Wedding Bells

He moved so lightening fast that you almost couldn’t see him with the naked eye. But he did it. Dressed all dapper-like in his tux and Chuck Taylors, the flames on the side must have inspired Finn’s speedster aisle debut. As far as weddings go, Tom and Michelle’s was top tier and we were so thrilled to be a part of it. The nuptial highlights were their personally written vows that rocked and Tom’s special vows for step-daughter Emily. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. How lucky we are to have them in our family!

As far as the fun goes, the reception was a kids’ dream with a third of the guests falling into the youngster category. The dance floor was full from beginning to end and even my well-practiced rendition of the Hoedown Throwdown (as reviewed by vodka and tonic) went off without a hitch! It was great catching up with family, both new and old, and to watch everyone have a great time.

Thanks to Aunt Michelle and Uncle Tom for a heck of a hootenanny. We wish them everything wonderful in their forever together!

That's funny. Really.

I have a great neighbor who I really do like, but who finds it necessary to give me a hard time, whenever possible, about being an at-home mom. (If he ever reads this blog, I know he knows who I am talking about!) I have to admit, it definitely gets my dander up, to say the least, but I know it’s all in good fun. Being at-home is a rarity in this ‘hood; I’m one of only two moms in nineteen houses that doesn’t work outside the home. The other one doesn’t work at all. I don’t think my neighbor believes that I actually make an income from writing, but whatever. He jokes constantly about “how busy” my days must be. GRRRRR.

Well, here’s this she-woman’s morning in a nutshell. Don’t tell me I’m not busy. And by the way dude, Thursday’s my easiest day of the week.

Woke at 4:30 to work.

Wrote two articles for two different clients and sent them off.

Researched a third piece.

Watered all the flowers and shrubs.

Woke kids. Dressed, fed and got Logan on her way.

Watered the lawn.

Cleaned up the kitchen.

Vacuumed first floor.

Dug out entire vegetable garden, removed all grass and dumped it behind our fence.

Shoveled and wheel barrowed two whole yards of top soil mixed with compost from the pile about 100 yards away from my new vegetable garden.

Planted vegetables.

I swear, I don’t remember anything other than childbirth being as tough when it comes to physical labor. I am skipping my regular Thursday trip to the gym for sure. All this by 11 AM? I doubt I need to tell you how many interruptions there were from the peanut gallery.

With a light-hearted spirit – of course - I challenge my comedian neighbor to a busy-ness contest. Any day. Bring it on!!

Time to make lunch.

Man's Best Friend

One of my weekly jaunts takes me to obedience class with Jesse. I love this time for a number of reasons, most notable being the hour of walking that gets us there and back and the time alone with Jess devoted to her training. (As you might guess, at-home training sessions are a rarity.) She is a smart cookie and demonstrates each week that her breed was definitely born to work with humans. This floppy, uncoordinated juvenile delinquent makes me proud each and every class as she transforms before my eyes, picks things up effortlessly and focuses, like a sharp shooter, on the task at hand.

There are several Rowdy Rovers in our current class. It’s been eye-opening to watch them and I’ve realized that the rowdy ones are usually not the bad ones; they’re just reacting to a look or mannerism from a quietly aggressive classmate. And as I listen to our trainer, Mare, I realize that the rowdy dogs are the ones struggling with confidence issues, from lives spent in foster homes or unloving ones, that they need work through. Mare says that nearly all of them can overcome these issues and become happy, well-adjusted pets.

Funny how we have so much in common with man’s best friend. So many of us carry around baggage from the past, struggle to be confident or fight to keep old demons at bay. I’m amazed at how these diligent and loyal hard-workers are able to learn to trust, in humans and in themselves, and rise above whatever happened in their pasts. If only us humans could be as successful!

I am a dog person. And a human person, too. Here’s to all us humans moving forward!

on the verge

As the terrible two’s announce last call in our home - forever (Finn turns 3 tomorrow) - I find it true-to-form that our resident curmudgeon got some zingers in at the bell. Just yesterday, Finn managed the following:

...Refused any clothes that are not made of stretchy cotton, they are just not comfortable after all. Will now only wear clothes with his “arms out” i.e. short sleeves.

...Opened the sliding back door, dropped trou and peed right out onto the deck (and the new welcome mat just placed there.)

...Pushed a stool to the counter and placed a silicone potholder in the toaster over. Then he turned it on.

...Asked me, “Is Jesse acting like a lunatic right now, Mommy?” Seriously, lunatic?

...Climbed in my bathtub while I watched from the shower, dropped trou and peed. Then he cleaned it up with my bath towel and proudly announced his successful urination and clean up.

...Pushed a stool to the counter, climbed up and ransacked the one set of upper cabinets where I keep everything dangerous: hard alcohol, medicine, tools, etc. I found him trying to light a votive with a lighter he found.

...Had a long talk with his father about the merits of nail polish and how much he wants to wear it.

...At bedtime, Finn howled until he got his way and I put him to bed despite a laundry list of a hundred things to do before we excitedly welcome Granddad and Grandmom today. Finally succumbing to the fatigue and enjoying a few moments of bedtime peace with Finn, I started asking him about his day. He said, “Just be quiet Mommy. I want you to lay with me, not talk.”

I’m slightly concerned about his plans for today, but expect big changes at 11:01 tomorrow morning. Do you think I’m setting myself up for disappointment?

mother's day 2009

Is there anything better than gardening tools to replace those lost since last Mother’s Day, a sunflower barely clinging to life due to weekend storage in Riley’s closet, Logan’s delivery of her “Mother’s Day” book with the page that reads: “My mom is funny when she sings lots of weird stuff that I don’t really get.” or Finn's one-hour bedtime tantrum? Nope, there's not. It's all part of the gig I signed up for and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It was a great day full of yummy treats, wonderful mom visits and my hands in the dirt. It ended with a long awaited spa treatment from Logan and Riley, who each took a hand and painted my nails (or fingers, I should say.)

The polish all over the place, but I can’t bear to take it off just yet.

Thanks to all my peeps for an awesome day, especially Daddy, the mastermind behind it all. I am one lucky mama.

Yes, it's true. Molly Anderson is Mother of the Year!

The coolest thing since sliced bread; I had to break my "no email forwarding" rule and send this thing out in boat loads. The creative folks at MomsRising.org who put this amazing video together have made Mother's Day special for over 1 million moms at last count, all recipients of this incredible effort. It is the best! If you haven't seen it or received it yet, check your junk mail.

I assure you, it doesn't belong there!

Apparently, a secret benefactor is offering to make donations for every additional video sent in support of the work MomsRising does for good family policy in Washington.

Here's mine.... watch it and then go create some for the miracle moms in your life!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=11N2mwfbKvJl2lXegHoWqzE4NTYzNA--&referred_by=15487093-9Sj6Mbx