That Mom

When I was growing up, there was always "that mom" at school who would always be driving the car pool, volunteering in class, baking the cupcakes... my mom was a different mom. She was the mom who sometimes worked 2 jobs, made sure there was frozen potpies in the freezer in case I was hungry after school and on weekends, would sit with me and watch old black and white movies while we had a formal tea party with our Japanese tea set. I love the mom that I have and wouldn't have traded my experiences growing up for anything, but since I am blessed to be able to stay at home with the boys, I do have those urges to be "that mom" at times.

Tomorrow Matteo's school is having a Halloween parade and party, which is why I found myself at 11 o'clock baking pumpkin cookies. I'm sure I could have gotten a pass since Nico has been sick all week and it's been a matter of survival at home, but part of me couldn't let "that mom" go. After the boys went to bed, I looked up egg and nut free recipes (I live in mortal fear that my baked goods will send some kid into allergic shock) and Ivan very gallantly ran to the market for the ingredients. I'm not much of a baker (or cook for that matter), but luckily found an easy recipe and managed to make cookies that will pass muster with the 3 and 4 year old set.

The Varialand game by Selecta that I've been coveting for a year arrived today. In the evening silence while the cookies cooled, I sat with my glass of milk and created my own little forest scene feeling that at least tonight, I was that mom.

Welcome!

This is what greets visitors when they enter our front porch. As the leaves begin to change a little more plentifully now, Matteo and Nico have been collecting even MORE during our walks. I decided to put another "nature setting" on the porch so that they can have more room for their treasures. I realized that even our stroller matched the autumn theme... or maybe it's just orange is the new black :)






This was a quick little craft where we wound yarn around "Y" shaped tree branch and put our leaves in it to make a small tree for our display.

Autumn Leaves

It takes Matteo and I about 10 minutes longer to walk to school these days as we're always stopping to pick the pretty autumn leaves. I was excited to see that others had found ways to preserve the leaves in beeswax and decided to give it a try. Nico took a long nap this afternoon so it was nice that Matteo and I had the time to do this craft project together.

We had some red beeswax candles that we melted down, I was a little too excited about doing this project to order some beeswax blocks online and wait for them to arrive. Ivan helped us put together our make-shift double boiler using a tin can and old pot.

As soon as the wax melted, we laid out our materials of a flat pyrex pie plate for dipping the leaves into and tongs to hold the leaves. We really had to work fast, that beeswax hardens quickly!

After we dipped them, we laid them out to dry...

They dried very quickly and we hung them from a wreath from the dollar store

Happy Autumn!

Our tribe is growing

Only one more month and our new little boy will be here (November 21st)! Because of that date, Ivan has been calling the little guy "Lucky" BUT only after I vetoed "Black Jack". People ask me if I'm disappointed about not having a girl and admittedly, I think I was in a funk for a few days. But I see how fun and sweet Matteo and Nico are and it's hard to wish that they would be anything (or gender) that they already are. Ivan is such a rare and wonderful man that I truly believe that God must have wanted more of him out there in the world.

A New Beginning

After many fits and starts, I've decided to try my hand at blogging again. My inaugural post is just about my favorite people... my incredible husband Ivan and my lovely boys, Matteo and Nico. They fill my life with so many challenges, but also with so much love and joy. I never thought being a wife and mother could be so amazing.

Here are my loves at Tilden Park.