pain...

I have been in pain for a while now, I had an accident at work, and have been miserable since...don't get me wrong, I have had my good days, but i haven't had one whole day where i have been pain free. And that is hard...it's hard because i am a mama to these sweet young boys, and truth is they need a mama that is 100% better...

...so i try every single day to wake up with a smile for them, to be at my best, and show them that I have no pain and no fear, truth is, some days aren't so great..

...as i sit here in urgent care waiting to be seen so they can give me another pain killer to "take the edge off" I think of them, and how horribly unfair this is to them...I promise to try harder, and to be a better mama for you both, my sweet little ones I wake up for every single morning...

...kind of a random thoughts post, my mind seems to be everywhere these days, writing helps me forget about the pain...even for a little bit ;)

easter fun!

Ever since Valentines Day I have been obsessed with different ways that I can make a wreath. I find it really relaxing to do these types of projects, plus it gives me something to do during the boys nap time.

  Materials Used

large foam wreath

7 various ribbon (hobby lobby and Michaels)

box of thin pins

small easter bunny (found mine at Michael's)

Scissors

Start with a foam wreath, I have only used white foam wreaths, but I am sure any color is fine.

I chose 7 different types of ribbon, and cut them to fit around the wreath

The back isn't as pretty, but no one will see this!

This is the front of the wreath, try to have a good mix of ribbon

Here I am placing the purple ribbon, I fasten one side...

and now I fasten the other side with a pin

all done on the back!

continue until all of the foam wreath is covered in ribbon, remember be creative!

I attached my small easter bunny friend, and some ribbon up to for the bow...

We are ready for Easter!

Got my toes in the water....

This is our second year going camping at the lake with our friends the Frames! We always have a blast! Now packing and the VERY long trip there(6 hours if you drive it straight, but we have little ones so add another 2-3 hours) is not so much fun. I do this every year--I wait until the day before we are scheduled to leave to pack for the boys and myself...why i haven't learned my lesson is beyond me! Maybe next year? One can only hope! Now i wish i would have gotten some pictures of the tornado that literally blew through our living room, clothes EVERYWHERE, suitcases all on top of the couch, I mean really?

It is a lot of work and planning to pull off a successful vacation! But none the less the next morning we were off! Damon wanted to leave at 7am Friday morning, I didn't want to be the glass-is-half-empty kind of girl, so I didn't say anything (I never thought it was possible to leave the house at 7am, I mean really, us leave on time?) so Friday at around 9:15am we were out the door!

Fast forward 8 hours later and yes, we finally arrived at our destination! We were ALL ready to be there, the last 30 minutes or so really seemed like an eternity! I am so glad we were all there and ready to have a great time! While Damon and I unloaded the car, the kids got to playing with the Frame Boys, at about 7pm we had our first meal out under the stars! What fancy gourmet meal did we have that first night? Hotdogs. Yes, hotdogs. It was a VERY long day traveling, so we thought we'd take it easy on ourselves. The kids didn't care one bit, they were just happy to be there!

The next few days were a real blur, not because we didn't have a fun, we just didn't have a concept of time, or what day it was. When the kids got hungry we ate, when the boys wanted to go hiking or shoot something with daddy's gun, then they would. We had smores, almost every night, and told ghost stories around the campfire...I must admit, it was very nice. All cell phones were turned off and kept inside the trailer (although it did take me a couple of days to really "let go" of it).

One of the days we were there (I couldn't tell you what day exactly) it was a little cold and windy, not really the "beachy" weather we had envisioned. We loaded the kids up in the car and we headed into town (which is about 25 minutes from the campsite we were at) to have some pizza! Who doesn't love pizza right? Well the kids had no complaints on dinner this night,  everyone ate and was happy ;) On our way back to the campsite, we came across this place called "Bubba Jump" Well we couldn't resist an indoor jumpy jumpy place! It was like we were at Disneyland! Everyone (yes, even the adults!) had a blast jumping!

As soon as we got in the car and drove back, yes, knocked OUT!

this is me "roughen it"

gotta love string cheese 

 

On our last day there, the boys played outside, while Damon and I packed (not fun!) It was ALL worth it though! We all had a blast! Can't wait to do it next year!

all packed and ready to go home

Valentines Day Crafts

It's hard for me to sit and do a craft with the boys. Xander gets really excited and usually ends up making messing everywhere. So I had some scraps of paper, sweet stickers and decided to let them go at it and cut and paste whatever they wanted on their card stock hearts that I bought on clearance like 2 years ago. Here are some pictures of their sweet little projects! Hope you enjoy them!

Taking all the ribbon out from my left over Wreath Project

Austin LOVED using these fun scissors!

Even Xander was trying to figure all of this out...

Austin's masterpiece :0)

Both of the masterpieces! They gave their "presents" to daddy who was in the other room! Something that I will keep and treasure forever! How I love my little men, they ARE the light of my life!

Shaken.

While I came home for lunch today, I received a text message from my brother reading "Did you hear what happened to Mrs. Nelson's daughter? She was in an awful accident and didn't survive"

(Mrs. Nelson was my English teacher in high school, very sweet, everyone LOVED her!)

I hadn't heard anything, so I quickly pulled up the local newspaper online, and I am horrified at what I read...

I have this immediate urge to go and see my boys, I just want to hold them. I didn't want to return to work for the other half of my day. I just didn't. I had to see their sweet faces... 

But the reality was that I couldn't. I had to go back to work and finish my day (although I don't know how I did, I wasn't really "present") but after work, I went and picked them up and all was good again. The pangs I had in my heart just seemed to melt away, with their kisses and hugs.

I have thought about Mrs. Nelson and her family all day today. My mind has been there with them all day. This is an awful and difficult time for them, may God bless them with peace during this time.

Sunny Southern Califnornia!

We planned a trip to see our friends, Bran and Ang, and also to see Great Grandma! How we loving planning to see our friends and family! We both had a three day weekend and decided we would head down to Southern California to see them. Back at home is was cold and gloomy and most of the ride there...

 We stopped at McDonald's for a quick snack, and to stretch those cute little legs!

Back on the road, (thank goodness for our double tv's in the back, lifesavers!!)

So Xander thought it would be funny to turn the tv off with his foot, causing both tv's to turn off, or he would hit the FF or REW buttons, drove Austin crazy! When I told Xander to stop doing that and to be nice to the TV, this is the look he gave me:

It's the "I didn't do it" look! Little stinker! He's lucky he's cute!

This is Xander not 5 minutes later! Out light a light!

Xander with his daddy, every time he's somewhere new, he is really quite and shy and stays really close to either mommy or daddy, until he warms up to you...

Boys brought their library books with them...

Xander eating some delicious apple slices with daddy :)

Austin was relaxing by the fire, enjoying everyone (Gosh, I can't believe how big he is, time really does FLY by!)

The three amigos: Bran, Damon, and Baby Xander!

Austin and Dylan reading books together :)

I think Daddy was upset that Mommy kept taking pictures of him :)

We had a great time visiting our friends :)