U2 360 tour

A year ago Josh and I got tickets to see U2 and unfortunately the concert was postponed for a year. But thankfully our tickets were still good and we were able to go in much better circumstances (it is amazing the freedom when you are not nursing). Plus it was a welcome break to spend the evening with Josh in the midst of his writing deadlines.
I think my favorite song was Beautiful Day and Josh's was probably Where The Streets Have No Name. But how can you go wrong with Bono and the Edge outdoors with 62,000 people in a full stadium with a 360 screen, a beautiful moon, and the best date ever. It was so fun to listen to U2 together since Josh is the one who has gotten me to really like them and their songs have a lot of road trip memories attached to them. I will let the pictures tell the rest.
burgers in Berkley

"the Claw" which holds the 360 screen

 listening to Lenny Kravitz the opener

 nice person who took our picture and their finger

 the show

 the screen being stretched, nice effect

the end

big girl panties

I am so excited to be writing this blog that we are having potty success at last! It was seriously like all of the painful hours spent on the potty chair just melted away and something seriously "clicked" for Hallel. She went from waiting for it every time to being able to go when she sat down on the potty chair to being able to go on the toilet in a matter of a few weeks. Before this just sounds like a mom bragging I just want to say that there were many days of frustration almost to the point of tears on my part and definitely for Hallel. So I hope this post is an encouragement to all of those mothers about ready to embark on this most duanting training.

One of my friends recently said that she read that there is a connection between verbal communication and the physical readiness to potty train. I whole heartedly agree with this statement. So many of Hallel's little friends that have been verbal at an early age also seemed to potty train early. I know it took Hallel awhile to talk and it seems the connection of holding it and making it come has taken her time to develop.

I know the chocolate chip reward and Grandma bringing new "big girl panties" also helped ALOT too!:)

a visit from grandma

We had an unexpected specially special visit from my mom this past week. With some gracious sacrifices from various family members my mother was able to spend five very sweet days with us. The kids were soaking up every minute with Grandma as much as I was too. I want to use this post to mostly show pictures of all the fun things we did together. But really the specialness was just in being together and all those conversations that spontaneously come up and having her experience the kids in their "world" being themselves. Thank you to all, but most of all to Dad who shared his wonderful wife with us!
Morning milk snuggle

Scruptious breakfast at the Half Day Cafe 

 Coffee tasting with friends from our church

 Digging, castle building and crushing, and picnic lunch at Bolinas Beach

 Discovery museum fun

Showing Grandma the playground at the Seminary

 Many more hugs, kisses, stories, playing, eating, laughing, potty training and crafting (I'll blog on those last two items soon)

 We love you Grandma!

happy mamma

I'm finally posting about Mother's Day.

These faces are what make being a mamma so much fun!

 Why is spaghetti so messy but so good?

 Classic Simeon lower lip face

mmmmmm!

This Mother's Day poor Hallel had a fever and horrible cough so Josh stayed home from church with the kids while I went to work in the nursery. Needless to say it didn't feel exactly like mother's day at first but then again that's what makes being a mother a special job. It's a daily role that is unpredictable and messy but involves the most important people in my life and that it why I love it!

As usual my sweet husband made it a special day. We had a great day just being together as a family hangin out. Then Josh fired up the grill and made these wonderful hamburgers. He did not let me clean a single dish the entire day! AND he gave me my mother's day wish and fixed the brake on our stroller and gave it a tune up so now our walks are back up to speed.  We ended the evening with strawberry shortcake and watching The Amazing Race, my favorite show. It was a beautiful day!

workplay

The other morning Josh was here when the kids woke up in the morning. And upon finishing her morning milk Hallel said to Josh matter of factly, "Let's play daddy". It got me thinking how God made little kids to learn through play and how hard they work at this job. I love observing them figuring things out and growing through just trying something over and over.

One of Hallel's new hobbies is taking care of her lady bugs in her bug catcher. We have gone through a few as Simeon or her free them often but tonight Josh and her caught about 4 new ones. We have named the previous bugs "Lady" since there has been only one at a time so i'm not sure what we'll call this batch.

Well here are some pictures from these two hard at "workplay".

eagerly watching mommy bake cupcakes (yes I did gate them out to cook)

eating the finished product

morning and evening milk ritual

 the entertainment of a drill

 hangin with the gang

Simeon's new trick

and another trick