Yea for Work!

Today was a rare day when I actually wanted to go to work and get out of the house and I didn't feel guilty about it one bit.  I really was more excited about going to pilates today but work was right up there too.  I missed pilates last week so I jumped at the chance to have a babysitter during the day.  Camren has been fussier than normal due to teething and I really can't complain about that but it's sure nice to be out of the house for today!  I prefer to work and exercise earlier in the day when I am still fresh but my current schedule allows for me to do these things from about 3pm -6pm after Caitlin gets out of school and is wonderful enough to come babysit for us.  Of course by that time of day my energy and brain cells are virtually gone so today was refreshing.

We had a very busy week and a half and I have so much to catch up on.  In summary:

• Last Thursday night Andy presided over the TPCA Region 3 meeting (of which he is president) and we had an especially good meeting with great speakers.  
• Last Friday night was spent at the Malham's playing Wii, Scene It and Outburst until about midnight.  Again, super fun time but been paying for it all week by the time we got home and got the kids in bed it was after 1 am.  It's taken me some time to recover...
• Saturday the boys helped daddy install a part to fix our ever problematic kitchen sink.
  
  
• Saturday night we hosted a group meeting of our church friends at our house so that involved lots of cleaning and cooking and then entertaining about 25 people.  
• Sunday night was an awesome night as we had a skate party at a real skating rink.  Conner was very attached to mommy (daddy and Camren went home) except when all the other people had gotten off the rink when it was time to go and Conner finally felt safe to be on his own.  And, yes, those are elbow, knee pads and wrist guards on my child.  Believe me, I got made fun of plenty. 

• The rest of my week has involved all the usual stuff in addition to planning (very last minute) a 50th Anniversary party for my in-laws on January 30th.  I am sort of the unofficial party planner and since I've been busy getting my life back on track I let this slip up on me.  Anyway, planning is well underway and other than being incredibly embarrassed for giving hardly more than a week's notice to the guests it is going well.  
• I was also very much into reading about and watching the inaugural events this week and tried to explain as best you can to an almost 4 year old the significance of what we were watching.  Conner thought the coolest part was the music (Aretha Franklin and Yo Yo Ma) and said "Mommy please don't turn it!"
• Oh and Andy has been sick this week so we hope that he is feeling better very soon!

Being new to blogging I've felt bad for being behind on my posts and will try not to have such a long one next time!  One final thing, this weather today is fabulous but tomorrow back to the 30s.  Can't wait for spring! 

Rink in the Garage

Santa got Conner some roller skates for Christmas that didn't fit too well. So since Santa has an arrangement with Toys R Us I was able to return them and buy Conner a pair of roller blades instead.  I made time to do that this week and was so glad I finally got around to it.

Last night we turned my bay in the garage into a roller rink.  Conner was quite impressive for his first time on skates much to Andy's chagrin.  He really thought he was going to fall and hurt something and I'm sure he will eventually but that's the risk you take as you watch your children grow.  I say chagrin not because he wants him to get hurt but because he thinks I get him involved with things that are not age appropriate when in fact it's just time for him to take the next step or skate, as it may be.  Or now that I think about it maybe it's because he doesn't want to lace up the roller blades for him everyday!  Anyway, I am just thrilled with his pure joy over such simple things like skating in the garage. He is a boy after my own heart because as we were skating (I needed roller blades too, thank you Santa) he said "Mommy we need some music!"  I turned on Andy's garage boom box and it took me back to 5th grade and my days at the Hickory Hollow (or sometimes Brentwood) skating rink.  I really enjoyed going to "skate parties" after school and now I can share that with Conner.

Quiet Grief

Before my grandmother passed away, I had visions of what my reaction and life would be like.  Thankfully they have not come to fruition.  I pictured myself so grief stricken that I couldn't function.  I pictured feeling like my insides were being ripped apart and that my world would be so empty.  Now that I am on the other side of this I think back to those thoughts and wonder why I'm not feeling more like that.  Of course, I have my moments and always will.  My heart aches daily.  The practical matter is I have these two beautiful children and a loving, adoring husband that require something more than a shell of a person in their daily lives.  But I think it goes deeper than that and it goes back to the example that my grandmother lived in her life everyday.  She was such a positive person although she endured many heartaches throughout her life, too many to recount now.  But she always brought such light and joy to others and she wanted us to be happy and live life to the fullest.  Also, my grandmother was so strong and she gave me such a strong sense of self that I know I can get through this.  I thank God that He has filled my heart with her spirit and is letting me experience this quiet grief.  

Missing Mamaw

It's funny the things you remember.  Today has been a month since my sweet Mamaw passed.  Conner and I had dentist appointments back in November while we were in California that we had to reschedule until their next available in March.  The dentist office called yesterday and had an opening this morning at 9 so I said sure we'll take it.  First of all, the boys were absolutely fabulous.  Conner is unlike any person, big or small, in regard to going to the dentist.  He wants to be the first to go and is so agreeable to all the procedures including x-rays.  Camren was very good in his stroller throughout the whole process of both our cleanings, x-rays and somewhat extended wait for the dentist.  The boys both got balloons to reward their good behavior. After I buckled the boys in the car and am getting in myself I remembered the last time we were at the dentist, where we parked and the fact that while we were there Mamaw had left me a message.  I called her back as we were leaving.  This was last May and we were preparing to go visit her after Sam passed.  It's amazing how easy you can fall into sadness and then it's back to reality when you pull into the garage and your 3 year old wants to floss his teeth.  Again.

An Anniversary to Remember

Well, I've already disqualified myself from Mother of the Year 2009 and we're only four days in but more on that later.

The celebration of 12 years of wedded bliss began yesterday with a lovely assortment of a dozen roses mixed with lilies (my favorite) followed by a great evening at The Melting Pot with Gary and Angela.  We stuffed ourselves as usual but it was well worth it.  Gary managed to polish off all of the graham cracker encrusted marshmallows and then some and we got a table with two burners which is perfect since Gary and Andy always share a meat entree and Angela and I always share a vegetarian entree.  The two burners really work out nice for this plus we (the girls) get a more exotic cheese and chocolate offering than the standard cheddar and milk chocolate that the men prefer.

This morning started without incident and after church I thanked Jason Malham for taking the kids this afternoon while we could go home and nap.  Of course, he hadn't actually offered to keep the kids but since they already have four kids I figured that two more wouldn't make much difference.  As it turns out, Camren probably would've been better in the care of the Malhams today.

Despite the balmy 60 degree day in Nashville this morning (the weather has since changed dramatically), Andy, Conner and myself were chilly while eating lunch.  We turned on the gas fireplace and warmed up quite nicely.  We had all been playing in the floor and hanging out when it was time for Conner to get ready for his nap.  I turned off the fireplace and we were headed out of the living room when Camren managed to be unattended long enough to go over to the fireplace and touch the hot glass door.  I saw all of this happening in slow motion but couldn't get to him before he placed his sweet little hands on the glass.  

After cold water immersion for as long as we could stand the screaming, tylenol, motrin, valium (oh, that was for me - just kidding, though I wish I weren't) and a nice Sunday afternoon phone call with Dr. Brad discussing 2nd degree burns, Camren is now doing much better.  He cried for an hour and a half but thankfully followed it up with a nice hour and half nap and then played with Conner, ate dinner and had a bath with lots of splashing as evidenced above.

Three Things I Learned From Today

1.  Be thankful that the injury wasn't worse.

2.  Be thankful that we haven't had more injuries like these.

3.  Call my doctor tomorrow and get a prescription for valium for future instances like these because with two boys it's bound to happen again.

Party Like It's 2008

We had so much fun last night that I hope it becomes a Yant New Year's Eve tradition.  Although, I think I was the one having the most fun and all we were doing was playing board games and pigging out but given what's been going on recently it's the best time I've had in a long time.  The Brown's (Philip, Angela, Jessie and Annie Beth) graciously hosted us, the Malham's (Jason, Mickie, Nicholas, Olivia, Joseph and Aaron) as well as our good friends Gary and Angela Steele.  The Steele's didn't spend the night since Angela is five months pregnant and preferred her own bed to sleep in but they stayed well past midnight and a few of us stayed up until 2:30 am.  For those of you that know me well this is a tremendous feat!  All of the children pretty much entertained themselves and the adults all got to visit, play games, eat, watch Lifetime movies, eat and did I mention eat?  The best part was just being around people that I love and bring me joy and hopefully I brought them some joy while listening to some of my answers to the games!

I'd like to leave you with these thoughts to start 2009:

Thankfulness can reduce stress in your life

by making you more content with 

who you are and what you have.  

If you make a habit of accepting every

 circumstance gratefully 

and assuming there is a purpose in it, 

you'll be relieved from the worry and anxiety 

that go with being resentful and dissatisfied.

~Thomas Kinkade

"And we know that in all things God 

works for the good of those who love him 

and are called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

May you have a blessed and happy new year!