2 Years Ago...

2 years ago it was 2010. 2 years ago we got  phone call saying my older sister was in the hospital. I packed up my Sweet Girl and my Hubby and went to visit. While we waited, not so patiently, in the waiting room, Angie was in her room... in labor.

2 years ago we met Lila Ann!

We were all excited to meet her, and my Sweet Girl just wanted to play with her cousin! Every day since then it has been heartwarming to hear stories of how Lila is growing up. It is awesome to watch the 2 cousins playing together. It is wonderful to think that Adelle will grow up with Lila as her cousin and her friend.

Happy Birthday, Lila! You are getting to be such a big girl! We love you very much and are blessed to be able to celebrate this happy day with you!!

I Love Summer!

Summer is the time for grilling! The only thing I am good at grilling are potatoes in tinfoil and s'mores. However, I am married to a grilling God! The steaks Brian made tonight were phenomenal!! They were juicy, seasoned and cooked perfectly! In fact, I told him I would like to buy a cow so we would be able to have amazing steaks like that any night we wanted!! How crazy is that?!

Doesn't this look amazing?!

Along with the steaks I made a little sauteed mixture of onion, mushroom and green beans. I seasoned them with garlic, salt and pepper. The dish was really great, but I felt it was missing something. I think next time I will try adding some balsamic and some cheese. That sounds delish!

Two pictures of the side dish!

We also had strawberries to round things out. Adelle grabbed a bunch and took off the stems. She picked them off one leaf at a time, gave them to me and said, "ishy, Mommy!"

One of the perfect summer meals!

Dear God, We're Done, Right?!

Dear God,

Today I went to a funeral.

Today I went to a funeral for a 14 month-old child.

Today was the second funeral I've been to for a child in my family. The second! Another member of my family had their child pass away, but had a private service. That makes 3. Well the saying is that things happen in 3's, right? So my family is done, God, right?

My family is done having to feel this heartache. My family is done having to deal with all of the trauma. My family is done having to see little tiny caskets. My family is done having to feel the emptiness left behind by an innocent child who was taken from us.

I know we will never truly let go of all of the heartache. I know we will never forget our beautiful family members, or the joy they brought to our lives. I know we will never forget.

I know that you have a plan and that we need to have faith in you, but we're done, God, right?!

Sincerely,
Teresa

Memorial Day

It's the soldier, not the reporter who has given us
Freedom of the Press.

It's the soldier, not the poet, who has given us
Freedom of Speech.

It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the
Freedom to Demonstrate.

It's the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the
Right to a Fair Trial.

It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves under the flag and
whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who gives the protestor the right to burn the flag.

THANK YOU to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice!!

 

Chutes and Ladders

Today we went to a park in Bloomington commonly called Chutes and Ladders. It got the name because there are a bunch of cargo nets and ladders, and whole lot of slides! I'm not talking about little slides either, I'm talking about slides that are 20 - 30 feet tall!! Granted they are twisty slides, but still - that's tall!! Not to worry if you have a toddler or a kiddo who is not fond of heights, they also have two or three areas that are perfect for smaller kids and more like typical playground equipment. They are also doing some construction and adding new equipment which should be ready to play on at the end of June.

Auntie M came to help ease the climbs for me - my eczema is really flaring up. I went up the ladders, aka cargo nets, with Adelle about 5 times and M went up with her about 20! She didn't want to go home because she was having so much fun!

The only down side to this park is that there are A LOT of other people there. Other parents don't watch their kids and some of them wreak havoc as well as try to climb up the slides. The teacher in me took over a couple of times and told two kids not to climb up because I didn't want them to get hit. They climbed up anyway then cried when they got hit! Geepers.

 

 

Anyway, Auntie M has some pictures that I need to get, and when I get them I will add them to the post.

1 Hour

Can 1 hour change your life?

I have been watching episodes of One Tree Hill lately, and tonight I watched Pictures of You. The episode questions if 1 hour can really change your life. It did, of course, for the fictional students of One Tree Hill and I think it will change my life too.

You see, since high school, my weight has slowly but surely crept up the scale like the freaking Little Engine that Could. There was a time when my weight started going down, but that was when I was living in my adorable studio apartment when Brian and I first started dating. Living on my own was awesome - I didn't want to dirty my cozy kitchen, and I couldn't do dishes too often so I didn't eat/cook as much! I would also meet Brian at the gym and that is where we had a lot of our dates.

After we got married though, the weight came back. Soon we started trying to have a baby so I joined WW and started losing weight. Within a month I was pregnant and they said it would not be good to continue the program (it isn't designed for pregnant women). Well, it has been 2 years since I had Adelle and I still haven't lost the weight I gained when I was pregnant. It's both frustrating and disappointing - neither feeling is good when you are an emotional eater!

Tonight, however, I made a decision. After watching this episode and reading Organizing Made Fun, an inspiring/motivational/organizational blog, I made the decision that 1 hour WILL change my life. One hour a day will change my life because it will be the hour I need to work on strength, toning, balance and endurance. 1 hour will help me achieve my goals of getting in shape and losing weight (and hopefully a couple other goals in the process). 1 hour.

I have been telling myself that 1 hour a day is so much to ask since I get home from work 2+ nights a week after 7pm; that it's too much because I feel like I am missing out on my daughters' life because I'm at work; that it's too much because I don't get to see/visit with my husband (that's how it feels).

The truth is though, 1 hour is not too much to ask.

1 hour is walking to a park and having a picnic (when the weather isn't frigid). 1 hour is more than a few laps around the M.O.A. 1 hour is a fantastic hula-hoop workout sprinkled with yoga poses and walking a tight rope. 1 hour is getting lost in my favorite songs while training for my next Milk Run (the time to beat is 45:33). 1 hour is some quality time with a stationary bike/elliptical machine and a book. 1 hour is a healthier life for me and my family.

While 1 hour feels like too much right now, in the middle of winter and the seemingly short days it brings, it's not too much in the grand scheme of things.

What will you do with your hour?

Fall is Here

Fall is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp, the leaves turn color, and I FINALLY get to layer my clothes again. I don't like summer, or really warm weather because I don't like to bare my skin. I like wearing pants and sweaters!!

Adelle is getting so big! She is picking out her own clothes, becoming more picky when it comes to food, and is babbling like mad!! She always has something to say and says it with such enthusiasm and expression!!

 For instance, she chose to wear this Snow White costume the other day. I convinced her to put on pants with it, and what do I care if she wears a costume? She has something on and she loves it! Good enough for me! Thank you Auntie Danielle and Cousin Isabelle for the costume!

Then, yesterday, she decided to wear her sunglasses. We've gotten her to put them on before, but she has never kept them on for any length of time. Well, she kept them on for a 10 minute car ride yesterday! And she looks so darn adorable!!

Wow... It's been a while!!

I have been wanting to do so much at school that I have left my blog to get dusty. So, I will begin cleaning my thoughts out, then bring on the pictures. That, however, might have to wait until Sunday.

During my time away, I have done a lot of thinking. Serious thinking, and silly thinking. Here are some of the highs (and lows)!

I need a haircut, and am thinking of getting highlights. I don't know what to get but need to decide today or tomorrow because school pictures are Friday!! EEK!

I like makeup. I am not really a girly-girl so I am not really sure how to apply it.

It bugs me that I can't test nail polish before I buy it. I don't want to to spend $7 for a color I don't like.

I FINISHED MY FIRST 5K!! HOLY CRAP!! I honestly didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I did! Jessica, Maria and Brian helped as much as they could. I threw a lot of things at them and they stayed by my side. I plan on doing more running so I can improve my time (45 minutes 53 seconds) next year!

We found a fun place to eat... Pizza Ranch! I've always wanted to be able to have A slice from a couple of different pizzas. Here, you can!! They even have dessert pizzas that are scrumptious!

I hate my eczema/psoriasis/allergy!! It is making me ANGRY!! I hate how my hands and feet are always in pain. I hate worrying if I am going to bleed on things. I want to be able to wear all kinds of clothes. To top it all off, I feel like I am getting arthritis in my hands. There are some days my hands are so stiff, usually in the morning. However, I STILL wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

I like cake. I really like cake.

I am thankful for my job! I love what I do and enjoy every minute. Even when it's challenging and draining. I love what I do and am thankful for it everyday!!

I want to be the best Mommy ever! I want to give Adelle everything I can and then some. I want her to feel happy, safe and loved of every minute of every day. I think I'm doing a good job, but I think I am so self-conscious that I don't let myself believe it sometimes.

I want to be the best Wife ever! Brian is an incredible person and I work every day to care for him the way he cares for me. He is truly my best friend. He and Adelle are the best part of my day!

I want to have another baby. I want Adelle to have a little brother or sister to play with. Thoughts of having another little one to hold and care for are consuming. I think about it when I'm at work, when I'm home, when I'm driving and when I sleep. But I'm scared. I am scared about if I can get pregnant again. I am scared about how long it will take to get pregnant again. I am scared about when we'd actually have the baby (a due date) and if it would be during school or during the summer. I'm scared about what that would mean for us financially. Daycare. Teaching. Everything. I know that people say it's really never a perfect time (financially) to have a baby, but my fear feels almost crippling at times.

What have YOU been thinking about?!

The Little Gym

Brian and I bought a Groupon {I love Groupon} for The Little Gym in Burnsville. Adelle really loved running around, climbing, and even tumbling. Here are a few pictures during one of her sessions. Auntie M came with us and Brian and I took the pictures.

I am completely in love with my Sweet Girl and appreciate all of the blessings we've had, like being able to experience The Little Gym!

Ear Infection :(

Adelle wasn't feeling well on Tuesday when Brian picked her up from daycare. They went to see Nana and Papa but Adelle just wasn't herself. During the night, she was coughing, crying, and generally miserable unless we were holding her. She even spiked a fever of 102! We thought she was just teething because she was gnawing at her thumb and fingers, didn't want to eat anything too hard and producing a TON of saliva!! Well, when she decided not to sleep on Wednesday night, we took her to the doctor. He looked in her ears and said she had an ear infection in one and would probably get one in the other.

My poor baby girl!!

We got her the amoxicillin, bubble gum flavored of course, and she ate it like a champ. Within about 30 minutes she was down for the night. She fussed a few times, but she was actually sleeping! Friday morning, before I went to work, I was giving her the amoxicillin again and when we finished, she made the sign for 'more'! ADORABLE!! I told her that she could have more of it that evening, but not right now. She let her hands fall to her sides, started talking and walked away.

She did so well on Friday with Brian that we decided to keep our plans this weekend. Nana and Papa took her last night and will have her until Sunday. This will give Brian and I a chance to clean the house and get some sleep! I am sure we will be able to fit in a date or movie though ;)

I hope this is the last ear infection Adelle gets. It's really tough to stay sane through it because I couldn't take her pain away and she wasn't able to tell me what was wrong. I know that she will probably get another one, or two, or three, but I hope at those times she will be able to tell me about it!!

Get better soon Sweet Girl!

Birthdays Galore!

January is an exhausting month.

We end the year with Christmas and start the year with not one, not two, but 5 birthdays! 5 in our immediate family anyway! Can you even believe it?! It's emotionally, physically, and monetarily exhausting. I love this month and that we are able to celebrate so many milestones with our family - we are truly blessed!

Here is a list of SOME of the people who have a birthday in January: Adelle, Me, Aunt Linda, Liz and David, Kara, Halle, Bruce, Michelle, Dottie, Angie, Zoe, and Zack (the dog). There are more too! Well, we know what people were doing in April :)

Anyway, I wanted to wish everyone with a January birthday a very happy and joyous day!

Adelle Turns 1!

We can't believe our Sweet Girl is 1 already! She is getting SO big!! We went to the doctor today and she is 2ft 6 1/4in tall, she DEFINITELY doesn't get that from me, and is 18lbs 15oz. She is eating lots of veggies, some fruits and meats, but she LOVES spaghetti, something she DEFINITELY gets from me! :)

Here are some pictures from her first birthday. We celebrated on Sunday, her actual birthday, with our family! Bruce and Sharon, John and Dottie, Angie, Dale and Lila, Maria, Becky, Pat and Zoe, and Ben and Melissa. We were just missing Great Grandma Dolores, and Danielle, Mike, Isabelle and Gabe but we celebrated with them a few days earlier. It was so much fun!!

Here are some pictures: