Be Nice

I took the kids out to play at the McDonald's playplace today. I know, they probably contracted six diseases and played with a bundle of dirty needles, BUT we desperately had to get out of the house so Andy could pack.

Side note: I kinda lucked out in the husband department and Andy has packed 85% of the house, and usually waited until I was out so that I wouldn't yell at him for not doing my way. Gold star, husband. Gold star for you.

It is also hotter than a sack of balls here. People are always in awe that we're giving up living on an island off the Gulf of Mexico, in a land of constant sunshine. No. The humidity was 700% today and the frizz in my hair has it's own frizz. So, the idea of a place to let the kids run and play while I sat in the air-conditioning and drank a milkshake sounded like heaven on earth, diseases be damned!

I have to paint you a picture of what it looks like, us going basically anywhere when there's a 3:1 kid/adult ratio. I usually have Wrennie on my back. This is purposeful and well thought out. If there's a chance that she will need to nurse, I'll hip carry so she has boob access, otherwise, she's on my back so that I have full field of vision to see what my other two are getting into. We ALWAYS hold hands. I generally think my kids are pretty well behaved. They listen appropriately for their ages and usually know when it's time to run around and when it's time to stick with mommy. That being said, they're also toddlers. If Isla sees a butterfly on the other side of the parking lot, she's going after it unless I have a death grip on her hand. Because butterflies.

So, one on my back, and one in each hand. As I'm trying to juggle a tray of drinks over to a table, Isla kicks her shoes off and then screams, "OOOOOHHHH NOOOOOOOOO", as if amnesia as set in and she immediately forgot that she kicked those shoes off on purpose a mere 3 seconds ago. Meanwhile, Jameson as spotted the playplace and is trying his very hardest to remove my arm from the socket and take it right down the slide with him.

I used my best logic and began kicking Isla's shoes across the room while holding two toddlers hands in one of mine and a tray in the other. And one on my back.

After letting the kids loose and sitting down, a woman came and sat across from me.

"You are Wonder Woman!", she said. "All these babies and a smile on your face, they're lucky to have you!"

And she walked away.

I've been thinking about her all day. Taking the time to tell me that it at least looks like I have my shit together, well it just made me happy. Just be nice, everyone. That's all.

Moats and Boats and Waterfalls

One of my April resolutions is to become a famous blogger and make a ton of money talking about how ridiculous my kids are and doing it all while in my pajamas and eating BonBons (you guys, what are BonBons anyway? Are they good? They must be, all those housewives hanging out eating them all the time. Send me some BonBons and I'll do a review right here on this very blog). 

My April resolutions are coming at a pretty convenient time because the Lundgren (and Ferrie!) family has some big news! 

April 20th begins our journey along our own Oregon Trail. We're moving our little clan to the West Coast, and we couldn't be more excited! 

I'll spare you the details on how exactly this came about, but it was something like,
 "Hey it would be cool if we moved to Portland." 
 "Definitely. We should totally do that"

And here we are, two weeks away from moving our whole existence over 3,000 miles away. 

The kids are so excited. Every time we get in the car Isla asks, "We're going to Oregon today?" And I'm like, "No Isla, we're just going to WalMart because we're out of Goldfish crackers and beer." And then she cries the whole way to WalMart. 

Jameson has watched too much Toy Story, and is mostly concerned that his toys are going to get lost and have to find a rocket and fly into the moving van. So, there's that. 

Wren is a baby and has no opinion on the matter, however, she will also be coming and I feel like I have to mention her on my first blog post so that when I DO become famous and she reads this some day, I won't have to pay for an extra therapy session for leaving her out of my maiden entry. 

Well, there you have it. We're moving and I'm blogging. All good things, all good things. But in all seriousness, I'm pretty thrilled to be sharing  all this big stuff with everyone.

Jamie's favorite song lately is called "Home" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros (although he has unofficially titled it, "The One with All the Whistling".  I'll leave this right here for you to enjoy, because it perfectly describes how I feel about our big adventure.


"Moats and boats and waterfalls
Alley-ways and pay phone calls
I've been everywhere with you

We laugh until we think we'll die
Barefoot on a summer night
Nothin' new is sweeter than with you

And in the streets you run afree
Like it's only you and me
Geeze, you're something to see

Ahh home, let me go home
Home is wherever I'm with you
Ahh home. Let me go ho-oh-ome
Home is wherever I'm with you"