We ventured out yesterday to ride a train, and we had a blast. We went to Roaring Camp Railroads and rode a steam engine up into the mountains - we got to see huge redwood trees, listen to the train whistle, and feel the wind in our hair. What a great adventure!
Gma (my Grandma, and the kids great-grandma!) with L & Z.
Z in "jail" // the kids checking out a covered wagon
Aunt Kathy & Evie // L all ready to go
The whole crew (minus me!) - so fun to have them visiting this week!
Train station // Evie the conductor
Mama & Ezra // Gma & L
The engine we rode! So neat!
David & Ezra // Ezzy and a BIG tree!
On the train // playing in a tree
We worked up a good appetite riding that train, soaking up the sun and fresh air, so we found some lunch afterwards. And then all proceeded to get in the van and fall fast asleep...
It was Christmas of 2011 when I got the trunk. The trunk I never knew I wanted. Max was out searching for a gift, and came across this old steamer trunk at a local antique shop. He saw the potential and fell in love. It didn't fit in our car at the time, so he borrowed a friend's car, and took it to their house. Because it was too heavy/awkward to carry home (and he didn't want me to see it), he took our kids wagon over to our friend's house, and then hauled the old trunk back home on the wagon. Oh what a story!
Upon receiving my trunk, I was told that he was going to fix it all up, and we could use it in our house. He had great plans to fix up the metal, paint the outside, spruce up the wood, and re-do the insides. And then the trunk sat in our garage. And sat. And sat. Once in awhile, he worked on it, but it needed some serious hours, and it never was a top priority, which was just fine.
However, when we moved here last Spring, I knew I wanted to get the trunk done and inside, so we could use it! Max is super busy with class and Marine duties, so I knew I'd have to put in a lot of the work and time to get it done. With his guidance and direction, I started in on the project. I don't think I knew exactly what I was getting myself into...
The picture below was taken in the midst of working on it...
It was a lot of work - sanding, taping, painting, scrubbing, scraping - but it's done for now, and I am so proud of all the work we put into it. It took me a few months of random afternoon nap times and some evenings, but I am happy to say that the trunk is IN THE HOUSE, holding extra blankets and pillows! I love it. It is a happy, bright color that adds a fun pop to the living room. It is unique and holds a special story.
I may not have known I wanted an old steamer trunk a few years ago, but I am so glad we have it now.
A little glimpse of what we've been up to the past week or so, via phone photos.
Evie getting in trouble // On an adventure walk - Eliana is wearing one of my old dresses
Quiet mama time // L at dance class
Carrying Evie & pulling the kids to Kinderjam // L at the ENT, after the flower incident
Evie says "cheese!" // L with some bday gifts
Morning errands and coffee // after-dinner energy burn-off
early morning goodness // legos
The other day, I had left an empty box next to the back door, so I could take it out later for recycling. I was busy in the kitchen, getting lunch ready for the kids and I. Eliana & Ezra were watching a show on Netflix, and Evie was playing with toys. Or so I thought.
I turned around to find that Evie had crawled into the box, water and Foxy in hand, and was happily sitting, watching me go around the kitchen. It cracked me up, that she had found herself a little seat and was just as content as can be. Funny little Evie.
We are loving having visitors here with us. Great-Aunt Kathy & Great-Uncle David flew in yesterday, and Grandma Marilyn comes in tomorrow, for a week of adventures with us. This morning, we headed out for a donut & coffee treat. Eliana picked a pink-frosted and Ezra chose a "halloween"-sprinkled donut. Evie was just happy to gnaw on a donut hole, and then beg from the rest of us!
We showed Kathy & David around, and then ended up at a pumpkin lot, to pick out some pumpkins. Many of them were bigger than Evie, but of course, L & Z wanted to pick out little ones to paint later.
After our pumpkin picking, we found lunch at a local diner, and headed home for afternoon naps, where tired heads hit the pillows and drifted off into sleep.
It was a fun-filled day, and we are excited to see what the next few days hold!
We had such a great day celebrating L's 4th birthday last Friday! She chose a lot of fun things, and we had a happy day. She woke up and put on her 'Rapunzel' dress and tiara - which she pretty much left on the entire day. She picked pancakes and bacon for breakfast, and then we headed to Kinderjam, where we danced and sang the morning away.
Watching...Tangled before lunch.
So they watched it. At least 5 times in a row. Ohmygosh, if that wasn't stuck in my head all day long!
Daddy brought pretty flowers home for the birthday girl. And danced with her.
L requested shrimp and noodles with edamame for dinner. Her current favorite meal!
And then we sang Happy Birthday while she blew out a candle on her requested kitty-cat cupcake!
Evie was pretty impressed by the cupcakes, and was happy to celebrate L's birthday with us :)
More 'what does the fox say' (my kids are mildly obsessed with the song...) and dancing with Daddy!
One of L's presents - a stuffed kitty.
Coloring the next day with her kitty - that kitty comes along everywhere!
It was simple and low-key, but perfect for our little family.
What a special day celebrating our Eliana turning 4 years old!
What a special day celebrating our Eliana turning 4 years old!
I remember that day, the day you were born. The day I labored for hours and hours, then pushed for hours more. I remember the eclectic group of women that gathered in that room with me, encouraging me, holding my hand, and freezing their rear ends off because I demanded that the room was too hot. I remember the way your daddy looked on that grainy computer screen, sitting against a concrete wall, mostly silent, waiting, watching, and then tears on his face when you finally emerged and were laid on my chest. I remember the way you cried, and then how you quieted as soon as you were placed by my face. How you stared up into my eyes, for what felt like hours, taking it all in, almost as if to make sure it was really me, your mama.
You made me a mama that day. Me, the woman that felt more like a scared little girl. Me, the one surrounded by precious sister-friends and my own mom, and family and nurses, and half-eaten pizzas. Me, the one dating a boy I loved, hoping one day soon he would get down on one knee and ask me to marry him. Me, the one who knew, at that moment, as you gazed in my eyes, that you were all mine, and that I would do anything to love you well.
I had no idea what I was doing. I remember everybody leaving, and it was just me and you in that hospital room. I was excited and terrified all at the same time. There you were, this little wriggling, crying baby, the one we had been waiting and waiting on. And I had no idea what to do with you. Do I hold you? Swaddle you? Lay you down? Do I sleep? Or nurse you? How do I burp you? Do I dare let the nurse take you away? Oh how I learned. And quickly! I guess I had no choice. And was eager to take on the challenge of figuring life with you out.
We had something special, you and I. Most likely because it was just you and I for a long while. Your daddy and I got married just a few short weeks after you were born, in a whirlwind engagement and wedding. But not two months later, he deployed for a year, taking his full bags and half my heart with him. That next year was just you and me. Even though we found out there would be another baby born just a year after you, it still felt like it was just me and you taking on the world, going on adventures, hanging out with friends, getting to know each other better.
You have taught me more than I could ever have imagined. You have exposed parts of me I never knew existed. You have challenged me to the core. You have shown me so much about life, and how to live it with joy and grace and peace. You have taught me that beauty is found in the smallest of things: in the dandelions in the sidewalk cracks, in the sip of hot chocolate, in the thrill of hide-and-seek. You have opened my eyes more and more to the sweet grace of Jesus, and the fact that He is constantly calling us back to Him, that He is always there, arms wide open, waiting.
I look at you, my dear daughter, and see a brave soul. A cautious spirit. I see a determined and inquisitive and opinionated and goofy little girl. I see beauty and hope and joy and a memory that can out last my own. I see a precious gift, one entrusted to me, to raise up, to love on, to take care of. When we named you Eliana, we did so because it means 'Yahweh has answered us'. Because, of course, he had. In little and big ways, in ways you may never realize, in ways I have figured out, and in ways I am still sifting through. God knew what He was doing when He gave you to us. Your life has changed me in ways I never thought possible, and you have taught me so much already in these short four years.
I can not wait to see what you continue to teach me, dear girl. I am proud to be your mama.
Happy 4th birthday, Eliana, the one who made me a mama.
A few months ago, right before we left NC, L found a teeny plastic purple flower bead thing outside on the sidewalk. She carried it around and adored her little flower. And then promptly lost it at Amy & Mark's house. She was sad, but always asked if she could have a purple flower on her birthday. L's birthday happens to be tomorrow, and do you know what arrived in the mail this week? A sweet birthday card from Amy & Marky, with a teeny plastic purple flower taped on the inside. L couldn't believe it. She was thrilled!
Yesterday morning, I was getting some stuff done while the kids watched SuperWhy for a bit. Evie was napping soundly, and all was going well, until suddenly, L ran into the kitchen, crying that her nose hurt so bad! Because of the purple flower! When questioned further, she said it was in her nose! I had her blow and blow her nose, with nothing happening. I made her lay on the couch so I could shine a flashlight up her nostrils. I couldn't see anything.
So I called the Dr. They recommended to take her to the ER, so we did (after juggling the car around and mixing up Max's day at class). The ER doc could not see anything, so we were referred to an ENT, who wasn't able to see us until today. At this point, I kept asking her if the flower was really in her nose still. And every time, she responded with a strong yes! This morning, we headed into the ENT, who scoped her nose. She did amazing, sat so still, and didn't make a peep. He found nothing. No flower. Just some snot.
I have absolutely no idea where that blasted little flower is, but at least we know it's not in her nose, right?! Lesson learned: teach children that small objects don't belong in noses or ears, or just don't give them teeny objects.
I woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed and tired, and I allowed those feelings to come out through impatience and grumpiness. It's been a long week for Max at work, and we've seen him very little, with the kids seeing him the least. I am proud of how hard he works and the responsibility he has taken on, but it's been hard adjusting to how much he has to be doing, away from us. It's strange, this getting used to him "being with us" here in Monterey, but really, he's super busy with work and duty and making sure stuff is being taken care of, that he's not really here with us much at all.
It's been long days for me here on my own, with three little humans, and no car. I am trying to be positive and find the good in the situation, but sometimes it gets the best of me. Like this morning. I was not being very successful at seeing the positives, at all. And I decided I could try to rush through a thousand chores before we had to leave for L's doc appt, or I could sit down and read for a few minutes. I typically read early in the morning, but I hadn't done so this morning. So I chose to read. To sit and reflect. To let Truth soak into my soul, my heart, my feelings.
It was just what I needed this morning. I didn't magically feel amazing or full of joy, but it helped me stop and think about the attitude of my heart, and where I was at emotionally. I think I need to be better about making an attitude adjustment, about hitting the 'reset' button my day, about being willing to acknowledge I am going down a dead-end road and turning around. I definitely don't always do it right. There have been plenty of days that I didn't make the choice to turn my day around, and they ended just as poorly as they started, or worse. I don't want that. I want to be able to see that things are not going well, be humble enough to address the issues, and be able to move forward in grace and love. Which sounds so easy, but can be so hard to put into action sometimes.
I don't really know where I am going with this, I think I am just rambling at this point. Just keeping it real here, friends. A little glimpse into my heart today.
And my daughter, just smelling the flowers a little too hard. Or something.
P.S. I was reading the SheReadsTruth James study this morning, and highly recommend it.
Yesterday morning, I was getting some stuff done while the kids watched SuperWhy for a bit. Evie was napping soundly, and all was going well, until suddenly, L ran into the kitchen, crying that her nose hurt so bad! Because of the purple flower! When questioned further, she said it was in her nose! I had her blow and blow her nose, with nothing happening. I made her lay on the couch so I could shine a flashlight up her nostrils. I couldn't see anything.
So I called the Dr. They recommended to take her to the ER, so we did (after juggling the car around and mixing up Max's day at class). The ER doc could not see anything, so we were referred to an ENT, who wasn't able to see us until today. At this point, I kept asking her if the flower was really in her nose still. And every time, she responded with a strong yes! This morning, we headed into the ENT, who scoped her nose. She did amazing, sat so still, and didn't make a peep. He found nothing. No flower. Just some snot.
I have absolutely no idea where that blasted little flower is, but at least we know it's not in her nose, right?! Lesson learned: teach children that small objects don't belong in noses or ears, or just don't give them teeny objects.
I woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed and tired, and I allowed those feelings to come out through impatience and grumpiness. It's been a long week for Max at work, and we've seen him very little, with the kids seeing him the least. I am proud of how hard he works and the responsibility he has taken on, but it's been hard adjusting to how much he has to be doing, away from us. It's strange, this getting used to him "being with us" here in Monterey, but really, he's super busy with work and duty and making sure stuff is being taken care of, that he's not really here with us much at all.
It's been long days for me here on my own, with three little humans, and no car. I am trying to be positive and find the good in the situation, but sometimes it gets the best of me. Like this morning. I was not being very successful at seeing the positives, at all. And I decided I could try to rush through a thousand chores before we had to leave for L's doc appt, or I could sit down and read for a few minutes. I typically read early in the morning, but I hadn't done so this morning. So I chose to read. To sit and reflect. To let Truth soak into my soul, my heart, my feelings.
It was just what I needed this morning. I didn't magically feel amazing or full of joy, but it helped me stop and think about the attitude of my heart, and where I was at emotionally. I think I need to be better about making an attitude adjustment, about hitting the 'reset' button my day, about being willing to acknowledge I am going down a dead-end road and turning around. I definitely don't always do it right. There have been plenty of days that I didn't make the choice to turn my day around, and they ended just as poorly as they started, or worse. I don't want that. I want to be able to see that things are not going well, be humble enough to address the issues, and be able to move forward in grace and love. Which sounds so easy, but can be so hard to put into action sometimes.
I don't really know where I am going with this, I think I am just rambling at this point. Just keeping it real here, friends. A little glimpse into my heart today.
And my daughter, just smelling the flowers a little too hard. Or something.
P.S. I was reading the SheReadsTruth James study this morning, and highly recommend it.
Over the weekend, while the toddlers were sleeping, Evie and I had fun playing with some jewelry, a poofy tutu, and our newly refinished vintage trunk. I had been meaning to get some "1-year" photos taken of our sweet Evie girl, and am so glad I finally snapped some. I tried to narrow them down, but I still can't help but share an overload! Here's Evie at 1-year! Enjoy.
And she was done. The End.