A Summer to Remember

So as summer was wrapping up, we decided to do one more blow-out night at Incredible Pizza in Conroe with the kids and Maw Maw and Paw Paw.  Apparently the kids and the grandparents had been there a time before and tried to take some group pictures to no avail, and Kellen had decided he wanted a group shot to commemorate the summer and to take with him to school to look at, 'in case he got sad.'

So getting that group shot was a must.

But much to our dismay, on our last night attempt, the booth was, once again, not functioning.

We improvised.

I stuck my camera in front of them and did a 'normal' shot. [As much of a normal shot as you can get with this crew]

Then we did a 'silly' shot.

And I uploaded them and wallet sheets will be printed out for the kids to take to school for the first day.

These kids had an absolute BLAST during the time they spent with their grandparents this summer....but I'm honestly not sure who is going to have the worst time with the separation - the kids or the adults.

Why??

Or otherwise known as, NOT FAIR!!!

Today was supposed to be a joyous event...an intricate compilation of the completion of a myriad of things off of Tatum's about-to-start kinder 'bucket list'.  It was that, but it was also the scene of a horrific tragedy in the sleepy little town in which I live.

A wonderful man was killed today.  In fact, not one, but apparently two.  But I only know one of them personally.

And it has wrecked my world.

I have carried on today and tried to continue with Tatum's bucket-list schedule.  I told her that 'a very bad man hurt some people today', and initially, I wasn't sure how badly that was.

Now I know.  Two children will never play baseball with their Daddy again.  A Daddy will never walk his daughter down the aisle to give her away.  A wife will have to carry on without her earthly rock.

A host of kids will never be coached by a tremendous coach again.

Kellen was fortunate enough to have him as his very.first.t-ball.coach.

Brian Bachmann was a great coach to Kellen and the rest of that team.  He cared more about instilling a love of baseball and the basics than winning, and the kids had FUN during the season.  It was fun to be a parent on that team.

That is the aspect of Brian I knew best, but it certainly is only one aspect of a great man...a respected pillar of this community.

I am angry that he was killed.  I am even more angry that he was apparently killed while issuing an eviction notice.  Really?  That just screams of unfairness to me.  Being evicted was worth his life?  Really?? 

I decided to go to the prayer vigil tonight and as I told the girls where we were going, I explained to Tatum what had happened, in 5 year old-ese....'You know the bad man I told you about earlier that hurt some people?  Well, one of those people was hurt really badly and went to heaven.  You know what that means, right?'

'Yes, that means they died,' she answered.

'That's right,' I said, 'And we're going to go and pray for their family and friends because they're really sad.'

The conversation went on a little longer and her final remark was so simple, 'But he's in heaven, right? So why are they sad?'

And y'all, she's 5. Ok, almost 5 and a half.  She get's it.  Yes, we have to grieve. And I'm apparently working through the anger stage.  I wonder if this is what childlike faith looks like played out....'he's in heaven, why are we sad?'

"Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Mark 10:15 - (The Message)

She's on the right track here, folks!  Just look at my sweet 5 year old putting the eternal perspective on a horrid, awful, hideous event.  I'll be honest though, I'm just not quite ready to be there with her yet.

Brian was a Christian and I can rejoice that he's home.

I was listening to a Building 429 song on the way to the prayer vigil...the lyrics, '...all I know is, I'm not home yet. This is not where I belong....'

This lyric is NO LONGER TRUE for Brian.  He's home now.

I can choose to rejoice in that.

Update:  Those interested in doing something tangible in the wake of this tragedy can purchase gift certificates to local restaurants who are matching, dollar for dollar, the amounts.  These gift certificates will be given to the Bachmann family so that meal times will hopefully be one less stressor for them over the next few weeks or possibly months.

R&R

I did something that I rarely do - something that I think very few mothers every allow themselves to do (or at least without loads of guilt) - I took off time for myself.  I'm calling it a ME-CATION.

Half a day of that time off included registering Tatum for kinder, which I have already discussed in detail. (That time doesn't count toward the me-cation time).

The other two days (yep, you read that correctly), included a variety of things.  There was lots of laundry - I am now caught up.  Take that, laundry monster - I beat you into submission, and will revel in that fact for the short while until you return, which was possibly a full 1.5 hours after the beating - but there isn't even a full load of laundry to be done, so there....

I did general house cleaning (despite my assurance to myself that I would NOT do that) and picked up dry cleaning. 

Other (more fun) activities included a nice manicure and pedicure (there's the start of the R&R!), lunch with friends, finishing the kids school supply shopping (well, almost finishing), lounging by the pool on two separate days, going running (twice in one day, no less!), and actually reading a book (notice that I didn't say finish the book)!

I also created a new prayer journal with recent Sunday school prayer requests (purchased on my trip to get the rest of the kids school supplies - I'm really a nerd at heart and I love school supplies and getting organized!!) and enjoyed some quiet time.

It has been glorious.

This is what my R&R looks like....and I need to do this more often.  Certainly more than every few (and I'm being generous) years.

There is a reason that the Lord designed the week with a day of rest....why do I not plan my life and my schedule according to His design when it's obvious that it's so desperately needed?

Olympic proof

As mentioned in my recent post, Jacey and I have been watching a lot of sports lately...there is this world-wide sporting event taking place right now.  Happens every four years, maybe you've heard of it?

She and I are watching 'lympics!

...and cheering for the USA!

Watching 'lympics

Jacey and I have been watching a lot of Olympics over the last couple of weeks.  She is absolutely enthralled by it - virtually ANY of it.

I'm not sure if there is anything cuter than a two year old, fist pumping in the air, chanting, "USA, USA!".

It's precious, really.

If I was better at getting video of it, you could fully appreciate it, but you'll just have to take my word for it.

Tonight she wanted to watch the " 'lympics " and made sure that she was all set up to do so, continually telling me, "be right back" while she got yet another thing to snuggle with.

Yes, it was a full couch.  And she fully expected me to snuggle with her, getting quite upset if I had to get up to get anything.

She is serious about her 'lympics,folks!

Content in my season

I came across this poem among some papers I was going through tonight. Oh Lord, help me to be content in my season of life - whatever season that may be - and count the many blessings you have bestowed upon me!  It is so easy to want to fast forward, rewind, pause even at times... or to speed through a particular season (terrible two's or torrential threes, anyone?), but they are all so vital for growing into the person I am supposed to become and for fulfilling God's plan for me this side of heaven!


It was spring but it was summer I wanted; the warm days and the great outdoors.

It was summer but it was fall I wanted; the colorful leaves and the cool dry air.

It was fall but it was winter I wanted; the beautiful snow and the joy of the holiday season.

It was now winter but it was spring I wanted; the warmth and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child but it was adulthood I wanted; the freedom and the respect.

I was twenty but it was thirty I wanted; to be mature and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged but it was twenty I wanted; the youth and the free spirit.

I was retired but it was middle-aged that I wanted; the presence of mind without limitations.

My life was over but I never got what I wanted.

-Author Unknown

Kinder is coming

I have been trying to register Tatum for kinder for a while.

Yeah, I know...I can hear you mocking me now.  Things like, "For a while? Registering for kinder can't be that hard, can it?"

Ah, but yes, yes it can.

Allow me to explain.

During the beginning of the summer, Kellen took a session of Kids Klub at the school where he and Tatum will be attending elementary in the fall.  So I stopped by the office for the registration paperwork (yeah me...score 1 for efficiency!).

The paperwork sat untouched for a l-o-n-g time.  I wasn't ready to deal with it, quite honestly, until the week prior to the registration for Kids Klub afterschool care (um, yeah...late July) when I felt the need to register Tatum for kinder before actually registering her for after school care.

Call me crazy.  I just felt like they should be done in the correct order.

Apparently no one else cared, because when I went to do so, her elementary was closed that particular week.  And I tried to register her at the main administration building for the school district.

But you can't register a kid for kinder at the main adminstration building, which I quickly learned.

*sigh*

So I was all psyched to get her registered for kinder -finally- all mentally prepared, and it would have to wait until the following week when the elementary reopened.  So into the office I went the following week with all of the forms completed and with the shot records in hand......Only to realize that I had neglected to bring the proof of residency, birth certificate and the social security card.

Doh!

Considering my schedule last week, I knew there was no way that I was going to be able to make it to the safety deposit box, where I hoped beyond hope that two of those three required items were located.  The time delay allowed me to do one thing, though....have repeated nightmares that I would enter the safety deposit box to find zero birth certificates there and have to scramble to acquire the necessary documentation needed to get Tatum registered for school.

Fast forward to today, when I go to the bank, check the box, and sure enough....there are no birth certificates there.  Now, I am confident that I have them, but the question is simply, "Where?"  I didn't have the time or the energy to figure out the answer to that question and since hubby thought they were there as well, my recurring nightmare was fast coming true.

The county clerks office was my next stop, and I decided that while I was there, I was going to do a clean sweep for all kids, so I picked up copies of all three birth certificates.  I managed to get back to the school in enough time to provide them all of the remaining documentation they needed to officially register Tatum for school, so I'll consider that a success for today!

Maybe there was so much stress and chaos surrounding the actual registration of Tatum for kinder to distract me from the fact that she's actually starting kinder in a few short weeks.  She is so excited for 'big school' but right now, I just want to freeze time!!

And in case you're wondering, I did make it back to the bank and all of the certificates are back in safe keeping (so I won't have a repeat of this in three years for Jacey)!!

Turn around

I finally did it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants and toddlers ride rear facing until they are two or until they have outgrown their height/weight restrictions on their carseat, and my particular feeling is to keep the kiddos rear facing as long as possible (with the girls, I didn't know as much with Kellen and he obviously turned out fine) to maximize their safety. Please note that I am not saying that the kids are unsafe if they are turned around prior to this, they are simply safer rear facing. Heck, I stood up behind the driver seat when I was little and apparently turned out just fine.  Maybe.  Well, that's up for debate.

Considering that Jacey was 26 lbs and 35 inches long at her 2 year check  up, and that she seems to be growing quite a bit in the way of her height lately, I finally did it.  That in and of itself is reason for celebration, so go ahead and celebrate that growth right there!!

I turned the car seat forward facing tonight.

And I'm sad about it.

Such a strange thing to be sad about.  But I am.

She's my BABY!  She isn't supposed to be forward facing yet.  She's just not.  But when I get into the car tomorrow, I'll be able to look into the rearview mirrow and the special kids mirror attached to it and see her sweet cherub face smiling at me as we head to school.

And we'll begin a new chapter where she isn't as much of my baby anymore.

Pamper time

Jacey is just a hoot...she's a total ham when she wants to be.

She likes to observe herself in the mirror after every bath when she's wrapped in her hooded towel.

And tonight, she decided that she wanted, 'Pretty' nails.  I did her fingers first, then she stuck her feet toward me and wanted me to do them, too.

My goodness I just adore her!

July Running Recap

1 - 1.51 miles - 18:29 (11:24 min/mile - pushing Jacey in the stroller)
2 - 2.06 miles - #1 run 1.01 - 10:26 (pushing Jacey in the stroller); #2 run 1.05 - 9:55
3 - 1.68 miles - 16:33
4 - 1.52 miles - 17:17
7 - 1.5 miles - 18:03
8 - 3.01 miles - 31:55
9 - .51 miles - 5:29
July monthly total = 11.79 miles
Yearly total = 95.96 miles
Mileage Deficiency before July =97.83 miles
Mileage Deficiency after July =  117.04 miles

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total= 20.07 miles (30 days)
July total = 11.79 miles (31 days)

Another UG month.  I truly am not supposed to go backwards, but that's what I'm doing this year.  I started off the month at a fabulous pace...then loe and behold, we got rain in July.  Who complains about rain in July??  Not me.  But rain in July sidetracked me, because I couldn't run during the times I needed to run because of the rain...so that threw me off schedule.  Then life happened and I continued to get off schedule, with a variety of scheduling conflicts and a random leg strain that sidelined me for virtually the remainder of the month.

Ug. Just ug.  This yearly total should be a month and a half of running at a decent schedule.

Elmo invaded Jacey's World!

We had Jacey's party this weekend.  I cannot believe she's almost 2!  It was a small party.  Just a few of her friends (4 friends total for her - that whole thing about the number of friends equal to how old the kid will turn has apparently gone out the window with us).  This was supposed to be my no-stress party.

I will say, I wasn't really all that stressed out on Saturday.  Except about the floating fish.  But that wasn't all that bad and I'll get to that later.  I wasn't stressed out because I had been up late all week turning my pinterest finds and other ideas into reality.

The result: Jacey LOVED her party and I think everyone had a good time  That equaled success in my book!

Activities
Elmo's Music Magic was playing in the background on the TV (kudos to my genius of a hubby for that brilliant idea!!), and there were a few times that I noticed that the adults were busy watching the show and the kids were doing their own thing.  Interesting. Apparently Elmo appeals to a wider audience that I originally thought.

We played Place the Nose on Elmo (thank you Maw Maw for finding this activity!!). The kids had a blast with this once they understood what it was they were supposed to do (and a thanks goes out to big sis Tatum for demonstrating the process).

We got video of each of the little kids placing the nose on Elmo, but I'll only post my kiddo here.  I will; however, share the video with each of the families for their viewing pleasure.  Spinning a preschooler who isn't yours (or who is, for that matter), can be quite entertaining.  I'm glad we have those moments on video.

There was also a coloring station with Elmo coloring pages and crayons for the kids to color and take home (with individualized cups filled with crayons to minimize tantrums or fighting!) 

We also had a tattoo parlor, and all of the girls were able to get Sesame Street themed tattoo's for their wrists/arms.  The birthday princess got two (mommy saved her one of the Elmo ones and then she picked out her mommy's favorite, Ernie, herself!).

I had intended to have story time, with both Paw Paw and Grandpa taking turns reading a story, but we never did get around to that....I think the kids would have loved that!

Food
We had Elmo cupcakes and a larger (half cake) Elmo.  We also had cake balls/pops (my first attempt - see separate post on that fiasco).  I must have blocked out those cake balls so much because of it that I almost forgot about them...I remembered them about 30-45 minutes into the party!

Happy Birthday was sung and cupcakes were eaten in the dining room (I think I may have had a nightmare or two about two-year olds and our light carpet...).  So we staged her cake area first using the "Jacey's World" sign I had made for her and the Happy Birthday banner Maw Maw had gotten.

It took a while to get Jacey to actually blow out the candles.  I kept trying to get her to blow on them like she blows on her nails. Yeah...that's the reference I used on my princess at her 2 year-old party. Yup.  Incidentally, we had just finished painting her nails as her guests were arriving because she wanted them 'pretty' and I wanted them red for the party.

Considering it was really red frosting, I considered it a smashing success when all of the kids faces, hands, arms and a few legs were red-stained.  I knew I chose the dining room for a reason!

We had Oscar the Grouch and Elmo veggie trays and a Big Bird cheese tray as healthy(er) options for everyone to snack on throughout the party (and down where the kids could reach them).

As you can see from the picture above, we also had goldfish crackers in a small goldfish bowl.

We had small 'grabby' snacks of jellybeans, red hots, and more goldfish crackers as well, and the kids could put them in red cupcake liners (just the right size for two-year old hands).

I had orange and red buckets with water, capri suns and an assortment of cokes in them for beverages.  Oh, and dear sweet hubby cooked hot dogs, and we served the buns on a red tray and everyone ate on red plates.  (Obviously, we went with a primarily red and orange theme).

Party Favors
I initially decided to go easy on the party favors, and just decorate bags with Elmo on them and use those as part of the decor.

I set this up one night and the next morning, Jacey come out - gasps - and then I hear her singing, "Ya ya ya ya, Elmo's world!"  I took that as a positive sign.

And then, since I was letting Jacey watch Sesame Street and listening to it for ideas, I kept hearing, "Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayons, too...." I had the idea........

Goldfish.

Not just for snacks.

But since I'm not that crazy, I did send text messages to the parents of the girls coming to the party and ask permission to buy their children goldfish.  Luckily, they all said yes.

The fish were all doing wonderfully, by the way (in case you were wondering about my earlier reference). Unfortunately, hubby and I hadn't communicated well about the actual number of girls attending, so I had one bowl with two fish in it (for Jacey - and as a spare in case one went belly up before the party), but when I realized that I needed another whole set up, I didn't have time to acclimate the fish to the new water, so.....it didn't adjust to its new environment very well.

So all of the girls took home fish and Jacey and I went and picked out two brand new fish Sunday afternoon!!

Making Memories
Part of the decor was a five foot replica of Sesame Street that Maw Maw found and we hung on our wall that had a cast of the characters on it.  So, naturally we lined the girls up for a photo op.  I wanted ALL of the girls and then each of the girls individually with the birthday girl.

One of the dads was wary about my grand idea and didn't think I could manage to pull it off.  I just looked at him and laughed...I don't think he's been introduced to the lengths my stubbornness will go to get what I want.  Especially when pictures are involved. 

We decided to leave up a lot of the decorations until her actual birthday, and then we'll take them down.  So we have a couple more days of living in Sesame Street!

Not so subtle hint

This is the picture you send to the chef as a not-so-subtle hint for the breakfast order during that particular chef's upcoming weekend stay.

Chef = Grandpa
Grandpa coming = pancakes (at least in the eyes of his grandchildren!)

I am prepared.

Cindy Lou Who

Doesn't she look like Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch?  Can't you just see her with a blanket saying, "...but why, Santa Claus, why?"

BV Bombers Baseball

Through a random series of scheduling events, Jacey and I were the only ones able to attend the BV Bombers 4th of July celebratory game this year with the research students, so we made the most of it.

She was very excited to attend.

In case you're wondering, this is her smiling for the camera and saying 'Cheese!'.

And when we got there, she quickly made friends with Zaboom (Boom, to her) and the puppy (who has a name I either never learned or can't remember). 

She liked the puppy more and spent the remainder of the night asking for the puppy.  (And I spent the remainder of the night making sure she didn't wander off looking for said puppy).

We had our pre-game picnic, then went to the Kid Zone to play some of the game and bounce in the bounce houses.  She enjoyed that tremendously as well, and lucky for us, we went on a Monday night when there weren't a lot of people.  Translation: she didn't have to fight with big kids in the bounce house.

Success!!

She tolerated some of the actual baseball game, but only 3-4 innings, and we left the game to go back to the Kid Zone for more bouncing, then called it a night.

All-in-all, she had an absolute BLAST.

June Running Recap

4 - 1.06 miles (10:13 total - 9:38 min/mile)
5 - 3.58 miles (run#1: AM - 1.03 miles: 10:14 total - 9:57 min/mile; run#2: PM - 2.55 miles: 24:33 total - 9:37 min/miles)
14 - 1.54 miles (14:32 total - 9:26 min/mile pace)
18 - 2.1 miles (#1-1.02 mi - 10:21 total - 10:09 pace; #2-1.08 mi - 9:43 total - 8:55 min/mile pace)
20 - 1.03 miles (14:17 total -13:36 min/mile - pushing Jacey while following Tatum on her bike)
21 - 1.02 miles (11:03 total - 10:42 min/mile - pushing Jacey and Tatum in double stroller)
22 - 1.18 miles (11:35 total - 9:36 min/mile)
25 - 1.16 miles (11:52 total - 9:51 min/mile)
26 - 1.71 miles (#1 - 0.5 mile -4:46 min; #2 - 1.21 miles - 12:10 total -9:36 min/mile)
27 - 0.53 mile - 5:40 min
29 - 1.68 miles (18:03 total - 10:01 min/mile)
30 - 3.48 miles (40:21 - ave 11:35 min/mile pace - Ug)

June monthly total = 20.07 miles
Yearly total =  84.17 miles
Mileage Deficiency before June = 87.9 miles
Mileage Deficiency after June = 97.83 miles


2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total = 20.07 miles (30 days)

I have discovered running during lunch. I can't get in much, and it's really hot (so I have to hydrate well), but it's normally MY time. I think I may be able to work up to 2 miles at lunch IF I get out of the office right at noon and start getting faster.  I must remind my body that it's capable of doing more than a mile or a mile and a half at a time.  I can't do it every day because of various meetings, but I can certainly do it a few times a week.  Eureka!

Crazy hair day!

It was crazy hair day at school.

So Tatum left looking like this....

(front)

(back)

Jacey, on the other hand, barely wanted me to comb her hair out this morning.  Oh well!

Sweet sisters

Since they rarely do this, I thought it was worth memorializing. Books tonight were read while sitting on Jacey's bed.  Then Tatum (not Jacey, which was really the shocker) wanted to lay down and snuggle with Jacey.

After reading our two books for the night, they decided they wanted to sleep in the same bed tonight, so I obliged (again, a rarity around here except for when everyone manages to end up in our bed by morning).  I only had to go in to settle them down and get everyone (read: Jacey) back in bed twice (that might be an all-time record!) before they were both out.

And by 8 PM.

My sweet princesses.  My goodness they're so adorable sometimes I just can't stand it.

Jacey's first fish

We all went fishing yesterday afternoon as the finishing touch for Daddy's father's day.  Jacey was sitting in her stroller watching, when she decided she wanted a turn.

During the second cast, Daddy indicated they had one, so I started the video....How often do you get your baby's first fish on video?

Daddy was so proud. It was a fitting finale to his Father's Day.

Mischevious One

This morning I walked into my bathroom to this...

Luckily, it was just my make-up and not a permanent marker.  But in case you can't tell from the picture, she got awful close to her eye with this one.

She keeps me on my toes.  And I'm not doing pirouettes!

May Running Recap

3 - 1.05 miles (12:10 total - 11:33 min/mile pushing Jacey in the stroller)
5 - 2 miles (13:42 - pushing Jacey in the stroller and following Tatum on the bike for the first 1/2 mile, then just pushing Jacey in the stroller for the 2nd 1/2 mile and 9:41 - Just me running!)
6 - 2 miles (9:24 and 9:35)
7 - 1.07 miles (9:39 total - 9.01 min/mile)
8 - 1.52 miles (18:16 total - 12:34 mile 1, 5:22 1/2 mile - pushing the double stroller with Tatum and Jacey - almost 70 lbs, so while it was slower than normal, it was a way different workout)
9 - 1.54 miles (1.03 in 8:54 total - 8:38 min/mile in the morning then 0.51 in 8:31 walking in the afternoon pushing Jacey in the stroller walking with Tatum and Kellen)
10 - 1.02 miles (9:13 total, 9:04 min/mile)
12 - 1 mile - 9:04 min

May monthly total =11.2 miles
Yearly total = 64.1 miles
Mileage Deficiency before May = 68.1 miles
Mileage Deficiency after May =  87.9 miles

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)


Ouch...I don't like going further and further into the hole....but another goal, which seems now contradictory with THIS yearly goal, is being kind to my body.  Still recovering from bronchitis....bronchitis that has now hung on for months, has taken its toll on my body and has spawned other far-reaching medical side effects. I'm trying to listen to it and allow my body time to recover. I dislike this aspect of getting old(er).

On a positive note, when I am able to run  - or perhaps when I test my body a bit - I am running quite a bit faster.  But I seem to have forgotten how to run any longer than 2 miles.  Not sure how to combine my distance and speed....