Time Away

It's so nice to be a little spontaneous...that's so not in my personality. I am a planner. Dan told me that because of my Uncle's passing on Friday morning that he would be taking a four day weekend in case I needed him home with me. He rarely has taken a Monday off and I wanted to take full advantage of it. I booked a room at the TimberRidge Waterpark and Resort from Sunday night to Monday so we could get away as a family. We had a good time and the kids had a blast at the waterpark! It was good family time.

More Than Enough

Wanted to thank everyone for their prayers. My Uncle Bruce passed away this morning at 2:05.

Pray

I wasn't going to mention anything on my blog. There are just somethings that I don't like sharing on here. I feel that it would be beneficial though, so you all could be praying for my Uncle Bruce. He desperately needs your prayers right now. The whole family does.

I don't really remember the time frame. About four and a half or five years ago he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had surgery, chemo, radiation and got the news that he was in remission. We praised the Lord for giving him more time on this earth. Six or so months ago, he was told that the cancer was back and was given 6-9 months to live. It didn't look good, but our God is good. He went through treatment and got the new that his lung cancer was once again in remission. We all rejoiced. Not long after that, he ended up in the hospital. The cancer had spread to his brain and then to his spine.

At his most recent doctor's appointment, he was told that there was nothing more they could do. Hospice was called in. I am writing this because he is in the process of dying, he is in extreme pain, and he has a family. I pray that even in this darkest hour of his life, that God would show Himself to him and give him the peace that only He can give and I hope that you will do the same.

He is a son, a brother, a father, a husband, an uncle.

I think of my grandparents who are doing what no parent would ever want to do...watch their son die. Does my grandma look at her son and think back to when she first felt him kick, when she brought him into the world, his first steps, his first words, his first little league game? Does she think of the nights she would rock him to sleep or the times when he would come to her to have her kiss his boo-boos? I am sure she wishes she could take his place or take the pain away. Does my grandpa think back to when the doctor's announced that it was a boy? Does he think back to the precious time when his son was placed on his chest and they enjoyed a nap together? Does his mind wander back to times shared fishing and hunting? I am sure that he too would take his place in a heart beat. No parent wants to ever watch their child suffer. I am sure this is just breaking their heart like no other experience in their lives has.

Over the next few days, please keep his wife, his teenage son, his parents, and his siblings in your prayers. I thank you in advance. God is good all the time!

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him. ~Psalms 34:8

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. ~ Psalms 34:1

Driving Annoyances

I should be sleeping. I have been up since 2:50AM. I left Michigan this morning and headed home. I am pretty sure that the 10 Timbits and a medium Iced Capp is the culprit for not catching the Z's that I need and was hoping to get this afternoon. So, here I sit with a caffeine headache and shaky hands (I rarely have caffeine and pay for it when I do...yes, it has been about 10 hours!). Oh, I forgot to mention that I feel like I am floating and going a million miles an hour...this should be a great post!!

I love driving. I love driving even more on the express way through Chicago. I look forward to it. But, there are those times when I just wish the stupid people would just get out of my way and get off the road if they are going to do any of the below:

If it was a question in anyone's mind, the left lane is for passing and faster traffic. When you look in your rear view mirror and see someone riding your tail and to your right is another person passing you....GET OVER YOU ARE GOING TOO SLOW.

Cruise control is your friend and is there for a reason...use it. The people around you aren't speeding up and slowing down. Look at your speedometer, it's probably you if you continue to pass and be passed by the same people.

Women should never drive while putting on make up. It's pretty much worse than driving drunk....only, you look in the mirror and know you aren't looking too hot because you have no make up on or you have colored outside the lines.

If you see brake lights up ahead, please begin to decelerate. Don't wait until the last minute and then slam on your brakes. The flow of traffic would be a lot smoother if we all kept our distance when traffic has slowed and took it easy.

Man, I really need to go lay down or something this shaking a racing is really getting to me. :-)

Our "girly" talk...

Once or twice a week, I let Kaitlyn stay up from her nap (yes, she still naps and will for another year...it's my sanity). Today was one of those days. We were out on the deck today enjoying the weather and having our "girly time". This bird was making a terribly annoying sound. She looked and said (read this as if you couldn't pronounce your r's for a better understanding of just how funny this was), "That bird is making a crazy sound. I think he's looking for his wife. She must be out shopping for worms." I about fell out of my chair and managed to hold back my laughter. I would love to get inside that girls head!

This will be my last post until next week. I am off for some family time!! Yeeehaa!

Precious Sibling Time

If it wasn't for Dad

Let's face it, for little girls (obviously I can only speak from my experience), Dad is the fun parent. Mom's are there to make sure you don't get hurt, dirty, sick, too tired, or eat too much junk food. If it wasn't for my Dad...

...I would have never gotten to see just how I should be treated by a guy. He treated my Mom like a queen, respected her, provided for and protected the family.

...I would have settled for someone that didn't come close to the man that Dan is.

...I wouldn't have had (not all at the same time) 3 dogs, 3 cats and a few kittens, a bunch of fish, half a dozen hampsters, two birds, and more rabbits than we wanted. I know now why my Mom wasn't too fond of animals. They are just another thing to remember to feed and clean up after. My love for animals definitley comes from my Dad. There was even a time where we had a goose living in our garage and he trapped a few chipmunks for us. As a kid, that was just too cool.

...I wouldn't have been able to walk through a swamp hunting, fish with a makeshift fishing pole made from a large stick, or have a pet frog that I walked on a leash. How fun is that?!

...I think I would have a screwed up view of the grace, mercy, and love of my Heavenly Father. I knew I could always go to my Dad. I knew I was always loved. I knew I was always forgiven. I knew he only wanted the best for me.

...I wouldn't be the driven, disiplined person that I am today. He always pushed me. He once apologized for being so hard on me but I honestly am glad that he was. It made me realize just what I was capable of.

I am so thankful for the first man that I ever loved. I am thankful to God for entrusting me to my Dad. Happy Father's Day!

Which brings me to the one chosen by God to be the father of my children. Although I like to think that I am the "fun" parent...I am not. :-) I do believe that God chose for me, the best man to do the job of fathering our children. I am always amazed. It melts my heart when I see him in action. From fishing with the kids to reading bed time stories with them...and I am pretty sure they have heard him sing too (which is something that I never have). Our two oldest have gotten to the age where they ask, "Mommy, is it Friday yet?" because they know that means that when they wake up the next day, their Daddy will be there to pull them in bed for morning cuddles. It was no surprise to me that he turned out to be a great, involved daddy...that's partly the reason I married my man. Happy Father's Day. Every year, you are getting better and better at the toughest job you'll ever have. I pray that you will continue to be the father that God has called you to be and that you will lead your children by example. I love you!

Happy Friday the 13th!

Even though I absolutely hate the number thirteen (and most all prime numbers), I love when the 13th of a month falls on a Friday. I am not superstitious but think it's hilarious when people are.

• The fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia.
• Many hotels have no room number 13
• Many buildings do not have a 13th floor.
• Many airplanes do not have a 13th row.
• Many ships will not start a voyage on the 13th, particularly, Friday the 13th.
• 13 knots in a hangman's noose.
• 13 feet which the guillotine blade falls.

So, if you are a triskaidekaphobian, try to stay safe today. If you know someone who is, maybe you should play a few practical jokes on them. :-)

The Verdict Is In...

My $1 trial of the grocery game is up at the end of this week. I will not be continuing on with it. Did I save money? Yes I did. I saved an average of $30-40 dollars a week. It was pretty easy. No real planning or work involved. I cancelled for these reasons:

- It's something that, if I put the time into it, I can do myself. It's just a matter of setting aside time while the kids are napping or in the evening when they are playing outside or with Daddy and study sales fliers and coupons and put the two together for the best deals.

- There wasn't a wide variety of stores. As far as grocery stores for my area, there was Jewel (25 minutes away) and Meijer (about 40 minutes away). I do go to Jewel sometimes but I probably make it out to Meijer and that area about four times a year is all. With gas being the way it is, I really can't see driving all the way out there. Once our Super Walmart opens, I really don't plan on leaving my little town other than for church.

- If it wasn't for Aldi, I probably wouldn't have saved as much as I did. I got the best deals at Jewel and then went to Aldi for the rest of the stuff I needed. I guess I need to see what is more worth it to me...dragging my kiddos to three different stores or just hitting Super Walmart and being done. Right now, all three stores are pretty close together but once we get our SW I really can't see doing that anymore.

Just some thoughts in case anyone was wondering what ever happened with The Grocery Game.

One pound of fat...

3500 calories is the rough estimate for the energy contained in one pound of fat. This means that to lose one pound per week, you must create a deficit of 3500 calories per week. Since a week as 7 days, that means a deficit of 3500 / 7 = 500 calories per day. (taken from this website)

Thought I'd share. I have taken this week off from running and eating right. It has felt good and tasted good too. :-) I haven't had a week off probably since I had Collin. I am ready to get back to running...and I guess I will have to get back to eating right too. Bummer. Dairy Queen was so yummy! Finishing The Crim will be so much better!

The past few days...

A visitor came to stay with us for a short while.

We found her a forever home because ours is totally crowded already.

Collin got sick and then broke out in a strange rash.

Turns out, it was Roseola.

Our phone and internet were down. That was pretty much torture. I felt cut off from the world. My van is in the shop too. Thank goodness for the sunshine though! I was seriously feeling like we would start growing mold any minute! Hope your past few days have been better then mine!

Thoughts after the race

We this morning was racing day. I didn't do as well as I was hoping. It was my first race, I finished it, and I had a whole lot of fun! I have three things I am going to do different next time:

Number one on my list is not pour a cup of water on my shoulder of the arm with my ipod strapped to it...yeah, really DUMB! I did this halfway through the race and it took a few seconds to register what had just happened. I thought, "why did my music just stop?" Well, ya dummy, you soaked your ipod! It still isn't working. I am praying for a miracle...or money for a new one by August.

Next is start stronger. I need to run hard on the flat parts of the race and then hold back on the hills. I got through the first part of the race feeling like I could have run harder and still felt good and had the energy to give it my all the second half. Shoulda, woulda, coulda (or however that goes, right Dan?)...

Finally is hills, hills, hills. I need to run more hills in training. Harvard Hills Road didn't kill me but it sure would have helped to have more training on them.

Jeremy said something that hit me, "All we have to do next year, is beat our time from this year," and that is exactly how I am going to look at it. I would really like to run one more race before The Crim. Know of any races (atleast 5 miles) in July?

A Day of Rest

I honestly can't believe that I am to this point already. Tomorrow is my 10K and I am extremely excited!

Two years ago, I had lost some of my baby weight from Landon and got this hair brained idea that I was going to become a runner. I got myself a double jogger stroller for my birthday, packed up my two little ones one morning, and set out to run to the end of the street. And that's how it all started.

Fast forward a year. I was eight months pregnant with Collin and loving it but I missed running terribly. I was still running a little but only in secret, for short distances, and at pretty much turtle speed. I missed it so much, I decided I was going to run a ten mile race in 2008 and roped Hollie into joining me.

So, one year later....

At the beginning of this year, in a spinning class I took, the instructor kept saying, "No excuses guys!" I have kept that in my head ever since. When I feel like giving up, when I have been up several times at night with sick kids, when I would much rather nap on the couch, when I am in a bad mood or not feeling so hot, when it all comes down to it there really are no excuses. I am a 26 year old (ugh, still can't get used to that number) mother of three out to prove it to myself that I don't have an excuse not to be in great shape and have the time of my life doing it. I am not out to run the race tomorrow in great time, I am just out to give it my all and finish.

Let the races begin!

What's really "mine"...

It's nothing new...I have actually known this about myself for a very long time: I have a strong emotional attachment to things.

I am a saver. I might even be on the verge of being a hoarder. I am definitely a pack rat...a neat pack rat if there is such a thing. I have gotten worse after having my three beautiful miracles. Articles of clothing, little toys, books, pretty much name is and I have either not been able to let it go or I have but it's not been without much thought and even some regret.

I am a Mom who loves to save stuff, not just for my children's sake when they are older, but also for myself as a memory. I don't want to lose certain pieces of my life or theirs. I don't want to let go of things that remind me of a certain time or a certain place. For instance, I have a memory box from the year Dan and I dated where I saved everything from ticket stubs to score cards to napkins. I also have a honeymoon box where I saved almost everything from everywhere from the week. I am wondering in doing a box each year for my kids if this is something they will appreciate...or will all of my boys stuff end up in the trash someday?

We are having a garage sale the second weekend of June. I decided to clean out my littlest one's room this morning during the storm. By the time I was done, I had neatly rearranged everything and only a few things were set aside for the sale. I took the mobile off of his crib to put in the "for sale" pile and thought, "I can't sell that! Poppy picked it out for Kaitlyn just after she was born. I should save it for her kids." What kind of rational thought it that? Who hangs a twenty something year old mobile over their children's heads? That happened about a dozen times. No wonder my storage room is slowly filling up with my kids stuff.

I am pretty sure there is a lesson that my Savior is trying to teach me. In my quiet time it talked about things we think are ours. From an early age, children learn the word "mine" and use it for everything unless told otherwise. It's not a word that has to be taught. Over time, the child learns what things are actually theirs...their blanket, their doll, their passy. It went on to talk about this idea as an adult. Things that we may call our own, thought through carefully, are actually not at all. How about that house? I am guessing unless you are in the minority of people, it's the banks. And your cars? How many things in your life could be burned up, taken away, blown away? Just sit and think for a minute.

This was eye opening for me. Sure, I have heard all of the time...you can't take all that stuff with you when you die...things like that. But, in the end what is really yours? Jesus talks many times in the book of John about His Father. It's the one thing that is ours. He is mine. My husband, even though he is mine, is not really mine. My kids, even though they are on loan to me from my Heavenly Father, are not mine. My Savior is mine and it's time for me to start living with that mentality and stop holding so tightly to the material things in this life that will not last.

I am not going to go and start throwing away my kids baby books and outfits that I brought them home in. I am not going to chuck our wedding box into the nearest dumpster. I do however need to reevaluate what I am holding on to and why. That is a hard one.

Perfect ending to the night...

The Detroit Red Wings are the new Stanley Cup Champions! The cup is finally back where it belongs!

Overheard from the deck...

Kaitlyn screaming

"Landon, come here!"

Landon rushes to see what his sister is screaming about.

"Look, there's a spider! Can you kill it for me? Take off your shoe and get it."

Landon takes off his shoe and gives it a couple of good hits.

"Oh, thank you, Landon! You are so creative."

They go back to playing. Man, she might not like him all the time but boy is he at least good for something. :-)

Ten Months!

My angel boy is ten months old today! He is quite the social little man and has been jabbering right along with his older sister and brother. He even tries to talk over his Daddy in some conversations. He got another tooth this month and I am happy to report that this month he was sickness free...finally! His hair is just adorable with all of his curls and I am hoping that Daddy doesn't make me cut it anytime soon. He has been enjoying his days outside but doesn't like his knees touching the ground so he has a hilarious "grass crawl". No walking yet. He is my first that did walk at 9 months or before....I am actually wishing he would hurry up and take off. He has been flying around the furniture and standing without assistance though. I don't think it will be long. He is still WAY into his orange veggies and loves applesauce. I have been feeding him more of what we eat thought to try and get him used to that. He likes having his older sis carry him around and seems to be more into following Landon around...not too much longer and they will be playing off of eachother and getting into trouble like only brothers can do. Happy ten months, my precious angel boy! I hope you continue to be my cuddle bug for a few months longer!

Countdown is on...

My 10K race is 6 days away. It's creeping up on me faster than I would like. I am wondering where the past two months has gone. The farthest distance I have ever run is 5 miles. Last week is when I put on my game face and got serious about this thing....but, I have been putting off running 6 miles for fear that it wouldn't go so well. Well, tonight, Hollie and I did it. And not to brag or anything, but it was a piece of cake...well, maybe not that easy but it felt really good! We work great together. It's familiar running with her. She knows my style and I know hers. We keep a good pace too. So, I am feeling a little more confident and I know we can definitely do this.

Great run tonight, Hollie! This week is going to be a good one!

*Note to self - tonight ~ 6 miles is 66 minutes

Goal ~ keep it under 1 hour.*