MagMadness MONDAY!!!

Hi All! It's been a while since we've done a random Monday post and I have a question. I am a little perplexed at the image I am conjuring up for myself in the minds of my children and wanted to know if anyone else out there has the same issue. Here is a conversation I had with my kids the other day that illustrates my point:

KIDS: Mom, do you still have to go to school?

MOM: I don't have to. I've already finished school.

KIDS: (in amazement) You're already finished?

MOM: Yes. I know everything now.

KIDS: So, when you went to school you learned how to clean?

MOM: Uh....is that what you think I learned in school?

KIDS: Yeah.

MOM: So.....do you think that's all Mom knows how to do?

KIDS: No. You can do other stuff.

MOM: Like what?

KIDS: Like laundry, changing diapers, cooking, making beds.

MOM: This conversation is over.

Soooooo........I know that because I have small children, I have to spend most of my time doing the tasks mentioned above. But this conversation got me remembering what it was like to be a kid and viewing my mom in pretty much the same way. She was the woman who took care of everything. I didn't realize, until now, that she was like me, feeling the same as she did when she was 20, except now she has all these little people around her. I also don't think I've changed much as far as looks go, but when I was showing the girls pictures of our wedding, they said I didn't look like me. I guess I have changed.
It really doesn't bother me, I am humored by the whole thing. But is it going to take until they're moms to see that there is a whole other life I lived before they came? I don't miss that life-but it is still a part of who I am, and I want some appreciation for it, darn it!
In the meantime, I will be taking a hiatus from cleaning and spending all of my time pouring over my old humanities textbooks and English literature so that when we have this conversation again it will hopefully go something like this:

KIDS: Mom, is it in school where you learned about anti-disestablishment tyrannism, and when are we ever going to finish our talk on existentionalism as it is portrayed in Camus'
The Stranger?

MOM: Blessed children, come sit at my feet and glean from the wisdom that is your mother.

Only in my dreams.

SOME OF OUR COMINGS AND GOINGS......

We've taken another blog hiatus, so now it's major catch-up time. I'm sure you all missed us more than words can express...but my brain hurts when I have to use it, which means turning on the computer and typing equals pain. Call it lazy or call it pregnancy with a toddler hanging on your every move. Maybe it's a mixture of both.
Anyway, in April we celebrated Brooke's birthday, our 1o year anniversary, a some other fun adventures you might be interested in seeing. Enjoy!!!

BROOKE TURNS FIVE!!!



For Brooke's birthday we got her a Webkin which is something I vowed I would never buy because it requires the computer and major tutoring from a parent to learn everything, and my brain hurts, remember? But I succombed to the pressure and got one for her, which means I had to get one for Rachel, too, and therefore I surrendered to another one of my pet peeves and that is getting your non-birthday child a gift for fear of them being sad that the birthday child is getting something they really want, too. What is happening to me? Her birthday is only two months away. Whatever. I did it and it's done!
I have to say that I am not a fan of the Webkins. We've played the games on the website twice, and I had a headache, the girls were frustrated that the couldn't play everything, so lucky for me, they just like playing with them as they would any of their other stuffed animals. Maybe they'll forget about the virtual world out there that gives me utter annoyance.
Anyway-enough of that-it was a great birthday and I scored with the cake. Brooke requested a rainbow with clouds and I think I delivered pretty good. Ignore the brown stuff on the bottom which is the old icky pan peeking through. It was the only one I had that would fit the cake. And, of course, there were no candles (because of the smell) and no singing of the traditional Happy Birthday song(we chose a Primary one), so my sensory overloaded child was very happy indeed.



I love you Brookie and can't believe you're FIVE!!
(Ironically enough, I was taking Kristina to an appointment she had for a small eye procedure that very morning, and I drove through the intersection I gave birth to Brooke in at around the same time it happened five years ago. I'm pretty sure I felt labor pains.)

Let's see, what else......oh yes. We attempted to get a picture of the girls in their Easter dresses. They looked so pretty, but no one wanted to cooperate. Here is our attempt:


I love the "lady-like" pose, Rachel.



Please-no more pictures!



Okay-she's officially cute.



I am SO done with pictures!



ME TOO!
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!
Thanks to Grandma Rolph who watched the kids, we had a nice weekend get-away to celebrate 10 years of matrimony! Time flies when you're having fun, and kids:) We spent a day in Seattle walking the market and enjoying the sunshine. Followed by a night in Portland and a night at a cabin along the Columbia River Gorge. It was such a sunny and relaxing weekend. We went on a couple of short hikes and saw some beautiful scenery:



Multnomah Falls-gorgeous!



At the top of Beacon Rock overlooking the Columbia River-another beautiful place.
I'd say we've changed a bit in 10 years...but still young in spirit:)

Well-that's enough for now. These pictures are taking too long to post, so I will close with a Happy Belated Mother's Day to all of those wonderful mothers out there who I love and adore!