four and a HALF, momma

On May 11th, my first born turned four and a half. We sort of started calling it his "half birthday", my I was by no means baking a cake or buying presents for a half birthday. I just mentioned to him that he was going to be half way to his 5th birthday. Now he is insisting on telling everybody that he is four and a half!

He has changed a lot in 6 months. 6 months ago he had just started school. We had met with the speech therapist and walked around the house saying "ka" and "ga" while pointing out objects in the house that started with those sounds. Now, just 6 months of preschool and he has not one problem with saying these sounds.

He is absolutely pumped for playing tee ball this year. Last year. Not so much. He spent most of the season in the car with daddy last year in a time out than actually playing tee ball. This year...a bit overboard with the whole tee ball thing. He instantly has to put on his "old jeans" when he comes home so he can slide and dive for the ball. His mission is to put holes in the knees and get grass stains on them. I told him he could, as long as he wore the "old jeans".

He is also so into daddy time right now it's sort of breaking my heart. The plus side is that I get to spend one on one with Emmitt when Parker and daddy go out together. Bear is excited that finally Parker wants him. He is super fun to hangout with, he is well behaved when the two of them are together. Bear has explained that there is such innocence in Parker right now. For the last 4 years daddy has come second best to momma and right now daddy is soaking all the father/son time in. The downside is now I am getting both Parker and daddy wanting to skip church to go do something else.

Each day we get closer to my baby, my big boy being 5. I can't hardly fathom that number right now, so I'll just keep on saying...you're still four Parker. I'll keep him my little man for as long as I can.

Chamber Award

My buddy Krista-she was awarded Large Business of the Year 2010
Commissioner Pavleck needed his bifocals so I stretched my arms out for him...

The speech...

Hello all…I am excited about this all women panel??! I am among a fine group of women!
It will be 9 years August 6th since we opened this little, unknown, women only exercise place way out in the mall! I think I am more excited now about this award then if it had been recognized sooner.
9 years ago I walked out of St. Kates with a double major in Exercise Sport Science and Nutrition. I was engaged to Barrett and I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I came home to work and plan my wedding that summer with Krista at the Holiday Inn, up at Sha-Sha and at Border Bob’s.
I don't remember being all that concerned that I wasn't working in my field. Until mid July. My future Father-in-Law was wiring this little women-only exercise place in the mall and mentioned to the owner that I went to school for something like "working out and food". It all kind of fell into place. I got an "interview", helped her open the club, started managing and 4 years later with a baby on the way, I bought out the current owner and made Curves all my own.
I am truly blessed to be doing what I am passionate about. Bear and I are both blessed to be back in our home town, working in our fields of expertise, raising our children so close to family and loving every minute of it...
My kids have hundreds of “mom’s, aunties and grandmas” I love raising them with my Curves family and am often asked, “mommy how do you know so many people?”
I would like to thank Lynda and Punky (who could not be here today) for deeming me worthy of a nomination. I am truly amazed by the kind words you put on paper…thank you.
Vickie and the Mall Guys-who take care of me so well…thank you.
My wonderful hardworking staff-you have the very difficult job of keeping hundreds of women happy every day! Thank you for your dedication.
My family-my parents and my hubby for all their hard work and support in this…and my members or “my girls” as I call them, I truly would not be who I am today without you all.
I have a faithful following of my community and my girls... It’s been 9 years since I started this journey with these women and it’s been a great one…thank you.

St. Mother's Day

St. Mother's Day as Parker called it. I said to him this morning how sweet that was...that I was a Saint. He told me, no mom your the Mother-me and daddy and Emmitt are the saint's!

Well, my Saint spent the day with me. I joined mom at "her church" this morning for mass. Then my wonderful husband grilled for his mom, my mom and myself.

It really came down to a simple pasta salad, some hot dogs and brats and a glass of wine. The simplicity of it all made it that much more special. Just a quiet afternoon spent visiting. I am lucky to be so fortunate to have my mother so close to me, in distance and in closeness. She does things with my boys that I can't even discribe the meaningfullness of. It's more than an evening stroller ride, it's a bond that will never be broken. My favorite stories of my husband's childhood come from when he talks about the special excursions he and his grandma used to go on. He loves that my mom is doing the same thing with our boys. My mom is my rock. She has taught me more about being a mother than I would have ever learned on my own. Our relationship has grown over the last 30 years, but it has evolved and become an even stronger friendship. Your mom can't be your friend when you're younger for a reason-it wouldn't have worked for one, but secondly you need to grow up to realize that this friendship is what you've been waiting for.
I am not sure what my reasoning is every Mother's Day, but I try to get out of all the mothering duties. I got to sleep in until 8 am. But still had to change a poopy diaper or two today. I really tried to get out of that motherly duty. I kept telling the kids to go have daddy do it! But they keep coming to me with the things they need done. My hubby picked up the toys, vacuumed and swept, did all the dishes, made us breakfast, all those little tasks that seem to fall on mom were completed for me. I lounged around this afternoon reading the kids books as we all took naps in my bed together. The kids seemed to be more snuggly today even. I found us three in the lazy boy chair multiple times today. I found myself thanking them for letting me be their mother. Parker would say your welcome each time I said it to him. But really, I couldn't imagine not being a mother to these two. They are my life. I would do anything for them. I love that it took being a mother to have these feelings. I love that when Parker asked how I became a mom, before I could answer, he said it's because you and daddy love each other, right mom? I just said, you're absolutely right buddy...we loved each other so much that we made you and your brother. When I was walking Parker into school one day, we were holding hands, I asked him if he would stay my little man forever? He said, I can't mom, someday I'm gonna be big and I'll be a daddy and you'll be a grandma and I'm gonna say to my kids...come on kids, let's go visit grandma! I'm gonna do that everyday when I'm a dad. It about broke my heart, this little deep thinker of mine...You know what buddy? You and your brother will always be my little men....

cabin fever

How fast I took for granted the wonderful April weather. Once it started raining, I almost didn't know what to do with myself...or my kids. Friday, I took the afternoon off to hangout with the boys. I thought it would be great to go to lunch with my mom. It was, until the boys started crawling up the windows and didn't eat a thing. Next time, I order out and we'll do lunch at my house. Parker and I played games that afternoon. Then I worked that night at the Spot. Saturday, Bear got up and went fishing for suckers, the boys and I hung out some more. I worked again that night. I was starting to see a pattern. I love that I could take naps with them though...that's almost the best part about being home. But Sunday, no way were we going to stay stuck indoors another day. I packed up the boys and took them for an adventure down to Milo's cabin. They were so excited and Papa was ready for visitors too...he had been cooped up the whole weekend out there too.

Papa made an impromptu lunch of hot dogs on the fire, Doritos with salsa, pickles and orange pop. It was perfect.
We found our little walking sticks and went on a trail walk. Of course it started raining again, but we persevered and it was great. We even saw 2 cows on the trail, they had escaped through the fence of the neighboring property. Now that seemed to be the most interesting part for the boys.

By the time we ate lunch and packed up it was 3 o'clock. I had successfully stretched them (happily) without a nap. Of course they both crashed on the way home and I transferred 2 dirty, exhausted boys into their beds. By the time they woke up it was suppertime and we got a night off from cooking and order a pizza. Now that's perfection on a rainy day.