Fast Car

This past weekend Dave got to cash in his Father's day gift AND we got to have our first overnight get-a-way sans children in over a year, woo hoo for a win-win!!!

Unbeknownst to me Dave was in kahoots with my parents for a while about staying out our place to watch the kids for a few days to give us a much needed break.  Originally he was planning on having it be for my birthday, but once he found out the first time my parents would be available would be a whole month after my 30th he decided to scrap that plan and watch the kids himself so I could enjoy a spa retreat on my actual birthday.  When he opened his Father's day present and saw the planned weekend was just a week shy of when my parents could come he called up the company and was able to switch dates.  I am super duper glad it all worked out because this past weekend was so fun!  

We left Thursday afternoon and headed out to the temple.  The last time we had been was 2 weeks before Adella was born (which was at the end of October 2012!) and it was so wonderful to be back.  Dave and I kept commenting on how peaceful it was.  It felt even more serene than usual.  I firmly believe there is no better place to discuss worries, concerns, hopes and dreams for your children than with your spouse sitting in the celestial room of the temple.  Everything is put into the proper perspective and I always leave feeling even more unified with Dave.  I had just taught my Sunday School class of 16-18 year olds about the importance preparing now to receive their temple ordinances the week prior and though of many of them while I was there.  When getting ready to leave we ran into two wonderful people while walking to our car - Kristin and Chelsea Geliske!  The Geliske's are dear friends from our Gaithersburg 1st ward days and I like to call Kristin a selfless serving saint - she is amazing in every way and taught me so much about "loving on" people.  Chelsea is her oldest daughter whom we had the pleasure of being "Ma & Pa" to while on the pioneer trek youth conference 4 years ago.  She is a stellar young woman who was there to prepare for receiving her own endowments today in preparation for getting MARRIED on Friday!!!  I am 100% thrilled for her and teared up more than once while standing there catching up with her.  I told my class of Sunday School kids there is nothing in this world that can compare to the peace the temple brings you.  I felt so overwhelmed thinking of the promises Chelsea is going to make with Heavenly Father and knowing the peace that it will bring her.  Dave and I are both looking forward to celebrating with her Friday night :-)  

Thursday evening we headed to our hotel, got checked in and settled then headed out for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  We decided to split everything so I picked appetizer and entree and Dave got to have his say on the dessert.  I wanted something light, but tasty so I went with the fish tacos - total FAIL!  I've never had anything at Cheesecake Factory as bad as those were.  Dry, bland, dull, no flavor, blah, blah, blah.  I was totally bummed.  For dessert Dave was debating between the caramel turtle cheesecake and the snickers.  At the very last minute he ended up ordering our tried and true favorite, Adams Peanut Butter Fudge - YUM-O!  I'm sure the others would have been yummy too, but Dave wanted to make sure at least one part of our meal was a sure bet and I'm glad he did.

Friday morning we headed to Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD for Dave's big moment.  Once we got there he had to decide between the red Ferrari or the yellow Lamborghini.

 Of course he went with the yellow Lamborghini!

For some reason I can't upload the video from inside the car while he was driving, but I was able to get this one I took with my iPhone uploaded from my perspective on the sidelines.

By the looks of that huge smile on his face I'm pretty sure this Father's Day gift was a home run!  Speaking of home runs, that's how we spent our Friday evening...

by enjoying watching the Orioles score FIVE of them during their game against the Red Sox!  The weather was gorgeous and before the game we indulged in some food truck tastiness while watching other peoples children play at the splash park on the inner harbor.  We reminisced of the night our romance began in 2005 just yard from that spot.  I may live in West Virginia now, but one thing holds true - you can take the girl out of Maryland, but you can't take the Maryland out of the girl.  I love the Inner Harbor and all the things that represent Maryland so well which surround it.

Saturday we headed to Cheesecake Factory for redeeming meal and not making the same mistake twice went with a known winner - the Santa Fe salad.  Of course followed by our second piece of cheesecake (if you haven't tried their pineapple upsidedown cheesecake,  you must!).

We were reminded of all the reasons why we fell in love with each other in the first place.  Amazing what time away from daily responsibilities can do for a relationship.  So thankful to have amazing family nearby that are willing and able to watch our children while enjoy a quick get-a-way.  Not once did I worry about how they were doing and that truly is a priceless feeling.  Thanks, Mom & Pop!  

Thirty on Thursday

Thirty. Wow.  My twenties have been lived and left behind.  I now join my husband and brothers by leaping into my third decade of life.  It's still kind of weird.  Like the day you get married and it doesn't feel any different, but you know things are.  Overall what I'm thinking about is how grateful I am for this body of mine.  It's done some remarkable things over these past two decades.  I'm currently in the process of trying to make it look like I didn't have 3 kids in under 2 years.  Things are wider and much looser than they were.  I'd like to not have muffin top issues, but really to sit back and think about the 3 babies than have grown inside of me (two at the same time) during 2011 and 2012 just makes me grateful.  Not many people experience what I have in that way and I'm so blessed to be healthy now, healthy during my pregnancies and to have delivered healthy babies.  All before 30 - wow.  So I plan to invest in myself this coming decade.  My body has done amazing things for me and I'd like it to last for a good long while.  

So now that I am 30 what will this next decade bring?  Love.  That's what.  Lots and lots of love.  With a sprinkling of peace.  I feel I'm coming closer and closer to finding the center of who I really am and with that it brings such peace.  My friend, Krista, wrote this blog post earlier this month about the Expectation Syndrome.  I laughed as I read it and realized although I'm not totally free of the chains that come along with the Expectation Syndrome, but I certainly am moving in that direction.  I haven't experienced them fully as a parent yet in the ways Krista writes about, but I have as a teenager, young adult and as a married couple with no kids.  There is such bliss in not caring what others think.  So often I find myself rationalizing how I feel or trying to justify it to others to fit their needs.  No more.  I am how I am and I feel what I do, so take it or leave it because those who really matter most to me all sleep under the same roof I do every night.  Like Krista, I feel this Jillian Michaels quote sums it up nicely, "Be yourself.  Everyone else is taken!"
I have to throw this one in too from Dr. Seuss,
"Today you are You, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive who is Youer than You."

I'm sitting alone, on a king size bed with a fluffy comforter in a quite hotel room as I type this.  Dave has given me one of the best presents ever this year.  Time alone to reflect, relax and rejuvenate.  I have done just that.  After being "on the clock" for quite some time now with taking care of our children it is so nice to get away and be in a place where I'm not always listening out for the cry of sleeping baby waking up or the scream of a hurt toddler.  As a mother I know you are always "on the clock" and that is our job, one which I truly am grateful to have, BUT time away is essential to being a good mom too.

My birthday retreat has included some of my favorite things:

Papusas from my favorite El Salvadorian restaurant
Getting a deluxe pedicure treatment

Watching a movie uninterrupted and without falling asleep

Shopping for myself with no strollers involved 

Chipotle steak burrito bowl 

Going blonde, again!

A hot bath while reading a good book

A relaxing massage that I didn't feel was too short at the end (always doing 90 min from now on!)

A soothing facial

Steamy showers with unlimited hot water and not having to dry or style my hair after

Panera salad with shrimp roll (yummy!)

Writing long overdue notes to friends

Taking naps and sleeping in

Relaxing in the sun

Milk Chocolate

Singing out loud to the radio songs while cruising down wide open roads with green trees and blue skies all around

I love myself, my body and my life.  I have been blessed in my twenties and hope to bless others during my thirties.  For it is in the spending of ourselves that we become the richest.   

Life is good!

**I'll add some photos to this post once I'm back home and able to upload them** 

 

Father's Day 2013

Ian trying to "fill" daddy's shoes

Suzie "helping" daddy wash the family minivan

Adella getting some sweet morning loves from daddy

Yesterday we celebrated our 7 year anniversary and Father's Day.  It was a good day.  I am so thankful for the way Dave loves our children.  It is tender and sweet.  He strives to do what will be best for them each day.  The sacrifices he makes on their behalf may never be recognized by them, but they will always feel the effects of them (i.e. waking up and leaving for work early so he can always be home for dinner, bath and bedtime).  He loves Suzette, Ian and Adella in such a deep, full and complete way it's hard to describe in words.  Oh how I love how he loves them!

Ian has channeled his inner Linus lately by carrying his blanket everywhere

Suzie takes after Dave in many (okay, almost all) of her physical traits.  The one I'm the most thrilled about is her curly hair!  I've ALWAYS wanted a daughter with curly hair.

Ian and Suzie with daddy before church...

and Adella with daddy after church.  Due to nap schedules we didn't get photo with all three.

Dave, we love you!  Thank you for being the amazing father you are.

The Seven Year Non-Itch

Seven years later...

and we're still having a swinging good time!

"Marriage is the most trusting step in any human relationship.  It's a real act of faith.  The very nature of the endeavor requires that you hold on to each other as tightly as you can and jump."

-Jeffery R. Holland

In the past seven years Dave and I have moved cross country, sold 2 homes and bought 2 homes, lived with family (twice!), worked towards furthering our education, transitioned in and out of different career paths, battled infertility for 4 years, served in some amazing callings working with the youth of the church, traveled internationally, had sweet and sacred experiences in the temple together, made amazing friendships and experienced the indescribable joy that comes with (finally) becoming parents.

We have loved more deeply, laughed harder and lived fuller lives than I thought could be possible on this day seven years ago.  There has been good and bad.  Ugly and sad.  Easy and hard.

We certainly did jump into this life together, not knowing all that would come.  With the trials and triumphs we've experienced along the way we have held onto each other a little bit tighter each time.

We love each other in every sense of the word and I'm beyond excited to continue to hold on tightly as we jump into our next adventures.

Here's to 7 going on 70!

(It's an eternal marriage so wether we're alive or not the 70th anniversary will be reached, right?!)

Memorial Day 2013

On Saturday, May 25th my parents came to visit.  It was a celebration of 5 different things wrapped up into one day - my mom's birthday (May 3rd), Mother's Day, my dad's birthday (May 28th), Father's Day and .... drum roll, please.... my dad's retirement!!!  There was so much celebrating going on we didn't even get a single picture of all of us together.  Bummer.  

My parent's got a combined Mother's Day/ Father's Day gift from Suzie, Ian & Adella.  It was a tree with the twins handprints as the leaves and Adella's toe prints as the grass and at the bottom it read, 'Our Greatest Blessings Call Us Lela & Grandpop.'  I wish I would have taken a picture of it.  We framed it and it turned out super cute.  Those hands and toes aren't going to stay that small forever so it's fun to have a record of how they are now.  My mom's birthday gift was an awesome family tree pendant from a shop I found on Etsy.  It is a wire circle with wire wrapped around in the middle to make a tree with branches that have all the birthstones of our family - kids, spouses, grandkids and all!  She loved it.  I was thrilled because it's not super easy to find a meaningful gift that she'll use/want these days.  For my dad's birthday/retirement I made scrumptious Dr. Pepper spicy pulled pork sandwiches with lime poppyseed fruit salad and broccoli salad.  It was the perfect Memorial weekend menu AND my dad savored every bite of that pulled pork.  It's one of his favorite dishes and I made it with an extra kick of heat just for him.  He called me a few days later to say he was just finishing up the leftovers I sent him home with and declared it to be one of the best pulled pork recipes he's ever had.  Which he was quick to point out was high praise since he has had quite a few in his day.

During their visit my dad got his fill of baby holding while I, my mom, Dave and the twins visited a local ice cream shop in downtown Charles Town.  I love the quaint streets and the mom & pop shops.  It was fun to walk around a bit.  The ice cream did not disappoint and of course, Ian and Suzie loved every lick.  Since Dave was home on Monday we decided to check out a local park.  It was a bit cooler than we thought it'd be so we had to pull out the reserve diaper bag outfits for the twins.  I'm bummed we didn't think to get a photo of all five of us in our red, white & blue outfits before changing the kids.  The slides were a HUGE hit with Suzie!  Ian had fun going down them too, but didn't have as much gusto as Suzie did to keep climbing the stairs and sliding down.

Adella was content to hang out in her stroller and watch the happenings around her.

Happy Girl!

I always love it when we get to have a relaxing day to spend together as a family.  Many times throughout the day my thoughts turned to those in the armed services AND their loved ones who have given so many sacrifices for our country.  One of my friends from high school was a Marine who serves 2 tours and came back with a severe enough case of PTSD that he now has a service dog to help him.  The sacrifices made are truly humbling and I'm grateful for every one of them.  I look forward to teaching our children about this amazing country we live in with all the freedoms and responsibilities that go along with it.

Mother's Day 2013

My Mother's Day celebrations got off to a great start this year.  A lovely tower of treats from Harry & David arrived on my doorstep from my sweet parents.

Fresh off his birthday bike ride Dave treated me to a Mother's Day dinner Saturday evening.  He had arranged babysitting and everything, thanks again John and Dorothy (my in-laws)!  We went to the Yellow Brick Bank Restaurant in Shepherdstown, WV and it was scrumptious - pistachio crusted pork with cinnamon baked apples and whipped rosemary potatoes.  Last time I was there was years ago with my Shepehrd College roommate and her mom.  So fun to go back and see how things have changed and, more than not, mostly stayed the same in Shepherdstown.  

Sunday morning Dave continued on the tradition of a crepe buffet for breakfast.  It was divine.  I think I ate at least six!  I had to try all the different combinations of fillings...twice - strawberries & nutella, bananas & white chocolate peanut butter, lemon juice & sugar.  I really wanted to get a picture of me with all three kiddos, but we were running late (as ususal) before church so we pushed it until we came back home.  Big mistake.  Seriously, you think we'd learn by now.

I walked in the door, kicked off my heels and snapped this selfie of Adella and me.  Ian and Suzie who came in the door after me were fascinated with my heels and had no interest in putting them down to take a picture. 

When attempting to take them away from Suzie this was the result.

The series of photos Dave snapped leave much to be desired, but - and this is a big but - one thing that jumps out at me is the fact my arms are full of children.  My children.  It was just a few years ago that I didn't even know if I'd ever hear the word, "Mommy," from my own child.  How that made my heart ache.  And now I have three!  I think I'll keep them - tongues that stick out, wiggling bodies, tears, screams and all.  This is my life and these are my children.  My cup runneth over!    

For as great as the celebrations started events took a complete 180 by the evening and ended with a call to 9-1-1 and an ambulance in our driveway.  After eating dinner we took the twins out of their highchairs and while Dave and I were cleaning things up Suzie climbed onto one of the regular chairs that was near our kitchen island, leaned over the back of it to reach something on the counter and fell, hard.  It was bad.  She hit the bottom of her chin on the edge of the counter which sent her bottom teeth straight up to he roof of her mouth where they left a big gash.  She was gushing blood from her chin, spitting it out her mouth and, of course, crying uncontrollably.  

All I wanted to do was comfort my sweet girl.  My first thought was to take her to the ER, but it was Adella's bedtime and I needed to nurse her.  At this point we didn't even have formula or pumped breast milk in the house so I HAD to stay with Adella.  With all the blood coming from Suzie there was no way we could safely get her to the hospital so I called 9-1-1.  They arrived in a jiffy and Dave took her out to the ambulance so the paramedics could take a closer look and asses the situation without a crying baby and screaming toddler getting in the way.  Ian stood at the door looking out and screaming Suzie's name the whole time.  It broke my heart...again.  It was determined stitches were needed, but after a quick patch job by the paramedics Dave was able to take her to a nearby urgent care himself.  He ended up getting there 5 minutes before they closed and had to go across the street to the hospital ER anyways.  The cut on her chin turned out to be deeper than first though so it was 5 stitches instead of the estimated 2-3.  

After putting Ian and Adella down to bed I sat out on the porch waiting for them to come back home so I could throw my arms around Suzie.  It was such a horrible feeling to be needed by my children in 2 different ways and places at the same exact time and know I had to choose one over the other.  Dave was so sweet and sent me picture and video messages while they were waiting.  It helped to ease my worries about how she was handling things.  She ended up having the sutures removed 5 days later, but that was too soon and the wound hadn't healed properly yet.  The butterfly bandage the doctor gave us came off the next day so despite our best efforts Suzie now has a decent scar.  At least it's under her chin.

So there you have it.  My second Mother's Day with children started with crepes and ended with an ER visit.  As far as traditions go, I'd like to keep the crepes and loose the injuries.

Dave turns 34

Dave turned 34 on May 7th and luckily had the day off since Adella had a doctors appointment for turning 6 months old the same day.  In all honesty the day of Dave's actual birthday wasn't very eventful - it was spent mostly running errands together.  BUT we did make sure to check out a mom&pop ice cream shop in Sharpsburg, MD called Nutters that we've heard rave reviews about.  With Dave it's not a true celebration until ice cream is involved.  Suzie and Ian joined in on the action with cups of frozen yogurt.

Blurry phone photos

He did luck out to coming home the night before on May 6th to a surprise birthday dinner with his parents and brother, Sam.  His mom, Dorothy, made a cake and brought ice cream over.   

 As you can see the twins were a bit mesmerized by the blinking red light on the timer setting on the camera and Adella decided it'd be the perfect time to start crying.  It's real life here people.  After singing happy birthday it was time to dig in.

 Suzie was kind enough to share some with daddy.

This year my gift to Dave was "letting" him go on a weekend camping/biking trip with his buddies.  Since I was super sleep deprived at the time and I look forward to his help on Saturdays all week long the prospect of taking care of all 3 kids by myself for 2 straight days (and nights) seemed daunting, so in my eyes this was a very generous gift for me to give.  He took Friday, May 10th off work to head up to Cumberland, MD to start of the start of the C&O trail.  The plan was to bike 60 miles the first day, set up camp for the night then bike 60 miles the next day to Harpers Ferry, WV where they'd be picked up and come back home.  That was the plan, but rain in the forecast has a funny way of changing things.  It ended up just being Dave and his friend, Brent - the other one decided biking in the rain wouldn't be all that fun and the distance biked was cut short due to the conditions.  Luckily it ended up not raining until Friday evening so they did get a little rain free ride time.  These guys were determined to make memories out of the experience and I think they definitely did!

Getting ready to start the trail in Cumberland

Brent chillaxin'

About to ride through the Paw-Paw Tunnel 

Happy 34th, babe!