Summer!

The unofficial beginning to summer is almost here!! The last day of school is tomorrow, we are super stoked to have Layton home with us all summer long!!!!! No more set schedules, sleep until waking up, relaxed bedtime, cook outs, farming, bugs, snakes, cold drinks, the lake, all things summer!

As Layton's first school year comes to a close, we are going to welcome him home with a "Welcome to Summer" basket, bubbles, swim wear, sprinkler, new shovel, sidewalk chalk and a water balloon fight capped with a picnic. Yes, Pinterest will be the death of me!

Julia and I planted most of the garden this morning. Peas, beets, beans, carrots, radishes, zuccuhini, squash, watermelon, cantelope, pumpkins, cucumbers, all we have left to go is corn, tomato plants and pepper plants! Yummo! Hope it produces.

As exciting as this month is a transition from school to summer, it's also a tender month. 15 years ago, shortly after I graduated high school; my sister gave birth to the most perfect baby baby, Jacob. It was thrilling and exciting but turned scary in a second. Three days later Jacob went to be with the angels, his time here too short. We are blessed to still have my sister as we almost lost her too. Today Jake is celebrating his 15th birthday with Mom. Hugs and loves to you all. I imagine the party is filled with cake, diet Pepsi, ice cream, maybe even root beer floats.

Learnings from Mom

Who teaches you the essential life social cues? Passes on old wives tales? Ensures you are politically correct? Mom...during Mother's Day I spent much time thinking of my mom and all the things she taught me. Many are out dated or relaxed as we grew older but at a point in time a hard fast "rule".

*Say please and thank you
*Treat other as you would like to be treated
*Respect your elders
*Always send hand written thank you notes for gifts received, good deeds done
*No calling after 10:00 pm unless an emergency, on a school night 9:00pm
*Offer a helping hand
*If you don't have something nice to say, it's best to say nothing at all

*Never wear white shoes after Labor Day or before Easter
*It is best to only wear silver or gold jewelry, not mix
*Always wear panty hose with a skirt or dress
*Always wear a slip (petticote) under a thin or lightly colored skirt or dress
*Your look isn't polished until you have coordinating earrings in

*No swimming for one hour after you eat
*If you are in my kitchen, you cook my way
*If you do the crime, you'll do the time
*No more than one trip to town a day (we lived 20 miles out)
*Bathe each day and wash behind your ears and around your next extra good
*Show up early or on-time never late
*If you drink, don't drive, call for a ride..no questions asked, but be prepared to work early the next morning and all day long
*Take care of yourself, always see the dentist and doctor for yearly check-ups

*A balanced meal is meat, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert.
*When taking food to a potluck, take enough servings for your family plus 4-6 others.
*If you don't help cook you help clean up

*We weren't there when our grandchildren were conceived, we won't be there for birth it's special between you and your husband.  But we will come soon after birth!


One thing she tried to teach me but was not successful at...Frying chicken!

My sister, brother and dad could go on and on but these are a few gems that come to mind. Love you Mom, thank you for teaching us so much while you were here with us! We should have listened better, been more grateful, spent more time asking the important questions and expressed our love more often! We had a good up-bringing, you and Dad provided us a solid foundation!

Twitter

Yes I blog (with some regularity) and Facebook but I am considering opening a Twitter account. The twitter would be used as a snarky outlet for the one liners coming from the news, political discussions and randomness to prevent opening Facebook debates and weighing down my blog posts....so far

#howmanygaysdoyouknowonwelfare - in response to a political discussion regarding how an individual feels gays are going to bankrupt the country

#websitefixisnothappiness - in response to a statement President Obama made regarding how happy the American people will be with Obamacare once the website issues are fixed. Really, the website is the only reason to dislike the new HealthCare policy.

#dontturnonyourlight - in response to the lady handing out cards regarding obesity on Halloween!

#onlyoneyearto2014election - a better chance for Republicans to gain more Senate seats....

#broncoscomeback - yes, they came back to beat the Chiefs by a TD

#familylove

#nbaracist #lovervswife - yes the LA Clippers owner Sterling was out of line with his racist remarks, but does anyone else have issue with "estranged wife" and the comments being directed at a "lover"...

#windydaysblow #wegetitmothernature #needrain #cloudyordirty #dirteverywhere  - the list could go on and on and on and on during this stint of windy days we have been hit with....windy days make me slightly grump, overly ocd as dirt blows in everywhere, and ready for rain...ok, everyday makes me ready for rain!

Life Changes

2014 has been a year of major changes, life, illness, death.

February 5th we welcomed Lincoln Douglas to our family! #3 weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz and was 19 inches long. A sweet, perfect little boy. He liked to sleep during the day and snuggle at night wide awake, it was bitter cold and snuggles were nice!

11 days later Dad called and my world crashed down. It was a Sunday. Mom had a stroke or as was determined hours later a brain anerusym. Layton asked me "will grannie be ok", all I could do was cry...I wanted to comfort him but could not lie to him..."Layton, I don't know, we have to hope for the best" was all I could choke out through tears. 2 weeks in SICU with some of the very best medical professionals..(nurses hardly feels adequate the describe the level of care, professionalism, and compassion offered), brain surgery to coil the bleed, highs, lows, the unknown, life was a challenge with a new born and sick parent all away from home in a hotel. March 5 Mom we said our final goodbye, and she was pronounced brain dead and we donated her organs. The harvest of liver, kidneys, and eyes took place March 6. We laid her to rest March 10, one of the saddest days of my life.

Through the two weeks of sickness I have never felt so close to my Dad and Sister. Talking several times a day, crying together, laughing together, all scared and sorting through our emotions. We didn't know how much if ever she would recover, we learned a lot about brains, brain injury, medicine and intensive care. The outpouring of love, support, prayer, kindness was astounding, overwhelming, refreshing, telling, comforting, the list could go on. Weeks later I still talk to Dad at least once a day..

More feelings, emotions, events to come...

November Thankfulness!

Nov 1 - God
Nov 2 - Family - Evan, Layton, Julia and my extended Family!
Nov 3 - Good Health and our wonderful Doctors!
Nov 4 - My Mary Kay
Nov 5 - Living in a small town
Nov 6 - Old friends
Nov 7- a comfortable bed
Nov 8 - my Grandma Venda's sense of humor
Nov 9 - fall colors
Nov 10 - the new redbox of drinks in Wendy's
Nov 11 - VETERANS!
Nov 12 - a car getting 30 mpg, good weather,a wonderful dr, and sweet pharmacy staff!
Nov 13 - the library and books
Nov 14 - sunny days in November
Nov 15 - 4 day school week
Nov 16 - the innocence of children
Nov 17 - pianos, even though I don't play...the music soothes me
Nov 18 - Robert and Marilyn
Nov 19 - being a stay at home mom, and the fact Evan is around more in the winter
Nov 20 - modern technology
Nov 21 - guardian angels, Kleenex, emts, firemen and firewomen
Nov 22 - my sister in law Christy
Nov 23 - quiet morning to reflect, read and write
Nov 24 - Game night
Nov 25 - the power of prayer and the healing of hugs!
Nov 26 - my Dad
Nov 27 - therapy, knowing what my soul needs
Nov 28 - Thanksgiving! An abundance of food, loving family, tears
Nov 29 - shopping, even though we avoid the frenzy!
Nov 30 - Christmas Lights and the un bridled excitement of kids to decorate for Christmas,

One week!

Dare I say it? One week! Julia was potty trained in one week! In the last four days we have only had two accidents and only two poo accidents in one week!!! Hooray for little girl! She has even started telling me or going to the bathroom on her own versus waiting on me to take her!!

She turned the corner on Wednesday, determined to keep her pretty princess undies dry! Great motivation, plus marshmallows.

On a funny note, she has her own potty chair at the shop.....a broken cinder block! To me a little cold and rough but a throne to her!

Potty Training Take 2

Three days, some success, many accidents, much additional laundry, along with a case of cabin fever!!! We started seriously potty training Julia Sunday afternoon, she is doing great....as long as we take her. She has yet to tell us when she needs to go and only has gone once on her own. Any advice?

Sunday night to Wednesday morning we have stayed home! She only wears a pull up for nap time and a diaper at night, all other times she has been in pretty undies!!!! Through all the accidents, wardrobe changes; the extra hugs and cuteness make the challenge all worth it! Today we ventured to town for groceries and to pick Layton up from school, she made did great with no accidents and using public toilets!

One positive note about pregnancy bladder, if I need to go, so does the toddler bladder!!

Stay tuned to see the results, will she be out of diapers by February when #3 arrives?