Every so often I like to do a little (ok this one is BIG) update post to let everyone know what has been going on in my part of the world. I am going to try to break this up into some categories, because there is so much and I don’t want to ramble on and on…
Kids
We’ve had our hands full with the kids, we can always count on them keeping us busy. 🙂 Right before Spring break we had a little incident at school where Nathan got locked outside the school building with his friend, they tried to buzz the buzzer on the door but no one heard so they landed up walking to the church to find someone to let them back in. Ugh! I hate to be confrontational, but this really had me worried sick so I spoke to the teacher and the school about a solution so it would not happen again. 🙁 I feel that it has been resolved and I lovelovelove the kids school and our church, but it did make for a couple of stressful days.
Another stress-er is that Autumn probably will not get to play t-ball this Spring. Her practice night landed up on a dinner visit night (with her Dad) and he is not able to take her. It is so hard, because you sign them up and you do not know what night you’ll get. Nathan’s practice landed up on Monday so I will be able to take him, thankfully. I have come to feel co-parenting is so hard and I am just sad it has to be this way. All I can do is try and that is what I’ll keep doing. I have made some phone calls to try to get her practice night changed, but it is not looking promising. 🙁
One more stress-er is we had to change the kids daily inhaler from Flovent to Qvair and Autumn has been on Qvair for a couple of weeks now and hates it. You would not think an inhaler would taste bad, but I do think it smells a little like Elmers glue. The old inhaler, Flovent is so much more as my insurance does not cover it. I hate how insurance companies change what drugs they cover every year. Sigh.
The kids are on Spring break this week and we have had below average temperatures. Low 40’s and then a chance for 2-8″ of snow this weekend? I was going to take off work on Friday to take them to Purina Farms, but Autumn came down with a fever. So, we rescheduled it for this next Friday since they are off school. The weather will be a whole 10 degrees higher, a warm 54 degrees. Boo! I really need to get the kids to see the Easter bunny at the mall, so I hope Autumn starts to feel better so we can get that in this weekend. I also love to dye Easter eggs outside (less mess), but that won’t be possible this weekend. Darn weather!
We are looking into joining a kid friendly museum or place every year with the kids to give us something cheap/free to do several times a month. I am looking into either the Zoo, Magic House or Missouri Botanical Garden/Butterfly House. I am hoping to tells this kids on Easter what place we have selected.
Disney Trip
We are 3 months away from our first Disney trip with the kids and I am getting so excited! We have our dinner reservations made and the princess hair/nail salon and Pirate’s League booked for the kids. Now I am working on what we want to do each day at each theme park such as rides and shows. Our travel agent, Stacey Burns (so recommend her!) suggested using touringplans.com and WOW I love it! Its a website, but I also downloaded the app on my phone and it has recommended plans for each day for each park based on your time, ages of your family, etc. After you pick one of their plans, you can save it as your own plan and customize it. They have all of the rides, shows and restaurants ready for you to select and add to your agenda. On the app, you can click Done! after you’ve completed each activity. I love planning stuff, so this is perfect for me. I don’t plan to have our day carved out in stone, but I do want to have our MUST rides (Dumbo, Its a Small World, etc.) on there so we do not skip them by mistake.
Another item of our trip that I am working on is the kids Disney Mail. I have been shopping for inexpensive gifts for the kids that I will wrap with a little letter to give them each day at the hotel, either before or after we leave.
Items I still need to work on are finding some new outfits for the kids and I want to buy some fun snacks to take with us at the parks. We did buy the dining plan, but it only includes one snack per day.
Running
I am just almost 2.5 weeks shy of my third half marathon, the Go! which was the first half I ran last year. I am really proud of myself as I have followed my training plan to a ‘T’ and I haven’t missed any runs. I have also added in some speed training and hills, because I am trying my hardest to PR on this hilly half marathon. My last half was flat (Florida!) and I am just a little stressed about doing as good (or hopefully better) on this one. I am going to try to plan a nice little breakfast of an English muffin, peanut butter and sliced bananas that morning as I usually do not get in a good breakfast before my runs. I will finish my last 12 mile long run this weekend and then the training gradually gets a little easier so my body is refreshed for the BIG run. Next week my long run is only 8 miles (yes, that is way easier than 12!) and the week after it is all easy runs… a 5, 4 and 2 mile. I hope I do not let my nerves get the best of me and my mind is clear and focused for this run!
After the half marathon I plan to take it easy for awhile. I have the Color Run and a run through the Missouri Botanical Gardens (yes, IN the gardens) planned for April. And, in May the Makes Tracks at the Zoo. These are all 5k’s. I plan to really work on SPEED for these as I was able to do sub 30 at my last 5k, I know I can do better and plan to get my time down lower.
Reading
I am currently reading two books, A Game of Thrones and The Wishing Year: An Experiment in Desire. A Game of Thrones has been on my reading list for awhile as George R. R. Martin is Brian’s favorite author. Brian even met him in Kansas City, by a rare chance that he was in the same hotel as him! This book is long and he has several more books after it (I think 5 are done, 2 are left to be written?). I love how he has written the book, there are many characters and so far I think Bran is my favorite of them all. Every chapter he writes has the different characters perspectives and it can get a little overwhelming at times, but I’ve hung in there with it. Its all about Kings and battle, living in a land where the seasons are skewed and there are all kinds of unique animals (good and bad ones) and many different personalities in these characters, evil and good… death and war. Definitely a Brian book, I must say. I am 50% in and I think I will take a little break before I venture to the second book. I need time to absorb everything as there is a lot going on in this book.
The Wishing Year I just started for an online book club from my old Mondo Beyondo Group and we are reading one chapter a week. It is about the author wishing for a new home, a new man and spiritual health. I am only 27% in and I can say that this book is beautifully written, almost like her words are brushstrokes on a canvas.
Things I’m Digging…
I just wanted to mention a few things I am into right now.
Brian. I thank God every day that he blessed me with Brain in my life. He is just such a gentleman, always making sure I am cared for and loved. I know a lot of people find true love early in life, but I am thankful to have found it at last. Brian makes my life shine brighter and I know he will always be there to hold my hand, to make me laugh or sing to me while in the living room to some little country song he thinks I will love. When I look at him, I can’t see my life without him in it… ever. Its funny how I can tear up in joy when I think of all we have been through and how strong my heart beats for him. It makes me so happy when I see how much my kids love him, too.
I have been trying to get back into crafting, decorating and organizing as it was one of my passions before the kids came around. I am even thinking about taking up some sewing. So, you might see a lot of craft/DIY and decorating posts to come on here as I love to take photos to share my ideas. I have recently found some blogs that I just love for decorating and DIY ideas and I would love to share them:
Love of Family
House of Rose
Liz Marie Blog
I have also been really into updating my wardrobe lately, I am so tired of wearing the same thing. I’ve been trying to get into fun colors and jewelry and I am really addicted to scarves. I love to get ideas off of Pinterest, but I also follow a few fashion blogs that are regular Moms that love fashion:
Stilettos and Diapers
Mrs. in Training
Other things I’ve been into lately are movie nights with the kids, lush baths, chitchatting and snuggling on the couch with Brian after the kids are in bed, trying new restaurants or old ones (just tried J. Gilbert’s at WC Mall last weekend, they have an awesome menu!), my Kindle Fire and planning fun little outings with the kids… hoping to get a picnic in with them if it ever warms up!
