Tony II

Ava had been dying to make a real snowman. Since we ended up with at least 12 inches of snow I guess it was time. It should not be a surprise that our friendly snowy addition is of course, named Tony~

The whole family joined in the fun. Ella however watched from the sidelines and Lola was just about everywhere! And your eyes are not fooling you, that is indeed me in a picture!!!! (more photos in  my flickr account!)

Tony getting a nose job!

For the entire artical, and you should read it, click here.

Before Coffee

After Coffee

Before Wine

After Wine

The True Story:  I totally bought the wrong Thomas trains for Ava’s wooden train set on Craigslist.  Feeling beyond dumb and taken I had to find a creative solution to use my un-usable trains and turn my major faux pas into crafting genius!  So now her wood trains stay home and her Take Along Thomas can travel where ever she does!!!  Plus it is pretty cute and I get to say, “Ya, I made that!”

One day in Paris I stopped at a smaller museum that was featuring Monet’s largest paintings. I was totally unaware of the shear size of some of the water lily pieces until I saw them. They never had been my favorite but no denying their beauty! What struck me was the vision behind them. Up close it was just a mess of color, shades, and texture. Until you stepped back and saw the larger image take form.

Today it struck me. I feel like a Monet. From far away I appear showered, organized and well, together. But up close I am just a big old mess. That is it.

Today I am a Monet.

“My point is this. I used to worry that not only was I failing to do a good enough job at parenting, but that I wasn’t enjoying it enough. Double failure.  I felt guilty because I wasn’t in parental ecstasy every hour of every day and I wasn’t MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY MOMENT like the mamas in the parenting magazines seemed to be doing. I felt guilty because honestly, I was tired and cranky and ready for the day to be over quite often. And because I knew that one day, I’d wake up and the kids would be gone, and I’d be the old lady in the grocery store with my hand over my heart. Would I be able to say I enjoyed every moment? No.

But the fact remains that I will be that nostalgic lady. I just hope to be one with a clear memory. And here’s what I hope to say to the younger mama gritting her teeth in line:

 “It’s helluva hard, isn’t it? You’re a good mom, I can tell. And I like your kids, especially that one peeing in the corner. She’s my favorite. Carry on, warrior. Six hours till bedtime.”And hopefully, every once in a while, I’ll add- “Let me pick up that grocery bill for ya, sister. Go put those kids in the van and pull on up- I’ll have them bring your groceries out.”

So Carpe Diem what ever minutes of the day you can but know that you are not alone.

I now am going to have a dance party with my girls, tell Ava to keep my kisses, nurse Ella off to nap and kiss her peacefully sleeping cheek and for an hour not worry about the thousands of things on my to do list!  And later… after I have cleaned the kitchen for the 500th time this week, Ava is having her afternoon no nap meltdown and Ella is pawing at me for more milk I will most likely be counting the minutes to daddy’s arrival and praying for bedtime.  Such is the perfectly exhausting job of motherhood.