Swing set fun

Sick Day

And ironically this one was for me.

I think the lack of sleep, stress, kids, husband, laundry (or pile up of laundry), house cleaning, diaper changing, travel, changes, running, eating crappy....etc. is catching up with me.

Yesterday I started to not feel well, and last night it got fairly bad.  I was running a fever and just was sore and DID NOT FELL WELL.  I woke up this morning and decided that I couldn't make it though the day (lets face it I could barely get out of bed and get the kids dressed).  Nick took them to daycare and I went back to bed.  When I finally got up around 11:30 (for the day) I felt slightly better.  However, now the guilt of not being at work was setting in.  I got ready and decided to be productive.  I went out for a run, grabbed gas for the mower, mowed the grass, did 3/4 of my laundry and prepared a dinner.  I do have to say that I still feel a bit crummy, but feel good that I got all this stuff done.

I think in the future I need to learn how to use a sick day more productively...  ~

Anyone reading this I could use some good thoughts, good vibes or some good old prayers this week.  I have some exciting things on the horizon.  Hopefully that means good news to be shared SOON...

With that, I'm going to maybe lay my head down again.  I'm feeling tired......

I love weddings!!

Plus weddings with photo booths are even better!!

Congrats to Matt and Jami!! Beautiful day for a beautiful couple!!!

Bieber Fever

So I'm not afraid to admit that I have Justin Bieber's song "Baby" on my running playlist.  Sometimes in the van on the way home from daycare I will play that list as it has some upbeat songs on it and the kids love it.  Tonight "Baby" comes on and Addy says, 'I love Justin Bieber.  I have the fever.  She is a good singer."  I responded: 'Oh, honey, Justin Bieber is a boy."  Addy: 'Oh, he sounds like a girl.  He is a good singer though."  


I love the thought process of a 3 year old sometimes.

What a crappy Monday night...

I tend to think Monday's are evil to begin with, but then to top off the evening we've had...it isn't one of my favorites to go on the record books.  Surprise, surprise... Birk has ANOTHER EAR INFECTION!!!

I picked them up from daycare we came home, I ran on the treadmill (and anyone following my blog knows I hate the treadmill), we were about to get ready for dinner and I noticed Birk didn't look that great.  I asked him if he was ok, and he responded his ear hurt.  My heart sank.  I told Nick (who was giving a guitar lesson at the time) that I was running to Urgent care.  Birk, Addy and I all packed into the car and headed out.  We stopped at Urgent Care and unloaded and went in ONLY to discover that it was closed for the night.  So, out we went and onto the next urgent care in Ankeny.  I got the kids out again and headed in.  Thankfully this one was open.  We got in and got registered.  Addy then started to whine and cry...  Her main issue -- there were no toys in the doctors office.  She proceeded to throw herself on the floor, scream bloody murder and yell at me and kick her legs.  I apologized to the staff, who told me it was fine (but whom I'm sure were thinking...get this freaking lady and her kids out of here now).  Ironically we were called right back.  Doctor came in only to find the same fit from Addy happening in the room.  He took one look in B man's ear and said "yup, its infected."  He wrote us a script and we were on our way.

By this time it was 8:15PM so our pharmacy was closed and now I was onto find a new one up here.  Man, what a fun way to learn Ankeny.  Went to Hy-Vee because I thought I remembered they had a drive up window and I really did not want to take the kids out again. Dropped it off, then as Mother of the year would...headed onto McDonald's to finally feed my kids.  Got home, finished our dinner and put our jammies on.

Now I sit here in the living room listening as Birk is whimpering and crying from his bed.  I'm sure we're in for a long night.  I do appreciate my wonderful husband recognizing that we didn't have the best of nights and choosing to be the one to sleep on Birk's floor tonight.

Please pray for good weather so that we can start to rid ourselves of these DARN infections. They are about to get the best of me!

Also, pray for rest for Birk.  Both physically and from the pain in his ear.

My special little man did tell me something very wonderful tonight when we got to our 2nd Urgent Care clinic.  I got Addy out then looked up at him and he said to me

"It's ok mom.  God will take care of me."

I asked him later on why he said that.  Had someone told him that?

He responded: "Nope. I just know God will take care of me."

Top 5... so far

I know it is only April 18th, but I have been really stressing about a few major things lately so I just decided I needed to sit back and really think about what I have loved about this year so far.

* Here is my top 5 *

1.  3 year olds.  While they can be a bit challenging, I also love their imaginations, their laughs, their energy and their love. The hugs they give are pretty amazing too...

2.  People Magazine.  My husband bought me a years subscription for Christmas and it has made Saturday mornings (with a pot of coffee) pretty AMAZING.

3. Diet Mountain Dew fountain pop from Casey's.  When we lived on the south side we did live close to a Casey's, but we live even closer now.  Nick and I take turns driving over there on the weekends for a Fountain dew.  It is glorious, I have to admit.

4.  Running.  I have found some wonderful running paths here in Ankeny and have hit the pavement (so to speak).  I have been getting some really great long runs in which has helped my mental state...given the various stressors in my life.

5.  My faith.  This year has been great, but I've seen my fair share of challenges too.  I need to keep remembering that there is a purpose for each and every person that enters my life, each situation that I'm faced with.  Knowing there is a greater reason for everything just helps me get through the day.

Addition to previous post

So I also forgot to add a funny story.  As we were driving over to get the kids Nick looks over at me and says, "I can't fall asleep on an airplane anymore."  I look at him and ask why?  He responds. "I don't have dreams like yours (I had a very nice dream on the flight from SFO to Houston).  I dreamed that our marriage didn't work out and all of a sudden I was married to this new person who was not attractive at all.  I mean, I didn't even date her.  We were just married.  Plus she was wanting to go buy all these tools."

To Nick's credit I can see the worry when you're married to someone who you don't find attractive and they are wanting to purchase tools.  There is no getting out at that point in the game.

Good night all!

~~ I'm blessed ~~

We landed tonight at 5pm and quickly grabbed our luggage and headed over to Windsor Heights to pick up the kids.  Man, we were so glad to see them.  Vacation was awesome...and much needed, but we sure missed Birk and Addy.  I also felt like they had grown up a little since I saw them last Wednesday.  They had a blast at my sister's house and did great.  We are so thankful to have family so close that take such great care of the twins.  AND...whom they love so much.  

I wanted to give a special shout out in this blog to my best friend and my partner in crime... Nick.  I'm pretty blessed to have someone, like Nick, to share my life.  He is patient, kind and so much fun to hang out with.  I mean, how many people can say that they get to spend NON STOP TIME with their spouse that they love being around.  During our time away, Nick and I had some fantastic in depth discussions, some amazing laughs, some scary moments, moments we will forever remember and never once felt like we didn't want to be together.  He puts up with my craziness, he laughs at me, he is supportive EVERY time I need him to be supportive.  I'm not sure I could get any luckier.

I downloaded The Wedding, by Nicholas Sparks to read over the trip and let me recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great read.  It's a story about a man who realizes he hasn't been the best husband he could have been to his wife.  No matter where we are at in our relationships or marriage I think this story applies to us all.  We can all be better people to those that we love.  Remember to give hugs, remember to say I LOVE YOU as much as you can, remember the reasons you married that person.  Remember that feeling of falling in love.  It's the best, why would we want to lose that?  

Here are a few pictures of why we married each other...

(by the way one of my biggest pet peeves is when couples take pictures of themselves and you see their arms, or double chins in my case, but it is really challenging to find someone to take a zillion pictures of us so I'm sorry for the close ups).  

What a Blessing ~~ 

I left my heart in Des Moines....

But, I'm sure glad to be in San Francisco this weekend.  What an amazing and beautiful state.  I was lucky enough to be honored at a Wells Fargo event on Thursday evening after a fun filled day of exploring Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli, Pier 39 and much more.  We took a Cable Car ride, we had an AMAZING lunch and enjoyed our time together very much.

On the Cable Car...

Vacation begins...

Riding the Cable Car! 

Yesterday we thought it would be a good idea to grab some lunch and then maybe just lay low.  Around 6pm we decided we didn't want to just be in our hotel room any longer so we ventured out for a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge.  Man, are we EVER glad we did that!

This is Nick going over the bridge.  

This is ME going over the bridge.  (I'm a bit nervous on bridges)

 ~~ The beauty ~~ 

We pulled over to get a better look at the bridge and found this awesome look out spot.  

After our drive we stopped in Sausalito for some food.  We found this quaint little restaurant literally ON THE BAY.  We had the most amazing fish, dessert, and Nick even finished the meal with a cup of dessert coffee.  That was a new experience.  

Today we spent the day driving up north through wine country, going to wine tastings and driving along the coast.  It was by far some of the most beautiful parts on the U.S.A. that I have ever seen.  I have never seen beaches like this before.  I was AMAZED at the work that God can do with this earth.   Pictures can not do what we saw justice, but it might be a small sample!  I do have to say I LOVE the beach, sitting in the sand with a beverage or swimming in the ocean, but the majesty we witnessed today as the waves rolled through these giant rocks as we were standing on mountain tops was beyond powerful!  Thank you Lord for the gift of this life, the gift of what you have done to make this beautiful~~  

At Goat Rock Beach.  This little place was sandwiched in between two mountains and you could look out and see forever.  The waves were fierce, the wind was strong and it was magnificent.  

I pray! Thank you Lord!  

All I could do was sit there and watch.  It had me from the minute I saw it!  

My Hot Hubby!  ;-)  

We also stopped at Redwood State Park and took a small hike up the mountains.  We only made it about a 1/2 mile and we turned around.  My shoes were not a smart choice.  

This is me.  I am hiking in my black flats and my jean jacket.  Not exactly hiking attire.  

This is a picture of Nick took of me & a Fern.  I was very much 'with nature' on this hike.  

This reminded me of an area right out of the Ireland or something.  It was amazing.  

This is me.  I am cold.  

Hope you enjoyed just a small taste of our trip so far.  We are headed to Half Moon Bay tomorrow and it looks like the weather will be great!  Monday we are going to Alcatraz and then to a Giants game.  

Poopy Party

So before you are grossed out by the title of this blog, let me assure you I have a story to tell!!

So last week I took the twins in for their 3 year appointment.  The Doctor was asking me about potty training and I let him know it was going "ok."  Addy still wont' go poopy on the potty.  She chooses to hold it.  Anyway, the doctor looks at Addy and here is the dialog that followed:

Dr. A. " Addy, do you like to go to parties?"
A:  "Yeah, I do!"
Dr. A. "Have you ever heard of the poopy party?"
A: "Nope."
Dr. A." Well, its a party for your poopy to go to.  The only way for them to get to the party is through the toilet.  So when you feel the poopy in your tummy you want to run to the toilet and let them head to their party."
       
*At this point Addy looks at me with her head turned to the side and gave me one of those
           "is this for real" looks.*

Later that day.... I had really been building on this poop party bit.  Asking her often if she had to go, and reminding her to let her poop get to that party.  She kept assuring me she didn't have to go.  A few hours later she comes running up to me with a diaper in hand:
A: "Mom, change my diaper!  I pooped."
Me: "Addy, what about the party for your poopy?"
A: "My poopy didn't want to go to the party." 

The. End. 

My kind of Friday night...

For any of you Mom's out there who thought about what kind of mom you would be when you finally were one can relate to this story.  What I knew I wasn't going to be was one who didn't spend time bonding with my kids, playing with them, reading with them...really getting to know them.  I dreamed of being the mom who cooked home cooked means, we only played educational games and was pretty much the June Cleaver of Ankeny.  Well that is taking it a bit far, but here is what tonight had in store.  I worked from home today and took the kids to their 3 year appointment and then we had a visit from a pest company to get rid of these stupid GIANT black spiders we have.  The guy was so great he even let Addy pump the sprayer and help spray (which I should of asked for a discount seeing as one of my 3 year olds was doing the work....).  After naps we braved the crowds at Target to finish our Easter meal purchasing.  We came home and I started to hit my wall....One thing I forgot to mention is both kids were diagnosed w/ Hand, Foot and Mouth disease today.  Last night I spent the majority of the night on Addy's floor as she was struggling to sleep from all the itching and burning.  Hopefully tonight is better.  We went out and spent some precious time on our swing set and made the decision to get pizza.  During dinner the kids drew pictures, Birk pretty much wrote a good portion of the alphabet on paper for us!!  We got home and Nick was so desperate to play a new amp he purchased so the kids and I put our jammies on and came up to watch Tangled in our bed.  They LOVED it to say the least.  They snuggled in so tight and were so loving.  It just made my heart happy.  This is the dream that I used to have.  I would be that Mom, who would say "it's ok that we don't get in bed on time tonight."  "It's ok that we have ice cream for dinner."  "It's ok that you are dirty, for you had fun tonight."  These are the moments that I want them to remember.  I know I will.

So,  today has also brought an overwhelming feeling of sadness for the events that took place many years ago.  For Jesus to give his own life so that I can be saved is beyond words to me.  I'm so humbled by today and have felt the presence of true sacrifice.  I am also blessed beyond measure.  I am blessed to be able to year after year REMEMBER these events, celebrate in the new life that we were all given because Christ gave his own.  Thank you just seems to be meaningless at this point, but it is the only words I have...so THANK YOU!

Easter, at our house, will involve an Easter Egg hunt, Peanut Butter Eggs, and some good family fun, but what our family will also remember is to embrace the Grace that is within all of us because of what happens on Easter Morning.  This is a Grace I want to carry with me each and every day.

Happy Easter to everyone!  May you find the Grace of this most special day.  May you see the true gift that YOU'VE been given.

Praise to the Lord Jesus Christ!

He is almost Risen!

Ladies and Gentlemen...

This was no easy task, but thanks to some GREAT friends and family...the swing set is up and the kids are having a blast.