My Little Hard Worker

Mason recently started his first ever sports season. We signed him up for soccer because he seemed interested when we attended Corinne's games the last two years. The season officially began three weeks ago, and it has been incredibly adorable to see my son figuring out how "organized" sports work.
Thanks to his parents, Mason is not the biggest or the fastest kid out there. He isn't the most aggressive or the most athletic. I would rate him as above average in all those categories (well, except maybe the aggressive thing), but if he wants to be an athlete, he is going to have to work at it. And I'm proud to announce that is exactly what he is doing.
At yesterday's game, Mason ran hard the whole time. He never stopped running, up and down the field, after the ball. When he fell down, he jumped back up and started running again. When the much larger child from the other team stole the ball from Mason or his teammates, Mason was almost always the first kid back on the ball, playing defense and keeping up as best as he could. But the thing that I think impressed me the most was when coach asked who needed a break, Mason was THE ONLY kid who did not raise his hand. It was 100 plus degrees yesterday, and Mason is still not 100% after a pretty nasty cold he had last week. His team only had 1 extra player, so subs were very limited. Mason never came out of the game. He didn't want to. He wanted to keep playing, keep running, keep working hard. At the end of the game, Mason had at least 9 goals (I wasn't keeping track since they don't keep score, and I'm trying really hard to keep the focus on learning and getting better), but probably 10 or 11. However, even if Mason had scored zero goals, I don't think I would feel any less proud.
Seeing him turn around after scoring a goal or saving a goal for his team, smiling with a clear sense of pride and accomplishment, is an amazing feeling as Mason's mom. I can't wait for him to face and overcome more obstacles in the future so he can know for himself what I already know -- that he is an amazing little person with huge potential for greatness, and that if he commits himself to working hard for what he wants, there isn't anything he won't be able to accomplish. And that I couldn't be more proud or more grateful for the opportunity to be his mom.

The Good in the Bad

Yesterday was not my favorite day. There, that's the nicest way I've figured out how to communicate that idea. Not my favorite. Today, I'm going to look for the good in what was not my favorite day.

The Good:
Both of my kids will choose fresh fruit over fast food, even french fries (although they'll eat those second).
I respond quickly and correctly in crisis situations.
My first aid training is still ingrained in my mind even without a refresher for nearly 3 years.
Both of my kids are alive and well.
Mason has a tremendous amount of empathy for his baby sister.
We didn't have to go to the hospital.
Marissa is quick to forget fairly scary events.

After a long, not so terrific day, I totally provided dinner hitting up the drive thru at our local fast food restaurant. To assuage my guilt at providing such a less-than-stellar meal, I also washed some fresh fruit and set it out for us to eat. Included in this fresh fruit platter were some rather large grapes. Up until last night, Marissa had never choked on anything. She's a good chewer. I decided a couple of weeks ago that it was probably okay not to cut her grapes any more, so long as they were being eaten under direct adult supervision. Last night fell into that category since I was there eating with the kids.
About half-way through the grapes, Marissa starts to choke. I can clearly see her in my mind's eye, with panic across her face. No noises, no breath. Her little body was trying to get that grape out. I jumped up, unbuckled her from her booster seat, and performed the baby heimlich maneuver . The grape came out after just a couple of back blows, and all was well. Well, except the part where Marissa was really upset about the fact that her mom just flipped her upside down and hit her on the back pretty hard. And Mason was freaking out because his mom just appeared to assault his baby sister. Everything was perfect except those two things. Oh, and the part where I was crying with relief.
So, I sat with both my babies on my lap, all of us crying for one reason or another. Then, once I explained to Mason what happened and why it was important for me to help Marissa like I did, we all calmed down a bit and finished our tremendously healthy dinner. Marissa resumed eating grapes, almost immediately, although they had been cut into quarters. Mason declared himself the best eater ever. I scarfed down more calories than I want to admit. And all really was well with us. Thank goodness.

Autumn is Here!

Our family at the pumpkin patch.

Today is officially the first day of Autumn. Once upon a time, summer was my favorite time of year. I think this was due mainly to the fact that I loved to swim when I was growing up. I still love to swim, but not like when I was a kid. Anyhow, since I moved out of Sacramento and became a wimp regarding the really hot summers we have here, I have a new favorite season: Autumn.
I love everything about the fall. I love the leaves changing color. I love the weather growing cooler and crisp. I love the rain returning to our thirsty corner of the world, and how it makes the world smell fresh again. I love the return of Halloween and Thanksgiving and all of the awesomeness those holidays bring. I officially *heart* Autumn!

Even though there is absolutely nothing going on in my neck of the woods that feels like the fall (e.g. the high for today is supposed to be an even 100 degrees, yikes!), I would like to share some of my favorite fall photos from last year...

Isn't he the sweetest?


Those lashes of hers are stunning!


His little smile makes my day... every time.

As the seasons change, I find my family in good health and good spirits. I continue to be blessed in so many ways, and I feel particularly grateful for our new home. I look forward to enjoying all the seasons with my friends and family here for years to come!

A Trusty Mechanic

Landon is very intelligent and incredibly talented in many ways. He is not, however, a "car guy". I think I probably know more about cars than he, which isn't saying much. And so, I'm really grateful that my sister married a very capable mechanic.
People are always looking for a good mechanic... one who does good work and is trustworthy. We Americans spend so much of our time in the car, and rely on them so heavily to accomplish so many daily tasks, that it makes sense that we are all constantly on the lookout for a reliable, honest mechanic. I happen to be incredibly fortunate to be related to one! How great is that?
Thanks, James at Ponderosa Auto Express for taking care of my family, and making sure that our cars are well-tuned and safe. :)

The Beach

Once a month, my family (all 32 or so of us that still live 'round these parts) get together for what we call "Family Dinner". Yes, it happens once a month. People are always amazed at the frequency of our gatherings. Anyhow, usually, family dinner is at my parents' house since they specifically designed their home to be suitable for hosting 30+ people. Sometimes, we get bored or hot or someone has something else planned, and we do our dinner somewhere other than Seventh Heaven (my parents' house). My beautiful sister, Shannon, has been pushing to experiment with more adventurous dinner locations. This month, she planned a trip to the Marin Headlands for our dinner on Labor Day.
Other than the traffic, due in part to the fact it was the last holiday of the summer and in part to the fact that the Bay Bridge was closed for the weekend (lame), it was a great day. Shannon reserved a spot on Kirby Cove, which literally looks back toward the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. It is a beautiful location, and we were pleased to be at the "beach" (I put it in quotes since the beach in Northern California is not really what most people think of when you say "beach" -- it's cold and windy and not ideal for swimming).It was fun to watch the kids play in the water, as all of us adults secretly shivered on their behalf, and to enjoy the beauty around us. As always, it was great to spend some time with my family -- to reconnect and remember how blessed we are to have each other. Mason found some shells to help kick start his shell garden (what is a shell garden?), and Marissa took a nap in my arms. I am blessed. I live in a beautiful place. I have a beautiful family. I am healthy and largely able to live my life as I wish. I am grateful for my family, especially that we all share the same level of love and commitment to each other. The older I get, the more I realize how unique our family is in our desire to be with each other and to take care of each other. I am grateful for this closeness and this love. It is a daily blessing in my life.

Awesome Kiddos

I have two awesome kids. I mean really terrific, wonderful, fun kids. I don't know why I was so blessed to get these particular children, but I sure am happy that I was.
Let's start with my oldest.Mason is the sweetest, most kind brother I've ever known (which is saying something because my brother Brandon is right up there with the best). He truly loves his baby sister and looks out for her all the time. People often ask if there were any jealousy issues with him when his sister came along, and I can honestly say there were not and there still have never been. He's always adored her and wanted to make sure that she was okay at all times. He enjoys entertaining her, looking after her, and playing with her. He makes up little games for them to play together, which she absolutely loves, and reads books to her. He comforts her when she is upset. He takes pride in teaching her how to share and take turns, and he tells me often that when it is time for her to learn how to use the potty, it will be his job to teach her. He genuinely looks forward to the opportunity to teach her new things and help her learn. Mason is just an exceptional big brother and a true blessing in the lives of each of his family members.Marissa is an amazing little girl. She is determined and independent and focused. Marissa has never been the kind of kid that you can distract from her goal, which can be frustrating as a parent, but I have to admit I admire her for it. She is so playful and fun, and she adores being with her big brother. I really enjoy watching her figure things out, and she figures things out on her own all the time. She has already taught herself to put on her clothes and shoes, something her brother had to be taught at a much later age. Marissa also loves to draw, and she amazes me all the time with how controlled and deliberate she already is with a pencil. Something else I really love about Marissa is how straightforward she is. When she is tired, she comes to me and says "sleep" or "nap", and we go do the bedtime thing. It's amazing.
I view motherhood as my primary job (which can be frustrating as all hell for Landon), and it is something I work very hard at. I try to be thoughtful and informed in the choices I make as a mother, but at the end of the day, I really just think that I was blessed with wonderful children. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to help them learn and grow, and to help shape the people they will become. I hope that I will do a good job, and that my children will always love me, warts and all.