Mowgli The Man Cub

Matthew does not like the feeling of grass. He doesn't mind sitting on it- but HATES lying down on it or crawling on it. In an effort to avoid this feeling, he has changed the way he crawls on grass. He looks so silly and knows he is being silly when he crawls like this. I affectionately call him Mowgli the Man Cub. If you think back to The Jungle Book, Baloo the Bear tries to teach Mowgli how to crawl like a bear and it looks exactly like Matthew in this picture.

Matthew has started taking many more steps these days, however, once he falls, he crawls to his destination. After a good day of outdoor play, his little knees, feet, and toes are all scratched up. He never complains- but I feel bad for him. I sense that this 'scratchy-ness' has started to really bug him so I have found that he not only assumes the Mowgli crawl on the grass, but on the flagstone, too! He is so funny!

Easter

This year's Easter season seemed to be jam-packed full of fun events! It started in early March with an Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt at Santa Clara University. Damien and I try and get back to campus as much as possible and this seemed like a great event to see some friends and also let the kids have a great time hunting for Easter eggs. They had the Easter Bunny come out for pictures and even this proved amusing when Matthew freaked out while having to get his picture taken with him. He freaked out in the same way he did with Santa, but louder! Of course, I loved it. It makes for a great memory of the event.

There are two times a year when I try and buy new outfits for the kids. One is Christmas and the other Easter. They don't have to be super matchy matchy, but I do like them to coordinate. This way I can get a good picture of them and then maybe when they look back on the pictures years from now- they will have thought that I had it together! This year (with all the dozens of events packed into March) the outfit buying seemed difficult. But in the end- I found them. Phew! I got their picture taken at The Picture People and amazingly, it turned out adorable! I was more than thrilled!

The plan this year for Easter was to join Damien's family at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn for an Easter brunch. For many many years Mark and Marlene have hosted this event at their home, but after the success of last year's brunch at the hotel, they decided to do it there again. We all thought that was great idea as it requires so much less work to have it there instead of at their home. It was a gorgeous Easter morning as the kids unwrapped piece after piece of 'breakfast chocolate'. Once they were totally sick, we dressed them in their Easter outfits and piled into the car for the hour ride to Sonoma. Matthew was exhausted so the car ride was the perfect chance for him to get in a long morning nap before the madness began!

The brunch was delicious, the weather was unbelievable, and it was great seeing everyone. We basically had to force feed Michael and Claire as they wanted to stay outside the whole time. But Matthew- in true form- didn't really leave my side . . . or my hip, rather. That's what makes him my little mama's boy! We had an Easter egg hunt and even a little chance for a photo opp with all the grand kids (9 in total, but Lani was due to deliver #10 within a week!). After the brunch, we all went swimming in the hotel's pool and enjoyed the day before we headed back home in time for the kids to get some sleep for school the next day.

This Easter was really nice. The thing I loved the most was that Michael really understood the real meaning of Easter. He knew that on Easter- Jesus rose from the dead. He understood the ultimate sacrifice He made for us and to see the look on his face Easter morning when he retold me Jesus' story was priceless. It was a wonderful day.

The Map of Ireland

I've been told many times while shopping, walking down the street, etc. that Michael wears the map of Ireland on his face. For some reason (and I think it is cute), people can't resist telling me how much they love his look, how Irish he looks, or how they love Michael's red hair. Then, a lot of the time the question will follow, 'Is he yours?'. Yes! He is ALL mine!

While on a shopping trip with my Mom, we found these adorable St. Patrick's Day t-shirts. Being that I am a sucker for every most every holiday- I had to buy the shirts! Michael fell in love with his t-shirt (pictured on top) and wears it quite frequently. He even wore it to soccer practice and all the boys started chiming in about it. After a few minutes of comments from his friends- he ran over to me looking worried and said, "Mom, do Irish girls really love me?" I said, "Of course they do and I'm sure they will when you're a little older!" Apparently, I gave him the right answer because he yelled SWEET! and ran over to tell his friends. I guess they were telling him that Irish girls don't love him and he felt he proved them wrong. Seriously- it was pure comedy!

This year (and every year for that matter), St. Patrick's Day falls on Marlene's birthday. This year was a big birthday for her and the whole family (even Damien's brother's family from England) came over for the big celebration. We had invited Marlene's friends and surrounding family to the party in an effort to celebrate her and have a great day! We served up a delicious lunch of fresh crepes, salads, and breads. Then we all headed outside to see a banner plane fly by with a special message for her.

The party was far from over. A pony arrived to take all the kids for a pony ride. Michael and Claire were all over it, but it took a little coaxing to get Matthew to ride the pony. It was his first time and he did great! Would you believe that we also talked Marlene into taking a ride on the pony? It was classic! After the pony rides, we all returned inside for a presentation for Marlene and enjoyed the rest of the day.

The same day we were celebrating St. Patrick's Day, my family was toasting to St. Joseph with their 4th Annual La Festa Di San Giuseppe. In record numbers, family and friends came out to participate in this amazing celebration while also raising money to help those less fortunate in Malawi, Africa. They raised more money than ever before this year and I am so proud of my family that they have found a way to bring family and friends together while also changing the lives of those across the world.

Michael and Claire Play Soccer

I have so many wonderful sports memories from when I was younger. To be truthful, most of them revolve around soccer. Saturday mornings meant getting in my uniform as soon as I woke up, walking out to the family room with a blanket, and nuzzling up to the television to watch The Gummy Bears, The Smurfs, or whatever was in the cartoon line-up that morning. I would sit there with Jill and wait until my Dad told us it was time to go. I loved it!


I really want my kids to enjoy whatever it is they want to do. I don't want to push them- but instead encourage them to try new things. We signed Michael and Claire up to play Spring Soccer. Michael was all for it, but Claire was a bit more apprehensive. Because they are getting older- this would be the first time that they weren't on the same team. Claire really didn't like this! As much as the two of them bicker, she really needs him. Michael gives her the support and courage she needs sometimes to try something new- especially if it is in a new environment. I was proud of Claire though- she decided she could do it!


Michael is on an 8 and under boy's team called The Mighty Dragons. A couple of his buddies from his Kindergarten class are on the team and he is having the best time! They practice once a week and have games on Saturdays and he enjoys getting outside and running around. He mostly plays defense and seems to take the job pretty seriously. He cracks me up! So intense, so focused. It is such a thrill to seem him running around out there and watching his thought process as he maneuvers himself through the game.


Claire is on a 6 and under coed team called The Strikers. She didn't know anyone on the team but really did a good job of adapting. On the first day, they had the kids sit in a circle in order to introduce them to one another. They were supposed to say their name and their favorite food. She said, "My name is Claire and my favorite food is Tunafish Casserole." I don't know why, but hearing her say that made me laugh hysterically. Something about meeting new friends for the first time and tunafish casserole didn't sound right. Claire is really starting to understand the game and has a lot of fun at her games. To put it nicely, their team doesn't generally do that well (although as a team- they are getting a lot better!). They get scored on a lot and it is hard sometimes for the kids to not get defeated. Claire was really intense the first game and ran her little heart out. Each time the other team scored, I noticed that she started crying. Not the crying where she needed my support, but she was just so frustrated when they got beat. But she wiped her tears and kept going. I was really proud of her and after the game tried to help her understand that winning isn't everything. But let's be real here, I am still trying to learn this lesson. They now win and lose games (although in this league they don't keep score) but she doesn't cry or get frustrated. She just know that she needs to try her very best and whatever else happens is out of her control.


I love seeing the kids play during their practices and their games. What I didn't anticipate is how much more difficult two practices and two games a week would be! To think of the many activities I had each week as a child and to think that my sisters were really involved, too- makes me wonder how my parents stayed sane? I suddenly understand why the color-coded calendar my parents taped on the side of the cabinet was a necessity. With all the different activities- you have to stay on top of it or it might take you over!

Matthew's First Step

It has happened. Matthew took his first step! As I mentioned in an earlier post, Matthew decided to take this 'giant leap' while we were in Costa Rica- but lucky for us, my Mom and Gina were there to witness the whole thing! Over the past few months, I have had so many people ask if Matthew was walking yet. A lot of people were surprised that he wasn't and even more people were surprised at my real lack of urgency to have him up and moving. I just knew that when the time was right for him- he would walk. Plus, do I really need another mobile child running around the house getting into mischief? I think not! But apparently, March 3rd, 2008, was the day for Matthew to strut his stuff!

My kids have all hit their developmental milestones within the normal range. Michael was on the longer side- taking his first step at 17 months (the day before I gave birth to Claire). Claire was probably right on target taking her first step at 11 1/2 months. Because Matthew is my third, I am so relaxed with when he chooses to hit his big milestones. I have placed no pressure around these steps, instead choosing to sit back and watch as he begins to fit into the big world around him.

When we returned from our trip, it was so wonderful to see him take a step. While he will always be my baby, it is so surreal to see your child taking steps toward independence. I know that this one step is just the beginning to Matthew walking around and getting himself what he needs. And while I rejoice in this new found skill, it also reminds me to cherish each and every babyish moment while he still has them.

Clairey Loses A Tooth!

I was sitting in Michael's room with Gina, Michael and Claire the morning I was going to be leaving for Costa Rica. We were all hanging out and having a good time when I looked over at Claire's mouth. See, Claire has always had these sweet two front teeth that completely touched one other making one of the cutest mouths I have ever seen in my life. But as she turned my way, I noticed that she had a considerable gap between them. I told Gina, "Look how much Claire is growing! Even her teeth are spreading." We both quickly mourned the gap between her two front teeth. Gina always loved Claire's teeth, too. I scooted closer to her to get a better look. It looked strange. How could this gap just appear over night? I reached out to touch her front right tooth and it was super loose. I thought, How could this be? Her front teeth weren't even loose? How could she be losing her top teeth when she hasn't even lost her bottom teeth?


I sat for a few seconds trying to make sense of this. My first clue to the puzzle was the mysterious way the crib had broken the night before. I went to put Matthew to sleep in the crib around 9pm and noticed that entire sliding portion of the crib was off, posing serious danger if he somehow got wedged in there. But how did that happen? I called Damien in and showed him the crib and he was dumbfounded. Cribs just don't break like this and certainly Matthew isn't capable of breaking his crib (at least not yet). Because we were leaving the next day, Damien needed to fix the crib so we could leave my Mom with a functional place to put Matthew to sleep. But where was all the hardware (screws, bolts) that fell off the crib? We searched high and low until I saw something shiny under Matthew's dresser. Damien got lower to investigate and sure enough- there were all screws and brackets tucked neatly in a pile. Hmmmmm. Something was up.


First clue- we have a broken crib. Second clue- Claire's front tooth is unusually loose. Third clue- The bandit (or bandits) that broke the crib tried to hide the evidence (screws). This called for a serious investigation. I asked Claire how her tooth got loose and she told me that she hit it on Matthew's dresser (which is right next to his crib). I asked her, Were you in Matthew's crib? She replied, "No." I left Claire and cornered Michael. "Hey Buddy, what happened to Matthew's crib? He told me that Claire was pulling on the sliding side. I asked him if she hit her mouth (because surely, if you hit your mouth hard enough to bust out your front tooth- someone would have noticed) but he had no real answer.


So, we have filed the case under "No Real Evidence to Support the New Gap in Claire's Teeth". As you have probably guessed, Claire lost her tooth while we were in Costa Rica. She lost it the day before we got home when Michael wrestled her to the ground and it just popped out. She wanted to wait for the tooth fairy to come until we came home (which I loved). I was a little nervous to see Claire with her new tooth- or lack there of. She woke up the next morning and came out to see me. She looked so big- a real big girl now. I was proud of her and happy that my Mom was here to help her though it. Now that I am more used to it, I love it. Clairey, Clairey. Such a character and now this only adds to her personality.

Costa Rica

What would you do if you were offered a free trip to an exotic location? 6 days, 5 nights away from the kids where all you could do was relax and take care of yourself? When I learned that Damien had qualified for his company's incentive trip, I was so excited! This year, the trip's location was Costa Rica. For all those in the company that qualified, you were given a free round trip flight to Costa Rica, a five night stay at an all inclusive five-star resort, and opportunities to do things that you might never get the chance to do again!

As soon as the first swell of excitement rushed over me, I realized that this trip was going to be a reality. The first thing I thought was that if I wanted to go, I had to leave the kids. At the time- Matthew was still breastfeeding and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to wean him in time. However, once I introduced cow's milk- he had NO problem at all! First problem- check. The next problem was figuring out who would be able to watch my kids for nearly a week! My mom accepted the opportunity gracefully and my second problem was now over. Now- it was my turn to overcome my fears of traveling to another country without them and finding time to take care of myself and my marriage.

Damien kept saying that this was going to be our second honeymoon. Over eight years ago, we traveled newly married to Maui, Hawaii at the fresh age of 23. We were taking a giant leap in our lives at such a young age but it felt so right. Now, with many more life experiences, we were on our way to take some time to relax and enjoy one another. No middle of the night bottle feeds, no driving carpools, no making breakfast, lunch and dinner. This trip sounded AMAZING!

My Mom and my sister Gina flew in on Friday. Now that my re-enforcements were in place- nothing was stopping me from getting out of here for almost a week! Lucky for us, we packed early so we could enjoy their company and have the opportunity to transition the hectic schedule to my Mom and Gina. I wanted to make the goodbye quick as I knew that if I drew it out, I would blubber all over them and make them anxious. I quickly kissed them goodbye and told them I'd be back soon with a special gift. And just like that- we were on our way!

We left on a Continental flight at 11pm and flew across the country to Newark, New Jersey. Since you can't fly directly into Liberia, Costa Rica- we wanted to fly the route with the fewest stops which would allow us to get some sleep along the way. Because I was seriously sleep deprived, I passed out for most all of the six hours. We had a two hour layover in Newark and then hopped on another six hour flight which brought us into Liberia. The airport was small and somewhat primitive. As we walked off the flight, the heat hit us immediately! It was exciting to know that we would be able to enjoy this heat and just relax for the next week! We piled onto a bus with some of Damien's workmates and started the hour and a half ride to La Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort. The drive was amazing. To see such a different culture as we passed through, a different way of life- was really amazing. One thing that really stuck out was the way each house was designed. Because of the overwhelming presence of termites in Costa Rica, most every house is made of concrete. But the really interesting thing about each house was that all of them had a front patio with rocking chairs on it. When you drove by, there were usually people sitting out there, relaxing, and spending time with family. Maybe we have a thing or two to learn from them . . .

We pulled up to our hotel and it was breathtaking. When I had imagined what this resort would look like, I pictured a hotel right on the beach with oceanfront views. But this was not the case. The rooms were spaced out over this very lush and beautiful property. At first I was a little disappointed, but once we understood the lay of the land, I realized it was perfect. They had golf carts everywhere ready to take you to any part of the resort. This allowed you to go to the beach, the restaurants, or the Spa, and then return to the peacefulness of your room amongst the gorgeous foliage. It was so relaxing and really helped us to slow down and enjoy each other.

On the first day, we explored the property and then joined his company for a welcome dinner. It was nice to match the faces to the names that I hear on a daily basis. It was a traditional Costa Rican dinner with entertainment. During dinner, I had to keep shaking my head to realize that I was in Central America! (And also to realize that I didn't have kids hanging on me!) We turned in relatively early in order to start the next day bright and early. Because we were so close the equator, it got pitch black at 6pm. So turning in early wasn't a really big deal.


We woke up early the next morning, got breakfast, and then met in the main lobby with a group we would join to take Surfing Lessons! We all piled into another bus and drove 20 minutes to a small town that apparently was the best place to surf. When I was a junior in college, we played in a tournament in Hawaii and on the last day, our coach brought us all to the beach and signed us up for surfing lessons. While I had some success then, I was really looking forward to taking lessons again because I really wanted to ride some waves! Damien and I changed into our surf shirts (provided by the instructor) and headed to the beach. The instructor taught us what to do and then we were off to try it on our own! It was awesome. While Damien was a total natural (he is really good at skateboarding and snowboarding), I had to work harder to stay balanced. After a good thirty minutes of practicing- I had it down! Damien and I caught the same wave a few times and were able to surf the wave and reach out and touch each other's hand. It was awesome! Definitely something I will never forget for the rest of my life!

So, it is no secret that I am not the most brave person when it comes to animals, especially reptiles. I was worried that there were going to be a lot of snakes in Costa Rica but lucky for me, they really aren't prevalent there. What were prevalent were wild iguanas! You would be walking and suddenly a 16 inch iguana would walk out in front of you. The picture to the right was of me walking around in the town. I just happened to glance down- and alas . . . there was a freakin' iguana! Ahhhhhhhh!

The following day, we went on an excursion arranged by his company to one of the many canopies in the Costa Rican jungle. This adventure tour promised to be amazing and we couldn't wait to go. It was again, an hour and a half bus ride to the middle of a jungle (situated beneath a volcano) and we were given options on what activities we wanted to partake in. First, we chose to take an inner tube ride down Level 3 rapids. Seriously, it was if Disneyland had taken hold of this particular river and made it the one of the most incredible rides of your life! We had to wear helmets (the rapids were no joke) and you had to wear tennis shoes to push off of rocks and to save yourself from cascading right into giant boulders! Between the swells of rapids, we drifted peacefully down the brisk river and relaxed while enjoying the sight of monkeys in the trees (they were so cute!). The tour guides thought it would be funny to scare the girl riders by putting frogs on our shoulders. Those of you that know me well, know that I was not too pleased by this! After we finished the 90 minute ride, we took a little bus back to the tour center and had lunch with the rest of our group.


From there, we took a 30 minute horse ride (my horse was a total bully) to a waterfall and were allowed to jump off and swim in the clear blue water. It was so cool! Damien and I both jumped and then at the end, we jumped together which was incredible. We rode back to the center and then got ready for our last adventure of the day. We had heard before we came that we were going to be able to ride zip-lines through the jungle. Between the two of us- I am more of the dare devil . I was so excited for it, but Damien was more apprehensive. Too late to back out, we took a safety course and off we went. The first zip line was relatively easy. Damien opted to go before me every time because I think if he went after me and saw what he was going to do- he would've been too nervous. I think there were a total of 10 or 11 zip lines and as we proceeded through them, they increased in difficulty and were more frightening. It was amazing to zip line over a gorge that was seriously 500 feet deep and then wait on a tiny platform to attempt the next one. I LOVED it and I think Damien really liked it. I would totally do it again, but Damien said that once was enough for him.

The rest of the trip we just relaxed and enjoyed the moments of peace and quiet (we knew what we were going to go back to!). We laid out by the pool, relaxed next to the ocean, took a shopping trip into town to by some goodies, ate tons of food (when the resort is all inclusive you have to go for it!) and then got ready for the black-tie dinner on the last night. It was nice to meet so many of the people that Damien works with, but we also kept a lot of distance from the group to truly take advantage of the trip! I have said this to a few of you, but I was really looking forward to this trip to get in touch with Damien and really reflect on our marriage/love and what it has done for us. What I didn't expect was to really get in touch with myself. It was amazing to sit in the sun and have full fluid thoughts going through my mind. There were no interruptions from my little kiddos, I could really think about things and get some great perspective on my life. This trip was something that kind of fell into our laps (well, actually Damien worked his tail off for it) but the trip was just what we needed.

When we came back, my Mom (and Gina) had everything under control. I know that it was hectic while we were gone to keep up with school, ballet, and soccer schedules- but it was all done beautifully. The only things that had changed when we returned was that Claire had lost her front tooth and my little Matthew had taken his first step. A lot of people wondered if that bothered me that I missed his first step- but it really didn't. What a gift for my Mom to be the recipient of that! She, nor I, will ever forget that! Both Damien and I are blessed to have had such an amazing time in Costa Rica. Had it not been for his company, we would have most definitely have not planned something like this for us. I had a hard time being away from the kids, but I am a better mother and wife for getting away and taking care of myself.

New Barfing Record

Today we installed a new car seat for Matthew. His first car seat held up to 25 pounds and he has maxed it out. Plus, Matthew was so uncomfortable in it and I was tired of cramming chubby arms and legs through straps that were just too small. He couldn't fit in it if he was wearing a sweater or jacket. We would have to strip him down to the base coat of clothing to make the buckle click.

That being said- it was time for a bigger boy seat! Damien installed it this morning before church. We strapped Matthew in, drove the five minutes to church and as we were pulling into a parking spot at mass, we heard a noise that was unmistakable. It could have only been one thing. We didn't need to turn around to know that Matthew threw up all over himself and the brand new car seat. Car seats by nature are just nasty. The baby spits up (it dries), drops food, leaks through it's diaper, has dirty shoes, has dirty clothes, and over time- car seats become a petri dish of sorts. Collecting everything from everywhere! You can only imagine how happy we were to retire the first car seat. To start fresh- start anew. But here we are, five minutes into this fresh feeling and before we can enjoy it, it was over.

We stripped Matthew down to his onesie and pants, wrapped a blanket around him and walked into church feeling dejected. Matthew has the new barfing record for the Swendsen household. What record will he want to break next?

SCU Alumni Day

To think that exactly one year ago today, I was lugging Michael and Claire to the SCU Alumni Event is wild. I was just 10 days postpartum with Matthew and left him for the first time with Damien to bring Michael and Claire out of the house and to the SCU Women's Basketball game. I hadn't seen some of the people for a long time and a lot of the old fans were a delight to see. The thing that was a bummer was that I still looked pregnant. Hello! 10 days postpartum! At first it was embarrassing when people told me, "Oh, you have another Swendsen on the way!" I quickly found a way to dodge the bullet while also minimizing the embarrassment they would feel once they realized I wasn't pregnant! I just said, "Nope. Just deflating."

This year I was NOT pregnant and thrilled to bring Matthew along, too. The kids love that during halftime they get to walk out of the floor while everyone in the gym claps. I try and think of what it must feel like for them to walk out on such an 'intimidating stage'. They are so little and the stadium is so big. I hope that this memory and the memories to come stay with them. I know that it feels great to be able to give them an opportunity to experience a little of my past and for them to walk on the same floor that I spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours perfecting a game that I love.

We had a great turn out this year. We had a few former players from many years ago and an increase in more recent former players. It was good to catch up with everyone and to see what they are doing now that they are a little more removed from the hardwood. Most everyone had children, one graduate was getting ready to get married, and it was interesting to chat with the current players and get a glimpse of what they are going through, too. It's funny. I am so content in my life. I try and have a good balance of taking care of the kids, of Damien, but also finding time to take care of myself, too. Yet as I sat on the bleachers watching the girls play, my adrenaline started pumping and I would've loved nothing more than to have thrown on a uniform and jumped in the game. I truly loved playing at Santa Clara. My experiences there stripped me down to my innermost core and allowed me to rebuild myself they way I wanted. Some of the most difficult times of my life were on that floor. Other times, it was pure bliss. I will never forget winning my last game in Toso Pavillion. Standing in the center circle, surrounded by my teammates, fans cheering, a real surge of energy floating through the air. It was this moment, WCC trophy in hand, basketball net around my neck, that I truly felt like I was floating on air. I was so happy.

Right now as I type this, Matthew is pulling on my leg. There is a stack of paperwork on the counter I have to get to, dishes in the sink, and only 10 more minutes until I need to pick up Michael from school. I love my life but also love that I can take a deep breath, close my eyes and feel victory pumping through my veins as I stand in the center circle. I have turned in my #15 jersey and hung up my shoes from those days, but in a split second I am there again. No matter what is going on in my life or where I am- this memory alone sets me afloat.

Valentine's Day

Having spent the night away from the kids this past weekend, we kind of decided that we would keep our Valentine's Day low key. It was a beautiful day here and the sun peeking through the windows kept my mood light and my spirits bright. Both of the big kids had school so our morning started early!

When I was a child, I could hardly wait for Valentine's Day morning! Every year, my Dad would get all five of us girls a heart shaped box full of chocolate. I counted on that treat. Sure, my Mom always had a really cute bag full of goodies waiting for us on the kitchen counter- but there was something about that box of chocolates that had me looking forward to Valentine's Day all year long. When the kids were small, I told Damien that I thought it would be cute if he started this tradition, too. Done deal. (Thanks Dad for the idea!)

Up bright and early, I got the kids all dressed up in red. Michael was especially excited because it was a 'free dress' day at his school if you wore Valentine colors. You would understand his excitement if you went to Catholic School or a school where you had to wear a uniform. Free dress days were the best! Both the kids came home from school with a bag full of loot and serious sugar highs. The day was pretty casual but we were all looking forward to dinner that night (which was arranged by Damien). We all hopped in the car and wondered where we were going! He cautioned me that he had not orchestrated some great plan, but instead picked a place that was kid friendly but also reminiscent of a past Valentine's Day.

He pulled the car to a stop on Lincoln Avenue to a really nice Chinese restaurant. I had to laugh. I knew what he was doing. See, about three years ago, we had a rough Valentine's Day. A few days prior to it, we found out that there were some fraudulent charges on our credit card. The bank closed the account and we were waiting to get the new cards in the mail. We had also just made a major purchase and were waiting for a larger check from Damien's work. Added all together, we had limited funds. When I say limited, I mean limited. That Valentine's night, with no debit/credit cards, we gathered $15 in quarters and headed to our favorite fast food Chinese, Wok n' Roll. Laugh if you want- but we learned a wonderful lesson that night. With Michael and Claire in tow, we all sat and ate dinner together and realized that the greatest gift was the gift of our little family. As Valentine's Day is all about love, we looked at Michael and Claire and realized that if were not for the love Damien and I had for each other, they wouldn't be here. They are the real product of our love and the reason our hearts were bursting with happiness. So on this Valentine's Day as we got out of the car for dinner, Damien told me that although the Valentine's Day three years ago helped us to realize love's true meaning, he felt this year I deserved to be treated to a really nice Chinese Dinner instead of fast food Wok n' Roll. I thought it was really cute and appreciated the sentiment.

We had a great dinner and just sat around and talked about life. We finished up eating, came home, and put the kids to sleep. Thankfully, they all slept soundly and let Damien and I just hang out and enjoy each other. It was a wonderful day and a great time to sit back and reflect on all of the blessings in my life.

Golden Circle

You can only imagine what a pleasant surprise it was to be invited by a dear friend of mine to a black tie formal. Coming from the day to day cracker smeared on my shirt, predictable velour sweat suit, and running shoes- it was a very welcome break from my ultra casual lifestyle. The event was Santa Clara University's Golden Circle, which this year featured entertainment by Kenny Loggins followed by a formal dinner and dancing at the Fairmont Hotel. I could hardly contain my excitement! A night away with Damien for us to act like adults, to be able to eat my dinner at my own pace and not worry about picking Matthew's throwaways up off the floor, not having to coax Michael into finishing his dinner . . . SIGN ME UP!

Back in the day before my primary job was staying home with the kids, I worked at Santa Clara University for just over two years. Having attended Santa Clara for my undergraduate education, I LOVED working there and naturally had an exuberant amount of pride and passion for what I did. Working as an Event Planner, I worked on two Golden Circle events as well as other events and really enjoyed what I did. Perhaps one day, once the kids are in school, I can return to this field since I really feel like it is my other passion (aside from running carpools, changing diapers and feeding babies bottles in the middle of the night).

Damien's parents came down to watch the kids and I was really excited to get out for the night! Let's see. A formal dress- check. Hubby looking handsome in a tuxedo- check. Dinner and dancing- check. A night of un-interrupted sleep- triple check! We kissed the kids goodbye and off we went! We decided to stay at the hotel for the night and just live it up! Kenny Loggins was great and we realized that we knew more of his songs that we had originally thought! Dinner was fabulous and the decor was amazing. Every year at this event, around two thousand people attend. Each different dining room at the hotel looks as if it's its own world. Different colors, lighting, draping, flowers, and bands give each room it's own unique feel and it is fun to visit each room and dance to different music and enjoy the ambiance.

One wonderful thing about Santa Clara is that it is one giant family. We saw SO many people we knew and had so many wonderful conversations with people we haven't seen for a while! This event is a homecoming of sorts for all those who love SCU and want a chance to get together and dance the night away. I was so thankful that Karrie invited us to Golden Circle and feel blessed that she would treat us to such an amazing night.

When we came home the next afternoon, refreshed from some time away and after having some serious R&R- we were so happy to see the kids and thankful that for a brief evening, Damien and I got to reconnect and spend some much needed alone time together. It is hard to get away and leave the kids, but we both came back refreshed, renewed, and ready to resume our responsibilities at home. Thanks to Mark and Marlene for giving us a chance to get away!

Twinkle Toes

For months now, Claire has been begging us to be enrolled in ballet/tap class. I kept saying, "Okay, I will look for a class for you", but somehow, it just didn't happen. In the meantime, Michael has been playing on a basketball team, I just signed them both up for Spring Soccer, but still- no ballet class. So I told myself that I was going to sit down at the computer and not get up until I found a class for my little Clairey. Thankfully, it didn't take long to find an affordable and local class for her. It would meet once a week for an hour and I thought that it would fit well into our schedule.

When I told her that she was going to start ballet, she went crazy! She called my parents, my sisters- anyone who would want to hear the great news! I took her out shopping to get the necessary shoes and then to another store to pick out her leotard. Watching the happiness ooze from Claire, I felt guilty that I put this off for so long. However, I had to cut myself a break and just find some peace in the fact that I finally had enrolled her and move on!

Long long ago, I took several years of tap/ballet. I remember loving it. The practices, the big shows, traveling to competitions, the music, the outfits . . . it was all great. I did this for several years until my Dad saw it fit to transition me from dance to more physical sports. The rest is history. Being the oldest of five girls, I now realize that this must have been a financial strain to keep me (and my sister Jill) in dance for so many years. For one, back then they didn't carry tap/ballet shoes at Payless. When I told my Mom that I had purchased shoes for Claire, her response was, "I hope you bought them used!" What she didn't realize was that instead of the very expensive shoes that were really your only option back in the day, you can now buy ballet or tap shoes at Payless for $15-20 a pair! Funny how things change over the years!

On Claire's first day of ballet, she couldn't sit still. She was in her leotard HOURS before her class. She was leaping off furniture and dancing to music. To see the joy this opportunity gave her was wonderful. What I didn't realize was how much joy this gave to me, as well. Claire looked beautiful in her outfit. Normally, when people see Claire, they comment about how big Claire is. When I see her gallop around the house, I always think that it must be so hard to have such long legs and arms that you just can't completely control. Claire has always been wiggly- the kind of child that will be sitting in a chair and then suddenly fall on the floor without realizing how it happened. With all of the rapid growing she does, I often think how hard it would be to try and be coordinated. Yet when Claire pranced around the house, she was graceful. Long beautiful arms flying through the air. Her legs in sweet unison with the top of her body. Her long neck stretching to the sky as she pirouetted through the living room. I had to stop myself from tearing up. She looked so beautiful and I took the opportunity to enjoy her in all her splendor.

Her first class went great! I got to see her go in and warm up but then had to leave as they don't allow the parents to stay and watch. The parents and siblings will get to attend their final performance on the last day of class. As I drove away from the facility with Michael and Matthew, I knew that Claire was where she wanted to be. In a room where she could be with other girls, wear pink, dance around and have fun. Yes, it took me a while to sign her up and get organized but it was a small victory to know that in the end- she got her wish.

And The Parties Keep Coming!

So as most of you know, we Swendsens love a good party! So why not have another one? That's just what we did! After celebrating Matthew's birthday down here, we traveled up to my parent's house to celebrate with the other half of the family. We traveled on Matthew's actual birthday and landed just in time to have a wonderfully relaxing and festive birthday dinner. My mom, who is amazing (I swear!) made piadines for dinner. Maybe you don't know what they are, but when I just hear the word, I start salivating. A piadine is a salad that is served on top of a warm pizza crust. You fold the round pizza crust in half and then eat it like a sandwich. There is a restaurant down here called Tomatina and their Chicken Piadine is seriously- one of my favorite foods in the entire world! So can you imagine my surprise when I got off the plane, lugged our stuff into the house, and realized what my Mom had prepared! They were AMAZING!!! Grazie!!! After dinner, Jill and my Mom had made some birthday cupcakes for us all to enjoy. Matthew loved it and picked at it for a very long time (which gave me a huge break to just relax). Again, he balked at blowing out the candle but he still gets and E for effort.

I was excited to have Matthew's party at my parent's because this was the inaugural birthday party in their newly remodeled house. Up until this point, we have had the parties at Jill's house because their house was still in the throws of construction. My mom was as excited as I was and actually pre-made the entree for the party before I came up there. This really freed up our time to just enjoy each other and kind of put the party on the back burner for a few days. We hung around the house for a good part of the first few days and just relaxed. Matthew and his cuz, Kyle, crawled after each other and it was impressive because this was the first time that they didn't hit and understood 'nicey'. They are so close in age (just over 3 months) and really notice when one or the other is not getting attention or if the other one has the 'cool toy' of the moment. Anyway- it is just fun to watch them together. Every time Matthew is around Kyle, he learns something new. This trip, Kyle taught Matthew how to give hugs. I would like to personally thank Kyle for this because now I am the lucky recipient of Matthew's newly learned affection!

While we were up there, I was able to play in a soccer game with Jill and Gina. This is always so fun for me because it is like we have this unspoken language on the field. We watch each other's backs and make sure that no one is being too rough with one of us. We never let the other team know we are sisters and use if to our advantage like a secret little alliance. I really enjoy seeing Jill mow over someone or Gina juke someone and put a perfectly placed ball down the line. The co-ed team we played for unfortunately had a few of the typical 'I Don't Pass to Girls' guys so that made it challenging and frustrating, too. That was another reason playing with them was so fun because if I made a run and was open in the box, Jill and Gina would make every effort to get it there. We won the game despite the fact that it was absolutely freezing. But what I take away the most was a fun night with my sissies and a chance to get away from the kids and have a ball!

The party went off without a hitch. It was so nice to prepare all the food in the new kitchen and to have so much space to move around. People had a good time, milled around, the kids all played together, the food was good, and the chance to catch up with everyone was awesome. Matthew seemed to finally get a little more of the concept that this was his party. We had a darling Curious George piñata (which the two little boys loved), a super cute animal cake, and Matthew got so many wonderful and thoughtful gifts. Matthew again thoroughly enjoyed the cake and we had to let him go at it again just for the thrill of seeing him get filthy! It was a great party and a fantastic way to bid adieu to his first birthday celebrations.

The next day my parents had the BEST Superbowl party! We had just enough time to take down the birthday decorations and get the Superbowl decorations out before people started arriving. Everyone brought some kind of food (I totally overate!) and started buying squares in the Superbowl Score Grid. They had the game on in the theater and in two other locations so everyone got a chance to see the game. People went crazy with the Superbowl grid and were wildly rooting for a chance to have their numbers we the score at the end of the quarter. The prizes were $25 for the first quarter score, $50 for halftime score, $25 for the third quarter score, and $100 for the final score. Being the brainiac that I am, I scheduled our flight for the middle of the Superbowl. Damien was pretty cool about it. When I booked the flights a while back, I was surprised to see the return flight be so cheap! So naturally, I swiped them up with pleasure- that was until I realized WHY they were so cheap. Lucky for us, our flight was delayed which meant that we got to watch the thrilling end to the game in the airport and scream with the other people who probably didn't realized they booked their flight in the middle of the Superbowl, either. It was one of the best games I have ever seen and nothing was better than getting a call from my Dad saying that I won the $100 grand prize! I guess flying during the Superbowl wasn't bad after all!

Matthew's 1st Birthday Party

Matthew, Matthew, Matthew. What a kid. It was a lot of fun experiencing his first year because we all approached it in such a laid back manor. Not a lot of stress, fuss, or anxiety. Sure there was some sleep deprivation and some craziness- but mostly, we all just enjoyed the ride! It was a lot of fun thinking of his first birthday party! What would we do differently from Michael and Claire's first birthday? What can we have at the party that Matthew just adores? But the real question was would he blow out the candle and inhale the cake? Let the party begin!!!

As if having a party doesn't bring enough planning and stress, we of course had construction going on here. We told them that everything had to be done by Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and I swear to you, they put on the finishing touches and left at 12:30 p.m. Their work was outstanding and it felt good to know that things were finished here and ready to go when our guests arrived. Lucky for me, my sister-in-law Heather came over bright and early to help me clean up the house and get things organized. She is always there for me on days like this and I really, really appreciated it! I had prepped most all the food the day before and was excited to cook that day because I was trying some new recipes out! I usually cook a lot of Italian food, but I decided to take the Mexican food route and made some Green Salsa Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, a Citrus Red Leaf Lettuce Salad with Poppyseed dressing, and some Corn Bread with Honey Butter. My Mom has given me a few of the recipes and I totally trust her judgment on whether things are good or not. Heather, Marlene, and I got all the food ready and out for the guests and people really thought the change was good. So I will add these recipes to my usually predicable dinner routine.


People started rolling in and before we knew it, the party was in full swing. It was a great group of people but I must admit, I was a bit thrown off by the flow in the new house. I am not sure how many parties I had in the old house but when we did have a party, it ran like clockwork. Having a party in the new house made us re-evaluate where to put everything and made us think through so much more. It was fun showing everyone the new house and the new construction and what I loved the most was seeing all the kids in the backyard running around! We only had a patio in the old house and now that we have a yard, it opens up the possibility to so much more!


Matthew (and my other two kids) we thrilled with all the guests milling about and Matthew loved the balloons and decorations. He especially loved the pinata and even played with it after all the kids had kind of destroyed it. As any one year old would be, Matthew was oblivious to gift opening, but I sure was thankful for all of those who made the effort to celebrate with us and who were so loving to Matthew. It was no surprise to us that Matthew went to town on the cake. I know that I could've pulled the cake away after a minute of eating, but really- you are only one once and why not let the baby enjoy themselves? Thankfully, my dear friend Karen helped me give him a quick bath because he was covered in frosting!!!


It was a wonderful day, a wonderful party, and a wonderful chance to gather with family and friends and celebrate all that the previous year had brought us. Matthew is a gift and for me, he was the biggest and best present of them all.