My friend Lori and her husband recently invited myself and another friend over to their house for dinner.
Rewind 2 weeks.
Lori and I are sitting at work. I'm charting my long day and she is catching me up on her life and any recent gossip. Sharing in my love for food, she mentions a great Indian/Thai recipe. I immediately invite myself over for dinner- for any night. Somehow, our friend Summer was included. Mainly due to her love of wine.
So the day was set. Lori was to prepare a feast of love. I was to bring a dish to pass, Summer was in charge of dessert.
The night arrived. Excited for a relaxing night out, I arrived at Lori's house. As I entered her home, the aromatic scents of laborious love fill the air. She embraced me with a smile and a hug. Summer arrived shortly after. We were then hurried into her warm kitchen. Her husband Paul, was waiting with hugs and wine. Lori introduced me to her children and their significant others. We all sat down to a quaint dinning room table. Lori, the wonderful hostess, arranged the table to be enjoyed "family style." She pointed and explained all the colorful dishes laid forth. I had prepared my first attempt at chutney- an authentic Indian side dish. We ate, drank, and shared delightful conversation. One topic being religion. Lori, a catholic, Summer, a Protestant turned Lutheran, and me- an inactive Mormon married to a Midwest Lutheran, we all brought lively, yet respectful views to the table. Literally.
The night was perfect. The food was great, the company even better. Now due to my lack of devotion or discipline to religion and church, this dinner got me thinking. I may not attend church service or worship on a regular basis, but I do feel that I have a strong connection with a belief system of love, charity, and goodness. Spending time with my friends reminded me of the importance of opening our hearts to the ones we love, and also to those who may need it.
To Lori and Paul- you have a lovely home, an even more beautiful family. Your love warmed me to my core. I am the most gracious of guests. Amen.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This picture, says it all.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
No Running by the Pool
Attempting to spend more time together as a family, I recently signed us all up for a membership at the YMCA. I have successfully filled our weekly calander with activities such as: family swimming, kids in motion, Zumba Fitness, workouts, Daddy/Daughter nights, open gym, and 3 on 3 basketball. Remember, the key word here is FAMILY.
This all seemed like a great idea, until it came time to pack everybody up in the car and head down for our first night of "family fun."
3:22- pick up Lucy and Kane from school
3:40- arrive home, kids demanding snacks, dropping backpacks in kitchen
4:00- kids still trying to empty the pantry into their stomachs, all while I am yelling, "get out of the pantry, I am making dinner!"
4:30- I stand in front of the fridge, searching for something to throw together for dinner
5:00- grilled cheese and tomato soup it is, come and get your dinner made with love- all of you!!!
5:45- As we layer on our snow coats and hats and pile into the car, I tell all the kids, and Garth, about our night of "family fun." I go over the rules and threaten anyone who breaks any of them.
6:00- the five of us arrive at the YMCA- ready for our "family night" to start.
6:15- I secure a family dressing room and locker, again threatening anyone who is even thinking about embarrassing me by breaking any of the rules set forth by both the YMCA and myself. Hudson looks at me and coos. Kane rolls his eyes and says, " I know" and Lucy sweetly repeats, "I understand." Garth is frustrated and silently, passively herding the children around the locker room and handing out swimsuits.
6:30- We enter the swimming pool to join other Y members for Family Swim. Immediately, Kane enters the wrong pool, Lucy starts running, and Hudson begins to scream. 3 rules broken in one second. I'm so excited. As I turn to Garth, he shakes his head and starts swimming. After I wrangle in the older kids and quietly express my anger, they ignore me and jump into the pool. We then enjoy 1 hour of family swimming fun.
7:30- Time to capture all three kids and corral them in one spot to attempt the drying off and return to street clothes process. Sounds easy- it's not. Lucy starts to strip out of her swimsuit before entering the locker room. Kane starts to wander, providing no help with the little kids. Once dressed, Lucy locks herself into an empty locker. Busy changing Hudson, I am oblivious to the fact that one child is missing.
7:45- I'm dressed, Kane is dressed, Hudson is dressed. I am packing up wet swimsuits when Garth finds me and asks, "All ready? Where is Lucy?" Without looking up, I throw my arm back and say, "she is over there." That is when we hear, "Mama, I am stuck in here." We all stop, look up at each other, and then start opening lockers, looking for Lucy. We found her. She fit perfectly into the corner locker on the floor. Note to other parents, when you have a lost child, look in the locker room.
8:00- Exhausted with the nonsense of our "family night," My husband ushers us all out the locker room and out to the car. I promised all the kids ice cream. That sounded like a better idea earlier in the evening, maybe before my kids stressed me out. We ate our ice cream in record time, hurrying our kids all the time.
This was our first night, I cant wait to do it again. Tomorrow night is basketball and open gym. Flying balls, great idea!
This all seemed like a great idea, until it came time to pack everybody up in the car and head down for our first night of "family fun."
3:22- pick up Lucy and Kane from school
3:40- arrive home, kids demanding snacks, dropping backpacks in kitchen
4:00- kids still trying to empty the pantry into their stomachs, all while I am yelling, "get out of the pantry, I am making dinner!"
4:30- I stand in front of the fridge, searching for something to throw together for dinner
5:00- grilled cheese and tomato soup it is, come and get your dinner made with love- all of you!!!
5:45- As we layer on our snow coats and hats and pile into the car, I tell all the kids, and Garth, about our night of "family fun." I go over the rules and threaten anyone who breaks any of them.
6:00- the five of us arrive at the YMCA- ready for our "family night" to start.
6:15- I secure a family dressing room and locker, again threatening anyone who is even thinking about embarrassing me by breaking any of the rules set forth by both the YMCA and myself. Hudson looks at me and coos. Kane rolls his eyes and says, " I know" and Lucy sweetly repeats, "I understand." Garth is frustrated and silently, passively herding the children around the locker room and handing out swimsuits.
6:30- We enter the swimming pool to join other Y members for Family Swim. Immediately, Kane enters the wrong pool, Lucy starts running, and Hudson begins to scream. 3 rules broken in one second. I'm so excited. As I turn to Garth, he shakes his head and starts swimming. After I wrangle in the older kids and quietly express my anger, they ignore me and jump into the pool. We then enjoy 1 hour of family swimming fun.
7:30- Time to capture all three kids and corral them in one spot to attempt the drying off and return to street clothes process. Sounds easy- it's not. Lucy starts to strip out of her swimsuit before entering the locker room. Kane starts to wander, providing no help with the little kids. Once dressed, Lucy locks herself into an empty locker. Busy changing Hudson, I am oblivious to the fact that one child is missing.
7:45- I'm dressed, Kane is dressed, Hudson is dressed. I am packing up wet swimsuits when Garth finds me and asks, "All ready? Where is Lucy?" Without looking up, I throw my arm back and say, "she is over there." That is when we hear, "Mama, I am stuck in here." We all stop, look up at each other, and then start opening lockers, looking for Lucy. We found her. She fit perfectly into the corner locker on the floor. Note to other parents, when you have a lost child, look in the locker room.
 |
| P.S. I broke a rule too, no cameras in the locker room, the YMCA better keep a closer eye on this family. |
8:00- Exhausted with the nonsense of our "family night," My husband ushers us all out the locker room and out to the car. I promised all the kids ice cream. That sounded like a better idea earlier in the evening, maybe before my kids stressed me out. We ate our ice cream in record time, hurrying our kids all the time.
This was our first night, I cant wait to do it again. Tomorrow night is basketball and open gym. Flying balls, great idea!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Dino-not Cake
We celebrated Hudson's first birthday over the holiday, while my little sister was in town. It was a great little gathering. We ordered pizza, I made pasta salad, and green tossed salad. My friend, Tonya, made our favorite fruit salsa, and my nannie and aunt each brought a delicious dish to pass. We ate, drank, and were merry.
Hudson watched as Lucy opened all of his gifts, claiming each one as her own. Out came the cake. I had worked on this cake and cupcakes most the day. I told my mom and sister that I was making a dinosaur cake.
Well procrastination and a lack of supplies led to a few snags. I couldn't find the cake pan I wanted and my vision was a little bit different than the end product. But, it was cake. It was homemade, and it had dinosaurs on it.
When I brought the cake out, my mom and sis looked at me and said. "I thought you were gonna make a dinosaur cake. You know, like a real dinosaur cake...."
Here is a picture of my dino-not cake
Hudson watched as Lucy opened all of his gifts, claiming each one as her own. Out came the cake. I had worked on this cake and cupcakes most the day. I told my mom and sister that I was making a dinosaur cake.
Well procrastination and a lack of supplies led to a few snags. I couldn't find the cake pan I wanted and my vision was a little bit different than the end product. But, it was cake. It was homemade, and it had dinosaurs on it.
When I brought the cake out, my mom and sis looked at me and said. "I thought you were gonna make a dinosaur cake. You know, like a real dinosaur cake...."
Here is a picture of my dino-not cake
Remenber, preperations and baking took part just hours before the party started....
Happy First Birthday Huddy
By the way, I have made other cakes, some more WOW than others.....
The Quiet
I don't think that you can truly appreciate "peace and quiet" until you become a parent. Whether you are a parent to a child, children, dogs, cats, or a parakeet- the quiet is scare and sought after.
In the peace of quietness, one can choose to read, clean, knit, bake, nap- whatever. Tonight, after coming home from work, I walked into the sound of nothing. It was quiet in my house. Both of my kids were already asleep. Apparently, they had quite the day with Grandpa and Grandma Schuey. I would like to take this time to thank them. THANK YOU!
In the peace of quietness, one can choose to read, clean, knit, bake, nap- whatever. Tonight, after coming home from work, I walked into the sound of nothing. It was quiet in my house. Both of my kids were already asleep. Apparently, they had quite the day with Grandpa and Grandma Schuey. I would like to take this time to thank them. THANK YOU!
Sunday Pancake Breakfast, what looks like a great start to an exhausting day.
Now, what to do with this spectacular "peace and quiet," I think I will sit on the couch and channel surf the TV. Maybe a little reality television indulgence???
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Running a Fool
All in all, it was a pretty great Thanksgiving.
I woke up early this morning to join my girlfriend, Erin and her two wiener dogs, on a Thanksgiving run/walk for charity. I met her at the local High School at 7:30, the temperature was 30 degrees, and the wind made it feel worse. We registered and off we went. About 1 mile in to the run, my shoe became untied (I'm no professional runner with special running shoes), as I stopped to tie my shoe, my friend Erin (and her two wiener dogs) kept running. When I finished tying my shoe and realized what had happened, Erin and the dogs were like specks on the horizon. There I was. Left alone, running a fool, by myself. As I finished the run, talking to no one and not listening to the Ipod I left in the car, I thought to myself-
..."Oh yeah, I'm having some pie today!"
After the run, my friend and I wished each other a Happy Thanksgiving and parted ways. I joined the few morons left in my town at the local grocery store to fight for last minute Thanksgiving necessities. Upon returning home, I found my entire family still asleep. With the clock ticking and baking and preparing needing to get done, you can imagine the urgency in my voice as I awoke my slumbering loved ones.
My husband and I ran around the house like idiots as we dressed the kids and gathered all the dishes I had slaved over. We spent time with my husband's family and mine. Of course, attempting to keep the kids happy, despite their lack of naps (my husband was sick too- this made things so much easier!!!! NOT).
All in the all, this Thanksgiving was pretty typical. We ate a ton of food, ran all over town, and I drank too much wine.
Here is an example of too much wine. My sister, my cousin, and I are attempting to help with dishes....
I woke up early this morning to join my girlfriend, Erin and her two wiener dogs, on a Thanksgiving run/walk for charity. I met her at the local High School at 7:30, the temperature was 30 degrees, and the wind made it feel worse. We registered and off we went. About 1 mile in to the run, my shoe became untied (I'm no professional runner with special running shoes), as I stopped to tie my shoe, my friend Erin (and her two wiener dogs) kept running. When I finished tying my shoe and realized what had happened, Erin and the dogs were like specks on the horizon. There I was. Left alone, running a fool, by myself. As I finished the run, talking to no one and not listening to the Ipod I left in the car, I thought to myself-
..."Oh yeah, I'm having some pie today!"
 |
| Erin and me before the run started- we were freezing! |
After the run, my friend and I wished each other a Happy Thanksgiving and parted ways. I joined the few morons left in my town at the local grocery store to fight for last minute Thanksgiving necessities. Upon returning home, I found my entire family still asleep. With the clock ticking and baking and preparing needing to get done, you can imagine the urgency in my voice as I awoke my slumbering loved ones.
My husband and I ran around the house like idiots as we dressed the kids and gathered all the dishes I had slaved over. We spent time with my husband's family and mine. Of course, attempting to keep the kids happy, despite their lack of naps (my husband was sick too- this made things so much easier!!!! NOT).
All in the all, this Thanksgiving was pretty typical. We ate a ton of food, ran all over town, and I drank too much wine.
Here is an example of too much wine. My sister, my cousin, and I are attempting to help with dishes....
 |
| The funniest part- my sister (the one with the towel on her head) is completely sober You can all judge me and all you want, but guess what? I ran that run this morning and I ate some pie. It was good pie too, thanks Nannie! |
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Follow up on Renal Lasagna and Slumber Party
Here are some pictures from Lucy and Jillian's first slumber party (the night of the renal lasagna)
These are wonderful pictures and memories that make me smile. I guess the renal lasagna wasnt that bad, but Im not sure they got any sleep- non the less.
That's why God made wine, and baklava
Nothing says "tradition" like the women in my family gathering to help prepare a wonderful feast. This year has been different. My little sister is here, and we have Hudson playing under our feet- grabbing at towels, spoons, and anything else within his reach.
As my grandmother (GeGe), thinking she is still the matriarch of family, encouraged us to get working, my mom- the "real" matriarch began to boss everyone around. My dad was placed in charge of watching the little kids. We all had our assignments. My mom was well, in charge. Jillian was chopping vegetables, and GeGe and I were to make a pan of homemade baklava (a two man operation).
Baklava is our family tradition. Making this delightful, buttery, flaky treat seems to bring us all together. We are reminded about making it as little girls in GeGe's kitchen and years past. We laugh and bond as the delicious smells of the holidays fill the house. Who am I kidding? It never happens like that.
Today was an exceptionally long day of preparations and errand running. Tired and cranky, I finally arrived at my mom's, my two little ones in tow.
We all quickly congregated in the kitchen, barking orders at each other and attempting to make a memory. Jabbing and joking ensued, sarcasm began to stain every comment, Lucy and Hudson bumping and tripping into us every strep of the way as I continued to whine and complain about my day and all my stressors.
Exhausted with listening to me, my mom handed me a glass of red wine and said,
"Okay all ready, this is why God made wine, here drink this and shut up..."All while, my little sister laughing and GeGe waiting for me to hurry up with the phyllo dough.
With that, I had an epiphany- I have so much to be thankful for. All of sudden, the noises of chaos turned into childish playfulness. My stress melted and my heart softened. I drank my wine, relaxed and enjoyed the time and the memories I was having with my mom, grandma, and sister.
We finished our respective "jobs" and took and step back to admire our work. We hugged and kissed and said our goodbyes, with the excitement of tomorrow on the horizon.
High on life, I scooped up my kids and headed home. Then reality smacked me in the face. As Garth was bathing Hudson, Lucy attempted to climb on Garth to get to Hudson in the bath tub. This was the result.
Don't worry, it was nothing a band aid and Popsicle couldn't fix.
I know it sounds cheesy, but Happy Thanksgiving.
I agree with my mom, thank God for wine, and baklava.
As my grandmother (GeGe), thinking she is still the matriarch of family, encouraged us to get working, my mom- the "real" matriarch began to boss everyone around. My dad was placed in charge of watching the little kids. We all had our assignments. My mom was well, in charge. Jillian was chopping vegetables, and GeGe and I were to make a pan of homemade baklava (a two man operation).
 |
| GeGe and the Baklava |
Baklava is our family tradition. Making this delightful, buttery, flaky treat seems to bring us all together. We are reminded about making it as little girls in GeGe's kitchen and years past. We laugh and bond as the delicious smells of the holidays fill the house. Who am I kidding? It never happens like that.
Today was an exceptionally long day of preparations and errand running. Tired and cranky, I finally arrived at my mom's, my two little ones in tow.
We all quickly congregated in the kitchen, barking orders at each other and attempting to make a memory. Jabbing and joking ensued, sarcasm began to stain every comment, Lucy and Hudson bumping and tripping into us every strep of the way as I continued to whine and complain about my day and all my stressors.
Exhausted with listening to me, my mom handed me a glass of red wine and said,
"Okay all ready, this is why God made wine, here drink this and shut up..."All while, my little sister laughing and GeGe waiting for me to hurry up with the phyllo dough.
With that, I had an epiphany- I have so much to be thankful for. All of sudden, the noises of chaos turned into childish playfulness. My stress melted and my heart softened. I drank my wine, relaxed and enjoyed the time and the memories I was having with my mom, grandma, and sister.
We finished our respective "jobs" and took and step back to admire our work. We hugged and kissed and said our goodbyes, with the excitement of tomorrow on the horizon.
High on life, I scooped up my kids and headed home. Then reality smacked me in the face. As Garth was bathing Hudson, Lucy attempted to climb on Garth to get to Hudson in the bath tub. This was the result.
Don't worry, it was nothing a band aid and Popsicle couldn't fix.
I know it sounds cheesy, but Happy Thanksgiving.
I agree with my mom, thank God for wine, and baklava.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Dont Eat the Renal Lasagna
Alternative title for this blog- She will be a a virgin forever without nipples....
This afternoon, my mom and I drove down to Milwaukee to pick my little sister up from the airport. It was like Jillian (my sister) had never moved away and no time had passed. I believe the direct quote was, ".....I'm back..."
The three of us immediately began yelling, fighting for attention and the right to speak- and be heard. We shared itunes, apps, and funny stories. We fought over what to eat for dinner. My mom, voting for some left over lasagna she had made, Jillian wanting Caesar salad, and me wanting ANYTHING my mom didn't make.
We sang along to the radio (CeeLo Green, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift) and we all complained about how long the drive was. Hungry and bored from our 1 hour long journey home, we arrived at my parent's to find my dad, my husband, and my three kids- all waiting to welcome "cousin Jillian" (remember, its a long story).
Some of us ate my mom's homemade "renal" lasagna, Jillian- a vegetarian did not. We made cookies, and spent time together- as a family.
Lucy brought out her barbies. One of which is one of my mom's barbies from when she was a little girl. You can only imagine the hideousness of a forty something old barbie that has been played with by 3 generations. Anyways, my mother, in all her class and glory, kept calling it the "virgin" barbie. My husband, without missing a beat, snapped back with-
"...Well yeah, she will be a virgin forever, without nipples..."
The house was filled with love and laughter. Something, I know that my mom has longed for- for a long time. She would love nothing more than, for all three of her kids, and the rest of her family to "bucket" at her house for the week and for the holiday. I think tonight was a perfect example of what the holidays represent. Making memories, spending time together in the moment, and being taken back with laughter. I look forward to the rest of my little sis's visit here to Wisconsin.
Lucy loved all the presents that Jillian brought her. Lucy and Jillian are evening having their first slumber party- Lucy style, with a little Jillian flare. I hope they have fun!
I hope they get some sleep. I hope everyone sleeps well, after eating that lasagna.
This afternoon, my mom and I drove down to Milwaukee to pick my little sister up from the airport. It was like Jillian (my sister) had never moved away and no time had passed. I believe the direct quote was, ".....I'm back..."
The three of us immediately began yelling, fighting for attention and the right to speak- and be heard. We shared itunes, apps, and funny stories. We fought over what to eat for dinner. My mom, voting for some left over lasagna she had made, Jillian wanting Caesar salad, and me wanting ANYTHING my mom didn't make.
We sang along to the radio (CeeLo Green, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift) and we all complained about how long the drive was. Hungry and bored from our 1 hour long journey home, we arrived at my parent's to find my dad, my husband, and my three kids- all waiting to welcome "cousin Jillian" (remember, its a long story).
Some of us ate my mom's homemade "renal" lasagna, Jillian- a vegetarian did not. We made cookies, and spent time together- as a family.
Lucy brought out her barbies. One of which is one of my mom's barbies from when she was a little girl. You can only imagine the hideousness of a forty something old barbie that has been played with by 3 generations. Anyways, my mother, in all her class and glory, kept calling it the "virgin" barbie. My husband, without missing a beat, snapped back with-
"...Well yeah, she will be a virgin forever, without nipples..."
The house was filled with love and laughter. Something, I know that my mom has longed for- for a long time. She would love nothing more than, for all three of her kids, and the rest of her family to "bucket" at her house for the week and for the holiday. I think tonight was a perfect example of what the holidays represent. Making memories, spending time together in the moment, and being taken back with laughter. I look forward to the rest of my little sis's visit here to Wisconsin.
Lucy loved all the presents that Jillian brought her. Lucy and Jillian are evening having their first slumber party- Lucy style, with a little Jillian flare. I hope they have fun!
I hope they get some sleep. I hope everyone sleeps well, after eating that lasagna.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Birthdays, plungers, and procrastination
Hudson's 1st birthday party is in 2 days. My sister, Jillian, is coming into town and the holiday season is upon us. This seemed like the perfect time, to gather- friends and family, again, to eat good food and enjoy good company. Did I mention good food?
We have decided to order pizza from one of our favorite pizzerias, open the soda pop, and eat some cake. One problem.
I haven't planned, ANYTHING ELSE.
This day snuck up on me. Having worked all weekend, I am now, getting ready to grocery shop, present shop, bake, and prepare ALL day tomorrow. And find time to see my sister (she flies into tomorrow afternoon).
It all seemed like a good idea, until now- 8:54pm on Sunday night.
Especially since I just spent what energy I had left tonight, cleaning up the bathroom. Lucy tried to flush enough toilet paper to successfully T-P a modest suburban home.
Despite my obvious habit of procrastination and the laughable distractions from the kids, I'm excited to celebrate Hudson's milestone. I can not believe that our baby boy is going to be 1 year old. I seems like yesterday, we brought him home. Now, he is walking, laughing, and before I know it- he is going to be talking (back) and asking for the car keys.
I guess if all else fails, we will at least have pizza, and hopefully some cake.
Happy Birthday Huddy- Mommy Loves YOU!
Now, excuse me, I need to find some more toilet paper- you know, to get us through the night until I can get to the grocery store (remember the procrastination?).
We have decided to order pizza from one of our favorite pizzerias, open the soda pop, and eat some cake. One problem.
I haven't planned, ANYTHING ELSE.
This day snuck up on me. Having worked all weekend, I am now, getting ready to grocery shop, present shop, bake, and prepare ALL day tomorrow. And find time to see my sister (she flies into tomorrow afternoon).
It all seemed like a good idea, until now- 8:54pm on Sunday night.
Especially since I just spent what energy I had left tonight, cleaning up the bathroom. Lucy tried to flush enough toilet paper to successfully T-P a modest suburban home.
Despite my obvious habit of procrastination and the laughable distractions from the kids, I'm excited to celebrate Hudson's milestone. I can not believe that our baby boy is going to be 1 year old. I seems like yesterday, we brought him home. Now, he is walking, laughing, and before I know it- he is going to be talking (back) and asking for the car keys.
I guess if all else fails, we will at least have pizza, and hopefully some cake.
Happy Birthday Huddy- Mommy Loves YOU!
Now, excuse me, I need to find some more toilet paper- you know, to get us through the night until I can get to the grocery store (remember the procrastination?).
Friday, November 18, 2011
That was an accident...
Today, I found out that I was accepted into a Graduate School Program that I had been waiting to hear back from for about 2 months now. This is how I celebrated, and this is who I celebrated with.
I walked in the door this morning, after running a few errands, to find my husband in the kitchen. He looked like he had been waiting inpatiently. He quickly said, "Lucy says she has a belly ache and I believe her. She just went to the bathroom and she has the runs. Okay, Im leaving to go hunting, call you when I can." With a quick kiss- he was off.
Within minutes I heard Lucy running to bathroom, the whole time yelling. "I have to gooooooo potttttty!" Lucy and I met in the bathroom. She was sitting on the toliet, her soiled underwear on the floor, and a small pile of, well, you can guess what, right next to her underwear.
She looked up at me, holding her belly, and whined, "Im sorry mama, that was an accident."
This was a perfect foreshadowing of what the rest of my day would be like.
Dont get me wrong, I spent a good part of the day snuggled up on the couch, downloading books to my Kindle and watching cartoons. However, my little girl was sick. She spent most of her day running back and forth from the bathroom and trying to convience me that she wasnt sick.
You see, Lucy, despite feeling like $4!& (literally), really wanted to go spend the day at the Children's Museum. I was not about to risk her "having an accident" on the slide at the museum, no matter how good her argument was.
A few "accidents" later, a load of laundry, a little gatorade, and a lot of snuggles- Lucy finally forgot about the Children's Museum, and we are now getting ready to eat popcorn and watch TinkerBell for the 1001th time. But who is keeping count?
Anyways, thanks for celebrating with me!
e"Strange"d
My sister, Jillian, and I have not seen eachother in almost 3 years. She lives in Utah (attending BYU) and I live in Wisonsin. Saying that we have an estranged relationship would be an understatement (it's a long story). It is probably more like a strange relationship. Everyone has a little bit of dysfunction in their life- I have a lot. I like to think it is what makes me interesting, quirky perharps.
Anyways, Jillian and I talk on occasion via facebook or text messages. I like to think that we are working towards a closer relationship. We have even made plans to see eachother for the holidays.
You see there are a lot of things that Jillian and I have in common.
1. We both have naturally curly hair- that we prefer to straighten
2. We love anything to do with music
3. We love to eat junk food and watch funny movies
4. We love to laugh
Okay, that may not look like a lot of things but- we do.
What my little sister doesn't know is, there is even more about her that I admire.
I admire her creativity, her passion, her impression/version of the song "Popular" from the award winning musical WICKED, her devotion to her faith, her sense of style, she has great skin, and straight teeth.
Sometimes when I watch Lucy singing and dancing around the house, or her laughing at herself (she thinks she is so funny), I think about Jillian. They seem to have a similiar free spirit to them. I think Jillian and Lucy are going to get a long great. I really think that my Lucy is going to love hanging out with her "cousin Jillian" (even longer story).
I guess what I am getting at is, Im excited for Jillian to come visit. I hope that we can even find time to sing a duet of "Popular" or maybe even "Defying Gravity." Oh yeah, and eat some turkey.
Anyways, Jillian and I talk on occasion via facebook or text messages. I like to think that we are working towards a closer relationship. We have even made plans to see eachother for the holidays.
You see there are a lot of things that Jillian and I have in common.
1. We both have naturally curly hair- that we prefer to straighten
2. We love anything to do with music
3. We love to eat junk food and watch funny movies
4. We love to laugh
Okay, that may not look like a lot of things but- we do.
What my little sister doesn't know is, there is even more about her that I admire.
I admire her creativity, her passion, her impression/version of the song "Popular" from the award winning musical WICKED, her devotion to her faith, her sense of style, she has great skin, and straight teeth.
 |
| See the teeth? |
Sometimes when I watch Lucy singing and dancing around the house, or her laughing at herself (she thinks she is so funny), I think about Jillian. They seem to have a similiar free spirit to them. I think Jillian and Lucy are going to get a long great. I really think that my Lucy is going to love hanging out with her "cousin Jillian" (even longer story).
 |
| See the resemblence? |
Thursday, November 17, 2011
My Favorite Kids
My day started like this...
The house was quiet. I woke up, rolled over, checked the clock and noticed Garth wasn't home from work yet. I decided to lay in bed until one of the kids MADE me get up. I must have dozed back to sleep- go figure.
I woke up about 20 minutes later to the sounds of both my kids. This normally wouldn't surprise me, but, the sounds were coming from the Baby Cam. This could only mean one thing- Lucy was in Hudson's room. But why?
The house was quiet. I woke up, rolled over, checked the clock and noticed Garth wasn't home from work yet. I decided to lay in bed until one of the kids MADE me get up. I must have dozed back to sleep- go figure.
I woke up about 20 minutes later to the sounds of both my kids. This normally wouldn't surprise me, but, the sounds were coming from the Baby Cam. This could only mean one thing- Lucy was in Hudson's room. But why?
Here was my view from the Baby Cam
This is what I found when I got into Hudson's room
When I asked Lucy what she was doing, she happily responded and said, "I'm in Hudson's crib with him, I waked him up. I got his milk and I have mine too!" Hudson just giggled.
This is why these kids are my favorite.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
What Did Simon Say?
While I was talking to my mother in law on the phone a few hours ago, Hudson was playing and Lucy was watching TinkerBell, for the 1000th time.
I was asking my mother in law if I could borrow her carpet shampooer tomorrow. You see, we have a black lab. Her name is Babe, and she has coarse black hair. This hair can be found all over my house. My favorite place you can find it is woven into the white carpet of my bedroom floor. Oh yeah, and the furniture.
Back to my phone conversation. Kerry (my mother in law) was talking on and on about different techniques to help me clean (and cope with) this black dog hair. We were having a nice conversation when- Lucy came screaming into the living room (where I was relaxing, watching X-Factor on TV).
Apparently Hudson had, like a little McGyver, successfully escaped his diaper and pooped on my bedroom floor. Then, by the time I was able to run in there, he had rolled in it, and allowed the dog to play in it with him. Did I mention, I have WHITE carpet in my bedroom?
Horrified, I quickly hung up the phone with my mother in law and dove into cleaning up the mess that ruined my night. Not to mention, made me miss Simon Cowell's opinion on the X-Factor!
Irony- if you remember, I was on the phone talking about carpet cleaners!
Looking to purchase-
One efficient carpet cleaner.
Looking to sell-
Black Lab who sheds, and plays with little boy poop.
I was asking my mother in law if I could borrow her carpet shampooer tomorrow. You see, we have a black lab. Her name is Babe, and she has coarse black hair. This hair can be found all over my house. My favorite place you can find it is woven into the white carpet of my bedroom floor. Oh yeah, and the furniture.
Back to my phone conversation. Kerry (my mother in law) was talking on and on about different techniques to help me clean (and cope with) this black dog hair. We were having a nice conversation when- Lucy came screaming into the living room (where I was relaxing, watching X-Factor on TV).
 |
| Post Mess |
Horrified, I quickly hung up the phone with my mother in law and dove into cleaning up the mess that ruined my night. Not to mention, made me miss Simon Cowell's opinion on the X-Factor!
Irony- if you remember, I was on the phone talking about carpet cleaners!
Looking to purchase-
One efficient carpet cleaner.
Looking to sell-
Black Lab who sheds, and plays with little boy poop.
Soft Wood is No Good
I have been slowly, very slowly, remodeling my kitchen. My friend, Tonya, has been helping me. I am just getting into DIY projects- she is the queen. I honestly feel like she could do anything, and I would just tag along.
Anyways, since she has been such a huge help to me, when she asked if I would help her split wood for her wood burning fireplace, naturally- I said yes. Not knowing what splitting wood was all about. So yesterday, we borrowed my father in law's log splitter (thanks Grandpa Gary) and we set out to cut some wood.
As I drove up to her house, I saw a rather large pile of even larger pieces of wood logs. I thought, okay, this is going to be fine. We can do this. What I was really thinking, was, okay- Tonya can do this, I have no idea what I am doing.
We quickly set up a system, and even called her mom over to help. The three of us took turns hauling, splitting, and stacking wood. Time was going by pretty fast, we hadn't run into many problems- with the exception that there were some logs that were quite heavy. Tonya took a break to take some ibuprofen, I stopped to take some pictures.
We were about 1/4 of the way through, when Tonya's sweet mother said, "Wow, these pieces of wood sure are hard."
Tonya quickly responded by saying, "Well ya mom, soft wood is no good."
As soon as she said that, all three of us started to laugh. Come on, that's funny.
After about 3hours of wood splitting, a pizza break, and a lot of laughs, we were finally done. We felt, tired, but accomplished.
I never, in a million years, (after living in a city in California) thought that I would ever spend 3 hours, on a winter day, splitting wood with a friend. But that is why I love living in Wisconsin. I never know where I will end up or what I will end up doing. In many ways, my life is way more exciting than I ever dreamed it could be.
By the way, so that I could spend this fun day with a friend, Garth had both kids at home. While he was trying to get some work and studying done, Lucy successfully dropped, and smashed, a large Christmas snow globe on our hardwood floor. I don't know what is more disturbing, the broken snow globe, or that Christmas is right around the corner, and Lucy ruined one of my few Christmas decorations?
Anyways, since she has been such a huge help to me, when she asked if I would help her split wood for her wood burning fireplace, naturally- I said yes. Not knowing what splitting wood was all about. So yesterday, we borrowed my father in law's log splitter (thanks Grandpa Gary) and we set out to cut some wood.
As I drove up to her house, I saw a rather large pile of even larger pieces of wood logs. I thought, okay, this is going to be fine. We can do this. What I was really thinking, was, okay- Tonya can do this, I have no idea what I am doing.
 |
| The pile of wood |
 |
| Tonya splitting wood |
We quickly set up a system, and even called her mom over to help. The three of us took turns hauling, splitting, and stacking wood. Time was going by pretty fast, we hadn't run into many problems- with the exception that there were some logs that were quite heavy. Tonya took a break to take some ibuprofen, I stopped to take some pictures.
We were about 1/4 of the way through, when Tonya's sweet mother said, "Wow, these pieces of wood sure are hard."
Tonya quickly responded by saying, "Well ya mom, soft wood is no good."
As soon as she said that, all three of us started to laugh. Come on, that's funny.
 |
| Me, next to our pile of "hard" wood |
After about 3hours of wood splitting, a pizza break, and a lot of laughs, we were finally done. We felt, tired, but accomplished.
I never, in a million years, (after living in a city in California) thought that I would ever spend 3 hours, on a winter day, splitting wood with a friend. But that is why I love living in Wisconsin. I never know where I will end up or what I will end up doing. In many ways, my life is way more exciting than I ever dreamed it could be.
By the way, so that I could spend this fun day with a friend, Garth had both kids at home. While he was trying to get some work and studying done, Lucy successfully dropped, and smashed, a large Christmas snow globe on our hardwood floor. I don't know what is more disturbing, the broken snow globe, or that Christmas is right around the corner, and Lucy ruined one of my few Christmas decorations?
Monday, November 14, 2011
Girls Dont Wear Pants
My daughter, Lucy, is one the of the most special people I have ever met in my life. Don't get me wrong, as a mom, she can drive me crazy. But most days, she makes me smile and laugh so hard, I almost pee my pants (thanks to pregnancy and childbirth).
The one thing about Lucy that makes her so special is her individuality. She thinks, let me rephrase- she knows she is special, beautiful, and a princess. She insists on dressing herself, everyday. She is very detailed. Her ensemble is planned and executed down the very last piece of jewelery or handbag. She loves to change her outfit throughout the day. Which makes for a disaster of a dresser and closet on most days. When I say she can change her clothes 10 times a day- I am NOT exaggerating. There are days that I drop Lucy off at preschool and I have to remind her teacher, Ms. Jessie, that Lucy dresses herself and I'M SORRY.
You need to remember that we live in Wisconsin. This means that just when you get used to the current season of weather, mother natures messes with you and the next season is knocking on the door. Lucy has a love/hate relationship with this concept. She loves new clothes, but HATES wearing pants.
This brings me to just recently. Mother Nature and Wisconsin both welcomed winter as the latest season. Winter in Wisconsin is bitter cold. That doesn't matter to Lucy. She only wants to wear dresses. You can fight and argue with Lucy about how cold it is, tell her about snow and rain, let her look out the window- it wont change the fact, that she looks up at me, with her beautiful gray/blue eyes and says,
"Mama, I don't want to wear pants, girls don't wear pants."
I cant tell you how many times I have heard her say this. Still, I would fight with her, afraid that social services would scold me for letting her go outside in a sundress and sandals. We would fight before school and church and she would end up in tears when I made her wear something she didn't like. I would watch her slump in her car seat as we drove off, feeling like the worst mom in the world.
This drove me to research. I wanted to learn about parenting techniques to support, in a healthy way, Lucy's individuality. After all, it is one of the things that I envy about her. So, I asked friends, colleagues, and even searched the Internet.
Finally, I spoke with a colleague, someone I really respect. What she had to say, paraphrases most of what I had read in books, magazines, and even the Internet.
She said to me, "Amanda, really, what is the harm of her dressing herself. Will is affect her when she is 30 what she wore today? Don't you think if you 'feed her need, the need will go away?'"
This got me thinking. No, this wont affect her when she is 30. And no, there is no harm in letting her dress herself.
So this morning, when Lucy and I were standing in front of her closet, discussing what she would wear to school, I decided to step back. I decided to feed her need. I let Lucy dress herself, I let her pick out everything. She picked this.
As we drove off to school this morning, something was different about Lucy. She was smiling, talkative, and excited about school. That made my heart happy. All I had to do was pack a bag of warmer clothes to take and leave at school. Since is was 32 degrees when we left the house.
My kids are my world. I want to embrace who they are as people. I want them to choose a destiny and journey that is as individual as they are. If that means letting them dress themselves, then as long as they are clean, modest, and polite- then by all means, everybody- we should all take a lesson from Lucy. We should all strive to be a little more like Lucy, caring less about what other people think and more about what is important to us and what makes each of us who we are. We are all special and beautiful, no matter what we wear, Lucy taught me that.
P.S. Ms. Jessie, there is a bag of warm winter clothes in Lucy's locker cubbie. Make sure she wears her winter coat and hat during play time. Thanks!
The one thing about Lucy that makes her so special is her individuality. She thinks, let me rephrase- she knows she is special, beautiful, and a princess. She insists on dressing herself, everyday. She is very detailed. Her ensemble is planned and executed down the very last piece of jewelery or handbag. She loves to change her outfit throughout the day. Which makes for a disaster of a dresser and closet on most days. When I say she can change her clothes 10 times a day- I am NOT exaggerating. There are days that I drop Lucy off at preschool and I have to remind her teacher, Ms. Jessie, that Lucy dresses herself and I'M SORRY.
You need to remember that we live in Wisconsin. This means that just when you get used to the current season of weather, mother natures messes with you and the next season is knocking on the door. Lucy has a love/hate relationship with this concept. She loves new clothes, but HATES wearing pants.
This brings me to just recently. Mother Nature and Wisconsin both welcomed winter as the latest season. Winter in Wisconsin is bitter cold. That doesn't matter to Lucy. She only wants to wear dresses. You can fight and argue with Lucy about how cold it is, tell her about snow and rain, let her look out the window- it wont change the fact, that she looks up at me, with her beautiful gray/blue eyes and says,
"Mama, I don't want to wear pants, girls don't wear pants."
I cant tell you how many times I have heard her say this. Still, I would fight with her, afraid that social services would scold me for letting her go outside in a sundress and sandals. We would fight before school and church and she would end up in tears when I made her wear something she didn't like. I would watch her slump in her car seat as we drove off, feeling like the worst mom in the world.
This drove me to research. I wanted to learn about parenting techniques to support, in a healthy way, Lucy's individuality. After all, it is one of the things that I envy about her. So, I asked friends, colleagues, and even searched the Internet.
Finally, I spoke with a colleague, someone I really respect. What she had to say, paraphrases most of what I had read in books, magazines, and even the Internet.
She said to me, "Amanda, really, what is the harm of her dressing herself. Will is affect her when she is 30 what she wore today? Don't you think if you 'feed her need, the need will go away?'"
This got me thinking. No, this wont affect her when she is 30. And no, there is no harm in letting her dress herself.
So this morning, when Lucy and I were standing in front of her closet, discussing what she would wear to school, I decided to step back. I decided to feed her need. I let Lucy dress herself, I let her pick out everything. She picked this.
 |
| Lucy wearing what she calls her "leaf dress," with polka dot tights and brown boots. |
My kids are my world. I want to embrace who they are as people. I want them to choose a destiny and journey that is as individual as they are. If that means letting them dress themselves, then as long as they are clean, modest, and polite- then by all means, everybody- we should all take a lesson from Lucy. We should all strive to be a little more like Lucy, caring less about what other people think and more about what is important to us and what makes each of us who we are. We are all special and beautiful, no matter what we wear, Lucy taught me that.
P.S. Ms. Jessie, there is a bag of warm winter clothes in Lucy's locker cubbie. Make sure she wears her winter coat and hat during play time. Thanks!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Another kind of day....
As I mentioned before, I am a full time mom and a part time nurse. Today, I was a nurse. I worked a 12 hour shift in the ICU of our small Wisconsin town. It's a smaller, rural hospital, however; we really do amazing things, change lives, and work to make a difference- everyday. Today was no different. I spent my day, side by side with other great nurses, taking care of very sick people. I love my job. But.... What is hard is a long day of caring for strangers, then BAM- walking in my house to find my kids needing me, for ANYTHING.
I walked into my house, expecting this night to be no different. Someone whining, crying, or needing something IMMEDIATELY. I was pleasantly surprised. Tonight was different!!! The kids were fed dinner, and it was cleaned up! Hudson was ready for bed, in a nighttime diaper and EVERYTHING. Kane had his chores done and was quietly tinkering on his IPod. The house was calm, inviting, and well... didn't look like, feel like, smell like, or seem like MY house. My husband had even opened a bottle of my favorite red wine, with a glass ready for me! This was fantastic.
As I sat down, next to my husband on the couch, and asked about his day (all while sipping a great glass of wine) I thought- WOW, this is such a nice way to come home. I wondered when the other shoe would drop, but remained optimistic.
And then it happened....
Garth, immediately began talking about the upcoming hunting season and his needs from me in regards to child care and when and how long he would be gone- off hunting and gathering with the other men in our family. I hate talking about hunting. Hunting season always sneaks up on me.
Hunting season is made up of Garth running off to some remote area, unreachable by phone. It usually affects my work schedule or breaks up our days with AM hunting and early PM scouts. I have no interest in hunting. I don't want to go with him, I don't want to talk about it, and I don't want to rearrange my schedule to accommodate it.
I didn't even get through half of my glass of wine before Garth could tell that I was bored with his hunting conversation. This was followed by him making comments, most likely negative, under breath. Oh well. I don't make him listen to me about my latest shopping trip- lets be fair.
Oh yeah and then Lucy came to sit by me... This is when I realized, she had not had a bath.... This is what she looked like.
Wait for me, I will be back....
I walked into my house, expecting this night to be no different. Someone whining, crying, or needing something IMMEDIATELY. I was pleasantly surprised. Tonight was different!!! The kids were fed dinner, and it was cleaned up! Hudson was ready for bed, in a nighttime diaper and EVERYTHING. Kane had his chores done and was quietly tinkering on his IPod. The house was calm, inviting, and well... didn't look like, feel like, smell like, or seem like MY house. My husband had even opened a bottle of my favorite red wine, with a glass ready for me! This was fantastic.
As I sat down, next to my husband on the couch, and asked about his day (all while sipping a great glass of wine) I thought- WOW, this is such a nice way to come home. I wondered when the other shoe would drop, but remained optimistic.
And then it happened....
Garth, immediately began talking about the upcoming hunting season and his needs from me in regards to child care and when and how long he would be gone- off hunting and gathering with the other men in our family. I hate talking about hunting. Hunting season always sneaks up on me.
Hunting season is made up of Garth running off to some remote area, unreachable by phone. It usually affects my work schedule or breaks up our days with AM hunting and early PM scouts. I have no interest in hunting. I don't want to go with him, I don't want to talk about it, and I don't want to rearrange my schedule to accommodate it.
I didn't even get through half of my glass of wine before Garth could tell that I was bored with his hunting conversation. This was followed by him making comments, most likely negative, under breath. Oh well. I don't make him listen to me about my latest shopping trip- lets be fair.
Oh yeah and then Lucy came to sit by me... This is when I realized, she had not had a bath.... This is what she looked like.
If you notice from my post from yesterday- She hasn't changed her clothes, her hair is greasy, and her face is covered in something, I don't know what. Oh and did I mention, she HATES washing her hair, bathing a lion is easier.
Guess I better put down my sweet, glorious glass of wine and give my beautiful daughter a bath- before she ends up with dreadlocks or another stain on her favorite Dora the Explorer Dress.
Wait for me, I will be back....On a positive note, Garth did tell me, when he could tell I was irritated, the he had a fun day with the little kids at the local Children's Museum. Here was his proof. This did bring a smile to my face...
Thursday, November 10, 2011
No time to be sick
I have been fighting a terrible cold for over a week, do you think my kids care? NO. While I wanted to make plans to lay on the couch, sip tea, and channel surf, my kids have other plans.
Enter Lucy- Flying around the house, rest assured- rescuing NO ONE!
Fastforward a few hours, Lucy coloring while Hudson and I relax on the couch- or so I thought....
Enter Lucy- Flying around the house, rest assured- rescuing NO ONE!
Fastforward a few hours, Lucy coloring while Hudson and I relax on the couch- or so I thought....
And my day isnt even close to being over....
Oh ya, one more....
A little baking, anyone?
Winter
Winter has arrived in the Frozen Tundra.
It is time for me to get out all the snow pants, hats, and boots- for the whole family.
Kane loves to do anything with his dad... hunting, ice fishing.... that is until he gets cold or bored :)
Lucy loves to play outside in the snow. I admire her adaptability. Her energy is both amazing and exhausting.
This is Hudson's first real winter. He slept and nursed through last winter. He is the happiest little boy I know. Im sure he will love trying to keep up with his older brother and sister, all dressed up in snow clothes.
Watching my kids grow and change with the seasons makes me proud. They teach me to appreciate what I have and make the best of anything. So, I guess I better dress warm and try to keep up!
It is time for me to get out all the snow pants, hats, and boots- for the whole family.
Kane loves to do anything with his dad... hunting, ice fishing.... that is until he gets cold or bored :)
Lucy loves to play outside in the snow. I admire her adaptability. Her energy is both amazing and exhausting.
This is Hudson's first real winter. He slept and nursed through last winter. He is the happiest little boy I know. Im sure he will love trying to keep up with his older brother and sister, all dressed up in snow clothes.
Watching my kids grow and change with the seasons makes me proud. They teach me to appreciate what I have and make the best of anything. So, I guess I better dress warm and try to keep up!
Pride
This was taken at Garth's promotion ceremony.
We are so proud. Kane even got to present his dad his new Red Lieutenant Helmet!
Getting Started...
Hey Everyone,
My name is Amanda. I am a full time mom and part time Registered Nurse. I thought it would be a fun idea to start a blog to not only share my life, my hobbies, but of course all of my adventures in being a mom.
I have been married to my wonderful husband, Garth, for 4 1/2 years. We have 3 wonderful kids, Kane (13), Lucy (3 1/2), and Husdon (12mo). We live in a small mid-west town in Wisconsin. We love our family and spending time together.
I love to cook, bake, read, laugh, love, and learn from my kids. I have lots of stories of my kids. They are the best kids. They are so full of energy and life- and you will never guess what they are going to do next!
Like I said before, I hope to bring friends and family closer together with my stories and adventures. Hopefully you can pull up a chair, read about us- smile, laugh, and maybe even cry with us.
Love Always,
Mama Schuey
My name is Amanda. I am a full time mom and part time Registered Nurse. I thought it would be a fun idea to start a blog to not only share my life, my hobbies, but of course all of my adventures in being a mom.
I have been married to my wonderful husband, Garth, for 4 1/2 years. We have 3 wonderful kids, Kane (13), Lucy (3 1/2), and Husdon (12mo). We live in a small mid-west town in Wisconsin. We love our family and spending time together.
I love to cook, bake, read, laugh, love, and learn from my kids. I have lots of stories of my kids. They are the best kids. They are so full of energy and life- and you will never guess what they are going to do next!
Like I said before, I hope to bring friends and family closer together with my stories and adventures. Hopefully you can pull up a chair, read about us- smile, laugh, and maybe even cry with us.
Love Always,
Mama Schuey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)