all the small things

a reckless witch...

2011-12-10T14:03:00.000-06:00

I received the third installment of the Modern Witch series by Debora Geary the day after Thanksgiving. And while I normally devour this series in one sitting moments after receiving it, this time I was in the middle of another book and Christmas shopping. Then, I started a new job so my reading time was drastically cut. All of this to say, I would have read this in one sitting if I could have. This was hands down my favorite one of the series so far. I love seeing how the characters grow and change throughout the books.

We once again get to catch up with all of our favorite witches and are introduced to a new witch Sierra. She has been separated from the witching community for her entire life and has now found her way back to them. As the other witches get to know Sierra they discover she is a very powerful witch, so much so that even Sierra herself doesn't realize the magnitude of her power. The downside to all of this is that Sierra's mother was a very reckless witch and didn't teach Sierra the safeguards necessary to protect those around her from her magic. As the community tries to teach Sierra about being safe while using her magic they all learn a necessary lesson about finding a balance between safety and being free.

I think A Reckless Witch spoke to me so much because as a mom, I am constantly trying to find the balance of letting my kids be free to be who they are and to have fun, all the while trying to teach them to be safe and responsible and trying to protect them from things that can cause them harm.

Can I say again how much I LOVED this book? Oh yeah, it is my blog...so I can. I LOVED this book! I don't know what else to say other than go get yourself this series and read these books, this series just keeps getting better!

three on the third...

2011-12-03T07:12:00.000-06:00

Three...it is such a small number, but today it seems so big. Three means being able to do stuff yourself, carrying on conversations, being a big boy. You are not my little baby anymore...I mean I will still totally refer to you as my baby, but you are my little boy now and there is no going back. It wasn't great timing that I started a new job right before your birthday, but when you came in the office today wrapped your arms around me and said "mommy, I missed you soo much!" my heart ached because you and me little man, we've been together since the beginning and now there are so many changes coming our way. I never realized how much I would miss your hugs, kisses and laughter throughout the day. I know that this is a great change for both of us, but I know it is just another sign that you are growing up and I'm not quite ready for that yet. You, little man, have my heart in the palm of your hand. As much as you can push my buttons, you also know that your smile, laugh and a hug and kiss go a long way to making mama feel better. Everyday you grow I get a glimpse into the man you will one day become. A sweet, kind, loving man who knows just when to be a goofball and just what to say to have everyone eating out of the palm of your hand. You, baby boy are one amazing kid, you never cease to amaze me with the things that come out of your mouth or the looks you give me when I'm trying to get you to do something that I want you to do. You are way too smart for your own good. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of the baby you were every now and then when you cuddle up in my lap or snuggle beside me while you sleep, it helps me hold onto my baby for just a little while longer. To everyone else three may be a small number, but to me, right now, it is much too big.
Happy happy 3rd birthday monkey boy! I love you more than you could possibly imagine!
Love always,
mama

so i'm a couple behind...

2011-11-29T20:41:00.000-06:00

Sorry I've been MIA for the last couple days. I've been busy...getting a job! Yes, on Thursday I'll be re-entering the land of the employed full time for the first time in 3 years. I'm excited and nervous and a little sad. Excited because adult interaction and another income...YAY! Nervous because I have to get up and get dressed everyday..no more days of being in yoga pants and t-shirts...boo! And sad because tomorrow is my last day at home with the kids. This will be the first time that Bryce has been taken care of by anyone but me on a regular full-time basis. I will miss being at home with him and Brianna, but it is certainly time for me to get back out there. We're running around trying to figure out daycare, as the place we thought he would go doesn't have any openings now. There is a daycare right next door to my work so we are checking that out on Thursday night and if all goes well he will be starting there on Monday. Cross your fingers! Brianna is super excited about starting the latchkey program at Aquin where she will go before and after school. Mostly because she'll get to play with her friends longer in the afternoon. I know it will definitely be an adjustment for all of us but I'm really hoping it goes as smooth as possible. Besides the craziness of starting a job and finding daycare...Bryce's birthday is on Saturday and we're having a little party...so I have to get all of that ready as well. There is just not enough time this week! But I know we'll get through it and it'll all be OK. I'm looking forward to this new exciting chapter in my life...now if only we could sell that darn house! Hopefully this job is the first of many good things happening to our family! Much love, blogland! Thanks for continuing to come back to read my ramblings...it means more to me than you know!

finding our normal...

2011-11-26T23:41:00.000-06:00

Today was such a great day. We played games, napped, and watched movies together. It isn't often anymore that we are able to enjoy days like this...where it is just the four of us. Amongst all the family fun I cooked twice and did laundry. It was such an ordinary normal day...but it was wonderful today. It didn't feel ordinary or normal. It felt special and rare. Maybe this is one of the lessons I have to learn during this whole process. Being together is such a blessing, I need to cherish this time we have together, even if some of it is spent doing laundry and cooking. I spent my day feeling appreciative, loved and very very blessed. It was a good day.

black friday...

2011-11-25T23:30:00.002-06:00

(OK so I'm cheating a little bit and actually writing this on Saturday. )

Did you spend Black Friday shopping? I sure did, but I did it from the comfort of a chair in my pjs. I made quite the little dent in my shopping list yesterday and I found some great deals and saved a bunch of money and I didn't have to stand in line once! I stuck to my budget, got what I wanted and am pretty happy with my progress. I even got our Christmas cards ordered yesterday and they are in my grimy little hands ready for me to get addressed and mailed. I just make so much more progress on my shopping when I do it from my computer, as I said before it is easier to stay within my budget and I can jump around to find the best deals without driving all over town. Plus I'm giving the UPS guy job security right? :) I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family and/or friends!

from my turkeys to yours...

2011-11-24T15:40:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

a post between cooking and baking...

2011-11-23T18:57:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to pop on here to do my blog post for the day while I'm in between recipes! Mashed potatoes are done! Still have dessert and scalloped potatoes left though. It is a good thing I like being in the kitchen! It has been a crazy day trying to get everything put together for our trip to Illinois but we made it and I would really like nothing more than to curl up with my book or even just go to sleep. But I will be glad I got everything done tonight once it is done so I'll just push on through! I should get back to it, the longer I sit here the harder it is to get started again. Oh, one piece of good news today...Bryce made the whole trip without a pull-up on! We did have to stop once to go to the bathroom, but it was pretty good for our first attempt. I'm hoping this pack of pull-ups I bought on Monday will be my last!
Happy cooking and baking to those of you out there preparing for tomorrow!

i really should be sleeping...

2011-11-22T22:20:00.000-06:00

But, I just finished drinking some caffeine and even though I am exhausted I know I won't be able to sleep (good thing I have some new books to keep me occupied during my insomnia!). I really should try to get some sleep, tomorrow will be crazy! Brianna gets out of school early (which is a very good thing since we're heading back to Illinois tomorrow afternoon) but it seems like there just isn't enough time to get things done when I have to pick her up at one. Thankfully I got laundry and my work done today so tomorrow I really just need to pack and pick up some stuff. I'm going to try to con my mother-in-law into taking some photos of us over the weekend so that I can possibly get our Christmas cards ordered (can't really beat Sam's Club 100 cards for $15 plus they are ready in 24 hours). I'm hoping for a pretty laid back weekend overall though just some good times with family. Just what the doctor ordered! I'm going to really try to remember to post while we are gone, but we'll see! I promise that I will still have 30 posts for the month of November! :) If you are traveling tomorrow, travel safely and enjoy your family and friends...they are what make everything worthwhile.

blocked...

2011-11-21T22:50:00.000-06:00

I'm having a severe mental block on what to write about. My life is pretty much consumed with the same things all the time these days and I'm sure you are tired of reading about them, because frankly I am tired of thinking and writing about them. I've spent a good part of the day trying to come up with Christmas gifts for those on my list. I usually am really good with this, I can figure out what someone wants and find a good price (usually) and I know it isn't about the gifts but one of the best things in the world is watching someone open something you put a lot of thought and care into, knowing that they will love it because you know them. This year...I am blocked. I don't even know what to get my own kids. I'm hoping the holiday spirit overtakes me soon, because it just isn't hitting me thus far. Plus, I can't even comprehend that my baby is turning 3 in only 12 days. So, what is going on with you guys these days? Anything you want to discuss or know about? Throw out some suggestions so I can stop boring you with my pointless rambling! For now I will leave you with this question...what is the best Christmas gift you've ever received? For me I guess it would be my engagement ring. :) But after that it would probably be my Flip, I love being able to quickly and easily record fun things!

sunday smiles...

2011-11-20T20:34:00.001-06:00

These four kids crack me up!

This next picture pretty much summarizes this saying I found recently.

So there's this boy. He kind of stole my heart. He calls me "mom"

birthday boy...

2011-11-19T20:35:00.000-06:00

The birthday boy with his cake. He is the best 6 year old boy ever!

missouri state of mind...

2011-11-18T23:06:00.000-06:00

We made it to Missouri about 8pm. I worked on Braden's cake when we got here and just finished a little bit ago. Now it is time to get the kiddos to bed (yes they are ALL still up at 11pm) and get some sleep myself. I'm guessing none of them will want to sleep in tomorrow morning! I'm pretty happy with the way Braden's cake turned out. He asked for a Mario DS cake...and that is what I tried to give him! Night all...I'll be back tomorrow hopefully with a couple more pictures (if I can steal them from Angie or mom since my camera is still broken). But here is my cell phone picture of Braden's birthday cake!

PS. Happy Birthday Grandma! Hope it was a great one! See you tomorrow!! Love you!

he's here...

2011-11-17T22:18:00.000-06:00

Bob has arrived safely in Iowa (for the weekend at least). I'm so glad he is here even though we really didn't get a chance to talk. It is just nice having him here. I have a big list for tomorrow that I have to tackle and get done before it is time to pick Brianna up from school...so I should probably get to bed. Hopefully none of it will actually take me that long tomorrow. Can't wait to see Angie, Nick and the boys tomorrow night!! I hope Braden's cake turns out as good as I picture it in my head! I'm sure I'll post a picture or two Saturday night! Yay! I haven't made a cake in a while, and I'm excited to make his birthday cake. Then I need to get into gear and start planning the little man's 3rd birthday! (ugh...it hurts my heart a little that my baby is going to be 3!). OK kiddos, I'm heading to bed...all four of us under one roof...I think I'll sleep well tonight! Much love!

still have a headache...still have nothing to say...

2011-11-16T22:08:00.000-06:00

Still have this headache I can't quite kick. Booo! And I seriously have nothing to talk about today, I did laundry and made some chocolate mustaches for Braden's birthday party this weekend. They didn't turn out too bad, but I still have a few more to make. That was pretty much the extent of my day, other than wrangling the kids who seem to be a little crazy this week (or else my patience is running really thin..probably both). Bob will be here tomorrow night and we can't wait! Bryce woke up from his nap today and looked so sad, I asked him what was wrong and he said "I'm just sad because I miss daddy" It took me a while to pick my heart up off the ground. If you could all just say an extra prayer or send a good thought or two our way so that this house will just sell so we can all be together again sooner rather than later, we'd really appreciate it. I'm very thankful that we'll all be together this weekend and then again on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. I think it will be just what we all need. I'm off to bed peeps, maybe tomorrow will be headache free!

my attempt to write something of substance...

2011-11-15T22:06:00.001-06:00

I know I've been sort of "phoning in" this one post a day thing, but I don't have a lot to talk about or I'm too exhausted by the end of the day to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard if you will). I'm at a loss for what to say, things are the same, no big news to share, no huge revelations or solving of great mysteries. Our days are strangely ordinary, with the exception of missing Bob dearly. We're doing OK, getting by, making plans...just not the plans we thought we'd be making by now. I truly thought when we put our house on the market in February (yes it has really been that long) that by Christmas time we'd be settling into a new house enjoying this new chapter in our lives. Now, that isn't to say things aren't going just fine, but we're still in the same holding pattern. On the bright side, the kids are doing well, other than missing daddy. They played outside until it was dark tonight. I love that about living here, they have spent so much more time outside and they love it. They were already talking about going sledding when it snows again. They are keeping me going and keeping me focused on the good stuff. Alright, now that everyone is finally asleep, I need to try to get some sleep myself to get rid of this headache that has been plaguing me all day. Until tomorrow friends!

just a quick one tonight...

2011-11-14T23:36:00.000-06:00

Before I forget and drop into bed, just a quick post. Angie asked me to make a rosary for her and tonight I finally got it done! What do you think? (sorry for the not so great photo...so sleepy!)

sunday funday...

2011-11-13T21:04:00.000-06:00

Oh weekend...how fast you go. Today I was a busy little jewelry bee and got a bunch of stuff made to be delivered next weekend. Brianna got to go along with her little friend Mya to hold her hand while she got her ears pierced (Mya not Brianna). Brianna hasn't said she is ready to get hers pierced quite yet so we'll see how that changes in the next few months/years. :) Otherwise, it was just a typical Sunday...just ask Bryce and Papa Lester!

i forgot again...

2011-11-13T07:29:00.000-06:00

Man...I forgot to post again. We were gone all day yesterday and after I got the kids in bed, I read a little bit and then went to sleep myself. The kids are both still sleeping and Bryce is currently trying to push me out of the bed. Although, he did just crawl in here about 20 minutes ago, so that is a vast improvement on what has been going on lately. I almost hate to say this out loud so as not to jinx myself...BUT he is almost entirely potty trained. Thank goodness! He still has pull-ups for at night, just can't seem to get that down, but otherwise he is good throughout the day. Well, I have a lot of jewelry to make today so I should probably get at it. Can I tell you a secret though...I really would love nothing better than to just curl up with my book! It sort of reminds me of the Dan Brown books The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, if you are into those sorts of books you should check out The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed. I'm about half way through and am really enjoying it. With that, I will leave you with this picture of the kiddos from yesterday...pre-fighting! (Sorry Grandma that you had to listen to the endless fighting and complaining yesterday!)

friday photos...

2011-11-11T21:33:00.000-06:00

Some belated Halloween pictures. Here are the pumpkins that we painted. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

trying to end on a good note...

2011-11-10T21:28:00.000-06:00

I just erased the post I was going to put up. It wasn't a happy post, but it was what I thought I needed to get out. Well, after I wrote it down, I deleted it, determined not to put any negativity out into the world tonight. Instead I'm going to focus on 3 very special people today. Today, 3 people dear to me have their birthdays.
The first, my Aunt Jean. This is the woman who babysat me when I was little, who would only give me 1/2 a glass of milk when I was a kid (but believe me I now know why...kids spill EVERYTHING!) and who I've shared a few beers, laughter and some tears with over the years. She is a good egg and I'm so glad she is a part of my family. I know she'd always have my back and really what more could you want in a family member?
The second, my dear friend Dawn. Dawn and I met at Knox and I adore everything about her. She is sweet, kind, funny, and the perfect balance of being a grown-up and yet having the heart of a child. She always seems to know exactly what I need to hear when I need to hear it and I know that I am a better person for knowing her. She makes me want to be a better person, wife, mom and friend. I am truly blessed to have a friend like her.
And last (but certainly not least)...Ian. Ian is my cousin's little boy who only spent a short time on this earth. He is the angel watching over our whole family and he has the best mommy, daddy and sister anyone could ask for. I'm sure he is celebrating his birthday in heaven eating some M&Ms and Skittles with Papa Joe.

Thanks you three for reminding me of just a few of the blessing I have in my life. Love to you all!

snow...oh no...

2011-11-09T21:42:00.001-06:00

Today was the first snowstorm of the season. We got a bunch of heavy wet snow in a very short period of time, it made for quite the mess! While a good deal of it has melted already it is still leaving a mess behind. The gravel was a muddy gross mess before the snow and it is about 100 times worse now. It was a long drive into school this morning. The 5 mile trip took us about 20 minutes. I really want to like the snow, I do...but I HATE driving in it. The kids got up this morning and were so excited about the snow. I don't like that my first thought when I see snow is a negative one. I miss being a kid where the winter meant late starts, snow days and playing in the snow. Oh to be a kid again! :)

my great escape...

2011-11-08T23:16:00.000-06:00

I love books and reading. It is pretty much my favorite thing to do. I have read a lot this year (like 110 books so far) I think part of the reason that I have devoured so many books is because it is my escape. When my brain is idle I obsess over the house not being sold, money, not finding a full-time job yet and on and on. Mindless TV sometimes can do the trick, but there is nothing better than getting lost in a book. Reading is my trick to let go of all my stresses, it is the ultimate "me" time. Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with friends and the kids, but when I'm alone I read. As much as I love quiet time, I don't really like being alone. Shopping is no fun by myself, and while sometimes I need a few hours where I just veg in front of the TV...I never feel guilty about spending spare time reading like I do when I waste time watching TV (that probably tells you the caliber of shows I watch that I feel guilty watching them). Books are my great escape. I love everything about the process from picking out the books at the library to seeing them stacked up next to my bed to watching my "to be read" pile grow smaller as my "read" pile gets bigger. I love that my kids love the library. While I don't love that my kids (ahem...Bryce) are hard on books, I love that they touch them and look at the pictures and make up their own stories. I love that their books are used and don't look brand new. I hope this love of mine sticks with them and becomes a love of their own.
I will admit when at Brianna's conferences last week my heart broke a little when she said reading was her least favorite part of school, we'll definitely have to work to change that!
I'm so appreciative of my parents (especially mom) for instilling in me a love of reading. If you can believe it, I think she actually reads more than I do.
This is a completely random post that has no real point except that I have books on the brain and I'm trying to keep up with my one post a day so this is what you get today!
If anyone needs some book suggestions, let me know...I can share ones with you that I have really enjoyed this year! Anyone want to guess how many I'll have read by the end of 2011? My goal was to make it to 100 but maybe I'll make it to 120! (an average of 10 books a month...wow...apparently I either need to sleep more or get another hobby! :))

am i the only one...

2011-11-07T22:27:00.000-06:00

Do you all plan out your Christmas shopping? I'm just wondering if I'm a little crazy and my frugalness (so totally a word) is becoming a problem, because I have spreadsheets. I've started researching what each person on my list will be getting for Christmas, I search for the best deals, I use ebates if I shop online. (If you do a lot of shopping online ebates is totally worth your time to look into www.ebates.com and if you sign up...use me as a referral! :)). I know exactly how much I'll be spending on each person on my list and I know exactly what I can/will get for that amount. I like my money to go far. And yes I know that Christmas isn't about gifts, but I personally get so much joy out of seeing someone love a gift I've picked out for them, it makes me happy and it makes them feel special. Here is the thing with me...when I am shopping for gifts I am a total impulse buyer and if I don't have a plan I will totally blow my budget in no time. Hence the reason I shop online, the pull to just get one more thing for this person or that person isn't quite as strong. Inquiring minds want to know...do you do your Christmas shopping with a plan or do you just buy whatever strikes your fancy while you're shopping?

(sorry for the completely random post, but I feel like time is moving so quickly these days and there isn't enough time to get everything done so I'm trying to get a jump on things!)

lucky...

2011-11-06T22:13:00.001-06:00

So tired tonight so I'm going to start my week out with the reasons I feel so lucky.

a peaceful, quiet drive back to Iowa this evening
goodnight kisses from my babies
a sister to chat with on my drive home
a husband who listened to me ramble for an hour
the support and unconditional love of an amazing husband
an email that said exactly what I needed to hear from a dear sweet friend
faith that there are brighter days ahead
knowledge that even if the stormy days continue for a while...I am never alone in the storm

I hope you all feel as lucky as I do.

This is what I'm keeping in mind this week...

"Faith in God includes faith in his timing."
"I'm not telling you it is going to be easy, I'm telling you it is going to be worth it"

not much to say...

2011-11-05T22:00:00.001-05:00

I figured I would get my post ready while I'm sitting here waiting for Bob to get back from dropping the kids off at Bob and Nancy's. Silver lining of living apart...we get more date nights now than we did before! (Thanks Bob & Nancy!) Before I get back to reading my book while I wait I thought I'd share with you some of the stuff I made for Brianna's class for their Halloween party. As much as I've complained about being room mom, it is actually pretty fun and I have an excuse to make this stuff. Enjoy the rest of your weekend (they always go too fast don't they?)!

owl cupcakes

broomstick goodie bags

apple slice mouths

string cheese fingers

oh shoot...

2011-11-05T08:13:00.000-05:00

Wow, 5 days in and I've already missed a post. Darn it! I guess I'll just have to post twice today. I don't even really know what to write about. So I guess lets go back to October and see what I've missed. Brian & Mary's wedding! I never shared any pictures, did I? Well let's remedy that right now shall we? It was a beautiful wedding and Bob and I had so much fun celebrating with them. Here are some pictures from the day.

the happy couple (photo borrowed from Mary's mom, Diana)

the post where i continue to talk about our unsold house...

2011-11-03T18:03:00.000-05:00

(This is a very random post...I'm exhausted and this is the only thing I could think of on the 3 1/2 hour drive back to Illinois today...you've been warned.)

The weirdest part about living with my parents while Bob is still in our house is that when people ask my address, I honestly have to think about what to say. I constantly wonder which address I should use. My drivers license is still issued in Illinois and all our bills, etc still come to the house in Illinois, but I really live in Iowa now. So all of Brianna's school stuff I have the Iowa address, and my resume has been updated to show the Iowa address, but when people ask me (like they did in the ER the other night) I have to stop and think about what the appropriate answer is. It is just a strange situation when you have to really think about your address. Who knew an address could be so complicated? :)

it may be a long month...

2011-11-02T22:38:00.000-05:00

Day 2 and I'm already struggling to get my post done. Not a good sign for the rest of the month. I'm hoping this exercise in writing everyday will be a good outlet for me. I think it has been hard for me to write the last couple of months because there is all this stuff that is hard to discuss, and I guess part of me is worried that people will be upset that I'm complaining about things that in the scheme of things aren't that important, we are all healthy and relatively happy, we have a roof over our heads (two actually)I get all of that and believe me I am truly thankful for all of those things, but I'm struggling...this living apart thing is hard, harder than I thought it would be I think. I'm tired and I feel like I'm not being a good mom, wife, daughter, friend or employee. I feel like every day is a battle just to keep my head above water, and while I'm surrounded by people who love and support me, I feel like I'm failing them. I feel a little beat down and broken right now. I have faith that it will all turn around and someday I will look back at this time in my life and know that it made me stronger and shaped the person I am, but right now, in the thick of it it is hard to see the positive side. This is the right thing for us, in my heart I know that to be true, but I'm sort of wishing what was right didn't have to be so damn hard all the time. But as they say...this too shall pass.
This is a pretty "woe is me" post. I know all of this is hard on our entire family, please don't think I am that self-absorbed to think this is only hard on me, but it is my blog and from my point-of-view so this is what you get! :)
But given that this is a month to be thankful I would like to say thanks to my parents (both the ones I was born to and the ones who have treated me like their own since I met their son)...no words could ever adequately thank you for all that you do for us..for me. We could not do any of this without your love and support. You mean more to us than you could ever possibly know. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for everything.
And with that I'm going to work for a while. Goodnight Blogland!

i'm baaaaaack...

2011-11-01T21:30:00.021-05:00

Oh my it has been a while! I'm challenging myself to post every day during November...which may actually be a huge challenge since we will be on the road almost every weekend in November, but I'm going to give it a try.So, November started out with a bang, since early this morning (right about midnight) Bryce woke up with a terrible croupy-cough. We took him outside to try to see if the cold air would help, gave him a nebulizer treatment, but nothing seemed to really help. He sounded terrible and you could really see in his chest he was struggling with his breathing. So we headed into the ER at 1am, got him some medicine and sat around waiting to see if he would regress. He did fine so we were discharged about 3:30am and headed to get his prescription filled. We got home about 4:15ish and the rest of the day was pretty much a wash.I did take Brianna's girl scout troop (well I guess they are actually my troop since I'm the leader) to an event tonight and I'm about ready for bed.
November has been interesting so far...lets hope the rest of the month doesn't bring too many surprises...or at least only brings good surprises!

my sick little monkey boy

trick-or-treat!!

witches on parole: unlocked...

2011-09-15T22:59:00.000-05:00

Just had to pop on tonight to tell you about the book I literally just finished. I honestly would have finished it in one sitting if Bryce hadn't taken off with my nook earlier!

Witches on Parole: Unlocked is another AMAZING book by the very talented Debora Geary. It is a spin off of her Modern Witch series, with some of our very favorite witches making an appearance.

Lizard and Elsie could not be more different, it seems like the only thing they do have in common is that they are both witches. Both women have turned to WitchLight for very different reasons, Lizard to stay out of jail and Elsie to help her firm up her ethical boundaries when it comes to her clients. Jennie is assigned to mentor both of the women, and sees a lot of herself in Lizard but has a very difficult times relating to Elsie. Jennie enlists the help of those near and dear to her to help both Lizard and Elsie break out of the chains that are holding them into the destructive parts of their lives.

I feel like I can't summarize anymore because I really just want you to read the book (and you don't have to read the Modern Witch series in order to understand this, but you should read them anyway, because they are fantastic). As always, the character are lovable and relate-able and I could not put this down. A must read in this girls opinion.

I'm linking all the ways you can purchase these books to make it easy for you because I'm here for you my loyal readers :)

Witches on Parole: Unlocked is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.
A Modern Witch is available at Amazon.com (kindle and paperback), Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.
A Hidden Witch is available at Amazon.com (kindle and paperback), Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.

Happy Reading!!

Source Disclosure: While I did receive a free copy of Witches on Parole: Unlocked from the author, the opinions expressed are all my own and have received/will not receive compensation for any copies bought through these links!

wordless wednesday...

2011-08-31T21:49:00.003-05:00

where do i start...

2011-08-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

Since it has been a little while since I've posted, I'm doing this post mind dump style (bullet point list). Sorry if this comes across as a complaint list...I am really not complaining (I save my complaining for phone calls with my mom :) I am just trying to rid my brain of all of this garbage and also so that maybe one day I can look back at this time in our lives and pat myself on the back for making it through!

3 weeks ago the alternator went out in my car plus it was in desperate need of 4 new tires.
did you know that you really shouldn't drive 7 years and 89,000 miles on the same set of tires...oops!
2 weeks ago we got locked out of our house when the power went out and we had left home to go to a movie not realizing we didn't have a house key (it was in the realtor lock box)
last week the fuel pump and relay went out of Bob's car
in case you're having trouble keeping track...that is 2 major car repairs in 3 weeks
the tire pressure light is on in my car
reminder...the tires are 3 weeks old...taking it in tomorrow to get checked.
oh yes, my brakes are making a horrendous noise
why not add a 3rd car repair in 4 weeks?
the kids and I moved in with my parents on Monday
they are wonderful but I feel terrible about imposing on them (I know, Mom, we're not)
yesterday I did some therapy baking...it was what I needed
we're back in IL now thankfully because I don't need to eat what I baked
did you know stress is NOT good for weight loss? (go figure!)
because the kids have been getting into trouble when I put them to bed at my parent's house...I have been forced to go to bed at 9pm...this is probably a good thing
my baby is starting kindergarten on Monday...she is ready...I'm not so much
had an interview today...that is all I'm saying
the only thing not happening at warp speed in our lives right now is selling this damn house
Guess what...our house still hasn't sold
I am confused as to where home is now. I don't know whether to call IA home or call the place the house we own home.
I think the "home" distinction would be much easier if we were all living together.
I'm the luckiest girl in the world to be married to a man who everyday pushes me to believe in myself and not sell myself short, to believe that I am worth more than I think I am
As rough as the last month has been I have never felt so surrounded by love and support

Happy Weekend Everyone! Love and Peace to you all!

tired...but thankful thursday...

2011-08-04T10:40:00.000-05:00

Whew...you all...I am tired. This has been a crazy busy week and I am running on empty. I can't even think straight, so I'm not sure this post will entirely make sense but I'm going to try. I think my thankful post is going to be mostly pictures this week with a few words thrown in. Enjoy!

First of all I am thankful for my in-laws for not hating us for waking them up at 1am after our power went out and we got locked out of our house. And for letting us sleep at their house for a few hours. I am also thankful for...

these people every single day

my beautiful babies

Brianna had such a great 6th birthday

the sweet friends my baby girl has

i turned around and you were six...

2011-08-02T16:11:00.002-05:00

Dear Brianna,
I start thinking about these letters to you months before your birthday. I write and rewrite posts in my head and when I finally sit down at my computer to type it out I am at a loss for words. I have so much I want to say to you, but no words ever seem adequate. You are one of the greatest joys of my life. Being your mommy has fulfilled a dream that I have had since I was very young. Your smile lights up a room and I cannot help but smile when you laugh. You are sweet and kind and love your friends and family fiercely. It is truly a joy to be your mommy. That is not to say being your mommy has been all sunshine and roses...oh no my dear, you and I...we are the same, so we butt heads and are quick to anger at the same things. We also have the same heart, one that can get bruised easily but one that loves big. It is all going so fast. My tiny little baby girl is turning into an amazing young lady right before my eyes. My sweet baby girl, I hope 6 is everything you want it to be. I know this year will bring so many changes for you and so far you are handling them all with the grace that I knew you would have. I know this year will bring you more independence and in some ways a little farther away from being my little girl, but know that I am always here and you are never too big to be wrapped in mommy's arms.

I love you my beautiful girl. Happy, Happy 6th Birthday.
Love always,
Mommy

a hidden witch...

2011-07-29T08:00:00.002-05:00

A few months ago I was selected to receive a great book A Modern Witch, I reviewed it here. As a thank you for reviewing A Modern Witch the author, Debora Geary, sent her reviewers a copy of the next book in the series, A Hidden Witch. The email with the book came at such a perfect time, it really made my day, I was so excited. I have to say, it didn't disappoint, evidenced by the fact that I read it in one sitting. All of our favorite witches were back with the introductions to some new characters. I think one of the things I love most about The Modern Witch series is that I fall in love with the characters, I feel for them and with them you are definitely along for the ride when you read this book.

Elorie is a woman who was born into a witch family and wished to be a witch throughout her whole life. When it became apparent that Elorie didn't have powers she was devastated, but took to a different role so she could still support the witching community she loved. She has accepted her place in the witching community and has come to terms with the fact that she doesn't have powers...or does she? After a scan, developed by a young witchling and her 2 sisters, reveals some magical powers in Elorie the entire witching community comes together to figure out exactly what kind of powers Elorie has and how best to use them. Another wonderful story of a family's love, empathy and humor helping them through even the toughest of situations. I loved every page of this book and cannot wait to see what happens next!

For those of you who don't have ereaders...you are in luck...A Modern Witch is available in paperback on Amazon and A Hidden Witch will be available in a few weeks!

Source Disclosure: I received A Hidden Witch from the author but the opinions of this book are all my own!

thankful thursday(the random edition)...

2011-07-28T11:49:00.000-05:00

So, today my thankful post is going to be a little on the "I'm thankful for the small things that make me smile" side. I am always of course thankful for the big things, but sometimes it is the little things that can make your day...so here is mine today.

ELECTRICITY...we were without power for 12 hours. Thankfully, a chunk of that time was while we were sleeping but the natives were getting restless. I felt so disconnected.
The people who worked hard to get our electricity back on.
Saving $4 on a pair of shoes that I bought for Brianna.
A great book given to me by the author (review coming tomorrow!)

I know these storms have been hard on so many people, I hope and pray that everyone stays safe!

new stuff at links of love...

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't keep up with me over at links of love (although there hasn't been much to keep up with these days) there is a new post up! But for those of you that don't want to click over, here is the gist of the post. I have tried my hand at making watches and I'm fairly pleased with the results. Happy Tuesday all!

my girl...

2011-07-25T23:04:00.000-05:00

Today Bob took Bryce to the Illinois Open to watch Brian play so Brianna and I had the afternoon to ourselves. (Side note...apparently Bryce was amazingly well behaved at the course and quiet and listened well...the kid has a serious love of golf already. It is all he has talked about since being home). Anyway, Brianna's birthday is next week and since we are moving soon, her two little friends from daycare/preschool are coming over Monday night for a sleepover and then Tuesday we're taking the girls to the mall to have their hair, nails and makeup done at a little girl's party place, then I had the bright idea to take the three girls and have their picture taken together all dolled up. Of course I am me, so I decided they needed matching outfits so I decided to make them tutus. (wow, I went off on a little tangent here). All of this to say that we headed out this afternoon to get supplies for the tutus and also shoe shopping for the wedding we are going to this weekend (both of us needed shoes). It was so fun shoe shopping with her, she definitely has an opinion about what she likes and doesn't and having conversations with her now it so fun. As I said on facebook tonight, having a girl certainly brings a lot of drama to life, but days like today make all of it worth while. I know Brianna and I will certainly butt heads in the future, but hopefully there are also many more days like today in our future.

4th of july (catch up post!)...

2011-07-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

We spent the 4th of July weekend at our friend's house in Milwaukee. It is a tradition to go up there the weekend of the 4th, and this is the first time we've taken the kids. While we were there, our friend's baby was baptised and we were lucky enough to be able to witness it. The kids are in love with Ben, Amanda and especially baby Molly (or Maui as Bryce calls her). We all had such a good time hanging out with friends and being together. We're grateful that Ben & Amanda keep letting us come back! :) Here are a few pictures from baptism.

much needed family time...

2011-07-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sorry I missed you last week, but we were out having a long family weekend. Last Thursday the four of us spent the day at the waterpark with my sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews. We had a great time, even though it was pretty crowded. I think the lazy river was everyone's favorite :). After the waterpark we headed to Wisconsin to Bob's family's lake house. We spent the next 3 days there. Mom and Dad joined us at the lake and we had a few days to just relax, play in the water and spend time together. We also had a small, and very early, birthday party for Brianna. Everyone's schedules are so insane this summer we weren't sure when we'd be able to do it otherwise, so we celebrated her birthday with my family (and Bob's parents) at the lake. Unfortunately, because we decided to do it at the last minute, I didn't make her a cake, but be on the lookout for one when her actual birthday approaches! Overall it was such a great weekend and went by too fast.

thankful...part 2...

2011-07-14T13:39:00.000-05:00

Seriously...how can you not be thankful when you get to see stuff like this everyday? Makes me know everything will be just fine as long as we're together.

the big thankful post...

2011-07-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

Most of you know that this year has not been easy, our house still hasn't sold and we're (the kids and I) are moving to Iowa without Bob in a few weeks so Brianna can start school. I don't know that I will ever look back on this year (at least the first half...hopefully the second half redeems itself) and think that this was a great year. It has been hard, much harder than we thought, and stressful...and to be completely honest, this house selling hasn't brought out the best in me. I truly feel like we're doing the right thing for our family by moving, but after hitting roadblock after roadblock the doubt is definitely creeping in. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go...but, this is the way it is going and we are dealing with it the best way we can. That brings me to my thankful...As tough as these last six-ish months have been....there is no way we could have made it through without our friends and family. They are always ready with encouraging words and even just an ear to listen when we need to let out our frustrations. They are all the best. And for me personally, I am so very thankful for Bob. He works so hard for all of us and keeps me sane (well as sane as I ever get), he makes me laugh when I want to cry, and is just there for me always. So, through it all...I'm still so very thankful.AND...I get to spend the weekend with some of my very favorite people in the world so I'm very thankful for that as well! :)

a lucky girl...

2011-06-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am lucky enough to be surrounded by so many amazing women in my life...friends, aunts, grandmas, cousins, sister, mom, mother-in-law, (soon to be) sister-in-law. I know how wonderful it is to have these women in my life. But there are three such women who have made such an impact on my life, they have helped me become who I am, and show me the kind of mom, sister, friend I want to be. This past weekend I was lucky enough to get to spend a long weekend with these women...my mom, sister and cousin. We took a little trip to Nashville over the weekend and I for one had an amazing time. So much laughter and smiling (the drinks and fantastic music didn't hurt either!). It was just what this girl needed. I hope you are all as lucky as I am to have such incredible people in your life. So, this Thankful Thursday I am thankful for all of the amazing women in my life, but especially for these 3. Love you girls!

(mostly) wordless wednesday...

2011-06-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

I know I have shared these pictures with pretty much everyone who reads here...but if by chance you have missed them, I'm sharing them here. These pictures are making me super happy this week!

short and sweet...

2011-06-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today I am so thankful that as you are reading this I am on my way to Nashville for a long weekend with my mom and my 2 sisters (my actual sister and my cousin who might as well be my sister). This trip could not have come at a better time...I'm in serious need of some downtime to rejuvenate and gear up for the rest of the summer. I'm so thankful that I'm blessed with family that I love to spend time with and who put up with me when I'm complaining (which seems to be happening a lot lately). I'm also extremely thankful for my in-laws who are taking care of the kiddos so that I can take this trip, I wouldn't be able to go without them!
Have a great weekend everyone!!

Watch out Nashville...here we come!!

oldie but goodie...

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I just ran across this video and it cracked me up. Can you believe these two are starting kindergarten soon? They are such babies in this video!

i've been dreaming of cake...

2011-06-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

A few months ago my cousin asked if I would want to make her cake for graduation. Knowing I was completely over my head...I of course said yes! :) After months of thinking about what to do, having a complete idea and then scrapping it and starting over, I was still a bit unsure as to what I was going to do. Well, last weekend was the party, so after 10 cakes, around 14 pounds of powdered sugar and about 5 pounds of butter, (it was a large graduation party)here are the final results. They are by far the biggest cakes I've done (and seen by the most people) but overall I'm fairly happy with how they turned out. I didn't eat any cake, but I did hear that it tasted good, so I guess it was a win!

Happy Monday everyone!!

thankful, thankful...

2011-06-16T15:41:00.000-05:00

I know...I missed last Thursday. I have no excuse other than I had a very rough day and I wasn't feeling very thankful. Although thinking about that, writing this post was probably exactly what I needed. Anyway, I didn't want you all to feel neglected so I'm going to write a quick thankful post and get back to my baking. I am so so thankful these last couple of weeks for my family (both by blood and by marriage) for their love and support and for listening to me complain. To Bob for all the little things he does, like bringing me ice cream when I had a bad day or putting an umbrella in my car when there is rain in the forecast. For the kids who make me laugh and remind me to take some time to be carefree and have fun. Lastly, for my amazing friends who are always there for me,who can make me smile when I'm down and just listening and loving me for me (bad parts and all).

We are in Iowa for the next few days so maybe (don't hold your breath though) I may have some new pictures for you after the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch of family this weekend, just what the doctor ordered!

Have a great rest of the week/weekend all! Hope you all find some time to be thankful for all of your blessings!

monday smiles...

2011-06-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

I think this video will always make me smile!

sunday thoughts...

2011-06-05T11:33:00.002-05:00

Today started out rough, the kids were crabby and didn't want to get ready for church and I lost my patience when they complained about the clothes or shoes I picked out. We finally got out the door and I was still upset sitting in church (which makes it lose all meaning for me) but then Bryce fell asleep on me and looking at him so peaceful I felt the peace as well. It is pretty well known that I don't sleep well and I worry A LOT...but today during church they sang one of my favorite songs. The refrain is this "Be not afraid, I go before you always...come follow me, and I will give you rest." When I first heard it today I thought of the sleeping boy in my arms and the smiling girl sitting beside me that I would always be there for them and I don't want them to be afraid and then it struck me. This is exactly what I needed to hear. I am doing everything in my power to do the best I can for my family, and now I just need to follow Him and have faith. Suddenly when I realized this, this feeling of relief and peace washed over me. I will continue to do the best I can for those I love, but I will also trust that He will lead me in the right direction, it is my job to follow where He leads. Each day of our lives is such a gift and we need to treat it as such. Enjoy this beautiful day!

at least i show up once a week...

2011-06-02T12:19:00.000-05:00

I've just been stuck in my blogging lately...things I want to write about but don't feel comfortable writing about because they are deeply personal and are not just about myself. Things are stressful, selling a house is stressful, making back-up plans to separate your family (because of the house...even if it is good in the long run) for the short term is stressful, job hunting is hard. Things are just...hard. But today...TODAY is a good day. Not that it hasn't had its bumps, I lost my temper, kids didn't listen, but overall it has been a good day. The kids slept in a bit, we had 2 full hours outside this morning, riding bikes, swinging and hitting golf balls in the yard. Everything just felt right. I am trying to enjoy these days...the days I get to play in the yard with the kids while everyone is at work and school, where things are quiet and all I hear are birds chirping and kids laughing. It fills up my soul and makes me believe in my heart things will be right and while they are hard and may be hard for a while...there is a purpose, and that purpose is worth all the hard times.
Today I am thankful for this

These two beautiful children who occasionally drive me to the brink of insanity, always bring me back and show me what happiness is truly about.

Thanks again to Jean for her Thankful Thursday contribution...
For little Elliott- taking some feeds from a bottle, growing, and getting closer and closer to coming to Dubuque.
For my children, who at the ages they are still surprise me.(in a good way)
For a sister that listens, but doesn't judge me.
A newly mowed lawn-even if it only lasts for a little while

If you'd like to let us know what you're thankful for...leave a comment!
Happy Thursday everyone!

it is the little things...

2011-05-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

Man, 6 days without a post. I'm afraid as our hectic summer approaches the posts are going to get pretty sparse, but I will do my best to continue to write here. There is not much and also so much going on here right now. I'm starting my job hunt...the goal is to be back to work full time by this fall...I'm not good at looking for a job, I don't like it. I'm not good at selling myself on paper, I do better by just showing people what I can do and working hard. I've been (mostly) out of the game for 2 1/2 years...it makes me nervous to start again. I have faith that I'll be lead in the right path if I do the legwork and get my resume out there. If you are aware of any bookkeeping/accounting jobs open in the Cascade, IA (or surrounding area) drop me an email...I'll send you some cookies or something!

Since it is Thursday...here is what I'm thankful for...
a husband who put an umbrella in my car yesterday
watching the kids do the "we did it!" dance from Dora
the kids cheering for daddy at his softball game
watching American Idol as a family
a long weekend with few plans

Thanks to my Aunt Jean who is doing Thankful Thursday with me! She posted this on my facebook wall this morning:
Amber, here it is Thursday, thankful Thursday, thankful the rain stop(for a little while), Elliott weighs 5lbs 20z, a husband that's been very understanding lately, and my family(some of which I don't know what I would do if I didn't have them)

If you'd like to join us post to your blog, facebook, or if you don't use either of those...email me and I'll post them here! If you blog or post to facebook leave a comment so I can come check out what you are thankful for!

Have a beautiful and thankful day!

relay for life in missouri...

2011-05-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

I guess I need to back up a couple weeks to tell you about the Relay for Life I (well the whole family was there for part of it) did in Missouri with my sister. We drove down on Friday morning and Angie helped me finish up my contribution to the team (I made scrabble tile pendants to sell...if anyone is interested there are still some left, they are $5 and the entire $5 goes to the American Cancer Society...there are two different styles, but they are at Angie's house so maybe she could take a picture for me :) ANYWAY, we headed over to set up the campsite about 4 and hung out until the start of the relay. The weather was a little sketchy (rainy and windy) but we survived and even got some walking in! :) We stayed awake all night (although it was touch and go for me for a little bit). We got a few hours of sleep after we got back to Angie and Nick's house and spent the rest of the day playing outside with the kids. It was a great weekend visit, I always love spending time with my sister and her family.
Here are the kids enjoying the relay!

wrap up on the thankful project...

2011-05-19T08:46:00.001-05:00

I may not get to things right away...but I will get to them eventually...

The thankful project really changed the way I approached my days, I paid attention to the little things that made me happy throughout the day and I really took them in so I could remember them at the end of the day (my memory is not the best these days). The bad seemed to be less because I was more consciously thinking of the good. I can honestly say it made me more present in my day. It also got me doing more things to influence my day into being a good one with lots of thankful moments. Lately, I know my posts haven't been the most upbeat or thankful, but please know that writing is my outlet for my frustrations, I haven't lost sight of the big picture...things are definitely in perspective. I have a wonderful family, we are all healthy, we have a roof over our head and food on our table...it is enough and I am truly grateful. I mean seriously, how lucky can a girl be?

I am thankful to you all for taking this journey with me...and maybe I'll be back with some more thankful thoughts from time to time...maybe a "thankful Thursday" type of thing? Would anyone be willing to join me in doing "thankful Thursday" posts?

slacker...

2011-05-16T09:22:00.001-05:00

**I apologize for the randomness of this post in advance it is just kind of a mind dump for me this morning!**

Good grief! I've been gone a while huh? Life has been crazy and stressful, and to be quiet honest...I'm not handling it all that well. We've had a run of bad luck...nothing major...just a laptop crash (good part...I was able to save all my emails, documents, etc) and a spare tire falling off the truck in front of me that then bounced up into the front of my car. No damage done to the car really...just took about 10 years off my life. On top of that, we've had little to no activity on the house. Like I said...I'm not dealing very well. I've been busying myself by reading and hiding out at home. Thankfully I have a lot to read thanks to Librarything. I've won about 13 books in the last month. I right now have 6 to be read and reviewed and 3 that I haven't received yet. No complaining here thought, free books are awesome, I'm reading things I probably normally wouldn't, it is good all around. In the middle of all of that we are potty training the little man (with little success). We took him to the bathroom every 45 min for 2 whole days and we had only 2 (mildly) successful trips. Today I'm taking him every 30 minutes and we'll see how that goes. One successful trip so far, we'll see how long that lasts.
Other than the above we don't have much going on(right now)....we're gearing up for a crazy busy summer that (so far) doesn't include moving, but we are hopeful that we'll have to squeeze that in there as well! I'm baking/decorating a cake for my cousin's graduation party (yikes...I'm scared...but also really excited!) and my mom, sister and I are taking a trip to Nashville (sooo excited) and we are taking a family (my mom/dad and sister and her family) trip to a waterpark and then to Powers Lake for a few days. I'm beyond excited about spending some real time with my family without having 1,000 obligations to attend to while we're together. We also have a couple of canoe trips and some other fun stuff going on this summer...including all the pre-wedding festivities for Bob's cousin and also his brother ! So, much fun and excitement also leads to some stress about how everything will get done, but I'm sure it will, it always seems to.
Oh...and one last thing before I go...I found this recipe for a copycat black tie mousse from the Olive Garden (our favorite dessert) a while ago and have been itching to try it but was leery about the time commitment to it. So, yesterday, as a belated anniversary present to Bob (and me too!) I decided it was time and tried it. I will admit it isn't exactly like Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse, BUT it is pretty darn close. The only thing to me that didn't really taste the same was the bottom cake part, it could be due to the fact I didn't have Dutch cocoa, but who knows...it is still pretty darn good! Here is the recipe in case anyone else wants to try it :) Big thanks to Pattie Kaykes and Meemo's Kitchen for the amazing recipe!
Here is a picture of the finished product (I would have decorated it better but I was tired by the time I got to this point and didn't want to get out a pastry bag and decorating tips so I just used a ziplock with a hole cut in it also this is a cell phone picture so it isn't the best quality).

eight...

2011-05-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Bob,
Eight years ago today I thought I was living the best day of my life. It was picture perfect and I was never happier than I was that day, it was everything I dreamed and imagined. Actually, I take that back...it was better than anything I had ever dreamed, because the reality had you. Standing in front of our friends and family I promised to love you in good times and bad (we have definitely had both), for richer and poorer (check!), in sickness and in health (thankfully we've been blessed so far). I mean them today as much, if not more than I did eight years ago. You are my best friend, my biggest fan, my strength when I feel like things are crumbling around me. You are an amazing dad...the kids light up around you. I know that living with me is sometimes ~~impossible~~ ~~horrible~~ a challenge, but you handle it so well. I cannot (nor do I want to) imagine life without you. I look around this life we have created these last eight years and although it hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows, we have had more laughter and smiles than tears. There is no one I'd rather go through the ups and downs with and truthfully, I know that I wouldn't have made it through without you. I wish I could find the adequate words to tell you how much you mean to me (in case you don't already know). But all I have are these...eight years ago I thought I was living the best day of my life, but I was wrong...because every day with you is better than the one before. Each day of my life with you is the best day...you have made (and continue to make) all of this girl's dreams come true .
Happy Anniversary!
I love you!
Love,
me

unintended blogging hiatus...over...

2011-05-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

Oh you amazing blog readers, I'm sorry I unintentionally abandoned you after you read all my days of giving thanks. I am supremely thankful for each of you that visits here, reads my words, comment, and just join in my world in some small part. Easter was crazy, but so so fun. We had an amazing time in Iowa, we attended an Easter egg hunt in Cascade Saturday morning where my hilarious little boy proceeded to pick up one egg put it in his basket, hand the basket to me and ran off to play on the playground. It made me laugh that he didn't care about the eggs or candy, he just wanted to PLAY! The kids had a great time and came away with a haul of candy. We colored eggs at mom and dad's and my cousin Audrey and her daughters came out to join in the fun. The egg coloring was fairly uneventful, except that Bryce decided to take a big spoonful of the die and drink it. He said it was yucky and went on coloring eggs. That kid! Easter itself was really fun and we got to spend time with both of my grandmas (always a treat). We didn't get home until midnight. It was a looong day, but so worth it. Last week was a little crazy, I had jury duty on Tuesday (didn't get picked for a trial) but spend most of the day downtown sitting, reading and waiting. I got dismissed about 2:30pm and decided to head to my Tuesday job. So that was a long day too. The rest of the week was fairly tame, but it still didn't seem like I had any time to do anything. This past weekend Bob had a softball tournament both days so the kids and I chilled out at home and I made Bob's birthday cake. Yesterday my Aunt and Uncle (Cathy & Greg) and their kids (Tyler, Justin, and Nicole) came to visit on their way home from Indianapolis. They stuck around for a while today and we spent all day outside at parks and playing in the yard. The kids are wore out (so is mommy). Bryce was sleeping before 7pm (that is tired for that boy). And even though I have a crazy busy rest of the week with 1 million things I need to get done I am sitting here doing nothing (Bob is playing softball). Maybe I'll get some ambition to do something a little later, but we'll see. I got the house picked up and the kitchen cleaned, so I'm calling that a success! Hope you all had a great Easter and I'll be back soon with pictures!

(Abbie, I saw your comment and want to post about it, I just can't think very clearly tonight...I will get back to your question...I promise! :)

days 37 through 39...

2011-04-21T20:37:00.000-05:00

I'm coming to the end of my Lenten project of recording things I'm thankful for and I'm slacking on my last few days. I have no good excuse for being three days behind, I just am. I'm excited to be going to see family this weekend to celebrate Easter, we've been home for the last 3 weekends (which is so unlike us) so it is time for a little trip away. I of course have a page long list of things I need to get packed and get ready, but in true Amber fashion I am procrastinating and probably won't do it until tomorrow. Bob had softball tonight so it has been just me and the kids all day, and while they have been pretty good (and even went to bed fairly easily tonight) I just have no energy to do anything extra. Normally I'd have the dishes done and laundry put away but instead I'm sitting on the couch writing a blog post, watching a rerun of Grey's and reading a book (well not simultaneously...but you know). Anyway, enough rambling...I'm hoping to have some pictures soon, I haven't taken my camera out for a long time, but this weekend...I promise! Here is my thankful list for the last 3 days.

day 37 (Tuesday 4/19)...

no bedtime fights
catching up on DVR
leftovers for dinner (so I didn't have to cook)
a short day at work
a quiet night at home with the hubby

day 38 (Wednesday 4/20)...

wearing a new dress (trying to will it to be spring)
kids in good moods when I picked them up
kids belly laughs while playing
getting an advance reader copy of a book in the mail
pizza for dinner (I didn't have to cook! I really like to cook normally, I just wasn't into it this week)

day 39 (Thursday 4/21)...

a night with no bedtime fight
watching American Idol with my girl
kids picking up the toys without me yelling
a long nap from Bryce
a dinner with everyone ate and no one complained about (YAY!)

36 days and counting...

2011-04-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

We've been struggling with sleep around here lately. Bryce is still awake right now (and it has been at least this late for the last week or so) and he'll be up by 6 in the morning. He's even cutting his naps from a normal 3ish hours a day to 1 or less. I don't know what to do. I'm sure part of the struggle at night is that we have never really established a bedtime routine, but there has to be more to it than that. Bryce has been out of his crib for a while and he can take down the gate himself...so we have no way to keep him in his room, he is a stubborn, stubborn boy! Onto my thankful list for the day and then off to bed.

hearing the kids laugh while playing with daddy
that everyone was happy with leftovers tonight so I didn't have to cook
the cute smile Bryce has and the way he can make me smile even when I'm upset with him
the sweet girl Brianna is
how funny the kids are...they always keep me laughing just when I need it most

thankful day 35...

2011-04-17T20:01:00.000-05:00

Whew...Sunday night already. It was a good, quiet weekend and after the week we had it was much needed. I'm trying to get mentally prepared for the week ahead but the impending weather (read: expected snow) is really bumming me out. Although I'm completely looking forward to family time this coming weekend for Easter! I know at some point I need to get back to writing about more than the things I'm thankful for but for now, that is about the extent of the thoughts I can put together. So, to end my weekend, I give thanks...

planning a weekend get-away with my mom and sister
librarything and its member giveaways (I've won 6 ebooks over the last month...yay for free books!)
a clean kitchen so I can go to bed guilt free and not have to deal with it in the morning
a fairly calm week ahead (at least as far as I can see!)
a weekend with lots of good family time and lots of smiles and laughs

I hope you all have a great week ahead and take the time to think about the things you are thankful for...it really does change your perspective on things. Much love.

day 34...

2011-04-16T22:20:00.000-05:00

Today was a great day (aside from the weather...what the heck....isn't it supposed to be spring?? Did Mother Nature not get the memo?). Everyone in this house is in some stage of illness, it stinks. Bob went to the doctor today and is now on antibiotics, Brianna is still battling her cold, Bryce I think is finally on the upswing of his croup/cough/wheezing and I woke up with a sore throat. Needless to say it was a good day to stay inside and try to recuperate! All things considered though it was a really good day at home with the family!

a game of candyland
a game of chutes and ladders
chili and fresh baked bread (the good thing that came out of this yucky weather!)
a family movie with a bowl of popcorn
a good book

day 32 and 33...

2011-04-15T20:07:00.000-05:00

I am seriously still trying to get back on track from this week. It is amazing how easily I get derailed. So, here is a quick list of the things I'm thankful for.

Bob and Nancy for taking Brianna on Wednesday and bringing her home yesterday
a good nap from Bryce today
it is finally Friday
a chance to sleep in tomorrow morning
a weekend with no real plans
Bryce is feeling better and coughing a lot less
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (part 1) out today
April 15th is just another day for me (instead of it being a big deal..tax day)
2 canoe trips scheduled for this summer...dates are on the calendar
kids tucked away in bed

day 30 and 31 (hospital version)

2011-04-13T20:49:00.002-05:00

The last 2 days have been a complete mishmash of time. I've slept for about 4 hours in the past 48, spent 5 hours in the ER and 8ish hours at the hospital pediatric short stay with Bryce. I am tired, my brain is mush, but I am thankful my baby is feeling better (honestly you'd never know he had just gotten out of the hospital the way he is bouncing around here. Mommy feels like the walking dead and he acts like he could run a marathon...go figure!) The long and short of it is this...The kids were at Bob and Nancy’s yesterday because I had to work and they usually stay Tuesday night because I work Wednesday morning at a different job. Bob and Nancy called to say that Bryce had started croupy coughing and asked if we could meet them to drop off the nebulizer. Bob and I were eating dinner when they called again to say that Bryce was coughing a lot and was pretty miserable so we decided to pick the kids up and bring them home and I would stay home from work today. We got him home, sat in the steam with him and gave him a nebulizer treatment. He sounded pretty bad and we had already scheduled a doctors appointment for this morning so he fell asleep and we were just going to wait it out until morning. He woke up about 11:00 and sounded much worse so we decided to take him to the ER. I got to the ER and the lady behind the desk was doing something and then she stopped mid-sentence, looked at me and said “is that him?” she could hear him breathing from about 15 feet away. His oxygen level and his heart rate were fine but he sounded awful, we were back in a room pretty much immediately after his name was entered into the computer. We didn’t even sit in a waiting room. He had 2 doses of steroids via nebulizer (not sure what they both were but one was basically adrenaline), an oral steroid, a chest x-ray, and a cool mist treatment. About 3am they decided they were going to admit him for observation. About 5am we got up to a room on the pediatric short stay floor. The ER doctor told us we’d probably be home before lunch, the pediatrician on the floor said we’d probably be home mid-afternoon and the next doctor said we should probably be discharged today and shouldn’t probably have to stay overnight. We ended up being discharged at 1:30 this afternoon. Bryce is doing much better and running around like a crazy person.

So with that...my thankful list for the last 2 days!

day 30

a productive day at work
dinner out with my hubby
in-laws bringing our sick kid home
employer who is sweet and understanding that my kids always come first
prompt attention in the ER

day 31

an amazing ER nurse named Kevin
an equally amazing respiratory therapist named Megan
Deanna a sweet nurse in the pediatric short stay floor
the overall amazing care Bryce was given
to be home and able to sleep in my own bed tonight (hopefully)

On that note I think it is about time for this mama to head to bed.

day 29...

2011-04-11T19:15:00.000-05:00

It has been a long day, due to the fact that the kids got up super early and I got only about 4 hours of sleep last night...yuck. But it has had some redeeming qualities. I hope you are all feeling as blessed and thankful tonight as I am.

monthly work is done and billed, it is always nice to have that done
the kids played together nicely all morning so I could finish my work
for my mother-in-law, Nancy (Happy Birthday!)
a family walk after dinner
a stop at the park during the walk that didn't end up in whining or crying when it was time to leave

It truly is the little things in life that get you through.

sunday thanks (day 28)...

2011-04-10T18:04:00.000-05:00

It was a gorgeous day out today. We spend a good part of the morning outside, the kids riding bikes and driving the jeep, Bob working and me laying in the grass reading. Pretty much my idea of a perfect Sunday.
We had a good weekend at home and I'm sad to see another weekend come to an end. In addition to helping me appreciate the good things in life this little project has also helped me write (almost) everyday. I guess I just need a "fall-back" project on those occasions where I can't think of anything to write, then maybe I won't go weeks without updating. Without further ado, here are my Sunday thanks...

more beautiful weather to be outside, it just improves my mood tenfold
the guilt free clothes shopping I got to do thanks to a gift card for my birthday (thanks Bob and Nancy)
the little bit of additional shopping I did with only a little guilt :)
a project that I am doing and sending to my little cousin at her school
a Sunday at home with my family

On an additional note...the niece of a dear friend of mine was born today at 28 weeks. Please keep their entire family in your prayers so that this sweet little girl stays strong and thrives and is home where she belongs as soon as possible.

thankful day 27...

2011-04-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

It is way past my bedtime so short and sweet tonight.

when Bryce gets his cup out of the refrigerator he ALWAYS gets Brianna's hers as well and takes it to her
2 showings today
a fun couple of hours spent at the library during said showings
a beautiful day to play outside
a family dinner (with the Carroll clan) and a fun (albeit chaotic) game of LIFE

thankful day 26...

2011-04-08T23:59:00.001-05:00

Today (Friday) was a rough day...I struggled...I was angry...I was tired....but in the end I was also thankful.

watching Bryce do the "we did it" dance (the song at the end of Dora) HILARIOUS!
kids playing together (seriously is there anything that makes a mom happier than her kids playing together nicely?)
naptime (even though it was only an hour)
winning 3 ebooks in a giveaway
a bowl of icecream and a book to finish out the day

thankful day 25...

2011-04-07T20:39:00.001-05:00

Are you all tired of my thankful posts yet? :) I will admit some days I have a hard time thinking of things to be thankful for, not because I don't have a lot to be thankful for but because my memory is not very good and by the end of the day pretty much stops working altogether. I really just need to write things down throughout the day but..um...remember what I said about my memory...yeah it doesn't work much during the day either! I realize some of the things I'm thankful for each day seem trivial and even silly, but I am trying very hard to appreciate the little things. This wouldn't be a very effective project if everyday I said I was thankful for my family, our health, the roof over our head, our friends and the food on our table. Don't get me wrong...I am so very thankful for those things and they are the things that I thank God for everyday. So, this project is mostly about things that make me smile throughout the day or make my life a tiny bit easier. (I'm not sure I really had to explain all of that but I guess I just wanted to write more than my list today!) Without further ado...

my wireless on my computer has been working lately (it makes life just a little bit easier)
bryce stayed in bed when I put him to bed last night (although he didn't go to sleep until 2 hrs later)
taco night (there is never a fight about eating when it is taco night)
3 house showings this week!
thunderstorms (I love thunderstorms and it is a telltale sign of spring for me)

thankful day 24 (in pictures...and maybe a few words)...

2011-04-06T21:19:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I've put up any pictures so I thought I'd do my thankful post tonight in pictures. (sorry they aren't the greatest photos, but hopefully they are good enough to convey why I'm thankful).

beautiful birthday flowers

yummy birthday cheesecake (we finally got to eat)

a new book

sleeping beauty

a not so sleeping prince

thankful day 23...

2011-04-05T21:05:00.002-05:00

that my in-laws could take the kids early today so I could rest and try to kick this bug
that my employer is flexible and is letting me switch my day this week
that I was sick and home so I could quickly pick up the house for a showing today
that I got 2 uninterrupted hours to read at the library today
that I am feeling just about back to normal

thankful day 22 (the birthday edition...a day late)...

2011-04-05T21:02:00.000-05:00

My thankful post for yesterday got sidelined because I somehow managed to pick up a stomach bug and spent the good part of my birthday laying on the couch willing myself not to get sick and praying for the moment when Bob got home from work. Not exactly how I wanted the day to go. But, even with the illness I am still so extrememly thankful for so many things...here are my top 5 for yesterday.

coming down the stairs and hearing Bryce say "MOMMY...IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY!!"
the kids snuggling and cuddling with me throughout the day
my thoughtful daughter who drug her daddy out because she wanted to get me a special present
my wonderful husband who got me chicken noodle soup (even if I didn't eat it until today)
that God has truly blessed my 31 years on this earth

thankful day 21...

2011-04-03T20:00:00.001-05:00

Bryce twirling my hair while laying by me this morning
the kids coloring at the table while we make out our meal and grocery lists
having a meal plan for the rest of the month
Bob grocery shopping
a nap

thankful day 20...

2011-04-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

fairly well behaved kids at a birthday party
watching a movie with Brianna
hearing Brianna giggle (it is impossible not to smile)
watching Brianna hold her brother's hand and help him during the birthday party
my wireless is working on my computer again (for now :))

thankful day 19...

2011-04-01T21:52:00.000-05:00

family movie night
watching the kids play wii together today
getting to bed early tonight
the weekend being here
my nice, warm, comfy bed (can you tell I'm tired tonight?)

a modern witch...

2011-04-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

Lauren is a successful realtor in Chicago and is living a pretty calm and normal life until one day she is online ordering groceries and gets pulled into a chat room for witches. Amused, although admittedly a little unnerved by this turn of events Lauren chalks the whole experience up to a strange fluke on the web. Little does she know this encounter in the chat room will soon change her life forever. A Modern Witch is a sweet, funny and heartfelt story of modern day witches. I completely enjoyed this book (evidenced by the fact that I had to force myself to stop reading at 2am this morning, which I only fleetingly regretted as one kid was up at 5:30) Check it out!

I received A Modern Witch by Debora Geary as a LibraryThing Member Giveaway.

jackson's toy story cake...

2011-03-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

For those of you that didn't see this on facebook or in other pictures. Here is Jackson's birthday cake. Angie helped with the blocks (she did a great job and she now thinks I'm even crazier for thinking it is fun to decorate cakes) and I sculpted the figurines (except for Buzz and Woody) My sculpting still needs some work but I really like the way Hamm turned out!

thankful day(s) 17 &18 and other randomness...

2011-03-31T21:22:00.000-05:00

It really shouldn't be that hard to post everyday should it? Lots of people do it...but for some reason I have a really hard time...guess it is my lack of discipline! (or really by the time I sit down to write I am tired and/or hurried.) ANYWAY, enough about all of that. I don't have much new or exciting going on. Our house has been on the market for a month now, we've had around 8 showings and our realtor tells us there are a couple of parties interested but no one is ready to "pull the trigger" yet. This house selling stuff is definitely a huge test of patience on my part, but I know it will happen when the time is right. Thanks to all of you who are thinking good thoughts for us...we appreciate it more than you know!
(switching subjects entirely now)
Last week Bob gave me my birthday present (a little early so I could take it with me last weekend). I am the proud owner of a nookcolor! All of the ~~begging,~~ ~~annoying~~, ~~talking incessantly about it,~~ subtle hints paid off! I will never stop reading books, because I love the feel of a book in my hand and I love going to the library, BUT it is SOOO nice to have 20+ books at my fingertips while traveling. I can just stick the nook in my purse and I have books! No more packing 2, 3, even 4 books when I go somewhere (yes, I read that much, what can I say I love books! I am reading my 26th book of this year right now...it is a sickness). Anyway, this is definitely one of the best birthday presents ever and I can honestly say I have used it every day since I got it. (I can also check email and facebook and even blog from it (although I haven't tried that yet). Alright I need to wrap this up for tonight I have been waiting to watch Grey's so I didn't have to watch commercials, but now that the house is quiet it is time to watch!

illness that passed quickly with Brianna
that the illness only really affected her (and me a little)
a husband that keeps me on track of keeping this house picked up
a husband that definitely does more than his share of the housework
snuggling with Brianna today while Bryce napped (even though it only lasted a few minutes)
kids riding bikes
a weekend with only 1 planned activity
a new greys and private practice
thoughtful neighbors to seem genuinely sad that we are moving (at some point)(it really is a super neighborhood)
that the ones I loved are tucked into bed fast asleep

weekend with friends...

2011-03-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to get together with some great friends from high school. We try to get together once a year for a girl's day at the spa. This year it came at the perfect time. Mom agreed to watch the kids while I went so we drove to Iowa on Thursday and Friday we spent the day with my friend, Jill and her kiddos (who are about the same age as Brianna & Bryce). The kids had a great time together. By Saturday morning, however, I was so ready to be off mommy duty for the day. The spa was fantastic (as always) I just had a pedicure, but the first one of the year is always so great. I'm definitely ready for spring now!! After the spa we decided we were going to head out for the night, we went to a bar for a bit and had a great time laughing and catching up. I really do have some amazing friends, life is just so much more happy and colorful with them in it.

With that...here is my thankful day 16...

a productive day at work
a short nap after dinner
Bob taking over bath duties
a dinner I didn't have to cook
the sun shining brightly today

thankful day 15...

2011-03-28T20:27:00.000-05:00

Whew...I think I'm all caught up with this list. I will try to post about my amazingly fun weekend with some great friends but for tonight this is all I can manage. :)

for the 2 hours of sleep I did get last night amongst the puking of one kid
a mostly uneventful drive home today
Bob making dinner
Bob taking the kids when he got home so I could lay down (see the 2 hrs of sleep above)
an easy night putting the kids to bed.

thankful day 14...

2011-03-28T20:22:00.000-05:00

kids genuinely excited to see me
snuggling up with Bryce for a Sunday afternoon nap
a mom-made meal (seriously is there anything better?)
my kids had fun being babysat by my little cousin (who I used to babysit...I am old!)
that my parents let us invade their house for the weekend

thankful day 13...

2011-03-28T20:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a few days behind what with traveling and sicklings...but there are still many things to be thankful for, so here we go!

the first pedicure of the year
old friends
laughing so hard you can't breathe
feeling right at home with friends you haven't seen in a year (or so)
some time to be just "Amber" and not mommy (for a little bit)

thankful day 12...

2011-03-25T20:00:00.001-05:00

the smell of cookies baking
the kids playing nicely together (for now!)
a playdate with great friends
my parents (for so many, many reasons)
Brianna picking out clothes for herself and Bryce (so helpful)

thankful day 11...

2011-03-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

(a little late...again!)

a fairly uneventful trip to Iowa with the kiddos by myself
a funny, sweet conversation with Brianna while Bryce was sleeping in the car
whenever Bryce sees someone has a "boo-boo" he runs over to kiss it
actually getting packed and out of the house yesterday (it wasn't looking too good for a while)
watching Brianna kiss her hand and then touch a picture of her daddy before going to bed last night and whispering "goodnight, I love you and miss you already". (yes, I almost cried)

thankful day 10...

2011-03-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

the way the kids hug each other in the morning, genuinely happy to see each other
kids sleeping until 8:30/9:00am
an early birthday present
a dinner filled with smiles and laughter
listening to Brianna read a book with her daddy.

After doing this for 10 days it is amazing how easily it is to find things I am thankful for. Sometimes they are silly and sometimes they make my heart happy and make me tear up...but everyday I am reminded that for the 5 things I write here there are many many more that I don't. I am a lucky, lucky girl!

zero waste success (sort of)...

2011-03-23T09:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Greening Sam and Avery's Zero Waste Day. I personally took the challenge (because I wasn't with the rest of my family yesterday) and I am happy to say that I did not throw a single thing away yesterday. We try to recycle as much as we can in this house, but i will admit we are paper product addicts. Paper plates, napkins and paper towels are staples around here. I've been trying hard to limit the paper plate use around here and have been mildly successful. Yesterday I took my pop to work in my reusable cup and even though Bob and the kids weren't going to be home for dinner and I was very tempted to grab something on my way home I thought about how I would have to admit that I threw something away completely out of convenience and laziness, so I decided to have leftovers at home instead. Thanks Abbie for this great challenge I know I will think more about what we throw away in this house and find ways we can reduce our waste!

thankful day 9...

a few hours of quiet before Bob and the kids got home
Bob bringing home Julie Ann's frozen yogurt as a surprise (YUM)
Mockingjay being available at the library
making it through zero waste day with zero waste
a very productive day at work

thankful day 8...

2011-03-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

Always a day late and a dollar short! :)

crawling into bed at 7pm with a book
some of my favorite shows on the dvr
girl scout cookies (YUM!)
watching Bryce shoot baskets and when he almost makes it hearing him say "almost...I try again"
seeing Brianna's handwriting on a note that says I love you

thankful day 6 & 7...

2011-03-21T10:28:00.000-05:00

Sorry I'm a bit late on these. It was a crazy weekend on the road. We traveled to my sister's house for my nephew's 3rd birthday. We arrived on Friday night about 10:30. Bryce decided it was good to play until 2am and then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep at 5:30am. We spent the morning making his cake and then had a great party (with really yummy food). It was a whirlwind weekend, but so much fun. Last night when we got home I was too tired to do much of anything, so I put my computer away, went to bed and read for a little bit and then went to sleep early. So, after all of that explanation...here is my thankful list for the last couple of days.

spending time with family
safe travels for my family
a good book
that my nephews cake turned out pretty good
my kids playing with their cousins
the kids seeing their great-grandmas
lots of laughter
my sister
beautiful weather
a clean house to come home to

thankful day 5...

2011-03-18T23:19:00.000-05:00

A long car ride to be able to have a real conversation with Bob
2 hours of blissful quiet to end the drive
Bryce going pee in the potty today
A clean house for a unexpected house showing
Cakes that are baked and ready for me to decorate in the morning (thanks sis!)

thursday thanks...

2011-03-17T19:14:00.000-05:00

I've been battling a massive headache all day so I don't have anything for you today except this.

Bryce giving my head a kiss when I said mommy's head hurt
Brianna dancing and singing around the living room
Hot showers
A dinner without fighting to get the kids to eat (who knew they'd love corned beef?)
Watching American Idol as a family and eating ice cream

What are you thankful for today?

wednesday thanks...a little late...

2011-03-17T08:25:00.000-05:00

We went to Bob's volleyball game last night so it was 9pm when we got home and by the kids were in bed asleep I collapsed into bed. So here is yesterday's thankful list.

being able to drive with the windows down
that the people that looked at our house yesterday showed up at 2 instead of 1:30 so I had 20 minutes to get the house looking presentable
that I listened to my voicemail when I did to find out there was a showing so I could clean up some
that the kids got to run and play outside yesterday while at grandma and papas
that even though Bryce was a bear last night going to bed as soon as he curled up by me he fell fast asleep

garbage and thanks...

2011-03-15T21:45:00.000-05:00

Seriously I'm what on my 2nd day of giving thanks and I almost forgot. Good grief! My brain is swiss cheese right now so my title is not creative in the least. But before I get my pjs on and crawl into bed I wanted to update you on my waste for today (it is just mine not everyone in my household since we weren't home together all day) and give you the five things I'm thankful for today. So here we go...first the garbage...

tissue (crazy I never even think about throwing those away)
diaper (only 1 because Bryce was only home for the morning)
wrapper from the sandwich I had for lunch
2 paper towels
convenience store coffee cup
candy bar wrapper

Looking at my list almost all of my trash came from using things that are convenient. Planning ahead on days like these will serve me well in the future. Normally I don't drink convenience store coffee or eat candy bars, but between jobs today I needed a little jolt. Like I stated before this is not a typical day (well it is a typical Tuesday, just not a normal day where the kids and I are home all day) for us mostly because none of us were home and I don't know what my kids or husband threw away today, but I guess I have to start somewhere.

Now for my thankful list...

convenience store coffee
that I don't have to have a bedtime battle tonight
that my kids are safe and loved even though they aren't in our house tonight
that my in-laws graciously give up Tuesday afternoons/nights and Wednesdays to help us out with childcare
that I have readers that care what I'm thankful for
and a bonus thing I'm thankful for...spellcheck, because I cannot for the life of me spell convenience!

And with that I am heading to bed! Until tomorrow friends!

zero waste day...

2011-03-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

My friend Abbie over at Greening Sam and Avery is hosting a zero waste day next Tuesday. Today she is having a "practice" day. Today write down everything you throw away and then between now and next Tuesday try to figure out how to avoid throwing that same stuff away. (Go over here to read her idea/details, she is much better at explaining than I am). I'm going to try to do this. In the spirit of full disclosure, Tuesdays aren't a typical day around our house because I work and the kids are gone for the afternoon/evening, BUT it is a start. We will not be able to go completely waste free because Bryce is still in diapers, but maybe it will push me to get him potty trained, lets be honest I'm ready to be done with the diapers. I encourage you all to try this out, I know I definitely need to be more mindful of what we throw away in this house. I'll be back later to let you all know what I threw away today!

monday blessings...

2011-03-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

I so badly want to stay positive in this post...I feel like I'm such a whiner sometimes on here, I do realize how lucky I am in my life and everyday I'm thankful for it. Today was mostly a good day...I would say the good definitely outweighed the bad. I picked up another night of working for my old boss and potentially a new client to help out with some accounting. After the repairs we've had to do in the last month the extra income is definitely welcome and appreciated. I finished up my monthly work that I do for a client in Florida today and it was not as painful as I thought it would be. Then I actually got to do something creative and made some new jewelry for my sister while Bryce was napping and Brianna was supposed to be picking up the downstairs. I feel good about the things I accomplished today, nothing big, but accomplishments none the less and for that I am grateful. (I guess maybe those positive thinking books I've been reading DO help!)

Writing this made me just have an idea. Although I am a few days late on starting this I think this year my Lenten promise will be to come here each day and tell you all about the 5 things that I'm thankful for each day. Maybe it will help me keep things in perspective much more often. If you want, leave me a comment letting me know what you are thankful for, I would love to hear! So here it goes for today...

I am thankful for...

employers who think enough of me to recommend me to their friends
the opportunity to help my family financially anyway I can
being able to snuggle with my baby boy and help us both get a few more minutes of sleep
a thank you from my kids and husband for making dinner
the excitement my baby girl has for learning to read

on the brink...

2011-03-10T10:52:00.001-06:00

I am on the brink of complete exhaustion. (Hi by the way...sorry I've neglected you for the last 6 days). We spent the past weekend in the Peoria area with our friends Dawn, Chris & Hayden. It was a much needed break from all things related to this house. We had such a wonderful time, we went swimming (indoor pool...the warmest one I've ever been in!) and the kids loved it and it completely wore Bryce out. He fell asleep in my arms before 7pm and he slept the whole night. Both kids loved playing with Hayden and who wouldn't...he is the sweetest boy! Bryce kept trying to hug him and Brianna loved playing with him and reading books to him. It was just an amazingly relaxing day...thank you Miles family!! On the way back home Sunday my old boss called and asked if I could help her out with a project, not being one to turn down some money at this point (we did just have 2 sizable repair bills in the last month) I said yes. I headed over to the office at 5 and worked until 11. Bryce was up Sunday night so I ended up having to sleep (or not sleep as the case may be) on the futon with him. Tuesday and Wednesday I had my regular weekly work and then Wednesday night I helped my old boss out again until 11pm. Today I am dragging and the kids have so much energy. All I really want to do is curl up in bed with a book...but I don't think the kids will let me! Must run...Bryce is trying to scale the wall right now, the energy of a two year old...if I could bottle and sell it I'd be a very rich woman right now!

brighter...

2011-03-04T08:00:00.002-06:00

After yesterday's dramatic post, I feel the need to update you all on the fact that I'm doing much better. Yesterday afternoon the kids were having hopping races into my arms (I was the finish line) and I felt the pieces go back together. Let me explain a little about what happened...the injector pump went out in our basement a couple of weeks ago, so that was an unexpected repair (and expense), then this week our microwave died (which again, not a huge deal...just darn inconvenient), then Wednesday our furnace starting acting up. We slept in a house with no heat that night (thankfully it wasn't too cold, but it was still cold enough). Yesterday it got fixed, it again was nothing major but another repair/expense we weren't counting on. Thankfully our furnace is in fine shape and we didn't have to replace it altogether. Add all of those things onto a very long couple of days of work, putting the house on the market (and considering the market isn't great to begin with), trying to keep the house clean, and only 1 showing...it all gets to a girl you know?
BUT, having a night home curled up on the couch with Bob and the kids has helped me pull it all together. I know things will get better, things will work out the way they were meant to and I need to have some patience and trust that when the time is right things will go our way, and along the way I know I have the best friends and family to lean on. I am such a lucky girl, I am surrounded by love...as long as I always remember that I know that I will always be able to put the pieces back together.

broken...

2011-03-03T11:31:00.000-06:00

It inevitably happens, you get a rock to your windshield, a tiny chip in the thick glass. A nuisance, but nothing to really get bent out of shape about. You'll get it fixed, no problem...but time and life goes on and you forget, until one day you notice that from that chip there is now a tiny crack. You again say you'll get it fixed while it is still fixable, while it is still no big deal. But here comes life again and your tiny chip and small crack get pushed to the back burner yet again. Suddenly you wake up one day, go out to your car and realize that over time that tiny chip has destroyed your windshield. Little crack by tiny little crack, your windshield is broken. All those things that were no big deal...suddenly when put together are a damn big deal.
I feel like a windshield today, one that has been chipped away at, little crack by little crack. Nothing major is wrong, no catastrophic thing happened. But today, all of the little things have shattered me. I am not a positive person by nature, I have to consciously decide that I'm going to look at things on the bright side to find the positive where there seemingly isn't. But today...today I only see darkness, the bad and the struggles. Today there seems to be no sunshine or light at the end of the tunnel. I am (mildly-unsuccessfully) willing the tears not to fall because I don't want the kids to see me broken. Right now I don't know how to put myself back together.

for sale...

2011-03-02T20:23:00.002-06:00

Our house! Our house is for sale! It has been on the market for a few days now and we are slowly getting the hang of keeping the house clean all the time! This is quite an undertaking for a house with two kids...especially our kids! Other than realizing I'm a complete control freak and do not deal so well with things I have no say in, I am getting a big lesson in patience as well. It has been a rough week but I have faith that everything will work out and someone out there will love this house as much as we have. It is just a house, but so much of our story is wrapped up here. The place we came to when our babies came home from the hospital, where they took their first steps, said their first words...so many memories held forever inside these walls. We have loved it here, but it is time to move on...to find a place to better suit the family we have become. I'm so excited for this next chapter of our lives, but I'm also a little sad to be closing this one. Well...I will be once we actually sell! Right now...anyone want to buy our house? :)

(sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors...I'm writing this on Bob's iPod so give me a little leeway! :)

check me out...somewhere else...

2011-03-01T09:51:00.000-06:00

Just popping in quick to say that I'm guest posting over at On My Bookshelf. I reviewed the new Jodi Picoult book Sing You Home (which hits stores TODAY!) for my sweet friend Holly and it is up! Go check it out! And while you're at it, add On My Bookshelf to your regular blog hopping, they always have great suggestions of things to read!!

monday...again...

2011-02-28T08:00:00.002-06:00

Seriously people how in the world is it Monday already? When we are away for the weekend it goes by so quickly and I'm exhausted by the time Monday rolls around, when we are home for the weekend I feel like there is so much that needs to get done and caught up on that I'm exhausted by the time Monday rolls around. Apparently weekends just make me exhausted. They also cause our children to become less than pleasant by Sunday night. I didn't really come here to whine though (although that is a fabulous perk of having your own blog!)
We did have a good weekend, however fast it may have flown by! Bob and the kids played out in the snow (the little bit we had) on Saturday afternoon while I attempted to have a bit of quiet time. However since I kept getting requests to "look at me!" and the doorbell kept ringing (apparently that is a mighty fun thing to do when you're a kid...or 30!) I didn't get much quiet time. I did however take some pictures of the kids playing...through the window of course! Since Brianna is begging for a snack and Bryce is quiet in his room...for now, I'll just leave you with some pictures of the snow play.
Hope you all had a great weekend and have a great week ahead!

they begged to go outside and then complained the whole time we got them dressed

my little man

snow golf!

making it snow on himself

swinging

how can you help but love that face?

up to something

my snow princess

funny funny kid

snow sliding

Bryce needs a turn too!

late night stream of thought...

2011-02-25T01:10:00.001-06:00

Tonight is one of those nights where I can't sleep, too much running through my brain, and I know that morning will come much too soon and I will not be ready for it, but I can't stop my brain. So, maybe if I just write it out it will help me sleep. So away we go, this will probably be in list format and I can't promise it will make sense so feel free to skip if you want!

I just finished Because I Said So by Dawn Meehan. I have to tell you I LOVED it. It made me smile, laugh and even tear up. Totally worth your time to read. I read snippets to Bob because I swear that woman has a camera in our house. I could relate to almost all of what she said (especially the husband chapter) Our chaos is just on a smaller scale (she has six kids). Check it out!

The next book I have on my to-be-read pile is Jodi Picoult's new book that doesn't come out until next week. My sweet friend Holly got an advanced reader copy and gave it to me with the requirement that I write a book review for her book blog. This makes me a little nervous because I'm not very good at book reviews I feel like I either give away too much or not enough, BUT I'm super excited to have this book (yes I am a nerd) so I of course will give this review my best shot! :)
I yelled a lot today, I'm not sure why...it almost felt like today was Monday. Because we were gone all weekend and didn't get home until Monday afternoon and then rushing off to work Tuesday and Wednesday...I feel like I haven't breathed at all this week. So today I had a short fuse and I am so mad at myself about it. But I will try to do better tomorrow...er today!
Does the crossover of extra characters on Grey's and Private Practice annoy anyone else? On tonight's episode of Private Practice Andy (the patient with potential dissociative disorder) is the girl who also played a cancer patient on Grey's while Izzy was having treatment. I probably wouldn't notice this except that this actress also played Paris on Gilmore Girls for years.
I watch Gilmore Girls everyday. Did you know it is on everyday? I have seen every episode of the entire series at least 6 times, and yet...I can't make myself delete it from my DVR recordings.
I apparently watch entirely too much TV (stop nodding your head Bob)
Anyone else watch the first episode of the Real Housewives of Miami? I'm not sure it will hold my attention, they all seem a bit loca. Although sometimes that makes for interesting TV.
Army Wives starts back up next weekend...soo excited...that is one of my favorite shows ever!
If you live in the St. Louis area and need/want some fantastic pictures of your kids...check this out. I love that there are such great giving people out there!
There are some great giveaways going on out in blogland right now. Check this and this out!
Since I put the first five years of my blog into a book every time I link something I think about how that doesn't translate well onto a piece of paper.
I We got a new vacuum cleaner! And it wasn't for a gift (although it was around Valentine's Day) :) I'm pretty much in love with it, it is amazing how good your carpets can look when you actually have a vacuum cleaner that WORKS!
Our real Valentine's Day gift to each other was having plumbers come over and installing a new injection pump in our laundry room/half bathroom. Because of COURSE it quit working a couple of weeks ago. We are nothing if not romantic.
I can tell that spring is coming because all of the sudden there are lots of things popping up on the calendar.
Sometimes I wonder why we own a house...we are rarely here, if it were possible for the 4 of us to live in a car together without killing each other it would probably be way more economical for us!
Totally kidding about the above...my laptop has sketchy (at best) wireless...how in the world could I go on without the internet...or the dvr. I shudder at the thought.
I love how twitter suggest people that you should follow, it sometimes feels like they are trying to tell me something.
In other twitter related news it is amazing how you can tweet one thing and all of the sudden people are following you. Before Christmas I tweeted that I was almost done Christmas shopping and next thing I knew there was this shopping thing following me. Do they have someone just scouring twitter searching for keywords?
Pretty sure I would be awesome at that job...sign me up!
I have no idea what I'm even writing anymore...ha!

Now that I've convinced every last one of my readers that I'm crazy I think it is time for me to go to bed. These kids will be up before I know it.
Goodnight blogland!