story of my life

Mother's Day all weekend

This year was the first year in many years that the husband was home for Mother's Day so he and Hunter conspired to give me a super-fun day on Saturday and a super-restful one Sunday.  I have to say, I very much prefer when M's home. :) It was the best Mother's Day weekend--stress free and lots of fun.

Saturday the guys let me sleep late and made me breakfast and then took me to play pirate putt-putt down at the beach front.  We usually don't venture down that way b/c it's so touristy and for some reason it is this magical zone where people don't know how to walk OR drive (so patience is important) but they have some really fun putt-putt courses.  Our scores were pretty pitiful, but we had fun and I actually won!

At the end of the course there are these wooden cut-outs for photo ops.  It wasn't until I was home and had uploaded this photo did I realize that there'd been a bit of "remodeling" done to the pirates (that female one in particular)...Here we are at the SAME golf course a couple of years ago:

I think I like the cartoon version better...also, what happened to the parrot?

After our mini golf excursion we headed farther down the beach to Pi and the boys treated me to lunch.

 This is the California Veggie pizza--so good.

Next it was off to the movies to see the Avengers (Hunter picked).  The theatre was packed but we got great seats and the movie was funny and entertaining.  Hulk was hilarious.

Sunday morning I did a 5.5 mile run (which was lovely) and that was pretty much it.  A lazy day of being home with the guys and calling our moms and grandmother to wish them HMD.

I loved my gifts, too--a poem from Hunter:

and a voucher for a new handbag from M:

Sweet, huh?

It is especially nice when people make an effort to show you just how much you are loved and I felt very appreciated and special this weekend.  Thanks guys.

xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

Week 9: Doodle-a-Day

26:Hunter 27:Hunter 28:Sara 29:M 1:Hunter 2:Hunter 3:Hunter

 

Happy Birthday, Susie Q!

You are the BEST big sister in the world.  I love you and hope you have a very, very Happy Birthday.

xoxo

Aslan

My Husband "M" with Aslan in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

 

These two guys are coming home to America soon.  One of them needs help getting here and I am completely overwhelmed by the generousity of my friends and their friends and even strangers who have donated to the Saving Aslan fund.

THANK YOU is not big enough but it is what I find myself saying over and over.  Thank you.

I promise I will be updating here and over at the chipin blog, too, so stay tuned!

Much love, Sara

 

Meet "Q"

For the past few weeks Hunter and I have been reading "The Secret Series" books.  We're on book two which happens to feature a little creature called a homunculus.  The heroine of the story, Cass, made her own little rag doll version out of old clothes and tennis shoe tongues which inspired Hunter to come up with a version all his own.  Sunday afternoon I was presented with this:

And then the request: "Make it, Mommy."

So I did.

He reminds me of a cross between a blue meanie and Plankton from Spongebob but the boy is happy.

Which always means that I am happy. :)

Today Hunter turned 8 years old.  In all that time we've been apart for a sum total of less than one week and it seems like yesterday that he was born.  It goes by so fast.  I know everyone says that but they say it because it is TRUE. 

Hunter, I love you with all of my heart.  I am so lucky God chose me for your momma.  Happy Birthday my beautiful, sweet, funny, charming, nutball of a son.  I love you infinity of infinities. 

Always, Momma

Back to school tomorrow...

He's not looking forward to it.  Honestly, neither am I.  It's been fun to spend each day together and travel and play.  I'm always a little sad when school starts back but this break went by so quickly!

Tomorrow we get back to the routine, whether we want to or not.  :)

(Instax mini of H with the Animal muppet Santa brought.)

 

More

Welcome to 2012. 

Usually, I’m not much for making resolutions or waxing poetic about how much better the new year is going to be than the old one.  This year, however, I found myself thinking about all of the things that 2012 will bring and getting so excited for it to begin.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that I get my husband back from Afghanistan in a few weeks after nearly a year apart.  I can’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach when I let my mind think about him here and what that means.  I’ll have my partner back!  It is going to be so much fun to have a husband again...and I can’t even list the ways that it is going to make Hunter happy--there are just too many. 

Last year I never picked a one-little-word word.  This year I can’t stop hearing the word more.  Not “more” as in, more stuff or more money.  More as in being more deliberate, being more thoughtful, reading more good books, listening to more good music, doing more things that I love and less things that I don’t, spending more time with the ones I love, eating more good food, cooking more, running more...you get the idea.  So many times in 2011 I found myself just getting by, powering through the days and not really making sure that I lived each one to the fullest.  Don’t get me wrong, Hunter and I did a lot in 2011.  If you don’t believe me you can scroll through my iphotos folder and see for yourself.  It’s just the time in between the time we were doing things that I feel like I let slip away.  This year I want to do more and be more and think more and feel more.  More.

Happy New Year to you and yours.  I hope it is all you hope for and even more!

Much love,
Sara

*drawing by Hunter, Daily Doodle 2012 calendar by Taro Gomi

Good Mornings

With school starting (we're in week 2 now) mornings are quickly becoming a favorite time of day for me.  I like getting up earlier than the kiddo and catching up on what's going on in the world:

It's nice to have some quiet coffee and computer time.

I try to plan our our meals for the week, including breakfasts, so that I'm not scrambling to feed Hunter while he's doing his best to wake up and be pleasant.  It helps that I write things down where I can find it. 

We study history at breakfast now that H is at school all day.  I love that he's already got his head full of crazy Babylonians and Assyrians when he walks into his classroom.  He's such a fun kid and I love learning with him because I get a do-over of all my favorite stuff from when I was in school. :)

And finally:  running.  Outdoors.  Although, this morning it was a bit smokey and hazy due to the never ending swamp fire.  As for training, I have no near-future race plans so I'm doing my best to be consistent and not lose my fitness base.  It's so easy for me to just skip a run when there's no race in the future but I am determined not to do that this fall/winter!

The soundtrack for the morning has been this album.  It's been just right for today.

What about you?  Do you like mornings best?

How do you spend your mornings?

xo, S

Looking back, looking forward

Last year around this time:

 

I've been looking back over the blog and at photos from last fall today.  I should do this more often because it truly makes me want to be a better blogger and documentarian now.

Today was Hunter's first day of 2nd grade.  He was excited, apprehensive, and sleepy all rolled into one.  I made him his favorite breakfast (with sprinkles!) and he was his normal silly self on the way out the door.  I can hardly believe summer is gone and we're starting a new school year!

I hope where ever you are that you are enjoying the beginnings of this new season.  It's still hot but I hear we've got some rain and cooler temps on the way thanks to TS Lee.

 

 

Happy Birthday to my Daddy

Daddy and me, 1975

Happy Birthday Daddy.  I love you.

Sara