Hungry Baby!

Jim and I took the girls to the pool last weekend. The community center has a great aquatic program with a huge pool for the kiddos. The girls had a wonderful time splashing and playing. Claire really enjoyed floating on her back - she would close her eyes and get a huge smile on her face. Maggie wasn't too keen on getting water in her face. I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree in that department. The girls were hungry and exhausted when we got home from our pool adventure. Claire could not get enough turkey casserole. She was quite a sight!

Celebrating Grandpa!

My dad turned 65 this month and we celebrated in Dayton with a family birthday party. Uncle JJ, cousin Bixie and Aunt Beth were all in town too. The girls were very excited to see Bix and spent a lot of time squealing. I brought along a recently inherited bag of dress up clothes and Maggie and Bixie channeled their inner princesses. As always, it's so nice when we are all together.

Refresh and Recharge in AZ

I had the extreme fortune to get a five-day break from my kids last week! I cashed in some of those dusty frequent flier miles and flew (first-class) to Phoenix. It has been three years since I was in the airport alone, an eternity for someone who used to fly 75,000 miles a year. As I moved through the airport, ascending the long escalator to concourse B, I felt layers of "Mommy" melt away. There was something about flying, connecting to that old life of mine, that was especially grounding.

Upon arrival in Phoenix, I was immersed in another world. A world where the only person I had to take care of was myself. A place with no schedule; where dinner is eaten at 8 pm. A life of pedicures, shopping, and lounging by the pool. My friend Patty, a teacher who is off for the summer, was my tour guide on this journey. Oh, how my soul was fed!

P.S. Thanks mom and dad for watching my girls!

Summer Kick-Off

How is it mid-June already?! I am way behind in my blogging. We kicked off the summer with a trip to St. Louis the last weekend in May. The girls were very excited to see all our relatives there. We took a trip to The Stuckmeyers, the farm owned by Jim's aunt and uncle. It was wonderful to visit with cousins whom we had not seen in a few years. We appreciate them taking time from their busy work day to catch up with us. Maggie and Claire enjoyed seeing all the animals, but the highlight was the brand new kittens. Back at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's house, the girls had a great time playing in the pool and frolicking in the grass. It sure is great to be back within driving distance from St. Louis!

Getting crafty

Ever since I was young, I thought it would be cool to know how to sew. However, I never took home-ec in high school or even watched another person sew, so I thought this would always be a dream. Last year for Mother's Day Jim got me a sewing machine. It was a very thoughtful gift. However, I just had Claire a few weeks earlier, so it wasn't the best time to embark on a new hobby. When Mother's Day rolled around this year and I hadn't even opened my gift from last year, I knew it was time to put the excuses aside and jump off this cliff.

I was terrified. The idea of doing something and not being good at it was appalling. I've never considered myself particularly crafty or artistic. What if I couldn't figure it out? There are so many terms, how will I ever understand them all? What if everything I make is crooked and ugly? I knew my perfectionism would rear it's ugly head and I worried I would beat myself up in the process. Then I had a little "ah-ha" moment. What if nothing I make is perfect, but ends up being good enough? Maybe learning to sew is exactly what my soul needs.

So off I went to the fabulous new JoAnn's near my house to attend a "Sewing 101" class. There were six of us in the class and thankfully I wasn't the only one who had no idea how to thread a bobbin. The teacher was enthusiastic and patient. I expected we would just learn about our machines and practice some stitching, but we actually got to make something! After two hours I walked out with a new drawstring bag! It's has all sorts of imperfections, yet it is completely perfect!

Next, I'm going to finish unpacking in the basement so I can make room to set up my machine. I think my first project is going to be an apron for Maggie, and later a matching one for me and Claire. Thanks to my friend Sarah for her inspiration and encouragement. Thanks to my wonderful husband for his insight and support. Here we go!

Rubber Duckie

Maggie was just too cute in the bath the other night. I had to grab the camera.

"We're going home"

The girls and I were out running errands yesterday afternoon and as we neared the house Maggie proclaimed, "We're going home!" While this sounds like a pretty normal observation, I couldn't help but notice a change in her vernacular. This was the first time she used the word "home" and not "my new house" when referring to our abode. I think after seven weeks her transition to living here might be complete. Now, if only we could return to the pre-move potty using state, life would be grand.