Mother's Day

Salad: he knows me so well!

I love that she loves my laugh.

Riding the carousel at Congress Park.

Merry-go-round magic

Running back to her grandmother's.

And the Grandma's following close behind her.

There were fuzzy baby ducks to fawn over.

Can I fish here?

She was like cotton candy floating about the park.

Trying to get a nice picture and he steals my sunglasses.

The boys being merry.

Making her day.

Saying goodbye for now.

As we sat in the park for our picnic all I could think of was this painting. 

My picture below doesn't quite capture the day. The weather was perfect and the landscape was dotted with well-dressed urbanites taking advantage of a Saratoga gem. We picnic'd on a blanket and wandered the park in search of fish, ducks, and rode the merry-go-round three times. 

Immediately

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I have a lot of catching up to do like what we did for Mother's Day and how

we recently spent a day at the beach. 

In the meantime here is the latest in the life of Luke and Ellie. 

How is there any sand left in the sandbox?

LUKE

1. Luke's favorite new word is immediately. "Mom, do you mean you want me to pick

up my toys immediately?!" "Do we need to leave for school immediately?"

2. He says Grace before we eat dinner, and last night all on his own, he prayed for one of his classmates because this friend had just lost his dog and he was sad, so Luke sent up a prayer

to the man upstairs. 

3. He tells me he'll never let me go when he gives me a hug. 

The best part of my day.

I love the curly tail on his Us.

Loving his sister.

Her most recent get-up.

ELLIE

1. She calls the water fountain at school The Water Mountain. It makes us melt.

2. She says "get for" instead of forget. "Mawwwm, you getfor to bring B." 

3. She loves for me to sing the Stay Awake song that is in Mary Poppins. As I sing she does a big fake yawn and then falls back on her pillow just like Jane and Michael. 

4. Her favorite song is Brighter Than the Sun by Colbie Caillat. 

Singing her heart out.

Don't you think Snow White looks super guilty standing back there all alone?

She takes swinging to a new level.

We are probably terrible parents for thinking she bares a bit of a resemblance to Sweet Dee from Always Sunny. Don't judge us for that. 

Random

Remember when I cut my hair off and felt like a younger version of Liza Minnelli?

And Ellie didn't have a lot of teeth or hair?

Bedheads and pjs make me smile.

The bridge and tunnel club

Have you ever gone down a road and through a tunnel unsure of where you would end up? I've been going down some roads lately that have led me right back to where I started which has left me feeling confused and wondering if where I am is where I am supposed to be. The journey while exciting, full of anticipation and a bit of remorse has sent me on a virtual rollercoaster. Finding myself back at the start with a new perspective has been as exhausting as it as refreshing. Maybe I am right where I am supposed to be? I've lost some things along the way, and have gained new thoughts in the process. Reinvention. Renewal. It's like this post that hit me like a ton of bricks.

It is time to rebuild. I will no longer live in misery for fear of change.

The picture here is merely just a precious, early morning moment with my girl.

Times tables

How fast the time is going. These legs and those shoes belong to this kid? Can you believe it?

Princess dreams

My mom and I took Ellie to see the Disney Princesses last week with my good friend M, her two girls and her mom. All of the girls were in awe, blankly staring at the glittery stage. Most of the audience was clad in princess costumes and tiaras, Ellie being one of them. She was practically dripping in pink and enjoyed every minute of it until the excitement was so much that she almost fell asleep on the shoulder of her grandmother. As the show ended, grandma woke her up with a free-for-all at the souvenir table, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes Ellie spotted a white horse she needed to have. I'm pretty sure she thought she had dreamed the entire affair as she happily rode home with the horse held tightly in both hands. Grandmas certainly make dreams come true and Ellie knows it first hand.

The weekend

Heard about 50 times all while holding her or sitting next to her or laying in bed with her: "Mama I need you."

Crying.

More crying.

I did dishes with her attached to my leg as she cried. I went to the basement to do laundry and heard the screams from upstairs, "Mommmmmmy I neeeeeed you. Where you are?"

Talking to the neighbors, she comes running to me...crying, "I need you mama."

Luke to John after hours upon hours of building Legos together: "DAAAAAAD can you help me? Dad I need you. Dad can you help me? DAAAADDDDDDD! Can you help me?"

This weekend was an open door policy, no privacy, no quiet until bedtime, and when it was quiet I felt my ears ringing and thought for sure I heard crying.

Trying as it may be, these are the days we will look back on with warm hearts. Luke gave me a hug and said, "I'll never let you go mama."

Ellie clearly is under the weather, fighting a virus and the only cure is a rotation of Tylenol, Ibuprophen, apple juice and me.