Girly girl

A birthday wish to our sweet niece (and cousin), Kylee.  She is such an adorable girly girl, and she worships the ground that Isabel walks on, much like I used to do with her momma (my big sissy, Rhonda).

Five years ago today, she entered this world with her blond curls, blue eyes and gorgeous smile.  Her infectious giggle lights up our days, and her sing-song-y voice brings joy to everyone who hears it.

We love you, Kylee.  Happy Birthday!

Love, Auntie Heather and Uncle Joe, Elijah, Isabel, Gabe, Ellie and Autumn

Refreshed...kind of.

Amazing what a little sleep will do for you...

Especially a nap taken poolside while on vacation at the beach.

(Can you tell I am CRAVING a vacation?  'Cause I am.  Aren't you?)

My point is, Gabe let me sleep in until 10:30 this morning, and that little bit of extra sleep was exactly what I needed to get me through the rest of this week.

It enabled me to clean up the kitchen, start some laundry, do some homework, and plan dinner...all with a smile on my face.

I have been a nice mommy, wife and friend today, and it feels good.

Sleep...it does the body good.

le sigh

I am normally a very positive person.  It's one thing that the people around me can count on.

But today, I am tired.

The hospital has been filled to the brim with so many critically ill patients that we don't have room for them all.  I have never seen it this busy, in the 19 years that I have worked there.  I worked three nights this weekend, and each night was more exhausting than the last.  I'm off until Thursday, and I am praying that it eases up by then.  I'm not sure how much more we (myself and the other overworked nurses) can take.

In between all those hours spent at the hospital, I had to finish a ten page paper about my philosophy of nursing. Talk about bad timing.  I was not feeling inspired in any way, shape or form.  The good news is, I got it done on Sunday, thirty minutes before I had to get ready for work.  The bad news is, my paper was only seven pages long.  The professor has praised me for my concise use of words on previous papers...hope she remembers that on this one.

Because I spent very little time with the kids over the weekend, my mommy guilt kicked in full force yesterday, and I only slept a couple of hours after working, so I could spend time with them.  We did have a great day with each other, but boy am I paying for it now.  Woke up tired and cranky and not feeling like doing a thing.  My house is a mess, I have class this afternoon, and I don't think there's enough coffee in the world to get me going this morning.

BIG le sigh...

The one bright spot in my day?  Gabe.  Having him home in the mornings is such a blessing.  His hugs ease my crankiness, and his enthusiasm gives me more energy than caffeine ever could.  Thank God for giving me such a happy boy.  He knew exactly what I was going to need, didn't He?

What helps you feel better when you have a bad day (or week)?

Boys and their toys

Now that the snow has melted and the temperatures are above frigid, I can look at these pictures fondly and remember what fun Gabe and I had while we were snowbound for a couple of days.

Gabe was quite sad to be left out when Elijah and Isabel were picked up and taken to a friend's house to spend the snowdays doing big-kid stuff.  To help ease the pain, I let him spread blankets all over the living room floor and leave them out for two days (luckily, God eased my own OCD pain to allow this to happen).

Elijah used to be a big fan of toy figures, of any kind.  Spiderman, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and especially Star Wars.  Gabe has always preferred Legos and Hot Wheels, but the figures won out this time.

He played for hours on his own, with occasional help from me ("make this one stand up, Mom").

Then we had the idea to build a battlescene for the Star Wars guys and have a big war:

Gabe's dream was to make a video and post it on Youtube, but we couldn't get the figures to move and talk on their own, much to his chagrin.

Made for some great pictures, though, and it was a good way to get through yet another set of snowdays during a very long and seemingly endless winter.

Anni Planning

In October, Joe and I will celebrate our 15 year anniversary (wow!).

For our 10 year anni, I had really wanted a diamond anniversary band.  After looking at the prices, however, I decided I'd rather have a vacation with my man.  We celebrated with a 7-day Mexican cruise, which was incredibly romantic and awesome and everything I had dreamed.

This year, we need to plan on a slightly smaller scale.  With Joe starting his own business, and me in school, time (and money) are precious commodities.

Our main requirement is a nice place on a warm beach.

We can't decide between Florida:

Southern California:

or the Caribbean...

October is hurricane season, so that is a factor.  We can only spare four nights, so that's a factor, too.  Joe would love an all-inclusive place, but there aren't many of those in the U.S.

What about you?  Do you plan big trips for big anniversaries?  Which would you pick?  Any suggestions, blog friends?

Printer's Tray

A few years ago, I was at a scrapbooking crop night and saw a woman working on a wooden tray, putting photos and trinkets into little sections of the tray.

It was gorgeous.  I wanted one.  It was called a "printer's tray", and it quickly moved up to the top of my wish list.

This past Christmas, Kay found some on eBay, and got one for me (and one for her, too).

I couldn't wait to fill those little cubbies up!  But wait I did, what with school and snow days and life's general busy-ness.

Just today, I finalized my little dream project and with Joe's help, hung it up on the living room wall.

Look closely, and you will discover old photos of my grandparents, my parents, my sisters...and even me.

In the next picture, you can see my dad (on the left), right next to Gabe.

There are old skeleton keys, buttons, vintage postage stamps from my grandmother, pieces of ribbon and wooden letters along with metal charms.

I knew just the right spot for it, and I found a couple of cute little accents on clearance at Hobby Lobby to accompany it.

Thanks to Kay and Joe, for helping me cross this off of my "wish list".  I love it!

Who do you love?

Walmart was packed last night with people looking for the perfect card/flowers/box of chocolates for their Valentine.

Me?  I was there for cinnamon rolls and lunchmeat.

I'm not much for flowers, unless I can plant them in my garden.

I don't want chocolate (hard enough to lose my "winter weight").

I do love a good card, especially handmade ones (hint, hint).

But on this Valentine's day, I already have everything I need.  I hold the love for these silly kids deep in my heart:

and the guy responsible for giving me these silly kids, too:

Hope your day is filled with love, both sent and received.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Do you TGIF?

Most people in the workaday world rejoice the arrival of Friday.

Since having kids, I have usually worked the weekend shifts in some fashion, mainly so we don't need a sitter during the week.

I have been off all week, and now that Friday is here, it's time for Joe to be off and me to go to work.

I will work 12 hours Friday night, sleep a few hours Saturday, work Saturday night, sleep a bit on Sunday, and then the weekend will be over.  Come Monday, I'll be saying TGIM :)

I love the way this system works for our family.  I don't work every single weekend; it's just the way it turned out this week.  I like being able to get up in the mornings and make breakfast and pack lunches, and be home in the evenings to cook dinner and help with school stuff.  It's really the best of both worlds.

How many of you TGIF?  Is there anyone else with me, who will be happy when Monday arrives?

Return to Sender...

Yesterday, we (finally) got to have a playdate with a blog friend, Erin from It's a Small World. We met through Cara from Land of Bean, who lives in Baltimore.  How they met I can't remember, I only know that Erin and I discovered our close proximity sometime last year and only now managed to get together.

If you haven't met your blog friends in real life yet, you don't know what you're missing.  We had a great breakfast playdate; her babies are adorable, Gabe hit it off wonderfully with everyone, and we spent three hours sipping coffee, eating bagels, nursing babies (well, Erin did, not me), reading books (I loved how Erin's daughter snuggled up next to me on the couch, bringing one book after another to be read) and generally having a wonderful visit.

The only thing missing was our other friends, Cara and Mep from Not to Brag.  Methinks we need to plan a midwest get-together, girls!

Like all good things, the playdate came to an end and I had to get Gabe to school.  He was in tears, and not very cooperative about the leaving part.  I finally wrangled him into his coat and shoes and we said our goodbyes and thank yous and nice to finally meet yous and headed north.

Halfway home, through the tears, Gabe asked for his blankie.

Which was still at Erin's house.

Sigh.

I texted Erin, who found the blankie and offered to mail it, sweet soul that she is.  The weather was getting slushy, and I did not have the time to run all the way back to her town to get it, so the mailing of it was a great idea.

Gabe checked the mailbox as soon as he got home from school.  Three hours later.  And couldn't understand why his blankie wasn't in there yet :)

He made do just fine with our "backup blankies" that I keep in the hall closet, which I thought he would.

Thanks, Erin, for a great morning, and for being the savior of the blankie for Gabe!  Can't wait to do it again (minus the extra trip to the post office for you).

A memory date

Dear Dad,

I'm not sure if you still celebrate this day where you are, but down here, we still do.

You would've been 66 years old today.  You have a gaggle of grandkids who would love to bake you your favorite yellow cake with chocolate icing and sing Happy Birthday, watching you blow out candles and open your gifts of Coca-cola or Nascar memorabilia.  You have a wife who still misses you like crazy.

And you have two daughters who miss their annual lunch/movie birthday date with their dad.

We still dream about you.  We still talk about you.  We look at old pictures and reminisce about all the memories we made while you were with us, and the things you would say if you were alive (about a particular book, or movie, or things like Facebook and blogs :)

Yesterday, Mom and Rhonda and I went to Panera for lunch, then the cinema to see The Rite.  Your favorite kind of movie...scary and intense.  I remember when you introduced me to Stephen King...when I was 10 years old!  The scarier, the better, in our opinion, right?  We had a great time together, us three girls.  But you were on our minds, and on our hearts.  You were missed, but you know what?  We felt your presence.  Your love still binds us together.  And I know that someday we will get to wrap our arms around you again, laying our heads on your chest and feeling the security of being held by you.

You are loved, more than ever.  You are missed, every day.  The pain of your absence is a bit less each year, as time has its way with us.  But you will never be forgotten.

Your "little tiger",

Heather

(Excerpt from my 2005 scrapbook, the year Dad died)

Favorite kid sport?

Today was the first official day of baseball practice for Elijah.

It was 30 degrees and snowing, but it didn't matter.

Our boys are tough.

It may have helped that they were practicing indoors.

In a huge gym, where they will continue to practice until spring decides to grace us with her presence.

I like kids' basketball.  And gymnastics.  And even soccer.

But I LOVE Little League baseball.

I am so excited for Elijah to have the chance to play on a competitive league, to showcase his mad pitching skills and first baseman prowess.  I can't wait to bask in the sun on the bleachers with the other moms, cheering our boys on as they give it their all.

Even on this cold, snowy day, the hope of a baseball-filled spring is just around the corner, and it makes this momma very happy.

Are your kids in sports?  What's your favorite one to be a part of?  Are you lusting for spring as much as I am?

Month of Love

It may not be any warmer outside, but January is over, February is the shortest month, and then it's March.  With its promise of warmth, and sunshine, and spring.  (And vacation during spring break...even better!)

There is nothing that brings more warmth to my heart than the love of my families.

God surely blessed me when He put Joe into my life.  His family is amazing, and I love all the time we get to spend together.  Joe's dad is coming home from the hospital today (again), hopefully cured of his a-fib and on his way to effectively dealing with his chronic congestive heart failure.  Thanks for the prayers!

Being the baby of three older sisters had its occasional disadvantage, but for the most part, I have been surrounded by love and affection since the day I was born.  I still have sister dates with Rhonda (usually lunch/movies/King's Island) and Michelle (scrapbooking nights at Archiver's), and I talk to them regularly.  I adore my big sisters!  And it's nice having my mom close by, able to see her grandbabies and come over for dinner whenever.  After living an hour away for the past 10 years, the 5 minute drive to her place is awesome.

Being blessed with adorable nieces and nephews is pretty great, too.  My kids love playing with their cousins!

What are some of the things that warm your heart during this month of love?

Broken record

Another snow day.

Another day of hearing "I'm so bored".

Another day of needing to write a paper for my class, but feeling pulled to play with the kids, instead.

I am seriously thanking God that February is a short month.  And I'm praying for a break from all this snow and ice and cold weather.  I desperately need a day of sunshine and temperatures above freezing.

My whining kids have turned me into a whiner.  What's a girl to do?

(Other than pack up my house and move to warmer parts.  Stephanie, your so-cal location is looking better every day!)