Monday, December 31, 2012

Our kitchen is broken


Noah is right when he says our kitchen is broken. In the beginning of December we launched into our first ever remodel and ripped out the kitchen until there was nothing left but the  floors with a big hole in it. Three weeks later, and totally planned for, our kitchen is still broken but with some major progress towards being "new"!

To some, starting home improvement projects during the holiday season is an overwhelming prospect. With a small amount of apprehension, we went for it. It actually made us do something we hardly ever do- keep the holiday decore to a minimum and better evaluate what HAD to be done to enjoy the holidays together.



The kitchen remodel has given us nice new perspective on how to do less and have more all while taking the "hectic" out of the season. It helped us to calibrate a nice balance. We have a small tree with some special ornaments and our beautiful outside lights up with the same, if not more joy in our household.
This is not the little tree I spoke of. This is our Montoya Family tree..


We did print Christmas cards this year and we will send them. Keep an eye out for them in the new year!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Hope, peace, joy, love


We went to church last Sunday. We actuallly made it past the children's sermon this time despite the boys outward disagreement of who got to play with Action Chugger during the service. You see, usually when we go to church it goes like this: we arrive late to miss announcements. No need to waste Eric and Noah's young boy short attention span on announcements. We sit down shuffling who sits where, try to sing a hymn, and then they go up to the alter for the children's sermon. They LOVE the children't sermon.

Today Noah got to place the sheep in the nativity scene and Eric got to bring Joseph along his journey across the room. After the children's sermon, the children are invited to a play room with Birdie. Noah and Eric have outgrown the play room and want nothing to do with it. I am lucky to get through the readings let alone the sermon before these boys need to move their active bodies. So I usually feel satisfied with the lesson they have received and we retire to the backyard where we play kickball until community coffee hour which is perfectly aligned with snack time.

Today we made it through the entire service! Being it was the fourth Sunday in advent, the 4th candle was lit. After all my years going to church with my mom and watching the candles being lit, today I actually took in what they meant. Hope, peace, joy and love. Whether or not you believe in Jesus or even God for that matter, these four things are something everyone can strive to believe in and celebrate over the holiday. It is hope, peace, joy and love that bring us together. I was touched today by the sermon and that "belief" is faith in something even though logic, knowledge and science can't make sense of it.  Humanity can not survive without hope, peace, joy, and love. Yet, it takes faith to accept them into your way of being because they come with uncertainty, unanswered questions. Hope, peace, joy, and love often defy logic, yet everyone needs them.

Christmas is the celebration of our Savior, our belief, our faith in all things good in this world all centered around the birth of a child. To me it through our children we learn to accept hope, peace, joy and love into our life. As adults we must re-ignite the child within us so we can be parents. We jump into parenthood with all its uncertainty and accept the challenges. This is true faith in action. There is a Carter's ad that says when a child is born, so is a new mom. We learn side by side with our children. As the grow into themselves we grow into our parenting-selves.

For this Momma it is through all children I can see true hope, peace, joy and love.

This is my understanding of what Christmas is. Bless the birth of all children.


Monday, December 24, 2012

Team USA



Eric goes to soccer club. Movein' up from Little kickers.

Saturday, December 08, 2012

If its not a school day what is it?


Noah understands the morning rules quite well. On school days we don't watch cartoons. Cartoons use to work well as incentive to get dressed and eat breakfast. Over time cartoons mucked up the steps to getting out the door. New rule. No more cartoons on school days. What does that make a non-school day to Noah?

A cartoon day. He states to us, "Tomorrow is a cartoon day?" as a half question half statement.

What does that make a non-school day for mom and dad? A morning between the sheets day.





Saturday, November 24, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving


I am lost for words these days. This photo, courtesy of Joey Chandler photography, captures my forever thankfulness.

Happy Thanksgiving.


Monday, November 19, 2012

All the things we have been doing that I have should have been posting about

I wish I could write about everyone of these things in grand detail! I will but for now it is the experiences that carry the weight!


Kindergarten begins at Beacon
10th anniversary weekend
Eric turns 6
Noah comes into his own: Buddies at Basecamp and temperment and doesn't like Z Bars wibbily or worms wormy
Game 1 of the World Series
Addison turns 3
Halloween: Clif Parade, Batman, Power Ranger, and 400+ trick or treaters
Kitties Blessed
Fall Fun at Petaluma Pumpkin Patch
Cable Car ride with Grandma and Grandpa cable car museum
Pictures in the Presidio
Momma's birthday
Mom adjusting to kindergarten
Eric playing soccer on Team USA
Noah at Soccer Shots with Coach Ce Ce
Eric telling me his misses being little
Gina with us for one year
Our new family ride
Remodeling the kitchen
Momma visting DV, Caleigh, and Graham
70th Birthday party for Oma and Opa
......oh my what have I missed?!

Friday, November 02, 2012

Sights and sounds of San Francisco




Looking over at Buena Vista park this fine fall lunch hour and I see a paint crew playing a breaktime soccer scrimmage to the sounds of kids pelting out God Bless America from the playground. The Giant's World Series fever could have something to do with the singing.

Most of all, I was happy to have a play date in the park with Noah.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Kindergarten and beyond



Today we drove by Daddy's high school on our way haircuts for the boys. Clearly we weren't heading to our local hair salon since we found ourselves Moraga. Our much loved CLIF hair.stylist invited us to her house for weekend trims.

Eric, who began kindergarten in September, had lots of questions about when Daddy went to school here. "How old he was? Did he know to drive? How did get old enough? How is it different from my school".

Monday, September 10, 2012

Eric's first lost tooth

 He scored a 1979 Silver Dollar that once belonged to a little figure skater. She received this coin from her skating coach, Myrna Smith, after successfully landing her axel. This little skater is all grown up and donated the coin to the Tooth Fairy to share with Eric when his first tooth fell out.

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Your children are not your children.......Kahlil Gibran


So much to celebrate that I haven't even had time to post about. Eric turning 6 and starting kindergarten and soccer team all in one week! Not to mention the 10th anniversary of the marriage of his Momma and Dadda.

Here is something I read to remind me of the role I play has a parent to this beautiful boys.
On Children
 Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

To work or stay home, that is the question, or is it?

We all do the math, playing out different scenarios. Many mothers and fathers have no choice but for both to work full-time, especially if you live anywhere urban and in demand like the Bay Area.


We have played out several scenarios ourselves. One scenario moves us to a sweet little mountain town  in Montana like Bozeman that would allow us to share our passion for the outdoors, winter sports, and just a more simple way of being with our boys. This scenario also has only one parent working full-time while the other attends to the full time to the daily needs of the family.Which everyone know requires both parents to put in overtime after hours:)



As Eric begins kindergarten this fall and both of our jobs and homeowning pressures seem to get even more demanding, the drumbeat call of Bozeman seems to get louder and louder for me. Of course it has been a long time since I have spent a winter there but with the right gear  and the right price to take your family skiing every weekend you can weather and temperature, right?!

The cost of living the life we want to live and raising our kids in the way we have dreamed of just seems so out of hand it makes a person wonder if "here" is worth it.

With both of us working full-time we have needed to find the best way for  our kindergartener  to spend  the other half of his day. He is used to a full pre-K day of full attention! What insane person set up a public school system that short changes a kid's opportunity for learning with a 3 - 4 hour school day, and then loads on homework (before they are developmentally ready for it)that has to be completed by their parents during their precious family hours when parent's get home from work and bedtime. This system clearly dates back to the days when one parent was able to be home.

When we looked at the price for after-school care and before-school care and saw what of attention we  were paying for we decided for the price and value we might be better off looking at a private school. We found a sweet little private school with a full school day and year-round teaching until the 4th grade. Eric's class has only 12 students and along with learning to read, write, and do math he will have weekly classes of music, art, science, Spanish, dance, and gym. Perfect for Eric whose interest in learning is massive!

And it is perfect for us because we know that while we are at work  forging away at some sort of career our impressionable little boy is getting the caring attention he needs at such a young, impressionable age. Private school is priceless for this at least until we decide to flip our entire lifestyle for a scenario where one of us is home.









Monday, August 13, 2012

Our gradute

Ready for first day Mt Whitney Pre-School September 2010











Graduating Pre-K Mt Denali June 201
Eric started attending Clif Bar Base Children's Creative Learning Center the first day it opened, September 9 2010. He was thrilled have somewhere new to explore and new friends to meet. Momma was thrilled to have him right next door, on site at CLIF BAR. He was so excited that first day to pile into the car and drive to "work" with Momma.




Eric's first day care was spitting distance from our house. Our first drive to  BASE CAMP it was as if his whole world had just expanded exponentially.  I had never seen anyone so enthusiastic spotting the BART train and the AM-Train (aka Amtrak).  It was then we began our game of "who can call BART first" and getting excited when we saw two crisscross .

Eric and Momma ready for first day at Base Camp
Soon after, Noah joined in the fun and began his Base Camp experience as one of the first infants to attend. Both boys have grown leaps and bounds since we started. Noah moving through infant(Mt Hood), toddler (Mt Shasta), and now jr. pre-school(Mt Raineer). Eric began in pre-school(Mt Whitney), then pre-k (Mt Denali).

On June 21,2012 Eric celebrated as the first graduating pre-k class from Clif Bar Base Camp. The ceremony included his close-knit friends. They performed the song "The World is Our Rainbow" and each received their pre-k diplomas. My heart melted and when the moved their little tassels across their faces the stream of tears came pouring out.

You see, it wasn't just my five year-old standing there so proud and joyful. It was my 1 pound 14 ounces preemie baby big and strong; healthy and happy standing in the Clif Bar auditorium in front of so many of our Clif Bar friends that supported us through his tiny times. There he stood proud and strong not only bringing tears and smiles to Momma's face but all those from CLIF who know his story. It was very special.

Now we move on to our newest adventure. Kindergarten for Eric, and for Noah creating daily identity a bit more separate from his favorite person, his brother.

Base Camp is a special place bringing together compassionate big-hearted kids who, much like their parents on the other side of the wall, race laps, tell stories, and strive for the top.




Miss Sayaka & Class
Special Friends Nolan Fay & Eric

Great Buddies & lovers of italia Logan Simmons & Eric

Monday, July 23, 2012

Good morning at Base Camp



From basket ball hoop box to who knows! Space ship? Shark? Boat?

Swimming leaps



Eric has moved over to the big pool. His comfort level in the pool has made huge leaps this summer! He is relaxed which us a big change fro last summer's 2x4 stiffness. He is working really hard on floating by himself. He is close. He is in the 4ft deep section and so excited to be strong enough to be in the big pool.

He also had an excellent swimming partner named Tennyson. Perfect match and egged..I mean encouraged each other on.

Noah gets a little off the top...and the back and the front



Noah had is first ever hair cut last week. Momma hasn't e en done a little trim!  He is not a fan of me taking a comb to his hair so I knew a haircut could pose difficulties.  Eric however has this haircut thing down so I took them both to our in-house hair dresser at CLIF (who is conviently also a photographer) and she gave them both some.style. Eric going first was bound to make Noah anxious to do it too and it did. He sat still and smiled at me, the mirror and Karen Drinkwater ( haircutter to children extrordinare). He did great and she didn't cut too much because of how baby-fine it is but she DID cut his little mullet clean off...phew.

Brother sister duo of Logan and Sabina Simmons also came over from base camp to get in on the action and Sabina's first haircut too. It was a part!

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Freedom

So rare to have freedom from work and school on a Wednesday. God Bless America on this 4th of July for all we have. We let our freedom ring by attending the second longest 4th of July parade in all of America, right here in our hometown. High school marching bands, cheerleaders, city officials, local clubs and business floats, horses, bikers, old cars carrying poet laureates,  you name it. We sat curbside for two hours in front of our friend's house.

From there, we expressed our freedom by blocking off our street and joining our neighbors at the annual San Antonio block party. The grills and casseroles came out as did tons of red, white, and blue treats. Our street is also loaded with inspiring musicians who entertained us for hours. Eric was in awe of the teenagers playing guitar, drums, and singing. You could see his mind whirling with the possibilities. He joined in with his drum and Noah followed along with his bongos. Music continued into the early evening. We had a lovely day connecting with our locals and just playing.

Here is a clip of pure freedom and fun. I dare you to strip down yourself while watching and just be free. Let our drummer kick.




Monday, June 18, 2012

Happy Father's Day

Dear Dads, We tried to get the family together to all wish you a Happy Father's Day on video. After three takes and several near melt downs....as we say to the kids......"you get what you get"
 
Wishing our Fathers, Opa, Papa, and Grandpa Happy Father's Day: TAKE 1 ERIC VIDEOS

 
Wishing our Fathers, Opa, Papa, and Grandpa Happy Father's Day: TAKE 2 ERIC VIDEOS
 
Wishing our Fathers, Opa, Papa, and Grandpa Happy Father's Day: TAKE 3 ERIC VIDEOS 
After the attempt at the family video we escaped the confines of "melt-down-city", loaded our bikes and bike trailer and headed for the serenity of the Alameda Beach.

Aaron received a family-sized tent for Christmas, courtesy of my Dad and Jeanne's gracious gift card to Cabellas. This tent is a far-cry from the tents of the backpacking variety. It sleeps EIGHT! We are anticipating taking our nieces and nephews along on camping trips from time to time so we didn't mess around when it came to spaciousness. The tent practically spans the width of our backyard and can hold 3 double bed mattresses with ease. Backpacking more than one mile with this puppy would be a considerable strength training move.

Since the temps were hitting the rare 80 degree mark we decided to break in the tent with our first backyard camp out with boys night out. They were giddy with excitement and talked themselves to sleep as the watched the clouds pass over above. Noah made it all the way to 2:30 AM and then wanted to join Momma back inside in the comforts of her queen bed. Eric on the other hand got a solid sleep and didn't get up until his usual, sunrise.

Being it was Father's Day Momma didn't mind being banned from the tent this time and I am sure Dadda didn't want to sleep in on Father's Day or anything anyway.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Eg-gic

Since Noah began referring to his brother by name over a year ago (he started addressing Eric at age one) he has always replaced the "r" with double "g's" as in Eg-gic. Last week, at our leisurely Sunday morning breakfast, he went with the "w" instead of a double "g" and said "Ewic".

It was such a significant moment that will all paused and took note that he said Ewic. For the last week Eric has pretty much by Ewic. Today, however, I heard the ''w" sort of roll into and "r" .  He is working it.

Eric on the other hand, has taken special note of his brother's ever-growing ability to state how he feels or what he wants by using his words. Noah was setting up trains and cars right in the doorway to their bedroom and Eric blasts through. Noah quite clearly articulates, "Nooooo stay out of my way." Eric responds with, "Noah, good job using your words." It is so nice for Noah to have such a supportive big brother.




Saturday, June 09, 2012

Non-stopable in Boston



In April Eric, Grandma Lorraine, and Momma had a fun filled trip to Boston.  We spent time with family, visited Fenway Park for the 100th Anniversary, road the T, Momma went to a conference and Eric and Grandma toured Boston on a trolley.




Little did we know until we arrived that we wiere staying right across the street from the Boston Marathon EXPO! We headed over to soak up the energy and excitement of all the "wicked fast runners"!

Little brother



He loves to swing, jump, slide. He also loves to rock out on his air guitar which I don't have picture our video of but thought I would note.

He also loves to play ball. Theming right now is base ball which is right on target since it tis the season. He says " Pitch me daddy" as he stand ready hit one across the living room. We just have to work on the bat throwing and biting when we miss.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Mattress discounters

Last December we did traded-up on beds for the boys. Momma had a difficult time putting the crib away but, Noah was quite ready for what seemed to be nothing more than a jail to go, bye, bye.

We also had very high hopes and low expectations that this trade-up would excite Noah so much that he might actually want to sleep the entire night in his own bed. Our expectations met the outcome because not even a new big boy bed was  more appealing than cuddling next to Momma and hogging Dadda's pillow while simultaneously  kicking him in the back.

If you know Momma, then you know that these brothers sleep like kings when it comes to mattresses. Breathing well while sleeping became a primary focus of learning for Momma prior to Eric's home front arrival. AND much like nutrition the more you dig, the more you understand, and the more informed your choices become.

I learned a lot like what terrible materials mattresses are made from. Everything from vinyl/PVC and polyurethane foam, perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), questionable fire retardant chemicals, and antibacterial biocides. Many of these compounds are banned in Europe where precaution is favored versus the US approach that compounds are safe until proven harmful. There is not a lot of support for proving something already on the market ISN'T safe. I could go on.

In my research I also found that mattresses made out of healthier materials are REALLY high priced when compared to those made up of cheap, lightweight materials. This can be a hard pill to swallow because we are talking hundreds of dollars difference. Also not to be ignored is that these healthier mattresses are not always the solid fit they are said to be and can leave a gap in the crib. They are also A LOT heavier than the popular polyurethane foam mattresses.  What is a Momma to do? Someone has to have seen the opportunity here and designed an affordable, well made, lighter weight, no chemical mattress right?! YES! Naturepedic come to the rescue. The price point was much easier on the credit, but you can bet I am getting every penny out of these healthy mattresses not to mention the time and energy researching and acquiring  added to my value.

This brings me to the point. Eric's Naturepedic crib mattress has followed him from crib, to toddeler bed, to twin bed. With each bedsize increase we just stuffed more stuffed animals around the edge to make up the difference (finally a good use for stuffed animals!) until....last week when he fell out the side. He has been avoiding the right side of the bed because the stuffed animals don't hold his weight. So ....time for the Twin...Naturepedic again to the rescue. Since I  first discover this awesome company  fiver years ago they have much expanded their line to include Twin, Doubles, Queens, Kings, and accessories! SO we invested in a twin...moved Eric's crib mattress to Noah, and will sell Noah's crib mattress that he has hardly slept on anyway.

After all this and weighing the cost benefit analysis and carefully timing our mattress investment, the TWIN arrives special deliver and Eric's says, "Mom, did you get my new mattress at Mattress Discounters?"

As much as I would like to think Mattress Discounters is offering healthier mattresses at affordable prices, I just don't think they are there yet.

Naturepedic is an affordable investment but I guarantee you won't find it at Mattress Discounters.

Read more what you don't want your or your kid's mattresses: http://www.naturepedic.com/education/whatsnot.php#ixzz1u7GAB8fN

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Easter

Easter weekend was celebrated with Oma and Opa. Fishing poles were cast. A hike was taken. Wild flowers were identified. Piggy back rides were had. Naps happened - on the trail.



Hard boiled eggs and little fingers were dyed.



57 colorfully filled eggs with toys and treats were found.


Baskets were bursting and chocolate and jelly beans were eaten at 8am....and all day long.

We had a wonderful time together.


Thursday, March 29, 2012

So much to say

Let the pictures do the talking......


Rainy Day? Go to the Exploratorium!

Chef Eric! Works at "Little Village Cafe" at Clif Base Camp School 

Student Prepared "Picnic" at Clif Base Camp School

Bus ride to Park Street and back - cheap entertainment and so fun!
Characters!




Let the pictures do the talking......