Ten on Tuesday

1. A couple Saturdays ago we actually got out of the house and had a date night with a few of our friends.  Here's proof in case you don't believe me. :-)

2.  We got back yesterday from our wonderful trip to Colorado Springs for my 10 year USAFA reunion.  When we pulled into the driveway Kelsea said "Yea, we're home, our beautiful home!  I love you home!"  I guess she had had enough of Colorado.

3.  We had such a nice time seeing all our friends, many of whom we had not seen in YEARS!  To include my soccer friends Polly and Laura.  (enter picture here after they e-mail me it).

4. Although I dragged my camera to Colorado, there were so many friends with cameras (and much better photographers than I) that I only took it out for the football game.  And I only took two pictures, because we left before halftime!  Ron,  hopefully yours is better than this. At least there's some proof that we were there...

5.  So we left the game early, because we had a very important date at FamCamp.  My old stomping ground.  Where me and my fellow Dawgs spent many evenings drinking beer, just hanging out, away from all the ridiculousness of the Academy.  So nice to see you Jeff-darn we forgot to take a picture!  Guess you have to come down and visit now.   We'll find you a cute California girl to date. :-)

6.  Thanks Stahr family for having us over most of the weekend (a surprise is being mailed tomorrow).  We are missing your baking already.  It was wonderful catching up with you and the Killins.  So what book are we going to read?  I've heard Cabo is a good place to discuss books. :-)

7.  And a very special shout out to our friend Mackie who opened up his beautiful home to us, cooked us a lovely dinner and kept Kelsea entertained!  Brian, Wallis's poker losses are in the mail.  

8.  We even went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, where Wallis and I had our first real date (12 years ago!).  Kelsea's favorites were the baby giraffe (but she wanted nothing to do with feeding them...those tongues are much too scary) and the baby monkey hanging on his Mama's belly. 

9.  Kelsea was fantastic this weekend.  For all her good listening and good behavior, we let her pick out any toy she wanted from the Zoo gift shop, and somehow she managed to find the only girly "toy" in the store.  A purse filled with everything a three-year old going on thirteen could want to make her toes and fingers pretty.  She even convinced Daddy to paint her nails two nights in a row, with a sticker on every single finger, so that they look beautiful of course!

10.  Thanks J.J. for taking family photos (again).  Sorry readers I won't be posting any of those pictures until after Christmas...I hear Santa might be delivering them.

7 Months & Drooling

As you will notice from these pictures, Lorelei has the drool going on, thanks to those two razor sharp bottom teeth that have poked through. In a couple weeks my daughter will no longer be all gums when she smiles. Sigh.

At 17 1/2 pounds, actually my scale originally said 18 pounds but that's impossible, you are rolly-but not that rolly!  Plus, how could you possibly have gained 2 and a half pounds in one month!  So after several more "weigh-ins" I got you at 17 1/2 pounds. Wish it was still cute for me to have chunky thighs and a buddha belly. :-)

You still aren't crawling, even though you are practicing like a mad woman.   I'm still trying to capture that cute little dance you do when you are excited.  You are talking and babbling like crazy, keeping us all guessing about what you are really trying to say.  You are loved by all the day care providers since you are never fussy and ALWAYS happy.  Of course this means you are always the last to eat, but it doesn't look like this has effected you at all!

You are 27 inches long and are quickly out growing all your summer clothes!  Luckily fall is just a couple days away (although it still feels like summer here)! 

And there goes the drool (might need to download photo to see...)

What's this pokey stuff? (First time on grass)

Your usual smiley, silly self

My beautiful 7 month old!

A few thoughts about my Mom

My Mom is officially retired--woohoo!   Her ceremony and party were this evening.  I am thankful that I got to say a few things and reflect on my Mom's career:

Becoming a new mother has made me realize how difficult it is to strike that perfect balance between family and career.   The idea that women can have it all seems very illusive, yet if anyone ever came close in this world to having it all, it would certainly be my Mom.

Growing up I always felt we came first.  Whether it was ballet, swimming, basketball, track, softball or soccer, my Mom always found the time to take me to practice and cheer me on at every single event or game.   I am still amazed that she never missed a single one.   For many years my Mom was both my soccer and softball coach.  She spent her summers off from teaching, carpooling me all across Southern California to participate in soccer and softball tournaments.  I was always very appreciative of her involvement in my sports and activities, but I didn’t realize at the time how much of a sacrifice it really was.   So I thank you Mom, for all your time and dedication to coaching me and cheering me on from the sidelines.

During all this, my Mom somehow found the time to earn her Masters Degree from Dominguez Hills and later her Doctorate from USC.  I was very proud of my Mom when she became Dr. Love, but at the time I didn’t realize the magnitude of her accomplishment.  It took her 5 years from start to finish.  I still am unsure to this day how she found the time to work, go to school, and raise my brother and I.  My only conclusion is that she must not have slept.  When I come home from work exhausted and unmotivated I often wonder how she made everything seem so easy.  How did she have time to write a dissertation, participate in all our school and extracurricular activities and still cook us dinner every night?

My Mom was also always there to help with homework and school projects, like the California mission we built from Styrofoam blocks and coffee died Ivory soap.   I will certainly be enlisting your help when Kelsea and Lorelei come home with school projects!  Whether it was homework, a test, or a game my Mom would often tell us just to do our best.  It was her gentle encouragement that helped me succeed both in and out of school.

My Mom was instrumental in the lengthy application and interview process to the Academy.  If it had not been for her, I would not have been blessed with an education from one of the best schools in the country.  Although at the time, I certainly was not feeling blessed to BE at the Academy.  It was her encouragement and support that helped me survive four years as a cadet.

My Mom has taught me the value of education and hard work, but more notably she has taught me the importance of building sand castles, kicking a soccer ball, and baking cupcakes with my girls.

It is my Mom that motivates me to do better every day and to strive for my best.  She will always be my role model and my inspiration.  I am extremely grateful that I was born to this woman who has taught me such a great deal. 

So, thank you Mom for showing me how to gracefully strike a balance between career and motherhood.   Thank you for always being there for me.  Thank you for being my coach, my friend, and always my Mom.

I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished.    

Congratulations on entering the next phase of your life…you know the one where the grandkids sleep over on the weekends. :-)

Bath Time Fun

Just a glimpse of our evenings with Lorelei.

I hope bath time will always be this fun and easy-HA!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  I can't believe the middle of July was my last ToT post!  It's good to be back!

2.  Kelsea and Aunt Jennie splashing in the pool last month.  We need to somehow squeeze swim lessons into our week.

3.  Pictures taken by Wallis of Kelsea playing with the hose and Lorelei in the exersaucer while Mommy was doing something really important inside.   Yah, I have no idea where I was or what I was doing, but I'm sure it was something very important!

4.  Our friend Brian came and visited us a couple weekends ago.  We are glad that he is back in Vegas so we can see more of him!

5.  Since Brian was sleeping in Kelsea's room, we put Kelsea on a cot in Lorelei's room.  When I went to check on the girls before bed, this is what I found.

Mommy, I just wanted to snuggle with Lorelei.  

 Gosh she loves that darn crib.  Say the word and she would gladly take it back.

6. The weekend after Brian's visit I had the girls to myself while Wallis and his friend Pete Norton went to Santa Barbara for the triathlon.  I was so excited to hand over the girls Sunday evening, until Wallis came home with the stomach flu.  Sigh.

7.  Thankfully Steve and Jennie joined us at El Retiro park for a few hours that Saturday.  I thought for sure, after My Gym and over two hours at the park, I would have some quiet time while Kelsea napped. Think again Mom.  Here's a picture (taken with iPhone) of Lorelei watching her big sister play.

8.  We went to the Natural History Museum with Kelsea's school on Sunday.  Here's a picture of Kelsea with her school friend Juliann at the Butterfly Pavilion exhibit (taken with iPhone).  The two of them are inseparable.

9.  Looking forward to seeing some old friends at my 10 year Academy Reunion at the end of this month.  Hard to believe it's been ten years.    

10.  Hard to believe August is over.  Where did the summer go?