Awake.

I never thought I'd say this.  I mean, after all, if anyone could compete with Rip Van Winkle for hours of sleep required...that would be me.  But I'm going to say it anyway.  I'm awake.  Ok, Master of the Obvious, stop cackling.  I heard you.  Of course you're awake...you're blogging, aren't you?  But that's not what I mean.  I mean....I'm awake.  AWAKE.  Or perhaps I should say....awakened.

I don't know what it is.  I can't explain it.  Ever since Finley was born I have felt completely different.  Content.  Complete.  Alive.  Not that I didn't feel all these things before....but now it's in such an energetic and spiritual way that it is difficult for me to comprehend.  Maybe it's because we are done having babies.  I mean, before Finley was born, I just felt like someone was missing.  (Enter, Chopper.  PS...it wasn't him that was missing.  No offense, dog.)  Knowing that our family is complete is a wonderful feeling.  Let the next chapter begin!

Since I feel as though I am starting a new journey...I have decided to make a commitment to myself.  You know, with commitments, it's better to share them.  That way you have to live them out and not be all talk.  So here is my new life rule and promise to myself.

I promise to nourish & strengthen my mind, body, and spirit. 

In other words....I will exercise.  I will eat better.  I will be kinder.  I will introduce others to God.  I will volunteer.  I will build a stronger relationship with the Lord.  I will be a better role model for my children. I will read something other than People Magazine.  I will simplify.  I will rectify. 

As you can see...I have a lot to get done.  But don't we all?  And I'm not talking about cleaning the house, doing the laundry, or going to the grocery.  These things will all get done in time.  I mean...I have things to get done! 

Better get moving...

Vacation.

We had a great time in the Smokies.  Sooooo relaxing.  Of course, once we got home, life quickly shifted back into high gear.  We had great weather...couldn't have had a better week.  Just gonna post some pics so I can keep forging on!

Already looking forward to going back!

ps....Happy 6th birthday, Jackson!!!



Addiction.

Hi.  I'm Sarah....and I'm a photoshop-a-holic.

I mean really.  So much for getting anything accomplished these days.  I've discovered how to add texture to my pictures and I am addicted.  So....before I start organizing and packing for vacation, I thought I'd share some photoshopping I did using some vintage coloring as well as texture.  Or, as I like to say...textchahhhh.  (Say it with me now.....textchahhh.)

And one you haven't seen yet...baby textchahhh:

It's not something I'd want to do to all my photos...but it's pretty fun.  Now I just have to find more textures to use!  BTW....great tutorial here if you have Photoshop Elements and want to become addicted with me. 

The Picture Game.

I've decided that once a week I am going to post a favorite photo.  I'm not about to call myself a "photographer"...for that would be quite an honor.  Truth be told, I am just a girl with a DSLR camera and photoshop.  And to be quite honest, I am far from mastering either one!  So....all perfect shots aside....I am just going to share pictures.  Weekly.  No description.  Just something to capture what is going on in our lives. 

I hope that you will play along with me!  Post a link to one of your favorite photos in the comments section.  You don't have to do it weekly...just share a favorite photo. 

So here is photo #1...enjoy!

(And thanks to Rita at the CoffeeShop blog for the inspiration!)

Kindergarten.

I am so not ready for this.  My first baby in kindergarten?  No.  I'm not ready for this at all. 

Nobody tells you how you are going to feel as a parent...I guess it's different for everyone...but for me, I can sum parenthood up in one word...emotional.

I mean, really.  The pregnancy test comes back positive...tears.  You see your baby for the very first time on the ultrasound....tears.  They smile, crawl, walk, talk....tears, tears, tears, and tears.   I guess it should come as no surprise that on Jackson's first day of kindergarten I cried most of the day.  I cried before I dropped him off, after I dropped him off...and even after he got home!  Holy freakin' cow.

Even though I wasn't ready to send my boy off  to college kindergarten, Jackson was ready.  And he loves it.  Thank goodness.

So, with every first day of kindergarten comes a "photo shoot."  Here is our big boy.  His official "first day of kindergarten" photo.

Now this next photo I call "the takeover."  Sawyer just could not understand why he wasn't going to kindergarten also.  (He is actually quite lost without his big brother at home.)  Here is a photo of Sawyer butting in the "first day of kindergarten" photos...notice he never butts out.  (And yes, he also is wearing a backpack.)

Now they're showing off their backpacks.  Notice the mandatory i.d. tag attached to Jackson's so he doesn't get lost.  (Good grief...don't think about it.)

See...they really do love each other.  And poor Sawyer (and Mommy) have no idea how their lives are about to change.  (My eyes are beginning to swell with tears as I write this....stop it, woman!)

Suddenly, Jackson got the feeling that we were going to be late and decided to run to the car.  I'm not sure why he thought we'd be late.  We're never late....ahem.

Now for the scary part.  The bus.  OMG will he get off?  Will he be driving around town all day?  Will I ever see him again?????  At this point I am physically about to puke.

Wait for it...

Ahhh...the feeling of relief in my heart that my boy safely got off the bus.  (So glad the 4th grader across the street made sure Jackson got off at the right stop!)  Look how cute he is.   So nervous.  Walking carefully to  the sidewalk.

At this point I think he is also relieved.  He sees me and starts booking it.  Mommy!!!!

Then he realized the "big boys" weren't as excited to see their moms...so he slows down.  I'm cool with that.  Because I'm a cool mom. 

Needless to say, we are just about in "the groove" now.  I just never knew how difficult this whole thing was going to be.  So...if you're a parent and your kids aren't in kindergarten yet...here's your warning:

It's not easy when your kids go to kindergarten.  Buy Kleenex.

Now...peace out, ma peeps.

The Little Prince.

When I was in high school, I was introduced to a book that changed my life....The Little Prince...by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.  I read it in French class, and I think my French teacher...aka "Madame"...cried every day that we read it.  Now that I think about it...I think all the girls in the class cried, too.

Now that I am "grown up" with kids of my own...I can often relate to The Little Prince...and I wonder if my kids get frustrated with me.  

The book begins like this:

"Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval forest. It was a picture of a boa constrictor in the act of swallowing an animal. Here is a copy of the drawing.

In the book it said: "Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole, without chewing it. After that they are not able to move, and they sleep through the six months that they need for digestion."

I pondered deeply, then, over the adventures of the jungle. And after some work with a colored pencil I succeeded in making my first drawing. My Drawing Number One. It looked something like this:

I showed my masterpiece to the grown-ups, and asked them whether the drawing frightened them.

But they answered: "Frighten? Why should any one be frightened by a hat?"

My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. But since the grown-ups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing: I drew the inside of a boa constrictor, so that the grown-ups could see it clearly. They always need to have things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this:

The grown-ups' response, this time, was to advise me to lay aside my drawings of boa constrictors, whether from the inside or the outside, and devote myself instead to geography, history, arithmetic, and grammar. That is why, at the age of six, I gave up what might have been a magnificent career as a painter. I had been disheartened by the failure of my Drawing Number One and my Drawing Number Two. Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them."

Well today, Jackson and I lived out a "Little Prince" moment.  He was doing homework for his kindergarten class.  (Yes...I know....first day of school pics will be posted soon!)  He was working on the letter "M."  The last part of the assignment was to draw things that begin with M.  He drew a monkey, some meatballs, milk, a map....and Mars.  Yes, the red planet.  He grabbed a red crayon and drew a circle.  (I was so proud.) Then he drew black squiggles around the edge of the red circle.

"Jackson," I asked, "I see that you made Mars red...but what are all the black things??"  (Of course...to me it looked like a flower...but I wasn't about to tell him that.)

Jackson quite seriously replied, "Well, Mommy, those are all the holes on Mars.  You know....where all the aliens live!"

Once again I'm saddened by reality....I'm all grown up and I've lost my childhood imagination.  Thank goodness I have children to remind me what is really important in life...and to remind me how innocently our journey begins.

References:
Saint-Exupery, Antoine (1943).  The Little Prince.  New York, NY:  Harcourt.  Retrieved from http://www.angelfire.com/hi/littleprince/frames.html

Nuggie.

I can't believe Finley is 2 months old.  Yes...our little "Nuggie" is growing up!  And for her 2 month birthday she gave me the most wonderful gift...sleeping through the night!  She has slept 7.5 hours in a row for the last two nights.  Keeping my fingers crossed that she doesn't regress.  Even if she does...how could you be upset with this little thing??