tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28900815520091557312024-02-25T16:13:23.686-05:00Just Being BridgetBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.comBlogger320125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-44437371263994424262015-10-16T15:50:00.000-04:002015-10-16T15:50:12.442-04:001 month outA little over a month ago is when my anxiety roller coaster started. Things are getting better but I still have days that are not so great. Yesterday I felt really good; I was in a great mood and no anxiety at all. Today I feel sort of blah, tired and I had a bit of anxiety this morning. So it's up and down for sure at this point. But- I'm moving in the right direction.<br />
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This is what I have done so far:<br />
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- I quit caffeine and alcohol 100%. This has been hard because I'm so tired and I wish I could just have one cup of coffee!<br />
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- I am eating 100% gluten free and most of the time I am trying to eat whole foods, not processed foods. I met with my dietician today and the next step is gluten and dairy free. I am not excited about this at all because- cheese, yogurt and butter. <br />
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- I'm journaling before bed. This is mostly a list of what I am grateful for and what I still need (ie: patience, support, not to feel guilty, etc.)<br />
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- The kids are going to daycare pretty much full-time right now. On Monday I will keep them home to see how I handle it. I'm going to slowly ease back into keeping them home with me two days a week.<br />
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- Spending more time outdoors, going for walks, sitting in the yard, trying to enjoy nature. This always calms me down.<br />
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I did get some of my blood work back and it showed an elevated TSH level, a very low glucose level and a couple of other items out of range. I'm waiting to hear what my functional medicine doc has to say about the results.<br />
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<br />Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-50634247003613300252015-10-12T10:19:00.000-04:002015-10-12T10:19:03.600-04:00Freedom FarmsThis weekend we went to a local fall festival at Freedom Farms. The weather was perfect, the kids were so excited and I felt like my "normal self". It was a day to be remembered that's for sure.<br />
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The pony rides were probably their favorite part of the day. They each rode twice and we had to practically drag them away from the area when their turn was up. They were in love!<br />
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Then we took a hayrack ride up to the pumpkin patch and picked pumpkins. Gavin loved riding behind the tractor and we even got to see some cows (his favorite animal).</div>
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Next up was face painting. Emily chose a butterfly and Gavin got a cow.</div>
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It felt great to be back in the swing of things and feeling like myself again. </div>
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I hope you all had a great weekend too!</div>
Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-68408338977774845472015-10-09T10:03:00.000-04:002015-10-09T10:03:03.190-04:00Emily & Gavin Lately I figure I've posted enough about myself lately and I miss writing about the kiddos so here's an update.<br />
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Emily: <br />
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She's going to be 4 in a little over 2 weeks and I can't handle it. She loves learning anything and everything and is always asking questions. "How do you spell this momma? What does this word start with? What's 4+5?" All day. She can write her letters and spell all of our names. She's working on learning to write her numbers and she's pretty good! She loves music and dancing so much. She can hear a song one or two times and learns the words very quickly. Her favorite things right now are rocks and jewelry. We collected lake glass on our vacation this summer and she has quite the collection of glass and rocks that she sorts through and plays with all the time. I also went through my old jewelry box and gave her a bunch of my old jewelry and she is obsessed. Her sleep is fantastic- she goes to bed around 8:00 every night and after a couple of songs and naming our favorite things from the day I usually don't hear another peep out of her. She wakes up around 6:45 or so every morning. We went through a little phase where she was waking up crying at 4am daily and I got her one of those "alarm clocks" that turns green when it's ok to get up and that stopped that problem the next day. Her relationship with Gavin is pretty funny. She loves her little brother so much but she gets annoyed with him from time to time. She does try to help him do things and she takes good care of him at daycare, which makes my heart swell.<br />
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Gavin:<br />
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Gavin is 2.5 now and he is so funny and is always laughing about something silly. The past few weeks he has started a difficult phase. The whining about everything, crying and throwing himself down if he doesn't get his way phase. It's hard. I think it happens because he is frustrated. He wants so badly to do everything that Emily can do and when he can't he gets very upset. He also doesn't talk very clearly so we have a hard time understanding what he's trying to say sometimes. He has started sort of stuttering at the beginning of sentences and I remember Emily going through this too. It's like their little brains are moving faster than their mouths can get the words out. He is all boy as far as being physical. He loves wresting around and climbing all over his dad and jumping off anything and everything. He is much more daring than Emily which gives me a heart attack daily. He loves our animals and walks around the house calling for them during the day "Where are you Sadie? Where are you Pete?" His favorite things right now are animals, trucks and trying to do anything that Emily is doing. He follows that girl around and does exactly what she does all day long. His sleep is not great. He fights going to bed for over an hour and he wakes up at 6am on most days.<br />
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Mostly, I'm just so thankful that I have these two little ones in my life. Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-53318570160715587432015-10-07T09:14:00.000-04:002015-10-07T09:14:30.490-04:00The stone is finally gone!Thank God, the stone is gone.<br />
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We went to the hospital at 7:30am yesterday for my second surgery. I got checked in, got my IV and talked to the nurse anesthetist. He told me I would be under general anesthesia and the urologist would use a laser to break the stone and then remove it. If everything looked ok he would also remove the stent and I would be good to go. Then the urologist came in, told me the same thing and said he would see me in 4 weeks for a check up.<br />
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So off to surgery I went, it was quick and before I knew it I was waking up in recovery. About 2 hours later I was able to go home. I was sore but not nearly as sore as I had been the past few days. The doctor had given Steve these pictures when he went to update him. Crazy that something so small can wreak such havoc. <br />
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When we got home, the kids were across the street with Grandma and they came over for a few minutes to say hi and bring me flowers they picked. They are just the cutest. They have been handling this so well and I am thankful for that.<br />
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All of this seems like a weird practical joke and I'm ready for some calm in my life. Or at least no trips to the ER in the near future.<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-89721218152423198042015-10-05T10:48:00.000-04:002015-10-05T10:48:24.359-04:00Another trip to the ERYesterday I was starting to feel better pain wise from my ovarian cyst rupture. My anxiety has been under control and I've been feeling better all around. We went to our friend's son's birthday party and we all had a great time. The kids has their faces painted for the first time and they were so excited!<br />
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After the party the kids really wanted to see Grandma and Grandpa so we dropped them off and went home to relax a bit. After about a half hour I started to have sharp pain in my lower right back. The pain was gradually getting worse and I told Steve we might have to go back to the ER. In my mind I was thinking, "are you f*cking kidding me??". We called Steve's parents and told them what was going on and within 10 minutes the pain went from bearable to unbearable- I might throw up- get in the car and drive fast. I think I screamed at Steve to go faster the whole 30 minutes to the hospital. <br />
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They got me to a room pretty quickly and gave me pain meds thankyoulord. Then we waited for another CT scan and talked to the ER doctor (same guy who saw me on Wednesday- crazy). My CT scan showed a 6mm kidney stone backing up my kidney flow and causing quite a bit of swelling. The doctor did not know why it didn't show up on the scan from Wednesday and he also said that my kidney looked normal on the scan from Wednesday. So he consulted with the urologist on call and they decided I would be going to surgery at 8pm to see if he could get the stone out.<br />
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Long story short, he wasn't able to get the stone out so a stent was placed and I go back in tomorrow to have the stone broken up with a laser.<br />
<br />
Lord I need a break.<br />
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<br />Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-91440796533320612452015-10-02T09:15:00.001-04:002015-10-02T09:15:45.459-04:00What a nightWednesday I met with my nutritionist for the first time. She is awesome and she has a lot of experience helping people with anxiety and PMS (and many other conditions ) change their eating habits to relieve their symptoms. We will meet every 2-3 weeks and go over her goals for me and what I have been eating and how I have been feeling. My goals for the next two weeks are to go 100% gluten free and to control my blood sugar by eating breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack and dinner. If I eat fruit or a (gluten free) carb I need to "anchor" it with a healthy fat like avocado, coconut products, nuts or seeds. So if I want an apple I need to have almond butter with it so that my blood sugar doesn't spike. She also wants me to add more of these healthy fats to each meal. Meeting with her helped me a lot and made me feel like I was doing something productive to feel better.<br />
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I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before so I had been a tiny bit anxious all day. When we picked the kids up from daycare I was feeling really anxious. For some reason the needs of the kids and the loudness/craziness has been triggering my anxiety. It doesn't happen all the time but it happens. So after dinner we decided to go for a walk because being out in the fresh air almost always helps to calm my anxiety.<br />
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We got home from the walk and I was feeling better, when out of nowhere I started having really sharp pains in my lower abdomen. I thought maybe I needed to go to the bathroom but that wasn't the case. I sat on the bathroom floor trying not to get sick and told Steve to call his mom (she has a long career in nursing). When she got to our house I was feeling very faint, the pain was getting much worse and I was starting to hyperventilate. She said we should probably get to the ER in case it was my appendix or another kidney stone.<br />
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I put on the bravest/most normal face that I could and said goodnight to the kids and off to the ER we went. The ER doc was convinced it was my appendix but after a cat scan they told me I had an ovarian cyst that had burst and that I have three other cysts on my left ovary. <br />
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The upside to all of this is that I was able to keep my anxiety under control and besides being very sore I was fairly calm all day yesterday. <br />
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Here's hoping this weekend is a relaxing one.<br />
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<br />Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-69621227093804457212015-09-29T08:05:00.000-04:002015-09-29T08:22:43.436-04:00Anxiety Part IIYesterday was the first day in 2 weeks that I actually felt like myself. I was so grateful to be able to drop my kids off at daycare, go to work, pick my kids up, make dinner, actually eat dinner and play as a family until bedtime.<br />
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It's amazing the little things that are taken for granted when we feel fine.<br />
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The mornings are still my hardest time of the day. I wake up with a terrible jittery, anxious feeling and getting the kids fed and off to daycare is a struggle. There is a lot of inner dialogue that goes something like this, "everything is fine, you can do this, take a deep breath, etc." <br />
<br />
Things I'm doing to help with my anxiety:<br />
- Taking Zoloft 25mg daily and Ativan .5mg as needed<br />
- I haven't had any coffee or alcohol in 2 weeks<br />
- I go to spinning 2-3 times a week and I take a lot of walks, being outside helps a lot<br />
- I listen to guided meditation before bed and it usually puts me to sleep<br />
- If I start to feel overwhelmed around the kids, I remove myself and go somewhere quiet<br />
- I've been writing in a journal before bed<br />
- I use my essential oils all the time<br />
- Acupuncture and chiropractic<br />
- Therapy<br />
- I am meeting a nutritionist tomorrow that was recommended by my functional medicine doctor<br />
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I don't know how today will go but for now I am thankful that yesterday was a good day.<br />
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<br />Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-65832300674994102602015-09-24T18:44:00.000-04:002015-09-24T18:44:20.186-04:00Anxiety.I've always been an anxious person. I can remember having anxiety attacks as early as middle school- although at the time I didn't know what they were. As I got older I had them less frequently but they did happen from time to time during stressful situations like when my mom was sick or any time I've traveled. <br />
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Through all of those years I had never been on a daily medication or antidepressant for anxiety. I had a prescription for Ativan to use as needed. And I only took it when I was having a panic attack. <br />
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I didn't have much anxiety after the initial hormone craziness when Emily was born. I managed to stay pretty calm but I did have issues if I didn't sleep well.<br />
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Then I had Gavin and shit hit the fan so to speak. I had PPD from his birth and surgery. I was put on three different medications- 1 for sleep, 1 for anxiety and 1 for depression. I had a horrific month of trying to get my body used to being on these drugs and I spent most of my days in bed, away from my kids feeling like a totally different person.<br />
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After about 6 months I was weaned off of the sleep medication and that went well. Then I started using less of my anti-anxiety medication and everything was good. I stayed on my antidepressant for over a year and then felt like I didn't need it anymore. I talked to my doctor and we started the weaning process. I've been off the antidepressant since March and I feel fine....most of the time.<br />
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My biggest issue- and this has been an issue since having kids- is PMS. I'm talking the worst PMS I have ever had. It starts after I ovulate and continues until I get my period and then poof I'm back to normal.<br />
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During this two week period I don't recognize myself. I have zero patience, I am irritable, angry, just the biggest bitch- and I can't control it. I yell at Steve & the kids for the smallest things. I don't sleep well and I get anxious very easily, especially at night. <br />
<br />
Ten days ago I had a panic attack when I woke up on Sunday. It was during PMS time and I didn't sleep well so I didn't think much of it. I got myself through it with a phone call to my sister, a phone call to my aunt, a walk and a nap with the kids. After the nap I felt pretty much back to normal. Then it happened again the next day and every day since then. It is awful & so debilitating. I can't do anything. I can't go to work and I can't take care of my kids. Mornings are by far my worst time and by afternoon I can usually start being around the kids and doing things around the house.<br />
<br />
Last Sunday it was so bad that I called the doctor that originally prescribed my antidepressant and I had his answering service page him. He called me in a prescription for a different anti-depressant and I've been taking it since. But the antidepressant isn't a "quick fix" at all. It makes me tired, nauseous, irritable and I have a dull headache all day every day. <br />
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I met with a functional medicine doctor this week and I am hoping that she can find the root cause of my anxiety and PMS issues because I have a strong feeling that they are related. After spending two hours with me asking questions and doing an exam, she feels there could be a number of hormone/dietary/supplement deficiencies that could be contributing to my problems. She has ordered a lot of tests and she's checking for a multitude of things. I've also started therapy and I've been to acupuncture a couple of times. <br />
<br />
I just have such a huge feeling of guilt that this is happening. I feel guilty that my kids schedule has changed and they can't stay home with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I feel guilty that my husband is taking on the extra stress of everything I do on top of his own work and school. I feel guilty that we are spending extra money on doctors and tests. There is just so much guilt.<br />
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I've gone back and forth about posting this but I've decided I need to get it out and get it off my chest. And maybe one of you out there has been through the same thing and has a suggestion that will help me.<br />
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<br />Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-11880645349070906472015-04-10T15:24:00.001-04:002015-04-10T15:24:59.246-04:00it's only been 7 months.Holy sh&t my last post was October 1st. <br />
<br />
I thought about jumping on and writing so many times but never <em>actually</em> got around to it. <br />
<br />
So if anyone out there is still reading- this is what has happened since October 1st. <br />
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A ton, of course. I'll give you the highlights.<br />
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Emily's 3rd birthday. Oh my lord my little girl is 3 going on 30. We did a pink and gold theme for her party and we took her to a fall festival where she got to ride a horse. She was in heaven. 3 year old Emily is sweet, smart, cautious, and loves "mothering" Gavin (aka: telling him what to do). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgXuOb46hqH1TnKpTYe7f-XWntr0MXTey-rzSZ6i7bqB6aKheDqnb2T9ZedFkjJ6sISkKaTh7dxBURGfYXqPvz3mOGeO-ZhyphenhyphenlhVLceUhVOyAzvTxX_IZcgBUxp2DOx9oSrpqe_g-u_b8/s1600/1385251_10101376018869255_4697042397448007200_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgXuOb46hqH1TnKpTYe7f-XWntr0MXTey-rzSZ6i7bqB6aKheDqnb2T9ZedFkjJ6sISkKaTh7dxBURGfYXqPvz3mOGeO-ZhyphenhyphenlhVLceUhVOyAzvTxX_IZcgBUxp2DOx9oSrpqe_g-u_b8/s1600/1385251_10101376018869255_4697042397448007200_n.jpg" height="316" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they loved the horses!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not the best family picture</td></tr>
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Thanksgiving and Christmas. We celebrated at home and both holidays were wonderful. We did Elf on the Shelf for the first time (don't hate) and I freaking love those elves. Mainly because they got Emily to start potty training- I am not above bribery at all. <br />
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Gavin's 2nd birthday. G-buddy's birthday was a farm theme and he loved it! Tractors, barns, and animals are his favorite. He is rowdy, wild, funny- and he loves to laugh. He is so different from his sister. Emily is mama's girl and he is daddy's boy all the way. He doesn't talk as much as his sister but he sure does know how to tell you what he wants.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gavin with his Grandpas</td></tr>
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My sister, Niki, had a baby! My newest niece, Charlotte, was born in February. I made it to Illinois to be with my sister after delivery and it was the best time. It's her first baby and she is a natural! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to the world Charlie!</td></tr>
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We went to Florida. At the end of February we flew to Florida to visit my dad & his wife during their vacation. We had so much fun staying on the beach and the kids never wanted to leave the pool. While we were there we celebrated my 36th birthday (why does that sound so old??). It was a nice break from the crazy Pennsylvania winter.<br />
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We went to Illinois/Iowa. Last weekend we went to the Quad Cities to visit my family for Easter and to celebrate my dad's birthday. Since the whole family was together we decided to get family pictures taken. Such a good time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R44Uc8gufYIIO-cPTMVpGpEriTNpojpiirWH4ld9CBaz0NM1759X8B1icg6ubQJa0AgnAQi5r3Sa_UU7BM9TtfzJqpBoqp1yS6R5iUM1ksSgDq3A7NuFJOgXFAfe16_gsfDm-JIN_ak/s1600/21317_10206664205072489_6334384000310365014_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R44Uc8gufYIIO-cPTMVpGpEriTNpojpiirWH4ld9CBaz0NM1759X8B1icg6ubQJa0AgnAQi5r3Sa_UU7BM9TtfzJqpBoqp1yS6R5iUM1ksSgDq3A7NuFJOgXFAfe16_gsfDm-JIN_ak/s1600/21317_10206664205072489_6334384000310365014_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily is in love with her cousin Knox</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm holding my cousins!!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my wonderful family</td></tr>
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It's been a good 7 months!<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-42219382779490727082014-10-01T13:08:00.001-04:002014-10-01T13:08:41.667-04:00toddlers are hardMost people post "the good stuff" on instagram and facebook, right? I know I do- mainly so my family in Illinois can see what E & G are up to without witnessing the reality of toddler insanity that is every day life around here. And it goes without saying, that I post what I do because I'm proud of my kids and I think they are pretty freaking cute. But on an average day- my life looks nothing like it does on IG or FB.<br />
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Take yesterday for example, I was having a totally shit day with both kids screaming, Gavin refusing to eat, and Emily crying about basically everything in her life.....and I thought to myself, I can't handle this. And if I'm totally honest, most days I feel like a below average mom because my kids are crying/fighting/not listening/not eating/not napping/not potty training/younameit and I'm losing my temper with them and I'm yelling (which helps nothing) and sending my husband texts that say, "you should probably come home before I lose it".<br />
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But during these crazy days, there is usually a moment with Emily or Gavin or both where I stop and think- "well, you must be doing something right because that was awesome". <br />
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Yesterday, that moment happened when Emily and I were lying on her bed and she was pretending to read to me. No book in sight, just flipping pages of an imaginary book and when she got to the 'end' of the book- she spelled the word 'please'. I looked at her in shock and said, "did you just spell please??" She just smiled. I grabbed my phone and asked her to spell it again and she did!<br />
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We read <u>Penguin Says Please</u> to her every night and the last page has the word please in capital letters and she always points to the letters and then says- "please has 2 E's!". She basically knows the book by heart but how in the heck does she know how to spell?? Proud mom moment for sure, even if I have no idea how it happened.<br />
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So in between bribing Gavin to eat 2 bites of mac and cheese with Baby Einstein (on the living room floor)...<br />
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and Emily crying because her sock was on wrong...<br />
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there was a bright spot that let me know I'm doing ok at this mom thing.<br />
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(and yes, we were in our pajamas all day)<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-17629882578431595882014-09-24T10:37:00.001-04:002014-09-24T10:37:34.541-04:00Lately- September EditionWell whaddya know, I'm here for my monthly blog post. Hopefully some of you are still out there reading...<br />
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What's been going on over here? I'll give you bullet points to keep it somewhat quick.<br />
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<ul>
<li>My little brother and my sister-in-law had their first baby!! His name is Knox and he's the cutest damn thing I have ever seen. </li>
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Emily is obsessed with him and she asks to facetime with "Mox" daily.<br />
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<ul>
<li>We celebrated Steve's birthday! It was the big 3-5 so we left the kids with grandma and grandpa and went to the big city for a Pirates game. We ran into one of Steve's baseball teammates from college and spent most of the game chatting and laughing. We had a great night (had a few too many cocktails) and we saw Lynyrd Skynyrd play- SO cool. </li>
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Sunday we tried to recuperate and had dinner and cake with Steve's parents.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Cold/pink eye/flu season is here and I hate it. Gavin got hit first and it was bad. We had to take him to Children's because he was having trouble breathing. Since Gavin was born with a diaphragmatic hernia, he doesn't have the lung strength that a normal toddler has. So when he gets a cold, it usually includes a trip to Children's for a chest x-ray, steroids and lots of worry. He spent a week at home with me and had breathing treatments every 4 hours. He's a tough little guy so he bounced back pretty quickly. Of course, the week he went back to daycare both he and Emily came home with pink eye. Joy. </li>
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<ul>
<li>We are adding a four season room and deck to the back of our house and I cannot wait!! I <em>think/hope</em> they are starting some demo work today and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that at least the room portion is done by Emily's birthday. </li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Emily is acting like a teenager lately. And she's funny, like- really funny. She still has no interest in potty training (stubborn) and we need to ditch the paci soon- I am dreading that one (give me all your tips). She's all about mothering Gavin lately which is the total opposite of their relationship so far. It's super cute but I'm not sure Gavin is a fan.</li>
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<ul>
<li>Gavin is finally starting to say a few words. I was beginning to wonder if he would ever talk! He is a daddy's boy <u>all the way</u>- so much so that if I try to get him out of bed when he wakes up he throws himself down crying and says, "no, no, no- daddy!!". It's an understatement to say that this breaks my heart. He's also learning how to run and I could watch this all day long. There is nothing better than a wobbly toddler is there?</li>
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-44923186312967221692014-09-02T10:20:00.000-04:002014-09-02T10:20:23.113-04:00I'm behind....as usualWell it's been almost a month since I came here to write. What is it about summer that gets me so far behind? Oh yes- the sun, the kids, and Big Brother (who do you want to win??).<br />
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We just got back from our annual vacation to Lake Erie and let me tell ya- if you aren't vacationing with grandparents, you're doing it wrong.<br />
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We all have so much fun on this trip and I think I can safely say it's win-win for everyone. The kids get to hang out with their grandparents (who they <em>might</em> love more than us) and Steve and I get to have some alone time while still having fun on the beach with the kids. <br />
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Ever since Steve was 2 years old, he and his parents have gone to a private community in Vermilion Ohio on Lake Erie. There is a great park for kids, a beautiful beach and some really amazing houses. Last year was my first year on this trip and I fell in LOVE. It's the most peaceful place I have ever been and it is now my dream to own a house here.<br />
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Emily is a beach girl for sure- she loved playing in the sand, walking in the water and helping me find lake glass. She was not however, a fan of wearing a life jacket- so no boating or swimming in the lake for her.<br />
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Gavin was not a fan of the beach at first. He didn't like the sand or the wind coming off the water. Once the wind calmed down, he did start to warm up to the beach life. He would throw rock after rock into the lake and he loved having water poured on his head. But his favorite part of vacation was playing at the park and daily bike rides with Grandpa- oh and chasing sea gulls.<br />
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Steve and I had a couple of dates, which is always good. <br />
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The kids played so well together (better than the norm) and we all had ice cream just about every day (I'm now on a diet).<br />
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There is just nothing better than a relaxing week away with your family, is there?<br />
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Now it's back to the real world - happy Tuesday!<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-81100605454503853702014-08-11T15:35:00.001-04:002014-08-11T15:35:19.691-04:00Transitioning to a big girl bedThe time has come....for Emily to sleep in a big girl bed. I was always the mom who saw other kids going into big kid beds and said- NO WAY, crib for life (right Kelly?). But when we went to Illinois a few weeks ago, we had Emily sleep on an inflatable mattress and she did so great and she really loved it! So when we got home Steve and I started talking about re-decorating her room for her 3rd birthday and getting her a big girl bed. <br />
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To start with the trasition to a twin bed we decided to take the front off of her crib. She LOVED it! So she's been sleeping in her crib like this for probably 2 weeks, maybe more, and she does really well. We put a big padded mat next to her bed in case she ever rolls out- which she has done a couple of times- but she always goes right back to sleep.<br />
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So fast forward to this weekend.... Grandma & Grandpa graciously got Emily a big girl bed as an early birthday present and we put it together last night. I wish I had a video of how excited Emily was- it was priceless!<br />
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She slept so great last night, barely moved at all and announced this morning that she "slept all night in her big bed!"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thanks G&G!!</td></tr>
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How did (almost) 3 years go by so fast??Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-73869161094796321562014-08-06T09:35:00.001-04:002014-08-06T09:35:12.633-04:00Ever have one of those days?I know you all have. The kind where you're asking yourself all day, "is it a full moon??"<br />
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To set the mood, these are the texts my husband got from me yesterday:<br />
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10:21am (side note: I held off texting until mid-morning so I feel like a should get an award): Today is terrible and you better be coming home for lunch. (he didn't make it home for lunch)<br />
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12:00pm: This has been my whole day.... (video of screaming children throwing themselves on the ground)<br />
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12:50pm: Steve seriously I can't handle this.<br />
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2:00pm: G napped for like an hour. Back to screaming. I'm leaving when you get home.<br />
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3:00pm: Emily can't poop and she's been crying about it all day. I don't know what to do.<br />
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A little over the top? Maybe. Today I look back and think it was a tiny bit dramatic but yesterday- no way was it dramatic. Gavin and Emily woke up at 5:30am on the WRONG side of the crib. They then took turns crying for the entire day. And I literally mean the entire day. And sometimes they cried together just for the extra effect. I could do nothing right. They even cried on our walk which is usually their favorite thing.<br />
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I'm not even sure what was wrong with Gavin. He's been in this crying about everything and throwing fits phase. I remember it with Emily around this age too. He isn't talking yet so if you can't figure out his grunts and points you are in serious trouble. And he hates when Emily is sad so that makes him cry too.<br />
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Sorry for the TMI, but I'm keeping it real here. Emily could not poop. She needed to poop and she couldn't. She would try and start screaming and shaking. And I did everything to try to help her. It was awful. When Steve got home I ran out to get children's suppositories- I will leave that description out but let me just say I hope to never have to do that again. And 2 hours of laying on me and crying later, still no poop. She didn't want dinner and she kept saying she was tired so I put her down for bed. Before she went down I rubbed rosemary and ginger oil on her belly doing the "I love you" massage. At about 10:00 Steve said she was crying so I went in to check on her. She had finally pooped in her sleep- hallelujah!! <br />
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I stood in the kitchen with Steve and I just cried. I can't remember the last time my day was so hard that it actually made me cry. I felt physically and emotionally exhausted and beat up. I felt like a crap mom.<br />
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But this morning, when I went to get Emily out of her bed and she smiled at me and said, "mommy I so happy to see you and I feelin so much better today", the struggle of yesterday was (mostly) erased and I knew I could do it all again today.<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-13775057294525657092014-07-28T10:29:00.000-04:002014-07-28T10:29:59.642-04:00family reunion in IllinoisLast weekend we made the long drive back to Illinois for my family reunion. When I say the drive was long- I really mean it. We hit stand still traffic at least 4 times, Gavin cried most of the way and we stopped more times than I could count. On the bright side- Emily did fantastic and was a huge help with Gavin- as you can tell from the pictures.<br />
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Our first stop was only two hours into the drive- Gavin was ecstatic to be out of the car and didn't sit or stand still the whole time we were at the rest stop (thus the blurry picture). Pretty sure this is when Steve and I knew we were in for it.<br />
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Our last stop on the way to Illinois was by accident. We were coming up on our 5th traffic jam and I screamed at Steve to take the exit that was literally right next to us on the interstate. I knew none of us would keep our sanity if we had to sit in traffic again. Thankfully there was a huge outdoor mall right off the exit and we ate dinner and the kids ran around. It was a lifesaver.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">these two kill me</td></tr>
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When we got to my Grandpa's house it was about 9:00pm (we left at 8:30am) and the kids were WIRED. We unpacked the car and started to get things settled. My kids are shy- there's no doubt about that. When they meet new people or see someone they haven't seen for awhile they hide behind my legs and take a bit to warm up. But when they saw my Grandpa they walked right up to him and started showing him their "friends", it was absolutely heartwarming.<br />
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The next day we spent a lot of time at my dad's farm (where I grew up). The kids had a lot of fun playing with some of their cousins and seeing lots of new things.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">eating sour apples picked from Grandpa's tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">checking out grandpa's soy beans and throwing apples</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">exploring</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shucking sweet corn for lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cousins!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">jumping on a tractor inner tube like mommy used to do</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and of course- climbing trees!</td></tr>
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That night most of the family went to Jungle Bungle and the kids had a blast while the parents did a lot of chasing the kids around. <br />
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Sunday morning we went to visit my mom's grave. The kids have never been to it so it was pretty emotional for me. When we got out of the car and walked up to her grave, Gavin squatted down right in front of it and wiped her picture off and just stayed there looking at it. Cue tears.<br />
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Then we went to my family reunion. I've been going to these every year since I can remember but since we moved to PA, we haven't made it back for one in a couple of years. It's basically a pot luck and a "meeting" where they record marriages, births, deaths, etc. I didn't get many pictures but I did get one of my Dad and Regina with most of their grandkids- I love it!<br />
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After the reunion we went back to the farm for more playing! Grandpa got one of his tractors out to take all the grandkids on rides but Emily and Gavin wanted no part of it...<br />
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These sweeties were all born in 2011 (can you believe Emily is the youngest of the three??)<br />
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Future farmer Gavin- youngest (and possibly naughtiest) of the grandkids.<br />
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Minus the drive, it was a great trip back home. I was so happy to see my family and the kids were troopers. Next time we visit I do believe we will be flying!Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-13979751191422875682014-06-30T09:50:00.000-04:002014-06-30T09:50:42.351-04:00I'm slacking.I start writing posts and then I don't hit publish.....<br />
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Lots of stuff has been happening around here. I've been working part time, staying home part time, working on my oil business part time, trying to keep my husband & kids happy and the laundry from taking over the house. It's a lot to juggle but I'm focusing on the good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">selfie attempt #fail</td></tr>
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The kids saw their first parade and they were in love/a little scared. Meaning- Gavin loved it and Emily loved it until the fire trucks let off their sirens and then she was scared to death. But, she is still talking about the marching band a month later so I'll call it a success.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa also loved the parade</td></tr>
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Gavin is naughty with a capital N. He is all boy and it's so funny to see the difference between him and his sister. He gets into everything, has no fear and is just plain mischievous. They couldn't be more opposite if they tried and I love it. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure when he turned 5</td></tr>
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Emily is starting to show interest in potty training. She has gone a few times a day at home- only with me and only with the promise of <em>three</em> m&m's and a sticker to add to her potty chart. The girl is a serious negotiator. She doesn't tell me when she has to go yet so it's only happening when I ask her if she wants to try. And since she's only home with me 4 days out of 7 it's nothing serious yet.<br />
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Gavin is a social butterfly (again, the opposite of Emily) he will just walk over to anyone- neighbors, kids at school, complete strangers and start playing (I think he gets that from his daddy). He still isn't talking much but he will say mama (this means Dad, Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Emily), ball, yeah, baba (bottle) and the other day he said Rubble (Paw Patrol). He's trying to say a few more words but nothing consistent. He understands everything we say and gets his point across with grunts and head nods so we are just going with the flow. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEizdKsyOp6hDP3Xoa1c40dnKGrKZM4ldPBObNxqH4s4_VIVFVXhOPgSqGX6eJXSEHkcAyzDw2uISECxnocBucPC9O5pvujg5AaKwl5UK9lPWj2pUBHEzLcTFJmQcfYUYcCMBA1WVqEM/s1600/afterlight.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEizdKsyOp6hDP3Xoa1c40dnKGrKZM4ldPBObNxqH4s4_VIVFVXhOPgSqGX6eJXSEHkcAyzDw2uISECxnocBucPC9O5pvujg5AaKwl5UK9lPWj2pUBHEzLcTFJmQcfYUYcCMBA1WVqEM/s1600/afterlight.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">making himself at home in the big kid room at daycare</td></tr>
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We've been spending a lot of time outside, it's basically all the kids want to do. Except they want to do different things and with only two hands & two eyes it can get tricky for this mama to keep track of them. Emily loves being in the water and Gavin loves not being in the water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVEXb9p6__ZXXz5E71sQCZRe7E4x4KGMiGcOFzOwJuAmGh-iDDoL6RnCbTzn0xiZaJrTlu7bV5nOQjSBhbTVYCxBnVpL0pnICcGUpzUwiMJJEO_cUalQETEYc_dmb3Mrd6G3vYlqqDok/s1600/pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVEXb9p6__ZXXz5E71sQCZRe7E4x4KGMiGcOFzOwJuAmGh-iDDoL6RnCbTzn0xiZaJrTlu7bV5nOQjSBhbTVYCxBnVpL0pnICcGUpzUwiMJJEO_cUalQETEYc_dmb3Mrd6G3vYlqqDok/s1600/pool.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're crazy if you think I'm getting in there mom.</td></tr>
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Emily is growing up. I mean like really growing up. She has real conversations with us and is acting more and more like a little girl. It's blowing my mind that she will be 3 in a few months.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaelVucJecaJcV9gaMibfKMaHnsFphs09eym349rb2s-M_lNrUpagmRc736eCJLGPc9XFY7Lv4Rg5LVY-ML8b-z2kGcF4D3dwgVyQe4zwb1bwtQ-m0YN32HR7sFAROwKE-dMZNlu0nrI/s1600/photo+411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaelVucJecaJcV9gaMibfKMaHnsFphs09eym349rb2s-M_lNrUpagmRc736eCJLGPc9XFY7Lv4Rg5LVY-ML8b-z2kGcF4D3dwgVyQe4zwb1bwtQ-m0YN32HR7sFAROwKE-dMZNlu0nrI/s1600/photo+411.JPG" height="320" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">she's a hat girl just like her great grandma</td></tr>
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These two just break my heart wide open daily. I love them so much- more than I ever thought possible. <br />
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I'm the luckiest.Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-18918650446531246172014-06-09T15:43:00.001-04:002014-06-09T15:43:29.832-04:00Weekend wrapOur summer weekends are going by too fast!<br />
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Our days consisted of....<br />
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Checking on our garden (329 times). We are having so much fun with our first garden! The kids love to go check on the plants and help with watering everything- including themselves. <br />
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Playing catch (Emily's new favorite thing), "mowing" (Gavin's new favorite thing) & coloring the whole driveway (and part of the house) with our "colors".<br />
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And, Booty got another hair cut- it's the shortest we've ever cut it and I can't get over how much older he looks without his curls. <br />
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Is it Friday yet??Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-58451785339988024642014-05-23T11:35:00.003-04:002014-05-23T11:35:54.792-04:00the perfect dayThere are days as a (part-time) stay at home mom that I watch the clock and count down the minutes until Steve gets home. Not because I don't like staying home with my kids but because the kids have been crying/fighting/throwing food/not napping/etc. all day and I need a liiiitle break.<br />
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Yesterday was not one of those days. It was the exact opposite. There were no tantrums, minimal crying and no nap strikes. So, basically the perfect day and it has to be documented.<br />
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Emily woke up in a fantastic mood which usually means everyone else is going to be in a good mood. If the Queen is happy, everyone is happy.<br />
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We went for a long walk,<br />
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played in the yet to be planted garden, <br />
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chased the dog around the yard, <br />
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played peek-a-boo through the huge peonies, <br />
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and the best part of the day came after Gavin's nap when he let me cuddle him- this seriously <u>never</u> happens, so I took full advantage. <br />
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Perfection. Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-10947370143635368292014-05-20T09:58:00.000-04:002014-05-20T09:58:43.800-04:00Somehow I have a 15 month old and a 2.5 year old. <br />
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<strong>Emily:</strong><br />
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Height: 40.3 inches. This girl takes after her mama and towers over all the kids in her class at daycare. <br />
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Weight: 32 pounds 8 ounces<br />
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I'm not even sure where to begin with how awesome she is right now. She sings, dances, knows her alphabet, counts to 20, knows her right from her left (thanks Grandpa Stan) and she surprises me every day with something new she knows. Let's be clear- there are still tantrums but she can be reasoned with pretty easily and that helps a ton.<br />
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She hasn't shown any interest whatsoever in potty training and I'm not forcing the issue.<br />
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My favorite thing right now: Her and I sit in her rocker every night before bed and sing the same 4 songs (and they have to be in the same order, of course). rock a bye baby, twinkle twinkle, you are my sunshine, and hush little baby. When we are done singing I tell her I love her and then I ask if she loves me. She always says, "I love you sooooo much and you make me soooooo happy!" I mean. It makes me want to cry every night. And I will be the saddest mom ever when she stops saying this.<br />
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I copied <a href="http://www.sittinginatree-blog.com/" target="_blank">Shannon</a> and <a href="http://kellyann317.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kelly</a> and decided to do a survey with her. I do believe I would get a different answer if I asked her these questions every day. Oh toddlers.<br />
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- What's your name? Emily Draff<br />
- How old are you? 2<br />
- What is your favorite color? (looks down at her shirt) White!<br />
- What is your favorite toy? I don't know<br />
- What is your favorite show? Sheriff Callie (so true, she is obsessed)<br />
- What is your favorite fruit? Red vegetables and I eat apples too (??)<br />
- What's your favorite lunch? Chicken noodle soup <br />
- What's your favorite drink? Water<br />
- What's your favorite animal? Horse (probably because she was playing with a horse)<br />
- Who is your best friend? Mommy is!<br />
- What is your favorite thing to do? Fall down (um what?)<br />
- What do you want to be when you grow up? Flowers<br />
- What is your favorite thing to wear? shirt<br />
- What are your favorite shoes? Running shoes<br />
- What is your favorite song? ABCs<br />
- What is your favorite book? Potty Time<br />
- What is your favorite ice cream? Strawberry <br />
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<strong>Gavin:</strong><br />
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Height: 33.6 inches<br />
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Weight: 26 pounds 14 ounces<br />
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Oh G Booty. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, Gavin has no fear. He is obsessed with our animals and with being outside. Heaven help you if you try to get him to go inside- whoa. Buddy is strong and he will kick and punch and fight until you get him inside and then he will stand at the door and scream. His teacher at daycare told me yesterday that when they go outside to play he stands in the same spot at the fence and watches the traffic go by the whole time they are outside. <br />
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He has a serious milk addiction and he is a great eater. His favorite foods right now are cheerios, peas, pears, yogurt, bananas and chicken. <br />
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He loves his dad and his sister so much. If he wakes up before Emily he runs down the hall to bang on her bedroom door. He follows her everywhere she goes and wants to be doing what she is doing.<br />
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He is finally sleeping through the night (thanks to Vetiver & Lavender essential oils) and he is still taking 2 naps a day. <br />
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My favorite thing right now: He has such purpose with everything he does. He walks around like a little man on a mission and with his finger pointed up at the sky. Such a big personality in our little guy.<br />
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I asked Gavin the same survey questions but every answer was a grunt or a point....<br />
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<br />Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-28924627392275890432014-05-18T08:59:00.001-04:002014-05-18T08:59:46.827-04:00Mom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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7 years ago (yesterday) my mom passed away. She left us early in the morning, when no one was around. I think she did this because she was sure and she was ready and if any of us had been there it would have been harder for her to go.<br />
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A few days before my mom died I went to see her at the hospital. I climbed up on her hospital bed with her and curled into her arms like I was a child again. I whispered through my tears, "Mom, are you scared?" She squeezed me close and then pulled back to look into my eyes. She had so much strength that day and she said clear as day, "Bridgey, life's a bitch and then you die." We laughed- and now that I think about it, it was for the last time.<br />
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The day before she passed I saw her on my lunch break and I told her I would be back after work. I didn't go back, I called her and let her know I needed to let my puppy out of her crate for a bit and she told me that she would see me tomorrow. I still carry so much guilt about not going to the hospital one last time. <br />
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When I woke up early the next morning I sat outside on my deck. The birds were signing, the sun was shining and I felt this strange peace come over me. I will never forget that feeling or how the wet grass shined in the sun. An hour later I got the call from my dad that she was gone. I can only remember flashes of what happened after that. Nothing seemed real. It was like walking around in a dream. How was it possible that my mom was gone and I hadn't gotten to say goodbye?<br />
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My mom was an amazing woman. She could cook like no one else, she could sew, she could make things grow, she was someone you could count on, always. I wish every day that she was still here to see my kids and give me advice about being a mom. But I know she's watching over us and I know she taught me how to be a mom just by being a great mom.<br />
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It took seven years, but I feel like I have begun to heal. It has happened in small ways and there are days that I still just want to call her and cry about how hard something is or to share good news with her. I don't think losing your mom is something you ever "get over". It's a loss that can't be described.<br />
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A few months ago I read the memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail" by Cheryl Strayed. In a strange way it started my healing. The author lost her mom and everything she wrote spoke to me and had me in tears because- yes- that's how I feel!<br />
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<em>“I didn't get to grow up and pull away from her and bitch about her with my friends and confront her about the things I'd wished she'd done differently and then get older and understand that she had done the best she could and realize that what she had done was pretty damn good and take her fully back into my arms again. Her death had obliterated that. It had obliterated me. It had cut me short at the very height of my youthful arrogance. It had forced me to instantly grow up and forgive her every motherly fault at the same time that it kept me forever a child, my life both ended and begun in that premature place where we'd left off. She was my mother, but I was motherless. I was trapped by her, but utterly alone. She would always be the empty bowl that no one could fill. I'd have to fill it myself again and again and again.”</em> <br />
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<em>“I lay down among the crocuses and told her it was okay. That I'd surrendered. That since she died, everything had changed. Things she couldn't have imagined and wouldn't have guessed. My words came out low and steadfast. I was so sad it felt as if someone were choking me, and yet it seemed my whole life depended on my getting those words out. She would always be my mother, I told her, but I had to go. She wasn't there for me in that flowerbed anymore anyway, I explained. I'd put her somewhere else. The only place I could reach her. In me.”</em> <br />
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Thank you for everything mom. You are the best of the best.<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-58595976138205348892014-05-07T09:00:00.001-04:002014-05-07T11:33:15.687-04:0015 months post surgery- GavinIt's hard to believe 15 months have gone by since <a href="http://ourstorkgotlost.blogspot.com/2013/01/gavin-deans-birth-story-part-ii.html" target="_blank">Gavin was born</a> & had surgery for his <a href="http://www.childrenshospital.org/health-topics/conditions/congenital-diaphragmatic-hernia" target="_blank">Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia</a>. Every time we drive to Children's my stomach turns into a tight knot and I am taken back to the days after he was born when we drove that route two or three times a day to sit at his side while he recovered.<br />
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His team of doctors and surgeons were amazing. His NICU nurses were beyond amazing. When we go to Children's for his appointments there is usually someone who remembers him- this time it was the X-ray technician. CDH isn't rare but it is fairly uncommon, so they remember Gavin because he was the first case of CDH in 2013 and because his recovery was remarkable. And unless you see his scars, you would never know he had such a rough start. He's amazing, he's strong, and he's growing. <br />
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Most babies who are born with CDH are smaller than they should be, their lungs are underdeveloped, there can be heart defects, failure to thrive & developmental delays. I thank God every day that he answered our prayers when Gavin was only hours old. <br />
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We met with Gavin's surgeon on Monday and it was all good news. She looked at his chest X-ray, listened to his lungs and said everything looks & sounds great. Music to my ears. His ribs do stick out more than normal and when he gets a cold he has wheezing spells that require breathing treatments. There is always the chance that his hernia could re-open; requiring surgery to repair it again. But right now, Gavin is doing wonderfully.<br />
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Happy 15 month birthday Booty, you are a miracle & we love you so much! Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-23137962929686772222014-04-28T09:42:00.000-04:002014-04-28T09:42:24.322-04:00Being positiveI couldn't bring myself to blog last week. My family got some news that hit me hard, took me down a few notches and left me feeling down, defeated & sad- that's the best I can describe it. I'm not going to go into detail about this news because it isn't my story to tell and I'm not sure my family member wants their story told right now. All very vague, I know, but please send healing and positive thoughts & prayers. <br />
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In my down/defeated/sad state my friend Julie gave me a pep-talk/kick-in-the-ass that I really needed. We were discussing 'self-talk', meaning the way you talk to or about yourself- that little voice in your head. I tend to be a negative self-talker- "I can't do this, this isn't good enough, I'm not good at this" etc. Julie said to me- "look at everything you <em>HAVE</em> done" I replied with, "yes but, I wish I could do/have (__list of stuff__)." <br />
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Then she said, "If you gave someone a gift and they didn't celebrate or say thank you- would you want to give them another gift?" She was talking about a higher power/the universe/God (however you want to look at it) and everything I have been given and how my negative talk is holding me back and getting in the way of celebrating & being thankful for what I have already been given. This was eye opening for me.<br />
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I have been given <strong>many</strong> gifts. I have my health, I have two miracle babies, I have a loving & supportive husband, we have a roof over our head, food to eat and families who love us. <br />
And I am <u>thankful</u>. <br />
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So, I am working on changing my self-talk and being more positive- and it's hard. This is 30+ years of habit that I need to change for myself and for my kids so they can learn to be positive little people. <br />
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I am a good mom<br />
I am a good wife<br />
I am a good daughter<br />
I am a good sister<br />
I am smart<br />
I am loving<br />
I am loyal<br />
I am determinedBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-3453924936245513762014-04-21T09:35:00.001-04:002014-04-21T09:35:06.154-04:00Easter Weekend 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm sure this will be one of a thousand Easter posts up today....<br />
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Saturday morning our little town had an Easter egg hunt. The kids had fun hunting for eggs- after we tortured them by getting a picture with the Easter Bunny. <br />
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Gavin was so tired because this is normally his nap time but he held out like a champ. And Emily, sweet Emily, I am certain she prefers Easter over Christmas after seeing how excited she was this weekend. <br />
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Saturday afternoon we worked in our backyard. This is a work in progress but we are chipping away at it a little at a time. Our whole back yard- (a half acre) used to be filled with trees. While trees are awesome and shady and pretty, they aren't ideal for a functional yard for kids. We had a few of the trees removed last year and now we have an awesome open space with a swing set for the kids. That was about the extent of what we accomplished last year. Where the old pine trees were, grass won't grow- I think it has something to do with acidic soil?? (if you are a landscaper or know about grass- holler at me). Anyway- there are 6 blueberry bushes in the back of our yard that the previous owner planted and we love them, so this year we are going to plant a couple more blueberry bushes, some raspberry bushes <em>and</em> we (by we I mean my FIL) are building a raised bed for a garden!! I'm super excited.<br />
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Sunday morning when the kids woke up we had them do a mini egg hunt in the front yard. Emily was beyond thrilled and kept asking for more eggs. Gavin didn't really catch on, he just wanted to shake the eggs.<br />
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Sunday evening we went across the street to Grandma & Grandpa's to hunt more eggs and have Easter dinner. Once again, Emily went nuts for the egg hunt and after they had picked up all the eggs she had us re-hide them about 20 more times so she could pick them up over and over. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-naq64GDs9-xeebV4bH6ashLBgqEA_UcNlBOG7q187nyQ-Hu1pWEPXjVztbrOdjBeO5iDViTPrqHEAjZAE0IUMFElqaYZdjEqyegZtJIvi0Ij803uA61vowAAsu47dR3I1OmOiGtosU/s1600/1491772_10101087832497055_2067134182273202563_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-naq64GDs9-xeebV4bH6ashLBgqEA_UcNlBOG7q187nyQ-Hu1pWEPXjVztbrOdjBeO5iDViTPrqHEAjZAE0IUMFElqaYZdjEqyegZtJIvi0Ij803uA61vowAAsu47dR3I1OmOiGtosU/s1600/1491772_10101087832497055_2067134182273202563_n.jpg" height="320" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure when he turned 10.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikY-_u-CkjY3BauZiNgTU8b0fFhsLClrXhaNLhvo7yL6oTaTdDkNBpWbC6bLq_wfDjdd3EYCJh_dJpRZaOr-8IzCr5X47q4rM0i7pxqWDF_NtcZpg0HnEesyohtp-QbL5eUd9R7D39gXg/s1600/10152495_10101087833824395_8408855000181776167_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikY-_u-CkjY3BauZiNgTU8b0fFhsLClrXhaNLhvo7yL6oTaTdDkNBpWbC6bLq_wfDjdd3EYCJh_dJpRZaOr-8IzCr5X47q4rM0i7pxqWDF_NtcZpg0HnEesyohtp-QbL5eUd9R7D39gXg/s1600/10152495_10101087833824395_8408855000181776167_n.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pure joy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjsa58YIs3KLxC0qEjMdVcpo-xHnmSEJ8lPx1_f9rUTREsQyBur9ucLL9z6Wjdy9NvqKRMG_xPsvY9fdlAnnE1gF-_kkKpNVF-OsTgJufzJuUxoSGH8GyLkottC9vkseeCDudDlU1f3k/s1600/1522586_10101087838075875_3075376874248540926_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjsa58YIs3KLxC0qEjMdVcpo-xHnmSEJ8lPx1_f9rUTREsQyBur9ucLL9z6Wjdy9NvqKRMG_xPsvY9fdlAnnE1gF-_kkKpNVF-OsTgJufzJuUxoSGH8GyLkottC9vkseeCDudDlU1f3k/s1600/1522586_10101087838075875_3075376874248540926_o.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my loves</td></tr>
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It was a perfect weekend- I hope yours was too!<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-79732489338655144492014-04-17T09:52:00.001-04:002014-04-17T09:52:23.422-04:00Nearly burned my house down this morning...today can only get better from here right?!<br />
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I hate our stove. <br />
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You know how there is/should be a safety measure on stoves where you have to push the knob down before you can turn them? Well on our stove this safety measure is <u>slim to none</u>. I think our cats could turn on the burners if they tried, in fact- I'm going to blame this morning's incident on our cats. That should make me feel better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMGJAvQWQR0CxRlelyLUBDqz0e058VyJbwAgkSNHf-tSl5mWKgFCvIH6XQwtdv_GjfQnLQUGFJBLrPnhMmcUN2ngOAS7EBXX2HBiRKC0LtBTrp8MhKY4QfO53DsmSbdFCSwKkl2gFIfE/s1600/stove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMGJAvQWQR0CxRlelyLUBDqz0e058VyJbwAgkSNHf-tSl5mWKgFCvIH6XQwtdv_GjfQnLQUGFJBLrPnhMmcUN2ngOAS7EBXX2HBiRKC0LtBTrp8MhKY4QfO53DsmSbdFCSwKkl2gFIfE/s1600/stove.JPG" height="308" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was in the kitchen making smoothies and out of nowhere I smelled something strange- a chemical kind of smell. I turned around to see where it was coming from and I see Gavin's coat in flames on top of the stove and the flames were nearly up to the ceiling. About 848 thoughts ran through my head in half a second- FIRE!, STAY CALM!, don't scare the kids, yell for Steve, get the fire extinguisher, I don't know how to use the fire extinguisher, get the coat into the sink.....and so on. <br />
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Thankfully the kids were happily playing in another room so they had no clue this was even happening. I'm still not sure how the knob got turned, I must've bumped it when I was getting my smoothie cup down from the cabinet. <br />
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Holy shit.<br />
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And, this has happened before. One of the kid's plastic plates caught on fire once. <em>I know</em>, <strong>I know</strong>- learn your lesson and don't put shit on the stove. Lesson has definitely been learned today. But to defend our putting shit on the stove habit, our stove is a built-in so it's part of the counter- it's also a little peninsula in the main area of the kitchen- where we dump everything when we get home.<br />
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Things learned: don't put shit on the stove and learn how to use the fire extinguisher. Nothing like a little adrenaline to get your day off to a good start.<br />
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Now, on to the original post I was going to write today. <br />
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doTERRA has a really great Mother's Day special going on right now!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9udAH1k_fRBTBXCr96ln8kAHXdhZWtD8cM3Wyyi5Z1UQWRrRui03qFY8JCYndDCNv5NbqO1DAj69DtWlmCBGPIU3-Hkh3o-ik11G_wkrWL9fZ1sHT63FZz_oNm5b90NchzT8jG-ciwEY/s1600/mothersdayspecial.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9udAH1k_fRBTBXCr96ln8kAHXdhZWtD8cM3Wyyi5Z1UQWRrRui03qFY8JCYndDCNv5NbqO1DAj69DtWlmCBGPIU3-Hkh3o-ik11G_wkrWL9fZ1sHT63FZz_oNm5b90NchzT8jG-ciwEY/s1600/mothersdayspecial.PNG" height="320" width="317" /></a></div>
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You get 3- 5mL bottles of my favorite oils in a cute little wooden box for $35.00 (!!!)- this is a perfect gift for anyone in your life or a great way to test out some oils for yourself!! <br />
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<strong>Balance Grounding Blend:</strong> this is hands down my favorite oil. I put it on the soles of my feet every morning and night. I also use it on the kids and I believe it has cut down on their tantrums for sure. Balance blend brings a feeling of calmness, peace & relaxation. It can also aid in balancing the various physiological systems of the body. Common primary uses: anxiety, back pain, confusion, depression, energy, fear, grief/sorrow, hyperactivity, balancing metabolism, mood swings, Parkinson's Disease & seizures. Love, love, love.<br />
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<strong>Serenity Calming Blend:</strong> this is my 2nd favorite oil. I put this one behind my ears and on my feet before bed. And I like to diffuse it in the kids rooms. Serenity contains oils that are often used to help calm and soothe feelings of stress, excitement, and anxiety in order to help the body maintain it's natural state of health. Common primary uses: ADD/ADHD, addictions, anger, calming, hyperactivity, insomnia, itching, mental fatigue, mood swings, teeth grinding, & tension.<br />
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<strong>Whisper Blend for Women:</strong> this oil is newer to me but I am really, really liking it. The great thing about Whisper is that it works with each person's unique chemistry to create an appealing aroma, so it smells different on everyone and it will smell different on your skin than it does out of the bottle. Common primary uses: aphrodisiac, frigidity & hormonal balance. Trouble in the bedroom? This oil is for you! <br />
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There is a limited supply of this kit, so let me know if you want to order one!!<br />
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890081552009155731.post-68793937137532448682014-04-11T09:57:00.000-04:002014-04-11T10:09:52.445-04:00Siblings<br />
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I guess yesterday was National Sibling Day? I didn't know until I looked at facebook and saw so many great pictures of brothers and sisters!<br />
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So here's my shout out to my siblings- Kelsey, Niki & Randl.<br />
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I saw this quote somewhere and I don't know who wrote it, but the day I saw it I immediately texted it to my siblings- because it's so true.<br />
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"To the outside world we all grow old. </div>
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But not to brothers and sisters. </div>
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We know each other as we always were. </div>
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We know each others' hearts. </div>
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We share private family jokes. </div>
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We remember family feuds and secrets, family grief's and joys. </div>
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We live outside the touch of time." </div>
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The oldest of our group is Kelsey. I like to call her Martha Stewart because she is so damn crafty. She can sew anything and cook anything. She is an amazing mom to four beautiful girls. She's a planner, she's responsible, and we can always count on her to host Thanksgiving dinner or any family gathering for that matter!</div>
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Then there's Niki (I call her Niki, her name is actually Nicole). Niki is smart as hell and she can argue her point with the best of 'em. She loves animals- like really, really loves animals. She is loyal and will kick anyone's ass who messes with our family. If I had to choose one word to describe Niki I think it would be feisty. </div>
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{I'm the third child, that's where all my issues come from- joke, but seriously.}</div>
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And Randl is the baby. He's funny, outgoing and surprisingly frugal. He's a genius with graphic art and storytelling. He loves sports- playing them and watching them. And people naturally gravitate towards him - if you were to meet him, you'd see why. </div>
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My siblings are the best people- they are my people. We are all so different but we are also the same. I have many, many great memories from growing up with them and I wouldn't change a thing. We have been through a lot and have always stuck by each other's sides no matter what. That's what having siblings is all about, you always have a friend.</div>
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Bridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07473074415260386542noreply@blogger.com7