30 Things for Summer

I've noticed that alot of the blogs I follow use Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop as inspiration for their blogs.  I fully admit that I had the best intentions of checking out her site and getting a little direction of my own, but I just haven't had time. . .till today!  I saw that yet another blog I follow was using her guidance, so I FINALLY clicked and decided to give it a whirl! 

I chose to follow her prompt:  30 things you vow to do this summer.  So here goes!

1.  Read The Help (it's been on my nightstand since Christmas!).

2.  Get serious about carving out time for the Couch to 5K program (since I have committed to Lose It with the RHOK. . .I need to get my booty in gear!).

3.  Have at least one Girls Night Out per month for June, July and August.

4.  Have at least one Date Night per month for June, July and August.

5.  Cook at home (aka GRILL) at least 5 out of 7 nights per week.

6.  Enjoy our neighborhood pool more.

7.  Schedule end-of-the-summer swim lessons for Bubs (we already did beginning-of-the-summer lessons).

8.  Help make our school's fundraiser a huge success in July.

9.  Save, Save, Save!!!

10. Finish the Beth Moore Bible Study that I am attending and sign up for another one for the Fall.

11. Finish our rotation teaching Sunday School for kids and start going to the adult class.

12. Officially join our church. . .we have been going, we teach Sunday School, we love it. . .just haven't made it "official" yet.

13. Have a fabulous family vacation!

14. Don't go a single summer day without perfectly pedicured toes!

15. Lose more "baby" weight.

16. Utilize the extended daylight hours to spend more time outside with the kids.

17. Have friends over to our house more often.

18. Plan Busy's 1st Birthday Celebration.

19. Be more creative on my blog -- here and here.

20. Don't let my tomato plants die!

21. Don't waste the tomatoes!

22. BBM, call or email my Bestie at least once per day. . .we both need encouragment these days!

23. Keep my running dates with McBFF!

24. Walk-Run a 5K every month for June, July and August.

25. Perfect Schmoops' morning Mocha.

26. Hide Schmoops' Blackberry for at least ONE weekend.

27. Treat others as I would have them treat me (even my boss)!

28. Get out of the office for at least one lunch per week.

29. Make a new friend.

30. Have a Happy and Grateful Heart!

I am going to follow Heather's lead and check back in at the end of the summer for a post about which of these I actually accomplished!!

I was also going to put 31.  Get a tattoo.  But I just don't know if I'm there yet.  Do you have a tattoo?  What is it?  Where is it (if you can share)?  Did it hurt?  Do you love it?

Thankful Thursday Five

Today's the day to post 5 things that have made us

Joyful

Giddy

Excited

Thankful

Jubuliant

or

Just plain ol' happy (orTHANKFUL) this week!

Once you do that..go visit Keely and link up.

My Five...

1.  I am very thankful that my husband could stay home with Busy today because she was running a fever again (we actually think it is only teething this time) because I could NOT take off another day from work!

2.  I am very thankful that the prep I did for an important meeting yesterday was all worth it and the meeting went very well.

3.  I am thankful that everyday I am one step closer to the day that I can stay home with my sweet kiddos!

4.  I am thankful for the special morning I had with my son today.  Since Daddy stayed home with Busy, Bubs and I got to have a donut date just the two of us.

5.  I am thankful that Schmoops and I will get a little mini-vacay on Saturday night when we travel to Dallas sans our children to our friend Johnny's wedding -- he's marrying the very wonderful Melissa!!  And I am very thankful that such a sweet and deserving friend has found a wife, lover, friend and soul mate with whom to share his life!


Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Wordless Wednesday. . .except to say. . .INSERT ME & 3 BFFs HERE!!

As much as I would absolutely love to be friends with Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and even Samantha (though I already have a Samantha friend. . .in both respects!). . .I would like it better if this pic were ME, my dearest Bethie, Nikki, and Melanie.  So fun!!!  And you know "Stanford" would have to be there too because Garon would just be too much fun to leave at home!

XOXO to all of my Besties and to all of your Besties too. . .Here's to tried & true undying friendship!!


For more Wordless Wednesday Photo Fun. . .visit 5 Minutes for Mom and link up!!

Post It Note Tuesday. . .er, Wednesday. . .

 

 

 

 

Go Link Up with Supah. . .here!

Thankful Thursday Five!

Today's the day to post 5 things that have made us

Joyful

Giddy

Excited

Thankful

Jubuliant

or

Just plain ol' happy (of THANKFUL) this week!

Once you do that..go visit Keely and link up.

My Five...

1.  As always, super duper thankful for my AMAZING kiddos who brighten my day EVERY DAY!!!  I love them more than I could ever express!!!

2.  Also, it is too bad that sad/tough times often remind us to really appreciate those that love us. . .I am SO thankful for my INCREDIBLE husband who is SO supportive and loves me so much that sometimes I have a hard time believing it.  We don't have a lot of help in our lives so we struggle sometimes to make everything work with both of our jobs and the kids and his travels for work.  But somehow we make it and he truly does go above and beyond in the love, understanding, and support departments!!!

3.  On that same note, I am reminded these days that I have some FABULOUS friends who have been so supportive and helpful to me that I don't know how I would make it without them.  Even when I "fall off the grid" with stuff that has come up and responsibilities I have, all I have to do is call any one of them and they are there to help!

4.  I am thankful that although I definitely do not like dieting, I am finding success this time -- 10 lbs down!  :)  And I am noticing that I am alot more conscious of what is going in my mouth these days.  I typically just yo-yo diet to get where I want to be for a certain event or something.  That is how this diet started, but it has turned into be really giving thought to what I am doing.  Hopefully it will be a lifestyle change!

5.  Oh. . .don't want to forget that I am tremendously thankful for above-mentioned fabulous friend for inviting me to a Beth Moore Bible Study course that started last night.  It was just the introduction night, but I could already tell that it is going to be amazing and the small group is a bunch of interesting and phenomenal wives and mothers.  So excited for the next 7 weeks!!!

Wordless Wednesday - 4th Birthdays Sure Are Sweet!!

For more Wordless Wednesday FUN. . .visit 5 Minutes for Mom and link up!!

Where the heck I have been. . .

I haven’t posted in two weeks. That is a long hiatus since I brought the blog back up and running. And really I have missed it! I have missed checking in on my bloggy friends too! 

A week ago Friday, Miss Busy was just not acting herself. She had been really fussy all afternoon as we visited the ENT to talk about getting tubes. She slept off and on; she cried A-LOT! She would not allow me to put her down. She was running a very low fever, but she has been teething so I chalked it all up to that. We finally got her down for the evening (or so I thought) and I snuck out of the house to go purchase a birthday gift for one of Bubs’ friends. During my shopping escape, Schmoops called me on the phone to say that Busy was awake, vomiting and running a high fever. I dropped all my shopping finds and headed out the door. On the way home, I texted our pediatrician – yes, I texted and drove; not something I typically do but hopefully I am forgiven this time! I told him of the vomiting, fever and how she had been lethargic all day. He immediately called me and said that she needed to be seen right away. He called ahead to the Pediatric Urgent Care and I headed home to load up our precious little girl.

We arrived at the PUC and the waiting room was abuzz. Several kiddos were apparently not feeling well on that Friday night. We were given our place in line and we began to wait. Not too long after taking a seat, Busy proceeded to begin her projectile vomiting again. This precipitated us being “bumped” to the front of the line and taken back to a room immediately. The doctor saw us and took a bunch of notes and then sent two nurses in who proceeded to take a “clean urine” and several vials of blood. Busy is only 10 months old so you can imagine how this went over. I sang her favorite song, Old McDonald, repeatedly until the torture had subsided. Then we were moved to another room and she was hooked up to an IV for fluids. We both got a little rest and waited for the doctor to give us the all clear.

The “all clear” never came. After about 1 hour of IV fluids, the doctor re-emerged and instructed that Busy needed to be hospitalized. Now it is about 11:45 p.m. at this point and I am all alone with my baby girl. I called Schmoops and told him that we were not coming home. After waking my mom up and giving the short orders that she was needed at my house so Schmoops could me us at the hospital, Busy and I set off for the children’s hospital.

I have never been so scared in all of my life. Bubs has had two sets of tubes and his adenoids removed, but he has NEVER been in the hospital for an overnight stay. . .or ever even been on the verge of being sent to the hospital. This was new territory for me and I will admit I was very upset.

Luckily, the PUC doctor had arranged a direct-admittance for us so as soon as we arrived at the hospital we were immediately given a room. The nurses proceeded to do a few more tests and then an intern doctor came in and told us that they would perform tests for a variety of things and Busy would need fluids all night. We would probably go home the next morning. Um, no.

The next morning came early. . .4:00 a.m. Busy was convulsing (or so I thought) and burning up. We called the nurse and they took her temp which was 102. However, the convulsing was “just the chills”. They gave her some Tylenol and I wrapped her up and hugged her to me. She seemed unaware and slept soundly. I did not. At 6:00 they took her temp again and it was 104. But the nurse assured me that often a temp goes up before coming down. I had never heard this especially after Tylenol had been administered but Schmoops told me not to worry and wait like the nurses said. Around 8:00, Busy was awake and seemingly back to her old self. However, she would not drink. They took her off the IV and we proceeded to try to give her bottle after bottle. She was not having it. At 6:00 p.m. we finally saw a doctor and were told we were told #1 she had para-influenza and #2 we were not going home. . .DUH! They hooked the IV back up and we set in for another night.  Here's a picture of Busy with her little IV cover on her arm.  She is all smiles charmin' those nurses. . .but we still had to stay!

I am going with the power of prayer because I had not prayed harder in those 24 hours. And around 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night, Busy drank an 8 oz bottle. Then she slept a glorious sleep and at 6:30 a.m. she drank another 8 oz bottle and ate breakfast as normal. By 12:30 that afternoon, she was eating, drinking and playing as normal. The doctor sent us home. . .just in time for Bubs’ 4th Birthday party!!! (I had been telling the nurses all along that I had a birthday party to manage at 2:30 - -more on that later! -- and they all said they could tell I was a “task-master”!)

It was a scary experience but we were lucky that it turned out fine. Busy got tubes Monday morning and has since been her normal self. . .my wild child!!! So between hospitals, birthdays, tubes and a tiny bit of sleep (oh, plus my fabulous job. . .cough, cough, cough). . .I missed out on adding my little bit to the blogosphere. I am glad to be back and truly truly thankful that my daughter is on the mend and happy as ever!

Below is a pic of Busy and Bubs at Busy's post-Tubes/post-hospital stay visit with our pediatrician -- 2 days after getting her tubes. . .as you can see both kiddos are healthy and happy!!  YEAH!!!!

Happy about Thankful Thursday!

I'm going to shake things up a bit today and link up with MannLand5 for my "Thankful Thursday".  (I'm not "meme-hopping", but it looks like The Outdoor Wife might be taking a little break. . .)  So here goes. . .

Today's the day to post 5 things that have made us

Joyful

Giddy

Excited

Thankful

Jubuliant

or

Just plain ol' happy (of THANKFUL) this week!

Once you do that..go visit Keely and and link up.

My Five..

1.  I never thought I would say this, but I am super thankful for CUCUMBERS!!!  If you close one eye and stand on your left food and in your dieting mind pretend really really hard, they are surprising good as a substitute for CHIPS!!!!  These long green friends cut into slices are certainly helping me stay on my diet.

2.  I am thankful for my camera phone so that I can send my hubby pics of our kids when he is out of town and make him smile. . .gosh I love that smile!!  Today I actually sent him a picture of my lunch so he would feel sorry for me that I am living on rabbit food so I will look ultra hot for his friend's wedding next month! ;)-

3.  I am thankful that no one I know was hurt during the tornadoes that have been descending all across our State.  I have a good many friends that live down the turnpike from me and they tend to get it worse than we do in Green Country.  Continued prayers for everyone during the Spring and Summer months when this type of atmospheric activity is at its worst.  (P.S.  I wish I had gotten a picture of me and my kiddos SLEEPING in the closet last night as the tornado sirens repeatedly went off.  Obviously if I was asleep as well there wasn't much picture taking.  I guess my back started hurting and I woke up at 12:30 a.m. and took everyone to their beds!)

4.  I am thankful that I have lost 4 lbs so far so I know that I am not dieting and exercising for nothing!  Isn't that so discouraging when you try and try to "be good" and you step on the scale to see the SAME OLD NUMBER???  It's nice to debit something other than my bank account!

5.  Bubs and Busy would like me to extend their thankfulness that Daddy is coming home tomorrow!!!  Um, yes, they love me. . .but Daddy brings presents AND never disciplines!

As a post script, I'll add two more things since I typically do 7 thankful thoughts. . .

6.  I am very thankful that so many of Bubs' friends can come to his IRON MAN birthday party on Sunday.  It should be a blast and he is beyond thrilled that the countdown is nearing to an end.

7.  Somewhat thankful (and somewhat that time keeps marching on at such a fast pace) that Busy is now standing all by herself.  I know that the first step isn't too far beyond.  Then WATCH OUT WORLD!!!