I don't have a hobby. I'm pretty sure I never really had one but at this point in my life even if I wanted one I don't know where I'd fit it in. My hobby is keeping my life from imploding. I jealously look at others who are doing fun things or hobbyish things and think "How'd you manage that?"
I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm running in 5k. I use the term "running" very loosely. It's still a jog- more like a speed walk with a hop. I don't know what possessed me to think this was a good idea. Getting off the couch and moving after a baby takes some effort and I thought giving myself a goal would help me get back in shape. The problem is running is NOT fun. And I have to find at least an hour to change, run, and get cleaned up on top of everything else in my life. Only a few more days and I'm done. This is my new motivator- after Saturday I will NEVER run again. Unless someone is chasing me- and I'll only run if it's life or death.
What surprised me the most in my "training" was that I did find time to practice. It was necessary and I wanted to run in the race so it had to be done. My excuses for not doing certain things because there is no time don't seem to hold water anymore. I guess we make time for what we think is important. We make time for what's necessary...I wouldn't skip grocery shopping or putting gas in my car because there's no time. I don't get to make that choice. So when this race is over I'm freeing up some time...will I let it get wasted again or will I find something productive to do? Hopefully I'll figure out what's most important...and remind myself there's time.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Here she is...
A friend of mine took some pictures of Elisabeth for me. Here is my favorite! I wish she wasn't hiding her mouth but getting a perfect shot of a baby is nearly impossible.
Henry snuck in at one point so they took a couple of pictures of him for good measure...
Charlie was no where near the camera. He hates getting his picture taken. Last year we had an awful argument the day of school pictures because he was determined his hair would be combed and I wanted it spiked. Right before pictures he flattened his hair AND he didn't smile. Grrrr. This year we got his pictures back and HOORAY! He smiled! The smile is a little crooked but his eyes are awesome...you can see that look like he's up to something which is so Charlie. 
(And, yes, my scanner is FILTHY)Thursday, October 2, 2008
Thankful Thursday
Big thanks to loavesandfishes in the comments the other day. I followed her directions step by step and have a couple of podcasts!
I've been catching up with an old friend of my husband's through facebook and her blog. She's big on Thankful Thursdays so I thought I'd join in today.
What I'm thankful for might sound a little silly but I'm really thankful for the internet! I can't tell you how much I've learned from sites like The Simple Dollar, Money Saving Mom, and MomAdvice when it comes to our finances, paying down medical bills, and saving.
I've made some friends at The Homespun Heart and With All That I've Been Given. But the best is when I've been visiting a site and they link to another one that I haven't been to. I love finding new sites. And alot of times it feels like the Lord sent me specifically to certain sites.
I've been struggling with some trust issues lately. Specifically trusting that God can meet my needs. I tend to do things myself and say "God, I'm good today...I don't need you but I'll let you know when I do..." And often times I just figure I won't bother him. I've been hashing it out with Chad almost daily (I'm sure he's getting sick and tired of the same conversation over and over). It mostly consists of him saying "Why don't you trust him?" and me saying "Because what if he wants me to fail?" and back and forth and back and forth.
Yesterday I was reading one blog which led me to another and another and finally to this post. I was shocked. The whole post was exactly what I needed to hear. Especially the part where she says she'll praise him if she can pay her bills and she'll praise him if she can't. The other day I actually listed the ways I feel like God has let me down. Listed them! I have this image of God working out his plan and me being an afterthought. I'm not an afterthought. As a mom I should know better:
Luke 11:11-13 (ESV) What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
So, I'm thankful for the internet but really I'm thankful that God is listening to me even when I'm not saying much...and he leads me where I need to go! What are YOU thankful for?
I've been catching up with an old friend of my husband's through facebook and her blog. She's big on Thankful Thursdays so I thought I'd join in today.
What I'm thankful for might sound a little silly but I'm really thankful for the internet! I can't tell you how much I've learned from sites like The Simple Dollar, Money Saving Mom, and MomAdvice when it comes to our finances, paying down medical bills, and saving.
I've made some friends at The Homespun Heart and With All That I've Been Given. But the best is when I've been visiting a site and they link to another one that I haven't been to. I love finding new sites. And alot of times it feels like the Lord sent me specifically to certain sites.
I've been struggling with some trust issues lately. Specifically trusting that God can meet my needs. I tend to do things myself and say "God, I'm good today...I don't need you but I'll let you know when I do..." And often times I just figure I won't bother him. I've been hashing it out with Chad almost daily (I'm sure he's getting sick and tired of the same conversation over and over). It mostly consists of him saying "Why don't you trust him?" and me saying "Because what if he wants me to fail?" and back and forth and back and forth.
Yesterday I was reading one blog which led me to another and another and finally to this post. I was shocked. The whole post was exactly what I needed to hear. Especially the part where she says she'll praise him if she can pay her bills and she'll praise him if she can't. The other day I actually listed the ways I feel like God has let me down. Listed them! I have this image of God working out his plan and me being an afterthought. I'm not an afterthought. As a mom I should know better:
Luke 11:11-13 (ESV) What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
So, I'm thankful for the internet but really I'm thankful that God is listening to me even when I'm not saying much...and he leads me where I need to go! What are YOU thankful for?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Confession: I hate my IPOD
We've had our IPOD for a year and a half and it has 7 songs it. I love the songs we picked but really 7 isn't very many- go ahead and hit "shuffle" and you still hear the same songs over and over. I'm pretty sure I put those on in one day and have never put any other songs on it. Because I hate it.
It's not the IPOD itself that I hate. It's one of the tiny shuffle ones and it's pretty handy with it's little clip that I can stick on my clothes. Actually getting those songs onto the IPOD gives me a headache. People are always raving about how easy and user friendly apple products are. I'm beginning to think they say that just to make people like me feel stupid.
The other night I decided I would download some podcasts. There are some radio shows that come on while I'm at work and I'd love to listen to them whenever I feel like it. I went to itunes and picked out my podcasts. They downloaded into my library and I thought "Hey, this is really easy." Then I tried to get them from my library onto the actual IPOD. I didn't just try, I read the directions, I googled more directions, and TWO HOURS later I still don't have the podcasts.
Here's my idea...there should be a button that says "Load" or something simple like that. Push the button and there you go. IS there a button like that? Am I missing something? I really, really, really want to put some stuff on there. Can anyone help me?
It's not the IPOD itself that I hate. It's one of the tiny shuffle ones and it's pretty handy with it's little clip that I can stick on my clothes. Actually getting those songs onto the IPOD gives me a headache. People are always raving about how easy and user friendly apple products are. I'm beginning to think they say that just to make people like me feel stupid.
The other night I decided I would download some podcasts. There are some radio shows that come on while I'm at work and I'd love to listen to them whenever I feel like it. I went to itunes and picked out my podcasts. They downloaded into my library and I thought "Hey, this is really easy." Then I tried to get them from my library onto the actual IPOD. I didn't just try, I read the directions, I googled more directions, and TWO HOURS later I still don't have the podcasts.
Here's my idea...there should be a button that says "Load" or something simple like that. Push the button and there you go. IS there a button like that? Am I missing something? I really, really, really want to put some stuff on there. Can anyone help me?
Friday, September 26, 2008
My 100th Post
Man! I totally missed the 100th post! This is 102...in blogland I'm supposed to type 100 things about me once I reach post number 100. I promise you there are nowhere near 100 things that are even remotely interesting about me. Let's shoot for 25 shall we? (Ugh, I've read over my list and I'm warning you it's completely random. I was hoping for some form of order. Oh, well.)
1. I had a doll named "Doll-y" and one named "Doll-y Sister". I was very imaginative child.
2. I stepped on a piece of glass when I was seven and had to get stitches in my foot without some form of numbing medicine so I screamed the entire time and made my dad pass out.
3. I love run on sentences.
4. And sarcasm (which is a shame because I use it inappropriately too often).
5. Once I saw Joey Lawrence in Target while vacationing in Florida- it was disappointing.
6. President Bush drove through our town in 2004 and he waved to me- that was awesome.
7. My favorite book is "Bridge to Terabithia" and I didn't see the movie because I knew it wouldn't be as good.
8. I have a huge phobia of holes (especially when they are somewhere they shouldn't be-like a wound or something which is an entire post in and of itself).
9. I used to have my scuba diving license but now I also have a phobia of deep water. For some reason I think I might drown.
10. I never win ANYTHING except for one summer at the library I won a "guess how many gummy fish are in the jar" contest. I won the fish- gross.
11. I've destroyed all pictures of me taken in 7th grade...except for the ones my friend Heidi has (but I will find those, too!).
12. I loved summer camp so much as a kid that I went every summer until college, then worked at one until I got married, and then lived at one for four more years. It was liking being a kid until I was in my mid 20's.
13. My mom told me I was going to marry Chad before I even met him.
14. I can watch 7th Heaven reruns over and over (which makes everyone in this house crazy).
15. The smell of lavender makes me gag.
16. I can never get enough of vanilla (or coffee).
17. I love cold weather.
18. I love everything about Michigan except for humidity and mosquitoes.
19. I used to love doing laundry but with three kids it is my nemesis.
20. My mattress is so awesome that every night I tell my bed "Oh, bed, I love you." Seriously.
21. Peas are my favorite.
22. I worked at a hardware store the first year we were married and for a short period of time I knew some things my husband didn't.
23. My children are born with awesome hair. It's a good trade for the wicked heartburn I endure while I'm pregnant.
24. I had five booklights in my nightstand but the boys have stolen/hid/broken them all.
25. I'm really good at getting the string back in a sweatshirt hood or the waistband of wind pants when a kid yanks it out (lots of practice!)
Aren't you so glad I stopped at 25? That took FOREVER.
1. I had a doll named "Doll-y" and one named "Doll-y Sister". I was very imaginative child.
2. I stepped on a piece of glass when I was seven and had to get stitches in my foot without some form of numbing medicine so I screamed the entire time and made my dad pass out.
3. I love run on sentences.
4. And sarcasm (which is a shame because I use it inappropriately too often).
5. Once I saw Joey Lawrence in Target while vacationing in Florida- it was disappointing.
6. President Bush drove through our town in 2004 and he waved to me- that was awesome.
7. My favorite book is "Bridge to Terabithia" and I didn't see the movie because I knew it wouldn't be as good.
8. I have a huge phobia of holes (especially when they are somewhere they shouldn't be-like a wound or something which is an entire post in and of itself).
9. I used to have my scuba diving license but now I also have a phobia of deep water. For some reason I think I might drown.
10. I never win ANYTHING except for one summer at the library I won a "guess how many gummy fish are in the jar" contest. I won the fish- gross.
11. I've destroyed all pictures of me taken in 7th grade...except for the ones my friend Heidi has (but I will find those, too!).
12. I loved summer camp so much as a kid that I went every summer until college, then worked at one until I got married, and then lived at one for four more years. It was liking being a kid until I was in my mid 20's.
13. My mom told me I was going to marry Chad before I even met him.
14. I can watch 7th Heaven reruns over and over (which makes everyone in this house crazy).
15. The smell of lavender makes me gag.
16. I can never get enough of vanilla (or coffee).
17. I love cold weather.
18. I love everything about Michigan except for humidity and mosquitoes.
19. I used to love doing laundry but with three kids it is my nemesis.
20. My mattress is so awesome that every night I tell my bed "Oh, bed, I love you." Seriously.
21. Peas are my favorite.
22. I worked at a hardware store the first year we were married and for a short period of time I knew some things my husband didn't.
23. My children are born with awesome hair. It's a good trade for the wicked heartburn I endure while I'm pregnant.
24. I had five booklights in my nightstand but the boys have stolen/hid/broken them all.
25. I'm really good at getting the string back in a sweatshirt hood or the waistband of wind pants when a kid yanks it out (lots of practice!)
Aren't you so glad I stopped at 25? That took FOREVER.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
I still have no pictures...
I know. Actually, I really wish I could post a video somehow of Elisabeth in her bouncy seat. Although I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who would find it interesting. She is a professional bouncer, I say. She sits really still and stares at her toys and then goes CRAZY kicking and swinging until her toys are flying all over. She gets the biggest grin on her face like "Hey! Look what I can do!" See? Soooo interesting.
I'm desperately searching for a good book to read. I had a "to read" pile on my nightstand but none of them were that great. I don't have loads of time to read so if it doesn't grab my attention pretty much on the first page (or at least the first few chapters) I don't stick with it. I'm not looking for much- something interesting, exciting, life altering, but not with lots of big words...how's that for high expectations? When Charlie was a baby until he was about two I averaged four books per week. Now I'm reading one a year. I'm truly BORED with most of the books I've started. I'm open to suggestions! Just no big words!
Speaking of books...my boys are big time bookworms. They go to bed reasonably well at night because we let them take books to bed- one for each year. Charlie gets 6 and Henry gets 2. For awhile Henry would flip out because Charlie had more books than he did. Lately he hasn't said much. As I was making his bed this morning I found around 15 books under his pillow and down towards the bottom of his blankets. Two lessons here- 1) He's clever enough to know he's got to hide his books so there are more to read and 2) I'm too lazy to make his bed and therefore his stores of books has had plenty of time to grow.
At least he reads.
I'm desperately searching for a good book to read. I had a "to read" pile on my nightstand but none of them were that great. I don't have loads of time to read so if it doesn't grab my attention pretty much on the first page (or at least the first few chapters) I don't stick with it. I'm not looking for much- something interesting, exciting, life altering, but not with lots of big words...how's that for high expectations? When Charlie was a baby until he was about two I averaged four books per week. Now I'm reading one a year. I'm truly BORED with most of the books I've started. I'm open to suggestions! Just no big words!
Speaking of books...my boys are big time bookworms. They go to bed reasonably well at night because we let them take books to bed- one for each year. Charlie gets 6 and Henry gets 2. For awhile Henry would flip out because Charlie had more books than he did. Lately he hasn't said much. As I was making his bed this morning I found around 15 books under his pillow and down towards the bottom of his blankets. Two lessons here- 1) He's clever enough to know he's got to hide his books so there are more to read and 2) I'm too lazy to make his bed and therefore his stores of books has had plenty of time to grow.
At least he reads.
Friday, September 5, 2008
I should be fired
Good thing blogging isn't my day job.
Elisabeth is now a little over 2 months old and so far we are all still alive. Henry now affectionately calls her "E-Wizzy-Biff". And it looks like he'll let us keep her. I've taken a million pictures of her but I've yet to develop any. Poor, poor, third baby.
I turned 30 shortly after her birth so now I'm officially old. I LIKE being thirty. It makes me feel like I'm finally an adult! Although my body is totally acting like it's 30 and this baby weight is hanging on for dear life. My solution? I'm training for a 5k. And by "training" I mean lightly jogging/mostly walking then collapsing on my living room floor and eating ice cream. So far so good.
Going from two kids to three has been an adjustment. Mostly I see it when one of them is missing. If just one is not home or I go somewhere and only take two I feel like "Woohoo! Vacation!" How sad is that? When Charlie is at school all day Henry and I have tons of bonding time. He is awesome. The other day he told me he loved me a whole bunch of times. But because he is a boy and a brute he tried to tackle me every time he said it. We are always looking for new ways to beat on each other, apparently.
One thing I'm doing differently this time around is I wear Elisabeth in a sling. A lot. Pretty much all the time. She loves it in there and it keeps my hands free to do other things like reach out and yank one of the big boys off the top off the tv cabinet.
Charlie is off to first grade and I'm super excited that he's so big and freaking out that he's so big. I love milestones and hate them all at the same time. The days I walk him to school it rips my heart out to watch him walk in the doors. I smile and wave and act like it's just another day when in reality it's one more day behind us which means one less day he's my little boy. Sigh.
Elisabeth is now a little over 2 months old and so far we are all still alive. Henry now affectionately calls her "E-Wizzy-Biff". And it looks like he'll let us keep her. I've taken a million pictures of her but I've yet to develop any. Poor, poor, third baby.
I turned 30 shortly after her birth so now I'm officially old. I LIKE being thirty. It makes me feel like I'm finally an adult! Although my body is totally acting like it's 30 and this baby weight is hanging on for dear life. My solution? I'm training for a 5k. And by "training" I mean lightly jogging/mostly walking then collapsing on my living room floor and eating ice cream. So far so good.
Going from two kids to three has been an adjustment. Mostly I see it when one of them is missing. If just one is not home or I go somewhere and only take two I feel like "Woohoo! Vacation!" How sad is that? When Charlie is at school all day Henry and I have tons of bonding time. He is awesome. The other day he told me he loved me a whole bunch of times. But because he is a boy and a brute he tried to tackle me every time he said it. We are always looking for new ways to beat on each other, apparently.
One thing I'm doing differently this time around is I wear Elisabeth in a sling. A lot. Pretty much all the time. She loves it in there and it keeps my hands free to do other things like reach out and yank one of the big boys off the top off the tv cabinet.
Charlie is off to first grade and I'm super excited that he's so big and freaking out that he's so big. I love milestones and hate them all at the same time. The days I walk him to school it rips my heart out to watch him walk in the doors. I smile and wave and act like it's just another day when in reality it's one more day behind us which means one less day he's my little boy. Sigh.
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