Half-Way There

Thirty days behind me and thirty days ahead of me. Today is the mid-way point of my participation in the campaign to Tread on Trafficking. These past few weeks have provided quite a few days where I felt like the last thing I wanted to do was get on the elliptical, but with this committment in mind, I've worked hard six days a week for the past thirty days. Thanks to supportive friends and family, I'm over half-way towards meeting my fundraising goal, so thanks so much to all those who have supported Love 146 as one of my sponsors.

Lyla's Room

We moved Lyla into a big girl bed a couple weeks ago, and she's really taken to it. We're still working on putting the finishing touches on her room, but it really started looking cute when my mom came over and painted fairies on the wall that match the fairies on her bedspread.

This is the one right next to her bed...
This one is over the door to her room...

And there are a couple dragonflies next to the mirror.

We love having an artist in the family!!

Fun In the Sun

A Night Out

Last night was a fun Monday night for Mark and I. Instead of sitting at home and watching 24 (like we normally do on Mondays), we were downtown at the DAR Constitution Hall for a reception with DC United and AC Milan. It was a beautiful night to enjoy the great location of reception, and we got to mingle with both teams and a few guests.

Here I am with Ronaldinho - FIFA's World Player of the Year in 2005

But here I am this guy, Mark Simpson, who may not be FIFA's World Player of the Year but who is definitely my favorite player!
Some of my girlfriends from DC United.

It was a real treat to be out somewhere fun on a Monday night, and we had a great time!

Nina's Birthday

Yesterday evening was Nina's birthday party. She had such a great time. I told about the party and put the pictures HERE so click and view the Slideshow. Happy Birthday, Nina!

Happy Birthday, Nina!

Happy 4th Birthday to our sweet Nina! It's hard to put into words just what can be said about a little girl who changed our lives four years ago...I won't really even try. We love her immensely and are so happy to celebrate her life today. Here is a collage of some favorite pictures of her over the past year. (You can click on the collage to see it bigger.) We'll be celebrating her birthday later today, and I will post pictures from the party afterwards.

Cards That Build Character

Today we took part in my friend, Sallie's, Cards That Build Character morning. Sallie came to the Dinner Dollars to Make a Difference at our house several months ago, and she came up with a great way to do a creative gathering a her house that got kids involved. Partnering with her friend's organization, Hope Shines, Sallie invited lots of kids to her house who were all able to make cards to send off in care packages to the children served by Hope Shines. Sallie had all the supplies there at her house, and our kids got to make cards for kids on the other half of the world, and the adults got to learn about Hope Shines and how we could support their efforts. I was very grateful to Sallie for presenting us with this opportunity to learn more about an organization that is dear to her heart!

The Verdict

Although Nina did have many friends and family in her corner, supporting her desire for a dog and trying to convince her parents it's a good idea, the verdict has been handed down. At least for now... Nina, however, would like to thank all her pro-dog supporters who are not nearly as scroogey and Debbie Downer as her parents. We anticipate the chorus of Boos that will soon follow, but know that we'll be thinking of you all when the first days of freezing cold wind and snow hit and we're NOT out walking our dog. Woof Woof.

The Time Will Come

Sometimes when you have toddlers in the house, you feel like you never get a minute to yourself. You feel like your whole day consists of someone hanging on you, someone wanting to sit on your lap while you to read to them, someone wanting your attention while they display their latest trick, or someone wanting to talk and talk with you about a whole lot of not that much. Just last night, Mark and I were eating our dinner on the deck watching the kids play in the back yard when he looked over and said, "Can you even imagine the time when they won't want to have anything to do with us?" In some time in the probably not so distant future, I have a feeling we'll look back at these days wishing our kids still wanted to sit and talk with us all the time, still wanted us to see everything they were doing, still wanted us to cheer them on for their latest accomplishments, and still wanted to spend time with us the most.

I guess that means I need to take the advice of so many older women who happen to be standing in line with me at the grocery store, Target, or wherever when they look at me there with the two kids, ask how old they are, comment on their antics, and then say, "Enjoy it now. These years go so fast, then they're gone forever."

We're in Trouble

Since Nina's birthday is a little over a week away, I've been asking her what she really would like for her birthday. She has given one answer consistently - a dog. Mark and I are still holding onto the excuse of, "Let's wait until you get a little bit older," to which her response is, "I'm getting older mom, can I have a dog?" Mark and I are dog people, so if there is any pet entering the Simpson house, we want it to be a dog, we just don't want it yet. We just got out of the baby world, do we want to go back in with a puppy? I don't think so, but I have always said that I think new puppies are cuter than newborn babies. Let's be honest, don't we all? Anyway, I asked her again yesterday what she really wanted for her birthday, and again she told me a dog. I called Mark on his way into work this morning to tell him (since I forgot yesterday), as I was starting to cave a bit, but then he reminded me of all the dog hair, chewed on furniture, poopy scooping, potty training, coming home for the dog, etc. Ok, so Nina's going to have to wait another year I think. But, it would be so cute...

Mother's Day

I took these pictures of the girls on Mother's Day. I really wanted a picture with them, but Mark wasn't going to be home from his trip until late in the afternoon on Sunday, so this is what mattered to me at least - pictures of them. Our day started off hearing a good message at church about mothering without regrets (or as few of them as possible), and when Mark got home in the afternoon, I got some great cards and treats from he and the girls. Then, we went out to my mom and dad's house to have a Mother's Day dinner with the family.

I feel like a very lucky lady to be blessed with two wonderful little girls to be a mother to. I don't think I was ever the type to really aspire to being a mother. I have am amazing mother who sacrificed so much for our family, who was creative, fun, loving, and who saw the individuals within each of her kids. However, in my younger and early adult years, I never really thought I wanted to have kids when I got older. I wasn't against it completely, I just didn't think it was necessarily the thing for me. I did know in my heart though, if I ever did have kids, I'd want to take the job of being their mother seriously. I knew it was a big responsibility, and I didn't want to fall into the trap of taking it lightly. I think there are too many kids out there who grow up without a true sense of who they are because they were prodcuts of exactly that. So, I'm not sure what perception my kids have of me as a mom sometimes, I definitely don't know what others perceive of me as a mom, and sometimes I'm not really sure how I see myself in this role either. But, I will say that I don't think it really matters. I think all that really matters is waking up each day committed. Committed to God first, committed to Mark the girls, and committed to our family, friends, and the things that matter. So, I'm grateful that my mind changed about the idea of having kids. I'm very grateful for the two little girls we have, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't trade them in for the world!

Hawk Hunt 2010

Mousey's 3rd Annual Hawk Hunt took place this past Saturday. Since you have to be at least two to attend the Hawk Hunt, this was Lyla's first year going, and as usual, everyone was very excited for the big day. When Nina woke up on Saturday morning, the first thing she said to me was, "Is today the Hawk Hunt?" The girls all received neat goodies before the Hawk Hunt that included really neat nature books, some flip flops, animal stickers, a cool bug, and a wooden snake or lizard to paint. Our Hawk Hunt Hostess...

The four girls were ready for the hunt. They all brought their binoculars and backpacks that they carried their snacks and field journals in.

The littlest hawk hunter was a bit unsure at first as to what was going on, but Mousey said she caught on quickly.

Since Poppy wasn't able to be there on Saturday, Mousey enlisted a special guest to be the other chaperone (since parents aren't allowed on the Hawk Hunt) - Uncle Bo. Uncle Bo surprised all of us by being up, showered, and in Haymarket by 10:15 on a Saturday. We were impressed at his dedication to his nieces.

After the Hawk Hunt, the girls came back and did some crafts and painted their lizards and snakes. This is Lyla's lizard which she painted all by herself.

This year's Hawk Hunt was a lot of fun for the girls again. It always lives up to it's much anticipated arrival each year!

Out for a Few Days

Our internet router kicked the bucket, so while we wait for Verizon to send us another one, we'll be unable to do any posts. Supposedly, it will be here sometime on Tuesday, so we'll update the blog then.

Date Night

Last night was Mark and Nina's date night. He got home from work around 6:15, and they were out the door by 6:30 to head off to dinner, a little shopping, and a milkshake afterwards. When they got home, she tried on her two outfits for me which they decided I would like because they're outfits "like Mommy wears" (tank top and capri pants). Very cute. Lyla and I had a nice evening together also. We walked up to the playground where she swang, climbed, and played on the slide, and then she got a bath and read some books. Her type of evening.

If You Really Don't Want to Feel Bad About Yourself...

Then don't take too much to heart the portrait your daughter draws of you.

Sister Update

It's been awhile since a Sister Update, and since I took a break from family posts last week, I thought it would be good to start the week off with one. There are a lot of things that different about Nina and Lyla, but one constant remains the love of special blankies. According to the girls, the blankies talk, have feelings, get lonely when left behind, have friends, smell stinky feet when no one else wants to, tickle them, and comfort them when they're upset. I understand completely - I was a blankie carrying girl too. I really had wanted to take a picture of Nina and Lyla together, but Nina also really wanted a chance for the blankies to have a picture together, SO... meet "blankie" and "bankie." Lyla had a pretty big week. She moved from a baby nursery into the world of big girls. Her big girl bedroom furniture arrived last week, and she has taken to it wonderfully (yeah!). As Mark was setting it all up, she kept asking me, "For me? For me?" She was very excited. She is still our shy girl in public or around others outside the family, but around the house she continues to be the comic. She was cracking up Nina and I the other day because she wanted to wear this bucket around on her head. She kept knocking into things, but since we were laughing, she kept it up. She even decided reading with a bucket on her head was a good thing.

Lyla definitely is a toddler in all sense of the word when it comes to wanting what she wants, but she also has a sensitive spirit that gets upset when she's firmly reprimanded. She learns things quickly when she has the incentive to be like her sister. For example, she has a good little golf swing now because she was copying Nina, she was potty trained before she was two because she wanted to do what Nina was doing, and she wants to ride Nina's scooter and big girl bike. Mark let her ride the scooter with help, and instead of the big girl bike, she's riding her tricycle better now.

Nina will be four in a few weeks, but it seems like she's actually going to be turning five. She is getting so tall, she is smart (but of course, I'm not at all biased), and when you have her one-on-one, she's like a little companion. The type of conversations we can have just the two of us are really a lot of fun and quite interesting. Her imagination is huge, and she loves to pretend play and plays really well with friends who like to do the same. She still loves to be dressed up and girlie, but she loves to be outside riding her scooter, climbing on anything, digging in the dirt, riding her bike, etc. She has asked us a couple times if she could play on a soccer team, so since she is the one doing the asking, we're going to try to get her on a team in the fall (if her mom doesn't miss registration again). She is strong willed and doesn't get as upset about being reprimanded initially, but we're starting to see a lot more of Nina wanting lots of hugs and love after the fact, and we are more than happy to praise and love on her for all the good things she does. We have enrolled her to start a three-day a week preschool program in the fall (just 2 1/2 hours a day) which we hope she'll enjoy for the classroom experience and socializing with other kids. I'm guessing the teacher will have a little helper on her hands. In our daily school time, Nina loves to get praised for being a good student. When I tell her that I used to be a teacher, I'm not sure if she gets it. She thinks teachers all have to wear glasses and have their hair in a bun. Not so for Mrs. Simpson! :)

We love our girls and know they are truely a gift from God.

Friday Video

Friends - I'll get back to posting about the Simpson family happenings next week, but I wanted to give the time this week on the blog to devote itself to something serious - child sex trafficking. As you know from my previous post, tomorrow starts my participation in the campaign to Tread on Trafficking. I'm excited to begin the campaign, and I am very dedicated to authentically carrying out the commitments I have made to myself and others. This topic of child sex slavery is one that has plauged my mind for several years. Once you know what's going on, it's nearly impossible to erase from your mind the awareness of what is happening to so many innocent children and young people. For many, the issue of child sex slavery and human trafficking is one that you don't know much about, and it may be difficult to take in the information. As a parent of young children, it can sometimes even be intollerable to think about because inevitably you imagine the horror if something like that actually happened to my child. But here's the point I want to leave with anyone who reads this blog (yes, all three of you), those kids are someone's child. They want a life, someone to care for them, and a childhood just like my children want.

So, please take a few monents and view the videos below - especially those of you who may not know too much about the issue of child sex slavery and human trafficking. I think you'll be glad you did. Thanks for taking the time out to read and watch something that is near and dear to my heart. Happy Friday!

This first two videos are from Love 146, who is sponsoring Tread of Trafficking. The third video is a look at what one group in CA is doing in response to the domestic issue of sex slavery.

Love146 History from LOVE146 on Vimeo.

Imagine from LOVE146 on Vimeo.

Break the Chains - Human Trafficking Project from Simon Scionka on Vimeo.

Bono Says, "Get on Your Boots"

I say, "Get on your Adidas, Nike, Saucony, New Balance, or whatever you've got."

I'll be wearing this shirt a lot in the next 8 weeks, hoping to spread the word and generate some conversations about trafficking. Don't be surprised to see me in it often!

For 8 weeks - from May 1 through June 30 - I'm going to be participating in Love 146's campaign to Tread on Trafficking. Human Trafficking is now the 2nd largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world, so I'm going to be counting on the help of friends and family to do something about it.

Here's how it will work: The time I elliptical counts towards a better life for survivers of child sex slavery and exploitation. Since the unfortunate encounter with the tree 10 years ago, I won't be running to log in miles, but I will commit to being on my elliptical machine for 35+ minutes, 6 days a week for the next 8 weeks. I'm asking that you consider sponsoring me $1 for each full elliptical session. It's 8 weeks of 6-day sessions ($48) plus the last M, T in June ($2) for a total of $50. My goal is to get a minimum of 15 sponsors for a total goal of $750 raised, but I'd love to exceed my goal and have these hours on the elliptical transfer into even more help for children who have been victims of sex slavery and exploitation.

You can learn more about Tread on Trafficking and Love 146 HERE.
You can visit my sponsorship page HERE.

A Great Friday

Mark had the day off yesterday, so we decided to take a trip to Great Country Farm in Bluemont, VA. We had such a fun time. The girls loved playing on the humongous jumping pillow.

After a lot of jumping, Lyla wanted to lay down in the sun on the jumping pillow and get bounced by other kids who were jumping.

We went to the petting farm section and saw some cute baby goats, ponies, donkeys, sheep, etc.

We took a wagon ride through the farm and heard about the produce they grow.

Both Nina and Lyla loved the rope swing - no shocker there.

The big pipe slides were fun too!

Mark got to catch some fish in their catch and release ponds. This was his 4-lber.

We had a nice picnic lunch then headed back home in the early part of the afternoon.

The other part of Friday that made our day great was hanging out Friday evening and night with our friends Jill, Mark, Jonathan, and Kate. The kids all had a great time playing while we adults hung out, then they all got in jammies and got ready to head home for bed.