Wordless Wednesday: Safety First

Words Cannot Describe...

The past few days I have been in a real funk.  A roller coaster of emotions.  I have been heartbroken, angry, disappointed, upset, furious, sad and lonely.  I have been so upset that I have not even been able to get the words out. 

I normally just try to bury my feelings, but this time was different.  I needed to get this out.  I needed to process what was happening and how I was feeling.  I was going to do myself no favors if I did not acknowledge what was upsetting me.  I wish I could blame it on one event, but it was a culmination of things building up that just came to a breaking point.  I had had enough.  It was time to express what I was feeling.

I woke up today thinking that it was time to move on.  Time to be in a good mood.  Really, I was just exhausted from the emotions of the previous days but I was not upset.  Tomorrow will be even better.

For the month of November I posted daily on my Facebook status what I was thankful for.  I have so many things to be thankful for.  I really do have a great life.  I do not have the time to be this upset for any length of time.  I need to embrace all the smiles I have in my daily life.

I am happy to say that I spent the day decorating the house for the Holidays and cooking in my kitchen.  The house is looking great and it smells wonderful.  Both of these things help make me feel better.  I think a big bowl of buttered popcorn and a movie with the family will be on the agenda tonight.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday: Uncle Joe Came to Dinner!

Scot is HOME

I spoke of this story about a year ago on my blog about Scot Noss, the son of a family friend who was seriously injured while serving in Afghanistan.  I am happy to announce that yesterday, Veteran's Day, Scot and his wife RyAnne received the keys to their new house.  This house was specially built for Scot and donated by Homes For Our Troops.  This is such a relief and gift for his family.  Scot is now able to be home with his wife.

Of course there was a full ceremony and news coverage.  I was happy to find the link last night from the local news.  The house looks beautiful and just what Scot and RyAnne need.

I know that I have several Alabama readers to this blog.  Please check out the local businesses that helped make this possible.  When you support them, they are able to help make this type of fantastic donation.

Wordless Wednesday: Sometimes you just gotta nap!

6 Years Old

Six years ago our sweet Nora Beth joined the family.  At that time we had no idea the amount of glitter, princess paraphernalia or noise that was about to embark on our household.  I cannot imagine life without it today!  It is unreal that six years has passed.  Happy Birthday Nora Beth!!

For her birthday party she chose to have it at the pumpkin patch.  It was a cold, wet, windy day but it did not seem to bother all the party goers!  The girls all ran and played in the mud and the hay slide.  What troopers! 

 Nora Beth wanted wanted pink, sparkly cupcakes.  What I created just thrilled her!

A Simple Holiday

I went into Costco last week and I was overwhelmed with the amount of Christmas stuff already out.  It was not even Halloween yet!!  It seems like the real meaning of the Holiday has been completely lost to a society created need for consumerism.  I was facing a whole section of the store that was filled with just crap.  Where is the quality?  Where is the necessity?  Where is the actual thought in gift giving?

This started a whole conversation with Lamar.  We have been on a mission to simplify our lives lately.  We feel so fortunate for everything we have.  Our kids have more than they really need.  It is overwhelming the amount of stuff that piles up.

We have come to the conclusion that we are not going to have a consumer driven Holiday.  We want a simple event filled with love and laughter.  No stress of shopping or shipping.  We want to show our children what the Holiday is really about. What we would really enjoy is a great phone call or visit from the ones we love.  This is where we ask you, our family to help us out.  I do not want to appear ungrateful in any way.  We really see this as a way to make everything simpler and more enjoyable. 

To start off the Holiday season I am taking the kids to Iowa for Thanksgiving.  We hope to fill the family up with many warm fuzzies.  Lamar wants to make the trip with us, but the schedule just does not allow for it.  We will have some family time with him when we return to Oregon and a great meal with friends.

We are on a mission to make the most of the Holidays this year!

Wordless Wednesday: Yes I Am Still Here

Stuff My Son Says

Calum is growing and changing so fast.  He is on a mission to become a big boy as fast as possible.  Today he learned how to climb into the dining room chairs.  Great...one more reason why you cannot take your eyes off of him for one moment.

Calum understands everything you say or sign to him.  Just say "bye bye" and he will run to the door.  "Eat" and he dashes to his high chair faster than you can run after him.  Sign "milk" and he smiles and immediately demands to be picked up by me.

He is starting to say words.  He say's "dada," "door," "night," and "dog,"  He goes around the house saying "mom, mom, mama, mommy" in a way that it reminds me of Stewie from the Family Guy. It makes me wonder what is going on in his little mind.  Is he planning a hostile takeover of some sort?

He always tries to swipe the phone or remote control.  He does not know what to do with these things, but he does know that they are important and therefore worth hiding.  He last hid the remote in the dog water bowl...it has not worked the same since!

What I Need

I am feeling drained.  Easily distracted.  Tired...emotionally and physically.  I NEED a day off.  A whole day on my terms.  What would this ideal day look like.  I would get up early and drive to Breitenbush and go for a trail run.  Then I would soak in the warm pools.  I would get a 90 minute massage and enjoy lunch.  There will be more time soaking and maybe even a yoga class.  A nap in the sanctuary sounds divine to me.  I would take my knitting.  I really don't want to be social.  Just quiet time with myself.  The afternoon would end with time in the medicine wheel tubs.  After a quiet drive home I would enjoy the evening with my family, refreshed and happy.

Running Again

Ten weeks ago I started running again.  I have not mentioned it here.  Part of me was not even sure if I would make it this far.  Last time I started running I was plagued with injuries from pushing myself to hard.  This time I did it different.  I started the Couch to 5K program with a friend.  The first few weeks were brutal.  I cursed to myself for what I was getting myself into.  By week 6 I began to hit a groove.  Running became fun again.  I feel so much better when I run.  I look forward to getting up at 5 AM.  No drudgery here.

On Saturday, my running partner Kirsten and I ran the Oktoberfest 5k.  WE DID IT!  Ran the whole way, slow and steady.  It felt like such an accomplishment.

So what is next?  We have another 5K planned in two weeks and a 10K planned for March and hopefully a half marathon by summer.  I am really looking forward to this challenge.

Here we are just after our run...all red and sweaty!

 

 

Taking Applications

I am taking applications for an assistant.

The qualified person must be able to:
Go to bed late
Get up early
Get three kids up, fed, dressed and two off to school
Do same with husband
Must do laundry, dishes, floors and meals daily
Must run errands and answer never ending phone calls
Must be on call at all times
Must not expect a salary

Qualified person must start immediately so I can go back to bed with my box of Kleenex.

Wordless Wednesday: Silly Boys

In Kindergarten Now!

The day has finally come.  Nora Beth has started Kindergarten.  She has been waiting for this day for YEARS.  It was finally her turn to walk into the classroom with a backpack.  Her teachers name is Mrs. Montgomery.  Of course she immediately thought that she was to big to have her mother in the classroom.  She could not boot me out fast enough.  They grow up way to fast!

Wordless Wednesday: A Happy Baby

Wordless Wednesday: Balloon Festival Night Glow

Middle School

Shianne started the 6th grade yesterday.  Yes...I am now the mother of a Middle School Student.  It was a big step for her this year to go to a school that was different from all of her friends.  Shianne was fortunate to get into Howard Street Charter School.  This school offers such a great opportunity to her with it's small class sizes, innovative curriculum and dedicated staff.  I am already impressed with their communication and energy.  Shianne is looking forward to the art classes, choir and drama program.  It is a commitment for us to get her to school since it is on the other side of town.  The quality of program is worth this sacrifice.  I have already set up a carpool schedule that should make it easier on our group of West Salem parents.  I am so excited for Shianne and this opportunity that she has.  I am still in disbelief that I am the mother of a 6th grader!!

A Hug

I spent the day with my family today at the State Fair.  The kids were so excited to go around and see the rides, eat the food and pet the animals.  As parents, we just followed along while stuffing them with gastro-intestinal disasters while hoping to catch something interesting ourselves while they were momentarily occupied.

I was not expecting to see anyone that I knew.  Well, Salem is a small town, so I knew that I would see lots of people that I knew.  What I am talking about is someone who has really known me since I was a child, even from before I was born.  I don't have many people that can say that about me.  One little tap on the shoulder and I was greeted with a big hug from someone who KNOWS ME, knows my story, loves me.  A hug that I did not realize that I needed so much.  I was flooded with warm memories of a family I once had.  It felt so good to me to be in their presence.  To introduce them to my children.  Children that they knew existed, but did not know how to find me or if I even wanted to be found.

Shianne asked "Who was that?" when we walked away.  How do I explain this to her?  I realized in that moment that there is a whole part of my life that my children do not know.  They have no idea the people who are in my past.  The stories I can tell or that can be told about me.  I always think it is just easier to block out my story.  Easier for me and not fair to them.  It is often just to painful to tell them that they do have a family and why they have not met.  It is truly sad to know the disastrous condition that my family is in.  I could not even bring myself to tell the truth today.  But with that hug, I knew that I was loved.  I did not have to say anything, the truth was known.

We parted ways and I know that I will see them again in the near future.  This makes me really happy.  More hugs are to come.

A Week of Fun

This past week has been filled with so much fun.  Of course the highlight was Calum's first birthday party.  On Saturday we filled our house with friends and laughter.  It was so great to see everyone and to hear the laughter all around us.  We had a huge bounce house for the kids and two kegs for the bigger kids.  We asked everyone to bring canned food to donate to the Marion Polk Food Share and I am thrilled to say we gathered 104 pounds for the donation!

Calum was so excited about the balloons.  The morning after, he was thrilled that the balloons had fallen down to his level.

He was not quite sure what to think about all the attention on him, but that cake sure looked tempting for some reason.

He soon found out why that cake was so tempting.  He was thrilled as soon as it hit his lips!

That was DELICIOUS!!

I had everything planned so well that I was actually able to sit back and enjoy our friends.

After the party was over, Shianne had some of her friends spend the night.  They chose to sleep outside in the bounce house.  They had so much fun.

We did not finish the kegs at the party, so we had friends over again on Sunday night to polish off the leftovers and beer.  Preseason football was on and there was even more laughter.  Monday rolled around and it was a repeat of Sunday night, but this time, the kegs were floated!!

I declared Tuesday a "Family Day."  We took the kids to the Enchanted Forest.  Nora Beth had never been there.  As soon as we walked into the park she was overjoyed.  It was as if this place was created just for her.

She ran through Storybook Lane reciting all the Nursery Rhymes.

The rabbit hole was so much fun to go through.

 Calum held up really well and had no problem just hanging out on my back.  He was thrilled whenever I put him down so he could walk around.

It surprised us, but Calum laughed all the way through the play.  He found it amusing every time the actors fell or jumped into the audience.

Just as it was starting to get hot, we decided to head home and work on a few projects around the house.  After dinner, we had family movie night.  Even Nora Beth sat through the movie The Blindside.

It was sad to say goodbye to the past week of fun.  Today was spent getting Shianne ready for School on Monday.  Summer is soon to be over.

One Year

A year ago today we met for the first time, face to face.  I had already known you for many months as you grew inside my body.  I felt your movements.  I learned what you liked and did not like.  I dreamed about you.  I was so excited to meet you for the first time.  You were everything that I imagined and then even more.  I was so in love with you from the first moment I held you in my arms.  Your sweet little, chubby body.

This past year has been so wonderful...getting to know you.  You are such a sweet baby.  Always there to cuddle with.  Always ready to giggle.  I just can't get enough of you.  I have been on such a high since you have been born.  I have a hard time expressing just how happy you make me.  Our souls were meant to come together.

This past year has been filled with so much joy.  You seem to make everyone around you smile.  Your sweet little smile just makes me melt.  I now have a hard time remembering life without you.

Calum...I love you!

More Lora Cross Photography

Again, I am completely spoiled by Lora.  She did a wonderful job with the kids last night.  We headed over to Silverton and did a variety of shots around town.  To see even more from this photo shoot go to Lora Cross Photography and enter password    calum    under the "proofing" section.