Monday Adventures!

We had another day off on Monday, which was really exciting because the Monday after a holiday weekend is always a drag. I initially planned on doing laundry, grocery shopping, and completing other tasks that help my household function properly....but then I decided we needed an adventure instead. It seems I'm always trying to juggle that balance of work vs. play, too busy vs. not busy enough, too much vs. too little. My brain is in constant overdrive. Anyway, I planned for us to adventure to south Houston to visit a wildlife bayou and then to Galveston.

I didn't know the bayou accepted cash only, so that extended our trip into this town named Alvin to locate an ATM. The portion of town we drove through was quaint and had that old town feel. I don't know why but that is one of my favorite things to do. I love exploring little towns. We made it back to the wildlife bayou where we were greeted by a very friendly tour guide. She told me every day for the rest of the week they were expecting field trip visits with over 500 students. This made me really happy that we decided to come on a Monday. We pretty much had the place to ourselves! The tour guide drove us around in this jeep/human cage/doon-buggy type vehicle. The animals are free to roam around the 80 acres of property and it's very much built to replicate a natural habitat for them. It's like an opposite zoo because people drive around in cages to look at the animals instead of vice versa. Ha! The animals are not shy. They had no problem getting up close and personal, sticking their necks into the cart to grab a mouthful of food from us. It freaked all of us out little, but it was also very thrilling. I think a real safari would be awesome someday!

The kids enjoyed the tour and seeing so many of the animals up close. They were hesitant of feeding them, but they still watched. They were also able to ride a pony, visit the petting zoo, and make friends with a deer. This deer is named Joey and he was cracking me up. He just wandered around the property as he pleased, even making his way toward the gift shop. The only animals they have confined to one area were the alligators, which makes sense. Those things are freaking dangerous! Dinosaurs! I was disappointed the rhino didn't feel like making an appearance, but that gives us a reason to go back! Plus, I really enjoyed our tour guide, it was obvious she was very passionate about her profession and she kept cracking jokes about drinking on the job. She was a funny one.

Galveston is only another 30 minutes from the bayou place, so we continued our adventure down to the beach. The weather looked a little sketchy when I checked it earlier, so I didn't come prepared for a full beach experience. I figured we would fly kites, enjoy our picnic, and maybe dip our toes in the water. Much to my surprise, the weather was beautiful. We ended up staying for over two hours, searching for sea shells and slowly inching further and further out into the water. Max and Lyla were completely soaked and covered in sand, even my jeans were wet up to my knees. Haha! I should have known my kids would have wanted to get in the water regardless of anything else I had planned. I won't let that mom fail happen again. It was a fun day and both kiddos were zonked out the entire ride home. Although Galveston doesn't have the prettiest of beaches, there is still something so peaceful about the ocean. My decision to ditch the chores and adventure instead was just what we needed. 

I can't stop looking at this photo! She looks TOO old. 

Bringin' Home the Bacon

After three posts in a row about Lyla, I figured the blog needed a Max story to balance things out. My brain works in mysterious ways like that. I will take my blog readers back to December of 2016 for this recollection about when Max started his first job. It was tough times and we were in need of money from any sources of income we could salvage, even if that meant sending our three year old into the workforce. Hahaha okay, here is the real story...

It was a few months ago when Jeremy & Charli gifted a few 1488 Collision shirts to Maxwell. The shirts are almost identical to Kirk's daily uniform, including the same logo and even the name "Max" embroidered on the front. Max insisted on wearing this shirt to school every single day for several weeks in a row, which actually worked out fine because they purchased five for him. So yes, he wore a 1488 polo shirt every single day --- which is either really great advertising or just makes him the weird kid at school. Maybe both. Ha! 

Well. The excitement of wearing the work shirt started to fade and eventually it just wasn't cutting it anymore. Max kept wondering when he could start working at 1488 Collision and this quickly became a daily conversation. We tried explaining to him that school is his only job right now and he has many more years of school before he needs to start thinking about a job. I admired his enthusiasm to work...but HELLO...being three is awesome!!! Enjoy it, child. The constant asking turned into pleading and eventually he was begging to go to work. Persistence at its finest until one day Max's dream came true. Kirk finally asked me to drop him off after school one day. As you could imagine, Max was delighted.

Lyla and I decided a quick run to Starbucks would be adequate time for a three year old's first shift of work. We dropped him off and oh geez, he was so happy. I'll never forget him walking into that building with such confidence in his step. Kirk set him up with a phone on his belt clip and a notepad, then walked him throughout the shop to check out the status on all the jobs, just as a manager should do. Kirk's version of this story is much better than mine will be, but basically Kirk introduced Max to everyone as they walked through the shop and it sounds like all the employees were pretty entertained by Kirk's mini-me. They all went along with Max being their temporary boss pretty well. Kirk said one of the guys asked Max his age and Max proudly proclaimed "twenty-phree." Hahaha! Max concluded his shift by helping wash a car and I need Kirk to share that part of the story because, again, his version is way more hilarious. Max felt proud of his new supervisor duties and was upset when we returned to pick him up about thirty minutes later. That was about as much "help" Kirk could make time for, even though we were a little heartbroken as Max kept saying, "it's not over yet!" 

He returned to work for one additional shift since that time. It turns out Max prefers the "late shift" because then he gets to ride home with Kirk in the blue car. He is obsessed with the blue car. I keep telling Kirk he needs to write Max a real paycheck so we can put it in his keepsake box...but who am I kidding...he would probably cash it as soon as he figures out how. Ha! 

It's such a fun experience going to work as a kid, whether it be with parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents. I have such fond memories from my own childhood and feeling so grown up when I had the opportunity to go to work with an adult in my life. I'm grateful Max has that experience already and maybe one day working with dad will be his real first job. I mean...he already has some experience. However, I think he might require a larger polo at that point...

No pics of him at work, sadly, But here are the cutie pies in their matching shirts!

LOVELOVELOVE

Lyla and Max are enjoying school and despite them being in separate classes, they have remained best friends. For the most part, they really don't get to see each other during school hours. They aren't reunited until after school when all classes combine into one big group for extended care. Typically they only play in extended care for 15-20 minutes while I wrap up my day and get ready to go home, but it's just long enough to give the extended care teacher a glimpse into the special bond they share. 

The extended care teacher stopped me one afternoon specifically to tell me how much she admires Lyla and Max. She told me she has never witnessed siblings who take care of each other the way they do. They always embrace with a big hug after school and continue to play together until it's time to go home. She said Lyla is very protective over Max and is constantly looking after him. It made my heart happy. The reality is they fight just as hard as they love, but apparently they save that for home and protect each other out in the real world. It's pure goodness. 

That same day Lyla and Max were sitting at the kitchen counter as I cooked dinner. I heard Lyla say to Max, "Do you want to get married?" I couldn't control my laughter, so Lyla looked up at me and said, "Mom, I didn't mean right now. I mean when we grow up." Haha! These are the moments of motherhood I love the most. 

We were preparing to leave for school this morning when Lyla greeted me in the kitchen. She was wearing a dress paired with one tie dye green sock and one white sock with a heart on it. I complimented her dress choice, but suggested she return to her bedroom to pick out a pair of matching socks. I was certain she had more options available. She protested this request. I continued to encourage her to change her mind. Then she said one thing that instantly won the battle. She said, "Mom, it doesn't matter what my socks look like. The most important thing is the love in my heart." The "love in your heart" phrase is something I say to my kids quite often, but I'm grateful she reminded me of my own philosophy. And from that moment forward I supported the decision of the mismatching socks. The life lessons in parenting and childhood are continuously interchangeable.

This is our after school couch cuddle session, 

which has been known to last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours. Ha!

Max: Soccer Practice Day One

As previously stated, Lyla started a ballet class a couple weeks ago and Max has been eager to start soccer ever since. He felt very left out the first week we dropped Lyla off at ballet. No matter how I laid it out for him, he simply had no understanding that I have zero control over the start dates of these activities, so I consoled his sadness with ice cream like a good mother. After weeks of asking and begging about playing soccer, the day finally arrived. Max was giddy with excitement. However, his glazed eyes after school made it obvious a nap needed to be first priority upon arriving home. He resisted, per the usual, but eventually surrendered to his siesta. 

I think we are slowly phasing out naps all together, because typically when I enforce nap time it has a negative impact on bed time. It's a matter of picking your poison --- surviving the 5pm witching hour or battling the hour long bedtime negotiations. They are equally as evil, in my opinion. Anyway, nap time was necessary today because 1. Monday's are hard and 2. He needed enough stamina to last him through his first soccer practice. Well. The hours passed and Max kept snoozing, so I eventually had to pack up the soccer gear and load him up in the car in a half-awake fog. He was furious over it. 

He screamed the entire way to the soccer field. It was super delightful. I am completely aware it's uncool to wake someone from a nap, but I felt he was being slightly dramatic. Especially considering he was so excited for soccer only hours before. Anyway, that's just life with little people. He exclaimed he no longer wanted to play soccer whatsoever and demanded we go back home. I had flashbacks of Lyla playing soccer and was fully convinced we were on the road to a repeat experience. We sat in the parking lot watching the other kids as they arrived. I explained to Max that we needed to go introduce himself and meet his teammates then if he still wanted to leave after that, we could do so. He still was not happy with me, but he agreed to the terms after a ten minute snack sesh in the car. Food is happiness. Oh crap. I consoled his sadness with food once again, this might be a problem. 

We finally ventured onto the field and Max immediately reverted back to his normal self. He was noticing all the other kids and pointing out all the soccer gear. I was relieved. He headed right out to the field and followed instruction seemingly well. Victory! And not to mention, he is the cutest little soccer dude ever! I'm excited to watch his progress over the next several weeks. 

Most parents, me included, were openly applauding their children and giving them direction during practice, but I was laughing as Lyla was screaming at Max louder than any other parent out there. "NO HANDS MAX. I SAID NO HANDS!" I had to remind her to chill out a couple times, although I was still laughing inside my head. I guess she thinks she is the soccer expert after that one time she "played" soccer. She's hilarious.

I really did feel bad about waking this sweet baby...

Meltdown phase replaced by curiosity.... 

aaaaand it's go time!

Beginning of Something New

I started work on Monday and it's been a busy week for our family. I put on makeup five days in a row, which I can almost guarantee hasn't happened in at least three years. Although the kiddos won't start school until next Wednesday, we are still working on adjusting to our new schedule and routine. I'm so grateful for all my helpers this week who were available to tend Lyla & Max. [Thanks!] I was also able to bring them with me to work for two of the days. They were able to meet their teachers and explore the school, which I think will ultimately help them feel more comfortable and less overwhelmed on their first day. 

We have spent a lot of energy preparing for this upcoming change in our lives. There was one task on my list that kept falling to last priority and that was getting Lyla's hair cut --- for the first time ever. This idea originated when I asked Lyla several months ago if she wanted to get her hair cut and her answer was a definite no. She was very apprehensive about it. I decided it didn't matter and just let it go. Well, several weeks later she randomly brought it up again and stated she was ready to get her hair cut. I, admittedly, brushed off her request because by that point, I reverted back to not wanting to get it done...ever. There was absolutely no logic in this decision, it was simply the fact that cutting her hair meant any traces of baby hair would be completely eliminated. And obviously the world would end if that happened.

Yes, I realize it's just a hair cut. This refusal is basically the same as keeping your child in diapers simply because you don't want them to use the toilet for the first time ever, buuuut my heart was still rejecting the idea. I'm clearly in denial about her growing up. Max gets his hair cut on a regular basis, so believe me I am also asking my brain how any of this makes sense. 

Anyway, we had a game plan on Friday including a hair cut for Max when Lyla, once again, requested a hair cut for herself as well. I stared wistfully at her stringy locks, thinking about how my once bald baby transformed into a little girl with chlorine dyed ends, and finally agreed to her persistent desire. She was quite pleased with this decision and could not stop staring in the mirror during the hair cut. Her admiration for herself was entertaining for myself as well as the stylist, and it turns out the world kept spinning once the hair cut concluded. We decided to cut minimal amount as possible, while still evening up the ends and, I must say, the change definitely improved the overall quality of her hair. Lyla proudly stated afterward that she most definitely looks the same age as her cousin, Hali. Hali is twelve. My four year old thinks she is twelve.

The hair cut experience is not the only back to school first we've experienced lately. The preparations have also included school clothes shopping, which I never knew could be such a tedious task. I've entered new territory here. I have always been 100% on board with giving my kids the freedom to express themselves, but the problem with school clothes is my children do not have one single practical train of thought in their precious little minds. The negotiations get tough when Lyla holds up something resembling an 80's prom dress and I have to express to her something along the lines of, "Seriously? You won't even be able to sit down in that thing." Then there is Max, on the opposite end of the spectrum, who can't make a decision to save his life. I'm usually exhausted by the time we finally come to an agreement on something as simple as a t-shirt. So. I learned the hard way that it's much easier to go shopping without children. They are much more appreciative this way, as they are always happy when anyone arrives back home with anything at all for them. I will still encourage them to dress themselves as they choose, just within the range of their own closets. Controlled freedom. Ha! I'm hopeful the understanding of appropriate school attire will make more sense next year. Then again, I remember having arguments with my mom about clothing well into high school --- from style preference to demands over brand names, yikes --- so maybe that's just something that will never change. The lyrics from Tangled just started playing in my brain."...mother knows best, listen to your mumsy."

We've been focusing on making other changes prior to school starting, including the struggle with Max confusing pretend superhero games with a real life boxing match. I think I am slightly resentful of Kirk for the day he ever introduced the "BOOM" game to Max, but I'm also guilty for promoting such play. My favorite line from Max is just as we're getting ready to "fight" and I ask "Do you want a piece of me?" and as he scowls, he says "No! I want the whole thing!" He's hilarious. However, I really don't want Max being the kid who body slams his peers for no reason, soooo we've been diligently reminding him that playing "BOOM" is a family game and should only be played with willing participants. Kirk has been trying to convince Max that anytime he gets the urge to "BOOM" someone, he should just tickle them instead. And while it's too soon to tell if this technique is working, it's been funny to watch. Time will tell and I pray Max isn't the school bully. I'm hopeful his sweet side will outweigh the Hulk that lives within. 

They are going to learn so much this next year and I want to do everything we can to ensure it is smooth of a journey as possible. It's hard to believe such a monumental chapter is coming to a close for us. In a lot of ways life will remain the same, but it will also be so very different. It's bittersweet for me. Life is good. 

Maxwell: Third Birthday

I finally have real internet access again. It was getting a little tricky living off cell phone data only, but clearly it's a manageable lifestyle. Although I still take full advantage of all the luxurious amenities offered to me, first world problems typically get a huge eye roll from this lady. Hopefully I can get in the habit of blogging on a regular basis again. There has been so many fun things happening in our lives, I would probably overwhelm myself trying to blog about all of it. So, with the exception of the birthday bash of sir Max, the past will be left behind and I will start blogging about life moving forward. 

We celebrated Max's birthday shortly after returning from Idaho. I was feeling like the energizer bunny, trying to adjust back to normal life after our trip while simultaneously plan a birthday party. Max requested a dinosaur party and we managed to pull it off, considering the short amount of planning time that went into it. As Kirk pointed out, Max will never remember the small details that I seem to dedicate to party planning. But let's be honest, I love parties! It's a happy kind of stress, for me at least. First world problems. 

We enjoyed an afternoon of swimming, eating cake, and digging up dinosaurs in the backyard. Yes, technically one would dig up fossils, but luckily none of the diggers made that connection. We all watched as Max ripped through his presents in record time. I would normally supervise a more thoughtful present opening process, but he was so incredibly fast and aggressive --- it was too funny to watch. He did stop for one second to read a birthday card. I found his intent focus to be humorous, considering he can't read yet. 

Texas has been on the receiving end of some atrocious amounts of rain lately, but I was grateful it took a short break during the party. I think Max had a fabulous time and enjoyed being the star of the show. Max turning three reminds me of how much he has changed since turning two. He remains pretty easy going most the time, but the layers of his personality are beginning to unfold. He is an adventure seeker and never lets fear stand in his way, which can be a bit terrifying at times. He is funny by nature. I always smile when I can hear a good belly laugh coming from him as he is playing...by himself. It usually involves any predicament he gets his action figures into, but I love a guy who can laugh at his own jokes. [insert Kirk emoji here] And above all, I admire how thoughtful he is, especially when it comes to caring for Lyla. Max is a big piece in our family puzzle and we are so lucky!

It's hard to believe we have a three year old again, for the second time. I'm pretty sure Lyla was just three. Life isn't slowing down and somehow that 17 month age gap just keeps shrinking. My heart does this funny thing when I think about what life was like when they were babies. It seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago all wrapped into one. The reason I try to capture so much of it is because I never want to forget. They are going to grow up tomorrow and their little voices, their laughter, and even their cry will never be the same. I know these are all precious moments, even on the days they make me feel insane. This motherhood business is a lovely experience and I'm looking forward to all the birthdays to come. 

Oh, and speaking of insanity. Max is on day seven of no pacifier. This comforting little item is known as the "baba" in our house. And I'm not sure who misses it more --- me or Max. The withdrawal symptoms have been super pleasant at bed time and I've definitely had to resist picking up another one, but I think we are through the worst of it. I can't blame him, the baba got us through some tough times together. We were building up anticipation for months about throwing away his baba when he turned three. He was even pumped about it, because obviously being three means you are way too old for a baba. I used this theory on Lyla and it worked like a charm, so I was hoping the same would unfold for the second child. Funny enough, I took three baba with us to Idaho and came home with only one lone survivor. We were keeping it around until the official throwing-into-the-garbage ceremony, but it vanished on its own. It was slightly disappointing, but it's gone and over with now. Bravo Max, Bravo!

Hello From The Other Side

Hello my old and forgotten blog. My grandpa joked that this website is most likely going to get shut down for neglect and I think he is right! I guess between moving and our trip to Idaho, keeping up with the blog updates fell to the bottom of the priority list. But here I am.

We rallied the troops at the beginning of the month to help us get moved into the new house. After mysteriously losing the keys to the moving truck, we somehow still managed to finish the move in one day. One very long day, but still one day nonetheless. We are so appreciative of everyone who came to help. We are lucky to have such great family & friends. It was my first time moving with children, which added another element of fun to the circus. Lyla was nine months old last time we moved, so that doesn't count. The biggest obstacle was trying to keep the overall move mess organized, while still keeping up with the inevitable everyday kid mess. But we did it. And thanks again if you helped out, whether that be lending your muscles or entertaining Lyla and Max.

The new house is wonderful and we already had our first visitor, Madison! It was her first visit to Texas during her adult life and, although she was surprised by the humidity, her only complaint was her visit being cut too short. She is the sweetest and I enjoyed spending time with her. She promises to be back for round two next year and I'm really happy about these annual traditions we have going with our Idaho family. I'm hoping to keep it going for years to come. I can still remember getting on an airplane to visit my aunt and cousins when they were just babies, so it's been fun for me to experience the roles reversed.

The new house was just beginning to feel like home when it was time for our trip to Idaho to begin. I packed our suitcase like an idiot. Forgot practically everything, probably because I was so focused on unpacking the house. Luckily Idaho has stores and stuff. I was able to get all the essentials unpacked and put away before we headed out, but I'm looking forward to getting back to cozy it up even more. However, I'm curious how Lyla and Max will react when we get back. It's possible they completely forgot we even moved. Haha! I know there is one part of Texas they have not forgotten and that is their Daddy. We are all missing that guy like crazy!

Anyway, Kailipalooza 2016 is in full force. Yes, I guess that is a thing. No, I did not make it up. We are having a blast and I'll catch up the blog on more details about our trip once it's over. Idaho Falls has turned into a time capsule of sorts for me. I've had nothing but memories flooding through my brain as I drive among the streets I used to call home. It's very strange to me that I no longer make new memories in this place and all I can do is remember everything that once was. It's like visiting a past life or something --- okay, not exactly, but you get the idea. Hi old life. Hi old family. Hi old friends. Hi old school. Hi old work. And then I leave all the old stuff here again until next time. Weird.

Okay bye. Be back soon!

PS. This is how I feel after 14 days in Idaho... get me out of here!!!!

Photo Reel Volume: 1 Million

There are funny stories that go along with some of these photos, but I'm a slacker. Overall, life keeps happening and it's treating us well. I've never felt time pass quicker than it has as I watch my kiddos grow up. The more they learn, the more they change. It's unstoppable and a bit heartbreaking. Feelings are confusing! Make them stop. 

We went to the movie theater last weekend and I was practically jogging to keep up with Max, who was sprinting. We passed by an older fella enjoying his surroundings from an outdoor bench. I was admiring his peaceful presence, then I noticed the biggest grin on his face as he said, "Enjoy it, they grow up so fast!" People say that sort of cliché crap all the time, but for some reason in that moment it made me really emotional. I found myself wiping tears from my eyes by the time I reached the ticket booth. It was really funny/odd, but I appreciate the glimpse into his own nostalgia because it was a reminder to me of how important the little things are. My reality is chasing a two year old at the movie theater and it's a reality I will someday miss. PS. We saw The Jungle Book and it was awesome!!!

Anyways, I feel like I'm back on track with Max and his two year old antics. He was seriously stressing me out a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, just today Lyla said to me, "you aren't my grown up anymore" as she stormed off to her room. It was the best line I've heard in awhile, so I had to write it down. I've never known someone to be so dramatic and hilarious in the same sentence. If you don't stop to laugh at how insane parenting can be, you will never survive. The juggling act is constant with these two tiny humans, but I sure do adore my little family!