Ramblings....and Reflecting.

I am sitting here writing this as I look at the window and it is cloudy and cold, although 2 weeks ago we were sweating outside sitting and swimming in our pool. Then in the last 2 weeks, it has rained, been cloudy, warm and cold. But never fear tomorrow it will be 75 and then Friday and Saturday it will be in the 80's! Don't know what's up with the weird weather and all this switching around drives me crazy. I live for the Seasons and just want 4 seasons! I was born and raised in Sonoma County and am so used to seasonable weather. Bring it back!!!

The kids just went back to school after having Easter break for 2 weeks (Yes- for 2 weeks and Yes- Easter break, but you say, "It's not even close to Easter?") We have a very crazy school calendar which I do not like. I want to enjoy a longer summer with my kiddos and the calendar does not provide that :(. Now that they are back in school, they only have 7 weeks of school left! That's it! I am getting desperate on how I can make time STOP. It is going way too fast. WAY TOO fast. I know I can't do anything about it, but in all reality I am a very sentimental mom and I just want my kids with me. When they have breaks I really actually want them with me, I don't want them to return to school or going to friend's houses. They can all come over here! Gracie loves 4th grade and is doing awesome. She has made honor roll every trimester and she is currently working on her 4th grade Missions Project. Her mission she is studying is San Luis Rey in Oceanside. She has to complete a memorized speech, dress in costume as an Indian Girl, make a poster board and create a Diorama of the San Luis Rey Mission! HELLO! Can you say more work for mom? This is a massive project! Cole is completing kindergarten and loves that he knows how to READ! He is so proud of himself and has gained so much confidence this year. I have been sucking out the remaining hours that remain that I get alone with him since he still only has a half day. Because starting next school year, they are both gone all day :( Officially it will be a new phase. 

As the kids are getting older, Robert and I have actually been enjoying a lot more time together. Still not enough, in my opinion, but more that we were used to. We do get some nighttime dates here and there and we get to have lunch dates too! It has been fun! I have such a good time with him after all this time and our love is stronger than ever. That is true commitment. In the wake of hearing of so many breakups, divorces and conflict, Robert and I go back to what we said nearly 13 yrs ago, "a commitment is a commitment, there will be hard times and definite peaks and valleys, but we won't do what we are so used to seeing all around us." Luckily, we also have older couples around us that we have seen make it work and they are mentors for us. We have just done that- we always make sure we make time for each other. Keep it fun, talk, communicate, celebrate, see good friends, relate with others to know you are not alone and create memories!! Hug and kiss (and more!) everyday!! 

More blog posts to come ...and pics!

JOY like I have never experienced

Seeing these cuties on Christmas morning.

Christmas 2008

Joys

My friend, Sarah over at http://www.sarahmarkley.com/ put up a wonderful post on her blog today about challenging herself to find daily joys in life all through the month of December. I loved this! Life is about that, isn't it? Looking for what you can be JOYful about. I look around and there are many wonderful things that bring us JOY each day, but we are so used to them and take them for granted, that sometimes we may miss those little things. For today, I have found JOY in being healthy. I have never suffered by being unhealthy, but moving around my house today I was cleaning and organizing with such ease, but I took it for granted. What if I wasn't able to do that and everyday was a struggle? At the least, it would be a very unproductive day, and at the worst I probably wouldn't enjoy waking up each day. I find JOY in my health and vigor. What do you find JOYful?

December

The month of magic! Lights, music, decorating, holiday outings, bundling up w/ scarves, hats and mittens. The brisk chill just "feels" WINTER! I love it. But I wish it wasn't also the month I turned another year older. I always have to associate the excitement of everything that happens in December with my birthday. I guess I am used to it, however it's not always fun to share my birthday with the month that Jesus was also born. He gets all the glory- I don't. I get Birthday presents wrapped in Christmas wrapping, I get excuses on why people can't get together for my bday because they have Christmas parties to attend or Christmas shopping to do, I get a quick glance and then moving on!! But the one perk I have always delighted in is that I DO get to have my birthday at a magical time, nonetheless! Hustle and Bustle, hustle and bustle! :)

Date Nights

NOTE: I NEED A DATE NIGHT and I think I can speak for my husband - SO DOES HE!

I didn't realize how important date nights were until AFTER we had kids. Then we had babies and we didn't have anyone to leave our children with, especially as babies. We had to learn to accept that and "ride it out" until they were a little older and when we felt a little more reassured that the kids would be OK and wouldn't die if we left for an evening! AHHH...the joys of first time parents! To say that we thought we were going to lose our minds (without having any breaks or time to be together ALONE w/o kids) for YEARS, is an understatement.

Now that the kids are older we do take date nights. But still not as often as I wish we could. I would be happy with 1 date every 2 weeks. More like I think we NEED one every two weeks. I think all couples do. It's more like once a month or sometimes as long as once EVERY TWO months! That is just ridiculous. About 3 yrs. ago, we actually got the opportunity to get a TRIP AWAY for 6 days! At that point we had been married for 10 yrs. and realized it was our first getaway (except one that was 2 days about 5 yrs. prior) and we WERE IN HEAVEN and realized that we thrived from that trip.

Rule of thumb- Take date nights as often as you CAN! Take a one night getaway every other month and try to take an extended trip (5+ days) once a year!!

Start by taking a Date TONIGHT and on the date pencil on your calendar when your next trip is going to be!!

Take the time.

Let your children create, express and share. Listen to what is important to them. Express to them how much you love them and that you are listening. Li-sten! Li-sten! They have so much to say and teach us. I learn something everyday from my kiddos....
What did you learn today from them?

Fighting for Rituals.

Even though both Gracie and Cole are in school, I still feel like I'm not "all the way there." Cole only goes for a half a day and he is home by 12:30. I feel like I am slowly hanging on with only 1 finger and grabbing his finger and grasping for that little short while left of having my baby (or any kids) at home any longer during the day. It's slowly widdling down to the end. Soon they will both be at school all day and then I can accomplish many things that I have wanted to for the last (by then it will be 10 yrs.)!! BUT I will still wish they were home with me. Our routine everyday is picking up Cole and he comes home and eats lunch and we still have some 1 on 1 time together. It still feels like I have a "little one." It's a ritual- it is what I have had for years. Always a little one by my side. To say the least, I will feel sad when it is no longer that way. Even now, I wish for their vacations- because then I have them all to myself. I love their random days off. I even love their EVERY WEEK modified Wednesdays because then I know I get them at 1pm and we have the whole rest of the day together. We do "movie wednesdays" at home where we relax on "hump day" and cuddle together. I'm going to fight for these alone times with them, even when they are teenagers. I'm going to fight for my rituals.