Goodbye Capri- Love, Haley

Kindergarten

1st grade

 2nd Grade

 3rd Grade

4th Grade 

 5th grade (annoyed the school sign was down- grr!)

 Recreating their kindergarten slide picture.

Haley's 6 years in elementary school flew by. Capri was the perfect place for her to learn and grow and be challenged, yet feel safe and supported through it all. We were blessed with hard working and dedicated teachers. Haley met wonderful friends and kept Miss Taylor through it all. They've known each other since they were 2- and look at them now!

I can't believe she is off the middle school. Capri has her prepared for the next part in her life. I am so grateful for the school and community. 

5th grade promotion was so sweet and well done. Grammy was sick and couldn't make it. We missed her!

Onward and upward and forward Haley Rose! Man, are you loved!

8

June 11, 2016- Ryan is 8.

8 years of this cute face.
8 years of the most amazing laugh.
8 years of pure boy (and pure joy).

 newborn

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8

Ryan,

You are a sweet sensitive (and very funny) soul. In your 8 years you have your parents so proud, your sister laugh more than ever, your grandparents beam with pride. You are smart and goofy and playful and creative. You are a good friend. Your energy is one that people want to be around.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BOY!

Mother's Day Version 11.0

Yesterday I celebrated my 11th Mother's Day as a mom. I still feel like a rookie every single day. It's funny because I have thought about so many things to write in this post, as being a mom entails so much, but I will stick with the dream I had Mother's Day Eve. 

I had a dream that I had the kids at the beach and they ran into school kids I didn't recognize. I thought how nice and fun it would be for the kids. As they played, at one point, I noticed Haley's body language change in the group she was in. I observed from my beach chair and knew something was up. A minute later, she walked over and sat down next to me. I asked her what was going on and she said it was no big deal. I asked her what happened and she told me that she was being teased and she told me exactly what the kids had said to her.

Although it was a dream, it was vivid (as all my dreams are) and I could feel the heat starting in my chest and rising to my face. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears and I looked over at the kids laughing and playing after hurting my child. I gritted my teeth and charged over to the kids, feeling my rage growing with every heavy footed step. I wildly laid into all of them. I don't remember what I said, but I remember losing it completely and the anger being out of control. You see, Haley was fine and I was blowing a gasket.

This is motherhood. Of course I would never charge a group of 11 year olds and start screaming (well, at least I haven't yet) but the point is, I would definitely want to.Being a mom is no friggin' joke. It's like in certain scenes in movies when you see a part played out of  what the character wants to do, instead of what s/he actually does. That happens to moms all the time. We picture ridding ANYONE who brings any sort of harm to our children. I feel feelings I have never felt before. 

I feel fierce. 

I feel like a warrior. 

I feel unstoppable- un-mess-with-able (look for that word coming soon on Urban Dictionary).

I feel love like no other. 

I would do ANYTHING for them to be ok and better than ok and pain free and have their needs met. ANYTHING. 

And that about sums it up. Happy Mother's Day!

Laughing

I am laughing that I posted that article about Letting Go, two times and am JUST REALIZING IT! Haha. I'm a dork, but that obviously resonated with me!

Dad's 70th

This guy turned 70. We celebrated with family and it was a perfect celebration. My dad is a pretty incredible human being. He has lived quite the life. He is a strong and beautiful man. I feel blessed to have been raised by him and still learn important life lessons from him. He's the best.

Cheers to 70 more years!

Jennifer Garner

                             

I have always liked Jennifer Garner.I like the way she presents herself in the public eye. Of course I don't know her, but she was pregnant with her daughter while I was pregnant with Ryan. Her marriage ended the same time/month that mine did- so I actually think of her often.She and I are on the same timeline of these things. Is that weird? Haha.
 I have read her recent interviews about how she's doing and how she's moving on and I have compared it to how I am doing. She's strong and stoic and graceful (at least to the media)- exactly how I want to be.

Last night I saw her movie "Miracle From Heaven." This movie is the true story about a little girl with an incurable disease that miraculously is cured when she falls down a tree head first. I promise I didn't ruin it. It's all in the previews!

I am not religious, but very spiritual. The movie hit home and I felt even more connected to her because of the role she portrayed and the message she helped send. The bottom line is that whether we are religious or not, miracles happen every single day, every single moment. We need to see them as such. People see miracles as these huge unexplained acts or happenings. Yes, there are those. But the message also showed that most miracles are in our every day lives.

Miracles are in the faces of those we love. Miracles are in strangers' acts of kindness. It's easy to see all that is wrong or all that you wish for. If we focus on miracles and recognize them when they occur, our lives are much richer. It has nothing to do with religion or faith, but what is happening to you and around you every single day.

See the movie. It's worth it.  Jennifer and I should meet for a drink one day :)

Women's Weekend

A few years ago, the women in my family started an annual get away. The 5 of us have stayed in Napa (twice),  Bodega Bay, and Sea Ranch.




This is where I meditated- on the property of where we were staying!

And, of course- delicious cocktails and food:)





Each weekend we have is pretty remarkable. It helps that the women in this group are amazing. I feel so blessed to have my family be my friends.