Perfect Picture of Motherhood

Let us take a second to look at this picture. 

This, my friends, is a perfect picture of motherhood. This is the picture that we, as mothers, try to hide from the public. Instead, we work our hardest to "put ourselves together" each day so that no one will ever really know how exhausted we really are. 

Well, this blog is about being real and this picture is as real as it gets. 

THIS IS MOTHERHOOD

Let me explain:

At the time this picture was taken I was in the midst of trying to explain to Anna that she could not climb out of the window. 

Apparently, while I was taking a shower Anna was attempting to open Paul's bedroom window to climb out on the roof with the birdies. Yep. You read that correctly. She was trying to climb out the window. 

OH MY GOSH

I heard Paul screaming, jumped out of the shower, threw some random clothes on and tackled little miss anna as she worked hard at opening the window. The bowl I have in my hand is full of Gold Fish (that little cracker snack that children adore) to bribe her (oh come on, we all do that).

Another thing that I love about this picture is the laundry. 

Look at all that laundry!  

Now, that is JUST 3 days worth of laundry. 

YEP.  

When you have little ones you have a massive amount of laundry because SOMEONE is always peeing or pooping on themselves or spilling something ALL OVER THEM.  The kids go through a massive amount of clothes each week. Don't even get me started on Paul, age 5, and his need to change his underwear several times a day.

You might be asking yourself, "where was your husband while all this was going on?"  And I shall respond to that brilliant question.... he was sitting on the bed reading a book. 

YEP.  

That is why this picture IS NOT a picutre of parenthood but a  picture of MOTHERHOOD. Ya see, we mothers have MOMMY EARS and MOMMY SENSE so we know when our children are in danger........even when we are in a nice hot shower lathering our hair with invigorating shampoo that promises to leave us feeling less stressed. 

The major lesson I have learned from being a mother is this:   

While we try to teach our children all about life,

our children teach us what life is all about.

~Angela Schwindt

Little Miss Sassy

The last couple of days have been pretty interesting.

I went to my parents' house on wednesday and I didn't leave until sunday night.  I ended up getting even sicker on saturday and was "forced" to camp out another night so they could help with the kiddos while I slept and Roger went to work.

Sunday evening I started feeling a bit better and made myself go outside to play with the kids in the leaves. My parents have a MASSIVE amount of tress in their yard so I made a huge pile of leaves for Anna, Paul and I to jump in. At one point I looked over to find Anna with her pants off, standing in the leaves. "Anna sweetie, what are you doing their with your naked butt?"  She smiled real big and said "I'm going to pee in the leaves!!!!"  I made a mad dash, grabbed her and ran like a crazy person through my parents house to the bathroom.

Paul had a great time hiding under the leaves and popping out to scare the dogs.

Sunday night after a yummy dinner I drove the kids home as Roger was driving home from Etown. We almost got to winchester at the same time!!

Monday I decided to FINALLY take myself to the doctor.  Have I mentioned how much I HATE going to primary care physicians?  well, I HATE it.  They never listen to me. they just assume that I have the same thing everyone else has, give me horrible samples that cause me horrible side effects and write me super expensive prescriptions because they get a kick back from the medicine people for doing so.  I might be making up the last part but I have a feeling that they get paid to give me those horrible meds.

I have been having horrible stomach pains for years. I have tried EVERYTHING (gas meds, acid reducers, mylanta, prescriptions, changed my diet.......) and nothing seems to help.  There are times when I am in so much pain I think hard about rushing off to the hospital.  Something isn't right in there.

Does my primary care dud listen to me?  Hummmmmm NOOOO  He walks in, pushes on my stomach a little, listens to half of what I am trying to say before cutting me off and then hands be a prescription "you have acid reflux and irritable bowl" before walking out into the hall.  I wanted to yell out "listen dude. I have been diagnosed with that since I was 16 and all this crap medicine you keep stuffing in my face isn't working. It has gotten pretty bad and I need some help."

Of course, I just smiled and gave the nurse he sent in a "humm are you sure?"  and then left the clinic feeling the need to reach across the counter, choke the receptionist and take back my copay.

This is what I hate about health care.

I am sick but I can't manage to get a doctor to listen to me. ya see. I could go back, pay ANOTHER copay, tell him the meds aren't working and are giving me HORRIBLE headaches.  He'll probably try another medicine, it wont work, I'll pay another copay to let him know that it doesn't work and then he'll send me to the hospital to get some tests that will come back clear like always and I will be left with a MASSIVE amount of bills and still a sick stomach.

So, I give up.

No wonder why people go to the herbal/holistic way.  I walk into the whole foods store, describe my symptoms and they take the time to listen, figure out ways to help and talk to me about over the counter supplements and eating habits that will help.  perfect!

 Oh and it gets on my nerves when the doctor prescribes the MOST EXPENSIVE MEDICINE.  What the heck??

Shall we change the subject?

Monday afternoon, while I was cleaning up the basement I FINALLY found the cord to our old camera. I ran upstairs, grabbed paul and let him watch the video of me in the hospital on the day he was born, bringing him home from the hospital and the first few months of his life.  It was so sweet watching him watch his little baby self! I also couldn't help but think back to the fact that we had him in college. While all the other college students were worrying about meaningless things, we were in our cozy little home playing with our adorable little baby boy!!

Tuesday, today, has been pretty awesome. The kids and I have had a wonderful time playing. They enjoy "hiding" from me as I walk around pretending I am a monster.

Anna refused to put clothes on this afternoon so I drew a face on her belly. Her nipples were the eyes, her belly button was the mouth and I drew a nose in the middle.  It cracked me up to see her running around the house in her underwear, with this funny looking face drawn on her chest.   Oh the simple things that give me joy!

This morning as I walked into the living room I yelled out "hey, lets take our books back to the library and get some new ones!"  We do this at least once a week.  Anna looked at me in her little sassy way and said "WONDERFUL!!!  Let me grab my purse!"  I about fell in the floor with laughter.  She then strutted her way to the library.

Once there, I sat in the library chair reading and talking to the librarian while Anna sat at my feet "reading"all the books she had discovered. Listening to her "read" is rather hilarious and beats watching SNL.

Paul got lost in the shelves as he always does!  He is mesmerized by the children's books that describe how things work and stays in that section the WHOLE time.  He is also DETERMINED to learn spanish.  I keep reminding him that mommy took 3 years of Latin and daddy took 3 years of french.  He doesn't care. He thinks we know spanish and are keeping it from him. I helped him find some spanish books today. Maybe I should get him some sort of kid program!


Ta Ta


  

The Invasion

We have invaded my parents' house.

My whole little family of four and my little brother's family of two have taken over my parents five acres. Currently there are 8 people chilling out, watching the leaves change colors while Dad makes us ribs on the grill. Roger and I have even taken the opportunity to go on two dates. WOW two whole dates!!

I think we are all under a lot of stress and have decided to run back home for refuge. That's completely fine with me but I bet my empty nest parents are like "umm you are raised little birdies, go fly." 

The kids, even though I have gotten some help with them, are driving me nuts. They are both at difficult stages in life and with the big move coming up, they can feel the pressure. Plus, Paul is sick and super cranky while Anna is in the terrible two "I WANT THAT NOW" stage. 

Roger and I went to the movies yesterday to watch Life as We Know it.  It was an OK movie. A nonthinking kinda movie that is sometimes helpful when you have been thinking way too much. When it was over I looked to Roger and said "gosh they tried to make parenthood look hard but they kinda made it look fun."  Then a light bulb went off in my head "parenthood is fun! But HOLY CRAP is it hard." 

Yesterday morning my sister-in-law was babysitting a little 3 month old baby girl. I've kinda been having a little bit of baby fever because, well, man alive, babies are so darn cute and they have that fresh to the world baby sent. Anyway, I was holding the little baby thinking "oh, I want another little baby. look how precious," when all of a sudden my two year old decided she wanted to be held too and started to cry for me to snuggle her. As I was sitting there holding two little girls, I was cured of my baby fever. All the late night screaming, bottle feedings, dragging diaper bags everywhere, being thrown up on, all came rushing back in this big bundle of stress.  Yep. I am glad I am out of the baby thing.  Paul was Anna's age when I gave birth to Anna. Yep. A two year old and a new little baby = WHAT WAS I THINKING HOLY CRAP.

There is a reason why babies come out so sticking adorable. If they came out a temper throwing two year old or a know it all 5 year old that enjoys whining about everything, there would be no more people in the world.  Adam and Eve had their parenting woes....I mean, heaven forbid, one of their sons killed the other.....man alive talk about sibling rivalry.

And here I am sitting in my parents' house, typing on their computer, drinking their tea and enjoying their yummy breakfast.  Yep!  When you become a parent it sticks with you until you die.  I will always run to them when I am in need and my sweet little demanding children will always run to me when they are in need. Such is life.  It goes on and on and on and on and on.  Just grab a chocolate bar and hold on tight.

Week From Hell

I do not know how I haven't lost my mind. I mean, I really should have already lost it. I kinda feel like I could at any minute. Actually, to be honest, the only thing that is keeping me from going crazy is the Lord's Prayer. I just keep saying it over and over and over again. When I feel the anxiety boiling up in my chest...Lord's Prayer. When I feel the tension head ache.....Lord's Prayer.  When I feel the tears starting to fill my eyes...Lord's Prayer. 

My mother said it best "honey, you have had the week from hell."  Yep, I sure have

Sunday- throwing up sick all day

Monday-water heater busted and flooded the basement of the house we are trying to sell

Tuesday -I had class and had to catch up on my reading while tending to sick kids and a sick me

Wednesday - I spent ALL MORNING in a doctors office with two sick kids crawling all over a sick me. Then I found out that afternoon that our health insurance has Paul's birthday wrong so I had to pay full price for Paul's meds. 

Wednesday afternoon I packed my car full of the essentials (kids, clothes, body wash) and headed to my parents' house.  I needed to have a change of venue. Turns out that the change has helped boost the children's energy. I am running around my parents' house like a crazy.  Oh and Anna is throwing 2 year old temper tantrums in a BIG way.    

It took me FOREVER to get dressed this morning. I got in the shower...had to jump out because Paul had diarrhea all over himself.....jumped back in the shower....Anna had diarrhea all over herself...jumped back out.  I finally got a shower but then had to run back and forth through the house dealing with the kids while I attempted to put clothes on. Anna has taken a fancy to kicking the walls and smacking me when she doesn't get her way.

I am still so very sick. I look like a ghost my face is so pale. All the color is gone.  I just need a day or two to chill out on the couch, taking care of  my sick body, but anyone who has children knows that when you are sick you just have to suck it up and take care of the world.   It is pretty miserable being sick and taking care of two little ones.  Note that I took the kids to the doctor but haven't managed to take myself to the doctor. That is called MOTHERHOOD. Children first. Yourself last, if ever.

Roger is working on his sermon all day today and then he is going to drive down to my parents house this afternoon to help. He isn't feeling too hot either. It is the Jasper Plague of 2010.  HORRID. Is this sickness ever going to end? Am I ever going to be able to chill on the couch and have someone take care of ME? Are the kids going to constantly be fighting?  When they don't feel good they are at each other ALL DAY. 

boy oh boy.  If I hadn't spent a massive amount of money on my new pacemaker, the new water heater and the property taxes I would suggest we go on a family vacation.   Maybe one day I'll get to sleep in, sip a latte' and read a novel. Right now, however, I am in the child rearing stage of life and completely exhausted.

The Break Down (of our water heater)

This morning I woke up sick, yet again. I walked into the bathroom for a nice hot shower to soothe my aching joints and clear my mucus filled lungs.

I turned the water on.

But something wasn't right.

It wasn't warming up.

I walked to the kitchen "Roger the water is not getting hot"

He walked down into the basement to check the water heater.

He stood silent on the steps "ROGER? is everything ok?"

***silence***

I descended into the dreary basement to find all of our stuff floating in 2 inches of water.

Our hot water heater had busted and leaked water EVERYWHERE.

I took a sponge bath while Roger called the plumber, Mr Steve Humble.

The Humble Plumbing van pulled up just an hour after we called them! They had our old water heater out and our new water heater in by 1pm. I was completely impressed. So impressed that when we payed the massive bill  I also added to that a Cadbury Chocolate Bar. Plumber Phil was very appreciative of the chocolate bar!

This afternoon Roger needed to make a hospital visit. He had rented a wet-vac to suck up all the water but I was not physically capable of cleaning the basement up and tending to the children. There was also no way that I was going to be able to carry the wet-vac full of water. However, the water needed to be gotten out of the basement ASAP.  

I called my brother Jacob who lives about 30min away and he, after the initial "ahhh oh man" decided to come help me. 

Together, my brother and I cleaned out all the wet junk and vacuumed up all the water. 

I found it humorous that while me and my little brother were in the basement fuzzing about moving objects and sucking up water puddles, that Anna and Paul (brother /sister combo #2) were upstairs fuzzing over who got to play with what toy.  Somethings you just never grow out of. 

I'm very thankful for my brother driving out here to help. I really could not have done it without him. I'm also very grateful for Humble Plumbing because I would have had an emotional breakdown if I didn't have them. I am also so blessed to be married to a man that finds humor in everything. Roger had me cracking up about having a flooded basement and having to buy a new water heater. I have no clue how he does it!

Here are some pictures that I snapped of the event that I have named "the break down."

We found out our water heater was put in the house in 1986. Ummm WHAT? That is OLD.

We just pilled wet crap on the back porch. The trash dudes come tomorrow and it is all going. The water heater has helped us pack to move into our new house. Basement cleaned?....CHECK!

The wet-vac that we rented came in very handy! However, it was a beast to carry.

Our brand new gas water heater. now we can add that on the For Sale listing!  "hey, this house has a new water heater!!  check it out!"  AND.....our water is nice and hot even on the very very very low temp.

Man oh Man how I miss renting. Homeownership is too much of a grown up task. 

Sick Momma

Boy oh boy was I sick today. It was horrible. I thought I was going to die. I was actually praying to die. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.

At around 9am this morning I started feeling so bad I couldn't hardly walk. I ended up in the fetal position near the toilet screaming for God to "take away the pain." I had no clue what to do or what in the world was going on.

I was at home alone with the two kids (both of whom were sick also), my husband was 2 hours away working and wasn't going to be home until after 8pm. I wanted to cry but I was busy cleaning up Anna's diarrhea, taking Paul's temperature and throwing up everything in my stomach.  

I'm telling ya. It got BAD.

I was reading the kids a book before their nap time and had to run to the toilet with every page I turned on the book.

Paul understood that I was really sick and at one point ran to the kitchen, brought me back a Sprite and a glass then said "only take small sips mommy or it will make you sick."  He even rubbed my back while I dry heaved in the toilet "It's ok mommy. Throwing up is scary but it will make you feel better." I'm so proud of him! He is tuning out to be such a sweet young man.

At one point, mid vomit, I had to yell out "Anna stop ripping the pages out of your book or I will.....*****vomit***** sit you in time out young lady."

I finally gave up and called my sister Layla, who lives the closest to me at 30min away, for HELP.  I really needed it. There was no way I could tend to the kids and vomit at the same time.

Layla came to the rescue and stayed until my husband called to confirm he was on his way home.

The lesson I have learned is that being a mommy and being sick are a horrible combination but don't hesitate to call for help. Many, many times I have tried to battle through being a sick caregiver but I learned today that I have people who love and care about me and who are more than willing to help as soon as I ask.

Layla played with the kids while I crashed in bed with my heating pad and sprite.  I have no clue what I would have done without her.

Loretta Lynn

A friend of ours mentioned that he went to a Loretta Lynn concert recently.  I couldn't help but be a bit jealous because I grew up listening to Mrs. Loretta Lynn.  Ok, let me rephrase that.....I grew up obsessed with Loretta Lynn. I have watched every documentary and movie EVER made about her life.  Now he has gotten me determined to drag my husband to a Loretta Lynn concert. I just love that woman!!! Or maybe I can talk my mom into going with me since she loves her too and my dad thinks "she sings AWEFUL. why would you listen to that?"   

Here is one of my favorite songs.....The Pill

She cracks me up!  This one is for you mom.  Remember how we would sing this song together at the top of our lungs!!!   I now understand this song a LOT more than I did when I was 12.  HA HA HA

A Mommy Kinda Break Down

I had a mommy break down today. What is a mommy break down?  I thought you would never ask.

WEll, let me explain a mommy break down.

A mommy break down is a time in which we mommies melt into a puddle of anxiety, frustration and tears as a result of a combination of extreme exhaustion and super hyper/naughty children.

Paul and Anna both woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. They were at each others throats ALL MORNING. All of my attempts to have peace in the house were not working. I felt trapped and had no clue what to do. I have no family or friends near by so when I feel trapped I FEEL TRAPPED.

I called my husband around 1pm "When do you think you'll be home this afternoon?  Why? Umm because when you get back I am leaving. I gotta get out of here NOW!"  

Later in the afternoon as I was loading the children into the stroller (I figured I could push them around the block while they screamed and I cried) Roger pulled up. I slung the stroller at him "you take your children" then I jumped in the car and headed for the field.  I walked several miles before heading back home.

When I got home I noticed that my lovely husband had taken the kids to the park. I was ALONE IN THE HOUSE!!!!!  OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!   I got so giddy!

I ran upstairs jumped in my bed, read until I fell asleep and then woke up when I heard the hot hunk of a husband walk in the door with our two beautiful children. I felt so at peace!  Then I heard Anna start screaming at Paul and Paul start screaming at Roger.  I rolled back over and tried to drown out the noise with my pillow. When I discovered that the fighting was not going to stop I decided "I am going to get myself a blizzard!"

And I did!   FYI the pumpkin pie blizzard is the blizzard of the month and it is delicious.  Also, you can get the mini version of the blizzard for 1.99.  Pretty sweet deal!

Today Was a Dozy

Today has been somewhat challenging.  Anna and Paul are starting to get really needy. Why are kids so needy?  I know I shouldn't even ask such a stupid question.  I'm just venting some frustration.  Can't I vent just a little?!?!?

Taking care of children all day is physically and mentally challenging. I am constantly having to think of fun, developmentally appropriate and slightly educational things for them to do which causes my brain to work in overload.  Then I try my best to take care of their needs and that physically wears my body out. Bathing, feeding, walking, carrying up the stairs, picking up toys, cleaning their butts, chasing them on the playground......

It's funny how people that are pregnant worry about getting the baby weight off. Let me tell ya from experience, the constant motion of parenthood does wonders for the waist line.  I have a problem with keeping the weight on me. With two little ones I am on the go, up and down, from 7am until 8:30pm.  Plus I take nightly runs in order to reales some of the tension that parenthood brings.  Between my runs, taking care of the kids and having to share everything I eat with two other people, I have lost all that baby weight and more.

Back to the topic at hand.

Today was a dozy.

I usually go to class on Tuesday nights so that is my kinda  FREE TIME from the demands of children.

Isn't that strange that I see going to seminary as a mini vacation each week?

However, this week was Fall Break.

AAAAAAHHHHH  

So, instead of heading to class after the kids woke up from nap and received their afternoon snack, I instead took them to the park so they could play until dinner time.  Then I had to help with preparing dinner, serving dinner and putting the kids to bed all while trying to catch up on some reading for class.

I know.  I am whining and I should stop but I'm not going to.

I know I do those things every single day all day long and that is the point, Tuesdays are MY DAYS for a break and I didn't get that.  I demand Fall break be canceled ALWAYS.  I NEED that class time for my sanity.

You know what's funny though?

When the kids are in bed, the house is quite, I get really giddy.

I feel the urge to scream out "AH HA I GET TO DO WHATEVER I WANT AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"  

You don't appreciate the small act of grabbing something out of the refrigerator and eating it without someone taking it from you, until you have children.  You also don't really appreciate how fun a quite house can be, until you have two children running through it screaming and crying.  But be extra careful.  A quite house can lead to an even louder house....if you know what I mean.

Knitting Projects

I had written a post awhile back about how excited I was that the knitting season is here!  Well, let me tell ya, I am having a blast this season!

In the knitting seasons of the past I concentrated on one big project. As a result both of my children and my husband have hand knitted blankets made by me.  This year, however, I wanted to focus on small projects for lots of people.  My goal was to make mittens.

Although I have been an avid knitter since the 6th grade, when I made my first pillow, I must admit that I have never tried to make mittens.  This goal of mitten making has turned out to be a bit of a challenge.

First I had to learn how to knit using the magic loop method.  That was a bit tricky for me but once I got the hang of it I couldn't help but fall in love with the method.

Second, I had to figure out how to make a thumb gusset for my mitten.  Boy oh boy did that thumb gusset drive me crazy but I have finally gotten the hang of it. FINALLY

Are you interesting in learning how to knit?  I have a couple of great sites and networks for you.

Knit Picks is a great place to start. They have video tutorials for just about everything and plenty of patterns.

Sarah Bees Little Yarn Shop is a wonderful place here in Winchester Kentcucky to buy knitting products or to learn how to knit. Sarah offers knitting classes and also has an open door policy where you are free to come buy the shop, pop a squat on one of her couches and knit.  She is a wonderful resource for me. Not only is she an avid knitter but she is a young mother to 3 little boys. Her husband is a youth minister at a local church and a seminary student. We share a lot of things in common.  She is super sweet and LOVES to help people knit!

Ravelry is an online knitting and crochet community. They even celebrate my favorite holiday...Knit in Public Day!!!   This is a great source for some free patterns. It is also nice to have some encouragement from fellow knitters!  LOVE IT!

And also if you want to start knitting or you have already been knitting for a while but want some company, you are always welcome at my home. A few weeks ago I had a young middle school girl over for a Saturday full of knitting. She wanted to learn how to knit fingerless gloves.  Between going to see Sarah Bee and chilling on my couch for a couple of hours, she managed to complete her first knitting project. As a result she LOVES TO KNIT!!

I couldn't end this blog without sharing my work!  

I read in a knitting book that after you have knitted so many rows that you should sit back and admire your work while you say to yourself "wow, I did a great job!"  I do that all the time. It drives my husband CrAzY.

Knitting my first mitten

 Trying the mitten on before finishing the fingers and thumb

My first complete mitten! 

I made Paul a pair of wool mittens.

Paul LOVES his mittens! 

The green diamond scarf I made with beads on the tassels.

 Showing off the scarf! This would look pretty awesome with a black winter coat!

HAPPY KNITTING SEASON!

Being a Pastor's Wife

As I sit here at my breakfast table at 6am on a Sunday morning I can't help but think "why oh why am I up so early on a Sunday and why oh why have I given up caffeine"  

I am up early because I am a pastor's wife and we have to be at the church no later than 9:30am with two small children in tow. Getting to church with two little ones is a chore in a half and when you add the cranky/half awake element, it is like someone asking me to eat nails for breakfast. I'd just rather not.  

The church is 2 hours away because we haven't been able to move down there yet.  Long story there but we should be moving within the next couple of weeks.

I opened my inbox and found a great article from Amber about the role of pastor's wives.  It was really interesting. Take a look at it by clicking the link.

It made me realize how lucky I am to be in a church that doesn't make me feel as if I need to be someone that I'm not. There are people in the church that really care about our little family and for that I am truly grateful!

The Most Perfect Job On The Planet

As a stay-at-home mother I have my life super scheduled.  

Every week I do the same thing at the same time. 

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, story time, snack time, potty time, bath time, play time, nap time, dance time, game time, laundry time, clean the house time, go to the park time, go to the library time, church time, movie time, special adventure time, wash the dishes time, play group time, mommy/daddy time, go for a walk time, bed time............. it goes on and on.  

Children LOVE being on a schedule.  They THRIVE when they know what to expect each day, each hour, each second!  At least my children do. 

If I were completely honest I would let you know that I thrive on a strict schedule as well but I am not completely honest.

To get to the point at hand.

Today was laundry day!!!!  HIP HIP HORRAY!! 

Believe it or not Laundry day is a happy time in our house.

After breakfast Anna and I sort out the clothes together. She mostly sits in the dumped out laundry basket talking jibber Jabber to me but she giggles the whole time and I just LOVE that.

 Once the laundry is sorted both Anna and Paul take turns putting loads in the washing machine. I am in charge of the soap but they do the rest. Paul even knows which buttons to push to turn the thing on.

While the loads are washing we play, play, play.  Today we played hopscotch outside and played in the sand box.  It was such a beautiful day!

I also started knitting Anna Catherine's mittens for winter. I finished Paul's yesterday and he LOVES them! However, I have had to remind him that they are not for boxing. He thinks they are boxing gloves and that I am super awesome for making him super hero boxing gloves.

Since I was doing the laundry I decided while the kids were napping to get out the winter clothes and put up the summer clothes.  

WEW what a task.  

I had my clothes and two little people's clothes to juggle.  

When Anna woke up from her nap, saw all her winter clothes in the drawer she yelled out in excitement "YAY MOMMY YAY"  Then she came running up to me with her arms stretched out in a hug and said "you're my girl!!!"  I fell in love with her all over again!  That little girl has stolen my heart so many times.

When Paul woke up, saw his snow boots he immediately put them on. It was a great fashion statement; shorts, t-shirt and snow boots.  He then smiled at me REALLY big, "OH THANK YOU MOMMY THANK YOU!!!"  

As he was walking out the door he turned around and said in his serious big boy voice "These boots are NOT made for walking."  

I tried very hard to hide my massive giggles. It didn't work. He heard me.

He poked his head back in the door and said "they are made for FLYING!!! THESE (pointing at his boots) are my ROCKET BOOTS!"  Then he pretended to fly down the hall.

I love that boy!

I love how at the end of my "work" day I feel that I have accomplished so much!  

I have taken care of our beautiful children and I have worked at making our lovely house a warm, loving home. I haven't found anything that feels better than that.  Well, ice cream with peanut butter feels pretty good. I will admit that!

Sometimes being a stay-at-home mother is absolutely exhausting and drains the life out of you but days like today make it seem like the most perfect job on the planet.  

And YAY!!  I have all the laundry done, the summer clothes up and the winter clothes out! 

HIGH FIVE

So, I have been on an old home video kick. Roger and I are putting them all on dvd. Here is a video of when we first brought Anna home on up until the present.

Old Family Videos

I was looking through some old videos of Paul when he was a baby. I came across these and thought it was too cute and funny not to share!  In college, this is how Roger and I spent our evenings.  Playing with our precious baby boy! How incredibly lucky we are to have such a precious boy!

here is the video I took right after I gave birth to Paul. When they brought him to me I sat up all night watching him.

Good Ol' Farm Wedding

Well, it has happened. Both of my brothers are married off. How strange is that? We are all married.  It seems so unreal to even think about. I wonder how my parents feel? They are completely finished with the child rearing part of their lives. We are all gone. They are officially empty nesters.  It feels so strange to think about.

Yesterday my brother Jacob got marred to a lovely girl he met in college, Shannon. They actually met when she was placed as his tutor on campus. She is a sweet and beautiful girl that is head over heals for my brother. 

The wedding was on the family farm. 

I LOVED that my whole family pitched in to make the farm "wedding ready".  Barns were painted, grass was cut, hay was bailed and stacked, a tent was put up and decorated,a camper was brought for the girls to change in, signs were made, Roger prepared the service and even my inlaws were there to DJ and help with the kids. Everything came together so nicely and it was so touching to see my massive family all together having a big ho down on the farm!

The ceremony was beautiful.  

 

My husband was the minister! It was nice to see him up there marrying Jacob and Shannon.  We jokingly laughed about how he has married my whole family: my brothers and me. He is officially the family minister. He was even the minister at my grandpa's funeral.

After the ceremony we all went back to the tent to enjoy some yummy Soney's BBQ.  I'm telling ya. Soney's BBQ did a GREAT job catering. 

Once the wedding cake was cut, the first and last dances complete, the garter and flowers thrown, the real party started.  My brother got a keg of octoberfest, red and white wine and brought a Singleton Scotch for the family to enjoy.  Most of my family lives within walking distance of the farm so we all just let loose and had a Thacker Style Ho Down!  There were no walls to hold up so the family members that didn't fancy a good dance decided to hold the hay up instead.  It cracked me up to see them all over by the roll bales, standing in a straight line as if it were a wall. 

I, however, danced to my hearts content.

If you know my husband you know that he doesn't care much for dancing. I on the other hand LOVE to dance.  I did a lot of group dancing, danced with some grooms men, danced with both of my brothers and even danced with the lovely bride.  Every now and then I managed to pull Roger up on the dance floor for a Taylor Swift song but he mainly held up the hay. 

I must say that my aunt Carlotta, my sister Shelbie and I by far had the best dance moves. Well, that is if you see dancing as kind of a jumping with your hands thrown up in the air while your feet kinda kick out to the side!  Yep. We were pretty awesome.

I even got to dance with my Mawmal!  

Mawmal has a specific dance move that she loves "just pretend like you are boxing!" she screamed out to me as she started punching in my general direction.  I quickly picked up the mawmal dance of punching your arms out while you shake your bum.  

You learn something knew every day!

In all seriousness, it was wonderful to be with my big, crazy, complicated family on the big beautiful family farm. It was nice to be together to celebrate a new family entering the big one. The last time we all came together was very emotional, Pawpal had passed away. I know we have all deep down been mourning that loss in our own ways. 

A couple of months before the wedding my Mawmal went out to the field that the wedding was going to be on, and sprinkled Pawpal's ashes. I know that was probably hard for her. That was the love of her life. She shared many many years, good and bad, with that man. Together they brought 7 beautiful children into this world, and 18 grandchildren came from that.

My brother Jacob wanted Pawpal at his wedding and he was!  He was there!  Sprinkled all over that alfalfa field just like Pawpal wanted!  

After the wedding I looked down at my brother's wrest and saw that he was wearing pawpal's watch.

Congratulations to the happy couple! 

Welcome to the family Shannon!