Did you know we went to Disney? And look, a new design...

I did a little rearranging here at happymommy.  I figured out how to add a widget and have permanent links in the sidebar and I even have analytics.  Now, I will know when someone other than my mom and father-in-law visit!  :)  In my older posts there will be duplication of a few banners, but I am not about to go back and delete the extra one for six months of writing.  If you read old ones, just deal with the extra banners for my Clever Girls!

Now back to Disney.  Lilly and I really did have a fabulous time at Disneyland and California Adventure.  We walked, rode rides, played, walked, ate, walked, swam and slept.  Then we woke up and did it again, four times.

There is something to be said about the "happiest place on earth."  It really isn't the happiest place for about 80% of the people in two parks.  Couples are fighting, children are throwing tantrums and everyone is rushing to get to the next place.  This is, of course, the busiest time of the year for Disney and I could not believe the number of people there each day.  Not to mention the crazy amount of money that one must spend to get a great Disney experience.  Now, I will admit, I spared very little expense with Lilly.  She pretty much got whatever she wanted and I loved to watch her face.

Once I got past the initial shock of the amount of people, the cost and the lines, I settled in to enjoy my girl time with Lilly.  I watched her dance the twist during the Celebration Parade.

We rode It's A Small World 9 times. Every single time she was amazed and sang the song louder and louder.  We had dinner with Goofy, watched the Pixar Parade and then we rode It's A Small World again.

Every night Lilly passed out from exhaustion and as I took pictures of her sleeping with more and more stuffed characters I figured out that Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth, if you let it be.

Oh, and if you need a little evangelism before you enter the park, there are people there who cover that too.

Wonder how many converts they get?

happymommy

Home and I am tired....

Lilly and I returned from our five day Disney adventure.  I am beyond exhausted and event though I want to share all of my insights and thoughts on the trip, I am just too tired to do so.  I have five billion pictures and videos to share but for now I leave you with two pictures of Lilly having the worst time of her life.

happy(tired)mommy

Rough Day...

My day was so difficult.  We woke up, took James to daycare and Lilly and I headed to the pool for four hours.  Since Lilly can swim, I was able to lounge, read, eat and people watch.  I struggled not to intervene when Lilly searched for a friend.  She kept asking little girls to play and they either ignored her, or told her to leave them alone.  Finally, I got in the pool and told her something I wish I had learned. early in my life.  When someone doesn't want to play with you or be your friend, it is her loss not yours.  Don't follow someone around as she ignores you, just go along and have fun elsewhere.  Lilly took this to heart and continued to have a blast, with me and on her own.

And look what happened once she stopped caring.

She found a friend.

The other issue of the day was one with which I have really been struggling lately, and really all my life.  My weight.  I wish I didn't care, but I do.  I am bigger now than I was six months ago, after having two children and losing all my baby weight plus a few more.  Now I weigh what I weighed when I married Jeff.  Most people would be proud of this.  Me, I want to get in my jeans again.  I made the mistake of having my jeans taken in at my skinniest and now none of them fit.  I walk around in linen pants all the time that are a size too big.  They are comfortable and don't hug my belly.

I watched the women around the pool today and yes, there were some with rock hard abs and no cellulite even though they were toting around three children, and the youngest they gave birth to yesterday.  But honestly, most of them were variations of me.  And every single one was beautiful.  

It is time I come to terms with the fact that I have the body that I have.  As long as I try to maintain some sort of exercise regime and eat healthy, I am what I am.  I must learn to look in the mirror and love myself.  I will no longer get depressed that I can't wear my size 4 skinny jeans.  This will be so very hard for me, but I will do it.  I must be an example to Lilly.  I will do my best to show her to love herself physically and mentally.  Both of my children are beautiful and I must learn to see that I am beautiful too.

happymommy

No imagination or creativity...

I have had no fodder for blogging lately.  I have writers block, or mommy exhaustion or maybe all of these things.  Lilly and I are heading to Disneyland on Sunday for four days by ourselves.  I am almost 100% positive I will get much fodder while there.

In the meantime, sorry for the lack of posting.

We've just been lounging around here!

happymommy

The end of an era....

Today was Lilly's last day of preschool at Star.  When she started she was three.  James was a few months old and cried all the time.  She was ready to branch out into the world.

She was a baby.

Over the next two years she grew into her own.  She made friends, learned her letters and numbers, and kept growing.  I can not say enough about her teachers and her school. 

Teachers... 

They DO make the world go round...

Lilly's Crew...

It's the equivalent of a Preschool Sorority Picture!

I think about Lilly's friends, and the friends I have made these last two years.  I hope that many of them will be in my life for years to come.  But for now.. Goodbye Preschool...

happymommy

My family... we laugh...

Tonight for the first time in what seems like a long time, but is probably just a couple of months, we all gathered at my parents to celebrate a few milestones.  My sister and her family just returned unscathed, other than the jetlag, from a great Thailand trip.  I achieved a milestone at work.  My mom brought us all together for fun family times including great food and so many laughs.  I can't remember laughing so much in a while.

We told stories. Like this one about someone who will not be named who went to go pick up his wife from an outpatient procedure and upon seeing the incision mark proceded to faint right on the spot.  He ended up in an ambulance for a trip to the hospital while the wife had to call her sister to come get her.  It was a caravan of family members to the hospital where it was decided that the man is no longer allowed to pick anyone up from anywhere near a clinic or hospital.

We remembered all the emergency room visits from our past.  Not sure why these illicited giggles, but we laughed at my dad always being out of town when we were hurt or needed police interaction.  My dad stated he wasn't always gone and then he broke a glass right into my mom's dinner plate.  We all found this simply hilarious!  My family; we are a quirky bunch but we love each other and if tonight is any indication, we truly like each other. 

My mom and dad are loving, hard working and all around funny people.  They love our families and endure our neediness everyday.  We love them more than words:  even if they talk about whom they will marry when the other one dies.

My wonderful parents helped me become the woman I am and find the life I have.  I am forever grateful.

happymommy

My run and my blessings...

I talk about my life and the love I have and receive from my children, husband and family.  I live in a gorgeous part of the world. 

The view on my run this morning.

I am lucky beyond words.

I try to remember my blessings every day.  I have shared the good, bad and ugly of raising children but I know not everyone has the privilege and joy of watching their babies grow into adults.  Our family has dear friends who lost their child to the fatal i-cell disease.

Carter & His Daddy

In honor of Carter, his daddy Trent and friends are taking part in the Love Hope Strength Foundation's hike to the top of Pike's Peak in Colorado.  If you have it in your heart to donate to this wonderful cause, please click on the link.  I thank you.  Carter thanks you.  All of the children suffering from this horrible disease thank you.

happymommy

Hiking, Paul McCartney and whew....

Once again this weekend was jam packed of events, activities and exhaustion.  My little family manages to fit more into two days and three nights than I ever thought humanly possible.  (Except for my sister whose family does more in a lifetime that I could do with three lifetimes, but that is another post.)

Friday night was good food and a picnic on the dock.  Saturday started with a three mile hike with both children and a late lunch.  Then the real fun started...

Jeff and I went out without the children to see, wait for it, Paul McCartney.  Now, when this idea came up on Thursday, I thought, huh?  First of all, the tickets were crazy expensive and money hasn't been falling out of the sky lately.  Then, I remembered a promise I made to Jeff to go enjoy live music with him more.  This is one of his favorite things in the world, behind the Denver Broncos, and I said yes.  We lined up the fabulous grandparents to come stay in our house for the night while we ventured out into the real world with grownup friends.

The night almost started off horrible.  There were no cabs from my parents house to the fabulous AT&T Park.  I was NOT wearing walkin' shoes and a bad mood was preparing to rear it's ugly head.  It was foggy and cold and at least three miles.

Foggy, cold and 7 Million Miles away...

But miracle of miracles...

A very nice, very strong man came by on a pedi-cab to carry us to our destination.  Jeff has never been so happy to see someone.

The Venue...

Waiting on Sir Paul...

The lights, the people...

It was three hours of music, fun and people watching...

Thank you Jeff for making it a wonderful night.  You are a wonderful man and not just because you put up with me in too high heals which could potentially lead to a bad mood. 

happymommy

Happy Friday...

Have a wonderful weekend... 

happymommy

Five years ago, tomorrow....

Tomorrow marks Lilly's 5th birthday.  I think back about her birth and how I was in labor, well kind of, this time five years ago and finally, July 7 at 1 in the morning, she was born via c-section after 31 HOURS!  I remember Jeff's tears of joy, my sister's thankfulness that it was finally over and me, I remember very little.  It took me about three days to get over the 31 hours, the c-section and the horrible breastfeeding issues to truly appreciate my baby.  She was an angel.  So great and sleepy and lovely and she even smelled nice.  I couldn't believe she was here.

Lilly has brought me such immense joy these last five years.  Jeff and I adore her.  Yes, she is smart and sassy and speaks her mind.  Sometimes, she drives me crazy.  But, she is my daughter so what should I expect?  My Little Lilly:  Happy Birthday!

Now, let's talk about this weekend.  Jeff left Wednesday night for a five day extravaganza in the mountains.  He was so excited and I knew I would survive oh so many days without his help.  I did survive; but barely.  We had so many activities and events and it was 4th of July.  By the time he came home early, yes early, I was over everyone and everything.  I needed a break.  I am exhausted again just thinking about it.

We went to a BBQ at our good friends house but I don't have any pictures of that because, well James fell down the stairs and I was traumatized.  I did manage to kill the mood with my blood curdling scream as he fell though, so there is that!

The next day we went to a park close to our house that had a fountain and shooting water.  

The kids had a ball.

Oh look, James is eating.  Weird!

Then we went to visit our newest family member:  Miss Sadie...

Would you look at this???

The Cousins!

The next day we did a little church business and then we napped.

And off to the next party we did go...

This is summer! 

We ended the 4th of July with....

a little interpretive dance.

Tonight we make cupcakes so tomorrow we can celebrate five whole years of having...

 ...Little Lilly

happymommy

Ohhh, summer.....

I spent all Tuesday and half of Wednesday in bed with some sort of stomach bug.  I was down for the count at noon on Tuesday and bounced up around noon on Wednesday like nothing happened.  Crazy times, a true 24 hour bug.  It was awful, but I lost four pounds and that was good but not healthy.  However, considering how much I complain about the ten pounds I gained since December, four pounds is good.  I certainly wouldn't want to lose another four pounds that way, but four pounds is more than no pounds!

Jeff left late last night for a four day music festival in the mountains.   Once he got there, he slept in the back of the car from 1am until 6:30am and then, the stomach bug hit.  Last I heard from him he had his tent set up and was attempting to power through to enjoy the day.  I have been known to suffer greatly at the drop of a hat, and Jeff suffers never so I hope he is completely fine and no word from him means he is having a great time.  Either way, he will be golden in the morning.  Poor guy!

Our week continued on, sickness or no sickness, and Lilly was person of the week at her preschool.  This means she is first in line for everything and we made a huge poster to hang in the classroom which shows her life in pictures.  The high light of the week is getting to take Sawyer, the stuffed bear home and include him in all the family adventures.  I must say Sawyer had quite the week with us.  He spent many hours with Opa and Lilly and really, who doesn't have the time of his life when with Opa?

Please notice most stops include a snack.

James and I spent today at the pool.

And yes, Speedo, again!

Then he decided to show his love of swimming...

...With a little interpretive dance.

We ended the day with Korean and Opa...

Rice &Tofu, IN YOUR FACE...

Or James' face really...

Also, I do believe this is proof...

...that I watch the Golden Girls way too much!

Update:  For those keeping up with Katie Granju and her struggle with grieving after the tragic loss of her son a month ago, there is good news.  She welcomed her brand new baby girl, Georgia into this world!   There is a bright light in her sadness and we can only pray that this gift continues to heal her and her family.

happymommy