The Fresno Zoo

On Monday the kids didn't have school, so we went to the zoo with friends. This was the first time we went to the Fresno Zoo and it did not disappoint. It really is nice and it is so much cheaper than the zoos in big cities close to us. I used to take the kids on trips with friends all the time, but somewhere along the way it stopped. I think all of us started to have to many kids to go anywhere together! 

I managed to leave Callum behind with my mother in law. That was nice for two reasons, one he had a cold and two, then we didn't have to deal with him wanting to run constantly. But the truth is, the main reason was so we could all ride in the same car together! It really was nice being able to focus on my older kids for a day though. At first it felt weird not having a stroller with us. I mean, I had to wear a backpack with all our things! But it was so nice going in exhibits not having to worry about parking the stroller or the stroller taking up all the space. 

The kids had so much fun running around and exploring with their friends. And I had so much fun being able to talk with my friend. It was seriously so nice having the kids entertain each other in the car and us just being able to talk with each other. It never seems that easy at home! 

A highlight at the zoo was definitely when we fed the giraffes. I had never done that anywhere before. The kids were going to do it, but Isla was scared. I tried holding her hand with mine and doing it, but she still wouldn't go for it. So I fed them...and even got some giraffe slobber on my hand ;) Connor did it by himself and really enjoyed it. 

We also had the opportunity to feed sting rays. Isla definitely steered clear of that one. Connor wanted to try, but was afraid of being bitten, so I ended up doing that as well. They suck the food out of your hand, so that was an interesting experience. Not to mention your hands end up wreaking of fish because you are feeding them sardines! 

^^ This was Isla's "Please don't make me feed the giraffe!!!" moment

^^ And me just feeding the giraffe...but you can see her big smile, just below my arm, so she obviously thought it was cool.

It was such a fun day at the zoo. We will have to go back again and bring Callum, as I am sure he would love to see all the animals. And given he is both crazy and brave, I am sure he would like to feed them too.

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The Four Friends

I thought about titling this posting "my tribe", but we are known as the four friends by so many. Our group text is even titled four friends. It's how I even refer to ourselves when I tell Ian we are getting together. Even my kids know who the four friends are. So really, the four friends is fitting. I mean, we named a market after our friend status! 

You guys, this is actually the first time the four of us have been together since our last market in October. That's embarrassing. We used to not go like a day without all being together. Ok, it may have been more like 2 or 3, but still. But 13 kids among us seems to keep us busy these days. Especially with school. Once school started for our oldest children, our time together greatly diminished. Unfortunately. 

But that's not what this is about. This is about the fact we got together on Saturday. We went to breakfast. We caught up. We took a watercolor class...which I may or may not have NO talent for whatsoever. And I may or may not have offered anyone in the class $10 to drink my paint water. I am not the most mature and probably not the best to take into refined settings! When I am uncomfortable, I use my sarcasm and jokes to cope. I was uncomfortable in the watercolor class with my lack of any talent for painting. You can imagine what sitting with me was like! 

Now that baby number 13 is born and settled and we are all recovered from the last market, we are on the hunt for our next location. We were hoping for a spring market, but that just isn't realistic at this point. So, we are crossing our fingers and toes for a fall market. Our fall markets are always a big hit anyway.

Even without the market, these girls are still among my favorites to hang out with. There's always plenty of laughs, plenty of real life and plenty of sarcasm. Now that's my type of company!

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Friendship

** Just to get it out there, we literally laughed when 3 out of 4 of us showed up wearing scarves. Apparently that's what mom's do when they go out...wear scarves and take bathroom selfies. 

It's crazy to think how my relationships with friends have changed over the years. And I'm not even talking about relationships with specific friends, but relationships in general. 

The other day I was in a conversation with a mom who had a high schooler and it got me reminiscing. I remember how it was literally the end of my life it I had to be home for more than, say, 15 minutes. These days, the thought of leaving the house can feel daunting at times. Taking three kids to the mall just to relax and browse...well I would rather stab a pencil in my eye and relax at the hospital than do that. Yeah, slight exaggeration, but you get the point. At the end of a long day, after making numerous meals and snacks, doing school runs up the wazoo, changing diapers and keeping the house in a semi orderly state, the last thing I want to do is go out with friends. Because of this, my relationships have suffered. 

Friendships require effort. And just like marriages, they require sacrifice. Sometimes that sacrifice is staying out of my pjs for a couple hours longer and filling my soul by laughing my head off with good friends. Good friends are really worth their weight in gold.

Besides attempting to be a better friend through sending notes, reaching out, helping, etc, one thing I want to do this year is actually go out and enjoy myself more with my friends. Because, let's be honest, a play date with 13 kids and 4 moms is hardly relaxing! Yeah, all my friends have a crap load of kids. No, one and done happening here in Modesto!

And here's what's ironic. I never ever wish I had just stayed home. I am always glad I went out...even if I regret it the next morning. But even then, there are the group texts with us all whining together about being tired and comradery is always a good thing.

So here's to a year of dating my friends. Of staying out of my pjs a little bit longer and laughing hysterically together. Of finding people to watch our kids so we can bare our souls to each other over coffee. Because, my tribe, you really are worth it.

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Phone Calls to Friends

The other day Connor asked to call his friend because she left her lego girl at our house. Then he said, "I want to call her where I can see her." So Connor and his friend facetimed. It was actually pretty cute and also completely funny. Connor kept holding the lego girl right at the phone, so I would have to help him put it in front of the camera. Then, he would show her around the room and get really excited and start jumping. But he was better with the camera than Isla was. With her, you really only see her forehead in the camera. It's actually pretty cute. My favorite part of all though was when Connor asked his friend's mom "So how are you? How has your day been?" He can say the most grown up and funny things sometimes. And I totally eat it up. 

It's ironic that I find it so cute that Connor talk on the phone with a girl now whereas in the not so distant future I will most likely be annoyed at the time he spends on the phone with girls :) Oh the cycle of life! 

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My Best Friend

Over the weekend, I had the privilege of taking pictures of my best friend and her family. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit nervous. I am a momographer, not a professional photographer. Though I have gotten pretty good with my camera, I know nothing about posing people. So I went armed with a list of pose ideas and went to town. I am happy with the results. But, besides showing the pictures, I want to talk about my best friend.

I met Chandra just after I started dating Ian. I had just turned 18. She didn't like me. But, lucky for her, our mutual friend invited me on a trip with them. I found out later, Chandra wasn't happy I was coming along. But guess what? That trip was the start to an amazing friendship.

I can remember getting home at 1am after hanging out with Ian and chatting with her for hours into the night. Saturday mornings were a breakfast tradition for us. And they really bonded us together.

Then I went away to school. And we talked...all the time. We both got engaged. Chandra got married three months before I did. After she got married, I remember realizing how weird it was that I could no longer call her at all hours of the night to talk. But we still managed to talk...a lot.

Not much longer later, Chandra had a baby...then another one quickly after that. I would talk to her over the screams of her kids. I moved to Scotland. I can remember counting down the hours during the day (there's an 8 hour time difference), just waiting to call her when she was headed to work.

Then I moved home. The first time we had lived by each other for 10 years. Our breakfast tradition restarted (though stopped once taking my two kids to breakfast became too crazy). Our talking on the phone still happens...though less than it used to. We text more these days.

Chandra and I have walked through a lot together. And there is still more ahead for us. Her girls are practically teenagers and already think we are uncool...I know, right?! Have they never met us? We ARE COOL! But, in a seriousness, I feel privileged to call Chandra my friend.

End of an Era

Today marked the end of an era. You see, for the past two years I have hung out with two girls who have boys the same age as Connor. Each week the three of us would meet up at a park, at a house, or really anywhere for the kids to play and us to get some adult time. They are my first true "mommy friends". These girls get me. They get the stage of life I am in. They are fun to be around. None of us take ourselves too seriously, yet I know these girls totally have my back. 

But you see, something big is happening. Next week all three boys will be in preschool, in different classes, with different schedules. Besides holidays and summers, our boys will no longer be getting together to play all the time. tear. 

But the good news is, we all have younger kids as well. So here is to hoping that the play dates continue because everyone knows play dates are really for the moms! The other good news is, I know these are people are good friends. Our relationships may change and alter, but friends we will stay. 

#thelipsgirlsforlife 

P.S. How weird is it that Connor will start making his own friends now?! No more mommy choosing his friends for him. 

The Color Run

My bff and I participated in The Color Run today in Sacramento. If you have never heard of it, basically it is a 5k that you wear all white in and at every kilometer, powder paint is thrown all over you. Thus by the end you are multicolored. We actually went shopping before hand and got ourselves some white dollar store sunglasses and knee-high socks. The amazing sweatbands were provided as part of the run. 

We left Modesto before the sun was even up...at 5:45am! Its been a while since I have seen that time of morning! But I was pumped, so it was all good. We got to Sacramento in plenty of time. In fact, we were so early that we were pretty much at the start line. Which really worked out. We were in the first group sent out. This was really good given that by the time we finished the race, there were still thousands of racers waiting.

The bff and I aren't exactly what I could call athletes. Of course, The Color Run isn't timed and really is just a fun thing, so that worked out well for us. I can act like we ran the whole thing, but that was far from the truth. The truth is, we ran about the first 1.5 kilometers, then spent the rest of the time talking, pointing out people with funny attire (HELLO, guy with butt short running shorts) and making sure we got the maximum amount of color on us at each color station.

Eventually we made it to the end. In 44 minutes in case you are counting. And given that we are hard core athletes, we even stopped before crossing the finish line for a photo session. If you are a hard core athlete, NEVER participate in any physical activity with us. We probably won't take it seriously and will just piss you off.

For some odd reason, we both ended up with more paint on our backs than our fronts. Go figure given that they were throwing it at us from the front. That picture on the right is me getting blown off with a leaf blower. That was an experience all on its own.

All in all, it was fun to do a little something out of the ordinary with my bestie. And we stopped on the way home for some breakfast and to bathe ourselves in the restaurant bathroom. We are classy ladies, what can I say?!


P.S. In case you are wondering care, my hair looks a little different because I got it cut yesterday and it was all pretty and straight because as I mentioned I got up before the sun, so didn't shower.

True Friends

True friends are the one's you call to help you out when you screwed up your son's hair trying to cut it yourself. They help you fix it without judgement. I would know. This just happened to me.

The other night while giving Connor a bath, it was bugging me that his bangs were in his eyes. So, I decided to cut them. In the bath, they looked fine. When he woke up the next morning, I stared in horror at what I had done to my poor son.

The problem was, I didn't want to "fix" them because I was afraid he would end up with no hair in the front. So I called my friend and headed over to her house where she helped fix Connor's hair.

He is now the proud owner of a little boy hair cut. No side swept baby/old man style hair for him anymore! And it was so easy, I am thinking of buying some clippers for myself and keeping that boy's hair short!