Family | Peaches Prattlings

{May 20, 2017} Soccer, cleaning, lacrosse, soccer, haircut, birthday party, birthday party, sleepover

Is that enough for one day?

Straighten the house for the party, wash the pollen off the porch, it is spring after all, everyone was in on the act. The bouncy house arrived and the girls, GES and I had a little fun.

Then it was soccer practice for EJS, MGS off to lacrosse practice, finish setting up. EJS and ACS back for lunch, EJS has a mini play date, MGS back, I headed out to get a haircut, EJS and ACS off to travel team try-outs, people arrive for MGS’ birthday party. I jump right in to the fray, love seeing friends and all my little loves.

Some one-on-one time here and there, catching up, playing with the kids, activities, crafting, pizza, pinata, cake, buh-bye! 3-5pm 530pm and they were all gone!

Then the cousins, S&S S and E&S R stayed for a sleepover. EJS went to a birthday party sleep-under, that’s where they stay until bed time and go home.

We watched Sing, had popcorn and sang. My favorite part, E said “come snuggle with me Auntie J” how could i say no?

Then it was sleeping bags, “wait, I can’t sleep until I see EJS”, love that! Then zzz. MGS had two in her room and EJS had another two, the siblings split up for the sleepover. Let’s see how much sleep happens!

Now, that’s the way to party, wouldn’t you say? Just another Saturday at my sister’s house…

{May 19, 2017} Fun, busy day at my sister’s

Friday started as any other day, and hires what…I did sleep!

Got some work done, then it was sister time! We had breakfast out, after straightening the house, then did some damage at Khol’s. We had Khol’s cash, a coupon and some returns. Savings… over $1000! Between stuff for us and the girls, mostly EJS, spent only $500, not too shabby!

Then Costco and the liquor store, back to the house dad and LaLa showed up about the same time, dad and I went to pick up the girls. Oh boy! It’s only been a few weeks, but wow!

Home to hang out and then MGS asked me to help fill the piata for her party, that would be pinata for the rest of us. We filled it with candy all while having a food fight with the candy. Lots of giggling, of course.

Then Fuji for dinner, it’s hibachi but the girls call it the Firehouse because of the hibachi grill. They love it. Next door for cupcakes and cake pops, home for games, books and bed.

Whew, I’m beat! 7 year old birthday party tomorrow! Need some rest!

{May 16, 2017} SEVEN! We have a seven year old!

When did that happen? I still remember getting the phone call.

May 16, 2010, MGS came into the world and stole a piece of my heart. [As long as we remember what year she was born, we’ll always know how old she is, ha ha]

Wow, seven! What a trip it’s been. She’s smart, precocious, adorable, funny, goofy, silly, bright, curious, inquisitive, fearless, loving, independent, stubborn and just plain fabulous.

Sometimes she says things and you just look at her and think “did you really just say that?” and the next second, love bug.

I love those times she gets on my lap and wants to snuggle, play, walk, talk and just have some one – on – one time with her Auntie J. How much do I love when she and EJS won’t see a movie without me?

She makes her parents and family proud every day and I cannot wait to see what is in store for this little girl every day, week, month, year.

Happy birthday MGS! I love you!

{May 15, 2017} Happy Mother’s Day

It’s Mother’s Day. Are you a mom?

Did you have to think about that? Moms come in all shapes and sizes. Some are born to do it, some fall into it, some choose to do it and some, surprise! And don’t forget fur baby moms!

I have children, instant family, I used to say. I became a mom the minute I met my kids. Get this… within a month of becoming a mom, step-mom for anyone who is slightly confused, my feet grew! What? Yeah half a size! I went from 7.5 to 8!

I like to joke that I got all of the joys and none of the stretch marks!

I missed the wee stage with diapers and potty training, oh there are stages I am sorry I missed, the first step, the first tooth, but I was there for other firsts and that was fabulous. I watched my kids thrive, shine, blossom, achieve milestones, drive a car, first boyfriend and girlfriend, get a job, graduate high school for starters and now, both my kids are successful adults. Both married and my baby had a baby. TYL is a mom! She celebrates her first mother’s day! And oh, does motherhood suit her. Thank you for giving me a beautiful baby boy to love on and be a part of his life.

I have people in my life who have welcomed me into their lives in a grandmother and auntie role.

KAB and CS didn’t have to let me in, but they did and oh do they make my heart soar! Baby A, who’s not a baby anymore, his baby sister EB, LB, my first granddaughter, the first to call me JJ and now her little sister, LS. Watching their moms is amazing, the way they teach their children and help them navigate life, wow.
My sister, who gave me the most amazing little nieces, I didn’t realize what being an aunt does to you, it’s a whole different level. What a mom she is, nurturing, teaching, calming, celebrating, thriving, she amazes me every day. I still remember the day, when I was living with them, sometimes three adults in the house, um, you can imagine…’we got this, you be the cool aunt’. done! Do you know what it means when I hear they won’t go to a movie without Auntie J?!

My friends who are these amazing mom’s, LBK, her three girls were the first to call me Aunt J, I love when get to spend one-on-one time with them, it’s rare, but wonderful. Bright, goofy, full of life, dramatic, athletic, I can’t wait to see what’s next! Oh yeah, don’t forget the two fur babies!

SDL, well, you know what I think about her! We still can’t figure out what life was like before Miss A! I’ll never forget the email “Auntie G, do you want to see your niece?” Tried to hold back those waterworks! And Boogie Bear, what a cat!

TS, so much she’s done to have an amazing daughter in her life, KS, bright, funny, caring and now a teacher. Well read, traveled, spoken, that’s almost all to do with TS. She also is amazing for being allergic to cats and had her grand kitty, Molly living with them!

JCT, she’s raising an amazing daughter, SAT, smart, funny, shy, talented and… she just became an aunt to get brother’s new baby! She’s also a fur mom to two goofy pugs.

CWB, friends since middle school! Lost touch, got in touch, lost touch, got in touch. No time had passed and I so love talking to her about her daughter, SB and hearing them interact while we’re on the phone. She is so good, all she’s teaching her daughter about life, compassion, love, caring, giving. Wow!

LGR, we’ve known each other for over twenty years, seen each other go through some stuff and now, to watch her raising her daughter, a bright, precocious, funny, inquisitive little girl and big sister to a fur baby. I love spending time with them!

KWH, she even posted on Facebook she didn’t think kids were in her future, we went through some similar things as step moms, it was so good to have someone who understood. Now, Baby J is just a love and not a day goes by that KWH isn’t amazed and thankful and joyful.

RJS has two fur babies that I get to spend time with and she officially became a mom and grandmother, when she got married to get long time love a few months ago.

I’ve also had the honor of being a fur mom to a range of furry babies, even my friends fur babies call me auntie!

GES and I had an amazing mom and she taught us what it was to be a great mom. Hugs, birthday parties, education, snuggling, loving, caring, generosity, being genuine, living life to the fullest, silliness. I see that and so much more in how I jeep raise my kids, how I interact with my kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, children in general and I see it in my sister the same way with her kids and all the kids that call us auntie.

There are so many more women in my life who are moms, of two legged, four legged, whatever legged who are amazing and deserve nothing less than amazement and admiration and love.

What an honor to be a mom, in whatever capacity you are. We are amazing and I love you all for it.

Happy Mother’s Day.

{May 14, 2017} A day at the beach and touching tribute

Today we saw and heard a celebration of a person’s life.

We were on the beach with friends and there was a collection of tents, as is par for the course on the beach here. They had a lot of people, food and music. There were also quite a few conch shell blowers.

As we all listened, this was a celebration for a guy with the same first name as PSM and another guy with out group. We all joked, asking how they felt about the tributes to their lives.

Then there were several groups who went out on surf boards, paddle boards, canoes, race crews, boats, all going out past the jetty to spread his ashes.

It was a very nice tribute to a man who wss important to a lot of people. The conch shell blowers had different tributes.

The celebration started before we got there and was going on after we left. Hawaiians know how to celebrate life.

{May 13, 2017} How do I go back to reality?

These have been an amazing two weeks.

It’s not over, I still have a day and a half, but… it’s been great! This is the first time PSM and i have really “lived” together since we’ve been together. Even the two weeks I was here at the end of the year we were both off, so it was more of a vacation.

This time, he went to work every day and I worked from home, usually between 4am and 6am, which worked out perfectly because that meant I was done between 12 and 2pm. Somewhere in there, dog duties, domestic stuff, like meeting with the pest control or yard guys, then it was either hang out in the hammock for a bit or take Mollie to the beach.

By 3 or 5pm, whichever PSM was able to make work, we would meet at the gym or somewhere to go stand up paddle boarding. Then it was dinner at home, we cooked a few times, even used basil from our garden!

Or eat where we were. Tonight it was burritos from Killer Taco, made me think of Moe’s, and anyone who knows me, knows I love some Moe’s! Home to chill with Mollie and then crash or tonight, go to see Baby Groot again.

I get why people love it. Mornings at the beach for a surf or paddle, great exercise, work or school then to the beach. It starts filling up about 3 or 4pm, surfing, paddle boarding, swimming, playing, some people bring grills for dinner. Play until the sun starts going down, then go home.

Today, I worked until 1245pm, hung out in the hammock, ok, fell asleep in the hammock, met PSM in Haleiwa for some stand up paddle boarding, then dinner, then movies.

Tomorrow beach and paddle boarding with friends, then Sunday afternoon back to Chicago. I know I’ll have fun with my friends from work and I’m ready for summer in Chicago, beaches and sun, maybe even some paddle boarding! But… it’s not home…sigh…

Good thing I’m coming back in two weekends!

{May 12, 2017} It’s official, I am a dog mommy

It happened gradually, but that’s where we are. Mollie thinks I’m one of her people.

I think I’ve told you a few of the things she has done since PSM got serious. It started when she would get in between us when we would get close on the sofa, then it was pressing into me when we’re out, protecting her pack. Then it was taking over the bed or pushing into me with her back when she’s sleeping on the bed.

Then the excitement when we get home, a little more than just saying hello, she’s sees us, grabs a toy and circles us. Last week when I walked in the door she wasn’t sure at first, then sniffed the air and it was on.

Now… since I’ve been home these last two wonderful weeks, she won’t get out of bed or up until I do. She won’t listen to PSM, ‘come on Mollie, let’s go out’ ‘breakfast?’ Nope, I’m good, I’ll just stay here.

So that means, I do the morning walks, medication [covered in peanut butter], eye drops, breakfast. She waits for me each morning, very rarely does she wake me up. And, when the dog walker comes twice a week, their walks are cut short, apparently she wants to come home because I’m here!

She listens to me, mostly, I know you know how selective dogs hearing can be… she goes to the beach with me, loves the convertible, meets new people, they are just taken with her and how mellow she is, sits with me, lets me use her as a pillow while she sleeps.

Comes when I call or whistle. Looks at me with those puppy dog eyes. Follows me from room to room…like a puppy.

There you have it, I’m a dog mom…

{May 10, 2017} She really is Super Duper L! Congratulations!!

Today, May 9th, one of my best friends did something fabulous!

As you know, I call her Super Dooper L! She truly is a Super Woman! She walked with her fellow classmates in their cap and gowns to receive her diploma to say that 18 months of hard work, sacrifice and determination were all for this moment.

SDL decided almost two years ago that she was going to go for her EMBA, Executive Masters in Business Administration. Wow! That’s a mouthful in itself!

She took on the challenge, a single mom with a full-time job. She enlisted help from family and friends to help her on the nights and weekends she had school. CKM, her sister, parents and even me, when I could, spent the weekends with Miss A. And you know how jam packed her weekends are!

During this whole time, her role as mom never wavered, some nights she didn’t get to her studies until 10 or 11pm, bed at 1 or 2am, up early to get her on the bus on time.

Travel with school to Chile and still made time to make a Halloween costume when she got back, with two days to spare!

Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Riding Shows, school stuff, nothing was missed. I told you super duper!

I’m so proud of my friend, for so many things, but today, for graduating with honors. Of course, I expected nothing less!

What’s next SDL?! Congratulations!

{May 8, 2017} Happy Birthday TYL!

I have to wish my daughter, TYL, a very happy birthday!

I met my daughter, TYL, in November of 1996, she was eight years old and a fireball. She was very sweet, smart, funny and skeptical, of me that is! How else could she be meeting me for the first time, not her mom, what was I going to be like and very protective of her brother. Understandable. But when the gate opened, oh boy!

She was a love, a goofball, a challenge and well worth it! We loved to play games, snuggle, watch movies, giggle, talk, travel, be silly, go places, shop, do nothing, sometimes that was our favorite part.

We had a typical mother-daughter relationship, we had our share of disagreements, and we could row, but in the end we never went to bed angry. I loved watching her face, the wonder, joy and amazement at life and what it had to offer. The way she examined and explored, took charge and took no, you-no-what from anyone!

To see how she has grown into an amazing human being, woman and mother amazes me every day. Reconnecting with her was nothing short of, well, it was what I needed in my life and I hope hers as well. We actually reconnected one year ago today when I messaged her on FaceBook to wish her a happy birthday.

May 8, always a very special day and quite often Mother’s Day, this year she gets her own day and when she celebrates her first Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, it will be something.

Happiest of happy birthdays to my baby girl, TYL. No matter where life takes us, you will always be someone I am proud to call my daughter. I love you.

birthday daughter

{May 7, 2017} I am Groot!

I WANT A BABY GROOT! SOMEONE GET ME A BABY GROOT STAT!!!

We went to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 tonight, it was fabulous! It was me, PSM, A&B R, M&D R and L ,who also happens to be Mollie’s vet, we love her, her husband works with PSM, it’s a win-win.

The cast and cameos were awesome and surprising, sprinkled in here and there. Kurt Russel was fabulous, still smokin’ hot! Perfect to play the role he was cast in and if I told you more, it would give away the secret. And the CG for his younger self, wow!

Do I mention the cameos? Oh, why not, I’m not telling where, who or why…David Hasselhoff, Ving Rhames, Sylvester Stallone, Rob Zombie and don’t forget Stan Lee, of course! Interestingly, he was in more than one place in the movie, a rare double Stan Lee sighting.

There was action, romance, well, sort of, adventure, space travel, snow, wait what? Yup, snow, I said to PSM, look, it’s Boston! A dorky, self-centered race of people dipped in gold, video games and another great soundtrack, of course!

It was a story about friendship, a story of families, which come in all shapes and sizes, not just the ones you’re born in to, the ones you make, self worth, self discovery, redemption, maybe a even a little pure revenge, and the love a boy has for his mother. It reminded me a little of the new Star Trek when a Vulcan boy teased Spock about his mother…you don’t talk about Star Lord’s momma, gonna get your arse whopped!

And…Baby Groot. Just watch the opening scene and you are hooked. Who knew there could be so much said in three little words “I am Groot”.

Worth it? YES YES and I AM GROOT [translation “Heck YES!]

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