Mama Must Have

In the same way that I want a keepsake to commemorate the two-child years, I'd also love to have a li'l something to celebrate the move into the three-child phase of life...

And I think this Nestlings Necklace fits the bill just perfectly. How sweet, right? Mama and her three little birdies...or, however many birdies you've got flying around your place. Check it out here.

{Hint hint, Chris: this would make a great "New Mama" gift...} :)

Via My Mom Shops.

Don't Hide The Veggies!

Perhaps this is just pure laziness at work, but I haven't been able to subscribe to the big "hide the veggies" trend. In fact, no perhaps about it. I feel a great sense of accomplishment if dinner makes it on to the table, period. Pureeing veggies to hide in that dinner is just not on the agenda. But I have tons o' friends who love love love this method. And my hat is off to them, because there is nothing wrong with more veggies, and heaven knows we could use 'em around here.

So anyway, I was thrilled to read this article, Stealth-Vegetable Smackdown by one of my favorite Mommy writers, Catherine Newman. Come to find out, she's in my camp! Her kids, like mine, are required to eat actual carrots and broccoli, etc. etc. She cooks 'em up all sorts of appetizing ways and gives them lots o' fun things for dipping, but broccoli is broccoli is broccoli - none of this hiding the broccoli in the mac 'n cheese.

So if you're looking for some great ways to serve up veggies to your kiddies, click here and check out the recipe links at the top of the page. And feel better about yourself if you just can't bring yourself to put pureed veggies in your brownies like some amazing people I know!

Sweet Sushi

I'm totally going to make this adorable treat with my kids sometime. How fun, right? And it doesn't look too complex - even for me! Click on the recipe card for a closer look at the instructions.

{Scanned from Family Fun Magazine.}

Global Girlfriend

Global Girlfriend is such a great company - excellent cause + gorgeous products. This tote, for example, is made in Indonesia by women in a fair trade cooperative that helps them market their crafts so that they can continue their traditional crafts and skills while creating a sustainable income. Oh, and plus? That bag is adorable. It's totally on my list.

Check out all the goodies here.

Taking It Slow(er): The Weekend Wrap Up

We love the weekend! This one didn't seem as busy as usual...what a nice change! Friday night we met up with my parents for dinner at Pei Wei (Mongolian chicken...mmm!). I was thrilled to see that my Daddy's spots are really starting to heal up! After 4 doctors, a biopsy, CT scan and a ton o' blood work - still no diagnosis. But since they're clearing up at last, we won't kick up a fuss.

But speaking of kicking up a fuss...back home we tried to get those kiddies in bed - but met with a ridiculous amount of protest from Mr. Masey - who usually hops right into bed at bedtime. Chris tried to calm him down. I tried to calm him down. Chris again. I finally brought him into our bed and tried to lay down with him. Of course, Maya soon joined us. Then Chris did. And it turned into a giggle fest. Eventually we shoo'd them back to bed and let Mason work out his frustrations on his own! Meanwhile, we caught up on some TV and hit the sack.

Saturday morning we took it slower than usual, since I didn't have to be to rehearsal until 10am. We were celebrating Maya's first visit from the tooth fairy, hanging out in our PJs, etc. Of course, I dawdled just long enough to have to rush rush rush to get out the door on time for a short 2-hour rehearsal. Chris, Maya & Mason hit the pool, where Maya practiced all of her tricks! She's turning into such a fishy! I got home just in time to get in on a front-lawn picnic - grilled cheese for the kids and tuna for Chris & I. Masey took a nap, Chris did yard work, I did play work and Maya just worked hard at playing.

After Mase woke up, we headed out to the movie theatre to check out Wall-E. I'm not really in the business of reviewing movies, but I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. First of all, I thought it was weird. It had some cute moments. Wall-E himself was adorable. But overall? Weird. Maya let us know throughout the movie how "bored" she was. {Mason liked it, though. He just kept saying "Where'd Wall-E go?" and "Evvvva!".} Also, I hate to feel like I'm being preached to when I go to the movies. I don't mind a subtle theme or lesson, but this was a little more "jam it down the throat" style. None of the characters {other than Wall-E} were memorable. And it just wasn't up to the standard of Toy Story or Monster's Inc. or A Bug's Life.

Aside from that, all the popcorn and candy I felt the need to scarf down left me feeling a little on the queasy side. We headed home and I laid down. Chris whipped up some dinner for the kiddies and had to leave for his soccer game (they won!). Instead of supervising dinner, I clinched my "mother of the year" nomination by conking out for 2 hours. The kids ate dinner. Built a fort. Amused themselves. I'm somewhat surprised that they didn't just bathe themselves and head to bed. (Okay, not really.) So 30 minutes past bedtime I woke up, bathed those poor kiddos and got them into bed. Chris and I found some dinner for ourselves and watched a little TV before bed.

Sunday morning, I got to sleep in! Hooray for Chris! He got breakfast for the kids and had to hit the road for a meeting around 9ish. I got up and worked on some play stuff and got my nursery lesson together. Maya insisted on curls today, but first I had to comb out her ratty mop - to less protests and fussing than usual, though! She looked very pretty. Out the door to church, which was very uplifting. Great speakers. Low drama in nursery. Thumbs up! Home again, we took it easy while Mason took a quick nap. Then over to my parents' house for sandwiches + chips & onion dip + my favorite cookies.

Home again yet again for a quick stop, then over to a choir rehearsal, followed by a mini-meeting regarding some casting things etc. and so forth + some laughs. It's nice to work with people you enjoy! :) Home again one more time, and just in time! After weeks with no rain, we finally got a bit of a downpour tonight - and hooray for that! And now, I'm ready to head to bed...

I am looking forward to this week. We don't have play rehearsals this week, so it will just be less busy - although I still have plenty o' play stuff to work on. We'll be taking it easy early in the week, trying to "get stuff done" around the house, as usual. Stuff like putting away last week's laundry, perhaps??? Then on Thursday (or Friday...?) we head up to Dallas for the weekend to visit my brother and his family. Checking out their new house. Playing Wii. Watching Planet Earth in surround sound. Walking to the fireworks at their nearby park. Going to their church 4th of July breakfast. Shopping at their amazing outlet mall, which includes a Forever 21 the size of WalMart that I could spend DAYS in! It's going to be a great weekend. And a great week.

Here's wishing a happy week to you, too!

Big Shoes To Fill

My, my, this little guy makes me happy...

Fairy Tale

It's pretty unsurprising to me that the "lost" tooth itself got lost before bedtime. Lucky me, this happened to Lola once, too, so after much unsuccessful crawling around on the carpet (and careful vacuuming) I knew we had to write the tooth fairy a note.

Maya left the note on her dresser before bed...

And the tooth fairy came! Maya was expecting "a coin" {because that's what Lola gets, yay Lola's Mom!}, but the tooth fairy came through with a whole bag of coins! 8 quarters, to be exact...it is her first lost tooth, after all!

Maya was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled!

Hooray for the Tooth Fairy!

Happy Thoughts...

...for a happy weekend!

{Get this fabulous print here. Thank you, Sarah, for the link!}

Lost!

Maya lost her first tooth this afternoon! 4-year-olds losing teeth - what kind of crazy world do we live in?! I can hardly believe the Tooth Fairy is coming to our house tonight for the very first time!

What is the going rate for a tooth these days, anyway?

After a li'l bit o' rinse + spit, the first order of business?

"Can I call my Daddy?!"

{And Daddy, I'm sure, will take some gorgeous photos of Maya's new toothless look. Perhaps I'll even brush her hair. And make her change out of her pj's...}

Related?

I've had 2 people tell me recently that my Mama and I look exactly alike. {If only I were that skinny!} Here we are at rehearsal last night. What do you think? Family resemblance?

One.

My friend Miriam did this recently and I thought it was lots o' fun. Here are my one word answers...

You.Can.Only.Type.One.Word.

1. Where is your cell phone? dead

2.Your significant other? Beez

3. Your hair? blah

4. Your mother? BFF

5. Your father? poxed

6. Your favourite thing? food

7. Your dream last night? running

8. Your favourite drink? milk

9. Your dream/goal? great-grandma

10. The room you're in? office

11. Your ex? married

12. Your fear? unknown

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? hmmm....

14. Where were you last night? home

15. What you're not? tidy

16. Muffins? nah

17. One of your wish list items? maid

18. Where you grew up? Nashville

19. The last thing you did? rehearse

20. What are you wearing? pajamas

21. Your TV? overused

22. Your pets? Vida

23. Your computer? dying

24. Your life? happy

25. Your mood? satisfied

26. Missing someone? always

27. Your car? red

28. Something you're not wearing? socks

29. Favorite Store? Target

30. Your summer? busy!

31. Like someone? most

32. Your favorite color? green

33. When is the last time you laughed? just

34. Last time you cried? Dunno

Wanna play? Do it!

Change Me Booty

I saw this oh-so cute+ funny onesie from Mama Monkey today on 3 Ma'am's and laughed my head off. That's right, it's time to think of clothing this babe once he comes out o' this tummy of mine! I SO have to get that one. I like these, too:

angel wings

kisses 25 cents

chicks dig me

Check out the other cute stuff here.

Line Upon Line

Although there is something at Line Upon Line for everyone, my LDS friends will appreciate these the most. Why didn't someone think of this before? Gorgeous, letterpressed cards using Mormon lingo & humor. I've been sitting here dying laughing at these...and I'm getting ready to order darn near every one of them. Go check them all out! Here are some of the more serious but absolutely gorgeous options:

{Via Mormon in Manhattan.}

It's All Part of The Experience

I read a great little article recently that has been on my mind ever since. It was written by a lady who was born and raised in Las Vegas. She lived in the desert her whole life. She married there, raised her family there, retired there. She loved the sun and the heat. Then she and her husband were asked to serve a mission for their (and my) church. In the Baltic States. Latvia. One of the coldest places in the world.

Of course, it was ironic. And she expected to be miserable in the winter conditions. But she found that when she went to Latvia, the harsh climate didn't bother her. To her, blizzard after blizzard were all part of the experience. And the reason was - she knew it was temporary. Before long, she'd be back in the desert. But the weather was part of the experience. She said she would have been disappointed if she'd gone to Latvia and they'd had a heatwave - she would have missed out on that part of the experience.

And she compared that to our life experiences. Anyone who believes in life after death knows that this life is temporary. We came here to have experiences - some of them harsh. But we were prepared before we came to have these experiences - and wouldn't we be disappointed to finish this life and not have experienced every part of what we came to experience?

I have friends who are going through tough experiences on every end of the spectrum. Illness of all kinds, infertility, divorce, death of family members...really challenging things. And I don't wish these trials on anyone. But we're made to face challenges. That's why we're here. And disappointment and overwhelm and sorrow and pain are all part of the experience. The reason we can get through difficult experiences is because we know they're temporary.

I was getting after myself last week for feeling overwhelmed and stressed out while Chris was gone. This article popped into my head, and I used it to try and stop myself from feeling a certain way. "Natalie, it's all part of the experience! Quit being overwhelmed and stressed - it's just part of life!" But then I realized that that isn't the point. The point is, it's okay to feel however you feel. If that's stressed out, then so be it. If you're overwhelmed, you're overwhelmed. If you're just completely sad, that is okay. Feel however you need to feel, and don't feel bad about feeling that way. Because feeling how you feel is part of the experience. And working through it is part of the experience. And looking back later and seeing that those feelings were only temporary is part of the experience.

So I'm grateful for the reminder that this life is a journey. Ups and downs and all that. But it's all for our own good - our learning and growing. And it's temporary. So I will try to embrace the experience - tough or easy, happy or sad - and really enjoy the experience. Because I don't want to miss out on anything that I was sent here to experience.

{Photo here.}

Spill Tracker

In the space of 16 hours:

# of spills: 3
# of kids involved: 2
# that included milk: 2
# that included milk on the couch: 2
# that included milk and broken glass: 2
# of times it was allegedly intentional: 1
# of times I had a cow: 3

No use crying over spilled milk indeed. I've got to work on that.

Swedish Furniture Name Generator

The Swedish Furniture Name Generator is cracking me up. You enter your name; they translate you into a piece of Ikea furniture. Meet Snatali: the nighstand. Funny, because I used to get called Snat in my younger years, and I'm in dire need of a decent nightstand.

So, what's your Swedish Furniture name?

{Via Design Crush.}

Tuesday Randomness

{My how they've grown...}

• Nose picker: At lunch today, a piece of mac & cheese landed on Maya's upper lip and looked like a giant yellow booger hanging out of her nose. It reminded me of that picture. Of course, we all laughed hysterically. {"Hysterically" seems to be Maya's only mode lately.}
• I care less than I used to: At one point in my life, I would have cleaned the house for the "bug guy". Now I don't clean the house for anyone. And for the bug guy? I don't even shower. Or brush my teeth or get dressed. In fact, this morning, the bug guy was greeted by me directly from bed. {Hey, he was scheduled to come at 8am and came at 7:58...} At one point in my life, that would have been mortifying. I would have apologized. For me. Unshowered, pajamed me. For the disasterous state of the house. I did apologize for the dirty diaper smell. And quickly went around spraying air freshener. I might not care what he thinks of me or this pig sty, but no one should have to suffer through Mason's morning odor.
• It only has to happen once: One time, on one of my million visits to the OB/GYN, someone had thrown up in the lobby right in front of the elevator, right before I got there. I stepped in it, naturally. And now every time I go onto that elevator, I'm on puke patrol. I suppose it's not highly likely someone will vomit again in the exact same spot, but I'm just programmed now to watch my step. I also find myself involuntarily breathing through my mouth whenever I enter that building. {Side note: the monthy weigh in was not as horrifying as I was expecting. Hooray.}
• I involuntarily breathe through my mouth a lot: When I'm changing diapers. Any time I go into Mason's room to get him up. When I open the trash can. Oh, and on Saturday when I briefly wore a headwrap at play rehearsal. I was also involuntarily itching.
• Speaking of itching: My dad is still undiagnosed. Still spotted from head to toe. And itching like crazy. My mom is starting to think the wounds are starting to heal. With any luck!
• Things I'm doing to take better care of me: Making afternoon quiet time mandatory. Changing into my sweats and taking a real nap, in the bed. I get so much done afterwards. I'm also trying to get to bed before 11. And eating more veggies and fruits. I'm also trying to make more lists, which helps me stress out less.
• Maybe Maya still needs naps: I usually don't let Maya nap. Otherwise, she stays up half the night. But when I'm napping, I'm not actually able to stop her. Today after I woke up, she was still in her room and I heard a beeping noise, but didn't bother to check and see what it was. Finally, an hour later, I went in to see what she was up to. And she was conked out. And her alarm had been going off for an hour. At least. And she slept right through it. And she even went right to bed tonight.
• Maybe it's a growth spurt?: Let's hope not. She's already a giant. Same goes for Mason. He's been extra hungry lately, which I always blame on growth spurt. I don't need my kids spurting any more than they already have!
• Chris is a phone nerd: He got some new gadgety phone and now he's sitting on it dorking around like all the phone nerds do. Meanwhile, my phone is where it always is. Dead at the bottom of my purse.
• Chewy chocolate cookies, anyone?: If you're lucky enough to live in the vacinity of an HEB, I recommend you treat yourself to a dozen o' those delicious cookies from the bakery. Just don't give them to your kids. They just can't appreciate something that delicious. Grab a bag of Chips Ahoy for them and enjoy the chewy chocolate cookies all on your own.
• I have a great analogy about appreciating our life's experiences that I've been wanting to post. But I'm not feeling very eloquent lately. With any luck, that is coming soon.

Thanks for indulging my randomness tonight! Here's hoping for more coherent thoughts tomorrow...

One Tracking: Maternity Clothes

Thanks to the Jones girls, I now have a name for when I start obsessing about something - in this case, maternity clothes - "one tracking". I'm totally one tracking maternity clothes right now. And I will not rest until I find something acceptable. I will, however, try to leave you out of it from here on out. Are you sick of it yet?

Anyway, here are the 2 best tops I've found recently.

this...

...and this.

Once again, not thrilled with the price tags. But my lovely husband has informed me that it's better to buy smart, rather than buy a bunch of stuff I don't really like and then never wear it. Point taken. {He's a better shopper than I am, true story.}

Old Navy has some nice basics on sale that would round things out quite nicely, such as this, this, this, and this.

This Old Navy dress would be a great summer basic.

And now, with that, I will try to let you return to a world that isn't obsessed with maternity clothes of all things.

Try. I said I'll try...

Input Needed: Feeding A Crowd

One of my play responsibilities has become coordinating lunch & dinner when we're practicing through meal time. So far, we've been rehearsing with just a portion of the cast at a time, and rotating pizza and hot dogs has been working just fine.

However, starting on Thursday, we start feeding a bigger crowd - 100 or more teens, most likely. Hot dogs will still be do-able, but pizza would be on the expensive side of things, so maybe not quite so often...

So...anyone have brilliant ideas for feeding a crowd? A couple of things to consider:

• The crowd. It's teens. They eat a lot. And simple foods go over best.
• Ease of prep. It's me preparing this food, remember. That should speak for itself.
• Ease of eating/clean-up. Pizza and hot dogs are great foods to stand and eat quickly and don't make a huge mess. I'm in favor of that.
• Budget. Inexpensive is the name of the game.
  

That's a tall order, isn't it? Any thoughts?

Mommy's Bump

I'm the lucky owner of a brand new BUMP tee {thanks, Leni!} from Mommy's Bump. How cute is this? It says "Baby Under Mommy's Protection" in silver right across the belly. And it's super soft and comfy and...well, the only thing I own that fits me properly right now! So hooray for that!

Mommy's Bump has some adorable tees. I also love the "Watch Love Grow" shirt. Check 'em all out here.

Worth The Money?

In looking at a million maternity dresses, I've discovered that horrendous prints seem to be the name of the game. {Hitting directly at the chubby part of my knee is the other trend, it seems...} This is the best I've found so far, but I'm not huge on the price tag. For $108, I should be able to buy 4 Liz Lange for Target dresses, theoretically. Unfortunately, the pickin's are slim over at Target - and everywhere else I've checked - right now.

So what do you think? Spring for it? No way? Got any online resources for me?

Update: here's another one I like. $86 is more reasonable. Care to vote?

Today's Snacktivity...

I think this will be today's snack/activity in one: building with marshmallows + toothpicks. Because, look how cute! And sneaking a marshmallow here and there is half the fun...

Thanks for the idea, Let's Explore!

I'm always running low on spur of the moment, quick + easy activity ideas. I came across this list, which I love:

Thumb wrestle
Play charades
Blow bubbles
Juggle sock balls
Read a story
Design a paper airplane
Play hopscotch
Make a paper bag puppet
Bowling with a tennis ball and plastic bottles
Write a letter to someone special
Cut up a magazine and make a collage
Draw a "no peeking" sketch
Sing along with your favorite songs
Construct a cootie catcher
Play "penny basketball" using your hands for the hoop.
Make a foil family out of aluminum foil
Make homemade clay
Make rainbow crayons
Play dress-up with your kids
Have a scavenger hunt (indoor or out)
Finger paint with instant pudding
Bake cookies
Make peanut butter play dough
Play "I spy..."
Make homemade "musical instruments"

What else ya got for me? Do share!

Feel The Burn (Out): The Weekend Wrap Up

Boy oh boy oh boy. Last week was such a long week. Chris was out of town all week. Daily swimming lessons cramped the usual routine. Play stuff had me super, super busy. And I'm still feeling really crappy! Boo hoo, I know. The real problem is that when Chris is gone, I have no one here to peer pressure me into going to bed at a decent hour. So I stay up late watching stupid TV. Then I'm cranky the next day. And so on. Anyhow. That is the state I was in leading up to the weekend...

Friday early evening. I'm feeling really squished into my "real" clothes these days. So I decide to meet my parents to hit a couple of stores and grab some dinner. We get ready to head out the door in plenty of time to do both those things, only to realize that Mikey (Mason's blankey) was MIA. 45 minutes later I was irate, Maya was bawling and Mikey was still missing. (Mason kept telling me "Maya took it" but she swears she didn't.) Finally I located him in one of Mason's backpacks and we hit the road - but by then, there was traffic. We finally arrived at Texas Roadhouse for some yummy ribs + rolls, but by the time we scarfed it all down, it was time for bed. Because I'm overly optimistic and/or crazy, I decided to try to hit one store anyway. Mason pooped his pants. I didn't have a diaper to change him. I tried on a few things but hated all but one. Then my indecision got the best of me and after waiting in line, I left with nothing. Back home, poopy diaper changed + tubby time for a red & sore bottom, I got the kiddies in bed. I worked on play stuff for a bit and instead of going to bed at a decent hour, watched reruns.

Saturday morning, my alarm clock (aka Maya) waited until 8:15 to wake me up so she "could have some alone time with Vida" (her fish). So I scrambled and ran around like a mad woman to get to play rehearsal by 9am - toting half the world with me to keep the kiddies occupied while I helped out with rehearsal. It was a busy one, and a good one! Things are coming along! Grandma was able to take the kids home at around Noon and I finished up there around 3. Home again, I watered Chris' plants & flowers for a solid hour - since I'd forgotten to do so the entire time he was gone! (They're remarkably resilient! They've perked up quite nicely!) When Mason got up, I ran with my Mama to the mall. I tried on every cute thing I could find at every store that carried maternity clothes...and came away empty handed. The kids were getting squirlly and hungry, but I decided to try one more store on the way home...and, nothing! Ack.

We stopped at Marie Callendar's on the way home for a li'l comfort food and a slice o' pie, which helped my sour mood. What helped my mood even more? Chris called to say he was back! Yahoo! We headed home where Chris took over dirty diaper duty + tubby time and got those kiddies into bed. They were so elated to see their Daddy! (As was I!) Kids to bed, Chris did some unpacking and I did some online shopping. (Still not much. A couple o' possibilities @ Old Navy & Gap online...now I just have to pull the trigger and place an order, which is so hard for this online-shop-o-phobe.) Off to bed, still too late, but not as bad.

My Sunday morning sleep-in was interrupted again this week...this time by my conscience nagging me that I had tons of play stuff to do + a nursery lesson to prepare. (PS - my one true wish right now it to sleep through the night without dreaming about "play stuff".) So up and to my usual spot at the computer until it was time to shower and get ready for church. Our speakers were fantastic today. The nursery wasn't bad, except that the lady in charge went on vacation and left me in charge, of all people. So I was feeling a little frazzled. Home again, back on the computer until time for dinner with my parents. Porkchops + chit chat and marveling at my Dad's "condition". (Shingles, maybe? He's covered in the most amazing, crazy, scary bumps you've ever seen. It's been a week - he's been to 4 different Doctors, and still no diagnosis. I feel so bad for him, he's itching like crazy, not to mention covered, absolutely covered in sores like you can't even imagine. Mercy me. Extra prayers for him, if you can spare some!) Then off again, home for Chris + the kiddies and to a play choir rehearsal for me. Busy busy busy, making copies, talking to people, attempting some crowd control. It's going to be a long month - but this play will be over August2!

Home again for some snuggles with Maya and next, I hope, with my cute hubby. Man, I missed him! We need him around here! Full time! Here's wishing for a good night's sleep. And a less-crazy week coming up. And the reawakening of sunny, optimistic Natalie...

Sending you all the happy thoughts I can muster for your upcoming week!

Everything I Ate

I think this is the coolest idea for a year in review: Tucker Shaw took photos of everything he ate for an entire year - and published it into a book titled "Everything I Ate: A Year In The Life Of My Mouth".

Can you imagine if I did this? Oh my gravy. It would have to be published in editions. "Everything Natalie Ate While Pregnant: Long John Silver's Edition" Think of the possibilities: "Before Bed Pork-Down Edition" "Sonic 99 Cent Milkshake Edition" "Betty Crocker Microwave Brownies Edition" Of course, the "Fruits + Vegetables + Healthy Foods Edition" could be published as a pamphlet and given as a free gift with purchase...

Check out this cool book here.

Money Well Spent

Maya started taking Mommy + Me swimming lessons when she was under year old (Mason, being baby #2, hasn't gotten Mommy + Me anything, poor kid...). Last year, she took group swimming lessons. And while she was comfortable in the water, she never had that "breakthrough" to being a real swimmer.

So this year, I decided to skip the group lessons and do private lessons instead, with an instructor that I'd heard was a miracle worker (and she's a friend of mine, too). And I have to say - it was money well spent! The kids both took lessons over the last two weeks and I'm amazed (and thrilled!) at the progress they've made.

Her big focus with Mason is just the safety issue...making sure he know what to do if he ever falls into the pool. In fact, today, she tossed him in the pool in his clothes and he had to get himself out. He did an amazing job! And it's such a relief to know that he can do that.

She also got him super comfortable being under water, and starting to kick. He has no problem sticking his face in the water. Which makes me really happy, because I was always that wussy kid who had to plug her nose under the water - and to this day, I hate to stick my face in the water. See, we all want better for our kids! :)

Maya made amazing strides, too! She went from splashing around on the stairs to swimming the entire length of the pool - "the short way AND the long way". She will even brave "the four end" (the deep end) now! And she's got her face in the water, too! Because Miss Jodi's rules are, if your face isn't in the water and you're not kicking, you're not swimming!

She even practiced floating on her back and yelling "Mom, I'm too tired - I need help out of the pool." Which is a very good skill to have!

Overall, can I say I'm thrilled? And I just feel so much safer taking these 2 to the pool!

{Video coming soon...}

Be Silent.

"Be silent, or say something better than silence."

- Pythagoras

I am rarely at a loss for words - you know that, right? But this morning I got up and thought, "I can't think of one thing to blog about.". So this quote seems appropriate. Since I don't have anything to say...but I can't actually say nothing (it's just not in me).

Enjoy your morning. I'll be back later with lots to say, including a full wrap-up of our summer swimming lessons! (Are you excited?!)

{Photo here.}

Ch-Ch-Ch-Cheerleader!

Maya was at the Little Gym for cheerleading camp all this week. Best 3 hours of my day, I'll tell you what - and hers, too! She absolutely loved it. In fact, she begged me to sign her up for camp every week, all summer long. Which is tempting...if not so expensive. She is going to "Fantasy Castle Camp" next month already (also at Little Gym), but I might spring for "Whales, Sharks & Mermaids", too.

Anyway, she had a blast. They learned cheers, made crafts (including the cutest homemade pompoms) did gymnastics, played games...etc. etc. Which is more than she gets at home from this tired Mama! I was just happy to see her so excited in participating in something all by herself! She's getting to be such a big girl...

{PS - like that crusty look she's giving her Mamarazzi? Geez louise!}