Charmed

I am publishing this from my phone, so it will be interesting how it works out with the pictures! I haven't been able to access blogger for the past 2 months and it is very frustrating!

I have included 3 charming pictures today. One is from the womens Sounders game where Izzy is one of the girls holding the field flags (I volunteered her because she loves a good crowd!). I was at work the other day dying from sleepiness so my good friend who was on her way to get coffee, offered to get me some as well. This is my kind of friend! The barista (who I don't know) wrote me this cute note that made my day! Love friendly baristas!!
Finally, who doesn't lead a charmed life when they get their photo taken with Steve Zakuani??

What is up this week?

I thought I would let everyone know what has been going on around our house this week...

I caught a picture of a lion roaring in my bedroom...


The crate used to cart animals to and from the vet created quite a stir when brought out...Annie was busy smelling every inch of it...for perhaps a misplaced bowl of food??? Ming decided it was just the opportunity to scare the dog.



I got a haircut...while wearing my lumberjack shirt.

I found out this is how soccer girls lay out to get a tan...

I found these two cutie pies in my car...I feel like they are smiling too much. Should I be worried? Did they just break something???

Teenage girls can do awesome things with their own hair...

And finally, if you are looking for a misplaced pot of gold, we found it on our way home from soccer the other night...

It's at the post office if you want to claim it.

Out of the 7 of you that read this blog, I am guessing only 2 of you know which post office this is.

The State of Soccer

There are soccer highlight reels that are inspiring to watch and they might even bring a tear to the eye. They chronicle goals that impossibly reach the back of the net, moves that defy gravity and and moments of genius.

That is not what today is about.

Today is about the hard, smelly road of soccer for the moms and for the kids. There are days that I just want my girls to come out alive, without major injury. Amongst the kids on their teams, there have been many concussions, broken ankles, knee injuries, bloody noses, sprained everything, and too many cuts and bruises to count. People wonder why I carry an extra set of crutches around in my car. Because the fields are a long way from the car, and these kids are too old to carry! Hellloooo!!

But look, this girl is so considerate of my Izzy, that she is trying to wipe her nose for her. Wow. So thoughtful!


Thanks. How about you sit on my kid. That would be great. What is going on? Were you trained by the Minnesota Vikings defensive line?




It's alright, my baby is strong. Plus, you made her so mad, that she challenged you back and ruined your ability to pass the ball. She might rip your hip socket out of joint. I would watch your back if I were you.

I know people think my life is all glamorous, going from one soccer game to the next to the next to the next. Scheduling drop offs and pickups with my husband and still having to go to the same field 3 times a night, twice a week to get the kids. Waking up at 6:30am on a Saturday so we can get to a field on time. Standing in the pouring rain for 2 hours, holding an umbrella, and STILL trying to take pictures with my other hand. Not to mention the heart palpitations, the gasping when my babies get hurt, and the general state of concern I have for their well being.

I know, it makes people green with envy.

It's glamorous for the kids too, as you can tell.

Here are Izzy's knees that are already turning purple from bruising and have bloody spots where the turf has worn the skin away. All in a days work.

But somehow, they love it. Day in and day out, they are at it again and again. They must have an extra strand of chromosome somewhere that is the mega sports gene or something.

Izzy didn't even have practice or a game today, and still she is on the couch, in her shorts and soccer shoes ready to go. So we went and found a field and played around. I was verrry coordinated the entire time. Really.

Cleats on the couch? Seriously? This is why we can't have nice things people!!

We have soccer junk EVERYWHERE. We have turf EVERYWHERE.

We even have a soccer bag drying on a shoe drier (thank you incessant rain for that one). All their gear is soaked every single ever loving DAY. Enough already!!

Izzy loves it when I get pictures like this one. I call her my flying ninja (it has happened more than once). It is to her benefit though, look how she is freaking the people out around her. They are grimacing and the ball is nowhere near them! Izzy is kicking the ball towards the ref in case you needed some perspective. Is your hamstring alright honey? Can I get you anything?

Stop tackling my baby!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you okay Maria? Come here, and I will put you in my pocket and keep you safe and warm. Do you need a jacket? Do you have enough water? Are you sore? Let's hug.

Quick, get a chiropractor!! Why does soccer involve the head? This hurts me.

Oh look, not 7 feet away from the shoe drier, we have ANOTHER soccer bag hanging in the kitchen. Nice. It's not like they smell or anything.

In one week, this is the laundry I get. You would think I have 14 kids of my own playing soccer. Yup, this is the life, hand me some more bon bons please.

Oh great. At the exact same time that these soccer socks are ready to be folded, this is what I come across in the next room.

Smelly socks and smelly shoes.

Sometimes I wonder why I love this game so much. Where the passion comes from that drives me to watch my kids play soccer, my friends kids play soccer, my sister's kids play soccer, and I have been known to watch games that I don't know any of the kids on the field. How can Morrie and I put up with the early mornings, piles of dirty clothes, turf in OUR OWN shoes, water bottles spread across each room of the house, lost jerseys, and endless amounts of gear that needs to be purchased for a game where you only play with your feet and ONE ball.

I must have 8 extra strands of that mega soccer gene.

Because, even with all of the things we just discussed, I still really love this game!

Hey, can someone turn on FOX soccer, let's see who is playing!

Inside out and Upside Down

I walked downstairs to start my breakfast and noticed there wasn't a dog excitedly bouncing around my feet as I entered the kitchen. Nobody there trying to jump up and lick my hands, Although I was enjoying the serene atmosphere, I asked Morrie where Annie was, my voice filled with concern. He replied that everyone was still asleep.

What???

It was 7:06 and Izzy's bus comes at 7:22. That was so not going to work today.

I raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time and eased her bedroom door open. Softly I said "Izzy, are you going to school today?". I didn't want to panic her. She sat straight up, glanced at her clock and GASPED as she threw the covers back. "My alarm didn't go off!!" she cried. She was full of panic. I wrapped her in a hug, told her it would be okay and that I would drive her to school.

Sometimes when you wake up late, it can turn the entire day upside down and inside out. You just aren't on your game and it's like you are balancing on a tightrope all day, and seemingly falling off every other moment. It's like you wake up enveloped in a kind of black karma bubble, filled with a horrible fog laced with bad chi. What I didn't realize at the time, was that the bubble is very sticky. A sticky glob of unfortunate events that, as I hugged her, popped right off of Izzy and onto me.

In order to take her to school, my time to get ready for work was cut short by 25 minutes. Meaning my hair wasn't totally done, I had no lunch packed and was very unorganized. We hit horrible traffic going to school, and I was stuck in awful backups trying to get home. This made me almost 15 minutes late picking up my niece and nephew who ride with Maria and I to school each morning. Luckily everyone made it to school on time, and I flew into work with just a few minutes to spare.

Once at work, every ball that I had in the air, fell out of my reach, bounced funny and either got away from me or hit me in the face. I should have known to be more careful with this heavy fog hanging off of me like a horrible black slime. Before I knew it, I had slammed my finger in a drawer. OUCH! Holy cow it hurt. At this point I knew it was just not my day. Mind you, I was also trying to pretend I was not sick, but was really 4 days into a yucky cold. That alone can bring a girl down.

As the day wore on, it got so bad that my co-worker said to me "Wow, today really isn't your day!". Oh. Thanks. The day was full of headache situations and unusual calls that left me rattled. By the time I was ready to leave, I just wanted to crawl in my own bed and pull the covers over my head, and perhaps take some NyQuil. As I gently closed that last door, being careful not to let it slam because it is a very heavy door next to a glass wall, guess what? I ended up closing it on another finger! Ow, ow ow!!! I slammed my foot against the floor several times, tried not to cry out and held my hand over my head as if to ward off the swelling I knew would come anyway.

I didn't actually get to go straight home that night. I met Morrie and the girls at Maria's school for her volleyball game and finally got home for dinner just before 9pm. I did ask Izzy how her day went. She looked at me and said "It went fine!".

Of course it did.

Christmas Tradition

One of our Christmas traditions is to walk into one of the most decked out Christmas stores we can find, and walk around until our eyes are glazed over and we can't take one more minute of holiday cheer.

A store where we can turn around every corner and find ornament displays that beckon us with their candy colors in every possible shape you can think of.


I want to eat them up they look so yummy. Maria and I took a picture of our selves in front of the poinsettia tree.

What am I going to do when the day comes that she maybe doesn't want to do this with mom anymore??

Every table top was covered in some sort of insane cuteness and holiday themed cheer. After only 30 minutes of being there, I think I was high on peppermint and fir. I was convinced I too could go home and create anything with a little moss, hot glue and poinsettia leaves.

I was also convinced that I could hang brightly colored garland ever so perfectly and come up with this:

Some things were just a bit ridiculous. How big of a tree would you need for this ornament?

Perhaps we should go with just one color, and make a winter wonderland out of our greenhouse...I mean living room, with snow owls and penguins.

We oohed and ahhed over every little item- especially the tiny villages.

By the end, we even thought the upside down tree, decorated in an aquatic theme was pretty. That's how brainwashed we were. Who doesn't need a pink metal flamingo at the base of their tree?

I can't even tell if there is a tree under all of these decorations:

But I do know what someone wants from Santa this year!

For her to NEVER get any older, for her to always think shopping with Mom is the bomb and for her to live in my pocket where we can go everywhere together.

Dear Diary (in pictures)

Dear Diary,

Please let Isabelle always want to hang out with me, because I don't think I can not have these moments with her. We had a sleepover together and watched Arrested Development and laughed until our sides hurt.






Dear Diary,

Today Maria's cat tried to swipe my legs out from under me while she was hiding in a cat bed. I don't think I have the patience for this animal. I am trying to find my receipt so I can go and get a refund.

Dear Diary,

Maria and I are reading The Help. I read out loud to her and change all the bad words. She thinks it is a great book. Wait until she goes to school and tells all her friends to read it. By the way, my Southern accent is coming along nicely. Sometimes it is hard to break out of, and I frequently find myself having conversations with Morrie where I am apparently still in the deep South. He is looking for his receipt on me.

Dear Diary,

This dog can't be any cuter.

'Nough said.

Dear Diary,

We hung up the kids artwork over our bed because we had such a big space to fill and nothing to fill it with. The picture right behind me with the bright blue background is a picture Maria drew of Morrie and I. We are super heroes, wearing capes. She drew it when she was 7. When she still thought we possessed super powers. I like to look at it and pretend she still thinks of us that way. Then I ponder what kind of super powers I would really like to have. Then Morrie walks in and sees me deep in thought and asks what I am doing and tell him I would like to be invisible and be able to transport myself places. Then he sighs and walks back out of the room.

Dear Diary,

I would like Five Guys Burgers and Fries in my kitchen. They are french fry nirvana.

Dear Diary,

When the girls and I have too much time on our hands...thing can get out of control.

Dear Diary,

Maria ran into her old gymnastics coach tonight at Isabelle's school. Maria and Nancy love each other. A lot. Nancy may be the single best coach I have ever seen in my life- across all sports. There isn't a more encouraging, loving, kind, and enthusiastic person out there. I think she wants Maria to come and live with her. Do you think she would take Maria's cat too?

I bet she would.

This Cat is W.E.I.R.D.

Maria's cat, Ming, is quite the character. She tries to balance on the back of chairs, hangs upside down from a railing, and generally causes trouble.

Does this remind anyone of the Princess and the Pea?



She thinks she can fit into any box that we have lying around. Sometimes I put an empty granola bar box on the floor just to see what she does. Then I giggle as she sticks her front legs in and can't figure out why her head can't fit as well.

It kind of seems like she wants to tryout for Cirque du Soleil.

I kid you not, she was just laying on the ladder here, hanging out if you will, having a rest. Waiting for something exciting to come along.

She is everywhere, all at once. Maria walks upstairs, and by the 3rd step, Ming is under her feet. We turn on the washing machine and before we can turn to grab the clothes, Ming is up on the edge, sticking her foot in the water. We try to take out the garbage, and before we know it, she is in the cabinet.

Once in a while, I get a little fed up with her antics. She is no cup of tea.

She thinks she's a cup of something, though...