baking and celebrating

(June 19, 2011)

Call it perfect timing or poor scheduling, but I decided to say "yes" to making a cake and cupcakes for a little girl's birthday that was on the same day as the baby shower I was helping to host (and also baking for). So, in the last 2 days, I've made and decorated a cake and over 70 cupcakes. Whew! It is a good thing that I totally love baking for people. It's not a good thing that I'm such a ridiculous perfectionist. Seriously. Is there therapy for that?

Here's my fishy cake (in the box, ready to be handed over for the birthday party)! I think it turned out pretty cute, but I was a little disappointed when everything was said and done, because I decided that they colors I chose made it look almost as much like a chicken as it did a fish. Curtis agreed (how dare he!).

My cupcakes, on the other hand, made me super happy! I worked on the colors for waaaay too long, matching them to the birthday party invitation. I told you that I am ridiculous!

On one hand, I can totally understand why cupcakes are all the rage: compact and transportable yumminess that is fairly simple to make. On the other hand, I don't like cake very much so I don't get it at all. Ha!

That night, I brought a batch of strawberry cream cheese cupcakes to my lovely friend Emily's baby shower. I completely forgot my camera and so failed to get any pictures of the cupcakes or any of the other delicious food and beautiful decor there, but I was able to steal this picture from facebook:

 

 That's Emily, sitting to my right. I guess I snagged the place of honor, huh? Or maybe not, considering the camera angle. :) 

Despite the lack of photos, the cupcakes turned out well, the other food was scrumptious, and the night was so much fun. We all loved loved loved getting to celebrate baby Adelyn.

And, after this weekend, I think I'm going to need a nice batch of chocolate chip cookies to recover!

in leaving and coming home

(June 15, 2011)

As thrilled as I was to get away, to spend several days conversing solely with adults, to take care of only myself, I was equally content and grateful to come home to my husband and sweet children. This was especially true since Curtis had so graciously both enabled and encouraged me to go to New York. It was my birthday present, but he went above and beyond to ensure that I felt freed up, provided for, and supported in taking this trip. He sacrificed 3 vacation days and and single-parented without complaining for almost 5 days straight! I am so blessed. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to give bear hugs all around.

The morning after I got home. Look at those precious faces, albeit a little sleepy!

How could you not want to come home to them?

And guess what happened while I was gone?

Someone decided that she finally (that's right, at 16 months) wanted to walk!

She's been capable for so long (would walk across the room on command), but just preferred to crawl. Not any more! My absence must have inspired her. ??

Warning! Slight soapbox: This is why I am such a huge proponent of mommies (especially the stay-at-home version) getting away once in awhile. Whether it's an hour of errands by yourself, a weekend trip with your husband, or a 5 day trip to New York City with the girls... just go! 

When I am freed up to leave, I find that, in coming back, I feel more peaceful, renewed, and equipped to love my family more fully. Not only that, I enjoy and appreciate them in a way that I didn't before. And, truly, they'll be just fine without you...

a breath of fresh, NYC air

The excerpt below was from an email I received from Claire, one of my seven dear college roommates (if you want, you can read about them here and here). Last October, when Claire got married, we all decided that this spring or summer we would take a trip to New York City for our collective 30th birthday year. Amazingly, it actually happened and 7 of our 8 roommates were there! Because Claire lives in NYC, she acted as our host and planner extraordinaire...

What to bring:

YOU!

Comfy shoes to bum around the city in

Laughs

An outfit that you feel pretty in

A desire to try something new (yes…this is built into our plans;)!)

Play clothes for some walking/jogging/laying around the Park

Toothbrush (we’ll be in close quarters)

And, honestly, with 7 of us in my tiny tree house (you’ll know what I mean when you see it), packing light is probably a good idea unless you want to sit on your suitcase and five flights of stairs can be a doozy with a lot of luggage! 

Isn't she precious?

As an aside... all of our planning, however, could not have prepared me for the hellish experience I had in trying to get there. Long story short, I left Greensboro around 3:00pm, spent 2 hours getting to the airport in Raleigh, 5 hours inside the airport and/or in a plane (which never left), 2 hours being shuttled to and from two different hotels, 4 hours sleeping in a hotel in Raleigh, and then shuttling back to the airport for a 6am flight. Whoa. Seriously? The beautiful thing was that I felt the Lord meet me in such a tangible way, filling me with a peculiar sense of gratefulness (what if my children had been with me?!?) and giving me peace (regardless, I will get there and I will see my precious friends). The next day, around 10am, I finally arrived at Claire's apartment! Phew.

Vibrant Claire, leading us on our first adventure.

On top of the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) a gorgeous rooftop bar.

Lauren, slightly preggo (due in November) and cute as a button.

Amy, looking sexy even in two pairs of sunglasses.

Meredith, preggo (due in early August) and stunning.

Can I get a little photo credit here on this series of pics? I need to draw attention to my victories when I'm in the midst of such talent (Amy and Lauren)!

I have beautiful friends.

The view. Spectacular.

On the steps outside the Met.

Because how can you not?!?

After that first day, apparently there were very few pictures taken, which must be because we were just having that much fun. :)

We ate our weight in good food, navigated the subway, shopped a lot (oh, H&M, how I love thee), had a double baby shower, walked all over the city, went to the "You've Got Mail" coffee shop and other fun spots, and just lounged around together in Claire's one-bedroom apartment... laughing, remembering, talking about our hearts, God, husbands, sex, plans, fears, childbirth, struggles, children, joys. Basically, soaking in every moment together.

This is the one picture of us all together (minus Tiffany), after Julie and Kara arrived from DC. Lauren, who gets photo credit for nearly all of these pictures, wouldn't put this picture on facebook with the others because she said we looked too rough.

However, I love it (although she was right- we do look rough) because it is a memory. We had just spent hours picnicking on the grass of Central Park, reading aloud the letters that Claire had asked our husbands to write to each of us, crying, sharing, and belly-laughing. Can't you just see it on those rough-looking faces?

As always after I leave these sweet girls, I am astonished that- 8 years after college- we can still come together and feel nearly as "at home" as we did at 505-C North Greensboro Street in Carrboro, NC. I pray that will never change.

until September...

(May 27, 2011)

The school year has drawn to a close. Cooper has loved loved loved school this year, and I have been so grateful to have a boy who walked happily into and out of the classroom door every Tuesday and Thursday!

The last week of school, they celebrated with a class picnic...

Sweet Ms. Via, who came in the middle of the year and rescued Cooper's class. She is wonderful.

Ms. Hunt, one of the assistant teachers, Miller (Cooper's buddy), and Cooper sitting dazed on the end of the bench. He didn't even come to school that day because he was so sick, but we couldn't miss the end of the year picnic!

Even Daddy came from work!

This is Ms. Hill. This woman has cared for my boy in the sweetest ways.

She has held him when he was sad, read with him daily, rejoiced with him in his excitement, cared about what he loves (she even bought him a book about David because she knew he was obsessed with David & Goliath), comforted him when he was sad... in short, she has loved him well.

And really, is there much more a little boy or his mama could ask for?

Before we knew it, it was here... the last day! My big boy, carrying his own bags because he is so very independent these days. He looks taller and thinner than he did in August!

 

 He was too distracted to pose when his very favorite friend started walking down the sidewalk.

  

 It's Miller! Cooper talks to us about Miller all the time (well, "all the time" in boy land, which is at least once a week!) and- to my relief- apparently, the feelings are mutual!

Miller told his mom, "Cooper is the funniest kid EVER!". I mean, really. Who doesn't want a buddy like Miller?

And when I came to pick Cooper up that afternoon, it made me smile to see proof of that friendship right on the playground. What a fitting way to end the year! Oh preschool... we shall all miss you until September.

3rd annual buzz event

(May 23, 2011)

Each summer, it has- at some point- become necessary: Cooper's buzz cut. First at 1 1/2 (when I think of the irony of Annabelle's bald head, I can't decide whether to laugh or cry!) and then last year at 2 1/2, his mop of hair just become too much.

Here's how it happened:

We strap him into the high chair seat. 

(I think the fact that I put his hair in a pony tail to get it out of his eyes may have encouraged his daddy to pull out the clippers. :)

 

 Curtis does all of the cutting... that is way too much pressure for me.

 

DVD player. A necessity for stillness and distraction.

And then, it begins!

 I was trying to capture all of the different colors in his hair, before it was gone. Isn't it beautiful?!

 Cooper is not a big fan of the clippers, but Thomas the Tank Engine can distract from anything!

 Cookies are mighty helpful as well! FYI- Curtis announced mid-way that he was finished. He thought this had a nice early-90s look to it.

Oh, no no no, says his wife.

And there you have it! Much shorter and much cooler. Now, it's off to play...

innocence

(May 20, 2011)

One thing I love about Cooper is his complete innocence. So far, he has absolutely no concept of embarrassment or modesty or gender norms. I don't know whether it's the fact that he's only 3 or that he's a first-born, or just that he has a sweet naivete about him, but I cherish these moments of innocence...

Right after we bought a water table for the kids, I looked out the kitchen door to see this. Of course my children would end up climbing onto the table rather than just play with it normally.

Oh, but wait... Look closely. Yes, those ARE Cooper's clothes on our back deck. Naked. IN the water table. Oh heavens. 

And then there was this: Annabelle's headband on his head like Rambo, her 12-18 month sized floral jacket, Thomas underwear, and rain boots.What?!

I have two words for you: 

Rehearsal Dinner.

Just because I love and appreciate his innocence, doesn't mean I won't equally love to embarrass him with it in 20 years!