A Girlie Game

Since we are nearing the end of winter and going absolutely stir crazy, we have resorted to any new and fun activities. It was Janie's idea the other night to play "dress up" with the boys. Out came the princess stuff, the wigs, the shoes...You get the idea! I am thinking these pictures may appear again some day!

A Little Fresh Air

We actually got outside to play on Sunday! The temperatures certainly weren't "warm" but it was better than usual.

So now we are back indoors and sick. It really hasn't been too bad but we have spent the last couple of nights cleaning up puke in the middle of the night. Mike cleaned up the first night. Last night I heard Kyle at 1:30a saying "mama, I throw up in my bed" I went running in and in my sleepy state could not see any puke. I went to run for some water. When I returned, Kyle was saying "See mama, see. Yah, yah, see, I throw up right there!" It was the cutest throw up I have ever seen! The boys don't have fevers but they aren't eating. Their demeanor is good so who knows. Anyway, we will get through it and so far so good with the breathing!

Inside Stuff

I guess tis the season to be inside! With bone chilling temps, we are pretty much trapped indoors. There can only be so much TV and so many puzzles and books. The boys are now into cooking dinner and helping with dishes. Of course this requires me to let down my guard about the mess!

Anyway, we are making the best of it and also realizing that we will be in Florida one month from now!

My Little Gymnast

We are well into our competition year of gymnastics. This year is very challenging as we have moved up three levels (I say we because I am paying the bills and doing the transporting). Janie is doing very well. I see her constantly putting her best effort forward. It is requires you to be very disciplined and hard working. I am thinking this may be what she needs to stay in a good place.

This past weekend she proudly won the handstand competition that they hold after the meet. It is a good thing because I have not watched TV without a handstand in the way in months!

More SNOW

Although we didn't get what they called for, it was enough to get outside and enjoy a bit of February in Michigan. I only have pics of the boys because Janie was at gymnastics during all of this fun!

Note: We have scarves on this time so we shouldn't get sick! Right Billie?

In the dark and cold

It is really great having a babysitter come to your house daily except when you can't be at your house. I woke up several times last night thinking that I was in a trailer that was going to blow away. I actually woke up once and thought "I'm surprised that the power has not gone out". I woke up again and it had gone out! By the way, I am not a fan of cold, dark and silent houses! I spent the next several hours thinking about what I was going to do with the kids and how I was going to get to work. Fortunately, it all worked. Krissy, our babysitter, was amazing and came and picked up the boys and took them back to her house for the day. My dear friend Theresa was ready to take us in for the night tonight but instead, the power came back on. Theresa stopped by the house today and it was back on!

We have not lost power since the boys were 2mths old. This was a really crazy time because I had stopped breast feeding and was wheening off of the pump. The boys did one middle of the night feeding and their bottles had to be warm. We were so SOL when they woke up. Some how by the grace of God, the boys latched on again (after a month off the boob) and it was a good thing because I was going to explode! Funny to me now.

I got home from work early today, took a shower in peace, started laundry and dinner all before Krissy dropped the boys off! That was pleasant and very necessary since I did not shower today.

So I have definitely realized that I LOVE ELECTRICITY!

The Ups and Downs

For some reason the last week has been extra difficult. I am not sure if it is the dreary cold weather of just the fact that the boys are extra high maintenance right now. I have nothing to be bummed about - my job is good, my husband is great and the kids are healthy. I think more than anything it is that I am constantly questioning my parenting skills. Janie is smart as a whip but sassy as ever. I heard that she was talking to a friend about french kissing the other day! Yes, 2nd grade! The boys are just hard. Again, I don't want to complain because they are healthy but it is challenging. Every day when I come home from work, they spend the first hour crying and begging for stuff. They then spend a good amount of time in time out.

Today was a prime example of how our days go now. Mike was at work all day. I hate feeling constantly trapped in the house so I decided to take them to an open house that was going on at the pre-school I hope they will get into (I say hope after today). After we arrived I was talking to the director. The boys were about 3 feet away. Immediately I notice Kyle trying to eat a cookie out of this cookie arrangement on the table. After telling him no, I began my conversation again. Next, I notice him jumping up and down on the couch in his wet boots! After that we toured the school and then grabbed some snacks. Kyle proceed to have an absolute tantrum (the kind where everyone is looking at you) because I would not let him hold his own glass of red punch. He was so angry that he went to the fireplace screen and shoved it into the fire place. I decide it was time to go. The challenge - when they fight me, the boys are too strong for me to handle them both on my own. We finally got out of there and into the car and I cried the whole way home! I feel like I have no control over their behavior right now and it is so frustrating. The laws are really going to be laid down at the Mitchell house.

The good news - I booked a quick trip to Florida for the hubby and me today. This is something that came to me last week when I was looking for Tony Bennett concert tickets. He is someone that I wish to see before he dies. He is only holding 2 concerts in 2008 (that have been scheduled) so I decided to look into it. I am able to use frequent flyer miles for my ticket and my sis got us free hotel rooms with her Marriott points. Yippee, we are off in March for 3 days of warmth and refresh!

Got Spaghetti?

I always know that the kids are going to eat well when we serve spaghetti!

Christmas 2007

I am not sure that I have done a really good job of making my 2 year olds understand the real meaning of Christmas. They are still asking every day "more presents?". I even tried to take them to Christmas Eve service at the church where I grew up. It was a complete disaster as they talk throughout the fairly quiet service. Before we decided to depart early, they enjoyed signing "happy birthday" during "The First Noel" Oh well, I just laughed as there was not much I could do.

The rest of our holiday was a great time filled with family, tons of food and quality time. We did pass some sickness between the extended family but everyone seems to be over it now. We had added fun this year with my siblings' children. More children just adds to the spirit of things. We also had the bonus of seeing some of my best girlfriends and their children for a brief and rare visit.

We went up to my mom's on Christmas eve and stayed a few days. This was our first Christmas there in 5 years. Still, there is nothing like going home to where all the memories still remain.







New year post to come...

SNOW

While up at my mom's this weekend, we got dumped on with snow. The snow I remember as a child. The snow that is big enough on the side of the drive way to actually sled down it or build forts. My kids had a great time! Fortunately, it was not bitter cold so we played and played!





Now the boys are both sick with fever, wheezing and the occasional vomit! Go figure...

A Great Family Outing

It is so easy to run up to the corner and grab a Christmas Tree. Well, it may not be easy but it is easier then finding a place to cut one down and then actually doing it.

I wanted to do the "traditional" cut down this year to give the kids a fantastic experience. It was everything I could have even dreamed it would be! When we arrived they took us out to the trees on a wagon (barrels of hay for seats)! The kids ran around in the snowing while Owen kept saying "Mommy,I love all the trees". They watched in awe as Daddy took the big saw and cut it down. We ended the time with a wagon ride back and donuts! What a childs' dream (or a mommys').

The Famous Christmas Letter

Every year I listen to others' comments about standard (the one that you write once, copy and send out to everyone) christmas letters. Most comments offered are not positive - it's laughable, it isn't personal, it's so "the Jones". You know what - I do it and I am proud of it. Personally, I prefer not to receive a Christmas card if it doesn't have a written message, a picture or a letter. Anyone can buy cards and throw an address and a stamp on them. I want an update, a photo, a sign of some love. Is this so wrong?

This year Janie wrote our Christmas letter. Am I training her early or just letting her express herself through writing. Whatever the case, it was not easy to let gp but she did a great job and I am proud of her!

Happy writing!

A Happy Thanksgiving

This is a time of year to think about all of the amazing things in our lives. Although I try to remain positive most of the time, there are those days where I am not. Actually, they are more like hours. Usually, I can pull myself out of the anxiety and overwhelming chaos by thinking of my healthy, funny and beautiful child. I am able to get over the money woes by reflecting on my incredible husband. I am able to get past most all obstacles by looking at my big life picture. And that is this~ I have an amazing family. I love spending time with them and they make me laugh and smile constantly! I have the best friends that anyone could dream of having. I have old ones and new ones and I learn from them, laugh and cry with them. I have job that I look forward to going to every single day (okay most days). I have a husband who truly loves me and our children. I have children! I have healthy, crazy, loving children! Finally, I feel that I was raised with all of the right things. I have been taught how to appreciate, how to give, how to be kind, how to be a friend and parent and wife. I have been taught how to be thankful!

NICU Fashion Show

Last Thursday our family was part of the NICU Fashion show - "Something to be Thankful for". This is the biggest fundraiser that the Family Advisory board does every year. I am proud to say that it was once again a success! Actually, it was pretty amazing. The group of volunteers that puts this on are amazing people that I now call friends. Everyone worked so hard to make this happen. We had a huge silent auction, great food and a good attendance. One of our members, Billie, put together some great and touching slide shows as well as a very "true life" speech.

I am proud to be part of this group and still amazed that we pulled it off.

Happy Halloween

A great day it was...

There is nothing like the excitement of two 2 1/2 year olds running down from a house screaming "I got candy". The boys thought the entire night was awesome! They said trick or treat and thank you at every house and consumed more candy in one night than they have in their entire life thus far. What fun!

No I am really looking forward to Santa coming...

Some updates

Life is busy and therefore my computer time is spent checking e-mails instead of blogging. Let me start with the latest...

Yesterday the fam went to Huckleberry Railroad and had a great time! It was all decorated for Halloween and for a steep price we went on a train ride and trick-o-treated. The kids all loved it!



A week ago I returned from a fantastic trip to San Diego with my girlfriends. These are my best girlfriends from high school. We do this trip annually to some random location. It of course is always hard to find a date and make the arrangements but once we are there, there is nothing like it. The conversations are irreplacable and the laughter and tear flow easily. I return refreshed and excited that I still have these great people in my life! I would love to post a picture but I did not bring my camera so I am still waiting on them from a friend. More later.

A few weeks ago we took the kids to the CMU homecoming game. This was the boys first football game and they did great! We actually made it through the game and completely missed naptime (1st time EVER!)




One last thing - If you are reading this, link to my friend Billies' blog and read her writing on "Perspective". It is a good reality check for all of us.

More soon, I hope!

7 and 2 1/2

There were many times this week that I questioned my ability as a parent. I am not sure if I have little patience or if this is something that many go through. I am going to go with both!

I will start with the positive - Janie has been amazing! She is in such a good stage. She is an incredible help, comes in the door from school and does her homework and for some reason has cut out the whining. I am loving it and I often wonder how I would do it without her. She is patient and rarely makes me feel guilty for all that I ask of her with the little time I give her. She even came to me the other night and ask me if there was any laundry to fold. Seriously? Actually, I think she was in it for allowance but hey, I'll take it! She started ice skating last week and is loving it. I am loving 7 years old!

The boys on the other hand are out of control. I will say out loud that I will never (well try not to) critique others' parenting skills again. We are definitely in a "no" means "yes" stage. Just the other day I let Owen out of the stroller in that mall so that I could have his foot measured. He proceed immediately to pick up a jewelry box and throw it on the floor. After I told him no, he walked over to the circular rack and starting throwing all of the head bands and barrettes off of it. Seriously, I have no control. You can tell by the pics above that they are STINKERS!

Thank God there are cute! Thank God they go to bed at 8p and sleep through the night! Thank God there is wine!

A Great Reunion

Our friend Ben

Our friend Eden


Last weekend we participated in the annual NICU reunion at the hospital where the boys were born. Fortunately my mom was able to be here to bring the kids down to this amazing event. Since I am on the Family Advisory Board for the NICU, I worked at the event for the entire day. It was music to my heart seeing all of the little ones enjoying games, food, music by our rock star friend John, and great times. The best part of course was seeing all of the amazing Docs and nurses who help our children survive in their most fragile times.