Friday Five

Good EARLY Friday,

It IS Friday, but still that time/hour before 12:30am when people say "I'll do more "tomorrow". It is going to be a busy day, so as Hubby and I both wind down to sleep, I figured I'd "pen" some thoughts down, so I wouldn't mess with the flow. I am looking forward to bed though, and tried to get lots done tonight so I could try and nap tomorrow. I napped today for the first time in forever and it felt. so. good. I want to do it again lol. They are addictive!

But, I digress....ahem:

Friday Five

1. I'm preparing to do a 5K (first time in forever - I think my last 5K was in the fall a year ago - when I was barely showing with my pregnancy with Valiant) on May 9th. I can't pass this up - it is so easy to attend. So, I've been working my way back up to running 3.2 miles without stopping. I was feeling REALLY good about it until watching The Biggest Loser this week and one of the final 4 bragged he used to have a goal of doing a 5K, but now he's strong enough for marathons. That deflated the pride I had in building back to a 5K HAHA!! I'd love to be strong enough for a marathon. Wow. Instead of giving up, I went out more this week with walking some to warm up, then taking off jogging. I'm still nursing, so preparing for a run is a total blast. I wear three bras to keep these lactating orbs of sustenance in place as I run. Trust me - you should thank me for saving your vision from me running unsupported. People would go blind. It felt good to run again, and I look forward to getting healthier by doing so.

2. We're looking forward to a fun weekend. We get to renew this weekend with fabulous friends and just "be". The kids can play, the parents can talk, eat great food, and have a fun Saturday at an air show! It'll end with getting to worship together on Sunday and hanging out some. Hubby and I are really excited! YEAH!

3. My brain has gone on vacation - with a one way ticket. Last week I wrote about my typos and brain gas when spelling words, this week at a lunch park date I left my car unlocked, windows down, and back hatch up after unloading all our stuff, food, and kids. Nothing happened to my car or contents, but I can't believe for a good hour, my car was on display. Really....I'm such a dork. If anyone sees my brain, tell it to come home, it is missed! Goodness.

4. I have another prayer request - my dad, who is 85 - but is so healthy and fit - has had a minor heart issue. He's had a procedure last year (20 mins long) to get his heart back in rhythm a while back when it was discovered it was not regular. They stopped and restarted his heart and it worked great. Well, it is back out of rhythm so he needs an Ablation (procedure) on Tuesday. I'm praying it goes well. He deserves all the energy he can get to keep up his fit and active lifestyle, and we love having him around! Thanks for your prayers. It seems next week will be a big medical week for my family.

5. This morning friends and their kids will arrive for a play date to paint a new banner for us to march with for our town's parade coming up! The moms walk with the banner every year, and the kids come along behind and ride wagons, bikes, strollers, with balloons, streamers, etc. It's a lot of fun and they get to be seen in the parade. I love that tradition! It should be a fun morning with friends and some painting and crafting as well. I think we'll be taking cloth bags and decorating them and using them for the grocery store, etc. What a fun Mother's Day treat. I like being creative with people and, what a "green" concept saving plastic and paper grocery bags from being used!

TGIF!!!

Small Successes and Thankful Thursday

"It’s important to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

1. I managed to carve out some time to straighten our bedroom. I prefer having a nice sanctuary for us, but it usually ends up being a "catch all' for the junk in our house. I hope it stays clean and free of clutter for longer than a day - HA!!

2. I got Lovely to the ENT on Monday. We were done just assuming all kids snored, or she just has a sensitive nose or constant allergies. I updated the other day that she DOES need surgery to remove her adenoids. It should be very routine, and hopefully easy. I got it scheduled for next Thursday. If all goes well, it will be a VERY Thankful Thursday around our home. Thanks for your prayers!! Interestingly enough, it took me asking for him to look at her adenoids. He was ready to start more benign, medicated, treatments - but I've done all that. So I became politely more forward and asked if he could look. He numbed her up, got the camera scope, and went in. Lovely was FANTASTIC!! Even I could tell how blocked she was! So, mommy instincts work!!! Trust them :)

3. I've managed to juggle a few extra errands and time commitments this week while still being there for the family and the girls. That's pretty big for me!!

Thankful Thursday

- I'm thankful for my gorgeous girls - their small and big ways of bringing a smile to my face, and to others.
- I'm thankful for a very generous and sweet dental hygienist for letting Lovely assist in cleaning my teeth, and use much of the dental equipment when I was getting my teeth cleaned. It was comical, and she helped me parent when all I could do was say "Wah Wah Wah Wah Whaaawahahah" like the teacher on Peanuts.
- I'm thankful for Italian food.
- I'm thankful for a good belly laugh.
- I'm thankful for this weekend and great friends and fun family memory making!!!!

Much love!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Sister Edition

Day Book - Monday Edition *UPDATED*

Outside my window…the day is JUST getting started. The weather calls for a nice day - we'll see how it turns out!

I am thinking... that it was a wonderful weekend! Full of time for just our family, being lazy, being there for each other, and for others too!

I am thankful for...taking Lovely to the ENT today to get an idea for why she always snores, has sinus issues, etc. It's just gone on too long, and we need to get some ideas on dealing with this more specifically than just the pediatrician's general knowledge. I was this age too when I saw my first ENT for my issues (like mother like daughter) and we've had this scheduled for a month.

From the kitchen…I'm tempted to make breakfast for dinner, but we'll see where this evening finds us. I may be home to cook, or I may be out and it will be Hubby's job!

I am wearing... pj's!

I am creating…more organization in our house. We raised our bed to make more storage room, and I've been throwing a lot away. I need to talk to S about doing the neighborhood garage sale to firm up plans. I can't wait!

I am going…in a few hours to the ENT (see above).

I am reading…(lately) my craft magazines and Guidepost magazine for this month.

I am hoping…that this is a good week. Last week I was tired, emotional, insecure a lot, and second guessing ALL my actions and questioning others. Definitely a weak week for me. I pray this week is better and stronger and focused for me.

I am hearing…the sound of a podcast I'm listening to by Lisa Hendey.

Around the house…more "FLYing" to do today and this week. There is always a zone to do lol.

One of my favorite things…Baby Val and Baby E taking a stroller walk together this weekend. I hope it leads to years of friendship :)

A few plans for the rest of the week: a BIG highlight? A local airshow!! Can't wait to check that out! We also will see our playgroup friends for lunch on Wed, and more mundane things like the dentist for me and Lovely (groan) tomorrow. Also, I need to focus on the positive this week, and encourage my spirit for I feel the upliftment and grace that's always there for me to take.

Here is 'picture thought' I am sharing…

A picture of the damaged tree that was cut down this past week before it fell down and hurt us or our home. This picture and tree spoke to me. The crack was rather hidden from our eyes - so we didn't know the full extent of the damage - aside from the lean at the top of the tree. Our friends saw the damage and helped us see that we needed to do something sooner about it, rather than later (thank you!!). That mirrors our lives sometimes. We know we are leaning, or suffering from the weight of stress in our lives, but we don't know the extent of our brokenness and hurt. Sometimes it takes the eyes of someone Higher to see our flaws and take our burden from us, or strike it down in healing. God is there, ready to swoop in and "fell" our suffering. We still have our crosses to bear, but He's ready to help us carry them, or, if WE are able, give our stress and hurt all to him so our suffering is gone while we carry those burdens. God IS Good, and He is in all around us and works through our loved ones actions and words. Thank you to ALL our friends, for ministering to us daily. I'm grateful.

Much love!

**Just to update our ENT appt. Lovely has large blockages due to her gigantic adenoids. Thus, they should be removed. This means surgery (boo!). I have research to do, but I do feel thus far that surgery is a good option vs medications taken daily for this chronic condition. I had it as a child, and this surgery has been improved on and is largely outpatient now. Plus, he's waiting on the tonsils, so this surgery will not be as hard on her and her recovery. Thanks for your prayers. No one could ever be a fan of their baby (even a 5 yo baby lol) getting surgery - I just want her to really sleep again, and not get so infected so often! She deserves some peace too!

Friday Five - "Late Edition"

Well, the day is almost over, and here I am! Better late than never.

1. I'm feeling quite grateful for my family, my Hubby, my daughters. Life is SO short. A year is short, a week is short, a day is short - and we are only guaranteed today. I attended the funeral of a young mom of four girls who battled cancer for over 2 years. I can't imagine. Her youngest is a year younger than Lovely. I can't imagine really. My heart aches for her daughters. God truly works in mysterious ways - but I know he did not cause her cancer. I know He was with them every step of the battle. He was the strength she had in all she gave and did for her family and friends. He was there in the over 1000 member congregation at her home going funeral mass. He's there in every word of comfort, hug, cooked meal, carpool help, shared memories and playdates that helped them in the last 2 years, and will help them in the months to come. I think she would have wanted all of us to go home and have a wonderful evening with our families and savor it, and that is just what I did. God keep her and her family.

2. We really have no weekend plans. We definitely want to sleep in tomorrow morning. We've been running ragged it seems lately. We may do a family picnic, possibly get the garden more ready, and cook another BIG dinner we can share some of for another family. Then, I may take a shift holding my goddaughter while her parents sleep some tomorrow evening. She's a strong little one! She's already able to roll over some into the sleeping position she wants, and about leaped from my arms during a quick stop off (gave me a heart attack, and I just had a baby lol).

3. Sunday is pretty much like tomorrow - after mass, no plans. I think a family nap sounds good, and then out in the weather to enjoy being together!!

4. My mind is gone! The former teacher in me CRINGES at typos (or 'brain gas' as I call it). Lately I've noticed, or other have noticed that I type so fast I use the wrong words! My most obvious flub? "Fill" vs "Feel". It comes out as "fill free...." instead of "feel free...." Once I re-noticed I've been doing it, I had to search my e-mail AND blog and saw it everywhere. I say "feel" but when I type, and speed type, my brain says "fill"! I did it again today in an e-mail, NOT meaning to, and I did it anyways. ACK!!! Why is this happening to me? Is it the use of spell check? Mommy brain? "Feel" free to chime in (yeah, I did it!! But I had to type it slower to spell it right! HAHA)

5. I'm letting my Tivo get a little ahead this evening while I type this, so when I go watch after posting I can skip commercials - but I look forward to watching Numb3rs on CBS. I LOVE that show!! It looks REALLY good and angsty tonight! Just saying ;)

Also - I just feel like sharing the following pics. The top one was inspired by the bottom picture - Lovely's spring school picture. She is so beautiful inside and out - we're so blessed t0 have her. I decided I'd try and take Valiant's 9 month pic in a similar fashion. Not sure how I did but, I loved the spring flowers! She blesses us so much too. We have two beautiful girls!



TGIF!!!

Small Successes and Thankful Thursday

"It’s important to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

1. Well, this has been one of those busy weeks. I've blogged little, but have managed to post a thought that keeps me going, or an quick update - just for the sake of some escape time for me and record for my family. I still feel torn sometimes, me time vs being there for the family. I hope to catch up reading others as well. I love seeing new crafts, comedic timing, daily life, and inspiration I get from so many.

2. We had a tree (make that a tall, tall pine) crack and begin to lean. Hubby wanted to take care of it, but somehow it just escaped his mind last week, and with the godbaby's birth I lost track of the days and when I saw it and was reminded - I jumped into action! After a few days of estimates, I got many more yesterday and found the right (I hope) team for the job. They take it down today. It needs to come now - one more storm or day of windy gusts would, and that would be scary!

3. Despite our nutty schedules lately, I managed to attend a mom's night out on Tuesday. It was nice being with creative friends being creative! I'm a blessed woman!

Just a side note. With our business and crazy schedules, I've been tired. Tired makes my moods wonky, and I can feel my faith, focus, and moods just swing. I hope to get more rest this week. Something hit me this morning when doing some inspirational reading, It's funny - but I miss all the Lenten updates. I got a lot from reading them. I think I can actually say I miss Lent. How funny in these 50 days of Easter and celebration. But, I started my blog during Lent, and got fed from so many activity ideas for my family and for me and I rather miss it :)

Thanksful Thursday

1. I am thankful, as always, for my family and friends.
2. I am thankful for my Lovely's imagination, humor, and spirit.
3. I'm thankful for God being there for me, when I'm not always there for Him.
4. I'm thankful for good health!
5. I'm thankful for our 1st family vacation in years will be happening soon!
6. I'm thankful for the sunshine and soft breezes and great outdoor weather.

Fill free to add your small success and Thankful Thursday lists in the comments or on your blog!!

Much love!!

Wordless Wednesday

I know I'm behind really updating my life, talking about things I've read that have inspired me, or comments, but I'll get there. I'm having one of those weeks where I feel a bit overwhelmed.

But, this entry is for 'Wordless Wednesday' and with no further adieu - a picture for you to ponder from early 2008.



God IS Good!