Sonshine & Lexi Loo

WE ARE MOVING!!!!

2010-03-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

Right down the street! haha! Well, let's say it wasn't a planned move, however an opportunity presented itself and we just couldn't resist. A family friend, Amy, has decided to relocate from Wise County, VA (6 hours away from richmond) back to Richmond to be close to her family. She has been staying with us for about a month while we searched for rental property for her.

During one such rental seeking drive, we came across a HUGE house for rent, it looked like someone was home so we decided to knock on the door and see if we could get any information. Well, lucky for us, the homeowner was there, cleaning and painting the house. Evidently the tenant had just moved out a few days prior. The house is 3 levels, each level is a separate apartment. The basement apartment is being rented out by the landlord's ex-husband who we have met. The main floor has 2 bedrooms and will be rented by Amy and the top level has 4 bedrooms which will be rented by our family. Each level has it's own kitchen and bathrooms and separate entrances if we so choose. However, Amy is such a part of our family, that we will probably all spend enormous amounts of time in each other's apartments.

There is a huge fenced in yard for my dog and Amy's dogs to run and play to their hearts content. We have a covered carport, and even a carport to wash our cars in!!! With a hose and buckets and everything! (can you tell I'm even excited about the little things?)

And the best thing! Sonny and Lexi's new school is literally across the street! So I got the call today from the landlord letting us know that she is letting us rent the house. We have to meet with her later this week to go over the lease agreement and move in date. But pretty much, she said we can start moving our things whenever we are ready. So while our family had not planned on moving anytime soon, the opportunity to save some money on rent and bills could not be passed up. Plus all the kids in our family will have their own bedrooms and our beautiful Lola will have a yard to safely run and dig in, along with 2 other playmates.

I can't wait to tell Sonny and Lexi, I just got the news and they don't know yet. They have been wanting to move to a new house and I can't wait to tell them that the day has arrived!!!

I have learned....

2010-02-16T11:19:00.001-08:00

These past few weeks have been extremely stressful for our family. One of the things that I always strive to do in my life is to learn from my trials and tribulations. I always try to find the underlying lesson in every event in my life. We can learn so much about ourselves and others during the "tough times". This post is going to be about what I have learned over the past few weeks.

1. Life is about Love (love for God and love for our fellow man)
2. Life is about trust (about trusting God to lead you through whatever He brings you to)
3. I have learned that no matter how long it has been since you have seen an old friend, it always does your heart good to spend time with them.
4. I have also learned that no matter how long it has been since you have seen an old friend, they always pop up right when you need them.
5. Laughter is the best medicine.
6. Snuggling with your kids is the 2nd best medicine
7. 10 minutes of rest and relaxation even in the midst of turmoil does wonders for easing the mind.
8. Spending time with others even when you don't want to helps keep your mind off the issues at hand.
9. Thinking constantly about your troubles does nothing except to magnify the fear.
10. When you stretch out an open hand to a friend in need, even when you, yourself is in need, it comes back to you tenfold. Never, ever resist the urge to truly help a friend in need.

Our lives have been tossed about the last few weeks, however the seas are calming as they always do. Life is always changing and evolving. Always either in the deep deep valley or on top of the mountain. What we must always remember is that no matter where you find yourself today, know that eventually it will change, it will get better and it will get worse. Life is constantly changing and it's hard sometimes to keep up with it all. We get overwhelmed, stressed, we cry, we scream, we lash out at others when we feel we have been hurt. But none of that matters, none of that helps, only the peace you get from God will carry you through your troubles. Maybe He is an old friend that you haven't spent time with in a while, I know it was like that for me. He reaffirmed in my life that He is there, He knows of my trouble and He's just waiting with open arms for me to ask for His help. Sometimes we question, "where is my God" when we are experiencing trials, but the answer is simple, He is always there, waiting for you....

Diamond Earrings and Glitter Nail Polish

2009-12-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

You know what I realized this afternoon while admiring my reflection in the mirror? I am wearing diamond earrings and sparkly glitter nail polish.... What a combination! TLC's "What Not to Wear" would have a field day with me! I was given a set of diamond earrings by my children for Christmas and Jason's daughter Sophia had painted my nails with sparkly glitter nail polish the day before during our girly nail painting party. The contrast between my glamourous earrings and the tacky nail polish made me see something very important.

At times I feel like I have been thrust into motherhood, helpless to the time that passes all too quickly and steadily trying to claw my way back to my youth that feels lost so long ago. I'm constantly covered in crayon, marker, strange nail polish, crumbs etc... My lap is wearing out from the constant rotation of bottoms sitting in it. When we make the decision to have children, we never truly realize the sacrifices we will have to make along the way. But we don't mind doing that, because the rewards are so much greater.

However, day by day, we notice in the mirror a new wrinkle or a sag here or there. Our lips that in our youth used to curl upwards seem to be fixed into a permanent frown... You long for the days when you were young and beautiful, (the way diamond earrings make you feel). Suddenly a gray hair peeks through the brown and you start to wonder what happened to that carefree girl that you once were...

Occassionally you will see her, peeking back at you in the mirror. You can tell by the twinkle of her eye, the smile playing on her lips, the giggle escaping her mouth... And you know that she is still there, still young, still carefree, just hiding. Hiding and laughing because she just saw you wearing diamond earrings and sparkly glitter nail polish....

Sunny days are coming....

2009-09-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how life works sometimes? One day something bad happens, something that hurts your heart completely and you aren't really sure how you are going to make it through. You think that every day that passes has to make it better. As you are putting one foot in front of the other, day by day, it doesn't seem to get better. Your heart still hurts and you aren't sure if you are ever going to feel "normal" again. Your heart says "i can't go on" but your mind says "keep trucking girl, we can do this". And you struggle to see the meaning in all your troubles, the reasons behind your heartache and you search for the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. The light that keeps getting smaller even as you move forward. You think you will never make it.

Then one day, out of the blue, you wake up and realize the sun is shining. You have stepped out of the tunnel without even realizing it. You suddenly can really see that this life is full of opportunity, possibility, meaning and hope. God has not forgotten you, He sees your troubles and your pain and promises to walk you through it all to get you to the other side. Today my sun is shining for many reasons. Even though people have taken advantage of my kindness and generosity and stepped all over my feelings in the process, I can take heart in the fact that there are better things in store for my life than cheaters and liars. Love is not lost, there is someone out there, ready to accept my kind heart. God promises it, and because of that, it is true.

I have decided to share this with the few (very few) people who read this blog. On any given day, there are countless women who share my burdens and face the same troubles that I do. I want those women to see this and know that no matter how bad you hurt today, no matter how many troubles you are facing today, tomorrow will be better. Hope is out there just waiting for us to grab onto it and take it and embrace it. Don't ever feel yourself to be unworthy just because someone chose to deceive you or hurt you. People like that are not what God has in store for your life. He has something wonderful and amazing in store, you just have to trust that He will provide it when He feels you are ready. It's frustrating waiting for it, but you have to trust that His timing is perfect. And it is simply perfect...

Rude people

2009-08-27T08:17:00.001-07:00

I just don't understand why some people feel the need to be rude. It's not necessary and it's definitely not conducive to any type of adult conversation. I'm trying to move on, really I am, but there are certain things that need to be taken care of when two people split up. Especially when those issues involve my bank account. So I don't think I am in the wrong in asking them to take care of those issues right away. So why do I get yelled at when asking? It's not that difficult to take care of, it involves one phone call, a phone call that I'm not allowed to make even though it involves my personal bank account!!! Trust me, I've tried and I hit a brick wall, a big brick wall, even with pleading my case to the customer service agent I am told that it doesn't matter the situation, his name is on the member account. It doesn't matter that it's my bank account. I am so frustrated. It doesn't make my happy in any way to keep picking up the phone and calling him to settle these things. What would make me happy is to have all of this done and me never having to talk to him again. So why be rude, just be an adult and take care of your business. So that we can both wash our hands of this ugly situation and move on to bigger and better things. Why make it more painful than it has to be?

The missing trash bag mystery

2009-08-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

I had a huge roll of trash bags in my laundry room. There had to be at least 30 trash bags on that roll. There were there on Saturday. I took the trash out this morning since it was trash day (monday). Then when i got home, i realized I had not put a new trash bag in the trash can. So i walk into the laundry room, reach up to the shelf where they are kept and.......

Nothing but air. What? where are the trash bags? I searched high and low and they were no where to be found. What could have happened to all the trash bags? Well, Chris moved his things out yesterday, maybe he took them. So I send a text asking "did you take my trash bags? I can't seem to find them" His reply "NO"

Well here is what I think about that. I think he's a liar. He lied about his kids, i'm pretty sure he lied about the reason why he didn't leave any money yesterday for the bills and I think he's lying about the trash bags!

Trash bag thief!! WTF?!?!?!?!? Now what kind of immature person would steal trash bags? Well i guess it's fitting, maybe he needed to stuff all his "trash" in it since he was moving out.

The heart

2009-08-23T16:55:00.001-07:00

We have an amazing organ in our body. The heart. It's what keeps you alive. Keeps the blood pumping through your veins so that you can complete another day's task. It also is strong. It can withstand 80 or more years of life. It's resilient, when taken care of, it can heal itself efficiently when harmed.

Isn't it wonderful, that your emotional heart has the exact same qualities? Your emotional heart can withstand so much over a period of time, that even when you think it's the end of the world, the heart keeps going. Over time, the hurt will go away, the resilient heart will heal itself. When you lose someone that you care about, particularly when someone chooses to leave you, you can take comfort in the pain.

Because no matter how much it hurts this day, tomorrow is coming. And it's a promise that tomorrow it will hurt less. That's the key to overcoming grief, sadness and pain. What will keep you going through today's pain is that tomorrow will take a small bit of that pain away. And over time, you will only have a faint memory of what it felt to love someone so much.

all things usually come to an end....

2009-08-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

I knew I shouldn't have posted anything about Chris.... It's over. He's moving out on sunday. The story leading up to this is long, complicated and painful for me, so it's easier to just say that things happened, trust was lost on both sides and now it's time to part ways. I'm upset, I haven't been able to stop crying and I'm devastated. However, I must pull myself up by my bootstraps and keep moving on. The worst part about all this was having to tell the kids that Chris will not be back and I don't know if we will ever see him again. Sonny seems to be taking it the worst, he keeps telling me that he's going to miss Chris and he's sad about that.

The only comfort I can take from this situation is that I know God has someone really special for me and when He is ready and He feels I am ready, then it will happen. My most important responsibility now is to my children and myself. I need to show them that it's ok to cry when you are sad but there comes a time when you have to take care of yourself. I need to tell them that no matter who else comes and goes in their lives that I will always be there and I will never leave them.

But it does hurt and it hurts alot. To have invested almost a year into someone that you truly care about and love, then to have them walk out of your life like they never loved you at all, it's painful. I want to tell him to come back and work this out, but I don't think that's the right choice. I'm scared that I want him to come back for the wrong reasons. I'm a good mom and I have raised my children for the last 6 years almost completely alone. I can do it again and for as long as it takes until the right person comes along. I think I'm just tired of running the rat race. Being a single mom is overwhelming at times and for a while it was nice having someone to share that burden with. But it goes to show that you can only depend on yourself, don't expect anyone else to be responsible for your happiness. That can only come from within....

More Pictures!

2009-08-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

Pictures, pictures, pictures!!!

2009-08-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

Oh my, where has the time gone?

2009-08-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

I am a terrible blogger, it has been over 6 months since my last post. I never even got Christmas pictures up! It is now August and we are getting ready to start the school year over again. This time it's Lexi's turn to leave the mother birds nest and head to kindergarten! I don't know if I will be able to hold the tears back this time for very long, my baby is growing up. A few news updates for everyone: We have adopted a dog. Her name is Lola, she is a 6 month old mix. We think she is part pit bull mixed with something else. But her demeanor is so relaxed and sweet that we are sure the pit bull part is very minimal. Here are a few pictures of her:

And for all of you wondering who that handsome devil is pictured with Lola, that is Chris. (well, it's hard to see him, the picture is so dark. I promise to post some better ones) He and I have been dating for about 6 months now and I have to say that he is a wonderful addition to our lives. Sonny and Lexi have really taken to him and he supplies that good father figure that the kids have been missing. We have actually known each other for about 16 years, he was friends with Anne-Marie growing up, and then they lost touch for many years. One day he walked into my office to fill out an application and remembered who I was right away. Then the story goes on from there.

The kids have been visiting their dad the last 7 weeks of this summer. They have spent the last 2 weeks with their Grandparents in North Carolina and will be coming home on sunday. I have missed them terribly and can't wait to see their shining faces and to see how much they have grown since I last saw them. They went camping with their grandparents to a place called Cherokee. It's an Indian reservation, i think and one night they had real Indians teaching people how to do authentic Cherokee dances. Sonny and Lexi were shy at first, but when one of the Indian's pointed to Sonny and said "You, with the mohawk, get up here and dance". Sonny did! I was told that the entire thing was on videotape and should be getting a copy when they come home. I can't wait to see it and post it for everyone.

I promise to post more updated pictures for everyone, now that we have internet at the house, it should be easier for me to keep up.

We're still here!

2009-01-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is terrible, I have not blogged in 3 weeks! Christmas has come and gone, Sonny's 6th birthday has come and gone and still I have not blogged. Bad, bad blogger.

Christmas was a whirlwind. We had Anne-Marie, Ian and Riley in town this year and it was such a pleasure to be able to have Christmas with the whole family. The new sunroom at Mom's house was finished just in time to be completely demolished with wrapping paper and boxes on Christmas Day. It took 3 hours to go through everyone's presents, halfway through, we all had to take a break just to get our energy back! Unfortunately, I still have yet to upload all the pictures we took.

Even though the kids got so many things, there was one thing that Sonny wanted, however he neglected to tell anyone about this wish until a few days before christmas, after all the presents had been picked out. It was a Nintendo DS. It was all he could talk about and I filed that thought away in my brain because his birthday was coming up in 3 weeks. Soooo... being the good mommy that I am, I convinced a few family members to help me come up with the money to provide this gift for him. $300 dollars later, we had the Nintendo DS, 4 games and Aunt Ashley gave him the coolest carrying case ever. It looks like a lunch box, complete with head phones, car charger, screen protectors, a Star Wars cover, Star Wars skins for his DS, and 3 new stylus pens that look like light sabers!!! And since he has gotten this gift this past saturday, I think that my child is suffering from "Can't hearitis" and possibly also "forgotten how to speak syndrome". I don't think he has said more than 5 words and those words were "thanks for my DS Mom." Other than that, he has been completely absorbed into his games.

Little does he know that he has provided me with the perfect leverage for his behavior. Don't want to eat your dinner? I'm taking the DS. Don't want to be nice to your sister? I'm taking the DS. Don't want to clean your room? I'm taking the DS. And it works....last night was the first test...and it worked like a charm. Not only am I the coolest mom in the whole world, I'm evidently one of the smartest too!

Life's experiences

2008-12-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

I copied this from Lemira's blog (thanks Lemira). I thought it looked really neat and thought I would try it on for size. If it's bolded then it's something I have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen an eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason - 3 dozen of them to be exact. That was a great day!
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby - two of em!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Pneumonia!!! Aaaacckkk!

2008-12-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

Hacking, coughing, runny noses and fevers. This seems to be the norm at our house this winter. Germs are running rampant at Sonny's school and at our house. Sonny caught a chest cold from school (we are assuming) and his chest cold has turned into walking pneumonia! Which basically is pneumonia but not severe enough for him to be hospitalized. Thank God for that! And of course the day that Sonny was taken to the dr and diagnosed is the same day I woke up with a scratchy throat and a cough. GREAT! Now I have caught the same chest cold that escalated into Sonny's pneumonia. And last night, guess who started coughing??? You guessed it, Lexi did.

So, Sonny is under doctor's orders to not go back to school until Monday. He's happy about that, cause that means he gets to stay home with grandpa all day! Yay for grandparents.

Despite all the sickness in our house, our spirits are surprisingly very high considering the severity of the sickness. It's the Christmas season and our days are filled with questions about Santa Claus and what we are going to ask him for christmas, construction paper chains to count down the days until christmas and a general thankfulness that this pneumonia is not as severe as it could have been.

I heard on the news this morning that a 4th grader in Henrico county, VA (not far from us at all) died yesterday of complications from pneumonia. I also heard that a young boy that lives across the street from our baby sitter was hospitalized due to complications from pneumonia and came close to dying. So I continue to count my blessings that my children's immune systems are strong and will fight off this bout of illness.

Kindergarten Turkey Day!!!

2008-11-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I will get emails from Sonny's kindergarten teacher. Usually they consist of an update on Sonny's behavior (always good), a reminder on a class project, or information on any fundraisers they are doing. However, I sometimes receive little gems in the form of pictures that I think I can use later on to blackmail my poor child. And now, I will share them with you all! Muwhahahahha!

Halloween Pictures!!!!

2008-11-12T11:19:00.001-08:00

Eating Candy with Grandma!

Halloween Day was "Wacky Hair Day" at Sonny's school. So we painted his mohawk red to match his red shirt. He thought he looked sooooo cool!

Trick or Treating at Grandma's house. She definitely gave them the most candy. It's what Grandma's do!

Thinking....

2008-11-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

A thought crossed my mind today. It was more a memory than a thought. I was reflecting on my post below regarding things that children say and was remembering some of the things that have come out of my children's mouths over the years and there is one memory that I will never forget. It was a defining moment in my life to hear Sonny say what he did. He put my mind back into perspective at the time of what was and is most important in life. Family. It's not about money or posessions or material things.

We were all sitting at the dinner table one night and to be quite honest I don't remember what started this particular conversation. I think it was because they didn't like the dinner that I had cooked for them and they wanted me to buy them McDonald's or something like that. I ended up losing my temper and telling them that We did not have alot of money, We can't afford to always eat out and buy nice things. WE ARE NOT RICH!!!

A moment of silence ensued and then Sonny piped up. "I'm rich Mommy, wanna know why?"

Me (exasperated): "Why Sonny?"

Sonny: "I'm rich because I have a family. That's all you need to be rich Mommy, didn't you know that?"

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have." Hebrews 13:5

Halloween!

2008-11-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, i am lazy! It's almost a week after Halloween and I still haven't posted any pictures.

Well, don't get too excited, I still don't have the pictures to post yet, but they are forthcoming, I swear!

I do want to fill you in on some cute trick or treating stories I have about Sonny and Lexi. Trick or Treating with them this year was a blast and I was happy to be able to take them. Sonny was Spider-Man and Lexi was Cinderella/a Princess. One of the first houses we walked to, an older gentleman opened the door with his wife and were telling Lexi what a beautiful princess she was.

Lexi's response: I'm not a real princess, it's just a costume.

The couple: Well, it's a beautiful costume but I bet you really are a princess to your mommy.

Lexi (indignantly and loudly shouted): NO I'M NOT, I SAID IT'S JUST A COSTUME! (angry face) Happy Halloween (said with a sweet smile on her face)

Luckily the couple had a sense of humor and got a good laugh out of her for that outburst. And I, red-faced and embarrassed, hurriedly ushered my children onto the next house.

A few houses down, another older gentleman handing out candy. As we are walking away, Sonny says "That guy was really nice" (probably due to the extra handfuls of candy he doled out) Then Lexi says "He was nice, I think I want to marry him......"

<~~~ shaking my head in utter disbelief.

I'm always amazed at the things my children say. At times, you have to marvel at the profound wisdom that they express in their thoughts and at other times, you just have to shake your head, laugh quietly and pretend that you didn't hear them...... for your own sanity

Ear Boogers

2008-10-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

We can always tell when winter is coming to our house in Virginia. It's foreshadowed by numerous trips to the dr's office for various ailments, mainly the common cold and ear infections. And once again, Lexi and I found ourselves sitting in the sick child waiting room at Dr. Abernathy's office today. For an earache.....

When Lexi was an infant she had tubes put in her ears due to the numerous ear infections that she had at such a young age. About 2 years ago, the tubes fell out of her eardrum (as they usually do) but the one in her left ear had lodged itself in her ear canal and would not fall out. The dr. was not concerned about it at the time as it was not hurting her or causing any additional infection, so we left it there. And every dr. appt they would tell us that it was still there. Well, today when Dr. Abernathy was looking in her ear, he realized that he was able to pull it out with some tweezers. He laid the tube on a piece of gauze and let Lexi look at it. Well of course it was covered in earwax.

In a horrified voice Lexi yells: "It's got boogers on it!!!!!"

The dr. said: "It's just wax Lexi.... do you want to take it home and show your brother?"

Well of course she did, anything icky and gross she has to share with her brother who usually doesn't share the same morbid fascination as her.

As the Dr. was writing up his ticket, Lexi and I were looking at it and since i was so amused at her "booger" comment, I said to her with the hopes she would repeat herself: "ewww Lexi, look at those boogers."

Lexi (with a roll of her eyes): "It's just wax MOM"

Excuuuuuse Me......

Reminders

2008-10-23T05:16:00.001-07:00

Sometimes in life, we all need to remember that our little one's growing up are still little ones. As much as we want them to become self sufficient so that they can assist with day to day activities and chores, we must remember that the process is slow and laborious. We cannot expect them to suddenly be able to accomplish things in the same amount of time that we adults can.

Case in point, this morning, as we are rushing out the door to get everyone to the sitters, school and work, and we are running late as usual. As I'm hurrying everyone to the car and urging them to "speed it up kids we have to go, we are late again." I was reminded by Sonny that "Mom, we are still little kids, we can't hurry as fast as you, maybe you need to slow down so we can catch up."

I have officially been put in my place.

There are times in life that this happens. We get so caught up in the day to day struggles to make it to work on time all the while making sure that everyone gets to the right places on time that we don't realize that life is not lived in the rush, it's lived by slowing down, taking a deep breath and making the moment we are in count. When the end of our lives comes, we will not be held accountable for how many times we arrived to work in a timely manner or how fast we made it out of the house in the morning to carry everyone off to school, we will be held accountable for how many times we slowed down enough to appreciate and behold the beauty of the moment.

Mucinex....

2008-10-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Lexi is sick.... She has a horrible chest cold that sounds so bad when she coughs, that it hurts me. I think Sonny has brought home his first set of germs from kindergarten and infected his little sister. I picked Lexi up early from the sitters yesterday and she was pale and had dark circles under her eyes. (poor baby.....) We went to Walgreen's to pick up some heavy duty cough medicine (Robitussin) but Lexi picked up a bottle of Mucinex for kids and wanted that instead. Because it had a pretty box (whatever). After reading the box and determining that this medicine would not kill my daughter, I decided to try it.

OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS STUFF!

After Lexi's first dose, she NEVER coughed again! Her face brightened up and after a good night's sleep without coughing once, the circles under her eyes are gone! She woke up this morning and said "Mommy, I'm not coughing anymore, I all better!" Little children are amazing, they bounce back so quickly after being sick that I wish I was able to do that. If I had that same cold, I probably would have been sick for a week.

The Spider Club

2008-10-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

I have officially been excluded from my first "club". The Spider Club. Which by the way is not a club i necessarily would like to be a part of , however, seeing at it was my loveable son who excluded me, my feelings are naturally hurt.

Sonny has a rubber spider that I'm scared of. I know, I know, it's not real, but it looks real and when placed in drawers, on floors and the bathtub, my first instinct upon seeing this thing is to jump, scream, run and find the closest bludgeoning tool to completely demolish the offensive spider. Well, rubber spiders don't smash, leading me to continue beating the poor inanimate object senseless all the while screaming "WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE!!"

Well, this past saturday, Sonny was tormenting me once again with his little spider and I had had enough. I told Sonny that I was tired of being tricked, that I didn't like his spider and I didn't want it anywhere near me anymore.

His response: "But it's not real Mommy, you can't be scared of a fake spider."

My response: "I don't care Sonny, I don't like it anyway, please get it away from me."

The last thing I hear as he is stomping away to his room: "FINE MOMMY, I'M STARTING A CLUB AND YOU AREN'T ALLOWED IN IT AND IT'S GONNA BE ALL ABOUT SPIDERS!"

cue door slam and you officially have witnessed that my son is exactly like me.

God save us all.....

Lexi Loo

2008-09-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

I just realized that i have not posted anything about Lexi since I started this blog! We have been so wrapped up in kindergarten that Lexi has not had anything exciting to write about. She's been so very good while we have all been adjusting to the new things going on. She has been on her best behavior and is even letting Sonny teach her all the new things that he has been learning in school. She still hasn't not made up her mind as to whether or not she wants to go to school. I think she changes her mind every day! Typical woman...

Time's flying...

2008-09-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, time seems to be flying by. With so much to remember and do now that the school year has started, i'm starting to wonder how much more my poor little brain can take! We have to remember to pack our lunch, pack "accident clothes" in with Sonny's bookbag, remember the red folder too Mom! The teacher gets upset if it's not included everyday so that she can send her "correspondence" home. Not to mention all the fundraiser information and field trip permission slips. And the bag of M&M's that i JUST NOW realized i was supposed to send with Sonny today!! Uh oh, poor Sonny, what is he going to do with such a forgetful mommy?

The girlfriend!

2008-09-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

Not even 1 day into kindergarten and Sonny has caught the "girl cooties". Yes folks, he has a (gasp of sheer terror) GIRLFRIEND! Sonny came home from his first day of school and when asked if he had made any friends, he gives me this sly little grin and says "yeah mommy.... and it's a girl!" Oh really? and what is this girl's name? "Uhhhh....i don't know yet..."

Well, we found out that the little girl's name is Karly, that she is the cutest girl in his class (she really is a cutie pie) and that within 4 days of this little child knowing my son, she already wants to marry him! And to top it off, her family lives right down the street from Mom and Glyn. Literally, right down the street, she rides his bus! Oh this is a heart ache waiting to happen. I am so happy that Sonny has found a friend to help him through his kindergarten jitters. He looks forward to school every day now and that's all i could ever ask for. And if it takes a girl to make him excited about school, well then by golly, go for it.

Now wouldn't it be funny, if many years from now, I was to look back on this blog and actually be able to say that Sonny married his kindergarten sweetheart? Nah.... I'm a cynic, i'm not sure puppy love can stand that test of time. but it would be funny....

First Day of School!!

2008-09-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

My little boy has grown up. As we waited for the school bus on Sonny's first day of school, Sonny was extremely quiet. He kept to himself and didn't say too much about being excited. Then from down the street we hear the rumble of an engine, a BIG engine.... it was the big yellow school bus. The brakes screeched to a halt in front of us and I felt a little hand slip into mine. "Walk with me mommy" he said. So I led my little boy across the street to the doors of the bus. Immediately he stepped into line behind the other "big" kids and waited for his turn to board the bus. I stood back and suppressed the urge to reach up and pull him off, he looked so little and lost up there. I choked back the tears and forced a smile on my face and yelled "Bye Sonny, I love you, have a good day." He didn't even look back as he found his way to a seat. Then the doors hissed closed and they were gone.

As the bus pulled away, I silently congratulated myself for not shedding any tears, I made my way back across the street and headed back to Mom and Glyn's house. Finally back at the house, Glyn looks at me and says "well Lisa, today is the first day of the rest of Sonny's life." Thanks alot, I hadn't thought that until you uttered those words. It wasn't until i got back in my car and called my own mommy on the phone, that the waterworks started. I had to ask, "did you cry the first day i went to school?"

I knew he would be just fine, that nothing bad would happen to him. But there comes a time when you have to cut the apron strings and let them experience life for themselves. I knew that there would be times when Sonny felt alone at school, that there would be other kids that wouldn't want to be his friend and then there would also be children that wanted to be his best friend. I knew there would be times that he would be scared and times when he felt like the bravest kid in school. But i couldn't shelter him from all the "not so nice" things he would experience, nor should I want to, as those experiences are what shapes us as people.

So I will say a little prayer every morning for Sonny. Lord, please keep my little boy safe this day, keep his mind open to learning new things, and meeting new friends. Place a hedge of protection around him and help him to remember how to treat others nicely. Keep his feet on the straight and narrow path and give him an enthusiasm for the new experiences he will be having. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

Kindergarten Orientation

2008-08-28T10:24:00.001-07:00

Sonny had his kindergarten orientation today. He was so super excited to meet his teacher and see his classroom. We all met in the cafeteria to hear the principal speak to everyone and the principal made the comment that he was looking forward to meeting every child and knowing them all by name. All i could think of was "I hope you won't know my son by name, that might mean he's in your office too much." But Sonny is such a good kid that i know that won't be a problem for him.

Sonny seemed to only notice all the "pretty girls" that are in his class. I had fingers planted firmly in my ears at the first mention of that. I mean, he is only in kindergarten, we are not prepared for girls yet!!

Then it was time for the children to go with their teachers to see their classroom, as soon as Sonny's teacher's name was called, Sonny jumped up, ran to his teacher, got in line and stood very still waiting for the next instruction. He looked like an old pro up there. I couldn't help but want to run up to him, snatch him up and take him home. Mommy is definitely not ready for her little boy to be getting so big. He was so brave meeting all these new people.

The PTA will be hosting a "Boohoo Breakfast" for all the parents on the first day of school. It will be a time for the parents to meet each other and they made sure to let us know that there will be lots of tissues in case we need them. I am definitely considering attending the breakfast but I think I will keep my tears to myself that day. (If I'm able.)

School's In!!!

2008-08-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. Sonny is starting school in less than a week. He's so excited to be starting kindergarten. Every day he asks me "Mom, how many more days till school starts?" And every morning i tell him "7 more days Sonny.", "6 more days Sonny." and so on.

He thinks that's too long.

I'm thinking, where did all the time go? just yesterday, he was a tiny helpless little baby whose diaper i had to change every day and bottle feed and carry everywhere. Who is this child who is brave enough to ride the bus all by himself? Who is this child that is already telling me that I can't give him kisses in front of his "new friends"?

Of course, i won't tell his "new friends" that he is still the child that has to sleep with the hall light on every night, that he's the same child who whispers in my ear "you are the best mommy in the whole world and i love you". He can tell me all he wants that he's a BIG kid now, but deep down i know he will always be my little man, my baby, my son.

Cousins!

2008-08-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Sonny and Lexi with their brand new baby cousin Riley. Who by the way was one of the inspirations in deciding to create our own blog.

Our very first blog!!

2008-08-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

Well, i decided that our family needed to step into the 21st century and start a blogging adventure. Everything that we do nowadays is online, so why not chronicle our lives on here also. So bear with us as we learn the ins and outs of blogging and i hope that you enjoy our story!