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!!!!

FlashBack Fridays:Memorial Day

This weekend is Memorial day weekend.  This weekend means the start of summer.  Hurray.  I am excited to sleep in and start heading to the beach and be outside.  It has been a long winter with no spring and I am ready to be outside with the kids.  Every Memorial Day we go to the Memorial day parade because it is short and sweet..  Its is about as long of a parade that my kids can handle.  It is the perfect parade for little kids.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.  We have been at parades with 80 degree weather and other  paradeswith cold and rain.  I am so ready for 80 degree weather.  These pictures are from Memorial day of 2008.  If you look at Cody you will notice he looks a little pale.  After we got back to my grandma's house he threw up and threw up and threw up for the next 7 days.  It was the worst stomach flu I have ever seen.  So here's hoping for a happy, Health Memorial Day.  Thanks to all the Veteran's for all you have done for this country

SECRETS

I have a secret to confess.   My children are addicts.   Yes you heard me right addicts and their drug of choice breast milk…so I guess that makes me their supplier.  Just so you don’t get totally creeped out I need to clarify that only Brennan is currently being breastfeed , but at some point in their little lives Hailey and Cody also had a daily habit that was impossible to break.   I breastfeed Cody until he was 13 months, Hailey until she was 18 months.  She was impossible to wean, Finally at 18 months Steve and I took a vacation to Vegas and my parents suffered through the detox .   I owe them big time but also have to admit I have  visions of going to Vegas sometime in the near future.  I figure they are pros, so they could handle one more detox.   It is funny,  I never planned on breastfeeding , the ideas seemed weird to me but  Steve was the one who convinced me just to try it.   The rest is history, I guess you could say, I practice attachment style parenting, Meaning I have a kid constantly attached to my breast.   Joking aside, I  have created some major problems for myself.   While I love the benefits of breastfeeding for my children and myself, it has also created some really bad habits.   The biggest being my kids really need me, to the point it makes it hard to leave them at nighttime.  I am not so much worried about them but about the poor person stuck taking care of them.  Steve and I don’t fight , however any fight we have is after he has to deal with the kids while I am working 2ndshift.  Just last night I stopped home from work at bedtime because I could not get home at dinner time.  Well big mistake, Hailey got so upset as I was leaving she vomited.  Yes vomited.  The sad part is this is not a isolated incident.  Cody did it from ages 1-4, when I was not home at bedtime.   Hailey same thing and I  am hoping Brennan does not pick up this habit.  They get so upset when I am not home, they make themselves sick.   Hailey has been good lately so I thought I was “safe” stopping home  close to bedtime, but apparently not.  Till this day which most of you know Hailey still plays with my bra strap which she refers to as “strappy”  she uses strappy like her blanket , she likes to hold on to it while she falls asleep.  Yes this is my life one stuck to the breast another hanging on my bra strap.  I need a intervention.    The problem I have is breastfeeding is easy.  It is easy to get Brennan down for a nap or bed.  It makes it easy when he wakes up at night to feed him.  Yes he is a year old and No he does not sleep through the night.  In fact he gets up about 3 times a night.  I must admit I do enjoy the cuddling and nurturing feeling which comes with breastfeeding,  However I would like to go out with my husband later than 9pm.  What I struggle  with is that It is hard to take something away from Brennan that he wants so bad.  It would be easy if it was something that was bad for him or get hurt him but that is not the case with breastfeeding.  In fact it is the complete opposite ,the world health organization says it is best to breast feeding your child till 2 years old.  I know I can hear the sigh and see the eye rolls.  It is funny because I have noticed the reaction of people on the breastfeeding topic.  If you don’t breastfeed people look down on you, but if you breastfeed past 12 months people start looking at you weird.  I wish I was one of the lucky ones whose child weans himself or their supply dries up.  I know others wish they could breastfeed as long as I have. It’s funny how the grass is always greener on the other side.    So I decided it is time to put a end to a period in my life and start weaning Brennan, I have not told him yet.  Part of me is ready to be done, maybe actually by a new bra, that is not tan in color.  But part of me is sad I will never breastfeed a baby again.  So anyone have any tips on how to wean , I would be happy to hear them.  Mel’s all night Café is on its final month open. Maybe next week I will blog on my other dirty secret……Co-sleeping.  Feel free to share any of you secrets of parenting.  Misery loves company

FlashBack Friday

Wow I am really slacking on this blogging thing.  This past week I was sick with strep throat.  I have not been really sick in a while but I learned there are no sick days for moms.  Someone always needs you.  Someone is always all over you.  Which I normally don't mind but between the strep throat, my killer headache and my ulcertive colitis acting up due to all the Advil I was taking to numb the pain, I was a hot mess.  Lets just say I went to  work this week cause at least there I had no one hanging on me.  I am happy to say I am back to my normal happy self.  So Kids hang away. 

This week flashback picture is pictures from a week before in 2007.  This was when we actually had a spring.   I am hoping if I show some pictures of how spring should be, maybe I can change the weather.  So here is to you spring.  Let us see you a few times before the hot and humid weather comes, we miss you