My Sam

Sam is in the phase of saying some pretty funny stuff lately that I know I will forget if I don't write it down. Here's my attempt to bottle his innocence forever.

Me: Sam, I'm feeling sad. You're becoming such a big boy and I don't have a baby in the house any more.

Sam: You can always make another baby.

I had a zit under my nose this week and Sam tried to wipe it away. 

Me: Ouch!

Sam; Oh sorry, I thought it was a booger.

Sam: Where's my iPad (Kindle tablet)

Eric: It's right here charging.

Sam: Oh good, I thought it was lost forever!

Sam: I don't like brussels scouts!

Sam: I want Daddy to set up the jumpoline!

Sam: The sky is awake so I'm awake. 

Me: Sam, what am I going to do with you?

Sam: Keep me.

Valentine's Crush

Laura came home from school this week with news that Adam in her class had a crush on her. I blew it off thinking a friend of a friend of a friend told her this fact and a little annoyed that this love stuff was already invading my precious baby's thoughts at the tender age of six. (I knew riding the bus was going to corrupt her innocence.)

A few weeks ago Laura told me that she really wanted me to attend her classroom Valentine's party as she felt like she was the only kindergartener whose mother couldn't attend the last two class parties (which I thought couldn't possibly be true). She wore me down and I figured out a way to go to this beloved class party on Friday afternoon. The parking lot was packed and I nearly got backed into by another mother who was trying to illegally park. The thought crossed my mind that maybe it was true, every mother is at the classroom party right now. I ended up parking in a neighborhood and walking through snow drifts to get to this very special party. The moment Laura saw me and tried to contain her excitement made it all worth it. I was put in charge of the cookie center which basically meant passing out cookies and making small talk with kindergarteners. When I introduced myself as Laura's mom, a blond haired boy with big ears said, "I have a crush on Laura." Wow! That was bold. I had no idea kindergarteners were so shameless! I just smiled and winked at Laura and she winked right back.

As I walked through the snow to find my car, I thought about what I learned in kindergarten by going to the Valentine's Party. This is what I got...

1.There were probably 5 moms that came to the class party, but the parking lot looks like everyone was there.

2.Laura's love languages are quality time and acts of service.

3.We are so lucky to have such a patient, kind, and organized kindergarten teacher this year.

4.They have got to improve the parking lot situation at the school.

5.Laura is well liked by her classmates (especially Adam).

6.It's totally acceptable to be shameless about your love for others. ❤️

7.Life is good.

Christmas Collage

We figured out what to do with Christmas cards and get our craft on at the same time!

Top Ten Things to Remember from our 10th Wedding Anniversary Trip

While vacationing with Grandma Claussen in the '90s she always insisted on journaling during the trip "so we wouldn't forget". She was so smart as looking back at those journal entries brings back a lot of laughs and treasured memories. Here are the top ten things to remember about our 10th anniversary trip to Jamaica.

10. "Oh my gosh, a security dog was in our room?!" (I misread a note from housekeeping. They wrote: security lok (locked) the safe, but somehow the word "lok" looked like dog.)

9. Beautiful, sunny days everyday and eating breakfast on our balcony many mornings.

8. "Look at that cruise ship out there in the distance," Eric said while walking around the beach the last night of our stay.

"I don't think that's a cruise ship. It looks too small. It's just a boat with lights," I said. 

As it turns out Eric found an online site to track cruise ships in the ocean in real time. Not only was "the boat with lights" a cruise ship, it was the biggest cruise ship in the world!

7. Swinging on the water swings as long as your feet stayed up and your hands didn't get too blistered.

6. The glass bottom boat ride which left me dry heaving in some bushes. (I think I do want to forget that one.)

5. The White Party and dancing until we were sweaty, just like our first date.

4. Chillaxing in the water hammock.

3. Reserving chairs in the morning with Eric's broken sandals and spending the days reading on the beach.

2. Getting updates from Grandma and Grandpa Schulz & Aunt Liz of all the fun things the kids were doing in Glen Ellyn and Chicago.

1. Feeling renewed and refreshed with the guy that I love so so much. The past 10 years have gone by so quickly. In 10 more years Laura will behind the wheel of a car and Sam will have a driver's permit with a changing voice and quite possibly the beginning signs of a mustache. I think we need to hit the slow motion button on this adventure called life. 

Christmas

At the dentist, the hygentist told me she wished her kids were 6 & 4 again at Christmastime. With the cute things the kids said and done at Christmas, I know why...

While looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve Laura said, "I kind of have happy tears in my eyes right now.."

On a walk around the neighborhood on Christmas Eve night to look for Santa's reindeer or sleigh tracks, Sam told a neighbor he's asking for a special car for Christmas with a phone...that was news to me!

Sam is an optimist. 

What do you think, Sam?  "Good." 

How do you feel, Sam? "Good." 

How'd you sleep, Sam? "Good."

What can I say, life is good.

Laura woke up at 3am at Grandma's house on Christmas night. I laid with her for a while and she told me that grandma's cat likes her, but by the end of the week he's going to love her. He just needs to get used to her.

I checked out the Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's to get the kids in Grandma Camp mode. Sam would always "read" along at parts in the book that discussed the grandparents being so...old.

Laura got a swimmable mermaid tail from Santa for Christmas. She can't walk in it, but enjoys just laying around the house fanning her tail back and forth. I keep thinking of the movie, Splash.

 

New traditions

I love love, always have and always will. I spotted fresh mistletoe while shopping at Trader Joe's and decided to buy it and hang it up for the holiday. The kids think it's silly and will say, "Uh oh, we're under the mistletoe!" while puckering their lips. I love it!

I've also started a new Thanksgiving tradition this year. I bought a white table cloth and fabric markers. During our family's Thanksgiving meal yesterday I placed the new tablecloth on the table and asked everyone to write down what they're thankful for (Sam had help and said he's thankful for books btw). The plan is to add something new each year and see how their handwriting and gratitude changes over time. ❤️

You'll see the Schulz Living History Farms/Thanksgiving pictures below. 

Thankful

It's that time of year again to celebrate Thanksgiving. We hosted the Schulz family for the annual Living History Farms/Thanksgiving event. We had a great time with the Schulzes and I am truly  thankful for all of them. I did have an epiphany over the course of the weekend and I think it's due to the fact that you don't really realize how much someone else does for you until you try to do it yourself. Hosting guests is a ton of work. The house cleaning, laundry, meal planning, shopping, realizing you didn't get something and going back to the store, dishes, washing bedding, working full time, finding fridge space, encouraging Sam to not pee on the toilet seat, etc. etc. etc.

My epiphany was this: G.G. is a saint! I host Thanksgiving once a year with Chef Eric doing the majority of the cooking and I still feel like I ran an ultra marathon when it's all over. G.G. is constantly hosting people, doing all of the cooking, cleaning, and entertaining, and she seems to love it.

I have a very long thankful list, but today G.G.'s name is written with a glitter pen.