Happy New Year

Let it Snow... Let It Snow...Let it Snow!

One of the things Finn asked for Christmas this year was snow. I got lots of suggestions on how to accommodate his request. It turns out my own sister, Miranda, asked for snow when she was young. Santa obliged her with a little canister of "snow" in the freezer. I thought that was a cool idea. Matt suggested we run up to the snow for the day. We are in fact somewhat close to Big Bear and there has been snow on those mountains for a while now. That was certainly a possibility. However, in the end, Auntie Kris swooped in and saved the day. The day before Christmas the following package arrived for Finn:

He loved it!

And so did Seamus and Eli. :)

Thank you Auntie Kris! You are wonderful. :)

Damn You, Anthropologie!

Tonight we were watching Man Shops Globe on the Sundance channel. Seamus asked me if there was an Anthopologie store near us. Uh... yes! It is, in fact, one of my favorite stores to visit. I freaking love that store! The dude on Man Shops Globe is a buyer for Anthropologie and since Seamus enjoys watching the show with me, I told him we might try to go over for a visit this week. He was happy to hear that. Anthropologie's clothes and products are usually WAY beyond my means, but the actual store itself is such a beautiful place. Most of the time, I like to go there not to shop, but to look. Its heaven - stylish and quirky and unqiue.

Since we were talking about it, I went to the website just to see what they've got going on and saw this:

Dying. Completely freaking dying.
And listen, I dont even wear dresses. But gosh. Wow.
Im in love.

You Better Watch Out... You Better Not Cry

We got our traditional Santa picture with the cousins the weekend before Christmas: Seamus, Abbey, Eli and Finn.

I love this picture so much. I especially like it because last year Seamus wasnt in the Santa picture. He was having a bad day - one of many. As I remember it, he was being exceptionally mouthy, stubborn and disrespectful. In frustration I told him "You know what, Shea? You're not going this year unless you change your behavior. Ive had it!" As soon as I said it I wanted to grab those words and stuff them back in my mouth, but it was too late. Shea retorted with "I dont care" so we took the picture without him. I left him at home with Matt and my sister and I took the kids to the mall. I remember walking in the JC Pennys parking lot towards the mall wishing I could take it back and have him in the picture, but it was too late. He wanst in the picture and I felt really conflicted about if I made the right decision.

This year when we pulled out our framed Santa pictures from the Christmas boxes, Seamus asked me "Where am I in this picture?" It was the one from last year - the one with just Finn, Abbey and Eli. I had to remind him of what happened - he had honestly forgotten. I think he felt embarrassed and a little bummed out that he wasnt in the picture. What a difference a year makes because THIS year, Seamus was totally helpful and agreeable as we prepared to take our annual Santa picture. I could not have asked for a more pleasant and helpful son... honestly. As much as it hurts to see that 08 Santa picture without him, I think he learned his lesson.

Dont they all look like siblings? When I first saw this picture my uterus contracted with longing. This could have been my life - four kids. (((sob))) Gosh...I really need to give up the fantasy. I may have always wanted four kids, but Im positive we're good with our two boys. I feel blessed.

Happy Tuesday.

Christmas Eve 2009

Most of my life, my family has celebrated Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. The extended family gets together for tamales and family cheer on the 24th. We usually have a great time hanging out, eating and catching up. This year my aunts Mel and Lucy were over with their families. I always enjoy seeing my cousins and its even cooler seeing the next generation of cousins play around.

All the faces were familiar this year but one: Miranda's new boyfriend Chris. They have been seeing each other since the summer and moved in together this month. Its pretty serious. I thought Id throw a picture of him in here since its one of the few I took on Christmas Eve. I was pretty tired that night and the lack of pictures I took on that day seems to reflect my fatigue. Here is Miranda, Chris and Matt:

Throughout my life, there have been family members who have played instruments on Christmas Eve. There were a number of years where I was forced to play carols on the piano. Ditto for my cousin Erin. Bri and Nicole played the flute and/or clarinet when they were young and I think I recall them playing one year. However, one of my earliest Christmas memories is of my dad playing carols on his accordion. This year after 30 years in retirement, Dad brought that same accordion out and played us some tunes. His mom, my Grandma Bette sat along side him approvingly. I thought it was fantastic!

Every year Santa visits the cousins and brings books. For the past several years we have always had a crier in the group. I recall Abbey crying her head off last year. Im pretty sure my cousin's daughter Gabby bawled too. This year there was not a tear in the house. Santa came a knocking and the kids were happy and ready.

That last picture is one I will treasure for years to come. Last year, Seamus had an exceptionally rough Christmas season and the ramifcations were pretty huge. Historically, he has never coped well with December and/or the Christmas season. He has always had a tough time accepting Finn's birthday without jealousy and that bad start in early December tends to follow him throughout the month. Seamus has been this way since he was a small child. When he was younger, I used to think that the holiday season overwhelmed him and the bad behavior followed. As he's grown up into a pre-teen, that excuse has not held water.

I am overjoyed to report that this year, Seamus was a completely different child: an angel. My son was a freaking angel! He was agreeable. He was helpful. He was thoughtful and kind. There were a few times during the past several weeks where we would be in a potentially explosive situation and I could tell he was struggling. However, in almost every single instance, I could see his brain working through all the different scenarios and he would, more times than not, make the right choice. That is HUGE for my boy! This year, when Seamus sat on Santa's lap and was asked if he had been good this year I had to practically stop myself from yelling "OH YES HE HAS SANTA! MY BOY HAS BEEN A JOY!" Seamus has impressed me so much this season. I am sooooo proud of him. Super duper proud.

On Christmas day Seamus was rewarded for his good behavior. Santa made up for last year's disappointment and I have rarely seen Seamus on Christmas morning so happy and so appreciative. That was an outstanding gift for me to receive- to see my son reap the benefits of his hard work and good behavior. Seamus is at an age now where I believe he understands the Santa thing. He had been hearing from me all season how pleased I was at his behavior. He was the constant champion of my encouragement and my praise. I believe on Christmas morning the connection between his hard work and being in our good graces rang clear. I believe he enjoys how it feels to make his mama and dadoo proud. Im hoping this maturity will stick around for many weeks ahead. We're going to both work on it.

Christmas Pictures Coming Soon.

Im trying to juggle some down time with clean up time. The Christmas rush is finished and cleaned up, but there's still an endless amount of stuff to be done. Organizing where the new toys have to go; clean the car; clean out the fridge; pick up the back yard a bit. Im actually thinking Id like to pack up Christmas completely at this point and start moving boldly towards 2010. Im feeling the need to streamline right now.
Anyway... Christmas pictures soon. There arent many, but I have a couple photos and memories to share.
In the meantime here is a picture of the kids at their school holiday function earlier in the month.

Happy Monday.

Deja Vu!

I saw this image this morning at Apartment Therapy and was stunned at how similar the layout of this room was to Matt's childhood bedroom back in Eau Claire, Pennsylvania. Im dying over those slanted roofs. What are those called? The first time I saw Matt's room it was set up exactly like this one: a simple antique bed under the window; two nightstands on either side. Matt's room even had an attic access in the exact same place as this room.

When I see this picture, I think sanctuary. Its so small and cozy. Its so streamlined and devoid of clutter. The color palette isnt really my thing. Im not a neutral girl - I need more pattern and color, but still... Isnt it lovely? I think one of the reasons I was drawn to this picture is because my own room is the complete opposite of this one. It is quite literally a storage room. The walls are bare and unpainted. Its dusty. There are pieces of furniture/boxes/clothes/books piled up in every corner and on every flat surface. To say I hate our room is an understatement. Its really embarrassing.

So why am I writing about it here? Cant say. Im feeling like I should delete the whole post, actaully. Maybe this is a new years resolution in the making??? Now there's a thought. Hmmmmmmm.

On to other news: I have some shopping and a few last minute projects to finish up before Christmas. I dont have much time. Are you suprised?

Procrastinators unite!

Ive got a mango/berry smoothy calling my name this morning. Gotta jet.

Happy Wednesday.

Check in.

Again... sorry for the lack of posts. Its just a nutty time. Busy, busy, busy. In the past few days to a week there have been so many tiny blessings in my life. Id like to share a few with you.

-Matt came home Friday night after a work week in Virginia. Its weird: since Matt left for the war in 2002, I feel like I have the ability to continue on with our lives without him here, day to day. I dont like it, but I dont dread it. When he is gone we have bad moments for sure - even bad days, but I know I can do it and that confidence is a great feeling. All that withstanding, it is fantastic having him home. For me, life isnt complete without him here.

-The kids are out of school for the holiday break. I am soooooo happy! I can say absolutely that school stresses me out. There's always so much to be done. Between the kids, their demanding academic schdules and my volunteer work there, school can feel a bit suffocating at times. This break feels great! Its been wonderful to sleep in and lounge around with very little commitments. I love that. Its great to see the kids unwind.

-Yesterday a good friend of mine came over. She lives about 45 minutes away and with our children and our schedules we only see each other when the kids have breaks from school. I had the BEST day with her! The crazy thing is that the two of us didnt actually do anything to make yesterday fantastic. Instead, we sat for hours on my front porch and talked. What a wonderful way to pass the time - talking for hours. I honestly enjoyed every minute of it. I feel so fortunate for her visit - so fortunate for her friendship. I feel totally renewed by her visit.

-While my friend was here Seamus and her sons built on to the existing fort out in Seamusland. Check this out:

I know you guys are going to think Im being ridiculous, but I really like how this looks. Im serious! I like the hodge podge style in which it wad made. Seamus and Drew were very proud of themselves for making it. They were adorable. When I saw their creation, it made me remember how the neighborhood kids, Jennifer and I used to make forts when we were their age. Just like Seamus and Drew, we used pull from random pieces of lumber, carpet and plywood and make forts. We'd also add on to our treehouse from time to time. It felt so good to hammer things together and create a space for us. It was really sweet to see Seamus and Drew doing the same thing.

-You know how sometimes you find money in your pockets? Its a great feeling, isnt it? Well, last Friday instead of money I found these pictures in my jacket pocket. Seamus drew them for me a while ago. One is of me and one is of Matt. Finding those drawings Friday night literally made my week.

-This morning a song came on my ipod randomly: the Cure's Friday Im in Love. I was in the front room picking up stuff, but when I heard it I couldnt help but start dancing - dancing in that dorky 80s, Footloose kind of way. Do you know what Im talking about? Its a really comical style of dancing and I began laughing as I did it. I felt sort of stupid, but also kind of free and joyously ridiculous. Finn heard me laughing (he was on the computer) and upon seeing me he ran over and began dancing with me! For a couple minutes, the two of us were dancing, singing and laughing together as the Cure song continued. It felt really good - a fantastic "Mama moment" for me.

-I heard my niece Abbey sing a song yesterday - a Christmas song.
You might be thinking Jingle Bells or Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer might be an appropriate Christmas song for a 2.5 year old, right? Helllllll noooooooo! My niece (who coincidentally is named Abbey Road after the famous Bealtes album) sang "Last Christmas" - an awesome song from the 80s group Wham. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Oh goodness... my sister Miranda and I were dying last night as Abbey mouthed the words of the song at my parents house. Now THAT is what Im talking about! No more of that crappy Kids Bop. No more of that dorky sing along music. Bring on the 80s pop and from there we'll segue into the more classic rock songs that every child should know. Im seriously thinking of making her a playlist of catchy pop songs to keep this musical education going.

- I got a surprise package in the mail from my good friend Kira yesterday. At first I thought she made some elaborate Christmas card or something. The small package was larger than a regular Christmas card but not large enough to make me think it held a present. However, there was a present inside - a very cool present!

She sent this cool zipper pouch that was made out of water bags. On further inspection, I realized that the bag was made by children in Ghana through a program called A Ban On Neglect. Kira has always been conscientious about others. She is truly one of the kindest people I have ever known. When I realized what she had sent, I explained it to Matt and he said something like "Isnt that just like Kira... making the world a better place one small gesture at a time." He is right. That is like Kira.

-Its turned cold this morning and I actually welcome it. Feels like Christmas should. Wait... did I just say that? ;)

Happy Tuesday, everyone. :)

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

With Finn's birthday being so close to Christmas, I tend to have a hard time getting his gifts. He usually gets what he wants for his birthday and while Legos and Bakugan are always an option, I aim to give him something unexpected and cool. Its not an easy task. Seamus is very vocal about the things he wants for Christmas. I have long list of his gift possibilities. Finn's Christmas wishes have always been more elusive.

Today after school Finn was doing his homework and I thought I overheard him talking about what he really wants for Christmas. I only caught the last part so I interrupted him and asked "What did you just say? Is there something you really want, Finn? Tell me. What is it?"

His reply: snow.

Oh, sheesh! That doesnt help at all! In fact, it makes things worse. I looked Finn straight in the eye and unequivocally told him that it does not snow here. In our kind of climate, its pretty much impossible.

His reply: "I know, Mama. Im not going to ask Santa. Im going to start praying every night to God instead. "

God help me!


Happy Tuesday.

Did I Mention We have Lots of Birthdays During the Holiday Season?

I seriously lucked out when it came to inheriting a mother in law. Im pretty sure Barb is the best. She raised Matt as a single parent and that alone endears her to my heart. But she's actually pretty amazing beyond just raising my most favorite man in the world.

-She is an amazing grandmother who gives an incredible amount of time and exibits an endless amount of patience with our boys. Barb (also known as Dama Shan) has been flying out to see Seamus and Finn about twice a year since they were born. For a woman who has always lived 100s of miles away, my boys know her extremely well. They adore her. We all adore her.

-Barb is tirelessly helpful. I never have to ask for anything; Barb anticipates what I need and she does it. I honestly feel like she is the most selfless person I know. She makes giving look effortless. Its one of her many gifts.

-Barb has a knack for sharing things about herself and her life that I find incredibly inspirational. She has faced a lot of adversity in her life. She has lost loved ones. She has faced judgement from friends and family. But Barb keeps moving forward and she doesn't get mired down by life's hardships. She is a survivor.

- In particular, I enjoy hearing about Barb's stories on motherhood. Raising my sons has not come easily to me, but talking to Barb about it makes me feel less alone. She makes me feel like we all experience hardships, and in the end everything works out.

-Barb is really open minded. She's a go with the flow kind of person. I need more people like that in my life.

In a world where mother in laws often get a bad rep, my mother in law shines. I am extremely lucky to have Barb in my life. :)

Love you, Barb! You are THE BEST!

Happy Monday.

Happy... Happy...

Today is my mom's birthday.
I have no idea how old she is, but Seamus has just informed me that he thinks she's 65. Is he close, Mom?
What do I say about mom?
-She's private. I imagine she will not be thrilled to see her picture on my blog this morning.
-She's a hard worker and reliable.
-I believe she was an outstanding mom raising me. She understood me very well as a kid/teenager and was able to influence me in very positive ways. Its funny how I didnt really understand how good she was until I became a mother myself. She was like OZ behind the curtain - calling all the shots without me knowing it. She was strict and uncompromising, but I knew she loved me. She used to always say "I show you I love you in my actions" and that is true.
-She also used to say to me "Life's not fair, babes." Also, true.
-Mom passed down to me her love for Volkswagons and major league baseball.
-Mom always gives very reasonable, sound advice.
-Mom is often the person I still want to run to when Im feeling upset and desperate.
-She's not one to give praise often so when you get some from her, its a big deal.
-Mom doesnt like to get her picture taken and yet she spent my childhood taking pictures of us.
-She's a teacher - the vocation of her life.
-Mom was a "daddy's girl" but my grandmother has told me repeatedly this week that she couldnt live without her.
-Mom is very generous but not in a touchy, feely way.
-She taught me to love my family, my culture and my faith.
-Mom does not like pets.
-I think she was absolutely thrilled to have only daughters.
-Mom is the voice in my head and 99% of the time that is a very good thing.

I love you, Mom.
Happy birthday. :)

List Yourself

Sorry I havent updated lately. Just the normal, everyday stuff getting the best of me. Here's a quick update:

- I put a new banner up. Its a picture from our Palomar Mountain hike.
- Its been raining a lot. The weekend is kind of bummer when its accompanied by rain. That being said, I sleep so well when it rains. I dont know why, but I do.
-Christmas preparations are in full swing here. Seamus and I decorated the tree this week. Our tree has been up for a couple weeks, but we hadnt gotten the ornaments down. Can I just say that I LOVE seeing all our ornaments? I think they may be one of my most favorite things about Christmas. I especially love the ones the boys and I have made together and the ones they have made in school. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
-Today we picked out Dama Teri and Papa's Christmas tree. It was raining, but that didnt damper our fun. I think the kids had more fun running around and hiding in the tree lot than actually decorating the tree. Jen and I did most of the decorating.
-Matt is pretty much over the Steeler loss on Thursday. That was rough. Joe came over to watch with Matt and Im super thankful because I think Matt kept his temper and ugly behavior relatively subdued. When Matt's alone with us, he tends to throw big temper tantrums when the Steeler lose, but with Joe here he kept it to a minimum. Phew!
- I finally bought the first Christmas gift of the season: presents for the kids teachers.

Today's List Yourself question is coming from Seamus. On page 69 and it reads "What are the things you can not live without." Here is Seamus' response:
-house
-food
-water
-air
-Mama and Dadoo and maybe Finn (those are his words exactly.)
It was obvious Seamus was thinking of the essentials so I asked to list off some luxury items that he doesnt want to live without. Here is his response:
-videogames
-computer
-school
-tv
Yeah. School. He actually said school before tv.
I prompted him once more and said something like "You wouldnt want to live without school? Really? How come?'
His response: "Its fun."
Wow. :)

Happy Saturday.

I Could Easily Forgive His Pride, If He Had Not Mortified Mine

This morning I was reading a gossip blog and a picture of Colin Firth came on the screen. Matt came behind me and was looking at him with a puzzled look. When I asked him if he knew who the guy was, Matt gave me an irritated, prideful glance and said "Of course. That's Mr Darcy."

His response gave me such amusement. I literally laughed out loud.

You can tell Matt's been around my family too long when he recognizes an actor not for who he is, but for the role he played in a chick flick. Matt hasnt even seen the 5 hour long mini series where Firth played Mr. Darcy!

My mother and Miranda would be so proud.

Happy Wednesday.

Seamus.... Seamus.... You Are My Son.

Since Seamus was a baby, I have sung him a personalized song. In my head its called "Seamus Song" but its actually a church hymn I grew up singing at St Francis Church. When Seamus was born, I would hum the song to him but instead of singing the usual refrain, I substituted his name for "Jesus." The lyrics are "Jesus, Jesus, you are my Lord," but I would sing it "Seamus, Seamus you are my son." The melody of the refrain sounds like a calling so as Seamus grew up, I stopped singing it as a lullaby and now sing it in order to lull him out of bed in the mornings. ha ha In actuality, I dont sing it to him everyday or even every week, but he recognizes the song as his. I have sung it to him on and off his whole life.

I cant remember the first time Seamus heard the song sung in church, but I recall his face looking shocked and wide eyed. "Seamus Song" is an older song and our church doesnt sing it regularly anymore. When Seamus heard it that day, he was totally caught off guard and was very surprised. Here was a melody he had heard his whole life - personalized for him - and suddenly the entire congregation was singing it about Jesus. Im sure it was very confusing.

Today is a feast day in the Catholic Church so instead of going home after dropping the boys off, I decided to join them at mass. It is hard for me to believe how much I go to mass now that the kids go to school there. Its weird being back in the same church among the uniformed school children. Anyway, at St. Francis the parents are invited to sit with the classes during mass, but because Seamus is a 6th grader I normally sit with Finn. Lots of parents in the younger grades sit with their children, but in middle school I havent seen any parents sit along with their tweens. Because of this fact, I have yet to sit with Seamus during mass. He doesnt seem to mind. From where Finn's class sits I can see Shea and I often check over at him to make sure he's behaving. He will smile at me or occasionally wave. Today, however, mass was crowded. I tried a few times to find him, but couldnt among the many people.

There are regular times during the mass where the congregation sings and today, to my great surprise, we sang "Seamus Song." Its so ironic to me that I spent so many years regularly singing that song in church, but now when I hear it, the words that come to my lips are not the original lyrics but the ones I created for my son. Finn nudged me immediately in recognition of the song. I smiled at him but when I instinctively looked over for Seamus I couldnt see him. As the song progressed I began feeling a tinge of anxiety. I wanted to see Seamus. I wished I could get eye contact with him. This is his song - our song. Im always able to see him during weekly mass. Why on this day, of all days, coudlnt I see him?

About 20 seconds into the song the chorus started. I looked over for him again, and just then Seamus shifted behind some poeple and his sweet, little face appeared between two larger figures. He smiled at me and it literally brought tears to my eyes. Then, in a flash, he was gone.

During the entire mass I was trying to find him, but in the end he found me.

Happy Tuesday. :)

I Love A Parade!

Vista's Annual Christmas parade fell on Finn's birthday this year. It was cold and the parade seemed longer than in past years, but we had a good time. My sister Miranda went down with us to Main Street where we met up with the Paweleks and the Hueslman family. Here are some pics:

Miranda and Finn waiting for the parade to start. We actually got there about 45 minutes early because we wanted to get a spot on the curb. We saw lots of familiar faces along the street. Its funny how Vista seems like a small community when there is a function like this one going on.

Miss Abbey Road dressed up warm for the cold weather.

There was lots of normal parade stuff: parades, horses, cool cars, etc. The Marine Corps band was rad. I love seeing those guys march. They are so professional and striking. A class act for sure! There were tons of cars: low riders and vintage cars. Seamus didnt go to the parade. He had a soccer tournament in Murietta, but every time a cool, vintage car drove by I thought of how stoked he would be if he were with us. Lately, he has been so into the old, classic cars. We also saw a bunch of friends riding and walking in the parade. That's always neat.




And lastly the kids. Jen, (she's not a kid) Eli, Abbey, Blake, Finn, James and Jeremy. They started out strong. Finn was super excited at the beginning of the parade - they all were. But the weather got pretty cold and by the end of the parade, everyone was ready to go home. THey were troopers.

Happy Monday.

... its my birthday too!

Finn has been so geared up for his birthday this year. He has anticipated this day as if it were Christmas. Finn came into our bed multiple times this morning asking if he could get up and open his gifts. It was 3am the first time he came in!

He has a big day ahead of him. Today is the Vista Christmas parade so we're heading over to watch with the Paweleks and the Huelsman boys around noon. After the parade, we're walking to the ceramic store to paint Christmas ornaments with Eli, James, Jeremy and Ryan. Then tonight, Finn is having a sleepover with his friends at the Huelsman's house. Now that I think about it, I guess its understandable that he's so psyched for this day.

Its hard to believe Finn is 9 years old today. My baby is 9 YEARS OLD!

Happy birthday, Finn! We love you so much.

They Say Its Your Birthday....

Aaahh. There is so much I could write. Since Matt is 39 years old today, Im going to list 39 things I love about him.
1. Matt has a very kind heart and his eyes are really sparkly when he smiles.
2. Matt recently lost a ton of weight and was so committed to this effort. His resolve on stuff like that is so admirable. I wish I had a tenth of his will power. If he sets a goal, he works hard to meet it every time. He amazes me that way.
3. He loves his sons. He is forgiving of them in ways that Im not so good at.
4. He watches Glee with me each week.
5. Matt is seriously smart. I find his brain really attractive.
6. Matt can argue circles around me, but often lets me win because the fall out of us disagreeing feels worse than the pleasure of him winning.
7. He tells me he loves me multiple times a day. This fact really stunned when we started seeing each other. Matt doenst hold back on "I love yous."
8. He does all our family laundry because he knows I hate it.
9. He has always helped out around the house - cleaning, cooking, sewing. He doesnt have a macho bone in his body.
10. His hands are always warm.
11. I love his legs. WOWZA. Thank you Uncle Orlo for passing on the great leg gene. Matts legs are awesome!
12. Upon coming home from work, he always finds me and gives me a kiss. Ditto for the morning.
13. He never criticizes what I make for dinner. I have never heard him say "Eww. That was gross." Never. If he dislikes anything I make, I never know about it.
14. He's an absolutely committed father to our sons.
15.Matt LOVES his mother like no other man Ive ever known. He talks to her everyday and is absolutely devoted to her. I love what that says about him.
16. He recently bought me two pair of shoes that were way more than we could afford because he thought I deserved it. Im wearing a pair right now. I love them!
17. He does a strikingly authentic impression of Chewbacca.
18. When Matt dances, he swivels his hips in the most adorable way. Matt dances to his own beat.
19. Matt slipped right into my family upon us hooking up and getting married. My family is pretty large and pretty nutty. I believe they can be overwhelming, but Matt knew family was important to me. He is just as committed to them as I am. Whenever we have some function to attend, he doesnt complain. He doesnt whine or make me feel bad. In fact, I think he enjoys seeing everyone as much as I do.
20. He's a tireless worker. The guy inherited a serious work ethic from both his dad and mom's side. Matt does not rest. He stays busy and constructive most of his days - even on the weekends.
21. Matt used to go to mass with us every Sunday for several years before he was Catholic. It was important to him that we worship as a family, regardless of the fact that he wasnt actually Catholic.
22. Matt has an sentimental/emotional streak. Ive seen him cry in random movies and in tv shows. He doesnt think this makes him weak or less of a man. He wears his heart on his sleeve, always.
23. Matt is a patriot and has served his country well.
24. I love that Matt will rub my feet and back often. He doesnt usually stop until I say something. He's very giving that way.
25. Matt is always active with the boys and their various functions. He's part of the soccer carpool. He's the assistant cub scout leader. He goes to all the various sports games. He attends school plays and functions. He takes off work early to attend parent/teacher conferences. He's always there to support our boys in what they do.
26. Matt cleans the cat litter often. Actually, he's done it more than I have I think. He loves that "puto" cat.
27. Matt drags me kicking and screaming into the technological world. If it weren't for him, I wouldnt have an ipod, the internet, TIVO, etc. I resisted all those items for so long. Matt is also the fixer of all things technological. If there is a computer prob, he's on it. I just ask once and he's got it fixed.
28. Matt has introduced me to so many wonderful things for which I am grateful: Joshua Tree, Pennsylvania, Steeler football, pizza pockets, his mom's spaghetti and meatballs. The list goes on and on.
29. When the four of us are going someplace, Matt always lets me drive because I often get car sick in the car. He doesnt mind sitting shotgun in the minivan.
30. Matt does the best and biggest canonballs of anyone I know.
31. When Matt goes out to the grocery store, he'll often bring me back a treat: a monster, some hubba bubba gum. He's always sweet and considerate like that.
32. Matt is a baker. He loves making pies and bread and cookies. Once for Christmas he made figgy pudding for the family just because he thought it would be fun. He's fearless in the kitchen.
33. Matt is an outstanding example of a faithful, supportive, loving husband to our boys. I am positive that they are getting the best type of role model they could ever have in that department.
34. Matt is a thoughtful godparent to three children! He has more godchildren than I do and to be honest, he's a much better example of God's faithfulness than I am.
35. Matt always locks up the house each night. We call it: securing the perimeter. When I hear bumps in the night or get freaked out about something, he'll always get up and check it out. There has never been a time when he said "Lisa... its 2am. You're crazy. GO TO BED!"
36. He puts up with all my craziness. I am not an easy person to be married to. I have an irrational streak. I have crazy PMS. I tend to internalize things and then blow for no reason. He compliments me so well. When Im being nuts, he is sane. When Im angry, he's calm. He's the yang to my yin.
37. Matt makes the best puffin muffins in the world.
38. Matt is always striving to be a better father to our sons. He is constantly working on being the best dad he can be. We both have faults where parenting is concerned. But unlike me, Matt keeps his faults in the front of his mind and he sets goals to do better.
39. Matt really did make a miracle happen in thawing my cold, calloused heart. I was never a big dater before meeting him. Guys kind of scared me. I hadnt met many that impressed me. Matt blew my mind the instant I met him. He is the best thing that ever happened to me. Seriously.

Happy birthday, Matt. I love you, muchisimo!

Mother Nature's Son(s)

Last week, Matt and I took the kids up to Palomar Mountain. We try to get up there a few times a year and the day after Thanksgiving seemed like a good a time as ever. Matt and I were both feeling pretty full from all the good food so we decided a family hike was in order. The drive up the mountain takes us just over an hour, but when we're up there its so worth the gas. Palomar Mountain is beautiful. Its hard to believe a place so natural and pristine exists so close to the booming metropolis where we live.

Matt and I have been driving the kids up to Palomar since they were babies. We have pictures of each of them attached to us in Baby Bijorns. Fall, Winter and Spring are the best times. The insects can get pretty harsh in the Summer so we avoid it when it gets hot. The hike we have taken for years is called the Doane Valley Trail and although the kids basically know it by heart, they still get excited to buy the trail guide and check out each exibit. This time, in addition to the regular hike, Matt found a geo cache site and we used his GPS to go find some "treasure". We'd never done that before and the boys loved it.

Its hard to say but I think this past trip to Palomar was the best family hike we've ever had. Maybe it was the geo cache. Maybe it was the beautiful Fall weather. Maybe the many deer we saw entering the park blessed our trip. I dont know. What I do know is that the boys are at a really fun age right now for these types of activities. As much as I worry about mountain lions, they're big enough that we can give them a little space. We dont have to carry any one anymore - boy is that great! We all walk at about the same pace - no one is trying to out do anyone. There are very little complaints. On this particular trip there were zero arguments. Zero conflicts. If we are spending half the day with the kids, its rare that there isnt at least one disagreement. I dont recall any on this past hike.

I will remember 11.27.09 as a wonderful family day. I know there will be many more in the future. :)

Ok... some pictures:



The above photo is a shot of the loot the boys found in the geo cache. A boy scout troop from Carlsbad created the cache and we were the first people to find it. There were so many neat little toys to chose from. The geo cache was found in the trunk a big oak tree on a trail that was closed for the winter. For those of you who dont know, Matt is a real stickler for rules. If an authority figure/sign/rule says he cant do something, he doesnt do it. Period. It drives me nuts sometimes, but normally Matt wont budge. HE. WILL. NOT. BUDGE. However, because we were trying to find the geo cache and the coordinates were sending us in the direction of the closed trail, Matt broke the rules (gasp!) The picture below is my documentation. Ha HA! Matt's expression in the picture cracks me up. Its the look of forced, exaggerated, uncomfortable ease.



I had to get a shot of Matt's legs. (((swoon)) I joke with people that I married Matt because of his muscular legs. While its not exactly the truth I do find them sooooo attractive. They were the first thing I noticed when we met - that and his feet.






Happy Thursday. :)

Pssst... the next two days are big birthday days here in Casa McGarvey. Just sayin'.

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Happy Wednesday. :)

Me Gusta! - The Pretender by Jackson Browne

Maybe its the 70s child in me but I just adore Jackson Browne's music. When I want to chill and relax, I'll often put on his music and listen as one song rolls off into the other. His gorgeous melodies and truly beautiful lyrics have brought me to tears so many times. I dont usually cry because I can relate to what he sings about. I have done that for sure, but usually I cry over the pure beauty of his craft. Jackson Browne is the whole package: a masterful composer AND lyricist. He's beautifully gifted.

I listened to Jackson Browne's music throughout my childhood. My dad had lot of his music. It will be argued that JB has recorded more acclaimed albums, but The Pretender is special to me because was my first JB purchase as a semi-adult. I bought the cd at a used record store in Isla Vista during my college years at UCSB. I spied that familiar cover and snatched it up for less than $10. Can I take a small moment here and wax poetically about what a freaking bargain music is? Certainly this album was a bargain for me, but Im talking about the greater rewards music delivers. In my opinion, music is the cheapest means of worldy bliss you can buy. Seriously! The Pretender cd has brought so much joy to my life and it was $9.99. Every time I hear those songs, my life feels elevated. Every single time. That cd is a gift that keeps on giving. In my humble opinion, all music is. Am I right? Can I get an AMEN? I mean seriously... you are buying joy, people! JOY! Ok... I digress.

The first year or two after I bought The Pretender cd I would listen to it straight through, over and over again. When I hear any song from the cd, I anticipate the next one in order. The playlist is engraved in my mind. Beyond the musical and lyrical craftmanship of The Pretneder, I totally love JB's voice. He, like George Harrison and James Taylor, has one of those voices that comforts me. Its familiar and soothing. When I hear one of JB's songs randomly on the radio or in the supermarket, no matter what song it is I'll stop and listen just to hear him sing. His voice relaxes me.

Favorite songs on The Pretender? Its hard to pick, so let me just point out some favs:

Linda Paloma - (((deep sigh))) This song gets me, baaad. Mostly, its the traditional Mexican instrumentation that makes my heart swell. I am Mexican, afterall. I may not look it, but my heart is puro Mexicana! When I hear this music, I can see the mariachis in my mind: the dude with the big bass guitar; the dudes with the violins. They are all there standing outside my window in their black charro outfits, serenading me. Ahhhhhhhh! When JB sings "I was the endless sky and you were my Mexican dove" - that's me. I am the Mexican dove: beautiful, flying, free. He's talking about me, didnt you know? hee Now let it be said that the actual lyrics of this song tell a sad tale, but I dont care. The melody and lyrics of this song pull at me every time. I adore it. I read once that JB grew up in a largely Mexican neighborhood and you can see the influence with this song. I love that.

Here Come Those Tears Again - In college (and after) I was involved with a guy who held this weird kind of svengali hook over me. T and I were wonderful friends for years and towards the end of college we dabbled in this on again, off again relationship that mostly succeeded in tearing my heart out repeatedly. He was a master at head games and I allowed him to kill so much of my self worth. T was toxic to me. After the many times I felt wronged by him, I would play this song and revel in the similarities:

Baby here we stand again like we've done so many times before,
Eventhough you looked so sure as I was watching you walking out my door.
But you always walk back in like you did today -
Acting like you never even went away.
Well I dont know if I can open up and let you in.
Here come those tears...
Here come those tears, again.

I recall listening to this song a lot in the car. I would basically scream the lyrics to myself - music blaring - trying to force the significance of the words into my mind. Eventually the message stuck and when I said goodbye to T, I never looked back. Sweet relief. Coincidentally, when I met Matt one of the many appealing qualities I found in him was how he wore his heart on his sleeve. He said what he felt and he didnt run away from it. Matt is still like that today. No head games. Me gusta. :)

The Pretender - Dude... how do I even attempt to talk about the merits of this song? Its impossible. Its got it all: beautiful music and vivid, lyrical imagery. I dont know for certain, but Ive always believed the song was about wanting to live a simple life of high ideals (like beauty, art and love) and the duality of being surrounded and ultimately grounded in a consumer, commercial driven world. Can you say Southern Californian lifestyle? Yesir! That theme is something I struggle with all the time. JB is a native Southern Californian. He knows of what he sings. A random factoid: Stephen Sills and David Crosby of CSNY sing back up on this song. Sometimes I like to try to isolate their voices in the background, but I never succeed. Its super hard to do. What else? Hmmm. I love the first line of this song "I wanna rent myself a house in the shade of a freeway..." Again, this is SUCH a Southern Californian visual. I totally understand that line. I honestly dont know what else to say: you just have to listen to the song. JUST LISTEN TO IT! But before I leave let me share one of my favorite lyrics from The Pretender song:

I wanna find myself a girl who will show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors of each others paint by number dreams.

JB and The Pretender are must haves for a music lover. Do me a favor - go give it a listen. :)
Happy Tuesday. :)