Swimming Lessons!

When you take your kids swimming and another child is swimming circles around your kids, you finally win the argument over swim lessons. Thanks Nichole!

Adoption, Step 1

Tonight we sough out information on how to grow the family out of my belly. We have started down the long road of adoption. We attended an informational meeting at Nebraska Children's home, a place that I have a long history. I have mixed feelings about their adoption process, but more in the fact that on average, 30 couples are chosen by the birth parents each year. That means, of the 12 couples that sat in the room, a third of us would be chosen to be on the list of approved parents and only a third of the those would be chosen in the first year. There are people who waited 4 years, and some a few weeks, and all that rests in the biological parents wants for their children..... Must think some more....

Parenting My Boys

Lately I have noticed that my children are becoming worse and worse at listening, and I find that when I ask them to do something, not to do something, it is followed by a debate, a fight, a no! So, I am in need of a new routine, a routine that will get these kiddos in order and it starts tonight, the only thing that I am worried about is that with so many things that I am trying to do for me, that I can't seem to be 100% consistent with them. So, we break out the reward charts, the chores list and the sleep fairy book and we kick these nasty habits in the tail. Maybe I will have a clean house one day too...but that is reaching it!!! lol!

Today....today is how I felt....

This picture is proof of how my children were today. HERE!!! THERE!!! UP!!! DOWN!!! ALL AROUND!!! I didn't even attempt to take a photo of them today because as soon as my back was turned, they would be gone! Doing something that they weren't suppose to do, messing with each other...it was just one of those days.... I can't wait to forget what this and enjoy those days when we have a great time, playing nice and sharing toys....but not this...Never this! (although it will happen again soon! but I am not looking forward to it! :)

Tea Party

I have to admit, I am totally excited about the prospects of hosting a tea party for the baby shower! I love ever aspect of planning this event, even the countless hours spent on making everything personalized and beautiful! I can't wait to try the avocado & bacon tea sandwiches, have chocolate fondue fountain or devour as many tea cakes as I can get my hungry little hands on!
For this, I am looking forward to....:)

MAGGIE ROSE STOCKSTILL

Maggie aka Mag-zilla aka mag-dela aka terrible dog who pees when she is excited, nervous, happy, scared, hungry, thirsty, has to pee, wants a bone to chew on...get the picture?? Maggie Rose and I have been at odds for a while, well since she was almost due with the puppies and waddled a foot and peed 18 times a day, to be more specific. BUT I think I have finally found that I love Maggie. She is always ALWAYS happy to see me, she is always wagging her tail, always jumping to kiss my face, wanting to cuddle, snuggle snuzzle....she is a lover and it took almost a full year for me to appreciate her. :) (And, for the record, Miles has always rocked! lol)

HAPPY 9th Birthday!! SAWYER!

Sawyer was born on a Tuesday morning, 1:20a to be exact. He was the most precious thing I had ever seen. I loved him instantly. Today, 9 years after I first laid eyes on him, I am still amazed at such a wonderful person he is becoming. I can only imagine what happens this next year! :)

READING!

SO, I was talking to a fellow UNO classmate and he was astonished that Sawyer wanted books for his birthday and even more so, that the kids love to read. I told him is was all in the attitude that people relay when they talk about reading. We are readers, they see us every night reading something. JEr on his Kindle and me, well, text books are still books, but we are reading! I can't imagine what we would do with that time if we didn't have a book in hand!

SNOW DAYS!!

How the kids love the snow! IT is soo much fun to make snow angels, snowmen, throw snow balls and make snowy ice cream!(Thanks for the recipe Sharisse!) We had a blast and now, after hot cocoa and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies (thanks Schwan man!) we are resting happily in our cozy beds! Love snow days!!

My 365 Project

The 365 project is a year long photo journal of life through my eyes.