Lucas' New Bed!

Back in May, I noticed that The Mattress King  in our area was going out of business.

We found an awesome deal on a very expensive mattress and walked out of the near-empty store with only a few seconds of thought.

For the past several months, he has been living on the floor.

(The sales lady assured us that a box spring was not necessary because there are no springs in them anymore, they are literally just a box.)

This was no big deal, since he is 3 and it doesn't bother him to lay down so low.

And with us being gone most of the summer, we had plenty of time to think about what we wanted for him.  We just had to figure out which way we wanted to go. 

Bunk beds? 

Nope!  Not as cool as you really think and he will outgrow them. 

So I sifted through the headboard options

on http://www.knock-offwood.com/.

I was feeling uninspired. 

I wanted something more.

But this summer, Ana posted something amazing.  

A storage bed frame with a super cool headboard modeled after a Pottery Barn version (hello $1000).

I love having storage options, and this knock-off was amazing!

After many days weeks of building, sanding and painting and drying, we are finally done!

The whole bed was painted a Rich Mohogany from Valspar.

I am not very good at staining and didn't want to risk "practice" on such a huge project.

We bought the quilt at Pottery Barn Kids with a giftcard.

(Have I ever told you how fabulous Discover card points are?  Okay, we'll talk soon!)

The green blanket on the end is the one I made from his toddler bed.

The bins are from Lowe's (in store only).

Now, Lucas is a proud owner of a brand new bed!  

I have never seen him sooo excited about something. 

He even insists on showing anyone who comes to the house! 

I will be posting the process and cost breakdown later this week, but wanted to share the final product!

Winner!

I was supposed to announce the winner of the magazine subscription on Sunday. 

But we had people over to our home until late...and socializing all weekend really wore me out!   

Besides that, ONLY ONE entry into the contest!

So Congratulations Tori!
You will be receiving the FREE subscription to Parents Magazine!! 
I hope you enjoy!!

Giveaway: Magazine Subscription

I love magazines. 
I think it goes along with my obsession with books, but that is another post for another time.

They are packed full of useful information.

They can be read in short increments without absorbing your full attention.

They are colorful and inspiring and thought provoking. 

In the spirit of my wedding anniversary (6 years!), I wanted to offer YOU, my wonderful readers a gift.
 
A SIX-MONTH Subscription to Parents Magazine.
Parents is America's leading family magazine offering tips, techniques and straightforward advice from childcare experts!  The magazine is one of my favorite reads each month!

Parents is NOT sponsoring this giveaway!  I want to share my love with YOU!


Would you like to win a subscription??

PRIZE : a SIX-MONTH subscription to Parents Magazine!

DESCRIPTION: Parents Magazine is perfect resource for the new mother, whether this is her first child or her fifth.

NUMBER OF WINNERS : One (1)

TO ENTER :  Leave a comment that says "I'm a parent!"  and one technique that you use with your kids when you feel like pulling out your hair!  Please leave contact information!

If you do not leave contact information, you will be disqualified from the drawing!


This giveaway ends on Saturday, August 28th at 11 pm EST.
Only one contest entry per email address.
The winners will be chosen at random and announced on Sunday, August 29th.

Until then, happy parenting!

The Men I Didn't Marry

The most recent book I completed was The Men I Didn't Marry by Janice Kaplain and Lynn Schnurnberger. 

First, don't judge.  I do like to read trashy mind candy books every once in a while. 
Second, I picked it up for $3 at my favorite discount store - the title was too intriguing to not buy!

As you can guess from the very explicit title, the main premise of the book is for a {divorced} woman to revisit the {long list of} men she did not marry.  

Although the book was not intended to be discussed in book clubs, as it isn't really thought provoking, I found myself with many thoughts.....not on the book, but on the men I didn't marry. 

Most people never discuss this unless something tragic - like a divorce - would make them revisit the men who could have been their soul mate.  Otherwise, if their ex-husband had been their soul mate, how did their marriage go sour? 
However, reading this book sent me back down memory lane with the flames who used to make my heart go pitter-pat.  Doing so comforted me with all the many reasons why my husband is my one and only.

I dated smart guys....funny guys....caring guys...athletic guys...tough guys...sensitive guys...
There were guys who offered empty promises. 
There were guys who offered promise rings (seriously, people - I turned it down!)
There were guys who were too full of pride to offer either.

I may easily say that my husband is the best of all the guys I ever dated in one compact being. 
Plus a little extra for good measure...

My husband and I are waking up to 6 years of married bliss (24Aug is our 6th anniversary!) - and I am still quite amazed at how everything worked itself out, falling into place. 

I am very blessed to have him as my partner in crime life.  And I am very blessed to have shared the last six years with the one who is the man I did marry.

I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Updates

I really wish I had more time to document all the things I want to share. 
Richard begins his second year next week, so hopefully that will free up a lot of time for me in the evenings. 

Let's do a quick run down....

Lucas said "Mommy!  Soon I will be so big I don't even have to go to school anymore!" 
Oh my child.  Mommy is having enough trouble with you going to preschool, much less thinking about when you are big enough to be done with school. 

*****

Another day, Richard was explaining to Lucas the different phases of school (after we drove past a new high school under construction).  Richard explained that there is college, where you go and learn and you don't go home at night because you live at your school. 

Lucas absolutely could not handle the information.

His little lip quivered and tears began to well in his eyes and he said "I don't want to go to college!  I want to stay at home with you forever Mommy!"

And my heart breaks again....

****

Lucas recently discovered REAL legos.  Like the mini ones that wind up all over the house like this...

Do you even see my child for the sea of legos??

Oh!  There he is!!

Playing with toys that are ages 5 and up! 

Meredith is still not potty trained as the summer is coming to a close. 

I am sad about it, but I acknowledge that if she were ready, she would be in her big girl undies....

She is as full of herself as ever. 

She is much more cuddly than Lucas ever was and I lavish in her kisses and snuggles. 

As for anything else I wanted to tell you, everything escapes me at the moment! 

Remind me to tell you about the yummy peach pie I made! 

Until then...

Preschool Report

I know this is coming kind of late, but I wanted to update you!

Lucas woke up Thursday morning with much excitement to begin his new journey in school.

I never imagined my child would be so happy to carry a snack in a lunchbox and a empty backpack on his back. 

He happily joined the other children and had a fabulous day!

(We decided to increase Lucas to three days a week since they had a spot open, so he went the next day too!)

I was grateful that Lucas was not like this poor kid....

On the other hand, I was subjected to a similar tantrum

from the child who is not going to preschool just yet...

Meredith was the ONLY child there throwing a tantrum

because she was being forced to LEAVE.

Oh My Mere!  You will be bigger soon enough! 

Please don't wish it away!

Preschool Prep

After much debating, agonizing, thinking, and sleeping-on-it, we decided to enroll Lucas in Preschool. 
We went to tour an area Preschool about two weeks ago. 

I wasn't EXCITED about the tour. 

I think I had set my expectations too high.  I think that my apprehension to let my (first) baby go to school kept me from seeing the school in its best light.

We felt very blessed that there were still spots available so close to when school commences.  Yet, for some reason, we still were going back and forth.

"The social interaction is important."

"He already knows a great deal the stuff they are going to cover"
(The focus is on letter recognition, shapes, colors, and numbers, all of which he knows already)

"Being away from us will be good for him, since he is so clingy and shy."
(He is our timid and nervous child)

Blah Blah.  You can probably imagine other reasons we came up with....

After much deliberation, we decided this opening was a blessing was intended for us, we couldn't decide how many days to send Lucas. 

We finally settled on two days.  9am - 12 pm. twice a week. 

We waited. and waited. and waited to see what days he would be assigned. 
We received his acceptance letter in the mail, along-side his teacher's name and his supply list. 

I was in shock!!
A supply list for Preschool?! 

I understand the reasoning behind it with being cost effective, being fun for the child, teaching responsibility for things....the thought of having to do so just had never occurred to me. 

Purchasing things, supplies, makes everything more real. 

We searched through sale papers to see where I could get the best value for my buck and left Wally World with an assortment of Crayola products, glues, and cleaning supplies.  Lucas chose a green pencil box, green scissors and a Shark folder. 

We had Orientation last night.  A list of approved snacks in a nut-free environment.  A schedule.  A ton of parents and kids and teachers.  A run-down of what your child would learn "to accomplish" during the year. 

Letters and colors.  Check!  Lucas can already do that!
Zipping their own coat.  Check!  Lucas can already do that!
Learning the Pledge of Allegiance.  Damn-it!  I have failed as a parent.

And that is where I lost it. 
I got teary-eyed.  I was lucky enough to hold it all in until after the kids went to bed. 

There is no turning back. 
I can't freeze time. 
Lucas is 3 years old with his very own backpack and lunchbox.....

His first day is on Thursday...

Peach Pickin'

By now, you should know we try to pick the in-season fruits when we can. 
(We missed berry and cherry season when we were out of town!)

We have visited Carter's Mountain Orchard before to buy peaches, pumpkins, and apples, but never for picking our own!!

Sunday was gorgeous, so we headed up the mountain to let the kids see where those glorious peaches grow. 

Daddy explained to Meredith how to choose the perfect peach.

Blemish free, feels firm but soft.

Never squeezing the peach to determine this information.

Lucas was ready to have a try.

But quickly decided that the gem was too tempting to pass up!

The peach was the sweetest and most glorious thing I have ever put in my mouth. 

My mouth is watering at the memory.

Meredith was jealous of her brother and

wanted a turn from the goods higher in the tree.

She refused to take a bite, but Richard did not have to be asked twice....

As we had filled our bag, I asked sweetly for Lucas to pretend to pick a peach.

He happily obliged, with the sweetest smile!

After we climbed back down the mountain to pay for our peaches,

we discussed the wondrous snack options waiting for us. 

Sure, we had eaten 3 peaches while we were picking. 

But were we really going to talk away without trying the most decadent dessert??

Peach Cider Donuts?!

They can't hold a candle to the Apple Cider Donuts, but they were delicious. 

We have since eaten (straight up) 6 lbs of peaches and returned for more!

Have you been peach picking this year? 

If not, you should consider it. 

Peaches are in season (here in VA) through August. 

Summer Shot

I decided I didn't want to bore you with the zillions of photos of my kids playing in the ocean and sandy shores.  And believe me, I have a lot. 

So moving on to my some of my favorites of the week....

We revisited Jockey's Ridge again - because....

it is great exercise for the kids who love to run and run...

the scenery makes for a great photo op!

it is fun and educational!

and it gave us an awesome family photo!

Really? 

I don't think I could have asked for a much more perfect photo!

and since I wasn't holding the camera, we got shots that wouldn't normally occur...

(by the way, Rich wasn't holding the camera because he only likes to take my photo if I look awful.)

and I forgot about prior planning and wore a dress again.

But I got an awesome shot with my brother!

And watched the sun go down with the most carefree beings in the world.

Bodie

We had never visited any of the lighthouses in the Outer Banks and decided to change that this year. 
After lunch one afternoon, we made the trek toward Bodie Island Light Station (pronounced body).

As noted from Wikipedia:
Bodie Island was originally known as Bodies Island or Body's Island since the area was originally settled by the Body family. Folklore, however, attributes the naming of the island to the dead "bodies" of the ships that ran aground and sunk off the Outer Banks in what is now known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

Richard researched the information, the directions and briefed us on the twenty minute car trip to the light house.

All the while, we looked to the sky to see if we could spot the top of the lighthouse in the distance.
We had no clue that the massive cast looking thing we saw was actually the top.

When we finally arrived, the entire building was wrapped with scaffolding for restoration.  Richard claims it didn't mention it on the website, however, I can see quite easily that it is listed on the homepage.  I am not blaming though....

We were slightly disappointed.  We built up our expectations too much for our first lighthouse experience. 
I tried my best to convince them that it was cool we were there during such an important time in the lighthouse's history. 

I was only able to sell Meredith on the idea.  Because a 2-year old understands these things. 

She posed for a photo for me.  She was my cooperative child this particular moment day. 

And that is the story of our non-visit to the Bodie Island Light Station. 

You can read more about the restoration process HERE.

The lighthouse will be complete in 2011 and will be open to the public.

Duning it up!

We made a trip out to Jockey's Ridge to visit the Dunes. 

 

The shape had changed significantly since our visit last year.

The wind was insane and I made note to not wear dresses anymore.

I am willing to post this photo because I acknowledge how hilarious it is.

The wind had scared Meredith and even lifted Lucas' short hair!

Not to mention the non-matching outfit Lucas had on.

The kiddos decided to venture down the huge hill....

Do you see them??

There they are!

and back down again!

And even with the cloudy sky, the sunset was still quite lovely.

But isn't everything when you are this close to the sky?