Someone owes me forty bucks.

And next week it'll be one hundred forty.

I'm ranting today, so if you want something that will make you smile (Mom), go see this instead. Or, if you can't get enough of my adorable children, watch this.

I am stressing. I'm admittedly not the world's best student, no? Well, remember that online class I took way back when? I completed it in PLENTY of time to get my grade, and therefore my transcripts and therefore my renewed teaching license and therefore a j-o-b job. I was really on top of it. Really. I emailed my coursework to my professor on March 22. March 22. She missed it. When I called her a month later (on her vacation in Hawaii) she was grading (in her condo, from the lanai, probably sipping a daiquiri. Okay, that's speculation, but I'm just sayin'). She asked when I'd turned it in. "March 22", I told her. She went back into her email archives, found it, told me she'd received it and assured me that not only would she turn my grade in the next week, but that the registrar's office would then have my grade posted within days. I left that conversation feeling satisfied. Mistake.

Fast forward to last Wednesday. Last Wednesday was May 5. May 5 and the registrar's office still. did. not. have. my. grade. We've bypassed April and now it's May. I spoke with a very nice woman who is apparently the liaison between the independent study professors (daiquiri sipper) and their students (me) who said she'd call my professor and then call me back. She. did. not. call. me. back. I called her back. Today. I called the registrar today too. And guess what? They have my grade and won't tell me what it is. And since my teaching license expires one week from today I paid FIFTY DOLLARS to make sure TSPC (Teacher Standards and Practices Commission) has my hot little transcripts in their hands well before next Monday so I don't have to pay another ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS in fees when my license expires. It should've cost me ten dollars. On April 5. And remember that liaison? Right about now she calls me back to tell me that she's spoken with the registrar's office and they have my grade.

Wow. Thanks. Do you remember our conversation last Wednesday? They one in which you said you'd call me back?

I want my forty dollars back. Registrar won't give it to me. Liaison won't give it up either. All hopes are hanging with my professor who's probably at happy hour, sucking down mai tais and reminiscing.

Grrrrrrr!

Thanks for listening. Now, go watch this so you leave all warm and fuzzy. Ah, Fuzzy. We sure miss you.....

Word to your Mother...

I'm unbelievably blessed beyond anything I ever imagined, or know I deserve. Being a mom has exceeded all of my expectations.

Mom, thank you. I know I wasn't the easiest of children to raise. I was (as my science teacher Mr. Norby put it) strong-willed in ways that didn't always serve me well. I never fully understood your patience until I myself became a mom. I'm still not sure I've totally got it, and we've only just scraped the surface of parenting challenges around here. You instilled in me a love of the outdoors, a need to explore, an unwillingness to settle and the desire to always "try my best and do what my teachers said". You nurtured my own ambitions even when you worked Saturdays to pay for gymnastics and therefore, couldn't attend every meet. You drug us out of bed in the dark on Sundays to deliver the newspaper in the snow. And you walked along side us. You taught me to love love more than material things. You gave me the ability to laugh at myself and never got too bent out of shape when I laughed at you (no, your Twitter followers aren't actually following you). You even allowed me to laugh over the dent I put in your garage door (two days ago).

To my hero, I love you. Thank you.

Here is how we spent our morning... I got to sleep in and the breakfast location was my choice. We got coffee on the way and headed for The (campus) Glenwood. The line was out the door and waiting wasn't appealing so we parked on campus and went to Taylor's instead. We had the whole patio (in the sun) to ourselves. Libby and Peyton perched themselves on the step and greeted everyone who passed by. It was perfect.

Cheese!

Excitement for the little people...

A run through campus after....

We left campus and made it in time for the 10:45 service at church.

Finally, I'd like to end with an email I got from my very good friend this week. We were housemates in college, and have been great friends since. Her words are better than any I'd write, so I've asked her if I could post it. She said I could as long as I gave her a great alias. Here's her email....

Happy Mother's Day to You, Dear Friends!

In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to give a shout out to all of you. I intentionally didn't post this on Facebook, because, let's face it, I don't know half of my "friends" and who am I to say whether or not I think they are a rockin' mom. But, I KNOW all of you are.

I don't know if your Mother's Day will go exactly as you planned. There may be a few more runny noses, tantrums and fights to break up BUT I wanted to let you all know that I think you are awesome moms. This mom gig is tough. Motherhood is full of so many crazy twists, loops, and turns that you never see coming and I am so glad I have all of you on this journey with me.

I thank you for giving this motherhood thing your heart and soul and for setting such a good example to me. I thank you for walking alongside me on this journey. I also thank you for putting such effort into raising little people who are learning about kindness, sharing and loving God. YOUR kids are people I want my kids to be around. So, thank you. I appreciate you.

Love,

Mysuperamazingfriendwho'sanincrediblemomwhoshallremainotherwisenameless

Goodbye Fuzzy...

We have loved you for .....well, two weeks to be exact.

This morning Libby's friend Michael came to play. I said, "Libby, wouldn't you like to show Michael Fuzzy?" We walked over to his bowl and he was lying sideways on the bottom not moving at all. I needed to think quickly. I said, " I guess he's sleeping. What a tired fish. Maybe he'll be awake later."

He won't be awake later.

We broke the news to her at dinner. As soon as we told her she looked sad and wanted to sit on my lap. We told her we'd have a little ceremony for him and then we'd flush him. She thought that was wildly funny. After dinner we said a prayer and flushed our little friend to swim in the big river in the sky. Shane's prayer was a much better rendition this time than his first attempt. Peyton watched him put Fuzzy in the toilet and was totally confused. She kept pointing at the water and saying, "Shhhh. Shhhh." (that's toddler-speak for fish.)

While I cleaned up the dinner dishes Libby said, "Mom, it's okay that Fuzzy died. I'll get another fish."

Hmmm.... We have a dog. I'm thinking that's enough for now.

Shoes, Part Two

I went to Walgreens for a prescription and picked up these little numbers on my way out. Incidentally, Libby has also just started using the word FABULOUS to describe her wardrobe. I don't think this is a coincidence...

Girlie

We girls love shoes and bags. It's who we are......

Things I love (and a few unpaid product endorsements)...

I got the idea for this post from a few friends, starting with Boog here. It's a little braggy, so if you're not in the mood for my gushing, turn back now. Just know I'd rather gush about my kids here, because I feel more comfortable than doing it to your face. Except, I'll still probably do it to your face. Somebody stop me. I can't help myself. I've become that mom.

I love the sun. I haven't seen it in a while, and I'm so glad it's back. It floods the kitchen in an obnoxious blinding way in the afternoon this time of year, but I managed to get this shot of Libby against the kitchen cabinet before it set the other day. I plan on trying for more shots like this, but getting both girls to hold still is about as easy as herding cats, or combing the back of Libby's hair.

I'm obsessed lately. White cake with white frosting. Y-U-M.

This next one is a life saver! Peyton wants to sit on the potty and have my undivided attention for about 30 minutes at a time. That's a lot of time on the potty, considering up until now she doesn't produce.....well, much. My friend Anna posted this seat with a built in training seat on her blog, and I HAD to have it. Now, Peyton can sit for as long as she likes and I'm confident she won't fall in if I'm not there. And (insert drum roll) GUESS WHO POOPED ON THE POTTY TODAY! Well, yeah Shane, but guess who else! Peyton! Woot woot! Happy birthday to ME! If you need to buy a baby gift for someone....I'm telling you. Bemis Next Step. Home Depot $29.99.
Libby is starting to write her name. The spelling isn't always perfect, but who cares. Yesterday a little boy at a birthday party asked her name and she said, "Libby."

"What is it?"

"Libby."

"Huh?"

"Libby. L-I-B-B-Y!"

I acted all casual, but the teacher in me teared up a little.

I think the fact that it's written on toilet paper with a marker only adds to its charm.

Another of my not-so-new obsessions are flash mobs. Seemingly random gatherings of people dancing and singing for the sole purpose of making me happy. I would think that it's a lot of prep on my behalf, but I'm glad they go to the trouble. You can search flash mobs on you tube and watch all day long, or you can save some time and watch this one. It's my favorite.

Last, but not least is the Strider Bike. Oh little Strider, we love you. We got this for Libby when she was a year and a half. We put it together, set her on it and let go. She tipped over, cried and wanted nothing to do with it for a long time. Leave it to us.

Still, it's the sole reason she has gone from this, to this, to this in the course of one month with very little instruction from us. We can ride bikes together now, and we are loving it.

She doesn't need it anymore, and look who's taken it over....

Strider Sports, call me. I will plug you to the masses with nothing in return except lots and lots of money.

Ridin' the Rails

Libby has talked about riding the train since we rode The Polar Express at Christmas. We've wanted to find a time that she and Shane could ride Amtrak to Portland, and this week it finally worked out. We needed to go to Portland anyway, so Peyton and I dropped Shane and Libby at the train station and then drove up to meet them.

Waiting for the train...

Here it comes!

No security. No baggage check. A pretty easy way to travel, really. I'd recommend it over the city bus any day of the week.

Ready!

All aboard!

Departure. Bye Sister!

Arrival...

The happiest riders of the day...

Want to know how I know she loved it? She did this for the next three hours...