Gratitude {3}

Making memories.

We do not remember days; we remember moments.  ~Cesare Pavese

These are the days of the endless summer.

These are the days, the time is now.

There is no past, there's only future.

There's only here, there's only now.

~Van Morrison

A Great Big World

Do you remember me talking about Ian Axel?  His music really touches me and I stood 10 feet away from him when he played a private concert for Double Encore in November 2010.  If I'd realized then, that I was going to absolutely fall in love with his music.....I would have been all over him like stink on a monkey.

His song called We Are, touched me so much, it still makes me cry when I hear it.  It was the song I played over and over when we were trying to get our son into school, and I even made a video of my precious kids with it.  My son sings it all the time.

Someday, I hope to introduce my kids to Ian Axel.  They love his music as much as I do.

Well....Ian has had some help along the way.  His best friend Chad Vaccarino sings on many of his tracks and they have decided that they are going to partner up.

This means they are changing their name to A Great Big World.

I adore their music so much and I think you will too!  Check it out!

A Great Big World website
@AGreatBig World on twitter
A Great Big World on facebook

Now....If I can just get them to come back to Denver!!

Birthday Shoes

For the first time in my whole life, I was happy with the person looking back at me in the mirror.  I had a few wrinkles and my hair was starting to turn grey at the top of my head but it turns out the wrinkles are really laugh lines and people mistook the grey for blonde highlights.

There comes a time in every woman's life (if she's lucky) when she becomes the person she was meant to be. Sometimes, it takes 40 years.... some more, some less.

At 40 years old, I decided that I was confident enough to wear stilettos.  I bought them but never wore them out of the house because I bought them a half a size too small.  I would have returned them, but I bought them online and in the chaos of moving back to Colorado, I lost the receipt.

I love those shoes and the reminder of them.  I think they say that I'm sexy and fun, I'm not afraid of risk and I can party like a rock star!  My husband thinks they say that I'm crazy and about to break my neck!

This year, I bought another pair of birthday shoes.   I think they reflect my personality much more and that they say I'm a fun Mom.  My husband thinks that they say I'm interviewing to be a clown and I don't know how old I am.  

I think my husband is jealous.

Gratitude {2}

On Sunday mornings, I'm thinking about what I'm grateful for.  

Join me if you like!

Yesterday, we went to IKEA and got the kids a desk for their bedroom.  I'm so grateful that I have kids that love to create and a husband that lets me re-arrange small bedrooms to accommodate my crazy ideas and passions about our kids.

What are you grateful for today?

Daring Greatly: I'm All In

I've been a fan of Brene Brown for almost two years now.  I wish I knew the exact date that I discovered her TED talk on you tube and who directed me to it because I'd like to think that is the day that I really became a better mother and wife.

Brene Brown is a shame researcher and has written a couple amazing books.  Books that I devoured once I found her and her message.  Her latest book, Daring Greatly, is the icing on the cake.

Reading Daring Greatly is going to make me a better mom, wife, friend and daughter.  I honestly believe that Brene's books came into my life for a reason.  If I hadn't read about shame and embracing who I am and who my children are, then I would not have been able to make the hard choices for my son.

I would not have been able to face my fear and be vulnerable.  I would  not have been able to teach my son that being vulnerable but also being proud of himself, would bring him great joy.  I've learned that being all in and not looking back, is an amazing feeling.  Some things are worth doing, even if there is a chance that you'll fail.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of Daring Greatly and follow along with the discussions on the BlogHer Book Club.  Everyone can benefit from this book and it's message.  I'm betting that you'll read it and think of a friend that could use it too.  I know I did.

I think I'll be blogging about this book for weeks to come.  I had so many a-ha moments that I'm anxious to share!

I know you'll want to learn more about Brene Brown and her research.  You can read her blog, Ordinary Courage.  You can tweet her @brenebrown.  She's on Facebook.  AND she's going on a book tour.  OH MY LORD...she's coming to Denver!

Disclaimer: This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Innocence Lost

The last few weeks, we've spent quite a bit of time on the mean streets of Denver.  I think I've gotten so use to the way things are in our downtown area that I had forgotten it can be shocking to a child.

We decided to visit downtown Denver with our children and one of their friends over Labor Day Weekend.  We wanted to go to the Leonardo DaVinci Machines Exhibit because we are all about teaching our children more than what they learn in school.

We are dedicated!

The three musketeers were very excited.

This is right before they lost their innocence.

Soon, I'd be fielding questions like:

Why is that man sleeping on the sidewalk?
Why do I smell the bathroom?
Why is that man dressed like a robot?
Is that President Obama?

THIS is not President Obama

This guy scared the heck out of all of us (except maybe iKeith) and then we had a talk with the kids about talking to strangers.  Then a STRANGER tried to give the kids a balloon animal and they were freaking out because he is a stranger.

As it turns out, Keith is a busker magnet and street performers will call out to him to help him with their performance.  I've seen it many, many times!  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and my dear son was recruited and then ruined a man's magic career when he cut a rope with scissors that he was supposed to be pretending to cut.  In Alex's defense...who gives a 6 year old scissors?

We did have a great time at the DaVinci Machines Exhibit.  The kids learned so much and not just a slang word for an African American.  Yes.  That really happened.  I'm still in shock over it.

At the end of the day....I was really glad to see Jesus.

And I think it will be a while before a take one of my friends' daughters into the wilds of Denver again.

Gratitude {1}

A new thing....I want to do on Sundays. 

Focus on gratitude!

Join me, if you like.

I'm so lucky to have a husband that loves me and our family. 

We are his whole world.

He thinks I'm beautiful and a sexy mama.

I adore him and his big words.

Life is good!

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. 
Melody Beattie 

Coffee, Coffee and more Coffee

Several weeks ago, when Mallory discovered that my birthday was coming up she began planning a party for me.

Her first order of business was to select a theme and she picked a good one.

Coffee.

She picked iKeith to be her party planning assistant.  I asked her if she interviewed him for the job and she said no because he had money.

Watch out world!  This girl is going to be running companies...or countries someday.  Mark. My. Words!

They held secret meetings and eventually let Alex in on the planning.  He had a very important job which was tricking me into cleaning their room so that they could wrap my presents.

I fell for it hook, line and sinker!

I guess Starbucks was in on the planning too because they sent me a coupon for a free cup of joe on my birthday.

At school, my dear friend Margaret gave me a card and a gift.  She really gets me!

We went to dinner and I accidentally ordered a Margarita as big as my head.  I say accidentally because it was a medium and there where three other sizes that were larger.

It was delicious and I don't remember much about my evening after I opened my presents.  I have to re-watch Parenthood because even thought I tweeted about it....I don't remember what happened.  I keep thinking I watched an episode of Everyone Loves Raymond.  Or maybe I dreamt that part.

My family.....did a fantastic job with my gifts!!  To say that I was thrilled was an understatement!

I can't wait to tell you about the Aero Press coffee maker!  But you'll have to follow my food blog to hear about that one.  The Rookie Foodie.

Then as if on cue.....the next day I got this in the mail from a local dentist.

Seriously?

It's my Birthday and I'll Cry If I Want To

Happiness is a Butterfly which, when pursued is just beyond your grasp...but if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

I'm 42 today.

How is this possible? Just a few short years ago, I was chasing boys all over Greeley and planning my future! I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Do I have to grow up?

I guess if there is a silver lining to my situation, its that I don't look 42.  People are genuinely shocked to hear that I'm this old.  I also rarely act my age so there's that too.

Today, Mimi from Living in France and I, are announcing our next book club selection at our book blog, If You Give A Blogger a Book...Club.

And since it's MY birthday...you should all go over and leave a comment to win a copy of the book.

AND if you like reading at all...you should join our facebook group because we talk about books all the time.

Biden and The Biker

Photo Credit: The Associated Press

What do you think Vice President Biden is whispering in her ear?

Only In Greeley

I grew up in a little town called Greeley.  It's about 50 miles north of Denver and is a bit of a cowtown.

It's also the exact opposite of Hawaii.

And...so much crazy stuff happens there.  It's one of the reasons that I left.  I was tired of reading my name in the newspaper.

This latest story is also a cautionary tale.  When you're done reading this, you will know what you have to do.  Get your camera ready.

A man in Greeley has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft after he allegedly took several items from his neighbor's home. 

The man is accused of taking sex toys and personal care items on Aug. 29 from a home in the 3100 block of 19th Ave., said Greely Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Susan West.

West said the victim happened to have several pictures of the missing toys and found a pair of binoculars on her bed that didn’t belong to her. She said entry had been forced through a basement window.

The neighbor and his wife consented to a search of their home. West said an investigator who had studied the pictures of the stolen toys was able to identify one of them in a backpack in a bedroom.

West said the remaining toys were returned by the suspect’s wife one day later. The suspect is charged with burglary and theft. 

Thank you 7news for this breaking story!


So...let's go back shall we?  The victim had pictures of her sex toys.  Was it so that they would be covered by her home owners insurance if there was a fire?  Or does she just like to inventory her sex toys?

And how would you like to be the investigator that got to compare the stolen sex toys to a picture and match those bad boys up? I wonder also how this brilliant investigator found the toys in a backpack?  Was it the buzzing noise?

Worse yet, how would you like to be the wife of perp who had to return the rest the rest of sex toys to her neighbor.  I hope she wore gloves.

I swear, this kind of thing only happens in Greeley.

Excuse now....while I go photograph my sex toy(s) for my insurance company.  Yeah....that's my story.

I Found Jesus

The Book of Mormon

Oh my heck!

I'd forgotten how much iKeith and I love the theater.  When we were first dating he bought us season tickets and I was hooked!  We had a lovely brunch at Marlowe's on the 16th Street Mall that contained bottomless mimosas.  After buying some flip flops at H&M, we hurried to the theater and it was like we we're 33 and 40 again!

The Book of Mormon Musical is really funny.  It's even more funny if you lived in a very strict Mormon community and lived the musical.  Keith and I laughed more than anyone in our section because we had been there before.  Brother Horton trained us well!

There are so many funny parts, lots of f bombs, inappropriateness with frogs and irreverent humor.  The songs are so catchy that you'll be singing them for days.

Keith and I were delighted to discover that we could take drinks from the bar into the theater to enjoy during the show.  They had cocktails, wine, beer and coffee.  This is what we got.

One of our favorite scenes was the Spooky Mormon Hell Dream!  If featured giant cups of Starbucks and demons.  Of course, we also really liked the song about Sal Tlay Ka Siti (Salt Lake City) being the promised land and paradise.  If these poor people only knew.

Have you seen The Book of Mormon?  

Norman The Mormon

Today is the day that we've been waiting 8 months for!  The day we get to see The Book of Mormon! I have to laugh because my kids think we're going to see The Book of ParaMormon....which reminds me of our experience in Utah with our local missionaries.  

This is a re-post from July 8, 2008. We had many more adventures in Utah, click here to read more.  Be advised that I used to call Keith by a different name because he was working a top secret job.

*****************************************************

Most of you know the continuing saga with my husband and his Mormon Missionary buddy who has been coming to our house for brainwashing bible study.

Keith thought they had wrapped things up last week and he had made clear that he wasn't interested in being Mormon.

Last night, 8 pm....there is a knock at the door. I freeze. I know who it is. It is Brother Horton Hears A Who. That is my new name for him. His name is Brother Horton....I added the Hears A Who.

He has brought Keith a book to read. Okay. So this guy is f*cking deaf not listening because Keith told him he doesn't like to read and that is one of his issues with the church. There is too much fasting/church attending/sobriety reading.

We talked last night about how Keith must really be jacking up their statistics on how long it takes to convert someone. And I bet there is a weekly memo about the attempts at saving Heathen Weiss. I told him I'm glad that Brother Horton Hears A Who parks across the street because I'm sure everyone on the block knows his car and is aware of what he is doing here. They are all waiting patiently for news that we have been proselytized converted.

And Mallory. OH the poor thing. When Horton Hears A Who was at our door last night. She started screaming at the top of her lungs and dug her nails into my neck. It took me 10 minutes to calm her down. She apparently has an allergy aversion to Mormons.

Then....this morning when I was making my coffee. I saw it. The book that Brother Horton Hears A Who brought for Keith to read.



That would be Norman the Mormon.

I laughed my tushie off! Brother Horton will not give up!! And now he really does think we are Jewish, which was my next plan of getting them off our back. I was looking for a Star of David to put on my front door!

I really wish that our desire to not be Mormons and just co-exist was possible. It seems to be all or nothing here. I have known so many people that haven't tried to convert me to their religion and it was never a condition of our friendship.

In their defense. I am not talking about all Mormons. I have met a few that have accepted me as I am. However, I live in a community that doesn't welcome outsiders unless you become one of them. In fact, we learned recently that for a long time they refused to sell their land and homes to non-Mormons. This is the kind of sh*t I am dealing with.

And it looks like I better find a way to co-exist with them because the word on the street is that we are not moving anytime soon.

I'm crushed about it.

Lord help me find a way to live in Utah. I don't want to be miserable.

1...2...3, Eyes On Me

Hip Hip Hooray!  It's a Skittle Day!

Life is good.  The kids are both enjoying school and love their teachers.  Parents and teachers are lining up to join the PTA and I'm enjoying my three beautiful hours of free time in the morning.

Of course, everything is not coming up roses....there has to be a thorn.  I have only made a few new friends so far.  I've been reminded that last year was special, it's only been five days and some people are intimidated by my personality beauty.  Thank you Keith for that clarification.

My afternoons with Mallory have been so fun.  She likes to clean mess up her room and watch My Little Pony.  Yesterday.....I gave her a little bag of animal crackers and when she was done, she asked me what they were made out of.  I said...Animals.

This is the look she gave me.

She insisted that I was kidding.  

I suggested that she should learn to read so that she could read the labels on her food.

Two hours later, she picked up a book and started reading it....out loud.  She was READING the book.

Five days of Kindergarten and my girl can READ!

See how smug she looks?  I think she's been reading for a while and holding out on us.

Poor Alex should get used to be taught.  Before bed last night, she was demanding that he have EYES ON HER.  Maybe she'll be a school teacher someday....

Linking up with Emmy Mom and Kmama for Proud Mommy Moments!

Sound The Alarm!

I can't wait anymore.

Somebody that I know.....works very hard on apps.  Somebody recently finished his first project that he worked on night and day with a small team.  It was somebody's baby!  Watching somebody work on it, was like watching a woman in labor but only if that woman were in labor for 10 weeks and you didn't get to know if it was a boy or a girl for another 2 weeks.

Just be glad that no one ever gets to rate your baby on itunes.

Ahem.  The app I want to tell you about today is this one.  Hoops and YoYo...Sound The Alarm!

You know those two obnoxious little characters from Hallmark right?  A few years ago, someone gave my kids a birthday card with these guys in it.  A audio card.  They played with it for a year!  They are entertaining in small doses or if you've had a cocktail.

This app is a timer/alarm with funny soundbites.  I use it to tell me to take dinner out of the oven, to wake up my kids for school, to remember to take my vitamins, when I put a kid on the naughty chair and to remind myself to have another cup of coffee.  Not really, I don't need an alarm to remind me to do that but the sound bites are funny!

Coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee....get it right now.  It's time for a coffee break.  Get it right Now!

The kids love playing with it and it does get them out of bed in the morning.  You should get it!  It's only .99 cents.  AND if you like it, you should rate it on itunes and say something like...the guy that made this has the most amazing wife in the world!  And she's pretty.

Disclaimer: I was paid in sex for the review of this app.  

I'm Raising A Man

I'm starting out the week super busy so that I'm not sad that my kids are in school and I'm all alone!

This morning I'm meeting Denise from Eat Play Love for coffee at our favorite spot in Arvada.  Gosh I love this girl!  She's a lot Democrat....I'm a lot Republican, she's a little bit granola...I'm a little bit city girl but we get along great because we're MOMS with the same goals for our families.

Then...I have a hot date with the Colorado PTA office.  WOOT!

I'm telling you...PTA Membership Chair is the perfect job for me.   I love it!

I came across this on Pinterest yesterday and I thought it was fabulous.  Couldn't wait to share it with you.

First Day of the Rest of Their Lives

Oh what a great day!

The first day of school!

I have to tell you....my feelings were hurt when we told Mallory that she had to pick one of us to take her to her first day and she picked iKeith.  I've devoted my life to her every waking moment and when she picks her favorite.

It wasn't me.

Actually, I think if she'd had a real choice she would have picked Aunt Bobbi. But she's not here.

iKeith took lost of pictures and video but there is one picture that has me laughing so hard.

The Stink Eye.

This little girl was getting too close for comfort.

In the end, she was very happy and said she couldn't wait to go back.  YAY!

Alex also had a good day even though I was worried sick about being away from him all day.  I was really concerned about lunch for some reason.  He is undecided on going back.  HA!  I told him he doesn't have a choice.

Now the question is....what do I do now?

On Cloud Nine

I'm feeling so blessed today.

School starts tomorrow and we just finished two nights of Kindergarten Orientation.  Alex wasn't terribly excited to go back to school until he walked into his new classroom and sat at his desk.  We set his school supplies down, he introduced himself to his seat mate and waved us away.

Keith and I attended a meeting in the gym, sitting with friends.  Ironically, Keith and Dan sat and giggled like two 6 year old boys and Margaret and I had to keep giving them the evil eye.  We skipped the parking lot tour....we're pros this year!

I put my name on several volunteer sign up sheets.  I'm excited that I have more time to spend in the classroom....helping out.  More time.

What am I going to do with all of this time?  You can bet I've got a list going....that's how I roll.

I returned to Alex's classroom to find him in the front row singing and dancing with the rest of the class.   You could see the confidence on his face!  He fell right back into the routine and he's excited for school to start.  I couldn't be more pleased!

Last night, we left Mallory in her new classroom and I was afraid she was going to cry.  She's been so excited the last few days!  She couldn't wait to see her desk for the first time and seek out two friends that she'd hadn't met yet.  But then the moment arrived and she looked scared.

We forced ourselves to walk away.

We skipped the meeting in the gym.  I told Keith the night before if he found Mallory's teacher and got her permission NOT to attend again, we'd go to dinner.  Based on how quickly he completed this task....I'm guessing he really didn't want to sit through that again. HA!

We returned from dinner to find the happiest little girl I've ever seen sporting a sticker on her shirt for being the first student to find all of the items in the classroom.  As we stood on the playground, enjoying cookies and lemonade, the principal and new assistant principal came by to tell us how amazing little Mallory was in class.  Ninety minutes and they already knew her name!

That's my girl!

Keith and I are mentoring four new families this year.   It has been such a great experience!  Imagine getting to share your love for your school with new people and answering their questions and helping them through a fearful experience!  Now I know how Mormon Missionaries feel.

You're going to love it.  This school is going to change your life!  

Keepin It Classy

My in laws are in town.

Since they've been here I've cheated on my diet twice.  

I blame the wine.

That is Robert finishing the box.  We don't like to be wasteful.  And we're a classy bunch!