Moving Countdown T-9 Days...

I may not live through this.

Something I read early this week on another mommy blogger's website has inspired me to look for the shaping, the learning and the purpose to everything...

The silver lining of walking in this challenge is...

1. I am learning patience. I am trying anyway. Hopefully my children see this.

2. I am learning the art of packing with small people helping.

3. My small people are learning the art of packing too.

4. I will have more space, my children will have a yard and my family will still have a home.

With that in mind. I am going now to work on packing and still loving my kids through it.

Pray for me. Pray for my babies. Pray for love and understanding.

And a little selfish here... please pray for the weather to STOP with the snow stuff. We have to move regardless of the weather and to be honest it would be simpler and nicer and easier with good weather.

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Taking Pictures of Small People...

I love my small people they often make me laugh. They often make me wish to pull my hair out. They most certainly are my greatest trial of patience. They also are my greatest joy.

Picture taking of three small people?

AHHHH! Nolan wants to touch the camera, or oooh look a deer, or oh my goodness WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME SISTER, or oh wow I have a hand? Hudson has a thousand other things he would rather be doing, looking at, killing, creating, karate chopping and the list goes on and on and on. Leanna will sit and model for 45 minutes for me and never get grouchy.

And so I give you a few shots to show you what I mean. Up first Nolan.

Oh what you had that focused on me when I was further away? My bad! What is that? Can I touch it? Better yet can I lick it?

Oh that is so funny I am going to fall back and laugh hysterically... ready WATCH!

Oh look I have toes. I am going to bend over and touch them at the exact moment you snap the picture. Okay? Okay!

The best picture I got of the mister? Looking at the camera and midly in focus = winner!


Now for the Hudson man. He is sooo active and sitting still doesn't happen often. I often have to threaten BEG him to sit still and let me take ONE picture.

This picture screams Hudson... mischief in the making.

Then he had the NERVE to stick his tongue out at me!

But... then he laughed after sticking his tongue out at me and I got this one.

To be fair I think the first picture is my favorite just because it is SOOOOO Hudson.

Then there is Leanna... and I would show you three pictures of her...but really there is no point. They all look the same. She is sitting and smiling and well easy to photograph. So here is my favorite I took of her today.


Such a pretty little girl she is turning into. It makes my heart hurt to look at her.

Taking pictures of them is sometimes so rewarding... others not so much. But I do it because I know I won't remember if I don't. I know that I will look back on these and treasure them soooo much.

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Snow Day...

I love snow. It is so pretty and white and clean... well until it gets tromped through anyway!

I mean what kid doesn't LOVE to play in the snow.

Hudson is a dive right in and get wet and messy and snowy and let's have a snowball fight. Leanna is more of a let's make snow angles and go sledding kind of kid. While Nolan... he is a "DON'T EVEN THINK OF PUTTING ME IN THAT COLD WET STUFF" kind of kid.

So even though it is FREEZING cold outside I let the kids get bundled up and play outside for a few minutes. I figured (and I can't believe I am going to say this) why not while it was WARMER out! That's right the warmest part of today? Was at 9:00 am. Which makes me shiver just to think that!

They had a lot of fun though...





Where was Nolan during all of the fun and COLD???

Inside. Warm and toasty. With a sippy cup of milk and his toys. Just the way he likes it!


At some point today or tomorrow I imagine sledding is going to be in order. They have been begging to go since the first snowflake fell yesterday. Pray for me okay?

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

In the Moment...

We took a walk tonight. We took a walk with some friends.

Hudson, Leanna and I bundled up and took a stroll in the falling snow. It wasn't anything to write home about. Just a chance to be a fun mom. A chance to say "yes" instead of "no".

We didn't talk about anything and to be honest they kinda walked, kinda ran around crazy running and try to do snow angels and catch snowflakes on their tongues.

It was fun. It was cold. It is a memory. Hopefully a fun one. One that they will look back on and think. Mom always took us for walks in the snow. That? Worth every minute of frostbite my toes are now feeling. Sorry folks just keepin' it real!

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Moving Countdown

The countdown has begun! Probably should have begun the first of the month but... never mind that.

We are moving in....

18 Days!!!

*Breathes into paper bag*

WHAT!!!

Time to get busy I guess!

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Fun at the City Museum!

Part of the small people's Christmas present this year from Josh's Uncle Jim was a trip to the City Museum.

My kids had been once before for a birthday party. They only got to see one room though. As it was crowded and crazy and just wasn't safe to try and see anymore with that many children. The birthday boy's mom said we were going to stay in the one area.

So it was hilarious when we went this time and we didn't even visit that room until the end, Leanna came up to us and said "Mommy this place is like magic... it just keeps getting bigger and bigger".

It really is a fun time! A little pricey but worth every penny!

Some pictures of our fun day...

Mommy was smiling through her gritted teeth here. This was a tunnel over in the air climber thingy. It was pretty closed in. I am not afraid of heights... however closed in spaces??? Make me verrrryyy nervous!

Daddy was such a trooper and carried Nolan for over two hours! Nolan was such a good sport that day... he had another ear infection and just wasn't feeling great but he had a blast!

They had a free art corner with clay (which I have stories of for another post!) and painting and mask making and it was so awesome and fun! This is Hudson's masterpiece!

HI MOM!!!

A picture down from the tunnel!


All in all it was such a fun day. My kids absolutely loved it. There is a kids circus there and we watched it. We played on skateboard ramps. We made things out of clay. We climbed and ran and slid. To our hearts content. That was just the inside too! All of the outside stuff was closed due to ice. Really an awesome time! The kids are saving money to go again!

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Intentional Calmness?

The little man has ANOTHER double ear infection.

If you haven't been keeping track let me fill you in on why this is such an issue for me. Nolan has had at least 1 ear infection (usually a double ear infection) per month if not 2 per month. Since.He.Got.His.Tubes.

I was a very unhappy (and saddened) momma this morning when I sat up holding my little man for 3 hours so he would not scream. We went to the pediatrician today got antibiotics (which I am tired of giving to my son he has to be building an immunity to them by now) and had a battle of will with myself. I wanted to shout and scream and be angry and holler. I am soooooo tired of it. There has to be something that can fix this. He can't keep continuing to have an ear infection (sometimes 2) a month for the rest of his life.

So I CALMLY (willing myself with every fiber of my being) had a conversation with my pediatrician today. They are culturing the yucky that was in his ear and sending it to his ENT. I called him today and scheduled an appointment. I believe my exact words were... we get in this week or we will seek out a different ENT. Calmly stated but I intended on carrying out every word I had spoken. We see him on Friday.

I am also calling a chiropractor that a friend recommended to me tomorrow. I am going to take him to see her. My friend has discussed Nolan with her before and she thinks she may be able to do some good for him. I am a little nervous. It is out of my realm of comfortable and I am praying about that as well.

So I will be intentionally praying for wisdom for the doctors. For answers for myself so I can... I am not sure but I just hate not knowing. Also for relief for my boy it really has become to much for him. It breaks my heart every time he is hurting like this. Not to mention it has started to affect what hearing he does have. Which is NOT okay.

Thankfully he is such a trooper he really does smile and laugh and you would never know how much he is hurting. He has such an amazing spirit. I love his face. I love his heart. I love his smile... right now though I am having a very very hard time loving his ears.

With all of that I am trying to remind myself of a few things...
1. We have a doctor who loves our boy.
2. We have access to health care many do not. I truly am thankful to be able to seek out answers and medical attention to help him.
3. I have friends who love my boy. Who are helping me try to find relief and answers.
4. I am not in control God is. Even if it makes absolutely no sense to me? It does to him and there is a purpose for all things... even this.

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Tonight - Brownies and Soda....

Tomorrow the gym starts back up!

I took a break because of sickness and holidays and everything. But tomorrow I am back at it!

I am still down 10-15 pounds it varies on a daily basis... My goal is to be down another 20-25 by March 1st.

My highschool reunion is this summer and I am in a friends wedding in December. Sooooo time to get busy again. My ultimate goal? Still would have to be right around 200 so about 65-70 pounds left to lose!!!

Here we go. Intentional weight loss! Protein Shakes in the mornings and for some evenings too depending on the dinner planned. Lots of veggies! Working out 3 days a week. Because seriously the 4-5 days a week was TOO much. So I will do some pushups and situps and squats on my off days at home. But in real life I just can't commit THAT much time to the gym. So I.Am.Not.Going.To.

Hopefully when I update ya'll the first week of February I will have good news!

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Happy New Year and a Recap of 2010!

Hello 2011! Did I seriously just type that?

2010 brought so much to our lives. It was crazy, busy, fun, sad, happy and well LIFE!

In January I became a stay at home momma again.

February brought up some feelings and thankfully some friends had some encouraging words for me!

March was full of some many adventures! We had such a fun time with all of our friends!

April was such a pretty month! We spent a ton of time outside!

May brought a fun outting with friends!

June started with me needing to know I am doing okay... I believe I have gotten away from feeling like this lately. It was nice to reread this one.

In July I decided to take note of the numbers in my day. This may have to be a once a month blog post this year. I had so fun writing it! I will love looking back on that when I am old and gray! Think I just might for 2011!

August is always a crazy month in our house with two birthdays and general family crazy. But 2010 took my little girl to her first day of Kindergarten too!

September I celebrated 7 years with the husband! Man I still love him!

October marked the 1st birthday of my baby. Who as I type this is toddling about getting into all sorts of trouble. I didn't blog a lot in October. I was simply waaayyyy to busy!

November started with the good intentions of blogging everyday to be thankful for our many blessings. But life got crazy with sickness and more sickness and just more general crazy!

December hasn't been blogged but so many wonderful things happened. I am so thankful for 2010 and all of the crazy wonderful and amazing things it has brought to our life. Now its time to look forward and see just what God has in store for 2011.

Momma to 3
*Shay B*