a mother's day tribute

As a little girl my mother was a very important part of my life. She took me to school, fed me, put clothes on my back, kissed my "owies", and was always there for me. However, it wasn't until I became a mom myself that I fully comprehended the true value of her presence in my life. She has been someone I could count on no matter what, loving me unconditionally despite my faults, a shoulder to cry on, a best friend, a role model, giving up all she has so that I may experience life to it's fullest, and finding so much joy, despite the unmeasureable sacrifice she paid,  in seeing me reach my dreams.

Words will never be able to express the gratitude and appreciation we have for our mothers. There will never be enough thank you's, enough words, enough cards, enough hugs and kisses to tell you just how much you mean to us. To our mothers and grandmothers, today is your special day, know that you are loved beyond all comprehension, and that it would take an infinite amount of Mother's days to fully express our gratitude to you.

We love you with all our Hearts....

mommy's day artwork

I LOVE the special artwork Ella made for me at preschool. When I picked her up she ran to me with her hands full of her "projects" and told me I had to open it right now. She didn't care that it wasn't Mother's day yet, she just couldn't wait any longer. I love what she wrote on the left picture, it says, "I love mommy because...she buys me clothes". I couldn't help but laugh when I read it. I guess it's good to know that she even appreciates the little things. I am so blessed to be a mommy to these two girls.

just a glimpse...

into what Barth get's to do every day. Although his job is extremely busy with very little downtime, it is a blessing to know that he is able to go to a job each morning that he truly loves and is passionate about. I am so proud of what he is to us...an incredible husband and dedicated daddy...but even more proud of the physician he has become and his desire to help others. i ♥ u barth!

that's Barth on the right...and yes that is the leg they are operating on in the middle

(posted the pic in black & white due to the graphic nature)

weekend = fun

We love weekends. Weekends mean daddy time, soccer games, church, family outings, trips to the park...sometimes I wish everyday was a weekend, but I guess that's what makes them so special.
Our weekend started out with just me and the girls. Barth was away in Vegas for a shoulder conference so us girls enjoyed a little pre-weekend fun together. The weather seems to be getting warmer with each passing day, which makes for perfect park weather. I packed up our jogging stroller and we made a morning of it.

Saturday morning started out early...a bit too early. Ella's soccer game started at 8:00am. We left our house at 7 made a quick stop at Starbucks for a little "candy milk" and made it to the field for a little pre-game warm-up. Ella's team played Flower Power...the Blasting Blueberries dominated like crazy! I don't remember the exact score but it was something like 5-0.

perfecting that throw-in..she is getting pretty good

After church on Sunday, we picked up some lunch at Cuca's...well known in Redlands for their yummy food, good size portions and great prices. It was a first time for me. I never would have given the place a second glance...they operate out of a teeny tiny building that has a small window where you can walk up and place your order. Seating is non-existent, so we got our food and headed to a park in the middle of the city...

a first good bye

The end of residency is fast approaching. The days are filled with constant searches on craigslist and other sites for possible homes, organizing & organizing, never-ending work stuff and studying for Barth, and the constant thought in my mind that I better start packing now or else....I guess the actual move still seems kinda surreal to us all. It is going to happen whether we are ready or not, so I better kick it into high gear in the coming weeks.
The need to move always comes with good byes. We had our first good bye yesterday, and it left me realizing that this may be harder than I thought. The excitement of the "light at the end of the tunnel" is still there, but it is hard nonetheless to say good bye to people who have become such a significant part of our lives, and not just people, but "things" that are so familiar to us, things that have become synonymous with home. 
Our first good bye was said to our pediatrician. She has been so much more then just "our girl's doctor" over the past 4 1/2 years. Dr. Clark was Barth's professor during medical school, she was there during the first days of both Ella and Chloe's life in the hospital, she was someone that I could vent to and confide in (in regards to the "medical lifestyle") during the girl's appointment and always had a way of making me feel better, and lastly but most appreciated, she always made herself available for our girls. Appointment or no appointment she was there to answer our questions and concerns day or night...what a blessing to have a pediactrician on call 24/7 who genuinely cared and loved our girls. Here's to you Dr. Clark for all that you have been to our family!!
 

a favorite pastime

Miss Chloe you sure are a busy girl. You always seem to find something to get into. Often times, actually most times, these are usually activities or things that you would be better off avoiding...nonetheless, you still choose to use all of the energy in that tiny little body of yours to keep mommy on her toes, making sure that I don't take my eyes off of you for even one second....just so you don't forget here is just a few of your pastimes to date...

using markers as chapstick (see post below)
turning the toilet bowl into your personal water station
trying to discover just how many washclothes will fit into the toilet (it's actually quite a bit)
undressing yourself and losing the diaper if mommy doesn't change you fast enough...despite the contents
taking all the wipes out of the box, one by one, right after I just filled it
asking for a "big girl" cup of water just to turn right around and dump it all on the floor
deciding that sleeping in the nude would be more comfortable and taking off every article of clothing including diaper...forgetting that you are not yet potty-trained
unrolling the entire roll of toilet paper so you can wipe your nose (why do so many of these activites take place in the bathroom...??)
picking the flowers out of our neighbors freshly planted flowerbeds...no I didn't teach her that one
eating the leftover sunflower seed shells off of the field at Ella's soccer games and practice
pulling all of the floss out of the container, yard by yard...there is alot of floss in those things, more than you think
poking holes into anything and everything...fruit, vegetables, bread, saran wrap...okay so this is something I used to do
taking apart post-it note stacks on by one
and her more recent....emptying all of my lower cabinets (yes, they have locks and yes she figured them out before she could even walk) onto the floor on a daily basis

this face looks a bit guilty...don't you think?

i love her wrinkled nose in this picture..."this is hard work mom"

hard to get upset at this face

i ♥ u chloe, thank you for never allowing a dull moment into our day

chloe + marker