Thursday, November 25, 2010

I am Thankful For...


I am overwhelming thankful for my life. I could have been born in any country, to any family and into any situation but God blessed me. This country is amazing filled with an abundance of opportunity and freedom; my family is simply amazing, they fill me with unexplainable love and my situation is one I wouldn't change for the world. My life is fast paced, loud, predictable yet unpredictable, never boring, joyful and perfect for me.


Today will be filled with juice turkey, creamy white mashed potatoes with just the right amount of melted butter and an assortment of pies to truly put us in a food coma. But today is amount so much more, the feeling of thankfulness. In all times we should be thankful, not just today and not just when things go our way but always.


Happy Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

It was a HOOT!

Paceler's first birthday was owlishly great! The house was filled with family, friends and lots of little owls. The night owl himself was laid back and relaxed as usual. He enjoyed the cake, all his new toys and playing with friends. No more birthday parties til next year, I do however already have ideas...























Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Not In the Plan

I am always planning my next move. What to wear, what to pack, what car to take, when to do my work, when to sew, when to clean, when to play. There is always something to plan and as a mom planning is essential. You always have to be one step ahead, thinking about dinner before dinner, strategizing bath time before it occurs, deciding when to give the bed time warning before meltdown hits. Kids like plans and so do I. As they say I am a type A personality, I like plans, I like organization but let me remind you I do have kids, two little ones at that.

As much as I plan and calculate every move in my mind sometimes it is necessary to be spontaneous. It doesn't happen often but it did this Monday. My good friend emailed Sunday evening asking if we wanted to make a trip to the Rockford Discovery Center. Well we had nothing "planned" but could we really just say sure and go? Yes we could and we did! It was fabulous, a fun filled day with friends.













Then you have the weeks where nothing goes as planned or one, just one thing can mess it all up. I am also having one of those weeks. I planned to go to Bible Study Tuesday night, go to work Wednesday, go to the grocery store, deliver a meal, take my friend her birthday gift, finish the owl costumes and go on with my week. Well I picked Trex up Tuesday afternoon and my mommy radar went off. Something was not right. Off to urgent care we went, no Bible study. Three hours later we were off to the pharmacy, he had strep throat and scarlet fever. What! Working from home on Wednesday and sent the husband grocery shopping (definitely not the plan).


But hey, everyone is on medicine now and we have celebrating to do! As a mama I am usually planned, thinking out every move but I also have learned to go with the flow when needed. Nothing is going as planned but that's ok. 13 owl costumes finished, Poplin items ready for the craft sale and some major giddy anticipation brewing. We will celebrate big this Friday evening!


Enjoy your Friday- I will miss you all. PB & J Day will resume next Monday!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Yiippeee For Play Dates

A fabulous Friday with fabulous friends! Play dates are so much fun not just for the kiddos but the mamas too. We read books, played tractors, searched for lost nuks, grilled up some mean grilled cheese sandwiches and chatted about life. What a perfect PB & J!















Thursday, November 11, 2010

Friday Already?

I am not sure where this week went! It was filled with fun, friends, work and sickness. I am fighting a sinus infection yet trying to not slow down, we will see how this works out! Anyways tomorrow is play date at my house, hope you can make it!!! I will be making grilled sandwiches for lunch (cheese, pizza, ham and cheese). Come, relax and let the kids make a mess of toys:)

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Digging Deep


Night Owl birthday party planning is in full swing. I have to admit though I just haven't had the same amount time or motivation as for the farm party. The poor 2nd child, it is starting already. I even found myself thinking "he is only turning 1; he won't know the difference". Oh my did that really just cross my mind, I would have never allowed a thought like that to creep in during Trexen's first birthday planning. It just seemed different with Trex, he seemed so much older or maybe I am just a different mom with the second???

I grew up hearing my middle sister make comments about being the 2nd child, she never felt as special, as good, as celebrated. Although this wasn't true it was in her mind and oh how I don't want that for my 2nd born. He is just as special and we will celebrate his life just as big as the first. So I am digging down deep, mustering up the energy and making 10 night owl costumes for all the little ones attending the party. Well they do have to play the part right, I mean how can they enter the "Playtime Owl's Nest" without costumes. I have one done and it took me forever. I am slightly thinking this was too big of an undertaking (don't you dare tell my husband) but it will happen. I have my mind made up, owl costumes are a go!

Dig deep mamas, grab that extra ounce of energy and make it magically!

Friday, November 5, 2010

All Worn Out

Open gym was fantastic this morning! I am so excited it has started back up. We had lots of mamas and kiddos come but there were SOOO many people who couldn't tell who was who. The older boys loved all the cars, pedaling as fast as their legs could go. The little ones liked the slides, jungle gym, kid coaster and gym mats. Mamas were chatting and chasing kids all at the same time. As we were walking out to the car some of the kids said, "mommy I am tired, I want a nap." Oh music to a mamas ears!!!

Open Gym runs November-February at the Holum Education Center in DeForest.
M-W-F at 10-11am, Thursday evening 6:30-7:30
For kids 5 and younger, free.

Forgot my camera today- thanks Nicole P for the pics!

Brady waiting to fill Gavin's car up



Trex & Nathan- 2 jumping beans


















Thursday, November 4, 2010

Open Gym

Tomorrow is open gym, yeah!!! Open Gym is for kids 5 and younger, it is free, a bit chaotic but super fun. There are a bunch of bikes/cars for the kids to ride, a jungle gym, little trampoline, kid coaster and even an area for babies. It isn't the greatest venue for mamas to chat (there will be lots of kid chasing) but the kiddos will get out tons of energy.

See you there!
Hwy 51 north to DeForest
Left on Holum St (Mobil gas station on corner)
Straight ahead- Holum Education Center will be on your right.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Please Perform


Weddings... wonderful and stressful all at the same time. My younger sister got married this weekend to the love of her life. Almost a full year of planning and preparation for this one day event, this monumental- never to forget, event. My husband, two little boys and I all had a part in the wedding. It is an honor to be a groomsman, ring bearer and matron of honor. An honor that is filled with complete joy and an unbelievable amount of pressure.


Rehearsal did not go well for the ring bearers. Well that is probably an understatement, they left in tears, my mother-in-law was already exhausted and I was in a panic. There was no way my two year old was going to pull his almost one year old brother down the aisle in a wagon. Of course that was the plan but who had plan b or c or d? We decided to have my cousins who were supposed to walk down the aisle first go last with Trex and Pace, ok plan b was established now they just needed to perform.


Wedding day arrived filled with excitement, anticipation, nerves and a bunch of scrambling. My mother-in-law was in charge of the kids for the weekend and scheduled to bring them to the church by 2pm. 2:14 rolled around, pictures were being taken and the bride was ready to go but where were the kiddos. Well the nuk of all things was missing and kids were screaming. Oh what a moment, someone find a nuk and find it fast! Right before the wedding we prayed and not just a normal prayer this was a hard core God please please help these boys perform kind of prayer. In the end the boys were wonderful, they walked down that aisle like little pros and sat through the ceremony with nothing but a "I need milk" from Trexen.


What a fabulous weekend, wonderful and stressful all in one.

Open gym this Friday, see you there!