It's time for me to write. It's time for me to focus. It's time for me to get back to it! Why does life seem to get so crowded with "good" things that we can't seem to make time for those things that we should be doing?
I promised myself that this week would be the start of something better for me. Workouts back on schedule, homecooked dinner (however simple) gracing the table each night, storytime and homework with the girls, playdates that I've been craving (but putting off) would be set up and enjoyed...and yet, here it is, Monday, and my "simplified" week has already been filled with stuff. Where is the happy medium? I don't want to be lazy or unproductive, but even without working outside the home full time anymore, my days are full to the brim.
Being a scheduler, I thrive on getting everything fit into the time that I have and making it work. I CRAVE knowing what's coming next. And that old saying that we teachers live by: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" is so completely true in my life. I get distracted so often by other good things as I'm trying to get basic things done that I ultimately end up feeling like I did nothing. Not good when I already struggle with staying at home... why does it feel like when I was working full time I was able to get all that outside work done on top of everything else that I wanted and needed to?
I wonder if I'm allowing myself too much freedom. There was a GC talk last month about weeding through all the "good" things to reach the ones that are the most important and sticking to them. So I guess my gardening gloves will be coming out... this life needs a little pruning!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Maternity Shoot
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Colorado & California
Life comes in huge swells sometimes it seems.
James and I were able to take our "babymoon" to Breckenridge, Colorado last week. After flying through tornado turbulence over Denver (seriously), I was in tears because of the effects. We were pretty much strapped to our seats for hours and I was incredibly uncomfortable. We eventually made it to Denver after being diverted to Albequerque. It was a crazy day to say the least.
Our condo in Breckenridge was amazing. With all the crazy weather we have been having on the West Coast, we had SNOW in June while we were there! The temperature didn't rise above 65 degrees. I was in heaven. I tried to soak up every last moment so I could think back to them when I was miserably hot and pregnant in Phoenix. 
We hiked almost every day while we were there and saw some pretty incredible views. Wow. We hiked along
the Continental Divide a few times and drove on the highest road in North America, at 12, 200 +/- feet. We hiked to 12,005 feet (me at 7 month pregnant!) and saw conditions that parallelled the Arctic.
We hiked almost every day while we were there and saw some pretty incredible views. Wow. We hiked along
the Continental Divide a few times and drove on the highest road in North America, at 12, 200 +/- feet. We hiked to 12,005 feet (me at 7 month pregnant!) and saw conditions that parallelled the Arctic. It was an amazing week to spend with my favorite person in the world.
The next day after returning home, EmmaLee and I set out for California to attend a family reunion for my side of the family. We played on the lake and pretty much had a blast. The only downer was when EmmaLee stepped off the boat toward the dock and the boat shifted, causing her step to land in mid-air and she fell down between the boat and dock. She banged herself up pretty bad. She had a scraped up nose and lip, 2 black eyes and a fat lip. Her tummy and shins were scratched and her arm was scraped and bruised where she was able to catch herself from 
falling all the way into the water (thank heaven!). We stripped her down and bundled her up in a blanket. She fell asleep for an hour while I rocked her in the swing, but she woke no worse for wear, commenting on the ducks floating on the lake! We took her out for a ride on the boat and she was totally fine. Whew! I felt so bad for her! Thank goodness for uncles that were there to pull her out.
falling all the way into the water (thank heaven!). We stripped her down and bundled her up in a blanket. She fell asleep for an hour while I rocked her in the swing, but she woke no worse for wear, commenting on the ducks floating on the lake! We took her out for a ride on the boat and she was totally fine. Whew! I felt so bad for her! Thank goodness for uncles that were there to pull her out.What a wonderful week! I am very blessed (and very tired! lol!)
Friday, May 22, 2009
EmmaLee's 3rd Birthday
"Princess Marianne"... it was actually supposed to be EmmaLee wearing the crown, but the weather was windy and I used it for a headband since she wasn't really interested in wearing it until cake and presents time. This is pretty much the only picture I have from this pregnancy so far...All of her friends were so sweet.
Joshua Fenstermaker was there
and EmmaLee obviously loves him! :)
For EmmaLee's 3rd birthday, we bought her a "big girl bed".
She was thrilled and took right to it. (Yeah!)
I love how she is so content with simple pleasures.
Names...
This one has us stumped. We're having a girl. This we know. What we don't know is what in the world to name that girl! With EmmaLee, we had her name picked out from the time that we were dating. EmmaLee Anne. I had always wanted that name for a girl and James had always wanted Ryan James for a boy. I guess we just assumed that we'd have a boy next and we didn't pick out any girl names because we were so convinced that this one was a boy. Surprise! Now what do we do?
Every name that I pick, James shoots down. Every name that James picks, I don't like. We have tried out Meg, Addyson, Addylyn and Marguerite, but we're not agreeing. We asked EmmaLee what to call her baby sister and she thought about it for a moment and then replied, in all seriousness, "Baby":) How simple that would be until about... Kindergarten!
James likes what I term as "cheerleader names". Names like Brittany, Tiffany and Ashley. I have a hard time imagining her in 50 years being called "Grandma Brittany". It just doesn't sound right. But the names that I have submitted for his approval he says are too short (Meg) or sound strange for a little girl...
My biggest hangup in the naming process is that I want it to be something different, but not weird. I want a name that isn't popular. I had a name like that- I've met only one girl in my life that was my age and had my name. After we named EmmaLee, we heard that it was the most popular name for girls the year she was born. Ugh. Being a teacher, I know how much it stinks to have multiple kids with the same name in a class and having to call them Ashley C. and Ashley R. and I don't want that for my kids.
Maybe we should open it up to everyone else in a name pool or something like that. Everyone submit a name and if we choose yours, you win the pot. Any takers? :)
Every name that I pick, James shoots down. Every name that James picks, I don't like. We have tried out Meg, Addyson, Addylyn and Marguerite, but we're not agreeing. We asked EmmaLee what to call her baby sister and she thought about it for a moment and then replied, in all seriousness, "Baby":) How simple that would be until about... Kindergarten!
James likes what I term as "cheerleader names". Names like Brittany, Tiffany and Ashley. I have a hard time imagining her in 50 years being called "Grandma Brittany". It just doesn't sound right. But the names that I have submitted for his approval he says are too short (Meg) or sound strange for a little girl...
My biggest hangup in the naming process is that I want it to be something different, but not weird. I want a name that isn't popular. I had a name like that- I've met only one girl in my life that was my age and had my name. After we named EmmaLee, we heard that it was the most popular name for girls the year she was born. Ugh. Being a teacher, I know how much it stinks to have multiple kids with the same name in a class and having to call them Ashley C. and Ashley R. and I don't want that for my kids.
Maybe we should open it up to everyone else in a name pool or something like that. Everyone submit a name and if we choose yours, you win the pot. Any takers? :)
Friday, April 17, 2009
Hormones & Hairspray
My sweet husband. I am so sorry for him! He will always be outnumbered in our family. We found out yesterday that our newest addition, whom we were CONVINCED was a boy, is in fact a girl. She gave us a clear view and there was definite lackage of the appropriate parts.
It was an interesting moment for sure. We were really expecting a little boy we had already named Ryan to smile and wave in this 3rd ultrasound and instead were greeted by a sweet girl sucking her fingers and dancing around on the screen.
I had to smile and chalk it up to a learning experience. Never think you have it all figured out because that's when God laughs and puts something in front of you that He had in mind the whole time just to remind you of who's in charge.
Now to figure out how we are going to have not one little self proclaimed Diva... but two. Good thing my wonderful husband is so patient and even-keeled. What would I do without him?! What would I do without him in 15 years when "my girls" are hormonal and as stubborn as we both are? I don't even want to think about it! :) I'll just plan to buy him some more Rogaine (or a razor, the jury's still out on that one) and myself some gourmet chocolate and ear plugs, and we'll make it to their 18th birthdays for sure! :)
I must admit that I like the sound of "our girls"... I can see James coming home and being greeted by the ladies that own his heart. How sweet with that be?
It was an interesting moment for sure. We were really expecting a little boy we had already named Ryan to smile and wave in this 3rd ultrasound and instead were greeted by a sweet girl sucking her fingers and dancing around on the screen.
I had to smile and chalk it up to a learning experience. Never think you have it all figured out because that's when God laughs and puts something in front of you that He had in mind the whole time just to remind you of who's in charge.
Now to figure out how we are going to have not one little self proclaimed Diva... but two. Good thing my wonderful husband is so patient and even-keeled. What would I do without him?! What would I do without him in 15 years when "my girls" are hormonal and as stubborn as we both are? I don't even want to think about it! :) I'll just plan to buy him some more Rogaine (or a razor, the jury's still out on that one) and myself some gourmet chocolate and ear plugs, and we'll make it to their 18th birthdays for sure! :)
I must admit that I like the sound of "our girls"... I can see James coming home and being greeted by the ladies that own his heart. How sweet with that be?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Hugs
How is it that our children know the times when we need their love the most? Last night (after another long day in a very stressful week of standardized testing in my classroom) I was putting EmmaLee to bed. We had finished our nightly routine- story, potty, tucking in and song- and I was reassuring her that it really was time to go to sleep and that she wasn't going to miss anything because Mom & Dad were going to sleep too.
She studied me silently with those big, beautiful brown eyes from her position on her pillow and then reached up and hooked her arms around my neck. Without even a word, she hugged me as tight as she could- complete with an "uhhhhUM!" to let me know that I had gotten one of her special "EmmaLee Loves". My heart melted. How can they know that things like that mean so much? This is true love- being in tune with the needs and feelings of those around us and doing what we can to make it better. There is nothing better than my family. How very, very blessed I am.
She studied me silently with those big, beautiful brown eyes from her position on her pillow and then reached up and hooked her arms around my neck. Without even a word, she hugged me as tight as she could- complete with an "uhhhhUM!" to let me know that I had gotten one of her special "EmmaLee Loves". My heart melted. How can they know that things like that mean so much? This is true love- being in tune with the needs and feelings of those around us and doing what we can to make it better. There is nothing better than my family. How very, very blessed I am.
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