How to survive (another) snowday...

While the kids are busy playing, do the laundry...
with a little help from Gabe.






Spend twenty minutes getting bundled up (like the kid from "The Christmas Story"...'I can't put my arms down!'), then go outside and play for five minutes before getting too cold. Come back in and take off all your wet clothes so Mom can have more laundry to do.

When you're done playing in the snow, get Sissy to eat some "snow sundaes" with you, complete with marshmallows on top. Then beg Mommy to get down the glow sticks leftover from summertime and make glow swords with Lijah. Attack the Valentine flowers with a vengeance!

Get your ears pierced on a date with Mommy at Claire's, then celebrate your bravery with a cookie from Panera. Enjoy these moments, because before you know it, spring will be here and no more snow days for you.

Tennessee Bliss!

These are pics of the cabin we will be staying in on our vacay to Tennessee in April. Joe and I have been to Gatlinburg so many times, and it never gets old (for me, anyway). There is so much to see and do, and the kids absolutely love it! I can't wait to get Gabe onto those mountain hikes and wear him out! We are going with Joe's parents, which is always a good thing...I love spending time with Kay, and she is such a huge help with the kids, and they LOVE spending a whole weekend with their Mamaw and Papaw. We picked a new place to stay this time, a cabin by Hearthside Cabin Rentals in Pigeon Forge. A little closer to the park, and something different. It's been a couple of years since we went to Tennessee, so we are pretty excited. April can't get here soon enough!

Hope the weekend was good for everyone, despite the weather. I had a great weekend at work, with plenty of sleep at home and a husband who took good care of the house and kids while I was gone. I am so blessed to have a career that I love, and such a great hospital to work in. My co-workers are awesome and lots of fun...I can't say enough good things. Obviously, my endorphins are still kicked in from my workout this morning :)

Still thinking of that tattoo...and darn you, Becky, if you get a boob job, I will be so jealous. I will love you anyway, but I will still be jealous! Can't wait to have that baby of yours tomorrow!

More snow!

This may not be Lebanon, but it sure feels like it. More snow, ice and freezing rain for us...yuck! Have I mentioned that I am tired of winter? Of course, the kids and Joe are loving it; they only had two days of school this week between snow days and President's Day. For me, that means more laundry, more cooking and more cleaning up. But really, it's great...

Getting ready to go to work; can't wait to drive in this mess :) Wish me luck.

Here's to Old Man Winter leaving us alone until Christmas-time. Do I hear an Amen?

New Haircut

Just had to share Joe's new haircut...isn't it great? He is such a comedian!

Hope you know I am kidding! I got this in an email from my sister, and just had to share it! Some people are so creative (and daring). I am thinking of getting a tattoo with my friend, Becky, but we haven't quite decided yet. We are going to go tattoo-shopping tomorrow (if the weather behaves), and then we'll have more of an idea. If this is the way to deal with my "mid-life crisis", then it's sure a lot cheaper than a red convertible, and more sane than a "Thelma and Louise" vacation!

Isabel is thinking of getting a tattoo, too...NOT! She is wanting to get her ears pierced, though, especially since Becky's baby got hers done this week. Since we have a snow day today, she is wanting to go to Claire's and just do it while she has the guts :) I'll let you know if she really goes through with it!

Dreaming...

I'm dreaming of a beach vacation...

Wouldn't you love to be here, instead of cold, dreary, snowy Ohio? What I wouldn't give to hop on a plane bound for Bora Bora and just thaw out on a beach with a hot guy and a good book! (Not necessarily in that order...) Just looking at these pictures makes me yearn for summer. I love soaking up the sun, listening to good music and reading a great book...last summer I read the Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon, and it was so awesome to relax on my back deck and disappear into the Highlands with Claire and Jamie. Now when I re-read those books, I will think of that summer...I love that!

Hope you're all having a great day off for President's Day. We have gone to the YMCA, played with friends, done a bunch of laundry, read some good books, played Pokemon cards and colored Thomas books. Just love spending time with my kids...now it's time to go put some of that laundry away :)

Some old faves...

Yeah, yeah, I know, this is an old pic from Christmas, but I love the sweet look on Elijah's face, so I had to post it. I'm starting to go through my pictures to pick the ones I want to scrapbook on my weekend retreat. I know it's a month away, but you know me, I am a planner :)

Some of my other favorites of the kids, as well.

I am so incredibly blessed by these babies of mine. I wanted to be a mom ever since I can remember, and although every day isn't perfect, most of the time I wouldn't change a thing. Elijah and Isabel are so easy to get along with, responsible, loving, and funny, and they love me like crazy. Gabriel is just plain crazy! Kidding! He is so sweet and enthusiastic about life, with more energy than I know what to do with. There is nothing better than hearing "I love you, Mommy", said for no reason other than they truly mean it. No ulterior motive, no hidden meaning, just love, pure and simple. What did I ever do to deserve that? (Other than carry them for 9 1/2 months, give birth, nourish them with my own body...but who's keeping track?) Seriously, though, my kids know that I love them more than anything, and that my love is completely unconditional. I had that love from my parents growing up, and what a gift...it totally made me the person I am today. I try to make sure that I tell them every day how much I love them (in between yelling at them to please not fight with each other!) Isn't it funny how you start the day with such good intentions (I will not raise my voice today, I will be patient, I will be kind, I will be fun), and then you walk into the kitchen and step into a pile of sugar spilled by your adorable daughter before you have even had a cup of coffee, and you already want to scream?! Who knew being a (good) parent would be so hard...other than our own parents?

Wow, I'm being sappy tonight. I must be tired...I'm going to try to take some more fun pictures this week to post later. Have a great night, and a great day tomorrow!

The Joy of a Box...

We have about three gajillion toys in our house...Legos, trains, blocks, puzzles, books, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, Hot Wheels...the list is endless. On this day last week, Gabe would not play with a single one of them. All he wanted to do was play in this box, watching one of his favortie movies, "Zathura". The box alternated between being his bed, his spaceship and his boat. I love this baby's imagination! Now, if he would have really fallen asleep in there, my afternoon would have been perfect. Gabe thinks he is getting too big for naps, but I disagree. Not that he even gets very crabby without one...I do! I NEED that two hours to myself in the afternoon; to read, scrapbook, clean, take a shower...whatever, as long as I am doing something by myself. So, until preschool next year, naptime is a must, whether he likes it or not! Poor Gabe, he has such a mean mommy :(

I am in such a winter funk...I can't wait for spring. This is the time every year where I just get so antsy for some warm weather. I HATE being cold, hate having to bundle up just to take the puppy out or get the mail, hate driving in the snow...God knew what He was doing putting me in Cincinnati, where at least we don't get a horrible amount of snow. I can't wait to plant some flowers in my pots on the front porch and on my deck, and watch the tulips and daffodils poke up and brave the elements. Come on, March! At least the hope of warm weather is on the horizon. Maybe I need to go to the tanning bed and get some UV rays...skin cancer be damned! I need some sunlight!

Now it's off to the YMCA to burn off the pizza I ate last night! Becky is pushing to do forty minutes on the elliptical, and it's great! I love having a workout partner who is as committed as I am to get in shape! Have a great weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Quick post today...lots of errands to run and things to do. Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day! Have a great day!

A Girl's Best Friend...

No, not a diamond, but our adorable puppy, Ellie! Isabel takes such good care of her, and although Ellie seems to know that I am the mommy, she also knows that Isabel is her "sister" and plays with her like no one else. Her favorite toy is a Barbie doll from Isabel's collection. I am so glad we got a dog, even though Joe wasn't too keen on the idea. Ellie is a great dog; not too yappy, loyal and affectionate, and loving to her family. We were so lucky to get her!

So, we have about 2 inches of snow with an inch of ice on top, and now it's sleeting with a chance of more snow. I know our winter hasn't been too bad this year, but I am so ready for spring! I saw a couple of my tulips trying to poke through the mulch last week, and I had to cover them back up so they wouldn't freeze. I'll bet Easter will be a cold one again this year. All those sleeveless Easter dresses to choose from...

Joe's parents are coming for dinner, so I'd better go and finish the roast. I'm using my brand-new Pampered Chef clay roasting pan...hope it turns out! Stay warm...only a few more weeks of this, right?!

Great new website!

I found a great new website, thanks to a blog that I visit often. The site is www.goodreads.com , and it's an online bookclub where you can log on to see what books other people are reading, express your opinion on books you have read, and find friends to talk about books that you love. If you log on, look for me and add me onto your friends list. What a cool idea! If you like to read, I think you will love this site.

So, it is 8:30pm and I am exhausted! I made a total fool of myself at church today, bawling like a baby during a time of sharing testimony. The combination of being sentimental, tired and mad at your husband will do that, I guess. I have had about nine hours of sleep in the past three days, working for 26 of those hours at the hospital. Thank God it was a good weekend at work, and also a big thanks to Him for keeping me healthy during this week of illness (strep, stomach flu) at my house. Although if I keep up with not getting sleep, I probably will get sick. I am about to put the kids to bed now, and then I am curling up under the covers with a good book (Ted Dekker's "Black", a Christian suspense trilogy).

Just a reminder that the next Stamp Camp is this coming Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4pm. I have some cute spring-inspired cards planned, so stop in and get crafty! Hope to see you there!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Sorry for the quality of this pic...it was the best I could do with not very much time. This is one of the very last pictures of me with my dad before he succumbed to lung cancer in August of 2005. Today would have been his 63rd birthday, and I hate that he isn't here to celebrate it with us. I can't believe he has been gone almost three years. I still miss him like crazy. When I read a new Dean Koontz or Stephen King book that I know he would like, it takes everything I have not to pick up the phone and call our old number. When does that stop? I wish he could see how much alike he and Gabriel are, and watch Elijah and Isabel doing their sports and dance recitals. I wish we could have one of our long phone conversations, complete with the famous 15-minute Klenk goodbye. So many missed moments...

The night that Dad died, we all walked out of the hospital exhausted and oh, so sad. It was after eleven o'clock, dark and humid outside. I got into my van, and this song was playing on the radio. I had heard it a few times at church, but didn't really pay attention to the words until that moment. I truly believe God works through music, and this song was on for a reason. Dad and I had a long conversation when he was in the hospital in June, before he got really sick, and he was wishing he had the kind of faith that he thought I had. I remember telling him that all it takes is a mustard seed, and just the fact that he was searching and wanting to believe was a good start. Dad was so afraid of dying, and he fought until his very last breath. My friends and co-workers took such good care of him while he was in the ICU, and they were some of my greatest support. It's weird how you can remember so many details years later. I think my experience has helped me be a more compassionate nurse, and I am grateful for that.

A couple of weeks after the memorial service, I had a vivid dream about Dad. In it, I could see him as he was before the cancer; 6' 5", tall and skinny with dark hair and a dark mustache. We were at a birthday party, and he was sitting right across from me. I asked him, "Dad, what are you doing here?", and he said, "I just missed you guys so much". And I asked, "So, did you go to Heaven?", and he said, "Well, yeah! You wouldn't believe how many people were here waiting for me!". When I woke up, I could remember that dream like it was real. It brought me such peace. Whether that was my psyche just relieving my fears and helping me cope, or a real visit from Dad, I won't know until I see him, but it truly did help. I hate that I didn't get so see my dad as often as I wanted to when he was alive. I hate that we missed going out to dinner and a movie for his last birthday because of bad weather. I hate that I don't have my dad around, period. But I am oh, so, grateful for having an awesome dad that loved me like crazy, that called me "his tiger", that tucked me into bed more nights than not, that taught me the love of reading and the ability to keep my mouth shut when I need to :) I love that.

Sorry for the length of this post...clearly I needed to talk/write about missing my dad today. Thanks for reading, and for always listening when I need to talk about it. I am surrounded by a loving circle of friends and family, and it makes me feel so blessed.

Upwards Basketball

Here is a picture of Elijah's first basketball game of the season playing with Upwards Basketball. It is a Christian organization that emphasizes sportsmanship, learning the plays, and doing your absolute best. I love it, and more importantly, Elijah loves it! At the beginning of each game, both teams gather for a small prayer. I love that! At a time when it isn't "cool" to be seen praying in front of friends, I think it's great that it's a part of every game. If a kid gets hurt on the court, every player on the court gets down on one knee and bows his head until the injured player is okay or is off the court. And Elijah's coach is awesome; he really teaches the boys how to play the game, and he is SO patient and fun. If you ever have the chance to be a part of this, I encourage you to do it.

Off to the YMCA now to exercise...wish me luck; I have two extra kiddos today (my nieces) and it is pouring the rain. But I am determined! See you soon!

The Strep Invasion!

Yep, it has finally reached the Kelsey home...the Strep throat invasion begins. We have avoided it for four whole years, but it seems this year there is a very contagious strain making its way around Lebanon, and Elijah is the first to fall. I am hoping that by catching it early we will avoid anyone else in the house coming down with it. Since he wouldn't let me take a picture of his throat, I had to hunt for one on the Internet. Google is a wondrous thing! So...if you or yours start to complain of a sore throat, headache, bellyache and a fever, get to your doctor right away. Thank God for amoxil!

Please say a little prayer for Elijah to feel better soon, poor baby. He is such a trooper, but he really does feel puny, and he has lost two pounds (which he can't afford to lose). God love him.