Life as a Lewis

Because we're both supremely out of shape, Brian decided to take on a 7-week challenge (and I hopped along for the ride). The first week is just about getting started and making yourself work. The assignment is to do the following every day: 40 air squats, 30 sit ups, 20 push ups and 10 burpees. Sounds simple enough, right? Oh. My. Stars. I'm not sure my body has ever hurt this bad. The first day I breezed (mostly) right on through it. The second day I could hardly manage the sit ups. The third day I almost couldn't make myself even start the sit ups. Not sure why they're the hardest thing, but they definitely are. I am DREADING when we have to add something else to this routine. I'm also assuming at some point, it gets easier? Because Rory has to mimic everything in life, she jumped right on in with the exercising. She cracks me up because she is so determined.  She did all of the exercises without missing a beat. Then Addison thought she should join i...

I had two kiddos with two very different emotions Tuesday morning. Rory was bouncing off the wall, filled with excitement over Fun Day at school. Camden, on the other hand, was completely reticent. He's never a fan of the last day of school. I snapped a picture after school because, of course . (holding a picture from their first day of school)  Notice the blue teeth and lips from an after-school blue raspberry slushie. First day of school picture for comparison sake. I think Camden might be wearing the same pair of blue pants, but they're now high waters. It hasn't necessarily been a stellar first 24 hours of summer, but things will go up from here on out. This girl arrived last night and is spending the day with us. She's a pretty funny kid! This is the best I have of the 3 of them. They all move so fast, and there's not enough coffee in the world today to make me wait around for all 3 to look at the camera at once. DWTS f...

Hello, kiddos squinting from the sun. Hello, meeting a sweet Korean lady who visited our church yesterday. She was excited when I was able to tell she was speaking to her mother in Korean and kindly told me "thank you" when I mentioned Camden and Rory were South Korean. Obviously, we're the ones who are thankful to parent these two. Hello, naps on Sunday afternoon. She seems to fall asleep every Sunday afternoon; this week it was with a book. Hello, sweet scrapping friend who ran Race for Life this weekend with her daughters in honor of me and several other women. Hello, first Ladies Night at 180 Church. It was a huge success! Hello, Mother's Day Tea with Rory at school Friday. We were required to wear dresses (otherwise you would not see me in one) and many took this assignment very seriously and wore floppy hats and gloves as well. Hello, sassy pants. Hello, scrappy page. Hello, last Monday of the school year. I am going t...

Yes, it's May 15 and Children's Day was May 5. I'm behind. This Korean holiday is one that we try to celebrate, but I generally forget all about it until the day of. This year was so exception! The good news was that not only was Starbucks having Frappucino Happy Hour, but we had a free evening and really beautiful weather. When Brian got home from school, we drove straight to Starbucks - this is a HUGE treat for the kids because in our household kids do not get to drink Starbucks. :) Next we drove to Liberty Park to take a walk. Kids asked if they could just play on the playground instead, and since they were miraculously actually asking to just go play together, Brian and I sat on the picnic table outside the play area and enjoyed the weather and some kid-free talk. No judging on the kid-free talk on Children's Day ! Who am I to stand in the way of two siblings that were begging to run off and play on their own? Notice the sweat. This would be...

Addison spent a recent afternoon with us. I took all of these in about 10 minutes time, and they all crack me up. No posing, just Aunt Melissa trying to keep up with her camera! Every visit starts out with kisses on this chair. I love how Addison is looking at me like "SAVE ME!" Giving in to the inevitable. Camden's turn. Let's just ignore the fact that it is not in focus at all. Also unfocused, but how could I not include it? Guess who bought her this camera? She smiles when she takes pictures. and closes her eyes and says cheese. and makes sure Aunt Melissa (or Aunt Sissa as she calls me) is watching She thinks it's really funny to sit on Camden. And he pretends that it hurts cause he's not so tough. Typical brother not letting sister take his picture. She moves on to inanimate objects. Addison joins her. Rory taking a picture of Addison taking a picture of Ror...

Exactly one week from today my kids will be out of the school for the summer. I'm pretty sure I am not ready for this. Camden isn't ready either. He's always pretty down at the end of a school year, and this one is no different. Becky and I watched DWTS live last night so we could watch it *together.* Let's just say it's possible we're both a little too invested. And it may have kept me up last night as I internally raged against the wrong person being eliminated. :) Growing Rory's bangs out just might do me in. Oh my stars. So not fun. Although this picture makes it look kinda fun. She thinks she looks like a cheerleader because I've got the bangs pulled back with the rest of her hair in as high of a ponytail as I can get it with a bow on top. Camden wrote notes to go along with our Teacher Appreciation Gifts. This one cracked me up for some reason. We had our first experience with kids and iTunes purchases this week. To the...

Mothers Day 2014 from brian lewis on Vimeo . Brian and the kids disappeared upstairs for HOURS Saturday working on this little video they presented to me Sunday morning. It was meaningful for me in two ways. 1. Because Camden was adopted 10 years ago, none of this video was available digitally (and I haven't seen it in forever). Brian figured out how to get it online, and I love that it's at our fingertips now. 2. The things the kids highlighted why they love me are so interesting. Camden chose a rewards chart I made for him (because he was having ALOT of trouble behaving several years ago) and Rory chose the fact that I took her for ice cream after baseball practice last year (when, in reality, I'm sure that ice cream was more for me than her considering Brian and Camden were at camp and we'd been on our own for days). Basically, they chose none of the mothering moments that stand out to me (you know, the times I made the conscious choice to b...

I missed Tuesday's Tidbits and I've got multiple things rattling around in my mind so I'm just going to ramble today. This list of 30 things only an introvert will understand ? Oh, so true. And probably why I like to blog so much - you know, sharing with people without actually having to interact with them in person. Brian and I both got brand new iPhone 5s yesterday, and until our cases arrive this afternoon, I am terrified to even touch it. Before yesterday, Brian has been using the iPhone 3 so this is a HUGE upgrade for him. And those brand new phones? Completely free. Hello, being on staff at a non-profit church. Hello, tax exempt! I have been convicted and inspired by Flower Patch Farmgirl's story for the last year or so. And when I saw this video , I might have cried through it. Today is World Ovarian Cancer Day . I hate cancer. I let Rory take pictures with my phone the other day, and I found this one later. Rory taking a picture of me tak...

(Imagine "sump" said by a 2 year old in place of "jump") Rory asked if she wanted to take a nap, and so Addison laid right down. :)

So Camden did this Saturday. And Brian did this. Rory did this. I did this. and this and this and this. Hardly seems fair, right? I did actually go out and help pull weeds and helped Brian plant, mostly because it made him happy for me to be out there with him. I even got dirt under my fingernails. There's a first time for everything, I guess. And I made homemade pizza for the workers to eat when they finally finished up Saturday night. Sunday was our building dedication day (soon we're going to just have a normal Sunday with normal church services, right?), and after 90 minutes of hospitality and 2 hours of crying babies in the nursery, Rory and I left early since she started breaking out in hives. Ten minutes and a Benadryl later, and she was out for the next 2 hours. I'm thinking we're going to have to see an allergist. Camden was slightly mortified that I bought him "pink" shorts. In my d...