I love the giving spirit… I love the Christmas songs… I love the meaning of Christmas… I love the reason for the season… I love the family time (and the food!)… I love the joy on the faces of those I’ve given gifts to… I don’t love the cold weather, the holiday shopping stress or the financial issues I create every year at this time I love the extra days off from work even if my husband is working on both Christmas Eve & Christmas Day this year I love frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles in the shapes of stars, trees and wreaths… I love divinity… I love the way my husband surprises me every year with something awesome I hate that I can’t ever be that awesome, I’m not a good gift giver when giving to the man who has everything and needs nothing I love the decorations I don’t really love putting them up though I mostly love how it brings out the goodwill in people unless you happen to be Black Friday shopping, then it’s “to each his own!” and self-preservation… I’m excited to see Goose’s face this year when she opens her gifts – she may not be getting any huge gifts, but I think she will love the things she is getting hopefully the DIY faux makeup I found on Pinterest and am planning to make this weekend turns out and while Gator isn’t getting much she’s 6mos old, she has hand-me-down clothes from Goose & CJ, what else does she need?? except a couple teethers and maybe some babylegs I’m certain she’ll have fun with the wrapping paper  : ) Hoping also that Hubs will be excited by the “family gift” we’re getting from my parents… now if I could just find a gift for him unrelated to that to give him so I don’t blow the surprise and I know my parents are going to love the gifts from my sister & I’s families. Can’t wait to be done with my holiday shopping and since I only have one payday left before Christmas, I better hope I budgeted well. and get gifts wrapped and under the tree which has yet to be removed from the attic and set-up, but I promised Goose we would do it soon…

I love this video – it gives me goose bumps every time, and the little boy’s face around the 4min. 35sec. mark brings tears to my eyes… love it.

• tomorrow is Friday. ‘nuff said!

• it’s Opening Day of Firearms Deer Season in Michigan! unfortunately I’m stuck at work

• my little Gator is doing amazing – she turned 6mos old on Monday and is finally chunking up! she weighs 13lbs 3oz!!

• I have been hired loosely speaking to do Christmas cards for two separate friends and can’t wait to get started on them! just got the info from one so I can begin!!

• did I mention it’s almost Friday??

• I have big plans for this weekend, which include organizing clothes and getting some out of my house, as well as sorting through Goose’s toys to give to kids without and make room for any incoming due to Christmas/her birthday

Those are just a few of the reasons I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday

I’m keeping with @FlyteAphrodite’s Good Thought Thursday by sharing this quote :

What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.

- Pearl Bailey

Hope y’all are having a FANTASTIC Day – wanna tell me why YOU are #SoHappyItsThursday!?

that’s exactly what this weekend has been… we had no solid obligatory plans, it was Hubs’ weekend off, and while my house is far from clean organized, I did get enough done to feel fairly productive.

I’m sure I would have enjoyed the Girls Night In/thirty-one party my cousin had last night… or the MI blogger meet-up, and I know I’d have had fun at the MSU/UofM hockey game with Goose, but asking my mom to take her instead worked out for me quite well. I was able to get a few things done, and was actually able to enjoy a movie with Hubs – and even Gator was cooperative for it.

I still have Goose’s clothes to sort through into stuff that no longer fits and doesn’t fit yet… as well as my own pre-preg/maternity/doesn’t fit yet/will never fit again no matter how much I pray clothes. that could take the rest of the year. but Gator’s are sorted & put into drawers/totes/tubs already – which was a big deal. I also folded several mountains of laundry, and am about to put roast in the crock pot for tomorrow and get bottles made up for Gator at daycare…

did I mention Hubs made eggs, bacon & hashbrowns for brunch today, and is currently making brownies? I am a lucky girl. :) and this weekend of relaxed family time mixed with getting things done has been exactly what I needed.

I hope y’all have a fantastic week. xo

other parents I mean. how in the world do they get everything done that needs to be done, and still have time for themselves? or heck, just that first part? can I give you a brief overview of my day? maybe you’ll have suggestions of where I could fit in “something that needs to be done” in a place I haven’t looked before?

• 6-6:30am-ish: wake up with baby on the boob. wait for baby to finish, drag self out of bed. if this happens closer to 5am-ish, I wait for the alarm clocks (I have three set, plus my cell phone alarm) to go off and hopefully wake up to at least one of them. and somehow still manage to be running late for everything
• get dressed. hopefully I’ve laid out my clothes the night before so I’m not scrambling and running down to the basement to dig through clean laundry
• change the diaper of a happy, smiley Gator and get her dressed, then head downstairs and let her hang out in the Bumbo her playgym the carseat in front of the TV
• 6:30/6:45: get Goose out of bed, get her dressed & let her sleep on the couch watch cartoons while I finish getting ready for work
• let the dog out.
• grab lunch, pump parts, bottles, freezer packs & get bag packed
• let the dog in.
• grab Gator’s bottles & fill in the “woke up at ______” and “last ate at ______” on her daily sheet for daycare
• wake Goose up and ask her to put on her shoes and jacket
• feed the dog. put dog in kennel.
• do hair. brush teeth.
• get Gator in her carseat and ready to roll.
• wake Goose up again. decide not to screw with her hair as we’re already going to be running late. ask her to get her shoes, jacket and hat on.
• get Gator’s meds ready. fight Gator to get her meds down. 5mos old and she already knows that clamping her lips together when she sees those syringes will delay the nasty stuff in her mouth by a few minutes. she’s also adept at spitting them back out at me.
• argue with Goose about not having time to do her hair now. give in and do it anyway. argue with Goose about brushing her teeth by herself. give in and do it for her.
• get Goose in the car, turn off the lights and lock the door as I grab Gator from the house.
• 7:40am-ish: head to daycare. 15-25 minutes later than we should have left.
• drop girls at daycare. hugs. kisses. hugs. kisses. ONE MORE HUG!! EIGHT KISSES!! wish Goose’s teachers a good day. quick wave & chat with Gator’s teachers. quick kiss on her head if she’s awake.
• GO TO WORK. DRIVE FAST.
• 8am-ish: work. pump. work. pump. eat. work. pump. work. some days there is one less pump. and more eating.
• 5pm-ish: head to daycare to pick up girls. big hugs from Goose. quick chat with teacher about her day. big smiles from Gator. chat with teacher about her day, behavior, mood, development.
• 5:45pm-ish: head home. call Hubs to see what he wants for dinner. he doesn’t answer. *sigh*
• 6pm-ish: unload girls. unload car. let dog out. get Goose a snack/dinner. let dog in. get full medela bottles in fridge/empty Avent bottles on counter. turn on a show for Goose to keep her quiet out of my hair entertained. change Gator’s diaper, get settled in to feed hungry Gator. get Goose a drink. get settled back in to feed crying hungry Gator. get Gator on the boob.
• 6:30pm: call Hubs again. still no answer. send text. check email/fb/twitter on phone while Gator nurses. wait for Hubs to call/text. burp Gator. clean up baby puke. snuggle Gator back to sleep.
• 7pm: Hubs finally calls. I ask what he wants for dinner and he says “I don’t care, but I’m starving!”
• 7:10-7:20pm-ish: get Gator off boob, start looking through cupboards/fridge/freezer to see what I can make for dinner.
• 7:25pm-ish: Hubs gets home, asks where dinner is, gets cranky because it’s not started ready yet.
• 7:30pm-ish: start dinner
• 7:45pm-ish: start taking apart dirty Avent bottles and filling up sink.
• 8pm: finally sit down to eat dinner. put dinner to the side because Gator is awake and hungry again. get settled and nursing Gator again. attempt to eat without dropping too much food on Gator. attempt to get sleeping Gator into Rock & Play without waking her.
• 9pm: give Goose hugs & kisses before bed. tell Hubs g’night. remind them to find Goose clothes for tomorrow and lay them out. turn off TV.
• 9:15pm-ish: add dish soap and hot water to now-cool-less-soapy-water in sink, wash Avent bottles. fill Avent bottles. label Avent bottles. pack up Avent bottles & put in fridge. wash now emptied medela bottles. wash pump parts. wash dinner dishes.
• 10-11pm-ish: find clothes for tomorrow for Gator and I. let dog out. let dog in. Gator is hungry again. think longingly of hot shower. tell myself I’ll get up early tomorrow & take one. turn off lights, take Gator upstairs to bed to nurse & sleep.

REPEAT.

of course there ARE variations… like when I have to swing by Meijer to grab something needed for dinner or the girls – diapers maybe? – or when we get pizza instead of making dinner… or on Hubs’ days off when he is home earlier and is more helpful with dinner – or makes dinner himself before I’m home… or when Goose wants to help with bottles… and the times can change, as sometimes things take shorter/longer periods of time… I mean sometimes I’m not in bed until midnight or 1am… but 6am STILL comes at the same damn time. every morning. ugh.

so. can you suggest a time that I can fit in some other things that need to be done? like folding laundry? or cleaning off the dishwasher of the months’ worth of junk mail, magazines, artwork, etc. that has collected? or any other miscellaneous task I had hoped to find some time to complete that would lessen the “disaster” look my entire house is wearing? please?? because if you can find that time?? I’ll most likely use it to catch that hot shower.

I give you the reasons why I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday (in random order)

• tomorrow is Friday. ‘nuff said!
• it’s 10.11.12! how fun!
• one of my very best friends in in labor RIGHT THIS MINUTE at least I assume she is… the last update from her husband was almost an hour ago and she was close to 10 and had the green light to push when the urge hit
• I get to go up to the hospital and snuggle that precious baby boy after work
• once again, the sun is shining and it’s a gorgeous Fall Michigan day although a bit blustery and cold
• Goose and I have a date tomorrow, just the two of us, and it’s for her very first concert – The Fresh Beat Band! she’s sooooo excited and has been talking about it for months and I’m excited too! what? they have good beats!
• Hubs is off work this weekend so I’m expecting lots of family time and most likely some serious cleaning, bah.
• I’m hoping to be able to get more newborn snuggles in with my future son-in-law is that weird if they’re going to grow up essentially like cousins… hmm… we may have to disown them this weekend by “dropping off a meal” yeah so, it’s a good excuse!
• this weekend is MSU’s homecoming game and hopefully we play better than we have the last few weeks and the parade is tomorrow night which means getting OFF campus after work will be delightful, as well as getting back ON for the Fresh Beats will too
• hunting season is in full swing which means Hubs is happily spending lots of time in the woods alone which means Goose is NOT so happily hanging out with Momma asking why SHE can’t go hunting with Papa although not every night, weather plays a big part in that decision  ; )
• only 4 hours left in my workday – WOOT

Those are just a few of the reasons I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday

I’m keeping with @FlyteAphrodite’s Good Thought Thursday by sharing this quote : )

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.

- Steve Prefontaine

Hope y’all are having a FANTASTIC Day – wanna tell me why YOU are #SoHappyItsThursday!?

I give you the reasons why I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday (in random order)

• tomorrow is Friday. ‘nuff said!
• Hubs & Goose are on their way home from up north!! Gator & I have missed them!!
• I have some wonderful people to call friends – even though I’ve never met almost all of them in person… thank you all for the encouragement both here, and on The Twitter yesterday/today/ALWAYS. love you all.
• the sun is shining and it’s a gorgeous Fall Michigan day
• when I get home I’m going to give my Big Girl some SERIOUS hugs!!
• my girls are both doing so well. Goose gets smarter every single day (seriously though, sometimes it’s like she’s 3.5 going on 15!!) and Gator is healing SO WELL and she’s rolling from side-to-side when she’s laid on her back
• Hubs was successful on opening night of Bear Season and our freezer will be full of wild game all year
• I am incredibly blessed to be surrounded by amazing people. family. friends. colleagues. even strangers, who gave, and continue to give me US, so much love and support when I we have been needing it the most
• this weekend I’ll be doing a lot of de-cluttering around the house that is not the part I’m SHIT about and will get to spend some time with family and great friends at some birthday parties, as well as quality time with Hubs & my sweet girls
• that weekend is in sight… just over the hill known as “Friday” it’s just 36 hours away well, 35 hours and 23 minutes anyway, close enough

Those are just a few of the reasons I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday

I’m keeping with @FlyteAphrodite’s Good Thought Thursday by sharing this quote : )

You have never really lived until you’ve done something for someone who can never repay you.

(Gator’s surgeon LIVES every day!!) : D

- unknown

Hope y’all are having a FANTASTIC Day – wanna tell me why YOU are #SoHappyItsThursday!?

I can’t remember if I’ve ever felt like this before… I know I’ve had similar thoughts and feelings in the past, but I think they were just short periods, like days, or maybe even a week or so where I felt like this, but I don’t recall it lasting this long…

I’m sure I’ve had thoughts like this at times when Goose was brand new and Hubs was working nights and cops were being slaughtered left and right… of course it was soon after all of this that I had my “AHA! Moment” and things became more clear and less … like this.

I don’t know if it’s somehow an “after-effect” of all the stress of Gator’s situation… if the “break” that I had two weeks ago was just the beginning, and there is more to come (I’d say that’s likely… I can’t believe that one day of crying at each and every little thing covered the 7.5weeks worth of stress, worry and fear… but I’m no shrink, so I can’t say for sure.)

what I do know is that I’m afraid. of so many things. every single car that pulls out onto the road near me I fear that it will not stay in it’s own lane but will instead come into mine and cause an accident. I see myself driving off the road and being injured or killed. I worry about my husband falling out of a tree stand while hunting and not coming home. I worry (constantly) about Gator’s newly-repaired-broken-heart just stopping, or her lungs filling back up with fluids and her slowly suffocating again. every cough, rattle or hint of congestion has me on high alert and waking often to check on her. I worry about Goose making her way into a pond, or a pool, or the road, or a stranger’s path… I worry about being one of those parents who forgets their kid in a car… or accidentally locking my kids in the car… (who DOES that??)

I worry about what would happen to my beautiful girls if I wasn’t around. who would love them like I do? would they understand I didn’t leave them by choice? that I love them more than life itself? I know my husband and our families would tell them this, but would they get it? there are few pictures of me with my girls, as I’m usually the one taking them… would they remember what I looked like, sounded like, how it felt when I snugged them close and whispered in their ear that I love them?

it seems no matter what it is that we’re doing, somehow my mind finds a way to make it scary for me… and I don’t know if this is normal, or if I’m going crazy.

I give you the reasons why I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday (in random order)

• tomorrow is Friday. ‘nuff said!
• this particular Thursday is ACTUALLY my Friday
• Hubs is off this weekend, which means FAMILY TIME!
• my house is not getting cleaned today… or this weekend…
• my little Gator is doing AMAZING, and her big sister Goose is SUCH a big helper! that is an everyday thing though… not just Thursday
• I have the BEST family and friends anyone could wish for another everyday – but it’s today too, so it counts!
• I love Thursdays, ALMOST as much as Fridays and Saturdays

Those are just a few of the reasons I’m SoHappyIt’sThursday

I’m keeping with @FlyteAphrodite’s Good Thought Thursday by sharing this quote   : )

Calories only count, if you’re counting them.

- a Dove chocolate wrapper

Hope y’all are having a FANTASTIC Day – wanna tell me why YOU are #SoHappyItsThursday!?

and there we go with ANOTHER song in my head (Hank Williams Jr. this time though)  ; ) and I am SO ready for the weekend, even if it is shaping up differently than I’d thought yesterday. I thought we were going to have a lot of family time, as the girls and I were going to accompany Hubs & my father-in-law up north for the weekend, but the girls’ daycare family picnic is tomorrow, and Goose was invited to a birthday party on Sunday, plus Hubs & FIL will be gone all day long replenishing their bear bait piles, so us gals would be sitting alone at a friend’s cabin with no transportation… plus we would either need to get a new crate for the dog, or find a place for him to stay…

instead Hubs & FIL are going to go up tomorrow morning, hit as many baits as possible before dark, then finish up Sunday morning before heading home (unless they make excellent time and come home tomorrow night)… so we still get some family time (tonight… and Sunday afternoon) which is good, and I get to socialize with the girls’ teachers and other parents – YAY! as well as hopefully get some cleaning done, get some meals made & frozen for them to take up north when they go bear hunting, and get more thank you cards written… I also plan to do lots of snuggling of both of my girls : )

there really wasn’t much of a point to this post, I just wanted to say Hi one more time this week, and wish y’all (or ya know, that ONE reader/stalker-person actually reading) a wonderful weekend filled with lovely things. this fall weather we’ve started having is so nice, but I’m not QUITE ready for summer to be over… hopefully we’ll have a few more weeks of warmth before the cold snap hits… can’t wait for the trees to turn colors though! Fall is my FAVORITE season!! unfortunately, winter is my least favorite, and around here – the one that lasts the longest… BOOO.

have a great weekend!! xo