Mama Needs a Sundae, Sunday

It started with a fabulous service at church... the kind where you leave walking to your car a little more challenged than so. Love it.

Stink did not love what came up next... a challenge of his own. I asked him to clean up the living room and put the games away. The lack of enthusiasm was presently overwhelming, and so much that we weren't paying attention to what we were doing. Very bad things can happen in this haze. I hear a lingering trickle of clinking on the wood floor that came to a slow halt with pure silence at the end. Stink just stood there in this silence, looking at his mess. The mess of the contents in the 500 melty bead bucket now scattered about the room. I look at him standing there right in the middle, just staring at what happened. We have all been there and I could totally read the look on his face.

~Did this really just happen?
~If I close my eyes will it disappear?
~Can I hit the "undo" button?

Then what he secretly dreads came out of my mouth... "Well, clean it up." Thoughts on the face were read and continued.

~Crap... this really sucks.
~Where the heck do I begin?
~I'm still standing here back at first thought and I can't move... did this really just happen?

So my sergeant threw a colossal fit and complained that mosquitoes were attacking him. I didn't buy it. Instead, gave him a tip and equipment that would help clean up the mess quicker. He scrunched his eyebrows and didn't want to hear it. Then when he realized he wasn't in the jungle being eaten alive, he took the tip and amazingly the mess got cleaned up quicker than the length of that stretched episode.

Then we were off... to cut Benny's cotton. His cotton is his hair. His hair that is white as snow and soft as silk. He wants long hair and was growing it out- but deciding not to take care of it in the process. I couldn't see his eyes clearly, he had this Bieber-twitch flicking it away from his baby blues. That was the start. Then comes the disturbing silhouette I spotted one morning at breakfast before school... I had to confront.

Mom: Benny, you have a sleep-nest on the back of your head still, go comb it out please.

Benny: No mom, I did already. It's okay, when I play at morning recess I get sweaty and do this (rubs his hand to pat down the tangled mess). Then it's gone!

I took him to the bathroom where I felt the coarseness of his now non-silky hair as I de-nested with a comb. This is where I found out we weren't using the conditioner as mom prescribed for growing out the hair. Mom made some home modifications with her scissors, caused tears, and we still didn't take care of our hair over the next couple days. So off to the barber shop we go this Sunday after the melty bead melt-down. I prepared him for this day. I gave him the weekend to enjoy his mess but we were getting a cut before pictures on Monday, final say.
I detected the disappointment on his face as we talked to the hair-dresser about the plans. She did a very nice job- I could see those gorgeous eyes again. He looked straight forward at the end and not at mom (see the picture above full of attitude). My Ben-Ten was mad at me. It took multiple praises and a picture to convince him that he is still oh-so-dang-handsome. So if we want to grow our hair out we now know that:

A) We need to condition it. Daily.
B) Comb it.
C) Do not develop or disclose gross boy habits that frighten mom. :)
D) Keep it out of your eyes, mom really loves them, LOTS.

I couldn't tell if the day's events were exaggerated from our late night sleepover with friends or what. But at the end of the day my boys were happy, still told me I was a great mom, and our snuggles were as heartfelt as always. Remember... I love you two pickles. So very much.

We sure did sleep well...

Just for You

Stink was very specific about this request. He wanted a blog post only made up of the surf pictures and videos of him and his brother on our website. Here you go love... and great job in La Jolla! You know you rocked it! You deserved this. ~so many kisses

Photos courtesy of Lance Smith

http://www.lancesmithphotography.com/Sports/surf/LearntoSurf-with-Heather-Pine/18909722_ZzVGBp

Break... Challenge... Memories

We weren't planning on another trip this year but I personally needed a short get-away at this moment in time, the boys could always use one, and this was an incredible opportunity and something Stink really wanted... and I wanted that for him. After all there is no way I would want us or I to miss out on the Sergeant's first out of state soccer tournament.

Family Traveling: Mom's number one challenge as a single parent so far. I have been mastering yard work and the laundry is always kept up with. There's not much else I ever had help with so the unachievable isn't a distant thing to me. It shouldn't ever be anyway... you can do it, whatever it is I've learned. But yes, this parenting job was certainly meant for two- it has it's hard moments for two, and double hard moments for one. I'm happily rid of a few things so in some ways it's a whole lot easier. Though these trips can be a lot of work for me, the prize is worth it all. In three days I squeezed in the exercising, manicure, cleaning, shopping and packing plus worked 10-13 hour shifts <------ Exhausting. Prize-time.

So off to gorgeous La Jolla, California where S. Stinks tournament took place... a beautiful place! We added it to our collection of favorite beach cities along with Carlsbad and Del Mar after our 5 day experience. I get in a different moment when the windows are rolled down and it hits you when your there- that moist fresh air with a hint of sea salt. It flows through Benny's cotton (his hair) making dewey locks concentrated with his baby smells... makes me crazy. He just wears it with a jolly, teasing smile knowing I want to tackle him with my kisses. I wish my hair had that effect in the humidity, not so... at all.

Now for the soccer, sweet soccer. The fields were soft, the air was cool, and the attitude was right. My Sergeant was ready to take on these Californians with his team. Being out of state sparks a little fire in him I see.

They won the first game, not without a whiny fight from the opponents though. Our coach got thrown out when California realized we were going to win and a couple of yellow cards got thrown in... one of them on Stink. The second game was loss for us, but we got to explore La Jolla Shores and experience the greatest pizza at this dive pizza parlor run by only one guy. So I say it wasn't really a loss. The next day's game score was a tie. A win, a lose and a tie... not so bad. The team played absolutely phenomenal though. They looked great and it was fun to watch. The Sergeant stated he doesn't like how California kids play... and I will agree it's different... but what a great experience for him and all of those boys.

There was only a couple of disappointing things, one of them being Coldplay's newest full album I was excited to listen to on the trip... and the other being some dear children of mine who took advantage of a napping mommy. That second one caused a night in that could have been a great night out in our beautiful new place we were visiting. Challenges. Lesson's learned.

We had a late night filled with the best nachos shared and a cheesy San Diego ghost tour.
I decided to stay an extra day for a full, relaxing run of the beach for just our family. We set up our spot and it rained. The boys hardly knew it, but I surely felt it in my little bikini. We got two hours of sunshine that we took total advantage of (very, very nice). We had to take advantage of the rest the weather brought too of course (just nice). Stink decided to teach a buddy he met how to skim board. Benny was out at sea... diving into the waves as he just loves to do and did for hours.

Some friends recommended surf lessons from a nearby surf instructor that the boys were totally all over. It's been something they have wanted to do for the last couple beach trips, so on our way home I decided to make a stop for the lessons. Just when I thought I was improving on my geography I was reminded of how pathetic my sense of direction is on the road. We got there, and like I wrote: the work is worth the prize. My prize was seeing their little muffin butts in wetsuits- made me get my pincher's out. ***More to come on this surf topic***

La Jolla: Thank you for this break that I really-really needed, challenge my dear son will never forget, and more memories we made. See you soon. Love, Nens

Stinky's Sequence of Events

My Sergeant and I finished a school project together... called the penny time-line. S. Stink had to pick out pennies to represent all the years of his little life he has had so far.

Then we got to dive into the real fun when he needed to pick out a favorite story from each year to go with each penny. I create and keep picture books for the boys that I try very hard to keep up with. I always know these books will be much appreciated some-day but they most definitely came in handy for my dear son and his project. So we started going through all of Stink's books from birth to the current day.

I couldn't wait until the day Stink took his first steps... not knowing at the time that the walk just means a new level for toddler exploring and getting into things. Then once that's quickly mastered we run... everywhere.

Brother-bear was born and not only did he love holding Benny, I would always catch big brother in his crib checking on him and playing with the weird Baby Einstein mobile I hung for both the boys (that thing was a popular hit). Or better yet pushing him in his automated swing sometimes sending me flying across the room when I thought he was trying to see how high his brother could go.

Then there comes the laughs with the farm goats that I frequently introduced Stink to, obviously. There are many pictures of us on different farms and events where I stuck my poor son in front of these things and his little face shows sheer terror and fright in every single one. I'm sorry honey... maybe mom thought it was a fear you needed to conquer or something. Whatever it was I can tell you now your over it.

Oh how my Sergeant just adored Thomas the Train and spent hours at his train table humming the tunes from The Island of Sodor. He even told me one day that he was cross... and I knew right where that sort of lingo was from. I remember painting Stink's room in bright blues with all Thomas decor. He even went to the first day of preschool with the whole Thomas set up: shirt, shoes, and backpack... you-were-it.

Stink went to his first day of school and just trotted on into the class like he's done it for years. I was the one that was crying... the sort of good tears. That's how you want your child to take things on but it was a unique sweet to taste. Then there was our trip to Disneyland... unforgettable for all.

My sports fanatic son found his personal love in soccer... in which I am currently watering that seed. Your fabulous. Stink really enjoyed our summer trip on the cruise where we celebrated our bonds, our tight family, and escaped the everyday for a bit.

I love you Sergeant Stink! This was fun, and again I'm sorry about the goats baby. Way to go on your grade in this project too... 65/65!