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Dear Mom and Dad in England

April 24, 2011 by Kelli

Hi.

So while you were off galavanting (something I’ve found you seem to be quite good at) about the English countryside this weekend, I was left to handle Easter on my own. While you toured Shakespeare’s birthplace and hiked through the animal infested forests, I realized that not only did I need to create some kind of Easter feast for my family, but I also needed to fill up Easter baskets with goodies. I realized this on Saturday.

I would like you to know that I managed to squeak by without you but I almost ruined Easter for good. And Christmas too. And I blame it almost entirely on you.

I dashed out Saturday afternoon for a last minute grocery run, in the rain. Me and the entire senior citizen population of St. Louis County. I bought a pork roast. Not even a pre-packaged one from the refridgerated section, but an actual one from the meat guy. He’s not a butcher is he? Do I just call him the meat guy? Whatever. I bought it from him. He wrapped it in white paper. Fancy.

Score one for me.

I also purchased a round birthday cake with a picture of a bunny on it. And ice cream. I was rocking the Easter preparations.

I purchased 45 plastic eggs to put in their baskets. Why so many? Because I didn’t buy anything else. You know, dear mother, how you always filled up our baskets with fun little trinkets and goodies as a kid? Yeah…I didn’t do that. I kind of forgot. Thank God I had the DVD’s you purchsed for the kids before you left for England, right?

Minus one for me. Holding steady at 0. Plus six for you, though, for planning way in advance.

When I got home I tried to sneak by the kids with the plastic eggs. You know, because how was I going to explain that the Easter Bunny used eggs we already owned. I failed, though. Eagle Eyes Tia saw the eggs and screeched with delight.

“What are those for?” they all asked, pushing in on me like tiny little blonde vultures.

I thought quick on my feet, though. You would’ve been proud. “We’re going to put them in your Easter baskets and see if the Easter Bunny fills them up while you sleep.”

BOOM! Score three for Mommy.

They each got a movie, a chocolate bunny (of course) and 14 eggs, which the Easter Bunny did fill while they slept. Except the Easter Bunny is stingy and paranoid about their teeth rotting out so the eggs only had one chocolate or a couple of jelly beans in them. When it was all said and done they only had a snack bag amount of candy.

Three measly jelly beans...

“Is dis all dere is?!” Tia exclaimed after searching through her basket. There were no stickers, no toys, no coloring books. “Mom, where does the Easter Bunny come from exactly?” Sloan asked, a little disgruntled. “Is he real?”

I had to bite my lip from answering, “Look, the Easter Bunny moved to England, okay?!” Minus four for Mommy. I hereby stand at a negative 1.

“That’s what they say,” I answer, dodging the question. “Well, is Santa real or is he just a guy in a costume?” Six eyes stare at me intently.

“St. Nicholas was a real man who delivered gifts to boys and girls,” I answered, sweat beading on my hairline. “Hey look! Breakfast is ready – come eat quick!”

Plus 1 for dodging a bullet.

I did remember to put the pork roast in the crock pot (God’s gift to half brained moms) the night before so Easter dinner was partially prepared early. Which was good since I had to be at church at 7:30 and didn’t get home until 12:45, which means Lee was in charge of Easter lunch. They ate without me. Pork Roast, Stove Top stuffing from a box and sourdough bread. No vegetables or special sides to make the meal memorable because I wasn’t there to fix.

I get plus 2 for preparing the meat early, but minus 1 for not preparing anything else. I think this leaves me at a plus 1.

The rest of Easter Sunday was quite lovely, actually. While we desperately missed being with family, I must say it was nice to just be our little core unit of 5 for the day. I reminded me, Mom and Dad, of all those years when we were growing up and didn’t have family close by. My holiday memories are filled with leisurely afternoons with you all and Brett.

We went to Applebees for dinner, which felt kind of lame, but it made the kids happy so I’m giving myself 1 point. And when we came home, we cleaned up the house, put on our jammies, ate bunny cake and watched Yogi Bear as a family. I’m awarding myself another point for going with the flow.

So that means my final tally came in at plus 3. Not bad. Easter wasn’t a total wash after all.

But it still would have been better with you here.

Have fun for the remainder of your English adventure. Tell Will and Kate I said hi…

Love, Your Daughter in St. Louis.

If only they looked alike...

I laughed until I cried when I saw this picture. Landon's head looks detached from his body.

Studio Shot!

Filed Under: Easter, Family, Holidays, Kids Tagged With: Easter, Kids, letter, Motherhood, Photography

Final

February 14, 2011 by Kelli

We had our final harrah in the snow this weekend. Or what we hope I pray was our final harrah, anyway. We donned our hats and our gloves, our snow pants and snow boots and spent one more afternoon playing in the white fluff that’s graced our yard for much of this winter.

We took one last run down the mole hill we call a front yard.

We ate snow one last time.

Then we licked it off our chins.

We made silly faces for the camera.

Some of us were just cute for the camera.

And, of course, we made our final snow angel. We hope. Seriously…no more snow, ‘kay?

Yes, on Friday we enjoyed one last romp in the snow. By Sunday it was 60 degrees and the piles of white fluff were transformed into black slush. And we were outside riding our bikes in shorts.

And by We, I mean They. I was just the chick behind the camera, taking it all in.

Come on Spring! We can’t wait for you to get here!

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Random Tagged With: Kids sledding, Photography, pictures, spring is coming, winter

He gets it all

December 6, 2010 by Kelli

He came to me yesterday as I prepared myself for dress rehearsal. The musical is set in 1947 so I had on dark eyeliner, a skirt, lips so red they glow in the dark and hair so curly that I vaguely resembled Simba.

He looked up at me with big eyes, then a slow smile spread across his face.

“You bootiful, Mom,” he said.

“Thank you, buddy,” I replied. My heart sort of melted at that point.

Then he grabbed my hand and gave it a tug. “Come down here,” he said, pulling me to my knees. “I wanna give you a hug ‘tause you bootiful.”

We hugged.

Then I promised everything he ever wanted and more. Money. Cars. His brother and sister’s inheritance.

He gets it all…

Photo courtesy of Lulu Photography

Filed Under: Family, funny stuff that happens, Kids, Kids do the darndest things, Landon, Motherhood Tagged With: Kids, Landon, Lulu Photography, Motherhood, Photography

Tradition

October 6, 2010 by Kelli

It has become tradition each year in the fall for the kids and I to go to Twin Oaks Park for amateur photos (I am so amateur, too – I really wish I knew how to take better pictures). Afterwards they play on the playground and we go out to dinner. You can see last year’s pictures here.

The weather yesterday was beautiful and, despite the fact that it was Landon’s first official day of potty training, we headed off to the park for pictures.

I did not get the shots I hoped to, though, so if another nice day opens up I may go out and try again…if they’ll let me. This is all I could come up with. For all you photographers out there, I’m all ears to advice. Particularly, how do you take a good shot on a sunny day? If I face them toward the sun they squint. If I turn their backs to the sun, their faces are too dark. So I had the sun beside them for the pictures which means that half of their faces are shadows.

That frustrates me.

Still though – they’re pretty dang cute.

Sloan, a child after my own heart, has lately grown quite a love for writing. He has taken off in the reading and writing department and is rarely far from his spiral notebook. Yesterday I encouraged him to try writing a story and he wanted me to take a picture of him working on it. He was so proud of his story about Max and Nick going hiking in the woods with their “fery frins” (furry friends). The acorn may not have fallen far from the tree in this child…

I wouldn’t let Tia play on the playground in her Strasburg dress (mean mommy) so I made her change into play clothes. She then spent the next thirty minutes crossing back and forth on the monkey bars. So much so that her little hands are blistered and red. Another acorn, she is…

Landon is an acorn, himself, but for those of you who have seen his obsession and freakish skill with a basketball (and baseball, and tennis ball and football) you know that the tree he landed close to stands a little taller than me.

Filed Under: Kids, Landon, Life, Sloan, Tia Tagged With: Kids, Kids and Photography, Photography, Pictures of Cute Kids, Twin Oaks Park

My New Toy

April 5, 2010 by Kelli

After selling much of my childhood and pieces of my parents souls on Craig’s List, I finally made enough money to purchse the one thing I’ve desired for awhile now. A good camera.

My parents are moving from their home of 13 years into a small condo. It’s a good thing. It’s the right decision. But it means getting rid of many of the items that I grew up with. Furniture and decorations that have graced the houses of my parents different homes for most of my life. It’s hard – not as hard for me since I have been living on my own for a long time – but definately hard for them.

My mom was sweet enough to let me post and sell her stuff and, as a reward, split the money she made fifty-fifty. And thus my brand, spanking new camera. My magic camera that actually takes the pictures I want it to take. And I’ve had a good time taking said pictures this weekend.

Yesterday we went to my parents house for one last holiday meal. And we all tried to keep it light when discussing their move, because if we started talking too seriously, the tears would begin to flow. So we laughed and joked, but inside we were all feeling a bit sentimental. Change is never easy, even if it’s necessary.

Despite the emotions, however, we had a wonderful day. The weather was perfect, the kids were well behaved and I was able to document it all just the way I wanted to…

Here is a little collage of our Easter Sunday: