Mama of 2 P's in a Pod

 I love this blog. Love what I've logged of our life together, with these amazing little people who have grown up to be amazing not so little (but still my babies) people. I will touch in every so often here. But I have started a new blog, to just add to life around us as these kids become adults etc.  Come and read me. https://frommykitchentabledodds.blogspot.com/

 Summer went by faster than I have ever seen it. Maybe this is how life is now, with grown children? Or maybe we just packed it so full, we didn't have a moment to sit down and over think things.  England was great. And not so great. Our oldest struggled some, food and textures, people and their lack of ability to be reliable or just basic good human beings. But I do believe, overall, it was worth it all and she came back with experience, core memories and a better sense of the world. I know this will just continue to make her hungry to explore more of it, and I love that. I would love to travel some of it with her too, to see it through her eyes. That is one of my favorite parts of parenting, seeing it all through their eyes. Vacation was so quick it was barely a blink and we were back in Kansas. I loved it all. I'm glad we made it a longer time away than we originally talked about. I think we all needed every single minute of it. Being able to share something we love, Disney...

 Our oldest heads to England to study abroad for a month on Saturday. A whole month. Away. Across the pond. Living in a castle nonetheless. I am so incredibly excited for her and terrified at the same time. I know this will open so many doors for her and will hopefully help her to open herself to life and new experiences. I am trying to not over think or over worry or over anything, to just let it ride and see how things go. I am so proud of her for jumping. For her willingness to do this and see what's out there. It's just so hard to have to share her. I've been very spoiled having her around and honestly she has become one of my best friends, as much as a child can be. She is still my child, grown up or not. I can't wait to see where life takes her, I hope I get to go along for part of the ride! Our youngest begins her college cheer career this week. They have their first round of insane practices. She is so excited and so ready for something that belongs to her. I am...

 We've really had to have some tough talks with our girls about setting boundaries and sadly, cutting ties. Some toxic friendships in their lives have been brought to the forefront of life, and Kris and I both feel these are things they need to know how to do, much sooner than we figured out. It's been tough, and some really hard conversations have came into play since we started giving them this guidance, including facing some of our own bullshit. That part has been hard. To not take things personally when they are doing exactly what we asked of them. I wholeheartedly admit I am a helicopter mom. I have always joked that I was the fun one, the one involved, the one there to help with whatever they need. But it has been brought to my attention that they need to fail, they need some space and quite honestly, I'm not as good as I thought. OOF. If that isn't a punch to the gut. But as the great Taylor Swift says, "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me....

The countdown is on. Our youngest graduates high school in just under 4 weeks. Our oldest will head to England in just 6 weeks, and will be studying there for right at a month. So many changes, exciting times, overwhelming times and in all, enough to make me wake up in a semi-panic mode at 4:30 every morning. So much to do. I know I will get it done, and things will go well, I just have so much to do.  This weekend is the first of the many, a fundraiser garage sale to help offset the costs of the England trip. SO MUCH TO DO. Grateful to purge all in the name of education. HOPING the garage sale crowd will come and buy! Next weekend is Prom, then the following weekend is Grad party, then the following weekend graduation...EY YI YI! It will get done, it will get done! Plus side, is I have so much more energy with the 100lbs I've lost. Kris has lost 150+. WE can do this.  Right? ~pic from our youngest's signing with local college to cheer~