Day 81: Easter overload

 M refused to wear his blazer and shirt. Sweats and t-shirt prevailed.

Wow. I'm finally sitting down after a whirlwind weekend of Easter activities. Saturday AM we had our first of what would end up being three egg hunts. We spent Saturday afternoon at another egg hunt and that evening dining with some family friends and catching up over old times - such a special treat.

 Dying eggs

 Egg Hunt #3: Our house

Sunday we went to mass...absolute nightmare - not going to lie. My kids, who are usually really good at church, were horrible. Hundreds of people + baskets full of sugar = Mom crying/trying not to throttle children in front of fellow mass-goers. After that ordeal, I decided we needed a break and so we packed up and headed over to the beach. It's amazing what a little sunshine can do for the soul. Two hours later, I had completely forgotten about the chaos of Easter morning and was grateful to be a little bit sunburned and a whole lot more relaxed.

 Yes, the Easter bunny brought M&P a teepee...it's a long story.

 Peeps: Sugar-laden deliciousness

 A little R&R (with jellybeans, of course!)

M&P buried in the sand and loving it!

Tonight we had our own Easter dinner complete with ham, asparagus and fruit salad. The kids miraculously gobbled up everything, which is really shocking! Everyone is now tucked into bed and I'm close behind.Wishing Dan were here to help us celebrate but thankful today that he's safe and that his Easter care package actually arrived in time for the holiday!!!

Day 79 - 80: An egg-cellent adventure

This morning we had our annual Easter egg hunt with a group of friends. The kids are all so much bigger this year - the entire hunt took about 2 minutes! But M&P had so much fun it didn't matter. Plus, it's really all about gobbling up the candy afterwards anyway!

Day 78: Binky: A story of love and loss

Today marks one week since P officially put down her binky. This was not a sudden decision - we have been prepping for "Operation: Abandon Binky" for the past year. We told her that when she turned three, it was time to be a big girl and give all her binkies to the babies that don't have any. When the big day came, we ceremoniously took all her binkies, placed them in an envelope and "mailed them" to the babies.

Fast forward one week - I'm happy to report P is doing well...for the most part. We have the occasional meltdown that typically goes something like this -

Me: P, it's time for bed
P: I want my binky
Me: I know. But remember, you're a big girl now. We sent them away to the babies. That was so nice of you to do, P!
P: [Blank stare, wailing] "I miss my binkies! But they are gone! They are never coming back! And I be SOOOOO sad! I miss them so much! My binkies be my best friends! But now they are gone forever!" [SOB]
Me: [Terrible mother] I know. I'm sorry.

Progress never comes easy. But someday when her teeth aren't pushed back six ways to Sunday she'll thank me (I hope!)

Day 77: Reasons to smile

At the end of a long day, nothing cures a bout of the grumpies like a smile from Frick and Frack.

Day 76: Fail

Dan is off on a mini "business trip" for the next few days to a different base in Afghanistan. Last night he sent me this picture with the following caption - "Out on a foot patrol meeting the locals." That compelled me to write this note...

Dearest husband, 

I know you are bored. I know you want to get out and see something new. Remember, there are very dangerous things (read: IED's and Lord knows what else) hiding in the dirt. Please, go back to your heavily armed vehicle with safety detail, put on your seat belt and patiently wait to head back to base. NOW MOVE IT!

Sincerely, 
Your loving wife

Day 73 - 75: The semi-wild rumpus

What a weekend! P's birthday was a much welcomed injection of happiness into all of our lives. We started the celebration on Friday with a party at school followed by a family party at home and then dinner at a local Mexican restaurant (P's choice - she loves chips and salsa!) with friends.

Saturday I came down with a nasty 24-hour bug but bounced back in time to take my princess to her first ever ballet performance on Sunday! We went and saw, "Beauty and the Beast" and she loved (almost) every minute. M had a blast, too, as he was able to go spend some quality time playing with our family friends while we were at the theater. All in all a wonderful weekend of happy memories (minus missing Dan, of course.)

Day 72: Princess bliss

Happy 3rd Birthday to our darling princess. 

Remember no matter where you are in the world our love will always find you.

We love you to the moon and back again! 

XOXO, Daddy, Mommy and M

Day 71: Girl (and boy) power

I sent the better part of a day this week attending a Women in Business conference hosted by my client. At first I was dragging my feet - work is so busy I didn't think this would be a good use of my time. Luckily I was proven wrong. There were some amazing speakers and I left feeling completely energized and empowered by what we as women are capable of accomplishing.

Clearly a lot of the messages about finding balance, being strong in the face of a challenge, etc. struck a chord for me both personally and professionally. One woman in particular taught me something that I have now shared with the kids. It's a little trick to help build up your positive energy whenever you feel like you need a boost. Fair warning that you're going to feel like an idiot but I swear it works.

-Take your hands and put them in front of you palms facing your chest.
-Then bend over to your toes and slowly roll your hand up your body (think about the motion you use for "Wheels on the Bus" - same thing.
-Finally, shoot your arms over your head, strike a silly pose and yell out your personal mantra - "Super Star!" "I'm Awesome!" "I Rule!" whatever it is that strikes your fancy.

I dare you to try this by yourself or with your kids and not smile. It's silly, it's funny and somehow it makes you feel a little bit better about yourself.

We're also spending 5 minutes in front of the mirror naming things we like about ourselves - "I like my hair." "I like my shirt." "I like my eyes." The world has so much ugly in it I want my children to always remember to like themselves. And if you haven't seen Jessica's Daily Affirmation video I encourage you to take a look - it's a powerful reminder of the power of liking YOU!

Day 70: Spring revival

It's the first day of spring and that means it's time to do some housekeeping. I'm officially tossing out my skincare regimen and starting something new. I've been talking about this forever but have never pulled the trigger. My sister turned me on to this amazing line of Australian skincare products called Aesop. The parsley seed toner in particular is amazing! I'm also trying a new facial mask from REN that is supposed to be great for sensitive skin and super hydrating. At night, I've switched to Clinique Moisture Surge cream as my face gets so dry after I take off my makeup.

I'm also going to try and recommit myself to facials when I can find the time because it's just so nice to have someone scrub all the impurities out of your skin. Who knows if any of this will wind back the clock (5 years? 10 years? 2 weeks?) but I'm game for anything!

Day 69: Tutu much time

As much as I don't have any free time I have, well, a lot of free time. The princess turns three on Friday and I wanted to buy her a tutu. I started shopping around on Etsy and then thought to myself, "Wait, I can make this myself!"

Now. I am not crafty. Not in the least bit. Baby books for the kids? Yep, still sitting empty in my closet. Christmas stocking for Dan? Made it about a third of the way through and then called it quits...about 9 years ago. My track record is not great.

That's why it's all the more impressive that I am proud to present my very first (and let's be real, probably last) tutu! It honestly wasn't hard and I cannot wait to see the look on P's face when I present it to her on her birthday! Thank you, YouTube DIY videos, for making a domestic goddess out of this Mama!

Day 66 - 68: What a difference a year makes

I wish I could always be optimistic but the reason I started this blog was to be honest. So I have to come clean and admit that this past weekend was rough.  I want to be happy - I mean, who doesn't?! - but sometimes it's just hard. St. Patrick's Day for us was bittersweet, mostly bitter. Last year we didn't do anything special but we spent the day together as a family. We took the kids to the model train museum in Balboa Park because I remember it was rainy and grey. This year the sun was shining and it was glorious but the day felt empty without Dan. I try so hard not to be upset in front of the kids but sometimes they're the only ones around to give me a hug when I'm sad. Then it makes me feel terrible that poor M&P have to step up and be tough for their Mom at such a tender age. Every day I'm trying to do my best - some days I'm a great Mom, some days I'm not even close. All I know is I'll be looking forward to next St. Patrick's Day with Dan - even if we don't do a darn thing to celebrate.

Day 65: Afternoon delight

A boy, his graham crackers and milk and the garbage truck. It's the little things, really. Happy Friday and happy weekend! (PS - Go Hoosiers!!!)

Day 64: Lemons

I feel like I've been doing a pretty good job of turning lemons into lemonade as of late. Well, today was one of those days where I'm just going to take the lemon and not even make an attempt at lemonade. Long story short, I had to pick up M at school early today - fourth time I've had to do that this month. Our "never sick" kids have been "non-stop sick" lately and it's incredibly taxing when you're literally the only person to pick them up and take care of them. Try to explain to your clients that, "I'm so sorry I've got to skip our important meeting but, you see, my kid is sick and my husband isn't here and we don't have any family nearby...blah blah blah." I'm done.

For the millionth time I'm having a moment of profound appreciation for single Moms and Dads who are single parents EVERY DAY. I cannot imagine and I am (here I go...) counting my blessings that our situation is only temporary. Really. Single parents are my new heroes.

Day 63: The new workout

I was probably in the best shape of my life before Dan left. Over the first few months of his deployment I really struggled to motivate myself to work out. With so much going on with the kids, my job, etc. it just felt like the lowest thing on my priority list. Fast forward to March - I'm finally trying to get myself back into a routine. I had to learn to forgive myself for the fact that I can no longer go out and run 5 miles. I have to be content with a very slow 2-mile jog with the double stroller. It's definitely different but I keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race!

Day 62: Playing catch up

I don't know about the rest of you but this Daylight Savings change is really kicking our butts. Everyone is completely off by, well, about an hour. The good news is we're one hour closer to Dan so that's always nice. And I do like that it's no longer dark at 4:30 in the afternoon. But still...I think moving forward we should start setting the clocks ahead on Friday so we're not all exhausted on Monday (and now Tuesday, too!)

Day 61: Chickens and eggs

M&P recently made some new acquaintances at school in the form of two hens. Apparently school is trying to teach them more about where eggs come from/the circle of life/farming/who knows. The hens have been an ongoing topic of conversation now for the past few weeks. Tonight's conversation was lively -

Me: How were the hens today?
P: Good. Hens poop on the ground, not in a toilet.
Me: Oh really? That's gross.
P: Yes, that's disgusting.
M: Hens have eggs in their bellies.
Me: Oh really?
M: Yes. And hens eat bread. But they don't drink orange juice.
Me: Oh no?
M: No. And they eat off the ground. Not off a plate. And they don't use a fork.
Me: Oh - that doesn't seem very clean.
P: Yes, that's disgusting.

I really like the hens. They're highly entertaining.

Day 58 - 60: The great outdoors

We've been doing a good job of trying to keep our weekends filled with fun activities. It definitely helps the time pass to have lots of things on the calendar. This weekend we tried to maximize our time outdoors since we're often cooped up with work and school during the week.

Saturday a morning jog with the kids in the BOB turned into an all-day excursion. The weather was beautiful and we just kept finding more and more things to do. Sunday we spent the afternoon hiking up Iron Mountain in Poway. It's a hugely popular outdoor space that's always full of families, dogs and trail runners. I'll admit the terrain was a bit aggressive for M&P but I was really proud to see them tough it out and want to push on to the top of the mountain. That's one thing I truly love about California - you never have a shortage of places to explore!

Day 57: School pics

M&P had their school pictures taken last week - take a look! They're getting so big! And for the record, I don't think school pictures will ever change. It's 2013 and some of the poses we had the option to buy were as cheesy as they were in the 80's. M&P sitting together in a cloud? Ummm...I'll pass.

Day 56: Breakfast buds

Dan doesn't eat breakfast and I usually just grab a coffee and some fruit so it's never been a big meal in our house. The kids, on the other hand, love breakfast and happily gobble up plates of fruit, eggs, waffles, whatever is on the menu for the morning. Recently I've taken to sitting with them while they eat and it's turned into a nice little ritual. I confess that prior to Dan leaving I set out breakfast for the kids and raced upstairs to finish getting ready for work. Now I'm trying to be more present, which means getting up a little earlier so I can have the time to sit across from them. It's a silly little thing, I know, but even the extra 15 minutes with the kids is time for me to reflect on how big they're getting and to just enjoy them in the moment.

Day 55: The artist

M is home today with a fever so we're doing a little painting. He just told me he's "working on a Jackson Pollock right now." I didn't think any of our conversations about art really stuck but apparently we're making progress! I see another trip to the art museum in our near future!

Day 54: My heros

I am so absolutely and utterly proud of my husband for what he's doing for our country right now. Dan told me that when he was waiting in line to report for duty, he was surrounded by other men and women dropping out of the reserves. I personally don't judge anyone for making that decision. Everyone has to do what they feel is best. All I know is that having my husband leave for a year wasn't the best decision for our family but it was the right decision for us.

Besides my obvious hero, I am every day amazed at the strength and courage of our beautiful children. Every morning they wake up, remember that their Daddy isn't here, feel sad and then go about their days. Sure, they have moments like the rest of us where they cry and are confused and just really want a hug from their Dad. But for the most part, they have kept their chins up and just keep talking about all the things they want to do when Daddy comes home. It's funny to say I admire two little people who haven't even been on this earth a combined decade. I guess it goes to show that sometimes your greatest source of inspiration can come from the place you'd least expect it.

Day 52 & 53: Sunshine daze

Oh how I love SoCal! It was 75 and sunny and gorgeous all weekend! We had our first beach outing of the season and lots of fun time enjoying the great outdoors. The only cloud hovering over our otherwise blissful weekend was the departure of Sue Sue. She headed back to Florida today much to all of our disappointment. The good news is she'll be back in a few weeks and next up on the visitor roster is Nana!

Day 51: The fighter

M got into a nasty fight today with the AstroTurf on the school playground. His entire face is scraped up and I think he's on his way to a black eye. Poor Bubba!