Monday, August 28, 2006

Hi Ho Hi Ho

Well today was technically my first day back at work although I didn't hardly work. (and I don't have to be back again until the 5th) :) When I got home the girls were happy to see me. I don't know exactly what L was doing, but she was excited throwing herself about the living room. My husband said when he got her this morning out of bed and she realized I wasn't here she started crying, but soon was okay. I figured it would be a change since I am the one who has gotten up with every morning this summer. She seemed good when I got home and then quickly was VERY attached. I couldn't even get her down for a nap. Anytime she was almost asleep she would wake herself up or if I tried to lay her down she would wake up and just start screaming. So I know she was tired, but I wonder if she was worried that if she fell asleep that she might wake up and I'd be gone again. :(

Yesterday my dad, grandma, the girls and I drove up to Dresser, WI for a surprise 50th anniversary party for my aunt and uncle. They were so surprised which was great and it was nice to see some of my cousins I haven't seen forever and to see all our kids together was neat. We all used to be so close and together all the time and then I think getting married, people moving away, having kids, and having are own lives....we just don't have the drive enough to stay in touch always. Thank god for Grandma. She keeps us all up to date on what everyone else was doing. Anyway, I was so excited for this party just because my aunt and uncle are fabulous people. They just have always rolled through their life with love, friendship, and laughter. I have never heard a sharp word between them. They just genuinely love eachother, love life, and love their family. The best part is that they have passed this on to their kids. I hope I am so lucky as to have a 50th anniversary. Coming from a home that had parents that divorced it was always so special to see them and to see that it is possible...not always easy, but possible to be married and be happy. In love even after 50 years. I think they are even more in love now probably then when they first were married. I hope they have many more happy years together.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

One, Two buckle my...no, I guess we'll tie the shoes

Well I am a proud mama this evening. My big M tied her shoes for the first time on her own. I know she's a little old to finally have it down which is partly my fault. I got so scared at the beginning of her kindergarten year because they said at her school....don't send the kids in tie shoes if they don't know how because we won't have time to keep tying them for the kids. So I sent her in velcro. I knew she had to figure it out before the start of 1st grade though. So we haven't gotten too serious about it and now with only a couple weeks left until school we sat down and tried it a couple of nights ago. She got real frustrated and wanted to be done. After a few more tries we decided to put them away for another night. Tonight we brought them out and by the second try she got it!!! Words cannot express how proud I was. I was really surprised by how excited I was. I started crying because I couldn't believe that my little baby (haha!) was tying her own shoes. It really doesn't take much to excite me. :) But I had to make sure to write this down. I am going to miss hanging around with the girls when I go back to work, but I guess it will be nice to be around adults again too.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Oh those days I remember

So it's not easy being a girl. I'm sure guys think it's not easy being a guy, but I definently think girls have a harder time. Today Grandma S came over to see the girls and we went out for lunch and when we came back M wanted to go play with Grace. I told her she could go over there, but only for about 15 minutes since we had a few more errands to do. She came back in time and when I met her at the door she all of the sudden broke down in tears. Trying to get her to explain what happened while crying was a mission of it's own, but what happened was when M was over there it turns out that a couple of the other neighbor girls were invited to go swimming with Grace's family, but not M. I am not even sure if that's what the story is since at 6 they don't always pay attention. So M was crushed and her feelings were hurt because all the others were going swimming and not her. I tried to explain to her that she has gotten to go swimming a lot this summer with Grace's family and maybe they wanted to take the other girls to be fair. Also I tried to tell her that just because she didn't get invited doesn't mean they don't like her, didn't want her along, or wouldn't invite her ever again. Oh she was so upset and I just think about how that feels when you are so little. When a group of girls are doing something and it seems you are the ONLY one not invited. What the hack am I saying...it still hurts to feel excluded. It broke my heart, but I did my best to make her feel better. We ran over to my mom's because she is having a shed party on Friday night and my husband wanted to move his car out of there. The real nice thing was when we came back we drove my Grace's house and M said "There are the girl's all getting ready. You're right mom. It's going to be okay and I will get to go swimming another time" I felt so relieved. Plus it's nice to hear that I'm right since sometimes she likes to tell me the way she thinks things are. Yesterday we went to the park for a bit and then it just got too hot so I told her we had to go and she really didn't want to, but once we got in the car she said "Whew mom! You were right it was hot out there". So right now I'm feeling pretty good. So M and I talked some more when we got home and decided we'd have a girl night. Make some cookies, have some popcorn and watch some movies. We played some animals and later are going to read books and I am going to sleep in her room tonight. It was real nice because L fell asleep at 5:30. I hope she makes it through the night, but she has been sooooooooooooooo crabby. I think it's teeth...I hope it's teeth and not tantrums. I have to get back to the movie. Hope everyone has a good week!

The weekends are rolling by

Well not too many weekends before I will be starting back to work. School starts two weeks from today. I have had such a great summer that I am okay with returning. M is very excited to start 1st grade. Especially since her best friend Ryan will be in her class.

This weekend my dad took myself and the girls to the fair. We didn't get a chance to go last year so M was very disappointed and was very much looking forward to going this year. She is so going to be a daredevil I think. I wish her dad would have been there because he's really good on rides. I don't know what makes a difference for me but sometimes I can be on rides and have no issues while on a different day I can get so sick. The first thing M wanted to do was a pony ride. That's what she remembered the most from when she was 4. I wasn't sure how the day was going to go because once she was done on the pony ride she was acting like she was not going to get off. I convinced her. Normally she doesn't refuse things, but she gave in. Then she went on ride after ride after ride. One ride she went on was the "crazy bus". Which I don't know why I didn't think about asking her if she for sure wanted to go on it. It's like the screaming eagle. it swings back and forth until it swings way up in the air. I never thought about her being scared of heights and thank goodness she enjoyed it. Then it was onto the bungee trampoline. The only reason I allowed her to go was because I saw kids her age and smaller doing it, but I still was nervous and asked her about 8 times before she went to make sure she really wanted to do it. I told my dad I didn't know if it was crazy that she wanted to do it or crazy that I was letting her do it. It seemed to think it was the latter. Once it was done and over with she said she liked it. She said when she would go up and then come down her tummy would feel a little strange. She also said she was a little cautious at first, but then it was fun. The things she says. We were there for about 5 hours, but it still didn't seem like enough time for her. L did good which was a plus too. She liked looking at the animals.

Sunday it was my ten year reunion - family picnic. It was a gorgeous day and I was so thankful that one of my best friends was there otherwise I probably wouldn't have gone. It did make me wish I could have gone the night before to the dinner, but now I know that I (think) want to go to the next one. Things don't change much. I thought it was funny how many people married the people they were dating in high school. There's nothing wrong with that, but I just think sometimes that those who do that and stay in the same town ...that things for them never do change. I don't know if that sounds horrible or not, but it's not meant too. It's not like I went far away from home. haha! But it was nice to find out what everyone is up to these days. Doesn't seem possible it's been ten years. I still feel like I'm 18.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Family Tradition

Well the girls and I just returned from a trip up north. My sister-in-law's uncle has a cabin up there right on the lake and for the last three years now we've had the opportunity to bring our family, as well as my mom and stepdad, my brother and his family, and other brother with his kids. We spend the whole time without tv or radio. We pretty much spend the time visiting, swimming, fishing, and playing boardgames. (M caught 2 fish!) I remember how much fun I had as a kid playing with my cousins and now as all of our kids are getting older it is really fun to watch. I also enjoy it because it gives a real chance to sit down and talk. Most of the times we see eachother it is either for birthday parties or Christmas. I love hearing stories I've never heard before or even hearing ones that are told all the time. I'm glad the girls get to spend time with their fun uncles. L did very well this year. Last year she was only 5 months old and it was very hard to relax. This year with her being able to walk about was so nice. Until she realixed the dock and how much fun she had trying to run back and forth on it. sigh. She played with her cousin S who will be 2 in november. I think they speak the same language. The older kids played outside most of the time. The cabin has windows all over so it is easy to keep an eye on them. It is so nice they are so close in age. The oldest is 10 then it's 7,6,(soon to be) 5,(soon to be) 3,(soon to be) 2,1 and 5 months. We spent most of the day Tuesday in the water. Fun to see L floating about. She didn't quite know what to think of the minnows nibbling on her toes. She giggled. The water is so clear you can see everything. Otherwise I don't know if I'd be in it. Also on that day we were sitting inside visiting and L was over by the recliner that my stepdad was sitting in and she was carrying on about something. Her big cousin L was lying on the floor behind him coloring so I figured that was what had her attention. She came and sat on my lap and took a nap. When she woke up I went into the other room and came back and there she was pointing and trying to tell me something right by that chair and I saw a book lying on the floor. I asked if she wanted the book to which she shook her head no quite sternly. Finally I look at the side of the recliner and then I take another look and say calmly to everyone "I think there is a bat sleeping on the side of the chair." My sister-in-law looks from where she is sitting and says "No, it's gotta be just a shadow". To which I look again and say "No......I'm pretty sure it's a bat." I grew up in a very old house...I know what sleeping bats look like. :) So my oldest brother gets a plastic bag along with oven mitts on his hand and gets it into the bag. I wish I would have taken his picture with it and the oven mitts. Too funny. I figured we didn't see it since it was just at L's height, but I can't help but thinking what if she would have tried to touch it or pick it up or something. Or if we hadn't seen it at all and it went flying about at night. I'm sure the kids would have gone a runnin' fast. (Me too) Sleeping bats no problem...flying bats...you can find me under a table. So we got home last night and I have such a disaster to clean up, but I don't care. It was worth it. My brothers are so wonderful. I have such great sister-in-laws and all the nieces and nephews just have my heart. My little niece L who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was 11 months is walking around great with the braces on her ankles. She has the voice of a little elf and just looks like and angel. When she grows up she says she wants to be a daddy, then a mommy, and then a doctor. I don't know how they ever say no to her. I hope this is a tradition we can keep for a long time.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Everyday

Everyday now it seems that L is vocalizing more and more. She is fascinated with ears and eyes right now. These are all the words she's saying right now: shoes, eyes, ears, "ock" for socks, juice, sauce for applesauce, pup for puppy, hot, more, mama, meow, dada,may may, yep, and her new one today is "no". But not in the way you would think. M and I have a new favorite song.."Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and if you don't know it, the chorus sings "No, no. No, no, no, no. I said no, no. You're not the one for me." We were listening and singing it on the ride home from getting groceries and when I went to unbuckle L there she was saying "no, no". It caught me offguard like "Where did you learn that word!" and then it dawned on me. I started singing it to her and she got a big smile on her face. It was awesome. So I brought her inside and showed M. M gets so excited...she said "Mom that's her first song!!" So right now it's a good word to know. We have been working with M to make sure she says "L that is M's don't play with it", if there is a sharing issue. We try to avoid the "mine" word as much as possible. The last few nights have been late so I will call it a bit earlier tonight. I am not going to be ready to return to work in three weeks. We head up north about 4 hours tomorrow. I hope L does okay not sleeping her bed...thank goodness it's only a couple of nights.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Am I Really That Old?

So I saw a good deal in the paper on some movies and decided to go pick up a couple. One of them was "Dirty Dancing". I've always liked the movie, but never owned it and now it was only 3.99 so I thought for that I would go get it. As I waited in line VERY patiently. (How can there be 8 lanes and only 2 open?!) I got to the checkout and set the movie down to which the cashier said "That must be a good movie...a lot of people have bought it." For a moment I paused and I looked down to make sure I had the right movie and I am thinking to myself...how can you not know about Dirty Dancing??? Am I really that old? :)

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Country Roads, Take Me Home

So today was a good day. I am so glad the heat has died down. I can go outside and breathe again. The girls and I went over to my dad's and just hung around there for a few hours. Since his home is further off the road they can run around and do what they want...gives me a break too. Plus I just like being there. It's home and it's soothing. Time feels like it standing still when I am there. We drew with some sidewalk chalk, played some badminton and then we went upstairs. I have been telling my dad for the last three years I am going to clean out all of my stuff, but the minute I start going through it all I know it is going to take a LONG time to go through. Since my ten year reunion is coming up I brought out a couple of my yearbooks. They were fun to go through...more fun than I thought. I really wonder what some of my classmates and some that were in classes above or classes below me are doing now. And just thinking about what great friends I had in school. When we got home I mowed the lawn, got supper ready for my husband before he had to leave for work, and then the girls and I went outside to play. M and I were swinging on the swingset out back and she said to me "Mom, if you were a kid you would be my best partner!" My heart melted. I told her too that I had no doubt that if I were kid she and I would be best friends. When we were at my dad's she saw my guitar and asked if she could play....I need to get some new strings put on (Have needed to do that for about 5 years now) and anyway, I told her when she gets a little older she can take lessons. It was cool to see how much that excited her. She found an old toy guitar of mine so we brought that home and we were watching Rockstar:Supernova (Basically because all the guys are from my favorites metal bands of the 80's) and she said she absolutely loved Tommy Lee because his tattoos were cool and then she rocked out on her toy guitar to every song. I don't yet know if that should worry me or make me proud. haha! She's definently a lot like her mama!

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Stommy Ache

So it's again been a while since I've written. Before I get into the area I want to write about I have to explain why I have stommy ache for my title. Driving home the other night from my dad's Lil' L was just crying away and so I said to her that it was okay and maybe she just had a stomach ache to which M said "Yeah it's okay you probably just have a stommy ache". Which if you think about it...why do we call it a tummy ache and not a stommy ache?? Now that's a deep thought.

There has been a lot going on, but not a whole lot I wanted to write on. Part of the neverending problem is that we are poor and it gets real frustrating sometimes, but that's just the way my life is. I'm on a harder path because of the choices that I made and now I have to deal with it. After graduating high school and getting my first job and starting college I thought any income was so major that why would I even need college......this is for M and L if you read this down the road....YOU DO NEED IT! But I thought I was wasting a lot of time on money on taking classes when I didn't even really know what I wanted to major in. I just assumed I would take a little break, figure out what I wanted to do and go back. Of course I should have never done that. I ended up pregnant and having to find a place to live. I never saved any money.....(AGAIN! M and L listen up!!! SAVE!) and so my boyfriend and I get an apartment and are forced out into the real world. Well, with that comes those great things called credit cards......until you realize they are not so great if you don't pay attention to how much you are putting on them. So we found ourselves way over our heads in debt and have currently been paying off a four year loan. Part of the loan (the big part) will be over in June of next year and I don't know if it's because we know we are so close that things seem harder or what. We are going to try really hard to save so we can pay all of it off early and then actually start saving, but it is really hard when I have to not go anywhere because we have to not waste the gas on the car because we have to make sure that my husband can have gas to go to work because if we run out we won't be able to afford a fill up. I know a couple of my friends always joke with me that after M was born that they remember me crying and telling them we were so poor I couldn't even afford q-tips. It's a struggle between the needs and the wants. Like I don't wish I could go on a huge shopping spree, but do I wish I were able to buy a pair of shoes or a new pair of jeans more than just once a year! So that gets real hard, but I know we are getting ourselves out of it one day at a time. It's just around the corner.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FRIEND

You've Got A Friend by Carole King

When you're down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at your door

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh, but don't you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend