An Afternoon in Hartford

This is New England - everywhere you drive is trees, trees and more beautiful green trees!

Yes, that IS the state capital!

A look up at the center ceiling. Gorgeous and stunning.

This place looked and felt like a grand home or castle. Gorgeous!

We toured this beautiful capital with our own New England cousins! We all had a blast!

Here we are about to have some lunch in beautiful Bushnell Park!

Reunited cousins!!

This was just before we embarked on our carousel ride. Which I unfortunately got no pictures of because I was using both hands to steady an uncertain Bronwyn. And I didn't bring my bulky camera on the ride. But it was SO much fun!

Okay, so here's how it all went down.  By the way, these pictures are completely out of order of how things happened, but oh well. They are grouped accordingly. :)

 We got to Hartford around 12 pm. I was late. My sister-in-law Kamber and kiddos got there early and so were able to do a little preview run of the inside of the capital building. Once we found each other, we decided it was time for some lunch and we went to the little playground that Kamber and her kids had already scouted out for us. The kids had such a blast there. They had this neat little stream that ran through the entire playground with a faucet spout on one end and a little misty sprinkler area at the other end. It was perfect for such a nice sunny day. The kids had lunch and then ran and played and got nice and wet.

Aftyn was infatuated with the carousel from the first time she heard it playing and wanted so very badly to go and ride it. (She was probably still remembering her first carousel ride which had been in Central Park a few months before. They have such lovely old carousels out here! And they are all indoors.) So after the kids played, off to the carousel we went. Everyone enjoyed it except for Bronwyn who was very uncertain anytime the carousel would pick up speed. Kamber managed to catch a picture of her face during one of those moments luckily. I was mostly laughing my head off and doing my best to help her feel secure.

After that we went and toured the capital building that looked like a castle. It was gorgeous. The best part of the day was definitely getting to discover new places with family. Thanks for an awesome and unforgettable day Kamber and kids!

Oatmeal Drums

Poor Bronwyn. She is teething like crazy and normally walks around with two fingers in her mouth, constantly chewing on them. Evidently my shoelace works well also.

And this little ditty, by Aftyn.  Sorry it's sideways. :(

What a Difference a Semester Makes

First day of classes here!
Here's what I accomplished:

Washed the dishes after breakfast.
Kids dressed before 11 am!
2 loaves of bread made from scratch before noon
dentist appointment made
Peanut butter cookies made
Dinner made and ready by 5!
Upbeat attitude had all day long!!

What a difference it makes to be settled in our apartment, to have a support system in place here,
to know the ins and outs of the city we live in.
This semester already feels more stable and slower paced and happier than last.

Aftyn was keenly aware that Daddy was nowhere to be found today, except for maybe 15 minutes at dinner before he rushed off to class straight after getting home from work.
I tried to make her feel better by telling her that by her birthday Daddy would be all done with school!
She was SO excited! But she doesn't really understand the length of time that involves.

I also asked her tonight what she thought would be nicer to live in, an apartment or a house?
She very adamantly declared, "a house!".  So there you have the honest truth, a house is much preferred to our boxed in state of affairs over here aka our apartment.


It'll be interesting to see how I feel on the last day of this semester and the beginning of the next.

Our Friday, In Pictures

Northborough Splash Pad with Marina!

Boston, Ma Temple

I Don't Really Blame Her

Taken yesterday after dinner. Yes, that IS tomato soup on her upper lip! :)

A few posts ago, I mentioned how Aftyn and I were having a hard time together lately. She had seemed very defiant and unhappy with me, which would make any mom sad. I really felt that she missed her dad and was taking out her sadness over the whole situation on me.
To remedy it all I have been sending poor overworked Reed to his Tuesday night meetings at church with Aftyn and I immediately started seeing a different girl. (I think it actually makes Reed happier too because he misses the time he used to be able to spend with her. He comes home seeming a little more relaxed and happier than when he left.) A little over a week later, she is so much happier which in turn makes me happier. She is back to being her sweet little self with me. I have missed her happy little hugs. And her enthusiasm for life. 
 She has started waking up when Reed is getting ready for work, 4 and 5 am! As soon as Reed walks out of our bedroom door to go and get ready, there's Aftyn standing in the hallway. I can't positively say it but I think it's because she wants to see him. I don't blame her because if she didn't wake up that early she would be back to seeing as little of him as she was before.
The last couple of days I have been able to encourage her to go back to sleep and she sleeps in deliciously late and still goes to bed at her normal time.  At this point, if it makes her happy and it makes me happy, I'm going to allow it. Because right now anything that makes my life here at home a little easier is entirely encouraged.

This was taken 8 months ago as we got ready to move. She still looks like such a little girl here. She has grown up so much! I'm sad to see her babyness leaving her.

Official Titles For Mothers

I was looking at the business card of one of Reed's co-workers last week when I happened to notice the BNA and MBA as part of her official accreditations.
I commented to Reed how exciting it would be when he too could have two degrees represented behind his name on a business card.

But just now, I happened to think how mothering is hard work. Potty training kids deserves bigger rewards than just to say "so and so is now out of diapers. yay!".  Getting babies to finally sleep through the night is quite the accomplishment for the sleep deprived mommy. Nursing for any significant amount of time, weaning kids from binkies and getting your kids to learn to like veggies all qualify any mother sainthood.
I'm proposing we mothers start the trend of awarding ourselves accreditation, and others will quickly follow. We need to start giving ourselves the credit we deserve. And so, I'll be the first.

                                 Alysa _______  PTP, BW, CIO, NF, MFN, PK, HP

Potty Training Pro

Binky Weaner

Crying It Outer

Nursing Forever

Master Food Negotiator

Peace Keeper

Hairdo-er Professional

I think the list would get a little too long. 

Maybe if we could find one word to encompass it all?

How about just this.

    Alysa ______, MoM

Master of Mothering

Catchy.

Cute Bronwyn Video

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