May 8, 2013

Rookie Move

Here’s another memory circa 2009.  Our first Halloween….

 

Halloween is quickly approaching.  Though Cora doesn’t do candy yet, a girl’s gotta have a costume.  At least to take a few pics.  So, my good friend Leslie and I decided to set out to make this happen.

Originally, I was thinking she could be the Dalai Lama.  But once Leslie and I arrived at the costume store, we realized that there were o-so-many adorable options.  I needed to be open-minded.

Leslie found this cute lil lion costume that was small enough to fit her.  I was sold.  We drove home talking about how cute it was, and how I would put little barrettes in the mane to make it look more little girl-ish.  (I can’t quite bring myself to do the whole princess thing yet, though there were millions of those costumes in her size).

I threw it in the laundry to make sure it was clean and ready.  My plan was to have her in it when Daddy got home so he could get a sneak peek at what Halloween would bring this year.

Like an idiot, I didn’t read the instructions.  And like and idiot, I threw it in the dryer.  As it was drying, I wondered for a brief second if maybe it wasn’t supposed to be dried.  Naw, I thought.  It’ll be fine.

When I pulled it out of the dryer, it was totally ruined.  But not like you’d think.  There weren’t chunks missing and the mane hadn’t frizzed.  The adorable little lion costume came out with a perfect Jerry Curl.  I kid you not.  A freaking Jerry Curl:

007 008

Luke came home that night and took one look at the costume and said: “What is she supposed to be, The Reverend Al Sharpton?”

alsharpton

I really nailed that one.

January 6, 2013

It’s the little things dads do

That are so endearing..

October 22, 2012

For Realzies

Okay, last post aside, I wanted to write something more about my trip.  Though at this point it feels like a distant dream.  Amazing how consuming life is here…but I still carry the benefits of my solitude with me.  This time it was harder than usual to be away.  I missed the kids, I missed being with Luke, and it’s hard to feel like I even want to miss any of it with the kids growing so quickly.

But the truth is it’s good for me; there’s nothing better.  I am a mother and a wife and thus defined by these roles.  But to me I am more than that.  It is only in leaving it all for a bit that I can come back with anything worthwhile to share.  It is the only way to truly know myself. I feel strengthened, energized and appreciative.

Luke did a completely amazing job with the help of many wonderful people, and the kids were totally fine.  It is two weeks they’ve quickly forgotten and two weeks I’ll clearly never forget.  Well worth it in the scheme of a life.

Here are a few highlights….

NEPAL

  • Having only my backpack with only my own belongings (mothers with young kids, you GET this)

  • Spending time with my meditation teacher and meeting his teacher, Soktse Rinpoche

  • Staying with Chandra, Rajani and Ragesh in Kathmandu and remembering why I love Nepal so much: the incredible warmth of its people.  They fed me, gave me a room with a bathroom and my own shower, we talked politics and drank chiyaa and they had a “last supper” for me that was out of this world.  They also helped me practice my Nepali language again.  It’s still in there, at least a bit.

  • Seeing my professor from when I studied abroad 11 years ago and hearing about her life, a Westerner abroad
  • Eating dinner gazing at the stupa and watching people walk around it in devotion

  • Eating dhaal bhat

BALI

  • Visiting Virgin Beach, a place untouched by regular tourists, and swimming in the ocean

Perfect place to eat lunch...

  • The quaint little cafes and shops in Ubud with scarves, jewelry and organic food.  Who knew?
  • Yoga in the mornings
  • Coconut water the way it should be drunk:

  • How the Balinese see the “God” in everything and show it by leaving beautiful offerings on doorsteps, in front of rivers, shops, restaurants.  They just get it…

  • Hearing frogs all evening
  • Hurrying back to the Bangkok airport so I could get another 10 dollar, hour long massage.  BEST. AIRPORT. EVER.

A great trip overall.  The reunion with my fam was also incredible, the anticipation alone took my breath away.  Luke is an exceptional husband as I know many men wouldn’t even think about letting their wife escape to do something like this with two kids at home.  I am one lucky chic.  And now, off to wipe a butt.  Back at it.

xo

 

August 30, 2012

A rare photo of Michael Phelps carrying a much smaller Ryan Lochte

Ladies, control yourselves.

May 21, 2012

The Mullet Gene

We have good hair on the Doyle side of the family.  My Pops is nearly 66 and has a full head of hair.  Back in the day he had a full on, all black afro.  In high school, some of my friends didn’t believe he was my real dad (I have my Mom’s hair).  True story.

There is one thing about having hair like he does, though.  My brothers like to joke about it ’cause they inherited it too.  They call it  THE MULLET GENE.

The use of this picture has been approved by my Dad. "At least I have hair," he says when discussion surrounding his mullet arises.

Being that I am a woman, I can’t quite relate in the same way my brothers can.   But apparently it grows quite strongly back there, faster than any other part of their heads.

The things is, I am pretty sure Kierian’s got the gene.  He may look like a Vernon in all other ways, but there’s a little bit of Doyle in there too.

Not the best shot, but trust me, it's coming in quite well.

Thanks Pops for making sure we left our mark too.

May 2, 2012

A Little Something You May Not Know about Cinderella..

November 8, 2011

Imagination Getting the Best of Us

We have imaginary friends here at the Vernon household.

One is a yellow ghost (in honor of Halloween, I believe?).  It’s a baby ghost, in case you were curious.  Don’t go on thinking it might be a teenage ghost, for Christ’s sake.  And the other is a cat named Victoria.  Victoria sits in between Cora’s fingers and if there were a favorite, it would definitely be Victoria.  I only know this because Baby Ghost joins us pretty irregularly these days.

The other day, Daddy took on the brave responsibility of going to the grocery store.  With both kids.  Honestly, for those of you without kids it’s like the fucking Everest of family activities.  But he was feeling bold.

Cora now demands those ridiculous car-carts that take up entire aisles as you drive them:

Up top where the kid sits there’s a lot of room.  But when you have to put your other child in the basket where the groceries go, the cart fills up pretty quickly.  We had loads of groceries to get that day.  Kierian was quickly swallowed up by alfalfa sprouts, cereal boxes and chicken breasts.  Cora sat in the top part of the cart happy as a fucking clam or whatever the expression is.

As the cart got more and more crowded, Luke decided Cora had to share some of her space.  But as he attempted to put a few of the 500 gallons of milk we buy next to Cora, she started screaming and crying: “You’re crushing Victoria!!”  In an effort to avoid causing a scene, Luker grabbed the milk.  So the poor dear was left trying to control that ridiculous cart with one hand whilst carrying three gallons of milk in the other.

Yes folks, our imagination is definitely getting the best of us.  Well, hers of us anyway.

 

November 4, 2011

Top Ten…Things I’m lovin’ ’bout Kierian these days

1.  How loudly he is always “talking” when awake..

2.  When he smiles, how it takes over his entire face, just like Daddy..

3.  His Vernon dimples..

4.  How flat his leetle head is in the back..

5.  How obsessed he is with his hands..

6.  Him figuring out this whole sleep thing..

7.  How at 3 months he’s blown through his 6 month clothing already..

8.  How he drools so much we have to change his shirt three times per day..

9.  His adorable laugh..

10.  What a happy baby he is..

August 22, 2011

The Latest in Language Development

Cora’s thoughts on Daddy not wanting to mow the lawn due to heat:

May 10, 2011

Community

Ahhh.  Luker is finally back.  So, so happy to have him home.  For him this trip was about getting away from it all and remembering what’s important in life, as well as gaining fresh perspective.  But I feel like having him away also gave me an opportunity also to think about some things…

One of my biggest take aways from him being gone is how freaking lucky I am to have the people I have in my life.  I seriously feel like everyone from neighbors to family to friends went out of their way to make sure I was cool while he was away.

  • Auntie Bryn came all the way from New York City to spend a week with us just chillin’…

Cora is now totally obsessed with her

  • The neighbors brought me soup when I was sick
  • My Pops watched Cora a handful of times so Bryn and I could hit the town
  • Kendra and Joel had us over for dinner and to play more than they should have
  • Luke’s Mom came up and helped
  • Friends sent texts, emails and phone calls just to check in

It was seriously amazing.  I just feel so lucky.  Thanks for all your love, it definitely helped make the weeks fly by!  So glad Daddy’s Home (Ursher, Baby).

(Sorry, couldn’t resist).