I admit it

Sometimes I do ridiculously silly things when I'm alone with my kids and no one is watching. It's worth it. I mean, just look at these faces! Good grief we have cute kids!

See's

This weekend we stopped in to the See's candies store. I can't tell you how much this made my day. I LOVE See's candies and they didn't have them in Texas, except for one year during the Christmas season. I saw them at little cart in the mall, but then never again.

You see, aside from just being so, so yummy, See's candies have special sentimental meaning to me. Every year since I was old enough to remember, my grandparents would send us See's candies. Holiday, birthdays, you name it, we got some See's. I loved getting the box and I knew exactly (and still do to this day) where my favorite ones were. I can remember going in to the See's candies store with my grandparents as a little girl, getting a free sample and choosing some other yummy candies. It was always such a treat and something I remember fondly. I miss my grandparents so much and think of them often.

Now we have our very own See's candies store and I can start a new tradition of taking my kiddos into them and choosing some yummies for themselves. Although the Hud doesn't like chocolate (which I find baffling), so I'm not sure what he'll choose...

There are days, many actually, where I feel so in awe of my kids. In awe of their innocence and curiosity about the world. In awe of their innate goodness, their sweet, gentle souls, untarnished and new.

I'm often jealous of how simple and joyful it is to just be a child. No major life decisions, no stress, no worries, just sleep, eat, play and sleep, eat, play some more. Life is good when you're young.
When you're lucky, like me, to be with them all the time you're sort of reminded of what's important in life, and what's not. It's different for everyone, but for me, the most important thing in my life, right now at this very moment is being present for my kids. Taking the time to sit with them, make eye contact, listen to them, teach them, guide them, laugh with them, be silly, play with them, hold them tight and kiss their precious little faces. There really is no better place to be.

Be still my heart...

She cracks me up with her cup!

Dr. Hudson in the house.
Rody, Spotty, Lightning McQueen, Jon (AKA buttons) and Lovey
 were all diagnosed with a train and a ball in their ears.
It's going around.
Make sure you get your ears checked. 

Beautiful girl.
Everyone thinks she looks just like her daddy.

The "new" park

Hudson is missing a few things about Dallas and here they are in the order in which they've been mentioned:

1. His school and Sylvie (breaks my heart)
2. Coffee Park (man, that was a great park indeed!)
3. The sun. Ah, the sun...

Well, I can't do much about #1 up there. Or #2 or #3 either. What I can do is discover new parks, which we have already done. We wait patiently for the sun, and when it appears we take full advantage immediately! Which is what we did this morning, at the "new" park, because all parks have a name you know. And this one comes with a view.

Yep. A view. A spectacular view. 

Climbing.

Steps.

I, Hudson, do solemnly swear...

Sometimes we sit here and try to count the school buses,
see them, waaaaaayyyy out there?

Hudson said today there were 8.

And he looked so cute saying it that I took another picture of him sitting there.

No trip to the park is complete without a ball.

We were the only ones there for a while.
When Hudson heard some kids coming
to the park he got so excited he said,
"Mommy, I'm gonna go say hi to them!"
And he did.
He makes me so very proud.

Slide.

I'm not ready yet!

For this:

...pulling to stand, and boy is she determined!

and...she's standing...

...and....she's riding giraffes....
and I'm wondering where time has gone?!?!?
This CAN"T be happening already!

My Funny Valentines

Happenings

I got so spoiled with Scott not working for three weeks. I could really get used to it... now we just need to win the lotto to make that happen. I'm buying tickets daily. This "stay at home mom" business would be so much easier if I had a partner. If only. One can dream, right?

Honestly, I'm enjoying my kiddos a lot this week, just me and them. It's our new "normal" and day by day, it's becoming more and more comfortable.

I love our new neighborhood so much I don't know if anyone will be able to convince me to live anywhere else. Ever. It's that good.

So far- things I miss about Dallas:
1. Sylvie. Number 1, for sure, without a doubt the one thing I miss the most is Sylvie. Hudson's old school and teacher. Nothing else compares, sincerely. It just kills me...
2. I miss our house, our little house that so often I complained about and now realize how wonderful it was. We took such good care of it, we loved it and it was ours. It's just a whole different world being in a rental. I feel like a college kid again. BUT...I do love the neighborhood we're in and could not be happier with our location.
3. Shopping. Do I really need to elaborate here? It's Dallas. Shopping is what Dallas does best. Even grocery shopping is the best in Dallas.
4. Tex Mex. I'm pretty sure there is nothing even remotely close here. Malena's Taco shop up the street will suffice. Malena makes a good taco.
5. Camp Bow Wow. Our poor dogs are so bored. We either need a dog walker or some doggie day care. STAT.

Regarding the blog, I've been trying to post more often, but life's been getting in the way again, so for now I'm sharing a ton of photos from this week, I hope you enjoy them. They make me laugh and smile. I love these two and I am so lucky to be with them all the time.

Where did Papa go?
He's the only one who can do this!

This has to be some kind of yoga position.
This girl is determined.
If she wants it, she's gonna get it.

He rarely let's me take his picture anymore.
He's so handsome.
And quite possibly the sweetest kid EVER.

He thinks when he puts his "lovey" on his head
that it's the funniest thing in the world.
Being a kid is so awesome.

Such a happy, happy baby.

This cracks me up!
She just started trying to drink from a sippycup.
For some reason, when she does, she throws one hand up in the air (as seen above).
It's like a dance move or something.
It's hilarious.

Here's the one-handed move again.

Now this is how I like waking up in the morning.
With both of my babies smiling at me.
Wonderful.

Here it is again.
I can't get enough!
It makes me laugh every time!!

Look,  I got a smile! 

Even with food all over her, so adorable.
And so HAPPY!

I love putting on my daddy's shoes. 

Discovering herself.
Or just another cute baby she's really interested in.

At the REI store today for a little indoor fun.

At REI.
When you go to REI in Seattle, you get waterfalls. 

The Space Needle and other stuff

So, it's been a very hectic and busy couple of months, relocating our family and our lives to another state and all...and quite honestly, the Hud has really been a trooper. Often times we rely on his "big-boy-edness" to get him through the day...Madeline is a little more needy and challenging in many ways, though very, very happy most of the time, she just needs us more and sometimes I feel like Hudson gets overlooked, not intentionally of course, it's just often the way it is. Since we had Scott's parents with us for a week, we took advantage of our semi-freedom and had a special "Hudson" morning. He LOVES the space needle and was anxious to see it, so we started off with breakfast at 5 Spot (this has quickly become a favorite spot) and then headed out to see the Space Needle. He's such a great kid and we really enjoy him these days.

Breakfast at 5 Spot

From the observation deck of the Space Needle

checking out the view  (that's Lake Union he's looking at)

despite my fear of heights I held up well on the ol' Space Needle

I'm pretty sure this view never gets old...

The view from underneath the needle

Hudson's checking out the view from below as well

We also took the monorail for a ride.
This might have been Hudson's favorite part of the day

I just love these two.

Yep, love 'em a lot...

On the monorail

Here's another thing we're loving about our new neighborhood- literally a 2 minute walk, just around the corner from our house (excuse me, rental house) is this great little park, with spectacular views. I can't say it enough, and perhaps it's just because it's all new to us, but this is a stunningly beautiful city. I mean beautiful. Really, really beautiful. People who have lived here their entire lives must go places like Dallas (sorry Dallas friends) and be so completely stunned. AND disappointed. I mean, unless you're traveling to say...Santa Barbara or Hawaii, everything must just pale in comparison to this great city we now get to call home.

Recall the many times I've said how beautiful this city is...here's what I'm talking about.

In other news, this little pumpkin has taken her first few crawls forward. Motivation in the form of iPads and iPhones gets this sweet girl moving. My world is about to change. Dramatically.