life – Page 18 – ~HB ADVENTURE~

May 11, 2014

My Very Own Mama

Every so often I’ll call my mom up with a question that starts with “When we were little how did you_____.” She often will laugh it off or claim she can’t remember, but I’d really like to know how mothers of past generations did things. Share your wisdom, pleeeease.

(Sidenote: my latest question was about what Phil and I did while she was home alone and needed to use the outhouse. You know, because it was THE EIGHTIES and we were hippies and had no running water until I was 5. I’m not sure her answer, if she were to remember, would help me all that much because we’ve got electricity and a bathroom. And call me gross talking about bathroom things, but there is never privacy…..so maybe there was a reason my mom and dad decided to have an outhouse for so many years. )

So, Mother’s Day. It’s important, and I totally think that my mom should be honored and valued today, but shouldn’t I show her love and respect EVERYDAY? I do. Part of the way I do this is to call her and ask for aforementioned wisdom. My mom is, without a doubt, my closest friend, biggest cheerleader, and strongest advocate. She’s a force to be reckoned with, a supurb garage saler, a master quilter, a coffee-making, granola baking, amazing gardening, fart-laughing (it’s true, mom, and don’t act like farts aren’t funny), not-much-sleep-needing, independent, award-winning grandma, and I’m so proud to call her my own.

So there.

And Mom?

Thanks for always letting me be ME.

And reminding me not to be like everybody else.

Even when I looked like this…..

and I’m sorry for the bathroom humor.

May 10, 2014

Keeping On

There are a few bloggers/photographers/writers/mothers that have blogs that I like to read and they post nearly every day. Quite often their posts are filled with their daily tasks of what their family is up to and the comings and goings of life. And I find comfort in those posts because much of my time is spent either coming or going. I’m often hauling, buckling, wiping, lifting, carrying, listening, answering, hugging, preparing, forgetting, organizing, and a variety of other things and it’s nice knowing there are others out there with the need to document….or just purge.

And then.

Then, there are those bloggers/photographers/writers/mothers that have blogs that don’t post very often, but when they do….it comes to me like a small, gift wrapped ball of greatness that feeds my soul, fills in some of the gaps that have needed filling and pushes me to be a better everything than I am in my current state. I’d like to think that I’m an in between blogger – one that writes posts about trips to the grocery store, but also on a rare occasion can actually capture the craziness in a few paragraphs, and make an impact in somebody’s daily shuffle.

The last few weeks I’ve contemplated ‘giving up’ the blog, but I just can’t. It makes me sad and sick to think about, because if I don’t hold on to a bit of documentation, I think our lives will pass us by with a quick blink. So, I’m holding tight to the bits of time that allow for some writing/editing.

As Maggie navigates her way through becoming more and more independent, I’m having to figure out new ways to help her express her own opinions withouth yelling/whining. It’s been hard, but I have to belive that the work we’re doing now, the foundation we’re laying down, will translate into greater things down the road. But holy smokes, that girl is a firecracker when she’s tired or thinks something should go a certain way.

And Audrey. She has discovered the great outdoors, which I love. Except for the fact that she thinks she can go down stairs like an adult (or her big sister), I’m supportive of her being outside. I’m mostly looking forward to being in our backyard and not having to worry about her falling down/on the concrete stairs….where Maggie is a firecracker, Audrey is beyond brave/adventurous.

The following pictures are from the first part of March.

**the one of Audrey sticking her finger in an ‘outlet’ is a dead phone jack. (who has land lines anymore, right??)

April 21, 2014

Papa, Papito, Daddy…..

I write on the subject of motherhood quite often, often interchanging my feelings about parenthood. I forget about fatherhood because I’m so caught up in being a mother and such. But my girls, they’ve got the best of the best. I think I knew that Barry was going to be a great dad, I just didn’t know he’d be this good. He knows ‘his girls’ and he pays attention to them in the most thoughtful, truthful, present, heartfelt way. He’s the best at playing games, but also at including them in jobs around the house. And they know it. From washing the cars, working on the yard to riding bikes and reading…he does it all and doesn’t shy away from it. I’ve always felt so lucky to call him mine, and I’m pretty sure Audrey and Maggie will one day feel as strongly as I do about him.

*pictures from March.