Living in Munchkinland

I was talking to a friend who also has two small children very close together yesterday. I was telling her how even just having one child while the other was in school this week was so much easier! She agreed and mentioned how we never even notice how hard it is to have two small wee ones because we do it all the time. She's right. We have adapted. We no longer notice the sacrifices and the strain. At least not all the time. Maybe in small moments when the effort exceeds our abilities or limits, but in general it is just part of life. Sometimes when our bodies fail, or our spirits crash and we wonder why, we need someone to sit down and remind us that what we do IS hard. It's the hardest job most of us have ever had. Yes, it's rewarding, and yes it is what most of would choose to do again and again, but it is not easy. I don't know why this seems like such a revolutionary concept to me. Michael is chafing at the bit to go back to work at the end of the weeken...

We went to Stonewall , Tx this weekend with my parents. They have a small farmhouse there that they found, bought and restored. They searched for that particular farmhouse because my grandmother grew up there. She went to a very small school a few miles away with Lyndon B. Johnson. She was jealous of him though, since he got to ride a mule to school and all the rest of the children had to walk. You know what they say about those rich, mule riding kids- they grow up to be president. Anyway, we drove up there Saturday and enjoyed the cool seventy degree weather. It was amazing! That afternoon we headed into Fredericksburg and attended the fair . It was fantastic. We got to see antique tractors and Davis got to sit on them. We rode all kind of carnival rides and both Davis and Sam were beside themselves with the joy and thrill of those. We went inside and saw all the canned goods and vegetables and crafts and saw which ones were awarded blue ribbons. We went back outside and wa...

Both my boys started school today. Davis started at the San Marcos Montessori School . I already love the school and his teacher, but it was so hard to leave him since he was clinging to me and screaming, "Don't leave me Mommy!" at the top of his lungs. After we dropped him off we had a half an hour before it was time to drop Sam off at his little Mother's Day Out program. He kept asking me where Davis had gone. "Is Dadis sleeping??", he kept asking me quizzically. Sam's school is a bit more familiar to him since we spent four days there in the last two weeks while I took care of the teacher's kids. He seemed to do well and was at least not sobbing when I walked out the door. I've already picked Davis up (the first day was short) and his teacher said he quit crying after five minutes and did great. Yay! We don't pick Sam up until three so think good thoughts at my little baby. And think good thoughts at me too. Right as I dropped him ...

Today is my husband's birthday. He is older than me and that's really all we need to know. I wanted to celebrate him today in honor of the occasion. He is a charming, loyal, strong, intelligent man and we are lucky to have him as part of our lives. Happy Birthday, honey. I love you. P.S. I wanted to note here on the blog that Michael received a promotion last week! He is now a Consultant II with his company. I am so proud of him and think it was so deserved. An extra reason to raise your glass and toast Michael today.

First, Sam. Sam is in such a sweet stage right now. Gentle, giving, fun, sweet, easy. He loves to cuddle and share. He's talking a ton now and growing so fast. He's learning to ride a bike and yesterday and twice today, he pooped in the potty! He's only 21 months!!! He's working on his two year old molars and has been carrying around an old metal rattle to chew on. This morning he accidentally whacked Davis on the head with it. Davis cried and I pulled him in my lap. Sam ran over and crawled up next to us on the couch. "What happened?", he asked, deeply concerned. I explained that he had hurt his brother. Sammy said, "So Sorry, Dadis. Hug.", and gave him a big hug. Then he said to Davis, "I loves you.". I've never heard him say he loved anything or anyone and I was so touched to hear him say it to his brother. He would follow Davis anywhere and does. He leaps from the couch after Davis and tromps through the grass. He ex...

We had a great adventure on this day. We woke early and handed the kids off to Marchelle. We were already docked in Skagway. We dressed in our warmest clothes and packed extra socks and gloves. (Okay, I forgot my gloves. I'm sorry Michael. I know your hands were cold since you gave me yours.) Then we ran off the ship. Part of the reason for our rush was that the time had changed AGAIN. Time keeps changing when you go west and it keeps getting earlier. Anyway, we ran off the boat and met Steve and Melissa on the dock along with our excursion leader. We were about to go on the one big excursion we had planned and it was supposed to be a wonderful one. We were so excited. The title of the excursion was "Glacier Point Wilderness Safari". We got in a really fast boat that literally glided across the top of the water as we raced for Glacier Point. We drank coffee they brewed on board and even saw whales during our forty five minute voyage. When we arrived we landed...

I was driving around downtown San Marcos today and noticed a set of parents with their college aged daughter. I imagine they were getting her settled before they left her to her first year of college. It got me thinking. Was this her first choice? Where is she from? What does this town look like to an outsider? I moved here when I was three. I went to kindergarten through 12th grade in public school here in this town. My mother went to the same schools. Everyone knows my parents and my grandparents. It is a small town. An example. The other morning a truck went through our fence. The people who just put in new fences on the ranch got a call from someone who witnessed the accident and who knew they had just done our fence. The fence people were informed about the accident. They then called my grandfather and told him that this fence was damaged (he hadn't been notified yet) and that they would be by in a few minutes to fix it. When I was in high school I was ALL DONE with ...