Tuesday, May 8, 2012



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...


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

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!

Monday, April 2, 2012





I like nonsense.  It wakes up
the brain cells.
- Dr. Seuss





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

Sunday, March 25, 2012

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.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

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!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

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 :) }







                                                                               

                                                                             

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

beautiful ride

Parenting is hard.  Sometimes I want to pack my bags and run away to Australia. {it's warm there most of the time, right?}  Sometimes I think,  "I'm not mature enough to handle this crap".  Silly, since I'm close to a year away from the big 4-0...but still, that's how I feel.  I feel that way mostly when my kids are hurting from something someone said or did...when I fight with my own hurt feelings over it.  When I have to restrain myself from accosting some child {or teacher, or coach} at school.

I'm sounding crazy, I know.  I'm really not.

Bottom line: I want to protect my children from hurt.  I want the world to see how truly amazing and wonderful they are.  I want everyone to see them as I do, imperfect but perfect.  But, that's not real life.  In real life everyone doesn't like everyone else.  People hurt other people's feelings.  People are unfair to each other.  It happens.  All.  the.  time.

We had an incident like that the other day.  I thought Colin was treated unfairly.  I wanted to whip out an e-mail and let it rip {anyone up for a game of Bey Blades?}.  Thankfully I have a husband and a best friend to talk me down.  It's life.  Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it.  Turn the other cheek.  Be the bigger person.  {add another cliche here}

But, I digress.  The whole point of this post was to share one of my new favorite songs.  It's appropriate for occasions like those mentioned above...and many others.  It's kinda been my anthem lately...although the video itself isn't my favorite, I'm loving the song...

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

It's my 3 year blogging anniversary!  Back then Ty looked like this....


and Colin looked like this....



It's true...those are two of the first pictures that I posted on this blog! 

Initially, I started my blog as a kind of therapy after losing Clementine...it became a way for me to focus on things other than her loss.  {Thank you, Sarah, for encouraging me to start one!}  It gave me a way to be able to write about things that I considered important, funny, and interesting...about my blessings and the things that are going well in my life.  It was, and still is, therapeutic for me.  Sometimes I've posted something that should have remained in draft form forever.  I'm human.  Those entries are a real part of my life, and although it may have been better to have left it publicly unsaid, they remain there as proof of my imperfection.

The goal remains to make this a place where I record our family history.  To focus on the good and the fun things, but not to be too "Pollyanna"-ish.  This is, after all, real life.  :)

Thanks for reading my blog.  Thanks for commenting {for those of you who comment} because I do L.O.V.E. comments! :)  Until next time...

Friday, February 24, 2012

and the 6-year-old speaks...a birthday interview





6 Things About Ty
              by Ty

1. I'm smart.
2. I have a good imagination.
3. I build Lego's.
4. I have manners.
5. I clean the bathrooms and do chores.
6. That you {Mom} love me.

  • favorite color: Blue
  • favorite book : Diary of a Wimpy Kid
  • favorite game: Pokemon {ugh!}
  • favorite friend{s}: Payton and Claire
  • favorite sport: soccer
  • favorite food: tacos


Q:What makes you happy?  
A: Birthdays.

Q: What makes you sad?
A: When my brother got stitches.

Q: What makes you mad?
A: When I talk and no one's listening to me.

Q: What makes you scared?
A: The dark.

Q: What makes you excited?
A: Going to Build-A-Bear.  {which is where we are headed tomorrow morning with 1 school friend                                          {Claire},  cousins Jaxson and Cally, and Colin and Eden for his Birthday party!}

Happy Friday!

Four years. Four. That was the length of my blog break.   I'm guessing that whomever once followed me will not be here anymore, and ...