Justification For My Gray Hair!

Toddlers are control freaks! They want to suddenly decide who gets to take them to the potty and who gets to dress them or even who gets to look at them. The examples are endless. It is cute until Mommy is the only one he chooses all the time. I am just now getting a break and Daddy is the new "Lucky" one!

They also think at 7:30am when you are running late, that they can decide that the shoes I picked out is not what they want to wear...and I can't help it I will not send my child to daycare with shoes that don't match what he is wearing...so the battle begins...ultimately Mom wins but with 5 additional gray hairs added to the collection.

Dinner time has been interesting he seems to think he can now decide when he has his dinner. So my attempt at being a strong parent (lol) I set aside his dinner just in case he wants it later( I know I know...I need to be strict) But then as we are kissing him goodnight he says "Mommy, I want dinner". I think it was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I had to say no it is time for bed. He was not happy. That was not a good night. But my guilt subsided when he drank 3 glasses of milk while arguing with us.

Logan has also developed this skill of kicking and screaming louder then I ever thought was capable by a small child. Another skill he has is he knows what he wants and he is not open to discussion about it. I will admit I tend to spoil him from time to time but I never give him what he wants when he throws a fit...so why the sudden rampages I am not quite sure. This better be a phase! I used to take Britt to the store when she was small and as long as I gave her time to look-touch-feel the toys she never asked for anything....well FYI..not working this time!

Is this what the next year of my life is going to be like now that he is turning "3"!

Soo Busy....

Wow..life has been crazy lately! We have been go-go-go! Saturday we had our Pre-Holiday party at the house. On Sunday we went to Celebration to see Santa and to watch the snow fall...then last night we forgot we had VIP tickets to see the taping of Wheel of Fortune. It was fun but we didn't get out of there until around 11:30pm! But I am looking forward to tonight..we have no plans and we get the night off...woohoo! The rest of the week is going to be crazy! We have to get Logan's christmas pictures taken on Thursday and Friday we are hoping to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party with the kids. Brittany's Dad is coming to visit this weekend so she is excited about that. Then Laine is coming on Sunday!
In the meantime I need to figure out how I am going to do my cooking and finish my holiday shopping.-UGH!
Logan's transistion is going well so far..he did good on the first day and today he is going to go to his new class for 3 hours...then tomorrow they will try a full day. He likes that he moved up to the bigger playground and that his classroom is twice the size...but I am worried about the fact that he has twice as many kids in his class. :( I am trying to prepare myself for all the new habits he is going to learn...lol I am just thankful that I can mention the "Big boy" class without him falling to the floor and saying "no!no!no!". Now he asks me if he is going to the "New Class". He is growing up so much! He is like this little man instead of my little baby (sob, sob). I think I need another...maybe adoption this time.



Wow..I can ramble on and on..opps

Look what Logan revealed to us tonight

Trimming the Tree

What is better to do on a cold cold night...but of course decorate the tree and have hot cocoa with marshmallows!! Who knew hot cocoa was a toddler's dream come true!

Umm..Yummy

Catching Up...

Our Thanksgiving was pretty close to prefect! But I missed my family.

My brother went home for Thanksgiving so knowing he was home made me miss everyone even more.

The weather turned out to be very nice and the food of course was great! I think next year Logan is going to deep fry the Turkey..lol..he learned from the pro!

Tim's sister Jenn and her hubby Chris was there...and of course Ryan!

We had a surprise visitor, TJ, Tim's cousin showed up and that made it even more special.
Our thoughts we were with Tim's granddad who is still recovering in the hospital and his Granny.

Here are a couple pictures from Logan's internship..lol

Count Down to Logan's Transistion Week!

I have been dreading this time since last year!
I know it is good for him to move on and meet new kids and to get used to another teacher...but it is sad for him and for me. I think the part that has me the most freaked out is he goes from 10 kids to 20 kids in his class....UGH! So now he has 19 other kids' personalities to incorporate into his own...just wonderful! I think he will adapt easily to the other kids because he is a social butterfly...but the new teacher is going to be tough...he truly loves the teacher he has now.
They suggested transitioning him the week of Dec 15th!! --But I am not sure if they have my buy in yet because of the holidays and people being on vacation...I would rather him start on a week when they can guarantee me the teacher will be there and not a substitute.
So say a prayer for us!

Things I am Thankful For....

• I am thankful that my childhood was not easy - Because it made me strong



• I am thankful that god gave me Brittany - Because it made me focused



• I am thankful that I divorced my ex-husband the right way - Because it made it easier on Brittany



• I am thankful that I got fired from my job right after my divorce - It forced me to leap forward and was the beginning of my new life!



• I am thankful that fear didn't steer me wrong when it came to moving to Florida with Brittany



• I am thankful that my cousin Tasha met Jason - Because if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have Tim!



• I am thankful for Tim because he made my life whole



• I am thankful that I was told I couldn't have kids - just so I could prove them wrong and because of that I enjoy Logan even more!



• I am thankful for the gift god gave me when I had Logan - It wasn't an easy road but I truly know how much I can endure and know all will be okay.



• I am thankful for my family because they had to give up so much when I started my new life and we still reamin so very close.



• I am thankful for my in-laws and all the extended family that came with my marriage because they are there for my kids and for me....and they don't mind that I lean on them so much because my family is not here.



• I am thankful for everyone



• I am thankful for the choices I have made

Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Is it time to eat yet?????

A Husband's Patience...

I sometimes wonder how my Hubby puts up with me and all my quirks. I have to admit I am not the best wife by far! I don't make him dinner, or hand him a beer after a long day, or even baby him when he is sick. Obviously he is getting the raw end of the deal. I am opinionated and always have to argue why my way makes the most sense (I avoided the...I am always right phrase)..or what is the proper way to discipline the kids. So one day I had to stop and think...what DO I do? You have no idea how hard it was brainstorming..so I am going to try and be better.

Top 10 Things We Argue About..

10. Who got more sleep the night before

9. Who's turn it is to change Logan if he has had a accident

8. What are we having for dinner

7. Who's turn is it to go and fetch a gallon of milk from the store

6. Not spending enough quality time together & disciplining the kids

5. Regarding how things just tend to show up in the mailbox that I have ordered online

4. That there is a proper way to open a 12pak of soda

3. Me taking over the outlets on his side of the vanity and not picking up my makeup some mornings.

2. Cleaning the finger prints off the patio door is a big deal

..And the number one answer is..

1. That a man will live longer by having sex 4 times a week

Miles Apart…Yet So Close To My Heart

My little sister has always been my best friend. But me moving to Florida truly broke her heart. She knew it was something I needed to do…but we struggle with all we had to give up to allow me to create a new life. We had dreams of raising our children together and playing such a huge role in their lives. I sometimes feel like I let her down along with my niece and nephew. We would do everything together…we were each other’s rock. She was such a big part of Brittany’s life and unfortunately Logan is missing out on that. We played through every scenario in our minds to come up with a fail safe plan on how we can make it still work…but it always has a snag.
I think the holidays are the hardest for us…especially the years that I don’t go home for Christmas. I thought by having a blog and us having Facebook we would feel better because we could see what each other is doing and keep in touch better. But instead it makes us sad because we get to see all that we are both missing out on. So that ended up being snag #2590!
How do I make things better? I need brainstorming comments!

My next plan is video conferencing nightly after dinner!

My Sister Tonya!

My Neice & Nephew (Allie & Ethan)..along with Logan

Our Honorary Walk For Ryan!

Me, Brittany, Jenn, and Charlotte have joined the March of Dimes -March For Babies in honor of Jenn's little guy, Ryan. We are walking on Sunday, Nov. 16th. He was born 8 weeks early and we are thankful everyday for all the love and care he received by some very special people in the NICU. So we are walking to celebrate his triumph and raise money to make sure every child gets their 9 months!

GatorWalk 2008!

Catching Up...

My life got busy..and my blog just didn't rank as high on my lists of to-do's unfortunately. But after noticing that Jenn and Tim started back up..I figured it wasn't too late for me. So Let me summarize the last 3 months!



My Daughter Started Her Senior Year.



















Vince Turned the Big '60'!



















Braedyn Turned "2"
















Visited Laine & Watched Him Play Football...



















I Went To Michigan To See My Sister....and we joined the 'Walk For Breast Cancer'
















Then of course Halloween!

Mickey's Not So Scarey Halloween Party

Pumpkin Carving

Logan's Photo Shoot

Oh..and how could I forget..Brittany's Senior Homecoming Dance..

So no one can say we have not been busy..lol..but we like it that way! I love to make sure my kids get to experience as much as they can and I love anytime we spend with family!
So Bring on Thanksgiving and Christmas..lol

My Special Little Nephew Turns "1"

I have to share some cute pictures from his Birthday Party!

He has a smile that can melt anyone's heart! Logan loves to play with him and make him laugh!

His Mom and Dad have been through some scarely moments with him

- But they were able to celebrate this special day!

...My Little Girl Prepares

It is that time again, for Brittany to go to her Dad's for the summer. But this year is very different. It is like she knows this year it is going to be a big change and she is giving up a lot more to make the trip. Fortunately she understands the value of the trip and the reason it needs to happen. I unfortunately have moments of sadness and would love to give her 10 excuses why she should stay. But then what kind of Mom would I be?
She is struggling with Logan not understanding why she is gone, but I told her that is my job to make that transition go smoothly and it is not something she should stress about. She will definitely be missed by him! Especially the wake up calls..lol She also has a boyfriend she is having to be away from and her wonderful friends...but with college approaching this might prepare her for the fact that she can survive without those things because it opens the door to new things.
We have had many heart-to-hearts lately, and I can honestly say my little girl is turning into quite the young adult.
So maybe I did my job okay with her!

A Mother's Day...

I had a very nice day. Tim and the kids made me a huge breakfast. Then the kids gave me their presents..Logan made me the cutest picture stand clip with a poem attached that he made at daycare. Britt got me the DVD I have been wanting..so cool! No matter how many times I told him I didn't want anything, my stubborn husband managed to get me something awsome anyway...thanks sweetie!
We had Tim's Mom and Dad over for the afternoon. We sipped margaritas and Tim made kabobs on the grill and we just had a nice visit. Things got a little crazy when we had to try and put Logan down for a nap when his grandparents were there..but it was well needed and eventually he did sleep..for a whole 50 mins...lol After they had to head back home, we went to Lowes and got a planter for my Herb garden and some other little things for my garden. It was nice because Logan allowed me to browse..lol. We then came back home and got everything planted...then relaxed in the living room eating pizza and watching my DVD.
The best part of the day was having the time to breathe and put my feet up!-YAH!

The day of our lives...

I was sitting here trying to remember when was the last time I had a complete Drama free week...wow it has been a long time! Between Bentley's vet visits, Britt's episode with the ambulance and ER and then Logan's head trauma incident...I need a bout of relaxation. The part I laugh about is we have actually a dedicated line item in the budget for medical expenses...I think we need to re-evaluate that dollar amount..lol

This weekend my "no so little" girl is going to take her ACT test - Wow! I can't believe how time has flown by! I remember sitting with her when she was in 3rd grade working on homework at the dining room table telling myself "I can't believe how many more years I have to do this...ugh"..lol and now look one more year to go and she is officially going to graduate! I am so excited for her to begin her life...but the Mom in me wants her to be around all the time. I better start saving for all those 'Senior Year' expenses!

Logan is talking more and more all the time. He is forming sentences, and that is what I notice more and more. The other day he said "Mom, sing to me more" - and I had a 'Mommy heart smile' moment...you know they feeling inside where it feels like you heart just smiled from the inside out...ok..well I don't know how else to explain it..lol Anyway this is definitely an enjoyable time for me and Logan! He is still not sleeping wonderfully so me and Tim have broke down and are having him sleep with us when he wakes up the first time...I know I know..bad..bad...but darn it I need sleep after 2 years and besides I feel good knowing he is resting well. Besides the way I see it you either pay in the beginning or at the end...and I was just getting tired of paying for it...I need a break....I will deal with the repercussions later - for now I am going to take advantage of some good beauty sleep! I think the people I work with has appreciated that I am getting more sleep the most..lol

I am hoping for a productive weekend of landscaping - because Logan is enjoying the dirt in the backyard a little too much - but I will tell you Shout pretreater Rocks! I am a little nervous about us doing the work ourselves - but the feeling of accomplishment when it is all done makes it worth it. So far we have re-routed the sprinklers and are now going to level out an area in the backyard where the retaining wall will be going up -creating a playground area for Logan and we are also creating a bigger walkway area from the back porch area to the playground. Then begins the fun part - my garden and the planting of all the flowers!

Work..Work..Work..

It feels good to be able to sit back and mentally relax tonight...finally after 3 months. So I sit here waiting for my face mask to harden and my toe nails to dry, and updating my blog.

I never thought twice about being able to handle my job and also have a baby. So the funny story is, I finally get pregnant and next thing I know I am transferred to this high workload team due to a lovely corporate re org. Then they decide to no longer maintain the same head count because they feel, with efficiencies, we could do the work with less people. Good in theory, not so great in reality. Then they give me the role of managing a Operating Participant roll out during my 6 & 7 month of pregnancy and 30 days straight of on call on top of that. In the meantime I am taking Ambien to sleep thru the pain I was going thru since day one..lol So finally I take medical leave to have Logan and when I come back 3 months later...guess what ..new re org. So now I have a new Boss ..again..and dealing with Logan's health issues....hard to impress the new boss when you are taking an average of 5 days a month off in sick time to be with your child. So we get thru that and then we have an unexpected bout of drama and we are forced into another re org. At this point I have 10 times the workload then when I got pregnant and all this high profile responsibilities...which means if I let something slip the VP will hear about it first hand. (no pressure there). So when I am finally at my witt's end- the economy takes a dive and now I have to hang on to my job even longer. So the moral to my story was...I am whining...lol

I guess I am figuring out that I am not Super Woman..or Super Mom. I enjoy a challenge but I have so many other higher priorities that I just don't have enough of me to go around. All the people that I work with 98% of them are men with stay at home wives - so they don't bat an eye at staying late or working on the weekends. How do I compete with that?? I received my annual raise today and it ended up more then I thought, so I guess that is my reward for the work I did last year. But I still catch myself asking - is it worth it? I also wonder how other women do it that are in my shoes.

Easter Weekend....

We spent the weekend with Tim's family. It as very special to see the kids together and getting along so well. Ryan is getting so big and Braeydn is a busy little girl. Our new addition to the family, Kendyll, definitely got her share of fresh air and was held by everyone. The kids colored eggs and even took part in a Easter Egg Hunt. Here are some pictures of our nice weekend..

Logan & Daddy Color Eggs

Logan Counting his eggs

The kids checking out their Easter baskets

Logan & Braedyn exploring
Me & Ryan

Take A Moment & Be Responsible

I will do my best not to lecture or come across too brash...ah forget it who am I kidding..lol
I truly think everyone who has kids or a spouse needs to have life insurance and plan for the future even if it is not the best thing to think about or discuss.

Lately this topic has come up a lot in my life lately. I was very surprised when I found out my Step Dad, my Mom and even my Dad do not have life insurance. I am sorry but in the event of the death of a spouse or a parent it is so unfair to leave that burden on those who are grieving your loss or having to take on all the responsibilities that was once shared with you. I think it is unfair not to be organized enough in you life to take the time to think about those that would get left behind. I am in no way saying you should make someone else wealthy off of your passing, but instead making sure life will not be tougher than it already would be on your loved ones.
I get great comfort from knowing that in my passing my kid's college will be paid for, the house would be paid off, funeral costs, and still have enough money left over where my family would have time to get back on their feet before having to think about finances. Isn't this what everyone wants for their loved ones???
Some people believe that if they start planning or talking about death that it may jinx them or something....well get over yourself....this is called adulthood and it is time to make adult decisions no matter how much you don't enjoy talking about it.
So please if you have not already done so, get off you butt and do something beneficial for those who love you!

A Special Note Of Thanks!

My mother-in-law came to visit on Monday night and we had a very nice visit and we stayed up way too late! But she was able to witness a mild case of what we have been struggling with when it came to Logan going to bed. Finally Logan went to sleep and we got to talking about all the different things we had tried unsuccessfully. Well she came up with an idea for us to try. She said we should put him in his room for quiet time instead of just right at nap time. So yesterday I was home with him and I gave it a try. I let him play in his room for about 45 minutes and then I went in there and gave him some milk and his baby and said it was now time for nap. After 1 reminder and a blanket request - he was asleep and I was emotional still in tact and enjoyed the quiet time so that I could get things done around the house. So after a successful nap we had to decide how to handle bedtime at night. So we turned his lights off and only turned on his lamp. We told him he could play until we came back in and then it would be bedtime. All went well and when we came back in he was already in his bed as if he was waiting. We played shadow puppets and a few reminders later he was asleep. So for now we are hoping this new concept will buy us another week until he catches on to our plan and we are forced to get creative again. -- But Thanks So Much Charlotte!

Don't get to excited for us though..because he still got up every 2 hours!..ugh..one day I WILL WIN this battle!

Life Is...Hard Sometimes

Life changes even when you are not prepared...I received word that my Dad's heart is only pumping at 40% and it is not able to maintain a steady heart beat. He has already had triple bypass surgery a few years back...and I am told he is not a candidate for a implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.
Part of me feels like I need to go see him and just clear things up, but then the other part of me feels like I lost my father years ago. I take pride in being a very caring person and it is so not like me to question the options. I spoke to him on the phone and he didn't even remember Logan's name and was surprised that he was already two. I had to fight back every tear because I was truly hurt by that. He spent most of the conversation talking about his will and what he wanted to do with his land...but all I wanted was..a "I Miss You" or a "I Am Sorry I Have Screwed Things Up So Bad".
All I know is I want God to treat him well and make everything okay.
He has caused a fire inside me that makes me work so very hard at being the best parent I can be..because no child should ever feel what me and my siblings had to feel. I just wish more people took greater pride in their parental role.

The Minute You Decide to Take Deep Breath....

Remember awhile back I was bragging about how easy it was to get Logan to sleep in his "Big Boy" bed...well let me now eat my HAT!
We have struggled for the last week with getting him to sleep. By the time he has tired himself out, me and Tim just look at each other because he has pretty much consumed everything we had left for the day. Do children purposely try to keep us guessing...because this little guy has me stumped!

Keeping nightly routine....forget it...doesn't work
Intimidation..forget it...doesn't work
Storytelling and rocking...forget it...doesn't work
Rubbing his tummy...forget it...doesn't work
Keeping him up later...forget it...doesn't work

Tonight...singing for 20 minutes straight "Rock a Bye Baby"...kill me now!...but it worked

What will tomorrow require??...who knows...
But my guess is 2 Tylenol PMs for Mom and and one hell of a Martini!






--Prime example of his devilish grin

Wishful Thinking..

I think there needs to be Anger Management classes for Toddlers!

I think that hypochondriacs should get what they truly wish for!

I think that Chocolate Licorice should contain less Fat!

I think that Dentists should give you Bose noise cancelling headphones!

I think that Orbit gum needs a "Bubbalicious" Grape flavor!

I think that Microsoft Office Communicator should allow for incoming message sound effects to alert you when the office Schmuck needs something from you..AGAIN!

I think that Uncle Sam can take the 600$ tax credit for daycare and stick it up his assotola! Make it worth while at least if I have to keep track!

I think that for as much money as I spend on anti-aging creams - I should look 15!

I think I need to cut my hair off and donate it to Locks for Love - obviously they would appreciate it more then I do.

I think Mt. Dew needs to be sold with a shot of Vodka in it for days like this!

I think that sleeping pills with no adverse side effects should be perscribed to children!

I think that a Democrat can fix this country...you know I am kidding, right..lol

I think that Motrin is god's gift to all mothers!

I think that if a big ass works for Kim Kardashian then it can work for me too!

I think that if 80% of the women in the U.S have IBS maybe someone should get smart and find out WHY!

Britt's Big Day!!

Tomorrow is the big day! We get to meet Britt's potential boyfriend, Brendon. She has known him for about 4 years, and he has always respected the fact that we told her she could not date him because he is older. Well now that she is almost 17 we have decided we should meet him and see what kind of vibe we get considering after 4 years he has not given up on her. I am kinda worried that maybe he is an"ODD" one because he actually messaged us on myspace and introduced himself to us and made it seem like he was interviewing for a job or potential husband..LMAO..maybe I should clue him in that my daughter is not getting married until she is at least 28 years old..lol. Did I mention that he is 3 years older..yeah...not good! So it will take a lot to convince me to allow her to date him. Tim is already looking to rent a rifle and be cleaning it at the table when he walks in the door...I feel so bad for this guy..lmao!

Teaching Britt About Money Management...

Me and Tim have decided that we need to teach Brittany about Budgets. A couple times a year me and Tim sit down a due a budgetary re-org to account for the goals we have set forth for the rest of the year. Well this time Britt got the opportunity to be a part of that.
She found it to be very interesting, which surprised me actually. See my parents never involved us kids with finances so when we were on our own it was quite a shock to us. But it is because of that I thought I was going to try a different approach with my kids. The funny thing that I think she learned was it all makes sense now. Because Britt would ask for something at the store and I would say "no" not today it is not in the budget..and she would be bummed and carry on...and then she would see me drop 200$ at the grocery store that same day and feel like..what the heck I thought you were broke..lol Well now she understands that we have allocated funds to each budgetary category and once that is to a zero balance then you have to wait until the following month. But this time we are doing things a little different. Britt is going to have her own budget - for example she has allocated funds towards clothing, haircare, toiletries, school lunch, etc. and she will be managing that and reporting a status back to us twice a month. I am hoping this will teach her that it is all about give and take and prioritizing. To make sure she understands that it is not all about spending all the money in your budget - we have decided to have a buffer fund that if we come up under budget that those funds will go into that account and then we will use that for our Bahamas trip. So I am hoping our masterful plan for her works and that she learns a valuable life lesson...that or she at least understand why I have to say "No" once in awhile.

My little cook...

Thank goodness Uncle Jason got creative and found my son a grill - considering Tim won't let me get him a kitchen set!
It is so funny, he even cooks burgers just like his Dad - continually squishes all the juice out of them...lol...sorry Honey but it is true..lol

I am just trying to figure out how he knows that he needs to have the gas canister refilled...lol..I think they observe more then we think they do.


So I am looking for votes...is it wrong for Logan to have a kitchen set?

The Transistion Out Of The Crib...

I have put off transitioning Logan from his crib to a toddler bed in total fear that I would have to give up even more sleep..ugh! Plus I have heard every horror story. But we needed the space and we decided to bite the bullet and just do it!
I had the dilemma between getting a toddler bed or going with the twin/full size bed. My economist side said - "that toddler bed is a waste of money". But the logical side of me felt it would be less intimidating then a huge bed. In the end I decided on the Toddler bed. We found one that matches his furniture exactly at Babies'R'Us and we even found Zanzibar toddler bedding to match his theme. I wasn't going to splurge - but that would buy me more time on redecorating his room- so technically my economist side could not argue.
So anyway..sorry got side tracked..
Tim put the bed together and we did not let Logan see it. I put the bedding on his bed and fluffed the pillow for the grand unveiling. Everyone waited at the door and we counted to 3 and opened the door! ...do you know the expression a child makes when they walk down stairs at Christmas time and see the room filled with presents...well that million dollar look is what he had - it was the happiest I have seen him react to anything!! He ran to the bed and just kept touching it as if it was made out of gold..and then he laid down and wanted to sleep in it. Me and Tim looked at each other like...should we say goodnight..or do the normal bedtime routine...well we chose to relax him buy playing our game called "Cut the pickle"....and then we said goodnight. It took 4 reminders to stay in bed and a little crying as he was giving into his tired body. We gasped at how easy that was! But we warned ourselves that we still have to handle NAP time in the bed too. So we did not get our hopes up. He woke up 2 times that night but would not get out of his bed..it was kinda funny..we even still had to go get him in the morning..lol
The next day at noon we had to lay him down for nap...we were nervous. He had to be reminded 2 times that he had to stay in bed and he fussed as he nodded off to sleep. Once again me and Tim looked at each other totally mystified at how easy this process was ending up.
Last night we got home slightly past his bedtime due to being at the hospital. We did his nightly routine and then we laid him down and tucked him in...not a peep..he went right to bed with no fussing or any reminders...wow I think we did it!! Thank the Lord! Cross your fingers that it remains this easy!

A New Addition..

Tim's brother and his wife had a baby girl today! She is so pretty, just over 6 lbs and has the cutest long toes ever! Her name is Kendyll Morgan Justynski
(I think I will spell it wrong for the first year just like I did for her sister..lol)

The Funny Things You Think....

Is it wrong that I get such enjoyment out of watching other people chase after their children in public places...or when I say I felt comfort in watching the video where Gwen Stafani was getting wacked in the face by her toddler. I guess it just reminded me that parenting is not always glamorous and I am not the only parent who can sprint a 50 yd dash in 10.5 seconds...and look like a total fool doing it.
It is funny how every mother tells herself I am in no way having one of "Those" kinds of kids. Like they have a choice..lol You know "the ones" ..that won't sit still when you are out to eat...the ones that yell mean things at their parents....throw a fit in the store...exactly.
..ahh the joy..

A Wonderful Valentines Day...

After a hectic morning trying to get Logan to daycare and me to work on time, I found a card in my car from my hubby that was very nice. Which made things a lot brighter.

I proceeded to daycare carrying valentines, decorated candy bags, cookies, Logan's teddy bear, diapers and of course Logan fighting holding my hand....phew! My uncontrollable at the time Logan -was very excited to give his teacher's their valentines and pictures. So I was trying very hard to keep up with him running down the hallway if you can picture it. But in return for all my efforts that morning Logan presented me with a magnetic heart that said "I love you" with a picture of him on it that he had made. He had such a smile on his face you just knew he was so very proud. (my heart melted)

So that cured my chaotic morning....then on to my crazy work day.

I had to skip lunch because I had so much to do, but my super hubby brought me lunch. He even sat and ate with me...ahh. Then back to work I had to go. I was trying so hard to get out of work at 5pm so everyone would not have to wait on "Mom" again. Yes..I did it..I left at 5pm!
I get home from work and Logan is grill'n in the living room and Tim is in the kitchen making this huge dinner for us! It turned out so great! I think we all ate too much though. After dinner we frosted all the cupcakes me and Britt made the night before. They all turned out so nice - even Tim & Britt really got into it! You know Logan loved it..because he was able to make a huge mess with Mom's permission.

Some may say my valentine's day was pretty simple - but to me it was the best!
Ok and the new Prada purse was nice too...thanks so much sweetie!

Dog gone it!!

My poor baby, Bentley, is not feeling good.
Brittany came home from school only to call and tell me that he vomitted all over my house and needless to say I was concerned, yet FUSTRATED! Tim took him to the vet and they could not find anything wrong. His vitals were good...so not poisoning (Thank God!), they gave him a dewormer treatment and some antibiotics just in case. I just know that after the steam cleaning and vet bill, I could of easily found a better way to drop that kind of money in one day! Sad to say, I know...but I am saving up for living room furniture so I need to tell Bentley to tear up the couch not throw up all over it!!! For now he is my cuddle bug and I forgive him for prolonging my new furniture..lol

Another reason it sucks to be a planner - no one else sticks to the plan..lol

He is my blessing...

My marriage is a very wonderful thing that has had to endure a lot in the past 3 years. My pregnancy caused me to have severe pain and Tim had to watch me endure so much. Then it was topped off with gestational diabetes and then finished with a c-section. Then came Logan, my piece of heaven, who had colic for the first 2 months, then issues with asthma, formula allergies, etc. Due to his medicine requirements our finances were continually tested. Not that I am complaining, just trying to paint a picture in your mind. Me and Tim still have not had a uninterrupted night's sleep in over 2 years. This has definitely tested our patience with each other and forced us to dig down deep and really appreciate the little things that come easy. Unfortunately I can not brag about how we always persevered without issues..lol..because believe me, we had issues..lol But the nice thing about it all is that we made it through and our love is still strong after 6+ years! We may be short with each other when our patience is tested, and we may give each other that dirty look when we are deciding who's turn it is to get up with Logan at night...but I would not trade it for anything. Marriage is easy when the world around you is perfect, but the true test is when your world is spinning out of control.
Just know all is good when you still check out your husband in the side mirror when he is pumping gas...and tell yourself...yep life is good!

Immune Disfunction...

Once again I have a runny nose and sore throat - this will make it my third cold since 2008 began! What is the deal!! The more I safeguard the house the more colds I get! My littlest, Logan, washes his hands like 30 times a day not including all the hand sanitizer he goes through. With Britt I am lucky if I get a kiss goodnight from her on a dialy basis...so I am thinking it is all Tim's fault..lol

So I did some reading and found that the following things could help my immune system:
Useful Supplements: Acidophilus, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Zinc. (Sounds okay)
Useful Herbs: Ashwagandha , Astragalus, Cat’s Claw(What the hell is this?), Echinacea, Green Tea, Licorice, Ligustrum, Maitake Mushrooms, Shiitake Mushrooms.

So I am now on a mission to see if this truly will work.....I will post a follow-up

Our Little Milestone Moments...

I continue to be amazed with my little guy and all the things he is learning. Nothing is more exciting then seeing them progress. In the last week the changes have been amazing!

We have worked on manners ever since he started talking more. "Please" was easy - because it helped him get hat he wanted, but "Thank You" was a lot harder because he already had the item he wanted so there was nothing motivating him to say it. Well last week he started to....my heart melts every time I hear it now. He says it after you give him anything. It is so funny. I tucked him in last night and he said "Thank you"...then when he woke up in the middle of the night he asked to be rocked, after I said it was time to go back to bed, he said it again. It was cutest thing ever.

He loves to help me cook. He does all the stirring and hands me everything, like he knows what I am asking for. Today we made pancakes and he loved to scoop the mixture out of the bowl and hand it to me to place on the skillet. Needless to say, he ate 3 whole pancakes and 2 scrambled eggs - he gets that from his Dad..lol

He has also become a compulsive hand washer - which I should not complain about - but he is not satisfied until he has washed his hands 5 times in a row. But you have to love their quirks!

He also knows the words to "Wheels on the Bus" now - it is so cute! I have to video it for his Grand Parents to see! His favorite part is the "Baby on the Bus goes Whah Whah Whah!"

He has learned so much in the last week...this new class at Daycare has amazed me! He really wants to start potty training but there are a few things he needs to learn to do first...so hopefully he will still be excited when the time comes.

I think Logan is going to be quite the baseball player. He and Daddy were hitting the ball of his T and he can hit that ball almost across the full length of the yard! Sissy still wants him to play soccer so we will have to see..lol.

He sets the placemats and silverware on the table and remembers who sits where.

He is drinking exclusively from a regular cup now except in the car - the switch was very easy except when it came to bedtime...that took some adjusting for him.

His imagination has truly taken off lately - he now thinks "baby"(his teddy) is his cell pone and that baby requires everything that he does - even when we went to the Dr, Baby had to have an exam too! - Gotta luv his pediatrician!

..okay that was the good stuff..lol

He also learned that if you touch him and he screams ouch that you will let go....this is absolutely not funny...because when you are at the store and you ask him to hold your hand and he says no...so you reach for his hand and he starts yelling owwwww owwww!! Everyone tends to look at you like you are killing him....not liking that phase at all!

He also decided that if you are a stranger and you look at him he yells "NO!" - that is my polite child for ya!

But I guess with the good comes the bad..lol

Letting go...

Men are made so different then us women.

You can get into a screaming match with your husband and 20 minutes later, he will want to get romantic. I on the other hand, have been spending the past 20 minutes calculating how he is wrong and how my feelings were affected and what affect this could have on our future..does he still love me...blah blah blah..
So I have figured it out Men do not have short term memory..lol
Seriously, why do we hang on to things forever, why do we let things crawl under our skin and burrow around until we explode? Or is it not women in general, maybe it is just me. I really need to figure out how they are capable of this feat. Just think of the benefits....no guilt...less gray hair...hmm

Some Day...Positive thoughts are hard to come by

You all know the phrase "Kill them with kindness", right?
Well what do you do when the kindness is beginning to kill you instead??

Is it wrong to just decide it is just not worth the fight anymore?
At what point is it okay to just walk away and no longer subject yourself to repeatly getting thrown against the same brick wall over and over again? Why can't people just live up to my expectations and then I don't have to deal with this kind of thing.

I think that the phrase should be "Kill them with bitch slapping" instead.

Time to just be a woman...

I have had a realization that has caused me to do some inner soul searching. I have found that I have some how misplaced my "It is okay to be a woman" card.

Why can't Tim open the jar for me....at least then I wouldn't swear and grunt?

Why do I feel like I have to carry in just as many, if not more, bags of groceries then Tim does?

Why can't I ask Tim to take out the garbage for me...it's not like I enjoy it anyway?

Why can't I let the guy at the 7-eleven open the door for me without me saying.."Oh no, that is okay, go ahead"?

Why can't I justify in my own head that a mani-pedi every month is a necessity?

Why can't I let Tim hang the picture after I drop a few F bombs trying to get the nail in the wall?

Why can't I let Tim vacuum my van out...maybe then I could hint about the armour-all too?

Why can't I take Tim up on the offer to just go sit down and put my feet up?

Have I lost my flipp'n mind - Life could be so much easier! I thought women were smarter then this....it is official I am now a proud bearer of "The Woman Card"

Is it wrong...?

When your 2 year old son knows what each piece of makeup is used for?
When your 2 year old son has to check himself out in the mirror before going to daycare?
When your 2 year old son has to put mousse in his hair and insists on the brush not the comb?
Or when he is better at using my eyelash curler then me?

...I think Dad needs to get him ready for daycare from now on..lol

My "BIG" boy..

I am oncall today and Tim had to work so I figured I would go into the office because I can not do oncall and keep track of Logan all day. Besides Logan starts his new class this week and I want to keep this week as normal as possible for him. Normally Mondays are rough due to him having Mom all weekend.

Today was Logan's first day in his new classroom. I was so prepared I left the house a half hour early and prepared all his things the night before so I could allow for Logan to take all the time he needed to get comfortable before leaving him at daycare. So we pull into the parking lot and Logan gets excited saying "Andrew, Andrew!" (that is his best buddy) My heart sinks, because Andrew is in his old classroom, and he is not going to see him today. But I decide to be positive and upbeat in hopes that he too will be excited to see his new teacher. Can you tell I am preparing for "Insanity"? So Logan decides he should be the one to lock the car doors - he struts into daycare toting my keys and begins talking to the administrator at the front desk. So far so good... We approach the "T" in the hallway, and he is not happy that we are heading down the wrong hallway in his mind. So we get to the door of his new room, I say "1..2..3.." and I open the door....Logan runs down the hall screaming "NO, NO , NO"....of course I go after him with the stuff in my arms. Luckily his teacher assists me and he is happy to see her. So she picks him up and I struggle with the items in my arms. We make it back to his room and to his surprise...his girlfriend Mallory is there! She came and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek and he blushed...ahh it was so cute! He them walked over to the puppy he painted and showed it to me very proudly. He was asked to bring pictures of himself and family so he shared his pictures with his class and was very proud to show off his "Sissy". So I am thinking that things are going much better...then they bring out this bucket of plastic bugs....and for those of you who know how much my son loves bugs..you can only imagine his reaction when they dumped the bucket on the table...lol..sorry it is not that funny knowing how scared he got, but it is very funny now..lol He freaked out, but his teacher sat him in her lap and talked to him about one particular bug and next thing I know he is all into the whole bug infestation on the table. I figured I would attempt to leave, so I said "Bye Logan"..and he paid me no mind at all...so I said again.."Bye Logan" he ran to me grabbed both sides of my head and planted a huge kiss on my lips then ran back to his teacher....I walked out of the door on the verge of tears. I closed the door and walked to the front door in a daze - then the administrator at the front desk asks me how drop-off went and I told he he did great and then my eyes began to well up with tears. So after a few words of encouragement I walked to my car and took a deep breath...and whined to myself about how old my BIG boy is.

The Same Page...

Do you ever feel like you and your spouse are reading the same book and can pretty much guess what the other is thinking- but the next thing you know the other is like 15 pages ahead of you and you just can't read fast enough to keep up. Me and my husband had been reading the same book for 4 years and Brittany had no problems keeping up with our reading agenda. Before we knew it along came Logan and no longer were we able to maintain the same reading habits and suddenly we were all no longer on the same page. I have finally figured out why things tend to get out of balance..babies can't read!

Hey - I thought it was funny!

Crack Open the Champagne...

..and run me a bubble bath!
Because "I did it!!" I made my mark today and everyone was very impressed with my performance!- including myself. I even received pats on the back from all my co-workers and even my former boss called me at home to congratulate me! See would stressing about it have made the outcome any better - heck No! Wow..this is a whole new world for me and I am loving it! Thanks for the prayers and the votes of confidence!

Thanks Hubby for being so proud! Love ya :o)

Life is good..and on the road to being great!

I think I am figuring things out..

I have a big day today, you can describe it as a make or break my career kind of day. For some reason I am not nervous or afraid of the outcome. I am prepared, but I never obsessed about it like the old me would have done. I guess prayers and good thoughts make a world of difference when it comes to dealing with mental stress. So for a momment I realized that this is the new Vicky and that I was able to be that person I have been wanting to be for a very long time and it happened without me even knowing it.

Yesterday I was able to put my family first in front of my job without hesitation, and I am quite proud of that accomplishment. It all stemmed from Brittany asking me if she could attend a after school class that prepares students for their AP test. (they have to pass the test to earn college credits for the AP classes they took) I found myself telling her there is no way my boss would let me get off on Tuesdays to accomodate her so there would be no way she could go. It drove me crazy because this impacts my daughters future and doesn't show much support by her parents for her academic achievements. So next thing I know I was in my boss's office requesting to work from home on Tuesdays until mid April. I explained my situation and the importance, and to my surprise we were able to work it out! So kudos to my boss who I never thought had a sympathetic bone in his body. Don't get me wrong I still have to be accountable for a lot to make it happen, but it was so worth it to give Brittany the news at the dinner table!!

It might have taken a long time for me to realize a lot of things, but I am just glad I finally woke up! I love my family!!

What I Am Hoping The New Year Brings...

I have managed to spend the last year being totally stressed out and zooming around at warp speed all the time. I believe my priorities have been a little messed up. I forgot that my focus should be my family and that I should not be adding to our stressful life by constantly volunteering to do everything and making every event into some sort of huge project. At work I have let myself become engulfed into the madness in hopes to prove myself worthy enough for a promotion - because in my mind, the more money I make means the possibility of us having another baby.

Realization...
So I took a step back and said to myself - look woman you have Brittany who may be moving out soon and you have limited time to spend teaching her, bonding with her, and preparing her for the life that is ahead. And..Logan is already 2 years old and the last 2 years have been a blurr - okay maybe that is a little clouded - I still remember the crazy he instilled in all of us and the continual sleepless nights, but seriously, he needs me- he needs me to be as involved as much as possible in his molding - because two is a real turning point in their development and in their behavior. So maybe instead of working so hard to make more money in hopes of having more children I need to just "Breathe" and cherish the ones I have and the wonderful life they have given me.

I also have this wonderful man in my life, my husband. We have been stretched to our limits in the last couple years and have still managed to stay somewhat connected. I still get the twinkle in my eye when I look over and " check him out" - so I know we will get through anything but I don't think I have given our marriage the attention it needs. I tend to focus so much on the kids and the crazy life at work that I get lazy and just assume he understands and that we are always okay. But in everything that I read - the marriage is what keeps the rest of the family healthy and stable and should always come first. That makes sense to me - but in real life that is harder to do than you may think. But..

Today is a new day and it is a New Year - so changes are coming!

• Hubby Time! - Date night regularly
• No more work overload
• No snapping at Hubby when stressed- Bite that tongue girl! (Even when you know you are right)
• Girls day with Britt more often!
• Family Game Night Again! - Monthly
• Movie Night Again! - Weekly
• One on One Logan Time Adventure
• Create more traditions
• Attend Church
• Discipline Plan - Mutually decide on what works for the both of us
• Understand it is okay to have "Vicky" time

-Wish me luck!

My Little Dude Turns 2!!

Pirates Everywhere!

Logan thought it would be nice to dress up for Daddy.

My last minute cake order proved to be a success!

~~~
Everyone we invited showed up - how often does that happen! It was a wonderful party and Logan loved all his presents and playing with everyone! Check out some more pictures:

Granddaddy is always Logan's buddy!

Sissy is quite the tattoo artist!

Bubbles + Sand + Water= A Whole Lotta Fun!!!

Cake Time!!

The sad part of the whole day was knowing that my little baby was now a TODDLER. Where did the time go?? I think it is time for another! - haha