Hello Darlin'

Nice to see you.  It's been a long tiiiiiiiiime...

Any Conway fans?

Ahem.  Is this thing on?

Oh hey!  Well it's been about a year, but luckily we are your average joes and the only significant thing you really missed was that we manufactured another sweet little baby boy!  I know what you're thinking.

Poor Lakey.

At first she was iffy about another brother, I'll admit.  Her enthusiasm was definitely lacking.  On more than one occasion she said to me, "Well, I wish it was a sister but I know it's not." 

But then one day she realized that she's got a captive audience, and let me tell you.  She is thriving under these circumstances!  Singing and dancing her way into Hayes' heart, no doubt.

 

And speaking of Hayes, let me formally introduce you!

 

 

What!?  You didn't receive Hayes' birth announcement?  That's because I was in a cloud of my own vainglory for actually getting professional newborn photos and announcements done this time around (none of my other kids had them).  I hastily sent the announcements to roughly a third of my list before we left for vacation, and then I completely forgot to send the rest!  #momfail  At this point it just seems like, why?  Social media really kills the anticipation of these anymore anyways.  Oh well.  I have a whole box to keep for posterity I guess.  You're welcome, kids. 

Life as a family of six is pretty wonderful.  And while it's a full on circus little bit chaotic around here, we are definitely smitten with our little lovey boy.  Every day my heart swells with thanksgiving as I hear little voices saying things like, "I love you Hayes-boy to the moooooon and back," or "Who's a good boy?  Hayes is a good boy!"

And then I hear Lakey's sentiments in her sweetest voice, "Hayes you're hard to have, but we do it!"

I'm sure she means it in the best possible way.  
 

I'm Bringing Store Bought Back

Yeah! 

You know where this is going.



Call it a total failure of modern motherhood if you must, but I bought the kids' valentines at the grocery store.  I'll pause while you say a prayer for our family.

I let each kiddo scrutinize every last terrible, poorly designed, manufactured option on the shelf.  The boys changed their minds no less than three times each.  Captain America!  No, Paws Patrol!  No, the sports balls with flames coming out of them!  Or, are those angel wings?  Lakey zeroed in on her favorite immediately.  I'm certain that her eyes saw a completely empty aisle, save for a single box of Frozen valentines that had to be hers!

Admittedly, I cringed a little during this entire process.  It's a composite of things really. 
1.  Jeremy and I aren't much for the Hallmark holidays.  Though, I do make our economic contribution to the machine in February on Gobstopper and Butterfinger Hearts.
2.  I appreciate one mom's creatively handmade valentine to my child as much as the next mom, and I self inflict pressure on myself to reciprocate sometimes.   However, something about bringing kiddo #3 into our family has alleviated my urge to creatively produce on behalf of my children, except for maybe on their birthdays.  I'm becoming much more okay with enjoying the creativity of others or enabling my kids to do their own thing.  I'm learning.
3.  I know that much of what I am about to purchase is going straight into the garbage.  That's just how it is these days.  The pendulum of my generation is swinging extreme in the direction of natural, organic, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, dye free, chemical free, fragrance free, etc.  Everything must be free! It's fine.  It's a reaction and possibly an overreaction to the era we were raised where the needle pointed to anything processed or enriched that made life more convenient, and consequently more unhealthy.  So, I get it.  But, until we eat from our own gardens daily again like our great grandparents, I'd like to take it down a notch and rest somewhere in the middle of the madness.

Wait, this post is about valentines!
 
You know what?  Despite my own inner struggles mentioned above, the kids LOVE their valentines.  They clung proudly to them all the way to the check out aisle.  They worked hard to write their own names on all 36 and sound out the names of their friends if they could.  They woke up yesterday morning THRILLED to take their generic valentines to school and deliver them to their classmates and neighbor friends.  It was so fun to watch them!

So, if a store bought valentine is all you can muster or if you have a surge of energy to create something unique, remember that it is really so simple for kids.  They want to give.  That's where they find their joy, and that's where you'll find yours.

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Walt Disney World 2014

We did it! 

Jeremy and I took the kiddies to Walt Disney World back in May, and this is me rested, recovered, and living to tell about it.  Let's face it - I had my doubts. 

 

unknown source 

 

Brace yourselves for an onslaught of photos.

 

This trip was akin to having a baby.  You want to do it so badly, but thinking about what you're really in for brings about pangs of dread.  Once it's booked, there is no turning back.  While you are there, there are real painful moments (i.e. line management with a 2, 4 and 5 year old) that are quickly eclipsed by the overwhelming thrill of it all.  You come home exhausted, but after enough time passes, you forget and find yourself wanting to do it all over again. 

 

I might have predicted that Miles' favorite park would be Animal Kingdom.  I've heard some people ho-hum this park as being just another zoo.  But a zoo is never. EVER. just a zoo to Miles.  And AK has roller coasters too.  So this was pretty much heaven on earth for Miles.

 

 

Lakey's first encounter with a Disney character.  She was unimpressed and absolutely NOT taking her eye off Minnie for one second.

 

Animal Kingdom has a super awesome roller coaster called Expedition Everest that the boys talked about for days.

 

 

We spent two days at the Magic Kingdom, and this is by far the most remarkable, magical place on the planet.  In an engineered sort of way.  I'm sorry to be so dramatic about it, but there is no other way.  MK is so amazing, and every memory I have as a kid going to WDW comes from this park.  I beefed up our Disney DVD collection a couple of months before the trip and then forced the kids to watch a different one every weekend so that they could appreciate all the goodness they would behold at the Magic Kingdom.  I think it was a good move on my part.  Fist bump to myself.  Blow it up.

 

Side note: I wonder why The Sword in the Stone doesn't get any street cred at WDW?  It's one of my very faves.  Anyone with me?

 

 

We started everyone off slow with rides like Dumbo, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan. 

 

 

 Then we high tailed it over to Tomorrowland and put the boys on Space Mountain.  Suckas! 

 

 

Who doesn't love Space Mountain?  Well apparently Knox, as evident from the tear stained cheeks and eyes as he exited the ride.  He was not happy.  And with that, I vowed to nominate myself for Mother of the Year another day.  Luckily, Miles loved it and was up for an encore round which meant I was able to ride it too.

 

 

The kids got their faces painted. 

 

I love how Miles carefully selected a superhero design that left plenty of room for his glasses. 

 

 

True to form, Knox went with something a little more dramatic.  Galactic Tiger I think this was called.

 

 

Of all the glittery fairy and princess options, Lakey was dead set on getting fixed up like her worst enemy - a dog.  A superhero dog.  Just whatever.  I had them sprinkle on some glitter anyway for good measure.

 

Character dining is probably the best way to experience and interact with all the different characters without forging the long lines elsewhere in the parks.  Here were some of our favorite friends.

Please note the absence of Miles with Sophia the 1st.  He was not into the princesses AT ALL.  Here is additional evidence.

See?  Wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole.

Knox was more than happy to represent with the ladies, however.

What can I say?  I drink the Mouse punch too.

Belle is my favorite because she reminds me of me.  Just kidding about that last part.  We actually had to coerce Miles into this photo, but I think his face reveals the truth.

Next up was Epcot.  Jeremy and I really liked this park but there weren't as many rides for younger kiddos.  We managed to make a full day of it though.

We saw some great flowers and sculptures.

 

And guess who we found?  That would be the Figment of your Imagination.  I have no idea why, but I had a stuffed Figment as a kid and I think he's still loveable.  Knox did too and tried to snatch up all these wares from the gift shop after the ride.

 

The last park we went to was Hollywood Studios.  I would definitely say that this park is geared for adults and kids older than ours.  But it does boast one ride that was the entire reason we were there - Toy Story Mania.  Jeremy said this was his favorite ride of all the parks, and if we go back he just wants to ride it over and over and over again.

This is also the place to be if you're a Star Wars fan, which I am thanks to growing up with a sci-fi loving older brother and two equally enthusiastic parents.  Sadly enough, the rest of my crew doesn't have the same respect for the glory of the Jedi, but there was this glimmer of hope.

Lakey was totally digging all things galactic.  Such a good young Padawan.

Nonetheless, we only spent a half day at Hollywood and then hopped back over to the Magic Kingdom to finish up our Disney experience. 



See ya real soon Disney!

Christ The Savior Is Born







 

Merry Christmas with peace and love,
Jeremy, Lindsay, Miles, Knox, and Lakey Ming Jia

Crossing It Off The List

There is no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it.

There will be no Elf on a Shelf at our house this year.  Or any year after. 

Judge me if you must.  This is a decision I made about 5 minutes ago, and I haven't even discussed it with Jeremy yet.  But considering that he heaves a big sigh every time I send him to the attic to bring down yet another Christmas tree (We have five.  Keep on judging, Grinch), I can't imagine this news will disappoint him.

It's just too much for us (me).  The thought of one more task to complete every night makes me want to induce myself into a coma.  And frankly, isn't the idea of a miniature person flying in and out of your house every night, watching your every move, reporting to the Man in Red, and rooting around in your knives and marshmallows a little Creepy Creeperson?  I say yes. 

And, while I guess the main point is to add another layer of magical goodness to Christmas for children, it's undisputed that parents hope the elf will curb some bad behavior for a month.  Right?  Let's discuss this please.  Does this really work for any of you?  We had an elf last Christmas, and I am a mother of mischievous boys.  So at our house, Elf-Elf (as the boys so creatively named him) served as one more figure for Miles and Knox to defy.  Literally moments after I read them the passage from the book that says you're not allowed to touch the elf or he loses his magic, Knox went nose to nose with the little guy and put his grubby little finger about an eighth of an inch away from Elf-Elf's cheek, while Miles looked on screaming, "NOOOOOOOOO!"

This is drama we don't need, folks.  So I'm saying no.  I hope the kids won't be upset.  Is it too much to hope they will have so much fun with other things that they won't notice?  We'll see.

*I cast no judgment against those of you that enjoy this tradition.  I'll have fun seeing pictures of your elves on Facebook tonight while I watch The Voice free of all thoughts elfin.

Adios, Pre-K!

Yesterday we sold our house and bought a new one - the last one I hope.  It is the house our kids will grow up in and leave for college from.  It's the one we will spend every Christmas morning in, and maybe (hopefully) the one Jeremy and I will die in.  Too lofty a goal?  What if I said it's the one we will be raptured out of?  Yes, I like that better.  Perhaps I'll tell you more about the house another time.  Then again, this blog is a masterpeice of inconsistency so I make no promises.  I write when the mood strikes, and that tends to happen only when I'm avoiding something else.  Like packing.

Anyway, we signed over the next 30 years to Freddie Mac and then ran four carloads of odds and ends (read: stuff for which I was too lazy and cheap to buy another box) over to the new house.  And then!  In the middle of all the madness...

Our sweet Miles graduated from Pre-K.



Now, my overall attitude when it comes to an hour long ceremony dedicated to the ushering in of Kindergarten (at our kids' bedtime no less) isn't going to win me any positive thinking awards.  All these things really do is get parents weepy about how quickly our children are growing up.  As if we need to be reminded.

But, what are you gonna do but show up, enjoy the cuteness, and blog about it?

We were at the venue 20 minutes early.  Knox spied the stage and proceeded to get the party started himself.

Lakey had a snack, so of course she was content to watch the sideshow.



Finally, the Pre-K 1 class opened up with a performance.

Miles knew every word to his class song, Dynamite by Taio Cruz (the KidzBop version), but he was too busy smiling at us to actually sing or do the motions with his class.  My first wave of pride hit at this point though, because just last December when his class did their school carolling for the parents, he stood there and sobbed for the duration of the song.  So the fact that he wasn't scared to death was a big step for him!

Then it was time for him to receive his graduation diploma.  He ran.  Wave of pride numero dos.

Knox watched intently from his chair.  Most of the time he was smiling.  I think he was proud  of his brother.

Until he got sad that he wasn't graduating too.

JiaJia took it upon herself to get a better seat during the ceremony.  She's a take charge kind of girl.

On the way home, Miles asked two or three times if we were so proud of him.

He doesn't even know the half of it.