has "curbside alerts" that are always a fun adventure.
I love when people find out where some of our things have come from and love even more when I find out I'm not the only one who is taking full advantage of recycling in our community :)

chores

There will come a day when my day isn't defined by how many loads of laundry I complete or the number of cheerios I pick up off of the ground, but for right now love it or hate it, chores are a part of mine and my girls day. My chores are dictated by the wonderful, awe inspiring, almost life changing flylady rules (www.flylady.net, please check it out if you like your house looking company clean all the time and who doesn't??) and slowly but surely my girls are taking on a more active role in what they do to help keep our home livable. Our five year-old's responsibilities include but are not limited to cleaning up her bathroom daily, picking up her dirty clothes off of her floor and putting them in her dirty laundry bin, putting away her folded clean clothes, helping me sort clothes for laundry, getting her own drink at mealtimes, clearing her dishes, drying the countertops after mealtimes, washing her sister's hands, and the inevitable clean up time which I will get to later. Our two year-old will help put her clothing and washcloths away in their specific drawers, dry her bench that she sits on at mealtimes, and help with clean up time. We don't use charts or stickers (tried them in the past and we either couldn't stick with them or the novelty ran off and they didn't work). I try to set a good example and verbally remind them that at certain times I can't do something "fun" either because I'm working on my chores. Of course please don't think I have a perfect home where my children are merry maids because that obviously isn't the case, but just giving them some responsibility in the upkeep in our home is hopefully going to help them learn to respect their surroundings AND I recently read that one of the best gifts you can give a child is the gift of work because we are raising in fact men and women that are going to have to take care of and respect their homes one day.
So, onto the "clean up time." The clean up time in our house is a hard time because although I try to encourage cleaning up after each activity after a day of play there are various parts of barbies, play kitchen, baby doll, paper, and craft activity remnants scattered through out our house. We opt for either a 4:50 pm clean up time (right before I start to make dinner) or a 6:30 pm clean up time (right before bath). We always start with a "time to put the toys away" jingle stolen from The Little Gym (an amazing place you also need to check out if you have not) and from there I switch it up in the hopes that one strategy will get my girls moving. These strategies include making a chart on the chalkboard of everyone's names and we mark off by 10's of things we pick up (yes, there are that many little bittle things around), or charting off by the different colors of the toys we are picking up,or each being in charge of a room, or playing UPS man that one person delivers a toy that needs to make it back to its rightful room, or even just saying I will only have one "best helper" tonight (in which cause my ultra competitive five year-old hauls booty to be the winner).
It's tiring just writing about it, but it is so worth it to sit down at the end of the day, put my feet up on the sofa and relax in a clean space (even if I do spot yet another cheerio on the floor).

Errands

As much as I wish I could say that our days at home solely consist of craft time, imaginary play of trips to the grocery store (as pictured above), and nap time, they don't. In our real world we go on an errand usually everyday. This is a must do either because we have a need, or, I simply need to get out of the house for a bit because I'm going a little stir crazy. There is something therapeutic for me just to be in the car, have a moment to listen to a non taylor swift song (can you tell my children love tay tay (as they lovingly call her) at the moment, and regroup before reaching our destination, even if that destination is as simple as the drive thru at the bank. With the age of my children (five and two) I can honestly say, too, that most days errands that consist of us actually going inside somewhere usually end better than ok with my oldest giving me an idea for a snack I hadn't thought of at the grocery store, or us reading a book together at the library, or even the girls taking turns getting the stamps at a self service station at the post office. I can also say, honestly, that it hasn't always been this easy. Anyone who has lugged around a rear facing baby carrier with a baby in it knows that it could prepare you to be in a weight lifting competition, add a crying baby at that and you are in for a fun filled errand time. Such fun, in fact that when I only had M and I was still teaching and juggling working and being a good mom, that upon a return from trying to get groceries I put her carrier down on our kitchen floor and literally went to my knees to pray about someone helping me (and He did, allowing me to stay home where there is already enough to juggle). Yes, errands have definitely gotten easier, to the point now where if I don't have my girls with me on an errand I feel naked (that would not be good), and extra light. After talking to a friend about this who feels the same way,the conclusion is easy. Of course you feel light without your nearly 80 lbs of security blanket, loving children surrounding you. They definitely make the errands more entertaining and fun, even if by chance a taylor swift song does come on the radio.

For the Love of Books

I love books. I have been a reader since Babysitter's Club and Nancy Drew were cool, and as a stay home mom one topic I can still feel up to date on in a conversation is books. I have lovely memories of my childhood friend having the whole collection of Berenstain Bear books and spending a good portion of a sleepover with her not doing our nails or watching movies, but reading her beloved collection, me insanely jealous of all of these perfectly ordered stories. Books have brought my mother-in-law and I even closer together in the fact that we like the same kind of storyline and she feels naked without a novel in her hands.
I see glimpses of my girls love of reading and books when the older one painstakingly puts her bookmark in her place after victoriously reading a page, when my younger one corrects me if I read a word different (trying to be funny) than what is in one of her favorite books, and when they would rather read Peter Pan than watch the movie, good stuff.
With my history it is no wonder that the first thing I look to organize in my girls rooms are their bookshelves. Putting their Berenstain Bear collection in order, along with Dr. Seuss, Give a Mouse series, etc., and even having monthly books that are rotated at the beginning of each month obviously shows books are really precious to me, and hopefully to my girls too.
*I can't let this blog pass without passing along two irreplaceable websites involving books: www.paperbackswap.com and www.goodreads.com, for the love of books, check them out :) *

A Weekend Away

Any excuse I have for getting away from the daily routines of chores, cooking, and errands I am all for, so when my husband had to take a road trip out of town for the weekend and suggested the girls and I come along, I immediately began the packing list for our adventure. My husband travels quite a bit and so I must say I have become something of a pro of getting bags, snacks, and activities for along the way together; careful not to forget the necessities of good night story books, ziploc bags of cheerios, fruit cups, and of course extra napkins, plates, and sippy cups. This trip was to New Orleans and although we have done the sight seeing other times, when your husband is traveling for work and you are along for some time with him, he is still there for work hence not with you every minute. I try to be a good mom but I also know my limits. Trying to find my way around a city I'm not too familiar with and finding things that probably cost money to do and wondering if your two year-old will even enjoy them or if you will spend most of the outing chasing her doesn't sound like fun to me. What does sound like fun may sound simple to some, but it works for our family. Picnic dinners of pizza by the hotel pool discussing lizards, clouds, and everything in between works for us. My oldest and I playing silent Uno in a mostly dark hotel room while the two year-old naps (so proud of my five year-old for being respectful of the baby's nap time) works for us. My girls eating cheerios and having juice boxes in bed while watching cartoons while Mommy gets ready for the day (Daddy having been out the door hours before for his work) and then us all going to enjoy a free breakfast (hotel MUST) works for us. Even Daddy making it back to the hotel room and he and I whispering about his day and catching him up on ours seems to be a good way to end the day. There is nothing complicated, expensive, or extravagant about our weekends away, and that's just the way we like it.

The Smell of Chlorine

I would be lying if I said I didn't love, love, love that one of the ways we spend our days is at or around the pool. If I wasn't so focused on my two year-old's insistent independence (and my fear of her not ready to be so independent) in the water I would be reminiscing over the literally thousands of lifetime memories that are associated with that all so distinct smell of chlorine. Memories of my dad taking a whole spring break at the beach to teach me how to do a flip turn, crawling into my parent's bed one Saturday morning asking if I could join the swim team like my older sister, reading my name in print on a crisp white sheet of paper stating I had indeed made the high school team, working with my best friends as lifeguards at a pool I believe to this day to be one of the best around, teaching swim lessons, watching my future husband swim his last college race , the list could go on and on. Although this list is grand and distinguished it doesn't hold a candle to watching my girls make their own memories at the pool. How their faces light up when I ask after our morning chores are done ( just the way my mom did) if they want to go to the pool, watching them make new friends, my older one trying to "surf" on her kickboard, my youngest trying on her bubble floatie for the first time (didn't last too long, 'too tight on belly, mama'), my girls watching their daddy in amazement as he disappears under the water for what seems to them an eternity only to come up magically at the other end of the pool, or, M's head bobbing up and down as she gets breastroke for the first time. Swimming is just such a lifetime sport and not just for the total body workout it provides. It is true that swimming is in my girls blood (as a friend recently pointed out to me), but more so, hopefully, it will be in their memories too. Long after the chlorine scent has left their skin, and the swim suit lines are gone, their legacy as third generation swimmers (and the fun they had in the water) will somehow keep them connected to their parents and grandparents.

Hunting for Treasure

Lucky for us we live on a dead end street. Dead end really gives a false sense of reality though because at the end of our road is really where everything begins. My fearless husband and oldest were the first to traverse this unknown land a few years ago, coming upon a stream (housing gar fish and nutria), trails, snakes, and the occasional egret. They soon shared their secret with the baby and I when the baby was old enough to start exploring no man's land. Last year, though, we came upon the best kept secret hidden among thorns and overgrown weeds; blackberries. Like little jewels just waiting to be plucked, these little morsels of goodness had to have been left especially for our family from angels, or so we like to think. Last year our blackberries grew on the edge of a sloping hill leading to the stream, and also on the slope. The girls and I would pick on level land, while DG ventured down the hill (as most overgrown boys would do). This year we checked on our blackberries weekly, and with a new keen eye for blackberry bushes even began noticing more bushes around our town (M referring to one road not as its traditional name, but as "Blackberry Valley" for all of the treasure it held on its banks). Finally we thought we had come to our first day of picking, and, in long pants (so to avoid the poison ivy), bug spray, and bins, we were on our way. As we approached the stream we saw that our neighborhood's landscapers had trimmed down the level land before the sloping hill leading to the stream to make way for more trails (didn't they know these were our berries?). I had visions of only my husband making the trek down the overgrown slope in search of treasure, but I should have known better. Daughters trust their Daddys, even on sloping hills. Off my oldest went, while the two year-old and I found a shade tree to sit under. The scene that unfolded before us was something that a picture wouldn't do justice. They were both close enough that K and I could see them, but far enough away that I felt like I was peaking in on what I know someday will be just a distant memory of a day that went by too fast.