Tuesday, October 22, 2013

5 things about you --- Patrick





1)  you do not like your picture taken

2)  you enjoy playing soccer.  This year your team finally won a game!  3-0 and you scored all three goals.  I am proud that you don't give up out there when it would be easy to
3)  you are a great helper in the household.  If we ask you to help out you do without arguing.  You may complain but you do not argue

4) you like to go to Target & Cost Co with me

5)  you really are into playing video games right now.  I don't really get most of them or why  you play but you try to explain them to me



Thursday, October 17, 2013

Small Success Thursday

Here are three small successes over this past week:

1) started blogging again - I hope?
2) started Focus T25 with my husband and I am loving it
3) set up interview with potential after school sitter while hubby on 2nd shift


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Last two years.... where have I been

It has been nearly 2 years since I last posted....  we have been through a lot in that time...
  • My husband lost his job, 
  • found a new one, 
  • we moved, 
  • changed schools, and adjust to all of this.

As I write those bullets - it does not seem like a lot but it certainly took its toll on all of us.   All these are stressors and it is what you do with that stress that determines if you make it through or if you just stop in the middle of the tunnel and wait for life to run you over.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Starting a new routine

Long Long Long Time without a post (see header) - I wish I had a reason why I stopped blogging but I just became lazy!

So here goes another attempt at blogging......

Hubby and I started a new exercise regime.  Focus T25 

My brother, his wife, and many other friends have used the Beach-body products with great results and this one seems to fit into our stage of life the best of all.  It is 25 minutes a day for 4 days and 50 minutes on day 5.  With both of us driving 30 minutes to and from work, driving kids to dance, soccer, and other school or social activities there was not room to go to the gym even 2 days a week any longer.

I have missed going to the gym and realized that was something that grounded me - made me a better wife and mom.

We started last Friday and using Wednesday/Thursday as our weekend since those are the busiest two days for us.

I was very surprised that this workout was so tough.  I had been working out for 2 + years - 2 times a week and only had been away from the gym since mid-August (when we moved) so I could not e in that bad of shape - could I??????   I know I put on about 3-5 lbs in that month on top of the weight gain from the stress of the relocation.   So I was not in game day shape.... but this workout was tough!~

We are doing it together and we are keeping one another on track and I am going to use this as an accountability for my action and to keep my self from quitting (which can be very easy to do).


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Jasmine, and 2 Little League World Series players

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Small Successes - Oct 6

It's important for moms to recognize that all their small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph!


Here are mine:

1) survived our families first broken bone.  Colleen broke her arm at school on September 28.   She was playing on the monkey bars and fell off at the very end and hit her wrist.  Well she ended up breaking both her radius & ulna.  They had to do outpatient surgery to repair the bones.  They did what they call a reduction of the fracture which realigns the bones without cutting into her arm.  She had to be under anesthesia for this procedure but it went well.  You would never know she broke her wrist if she did not have a splint on it.  Kids are very resilient.

2) received the kids mid-term grades and they are all doing great academically!  The problem we are facing is behavior which is killing my middle son's religion grade. 

3) this one goes out to my hubby & father-in-law -- they installed the new bathroom fan last Friday.  It has a heating element in it - here is to a warm bathroom this winter!!!!

4) took the kids shopping on two different days to beef up their fall wardrobes.

This week I'll: 
1) work on buying new winter boots for the kids (lands end has 30% off)
2) get back to eating healthily.  I have been lazy and that means eating poorly. 
3) visit with local Girl Scout rep to see about re-starting the Brownie troop at our school.  Last years leader quit without notice



It is now your turn to share... visit Sherry at Chocolate for Your Brain to do this

Monday, September 26, 2011

This Week for Dinner

Thanks to Jane and her blog this week for dinner I have my menu for the week and get great ideas from others.

Monday - Crock Pot Chicken & rice
Tuesday - Chili & Garlic Toast
Wednesday – Flank Steak & potatoes

Thursday – Breakfast
Friday – In Laws are in town so probably out to eat
Saturday – Brats! from our local pork butcher who opens on Oct 1 for the season
Sunday – Heading to my parents to drop kids off for the weekend so dining out that night also.

What fun!!!

Yesterday I took my daughter and her friend to the New Albany Classic.  We went to see Big Time Rush!



waiting for BTR

BTR Singing


Kendall Singing

The girls had so much fun!  It is so funny to watch 7 year old girls get so excited about this boy band.  It reminds me of how my sister and our friends were about Shaun Cassidy or Andy Gibb.  I remember going to the Shaun Cassidy concert at Blossom Music Center in the Cleveland area.  We all went and where wearing Shaun Cassidy outfits in baby blue and pink - tops & pants from Sears with his picture on them.

Here are some photos of the girls and the fun time they had!






Thursday, September 22, 2011

Small Successes - September 22

It's important for moms to recognize that all their small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph!

Here are mine:

  1. Had our first Webelos meeting. I did not want to go - wanted to go home and enjoy the beautiful weather.  I went and it was a good time and the boys did great! 
  2. Celebrated several extended family members birthdays!  This requires a 4 hour round trip and a couple of hour visit.  It is so worth it but very exhausting.
  3. Boys & Hubby got their hair cut.  I have scheduled a cut & color for myself.  Now we need to get the girls hair trimmed
It is now your turn to share... visit Sherry at Chocolate for Your Brain to do this

Sunday, September 18, 2011

This Week for Dinner - 9/19

This Week for Dinner here is my menu for the week:

Monday - Flat Steak with Mashed potatoes
Tuesday - Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoe fries
Wednesday - Hot Dogs & Chips (one of my most memorable meals as a kid)
Thursday - Turkey Meatloaf and not sure the side
Friday - dining out
Saturday -  ???????  thinking ribs but not sure
Sunday - Breakfast - french toast

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Changes

We are going through some changes here....

First.. I started a new job on the 8th of September.  It was a very stressful transition but it is going good so far. 

Second... school is going well for all but one of the kids.  The one in question just does not get it.  He does not understand how his actions lead to the consequences he is getting at home or school.  So we are having to adjust how we react to this behavior.  Do we 'pile-on' to the punishment or do we just talk about it and let the punishment at school suffice?

Third... my husband has switched to 3rd shift which throws the dynamic off at home.  He is sleeping we when get home from school/work.  So far we have been doing well with not waking him but some days it is difficult. 

I do not do well with change... I like the status quo... I like my things just a certain way.... I have also passed this on to my children... I know that change is good as long as it is not change for change sake.   

Monday, September 12, 2011

This Week for Dinner - Sept 12

Found this website not sure how ... but I love it. Each week you post your menu for the week and you can get ideas from others.

Thank you Jane....

This Week for Dinner here is my menu for the week:

Monday – Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings. Something new for us so hopefully picky kids will eat it

Tuesday – Taco night
Wednesday – Tilapia on the grill and rice
Thursday – Breakfast; eggs, sausage, toast maybe pancakes depends on my mood
Friday – out to eat for my FIL birthday
Saturday – Ribs and Ice Cream floats
Sunday - Pasta dinner; perhaps homemade cavatelli found a recipe in Better Home & Gardens

Friday, September 2, 2011

7 Quick Takes - Why August lasted way to long!





1. The month started with our trip to Canada. We took a cruise - our first one. We were all very excited about the trip. We drove from Ohio to NY via Hershey PA. We discovered that none of the kids like amusement park rides - there was a huge hunk of cash out the window. We arrived at the dock and found out we had to lug all of our luggage from the car to the ship - about 1/4 mile. We had a ton of luggage because we were not flying we did not limit the number of bags - we could have used larger suitcases but decided that it would be easier to pack smaller bags - WRONG. On the way to the ship - Patrick was rolling the garment bag and hit a curb. He and the bag tumbled (he was OK) but a lovely man stepped over him and thanked him - ODD. The time on the ship was a mixed bag. We enjoyed many thing but what we didn't enjoy is all I seem to recall. We couldn't dock in Halifax because of fog. The pool was ocean water and in the North Atlantic that is COLD. Our excursion in St. John's NB was a HUGE waste of money. It was just too short!

We spent the day in NYC after the cruise was over it was a whole lot of fun. On the way home we visited Williamsport PA (home of the Little League World Series) and the kids loved it!

2. Get back home from the cruise and get settled in to life. Find out that first day back at work that I was going to be let go for economic reasons - not a good way back into things. As the month rolled on I did find a job - or a job found me at where I currently work. So I am OK there but it was a long 3 weeks before that happened.

3. Cub Scout Camp - all I have to say is I am not a camper. The camping part was FUN! But since I am the Cub Master I had to do a lot of the planning. I do have to send thanks out to my Webelo leader who did a ton of groundwork while I was on the cruise. The bad part was our Regional Director decided that he should call and inform me the day before we were leaving on the camp trip that the camp we were going to (and have gone to for 5 years) was no longer Boy Scout sanctioned and that if we went and anything happened to any of the boys I could be liable. Well needless to say this scared the living daylights out of me. On top of finding out I lost my job this was the cherry on top of the sundae. I called the Boy Scout Leader (who we were camping with) and she told me that I would not be held liable and he was trying to intimidate me since I was new. Well it worked! We did end up going camping and it was fun for all and no one got hurt.

4. Start of school! I was so excited for the start of school a whole new year and everything. Clean Slate! Well not so clean. When you are known for trouble – trouble finds you! That is all I have to say on that one otherwise it will make me angry all over again.
5. Friends – or lack thereof – the other day I realized that someone I thought of as a friend was really just an acquaintance. How I figured this out is how she reacted to me in a group situation. One-on-one we are good. In groups she acts as if she doesn’t care for me. I cannot control her but I can control how I handle the situation going forward.
6. Friends part 2 --- another person I thought was a friend has disappointed me. When she needed me she was friendly when she did we have not talked/texted/visited in over a month and I have tried.
7. Good note: I am just glad August is over. I am going to start September on a fresh note! I am going to look into my faith and really try to pray about where my family, I and my life should be headed. Please add me to your prayers.

Thank you



Thursday, September 1, 2011

Thank goodness August is Over Small Successes- September 1

It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph.....

Here are mine:

  1. I am so glad it is September - August just plain stunk for me (more on this later now that I can talk about it)
  2. School started and we have gotten to school on time without a hitch - wish homework was the same.  Same struggles with same children just a new year.
  3. Updated my blog for the first time in 5 weeks!  can't believe it has been this long since I have been on the blog.  I really haven't been reading many blogs either during this time.  I real have missed it.  I need to start new!  As I read in Anne of Green Gables - everyday is fresh with no mistakes
  4. Signed kids up for soccer and Miss C up for ballet and tap!
  5. Today is my dear husbands 44th birthday!  Happy Birthday Sweetie.....


Tony at The Rocks Provincial Park in New Brunswick, CA
 What are your successes.... please visit Sherry @ Chocolate for the Brain to let us know!!!!