Life is Beautiful

At Last

2010-09-02T13:46:00.001-07:00

This.
This was a morning a few weeks ago that began inexcusably too early.
This morning was more anticipated than any other this year.
This was a morning frothy with emotions;
happiness, sadness, excitement, worry, nostalgia, and joy.
This........was Sienna's first day back at school.

Sienna finally started school again. She counted down most of summer (not including weekends-that would have been too painful for her) until school began. We had a great summer for sure --we loved it. But in August-with the oppressive heat and humidity....it felt as if our bodies (and my mind ) were being liquefied. The hours dripped by. C'mon August....hurry up already, my little one wants to be a 1st grader!

Sienna was elated to see Kaleia (one of her best friends) on the first day of school. They were in the same Kindergarten class last year so they are so happy to be together again this year.
You know who was not elated?......Wesley. Poor little guy. He was so grumpy, and sad on Sienna's first day back at school. He was losing his best friend and playmate-hence the grumpy picture of the two of them above. For Wesley-there were no smiles to be had on this particular morning.
I too felt some anxiety about Sienna going back to school (less than last year- thankfully). I had a pot of questions, some swirling doubts, mixed with emotions, but mostly....I was bubbling with joy for my bright star who loves to learn.

Sienna was ready. And she was happy.....but you don't have to take my word for it.

Heartbeat

2010-04-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say that I know it's seems like I've dropped off the face of the planet....but I haven't. Still have a heartbeat. Life's good. Really good. Been busy......as we all are. Hope to catch up with everything very soon. Would like to publish my blog into a book format to keep sooooo.....there is going to be a bit of chronological chaos for awhile as I try to play "catch-up" for posterity/book sake. So bear with me if you will. I have a love/hate relationship with my blog.....but at the end of the day..... it really is an affair of the heart.

Sleeping Beauty

2010-03-03T14:49:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago I saw an ad in a magazine that announced the Tulsa Ballet Company would perform, "Sleeping Beauty" over Valentine's weekend. I read on and learned that "Sleeping Beauty" is the most technically difficult ballet of all. How fun to watch! At first I thought Nathan and I would take Sienna as a very special date....but soon remembered he would be out of town.
So instead, Sienna and I had a special Mommy Daughter date.

Here is a sliver of the downtown Tulsa skyline at night. It was bitter, bitter cold that night and Sienna was in no mood to walk around and explore. Stinker. So I got a picture of her in the grand parking lot with her head turned. Anyway, she was a good sport about taking pictures in the comfort of our cozy car- hence the picture below.
It was so fun to dress up for the opening night performance. Sigh. I rarely, rarely get a chance to dress up (outside of church-y stuff) so I was over the moon to find an amazing plum-colored cocktail dress for 70% percent off. Ya hoo! The dress was a tad too big so my sweet neighbors (elderly sisters) took in the dress just in time for the show. And I got to wear ridiculously fancy earrings I've never worn and I felt like Cinderella!

But I barely survived 60 minutes of the 2 1/2 hour performance with Sienna. She put on her own performance of sorts......she starred as -The Annoying Child-
The one who keeps talking, keeps moving, keeps asking what's going to happen next, keeps changing positions, keeps looking at you, keeps sighing, keeps asking for food, and keeps asking when it will be over. Yeah....that one.
We unceremoniously slipped out during intermission. I had a hunch Sienna was not getting an encore.
Sigh. I guess I should wait till she's older.
But what I did see of the performance was gorgeous, with stunning ornate costumes,with beautiful props, and very talented, other-worldly dancers.

Do the Monster Mash

2010-02-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

Early in October Sienna's dance class had a little Halloween performance for family and friends. The kids danced in their Halloween costumes to the song, "The Monster Mash." It was stinkin adorable.
P.S. Sienna was Little Red Riding Hood

But I think the highlight for the kids on this beautiful Fall evening, was the ridiculous amount of candy, treats, cookies, and juice provided for the kids after the dance. Really parents?! I mean yes they can have some sweets- definitely it's Halloween. But my goodness there was too much. I had to de-claw my children from the tables and swipe the treats from their greedy clutches. The only real use the treats held for me was as bribes to get all of these pics.

.......it was a graveyard smash.........do the MOnsTer MaSh
WAH OOOooo

Carmichael's Farm

2010-02-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

Oklahoma in general, and Tulsa specifically, offers a smoregusborg of family-centered activities, festivals, events and farms. I tell you what. We've been dating our city for 10 months and I've gotta admit.....I'm falling hard. And if things keep going the way they are....I can definitely see a long term relationship in the horizon.
I was thrilled that we were able to do and see so many things between October-December of last year. I loved "getting to know" Tulsa and what it offers during my favorite months of the year.
I couldn't imagine just"skipping" over them.
So- the next installment of posts will be reminiscing the days of yore.

October
circa 2009
This is Carmichael's Farm. We heard about it from friends who said visiting this farm was one of their Fall traditions. Now it will be one of ours. We had a great time. It was pretty dang crowded, but the weather was dreamy. And there's something just inherently fun about visiting a farm. Or is it just me? I find them so endearing- so charming.
We fed the well-fed livestock, hopped on a hay bale ride, devoured local treats, and let the kids ride the horses.

These pumpkins were massive. Wesley sat on one of these and looked small in comparison. Wesley is over 40 lbs. Yeah.
Crazy big.

Nathan and Wesley enjoyed the overpriced hay bale ride around the farm. But don't get me wrong...I totally think it's worth the price in the novelty department. And it's such a great excuse to wear boots! Speaking of......

My little cowgirl. Sienna is still in love with HORSES. I always enjoy watching the kids faces as they ride horses. It's so satisfying to see them over the moon, and so happy. I think it might be habit-forming.
The kids loved pulling each other around the farm in this wheel barrow. Couldn't have asked for a better photo-op. Don't you just love the Fall??

The End

Going Private- a story

2010-01-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

So my friends,

my kind of blog is a dying breed......a dinosaur if you will. I amongst, most of my friends am virtually the only owner of a public blog. I know. So I feel it's time to pack my bags and move into Camp Private. I stayed public (partly for my not-so-techno-savvy family-except for you Nathan M.) and also to welcome an unlimited amount of positive comments onto my blog and into my heart.
But....(sigh).... alas, sadly I have lots of readers, but not lots of comments. Gets me bummed out friends....not gonna lie. No point in sharing my labors of love with the masses. So we're packing up this here camp.....no point in dangling my scrumptious children to potential pathologicals out there. So if you can't live without your weekly (ok...sometimes monthly) dose of my spiffy blog.....fess up that you like it, send an email, or leave a comment that you'd like to be invited as a reader...... and hereby commit to leave comments from henceforth.

The End

New Years

2010-01-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

Our New Year's Eve began like this.......a peaceful drive to my Mom's house.
We only made one stop and at the "Fireworks Mega SuperCenter" store.
(this is Oklahoma folks.....we don't mess around with fireworks in this here state).

And with plenty of sugar, and fun, we ended the kids New Years Eve with a bang. Despite the balmy 17 degree weather, and snow packed ground, Nathan managed to put on a mini firework show for the Peanut Gang.
The "sparklers" were definitely a big hit, and minus the thunderous booms, the kids enjoyed the real fireworks Nathan lit into the starry sky.

And the evening ended like this.
Well, for the kids anyway.
The grown-ups ate, talked, ate some more, watched shows, ate, called family, and then it was midnight.

At 12 we shuffled outside and finished the fireworks.
Hurrah! Happy New Years!

I haven't made my New Year's Resolutions yet.......have you?
I have small pot of ideas simmering......and I must admit-
I smell a reoccurring theme.

A Sunbeam.....a Sunbeam

2010-01-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

This Sunday was Wesley's first day in Primary! I still can't believe it. He has graduated from Nursery and will be with the "big kids" from now on. It was so strange walking him to the Primary room and helping him find a seat by his teacher.
Wesley looked so small, and with his sweet baby face looking up at me I almost burst into tears. Luckily Sienna came to my rescue and asked the teacher if she could sit by her "baby brother" for a few minutes. It was so sweet.... I had to hold back the tears again.

I don't know....in this moment, it feels like such a big milestone.....the end of babyhood I guess.
But what's a Mom to do?

"Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam to shine for him each day.
In every way try to please him, at home at school at play.
A Sunbeam, a Sunbeam........
I'll be a Sunbeam for him."

Corn Maize

2009-12-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

Visiting the much advertised "Corn Maize" this Fall was a compelling opportunity to turn "lemons into lemonade." No, let me rephrase that.
This overly hyped, exaggerated "event" demanded us to make the best of the situation.
It was by far the lamest "family attraction" I've ever seen. And if we didn't make the best of it, the hour drive with a whiny,anxious 3 year- old would have been entirely in vain.
Amazingly enough, the pictures show the fun we had despite everything that was lacking, not working, or non-existent at this farm.

I must have had more than my usual 6 hours of sleep the night prior.....because instead of complaining, I burst out laughing at the pathetic-ness that stood before me. Case in point- Wesley's and my "cow ride" through the corn maize...sounds kind fun right?
It was in reality a "ride" in a water barrel, pulled by the worlds slowest John Deer lawn mower.
Nathan and I couldn't help but laugh the whole way through.

You might have noticed Sienna's nowhere to be found. Let's just say she used her free agency to make a very, very, bad choice. Nathan and I were actually really sad we couldn't take her with us, but we had to stick to our word. Sienna's absence was not lost on Wesley.
He enjoyed every minute of our undivided attention.

Wesley loved seeing the tractors, running rampant in the corn fields, and playing in the "Corn Box." This Corn Box was a large sandbox filled with kernels of corn instead of sand. And it had shovels and buckets a plenty. It was one of the quirky/redeeming "attractions" at the farm.
Speaking of redemption......I probably had more than my fair share of fun jumping into the bales of hay.
So long sourpuss..........hellooooo cowgirl.

Uncle Nathan

2009-12-16T20:19:00.001-08:00

This little montage of my brother Nathan visiting Oklahoma is way overdue. I was thrilled to get the email telling me he'd be coming to our house this summer. I know he had his reservations about Oklahoma....but I think by the end of the trip we squeaked out a small, but cozy spot in his heart for the state.
I loved showing him around. And boy did we pack a lot of punch for those days he was here. I took Nathan to the amazing Aquarium in Jenks, gave him a tour of the Philbrook Museum, went Antique shopping, took him to see the outdoor production of "Oklahoma" (which he loved) went rafting on the Illinois River, played games, took in a movie or two, went bowling, and ate some good Mexican food. But what I probably loved the most was our late night talks and watching Nathan play with my kids.
Sigh....what would life be without family?
Anyway, this is for you Nathan. We sure love you!!
Hurry back now ya hear?

P.S. Please try and ignore the fact that the pictures are pixelated....trust me I am embarrassed. No, it is not a reflection of the real pictures I just seem to be dealing with a lot of technical issues as of late....hence the lack of posts. Well, there's also the time thing. But I do love my readers...I have not forgotten you. I've got more coming k?

Sweet Pumpkins

2009-12-16T19:49:00.001-08:00

The smell of mulled cider, the sound of falling leaves, the color of orange sunbursts,the tingle of chilly breezes and the sight of two silly kids one October night. Halloween is in the air........

A College Education

2009-12-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

Today, at precisely 4:46, I had the rare opportunity to use my college education...applied Science if you will.
There it was, on the floor, staring at me, a bona-fide, "real life" application my teachers always talked about.
This sticky situation required a keen understanding of Science, Mathematics, and Psychology.
How shall I extract the matted down feces from the clutches of my carpet?

Real life application:

Science- What tools would be most advantageous in the extraction process?
Which chemicals must be administered to disinfect this microbial mess?
And which chemicals will remove the intruder (aka the mound of squashed poo on my carpet) without removing the color from the carpet fibers?
Psychology- In an effort to not retch everywhere, I recall the power of mantras and chant to myself "mind over matter", "mind over matter." I also mentally free myself from this potentially demoralizing situation and escape to my happy place inside.
Mathematics- How many wipees, and papers towels will be required to free my carpet of this odorous occupant? And is it cost effective?
And finally, how much will it cost to have this square footage professionally cleaned if I do not meet with success?

Now I do have photos of the specimens...but will spare you.
However, Nathan did receive them via email...but that was strictly for scientific purposes.

And that my friend, is why we go to college.

Our State Fair

2009-10-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of State Fairs in general but for some reason....I almost blew off the Tulsa State Fair a few weeks ago. WOW. That would have been so sad. We had so much fun.....plus I would've missed a chance to wear my cowgirl boots! It had everything you'd want...pony rides,overpriced lemonade,a craft show, a petting zoo, questionable corn dogs, carnival rides, a Sky Tram, loud music, and oodles of people.

Maybe next year I'll have the guts to eat a fried peanut butter & jelly sand which,or a chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick, or maybe a fried pickle.
We'll just have see.

Don't Mess with Texas

2009-10-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago (Labor Day weekend to be exact), at 2:00 o' clock in the morning, I found myself bleary-eyed and squinting from the beams of a powerful flashlight, with arms raised, explaining to a Texas Police Officer, that I was in fact a mother, and not a armed burglar.

After an 8 hour car ride with two children (which if you factor in "mother math"-the drive itself times the amount of kids: 8 hours x 2 kids) was actually a 16 hour drive from Tulsa to Houston. So you can imagine how deliriously tired Nathan and I both were upon arrival.
Because we would be arriving so late, my Uncle called and gave us specific instructions on how to get into his backyard and into the house.
When we drove into their neighborhood Nathan turned to me and asked for the name of their street and house number. I couldn't remember!! And I didn't want to call my Uncle at 2:00 a.m. to find out. I was positive I would recognize it when we drove around. And I did.
It was their exact house and driveway and we found the side gate propped open with a rock just like my Uncle said he would. There was his pool and his back door. We shuffled to his back door with bags and kids in tow and entered his secret code. Except it didn't work. So we tried it again. But it didn't work. I knew I had the right code because I had written it on my hand so I wouldn't forget it. So we tried it again. And we were denied. Then the kids decided to bang on the door. I gave in and reluctantly called my Uncle.

"Can you come outside and let us in?"

I am outside.

"Where?!?! I don't see you."

We couldn't see my Uncle in the dead of night, but we did see flashing lights and heard someone yelling. I slowly walked out the side gate and was blinded by a powerful flashlight.

"Put your hands in the air where I can see them! State your name and your business here!"

Oh crap.

I eventually managed to squeak out enough answers to convince them they could lower their weapons. After several questions, a phone call, driver's license checks, and running of our plates we were free to go.

We drove away from that house and sheepishly pulled into my Uncle's actual driveway. I gave my Uncle a hug and a weak smile. He returned the hug.....grinning from ear to ear.
Yup.
I knew it.
I'm going to be teased about this for years to come.

When in Rome....

Ironically, my Uncle planned to take Nathan to a firing range the next morning.
What to do??
Stay at the house and watch my kids....... or tag along.

Did you really think I was going to stay home?
It was exhilarating......
and terrifying.
I would definitely do it again.

P.S. this is a 9mm XDM
it's one of the guns they use in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
I'm just sayin.....

Beautiful Day

2009-10-09T20:43:00.001-07:00

I have an agenda for every day of the week. I know what I want the kids to do. And I know what I don't want the kids to do. And sadly, for the most part, I'm not very concerned with what they want to do.
I couldn't help but wonder.......
what would it be like, if for one day, I let Wesley choose what we do.
I wouldn't try to limit his choices, or steer him in a direction more to my liking.
I wouldn't worry about the time.
I wouldn't care if he got dirty or wet.
And I wouldn't rush him.
I'd let him be.
Wesley wanted to go to the park.
The "squirrel park" to be exact.
We fed the ducks. Wesley chased the ducks.
Wesley dug holes and threw rocks in the pond.
We looked at leaves and ant holes.
Wesley chased the squirrels.
Then we ate snacks on a bench and watched the geese preen.
And I enjoyed every minute of it.

I tell you guys it was liberating.
I can't think of a time I've loved him or enjoyed him more.

But I can't be this selfless every day- I'm no saint....
but my goodness, what a beautiful day.

Love at first touch

2009-10-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

I have fallen hard.

for my iPhone.

I'm not ashamed to admit I'm in love.

And unlike mostly newly married couples.....the novelty has not worn off with time.
I grow more in love with you iPhone.
I love your abilities, your intuitiveness, your sense of direction, your attention to detail, and love of knowledge, and of course, who can forget?
your apps.

the honeymoon phase is so not over....

Oldies but Goodies

2009-10-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

My Mom came to visit this summer after much coaxing. I wanted her to see Oklahoma during this beautiful time of year. I didn't want her first impression of Oklahoma to be the dead of winter for Christmas. So these were pics of us riding the train and carousel at the Tulsa Zoo.

Cotton candy......my bribe for keeping the kids inside the train instead of leaping from it.

Love you Mom- thanks for coming to see us and Dad for letting her go!

Happy Anniversary

2009-10-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

2 friends.
1 crush.
12 months
1 marriage
1 love
2 kids
8 years.
We made it.
I love you Nathan Michael Ball.

P.S. Thank your for taking me to this show (after weeks of subtle hints).
Thank you for indulging my wish to sleep in and booking a hotel room.
And thanks for sharing your ridiculously delicious strawberry cream cheese stuffed french toast.
now that's love.
and one wicked anniversary.

Kindergarten

2009-09-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

August 20th, 8:30 a.m.

I can't believe the day is finally here. A day that to some degree.....I have been looking forward to for a long time. Today- Sienna is in kindergarten. And instead of feeling elated, I feel sad, conflicted, and depressed. I'm questioning everything.
Did I do enough? Did I spend enough time with her in the years leading up to this point? Should I have already taught her about dollar bills, and coins? Is she going to have a good experience? Does she have a good teacher? Will the kids in class be nice to her? Or tease her? And what am I going to do with Wesley?? I can't believe I'm back to one...........

August 20th, 2:30 p.m.

I am fidgeting and nervous waiting for Sienna to get out of school. I spent my "free time'' : worrying about Sienna, crying off and on since dropping her off, questioning my capabilities as a mother, hoping that her teacher will truly care about Sienna and see her potential, praying that the kids will be nice to her, and realizing how much I truly love my daughter.

Sienna's finally out of school and I scoop her up off the ground and give her a warm hug.

Mom: "Hi Pooh-Bear!! How was your first day at school? I missed you so much!"

It was great Mom!!

"Do you like your teacher???"

Oh yes Mommy, she is wonderful.
She's better than you.

"What!??!?"

Oh yes Mommy, she's better than you.......and Dad too.

How do you like them apples?

P.S. I did some immature"digging around" to find out what she really meant about her teaching being "better than Mom and Dad..." and asked her if I should move elsewhere so Mrs. Hargrove could move in and be her new mother.
Boy did that little girl start to back-pedal.
"Mommm, I just meant that Mrs.Hargrove is a better...t e a c h e r.
that's all.

darn right.

Huckleberry Fin

2009-08-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

So I sat down at my computer about 2 weeks ago and got a surprising email from my brother Nathan.......he was coming to visit me and would be arriving in 3 hours! I was shocked and elated. I haven't seen my brother Nathan since Wesley was 2 weeks old (and he will be 3 this December).
After the shock wore off I immediately thought- oh gosh I have to plan something to do with him that involves nature- like go fishing, hunting, or boating. My brother is a Marine for one, and in addition to that he is the biggest outdoor enthusiast you'll ever meet. So within minutes of getting the email I made reservations for our crew (my family, my sister, mom and brother) to go rafting down the Illinois River. So here's a pic of me, Moms, my sister and the kids rocking our life jackets, and "floating" down the river.

Everyone was pretty excited about it- can you tell??

My sister Marissa and brother Nathan...paddling at the head of the raft.

When we got to the cabin to rent the raft, we mentioned in passing about all the "river rats" that were around (meaning people who go to the river all the time for recreation).
Fast forward an hour into the trip....we've pulled the raft off to the side of a bank to let everyone out to wade in the water. Sienna jumps into the water and starts swimming, and pretty soon fellow rafters/canoers float on by us.
With a smile stretched from ear to ear, and bobbing up and down in the water like a fishing lure, Sienna calls out to them excitedly, " I"M A RIVER RAT!!! " "I'M A RIVER RAT !!" And proceeds to tell everyone else we pass on the river till we got home.

More Huck Fin

2009-08-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

Moms, Aunt Mimi, and Uncle Nathan......hanging out waiting for the bus driver to take us up the river.

Pretty pretty.....it's no wonder that they call this area "Green Country." This was the tail end of our rafting trip-thankfully.....we were all pooped!

Philbrook Museum

2009-08-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

Before we even moved here to Oklahoma......I knew I wanted to visit the Philbrook Museum (this is a picture inside the museum looking out to part of the garden). It's pictures are displayed in every magazine and brochure about Oklahoma and is definitely considered one of Tulsa city's most precious "jewels."

It did not disappoint. In fact the museum is amazing and gorgeous. Long and fascinating story made short: In 1925 a ridiculously rich husband and wife bought a huge chunk of land in Tulsa and decided to build an Italian Villa. In 2 years they had a breath-taking 72 room mansion for their small family of 4. This eccentric, and interesting family threw wonderful parties and eventually moved out of the house after 11 years and donated the house to the city of Tulsa.

Voila! Today the kitchen, bedrooms, and other rooms in the house now make up the various galleries in the museum. Additions to the house were made to accommodate tourists and coats, but on the whole the museum today exists and is maintained as it once was in the roaring 20's.

This is known as the Great Hall. It is striking and beautiful and I love that it reminds me just a tiny bit.....of the King's Palace in Versailles. We're told that the two young children who lived at the house used to ride their bikes up and down this hall.

More Philbrook

2009-08-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

It was such a deliciously green day what with all the rain clouds and stormy weather. This is a shot taken from the passenger side window in my car.
Are you kidding me?? It's so beautiful I started laughing.......I just couldn't believe it was real and that I was staring right at it....and it wasn't a movie back drop or something. I half expected a hobbit to pop out from behind a tree.
Moms had a different reaction. She started crying- happy tears. The lush greenery reminded her of her life in Colombia, and her time in Wisconsin as an exchange student.

Besides having a wonderful day with my Mom at the museum and having a fantastic tour guide shows us the grounds......I made a friend that day. It turned out that our Docent showing us the museum was the head of the Interns at the Philbrook......and she was very interested in having me apply to the program.

What's crazy is that I had actually looked into being an Intern and later an Art Docent for the Museum before we moved to Oklahoma. I was flattered! She told me to stay put and went and got me an application. And the rest is history.
I start classes in Sept. And 27 weeks later I will have some serious knowledge about art history and will begin giving tours on my own!

Balloon Festival

2009-08-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

So I heard about this Hot Air Balloon Festival to be held in Claremore awhile back so I jotted it down in my planner and had been looking forward to it.
Turns out that the only thing full of hot air at the event was the hype.
We got lost trying to find the location.....only for the fact that we never saw any Hot Air Balloons. And once we got to the "festival" there were hardly any vendors, even fewer people, and it was blistering hot.
But- with the help of my sisters' good attitude and sense of humor, we made the most of it!

The highlight was letting the kids ride the ponies. Oh.......am I ever a sucker for those (admittedly overpriced) pony rides. And it was cute to see little bows in their manes.

More Festival

2009-08-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled that Wesley finally wanted to ride a pony after so many failed attempts in the past. Could he be any happier??

I usually have a firm no eating hot dog policy (after a food poisoning incident last year that included among other festivities.....6 hours of vomiting), but I set aside my fears and enjoyed my corn dog and my first funnel cake.............and didn't get sick!

Wesley on a ride with Aunt Mimi. I am so glad my sister came with us. We laughed a lot and she helped me enjoy the the event (that in reality was a total flop).
Thanks for being such a good sport Mimi.....and for always reminding me that my glass is half full, not half empty.

Alley Cats

2009-08-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

So cute....when Matt came to visit us we took the kids bowling. It was the kids' first time and we had so much fun! The kids, loved, loved, loved bowling. We used the little ramp for the two of them and they could barely sit still and wait for their turn.

And I loved that it was my brother who taught the kids how to bowl-what a fun memory.

Here's Sienna sulking while waiting for her turn. She insisted on pulling up her socks, "because it looks way better." We're going to have fun during high school.... I can tell.

Utica Square

2009-08-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

Since we've moved here......I've had so many people ask me, "Have you been to Utica Square?" And the same people who asked me before will follow up and ask me again, "Did you go to Utica Square?" So what's all the fuss about?

Turns out it's an adorable shopping and dining district (?)....not sure what to call it. But it's stinkin cute. I'm not sure how many blocks there are, but the streets and stores are distinctive, quaint and vintage looking. Nathan and I went here for our date night and had a good time. I also wanted to see if this would be a good place for photo sessions....so I experimented with this alley.......me likes. We had dinner at Queenie's which has wonderful food, mouth-watering desserts, and a sweet and plucky vibe.

P.s. Did I mention there was a hot pink Volkswagen Bug parked nearby? with custom white leather seats, with hot pink ribbing? with pearls dangling from the rear view mirror? Are you kidding me? how cute! who drives this car? Where are you sassy-pants I've got to meet you!

Wild Thing

2009-07-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Wesley's gorgeous-ness

is his

Life Insurance policy

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." ~Erma Bombeck

"Freedom is never free. " ~Author Unknown

Nathan and Wesley walking to the ward 4th of July party. I thought the sunset was so pretty.
This 4th of July was similar to last year because Sienna got to visit her great Aunt & Uncle in Texas for the holiday.
And again, like last year we spent some serious hours painting and decorating her room. She is still having a hard time letting go of Arizona and her old room. So we worked really hard to make her new room cheerful and beautiful.

"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you." ~

" In war, there are no unwounded soldiers."
~José Narosky

For the 4th itself we spent the evening at a ward members' house at their annual party. They have a gorgeous house and had a perfect view of all surrounding fireworks. In Oklahoma you can buy and set off your own fireworks (I should have known.....we should have the right to blow off our own appendages shouldn't we?? tongue in cheek).
Anyway the whole neighborhood lit up the sky for a good 30-40 minutes. In every direction you could see fireworks exploding. I personally love fireworks and the 4th of July...but in the photo above you can see Wesley was scared when they first began and wanted us to hold him-but warmed up to them in the end.

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because brave men and women stand ready to fight on their behalf." George Orwell

"How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy." ~Paul Sweeney

Thank you to all the brave men and women in every branch of the military-thank you for your service, your sacrifices, your courage, and your love of country.
Our country as we know it today....would not exist without you.

I am so proud of my brother Nathan...who served 2 honorable tours of duty in Iraq. He is a survivor, a decorated Marine, a living miracle, a great person, and a real-life American Hero.
We love you...
Happy 4th of July

Bubba + Oklahoma = Good times

2009-07-12T00:03:00.000-07:00

I am so, so, behind in my blogging. I am sincerely sorry to all 3 of my fans.
These pictures were taken over a month ago when my brother Matt came to visit us since we moved to OK. We loved having him! We did lots of fun things.....we took him on a nature walk, to an amazing aquarium , and a live performance of the musical "Oklahoma." I'm sure there were a few restaurants visited and movies viewed and games played that I can't remember now.

But of course what I loved most besides spending one on one time with Matt, was watching my brother interact with my kids.... some moments are hilarious, others are sweet and memorable, and some are heartbreaking.
One of my favorite moments is in the picture below....where Matt was combing Sienna's hair before bed- it was so sweet and endearing. And I loved how they were, without knowing.....crossing their legs exactly the same way.

We love you Bubba.....come back soon now- ya hear??

Dallas or Bust

2009-07-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we had the chance to go to Dallas for a super quick weekend trip. It went by so quickly I hardly remember a thing. But what I do remember-distinctly- was the weather. It was 105 degrees with 98% humidity. Walking to a from the car was misery, I literally felt like I would drop dead. If I never experience that again, it's too soon.
We drove to Dallas (in part to drop off Sienna with relatives) and also because one of Nathan's work colleagues invited us to visit he and his family in Texas. And put us up in a swanky Hilton by a lake.
We had a such a nice time with their family and the kids couldn't have had more fun in their luxury pool. And I was in awe of their mansion. It was unbelievable. I couldn't help but feel a tintsy bit sorry for myself and we made our way back to our cheerful (?) den in Tulsa.
While we were there we visited the Dallas World Aquarium....which for all intents and purposes was supposed to be amazing....which in turn was supposed to justify the cost of getting into the joint. Unfortunately.....it was pretty lame, very stinky, and in no way merits a visit. Bummer for us! We did see a "Bird-eating Tarantula" so at least I checked that off my to-do list.

Happy Father's Day

2009-07-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

So this is a little late...I know, but it'd be weird if I was on time, and on top of everything right?? Sigh. Anyway, so these are a few pictures of our Father's Day weekend. We celebrated Father's Day on Saturday morning. I let Nathan sleep in and made him breakfast and when he came upstairs the kitchen nook was full of dangling cut-out stars. And by his plate was a rocket ship shaped card that told Nathan we thought he was "out of this world."
And then I surprised he and the kids by taking them to the Tulsa Air & Space Museum. The museum is among other things a history of aircraft's, flights, and space exploration. And I knew that Nathan and the kids would LOVE it.
The museum is actually a huge airplane hangar filled with different kinds of planes that you can climb into, touch and take pictures in. They also had flight simulators (kind of like a mini ride) for airplanes and also for the space shuttle. We watched a movie in the Planetarium and minus a few hiccups and tantrums, we had a really great time!
Happy Father's Day Nathan....we could not love you more if we tried.
Thanks for being a kid at heart and being such a wonderful father.

Grandma's Song

2009-07-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

We had a major scare with my Mom this last week. And she ended up in the hospital with chest pains and dizzy spells. The doctors thought she might have had a heart attack. So the doctors completed an exploratory surgery to see if there was any blockage/obstruction in her arteries. Turns out her heart and arteries are amazing- no problems there. What a relief!! We were so afraid and worried about her.
When the kids heard Grandma was in the hospital they wanted to sing her songs- so I thought I'd record them for her. They know lots of cute songs....I don't know why as soon as the camera is on they start singing the ABC's. Sorry not as cute as I wanted...but here you go Mom.
LOVE YOU ACROSS THE MILES

Chinese Movie Night

2009-06-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

So about 2 Friday's ago I found myself distraught and without a baby-sitter. It had been a crazy week that included, 2 different house guests, a one-day trip to Arizona, and a few delayed flights. And so with all the confusion I forgot to call a sitter and would not have my hallowed date night with my guy.
Buttttttttttttt instead of being a pill about it, I surprised myself and embraced it. I thought it'd be fun to eat Chinese food because Sienna came home from school awhile back and asked me what chopsticks were.
I also thought it'd be fun to let the kids pick out a movie for the family to watch. The kids adamantly picked "Beverley Hills Chihuahua." So adamantly in fact that you could hear it up and down aisle 13 at Wal-Mart.
So after giving each of them "the real" movie we were going to buy (although they each had the same movie, in kiddie world it appeared that Sienna had the "real" movie and that's the one Wesley wanted) we picked up our food on the way and headed home.
Wesley loved the Pad Thai and ate it by the fistfuls. After dinner we made a makeshift "fort" and watched the show under there. It's sad to admit....but this is the first time we have all sat and watched a movie together, from start to finish. We'll definitely do it again- it was fun and quirky....which for me, made a great family night.

2009-06-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

Too funny

2009-06-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

Sienna insisted I take this picture of her.
"Why honey?"
"Because Conga might be missing me." Conga is my brother Matt who came to visit us about 2 weeks ago. So here you go Matt. Don't miss her k?

Watery graves

2009-06-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

Just wondering..........
Has your 2 year old ever grabbed your point and shoot camera from your hands...and when calmly asked to give it back ...thrown the camera across the floor and broken the lens?
                             Did your 2 year old ever color on your fabric couch with black permanent marker?
                             Does your 2 year old hide in the fridge when they are in trouble?
                             Does your 2 year old systematically send DVD's  to a watery grave by flushing them down the toilet?
                                      Same question but insert....bathroom appliances, hardware, toys....etc
                             Has your 2 year old ever pushed back a wooden chair so hard that it broke it completely? Twice?
                             Does your 2 year old wash your overpriced Disney DVD's with bars of soap because they are "dirty"?
                             Does your 2 year old sit in the car with you and when spots a vehicle yells "crash that car!"

                                                  Or is just that mine???

"Don't you wish it could go forever...."

2009-06-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Bubba came to visit us! Yeah! Bubba is my youngest brother who lives in CA who comes to see us when he's fed up with my nagging him. What can I say? I love spending time with him. Here are some photos of us at Discoveryland, USA...more on that in a sec.
But first, I can't begin to tell you how funny it is that we moved here to Oklahoma. I think I may have mentioned this before....but "Oklahoma" the musical was one of my most favorite movies all growing up (also on honorable mention: Grease, Pirates of Penzance, Footloose, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). My brothers and sister and I watched these movies over and over again. We knew the words to the songs and would dance along with the music and characters.
So- now that I am an official Oakie adoptee ...I was eager to pay a visit to Discoveryland, USA, "The National home of Rodger's and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!"
I was really excited to see the production live in an outdoor amphitheater. This place was actually a huge farm/ranch about 15 minutes away from Tulsa in a tiny city called Sand Springs. The grounds were beautiful!! The cast was great. And I loved that they incorporated real horses in almost every scene they'd be galloping across the stage. We were treated to a real "cowboy dinner" which had the tastiest baked beans I have ever had in my life- honest! The only down side was the suffocating humidity and constant swatting of bugs.....or the would be bugs..the phantom bugs you keep swatting at because you hear them everywhere...but there isn't actually one on you. yeah that.
Thanks for taking me Bubba!

A little late

2009-06-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

A little late....but none the less.....Happy Birthday Miriam!!

Thank you

2009-06-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Susanjane,
I have no way to contact you directly...but I wanted to thank you for your comment you posted. I am flattered that you follow my blog. Thank you for taking the time to say so. That made my day!! I'm embarrassed to admit....I do spend time on the posts...more than I should probably, which is why it's so nice to know someone enjoys it! Best wishes!

Friends

2009-06-15T20:59:00.001-07:00

So I was thinking about blogs.....and how I love being able to take quick glimpses into people's lives and see how they're doing. It makes it feel.....in small way that we haven't moved as much as we really have. I also LOVE seeing every one's cute kids and family milestones but.....I often wonder about my friends....what are my friends up to? You know....personally....things that are going on in their lives that don't involve kids or families.
So with that said......I decided to jot down some things about me...just random things I've been doing lately (P.S. I tagged some friends at the bottom):
Every once and awhile when I am fried, or exhausted I'll take myself to the dollar theater down the street to catch a movie. I feel brave and independent when I do this.
I bleached my teeth a few weeks ago...which I have been wanting to do since forever. Wish the results were more extreme...should of listened to the ditsy girl who told me to sit in the chair longer.
I am trying to read a book called "Outliers," that is a sociological look at what factors come into play in the success of someone's life....what sets successful people a part from the rest. It sounded fascinating in an article I read months ago buuuuuuttttt I'm still hanging out in chapter 1. Maybe that's why Nathan and I aren't successful??
I am working with the young women now at church and I am constantly amazed at the responsibility I feel for these girls.....overnight. I think about them during the week and I worry about their struggles. It has been so interesting to teach them every week, and remember my experiences as a teenager.
I have picked out 2 really, really bad movies recently which Nathan will probably not let me forget for the remainder of the year. Don't waste your money or your brain cells on seeing "The Soloist" or "My Life in Ruins."
I am taking a class called, "Mothering without Guilt" and I love it. I am plagued with guilt...partly because I am a hopeless perfectionist, not helped with unrealistic expectations I have about being a Mom..or what it means to be a "good Mom" and do I ever measure up. So on and so forth into the eternities. It's a great class and so insightful! If you're reading this Jen or Christy- thank you for leading the class!
I have a new favorite restaurant....well, my new favorite Italian restaurant to be exact. It's called Oliveto and it's wonderful. My absolute favorite....I'm talking I think about this food during the week...probably every week, is their Bruschetta Sundae. It's a martini glass filled with the tastiest bruschetta you've ever had in your life with toasted sourdough bread.
I also started taking a photography class that won my heart when I read the tag line,
"this class will help you understand all your buttons." Perfect. Just what I need for this brand- spanking new, completely professional, intimidating camera that I now own.
And I saw,"17 Again" with Zac Efron................now I get it. He is cute!

I tag Patience, Brooke G, and Amy C

Try something new

2009-06-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

Gymnastics

2009-06-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

So Thursday was the kids' first day of gymnastics. I was so excited that they could do something "together." Poor Wesley, we're always taking Sienna to do fun "big kid" things. So when I saw this gym that had classes for 2-3 years olds I was thrilled to sign them up.

Sienna was in heaven during class. It was so cute to see her smile and do something she is naturally good at and be praised by her teachers.
Wesley was so cute when it was time for the kids to go in the gym and the moms to stay outside in the waiting area. He didn't cry like some of the other little ones...instead he came running over to me to give me a hug and then run back to his class. Then he'd get up come running and give me another hug and then go back to his seat. He must have done this 5-6 times before class officially started. It was so cute- and so unexpected. He is not normally like that. The ladies behind me were dying..talking about wanting to take Wesley home with them. He was reluctant to leave with the teacher...but returned from class all smily and sweaty with 2 "good job"stamps.

Shameless

2009-06-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

Lest you be confused...this is my shameless attempt to pull on my Dad's heart strings.

Dad.....Mom's sad. This little empenada misses us. And by us I mean our offspring. Ok.....mostly Wesley. Will you let her come visit the States again? Think of it as a Spa Treatment...something that will reinvigorate her...put a little spring back in her step, and that twinkle in her eye.
I want you to know I did not stage this photo below...they do this all the time together.
Grandma needs Wesley. Wesley needs Grandma.

Their relationship....it's not really something I can put into words. It's not ordinary. It's as if they've been waiting to be together on earth for a long time.....and now they've found each other. Their love began long before Wes was ever born.

Hawk-o-Loma

2009-06-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

So I'm playing catch up here but this was too cute not to include. The very last night in Arizona we had Sienna's best friend Alyssa come over for dinner. She was so excited to be able to say the prayer. I think you'll agree with me...it's a pretty good one.

....... " please help Sienna so she'll be good while she's moving and when she goes to Hawk-o-Loma (translation...Oklahoma) and thank you for Wal-Mart. Amen."

Love Song

2009-06-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago I was running errands with the kids when Sienna (who's gotta a knack for making up songs) started singing this little diddy in the backseat:
"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. I just love Jesus. Do you know why Mommy? Because he me makes magic. He makes me alive and I just love him. When I open my eyes I want to see him, hug him, and play with him." ..........followed with another round of the chorus,
"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."
How sweet and innocent...I grabbed a CD cover in the car and jotted it all down before I forgot. I am so pleased that Sienna feels so much love for Him. When she talks about Jesus it really seems like she knows him...I mean really knows him...like how a child aches for their relative when their visit is over. Her sincere love for him and tender way she talks about missing him is such a good example for me.

One Sunday Afternoon

2009-05-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

A dreamy, overcast Sunday afternoon in May. I wanted to take pictures because I loved how dark the wood looked and how green the grass was from the fresh rain. And I wanted to relish in the fact that I proved Nathan wrong. He said we would never use the brown cable sweater Wesley is sporting (that I had recently bought, on clearance, in a size that barely fit him, but couldn't say good-bye to). A hah! (And in case you're wondering...yes I totally have to bribe them to smile, to stay still, and hold hands)

Sienna just shy of 5 1/2.....is so ready for Kindergarten!

My monkey....is 2 1/2 years old and wants to go to school with Sienna. Everyday he's sad when it's time to drop her off and says, "want to go with us." (Because we always say, "Wesley, do you want to go with us?") I keep telling him that big kid schools don't like diapers and that he's got to use his big boy underwear if he wants to be with Sienna. No dice.
P.S. We took these pictures in front of the "house." We have a long deck with stairs that leads you from the carport to the front door.

Love it

2009-05-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

Will Rogers, an Oakie immigrant to California himself, once remarked jokingly that the Oakies arriving in California increased the average intelligence of both states.

Tulsa Zoo

2009-05-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Very appropriate signage.....my monkeys at the Zoo nearby. I love this place! It is only 15 minutes away (20 if I get lost). I see more animals here, up close and personal than the San Diego Zoo or the Phoenix Zoo. It's just the way they have the animals displayed? I'm not sure how to phrase it. But there are always windows that the animals can come right up to and interact with you. For instance...the picture below. Me and the kids had been watching the chimps for awhile and as we were walking away this particular primate scurried over and was saying hello? to Sienna. It was so funny and surprising and cute. The very next second Sienna put her palm on the glass where the monkey's was but I missed the shot- it was like a E.T. moment!

My monkey mining for raisins. The kids were SO hungry that day. Are my kids the only ones that are hungry every 30 minutes to an hour?? Sheesh!
Picture below: See what I'm talking about? We are so close to the Jaguar (that's Wesley's head pressed against the glass). This jungle cat was beautiful! And very elusive...it made one lap and went back into it's cave and never came out again. I am so glad I got this shot.

Oh the Joys of Being an Oakie

2009-05-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to me how little I cared about the weather when we lived in Arizona. Predictability I guess...was the root cause. Hot. Really Hot. Scorching Hot. It Can't Get Any Hotter than this Hot. My Face is Melting Off Hot. And last but not least, Someone Put me Out of my Misery Hot.
But here, in Oklahoma, right now, weather is everything. The only reliable forecast is unpredictability. The weather has been so crazy. Even as I type I am periodically blinded by flashes of florescent lavender light. Everyone told us when we moved here we were just in time for "Tornado Season."
We are lucky that the May 13th tornadoes that hit Missouri and Oklahoma were not close to home but it really gave me a good scare. I was glued to the Weather Channel and didn't fall asleep until after 1 a.m. I didn't want to be asleep when I heard the Tornado Sirens go off...I wanted to be awake, coherent and prepared. Luckily no alarm went off and instead of sleeping I was anxious and felt a strong albeit weird desire to "document" my first scare with friends and family. Do I love you guys or what?
I have to say though...this video clip of the sky the night of the tornadoes does not give a really good idea of the chaos in the clouds. I was too chicken to walk out from under the awning of the balcony...so you're seeing a minuscule portion of the sky. It was also extremely humid and felt exactly like a sauna.
K,so here is the clip of me filming the very beginning of a Severe Thunderstorm that would soon trigger local Flash Flood Warning Sirens to air on T.V. and more importantly, turn into 20 different tornadoes that touched down in Oklahoma.

An Oklahoma Night

2009-05-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

See Clip

2009-05-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Hmmmmm....what to say about Jessica???? Sienna, what should we say about Mommy? "Mmmmm, I love her!" (Jumping up and down with that giddy smile of hers). "Wesley," I ask, "What do you like about Mommy?" "I want food." "You want food?" "YEAAAAA! (shaking his head vigorously up and down)"

Well, there you have it Mom, we love you and Wes wants food.

We do love you Mommy, and especially me, Nathan (the author of this horribly bad attempt at some funny commentary). What can I say? You make this family what it is today! I knew that you would be an amazing mother from the day I met you.

You have that loving touch, that warm embrace that makes you melt, feel peace when scared, and that soothing voice that calms the nerves. You bless our kids everyday by teaching them to have faith in Jesus Christ and to believe in themselves.
You are so wonderful with them and even though they drive you NUTS at times, you patiently wait for that cute moment......that glimpse of sanity when you think, "my kids aren't as crazy as I think they are." Well maybe they are, but I know they would not want any other mom, and I would not want any other wife to be mine and help raise our children. Just look at those cute faces above.....they wouldn't smile like that for just anyone! (Just the ones that give them sweet candy:-) And look at me, I only do that goofy grin for you hon!

Bottom line....you are loved, and adored, and appreciated tremendously by me, and even though they don't say it, the kids.

For all the times you clean up poop, for all the times you do the dishes, for all the times you fold the clothes, for all the times you make dinner, sweep, bake cookies, read books, write letters, buy my families birthday cards for me, scratch my back, sing sweet lullabies and for all that you do everyday that we don't ever see.....we love you!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

Now can you put the camera down???

Oh No

2009-05-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

The high today will be 89 degrees with 70% humidity. I look like a Chia Pet. I went to my 2nd ever Spin class today and as I type I am amazed at how many regions of my body are still......well.......wet. And while we're talking about Spin classes....can I just say that those cycle seats are not anatomically correct. Do they make seats for Latin booties?? Ok moving on..... what I was going to say is that I think Popsicle Season is almost here. This picture was taken about 2 months ago when we still lived in Arizona- so of course Summer weather had already set in. I've heard the humidity gets worse every month and lasts until October. What am I going to do?

Egg Hunt at La Fortune Park

2009-05-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

Egg Hunt

2009-05-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

This year's Easter Egg Hunt at La Fortune Park. We learned that Wesley is still afraid of the Easter Bunny and that at community wide egg hunts.....the egg-to-child ratio is not good. Poor Sienna I think she maybe got 6 eggs? Wesley isn't a numbers man.....he was so happy that mommy was letting him eat, "Chalk- O- Lit." It's the first time in years that we haven't been to a farm for an egg hunt...but I just couldn't find one. Better luck next year I guess. Happy Easter everyone!!

Aquarium

2009-05-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Nathan and I try and have date nights every Friday which we LOVE...but sometimes it really bums the kids out so we started family "dates." Saturday mornings we go out and do something fun as a family. Last week on our family date we went to the Aquarium. It was amazing- truly, truly beautiful and completely geared for kids. I love these kind of places where the kids can learn and feel a sense of awe and wonder about the world we live in.
There are room after room with tanks that are at filled with every imaginable fish, sea creature, and coral. It has tide pools you can touch, a turtle tank, and a sting ray bay where you can touch and feed the animals. At the very end of the aquarium is a huge, huge tank that is full of sharks. That's right SHARKS!!

2009-05-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

The only reason I took a picture of this decaying old turtle is that the scientists suspect that this guy has been alive since the 1880's.

Wesley took one look down Shark Alley and booked it in the opposite direction...can you see the shark over his head?

Shark Attack

2009-05-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

I am without a doubt terrified of sharks. Terrified isn't even a good word for it. When I have nightmares they almost always involve a massive great white shark. I have anxiety being knee deep in the ocean. Honestly, I don't even want to get in the water at all I just force myself. Even though it's completely irrational and insane......I get scared when I am in the pool. There's a part of me brain that thinks a shark is looming around a bend and out to eat me. I guess what I am trying to say......is that I felt very brave at the aquarium when I walked into the Shark Tunnel.

Mi Casa

2009-04-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

So this is the entrance to our new townhouse? apt.? duplex? I am not sure what to call it. It's not really an apt. because it's completely detached from the rest and we have one wall we share with one person. Is that a duplex? Anyway.....so from this angle if you look straight ahead that is our living room with a fire place hidden by all the boxes. Behind me is a hallway that leads to the upstairs bathroom and the kitchen. To the right is the stair rail that would take you downstairs and to the left is the guest/office room. The space is open now but we are going to throw up some walls.

This is our kitchen eating area/nook. To the left is our actual kitchen with cupboards etc. To the right is a glass sliding door with a balcony overlooking trees, grass, and in the far distance downtown Tulsa.

The view of our master bedroom right through the door. To the left is a glass sliding door that leads to a patio and to the right are French doors with the master bathroom inside.

Es

2009-04-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

This is a shot of our itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny kitchen, behind me is the balcony and to the left is the guest/office room. The door all the way at the end of kitchen is the pantry room.

This is the super narrow hallway that leads to all 3 bedrooms, kids bathroom, and laundry room. Below is the kitchen eating area with the my lunch date. We didn't have a kitchen table till just a few days ago so we were using the kids play table to eat from.

Su Casa

2009-04-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

As soon as you come downstairs you face Wesley's room and to the left is Sienna's room which is identical but painted pink.

This is inside Wesley's room. I took the picture so you could see the deck the kids sometimes play on. We hung up some swings but I hope to get a lot more out there for them.

This is one view of our master bedroom. So from this angle that patio/deck is behind me, to the right is the narrow hallway and just inside those french doors is the bathroom with the shower to the right and the closet to the left.
I have always wanted French doors so I was tickled that we were able to get those installed and paid for by the company. So I took these pictures because I hope to have some great before and after photos once I get this place decorated!

Happy Easter

2009-04-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

Notes

2009-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Sienna on Easter morning. It's so fun to dress her up. Funny thing about the dress...I bought it at Target when Sienna was not even 2 years old. I saw it and fell in love with it. I could not at the time even remotely imagine Sienna wearing a size 6 dress. And here she is...3 years gone by and my little girl is all grown up.
So I was pretty bummed when I heard it was going to be rainy and overcast all day. Easter is my second most favorite holiday...almost neck-to-neck with Christmas. I love everything about it. But no Schenpf Farm for us this year- so sad! Instead the kids hunted for eggs inside a friend's house Sunday afternoon while the rain poured on.
Sorry, no pictures of Wesley available at this time. He was over taken Easter morning by a rabid, foaming at the mouth gremlin. No word just yet on when he'll return...but we'll keep you posted.

The Sun Has Set

2009-04-26T21:52:00.000-07:00

A view from our new place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But I still can't believe it's real- that we really moved again. Again. This is our 8th move in the 8 years we've been married. Unfortunately I am not one of those adventurous types who likes change and goes wherever the wind carries them. I plant roots and hold on for dear life so to be uprooted so many times has been very painful for me.
And sadly, even after all these years it's not getting any easier. I absolutely hate it every time we move. So of course, Arizona was no exception. It's been a slow and agonizing process. Not helped by the fact that Nathan had "moved" to Oklahoma months earlier than me to start work. I am glad that the "move" part is mostly over. But there is definitely no denying the sun has set on Arizona and that chapter of our lives. I've still got my reservations about Oklahoma......but the future, and what it holds for us here, is still wide open.

The Move

2009-04-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

Me and Sienna seeing our new house for the first time.

Here's Aunt Mimi reading books to the kids before bedtime at the hotel.

How can I forget my SuperMan?? He really does SO much for our family. He works harder, and longer than anyone I know. When the moment arrives, he gives you 300% of his time and effort. I am so grateful to be married to such a hard worker, particularly during a move when you really want to give up.

Grandpa Ball came over from Texas to help us with yet another move. What would we do without you??

The Move

2009-04-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Sienna's last dinner with her best friend Alyssa. We flew to Oklahoma the next morning.

I sent out a S.O.S to my sister Marissa....and she came and saved the day. Armed with moral support and sympathetic smiles...she flew with me and the kids from Phoenix to Tulsa and stayed to help for a few days. We had just landed and Nathan picked us up when I took this picture of Sienna and Aunt "Mimi."
Poor Monkey.....the most surprising part of the move was how hard it was on Wesley. I guess I didn't give him enough credit....I just didn't think the move would really matter to him, or that he would notice. But I was dead wrong. He was crying and asking to go home several times a day. It was like he had a complete personality change. Overnight he became very aggressive, disagreeable and emotional. Here's Aunt Mimi is reading books to the kids before bedtime at the hotel.

Hear our News

2009-02-04T15:18:00.001-08:00

Gotta watch it for at least 45 seconds to hear our news!
P.S. This was one of my MOST favorite movies all time. And it's only because of this song that I can remember how to spell O-k-l-a-h-o-m-a.

Route 66

2009-02-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

Bet you're wondering why I posted this clip from the movie "Oklahoma." Wellllll, it's because we are moving there! I know...crazy...random...out-of-blue. The whole thing happened so quickly. Long story short...ok shorter...us picking up and moving all the way across the States to Tulsa, Oklahoma without knowing a soul, was the result of one sentence in a Christmas card.
Last year, Nathan's parents sent out a Christmas card giving updates about each of their children. In that card they mentioned a little line about Nathan seeking better job opportunities. Flash forward a few weeks and Nathan gets a phone call from a long-standing family friend about a job in Oklahoma. A few days later he's on a plane for an interview....job landed even before Nathan's plane touched the tarmac. A week later he's at the corporate office in Omaha, Nebraska preparing for a major project in Oklahoma. Phew!
It's pretty crazy.....but how could we be anything but overwhelmingly grateful to be given a job during these times. I'm not gonna lie....I'm scared. I am not a big fan of change. But the defining moment for me happened one night when I remembered Elder Wirthlin's Conference talk...'come what may and love it.' The more I embrace it the more excited I get about seeing everything Oklahoma has to offer. But there will be tears. I will be sobbing when we drive away from the Valley of the Sun. Arizona has become home to us...and we will miss it terribly....but more than anything we will truly, truly, miss all of you.

More Freestone

2008-12-29T22:35:00.000-08:00

One Saturday we took the kids to Freestone Park which is beautiful park in Gilbert. There is tons of stuff to do and it is an amazing place to take pictures. The kids love it!!

Sienna's first Ferris Wheel ride with a boy! It was so adorable. The little boys name was Scottie and he was the same age as Sienna. They were both giggling and kind of nervous. Deep down, I secretly wanted them to kiss!

I love, love, love Carousels. I think they are gorgeous and so romantic. This particular one at Freestone is my favorite because it has my favorite color- turquoise.

More Park

2008-12-29T22:27:00.000-08:00

Wesley geared up and ready for the Train Ride to begin. He is such a boy!

My favorite Carousel in Arizona.

Me and Pooh Bear aboard the Train.

Sienna Bear

2008-12-29T22:07:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago while Sienna was playing by the glass sliding door in the kitchen. She is literally laying on the kitchen floor on a rug. She was being so playful and sweet- I'm so glad it shows.

Later that day

2008-12-29T21:39:00.001-08:00

Early in December we drove 45 minutes to a farm, where we hoped to cut down our own Christmas tree only to find out they weren't open for another week. OK plan B......let's go to Freestone- a park nearby and let the kids loose. Freestone Park is beautiful. It has a lake, ducks, trees, a waterfall, carousel rides, a train ride and a jungle gym for the kids.

Waiting in line for the tire swing....thank goodness it wasn't too hot. Sienna loved this swing...I remember it was my favorite too when I was little.

Poor Puppy...he was so groggy and tired. All he wanted to do was lay down.....at the park. That couldn't be more odd for Wesley. He must have been sick. But of course Nathan was able to manage a few laughs from him.

The Snacking Step

2008-12-29T21:19:00.000-08:00

This is the kids snacking step. It's our compromise when they don't want to eat their snacks at the table and we don't want them in the family room. Many a snack has been nibbled on these steps...and I have the crumbs to prove it.

It was just a few cute moments I wanted to capture of them. I know...it's hard to tell what my favorite colors are. What can I say?

I love my stinkers.

Zoolights

2008-12-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving we headed over to Zoolights. Zoolights is a holiday event where the Phoenix Zoo is lit with millions of Christmas Lights. It was cute.....I am sure we would have enjoyed it more had it not been raining! There was as downpour within the first 10 minutes of arriving. Rain on kids+ bedtime =grumpy children. This giraffe named Jengo however stole the show. The kids were transfixed by him. He was a life size, "talking" giraffe that interacted with the audience.

Wesley has talked about Jengo everyday since.....literally. "Where's Jengo Baff?"

Grandma braving the weather with us. We love having Grandma be a part of our life!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-29T20:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was spent with friends and family. We love having my younger brother Matt visit for the holidays. The kids adore him.

One night while my brother was here we took the kids to an Arcade pizza place which they loved. Here's me and Wes on one of my favorite games called "Arctic Thunder." It simulates snowmobiling and blows cold air on you while you ride.

Love you Bubba- come back soon!

Something Special

2008-12-28T23:07:00.000-08:00

While my Mom was here visiting from overseas we were able to go to the Mesa, Arizona Temple. It's truly a different experience seeing it through her eyes. Because my parents live in the Middle East, they rarely if ever have the opportunity to go to the Temple. So it means so much to her to be able to visit the Temple when she is in the U.S. It really reminds me how much we take for granted the conveniences we have here in Arizona and elsewhere in the United States. So it was truly, truly something special I was able to do with my Mom.
And a picture for posterity!

Halloween

2008-12-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

This has been a long time in coming.....I have wanted to dress the kids up as Storybook characters forever. I loved, loved, loved dressing up the kids as Little Bo Peep and her Lost Sheep. I was looking for Sienna's costume months in advance. I finally found this one on ebay. I added embellishments and Mom made her bonnet from scratch. Finding Wesley's costume was a nightmare....so Mom saved the day and made his costume.

Wesley standing on the stairs for our "dress rehearsal." No, he did not like the costume. And no it was not easy to get the costume on him. It took about 1 1/2 packages of fruit snacks to coax him into it. Ta-dah!

Happy Halloween

2008-12-28T21:29:00.000-08:00

I had a love/hate relationship with Halloween this year. I loved seeing the kids dressed as Little Bo Peep and a Lost Sheep.....but it was so much work getting it all together. Mom and I were fried when it was time to go to the Ward trunk-or-treat. But....it was all worth it. They were so stinkin cute! After the ward event we trick-or-treated around our neighborhood. I had women after women walking across the street to compliment the children and their costumes. One lady asked us to walk to her house so she could get her camera and take a picture of the kids. The men however said that Wesley would never forgive me when he grew up and saw those pictures.

Chili & Pumpkin Festival

2008-12-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

It's here again....one of my most favorite events all year- the Pumpkin & Chili Festival down at the Farm. It's full of pumpkins, sunflowers, barbeque chicken, horses, carnival rides, corn on the cob and hay! The picture below is of Puppy and his beloved tractors. Anything that remotely resembles a moving vehicle is a tractor. And for awhile there, when he'd see a plane in the sky he'd squeak, "tractor!"

2008-12-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

Rides

2008-12-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

It seems like Sienna has loved horses since day one. Riding the ponies is probably her most favorite part of going to the farm.

The most fun part for us was going on the swings with Mom. You know the one where you start close to the ground and as you swing you're lifted higher and higher in the air and swing faster till you feel like you might throw-up...yeah that's the one. Mom is such a good sport!

It's hard to believe she's in her 60's. She has such a zest for life that is contagious. Nothings really changed since I was little...she still tells me to try new things and not be such a scaredy cat.

More Festival

2008-12-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

Aunt Mimi! (aka my older sister from LA who came to visit)

Sunday

2008-12-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that I am a total sucker for Wesley. He is not by any means immune to being TWO, but he's mine and I can't get enough of his adorable face. Here's me and my squeeze after church one Sunday.

We Tried

2008-12-28T19:32:00.000-08:00

Can't say we didn't try.....in October with my Mom and Dad here we tried taking family pictures for a potential Christmas card. Here are the "best" shots so you get some idea what our family looks like on Sunday.

I won't name any names, but our best efforts were thwarted by one particular turkey.

Horse Play

2008-12-12T23:23:00.000-08:00

A few mornings ago Mom and I were watching Nathan and Wesley play. It was so cute watching them play chase I decided to record some of it. Wesley is always animated and you can see that here. It's a sweet clip of them horsing around....just gotta watch it till the end!!

2008-12-12T23:22:00.000-08:00

Snapshot

2008-12-12T23:05:00.000-08:00

P.S. We took Mom out to dinner for her birthday and got this quick shot-
it's almost my whole family....we just need Nathan & Matthew!

Mama Mia

2008-12-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

In late October we got to celebrate Mom's birthday. I can't remember the last time we've been all together for her birthday...so it was special. With that in mind I booked us on a "Mark Twain Adventure," ....or so the Ad read. We surprised Mom by taking her to a lake to enjoy a boat ride on an old-fashioned SteamBoat.

The Mitchell women waiting at the dock (me, my older sister, and Moms).

A leisure boat ride through the canyons of Saguaro Lake sounded great in theory.....reality not so much. I literally felt like my brain was dying.......slowly, ever so slowly. It was the longest 1 hour 22 minutes, and 14 seconds of my life.

Bambino

2008-12-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

In November I was able to go to CA for a quick trip to attend a very special Baby Shower for my good friend Julia. It's been 5 years in the making!! (She's the cute one in green sitting in the chair on the right. I know- she doesn't look pregnant). Before we left Orange County, I told Julia that I'd come back for her shower. I loved catching up with her and seeing her in all her cuteness and swollen feet. We are so thrilled for Julia & Ben and the arrival of their new cutie pie.

The trip was perfect timing because it was also the Birthday for my super good friend Patience. She has known me since I was in my 2nd trimester with Sienna. And she was my first friend when we moved to Orange County after graduating college. She is one of the most amazing women I have ever known. She is strong, smart, sassy, compassionate, loving, and completely devoted to the Church and her family. And she is an extraordinary mother. You're not going to believe me but it's true....she is the mother to 5 beautiful children. No really!

She is a true friend.

Happy Birthday Patience!!

Hair Raiser

2008-12-02T22:25:00.000-08:00

In October Nathan and I took the kids to Mother Nature's Farm in Gilbert ( I know I actually ventured somewhere other than Schnepf Farm!) I read something about a Pumpkin Festival hosted by the Herpetological Society of Arizona...something about animals....yada yada yada. So we go and I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

Well, it turns out the animals the kids got to play with were a bit scaly, not furry in nature. It took only a glance to realize Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles. The farm was full of lizards, snakes, turtles, monitors, iguanas, and this crocodile.

I couldn't believe it! This crocodile was walking all around us. Notice there is no leash, or restraining device - just a dismal piece of electrical tape around it's mouth.

I am not sure if the hosts of the event were understaffed or just uneducated...but there were so many snakes being handled by everyone (except me). I kept taking pictures an thinking, "this is crazy...should we really being touching these?."

Sienna humored me while I took a lot of pictures of her- which was really cute. Overall I think the kids really enjoyed it. And when I say enjoy it, I do mean loved it so much they left kicking and screaming all the way to the car.

Sunset

2008-12-02T21:33:00.000-08:00

My Dad loves nature. One afternoon he went outside to watch the sunset. Wesley ran after him and wanted to be picked up. I snapped these cute pics of them watching the sunset along side the cotton field.

(Doesn't Pops look like Clint Eastwood?)

My gorgeous beefcake...what am I going to do with you? You make dirt look good.

Bubba's Back

2008-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah!! I am so excited when family comes to visit. Bubba is back for Thanksgiving (Bubba is my nickname for my younger brother Matt). I picked him up from the airport and we went sraight to our favorite restaurant -Lucille's Barbeque. Lucille's always hits the spot because we both love soul food & Jazz. Think of mouth-watering barbeque chicken, creamy sweet potatoes, and warm peach cobbler topped with ice cream.

My brother and I are so different it's hard to believe we share the same blood. And we have such different lives. In some ways he seems more like an older brother (which may be because he always pays for my dinner & movies). He is street smart, a perfectionist, incredibly observant, has great business sense, and really knows how to make money.

I am not sure what role I play in his life......but we've always been close. When I was young and talked about "going off to college" he'd remind me that he was small enough to fit in a suitcase. My siblings say that visiting me gives them a sense of normalcy. But my life and my children are headed on a one-way track to crazy.

Go figure.

Girl's Night

2008-11-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

What a crazy fun night! Last night a group of us went to see the Midnight Premiere of the movie Twilight- it was kind of a last hurrah for my friend Tina (the super cute mama in black on the far right) before she moves out of state. We had a ton of fun. I had serious doubts that I could stay awake and watch a movie from 12 am to 2 am and had even greater doubts as I yawned while driving to meet Tina at 7:45.

The plans were to have a nice dinner and then head to the theaters to wait in line. What we didn't plan for was die hard fans to be waiting in line at 9 am.....for the midnight showing! We ended up waiting outside for about 1 hour, and then another 1 1/2 inside the theater before the show started. Inside was mayhem. There was confusion about which theater to be in, scrambling to get seats for your group, and of course fighting over saving seats. And to top it all off, I don't think the A/C ever kicked on. At one point a theater employee told everyone that every open seat was fair game. Yikes- bodies started moving left and right. Two of our girls were in the restroom so it looked like we had empty seats. Things got tense when a teeny-bopper grabbed one of our seats and refused to look at us or listen to what we said about our friends. With a crew of tired, hot, moms.....vampires weren't the only things about to go flying across the screen.

What might have been the most fun part was seeing all the frenzy and excitement leading up to the movies beginning. There were girls after girls getting up in front of the audience introducing themselves, and their clubs, web sites, affiliations, etc. They each had their own promotional goodies to toss out to the crowds. It was like being at a college football game. The goodie bags had stickers, buttons, candy etc. There were "Cullenscicles", which were laminated cut-out photos of the cast, glued onto Popsicles sticks. There were "Hyperventilating Bags" (which were brown paper bags) one club handed out to every girl in the audience to use when she'd see Edward Cullen for the first time. Pretty cute. So here's a picture of us using our bags....(although my use of it looks more reminiscent of my barfing bags of days gone by)

My review:

I'm a real late bloomer when it comes to Pop Culture...(I just barely saw "Hairspray" and I didn't like it. And I have never seen any of the High School Musical movies- I know blasphemy in American culture). I'm just not big on blindly following the masses- I am very picky about how I use my free time. That said, I was very apprehensive to start reading books about a vampire love story...are you serious? I am the last person who would read something about vampires. So I waited and waited a long time to read them. I finally gave in and read the first out of morbid curiosity (no pun intended). It couldn't really be as good as people claim..........right?

Well, it was. "Twilight" is an amazing book- I have never read anything like it. There were points that I would forget to breathe. The book is perfection. So for me, the movie does not do the book justice...not by a long shot. However, Edward is pretty hot, and there are some memorable minutes....so it's still worth watching.....just don't forget to breathe.

Grandma & Grandpa Arrive!

2008-11-16T21:08:00.000-08:00

Here's Grandpa giving Wesley a very special toy airplane he picked out just for him.

For some people, the thought of their Mom & Dad visiting could be seriously bad news.........but not for me!!! I was so excited to have my parents visit in October! I haven't seen them for 10 months. Thank heavens for blogs- that's how they watch my kids grow. My parents live in Saudi Arabia so it's a major deal when they come see us in the States. It is a grueling trip for even the heartiest traveler. The flights are expensive and travel time takes anywhere from 24-36 hours of flying + layovers just to get here. But Mom and Dad are troopers and were all smiles when I picked them up from the airport.

Whenever they visit, Mom always goes straight to her suitcase and starts unpacking her gifts for the kids. The gift-giving started even earlier this trip when Dad had a stash of Paradise Bakery cookies (my favorite!) for me to enjoy on the drive back home.

This painting was a gift to Sienna & Wesley. My Mom is a very talented artist and painted this original design for the kids' playroom. It is so peaceful, serene, and beautiful. It was definitely a labor of love. And we truly love it Mom- thank you!!

Sienna wearing her Saudi "princess"clothes Grandma bought for her while Grandpa reads her a book. Honest to goodness...the kids probably love books more than anything.

We adjusted to life with Grandma & Grandpa effortlessly. It was such an easy transition this time around...we completely enjoyed each other.

So Pretty

2008-11-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

Me: "Hey Pooh-bear you look so pretty today can I take your picture?"

Sienna: (sound effects added) grumble grumble

Me: "Ummm, I'll give you some candy?!?"

Me: "Wow Sienna....so cute! O.k. let's try one more thing..."

Sienna: "Augh-Mom...(with teeth clenched) I don't want to take anymore."

Me: (enter sarcasm) "Wow Sienna...thanks this was so fun for Mommy."

Me: "Turkey-butt" (said in mind- not out loud)

I think.

It's Official

2008-11-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

Finally, it's the end of summer.

Ok, so it's not official...but we didn't break 90 degrees all week and when we got in the car for church this morning the temperature gauge read 52 degrees.

It's promising.....definitely promising.

But I have to admit....I am just a little sad.... to leave this behind.

High School Reunion

2008-10-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

"You can take the girl out of California, but you can't take California out of the girl."

About a week ago, my good friend Joy (who also used to live in CA) called me up and said she had free tickets to Fashion Week in Phoenix. I knew of the real Fashion Week that takes place in New York....but had no idea that other cities have their own versions of this event. Fashion Week, like the name suggests- is a week long event where people go to see different vendors and clothing designers showcased everyday. These vendors and designers are showcasing the "hottest trends" for the upcoming season. The tickets Joy got were for Friday night...the last day of the shows. So we were both apprehensive about what to wear and what to expect. Was it going to be a real event or lame? Dress-up or dress-down? I was catapulted back in time to my High School dilemmas. And the insecurities were soon to follow, accompanied by a major zit on my chin....look closer you'll see it!

Once we got to the Fashion show, I was amazed to see how "clothed" we were in comparison to everyone else. I mean, I'm talking I felt like a Grandma compared to the girls in the room. I felt just like I did when I was in high school at Junior and Senior Prom- like a dork.....the odd one, the one sticking out...where people are staring at you, but not in the nice kind of way.

I am just shy of 30, relatively confident and completely committed to the Gospel, and in the course of a few brief hours I felt insecure, unattractive, outdated, and retarded. And the only reason I am admitting this (because I am actually really embarrassed it affected me so much), is because I couldn't believe how quickly my self-esteem and sense of self disintegrated once I was in the "real world." The world outside of our backward little town.

Once I got home I felt so much respect for the YW in the Church. These beautiful and modest girls have to deal with all of these emotions and situations day to day and week to week. And what's more is that the other girls did not look skanky or slutty......it was small things in their appearance- a flash of skin here, bare shoulders there, a slightly shorter skirt here. To me it showed how crafty and cunning the adversary is.....nothing was overtly obvious or obnoxious in nature....the diversions from modesty were slight, small and sexy.....

Well anyway, I could go on about the whole modesty/insecurity thing but I will end and tell you now how much work it was to sit and watch these eyesores all night. This model was Joy's preferred eyesore.....ok who am I kidding? Both of our favorite eyesore!

The building the Fashion Show took place in was very cool and very pretty with all this moody blue lighting. We had time to kill before the show started so we had fun taking pictures of each other. I like this one of Joy.

The End

2008-10-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

It was pretty funny trying to get a good picture! It was so awkward being in front of a camera all by myself. I am always the one behind a camera.....

Yeah.....this was the most fun part of the show! The last collection was Smoke & Mirrors which was designed by the latest winner from Project Runway Really cute, flirty, retro designs. Hurrah for our Faux Fashion Week!

(P.S. after starving for the hours and on behalf of all the emaciated models, Joy and I celebrated by wolfing down In & Out burgers after the show)

Little One

2008-10-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

I couldn't possibly list the many moods of Sienna- even if I tried. She is a very emotional and complex little girl. She can be so pensive sometimes. This picture was taken a few weeks ago while she watched for the school bus. I thought she looked really pretty with her little face and curly pig tails.