magical disappearing act.

where o where has my little babe gone?
i've looked in the cradle,
i've searched all day long.

he's disappeared i tell you,
nowhere in sight.
my infant has vanished,
can you sense my plight?

that baby who cuddled,
and kicked, and cooed.
is replaced by a toddler,
another small person in my brood.

you see, i'm poetic--
he's not gone, per se.
he just had a birthday
and he's "one" today.

as if this sweet little cherub
could sense a coming change--
as if he knew he was older
his abilities he did rearrange.

no more sitting idly by,
why, first steps were taken.
he learned "thumbs up" and
said "ball" and, well, i was mistaken

that my baby would stay
and always remain.
that just once one wouldn't change--
just continue the same.

change is constant.
we learn that at birth.
God wants us to change,
to refine while on earth.

so, i'll let him keep changing.
i guess it's okay.
for the other ones did--
and they're better each day.

disappeared, that small baby,
the one not yet "one",
but how pleased i can feel
that the magic lives on.

magic, like change,
is constant you see.
it's the marvelous presence
of possibility.

so change and grow
my magician, my doll.
i've got photos and memories
to keep you small.

happy birthday, gavin.
love, mommy
**written for his birthday on January 25, 2009

The last night of 2008.

I forgot to mention our awesome New Year's celebration with our little ones...

We had a fancy, schmancy dinner.

MENU:

Marinated, Grilled Salmon

Garlic Potatoes

Asparagus

Spinach Salad

{I realize that the next question is: "Did your kids actually eat that?" And, I non-chalantly reply, "Oh yeah. It's one of their favorite meals."}

Then, for dessert, we headed out to the backyard and toasted up some S'mores. Yes, S'mores in the winter. And let me tell you, they taste just as good as those Summer S'mores.

I love that "the-fire-has-mesmerized-us" thing they've got goin' in this photo.

In the end, we rang in the New Year with a classic countdown, the banging of various loud things, the tooting of horns, and a little sparkling Martinelli's in fancy goblets (without breaking even one in the process).

We finished off our evening with a little "Kung Fu Panda".

Then the kids headed to bed when the clock struck "2:00am."**

It was awesome.

**I had a pretty super idea to include our kids in the New Year's celebration which included making a deal with Father Time. Since my daughter likes to read this blog now and then, and I'd like to continue this tradition, I'm speaking in code. If you're real creative, you just might be able to figure it out.

Wagons & Chocolate & Rules

Ouch!

I'm nursing wounds incured from my fall of the wagon today....but.... sometimes, it hurts so good.

Confession: I want to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed some Ghiradelli's Peppermint Bark that I purchased on clearance.

And it was good. And it's Wednesday. Which is clearly not the weekend. Which clearly violates the rules found on this little highlighted word here.

Steve and I have decided that that particular rule stinks. We like the other ones, though. But we don't like ones that make us too uncomfortable. We are working our bums off at the gym, so we feel justified. Plus, with the world collapsing around us and all, we have to enjoy some indulgences when the need arises, right? {enter texting code LOL here}

So, please excuse me while I eat just one more square.

**Plus, guess what? Upon further research, I realized that anti-oxidants include small consumptions of dark chocolate, daily--DAILY! I'm feeling better and better in my justification by the moment.

Happy New Year, E-style.

These are the snail mail New Year's greetings we sent this year, but I thought I would grace our blog with the same greetings. So if you did not receive this via USPS, (which is probably 'cause I see you frequently, or your not in my extended family, or I don't have your address) then here you are, my friends:

Though our greetings to you have come after December,
Don’t, for a moment, think we didn’t remember
To send you our love and best wishes this season.
Frankly, I wish I could think of a good reason…

Our late-ness is really just ill-planning and such.
And, honestly, you should have assumed as much
As adding child number four has thrown us for a loop.
Gavin Benjamin came last January—oh, dear. Did you miss that too?

That’s right. No letter last Christmas either.
We were packing and moving—actually, I was doing neither.
I was laying around incubating, waiting for doctor’s clearance.
Baby waited ‘til we were in our new house, then quickly made his appearance.

It’s been a great year which included new church callings.
I’ve learned to sit in the church pews alone, keeping children from bawling
As they see their darling Daddy, up on the stand.
We are thankful for his service to God and Man.

New schools for our children have been just right.
Paige, our pianist, is any teacher’s delight.
Trevor loves his preschool and excels at numbers and rhymes.
Preston’s preschool experience has him giddy all-the-time!

Steve still helps people “account” for their money.
He’s good at it, too—(P.S. Let’s pray for the economy.)
What do I do, you wonder? You ask?
I am “the Mom”—no more is needed than that.

Our days are blissfully filled with swordfights and singing,
(Though, evenly balanced with real-fights and food-slinging.)
Oh, there’s make-believe with pirates and princesses fair,
And anything that goes “Vroom!” or “Matey, ahoy there!”

This season we’ve remembered the birth and life of our Lord.
How thankful we are to know of His word.
Now, another year comes, allowing us to anew
Our commitments, our goals—it’s a chance to review.

My words have run out
No more rhymes here.
Oh, wait! This will work:
“Happy New Year!”

Love,
Steve, Lisa, Paige, Trevor, Preston, & Gavin Owens
January 2009

Mommy's Side of the Bed: A Bedtime Story.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Trevor, who preferred to be called Captain Hook, Buzz Lightyear or Robin Hood--depending on the hour. But that's another story....

This Trevor was an imaginative one. He was agile and fun-loving, yet serious and thoughtful, sweet and sensitive, and pretty much gorgeous as far as imaginative little boys go. But one night he became ill. "Ill" because ill sounds better than "sick". Besides, "sick" is the new "cool", dontcha know? , but that's another story...

To recap, we now have a gorgeous, imaginative, ill boy--who makes his first trek to Mommy's Side of the Bed around 2am. Yikes, he's warm, Mommy thought. 101.9, she discovered.

(In a whisper) "Trev, I'm gonna go get you some medicine to help your fever, I'll be right back."

(In a whisper, too) "Mom, do you want me to stay here and save your spot while you're gone?"

(Smiles) "Yes, baby, you keep it warm for me."

Man, he is too cute...where's that new bottle of Ibuprofen I just bought?.... she thought, as she stumbled and fumbled through various medicine cabinets until she found the jackpot. She then realized that a cracker and a little cup of milk would help so his tummy won't hurt as that Ibuprofen goes down.

(Later, back on Mommy's Side of the Bed--Trev is found munching a cracker, flashing a smile in between bites) He is still such a lovey, even when he's ill..."Okay, let's get you back in your cozy bed."

"Okay."

(Later that night--on Mommy's Side of the Bed) "Mommy, I'm all sweaty, can you help me change my clothes?"

(still whispering) "Oh, that's good. That means your fever is going away....let's go change you."

(Even later that night--you-know-where) "Mommy, I need a box of tissue next to my bed."

Epilogue

Mommy did not make her 6:30 am jaunt to the gym, as scheduled. Daddy let her sleep in and fed their other children, (for Trevor is one of four, you know). She decided to plan on a date with the treadmill later that evening.

Trevor did not sleep in, as Mommy had hoped. Yet he woke with nary a fever, though still conjested. She found him wrapped up on the couch, with Woody tucked in by his side, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

He missed preschool that day, but still managed to fit in some imaginative sword-fighting.

Name Dropping.

I am pretty thrilled to have American Idol on the airwaves once again. And this time, I actually am sorta-kinda related to one of the contestants:

This is Justin Williams. He is my sister's nephew (on her hubby's side). He was at the Phoenix auditions, but they didn't actually show his audition. He made it through to Hollywood so they briefly showed him at the end when they gave the recap of those who made it through. He was also one of the people who jump in the pool at the end. I've heard him sing in person and he does have a really good voice. In fact, here is a link on You Tube of him singing at his parent's house. We'll have to wait and see what happens!

Fluff {aka Things I Don't Care About.}

Bathing my baby every day--he smells good anyhow.

Brushing my teeth every morning--mouthwash does the trick, esp. since I do serious teeth-detail every night--really detailed.

Doing my hair every day. {Flat-ironing must only be done in moderation.}

That my husband sometimes wears his dark work socks with his white basketball shoes when he plays ball after work. {He thinks I care, but I don't}

Turning lights off when I leave a room. {I really am working on caring, though.}

If our kids jump on the family room couch--those cushions need a good fluffing anyway. {I am a stickler about the leather one, though.}

Wearing name-brand clothing.

Leaving the remaining seconds blinking on the microwave.

Having matchy-matchy furniture in a room. Coordinated, yes. Matching, not required. (unless I get a two-fer deal on matching end tables)

Weeding. Weeds add more green to the barren desert that is Arizona, right? However, my HOA will not allow me this avoidance. So, we weed.*

Combing my kids hair. Boys--already short. Girl--she takes care of it herself...usually.

If my orange juice has pulp.

If my kids' clothes match. I try on Sundays, other than that--be creative, I say!!

What people think about me. And it feels good.

Wearing my contacts longer than I should.

If my kids eat too many Clementine oranges...is there such thing?

Wearing make-up every day. If I have a few free moments in the morning--bonus! If not, no biggie.

If my clothes are perfectly pressed. {I only iron when absolutely imperative.}

If every clock in my house is set a few minutes ahead. It's an epidemic, but again, notice the title of this post.

Getting the mail from the mailbox. I have this really cute guy that does it for me anyway.

I got this idea from this great recipe blog and I may or may not have even stolen some of her fluff. This isn't really a TAG, but try it if you want. It's liberating. I don't know why, it just is.

*I fear that you may really think I like the aesthetics of weeds. Don't get me wrong. It's just that I really don't like to weed,and I'm thankful that my hubby generally takes on this task.

What we do on dates.

We climb.

We're climbers.

Just kidding. We're not regulars or anything but, well, we had a coupon.

{Apologies for the blatant derrier perspective, but it's the nature of the beast. When you want to capture a moment in rock-wall climbing, this is pretty much all you get. Though I did opt for the "medium" sized images this time instead of "large" 'cause let's be honest--I don't need it to be any "larger".}

Let me tell you. This is harder than it looks. This mother-of-four was quite pleased with herself when she hit the top--on three separate attempts. Yes, that's right. I especially found great pleasure from hearing my husband's exclamations of how fast I was climbing, how flexible I was, how strong I was...you may be hearing, "blah, blah, blah", but I'm just sayin'--the girl's still got it.

Though I still prefer the dates where I get to dress up, and smell good, and wear various accessories--this was a keeper.

There is no "I" in TEAM.

Steve and I are part of a team that is working on getting fit and feeling healthy this year.

Mostly, it's just Steve and I on the team. And our kids--by virtue of that fact that they eat what mama makes!

We're hoping for the best with our efforts. Our team has joined the new gym that opened up down the street from us, and for a smokin' deal I might add. The team {I'll just call it Steve and I from here on out--you get the jist} is alternating mornings to roll out of bed when it's still dark and go tread and elipticalize* and lift heavy things to help us work toward the feeling-fit thing. When I can, I will also yogasize*, and pilate* {pronounced pY-lAte}, and step up and down and up and down and {pant, pant, pant} up and down on those little steps.

We are also watching what we put in our mouths. It's not easy. I'm not a person who goes on "diets" and so this is not so fun because I love, love to bake and eat things that go great with a tall glass of skim milk {preferrably those that dip in said milk}. There's not a lot of deprivation happening, just this:

• not eating after 9pm {big for us since we are night owls}, and


• saving sweets for the weekend--and even then, in moderation, Lisa! {P.S. I think I could make a pretty penny for finally uncovering the secret to adding more hours to your day--make yourself wait until the weekend to eat chocolate and "viola!"--time slows down.}
  

More than anything we are trying to include better things in our diets. Here's some good ones:

• Oatmeal, or whole wheat pancakes for breakfast, with flax seed and walnuts sprinkled in.
• Oh, also fruit smoothies which must include blueberries {for anti-oxidizing*} and a TBSP of olive oil {for MUFA's}
• Mama needs to drink more H2O. I've never been a fan, but now is as good a time as ever.
• Continue to avoid HFCS, and enriched white stuff.
• Continue to eat just a little of this amazing peanut butter everyday {protein and MUFA's}.
• Salad, salad, salad. {sigh.} It must be done.

There's more but I won't bore you with fiber, and Vitamin D, and what-not.

Our team, er, Steve and I are hoping for the best--Better fitness, more energy, fitting into some fave clothes that are collecting dust, you know--the usual. It's fun to motivate each other and report to each other on our good eating choices {i.e. "Honey, I didn't eat one brownie at Enrichment last night! Yay for me!" or "Guess what? Someone brought doughnuts into work and I refrained!"}

GO TEAM!

* Words that may or may not be made-up.

...a thousand words, plus.

This post is for my benefit, but look on if you'd like.

I'm finally posting some favorites from our family pictures. This was a beautiful evening and a memorable photo shoot for our family. Everyone was so content. Content! Our photographer was gifted. The candids were just what I wanted--to capture my children in the moment. We luckily found one or two family shots where we are all looking at the camera, other than that, I just wanted magic--and I think that's what I got.

The End.

Recipe for Magic?

Just add children.

It will work every time.

Mommy even got a little magic of her own....

This is one of those things I never knew I wanted until it was surprised unto me by my husband. I love it mucho {I can take my playlist with me anywhere!! Wahoo!} and it's pink! {He also got me pink fuzzy slipper socks that "are like walking on clouds" --this comes straight from the label. He also brought me flowers today with pink gerber daisies and pink freesia... See-- now all this pink tells me that he thinks I'm feminine and girly and I think that's just lovely.}

Hope your Christmas was merry and bright!