Hard Times

Hard times suck. The last month we have been thrown with so many obstacles we weren't prepared for. My husband is without work for the first time ever. He is the hardest worker I know, but there just is not work for plumbers in Minnesota right now. The last year we knew it could get slow but did we think it would actually happen? No. We figured he would just go with another company if the place he was at got slow. Well, what happens when the next company and the next company after that is slow too? I never never saw this coming. He has always worked and made good money, we have always had a nice house, nice cars...Now what? How does one have a plan when you are thrown something like this?

I tend to think like a kid in a way at times like this. I always think things will just get better! And I can laugh about it and not stress out too much. Things will get better someway. Not sure how but they will...Right?

Sniff Sniff

In another few hours I will no longer be in my twenties. This is depressing to me for some reason. It isn't that I am afraid to get older. I guess I just feel so dang young still and it is hard to imagine being in my thirties. I know they say the thirties is like the new twenties...I am sad, I can't help it...

A Mommy Day At Last

Yes, it has actually happened...I have the house to myself and do not know what to do with myself. My husband has been very busy lately and has been gone a lot between work and fun. My days can be so long sometimes when I don't get any help around the house and with the kids. I have been very overwhelmed, feeling like I have no time to do anything for ME( I know there is no more ME when you become a parent but it is unhealthy to not have a life aside from your kids at the same time). I can only do so much playing outside, coloring, reading kids books, picking up after everyone for so long before I need a break. Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom and being with my kids. But I need some me time once in awhile too. So here I am, the house is quiet and I am too antsy to sit and do something I love like read or scrapbook. Oh no, I am cleaning. I know. This is my one chance to have time to myself and I am doing what I always do day in and day out, cleaning the house, going thru things, putting away laundry, organizing the kids hundreds of books. It is amazing that it is actually kind of fun to do this stuff without the kids right there. I know I am going to regret it later when the kids come back and want my attention. I will wonder why I didn't open that book or get a few scrapbook pages done while I could! Oh well, such is life as a Mom I guess...The kids will only be kids for so long. I see some parents that don't even enjoy their kids and seem to make themselves number one over their kids. I feel bad for people like that because they are missing out on one of the biggest joys life has to offer. There are people out there that can't even have children and would give anything to be a mommy or daddy. Some things are taken for granted I guess...Ok, time to get back to work!

Take My Breath Away

Wedding in July

My New Job

Well, I haven't had a "real" job out of the house since I was pregnant with my little princess who is now a year and a half. It has been hard to be motivated because of my lack of experience I don't make much and it is hard to give up weekends with your family to make next to nothing. So I am always looking. We definitely could use more money here with our huge house payment and these darn gas prices that I wish would go away. I want more for my kids, extra money to go on more trips, ect. I have a huge passion for helping people. I love taking care of people. I have tried to get various jobs in the hospital or as a senior companion, ect. I am never hired. How are you ever suupposed to get your foot in the door when everywhere wants experience? I would love to go to school but that takes time and money. Someday...
Well, a job just fell into my hands. My neighbor takes care of a 95 year old woman in her home. She trusted me because I am a good mom and thought that was experience enough(wow! finally I get credit for being just a mom!). I put two weekends in where I took care of all of her daily needs and got payed to sleep. Very good money! Lots of downtime in a house that was too quiet but I could get used to it, my house is always filled with noise without a minute to yourself. I grew more comfortable with the woman, her name is Alice. I moved her every few hours, washed her, fed her, brushed her teeth, cleaned her home, ect. I was just there Monday and learned yesterday that she passed away. I am saddened by this because I was just with her and had no idea it would be my last time...
There goes my job! I am bummed that she is gone and bummed that I no longer have a job. It felt so good to leave the house to do something that made me feel important and make good money. Well, I guess one good thing is is it made me realize there is something out there I enjoy to do as far as work and it made me realize I do want a job!
Rest in peace sweet Alice!

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!

Look at that face of a boy who is growing up way too fast. Taylor's birthday was on the 8th and he turned nine, that means he will be ten next year. Still remember when I first found out I was pregnant with him. I was only twenty, still a kid myself really. Motherhood was the best thing that ever happened to me. I could not ask for a happier more sensitive little boy. Taylor is truly a wonderful soul and has been since he was born...

Cody's First T-ball Practice

Yeah, don't mess with this kid. When he gets mad he gets MAD!!!
Look at our little slugger. He sure was not afraid of that ball, thought he had to get it every time!

To the cabin we go!

Heck with gas prices, we are still going to the cabin! We went to Alexandria to Lake Osakis with our good friends Neil and Lori and their three boys. Jesse, Cody, Hannah and I only went for two nites. We stayed in a cabin, played lots on the beach, Lori and tried to beat the guys at bean bags and polish golf, the guys went fishing, the ladies went shopping, ate some good food, can't get much better then that!

Where's the baby?

There she is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How come her face is always dirty for pics?
Curls, curls everywhere is curls!

Lions and Tigers and DINOSAUERS, oh my!

Last nite was QUITE the nite. What is with all these Minnesota storms every other day? My goodness, just go away! We ventured thru the thunderstorm to St Paul to see Walking With Dinosauers for Taylor's bday. The show was fantastic! Seriously if it ever comes to your town you have to see it, it is worth every penny. We had cheap tickets and were like three stories up(yeah, took a little bit of time to get used to that. Jesse and I were both a little bit dizzy) but you could see everything good. The boys loved it. Cody's little eyes were as big as saucers and Jesse kept asking if he wanted to go down there and pet them. Oh no. He did not want that. In a four year olds eyes I am sure they seemed quite real and even though we told him they were fake he probably couldn't quite grasp that. They did look pretty darn real and that T-rex could sure make some noise! I think Taylor was pretty thrilled with his birthday present. On the way home, sure enough we hit more storms and went by a really big accident that closed the opposite side of 94...

This morning we could not find Cody. He was not in his bed. Here he was up in the top bunk with Taylor! We have never seen him do this, when he is scared or has woken up he usually finds mommy or daddy. Nothing like brotherly love!