One last blog entry (prior to 12/21, ha ha)

PreSchool field trip to Santa's Castle in Storm Lake! It was a fun morning! We went to eat at Burger King with the kids afterwards.

Then last Saturday Santa came to the hospital and we got to have breakfast with him!

So...I took this picture as Brice's final picture in his Camry. He found someone willing to buy it and try to fix it up for a work car. I found the title, and was already glad to have one less license fee and insurance (even though its probably less than $100 per year). Then the prospective buyer returned it, deciding it would be too much to get it going (brake lines, etc). Its still sitting on a car trailor, and Brice claims he is taking it to the junkyard.

Last Saturday night we continued our yearly Christmas tradition of going out to eat, then driving to Swan Lake and around the Carroll area to look at Christmas lights. Will was difficult to maintain at Pizza Ranch, but it was fun anyway :-)

Making handprint ornaments for the Christmas tree!

I LOVE this picture-she is eating a cookie as she decorates more. Such the multitasker!

Gabbie had a Christmas program for preschool on Monday night. Getting a decent family picture continues to be a challenge :-)

Today is a snow day! A couple years ago I would have tried to go to work. Today I didn't even start the car. Gabbie has been outside a good chunk of the day. It took awhile to get Will used to the idea. Of course I did not realize I do not have snow pants for Will! Better get that on the Santa list!

I'm getting used to this...Gabbie knows how to use the computer to play games. IPTV has a great website for kids games, one of them involves spelling when given clues about the sound of each letter. She loves that one. Last night she asked for a computer of her own. Yeah, right. A computer is totally out of the question, especially for a kid whose pooping schedule I still have to monitor.

Here is just a fun article that I came across at just the right time! I have been stressing about multiple things; getting some homemade Christmas gifts done that I'd started, keeping up with Gabbie's school program, dance stuff, etc (I know that's minor but for every event there is a request for a dozen cookies to be brought), working overtime, getting end of the year books done, spending nearly 2 hours at the doctor every 10-14 days just for flipping follow up x-rays on Will's arm (yes, that drives me crazy because I think it should be much simpler); obviously I'm being a baby and all of this is just LIFE! I ended up with strep throat last week, with a temp of 102-I couldn't tell you the last time I'd run a fever! So I (luckily) got sent home from work and had the afternoon at home to myself to regroup, get gifts wrapped, clean, and catch up on cooking. Sunday after church Gabbie and I went crazy making cookies, pumpkin bread, fudge, and getting our 'menu' planned for Christmas Eve dinner. I simplified my Christmas gift list and realized I'm basically done (my daycare provider didn't mind the unfinished scarf!) I've settled on "Happy New Years" cards to family and friends instead of Christmas cards. And I've become more accepting of the fact that nothing runs smoothly without the help we get from the Grandparents and a flexible daycare! A friend sent me this article at just the right time...I apologize for the terrible swear word in the cartoon at the bottom, but its so true...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-morrison/motherhood_b_2271349.html

Merry Christmas and Happy 2013!

Random happenings from lately

Brice preparing our turkey feast with the assistance of the internet. He butchered and prepared a fresh turkey, and it was (and still is as we work on leftovers) great.

The big bird himself

One of the final pictures of the turkey alive!

Great company for dinner on Thanksgiving

Attempting to get a family picture for a potential Christmas card, if I ever get started on that. Too bad this picture is not the one, but at least we are all in it!

Trying to find a tree...the boys were slow. Gabbie and I were trucking right along.

Gabbie says "This is the one!" I do not care for a real tree. I will admit it is Brice's "thing". The only reason we have ours so early is that I put up the artificial one we have, and Brice just wasn't going to allow that to be our main tree. So on the way to Carroll to celebrate Thanksgiving with the rest of my family we stopped and found a real tree. Today I thought about this as I listened to people speak at Brice's grandmothers memorial service. I really should not balk at his traditions and I should be grateful I married a guy with a great family who has such traditions. Even if it means constantly filling the water after the dog drinks it. And it means picking up needles for the next 6 months (really, its not easy to see them in green shag carpet). And last year it meant the dang thing fell on me twice as I slept on the couch. I'll keep trying to be grateful; hopefully its allowed to be grateful and frustrated all in one.

 

SANTA!

I just love that she was so excited that she was biting her bottom lip! Santa even knew her name!

I just love this picture. Santa is on the left, obviously. On the right is Gabbie in the white sweater. We were sitting and eating our cookies and having hot chocolate. Suddenly Gabbie says to me "Mom, I need to go sit over there so I can hear what Santa is telling those other kids". And off she went. This year is SO fun with her for Christmas. Last year Santa wasn't cool because he took her pacifiers. This year she is just so happy that even I am feeling the excitement of the whole thing again. Santa has been calling every morning to check in. So far he says Gabbie has been so good that she might get a new princess dress! (And that will be about it...so Santa can get Mommy her Lasik surgery!)

I just love my Gabbie girl. She says great stuff. For example: here is what I heard about tonight: We were doing a puzzle that involves matching a picture with words. Gabbie has been learning her letters and their sounds at school, so we do that with this puzzle at home. Anyway, we got to the picture of a flag. She says "Oh my goodness Mom. Today I saw the biggest flag in the whole world at a restaurant. But it wasn't in the restaurant, it was outside. And it was HUGE, a very big flag. I could hardly believe it." She rode with her Grandpa to Omaha to take Aunt Gretchen to the airport, so I am assuming she saw this flag along the way. Its just so funny how she sounds like an adult at times, but a minute later can cry like a baby. Tonight all I have heard is "Mom, I didn't get to go in the plane with Gretchen". I tell her "But Gabbie, then you would not be here with me and I would miss you". She says "Mom, I would come back. People can come back you know."

 

It is so hard to believe it is December! I have been outdoor running in short sleeve shirts and capri's, and at the same time battling cold symptoms and sinus infection (and what I was told last week was likely Influenza A...but lets not tell the people who I refused a Flu shot from). Only in Iowa.

Time is going fast as always; but right now that is okay. I am in the process of 'transitioning' jobs, as maybe I mentioned before. I am now working part time at St Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. I had planned to wait until the kids were further into school before working further from home. But I started filling in a couple shifts during the summer at the hospital and loved it. I have had trouble finding a balance in my job at the nursing home. Some days were 6 hours, some were 12. Sometimes it would be slow so I would find work elsewhere, then I'd get my plate too full. The hospital offered part time benefits, and for multiple reasons the time seemed as good as any to switch. The problem has been that I am not eligible for those benefits until February 1st. So...I'm still working my other job too. Its been crazy, but a fun crazy. I do like to work. I've found that out on both of my maternity leaves when I got a few weeks in and was itching to go somewhere and do something. But I can already tell we will be ready to find a balance again. Right now we are usually out of the house by 7 and home a little before 6, which isn't terrible, just tiring by Friday. Things just seem a little calmer when I have an afternoon at home to get things done-especially at this time of year when I want to get some holiday baking done plus its time to get ready for taxes. I feel a little guilty spending more time away from the kids-especially if it comes up that I have to work part of a weekend and I give up that time with them as well. But overall I can tell I use my time with them more wisely than I used to. I rarely talk on my phone in the car anymore so Gabbie can tell me about her day instead. We sing in the car a lot now, and I sit and eat supper with the kids instead of waiting to eat with Brice. I find it so interesting how when I was a mother of 1 I felt constant guilt about being a working mom. Now that we have 2 I don't feel that guilt anymore, more of just a motivation to do well with the time we have.

 

 Brice's take on the situation is that things are running smoothly lately because when I work in Carroll a lunch break is built into my schedule, which I use to exercise. He says I could work 3 jobs as long as I got to exercise and "momma would be happy!" I will probably have to work a 3rd job if Brice's Christmas list gets any longer..

 

Today I did have most of the day off. I enjoyed time with Brice's family celebrating his grandmothers 90 years. Its good to be reminded of what a great family I joined, even if Brice can be a pain in my rear. Ha ha. I hope I can be as good of a mother and grandmother as it sounds like she was. Which brings me to the next happening in our household, one that will not win me the mom of the year award! After the service I took Will to the doctor, where he was diagnosed with a proximal humerus fracture. He fell early on Sunday morning. That's the end of the story for now! Those who need to know what happened already know, and I don't want to make anyone feel bad. I am grateful to all the people who help me raise my kids and I know no matter how close they are watched accidents happen. Will has fallen dozens of times and been okay and I am always just grateful to avoid a head injury! Anyway, it is not a major fracture. In fact the doctor was not sure what he saw, so a radiologist had to be called to read it. Then they weren't sure what to do with it, so the orthopedic specialist in town was called and just suggested a homemade splint (basically get him dressed and safely pin his sleeve to his shirt so he can't move it). We go back in 2 weeks to make sure it is healing. We are handling it with Motrin for now; you can tell when he gets uncomfortable. So, for Christmas Will gets doctor bills paid and some radiation ;-)

 

 

 

Life of a 15 month old...

Will is getting better at self entertaining (even if that involves picking on his sister). I'm frustrated that he is 15 months and still on the bottle. But, our life is a bit crazy right now and I haven't been home enough to worry about it or try too hard to break the habit.
He is starting to talk a lot more. Sometimes the kids watch the "Teach your baby to read" videos and he has started to repeat words and follow instructions as they are shown on the video (examples: arms up, arms down, etc.) We can understand the following words: Daddy, Momma, Tractor, Jodi, Tucker, See ya', Hi, and Bye. He is doing well even though his hearing test showed that he (like both Gabbie and I) has left ear hearing loss. He is eating like a horse. We get home now between 5:30 and 6:00 and as soon as I open the fridge, cupboards, or stove to start supper he goes straight for his chair, then he goes to bed shortly after 7:00. I'm not used to having one go to bed so early! Seems like once the kids hit 1 year old I forget when they are supposed to go in for 'well child' check ups, so as far as I can remember Will is done with shots, etc for awhile.
We have been plenty busy lately with Thanksgiving, picking out our Christmas tree, decorations, visiting Santa (who even knew Gabbie and Will by name!!) Next weekend on Saturday morning we get to have breakfast with Santa at the hospital, then go to a movie-the Grinch I believe. Hard to believe, especially since my noon time run today was in a T-shirt!

Fun Fall

The warm fall continues, and the kids love being outside! I was so happy today to get home fairly early so we could work in the garden and play on the swing! It is so neat to swing under the moonlight on a warm night in November

Getting ready to surprize Ashley...I guess I thought one of these kids was mine, but doesn't look like it. Guess I need that eye surgery sooner than later ;-)

Gabbie's pre-school program for Thanksgiving, she did a good job! A little more shy in front of a group than when we practiced just her and I, but that's okay

I love Oreos!

Eating at the pre-school Thanksgiving feast! Spaghetti, jello, and hot dogs were a good feast to me!

We made a scarf! Gabbie thinks she helped a lot. She's interested in learning for sure so trying to encourage that while still getting something accomplished can be a challenge

 

Thanksgiving

Gabbie was already in Christmas mode after a trip to WalMart this week and commercials advertising all the most wanted toys of Christmas. This irritated me to no end. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I just can not raise a child who will give into the societal tendency to skip straight from Halloween to Christmas! We have plenty to do this weekend, but the next 10 days (basically up to Thanksgiving) already look pretty full on the calender. So this afternoon is all about Thanksgiving..the main event being making turkeys that include things we are thankful for (for which I am thankful to Pinterest for the help!) I underestimated my daughter. I was certain her list would include 'Spongebob', 'Dora', 'Thomas the train', 'Super Why', etc. But...she didn't do too bad! I prompted her to start with things she was happy to have. Her response was 'my room', then I just said what else or what next, and her list kept going. It included the following: Doors, Jodi (daycare provider), The Grandmas and the Grandpa, Books, Everyone, Juice & water, Storytime, Toys, Mirrors, Balls & Preschool & Dance, Scissors, Tory & Kenzie & Zander & Emmet & Mommy & Daddy & Will, Trees, Tucker, and Blankets. Not too bad! When we were done she said "Good idea Mommy!" Now we are going to finish our candy turkeys. We did start them earlier in the week (the reason for the trip to WalMart after dance the other night), but Gabbie was less interested in helping and more interested in eating Oreos. Today has been better so far!

Mr. Dan!

On a side note...Gabbie has become way interested in watching You Tube videos, especially of trains!

 

 

Anyway, the point of the post is that Gabbie and I went to see Dan Wardell from IPTV at the Wall Lake Library this week! He was great! He read some great books, and encouraged the kids to shut off their TV's and check out 3 books after the program. He really involved the kids in the program, and if the adults didn't participate we had to get up and dance!

He gave everyone a jump rope!

 

 

It was a fun program. Afterwards Gabbie came back to work with me and colored pictures for a few residents and insisted on hanging them on the doors. She is actually starting to draw what she says she's drawing, so that's fun too!

 

 

Another 'fun' note of the week is I have finally/officially scheduled Lasik surgery for January 4, 2013. After several months of headaches I went to my eye doctor this week. After listening to my symptoms he did refer me on to rule out sinus problems. But he feels that with my low blood pressure (85/50 that day) and my frequent motion sickness that I am just 'one of those people' who will get headaches. He also noted a significant increase in my astigmatism (spelling?) of the right eye the past couple years-and especially the past 6 months since I saw him last. So, the options for dealing with it were either wear my glasses at least 75% of the time or consider Lasik. Wearing my glasses a lot isn't much of an option; in the winter they fog up when I help Brice with the hogs, plus I can't stand being outside on a sunny day without sunglasses on-and I get annoyed with the clip on ones for glasses. My eye doctor had 2 coupons left worth $1000, and my health insurance will cover some of it, so I'm going for it! The last day I will be able to wear contacts is December 10th. I have been wearing contacts for 16 years, glasses for 23 years...I won't know what to do without them!! I'm already excited for the first day I can wake up and not search for my glasses before I get out of bed!

 

And...its a good thing we will be making trips for eye appointments, because we need to consider purchasing a toddler bed for Will! I was hoping he would be like his sister, and be almost 3 years old before we had to do that! But, he climbed out of his crib at daycare today. And, has attempted it at home. What  a monkey!

Wild Week!

We had a fun, wild, crazy week! Life is pretty darn great! Here are some pictures-some are a 'flashback' of Gabbie that I found as I worked on birthday stuff. They are in random order, sorry...

 

The gift of the year-an Ariel doll with clothing change options. Great job Aunt Gretchen! I took 5 pictures, and Gabbie would not take her eyes off the doll for any of them!

Yup, 14 months old and still on the bottle!

Little Gabbie at 1 1/2 years old with chalk on her face!

Helping clean out the truck one day before turning 2 so we could go fishing

About 8 weeks old I think

15 months old

Just prior to 2nd birthday

First captured 'real' smile at about 7 weeks I suppose.

2 months old, her first New Years Eve

Present day, kiddos playing! I love my Saturdays at home listenening to these 2 play, sometimes fight :) Will is getting naughty, doing things to make her mad on purpose!

Yeah! Taken the day before her birthday since her actual birthday was all about Halloween

 

My princess and ear of 'sweet' corn :)

We went and got some candy from Great G & G Simpson! Actually 5 minutes at the care center and we had a FULL bag

PreSchool trick or treating and field trip!

Trick or treating and supper with Grandma T

PreSchool field trip again, singing at the care center in Sac City. Yes, she did her own hair :)

Opening presents from G and G Hundling

Birthday Party! Each Disney princess had its own 'throne' until Tucker got ahold of one of them...

She got some fun presents!

Will was pretty certain that the Cars blanket was made for him...

We made her clean up after her own party :-)

 

This is pretty much what Tucker does, sit around :-)

I can't believe how much Gabbie has changed this past year. Last year at this time we were still trying to get her out of diapers and pacifiers. This year nothing seems to get past her. She asked me the other day "Mom, why are you gone so much?" I would have felt bad, except I really am lucky to be home with my kids more than most people, plus they have a great day care provider in a home that they love. I'm in 'job transition' right now and I think Gabbie just notices that things are more hectic than usual, or maybe she's tired of having to help more with laundry and dusting? :) After her birthday party Saturday night, which included grandparents, a neighbor, a great aunt, and a couple friends, she asked me "Mom, why didn't I have a big party like Will?" I told her that that was Will's 1st birthday, so we did a big party for that. She named several of the people that were at Will's party and asked why they didn't come to hers. I explained to her that she had a Week-long party, one night we had supper and gifts with Aunt Gretchen, one night we had supper with Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Charles and G & G H, one night we went trick or treating, one night she brought treats to dance, and then she got to have a party with her Princess Castle cake and more friends-after that she said "Okay, that's great but next year can I have a party with ALL my friends?" I said sure. She wasn't being selfish, just that she had noticed the difference had surprized me. She was so funny when she first saw her cake she said "Mom is that for me? Its SOOO beautiful!!" I tried 5 new recipes for her party last night so that was fun too! The leftovers will be nice for the next few days!

It is fun on the kids birthdays to just look back. Gabbie I will always refer to as my 'perfect baby'. She was soo good (other than not pooping starting at 8 weeks old!). I would take her to the rec center while I went swimming or running, and everyone would stop and say to me "Does she stay that good the whole time you are here" or "You are so lucky she is soo good!" I would always think to myself Geez, shes a baby that eat, sleeps, and poops, what's the big deal? Well, then I had another one that was not as content and I realized what they meant! Baby Will was great too, but 5 minutes in his car seat was about it. Gabbie slept through the night at 8 weeks, Will still does not do that! Gabbie held her own bottle pretty early. Will was over 6 months for sure! Gabbie was not much of a cuddler, Will is a cuddle bug! I have been blessed with 2 good eaters, and 2 healthy kids, whether they were both easy babies or not :-)

I'm so happy with my girl, and I'm glad she lets me cuddle with her for a few minutes a day before she goes to bed. I'm glad she is independent with a mind of her own (which also makes her naughty at times). I love how she compliments people, always saying "I love your shirt", "I love your hair". I love how she wants to wear dresses, but still wears boy underwear because it has Lightening McQueen on it. I love her interest in being outdoors and her love of the farm, I enjoy that she is starting to want to clean the house! She is stubborn, which makes it hard to teach her things, but she did master skipping at her last dance lesson-even if she was the last in the class to get it and it took the teacher lots of 1:1 to keep Gabbie from galloping instead of skipping. I think its great that last month when she grew up she wanted to farm, and this month when she grows up she wants to be a princess! I could go on for awhile but I better post all these pictures and get the kids ready for church, where I love that Gabbie helps every week with the collection! Happy November to all~