Embracing Life

To me, blogging is fun.  I enjoy writing, and I enjoy making people laugh - which is what I hope happens when you read my blog.  However, the world isn't perfect, and sometimes tragic things happen.  I live in the midwest.  Just last week, about 20 minutes after we put the kids to bed, the tornado siren in our neighborhood went off.  It was the first time since we moved into our house 5 years ago.  Keith ran up to grab the kids, I grabbed some blankets and our lanterns, and we sat in our crawl space (no real basement, we live in a tri-level) as we waitied to see what would happen. Thankfully, the sirens ended, and the storm passed. (Not before causing an early end to the Earth, Wind and Fire concert going on in Chicago, which I thought was rather ironic.)  For anyone who has read the news recently, you know that happy endings aren't always the case.  April and May of 2011 is permanently marked with Americans experiencing the largest tornad...

Part of me cringes at the thought of sharing this story with the world.  The other part feels, hey that's life. On Sunday, after our church picnic, we headed back to the house to play in our little pool.  Colin is working on life without diapers, so he was in his swim trunks with no pull-up.  They were happy getting wet and playing in the pool. Colin was standing on the cement patio (pool was in the grass, I was on the deck). He said he had to go potty.  Keith had walked up at that point, and seeing Colin soaking wet, with grass and dirt up and down his legs, said the words that changed our lives forever: Just pee out here . Before I had time to sigh, I hear Connor say, Great idea Daddy!  In a flash, he is out of the pool and standing in the grass, trunks down, peeing.  At the same time, Colin pees through his swim trunks. On the cement.  Keith tells him to go in the grass, so he does.  Strips his shorts off and pees again. For some r...

I can't get over the fact that the twins turned 3 on Saturday.  They got those birthday crowns on Thursday at their school party. Keira refused to take hers off except to sleep.  For 3 days. We went to zoo, and spent hours having fun there. Then we came home for birthday cake with family. While we sang 'Happy Birthday', they giggled and laughed with each other. Happiness is seeing my babies growing up.

Double the pleasure Double the fun Double the chaos with 2, not just 1. Double the treasure It's only just begun The joy they bring together will never be outdone. Author: Gina Marie Lauchner June 25, 2008 3 years old today Happy Birthday to my double blessings!!!

I have so many fun, happy memories of playing at both of my grandparents' houses every summer when I was young.  I'm so glad that my children get to make their own memories. This was on Father's Day at Nana and Bumpa's (my parents). 

Perhaps it's because I work full-time, but I don't normally get to go out on the weekends alone with all three children.  Usually we end up going somewhere as a family, but more often than not, Keith or I go alone, while the other parent stays home with the threenados.  It's makes shopping faster and more efficient, gives us a little break to get out of the house, and gives the other parent some alone time with the kiddos.  Two weekends ago, Keith was going to Meijer after I returned having lab work done.  For some reason, perhaps blood loss, I suggested that we all go.  I believe I said something along the lines of, " It will be fun!" Keith didn't feel the need to bring the double stroller with us, so we put the twins in the shopping cart, and Connor walked beside us.  Things started to go downhill minutes after our arrival.  We play "baby" at home, and the twins like to burp the baby while yelling "BURP".  They thought this would be ...

Today over at Work, Wife, Mom.... Life! , Julia listed her top 5 go-to things, so I thought I'd play along as well. My go-to drink is a large McDonalds coke! My go-to t.v. show when I need a good laugh My go-to book when I want to lose myself in a haunting mystery My go-to way to unwind and be free... My go-to vacation spot.  I LOVE New Orleans!

Life has not been the best yesterday.  (See yesterday's post for an example.)  Yesterday was supposed to be a sick day while I recover from Friday, but I just sit at a desk at work, so I came in for a half day.  The afternoon was full of things that made me laugh, smile, and just be happy. Happy: I love the BDB.  And I love Wrath.  A surprise yesterday was finding this shirt in the mail, a gift from one of my amazing mommy friends. Smile: Keith knew I was coming home early, so he stopped at home to make me lunch. Laugh: On the way home, I stopped at McD's for a large coke (which is happiness in itself.) Ahead of me in the drive-up was this "car". I'm guessing these are two bored high schoolers on a dare. They did get what they ordered though, since technically they "drove" up to the window. I laughed all the way home.

After the week I had (crazy work, naughty children, needles, and a hospital stay), and the week that is coming up (crazy work, I'm assuming naughty children, hopefully no more effin needles, and waiting for results from the doc), I've decided that I will be allowing myself one breakdown per day. As I type this sitting in my hospital room (thank heavens for iPhones!), I have decided that the breakdowns will not consist solely of tears, but also a little shopping therapy, book reading while the house lies in ruins (ok it's not that messy, but maybe I will just leave the laundry alone for awhile), ice cream before bed, and at least one sick day from work. Plus lots and lots of cuddles with the kids since I missed out on a whole day-and-a-half worth of them. *Written 6/11/11*  Apparently posting to your blog is not something you can do from your iphone.

The plan was to just cool the kids down with the hose.  But suddenly, Keira had stripped down. Colin noticed. Then Connor saw what his brother and sister looked like. Oh well. The shrieks and giggles were well worth it. < src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/thumbnail_camera_ads-6-3.jpg" />

I'm the kind of mom that is sad over the little things.  As my soon-to-be five year old heads off to kindergarten, and the twins turn three later this month, I am sad that my babies are no longer babies.  While I am excited to see what the future holds, there is a place in my heart that cries as I imagine a life with no more babies (and no more new babies).  One of the things you do as your children get older is get rid of those things that they are too big to play with.  Connor received a swing/slide castle for his first birthday, and it's seen a lot of play in our backyard.  Tonight, as I watched it drive off to a new home with three little "babies", my eyes were filled with tears of happy memories of time spent in the backyard.  While I know there are a multitude of more memories to be made, I have a hard time looking forward tonight.  I'm thankful for the wonderful times we were blessed to have, and I pray that there will be many more...

Please note the white "lockers".  Courtesy of my super-husband, Keith, who builds me whatever I want. The orange and yellow paintings are monarch butterflies. You can tell a family lives here.  No fancy artwork, Just pieces that were carefully crafted and designed by my 3 artists. And I wouldn't ever want to change a thing. Make sure you check out Queen Scarlett's  very fun Friday: A Family Lives Here . Also participating in the Welcome to the Weekend blog hop!  

Today over at Mama Kat's, one of the writing prompts is to describe a talent or flaw that seems to be in your genes. I'm not sure how you would classify this - talent, flaw, or just an uncanny ability - but I attract weirdness.  And by weird, I mean, what the eff, how on earth did that just happen??? Example #1- I was on a college campus years ago, walking on a somewhat rainy day.  The campus was mostly deserted at that time.  A kid, maybe about 12-13 was walking towards me.  He kept looking at me weirdly, but whatever.  After he passed me, he grabbed my butt. (I hit him with my umbrella.) Example #2 - Went out with a guy I worked with.  My mom kept saying, just give him a chance.  My advice, never listen to your mother.  The entire date was just one big comical error.  At the end, we ended up at Steak and Shake.  I excused myself to use the restroom.  He said, and I quote: "Number one or number two?"  And yet, he ...

Last summer, I made my bucket list for the season.  I'm happy to say that quite a lot was crossed by the end of August.  Today, over at Julia's , one of the Working Mommy Wednesday prompts is to list your top 5 goals for the summer.  My sister calls me an overachiever, so keeping that in mind, I listed more than 5. ;) Read at least 10 books.  (Preferably on my deck, in my new Adirondack chair.) Lots of water play with the kids. (Memorial Day had 3 partially clothed children and 2 very nekkid twins running around my yard, as Daddy/Uncle Keith sprayed them with the hose.) Lots of zoo visits!  Be a better gardener.  Finish all scrapbooks that are just hanging around in my office.  (Um.... 2009 and 2010. Also, I'm pretty sure Colin's baby book is mostly unfinished.) Plan one outing per weekend with just one child. New job.  (Okay, this is something I have no control over, but I'm applying anyway. We'll see what happens.) Start tagging/comple...