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Aid Cora courtney Cuba Ev exercise friends General health mom mooshoo mother photography pictures the kiddos

Happy New Year!

And happy new decade…can you believe that one!?! Yet again it’s been way too long since I’ve written and I’m not really one for resolutions…so I will not resolve to write more. I’m just going to do it. A lot has happened since the last my post. I did the 9k race that turned out to be more of a 6 mile. It rained and I went a lone, but the course was nice and other then the distance issue it was a great race. I did much better then I thought I would, 129 out of 910 over all and 12th out of the 95 in my age group.

We went to Bakersfield for Thanksgiving this year, spent the holiday with Ev’s family. I always enjoy going to Bakersfield – I know nuts right?! – but I like Bakersfield, and I like Ev’s family 🙂 People usually make the place for me. I had my first black Friday experience while we were there. Toysrus was opening up at 10 Thanksgiving night and I thought I’d do a little shopping. HA, ummm yeah I had no idea. Luckily I had the foresight to show up two hours early, but not to bring a chair or a partner in crime. Ev’s dad brought me a chair and ended up staying the 6 hours the whole thing would take. It was insanity. Not at all grab what you’re looking for and get out. No, it was grab what you’re looking for and stand in line to pay while being led through the entire store for 3 hours. They should have just made people just stay in line, I mean we went down every single isle. You could have just picked up what you needed on the long journey to check out. Pop and I watched in awe as the group of ladies in front of us in line continued to fill their 4 karts for hours and hours. They must have saved all year for the shopping spree they were having. I do have to say that while standing in line for 5 hours is ridiculous, I did get most of the kids Christmas presents for half of what I would have had to pay other wise. I think this is my future, with 4 kids you have to get creative and I don’t think it will always be fun ;p But because of those 6 hours my kids had an amazing Christmas. It was definitely worth it and I will do it again. Next time I will be prepared, I mean some of these ladies had store layouts! All and all a once in a life time experience and I got to share it with my Father in law, not something you can say every day right?! And he was still speaking to me the next day 🙂 Thanksgiving was wonderful, good food and good company. Our visit was great, I even got a run in. It was relaxing and went by way to fast.

The weekend after we got home I did my first 10k trail run with Eileen. It was raining off and on, but the course was so beautiful I didn’t really notice. The first 3 miles of the race just went up and up and up. I was pretty sure I was going to be touching clouds and my thighs were going to burst into flames. It was so hard, and so amazing. As they say what goes up….I flew down. It was an amazing feeling, I just let gravity take me. My legs moved on their own, so swift and easy. I have a new appreciation for trail running, I understand why people fall in love with it. This was the hardest race and really run I’ve done. I placed 71 out of 128 and 15 out of 27 in my age group. Not amazing but definitely not bad. I don’t think I’ve mentioned before but about a year ago I started playing soccer again too. A friend of mine from church came across an indoor league for women and asked if I wanted to sign up with her. I’m not awesome and indoor is a lot different then outdoor, but it’s fun, good exercise and a nice break.

It’s like I woke up one morning and felt like it was ok to get back to some of the things that make me happy. I love being active and I think soccer and running are full filling that need. The rest of December was a whirlwind of Christmas preparation. We hosted Christmas this year and it was so fun. We managed to fit in all the traditional stuff, Tron, some shopping, and opened a ton of gifts. I think everyone had a good time, and it was a memorable holiday. I feel blessed to be a part of Ev’s family. They accept me and treat me like one of their own. Holidays remind me of this, and make me appreciate them even more.




2010 was a good year for my family. It definitely was not lacking in bumps and disappointments, but with the support of a wonderful family you can over come anything. I have an amazing life. I can only hope 2011 brings more of them same.

A new decade too, which blows my mind. A decade has gone by! I’ve been in California for 10 years. I’ve been married for almost 10 years. In the last 10 years…I graduated from college, moved 3000 miles twice, got married, had 4 beautiful children, and so much more! It really seems like the blink of an eye. I hope the next 10 years are as wonderful and exciting as the last.
I only wish my mom was still here to see everything. I think she would be proud of me, and so in love with her grandkids. I miss her, and while not a day goes by that I don’t think of her, this time of year is the hardest. I’ve been feeling like I needed a place that I could put flowers or just sit and talk to her, probably sounds strange. My own little memorial, so I made one. Ev’s mom gave us a stepping stone kit last year so the kids & I used it to make a stepping stone in her honor. I was originally going to do it by myself, but my mom would have let the kids help – so I did. I think it came out perfect. We put in the backyard and are going to plant around it in the spring. I think the first thing is going to be Aidan’s paperwhite bulb. So here’s to a brand new year and decade of possibilities!



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Aid babies Bub Cora courtney Cuba Ev friends General mom mooshoo mother photography pictures the kiddos

Updates

I can not believe it’s already June!? Time just seems to move faster and faster, even the slow lazy days don’t go as slow as they used to. Things in the mooshoo house, like time, are just flying along.

Lennox finished preschool and is now officially a kindergartner! He is so so excited and I’m not so so so excited… well part of me is. Part of me is excited for this time to start for him, part of me knows he will do wonderful, be extremely charming and have a million friends. Part of me knows all the worries I have will seem small and silly. You know that part of you that worries that kids will make fun him, he will get hurt feelings and I won’t be there to make them go away. That part of me that is afraid after all our hard work and therapy his teacher and classmates will still have a hard time understanding him. And because of this he will finally get frustrated and start to withdraw. Those parts keep me up at night. Then the other part of me that knows it’s all worry for nothing, and he will be fine. He will grow and thrive and be the amazing person I already know.

Aidan is also starting his path to school, officially a preschooler! He will finally have his own friends, and make memories that have nothing to do with me. He will learn to trust people outside his family. He is going to explode in preschool. He loves people so much, any people, all people, just give him people! Like Lennox I think he will have no trouble in the friend department. Having the opposite of shy kids makes life so much easier…esp when making this transition to school. That first day he will kiss me goodbye and not look back. And that’s ok because that means I’m doing something right.

The ladies had their first hair cuts today. Cuba was awesome; she sat very still, so still the lady actually cut layers in her hair. She was amazing! Cora wasn’t a fan at first but quickly got into the groove and was super happy to receive a sucker at the end. They both look so cute. Cuba has a short bob with short bangs. Cora’s got short bangs to, but because her hair is wavy it doesn’t really look like a bob. They are just adorable. It’s amazing how much they are changing, every morning they look more grown up. Chatting up a storm and repeating just about any thing you ask them to. They let me fix their hair and love to play dress up. Grandma Cindy got them some princess shoes and it took them no time at all to figure them out (they have to fight Aidan for them). Girls are so different then boys. We have also started the potty training process, slow and easy. They just sit on the potty every night before getting into the bath tub. Its fun and they have actually gone a few times…I’m pretty sure more good timing then anything else. It’s insane to think being diaper free is in my not to distant future! We have come such a long way from dragging the hiking backpack every where to now just taking a few diapers, wipes and sippy cups. Soon I will be diaper bag free!!!

More soon…
cora
cuba

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Aid babies Bub Cora courtney Cuba General the kiddos

Meet the Tooth Fairy

We’ve hit yet another milestone…Lennox official lost his first baby tooth! It’s been loose for a while but fell out this morning. He’s so proud, telling everyone he sees. I am both excited and heartbroken. Time is moving so fast. There was a brief moment when we anticipated milestones, waited for them to come. Now they sneak up on us, pop out of no where yelling boo!!
bub
In other news we headed over to Half Moon Bay and spent an afternoon at Pastorino Farms. They have a pretty neat pumpkin patch with lots of bells and whistles. We walked away with two pumpkins and lots of good memories.
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kids
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Cora courtney Cuba

Belated

Ok so this is the belated birthday entry for the ladies…

I can’t believe the first year is over. I think this has been and may always be the hardest time in my life. I’m on the other side now and I see the light in the not so far distance. Life is in no way easy…but it’s getting easier. It’s more fun now. I can breathe and play again. Everyone’s basic needs no longer take all of me. We have a routine now and the girls sleep through the night in their own beds…oh how far we’ve come. We only nurse before bed now, the three of us crammed in our special chair. That time is quickly coming to an end. The last few days I’ve sat in the dark running my hands over the not so little-any-more heads, feeling sad. When you take out the multiple feedings, the never being able to be more then 4 hours away, nursing became not something they needed to grow and survive but a special time between us. No matter what I replace it with it won’t be the same, so I’m lingering just a bit.

The girls are amazing, two completely different people. They make each other laugh, and chat in the cribs while handing toys back and forth. There is no question they’re sisters. There’s fighting, giggling; so much love. They are both working hard to walk.
Cuba is really working at, it’s almost like she is purposefully practicing. She walks 4 or 5 steps before losing her balance or being taken down by a random toy or brother. She always looks around to find me or Ev watching, so pleased with her self. She’s so smart; you can see the wheels turning. Cuba is a chatty girl, so many important things to share. She points and waves and will yell to get your attention. She copies the dog’s bark…and only does it while the dog is barking. Cuba has Ev’s tongue…the kind you can touch your nose with. And she’s just figured that out. She has her own brand of humor and gets slap happy several times a day, breaking into uncontrolled laughter if you even look at her. It’s so incredibly cute! She loves cheese and bagels; but isn’t a real adventurous eater. If I can get her to taste it, she’ll usually eat it-but tasting is tough. She has changed so much just in the last 3 months. It’s like some one hit fast forward. We went from baby to toddler over night. She’s even figured out how to climb on to one of living room chairs… the sofa is coming soon I’m sure. One of things I find amazing about her, is how she sits and plays for long periods of time a lone. Surrounding her self with hand picked toys; she plays happily, usually until someone tries to steal one of her treasures. She is an amazing little person with her open mouth kisses and big round eyes. She’s a wild hair pixie, bright little star, and I love her more then time will let me show, I couldn’t be prouder to be her mama!
cuba
cuba
cuba
cuba
Cora is an angel, blue eyes and blond hair. Her skin is fair and when she smiles it spreads over her entire face. She has a great big light heart that she wears on her sleeve. She is a beauty. Cora is flirting with walking. No real steps alone yet, but she’ll hold your hand and walk and cruise easily from thing to thing. She makes the most amazing sounds; I think we may have a singer on our hands. She sings her own little songs that sometimes sound like coyotes howling at the moon-or gizmo from The Gremlins. She sings when she’s happy, while she plays, and sometimes when she’s upset while she cries. She has Ev’s mouth, pouty lips. She pushes them out so they ended up touching the bottom of her nose (a face Ev often makes). She does when she’s loving on something, which she does often. Cora is a snuggler, and a wrestler. She throws her self right in with boys while they roll around. She tackles, tickles, and lovingly head butts you. She loves water, sand, and really just being out doors. We went to the beach a few weeks ago (the girls first visit) and boy did she love it. It was hard to keep her out of water. We’d play for a bit; then walk back up to the blanket. I’d set her down and off she’d go, crawling back down to the water’s edge. When she’s in the bath she bends down and sticks her face in the water over and over. It makes her laugh and laugh. She is a joy, a true sweetheart. I love her to the ends of the earth and back, am so happy to be her mama!
cora
cora

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Cora Cuba General

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS

The ladies are 1 today!!! We had the first of their 1st birthday parties on Sunday…oh so cute!!! I will write a longer post about them soon, but for now here’s some too cute pictures.
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girls