What I have learned as the mom of a 2 year old...

Bennett...climbing, Brock on the baby bjorn...screaming and mommy having a panic attack...making waffles!

MY TOP 5:

1. NEVER JUDGE

2. NEVER say never

3. SOMETHING is better than nothing

4. I AM NOT nor will I ever be good enough

5. Learn from your mistakes AND MOVE OOON!

1. NEVER JUDGE....WHY?

Simple, because you will be judged. NO more judging people from the contents of their shopping cart or the behavior of their children.

The waffle story. Every time I saw people buying frozen waffles I rolled my eyes, and thought to myself; what is the matter with these people?

The other day, I tried to make waffles, Brock was screaming for attention, Bennett was climbing on the chairs and I was trying to make waffles. I put Brock on the baby bjorn, and thought, no problem, I can do this. After about 30 minutes and a huge mess, Bennett was eating waffles and I was exhausted already. Will I buy frozen waffles? No, BUT I will only make them if Greg is here.

2. NEVER SAY NEVER..... WHY?

Because everything I said I would never do with my kids, I have already done...and if I haven't it is only a matter of time until I do. ie, using electronics as a babysitter....among other things that I am too embarrassed to admit.

3. SOMETHING is better than nothing

Some sleep is better than none, your children eating something good for them is better than nothing...Bennett cooperating for some of his exercises in gym class is better than no cooperation at all. AND SO ON....

4. I AM NOT NOR WILL I EVER BE PERFECT

I think this is true for all moms...if not, I guess there are some that are actually perfect!

We are all hard on ourselves. If the kids get sick,...I should have been more careful, if they don't do well in school, I should have spent more time with homework...if they get in trouble...it's our fault. If they get cavities...I don't floss enough... If, if, if...could have, should have, would have.

BUT do we ever give ourselves any credit for ALL the things we do right? The answer is NO, we don't. That's okay, at least it keeps me trying.

5.Learn from your mistakes and MOVE OOON!

Need I say more? Why do I punish myself ? Is it just me?

I am sure I have a lot more to learn, that is what life is about...and I can't wait to find out.

Thanks for reading and sharing....

I just need more time...

My sister decorated this cake for Bennett's second birthday while my mom, Greg, my brother in law and I made the small cakes with the animals on top. It was fun but a lot of work.

My mom working on the little piggies

The kitchen a complete mess!!!

I am always looking for "stuff" to do, its kind of scary because when I find something I want to do, I go a little crazy.

No, not a little crazy I go super crazy! Greg just smiles when I get into my "zone" and I LOVE that he lets me do what I want and even helps me sometimes.

I love to bake, cook, read, make jewelry and then bake some more. Luckily, my sister and mom love baking as much as I do. My mom is a great cook, anything she makes is awesome...she is a natural in the kitchen. She doesn't even need a recipe. Growing up my mom taught us how to bake the "perfect pie crust", all kinds of pies and cakes and of course as good mexicans, how to make flour tortillas.

As the holidays are approaching, I am looking forward to our baking sessions...I hope my boys are like their dad and get into it with me, even if its only for a few years and build memories. After all, when the people we love are gone that is all we have, the memories.

I am kind of getting interested on making my own lip balm...crazy....I know, I just love to try new things...I JUST NEED MORE TIME!!! Oh my, talking about time, its past midnight, I have to get up early tomorrow to go to church, I joined the choir. I am soo excited....I love to worship.

Anyway, anybody have a good recipe for lipbalm? :)

Brock is already 3 months

Time flies!! Brock is 3 months old already, where has time gone. I feel I just had him!!! Babies are so sweeet and delicious!

Gerda Hale

Bennett and Grandma Evelyn

Greg's grandmother passed away this week, I truly did not think that I was going to be sad about it but, I am. She was a very interesting person and NOT your typical grandma. No baking cookies, no loving ways...very direct, stubborn, a little selfish...and more. But, she knew how to have fun. When I met her, Greg and I had just gotten married and were living in Connecticut, she was in her 80's and she was hard to keep up with. Right about 5 o'clock she would tell Greg, "Gregory, its cocktail time, fix me a stiff drink" , with a still strong German accent, she would travel with a bottle of Canadian Whisky, unbelievable, as I am writing this, I am just laughing with Greg.... I don't think either of my grandmothers ever had an alcoholic drink so to me, that was SHOCKING!

She was born in Berlin, Germany to a jewish dad and a "gentile" mom, grew up spoiled until the II World War began. As the war began, her parents sent her to London, where she was supposed to live with a family who would take care of her but, instead they treated her as their maid. She met who would be grandpa Kurt and she had Evelyn (Greg's mom) during the war. The stories she told were amazing...her dad and brother had been taken to concentration camps and her mom bought their way out paying the guards. Then, her parents fled to Belgium where her mom worked (as she was not jewish) and her husband hid from the German army. Granny got on a ship with Evelyn and Grandpa Kurt and came to the US.

I think her life was hard starting out and I those events made her who she became. Although I was never close to her, I will miss her, I have Greg and my boys because of her and I will forever be thankful. We saw her in Iowa a few weeks ago and she told me..."I can't believe it...your boys are adopted, they are too big and blonde and could not be yours, you are too small" . :) I just smiled and said to her well, they got your blue eyes and she didn't say anything else...I am so glad that she got to meet my two boys, she was thrilled.

We spoke to her 2 weeks ago and she said goodbye, that was sooo said but, she was ok with it. She said "I'm done this is no way to live, I have had a good life" she was 90. I began to cry and I thanked her for everything she did for us, I told her I loved her although I hesitated but then I realized I was being honest...I do love her. I had Bennett get on the phone and tell her "I love you granny" and then he went on telling her about the whales and the sharks.

I will miss her, she was special, in a different kind of way but, still special. Rest in peace Granny, we will miss you.