If you feel like commenting.

I know a few people that could use some extra comment love...the nice comment variety.

This family.

or

This family.

or

I just really liked this post.

hi, my name is mature.

We have all read the "Anonymous/long time family friend comment" by now. If you haven't...go ahead and read, and be just as confused as I was. I still have no idea why it was left on that post. Maybe if this person didn't hide behind anonymous I could ask, eh? Wait a minute!! I could just ask, because I have their 4-1-1, since this silly ol' blog keeps track of all my visitors for me.

I haven't really been into blogging lately...if you hadn't already noticed. I find that when I have spare moments I like to take a nap, rock my babes, catch grasshoppers in the backyard, or a million other things I could name.

I started blogging, because I truly enjoyed it. I didn't care how many comments I got, I didn't even care if only my Mom was reading it (she still looks at my blog, 11 times and counting just today!). After a year, I thought it would be fun to do giveaways, reviews, etc...and it was for awhile. It seems like I have come full circle...I'm back to just blogging for me, because I truly enjoy it. Not that I don't enjoy getting nice comments from my friends and family, I do, but I don't like when people try to hurt me. I have debated all day...Private? No comments allowed? Or just take away my "Anonymous" comment problem? I am leaning towards no comments allowed, and if someone has a comment, they can always e-mail me.

I started off this week having lots planned for posting, and now I am feeling like walking away...and not looking back.

legacy.

This past week or so I have thought a lot about making memories. Maybe it was because my MIL came to visit, maybe because my Grandpa isn't doing so well, maybe it was because my sista came to visit...whatever it was that spurred these ideas...I have had this desire to make lasting memories.

I have always been the one with the camera, always wanting that perfect shot...the perfect picture of whatever it is that we are doing. I have put down the camera, I have just enjoyed making the memory...not documenting it.

I have always wondered when I pass from this life, what will people remember me by. Will I be known for being too loud, for never being able to quit my addiction to Coke, or will it be for something I didn't even know I had done to make an impact on that person's life.

I look back on my childhood, and I wonder if my siblings and parents realized what kind of memories they were making with me. Did they do things knowing that I would remember them forever? Like playing school with my sister, or farm with my brother, Kyle.

Van got the memory of her Daddy...the kind that remembers everything. Van can tell you things that she has done, with who she has done them with, and how old she was when she did them...no problem. Maybe it is because of this that I have a burning desire to make the best possible memories for her.

This weekend I ran through the sprinklers with Van, in my clothes. I let Van push Vin around in the stroller for two hours straight...and didn't critique her style or what she was doing once. I made Vin laugh uncontrollably by acting like a complete idiot. And guess what...I didn't take one picture of any of it.

Life is about the memories you make, not the photos you take.

wordless wednesday: we {heart} swimming.

and because I can't resist showing off these...

it's still hard.

It is still hard to leave my babies for work. Doesn't matter how long you leave for, it still makes my heart break.

Today after I got the boys down for naps (yes, Paul takes a nap with Vin every day...so jealous) I found Van crying in her bedroom. I asked her what was wrong, and she said "it's just so hard having you leave every day!"

Oh Van...Mommy couldn't agree more.

So on that note...Paul is taking the day off tomorrow. We will be going to see the vampire movie, eating too much food, and probably having a few good laughs because of the ridiculousness of said vampire movie.

a promise.

Van made it to the end of her no tv challenge. Paul made good on his promise, like he always does. When we tossed around the ideas of what kind of toy she wanted during this past week she always came back to this one Buzz Lightyear. I went to Toys R Us online, and the most expensive one I found was $50. So in Paul's mind this is what we had kind of planned on spending. Of course when they went to Toys R Us...the one she really wanted was $85...yes, I typed that right. Paul tried to sway her into cheaper toys, but he could tell that she would come home disappointed. After all, he did tell her she could pick any toy she wanted. Paul called me on the way home to break the news of just how much we ended up forking over for "the deal". I was a little shocked to say the least. Paul handed the phone to Van, and she was instantly in tears. After asking her why she was crying she said "because Daddy had to spend all of this money on my toy, and I don't deserve it!" Aaaah, poor thing. I quickly explained that she did deserve it, she worked hard for that, and Daddy wasn't mad at her nor did he spend all of his money on it.

I am so proud of Van for making it a week without tv. It's a big deal. She is in love with her new toy, and man is it really cool...and in Paul's words "It better be a cool toy for $85!!"

Paul learned his lesson by never saying she could pick any toy she wants, and Van learned that she can survive without her one true love...tv.

a hill.

When I was really young I had a best friend named Reagan. Weird how so many of my childhood memories are gone, but I can remember so much about Reagan. I was scared of her Dad.

Her Mom was burned in a motor home fire...it was so sad.

Reagan started the trend of sticking small stickers in the bottom corner of our glasses.

We went tubing in the rain, down a slow-moving river...I still think that was really fun.

She was a year older, and man I looked up to her.

Whatever toy Reagan got, I wanted.

For Christmas after she turned 16, she got a Geo Storm, and I thought she might be the coolest person ever.

We lost touch after she got married.

I think about her all of the time, and today was no exception.

There was a small hill by our house growing up. Her Mom, Peggy, would turn the awesome 80's music up (probably Michael Jackson...because Reagan introduced me to Thriller!) in the car, and go really fast over this hill. Ya know how it makes your stomach feel...we loved it. We would giggle like we were on some fantastic roller coaster.

Guess what? I found a small hill where I live, I turn the music up really loud, and I go really fast over the hill...for my Van. Every time I do this I think of Reagan, every time I do this I hope that I am making memories for Van that will last a life time. I'm no Reagan...but I still wanna be as cool as she was.