This Past Week

I seriously should be doing things around the house. However, I need to get this post out of my head before I can move on.
We had a busy but good week last week. Monday after school was dentist day. This was Maisie's first time to go, and Analise kept telling her how much fun it was. I hired a 13 year girl to hang out with the girls in the waiting room while I got my teeth cleaned. It worked well. Analise got her teeth cleaned by our friend, K. We got the dreaded news...two cavities. She has them between her teeth. At least it's not from eating too much sweets, or I'd be feeling kind of guilty. Maisie did a nice job. She didn't really like leaning back in the chair, so she propped herself up on her elbows some. She also stood for some of the exam. :) She had someone she didn't know, and I think she was expecting, K, as well. Analise walked out of the room and said, "That was fun!" I don't think I have ever left the dentist announcing that. Let's see what she thinks next month when she has to go back. :) We left there quickly, ran home and Analise hopped in the car with Brandon to head to music.
The other two and I ate dinner. As soon as Brandon and Analise were home, I left to go to a PTO meeting. I have had the desire to attend more meetings this year, but it just hasn't worked well. I was glad I went, but at the same time I kept thinking about other things I could have been doing instead.
Tuesday night was a treat for me. Brandon had arranged an hour massage for me. Woo hoo! He got home a little later than usual, so I left right after he got home. Night two of no dinner together. The massage was great. That hour just goes way too quickly. I am so relaxed when it's over, I can hardly keep my eyes open. Now if that wasn't good enough, I got home a little after 7:00, and all three girls were bathed! What a man. :)
Weds. over lunch I had a meeting at church. Brandon feeds the girls lunch at home and then brings them to the meeting so I can lead without interruptions for some of it. :) That night Brandon got home late again from work, so as soon as he was home, I left. My sis in law picked me up so we could go to a Pampered Chef party. It had been quite awhile since I had been to one, and I actually needed a few things.(I always think of dear Rachel when I go to a PC party. She used to sell it. I remember at one of the parties, I won the little "tester" to check baked items. I still have it. A few months ago I thought I had lost it, and I was so sad. Thankfully it showed back up! K, that memory was for you, too. It was at your party!) We had fun together. But again, another night without a family dinner. This is definitely something I don't want to make a habit of.
Thursday morning I got together with friends and their kiddos. Good times. I also enjoyed my 30 minutes at school. I love walking into the room and hearing the kids tell me hi, and knowing I am helping out. Thursday night we actually ate dinner together. Yeah!
Friday evening we had pizza with the local family. Brandon got there late, but we all had fun. The girls got to bed too late...
This weekend we hung out at home and got some things accomplished. It was so nice having Brandon home! I finished my "switch out the clothes" project that I had started a few weeks ago. We ran errands later in the afternoon, and the girls played on the equipment at Menard's...where it was dry. :) Chicken fajitas for dinner to finish the night well.
Sunday we enjoyed church and then attend a pancake brunch at church to help friends raise money for adoption. It was great! Cousin A came home with us after church, so we all enjoyed having him around. That afternoon Brandon spent a lot of time working in the yard. I had envisioned a nice day to help him, but it was way too windy for my liking. Sorry, dear! Something exciting that he discovered when working in the yard...we have cardinal eggs in a nest in our front bushes! Cardinals are one of my favorite birds. We've seen them, heard them, and now we have a nest. I think one of the reasons they are dear to my heart is because they remind me of my Grandpa H. He loved to sing, and he loved the cardinal because of the cardinal's song. They even had an RV that had "Songbird" written on it. Grandpa, you may be in Heaven, but I think of you when I hear those cardinals!
We then rounded up the girls to go the church congregational meeting. I am glad we took the time to go.
Sunday evening we got the girls to bed at a decent time, and then we looked at each other wondering where the weekend went. They do go by quickly!
A couple of random things I want to remember about this stage of life:
1. Maisie calls strawberry: strawberryerry.
2. Analise sees FedEx trucks and says, "Fed E Ex."
3. There is the rare meal time where we don't hear silverware hitting the tile floor.
4. Maisie LOVES to swing!
5. I think I hear "no" from the girls more often then I tell them no.
6. Analise is known for leaving two swallows of drink in her cup. I'm always asking her to come back and finish.
7. Maisie loves listening to her Bob and Larry 70s cd.
8. I wish I had a lock on my bathroom door.
9. Sadie calls anyone with a beard "Jesus."
10. My heart is still a little saddened when I see Analise walk into school each day. Wasn't she just my baby?

Turkey Widow Weekend

Friday night was nice and relaxing. Family time...ahh. We grilled burgers and went for a walk. Analise really wanted to walk to the cemetery, so that's where we went. The girls ran, played and loved smelling all the "flowers." :) On our way home, we stopped at our new neighbor's house and visited. The girls got to bed 9:00ish, and Brandon began to get ready for the big day.
Saturday morning, he was gone before 5:00. The girls and I emerged 7:30ish. We hopped in the van to go get our favorite donuts. After baths, we ran a couple of places. Our morning went pretty quickly. The girls got along, and I wasn't crabby like last weekend. A win-win! The girls took good naps, and then we ventured out again. I took them to a nursery across town. It's like a field trip for us. We all walked around, smelling real flowers and looking for things to plant in our garden. I am so antsy to get things planted!
We came home for a bit and then headed over to my sister in laws. The girls loved hanging out with their cousins, and I enjoyed adult conversation. Pizza and family. The good times. The guys got home around 8:15. That made for a tough call as a mom. 1. Get the girls home and to bed at a decent time and not see dad. 2 let the girls stay up late so they can see dad, but know I will pay for it the next day. I went with option 2. They were excited to know that daddy shot a big tom. They like their feather, and I cringed at the turkey feet he wiggled in front of me. I was told I should be impressed with the size of the spurs. :) The girls again got to bed around 9:00. Now I know some moms probably wonder why that's such a big deal. I try and be flexible with our schedule; I just know my girls do best with a schedule. And when they stay up late, they don't make up for it by sleeping later. They just get more and more tired, which means more irritable.
I digress...
Brandon and I spent a little time together before we headed to bed. He was one tired hunter. However, not tired enough to keep him from hunting again on Sunday. Again he got up crazy early. He just loves this turkey hunting season. :) The girls and I went to church and then out to lunch with the other family "turkey widows." We went for Chinese. I hadn't had Chinese since last August! Yum. Sunday afternoon was a little rough. Maisie refused to nap, and I didn't have the energy to fight her. I gave in quickly and let her watch a movie with Analise. I was grieving the loss of Rachel. It was the one year anniversary. So while the girls watched the movie, I mowed the yard. It was kind of therapeutic for me. Time by myself to think of Rachel and to pray for her family. But when I was finished, I was tired. Crying makes me tired. I laid down for about 20 minutes while the big girls played quietly and Sadie jabbered in her crib. The girls then played outside together so nicely while I made banana bread for small group. Analise was a big, supportive help today. Maisie did pretty well for having no naps; she had just a few emotional moments.
I was glad to have small group to get us out of the house and give the girls some time with friends. We didn't stay the whole time because I knew I had to get the girls to bed at a decent time, and I knew I'd be doing it alone.
All said and done, the girls were in bed a little after 8:00. Maisie fell asleep before that even.
Brandon got home at 10:00, exhausted and yet excited about the hunt. We will all be glad to have him around again. :) I am so thankful for family in town who helped us pass the time this weekend. I am also thankful Brandon had lots of fun and actually took time to do something he enjoyed.

Patriotic Friday

We once again had another Friday with no school. It was kindergarten roundup, so all current kdg. kiddos got the day off. We had a good day. We slept in until 7:20ish. A little before 9:00, a couple of friends came over to play. The girls were excited and had lots of fun. They play well together, so it was an easy morning. Thanks for coming, M and T!
After nap time, the girls and I headed out to be patriotic. We had a military unit come home from oversees, and the big welcome ceremony was at the local high school. Our city encouraged us to line the route with signs, flags and support. I figured this would be good for the girls to participate in. It sure helped knowing my sis in law was doing it as well. :) We met at 3:30 thinking the buses would roll through at 4:00. We quickly found out (through inside connections) that the buses were running late. I grabbed my oldest nephew, so he could run an errand with me. He's such a trooper. :) I ran to the PO to run in and get stamps. As we were leaving, we saw a short yellow bus. Analise asked, "Is that the soldier bus?"
We went back to meet up with rest of the fam. The kids did a nice job of waiting patiently. Thankfully it was pretty nice outside. Finally a little before 5:00, the entourage arrived. It was SO cool! Police cars, fire trucks, motor cycles, and four stage coach buses full of soldiers. The boys proudly held their flag, and Analise waved her tiny one. It was so moving. I got teary eyed thinking of the reunions that were going to take place soon...family members that hadn't seen each other for almost a year. I am so thankful we went, and I hope that my daughters learned a little something in the process.

Let the Good Times Roll

We've had a busy week. Weds was a day where we were on the run from the word "go." Analise had a late start, so we did get to sleep in, which was nice. We took her to school at 10, and went straight to the doc for Sadie's follow up weight check. She weighed in at 22-12 lbs. Believe it or not this actually put her on the weight chart! Woo hoo...no more checks until September! Everything else looked and sounded good, so we are thankful. We then went directly to Kindermusik. Maisie has lots of fun at class! Home for a quick lunch, laid them down for naps at 1:00, and then I had a meeting at church from 1:15-2:30. Thank you to K, for watching the girls so I could go! I got home in time to get the girls up to pick up Analise from school. Weds. was also our last night of Awana. That's for another post.

Look at that smile! Like her nice bruise in the middle of her head? That would be from the swingset post.

We love our tulips and wish they would last longer.

I love seeing Maisie content in her own little world.

Post nap hair...lovely.

The girls planted some flower seeds last week. Hopefully they blossom!

"The Song" at our house these days is "Our God" by Chris Tomlin. If you haven't heard it, check it out. We LOVE it! What makes it more special is hearing the girls sing along, "Our God is greater, our God is stronger. God you are higher than any other ....Our God is healer, awesome in power, Our God..." Sweet times.

A couple of funnies and then I need to get amovin'.

The other night at bed, Maisie announced, "I miss God." So we talked about how God is everywhere, all the time. Such a hard concept for a three year old, who wants to see Him. Analise pipes up from the top bunk, "Maisie, Jesus lives in my heart, so He goes everywhere I go." Good theology from the 6 y.o.

Analise got in the van after school and announced, "Mom, I went to the bathroom at school today!" That may be the second time all year. She just doesn't have to go while at school. She doesn't get her bladder from me!

Analise, "Mom, Maisie has a potato head earring in her mouth. She's pretending it's a turkey call, and it doesn't even make sound." How many mom's hear that from their girls? I told Maisie I liked her imagination, but not to stick at in that in her mouth. Can you tell it's turkey season around here?

Three Girls, One Outfit

When Analise was two, my sister gave her the cutest outfit. It was one of the outfits that actually worked for all three girls. They all looked so sweet in it. The only difference is that Sadie can't keep the pants up. :)

He is Risen

He is Risen indeed! I love Easter...the spring air, coloring eggs, and rejoicing over our Risen Savior! This year the girls understood more about the real meaning of Easter, and they loved the Resurrection Eggs. We would go through them at dinner and talk about the history. Here is Analise going through the eggs with her sisters.

Sunday morning was a typical busy morning. The girls didn't think about looking for their baskets, and I didn't remind them. :) After a great church service, we came home long enough for me to make cheesy potatoes. While I was in the kitchen, the girls found their baskets of goodies. Analise got Connect 4 and some gardening gloves and gum balls. Maisie got some new sunglasses, bubbles and gumballs. Sadie got bubbles and cookies. They were all excited. Well done, Easter Bunny, well done. We then headed over for the family Easter meal. It was delicious! The girls found their baskets from Grandma/pa outside. It was actually nice enough to be out there. Yeah! The girls in the backyard...

A Handsome dad and his delightful daughters

Look at all that estrogen!

Ages 6, 3, 2

We enjoyed time with family at lunch and then celebrating D's birthday. The girls had lots of fun and were sad when we had to leave. After we came home we finally colored eggs. I wanted to do it yesterday, but we ran out of time. The girls loved it! Analise was independent. Maisie needed a little help, and Sadie stayed patiently in her booster for me to help her. There was only one spill...and that came from me! The girls then played outside with their new goodies. The bubbles and new bubble mowers were a hit. I hid eggs in the backyard, and the girls had more fun looking for them. It was a great "family" moment -all three girls happy, enjoying life. As a mom, I savor those moments.

My prayer is that all three girls know Jesus as their Risen Savior!

April 3

Last Saturday was a fun and busy day. It was Brandon's birthday! The girls were excited to wish him a happy birthday, first thing in the morning. :) The girls and I went to our favorite donut place to get donuts. We gave Brandon 20 minutes at home with some peace and quiet. I know I would consider that a gift. :) After baths, family came over. S and the two younger boys and S and D came over so we could all walk to the park. The park close to us was where the Easter egg hunt was this year. It was a sunny, breezy day, and the kids were excited. Brandon was a good sport and went along. Sadie just hung out in the stroller and watched all the activity. Analise hunted with me, and Maisie hunted with Aunt S. It worked out well. They got plenty of candy! (We had also gone to an egg hunt at the mall the day before. Analise even picked an egg with a $5 gift card to Old Navy. :)) My favorite prizes were coupons for free mini pizzas from Papa Murphy's and free coupons for our local fun center.
After we walked back to the house, everyone hung out for awhile. The kids played out back, so the adults had some time for uninterrupted conversation.
After lunch and the kids were napping, I again had to run to the grocery for more ingredients. I had tried so hard to get everything I needed at one stop.
I spent the late afternoon getting supper ready. Thankfully I had made the chocolate chip cheesecake the night before. Brandon was a help because he played the Wii with the girls so I could work by myself in the kitchen while I made the cheesecake.
We all headed over to his parents for supper and gifts. I made Philly Cheese/Meat casserole, tator tots, homemade BBQ baked beans. His mom helped by making the bread and strawberry pretzel salad. I thought it all tasted yummy. Brandon enjoyed it, so that's the important thing.
We had a lot of fun being together with family. It was a bonus having S and D there, along with GG Muriel.

The girls with their 5 second turn with the bunny. :)

I've now celebrated 10 birthdays with him!

Sadie's celebration

So my pictures are out of order; no surprise there. We celebrated Sadie's birthday with the local family last weekend. Sadie loves bears, so I made a bear cake. See bottom picture...to "jazz" up the cake, I colored the batter and layered it like a rainbow. I was excited how it turned out. Thanks, L, for the idea and recipe! Here's what it looked like when bit into...

From the side...

The birthday girl(s)

My attempt of a bear

It was fun getting together and celebrating her special life. I made dinner- pasta, bread, salad, fruit, and maybe something else, but I am blanking on that. She got a Little People video, LP House, a water table to use outside this summer and money to put toward redoing her room.

While Sadie opened the gifts, we had quite a system going. Analise handed Sadie the gift, Sadie would open it and Maisie would take it to play with it. All three were happy! And when all three are happy, Mommy's happy. (Most of the time...)

Picture Memories

Family

Can you tell where Maisie's hand met bread?

Maisie can pump by HERSELF and loves to swing. Yeah!

Sadie loves to wear her "eyes."

Playing in the outlet....just kidding. Daddy did that with her blanket.

The girls are ready to help in the garden. Analise planted a couple of acorns and then moved them to another location so the oak tree wouldn't take up my entire garden. Isn't she throughtful?

This is what a room look like when you have blocks, trio blocks, books, balls, Mr. Potato Head pieces and more on the floor.

Vacation Thursday

Well, I've tried this post several times, and I've had nothing but trouble uploading pictures. Grr..
Anyway, on Thursday, my sister and brother in law came to town to visit. The guys went golfing, and the girls went bowling. Analise and Maisie were so excited. We practically had the place to ourselves. My sister beat us all. The girls tied. :) After bowling we went back to the house for lunch. My mom had told me ahead of time that she would take care of the girls so my sister and I could go for lunch and shop. Who could turn down that kind of offer? We went to Panera for lunch. I was craving their tomato soup bread bowl. Makes me hungry now just thinking about it.
After lunch we ran to Barnes and Nobles, Target and then Kohl's. I hit the jackpot at a couple of places. We wandered around Kohl's several times, but nothing was catching our eyes. We finally found some dresses to try on. First let me say that I enjoy shopping (preferably without kids :) but I have a hard time spending money on myself. On this trip I had some birthday and Christmas money, so I wasn't feeling so guilty. In fact, I wanted to spend it! It helped having my sister there to give her opinion. I found a dress that I fell in love with. I feel stylish ( a rare feeling for me) and I think it fits my frame well. It makes me want to go on a date with my husband just so I can wear a dress. Amazing, huh? In addition to the dress, I got a little sweater to go with it and some new black shoes. A shopper's high for sure. So uncharacteristic for me.
We got home right after the girls were up so we hung out and went for a walk. They left before supper. After dinner, my mom and I loaded up the girls for one more trip to the store. Crazy to leave at 7:00, but the things we do for love. I was determined to find a certain kind of shirt for Brandon's birthday. Thankfully the last store came through for me.

Friday both of my parents worked, so I was busy packing and loading up the van all morning. Thankfully the girls played well together. We ate lunch and hit the road. We drove two hours (where again NO one napped....). We got to the airport about 10 minutes before Brandon landed. Timing was perfect. The girls ran to him, gave him hugs, and I about cried. So good to be a family again. We traveled to the west side of Chicago where we had hotel reservations. We don't usually stop this early in the trip, but I was glad we did. We ate supper at Chili's and then went back to the hotel for the girls to swim. Maisie loves the "tiny pool"...aka the hot tub. In that case, I like the tiny pool, too. We were all tired and slept well.
We woke up to temps about 30 degrees colder than the day before. It was even snowing/sleeting. When we hit the Iowa border, we drove out of the storm and the roads were dry. PTL! However, all along the interstate we saw cars in the ditch. It made us very thankful we had stopped when we did last night.
The girls were awesome travelers. In fact, both girls took long naps. Amazing! It gave Brandon and I quite awhile to talk uninterrupted. Analise was listening to Adventures in Odyssey on my ipod.
We made a few stops, spent some time at a Bass Pro to stretch our legs and got home at 9:00. Girls were in their jammies, asleep, so they went straight to bed. I am SO thankful for a fun filled week with family, friends, good health and beautiful weather.