Honesty

In my line of work I communicate with some fascinating people. And aside from their crooked bone structures and false teeth that never seem to be able to stay put, their honesty is what I find most interesting. 
Yeah, ok, most of the time I find it offensive, uninformed, and pretty radically racist, but seriously--how much time and emotion would we all be spared if we were completely and irrevocably honest? 
People would tell you when you're getting fat, that they're really not interested in seeing a movie with you about some teenager who thinks she's in love, that they wanted to go home three hours ago, that your house really does have a weird smell, and your child's chubbiness is actually kind of alarming and when you dress him up in bright red pants and a light-brown turtleneck he looks like a piece of fried chicken dipped in ketchup. 
At any rate, honesty saves us all a lot of guessing and concocting of those exhausting theories about why that one couple stopped hanging out with us and how come my Halloween candy keeps disappearing. 

So, to be totally honest: 
I've eaten three Kit Kats and two Reeses today and I don't see a trip to the gym anywhere in site. 
It requires every fiber of the goodness in my bones not to mess with the old lady at lunch who asks "is this breakfast?" 
The back seat of my car is currently my second closet. 
I laughed uncontrollably throughout the entire 10 pages of reading I had to do about penile cancer. 
I bought expensive makeup to cover up my chin that's been breaking out for weeks because of Adam's facial scruff and his inability to keep his hands off of this. 
And I daydream on an average of 8.65 times a day that Adam is Captain America. 

Birthday and Lately..

Sooo...I turned 24 last week. It's cool. I have some anxiety about turning 25 and every year that I get closer I become more and  more nervous.
I mean, for goodness sakes, 25 isn't 45. omg I'm going to be 45 in 20 years..

Anyway, I had a great birthday. Over the weekend I had a girls sleepover with some of my closest friends, dinner and pumpkin pie with the two men in my life, and enjoyed some delicious pork chops and tuxedo cake at Mom and Dad Stevens' for a fabulous birthday dinner. 
Life is good. And the people in mine are so good to me. 
Adam's present to me is an over-night trip to the San Juan islands up in the Puget Sound this week and OH hunny, I need this. 

Hope you're all enjoying this wonderful time of year and getting just as fat as I am. 

Nursery

Guess what??...

Jude attended his first day of nursery today at church!! 
We were a little nervous that he wouldn't be able to make it for the full nearly two hours (especially since he's constantly pooping these days...), but he took it like a champ and did really well!
When Adam and I went to pick him up, the nursery leader said that he did really well and that he really likes to eat.
Apparently during snack time, Jude ate so much that they had to get extra snacks from the back cupboard or else he'd steal from other kids. That's my boy!
So weird that my son--MY son--is old enough to be a nursery kid, but I'm excited for all the little projects he's going to come running to me holding, and also that my husband can now attend his church meetings again. Sinner. 



Here's to new beginnings and the rest of my youth, and somewhat perkiness, flashing before my eyes.

Who's birthday is it again tomorrow....?

The Pumpkin Patch

On Saturday, we went to the pumpkin patch. This year, in comparison to last year, was basically the Jude Show. The child commands attention, and I mean, come on, who doesn't when they look like a baby Justin Bieber rocking yellow chino's? Totallllllyyy unintentional, but nevertheless, undeniable. The kid's a stud, whatever. And he's got a lot of hair. 
You're welcome. 

This pumpkin patch was run by a local family farm and soon after discovering that the rocks in the driveway weren't edible (ugh, boys), and finishing harassing the animals, Jude found a little red Radio Flyer wagon and didn't leave its side. 
Fall is definitely my favorite time of year, and although it was uncharacteristically warm, and not to mention sunny, I could feel the nostalgia in the air. 

Also, this weekend is ma birfday. Feel free to stop by with cake--because I'm too tired to do anything but watch Grey's Anatomy and make sure my kid is fed. 
How you mothers of multiple children do it is beyond me. 

Just give me a minute

I have a new excuse for not being a consistent blogger--and it's only one word this time: Pathophysiology. 
Basically, I'm graduating this December with my bachelors of science in nursing and I saved this dreadful class until my last academic, dying breath. 
So anyway, until I get the hang of 120+ pages of notes per exam and can stop staring at that picture of that guy with neurofibromatosis, I'm going to be a little absent. Follow me on Instagram if you miss my bad habit of posting too many pictures of my child--I'll never kick it. 
I also included a video of us at the park a few days ago. Jude's main thrill in life is a slide, as you can very well see. 
Warning: click on that link if you're curious. but you might die. 

Fall Wishlist

While on my break during work today, I got an email from Gap.com, kindly informing me that their fall "New Arrivals" are in stock. At first I thought, "Psht, heck yes. This is happening." I scrolled through the pretty new sweaters and plush coats and scarves, only to realize that I wasn't getting the same rush I usually do. You know that if-I-wear-this-I-will-live-forever-in-an-endless-fall-Gap-catalogue high. Instead, I was left wanting more.
And then I clicked on the baby section and my wishlist went from a chunky oatmeal sweater to I'm basically going naked this fall.
Any mom can testify that squeezing a chunky baby, soft in fall fleece and beanies--while watching their little marshmallow butt-cheeks run around the house--is for some reason far more gratifying than buying stuff for themselves.
Gosh, we're just so selfless. 
Anyway, here's my ever-growing Gap wishlist for the little man this fall: 

Adam said that little lamb beanie is too girly. Gosh, is my little guy really a little guy now?

I guess so.

No more unisex accessories, I suppose. 

Reunited with an old friend..

A few months ago we gave Jude's good pal, James, our trusty-old Radio Flyer to push around while he learned how to walk. James and his mommy just returned it to us yesterday and it's been a sweet reunion.
All day today he's been in-and-out of Radio--having me push him around and standing up, yelling triumphantly, "I did it!"
Yes, yes you did.  

I feel like that first picture is him just saying, "Mom, where the heck has Radio been all this time?"

Thoughts on 9/11

On the day of the World Trade Center attacks I was in my seventh-grade history class. Over the intercom we heard our school secretary cancel all after-school sports and activities. We couldn't even imagine under what circumstances they would cancel such a crucial field hockey game, and it wasn't until I went home and saw my mom starring in disbelief at the news that I knew something horrible had happened. I remember being scared and asking her, "Mom, we don't live that far away. Are we going to be safe?" She just looked at me and said, "I could have brought you home early from school, but I had a feeling of peace that everything was going to be alright."
Today, I can't help but think of the lives lost and send prayers to those who are still suffering from this tragedy. My heart goes out to them. I'm grateful for our country and how, instead of cowering in fear, we rose up and grew together as a nation. One's true character shows when times become difficult--we showed the world that we will never be defeated. 

The Last of The Vacation..

Highlights:
-Uncle Bryon and Jude are the best of friends. Not photoed is the two of them cuddling and watching Sesame Street on the iPad while I hold back tears from all the cuteness. 
-Visiting Great-Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma's holding a box of chocolates there and saying, "Jude, you want one? Grandma says you can have one." 
-Trying to intimidate Great-Grandpa into letting him play with his cool phone. 
-Collecting rocks at Slim Point and running away when at all possible.
-Imitating the snobby waitresses at some European cafe in Manhattan. 

Since being home we've detoxed from eating 8 meals a day, including the pre-breakfast warmup each morning of chocolate cake and Twizzlers. And more recently, our kitchen counter has become the new up-and-coming place for swarms of fruit flies due to our current fruit-picking addiction and inability to do the dishes before bed. 
But all-in-all, it's good to be home. 

Lake George 2012

Believe it or not, there will most likely be another post about Lake George in addition to this one. There are just far too many special and awkward moments to share to leave it all up to one post. 
We love Lake George. My family goes every year and we try our hardest each August to attend. This year, we enjoyed lots of boating, island-hopping, picnicking, swimming, eating, laughing, hiking, and shuffle-boarding. Jude had a blast at the little beach down the road and we also enjoyed the company of Bryon's girlfriend, Courtney, aka BFF from Jersey, and Mom's BFF, Grace, during the week. I'm convinced this place is the most beautiful in all the world. And each year our plans for staying and never leaving become more elaborate than the last and always include me as the school nurse and Adam as that weird guy that gives watercolor lessons. 
We're an ambitious group. 

Oh, George. How we love you.