Super Secret Surprise Saturday

So this weekend turned out to be GORGEOUS. I love Fall. It is my favorite time of year!

Anyway back to the title of today's post. Josh and I decided this weekend was to beautiful to pass up sitting in the house. So we didn't. We declared the first ever Super Secret Surprise Saturday. The kids were really excited we didn't tell them anything except to get dressed we weren't going to be home ALL day.

Josh has really been wanting to drive through Lone Elk Park so we did that first. It was really peaceful and the kids got to see Bison and Elk and Geese (we didn't see any deer :( however) they thought it was awesome. I was so into it with the kids I forgot to take pictures though.

Then we went to a friends house for lunch. Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Nacho Cheese Doritos. Yummy! Then they learned the next secret surprise. Heather and Baby Hannah would be joining us on the next surprise! (Again left camera in car so no pictures sorry).

Then we went to the ZOO! Which is of course my kids favoritest place to be ever. It was such a beautiful day out that almost every animal we wanted to see we saw and more! It was very exciting. We got to see the baby tigers they were out and not just out but playing we laughed and pointed and talked about them for almost 1/2 an hour. The were "wrastling" as Leanna calls it. Hudson's favorite part was either the baby elephant who was being given a bath by his mama or the penguins (who we saw get fed). I was so busy again I didn't take many pictures but here is my favorite couple.
A family picture doesn't happen often for me so it is definitely a favorite! I love that man and look at those babies!
I love when I can get them to be still together.

And the best part is the day wasn't over! We decided to swing by my Granny's house and see if the aunt's were home with the cousins. They were...well kinda... Christopher wasn't there so Hudson had to play with just girls (and dad) but hey he had fun. We then proceeded to play games for the rest of the night. We played red light green light, Simon says, freeze tag and duck duck goose.

While all of those things were fun. My favorite part of Super Secret Surprise Saturday? Spending a great day of fun (free fun mind you) with my family. I love great Saturday's don't you?

TYGF

Everyone knows I hate the commercialism of Thanksgiving as a matter of fact I hate the way it is portrayed and presented and to be honest celebrated my family doesn't celebrate it in the "conventional" sense!

Thanksgiving we don't cook so much food and go around the table saying what we are thankful for. We try to do that all year round. So we tend to hang around the house and watch movies, relax and enjoy each other. We eat some yummy stuff yes but we have ordered pizza in the past too.

Anyway I have gotten way off topic more on that later... So the whole reason of this is because I believe that people should be thankful and express that thankfulness all year round. So in honor/tribute to that fact Fridays are now my TYGF posts. Thank God It's Friday (TGIF) is now....TYGF or Thank You God For....

And today's TYGF is that I am so thankful for my kids. I know you are thinking obvious answer right very generic... Well here is the specifics. (Sorry in advance for the lengthiness of it all).

I have stopped grocery shopping (minus bread and milk) except for once a month. It works for us. Josh hangs with the kids and I go shop. Well yesterday was THE day. I had my lists and my stores and my coupons and I was ready right? Well not completely. Josh had to work late... so I braved the storm of crazy ($10 off days at Shop-N-Save) shoppers with BOTH children. My kids are pretty well behaved they have their moments though...and well a grocery store isn't always the best place for them at 7:00 at night to display that. (I ended up consolidating to one store which meant spending a little more but... for me and them it was worth it).

We got the fancy racing car cart and everything trying to make it easier on them (and me truth be told). Problem was there was only one seat belt and horror of all horrors one steering wheel. I am thinking "Are you kidding me?" They amazed me and made me feel like maybe I am doing okay as my role as mama. Leanna looks at me and says "Its okay mama Hudson can drive." My jaw dropped I was flabbergasted. So Leanna became my official list holder. As we gathered our items (from 3 different lists) she got to mark them off. Well half way through this trip (that last an hour and a half) Hudson looks at Sissy and says "Sissy want turn?" Jaw hit floor this time. So they quietly and agilely switched places. Hudson leans over and says "Kiss sissy?" They gave each other lovins right there in the store. I was amazed and slightly teary eyed. They never once asked for anything not on the list and when they were choosing which yogurt and yogurt drinks they wanted they each got to pick one they wanted. No fighting no anything they discussed (which was hilarious) and decided.

One proud mama here I must say. One very thankful and humbled mama. They love each other. Even through the fights, the "that's mine"'s, the hitting and hair pulling. Somewhere in there, there is also love. Thank you God. Thanks!

So what are you thankful for on this Friday?
Blessed!
*Shay*

Play time in the PARKING LOT???

I know that sounds bizzare and crazy right? Well we did. The twins (Halee and Keegan) turned two last week and got two super cool power wheels for their birthdays and Leanna and Hudson got their birthday gifts the same weekend. Leanna her first ever big girl bike and Hudson an awesome Tryke. They LOVE them by the way.

So Katy (the mommy to the twins) called and said they were going up to the elementary school's parking lot to let the kids play and stuff did we want to tag along.Well Leanna was already very angry with me for not getting to go Lily's princess party and knew that I would be okay outside (okay so I hoped) and said sure.

Well surprise for us cause Daddy got to go too. So we loaded up the bikes into the back of the van and we headed out.

WE HAD AN AMAZING TIME!

The kids were so excited to play and have fun and just be themselves and run and act crazy. We rode bikes, trikes, power wheels, we played slide and this weird modern style teeter totter and swings. It was alot of fun. So I will leave you with some pictures.
Here is one of Leanna and her new bike! Riding like a pro.
This is Leanna and Hudson riding the John Deer Power Wheels together.
This is all of us on that modern Teeter Totter thing I was talking about.

*Shay*

Time to Return to Normal...

Things have been a little crazy recently with everything going on. I decided today is the day we are going to return to complete normalcy. I have grown tired of not feeling well and while I still intend on taking things slowly they have to go back to normal.

So tonight we are going back to Wednesday night church. I will not however resume teaching my class until October. (I have to try to steer clear of germies). So I am looking forward to that and so are the babies.

The laundry is still caught up and the laundry room and playroom are still magnificent. However the kitchen needs desperately to be scrubbed and the living room (where I have been living) is screaming to be returned to its regularly scheduled programming. And lets not forget about the bathrooms... okay maybe we can forget about those.

Needless to say continued thoughts and prayers are appreciated as I am still trying to get my body to quit being "silly" as Leanna has been calling it cause I am not "sick". Thanks for everything so far if you read this!

*Shay*

The twins turned 2.

Halee and Keegan are now 2 too! They had a lovely party and Leanna and Hudson got them some pretty cool things.

My kids love them. They talk about them all the time. Leanna just adores Halee (she wants mommy to have a sister for her too) and wants to play dollies with her. Hudson and Keegan are buds. Keegan is Hudson's really only male buddy to hang with. No other boys his age...pretty much no other boys (well Casey is helping in this department now :)...)

They are fun to hang around with and I enjoy seeing there faces light up in smiles. My kids enjoy spending time with them too. When they get together though it looks like trouble.

Tell me that doesn't look like trouble waiting to happen??? Leanna is 4 and the other three Hudson, Halee and Keegan are all two now.

Blessings!
*Shay*

A playroom that the kids can actually play in?

So another post I wanted to make sure to get up because I am so proud of it.

Leanna and Hudson have decided they like sharing a room better than sleeping in their own rooms. Every night Josh and I would ask the kids okay where are we sleeping tonight and Leanna and Hudson would put there heads together and discuss it. You could hear them whispering and deciding it was actually pretty cute. They would look at us and say "Sissy's room" or "Hudson's room". So after their birthday party (which we did together this year pictures on that to come as well) we decided that they could just share a room and the other room could be used as a playroom area. So that is exactly what we did.

However when the rooms got switched over it was very late at night and I didn't have the energy left to clean the new playroom. Hence this disaster....

So I got my bottom in gear again (another day though) and got to organizing. Leanna made me so proud that day if it was broken, ripped, missing pieces, colored on, worn out or stained in went in the trash. As well as if neither of the children played with it anymore and it was still in good shape it went in the donation bag for "those childs without stuff right Mom" said Leanna. She was wonderful no crying or sadness. A great day overall. There are still a few things left that still need to be sold at the garage sale we are having soon but for now they are staying in the playroom.

A pretty productive week wouldn't you say?

Laundry Room Disaster!

Okay so I had some things I wanted to originally post last week but reading the post below you will understand why I didn't get to do that.

My laundry room is the BANE of my existence. I HATE it. I feel like it closes in on me every time I take a step into it. Now I know that living in a mobile home I am lucky to have a room that I can shut the door to. However those that know me know that I like to keep as clean a house as possible with the little ones running around and keeping me incredibly busy.

BEFORE

So I decided to do something about it. I could no longer handle the chaos and since laundry is so a HUGE part of my life right now with me and Josh working and of course Leanna and Hudson always getting dressed (I know a mom who puts clothes on her kids what is that about right? Shouldn't they be allowed to live naked unless it is cold outside?) The before picture is quite literally of just the shelf above everything that wasn't beside or in front of the appliances so just let your imagination run wild.

AFTER

The above picture is the new and improved laundry room (well the shelf at least). It was a great day. I can walk in there and find what I need know. It is glorious. And luckily it is still that way even after my stint of not being home for 4 days. My husband it a truly wonderful man. He knew how hard I worked on it and he made sure it stayed that way for me. Isn't Josh wonderful? Okay maybe you don't know him like I do but I sure think so :)

Reasons....

So hello again everybody! Sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I have unfortunately been in the hospital. So without further ado let me explain.

I got sick on Saturday (the night after I hung out with my girlfriends) really sick fever, sore throat and fatigue. I haven't been sick like that in a long while. So on Monday I went to the doctor. Doc Johnson originally thought I had mono or strep. Which was bad enough in itself. She told me to stay home on Tuesday as well.

So I went back to work on Wednesday. All was fine until I got this headache like you wouldn't believe. Well Doc J told me that with mono headaches were possible. So I called her back like she told me too and left a message to get the headache medicine prescription called in. (She hadn't yet because I hadn't had any headaches and I generally just don't like taking medicine if I don't have too). She called me back on my way home to pick up the kids and told me that it wasn't mono or strep and that all the test had come back and that I needed to go to the emergency room immediately because they thought it might be something more serious.

Needless to say it was. After a long night in the ER (and ridiculous amounts of needle sticks more on that in a minute) they discovered I had meningitis. Which is a big long word for very sick stuff.

I was in the hospital for 4 days. Missed my sister-in-laws wedding and missed seeing my babies boogie at the reception. However I did receive an award from the nurses. Most needle sticks in the shortest stay in almost a year for the 7th floor! Isn't that exciting (pay no attention to the sarcasm that is dripping from those words). I am feeling slightly better now. I have a backache monster from the spinal tap and I get tired extremely easy but I am an not dead and no one has to worry because it was viral which means not contagious.

However some prayers for my arm (see pictures below and remember these were taken today which makes those markings and bruises a week old) would be lovely. I apparently have crappy weak veins (the award given explains that) and the medicine they were giving me through the IV apparently ruptured my veins (one IV I had for less than 3 hours) and some of the medicine made it's way into my muscle tissue causing a separation of the muscles. It is incredibly medical and disgusting to look at but more importantly it means no lifting for the next week or so. Which all of my mommy friends know is hard to do when you have little ones at home.



So for those that already knew of this and were praying for me! Thank you so much and for those that didn't thanks for reading and for your prayers for my arm now.

Much love
*Shay*

Hudson is a Big Boy now...

So lots of heavy posts here lately sorry about that just a lot of stuff on my mind I guess.

Today is a special day again. My little man turned 2 today.

He is such a handsome little guy. He often gets away with murder because of it.

It is hard to believe that this year is already half way over with. It seems like it wasn't THAT long ago he was turning one.

However with every year comes fun and new learning experiences. He has learned that pretending to be superman and jumping off of the couch at church onto the back of chair ends with a super glued eyebrow and one heck of a scar to impress the ladies! He has learned that if you pull sissy's hair when mommy isn't looking that she is going to knock you down. He has been talking up a storm! He speaks in sentences now and has learned (to most of the time anyway) to use his nice words. He is potty training! He has learned that sissy will hold his hand if he asks.



I am grateful to be his momma. His little sister is lost without him. His daddy is just glad to not be the only "man" around the house anymore. He has added alot to our lives these past two years and I am sure glad we got a Hudson.

Chatting with the Girls

So tonight I get to hang out with two of my favoritest (it is a word trust me) friends. And I am so excited to do it. Josh (my wonderful husband) is being so kind as to keep the kids a little extra longer tonight so that I can meet with these lovely ladies and chat and have some delicious coffee and something sweet too!

However, I read another blog this morning that kind of hit me in the gut.

"When did men become stupid?"

It used Homer Simpson as an example... Now I don't watch the Simpson's but I do know that Homer is portrayed as a stupid, rude and just generally disgusting man. It made the comparison that we are treating it as though most men are this as the rule and the good ones are the exception.

I hate that people think this.

However I am not going to say that I haven't been guilty of saying probably some hurtful things about Josh to a group of my gal pals or maybe even being smart or rude in front of other people to him.

I hope however that I am not. Josh and I talked the other night and I made sure he felt that I was still doing a good job and that if there was anything I did do that bothered him.

I have a hard time with the submit wives to your husbands aspect of things. It isn't about being a beaten down or a surrendered wife. It is about respect and I want to make sure that I am always respectful to my husband. For several reasons:

1. I want to be a good wife. I want my husband to know that I love him and appreciate him for what he does and how hard he works for our family.

2. I want to be a good example to other young women who don't get to see very many positive marriages and positive examples.

3. I want Leanna to be able to go into marriage with her eyes open and know that it is a hard job. Probably (next to being a mommy) the hardest job I have ever had...BUT it is well worth the work and that having a good, kind, hardworking man that loves you for who you are is important and that being a godly wife is important.

I don't know that I display these things in my everday life but I want to make sure that I am always striving for that. That I am always putting my best foot forward.

Has it seriously been a week already?

Okay so the title here will give you some idea of how crazy our household has been here lately.

A good crazy I suppose but a BUSY crazy!

We have had birthday parties and events. Not just for Leanna and Hudson but the rest of the universe as well. Not to mention just in this little month of September we have 9 more events to attend that include birthday parties, weddings, BBQ's etc. You get the idea.

I have pictures from the birthday party that was a lot of fun for the kids. I will try and get those posted in the next day or so.

We have moved rooms around which was a feat to begin with because Leanna's bed broke and so a new one had to be gotten. (Good bye daybed from mommy's teenage years *sniff sniff*). Leanna's old bedroom is now a playroom for the kids. Which I think will be perfect for us seeing as how the rainy/cold season is already or will soon be upon us.

All of this crazy living reminds me that as a momma I am pulled in so many directions. Don't get me wrong sometimes those directions are fun and exciting and hilarious and other times they are serious, busy, sad and anger filled to...but I need to remember to find a time to be still. To not be a momma or a wife or a friend or a member of some team, committee, or even a worker. But to sit and be still and read and pray and sing and worship and have my own moments of quietness and remembering who really is in control of my days. Because I can promise you it isn't me. It isn't my kids or my husband or my job or my family. It is God and I think here lately I am not hearing him clearly enough because I am letting the craziness well up in my ears and drown out his quiet words and reminders "Hey I am here...are you listening...", "What are you getting angry for?", "Take a breath and stop cleaning and go enjoy a walk in My goodness", "That butterfly that your kids are so excited about isn't a science lesson it is a lesson in My goodness and kindness and worthiness".

Too often us mommas forget some of the important things. (Not pointing fingers here unless you count myself). I need to slow down and remember God is good and so is life and yeah it is crazy but it doesn't have to be that way sometimes. Sometimes I make it crazy all by myself.