Happy Anniversary Kim & Heather

There are a lot of things going on this weekend for the family. One of the important events is a two wonderful friends who have been newlyweds for 726 days but partners for so much longer. We've cried together, laughed together, had babies, birthdays, stresses but they have shown by example how wonderful a team can be and to remember to cherish the moments with one another. They are not afraid to show love and to give love. A true partnership in every way.
Please come and celebrate a couple of crazy kids who fell in love and never looked back.

Happy Anniversary Kim & Heather!

Ain't they the cutest people you've ever seen?

24 hours 15 minutes and 11 seconds

It sounds like a longitude and latitude but really that is the amount of time I have left to get 2 kids and 2 adults ready to hit the skies for the East coast. The actual longitude and latitude for New York City at JFK is 40° 39' N 73° 47' W. This is for those GPS geeks who need something to track. Scared, excited, and hoping to take some amazing pictures of the kids on this trip. I guess I am paying for my own on location session. But on to more intersting things.

I was chilling with my best friend yesterday and she had me in stitches. Story tellers are rare and really good story tellers are more rare, she and hubby are particulary special. I can't convey effectively how many of our conversations end up in sore cheeks (get yer minds out of the gutter) or pains in my stomach because I am rolling on the floor laughing till I can't breathe. I swear we should be dating. Cream to the cheese, pea to the pod, snort to the laugh. It just goes well together like a fine wine really, aged in oak, bottled in sass, distributed locally.

I find her inspirational, innovative, creative, soulful, and dear. I love her with all my heart and lucky to have her in my life. If I had an millimeter of her quick wit what I wouldn't be able to do.

All my friends are special for very different reasons, but the common denominator is they are ALL outstanding human beings and they get me. I am surrounded by safety and wouldn't want any other way. Thank you for getting me, thank you for loving me ( I know some days are harder than others), and thank you most importantly for being you!

See you chicklets next week, a must do coffee night is in order!

The Prince to the rescue...

Em has been in birthday heaven for a week now. We had a party for her last weekend knowing that we would all be gone on her actual birthday. Well, she got the birthday tiara and some awesome stuff. This stuff is so awesome I want to sneak away and play by myself. What is really cool is that the gifts totally fit Em's personality and artsy fartsy side. I love that there are other people who get her. She is a cool kid.

Anyway, her auntie brought over their gift which was a pink splash of princess get up, the shoes, crowns, jewelery, handbag, the total package of Sleeping Beauty. The girls went wild, now there were extra tiaras for the girls to share and the girls started stripping off their clothes before I could get the package open. And then there was big man. He says "I want a crown", I say "oh buddy I don't have a prince crown, these are for girls". The boo boo lip came out and I quickly diverted him to the pirate sword. "Look, you can be the prince with this sword" I say, and that was all it took.

His cousin strapped on a dinosaur tail and pretended to be a dragon which he promptly slayed (by poking her in the hind quarters repeatedly) over and over again to wisk his princess to safety on his noble steed.

And here is the slaying of the dragon......

See the lovely princess

The warning to the dragon

The princess approving of the tactics

Riding off on the noble steed

Enjoying the sights

Lo and behold the dragon reappears

Down you foul beast

(ie. Don't touch my sister)

I am victorious!

Happy Birthdays all around!

Dear Friends and occasional readers please help me celebrate a few more birthdays, three to be exact. Lets rewind a bit in the month.

I spoke with a very wise woman this morning, she in her subtle way reminded me that no matter how painful a particular life event is, never turtle shell up in the grief or pain of it. So I think you are wondering what does this have to do with birthday celebrations?

I have a man in my life who is a hero to me. He did not save a cat from a tree (he has cut himself out of a few), put out a fire in a house (although he has started a few of his own), or catch any criminals (I'll leave this thought out). Why this man is a hero is that from day one I came into this world he has provided a home, food on the table, an education, values, morals, opinions (not always popular but they are still mine), and most importantly a family to love and be loved by. My dad may not physically be in my life but you bet there is not a day that I don't hear him talking to me. As I right these words I feel my heart and eyes are filling with tears of joy, laughter, honor and sadness of his untimely passing. Honestly is any one's passing timely?

My dad revered family as one important assets in one's life. He may have made mistakes but the end result is and always was keep your family close. I keep my dad close to my heart and no matter how bad of a day I have or lonely I feel he is there. Man this is hard to write. I didn't think I would be feeling so vulnerable, geez. Anyway, our family did something I think is really cool. My mom had this idea so we wrote down a special message for Dad's birthday, kids included, put them into a balloon and filled it with helium. My eldest daughter is the only kid who remembers my dad and made sure we sang happy birthday to him. We gathered in the backyard with all our hands on the balloon and then let it go at dusk. We all watched the balloon rise higher and higher in the sky, as Emma said "getting closer and closer to grandpa", it nearly broke my heart.

Now there is a another happy birthday, today as a matter of fact, of one spectacular woman. She is fearless, smart, innovative, loving, loyal, and someone I have always secretly wanted grow up an be like. I think it was inevitable that some of that sass that goes with the kick ass personality has rubbed off and I am proud to wear it. I come from a long line of kick some ass and take the names later lineage. And wouldn't you know it, she is my dad's sister, Auntie Barbara! I speak of Nick as my only brother but really my cousins are my brother and sister too. I grew up with them through the horribly fashion deprived seventies, and the unruly neon of the eighties. I just love them, they are stars to me. Oh, uh, Uncle Bill, try not to fill the Husband's head with too many of those ideas that women's heads can be rolled up like deflated balloons and put in a bag for later? Huh? Could ya? I know, I know, boobs without heads, I get it. :o) Listen, I love you no matter what ole man!

I want to let you all know about a special little girl whose 5th birthday has arrived before I could even blink. Mums and Dads, you know of what I speak. Before I know it I will be writing about her going off to college or getting married. Oh Lord give me strength to pull the shot gun trigger at any suitor attempting to take my girl. Honestly thought, all I care about is that she find anyone who will treat her with respect and love her for all the faults I have instilled in her personality. She is going to be tough and I know I will need to set aside some couples counseling money aside for who ever she chooses to live her life with. I am hoping for a cat.

Oh wait, we are talking about a five year old. I got a little ahead of myself. Wow, she is five and every bit as wonderful I thought she would be. I can't get enough of that little face, I want to kiss it all the time and tell her how much I love her. I tell her when I was wishing for an Emma to come into my life, she is exactly what I needed. MUSH ALERT! She and her sister will be dressing like princesses, with crowns, when we fly out on Friday.

So in short, please sing a joyous punk rock Happy Birthday to Andy, Auntie Barbara and the Divine Miss E! I love you all so much!

A New York Minute

Ok, after this last post I think I need to go back a bit for a little light entertainment. But just let me say this, if the last post made you a little uncomfortable, then you have made me understand the power of the written word. I actually was laughing the whole time I wrote not thinking that it would freak my loving readers. For that, I do apologize but I am so very happy that you decided to stay with me for a bit longer. :o)

Now on to bigger and better things. In.....four....no wait, eight days, this chick and my girl group the chicklets will be winging our way to be the next episode of New York Housewives. Well maybe not the next episode but I will be hitting the concrete jungle for four fun filled days. Am I excited? HELL YES! For those of you who do not know, the Husband (yes for now he is one good behavior) generously treated the women in his life to a FABULOUS, EXTRAORDINARY, LUSH mini getaway for Emma, Abbie, Mom and I to visit the Big Apple. For this I am very grateful and thankful to have an opportunity to expose the kids to something out of the ordinary of our daily routine. THANK YOU HUSBAND!

So we leave on Em's birthday and I have plans for her to get the princess treatment. I got her a little crown, sash and scepter to wear on the airplane and we will be her court of ladies. I have mapped out a multitude of activities for us, Little Mermaid on Broadway, Central Park, the zoo, museums, Build -a - Bear, aquarium, Rockefeller Center, anything I can get to. I have bus schedules, taxi cab etiquette, and a little mini bottle of tequila in my pocket to medicate myself. I am ready for anything.

Lovely people, I need suggestions. My littlest daughter is not, NOT a fan of confined spaces. So much so, that she will not ride in elevators. A plane is a fast moving elevator reaching a cruising altitude of 35 thousand feet, for 6 hours. Is the picture becoming a little clearer? I do not fear for myself, I fear those poor people also caught in the tin can from the nether world of Hades who will suffer the shrill and penetrating screams of a 2 1/2 year old girl with a decibel level of 125 to start and moves up to permanent hearing loss at 194.

Now I have been working on her for weeks, relating the story of events so that it will not be so new, her synapses will have some kind of deja vous recall she has been there before and it was ok. But seriously, beyond the purple monkey blanket and a nuk nuk (yes the nuk nuk is lingering specifically for this trip for comfort, so sue me, dentist lady) how the Hades am I going to sooth this little angel? Hugs, check, soft mommy voice of comfort, check, re-explaining the events over and over and over again, check, food, check, toys, check, locking her and I in the bathroom at take off, check, offering free drinks to the rest of the passengers for the entire flight, check.

The answer is lots of kiddie drugs and a little luck (all this is for me) In lieu of that conclusion.

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today.

I want to be a part of it, New York, New York.

These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray, and make a brand new start of it, New York, New York.

I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps.

To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap.

These little town blues, are melting away.

I'll make a brand new start of it, in old New York.

If I can make it there,I'll make it anywhere.

It's up to you, New York, New York.

Music by John Kander

Lyrics by Frank Ebb

Reinventing myself

How many times a day do I think about how to make myself a better person. Well, man I have hit the pay dirt. I have found a book that will send my on my way, the promise land here I come!

If ever there was someone out there looking out for me, then this book was written for me. It could have been written for you but it wasn't. Only for me, because really it is only about me right? Is there anyone else as important? I don't think so and really my opinion is the one that really matters in the this world built for me.

So if you think you are up to it, meaning trying to reach the top rung where I will be, go ahead and try but honestly do you really think you'll make it?

A little dirty fun

On your mark, get set, GO!

Sunny Day Stomping

I caught the instant before she fell to her butt in the muddy, sandy water.

Witness the aftermath of the fall. I could not convince the little kids their big sis slipped on accident. This spurred many staged dives and rolls in the water.

I have no explanation for this. Sometimes I have to ask her "Who are you?" This girl is in her own little bitsy world. You just gotta love her.

Soaked from head to toe in mud, sand, and random dirt. They rode home in their underwear. I could not find the strength to allow them in the car with those filthy, wet clothes and shoes. What I do know, is they had the time of their lives that day and they played together in pleasant harmony.

The boy was unavailable for comment, in fact he adamently stated "NO CHEESE MOMMA!"

Et tu Brute? Momma Monday?

Tag and I am it! My Friend Heather has brought a new and fun dimension via Erin to my little blog universe, the Momma Monday Post.

Rainy days are a mixed blessing in our home. While the adventurous mommy I can be (though it has been awhile) would bundle the kids up and take them out into the weather, this activity is getting a little dicey with three kids. Someone is always cranky. I say stomp through every puddle of muddy, sandy water you can find. Run, be free, yuck it up! Then I have to do the laundry.

One of my favorite things to do with the kids, and I say my favorite because I haven’t asked the kids if they find this as fun as I do, is to give the kids warm, bubbly baths, put on our soft, snuggly pajamas, get our blankets, popcorn and watch movies. The reason I love this so much is that all the kids climb into my lap or sit on either side of me and snuggle. No matter how bad the day is, these kids as Emmakat says “makes my heart bigger”.

Run and scream
Our house has a unique feature of circular path through the living room and hallway. It is simple; I am the assigned the role of tiger, monster, lion, dinosaur (sharp tooth with tail I might add) or any growling figure will do. The kids scream, giggle, hide, and run recklessly through the house. How else am I supposed to exercise? You can amend this activity with a vacuum cleaner. For some odd reason the kids love to play tag with the vacuum cleaner but the same tiring effect occurs, running and screaming equals good nap time. Again how else am I supposed to clean?

Building blocks and giants galore
We have these huge locking type blocks and we will build towers of many colors only to have the kids pretend they are wrecking balls or giants knocking over the towers. It is fun but it is short lived fun because someone is always crabby.

Crayons, play dough, and more
All of these things work great. I have narrowed it down to a bucket of crayons, color pencils and markers. My husband brings home huge pieces of paper, large enough to have the kids lay down so we can trace their bodies, hands, feet. I laugh when they ask me to lie down on the floor, I just tell them “Sweet Pea, there just isn’t a piece of paper that big in the world”.

I love play dough, roll it, squeeze it, and pound it. The little kids for their birthday got this cool play dough set with tools and this wonderful little mommy helper a play dough pig. This little guy has a nose which pigs up play dough anywhere. I L – O – V – E the play dough pig,

Now depending how messy you want to get, you should try mixing corn starch and water. This stuff is cool, it is squishy and wet but when you pull your hands out the stuff is instantly dry and powdery on your hands. It is a nice tactile activity.

Books, books, and more books
The kids love to read, I love to read, so it makes for a nice relationship. We have some book/toys which help my oldest (not my husband as stated in the previous post although I wonder?) learn how to read and write. I also got her a dry erase board to use because we never have enough paper around. So this board cuts down on the amount of paper used and puts the surface in a different position for their little hands. She uses it all the time and the cool thing is you can take tape and mark out lines to practice the sizing of her upper and lowercase letters.

The computer also provides some fun time too. There are some websites, like starfall which work on phonetic activities with pictures and stories. Then there are always the Sprout, Disney, Nick jr. and Noggin to keep the kids busy. It is like the vegetables, I try to sneak in the important stuff with fun when I can. Sometimes the kids are on to me, so it goes back to the running and screaming fun.

Crafts
Well I am not a crafty mom but I once tried to make robots out of paper grocery bags. I cut holes out for the arms and faces. This will last until the bag rips but with three robots chasing each other the odds are considerably higher for destruction.

Anyway, there it is a rainy Momma Monday actually on Monday instead of Wednesday or Thursday.

A Little Literary Poking at ........

People often ask, and it is not those who know me, "are you going to have just one more?" I emphatically answer "NO! I at my parenting limit with the four I have." Four? I can see the wheels clicking, and you are saying to yourself "she has never spoke of four children."

Well folks you have missed the eldest of my group, yes the one who can usually dress himself, shower on his own, and sometimes shave. The Husband.

I was reading this morning a article which sites a University of Michigan study that husbands create 7 hours more housework a week. Is this true? Can it be? I think I may have to put that hypothesis to the test this week.

So folks, I am going to chart every crumpled paper towel I find, the herds of dirty socks I find cowering at the end of the bed under the covers, the increased inches to the pile of laundry in the corner, the shedded damp towels inching their way out and off the bathroom floor, how many days the new toilet paper roll will sit on top of the empty toilet paper roll in the holder, and how long it takes me to locate the multiple remotes required to use the TV. I am sure my chart will be longer, I may have to use legal size paper to fit them all.

My fellow women, wives, girlfriends, I vow to research the claim of additional seven, count them, seven hours of housework provided by male force in the household. I vow to be unbiased in my research, I vow to use statistical data for the good of womanhood, I vow to find some light at the end of the tunnel of laundry! (Fervent fist thrusting in the air, blind intensity in the eyes)

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL! CHARGE!

Happy Birthday Kim!

Come on everybody! Give a big birthday shout out to a wonderful friend of mine!

K to the I to the M and that spells KIM!

One of the coolest things I got to participate in for Kim's birthday is that his wife, partner, & friend, Miss Heather put together a project to collect 43 things from friends and family about what we love about Kim. Awesome idea, thought provoking and a great way to show a person how much they mean to you. I just want to let him know that I am honored to be the "little" Kymn to your "big" Kim. For those of you folks who are scratching your heads let me "esplane".

Not too many times in your life do you get to have a friend with the same name, let alone a male friend with the same name. I met Heather just shortly after she had started dating Kim so you can see when Heather and I started hanging out some people "assumed" when she was speaking of Kim she was speaking of me. Confused yet? From that day on I was dubbed "Little Kymn" and proud to wear that moniker.

So thank you Big Kim, thank you Miss Heather, thank you for letting me be a part of your lives. Thank you for all the laughs, snorts and giggles to be had and I look forward to many more. Thank you for your shoulder to cry on, thank you for stimulating conversations, thank you for the lovely photographs, thank you for opening your heart and sharing your life experiences. Thank you for being you.

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

Kim