Hi, my name is Maggie and I have a son in Kindergarten...

Like all other parents, we've been busy these past weeks. School has started. In our house, it's only Finley who has begun as Dash's preschool doesn't start till Sept. But oh the changes...You see, we are "afternoon" people. And this year we had no choice. Kindergarten starts at 8am, with the playground opening at 7:30 which means we have to be up at ohmywhere'sthesun o'clock. I can only imagine what this will feel like in the winter when the house is cold and it's still dark outside. *Shudder* Brooks is in trouble since I've already had my first awkward run in with a parent and it's his fault. He volunteered in the class this week alongside another dad. They spent a good long time together and chatted it up. The dad then came to find me at pick up (two days later) to tell me how much he enjoyed meeting my husband since as a stay at home dad he spends most of his time around mom's. So I asked if his K child was his only and he said yes. Then I made a comment about being jealous of his alone time. His whole face f e l l. "Didn't your husband tell you that my wife just had a miscarriage??" No. No he didn't. F*&#$.

Anyway, we're surviving. As much as I hate getting up early, I am finding that I love BEING up early, so that's a plus. It's an awesome thing to have all the daily chores done before lunch. And Fin is thriving. He loves school. He's been on green every day so far (they go on a stoplight system, green=good, yellow=warning, and red=note home to parents) and his teacher told me he's doing great so that makes my heart sing. We have homework every night but so far there has been little protesting over doing it. He is also just flying through books. We're reading The Adventures of Captain Underpants series as a family and before we start that each night he reads a different book to his brothers. It's amazing how much they love to sit and listen to him. I'd love to catch a picture of it some day, but so far I haven't been able to tear myself away from watching them.

Dash and Kell are in a whirlwind of colors and shapes and letters and trying to find ways of playing agreeably while Fin is at school. Dash will have Miss Annette and Miss Shannon for Pre K this year. Fin had Miss Annette as a 3 and she couldn't be nicer and at this point, Miss Shannon is family :) Dash can't wait for his turn and I'm looking forward to having some alone time with Kell. Kell had a fabulous second birthday - getting a new basketball hoop from his grandparents and a ride-on toy from mom and dad. He never ceases to amaze me with his joy over the funniest things - the book he got from a friend was just as exciting as a giant plastic Little Tykes monstrosity. Go figure.

Dad's work is trucking along and my big news is that I started classes this week. I had a few moments of panic over what-am-I-doing and how-will-I-do-this and then again what-the-fuck-was-I-thinking, but I feel ready to start something new. Not sure I'll finish a degree or certificate, and not sure I need to, but it feels good to be doing something for me. I'm already being challenged to think outside the box and I am SO an in the box person that it should be interesting. My rules for assignment number one included keeping the camera on Auto and shooting in full sun - so contrary to what I prefer to do! And I am totally amazed at how easily the camera decides I need the flash. Irritating is saying it gently. I'll try and keep you up to date on my projects if they turn out at all interesting. The other students certainly are (more on that later). I've also been dieting. I know, I hate that word almost as much as the general concept. I miss carbs. And I miss booze. And I'm starting to get increasingly concerned that I am a totally boring and grouchy person when I'm sober for long periods of time. So we'll see how long that lasts.

Off to play with the littles before it's time to pick up the Fintastic!

I Heart Faces: Eyes

This week's challenge at I Heart Faces is eyes. I love my boys' eye's. I love their friends' eye's. I love taking ridiculously close-up pictures of eyes. This made for a tough choice...


In the end I had to go with this one. I was trying to take a nice picture of Kell on the train. But Kell seems to think that the closer he gets to the camera, the better the picture will be. And for once, I agreed. :)


Don't forget to head over to I Heart Faces to take a look at some of the other great entries!

Shopping With Kids? Yes You Can!

I love to shop. I especially love antique stores that are packed to the gills with treasures and curiosities. I also have three smallish children. You can see where this would pose a problem. Yesterday we took the boys to a bunch of the neat stores over in Ventura and I had a fantastic idea: I made them each a checklist of things to find. This time I made it just five easy things - a doll, antique utensils, old books, old signs and costume jewelry. I also had them work as a team against Brooks and Kell (who had the actual list of things I was looking for). They had a great time and it totally kept them from being bored. When they had checked off everything on their lists, I had lollipops ready. But they were SO good that when they spotted a cupcake shop, I agreed to the upgrade :)

Alphabet Summer

I was really hoping to find some way to keep the kids learning this summer without resorting to simple workbooks. And when I read about Alphabet Summer, I knew I had found it! The idea is that you choose a letter a day (or every few days in our case) and plan on some learning activities that complement the letter. I made my boys each a notebook with a basic plan for each day as well as some worksheets to go along with each theme. We're skipping around as we go and working the letters in where they fit with our schedule.
Here's Dash's notebook and the first page...
So far it's going wonderfully! Finley especially enjoys finding new words that go along with each letter so that our days are full :) Here are some pictures from W and R days. And here are some links to other families that have inspired this terrific idea:

Home By Heidi
The Moes Family

What are your kids up to this summer?

DIY Art Project!

One of my favorite blogs is The Lettered Cottage. Layla's designs and remodels are amazing, but I usually read them and wonder if I should hire someone to do something like that around here. Then she published this tutorial. Not only did I love the idea of a piece of art like this, I had the perfect place for it AND I figured Brooks and I could make it happen! So here's what we did...(TLC has WAY more detailed instructions, I'm giving you bare bones here)
First the frame had to be assembled.
Assembling the frame was an all-male event :)
After it was all put together, it was time for staining...
Once the stain dried, I sanded it lightly just to rough it up a bit. Then I sat down with the stamps...
I did the stamping and tried to be as haphazard as someone with OCD is capable of...
And expertly hung by my Woob...
Finished product...
It was so fun to make and I LOVE the result! Don't forget to hop over to TLC for other great decorating ideas :)

I Heart Faces: Boys

This weeks theme on I Heart Faces is Boys. As I have so very many of them, I had my work cut out for me in choosing a picture! In the end, I went with this one. I just love how natural they all are and how they can't really go a straight minute without touching each other in some way. Although at times that is admittedly more a curse than a blessing! Here are my boys :)

Don't forget to visit I Heart Faces to see all of the other amazing entries!

I Heart Faces: Motherhood

This week's I Heart Faces challenge is "Motherhood". I have some beautiful photos that mean motherhood to me, from lovely posed photos of our family to joyful candids of our life together. But this is the photo that speaks motherhood to me the loudest. Minutes before my last son entered the world, concentrated on birthing him into my arms, that face is Motherhood to me...



Don't forget to go check out all of the other entries!

Wordless Wednesday - Husband's Fantasy

Few Words Wednesday

Now:

In 10 Days:

Ahhh:

"Tonight" I'm An Old Lady

I like to keep up with top 40 music, it makes me feel less mom and more real person with a life. I like listening to things with a good beat and imagining I'm young and fun at some club with my better half. One of the songs in heavy rotation right now is "Tonight" by Enrique Iglesias.

And I can already hear the teenagers snickering.

One day last week the song came on the radio, only where it usually says "Tonight I'm loving you", it didn't say loving. It said F*ing. Yeah. I couldn't get it off my mind all day and eventually decided maybe the radio station was editing the song and messing with me. So when I got home and had safely ushered the littles to go and play elsewhere, I pulled open itunes. Oh that radio station was only bringing the honesty and in the real version nothing was omitted!

My vision of sloshing my drink around while dancing in some swanky LA club was immediately replaced with a bunch of girls at the prom. You know those girls, you were one, or at least you watched them. Those girls who lose their minds when their favorite song comes on. The girls who start jumping up and down and screaming and running to drag their dates to dance. The girls who then proceed to "act out" the song and grind on whatever boys are close by.

AND THOSE BOYS WERE MY SONS!!!

Oh. My. Jebus.

Just give me my AARP card and my cane now. I immediately called my mom peeps who confirmed my old lady status, shared my concern but also reminded me that school probably would only be able to play the "loving" version. But that doesn't make it any better! It's out there now! Now I know they'll be thinking about the other version the whole time!

Sigh. I'm going all in. We'll be switching to the 80's station here from now on. At least they know how to put a thin veil over the obscene.

Already Missing What's Here

Some realities are starting to set in over here.

We all sat down for dinner last night as a family. Sidenote: that almost NEVER happens unless we're in a restaurant. But I made homefried potatoes and Brooks made steaks and we made a bleu cheese and onion sauce and OH MY GAWD it was so so so good. As we sat there, I wondered if it might be the last time we do that in this house.

Today I was sitting in my chair in the family room, watching the kids play (I moved the table out of the room again - thank GOD for no more staging!) and I thought "I'm going to miss this". I'm sure wherever we land they'll play and I'll sit. But it won't be the same. As much as I've bitched about the uselessness of our family room and how it's not really big enough to be living AND dining but really too big to be all living, it's been great for the kids. They have their own area to play in and I can still watch them from "my spot" and even watch a show if I want. I don't know that our next home will offer that luxury. I hope it will. But even if it does, how many years do I have before they want to take their playing private and retreat to their rooms? I guess it's more than just about the move, it's the end of an era of sorts. Grandparent types always tell me that this stage is hard, but fleeting and there will be a day, a day full of teenage boys likely, that makes me long for these days of small boys and exciting Lego creations. I'm really trying to make a conscious effort to enjoy them and not rush them by.

I started packing this weekend. My goal is to do a few boxes or an "area" a day on the weekends and just have the essentials to pack at the end. I can already tell that there will be tough days ahead. I'm ready for what comes next and definitely excited at the prospect of more room for this brood, but how do you leave a house so very full of memories?

A Long Overdue Update!

Usually these start with saying that I promise to be better about writing and updating. But really, I won't. Well, at least not for the next few weeks. We'll be WAY too busy at Chez Martin.

The Good News: Our house has sold. Yay! A nice little family with one small boy will be moving into this house in March. And we will be moving out! Yay for moving! Which brings me to the bad news...

The Bad News: We have no where to move right now. UGH! I'm trying to keep it in perspective, it'll happen. The place of our dreams will be there for us. I just have to keep praying that it falls into place fast enough that we can avoid the dreaded double move. We have offers in on three short sales but that could take months. The WHOLE market out here in SoCal is all short sales. It's beyond crazy.

So that's our big update. I have LOTS of packing to do! I'll update as soon as we hear anything, so cross your fingers for us!!

For Fin at FIVE?!?

My Dearest Fin,

How is it possible that you are turning FIVE today?!? Just yesterday you were this little bundle of toothless smiles...

Going down the slide for the first time and learning to walk and talk...
Playing with Mom, back when it was just you and me all the time!
Growing up but still always smiling :)
And meeting your new little brother for the first time.
Forever my beach baby...
And the best big brother a mother could hope for...
And of course the best model a momtog could ask for :)
Although I don't think there is a way to take a bad picture of you!
And then there were three!
This will always be one of my favorite pictures of you. Biggest boy.
My four favorite people on the planet.
My builder of battles, lover of Super Heroes and ready to embrace the force...
Making sure Dash was ready for his first day of school...
Not hard to see who Kell is taking after!
Really, could life get any sweeter!
It has been an amazing five years my little man! I'm so proud of your intelligence, your wit and your kindness. I can't wait to see where your life takes you ~ I'm so very blessed to be your mother!

Christmas Tidings

Homemade stockings hung by the chimney with care...
Tree with new skirt made with the same fabrics as the stocking cuffs...
My angel tree topper :)
Stocking closeups
Kell wanted to remove and rehang this bell. All. Day. Long.
Some of my favorite ornaments...
A camera my mother gave Brooks the year we got engaged, garland and nutcracker, Fin's first school-made ornament, antique candle ornaments, and a fish/tackle box (mine 1996)

This year I put the small tree that usually goes in the boys room downstairs and made it the photo ornament tree. I am trying to add a new one each year per child and a family shot.
And a closeup of my mantle angels made by my Uncle Bud :)

Dear Realtors,

Dear Southern California Realtors,

Please read the MLS notes before planning a showing at my home.

You will see that they clearly note that you MUST speak with the homeowner before showing. They also stipulate that you allow two hours notice as I have three small children. Perhaps that "three small children" needs to be in bold so that you will realize that 9pm showings are NOT appropriate. Also, it'll be very dark then. And I think that's a creepy time to want to see any house.

Please do not "drop by." I don't appreciate walking in and knowing someone has been in my home without my knowledge. I especially don't appreciate it when you don't even bother to leave a card so that I have to call my Realtor to see if anyone has accessed the box. I'm easy to reach, I am always either home or available on my cell. Both numbers are conveniently in the listing notes for your use. Don't give up after just one either. Go ahead, try them both. You'll get me. Promise.

If you call and make an appointment to see my home, please come at the time you have selected. I didn't choose that time, YOU DID. Say you would like to see my home between 1 and 3? Well, I will tell you that's naptime for the wee ones but I can make it work. DO NOT SHOW UP AT 4. And if you make an appointment, please don't just not show up. You know, like the asshole who told us they had a client who REALLY wanted to see our home and knew it was an inconvenience with kids, but could ONLY come at dinnertime on Halloween night? Yeah, I guess it was ok that we had to go out and I couldn't make the dinner I'd planned on. But then you didn't show up?!?! Yeah, you SUCK.

I'm glad that it hasn't happened since, but that time you let your clients come in and set our chinchillas free? That totally sucked.

And a last final shout out to the Realtor who called today at 4:25 to say she would be showing my home between 4 and 5. IN YOUR TIME MACHINE?!?! Why not just say 4:30? I was out of the house for an hour. You must have just missed me. Funny that there was no message on my cell phone (quitter). Sorry my house was a mess, but again, that's why you CALL ME FIRST. As I was listening to your message, I realized it was 5:15. So I called you back to see if you were still coming. It took you TEN MINUTES to confer with someone?!? in your car and verify that you did in fact come to my home already. Thanks for that card you left. JACKASS!

Listen, I know being a Realtor is hard. I know people run you around and the market sucks blah blah blah. But really, if my Realtor can do her job AND be a good person, so can you.

KThnksBi!

I Heart Faces * Pink Week

The weekly challenge at I Heart Faces is Pink Week for Breast Cancer Awareness. What speaks to breast cancer more than a little girl we can only hope will grow into a world with a cure. I just loved this photo so I put a pinkie wash on it.

Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.

I'm a big believer in the Eleanor Roosevelt school of thought: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

I'm sure there have been people who have treated me poorly but for certain there are none who have made my life hell.

But I would like to thank this prompt for making me feel fortunate!

Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.

There are two answers that come naturally to this question.

The first is my husband. A long time ago someone told me to marry the man who wanted to join my life and not make my life. And I wasn't really sure what that meant until I met Brooks. He lets me be who and what I am and still loves me. He encourages the good in me and sticks around to laugh at the bad. He has without question made my life worth living.

But then there are my kids.

Before children I never worried about death. I always just saw it as a natural progression and felt lucky to have been able to live the life I have and really believed that every day is a gift. And then I had kids. And now? Now I fear death. The thought of leaving them before I am ready and before I feel like I have done my job with them makes me quake in my boots. It just might be my biggest fear.

So I suppose that I'd have to say that my answer is my family :)

Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.

This is sort of a dumb question. And makes me think that this whole 30 days deal was started by some bored high school kid who wanted note passing inspiration. But I've started, so I'll finish.

I don't ever want to have to sit in a hospital at the side of a loved one. I'm not an idiot, I'm sure I'll lose plenty of people through my life. I just hope they all die very old and at home in their beds. And preferably in their sleep. So there.

Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.

When I first read this question, a big part of me wanted to respond that I've already done it! I wanted to be in a loving marriage, check. Own a home, check. Have children and stay home with them, check, check, check. Truly, all of the things that were super important to me, I've got.

But those things beget other things too. Now I want to see my children grow up and become kind, successful, loving men. I want to see them get married to kind and loving women. I want to see them have children of their own. I think that a large part of having children is watching your dreams for yourself become your dreams for you children. All my hopes are for them now.

Selfishly, I guess I'd like to travel more. I came up with a bucket list a while ago but most of it I'd honestly be fine also not doing. In my most lazy admission, I'd like for Brooks to retire and have some good years of just spending time with him. Sheesh, guess I'm just boring!