I'm Baaaaaaaack

Sorry, my lovelies, for not posting since LAST MAY! We've had quite a year (2011) and one of my goals (I refuse to have resolutions) for 2012 is to write more...about my family, my feelings, the world, friends, funny things, sad things....whatever I'm feeling. Stay tuned... :)

Mother's Day

Today was a wonderful Mother's Day. Jason and the boys gave me very sweet cards, beautiful lillies and cooked breakfast. I went wine tasting with my Mom yesterday and we had a nice time to talk, visit and laugh. Today we had brunch at Brad and Mary's (Jason's brother)...my mother-in-law, Bev, was there and gave me a beautiful hanging basket. Mary cooked crepes and a very nice brunch. This Mother's Day I've been reflecting on women I admire so much most as mothers...



My Mom - You taught me so many things....too many to list, but the one thing that really sticks out is how you went back to college later in life, got your accounting degree, passed the CPA exam and had a very successful career. You paved the way to my career and you also taught me that I could do anything....you did. You went back to school with two busy daughters, a husband and a house to care for and did it, successfully.



Bev - You have been my mother-in-law for almost 10 years and I very much admire your willingness to go to the ends of the earth to help, lend an ear, encourage and show your love for your family. I am blessed to have you as a mother-in-law.



Mary - TECHNICALLY, you are my sister-in-law, but I think of you as a sister. I admire how calm and loving you are with Willem and the way you seem to balance everything with ease and grace. I feel truly lucky to have you in my life. I love our talks and our ability to relate to each other's experiences.



Holly - My sister....for someone who way back in the day never wanted kids, you are a wonderful, dedicated stay-at-home mom to Cooper and have another baby (A GIRL!!!!) on the way. Being a stay-at-home mom is sooooooo admirable and you continue to amaze me at how well you do it.



Chaney - You became a single mom when Logan was only 3 years old. For the past 8 years you've been through a lot and you have managed to raise a sweet, kind, loving child. Logan is a JOY and you should be so proud. Your close relationship with Logan is really amazing to watch...it inspires me to strive to have that same relationship with the boys (where they feel comfortable to tell me anything). I love the amazing friendship we have formed and nurtured since we met as 2nd graders at Naches Trail Elementary. We are able to share our experiences and help each other through this crazy life. Logan is the boys' idol....I love that he fills that "big brother" role for them and is such a good example. I know our boys will always be there for each other....forever.....just like us.



Jen - I am in awe of how loving, patient and involved you are with your children. You always put them first....always. Despite us living on opposite coasts for 18 years of our almost 24 years of friendship, we have always kept in touch by phone and have been there for each other through tough pregnancies, and various child-raising issues. I love that we are able to share so much...I look forward to our kids growing up together (hopefully) and I hope they will grow up to be as good a friends as we are. I will always be grateful for meeting across the fence when we became neighbors in Roy when we were 6th graders...our friendship was meant to be.



There are so many other moms I really admire...Lisa, Jenny, Amy, Tina, Debbie, Sara, Linne, Laura, Stacey.......and the newest mom I know, our cousin Jaime, who delivered baby Henry James Graves 8 weeks early - these next 6 weeks will be emotionally draining, I'm sure, but he is a beautiful baby and I have no doubts that he will grow quickly and surprise us all at how strong he is.



I am also constantly inspired by many of my facebook friends...even though we might not see each other on a regular basis, I love being able to share motherhood and other life experiences with them.



I am grateful to my loving husband, Jason, who is an excellent father and gave me the gift of motherhood. I feel so blessed to be the mother of John Adam Drury and Ethan Timothy Drury....here is a photo of the day I became a mother. This was the first picture taken of me with the boys who were less than an hour old.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day and takes time to reflect, and be grateful, for our children, our moms, and people to fill the roles of mother in our lives. God bless!

People

Sometimes your kids just say something that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and feel like we must be doing something right. The other day in the car, John said something about the long car drive to Chelan that is coming up this weekend....asking questions about Chelan, what's there, etc (we're spending a few days there vacationing with my parents). Then, out of nowhere, my sweet Ethan said...and I quote "Johnny - places don't matter...it's the people that matter most...the people we love like Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa". John then said, "yeah".

Brought a tear to my eye and made me so proud of our soon-to-be 5 year olds. Melts a mommy's heart!

Petty Theft

Well, first of all, I think we all probably experienced this as a child (not jail, but "petty theft"). Stealing a pack of gum at the grocery store, taking something without permission, etc.

Yesterday, we got home from school and Ethan pulled out of his pocket a little plastic monkey. I didn't recognize it and asked him where he got it. He told me that he got it from school. I asked him if his teachers told him it was ok to bring it home and he gave me a blank, guilty look and said "ummm....ummmm....I don't know". After a brief chat with Daddy, we decided to teach him this lesson early nip it in the bud right away. We sat him down and explained that taking something that doesn't belong to you is stealing. It would have been ok if he had the teacher's permission, but he didn't. He cried and told us he was sorry and he wouldn't ever do that again.

SO.....this morning when I took the boys to school, I made him walk up to his teacher, give her the monkey, tell her what he had done and say he is sorry. I got the feeling this has happened with other kids before, because she handled it, in my opinion, perfectly. She told him she accepts his apology and thanked him for telling her and bringing it back. She reiterated how important it is to never take anything that doesn't belong to you unless you have permission.

We hope he learned his lesson. He was brave to face the teacher (and us) and tell the truth, and for that, we're very proud. Hopefully it made a lasting impression on him and this won't ever happen again.

Teaching our kids to do the right thing and be honest when you've done wrong or made a mistake is, in my opinion, one of life's most important lessons. I pray that we handled it right!

Young Love

Well, it seems that this whole "young love" thing starts really, really early (especially for girls). Apparently, there are several girls in the boys' Montessori class at school (all 4 and 5 year olds) that say they "love" one of the boys and that they are going to marry them.

It turns out, Sascha, one of John's friends at school, has proclaimed her love for him and announced at circle time that she is going to marry John. Of course, Ethan has decided to tease John in the annoying "John's got a girlfriend, John's got a girlfriend...neener neener neener" type tone. I asked John what she says and he told me "she tells me she loves me all the time - I like her Mom and she's my friend, but she says we have to get married". I explained to him that he's 4 and doesn't need to be worrying about getting married...it's ok to just be her friend. Curiously, I asked him "what do you say when she tells you she loves you" and he said "NOTHING....I say nothing".

Yesterday on the drive home from school, John asked me if I would help him made a mermaid when we get home. He then said "Sascha loves mermaids...she'd really love it". How could I turn down my boy? So, I drew out a mermaid and cut it out. He colored it and then put it in an envelope....I helped him write her name on it and he wrote "from John". This morning at school he was so excited to give it to her and I only wish I had my camera (or better yet my video camera to capture Sascha's reaction). She absolutely GUSHED and said "oh Johnny....thank you"...then she hugged him and began to show the mermaid to EVERYONE and refused to put it in her cubby because she wanted to carry it with her all day.

Obviously it's harmless and very innocent, but am I crazy, or is 4 YEARS OLD a little young for this?!?

John - our little Romeo....

Mommyhood

I make mistakes being a Mom...sometimes more mistakes than I would like to admit. But, I will always be there for you, to hear you, to cheer you, to laugh or cry with you, to protect you with my life, and to love you for eternity with all my heart. No one will ever love you more or more unconditionally than I will, I'm your Mom after all :).

I'm not Supermom....far from it, but I sure try hard. I love you to the moon and back.

Boney Apple Teet

This morning in the car, the boys clinked their granola bars together and John said "boney apple teet". I didn't bother to tell him it's "bon appetit". I got a good laugh out of that one!

First Report Cards

This week the boys got their first ever report cards for their first trimester of Montessori at St. Patrick School. They both had all positive marks and their teacher had the following comments (she really nailed their personalities to a tee):

Ethan:

"Ethan is a pleasure to have in class. He loves a project, and takes real pleasure in his work. Ethan loves all the children in the class and is especially drawn to the older boys. He loves being the center of the boy action and is learning who to play with without being rough. He is making good friends and learning the routine of school. Ethan's fine motor skills are progressing and we will continue to push him in this area hoping to see him writing his name better in the next trimester. Ethan is a bright light in our classroom."

John:

"John is a quiet sweet boy who is progressing well in class. He is working well in the area of the curriculum. His writing is improving rapidly as he works hard in this area to develop his fine motor skills utilizing practical life exercises and writing activities. John is a keen observer of the classroom routine and this allows him to grasp new lessons quickly. He is starting to make more friends as he cautiously branches out of his comfort zone. We will continue to challenge him in language and match as the year progresses. John is a great addition to our class."

So proud of our boys. Way to go John and Ethan!

Pride

I write a lot about how proud I am of my two beautiful boys and my wonderful husband and then I usually go on to beat myself up on the inside about how worried I am that I'm not doing a good enough job as a wife, mother, friend, co-worker, etc. Some of this is just part of my nature and something I will have to fight my entire life, but I also have some control over how I feel about myself.

Today, at this moment, I feel proud. Of myself. Proud that I've supported my husband emotionally to the best of my ability through a long period of unemployment due to the economic recession. Proud that we have a loving marriage that has lasted 9 years and going strong. Proud that we together are raising amazing, kind, sweet, polite children. They are wonderful because WE are doing a good job...I'm proud that I'm a good mother. I'm proud of the woman I've become. I'm proud of how hard I work to provide for my family. I'm proud that I am able, through my career, to hopefully help people through very difficult times.

My hope for this next year is that I can continue to be proud of myself. I will, in my moments of self-doubt and worry, look back at this post, and remind myself of how I feel in this moment, today. I deserve it.

Christmas Tree Hunt - 2010

This year we decided to get 2 Christmas trees. We have room for a large tree in our entry way and since we're having a Holiday party this year, we decided to get our regular tree (around 7 feet tall) and a large 11-12 foot giant. Our day started off well....getting the kids bundled up and ready. We stopped by Jason's mom's house ("Nana") and followed her to the tree farm. Long story short, we found two amazing trees and had a really great time (we even managed to get some good pictures throughout the day).

All bundled up and ready to go...

Mommy and the boys at the tree farm in front of a huge Cedar tree...

Daddy and his boys...this is one of my new favorite pictures...

Our family in front of our 12 foot Christmas tree (prior to cutting it down and trying to get it loaded):

Mommy, Nana and the boys...

Mommy and Ethan having a snuggle in the tree farm...

A great day was had by all and we found both of our trees...2 beautiful Noble Firs. Will post more pictures once we get them all decorated. I love my family!

Thankful

This past week was Thanksgiving and I've been reflecting lately on just how much I have to be thankful for. For me (I don't know how it is for anyone else....or if anyone reads my blog at all), but I am the worrying type....I worry about things that happen, don't happen, might happen and probably won't happen. Unfortunately, I tend to focus more on the negative and let it drag me down instead of focusing on all of the wonderful blessings I have received, all the wonderful people in my life and just how much I have to be THANKFUL for. The goal I've set for myself is simple....worry less, live more. Live happier. Live without worrying about what bad things might (but probably won't) go wrong. Know that when things do go wrong (as they will at times) that it always gets better...usually very quickly. Know that, in the end, my wonderful family and friends are all that truly matter in life.

Happy Halloween!!!

John & Ethan,

We CANNOT believe this year was your FIFTH (be still my heart) Halloween! This year was really the first year you decided (on your own, with no prompting from Mommy and Daddy) what you wanted to "be".

John, my sweet boy...you decided to be Thomas the Train. You are currently on the verge of obsessed with Thomas the Train...you love all things Thomas (videos, toys, books...we even have a Thomas alarm clock. My little man...you looked simply adorable.

Ethan, my little lovey...you decided to be Batman this year. We still aren't sure where this decision came from unless someone at school also likes Batman (we don't recall you ever seeing the Batman movie or really anything Batman, but you must have picked it up somewhere). You were the cutest crime-fighter I've ever laid eyes on.

2 little piggies...Halloween 2006 (you were only 5 months old):

2007 you were Pooh and Tiger (and NOT happy about it):

2008 you were the cutest dalmations there ever were:

2009....John was "The Cat in the Hat" and Ethan was "Kung Fu Panda"...cute, cute, cute.

2010...Batman and Thomas the Train.

Can't wait to see what you'll choose next year.

Love,

Momma

Need for Help

I, thanks to my cousin Michal, follow a blog called Momastery....the woman that writes this blog, Glennon, is simply amazing. She wrote an article last week about bullying that grabbed my heart and squeezed. Her PROFOUND call for love and acceptance (not just tolerance) of others was inspiring and such a good example for everyone, in this Mommy's humble opinion. Her love for her son is unending and unconditional and that's the kind of Mom I am too. Her blog post entitled "A Mountain I'm Willing to Die On" is just about the best thing I've ever read in my life....EVER. This world would be a much kinder and more loving place if there were more people like this woman and I vow to strive every day to make sure to teach my kids lessons of love, acceptance, celebration of our differences...the best way to "teach" this, as Glennon writes, is to live it...be the example. Our children are our mimics....be the example.

Following is a link to her blog...

http://momastery.blogspot.com

This morning, when I checked her blog, I was brought to tears about a guest post about a friend who's 22 month old baby daughter, Evy, has an aggressive form of brain cancer called AT/RT. I cannot imagine what this family must be going through. They are complete strangers to me, but will be included in my prayers and if there is any way I can help, I'm going to. They have set up a donation link to make monetary donations and they also have contact information if you would like to donate something for a "silent auction" fundraiser they are having this month. To donate or read more about Evy and her family, following is a link to their facebook page...

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111857755534457

I am so inspired by Glennon and her passion for her family, her friends, God and every human being. We should all be doing our part, like Glennon, to make this world a more loving and accepting place.

XOXO,
Shelley

Canning Grape Jelly

I grew up with a Mom that loved to can. She canned everything from pickles to pears to peaches and lots of other things. I love continuing this sort of dying form of cooking. I love canning dill pickles in the fall and this Fall, we decided to make homemade grape jelly from the grapes that Nana and the boys picked from the cabin. All in all, we've canned about 40 jars or more of grape jelly. I love that we can control the sugar and can make jelly we can use for years to come with no preservatives. Jason and the boys were a big help...here are some pictures from our day of canning.

Cooking down and mashing the grapes...

The boys helped with the mashing (while making funny faces)...

John working on mashing the grapes...

So proud of himself...

The approx. 3 gallons of juice we made to start the jelly-making process...

About 1/2 of our final product...

We all had a great time and it was a fun activity for the whole family. We'll be making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the next 5 years :).

Gotta Keep 'Em Separated...

So, after sharing a womb and then a room (haha...I made a funny), the boys are finally ready to have their own bedrooms. The boys are ready to have their own space, but we also need to separate them so they will sleep better at night and go to sleep FASTER. These past few months have been tough...every night bedtime is a struggle where they either cry and meltdown because they "don't wanna go to bed" or they make it into a playtime session of playing with their toys, jumping on the bed, etc (you get the picture).

The past few nights Ethan has slept in the guest bedroom and the boys have gone to sleep so much faster and easier. They also don't seem to have separation anxiety with each other, so it's been pretty easy. This weekend we're focusing on starting to turn the guest bedroom into Ethan's room. He has requested a "monkey" theme so that outta be interesting for this not very creative Momma. We'll do our best, though, to make his room special. We decided to keep the queen bed in his new room and get some new "kid" sheets for his now bigger bed and leave the extra twin bed in John's room (Mickey Mouse themed) for Ethan to sleep in when when we have guests that stay over night (which isn't very often anyway).

Trying to muster up some creative juices to turn a boring guest bedroom into a Monkey wonderland for Ethan. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Self-Doubt

As is probably true of a lot of working wives and moms, I am sometimes so frustrated by the "mommy guilt"...the constant feeling of being stretched so thin, doing so many things, that I'm not doing good enough at anything. I have a constant feeling of guilt...that I'm a working Mom with a stressful job...I hope and pray that I don't bring home the stressors of my career to my family, but I know that I do.

My guilt has subsided somewhat now that the boys are in all-day school and I know I am VERY lucky that I have the ability to take our boys to school every day at 8:30, work only while they are in school (with only a few exceptions), and be there to pick them up every day when they get out of school at 3:00. I know not all moms are that lucky. I also, however, am sooooooo incredibly jealous of moms that have the ability to stay home with their kids. Due to financial constraints and the fluctuations with the economy and construction industry (which majorly impact Jason's job opportunities) I just have never had the option of staying home.

I just want to be the best wife and mother possible but always feel like I need to do better. Why do we (as women) put so much stress and guilt on ourselves? I know that nobody is harder on me than myself.

I just hope and pray that we're doing the best by our children and can make quality time for our marriage at the same time...it's hard to do. I thank god for the blessings in my life...I have a husband who adores me and who is the love of my life (but who also can make me crazy at times :)) and the two best sons in the whole wide world. Have to force myself to focus on that in my times of self doubt.

1st Month of School

As I've posted before, the boys started all-day Montessori school in September. Overall, it's gone very, very well. They love their teacher (Mrs. Renggli) and teacher's aide (Mrs. Joyce) and have been learning so many new things. They are learnings about personal space, writing their letters, taking turns, sharing, show and tell with different letters of the alphabet each week, doing lots of art projects, some age-appropriate general teachings about God and Faith, etc.

We had one minor issue this week of the boys "coloring on other childrens' papers". They, along with another boy, were put in the "think about it chair" for a time out. We talked about it at home and they apologized to their teachers and classmates. Ethan also had a minor incident when another boy was "mean to him"....he pinched his arm. Ethan was put in the "think about it chair" (same day as the coloring incident). We made him color the boy a special picture and we helped him write an "I'm sorry" note to him....hopefully by addressing these issues right away and making them follow-through with apologies, it will nip it in the bud.

Other than the minor behavior issues, their teachers tell us they are bright, kind, loving children that are attentive, anxious to learn and are well-mannered. We are looking forward to parent/teacher conferences on October 21st to hear more about each of their strengths. Below are photos of the boys' first ASB cards....too cute! Love Saint Patricks School!

A Good "Mommy" Laugh

A friend of mine on facebook posted the comment below explaining how she potty trained her son. I thought it was so funny, I had to post it to my blog...kids are so funny sometimes!

"I used Hershey Kisses to bribe Spencer (referring to potty training) although I hear you're not supposed to do that. He negotiated with me... 3 for #2 (poop), 2 for a #1 (pee), and 1 for farting".

I about died laughing. Kids say the darndest things!

Mother of Twins - A Poem

There's two to wash, there's two to dry.
There's two who argue, there's two who cry.
One's in the mud having a ball,
The other one's holding a crayon...another marked wall.
Some days seem endless, my patience grows thin.
Why was I chosen to be the mother of twins?

The answer comes clear at the end of each day,
as I tuck them into bed and to myself I say...
There's two to kiss, there's two to hug,
And best of all, there's two to love!

Montessori School

Our boys started Montessori school at St. Patrick's School in Tacoma on September 7th. Their school is wonderful....their teachers, Mrs. Renggli and Mrs. Joyce are just wonderful and they've loved school from day 1. Even though they love their school, it has been an adjustment to all-day school (8:30 - 3:00 every day, Monday through Friday)....there have been a few tears shed in the morning, but overall, it's been a pretty smooth adjustment.

Ethan is very social and is the first to comfort another child when he/she is upset, gets hurt, etc. He pays attention well and follows instructions, is kind and patient. He had his first time of being the "leader" on Wednesday...it was his day to bring snack for the whole class, be the line-leader and have a special day.

John is excelling in all things academic. They are being introduced to computers and John is learning quickly and craving more challenging projects. The teachers are developing more challenging projects for him because they said he appears to be bored at times with the pace of the rest of the class...our little smarty-pants. John's day to be leader is Monday, so he's very excited for his turn.

We can't believe we're already at the point where are boys are in all-day school....our babies are growing up so fast. They are growing up into such sweet boys!