Lucy Archives - Page 5 of 59

Merry, Bright

December 18, 2014/2 Comments/in bloglife, Blond, Lucy, Tate, Teddy, Trent, Work /by Megan

Oh hey there! It’s just me, lounging in front of my Christmas tree, taking selfies in my new sweater that I’ve literally worn, like five out of the last seven days. In my defense, I am officially a real, live blogger now and it’s a super cute sweater, so I couldn’t really help myself. I think it’s in the blogger code that you MUST take selfies in front of twinkle lights in cute new sweaters or they will expel you from the union.

In other news, you’re probably wondering why I’m just now saying I’m a real, live blogger since I’ve been doing this for over 10 years. Well, long story short, this is my job now. My entire job, not my part time job or my fun side project…it’s the real deal! Earlier this week Crazybananas, LLC became an actual company with a tax ID and everything! On January 1st, 2015, this blog, my photography and my freelance writing will be my profession. Try explaining that one! Seriously, try. And if you figure out how to do it without sounding like a derpy dope, let me know. So far most of my conversations have gone like this:

Me: I created a company this week! Ahhhh! I’m so excited/terrified!

Kind, Inquiring Person: Oh, cool! So what is this company? What do you do?

Me: Um, well, a lot of things actually. I’m a writer, I freelance write and I also photograph people sometimes and I design stuff. Oh and consulting! Companies come to me to learn about how to work with bloggers. And stuff. It’s pretty varied actually…

Kind, Inquring Person: *blink blink blink*

I feel like something extremely big and important is happening in my professional like, one of those “two paths diverged in a wood” moments, but I’m realizing you never understand those moments until you’re looking back on them. While you’re actually living them, all you can do is keep swimming and try to keep your head above water. So for now, I’m going to do my best to put one foot in front of the other, breathe, and do the best I can.

Thank you so much, so, so much, for all of the love, support, comments, shares and insights. I know I wouldn’t have kept blogging without readers to connect with, so you are the ones I’m grateful for today.

Of course, I’m also extremely thankful for my family who has supported me as I worked my way through this decision. It hasn’t been easy, but here we are, and I know they are behind me. Our life is far from perfect, but I really believe as long as we keep trying, it will keep getting better. So for the rest of December, I’m signing off. There are two little people who need me to take them ice skating, a giant puppy who needs to hop through the snow like a bunny, and a husband to snuggle up to. Leading up to this big change, I’ve been working on overload, and they’ve born the brunt of my crazy. I know that doing this thing will require a whole new type of work ethic, and while I’m excited and ready, I want to make sure I start with my family’s tank full to the brim. I also need my tank to be filled, and part of the reason I’ve worked toward this change for so long, is because I believe it’s the best way to do this. The family/work balance will forever be a tightrope walk for me, but I think this is one step closer to getting my feet firmly planted.

I hope you all have an amazing holiday! I challenge you to list out 10 things you are grateful for every night before you drift off to sleep. This simple practice has changed my life in every possible way. I have found when I’m looking for the good things in my life, no matter how small, the bad things have less oomph. They just don’t pack the punch they used to. So for today, I’m thankful for:

1. Tate’s successful birthday party
2. Little boys in superhero costumes in a pink, princess castle, bounce house (see #1)
3. Lucy getting through her first semester of third grade with no big problems or issues
4. Teachers who love and care for my kids
5. Other parents who love and care for my kids
6. The ability to help out others when they need it
7. My friend Mara who is currently loaning me the latest season of Doctor Who, which I’m watching while writing this (multi-tasking!)
8. The big, dumb dog snoozing at my feet
9. My husband’s distinguished, ginger beard
10. My fully completed holiday shopping, and the fact that I don’t have to go to the Mall until December 26th (thank freaking god!)

See you in a few weeks, friends! It’s gonna be a fun ride!

CB Reads : Becoming Ma and Laura

November 13, 2014/0 Comments/in Lucy, Reading /by Megan

Lulu and I have been reading again. When I talked about our reading habits a few months back, we had just started the process of finding time to read together. At the time, that meant we’d each pick up a chapter book, snuggle in my bed, and read for an hour or so each night. Somewhere along the line, Lucy shyly asked if I’d want to read out loud to her, like when she was little. Well, I’m gonna keep it real here, that didn’t sound awesome to me! BUT, she was so excited about it, and when Lucy is pumped about something, we all had better hang on for the ride. That’s how I found myself dictating chapters of “The Long Winter” by Laura Ingalls-Wilder each evening for the past month.

Now, as far as Laura Ingalls-Wilder books go, “The Long Winter” is a bit depressing. Chapter after chapter the Ingalls family hunkers down as blizzards hit their town, the food runs out, the trains get stuck, and they almost starve. Just a light, little bedtime story! But it is a Newbury Award winner for a reason, and we found a lot of joy in the little moments of this tale, like when Pa gets out the fiddle and plays along with the storm or when Ma finds a way to surprise everyone with a pie when there aren’t ingredients for one in the cupboards. When we finished and Spring finally came to the small town, Lucy actually had tears in her eyes.

A week later I found myself making an apple pie from scratch (I used this recipe) with apples we picked at the orchard. I blame Ma Ingalls. And the Ingalls family attitude has rubbed off on Lucy too. The other day, we were all in a bit of a grumpy mood when she said, “I think I’ll just be cheerful, it always helps keep spirits up when you’re cheerful!”

So I just made an apple pie from scratch. With apples we picked. From trees. I am basically Ma Ingalls. #applepie #baking #marthastewart #recipe #fall

Along with “The Long Winter,” I also just finished the Kristen Johnston memoir, “Guts.” It was soooo good. Lu and I are in the middle of “Walk Two Moons,” and we are super embroiled in the story’s mysterious tone. I’m also reading the Hilary Clinton autobiography “Hard Choices.” This look inside the workings of the 2008 campaign and the Obama administration are fascinating. This is a big hunk of a book, so I’m taking my time with it.

Lucy and I just finished two of these and are now moving on to the other two. Smart, female writers make our hearts go pitter, patter! ?????????????????????? #reading #women #love

Read any great books lately? We are looking for recommendations! I got the idea for “Walk Two Moons” from an Instagram follower. You guys are the smartest!

Farewell to Fall

November 10, 2014/0 Comments/in Fun, Kansas City, Lucy, Tate /by Megan

Newsflash: Tomorrow the high temperature is around the 30 degree mark….and the rest of the week is looking pretty much the same. It might even snow! Now, honestly, I’m kind of okay with winter coming (insert amazing Game of Thrones joke here, NERD ALERT!) this year. All the seasons have been sort of incredible, and even though I’ll be sad to say goodbye to autumn, I’m ready for warm socks, lots of movies on the couch and as much hot cocoa as I can stand. With marshmallows. Natch.

That being said, this weekend my kids were already in hibernation mode, wanting to spend every free moment in their PJs watching reruns of Pokemon. But mean mama was in full on “WE ARE HAVING FAMILY FUN TOGETHER WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!” mode, so they grumpily put on some real pants and we went for a fantastic hike in Shawnee Mission Park. This park is one of those places I like to point out to people who think Kansas is all fields and flat nothingness. Look, we have trees!

We ended up spending most of the afternoon in the park, hiking about 5 miles of beautiful trails and having a picnic in a field overlooking the park. The kids pretended they were explorers and adventurers, Tate bringing his light saber along to ward off any danger. They collected acorns and spotted winter lairs for the animals. Every mile or so we all stopped and took deep breaths, smelling the crunched leaves and filling our lungs with the mild air. It was a glorious way to say goodbye. Fall 2014, you weren’t so bad, if I do say so myself.

World’s Okay-est Halloween

November 3, 2014/2 Comments/in Fun, Lucy, Parenting, Photos, Tate /by Megan

I love Halloween. It’s by and far my favorite of all the holidays, mostly because it’s a little bit morbid, I don’t have to fight about church with anyone AND there’s an endless supply of mini-Twix that my children willingly collect for me while I just sit back and enjoy. Other things I love: costumes, tacky decorations, and watching Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow. Therefore, Halloween is officially the best!

For whatever reason, this year’s Halloween felt a little off to me, not necessarily in a bad way, just in a different way. I know our years of trick or treating are getting fewer, as Lucy is already cooler than all of us put together, so I’m sure she’ll ditch this whole crazy train at some point. But maybe not…maybe her nutty old mom can convince her to be one of those teenage trick or treaters with the garbage bags of candy. One can only dream (of mini Twix…).

Lucy was going to dress up as a “Dryad Tree Fairy,” but the very expensive costume was apparently too itchy, so she ditched it after the school festivities for a homemade “ninja costume.” Yes, she is wearing my running hoodie. And every ninja needs to make sure they are sporting some pink Chuck Taylors, to keep their enemies on their toes. Tate planned to dress up as a dog, but then found a plastic tub full of my nephews’ old costumes and immediately decided he wanted to be the robot with wings. When I realized he had no idea who Buzz Lightyear was, I first scolded myself and then promptly sat down with him to watch Toy Story. He was even more excited to then dress up as “Light Buzzyear,” as he told everyone who asked who he was.

In the Mom Fail department, I totally spaced on the day of Tate’s Halloween parade at preschool (although in my defense, if they kids have school on Halloween, why would you have the party two days earlier?!?!?), which was a major heartbreaker for both of us. Not only was he the only kid not in a costume, I had to leave and go to work while all the other moms and dads stayed with their huge cameras and their energetic smiles. The teacher had to physically remove a sobbing Tate from my arms as I left. And then I sobbed in the car, as one does when they totally ‘eff up and let their kids down. Later that day, Lulu and I went to the toy store and got Tate a little apology gift, a brand-spanking new Buzz Lightyear doll. I felt sort of weird about trying to buy his forgiveness, but since he was wearing a hand-me-down costume…scratch that, his mom FORGOT his hand-me-down costume…I figured it was okay. That’s my goal here, people, World’s Okay-est Mom. Am I winning?

Hope you had a fantastic Halloween! If you need me, just follow the little trail of mini-Twix wrappers until you get to the couch!

Eight and Some Change

October 28, 2014/0 Comments/in Lucy, Parenting, Photos /by Megan

There is something very strange about having a daughter. When you’re young, you strive for independence, to be your own person, someone who is separate from everyone and everything else. You pride yourself on your “you-ness.” You are unique, you are special, there is no one like you….and then you have a daughter.

All at once you see yourself reflected back, but it’s not so much like a mirror as it is a pond or a window. The reflection is there, but slightly different, like someone took the “you-ness” you’re so proud of and rearranged it to make a whole new being. And this new being is a lot like you. She has your eyes and your smile and your clumsy way of falling down by tripping on nothing but your own two feet. On the other hand, she’s nothing like you. She’s methodical and creative in a way you could only dream of being. She’s silly and quirky, living in that stage in between caring so very much what others think and not caring at all. She loves video games, which you despise. She likes to build things, whereas you can’t even seem to put together a Lego tower without being mired in frustration.

She is like you. But different. She’s more like herself.

And at eight years old and some change, her “her-ness” is taking over. Every day you see less and less of yourself in her face, and more and more of her. I guess that’s normal, for her to follow the same path as girls have throughout history, the path you yourself followed not so long ago. She will strive to be independent, to be her own person, someone who is separate from everyone and everything else, ESPECIALLY her mother.

But that’s part of the wonder of it all. I don’t get to have a miniature version of myself, instead I get to witness the creation of this whole new person. She is someone I’m grateful to watch grow. I watch her fall, get up, succeed, fail, laugh, cry, learn and change. She is teaching me more than I’m teaching her. And that’s the gift.

(This week I’m featuring some incredible images taking of my family by Christina Gepner of Soul Studios in Kansas City. If you’re looking for an incredible family/lifestyle photographer, Christina is amazing!)

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