Flashback Friday; Simple Joys

Yesterday was a bad day at  work.  99.9% of the time I love my job, But 1% of the time I wish I had a different job.  Sometimes in this job you have to be part of someone's life in their most intimate moments of pain, grief and suffering.  It is something you never want to witness and it is something you will never forget.    And sometimes these moments happen to the nicest, sweetest caring people who do not deserve to have these moments and it makes it even worse, if that is even possible.  Yesterday I came home with a heavy heart and a question of why certain things happen to nice people.  I have no answer to that and my heart is still sad.  Someone asked me how do you do it?  Some days are easier than others, I get through it knowing that I did my best today to make someone else pain a little bit easier.  I wish I could make it go away,  I struggle to find the words to make things better, I think the hardest part is most the time there are no words to make things better.  I guess I just get peace knowing if  it was my family in the situation,  I treat them how I would want my own family treated.  A simple hug, and someone to hold them up and be strong for them at their most vulnerable moment.   Than I come home and hug my husband and kids and  sometimes cry a little.  Today I want you all to hug your loves and tell them you love them.  Never take for granted they know.  We all need to hear it.  I want you to look  around and enjoy the simple things in your life.  I wish it did not take other peoples sorrows to make you see the happiness in your own life but I know today I am especially thankful for my family and the simple pleasures I have been blessed with.  So this weeks flashback Fridays is filled with pictures of some of my  simple pleasures in life that I sometimes take for granted;
Spending time with cousins, summer nights catching lightning bugs, beach filled days jumping waves, smiling babies, swinging on first spring day, giggles, sweet kisses, and sweet children's face.   So here is to simple pleasures, take the time to enjoy them in your life and see how special they are

Flashback Fridays :Summer Vacations

As Summer is coming to a end and school starts, Summer can not be officially over until we take a family Summer Vacation.  In a few weeks with the van packed to the brim, we will be spending a week in Eagle River.  While I am not looking forward to the 5 hr drive with the kids, it brings me back to my childhood Vacation.  I have sooo many great memories growing up, going up North to the Cabins.  I remember driving up before Megan was born and Jenny and I laying the long way in the back seat and being so excited to get there.  I remember the  "green Cabin"  making Christmas ornaments at the craft house, the year we had bats in the dining room and could not use that room,  I remember swimming all day long and walking to the store and getting ice cream sandwiches at night.  One of my favorite memories was singing the You can't get to heaven song around the campfire and poking fun at everyone while eating gooey smores.   So as I am packing my whole house and getting crabby trying to get ready,  I know it will be worth it for the memories my kids will have.  So this weeks flashback Friday  is dedicated to up north  vacations of the past

Here is a picture of me up north when I was around 3 or 4

Here is another from our first trip up North with Kids.  We went to the Yogi bear park in Tomah WI with Cody and I was about 5 or 6 months pregnant with Hailey

Here are some pictures from last years adventure up North.  I had to included a year with some pictures of little B man

You will notice in this picture, Yes Hailey and Maren are in a bar.  We are from Wisconsin and it was a rainy day, so what else would we do.  Yup Hang out at the bar with the kids, drink a few drinks, place some video games and eat greasy bar food.  So here is to making memories.  Have a great week