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Gratitude, 81-100

Posted on October 30, 2012 | 3 comments

Previously: 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80

81. Baby Ethan’s safe arrival.

82. Baby L’s safe arrival.

83. A MOPS’ table get together [at the yummy Marie Catrib’s].

84. A couple [late] days of Indian summer.

85. The ability to make good food that people enjoy.

86. Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer.

87. That Liam has friends in his after-school art class and that he enjoys it.

88. Gift cards to Panopolous that allow me to buy stuff I wouldn’t normally get for myself with zero guilt.

89. Companies that can take a joke and deliver a hilarious response

90. Having the resources that allow us to sponsor a child in the Congo, and the opportunity to do so.

91. Friends who allow you to have a self-pitying bad day and don’t think you are too damaged.

92. Not having to worry about hurricane damage to our home.

93. That a couple of “my teams” won this past weekend.

94. That Simon had a good coaching year for rugby and that he is missing the last game to go away with the fam this weekend.

95. Getting to take Jack to his first in-the-theater movie.

96. Friends who are always happy and willing to watch my boys when I need the “village” to pitch in.

97. Friends who let me invite myself over to hang out when our husbands are out of town.

98. Texting

99. The Voice

100. Having parents who were in their 40s when they had me.

What are you grateful for lately?

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Posted in Gratitude

Music Monday: Jack’s Favorites

Posted on October 29, 2012 | 1 comment

We made it through the weekend – hip hip hooray! Simon was in Cleveland for rugby finals (they won on Saturday – happy but lost on Sunday – sad but this also means they play again next weekend, six hours away but since we will be up north, he can’t go – not at all sad about that myself, but I know he would love to be there for his guys). Can I just say for a moment that the energy my kids possess pretty much amazes me… they were up at 5:45 on Saturday morning, ready for the day – Liam watching the alarm clock in my room and telling me each time the minute hand changed. We had donut plans later that morning with Heidi and her fam since her hubby was also out of town and she texted me to say how sad it was that when we finally saw each other we would have been up for four hours already (!) – ugh. So we hung with the DeKornes until after lunch, then went to a Gymco grand opening where the boys ran, jumped and tumbled for an hour and a half, then stopped at Spoonlickers where the boys did not eat their fro yo creations (so I can’t blame their energy on sugar), continued on to a park for another 90 minutes of activity. After a quick pit stop at Meijer (for ingredients to make the acorn squash quesadillas AGAIN), we went home for dinner and got on our PJs to watch The Lorax. This brought us to bedtime and still my kids were not worn out and after an hour of prolonging actually falling asleep, they were finally out at 8:30ish – that is nearly 15 hours of being awake and fairly active. I was exhausted and they were back up at 6 on Sunday morning, ready to go. Le sigh. But they did declare it the most fun day – which will soon be trumped when they find out we are spending two days at an indoor water park – as long as they don’t drown, I think that will win as the most fun day.

Also, Sandy had her baby on Friday and I get to see her today – so, so excited! I’m at the point where I just love OTHER people’s babies 🙂 So glad they keep having them!

In other news… Jack has developed his own taste in music, which often overlaps with his brothers but he has some of his own faves – which I love!

Party Rock Anthem (LMFAO) | This cracks me up because I have no idea where he heard this song but he sings the lyrics all the time.

Parachute (Ingrid Michaelson) | I really don’t get what he loves about this song – I mean, I love it myself, but it’s not a song typically beloved by small children.

Too Close (Alex Clare) | Which he specifically requests by asking for “Alex Clare;” the song below is an unplugged version, which I might like better than the one I shared here.

As Long as You Love Me (Justin Bieber) | Yup – the kid loves the Biebs and you have to admit it, when he sings “we could be broke” you might love him a little, too. No, just me…

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Posted in Music

Five Question Friday

Posted on October 26, 2012 | 4 comments

I guess I don’t have a whole lot of blogging creativity happening this week… a random post, an Instagram post and 5QF is all you are getting from me. I have used up all my words on things and have zero thoughts on other things.

1. Who wakes up in the morning with the kids, you or hubby?
Simon is the first person downstairs in the morning – I wake and immediately hop in the shower (sometimes not so immediately). Simon’s the early riser and if he has had enough sleep (i.e., wasn’t working second shift) he’s always the one who gets up with our kids (which is a blessing to me beyond measure), but most mornings, they wake up before us and run upstairs to have a cuddle in our bed before starting the day. Ironically, if you wake up before them and are already downstairs or have to wake them up – they are the grumpiest, non-morning people ever (outside of their sweet mother).

2. Do you watch the World Series even if your team isn’t in it?
I don’t really even watch it if my team is in the World Series. If Simon is home, the game will be on, but baseball is just not my sport. Yes, I hope the Tigers win, but I’m not really invested in it.

3. What is the best compliment you have received?
I love it when people tell me I’m a good mother because it is probably the most important thing I will ever do but I really can’t think of a specific compliment I’ve gotten that has stuck with me. I mean, I think everyone likes getting compliments, but I feel like I also know who I am and don’t necessarily need to hear from others what I’m good at – that said – compliments don’t hurt and I will always try and accept one graciously.

This got me thinking and I realized there are certain people whose opinions I really value or perhaps whose admiration I seek out and when they have said nice, or complimentary, things to me I have remembered them (though not the specific words, more the feeling that those words gave me). I have felt blessed by hearing them because it means a lot to me that they like something I have done.

4. Do/did you dress up to take your kids trick or treating?
Yeah, no.

5. Do you have a favorite bible verse? What is it and why?
I have two:

Jeremiah 29:11 | For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Isaiah 40: 28-31 | Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

The first was on a poster I was given at high school graduation and had up in my dorm room (thanks Sam and Chris for the poster) and it has always been one that resonated with me at special times in my life. And the second was from my junior year of college, during our RA staff meetings we would often sing a song with lyrics from this passage in Isaiah and I can hear the tune whenever I read the words and I have turned to it often when I have felt overwhelmed.

Happy weekend everyone!

Linking up with Mama M for Five Question Friday.

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Posted in Five Question Friday

Instagram | 27

Posted on October 23, 2012 | 1 comment

What we’ve been up to: drinking smoothies, hanging out, snuggling babies, going to the dentist and eating burgers. Just life.

This was taken on the day we bought the “homeless” man a smoothie. We enjoyed Blimey Limey and Pomegranate Plunge.

Sometimes Jack cuddles with me, usually when I let him watch TV.

Found love – sometimes it’s the little things.

Jack’s princess toothbrush. I love that this perfectly depicts life – Jack lounging about on the floor and George waiting for me to just sit down so he can rest (he follows me around wherever I go – everyone else he will relax for and go find a place to curl up, but for me, he is at my side. I am his person.)

Day four of smoothies… Jack gets his own cup because he will break the Styrofoam cups 90% of the time. This time around it was Blimey Limey and Guava Punch.

Sweet baby Ethan – I just love him and those cheeks. Wish we could have stayed for hours…

The capitol building in Lansing… not D.C. as Liam questioned. Did you know a building is spelled capitol and a city is spelled capital? Google is educating me every day.

On our date night @ Stella’s – Simon had a high-maintenance burger: “Can I get the Government Cheese Stuffed Burger… without tomatoes and pickles and can you add bacon, sauted onions and barbeque sauce?” I had The Mr. Fables (olive burger with blue cheese and subbed aged white cheddar for the Swiss). I am dreaming about that burger.

It stormed two nights ago and George could not get close enough to me on the couch so he curled up on my lap and wouldn’t move. It’s a good thing he weighs less than ten pounds, he can be a legitimate lap dog.

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Posted in Instagram, Life in general

Tuesday Randoms

Posted on October 23, 2012 | 6 comments

Well, it happened, I forgot to pick up Liam. Technically, I didn’t forget, I thought his art class started yesterday so I wasn’t planning on picking him up until 5:00. At 3:50 I got a call from his school, his teacher started with, ” Hi Michelle, it’s Emily, Liam’s teacher…” and I said, “Oh no.” We both laughed and I went and picked him up (thankfully I was just at work and only 5 minutes away). Liam was not at all bothered by my snafu and the first thing he said to me was, “So my teacher’s real name is Emily?” Mark that one off the fear list.
Baby Ethan was as lovely and cuddle-able as I had hoped! Liam and I got to visit he and Quinn in the hospital (Jack stayed home with my parents – we thought that was a wise decision). Liam loves babies and got to hold Ethan twice and asked to have a picture of them printed so he could take it to school for Super Star week.
Speaking of Super Star week, I feel like this is a good idea in theory so the other kids can get to know each of their classmates but in reality is just more work for parents. I hadn’t printed pictures for over a year (though I have gotten photo books made, so there’s that) but I had to pull out something for Liam to take to school. We also had to do a poster for Jack’s Me Museum at daycare – more pictures. But at least we are done for the year now so I can go back to not printing pictures. It works well for me until I feel guilty about it (another thing to add to the list).
I’m very sad for the apple season in Michigan – I paid $4 for a half gallon of [local] fresh cider over the weekend.
My college friends and I are planning a weekend away next month. We are excited. We had to make a list and take notes for who was bringing what – it only took us two hours to cover details for two days (because we get sidetracked easily). It boiled down to this: snacks (sweet and salty, lots of ’em), drinks (alcoholic and caffeinated; see also: copious amounts) and sleep. Also bacon. We are simple girls with simple needs.
Simon’s going to Cleveland this weekend for rugby (they made the finals) – I hope they win but I am not thrilled about a whole weekend without my partner in parenting. Our plans at the moment include donuts. That seems about right.
The following weekend we are surprising the boys with a trip north to stay overnight at an indoor waterpark. Liam went on his first water slide Friday night and LOVED it (despite describing to me how he had his mouth filled with water at the end, which sounded an awful lot like almost drowning) and I blew his mind when I explained there are places that have tons of water slides and that you can go there and play in the water for hours and hours. Now I am excited for that weekend to get here!
Last week we had smoothies every day. I blame a $2/smoothie deal and also how delicious they are. We also ended up buying a smoothie for a guy who was asking for food/money next to the driveway leaving the shopping area. Liam could read that his sign said “Hungry” so he asked if we could buy him a smoothie. I tried explaining that he would rather have food he could put in his backpack but he said, “But I think he would like a smoothie because they are so good.” I want to encourage this kind of thoughtfulness so we bought him a smoothie with added protein and I gave it to him as we were leaving – Liam was very anxious that he wouldn’t need food any more as we watched someone give him a loaf of bread – and I had to apologize if it was strange that we were giving him a smoothie. Liam was beyond thrilled and kept congratulating himself on being helpful. It was a happy moment for both of us – so if you saw a guy outside of Target drinking a smoothie, please don’t think he was wasting any money that someone got him on a smoothie rather than food for his family.
Does anyone else plan their errands around where they can get a McDonald’s Diet Coke or visit Starbuck’s drive-thrus? Because I totally do.
I surprised Simon with a date night on Sunday night and on our way there, driving just minutes from our house, we passed a brand new Tim Hortons – one we had heard NOTHING about (Tim Horton’s in GR is a huge deal – two others opened in the last six months but before that, the Canadian students at Calvin would drive an hour to Lansing to go to the one(s) there so it was surprising we knew nothing about it). It’s in an old KFC building. We will still go to our beloved Sandy’s Donuts, but we might have to add Timmy’s to the rotation.
Our date night was a success – delicious burgers from Stella’s (if anyone knows what they mix in their patties, please tell me – I will owe you BIG) and a superbly-made movie, Argo. Check both of them out, you won’t be sorry. Also, if you want a double date couple – we’re totally planning on revisiting Stella’s.
Just realized this list is pretty much a weekend recap and while I could change the title, I’m not going to.
I am d-o-n-e with politics, political commercials and people calling my office about politics. Election Day cannot come soon enough… and then we will have a two-year respite before they start campaigning again, because let’s face it, political campaigns are the worst offenders when it comes to getting an early start – way worse than stores who advertise Christmas in October. I’d much rather see signs for Christmas in June than watch another political ad (unless it is done by the cast of The West Wing).
I have eaten these acorn squash quesadillas five times in the last week. You should make them if you like good food (or come over and eat them because I’m sure I’ll make them again). And then blame Heidi for introducing me to them.