Snapdragon

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

This is What Kind Of Flower You Are: Snapdragon

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

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Caught on Camera

Parents In Rocklin Boycott Park Playground Over Potential Dangers

This was a goofy interview that happened a few weeks ago. My mom came to visit me at work with Maggie and we suddenly had the local news in our face as we entered the new playground down the street. What I said to the newscaster was kind of skewed in the story. I barely got a chance to check out the new playground before being asked what I thought of it and I think they capitalized on the fact that I was normal looking and had a 2-year old by my side.

How do I see it? Every parent should try their best to watch their kid at all times, no matter where you are, even if you think you are in a safe atmosphere. This park was built really tall and a local daycare had complained that it was too big/dangerous for little kids. I get it, because it was, and parents want a safe place for their kids to play and have fun, but the bigger kids were having a blast on the play structure. Just goes to show that you can't please everyone. Especially with the bad economy in California and very little funds for cities, towns, and counties to improve areas like this for the public, I think we need to be thankful for what they are able to do. A lot goes into making these things happen, much more than most people think (finding funds for parks, getting bids for a quality playground, permits, etc.) I see it behind the scenes at work - there is a lot involved.

I probably won't take Maggie back to this playground for awhile (not in my neighborhood and yes, it's scary high for a 2-year old). As the story suggests (minus the drama!), if the city is able to, hopefully they can add a few other areas for little ones in the future. Folsom did it and it seems to be working out well.

Good things

The garden is starting to produce. I've been sharing a veggi "bag" at work and it comes from one of my co-worker's very productive garden. I get a bag every two weeks and tomatoes are finally here-woo hoo. I can't wait to make a batch of gazpacho. My tomatoes aren't quite ready yet so I'm thinking the upside to that is I'll probably have tomatoes late into fall.

Last week I helped a friend take care of the animals on her property and I turned it into a couple fun outings for Maggie (and cousin Eden). There were goats next door and Maggie told me she saw a pony with them. I scanned in the sunlight and didn't see a pony. Two days later we're back and I see what she most likely saw...a llama! Maggie harvested eggs from the chicken coop and scattered some food around for them, picked berries, and we took dips in the pool. Maggie graduated from her first swim class as a frog where she learned some good water skills including how to "scoop". She now has a little donut she swims around in. "Mommy, I swimming!" Total happiness on her face.

Our 4th of July holiday was a blast. This holiday might just be my favorite. It felt long and full of good things. I often think about how crazy life can get and how fun that craziness makes our life in the end. I don't like feeling overloaded but a certain amount of on-the-go-ness makes life so fun, especially when we're surrounded by good family and friends. We saw two firework shows, bought new outfits and had family photos taken, ate classic summer food, rode a train along the river with Maggie falling asleep in my arms (that never happens and I loved it), and we swam our hearts out. After an exhausting 2 days, we were going to lay low on the 4th but instead went to a party with friends and it was the perfect end to the weekend. What a beautiful plantation-style/southern home in the middle of Sac! with wrap around porches and outdoor fans, beer on tap, badmitton, and ice cream cones while watching a crazy firework display. I kind of felt like we were add-ins in a movie with soft lighting, like in a Nicholas Sparks film.

It must be the hot weather coming late but I am really liking the heat this year. Usually I wilt, get tired, lazy, etc. but somehow I'm holding up :-) Last week I was told by softball buddies that they thought I was under 30. "25? 26? 27?" Ha! That made me laugh. Good to know I don't look as old as I sometimes feel.

Today is my best bud's 32nd birthday in Hawaii! Happy birthday Patria! Beautiful model-esque pics of Pat Mark!

Two's setting in

About a month ago, I started noticing subtle changes in Maggie that were showing that the her two's we've heard about were starting to show their colors. I'm not going to say terrible two's because that just sounds negative. She is still our sweet Maggie but with a little more umph! Reading a friend's blog today and I could relate. Parenthood is bittersweet and it is hard to be completely in the moment when there is so much going on around us but I also try to enjoy and appreciate these special moments when they happen. One thing that had me laughing the other day is the potty training process. We had a friend over so my attention was divided and we were practicing underwear/no underwear-time in the house. Next thing I know I find Maggie using the toilet but a little too late. She had the wiping down but then told me "there is poop everwhere!" and then proceeded to show me where it was. Good times.

We've been on the go a lot. We're in the middle of swim lessons as it is that time of year that we hear of very tragic events in the water involving children and I just don't want Maggie to go down that road. She also showed a huge exhuberance for water this spring so I knew it was time. Lessons have been great. The pool looks so inviting but dad has been having fun in the pool.

My goal this summer is to get out and go camping a lot and spend time outside with family and friends. So far, we're doing good. We are having friends over for meals, riding our bikes, walking to the park, and enjoying our yard and garden.

Beach crafting

During our May vacation, I played around with my jewelry-making stash with my friend Erin, who took up making jewelry a few years prior when we were hanging at her beachhouse. I collect things here and there for my stash but don't make much in the end :-) Erin quickly surpassed me in this area and has a huge stash and lots of homemade jewelry. She can really pump out some cool pieces fast.

Anyways, this time around, I stuck with it and made myself a matching necklace and earrings from beads in my stash with a little piecing help from Erin. I also made a stretchy necklace for Maggie and she helped by yielding some of the tools. Her necklace is on a lightweight stretchy string and I used jewelry glue to secure the knot in place. This is a fun and easy craft to do with kids. There was no rhyme or reason to my bead selection. I just wanted Maggie's necklace to be fun with bright colors and chunky beads. 

Now for more crafting this summer. It feels like it is flying by.

Sneaky

A good binky story...

We eliminated the binky but I thought it would be good transition-wise to keep it around for sleeping only. This has worked well for one of Maggie's playmates. I was strict about this though and explained to Maggie that the binky could only be used while sleeping and that it would remain in the crib when she wasn't. The process of eliminating the binky in this way at age 26 months has worked incredibly well.

Maggie was proud to show everyone that she was a big girl and that she could only have the binky when it was naptime or night time and she has become increasingly less dependent on it since we started this. It's really great to watch (especially when she was so (annoyingly) attached to it before :-)). It's a love/hate thing for parents.

Maggie has been learning how to open and shut doors, including her own and we've found that sometimes when she shuts her door she really does want to be in there alone for whatever reason. Maggie has been well aware that the binky resides just within her reach if she sticks her skinny little arms through the slats of her crib.

One morning, Michael heard her door shut and then silence. Too much silence in our house (with a toddler) is bad. So, he goes to check on her and finds Maggie reclining in the rocking chair all relaxed, reading Jamberry, with the binky in her mouth. The second Michael opens the door and sees this, she looks like she's been caught red-handed and quickly takes the binky out of her mouth like nothing was going on and hides it behind her back.

While this had happened with me previously, I hadn't mentioned it to Michael. So when this happened, he ran in to tell me what he's just seen and it had us cracking up! What can you do but smile and laugh at your sneaky but precious 2-year old? I love this stuff.