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Connor: He's growing up so fast. But at least he will still hold my hand at school and doesn't care if his face is covered in the remnants of his pb&j. 

Isla: This girl gave us quite the spicy week. Then, one morning, I curled up in her bed with her and we told each other what we dreamed about in the night. After many a rough times this week, it was just pure bliss. 

Callum: This is the face you give when your mom introduces you to bacon, then tells you its all gone. He really liked the bacon. 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016."

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Stop and...

…watch the dust fall. I know, I know, you thought I was gong to say smell the roses there. I am going somewhere with that dust though. But first, what do you even write about when your last post becomes your MOST VIEWED POST OF ALL TIME within hours?! Oddly enough, my last most viewed post was also a bit of a rant from a few years ago. Apparently people like the rants.

But back to the dust. A couple days ago, I was sitting on the kitchen floor with Callum. The lighting was just right where you could see the dust falling through the air. Callum kept trying to grab it and it was totally entertaining me. But it also transported me back to my own childhood. I remember laying on my bedroom floor on Hazelwood Ave in Phoenix watching the dust fall. I also remember watching the clouds move from that very same window. To this day, watching clouds move still fascinates me…and apparently so does dust.

That falling dust really got my brain going. I don't consider myself an overly busy person. I am really pretty good at saying no. But I still get busy. I spend time cleaning the house instead of watching the dust fall with my kids. I have really been trying the last couple months to make sure to my kids, I am the "yes" mom. The mom that says yes when they ask me to play clue jr, school or shopkins with them.  I really, really want to lay that foundation with them now. That foundation that I am here for them. That they ARE IMPORTANT. That they ARE ENOUGH for me.

I often wonder why as adults some are close to their parents and others not. I do believe part of it is how the relationship was when they were children. Now I am not talking about being an over the top, creepily involved parent. But I am talking about my kids knowing they are more important than whatever it is that I have going on. My dad was always amazing at making sure my brothers and I knew that. That is certainly a trait I want to take from him and put in my parenting arsenal.

So here's to staring at the dust falling with my baby, playing shopkins with my preschooler and reading long books with my kid…even if the bathroom remains dirty and dinner gets on the table a little late.

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DEATH TO THE WEEKLY DATE NIGHT MYTH

It isn't often I pull out my soap box these days. But I went ahead and dusted if off, just for this…

I remember after we had Connor feeling like I was letting Ian down, letting our marriage down, because we couldn't have a weekly date night. Heck, we couldn't even have a monthly date night! We lived oceans away from our family and friends. We managed to leave Connor a couple times with friends we had made, but that was it. But all I heard from people over and over was how crucial a weekly date night is to a marriage surviving. 

Fast forward almost seven years and three children and I would like to kill the myth that the cornerstone of every great marriage (with children) is a weekly date night. Let's be honest, for most of us, it just isn't a reality. Who has the time, money or energy for a weekly date night while also wrangling children? It doesn't mean we don't love our husbands or cherish our marriages, it's just a reality. 

I've grown to realize that crappy marriages have weekly date nights (though great ones have it too) and amazing marriages rarely ever get a night out (of course, there's crappy ones in this category as well). What really matters is what happens in between those date nights. It's the mutual love and respect. The holding hands in bed and talking, even if there is a baby in between you. It's the long, lingering hugs and quick kisses stolen while loading groceries in the car together. 

Just as a marriage isn't made from a wedding, a marriage also isn't made from weekly date nights. Rather, it really is every other moment in between those date nights. Don't get me wrong, date nights rock for so many reasons. I love having uninterrupted time with Ian. But, I also love giving him a knowing glance when our kids are being lunatics. Or laughing at the chaos that is dinner every night in our house…please tell me we aren't the only ones who's kids "finish" eating and run around like crazy people, not letting you finish your meal in peace!?

I sometimes feel we do people a disservice by going on and on about how important (and incredibly unpractical) a weekly date night is. We make it seem that if a babysitter isn't hired and a fancy meal not enjoyed, then it doesn't matter. But I am hear to tell you that a glass of wine on the front porch after the kids go to bed is just as good…if not better because you don't have a big babysitting bill at the end! So please, for the love of marriage, stop going on and on about how the weekly date night will save marriages. 

Ok, I'm putting my soap box back in storage again. It will be cute pictures of my kids and talk of my house from here on out…until something irks me enough again to pull it back out. I get much better at keeping my opinions to myself the older I get. Maybe it's maturity, maybe it's my brain cells being used up by my children. Who really knows?! 

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Connor: It's funny to me how even when school and homework dominate his days, he still wants to play school at home. 

Isla: Always up for alone play time. 

Callum: Working on more teeth. 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016."

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Callum's First Doughnut

Last week, on September 19th to be exact, Callum had his first doughnut. It was national talk like a pirate day and every year Krispy Kreme gives away a dozen doughnuts if you come in dressed like a pirate. Every year I am blown away that they try to give a box for each child (well, and adults too) when one box is way more than enough. So, just like last year, we only took the one box. And we luckily went into Krispy Kreme just before a couple adults walked in with like thirty kids. Score for us…well really score for my kids because I totally would not have waited in line that long!

When we got home, I decided to let Callum partake in a doughnut. Honestly, he was way more into the peach I gave him the other day than the doughnut. He didn't seem to like touching it much. Which, it was fresh and very sticky. And he really didn't eat much of it before completely loosing interest. But, it made for some cute pictures and isn't that what really matters?!

Just look at that first picture, so curious what's in the box. He was probably so curious because we were so excited to give it to him!

I am such a sucker for all these minor firsts in my kids lives and totally love documenting it, even if I get made fun of from time to time for doing so…yep, a mom at Isla's preschool made fun of me for always having my camera. I'll just chalk it up to jealousy ;)

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Preschool Open House

^^ She has never posed with her hands on her hips before and wasn't actually for this picture either, but actually dancing. 

^^ Obviously Isla is thrilled to be taking a picture with her mom and dad. 

^^ Her spot at the circle…which we learned from one of her teachers that Isla does best if she can look straight at the teacher. 

Isla had her preschool open house on Monday. Given that she is in the came class as last year, it was all  well known for her. She literally quickly ran around the classroom showing us all the stuff and was done. It was pretty funny. We were in and out within a matter of a couple minutes. Of course, then Isla was ready to run around and play with her friends so we stayed for a while and let her do that.

Let's take a moment to discuss how incredibly happy Isla was to take a picture with Ian and I. I don't think we are that horrible of people, but her face would obviously indicate otherwise. Of course, at least she is standing and looking at the camera. There have been times where she just curls up in a ball on the ground when I ask for a photo. So I guess that is progress.

Also, Isla picked out her outfit for the evening. Bow and all. It's been a while since she has consistently worn bows, so I was happy when she asked to wear one. Of course, I did have to do a little persuading to make it a matching bow, because she really didn't want to match. But, she said to me her teachers like it when she matches, so she would match…hahaha. The teachers totally have more pull than me.

I really love Isla's preschool and am definitely going to be feeling all sorts of sadness when we say goodbye to the amazing teachers at the end of the year. Isla is always excited to go and loves the teachers so much…and lets be honest, I love those wonderful women too.

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Connor: This kid has always loved to play school. He teaches Isla all the time. It cracks me up. 

Isla: She loves creatures, big and small. 

Callum: Thinks water in anything is cool. 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016."

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