Good Day Sunshine

I have a new friend.  His name is Eli, and he is yummy.

He smells good, and he is soft, and at only 3 weeks old, he is quite a handsome little guy.

And you know what else makes him so special?  He shares a birthday with Devon.

And I wanted to keep him.

Eli has a big brother named Emmett, and Emmett is also quite lovable.

Want to know something special about Emmett?  He shares a birthday with Joe!

(I hope that someday MaryBeth has a baby born on my birthday!)

Max and Emmett, they go way back.

Check this out-

Max & Emmett, babies, age 1, age 2

It was so great to visit with MaryBeth and her boys,

and I really did want to keep that tiny new friend,

but I suppose that I've got my hands full with...

my own little man and his collection of Lightning McQueens.

I made him a road, and I used paper rather than the surface of my cedar chest.

And it was such a beautiful day yesterday that I insisted we leave McQueen(s) at home and go play outside with daddy and Lucy.

First we picked up some lunch and snacks.

Tiny shopping carts are pretty much the coolest things ever (though they make mama's shopping experience completely stressful- just imagine Max running into everything and everyone).

Back to the big slides-

And big rocks-

And big smiles-

And hopscotch too-

It was a pretty fantastic day.

And that little Eli sure did smell nice :)

Little Miracle

Lucy was the "Little Miracle" at school yesterday.  She has been waiting not-so-patiently for her turn to be the Little Miracle, and when I asked her why all the hype about being the Little Miracle, she told me that it means that she'd get to be at the front of the line, she'd get to hold the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance, she'd get to sit in a special orange chair during circle time, and she'd get to go peek outside in the morning and return with a weather report. 

Being the Little Miracle also means that your mom is in charge of bringing the class snack.  Not to over-react, but bringing the class snack for 11 little people is a lot of pressure.  There was a full page of directions regarding the class snack policy.  No nut products, no food that was made on machinery shared with nut products, no cakes or cupcakes or anything especially sugary, grapes must be cut in halves, no juice boxes...  I studied the policy and settled on bagel thins with cream cheese and a carton of juice, juice that I would never buy for my children to drink at home, but, really, is there any juice that isn't full of sugar??  I didn't hear any complaints, so I'm hoping that I did a good job as the Little Miracle's mother.

Here she is, our Little Miracle (lets see how many times I can say Little Miracle in this post) on her way out the door to school.

Girlfriend loves to pose!  Fun fact: Lucy got that dress from Aunt Merry on Saturday, and she wore it for 3 consecutive days.  Today would be the 4th day, but I've hidden in it the laundry- I prefer variety, you know?  Let's mix it up today Lucy, wear something different.

Merry's friend Jim was at her house on Saturday, and he took some pics of Lucy in the fabulous dress.

Merry also gave Lucy a new backpack for school, and though she didn't need to carry anything to school yesterday, she wore the empty backpack with pride!

Three hours later, I anxiously picked her up from school, and I was thrilled to hear that being the Little Miracle was all that she'd hoped and dreamed it would be.  "It was the best day of my life," she said.  I didn't get many more details, but I was pretty happy just to know that my Little Miracles was happy.  And later in the day, I learned that Lucy can recite the Pledge of Allegiance and John 3:16, although she calls it "God 3:16".  Big smiles for mommy! 

I also learned that the teacher asked Lucy about the big bruise on her cheek, the one that she got when Max threw a metal bucket at her face last Tuesday.  She told me that the teacher asked her what happened, and Lucy told her that Max did it, and then she said that the teacher asked, "Lucy, is that the truth?"  And she said, "Yep, that's the truth!"  I was expecting that Lucy's teacher would inquire about the bruise, because one of a teacher's jobs is to look for any kind of domestic abuse, right?  However, it sure felt weird to hear that Lucy was asked, "Is that the truth?"  The truth is that Devon and I only kiss those cheeks of hers, not throw metal buckets at them!  And Max got in big, big trouble!

So there you have it.  Lucy has already asked when she will get to be the Little Miracle again.  Sometime in October, which led to "When is October?" which led to "What is a month?"...

Oh, and as a side note, Lucy informed me yesterday that she doesn't ever want to get married because she doesn't like kisses because slobber is so gross.  Noted!

Little Miracle!  Little Miracle!  Little Miracle!

Not a Gold-Star Day

It has been one of those days when the more effort I invest in making my kids happy, the more they seem to misbehave.  You know what I mean?  So I begin to doubt myself as a mother, wondering if I am parenting correctly.  Do I discipline properly?  Do I reward enough?  Do I use every opportunity to teach a valuable life lesson to Joe, Lucy and Max?  

I'll be honest- when it comes to being a mom, I'm wingin' it.  I love my kids, and I am putting everything I've got into my most important job of being their mother, and I hope and pray that I'm doing something right.  But I just have those days every now and then when I don't quite earn a gold star.

So today I picked up that book that my mom gave me a while ago- the one I've written about before, called 1001 Things It Means to Be a Mom.  She put it in my stocking at Christmas, and when she visited us for Easter, she brought me another book called The 312 Best Things About Being a Stepmom.

Isn't 312 a strange number?  The author should have stopped at 300, or maybe pushed for 350.  Even 320 would have been better than 312.  Of course, I had to point out right away that there are 1,001 things to mention about being a mom, but only 312 things to mention related to being a stepmom.  My mother, ever so witty, said, "Well, you are both, so add them together.  1,313.  There.  You win."

I digress.  Today I needed a bit of mommy perspective to keep me going.  So here is what I found:

From 1001- 

334. Being a mom means deciding that this whole "balanced life" thing is a myth.

345. Being a mom means saying "Don't hit your brother," about ten times a day.

362. Being a mom means being whacked in the back by a little plastic sword and not knowing whether to laugh, cry, whack back, or tell Dad.

401. Being a mom means recognizing when a misbehaving child is simply tired and hungry.

415. Being a mom means teaching your children that throwing a tantrum will lead to misery, not to getting their way.

482. Being a mom means making the rules.

535. Being a mom means believing your children are hearing impaired since they don't seem to hear a thing you say.

604. Being a mom means actually believing other parents get their kids to do homework without a fight.

From 312- 

• You don't take their little quirks personally. (Hey, those aren't your genes rearing their kooky heads!)
• Fairy tales haven't set very high expectations for stepmothers, so you're bound to look good in comparison.
• You suddenly feel inspired to call and thank your own parents for raising you.
• Full-time stepmothers are more accepted and appreciated in our society.  Think Maria von Trapp and Carol Brady.
• After a while, no one thinks "step" anymore.
• "As stepmoms, we should remember that in order to be walked on, we have to be lying down.  It's our choice." Dorothy, mother of two, stepmother of three
• (And my fave, from the Queen Bee herself...) "Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother." Oprah Winfrey
 

And after everything today- ballet class, a playdate, a missed nap, a forgotten science book, a trip to the park, a tantrum because I wouldn't "invite someone to bring us a pizza" (also known as pizza delivery), and a trip to the library- Lucy declared at bedtime, "You know, mom, you've been pretty nice today."  Mhmm.

 

Here are some pics from the past couple of days-

 

go fish

 

a picnic before Devon's softball game

 

Max's face makes me laugh

 

a Wednesday night at the park/ballfield

 

the big slide- Max only went down once, and his face says it all

 

"You want us to just sit and smile? What is fun about that?"

 

I Like It.

• My DVR is filling up with my favorite shows!  I can't decide which show I'm most excited about, but my top contenders are always Grey's Anatomy, Survivor, Modern Family, and Parenthood.
• Ozzy and Coach are back on Survivor!  Who doesn't love Ozzy?  And Coach has found himself a cozy place in my heart, which surprises me. 

• I love me some nerd, and Survivor's Cochran is pure nerd.  I hope he sticks around a while.

• Enough about Survivor.
• Devon is being moved to manage the store in Issaquah, so he will be close to home!  And he will have a better, more family-friendly schedule.  Anyone need a mattress?
• Last night I made our family's favorite dinner, homemade mac & cheese & peas, but this time I pureed steamed zucchini and carrots into the tomato sauce, and the kids loved it!  I high five'd myself :)
• The forecast for the day is mostly sunny!
• I found a Cadbury Egg yesterday, on the top shelf of my kitchen cupboard.  Score!
• 3 boxes of chai tea at Costco cost less than 2 chai tea lattes at Starbucks.  Can I interest anyone in a yummy warm beverage?

• My new dentist gave me a teeth whitening set for being a new patient.  I am expecting big results!
• I keep wondering if Joe notices that our coffee bag is greeting him each morning.

What do you like today?

Slow-Down Sunday

Today I welcomed the dark clouds.  I decided that changing out of pajamas wasn't necessary.  And I didn't give any thought to the day's agenda.  Today is the first day of Operation: Slow Down. 

Now, I haven't exactly created the plan for Operation: Slow Down.  I don't have a specific idea of how I intend to slow down.  But I thought that spending the day doing a whole lotta nothin' was a good start. 

We've been so busy- and I'm sure that many of you can relate.  But now we are a few weeks into the new school year, and a few of the big events on our calendar have passed, and I'm ready to catch my breath and move into fall.  You know?

Over the past week, Devon and I had a date night out with friends, and I had a night out for the bachelorette party, and then Devon and I had another date night to his Employee Appreciation Party at the Maroon 5/Train concert, and then we went out again for the wedding rehearsal... 

and can you guess who the September MVP award goes to?  Grandma Donna!  She said that she earned her "Grandma stripes" during an especially dramatic Lucy tantrum, but, otherwise, her time with the kids is fun for all, and we super appreciate her willingness to help us when we need to be kid-free!

So, yesterday was Kelly and Bryan's wedding, and it was such a perfect day, full of love and good times.  Us ladies met early in the morning to get ready.  We ate breakfast, visited with each other, took turns getting our make-up and hair done, and celebrated with the bride.  From there, time moved in fast-forward, as special occasions usually do.  I can remember flashes of the day- like watching Kelly's mom fasten her pearls around Kelly's neck, and seeing my own groom in the crowd as I walked down the aisle, and laughing as each guest released a live butterfly from a small box at the end of the ceremony. 

Kelly was gorgeous- a radiant bride, and Bryan was a happy groom- all smiles.

I figured I'd leave the photo-taking to the professionals, but Devon managed to get some shots, so here is what I have to share-

Kelly and her parents

Me and Kelly's brother Brian

Lucy and her little friends trying to catch a butterfly

Joe caught one!

Me and my groom

The cake was topped by a bride and groom playing softball

Me, Maria and Carrie

My kids on the dance floor

Some fun details about the wedding-

* the wedding party walked down the aisle to "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars

* Kelly walked down the aisle to "Marry Me" by Train

* tradition states that you whisper a secret wish to a butterfly before releasing it

* the recessional song was "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas

* the photographers brought a Studio on the Go, and the guests got to take home fun pictures like this-

Devon and I decided to uninvite Max to the wedding, and Grandma Donna kindly spent the afternoon/evening with him.  We figured that a wedding was no place for our crazy little destructo-boy.  But I've got to admit that I missed him after a long day away!

He is, after all, my Lover Boy :)

Back to Operation: Slow Down.  The activity in our house this morning looked like this-

I believe that they are explorers, but I could be wrong.  There were survival tools involved, as well as a large fort built in the living room.

And Devon was happy that he got to watch approximately 30 minutes of the Seahawks game before he had to head off to work.

And as for me, I spent the day taking it easy.

Day one was a success :)

A Glimpse into the Future

Lucy was playing a game on my computer yesterday, and when I peeked in at her, I had a glimpse of her in the future as a business woman, busy at her laptop, crunching numbers or something.

She looks to be very important and successful, you know, in the future.  And she also looks to be a tiny bit annoyed that her mom is interrupting her important business to take a picture!

Funktified

I've been in a funk.  Just kinda wiped out and tired and a bit blue.

I've tried to blog, but after my high-on-life post last week, I felt like I had to wait a while before I wrote again, lest you find me to be manic.

So here is the situation- Weather, beautiful.  Children, crazy. Me, mopey.  Devon, working long hours.  Finances, ugh. 

Devon returned from work late last night to find me in tears, crying about how I'm not a good mom because the kids don't listen to me, and we are never ever going to afford another vacation for as long as we live, and we don't eat healthy enough, and the house is messy, and Joe jumped in a pool with his new cell phone in his pocket, and Lucy yelled "you are fired!" at me in Costco because I wouldn't buy her a book, and Max- oh, Max- Max did this-

Permanent red Sharpie on the carpet, the hardwood floors, my cedar chest, and our sofa.  Crayon on the sofa was so last week.

My husband listened to me cry, tried to give me a hug though I said, "No hugs!  It is too hot in here!", asked if my glass of wine was helping me at all, and that was that.

Do you have breakdowns like that too?  Surely I'm not the only one.

Today I feel a bit better.  It is Devon's day off, so I've been passing off as many household/childcare duties as possible, because, let's face it, mamas don't ever get a day off.

Yesterday was Lucy's first day of preschool.  She did so well being dropped off, and I did well too. No tears!  Us Rantz girls are tough as nails (haha!).

And Max- oh, Max- Max was alone in the double stroller...  with his finger up his nose. 

Silly boy.  He's been saying "I sowwy" a lot lately.  As he sat in the longest timeout of his short life, after the Sharpie incident, he kept saying it over and over.  "I sowwy, mommy.  I sowwy."  I was having a panic attack and all I could say in response was, "Max, don't get out of that chair!  Why did you do this?"  "Be'tuz."  "Because WHY???"  "Road."  He was drawing a road for Lightening McQueen.  Geesh.

Last night I told Devon- during my breakdown- that if you spend enough time with anyone, you just get a little tired of them.  Am I allowed to say that I'm a little tired of my children?  It doesn't feel like something that a mama should be allowed to say.  Maybe I should say that I'm tired of their shenanigans.  I just want them to sit quietly with their hands folded in their laps.  Is that too much to ask?

But then they do something cute, like dress alike,

or act sweet and play with their toys and let me have a small break from meeting all their needs,

and that is when I think, okay, I guess they are kinda fun to have around.

I guess I'll keep them.

But, I do need a break, so Grandma Donna is here now to give me and my boyfriend a night out.

Let's hope I de-funk!

September 3rd

On this date in history...

1188- Richard I of England (a.k.a. Richard "the Lionheart") is crowned at Westminster.
1783- Treaty of Paris signed, ending the US Revolutionary War.
1833- NY Sun begins publishing (1st daily newspaper).
1895- Latrobe, PA is the site of the world's first professional football game, played today between the Latrobe YMCA and the Jeannette Athletic Club (Latrobe won the contest 12-0).
1935- Sir Malcolm Campbell reaches 304.331 miles per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, becoming the first person to drive an automobile over 300 mph.
1939- World War II begins when France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia declare war on Germany after the invasion of Poland, starting the Allies. 
1940- The first showing of high definition color TV.
1942- Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, begins his solo singing career.
1943- Invasion of Italy by Allied forces; Italy secretly signs armistice with the Allies.
1945- Japanese forces in the Philippines surrender to Allies.
1954- After nearly 3,000 episodes, The Lone Ranger ends 21-year legacy of radio drama.
1970- Green Bay Packers football coach Vince Lombardi dies in Washington DC.
1970- Devon Frederick Zeppelin Rantz was born in Seattle, Washington.
1971- Watergate team breaks into Daniel Ellsberg's doctor's office.
1977- Last broadcast of "Mary Tyler Moore Show" on NBC-TV.
1989- Chris Evert defeats 15-year-old Monica Seles for her 101st & last US Tennis Open singles victory.
1995- eBay founded.
2011- A happy 41st birthday to a husband, father, son and brother who is very, very loved!

Happy Birthday Devon!

1 day old

4 days old

I Tried It! Face Mask

So, Pinterest.  Love it.  It is like looking through a fabulous digital magazine and then cataloging everything that catches my eye.  When I "pin" something, I am usually thinking, "I should try this recipe," or "I should try this craft," or "I should try this hair-do" or "I should try to recreate this cute outfit".  See where I'm going with this?  The common theme is I should try.  Then it struck me that perhaps I will try! (Perhaps this will become a blog series, which is an idea that I stole from my dear sister, Molly).

I first decided to try a homemade face mask.  Back in the day, when I was employed and child-free, I loved beauty products. L-o-v-e-d.  Salon shampoos.  Scented body wash that paired with scented body lotion accented by- you guessed it- scented body spray.  I must have smelled much better than I do now!  And I used expensive face washes and moisturizers and masks...  oh, how I love a good face mask!  But with the emergence of budgets and children and such, my luxury purchases became a "want" rather than a "need", and thus I let them go.  Sigh.

Ok, now I'm sad.  And I'm off-track.

Anyway...

I decided to try this-

honey, cinnamon & nutmeg miracle mask

You can follow the link to the instructions if you'd like, but basically it was 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

Always a multi-tasker, I decided to try this experiment while I was monitoring my little peeps in the tub.

I mixed my ingredients and felt the strong urge to spread my concoction on toast rather than on my face...

But, I went for it.  I used my little butter knife to spread the yumminess all over my face.  It felt warm, and obviously sticky, and rough.  I worked it in as best I could for exfoliating purposes.

Though the instructions say to let the mask sit for 30 minutes, I washed it off much sooner because it was kind of runny and because I had to get the kids out of the tub.  Best case scenario would have been to apply this mask at a time when I could kick my feet up and close my eyes for a half hour, which is never.  :)

I rinsed with warm water and a wash cloth and then washed my face twice with my daily cleanser.  I should have just planned to hop in the shower to rinse because I think it would have been easier and I could have insured that none would end up in my hairline (where it stuck around until the following afternoon).

End result-  me likey.  It felt good and it was free!  And as a bonus, the next morning while at Stroller Strides, I could smell cinnamon in the sweat that dripped down my face.  Kinda gross!  Kinda awesome!

There you have it!  I have officially tried something that I found on Pinterest.