My hero...

These days I have more people to thank than not.  There are so many that do so much to help Jeff and I navigate this world in which we have created; his work, my work, children and life.  We try, but without the help we receive every single day, we wouldn't be able to do it.  We are grateful and blessed, and we try to never forget it.

While I continue to count my blessings and think about what is important, I sometimes lose sight of how simply fabulous, brave and wonderful my husband is.  Today, while I was working and getting ready for a meeting, Jeff was perched in his office bringing home the bacon and sometimes watching the world go by outside on the busy city street.  One minute he was sitting there plugging away, the next minute he was grabbing the phone and running outside.  I watched as he went across the street to scream at a young "man" who was punching a girl at the bus stop. 

My first thought was "Oh good Lord, please don't let him have a gun."  Jeff broke up the fight while I watched through the window.  Here is MY MAN, willing to put himself at risk in a situation that no one knew the outcome.  The girl was fine; the "man" walked away and once again our streets were safe.

I forget sometimes that I am married to a wonderful, caring and great man.  I mean, I remember it, but sometimes I don't.  Our lives are all about maintaining calm and happiness.  The every day life makes the hero, the greatness, get lost.  I remembered this today.  I am lucky.  My children are lucky.  And the streets are safe. :)

happymommy

A mom's love...

Busy busy busy around these parts.  Plus, James has been sick since Sunday and home all week with us or my parents.  (Thanks mom and dad!)

It makes it hard to work, run errands and just generally live life.  But we are managing with help and hopefully we will be all better next week.

In the meantime, look at this video of a mother's love.  It transcends species. 

Mommies make everything better!

Pretty Darn cute.

(I can't find the exact person to attribute to this, but whomever it is, thank you!)

happymommy

Happy Cinco de Mayo

The day is almost over, but here is my tribute to Cinco de Mayo...



happymommy

Conflicted...

UPDATE:  The quote below is not actually a quote from MLK, Jr.  It was a cut and paste job from others and once I figure out who exactly, I will update again.  My opinion:  The message is the same!

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

- unknown, partly Martin Luther King, Jr and others all pieced together...

This quote by [who knows really] has been all over twitter, facebook and the internet today regarding the death of Osama bin Laden.  I am so conflicted as how to feel.  What do I tell my children when they are old enough to understand?  Does this mean our troops are coming home and life will get back to the way it was pre-Osama?  I just don't know.  We celebrated the death of Hitler.  Should I celebrate the death of Osama?  Conflicted...

I look at photos of the fallen NYFD.  I listen to stories of families who lost mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers on September 11, 2001.  I think of the men and women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.  I think of the men and women who haven't made it home.   I honor these heroes and I wonder, why don't I know how to feel about the death of Osama?  Conflicted...

What do you think my readers?  I, for one, have no idea how to feel.  I certainly don't feel like celebrating, but I am also not crying for a loss.  Conflicted....

happymommy

Weekends...

When you are a parent of small children, weekends are really harder than days of the week.  Let's face it, Monday through Friday, most children over the age of three are at daycare, preschool or school.  My children are either at school, with their grandparents or with great friends who offer to keep them a couple of hours once a week.  They are not home asking to be entertained with things other than the babysitter known as television.

Weekends can be exhausting.  For the most part they are wonderful, full of adventure and fun, but they are mind numbing and tiring all in one.

This weekend the happymommy house was no different.  Jeff was out of town enjoying himself at a Bible festival in Las Vegas (no, he he wasn't at a Bible festival, but he was in Vegas).  I found myself with only one child on Friday night and Saturday.  I only had one child and one dog to deal with for those first 24 hours Jeff was away.

James and I spent Friday evening having a picnic in the living room while we watched Tangled for the 967th time.  Friday night I rewatched the Royal Wedding for the 3rd time ater James went to bed.  I was obsessed with it for 48 hours, but I think I am over it now.  It was beautiful and history making, but let's move on shall we?

Photo Credit:  Matt Dunham / AP

I do think the flower girl agrees with me.

Saturday morning James woke up at the lovely hour of 6:30 and we cuddled in bed for an hour or so.  James wanted to watch Tangled but I wanted to stay in bed and just rest.  So, out came the DVD player and he watched Tangled for the 968th time while I twittered around on Twitter and Facebook.  Turns out, I should have been paying better attention because James' 2nd diaper of the day leaked onto every available surface of the bed.  We quickly ceased the relaxing and scurried to clean and get on with our day.  It was 9:30am. 

I decided that since the forecast was so great and it was supposed to be 70 or so in the city, we would pack another picnic, head to the beach and soak in the rays.  I packed sandwiches, drinks and tupperwear and a kitchen strainer.  We own the BEST beach toys. 

We lasted at the beach for an hour and a half.  I would have been better off packing ear muffs, a snowsuit and gloves.  I am not a novice at the Pacific Ocean beaches in Northern California, but I failed miserably yesterday.  It was freezing, windy and ridiculous.  James even commented on how cold it was to anyone who would listen to him speak 2 year old.

We ended our Saturday at my sister's house celebrating my niece's birday with thirteen 11 year olds.  My sister put together a great party and my niece had a ball.  I was allowed to leave but my sister and her husband hosted those 11 year olds all night.  She is one brave woman.

Lilly was in heaven hanging out with the big girls and James made it his business to be in all the girls' faces and get hugs and kisses from each of them.  I am already scared of Lilly's teenage years, and now I figure I should be scared of James' too.

The Cousins...

This post is going on forever, and I haven't even gotten to the part about how I had to have the police come to the Muni bus stop today while we were waiting to get to a street festival across town.  I was scared, but I must say, the lady at the station and the police responded quickly to what was probably a non-dangerous situation, but one that frightened me and Lilly as well.

Pre-Police Action...

We are home now.  Four buses, one which ran into a tree and two trantums later, we are home.  So is Jeff. 

Weekends are long, and hard and maybe even a little bit entertaining.  Maybe.

happymommy

Wow, it has been a while...

Just a quick picture to share...

James has taken to wearing this lovely ensemble.  3-D glasses and a sweat band.

I am making a promise, hopefully not an empty one, to be back full force soon.

I miss my writing and I miss you all! 

happymommy

Not gone....

Promise, I am around.  Just got a new laptop, figured out password and trying to understand all things new.

In the meantime, please look at this incredibly informative video regarding how children communicate!


happymommy

Saturday in Pictures and Video...

happymommy

House update...

A bout with acute sinusitis was how I spent this weekend and yesterday.  Went to doctor, was told to use a neti-pot and given antibiotics.  Fun times!  (I don't use neti-pots but I do take antibiotics, so I shall heal soon!)

We had a Lilly lead conference at Lilly's school today.  It was so great seeing how much she has grown physically, academically and personally.  Jeff and I couldn't be more proud.  Now, if she would quit rolling her eyes at me, talking back occassionally and not minding, she would be perfect.  Oh well, I must learn to cope.  Hard, but it must be done.

The house is coming along but it doesn't appear that we will be moving back in any time soon.

The kids new bathtub.  Not connected to anything, but it is there!

In the foreground you see the new laundry room.  Right behind it is the new master bath.  

The stairs from previously second floor, which is now the third floor, to the now 2nd floor.

There were some structural issues to overcome but those are now all fixed and work is moving forward.  I am excited about the progress.  We still have a ways to go, but at least we are moving forward at a good pace.

happymommy

Happy St. Patrick's Day....

I got the plague on Monday and am slowly recovering.  As many of my longtime readers, hi mom, know, I generally take to bed and whine for days.  This week, I only whined for one day, 24 straight hours.  I consider this a victory for all.

Today we celebrate all that is Irish.   However, 23 years ago my family lost a close friend so St. Patrick's Day always is a little bit sad.  I won't go into details, but every year we remember the loss and wonder what could have been.  We are sad, but life always goes on in tragedy, happiness and change.  So many people have suffered immeasurable loss lately all across the world.  Whether it be personal, or just seeing death and destruction from afar, it is painful.  

So today, while we celebrate our freckles, our heritage (made up or real) and new life, remember those who suffer.  Take heed of your own actions and always remember.

We are happy to announce the newest addition to the happymommy family in the form of a second cousin twice removed by  marriage, or something like that!

Welcome little CR to our crazy world!  We love you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the happymommy house!

Erin Go Bragh!

happymommy

Superstar...

This week, Lilly is the "Superstar" of her kindergarten.  This means she is first in line, gets to take charge of certain duties and is THE SUPERSTAR.  She is having the time of her life and I, well, I am reveling in a bath of sadness.  I was not able to walk her in on her first day of being SuperStar or be part of the week in any way.

It breaks my heart to be a working mother.  I never understood the guilt involved in being a working mom.   Today, I do.  I am pawning Lilly off on people for playdates so I can have an extra hour here or there to send more emails or make more calls.  I had to give up my volunteer Wednesdays in Lilly's classroom because I have a standing meeting an hour and half from home on the days I should be the garden mom or the centers' helper.  

So many mothers, and fathers, all over the world deal with this guilt.  It is hard and unexpected to feel this way.  I am excited about my job, but at what cost is this excitement?

Lilly's Special Guest for SuperStar week!

I am thankful every single day for the help I have from my parents.  They keep this boat afloat!  I will either get over my guilt, or I will go back to being a full time stay at home mom.  There really is no better, or more rewarding job. 

For now, I am going to embrace this new career, and this opportunity.  I am lucky, blessed and empowered.  But still, I am sad.

happymommy

Well, um, hum, yeah, I got nothing....

While running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I realized I haven't blogged in many many days.  (Do all my posts lately start with some version of this excuse?)  So instead of writing about not writing, I am sharing with you a funny that made me smile and laugh out loud.

I make no secret of my absolute hatred of folded sheets.  No, I don't run around and pump my fist saying, "I hate folding fitted sheets."  I am not that crazy.  Really, I am not!  But, I will not learn how to do it correctly.  I am a fitted sheet folding rebel.  I refuse to learn no matter how much space is taken up in the linen closet!  My husband, mom and mother-in-law do it perfectly. 

Here, themanwifechronicles shows the correct way to fold a crazy fitted sheet.
Pure genius!

Pure funny!  Pure fact!

happymommy

Gnomes and I hit my head!

We had an afternoon playdate which started with Lilly and I visiting our house in progress to check on our outside cat.  I am very sad to say that we are now on day ten of no sighting of our sweet Izzy.  

Izzy is over twenty years old and moving her would have been more traumatizing to her than anything.:  ANYTHING other than the construction.  We hope beyond hope that there will be an Izzy sighting soon, but to be honest, we aren't hopeful.  We are collectively sad that Izzy may be gone.

Our stairs.  I managed to hit my head on the rafters today as Lilly and I went upstairs to look at the progress.  I think I got a concussion, or my head hurts because I endured Gnomeo and Juliet with Lilly and her sweet friend Ella .  It was a cute movie for the younger set, but for me, it hurt my head.

Jeff and James took the bus to a store to pick out fixtures for bathrooms.  Turns out James is quite the hit on the Muni!  It was a banner day for decisons around these parts.  Progress, we have it around here!

Our bedroom?

Master Bathroom and playroom, I think?

happymommy

There is a porta-potty in my driveway...

I didn't get a picture, but there is an actual porta-potty in the driveway of our currently torn apart house.  The whole thing is surreal.  Oh, and I got a new job.  I am over the top excited about it.  Along with driving three billion miles a day, working and oh yeah, taking care of my family, I am one busy mama.

For now, I leave you with the things I am finding interesting, history making, mind-blowing, and all out confusing.

This is interesting only to bloggers, specifically family bloggers.

Wisconsin?

Donald Rumsfeld?  Seriously?

And could someone please tell me what this is?  

 

It is a Google Map car?  

A Stanford experiment?  

Aliens in a Prius?

Oh and please explain how there is snow in the forecast for SAN FRANCISCO?

happymommy

PS:  I am link happy tonight and no one asked me to link to anything or direct them anywhere.  I did it all by my little (or slightly overweight) self!

Exploring the city...

It didn't rain today! YEAH!  Compared to the east, plains and the rest of the country, we are living the life; the weather life that is.  My dad likes to say we are weather wimps around here.  The rain and cold sends us into a spiral of bad driving and depression.  But today, today was wonderful.  So, like every other person on the face of the earth, I took the kids to California Academy of Sciences.

We took the bus from our temporary home.  James' first bus ride was a success.

Hey, where in the world is Nemo?

Snow, California style...

The Jellyfish, so scarrrrryyyy...

We were ready to go home...

It was wonderful, crowded beyond belief, but wonderful.  Living in the city is truly a gift.  I will be ready to go home in a few (?) months, but for now I will continue to try and embrace everything the city has to offer.  Next time, it will be less expensive.  Maybe, but probably not.

If you are lamenting my lack of posting these days, I am sorry.  I leave it to better writers than me to sum it up in beautiful prose.  Thanks to backpackingdad, I have an explanation for lack of writing other than my own laziness when it comes to this space.  He explains it much better than I ever could. 

happymommy

Lost that lovin' feeling...

Ok, I haven't lost that lovin' feeling since yesterday was Valentine's Day and I still have my decorations up and everything.  However, I have no desire to write anything.  I thought that once we were settled in our new, temporary home, I would be a writing fool.  I am commuting 20 out of the 24 hours in a day and exploring the neighborhood when I am not in the car so writing is not landing first on my list of things to do!

The kids are adapting and have even managed to get sick twice since we arrived in the big city.  A trip to Urgent Care is already under our belts.

James did start real live preschool two days a week and I am so excited.  He did great on his first half day and I am eagerly anticipating full days.  I already put in a change of schedule for him next year so he can go five days a week and no longer attend daycare.  As much as I love his little daycare, he is ready for school; learning and playing and being part of the community.

He is already musically gifted after only four hours at his new preschool!

School Today, Hey Hey! School Today, Hey Hey!

Enjoying Golden Gate Park!

The Carousel 

Sibling Love in the New Pad!

happymommy

Changes... Cha Cha Cha Changes....

I was trying to channel David Bowie, but all I managed to do was upset the spell checker.  Oh well, changes are abound in the happymommy house as is par for life these days.  I mean if you need to catch up, you can read about it here, and here and also here.

Was in Denver on Saturday for this...

Came home to this on Sunday...

75 degrees - Flip Flop Weather

And then to this...

Um, our stairs are gone...

Oh an then this...

Um, our kitchen...

And then there was this...

Lilly's first day of soccer!  She loved it!  Absolutely loved it.  

I do believe there will be many Saturdays of my life spent watching soccer.  

Help me now!

happymommy

The House is demolished and that is a good thing...

I am in Denver this weekend without kids and the husband.  I am here for my cousin's baby shower and as wonderful as it is, I feel a little off with no kids for two days.  In the meantime, my house is being torn up and renovating at an amazing pace.

I am trying to upload pictures but currently, I am working on my mother-in-law's 1962 computer that won't let me upload pictures (Grandpa, her birthday is around the corner, hint, hint!).

Our kitchen...

Um, James, please suck in your belly!

What happened to our chimney?

And what in the world happens when I leave town?

Boys night out with Uncle Sean is a little cRAzy!

 

happymommy

Nothing...

Too much going on and too little time to share any of it!  Things will settle down by Valentine's Day but in the interim, I will try to update with pictures and funny little quips about life, love and the pursuit of nonsense.

We are loving our little hood and every day brings new happiness, slight dismay and unadulterated amazement at life in the city.

 happymommy

I know... I know...

We are in the midst of chaos here at the happymommy house. Moving van arrives tomorrow so things should somewhat settle down. For now, here are some pictures...

My current dining room...

 New Living Room & Lilly

I managed to get our truck stuck in the garage the first day.  

Jeff had to come rescue me.  He was reminded instantly of Austin Powers.

I dare you to look at the link and imagine (if you know me in real life) it.  

Wasn't funny at the time, but sure is now!

happymommy