1st Day of School

Ready for school!

D-man started first grade this week at Highline Academy. We are thrilled with his teacher and very excited about a great year!

He had a full day of school followed by some bike riding around the block. We then headed to the YMCA picnic for hot dogs, snow cones, face painting, fire engine tours, and a bouncy slide.

And we had NO homework. What a great first day for everyone!

Monster!

scorpion face painting

What a way to wrap up the first day of school!

Lowe's is the Way to Go

On Saturday, our freezer went south. The fridge was soon to follow on Sunday. We were less than pleased given that we just purchased our fridge less than 2 months ago. Luckily, our neighbors have 2 refrigerators and we have been able to store a lot of things at their house. But, here is what our fridge currently looks like:

The produce on ice

The current PV refrigerator 

After a bit of the run around, Whirlpool told us they could have someone out here on Tuesday. Marshall called the actual shop doing the repairs and they were able to come today. Well, the diagnosis was not good. The compressor has gone bad (a MAJOR repair). The part has been ordered and will (hopefully) be here Thursday. Until then, we are spending a small fortune on ice and digging out wet food out of the coolers.

Whirlpool only repairs their appliances so you can guess we were not happy. Luckily, we bought our appliance through Lowe's and they are going to replace it for us. It will take up to two weeks, but I'm just happy to get rid of this lemon and start with a new fridge. This kind of customer service really is refreshing. We have dealt with professional and courteous people and they are taking care of things. When we need something from a hardware store, I know where we will be going in the future.

The Last Day of Summer

Today was our last true day of summer as D-man starts 1st grade tomorrow (no, I can hardly believe it). I wanted to make sure we had a great day. My plans to go to the water park were spoiled from the beginning as I discovered that the water park was only going to be open on weekends now.

Luckily, I improvised and we headed to McDonald's for breakfast and coffee (yup, I am one of those parents that takes their kids to McDonald's every now and then) and golfing in the afternoon. The golfing was absolutely perfect. We went to the Harvard Gulch Par 3 course. It was spitting rain when we started and it really started to come down more on hole 3. Because of the rain, we had the course to ourselves. After the brief shower, we had no more rain and got to enjoy the course without any worry about other golfers on the course (this is key when you are golfing with a 3 and 6yo).

After golfing, we came home and the boys watched a movie, played some Wii, and then we made pizza for dinner. D-man finished his summer math and reading packets today as well. We topped it off with a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream (my 6 year old's request for our special outing).  And then we had to hurry home because D-man was very conscious about what time he needed to be in bed. I better cherish the days he is running to get to bed early to be ready for school the next day!

At McDonald's

Notice the golf glove on Tanner

Drake did well carrying his bag

my big boys wrapping up our amazing summer

DQ baby!

$5 Fun

Thursday morning, my eldest asked me the date. After I told him it was the 12th, he reminded me that it was the last day for the summer library ticket at Lakeside Amusement Park. Although we had the school ice cream social at 6:00, D-man and I ventured out for a night of amusement park fun. And Lakeside did not disappoint - what a great trip back in time! The setting, the lights, - you could imagine yourself there years ago. It reminded me of going to Peony Park in Omaha when I was a kid. .

D-man pointed out the beautiful lights and reminded me that he was indeed right when he said it would be prettier to go at night. He enjoyed some kiddie rides as well as some of the bigger rides. I enjoyed holding his hand as we strolled through the park, chatting with him as we waited in line, and watching the pure joy on his face during his time on the rides.

With the free library ticket, we enjoyed a beautiful night out for only $5 ($2 for the ferris wheel and tilt-a-whirl ride for me and $3 for two ice cream cones). I really wasn't excited to go, but the trip was definitely worth a lot more to me than $5.

Lakeside Amusement Park

in line for the ferris wheel

Riding the "Whip"

On the Satellite - big boy stuff - he controlled how high he went

Lots of fun riding the tilt-a-whirl together

beautiful night

Returning to Work at Return Path

Mama's going back to work. And the timing couldn't be better. Well, we all know that staying home with two kids is work, but I'm returning to "official" work and will be again holding down two jobs  - full time mom and full time employee. My start date is September 1st which is great because it gives me some time to get my eldest settled into first grade and get my youngest back at his school.
 
I'll be joining Return Path as Director, Response Consulting. I will be helping Return Path's clients optimize anything to do with email. I'm very excited about this position and working for Return Path (which was rated as one of the best places to work in Colorado for the 2nd year in a row).

Of course, we'll have to adjust to this new reality, but I am going to have some flexibility in my schedule and have the ability to work from home part time. After working full time work from home the past six years, the ability to work from home was very important to me (or at least work for a company that was located close to our house). And obviously, after having this time at home for the past several months, anything is going to be an adjustment. The work/life balance is always going to be something I struggle with and I hope I am doing the right thing for my family - both now and in the future.

Two Sides of the Coin

I'm really at an interesting point in my life. I've had an amazing summer with the boys - swimming, traveling, sleeping in, and just the ability to truly relax. And yet, when I prepare for an interview or research a company, I get excited. I enjoy working. I enjoy being part of a team and creating good things. What I don't enjoy is the struggle to enjoy both my home and my work life. I know I want to go back to work and have so much to offer. Of course, the idea of going to work also makes me a bit sad too.  How do I ensure the needs of my family are met on so many levels - personally, socially, financially, etc.?

I think this is something so many women struggle with - how can you balance both sides of your life? How can you have fulfillment as a mother and a professional? I was so fortunate to work for a family friendly company and family friendly bosses the past 9 years. And although I am excited the next chapter in my professional life, I can't help but look back on the last 7 months with some nostalgia.  Once I do start a new job, it will be an exciting new chapter in my life. And, I am so thankful for the last few chapters of my life - some wonderful time off, some time to myself, and some wonderful years at a great company.

And, like any new chapter, things seem to work out. I would have never asked to be laid off (or just quit my job) to "hang out" for 7 months, but that's what happened. And I truly enjoyed it.  I'll always be able to look back and remember "that summer".  And even though the boys may not remember it, I will. And when the next chapter begins, we'll figure out our new reality and I'll be thankful for the two sides of the coin in my life. No matter heads or tails, I win.

Summer Musings

blowing out dandelions

This summer has been like no other before. After having four months at home to myself, the boys and I have had a great summer. It is hard to believe that D-man starts school is just two weeks! Here are some thoughts that wrap up our summer.

You know it is the lazy days of summer when the two places you frequent most are the pool and the library.

You know it is summer break when you can be gone 22 of 25 days. 

I'm not above using a coupon at the liquor store.

I had a friend tell me I looked tan. I am about the whitest person many people know.

Yes, I really did contemplate getting a beer at the club house when I went to play mini golf with my kids.

The pure joy of watching my son learn to dive off the diving board. A true summer activity.



Being so fortunate to see all of our immediate family within a month. That's saying something when they live in Nebraska, Minnesota (now California), Belgium, and Washington.

Summer reading for prizes is much more fun than homework.

Going to bed at 10:00 isn't a problem because it means we all get to sleep in until 9.

The ability to enjoy projects with my kids - making garden stones, tie-dye t-shirts, and birthday cakes.



Both the joy (and frustration) of having my biggest worry be what's for dinner and when will I clean the house.

Surviving our first season of T-ball.

Having my 3.5 year old tolerate swimming lessons.

Amused by the fact I got my 6.5 year old looking through the ads to find the best deals on school supplies.

Laughing at my 3.5 year old asking his older brother as he beats him up, "You want some of this?"

Every Mom Has Her Thing

Every Mom has her thing. For some, it is all about organic foods.  For others, it is making sure their kids always wear matching clothes. For my sister, it's making sure her girls actually eat their food (she likes them to have matching outfits as well). For me, it is sleep.

Since my oldest was born, I have been obsessed about the amount of sleep my boys get (I am actually much better about it now that they are older). But, I was reminded about my "obsession" when I was trying to get my one year old nephew down for a nap this past weekend. Of course, he didn't fall asleep, but he lived. We all did.

When my eldest was first born, there was an article about how important sleep was to a child. From then on, I was cursed. I spent countless hours making sure my kids got enough sleep and were good sleepers. My efforts eventually paid off - my kids are good sleepers and can sleep most anywhere (we always travel with a white noise machine). And I still see more and more research about the importance of sleep (both for children and adults). Hopefully, the "sleep nazi" in me has helped my kids do better in school, stay healthy, and avoid those horrible melt downs from being over tired.

And even though true nap time is over at our house, we still have rest time cuz mama needs her sleep too. :)

Asian Infusion

Marble Soda

After the T-ball game on Friday night, I was craving sushi. We decided to actually go out for dinner. It was actually perfect timing because in the book we just finished reading with D-man, the characters traveled to Japan and ate sushi. We headed over to Blue Moon Sushi and sat right by the fish tank.  We talked about the difference b/t a bread roll and a sushi roll and yes, that really is seaweed we were eating. The boys were very well behaved and both enjoyed the sushi. T-man liked the mackerel and the tuna and D-man enjoyed the smoked salmon and cream cheese rolls. And of course, the "marble drink" and steamed white rice and chop sticks were a big hit (the 3yo ate it out of the bowl sans utensils).

Sunday, the boys and I joined some friends at the Dragon Boat Races held at Sloan's Lake in northwest Denver. The boys enjoyed the races, a magician, learned their Chinese Zodiac animal (we have a Dog and a Monkey), and enjoyed some snow cones and funnel cakes. Right before we left, D-man was mesmerized by the break dance performing in the cultural tent. Needless to say, he was spinning on his head and rolling around on the floor right after we arrived home. I think it is always great when the boys can be exposed to things they don't see every day - whether that be people spinning on their heads or rowing weird contraptions across the water.

The rest of the weekend had much less cultural flavor, but was still quite enjoyable. Saturday afternoon brought a family trip to the pool. Since the boys and I were home this summer, we joined the Colorado Athletic Club up the street. We've biked to our swimming lessons there and enjoyed being able to have D-man go off the diving board (I'll post video soon) and T-man enjoy his flotation device. We've yet to bring in our cans of beer, but there is still time.

Sunday night we enjoyed having friends over for dinner and eating a nice meal on the patio.  We even had fresh cherry crisp that I made from cherries we got from our neighbor. Oh, what a domestic (and once in a lifetime) summer this has been.

Hernando's Hideaway

We returned from our annual trip to the Peavy cabin on Lake Couer d'Alene on Sunday. It just gets more and more fun as the boys get older. This year Granddad created a special "Hernando's Hideaway" for the boys.  I feel so lucky that we are able to visit this "hideaway" every year. The beautiful view, plentiful activities, completely relaxing atmosphere, and time with family really can't be beat.

And this year, the boys really enjoyed the time with their grandparents (and I'm pretty sure the grandparents enjoyed the boys a great deal as well). There were so many activities that were planned -  treasure hunts, BB gun shooting, tenting, croquet, checkers, bike rides, piano lessons, and so much more. The boys were not want for activities. And as usual, my mother-in-law took great care of us with the food, the beverages, and thoughtful preparations.

We fought through some colder weather at the earlier part of our trip, but we were lucky to have Marshall's sister and her husband there for the 4th of July weekend. As the week warmed up, we were able to enjoy more time down at the water. D-man was able to get out in the kayak all by himself and was really into the paddleboat. Both boys enjoyed riding together in the tube behind the boat. T-man really got his sea legs in the last two days. He went from hiding "below deck" when we would go fast to getting in a tube behind the boat. What a great way to wrap up the trip.

Beverages on the lawn

Enjoying the lake 

Our little skipper - so helpful with the boat 

Our happy guy

The boys before their bike ride

Pender Q125

 Whew - the summer is truly flying by. We are finally back in Denver for the remainder of the summer after a couple of great trips to be with family.

Our first trip took us to Pender to celebrate their 125th birthday. What a great week to have the kids back in Pender. They enjoyed so many different activities - pool time, motor home time, cousin time, parade time, and all that small towns have to offer. Highlights for me included catching up with high school friends, golfing with Drake, watching the US soccer team beat Algeria with my Mom, seeing both my sisters, dressing up in my one of my Grandma Schulte's dresses for the style show, and being able to spend such a long time in Pender with my parents and the Geiserts. I feel so lucky to be able to go "home" and have it truly be that - home.


Dressed up for the Style Show



















The Family

Cousins

Lake Couer d'Alene

The World Cup

We all have those experiences in our lives that forever make an impact on us. For me, one of these events was studying in Norway at the International Summer School in Oslo after my junior year of college.  This was my first trip abroad - just having turned 21. And I was scared out of my mind - how would I ever make it from the airport to the school? How would I meet any friends? Would I have a good time? There were over 500 students from over 80 different countries -- and, although I really don't remember anything from the two courses I took, my view of the world and my life was forever altered by my experience.

And every four years, I am reminded of my wonderful experience thanks to the World Cup. When I was in Norway, I had never even heard of the World Cup. And even more embarrassing, it was being held in the United States. I remember watching one US match and although we lost, so many students told me how much better the US was getting. We were no longer horrible. I remember the British reporter holding an American football up to several people and asking them was it was. When they replied "football", everyone in the pub was having a good laugh. And, of course, I remember watching the final match crammed in the campus pub with people from around the globe intently watching the match. I can still see one of the students from Italy surrounded by supporters and leaving the pub crying after her team was defeated. It was an amazing experience to see so many people from such diverse backgrounds all gathered together in the joy of sport.  I felt like such an outsider having never even heard of the World Cup, and yet such a part of it as well.  It was impossible to not get swept up in the entire thing.

Although I have never had the same World Cup experience since then and don't watch soccer outside of the World Cup, I'm looking forward to the 2010 version (this will be the first real time I am bummed that we don't have our satellite dish and ESPN). I look forward to introducing my eldest son to the tournament and some geography lessons along the way. Are children allowed at sports bars in the morning????? Ha!

The Last Day of School

Today is D-man's last day of school (here's a picture of him in his REACH shirt on the last day of school).  We'll be celebrating with a trip to Sonic (the last school fund raiser of the year) right after school. D-man got to choose the restaurant tonight so we are headed to Benihana's near our home for dinner (I thought we would be headed for pizza, but Marshall somehow had a feeling we would be headed to Benihana's). We took the kids a couple of years ago, but D-man apparently doesn't remember them cooking in front of us so it should be a "new" experience.

Today has been a "weird" day for me as well. Both boys will now be home full time for me - it is our first "summer off" together. I'm really looking forward to it, but am closing a chapter on this part of my unemployment. And a new one is about to begin. So, just an adjustment to be made. I've been so fortunate to be given this opportunity. Now I'm looking forward to no more homework, sleeping in, and enjoying what is sure to be one of the best summers with my boys.

Prince Charming

Today was the end of the year picnic for the Kindergarten class. The kids enjoyed playing on the playground, playing kickball, eating their picnic lunches, and of course the popsicles and doughnuts! It was great to see the kids having so much fun after a year of hard work. And I was very happy to be there with the D-man and catch up with some of the parents before the end of the year. It is so much harder to get that sense of community with a charter school so you have to make the most of every opportunity.

Of course, the best part of the day for me was when I introduced myself to the mother of a girl in D-man's class. She said she knew exactly who he was and that her daughter has informed her that he is polite, nice, handsome, kind, and oh yeah, smart. Just like "Prince Charming" her daughter told her. Well, I can't think of a better way to end the year. We all try our best and work to raise wonderful children - and compliments like these keep us going on this long journey. Congrats to my big boy on wrapping up an awesome year!

A Walk with Boston

A few weeks ago, I was walking around the park and ended up walking a good portion of it with a kid named 'Boston'. Boston, a seventh grader, informed me that he walks to and from school every day - a total of 25 miles per week. He walks 5 miles a day - 2.5 each way. And while in this day and age of childhood obesity, I think walking to school is great -- I couldn't help but wonder if that was TOO far. He has to be at school by 7:20 so he leaves his house by 6:30 every day - in the winter it isn't even light out yet. He crosses two busy streets and walks parallel to a busy road for probably a third of the way.  I can understand that if possible, walking to school is a great thing. But is there a limit? Or am I just an overprotective Mom that is going to have to lighten up when her kids get older?

The Steadfast Geranium

For the past couple of years, I have been working to make our backyard "a garden oasis". Unfortunately, I haven't been terribly successful. I've tried to expand the type of flowers that I use, but I always include my "go to" flowers - the marigolds, petunias, and geraniums. Then again, it shouldn't surprise me - these are the flowers my mother always had in her garden. And like these flowers, my Mom has always been a "go to" person in my life. Like the geranium, she is strong and beautiful and can deal with a lot and still pull through. I may not always remember to water my geraniums or call my mom as often as I should, but I always know that they will there. Steadfast and strong. How lucky I am to have such a wonderful woman to call my "Mom" - I couldn't be prouder. 

And speaking of moms, here are a couple of pictures from our Mother's Day hike at Lair o' the Bear Open Space Park. Being Mom to these two boys couldn't make me any happier.  Sometimes I need reminding that I should treasure being their "go to" person right now (as exhausting as that can be at times). Before I know it, I'll need to drop them off blocks away from school, I'll get no hugs in public, and I'll be completely and utterly embarrassing to them.  Yup - "go to" is definitely good. Just ask my Mom. 

Enjoying Bear Creek

Climbing the Tree


Holding Hands - Too Cute!

Why I Love Fridays

I love Fridays. People just seem happier on Fridays. People seem nicer on Fridays. When I was working, there seemed to be less stress on Friday, less meetings, and more positive vibes and uplifting anticipation of the weekend ahead. 

But the love of Fridays isn't anything new. As a kid, I remember piling into the station wagon with family friends and heading to the neighboring town for pizza on Fridays.  My mom never cooked on Friday. Friday was the night to "go out". And when one grew up in a town that had little options for eating out, this was a big deal.  I remember my mom's FAC (Friday Afternoon Club). Yup, Fridays were something special and this was instilled at a young age.

In high school, Fridays became football games and "driving mains'.  In college, the kick off to the weekend often began on Thursday, but Fridays were still full of anticipation and time with friends. Friday night happy hours became the norm after entering the "real world".  And although, the location of Friday night happy hours is often in my own kitchen, it signals the beginning of the weekend.

Now that I have my own family, I've implemented Friday night "take out" (one of the many ways I am like my mother). I don't have to plan dinner. I don't have to worry what we have in the fridge or if I have all the ingredients. I can just know that the weekend is almost here and I'll be kicking it off with the folks that mean the most to me.

Virtual "Cheers!" to all of you! Happy hour is almost here!

If Betty Could See Me Now

When I was in college, my roommate would call me "BC" - short for "Betty Crocker".  And, no this was not a compliment. Apparently, I wasn't much of a cook back then. Even more recently, Marshall will tell the story of how I used to measure out water to boil pasta (I still deny this today). Oh, how things have changed. Today, I have two slow cookers going - one with Ham and lentil soup (complete with the ham bone) and ham and scalloped potatoes in the other.  I also made a batch of chex mix and a pan of rice krispies. Nothing fancy, but in my earlier years, I never would have spent 3 hours in the kitchen, chopping, peeling, cutting, and stirring. Oh, how proud Betty (and my college roommate) would be!

When being frugal pays off (and when it doesn't)......

This past weekend, I flew to Detroit via Salt Lake City for my cousin's baby shower. When I was looking to book my ticket, price was top of mind. This was followed closely by flying times. Due to my unemployment status and the fact I wasn't going to be traveling with kids, I was a bit more open to more flying "effort" than is usually the case.

In order to get the best price, I needed to fly on Thursday and fly through SLC. Although not ideal, this flight would save me* more than $200 and still allow me to help get the boys to school in the morning and get the house in order. In this case, my frugality was worth the effort.

Fast forward to the Thursday of my flight. I was evaluating my airport parking options. I checked out Skyride and determined the bus times weren't going to work with my schedule. I decided I would park where I normally park and spend the extra money. Well, that was the plan until I got to the airport.

At the last minute, I decided I would park in the DIA lot. Several years ago I vowed not to park here - especially after kids. On Thursday, I was painfully reminded why I made that decision.

As I waited (and waited) for the bus, I couldn't help but start calculating how much money I was saving. Eight bucks. A total of eight bucks. After finally boarding the bus, I kept thinking to save eight dollars, I am making ten more stops on this bus. To save eight dollars, I'm starting to worry if I'll miss my flight. This eight dollar savings is not worth it.

Don't get me wrong. I don't diminish the value of eight dollars. I clip coupons. I buy five cans of chicken broth because they are fifty cents off. I have trouble buying clothes if they aren't on sale (and brag about the great deal I got). And yes, I did these things before being frugal was "in".

But today, I was reminded of when it is worth it (for $200) and when it is not (for $8). And when there are times when my time is more valuable than my money.

*Disclaimer: My parents paid for my flight.

And the Winner is........

For those of you that were wondering about my interview outfit, here it is.......

Let me know what you think (as long as you have positive things to say). My ego can't take negative feedback right now :)

Skiing with Dad is Hard Work

D-man was a bit tired after his day of skiing with Marshall. So special that they could ski together for a day.

Three Guys; Three Dates

I have three great guys in my life. And each of them acts differently when the others are around. There is obviously more rough housing when the are all around ("tackle Daddy" is a favorite at our house). And when it is just my two youngest, there is a lot of laughing, playing, and of course, screaming and fighting as well.

Recently, I've been lucky to have some time alone with each of my guys. I'm really going to try and do this more often. More date nights with Marshall.  More alone time with the boys. More undivided attention to those in my life that deserve it most.

A couple of weeks ago, Marshall and I were fortunate to have a night away at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. We had drinks, went to dinner and dancing, spent time lounging and hot tubbing, and just doing a lot of nothing. It was really great to have some down time and take our minds off the real world.

My date for the weekend

The beautiful Broadmoor hotel

D-man was a such a great traveler on our spring break trip to Nebraska that I promised him a special outing with just me as a "thank you" for his good behavior.  He could choose between Dairy Queen, Cold Stone Creamery, or Whole Foods. To my surprise, he chose Whole Foods (which of course,  pleased me). We had a great time checking out all the sweets - chocolates, cakes, pies, cookies, gelato. D-man said, "You were right, there are a LOT of choices".

In the end, he went with a huge piece of white cake with frosting. I had a some coffee and I had a little treat as well. We enjoyed our treats, people watching, laughing about silly things, and just being together.  D-man told me this was awesome - I couldn't have agreed more. I couldn't be prouder of the young boy he is becoming.

Lately, T-man has been a bit of a "stinker pot" as we like to say here in the Peavy household. Both Marshall and I agree that it truly is the "terrible threes" - not the "terrible twos". And T-man is right in the thick of it whenever his brother is around. However, when T-man is alone, he is a completely different boy - a real sweetie not having to fight for our attention. We enjoyed a great day today while Marshall and D-man were skiing. The special outing was to the Easter Egg hunt and seeing the Easter Bunny (who T-man went right up to and gave a huge hug). My sweet, sweet boy had a great time.  And so did his mommy.