Celebrate Good Times

It's been awhile since my last post. A lot of things have happened since. We have bought and sold a house, went on vacation and are now preparing for the long holiday weekend ahead. Things are so hectic right now, but we have had a lot of good times.

We purchased a new home the middle of June and have moved in. Well, if you can call it moved. We have relocated our things, let's put it that way. We still have unpacking left to do, however we are slowly but surely getting things straightened out. The kids love the new house. It has a basement they can run in and a fenced in backyard. I will love it more when I get my furniture for the upstairs. We put our old stuff in the basement and are awaiting delivery on our upstairs. Once I get my bedroom outfit and can straighten up my walk in closet I will be much happier. Until then, things are kind of a mess.

Right after the move we packed up and took the kids on vacation to Wisconsin Dells, WI. It was a blast as always. This year was probably the most relaxing and fun year for me. I would say that some of that has to do with the fact that the kids are a little older, so they can fun and play a little more freely with me watching from a distance, as opposed to trying to keep up with them. The rest was probably that I was just totally mentally and physically drained from the move, so was very ready for the much needed break. The kids had a blast at the water parks! The last day we were there was beautiful outside and no one wanted to leave, in fact, Phil said if we would've asked he probably would've let us stay another day. If only we had known that!! Now everday my kids ask if we get to go on vacation today and when the answer is no, they just ask when we get to go back. I really think they had a good time!

Now this weekend is a long holiday weekend, which of course means another weekend full of fun. Phil plays softball tonight and Saturday we have some catching up things around the house before we head out to a birthday party. Sunday is the town's big Fourth of July event which is always a good time and then Monday will be our day to recover. I don't know how much faster time can go by, but anymore it seems like it just flies. I'm really enjoying it, however wouldn't mind things to slow down just a bit. Happy 4th of July Everyone!

Tickets For Sale

Everyday at our house is like a concert! Very little time goes by that someone isn't singing or dancing around the house (and when I say someone, 99% of the time it is not Phil or I). The kids love to act like they are in a Rock Band. They will get old purses of mine that hang to their knees and throw them over their shoulders as their guitars and "set up stage" in the living room and rock out! I have to say it is truly hilarious to watch them hang bang around while strumming their guitars. Lucas loves to use everything as drums, banging sticks around on everything that he can. They have such imaginations.

The latest show we have had the pleasure of watching has been Hannah Montana. Ruby borrowed this moving to watch and has fallen in love with it! It took her 2 times to memorize the words to every song. And she constantly walks around the house singing the songs and asking Phil and I if she has the words right or what comes next (as if we know). This morning I watched her in the kitchen as she was working on some of the dance moves to go with it. It was too cute!

So, if you are ever needing some entertainment and don't want to pay for expensive tickets just give us a call and we can set up a show! I'm sure the kids will even put on outfits (that is our second most fun thing to do now).

Truly Blessed

God has truly blessed us in our lives. We have a perfect family...crazy at times, but perfectly healthy and happy. So many things in our life have just worked out for us. We have always had a plan or goal and worked towards that goal and things have not always went the exact way we have wanted, but in the end have always worked out for the better. We are truly blessed! And so the celebration begins for more good times, great family & friends and Faith filled events.  May God continue to watch over us on our journey through life.

The Next Generation

Yesterday is History,

Tomorrow is a Mystery,

Today is a Gift,

That's why we call it the Present.

I have seen this poem several times and every time I see it I can't help but think how true it is. Today as we visited Phil & my grandparents and I watched our kids play this poem really hit home. I love talking to our grandparents & hearing how things used to be, how life has changed. Some days I wish we could go back to the way things used to be. Living the simple life. People spending more time visiting with people and being neighborly. Supporting your family with homegrown, homemade products and not so many material things. I think about how busy life is now and how technically inclined everything is getting. It truly makes me wonder what will the future be like? When my kids are parents or grandparents what will this world be like. Will we continue to progess as fast as we have the last 10 years or will something happen, will they be forced to turn to the simpler way of life again. If they are it may not be bad thing. It's for these reasons I wish I could treat each day as a gift and pass on not only great morals and values to my children, but also skills. I would love to my daughter to learn how to sew & bake. And I'm not talking just sew on a button and take frozen cookie dough out of the freezer and put it on a pan (as I do). I want her to be able to sew her own clothes if she had to, to whip up a homemade batch of bread and to can vegetables from her own garden. I would love for my son to be very handy arouhnd the house and be able to fix things, all sorts of things. For him to enjoy working outside, raising animals and taking pride in his possesions. Since I do not possess most of these skills I will of course have to find someone, such as a grandparent/great-grandparent, to help me get my kids insterested in these hobbies. I had a bad attitude as a kid and thought, "there is no way I am going to need to know how to do that" and know, I kind of wish I would've learned. Hopefully my kids won't have my attitude and will be a better generation!

Dear So and So

Dear Headache,

Please go away! I tolerated you all morning thinking you just needed to express yourself and would stop eventually, however that doesn't seem to be the case. You must understand that the screaming children that occupy this household do not help your cause and so therefore I must ask you to leave immediately!! Thanks you.

Sincerely,

Migraine Mom



Dear Cleaning Fairy,
Welcome to my home! I have been saving the best for you. The laundry is all piled up, toys strung all over, dishes on the counter and dust is flying, so feel free to show up at anytime. In fact, to ensure that we do not bother you during your visit, we will be going to bed early tonight. I look forward to waking in the morning to a nice and clean house and appreciate your help!!

Sincerely,

Horrible Housewife



Dear Junk Food Cravings,

GO AWAY!! I do not need any help putting weight on. I try controlling myself. I start out with a nice breakfast, a salad for lunch and when I get home from work there you are...waiting for me....calling me. If you would just leave me alone I would be able to shed a few pounds, therefore leaving me more energetic and a little less moody. I don't think that it is asking too much for you to step out of my life, it would be the best for both of us. I hope that you realize I will miss you deeply and long for the day we can be together again, but goodbye for now!

Sincerely,

Chunky Chick

Can you buy time?

I feel like we have been crazy busy lately and just don't have time for anything! Where does time go? If only I felt I could run on less sleep, then maybe that would add more time to my day? Or maybe if I would have the ability to fly, I would spend less time getting back and forth to places that would get me more time. Or is there any type of card that I can purchase and just buy some more time? That sounds the simplest! Just Charge It! Until then....better run!

Happy Birthday To You

Well today was Lucas's 3rd birthday and we had a very successful birthday party. Everyone came over for pizza. The kids all played well together. Lucas is such a good kid, he could've cared less if there were presents or cards...he was just glad his cousins were there to play with him. However, when it was time to open presents, he was super excited and nice enough to let everyone help him unwrap gifts. He loved the toys he got and the John Deere clothes too! He even received some money in cards which he has decided he will buy more Fudge Rounds and Zebra Cakes with! :) What can I say, he has his priorities! LOL It was very nice to have everyone together and celebrate such a wonderful day. It means so much when family can spend time together.

Picture Time

I finally got to see some of the finished products of our pictures. Surprisingly they turned out really well! The older kids have some really cute ones by themselves. I think there is only one of Blake, but he was pretty crabby during the photo shoot, so that didn't surprise me, but even it turned out well. Our Family picture was a little off center because it was tricky to get everyone to stand where you wanted them to and smile, but all in all turned out well. Everyone was at least somewhat looking at the camera so that is a plus. Lucas of course has his mouth open, but that is just Lucas! Once I get the pictures back I'll have to post some.

Oh yeah, and I finally went ahead and bought a new camera after my last one gave out on me. It should be in tomorrow, just in time for Luke's 3rd birthday! I can't wait to try it out!

Say Cheese

Today Phil and I were braver than ever. We loaded up all 3 kids and took them in for family pictures. The morning started off great. Everyone got up and got ready fairly easy. We didn't have any accidents or spills on our clothes like usual and it appeared that it was going to be a great day for pictures. That is until we arrived for the photo shoot. Our photographers studio is in her home, which is fine, however to get into the studio we have to walk through their family room which is LOADED with toys. After that it was all down hill! The kids wanted nothing to do with pictures at all, they were way more worried about what toys they could play with. Blake screamed practically the whole session and Ruby just kept asking, "Mom can I go play now?" Lucas is the smart one though, because he didn't bother asking if he could play with things, he would just find random things throughout the studio and proceed to play with them as if they were his own toys. Needless to say, we didn't get quite the amount of pictures I had hoped for and there definitely was not an outfit change like I would've liked, however I do think we got some decent ones. Hopefully we'll find out in a few days!

Can't Hardly Move...

Well I decided it was time to break out the work out video and try to stick to my New Year's Resolution. I started on Monday night with Jillian's video and IT WAS KILLER! I loved it though! It was very even paced and not a lot of crazy complicated moves. Tuesday I could hardly move and my arms were really sore, so I decided I should give my muscles a  break. Wednesday my legs hurt worse than before, but decided I really needed to stick with things, so I did the video again. Naturally it was easier for me to follow this time, but man does it really work those target muscles! So, today I am walking around again, dragging my feet instead of picking them up because the simple effort to lift them seems to be painful! It is a different feeling to be so acutely aware of every muscle in your body! Oh well, guess that means it must be working, hope I can keep it up!

Fallen Off The Wagon

Ok, so its been a long time since I"ve posted anything. I've kind of fallen off the posting wagon since I know have 3 children. You wouldn't think that one more little person in your life could be so time consuming, but really it is and frankly, even the times I have had time to sit down and post something I have just been too tired to do so. So try to follow with me here!

I've been back to work now for about a month and things are going well. Blake is doing great at the sitter's (not that I expected differently, she is a great babysitter). We are still working on a routine that will fit all of us. I love routines, they work great the kids do well with them and it keeps everyone in line, but they are sooooo boring!! If after supper we decide we want to go to one of our parents house's we can, but then it throws off the whole routine and the next day you feel like you are behind on something or the other. I hate that! Phil tells me I just need to relax and not worry about so many little things like having a clean house or laundry, but reality is, the longer I don't worry about things like that the worse it will be when it is finally time to do it. Men, just don't understand that or at least mine doesn't!

Had a great 30th birthday party the other weekend for a friend. It was a good time spent up at the Blacktop. I hadn't been there in a LONG time. Phil used to practically live there when he was of course he was young and foolish and could stay out drinking all hours of the night/morning. He got to visit with some friends he hadn't talked to for a long time and really enjoyed himself. He has now decided he will be drinking Crown and Coke from October until April and then will drink beer in the summer! LOL. I'm not sure how that will fly on a regular basis, but we'll see. He also decided we would get a keg of coke and have a Crown and Coke birthday party for me (how nice, just what I always wanted!) Then we will load up a bus and go to "The LittleSchool House" to see the show (again another sweet decision for the perfect birthday party!) I am so glad he has my best interests at heart! I am thinking for his birthday this year we may be doing a spa party!

Well, it's finally 2010 and of course I have the same resolutions as always for the new year. I did real well the first couple weeks and lately have been slacking off. I think that lack of sleep has really played a factor with this, but I picked up Jillian Michael's No More Trouble Zones DVD and I'm going to give it a shot. It says it will get rid of wobbly arms, muffin tops and thunder thighs all problem areas of mine. Too bad it requires actually sticking to the workout routine to accomplish this, guess we'll see how I do.

Well I guess that wraps things up for now. I'll try to get better about posting again.