More Skees Please

Our Love Story, continued: The Proposal

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

In honor of our 8 year wedding anniversary (TODAY!), I wanted to share how it all began...You can read the first part here.

Okay I'll be the first to admit that the way we met doesn't exactly make for the most romantic story, but the proposal definitely makes up for it....read on and you'll see...

From the moment Ricky returned my flip-flops outside the campus fitness center, it was full speed ahead. He was a Junior, lived at home and went from class straight to work every day (which explains why we never crossed paths at school). I was a Senior with only 6 weeks left of classes and a lot of decisions ahead of me.

I graduated with a degree in Communications in May 2003. My parents wanted me to move back near them (about 1.5 hours from where my school was) but I wasn't so sure. Instead, I spent a few weeks soul-searching and job hunting where I was, finally deciding to chase a childhood dream while I had the chance. I found a film school in Burbank, California that had a 6-week acting course and that fall, after dating Ricky throughout the summer, I packed my things and drove cross-country with my dad without any clue what my next steps would be.

Ricky flew out to visit - even ran from my apartment to a nearby store while I was in class to grab what was needed to surprise me with a nice romantic homemade dinner. He must have sensed that I was debating on whether I would stay in LA to pursue acting or if I would venture home to the familiar. (A man who made the effort and spent the money to fly across the US? And one that cooks? He sure scored points in my book!)

When the 6 weeks was up, I was at a crossroads. I stared at my list of acting contacts, my recently taken head-shots and my ID card that granted access to the Universal Studios lot where we had filmed several student-led short films. I'd be lying if I said the acting bug hadn't bitten me hard. I wanted to stay. But I honestly felt that either way I would be taking a risk and chasing something with no sure outcome - whether it be an acting career in LA or love back home.

In the end, I left California and I never looked back.

-- In our "dating" days --

Fast forward to the next spring. Ricky and I had been dating for a little over a year and half at that point and as things progressed I knew I had made the right choice - coming home for love.

One beautiful spring morning, we made plans to go to the zoo and I had a feeling. A feeling that perhaps this outing would bring something special. We arrived at the front entrance and "happened" to be met by a zoo employee who asked if there were any certain exhibits I wanted to be sure to visit. I mentioned I loved butterflies. He said the exhibit wasn't open quite yet, but he'd sneak us in ahead of the crowd.

Once inside I was overwhelmed with the beauty of it all. There were trees dripping across the walkway and hundreds of butterflies flitting about. As I was taking it all in, I barely noticed a song softly humming in the background. Our song.

I turned to find Ricky down on one knee with a little box in his hand. His voice shook as he asked me to be his wife (with a few sweet sentiments mixed in as well). He slid a beautiful princess cut diamond ring on my equally shaky hand as I said "YES!" over and over.

[Sidenote - Later I found out that he had written my mom a letter asking her for her mother's engagement ring that my mom had kept for more than 20 years after she died. He kept the vintage platinum band with 6 small diamonds in tact and designed a custom setting with a new center stone. The original diamond was then incorporated into a piece of jewelry for my sister.]

-- Just after he popped the question :) --

-- Me showing off my custom ring --

Outside the exhibit we called a few family members to tell them the news. We were planning on going to a family barbecue later that day and I was so excited to show off my bling. First, he said, we needed to grab something from my condo. When we walked in the entire place was covered in rose petals and candles. Later on, we ended the evening with dinner reservations at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

To Be Continued...

Our Cinderella Love Story (or, How I Found My Prince Charming With A Dirty Old Rubber Flip-Flop Instead of a Glass Slipper)

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

In honor of our approaching 8 year wedding anniversary on Monday, I wanted to share how it all began...

Ricky and I met by chance the spring before I graduated. After ending a serious relationship prior to my senior year in college, I was single, carefree and loving every minute of those last few months of freedom before reality strikes and you are officially thrown out into the world.

A group of girlfriends and I planned a trip to Miami for spring break. We packed suitcases of carefully planned outfits to hit the town in and looked forward to sipping fruity drinks and people watching on the soft-sand beaches of one of the hottest vacation spots around.

We had a blast -- too much fun some might say. {My parents were totally shocked to see a shiny little stud adorning my nose when I returned from the trip. Yep, I got my nose pierced. And I loved it.} About halfway through the trip, a few of my friends said they wanted to drive over to Daytona - about 4 hours away - to meet up with their boyfriends who were there with our school's tennis team. Most of the group had boyfriends, but one of my friend's who didn't said she knew of a few guy friends that were in Daytona too that we could hang out with so she and I decided to tag along. It turned out that I knew one from a mutual group of friends and she knew the other, a guy named Ricky, who she kind of had a crush on. How fun!

When we got to the hotel where the guys were staying we were a hot mess. We rented a car early one morning after a particularly fun night and let's just say we were not in any shape to get up and shower for a 4 hour car-ride. Had I known I was about to meet the man I was going to marry, perhaps I would have made a bit more of an effort ;)

I knew my friend had a crush on this Ricky guy so I had told myself ahead of time that even if I ended up thinking he was cute, I was not going to get in her way, as any good friend would do. Unfortunately for me, I did find him attractive. And funny. And sweet. But, nope, wasn't going to flirt at all. This was her crush. We hung out all day, walked up and down the beach, played cards outside on the hotel deck and the 4 of us had a wonderful time.

Later on, we went to a nightclub where I brushed off some of Ricky's innocent flirting so as not to upset my friend (although I could tell there was no "connection" between her and him). As we were shuttled back to our hotel in a large passenger van, Ricky and I ended up seated next to each other. We were all exhausted and squished in the van with about 8 or 9 other people headed to various locations and his hand gently rested on my leg - nothing more than an accident.

Suddenly, drama erupted. Once back at our hotel, my friend stormed off the van and took off down the beach in a tizzy. One of the guys went after her to find out what she was upset about. She eventually came back, shouting about how I was a bad friend and that I knew she had a crush on Ricky but I just didn't seem to care. Huh??? I just had to laugh and thought, is she serious right now??? It kind of went downhill from there. The combination of emotions and alcohol inevitably had us both in tears. Ricky pulled me aside to ask me politely what in the world was going on.

"I guess she thinks (sob sob sob) she thinks (sob) I might like you or something (sob sob sob)."

No matter how flattered he might have been about what seemed to be two girls "fighting" over him, the drama that marked the end of our stay there probably made him wish we would both just head back to Miami as quickly as we came.

The next morning, my friend and I never really discussed it the entire drive back. I think we were both embarrassed. When we arrived back to our hotel in Miami, I realized I left a pair of flip-flops back in Daytona. I got Ricky's number from my friend (which I'm sure she was not thrilled about giving me) and asked him to bring them back to Louisville with him.

I guess you could liken it to Cinderella's glass slipper (except in this case it was a dirty old pair of rubber flip-flops). We met up in a parking lot on campus the following week and much to my surprise, when he returned my shoes, he asked for my number.

To Be Continued...

There's No Place Like...my old Kentucky Home

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

We've been in Texas for 2.5 years now which doesn't seem like a long time in the grand scheme of things, but to think that when we moved here, Ethan was just 3.5 years old, Aiden only 2.5 and Hudson didn't even exist...well that makes it seem like eons ago!

This was taken the day before we moved to Texas in 2010. The boys look like babies!

We made the decision to pack up and move our family of 4 to Texas from Indiana on a whim. There was a position open with Ricky's employer that sounded like a good opportunity and a good change of pace. Even though we knew we'd be leaving our extended families behind, we felt like this was going to ultimately be a good decision for us.

When we finally sold our home in Indiana (after 18 LONG months on the market), we were excited to see what adventures this journey across the country would bring. Amidst the excitement, however, there were fears. We worried we would regret leaving our support system and wondered if we would make new friends and build a new one. And of course, we were scared about how the move would impact the boys.

Thankfully, we found an awesome neighborhood that we fell in love with quickly, were greeted by fresh baked goods and introductions the first week we were here, and in true Taryn fashion, I began volunteering my time with various organizations while we were still unpacking. We made many friends - including some of the most amazing neighbors who have been like our "family away from home" (Abbi, Kelly...I'm talking about YOU!)

The boys have had nothing but positive experiences in the private preschool and public elementary school. We've immersed ourselves in the Austin culture. We have enjoyed the mild winters - and aside from being 8 months pregnant in the hot Texas summer last year, the heat has been much more tolerable than the ice and snow back home.

It is safe to say that this HAS indeed been a good move for us. So why are we moving back, you ask? Well - it's simple really. Family.

While we've been so lucky to be included in our friends celebrations - birthday parties, special events, holidays - and have come to know their extended families as if they were our own, I have to admit I'd always leave wishing it was my family I was sharing those moments with. I've watched our friends kids grow and change in the smallest ways, all while I watch my own nieces and nephews grow up through pictures online. It's all begun to seem a bit backwards.

So, we've decided that our temporary gig here in Texas is up and have officially started the ball rolling on plans for moving our family of FIVE back to the Midwest (more specifically Kentucky this time). We will be here until around this time next year, so the boys will finish up 1st grade (Ethan) and Kindergarten (Aiden) here in Texas. We feel like moving back sooner rather than later will help them establish a new group of friends in Kentucky while they are still young.

I'm sure there will be a string of very emotional posts in about a year: happy ones, filled with excitement for starting another new chapter in our lives - and sad ones, where we have to say good-bye to the many people who have made us feel so at home here in Texas.

But until then...it's business as usual!

See Mommy Run: Week 5 training update

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:56:00 +0000

--- > You can read all my running updates by clicking here: See Mommy Run < ---

I just started week 5 of my 5k training using the FREE C25K app on my iphone. I have found this to be the PERFECT way to slowly build up my running endurance and I'm so happy to say that starting in the middle of week 4 I FINALLY feel pretty good while running.

These are the inserts I use.
I bought them at Academy.

A few weeks in I was having issues with my knees and discovered I have something called plantar fasciitis (bascially my heels hurt like crazy all the time) - but with some helpful suggestions from fellow runners, I am finding that my knees and heels hurt less and less. Some mentioned it could be my shoes, which I was thinking to be the case. The shoes I wear are New Balance and while I did not have a full "running analysis" done when I purchased them, they did use some computer thingy to see my foot's pressure points to match me with a good pair. Before I splurged on a new pair of shoes, I decided to treat the plantar fascitis by adding a cushiony insert. So far, that has done the trick. No more knee pain and the heel pain is significantly less.

Along with the running, Ricky and I have been putting our YMCA membership to good use (and taking advantage of the 3 hour childcare as well!) by adding some weight training to our routine. Even despite my overall fatigue from my thyroid issues, when I'm able to get these workouts in I feel great afterwards. I definitely think that toning up my muscles is going to benefit my running endurance as well.

So while I'm still not a running fanatic by any means - I am starting to ~~enjoy~~ tolerate it more than before. I am halfway through my 5k training and hope to meet my first goal this summer -- to run a 5k with my sister!

Stay tuned...

It turns out there's more to it than just being a tired busy mom

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:11:00 +0000

At 31 I know I am not a spring chicken, but I also know that I should not feel like I am an old lady. For many weeks I've chalked it up to having 3 kids and assumed that childbirth and child rearing have taken their toll on my mind and body. After all, being exhausted every day goes hand-in-hand with motherhood, right?

But then again, I have not always felt this way. I'm usually on top of my to-do list and ready to take on each day. I can usually focus on the task at hand and plan ahead to make the most of my daily schedule. It is not normal for me to stick Aiden in front of the tv when I put Hudson down for a nap so that I can take a nap myself (except when I was pregnant) (which I'm not). And that's when I knew something was up.

I have (kind of absentmindedly) taken synthroid for almost 2 years now due to an underactive thyroid. At the time it was prescribed by my fertility doctor, I was so focused on getting pregnant that I didn't really understand the other ways my under-active thyroid could be effecting my well-being. I just knew that it was part of the plan to help me get pregnant so I was on board. When I got pregnant my levels were checked periodically and my meds were bumped up a few times -- all explained as normal during pregnancy. So when I finally got pregnant I thought my problem had been solved and I could stop taking the thyroid medicine. Much to my surprise, I was told that this was now going to be a life-long issue. It wasn't until then that I started looking into what exactly was wrong.

Even with all my recent symptoms that clearly point to my thyroid being out of whack, it never occurred to me that something could be amiss until the other day. Rather than go through my OB to manage it, I scheduled an appointment with an endocrinologist so that I could be sure I was addressing things with a specialist.

For a full 5 minutes I complained and whined to this poor doctor. "I'm tired. Sooo tired. All.the.time. I feel like everything in my head is a little foggy. Like I can't think straight. I'm forgetful. I have no desire to tackle my normal everyday stuff around the house. I am working out regularly, running for the past 5 weeks, strength training and have made drastic changes in my diet...and the scale is not budging. I get dizzy all the time - whether I'm standing up or sitting down. My contacts bug me and my eyes hurt." Rather than glaze over from boredom, this doctor shook his head as if to agree and furiously wrote everything down, looking like he couldn't wait to tell me he had an answer.

Lo and behold, he confirmed that there is in fact a clinical reason I've felt like crap lately. All signs point to my thyroid...and a need to adjust my thyroid medications yet again. He sent me for labwork the next morning and we will dig into my specific hormone levels to see where we need to go from here.

While it sucks to know that this will be something I will have to monitor and manage forever, I'm also relieved that there are ways to treat this and medicines that will help me feel better. I can't believe I have spent the past few months feeling like crap, feeling guilty for not having energy to do things with my kids all the time and telling myself to "suck it up". I wish I would have listened to my body and realized it had something to do with my thyroid a long time ago.

Ladies -- if you aren't feeling like yourself and have any of the symptoms I listed above, go get your thyroid checked!!!

--- > More information about hypothyroidism can be found here: http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/hypothyroidism/

*Disclaimer - I have no affiliation with the above website or organization, I simply found the site to be a helpful source of information. This is my personal experience with hypothyroidism and in no way am I attempting to diagnose this disease. Treatment of hypothyroidism should be discussed with a medical professional.

Nothing says "It's almost summer" like some baseball

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:01:00 +0000

While the predictably unpredictable weather here in Round Rock might not be the best indicator that summer is right around the corner (88 degrees one day and record lows the next!?!?), there is one thing that reminds us that it is indeed the time of year that parents are equally excited for (no more alarm clocks and hurried mornings) and terrified of (my kids home all day? yikes!)

T-ball is in full swing - the boys are on the same team this year...the Mudcats. And it is the first year they seem to equally enjoy it. They have managed to make it through several weeks of games without complaining about the early spring heat. And there is no talks of quitting (like Aiden did with indoor soccer this past winter). Success! And with every crack of the bat and sweat stained uniform, it becomes increasingly clear...it is almost summer :)

A few weeks ago our family was invited to spend the day at a Round Rock Express game. We were treated to the best party experience you can get at the Dell Diamond, enjoying food and beverages all while lounging around the private pool located on the upper deck. It was Hudson's first sports outing (besides the boys t-ball of course) and he was excitedly taking it all in. The big boys - Ethan and Aiden - were less interested in watching the game, and more interested in climbing on the massive play structure, scaling the rock wall and bouncing into the sky on the bungee trampolines. There is definitely something for everyone there!

We were able to pry them away from the play area to walk over to the grassy spot behind the outfield just above the bull pen so that we could watch the relief pitchers practicing. The boys got really close and the pitchers tossed them a few packs of sunflower seeds and some Double Bubble bubble gum, which they thought was pretty much the coolest thing ever. "Real seeds like real baseball players daddy!" :)

Although it was supposed to be cloudy and cool that afternoon, the clouds parted and it warmed up quite nicely. This was both good and bad. Good, obviously, because we were able to soak up the sun and not freeze our tushies off. Bad, because I decided last minute that it would not be a good idea to bring our swimsuits...and when the boys saw other families getting in the pool and hot tub, let's just say it took all the restraint they had not to jump in with their clothes on.

Aside from a few uncalled for remarks from some insensitive kiddos (something we deal with pretty often, unfortunately), the outing was an extremely enjoyable one for our family. If I could afford to host my own party in the pool area, I'd definitely consider it. Lucky for me they do have some very reasonable Birthday Bash packages outside the pool area that incorporate some awesome things for kiddos. Click here to learn more about how you can host a party at the Round Rock Express games!

When Mama Bear Comes Out

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:39:00 +0000

In the beginning, when I was a new parent of a child who looked different and one who was still processing it all, taking Aiden out and about was nerve-wracking. I was obsessed with how long people let their looks linger. I always assumed they were passing judgement and found myself constantly on the defense. Even though I loved my child fiercely - despite his differences - I was always shocked (and quite honestly a little skeptical) when a perfect stranger would comment on how cute he was. Were they being genuine? Or trying to cover up the fact that I caught them staring?

Over the past 5 years, I've seen and heard it all. What has surprised me the most is that adults seem to be the worst offenders. Hadn't anyone taught them manners? I'd think to myself when an adult would nudge their friend to have them look at my sweet boy. Kids, however, have an innocent and healthy curiosity that perhaps makes their reactions a bit more forgivable.

I was never quite sure how I would react during these encounters. I'm still not. I desperately want to have the right thing to say - something poignant and composed that can turn a negative situation into something positive for all parties involved. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case when emotions run high. I either find myself fumbling over my words or coming across like a crazy, overprotective mom.

As the parent of a child with Apert syndrome, I experience these encounters daily. But as a parent in general, I too have the responsibility to teach my own kids how to act appropriately - including how to respect others who have physical or behavioral differences. I get that sometimes kids make off-the-cuff remarks without thinking. I've experienced that myself on more than one occasion (once, while shopping at the grocery store, Ethan was overly vocal in his curiosity about a "little person"). It doesn't mean that I've failed as a parent and I don't pass that judgement on to other parents when their kids react to Aiden. However - it is my opinion that how the situation is handled (or NOT handled) at that very moment truly defines just how well you are doing your job.

Our family was invited to enjoy a day of baseball at the Dell Diamond this past weekend and we happily accepted. It was a beautiful day where we were able to enjoy the perks of experiencing a poolside party located on the upper deck of the stands. With all they have to offer there for kids, we actually caught very little of the game, instead alternated between the playscape and standing in line for the trampoline bungee (Aiden's choice) and the rock climbing wall (Ethan's choice).

While patiently waiting in line with Aiden, a boy in front of us, about 10 if I had to guess, began glancing back at Aiden. No biggie. It happens all the time. I would try to catch his eyes and offer a smile, but each time he looked at me he quickly turned around.

When it was our turn, they took 3 kids into the waiting area to sit on benches while the kids before them got unhooked from their harnesses. I went in with Aiden, who was between me and the boy on the bench. Immediately, any time Aiden turned toward the boy, he began to scoot himself farther away with an obnoxious scream. After the second or third time my blood was boiling.

"Is there a problem?" I shouted with an obvious amount of emotion. "I'm sorry," he said. "That boy is just freaking me out." I looked around for his parent. Nowhere to be found. "Well he is a perfectly sweet little boy and if you have a problem, perhaps you should go sit over there." I pointed to the empty bench on the other side of us. So off he went.

When I looked around yet again I noticed that a handful of adults had witnessed this exchange and suddenly, I felt like my actions were being judged. Even though I was protecting my child, I couldn't help questioning myself and whether I had handled it appropriately.

As Aiden bounced himself into the sky, laughing with pure joy the whole time, I heard a little girl behind me say "Look at that strange looking kid". Again, no parents nearby when I turned to her and said "He is not strange and that was very rude." She hadn't realized I was his mom standing there and was mortified when I addressed her. "I'm sorry for saying that," she said sheepishly and walked on.

A little while later, the boys were playing on the crowded playscape. It started to get really warm and Aiden came to me a few times complaining about this or that (nothing new). "I'm hot." or "Ethan's not playing with me." And so on. At one point he said "a boy stepped on my toes" and I chalked it up to it being an accident with so many kids running around. When he came to me a second time saying the same thing, I made a point to keep a closer eye on him as he ran off. Sure enough, as Aiden crossed the bridge from one side of the play structure to the other, a boy twice his size walked up to him and kicked him in the shin. I COULD NOT BELIEVE what I had just seen.

I scooped up Hudson who had been crawling around at my feet and without so much as a second to compose myself marched up to the boy, who was already walking away. "Hey you!" I shouted. He turned slowly, knowing full well I had just seen what he'd done. "DO NOT kick my little boy, do you hear me?" Dead stare. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" The boy hid behind a railing and shook his head yes before running off. Probably to go tell his mommy about the mean lady who yelled at him no doubt.

I went back to where I was sitting and mumbled to the woman next to me "Whew - sometimes mama bear just comes out." Again, I felt a sudden pang of guilt to have shouted at the boy and wondered if the moms would think I was too aggressive. She and another mother next to her said they'd both seen what the boy did and were horrified. Then they said what I thought during all 3 of those situations "Where are the parents?"

And that's just the thing. I wish the parents would have been there to handle their own child's behavior so I didn't have to step in but also so that they could learn, if they weren't already aware, how their child reacts to someone who is different than they are. Perhaps they could have used it as an opportunity to educate their child so they would not behave that way in the future. Or I could have talked to the parent about Aiden and shared a little of our story.

So while I would personally never let my child run around the crowded kids area without supervision, I was more disappointed that three opportunities to address their children's careless actions in public were lost...at the expense of my child's feelings.

In a perfect world, this stuff would never be an issue. Kids would always be nice to others regardless of what they looked like or their different abilities. In reality, I know that just isn't the case. So here are a few tips that you might use when you find yourself - or your child - in the middle of a situation like we experienced:

1. If your kid says something insensitive, acknowledge it. Not only if it was overheard, but especially if it was. I don't care how embarrassed you are or how much you want to pretend it didn't happen - ignoring it tells your kid two things: it's okay to do/say what they did and that they can get away with it, even in front of a parent. And please, even do this if you plan to address it differently in private.

2. Apologize on your child's behalf. Say something, anything, to let me know that you understand that your child's actions were hurtful. If you don't get it? Then I know your kid is never gonna get it. And that's just a shame.

3. Ask your child to apologize as well. Putting them on the spot holds them accountable for their behavior. It might even embarrass them enough to discourage them from doing it again.

4. Focus on the positive. Say something about my child that discredits the hurtful comment your kid just said. Did they say something about Aiden's face? Point out his sweet smile. Did they blurt out how different his hands are? Comment on how well he's able to use them to pick up that small piece of paper on the ground. Disarming the negative with a positive just might drive home the point that even with his differences, my child is pretty amazing.

5. Talk to your kids about respecting people of all shapes, sizes, colors and abilities. Have a conversation with them early and often. I began talking to Ethan about this subject when he was about 2 and could understand. Granted he had a brother as an example, but at that age Aiden was no more different to him than anyone else.

Bottom line is, we all want our kids to be accepted, but while that may not always happen naturally, respect should. I may not always be around to handle these situations on behalf of my child, just as the offending kid's parents were not there to witness it. But if we do our best to guide our children, provide a good example for them, and address behavior appropriately when something is said/done, then maybe kids like Aiden will encounter one less person who doesn't know any better.

From one mom to another - THANK YOU and please share!

On having Apert syndrome: An interview with my 5-year-old

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:59:00 +0000

My son Aiden was born with Apert syndrome - a craniofacial condition that is characterized by physical differences in the way the head, hands and feet were formed during gestation. The bones that make up his skull fused prematurely meaning they do not expand on their own as he grows. In addition, his fingers and toes were fused together and he is missing one of the knuckles in each digit. This isn't something you see every day. In fact, Apert syndrome occurs only once in every 160,000 births. This means on average, of 4 million births in the US annually, only 25 are born with this rare condition.

We didn't know ahead of time (you can read more about Aiden's birth story here -- or watch us tell the story in this short film here). The doctors who delivered Aiden were just as shocked as we were. We found out afterwards that of all the neonatal doctors on staff in the NICU, only 2 had ever cared for a baby with Apert syndrome in their entire careers. To say he was born different is not an exaggeration. It is a reality. His reality.

From the very start, Ricky and I bottled up our fears and put them on a shelf so we could focus on Aiden's immediate medical needs. The first 2 years were chock full of appointments, hospital stays, research and surgeries. We barely breathed. Inevitably, the emotions eventually bubbled over and came pouring out once the dust settled. We had been so consumed with the medical side of his care that we never allowed the rest of it to sink in.

You see, I could schedule appointments or dose his medicines according to instructions. I could stay up all hours of the night to listen to his breathing or change post-surgical dressing changes. Sure, that was hard on this momma's heart, but it's not my heart I'm worried about. It's his.

As Aiden's mom, I worry if we are going to be able to raise this little boy to be happy. I am scared that others will not accept him despite his differences. More importantly, I am terrified that one day he will not accept himself.

For 5 years Ricky and I have made the conscious decision to treat Aiden no differently than we do his older brother Ethan. We don't baby Aiden. We don't do things for him without first pushing him to find ways to do things himself. He has to pick up his toys, eat his vegetables and do chores just the same as any other kid. His condition may present challenges. But it will never be an excuse.

As the boys have gotten older, Aiden's physical differences have become a topic of conversation in many social situations. There is pointing, staring and many times comments and questions from other kids while we are at the library or the park or a restaurant. So while we have worked so hard to ensure that Aiden feels no different than anyone else, the reality is, he is going to have to deal with a much more critical audience in the real world. For this reason, we have started discussing his differences with him at home.

I used to cringe at the words 'Apert syndrome'. I hated the sound of it coming out of my mouth. But...eventually we decided that in order for Aiden to develop self-confidence, we needed to stop being afraid of those words. If we want Aiden to accept himself fully, then Apert syndrome can no longer be something we associate with being bad. It's simply a phrase that describes his medical diagnosis. It does not define who Aiden is at heart.

When appropriate, we talk to the boys about Aiden's differences and always answer any questions they may have. A few times Aiden has asked why his hands are "big" or why he has to have surgery and after the initial dagger to the heart, we have found that answering matter-of-factly seems to be the best way to go. We tell him that God made him beautifully and perfectly and every single person is different in their own way. We explain that he needs surgery to give his brain room to grow so he can continue to learn all there is to learn in this world. So far, these answers have satisfied their innocent questions.

In an effort to gauge how much Aiden truly understands about having Apert syndrome, I decided to turn the tables and ask him some questions. I was curious to see how he feels about it and to figure out if the increasing number of sometimes awkward social encounters are impacting his self-confidence. The conversation went as follows:

Aiden, what is the best thing about having Apert syndrome? I'm handsome.

What is the worst thing about having Apert syndrome? The sleep studies.

How does it feel when people say mean things? People say "your face looks funny" and it makes me feel sad.

What do you say to them? I say "that's not nice, God made me this way."

What is your favorite thing about yourself? I'm smart.

What's something you're good at? Running.

What is something you need help with? Buttons.

How do you feel about your hands? I like them. But a friend at school said "your hands are fat" and I felt sad.

What is something you wish you didn't have to do? Go to the doctor.

What is something you like about surgery? Dr. Fearon has toys in his office.

What is something you don't like about surgery? Missing school.

Why do you have Apert syndrome? Because that is how God made me.

How do you feel about having Apert syndrome? Good. God made me this way and my mommy and daddy love me.

As you can see, I've got nothing to worry about at this point. I've got one smart, self-aware and confident little guy on my hands : ) If only he would stay as positive and carefree as he is at 5.

Aiden starts kindergarten this fall which means an entirely new world of being away from me every day, playground bullies and learning how to stand up for himself. I'd be lying if I said I am not already feeling anxious about this. I asked him if he wanted me to come in and read the "All About Aiden" book to his new friends at school in the fall and I got an emphatic "yes" which I feel will be a great way to help kids understand both how Aiden is different, but also how really he is just an ordinary kid.

Of course we all know...Aiden is FAR from ordinary : )

{If your child has special needs or a physical difference, I would love to hear how you address it with them. Do you discuss it only when they ask or do you bring it up in an effort to make them aware?}

Update: Hudson's hemangioma

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Our little guy Hudson was born with a mixed hemangioma on his forehead.

To read my first post about it, click here.

Over the past few months, Hudson's bump shrunk down to a faint pink spot during the time he was on the medicine. We successfully weaned him from 2 doses of Propranolol to 1 dose and eventually altogether stopped in the middle of March. His specialist had told us that it is kind of hard to know exactly when the "growth" phase is complete, thus, there was a chance that we could see the bump begin to increase after discontinuing the med.

We watched it for the next 2 weeks. Each day it appeared slightly redder, darker, and finally started to raise above the skin a bit. So I called the doctor to see what she recommended and wasn't surprised when she said to start giving him the Propranolol again. He will continue the medicine for another 4 weeks, then we will wean him a second time to see if at that point the growth phase is complete. The hemangioma should go away on it's own at some point, the medicine is simply helping to keep it from growing bigger until it does. Luckily he tolerates the medicine well and we've not experienced any significant side effects.

There is no exact time table for the cycle of growth but I was under the impression that typically they should stop growing between 6 and 8 months of age. Hudson is 8.5 months. In the meantime, I suppose this will just be a game of trial and error - medicine, wean medicine, wait and see. I'm happy we have the option to give him something that will keep it from growing, however I am also anxious for the process to just be done already. I'm so over people's ignorant (albeit totally harmless) comments...

"Oh, poor baby bonked his head."

"Ouch, someone got a boo boo."

"Big brothers play too rough with you?"

I've stopped correcting people. Instead I've found it's just easier to smile and ignore.

Despite it all, Hudson is happy as can be. It doesn't phase him one bit! And of course, not even that bruise-like bump stops people from noticing his big bright baby blues!

See Mommy Run: The beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I am not a runner. I don't like running. I do not get those who love it...those who run race after race after race.

My husband Ricky ran his 2nd marathon a few weeks ago and of course the boys and I watched and cheered from the sideline. But at mile 26, with just 0.2 miles remaining, he collapsed from heat stroke RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. My head spun as they dunked him in an ice bath, shouted "code 1" and "his temp is rising" and eventually transferred him to the nearest hospital. I was told at one point that the situation was VERY close to being life threatening.

Once it was clear he was going to be okay, I felt anger seeping out of my pores. Who in their right mind would WANT to push their body that hard? The answer is obviously my super stubborn, super goal-oriented husband...although the "right mind" part is still up for debate ;)

On the way home from the hospital, I made him promise me that his marathon running days were behind him.

...Fast forward a few weeks and he told me he just had to do it one more time. He couldn't end on that note, not finishing. Not crossing the finish line. Honestly, I'm surprised it took him so long to say it. I knew it was coming.

It took me some time to understand but I finally do. It isn't because he loves running that he wants to get out there and do it all again. It's about more than that. It's setting a goal and following through. It's the ability to feel an extreme sense of accomplishment. And this may sound weird, but at this realization, I suddenly felt a little envious. To know that he was willing to go through the weeks and weeks of training - the early morning and squeeze-them-in-at-lunchtime runs - just to get across some finish line? Perhaps he gets something more from this whole running thing.

And I want to push myself to see what that is.

So here I am - someone who said they'd NEVER be a runner - deciding to do just that. I know it won't be easy but I also know I'm not the first person - or the first mom for that matter - to take on this challenge.

I'm doing this for my kids - so that they see mommy pushing herself and doing something that isn't easy.

I'm doing this for my health - I'm not saying I'm in the worst shape ever, but I'm going to have to do a lot more than a detox every few weeks to lose some weight.

Most importantly...I'm doing this for me. To feel better. To set a goal and follow through. To feel an extreme sense of accomplishment.

My goals:

- run at least two 5ks in 2013

- improve my time in race 2

- run a 10k in 2014

- run the mini in Louisville in 2015

- to NOT GIVE UP until I do all of the above!

As of now, the "Body After Baby" series will not be coming back as I focus on my new health and fitness series "See Mommy Run". You can click on the images in the sidebar to read all posts for each. I would love to hear from others who have successfully gone from non-runners to race-runners :)

PS - I want to thank my husband for being an inspiration and for going on my first run with me today. By the way, the boys and I will be cheering you on when you cross that finish line at next year's marathon...And maybe one day we will run it together!!!

Life Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 02:53:00 +0000

I realize that a lot of my recent posts have been about sponsors and/or advertisers. This is wonderful -- I am loving the opportunities to share about some awesome businesses or help entrepreneur's get the word out about their product(s). While I want More Skees Please to be a place where I primarily write about our family, vent my parenting frustrations and share every day ordinary stuff, I'm starting to dip me feet in the "how to make money from this" side of things and I hope y'all will bear with me as I work out the kinks. I promise to only share products and/or businesses that I have direct experience with and hope to always do so with a genuine personal twist.

So on to what has been going on with us lately...

Ethan is in the last 9 weeks of kindergarten. I mean, really? How did that happen so fast? He has completely blown us away this year with his love of school and learning. Oh how I wish it stays that way. He was tested a few months ago for the Talented and Gifted program and we will find out how he did next week. With his abstract thinking and creative drive, I don't think anyone can argue the kid is both talented AND gifted but whether he needs the extra challenge at school is yet to be determined.

He has also been represented by a local talent agency for the past year and has gone on an increasing amount of auditions lately. I promise you I am not trying to live vicariously through my child in this regard. He asked me how he could "be on tv like those kids on Good Luck Charlie". And come on, he was born to perform. Even if nothing ever pans out, the skills he is learning by composing himself enough to talk to a roomful of adults in front of a camera will serve him well. That takes guts. Could you do it?

Aiden - oh my sweet Aiden - where have you gone??? I do believe that the ONLY area this little spitfire is delayed in has been the arrival of the terrible twos. He was never terrible at two. But at 5...he is...how shall I put this nicely? A HANDFUL. And a half. The stomping of the feet. The talking back. The use of mean language (words like hate and stupid are a regular part of his vocabulary). This boy tests me day in and day out. With big brother Ethan at school every day I do believe some of this behavior stems from boredom. So I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm counting down the days until both boys are in school and on the same schedule.

Medically, things have been pretty quiet. Ever since last summer's cranial vault, we have just been keeping regular check-ups and dealing with normal little boy stuff (like a broken clavicle a few months back). Nothing is on our radar surgically and I hope we can keep it that way. The time off has been a blessing.

As for Hudson, he is growing like a weed. He started sitting up at 7 months and is "army" crawling now at 8 months. This baby was born to smile. All you have to do is look at him and he wiggles and squirms in delight. He says "mama" and sometimes we catch a "dada". He loves being outside and in water (bathtime and swimming lessons are his favorite thing to do!) And so far, I've managed to take as many pictures as the other boys (thank you iPhone) and keep up with his baby calendar recording his milestones. Who says the 3rd kid always gets the shaft?

Other "stuff" that has been keeping me busy that I hope to write about in more detail soon:
- I lost a ton of videos and pictures when my old laptop bit the dust...
- a passion of mine is coming to life...can't wait to spill the beans!
- my engagement ring was stolen...oh this story just gets more unbelievable every day
- Aiden is officially registered for Kinder {I'm both excited and anxious about this}
- Hudson's "bump" update
- my summer plans...does anyone want to come pack for me??? {I mean how exactly does one go about packing for 4 people for a 6-week trip?}

And since I haven't been too good about writing about it all here, be sure to keep up with all the everyday stuff on Instagram and Facebook :)

Minted: Paper Goods and Design

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

If you know me, you know that I love to create. My "Things I've Actually Tried" board on Pinterest is getting bigger by the minute. I designed this blog and take pride in making things look pretty. I rarely order pre-made Christmas cards or birth announcements, preferring instead to create them myself.

BUT -- when the friendly folks at Minted.com asked me to take a peek at their site and let them know what I thought, I was happy to do it. And WOW. I spent about as much time looking around as I do in any one time-waste session on Pinterest. Everything was just so...beautiful.

At Minted, we love the idea that our products will find their way into your most personal celebrations, and we don't take that honor lightly. That's why we only use fine paper stock, rich inks, and crisp printing methods. We guess you could say that quality is an obsession for us. We stand behind our products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We are proud to offer a stunning and exclusive assortment of holiday cards, Christmas cards, and wedding invitations sourced through our global community of indie designers. Whether you're looking for non-photo or photo cards, modern or vintage designs, Minted allows you to customize a design to be uniquely yours.

What sets Minted apart from your average invitations and paper goods shop is this: They built their company by organizing "a global community of independent graphic designers" where their best designs are printed and then sold online. And believe me, these are some talented people. Even better? The prices are reasonable and the quality is great.

As a blogger, I use business cards to pass out info about my website. I designed the below a few years back, but since we have added to our family, I have been meaning to order some new cards.

This time around I plan to get those from Minted. I mean I've got 3 boys on my hands now...which unfortunately means less time for creative endeavors.

>>>> HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNS <<<<

Okay so maybe I won't save much time by having Minted do it...because it'll be so hard to choose from all of their amazing designs! But they will be cute for sure :)

Head on over to Minted.com to check out all they have to offer. From Wedding Invitations to Birth Announcements -- Business Cards to Personalized Gifts -- Minted.com has you covered!

DISCLAIMER -- I WAS GIVEN A CREDIT FOR PERSONAL USE ON MINTED.COM. AS ALWAYS, OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND 100% GENUINE.

Groupie: Children's plate inspires healthy eating habits

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:47:00 +0000

The past few months I have been really focused on improving the healthy eating habits in our household. I've done the Dr. Oz 3-day detox not once, but twice and I have been trying to buy less processed stuff and more "clean" foods. Now I am not going to say that you won't find a box of Lucky Charms or a bag of Cheetos in our pantry still. This transition is a slow one, but one that I'm more and more motivated to do each and every day.

One of the most frustrating habits my children have is that they like to snack. All.Day.Long. My Aiden is a bean pole so when he says "I'm hungry SO BAD mommy" looking at me with those big hazel eyes, I usually give in to his incessant desire to graze figuring he could use the extra calories. At his 5-year checkup I spoke to his pediatrician about this and she suggested offering only high fiber, high protein snacks between meals to help curb the habit and keep him fueled longer. Let's just say...we're trying. You see he LOVES healthy food -- the kid asks for me to buy brussels sprouts for goodness sakes -- so that's not the issue. But what he WANTS is the junk. (Which is why I'm working on getting rid of those temptations...)

Meal time is also a challenge. Mostly for me as I try to come up with new, healthy, well-balanced meals for everyone. Sometimes that means making an entirely separate meal for the kids to accommodate Ethan's pickiness (total 180 from Aiden...the kid won't touch anything that's green or has specks of black or brown in it) and/or the later time that Ricky and I tend to want to eat. It's hard to keep things new and not just give them chicken nuggets, corn and applesauce every night.

I so wish I had a personal concierge who would stock my fridge with healthy groceries every week. Better yet, a family chef. Sigh...maybe when I'm rich ;) But in the meantime, I have been introduced to an efficient tool that will help make mealtime planning a little easier for my kids.

The Groupie - Children's Healthy Eating Plate was developed with a two fold concept in mind:

First, it serves as a reminder at meal time for the 'good eater' to continue to practice balanced habits. Additionally, it serves as a tool for the 'picky' eater and encourages balanced eating all while working toward...a small treat section.

What I like about it...

The bright colors and unique shape make it visually appealing for my kids (they argued over who got to use it first).
Ethan, who is in kindergarten, was able to read the words printed in the divided sections describing what kinds of food goes into each which in turn led to an opportunity for my boys and I to discuss the different sizes of each section and why it was important to eat something from each of the food groups listed.
It works as a guide as to proper portion sizes.
As an added incentive for eating healthy, my boys were allowed to eat the treat only if the rest of the food was eaten first.
Most of all, I liked that I was able to open my fridge and use the plate as a guide as to what to prepare for a meal. Seems easy enough but as a stay-at-home mom who makes a zillion trips to the kitchen throughout the day, it was nice to have a little "cheat sheet" to keep things in check.

I am happy to welcome Groupie as a new sponsor for More Skees Please. As always, I strive to feature products and businesses that I truly believe in and feel that my readers would enjoy too!

If you are interested in getting your own Groupie plate,

it is available on Amazon.com HERE.

DISCLAIMER: Groupie is a paid sponsor of More Skees Please. I was given a Groupie plate to review for this post. Opinions are always my own and always 100% honest.

Follow More Skees Please!

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:13:00 +0000

Just wanted to say hello to all the new readers and let you know of all the ways you can keep up with this little ol' blog of mine.

>>>>> More Skees Please on Facebook <<<<<

<<<<< Follow me on Twitter >>>>

>>>>> More Skees Please in pictures via Instagram <<<<<

And Google is getting rid of Reader, so be sure to follow my blog with Bloglovin

I would love to hear from you -- feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how you found my blog and why you continue to read! And I also love discovering new blogs, so leave your link and I will be sure to check yours out too!

BabyComfyNose: a better snot sucker

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:14:00 +0000

Those are actually their words, not mine! ;)

If you've ever used a bulb or battery-type aspirator to clear the mucus out of your little one's nose, you've probably said to yourself: "There has to be a better way!" Well, I just found a better way and it's called the BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator.

Here's the amazing part (or gross part - depending on your perspective) it uses your own suction. And that's why it's superior to standard aspirators. Think about it: your own lungs are a really strong and natural vacuum cleaner - much more powerful than a tiny bulb or battery-powered motor. And the result is just a more effective method of clearing your baby's sinuses. But have no fear; you won't suck boogies into your mouth because of the design of the receptacle and the tissue filter that you insert into the body of the aspirator. This is why pediatricians are recommending BabyComfyNose to moms and dads.

Recently, Dr. Sears of The Doctors TV Show recommended the BabyComfyNose as the best way to clear babies' noses. Take a look at the video 'How to Use the BabyComfyNose' here www.babycomfynose.com to see how well it works.

The folks at BabyComfyNose are offering all More Skees Please readers a 20%-off coupon. Details are here: http://www.babycomfynose.com/usfamilyguide.

Disclaimer - I was offered a complimentary BabyComfyNose in exchange for this post. I'm excited to try out this product. Thank you BabyComfyNose and US Family Guide!

Dr. Oz Detox (Round 2) Review: Tips for Success

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:31:00 +0000

I feel like a pro at this detox now that I have done it more than once. If you missed my initial review be sure to read that first. Go ahead...I'll wait :) I Survived the Dr. Oz 3-day Detox: A Review

Now that you've learned all about what it takes to start the detox and how I felt after round 1, I'm back to share with you tips from my second time doing the Dr. Oz 3-day detox.

Let me start by saying that I am definitely still a fan of this program. I once again lost 5 lbs and feel like my tummy "pooch" is much smaller. In fact, I started the detox this month smack dab in the middle of my "monthly visitor". My husband was scared it was going to magnify my grouchiness (I don't know what he's talking about, I'm never grouchy), but I think it actually had a positive effect on my mood because I didn't feel so bloated.

While this detox is intense for someone who loves her bread and sweets (me), I was surprised yet again by my eagerness to dive in and drink my meals for 3 days straight. On day 4, you would think I would have wanted to start my day with a stack of starch like pancakes or french toast, but I found the opposite was true. I wanted to eat light - I made some scrambled eggs with Egg Beaters and 2 pieces of turkey bacon. I almost made my breakfast smoothie instead! So, more than ever, I am a believer that using this to kick-start healthy eating habits is a major bonus of completing this program.

Okay, now to the good stuff. Here are some things I did the 2nd time around to help make this a success:

1} Enlist a friend to do it with you - When I told my neighbor about it, she wanted to join me this time and it turned out to be such a good thing for many reasons. Not only did it give us each someone to share our experience with and keep us on track (misery loves company, right?), we were also able to share the cost. I already had leftover items that came in large packages like the coconut oil, flax seed, etc. So I packed up whatever I had enough of in small Tupperware containers and sent it on down to her with a list of what else she would need to buy on her own. I was out of a few things too, so when she grabbed her stuff from the store, she picked up extra bananas, almond milk and coconut water for me.

2} Choose your 3 days wisely - If you try to start on your son's birthday when you will be tempted with pizza, cake and ice cream, you are setting yourself up for failure. That is why although I originally planned to do the cleanse Sunday-Tuesday, I realized I should give myself a free pass for Sunday (my son turned 6) and start Monday instead. Take out your calendar, look at what you have coming up and consider your schedule when choosing when to begin. My neighbor had plans to have dinner with friends on Wednesday evening, so she chose to go ahead and start Sunday to accommodate her schedule.

3} Plan for curveballs and DON'T cave - Even if your calender seems open enough, there are always things that could pop up and cause a potential problem. I had a business meeting rescheduled for when I was on day 2 and we planned to meet at a restaurant. While the thought crossed my mind to "cheat" for just one meal, I made my shake ahead of time and brought it with me instead. In addition, my son had an early release day from school on day 3 and I decided to take the boys to an indoor playscape to let them burn some energy. As I sat there smelling the homemade waffle cones and watching others eat burgers and fries I cursed my green lunch shake with every sip, but I drank it. I did not cave.

4} Tweak the shakes just a bit - I have no idea if the small tweaks I made changed the effectiveness of the detoxifying process but I found a few things made a big difference in the taste, texture and overall enjoyment factor of the shakes. I figured if it kept me on track and allowed me to finish, then I could count it as a success either way. Here are some of the tweaks I made:

-- Green Tea/Lemon - I am a fan of green tea and drink hot tea regularly anyway, but something about adding the slice of lemon made it almost impossible for me to finish the whole mug. By day 2, I omitted the lemon.

-- Lemon - I wasn't sure whether to use the lemon rind, just the pulp or just the juice. The first time around I used lemon juice because I thought it'd be too difficult to do it any other way. This time I sliced the lemon, then sliced off the rind and used the pulp (but removed any seeds). I think it made it taste better this way. Not quite as acidic.

-- Celery - The recipe calls for 4 stalks. I used 3. And I was sure to chop it up pretty good which helped it blend better, making it less stringy.

-- Kale/Spinach - I picked the "stem" off each leaf. I read somewhere that this helped with the texture. Also, I ran out of kale on day 3 so I substituted spinach in the lunch and dinner drinks. It had little effect on the taste, but I actually think I liked it better with the kale.

-- Apple and Cucumbers - Again, not sure if these were supposed to be used with the skin on, but I ended up peeling the cucumber and cutting the skin off the apple pieces.

-- Cayenne Pepper - I played around with the amount used from day to day. 1/4 tsp was definitely too much. 1/8 tsp was a little less than I would have liked so I kind of eyeballed it on day 3 and it was good. But be careful, a little makes a BIG difference.

5} Use the freezer - I kept most of the fruit in the freezer and found that it made the drinks much more enjoyable if they were ice cold. The first time around I didn't do this and added ice to the mix, but it turned watery really quick and then they didn't taste so good. And just an FYI - the flax seed should be kept in the fridge. I didn't notice that on the bag until this time. Oops!

6} Use a good blender - I cannot emphasize this enough. And by good, I don't necessarily mean super expensive. As I mentioned before, I bought the Oster My Blend for $30 at HEB and it has been amazing. I tried to prepare the shakes in the more expensive (albeit older) blender that we got for our wedding and it definitely left the drinks chunky. Yuck. My neighbor said she had to use her food processor at some points to make it really smooth.

7} Make it easy on yourself...rinse or clean your drink container as soon as you are finished - There were a few times it worked out that I could clean my container in the dishwasher, but if I wasn't ready to run a load I learned quickly that just tossing it into the sink was a big mistake. The first time I did that after the lunch drink, I spent 15 minutes cleaning the stuck-on coconut oil and flax seed from the container so I could use it at dinner time. If you don't have time to clean it completely, at least fill it to the brim with soapy water. You'll save yourself time and frustration later.

8} Take advantage of the baths - Aaahhh, this was the best part of the day. I only did the detox bath once during the first time. I usually just wanted to get in bed instead of soak in the tub. But this time I made the extra effort to soak and it really made a difference. The detoxifying properties of the epsom salt and the soothing scent of lavender made me feel like I was at an expensive spa. HOWEVER - I will warn you that on day 3, my extended soak left me feeling extremely thirsty and a little weak. Perhaps I stayed in the bath too long or hadn't had enough water to drink. Either way, I urge you to proceed with caution.

9} Allow yourself a tiny "cheat" - I did better this time (no bites of a nutrigrain bar or plate of broccoli like last time) but I found that allowing myself a handful of almonds or a teaspoon of almond butter satisfied my urge to eat/chew something. Or while I was making the lunch shake I would eat a few chunks of cucumber before dropping them into the blender. I figure that eating the ingredients already in the drinks is better than "cheating" with processed stuff...

10} Give yourself a huge pat on the back at the end - Go get a manicure. Treat yourself to a frozen yogurt. Brag about your success to your friends. For me, doing the detox once was so satisfying. Doing it twice made me feel like a health rock star. While I have many more nutrition habits that I need to change to truly be a health-nut, successfully completing a 3-day detox is something I never thought I could do. So celebrate! Just don't indulge in a bunch of junk or you'll be back at square one!

Don't forget to read my initial review from my first time doing the detox HERE.

If you found this article helpful, feel free to hit the share buttons below, pin this to Pinterest or "like" More Skees Please on Facebook for even more updates that aren't here on the blog!

My best 6 years

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 03:07:00 +0000

While it is usually true that a mother doesn't ~~admit to~~ love any one child more than another, there is a special something there for the baby that came first. Is that bad to say?

There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a mom. If I could have fast-forwarded through middle school and high school to be married and starting a family, I so would have. I could.not.wait. to start that chapter of my life. I probably scared off a few guys back in the day with the "how many kids do you want" and "I want a BIG family" talk.

I thank God every day that a) I suckered a guy into marrying me and b) my dreams of becoming a mother came true.

I'll be the first to tell you that my Ethan? He is destined for greatness. This kid is every mother's dream. As an infant, complete strangers would stop me in public to comment on what a beautiful baby he was and how his eyes just radiated happiness. As he grew older his sweet little voice and contagious belly laugh would leave me beaming with pride.

This boy has wit and charm. A huge heart and a sensitive soul. He is creative. Busy. Intelligent. Compassionate. He's got a sense of humor beyond his years. He is an amazing brother to Aiden and a huge helper with Hudson. It's easy to see why I am so beyond proud to have been chosen as his momma.

And BOY oh BOY this kid is handsome. Amiright?

I can honestly say that these past 6 years have been my best. Not necessarily always happy. And Lord knows not always easy. But definitely my best. And Ethan is one of the main reasons why.

"Do you feel like you're about to be six?" I asked Ethan in the car.

"Yes." He responded. "Because I'm bigger. I'm a lot smarter. And I just feel six."

Well there ya go. Happy birthday sweet boy. We love you SO very much!

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1,825 days

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

That is how long you have been mine.

Every February just before Valentine's Day I get to think back on the day my heart grew just a little bit more. 1,825 days of worry, falling in love, getting to know you.

Today you are 5.

You continue to amaze us with your determination. Your spunk. You make us wonder how we ever doubted that life would be anything but normal with you in it.

I might not have believed it - when we held your tiny mitten hand through the hard plastic shell in the NICU - that we would be this happy. This content. For back then, I feared what life had in store for us. Right or wrong I prayed that God would fix you, make you different. Partly for selfish reasons - to make our lives easier - and partly because it hurt me so badly to think of what having Apert syndrome would mean for you.

But you have guided us.

With each passing year I wonder who I was before you. Knowing you has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be accepting of others. I certainly wasn't as compassionate or aware as I am now. You have taught me those things. Advocating for you has sparked something inside of me that gives me purpose.

I never knew the answer to the question "what do you want to be when you grow up" when people asked. But then again, how could I have possibly known the answer would be "Aiden's mom"?

People have said that you are lucky to have parents like us. That always makes me laugh. We are the ones who get to witness you capture hearts with your smile, fearlessly take on the world despite your differences and overcome challenges that some said would be impossible for you to accomplish.

Never doubt for a minute, little boy, that it is your daddy and I that are the lucky ones.

Happy birthday Aiden.

I Wouldn't Have You

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:38:00 +0000

I often find myself thinking back on the path that led me to where I am today - married to my best friend, with three of the most amazing, lovable, perfect little human beings I could ever dream of. Lucky does not even begin to cover it. I truly believe I am living the life I was destined for - one where not all my prayers were answered - but for good reason...

~ Ricky ~

I'm 15. My tears fall hot on the August pavement as my high school love breaks my heart. After almost 2 years of dating, he attempts to let me down easy by twisting words from my all-time favorite movie: "You are someone I could spend the rest of my life with...but I don't want the rest of my life to start right now". {When Harry Met Sally} Ouch. I spent the rest of my high school career trying to get over him while pretending I already was.

I'm 17 and starting out fresh -- leaving my broken heart far behind me as I begin college with a renewed spirit. I meet a cute soccer player at a party and quickly let myself fall in love again. It was a dramatic relationship. Ups and downs, breaking up and making up. Exhausting really, but I was certain that I was supposed to make it work. Love is work after all, right? I spent 3 years with this boy. Two was probably enough. When we finally realized we weren't meant to be I was relieved, but worried that I would never meet Mr. Right.

I'm 21. I spend a year working on myself and just being me. And that is when I meet you. Coincidence? I doubt it. All in the greater plan. Had my high school love not let me go, had I forced a college relationship to work 'just because', I never would have known the happiness I know today. I might have known love, but, I wouldn't have YOU.

~ Ethan ~

Your daddy and I are married a year and talking about starting a family. We both know it is something we want, we just aren't sure we are ready. Our friends are still single and care free. How would we relate to anyone anymore? Then, it happens. Two pink lines and you became real. For 9 months you grew inside of me and we prepared as best as we could. We try to balance being new parents with maintaining some kind of social life. It's hard, some friendships fade away. And that's okay. Because if we waited, if we had decided that being young and free of responsibility was more important than knowing the love of a child, then sure, we might have had a few more months or years of frivolous fun before getting pregnant. But...I wouldn't have YOU.

~ Aiden ~

We wanted more kids, but had no idea it could happen so fast. I placed your brother Ethan, then just 3 months old, into his crib and tip-toed into the bathroom. Two pink lines. Wow. Some people told us we were crazy for having two babies so close together. That we would need lots of help over the next couple years. And boy were they right. Everything about you was a surprise to us - your quick pregnancy, your early labor and delivery, your syndrome. The shock we felt when you were born dug a hole deep into our hearts. This couldn't have happened. The whole time you were growing inside me I prayed you were healthy. Was God not listening to me? Was I being punished? Although it didn't take any time at all to love you, it did take some time to let go of expectations. And to trust that God knew what he was doing. Because if he had given me a perfectly healthy little baby, our lives would be different, maybe easier even. But...I wouldn't have YOU.

~ Hudson ~

It took us a while to feel ready to have another baby, your daddy and I. There was so much to do with Aiden's medical care after he was born and the simple task of caring for two boys 11 months apart was a challenge as well. But then, we were finally in a good place. Things with Aiden settled down and we made some big decisions for our family (moved from Indiana to Texas!) Things felt right. It was time. We had no doubt that we would get pregnant quickly. A few months went by - but I didn't worry. I was actually still not 100% sure we could handle three kids so I figured God was giving me time. A few more months passed and I started to get anxious. By that time I wanted another baby SO badly and feared it would never happen. We stressed, we saw doctors, we carefully timed each month. And finally, our hard work had paid off. It was really early on when we told the boys I was pregnant. They were excited and talked about it each day. But then, I got a call that changed everything. I had lost the baby. This happened twice. I went through every emotion -- angry at God for getting my hopes up, sadness for losing babies that we'd never know, jealousy for the friends and family members who became pregnant and were happily sharing the news. It was hard. So hard.

We had all but given up when a few months later, two pink lines. Could it be? I cautiously became more hopeful as each blood test showed good numbers. Once I made it to 12 weeks I allowed myself to relax. It was happening. We would in fact be a family of 5. Then, in the middle of the hot Texas summer, you were born. Our third boy, Hudson William. I'd be lying if I said I never thought about the babies that I lost so early on. But in that moment, when I heard your cry, it became clear. If I had successfully carried either of those pregnancies, I would have a different little being bouncing around at home. I wouldn't know your smile. Your kissable cheeks. Your chubby legs. I wouldn't have YOU.

In the moment it is almost impossible not to fear the unknown. But without all the heartache, the unanswered prayers, the doubt, I wouldn't have Ricky, Ethan, Aiden and Hudson.

And if I didn't have THEM, I wouldn't be ME.

I survived the Dr. Oz detox!

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

That's right folks, this self-proclaimed carboholic and sweet-tooth queen made it through the Dr. Oz 3-day detox! I ran across it on my Pinterest feed and decided then and there that I was going to try it. Not because I was looking to lose weight, but rather because I just felt...ick.

After over-indulging during the holidays (I gained back 8 pounds, y'all) I needed to jump start my system. I truly felt like I needed to cleanse my body and rid it of all the processed junk I loaded up on.

I've seen those lemon juice, honey and cayenne pepper detox plans. And I have heard of a few others that last 7-10 days. So why the Dr. Oz detox?

It's pretty simple really. I wanted to set a realistic goal. I figured 3 days was do-able, and with nutrient-packed ingredients like spinach, raspberries and almond butter it was much more appealing than a nutrient-starved plan like the honey/lemon/pepper drink. Plus, there is a different shake for breakfast, lunch and dinner so you don't feel like you are forcing down the same thing meal after meal.

Source: Click here to print

Here are answers to some of the questions I got:

Q. Was it hard?
A. Surprisingly, even for a diet drop out like myself, I found this quite easy. Perhaps it was the short timeline, or maybe it was that the drinks were actually tasty. Either way, I found this plan pretty simple.

Q. Was it difficult to find the ingredients?
A. I have slowly been trying to be more conscious about my grocery habits, focusing on purchasing more from the "outer aisles" and less from the "middle aisles" (the process stuff). With that said I've never been one of those holistic naturopaths so I have only ventured down those 2 aisles with the cage-free, animal by-product free, health-nut products as a cut-through from the back of the store to the front. That is until I had to buy the stuff for this detox. I tried to look as natural as possible (pun intended) as I shopped for Coconut Oil and Flax Seed. And, I actually found it quite fun to explore all these health-related products. Did you know my local grocery store has a machine where you can grind your own almond or peanut butter? How cool!

But anyway, I was able to find everything at my regular old local HEB grocery store. If you live in an area where your regular grocer may not be as robust as this, I am sure everything can be purchased at a health food store or "natural" grocery chain like Sprouts or Whole Foods.

Q. How much was it?
A. I'll be honest, it wasn't cheap. I saved my receipt to add up what I purchased for the detox and the grand total was $92.43. I'll break it out for you below so you can see exactly what is needed. By the way, I buy organic for most of my produce...at the very least, the ones on this list. Oh, and I already had a few things like the green tea and the epsom salt...so you'll want to add a few more bucks to this...

Kale - {two containers @ 2.97ea} - $5.94
Spinach - {1 container} - $3.98
Bananas - {3 lbs} - $1.57
Raspberries - {three 6oz containers @ 3.98ea} - $11.94
Mango - {I purchased a bag of frozen chunks as I thought it would be easier} - $1.95
Cucumbers - {3 small} - $1.86
Coconut Oil - {Nature's Way, 16oz} - $9.99 on sale!
Ground Flax Seed - {16 oz} - $3.49
Almond Butter - {16 oz} - $8.47
Stevia - {I bought the little packets...you need 1 tsp/day which ended being 9 total packets} - $2.52
Coconut Water - {Zico, two liters @ 3.99ea} - $7.98 (only needed 1 liter!)
Almond Milk - {Blue Diamond, Unsweetened Vanilla, 1 qt} - $2.00
Cayenne Pepper {smallest spice shaker} - $1.99
Blueberries - {2 pints @ 3.77ea} - $7.54
Limes - {2ct} - $.40
Granny Smith apples - {4ct} - $1.77
Pineapple chunks - {I bought the pre-cut chunks from the produce dept, 20 oz} - $4.68
Lavender Oil - {for the baths} - $6.39
Probiotic Water - {I drank this in place of taking a multi-vitamin and probiotic pill} - $4.49
Celery - $1.20

GRAND TOTAL = $92.43...Yowzers...

But when you think of it as the cost of all meals and snacks that you'll consume for 3 whole days, it doesn't seem too far fetched. That'd be $30/day or $10/meal.

Q. Were they easy to make?

A. Yes! I splurged a bit and bought a $30 Oster My Blend personal blender which ended up being the perfect complement to this detox. It blended even the large chunks (that I was afraid my ancient blender would not) and did it all in a to-go type container that you simply flip over, unscrew the blender blade and screw on a sipper top. It was worth every penny!

Q. Were you hungry throughout the day?

A. I can honestly say I was not. Like, at all. The shakes were completely satisfying and kept me going until it was time for my next one. I doubted those who said the same when I read reviews online prior to starting. But it was true!

Q. How did they taste?

A. Surprisingly, I liked all of them. The breakfast one was definitely the best. And the lunch a close 2nd even though most of the reviews I read said it was horrible and hard to choke down. I did not find that to be the case. The dinner one was the most...how shall I say it...interesting in flavor. But even so, it was not bad. I was pleasantly surprised.

Q. How did they make you feel?

A. After day 1 I felt great. I had energy, I was still gung-ho. Day 2 was a little more difficult, I'll admit. I so badly wanted to just chew something. So I'd pop a piece of gum and be good. I did cheat a little that afternoon with a nibble of my son's nutri-grain bar (like, the smallest nibble ever), but then I felt extremely guilty and just plain disappointed in myself so it was easy to get back on track. Oh yeah, and I ate some broccoli that night, but it is a green veggie so I let that slide. By day 3, like any test of will-power, I was just ready for it to be over with. However I always woke up looking forward to the breakfast shake so that helped a little. After it was all said and done I seriously felt SO good. My mind seemed clear, my belly pooch seemed flatter and I just felt refreshed.

Q. Did it "clean you out"?

A. Not like I was expecting. If you are wondering if I spent hours on the john throughout the detox, I didn't. And when I did it was due to the fact that I was peeing more than usual. So, I guess that's how the "toxins" were making their way out of my system.

Q. Did you lose weight?

A. That was by far the biggest perk. I lost 5 pounds by the end of day 3! And, I'm happy to say that even going back to a "regular" diet (albeit one on the lighter side), I've kept it off!

Q. What was the biggest challenge?

A. While I expected it to be giving up food in its "regular" form, it was actually the time it took to prep the shakes. As a stay-at-home mom with 3 kids, I was pulled away from the kitchen every now and then. Uninterrupted it would only probably take 5-10 minutes. However sometimes it took me 20-25.

Q. Would you do it again?

A. Absolutely! My goal is to do it once/month. And the best part is that some of the higher priced items like the almond butter, coconut oil and lavender do not have to be purchased again for a while - there is enough left over. In fact, I have incorporated the breakfast and lunch shakes in to my everyday diet, replacing one meal a day since I've been back from Chicago.

So there you have it!

I hope you've found this useful.

For those of you who are thinking of trying it,

I say GO FOR IT! Trust me,

if I can do it, anyone can!

And of course I'd love to hear how it goes for you :)

{Disclaimer #1: This is not a sponsored post. I was not compensated in any way to write this review. I chose to do the detox on my own and these are my honest thoughts}

{Disclaimer #2: Always check with your doctor before beginning any kind of diet or detox program. This review is not intended to provide medical advice of any kind.}

Check out my Tips for Success post after I completed the Dr. Oz Detox for the 2nd time.

10 tips for flying with kids

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:59:00 +0000

We are not newbies when it comes to travel. We've flown on more planes than I can count and therefore have experienced our fair share of hiccups along the way. That old saying that you can never be too prepared? Totally true, especially in the case of flying. A few scenarios that we can add to our "learned the hard way" list:

- baby with explosive up-the-back diarrhea, running out of diapers and not packing an extra outfit thus having to dish out some outrageous amount of money for a 5-pack of Pampers and a scratchy size 2T "Welcome to Chicago" t-shirt from an airport gift shop

- getting stuck on the tarmack for over 2.5 hours with 2 kids under 3 due to a weather delay, then finally taking off 3.5 hours late making our arrival time at home after midnight

- potty-trained child falls asleep on the plane, waking in a puddle of pee on the seat. I dig through my carry-on, and find that the extra clothes I thought I packed were actually swapped out with a pull-up that I was going to put on him "just in case". With no time in between our connecting flights to search for an overpriced alternative, I remember that I wrapped a breakable item in my sons swim trunks. So, on a flight back to Kentucky in January, my 4 year old donned the cutest navy and white board shorts. And no skivvies.

Whether you are traveling with 1 child or 5, alone or with a helper (spouse, friend, mom, etc.), here are some ways you can learn from my mistakes and hopefully have a smooth travel experience with your kids:

Pack extra clothes IN A CARRY-ON BAG for each family member. In fact, put each person's extra clothes into a large zip-loc labeled with their name. I know it takes up a lot of space but trust me, almost every time I've flown at least one person has needed to change. Whether it is because someone pukes, pees, poos up the back or spills something, it never fails. Better be safe than sorry. Then, the wet/soiled clothes can go right into the zip-loc bag to keep it from contaminating the rest of the stuff. I've found that it works well to pack the extra clothes in a squishable bag - that way you can simply shove it in the overhead bin during the flight and not have to mess with it unless you need it. Hopefully you don't :)

Pack as if you might get stuck in the airport/airplane. There are so many factors that could delay your itinerary - weather, mechanical issues, maintenance issues (remember when my kid peed in his seat? I guarantee the next flight was "delayed" in order to disinfect...sorry people!), delayed incoming flights, personnel issues, etc. It seems that cancelled and delayed flights have become the norm. Most important/useful items: more than enough formula for the wee ones, batteries and/or power cords for kids gadgets, cell phone chargers, snacks, a small toiletry bag with toothbrush/paste, contact case and solution, glasses, deodorant.

Bring a small backpack for each child. Allow them to fill it with a few small books, games, toys and snacks of their choosing. Keep in mind that you won't want to pack anything with a lot of pieces. Think chunky toys, coloring pads with a ziploc of crayons/markers (we keep a bag specifically for travel - some that aren't brand new that way if they roll down the plane behind you on takeoff you won't stress about leaving them behind...) again, speaking from experience here :) If your kids are big enough, have them carry it themselves. Whatever doesn't fit in that bag stays home.

Bring a secret "back-up" bag of stuff for the kids. Use only when needed. Murphy's law seems to apply quite often when traveling. Their best and favorite toys that just-had-to-come-with suddenly lose all appeal the second they unzip their bag on the plane. Grab a few extras that you think they'll like and stash them inside your own carry-on. Your kids will think you're magic when you pull a beloved toy/book out of thin air. Bam!

Invest in some kind of device that plays movies. Kindle nook, iPad, iTouch, kids tablet, portable DVD player...whatever you choose will be WELL WORTH the money. Just remember to load it up with movies/shows/books well before you are supposed to be walking out the door. And also remember to charge it the night before. And to bring the power cords (for use in the terminal before boarding) and some headphones. An empty, dead electronic device with no power cord does nobody any good. (Yup, totally been there!)

Allow each child a "flying allowance" - a certain amount of money they may spend at the airport or on the plane. Maybe $5, just enough to buy a bag of candy or an upgraded snack on the plane, whatever it is will add a small amount of excitement to the trip.

Bring some chewing gum. This seems to help with ear popping during takeoff and landing. If you know your kid has an ear infection, you may want to give them a dose of Tylenol about an hour before the flight too.

Pack a fair amount of Wet-Ones (or other disinfecting wipes of your choice). I'm a mild germophobe and people let me tell you, airplanes are filthy. I don't let my kids touch a single thing until it's been wiped down and sanitized (the armrests, tray tables, windows, seat backs, seat belts, you name it).

And on that note, bring some Air-Borne. I am not exactly sure what the stuff is or how it works, but it claims to keep the germs that are trapped in the plane with you for 2 hours from getting you sick. That lady that's hacking her lungs out in the row in front of you? Dis.gust.ing. If I could keep my mouth and nose closed for an entire flight I would.

Pack some kids meds. I'm not ashamed to admit that I have been a little relieved when my kids wake up with a slight runny nose on the morning of a trip. Because when they do, I feel a little less guilty about loading them up with Benadryl. But it's also helpful to have some Pepto Bismol (for upset tummies), pain reliever (see #7) and Neosporin (to immediately apply to scrapes and scratches they might get on a germ-infested plane).

I hope these tips are helpful when you are planning your next trip with kids. Every flying experience seems to bring up some new challenge, so if you have any tips of your own, feel free to add them in the comments!

Happy flying!

Our "other" Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +0000

To say our holiday trip was a whirlwind is an understatement. Here is a summary (and this is the short way of doing things...) I'm not exaggerating when I say we barely had a second to breathe in between each of the below activities:

DAY ONE

Pack a bajillion suitcases and carry-ons and *just barely* fit them into the car on Wednesday night
Wake up at some insanely early time (2am) Thursday morning to get all family members dressed, teeth brushed, fed and loaded into the car to head for the airport where we are literally some of the first people there for our 6am flight
Fly Austin to Memphis - Memphis to Cincinnati - arrive 12:15pm
Surprised at airport by sister and her girls, picked up by my dad
Head to Nana and Grandpa's house
Unload our bajillion suitcases and escape for an hour to enjoy a kid-menu-free lunch (thanks to Grandpa for offering to watch the kiddos)
Hurry home, take 4 of the bigger kids to Santa's workshop at Newport on the Levee
Go back to Nana's and struggle to put 2 overly exhausted boys to bed

DAY TWO

9:30am appointment at Portrait Innovations to have all 9 "Pike" grand-kids photo taken (ages 5 mos, two 1-year olds, two 4-year olds, 5, 6, 7, and 9)
After 30 minutes and 2 separate attempts at trying to get all 9 to look! smile! quit picking your nose!, we choose the best of the worst and call it a success
Hurry home, get changed and ready for Hudson's baptism to be held at 1pm
Go to church for ceremony then to my sister's house for a little celebration
Send Ricky and boys down to his parents house in my mom's van - I stay in NKY at my parents for the night

DAY THREE

Drive to Louisville with mom and sister for my cousin's wedding shower
Leave shower and get dropped off at my in-laws in Indiana
Change clothes and head back to Louisville for a friend's wedding
Get back to in-laws sometime after midnight

DAY FOUR

9:30 am - meet friends and their kids at the Louisville Science Center
11:30 am - meet Ricky's side of the family for lunch before our 1:00 pm appointment to have all 7 "Skees" grand-kids photo taken (ages 5 mos, two 4-year olds, two 5-year olds, 7 and 10)
Head back to in-laws to celebrate Ricky's birthday (a little early) and visit with 2 friends and their little girl

DAY FIVE

Christmas Eve!
Go to church and then back to in-laws to hang with the whole Skees family
Exchange gifts for 3 hours (!), eat way too much food and way too much sugar, spend the rest of night praying my kids will pleasejustgotosleepalready...and then they finally do

DAY SIX

Christmas morning!
Wake up super early, pack up our bajillion bags and drive my parents van back to their house in KY
Have brunch and exchange gifts with my side of the family
Help mom take down all Christmas decorations (they were leaving the next day for Florida for an extended period of time)

DAY SEVEN

Help parents get on the road to Florida
Repack our bajillion bags and head to my sister's house for the night

DAY EIGHT

Enlist the help of my sister's neighbor to get our family to the airport in the morning
Forget Aiden's glasses in my sister's bathroom - make my sister drive home, retrieve them and bring them to the airport before our flight departs (so totally NOT part of the plan...oopsy!)
Fly Cincinnati to Atlanta - Atlanta to Tampa
Get picked up by our personal chauffeurs - my parents
Drive 45 minutes to their condo in Clearwater Beach

DAY NINE

Decide that Friday's weather looks more promising than Saturday's for our trip to DisneyWorld
Wake up insanely early and make the 1.5 hour drive to Orlando
Spend 10 hours at the happiest place on earth
Drive 1.5 hours back to the condo

DAY TEN

Run errands with the kids while the guys watch football at a bar

DAY ELEVEN

Wake up insanely early and take Ethan hunting for shells on the beach - freeze our hineys off
Go to church
Visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Celebrate the boys' birthdays (a bit early)
Ricky and I make our escape -- we ~~dump~~ leave the kids with my parents and head for our mini-vacation 30 minutes south in Treasure Island...

DAYS TWELVE - THIRTEEN

Lots of relaxing, adult drinks, and quiet kid-free time...the rest shall remain between us :)

DAY FOURTEEN

Get picked up once again by our personal chauffeur and head back to reality
Drop our bags at the condo and take the kids for a picnic lunch on the beach
Go on a 2 hour pirate ship cruise with the boys
Spend the rest of the evening packing our bajillion bags (and arrange to ship all our extra goodies we've accumulated on the trip back to Texas in big boxes)
Escape for dinner and a movie with my mom

DAY FIFTEEN

Finish packing
Take the kids to Tampa's children's museum (it is AWESOME by the way)
Meet Uncle Kenny and Mary Alice for dinner - our first time eating Thai
Drive back to Clearwater Beach

DAY SIXTEEN - Final Day!

Eat breakfast, load van, head to airport
Fly Tampa to Atlanta - Atlanta to Austin
Take shuttle and our bajillion bags to our car in long-term parking, car battery deader than a doornail
Get the battery jumped and drive 40 minutes home sweet freakin' home

Yes, folks. That was our trip. We were happy to be able to see so many people and do so many things but MAN ALMIGHTY we are pooped.

It's time to get back into a routine.

And to unpack our bajillion bags...

Ugh.

Christmas at "Home"

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:51:00 +0000

Since we moved to Texas, there was one trip that we knew without a doubt would be on our calendar every year and that was to head back to Kentucky and Indiana for Christmas. Ricky and I are both very close with our families and giving up the family traditions at this time of year wasn't an option.

As our family has grown, the traveling has become both more important (to get the cousins together and for our extended family to see the kids) and more difficult (flying and/or driving with 3 small kids in tow = stressful on our minds and wallets). It also means that we have had to adjust our own family traditions here in Texas to accommodate our traveling.

For the past 3 years we have made it work by writing a letter to Santa asking him to come early. We explain that we will not be at our house on Christmas Day but that we would love for him to visit us on some designated date that best fits our schedule. Having Ethan in Kindergarten this year has made it even more complicated but alas, the letter went in the mail to the North Pole and we counted down the days to our "maybe Santa will come if he can make it work" day. We try to keep an element of mystery to make it more fun for the kids.

So, on December 14th, we baked cookies for Santa, sprinkled reindeer food in the yard and listened to great-grandma's sorely missed voice read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (those Hallmark recordable books are a treasure I tell you). We snuggled the boys in their beds and told them that IF Santa could make it work, he would visit us that night. A full 10 days early. While it does lose some of it's magic for us, we have to do what we have to do I guess and the boys don't mind one bit.

I thought ages 3 and 4 were fun last year but 4 and 5 were even more fun this time around. The boys lists were more creative (and robust) this year and the excitement coursing through their bodies the night before and on "Christmas" morning was enough to power a small village. We try to emphasize the reason for the holiday, talking a lot about the birth of Jesus and making sure the boys understand that it is never about how many presents are under the tree. I feel comfortable saying that my boys "get it". But let's face it, the excitement that lives in their hearts at this age is all about the gifts.

Aiden was most excited about his new orange Razor scooter and Ethan loved his Polaroid camera (he kept telling me he wanted "one of those cameras that spits out a real picture right when you take it). The other loot included various Star Wars, Angry Birds and lego stuff. But I must say that I need to remember not to give away all the good ideas to my mom and mother-in-law, as it seemed they were more excited about the things each of them got them the following week!

I must have been a very good girl this year as I received a brand new laptop...although Santa got a little tied up and special delivered it a few days late via UPS but hey, I'm not complaining! It came just in time to have it stare at me from atop the box begging me to play on it as I scurried around packing and preparing for our 2 week trip. Although it did make it's way into my carry-on so I had some play-time while we were away :)

Of course the best gift I could have received this year came in a 6 lb. 11 oz. package back in July. Last year at this time we were just sharing the news with family and friends - after a year of trying and two miscarriages, we were finally going to be adding baby #3 to our family. As we visited with family last year, I remember saying "next year at this time we will have a 4 month old baby at Christmas". Fast forward to July and Hudson joined the world 4 weeks early. So instead we had a 5 month old baby at Christmas! What a blessing he has been. We truly couldn't be happier. I am one happy momma!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas - whether you spent it at home, with family or had to travel to be with loved ones!

Why even at 30, I still need my mom

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 22:24:00 +0000

Oh okay, 31. But who's counting?

My relationship with my mom has always been a cherished one. While it hasn't always been an easy one (ie: the teenage years) I hold her in the highest regard (and probably did then too but was too stubborn to admit it).

Growing up she often told me stories about her own mom - who died of cancer in her early 50s, just a bit shy of my mom finding out she was pregnant with my sister. Of course, then, I never knew my grandmother. She never met a single grandchild even after having 10 children of her own. It wasn't until I was in college that the I truly recognized what a void her absence must have been in my mom's life. Coincidentally, that is about the time that my mom became more of a friend - someone I needed and turned to rather than rebelled against as in years before.

Now, with every milestone in my life, I am reminded even more how difficult it must have been to experience adulthood without a mother. Our frequent conversations (often 5+ a day!) make me wonder who she turned to...who answered her silly questions or laughed at her kids off-the-cuff remarks?

So today, on her birthday, I wanted to let her know just how important she is to me...

She is my second brain - whenever I'm in doubt about ANYTHING, she is the first person I call. What to make for dinner? Which shoe to wear with an outfit? What to set the oven on for baked potatoes? Call mom. My husband laughs at me when I ask him a question first. He says "Just call your mommy, you know whatever she says will be what you do anyway". And he's usually right :)

She talks me off the ledge - when my kids are misbehaving or I've gotten myself into a tizzy with my seemingly unending list of things to do, I can always count on her to calm me down. She'll tell me to pour a glass of wine and just breathe. Then she'll tell me "now you know why I used to lock myself in my bedroom when you guys were little".

She is my biggest fan - While she often finds it hard to put her emotions into words (something I must have inherited from my dad), she sends me cards every now and then "just because" and lets me know in all kinds of ways how proud she is of me. I remember getting upset one time as a tween when I heard her bragging about my sister..."My absolutely gorgeous daughter" and I knew she was talking about Lauren. Let's face it, my sis is beautiful (and in comparison to the awkward stage I was in at the time, hands down, she won). Of course I know my mom thinks I'm beautiful. But as an adult, I'm just as content knowing that she admires my ability to write or thinks I am a wonderful mom.

As a shopping buddy - without a doubt, there is nobody I'd rather spend the day shopping with than my mom. She can sniff out deals with the best of them and usually finds them for someone other than herself. And when that happens? She may even say "well I found this, so I'll buy it for you". Who am I to stop her from being so generous? ;)

She reminds me of all the good in the world - okay, actually that's not entirely true. In fact, with us much as she watches Dateline and 20/20, the exact opposite is true. She is not a cynic per say, just...careful. "Open the door with your sleeve and for God's sake don't touch the hotel remote controls" "Did you see that story about the new way people are hacking credit card numbers?" "I heard that airlines lose 30% more baggage in the month of December" Gee, thanks mom, for turning me into a paranoid germophobe!

She ADORES her grandchildren - my mom would give just about anyone the food off her plate and the shirt off her back, but her grandkids? She takes it to the extreme. I've never been bothered by her spoiling my kids. In some ways I feel as though she's making up for what she wishes/knows her mom could/would have done for us. My kids know that their nana is an extension of the love I have for them. They LOVE spending time with her, always have. She is a fun-loving spirit who is always on the go and my kids think she is pretty much the coolest thing ever.

She gets me through the tough times - when I miscarried last year, my mom hopped on a plane and flew down here to hold my hand. When I had Aiden and she was hundreds of miles away in Florida, she cried with me, then told me it was going to be okay. When I get upset about something silly, she is the first to say "snap out of it" or "c'est la vie". She reminds me what's important and is there for me when it is.

As you can see, my mom and I are extremely close. I'll never know just how much not having a mom around as an adult impacted her - but I know that even with that being the case, she turned out to be an amazing mother herself.

Thank you mom ~ Happy birthday ~ and I love you!

I just can't shake it

noreply@blogger.com (Taryn) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:44:00 +0000

Grief is a stranger to nobody. We've all lost loved ones, dealt with emotional challenges and suffered traumas to some degree throughout our lives. As adults, we learn to rebuild with faith and move on with the grace of God. But the tragedy that took place in Sandy Hook on Friday seems almost too much to bear.

I've turned off the news. Haven't watched it since Friday when I couldn't stop watching it all day. I called my son's school that afternoon an hour and a half before pick up time and asked the secretary if it'd be silly for me to come get him early. Not out of fear, but for the simple reason that I wanted to hug him. See him. Know that he was alive.

Scrolling through my news feed yesterday I began seeing photos of those that lost their lives. It brought me back to 9/11 when I spent an entire afternoon looking at a website with pictures and names of each victim. It was as if I was searching for someone I knew - some reason that made the hurt in my heart seem justified. It's sometimes hard to remember that the grief felt during events like this, even when not experiencing it first hand is always justified. Such is the human condition. To feel. To be compassionate. To connect to others in times of need.

I sat in the nail salon yesterday after spending an "early Christmas" with my family and felt numb as holiday tunes trickled out of the speakers around me. I glanced up at the television, muted, but displaying headlines and captions, to see the father of one of the 1st graders get in front of the camera to talk about his daughter. I searched his face for emotion as the words popped up letter by letter. He described his little girl as "creative" and "imaginative" who always toted crayons with her wherever she went. She drew pictures for everyone for birthdays, when sick or just because. She was spirited and wise beyond her years. And I couldn't hold back my emotion any longer. He was not only describing his daughter...that was my Ethan. To a T.

Looking at the big beautiful eyes of that little girl I didn't know, my heart felt unbearably heavy. Those kids. Those families. Why? Why? WHY???

My grief is wound up tightly in the realities these families are facing and the unsaid moments of that Friday morning. I imagine a frustrated mother who fought with a stubborn 1st grader about what she wanted to wear, arguing over shoes or headbands or bows. I imagine a child who complained of a tummy ache but in the absence of a fever and childcare, his parents decided to send him to school anyway that fateful morning. I imagine the stay-at-home moms who hurried their little ones off to school, looking forward to a few moments of quiet in their day. I imagine the parent who scheduled an afternoon dentist appointment, not wanting their child to miss any school.

Those are the moments that will haunt these families. The "why didn't I" and the "what if's". And I guess my ability to empathize in that way is a blessing and a curse. I AM that parent. I've HAD those trivial arguments and anxious-to-get-them-out-the-door feelings. I'm constantly questioning every decision I make.

Life is precious - we never know what tomorrow holds. And yes, these tragic events have made me pause, hug and squeeze my kids and husband more often, more intently. But the truth is there is NO WAY to protect ourselves, our hearts, from pain and suffering. It's a part of life. We simply cannot control the actions of others - we cannot predict evil.

I don't care so much to hear about the gun-wielding boy who entered the school that morning. I don't seek to understand WHY he did what he did. That answer is evident. His life had ended far before he took his own - he stopped existing when he concocted this plan. That is how I have to see it anyway. Anyone who could walk into an elementary school devoid of emotion and take the lives of 26 people inside must not have had a heart beating in his chest. And while I'm confident his soul is burning in Hell, it is no consolation to the innocence that was stolen from that sleepy Connecticut town.

How? How can those families go on? It makes me want to vomit thinking about facing the hand-drawn pictures on the fridge. The closet full of hidden presents ready to unwrap at Christmas. The home videos that live on their computers, phones, DVDs. How does someone learn to put one foot in front of the other after losing a child? It has brought me to tears over and over.

Each night, I pray for the families. I pray for the children, staff and loved ones who survived. For the police and EMTs who were the first to the scene. And, I pray, perhaps selfishly, that this grief that I feel in my heart is never compounded by ever experiencing it first hand.