Freeze Time: FIVE

Beckham turned five in January.  FIVE.  How did that happen?  Really.  

Wasn't it just last week that we brought him home to meet his still-a-baby sister and big brother?  

He wanted to go bowling for his birthday.  Last year was roller-skating.  He has big ideas.  His first plan was Chuck E Cheese.  I will always do whatever I can to come up with an alternative to that one- but actually bowling was all his idea, and I was ok with that.  

We invited the Haywards and the Camonas... such awesome friends.

Beckham and Ruby

This Miss spent adequate time in front of the hand-blower.  Movie star-like.  Heaven help us.

Dad's still got it.  Like four strikes in a row- got it.  

And then we hit the bumper cars... and I think they were a bigger hit than bowling.

Stella, Seneca, Henry, Chloe, Ruby, Bex, Coop, Kole and Oscar

Such a fun crew!

Home for cake and crazy children running wild in the backyard.  He had a good day.

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Dearest Bexie,

At age five, you are much too old for me.  You want to be big so badly and I can see it happening all too quickly.  

You are slated to be off to kindergarten next year and while I know you are ready, I am going to be so sad to see you go.  You are my little pal during the day.  I know you are ready for both the academic challenge and the social opportunities, but I am not ready for you to be there- to be old enough to handle all of that.

You will take the skill of making friends with you, and for that I am grateful.  You make friends easily wherever we go.  An hour at the park and you have all the kids on the playground roped into whatever game you and Seneca have created.  You always climb into the car and tell me all about your new friends.  You look forward to any opportunity to be with other people and I understand that desire all too well.  You are chatty and can recount a story with remarkable accuracy.  Your attention to detail has me watching my every step. 

You love to help in the kitchen, more than either of your older siblings.  You want to crack the eggs, measure, stir and cook.  You also want to taste everything along the way.  I'm never very far into creating a meal when you run in with the stool asking how you can help.  You deem yourself a chef and I fully agree.  You also believe that every meal should be accompanied by a treat.  I do not.  You are a treat boy and they are super motivation when on the rare occasion you are presented something you don't want to eat.  

You have done well in Discovery Club this year, excited to tell me all the things you are learning when you get in the car. You have taken off with reading and attempt to sound out anything put in front of you.  You are also very proud of your addition skills.

Bex, you have mastered the whine of the third sibling and are a pro at getting out of assigned jobs.  The flop on the floor, the head thrown back in agony, the "I just can't do it by myself!"  it's enough to have me rolling my eyes and has proven quite pointless, but props for your persistence!  Most of the time, however, you are joy in a body.  You have a smile that lights up your whole face and you are hilarious.  I really can't think of anyone who is more easy-going and pleasant to be with all day long.  You'll get your own lunch, you'll entertain yourself and seem to manage with both quiet time while the kids are at school and celebrating their return every day.  You'll hold the shopping list and tell me what we need next.  You'll entertain your sister, read to and play with her.  You think everything she does is so cute and makes her the smartest baby ever.

I could go on, but the point is that I love you like crazy and can't imagine this family without you.  You were a surprise miracle straight from Heaven and He knew just what he was doing.  You have found best friends in your siblings and joy in your musical and athletic endeavors.  I am beyond grateful for your little spirit. It should also be noted that one thing I love very most is that you have not outgrown the desire for mama's kisses, which is a darn good thing because you get about 70 every day.  Your face is soft and your cheeks just need to be kissed every time I see you.  They are usually accompanied with tickles because hearing you laugh is a sound I will never tire of.  

I love you, Beckham.  You may now stop growing.

-Mom

we love new friends!!

the glovers came to visit...

what fun it is to reconnect with friends from a former life and introduce our children, only to find that they have a ball together! what darling kids. it’s always refreshing to have my children play uninhibited with great kids who are kind, polite and tons of fun.

seriously, these three are as cute as they come, and their parents are a breath of fresh air. if only they would seriously consider the house for sale across the street!!

seneca's birthday party!

we didn't have any fun at all.

click on the pic and choose slideshow.

it really is a bummer more people don't love this little girl!

LOVE month, day 4

I love my friends. I often say that I need my friends. I don't know if I would actually physically die without them, but they sure are important to my emotional health.

I spent my adolescent years and high school experience learning who I was rather than practicing the art of being a great friend. Therefore, I did not emerge from that time in my life with a great number of close friends. There are a few select girls who I keep in touch with from time to time and admire from a distance, but even they have a much larger circle from that time.

In college I fared a little better, taking from that time deeper relationships, a result of a less selfish me, I suppose. One friend imparticular is the kind everyone hopes to run into sooner rather than later in life.

My time in New York found me depending on friends for my very sanity. I needed them, they were a virtual lifeline and I loved them dearly. There was a group of women tossed into the same situation fumbling for solid ground and we found it together and had wonderful adventures along the way. Leaving the city broke my heart as I had learned to thrive on the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, but leaving the girls was something I simply couldn't face. We are now all over the country, our husbands building their various practices as we build our families. We admire, coach, support and hurt for each other from afar. I treasure these women and had serious doubts as to whether I would meet a group that filled my needs so perfectly again.

Those I call "my girls" now are a different mix. They aren't like the last group, which after some adjustment time, I deemed a good thing. They have different talents, ones I only dream of possessing. They have different personalities and priorities that have taught me rethink my box. They see the world differently and yet again, I have fallen in love. I have offended and they have offended and it passes and we move on. We laugh our heads off at the silliest things and love each other's children like our own. I spent last night with some of them and was grateful that silent moments weren't awkward at dinner as we could have probably guessed what each other was thinking. I know the things they struggle silently with and pray for the heartache to ease. I know without a doubt that if I needed them, not having my immediately family close, that they would step in and there wouldn't be a thing to worry about. Friends don't get better than that. I absolutely love mine.

Reunited, and it feels so good!

Our trip to San Diego over New Year's included cousin Xander's baby blessing, getting nailed by a seagull, a playdate and lunch with cousin Tessa, a super fun trip to Legoland, endless playing with the Eltons and being reunited with the Millers, who left us for the ocean 10 months ago. Seeing our kids together again was completely worth the trip. They treated us to a tour of the USS Midway, one of the fun places they frequent regularly. Jackson kept a close eye on Seneca, Boston and Cooper acted just like old pals and Beckham was absolutely content exploring on his own. It literally hurt me to walk away from them, mostly for Cooper's sake. He was so excited to see Boston and the afternoon simply wasn't long enough.














Let's do it again soon!

Friday

1. a visit from kari ann. girls night out, reminders about what the important things are.

2. a completely quiet house with (almost) everyone asleep for two full hours.

3. peppermint joe joe's from trader joe's.

4. retracted.

5. lunch at the park with dad present. the fact that these people belong with me.

these two.

Little Boston was Cooper's first friend when we moved to Phoenix, and his mother, mine. Except for a short time when both were learning how to play with others, they have thoroughly enjoyed each other for the past three-and-a half years.

Boston moved away today and it has been interesting to me how much of that process Cooper understands. He has some very sad and reflective moments when we talk about the Millers and Boston in particular. He knows his friend will now live near his cousins and the fact that they can still share a Legoland trip once in a while has eased the pain of his departure.

Some of Cooper's favorite memories of their time together include time in the swimming pool, park days, geotrax, legos, primary and ward parties, art projects, legoland adventures and preschool.

This morning as I drove them to preschool, they joked and laughed the whole way, playing silly games and laughing so hard with each other. Boston was a wonderful friend for Cooper to learn along-side. We'll miss you like crazy!!

Ode to Shellie

This has been a long time coming, but after this last week, I can't delay any longer. Everyone should have neighbors like the Carter's. While Nick is pretty great, it's really shellie I would not like to live without.

Sometimes I curse her, but only because she is incredibly talented and brilliant and my jealousy takes over. She is, after all, the one who keeps trying to pull creativity out of me that is simply not easily found. Thanks to her I now have a conglomeration of scrapbooking supplies and a very time-consuming hobby. I also have fabulous window treatments that are waaaaay more ambitious than I would ever attempt myself. The woman can do just about anything on the computer and can create anything, really. She's more handy than most men I know and more domestic than I could ever hope to be. If there's a tool you need, she's got it. If there's a very specific color of paper or ribbon you're looking for, she's got that too.

Let's not overlook the fact that tonight dinner showed up at my doorstep for the second time this week... second! And it's not like I just had a baby or anything. We talked about doing a meal swap and well, she's holding up her end of the bargain! And she's not a bad one to have make you dinner seeing as it is delish every time.

She likes my kids too. That's huge to me. Sometimes it's hard to like other people's kids, but she likes mine. Or she's good at pretending. Having her take one of them for a bit every once in a while is so much more appreciated than she'll ever know.

Shellie is not outwardly mushy and avoids showing her emotions, but they're in there. She is incredibly caring and observant and is a wonderful friend. If only all of you were so lucky to have her down the street. But you don't. and really I hope you never do because I need her. I am certainly a better person for knowing her and it's a darn good thing neither of us could sell our houses right now- who knew this lousy housing market would turn out blessings for me?!