2018 In Review

What a year! And not a lot got written down or posted. Some big things happened this year so I'll start with those (even if it isn't chronological as I prefer to do). The links within the post below will take you to blog posts I did write this year (in case you missed it and want the full scoop!).

* William started transitional kindergarten. What is that, you ask -- it's a public kindergarten/preschool option for kids who turn 5 after September 1 and before December 31 and miss the cutoff for regular kindergarten. The school he got into is fairly close by, a 5 minute drive or a 10 minute bike ride. He rides his tag-a-long bike with Chris each morning at 8 a.m. and I pick him up at 2 p.m. everyday. He loves it. He's excelling. We're all very excited. He turned 5 in October and thinks he is the best at everything!

Photo by: Matthais Giezendanner

* Stephen is two and a half years old. He keeps up with his big brother pretty well so you can imagine how active he is! We have a pretty good routine during the week with outdoor play/gym play and naps. I have a neighbor who has saved me by coming over three times a week to watch Stephen while I pick up William from school. I honestly don't know how I would get his nap in otherwise. And this one needs his rest to make it through the day. 

*I traveled quite a bit this year. By myself, with the kids, or just with Chris! 

In February my Aunt Carol passed away and I flew home by myself in early March to attend the funeral. She had been suffering from complications of diabetes for several years and this last turn was just too much for her body. She was so strong in faith and was always giving praise to God for what she had and giving blessings/being a blessing to those around her. She is greatly missed. I'm so glad that we spent an evening together during Christmas last year. And I was blessed to be able to attend her funeral with my family, aunts and uncles and cousins.

In June, I took the boys by myself to Minnesota to see my family. My sister had her third baby and I thought I'd try to be helpful make her life as chaotic as possible. It was such a great week; I love having my boys get to be with their cousins! We ended the trip with an engagement party for my cousin Heather and a few nights with my cousin Mary. I loved being home.

In July we traveled to Texas with the kids and then left them with Chris's parents so we could travel to Spain for two weeks! We traveled to San Sebastian, Barcelona and Madrid. It felt like a once in a lifetime trip, but we hope we get to do it again! If you get a chance to travel with your spouse without the kids, do it!

And in September I traveled with my friend Beth to Louisville KY for MOMCON -- a conference put on by the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) organization I'm a part of. It came at a really great time as the revived energy I had gained in Spain and drained away. It was a very restorative conference -- not so much physically but emotionally and spiritually. I heard amazing speakers, had great break-out sessions and got to hang out with my sister Molly too! I've been a part of MOPS for four years but this is the first year for Beth and I to coordinate our local group! It's been a really fun year so far and the group is growing which is awesome to watch and be a part of.

* Chris has been at Rhumbix for a year and a half! He seems to really like it and they seem to really like him! I'm very grateful it is a good fit. There are times when the working day goes past dinner time but he is able to work from home so even on those days he is still able to help get the boys settled into bed with for me.

He participated in Movember -- a month long campaign in November to increase awareness for men's health. He grew a mustache for 30 days. It was the first time in our marriage for him to grow facial hair. I supported the cause completely but was grateful when December 1 came around.

*Chris and I were a part of a marriage community group this year going through a new curriculum  called "Storied Marriages." We met with three other couples for nearly 8 months talking about some really hard stuff -- digging up stories from childhood and how that effects our current relationships. I felt like I learned more about my husband this year than in all the 9 years we were married! It was amazing and fruitful and we hope to be a part of another group again.

* I think I talk a little about housing every year but there continues to be glimpses of hope nearly every year along with the low valleys and disappointments. This summer we applied for what seemed like the perfect place (location wise anyway) and found out in September that although we qualified for the program we were one slot away from getting the unit (it was a lottery). It was heart breaking (again), and we really had no idea what the Lord had in store for us if THIS wasn't it. And as of the writing of this update, we are entering escrow on a two bedroom/ two bathroom condo! It really came out of nowhere and at a time when we least expected it. It's in an area of town we know little about but are learning quickly. I'll write more about it after it's complete . . . because if this city has taught me anything, it's that the process can stop at any moment. Stay tuned.

* I go through purging and cleaning cycles quite a bit; living in a small space makes that mandatory for my sanity. In January I did some major shifting and reorganizing of our home. And at the end of this year I joined two friends in a minimalist challenge where we got rid of a certain number of items each day for a month. It was supposed to start with letting go of one item on day one, two items on day two up to 30 on day 30, but I was swimming in a state of overwhelm by clutter that I did it backwards. So for the last 30 days I have gotten rid of 30 - 1 things . . . a total over over 450 items. I cleaned almost every nook and cranny searching for things to get rid of. Some were easy (how many drawings can I keep!?) and some were really hard . . . like my unity candle holders which I loved for my wedding but have no real purpose for now. It's been a great process for me in understanding how I value material items. Some things are okay to hang on to but most of the things I came across in the month were not useful nor held any value to me emotionally . . . but hoped that one day they would have purpose. And the reality is, most of the time it wouldn't. So why hang on to it? I will probably do it again sometime in 2019! Let me know if you want to join me!

* I tried the Whole 30 diet for the month of May and ended up loving it. I told myself I would keep it up but that just wasn't true. I went back to my normal diet pretty quickly even if I tried to cut out dairy and white bread occasionally.  It was really good for my body and my mind though so I think I'll do this again in 2019 as well. As much as I want to just practice moderation, I do a lot better with strict rules. I'm learning a lot about myself!

I've been seeing a counselor for depression for two years and feel like I am more fully myself than ever before. Having someone to talk about all the daily challenges of raising little men in the city and digging down to my core to uncover some unhealthy habits/self talk has been so helpful and I'm so grateful to be on the upside of this battle. There have been some down moments with health and housing and losing my aunt and my parent's health suffering as well, but I've seen a lot of blessing come my way too.

The new year promises to be a busy one . . . an adult one at least! We'll know more about the condo and hopefully have our will completed (it's only taken us 5 years to get it done...); We'll find out where William goes for Kindergarten next fall and see if we have a new neighborhood to figure out. It's all exciting and terrifying--living in faith that God has our lives in his hands and we are here in San Francisco because he has a purpose for us to stay here.

May you have a wonderful New Year -- and I pray that you, my lovely readers, will cling more to your faith in God and seek his will for the year along with me!

Oh yeah, and we had 10 days of unbreathable air because of the Camp Fires in Northern California. That was a big deal. So thankful for the rain that finally came!

What a year! And not a lot got written down or posted. Some big things happened this year so I'll start with those (even if it isn't chronological as I prefer to do). The links within the post below will take you to blog posts I did write this year (in case you missed it and want the full scoop!).

* William started transitional kindergarten. What is that, you ask -- it's a public kindergarten/preschool option for kids who turn 5 after September 1 and before December 31 and miss the cutoff for regular kindergarten. The school he got into is fairly close by, a 5 minute drive or a 10 minute bike ride. He rides his tag-a-long bike with Chris each morning at 8 a.m. and I pick him up at 2 p.m. everyday. He loves it. He's excelling. We're all very excited. He turned 5 in October and thinks he is the best at everything!

Photo by: Matthais Giezendanner

* Stephen is two and a half years old. He keeps up with his big brother pretty well so you can imagine how active he is! We have a pretty good routine during the week with outdoor play/gym play and naps. I have a neighbor who has saved me by coming over three times a week to watch Stephen while I pick up William from school. I honestly don't know how I would get his nap in otherwise. And this one needs his rest to make it through the day. 

*I traveled quite a bit this year. By myself, with the kids, or just with Chris! 

In February my Aunt Carol passed away and I flew home by myself in early March to attend the funeral. She had been suffering from complications of diabetes for several years and this last turn was just too much for her body. She was so strong in faith and was always giving praise to God for what she had and giving blessings/being a blessing to those around her. She is greatly missed. I'm so glad that we spent an evening together during Christmas last year. And I was blessed to be able to attend her funeral with my family, aunts and uncles and cousins.

In June, I took the boys by myself to Minnesota to see my family. My sister had her third baby and I thought I'd try to be helpful make her life as chaotic as possible. It was such a great week; I love having my boys get to be with their cousins! We ended the trip with an engagement party for my cousin Heather and a few nights with my cousin Mary. I loved being home.

In July we traveled to Texas with the kids and then left them with Chris's parents so we could travel to Spain for two weeks! We traveled to San Sebastian, Barcelona and Madrid. It felt like a once in a lifetime trip, but we hope we get to do it again! If you get a chance to travel with your spouse without the kids, do it!

And in September I traveled with my friend Beth to Louisville KY for MOMCON -- a conference put on by the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) organization I'm a part of. It came at a really great time as the revived energy I had gained in Spain and drained away. It was a very restorative conference -- not so much physically but emotionally and spiritually. I heard amazing speakers, had great break-out sessions and got to hang out with my sister Molly too! I've been a part of MOPS for four years but this is the first year for Beth and I to coordinate our local group! It's been a really fun year so far and the group is growing which is awesome to watch and be a part of.

* Chris has been at Rhumbix for a year and a half! He seems to really like it and they seem to really like him! I'm very grateful it is a good fit. There are times when the working day goes past dinner time but he is able to work from home so even on those days he is still able to help get the boys settled into bed with for me.

He participated in Movember -- a month long campaign in November to increase awareness for men's health. He grew a mustache for 30 days. It was the first time in our marriage for him to grow facial hair. I supported the cause completely but was grateful when December 1 came around.

*Chris and I were a part of a marriage community group this year going through a new curriculum  called "Storied Marriages." We met with three other couples for nearly 8 months talking about some really hard stuff -- digging up stories from childhood and how that effects our current relationships. I felt like I learned more about my husband this year than in all the 9 years we were married! It was amazing and fruitful and we hope to be a part of another group again.

* I think I talk a little about housing every year but there continues to be glimpses of hope nearly every year along with the low valleys and disappointments. This summer we applied for what seemed like the perfect place (location wise anyway) and found out in September that although we qualified for the program we were one slot away from getting the unit (it was a lottery). It was heart breaking (again), and we really had no idea what the Lord had in store for us if THIS wasn't it. And as of the writing of this update, we are entering escrow on a two bedroom/ two bathroom condo! It really came out of nowhere and at a time when we least expected it. It's in an area of town we know little about but are learning quickly. I'll write more about it after it's complete . . . because if this city has taught me anything, it's that the process can stop at any moment. Stay tuned.

* I go through purging and cleaning cycles quite a bit; living in a small space makes that mandatory for my sanity. In January I did some major shifting and reorganizing of our home. And at the end of this year I joined two friends in a minimalist challenge where we got rid of a certain number of items each day for a month. It was supposed to start with letting go of one item on day one, two items on day two up to 30 on day 30, but I was swimming in a state of overwhelm by clutter that I did it backwards. So for the last 30 days I have gotten rid of 30 - 1 things . . . a total over over 450 items. I cleaned almost every nook and cranny searching for things to get rid of. Some were easy (how many drawings can I keep!?) and some were really hard . . . like my unity candle holders which I loved for my wedding but have no real purpose for now. It's been a great process for me in understanding how I value material items. Some things are okay to hang on to but most of the things I came across in the month were not useful nor held any value to me emotionally . . . but hoped that one day they would have purpose. And the reality is, most of the time it wouldn't. So why hang on to it? I will probably do it again sometime in 2019! Let me know if you want to join me!

* I tried the Whole 30 diet for the month of May and ended up loving it. I told myself I would keep it up but that just wasn't true. I went back to my normal diet pretty quickly even if I tried to cut out dairy and white bread occasionally.  It was really good for my body and my mind though so I think I'll do this again in 2019 as well. As much as I want to just practice moderation, I do a lot better with strict rules. I'm learning a lot about myself!

I've been seeing a counselor for depression for two years and feel like I am more fully myself than ever before. Having someone to talk about all the daily challenges of raising little men in the city and digging down to my core to uncover some unhealthy habits/self talk has been so helpful and I'm so grateful to be on the upside of this battle. There have been some down moments with health and housing and losing my aunt and my parent's health suffering as well, but I've seen a lot of blessing come my way too.

The new year promises to be a busy one . . . an adult one at least! We'll know more about the condo and hopefully have our will completed (it's only taken us 5 years to get it done...); We'll find out where William goes for Kindergarten next fall and see if we have a new neighborhood to figure out. It's all exciting and terrifying--living in faith that God has our lives in his hands and we are here in San Francisco because he has a purpose for us to stay here.

May you have a wonderful New Year -- and I pray that you, my lovely readers, will cling more to your faith in God and seek his will for the year along with me!

Oh yeah, and we had 10 days of unbreathable air because of the Camp Fires in Northern California. That was a big deal. So thankful for the rain that finally came!

Merry Christmas!

From our family to you and yours, we wish you the most wonderful Christmas blessings. I'd also like to share one of my favorite verses with you.  One that I think encompasses the season.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

What have we been up to this season?  Trying to abound in HOPE! 

We've been following the "Truth in the Tinsel" Advent book for this season with the kids. Each day William opens an envelope to reveal the clue for the days reading and project. He is much more excited about this than in years past -- it probably has to do with his new ability to read!

Later in the day we read a passage of the Christmas Story from scripture and talk about it. We've talked about Gabriel bringing the message to Zechariah, Mary and Joseph; the name of Jesus, the Kingdom, the stable and the manger, and baby Jesus and on December 24 we will end by talking about the Cross.

After the story, we do a craft. I will be honest -- most of them are a little to involved for Stephen and take a bit of prep work on my part. But William loves them! And I have hope that if we do this each year the discussions we have (and their abilities to pay attention) will just get better and better. It's exciting to talk about the birth of Jesus every day for a month and watch it click more with each retelling.

We hung the stockings and put up a tree. The boys had a blast decorating it; it's all so special for them. We took out our box of Christmas books and special Christmas stuffed toys to play with. 

We visited a gingerbread house at the Fairmont Hotel earlier in the month which was really fun. It's a two story house actually made of gingerbread with beautiful Christmas scenes inside. The boys loved the train that wove in and out of it.

We attended our church's cookie decorating event where the boys got completely carried away with frosting and sprinkles and ran around with all the other children until bedtime.

And last Sunday our church had a special service where the kids sang in church. You can watch it here (starts at minute 19). 

William had a winter party at his school last week which was really fun. We skipped naps so Stephen could watch his brother sing "Feliz Navidad" and "Must be Santa " with his classmates. He did a great job and even broke out in a dance at one point. And that was before he stuffed his face with cupcakes and cookies at their little party!

On Saturday we celebrated Christmas as our little family of four. (We left for Texas on Sunday.) It was a really fun day. It began with pancakes shaped like Christmas trees, followed by opening gifts -- which resulted in lots of play and fun until it was time to go ice skating. The California Academy of Science museum has an ice rink and is the cheapest option in the city (if you have a membership, which we do!) I didn't expect much from the boys and their first time skating on ice but they both did really great and I was even a bit surprised by how long William lasted. Stephen didn't last long but I think he still enjoyed the experience. And I had a blast and was so glad we could do it all together! I was very rusty myself as it's been over 8 years since I've skated!

After the sun set we went on a drive to look for Christmas lights. We didn't find very many homes that were all-decked-out as you might in the suburbs but we found enough. And what made it even better were the kid's comments about the lights -- or rather just commenting whenever a home had lights at all. Stephen especially loved saying "There's a Christmas tree" every time he saw one!

photo credits: Matthias Giezendanner

It's been a busy month but one of my favorites. Stephen is getting old enough to understand gifts and decorations and hopefully starting to understand who Baby Jesus is and the Christmas story. William is really loving all the special festive projects and outings we get to do and he still loves reading his Jesus Storybook Bible each night (which has 24 stories between creation and the birth of Jesus!)

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebration with those you love. Merry Christmas!

From our family to you and yours, we wish you the most wonderful Christmas blessings. I'd also like to share one of my favorite verses with you.  One that I think encompasses the season.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

What have we been up to this season?  Trying to abound in HOPE! 

We've been following the "Truth in the Tinsel" Advent book for this season with the kids. Each day William opens an envelope to reveal the clue for the days reading and project. He is much more excited about this than in years past -- it probably has to do with his new ability to read!

Later in the day we read a passage of the Christmas Story from scripture and talk about it. We've talked about Gabriel bringing the message to Zechariah, Mary and Joseph; the name of Jesus, the Kingdom, the stable and the manger, and baby Jesus and on December 24 we will end by talking about the Cross.

After the story, we do a craft. I will be honest -- most of them are a little to involved for Stephen and take a bit of prep work on my part. But William loves them! And I have hope that if we do this each year the discussions we have (and their abilities to pay attention) will just get better and better. It's exciting to talk about the birth of Jesus every day for a month and watch it click more with each retelling.

We hung the stockings and put up a tree. The boys had a blast decorating it; it's all so special for them. We took out our box of Christmas books and special Christmas stuffed toys to play with. 

We visited a gingerbread house at the Fairmont Hotel earlier in the month which was really fun. It's a two story house actually made of gingerbread with beautiful Christmas scenes inside. The boys loved the train that wove in and out of it.

We attended our church's cookie decorating event where the boys got completely carried away with frosting and sprinkles and ran around with all the other children until bedtime.

And last Sunday our church had a special service where the kids sang in church. You can watch it here (starts at minute 19). 

William had a winter party at his school last week which was really fun. We skipped naps so Stephen could watch his brother sing "Feliz Navidad" and "Must be Santa " with his classmates. He did a great job and even broke out in a dance at one point. And that was before he stuffed his face with cupcakes and cookies at their little party!

On Saturday we celebrated Christmas as our little family of four. (We left for Texas on Sunday.) It was a really fun day. It began with pancakes shaped like Christmas trees, followed by opening gifts -- which resulted in lots of play and fun until it was time to go ice skating. The California Academy of Science museum has an ice rink and is the cheapest option in the city (if you have a membership, which we do!) I didn't expect much from the boys and their first time skating on ice but they both did really great and I was even a bit surprised by how long William lasted. Stephen didn't last long but I think he still enjoyed the experience. And I had a blast and was so glad we could do it all together! I was very rusty myself as it's been over 8 years since I've skated!

After the sun set we went on a drive to look for Christmas lights. We didn't find very many homes that were all-decked-out as you might in the suburbs but we found enough. And what made it even better were the kid's comments about the lights -- or rather just commenting whenever a home had lights at all. Stephen especially loved saying "There's a Christmas tree" every time he saw one!

photo credits: Matthias Giezendanner

It's been a busy month but one of my favorites. Stephen is getting old enough to understand gifts and decorations and hopefully starting to understand who Baby Jesus is and the Christmas story. William is really loving all the special festive projects and outings we get to do and he still loves reading his Jesus Storybook Bible each night (which has 24 stories between creation and the birth of Jesus!)

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebration with those you love. Merry Christmas!

#MinGame Round 1

Last month I joined my friends Anya and Suzy in a minimalist game. A challenge to get rid of things for 30 days. On day 1 you get rid of 1 thing, day 2, 2 things, all the way to day 30 where you get rid of 30 things. In total, you are getting rid of 465 things in your home.

When the challenge started I was knee deep in overwhelm because of the clutter in my 650 square foot apartment. I was in a mood to throw everything away. (No wonder I joined them!) So, I decided to do the challenge backward. Start with 30 things and go down to 1.

On the first day I went big. I brought out all the things I had saved from my wedding day. Things that I will never use again. Like my candle holders, my head piece (and all the bobby pins still with it), my wedding planning book, etc. I had been thinking about it for a while and this challenge gave me the push I needed to clear it out.

Most days weren't that hard. I had wanted to clear out a lot of the kids books but I had to do that slowly otherwise they got really upset. I also went through my closet and drawers several times getting rid of two or three items each time. I went through my boys drawers often too and got rid of the things that no longer fit or they refused to wear. I cleared out the things under my bed and got rid of a lot of old papers from my previous jobs and planners from years ago.

I went through my bookshelf which held so much more than books and got rid of all the things we don't use (like a handful of odd paperclips, wires, and broken pieces of who remembers what!), I went through my linen closet and got rid of sheets that had holes and after Thanksgiving gave away my table cloth and napkins I only used once a year. I went through my jewelry and if it was broken, missing a match or I didn't wear it in the last five years I got rid of it. I never wear bracelets because they hurt my wrists (or fall off while I wear them) so I gave away my entire collection.

I even brought my kids into it. They could tell I was giving a bunch of stuff away and I asked them to join in. We went through all their trucks and animal toys. I let them keep most if it -- they are sentimental creatures it seems. But we got rid of 17 cars and plastic bugs! I was so proud!

I wish I could look around my home and tell that I got rid of 465 things . . . but I can't. I feel like I didn't even make a dent. There is one shelf that looks different but that's it. It felt good to let go of a lot of things I had been hanging on to, just hoping for an occasion to wear it or a situation that called for just that one thing. But those situations never really arise (and if they do, I forget about the thing I had stored away).  It's amazing what we hang on to!

It was a fun challenge and I was thankful to do it with friends. We messaged each other daily with pics and conversations about what we got rid of each day. Without their accountability I wouldn't have been as motivated as I was to finish. They made it fun. We're talking about doing it again after the New Year... want to join us? (This time, I'll start with just one thing on Day 1 . . . )

Last month I joined my friends Anya and Suzy in a minimalist game. A challenge to get rid of things for 30 days. On day 1 you get rid of 1 thing, day 2, 2 things, all the way to day 30 where you get rid of 30 things. In total, you are getting rid of 465 things in your home.

When the challenge started I was knee deep in overwhelm because of the clutter in my 650 square foot apartment. I was in a mood to throw everything away. (No wonder I joined them!) So, I decided to do the challenge backward. Start with 30 things and go down to 1.

On the first day I went big. I brought out all the things I had saved from my wedding day. Things that I will never use again. Like my candle holders, my head piece (and all the bobby pins still with it), my wedding planning book, etc. I had been thinking about it for a while and this challenge gave me the push I needed to clear it out.

Most days weren't that hard. I had wanted to clear out a lot of the kids books but I had to do that slowly otherwise they got really upset. I also went through my closet and drawers several times getting rid of two or three items each time. I went through my boys drawers often too and got rid of the things that no longer fit or they refused to wear. I cleared out the things under my bed and got rid of a lot of old papers from my previous jobs and planners from years ago.

I went through my bookshelf which held so much more than books and got rid of all the things we don't use (like a handful of odd paperclips, wires, and broken pieces of who remembers what!), I went through my linen closet and got rid of sheets that had holes and after Thanksgiving gave away my table cloth and napkins I only used once a year. I went through my jewelry and if it was broken, missing a match or I didn't wear it in the last five years I got rid of it. I never wear bracelets because they hurt my wrists (or fall off while I wear them) so I gave away my entire collection.

I even brought my kids into it. They could tell I was giving a bunch of stuff away and I asked them to join in. We went through all their trucks and animal toys. I let them keep most if it -- they are sentimental creatures it seems. But we got rid of 17 cars and plastic bugs! I was so proud!

I wish I could look around my home and tell that I got rid of 465 things . . . but I can't. I feel like I didn't even make a dent. There is one shelf that looks different but that's it. It felt good to let go of a lot of things I had been hanging on to, just hoping for an occasion to wear it or a situation that called for just that one thing. But those situations never really arise (and if they do, I forget about the thing I had stored away).  It's amazing what we hang on to!

It was a fun challenge and I was thankful to do it with friends. We messaged each other daily with pics and conversations about what we got rid of each day. Without their accountability I wouldn't have been as motivated as I was to finish. They made it fun. We're talking about doing it again after the New Year... want to join us? (This time, I'll start with just one thing on Day 1 . . . )

Toddler B2: Two and a Half Years Old

Stephen is 2 1/2 and quickly approaching Big Boy status. He walks, runs and moves all the time. He really likes using William's scooter to get around and he's really good at it. He talks. YES, he is talking! In the last six months his language has improved a lot. He might not be the most articulate in communicating but he is using words and sentences. He usually skips the first letter in most words so they are hard to catch sometimes. Examples: Space is "pace" and high chair is "i-chair"

His newest phrase is "I'd know" which actually translates "I don't know." It is his answer to every question! He usually shrugs his shoulders too which is super adorable and makes me laugh. The other cute word he says is "ruffies" which means dog. Every time we meet a dog on the sidewalk he bends over, waves and says "Hi Ruffy." I also have to make a note that he calls William "Wilma" or "brother."

He is potty trained during the day but still wears disposable diapers at nap time and bed time. We packed our cloth diapers away in September. I'd like to say he caught on fairly quickly but in reality still isn't comfortable with #2 yet. Typically that is what he uses his nap time diaper for and I'm not really sure how to break that habit gently or hygienically.

We have been doing swimming lessons with Stephen since this summer and he really loves it. Typically he isn't timid to get into the water and he loves playing with all the toys they provide during the class. He doesn't like getting his head wet and floating on his back is still something he refuses to do; but jumping in, kicking and using his arms, blowing bubbles are all really fun.

We've gone to the beach a few times this summer and Stephen has no fear about jumping right into the water. I hang on to him pretty tight while we let the waves lap our feet. William is the exact opposite and until just recently always stayed far far away from the water.

Stephen and I went to the "Big Truck Day" event in the park. He got to "drive" a digger, loader, a muni bus, a garbage truck, a fire truck, and street sweeper! I think he loved it but may have been completely overwhelmed because I rarely saw him smile...

With William in school full time, I have become Stephen's number one play partner. We usually go to the YMCA so I can workout a few times a week and then we head over to the neighborhood rec center and play basketball in that gym. Stephen calls the Y "Mommy's gym" and the park "Stephen's gym." With this routine in place he doesn't say "No fun mommy's gym" anymore. (He really does have a good time in the childcare at the YMCA, I haven't figured out why he kept saying he wasn't having fun other than that he wasn't with me.)

Speaking of basketball, Stephen is amazing. He can shoot and pass a ball with skill. He hasn't made a basket in a real (tall) hoop yet, but he keeps trying. He can make his shot on any kid's hoop up to 5 ft high. I wasn't a basketball cheerleader when I was younger, but looks like I'll get my chance! Check out this video of both my boys shooting!

(You can enlarge the video by clicking the button in the bottom right corner)

Some of Stephen's favorite toys are: garbage trucks and trash cans, duplos, wooden blocks, and cars. He loves to paint and draw and asks to do homework whenever William is working on his school work. He also loves to look at books and be read to!

We let Stephen go trick-or-treating this year and let him have most of the candy too. This little guy has a sweet tooth like his mommy. He begs for his "treat" every morning before breakfast and several times throughout the day. We have a limit of one piece after his nap that we make him stick to otherwise, just like me, he'd be out of candy by now!

Stephen has always been super active, but in the last six months he has also become a big risk taker. He and William figured out how to go down this twist-pole on the same day and he didn't always wait for me to spot him while he made the 12-inch leap onto it! Climbing ladders, playing on jungle gyms and going down really steep slides make this mommy nervous but not my son. He doesn't think twice.

This summer and fall have been a ton of fun as he's grown and changed and become more of a little boy and a lot less of a baby. You don't hear this a lot, but I really think two year olds are awesome . . . at least my boys at age two is my favorite age.

Stephen is 2 1/2 and quickly approaching Big Boy status. He walks, runs and moves all the time. He really likes using William's scooter to get around and he's really good at it. He talks. YES, he is talking! In the last six months his language has improved a lot. He might not be the most articulate in communicating but he is using words and sentences. He usually skips the first letter in most words so they are hard to catch sometimes. Examples: Space is "pace" and high chair is "i-chair"

His newest phrase is "I'd know" which actually translates "I don't know." It is his answer to every question! He usually shrugs his shoulders too which is super adorable and makes me laugh. The other cute word he says is "ruffies" which means dog. Every time we meet a dog on the sidewalk he bends over, waves and says "Hi Ruffy." I also have to make a note that he calls William "Wilma" or "brother."

He is potty trained during the day but still wears disposable diapers at nap time and bed time. We packed our cloth diapers away in September. I'd like to say he caught on fairly quickly but in reality still isn't comfortable with #2 yet. Typically that is what he uses his nap time diaper for and I'm not really sure how to break that habit gently or hygienically.

We have been doing swimming lessons with Stephen since this summer and he really loves it. Typically he isn't timid to get into the water and he loves playing with all the toys they provide during the class. He doesn't like getting his head wet and floating on his back is still something he refuses to do; but jumping in, kicking and using his arms, blowing bubbles are all really fun.

We've gone to the beach a few times this summer and Stephen has no fear about jumping right into the water. I hang on to him pretty tight while we let the waves lap our feet. William is the exact opposite and until just recently always stayed far far away from the water.

Stephen and I went to the "Big Truck Day" event in the park. He got to "drive" a digger, loader, a muni bus, a garbage truck, a fire truck, and street sweeper! I think he loved it but may have been completely overwhelmed because I rarely saw him smile...

With William in school full time, I have become Stephen's number one play partner. We usually go to the YMCA so I can workout a few times a week and then we head over to the neighborhood rec center and play basketball in that gym. Stephen calls the Y "Mommy's gym" and the park "Stephen's gym." With this routine in place he doesn't say "No fun mommy's gym" anymore. (He really does have a good time in the childcare at the YMCA, I haven't figured out why he kept saying he wasn't having fun other than that he wasn't with me.)

Speaking of basketball, Stephen is amazing. He can shoot and pass a ball with skill. He hasn't made a basket in a real (tall) hoop yet, but he keeps trying. He can make his shot on any kid's hoop up to 5 ft high. I wasn't a basketball cheerleader when I was younger, but looks like I'll get my chance! Check out this video of both my boys shooting!

(You can enlarge the video by clicking the button in the bottom right corner)

Some of Stephen's favorite toys are: garbage trucks and trash cans, duplos, wooden blocks, and cars. He loves to paint and draw and asks to do homework whenever William is working on his school work. He also loves to look at books and be read to!

We let Stephen go trick-or-treating this year and let him have most of the candy too. This little guy has a sweet tooth like his mommy. He begs for his "treat" every morning before breakfast and several times throughout the day. We have a limit of one piece after his nap that we make him stick to otherwise, just like me, he'd be out of candy by now!

Stephen has always been super active, but in the last six months he has also become a big risk taker. He and William figured out how to go down this twist-pole on the same day and he didn't always wait for me to spot him while he made the 12-inch leap onto it! Climbing ladders, playing on jungle gyms and going down really steep slides make this mommy nervous but not my son. He doesn't think twice.

This summer and fall have been a ton of fun as he's grown and changed and become more of a little boy and a lot less of a baby. You don't hear this a lot, but I really think two year olds are awesome . . . at least my boys at age two is my favorite age.

Why Can't I Say That?

If you listen to my five year old for any amount of time you would hear what sounds a lot like bragging . . . about everything he can do. Here's an example:

William after writing the alphabet: "Mom, I'm really good at writing, aren't I?"
William getting ready to play a game with mom: "Mom, we're going to play Sleeping Queens, and I bet I'm going to win because I'm pretty good at this game."
William running: "Mom, aren't I the fastest?"

One day at the park he found another little boy who was willing to compete at life with him and the conversation went like this:
William: "I'm taller than you."
Other boy: "I'm Five. How old are you?"
William: "I'm 4 1/2."
Other boy: "I'm fast."
William: "I'm faster."

Usually when Chris or I hear this language, we try to bring him into reality and say something like, "William, you must really like writing," or "You've learned a lot since you started school." Sometimes we even talk to him about how there will always be someone better, faster, or taller than he is in life and he should just try his best. But it doesn't seem to phase him.

This morning after William had made one of these comments and I said, "I wonder what it would sound like if I talked like my five year old . . . I'm so tall, I'm so pretty, I'm so smart, I'm the best mom . . . " I said this in a light, joking manner and then Chris looked at me and said "Well, those are all true!" And I stopped.

I never say these kinds of things to myself (especially not out loud). In fact, I say the opposite. I'm ugly, I'm not smart enough, I'm not a good mom, I'm a giant. And those are not true. I'm speaking lies to myself.

Why can't I tell myself true statements? Okay, I might not be the BEST mom, but you know what I mean. And why do I feel compelled to teach my son that he isn't the best at anything right now? Why can't I let him brag about his new skills? Or course I don't want him to be self-centered or have a big ego. I want him to be kind to others and have courage to stand up for what's right. But what if in William's inner voice turns out like mine?

I don't have the answer to this. I'm sure it's a little bit of a balancing act -- helping him to see others' gifts and talents as well as his own and to use respectful language that doesn't put others down. But I also want to teach him to believe in himself and know what is true of himself.

So, if you need a fun exercise for yourself why not take a minute and pretend you are five. Shout out what you love, what you are great at, what you are the best at. Let yourself hear the words. 

If you listen to my five year old for any amount of time you would hear what sounds a lot like bragging . . . about everything he can do. Here's an example:

William after writing the alphabet: "Mom, I'm really good at writing, aren't I?"
William getting ready to play a game with mom: "Mom, we're going to play Sleeping Queens, and I bet I'm going to win because I'm pretty good at this game."
William running: "Mom, aren't I the fastest?"

One day at the park he found another little boy who was willing to compete at life with him and the conversation went like this:
William: "I'm taller than you."
Other boy: "I'm Five. How old are you?"
William: "I'm 4 1/2."
Other boy: "I'm fast."
William: "I'm faster."

Usually when Chris or I hear this language, we try to bring him into reality and say something like, "William, you must really like writing," or "You've learned a lot since you started school." Sometimes we even talk to him about how there will always be someone better, faster, or taller than he is in life and he should just try his best. But it doesn't seem to phase him.

This morning after William had made one of these comments and I said, "I wonder what it would sound like if I talked like my five year old . . . I'm so tall, I'm so pretty, I'm so smart, I'm the best mom . . . " I said this in a light, joking manner and then Chris looked at me and said "Well, those are all true!" And I stopped.

I never say these kinds of things to myself (especially not out loud). In fact, I say the opposite. I'm ugly, I'm not smart enough, I'm not a good mom, I'm a giant. And those are not true. I'm speaking lies to myself.

Why can't I tell myself true statements? Okay, I might not be the BEST mom, but you know what I mean. And why do I feel compelled to teach my son that he isn't the best at anything right now? Why can't I let him brag about his new skills? Or course I don't want him to be self-centered or have a big ego. I want him to be kind to others and have courage to stand up for what's right. But what if in William's inner voice turns out like mine?

I don't have the answer to this. I'm sure it's a little bit of a balancing act -- helping him to see others' gifts and talents as well as his own and to use respectful language that doesn't put others down. But I also want to teach him to believe in himself and know what is true of himself.

So, if you need a fun exercise for yourself why not take a minute and pretend you are five. Shout out what you love, what you are great at, what you are the best at. Let yourself hear the words. 

The City in Smoke

Last Thursday, November 8th, there was something strange in the air. In the afternoon when I drove to pick up William from school I thought "Is there another fire or something?" The sky looks so eerie. Sure enough, that night I heard the news. There was a fire in Paradise, CA which is 175 miles north of San Francisco. We've had a few smokey days in the past so I didn't get too concerned. But on Friday morning you couldn't even breathe (or at least you didn't want to) when you went out side.

And it just didn't let up.

We tried to stay inside as much as possible; only leaving the house for school, swimming lessons, grocery shopping and work. Chris bought us masks for when we had to go outside (Stephen's still hasn't arrived yet though). We did indoor activities and brought out the new watercolors I had stored away for a rainy day (I wish it was a rainy day). The kids have painted almost everyday!

The air quality just kept getting worse. We reached the purple zone on the map, which is hazardous. And then yesterday, Friday the 16th, school was canceled for William because the district was concerned for the health of the kids getting to/from school and also the quality of the air in schools since it's not filtered.

So, yesterday we braved the outdoors so we could get to the California Academy of Sciences for the morning. I was a little sad that they had to close off their holiday exhibits because they were in open air parts of the museum but thankful they did for our safety. There was still plenty to do in the closed off portions. And William ran into a classmate so it was even better. We went to story time, had play time, looked at the penguins, went through the earthquake shake house exhibit and attended a session all about penguins. Then we braved the air to get home for nap time. It was worth it to have the experience but at the same time the air outside was so bad that even walking a block from the car to the museum had me second guessing myself.

And today we risked it again to get out of the house if only for a few hours. The SF MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) opened their permanent collection to the public for free this weekend because of the air quality outdoors. This was an amazing gesture. Not only had I not been to this museum in nearly 8 years but we could all go on a day when we literally had nothing else we could do (affordably) and we could all go for free. And they had great, breathable air! I was so grateful!

Chris had taken the kids one other time to the museum and Stephen was a little difficult to handle in such a fragile environment. It really wasn't any different today but after suffering one consequence he seemed to handle it much better.

After we walked through the collection we had each of the boys tell us which piece of art they liked the best and we took their photos next to it. William really liked the "Fire" exhibit, he thought it was actually moving! And Stephen really liked the gold monkey (sitting on Michael Jackson's lap).

To finish off the morning we ate lunch in the nearby food court. This was probably one of the more successful eating-out experiences we've had as a family! So, while we can't do our favorite things this week (like "go park" as Stephen says) we did have a couple of great experiences and made some memories.

It's been a really hard week: facing the reality of a massive fire and what that means to thousands of people who have lost everything and the increasing number of missing persons reported, the health concerns for everyone in the path of the smoke and the difficulty in staying indoors with two little kids who beg to go outside every day. We considered and even researched leaving the city for the weekend but it just wasn't feasible or at least it wasn't affordable. We're trying to stay as safe as we can and pray for rain. So far it doesn't look like we'll get a break from the smoke until Tuesday at the earliest.

If you are interested in seeing more of what it's like in the Bay Area with all the smoke, here are a few links to check out:
Before/After Photos of San Francisco
Air Quality Report for Friday November 16
Update on "Camp Fire"

Last Thursday, November 8th, there was something strange in the air. In the afternoon when I drove to pick up William from school I thought "Is there another fire or something?" The sky looks so eerie. Sure enough, that night I heard the news. There was a fire in Paradise, CA which is 175 miles north of San Francisco. We've had a few smokey days in the past so I didn't get too concerned. But on Friday morning you couldn't even breathe (or at least you didn't want to) when you went out side.

And it just didn't let up.

We tried to stay inside as much as possible; only leaving the house for school, swimming lessons, grocery shopping and work. Chris bought us masks for when we had to go outside (Stephen's still hasn't arrived yet though). We did indoor activities and brought out the new watercolors I had stored away for a rainy day (I wish it was a rainy day). The kids have painted almost everyday!

The air quality just kept getting worse. We reached the purple zone on the map, which is hazardous. And then yesterday, Friday the 16th, school was canceled for William because the district was concerned for the health of the kids getting to/from school and also the quality of the air in schools since it's not filtered.

So, yesterday we braved the outdoors so we could get to the California Academy of Sciences for the morning. I was a little sad that they had to close off their holiday exhibits because they were in open air parts of the museum but thankful they did for our safety. There was still plenty to do in the closed off portions. And William ran into a classmate so it was even better. We went to story time, had play time, looked at the penguins, went through the earthquake shake house exhibit and attended a session all about penguins. Then we braved the air to get home for nap time. It was worth it to have the experience but at the same time the air outside was so bad that even walking a block from the car to the museum had me second guessing myself.

And today we risked it again to get out of the house if only for a few hours. The SF MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) opened their permanent collection to the public for free this weekend because of the air quality outdoors. This was an amazing gesture. Not only had I not been to this museum in nearly 8 years but we could all go on a day when we literally had nothing else we could do (affordably) and we could all go for free. And they had great, breathable air! I was so grateful!

Chris had taken the kids one other time to the museum and Stephen was a little difficult to handle in such a fragile environment. It really wasn't any different today but after suffering one consequence he seemed to handle it much better.

After we walked through the collection we had each of the boys tell us which piece of art they liked the best and we took their photos next to it. William really liked the "Fire" exhibit, he thought it was actually moving! And Stephen really liked the gold monkey (sitting on Michael Jackson's lap).

To finish off the morning we ate lunch in the nearby food court. This was probably one of the more successful eating-out experiences we've had as a family! So, while we can't do our favorite things this week (like "go park" as Stephen says) we did have a couple of great experiences and made some memories.

It's been a really hard week: facing the reality of a massive fire and what that means to thousands of people who have lost everything and the increasing number of missing persons reported, the health concerns for everyone in the path of the smoke and the difficulty in staying indoors with two little kids who beg to go outside every day. We considered and even researched leaving the city for the weekend but it just wasn't feasible or at least it wasn't affordable. We're trying to stay as safe as we can and pray for rain. So far it doesn't look like we'll get a break from the smoke until Tuesday at the earliest.

If you are interested in seeing more of what it's like in the Bay Area with all the smoke, here are a few links to check out:
Before/After Photos of San Francisco
Air Quality Report for Friday November 16
Update on "Camp Fire"

Fall Festivities: October Review

October has flown by and before I forget what actually happened, I'm going to write it down! This month felt like a whirl wind. We had some big events like William's Birthday and the Walk for Life, but the rest of the month was busy with day-to-day stuff like school, library runs, classmate birthday parties, and potty training. 

And then there was the Harvest Festival at our church which was a huge success and super fun. I worked a few games for a few hours and then had to leave for a marriage class Chris and I are attending. The boys got to participate briefly thanks to our friend who volunteered to babysit and I'm glad they did. It ended up being one of the only fall events they attended this month. (William did have a school field trip to the pumpkin patch earlier this month, too.)

And then last night of course was Halloween. William had chosen to be Raphael, TMNT after receiving the sais for his birthday. He was super excited about wearing a mask this year too. 

We attended the parade after school and then headed home for a little rest before hitting the streets of Bernal Heights for candy.

Stephen wore the panda costume that William wore two years ago. Stephen must have a smaller head because it fit so much better! He was so excited to wear it and didn't complain one bit (even when it felt like 80 degrees in the sun). He loved petting his belly and saying "so soft." And he was! It is the perfect cuddly costume.

The businesses in the neighborhood pass out candy which makes it fairly easy to load up. Although it does get quite crowded. There are also about a dozen or so houses we stopped at on the way home. There are quite a few that go all out for this holiday. Our boys were super excited about the candy in their bags and handled the restrictions quite well. 

Chris came home early so he could attend the trick-or-treating with us and I have to say that was a highlight for me. It seems like we rarely get to do anything as a family -- especially during the week--so having him with us was really fun and made it that much easier on me. 

I like doing things in our neighborhood and being a part of the festivities. I even ran into a friend of mine randomly on our walk! It took me a moment to recognize her in costume but I was so glad she got my attention! Running into people I know always makes my day. 

October was a great month and I have much to be thankful for. My family of boys are of course at the top of the list.

October has flown by and before I forget what actually happened, I'm going to write it down! This month felt like a whirl wind. We had some big events like William's Birthday and the Walk for Life, but the rest of the month was busy with day-to-day stuff like school, library runs, classmate birthday parties, and potty training. 

And then there was the Harvest Festival at our church which was a huge success and super fun. I worked a few games for a few hours and then had to leave for a marriage class Chris and I are attending. The boys got to participate briefly thanks to our friend who volunteered to babysit and I'm glad they did. It ended up being one of the only fall events they attended this month. (William did have a school field trip to the pumpkin patch earlier this month, too.)

And then last night of course was Halloween. William had chosen to be Raphael, TMNT after receiving the sais for his birthday. He was super excited about wearing a mask this year too. 

We attended the parade after school and then headed home for a little rest before hitting the streets of Bernal Heights for candy.

Stephen wore the panda costume that William wore two years ago. Stephen must have a smaller head because it fit so much better! He was so excited to wear it and didn't complain one bit (even when it felt like 80 degrees in the sun). He loved petting his belly and saying "so soft." And he was! It is the perfect cuddly costume.

The businesses in the neighborhood pass out candy which makes it fairly easy to load up. Although it does get quite crowded. There are also about a dozen or so houses we stopped at on the way home. There are quite a few that go all out for this holiday. Our boys were super excited about the candy in their bags and handled the restrictions quite well. 

Chris came home early so he could attend the trick-or-treating with us and I have to say that was a highlight for me. It seems like we rarely get to do anything as a family -- especially during the week--so having him with us was really fun and made it that much easier on me. 

I like doing things in our neighborhood and being a part of the festivities. I even ran into a friend of mine randomly on our walk! It took me a moment to recognize her in costume but I was so glad she got my attention! Running into people I know always makes my day. 

October was a great month and I have much to be thankful for. My family of boys are of course at the top of the list.

2018 Walk for Life: Complete

What an incredible day. I personally had a really hard morning and was not feeling "all-in" even as I made my way to the pregnancy center at 9 a.m. but the Lord redeemed it and reminded me that he does bless those who walk with him.

One of the best parts of the walk is the fellowship that happens throughout the entire event. People from all over the city who stand behind Alpha and believe in protecting life are gathered in one place for one purpose. To bless. So even before the walk begins I was able to connect with people and that turned my day right around. There were so many people from my church there helping with registration and preparing to walk. There were also a few people I hadn't seen in a really long time there as well! 

And then the teams gathered together and I was blessed to be on this mama-team! I had met Brittany at last year's walk and since then she had a baby girl! And Brittany had her mother and her mother-in-law join her on the walk; my friends Beth and Jenny came along with me (but they both knew Brittany as well!) We are all mothers and collectively have over 12 kids (I failed to ask Brittany's mother-in-law how many children she has).

We had a really great time walking to M's house with all of our gifts. Seriously, those bags were full! When M opened the door, she smiled a big beautiful smile and laughed. She turned to her son and said "They're here! Come and see!" She was so excited for us to come. M is the mother of 4 beautiful children and doing her very best to raise them right. She stays home with them and keeps them active in things like karate and Mandarin classes and does a lot of activities with them at home. They live in a very small home in a not so great part of town. She shared a little of her story with us so we could pray for her. 

After we filled her table with gifts and prayed for her and her children we continued on our way to the park where the all the teams were gathering for a celebration picnic. I wasn't able to stay to hear the grand total fundraising amount but trust it will provide for Alpha to do what they do! I believe there were over 180 walkers and nearly 40 families visited!

Just imagining the number of families impacted this morning by the teams that delivered gifts to their doorsteps is quite breath taking. Forty families were told they were loved today. Forty families were told they matter and their children matter. Life matters. This was such an amazing day.

Thank you to everyone who partnered with me in prayer and financially. I had set a goal of $500 and while I didn't quite reach it, but I was really close. Including a few last minute checks received the total was $480!

Let's do it again next year!

What an incredible day. I personally had a really hard morning and was not feeling "all-in" even as I made my way to the pregnancy center at 9 a.m. but the Lord redeemed it and reminded me that he does bless those who walk with him.

One of the best parts of the walk is the fellowship that happens throughout the entire event. People from all over the city who stand behind Alpha and believe in protecting life are gathered in one place for one purpose. To bless. So even before the walk begins I was able to connect with people and that turned my day right around. There were so many people from my church there helping with registration and preparing to walk. There were also a few people I hadn't seen in a really long time there as well! 

And then the teams gathered together and I was blessed to be on this mama-team! I had met Brittany at last year's walk and since then she had a baby girl! And Brittany had her mother and her mother-in-law join her on the walk; my friends Beth and Jenny came along with me (but they both knew Brittany as well!) We are all mothers and collectively have over 12 kids (I failed to ask Brittany's mother-in-law how many children she has).

We had a really great time walking to M's house with all of our gifts. Seriously, those bags were full! When M opened the door, she smiled a big beautiful smile and laughed. She turned to her son and said "They're here! Come and see!" She was so excited for us to come. M is the mother of 4 beautiful children and doing her very best to raise them right. She stays home with them and keeps them active in things like karate and Mandarin classes and does a lot of activities with them at home. They live in a very small home in a not so great part of town. She shared a little of her story with us so we could pray for her. 

After we filled her table with gifts and prayed for her and her children we continued on our way to the park where the all the teams were gathering for a celebration picnic. I wasn't able to stay to hear the grand total fundraising amount but trust it will provide for Alpha to do what they do! I believe there were over 180 walkers and nearly 40 families visited!

Just imagining the number of families impacted this morning by the teams that delivered gifts to their doorsteps is quite breath taking. Forty families were told they were loved today. Forty families were told they matter and their children matter. Life matters. This was such an amazing day.

Thank you to everyone who partnered with me in prayer and financially. I had set a goal of $500 and while I didn't quite reach it, but I was really close. Including a few last minute checks received the total was $480!

Let's do it again next year!

MOMcon: First Year Experience

Last month my friend Beth and I left our children with the dads and traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for a three day conference put on my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). This is a conference I have had my eye on for three years but it just didn't workout to go until this year. And I'm so thankful we went.

Mothers of Preschoolers is an organization I have come to love; they bring moms into community all over the world. Essentially, it's a moms group. We meet twice a month in San Francisco, but there are over 4,000 meetings happening worldwide! MOPS provides us with a curriculum, support, encouragement and reminds us of a bond we share with women around the world.

This year, I attended their annual conference (MOMcon) with two hopes in mind. 1) That I would be inspired to be a better mom and 2) grow as a leader (of my family and also my MOPS group I currently coordinate). And the conference did not disappoint. I will admit that on the first day I found myself tearing up multiple times for the sole reason that I was overwhelmed that I was actually there and I think deep down my soul was preparing for change.

The speakers they had on the main stage were amazing. Each one delivering a super-encouraging word of truth I so desperately needed to hear out loud. Some of the strongest words spoken all weekend were "You are loved." Have that on repeat and I started to actually believe it. "I am loved. I am a child of God. He cares for me. He has a plan for me." I tell my kids that all the time and know it is true for them, but often discard it for myself. But it is TRUTH. The Best Truth.

The worship was led by Vertical Worship and they were amazing. I learned a lot of new songs and enjoyed worship in a way I haven't experienced in a long time. Release. Trust. Love. Adoration. Restored.

The workshops I attended were on a wide variety of topics but I really loved each and every one of them. I'm just going to list them for my own sake below:

Mobilizing Your Community to Fight Human Trafficking and Slavery - International Justice Mission
Deciphering What we Put on on Our Bodies - Lisa Bronner
Helping Your Stressed out Brain Chill Out - Jennifer Degler
The Art & Beauty of Living and Loving Beyond Race - Lucretia Berry
Are My Kids On Track? - David Thomas and Sissy Goff
Ending Shame - Hillary McBride

The other things the conference offered were a marketplace to do some shopping which was really fun (no kids to stop you there!), a mom's night out where Beth and I went out to eat and then chatted with my sister late into the evening and a 90's themed MOM PROM (dance). Yes, my sister Molly came from Wisconsin which was totally icing on the cake.

We stayed a few blocks away from the convention center at an AirBnB which worked out perfectly. We had our own space, it was quiet, we had a kitchen and made our own meals and it was nice to get a walk into our busy days.

Okay, to recap the things I LOVED about MOMcon:
 - Meeting Mandy Arioto (president of MOPS) and hearing her speak several times
 - One-on-one time with my friend Beth. We spent so much time talking I didn't even read the books I brought with me!
 - Hearing so many great speakers and coming away with so many resources
 - Meeting other women in leadership roles from our area and really getting to connect (in airports)
 - Feeling more connected to MOPS in a global sense and more equipped to lead my local group.
 - Getting to hang out with my sister and dance together

If you have a chance to go -- I would say "GO!" I am hoping to go again in 2020. Next year it's in Florida and it's just too far for me, but it might not be for you!

Last month my friend Beth and I left our children with the dads and traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for a three day conference put on my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). This is a conference I have had my eye on for three years but it just didn't workout to go until this year. And I'm so thankful we went.

Mothers of Preschoolers is an organization I have come to love; they bring moms into community all over the world. Essentially, it's a moms group. We meet twice a month in San Francisco, but there are over 4,000 meetings happening worldwide! MOPS provides us with a curriculum, support, encouragement and reminds us of a bond we share with women around the world.

This year, I attended their annual conference (MOMcon) with two hopes in mind. 1) That I would be inspired to be a better mom and 2) grow as a leader (of my family and also my MOPS group I currently coordinate). And the conference did not disappoint. I will admit that on the first day I found myself tearing up multiple times for the sole reason that I was overwhelmed that I was actually there and I think deep down my soul was preparing for change.

The speakers they had on the main stage were amazing. Each one delivering a super-encouraging word of truth I so desperately needed to hear out loud. Some of the strongest words spoken all weekend were "You are loved." Have that on repeat and I started to actually believe it. "I am loved. I am a child of God. He cares for me. He has a plan for me." I tell my kids that all the time and know it is true for them, but often discard it for myself. But it is TRUTH. The Best Truth.

The worship was led by Vertical Worship and they were amazing. I learned a lot of new songs and enjoyed worship in a way I haven't experienced in a long time. Release. Trust. Love. Adoration. Restored.

The workshops I attended were on a wide variety of topics but I really loved each and every one of them. I'm just going to list them for my own sake below:

Mobilizing Your Community to Fight Human Trafficking and Slavery - International Justice Mission
Deciphering What we Put on on Our Bodies - Lisa Bronner
Helping Your Stressed out Brain Chill Out - Jennifer Degler
The Art & Beauty of Living and Loving Beyond Race - Lucretia Berry
Are My Kids On Track? - David Thomas and Sissy Goff
Ending Shame - Hillary McBride

The other things the conference offered were a marketplace to do some shopping which was really fun (no kids to stop you there!), a mom's night out where Beth and I went out to eat and then chatted with my sister late into the evening and a 90's themed MOM PROM (dance). Yes, my sister Molly came from Wisconsin which was totally icing on the cake.

We stayed a few blocks away from the convention center at an AirBnB which worked out perfectly. We had our own space, it was quiet, we had a kitchen and made our own meals and it was nice to get a walk into our busy days.

Okay, to recap the things I LOVED about MOMcon:
 - Meeting Mandy Arioto (president of MOPS) and hearing her speak several times
 - One-on-one time with my friend Beth. We spent so much time talking I didn't even read the books I brought with me!
 - Hearing so many great speakers and coming away with so many resources
 - Meeting other women in leadership roles from our area and really getting to connect (in airports)
 - Feeling more connected to MOPS in a global sense and more equipped to lead my local group.
 - Getting to hang out with my sister and dance together

If you have a chance to go -- I would say "GO!" I am hoping to go again in 2020. Next year it's in Florida and it's just too far for me, but it might not be for you!

Book Club: Caroline

I grew up reading and watching the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder so when one of my book club friends recommended Caroline: Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller for our September read I was all in. 

Caroline is a novel about the move from Big Woods to the Kansas prairie from Ma's perspective. The 1800s were (needless to say) very different from our present day in regards to travel, homemaking, raising children and even marriage. Ma's life was hard and submitting to your husband's dream of moving across unknown lands to stake claim in Indian territory would be right there at the top of things I don't know if I'd do . . . loading up all your possessions into a horse drawn wagon for not only a few weeks but months with your preschooler and toddler and a baby on the way, cooking over open fires, rationing provisions, crossing frozen lakes and forging rivers sounds nothing like my move to California!

The book was really interesting in that the author retells a story I knew so long ago with an adult perspective and more facts than Wilder shared. But excited as I was to read the book, I can't say it was an easy read. It seemed a little slow at times and I had a hard time coming back to it. 

I did appreciate the scenes about their marriage as that was never really shared in the original series. I also appreciated getting an insiders take on Ma's restraint in showing emotion and speaking. I can't say I agree with how the culture was back then but I found it interesting and a good reminder of how strong women were. I admired her ability to hold herself together in such difficult circumstances while having so much being physically asked of her. 

I grew up reading and watching the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder so when one of my book club friends recommended Caroline: Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller for our September read I was all in. 

Caroline is a novel about the move from Big Woods to the Kansas prairie from Ma's perspective. The 1800s were (needless to say) very different from our present day in regards to travel, homemaking, raising children and even marriage. Ma's life was hard and submitting to your husband's dream of moving across unknown lands to stake claim in Indian territory would be right there at the top of things I don't know if I'd do . . . loading up all your possessions into a horse drawn wagon for not only a few weeks but months with your preschooler and toddler and a baby on the way, cooking over open fires, rationing provisions, crossing frozen lakes and forging rivers sounds nothing like my move to California!

The book was really interesting in that the author retells a story I knew so long ago with an adult perspective and more facts than Wilder shared. But excited as I was to read the book, I can't say it was an easy read. It seemed a little slow at times and I had a hard time coming back to it. 

I did appreciate the scenes about their marriage as that was never really shared in the original series. I also appreciated getting an insiders take on Ma's restraint in showing emotion and speaking. I can't say I agree with how the culture was back then but I found it interesting and a good reminder of how strong women were. I admired her ability to hold herself together in such difficult circumstances while having so much being physically asked of her. 

Super Birthday Boy

We had William's 5th birthday party last weekend -- it was super hero themed for a couple reasons. 1) my kids are constantly playing super hero vs. bad guy or good guy vs. bad guy and 2) I had a lot of t-shirts that could be recycled into super hero capes for zero dollars!

William was so excited to have a superhero themed party and couldn't wait for his friends to join him. While we were setting up in the park, he kept asking, "How much longer until my friends come?" Too cute. Patience little one.

William requested a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. Easy right? Well, not if you're trying to make a "healthy cake!" For some reason I thought I needed to save all the little guests (all younger than William) from the sugar high! The cake I went with was an almond flour cake which was gluten free and dairy free if you didn't eat the frosting. The chocolate frosting was low-sugar. But then I had to go and add the icing decoration (get it, it's like the Superman emblem?) which was neither low in sugar or healthy... sorry friends.

We had just a few other munch-able snacks which everyone seemed to enjoy. For the first time ever I didn't end up which a bunch of leftovers after the party!

The kids had a great time running around in the masks and capes. And Stephen ran around so much I barely even saw him! And then there was this (below) . . . thankfully Chris was standing watch and caught him!

William Bradley, we love you so much. Sometimes I look at your face and feel overwhelmed by how much you've grown, how much you've learned in the last year, how much I love you. When you laugh and your dimples really show I just can't look away. You are so beautiful (I mean handsome!).  You make me laugh with your playfulness and I'm thankful for the fun you bring to our family. 

We love you SuperBoy.

We had William's 5th birthday party last weekend -- it was super hero themed for a couple reasons. 1) my kids are constantly playing super hero vs. bad guy or good guy vs. bad guy and 2) I had a lot of t-shirts that could be recycled into super hero capes for zero dollars!

William was so excited to have a superhero themed party and couldn't wait for his friends to join him. While we were setting up in the park, he kept asking, "How much longer until my friends come?" Too cute. Patience little one.

William requested a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. Easy right? Well, not if you're trying to make a "healthy cake!" For some reason I thought I needed to save all the little guests (all younger than William) from the sugar high! The cake I went with was an almond flour cake which was gluten free and dairy free if you didn't eat the frosting. The chocolate frosting was low-sugar. But then I had to go and add the icing decoration (get it, it's like the Superman emblem?) which was neither low in sugar or healthy... sorry friends.

We had just a few other munch-able snacks which everyone seemed to enjoy. For the first time ever I didn't end up which a bunch of leftovers after the party!

The kids had a great time running around in the masks and capes. And Stephen ran around so much I barely even saw him! And then there was this (below) . . . thankfully Chris was standing watch and caught him!

William Bradley, we love you so much. Sometimes I look at your face and feel overwhelmed by how much you've grown, how much you've learned in the last year, how much I love you. When you laugh and your dimples really show I just can't look away. You are so beautiful (I mean handsome!).  You make me laugh with your playfulness and I'm thankful for the fun you bring to our family. 

We love you SuperBoy.

2018 Walk for Life - 18 Days and Counting

September was a really busy month for me. We had our first two MOPS meetings, I went to MOMcon and put together a MOPS booth for a community event. Not to mention William still getting into the grove of school. Whew! It's October! And although October starts with William's birthday and seems to be the kick off for all things fall, it is also the month that Alpha Pregnancy Center has their Walk for Life event. If you know me, you know I do this nearly every year! I missed one 5 years ago because, well I had a baby. Which was a valid excuse but I was bummed to miss it.

So, now it is October 2 and the Walk is just 18 days away. Its time I let you know that I'll be leading a team again this year! So, if you live in the area and you want to join me, please do! Just go to http://www.alphapc.org/walk-for-life-2/ and register! Then meet me on October 20 and we'll do this thing together!

Or if you don't live in the area or you can't join me in the walk, please consider donating to the cause! Alpha does so much to support the women who go through an unplanned pregnancy and they really can't do it without you! If you can support me please do so online (just click the image below and it will take you to my giving page)

My goal this year is $500 and I know with your help I can meet that goal. And hopefully with your help I'll have a big team to walk with too!

September was a really busy month for me. We had our first two MOPS meetings, I went to MOMcon and put together a MOPS booth for a community event. Not to mention William still getting into the grove of school. Whew! It's October! And although October starts with William's birthday and seems to be the kick off for all things fall, it is also the month that Alpha Pregnancy Center has their Walk for Life event. If you know me, you know I do this nearly every year! I missed one 5 years ago because, well I had a baby. Which was a valid excuse but I was bummed to miss it.

So, now it is October 2 and the Walk is just 18 days away. Its time I let you know that I'll be leading a team again this year! So, if you live in the area and you want to join me, please do! Just go to http://www.alphapc.org/walk-for-life-2/ and register! Then meet me on October 20 and we'll do this thing together!

Or if you don't live in the area or you can't join me in the walk, please consider donating to the cause! Alpha does so much to support the women who go through an unplanned pregnancy and they really can't do it without you! If you can support me please do so online (just click the image below and it will take you to my giving page)

My goal this year is $500 and I know with your help I can meet that goal. And hopefully with your help I'll have a big team to walk with too!

FIVE YEARS OLD

Today William is a five year old. No longer a preschooler as he is in Transitional Kindergarten (and extra grade for those who have fall birthdays and missed the school cut off). He loves it! He loves making friends; sometimes I'm surprised by how outgoing William is with new people. He will join anyone at the playground if it looks like fun. Even if they are a lot older or bigger. He loves learning new songs about the alphabet, sounds, animals, and ones that are just silly. He is writing more letters and numbers already after just 6 weeks of school. I can't believe how much he has learned in such a short time. He is a sponge!

William still loves reading. I hope this passion never goes away! We've graduated to chapter books for the most part but he still loves listening to any story I read. His favorites include the Magic Tree House Series and Heroes in Training series. He also really loves sitting on my lap still. Sometimes it feels like he wants to be even closer than that! Being gone from mom everyday has made him a little more attached in the afternoons. It's all good -- I like feeling loved!

He is really into super heroes and good guys vs. bad guys . . . and weapons, fighting, and wrestling. He has even taught his two year old brother to run around saying "pew, pew, pew" while holding up his hand-gun. Stephen and William play really well together for the most part! I'm so thankful for their brother-bond.

I haven't had him in for a check-up yet but at 4 1/2 years old he was 43 pounds and 3'8" tall. I know he has grown since then because 4T clothes no longer fit! But his feet are the hardest to keep up with!

In the past six months, he has learned to ride his pedal bike (no longer a balance bike!). He even rides a tag-a-long on the back of Chris's bike to school each morning. He has also gotten a lot more comfortable swimming! We gave him a pair of goggles to wear to his lessons and it was a game changer. He is like a fish now and has no fear about getting his face in the water. Such a brave big boy we have now.

This year he went to his first Giants game with dad! He also went on a few trips: a one-night camping trip with friends, a week in Wisconsin in June, two weeks in Texas in July, and a day spent apple picking.

Speaking of eating, we usually stick to a very routine meal plan for William as there are very few things he will eat without complaint. But his palate is growing for things like tacos and pizza! Broccoli is the only green thing he will eat and that takes some talking into and fruit is getting to be a challenge these days too. So what does he eat?  Peanut butter and honey sandwiches, yogurt with granola, cereal, cheese and meat with crackers, and broccoli... and milk. Lots of milk.

It's been a really fun year of watching this little guy grow, learn and change before my eyes. Now I just need to get some more photos of him before he grows some more!

** Check out his birthday party post: http://embabiak.blogspot.com/2018/10/super-birthday-boy.html

Today William is a five year old. No longer a preschooler as he is in Transitional Kindergarten (and extra grade for those who have fall birthdays and missed the school cut off). He loves it! He loves making friends; sometimes I'm surprised by how outgoing William is with new people. He will join anyone at the playground if it looks like fun. Even if they are a lot older or bigger. He loves learning new songs about the alphabet, sounds, animals, and ones that are just silly. He is writing more letters and numbers already after just 6 weeks of school. I can't believe how much he has learned in such a short time. He is a sponge!

William still loves reading. I hope this passion never goes away! We've graduated to chapter books for the most part but he still loves listening to any story I read. His favorites include the Magic Tree House Series and Heroes in Training series. He also really loves sitting on my lap still. Sometimes it feels like he wants to be even closer than that! Being gone from mom everyday has made him a little more attached in the afternoons. It's all good -- I like feeling loved!

He is really into super heroes and good guys vs. bad guys . . . and weapons, fighting, and wrestling. He has even taught his two year old brother to run around saying "pew, pew, pew" while holding up his hand-gun. Stephen and William play really well together for the most part! I'm so thankful for their brother-bond.

I haven't had him in for a check-up yet but at 4 1/2 years old he was 43 pounds and 3'8" tall. I know he has grown since then because 4T clothes no longer fit! But his feet are the hardest to keep up with!

In the past six months, he has learned to ride his pedal bike (no longer a balance bike!). He even rides a tag-a-long on the back of Chris's bike to school each morning. He has also gotten a lot more comfortable swimming! We gave him a pair of goggles to wear to his lessons and it was a game changer. He is like a fish now and has no fear about getting his face in the water. Such a brave big boy we have now.

This year he went to his first Giants game with dad! He also went on a few trips: a one-night camping trip with friends, a week in Wisconsin in June, two weeks in Texas in July, and a day spent apple picking.

Speaking of eating, we usually stick to a very routine meal plan for William as there are very few things he will eat without complaint. But his palate is growing for things like tacos and pizza! Broccoli is the only green thing he will eat and that takes some talking into and fruit is getting to be a challenge these days too. So what does he eat?  Peanut butter and honey sandwiches, yogurt with granola, cereal, cheese and meat with crackers, and broccoli... and milk. Lots of milk.

It's been a really fun year of watching this little guy grow, learn and change before my eyes. Now I just need to get some more photos of him before he grows some more!

** Check out his birthday party post: http://embabiak.blogspot.com/2018/10/super-birthday-boy.html

Keep Trusting and Waiting

A week ago, we had our first MOPS meeting of the season and it blew me away. We had the biggest turn out ever and everything seemed to go fairly smoothly. I'm the lead coordinator this year and was feeling a lot of self-driven pressure leading up to the morning. I could not have expected or hoped for a better meeting. I was riding on this high all day and then Chris came home and told me some news that turned my high into the lowest low.

Back in July we had applied for another condo through the Mayors Office of Housing (they have below market rate units for sale if you qualify). It's all done by lottery. The results came out in August and we were near the top. In tier 3 we were number 3 (total number 5, I think). There were a total of 6 units and we were super hopeful that they would get to our number and we would qualify and be approved for the mortgage and finally be able to move.

Well, I think you can see where this is going. After weeks of waiting for the applicants in front of us to be vetted we got an email last week that said everyone in front of us has entered into contract and they are moving on to the 4th tier (only the first two applicants were taken from the 3rd tier per all the rules that are too cumbersome to explain/understand.)

There were a number of reasons my hopes had been so high.
1) The location: 8 blocks or less from several friends, walking distance to church, in a sunny part of town, closer to Chris's work...
2) The size: although it wasn't huge and there wasn't a yard or community center to be seen, it was a two bedroom with plenty of storage and a decent kitchen. There was even a walk in closet that could be an office.
3) There was a washer/dryer in the unit, a parking spot and a bike spot.
4) For this year it would have been 3 blocks from William's school.

It seemed so perfect. I could be more active with my friends in that neighborhood, we could be super close to church and be a little more active there (not rushing home for naps all the time). We wouldn't have to walk 2 blocks to get to our car -- we wouldn't need to take our car everywhere! Strengthened community was the biggest pull. It sounds silly, but the effort it takes to get anywhere often deters me from leaving the house.

Another reason I had high hopes in this unit was that we'd been waiting for something just like this for so long . . . nearly 4 years! Actively looking, saving, applying and waiting . . . four years.

So, that was the news on Tuesday last week. And those are some of the reasons I found myself in such a low state. Giving up, letting go of dreams that had started taking root felt so hard. And it hit me at that moment that I didn't even know how much hope I had been leaning on until it was taken away. I fell hard.

Fast forward six days and I'm teaching children's church on Sunday to several 3-5 year olds. The memory verse was Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Words that Chris has often quoted in this process. The lesson that day was focused on Abraham and Sarah waiting on God's promise that they would have decedents more numerous than the stars. Can you picture that kind of waiting? To have decedents you have to have children. Poor Sarah is watching the months go by, becoming years and years . . . just waiting. Her husband so certain that God will make good on his word. But she is passed the age of bearing children. And then she has a son.

Every month the kids learn a catch praise. This month is "God keeps his promises." And although we haven't had an actual promise that we will get a 2 bedroom condo in San Francisco for less than half a million dollars (I would love if scripture were that direct!) he does promise that he will provide for us, that he cares for us, and knows what we need. So, as I was teaching these little children to trust in God's promises even if you have to wait a long time, God was reminding me to do the very same.

So, I'm letting go of those dreams I held so tightly and seeking God for new dreams and next steps and trying each day to remain faithful in trusting Him while I wait. If I have to chant the catch phrase like a 3 year old, so be it!

A week ago, we had our first MOPS meeting of the season and it blew me away. We had the biggest turn out ever and everything seemed to go fairly smoothly. I'm the lead coordinator this year and was feeling a lot of self-driven pressure leading up to the morning. I could not have expected or hoped for a better meeting. I was riding on this high all day and then Chris came home and told me some news that turned my high into the lowest low.

Back in July we had applied for another condo through the Mayors Office of Housing (they have below market rate units for sale if you qualify). It's all done by lottery. The results came out in August and we were near the top. In tier 3 we were number 3 (total number 5, I think). There were a total of 6 units and we were super hopeful that they would get to our number and we would qualify and be approved for the mortgage and finally be able to move.

Well, I think you can see where this is going. After weeks of waiting for the applicants in front of us to be vetted we got an email last week that said everyone in front of us has entered into contract and they are moving on to the 4th tier (only the first two applicants were taken from the 3rd tier per all the rules that are too cumbersome to explain/understand.)

There were a number of reasons my hopes had been so high.
1) The location: 8 blocks or less from several friends, walking distance to church, in a sunny part of town, closer to Chris's work...
2) The size: although it wasn't huge and there wasn't a yard or community center to be seen, it was a two bedroom with plenty of storage and a decent kitchen. There was even a walk in closet that could be an office.
3) There was a washer/dryer in the unit, a parking spot and a bike spot.
4) For this year it would have been 3 blocks from William's school.

It seemed so perfect. I could be more active with my friends in that neighborhood, we could be super close to church and be a little more active there (not rushing home for naps all the time). We wouldn't have to walk 2 blocks to get to our car -- we wouldn't need to take our car everywhere! Strengthened community was the biggest pull. It sounds silly, but the effort it takes to get anywhere often deters me from leaving the house.

Another reason I had high hopes in this unit was that we'd been waiting for something just like this for so long . . . nearly 4 years! Actively looking, saving, applying and waiting . . . four years.

So, that was the news on Tuesday last week. And those are some of the reasons I found myself in such a low state. Giving up, letting go of dreams that had started taking root felt so hard. And it hit me at that moment that I didn't even know how much hope I had been leaning on until it was taken away. I fell hard.

Fast forward six days and I'm teaching children's church on Sunday to several 3-5 year olds. The memory verse was Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Words that Chris has often quoted in this process. The lesson that day was focused on Abraham and Sarah waiting on God's promise that they would have decedents more numerous than the stars. Can you picture that kind of waiting? To have decedents you have to have children. Poor Sarah is watching the months go by, becoming years and years . . . just waiting. Her husband so certain that God will make good on his word. But she is passed the age of bearing children. And then she has a son.

Every month the kids learn a catch praise. This month is "God keeps his promises." And although we haven't had an actual promise that we will get a 2 bedroom condo in San Francisco for less than half a million dollars (I would love if scripture were that direct!) he does promise that he will provide for us, that he cares for us, and knows what we need. So, as I was teaching these little children to trust in God's promises even if you have to wait a long time, God was reminding me to do the very same.

So, I'm letting go of those dreams I held so tightly and seeking God for new dreams and next steps and trying each day to remain faithful in trusting Him while I wait. If I have to chant the catch phrase like a 3 year old, so be it!

Summer Reading

It's been a great summer for reading. Both for me and the kids. William has his favorites - The Magic Treehouse series and Stephen loves anything and everything to do with trucks. We visited the library often over the summer months and participated in their Summer Reading Program. It's a bit silly to track William's time in front of books since we read for at least an hour every day, but tracking it meant stickers and completing the challenge meant a new tote bag!

I also read a lot this summer and have failed to keep up with my usual review of each title. So, rather than try to wrack my brain as to what the books were actually about (and in the end just copying what other people said after I did a google search), I'm just going to list them here. Sort of a record for myself so I don't mistakenly pick up same title twice!

Here is what I remember reading:
I was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (I really enjoyed this one, it had me tricked until the very end)
Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman
Love and Other Words by Christian Lauren (also a really good read, much different than I expected)
Eleanore Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

I love that my family is a group of readers and cuddling up with a good book is enjoyed by all. Over the last three months my family has checked out 50 books from the library! I love that. 

What were some of your favorite reads this summer?

It's been a great summer for reading. Both for me and the kids. William has his favorites - The Magic Treehouse series and Stephen loves anything and everything to do with trucks. We visited the library often over the summer months and participated in their Summer Reading Program. It's a bit silly to track William's time in front of books since we read for at least an hour every day, but tracking it meant stickers and completing the challenge meant a new tote bag!

I also read a lot this summer and have failed to keep up with my usual review of each title. So, rather than try to wrack my brain as to what the books were actually about (and in the end just copying what other people said after I did a google search), I'm just going to list them here. Sort of a record for myself so I don't mistakenly pick up same title twice!

Here is what I remember reading:
I was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (I really enjoyed this one, it had me tricked until the very end)
Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman
Love and Other Words by Christian Lauren (also a really good read, much different than I expected)
Eleanore Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

I love that my family is a group of readers and cuddling up with a good book is enjoyed by all. Over the last three months my family has checked out 50 books from the library! I love that. 

What were some of your favorite reads this summer?

Apple Picking Adventures

A friend invited us to go on a little adventure this weekend. Apple picking! She makes her own apple sauce every year and this time, I wanted to join the fun. We loaded the car early on Sunday morning, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and up to a town called Petaluma. We've been there before, it's a really beautiful little city with farms and rolling hills surrounding it.

The boys were really excited to visit a farm. On the apple orchard they also had sheep, chickens and black angus cattle. William's first question when we were packing up was, "Will there be a bull?" I said probably not, not every farm keeps a bull. But low and behold, the very first animal we see as we got there, was in fact a bull. There you go William!

We roamed the orchard, picking several types of apples and pears. And then made our way to the animals. Stephen loved the sheep and even got to pet one. He kept saying "More pet sheep" while we toured the rest of the farm.

They also had a juicing station where you could try and spin the wheel to squash the apples. They had filled it quite high so it was really hard for William to turn it, but he tried with all his might and didn't want to give up.

It was a full morning. We drove home and we all took naps even though it was already after 2 p.m.

And then today, the adventure continued! I went to my friend Kate's house and we hooked up our new kitchen gadget (the Kitchen Aid core/peel/slice attachment) and made two huge pots of applesauce and two apple pies.

Such a fun weekend. And now I'm really ready for all the fall activities to come!

A friend invited us to go on a little adventure this weekend. Apple picking! She makes her own apple sauce every year and this time, I wanted to join the fun. We loaded the car early on Sunday morning, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and up to a town called Petaluma. We've been there before, it's a really beautiful little city with farms and rolling hills surrounding it.

The boys were really excited to visit a farm. On the apple orchard they also had sheep, chickens and black angus cattle. William's first question when we were packing up was, "Will there be a bull?" I said probably not, not every farm keeps a bull. But low and behold, the very first animal we see as we got there, was in fact a bull. There you go William!

We roamed the orchard, picking several types of apples and pears. And then made our way to the animals. Stephen loved the sheep and even got to pet one. He kept saying "More pet sheep" while we toured the rest of the farm.

They also had a juicing station where you could try and spin the wheel to squash the apples. They had filled it quite high so it was really hard for William to turn it, but he tried with all his might and didn't want to give up.

It was a full morning. We drove home and we all took naps even though it was already after 2 p.m.

And then today, the adventure continued! I went to my friend Kate's house and we hooked up our new kitchen gadget (the Kitchen Aid core/peel/slice attachment) and made two huge pots of applesauce and two apple pies.

Such a fun weekend. And now I'm really ready for all the fall activities to come!