Thursday, November 27, 2008

Ok, already!  We don't blog often.  I don't expect you to visit often. 

Today was a nearly perfect day.  This was the first Thanksgiving in recent memory that wasn't a "stress fest."  Grandma Robinson came to town and is resting in comfort in front of the TV.  

The turkey was, I must say, perfect.  Thank you Butterball.  (learned  a secret from my Mom, cook with the breast down for the first 2/3rds of the roasting time then flip and cook breast up to brown.)  I really mean it was PERFECT.  Zann made roles and pies that we will be enjoying through tomorrow. They are certain to be gone after that.  Mom (Grandma) made Grandma Great's stuffing.  I made the turkey and the mashed potatoes.  

Somehow, I managed a nap after turkey.   I cannot remember the last time I took a nap mid-day.

Today is also a special day in the family, it is Nick's birthday.  He turned 7 today.   We made him a private space in the top bunk.  He is into Spy Gear, so we made him a spy space with black sheets, drapes and lots of spy stuff.   Along with his DS and new projecting clock radio.  He was thrilled.  I post some links to pictures later.

I cannot believe it, but Zann is going out on Black Friday.  She is getting up at 4 AM to get the goodies.  It is nice to have the big stuff out of the way already.  I cannot go into particulars as Zann reads her own blog.  It has been much less stressful as we have been planning for Christmas for some time.  Not to mention, we decided to pull back on gifts in light of the babies coming not to mention the economic conditions.

Hope you and yours had a great Holiday.

Ok, so obviously I don't blog very often. My life is too crazy to find the time to sit down and document it. I really should though.

So, it's almost May. I don't know where this last year has gone. Nick is almost finished with Kindergarten. I think he's ready for summer. He keeps asking if we are going to buy Six Flags tickets this year. We used to get season passes, but haven't the last 2 years. I guess we'll think about buying them again. It would cost us a bunch just to get there in gas!

Carter and I are deep in potty training. It didn't take but a few days with Nick. Easier to do when you can stay home for 3 days straight in the bathroom. Carter is taking a little bit longer because we tend to start and stop throughout the day depending on what we have going on and what errands I have to run. He's doing really well though! We are going to be pull-up free soon!

So, Brady made it through another round of layoffs at work. We haven't really been worried, but enough with the layoffs already!! They just seem to keep cutting back...and back. We aren't really worried, but it's obviously in the back of our minds. He's still happy with what he's doing though for the most part. Things are constantly changing there, so he certainly can't get bored!

I'm thinking of looking into work myself at a home health agency for pregnant women on bedrest. I'm obviously drawn to the antepartum through postpartum woman. I just don't want to work in a hospital right now, so the laboring mom is out of the question as of now. If only home births weren't illegal in MO! I would really like to be able to work for a midwife or doula and assist in homebirths or even hospital births, but not actually work for the hospital.

I've thought of going back to school to be a doula. I'd really like to help women deliver naturally (w/o an epidural) but, having never done it myself... I don't know. I would be a much more effective coach if I knew exactly what they were going through. I do to a point. The point at which I got my epidural!! Well, I did have a handful of mom's that delivered naturally, but being the nurse isn't exactly the same thing. I was very compassionate and supportive, but I obviously did not feel the delivery.

Speaking of laboring moms...my two girlfriends are both due to deliver in the next week or two. I am sooo excited. A is having a girl and M is having a boy. It is such an exciting time for both of them. I love having a newborn in the house!

But, anyway...I probably won't do anything until until Carter is in full-time preschool and Nick in full-time school too. It's just not the right time for me to work. I love being home and spending my day with my boys. They are growing right before my eyes! Life flies by too fast.

January New Year Letter

Well, let's give an update since I don't write Christmas letters!

Brady is working harder, or er...smarter than ever. He is spending long hours at the office and then working on Scouting when home. In his spare time he jams on his Guitar Hero III with his buddies. The Xbox was the best investment. I can send all 3 boys downstairs and they are happy as can be. Plus, I get some time to myself to think without all the boy noises!!

I am still loving the SAHM gig that I've got. My morning seems pretty similar day after day. It consists of getting Nick off on the bus at 8:30 and running (almost literally) to get to the 9am spinning class at the gym. Then lifting weights or running on the treadmill. 1,000 calories later I am driving home with Carter with enough time to shower and then get Nick from 1/2 day Kindergarten. Nick decided that he likes "parent pickup", but that he wants to ride the bus to school. That's fine with me, I love talking with the other moms. Plus, when it's warm again I will walk to the school and burn a few more calories. Then I fix lunch, Carter goes down for a nap and it's quiet time while Nick reads or beats me at Chess!

A week from tomorrow I am getting a nose job. I've always wanted one and now's my chance!!! No actually, it's just nasal septoplasty and unfortunately not rhinoplasty. I've decided it would be good to actually breathe out of both sides of my nose. Plus, the ENT thinks it will clear up my left ear that has been plugged up off-and-on since 1999! Ugh, it's been soo annoying. Hopefully this do the trick!

Nick, is learning how to play chess and he's quite good at it. We played a bit the other night before bed and he beat me 3 times! I made us play a 4th game before he climed into bed just so I could beat him. The crazy kid said "Mom, I don't think that's a good idea" because it was almost an hour past his bedtime! But, I finally won. Sadly, I wasn't letting him win. He won fair and square!

My little banana-addicted crazy two year old finally decided he liked the gym and quit screaming bloody murder every time we went in. Now if I can just get him to like the doctor! He still loves his trains, planes, buses, cars. Anything that moves! And he has to point out the moon every night and the sun every day. It's really sweet. He is active, active, active! Running, jumping, dancing. Always wanting to wrestle with Mom or Dad or jump across the family room furniture. Grrrr

Looking forward to seeing Mom, Dad and Grandma in February! Bring your coat it is cold!!

May 25, 2007

Today is day # 52 of my new life at home! Working just 2x a month is really ideal. I can't say I actually want to go in to work for those shifts when they come either. Brady thinks I'll get bored at home but I haven't yet. This week has consisted of playdates, planting flowers, swimming at the pool, totally reaarranging the boys rooms and deep cleaning the house. I guess the part I have to get used to is shopping with children. Carter and Mom almost always end up crying before we are finished running our errands.