My Life and Kids

I have a cousin who's really into music right now - he's the lead singer in a band that's headlining a lot of local places and gathering a devoted following. While visiting family this past week, we went to our local mall and I just happened to see him there. We chatted for only a few seconds before his phone started going crazy. He'd finish one call and it would start ringing again - meanwhile, text and Facebook notifications were chiming away. He had a show that evening and lots of people wanted to talk to him. One band was possibly going to back out and they were concerned. Others were just checking in, making sure of the time he was playing, etc. He apologized profusely and said, "Yeah, this is my life now." At that moment my son and daughter came flying by, chasing each other and giggling maniacally. I replied, "There goes mine!"

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Friday Photo Flashback: Cousins

Today I'm participating in Friday Photo Flashback - you can click on the button at the bottom of the post to see more flashbacks from other bloggers! Today's photo is from circa...I'm not sure what year! I'm guessing I was between 11 - 13, so it was probably around 1998. I'm in the light blue shirt and my cousin is in the dark blue shirt. This was taken at our local skating rink's photo booth. And to think, we're both grown up and married now with two babies each! :)

Father's Day

I have a big post to write about our weekend but today is more important. Today is Father's Day. It's a day pretty much just like Mother's Day, except we celebrate the fathers in our lives - be it our fathers, husbands, step-fathers, uncles, grandfathers or just someone who was like a father to us. I know several people in my life who haven't had a good father and it saddens me. I was and am very fortunate to have a loving father. He's always encouraged me in every aspect of my life, even when he may not have understood why or even agreed with me. He taught me a lot of different life skills and fueled my love of sci-fi, reading and writing. Dad, if you read this - I love you and appreciate you very much.

The first picture is my Dad singing to little Ellie and the second is my Dad and Zeke playing.

I'm also very fortunate to have a wonderful husband and father of my children. He and I have learned a lot together about parenting and marriage. It hasn't always been easy but he's never faltered or said "I give up." He's always encouraged my staying home with the kids and has readily embraced my desire to homeschool them. Hubby, you are a great father and I look forward to many more years together.

The first picture is Zeke and Daddy, the second Ellie and Daddy.
(Both are pictures of the kids when they were tired of taking pictures! LOL)

Wordless Wednesday: Windy Family Pictures

These are from Easter - it was sooooo windy that day,  hence the funny faces and blown away hair! :)

Why I Love Laundry

I love folding clothes. I may not like a lot of other chores but folding clothes is therapeutic for me. I get a sense of accomplishment from it and it's something that can be done while I'm watching the kids or talking to them. It’s also a task where you can actually see your progress as you go along and when it's done, it's done! Other than putting the clothes away, of course.
Another reason I like folding laundry is because while I'm folding, I see our life unfold in each and every article of clothing. When my husband and I were first married, it was just my clothes and his. Well, and towels and sheets. Occasionally blankets. But you know what I mean. The clothes I have folded over the years for myself have shrunk and grown to accommodate my pregnant body and the {very} occasional weight loss. My husband's clothes have varied from his different job and family responsibilities – work shirts, pajamas, old clothes for working in the yard or other projects, church clothes. Some of our clothes have memories in them too - the shirt my husband wore the night we met, an old sweatshirt I got at a concert a long time ago, a favorite maternity shirt.
And then there's my kids. Their clothes (and the babies themselves) start out teeny tiny. And don't we just "ooh" and "aah" over all the witty bitty socks and the tiny little onesies? But for something so teeny tiny, they go through a LOT of clothes. All that puking, pooping, peeing and spitting up means changing them several times a day. But before you know it, they've grown out of the newborn, the 0 - 3 months, the 6 - 9 months and so on and so forth. Their clothes get bigger and bigger - and you go through the various stages, phases and trends. My son's clothes have been adorned with Pooh Bear, Thomas the Train, Spiderman and Star Wars, just to name a few. And before I know it, he'll be taller than me and probably arguing with me about pulling up his pants. ;)

I know time is only going to go faster...but it stops for a moment when I get to fold laundry.

Ask Mrs. Addison

I've seen some other bloggers do this recently so I thought I would try it too!
I'm opening up a post for you to feel free to ask me any questions about me, my family, beliefs, favorites, hobbies, anything! They can be really thought out questions or just off the top of your head. If you have any questions for the hubby or kids, feel free to ask those too. Just be forewarned that any questions to Ellie will be limited in their responses and will probably not make much sense - i.e. Mama, Dada, Bruhbruh, etc. :) You should also be forewarned that I won't answer questions that I don't think are appropriate - otherwise, have at it! Hopefully this will help you to learn some more about me & the family and I'll learn more about my readers & the things they're interested in. I'll wait until there's a good amount of questions and then post our responses in a new post.

Not Entirely Wordless Wednesday: Eulogy

I know today is traditionally Wordless Wednesday but I just wanted to pause today and remember a very big part of my childhood that ended today. My cat Princess had to be put to sleep today. About a month before my sixth birthday, my Dad was leaving work when he saw a tiny kitten in the middle of the road. He saved her from being hit by a semi and brought her home in his jacket. I remember him coming in and saying, "Sara (that's my mom's name) don't get mad!" I went gaga over the little bitty baby kitty who was very cautiously exploring our kitchen and of course we got to keep her. I don't know if Princess was a totally appropriate name for her (as you'll see when you read on) but hey, I was a little girl.
She was never really a typical cat. She'd been abandoned (or lost, we're not sure) before she was weaned so she was always a little shorter and smaller than most normal sized house cats. And she was never really a loving, cuddly cat like some I have seen. I don't know if it's because she had abandonment issues with her mom or just because she had a wild streak, but she would be fine with you petting her one moment and the next she'd rip your hand open. She hated most men, especially my friend Brady - when he walked into our house she'd immediately start hissing and all the fur on her back would stand up. The only men she ever really tolerated were my great-grandpa, my dad and my husband.

In addition to her bipolar disorder and men-hating tendencies, she was also quite fun. She liked to run up and down the piano in the middle of the night and scare everyone to death. She slept in the oddest places and liked to warm her paws on any heat source she could find. She was a good mouser. She could frighten off any dog, regardless of size, that threatened any of our family or came into our yard. I always thought if she could speak she would sound a crazy old chain-smoking lady.
She had a soft side too. When she was in the mood, she adored being petted. If you stopped, she would nudge your hand or stare you down until you started to pet her again. She liked to snuggle up in the crook of my arm when I was going to bed. When I moved out of my parent's house when I got married, Princess was very offended and it took her awhile to forgive me. But the last time I spent the night at my parent's house, I laid down to go to sleep and not five minutes later, I felt something fuzzy climbing across me and burying itself into the crook of my arm.

Perhaps this seems silly, a eulogy for a cat, but she was a part of my family for seventeen years - I guess this is my way to honor her. I was glad to hear that at the vet's office today, even in her final moments, she took some time to attack the vet. She was good 'ol Princess right up to the end. Good luck to the angel in Cat Heaven that has to handle her! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Three Generations

My daughter, me and my mother on Thanksgiving

Thankfulness

This year I am thankful for:

- The wonderful birth of my beautiful baby girl who has added more joy & happiness to our household.
- My son's acceptance and immediate & constant love for previously mentioned baby girl! :)
- The good friends I have made in the past year through the Mom's group I joined.
- The ability & privilege to stay at home and care for my kids.
- My hardworking husband who provides for us.
- My son's bravery and independence at preschool and at church, doing more things by himself.
- Another year with my big, crazy extended family.
- A roof over our head, food on our table and clothing on our backs.
- All the freedom I and my family have and the troops here and abroad that protect that freedom.

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Holidays Are Here!

We put up our Christmas tree this weekend! I had several people tell me that was crazy. We usually put it up the day after Thanksgiving anyway, so it's only a few days earlier. I don't see the big deal. I am a big holiday person and I am definitely not skipping over Thanksgiving! It's one of my favorites. We have turkeys all over our house thanks to all the crafts Zeke has done at school this month. My Mom's group is meeting for a Thanksgiving carry-in and with all of Zeke's Thanksgiving stuff at school, it's kind of like we're having week long festivities! Our typical Thanksgiving Day activities are as follows:
I'll be getting up with the baby early Thursday morning and watch the parade with her and Zeke, whenever he rolls out of bed. I've watched the parade every year as far back as I can remember. Zeke loves to see the marching bands and of course, the balloons! While we're watching, I'll also be making my desserts! Then we'll head down to my Aunt's and the whole family will meet for lunch. This year I'm also going to try & get everyone at my Aunt's to say a little something that they are thankful for. I'd like to start that as a tradition. Then of course the next day, we will be doing our Black Friday shopping! The hubby & I always have someone watch the kids on that day so we can go out shopping and laugh at the crowds of idiots - and maybe find a few deals! ;) What are your traditions for Thanksgiving, if you have any?

(Zeke with his turkey hat!)

I Hate You, Cancer.

photo credit

I apologize for not writing sooner. For one, I often think of blog ideas, don't write them down and then forget them. I'm a Mom, and a forgetful one at that...if I don't write it down right away or *really* commit it to my memory, I'm not going to remember. (I've been trying to be better about that though and have been carrying a notebook around with me to jot down things as they come to me.)
Also, we've also had some family things going on. My Grandpa (my Dad's Dad) found out this week he has cancer and the prognosis is not good. I've been busy sifting through my emotions on it and thinking about things from the past. I seem to have become much more emotional than I ever was after having babies, which is at times very infuriating.
My Grandma (not his wife; my other Grandma) died in 2004 from cancer and it was one of the most difficult things I can remember. I can't even imagine how hard it was for her daughters - my mother and her sisters - to see this outspoken, talkative lady who made blankets for everyone's babies and cheated at cards, reduced to a hollow shell of her former self.
My family has had it's share of struggles - my Grandpa (her husband) was killed when I was in first grade by a drunk driver. I was definitely Grandpa's girl and it hit me hard. My Dad has told me about when the police called after the accident. They needed to talk to someone and he stepped up & took the phone. He then had to tell my Grandma that her beloved husband, the father of her children, the grandfather of many, would never be coming back to us. I was outside with the other kids but my Grandma's shrill scream of terror and the deep wrenching sobs that followed is something I have never been able to erase from my memory. It haunted my dreams for weeks afterwards and even today, occasionally pops up as a nightmare.
My Grandpa's death was something (as wrong as this may sound) that was easier for me to deal with, in a way. He was there and then he was gone. I and my whole family were just forced to accept that we would never see him again. It was difficult but it was final - it wasn't a sickness that was drug out or a long battle with a disease. I don't know if that makes it easier to cope or not - for me at that time, it did.
Cancer is most often times different - it eats away at the person, making them weaker, tearing them down bit by bit until they take their very last breath. And that is very difficult for anyone to watch. During the last weeks of my Grandma's life she came in and out of her drug-filled haze, talking in riddles and just struggling to breathe. We gathered around, holding her hands, talking to her and letting her know we were there. Finally, on Christmas Eve a nurse told us, "She's ready to go. She just doesn't want to leave with you all here." So with a heavy heart, the family all came home and tried to get some sleep. We (or at least I) fully expected to go back to the hospice the next day. But the nurse was right - my Grandmother died Christmas day. I know that her daughters have told me before that they feel awful for doing that and that they feel like she died sad and alone but I feel that it was what was best & that it was what she needed/wanted. I hold onto the idea that Grandma knew we were all going home and that it would be Christmas the next day - a time when the family would be celebrating. We would all be getting together for lunch, the kids would be enjoying presents and playing, etc. and she finally could rest, knowing that we all would take care of each other. And we have. My family has close-knit bonds unlike a lot of others I have seen. Yes, we may be at each others throats occasionally or we may break down & cry about something - but I know that if I needed anything (ANYTHING!) I could go to my family & they would help me. I like to think that Grandma is at peace now and that she watches over us all. Perhaps that's childish or silly but it helps me to feel better.
Another thing that has helped me is that invariably at ANY of our family functions, someone relates a funny story about Grandma. It always makes everyone laugh and I think - Look at the legacy this woman has left! Even with her gone for almost five years, we're still talking about years and years ago when she didn't bake the pumpkin pie and served it to Grandpa! That says a lot about a person. I think it's good to keep someone's memory alive. I'm not saying you have to talk about them every waking moment, but pausing to remember them every once in awhile or to relate a funny story is a good idea.
So now we are faced with another cancer situation and I don't even know how to feel. I don't want to see that all happen again and I feel so terribly for my Grandmother, my Dad and his brother and sister. Along with our daily routine and the upcoming holidays, it's a lot of things to process. But I do know that I am thankful for the time I have had with my grandparents and that they have gotten to enjoy their great-grandchildren. I guess I'm just wondering how you all cope with things like this...? I know families that have gone through much worse and I'm sure you all have your own ways of dealing with things. So please feel free to leave a comment. And I apologize for being a Gloomy Gus, I've just been thinking a lot!

Happy Halloween from the Skywalkers

I think this picture says it all......

Our little Princess Leia was having a rough night. She had to wear hair that was too big that she didn't care for and had some new teeth poking through her gums. Add to that the fact that she is usually a very "early to bed" kind of baby and you get one cranky Princess. She slept in this morning though and has been doing better. Zeke (err...I mean, Luke Skywalker) had a great time! I'm pretty laid back when it comes to holidays so I let him eat candy pretty much all day - it's one day out of the whole year, who cares? He loved it and asked if we could go trick or treating tomorrow too. :) Click "read more" to see more pictures.

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Becoming Our Parents

I love seeing how my children are similar to me in their personalities, except when they're being rotten. :D As they are growing, I feel the need to apologize to my parents profusely. The revelation occurred to me probably sometime around the first time Zeke got open his diaper & smeared the contents everywhere or when he unrolled several rolls of toilet paper & then put them in the wet bathtub. If I did half the things he has done so far, my parents must have had nerves of steel and the patience of a saint.
I caught myself the other night saying something I had heard as a child. I was putting my son Zeke to bed and to explain - I have had to resort to turning the light off on the actual ceiling fan instead of on the switch on the wall, because he gets up & flips the light on and starts getting into things if I do it that way. So I turned off the light on the ceiling fan and Zeke bellows "BUT I CAN'T SEE!!!!" I responded, "You don't need to see. You're going to sleep!" Back up about twenty-some years ago and it would have been me, my Dad or Mom and my old bedroom. (I often was cranky about going to bed, especially when it was summer & still light out!)
I've also caught myself saying such gems as "because I said so" or "I WILL pull this van over." Hmmm. Pretty sure I heard those two at one time or another. One of my hopes is that several (MANY, MANY, MANY) years down the road when my children become parents, they will have this same revelation! ;)

I'm Still Here!

Just a little note to let you know I am still around! The hubby has been off work the last couple days so we usually spend more family time together then. This month has been very busy for us - lots of family events (birthdays, weddings, etc.) in addition to Zeke's preschool and the normal things we do. Hubby's birthday is tomorrow and I'd tell you what I got him but there is a chance he might be reading, so you'll have to wait to find out! Z is super excited about two things happening this month- his field trip this Friday and Halloween.
His field trip was actually supposed to happen earlier this month but got rained out. They're going to a local pumpkin patch that has hay rides and play equipment. I think there also might be some animals. Sometime before the month is over I'd like to make a family trip over to this place called Pumpkin Works that's not too far away.
And of course, Halloween is approaching soon. He gets to dress up twice - once for his school, on the day before Halloween and on Halloween. Our family is going to be the Skywalkers - Daddy & I are going to be Anakin and Padme and Z & Ellie are going to be Luke & Leia. I'll give you a refresher of last year - I was an enormously pregnant Sarah Palin (well, the pregnant part wasn't a part of the costume, I just WAS, lol) and Zeke was Spiderman without the mask. He was terrified of wearing the mask, although he will gladly wear it now. And because what kind of post would this be without a couple photos from last year:

Sleepy Saturday

I love days like today. With kids, we as parents are often woken up before we'd actually like to roll out of bed. (And somedays, that's never!) But miraculously today, everyone slept in!

I always wish that when people had told me with my first baby to "sleep when baby sleeps" that I would have listened. But instead I thought I needed to be up doing things. When my doctor finally said "Hey, if you don't get some sleep SOON you're going to end up in the hospital," I did listen. It's so much harder to "sleep when baby sleeps" when you've got more than one! Luckily I have been very blessed to have children who started sleeping through the night VERY early. My oldest started sleeping through the night around 4 - 5 months and my baby girl started even earlier than that. Most people I tell that want to throw things at me or tell me that I should be done having my kids now that I've had two who did that! What can I say, they both like their sleep!
I think one thing that also helps is trying to establish somewhat of a routine. I don't particularly adhere to a strict "bath at seven, read a story at seven thirty, bed by eight" kind of routine but I do try and do things in the same manner every evening. My husband works nights so I am usually the one giving them baths and putting them to bed. When my children were babies (well, one still is!) they always liked having a bath, having a bottle & rocking and then being put to sleep.
My son who is currently four doesn't really like going to bed anymore so we sometimes have battles over that - especially since he has to get up early three days a week for preschool. He had a lamp in his room which I had to remove because he kept getting up, turning it on and then getting out tons of toys to play with. He has a small nightlight still, though. He is very particular about his bedroom too - he listens to a certain CD each night on his CD player, wants his fan on, wants such and such blanket and a certain stuffed animal, etc. Sometimes I think it's just a ploy to stay up later but it doesn't really bother me - I know that I like to have certain things in my bedroom, as well.
My kids vary on their stances on naps - some days they're okay with them, other days they are in a marathon to stay awake alllll day. I don't like to force them to take naps but sometimes you know, they just need one! (Don't we all sometimes??)

An Introduction of Sorts

Most of you reading already know me but there are a few of you who don't. So for the ones who don't, I thought I'd tell some more about myself, my family and the blog.

NOTE: I now have an ABOUT ME page that I will be updating with more current information. :)

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