A perfect pumpkin patch day

I am learning that the key to mastering the madness is savoring the sweet and special moments with the boys. Amidst a devastating week for metro Denver, a busy week personally, and even a little wind and rain, we had a perfect day.
 

A perfect day at the pumpkin patch with good friends.
 

Charlie found some new buddies.

A tractor "ride" with a real buddy.

 Hanging out with the pigs.

And cows.

And even a hay ride!

As if that wasn't great enough, we finished the evening at "Truck Park" (aka Observatory Park). Truck Park deserves a post of its own, as it's a magical place. Truly, it's like heaven for a boy. 

 Seriously, these truck just live at the park! No words to explain how much we love Truck Park.

Today I'm feeling thankful for so much.

Amazing boys.

Great husband.

Fabulous friends.
 

Oh, and don't forget about pumpkins and Truck Park.



Pumpkins versus Emmett

Charlie has a new buddy. Well, a few new buddies. We've recently been joined by "Big P" and the "Little Ps". Nope, not a rock band. Pumpkins.

 

Charlie took great care in picking out a few pumpkins from the grocery store. They have since accompanied him/us throughout town.

 

Here's "Big P" tucked in before Charlie went to bed.

Here are the "Little Ps" joining us for bagels.

(I didn't have the heart to tell them we were eating pumpkin bagels with pumpkin cream cheese.)

 

The other day, as I was putting Emmett to bed, Charlie noticed Big P had an "owie." With great concern, he wanted to clean it off properly. Knowing Charlie had Big P's owie under control, I continued to focus on Emmett's bedtime routine. Emmett was not pleased (possibly with Charlie's continued banter about Big P's issues) and was crying in a fit of rage. Above the crying, I could hear Charlie say, "Maybe he wants me to scratch his back." (A favorite of Charlie's when he wants to snuggle or feels out-of-sorts.) I was so touched that Charlie wanted to soothe Emmett with a gesture of such love and kindness. 

 

As I turned around to kneel down so Charlie could scratch Emmett's back...I discovered Charlie gently and lovingly scratching Big P's back.

 

Emmett who?

 

 



Mastering the madness...or something like that

Prior to staying at home full time with my boys, I worked at an amazing company with amazing coworkers and amazing clients.

 

 

When a five-year project with one of my favorite clients was coming to a close, we spent a lot of time in reflection. In one of our meetings the concept of mastery came up--the notion of truly understanding and having great skill in a particular area. The concept stuck with me. I had often considered myself "The Jack of all trades, but the master of none."  I decided I wanted to master the things that were important to me.

 

I wanted to master my job...the art of being a mother...my role as a wife...and the list goes on.

 

Seeing as I'm now a stay-at-home mom, it is clear that didn't work. When trying to master everything, I found myself mastering nothing. So in a bold and difficult move, I streamlined my life.

Now I'm simply trying to master being a mother and a wife.

In my quest to master the madness, I have visions of my kids always looking like this:

 

and serving up dinners that look like this:

 

 

But let's face it. Sometimes life is more like this:

 

or this:

and dinner on particularly rough nights looks like this:

 

 

It's in those moments that I'm pretty sure the madness is mastering me.

 

 But I'll keep trying anyway.