Lucky

Where have I been for the past year?! Growing babies, books, and life just kind of got in the way of journaling. But I'm back, and with our newest addition, "Lucky" boy! (We don't share our kids' names online, which is why we call them Munchkin, Pipsqueak, and now Lucky.) He is my little boyfriend and I can't believe I've ever lived without him.

one face, two face, pirate face, who face

^^ I'm not exactly camera shy, but I do always feel kind of dumb holding a phone out in front of myself and posing. However, when your little girls want to play a game taking funny photos of you guys, why not? These are my kind of selfies. ^^

   

  

  

this video changed my life!

^^ I have never felt more understood or loved than after watching this video. I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows and cares for each of us individually.

Today I had a conversation with a friend about our daily schedules and what it's like when our husbands come home and ask what we did all day. For me, sometimes I feel like I have nothing to tell him--made food, cleaned disasters, folded laundry, kept two children alive--and like I have nothing physical to show for my day. And then there are days where our activities sound really glamorous--went to the beach, walked to the bakery, visited the museum--but in all honesty, the beach was spent running the whole time to keep kids from drowning, the bakery was met with a meltdown and stealing the other's donut, and the museum lasted ten minutes because the kids kept escaping the stroller and running for the artwork. It wasn't so glamorous in the details.

But then this video put it all into perspective. You never know how your small actions might help someone else. Maybe my day wasn't so pointless after all, or maybe the frustration I feel like all the time is worth it if I did one small, good thing that day. Thank you for this video! And to all the moms out there, you might not know it, but you are doing a good job! ^^

Giveaway: ReSqueeze (4-pack)

Thank you to all who entered this give away; congratulations Amber F. on winning!!!

See this awesome ad to the right over here? >>>>>>>
One of my good friends created a magic product for moms called the ReSqueeze, and I think you all should get the chance to win one.

My girls are LOVING their new ReSqueeze pouches and I am too, especially after that crazy thing about worms found in pre-packaged pouches went around the internet. No, gracias. Anyway, they're super easy to fill up with applesauce (if you're lazy like me), or you can be more ambitious and fill them with your own puree. And the best part? You can throw them in the dishwasher and use them again! Thank you, ReSqueeze, for stopping many-a-meltdown in the store. You sure do make what motherhood is REALLY like a little bit easier.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

enjoying the last of summer

The fog has rolled in again here in San Fran and our short month of summer is over--sniff, sniff. But we enjoyed every last drop of it and have some fun photos of our adventures.

^^ We love this windmill garden in GG Park, and the kids love it because they actually get to play in grass--and grass without dog poop at that! (Photo creds to Amy Clevenger and Gena Patten.) ^^

^^ I feel like this is a great mom photo, I don't know why. And I think I'm even parallel parking, which I can actually do now in less than five tries. Thanks to my sis for snapping this shot. ^^

^^ There are three things that make me go weak in the knees: Food, BBC miniseries, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. My sister found a cookbook that combined two of these things, making it the greatest gift ever. We made an amazing Edwardian feast and ate so much we felt rather American instead of British. Now, if only Joseph Gordon-Levitt could have fed it to me... ^^

^^ Japanese Tea Garden ^^

^^ Johnny's school recently hosted an event for all of the cultures represented in the school. My friend Natalie and I made a Utah/LDS table because, let's be honest, there's a real culture when it comes to our food. We did our state right by serving jello, fries with fry sauce, and deep fried scones. ^^

^^ A little kickball with friends ^^

^^ The only day of the year--and probably whole time we will live here--that it was hot enough to actually get in the freezing water. These brave ladies are the only reason I did it! (Okay, and I might have also really had to pee and the public restroom...let's not even go there.) ^^

^^ Thank you, Kalei, for inviting us over for a swim and popsicles! ^^

^^ Already takes her camera everywhere, just like mamma. ^^

my 15 minutes of fame

^^ I'm pretty excited that Buzzfeed just featured my photo in one of their articles, 38 Adorable Ideas for Your Maternity Shoot! I was pretty sure my first internet debut was going to be a humiliating, immortalized meme, so this is a welcome surprise. ^^

this picture is too perfect

This is the type of picture I typically find on mommy blogs and think, "Their life must be perfect." I'm posting this because just because someone else's life may look glamorous and ideal, I guarantee it's not. This photo is kind of a lie, because this is not my life, like at all. Well, at least not most of the time. Seriously, yesterday was one of the longest, worst days of motherhood. Guys, I'm not even trying to be melodramatic; it really was the poopiest day ever. Everything and nothing went wrong. It was just really hard and I felt like every mess I cleaned was pointless, every timeout session was a waste of time, I played referee all day making sure Pipsqueak wasn't killed by her older sister, and my day just kind of sucked. 

So when I look at blogs with fun, happy pictures of families doing awesome things with perfectly behaved children, I tell myself, "They have poopy days, too, and they're only posting the good stuff." Well, at least I hope that's true! And because pictures like these don't happen to me often, I'll just stick with portraying my life of motherhood as glamorized martyrdom!

(Photo at Alamo Square)

the luckiest mama and papa

This is what Father's Day looked like in our home. I love this photo of Johnny and the girls because it speaks so much about our family, blurry Munchkin and all. We are so lucky to have him as our dad! And I even got the girls to snuggle for a story. Although it only lasted five seconds before punches were flying and the screaming began, they were the best five seconds of my day!

am i allowed to do this?

Am I allowed to wish myself a happy Mother's Day? And am I allowed to do it over a week late? I love these two babes and being their mom is a joy--yes, a pain at many a time--but an absolute joy. Happy Mother's Day to me, every day.

a pretty cliche photo shoot

It might be cliche, but these two little girls are rockin this photo shoot. And if you want to play a fun game, see if you can find the poop stains on the quilt. 

P.S. How did both of our girls get blue eyes?! You would think with two brown-eyed parents...

books and babes

I've tried my very best to brainwash Baby Girl to love books, and you know, I think I've done a pretty good job. Actually, almost too good of a job because she is constantly handing me books to read with her and sometimes I feel like I don't ever get stuff done. But how can I complain? I mean, the girl loves to cuddle up with a good book just like her mamma!

Also, Pipsqueak (baby #2) is already two months old! She is so so so tiny though--like newborn, 12th percentile tiny. I totally love it though, as she actually gets to wear the newborn clothes Baby Girl never could squeeze her little sausage legs into. The two of them seem to be getting along great and Pipsqueak has only been kicked in the head, pulled onto the floor, and roughhoused a few times. She's one tough cookie. But seriously, how do kids not die before adulthood?! It's a miracle.