When it's raining...

The impending storm the news has been talking about has hit the Bay Area today. Luckily, school was cancelled (unnecessarily, but precautionary measures must be taken) for Micro. Micron still attended her school (thank God it's only a two-minute drive down the street!) to enjoy a festive holiday party. But both babes will be back to school tomorrow to continue the winter festivities teachers have planned before Winter Break begins. 

So, what to do besides splash in puddles all day...well, cookie decorating and baking, of course! It's time to pack on the sugar-love pounds and smile as our full bellies sing songs of joy. Or heartburn. 
You can catch a glimpse of our sometimes-naughty elf, Hermione (named by Micron, because she loves the character from HP movies) who was kind enough to leave a package of gingerbread cookies that needed to be decorated, hung (hopefully), and eaten by Christmas Eve. 

It's feeling pretty cozy in our neck of the woods, and though this rainstorm has kept us indoors, it's a welcome day of no obligations, fusses, and family time. I made scrumptious and oh-so-good-it hurts to just stare at it--reese's cup cookies. There'll be more baking madness to come. Stay tuned. 

Mr. Fliz's laptop is in the pic, but he's mysteriously missing. 
Oh, yeah..he's napping after 
having gone to work, building lost power, 
came home, worked, and suffering from too much chocolate consumption.

I mean, seriously.

He's 6!

My beloved little man. You turned 6 yesterday! You were born on a Sunday six years ago, and came at 9:20 p.m. It was the moment my life changed forever. I had embarked on my greatest journey thus far, I became a mother. 

You are now a vivacious, kind, sweet, curious, smart, and engaging little man. I'm so proud of you. You constantly keep me on my toes and make me realize how much I have yet to learn from this great, big world. You, Micron, and Daddy are my heart. Because of you, I've been given the most difficult job in the world, and though at times it seems I may be ungrateful, or unappreciative of this job, more often than not, I'm grateful for it. 

Becoming your mum has made me see what to truly celebrate in life. It's through your existence, that has made mine all that more special. I love you to infinity and beyond!

The SH#T Storm that is Parenting

Pardon the title of this blogpost. I've had one of THOSE days about two days ago. And I became That mom. The one spewing awful, ugly remarks about having kids, and how difficult they are, and how I wish, just once-in-awhile, just a little bit, they'd cooperate and not make an event out of every little thing, and what brats they were, and see what you'll be like if you ever become parents--Yeah, I said those in front of them.  Ugh! Ew! Yup, parent-of-the-year award, right here! I should've called my girlfriend and vented those things to her…not to my pre-schooler and kindergartner. Alas, I am not infallible and though my feelings were completely normal, I behaved like a child, too. I should've taken a deep breath, walked away and saved my drama for my gf's and happy hour. 

Micron had been home sick from school the first two days of this week and Wednesday was her first day back. Of course, in her dramatic fashion, she decided to get upset about going back to school because she would be unable to cuddle with me and watch Jake and The Neverland Pirates or Sophia the First mindlessly. And this cabin-fever, tired, and cranky mom lost it. I've had a rough few weeks with both kids going through some weird sickness and coming down with mild cases of croup, and have had to miss my precious workouts (which provide me lots of sanity and stress relief). Yes, call me selfish. But it's those little breaks I get that make me a good mom. And fresh air.

Ok, the kids deserve lots of TLC when not feeling well, and as good parents we should coddle and "baby" them a bit. But for two weeks non-stop, it's a bit much and being human, I began to feel the build-up of frustrations. It's not my kids' fault they got sick. They're children and teaching and reminding them how to behave accordingly so as to not catch illness or whatever crap is going around, is difficult. Also, I know their bodies need to learn to fight off infections and whatnots on it's own. But sheesh, we are in the midst of flu season and both my babes had come down with something that their little bodies just are having a hard time fighting. 

These are the days that fully remind me of just what I had signed up for. Apart from the trials and tribulations of being pregnant, childbirth, and then raising this preciousness, there are also the multitude of tantrums that come from nowhere (or just because the other sock doesn't match), the picky eating habits that develop spontaneously, and the ever-increasing demands on my time. See I am selfish. Parenting is hard. It can be really, really shi*%y at times. No amount of hugs, kisses, piggy-backs, money, candy, chocolate, or TV can really calm a child in the midst of them being upset over something you have no idea why. It just is what it is. We are terribly complex organisms. 

There are all these guidelines about how to properly nurture and raise a good person. But man, it's scary and oh so frustrating! That's ok, because I knew going into this, I would have rough days. Yes, I didn't expect it to get that rough, and it will probably be even rougher as my babes age.

But there, I put it out in the universe. A quick, honest blurb about my feelings. And it feels good. 
thank you. that's all. 


Keep Surviving Parents

This Boat Rules!

Our 3-night itinerary on The Dream had us visiting Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay (Disney's own little island). However, before I get to those posts, let me share a few more tidbits of what to find on the boat.

We came prepared for Pirate Night! Arrrhh! I bought all of us in our party foam eye patches and hat from the dollar spot at Target. It was a seasonal item, but so appropriate for what we needed. I knew that Disney distributed bandanas while you're at dinner for Pirate Night, but brought some of my own in case (I already had them from a party I did for my son). My kids also brought their own foam swashbuckling swords from the dollar spot. I packed all of us (except the mister) striped shirts so we can look Pirate enough. There are fireworks after the show and a dance party. All the kids had a blast. 

Just a few more tidbits to note while on the cruise. Going to the themed restaurants is optional. Though you have a designated dinner time (we had first seating, which meant 5:45 p.m. dining time), you can opt to eat at Cabanas (the buffet on the pool deck) or make reservations and pay additional for their fancier restaurants. I would suggest if it's your first time to cruise with Disney to not stray from your dining itinerary. You get a chance to try out all three of their themed restaurants which serve different foods. Our favorite was Animator's Palate. Our kids truly enjoyed seeing Crush from "Finding Nemo". It was pretty amazing as you can talk to him if you're seated by one of their animation windows. He talks right back to you. He said "hi" personally to each of the kids in our party.

I did quite a bit of research before our cruise about what to expect and unexpected things to do. Four of us did the 5k Castaway Cay. The medals are plastic and nothing to write home about, but it's a free race and anyone 10 years old and older can sign up onboard. Since I hadn't really had a good run before the cruise, the 4th deck came in handy with the running/walking track. The morning before the race, I ran 10 laps around the boat which is about 4 miles. If you get an early start, it's breezy, cool, and quiet. Quite relaxing to see the open water and pulling into Nassau port. 

My kids used the Oceaneer's Club only once. With so much to do on the boat, it was hard for them to go back. Still a good idea to enroll them in if you want some down time to yourself. Our first night on the boat, around 10:30 p.m., my mother-in-law, brother-in-law, the mister, and myself all did the Aqua Duck twice, while the kids were at the Oceaneer's Club. 

Below are some more photos. If you have any questions, please leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.

These two beauties really are something else.

Add caption

She found her mini-me!

Disney Dream-ING

Our adventure on the Disney Dream was nothing short of magical. It exceeded our expectations and we were so fortunate to have celebrated my father-in-law's 70th aboard a very cool boat.

I've only been on one other cruise besides this one. It was ages ago with my family and we took a Royal Caribbean Cruise to the Western Caribbean for my 18th birthday/graduation gift. This time, I get to enjoy cruising through a much different perspective. It's the first cruise for my family and we couldn't have had a much better experience.

We were a party of 10 people traveling together. We came from different parts of the U.S. and we all met up in Florida a day before departure to take a shuttle from the airport down to Port Canaveral. I saw Disney Cruise line buses picking passengers up from MCO, but not sure where they were going.
We stayed at the Radisson Resort at The Port, which was conveniently located nearby the port to board the boat. On the day of departure, a shuttle came to pick us up. The representatives from the cruise line were very organized and made sure they picked up all their passengers (note that there are other cruise lines departing from Port Canaveral). Our shuttle driver gave us some shopping tips for when we dock at Nassau and was incredibly jovial.

Check-in on The Dream was very easy. A porter took care of all our luggage (make sure you put the luggage tags that came with your cruise docs for all the gear you want delivered to your room on the boat), with the exception of our carry-on that held our swimsuits, passports, wallets, and some liquor/water. That's right! Alcohol is permitted onboard The Dream so long as it's in your carry-on and unopened. I had two bottles of sparkling wine shipped to the hotel from a local winery that my in-laws like and picked it up and brought it with me. Other members of our party brought some other alcohol and bottles of water (onboard the boat it costs about $4/bottle) to stash in our staterooms.

I did majority of check-in online upon receiving the disney cruise documents. They give you detailed instructions and information (like, there's Pirate Night) about your entire trip. I really recommend reading it before your cruise to help with preparations for what you'll bring/need on the trip. A credit card is attached to your Keys To The World Card, which also acts as your room key and credit card aboard the boat and on Castaway Cay. DO NOT LOSE THIS. Use a lanyard if need be. Even your kids will have their own cards. Each card has your room number and some additional information about where you dine each night and what group you're in for emergency evacuation.

There is one line after another, but everything moved smoothly and fairly quickly. After you receive keys, you line up for photos before boarding the boat. Of course this is optional, but c'mon, enjoy yourself. Taking 5 minutes to take a few photos for a memorable trip is worth it...unless this is your 3rd or 20th Disney cruise.

As you board the boat there is a greeting line and they announce your family welcoming you to The Dream. A representative will come to escort you aside and you give you information about what to do next. We opted to eat since our boarding time was between 11:30-1:30 p.m. and we got on the boat shortly after 12:20 p.m. We had our carry-on bags that included our swimsuits in the event, we wanted to go use the pool and water slides immediately. This is a smart idea to do because you can take advantage of using their amenities right away without having to wait for your room and luggage to be delivered. Rooms may get done on time, but delivering luggage to your rooms may take awhile. However, luckily after we ate lunch, we headed to our staterooms and most of our luggage was already delivered and waiting in front of our door. 

Below are some pictures on the boat throughout the trip. If you want a more detailed narrative, please visit here. *warning: picture heavy post

We are extremely grateful for our generous in-laws who got connecting staterooms with a HUGE verandah for us to enjoy!

During the daytime, this is a sofa, but at night our housekeeper turns it into a bunk bed. I gladly would've slept on it too!

Disney movies while you swim all day long!

Love! Love! Love! The Aqua Duck!!!!!!!

It's her birthday and

she can party how she wants to. My littlest ray of sunshine turns 4 today! She is a force to reckon with. And I am so honored that she is a part of my life. 

Micron loves all things pink, is into princess things, loves the monkey bars, believes candy and chocolate really ARE healthy, and is equally balanced with a healthy appetite for wrestling her brother, and watching Jake and The Neverland Pirates. 

The years go by too fast. I still remember thinking that there will never be an end to the late night feedings, countless diaper changes, the constant whining (ok, that might take a few years more), but it's so quick. She changed in a blink of an eye. Her hair is much longer than it was a month ago, her limbs are stretching out as little traces of baby fat are slowly disappearing. The glimmer in her eyes still shines bright when she grins so wide that all her teeth show. I LOVE that smile.


Happy Birthday my smart, talented little girl, who has the most infectious laugh ever. Mama, Daddy, Micro, & Mo love you to bits. We are incredibly blessed that you are in our lives and the joy you bring to each of us is immeasureable. We love you.

No first day jitters...

or tears. 

I'm speaking about myself, of course. My son entered Kindergarten a few days ago. He was a bit nervous, and I told him, I too, get first day jitters. It's normal. Somehow, he completely surprises me. He woke up very excited and we walked with our neighbors (also known as his best buddy) to the first day of Kindergarten for the boys. 

It's nerve-wracking and crazy how things change in a blink-of-an-eye. One minute, I'm scrolling through pictures of him as an infant, learning to crawl, his first taste of solid food, watching him learn to ride a tricycle, and now, he's becoming my little man. He'll always be my little man (maybe not so little in a few years, he'll eventually be taller than me), no matter what. Ready to tackle new obstacles, new experiences, new friendships, and new material. 

Moments like these, we as parents, need to remind ourselves to give a pat on our backs. My husband was so kind to remind me to do that. When you become a parent, you sacrifice so much more than just your time. However, the rewards are more than gratifying. I need to remember how lucky I am to have such a wonderful boy, whose constant hugs and kisses always make me instantly feel better. 

Micro, keep at it. Don't give up and don't let fear be the one thing that stops you. It's ok to be afraid, to cry when it hurts, to stand up for what you feel and know is wrong, to feel sadness, guilt, joy, and hesitation. You are such a unique soul and even though it seems I'm always frustrated, tired, or seem busy, I'm listening. I'm always listening to you. I love you.

Goodbye Summer! We'll miss you.

We're back from a lovely two weeks away. Micro starts Kindergarten this coming Monday and I can't get over how fast this summer flew by. This past week has been full of unpacking, getting back into "school" routine, and grabbing last-minute school supplies. Once school starts, we're on a fast track to many celebrations. Already, this upcoming weekend, we have a birthday party, the ROC race, a girl's outing for me, and hopefully, squeeze in a date with the hubster.

I can't wait to share all our fun-filled memories of our time on the cruise and in Orlando. Those posts will come. Right now, I'm feeling a bit sad that summer is coming to an end (two months is really no time at all), yet excited to have the kids back in school. 

I hope you all are enjoying the last few weeks of summer and though it's been a bit short-lived, I can't wait for cooler weather and Much Needed rain!!

Allrrrighht Mateys...

It's been forever and a day since I last wrote a post. Summer has kept me surprisingly busy, despite what I thought might be a bit of a break. However, end of the year/season parties, backyard bbq's, swim lessons, visits from the in-laws, watching Fifa, and summer camps take up way more time than I expected. But that's ok, because summer is for all those fun things that distract you from your computer screen. And rightly so. The mister and I managed to sneak in a fun date night by attending a Maxwell concert at one of our favorite venues in the Bay Area. Summer is fun.

However, we've got some exciting summer vacation plans. In a few weeks we are going to celebrate my father-in-law's 70th birthday aboard the ---DISNEY DREAM! How cool is that?! The fam and I are heading to Florida's Port Canaveral, but first we're making a pit stop to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to finally satiate my inner Potter fan! I am soo excited! After the cruise we head back to the East Coast for a few more days to hang with family we haven't seen in a long while.This should make for quite an adventure. The weekend before Micro starts school, the hubby and I are doing the ROC race (anyone else doing it?). I like to end my summers with a bang ;)

This weekend Micron had her first dance recital. She and her troupe are so gosh darn adorable. I can't wait to share pics. Micron is a natural, and not that I'm biased, but she loves performing and has perma-smile whenever she is in dance.

How is your summer going? 

Below are a few pics of life lately:

Oakland A's fireworks. View from the field…just pure magic.

Summer acrobatics

Micro with Ninny and doing some exercise

Date night with my love

just because I'd go back and eat a plateful of those brussel sprouts

It's a Wrap!!

And that's it. Just like that, my little nuggets wrapped up a year of "first time pre-school" and "first year in Transitional Kindergarten." It's kind of crazy how it flew by. There were a lot of adjustments to be made almost nine months ago, and now after a few runs through the obstacle course, we settled into a pretty great routine and it's all coming to an end (only for a new one to be set come end of August).

There is a bit of melancholy that permeates through me as the school year winds down and knowing that some of the friendships my kids have created will not last through the summer is a bit of a bummer. It's hard to set up playdates with every single person and at least there's comfort in knowing that we'll run into at least quite a few over the summer.

Micron started off a bit rough in pre-school. There were definitely times I second-guessed our decision for her to start school. It felt at the time that there was no end to her misery and she'd never really adjust to a new environment. Long gone are those days and she's come away unscathed and more confident in tackling new things in her life. Micro loves school. The adjustment from 3 days/week to 5 days/week was not even an issue. Yes, it was hard to get up a bit earlier and stay a bit longer, but he would've happily spent a few more extra hours in school. I'm amazed how much both my babes have grown intellectually and emotionally in 9 months. I owe plenty to the teachers and dedicated parent volunteers who provided such a rewarding experience to all the kids. It wouldn't have been a success without them.

This year also marks the end of an era, so to speak. Both my kids started school through our Parks and Rec program and both had the same teacher. The teacher is, in my opinion, a rockin' teacher. She'll probably be retiring soon and her parting words to me were, "What will I do now that I don't have a Flowers kid in my class?" She's seen both my babies grow and change. I've been making the same drop-off commute for almost three years and starting this Fall, I won't be going that way anymore. Lots of changes and more to come.

Childhood, it all goes so fast. 

Promotion Ceremony-Luau Themed

Buh-bye TK!

wishing you a special MOMent (thank you Elizabeth Arden for that concept)

The wedding is done, my family visiting have left, and life goes on. It's rare that I find myself here, in front of our computer, writing this snippet, part of my 30-minute stress-free MOMent from an otherwise, hectic everyday life. 

These MOMents are rare and precious and though short, I still find some relief in sharing them with all of you. Yup, in the past three or so weeks, I've been a busybody. A walking, rarely-makes sense, sort of woman that had little time to focus on the ordinary and the simplicity. The beautiful MOMents that whooshed right by me. I was in the thick of helping my sister navigate the last few weeks of her singledom and putting up with a lot of unnecessary and uncalled for stress. But I survived, and in this quiet after-moment, I'm realizing what warriors Moms are. 

My own Mom has a warrior spirit in her and often I forget or take for granted what she has accomplished. Being a mother now, I have so much gratitude for all the Moms before me who have sacrificed their precious MOMents to tackle their jobs, chauffeur their kids to and fro, listen endlessly to complaints and ungrateful beings, cook a special meal, dole out hugs like it's nobody's business, kiss away boo-boo's, and know how to savor the few seconds of utter silence. Warriors, I tell ya. 

Wishing all the women, young and old, who are mothers in whatever capacity, a beautiful Mother's Day. May you all find your MOMent of joy and love. 

Celebrating with loved ones my MOMent last week.

Happenings

Have I really been gone a few months? I am so sorry. Reading my last post, not much has changed, just added more on top of my neverending list of things to do. Micro had his first Tee Ball game about a month ago. It is absolutely one of the most adorable things to watch. Kids trying to tag out their own teammates, six bodies vying for one ball, and reminding these busy-bodies they need to run all three bases--just snippets of what to expect from first-time Tee-ballers. I loved it. And two weeks ago, he brought home the game ball for being an outstanding player during the game. 

Not to be outdone by her big brother, Micron is enjoying her ballet classes. Every week she gets more excited and can't decide which of her hand-me-down leotards she should wear to class and more importantly, what color tights. My little fashionista truly has her own sense of style. She is getting ready for a recital in July. But Mamas, I cannot get over the cost of paying for costumes, ticket prices to these recitals, etc. I mean, these are 3 year-olds, and the dance academy is charging me $60 for a costume. I'm going to make sure she wears that sucker to the store, church, and playground to get my money's worth. It's a whole new world for this mama.

Apart from all of that,  I organized my sister's bridal shower and bachelorette party. Both were successful and made me pleasantly tired. Really, I've just been really exhausted with so many functions to attend to. I CANNOT WAIT FOR JUNE! 

I've finally gotten around to enrolling the kids in a few summer camps and I have some very exciting vacation plans I will announce soon!! 

Right now, we are in the thick of a very busy next few weeks. Til May is over, I've got something going on every weekend. I'm barely keeping up with my own sanity and rely so heavily on my iPhone calendar and reminders to keep me focused and somewhat in control of my life. Ha! Who am I kidding?

Below are snapshots of our life recently:

Go Litho A's!!! Your da best #CocoCrisp

Getting the party started for my sister's bachelorette party…Vegas style!!

Time Flies

...by so fast. I mean, really. It's the middle of February and I feel like time has stepped on the gas pedal. 

Each week is getting busier and crazier. I'm ok with it, but I feel like I want to stop time like Professor X and just sit. Do nothing but sit and focus. I'm thankful that my Bar Method classes have been paying off and hopefully my weight loss will continue well past Spring so I can bring my sexy back for Summer. TMI? Sorry. But if you haven't heard of the Bar Method/Pure Barre/The Daily Method--I mean, it's totally transformative. I've never toned my body faster than these thigh-wretching workouts. I so want a dancer's body! I've been doing it for almost 8 months now and Addicted. Absolutely addicted. I even did the workouts while vacationing in HI, for fear of having to feel that dull ache and soreness of missing a few days. But I workout anyway while I'm on vacation. Sedentary is not in my vocabulary. 

The next few months will be a whirlwind. As the kids continue school, I'm prepping for parties galore and the arrival of family visits for my sister's big bash, Micro starts T-ball, and Micron starts ballet. Also, we are starting to plan for summer vacation. Meanwhile, I've got tax season to get through. Paperwork, paperwork! I can't escape it. 

I know posting has been slow, but I'm trying to keep up with my own schedule and carving out time for myself and my husband. Priorities people, priorities. We've spent a lot of time outdoors, doing long walks along our lagoon, and just enjoying the outdoors when the rain isn't upon us. Who am I kidding? Where are you rain? Last time, the kids and I did our 'rain dance' and it worked. It poured for 4 straight days. Suffice to say, we got a little bit of cabin fever. I know it's nothing compared to the midwest/east coast who suffered from the Polar Vortex. So I'll stop right here.

Here's a few iphone pics of what we've been up to lately:

Our first harvest from our ever-growing garden!! Yum!

Wine Cave intimate dinner-so lovely!

Slumber parties with little buds are always a favorite.

My Valentine's. Thank you Mr. Fliz. Mwah!

Is this guy only 5?

Her own street-style.