Wedding Shoes!

Family weddings are pure fun. My boys have never been to a wedding, nor had they ever been part of the wedding party. They were beyond themselves with excitement over the possibilities wrapped up into Uncle Travis and Aunt Lynda's wedding.

It started with the special outfits - dress pants! dress shirts! bow ties! And, for whatever reason, the most exciting item - the dress shoes, or as Griffin likes to call them, his "Wedding Shoes!"

When they realized that not only will they get to attend the wedding, walk down the aisle, and party it up with a huge party with a band, but also stay in a hotel room - the excitement reached fever pitch.

So last weekend, we packed up the car and headed to scenic Watkins Glen, New York to see two people we all love and adore tie the knot.

The wedding weekend was a huge success. It started with a rehearsal dinner at a winery overlooking the lake and vineyards that stretched for a mile. We enjoyed beautiful weather, with rain that held off until we were all safely inside for the wedding party. The wedding was perfect. The ceremony, held outside, was intimate and romantic. (Well, except for the part where I got pooped on by a flock of birds during the vows. I will chose to believe it means good luck for the groom and bride, and well, maybe a bit of luck for me too since I had to live with the poop in my hair for the evening.)

The reception was an absoulute blast. The boys danced the night away to the live band. I don't think Griffin sat out one dance. Their dancing moves were the hit of the night. Chris and I laughed so hard, we cried, watching our sweet boys rockin' across the dance floor. During one of the sets, Griffin danced for, and in front of, the band and was so unbearably cute, the band members started taking pictures of their little groupie. At the end of his dance, one of the band members came up to Chris and me and told us we absolutely had to get G a musical instrument because he was destined to be our musician.

Or a dancer. He rocked his dance moves.

The boys loved the attention, the music, and the love. They loved lemonade and shirley temples served to them in champagne glasses. And they certainly loved a candy table, stocked with sugar filled delights, including gigantic pixie sticks.

The bride and groom were radiant, both so beautiful and in love. It was a joy to share in their day.

After hours of dancing, Griffin buried his head in my shoulder and told me it was time for him to go to bed. We picked up the shed wedding shoes and held our sweet boys' hands as we brought them upstairs and tucked them into bed.

Rehearsal dinner pictures:

Morning of the wedding:

The view from our hotel room:

The stunning bride:

Back to Reality

Italy. There is almost too much for me to say about Italy. It was the trip of a lifetime and I will be forever grateful to my grandparents for making it possible. I need to give myself time to put the trip into words, to describe the entire experience day by day, but it may take awhile as I attempt to adjust back to reality.

But of course, it was difficult to leave my sweet boys for nine whole days. I knew it would be difficult, but I never imagined how much I would miss them.

It was made even more difficult by this:



Yes, Brennan broke a finger on Memorial Day while jumping on a neighbor’s trampoline. (It totally confirms my belief that trampolines are tools of the devil.) Chris and Brennan got to visit the ER, (Brennan’s third trip since his birth. He is going for a record.) and the next day, visit the orthopedic doctor for a cast. (maybe also a record for doctor’s visits for Chris, since I usually handle all health related kids’ appointments.)

Brennan, as usual, handled it like a champ. He was very proud of the bright orange color he picked out for his cast. (The orange is going to look spectacular in pictures for my brother’s upcoming wedding this weekend.)

In other related news, after I left the dog developed a strange rash all over his body. After a trip to the vet, Chewy was put on serious antibiotics.

It was a good time for Chris. A trip to the vet and ER, a dog on meds, a kid in a cast and me, carousing around Italy drinking copious amounts of red wine, eating buckets of gelato and learning how to say “Ciao Bella!”.

And a good time was had by all.

Insanity!

It has been a couple of crazy, crazy weeks in my life.

Last weekend, in between days of back to back baseball games, I co-hosted a bridal shower for my future sister in law Lynda while Chris headed north of the border for my brother Travis's bachelor party. The shower was lovely. Great food, wonderful gifts, and a good time had by all.

And yes, my sisters in law are tall. Either that or I am freakishly short. Maybe a little of both.

I also made cupcakes! Pretty, flower shower cupcakes!

This weekend, in between back to back baseball games, we hosted a 60th birthday party for my father in law.

Chris also played in a two day golf tournament and I had a minor breakdown when I realized I am leaving for Italy in two days and I have not packed. Not. A. Thing.

In between this social madness, I have had a crazy week at work. Of course (of course!), I was asked to give a presentation at my biggest client's offices to the heads of all their internal departments this past Thursday. My last day in the office for two weeks and I spent the afternoon off-site talking, talking and well, talking. I spoke for just under two hours in a room packed with people. It was stressful and pretty exhausting. But beyond my almost inadvertently throwing my microphone across the room (twice! Yes, who likes to talk with their hands? Who?), it went well. (It's always something. Always.) The client has asked me to repeat the presentation throughout their offices. (We are calling it: Tara Does Trademarks on Tour!)

Now if I could only find time to pack, do some laundry, and generally organize the house for my impending much too long absence. Instead, I must shower and pretty myself up to attend a dinner/drink thing for Chris's golf tournament. Let the insanity continue!

Brennan is Orientated to Kindergarten

Brennan was thrilled when I announced today was his open house and orientation for kindergarten. He has been waiting for this moment for the past six months.

We met his teacher, toured his future classroom, and met his classmates. His classmates include ANOTHER boy by the name of yes, you guessed it: BRENNAN. I almost swore when I found out. I mean, really, what are the odds? We named him Brennan so he could be, well, Brennan, and not Brennan H. for the next eight years of his life.

The highlight of the orientation was the bus ride. Brennan hopped on to the bus without a care in the world, even agreeing to chaperone his little friend Natalie from preschool who only agreed to get on the bus if she got to sit with Brennan. (Stark contrast to Aidan's orientation when I was forced to ride the bus with him and all the other future kindergartners.)

Brennan learned all about bus safety, how to cross a street, and took home a treasured bus eraser as a reward.

Yes, I did cry watching him ride off on the bus smiling at me through the window. I cried. I was also the only parent at orientation with a camera. The crying, picture taking freaky mom. I'm okay with it.

Our Poet

Aidan is currently obsessed with poetry. He likes to read it, preferably aloud, to anyone and everyone. And he loves to write it.

A few weeks ago, we had a little incident at bedtime. Griffin dropped a gigantic, anthology, heavy as hell book on my toe, causing me to yell in surprise and then, a whole lot of pain. (I swear, I thought he broke it. Really.) My crying in pain made Griffin cry because he felt bad. Griffin's crying because he felt bad made Brennan cry because well, Griffin's crying hurt Brennan's ears. (G has some lungs. He can really out yell, outcry, and generally out-drama any of us in this family.)

The only one not crying? Aidan. Aidan quickly retreated to the quiet of his room to find some peace from all the chaos.

We recovered and when I finally made it to Aidan's room to give him a good night hug, he handed me a piece of paper ripped out of a notebook.

"Here Mom." He said with a shy smile, "I wrote this for you to help you feel better."

"What?" I asked as I sat on his bed. I was quiet for a moment as I read this:

to Mommy
from Aidan

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I love you

Tearing sweet!
As sweet as Roses!
Red is her favorite color.
Awesome mom.

Yes, I sobbed. SOBBED. Not a cute, tearing up, normal sentimental cry that I do around the house. No, it was full out, heaving, ugly cry. After I finished my sob fest, Aidan gave me a big hug and told me to take my poem with me, but to put it in a very special and safe place. He didn't want me to leave it out where Daddy could see it and get jealous over my poem.

I keep it in my jewelry box. It's probably more precious to me than anything else in there.

For Mother's Day, Aidan authored a second poem for me. He has allowed me to put this one on the fridge for everyone to read.

MY MOTHER

Magnificent
You love me

Make me dinner
Owns a dog
Totally awesome
Happy
Everlasting love
Recommended as cool!

Love, Aidan

I think I like having a poet in the family.

Italiano!

I am going to Italy. For real! In just over one week, I am boarding a plane with my grandparents and my cousins and heading to Rome, Florence and Venice. My grandparents orchestrated the whole trip and are treating us to the experience of a lifetime.

I almost can't believe it will really happen.

Beyond my excitement, I am also nervous. I will be gone for nine days. I have never left the boys for longer than four days. Chris has never had the boys alone for longer than four days. I am worried I will be a weepy mess, my husband a stress ball and my children will need therapy for mommy abandonment issues.

In order to prepare the boys for my absence, I wanted to show them where I was going on my trip. I brought home a dvd on Italy for all of us to watch together. We watched the section on Florence first.

After the first up-close and personal shot of some of Florence's sculptural nudes, there was a huge gasp from my children.

Aidan pointed, turned to me with disgust and said, "Mom! THAT is SO inappropriate! Inappropriate!"

Brennan looked closer at the screen, laughed and said, "Wow. That is one giant penis."

Yes, it is going to be a great trip.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Batter up!

After a whole slew of rain outs, Aidan and Brennan finally christened their new life as little leaguers with their first games.

They were so proud to break out their crisp new uniforms and don their spankin' new baseball caps. And they were too cute for words.

Brennan's game went off without a hitch. Apparently, in tee ball, there are no outs - just a whole lot of patient batting, patient fielding and very, very patient coaches. Brennan did his thing, hitting, fielding and third base-ing with joy. He loved it. I loved cheering my heart out for him. (I hereby lay claim to being THAT mother. THAT crazy mother who screams her fool head off when her kid manages just to run to first base. Hey - it's exciting!)

Aidan's game was a little more competitive. Well, sort of. They keep track of outs and runs and it is more of a "game" of baseball. But it appears Aidan's team is more of the Bad News Bear variety, while the opposing team was stocked full of ringers. (Seriously. These kids were like twice the size of our team. And they hit it out of the park! I think we need to request copies of their birth certificates.) Aidan's team stayed strong though. (And there was a whole lot of giggling from the parents in the stands. It never gets old to see the ball slide through one, two, three, four hands of our sweet little leaguers.

Aidan's first time up at bat, he made a nice hit, but unfortunately it was pretty close to first base. He ran his little heart out, but missed it by just a second. His heart broke and I could tell he was close to crying. Later he told me, he was "just disappointed." Oh my sweet boy.

The second time at bat, he got onto first and slowly rounded the bases as the other hitters came up to bat. He ended up with his first run of the season. And yes, as THAT mother, I cheered my fool head off at his accomplishment. (Even though this was all of run 3 or 4 for Aidan's team, while the other team was on, like, run 100 or something.)

The game ended with a splash. And when I say splash, I mean it literally. Just a lesson for all of you out there. When your three year old tells you he has to go to the bathroom, but then shakes his head, smiles, and assures you he can hold it, he doesn't really mean it. Nope. He doesn't. Because two minutes later, he will appear in front of a bleacher full of parents with soaking wet pants, a pungent urine smell and yell, "But I told YOU I had to go to the bathroom."

And to finish you off, your husband will smile, turn to you and say, "I guess we should have paid a little more attention to him."

I think we are going to make lots and lots of new friends from little league. I can tell.

A Cheesy Celebration

Busy, busy Friday afternoon for our family. I dropped Aidan off at his weekly golf lesson and continued on to the Mother's Day teas held at Brennan and Griffin's preschool. We were, predictably, late and all the kids in Brennan's class were already lined up to do their special performance.

As we walked in the room, all the boys lined up, shouted with pure excitement, "It's Brennan! He's here! Brennan's here! Brennan! Over here Brennan! Hi Brennan!"

"Wow B!" I said to him in his ear, "You are like a rock star!"

Brennan smiled, shrugged and joined his classmates. He seems to take it all in stride. Always.

I listened to their singing with, of course, tears in my eyes. It was a beautiful and poignant moment to see Brennan, so grown up and self assured singing "You are My Sunshine", the song I sang to him every night before bed for the past five years.

After Brennan's performance, we hightailed it over to Griffin's classroom for his celebration. Griffin, being our G, had not an iota of interest in any type of performance. He preferred, instead, to partake of the many snacks set up for the party and shoved handfuls of cheese in his mouth as quickly as he could.

Griffin's teacher eventually lined all the kids up, but Griffin refused to line up and instead sat down on the floor next to me.

After years of Aidan refusing to do any type of performance, I was not surprised in the least. I still teared up watching the sweet faces of his classmates singing their hearts out to their moms. My dear friend Danielle's little boy Ryan sang with gusto and shot his mom so many loving, adorable looks, it broke my heart.

As I smiled at Danielle and Ryan's interaction, my own G turned to me and said over the sounds of singing, "Mommy?"

"Yes G?" I whispered back, anticipating his own words of love and devotion.

"Mommy, I could really go for some more cheese."

Okay then. More cheese it is.

Brennan and Griffin each made the requisite Ode to My Mom poster that is required each year. This year, Brennan's classmates answered the question: "My Mom Always... " In Brennan's class, moms always "give them hugs", "tell them they love them", "play games" or "bake cookies." Brennan's poster said: "My Mom Always: Makes Me Do the Laundry."

Yep. Make Him Do the Laundry.

In Griffin's class, his classmates answered the question, "My Mom Always Says to Me..." Griffin's classmates mom's always say: "they love me," "do your best" "be happy" or "smile". Griffin's poster said: "My Mom Always Says: Go Brush Your Teeth."

Yep. Go Brush Your Teeth.

Their sentimentality overwhelms me. Truly.

After we were all celebrated out, we were off to pick Aidan up at golf and take Brennan at his first soccer practice. Chris is the assistant coach for the team and Brennan was dying to play. Dying! He had his uniform on since the moment he woke up. It only took some superior negotiating to get him to keep off his shin guards until we got to the fields.

If only the temperature hadn't dropped about twenty degrees. It made for a frosty game and practice at the soccer fields.

At the end of the day, we were all wiped. Today was supposed to be a day of little league parades and games. I am taking it as a personal mother's day gift that the windy weather has resulted in all activities being canceled. I was never happier for bad weather. Hurray!

Instead, we may head to the movies this afternoon. But first, I may make all the boys do some laundry. I will blame the idea on Brennan.

X Factor

Aidan was lying in bed when I came into his bedroom to kiss him good night.

He had one leg up in the air close to his head and moved his arms up and down his leg as he yelled to me, "Look Mom! I am climbing the beanstalk!"

"What?" I asked confused, "You're stretching?"

"No," Aidan laughed as he switched legs, "I am climbing up and down the beanstalk!"

"Oh, I get it." I said laughing, "Did you learn this in gym class at school?"

"Nope. That is just what the guy tells us to do on Daddy's P90X Workout. It's an AB ripper!"

There is something seriously wrong with hearing the words "ab ripper" coming out of your seven year old's mouth. Seriously wrong.

It's Showtime!

If I wasn't reading as a child, I was putting on shows. I have distinct memories of bossing around all the neighborhood kids in order to put on a talent show that featured, well, me.

Last night, the boys announced at dinner that they had a show they wanted to debut. Chris and I were thrilled to take our assigned seats on the couch as the entertainment began.

The opening act, introduced by Brennan ("Introducing Aidan! He's reading something!"), was Aidan reading a poem about a robot. Aidan has spent the last week obsessed with poetry. We visited the library today and every single book he took out was a book stuffed with poems. He spent the rest of the day reading the poems aloud to anyone and everyone that would listen. (He even brought the book outside and walked around the yard for a good hour reading poetry aloud.)

After Aidan was finished, Aidan introduced Brennan ("Introducing Brennan and his Magic Tricks! And me, helping him!") Brennan had five or six tricks planned for his act. Chris and I spent the entire time we watched Brennan trying to contain our bursts of laughter. Before he did each trick he would introduce it with: "Introducing the Card thing! Introducing the coin thing! Introducing the ring thing!" It never got old.

After Brennan wowed us with his magic prowess, Griffin got up to do a dance routine. He had forgotten about music to accompany his groove and instead of hunting down my ipod, he asked if I would sing for him as he danced.

"Sure G! What do you want me to sing?"

Griffin thought for a moment and then said, "Eye of the Tiger."

And so I sang "Eye of the Tiger."

It was quite a show. Don't worry if you missed it. We may be all going on tour soon.

What's in Your Bag?

Before we left for Florida, I told each boy to pack up a backpack of things they wanted with them on the airplane. Books, toys, games - whatever could fit and whatever they wanted to carry.

The night before our flight, I took each packed backpack and went through each of its contents, understanding I would most likely have to repack each child's bag.

Aidan packed every single school book in his bag. Social studies, science and reading books. He packed homework sheets and workbooks. Being mother of the year that I am, I vetoed bringing the school books (they were heavy!) and told him to find his DS and one of his Diary of a Wimpy Kid books to read. Aidan, of course, protested.

"But, Mom, I want to read my school books! I want to read ahead! I like to do my school work!"

"Yes, Yes, I know, but your bag weighs like a hundred pounds with all these books! And it's vacation. Let's bring your DS instead, okay?"

Aidan gave a huge sigh as he took out his thick study guides and school books and repacked his bag full of video games and comic books. (I like to think I am really making a difference in my kids' lives, setting them on the right path, being a good influence. All those sort of things. Truly.)

Next, I grabbed Brennan's bag. Brennan's backpack was mysteriously, rather light. I unzipped it, peeked inside and saw three things: a pair of dress up yellow sequin sunglasses, a superman wallet stuffed with cash and a slinky.

And that tells you everything you need to know about Brennan. What more could a boy possibly need?

Discovering Joy in the Unexpected Places

It will take me weeks to sort and upload the pictures from our trip in Florida. (This is what happens when you take over 800 pictures of your children in the sand.) But, vacation was, as always, lovely for all of us. It seems so cliché to say we needed it, but well, we did.

The last few months I have felt a little lost and a bit numb. I am unable to articulate what I need to feel whole again. I know I want to feel more joyful. I want to feel more happiness. I am working on figuring it all out. I had hoped vacation would help. (And the sun, sand and margaritas can’t hurt, can they?)

We were up at the crack of dawn to catch our 7 am flight to Florida. We left our house at 5 am and in spite of the fact that we were headed to the beach, sun, surf and fun, I was grumpy at the early hour. I lacked my normal joy over our impending trip. The boys, however, exuded happiness.

“Did you see that? Did you? Look! It’s amazing! Wow! Look over there! I see another one! That one is so cool too! Did you see that one? I missed it! Look! Ooooo, that is the best one yet! Look at that one! It glows! Incredible! There is so many of them! Coooooool!!!!”

My children were not discussing video games, airplanes or some complicated scientific experiment, but spent the entire car ride to the airport enthralled with the lights that lit up the predawn sky. That’s it. Lights. Lights from towers. Lights from passing trucks. Lights from empty warehouses. The lights were an amazing, wondrous thing to appreciate and exclaim over again and again.

You can find joy in the most unexpected places. I am grateful I have three teachers wrapped up in the cutest little boy packages to remind me of this.

First Practice

The boys are obsessed with their upcoming baseball careers. They have virtually been sleeping with their ball and glove, hoping by osmosis to morph into little baseball wunderkinds.

Tomorrow is Aidan's first practice. Chris and I were working through the scheduling of who will take which child where, when Aidan interrupted me and said firmly, "I want Mommy to take me to my baseball practice."

"You do?" I replied, somewhat surprised and well, a little bit proud. He picked me! I thought Daddy was a sure bet for the first practice. After all, Daddy can, you know, do things like throw a ball and catch it. I suck at the baseball thing.

"Yes!" Aidan smiled broadly. Then he continued, "And I want you to stand on the sidelines and take lots and lots of pictures of me. LOTS!"

Hmmm, perhaps I need to cut back on the picture taking with the kiddies. They are starting to believe I am their personal paparazzi.

---------------------------------------

Chris announced he was taking the boys to a baseball field to practice up for their first baseball outing.

"You are?" I asked, surprised. "Can't you just play catch with them in the back yard?"

Chris laughed at me, shook his head and said, "Yes, but I am thinking we should show them a baseball field and explain to them the whole first base, second base, third base thing before we send them off to practice."

Oh, right. That makes perfect sense.

Sharing the Love of a Book

On a whim, the boys and I decided to head to Borders this afternoon. My mom had given each of them a gift card to Borders in their Easter baskets and it was burning a hole in their collective pockets. I always like an excuse to roam the stacks, so it was an easy sell all around.

I love books. I love looking at them. I love reading them. I love the promise an unread book holds for me should I chose to open its cover. The books I read and love are like friends to me. I tend to reread my favorites or recommend them enthusiastically and loudly to anyone who will listen. I am always reading something and if not, I tend to pick up whatever book Chris is reading to read that too. Books are my obsession.

Most of my childhood was defined by books. I read, well, alot. I spent a fair amount of my early years curled up in a ball somewhere comfortably reading anything and everything. I fell in love with the library at a very early age. (A love that endures to this day.) I would walk to the library afterschool and spend hours reading or browsing. Libraries and bookstores are like a little slice of heaven to me.

I hope my boys share that love of books. I try to encourage reading as much as I can. We visit the library quite a bit, at least weekly if not more. We read together. And I almost never say no to a book purchase for them. It's my weakness and they know it.

We spent a long time in Borders today, each boy making his selection carefully. After we were done, we stopped for dinner on the way home. They sat in the booth, all three scrunched up together, and looked at their new books. It was a sweet moment.

There is nothing like sharing the love of a good book.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Aidan and Brennan asked if they could both play little league this spring. I agreed, knowing that little league can be a huge time sucker of a commitment. Practice, and more practices, games and more games - it can be alot to add into the schedule.

I try to limit their activities to two at a time to soften the blow of running here, there and everywhere, but our late spring into early summer is forecasting a whole lot of overlap of activities. We will be that family, over scheduled and crazed, trying to get it all in. Between golf, soccer, swimming and now, baseball - it will be quite an interesting ride.

Brennan is overjoyed by the promise of so much athletic action. I asked him what sport he was most excited about starting this spring.

He grinned and counting off his fingers said, "I can't wait to play golf, swimming, baseball and soccer."

I laughed and said, "Well, that's all of them Brennan."

Brennnan looked serious for a minute as he thought about it and said, "I'd like to do tennis lessons again too, Momma."

Oh boy. After my non-committing "we'll see," Brennan continued, "And how old do I have to be so I can add basketball and football? I want to play those too!"

Sure, two activities at a time. That should work. All rules are made to be broken I guess.

Things that Go Bump in the Night

The bogey man has moved into Brennan’s room, or at least, that is what Brennan thinks. He has spent many a night over the last few weeks with nightmares or tales of haunted things that go bump in the night and live in his closet. Chris and I have tried, oh we have tried, to patiently deal with his fears. But at two am in the middle of the night, even the most patient and loving of parents may find this challenging.

The first time he awoke with nightmares, I was not the most patient and loving of parents. I had been going through some things at work and I was irritable and grumpy. Chris quickly ushered me back to bed and ended up having an impromptu sleep over in Brennan’s car bed.

It was a quick fix solution by a wonderful dad, but not a solution that could last.

A few nights later, we were putting the boys to bed when Brennan started to get worked up over the chance his nightmare could come back. Chris tried to talk Brennan out of it. I tried magic mommy dust. But, Brennan was having none of it.

Finally, Aidan walked into Brennan’s room and asked if he could talk to Brennan. Aidan asked Brennan to describe his dream. Brennan did. Brennan described a dream of someone, something scary, that looked surprisingly just like his friend Phillip from school, chasing him and Aidan and catching them and hurting them.

Aidan listened thoughtfully and then he said, “Brennan, that could never happen. Think about Phillip. I am so much bigger than Phillip. If anything like Phillip ever chased us or tried to hurt us, I could get them and hurt them first. I would never let them do that. I, well, I would just grab them and throw them out the window!”

Brennan smiled. Aidan smiled back and said, “Okay?” Brennan nodded. Chris looked at Brennan and said, “Are you okay?”

“Yes Daddy, I can sleep now.”

Aidan, our seven year old nightmare whisperer.

Easter Weekend

The weather could not have been more perfect for Easter. Instead of easter egg hunts bundled in fleece mittens and down parkas, we all enjoyed shorts and sun.

After a day outside on Saturday, we went to a cook out at a neighbors house and attended the first egg hunt of the weekend. The boys loved romping with a million and one kids and hunting for their eggs in shorts and bare feet.

The boys were up early on Easter, eager to hunt for their baskets. After the baskets were found and we munched on a family breakfast, we went for Easter egg hunt number two. Chris and I hid eggs around our yard and watched our disheveled boys run wild hunting for eggs in all their mismatched glory. (No matching, cute Easter themed pjs for our brood. Nope.)

Egg hunt number three took place later that day at my mom's house. Travis and Lynda littered my mom's yard with a whole bunch of eggs to keep the egg frenzy alive and well.

I had picked out the cutest matching button downs for the boys to wear for the holiday. As Griffin will only wear clothes that consist of some sort of sports theme and have some elastic waist component to them, this raised a bit of a tantrum from our lovable three year old. The tantrum was so spectacular that we threatened to leave him home from our impending visit to Chris's uncle for Easter brunch.

Griffin smiled and said, "Okay. I'll stay home."

How's that for calling a parental bluff? So Griffin and I stayed home from brunch to allow our grumpy three year old to nap. We did get him to wear the offensive shirt for dinner at my mother's house, but only after he escaped back into his room to cover it up with an Old Navy fleece jacket.

He wore that fleece jacket the whole evening. Oh, it's good to be three. He also refused any type of group picture that involved him and his brothers. Yes, so good to be three.

All was forgiven when I heard the following exchange.

"I have a girlfriend Grandma JoJo!" Griffin announced.

"You do! What's her name?" My mom asked chuckling.

"Mommy! Her name is Mommy!" He said with a smile and then ran over to give me a hug.

Three year olds are crafty little guys, aren't they?

After all the eggs and Easter excitement, we were all home, in bed and asleep nice and early. We are now on to the countdown to the beach. The boys each borrowed a rolling suitcase from my mother yesterday and are intent on playing "trip to Florida" every chance they get. Now if I can only teach them to pack their own bags. That would be a treat.

Mid-Life Crisis Banished by a Summer Day

I have been struggling with work the last few weeks. It has been my own little version of a mid-life crisis, but at the ripe ol' age of 37. My struggle has quickly and easily seeped into my home life and made me a cranky mom and wife. It is amazing how easy it is to allow one aspect of your life dominate the entirety of your life.

But today, we were given the gift of a July day in a season just awakening with spring. There is no joy like an unexpected gift of a warm summer day in April.

We soaked up the sun. The boys and I took Chewy for a long walk. We played outside for hours. My brother and sister in law walked over to our house and we sat outside, chatting, marveling in the feel of the sun on our faces. It felt good. It brought lightness. I think we all needed it.

We were all a little sunburned tonight. As we dug for summer pjs to wear to bed, the boys were dancing with glee when I told them it is supposed to be sunny and 80 degrees tomorrow.

After the boys were all quiet in bed, Chris found me laying on our bed listening to the chirping of the birds and enjoying the warm breeze blowing through our bedroom windows. I felt so at peace.

I am hoping this summer Easter weekend has brought me enough simple peace and joy to carry me through my own version of a mid-life crisis. Or at least until we escape for the beach in two weeks. At least until then.