How To Clean Like A Mom

Washable crayons and markers are washable...except for the red ones. Those, not so much.

It's best to peal stickers off of surfaces within 12 hours of their application. Otherwise they are nearly impossible to remove. This goes for skin as well as walls and table tops.

To remove pine tree sap from skin, rub it with olive oil. It does not, however, wash out of clothing.

Though microfiber furniture my not be the most stylish I can't imagine owning anything else with small children. Or husbands.

Many stains can be removed from clothing if you soak them in Oxyclean long enough. So far I have left things in the bucket for up to a week with no ill effects.

Carry diaper wipes on you at all times. They work for just about everything, including the kids when you realize giving them chocolate chip granola bars on the car ride to school was a bad idea.

Definitely only potty train in nice weather when you can spend most of the days outside.

You can try double making the bed during illness but inevitably you will just be washing 2 sets of sheet when the pee/vomit manages to completely bypass the dog's pee-pee pads you placed in between layers.

Dogs are great for cleaning floors. They are like little vacuum cleaners. And, when necessary, mops. Like when your child pukes up his breakfast. (I'm not proud of it, but Ting was not easy to deter.)

And speaking of puke, it really is wise to keep an extra change of clothes for the entire family in the car. Possibly 2 for yourself because the only thing you know for sure is that you will catch the far majority of the puke on your person...and likely your hair, so a pony tail holder is a good idea too. As is an extra pair of shoes. Of this I have much experience.

Any other advice? Please comment below!

Circus

We took Pippa to the Circus for the first time. Such fun made even better by sharing it with her Na-nong, Ni-ning, Na-nong Geri, and Ate Maddy. Good memories.

Mountain Bound

It's been over 3 years since we have been skiing and snowboarding. The last trip we took was to Lake Tahoe just before I got pregnant with Pippa and I've either been pregnant or had a baby on the boob ever since. Until this year! It was time to get back to the mountain and Sto and I were really excited about it. Seeing that we were not up for the long flight west with 2 small kids we opted to stay local, the Pocono Mountains. Best of all? Nana met us there to hang out for the week. Super fun for all because you know she's always prepared with crafts and games galore.

We stayed at a place called Split Rock, which was a really nice place in the 80's I'm sure. Ever see Hot Tub Time Machine? What clued us in to the fact it's never been updated? Doors that lock with actual keys, enormous non-flat screen TVs, and cool gold trim. Luckily we are not high class people and we thought the kitchiness of it all was quite charming. And it did have a lot going for it as long as you didn't look too closely. There was a pool, of course. But also an arcade, bowling alley, and even a movie theater that was playing Life Of Pi. Best of all, there was an in-door water park that we hit up at the end of the week. The kids were both apprehensive at first but soon could not be torn away from splashing in the toddler section and going down the mini water slide. We finally dragged them away when we were all shivering and starving. One of the best parts of that experience was that while we were splashing in our bathing suits there was a swirling blizzard all about us. We weren't sure we would be able to drive out the next day it was so much snow! The kids weren't impressed, but the adults where.

Too bad all that snow didn't dump on the mountain in the beginning of the week when we could have enjoyed it more. The first day there was a small ice storm which made conditions not so great for skiing but it didn't deter Sto and I. While my mom hung out with the kids at the hotel (with Lincoln crying pitifully most of the time, of course)(God bless my mom!) we hit the slopes. I admit I was a little nervous that I might have forgotten how to snowboard but it only took 1 run to get the hang of it again. It was a really great day. There were only a handful of people out riding so we felt like we had it all to ourselves. The took a ton of runs in just a couple of hours and were reminded why we like it so much. 

We considered taking Pippa for a lesson but thought better of it and decided to take them both sledding instead. That was an experience to remember. In a continuing effort to encourage Lincoln to enjoy the company of people other than myself (can you say supreme mama attachment?!) I was going to sled with Pippa and Lincoln with Sto. He was not terribly happy with this but managing to hold it together. I popped Pippa on the sled and start trekking up the hill, remembering all those times my dad did the same thing with me. Now I understand why he would take a break every couple of runs! We climbed up only a small part of the hill to test it out for Pippa's first time sledding and as I'm trying to relay the wisdom in this to Sto he waves me off and continues further up the hill. My worry was that it would be too fast and scary and the kids would refuse to sled any more! I could totally see that happening. But dad's know a thing or two about this sort of thing so I didn't push it. Pippa and I had a great (and short) run and she was ready to go again. Lincoln, however, did not fair quite as well. Sto got going too fast and tried to slow himself by putting his feet down, which then sprayed snow onto Lincoln's face causing him to start screaming....sledding over. There was no getting him anywhere close to a sled after that so Sto took him back to get the car while Pippa and I played for a little while longer. At least one of them had fun. I'm sure next year he'll won't be able to get enough of it.

Another memorable moment of the week happened at the arcade. We got a handful of tokens to let the kids play whatever they wanted. The concept of winning tickets and buying something with them was totally foreign, obviously, so they just gravitated toward the games that had the best flashing buttons to push. We had would get a ticket here and there and I figured we would just throw them out at the end, not even bothering to redeem them for a crappy toy. So Pippa chose a game that releases the bouncy ball and you win the amount of tickets written on whichever hole it bounced into. Not a bad choice since the least amount of tickets to be won was 10. Oddly, there was a part of me that still got excited at the thought of winning a bunch of tickets, even if I didn't want anything for them. Wouldn't you know it, our ball get stuck and can't bounce into a hole! Let down! So then Sto bangs on the machine and pop! Right into the jackpot hole! We ended up with 750 tickets! They just kept spitting out of the machine. It was crazy.  That event started kicked our good luck into high gear because by weeks end we had over 1200 tickets! Sto and Pippa had fun picking out a million little toys to bring home with us (most of which are already in the trash, by the way). 

It was a fun and exhausting week and we are already talking about our next mountain trip. We liked the area so much that we would love to buy a vacation home in the area some day. I've always said I'd rather have a house in the mountains than the beach. Dare to dream, right?

Lady and the Tramp

What was the first movie you remember watching? I remember ET in the theater and Dark Crystal (which terrified me) at the drive in along with one of the Star Wars movies. We've been keeping an eye out for a the right movie to take Pippa to the theater to see but so far nothing gentle enough has come up. Actually, I don't think anything gentle enough exists. So Pippa has never been to the movies. Nor has she seen an full movie on DVD. Partly because we've never bothered but partly because we weren't sure which one to choose. But then Joel and Katelyn came to visit and brought with them Lady and The Tramp. This was a classic in my household growing up. Joel and I have probably seen it a hundred times. And even though we haven't seen it in easily 20 years we didn't miss a beat. We were still able to say the lines right along with the movie.

We thought this would be the perfect first, real movie for Pippa. Sure there is a short 'scary' part about a rat and a chase scene with some horses but we figured we could fast forward and all would be well. Really, we should have known better. We forgot about the opening scene. I know you are wracking your brain trying to remember what is scary in the opening scene. And I doubt that unless you have a 3 year old of your own you would never figure it out, so I will tell you. Lady, as a puppy, is put in the kitchen for the night and whines until she makes it into her owner's bed. Apparently this is extremely upsetting to 3 year olds. We all know Pippa is a mild, sensitive little blossom after all. We could only roll our eyes and assure her the puppy going to be OK as she clung to me and buried her head in my shoulder. She did end up enjoying the rest of the movie (minus the rat and horses). But if you ask her today about the experience she will bring up that poor little puppy.

Perhaps we'll wait a few years more before ET.

A Year In Review: 2012

2012. Where to start? It's all a little fuzzy, honestly. Perhaps it's because I'm only now writing about it in February of 2013 (Yes, I back dated this post). That is saying something about how 2012 flew by and my state of mind at the moment. I have come to learn that having one kid is easy. Not easy, because having any number of kids is, of course, challenging but in retrospect having only one makes it so much easier to maintain control of all the glass balls that we balance everyday. When did I feel like I was starting to loose that perfect balance? Hmmm. Let me think. That would be when Lincoln started to walk. Having a second mobile and curious little mind who can now run the opposite direction of his sister and yet cause just as much, or even more, chaos changed everything. And since he started walking just before his 1st Birthday we've been living this truth for most of the year.

And then he started climbing.

And then he started moving chairs over to the counter.

I am constantly (constantly) picking random things up off the floor such as pens, refrigerator magnets, wooden spoons, construction paper, and there was one particular incident involving dried mung beans that I will not forget anytime soon. As hard as I try to keep on top of things I can see the peace in my household slipping. I'm getting corners of clutter and my toy baskets are no longer organized by type. So what's to do about it? Be realistic, that's what. So my counter tops aren't always (or often) clear. So the clean laundry sits in the dryer for 24 (or 48) hours. It all gets done eventually...usually the hour before the housekeepers arrive, but whatever. I just keep reminding myself that I'm in the thick of it right now and before I know it, both my kids will be in school all day every day and I won't know what to do with myself. Or at least that's what I want to believe right now. I need to believe that right now.

So, with my somewhat downer reflections out of the way, let me sum up this glorious year of our Lord 2012. We started the year battling cold after cold but came through it victorious and crunchier than ever because of it. We've started some important supplements and made a few changes to our diet that have improved the health of the family as a whole. Lincoln started solids, and true to form insisted on doing it his way only accepting pieces of whatever the rest of us where eating. He became mobile, learning to crawl, and then walk, then run, and finally climb. He was following his sister up the ladder of the swing set and down the slide by 1 year old. Not so much talking but lots of personality and fun anyway. He loves music and is quick to join in on any song that involves hand motions (thank you Kids Music Round and Miss Marilyn!). He's a complete mama's boy and doesn't want to spend one precious moment away from me. Can you blame him? The boy's got good taste, what can I say?

Pippa had a pretty great year too. She is growing so fast and turning into such a beautiful and smart little girl. She made the transition from toddler to preschooler. She learned to use the big girl potty which I think was as big of an accomplishment for me as it was for her! She also turned 3 and blossomed into the 3 year old that every parent thinks they wont have and yet they do. She is supremely independent and knows her own mind which, though are challenging attributes at times, makes me incredibly proud. She started school at Montessori and is doing wonderfully. Her self confidence is growing every day and she is nearly reading, starting to write, and doing great at pre-math things like puzzles and simple word problems. She is a great big sister and even when she and Lincoln are fighting over some toy (which is often, btw) she is still always loving towards him.



It's been a good year for Sto and I as well. We are stronger than ever and thankful every day for the family we've given each other. We made it through the first year of babyhood, survived anther hurricane, saw our first born of to preschool, and even managed to have a few great vacations. Sto got a partner which opened him up to some actual and blessed free time and I was hired by a family practice and scheduled to start in the new year. Lincoln will starting daycare soon too (stay tuned for that story...). In 2013 we are looking forward to a new family balance with me at work, more family vacations, maybe some camping, getting in shape (don't we say that every year?), and lots more laughs and love. Oh yeah, and a wedding! Joel and Katelyn will be tying the knot in November and we can't wait. There is nothing we love more than family and in our world, the more the merrier!

No Thanks, Santa

Christmas is such a great season when you have kids. It's seems like everything is just a bigger deal, even the simple things. Sto and I certainly got into the spirit this year. We put the tree up early; right after Thanksgiving. This meant that our house was decked out for Christmas for Pippa's Birthday party. We even attempted hanging lights on the trees outside (which turned out so-so but don't tell Sto I said that.) All that work has been worth it, though, just to have the opportunity to plug the lights in every day and hear the kids (especially Lincoln) say 'Wooow!'

There is just something about Christmas lights at night. We took multiple car rides around the neighborhood to look at them and an extra special trip to an area farm that puts on a huge display. The kids love it for multiple reasons. First of all, there are tons of fun light to marvel at as we drive around the fields. Second, we let the kids sit on our laps in the front seats. Obviously awesome. And last, but definitely not least, we get to buy fresh popped kettle corn that is out of this world. This is one of our favorite Christmas traditions now.


So the topic of Santa Clause gets some discussion from Sto and I every year. Neither of us grew up in a Santa household so it's not automatic that Santa will visit our household either. Not only do we find it all sort of annoying, but we don't like the expectation of the season to be all about getting gifts. A lot of kids get really greedy and spoiled this time of year. Also, I'm really not comfortable with flat out lying to my kids like that. So I just didn't really bring it up much this year...until Santa visited Pippa's school. On the ride home she informed me that she did not want to sit on his lap and of course I said that was fine. Then I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk more with her about Santa and kind of feel it out. After all, I don't want to rob her of some 'magical childhood memories' that so many people have of Santa. So I asked her what she thought about Santa coming to our house on Christmas Eve and leaving presents for her. She nearly started crying. She adamantly did NOT want Santa to come to our house. I tried telling her that Santa is just pretend and while she was visibly relieved, at this age it's all still confusing for her. Santa was just in her classroom after all so he's pretend, but not really. The only way I  was able to assuage her fears was to promise to call Santa as soon as we got home and tell him not to come to our house. Let me tell you, I could not get to the phone fast enough! I dialed Sto and talked to Santa on his voice mail. It totally cracked him up. Any time after that, whenever someone asked her if she was looking forward to Santa coming I had to jump right in and inform them (and Pippa) that I had indeed called him and told him not to come. We never even mentioned him on Christmas morning and neither did she. We'll see what happens next year but I'm fine with this turn of events!

Even without Santa's help it's possible we went a little overboard this year in the gift department. But I justify it by pointing out that Pippa has entered a new stage of development (i.e. preschool) and we didn't have many appropriate toys. And we didn't have many boyish toys either. But I was sure to make room for all the new loot by cleaning out the old stuff. They may have gotten a lot of stuff from us and other relatives, but it was all quality. Good job everyone! Lincoln especially loves his new sneakers from Ni-Ning and No-Nong. Pippa is especially into the cash register from Kuya Mateo and Rapha. And I especially love the huge doll house that now graces our basement. Thanks, everyone, for blessing us and our kids not only with material possessions but more importantly with love and friendship. Merry Christmas everyone.

A Crafty Family

 We love art and crafts in this household. We love all types. Play-dough. Stickers. Contact paper stuffed with wonderful outdoor discoveries. And paint. Definitely paint. We especially like painting with paint brushes but I thought it was time to pull out good, old-fashioned finger paint. Who doesn't love that squishy squashy stuff after all? Well, Lincoln was not a huge fan, as it turned out. Surprisingly he was not too into getting all messy and quickly got bored. Pippa enjoyed herself a bit longer smudging all the colors together to an inevitable shade brown.

But Sto loved it. Apparently he has a little suppressed artist somewhere inside of him. I even hung his paintings on the window to show them off. Even daddies need a little praise from time to time. After all, a family who paints together, stays together!