Exposed

I haven't posted in a few days...
partly because i worked..
partly because i had a busy weekend with the fam
partly because everything i wanted to post, i ran out of time to post.
partly because something was said to me in reference to one of  my posts and that bothered me.

So..i began to think, why am i doing this?
I was wanting to do this for me, to document my little sweet peas, pics and stage of life that i am currently navigating.
BUT
What if i posted something that meant something to someone else-?...gasp-

I have only been doing this for a little over a month and i haven't even made a dent in what i wanted to talk about.

It would be ok (even a little exciting) if i something i said made a difference to someone. (although, all of the sponsors, buttons and blogging community still intimidates me and confuses my ADD filled mind)
It wouldn't be horrible for me to connect with someone else, other mammas and peeps feeling the way that i am about...anything, everything.

Is it strange that although i am writing what i am feeling out in cyberspace for anyone, literally anyone to read but i get a little sensitive, protective of my words?...like someone is reading my locked diary outloud in elementary school...

I can be outgoing and at times i thought i was fearless, im not.

I am sensitive. I am sensitive to a lot.  I cry easliy.
and
the truth is
I care what others think.
I kind of don't like feeling exposed.

Itch

Having that itch for change,

change in the weather..(always have that itch when its winter)

change in the house,

change in location..

a complete new house...with butcher block counter tops, apron front farmhouse sink,

lots of space for my little peeps to run free with Maggie (the crazy dog)

I want a wrap around porch with a swing....

so i can curl up with my foo foo coffee and a quilt with the sunrise

WAIT...SCREECH...i got carried away..i don't wake up early enough for that.

back to dreaming...

 I want to stroll to the market, walk home from church on Sundays,

let the little peeps decorate their bikes to ride in the 4th of july parade thru town.

I want to know my neighboors-

and borrow lemons from them for my ice tea in the summer

I want a garden

 (that jon takes care of, since i kill every plant ive ever touched)

I want to give those neighboors fresh treats from the garden.

I want life to slow down.

I want to be surrounded by Gods beauty (and possibly a pair of cowgirl boots too)

14 Reasons (valentine post...a tad late)

J.

1. You don't just laugh, you giggle

2.Bringing me home a D.C (diet coke) when you know we are out and im too tired from work to go get more.

3.You DVR shows for me (even ones i didn't ask you to tape) while im at work

4. You handle the kids (even if i didn't work the night before) every morning

5. When i was preggers with the boys, you made me breakfast, lunch and dinner for 40 weeks so i wouldn't throw up (even though i still barfed daily)

6.You make our boys laugh so hard

7.You make me laugh so hard

8. You always say "just tell me what you need, i'll do it"

9. You look good on stage holding a guitar

10.you are blunt, you are practical

11.You pay attention to my stories about my stressful, happy or sad stories at work

12. You always make my birthday, christmas and mothers day so special, like i am the only woman who should be celebrated on those days

13.You've got a mean pants man dance

14. After almost 10 years of marriage, i can still see you look at me with love in your eyes.

Brady

1. You love Titanic
2. You are bright
3. You are sensitive
4. You are funny
5. You run to me with open arms when i get home from work in the am
6.You are inqusitive
7.I love playing Legos with you
8. I love it when we do crafts together and you tell me that you love special time with me
9. You are not just a great big brother, you are a great teacher to Luke
10. You love to dance with me
11. You will still cuddle with me
12. You call your comforter "Big Blue" and bring it to ther living room each morning to wrap up in, you don't like to wake up either.
13. Big Blue Eyes
14. You are my first born, you made me a mommy.

Luke

1.You say "awww man" and tilt your head to the side
2. You love the trash truck
3. When I come home from work, i can see your little blonde head pop up in the window, i can see your mouth saying "mommy!"
4. You love to dance
5.You can hum a tune to almost any song
6. When Brady gets off of the school bus, it's so exciting to you each day...like it has never happened before.
7. You love books
8. everything you say right now is full of curiosity and really stinkin cute
9. You always say yes or ummm hmm instead of No like most toddlers
10. Energy
11. You stand like your daddy
12. you are not afraid of the vacuum or anything noisy
13. You are afraid of bubbles in the bath
14. You are my baby

Draggin

I am draggin today.

Birthday week is over.

I am tired. I am crabby.

My maternal grandma, nonnie always celebrated her birthday for a week..

She was lunching with the ladies, playing bridge,

out with my grandpa, out with me- it was something

different everyday (especially after my grandpa was gone)

We use to always joke about how she had to have the attention for a week

and my husband and i joke about how i usually have a packed week planned.

I always tell him i can't do the dishes, go to the store, etc because it is "Brithday week"

I usually have something planned with my family (parents, sister, nephews)

something with my girlfriends, something with just J. 

and something with J and the boys.

It does sound like a lot. 

Most of the time the things "planned" are not a big deal.

Im not so sure if it's really the attention that is needed or

that i just want to be surrounded by the ones i love most.

I know nonnie was a social butterfly and liked to enjoy life

My favorite picture of Nonnie..living it up.

i tend to be a bit like that...always wanting to be with my peeps, hanging out and enjoying life.

i swear also have S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder)-ive mentioned this in other posts.

 IT IS SNOWING TODAY- i hate it!

i need sunshine, i need outside playtime (not loaded down with boots, gloves, hats, coats-blah)

Sooo after days of fun times with my family, friends, extra time with just J and i

(and the BEST Salmon Dinner ever, new antique mall and spring/summer flea market coming but thats another post)

I am draggin!

 Don't feel like laundry, cleaning or anything.

 I gotsta go waste some time on Pinterest...



A lazy, social media filled world

Just had a thought....(not a giant earth shattering thought)

Social Media laziness.

I am GULITY of zoning out on my phone while looking at emails, facebook, blogs, etc

BUT

It occured to me since it was my birthday yesterday that many old friends

who would normally call me on my birthday just "facebooked" me well wishes for the day.

Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate the wishes but sometimes it feels impersonal.

I got "happy birthdays" from some of my closest friends and the same"happy birthdays" from the kid

 that i grew up two streets away from that i have not seen in over 20 years (literally)

He remembered to "facebook" me a happy birthday because Facebook reminded him to, not because it was on his planner or on his calendar in his phone (why should it be if he hasn't seen me in 20 yrs)

Did some of those "closest" friends only remember because facebook told them so?!

i think social media is making us a bit lazy.

Everyone is looking down at their phones. Ignoring each other, ignoring their kids....

So connected yet so disconnected

I don't even use my calendar on my phone.

I still rely on paper. I have a small planner and a family calendar in the kitchen.

Yes, I will still write letters via snail mail too.

I think all of our social media outlets are great for some things (blogging !)

BUT let's not become so comepletely disconnected from a true human connection.

Call people on their birthday

 send a letter via snail mail

go visit someone in person and share pictures and a laugh.

Facebook, blogging, twitter are great-

use it to your advantage and connect

BUT

Tell the people you truly love

that you love them...

not in a fancy font on a computer

but let them hear your voice (on that awesome iphone) or in person.

There is no reason for this pic to be in this post. I just think its funny.
Angry birds masks we made from pinterest.
The boys wore them on New Years Eve.



B-Day/D-Day

35th Birthday. Today.

J. and the boys made it a special day.

Time with them, time alone.

I have reflected on lots this week

Felt old this week

Felt young this week...

Embrace the Camera this week.

Thats Bradys big cheese smile, thats my scary face, thats Luke making a face while brushing his teeth...after my birthday dance party with my boys.

Happy Birthday to Me.



Family Fun Day

Saturday was FFD- Family Fun Day.
We use to have it more often.
 Every third weekend i work Fri and Sat night so then i sleep during the day while J. hangs with the kiddos. A lot of the other weekends J works on Saturdays so...FFD doesn't happen as much
I LOVE FFD!
We cleaned the house a bit (i know not fun but necessary)
Went couch shopping (need a new one since Luke had his poo fountain on it when he was sick-seriously)
Ate lunch at a super yummy pizza place.
Went Bowling!!
Now Brady was a bit crabby during bowling when he was losing

and Luke was super hyper running all over the lanes b/c he had no nap (i know, gross..he's on the floor- but this was part of his dance routine)

and nobody bowled a perfect game.............

BUT

Luke tried to bowl for the first time and Brady got over the crabby moment.

and i got to have a Family Fun Day.

Flu shot shmoo shot

 UGH  What a week.
We got flu shots. Flu Shot-Shmoo Shot.
Hurricane Luke was sick with the flu for 6 days!
Brady had it for about 24 hrs but still didn't feel 100% for a few days
Jon had it for 24 hrs (exactly at the same time as Luke at one point....vomit, diarrhea, vomit, diarrhea)
right after i finished cleaning the house top to bottom...i thought we were on the upswing- WRONG

Do you mammas realize how hard it is to get that toddler to the toilet in time? Brady had the flu once when he was a toddler and it was NOTHING like this.
In fact Saturday while i was working J texted me a message....

"ugh poo fountain out of the back of Luke's diaper. couch got pooped on, you might have to get one for your birthday now." (ive been wanting a new couch for a few years now..hmmm)

Finally gave up trying to get him to a toliet, the bowl didn't work very well...most of it ended up in a towel or on me. It will be a miracle if i don't get it.

Do you want to know what is great about all of this?
 I got extra cuddle time with my babies.
Monday night Luke would not sleep unless I was holding him. Brady gave me extra cuddles.
Poop, Puke, Cuddle, Repeat.

Michigan July 2011


Would've loved to get a good Embrace The Camera pic this week but an old one will have to do. Too much poo, puke
 work and lack of sleep