When I Grow Up...

I love hearing my 5th graders answer this question... I have 3 future pro athletes, 1 future firefighter, 1 engineer, 1 artist, 2 farmers, 2 vets, 1 student who is going to go to college at St. Catherine's, meet her husband and get married and have twins named Declan and Jordan all before she graduates and is a doctor.  At least that is what her Work On Writing Notebook said.  I'm trying to talk her out of the expensive undergrad college and marrying too young, but we'll see...  I have wondered lots this year what Declan will be when he grows up (which isn't really going to happen though... I've already shed some tears packing the 3 month clothes..)

However dream-filled and wonderful their wishes are, I know most of them will change their mind ten times and probably not become what they wanted to be in 5th grade... I was a rarity... Ever since 3rd and 4th grade with my inspiring teachers, Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Mattson, I knew I wanted to be a teacher and I never wavered from that want.  To this day I can't imagine being anything else.  I am very blessed that I love my job, the challenges and the joys and the variety that come with it each day and each year.  I love being surrounded by youth that I feel like I haven't totally grown up!

Not knowing my path has never been the case for me, but my beautiful, younger sister has wandered on her path finding her way a little longer than me (but a lot less longer than others ;) and even many who never find it or go for it ).   I am so proud that she is finding her way and has discovered the road she needs to take.

Please consider reading Britta's Story, and helping her make her dream come true!  And by helping her, you will help yourself become a little healthier when she returns! Check out what is in it for you!

So are you doing what you thought you'd be doing when you were in 5th grade?  What do you want to be when you "grow up"?  It is never too late!

A sad and joyful date.

September 26th.

It isn't a birthday or wedding or holiday, but it is a date I remember every year.  And even a few years ago when I almost didn't realize it was the 26th, my first college roommate and sweet friend Nicole faithfully sends me a "thinking/praying for you" card. (I got it a day early yesterday :) )  Three years ago that card helped me remember (and feel guilty I hadn't remembered myself...)  but every year, it still brings a rush a tears to my eyes  remembering my dad passing from his cancer my sophomore year of college.  

I was home in Chisago but was not at my Aunt Judy's house where he was staying when he passed.  The night before, we knew it would be soon and I said my goodnights and love yous, knowing it may be the last. I still stand by my feelings that the ONLY positives to cancer is you have time to prepare and say goodbye because too many other tragedies in people's lives around me have not been granted that time.

This year was no different, and I'm tearing up as I type this in my classroom modeling Work on Writing to my students,  but I also have such happy tears thinking of this date last fall.

It was last September 26th we knew we were going to become parents.  I was soo excited, happy, scared and nervous.  Andy was trying to nap for his shift work, but I had to wake and tell him.  The rush of emotions of knowing you have made a life and that your life is about to change is indescribable and like nothing I have ever felt.

And maybe I was crazy as it was risky taking a pregnancy test last year on this date in case it was negative, but I knew in my body and soul I was pregnant two days earlier.  I made myself wait to give the upcoming date a positive, full-circle-of-life meaning.  A date I can later have conversations with Declan about his Grandpa Gregg.   It was in the moments and memories with my dad that I learned to love golf, all board games but especially cribbage, and bowling.  I know Andy and I will try and pass these loves to Declan too and create our own family memories!

I am also more emotional and sadder wishing my dad was here to have met Declan and have seen me being a mom.  I get to tell Declan about him, but now I just have to believe my dad is able to look down and see us and is proud.   And someday, may we all meet again.

My Ideal Week

So from my UnWired Challenges blog from a couple weeks back I was to create an Ideal Week calendar.  I created it for my "back to work" schedule and now that it has been over two weeks (well 3 weeks...) I am to reevaluate it and see how realistic it was!  Overall I am doing ok... working out is the only thing that has stopped :(  regularly this last week...  I truly WANT to give it my all and have a NEED and valid reasoning to justify a tummy tuck if i need one after my next c-section in two-three years down the road, but it is HARD to make time when I just want to be with Declan every minute when I get home...   I know this will be a battle I'll continue to just have to DO.  How do working mom's with small kids (well... any mom's really!)  find time to exercise!!???

My Ideal / ACTUAL Week:

5:00 Wake Up, Nurse Declan and get him ready for daycare before he falls back asleep, Eat Breakfast, Exercise 10 Minutes  (I was perfect the first week... 2nd week just 3 days... this last week with daycare drop off added in... I didn't exercise once in the morning), Shower, Wear Makeup (15/17 days... not bad ;) ).

6:30 Leave for Daycare and Work

7:10-7:30 Check Emails/Respond/ Organize for day, make copies for next couple days, etc.

7:30-7:45 Pump   ( About to eliminate my morning pump I hope as Declan is sleeping until 6-6:30 so think I will just feed him later and pump just at lunch and prep!)

7:45-8:00 Greet students, organize room, etc.

8-11:40 Teach

11:40-12:15 Pump and hopefully get to teachers’ lounge for lunch  (SO HAPPY THIS IS HAPPENING... though I inhale my lunch in 15 minutes, I am happy to be out of my room and my "laundry closet" and see work friends)

12:15-2:00 Teach

2:00-2:10 Check Emails/Respond

2:10-3:30  Prep/Pump/End of Day… Be SOOO productive in planning and grading NOTHING comes home  (Stuff has come home... but not much... so far I'm doing ok)

3:30-4:00  Drive home/unwind/ call a family member or friend

4:00- Pickup from daycare if Andy couldn’t/Nurse Declan or Pump if he just ate...

4:15 Exercise 15 minutes (did surprisingly well... took two-three days off in first two weeks, but need to up the ante and use our Insanity DVD's soon... Just Dance Wii and self yoga/planks isn't matching my endurance and cardio needs anymore.  I did Insanity Fit test last sunday tht 15th... was so sore for three days and discouraged with being out of shape... I just haven't done it again.  I will this morning though!!)

4:30- Start dinner/ Play with Declan

5:30- Dinner/watch tv show or talk if no walk possible

6:00-6:45  Pack lunches, clean up kitchen, pick out clothes and clean somewhere else in house….  (I've been about 50/50... but have had live in amazing sitters for most weeks.  But kitchen is staying clean and that is the big one for me) 

                Monday- Last Load of Laundry

                Tuesday-Vacuum

                Wednesday- Clean bathrooms/Dust

                Thursday- Vacuum

                Friday- Clear kitchen table/Sort mail/pay bills

                Weekends:  Meal Plan/Grocery Shop/Clean “mountains”/Start Laundry/Yardwork/Vacuum

6:45-7:15 Nurse Declan-  Bath Tues/Thursdays/Saturday   (two days a week is acceptable in my new opinion... Wed and Sat...) , pjs, etc.

7:15- Walk with Andy, Croix and Declan

8:00- Read with Declan/watch tv show with Andy/read/relax/bath, etc.  Elminated Some nights because he has been in bed by 8-8:30!!  

8:30-9:00 Nurse /Declan’s Bedtime  

School work/tv/computer/finish cleaning/packing for next day...

9:30 10:00/11:00ish  My bedtime/read

It's just hair!

That is what I had to tell myself for the past month in prep for finally cutting my hair short short like I have wanted to try for 3 years.  I kept making valid excuses of pictures, and weddings and more pictures but I finally just said, "It's just hair... just try it... It will grow back... It's just hair."   Andy was in support of it even though two friends were scared for me and told me not to do it.  

Sitting in the chair, I seriously had nervous butterflies like I hadn't had in a long time!     

But these first three days with it... I like it.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to do it like my hair stylist the night she cut it, but I've figured it out and it is easy and fast.  I definitely am no longer a "blond" and think I will put some lighter (and maybe some red??) highlights in it when I get it trimmed in probably just 3 weeks!  

I love how blunt my 5th graders are, especially the boys.  All the girls say they like it but a few boys said they liked it long, that it is like his Grandma's hair, but a couple guys said I look better and younger... Perfect.  So now it may be a mom haircut... but I'm thinking hot mama! 

Suit Up!

The past two weekends Declan has done just that...Suited Up!  Two very special weekends in a row, my boy was handsome in his tux and bow tie Grandpa Lance picked up at one of his infamous garage sale stops.

Just this past weekend, September 14th, my best friend from undergrad, my first Andie, my future eye doctor when my lasik wears off, got married!  The wedding was in her HUSBAND'S (so fun to say!!) hometown area of Lakefield and Jackson, MN.  Everything went so smoothly and was just a blast.  I am so excited for Jesse and Andrea to start this crazy ride called marriage!

Dad found the black socks later... but he did a FANTASTIC job being on dad duty all weekend.  

I loved our different color dresses (WITH POCKETS... came in handy for my tissues during the ceremony!) and our head table place settings... sunglasses with our names!

Like my two favorite Andy/ie's and two favorite boys... Pretty much favorite picture and moment!

Declan had his first dance with baby Reagan!  He enjoyed staring her down at one point!

The weekend before the wedding, Declan turned 3 months old the day he was baptized!  But before he got baptized at our church, Mom and Britt were staying at the Vic Inn, so we gave him our own baptism by submersion!  The water was just chillier than bath water, but he didn't pout once and we got a smile or two out of him... especially during his chicken fight vs. auntie and me!   

The day of his actual baptism, we were blessed with our family and friends from near and far sharing in his special day with us.  I never thought of what an awesome perk to having a new baby is and that is seeing my families more!!  I love it! Grandma Sue staying to watch Declan the week after the baptism before we started daycare and I do wish we had both our parents closer now... But makes the visits more special and we just got to get the Skype thing figure out soon!     

"I'm 3 months old today!" 

Godparents Timmy and Britt

My cupcake cross... this is as "pintresty" and creative as I get... But really I am just cheap and was going to order a cake, but saw this idea in CashWise's book and figured I could do it myself.  

Oh yes, and after dinner, Declan's first football games were on tv, but both Packs and Vikes lost :( 

Liebster Award??

 I was caught off guard reading one of my regular blogs, Adventures of Baby M.D. , from my cousin's wife about her being nominated for a blogging award when I saw my blog name nominated by her as well.. I was like, nice... what's this?? Can I win something??  I kind of like winning things.. like kitchens...  I'm just a wee bit competitive as all you may know...  we won a kitchen in a Facebook contest last summer so I truly like contests.  Please vote for her... click on her page and on the vote for me badge in her top right corner of her blog please!

But I think (and maybe I'm wrong and still confused by the whole thing...) that I can't win anything but more blog traffic and I don't really need numbers of people reading my blog... though I'd like my followers to increase by one.. and that would be my husband  who has yet to read a post...  He keeps saying he'll catch up and read it all but we'll see... we'll see.  Declan will probably be reading his letters before Andy will!

And sorry friends, I'm not continue the true nominating of great momma blogs, but you can check out blogs I follow on my page and if I'm right, anyone can join  Topmommyblogs.com and start your own Liebster award nominations and questions to answer and questions to ask lists.

But I do like answering questions so my friend posed these questions to her nominees so here are my answers:  I remember when that place MySpace did things like this and I like questions :)

1) What is your favorite vacation spot?  Everywhere I haven't been yet.  I can't pick anywhere I have been because they all were favorites for different reasons.  cop out answer, i know... get ready for a few more of those ;) 
2) What is the book you are reading right now?  Cuckoo's Calling... JK Rowling's pseudo name book... I'm not very impressed... It is taking me forever to finish... like over a month and that is unheard of for me and a book... but I'll give being back at work and exhausted some credit as 2 pages I'm out. 
3) Who do you look up to the most?  All mothers... but as cliche as it is, truly my mom... this job is hard with two of us so I REALLY have a newer, deeper, more empathetic appreciation for my mom doing it almost alone for years.  
4) What is the most embarrassing song on your iPod right now?  I don't use an iPod really... my husband and I share one, but haven't updated it for years... Probably most embarrassing song on it in my opinion is Discovery Channel by Bloodhound Gang.  Hate that song.. and I hate KungFuFighting...     I use TuneIn Radio and my phone the most and I'm not embarrassed by anything on there. 
5) What is your worst habit?  oh too many... but probably "multi-tasking" too much and not finishing anything well or quick
6) What TV show can you not get enough of?  Friends.  But really, right now I could do with no TV in my house.  
7) If you had a whole week free to yourself, (no baby or husband) what would you do?  Miss them by day 3... two days would be perfect.. but be with my Friends on a beach, reading, playing volleyball and golf and eating seafood and drinking wine.
8) What item do you refuse to buy the generic brand of? (if any)  I'm so cheap.. nothing I can think of... wait OREOS... I tried a generic brand because of a coupon and never again. 
9) Where is the most inconvenient place your child has pooped/puked/spit-up/peed?   we've been lucky... but it's only be 3 months so I know I'm doomed.. but funniest was ALL OVER the kitchen floor before his first bath... poop everywhere but only hit Dad a bit and cleanup on floor was easy... 
10) Where did you meet your best girl friend? Copout answer again...  I can't really answer this question again because I feel like I have a best girl friend from each stage of my life...  so high school, college, hutch, work, golf...   I truly am thankful and know I am lucky to have friends that I 
11) What is your favorite blog to follow (you can't say your own!) :)    Probably my Hutch girl  http://schwedskala.blogspot.com/ so I can read about my godson and his brother.. I see them almost weekly but I still learn little things I wouldn't have like Ado is done :( 


So my one question for any mom who reads this is:

#1:  How do you remember the milestones in your child(ren)'s lives? 

A great finish to a great summer!

Our last road trip of the summer was last week when we headed to Racine, WI!  Our 6.5 hour drive becomes 8 with Declan now but still so worth it for all the fun we had.  Cousin Adam spoiled us in his Wrigley field neighborhood apartment with a free parking spot, awesome burrito restaurant, cheap tickets from Craiglist and Gino's pizza after an intense comeback from the Cubs in the 9th to tie the game.  (we won't mention the final score in the 13th...) 

 Andy has always liked Jimmy Buffett and has wanted to see him in concert for forever so we were excited that he was going to be in Alpine Valley this summer!  Alpine Valley was by far the favorite concert venue I'd ever been too. Of course, it helped the weather was 70 and glorious, and we paid to have seats under the shelter but even sitting on the hill would've been awesome.  

And Labor Day weekend was perfect with no traveling.  We were just home and relaxed doing the things we loved.  We had our annual Labor Day golf fun day with friends.  I created a crazy format this year but it ended up being a lot of fun for TEAM CHUNKS –A-LOT,  TEAM SLICE- A-LOT, and TEAM WHIFFS –A- LOT.  The final totals were really close, but Team Slice-A-Lot took the candy!  The first nine was a 4 man scramble but here is the crazy format for the last nine: 

HOLES 10-18:   alternate shot in 2-person rotating teams combining their scores

*** You can decide who tees off for the first hole of new partners (10,13,16), but then whoever putts in, the other person must tee off. 

	10	11	12		13	14	15		16	17	18
Kris Todd				Kris   Andy				Kris Donna
Donna Andy				Donna        Todd				Andy Todd
Total				Total				Total

Plus we practiced our football naps for next weekend:

I am off to work tomorrow for my 7th year of teaching.  I am excited for my new group of 5th graders and slightly excited to miss Declan but getting a little sad in realizing just how much I'll miss him!!  He was with Grandma Connie last week, Auntie Britt and Molly and Noah this coming week, and will be with Grandma Sue the following week before he starts daycare on the 16th!