A new kind of goodbye

Oh man - I am so behind on blog posts!  I've literally been working on this one for a month.  Yikes.

Here's my to-do list where future posts are concerned:
birthday
new job
new additions to the home decor, etc.
cooking/Pampered Chef things

But first, I need to share some sad news and heartfelt thoughts...

About three weeks ago, I said goodbye to the family I've nannied for since moving to KC...because, they moved...to California.

Words can't really express how/why/to what extent this makes me so very sad, but I'm going to try:

First of all, I love them to pieces.  Really.  They're such wonderful people and those boys are simply the sweetest (and cutest).  From the moment we met, they immediately embraced both Bryant and I into their family, and they've been there for us ever since.  For the most part, we saw each other a few times a week for almost 2 years, whether it was just the boys and I, or all of us together for some occasion.  They became part of our "normal," our routine.

Secondly, this goodbye is different than ones I've said before.  I have babysat/nannied for several families - a couple for many years on end - and "goodbye" is never easy.  When I said goodbye to the family I cared for in Topeka, due to the fact that I was going to be spending summer breaks (and then graduating and living) in Lincoln (where I was attending college), it felt very strange.  I had known that family for 8 years - long enough to hold two of the three kids as newborns, help all three through potty-training, start helping them learn to read, etc.  Not living 5 minutes from them and spending time with them, together with my own immediate family, on such a regular basis just didn't feel right.  When I said goodbye to the sweet family I nannied for in Lincoln, because I was getting married and moving to KC, it was so, so difficult.  That family had welcomed me into their hearts and home and provided a level of genuine love and comfort in the home-away-from-home I found myself craving after graduating college and truly stepping out on my own.  I wrote about those sweet, smart, funny kiddos often in this blog!  They were a huge part of my life in Lincoln.

I'm comforted by the fact that I have continued to keep in touch with these families, both virtually and in person.  Even though some of the kiddos have grown taller than me, one is visiting colleges (*gasp*), and all are out of diapers and reading on their own (still hard to believe, though this has been true for several years, now), they still hold such special places in my heart, and I'm glad to call them friends.

What was different about this recent goodbye was the fact that I wasn't the one doing the leaving.  My life was not the one in transition, this time.  As a result of their departure on a new adventure for their family, though, my life did enter into a time of transition.  That job title had become part of my KC identity - it was the first thing outside of the home I found to do here, and it was something I absolutely loved!  Yes, there are several other pieces of my identity here, and I celebrate and embrace those, too.  It's a tough reminder, though, when people ask what I do; I no longer say, "I'm a nanny for twin three-year-old boys," because they're gone.

(Of course, this also means a dear friend (the boys' mom) is also moving away.  Good thing I've had practice maintaining long distance relationships!  Though, it's difficult to lay by the pool together, share meals, craft, and do each other's nails over the phone...)

These pictures of the boys trying to pack me in a box to take with them (I think they really thought it would be possible to do so) pretty much sum up how we feel about each other and the fact that they were moving away:

(It was too dark to take pictures inside the box, but at one point, I really was all the way in with the flaps closed.  Upon me mentioning how dark it was, one of the boys handed in his beloved Daisy Duck to keep me company.)

Of course, we had to come say goodbye to Charlie and Pepper.  (There was too much movement with sweet Pepper to catch a good picture.)

I sent them to CA with one of my beloved stuffed cats.

Our final goodbye was so hard, but so sweet.  I was crying, of course, and as I leaned into the car to give one last hug to the boys in their car seats, one of them just held my head - gently, at first, then squeezed tighter and stroked my hair.  I can't make this up - it was so, so precious.  The other was too busy wiping his own silent tears.  Though it was so difficult saying goodbye, I will cherish that tender moment for a long, long time.

As sad as we were to see them go, we're thrilled for their family and all the new opportunities and adventures to be had in CA!  Praise the Lord for technology and how easy it makes it to keep in touch!

Sadly but glad-for-themly,
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

I don't think I've posted since I've been able to announce that
I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!
My brother and sister-in-law are expecting a baby boy in March!  WOHOO!!

the time I was able to take to finally get this post finished up this morning (with a candle lit and a cat warming my lap, no less)

my sweet husband who regularly makes breakfast for me, because he's way better at mornings than I am

(Also, it's the 3-year anniversary of him officially asking me to date him!)

KC Life

Howdy ho, neighbors!

Hope this finds you well and staying warm/cool/safe/wet/dry, as applicable, in this unpredictable spring weather.  ☺

As promised, I'd like to tell you about some of the things I've found to do here in the big KC, so far:

First and foremost, I'm learning what it means to be a wife.  I love that I have the time/energy/resources to be able to put my husband first and make the most of our time together.  We realize this time in our lives is precious - we can pretty much do whatever we want whenever we want without worrying about anyone but ourselves (and the 4-legged children, of course), and we're doing our best to not take it for granted.  There's so much I could share about this aspect of life, right now, but I won't bore you with the seemingly mundane details of our day-to-day.  Just know that I'm loving making use of my previously untapped Pinterest boards and helping make our house a home.

I'm also nannying for a precious family with two-year-old twin boys.  They've stolen my heart, and I've loved spending time with them and watching the boys grow.  We found each other via Care.com (sort-of like online dating for families looking for childcare), and I'm so thankful to have met and started to become part of their family.  They've welcomed both Bryant and I with open arms, and we're so grateful.

You're probably wondering about music students, yes?  I miss teaching at the studio very much (and miss my students and coworkers even more!).  I have found one student here, though, so I have a small outlet for this part of my life through her.  I travel to their house once a week to teach her lesson on their baby grand...I know - it's rough.  ;-)  Anyway, I'm constantly meeting new people and making new connections, so I'm sure I'll find more students, eventually.  I'm just not being super aggressive about it, at this point.  If you know anyone looking for a music teachers in the KC area, though, feel free to send them my way!

In addition to the aforementioned tasks and activities, I'm helping/planning/getting ready to be in two weddings this summer - my former coopmate's and my brother's.  Both include showers, helping with invitations, dress shopping, etc., etc...and I'm loving every minute of it!  After having just done it all ourselves, it's nice to be able to help others in more, new ways...and to reminisce about our own festivities. ☺

I'll leave it at that, for now.  Bring on the questions, and as usual, thanks for reading!

Loving life,
K

P.S. You'll be happy to know I found Tinsel Tom's long lost cousins!

Favorites of the day:

garden-fresh asparagus (thanks, Mom!)

time and opportunity to lend a helping hand

couples' activities

Thank you, snow!

So...here I am...on snow day #1 1/2 (we didn't have lessons yesterday, but I nannied in the morning/early afternoon before things got bad)...enjoying the time to actually write a blog post for you all!

But really, there's not a whole lot to report...

Work is good.

The coop is good.

Church is good.

Life is good.

And I made these new vegetable recipes last night...

Coconut Oil Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli tossed in hummus, and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

...and I helped the kids (yes, kids, plural - JP was home from kindergarten yesterday - wohoo!!  We hadn't seen each other in awhile...and cherished the few hours we got to spend together...with MA, too, of course) I nanny for finish putting together the 3D puzzle I gave their family for Christmas.

Who knows what the rest of the snow day will bring!  So far, it's brought cinnamon rolls and the Today Show.  So thankful to be able to work my "day job" from home. ☺

In case I have some time to write a more substantial post in the near future, I'd like to open the floor for suggestions for blog post subjects/topics.  Ready...set...GO!

Warmly (kind-of...),
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

a whole day to be productive!!!

yoga

Skype

P.S. If you're on Facebook, check out the video I was tagged in recently...

Another smile (or two), courtesy of some sweet little ones

Hey there!

I have a few kiddo quotes that can't go without sharing:

One of my students was getting ready to play a song titled "Chimes."  He read the title (silently), and said, "Aren't those the green things you put on baked potatoes?"  I wasn't sure where he was going with that, until he said, "Oh wait - those are chives.  haha - that would've been a silly thing to write a song about!"

While driving downtown on our way to the Children's Museum, we passed a man in a suit.  My 3-yr.-old friend said from the backseat, "He looks like church!"

Another "funny" from the same little girl: 
We were eating at Noodles after visiting the museum, and after our waiter asked if everything was "noodletastic" (the kids got a kick out of his word choice), she asked, "Does he have underwear on?"  I wasn't able to keep a straight face in this situation, but composed myself enough to explain that it wasn't necessarily appropriate to discuss such things, especially in public, but that yes, it was probably safe to assume that he did.

I am increasingly amazed by the generous and talented people I am so blessed to have in my life!  This weekend, I did a small (and fun!) favor for a family whose boys I teach, and this is how they thanked me:

It's a homemade Peanut Butter Cup cheesecake with pretzel crust...and it was delivered as a surprise during a long evening of teaching.  (The other half is in my freezer.)  Though their kind words and hugs would've been thanks enough, this wasn't something I was going to turn down...  ☺

Lastly, I have a couple additions to my birthday post:
-I forgot to mention that my actual birthday started with "birthday cake" pancakes made by my roomie before she headed to work in the morning!  I'd been craving pancakes for awhile, and these were "funfetti" ones...and really yummy!
-My brother sent me a very thoughtful b-day package (that arrived after birthday week and weekend...thus prolonging the celebration ☺) that included, among other meaningful things, a capo for my guitar!

I hope this finds you all well...and gearing up for the supposed cold front!

Loving fall,
Kensy

P.S. I don't know what the highlighted background is all about...and I'm not going to retype all this to try to get rid of it.  So...enjoy it, for now!  haha  ☺  Thanks for reading!

P.P.S. I'm potentially in the market for some cowgirl boots.  Any suggestions as to where to get a fairly quality pair at a reasonable price?

Favorites of the day:

new clothes

catching up with old friends (and making new ones)

the song "After All (Holy)" by the David Crowder Band

: )

Hello!  I hope this finds you all well!


I woke up to this song, and was singing it all morning:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqh9sHTXcAI&feature=related  What a great start to the day!


Today is a "Kensy day," as defined by one of my aunts who takes a day off for herself every once in awhile.  I got back a little while ago from a walk/jog and yoga class, have the windows open and an "Autumn Apple" candle burning, laundry is being washed, and I'm sipping a smoothie...and Charlie is in my lap.  Doesn't get much better than this.  : )  Plans for the rest of the day include checking many items off my to-do list, having a phone date with my brother, making a Creamy Pesto Chicken pasta dish, and teaching some lessons this evening!


I have a few things to share from each of my jobs:

• When I was nannying the other day, the 2-yr.-old little girl's hair was crazy when she woke up from her nap.  I told her we should fix it, and she asked specifically for a ponytail that was low so it wasn't too tight, in so many words.
• A student at the studio was telling me she'll probably have to get braces and "one of those container things that stretches your teeth."  I said, "You mean a retainer?"  "Oh...yeah."
• Duties to add to my "music librarian" job description:
• candy dish monitor
• fish tank light bulb changer
• keyboard fixer (this only goes as far as blowing large amounts of dust/cat hair/etc. out from in between the keys)
• At our Arts Inc. staff meeting this week, the birds were roaming the table (not unusual), and one was walking on a piece of paper that was hanging over the edge of the table.  He didn't realize the table ended under the paper, and fell off in a flurry of feathers and growling/barking/squawking.  Don't worry - he went unharmed and was back to trying to sip others' pop and coffee in no time.
• The student who asked why I wear my wedding ring on my toe gave me this last time I saw him: 

In other news, since it's my birthday month, I've been signing up for and receiving a multitude of free stuff...mostly from restaurants.  I'm not going to have to cook for myself all month!  : )


Time for lunch!  Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!


Satisfactorily,
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

I think these go without saying : )

True confession of a cat owner

Howdy!


(If you're not going to read this entire post, please at least watch the video in my "favorites of the day" section!)


I just have a couple Charlie pictures to share, really quick:

Don't know if you can see the little lady bug (or Asian beetle) to the right of Charlie on the scalloped wood, but Charlie is hunting it.

The hunt continues...this kept him entertained for quite a while!

Now, I'm going to share something that may cause you to judge me.  I always thought this concept was silly and frivolous.  After adopting Charlie and deciding he'd be an inside cat, however, I decided to try it.  I wanted him to be able to be outside, but didn't want to leave him there unattended, because who knows when he'd decide to come back in...and there are stray cats and dogs and coyotes in VERY close proximity to the coop.  


So, my confession: I walk my cat.  Go ahead - take a couple seconds to laugh, etc., and when you've composed yourself, let me explain further.


Charlie absolutely loves it!  Granted, the first time I put his little harness on, he couldn't figure out how to walk, so he sat down and fell straight over like a statue (it was the funniest thing!).  Once we got outside, though, he was more interested in all the new sights, sounds, and smells.  Now, he's all about prowling/walking around (though I still have to drag him if I want to go anywhere), rolling in the dirt, climbing little trees, and he cries when we come back inside.  Here he is modeling his harness:

Front

Side

Underneath

Isn't he a good kitty to pose like that without even being asked?  : )


Furthermore, I have some video footage that supports cat-walking (thanks to my mom for drawing my attention to it!).  It's a pretty hilarious clip, whether it's meant to be or not, so you should probably watch it: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7362302n&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsGamecore+(GameCore%3A+CBSnews.com)

I almost feel like "the crazy cat lady" in posting so many pictures of/stories about Charlie, but I also know many of you would be happy if that was the only thing I wrote about.  So, my apologies to those non-cat lovers out there, and "you're welcome" to the rest of you.  : )


One more unrelated story to share: When I was nannying yesterday, the little 1 1/2-year-old girl took my hand and said something that sounded like, "Peace."  I said, "Peace be with you?" and she lit up and excitedly said, "Mmhmm!!"  I shook her hand and said, "And also with you."  : )


Enjoy the day,
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

this drama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSwCOs-uXzU  (They did it at church on Sunday, and I was in tears.  I'd seen it before, but it gets me every time!)

fruit