I've been neglectful....

And we've had quite the eventful month! I think I'm becoming better suited for these 'month at a glance' posts....

Charlie & Max had their first visit to Chinatown. I look dead tired in this photo (I'm getting old!!) but I LOVE the boys expressions. There were so many new and interesting things for them to see here. And even though its San Fran, these two golden headed boys caught so much attention in Chinatown. Jeff had fun showing us many of the tastes and sights he's been seeing in his work travels to Asia. Have to say at this stage I'm happy to see these new sights safe and sound in San Fran's Chinatown rather than across the ocean....at least with little boys in tow...

Jeff & I booked our first daytime babysitter on the weekend. We took a Sat for about 6 hours, hiked in Marin, had lunch in Sausalito and just enjoyed a relaxing Sat together. It was wonderful and I think we need to do the daytime babysitter at least once a month. And check out the fleece!! that's August in San Fran....crazy weather:)
These two little monkeys have really kept me on my toes this month. Charlie was all adorable smiles pulling out his wellies....but whew we've had tough month of lots of talking back, tantrums, and time outs. Maybe there's a 4 year old who's ready for preschool to start??? I know there's a mom who is.....
And this sweet Max...so so sweet...but so so busy....I want to soak up this age and am looking forward to some more alone time with Max this fall when Charlie is in preschool three mornings a week.
ahhh....and the absolute highlight of the month....Jeff & I got away for a long weekend to LA. It was amazing...left us wanting more time together and not ready to head home. A good way to end a weekend....

Sausalito Children's Museum...

We had a great day at the Bay Area Discovery Museum.    We spent the day with our friends the Swinsons before they move back to Charlotte.  Beth & I were fast friends when we met the first of this year and I'm so sad they are leaving us behind so soon:)

Sweet Max on the big boy toys....

Love his cute behind:)

JT & Max literally sharing their lunch....

A happy five some.... so hard to find in life.  But these five get along so well and stay happy while playing.  Sadly (so sadly) this was our last hurrah with Abby, Caroline & JT before they all move back to Charlotte.  So THIS is what it feels like to be left behind....we Merkels are not used to THAT feeling:)

An attempt at a family shot:)

And sweet sleepy Max on the drive home from the museum....LOVE IT:)

Grab a coffee.....Here comes the month of June...

Some of these were in my head as separate posts....but who has time for that??  It's almost August.  So here are some highlights of daily life in June 2009

Here's how we found Charlie one Saturday morning.  Filling up on marshmallows for breakfast.He went out to the garage and found them in our camping stuff.  

He calls them s'mores...even if its only marshmallows.  

We are loving www.diapers.com  Seriously, you order by 6pm and they arrive the next day.  And the price is great!  Also fills up at least an hour of play when the boxes arrive.

We are finally seeing some headway in Charlie's ability to play nicely with Max.  Just in time for Max to hit the toddler stage and be the terror.  

The annual pancake breakfast at our fire station.  We got there at the start of the morning 8am since we're all up by 6am anyways!!  and had the fire truck to ourselves!!

Zoo day with Charlie's school friends.  

LOVE the searching on the map.  

They had no idea where they were but the knew were they were headed!!!  

They stopped and searched this map at least a handful of times in our morning there.

Wyatt, Grant, Andrew, Charlie, Miles & Owen

We moms all agreed this was the best way to see the zoo.  

The boys literally ran from one animal to another for 3 hours.  

There was no fighting and they were exhausted at the end of the visit!  

Cute Jeff trying to keep an eye on the boys at one of the festivals in our park.  

I sat on the opposite side of the music area so we could have double access to all exits!     

I love this photo of Max & I.  

I'm loving his curls and can't bring myself to cut them off.  

But I'm getting one too many comments on what a cute little girl I have....

so it must be done soon:)

And the wrap up of the month.  

Our new dysfunction with sleeping...

I think we've had them all over the past 16 months.  

Charlie only sleeps on the floor now.   

Wise mom friends and the pediatrician all say its fine and normal.  

Sigh.

 Happy belated June!!  

I'll blame it on Facebook....

I upload so many of my photos to Facebook these days that I forget to put special times like these on my blog.  Our Fun Fest 2009 in Park City, UT with our bestest of Taylor couple friends.  It was such a great weekend!! and it only took me 6 months to put together a post:)

Kevin & Angie Erickson, Chad & Jodi Mulder, Yours Truly

oh and Bruce was there too.  With pregnant Heather taking care of the homefront and us all:)

A Birthday Wish for Jeff.....

I hope in this next year you have some moments like these.....

You love to reflect, to reminisce, to enjoy quality time with others.  May you have time to be quiet, to share and create memories with those you love best in this next year.

May you have moments to be silly, to make mistakes and to look cute doing it!

And because life is so short, going so fast and I love spending time with you...

 I wish for many moments together enjoying life with you.

Happy 35th Birthday Jeff!!

We survived....

Some of my favorite moments from the 6 days with the cousins ( 5 under 6 years).  These are the moments I'm choosing to hold onto....as they were surrounded, filled and overwhelmed by some really tough ones.  The boys LOVE each other and BUG each other.  I hope its a stage....but I think it may be just boys being boys.   So we will enjoy the good times!!!  And continue to find ways to build and foster their unique relationships together.

Viva Coldplay....

In some ways concerts like Coldplay are even more 'magical' because of the crazy 'gerbal on the tread mill life' we lead these days.  What a fun evening to dance, snuggle with my guy,  be in the wonderful outdoor arena and enjoy some fabulous music.  I'm ready to be a Coldplay groupie...anyone care to join me??

My Favorite Things....

This morning I hosted some of my neighborhood friends for a 'Favorite Things' brunch.  I cooked my favorite brunchy foods, decorated with my favorite pretty things and enjoyed one of my absolute favorite things in life.....girlfriends!!!   It was a great morning of conversation, sunshine and lots of goodies to share!

Red, White and Blue ( or should I say Red, White & Bowel)

Our 4th of July weekend started off with a BANG....we called 911, had the firemen, the EMS & an admittance to the hospital for Max on July 2nd.   Charlie slept thru the whole thing...we still haven't told him he missed out on the firemen coming to his house.  Sweet Max was having trouble getting it all moved in the right direction.  One direction wouldn't move (bowel) and one direction wouldn't stop (tummy).  It was a long night for Mama & Max.  So many flooding memories which I'd rather forget of our July 4th hospital admission with Charlie at the similar age of 15 months in London.  Have to say the medical care was DRASTICALLY different and made me so happy to be residing in CA with Max's 4th of July hospital stay.    I distinctly remember in 2006 with Charlie, watching and hearing the London fireworks in Battersea outside the hospital window.  Feeling so so far from home, so so far from Lakeside, where I wanted to be.  An ER visit, where they are worried about every single bruise on Max's body (I guess he has alot), worried about this, worried about that xray....it all puts it so quickly in perspective.  There were a couple of moments where the mood felt too tense for me...what are they going to tell me???  All and all Max is just fine...just having some bowel issues and trouble keeping things moving in the right direction.  

Not a happy boy at all.....but quickly improved once some food got in the tummy and big brother came to play.
Max was discharged on the afternoon of July 3rd so we were still able to do our fun Menlo Park kids parade and neighborhood BBQ.  

Max saying his favorite word....SHOE!
So onto our Happy 4th of July!!! Such fun we had at the parade and bouncy castle dreamland that followed.  Our neighborhood picnic was great.   I highly suggest becoming friends with Italians.  They KNOW how to entertain, even how to entertain all the kiddos.    We'll hope for a more relaxing 4th of July next year....Lakeside 2010!!

Taylor U Girls Weekend....

We laugh

and cry

We hug

and tease

We share wrinkles

and lost baby pounds

We encourage

and confront

There is a commitment and loyalty 

over the 18 year span of our friendships

that leaves me feeling so blessed and loved.

What a weekend it was 

There is not much better than life long friends....

Won't we be a sassy bunch of 80 year olds someday?!  

Kristin did a fun post on the weekend as well....recipes included!!