Causin' Trouble

She may look innocent, but this little lady is stirrin' up some trouble at our house. No longer are plants, toilet paper or low lying breakables safe. She's on the move and keepin' it lively.

The Ladies!!!

The Ladies of the house have been on my mind today. It started this morning when, once again, Madeline got up with Autumn and took care of her. She doesn't even wake me up. They just go downstairs and watch TV until I make my way down to make the bottle.


Autumn just waits for it, grabs it, and gulps away, opting to stay with her big sister for their morning ritual. (The best part is that I get to go for a jog at this point.)

Madeline also surprised us all my making her first goal in soccer. At practice she can be seen attempting cartwheels and moving at a snails pace, but in the game today, she was makin' some moves!


The next lady that is touching my life, is my mom. I don't know if I mentioned it, but my mom has been living with us since April and I am loving the extra set of hands. She is also the reason for the return on my morning jogs. No longer do I have to wait until Jason is home ( seeing as with an ER schedule it is totally random and strange), I can just set my alarm and grandma Kathy is here to monitor the troops.





Not only that, but she watches the kids so Jro and I can both go to Mutual every tues. She has taken over our Sunday dinners and best of all, she helps with homework and answers a few of the thousands of questions that come my way each day. Now, as most of you know, I tend to be a bit controlling and regimented. I know my ways are hard to a free spirit like my mom, but we have found a good balance and I appreciate all that she does for our family.

Last but not least, Miss Autumn. My heart just pangs watching her change every day. She is almost 10 months, doing her one-legged funky crawl, trying to walk, cutting her first tooth, testing out the high notes of her emerging voice, making messes, causing a ruckus and wrapping the whole family tighter and tighter around her cubby finger. She is happy, happy. She is a flirt and a tease. Please stop getting older......PLEASE!!!!!

Poop on them!!!!

I am struggling this year letting my kids go out into the world. I have a hard time taking in all of the input I am constantly getting about them. How they measure up, how their quirks are affecting them, how others perceive them, how many friends they have, how do they feel about themselves. With three kids in school, I feel like there are very few days that I am not worried about someone for something. They each have their unique challenges and I just worry and worry, wanting them to handle things like I want them to, rather than let them work it out in their own time.

Nothing hurts worse than when someone makes a negative statement about your own children, and it seems that people are just a little too free with their comments to me. I get far more hurt than if they were to comment about me. In fact, I guess that is what drives me so crazy!! People are always analyzing kids behavior with a fine tooth comb and trying to place blame or find a reason for each little moment. In my experience, it seems to me that kids are just a little bit nuts!! They do things, say things and try things that are completely wrong, weird and inappropriate, but isn't that the point. Isn't that why they are kids? Why do we try so hard to define these little people before they have a chance to define themselves. Worst of all is that I react. Not to the person who talks negatively about my family, but to my kids. I try to make them fit in, try to make others see what is so great about them.

My new decision is simple......"Poop on those nay sayers" You heard me!!! My kids rock!!! They are totally obnoxious, weird, rude, and unruly. But still, they ROCK!!! They are kind-hearted, inquisitive, bright and unique. If someone cannot see those things in them, then they have the problem and I repeat "POOP ON THEM!!!" Man that feels good to say. Try it!!! Shout it out loud!!!! It helps to relieve some of the hurt that is plaguing me right now. What my kids need of me is someone who is in their corner, ready to stand with them, stand up for them and filter out the world's poop and stay focused on what I already know about them.

Cold Camping

As one of our final summer activities, Jason talked me into 2 nights of camping. I actually like to camp, but after many failed attempts, I have grown adverse to camping with a baby. I had planned for a quiet weekend with Autumn, but Jason looked so disappointed that his great vision of family togetherness would not come true, that I caved. Luckily his parents and their trusty trailer had signed up, so I felt confident as we loaded up and headed up I70 to Turquoise Lake, near Leadville.

















We were there about 15 minutes before every child was covered in dirt and Jason was beaming with satisfaction. I decided to try a new campfire meal, marinated kabobs. It turned out great, except the fact that I didn't have a good method for turning them. No need to fret, Papa Ed fears no fire, and flipped them with his bare hands. (Once again upping his position on the mountain man scale)





The Lake was incredible. Pure glass each morning (not to mention, cold as ice all day) and full of plenty of fish for us to catch. Poor Jaxen couldn't stand to watch them suffer, so we released them all back to lake. (I must admit that I was relieved as well, it just makes me sad)












We froze at night as the temperature plummeted to 30 degrees each night. I ended up sharing a cozy night with both Elijah and Autumn snuggled close---I must say, I totally loved it.

There were so many great little moments. Jason was right, it is worth all of the trouble and mess to get away from all of the distractions. We could just relax and focus on each other for a while.

After that, it was time to get ready for school. I always brain storm my new battle plans for getting everyone off, getting all of my work done and how to meet all of our demands without turning into psycho mom. The game plan this year.....LESS DRILL SARGEANT MOM...LESS MULTI-TASKING...and MORE ONE ON ONE. It's not perfect, but I feel like I'm getting better. It's so much pressure being the mom. My mood runs the whole house and sometimes my mood ain't so great. In my head I repeat "just keep swimming, just keep swimming" It will all get done in due time.