My Son Wants To Be Like His Sister's :-)

This morning, right before we were leaving for church, Ethan started crying that he wanted a barrette!  Both of the girls had really cute barrettes in their hair that my mom just dropped off yesterday for them.  Ethan, being 3, doesn't understand boys don't wear barrettes or head bands.

Barrette from Tutu (grandma)

The poor little guy was sobbing - my husband said barrettes are really only for girls.  I decided what the heck...he's 3!  So picked out a brown clip, hoping it would blend in.  No bows or frills.  We brought him in to Sunday school and I felt the need to explain to his teacher why he had a clip in his hair.  He was absolutely oblivious to the fact he isn't really "supposed" have a clip in his hair - and was happy as a clam.

After church we got him from his class along with Anna and Megan.  Our church is small and very much a community.  We all are very close and love talking, so everyone was standing around talking after church.  The Pastor walked by saw Ethan then looked at my husband and said Nice!  Of course then he had to give us a hard time - totally joking.  His wife said she noticed but didn't want to say anything - but when saw him with the clip she knew instantly what transpired in our house that morning.  They actually have an older daughter and twins also - who are all the same age as our kids. 

Later after we got home Ethan was holding his clip in his hands and told me it gets on the end of his hair and falls out.  I told him well that's really why boys don't wear clips in their hair - because it's way shorter then girls hair so there's not enough hair to prevent it from falling out.  He looked at me as said, "OH".  Such a cutie.  ♥

I'm so glad I didn't fight him on it this morning.  It made him so happy and was so not an issue.  I'm just glad he didn't want the head band!

Love to all!  ♥

Enjoying A Rare Sunny Day!

The weather around here has been rather cold and gloomy lately so on Friday when it was sunny and mild the kids were itching to get outside and play.

Anna and Ethan have been very cagey lately so out they went.  With the sled having been left outside they decided to use it to their advantage.  And, although most of the show had melted – the managed to find a place to pull the sled…and a little hill to pull it up.



Anna and Ethan took a few minutes out to jump on the trampoline.  And then Anna continued to pull the sled to the other side of the yard on the little patch of snow that still existed.  At one point Ethan decided to come up behind the sled and push the sled while Anna pulled it…he just wanted to help out you know!

It was great for them to be able to get outside – even if it was only for a short time.  The brisk, fresh air was just enough to burn off some of that energy that’s been wanting to burst forth.
We are all looking forward to when we can go outside to enjoy the warmth, while just closing the screen doors and not having to bundle up.  But in the meantime, being able to exert at least a little energy outside will help carry us through.

Have a beautiful day! ♥

Sleeping Arrangement Failed - Check

Our oldest daughter (Megan) has been begging to sleep with her brother and sister. So, tomorrow being a day that Megan is off school (don't remember why)...and since Megan asked again, we agreed.

It was not really an experiment we felt joy in experiencing since we knew in the end it would fail. But sometimes you just need to try it out to just get it off your list. One of those things we won't have a child begging for a while. Actually Megan said not until they are 20!

It started off with Megan in their room. She was in a sleeping bag on the floor. Anna, being the one to delay bed for as long as possible, decided this was going to be the night to come out of the room at least 4 times. Three times to use the potty and once because her blanket fell off while trying to blow her nose.

Anna then decided to move on the floor next to Megan. Well, of course Ethan wanted to sleep on the floor with them as well. It was clear this wasn't going to work...at least not in their room.

Next, Megan decided that they should all move into her room since she has a trundle bed. Megan and Anna were on the top bed, while Ethan had the bottom. Two times Megan tried to lay with Anna, but Anna wouldn't stop talking. Go figure. :-) So switch - Ethan with Megan and Anna on the bottom. Anna then decided to start playing with Megan' pillow. That was the end.

At that point, I had Anna and Ethan move back in their room and Megan sleep in her room. I felt bad for Ethan though since he actually did fall asleep and did REALLY good! Anna was NOT happy about going back to her room, but she got over it.

So Megan said she is done asking...until they're 20. Heaven forbid she really wants to share a room with them at that age!

So in the midst of all this, I was sent some information on signing up for some on-line paid surveys. Of course you get asked to then join all these additional programs. Not knowing what I was doing I think I really over did it!

One of the programs I signed up for is call InboxDollars. Apparently they were featured on Good Morning America. This program has a $30 payout. You earn $5 for signing up and then you earn additional money through surveys, games, shopping, coupons, tasks, special offers, videos and referrals.

You should check it out...it's free to join. :-)

I'm pooped and going to bed...so I can read.

Goodnight everyone. ♥

A Fun Day, With A Little Surprise

Today was a rather unplanned eventful day - for my 7 year old.

The day started off rather uneventful.  My husband leaving for a couple hours for the fire department to pick out holiday shifts he will work this year.  While he was gone I tried to get some work done ~ but the kids were not very cooperative with allowing that to happen. 

When hubby arrived home I got my work done and then hopped in the shower for some much needed R & R.  Since my twins were born I've had some issues with anxiety attacks and had to go on medication a little over a year ago.  Today I just felt very stressed.

After my shower we took the kids to the library and then our oldest (Megan) asked if we could go to the mall.  There are some play areas there, and although we knew it would be crowded, we couldn't think of a better idea.  When we got there it was way too crowded for the kids to play.  Big kids running over little kids - not good.  We decided to go walk around the mall instead.

We didn't get to far when we started to go past Claire's.  Megan stopped to look at the earrings.  A friend of hers has a pair from there that she wanted to see.  We kept on going and then my husband suggested go in to Von Muar to look around since she likes to look at the earrings in there.  I advised him of her wanting to see her friends earrings in Claire's so we went back there.

Megan has been wanting to get her ears pierced for a long time.  We've been pretty adamant about waiting until she's 8 to get that done.  But we had decided a little while ago that we would allow her to get them pierced in April...an early present for her First Communion. 

While at Claire's Megan quickly found a lot of earrings she liked.  So Rob and I decided to let her get them pierced today if she wanted to.  I was getting kind of excited for her and really just wanted it over with!  :-)  Megan said yes and before you knew it she was in the chair.  While she was sitting there, unbeknown to her - there was a rather large crowd of people in the window behind her watching plus those watching in the store.  Part of that crowd was a group of young boys.  Some of them came in to watch - one of them remarking how she was going to cry.  I quickly told him to shhh!

Megan got her ears pierced without even flinching.  No tears at all.  When it was done everyone started clapping.  That's when Megan turned around and saw all the boys clapping for her.  They were all actually very cute.  Megan got down from the chair to come over and hug me and was shaking like a leaf.

It was a really nice surprise.  I love it when we can do little unplanned surprises like that which just make her so happy.  She keeps looking in the mirror at them now and will all of sudden exclaim how happy she is and that she can't believe they are pierced.

Rough Morning...

Anna and Ethan are FINALLY back at preschool.  Anna hasn't been there for 3 weeks and Ethan hasn't been there for 2 weeks.

I'm not sure why, but I seem to have the kids who just want to be home...home bodies.  Megan was the same way at that age, although she was there all day because I worked full-time.  She would get almost stressed out on Saturday at the thought of going to back to daycare.  Now Anna is the same way.  Actually Ethan is fine with it, although he does kind of feed off of Anna.

I started warning them yesterday that they would be back at school today.  Anna did start getting upset yesterday and Ethan tried his best to comfort her by telling that he would be there with her.  Cute.  Well, the pre-warning didn't really help much because she fought tooth and nail this morning.

Ethan, who was fine, finally broke down when taking off his coat at preschool.  I felt bad for him, just because he was fine but Anna being upset started to effect him.  I think Anna's biggest issue there is not only is she much more introverted when with other people - but that strong-will comes out.  She is not coddled there and is expected to do what she is told, which as a strong-willed child is not good.  Anna actually butt's heads with the pre-school teacher.

I love the teacher, we have been friends with her and her family and all the daycare (preschool) families for many years since Megan had gone there.  I comforted by the fact that she is not upset because of being treated unfairly, thank goodness for that with some of the horror stories you hear.

I think we all have problems getting back in to the swing of things when we've been away for too long.  Whether it's work, exercising, school, a home business, journaling, or any number of other things.  I do believe the key is the consistency of just doing it...even on the days we don't feel like it. 

Hopefully with maturity and consistency it will get easier on Anna and us.

The Doozy E-Cards giveaway  is ending 12:00 pm CST, Friday, February 11th!

Low entry is great for those who want a better chance at winning. 

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Tuesday Blog Hops!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Wow, I can't believe how tired I am! It seems we have been moving non-stop since Monday. We've had all 3 kids home the whole week too, so that's been super busy. Megan's school schedule parent/teacher conferences on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving each year so she's home the whole week. Anna and Ethan are in preschool, they would've had school on Tuesday but the teacher was sick. It's a home daycare as well, so they still had daycare but not school. Which was fine with me, since Megan was home it only made sense to have the other two home as well.

Megan came down with the stomach flu on Tuesday. It seems that every 5-6 days someone in our house is coming down with it. Must be the incubation period. Anna started it, then it was me and last Megan. Poor Megan had it much worse then Anna or I did. Hopefully no one else will be sick here.
Read more »

A Good Day For Making Friendship Bread

Have you ever had anyone give you a bag with partially made dough and instructions on how to make Amish Friendship dough? About two weeks ago a friend gave us a mixture of this for the Amish Friendship dough - and she gave us some of it to try out last week with a dinner. Let me tell you, if you have not had this bread before - wow, it is wonderful. My husband was very excited about today being the day to make the bread, and since it was a rather dreary day today he got the kids to join in the fun. 

Dad and Ethan putting the dough into the bowl

Ethan mixing the ingredients

Anna and Megan joined Ethan in on the fun

It's baking!

Sorry, no after picture's!  Everyone loved the bread - but were rather scattered around eating their bread.  My oldest had a friend over who was just telling her mom that she wanted some of the friendship bread and her mom said that she can't make more until someone gives her the dough...today was her and her daughters luck day.

We kept an extra bag so we can make another batch in 10 days!

Happy Birthday Anna & Ethan!!!

Three years ago today our lives were blessed with Anna and Ethan when they were born...8 weeks earlier then expected.

I had just been to a Halloween party with our oldest daughter Megan, who was 4 at the time. My husband was working a 24 hour shift at the fire department. Whenever my husband works nights Megan would (and still does) snuggle with me and sleeps in our bed. About 4 am on October 28th, 2007 I awoke to a great deal of wetness. And thought, "oh my gosh I just peed myself!". I ran into the bath and, low and behold, is was definitely more then pee! At first I was very excited and then all of a sudden it occurred to me...8 weeks early. I called my mom, I called my husband, and then I called the doctor - who, of course said go to the hospital.

My labor and delivery was actually quit easy. I was already about 3 cm dilated and about 60% effaced. Within a couple hours I was 7 cm dilated and 75% effaced...by 12:10 pm Anna was born and at 12:21 pm Ethan arrived. It was a very ease delivery - both weighed 4.1 lbs and both were 17" long. They only went on a nasal canal for the first day and that was all that was needed for the oxygen. Anna and Ethan spend 3 weeks in the NICU and then came home.

Our world has never been the same since! We are so blessed as a family!

Hugs and kisses! xoxoxoxo

House Of Ill

You can tell kids are back in school and the weather has changed - we are all, well most of us, sick. You know that runny nose, cough thing that likes to linger. I have, for all intense purposes, no voice at this point. Although - that does not prevent kids from fighting, arguing, screeching and calling for "mom" on a consistent basis! Tonight was early bedtime, not only did they need it, but mom needed it too.

My business is booming right now too - which is awesome, and so much fun...but not much rest for the throat.

My ~3 year old daughter is the source of the cold. Poor baby though, her little nose is soooo runny and she coughs her little head of with all that drainage. So, we've had to pull out the "snot sucker" again, ya know that bulb syringe. She loves it...not. Yesterday, I tried really hard to teach her how to blow her nose - but every time she would "blow" she would actually blow out through her mouth! It was hysterical trying to show her how to keep her mouth closed while she blew air out her nose. Even her twin brother was started trying to help her. "Anna, not out of your mouth!", "You need to do this ...". We never did get Anna to blow her nose, so "snot sucker" it was.

My husband, we think may have a cold, hard to tell though between his allergies and just being worn out from working so many nights in a row. Knock on wood, Megan and Ethan have been able to resist the "cold" so far.

Thank goodness for disinfectant - I actually use an awesome disinfectant that is just as effective as Clorox wipes but is completely natural. Actually is is the only EPA approved disinfective that has been scientifically proven to be effective against Staph, E-coli, H1N1, and other bad bugs. I, actually, am a strong proponent against using chemicals in our homes, especially with cancer rates rising and cheaper and cheaper (and more toxic) ingredients going in to every day household consumable items (including kids products). Eeeek, I digressed there!

I am going to go take some cough medicine, and grab a cough drop and go to bed and read for a bit. I love the Hunger Games series and I am on the final book of this trilogy - Mockingjay!

Thursday Ramblings

Not sure what else to call this post other than that...I have things to say, but they are all over the place!

I'm now on my second week of regular exercise. Don't get me wrong I've always exercised, but I just haven't been consistent for the last few years. So anyway, this is my second week of building up my running. Last week I was walking 4 minutes and running for 2 minutes - do that 5x's. This week is walk 3 minutes and run 3 minutes - 5x's. I started that Tuesday and can now barely walk! The inside of my knees are killing me. I'm hoping it's just because I'm doing something my body is not used to, but I feel like I'm 90 years old! I'm supposed to go again tomorrow, but I think I will just do Pilates. I really don't want to aggravate it anymore or do any damage.

My little Anna has been quite a pain about taking her nap! She fights it, refuses to take one and then is miserable all evening long. The problem is that she shares a room with Ethan - so his sleep ends up being disrupted too. We've now taken out the Pack n' Play again so we have a place for Anna to go when she won't cooperate. She still won't go to sleep though. Little bugger!

I had a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting this evening. It was so much fun. I love the ladies in MOPS. I've actually started attending the church where this MOPS group is held. Hmmm, I was raised Catholic, but have honestly never felt a true connection spiritually. The Co-leader of MOPS - her husband is Pastor at this church. It is a Christian church, young and contemporary. I love the pastor and his wife. The are awesome speakers and I instantly felt such a connection to them and what they said. I walk out of church now feeling such an incredible connection - and so much stronger. The community at this church is great too, everyone is so friendly and welcoming.

Okay, lastly, some tough news came to me yesterday. A friend of mine, who has 2 sons - one is 7 and the other 2 1/2. The 2 1/2 year old has had bouts of cancer - they just found a reoccurence yesterday. Just incredibly devastating news. This friend and her son are the two strongest most positive people I have ever met. Just incredible. My heart is just breaking though. Like I said I was raised Catholic and we have a "prayer" for everything. Non-demonation Christian does not have that though - you just speak from your heart. This is very unique for me because I want to find the perfect words to say. But, if you can, can you all just think of him and his mom and pray that the Lord will give them strength and courage through all of this and that He will show mercy. I'm not really used to speaking from the heart in prayer ... some people are so good and expressing themselves, but I think you know where I'm going with this, right?

On that note, I will end for today! Thank you for giving me your time. :-)

Eight Years, 3 Children, A House, Three Cats and One Dog

Today, my husband and I celebrate 8 years of marriage.  It's amazing how fast these years have gone by.  In all honesty, we've never really had an opportunity to take time to celebrate!

By our 1st year anniversary we already a 3 month old.  Yes, I got pregnant the night of our wedding.  I was 36 years old when we got married and I assumed it would take us a while to get pregnant.  I thought my husband was going to faint 3 weeks later when I announced we were already expecting.  Our first anniversary was spent with our oldest daughter Megan, who at the time was collicky.  :-)  And we moved into our first home two weeks after our 1 year anniversary.

Since then, we added two more children to our household - Anna and Ethan - who will be 3 at the end of this month.  We also have had one dog, who actually was very overwhelmed when Anna and Ethan came home from the hospital...and even more so when they started crawling.  We didn't feel it was very healthy environment for her anymore and didn't feel very confident about the safety of the twins so we did give her back to her former owner who loved her dearly and was in contact with us still.  We also have had 2 cats pass away but still have one cat from when we were dating.  Maew, a seal point siamese.

These past 8 years have been an amazing journey.  It's so hard to believe how much our lives have changed (for the better) in those years.  I'm so excited to see what the future years bring us.

Happy Anniversary!

Jodi

What A Great Day!

So today I woke up and began my 10 week training for a 5K.  I don't know if I will actually run in a 5K, but since I've never been a runner it will be nice to build up to that properly and then make a 5K my normal route.

I then started potty training our twin daughter.  I decided over the weekend we really need to get this done so I, mistakenly, tried a crash course in it which didn't go over so well.  I put both Anna and Ethan in new underwear with their favorite characters and then the both proceeded to have accidents and completely freaked.  Anna has been wanted to wear her underwear ever since, which is a good opportunity for us to "practice".  So now I set the timer.  I have her sit on the potty initially, then put her underwear on her.  I then keep setting the timer for 10 minutes until she goes in the potty.  Once she goes, I then do it in 30 minute increments until she goes.  No accidents today...but I'm still not sure she's really "getting" it.  Ethan has no desire to try again...so we'll wait until he starts to show interest.

I then had a full schedule with appointments for my home business which ended with me getting a new partner started this evening.  I'm very excited to help her and her family, not only get really healthy and safe products into their household, but also that I have the opportunity to help her earn a really great income which will just allow her to dream.

Since my husband is at the Fire Department tonight, tomorrow morning with be Pilate's.  We have Comcast Cable and through their On Demand there is a Fitness Channel with Pilate's.

Overall I would call it a good day!  :)