Martha Metzler.com

So I’m back BABY! Our trip was ah-mazing but as usual, went by WAY too quickly. There were dozens of people that I didn’t get to see that my heart so desperately wanted to see and hug. It’s always such a whirlwind when we visit because we try and see family across the state and I always have to borrow my mom’s car (high school much?) and so when I’m boarding the plane back to WA not only is my heart achey about leaving my North Carolina, it’s also achey because I start thinking about the friends that I never got to see. So I’m so sorry to you peeps, but we are trying to get back as quickly as we can! This trip was such a gift from my parents who called a few weeks ago and offered to pay for tickets for both Bud AND me because Dad hadn’t seen Bud since Christmas so I really wanted to honor that and spend some quality time with them and that’s what we did. It was really sweet to spend relaxing time with them this trip because we’re usually all over the place.

One thing that I did get to do was have a little reunion with my college roommates. I’ve had to miss the reunions the past couple of years because of the whole living across the country thing but two of us wanderers were actually back in NC at the same time so we decided to capitalize on it. We were missing three roommates (we missed you Jo, Catherine, and Cat S!) but it was still a success! These are the “McCauley girls”. We lived in an old house on McCauley Street in Chapel Hill and morphed into sisters. It was the first time I ever lived with girls other than my mother and I was……. a newbie in a sea of estrogen.

Ahhhh college. And yes, I recognize everyone is wearing cute Santa hats and I’m wearing reindeer ears. This is more fitting than you know.

But through those 3 years, I learned what it meant to be vulnerable, that it really DOES piss people off when I leave dirty dishes in the sink, how to strategically sneak in on my roommates when they are making out with their boyfriends and maniacally laugh while they shriek in shock and straighten their J.Crew blouses, and how to really care and be cared for. I still miss getting dressed to go out together blaring whatever terrible pop song was gracing our radios and sitting on the couch watching chick flicks and playing with each other’s hair….. because, yeah that happened.

We laughed at how much our lives had changed since rocking on the front porch of McCauley. Now we were wrangling children away from poison oak and hot grills instead of drinking lemon drop martinis and dancing the night away. But life is still pretty damn good and I’m so grateful we’ve all stayed in touch.

Here are the boys (and me, shock) exploring the woods

Our newest member Charlie riding the stuffed coyote… naturally.

This has to be my favorite picture from the day because it sums up how much has changed. No more picture perfect poses with the ever-so-slight head tilt but instead, we just want a damn picture where the kids are looking at the camera and we’re not having a nip slip.

Eh, close enough.

And my amazing daddy gave a hay ride for everyone, highlight of the day!

Bud and Thompson…. future loves. I’ll definitely be sneaking in and breaking up their make-out fests. But seriously, how adorable are they?! And more importantly, do they make chastity belts for boys?

Such a fun day seeing the McCauley girls and half of us are preggo AGAIN… one with their fourth… WUT.IS.HAPPENING?! The ratio of bottled waters to beer was the highest  I’ve ever bought for one of our events. Ahhh… growing up amiright? 

Bud and I are headed to North Carolina for a couple of weeks to visit family and friends since we’ll be hunkering down in the PNW for awhile when 2.0 comes around and Mama isn’t prepared to do this cross country trip with 2 kiddos. aint nobody got time for that. 

Pray for a safe trip and for Bud to sleep better this time around because I’m not sure I can handle another Christmas break situation.

On another note, Bud’s vocabulary is growing like CRAZY and so I’m going to start documenting the funny things he says. Last night we were eating supper and Sam finished his plate and Bud looked over with a super concerned look on his face and said, “Dada more! Dada more!” and desperately wanted to get Sam more food. It was adorable.

*** Also- anyone want to do some guest posts while I’m gone over the next two weeks? I’ll still be posting some of our fun NC adventures but if any readers out there want to do a guest post over the next 2 weeks just email me (marthabmetz@gmail.com) and I’ll make it happen (unless you’re a crazy person, because no). 

The past weekend was one of those that left me smiling on Sunday evening as I reflected on how our time was spent. While Monday came too quickly, I don’t think we could have enjoyed each other any more over the weekend. Does that make sense? Sometimes Monday comes and I’m like all like dammit!! we just ate pizza and slothed it on the floor! But this weekend, we made our own adventures and really soaked each other in.

Friday night Sam got home around 6ish and we all ate supper TOGETHER (this never happens b/c my man works hard for the dollaz and doesn’t get home until late) and just played until it was time for Bud to go to bed. Saturday I woke up and did a March of Dimes walk with a bunch of other phenom bloggers from Washington and yall, it was cold and rainy and awesome. I’m not lying. Ergo GENEROUSLY supplied us with purple ergos since that is the March of Dimes color and we walked it out in style.

Thanks ErgoBaby!

Then Saturday afternoon the sun decided to come out so we went on our favorite nature walk at Nisqually. I love it because its flat so Bud can actually walk instead of being in the stroller (he had already put in 4 miles in the stroller that morning so he was due a break!) and there is so much wildlife to for Bud to squeal at.

These were my Grandma’s shoes and I always feel closer to her when I wear them. I feel a little cooler, a little braver, and a little feistier when I wear them.

During Bud’s nap Sam and I decided that we should build a garden. Totally normal. So Sam went and got the supplies for the bed at Home Depot.

Then we ate at this old diner, Norma’s which is famous for its burgers and they DELIVER! We all had yummy burgers and Bud and I split a watermelon milkshake SAY WHAT?! It was so fun.

Sunday we woke up and went to the Olympia Farmer’s Market to pick out our veggie plants but the sun came out and we ended up having an awesome time just hanging out at the market. Music, dancing, lunch with my boys….. nothing could have been better.

These ladies were LEGIT…. they were so good.

Sam built the bed for the garden and then during Bud’s nap, Sam and I planted the garden and it was done by the time he woke up! I’m sure we did something else Sunday afternoon but I honestly can’t remember.

Twerk it baby….. that’s a man ladies and gents.

Finished product! Butternut squash, tomatoes, peppers, basil, rosemary, and cucumbers!

I’m loving this life with my guys and I know it’ll be even richer adding another one to the mix.

Remember when I told you our friends Ash and John were coming to visit last weekend? Well it was amazing and I’m just now posting about it because I’ve been in denial that they left us.

They got in late Friday and we kept Bud awake so that he could finally meet John. Bud was in heaven all weekend (despite some gnarly molars coming in) and LOVED Ash and John. He kept squealing, “DJOHNNY!! ASHEY!!” Man, it’s so fun to see my kid love my friends as much as I do.

Saturday we woke up and went to Pike’s Place in Seattle so that they could get a taste of that. We walked around the market and got our favorite doughnuts (Pike’s Place Bakery). Then we went to our favorite sandwich place, the Honeyhole…. please go if you haven’t. It’s like carb-love in your mouth.

We came on back, Bud took a nap and when he got up we played around the house and yard and then the grown ups headed out to downtown Olympia for supper at Basilico. Yall- if you are in the area, PLEASE go to Basilico. It was the best Italian food I’ve had.

Sunday we went to the Olympia Farmer’s Market, a staple in the Metzler household. We go there almost every weekend when its open. It was kinda bummer weather but we still made the best of it and walked around their garden and got some yummy pears and salmon. We tried to eat lunch out at Tugboat Annie’s until we got there and remembered it was Mother’s Day and so it was PACKED. As well as all the other favorite lunch places so we decided to head on back and the guys picked up take out while I put Bud down for his nap and we ate some food and just sat around talking. It was so nice to have our friends here and staying up through the night chatting about hilarious college memories and being honest w

Then when Bud woke up, it was GORGEOUS weather so we walked down to the sound which some cocktails (for the guys…. only a few more months yall) and sat by the water and just watched trains, otters, and skipped stones. We could have sat there forever. But eventually it was supper time so we headed back and grilled the salmon we got at the farmers market.

Monday we tried to do another hike but it started pouring down rain. Shocking. Then it was time for them to go 🙁

Come back PLEASE.

 

I was recently given the opportunity to review a company called Paper Culture’s baby shower invitations. I won’t lie, I didn’t have any showers immediately coming up but when I looked at their invitations, holy moly, they are gorgeous. So I called my friend Kim and informed her that with or without her permission, I would be throwing her a kickass early baby shower.

If you check out their page, they make the most adorable invitations. When I started researching what they are about, I found out that they are doing some pretty great stuff. With every purchase, they plant a tree! Plus, no new trees are cut down as each card is made from 100% post consumer recycled paper. They guarantee satisfaction and they got mine for sure.

Plus, I’m a sucker for rounded corners and they offer that for free.

So check them out if you have any showers coming up!

*Disclaimer: Paper Culture sent me the cards to review but all opinions are my own. 

Bud,

It may have come and gone in a Hallmark flash without a lot of fanfare but I don’t need a day to feel special to be your Mama. Every single day I get completely overwhelmed with love for you. I love glancing back in the car and just giggling at the sight of your innocence. I love the way you wrap your arms around me when I come to get you in the mornings. I weep at the thought of you experiencing hurt in the future that I won’t be able to fix. I laugh at the way your little body runs across a giant field as if it is just going to swallow you whole. I find a peace and a patience wash over me even in your worst tantrums because I know that you are still made of gold in my eyes.

Things are going to get a little nuts here in a few months and I just need you to know that I love being your Mama and I don’t need a brunch or glitter or a Hallmark card to be reminded that each day is a complete, lovely adventure with you. Our day was perfect just the way it was and I wanted to document all of these feelings this morning as I wait for you to wake up.

I adore you,

Your Mama

I was looking for a craft the other day for Bud and we decided on making a jungle! What you say? A jungle. I may or may not have blared “Welcome to the Jungle” from the speakers the entire time.

I wanted to get him outside in the dirt and so we went on a scavenger hunt for things to put in our jungle. Sticks, grass, flowers, dirt, rocks, Roy’s poop…. just kidding, just wanted to see if you were paying attention. And then we brought it back inside and I had put together a recycled box with a bit of that grass stuffing that people use in floral arrangements.

Then we gathered our Dollar Tree (don’t hate) toys and added all the animals or “ahm-als” as Bud calls them to our little jungle box. I added a stick through the top and glued some birds on there which he promptly ripped off in t-minus 2 minutes.

We glued a bunch of nature scenes from magazines to the sides since I was too lazy to paint the thing.

Days later, he’s still playing in it constantly. He loves it and it was a perfect blend of crafting, outside time, and now- independent play while I sneak chocolate in the kitchen make a grocery list!

So my college roomie Ashley and her husband John are coming to visit us this weekend! They are some of our best friends and it has been FOREVER since we’ve seen them. We are so grateful that they are coming and look forward to many laughs, adventures, and late night guitar on the back porch.

It’s so strange to me that Bud hasn’t really seen all four of us together because so many of our memories from the last decade of our life involve the Merritts. We saw each other fall in love, we were all in each other’s weddings, and we’ve spent more nights together than can be counted. Ash was my maid of honor, John sang as I walked down the aisle to my man (Iron & Wine’s Such Great Heights to be exact) and we were honored to be a scheming part of their engagement. They live in Jackson Hole (I know, tough life) but hopefully we can make visits more frequent.

I have probably embarrassed Ash more than she’d like, feel like John is my brother, and I love how close Sam and John are. Ash and John are pregnant and I can’t wait to meet this little nugget. I plan on showing this child all the embarrassing pictures of their parents and making sure he/she knows that Aunt Martha will be there for anything they need.

Ash is the kind of friend that I was a f^*&(#$ basketcase at her wedding. I felt like I was giving her away. Sam safety hid in the corner and shook off all responsibility for me.

you’re welcome john. you’re welcome.

YAY JOHN AND ASH!!! HURRY UP AND GET HERE!!!!!