Grab a beer because I'm back!

I know. It's been weeks since I've done a picture post. Get over it. I am a busy woman and if my phone isn't in Ana's mouth, I am using it to take another picture of her sweet face or of Grace, and really people would stop reading my blog if I posted EVERY picture I took of my girls. That's why I stopped reading your blog. (Kidding) (Kind of) (I like variety)

Without further ado, here is two weeks worth of pictures, broken up into three sections:

I. Stuff you don't care about

II.Weddings of people you don't know

III. Pictures and stories of my kids

Part I: Stuff you don't care about

I have turned into a bag lady. On any given day I can been seen carrying all this crap around: my swim bag, my pump, my bag/purse of personal belongings and my laptop. I look like a nut. Maybe cuz I am.

Speaking of bags... check out this gem. Um, the bag isn't really my style to begin with. But then the whole Daniel Boone look really takes this to a whole new level. Hi, we live in the suburbs, not the wild, wild west. Leave your raccoon hat at home.

I had to stop for this drawbridge. I was pretty amazed that drawbridges actually get used. And then I was terrified to drive across, like it was going to fall or something. Um, ya.

My parents did some reorganization of their office and so Brandon and I inherited this daybed for our office. I am really excited because our office looks better and now I have a very comfortable place to lay and watch tv. Thanks mom!

On Wednesday morning I found this guy in my sink. I named him Frank. Then I blocked the disposal and covered the sink so he couldn't escape and waited for my brother--in-law to get to my house and save him =)

Frank came to visit again tonight. He stayed outside this time.

I made a nice little cheese display for my mom. I got skills.

Part II: Weddings of people you don't know.

My sister-in-law got married last weekend at a mansion near the Delta. We had so much fun!! I was a bridesmaid. Here I am messing around while we were up in the room waiting for the wedding to start.

It was a beautiful wedding and my sister-in-law was the most gorgeous bride I have ever seen. I have a ton of pictures, but it was her day, not mine. So all you get is this sneak peek...

 

Last night we went to the wedding of a long time family friend. It was a blast because all of our friends were there. It was held on their family property and it was a beautiful ceremony set against a pond and the reception in the backyard.

The centerpieces had bright flowers in mason jars and there was homemade strawberry jam on all the tables. That's my sissy in the background, pretending not to be in the picture.

Two weddings in two weeks is enough. Moving on.

Part III: Pictures and stories of my kids

If I wasn't too lazy to upload pictures from my camera, you would have some cute, "real" pictures of my kids. Instead you get life captured by my iPhone.

My kids wrestle everyday. And by wrestle I mean that Ana attacks Grace when she wants the toy Grace has or also for no apparent reason. Ana will army crawl right over Grace and my poor Gracie just looks stunned.

"Hey mom! Let me out!"

In addition to her wrestling and army crawling skills, Ana has also recently learned how to pull herself up on the bumpers or side of the crib. Tonight we lowered the crib so that I don't walk in and find herself hanging over the edge.

For a safer naptime until we had time to lower the mattress I put Ana in the pack n' play. She did not like it. She spent all of naptime trying to claw her way out. Naptime fail.

I try really hard to keep the girls out of the sun. Unfortunately they look to be as fair skinned as I am, so I want to protect my poor little babies. When I got back from my walk the other day I noticed that their little feet had slipped out.

For those of you who made it all the way through my silly photos, you are rewarded with the two cutest faces I ever have seen.

dreaming of my happy place...

Welcome to my happy place: a place high up on a mountain, nestled in next to Donner Lake, a place where I can swim, wakeboard, hike and throw the ball in the water for the dog in the summer. A place where I can snowboard and sit in complete awe of the snow in the winter. And between the two seasons of extreme sports is the fall- my favorite time when the ride up the mountain is transformed by trees on fire with yellow, orange and red leaves.

I am dreaming of my happy place-- an area that I have visited so many times in my life that I can drive the roads comfortably in the dark and in the snow. It is a place that holds memories of early ski lessons, camping trips, family Christmases, 4th of July and my engagement. In that place I have experienced snow storms and rain storms. When I am there I feel small next to enormous trees and pristine lakes.

There are many places on this great Earth that I love including Hawaii and Spain. But maybe it is the familiarity and my deep roots that always call me back to a little area in the greater Lake Tahoe area called Truckee. My heart yearns to be there.

This is the longest period in my life I have gone without visiting there. Where for years I went almost every month, it has been ten months since I visited last, when I was five months pregnant with my babies. Since then there has been no time for snowboarding or hiking. But in August we will go back again, this time with our family a little bigger. And I ache for my babies to have the same love for this place I love, this place that I plan on taking them back to, season after season.

I am thinking of the cold waters of Donner on my toes. I am imagining the scent of your trees. I am planning the hikes. Until then I am dreaming of you, Truckee.

I would rather

I would rather freeze to death in the snow than suffer through a hot, stifling death.

I would rather wear flip flops than tennis shoes.

I would rather wear heels if they didn't kill my feet.

I would rather have a dog than a cat.

I would rather find a frog in my sink than a bug.

I would rather go without heat than without air conditioning.

I would rather eat cookies than vegetables.

I would rather have drinks at bar while socializing than dance at a club.

I would rather drive than be a passenger.

I would rather have the aisle seat than the window seat.

I would rather jump into the middle of a lake than walk into it from shore.

I would rather snowboard than wakeboard.

I would rather write a blog than do laundry or dishes or vacuum.

I would rather be skinny than rich. (I think) (I am neither)

I would rather use Facebook than Twitter.

I would rather watch The Hangover than Anchorman.

I would rather eat brussel sprouts than broccoli.

I would rather take a shower than a bath.

I would rather cook than go out.

I would rather laugh than cry.

I would rather spend time looking at my babies more than any other pasttime I used to enjoy.

What would you rather?

my 200th post will be about a bagel

I don't really care about celebrating my 200th blog post. But I just happened to notice it when I went to write a new one. In honor of this, do a little happy dance for me. Okay? Good. Did you do it? Did you dance? 

One of the many lovely perks of working at my job is that on Friday mornings we get Noah's Bagels. In the last few months it has been easy to pass up a bagel because I love cream cheese, and since nursing my little babes I have not been eating dairy. As a result, I have been skipping the bagel because it is just not as good without cream cheese.

(Side note: my husband hates cream cheese. WTF? Cream cheese is amazing. Whatever).

But this morning I rushed out of the house without having a proper breakfast and so when I got to work I decided to have a bagel. I chose a delicious cinnamon and sugar bagel and I put it into the toaster. When it popped up I grabbed it like always and immediately the cinnamon and sugar goodness welded to my finger and I dropped to my knees (literally) while yelling profanities. THE DAMN CINNAMON AND SUGAR BAGEL BURNT MY FINGER.

("The bagel bit my finger and it really hurt!" If you don't know what I am talking about, click here)

Now I was feeling like a real wimp, because c'mon, it is a bagel. It wasn't like I just grabbed a boiling pot of water or something.

But ladies and gentlemen I am here to warn you: BAGELS CAN BE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH:

See that white spot on my finger? That is a BLISTER. From getting burned. And trust me, it hurts. I spent most of the morning drenching it in burn cream. And let me tell you, typing without your index finger is nearly impossible.

And to think, if I had known that today was National Donut Day none of this would have ever happened.

on motherhood

I wish I could give you a perfect mother. As it is, you have inherited a broken woman. I eat too much, I drink too much, I swear more than your grandma would want me to. I don't always make the best decisions on how to spend my money.

I have terrible fashion sense and I hate wearing makeup. I prefer flip flips to any other type of shoe. My eyebrows are always overgrown. I don't remember the last time I shaved my legs.

I cry when I am stressed, frustrated or overwhelmed. I cry when I am angry or tired. I cry when I am overjoyed and filled with love.

I talk too much. I talk too loud. Sometimes I say things that are hurtful.

I forget things that I said I would do. I procrastinate.

I am no good at keeping a journal, calendar, planner or for that matter, even my blog.

As you grow you will see that my armor has been chipped, that I am covered in bandaids trying to cover up the injuries my heart has suffered. The perfect mother that you see through infant eyes will melt away and what will be left is just me.

Me. Your mama.

I am broken but I heal a little when I hold your tiny hands. I look for ways to get better when I catch you looking at me. Your smile reminds me that there is good inside me.

I love deeply. I am passionate. I am creative.

I always give my best. I work hard.

I value relationships ahead of material items. I love all sorts of people, but I have a soft spot for talking to old men.

I know how to make sacrifices. I can make tough choices. I have chosen to do the right thing against popular demand.

I value life. I love travel. I appreciate language, culture and history. I have faith in God.

I have a sense of humor. I enjoy quiet time for prayer. I can sit in the woods or on sandy shores for hours and just appreciate the greatness of the earth.

I am not the perfect mother. But I am all you get. And I promise to give you all I have.