Psst! Guess What?

Most of my Mondays start out like this.

This Monday is no exception. I will still be carting my tumbler of black java wherever I go until it's gone. And then I'll be looking for my afternoon cup. (How did I ever cut back on this stuff when I was pregnant?) 

Anyway, this Monday is better than normal because, as a wonderful reminder to you, it is....*drumroll please*....

A SHORT WORK WEEK!!

Thank God for the birth of a nation and the reason to get together on a day normally reserved for work and hang out with friends and family.

So drink your java, grin and bear Monday and remember you are only FOUR days away from a THREE day weekend!! 

Cheers,

Samara

Happy Father's Day

What a difference a year makes. This time last year, I was thinking I couldn't hide our pregnancy secret from our families much longer. I was running out of baggy blouses and about to explode with excitement. Fast forward a year later, and I sit here looking at a sweet little boy, fast asleep, swinging in his swing with stuffed monkeys rotating above his angelic head. His dad is still asleep upstairs after 9 a.m. and deservedly so.

I didn't know my father growing up. It wasn't a situation where I never knew who he was or never saw him, but I saw him only on visitation night, weekly, until around age 7. And then, I never saw him again until I was nearly 18. The formative years were gone and the ability to casually say "my dad" and have it mean anything and nothing at the same time all gone. Having a dad at the time was something other people had, not me. It just seemed to be a foreign concept.And to be honest, it was something I only felt the loss of on occasion. At that time, I couldn't have told you when Father's Day was except "sometime in the summer".  My mom gave me so much foundation and love all on her own that I often forgot what  I didn't have. 

My mom later remarried (during my college years) and I was fortunate enough to have a stepdad who adopted me and by any measure or standard was considered my dad. He helped me navigate some of the rough terrains in my young adult life. He always lent a listening ear and was supportive and I will be forever grateful for that. I love you, Frank Washington. 

Back to my husband and why his sleeping in is so deserved. Having a father around, period, seems deserving of accolades these days. Having a father who is excited to be a father is deserving of a standing ovation. From the time we began even talking about the prospect of children, Thomas has been happy and supportive. Maybe this seems a relatively "everyday" thing to be grateful for, but sadly, so many don't get that from their significant other.  Jackson has been loved by his dad long before he ever made his entrance into the world. 

Thomas was by my side, and by Jackson's side, for every visit to the doctor during my pregnancy and for the entire hospital stay once I delivered. He has changed just as many diapers, (if not more), fed the baby just as much as I have, played with him, laughed with him and most importantly, loved our boy to death. I often hear the two of them on our deck having conversations. Thomas imparts his wisdom upon Jackson and Jackson happily babbles back. And, as I headed back to work, and was still in school, Thomas totally picked up the slack as an amazing father would do. 

They attend sporting events together...

...lounge around and watch soccer at home together..

....and love getting dressed up for church together.

Some of my favorite Jackson and Daddy items:

The made up bath time song by Thomas

The song Thomas sings to Jackson that is basically a remix of Arsenal's fight song

Jackson and Daddy naps 

When Thomas asks Jackson: "Are you a big guy? Bigguy.com? Yeah!"

They have had a special bond right from the beginning.

Jackson has so many wonderful years ahead of him with Thomas as his dad. They are the best of pals. 

My heart is full.

Happy Father's Day from our little family to all the dads out there. 

Cheers,

Samara

My First Mother's Day

I've always loved Mother's Day. The weather in Michigan is usually beginning to take a turn for the better, the sun is often shining and the trees and flowers are beginning to bloom. Couple all this beauty with a brunch and the giving of gifts to my mom and you have a rather splendid occasion. 

This year was even better as it was my first Mother's Day as a mom. OK, true enough, I was pregnant at this time last year. However, because we were not out of the baby closet, I wouldn't call last year my first Mother's Day, not in the least. 

First and foremost, I want to wish (once more!) a Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Jody. 

My mom getting sworn into office Dec 2011

Everyone says their mom is amazing, but I will seriously never understand how my mom did it. She raised two kids--one of whom was severely ill (my brother) and hospitalized for nearly two years in the beginning of his life--while working two jobs. She had no spouse, no child support and did it without any other form of monetary assistance. 

My mom was different from other moms. Fun, but not attempting to be our best friend. Teaching us to work hard, but to make sure to take a little time for leisure, too. Preaching that the world owes you nothing, but make sure to give to your fellow man. 

I have a deep respect and admiration for my mom. She was a fix-it mom, a pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps kind of mom. She was strict, but loving. She equipped me for life in the most perfectly balanced manner. And she did it by just being her. That's a pretty awesome feat and I love her for it. 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!!

This Mother's Day was even better because I celebrated it as a mother. My brother Adam said something to my mother many years ago on Mother's Day when he asked her to do something for him. She replied to his request with "It's Mother's Day!" My brother said (jokingly, of course) "Yeah, so get to being a mother!"  This Mother's Day started out just this way--me "gettin' to being a mother". 

It has become somewhat of a tradition in our family to have the little kids present a craft of some sort to not only the mothers, but also the aunts, on Mother's Day. This started out because the aunts were highly envious of the adorable crafts the mothers were getting from my cutie pie nieces. My brother and sister-in-law were sweet enough to start including the aunts (muahaha). Of course, this came back to bite me in the butt as we now have to pass the tradition on. (Ha!)

So, with a wiggly and fussy nearly-five-month old, the crafting commenced. 

It was a little touch-and-go there for awhile, but we survived. The end products were adorable mugs for his aunts and GG. Jackson's fingerprints made a flower on each mug. Everyone loved them and I think it was the perfect gift for a family full of coffee drinkers. Cheers!

Jackson also made a special gift for his Grandma Jody. 

 This was touch-and-go as well as it was bottle time. We managed to eek out the required photos, though, to create this...

And my nieces managed to give me, once again, the absolute most perfect and adorable gift....

A framed magnetic picture of all of the kids on Easter. They embellished the frame with gold sparkles. Oh, they are just so FAB! :)

 We also had a lovely brunch with the entire family at my Aunt Margaret's house. The weather could not have been more perfect!

My aunt completely spoiled the family will all sorts of delicious breakfast dishes. I only snapped a few pictures as people were waiting impatiently to eat. (Not that I blame them one bit!)

Thanks, Auntie Marg!!

Next, it was my turn to open up my Mother's Day gift.

 After opening up a beautiful card with my little guy, I unwrapped my present and found this.

A photo album made for me containing the first 136 days of Jackson's life, day by day. Inside the cover was this note.

I absolutely LOVE this gift!! It's sentimental and something special I will always have to remember the early days with my buddy. 

I enjoyed looking through pictures from the very first days....

.....to much more recent days.

After all the gifts were unwrapped and the food was devoured, we all enjoyed a little family time, conversation, playing with the kids and enjoying the late spring breeze drifting in from my aunt's back patio door. 

I wish all of the mothers out there a very beautiful and decadent Mother's Day. 

Cheers,

Samara

Second Wedding Anniversary

Thomas and I recently celebrated our second wedding anniversary. We'd planned on staying in town this year and doing something low key. Thomas planned the evening (this was the weekend before our actual anniversary) and each stop that night was a surprise for me. 

It was our first evening away from our little guy together. Previously, I was away from him one night for a women's church conference and Thomas had been away one night for work. "Grandma No No" (my mom) was sweet enough to watch him. We reluctantly dropped him off at my mom's and headed to the first surprise stop--The Knight Cap.

The Knight Cap is one of my favorite restaurants in Lansing. The food is good, but the service and ambience are what make it really special. One unfortunate piece of news I have to report is that the legendary Mr. Ricque no longer works there. He really made a visit to the Knight Cap special. (You can read my totally non expert review of the Knight Cap--including a little about Mr. Ricque here.) 

I'm sure the recent college grads at the table next to us were internally rolling their eyes at this overaged hipster taking a picture of her plate of food, but I care not! I wanted to share how delicious my anniversary dinner plate looked with you all. 

After our delectable meal, Thomas and I headed home for a spell as we apparently had time between activity one and activity two. It was strange being home without the baby. I tried to not think about missing him and just enjoy the one-on-one time with Thomas. 

Speaking of overaged hipsters... 

Our next surprise stop was the movie theater. Thomas remembered my saying "Oh, I want to see that!" when the previews for "The Other Woman" came on. What a guy. Enduring a chick flick for his gal. Daw. 

We ended the evening with going to the place we met for the first time a little over four years ago--Tavern On the Square. We make sure to go there every year, right around the time we met (and now, right around our anniversary)to have a Guinness just as we did the first time we met. I didn't get a picture of our beers this year the way I usually do, so I'll share a few pictures that we took at TOTS on our wedding day. 

Thomas did manage to get an artsy shot of the scene, though. 

On our actual anniversary, we exchanged gifts. The second anniversary is the cotton year. We both, funnily enough, picked up robes for one another. 

Thomas totally wins the present award, though. My bumbling, absent-minded professor of a husband managed to pick up the most beautiful champagne colored, Turkish cotton Oscar de la Renta robe. This robe feels like flopping onto clouds and being served champagne. Yes, it is that pretty of a feeling. 

When the sun went down, we opened up the bottle of Shiraz we picked up in Rome while on our honeymoon. Our original plan was to drink it on our first wedding anniversary, but those plans were put on hold when we found out I was pregnant with Jackson. 

The wine was worth the wait.

We lit the chiminea on our deck and toasted to two years of friendship and love while sipping the most delicious glass...es....of wine. 

I drank to many more years of wedded bliss, discovery, teamwork, laughs and love. 

Cheers,

Samara

Happy Birthday, Thomas!!

This week we are celebrating my best friend's birthday. This week, we are celebrating my husband Thomas' birthday.

Yep, this week. 

Tuesday (his actual birthday), we had a nice birthday lunch and popped over to our favorite bakery, Bake N' Cakes, for dessert afterwards. 

(This is mine, his had sprinkles.)

Later that day, we had dinner at Ukai. Ukai has become a bit of a tradition on Thomas' birthday. If you're unfamiliar with Ukai, it's a Japanese steakhouse that is pure entertainment (the chefs put on a show at your table) and the food is delicious. 

As you can see from our faces, the birthday dinner left us quite happy.

The best part is, his birthday week continues on Sunday when some of our family returns from Cancun. We have a birthday brunch and presents in store for him! 

Happy Birthday WEEK to the most wonderful man I know! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THOMAS!!!  

Cheers,

Samara