Not Too Much 8-23-07

Not Too Much

Not too much of interest is going on. I am just trying to keep my head above water. I had tons of laundry to do from the trip, a house that is a disaster and is still in the process of being cleaned, groceries to get, dentist appointments for me and Landon on Tuesday, babysat my neighbor's little guy yesterday, and oh yes...grad school in every spare second, which is few and far between 

The text book I am reading for my class is written by a guy with a doctorate and I can tell from his writing that he is proud of it. I hate when people use huge words when they could use normal ones that would make a sentence much more fun to read. I can think deeply and I appreciate big words, but seriously...this guy is a bit out of hand. Every single spot that he can put in a gargantuan word...he does. The book is utterly boring...good thing it has to be finished in a week before I start another (which looks much more interesting).

Went to the beach last night with the kids. We took a walk down the shoreline. It was nice and Landon ran ahead and loved his independence. I carried Noah in the sling...that kid is a chunk let me tell ya. I was tired by the end. Right when we got back to the beach, a storm started rolling in. It was neat to watch as it came over the water, but a tad scary too (I am PETRIFIED of tornado's and think that every storm has one just waiting to drop on the very spot I am standing).

We are having a garage sale on the 6th and 7th of September. My neighbor watched my boys for a little while this morning so I went downstairs and sorted through toys. Man we have a lot of little junk...little pieces that are parts to bigger things. I hate stuff like that. Noah will eventually put it in his mouth so I got rid of a lot of it. We don't buy Landon toys very often, but somehow he has accumulated enough for a whole neighborhood. I think it is my mom's fault. 

I thought Florida would mess up Noah's amazing ability to sleep through the night. I was right...it did...for all of one night. The first night back I let him cry it out about three different times. Ever since then he has gone from 9 to 7 without eating and then right back to sleep until 10. I know you all want to kill me right now...I know how lucky I am. Landon didn't do this until he was like 2. He was a horrible night sleeper...so this is an absolute dream.

My dad underwent surgery on Wednesday. Actually...both of my dad's did. My real dad had shoulder surgery (and is doing as well as can be expected) and my daddy had surgery of another kind. I can't really go into detail as not too many people know about it yet, but suffice to say he is doing pretty well too. We are hoping that this surgery rids his body of all problems. It is supposedly very effective and we are definitely counting on that. Ernie is my daddy...I don't even want to think of my life without him in it.

I know I can do this whole grad thing, but I wish it were already done. I am half way there and after only 8 more classes I will be done with the academic portion (having only an internship and practicum to go). I have to finish this before we have anymore children and I would really love to have the degree and be able to work part time and make some money rather than spend it. At the same time, I feel badly becuase I don't want to crowd this special time with my boys. I know I can never have it back so I am desperately trying to cherish every moment. I think I can balance it all and keep my stress level in check. If I can't we will have to reevaluate becuase I don't want to look back and have regrets. But I sure hope that I can do it all...

Well, both kids are sleeping for the time being and I need to get my grad school tackled. Have a most wonderful day, and weekend if I don't post again till after it is over 

Florida Pictures

Florida Pictures

Here is a picture post to accompany the story in my previous post 

This is hot rod Papa teaching Landon the ropes on motorcycle riding  Actually it was a model in the airport with a picture behind it...and Papa was dreaming 

My new niece. Isn't she beautiful!!!!!! I would give stats and all of that but I don't want to steal the thunder from her mommy. I am definitely a proud Aunt though...my first niece on my side of the family! Yeah!!!!

Landon at Disney World. This was the only way to stay cool...it had to be the hottest day ever to be recorded in human history!!!

Leaving Disney World at the end of a long, marvelous day that I am quite sure Landon will never forget....ever!!!

This was a game that we often played. One of us (this time it was Papa) would get "stuck" like a beached whale and Landon would pull us back into the deep water. He felt strong like a daddy (as he put it!).

 Noah at the pool. This was his usual self...just went along with the flow. Whatever we did or wherever we went...he just came along and enjoyed his little self. He was so flexible and so well...perfect really.

This was our final night when we went to Downtown Disney. Noah loves this sling...and I have to say that I love it too. It is so much fun to wear!!! He looks a little funny in this picture...but I had to show the sling!!! 

 The three sisters. We were all pregnant together...for like a week. Now there is just Jen! It was so great to be together. Noah and Katelyn are here safely...now we just need baby boy E in a few months!!!

Boys will be boys. Landon chased lizards (and clearly caught a few). No...he is not eating it...he is kissing it. 

To Florida and Back 8-19-07

To Florida and Back

Wow...where to begin??? Bullets it is ~

• The flight was awesome. Landon loved every single second of it and was intrigued by EVERYTHING. I highly recommend taking parents with you when travelling with small children. Mine were absolutely priceless. Landon did great on the flight and so did Noah. Noah slept, ate, and flirted the entire time.
• The pool at the resort was amazing. There were actually three pools. We spent many mornings lazying around the pool. Landon grew so much more comfortable in the water by the end of the week...in fact he was jumping in by the end. The pool we spent the most time at had a gradual incline for kids, so it was perfect.
• The resort itself...wow. B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. The only reason we got to stay there was becuase my mom's tupperware convention was held there and we got a huge discount on the rooms. Speaking of Tupperware, my mom was #14 in the nation for personal sales. She is pretty amazing.
• I have a new niece. Katelyn Christina was born on Sunday around 6:20 pm. We had just gotten to Kelly's house and had lunch and she thought she might be having contractions so she had me feel her stomach. As I was pressing on it to see if it was hard (indicating a contraction), her eyes got huge and I let go quickly. Her water had broken!!! I will take the credit for getting things going  Just a few hours later she had this beautiful baby girl. She was a trooper and handled labor beautifully. She is now the proud mommy of the most gorgeous little girl. I am so happy for them and so very glad that we could be there to witness the miracle!!!
• We took the kids to Disney on Tuesday. We debated becuase it is so expensive and all, but decided to spring for it. There is something magical about that place. There really is. I know...there is controversy surrounding Disney and all that they do and don't support these days, but all of that aside. ..when you walk through the gates and here the music from your childhood and see Mickey waving at you...you get a magical feeling  Landon loved it. I thought he would be afraid of roller coasters, but I was way wrong. He begged me to go on a goofy coaster with him and I didn't want to bc I just knew that once we got on the ride he would totally freak out. I was SO wrong. He laughed and screamed (pleasurably) the entire time and begged to go again when it was over. Noah even went on a ride. We took him on Pirates of the Carribean. He did great...hung onto my arm on the little dip. We had a beautiful day. One of the highlights was the electric parade. Jonathan held Landon on his shoulders for the whole thing...it was absolutely amazing (that Jon could hold Landon taht long and the parade  ). Noah was a trooper. The kid could not be any easier. I nursed in obscure places and he slept and played the rest of the time. It was UNBEARABLY hot...but we all survived. It will definitely be a cherished memory!
• We took Landon to Downtown Disney the last night there. It is totally free (even parking!) and they had a sprinkler park. Landon played in it for hours. It is amazing how much joy it can bring to parents to watch their children have so much fun.
• We bought breakfast stuff and lunch stuff to help out with cost so we could eat in the hotel room. It worked out beautifully and all of the food was just about gone by the time we had to leave.
• Noah pooped on the plane last night. I mean...pooped! Thankfully, the row behind me was completely empty so I could change him, his diaper, his clothes...etc. Isn't it great when things like that work out so beautifully!
• Now we are home...doing laundry, cleaning, and trying to get life back into normalcy.Grad school starts tomorrow. I got my syllabus. I am completely overwhelmed. But I feel this time every time I start a new class...only difference this time is that I have two kids instead of one  So life gets way busier starting tomorrow. Also tomorrow Brenn moves back into college (about 8 minutes down the road). It seems like she just got out and I was just going into the hospital to have Noah. Now it has almost been 4 months. Crazy.
• That is all of the time that I have left. Off to finish arranging my house and life before grad school completely consumes me . I missed you all while I was away. Hopefully at some point I can catch up on your back posts!

Plowed Through the Five Year Banner

Plowed Through the Five Year Banner

They say the first five years of marriage are the most difficult. If that is true, these next years should be a breeze. We have gone through quite a few experiences together these past five years that tested our faith and resolve. We had an unexpected pregnancy 6 months into our marriage, four moves, three months of no employment, three job changes, death of two grandparents, grad school, oh yes...and two kids and a mortgage  Experiences that helped to shape us into who we are today and that moved us to where we are right now. Five years ago I pledged:

Jonathan ~ ever since I was a child I have looked forward to this moment, this moment in which I commit myself to love and to cherish, to respect, and to honor another. Knowing the seriousness of this commitment, and making it lifelong despite what may come, I want to tell you that you, Jonathan Mark, are the only man that I want to commit the rest of my life to, and I do so with confidence and excitement.

Jonathan ~ your love for God and desire for a deep relationship with Him inspires me. Your honesty and integrity challenge me and your belief in me and love for me, is the greatest encouragement of my life. It is your heart, however, that inspires the most awe from me, your passion for life, your dreams, your desire for God and the unending depth of your love make me the most honored woman, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

Jonathan, I Kristen promise with everything in me and for the rest of my life to love you. Knowing that love is a choice, I promise to make that choice daily. I promise to be faithful to you, emotionally, physically and in every way so as to bring you honor.

I promise to respect and trust the wisdom that God has granted you, so that you may always know that I believe in you. By the grace that God supplies, I promise to be a woman of the Word, and a woman of prayer, seeking to be a Godly wife and the best woman I can be for you and our God. I wills strive to put you before myself and to communicate effectively with you. With God's help and the abilities that He has granted me, I promise to make our home a peaceful place that you will enjoy coming home to, a place of love, acceptance and laughter.

Jonathan Mark, thank you for making me your wife today. You are my best friend and everything I have ever dreamed. I willingly commit to loving you for as long as God grants me life.

I still remember writing those vows. I was lying on my bed at my parent's house with the window open and the familiar sounds of home all around me. I had no real idea of what marriage would bring, but I knew it was forever and I knew the depth of the words I would write. I still remember saying them. I recall each spot that tears threatened to overtake my speech. I remember which sentences struck the deepest chords within my soul. I remember committing to each and every word with every single bit of resolve within me. I have not been perfect. But I try...and ultimately, each and every day is a new day to wake up and choose to love my husband. There are a million ways of loving someone...and I hope to get better and better at it as time goes by. I can't wait to run through the ten year banner...the twenty...the thirty...together. Always together.

Jonathan committed these vows to me five years ago:

Kristen ~ the night I met you I discovered the other half of my heart inside of you. And over time, that discovery grew into a deep love for you. Kristen, I am in love with you and I like you with everything inside of me. I have fallen in love with your heart. Your passion for God continually inspires me and I am amazed at your endless love and care for people. And every time you express and show your love for children, I am emotionally moved at the thought of you being the mother of our future children.

Your tender heart and your gentle words have captured my love. With just one laugh you brighten my whole day, and your smile takes away all the cares of the world. Your beauty is breathtaking and my words cannot capture its essence. I am humbled by your love for me, Kristen. You are a precious gift given by God and I want to love you for the rest of my life.

Our love has grown to this day, and today we will be joined in marriage. In this celebration of our love, I promise to always love you and to be a faithful and true man. I promise to lead you spiritually and to build our home on the truth of God. I promise to always provide everything you need. I will always strive to serve you wholeheartedly, putting your needs before my own and preferring you above myself. I promise to act with patience and kindness, and speak to you with gentle words. But above all, I promise with all of my heart, soul and mind and strength to never leave you, and to love you for the rest of my life. And I seal these promises with the commitment to never lose the spirit with which I have made them. I love you.

I can still remember him saying those words to me on the alter that day. I can hear each spot where emotion threatened to overtake him. I can feel each word and the depth of impact it made on me in those moments. He is not perfect either. But he tries. He too believes in the possibilities of each new day to wake up and choose to love and serve me, and his boys.

Marriage is not easy. All of you know that...or have heard that if you are not married...good grief, dating is not easy so you know marriage isn't. But it is beautiful, and enduring. It is a place of forgiveness and grace of peace and hope. It is up and it is down, but ultimately no matter where we are at or what we are going through, we are doing it together. And that is the beauty of marriage.

So five years later here we are...taking our two boys to Florida. Talk to ya all in a week...

Now You Know

Now You Know

...why this little gremlin has stolen every last inch of my heart. 

 

So Much So Fast

So Much So Fast!

I feel like SO much has happened since Thursday that it feels as though I have not posted in a week. Thanks for all of your suggestions for finding a suit and/or capri's! I decided to be very brave on Thursday and took both kids with me to Kohls. When you have to try things on...taking two kids with you is asking for trouble. I loaded up the stroller with everything I could find in two different sizes (there would be no going back for more...not with the kids) and QUICKLY tried it all on. The boys were a dream. I probably tried on 20 different articles of clothing (as fast as I could mind you!) and other than Landon looking under the dressing room wall, everything went off without a hitch h! I walked out of Kohl's with one new pair of capri's (which I have on now and love) and one, very cheap new bathing suit. I wore it yesterday at my grandma's pool and aside from being a tad big, I really like it a lot! I was SO proud of myself...and even more proud of the kids.

Friday morning I dropped Landon off at my neighbor's house and went in search of a replacement wedding band for Jonathan. He lost his almost a year and a half ago and I figured what better time to surprise him and replace it then our five year anniversary?!?! I knew we would never be like, "Lets go spend a bunch of money on a new ring." So I decided to surprise him. I went to about eight different jewelers...they were all bartering over my business. The rings all started blurring together. I got a horrible headache. It was stress city...and the price of gold has gone up considerably since we got married. I was second guessing everything, but finally settled on one and barely made it home in time to get Landon and be settled at home before Jon got home and knew something was up.

Friday night we went to the beach. It was the most perfect, beautiful beach night ever to be made. Landon and Jonathan made a huge volcano and went swimming. I sat with Noah and put my feet in the water. Then we took a walk down the pier and watched the sunset. Jonathan wanted to be brave for Landon so he pier jumped twice...Landon thought his dad was the bravest man to ever live. Precious.

Saturday we took the kids to my moms and went out to celebrate our anniversary (which is actually Thursday and I will blog about that later). She kept both boys, so we got to enjoy this very fancy smancy dinner at this beautiful little restaurant. We sat on the outdoor porch and talked about the old days...the present days...the days to come. It was beautiful. Then I surprised him with his ring. He was totally taken off guard and LOVED it. I will try to take a picture of his hand with the ring on it so I can post it. He is thrilled to look married again...and the ring was a huge hit. Yeah!

Sunday we went to my home church. Always love that. Then had a leisurely dinner outside with my parents and then made our way to my grandma's for swimming and peach cobbler. My grandma makes the all time greatest fruit desserts you could ever dream of. Loved every single bite I took!

As you can see, it was a VERY busy weekend. Landon got very little sleep, but was quite well behaved. Usually when he is so sleep deprived his behavior is terrible, but this time he did well. But last night he had a night terror. They are brought on my lack of sleep or disruption of normal sleep routine...both of which had happened. He started these things at 5 months of age and they have gradually gotten less and less. Anyway, at midnight last night he woke up screaming and batting at things that were not there. It is terrifying and there is not anything a parent can do when your kids have these things. They cannot be woken up...their brain is stuck between awake and asleep. This one took ten full minutes of him screaming and kicking. I just sat there and told him it was ok and I was there. Finally, I thought I could make out the word "Mama" amidst his crying and I figured that meant it was almost over. I was right, because soon thereafter he was saying, "Mama, help me! Help me, Mama!" I felt so badly for him. He quickly calmed down after it was over and I laid by him until he was back into a normal sleep and didn't hear from him again until 10 am this morning. Poor kid.

Today I had a doctor appointment this morning for my nose. He said it looks good, but there is still a tiny bit of infection so I have to use this antibiotic cream for two to three months more. Yeah. But if it keeps me from experiencing that again...I will do it. After the doctor I took the boys to the grocery store, got groceries, came home and made lunch, cleaned the bathrooms, and am now making two desserts because we are hosting our small group tonight. I am tired just typing that. Good grief.

This week is insane and we leave Saturday for Florida. Still no niece...but hopefully VERY VERY soon. If you think of it please pray for Kelly. She would love to have this baby before we all get down there and invade her home.It would be wonderful if she could have her in the next few days and at least be home from the hospital by the time we get down there. Not to mention the normal uncomfortableness of the end of pregnancy...she is 39 weeks and a few days. Thanks friends.

Well...that is about it. I have floors to vacuum and a german chocolate cheesecake brownie bar to make. Talk to you all soon!

August Already? 8-2-07

August Already?

Apparently my baby is no longer an infant. This may be common knowledge to the rest of the world, but I still feel like it is June and I have a tiny little infant. No longer can I take him out and have people ask me in that cutsey little voice, "How old is he?" "He is sooo tiny!" Somewhere along the way that ended and now I have a chubby, talkative little three month old. Yes, I know three months is not old, but still...he seems huge to me. Talking about huge...in about a week we are going to see my new niece (who is due ANY time). Noah is going to look gargantuan next to her. It is amazing how fast they grow!!!

It has been in the 90's for days, and our wonderful slip-n-slide took a puke. Landon loved that thing....while it lasted. It got a hole in the seam the day before this weather hit. Poor kid...he sure did love it. Oh well...it was really cheap, so I should have probably guessed that it wouldn't last forever (but would one summer be too much to ask???). We went on my dad's boat the other day, and while it was HOT as all get out, we had a great time. Landon got to drive the boat (and yes the life jacket in the picture is pink...it is my little sister's that my dad so graciously allowed Landon to use) to a beach area where we all got out and swam around. It felt so good. My dad and I got lawn chairs out of the boat and put them in the water and sat while the kids swam. Thankfully Noah was safe and cool at home with my step-mom. It was way too hot out there for him.

I have no clothes. I went to the outlets last night looking for a pair of capri pants or a new shirt to wear in Florida...I left with two shirts for Noah for only $2.99. Nothing for me. I have no bathing suit either..only a maternity one I borrowed from my friend. I am starting to feel desperate. I knew my wardrobe was lacking, but it didn't matter until now when I have to actually go into public and look decent. I have my old suit, but the top is a little small considering that I am nursing 6 to 8 times a day. Any idea where I could get a suit for cheap at this time of year???

I don't want the summer to end. It is going uncontrollably fast. We leave in a week for Florida and when I get back I start grad school, and then I am having a massive garage sale, Landon starts preschool, and suddenly...it is fall. I love fall, but it goes way too fast and I hate winter, so I spend a good deal of the fall worrying about the coming winter. I suppose we need to move south. This is insane 

 Yesterday I took Landon to the library and the farmers market where we bought fresh blueberries and peaches. I suprised Jonathan and made a final blueberry pie. We also resumed watching my neighbor's little boy yesterday...so I had three kids. It was a cinch. Aiden, who was quite a fussy baby, is now an extremely easy, happy eight month old. He loved Landon and Landon loved him. If anyone was the problem it was Noah, but after he spit up three times all over me and completely filled his diaper to overflowing, he was as happy as could be.

Finally, Noah laughed this morning. I tickled him, so I am still waiting for the spontaneous laugh, but I have to say that it was one of the sweetest sounds ever. His little eyes lit up and his smile poured over his entire face, and out came this adorable little laugh. P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S.