It was a fabulous 9 days but also very exausting. I will try to get a post up tomorrow with pics from each day. We did so much cool stuff and really enjoyed the time with the kids. BUT it was very stressful with two kiddos in the car for 12 hours...both ways and trying to deal with different food, nap times, heat...EXAUSTING!!
I am happy to be home but also sad to be away from the beach. It was so much better than i remember. We will be going beck very soon. I refuse to wait another 5 long years. The beach was amazing until the jellyfish came to visit and our condo was perfect until the last day when the neighbors from hell moved in....that will be a post all of its own.
For now everything is unpacked, i have caught up on blogs and emails, and my hubby is sleeping and i am ready to lay my head down for sleep..if only i had my pillow....rats we forgot it at the condo!
Regressing again...good night everyone...hope you had as wonderful of a week as i have!
Guess i will be using an old standby memoryfoam...i will be getting a new pillow later this week. I have to have a soft cuddly pillow!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Never Enough Time
I read blogs daily but still never seem to make the time to post myself. Summer is flying by so fast. It is sad, i just want to S-L-O-W it down some. Many things have happened since i last wrote over 2 weeks ago. Two big things are that i finished school (for the summer) and my hubby has been offered a kick ass job. Both very, very important. I am thrilled for the prospects this job might have for our family. My husband can work in a bigger company with growth opportunities, good pay, bonus possibilities, yearly raises, OVERTIME...and better benefits. All things our family desperately needed.
This job is going to allow me to finally be a real stay at home momma again. I am so excited about this prospect i could cry. With school, the daycare, and everything else i have been so overwhelmed. I feel like all sided are constantly needing something. This might give me the opportunity to catch up and enjoy my family and concentrate on them and finishing my last year of school. Then once i find a "career" next year then we will be set...so much more comfortable. I can't even imagine!
We are going to stay in this house until i find a job next year but we can start paying off all our bills and hopefully get debt free..except our house! I am over the moon, can you tell?? This is so important, he is waiting on the formal job proposal but they already told him he was their guy!
On to other things, i have been starting to pack for our trip to Florida. I can't believe how much STUFF you need for a toddler and a 6 year old to keep them happy, clothed, and fed for a week. I do have a van but we have 5 people going on this trip..i am trying hard to pack light without lots of clothes..i figure we can and will wash them at the condo. I am interested in seeing the kids face when we get to the ocean, the look when sand touches the soles of their feet. The grimace when they get salt water in their mouth for the first time...all the firsts a beach hold.
Also, i am thrilled to think about all the photo opportunities i will have with my family. One week of nonstop photo taking opportunities. Hope i remember the laptop so i can keep everyone updated. I better go put it on the list.
Above are some pictures of Grant and Hailey i took at the library today. They have gorgeous flowers and cool stonework perfect for a photo shoot. if it wasn't so hot today i think we would have had even more great pics but the kid's were troopers. I love these pics, i know i can take good pics but i have problems getting the lighting right. I am reading some books now trying to get it right. I have never messed with F-stops, apertures, etc...i am trying to figure it out and how to make it do what i want. I am hoping vacation will give me the opportunity to do just that. Hope everyone is having as great of a summer as i am!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Happy 2nd Anniversary baby(It's been a great 9 1/2 years)
Today, June 2, is our 2nd wedding anniversary. Our wedding was perfect everything i had always dreamed about. It was 150 degrees outside, our flowers kept breaking, or DJ wore blue jeans(formal attire only), and our cake was lopsided but we could have cared less. I still remember how nervous i was and excited to finally be his wife. I had waited over 7 years for that day and i was ready for it. I remember a relief flood ove rme once we said our vows and walked out of the church...it seemed like i walked on clouds for weeks and weeks afterwards.
Jason was and still is the most wonderful daddy. After hailey was born he was so supportive and doting and i was ready for more of his children. Everytime i look at our son i think i made the right choice. Our honeymoon baby has made me respect his daddy even more. Jason is even a better daddy now with two kids. He is more patient, kind, and loves roughhousing with them. He is rough and tough and expects perfection but has this sweet, kind side.
Being married is like being a parent, it takes lots of hard work! Jason is a hard worker and "allows" me the opportunity to stay home and raise our children. He also has tolerated all my years of night school so we can provide abundantly and support our family.
Saturday we went out together to a bar for only the second time since being together and it was fabulous. I felt like we were dating again. I loved being with him and being by his side reconnecting. We are trying to schedule more mommy and daddy time and bring our marriage front and center and keep it there.
I am hoping that over the years through the good and the bad we will always come back and work on making each other happy. Sometimes it is easy to go about our daily lives and focus on things that are not important or to focus only on our children. But to keep your children happy you first must have a solid relationship. We are constantly working on this and trying to create a perfect balance. Thank you baby for two great years of marriage and almost ten years of happiness. You are my soulmate and i am so happy you chose me!!
Jason was and still is the most wonderful daddy. After hailey was born he was so supportive and doting and i was ready for more of his children. Everytime i look at our son i think i made the right choice. Our honeymoon baby has made me respect his daddy even more. Jason is even a better daddy now with two kids. He is more patient, kind, and loves roughhousing with them. He is rough and tough and expects perfection but has this sweet, kind side.
Being married is like being a parent, it takes lots of hard work! Jason is a hard worker and "allows" me the opportunity to stay home and raise our children. He also has tolerated all my years of night school so we can provide abundantly and support our family.
Saturday we went out together to a bar for only the second time since being together and it was fabulous. I felt like we were dating again. I loved being with him and being by his side reconnecting. We are trying to schedule more mommy and daddy time and bring our marriage front and center and keep it there.
I am hoping that over the years through the good and the bad we will always come back and work on making each other happy. Sometimes it is easy to go about our daily lives and focus on things that are not important or to focus only on our children. But to keep your children happy you first must have a solid relationship. We are constantly working on this and trying to create a perfect balance. Thank you baby for two great years of marriage and almost ten years of happiness. You are my soulmate and i am so happy you chose me!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
girl cheese NOT grilled cheese
We had a lazy dinner tonight of soup, grilled cheese, fruit, and green beans. While Hailey and I were eating i started feeding Grant bites of the grilled cheese because it had been to hot to eat earlier. Hailey started giving me these mean looks.
I ignored them for a minute until finally i asked her what her problem was. She angerly says "mom, it is girl cheese and it is NOT for boys". She told me!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
My son is 15 months old (only 1 week late)!!
He loves to talk on the phone just like his momma!
My messy boy playing outside and eating a snack!
We have been remodeling our room and grant loves all the boxes. 
He really is the big man on our campus!
I can't believe how big our baby boy is!He is growing fast. We had our appointment on Tuesday and it went very well. Grant is finally back on track with his growth curve. His weight is 23 pounds...up almost 4 lbs. since his 12 month appointment! Woo-hoo!! He is around 35-40ish percent on his growth curve. His height is around 25% of kids his age at 30.75". His head was 48 cm which is around the 50%. All good news. The doctor was very happy with his growth. It seems that the tubes and lack of ear infections has made him all better.
His speech is still a little behind where we would like but he is progressing. He should be saying around 5-8 words at 15 months and he isn't quite there yet. We decided that we would recheck his speech at his 18 month check-up and see if he has caught up by then. If he doesn't catch up then our doc said he would refer us to the local first steps for assessment and possibly therapy. We are hoping he catches back up on his own. He is very bright and understands everything, he just isn't very verbal. I have tried to keep myself from comparing him to hailey knowing that gender, birth order, and his sicknesses all play a part in why they are different but it is hard. Hailey was doing so much already and ahead of most kids her age...i have to stop myself from beating myself and being frustrated with it all.
Also, we have decided that grant has a milk intolerance, not a huge problem or a full blown allergy, but still something to be monitered. With some research i found out that ear infections, diarrhea, belly aches, ezcema all are signs of milk problems. He has had them all. So we have switched his formula to soy but we have the okay to start weaning him off it now that his weight is better. He gets soy milk and loves it!!! He still can have milk products but we limit them and try not to give him large amounts at a time. Also when he does get milk products i have been monitoring how he acts afterwards-how his excema looks and if he is crabby, gassy, loose stools, etc. The doctor says if it gets worse then we can give him a pill that helps him digest lactose better.
Our doctor says that normally he doesn't do an 18 month appointment but so that we can monitor his weight, speech, and milk intolerance we will have an appointment then. Tuesday we got shots done and grant did very well. He only wimpered and stopped crying quickly. I think he was a trooper.
Grant has been starting to become a big screamer. He has lungs that can rival any girl i have ever heard. I haven't figured out a way to get him to stop but my eardrums are really suffering. He loves to be outside(what kid doesn't)and push his lawn mower or play with sidewalk chalk(while eating it). I can't wait to get a slippy slide/pool and see his face. He loves to play his piano or any intrument.
He is like a tornado and runs through the house tearing up anything he can as quickly as he can. He never plays with one thing for very long. He prefers anything techie over toys. He loves the remote, computer, and especially the cell phone. He loves toys that are soft especially his blankie and stuffed monkeys. He throws a ball well and climbs as often as possible. He is starting to learn body parts and animals. At least how to point to them when i say what they are. He is my cuddle bug and loves his daddy so much screaming daddy as soon as he is home.
I. never. wanted. a. son. BUT HE. IS. THE. BEST. THING. IN. THE. WORLD!! On the day i found out he was in fact a boy i was disappointed for about 4 seconds then i realized he was still mine, all mine. Every day when i wake up i can't imagine anything else so perfect. My daughter tried to trade him in for a girl baby in the hospital nursery but i am so happy they wouldn't let her (; He makes everyday an adventure and has given me the daily exercise i need. He makes me laugh and smile everyday and shopping for him isn't that bad either.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Nutrition 376- Hi everyone
Hi, nutrition class...this is my website that has me blabbing in a blabbery kind of way about all my daily nonsense. It barely makes sense at times and shows all my ways that can be a little crazy at times.
I have a bio on the right hand side of the page and other websites i run if you want to poke into my history a bit further...nothing interesting here except a web of family members that even i can't keep straight. I am hoping for you to stop by anytime and leave a comment. I only have 2 readers outside my close family so any advice would be much appreciated. I love adding pictures of my children and talking about my busy life that has me running around like a chicken.
I am only 26 hours from graduation and 6 of them i am taking this first summer session. One is our nutrition class, i am very excited about, and the other is a CIS class...not sure which one but it is advanced Excel and Access, not so excited about that one. I graduate in the spring with a degree in Management-emphasis on Human Resources. I previously have associate degrees in Accounting and Early Childhood Education...yes interesting combination.
I love to learn and have used all my schooling for various things just not much in the working world. I am a wife and mother first then a full-time student. I am quickly approaching 30..ouch...but really don't mind getting older. I feel much wiser now and not worried as much about what everyone else thinks of me. This is me and i lay it all on the line.
Hopefully we have a good time in this class and can make it fun and not so serious. I want to do well and learn a lot but not in a stuffy way like many online classes end up being. I look forward to reading all of your websites also. See you soon...
I have a bio on the right hand side of the page and other websites i run if you want to poke into my history a bit further...nothing interesting here except a web of family members that even i can't keep straight. I am hoping for you to stop by anytime and leave a comment. I only have 2 readers outside my close family so any advice would be much appreciated. I love adding pictures of my children and talking about my busy life that has me running around like a chicken.
I am only 26 hours from graduation and 6 of them i am taking this first summer session. One is our nutrition class, i am very excited about, and the other is a CIS class...not sure which one but it is advanced Excel and Access, not so excited about that one. I graduate in the spring with a degree in Management-emphasis on Human Resources. I previously have associate degrees in Accounting and Early Childhood Education...yes interesting combination.
I love to learn and have used all my schooling for various things just not much in the working world. I am a wife and mother first then a full-time student. I am quickly approaching 30..ouch...but really don't mind getting older. I feel much wiser now and not worried as much about what everyone else thinks of me. This is me and i lay it all on the line.
Hopefully we have a good time in this class and can make it fun and not so serious. I want to do well and learn a lot but not in a stuffy way like many online classes end up being. I look forward to reading all of your websites also. See you soon...
life is full of our everyday things
My day has been very full but productive. I got my van cleaned..at least on the inside. I vacuumed, washed the windows and shined up the leather. It looks pretty good. Didn't make it to the outside yet but hope i will have time tomorrow before the rain to at least get the bugs and dirt off it from soccer this week.
Grant seems to be doing better. His fever broke and his poopie seems back to normal. He is still drooling and chewing everything but his teeth have all broke through the skin so i assume he is better now. Grant has his appointment on Tuesday and i will be able to see if we can take him off the formula.
I am nervous about it because he is attached to the bottle but i know it is time to get rid of it and the formula...i don't want him to be one of THOSE kids and i worry about rotting out his teeth falling asleep with a bottle every night. Hailey was breatfed and she weaned easily at 10 months and i didn't have to worry about bottles she easily went to a cup...hmmm... He drinks out of a cup with his juice and soy milk so i just need to up those things while decreasing the formula...and more solid foods which he isn't liking very much but then again he has been sick. How are you supposed to get a routine when things are constantly changing???
Hailey has been having some problems as well at home and at school. She is doing very well on learning and reading and all that. BUT she has been starting to lie to her teachers and to us...it isn't about anything important not that lying is ever good but it is about things she wouldn't even get in trouble about....I don't know what to do about it. We have tried being nice, we have tried punishments...nothing is working.
At least once a week she is getting in trouble at school for lying!! Today she lost tv, coloring, must finish cleaning her room, and has to write "i will not lie" 75 times. Last time we made her write it 50 times....Do you have any suggestions for me...i don't want to punish her i just want her to learn to do the right thing...lying is wrong! I have even tried showing her in the bible what Jesus says about lies...nothing is working. I am getting frustrated. What have you done to stop your kiddos from lying?? Should i spank her?? I don't feel like that is the answer..i don't like to spank but i am to my wits end...H-E-L-P!!
Grant seems to be doing better. His fever broke and his poopie seems back to normal. He is still drooling and chewing everything but his teeth have all broke through the skin so i assume he is better now. Grant has his appointment on Tuesday and i will be able to see if we can take him off the formula.
I am nervous about it because he is attached to the bottle but i know it is time to get rid of it and the formula...i don't want him to be one of THOSE kids and i worry about rotting out his teeth falling asleep with a bottle every night. Hailey was breatfed and she weaned easily at 10 months and i didn't have to worry about bottles she easily went to a cup...hmmm... He drinks out of a cup with his juice and soy milk so i just need to up those things while decreasing the formula...and more solid foods which he isn't liking very much but then again he has been sick. How are you supposed to get a routine when things are constantly changing???
Hailey has been having some problems as well at home and at school. She is doing very well on learning and reading and all that. BUT she has been starting to lie to her teachers and to us...it isn't about anything important not that lying is ever good but it is about things she wouldn't even get in trouble about....I don't know what to do about it. We have tried being nice, we have tried punishments...nothing is working.
At least once a week she is getting in trouble at school for lying!! Today she lost tv, coloring, must finish cleaning her room, and has to write "i will not lie" 75 times. Last time we made her write it 50 times....Do you have any suggestions for me...i don't want to punish her i just want her to learn to do the right thing...lying is wrong! I have even tried showing her in the bible what Jesus says about lies...nothing is working. I am getting frustrated. What have you done to stop your kiddos from lying?? Should i spank her?? I don't feel like that is the answer..i don't like to spank but i am to my wits end...H-E-L-P!!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Maniac Monday
Well today has been quite busy around here. Grant has been under the weather with a slight temperature, little bit of the poopies, and some major drool.
He has all of his teeth until he is about 6....but his eye teeth are only 1/2 way in. I am assuming it is those teeth that are causing most of the problems but i am not sure about the fever?? Hailey just got over a yucky little stomach bug that only lasted a couple of days so maybe that is it. Don't you wish we could just fix them up quickly. He is snoring on the couch next to me..it is so sweet! Hopefully he will get over whatever it is very quickly.
I got signed up for my other class, so i am in two classes now!! I havent looked online but i assume the one started today! The other starts tomorrow night...i should be very busy again for the next five weeks.... I took the kids this morning with me to get my books..bad idea! Grant crabby and into everything! He is not as easy of a toddler as hailey. He is into everything!!! ALL BOY!!!
My loans hadn't went through for summer yet so i had to get a book loan and that took soooo long. It was like they have never done this before. I have never seen a college so unorganized. I miss the efficiency of Ivy Tech...yes i know they were smaller but everythign always went smoothly there.
Anyways..got all that doen then went to eat and no changing table in the bathroom at Subway. I hate that. It is very hard to change a child standing up...i hope it was on all the way and not crooked or i might end up with poo leaking down his leg tonight.
Then we had to get food for the dinner with hailey's girl scouts troop tonight. I have less than an hour and haven't even started on it...and i haven't ironed on the last 50ish patched she has gotten....i better get off here and get moving!
P.S. mother's day was great for me..but my sister-in-law had a rough day. I don't want to go into details but my brother is a jerk and is treating her very badly. Pray for her safety and happiness and for her 4 kiddos to not see all of it.
He has all of his teeth until he is about 6....but his eye teeth are only 1/2 way in. I am assuming it is those teeth that are causing most of the problems but i am not sure about the fever?? Hailey just got over a yucky little stomach bug that only lasted a couple of days so maybe that is it. Don't you wish we could just fix them up quickly. He is snoring on the couch next to me..it is so sweet! Hopefully he will get over whatever it is very quickly.
I got signed up for my other class, so i am in two classes now!! I havent looked online but i assume the one started today! The other starts tomorrow night...i should be very busy again for the next five weeks.... I took the kids this morning with me to get my books..bad idea! Grant crabby and into everything! He is not as easy of a toddler as hailey. He is into everything!!! ALL BOY!!!
My loans hadn't went through for summer yet so i had to get a book loan and that took soooo long. It was like they have never done this before. I have never seen a college so unorganized. I miss the efficiency of Ivy Tech...yes i know they were smaller but everythign always went smoothly there.
Anyways..got all that doen then went to eat and no changing table in the bathroom at Subway. I hate that. It is very hard to change a child standing up...i hope it was on all the way and not crooked or i might end up with poo leaking down his leg tonight.
Then we had to get food for the dinner with hailey's girl scouts troop tonight. I have less than an hour and haven't even started on it...and i haven't ironed on the last 50ish patched she has gotten....i better get off here and get moving!
P.S. mother's day was great for me..but my sister-in-law had a rough day. I don't want to go into details but my brother is a jerk and is treating her very badly. Pray for her safety and happiness and for her 4 kiddos to not see all of it.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Schools over ....until tuesday (:
One more semester has bitten the dust. Unfortunately i don't have three months of blissful vacation time ahead like most other students...i have as of today 4 days...but the good news is i only have two summer classes for a five week span then i am done. I am taking an advanced Excel and Access class and a nutrition class(that i am really excited about). Then i have two months of summer with my family and kiddos.
I figure if i get these two classes finished now i won't have so much of a workload over the next year which is my last year of college..at least for this degree..LOL!! It will give me the chance to only take a max of 10 credits for the next two semesters to graduate instead of having to go 12 or more....i am thankful for that. I am looking forward to days of sleeping in with my kiddos, playing noutside till dusk, and visiting all our local kid friendly summer fun places.
BUT most of all i am looking forward to FLORIDA!!! We haven't been in five long long years....hailey was the same age as grant will be this summer. We are interested in seeing how he reacts differently from her. I am so thankful we have the camcorder to capture all these moments. We had one when hailey went to florida with us last time but after that it broke..and we just got another one last summer...i am thrilled can't you tell!! I need a week of relaxing and beach..swimming...sun...fish...sushi...shrimp...oysters...food in general (: and most of all 100% family time...just us!! I am tolerating the next five weeks of school because i know that vacation is immediately afterwards...it can't come soon enough!
I figure if i get these two classes finished now i won't have so much of a workload over the next year which is my last year of college..at least for this degree..LOL!! It will give me the chance to only take a max of 10 credits for the next two semesters to graduate instead of having to go 12 or more....i am thankful for that. I am looking forward to days of sleeping in with my kiddos, playing noutside till dusk, and visiting all our local kid friendly summer fun places.
BUT most of all i am looking forward to FLORIDA!!! We haven't been in five long long years....hailey was the same age as grant will be this summer. We are interested in seeing how he reacts differently from her. I am so thankful we have the camcorder to capture all these moments. We had one when hailey went to florida with us last time but after that it broke..and we just got another one last summer...i am thrilled can't you tell!! I need a week of relaxing and beach..swimming...sun...fish...sushi...shrimp...oysters...food in general (: and most of all 100% family time...just us!! I am tolerating the next five weeks of school because i know that vacation is immediately afterwards...it can't come soon enough!
Friday, May 1, 2009
My son- almost 15 months old..so we needed new pics!
He is such a handsome man and has grown so fast over the past three months.
I can't wait until his apt. to see exactly how much.
He has went from 9-12 month clothes to not fitting in most 18 month clothes
in less than 3 months...i am in awe and so is my wallet (; I love his very high pitched girlie scream, i love his eagerness to please and help with laundry, i love his curiosity and abillity to climb or find a way to get into trouble everywhere he goes. I love how he carries a baby around the house and loves on it. I love how he signs more when he wants something. I love how he says mama, dada, baby, dog.....i just love everything about him!
Soccer and Easter pics
Kicking the ball...G -O Hailey
She is really starting to get into this.
Our family pic 2009
Daddy and hailey
Daddy and grantI am loving all these pictures. Hailey is loving soccer and i love the fact that she is getting so much exercise and enjoyment from it.
Easter was so amazing. I looked back at pictures from last Easter, right after Grant was born, and i am so happy to know how much our family is growing. I am so happy to have my husband, son, and daughter. They are all very important to me and brighten my day.
A nice Easter surprise
On Easter we noticed that some birds had finally laid their first egg in a tree close to our backdoor...on a very low branch. I explained the miracle of life to my six year old...and finally this week the babies were born...four little bundles of fuzz...we get to watch the mommy feed them worms and bugs every day from our kitchen...it is really awesome!! Just wanted to give you a quick peek into the little miracles going on at our house!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Pictures
Our computer is still down. no pictures...no videos...i have so many i want to show you but for now we are out of luck. I don't like putting them on the laptop. So you will have to wait. Hopefully by next week when i am done with school i can upload a bunch of them, if we get the desktop fixed by then. Yesterday we went to sunshine park and all along the river walkway and took some pictures of the kiddos. Instead of forking out hundreds of $$ for Grant's 15 month pics i figured i coul take them and print them out for everyone. I haven't seen them yet except on the camera but i have over 250 pics so i am sure there has to be some cute ones. Hailey took amazing pics..i love it!! You'll see them soon enough, i promise!!
Sun shiny day
It's a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day!! I have been out enjoying my family for the weekend. Lots of special time just talking to my kiddos, taking pictures(soon to come), playing at the park, and getting some sun(burn). The sun is shining and my spirit is high! I am very excited for my last week of class to hurry and get over and finals to quickly pass next week. Meaning that my kids will have more undivided attention and more time for what makes us happy as a family.
I have decided to make my family happy i need to cut out the computer some. I spent so much time being wrapped up in my "virtual world" and my bloggers lives that i was letting mine go just a little. I am busy enough without all my blogs and social websites. Spending hours looking at them only takes away from my family and what little precious time i have every day. I have learned so much from my bloggers stories and the balancing act their parents have to do.. and i will never stop reading, but i have to live my own life.
I am so thankful for my health, my husband's health, my children's health, and all the the joy they bring to me. Over the past couple of weeks i have been working on strenghtening my marriage and relationship with my husband and children. It seems like sometimes we are so used to doing things seperately that it becomes the norm and it can be difficult to get back to the four of us for family time. Turning off the TV and getting out and spending time together. It doesn't have to cost money it just needs to be us together...and only us!! I miss my husband vey much...before kids we spend 24-7 together and now it seems like a struggle just to get a minute together. We are both consiously trying to make time for togetherness both with and without the kids.
School has taken up so much of our time that i feel like every second i am either studying or doing housework that i couldn't do because of school. Relax time is rare...but i have decided i can skim some time away from the internet and use it for my family time. I was using the computer to wind down or relax instead of spending it with my family. For the past two weeks i have been checking emails only once a day or less and it is amazing how much more i am getting accomplished and how much more connected i feel with my husband and children. I am a stay-at-home mom but rarely do i have/make time to just spend enjoying my children. I miss that one=on-one time and know that my children crave it.
I now have more time for my husband and children..time to play games, cuddle up and have family movie night, or go to the park and play. It is fabulous and seems to be really helping. I am trying to put them first and myself second. I think it is very important to make them a priority. I still want to take time for myself but just smaller pieces of my day. I want my kids to remember their childhood and all the times we did things together...i want them to remeber all the family gathering, games, jokes...togetherness!
Hailey and i volunteered on Saturday at the Rescue mission and served dinner. It was truly a humbling experience. After hearing their stories you want to do more. So many think of the homeless as crack heads and worthless people and that is not the norm..not at all! I was worried at first if it would be okay taking a 6 year old girl to a men's homeless shelter at night..in downtown...with all men...but it was so great to see how she did and the friendliness of all the men. When we first showed up the men were listening to church and worshiping...the music was wonderful to hear. It made hailey's eyes light up!
Then once we started serving dinner the men were very excited to see a child there helping They truly appreciated it and seemed like for a second they forgot where they were. They said "thank-you" and hailey said "your welcome" ..and some small talk also. It was hard for me seeing that when the food ran out the people were still hungry and we had nothing to give them. One of the servers didnt clean the potatoes out of the spoon and one man was so upset about it..that could have been enough to fill his belly. We have decided that when ever we can we are going to take them dessert. We can't afford to feed them all but i don't see why we can't give them some brownies or cupcakes on occassions to make their day a little sweeter. It's gonna be a sun shiny day..i can feel it!
I have decided to make my family happy i need to cut out the computer some. I spent so much time being wrapped up in my "virtual world" and my bloggers lives that i was letting mine go just a little. I am busy enough without all my blogs and social websites. Spending hours looking at them only takes away from my family and what little precious time i have every day. I have learned so much from my bloggers stories and the balancing act their parents have to do.. and i will never stop reading, but i have to live my own life.
I am so thankful for my health, my husband's health, my children's health, and all the the joy they bring to me. Over the past couple of weeks i have been working on strenghtening my marriage and relationship with my husband and children. It seems like sometimes we are so used to doing things seperately that it becomes the norm and it can be difficult to get back to the four of us for family time. Turning off the TV and getting out and spending time together. It doesn't have to cost money it just needs to be us together...and only us!! I miss my husband vey much...before kids we spend 24-7 together and now it seems like a struggle just to get a minute together. We are both consiously trying to make time for togetherness both with and without the kids.
School has taken up so much of our time that i feel like every second i am either studying or doing housework that i couldn't do because of school. Relax time is rare...but i have decided i can skim some time away from the internet and use it for my family time. I was using the computer to wind down or relax instead of spending it with my family. For the past two weeks i have been checking emails only once a day or less and it is amazing how much more i am getting accomplished and how much more connected i feel with my husband and children. I am a stay-at-home mom but rarely do i have/make time to just spend enjoying my children. I miss that one=on-one time and know that my children crave it.
I now have more time for my husband and children..time to play games, cuddle up and have family movie night, or go to the park and play. It is fabulous and seems to be really helping. I am trying to put them first and myself second. I think it is very important to make them a priority. I still want to take time for myself but just smaller pieces of my day. I want my kids to remember their childhood and all the times we did things together...i want them to remeber all the family gathering, games, jokes...togetherness!
Hailey and i volunteered on Saturday at the Rescue mission and served dinner. It was truly a humbling experience. After hearing their stories you want to do more. So many think of the homeless as crack heads and worthless people and that is not the norm..not at all! I was worried at first if it would be okay taking a 6 year old girl to a men's homeless shelter at night..in downtown...with all men...but it was so great to see how she did and the friendliness of all the men. When we first showed up the men were listening to church and worshiping...the music was wonderful to hear. It made hailey's eyes light up!
Then once we started serving dinner the men were very excited to see a child there helping They truly appreciated it and seemed like for a second they forgot where they were. They said "thank-you" and hailey said "your welcome" ..and some small talk also. It was hard for me seeing that when the food ran out the people were still hungry and we had nothing to give them. One of the servers didnt clean the potatoes out of the spoon and one man was so upset about it..that could have been enough to fill his belly. We have decided that when ever we can we are going to take them dessert. We can't afford to feed them all but i don't see why we can't give them some brownies or cupcakes on occassions to make their day a little sweeter. It's gonna be a sun shiny day..i can feel it!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Grant
My baby grew over 4 pounds since his 12 month ckeckup!! Grant is now at 23.4 lbs. yeah! I was very excited to say the least. He hadnt gained weight since basically October....and with his new ear tubes he is growing amazingly! He is sleeping and feeling better!!
His appetite has been ravinous...sometimes taking up to 10-12 oz. per feeding!! Before i was lucky to get him to take 4-6 oz at a time! I am still having a hard time getting him to eat many table foods but i have been trying to get off the formula as much as possible. We are giving him 1/2 whole milk and 1/2 formula during the day and then formula at bedtime...as he starts getting used to table food we will wean him down and finally start getting rid of the bottle.
I have been working hard on getting him to use a sippy cup during the day and only give him bottles when he lays down. BUT i know i need to get rid of the bottle 100%...hailey was cut off at 1 year but i know his situation is a little different...she was healthy and loved table food and had no problem transitioning. She was a booby baby not a bottle bay so it was easier for her. Also it is my was of keeping him a baby longer!! (:
If you have any suggestions on how to get him to not be so picky with table food please give me some tips?? He loves fruit, cheese, peanut butter and crackers/breaqds/cereal. Also he loves chinese..noodles, crab, shrimp.... BUT many vegetables or meats i make everyday he will just spit out. It is hard to find quick foods i can feed him without having to give him the same things over andf over again. I want him to eat healthy without lots of processed foods. I hate toddler meals and stuff like that with lots of sodium or fat...i really need some ideas if i want to get him eating table food at every meal. What do i do??
His appetite has been ravinous...sometimes taking up to 10-12 oz. per feeding!! Before i was lucky to get him to take 4-6 oz at a time! I am still having a hard time getting him to eat many table foods but i have been trying to get off the formula as much as possible. We are giving him 1/2 whole milk and 1/2 formula during the day and then formula at bedtime...as he starts getting used to table food we will wean him down and finally start getting rid of the bottle.
I have been working hard on getting him to use a sippy cup during the day and only give him bottles when he lays down. BUT i know i need to get rid of the bottle 100%...hailey was cut off at 1 year but i know his situation is a little different...she was healthy and loved table food and had no problem transitioning. She was a booby baby not a bottle bay so it was easier for her. Also it is my was of keeping him a baby longer!! (:
If you have any suggestions on how to get him to not be so picky with table food please give me some tips?? He loves fruit, cheese, peanut butter and crackers/breaqds/cereal. Also he loves chinese..noodles, crab, shrimp.... BUT many vegetables or meats i make everyday he will just spit out. It is hard to find quick foods i can feed him without having to give him the same things over andf over again. I want him to eat healthy without lots of processed foods. I hate toddler meals and stuff like that with lots of sodium or fat...i really need some ideas if i want to get him eating table food at every meal. What do i do??
surgery and other random tidbits
It has been nonstop action around our house or weeks and i don't see any sign of a slowdown.
Hailey has started soccer and is still in girl scouts (Daisy's) so we have three meetings a week between the two. Keeps us very busy. But luckily all of her sports and activities end around the same time school ends...giving us lots of family time to spend together! I have her signed up for a couple of summer activities and camps but overall we are going to make it a summer of family activities. I will probably go back to work before next summer and i won't get much time with her...i want to take advantage of it all! We are also getting so close to our florida trip...middle of june...i just can't wait. The Easter bunny brought the kids sand castle buckets ans sand/water toys...such a smart bunny!
We are halfway done with the remodeling. Our room is basically empty now and we are going to get the caulking done later this week and then work on the painting over the weekend. IF we get it all done i can call the carpet place and hopefully get the carpet in early next week...how awesome it will feel to have all that done and pretty. Seven years we have been here and it has ben so ugly..now it will be fresh and new! WE ARE GETTING THERE....we have besically remodeled or repainted the whole house now and got it how we like it...then we want to move...it makes no sense does it?? But i will post pictures as soon as i get the project done(as long as we have the virus of the computer).
My mom went to the doctor this week and long story short she has gallstones and needs surgery. The bad part is she is in pain and they, the typical doctors are taking their precious time. She doesn't even have a surgical consult until Monday..then i assume surgery should be within a week but it is hard to say! I hate to see her in pain and know she isn't one to ask for help. I don't want to bother her constanly but i want her to know that i am truly her for her...i hope she will take the help if needed!
Also school has been keeping me busy. We are getting down to the end...two more weeks and we are done...wow what a relief. I am taking summer school for 5 weeks after that but it is only one class so it will be much easier to concentrate and get everything accomplished.
Our computer has a virus so we can't get on it until we get it fixed..i am using the laptop now. BUT all my photos go on our desktop and i am feeling really out of place using this! We do have photoshop now but it also is for the desktop computer and i havent installed it or been able to check it out...i am really excited to see what i can do with it...pics to come...someday!!
My son got his first shiner last night. Dady said he was playing in one of his little chairs and fell backwards busting the corner of his eye. Today it is starting to turn colors a little and is swollen but it won't be the last time he gets one i'm sure! But again i can't post a pic which really sucks!
The weather sucks also. It is cold again. I am ready for sunny nice days where the kids can play outside without being bundled up....or AT LEAST GET RID OF THE RAIN SO OUR BACKYARD ISN'T A RIVER. But blessings do come from all this. Our kids have had the chance to see the miracles of life over this Easter season. We have always had lots of birds in our backyard because of the trees and honeysuckle but this year we had some beautiful birds make a nest in a tree very close to our back door(it is a large sliding glass..so we can see the tree and nest very well at all times). They just laid their first egg on Easter sunday and we got picks of it. Very gorgeous blue egg. I assume they will lay more but we have been trying to aviod looking as much aqs possible. We know that if we touch anything we will scare the mommy and she wont come back to take care of the baby.
Hailey is fasinated and we have been trying to teach her a lesson about it. I have been teaching her about how we are born both the scientific way and God's way. She is very interested in it and loves watching the bird looking for food in our rain soaked backyard that is perfect for finding worms!! Good for them bad for us...then again if it wasnt for God we never could of had this miracle in the first place....such amazing things happen everyday.
Hailey has started soccer and is still in girl scouts (Daisy's) so we have three meetings a week between the two. Keeps us very busy. But luckily all of her sports and activities end around the same time school ends...giving us lots of family time to spend together! I have her signed up for a couple of summer activities and camps but overall we are going to make it a summer of family activities. I will probably go back to work before next summer and i won't get much time with her...i want to take advantage of it all! We are also getting so close to our florida trip...middle of june...i just can't wait. The Easter bunny brought the kids sand castle buckets ans sand/water toys...such a smart bunny!
We are halfway done with the remodeling. Our room is basically empty now and we are going to get the caulking done later this week and then work on the painting over the weekend. IF we get it all done i can call the carpet place and hopefully get the carpet in early next week...how awesome it will feel to have all that done and pretty. Seven years we have been here and it has ben so ugly..now it will be fresh and new! WE ARE GETTING THERE....we have besically remodeled or repainted the whole house now and got it how we like it...then we want to move...it makes no sense does it?? But i will post pictures as soon as i get the project done(as long as we have the virus of the computer).
My mom went to the doctor this week and long story short she has gallstones and needs surgery. The bad part is she is in pain and they, the typical doctors are taking their precious time. She doesn't even have a surgical consult until Monday..then i assume surgery should be within a week but it is hard to say! I hate to see her in pain and know she isn't one to ask for help. I don't want to bother her constanly but i want her to know that i am truly her for her...i hope she will take the help if needed!
Also school has been keeping me busy. We are getting down to the end...two more weeks and we are done...wow what a relief. I am taking summer school for 5 weeks after that but it is only one class so it will be much easier to concentrate and get everything accomplished.
Our computer has a virus so we can't get on it until we get it fixed..i am using the laptop now. BUT all my photos go on our desktop and i am feeling really out of place using this! We do have photoshop now but it also is for the desktop computer and i havent installed it or been able to check it out...i am really excited to see what i can do with it...pics to come...someday!!
My son got his first shiner last night. Dady said he was playing in one of his little chairs and fell backwards busting the corner of his eye. Today it is starting to turn colors a little and is swollen but it won't be the last time he gets one i'm sure! But again i can't post a pic which really sucks!
The weather sucks also. It is cold again. I am ready for sunny nice days where the kids can play outside without being bundled up....or AT LEAST GET RID OF THE RAIN SO OUR BACKYARD ISN'T A RIVER. But blessings do come from all this. Our kids have had the chance to see the miracles of life over this Easter season. We have always had lots of birds in our backyard because of the trees and honeysuckle but this year we had some beautiful birds make a nest in a tree very close to our back door(it is a large sliding glass..so we can see the tree and nest very well at all times). They just laid their first egg on Easter sunday and we got picks of it. Very gorgeous blue egg. I assume they will lay more but we have been trying to aviod looking as much aqs possible. We know that if we touch anything we will scare the mommy and she wont come back to take care of the baby.
Hailey is fasinated and we have been trying to teach her a lesson about it. I have been teaching her about how we are born both the scientific way and God's way. She is very interested in it and loves watching the bird looking for food in our rain soaked backyard that is perfect for finding worms!! Good for them bad for us...then again if it wasnt for God we never could of had this miracle in the first place....such amazing things happen everyday.
Monday, April 6, 2009
No time
I have been a very busy lady lately and haven't been posting...but i have been reading alot of blogs lately! So much heartache and places to pray! I have been trying to spend more time with my children and thank God for how healthy we all are. We have finished Grant's room but i haven't had time to post pics..they will come soon.
Also we have pics from the Easter egg hunt over the weekend but again no time to edit so they will probably not be posted until after Easter.
I have signed up for spring and i am taking 5 classes but only 13 credits...then only one more semester and i am finished! I am soooo ready!!!! It can't come soon enough..but then i realize as ready as i am for school to be finished that means i must find a job...i am actually excited about this opportunity i love to work but then i musty leave my kiddos!! Daycare/preschool and no mommy all day long!!! I am sure they will do fine but the thought of a stranger watch ing them is heartbreaking...i have never wanted it that way but for us to be able to move and give the kids more opportunities that is what must happen. I know it is best in the long run but for now it is breaking my heart to even think about it...
I will post again soon...hopefully with some info a little more intersting than this!
O yeah and grant learned how to say baby yesterday! So sweet!
Also we have pics from the Easter egg hunt over the weekend but again no time to edit so they will probably not be posted until after Easter.
I have signed up for spring and i am taking 5 classes but only 13 credits...then only one more semester and i am finished! I am soooo ready!!!! It can't come soon enough..but then i realize as ready as i am for school to be finished that means i must find a job...i am actually excited about this opportunity i love to work but then i musty leave my kiddos!! Daycare/preschool and no mommy all day long!!! I am sure they will do fine but the thought of a stranger watch ing them is heartbreaking...i have never wanted it that way but for us to be able to move and give the kids more opportunities that is what must happen. I know it is best in the long run but for now it is breaking my heart to even think about it...
I will post again soon...hopefully with some info a little more intersting than this!
O yeah and grant learned how to say baby yesterday! So sweet!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Semi-completed remodel
Grant's play area
His bed and changing table
Dresser
The before shots...uggg!
Super uggg!It isn't finished yet but we are getting sooo close! These are grant's room sans carpet and wall hangings! Before and after shots...it is crazy how bad it looked before! I am so happy to have it almost complete. I dont know when we will get the rest of it finished but we hope by the end of the week to at least have carpet down.
Then it is on to tackling our bedroom. We will only have a couple of weeks to complete it before they will come and lay carpet. That is our motivation for getting the wall spatched and painted. I am so excited. Now the whole house will of had new carpet in the past 5 years. Then we need to replace the bathroom and kitchen flooring...then maybe we can move once we have it all exactly how we want it...that makes alot of sense doesn't it!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Grant's room almost complete!!
I won't post pics until it is all complete and furnished...but the room is painted. We are getting ready to take the tape off in about 30 minutes! Woo-hoo! I am so proud of all we did. This house is so old and with a little accessories this bedroom is going to be a room fit for a prince, my little prince! We still have to get carpet but i have a feeling it will have to wait until after the big princess party miss Hailey is having saturday. I am going to call and see if they can get to it...but i doubt it! Yeahhh....finally my hubby and i can have our bedroom back for ourselves and we are one step closer to getting the house on the market to sell!
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