it's a baby thing

project 52 | week 5

2012-02-07T13:04:00.001-06:00

project 52 | week 4

2012-02-01T14:26:00.000-06:00

can i have chips with cheese

2012-02-01T13:49:00.002-06:00

You might remember Isabelle's first hockey game and her first chips with cheese!

More pictures here: http://itsababything.blogspot.com/2009/11/first-hockey-game.html

We went to the UW Women's Hockey game on 1.28 for Fill the Bowl. What does that mean? That means it was the most highly attended NCAA Women's Hockey game ever because tickets were only $1. Official attendance was12,402 (Noelle didn't buy a ticket because she's teeny so our records show 12,403!). Badger fans are truly the nation's best! So glad to be a part of it. Pretty much as soon as we sat down, Isabelle asked for chips with cheese. As disgusting canned cheese is, we obliged because you can't go to a hockey game without getting chips with cheese!

project 52 | three

2012-01-24T11:03:00.001-06:00

project 52 | two

2012-01-24T10:56:00.000-06:00

Just a ~~typical~~ January day in Wisconsin.

project 52 | one

2012-01-24T10:49:00.000-06:00

A lot of my moms board friends (along with the rest of the internets it seems) are doing a project 365 aka taking a picture every day of the year. Instead of setting myself up for failure because I really don't think I'd take a picture every day, I'm trying project 52. A picture for each week of the year. Much more chance of success and I don't have to worry about that pesky leap day this year.

So a late start posting but I did take this picture on 1.2.2012

love

2012-01-07T16:12:00.000-06:00

Why hello there, 2012!

Let's start 2012 with a little poem I recently read in A Love That Multiplies.

LOVE

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, buthave not love -- I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorativeachievements, but have not love -- my children learn cleanliness, not godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the tinyfingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before itwipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and isresponsive.
As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest ofall is... LOVE.
--Author Unknown

teeth

2011-12-20T10:35:00.001-06:00

Somebody's getting teeth. Somebody's loosing teeth.

Noelle's bottom left and top right molars just poked through. The same day that Isabelle tells me, "My tooth wants to come out. That's why it hurt."

We just visited the dentist at the beginning of this month. Both had perfectly healthy teeth and did so well at their appointments.

Last week, Isabelle had a frozen yogurt (YoKids Squeezers - we love to freeze them) and she complained about it hurting her teeth. We decided to squeeze the whole thing out into a bowl to see if it was the wrapper that was causing her discomfort but it still seemed to hurt. I was ready to call the dentist but Johnas said to wait. She again had pain the other day when eating a tortilla. The tortilla wasn't frozen so I figured it wasn't the cold that was hurting her and maybe it was a cavity.

I can't remember a time that she hit her mouth really hard so it seems to be just a regular old loose tooth. I called the dentist to confirm since she just turned 4 in October. She said it is early but most likely normal. Isabelle didn't get any teeth until she was 11 months old so I thought I had a good 2 years before she started getting loose teeth!

5x7 Folded Card

2011-12-12T14:56:00.000-06:00

Check out our Christmas Cards this year from Shutterfly! The picture was an outtake from what I originally had in mind but I love that Shutterfly had this design that seemed to fit perfectly with the picture I had!

Sparkle Joy Holiday Card

Browse Christmas invitations and holiday cards by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

tomorrow's another day

2011-12-09T11:38:00.001-06:00

What a shitty morning. Literally. I had all this motivation to clean and clear clutter today but instead I spent the better part of my morning plunging the toilet. Isabelle, not recognizing a clogged toilet, flushed and sent it (and almost me) over the edge. So I took a lead from Lexi and I laid in the sun (after fixing the toilet).

And I just laid there listening to Christmas music. It recharged me. I think this time of year, we could all use a few minutes just laying in the sun. Soak up some "sunshine vitamin". Thanks, Lex!

holiday spending

2011-12-07T08:57:00.001-06:00

I think it's pretty common knowledge around these parts that I no longer have a job outside the home that brings in income. So this year, I really tried to keep a budget and keep track of holiday spending. We've never gone super overboard but we'd always kind of just spend here and there and not keep track. I always liked saving money before but now it sort of feels like my job. My job to stretch the dollars that we do have.

So here it is, the much anticipated holiday spending post. I'm only including what we spent on the girls. In the interest of keeping the spirit alive, I've listed items that may come from the North Pole even though, of course, WE did not buy them. But, I may have alerted Santa to a few good deals.

A little tip, if you see (BF), that means I got the item on Black Friday.

To Isabelle from Noelle: Zooble $5
To Noelle from Isabelle: Little People $10.99 -$10 BRU rewards
Total Spent: $5.99 Total Value: $15.99 Total Saved: $10

Isabelle Stocking:
Goggles Free from Swagbucks - value: $5
Movie: Benji $1.99 (BF) - value: $8
Scentsy Buddy $12.5 - value: $25
Book $4.99
Total Spent: $19.48 Total Value: $42.99 Total saved: $23.51

Noelle Stocking:
Underwear $5.26 - value: $10
Movie: Veggie Tales Free - value: $15
Scentsy Buddy $12.5 - value: $25
Book $6.99
Total Spent: $24.75 Total Value: $56.99 Total saved: $32.24

Isabelle Santa:
Zooble Gift Set $14.99 (BF) - value: $25
Wii Game $5 (BF) - value: $20
Art Smock $2.50
Crayola Paints $2.99
Candy Land $1 (actually bought this one last year with a good sale TRU was having) - value: $12
Skates & knee pads $14.99 (BF) + $12.99 - $25 BRU GC (from previous diaper purchase) - value: $42
Total Spent: $29.46 Total Value: $104.49 Total saved: $75.03

Noelle Santa:
M&D Band in a Box $5.38 - value: $25
GreenToys Recycle Truck $17.78 - value: $28
Art Smock $2.50
Crayola Paints $2.99
Don’t Break The Ice $1 (actually bought this one last year with a good sale TRU was having) - value: $11
Cozy Coupe Free from Pampers Rewards - value: $50
Total Spent: $29.65 Total Value: $119.49 Total saved: $89.84

Shared St. Nick:
Veggie Tales Nativity $24.99

From Mom & Dad:
Shirts 1ea. $.27 ea - value: $5ea
Total Spent: $.54 Total Value: $10 Total saved: $9.46

Total totals:
Total Spent: $134.86 Total Value: $374.94 Total Saved: $240.08

Also, I did some of the girls' shopping online but not much of it. What I did do online was through ebates, where I currently have $26.79 in cash pending! So make sure to do your online shopping through Ebates!

get yourself a tree. a real tree.

2011-12-01T12:38:00.000-06:00

Here are 8 Reasons to Cut Down Your Own Christmas Tree

And here's our tree! Johnas' tradition seems to be wearing his "Griswold Family Christmas" t-shirt and grumbling, "It's all about the experience, right?" I think he thinks getting a real tree is a hassle but deep down he likes picking out a tree, sawing it down, dragging it to the tractor, and then tying it to the roof of the car. My tradition seems to be forgetting the SD card, forgetting the camera, or bringing a camera with near dead batteries. At least I got a few pictures before they went dead this year!

There she is! All 8 feet of her.

my little mama

2011-11-18T11:30:00.000-06:00

Noelle, my sweet baby, her personality is starting to show. I always though she'd be my "tomboy" because she's always taken an interest in balls and cars and "tuck!" (trucks). Sure, she has that love of shoes that her big sister has too but it's what I've noticed in the last few weeks being home with them that really stands out. She's a little mama. She has the desire to help and nurture and care for others whether it's a plastic baby doll or her own momma or her big sister.

She takes kitchen towels and swaddles her babies with them. She pats my back when she gives me hugs. She gives kisses when someone has an owie. Isabelle just asked me to get her a tissue and Noelle ran to the bathroom and tried her hardest to get the door open. I helped her and handed her a tissue thinking she'd give it to Isabelle. She didn't. She climbed right up on the couch and tried to wipe Isabelle's nose for her. That's what mamas do - they wipe noses.

The love I have for this girl is indescribable. Just two Novembers ago, I wasn't sure that I could love another child. It's true what they say. That your love doesn't divide when you have more children - it grows.

I can't say that I love one of my children more than the other but it's definitely different. They're different people. Very different. Which is evident already at the mere ages of 4 and 1.5. I didn't know what to expect when having another baby. Although we did try for another baby, there were many times that I thought we made a mistake. Maybe we weren't meant to have more than one. But the kindness that I see in Noelle lets me know that we absolutely made the right decision.

Isabelle has a strong personality. She's really sweet or she's really not. She's made me question becoming a parent at all more than once. BUT. But she's made me a stronger person and I love her for that. Parenting Noelle is completely the opposite. Because she is so easy-going and kind, she makes me a softer person and I love her for that.

Parenting more than one child isn't about finding what works for you. It's about finding what works for each of your children and treating them as individuals. That's something that I've always said I'd do but I think sometimes it is easier to parent "the kids" instead of Isabelle and Noelle. It means "fair" does not always mean "equal". My promise to them is to try my best to be the best Mommy I can be to each of them, to continue to love them unconditionally and give them the tools they need to grow into outstanding people.

winner winner torani dinner

2011-11-17T14:11:00.001-06:00

The winning comment was #6:

Joiesaid...: Liked the simple stamper. :); Wednesday, November 16, 2011 1:35:00 PM CST

why i love and hate this time of year

2011-11-16T09:31:00.000-06:00

If you know me at all, you know how excited I am this time of year, leading up to Christmas. But you know what? I also kind of dread this part of the year. I sing my Christmas carols well into January, maybe give it a break Feb-April, then throw in a quick viewing of The Santa Clause or Home Alone in May, then go a good week in July blasting the Christmas music again because I can use the "But it's Christmas in July" excuse. It's just Christmas with the air conditioning on. Before you know it, half the year is over.

So this time of year, starting in October, is a little bitter sweet. You know they say, "Time flies when you're having fun" right? It's true. We're so busy in the last quarter of the year that it just seems to go so quickly. Now that the Christmas decorations are up full swing in the malls, cities and towns start holding Holiday Bazaars, and I've heard rumors of people putting up their (ack!) fake trees, it makes me a little sad. I know that soon it will be 2012. And then I'll have to wait a-whole-nother year for Christmas time again.

Maybe that's why I'm so nostalgic and I love little parts of Christmas all year. It just goes so quickly that it's hard to take it all in in such a short time. Or maybe it's that the fun Christmasy part of winter happens so early into the cold season that we sort of just have to suffer through January, February, March, and sometimes April.

So I'm going to soak this all in. Every last bit of Christmas - in the malls, on the radio, in my children's eyes when looking through the toy catalogs. I bleed Christmas and I just need a good dose before we go back to the "hustle and bustle" of the everyday.

Two Christmases ago.

Cutting down last year's REAL tree.

giveaway: torani flavored syrups

2011-11-07T08:56:00.001-06:00

I recently joined SheSpeaks.com and am lucky enough to participate in the "Torani's Authentic Coffeehouse Flavor" Program! Which means... I have coupons to giveaway!

First, I have to show off what I got. Two FULL SIZED (750ml) bottles of Torani Syrup. Plus a recipe guide with ideas for Italian Sodas, Cocktails, Coffee Drinks, and Flavored Lemonades & Iced Teas. Torani has over 100 flavors so the possibilities go on and on and on. (kind of like me sometimes) The Torani website has a pretty great recipe finder where you can specify your beverage type and/or flavor and find all the recipes that go along with it. Check it out.

I haven't tried the Brown Sugar Cinnamon yet because it's sugar free. I did try the peppermint in my morning coffee with steamed milk. I was a little unsure before trying because peppermint can be such a strong flavor but it wasn't overpowering. It was great! You can check out all of the SheSpeaks reviews HERE.

So now, what do you get? Well a coupon for a FREE bottle (any flavor/size) of Torani Flavored Syrup (up to $8.00). I did a little research for my locals. Woodman's has a very large selection and last I checked, the big, 750ml bottles were on sale for $5.99 - regular $7.99. Super Target doesn't appear to carry any size. :-( But I heard a rumor (didn't actually check it out) that World Market has a big selection as well. What else do you get? A "pillow pack" aka enough ground coffee for one pot of Door County Coffee (in Door County Maple flavor) because I love Door County and I love Door County Coffee & Tea Co. Lastly, you'll get a card from The Simple Stamper.

Entries:

Check out the list of Torani flavors and come back here to comment and tell me one (or more) flavor that you'd like to try.
"Like" it's a baby thing on Facebook and leave a comment telling me that you did (or if you already do, let me know).
"Like" The Simple Stamper on Facebook and leave a comment telling me that you did (or if you already do, let me know).

Contest ends Thursday at noon CST. I will pick a winner and post shortly after!

for my daughters - you are beautiful

2011-11-03T16:00:00.000-06:00

An anthem for my children

"You are beautiful no matter what they say"

all-hallows’-eve 2011

2011-11-01T09:49:00.000-06:00

Exposed. Not a real polar bear.

You'd never believe this was taken after the "glow stick meltdown".

The best attempt at a group photo.

"Deez!"

a little bit of october

2011-10-23T16:18:00.001-05:00

Why hello there, October twenty third! We've been busy.

Birthday parties.

Doctor's appointments.

Noelle: 18 months
weight - 22lb 5oz - 21%
length - 2' 7" - 30%
head - 44.5cm - 6%

Isabelle: 4 years
weight - 28.8lb - 6%
height - 3' 1.5" - 10%

Emergency Room visits.

A little fall off of a counter height kitchen chair onto ceramic tile. Her back and head took all of the fall. I guess it's good she didn't break an arm trying to catch herself, right? The fall left her looking like a stumbling drunk so we took a trip to the ER. After a quick C/T scan, which she did awesome for, we were released. No bleed showed up on the scan and by the time we left, she was already walking better.

Pumpkin patches.

(Insert picture here) Dead camera batteries. :( Just waiting for the neighbor to post a few to Facebook so I can see!

Oh wait, I just remembered Johnas took pictures with his phone!

Enjoying the fall weather.

Baby showers.

Getting teeth
Noelle's 5th tooth finally broke through the gums today!

sampling Kashi® TLC® Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars

2011-10-07T12:41:00.001-05:00

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet^SM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet^SM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Being a Mom Ambassador means that I get to apply for FREE Natural and Organic products to share with my group of moms. Now if you know me, you know this is perfect!

We recently had the opportunity to sample Kashi ® TLC® Peanutty Chocolate Layered Granola Bars with our group. The kids in our group that attended this meeting ranged from about 17 months up to 7 years. Thumbs up all around - kids and parents!

Looking for a good-for-you granola bar that also tastes good? Kashi’s all natural TLC® Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars start with a chewy granola base made with peanut butter and peanut chunks for a nutty flavor. A thick layer of real soft fruit mixed with rich, dark chocolate tops the granola along with roasted runner peanuts and dark chocolate pieces for hearty, natural goodness you can see and taste. And they’re nutritious, too!
Kashi® TLC® Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars are:

Free of high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and unnatural preservatives
Full of real nutrition: 7 grams of whole grains, 4 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein from peanuts and soy crisps

Ok, see that bolded part above? What looks like a yummy layer of chocolate is actually FRUIT! Awesome, right? Who says "health food" doesn't taste good?

Check out Kashi for yourself at www.kashi.com and www.facebook.com/kashi. While you're there, take a look at some of the other items Kashi offers. They have something for every meal - hot cereals, cold cereals, waffles, crackers, granola bars, entrees, pizza, and of course cookies.

And here's a little peek at what my girls thought about the Kashi® TLC® Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars.

Noelle before the fruity chocolate ended up all over her face!

Isabelle making a silly face because she didn't want her picture taken, she just wanted to eat!

Click below or go to www.greenmomsmeet.com if you're interested in starting a group in your area! Or if you're interested in joining our group in the Southern Wisconsin area, send me a message!

Spread the Word - Read for the Record 2011 | We Give Books

2011-10-06T18:48:00.000-05:00

Spread the Word - Read for the Record 2011 | We Give Books

september loves

2011-10-01T08:52:00.000-05:00

Isabelle wasn't feeling well. Lexi knew what to do.

My freckles. I've never really cared much for the especially since they are technically signs of sun damage. But lately I've been noticing them more. Especially when I convert my pictures to black and white like this one from September's 30-day photo challenge.

Back to Nature http://www.backtonaturefoods.com/ I've seen this brand in the "hippie aisle"* at the grocery store but didn't realize until last month at the United Way Campaign kickoff lunch that it is made in Madison, WI! Yay for local and healthy! We've tried the chocolate sandwich cookies, some crackers, and juice. All get a thumbs up so far.

*Hippie aisle (overheard by another parent at The Little Gym) = Natural Foods Aisle

Being a SAHM. I thought about putting this one on my loves list and then thought I should leave it off. Lather, rinse, repeat. It took me a while to get into a routine. And I still don't think I have a good routine down. Every day is different. We also have had a lot going on in September including vacation, the rest of the carpet installation, Little Gym for both girls, and typical Wisconsin weather - cold and then hot and then warm and then cold and then frost and then hot.

Door County, Wisconsin. Ahh, I could love this every year. We've gone up quite a few times with our friends Jamie and Becky and a few others that Johnas works or worked with. I really don't love the drive up there but once we're there, I forget about the drive and enjoy the time away. After missing the girls so much on our anniversary vacation, it was nice to have a family trip this time!

Coupons. I know I love coupons like, always but going down to one income, I've been more conscious of the coupons I have and planning meals around those coupons.

What I'm reading
Reading for pleasure? What's that? I have a stack of magazines from the last three months. I think I flipped through one this month. And I haven't even touched a book (other than a children's book) since I finished The Help.

Oh, and I know I promised to finish the 30 day photo challenge but I didn't. I'm thinking of maybe doing days 16-30 in October after the birthday party madness.

just one from last august

2011-09-27T09:32:00.001-05:00

I know I'm behind in my 30-day photo challenge but I promise I'll go back and fill in days 16-27 soon. I'm still getting used to this stay at home mom gig and trying to find time to fit in picture taking, editing and blogging. We'll get there. But for now, here's one I stumbled upon from August of 2010. Look at that baby! This was before we were sure if her eyes were going to stay blue. I was looking through the whole month of August 2010 photos and I said to Isabelle, "Look at how tiny she was! Don't you just want another one?" She looked at me, curled her lip and said (with a 13 year old attitude), "No."

30 day photo challenge {day fifteen}

2011-09-15T18:31:00.000-05:00

{Action}

30 day photo challenge {day fourteen}

2011-09-14T17:58:00.000-05:00

{Eyes}

Of course I couldn't choose just one.

30 day photo challenge {day thirteen}

2011-09-13T20:06:00.000-05:00

{Animal}

Lexi ♥

30 day photo challenge {day twelve}

2011-09-12T19:24:00.000-05:00

{On My Plate}

Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch w/ Organic Valley milk and Door County Christmas coffee!

30 day photo challenge {day eleven}

2011-09-11T19:23:00.000-05:00

{A Black and White Photo}

30 day photo challenge {day ten}

2011-09-10T19:21:00.000-05:00

{Your Choice}

Trying out the new reading corner with our IKEA BEKVÄM spice racks turned book shelves. And in case you're wondering what she's saying, "Mau!"

30 day photo challenge {day nine}

2011-09-09T20:59:00.001-05:00

{Something From a Distance}

30 day photo challenge {day eight}

2011-09-08T20:58:00.000-05:00

{Something Close Up}

"Cinnamon"

30 day photo challenge {day seven}

2011-09-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

{Fruit or Veggie}

figs

30 day photo challenge {day six}

2011-09-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

{Something From a Low Angle}

30 day photo challenge {day five}

2011-09-05T20:55:00.000-05:00

{Something From a High Angle}

30 day photo challenge {day four}

2011-09-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

{People}

Ok, I took this one on auto but look, I didn't get my own reflection in the window!

30 day photo challenge {day three}

2011-09-03T14:22:00.002-05:00

{The Weather}

Rainy Sunroof

30 day photo challenge {day two}

2011-09-02T14:18:00.000-05:00

{What I Wore Today}

New Glasses

30 day photo challenge {day one}

2011-09-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

{Self Portrait}

august loves

2011-09-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

The Du Run Run. I want to take this time to publicly thank everyone that donated: Grandma N, Becky & Jamie, The neighbors, Aunt Connie, Kari, Evie (& Jen), Grandpa S, Grandma S, and Dave D. I'm so happy that Isabelle raised $150 in pledges toward The Special Olympics of Wisconsin. See photos above (they're the only photos I took this month aside from one of Noelle's cut on her eye - she has demon eyes in them so I'm not going to share those!)

My haircut!

What ever you do, don't call it a mom cut.

New carpet

Watch for before/during/after photos. This is one of the "durings".

Healthy Child Healthy World. Watch this video!

We hosted a Healthy Home Party on the 28th to raise awareness for healthy home environments. Learn more about hosting your own Healthy Home Party here: http://healthychild.org/get-involved/healthy_home_parties/

The only picture I took at the Healthy Home party.

What I'm reading
Nothing. I finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett this month and haven't started (or finished) anything else yet.

what would i do without them?

2011-08-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last night as I laid in our "tent" which was basically just every blanket the girls own and every stuffed animal in the house thrown on the floor in their room between their beds, I thought, "this is pretty cool". What would I have been doing in that moment if I didn't have them? First of all, that room would've been filled with junk. Blacklights and lavalamps and an old futon. Actually, we probably wouldn't even be in that house. We'd have more money (no daycare, no toys, no tiny clothes) but I like our house. I like that room now with the girls beds placed so they can stare across the "moat" of stuffed animals and blankets at each other. The room is small but they don't care. Often right after tucking them into bed for the night, we can hear little footsteps from the toddler daybed to the crib. Then laughter. It really is truly amazing. And in the morning, it's not uncommon to find both in the same bed again, greeting each other good morning.

3+

2011-08-22T13:05:00.000-05:00

You know how most toys say 3+? And at McDonald's they have special toys for "under 3"? No? They do. The only toys that are acceptable for children under three are one piece toys or toys with large pieces. Because kids under three tend to put things in their mouths. And then magically when they turn three, they stop putting things in their mouths.

Right?

Nope.

You know how I know?

Isabelle swallowed a bead yesterday. She found it as we were clearing out the office/playroom and was playing with it. Then she thought it was a good idea to put it in her mouth. I told her it wasn't a good idea. Johnas saw it in her mouth a few minutes later and reminded her that it's not a good idea. Then...

Then she started crying, "My bead!"

Whoops, not anymore. It's not your bead anymore, my friend.

Johnas immediately said, "Should we call the doctor?" I said I would call but I wanted to calm her down first. She was pretty upset that she wasn't getting that bead back. I figured they'd tell us to just wait for it to pass. When she finally stopped crying enough for me to call, I did and they told us to wait for it to pass. As long as she doesn't start vomiting or complain of stomach aches or have bloody stools, it should come out just fine.

I explained to her how the bead was going to come out. At dinner she went to the bathroom and said, "I peed but the bead didn't come out. Just pee." So maybe she doesn't fully get it.

Now we're on bead watch and we're supposed to call back if we haven't seen it in 3 days. Wish us luck!

sisters

2011-08-22T11:40:00.000-05:00

http://www.black-text.com/

more words

2011-08-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I worry about my kids talking. It was just over three weeks ago that I posted a list of 11 words that Noelle was saying. She keeps learning new words almost daily. Isabelle was the same way, she was sort of slow to start talking but once she started, she just exploded.

Sit
Down
Up
Hot
Water
Mine
Book
Nose
Ay-yi-yi
Nuk
Back
Poop
Belle (I know I already counted this one but it was absolutely adorable when she downstairs yelling, "Belle! Belle!" because Isabelle was upstairs.)

I'm sure there are a few that I'm forgetting too. Pretty soon I won't be able to keep track anymore!

new york part ii

2011-08-18T12:35:00.001-05:00

Finally, part two.

We got on the ship and hung out for a while, went to our "in the event of an emergency" briefing, watched the ship leave, and went to dinner! We didn't do much that first night.

Day two on the ship was our anniversary! Johnas wanted to do some sort of surprise but the "formalities" shop wasn't open yet. He snuck out while I was in the shower. So we both went to order chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne to be delivered to the room after dinner. Then we wanted to sit outside and relax at the front of the ship. They have an adults only section with big comfy round chairs (big enough for like 4 people). We found one that wasn't wet and a minute later my heart nearly jumped right out of my chest! Then again two minutes after that! It was so foggy that the ship needed to keep blowing the fog horn. I guess the adult lounge was not going to be the place to relax since it was right in front of that horn.

We had some lunch and then went back to the room to watch Little Fockers and I took a nap!

Friday was formal night so after we took a nap, we got all fancied up for dinner that night. We had lobster then headed back to the room for our Champagne and strawberries!

Saturday we "landed" in St. John, New Brunswick. It was rainy and overcast but we were able to walk around and stay mostly dry. The weather made us thankful for not scheduling a shore excursion. We tossed around the idea of the kayak trip that was available but it wouldn't have been fun in that weather!

We took a walk through the Farmer's Market. They had lots of maple products, fresh veggies, meat, seafood, baked yummies, pretty much a typical Farmer's Market.

Then we stopped for lunch at a local Ale House. Because it was an Ale house, we had to sample the local brews. It was kind of funny to see Budweiser and Miller and the likes on the list of Imported beers. Ha! I don't remember what Johnas got. I got a "Picaroons Dark & Stormy (Organic)" at the recommendation of our waitress. I asked for dark and dark it was! And delicious. We also tried some local fare such as Poutine and gravy with fries. They should serve this stuff here! It was wonderful. Why did the Wisconsinites not think to put cheese curds on fries!? I kept snickering when our waitress came over and said, "How're we making out over here, guys?" You just have to picture that in an Eastern Canadian accent. I think I spoke "Canadian" for at least 3 weeks after we got home.

Johnas with my beer.

Johnas with his beer.

Pin It

Self timer focus fail!

I had to take a photo of the stop signs because they also say Arret which is Stop in French. From what I remember, the stop signs in France only said STOP.

Pin It

After our brief visit to New Brunswick, we got back on the ship to relax and enjoy the voyage back home. We went to a couple of comedy shows on the ship. They only had 3 comedians on the ship (I think) and the second show we went to was a lot of the same jokes as the first. Not so funny after you've heard it already! We also went to the relationship show which was sort of like the newlywed show. That was pretty hilarious!

We tried out a couple of the hot tubs on the ship but none of them were much more than warm. :-( And our towels got stolen! We think it was a couple of drunk ladies. They charge you for missing towels. They are the same towels that they have near the pool for people to use if they forget theirs in their room though so we just grabbed two of those so we wouldn't get charged.

Back in New York on Monday and we went straight from the ship to the airport. We got one last piece of New York pizza at the airport and then patiently waited for our flight. I took the wait time to write in our anniversary book - a book that we each write in every year on/around our anniversary.

When we landed back in Milwaukee, I was so so excited to get back home to my girls. My mom kept them awake so we were able to spend a few minutes with them before tucking them in.

While it was great to spend some time with just my husband for a while, I missed the girls so much. I don't plan on any long trips without them in the near future. We may take a long weekend trip sometime but from now on, I want longer vacations to be family vacations that include everyone! Next up, Door County. It'll be nice to get back up there. It's been almost two years since we were there. It'll be our first family-of-four vacation!

the biggest baby

2011-08-16T10:13:00.000-05:00

My big baby, Isabelle (not a big baby like teasing "you're a big baby" but she's my baby and will always be my baby but now she's big, so she's my big baby) is growing up. Duh! Right? Of course she's growing up. But it's doing "grown up" things like taking a shower that really make me sit back and think how this tiny human that I carried for nine months and gave birth to doesn't get to be tiny forever. She needs to discover and learn and grow. That is what she's doing. I am just here to guide her.

I sort of thought my baby may never take a shower. When she first started the "I don't want my hair washed" phase, Johnas told her that she would need to use the shower then to wash her hair. I don't want to say "threatened" because that sounds like such a bad word! But he sort of threatened (I couldn't find a good synonym) her with the shower. I gently told him that it's possible that if the shower is used as a scare tactic now, it may mean she'll be taking baths until she's 35. I don't like to say to him, "Hey, you're doing it wrong!" It meaning parenting. We each have our own way of going about things. Mostly we agree. But sometimes moms do what moms gotta do and dads do what dads gotta do. It's what makes us complete. A family. I love it.

Now that she's coming around to the idea of the shower though, she wants to take one every night. Last night she said, "I'm going to do this all by myself." And she did. I helped her squeeze out the shampoo and conditioner and reminded her to look up so she would get the shampoo off the top of her head too. And that was it. She showered by herself.

My big baby is going to be FOUR in less than two months. I'm starting to think that the Dora party she requested isn't such a bad thing after all. At first I thought, "Come on, kid! I don't want to do a stupid character party!" But she's young and innocent and that's what she wants. So that's what she's going to get. Because it won't be long before the posters of boys in her room (I hope Justin Beiber is passe by the time she wants boy posters), and the "Come on!" you-just-embarrassed-me-in-front-of-my-friends "Moommm!" and the door slams and the demands for an iPad will be here. I don't know how many times I have to say this before it actually sinks in, "My baby is turning into a person!"

And in case you were wondering, Yes, I did buy sombreros as party favors! ¡Olé

My tiny human then

and now.

the post where i admit i should've had boys

2011-08-15T12:20:00.003-05:00

So far (See how I keep throwing in those sneaky little subliminal messages. It doesn't mean anything. Swear.) I only have girls to raise. These aren't just any girls - they are girly girls. You can't teach a girl to love shoes, it's just something they're born with, like brown eyes or blonde hair.

How did I get two girly girls? I can't really do girly. I mean I should know because I've been one for 27 years, right?

But you know what? I had to Google "cute girls hairstyles". And I found a pretty awesome channel on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/user/CuteGirlsHairstyles <-- in case you wanna check it out. That should help me someday if Isabelle ever lets me do anything with her hair and if Noelle ever gets hair. Even with the videos, I don't know how well I'll do. Maybe there's a reason Isabelle won't let me touch her hair...

The girlyness has gotten to a point with Isabelle that I won't even shop for clothes without her. Shoes, she'll probably wear anything and everything but she is so picky about her clothes. She has a closet FULL but will refuse to wear a lot of the stuff that I think is cute. There's still hope for Noelle though. I'm hoping that she won't be so picky so some of those clothes can be handed down and worn. I started a pin board on Pinterest with (what I believe is) cute girls clothes. Baby Fasion

I imagine this is only going to get worse as they become teenagers. I suppose I should start a Prom Dress Fund now, huh?

The girl who dropped her olive oil when she spotted a shoe.

The girl who wears a Christmas dress in August.

PS This was a "before" photo of the office/playroom remodel. Christmas Dress Girl just happened to make her way into the photo. Got a camera? She'll find her way in front of it!

The girl who wears skirts to gymnastics.

The girl who wears a dress AND a skirt to work in the garden.

The girl who asks to wear dress up clothes (or to "twirl in a swimsuit") 9 days out of 10.

The girl who burps babies upside down. A little more about this picture: It was taken at my parents' house. Normally when we go there, the first thing Noelle grabs is the football. When she's "over" the football, she'll get the babies and when she does, she loves giving them hugs and kisses!

terrible not yet twos

2011-08-12T09:49:00.000-05:00

A little note of warning to parents of children under the age of two. You know, "They" tell you about the terrible twos, the tantrums, the whining, the mood changes that are worse than a pregnant woman, the frustration, hitting, biting...

Yea, it doesn't start when your child is two.

It begins when they first learn the word NO. And then it is in full force when they learn the word, MINE.

We're there... For round two.

But it's worth it!!!

pity party for two

2011-08-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

So I had my annual physical last week (which I guess I don't need to go to yearly anymore). In your 20s they only want to see you every other year and then 30s, every 3 years. And they don't really care to check my cholesterol again until I'm OLD (45).

But what really came out of my appointment... I mentioned that if we were to decide to have another child, I want to loose some weight before I get pregnant again. She said my BMI was just over 25 which is the "line" for "overweight". So she said I'm probably fine. I mentioned this to Johnas since we had a lunch date! He whipped out his phone to check his own BMI. I'm sure he'd love if I shared that with you but I'll resist. I can say though, that we agreed that we need to start eating better AS A FAMILY and doing more exercise AS A FAMILY.

I challenged him to a contest of who could loose the most % by the end of the year. He accepted. But we have no idea what we're working toward. So what should the winner get? I suggested that we get to do something, like a mini vacation and the winner gets to choose where we go and what we do. Maybe the loser has to clean the cat litter box for a month? Wait... we don't have a cat. So if you've participated in a "Biggest Loser" type competition, what motivated you to win? Other than bragging rights.

slowing down to enjoy the 'everyday'

2011-08-02T07:07:00.008-05:00

August is going to be my chance to recover from summer! We've been so busy for so long. I'd say my August calendar looks like the dead of winter where snowstorms and frigid temps keep people home and inside but we haven't had a two day break since last November. We have only two weekend days with anything on the calendar so far in August. I plan to keep it that way, dangit! So don't feel rejected if you invite us to do something in August and I say no, "just because". I love our weekends at home. We don't have enough of them. You can never have too much family time. We checked out some carpet at Menard's this past weekend so we've got plenty of home projects up our sleeves to work on in our "home time".

The city-wide garage sale is this weekend. I originally planned on holding a sale at our house but those things are a lot of work! Instead, I've packed a few bags to head off to Goodwill. The ease + tax deduction makes that the much more desired option. More time at home = more sorting and more bags to head to Goodwill!

I think we've given up on the idea of moving for at least a few more years thanks to the housing market in our area. Which means we need to make do with the space we have for now. And the best way to do that is to get rid of STUFF. Stuff we don't use. Stuff we don't need. Stuff that would be better served in another home.

I may or may not post before and after pictures. Stay tuned!

july loves

2011-08-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

Last August I did a Favorite Things post. I meant to do that more than just the one time but I didn't really. So my challenge to myself for the rest of the year is to do a monthly love post. It'll mostly be my favorite pictures throughout the month - which will force me to take more - but also include favorite products, activities, crafts, recipes, etc. Kind of like a monthly recap which I've also started over on the girls' shutterfly share site!

Oh look, a picture of me. Photo by Sadee.

Outdoor movie: Babe in the City

Pitting cherries from our cherry tree.

Camping

Getting practice in for the Du Run Run

She asked if I would take a picture of her bike...

A family portrait. Top to bottom: Me, Johnas, Noelle, Isabelle

Now for the stuff I love

Ahhh, the Starbucks Iced VIA. Just a little bit sweet. It reminds me that it's summer even when I'm wearing the biggest sweater I own while shivering at my desk. There's something about the thermostat at work always reading 74° that doesn't seem quite right to me.

Our new tent! The Kelty Trail Ridge 6. It took us a while to decide on a tent. We narrowed it down to the REI Kingdom 6 and this one. Because of the $160 price difference, we got the Kelty. We tried it out when we went camping with the neighbors (see photos above) and it rained on us and we stayed dry! I'm excited to use it more as the girls get older.

On a related note, my next favorite thing from the past month is

Amazon Mom! With the Amazon Mom Prime shipping, we were able to order our tent the week of our camping trip. We also ordered a bunch of gear to go with. I've also saved so much on diapers. Amazon Mom members get an automatic 15% discount on diapers. If you sign up for subscribe & save, you save an additional 15%! I can get diapers for around $.11 per diaper and they get delivered right to my doorstep. You don't have to be a mom to sign up. You can be a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, godparent, or caregiver. Pretty much if you know a child, sign up!

What I'm reading

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I'm about half way through. It's a nice, quick, easy read. The only problem is I pretty much only read in the car and Johnas and I are only carpooling a few days a week these days. I'll get it done soon though! Also looking forward to the movie.

Oh my! How could I forget!? My Two Gallon Pin!

I donated my 16th pint to the American Red Cross on July 13th! I'm pretty proud of that little pin!

just a few words

2011-07-27T19:19:00.001-05:00

Learning new words makes a girl tired!

This kid doesn't say much but she's really starting to try vocalizing more now. She does say:

Buh bye
Hi
Bubble
Ball
More
Mama
Dada
Dog
Uh-oh (she's currently repeating this over and over because she just knocked over the vacuum)
No
Belle

And if you ask her to say something, she'll usually blurt out something as if she's trying to repeat you. She's becoming more and more independent every day!

organic milk. what?

2011-07-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

Someone please tell me that I'm not damaging my children.

I had a minor panic attack last week when I saw a fellow daycare mommy with a carton of Organic Valley whole milk. The exact same stuff we buy for home. She was bringing it in for her daughter to drink at daycare. .: Insert illuminating light bulb :. Why did I not think that I could take organic milk to daycare? I guess I just assumed that my kids would have to eat and drink whatever the daycare provided. Honestly I've never been happy with the food they get there. I try to shield my eyes when the food truck is there dropping off boxes of processed crap. Out of sight, out of mind. It was what I needed to do to avoid panic attacks about food. But all this time - 3+ years - I could've been taking in at least organic milk.

I sort of thought we'd just "get through" these daycare years and then I'd pack the girls' lunches for school. I don't know that I would pack their lunches for daycare if it was an option now (which I guess it probably is) because they'd be the only ones not eating what everyone else is eating. But organic dairy is kind of a big deal. I feel like I failed my girls for not realizing sooner that I could take this stuff in for them. WHY? Why was I so clueless?

While I'm at it, I think Organic Valley deserves a little shout out from a loyal customer. Did you know they are based in WI? LaFarge, WI to more precise. Organic Valley is a co-op which means no large factory farms. They are a co-op of family farms with sustainable business practices and yummy* milk (and other dairy products). Check out the Who's Your Farmer section on their webpage to see where your milk and dairy products are coming from! Oh, and they have coupons too! You all know how I feel about coupons. ;-)

Disclaimer: "yummy" may be taken as opinion. Just try it for yourself. You'll agree!

If you're in the area, check out the Kickapoo Country Fair this Saturday (July 30th). I'm trying to convince the husband to drive the 2 hours to check it out!

This post was not sponsored by anyone but myself. I just really like Organic Valley.

another forgotten post

2011-07-22T10:30:00.000-05:00

Written July 22, 2008

Title: you know what makes me feel old?

No, not having a child of my own.
No, not spending my money on student loans and household bills instead of Cinnabon and useless crap from Spencers.
No, not reminiscing about $1.12 for a gallon of gas.

It's the kids that used to be in my Sunday School class that are now in high school and driving. What? You're 7. You can't drive and be in high school. How did they get so old? How did I get so old with a daughter and a house and BILLS?

Fast forward 3 years later...

Yea, those kids are in college now. Does anyone know a good wrinkle cream?

night terrors

2011-07-21T11:32:00.000-05:00

Night Terrors. Have you heard about them? I never knew there was such a thing before having kids. I've seem them discussed on online message boards and posted on social media outlets, but I thought I was in the clear. Most of the moms on the message boards I frequent have kids that are younger than five. They talked about night terrors in the toddler phase and I never participated in those discussions much because I had no experience. I knew the symptoms - a child waking up screaming, inconsolably, often not truly awake. Never had that. Until a few nights ago. I think.

I don't know if that's what it was. About three nights ago, Isabelle woke up screaming. I went down there to see what was wrong and she was inconsolable, and looked a little "out of it". I couldn't get her to respond when I asked what was wrong. I offered her a drink of water, she took it, and went back to sleep. Two nights later (last night), she had something similar. Johnas went down there first. Usually she'll go right back to sleep if she wakes needing water or a bathroom trip. After I realized the crying wasn't stopping, I went down to see if it was like the other night. It was worse. She was staring at nothing. I couldn't make eye contact. Her arms were up and just sort of stuck in an "I need a hug" position. I tried the water thing again but I couldn't get her to move her arms at all. Or look at me. Or talk. It was really kind of scary. Because I usually jump to the worst conclusion possible, I thought maybe she was having a seizure. Johnas was getting frustrated and said, "let's go upstairs so you don't wake your sister." I looked at him and said, "She's not awake. She doesn't know what's going on." At that point I could sort of get her to respond and I asked if it was ok if I picked her up and she said yes.

We took her into our room to see if we could get her to calm down and eventually she wanted to go back to bed. It happened again about 15 minutes after we put her back to bed but she was more awake this time and asked to go potty. The crying happened a third time but after searching "Night Terrors" and showing Johnas that the best way to handle them is to do nothing at all, we left her alone. And she was back to sleep in less than 5 minutes.

So, what do you think? Was that a night terror? When I searched to confirm (because I already "knew" from the mommy boards that you're supposed to leave them alone) that we should indeed let her be, I noticed that the prime time for night terrors is between ages 4 and 12. Is this just the beginning? I sure don't want to see my baby go through that every night or even every few nights. It wasn't pleasant for any of us! Noelle did manage to sleep through the whole thing though. As a mom, it's my job to reassure my baby when she's scared, comfort her when she's upset, sign and dance and laugh when she's happy. Last night, I couldn't help her. I feel like I failed her. But if it's a night terror, there's nothing I could do, right?

Is there anything we can do? She hasn't really had any changes or "stressors" in her life recently. HELP!

winner winner salad dinner

2011-07-08T12:08:00.000-05:00

Wait... have I used that one already?

Result: 1

Anyway, it looks like Amanda won the t-shirt for a free salad! Remember to pass the shirt on quickly as it expires 8.18.11.

Please email me at itsababythingjess@gmail.com within 3 days to claim your salad er... shirt!

Amanda said...: I'd love to get a free salad. What a cute idea!; Thursday, July 7, 2011 1:58:00 PM CDT

giveaway: ten degrees of salad via noodles & company

2011-07-07T13:40:00.001-05:00

I did not get to Noodles & Company this morning to get my free t-shirt but lucky for me, my friend Jamie from work did and kindly passed her shirt on to me. So, I'm going to get my free salad and then pass on the shirt to one of my readers.

The requirements to win are:
1) You must live in one of the states listed at the end of this post.
2) You must promise to pass on the t-shirt to a friend so they can get a free salad too! And make sure to "check in" at http://noodles.com/tendegrees/ so we can see where the t-shirt ends up.
3) Must leave a comment on this post. Tell me which salad you want to try, if you want.

I'm not giving much time for entries since the shirt expires on 8.18.11 and I want to make sure all 10 spots get used. So... I will pick a winner using random.org tomorrow (7.8.11) at noon (CST). If the winner is local, I will figure out a way to get you the shirt. If not, I will get it in the mail right away so you will hopefully get it early next week.

From noodles.com:

Our new Summertime Salads are so tasty we thought them worthy of a salad-sharing movement – a "pay it forward", fresh-flavor-amongst-friends movement.

HOW IT WORKS: Trailblazing salad seekers receive a Ten° Tee (either by visiting their neighborhood Noodles restaurant when it opened on the morning of July 7th or by requesting a Tee below). Each Ten° Tee is good for 10 FREE salads - 1 for you and 1 for a deserving friend in your life. Your friend's friend can then pay-it-forward to one of their friends for their FREE salad, and so on and so on. You get the idea. Think of it as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon... plus four.

CONTINUE THE SHARING: Register and track your Tee at Noodles.com to share fun tid bits about who gave you the Tee, who you gave it to and why. We all have people in our lives who could really use a free lunch (or dinner). It's about fresh food, friends, fun and summertime.

ALREADY PART OF THE MOVEMENT? You may already be the proud owner of a Ten° Tee. If so, please proceed to the "Check In" area below.

Giveaway eligible to residents of:
California
Colorado
Iowa
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
Ohio
Oregon
Tennesse
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin

new york part i

2011-07-01T07:50:00.003-05:00

I bought myself a rosary at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. I know I'm not Catholic but I wanted one. I don't know what the beads mean. I had to Google "how to pray the rosary" after I got it. And to be completely honest, I don't know if I ever will. It's complicated.

I've never been afraid of flying. For some reason, though, I was uneasy about our flight home from New York. Maybe because we made it there and to and from the cruise safely. We were only one flight (and an hour drive) from home. I desperately missed my girls. We sat one row up from the engine and I looked at it and said, "That thing's about to b... get us home on time". You know, the whole positive thinking thing. I couldn't send a bad thought into the universe, so luckily I caught myself before I finished saying "blow up". If you don't like to fly, I recommend not sitting near the engine. They make weird noises. I thought for sure we were going down several times.

When we landed safely, a woman in the row in front of me stood up to get her luggage and I saw she had a rosary in her hand. If anything saved us, she saved us. Not the rosary that made it's way to the bottom of my purse. Maybe someday I will learn to pray the rosary. For now I think I'll stick with the "Please, God don't let this plane crash" and other necessary forms of "Please, God..."

In other trip news... It's Wednesday and I still feel a bit like I'm at sea. I think the North Atlantic seas are a little rougher than the Caribbean (from what I remember of 5 years ago).

I'll just itenerize our trip for simplicity:

Tuesday 6/21 - I stayed home from work so I could have a little time with the girls and a little time to finish packing/getting ready. We left the house around 1:30. And then we drove through this storm.

It was not a nice storm. Trees down! Rain sideways! Dark, dark skies! But we did make it to the airport on time. Then landed in New York around 8pm. It was still light out but by the time our town car got us to the hotel, it was starting to get dark. We didn't really know what kind of neighborhood we were in so we just ate dinner at one of the hotel restaurants and went to bed fairly early.

Wednesday 6/22 - Up early and headed to the Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island Ferry. After a little help figuring out the subway (yes, there are nice strangers in NY), we hopped on the train to get down to Battery Park. We rode the ferry to Liberty Island, did the walk around, got back on and headed to Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty was nice to see but we wanted to spend more time at Ellis Island. So we did.

Then we headed up to the WTC. The memorial museum is supposed to be completed in September so we were a little bummed that we couldn't see it. Fast forward a couple days to our cruise and we found out we were eating breakfast with a guy who works for the company that is building the museum! More on them later. We ate some NY pizza in a little park... er... what do you call a couple of tress and a lot of cement in the city? A lot of the workers from the WTC were eating and I just sat there and soaked in their New York accents. I don't think Johnas and I said anything to each other - just immersed ourselves in the energy of New York. It was amazing. Then we went back up to Times Square and tried to get tickets at the discount ticket place. Guess what? They don't have tickets for The Lion King. They never do! Whoops. We went back to our hotel and called to get tickets and they had a couple seats left. $424.20 later... It was a good show and it was sold out and it was really the only day we could go to a show so I guess I'm glad we got to go... I guess. But $424 is a lot for one performance. And then I thought, "Oh let's get something for the girls here because the Lion King is FUN." and all they had were stuffed animals (we don't really need more of those), overpriced beach towels and a calendar or something. Drinks were $15 so I passed on those too. Until I realized that we could get drinks and give the girls the cups! So we souvenired and had a drink. Two birds, one stone.

Thursday 6/23 - Thursday morning we got on the subway to Central Park area. We got some bagel sandwiches and coffee and then walked through Central Park and the rain.

Stopped at St. Patrick's Cathedral and bought a rosary (but you already knew that).

Yes, you can take pictures during mass. Weird, I know.

Then Rockefeller Center (in the rain) a quick stop at American Girl which made me insanely excited to take Isabelle and Noelle to when they're a bit older (probably in Chicago though), and finally over to Grand Central Station. Lunch and a Magnolia Bakery cupcake before we headed back to get our luggage and head for the ship. It was a busy morning but it was pretty relaxed all at the same time. When we got back to the hotel for our luggage, we took our one and only taxi ride to the port where our ship was located.

The cruise part of the trip will have to wait for another day. This post is already a novel!

infj

2011-06-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

So my friend Sarah (Hi, Sarah!) and I were Google talking about personality types. She said, "I'm pretty typical Type A." I responded with, "I don't know what type I am. I think I'm the flip flop type" Because I could be Type A one day and completely, totally relaxed the next. Like when it comes to planning birthday parties (or weddings), I'm very type A. I really don't stress about many things. Except for traffic. If my children ever claim to have learned a curse word from their mother, it was probably learned in the car. I have serious road rage.

With a little help from Google (seriously, God bless the ~~man~~? ~~men~~? humans that invented Google) I figured out that I am an INFJ. I was really just going for what are the options other than Type A, you know, like Type B. But this Myers-Briggs, I think it is, is a little more detailed. So I went with it.

Here's what I came up with:

"INFJs are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range and depth of their talents."

That was the first sentence I read and I think I breathed an audible sigh of relief. THIS IS WHY I FEEL LIKE I HAVE NO SINGLE TALENT. "...unusual range and depth of their talents." Yes. I feel like I can do a lot of things well. Nothing spectacular but I can do a lot of things. And, "...complexity of character..." sometimes I'm too complex for myself. Ha!

Continuing on, "INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates."" If you know me, you already know how well this describes me. If you don't know me, let me tell you - to a T.

I've done this test several times before and I've always read the results and thought how accurate it was yada yada. But I'm more aware now. I'm starting to grow up and I feel like I have to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. When I can't figure out what that is, I feel like a failure. But I'm not. I'm not a failure! I'm just an INFJ!

And then I found this:

"Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills. Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the "inspirational" professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership."

Paper? Blog? Same thing, right? I wouldn't say that I have "strong writing skills" but it is easier for me to express myself on a blog than it is through spoken words.

Maybe finding this today is the kick in the ass (sorry for swearing) that I needed. I've been thinking about going back to school or finding another career path. I'm not happy with life career-wise. I want to teach. I am teaching now but I don't feel like it is meaningful teaching. I want to teach something that is meaningful and something that I'm passionate about.

One more little tidbit that I found interesting. Other, famous, INFJs:

Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, martyr
Nelson Mandela
Jerry Seinfeld
Evangeline Lilly (from LOST)

And if you were wondering, Sarah is an ENFJ. We're kind of the same but not really. I think that's why we're good friends!

I got all my information on INFJ from here http://typelogic.com/infj.html.

flashback

2011-06-19T10:11:00.000-05:00

My girls. One year ago.

The next logic step would be to post a picture of them this year. But it's not easy to get a 3.5 year old and a 14 month old to sit nicely together. So you'll just have to wait a bit until I can get that picture!

happiness. in short.

2011-06-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

Jess's secrets to happiness... in no particular order...

Save money. AND spend money. Find a balance.

Volunteer. Or give blood. Or donate food to a food pantry.

Sing loudly. At home. In the car. Even at stoplights. You might make the person next to you laugh. They might need that laugh today.

Speaking of laughing. Laugh. Laughter is contagious. Make someone else laugh. Tickling your baby is a good start to a chain of laughs. If you don't have a baby, just watch Ice Road Truckers. Or youtube Alex Debogorski. His laugh makes me laugh every time.

And smile. It's ok to smile at strangers.

Pray. Or don't. But, to be balanced, one needs spirituality. This is not opinion. If you don't believe in God, that's your thing, fine. You do need something or someone to believe in. From healthy-holistic-living.com, "For me, spirituality is a sense of wholeness, a sense of knowingness, and a sense of something far greater and more wonderful than what I see in front of me." I just need to "<-- Yeah That" the bold part. And if you're Atheist, well then, I guess you believe in Atheism so that counts for something. Just keep thinking positively.

Get a dog. Or a cat. Or a bird. A dog provides unconditional love. There is a reason dogs are sent to hospitals. They bring joy. Sometimes they eat your couch and crap on your floor but mostly they're good and fun.

Grow something. Personally, I think growing a human is the best but if you can't do that or don't want to do that, grow some flowers. Or something edible. You'll have the satisfaction of knowing you helped that little thing blossom. You gave it life. Even if it doesn't last very long (aka you have a "black thumb"), you gave it a chance at life. Just keep trying until you get it right.

Love. Love your friends like family. Love your family like family. Just keep lovin! If you have no friends and you have no family see "Get a dog". You can't be happy in life if you're not giving and getting love. I say don't hold grudges but some grudges are too hard to give up which sometimes leaves people felling lonely. That's where your pet comes in. Love him with all the love you can give and accept his unconditional love. You won't regret it. You won't run out of love so don't be afraid to use it.

and that's why I'M the mama

2011-06-10T15:27:00.000-05:00

We got a "sad note" sent home from school yesterday. It basically said Isabelle had a hard time listening and staying focused. There are four kids in her class moving up to preschool next week so the teachers think it may have been excitement leading up to that. But, nonetheless, we didn't like to see a sad note so we had a talk with Isabelle.

We tried to discuss quietly in the front seat of the car on the way home what our strategy was going to be. I'm sure Isabelle heard parts but she eventually fell asleep (no nap, which was part of the problem) in the car so I think she was already half asleep while we were talking.

Johnas' idea: Take her bubbles away.

Currently her stupid $1 bubble stick from Wal-Mart is her most prized possession. He was ready to go for the jugular. He's also the one who is quick to use time-out. I prefer to use time-out as a last resort which makes him believe he is the only one to discipline. I just choose to use other forms first. Plus, I knew taking away the bubbles was just going to lead to another battle of wills.

Maybe it's because I'm closer to 3 than he is but I thought taking away the stupid bubbles was a little harsh. Maybe it's a little harsh that I keep calling them stupid but seriously, the kid needs to carry them around the whole house. She sets them next to her plate at dinner. She begs to go outside with food still in her mouth so she can use them. And then somehow manipulates me to allow her to take them into the bath with her. But I digress.

I know that Isabelle responds better with a little discussion and time to think things out. And because I think more like a 3-year old (apparently) I came up with the brilliant idea that I'd give her some special listening ears. These ears are very special and only work on special people. So I told Isabelle that she could try them on when we got home. I actually sort of forgot about them until she quietly asked for them after dinner.

I quickly ran to the bathroom because that's where the listening ears are stored. Of course. I held them cupped and covered in my hands. I asked Johnas to remove Isabelle's "broken" listening ears so we could try on the new pair. At this point, I already had them in my hands so he had to play along whether he wanted to or not. He took care of the broken ears and I fastened the new pair.

I'm proud to say that we had no breakdowns the remainder of last night. This morning, she excitedly proclaimed to her teachers that she had new listening ears. I just got off the phone with her teacher and she said Isabelle is doing great today! Thatagirl!

diseased

2011-06-08T20:01:00.000-05:00

Getting a good deal is like a disease and today I was infected.

I went to Target on my lunch break to spend the last of my birthday money. They had three boxes of size 4 Pampers Baby Dry on an end cap. I didn't plan on picking up diapers but I knew I had some Pampers coupons so I figured clearance + coupons = I should probably pick up some diapers. Noelle is actually still in size 3 but she'll need 4s eventually, right? So they were the 156-ct reg price $35.99. They were marked down to $25.18. I got one box and a 3-pack of wipes.

Then I realized it was such a good deal, I just up and left work to go back and get the other two boxes. LOL

So total, I paid $74.03 for 468 diapers and 218 wipes. That's $.146 per diaper! Cheaper than the Amazon Subscribe and save! It's probably not the greatest deal on diapers but it's pretty good.

And don't worry, I still spent the birthday money on myself. I got a pair of shorts and a pair of capris that were on sale, of course, for $15 each. I also had a $5 off $25 Merona purchase so I got two pairs of shorts/capris for $25!

my only sunshine

2011-06-04T09:30:00.003-05:00

As promised, a little about maturity. A few days ago I turned 27. Four years ago, I was 23 and pregnant with my first child. I just found out she was a girl. I wish I had something profound to say about how I've matured. I don't.

ma-ture

3. fully developed in body or mind, as a person: a mature woman.

So when exactly is one "fully developed in mind"? I think a mind is ever changing. When(if) I get alzheimer's and my mind starts failing. Is that the top of the proverbial hill? When it starts going downhill instead of up. Does that mean I've reached maturity?

I've always thought myself to be a bit more "mature" than my peers, having been married at 22 and with child at 23 and all. I was never the party type. Ask me sometime about how I got sent home from state FBLA in high school because there was alcohol in my room and how I bawled the entire time of interrogation because I played no role in the offense. I was offered the chance to leave but I stuck by my friends and then my parents had to drive 3 hours to Green Bay to pick me up. And I can count on one hand the number of parties I went to in college. I never had a fake ID or the desire to try and get into a bar before I was 21. I celebrated my 21st birthday with co-workers and went to work the next day entirely un-hungover. I was a homeowner at 21! I wouldn't say that I am truly more "mature" (in mind) than others my age but I didn't have to get those party years out of my system. They were never there to begin with. So, I think having kids at a young age was just meant to be for me. I'd go back and do it again in a heartbeat.

But have I changed in the last four years. Sure. I'm sure I have.

I think I appreciate life more now. As strange as this is going to sound, I think having a colicky first child at 23 had a lot to do with that. Life wasn't easy with a newborn that cried more than not. It wasn't easy which was something new for me. As I've mentioned before, I sort of "got by" through college. I didn't work too hard but I managed to graduate with a degree. A child. A new life. A life I was responsible for was different. Isabelle needed me. Any baby would've needed me. But she needed me more. And I needed her. Honestly, with all the colic, I probably had a bit of PPD. I didn't discuss it with my doctor. I was afraid. I should have. But I'm proud to say I made it through and I was certainly more aware and more appreciative of things after that.

An easy baby is kind of like living in Florida. You have sun and warmth every day. You don't appreciate it as much when that is what you see and feel every day. In the Midwest, we can appreciate the sun and warmth because it goes away. It doesn't last forever. We long for the sun and warmth after long, hard, cold winters. The first 80 degree day is like the very first summer. We've nearly forgotten what it was like.

Having a colicky baby is kind of like that. A long, hard, cold winter. It sucks. But you pull through. Just like summer, it doesn't last forever. You know there is light at the end of this tunnel. And then you're welcomed with a bright smiley face filled with sunshine and warmth. You know the saying, "You are my sunshine", and now you're probably singing it. But it is so true. Isabelle is my sunshine. Noelle too, but I think I was blessed to have Isabelle (the difficult one) first. It opened my eyes. I appreciate the smiles. The sun. The warmth. Life.

I look at my girls and truly believe they are miracles. Two cells combined to create an amazing little person. Seriously. Awesome. Whoa, I just said "awesome". How's that for mature?

Have I matured? Probably. Can I explain how? Not really. I do think that having a child (or two) has matured me though. I just can't explain it. I can't put it into words. My babies are my life. My sunshine.

the year of twenty seven

2011-06-03T16:33:00.000-05:00

I've been hem hawing about whether or not I'm going to try to continue to breastfeed Noelle when we go on our anniversary vacation sans children. Two nights ago, she didn't really nurse before bed (which is the only time she does at all anymore) and I was sort of sad. I said to Johnas, "I don't want to stop. She's my baby. Probably my last." We sort of have this debt snowball plan to have everything paid off in <6 years so he said, "We might have another one. In 5 years." "But I'll be 33 in 5 years", I said. When he said, "That's when most people start having babies", I knew I had to do a highly scientific study! aka poll the mommy board.

Results:

No, Sir, most people do not start having babies when they are 33. In fact, 0% of the people I polled started having kids at 33. That doesn't mean that some had 2nd or 3rd or morth (you like how I just made up that word? It's like forth and more all combined) babies at 33. Sure, 65 people is a small poll. But it looks like the majority of this group started right around the same time as us, 23-28.

Now I don't want anyone to think I said 33 is old or anything. I am actually quite looking forward to my thirties. But I'm living in the now. And right now, I'm 27. If we have more kids, I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I just have to do what is right for our family. Now. So a goal of mine for the big two seven is to live fully. Hence, the reading of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Also, I've created (I use that term loosely) some affirmations for myself.

My goal is to read these affirmations that I ~~created~~ stole from The Secret (I think). I actually took them out of this youtube video that has The Secret plastered all over it. We won't get into whether or not "The Secret" works but I will say that I do believe wholly in the power of positive thinking.

So, the affirmations:

Today is the beginning of my new life.

I am starting over today.

All good things are coming to me today.

I am grateful to be alive.

I see beauty all around me.

I live with passion and purpose.

I take time to laugh and play every day.

I am awake, energized, and alive.

I focus on all the good things in life.

And give thanks for them.

I am at peace and one with everything.

I feel the love, the joy, the abundance.

I am free to be myself.

I am magnificence in human form.

I am the perfection of life.

I am grateful to be... ME.

Today is the best day of my life.

I think eventually I will try to put them into a video of my own. And I plan to read/watch every day until I can recite them without prompting. Without cue. I want this to be the first thing I think every morning. Maybe I'll write the words in lipstick on the shower wall. Because we all know I have no better use for lipstick. If I even have any.

I am twenty seven. I will celebrate life every day.

a forgotten post

2011-05-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Written March 25, 2008

Title: i'm incredibly blessed

I think about this every day so I might as well post about it. I'm only 23 but I'm not doing too bad in life.

First, I have a beautiful and healthy daughter. Sure she's had a few illnesses in her 5 short months but she is generally a healthy baby. She was colicky for a while but that taught me patience. Who would think that someone so little can teach you so much? She is no longer colicky and is such a smiling, happy baby. It was worth the sleepless nights to see her like this. I wouldn't have it any other way.

You can't beat that smile!

Second, I have the most amazing husband. I hear/read a lot of girls complain about things their husbands do, or don't do. I'm sure these women love their husbands as much as I love mine but I don't have much to complain about. He really is my "other half". They say the first year of marriage is supposed to be the hardest. I would be lying if I said that ours was even close to "hard".

Family. I can't say enough good things about our families. They are wonderful and so supportive. I think that we're pretty lucky in that our families are close with each other. Our parents get together with each other without inviting us sometimes and I don't think many in-laws get together like that.

We have a roof over our heads. It may be a small house but it is ours (well in 336 more payments it will be ours). Hopefully we can move before then but if we can't, at least we have a house that we can call home. Not everyone has a place to call home.

We have our cars. They are good cars. Even when I had my sunfire that wasn't such a good family car, I was thankful that I had a vehicle to get me to where I needed or wanted to go. I still had the luxery of getting up and going whenever I felt like it. I now have a brand new car. I didn't need a new car but it sure is nice.

Fast forward 3 years later...

I really wrote that when I was 23? Wow. That seems like forever ago. I'm now a few days shy of 27. Isabelle clearly looks a little different. Gosh, she had the most perfectly round head though, huh? Still have the most amazing husband and a wonderfully supportive family. Still in the same house although it looks a bit different after our landscaping. We're currently in the process of selling Johnas' car to exchange it for something a bit more fuel efficient and better to drive in the winter. Rear wheel drive and snow don't mix so well. Life is pretty much the same. Oh, except the addition of Noelle, of course. More on how I've "matured" in the past three years in another post. Maybe. If I get around to it.

finally a tooth - at 12.5 months

2011-05-27T08:44:00.000-05:00

I haven't taken many pictures lately. I need to. I even went to a class with our amazing photographer and I think I've taken my camera out once since then. I did manage to get a picture of Noelle's first tooth though! Sort of.

Noelle's first tooth

Wow, such a mean momma I am, making my kids cry to get a picture of their teeth. See Exhibit "Isabelle's first tooth".

Isabelle's first tooth

Noelle's first tooth came in a couple weeks after her birthday. Since then (the middle of April), she's only gotten one more to poke through. So at nearly 14 months, my girl has just her two bottom teeth. She goes to her first dentist appointment next Thursday. Isabelle is going too and I hope it goes a little nicer than last time!

what do people without children do?

2011-05-21T17:15:00.004-05:00

Today I:

Watched Isabelle at Little Gym
Went to a 4-year old birthday party
Sat on the deck and watched the girls play with the water table
Stepped on toys
Ate brats and hotdogs from the grill

Without kids, my day would've consisted of: Ate brats and hotdogs from the grill.

Watching my child excel at something is really amazing. Did I mention that Isabelle was invited into the advanced gymnastics class? It is a class for 4-6 year olds BY INVITATION ONLY! She's gone from this:

to being invited at 3.5 into a class for children 4-6. She's always been fearless which I think helps in gymnastics. That, and being small. I can't wait to see what she gets to do this fall!

The new favorite toy

winner winner pizza dinner

2011-04-25T08:59:00.001-05:00

The winner of the FRESCHETTA® By the Slice Pizza is:

Result: 1

The Simple Stamper said...
I would love to try the six Cheese Medley!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 10:02:00 AM CDT

Please email me at itsababythingjess@gmail.com within 3 days to claim your prize!

2011-04-24T09:15:00.001-05:00

Isabelle is pretty much the definition of a stereotypical blonde, female driver. We took the tinkerbell truck for a drive down the sidewalk. I felt like a broken record.

"Watch where you're going."
"Stay off the grass."
"Get back on the sidewalk."
"Pay attention."
"People don't want tire tracks in their yard."
"You seriously need to watch where you're going."

one year

2011-04-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Stats from her appointment:
Age - 1 year, 1 week, 5 days
Height/Length - 29.5 inches = 58%
Weight - 17 pounds, 15 ounces = 5%
Head circumference - 44cm = 18%
Overall health - GOOD!
Shots: MMR & Hep A (passed on varicella)

My baby is one. Officially.

Comments from the NP we saw, "Oh, 5% for weight. Does she seem very interested in food." Ha! She'll out eat all of us! And, "58% for height. I better remeasure that." We remeasured and it was still over 29 (the nurse rounded up from 29.25ish). She's tall and lean. Except for her thighs. She has her mother's thighs. Just like her sister.

Johnas made this video that we had on a loop at her party. I put up all of the party pictures on the shutterfly share site.

I'm so in love with you, Little Girl. I haven't stopped feeling this way since you were born.

oh, isabelle

2011-04-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

I should start a column with the reports we get from daycare...

Really...

Somedays...

Get ready for this one...

I walked in and the teacher that was in with Noelle saw me and said, "So, (pause) your older daughter". If you didn't think, "What now?" like I did, you don't know Isabelle very well.

Me: "Yea?"
Teacher: "Her and another friend were kissing each others tongues today. They've already been talked to but Miss [Teacher] just wanted to make sure you knew about it in case she brings it up tonight."
Me: "Oh, Isabelle" shaking head

So in the car I ask, "Did you kiss one of your friends today?"
She looks at me very confused and said no.
I rephrased. "Did you kiss one of your friend's tongues today?"
Isabelle: "Yes"
Me: "Who did you kiss?"
Isabelle: "(I'm not going to post his name but if you know who Isabelle's best friend at school is, you know who it is)"
Me: "Why did you kiss him?"
Isabelle: with a serious, sweet, puppy dog look "Because I love him."

As a mother of a 3.5 year old, I thought it was kind of sweet and cute and innocent.

As a father of a 3.5 year old girl, I think Johnas had flashes of 10 years from now going through his head. He seemed a bit concerned. The girl does have looks on her side...

So, what do you think? Innocent and cute? or a scary glimpse of the future?

We did explain to her, as I'm sure her teachers did, that we don't kiss our friends because that's how we spread germs and we could get our friends sick.

In other daycare news, Isabelle won the "guess how many animal crackers in this jar" contest. She guessed 16 and there were 17! I told her she could be an accountant. Johnas said, "Because she's good at guessing?" I said, "No, because she's good with numbers". Then I got all Tiger Mother and tried proving her addition skills as if she somehow devised an algorithm to judge how many animal crackers were in the jar (because in all honesty, none of the other guesses were even close). But she's not so into addition yet. And I feel like in the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that when Isabelle counts past ten it usually goes, "11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 20".

many things

2011-04-21T13:09:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think Kelle Hampton and I are kindred spirits. You know, because we're so much alike. We both have two little girls. Ok, that's all I got. She's classy and witty and good with words. Did you read her post yesterday? A Great Many Things.

Yesterday's post really speaks (spoke?) to me. See "good with words."

A great many things.

I think it's no secret how I feel about life right now. Meaning my job. Family life continues to be wonderful. How could it not, with two amazing, adorable, comedic children and a husband that sends flowers for our 10 year dating anniversary?

But my job. I just don't know where to go. What to do. I feel much like a "Jack of all trades, master of none." I like a lot of things. I don't feel any of my skills go above and beyond enough to create a career out of though. So I am what I am and I do what I do. The reason I do what I do now is because that's what my degree says. Bachelor's of Business Administration - Information Technology Infrastructure. There's really no passion there. Aside from the occasional "light bulb moment" when I teach somebody something and they get it. They get it because I taught them. Sometimes the light bulb is so bright I gotta wear shades. ala the Target dollar bin!

But mostly, I just go through the motions.

Someday, maybe I'll grow up and know what I want to do. What I'm supposed to do. What I can do. If it is many things. I'll make it A Great Many Things.

And because I feel incredibly awkward posting a picture of just myself on the blog, here's some better "shades" photos.