Day 108: My Golden State Warrior

{photo via crystalgraphics.com}

There was only a minute left on the clock, star player is down with an ankle injury, and my little e is sitting on the bench of his basketball playoff game. What unfolded next seemed like a scene from a disney channel movie. As I see the star player limp off the court, with a score of 22 to 22, I know it’s over. We’re down and now our main basket man is icing his ankle with almost no time left in the game, and just like that coach points to my e and the underdog jumps off the bench. It wasn’t until 40 seconds later that I realized fully what was happening–

Were under our net, we’ve got a weak dribbler and he’s passing my e the ball. My boy that has spent the entire game trying to block kids two feet taller and 30 pounds heavier. My e who hardly watches the ball because, what’s the point? The star player will never pass it to the hardly noticeable short kid in the corner, even though he’s shouting, “Im open.” My Golden State Warrior spent the entire basketball season begging a pass, and I spent every game warding off a sinking motherly heart.

BUT NOT TODAY. And that’s when I stood up. My boy had that ball and he was wide open for the perfect two-pointer, the two-pointer that could take his team to the championship game. It was the underdog and the net, and all he had to do was set it up just right, focus, and it was all his.

E’s not like the other boys who today, fueled with frustration, teared on the court. Balls slammed at refs fouls and travel calls–little e was just enjoying the game. Trying to soak in actually being on the court at all–having some play time.

And that’s why when he set up that shot, he was perfectly calm, a good shooter, finally given the chance. Looks , shoots, and swish, that ball went in without a touch of the rim. The stadium of hundreds stands up in cheers, I’m shaking and crying and screaming, “he did it!” Everyone turns to me to validate that, yes, my no-play-time son just made the perfect shot that put them up two points with 19 seconds left on the clock and their star player still icing his leg. Now they just have to keep them off, down the court, defense, 19-18 and then 5-4-3-2—-and 1. It’s done. Cheers, my boy carried across the court. hugs, you did it, MVP, more hugs.

Sometimes the most unlikely things happen, sometimes the short kid in the corner finally gets the ball. And sometimes, just sometimes, that kid takes his team to the championships.

a whit who’s going to be ridin’ on this victory for awhile. nothing but net.

Day 107: Malaysia Flight 370: Two Parents

{photo via google search}

Amidst all the news reports surrounding the tragic mystery of Malaysia flight 370, there is one story I find to be most tragic. I guess it strikes a chord with me because it echoes one of my deepest fears–leaving my child to get on a plane and never seeing him again. When Muktesh Mukherjee and his wife Xiaomo Bai got on flight 370, they were intending to vacation and left their two young boys with their grandma. Now those two beautiful boys have to wonder if they will ever see their parents again. I cannot imagine what they must be feeling, I cannot imagine what Muktesh and his wife must have felt the moment they new something was ‘wrong.’

On my last vacation to the UK, I had a panic attack the entire trip (airplane ride and vacation). My partner thought I was legitimately insane for shaking violently when turbulence bounced us around on our way to Italy. But what was really happening, I was thinking of my beautiful little e, I was thinking how much he needs me, and I was praying nothing would happen to me because we need each other.

My heart aches tonight for those two little boys. My heart aches for those parents because I had a glimpse of what they must have felt–times a million. As we pray for their safe return to their little ones, let us all remember how lucky we are to have our love ones present with us in our lives. Sometimes we can forget how special they are when they’re right in front of us.

little e you played a great baseball game today and I love you for it.

to my other love, I love you to the moon around the stars and back again…

to my Ini, thank you for lying against my back while I sleep, you make the best fluffy cuddler…

love, love, love…

and to the Mukherjee family, you’re in our thoughts. I hope they soon find answers because two parents need their two boys.

a whit.

Daily Cupcake: Blogs I Love

Today’s cupcake, Blogs I Love goes out to this blog–a blog about being a mom and author–two of my favorite things [although I haven’t quite accomplished the author thing, yet].  I am just waiting for my early retirement, a new macbook, and a house with an office.

The author of this blog also wrote the book Sparkly Green Earrings a novel that chronicles life and being a family…

before I became a mother I had no idea that it would be the hardest and best thing I would do in my life. that I would look at this little person and see so much of myself…my sense of humor, smile, and ability to create drama out of nothing…and I can start to think you’re just like me but you’re not, you’re your own person–you are the dream we couldn’t have imagined and I wrote this book for you. love mama

As mothers we do so many things for our children–like drive home to get a different booster seat so our 2nd grader looks cool as he drives to the school fire station field trip, and clean up dog poop so our kids can know the beauty of loving something that loves them back threefold, and go to the store and buy 7 of the same pair of shorts because they are his “favorite” and that way he won’t know he’s not wearing the same outfit everyday. There are the usual things people always mention [probably the people who don’t have kids yet]…midnight feedings, tantrums, yada yada yada.  It’s the unusual things, though, like bribing your kid to leave the toilet seat down and tricking them out of candy by saying it’s owie medicine–that’s what makes a mother. You can enter to win a free, signed copy of Melanie’s book Sparkly Green Earrings here.

a mom whit.

Day 71: I want to go back to Utah.

That’s a phrase I never thought I’d hear myself say, but it’s true.

Oftentimes, when I tell people I lived in Utah for four years (a native Californian returned home) they tilt their head in disbelief. Then I go on to remind them (and myself) what a beautiful place Utah is. For me though, it holds so many precious memories, the biggest one being the fall–right around this very time of year. I was perusing some Utah friend’s blogs tonight, and I couldn’t help but notice all of the beautiful canyon shots, the vibrant leaves, and the visible wind gusts. This is exactly how I remember it that September 2005 when my precious boy was almost due.

I’ve spoken before about the wonderful feeling I get when Autumn arrives–it reminds me of the gift that is my little e and what a blessing God delivered to me almost seven years ago.

I can’t believe how fast the time passes, I can’t believe e is going to be seven in just a of couple days. He is my miracle, my entire life bundled up in one very witty, articulate little toe head. Today we were sitting outside Chipotle eating and he asked me, “what happens to those people that steal wishes out of fountains?” I didn’t know how to respond, so I just told him about plaza regulations and the money belonging to conglomerates that own the plaza facilities. He liked that answer. Then he responded with, “well, I did that once. I’m not going to do it again because that was someone’s wish, what if they needed it granted.” I love that he is so inquisitive and thoughtful. I’m so proud of him even when he cries for not wanting to do his spelling sentences or mad math minute.

This post was supposed to be about wanting to go back to Park City, my favorite winter space in the whole world (which I still long for), but it’s turned into something else I suppose. I wish I could go back, turn back time, live the past seven years over again, because he’s growing too fast.

I love you little e.

Three hugs. Three kisses. Happy birthday angel boy.

A whit-ing mom.

The Unseen {Featuring The Advice of Others}: Day 67

{photo compliments of poshbabystore.com}

This beautiful post by Ashley Sullenger at Time Out For Women really struck a chord with me today.

Her post focuses on her recognized purpose in this life, a purpose designed specifically for her alone.  Of course, her journey isn’t one of isolation though, no, she talks about her daughter, Preslee, and the role little Preslee plays in helping her to see that purpose more clearly.

It’s hard, when you’ve experienced a loss, to see other people living on, doing the things you had planned but that your loss interjected, it’s hard to take 50 steps backward, only to know that you’ll have to make your way forward again.

She entitles her post, “The Princess Dress I Never Saw.”  I’m learning, as I grow and develop in my life and my own journey, that there are so many things we imagine happening or plan for–and they just don’t.  It’s like Ashley says,

Not long after my daughter died, I remember expressing to my mom how painful it was to watch everyone else reach different milestones with their children….It felt like salt being rubbed into a big open wound, being forced to watch other people’s children accomplish what I longed to do with my own daughter.

I felt this exact same way in my lifetime.  It’s been really hard to watch my friends move on with their spouses and build and grow their families.  It is like salt to a wound, and it does ache sometimes.

However, someone put it nicely to me the other day,

It is about sowing the seeds of the future and looking forward to the harvest you have planned for.

Sometimes in the midst of everything, it’s hard to remember to rejoice in the reached milestones and the joy of meeting them.

sometimes it’s easier to be mad.

though, it’s always better to be happy

there will always be princess dresses not seen.

Always.

But this doesn’t mean we won’t see other things.

a whit who is thankful for good advice.

I Do Free: DIY August

DIY is well on it’s way. Pardon my cynicism.

Anyway, today’s cupcake is dedicated to DIY: HOW I DO FREE.

My friends all make fun of me, laugh really, when I tell them how much I love coupons and how devoted I am to cash register ring-ups totaling less than 50 cents. Some may call me cheap, I say what my Mom’s friend once told her, “why pay for things you don’t have to pay for? That’s just plain stupid.” She’s right.

Over my past year of couponing, I’ve realized a few things:

Krazy Coupon Lady really is the most organized and comprehensive couponing site on the web {and always my go-to}

Always wash your hands AFTER jumping through the dumpsters for coupons–I seem to contract colds when I forget this very important step. Puzzling.

Because I eat mostly organic, I tend to enjoy couponing household goods (versus food).  HOWEVER, you can coupon organic and definitely Whole Foods–I do it all the time.

People will not laugh at you when you coupon, they won’t, they’ll just stare on jealously.  Or give you a mental high five.

I started couponing to save money, in reality though, I coupon now for fun. It’s a game (between me and the retailers of America), and my goal is to always win.

Almost all retail chains (I use this term here to refer to clothing stores) have coupons and a quick google search will show you the money.

Most importantly,

Couponing the right way does not yield a bunch of useless shit you don’t need. The trick is, get what you need (and a few extras of what you need) while it’s on sale, with a coupon, and have enough product to sustain you until it goes on sale again (all items sale cycle by a few months).  No, you don’t have to have thousands of bottles of Pert Plus under your bed, just 3-4 bottles will do because that’s how long it will take to go to rock bottom price again.

So, my DIY Couponing for the week:

I spent  52 cents at Victoria Secret

total: 30$

{tip for this retailer: sign up for their mailers and also make sure to print their online coupons}

Ace Hardware (I like to paint furniture, remember?):

I spent 0.00$

total: 25$

{tip for this retailer: Ace does free paint weeks every couple months–watch their mailer}

Target (school supplies trip):

I spent 32 cents on my first trip and 3$ on my second, for all my son’s school supplies (markers, paints, crayons, glue sticks, Purell-2, erasers, pencils, pens). Oddly, we ran into another mom from our class and she rang up in front of me–I felt bad for her lack of knowledge–everything that she bought could have been free w/ almost no effort.

total: ~25$

{tip: Target is my go-to couponing store because it’s super easy to ‘stack’ coupons here. Just use a target coupon with a manufacturer coupon w/ an item that is on sale or clearance…voila free}

Shutterfly: free address labels till Sunday. {thinking ahead for xmas cards}

Cardstore.com: free greeting cards till tonight. {customize w/ photos too}

Last trick.

get your coupons from old people. honestly, they don’t use them, and old ladies love to help out younger ones. if you’re truly desperate (and unwilling to dumpster dive like me) buy your Sunday paper at dollar store.

There you have it. Couponing DIY whit-style.

Day 58: thankful.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the following:

patience. and

loving what you have/what you are given.

It’s so easy for me, or you, or anyone, really, to get caught up in wanting things beyond what one has or is given. I have, and sometimes I throw myself a pity party about it, but the reality is that there is always someone who has it worse or is embedded within circumstances that are less fixable.

One of my best friend’s husband is dying of cancer. He only has a year to live, at best.

I think about her situation quite often, and it makes everything in my life seem so manageable despite the hardship that I face within my own circumstances. I am thankful this week that I have those that I care about close to me and healthy. I am thankful that there was and will be the laughter of little kids in my house–I’ve been missing that.

I’m so thankful–for the little things.

Day 57: it is possible.

To redo your room with barely any money.

This was before.

And now…

Please excuse the crap sitting on the bed. It’s actually not done–later on I’m going to tuft a backing for that headboard (it will cover it and be rounded at the top where the edge is). I really wish I had a wide angle lens, so I could see the whole room (cut off the nightstand and armoire and complete other wall) but I’m proud of myself for seeing this project through. It kept me busy, and I had fun learning what not to do when painting furniture!

Plus, these pillows–

The best idea ever because I do not sew. Just tie the thing into a square knot and pin it.

Day 56: the move and helping out a fellow CL-er

I forgot to mention this, but we did just move (or I should say I just packed 50 boxes, unpacked 50 boxes, and tore the house apart only to put it back together). Here are some process pictures, enjoy.

This = two leg cuts, five bruises, a tired body, and a pulled groin muscle.

I won’t bore you with the kitchen and bathroom, yet.

None of my room, that later.

Speaking of rooms, though. I just saw this on CL and got a HUGE laugh. Wow, they want how much for all that? The posting is even funnier, no, my friends, this is not the decor from a small girl’s room, read carefully…

Day 55: A 6 year-old DIY in the making

I talked to little e today. He’s at his Dad’s house in LA because that’s where he spends his summers, mostly. He lives with me during the school year.

Anyway, my very adult ish 6 year-old inquires as to what I’ve “been up to lately.” His very first inquiry, “How did the move go mom? Do you have everything put together in the house?” More on that later. (I did have it all put together until I took it apart again. I’m currently sleeping on a mattress on the floor).

I replied that I’ve been very busy running (yes I’m still doing that despite all the DIY), reading, visiting with friends, and…painting the furniture.

His first response. “I can’t wait to come back! I can help you paint, like my bunk bed, let’s paint it green–that’s my new favorite color, but just the inside of it. I can do that top part mom and you do the bottom. OK?”

I somehow talked him into the idea of green sheets instead, which seem like a much better idea given his ever evolving favorite color preferences. I did tell him we’d decorate it together when he gets back. This is my ‘sort of,’ and I say that VERY loosely, inspiration. We’ll definitely ditch the ship theme.

And…