Embracing Life

I debated bringing this up, but decided it's my blog, I'll write if I want to. ;) I had a kidney donor. She was approved as a tissue match and was set to come into the hospital for the final round of testing. Let's just say it didn't work out. I don't know the details, but she backed out. She has her reasons, which I am sure are valid, but she did not share them with me. I just hope and pray that they are not serious health reasons or something of that nature. To say I was shocked is an understatement. A few dear co-workers offered to go beat her up, jokingly of course. Keith said it happened because it gives me more time with the kids this summer. I don't see it that way. Since my levels are up enough to push off surgery for a couple of months, I would have had that extra summer time anyway. A friend told me once that she doesn't believe things happen for a reason, that they just happen.  I however, think things do happen for a reason. Not good reason...

I was able to take a few days off work - one of those days being the twins' 7th birthday!   So far, we are making great progress on our summer bucket list! On the twins' birthday, after we opened presents and went to swim lessons,  we headed out to the lake with my parents, my uncle, my sister, and her two kids  for some fishing, picnicking, and s'mores! Here is Keira, sitting nicely and fishing. Here is Keira, 10 minutes later, after she fell off the dock and almost drowned. Seriously, we have no idea how she fell in.  I heard her scream, and then saw her falling into the water.   She went under because it was too deep to stand,  but my dad was right there and jumped in after her. (The water came to his chest.)   There is never a dull moment around these parts. Later that day, we went to dinner at IHOP (the twins' choice)  and back to our house for cake (which they didn't eat)...

Normally I do a great big bucket list, with lots of fun things planned.  This year, it's a little different, due to my health situation.  But still there are things that I'd like to do.  It's hard to plan certain things, especially since I do not have surgery date scheduled. So we will work with the time we have! I like to have fun with these things, and I don't hold myself to completely everything on there. But the kids get a kick out of crossing things off!

It was a crazy summer with my new duties at work as well as other things (like just sitting back and enjoying life), so I do admit that I have not blogged as much.  This week I am participating in the SITS girls "Back to Blogging" challenge. Today's topic: " Share with us some of your autumn traditions, or create a Fall Bucket List" You know me, I'm all about the lists ! So here are just a few things I'd like to do this fall: Pumpkin farm - Every year, we head to the same one. The kids LOVE it. There is a corn maze, apple cider donuts, and a spooky walking trail.  Speaking of apples.... I just found a new recipe for Apple-Bacon Mac and Cheese thanks to the Better Home and Gardens 100 Days of Holidays email I received. Boo at the Zoo! We love to check out the spooky happenings at our zoo. Paddleboat - This year, we are going to take a paddleboat down the Fox River and check out the scenery.  With the leaves beginning their annual color c...

The thing about summer is that rules tend to fall by the wayside. Well, at least I'm trying to let them fall. Just a little. Keith had an impromptu doc appointment for his back come up a couple weeks ago. Connor had already asked if he could stay at Nana's for dinner.  My mom invited the rest of us to come as well. We never do this. Mainly because when you throw the twins out of their routine most of the time, all hell breaks loose. We try to be strict about bedtime and staying at home on nights when they have school /daycare the next day since they have to get up so early to go (5:45 a.m.!) But since Keith wouldn't be home for dinner anyway, I said ok. And I'm so glad I did. The kids had an absolute blast. We had planned on leaving after dessert (popsicles - again, something we don't normally do on school nights), but my uncle showed up with a squirt bottle. Chaos ensued as each kid was given a squirt bottle or water gun.  Maybe I should have added "...

Here is our annual bucket list for summer 2012. The yellow is a little hard to read, so here they are: Learn to tie our shoes Catch lightning bugs Bubble bath in the kiddie pool Scavenger hunt Mommy date with each child

NICU Reunion Picnic Pumpkin patch with Aunt Ann, Lexi and Baby Reid (Nana and Bumpa can come too!) Boo at the Zoo! Chicago Monster Dash 5K (the first 5K Keith and I are doing together) Decorate pumpkins Purge! (The twins club resale is coming up!) Read 7 books for reading challenge Get house/yard/garage in order by Nov 1 (Keith's back surgery) Annual Halloween party Meal planning (seriously this is always on my seasonal bucket lists, and I fail miserably at it each time) Thanksgiving month-long activity for kids (similiar to our Advent calendar)

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...

This past weekend, the Wiggles were in town!  We took the kids, along with my sister and niece, Alexis, to the show.  I have to say, they put on a great show, even minus Murray (the red Wiggle), who was back home in Australia dealing with a family thing.  He was replaced for the show by a guy named Ringo, who did exceptionally well in his place.  They really seem to love what they do AND they make it fun for the parents as well.  I was a little nervous because the kids had never been to something like this before, but they did great.  Colin, my shadow, stayed with me most of the time, but he clapped along and was happy to see everyone, especially the Yellow Wiggle (yellow is his favorite color!).  Keira was bouncing up and down and dancing in the aisle quite a bit as well.  Connor liked to sit back and enjoy the show from his chair, although he was out in the aisle a bit too. Pre-show Yes, we dorkily dressed our kids to match the Wiggles. Th...

I've been busy lately and haven't been keeping up with my blog reading like I wish I was.  In the past week, there was a blog in my reader that caught my eye, but I didn't have time to look at it.  But the title stuck with me: "My Summer Bucket List".  So that night, I went home and created my own summer bucket list and put it on the fridge so it would be easy to see.  It is a list of all the things I want to do this summer.  To me, summer runs from June to Labor Day (since we always have a picnic), so these are things I want to get done before then.  But before I get into my list, make sure you check out Julia's  bucket list, since she is the one who inspired me to do this just by her blog title.  Plus she is a working mom like me and her blog is pretty cool too! :) My Summer Bucket List Visit the zoo (we have passes - thanks Aunt Diana!) at least 4 times Spend one of those times letting the kids run loose around the Childrens' Z...