milestones

Nine Hours And I Want More!

Posted on August 11, 2015 Written by Tonya

Lucas was Lola’s age (18 months) the first time he visited Disneyland. We had just moved to Orange County and I blogged about it here: Week One.

A year and a half is the perfect age to go to Disneyland for the first time. Lola’s first trip was this past Saturday.

As a Disneyland enthusiast and former Annual Passport holder, I have been to the Happiest Place on Earth dozens of times but those first time visits are the best and there truly is nothing like experiencing Disneyland through the eyes of your child.

My sister and her boyfriend were with us for Lola’s inaugural visit and that was very special because it was Leah and I who took Lucas his first time.

Lola’s first trip to Disneyland – August 8, 2015

Our plan was to arrive between 3:00 and 4:00, go on as many toddler-friendly rides as we could, meet Mickey and Minnie if possible, have a treat, buy a personalized mouse ears hat and have Todd pick up Lola just in time for her to make her 7:30 bedtime. The rest of us would stay until closing time (midnight).

The summer months are not the ideal time to visit the park if you wish avoid heavy crowds plus, it was a Saturday, temperatures reaching 90+ degrees and this is the park’s 60th anniversary, so everyone and their mother were there! We had no idea what we were in for, but fortunately our plan worked great.

We were able to do all of the above and both children were the best. I’ve said it before; Lucas knows what a huge effort and expense it is to go to Disneyland that from the moment he hears a trip is planned and for every minute we are there, he is a perfect angel. Accommodating and WAY more patient than I am!

Lola spent more time out of her stroller than in it enjoying the freedom of running around yelling for Minnie. It was too cute! She was also very patient waiting to ride King Arthur’s Carrousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups and It’s A Small World. She was mesmerized by the rides, people, colors and music.

Lola’s second ride at Disneyland – Dumbo the Flying Elephant

I love how Lucas has graduated from Fantasyland to bigger kid rides. He went on the Indiana Jones Adventure and Star Tours this time, two firsts for him.

On this trip, for me the parades were the best part. They are truly breathtaking and always bring tears to my eyes. Each character and fairytale is gloriously represented and the lights and dancers are magical. I instantly become a jaw dropped kid again while watching the night sky light up.

I was saddened to see so many phones held high up in the air trying to capture what only the eyes can see. People were “filming” the action and talking to the person next to them. It made no sense. Especially when their phones were pointed up at the trees.

Disneyland opened July 17, 1955 and has been delighting children and adults alike for 60 years! It is a magical place that brings so much joy to all who visit. Sleeping Beauty’s castle is always a sight to behold, a welcome beacon that greets you as soon as you step foot on Main Street.

Sleeping Beauty’s Castle all lit up for Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration

There is so much to see and do at the park that the nine hours we spent were simply not enough. I already can’t wait to go back!!

The Parker Palm Springs

Posted on August 10, 2015 Written by Tonya

I fell in love on my birthday.

I can’t stop thinking about tbe weekend getaway my husband and I took.

It was perfect start to finish.

The only problem, as it often is with getaways, it was too short.

And now, I’m left pining for a hotel.

I had never heard of The Parker Palm Springs before our hairstylist recommended it to my husband as a potential candidate for a birthday staycation.

I’m so grateful she did.

The setting for a of short-lived reality series, Welcome to the Parker (2007), which I never saw or even heard of until I was on the property and my husband mentioned it.

In 1959, the Parker Palm Springs was originally a Holiday Inn of all things. In fact, it was California’s first Holiday Inn. In 1961, the property was purchased by Gene Autry for lodging his newly acquired baseball team, the California Angels, during Spring Training. Autry changed the name to Melody Ranch and added a second pool, tennis courts, a bar, and a couple of restaurants.

In 1994, Autry sold the resort to his hotel director, Rose Narva, who remodeled the site into a French-themed wonderland with the help of fashion-designer Hubert de Givenchy. Narva renamed the hotel Givenchy Hotel and Spa.

In 1998, the hotel was purchased by media mogul, Merv Griffin, who promptly renamed it Merv Griffin’s Resort Hotel and Givenchy Spa.

In 2002, Griffin sold the space to Epix Hotels and Resorts and it sat vacant until 2003 when it was purchased by hotelier Jack Parker. Parker hired designer Jonathan Adler to give the space a $27 million facelift. The property re-opened in 2004 as Le Parker Meridien, or Parker Palm Springs as it is better known.

Today, the Parker is like something out of a Lewis Carroll book, every pathway leading to a delightful surprise; pools, croquet and pétanque courts, bunny filled lawns where you can lounge in a hammock, tennis courts, a ping pong table, over-sized chess game, fire pits with seating for 10, restaurants (Norma’s and Mister Parker’s), and an outdoor café (The Lemonade Stand). You haven’t lived until you’ve had an über-cool Muddled Lemonade!

The 13-acre desert estate has 144-rooms and a 16,500-square-foot award-winning spa named the Palm Spring Yacht Club which has 21 treatment rooms.

The decor throughout is whimsical and fun, full of rich detail and lots of eye candy. Here are just a few photos I took:

I loved every moment of our two day stay at the Parker and can’t wait to return. I enjoyed spending a luxurious morning at the spa/yacht club and feeling like I was actually on a yacht. The binder of playlists allowing you to select the music you’d like to hear during your spa treatment is genius, but it was the night swimming; floating on my back in the middle of the pool, staring up at the desert sky, welcoming a new year of possibilities, that is the memory that I will hold close to my heart forever.

Next time I’d even consider bringing the children along.

On second thought…

Just in case you were wondering, all thoughts and research are my own. The Parker Palm Springs did not compensate me in any way, although I wouldn’t mind if they did.

Summer So Far

Posted on August 4, 2015 Written by Tonya

It has been almost two months since my last blog post. I was hoping to have a lot more free time this summer to dedicate to my writing and Letters For Lucas, but that wasn’t meant to be. Instead it has been a crazy busy couple of months filled with pick ups and drop offs, play dates, visits with family, beating the heat and very little down time. We’re making memories and having fun but it’s going by way too fast!

With what little ~~time spent without children~~ quiet time I do enjoy, I prefer to work out, take photographs and read.

I have stayed up way too late to read some awesome books so far this summer… Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch and The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. And I started Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event last night. I adored Blume as an adolescent and teenager and so far I’m not disappointed.

I turned 43 the end of June and my husband and I spent a magical weekend in Palm Springs. We stayed at The Parker and I have thought about it ever since. More to come on this…. Trust me when I say, this hotel deserves its very own blog post!

I took a six week photography class and while I may still be utterly confused by depth of field, exposure modes and apertures, I love getting to know my camera. This was my best shot. In my ever humble opinion.

June 25, 2015 – Orange Coast Community College, Horticulture Center

Shortly after I took this, I tried to photograph a lily and fell on the side of a pond and damaged my lens. It has been at the repair shop for 10 days. I also ruined my favorite pair of white capris and I did not get the shot.

A week ago, Lola turned 18 months old and I’m still in shock. She’s wild and silly and is enjoying testing her boundaries and giving us all a run for our money. She loves to go for walks around our neighborhood and sit at the bar stools around our kitchen island instead of in her high chair. She’ll eat anything her brother doesn’t and wants to play with whatever he is. Lola is awesome.

On Friday, Lucas completed his fifth and final week of camp and will be at home with me for the remainder of his summer. I’m looking forward to a looser schedule, lazy mornings and some fun afternoon outings. He goes back to school September 2. As challenging as it is to have two children home for the summer with such varied interests, not to mention abilities, I love spending time with my loves and I’ll be missing Lucas when he starts first grade (!) in the fall. Four short weeks from now.

Today is Todd and my eighth wedding anniversary. A bronze milestone. Whatever that means. I suppose bronze is stronger than iron and copper, symbols of earlier years of marriage. A union of two lives and the strength resulting from combining time with perseverance. I like that and I love him. I’m so lucky he picked me to share this life with.

Eight years and counting…

How is your summer so far?

This Boy

Posted on June 5, 2015 Written by Tonya

Oh, how I love this boy!

Photo by Tereza Harper, January 27, 2015

This boy who made me a mommy.

This boy who brings magic and joy to my life when I need it most.

This boy who is healthy and intelligent and creative and kind.

This boy who makes me act silly and come up with nonsensical song lyrics and dance around the kitchen.

This boy who knows exactly what to say to get me on the trampoline.

This boy who has me learning Skylanders characters and sharing the latest Star Wars movie previews and downloading games with names like Pixel Gun and Buddyman to our iPad.

This boy who costs me at least $20 more every time I take him with me to the supermarket.

This boy who I can’t say no to when it comes to books.

This boy who shares my love of dinning out and being pampered.

This boy who is sensitive and rambunctious, curious and insightful.

This boy who can push each and every single one of my hot buttons to the point where I am in tears and yet, I love him anyway.

This boy who I schedule play dates for, buy his favorite snacks, pay a dollar so he’ll run upstairs to check on his napping sister and can make me giggle until I almost pee in my pants.

This boy owns me.

This boy is gold.

Lucas, my sweet boy, you are awesome and being your mom makes me happier than anything else I have ever done, or will ever do in my lifetime.

I believe in you and know you will reach any goal you set your mind to. I am on your side, your cheerleader, and biggest fan. Always!

I can’t wait to see what six holds.

Happy Golden Birthday, fellow.

Let’s Here It For June!

Posted on June 1, 2015 Written by Tonya

I love turning the calendar on a new month, but especially June! June is full of happy.

Today is Charlie Pasta’s third birthday and from the moment I first held him, I knew he was meant to be ours. He drives me absolutely bananas 90 percent of the time, but he’s loyal and sweet, great with my children, my husband’s best friend and super cute, so our love/hate relationship will continue forever.

June also marks the end of the school year and Lucas is just days from graduating from Kindergarten and turning six! His Golden Birthday is Saturday. I can’t believe either. As much as I enjoy starting a new month, I wish time could be paused.

Lucas has grown so much this school year! He has fallen deeper in love with books, insists on reading to us most nights, writes his own adventure stories, has discovered Skylanders, is an awesome big brother to Lola and has started exerting his opinion, space and will in a very big way.

Case and point:

The current sign on Lucas’s door.

I’m looking forward to a fun summer. O_o

To help alleviate some of the stress, my in-laws will be in town all summer, allowing them an opportunity to get to know the other half of the state better and spend quality time with their grandchildren. Yay!! We are grateful for their help.

Lastly, June is my birthday month! I’ll be 43 on June 26 and this morning my In Box was flooded with cool discounts and free stuff. If you didn’t know you could celebrate your special day all month long, read this post I wrote a couple of years ago: A Month Long Celebration. Free stuff is great and all, but I’m excited about a birthday weekend getaway with my husband. We haven’t decided where to yet, but there will be sun and cocktails and lounging by the pool!

It’s going to be quite the month!! What are you looking forward to in June?

My Little Bookworm

Posted on May 20, 2015 Written by Tonya

I never want reading to be a chore for my children. I want them to love it as much as I do. I want them to let books take them to far away places and introduce them to new and interesting people. I want them to fall in love with characters and words and share their favorite titles with me someday. I want reading to be one of their favorite pastimes.

You can imagine my excitement and worry when the book report assignment came home from my son’s Kindergarten teacher:

One book report per night, including weekends.

Must include:

Title of the book

Author

Favorite character

Two-three sentences about the book

Picture

No make-ups, unless ill and for every ten book reports turned in, there is a prize; books, gift certificates to favorite local eating establishments, the honor of being able to read to the Principal, Vice Principal and Pre-K class, pizza lunch with the teacher, etc. If you turn in 100 book reports, you get your very own stuffed Mighty Monkey (the class mascot).

The directions clearly state that book reports are “not mandatory” and should not be considered part of the child’s nightly homework.

Tall order for a fiver-year-old, (not to mention his parents) but guess who hasn’t missed one single book report yet?

This guy!!

Lucas has made the nightly book reports part of his homework and almost always enthusiastically completes them. It’s harder to get him to do them on the weekends.

He carefully chooses books from the many we have lying around our house, (usually overdue library books) and we will snuggle up and read them together. Then he diligently draws an accompanying photo and describes his favorite parts. His spelling isn’t always perfect, but it is phonetic and his writing is atrocious. I must repeat, “neatness counts” a dozen times throughout the process.

As of last week, Lucas was only one of four in his class of 19 to have reached this milestone! He’s still reading and has until the end of May to keep turning in book reports.

I am so proud of my little bookworm.

Dear Lola On Your 1st Birthday

Posted on January 30, 2015 Written by Tonya

Dear Lola,

My world became immensely sunnier the day you were born.

When I first laid my eyes upon you, I was filled with a sense of relief and peace I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Today we celebrate a year of you.

We celebrate the fact that we thrived and loved every moment of your first year.

Our family was full before and complete, but once you arrived you oozed into all the tiny cracks and crevasses and made us whole. You fit in so nicely and as if you were always meant to be.

I would not be the mother I am without you, and while I am teaching you and your brother life lessons, you are transforming the very core of me.

You are everything I imagined you would be and so, so much more. Thank you for being such an easy baby, for sleeping through the night since you were four months old, for making us laugh and for each and every smile. Thank you for the quiet moments when I hold you close and you stare deep into my eyes with an all knowing sense. Thank you for your patience with me when I’m overwhelmed and for letting me take you for daily walks.

Thank you for being my light in the dark.

I love you, Muffet and I can’t wait for year two!

Mommy
xoxo

The Best Thing About January

Posted on January 29, 2015 Written by Tonya

January sucked.

Top to bottom.

I celebrated the new year sick in bed, had two decent weeks and then my whole family was hit with the flu. Lola’s temperature reached as high as 104 one evening and we were so nervous calling her pediatrician every few hours for advice. My entire body hurt so much that I hurt couldn’t get out of bed for two whole days. We were down for the count for almost a week. Each one of us saw the doctor and were prescribed meds. Nasty lingering coughs remain. I know we aren’t alone. Tis the season, right?

What should have been my dad’s 68th birthday was yesterday and that always makes me sad, bitter and grief ridden.

And then this morning, my husband was admitted to the ER. He woke up with a back ache but felt it was more tissue related and went to his gym to see if his trainer could “stretch him out”. Turns out it was/is kidney stones. Five hours at the hospital and four heavy duty pain killers later, he is resting and waiting for them to pass.

Tomorrow is my daughter’s first birthday and I am a mess.

I’m happy for this milestone but melancholy that my baby is no longer a baby. Lola is toddler, through and through. She’s almost walking and “talking” like crazy. She’s willful and feisty and funny and so sweet. Lola worships her big brother and wants to get into anything that isn’t for babies. She loves to empty drawers, play with remotes and other electronic devices, dive head first down the stairs and squirm and roll over while getting a fresh diaper. We all agree she’s the best thing that ever happened to us.

It was completely surreal being in the same hospital where she was born a year later today.

The best thing about this month is celebrating Lola.

I have been working on a birthday letter to her for several days. I hope to share it here tomorrow, but for now I’ll share these lovely photos my friend, Tereza captured. Lola wasn’t too into the balloons but looked awfully cute just the same.

These photos are special for a few reasons; I take photos of Lola all the time but haven’t had professional shots taken since she was born and the purple Ralph Lauren dress she’s wearing, it was her cousin, Francesca’s. Francesca is 11 now.

Thank you, Heidi for handing it down.

Precious Firsts & Lasts

Posted on November 23, 2014 Written by Tonya

I’m not ready.

Even before Halloween I saw Christmas decorations and tchotchkes for sale. I think Christmas starts too early every year, but this year in particular.

My melancholy started with the purchase of my daughter’s first stocking. It matches the rest of the family’s; red velvet with a green cuff, and ivory letters in traditional Garamond spell out: Lola. I ordered it a month ago but was completely dismayed when it arrived.

Baby’s first Christmas.

It will be the last of Lola’s precious firsts for the year.

Christmas is a huge milestone for any child. Lucas was barely 6 months old his first Christmas and not quite crawling. I have darling photos of him laying in piles of wrapping paper underneath my in-laws tree, sitting on Santa’s lap looking bewildered and he was the star of our holiday card that year.

I don’t recall being weepy about Lucas turning one. Instead I was gleeful and proud. Happy for all that he had accomplished in his first year and proud of my husband and I for not only surviving but thoroughly enjoying our first year of parenthood.

I remember searching through a year full of photos to create a collage to display at his birthday party, a very small family gathering in our backyard, something I’m sure I’ll do for his little sister.

But with Lola it is different.

I’m very weepy.

Her birthday is at the beginning of the new year so as the old one draws to a close, I think about what a magical year it has been and I’m sad it went by so fast.

Lola is most likely our last child and the one we fought the hardest for. She’s amazing and our family feels more complete because of her. I know her second year will be full of more firsts… first steps and more words, new experiences, adventure and magic.

But, I’m not ready.

One Year Ago

Posted on November 20, 2014 Written by Tonya

It was the week of Thanksgiving.

I was 30 weeks pregnant.

We were surrounded by boxes. So many boxes!

We were beyond grateful to bid farewell to the small apartment we had lived in for nine months.

Our search for a new home had finally come to an end.

A year ago, as we fell into bed exhausted we listened to the sounds we are now accustomed to coming from our house and neighborhood and dreamed of filling cupboards and closets, covering the walls with our favorite art and photographs, furnishing a nursery and making family memories.

My belly was big and round and my back ached but I was happy. I was anxious to be settled, decorate for the holidays and mail our Christmas cards, which included our new address.

I can’t believe we have been in this house for a year. It seems so much smaller now and there are things we still want to (and need to) do. I guess that happens once you grow comfortable in your space.

In many ways our lives are the same as they were a year ago, but in the best ways, they have changed.

Yes, we really do have a white picket fence.

Nine Hours And I Want More!

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