perspective

After a week like last week, I feel like I need to get my life in perspective. I may have a tough job some days. It may feel like torture leaving the boys most days. But those are two pretty minor issues in the scheme of things. I have so much to be grateful for. To be thankful for. So, so many blessings. So much joy.

So here is an uplifting blog about all thing {little} things I thank God for:

{my family}
my husband & best friend, josh
my sweet oldest son, logan
& my funny youngest son, jack

{mommy's little "helpers"}
because even though their
"help" makes twice the work for me,

it also brings twice the joy.

{our jobs}
even though josh's job doesn't pay,
it has been a priceless experience.
everyday he goes, we are that much closer to
GRADUATION!
and my job, despite the stress recently,
is a pretty sweet gig
with some awesome kids.

{memory keeping}
every time i see these calendars
i smile.

{our health}
cause then we can do fun things
...like christmas tree hunting

and warm, splashy bubble baths...

{friends}
whom i may not see often enough
to have photographs of,
but whom i can (and do) call
whenever i need some love.

{a good book}
recently for me,
The Pilot's Wife
&
Belong To Me
recently for them,
Tacky the Penguin
&
Peek-a-Who

{kisses}
for brothers,

for cousins,
(or for mommies!!!)

{my home}
it may not be in the best area,
but it is full of love,
laughter & togetherness.

{binkies}
it has to be said,
around here, we heart them!

{the daddy}
we are (all) thankful for daddy.
he is sweet, thoughtful & fun.
the boys are very lucky,
as am i.

{and for ALL our extended family}

papa,

& ferris,

& nanny,

and grandma & papa

and great grandma & great grandpa

& aunt roxanne,

& aunt julie

and all those other aunts, uncles, grammies, grampies & family members or friends who love, support & cheer us on when we need them most. without you, this mommy would be lost.
for you all, i am grateful.

just wanted you to know...

even though I have to work;
although sometimes I have to leave you...
you are always in my heart,
and that's right where I need you.

great way to end the day...

after work (which was stressful, to say the least)
we came home and just hung out with our boys

they ran around with their bubs & their binkies

they snuggled together in their tunnel of fun

and we played lots of chase

they informed me that the oven was "hot"

and played chase some more

oh that bogey smile is just priceless

and jack brings me such joy

he is so handsome and i am so in love with him

i can't believe how grown up he looks

both of them, really
just how did they get so big?

oh, i love that baby!

and after lots of fun, hugs, snuggles & giggles...
we danced
{of course}
~
what a way to end the day

total tunnel fun

Logan

Roar!

Logan's piggies!
-

Jack

rolly-polly

Whee!

The boys LOVE the tunnel Josh got them at Target last weekend. They like to chase each other through it, wrestle in it, throw their balls through it and roll around inside it. It provides endless entertainment. And they're just so darn cute playing in it!

one of those days...

Not Going Down

-by JoDee Messina
Woke up today with a headache;
More bills to pay than a corporation.
Hey, when will it end?
My mirror says I could use a break,
An easy day, some appreciation...
Hey how about a friend?
When days like these start to fall in on me
I gotta face my reflection and say...hey
-
Been burned by the fire
Been stuck under water
Strung up on a wire and still the world goes around

Been tossed like a free throw
Knocked out when the wind blows
Pull the curtain on the hurtin'
'Cause I'm not going down
-
Inside of me is the only
Highway that leads to a true freedom
Holding out it's hand
I close my eyes and it's all right
The sun will shine on a new horizon
Just around the bend
Days like these bring out the strength in me
So I can face my reflection and say...
-
Been burned by the fire
Been stuck under water
Strung up on a wire and still the world goes around

Been tossed like a free throw
Knocked out when the wind blows
Pull the curtain on the hurtin'
'Cause I'm not going down
-
I still get dizzy and frantic, lonely and panicked
But this time I won't let it beat me, no
I can see clearly, I know who I am
And that's how I know I've begun living
-
Been burned by the fire
Been stuck under water
Strung up on a wire and still the world goes around

Been tossed like a free throw
Knocked out when the wind blows
Pull the curtain on the hurtin'
'Cause I'm not going down
-

the best part of my day

{my boys this morning before work}

{Jack & Logan}
The few precious moments I spent with the boys this morning were, by far, the best part of my day. Work was stressful, and all I wanted was to be at home with them, snuggling on the couch together.

growing up

So the last few weeks I have been tidying/organizing my house. Closets, cupboards, drawers, under beds... nothing is immune to my OCD spring cleaning. Nothing. I have lined my kitchen shelves, gone through old food, sorted through the random plastic storage containers that seemed to have multiplied behind my cupboard doors, found new storage for my gift wrapping "center" (aka: my bedroom closet), sorted {once again} through the boys' infant clothes and really narrowed down how many I am keeping, and cleaned out my make up case.

In the boys bedroom I feel like I have erased their infancy. (Not by choice, but because it's that time, and their new toys/clothes need a place to live!) They no longer use their changing table, music mobiles, baby toys or outgrown clothes. As a side note, they are even done with their infant shots- completely- and won't have another shot until right before kindergarten! They are growing up. They are wearing 24mo./2T clothing, drink out of sippy cups (or regular cups when we let them), feed themselves every chance they get, can take off their own socks, put on their own jackets with minimal help, and prefer to walk to the car on their own, not be carried.

It's funny how you long for the days to come where your baby has a little independence, and then you get a taste of that independence (and the demands for doing it "myself!") and wonder what in the heck you were thinking. Now I look back to carrying two infants strapped into car seats from the house to the car (and vice versa) and think how easy it was; how contained they were; and how I didn't worry one iota about them running into the street into oncoming traffic as I do now.

On the other hand, gone are the days of washing bottles, bathing them one at a time (while the other baby screamed for his turn in the tub), and being up every three hours for feedings. I have to agree with other moms who say that
it doesn't get easier, just different.

favorite things

{these are a few of jack's favorite things}

bub? check.
binky? check.
container of gold fish? check.


(*a "bub" or "bubba" is what we call the boys' favorite stuffed animals. jack's is santa bear & logan's is a giraffe blanket)

sweet, sweet sunday

{my bubs}

just watching baby einstein with daddy

{Logan}

silly bub

{jack-jack}
-
The boys woke up at 3:40am this morning and were awake until about 5:00am. Jack has this awful cough and has nearly lost his voice. AT 5:00am I took him back to bed with me where slept until 6:30am. He woke up and told me to turn the "T on" (translation: TV on). So I let him watch Baby Einstein while I dozed. Then at 7:30am we heard Logan (who had slept in his crib while Daddy slept on the floor of the nursery), so we got up and had some cereal. Then Josh let me go back to bed for a few hours (thankfully) and now the boys are taking a much needed two+ hour nap.