station wagon memories

It's funny how life's memories pop into our heads at the least expected times of our lives. It's like they are friendly reminders of where we came from. Yesterday was my day for a trip down memory lane. With the hopes of today's weather FINALLY being normal, I found myself being transported back in time to the days when my family and I would pile into my mom's old station wagon. The ones with the way way back..you know where the seat faces the opposite direction. Dad would always roll down the window creating a funnel of wind. My brother and I would laugh as our hair blew this way and that, struggling to hear each other over the breeze and our giggles. My sister would sit in the back seat, annoyed at our squirming. Though, I suspect she secretly loved these times too. Mom and Dad would be up front, navigating the way. We would tell jokes and stories, filling the car with laughter. I think the best part was that we had no where in particular to go. We just drove. Though I must note the one trip we took where my brother and I were in the back seat just enjoying the ride when he suddenly tapped me on my shoulder making weird hand gestures. Me being me, I thought he was playing some sort of game. NOPE! He then proceeded to throw up all over the backseat. Awesome!

Those are the moments (excluding Dave's vomit episode) that are etched in my memory making me love and appreciate my family even more. I can't wait until Lane is grown and has memories of his own(hopefully good ones!)

Singin' kiddos=lots of laughs

Last night was Lane's very first school program. It was my first real school function where I was mom, gawking at my kiddo! Lane was excited to sing and I was excited to gawk :) It too, was Dave's first parenting function. He was a bit overwhelmed to say the least. Kids from k-2nd grade all in one room. Noise. LOTS OF NOISE met us as we entered the auditorium. We quickly got our kiddo situated with his class and rushed to find a seat. I was so stinkin' excited that I could hardly contain myself! My boy is growing up and he's growing into a mighty fine boy at that!

The show began with the kindergartners. WHOLLY CUTENESS! Our Bubba was front and center in the front row! I was a proud mama bear! He was trying so hard to keep his cool, to not let us see him smile. You know how it goes, kids can't show their love for their parents in front of the other kids. It's that kid code that can't be broken. We did, however, get a slight wave of recognition. Guess we will take what we can get!

The show went on without a hitch. I even found myself singing along to The Muffin Man, Miss Mary Mac and Skip to My Lou. Oh the memories of childhood! I loved every moment of it and can't wait for more to come!

On a side note...since Lane has so many nicknames, he has decided to change his name to
Lane Bubba Tater Chowderhead Tuve. Just an FYI if anyone sees him soon! :)

Happy Wednesday!

Bridezilla moment

I guess it was bound to happen at one point or another. I had a moment of agitation during the whole wedding planning stuff and wasn't very nice to a lady on the phone. Though I am sure she is not reading this, I'm sorry to the customer service lady who I yelled at because their store no longer carries the glasses I wanted! I have since been able to find some others. I think my whole OCDness and quest for perfection in my vision sometimes clouds my judgment. Example, when Lane's birthday cake shifted in the box on the ride home, I freaked! We're talkin' super anxious, on the verge of getting a new cake freaking. To most people, this would not be an issue. To me, it made my blood pressure rise! So today's ordeal brought on the same feelings of anxiety. The fact that I did, however, order something different than intended is a good move. My anxiety will eventually diminish and stupid glasses play no merit to the way my wedding day will turn out! Now, if only I could have thought of that whole idea during my panic session!

He has RISEN!

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, a day for rejoicing for the resurrection of Jesus! It was a beautiful day to boot! I told Dave that it always seems to be beautiful on Easter Sunday. Maybe old mother nature gets the importance of the day too and brings on the sun! Anyhow, yesterday was a great day with worship, family, food and laughter. Lane was successful in finding all of his eggs that Mr. Bunny left strewn throughout the house. He is now officially set for his candy stash until Halloween!

Today's post is a short and sweet one! Hope you all enjoyed your holiday doin' what you do!

Flying in heaven

Though the memories from the trip to Boston are many, one of my favorites had to be on the flight. Dave and I were enjoying each others company for the majority of the trip. I read my book while he piddled with his ipad. Both just happy to be together, on our way. Prior to our decent, I happened to look out the window to see the beauty of the clouds. They seemed so perfect. Fluffy. Heavenly. I found myself wondering if this in anyway was what heaven really looked like. I half expected angels to appear sitting on puffs of clouds. It was magical. Peaceful. I loved it. We were caught in that moment between sunset and dusk. I wish I could find adequate words to describe the beauty found in the suns departure while the moons glow began to stregthen. A deep sigh of contement was all I could muster at the simple sight of God's work. The beauty that he supplies us with each day is amazing! It is these simple things that so many of us take for granted each day. I felt so lucky to be there, in that moment to experience that simple pleasure :)

Post Vaca blues

Yep, I got 'em. I have the post vaca blues :( BOO! I am missing Boston today. I am missing the sounds, the hussle, the scenery, missing it all. I have to say that this trip is by far at the top of my vacation list. When I woke up to Boston around me, I felt amazing. (We will get to the journey that it took to GET to Boston at another time). Just being there you feel like you are kind of lost in time, back in history. The brick streets and sidewalks added to the feel. The city is filled with little narrow streets, holding so much history within them. As Dave and I walked one afternoon under the sky's drizzle, I couldn't help but think of how many generations of people have walked on these same bricks. I was fascinated.

That afternoon, we made a stop at the Green Dragon Tavern . It was found on one of those tiny little streets, brimming with history. History it definitely had! As it was the building where the Boston Tea Party was formed! REALLY?! I sat there for a second, with my Blue Moon in hand, thinking how incredibly insane that was! The bartender proceeded to tell us that the building next door was owned by John Hancock! WOW. I have never been the history buff, but found myself want to know more about the city and the stories that it had to tell.

It was definitely hard to leave Beantown and I can not wait to go back! I know I will need some cannoli's and some amazing food in my future!

Back from Beantown!

Hey all! Sorry for my short hiatus, as I have been in Boston with Dave as he ran the Boston Marathon! I have a ton of stories from our trip and can't wait to share some pics! We both fell in love with Boston. The food, people, architecture, atmosphere. You name it, we loved it! It was hard to come back home but was sooooo nice to get a hug from my little man! I missed him a ton!!!

I will definitely update more tomorrow, just wanted to check in and let you all know I'm still kickin'! How has your week been? I would love to hear!

It's a Birthday!

Today is Lane's 6th Birthday! It is a big step in the birthday journey, as he is not just one whole hand old but has moved on to the second! I think back over the last 6 years and am in awe of the young boy he is turning into. Lord knows he has his share of struggles as my child and I as his parent. Yet, the love that we give each other each day is something that can't be measured in quantities or or amounts. The level of my love for him is deeper, more profound than any love I have ever experienced before. That moment, 6 years ago, holding him for the first time...it was love. Pure, effortless love.

Each year, his excitement for his birthday has grown. He knows the day is centered around him (something he loves) He knows people need to bring presents and that he gets to eat his fill of cake. This day is his bliss! We are in the works for a major shindig tomorrow. Mario Brothers is the theme! We have cups, we have napkins, we have plates, we even have stick on fake mustaches. Who can have a Mario Brothers party without the mustaches?!
I know Lane can't wait until his party and honestly, I can't wait either!

I leave today saying Happy Birthday to my babydoll. I love him to the moon and back and more than all the stars in the sky. My life is blessed in more ways than I could have ever imagined all because he was brought into it :)

Bumps in the road

Lane has been on his medicine or about 3 weeks now. Saying these past weeks have been an adjustment is quite an understatement. Lane, Dave and I have been on a roller coaster ride trying to get his dosage evened out. After starting, Lane was wound tighter than a yo-yo, unable to calm down at night. A quick call to his Dr and we cut that dosage in half in order for his body to become acclimated to the medicine. He seemed to do great on the new dosage and after several days we felt comfortable enough to move him back to the full dosage. All seemed to be going well until the evening when he would begin to come off the medicine. Almost instantly, Lane would turn on a dime and scream in rage, throw things, kick, yell, you name it. Honestly, it was as if I was looking at someone else's child. On his worst day pre medicine, he had NEVER acted as he was then. Dave and I found ourselves restraining him until he was able to calm himself down enough just to complete the tasks we had asked of him.

As his mom, I felt a huge amount of guilt for putting him through these struggles. I doubted my decisions and doubted my parenting in general. Who would do this to their kid? Who could sit by and see their child with such inner turmoil all because I decided that we would try the medicine in the first place. Needless to say, I called the doctor ASAP in the morning, to try to see where to go from here. He told me that it was ok to go back to the half doses, as they seemed to work just as well and Lane experienced little if no amount of "crashing" at all.

So here we are, half doses every morning. He has seemed to be doing good so far. He even spent the weekend with his dad for the first time since being on the meds. I haven't yet asked him if he too saw a difference in Lane's behavior and focus while on the medicine. Though, I am expecting to hear good reports. It is was so incredibly hard to let him go away this weekend, not knowing how his dad would react to Lane if he did indeed have a major meltdown. It is no way putting down his parenting, it is simply that he has not had to face the circumstances that Dave and I have had to deal with on a daily basis. It is so easy to tell someone situations that you go through, but in reality, they have not a clue until they go through it themselves.

Life after training wheels

Lane learned to ride his bike this weekend without two very important accessories...his training wheels. This has been an idea for quite some time, yet something he wasn't quite ready to partake in. He has been afraid to fall. Afraid to fail. And so, his rides continued with his safety net. This weekend, however, was a different story. Dave and I played up the whole "no training wheels" idea BIG TIME. Just like that, Lane was on board and helped Dave take of the wheels. Without hesitation he got on and away we went. Dave and I took turns riding behind him until he found his balance. Then...he was on his own. Pedaling away. Wow. Throughout, he definitely had his share of struggles and frustrations but always got back up and on. Before we knew it, he was riding like a pro. Feelings of sadness that this is yet another milestone he has hit, yet deep pride in his ability to not give up and try until he accomplishes his goal overcame me. Seeing the joy in his face. The excitement. It was all priceless.

Lane's journey to ride without training wheels made me think of how many of us live our lives with a certain cushion or set of wheels gently guiding us through. So many of us are afraid to fail, to hurt, to feel. We put up these walls for protection, yet in that process miss out on so many other things that life has to offer. I know that I am definitely one of these people. I have lived my life with wall upon wall erected around me. These walls were made to protect me from the negative, but in turn, have also kept me from many positive things in my life. So, I think it's time to put on my hard hat, grab a mallet and start punching them down.

Maybe today is a chance for all of us to take of the training wheels. To live today without our cushion, allowing us to feel what is out there.

Happy 1st Day of April

Today is Friday, FINALLY. Also, today is the first of April, meaning pranksters are up to no good! I myself have never cared for April Fools day for 2 primary reasons. 1) I am never clever enough to think of something to do 2) I don't like being pranked. YES, you can call me a poor sport, but I have never gotten into the whole practical joke thing.

Today though, it was quite amusing to see my boss walk into his office and have everything turned upside down and drawers switched around. I was definitely not the mastermind of this sneaky plot. Though others succeeded in fooling him, I found myself feeling for him when he rearranged his drawers. See, he too is OCD like me, and my anxiety level went up just watching him reorganize!! He though, is a much better sport than I, and quickly went into retaliation mode. Not sure what he has planned for pay back!

This day always reminds me of my brother and his love for the "holiday". The best one he pulled on my was putting serane wrap between the toilet seat to catch my tinkle! Punk. It does make me laugh today though.

Today is also mine and Dave's 1 yr anniversary! He hasn't gotten rid of me yet! In 190 days, it will be legal and he has to keep me FOREVER!

Have a great weekend!