days 28, 29, and 30

Well, I did it...kinda.  I am amazed that I even managed to stop by my own blog as often as I did this month.  I'm sure that it wasn't that interesting for you all, but you must remember that I do this primarily to document our lives :)

It's technically December now, but I must finish the month off.

Day 28.  I was grateful that day to have a few extra minutes to run an errand before having to pick up Eden & then the boys.

Day 29.  I was grateful for my awesome Mother-in-law and brother-in-law, Andy, who made it possible for Chris to join me at my office Christmas party.  We had a last minute basketball practice pop up for Colin and Uncle Andy came through for us, driving Colin to and picking him up from BB practice.  My M.I.L was sweet enough to keep the kids for us that night.  She fed them dinner and then sent us a text later that night letting us know the kids were asleep and not to worry about picking them up until morning.  BONUS!!

Day 30.  Let me be honest here, I'm thankful to be finished with 30 days of thanks.  Is that wrong?  :)

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

days 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27

We had a whirlwind holiday weekend, starting off with Thanksgiving at my Mother-in-Law's, then an Iowa vs. Nebraska football party on Friday, and the rest of the weekend was devoted to mourning our sweet, little, furry Gussy -Wussy (my Mom and Dad's dog), who died on Saturday.

It has been a very difficult time for my Mom and Dad, who loved him so much!  I am very thankful that they/we were able to have him around for 12 1/2 years.  He will be greatly missed!

So, here is what I am/ have been thankful for these last 5 days:

I'm thankful that I was able to be a shoulder to cry on, and hopefully a supportive family member.  I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to work some things out, hear some complaints, and offer my opinion on certain things.  (I'm not trying to be vague here, but I do not really wish to go into detail here.  Some things are better left private.  But, I was extremely thankful to have had this situation...hopefully the walls will remain down).

I'm thankful that Gus did not have to suffer alone, and that he was well loved and taken care of in his final moments.

I'm thankful for my parent's vet, who was a huge comfort to them and who went well out of her way to help them care for Gus.

I'm thankful that my sister Karen and I were able to be there to comfort my Mom and Dad.  Thanks Chris, for making it possible for me to spend some time with them without the kids.  (And, I'm thankful that they have each other to grieve with).

I'm thankful that I got to know Gus really well.   He was a sweet and kind dog.  He was so good with all the kids (and all our other pets).  He was all of ours to love.  I'm thankful that he had the opportunity to see all of us before he left us.  I'm pretty sure he was holding on for that...

Gus
"the last of the firsts"

We'll miss you Gus!  

day 21 and 22

I'm thankful that I'm not hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year.  Although it is my favorite holiday, hosting is quite a task and I'm glad to have a break from it his year.

That being said, I'm Thankful that my Mother-in-Law is having us all to her house today.  I'm thankful that all I had to cook was a double batch of my 5 million- calorie mashed potatoes!  :)

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  I hope you have a blessed day!

"God asks us to give thanks in all things because He knows the feeling of joy begins in the action of 

  Thanksgiving".

                        -One Thousand Gifts

                            Ann Vaskamp

day 20

I'm thankful for technology.

day 16, 17, 18 and 19

Oh boy...good intentions, but I've fallen behind!

So, let's play catch up, shall we?

I'm thankful for our pets.  Our new puppy Terra and our Old Gussy Wussy (my Mom and Dad's dog), Eliza (my sister Karen's dog), Mazzy (our 3 year old Weimeraner who died 9 years ago) and Lucy dog (my sister Karen's dog who died about 1 1/2 years ago).  These are the pets whom I've been lucky enough to have relationships with.  These pets have and do bring me joy.  They are wonderful comforters, great listeners, and always happy to see you.  I feel blessed to have had/ have them in my life.

I'm thankful for laughter.

I'm thankful for children with healthy immunity systems.  IF they ever catch the bug that's running rampant, it's usually a kinder and gentler version than what their peers seem to get.  (I'm really hoping I'm not going to regret writing that).  This year it's been a pretty nasty stomach bug...vomit and diarrhea!  Thankfully, so far, Ty's only had some dry heaving with a very low grade fever (plus the other, but I may be giving too much information...sorry)!


And, I'm thankful for Iowa Public TV for days when I'm not feeling well.  Because I, too, am lucky enough to share in the rampant bug floating around the school.  (Again, so far a much milder version)!

Ok, I'm caught up.  Hope you're all well and happy...

day 15

I am thankful for my children's teachers.  They work so hard, put up with a lot of chaos, and manage to teach my kids something...every day!  And, twice a year they work from 7am to 8:30 pm {probably more often than that}.  We are blessed this year with two really great teachers, and I am thankful for them!

day 14

I'm thankful for my health and the health of my family...all of them.  And, when I say health I mean  colds,  the flu, and all other major, yucky things.  As I type this, I'm sure there's some virus floating around our home waiting...just waiting.  But, so far we've steered clear of the current virus circulating the elementary school.  For that I am thankful.  I'm also very thankful all of those whom I love and care about are relatively healthy...and, I hope and pray that it stays that way.  Of course there are things out there...unknowns...things that people I care about are dealing with.  For those people, I'm thankful that there soon will be answers, that knowing is half the battle, and that I'm able to offer support.

day 13

Today I am thankful for comments...when I get them :).

No, seriously...today I am thankful for the progress being made on our house {namely in my new laundry room} and the hope that very soon I'll be able to do my laundry on the main floor!  Also, I'm thankful for friends who try their darnedest to sell our home for us!  I'm confident that we'll end up selling this place without ever having to list it with a realtor, just because we have friends who know friends.  Feeling very blessed and lucky that we may have another nibble on our line...

day 12

I am thankful for wonderful kids.  I am thankful that I can talk to them and that they are comfortable enough to talk with me, and ask me really thoughtful questions.  I am thankful that even though I feel like I'm failing at parenting most of the time,  these small moments with my kids make me realize how well adjusted they actually are.  I'm thankful that that means I'm probably not failing!  :)  {And by "I'm" I mean "we're"..sorry Chris, I didn't mean to leave you out!}

day 11

Ugh!  I'm getting to this a little late today.  Better late than never...

Today I'm thankful for our Veterans.  Words cannot fully describe how appreciative I am of our American troops.  They are the reason we live in the greatest country on earth.  The reason we are so privileged.  The reason we have so many of our rights.  Their sacrifices are not, and never will be, forgotten.

day 10

I'm thankful for my home.  It's not perfect.  It's not beautiful...well not as beautiful as I'd like, but it's a roof over our heads.  These days you cannot take that for granted.

day 9

I am thankful for my friends.  ALL of my friends;  my bestie {hi bestie!}, my work friends, my school friends {the parents of my kids' friends, no I haven't gone back to school}, my blog buddies.  Who else can lift your spirits better than your friends?  I'll answer that...nobody!  It is refreshing to have a group of people who understand, sympathize, and care about the "goings on" in my life.  It is rare that I don't have a conversation with one of my friends where I don't walk away feeling, "I am not alone!"  They inspire me, support me, school me, call me out and, every now and again, actually come to me for advise and support.  It's a good feeling.  I thank God that I'm blessed with a lot of really great friends.

day 8

Today I'm thankful for our beautiful weather.  And, also thankful that we're not having to deal with the devastating effects of the weather our friends in the Northeast have had to endure!

day 7

Well, I've been pouting for the better half of the day today.  But, you didn't come here to read my political rants, did you?  I think we can all agree that we're sick to death of politics right now.

So, here's what I'm thankful for today.

I'm thankful that when I opened my mailbox today I wasn't bombarded with political junk mail.  I'm thankful that my phone hasn't been ringing off the hook tonight.  I'm thankful for the glass of wine I'm drinking, as I type.  I'm thankful for my crock pot.

But, most of all I'm thankful for my faith.  I can let this all go with the hope of a better tomorrow knowing that God knows His plans for us.  Perhaps it will make my family stronger.  Perhaps it will make Chris and me fight for our kids that much harder.  Perhaps this will, in the end, be what's best for the country.  Only He knows.  And, I have faith.

day 6

I'm thankful for the right to vote.

How lucky are we, as a country, to have the opportunity to choose who runs our country?  We get to decide, each of us,  for ourselves, who to vote for.  It is a privilege that I am truly grateful to have.

I hope you all exercised your right to vote!

{and I hope tomorrow that I can be thankful that the candidate I voted for is the victor!  fingers are crossed!!}

day 5

I'm thankful for my job and my boss.

I wish I could be a stay at home Mom.  I really do.  There are a lot of people out there who think that if you sacrifice enough then it's possible for anyone.  Sorry, not true.  We do a lot of scrimping around here, but it's not enough...I have to work.

That's why I'm so thankful for my job.  A lot of people are in our same boat, but have lost their jobs and they're really struggling.  I am so thankful to be employed, but especially thankful to work where I do.  I'm lucky enough to be employed by someone who understands and appreciates how hard the job "Mom" is.  I'm lucky enough to work part time and to be home 2 days a week.  I'm lucky enough to be able to pick up my kids from school every day, but one.  I'm lucky enough to be able to stay home with sick kids, if needed, or get off early for a Dr.'s appointment.  Not only that, but I'm appreciated and valued and trusted.

I am truly blessed!

day 4

I'm thankful for my siblings {originals Karen and Diane and "acquired later" Michael, Cory, Alison  Andy and Jim}.

I just spent the better part of 10 minutes looking for a quote about siblings.  You didn't even miss me, did you?  It was all for nothing...I couldn't find it.  But here's what I kind of remember about it...your siblings "get" you the best.  They really, really know you.  They've loved you, and hated you, and then loved you again.  Nobody understands you more...not even your spouse.  They know where you came from, how you were raised, things that hurt you, things that make you happy...they understand and witnessed you becoming you.  They are your history...the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Now, the "acquired later" variety...they're good for a whole other reason!  These are people who are forced into your life, whether you like it or not!  Some you have an instant connection with,  some the connection takes time.  Your common love for somebody else is what ultimately brings you together and, in my case, is what makes me truly view them as my sibling too.  Plus, they're good to have around when you want to pick on an "original"!   ;)

I'm grateful for them all, the "originals" and the "acquired laters"!

day 3

I am thankful for my parents.

When I was little, even during those moments I felt sure that I was adopted, even when I really, really messed up, I never once questioned if my Mom and Dad loved me.  They have always shown me unconditional love.  They have always been there when I needed them.  They have put up with me at my worst.  They are my "go to" people when parenting feels overwhelming, when I feel like I'm failing {which is a lot, by the way}.  I'm blessed to have them in my life, and my children are blessed to have them in their lives.

30 days of Thanksgiving { days 1 & 2 }

Happy November people!  I've seen some people doing this on Facebook and I thought it's a nice idea...why not do it on my blog!  So, here I is :)  {I totally know that isn't the correct way to say that, Mom}.

Some of you may, or may not, know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love that it's a time to come together with family and be thoughtful about all the things we have to be thankful for...no expectations.  No gifts, no Santa, no last minute wrapping looming over us, no pressure {except for the cooking part, but really we all just do that to ourselves, you know?}

So, for the next 30 days I should be posting every day.  Should be.  I'll try my best...let's leave it at that.

Day 1.  I'm Thankful for the life God has given to me.

Day 2.  I'm thankful for my little family, Chris, Colin, Ty, and Eden.  {And, CGF...you too... I remember you every day!}        


Now I'm off to do some Thanksgiving decorating!

That is all.

What has happened to Rebecca?

Well, let me just say that I've really been contemplating the future of my blog.

1. I cannot change my banner because Picasa is, for some reason, not working well.  I'm not sure what the issue is but it's not showing all my photos.  For instance, if I took 20 pictures at an event, it's only showing 5.  It's really frustrating me.  I've tried to un-install Picasa and then reinstall it, but it's not helping the situation at all.  So, that made me mad for a while, keeping me from blogging.

2.  Although I do like to think of this as a family diary of sorts, I'm questioning why I'm using a blog for that outlet.  I do like to share ideas that I have or things that I do because it's a fun way to connect with other moms.  Only, there isn't much connecting going on.  I feel like it's another outlet for voyeurism...much like facebook, only my blog is so much more personal.  I feel like I haven't seen or spoken to people in so long but they don't really need to see me or speak to me because they can just tune into my blog and catch up.  Only I don't get to catch up with them.   Half the fun of blogging is getting comments.  Thank you, Dad, for always leaving me one because you know how much I like to get them.

3.  Time.  I just don't have much time.  Three kids, two of whom are in sports, keep us quite busy.  Not to mention all their laundry :).  And, I work part-time.  I don't even really do fun projects anymore.  I love to create and the blog allows me to do that through writing, but I could just do that privately...then I could share more ;).

So, this is where I am right now.  Maybe it's just a phase.  Maybe it's the end of my blog.  Right now I'm not sure.

(I'd ask for a vote, but I'm guessing I'd get one, maybe two, comments. :) )

Well, here it is.  My newest post...since July 10th!!!!

Hee, hee, hee.  I've been taking it easy and enjoying a summer break.

Which is now over.


And just like that, they're back in school...

(Not all of them, of course).  Eden is attending "Gigi and Dad-dad School".  That's what we tell her because she so badly wants to go to school like her boys.  She even got a backpack.  It's pretty cool.


I was SO ready for school to start.  And also so not readyfor school to start...lunches, morning routines...you know, the usual suspects.

This was the boys bedroom the Sunday night before school at about 5pm.  Urg.

Great big back-to-school fail for this mom this year!  

But, the good news is that there is a reason for my unpreparedness.  (that is a word!  I checked...)  We, last week, had 2 people contact us about our house!  This is really something (I hope) because we do not have our house on the market.  Amazing, I know.

We live in a small town.  Word gets around in small towns.  I guess it's pretty well known that we hoped to sell pretty soon.  Then our neighbors moved (boo) and we got new neighbors.  With friends.  And some of those friends, it turns out, like our house. (yay!)

We aren't ready to move quite yet, (not at all actually) but we've agreed to show it and maybe get the ball rolling on an actual purchase.  So, needless to say, I've been a scrambling fool trying to make all closets seem huge and a basement de-cluttered.  That has been an eye opener!  I thought that we were pretty scaled down around here...we have A Lot of stuff!  And, it goes against every fiber of my being to "stuff".  On more than one occasion I've caught myself doing things like separating my straight pins from my safety pins, modge-podging cardboard boxes with pretty paper to use in my closets so I wouldn't have to buy baskets, pulling out baby keepsakes and reminiscing...sigh.  And then...

Hello, my name is Rebecca and I'm a hypocrite....

This is my wedding bouquet.  Yes it is.  It still looks so pretty, right?  I'm ashamed to admit that I may (I totally did) have encouraged a certain someone to throw hers away... haughtily, I might add.  

"Why?  Why do you need to keep that?  What purpose does it serve?  That's silly!"

So I've memorialized my (almost) thirteen- year- old, dried-out wedding bouquet in photographs, and soon it will be nothing but a memory. (gulp). Why is that so hard to type!?

           I must stay strong.  I must carry on.  I must not keep crusty bouquets.  I will triumph!

**sniff**

Until next time...

for Sarah...

Eden in all her swimsuit loveliness!

"fluffy butt"!  ;)

introducing...

OK, OK, OK...I'll finally share about our new (old) puppy.

Meet Terra.  Or, as Eden likes to call her "baby puppy".  That has, actually,  kind of become her new name.

That, or "stupid dog"...that really depends on if she's done something like this....

Terra and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship going on right now.  When she's resting in her kennel, as she is right now, it's very easy for me to reflect on how good of a puppy she actually is.  She slept through her first night with us without a peep!  She learned to sit within the first week.  She doesn't bark all the time.  She stays in out yard without wandering too much.  When she outgrows this puppy stage (in three freakin' years) she will be an outstanding pet!   

The hate part (and hate may be too strong of a word) is just due to the typical puppy obnoxiousness.  She wants to chew on EVERYTHING...ALL the time!  And (this part really isn't her fault) those kids of mine who begged and pleaded to get a dog...well, let's just say I hear "it's not my turn" a lot.  They ignore her or scream about her most of the time.  So, the typical story about kids and pets...

sigh.

Thank goodness for Chris.  He opposed the puppy from the get go, but he loves her to pieces and has the most incredible patience with her.  I do hear a lot of "I told you so" comments, though.  And, I must say,  I'm really not very fond of them! :) 

Then we have moments like these...

The kids do love her (as do I) and they're getting better about helping out with her.  Before we know it we won't be able to remember life without her.  She'll be family.  I guess she already is...

It all started here.  

Sept. 18, 1999

Well, not exactly...but it is where it really started.  Inside that church we said things like honor, obey, cherish, love.  Till death.

Then this...

March 7, 2003

and this...

February 22, 2006

and this...

February 5, 2010

And the love is there all along.  Only it's buried under thoughts like, "could you not have worn a nicer shirt to the birth of our daughter?  I mean, really..."

This September we will have been married for 13 years.  The past 9 years we've had company.
I find myself thinking about this more and more.  Let's be honest...marriage is hard to begin with, but take a marriage and add a child {or two or three} and it becomes a challenge.  {gasp!}  Yes, I said a challenge.

Now, I refuse to believe that we are any different than most couples.  We fight {verbally}, we hurt each other {emotionally}, we say things we don't mean, we harbor grudges, we're petty.  Maybe I'm wrong, maybe we just have a bad marriage...but, I don't think so.

Our journies require a personal responsibility;  to ourselves, to each other, and to our children.  Our partners become a mirror of sorts, and sometimes what we see in the mirror isn't very pretty.

Our lives our busy.  We run constantly.  Our kids aren't perfect and neither are we.  We try and do the best we can.  Or do we?  I know I'm guilty of treating my friends and co-workers with more kindness and repect than I do my own family.  I speak more gently with strangers than I do to my own husband and children.  I'm quicker to forgive, slower to anger.  And, I know, this is not right.  I also know that I'm not alone, but that doesn't make it ok either...

It's not hard to remember the day I married Chris.  In fact, I can recall it quite well.  We had faith in our marriage.  We had hope for our marriage.  And, we had love.  Sometimes it's hard to keep the faith.  Sometimes the hope fades.  But the love is there...always there.


       "Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the grestest of these is love."
                                                                                                       1 Corinthians 13:13

summer busyness, a puppy, and some really good books

Not necessarily in that order, but 3 big reasons that blogging has taken a back seat for a good month {almost 2!}.

We've been busy.  Baseball finally ended.  I forget that I hate baseball until we're in the midst of baseball,...every year.  I don't mean I hate baseball.  I like to watch baseball.  I love to watch Colin play and, this year,  pitch.  But,  I do hate Little League with a passion!  Baseball brings out the crazies.  Plus, there are two games EVERY WEEK!  It's too much.  And, this year we had the added joy of Chris being head coach.  It was a miserable season, and I'm glad it's behind us!  I wish I could go into further detail, but honestly I just want to forget it all.  Just remember, two games a week and crazy parents...enough said!

We have a new member of the family.  I'm kind of embarrassed that I haven't formally introduced her yet, but it's still kind of in that love/hate phase.  A new puppy is, without a doubt, worse than a newborn.  I promise to fill you all in, with pictures...soon...I promise.

I finally just finished reading East of Eden.  What, you thought I was going to say the Shades of Grey series?  Well, I read those too.  Yes, I did.  They were dirty.  And I liked them.  And no, I'm not into S&M now by any means!  It was pure fluff...not that well written, but entertaining!  So, I decided to counter the literary smut with a classic I'd never read.  It's all about balance, people...
And, WOW.  Great book.  Fantastic.  Thought provoking and so well written.  It took forever.  I lost many hours of good sleep trying to get through it and just not being able to put it down. And now, the problem I'm always faced with after finishing a good book, what do I read next?  Any suggestions?  I do have a pile of books purchased and never read...I guess I'll start there...


I do miss my blog.  It has always offered me an opportunity to sit and write, a hobby that I love and that I don't really do except when blogging.  It allows me to clear my head a little and to record things so that I don't forget.  I have been feeling so bogged down lately trying to remember what I must not forget.   The guilt of possibly forgetting to record something precious...a story about one of the kids, an amazing thought....whatever.

I promise to return soon.  I have to introduce our puppy.  And, I have some Eden-isms that are cute and that I need to write about so that I don't forget.  If you find them entertaining that's just an added bonus... :)

TTFN

I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I'm sensitive.  I like to talk things out.  I'm not a smoother over-er {new word alert!}.  I don't like to sweep it under the rug.  I don't like the "let's talk later" when I know the later will never come.

I once opened a fortune cookie which read "your sensitivity is an asset".  I saved it.  It's in my wallet now.    I'd love to believe it, and I do to an extent, but mostly I find that my sensitivity is a big, fat non-asset.

It makes parenting even more difficult than it is.  It makes marriage more difficult than it needs to be.  It repels would-be friends.  It makes my job...well, painful.  

What I want to know is, when do I learn how to not let that sensitivity effect me all the time?  'Cause I try...I do!  Although, hormones don't help and I've got them...I'm inching closer to 40 and they're all crazy   up in here!

How I'd love to let stuff just NOT effect me!  My head gets it, my sensitive heart doesn't.

Where, oh where, is sensitivity an asset????

Really.  I'm asking...

I have neglected my blog for so long that the whole blogger set-up has changed on me!  Wow...

So, hello...I'm alive.  You were starting to be concerned weren't you?

I appreciate that.

Truly, I do.


What I need in life is just a few more days to the week.  Just a few.  Preferably days I could be at home.  And, maybe since I'm just dreaming, those days could have a few more hours.  You hear me, right?

We've been busy with stuff like baseball practice and soccer games.  This, my friends, is the beginning of the end!  We now have more than one child in sporting activities!  Ugh...it's as bad as I thought.  This Saturday we have a baseball "jamboree" and a soccer game going on all at the same time in two different locations!

I know, I know...we're not alone.  You've been there, maybe...  Don't worry, I'm doing all kinds of sucking it up!

I guess to bring you up to speed with our "stuff", I'll just cover some of the major goings on...some of the "firsts", if you will...

Colin shot his first turkey!  It was, in Chris' words, the fastest hunting trip he's ever been on!  It was a good one too, I guess.  What that means is that Colin will have turkey tail-feathers hanging on the wall in his bedroom...oh joy!  I really have an issue with dead animals, or dead animal parts, hanging in my house!

As I mentioned above, Ty is now participating in organized sports.  He chose soccer, instead of baseball, for his spring sport.  I think Chris may have been upset about it...just a little.  I think Ty knows himself...baseball, especially at his level, can be very, very boring.  He's much happier in constant motion, and man can this kid play soccer!  It helps to have a very athletic, older brother who has shown you the ropes!  He's been nicknamed "the hammer"...

This is the first year that Colin will be able to pitch in baseball.  He is , in my unbiased {and biased} opinion, the best pitcher on his team.  He seems to have a real talent for it.  He's been lucky enough to work with a family friend, who used to be a pitching coach, and has learned a few helpful techniques.  I'm extraordinarily proud of him...this kid is going somewhere in baseball!

Also, it's Chris' first time as head coach.  He's great with the kids, but it's been tough.  He's been travelling with work which has taken him to PA, TX, and MN.  Unfortunately a lot of his travel has occurred during the weeks of baseball practice, so it's been harder to coach.  Also, only about half the kids on his team take it seriously.  They either spend a lot of time goofing off or don't show up at all.  Coaching takes a lot of time, and is a big commitment...it's too bad some families and players don't respect that.  { I sound like a 90- year- old, I know!}

Miss Eden is just growing away on me.  She "gave up" the paci a few months ago.  It wasn't nearly the drama I thought it would be, thank goodness!  Since then she hasn't stopped talking.  There are occasions that I wish we still had the paci to stick in her motor-mouth!  She also has been dabbling in some potty-time.  She has yet to tell me when she has to go pee pee, but on several occasions she tells me her tummy hurts, which means she has to poopy.  Won't be long now, I guess, which breaks my heart a little bit...she's growing up way too fast!

And, as I mentioned above, Chris has been traveling a lot with work.  His traveling means I'm single Mom-ing it for days at a time.  It's been a rough adjustment, but I'm getting better with it.  It makes me appreciate him so much more, and that's a good thing that has come from it I guess.  I'm not saying I didn't appreciate him before, but some things I took for granted...let's just say that.  If I give him too much praise his head will swell upon reading this and I'll never hear the end of it!

So, that's what's been going on around here...

Have a great day!  I'll be back, no worries!

*p.s. has anyone had trouble uploading pics to their blog?  This post was a nightmare trying to upload these pics!

I like nonsense.  It wakes up

the brain cells.

- Dr. Seuss

{just a little fun with photo booth on our Mac}

labor of pride

I spent a good part of my weekend washing windows.  It's a time consuming, tedious, labor intensive job that is totally and utterly worth it to me.  It always starts here...

Always.  I love this room in my house.  It's a three season porch and we spend a lot of time out here in the spring and fall.  Yesterday I started the task of sweeping and de-ladybugging which led me window washing.  Once I start in there, I cannot stop!  The colors outside become so vivid, the view so clear, it's like a drug...on I go throughout the house, cleaning windows.  About 3 hours in I always think, "Why the heck did I start this?"

I know the answer.

It's pride.  Many of you know, well let's be honest, all of you know {I doubt I've picked up any new readers} that we've been working on our house for a ba-gillion years.  Our initial timeline for home improvements fell by the wayside a LONG time ago.  Let's just say that our house needed new paint, a new front porch floor, and a new roof about 5 years ago.  Roof....check.  Paint....1/2 check.  New front porch floor....ummmm....scheduled for this spring?  So, basically, our house looks pretty dumpy from the outside.  Most people, who know us, know that we're working on it.  For those who don't know us....I just want them to see how freakin' clean my windows are!  Because how many scurveballs do you know who take the time to wash their windows?

Right?   Right.

So that's my motivation.  That, and it's so much easier to see Spring's beautiful show through spotless glass.

a first {and probably last} attempt...

...for a while anyway!

style baby!

random

I've decided that once a month I'm going to write a random post.

Just some thrown together stuff.

Deep thoughts maybe.

Maybe not.

And, today's the day...lucky you!


On my bookshelf right now.....

10 Conversations You Need To Have With Your Child by Schmuley Boteach
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

My new favorite chocolaty snack...

This is yummy!  First introduced to me by my sister Karen {thank you very much} several months ago and then re-introduced to me by Super Target who started carrying it and placed it in a location where I saw it and was reminded of it's goodness!

My most recent Rescued Junk purchase...

An old drawer makes a perfect trophy shelf!  And only $16!  I love it....Chris thinks I'm crazy but puts up with me anyway.

My most recent children's book purchase....

An oldie but a goodie!  Miss Suzy and her house in the "tip, tip, top of a tall oak tree" is an old favorite I couldn't wait to share with Eden!  Loved the story and the pictures then...love them even more today!

My FAVORITE Disney purchase....

These silhouettes were only $8 per child and it was AMAZING how talented this little old woman was who cut these.  If you've been to Disney I'm sure you've seen these, but I'm still so impressed with the talent these people possess.  The kids sat in a chair across from this woman who eyeballed them and snipped away simultaneously while she created each silhouette.  And they look like my children!  I love them and will cherish them till the day I die!  I'm still trying to find the perfect spot for them...

How's that for random?  Happy Friday!

nine

The final birthday of 2012 {well, for the kids anyway}.  We obviously had poor family planning!  Three birthdays starting Feb. 5th and ending March 7th....every year.  My first born bringing up the rear....every year.  How unfair is that?

He was quick to point out to me that I was "on top of it" for Eden and Ty's birthdays, but seem to have lost interest in his.  Ouch.  True, I'm a bit worn out come March 7th but I have not lost interest!  Not in this sweet boy!

Being the oldest, his baby, baby pics were taken on a film camera.  So, I have zero little baby pics to share.  {except his 9 mos. picture because I have the disc from that shoot}  Even his 1st birthday was shot on film.  Oh well, he is the only one with an actual album, so he should feel special about that!

9 mos.

I honestly don't know where the time has gone.  A total cliche statement, but really he was this little dragon yesterday....

2

2

2

I couldn't wait to meet Colin.  We knew he was a "he" before he came.  He had a name.  He just wouldn't come, and so I made him come...we induced...and boy does this child have a birth story!  

My first lesson in the life of a Mom...you cannot control everything!  And, my second lesson...your heart just grows and grows and expands... to sizes that you never dreamed possible!

big moments!  {2...but 3 in a few weeks!}             

3

4

                                                                                     

the force is strong with  this one!

5

                                                                                 

kindergarten t-ball

6

another BIG moment!

7

a BIG mess after LHF daycamp

L.O.V.E this kid!

8

And now... with a heart three times bigger than I ever knew was possible {and still stretching}.

9!  a whole new year!

For each year these kids tack on, I can still see this one's brand new, little eyes searching my face.  I cannot believe 9 years has passed.  How he's grown...how I've grown.  And I know that very first night I met him won't be the last time he keeps me up into the wee hours of the morning {like tonight, for instance}.  He's still teaching me how to be a Mom...the good, the bad, and the ugly...and I'm so grateful.

Happy Birthday, Colin!  I love you!

{just a little side note...he was actually born on the 7th, but so late it was almost the 8th so this post is still technically on time :) }