lovely chaos

summer trip. first sight of the ocean. part 2.

yep, i'm still posting about our trip to maryland! we did so much there and haven't done much since. so...

on our second day at the ocean, we walked over to layton's for a yummy breakfast. they had typical breakfast food, but their most amazing feature was their donuts. now we have an amazing local donut place here which i've talked about before, but these donuts were beyond amazing. i mean melt in your mouth amazing. we've been talking about them ever since!

after layton's we took a little bike ride on a four person surrey. the kids got to ride up front, and they loved it! we sang "wheels on the bus" really loud and embarrassed jay to death. i've also decided that it would be really fun to buy one of these and ride it around out neighborhood. wouldn't that be hilarious?! jay was again...embarrassed at the idea. it was a really good workout though!

lula wanted to go swimming again of course. so after our bike ride, we went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the morning in the kiddie pool. it was still too chilly to go to the ocean.

when it was about time for lunch, we changed, packed up our stuff so we could check out of the hotel, and headed down the boardwalk for some pizza. it was a little further than i thought and the kids fell asleep on the way there.

they slept through most of lunch. lula finally woke up and ate a little. diesel finally woke up near the end, but was still so tired that he didn't want to eat. i put him on my lap to color, but when i set him down to go to the bathroom, the biggest melt down i've ever seen began and lasted for about the next 30 minutes. it was kind of miserable. i immediately took him out of the restaurant of course and tried to distract him on the boardwalk and the sand, but nothing would work.

finally everyone else came out and i handed him off to jay. i'd been promising lula a henna tattoo which were advertised all over the boardwalk. so we got her a butterfly and flower. she was so proud! meanwhile, diesel was screaming.

at some point he insisted on taking off all his clothes. then jay carried him kicking and screaming along the boardwalk back to the hotel. at some point he realized that diesel wanted a tattoo too, which i had offered him earlier and he had just screamed at. anyway, that's what finally calmed him down!

after all that, the men and kids headed back to the hotel to swim some more while mom and i did a little shopping! then we met up to head back home.

it was quite a busy trip to the beach, but we had a great time overall. and i'm glad my kids finally got to see the ocean!

summer trip. there's no place like home... especially a home where bunnies breed.

yesterday we finally arrived home after two long days of travel. the kids were amazing although lula asked if we were there yet about twenty times on our first day of travel! but minus a couple of diesel melt downs (which seem more and more frequent these days!), they did a great job of sitting still for hours on end in the car. they're pretty great kids. very flexible and adaptable.

lula leading diesel into the hotel our first night of travel. she's such a little mother, and i love how close these two are. sometimes lula will lean in close and say, "you're my best buddy." i hope it lasts!

minor tangent... diesel got to sleep in a big bed for the first time in his life since we didn't have our pack n play with us! we played musical beds several times and suffered through a serious melt down, but he actually did pretty good overall. might be time to transition him out of his crib.

we had such a good time at my parents' and we miss them terribly. driving home makes us hyper-aware of just how far away we are from them. but there's nothing like getting home and settling back into your own space. i really love our little house.

we were able to get home at a decent hour and put everything away. jay even mowed the back yard which had literally turned into a jungle in just two weeks. there were vines growing around our soccer goal! it was a little creepy! but when he started mowing, he noticed some movement in the grass. we have a couple of bunnies that frequent our backyard and apparently they decided to have their babies here! so they started hopping around when jay turned on the mower!

obviously he didn't want to accidentally run over them. so he was able to catch two which we put in a box until he finished. the kids watched over them diligently with very stern instructions not to touch them! it was a pretty sweet and cute way to end the evening.

home sweet home!

summer trip. downhill cardboard sledding in the summer.

i believe it was the first day we arrived at my parents' house that the following activity occurred! i was getting all of our clothes put away and getting settled in while everyone else was playing. then i grabbed my book and snuck into my favorite chair in my favorite corner of my parents' house. it was glorious to have someone else watching the children while i simply sat and relaxed.

but it didn't take too long for me to be drawn in by the laughs and screams of the fun going on outside. it's funny how i long for moments of silence and solitude yet the life force of my children always draws me to them. so i reluctantly and with a frustrated sigh put my book away and headed outside. of course i was glad i joined in the fun. this is what was going on...

great gifts for every occasion at uncommon goods.

i've mentioned Uncommon Goodsbefore as one of my favorite online places to pick up gifts for pretty much anyone. they have a great variety of unique items for all the people in your life. soon i'll be receiving one of my favorite items courtesy of uncommon goods... the felt mushroom birdhouse. but i just couldn't wait to share!

Felt Birdhouse - Mushroom

"Uncommon Goods is an online and catalog retailer that combines the treasures of a specialty boutique, the great finds of a craft show, and discoveries from a faraway bazaar. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, UncommonGoods is an independently-owned company that endeavors to feature unique designs and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people. We also support local artists and designers; in fact, half of the products we carry are made right here in the USA."

another item i'll be receiving is their table topics card game. i'm excited to start using these fun questions at the dinner table with the kids to make our conversation a little more interesting!

Table Topics

Uncommon goods has great gifts for every occasion like these here for graduation and these here for father's day. they also support artists, give to great charities worldwide, and have fun competitions for patrons. check out this awesome company... especially if you need a great gift soon!

summer trip. a stop at the columbus zoo.

we decided to take three days driving across country to my parents house. our first stop was to spend the night in st. louis with my best friend. then we headed to the columbus, ohio area to spend the afternoon and night with my college roommate. we met them at the columbus zoo to get some energy out after sitting in the car all day. the kids had a blast just running through the park and climbing on the bronze statues.

a big wave from columbus, ohio! more on our trip to come.

happy birthday, sweet non-dessert grudge-holding husband.

happy birthday, babe! i'm pleased to announce that my husband of 13.5 years is turning 38 today! i know... he's old, right?! what's great is that i'll always be 4.5 years younger than jay and therefore always feel kind of young. at least next to him! thanks, honey!

alright, enough with the lame age jokes. jay said something last night or perhaps the night before that summed him up so well. i had made a somewhat "healthy" cake for his little family birthday party monday night. if you know me at all, you know that dessert is a really big deal to me. i mean really big deal. my world literally used to revolve around sweets. i would definitely have called it an addiction, and i'm not using the term lightly.

i'm a recovering dessert-aholic. but just like any -holic, you're really never completely over your addiction, and there's always the danger of falling back into your old habits and thought patterns. (yes, this is about jay. just give me a minute to set this up!) so even though i've gotten my sugar issues under control to a great degree, i still think about birthday cakes and what we'll have at this or that event, and i think about it a lot!

i've been thinking about the perfect birthday cakes for several family members including jay for months. yes, months! if you follow me on pinterest, you've probably seen a trend on my "food" board! anyway, jay once told me that his favorite ice cream was butter pecan, which was kind of a surprise to me, but he can be random like that! so i stumbled upon this cake a while ago that seemed perfect for a butter pecan lover and had intended to make it for his birthday this week. (wow! this is a really long set up! stay with me!)

BUT we've been eating poorly lately and feeling it. we both need to back off of processed and sugary foods a little. so instead of the butter pecan cake, i decided on a much less sweet gluten-free zucchini-almond cake. it was pretty good, and everyone seemed to enjoy it, but it just wasn't the same as a really good birthday cake. i really thought hard about this decision and was rather torn about it.

after the party, i was worried that jay might have been disappointed, (cause I definitely would've been!) especially since he grabbed some extra tater tots after his piece of cake instead of a second piece. that alone told me everything i needed to know... or so i thought.

but later i asked him if he was disappointed about the cake. he kind of looked at me blankly. when it finally dawned on him what i was talking about, he said that he hadn't given it a second thought. he'd forgotten about the cake soon after we'd eaten it. then he said, "i don't hold dessert grudges."

after laughing, i wrote down the quote. that is so jay. as long as i've known him, he's never held a grudge against anyone no matter what. it just isn't in his nature, and it's amazing to me. i've honestly never known anyone else who is as forgiving and easy-going as my guy. it sure has made our marriage a heck of a lot easier. i remember early on telling him things he'd done to hurt me or whatever. instead of the fight i was expecting, jay would simply apologize and ask what he could do differently in the future! i mean, do you know anyone like that? who doesn't get immediately defensive? i sure don't! he has taught me so much over our years together about love, patience, maturity, responsibility... since we were married when i was 19, i always tell people that i "grew up" with jay, and it is the absolute truth. he finished raising me!

anyway, i think i'm a pretty lucky gal and that certainly isn't the only reason. he's also an amazing father! he loves his kids like crazy and is so good with them. he teaches them and really takes the time to invest in their lives. they adore him. there isn't much more important than when your husband really loves your kids.

jay is such a blessing to me and our whole family. he's the cream of the crop. he's so great in fact, i think i might make him that butter pecan cake after all! :) happy birthday, darling!

little four year olds and two year olds. my couch potatoes.

i confess. i'm guilty. really, really guilty. my kids have been watching a lot of tv lately! i try to limit their intake. i really do. no tv in the morning except on saturdays, and just a little bit in the afternoon. but it seems like it's been a lot more than that. oh well. the uptake is that they are often sitting still enough for me to take some pics of them! ahhh... the silver lining!

here lu and d are watching "candy land"... again! i recently bought them the original version of willy wonka and the chocolate factory at target for $5. they LOVE it! lula calls it "candy land" and always wants me to skip to the part when violet turns into a blueberry. she's fascinated by it. on the other hand, my sensitive soul, mr. d, often sobs over augustus gloop tumbling into the chocolate river! i'm not exaggerating!

not sure if i can explain this one! who can know the mind of a quirky little two year old?! diesel is listening to his heart, drinking milk, and watching baby einstein in his swim trunks. interpret as you will!

parenting 101. i don't want to grow up!

don't you hate it when you realize you've been a bad mother? i don't mean since your kid was born, but just lately. like maybe the last few days. your kids are being mean and talking back and not obeying and at first you think there's something wrong with them. maybe they're going through a phase. but then you realize you just haven't been a good mother lately. something's wrong with YOU, not them! it's a very frustrating realization. you have to recalibrate, and it feels like you're starting from square one. you raise the frequency of time outs and loss of priveleges and reduce the volume of your voice. (yes, reduce. lula laughs at me when i yell at her because it's so infrequent and so ridiculous. it's very humbling to have a four year old laugh in your face because you're acting like a child!) and eventually things even back out again and your children seem "normal."

it's so much easier just to let things go and not be that great of a parent. but it's also a lot more stressful when your children are yelling at each other and you're yelling at them. sometimes i want to act like a child. i want to yell and scream and stamp my foot and throw toys across the room. but then i remember i'm the adult and not only that, but i'm the model for my children. ugh! responsibility is not fun! :) but it does make life more peaceful and pleasant.

guest post. Summertime Fun--Can't Wait? Don't Wait!

by anna kay hicks

Spring is finally here and we're beginning to see green on the trees and hear the sound of running lawnmowers on Saturday afternoons. Summer is right around the corner and that means fun adventures are just within reach. What are you planning on doing to make your summer full of excitement and new experiences?

Don't just let the season go by without planning some great activities to take advantage of this warm weather while it is here. Here are some budget-friendly activities you and your family can enjoy this summer.

Water Fun—There are loads of opportunities for water activities, so a great place to start is swimming lessons. If you already know how to swim then your next step would be taking some snorkeling or surf lessons to give you a change of pace from the usual activities, such as lounging on a raft in a pool. There are many community pools that have yearly passes that an individual or families can take advantage of. Call your local parks department to find out more.

Some cities also have theme parks that have slides, whirlpools and rides that can fill an entire week of fun. Renting jet skis or water skiing is another great way of spending time at the ocean or at a lake. 

Having fun with water doesn't have to involve trips to the pool or lake. It can be as easy as letting the kids run through the sprinkler in the back yard or play in a blow-up pool. Many department stores have special water toys that hook up to the garden hose for creative and inexpensive ways of enjoying the summer.

Bike Riding—Bike riding is a great way to enjoy the scenery and could even be a competitive activity enjoyed with family and friends. Every city has special races that sponsor non-profit organizations and allow everyone to participate. 

Cycling is great for families with small children because there are special seats that connect to the back of the bike to make for a  ride the whole family can enjoy. Also, check with your local parks and recreation department to map the trails. This makes it a family friendly activity that you can enjoy on any day nice enough to strap on a helmet.

Jogging and Hiking—These are simple and more exercise-based, but there are many groups that enjoy moving as a family affair. Not to mention, by doing this together it teaches children that exercise is fun. Jogging and hiking is great to do with other people as these activities allow for more intimate, one on one conversations that builds closer long-term relationships. Seek out the hiking trails that are exciting to explore and be one with nature.

The Park-- The Park is simple and probably the most accessible for many families. The sky is the limit with things to do in the park. A lot of parks have jungle gyms that children can play on like slides, see-saws and monkey bars. There are activities like frisbee, football, soccer, baseball, and much more for you to enjoy in the wide open green spaces that some parks offer.

One must have the right clothing to participate in all this outdoor fun and the internet is the easiest and fastest place to go. Look for promo deals at NerdWallet and you may find a promo code for gear you need like a bathing suit, biking wear or some great hiking boots! After you get your gear, then let the summer fun begin! 

Taking advantage of the warm sun and fresh air is a great opportunity to build relationships and get some exercise along the way. Don’t delay on planning your summer activities, it's just around the corner.

life. pure imagination

from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory... the original.

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be

have a lovely, imaginative weekend!