Flashback Fridays

When I first started flashback Fridays, I mentioned I was going to put pictures not only of my kids but also of Steve and I.  So my kids would get some information about not only about thing in their past but important things in our past. So this weeks flashback friday is from this exact  week in  2004.  This week in 2004  I was promoted from a Patrol Officer to an  Investigator .   Cody was  6 months old at this time .  While I had only been on the force for about 6 years after having Cody I was looking forward to the promotion.     I knew this promation would be not oly good for my career but good for my family.   While it  is always scary to try something new and move out of your comfort zone.  I knew this promotion would be best for my family life.  I felt it was less risky than patrol which is important once you have a child and you become a mom .  Once you become someone’s mom  things change and any risk you can minimize  you do .  This job also makes it easier for me to stop home for dinners or anything else that comes up making for a more "normal' family life.    Also being a Investigator  also gives me the freedom to work half the week on 2^nd shift and the other half on day shift.  Which sometimes can be tiring for me, but again works best for the kids because it minimizes the time we need daycare.  When I took the promotion back in June of 2004 I knew it  was the best thing I could have do for my family  but I never knew how much I would enjoy the job .     So My flashback photos are from my promotional ceremony this week in 2004.

Milestones

It’s Funny since Cody was my first born I got the first time mom excitement of watching him hit  all the mile stones for the first time ever.  First Smiles, First laughs,  First rolls, First walk, and so on.  Watching each of the milestones and watching him grow I could not help but beam with pride and feel a sense of  awe that a first time mom feels.  Each milestone  more special than the next,  I photograph everyone of them  in my memory.   Being a seasoned veteran mom of three now, I thought I had reached all the momentous first and  I was prepared for them all.  However while laying in bed last night  my 7 ½ first born came bouncing out of his bed, so excited that he had pulled out his first tooth.  He had been waiting this whole school year to lose his first tooth.   He was so disappointed he did not lose his first  tooth in kindergarten or first grade at school because they do something special for you when you do.    He also did not want to be the only 2^nd grader that had not lost his first tooth.  My poor Cody did not get his first tooth until 13 months, I remember wondering if he was ever going to get that first tooth.    We had a running joke that his 9month younger cousin Connor was going to get his first tooth first.  Cody did  get his first.  However , I remember worrying he was never going to get them.  I have several missing adult teeth, I started to wondered if he was missing teeth like me.  But around 13 months that first and second bottom teeth finally made their way up  to that toothless grin. 

 I must admit I was a little worried that his first tooth might fall out late due to the fact it came in so slow.  Cody kept telling me his tooth was loose, but I must admit I did not know it was that loose.  For some reason, wiggly teeth give me the willies.   I must admit I never wiggled  it and saw how loose it was.   However I was ready for that first tooth to fall out. I had bought a few small gifts and put them away for the big moment.  While I was prepared on the tooth Fairy end, nothing prepared this seasoned veteran for the feeling I would get from this milestone.  While watching that toothless grin again, I felt a sudden pain of sadness.  That tooth was more than a token for the tooth fairy.  It represent a small piece of Cody’s childhood and it was a direct symbol of something bigger.  Little by little, piece by piece or tooth by tooth.  My first born baby is no longer my baby.  I was really taken back by how sad this made me feel. There Cody stood in front of me so proud and all I wanted to do was hug him and stop time.  I gave him the biggest hug and told him how proud I was of him and swallowed that lump in my throat and wiped that tear in my eye.   Again I am remind how fast time goes by and how fast our babies grow up.    It’s funny as much as I complain about being needed all the time or my lack of sleep I am not ready for my Cody, Hailey or Brennan to grow up.  I know I can’t stop time , but here is another small reminder to slow down and enjoying every minute of it.  Craziness and all.  I love every bit of it and I love those kids more than I could ever put in to words 

Father's Day

Growing up I was often was the most “vocal’ of the  3 kids.    When I refer to  vocal I don’t mean I was lucky enough to have lead in the school musical  more like I could not keep my thoughts to myself.    I have often been called ‘opinionated’ by those who are close to me .  I however like to refer to my “upfront” nature as a occupational hazard of my career choice.  I am in a career where I need to be  in charge  and dominate the situation.  While this trait has served me well in my career path, it often got me into lots trouble in my home life growing up.   You might say me and my Dad may have got in to more disagreement than I can even attempt to count  over what I would call stating my side of the story .  My dad saw it as something totally different.     I hate to admit  it  but this  may have even lead to me be chased around the kitchen table on  numerous occasion.  Good thing I was faster than my dad.  It is funny growing up I could never see it cause I was too stubborn to look outside of the situation and to focused on “being right” .  However I see it now as clear as day  that I am my Fathers daughter.  We  definitely  come from the same mold and unfortunately  that lead us   to a few power struggles growing up.   However now as a Adult I can look at the situation and laugh.  I also realize there is no one else that I would like to resemble other than my Dad.  I owe some of my best traits to my father. 

 I get my sunny disposition from my Dad.  I don’t care how bad the situation is my Dad is always happy.  I have never seen my dad without a smile on his face.  My dad has never gets the blues, to him all blue is and ever will be is a color.   Very rarely does my dad get crabby or is in a bad mood.  Take for example this past winter he was lost his job at Chrysler due to the factory closing.  If it was not bad enough he was out of a job he ended up blowing his knee out and was laid up till about March healing.  However during that whole time, I never once caught my Dad one time feeling sorry for himself or angry at the situation.  He just sat up in the upstairs bedroom with his leg up on the ottoman with  a smile on his face playing games  with Hailey and Cody and rocking Brennan to sleep.

Speaking of sleeping I also get my ability to sleep so easily from my dad.  I wish my children would have inherited that trait but no such luck.  I remember growing up and my dad would come home from a long day at work and he would lay on the floor and we would be crawling all over him and he would be able to take a 20 min power nap in all that chaos .  My dad has also been known to take a few power naps while working 3^rd shift .    My dad can sleep anywhere and never has a problem falling asleep.   I know some of you might not get being able to sleep anytime or anywhere as a high on the great trait list but to a mother who gets woken up a average of  4 times a night and has to hop from one child’s bed to the next, the ability of being able to wake up and get back to sleep quickly is the difference between being functional the next day or not.

I also get my love of kids from my Dad.  Like my Dad I think the more kids the better.  Those of you who ever has been at a Schiro family party will know what I am talking about.  It you ever can’t find my dad just look for the large group of kids cause he always in the middle of it.  My Dad is always surround by a group of kids running  a heads or tails game, or a trivia game about the Schiro Family.  All kids love my dad, because he makes them feel special and they  love playing his games .  Some of you don’t know this but my  Dad has been a mentor for a number of at risk kids while he worked at Chrysler.  My Dad  took time out of  his day once a week to make these kids feel special .  He also made up different games to make learning fun and improve the kid's grades.  All the teachers love my Dad because they can see a dramatic change he has made  in the children that he has mentored.  

I also get my creative side from my Dad. Some people in our family like to say we are full of ‘bullshit”  But I would argue we like to tell a good story.   For those of you that don’t know my Dad is the best pretend player around.  He is the only person I know that can play pretend games with Hailey for 8hrs straight and never get annoyed.  He loves to tell stories.  One of his all time favorites is the story of the bear that ripped of his belly button.    I know there are a lot of believers of that story out there.(sorry if I just gave the truth away)  I know he has one little blond hair beauty that believes that all the dolls at grandpa’s house runway because they love playing hide and seek and only runaway when they know Hailey  is coming over so she can find them.

                However One trait I don’t have yet but hope I am lucky enough to pick up is to be seen as a Hero.  That is how my children see my dad.  I hope my grand kids will look at me with the same  awe my kids look at my Dad with.   They love him to pieces and he is the center of the world.  They both jump at the chance to sleep over and grandpa’s house.  I am sure Brennan will soon  be jumping at the chance to spend the night, however Grandpa says he can’t do that until we can get Brennan not so attached to me all night. HMMM will that ever happen  My kids think there is nothing that is broken that Grandpa Mike can’t fix.   Just last week Steve was putting the trampoline together with the kids and he was having problems.  So Hailey went inside the house without Steve not knowing and called my Dad and left a message for my dad because he was not home.  The message she left was “grandpa come over my Dad needs help.”  Of course my Dad called back right away to see what Steve needed help with.  However when there was no answer he rushed right over to make sure Steve was OK.  Steve was OK and grandpa and Dad were able to get the trampoline together.   Grandpa saved the day again..   My Children have learned so much from my dad.  Cody knows how to use all his tools from his tool chest because of my dad.        Both of my kids have a love of card games and gambling because of my Dad.  Cody know his number and addition because of a magic card trick, my dad has taught him.  Of course we can’t forgot one of the most important thing my Dad has taught my kids and any one that knows him, the lyric’s to the good ole Mountain Dew song.   

          Most importantly Cody, Hailey and Brennan have learned from my Dad what real love it and what it means to be part of family that is filled with love,   I hope my Dad knows how much he means to them.    Dad I also want  you to know how lucky I am to have you as a Dad and I take it as the utter most compliment when someone says you are just like you dad.  So Happy father’s Day to the best Father, Grandfather around

Here is he telling Stories to Hailey and Dylan

Brennan hearing the Mountain Dew song for the first time ever

This is my all time Favorite picture of Cody and My dad, those two are definitely two peas in a pod

Love ya Dad

Slacker Sunday

Friday was crazy, I got up at 5:20 am to go to my morning 5:30am aerobic class, than it was off to work till 4pm.  Picked up the kids, played, supper, baths, movies and Bed time.  I had all the intentions to get up after I put the kids to bed to do Flashback Fridays and next thing I know it was Saturday.  For those of you that don't know I work a split week of second and first shift so we don't need much day care.  Well Thursday I worked till 11pm, so by the time I get to bed  and midnight ,3am wake up calls from Mr. B the 5:20am alarm comes way to fast.  So the days I work 2nd shift followed by day shift the following day I am exhausted by bed time.  So needless to say no flashback Friday.  I think it is kinda of ironic seeing this weeks post was about a lack of time to finish all the things I want.   So this weeks flashback Friday will be called slacker Sunday, since I am going to cut myself some slack since I did not get this in Friday.

Since we have finished up the school year and Hailey graduated from preschool and Cody finished first grade I  thought I would post preschool graduation pictures from the past.

First is my preschool graduation picture, than Cody's and Hailey's from this past month.  Enjoy your week everyone.

Free Time

While life has changed for the better since I have had kids.   Having 3 kids, working full time, running between meetings and practices life can get pretty crazy.  We don’t have a lot of free time, and some days are pretty time crunched to get everything done that I need to.    I often find myself in conversations with others or thinking to myself “when the kids are a little bit older, I will be able to do BLANK.    This got me thinking about my top 10 things I hope I will have time to do in the next 5 years.

Here they go
10.  be able to get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep in a night
9.  Get six pack Abs’s
OOPS wrong list, this is my list if I ever run into my fairy Godmother.  I got confused on my list since 8 hours sleep is on both list.  Can u tell I really want sleep!!

Any ways, back to my top 10 things I want to be able to have time for when the kids are a little older

10.  I want to be able to get 8hours  uninterrupted sleep.  Just ask my Husband it has been 7 ½ years since we have had 8hrs of continues sleep. At this point that seems so far fetched that’s why I have it on my fairy godmother list!

9.  I want to work on my yard.  I love this time of year.  I want to sit outside on my patio and admire all the flowers.  I want to have a garden.  I try to tell myself right now I am nurturing 3 of the most important things I will ever raise and there is always a time for flowers but you only get so many years to spend with your children.  However I do hate being surrounding by neighbors who have nothing but time to spend on their yards and feeling like “that house in the neighborhood”

8.  I want to be able to go shopping by myself.  The thought of going grocery shopping without grubby little hands throwing Oreo and fruit snacks into my cart would be a dream come true...  I want to go swimsuit shopping without little eyes staring at me and asking me if we are done yet.  I want to go to all the stores on my list and not be cut short because someone is having a meltdown.  Lastly I want a 5 min shopping trip to last only 5 minutes not to be dragged out for 30 minutes because I have little people who want to walk slowly behind me or away from me, or they have to use the bathroom.  Don’t even get me started on the toy aisles!!!


7.    I want to be able to work out 5 days a week.  I love working out, it makes me feel good and it makes me healthy.  Unfortunately things like work and sick kids get in the way of working out 5 days a week.  Right now if I get 3 days in a week I am not crabby.   Sometime I even get in 4 or 5 days a week in and I am really happy but unfortunately there are some weeks I only get in 1 or two times in and it makes me not happy.  So I am looking forward to the days I have a little more time to focus on myself.  It hardly seems fair when you are in your 20’s and your body is naturally slim you have all time in the world to work out, now that I need a little help I have no time.

6.  I want a clean house.  OK don’t get me wrong my house is no pigpen but it is not as clean as I would like it to be.   When I have more time I won’t have loads of laundry stacked up waiting to be folded.  My kitchen and bathroom floor will be washed on a weekly, my beds will be made regularly.  My closets and drawers will be organized, I will vacuum daily. Unfortunately right now something has to give and if it comes down to changing the sheets or going out and playing a game of horse with Cody, I am going to choose horse because that is more important but I do dream of a spotless, well organized house but until than you will notice hand prints on my glass doors and crumbs on my kitchen floor

5.  I love photos; I love taking them but never seem to have time to do anything with them besides posting them on face book now and and then.  I love digital cameras but all my photos seem to be stuck on a memory stick.  A few years ago I made 2 digital photo albums which went through two years of photos.  I love them.  I had a copy printed for me and one for each of the kids to put away for them.  They are awesome.  I planned to do one for every year of photos but now I am two years behind and those photos just sit on that memory stick.   So once I have some more time, I will finish those books because they will be a great gift to give my children someday.

4. .  I want to read books and watch movies.  I can't think of the last time I read a good book.  I have to admit I read nothing but Fluff books.  They are simple pleasures that I do enjoy.  My husband laughs at the books I choose.  I love those romance types.  Reading books remind me of times when I had nothing but time on my hands.  Going along with this theme is watching movies.  The last dozen movies we have rented I have not made it to the end.  I can't stay awake.  Between working different shifts and being woke up all night by a hungry 1 year old and I am exhausted.  Hopefully one of these times I will make it to the end 


3.  I want to be able to spend more alone time with my husband.  I miss my Husband.  I know that marriage and date nights should be a priority but sometime life gets in the way of how things should be.  Right now Steve and I work different day off schedules and different shifts so are children can be in limited daycare while we both work full time.   This is something that is important to me because I was lucky enough to have a stay at home mom.  So hopefully once the kids are in school full time we will both be able to work day shift and have the same day off schedule.    So hopefully soon enough I will be able to do a weekly date night with my husband and let him know how much I appreciate him, however until than he will have to settle with my staring at him across from my desk at work and giving him a little friendly pinch to the behind when no one is looking as he is leaving work to go get the kids

2.     I want to be able to shower, shave my legs, and wash my hair, all on a daily basis.  I know it is not asking much but I am sad to report that is a very rare day when I can accomplish all 3 of those all in one day.  Some days it is hard enough to get a shower in let alone washing my hair and shaving my legs.  Most days I only have about 20 minutes to shower and get ready for work, So that means if I am showering I’m wearing my old lady shower cap so my hair does not get wet because I don’t have time to blow dry it and straighten it.  My older sister thinks I am gross because there have been few times I have gone more than a week without washing my hair.  Please don’t think less of me, I am just being honest.  Also going along with this I would love to have time to do all the fun girly things I seem never have enough time to do like, nail polish, eyeliner, curling irons….etc

1.    I want to be fun again.   Sometimes I feel like I don’t know how to have fun anymore.  I know how to do fun things with or for my kids but sometime I feel like I have lost my fun self.    It seem like I am so worried about getting kids to bed, or up for school, or how they will be for the babysitter, or wasting time off on myself that I never do anything just for me.    OK so anyone else feeling like this let’s start Thirsty Thursday, Margarita Monday, Slamming Saturday's; I don’t care what you call it.  When I am not so needed I want to meet a group of mom’s out once a month and learn how to be fun again.  Who is in?

So to my children I want you to know that having kids is great but sometimes life is crazy busy and sometime you just plain and simple drive me crazy.    I know someday I will look back at this post and laugh because you will be away and college and I don’t know what to do with myself but right now I do miss having sometime to myself.  So now you know what is on my top 10 list, what is on yours?

Flashback friday

I only thought it would be fitting this week for flash back Fridays to show pictures from our wedding since yesterday was our 9 year anniversary.  Than it struck me that I really don't have any pictures.  I have a beautiful album but that does me no good for this post.  See 9 years ago was well before I or most people had digital cameras or the times where people will tag you in their photos or email them to you. Since I was a little busy that day to take pictures I did not have big amount laying around to choose from.  I was able to locate a few picture to include in my post for flashback Friday's.  I have to apologize to my sisters and mother-in-law for not having any pictures of them to post.  Theses are the only ones I could find.  On a good note after complaining to my mom I had no photos to post she reminded me my wedding proofs were at here house.  I than remembered I was storing my proofs at her house, just in case there was ever a fire in the house I would not lose my album and my proofs.  However It was to late for this post to get the professional photos. So have a great weekend

This one is of me and My Niece Cassie and My cousin Stephanie who were readers at the service.  Cassie you are so cute here, you look so young

This one is of my Mom and I right before the reception was over

Father daughter dance

                                          My best friend Debbie and I.  Don't you love the bridesmaids dresses.  Orange my Fav color.  They were actually prom dresses but I fell in love with them the moment I saw them

Steve's Dad and I enjoying a dance

Steve and his brother Brian

The Party bus with Steve's dad and his wife Dian and my Dad.

Lucky Girl

9 years ago today I was lucky enough to become Mrs. Steven Diener.  At that time I was happy because I was marrying a man, that made me truly happy.  Steve was and still is someone I love spending time with.  He is witty, kind and I find him extremely sexy.  Many of you don’t know this but when Steve and I took the required marriage class that you need before you get  married, we got the highest score on the marriage compatibility  test that the counselor has ever seen in her career .( yes she had been teaching there more than a month!!! I think it was over 15 years)  I guess that explains while I love my husband more now than I did 9 years ago.  As I was walking down the aisle I never thought  it was possible to be more in love than I was at that moment but I was so wrong.  I know I am no expert on marriage because in the scheme of life 9 years is a relatively short time but I want my children to know what I have learned in these 9 wonderful years.  When love is real, it changes and grows and it gets better.  But real love takes work and compromise and sometimes sacrifices your own needs for your spouses.  Hence we have 3 wonderful kids, thanks Honey!!!.    I love Steve more today because how he makes me feel about things I would have never would have imagined  would mean so much to me 9 years later . I love you Steve because you still make me feel beautiful about myself .  After 9 years of marriage I am not 27 years old anymore.  I don’t have hours to sit in front of the mirror or work out.  My body has had 3 kids.   Some days I am lucky if I get shower in.  I have ulcertive  Colitis, been sick with strep throat, stomach flu you name I have had it,  all of these are  far from sexy.  I have 3 kids that hang on me all the time.  I have bed head , morning breath,  and I sleep in sweats and a tank top.  But through all of this you still make me feel as beautiful as I the day I walked down the aisle.  I love you more because you are a amazing father.  You play WII, baseball, basketball, dollhouse, Barbie, princess, swim class, dance class and any other imagination game Hailey dreams up.   You are calm in situations I panic in, such as choking kids, kids falling of tables and knocking their heads.   I love that you are OK with me in being control of things  such as decorating the house, menu items and other general housekeeping things.  I see other people partners who have to have a say in everything and disagree with everything.  While it may work for them, It would drive me crazy.  I love that you put up with things about me that would drive other people crazy, such as my obsessive behaviors.  Those who don’t know me well may not know I go crazy if I can’t find something in the house I am looking for such as a kids toy, shirt..etc.   I can’t rest until I find it  As Steve calls it I “storm” around the house until I find it.  On more occasions than I would like to admit Steve has received a call at work to check for my daily calendar.  That is real panic.  I love that you look for it with only minor teasing.   I love that you do things with me  just because they are important to me, such as going to my extreme aerobics class.   I love that you love going to Las Vegas just as much as I do.  I love that you are such a hard worker.   I love that we still hold hands.  I love that you that you gave me 3 amazing kids.  I know our life is crazy most of the time but there is no one I would rather be in this crazy life with but you. The only regret I have is that  I don’t get enough time just to focus my attention on you and showing you how much you mean to me.  So I want you to know how blessed I am to be your wife.  I want you to know in 9 years there has  never been a sec where I thought  about being without you. Somedays we may not get along, but I never could see my life without you.   So happy anniversary to my best friend, I am truly believe God made you  to be my husband.  Here is to another 9 years of driving each other crazy!!!!