2009 in Review

Happy New Year!

This was McKenna and I last New Year's Eve. We couldn't have imagined all the fun 2009 had in store for us.

We watched as a new president came into office.

We spent time with old friends.

Spent a fun weekend in Inner Harbor. (Ahem...well, most of it was fun.)

In May we celebrated not one, but two graduations. Shane's graduation from IUP...

and McKenna's preschool graduation.

June brought Cooper's 2nd birthday.

And we spent a few days in July with Earl's family.

In August we made our first attempt at camping. And we can't wait to go again this year.

We saw McKenna off to Kindergarten,

and took Cooper to his first Penn State pep rally.

For Halloween we went all out with Handy Manny and Supergirl! (Sorry about the picture quality but you get the idea!)

In early November we took McKenna to her first concert....Miley Cyrus.

And of course, we snuck in a trip to Disney just before Thanksgiving.

We celebrated McKenna's 6th birthday with a tea party.

And we celebrated Christmas again and again.

2009 has been a huge blessing for us. In some ways, we are sad to see it end. But, we are extremely excited to find out what 2010 has in store for us. We pray that you and your family have a wonderful New Year. Thank you all for your friendship and love.

Merry Christmas From the Mowry's!

Wishing you a holiday filled with blessings.

My friend Heidi and I work together. To the naked eye we appear to be polar opposites. She's tall, I'm obviously not. She's a beautiful red head and I'm blond. She's in management and I'm in education. But that's where our differences end. Even though we might not always see eye to eye (figuratively and literally!), Heidi "gets" me in a way that not many people do probably because when it comes to the important things like life and kids we are identical. I rely on her a lot for advice on how to approach McKenna's teacher, what kinds of snacks make good birthday treats to send to school, what the heck is this stage Cooper is going through, where sh e likes to stay at Disney....the list goes on and on. And the great thing is that she tells it to me like it is. No sugar coating coming from her. Just the honest to goodness, in your face, like it or not, truth.
Anyway, the point to my story is that we all need a friend like Heidi. Someone who is always there to listen but is also there to give you a good smack in the face when you need one. Last January I told her that my New Year's resolution was to take one day at a time. To stop looking ahead to next week or next month. I wanted to just "be" in every day. This year for Christmas Heidi gave me a small magnet. I guess it's supposed to go on your refrigerator but I keep mine beside my bathroom mirror so I can read it every morning:

for a long time it seemed to me that
life was about to begin - real life.
but there was always some obstacle
in the way, something to be gotten
through first, some unfinished
business, time still to be served,
a debt to be paid. at last it dawned
on me that these obastacles were my
life. this perspective has helped me
to see that there is no way to happiness.
happiness is the way. so treasure
every moment you have and
remember that time waits for no one.

happiness is a journey, not a destination...

-souza

Christmas is three days away and I'm hoping that Santa brings me something cool. But, this will be my treasured Christmas gift this year. One little magnet that says a whole lot. A little magnet that reminds me of friendship, of truth, of life's blessings, of true happiness. A little poem that reminds me to see the gifts of each day, not just Christmas day.

Dear McKenna...on your 6th birthday

Dear McKenna,

Today you are six years old. I'm not sure how we got to this point so quickly. When you were born I could see myself being mother to a newborn, a toddler and perhaps even a preschooler. But my imagination could not see far enough to picture the day you would turn six.

Daddy and I are so blessed to have enjoyed these six years with you. Even though it's your birthday, it's kind of a milestone for us also. It means that we've managed to figure out this parenting thing for six years and so far we think you've turned out pretty great! We are so blessed that you are healthy and happy. We love the fact that you're compassionate, sympathetic, funny and an all around great kid.

So, while I'm a bit misty eyed and sad that my little girl is growing up - I am also so, so proud of the young lady you are becoming. It sure seems like yesterday that we were celebrating our first year with you.

We've come a long way since the days of Elmo and Dora. You're more interested today in Hannah Montana, Barbies, American Girls, and art projects. You have an opinion about clothes and how you like to wear your hair. Oh how I wish I could talk you in to letting me put cute little bows in your hair again. Some things about you have never changed, like the fact that Bear still follows you most places, you are still as chatty as the first day your formed a sentence, and your sensitive side is just below the surface at all times. You rely on Daddy and I less and less to do things for you like brush your teeth or buckle your seat belt. Some days it feels like you help us more than we help you.

But, no matter if your six months old, six years old or sixteen years old - you are still my little baby girl. I can picture like it was yesterday the snowy day you came into our lives and absolutely warmed our hearts.

Happy 6th Birthday!

We love you! Love Mommy and Daddy!

The Saga Continues...

When I was in college my parents bought me my first pair of diamond earrings. They were my prized possession. I never took them out. Imagine my sheer panic when I pushed my hair behind my ear one snowy evening at McDonald's and realized my earring was missing. My roommate, a strict Catholic girl, suggested we start praying to the Saint's. Apparently there is a patron Saint of missing things and a whole little rhyme to go with him. So, that's what we did the whole way back to the dorm. We searched everywhere, including the shower where my diamond earring lay beside the drain.
Oh how I wish I could have remembered the name of that Saint as I sat in bed last night thinking of the missing monkey blanket. It's surprising that my roommate or some of you other Catholic folks didn't get a phone call at 11pm. But I had already made enough crazy phone calls last night asking mall employees to search their lost and found. So, I said a silent little prayer to the Big Saint, the only one I know and I asked him to please help me find our cute little monkey.
This morning I must have checked my messages a million times hoping for a phone call from the mall saying they had found our missing monkey. Nothing. At lunch time I recounted the story to a dear friend who I knew would sympathize with me. A while later when I was sitting at my desk I thought about calling the mall. Surely they would think I was certifiable if I dared phone them one more time. But I did it anyway. The lady at the mall office said, "No, it's not in the parking lot, we checked, " in a tone that suggested she really did think I was nuts. And so what did I do...I hung up the phone and dialed the Sears store - the last place I was sure we had the monkey. I waited through the extensive telephone tree impatiently until FINALLY I was connected with the office. I pathetically explained to the woman who I was and why I was calling - AGAIN. I barely got the words "missing monkey blanket" out of my mouth when she said the sweetest words - "Oh yes, I think we have that." Seriously, if the telephone cord at my desk would have stretched a little farther I would have been doing a happy dance in the hallway. I could not believe it. She went on to explain that yes, it was a dirty, torn little blanket just as I had described it. I asked if she knew who found it and she simply said, "It must have been a mom because no one else would know how important it was." In other words, no one but a mom would have touched the thing it was so gross. Thank goodness she was polite enough to not say it quite like that!
My next phone call was to my mom who was so excited. She called Cooper to the phone and told him the great news. I could actually hear the excitement in his voice and picture the smile on his face. He started saying, "My monkey, my monkey," and squealing at the top of his lungs.
I picked the now infamous monkey blanket up after work today. The Sears employee who rescued him from the lost and found bin was almost as excited as I was. Almost, because let's face it, no one could be more excited than I was.
And so this hopefully ends the monkey blanket saga. I can't wait to crawl in bed tonight knowing that monkey is safe in the arms of one grateful little boy. I think we'll both sleep a little better.

So Long 'Monk-Monk'

I'm sentimental. I can take pretty much any situation and find something to be wistful about. Combine that with the fact that I hate that my kids are no longer babies and it's a recipe for disaster.
Today it seems, while doing some much needed Christmas shopping at the mall, Cooper and I lost his monkey blanket. It was his lovey that he carried with him everywhere. It was tattered and torn; it no longer had eyes; it was dirty and it smelled bad too. But it was his buddy.
We've had the monkey as long as I can remember. It came in a huge box from Grammy Musial, perched high atop a diaper cake. When Cooper was a baby all it took was covering his face (I know, you're not supposed to do that) with the blanket and he was off in dreamland. I remember shopping in the GAP with my mom once when we put the blanket over a cranky Cooper and he immediately shut up. My mom said he was like a canary. Even as late as this morning when you handed Cooper the monkey blanket he immediately stopped fussing.
The monkey has endured countless illnesses, a few trips to the hospital, two visits to Disney World and a trip to the beach. He has always been there. And tonight I am absolutely crushed that my little guy and his monkey will not be sleeping soundly together. I'm sad that Cooper will never again rub the tags of his blanket under his nose as he falls asleep. I'm sad that I will never again say, "Cooper, go find your monkey," before we head out the door. I'm just all together sad that I will never see them together again.
I spent time at the mall tonight retracing my steps, checking lost and found boxes. I left my name and number and a description of that dumb monkey with countless people. I even bought a new blanket. It's small and blue and has a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal at the top. It's silky on one side and soft on the other just like monkey. When I walked into my parents house and handed it to Cooper I put on a brave face and smiled. He did too. My parents and my brother were so sweet and made a big deal about how cool the new blanket was. Cooper seemed thrilled as he tucked his new friend under his arm.
When Earl got home I told him what had happened through my own tears. He asked a couple of questions and then said maybe it was a sign that Cooper was getting to big for a blanket. That was exactly the problem in my eyes and the source of the tears that spill from them. Monkey was the last little tie between baby Cooper and the Cooper who shopped with me today. Cooper will survive and I'm sure will have no ill effects from the events of today. Someday when he's older I'll get out a hopefully tattered Mickey Mouse blanket and I'll tell him about the monkey who once held a place in both of our hearts. I'm sure he won't really care. But I will because I'm sentimental like that.

Snowy Saturday

Saturday was cold and snowy outside....

Sledding

Snowman building


But it was warm and cozy in our house....

Cookie baking

How did you spend your snowy Saturday?

Slow Down

Ask most people who know me well, (especially my husband) and they will tell you that I rarely stop moving. My motto is "never stop moving". Once, when trying to figure out where to place an end table and lamp, that I have yet to purchase, my friend Cathy asked me a great question. She said, "Well where do you like to sit down and relax, read a book, etc.?" Ha! Good question. I don't!

Anyway, add in McKenna's birthday and the holidays and it could very well be a recipe for disaster and one very crabby mom. While I was re-reading a favorite book the other night I came across a page that outlines 7 ways to enjoy the here and now. I know it was good for me to read over them (as I have done pretty much every day this week). And so I thought I would share them here just so maybe someone else could benefit from the words of wisdom.



7 Ways to Enjoy the Here and Now:

1. Living in the moment means readjusting some of your expectations.
2. Don't fight the stage that you're in. If it's a challenging phase, know that it will pass quickly. If you're in a blissful stage, cherish it, because it will also pass quickly.
3. Every moment is a valuable moment, not matter how seemingly mundane.
4. Look at things through your child's eyes and your world will change. The simple things that inspire them - pebbles or bubbles or birds- can stop us in our tracks and inspire us, too.
5. Just be. Right now. We focus on doing so much of the time that we forget to acknowledge our blessings.
6. Remember, what feels so important now will later feel inconsequential.
7. The simple, basic rituals are what will be imprinted on your children forever.



Hmm...simple things. Here's a great example. Ask my kids what their favorite part of their Disney trip was and they just might answer by saying "the bathtub". By the way, do not try this at home!

Change of Plans

Growing up I babysat for a large family. Larger than mine at least. I loved it. I thought having all those kids around was great. I often told their mom that I definitely wanted at least four kids. Hmm..

I've mentioned here before that we have some pretty awesome neighbors. Really, they're just our friends now, who also happen to live on our street. Their two girls have become regulars at our house. They are completely well behaved and always listen. I enjoy having them here. However, I've discovered that combining two kids with your own two kids is much different than babysitting.

This morning we lost power in our neighborhood, which also meant that the school lost power too. Luckily I was off today but I did have major shopping plans that were to commence at 8:15am after McKenna was on the bus. A two hour school delay definitely put a kink in those plans. But it really put a spin on my neighbor's day who had to be to work for a 7:30 meeting. I very clearly was not going anywhere until school opened, so I offered for the girls to come to our house.

Three hours later I have realized that four kids equals an entire box of waffles, one half a container of orange juice, and three bananas. An hour later it means four more cups of water, 8 socks to put back on and four voices talking to me all at once. An hour after that it means 2 containers of yogurt and two pieces cheese, because as they told me "this is snack time at school". It means replacing 5 ornaments on the Christmas tree, reading 4 books, changing the cartoons 3 times, and putting the Christmas train back on the track more times than I can count. It's now 9:30 and I'm putting a load of laundry in the washing machine. It just occurred to me the amount of laundry that 4 kids must create. Eww, that's an ugly picture.
So, in a few minutes I'll leave to put the kids on the bus and set out on my shopping adventure. I'll have to be fast in order to get anything done in three hours while toting a toddler. I'm hoping to run into Santa today. If I see him I just might have to retract my previously naive wish for four kids.