Overslept!

I overslept yesterday. OOPS. Erics alarm went off at 6:00 which is the time I am supposed to leave the house. Neadless to say I threw some clothes on and threw my hair up and Eric got Owen fed and ready and we were out the door at 6:20 a.m. I got in my car and my gas light was on, UGH. Of course, that would happen. So we stopped for gas and made it to moms by 6:30. I stayed there for a few minutes to enjoy a cup of jo and was on my way to work. I made it with time to spare.... whew. I hate when my mornings start out crazy like that, it just gets me all worked up for the rest of the day.

The Weekend!

I cant believe the weekend is already over. It didnt even feel like I had an extra day off. Friday we ended up staying home. I ran and got some groceries in the morning.Saturday we had a graduation party and just hung out most of the day. Eric was also home so I ran some errands and helped mom move a desk upstairs. I also went to Aunt Kellys for a bit.Sunday was the Firemans parade and the UW marching band performed as well. They are so awesome and full of energy. It is always a treat to watch them perform. It was Owens 2nd parade and he wasnt really excited about it. He really didnt like the candy being thrown at him.

Back to work

I took off yesterday to take care of Owen. He was not himself and slept quite a bit of the day. Today he has a rash (roseola) that is common when a fever breaks. Poor little guy just gets one thing after the other. At least the rash should not be bothersome to him, so they say. I feel so bad for him. He is in good hands today, Grams has him so thats always a plus (thanks Gram).

Were planning on going to the Milwaukee Zoo on Friday as long as he is feeling ok.

Owen is under the weather!

And so is Mamma! Owen has had a fever since Friday night. We have been giving him Tylenol every four hours but he was burning up (or so I thought). Apparently 104 is considered high, WHAT! Have you felt a kid at 102.... that is HOT. I ended up calling the Dr. on Saturday night to see if we needed to do any more. Sunday we encounterd a few other minor issues so we called and they wanted to see him. So we took him in today at 11:00. Turns out he has the common hand, foot and mouth disease, which had brought in lots of kids the last week. It sounds scarier that it really is. Basically he has a sore throat. So keep up the Tylenol ever few hours, etc. He has been sleeping most of the day today and slept quite a bit Saturday. Well see what tonight and tomorrow morning brings. I may not be going to work...

Saturday we had girls night and Owen had his first sleep over with Alex. Both boys were up at 3:00 (UGH). Eric made an awesome omelet breakfast for us. Kayla brought her boys over and we all ventured out to Harbor Fest. It was a poor turnout but was nice to be outside. Three moms and 4 boys under the age of 2... Picture it!

TGIF

Thank goodness its Friday. It has been a crazy week. I went to bed last night thinking it was Friday!!!! Wow, was I surprised to find out it was only Thursday. Owen slept through the night last night, YAH! He went to bed late, I gave him some tylenol and he was out in five minutes, not even a fuss. I had to wake him up this morning at 5:45 so we could get ready to leave.
My friend Kelly and her baby Alex are planning on spending the night tonight. I am looking forward to some "girl talk" : )
Saturday my friend Kayla and her two boys are planning on coming to visit with us all. We may venture out to Harbor Fest, its all up to the kids, since they are the boss....

2 more teeth

Owens top two (yes, two) teeth poped through yesterday, so I am sure that is why the last few nights have been so rough for all of us. He has been getting two teeth at a time. First it was the bottom one and then a few days later the other bottom one poked through. Now both top teeth literraly came through at the same time.

Long Nights

Its been a couple of long nights for Eric and I. Owen has been up crying for an hour or two the last two-three nights. I am convinced its his teeth but its making for some long nights. He just wants to be held and as soon as he falls asleep and you think your free to go back to bed. SURPRISE!! He's awake crying and at times screaming. I tried to let him "cry it out" after I had done everything I could think of for him, giving him tylenol, rocking him, walking him, etc... I tried it all....what a joke, number one I cant handle hearing him cry for that long, it breaks your heart. I tried it for 10 minutes and it was enough for all of us. He was to the point that he was gaging and was so mad that he started to scream. I dont understand how people think this works. We have tried it numerous times and it has NEVER worked for us. So, were crossing our fingers that tonight we can all get a good nights sleep. Wish us luck <3

Sweet Smell of PineSol

I am trying to be the super mom and I have decided I just cant do it all. I am happy there are people out there that can but its just not for me.... Enjoy!

This was my devotional for the day!
By:T. Suzanne Eller

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

I admit it. I'm the world's worst when it comes to preserving photos. I have boxes of photos stacked in various cubbyholes. I tried to organize the pictures once. I divided them and placed them in large envelopes. My next step was to put them in albums. They are still in the envelopes—stacked in a box.

Melissa, Ryan, and Leslie are now in their 20's and newly married. The chances of me ever getting these precious memories organized are slim to none, but I'm realizing something powerful. Memories aren't limited to pictures.

Remember when, Mom…? is a common phrase in my house now. We have become the hub, a privilege once re served for my husband's parents. At holidays and special weekends, they drive up, unload luggage and pile into the guest rooms. We laugh and reminisce a lot around the table. Remember when we went on treasure hunts in the pasture? Remember when you jumped on the bed and popped Ryan up in the air so high it scared you? Remember that yellow Slip N' Slide?

I do remember. But I also remember a young mom who worried that her house wasn't spotless when an unexpected guest showed up. I remember the angst of trying to do everything and the fatigue when my day ended before my chores did.

But there were days that I threw caution to the wind and jumped on the bed, even though it might make others frown. I grabbed a shovel and gave the kids plastic buckets and we looked for old bottles and trinkets at the abandoned homestead nearby. We mixed Dawn dishwashing liquid and water and I laughed out loud as the kids flew like greased lightening across the yellow slippery slide. Some of those memories were captured in that pre-digital age, but most were not, but they are etched on the heart of my young adult children.

They reminisce about what we did together. They don't reminisce about the smell of PineSol. Whether my house was perfect or how it compared to others' isn't even on their radar. It makes me wonder why I worried about it. Is it good to have order and structure? Sure. But don't allow the pressure to be the perfect mom keep you from the beauty of simply playing with your children. The unmade bed will still be there, but I promise that a child will grow quickly and leave the nest.

Take a moment today and look past the clutter and the to-do list and play like a child again. It might not be a picture-perfect moment, but it will be a memory.

Dear Lord, time passes so fast. Slow me down, God. Let me enjoy the smallest pleasures around me. Let me play with my child instead of knocking down a to-do list. Let me laugh w ith my teen instead of fussing at him. Thank You for the sweet memories of today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Looking forward to the Weekend.

I am looking forward to the long weekend. I am only working until 12:30 today and then I am off until Monday. I need some time to get my house in order...
Have a safe and happy 4th of July everyone : )

Good Advice

I have a very hard time keeping up with the normal household duties since Owen has come along. I read this, this morning and it made me feel so much better.

Source from babycenter.com "When you get to the point that the mess in your home is causing you stress, remember these three powerful words: Lower your standards. It's hard to keep up with the cleaning, laundry, and organization the way you did pre-baby, especially once your little one is able to move about and scatter toys all day long.

To clear up some of the clutter and make yourself feel better, consider focusing on specific, attainable goals. Take care of necessities first and then move on to more complex tasks. Organize your home in ways that will make your daily life easier — perhaps by keeping your baby's diapering supplies or toys in one place. If possible, splurge on some help from a housekeeping service for a one-time overhaul to get back on track. Then make a plan of action — with your partner — to keep future messes to a minimum".