Weekly Challenge #2 - Launch pad

Week 2 Challenge was all about our launch/landing pad. That's the are that you dump everything in when you come in the door and search through the piles to find what you need as you're heading out the door. I actually have a nice entry - lots of room and a large closet to store everything. For the most part, it stays pretty clean, this happens to be what it looks like when we just come in from playing out in the snow and everything is still wet. **excuse the ugly photos - it was late at night and they look awful with or without flash**



When we first moved in I struggled with this area. It took me a couple years even to get what I wanted in the entry. The table and lamps were a Birthday gift and the bench came from JC Penny when I found it on clearance on their website. The closet started off with just 2 wire shelves across the top. Since this has been done for awhile now, I mainly just cleaned it all up. I pulled everything out of the closet and cleaned/decluttered as I put it all away.

Before

After


Before

After

This shelf has a bowl made by my Niece for our sunglasses, another dish for keys and the hugs and kisses jar is where all our change goes.

Thanks for visiting my pad. Again sorry for the hideous pictures. Feel free to join us over at A Bowl Full Of Lemons for the weekly challenges.

Week #1 Challenge

The first weekly challenge over at A Bowl Full Of Lemons was a home management binder. I am still in the process of putting mine together as I'm trying to find out just what format works for our family. Here's what my binder looks like....

The things that I'm including are:

• a monthly calender
• weekly meal plan and grocery list
• financial planning (calender, list, snowball payoff plan)
• School calender and information as well as Dance class updates - B is in Preschool so there isn't much, but enough to keep all together in one place.
• Emergency contact/Dr and dentist information
• Address book

Once I get it down to what I like and what works for us, I'll update with the pages I'm including.

Putting it all together

One of the reasons I wanted to start blogging again was to put all my thoughts, ideas, inspirations, challenges and the "every days" all in one area. So here I go.

I love to organize and declutter. I can't tell you how excited I get when I find neat little holders to make all my junk look all pretty and put together. I have been following along with another blog and their 21 day challenge to get my house clean and organized. I didn't "officially" join the challenge, but I did a few things here and there along with them. Now there's a new weekly challenge that I want to jump in on and tackle a few things that I'm needing to get done.

Over at this blog, you can follow me and other bloggers as we join in on the challenge - I'd love to hear all your "oohs and ahhs" at the pretty-ness that is an organized space, so leave me a note if you like. Check out a bowl full of lemons for the info and I'll be back with the first challenge - My home management binder.

Later!!

Same ol story....I'll try to change

It's the same ol story - I forget to blog for a VERY L.O.N.G. time, then I come back with all these great intentions on being an awesome blogger again.....only to fail. I hang my head in shame, as I am here once again.

I'm not sure I'm going to "fill in" the blanks of what has been going on the past year, I may touch on some subjects along the way, but for now I want to just start fresh. I want this blog to be about some of my personal goals - capturing my life as a Wife and Mommy of 2 - and basically all that rolls into "J & S plus a little 'b' and 't".

I hope to stick to blogging more frequently and build a little bit of a following if anyone is interested. I will try my best.

Here's to the new start....again......

Hello there!!

::WAVING:: to Stephanie - thanks for visiting. I haven't blogged in awhile...hmmm...since February? Really? I better get on that. Just thought I'd send a shout out to my friend who's stopping by. More blogging to come......

I'm back

Did you miss me????

I've been away for many reasons, some more complicated than others, but basically I was trying to get things back on the up and up before I went back to the wonderful world of blogging. So, here's my kids all grown up and heading off to college...ok, so I haven't been gone THAT long, but they have grown a bit since I've been on here.

Trever had his 1st Birthday a week before Christmas. We had a little party for him and he had a blast. His Godmommy (and my dear friend) Michelle made the trip down with her sister and niece - it was wonderful to spend a few days with them. My sister Patti and family also traveled down for the party which I honestly didn't expect - so I was really excited that they came. Papa and Gahma (as Brenna would say) came over as well as Auntie Chris and Jaden and some friends of our with their kids. I think Brenna had the most fun playing with all the kids since they were her age and Trever just watched and giggled at them all. It really was a wonderful 1st Birthday for him. The Big "hit" to the party was the boys throwing a sticky skeleton to the ceiling and jumping to hit it down with a blanket. Really - who needs entertainment when you have inventive kids around. It was awesome to hear all the kids laugh and enjoy themselves.

Christmas was good, not as hectic as it was leading up to be. Christmas morning was fun watching Brenna and Trever opening their gifts then proceeding to play with what the other one got. We spent the morning in jammies and enjoyed the day. Later on we headed to my parents house and had our Christmas with my side of the family. We played our dice game that has quickly become a new tradition. We did 1 round with everyone and then did an adult round after all the kids went downstairs to play. We had decided to not exchange gifts amongst "us kids" meaning me and my siblings and do the dice game. What a GREAT idea - we had such a fun time. There is always 1 or 2 items that are the "hot" gifts and it's so much fun to see who and what gets fought over. This year it was a GTO calendar. My brother-in-law Mike knew what it was when it was wrapped so he made sure he got it. Once unwrapped my other brother-in-;aw David went after it (the GTO man that he is) it went back and forth between them for a time...soon Tera got into it....then Mikie....the Jason and myself....then low and behold MY DAD gets up and takes it away from David...CLASSIC. We all laughed and really enjoyed it. I think that is becoming a huge favorite for us now and we're all looking forward to in again next year.

We traveled up to Minnesota for a quick visit and had Christmas with Jason's family. It was a couple weeks later than we had originally planned but the weather just wasn't cooperating. It was a good time and we all got some wonderful gifts. We took a picture of all the grandkids together and I think maybe 1 out of about 50 turned out. It's tough getting 5 kids to all look at the camera at the same time.

The new year came about with some changes. New plans and things to focus on with our family and a new outlook on our life together. There will be many changes this year. Some things are already set in motion and others will come throughout the year, but we're looking forward to 2010.

I do hope to get back to blogging more. Hopefully I'll have more to say to keep it going :grin:

See you all soon

Amazing - Stellan Update

I'm still amazed by the work of our Creator - our Healer. Stellan had an outstanding ablation and there is no SVT in sight. He does have some recovering to do, but he has left me speechless. What an amazing demonstration on the power of prayer and trusting in God.

I am so happy for Stellan and the rest of the MckFamily. Please go to their blog and get the full story on Stellan's amazing day.

Lots of love little man!!!!

Stellan - prayers needed

***I stole this picture from MckMama's blog***

- I admit it, I'm a thief, but I just have to look at this adorable face while my knees are getting bruised, my hands are cramping, my lips are moving faster than I can speak the words, and my heart is aching for this little boy.

I haven't been posting about Stellan and his latest ordeal, mainly because I didn't know what to write. My heart is heavy and my eyes are swollen. Stellan has been a part of my life since I became pregnant with my son. They are 2 months apart in age and I cannot even fathom the idea of having my son go through what Stellan is going through.

Stellan is in Boston undergoing another ablation for his heart. Well - as of right now they are still working on getting all his lines placed in order to perform the ablation. He has been very sick and his little heart had even stopped at one point and the team had to get it started again. You can follow MckMama's blog for updates, but please say a prayer for this family. Pray for strength, courage and understanding. Their faith in Him is amazing.

Hugs and Kisses sweet Stellan!

Happy Halloween

Love, Tinkerbell and Peter Pan

Wordless Wednesday

kickin back

All he needs is something to put his feet up on and a remote.

Siblings

Look at how cute these two are together. I'd say about 99% of the time they are like this.

Trever gets so excited he can hardly contain himself when he sees Brenna. He smiles and bounces until she gets close enough to tackle.

Brenna has been a wonderful Big Sister. She cares for him so much. From the start she has always wanted to help with him - feed him, talk to him, and she just loves to make him smile. It's great to hear her "baby high pitch talk" when she talks to him.

They both loves hugs.

If Trever reaches for her hair or even drools on her a little bit, she tips her head back with a big smile and says "awe...Trever". It is so adorable.

I only hope these two will become closer and closer every day and develope a wonderful relationship.

I love my sweet babies and this look is something I'll cherish forever.

{sigh} I just love being a Mom!!!

Parade

A couple weeks ago we went to the parade in town. Brenna had so much fun waving and running after all the candy that was thrown. Trever watched every single thing that went by with suck intent. They both had a lot of fun.

What the heck is this???

That would be my "I'm so tired I'll sleep anywhere" son sound asleep under Brenna's table. What is in his mouth you ask?? Why her sock of course.

Now before anyone calls DHS on us....I did not shove a sock in my son's mouth and stick him under the table. In fact, I can honestly say I wasn't even here when this happened. (again, no calls - he was under the direct supervision of a responsible adult....ok....well, at least my husband was keeping an eye on him)

So...the story of Trever. He has never been one to take a nuk. He's never been one to really suck his thumb. He IS, however, one that does like to chew/suck on his na-night (aka blanket). So what happens when you're playing so hard, crawling all around and need to take an impromptu nap?? You find your sisters sock and curl up in a comfy spot on the floor, of course.

Ahhh, the joys of parenthood. I'm just so thankful my hubby took some pictures so I could enjoy in it too.


**note, no children or socks were injured in these photos. My son is alive and well and Brenna doesn't have any holes in her socks**

Oh no....it's started.

While cleaning up the kitchen, my two darling children are playing ever so nicely by the toy box.

then I hear it....

...

...

...

"Trever (the 9mo old)...leave me alone...." - Brenna (the 3 yr old)

"Moooooom, Trever trying to hug me. I jus wanna see scooby doo an he won't moooooove"

...

...

and so it begins.

Reality

I had a dose of reality yesterday. A flat out stare you in the face, knock you on your butt, cry your eyes out, reality moment.

Let me take you back a little bit. I have been on a blogging hiatus - why? because I knew that I was not happy and I didn't want to give into all the negativity that has been surrounding me. I have been playing the pity party in my own mind and whining about silly things. I have been feeding off all the negative things and have long passed all the positive ones. I have taken peoples comments to heart and let them consume me. I've taken on other people's bad traits and made them my own. I've been holding grudges - which is something that I really despise in other people. I am not happy with my actions, my thought process, my health and particularly the ugly road that I've led myself to be on.

Boy - I sound like a mess huh? (At least I still have a little humor left)ha ha ha.

I was going to go into detail on here what exactly I have been hurt by, what I've been hanging onto and letting get to me - but then I deleted it.

In order for me to let things go, I just need to drop it. I need a clean slate.

so what was the big "Eye opener" you ask?

Yesterday I had a call to add on an exam. It was towards the end of the day and I was thinking that yet again I'd have to squeeze this patient in. I was being negative, selfish and flat out a big baby. This particular patient was new to our system, nice guy, younger than my Dad. He had some pain in his belly for a few weeks that just wouldn't go away. He finally decided he should go in and check it out. Now after doing Ultrasound for 11 years, I've become rather numb to things. Wheelchair bound patients, ones missing an arm or a leg - you just become that professional that does their job - has a nice conversation with the patient and move on. You don't take it to heart. As soon as I placed the transducer down on this mans belly my heart sank. It took everything in me not to cry as my hands began to shake. His liver was covered in Metastases = Cancer.

This isn't the first time I've seen cancer, I see it all the time, but it's the first time it hit home - HARD. I felt horrible that I even complained about getting this guy in. What kind of selfish snot would complain about doing her job when this gentleman's life is about to be ripped apart.

The entire ride home I kept thinking about him. How he is going to have to go home and tell his wife, or his kids, or his family. I thought about all the little stupid things I've been complaining about - being bored at work, finances, a dirty kitchen - you know. I thought about my family and friends. Then I stopped at a gas station before I picked up my daughter and thanked God for all that is in my life. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

You see - when you came to grasps with your own mortality, it kind of puts things in a completely different light. Why be upset over things that happened several years ago or even a week ago. Why let my life be consumed with all the negativity when it can change in an instant.

Last night Brenna wanted "few more minutes mama". I brought her back into her bed and I laid down next to her. She snuggled her head into my chest and rubbed her hand on my face. I cried the entire time.

I think we all need a "few more minutes"

Thank you Lord for sending me your message yesterday - I got it loud and clear.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

riding rides

Jammin

....Hmmmmm.....

My posts will probably be few and far between for a little while. There is a lot going on with us behind the scenes here that need to get taken care of before I start posting regularly again. For now (and every so often) I'll keep posting some fun pictures to keep the mood a positive one.
ENJOY!!!!