family

Ringing in the New Year!

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To ring in 2011 this year we went to my parents house for a BIG family sleep over. The guys and my oldest nephew attended a NHL Red Wing hockey game. While the women and little ones stayed behind for some make over FUN!!!
O.K, so Mr. Smiles did not have a make over, but he was happy to hang out with the ladies and his cousin J.J

My little K.Bear wanted to paint her own toe nails…ugh! This was not the first time I let her do this, but I must confess the last time was outside and a lot less stressful. Something about bright pink nail polish, a 2 year old, and a white floor can be REALLY scary!! Luckily, we had an old table cloth to lay out…just in case!!

Check out those toes!!

Pumpkin had been looking forward to our “family sleepover” for days…it was hard to contain her excitement at times. She tried out her blush brush…in an attempt to cover the nasty scratch K.Bear gave her earlier in the day. We have to work on Pumpkins defense….the poor girl is so passive and sweet it is hard for her to ‘fight back’. In the mean time…our continued efforts of discipline for K.bear at times can be very trying and tiring. She is one cute little stinker…who is very familiar with her room, the corner, a rug, spanking, and our most said phrase in our home “listen and obey!”

The girls pose for a quick picture showing off their glimmer and shine make up!!

and…the little man wants to say a quick “Hello”!!

After the little ones went to bed…it was time for Pumpkin and Mommy to try out the Wii Active….O’WOW I have not worked out in a LONNNNG time…after about 10 min of squats a lot of laughs and a sore butt for the 2 days following. Im glad I did it and might look at joining the workout world again in the near future. In my spare time that is (wink, wink)!!

So in a nut shell that is how we spent our New Year..sleeping everywhere in my parents house…laughing, eating, and just enjoying some family time. Although, I do not know what 2011 holds for me or my family…one thing is certain we will be TOGETHER!!
From my family to yours Happy New Year!!
My little man, JR, and JJ (my nephews)

Our Minivan Express

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Tickets..Tickets Please!!

Last night our “Minivan Express” took off with our “3 little monkeys”. We ate an early dinner and while I got the kids ready for bed Daddy prepared a snack of caramel/cheese pop corn and had tickets ready to give the girls for their entry onto the “Minivan Express”. All the while, the van was warming up, Christmas music playing, sippy cups of water, and glow bracelets sitting on their car seats!!

“All Aboard,” the conductor cried out!!!

 

Pop corn in hands, smiling faces, giggles, and grins…we were off to look at Christmas lights!!

Here was my attempt at “capturing..the moment”…Lights aglow…trees trimmed…and creating memories!

Now, I will not let you think that it was all “fun” and no drama out of 3 kids under 5… The Minivan Express racing North bound…to the sound of “PeePee Mommy”…”I have to go too”….”Oooo, look at those lights..this is fun right?!” I should also not leave out the screaming 6 month old that luckily saved it for when we arrived home!! Once, we were home…the baby was fed… and the girls went potty. It was then, that we settled in on the couch to read the “Polar Express” (the movie playing in the background..of coarse) and the Hot Cocoa was cooking on the stove.

So yes, stressful at moments but overall the kids had a lot of fun!! I can only hope that they will remember this next year when we do it all over again!! Until then….”Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.” Merry Christmas!!

Get your Tickets! (compliments of my dear friend Andi)

February Challenge “Family”

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February is well upon us and it is time for my “12 months of bliss” challenge update!! In January my New Years challenge was “focus”….and Im happy to say that is just what I did!! 🙂 At times it was not easy and life has its way of taking over…

One of the things I focused most on was my “time” and how it was spent. Whom do I spend the most time with? What is important to me? When life got crazy it was like a breath of fresh air to “focus” on the here and now…rather than the whats to come. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the what would of should of been we virtually lose the here and now!

Bring me to my “February challenge” 🙂 Family!!! Whether you are married, single, have 1 child or 20….we all have one “family”!! I am choosing to focus solely on my immediate family at this time…mainly my husband and children. I do not come from a large family nor does my husband but “family” is something I hold very near and dear to my heart. God chose the family we have for us…they make us laugh..they make us cry…they make us just plain crazy at times!! The fact is that it was the one chosen for you so make the best of it!!

In choosing to focus on my little family I do this not to exclude Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins but simply to make the foundation of our home stronger. As wonderful as families can be they are also unintentionally the center of many disagreements. When a husband and wife marry it is then that “one officially leaves the nest” so to speak….this does not mean you abandon those who raised you simply put “you start a new”. You look to those who raised you for continued guidance, love, and support…but in a new light!!

Bringing me to why a solid foundation is crucial in building your family. You only get one shot!!! Do it right!!

Who do you want your children to turn to when they are grown?

Who do you want your children to associate with now? In the future?

How can you best see that your children find comfort in coming to you?

The best gift to a child is a good marriage….so don’t forget that husband 🙂 show appreciation, love, support, communicate, communicate, communicate, and see that each others spiritual, sexual, and social needs are being met. You will never hear me refer to my husband as my child…he is not!! I am not responsible for him…we are simply coaches for a great team!! A team that has 2 sweet little girls and a little bouncing baby boy coming in June!! We coach together and with one great vision…a solid foundation!!!