Gratitude

Today I reflect on gratitude, I feel so blessed as I look at my life right now. My kids have enriched my lives so much and my husband is my best friend, I can't imagine life without him. So here is my list of just a few of the things I am super grateful for!

- My relationship with God
- My kids
- My husband
- Our health
- Our duplex
- Being able to only work every other weekend
- 2 running cars
- A garage
- Money to buy food
- A membership to the Y
- To not have much debt
- Heat/running water
- To no longer have to be a single mom
- That Kevin spoils me
- My sisters/family
- My friends
- Our church
- That Kevin and I are on the same page as wanting to move soonish
- Kevin's job and that he got grants for school
- Caleb's preschool

My list could go on and on and on, I feel like we have been given so much right now. It's easy to get caught up in what we don't have but when I look at all I do have I feel so blessed! Thank you God!

It's very very cold today and baby just went down for a nap- C is playing Legos and I HAVE to PUSH myself to get to the Y before the childcare closes!

Overcoming that thing called fatigue

So C gets up at 7 again asking to watch Curious George and get him a "snack", I am already awake but SO tired. My instinct is to just 'sleep a little more', but I know if I do that there is no way I will get a quiet time in, so I force myself to get up. Spending time with God was good this morning- short and sweet but enough to get my fill for the day. Of course C woke up baby A and when she is awake there is no quiet time. I always say I will sleep a little longer and then spend time with God when A goes down for her nap- but it never happens, I know that I have to do it right away in the morning before the kids are up.
Well Kevin came home from work at about 8 and I was lucky enough to have Caleb all ready for school so I didn't have to drive him... lucky me! I did get to go back to sleep for a bit but I am convinced I could sleep all day and I would still be tired- the answer- not coffee! Coffee actually seems to make me MORE tired- hmmm.. crack? No... Going to bed earlier- yes and running- I feel so great after I run! I have energy, motivation and inspiration- So after I watch my darling little "niece" Jovie today I am off to the Y! If I had to take C to school today I would of gone right after I dropped him off- but it's so dang cold out! Well, I am staring at a large basket of laundry who has my number!

Motivation

Caleb has gym/swim this morning- it's so hard to get going! When I am already at the Y it's much easier to run and I feel great after- I signed myself up for a 2.65mi race coming up in March so that has been my motivating factor to really reach that goal!

Gym and swim is a great way to keep C busy and a trick to get me to the Y! I love the way I feel when I run- but my legs break out and itch/burn until it's so bad that I have to stop- I googled it (I love google) and found out it's an allergy to something going on while exercising- I started taking a claritin and subsided that feeling! Thank God!

With baby A- we are working on getting her to eat more- she has been drinking too much milk so getting full enough to where she has been very picky- it's harder for Kevin to hear her cry it out more than me- (my second time around and I know that 13 month olds will live even if they cry), (his first time going through this and it sounds awful!) So no more bottles during the day- only a cup of milk with meals at the table- the only bottle she can have at this point is before bed, but not in her bed and then her teeth need to be brushed really well before going to sleep- we can handle that.

I worked a 4 hour shift last night- I always dread going but when I am there it's fun- and it goes very fast. That was my last Tues evening shift, after this I am only going to work 5 more half shifts for a nurse at work and then I am not going to pick up anymore- just keep to my every other Sat. and Sun. Well, times to get out the door! Here's to motivation!

A good Monday

Great day today! I snuck off to the Y this morning for a run, Got some good playing in, had mom's prayer group, I got a nap while Caleb played on PBSkids for a bit, got outside to enjoy the nice "spring" weather, Caleb had gymnastics - I am pooped, and he is still rearing to go! Why why why is it that kids have the most energy when they just need to play and learn when us adults need it the most?? That will be one of the 1st questions I ask God someday!

Legos are so much fun!
My picky picky eater!

So hard to walk in this snowsuit!

Ring around the baby

Aww!

Baby fever and organization

Not a combo you would think? Baby fever has been dominating my thoughts lately.. but I have a feeling it will never go away for me. I must of forgot about my very uncomfortable last pregnancy with baby A, the losing my identity for ... well.. still, and the fatigue that made my head hurt. I talked to a mom today who has three kids (her daughter is about 8 months), and I asked her if it were harder or easier than she thought it would be and she said "a lot harder", and my amazing mother of a sister Charlotte, who has 3 always says ("DON'T DO IT! IT'S CRAZY!")... yet I feel there is someone else who needs to be here... a little person is missing. I oath if I can help it to never have a winter baby again... been there done that no fun at all for me, especially in the Midwest, where I hibernate all winter long (which is loooong!). So Kevin and I agreed to start trying late summer/fall of this year to attempt to make a spring/summer baby of 2013! I know how it goes when I plan life... usually/always God's plans prevail... so we just type a rough draft and hand it over and He does a spell check/edit, re-types and hands it back :) I am always grateful for God's modifications ;)

Now comes the organization part- Kevin and I spent countless hours (like 4, but who's counting? ;)) going through stuff upon crap upon stuff to throw away, shred and recycle. Organizing doesn't come easy for me- in fact it's my biggest down fall. It's hardest for me to get and stay organized when there is PAPER everywhere!! Why do they send so much personal information in the mail that you can't just throw away, you have to shred?? I feel way more capable of a welcoming a 3rd child if I can get a hang of this organization stuff if I can get on top of it and stay on top of it with 2 kiddos.

I am reading a great book from the library called "How much is enough?" by Jean Illsley Clarke. Basically about how to not over indulge our kids and instead raise "likeable, responsible and respectful children", I have learned a lot from it and it's really helped me set clearer boundaries and limits with C. I often feel like maybe I let him get away with more than he should- which is dangerous. Well that's all for now! Sleep time!

Too much media!

A day I wish the kids would of slept a bit longer! Caleb would watch TV all day if I let him and honestly some days it's tempting to let him! He got an hour in this morning which seems like way too much TV, yet I needed that hour of sleep! I have actually been debating putting the TV in the attic so it's not so tempting, as now Caleb just expects that it will be there to entertain him. I will admit since little A came along he has been spending way too much time with his electronic baby sitter- I finally put my foot down and am making him only have at the extreme 2 hours TOTAL in a day (which adds up VERY fast!).
Kevin worked nights last night so it's always a challenge to keep the kids quiet enough not to wake him. The house is just not big enough for a person to sleep quietly (especially if you know my boy!).
As I sit here trying to wake up with my coffee I am wishing it wasn't so much work to get to the Y! I feel great after I work out but the packing the kids, packing me, getting everyone loaded into the car, dropped off at the kids club, going to park the car is a workout enough!! Then I go workout, go get the car, get everyone loaded and get home and I feel like I had 3 workouts. Maybe i'll just wait until Kevin gets up then sneak out by myself for a bit! Though when Kevin gets up I am ready for my nap!! Oh - life as a mom!

A new year!

Well, it's 2012! I have been terrible at blogging- yet I miss doing it! It's so fun to look back at how things have changed. Annaliese joined our family on November 30th 2010 and she just turned 13 months and Caleb is 4 1/2. I have been home with the kids full time until October then I started working every other weekend (4 days a month) plus some half shifts here and there. I find it challenging to stay home- but fun. Kevin and I got married in May in Del Mar California and I am so blessed to have him as my husband! This year we are working on getting a 3 bedroom house (only renting as we would love to move out west within the next 2 years), and a bigger car- we are wanting to expand our family and go for baby number 3 but we need more room! Here are some pictures :)

Annaliese Joy Levine 11/30/2010

My goofy Caleb! Never a dull moment!

She loves to play Peek-a-boo!

In California for our Christmas on our way to Disneyland!

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

Universal Studios

Studio Tours

My awesome family!

Sponge Bob wacked him with his arm! I didn't know that til after the picture!

Right now Caleb goes to preschool 2 days a week, is in preschool gymnastics once a week and has gym/swim once a week- he needs lots to keep him busy! We got C and baby A enrolled in Kindermusik starting in a week as well which is always fun! We are all wimps with the cold so we hibernate having lots to do in the winter keeps us out of the cave! That's all for now! Gotta get back into blogging, this is fun! Even if I don't have any followers- it's kinda like journaling which I love anyway ;)