Focus Friday & more

Last weeks goals...

Well I did not get much accomplished this past week since I had the flu and couldn't get off the couch! We did go to the pumpkin patch over the weekend and I got Lexy's class bags/party taken care of but that's about it.

This weeks goals...
1.) Do something for myself...besides lay on the couch :-)
2.) Continue to look for a new job.
3.) Make a list of what I have bought/need to still buy for Christmas.
4.) IDK...I'm still not thinking straight from this flu thing!

AND FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:

Here's how the girls went to school today. Lexy got to wear her costume, they only get to in preschool and kindergarten here so this will be her last year :(

I've been hit...

with the flu that is! Not sure if the exhaustion I felt in my last post was due to or the cause of this but regardless by Tuesday morning I felt like a semi had run over me and then just for fun had backed up and run over me again! Today I still have a cough and feel sore all over and tired but I am able to get up off the couch for short periods. I've been trying to get things together for Lexy's class party tomorrow (talk about last minute!) and just that is wearing me out!


Here's the scrapbook page I made for our trip to the pumpkin patch over the weekend...


And last night Mike got home from work and told Lexy to get dressed to go play in the leaves. He must have been reading her mind b/c she had asked all the way home from school about doing that. Lexy had a fabulous time and Brooke even got in on it!

Pumpkin Pickin'

Here's where I have a pity party so if you want to only read the fun happy stuff scroll down a little...

I'm EXHAUSTED...mentally, physically and emotionally! I just want to crawl back in bed and cover my head...and I just might after I finish this!! I've worked the last three days b/c Target messed up again...same old story :( I think about just quitting everyday BUT we found out on Sat. that my van needs a new starter and I really want to get the girls their Christmas presents. And then I think...didn't I start this job to save up for a homestudy???? Homestudies, adoption and a new baby for us seems SO FAR AWAY right now.

Oh and did I mention that Mike just called and told me that he realized this morning that he is on call the week of Thanksgiving which means that we can't go to my Dad & Karen's house like we do every year????

I'm EXHAUSTED!!!

Ok now on to the happy stuff...

Before I went to work on Sat. we went to the pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins. Lexy has been asking everyday when we were going and then we got a note on Friday that she had to take one to school this week so she got two!

Brooke, Kenzie, Lexy at the Pumpkin Patch!

The Dance

Last night I was lucky enough to get to do something few parents get to experience. Brooke's cheer squad sponsored the middle school dance and the cheer moms were asked to help chaperone. Usually the teachers are the ones chaperoning and our kids would "just die" if we were there! Last night the cheerleaders made an exception and with strict orders for us not to dance (ok so this one we didn't listen to), have fun or embarrass them in any way they allowed us to be a part of a very special night. Boy are they growing up WAY too fast!!!

Seth & Cassie, JoJo & Kenzie, Nick & Brooke

Focus Friday

Last weeks goals...
1.) Enjoy meeting, holding and loving on my newest nephew (when he gets here). Buying a couple of cute things for him and helping in anyway I can. I did get to meet and love on little Toby, he is so gorgeous. We got him a couple of cute little outfits and tiny socks!
2.) Do something fun with my girls on Monday since there is no school again! Brooke, Lexy and I decided to go to chinese (our favorite) and then do our grocery shopping.
3.) Get those clothes photographed and out of my basement! Clothes photographed and listed, hopefully they'll go soon!
4.) Call the adoption agency if that's what I'm led to do. Still did not do this. With not knowing if I'm staying at my job I just don't feel comfortable starting this process yet.
5.) DO NOT stress about work this week...it is what it is! I really haven't thought about work too much since I worked on Sun. and didn't have to go back until tonight. Although I did get another lecture for supposedly changing my availability...which I did not, it's the same as what I talked about in my interview. I'm beginning to believe that they told me whatever I wanted to hear in the interview just to change things once I started working, ugh!

This weeks goals...
1.) Go to the pumpkin patch and get our pumpkins (Lexy has been begging). We were suppose to go this weekend but I was sched. to work both Sat. & Sun. even though I'm only available one or the other not both. They said very unhappily that they would try to find someone to replace me one of the days but I haven't heard anything.
2.) Get things ready for Halloween. Make Lexy's class bags and plan games for her class party that I'm in charge of. Put a couple of decorations up b/c after school everyday Lexy asks why we aren't ready for Halloween, everyone else is 'cause they have decorations :-) And get snacks and rent a movie for Brooke & Kenzie and their boyfriends who are coming over on Halloween night for a while.
3.) Continue to look for jobs and put in applications hoping to find a job that better suits my family.
4.) Do something for myself this week. I'm beginning to feel down because things aren't working out how I think they should be...and although I know I'm not the one in charge, I AM in charge of my attitude and emotions and I need to do something to get those back to the right place.

Way Back When-esday and Wordful Wednesday

October 2004

Brooke - 8 years as a nurse

Lexy - 7 months as Piglet

Isaiah (our foster son) - 15 months as Tigger

I loved that I could dress Lexy and Isaiah in coordinating costumes...Brooke refused to take part in that and be Pooh but she was cute all the same!!! This is one of my happiest Halloween memories...Isaiah had come back to us and we had been told that our chances of adopting him were very high and Lexy's case was looking to be in our favor too. A couple of months after this we were devastated when Isaiah left us again...this time forever.

This was also the only Halloween that we have not gone trick or treating. We went to the town Spook Parade in the afternoon (where we took these pics) but by evening Brooke was running a fever and felt miserable so we had to fore go trick or treating that year...Brooke was SO disappointed!

To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !

Introducing my newest nephew...

Stress, Happiness and Focus Friday

I've started to write several posts this week but never finish them. This week I've been struggling to keep my head in a happy place. It's so frustrating when you truly know what you want and should be doing (being the best mom to as many children as is God's will) and something or someone is making that hard! This job at Target is driving me insane, well not really the job itself that's fine except for it leaves me tired and sore...but it's more the management that feels the need to lecture about asking for days off like I am some little teenager asking off so I can go party. I was denied Halloween, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve off and was told that no requests between the beginning of Nov. and New Years would be approved. Great except that I took this job to BETTER MY FAMILY and missing all the important things like holidays and their concerts/plays coming up in Dec. is not bettering my family!!!

Ok so after stressing about it all week, Mike and I have decided that while I don't feel that I can quit right now (b/c I want to at least get Christmas shopping done) I will put the time off request in for the concerts/plays in Nov. and if those are not approved for Dec. then I will have no choice but to quit because I will not be missing those important things in my kids' life.

SO with that not stressing me anymore I can concentrate on happily waiting for my newest nephew to arrive hopefully sometime today!!!! I had some questions when I mentioned him a few posts ago about how a due date moves from March to Oct. so I thought I would share :-) Back in July (I believe it was) my sister-in-law went to the doctor and had a pregnancy test done (which was positive) because of irregular periods the doctor sent my SIL to the hospital for a blood test to see how far along she was. That blood test gave her an estimated due date in March 2010. My SIL was really big (baby) by the end of August and we all assumed b/c of her due date that she was having at least twins if not more. Because of insurance issues, my SIL did not go back to the doctor until the end of Sept...at the ultrasound they found out that she was nearly 40 weeks pregnant and was due to deliver two days later (Oct. 2). Now today she is two weeks overdue from that date and they are inducing her as I write. This new little guy is going to be SO loved no matter when he gets here!!!

A few happy pictures of the girls on our trip to the mall on Monday...

FOCUS FRIDAY

Last weeks goals...

1.) Work on getting more exercise in (it does help my mood) and get pictures taken/posted for the girls clothes I want to get rid of. Yeah so neither of these got done with me stressing out this week!

2.) Enjoy the girls day off of school on Monday by doing something fun. We went to the mall and played, had fun and shopped! See the pics above!

3.) Call the adoption agency and get things started. Not done either...don't know if it's procrastination on my part or God telling me it's not time...must.listen.better!

4.) Get everyone feeling better around here! And do everything I can to keep us all healthy this winter...hard with both girls in school and me working at Target! Everyone seems to be better now...at least until we are off antibiotics :-) I've been especially careful while working of using the alcohol/germ remover after each customer in hopes not to bring home anything else! And the girls and I have been taking vitamins every morning (Mike can't b/c they make his stomach hurt).

This weeks goals...

1.) Enjoy meeting, holding and loving on my newest nephew (when he gets here). Buying a couple of cute things for him and helping in anyway I can.

2.) Do something fun with my girls on Monday since there is no school again!

3.) Get those clothes photographed and out of my basement!

4.) Call the adoption agency if that's what I'm led to do.

5.) DO NOT stress about work this week...it is what it is!

Weekend News

This weekend was not very eventful. Friday brought another dr. visit (for Lexy) after they wouldn't just send in a prescription even though Brooke's strep test the day before was positive. Lexy was miserable with strep this time, she was running fever and throwing up. Between that and not feeling good myself I decided to call in sick to work on Friday evening. By Saturday Lexy was feeling a little better but Mike and I were not feeling good. I started on antibiotics on Saturday.

I felt like I had to go to work yesterday even though I still wasn't feeling great. I have never felt so tired, run down and sore by the end of my seven hours. I don't think I moved from the couch once from the time I got home until going to bed! My job is frustrating me...I looked at my schedule for next week and they have me working double the hours that I want and have me scheduled for hours that I can't possible work (like starting at 3pm on a school day). When I started I had to fill out a detailed paper on my availablily and how many hours and days per week I wanted to work, by looking at my schedule next week obviously whoever made up that schedule didn't look at my availability at all! Hopefully they'll have it fixed by Tues. when I go in.

Still no news of my newest nephew making his appearance. They go back to the dr. tomorrow so hopefully they'll schedule to induce then!

Today is a school holiday so the girls and I have planned to make a trip up to the mall for the day...if I can get Brooke out of bed!! Mike wasn't feeling well this morning so he is going to rest in peace and quiet while we are gone.

Focus Friday

Last weeks goals...
1.) Continue to walk, organize and clear out the Craigslist stuff from the basement. Didn't get much of this done this week because I was so tired and sore from work at the beginning of the week and then the last two days I've had sick kiddos...strep sucks!
2.) Make some quick freezer breakfasts for weekday mornings. I did do this and it's worked out well!
3.) Not get stressed out over working and missing so much this week. Enjoy the time I do have with my family. This is one I'm still struggling with. Especially when the HR gal at Target called yesterday and rudely told me that she would not approve my time off request for the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. I'm trying to keep in mind why I am doing this but I'm having a hard time with how tired/sore I'm feeling, the girls being sick, Lexy becoming clingy and whiney from all the change and warnings that this is going to be a BAD winter weather wise and it's a 30 minute drive each way. Ugh, I feel defeated today but that might be because I was up most of the night last night with Lexy because her throat hurt...and I have to work tonight.
4.) Plan to go to the BIG craft fair next weekend. I think I'm going to pass on this one. It's suppose to be really cold and yucky this weekend, not worth taking everyone out in the bad weather!

This weeks goals...
1.) Work on getting more exercise in (it does help my mood) and get pictures taken/posted for the girls clothes I want to get rid of.
2.) Enjoy the girls day off of school on Monday by doing something fun.
3.) Call the adoption agency and get things started.
4.) Get everyone feeling better around here! And do everything I can to keep us all healthy this winter...hard with both girls in school and me working at Target!

Way Back When-esday & Wordful Wednesday

Brooke & Kenzie

October 2007

Who would have thought when these two went to the little girls cheer camp only wishing and hoping to someday be cheerleaders that now they would be in their second year of being "real" cheerleaders!

Brooke & Kenzie

September 2009

To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !

Freezer breakfasts

This is what I spent time doing this morning...

Both girls have decided that the school breakfast is not appealing so I've been looking for freezable breakfast items so that they are ready and waiting for the girls to choose what they want. This morning I made blueberry cheesecake muffins (from package), peanut butter muffins (my recipe), and regular and chocolate chip pancakes. Also on Sunday I made Make Ahead French Toast, that recipe and the pb muffin recipe can be found at my recipe blog on the right hand side (Dinner's Done), just click the picture and it will take you there.

Our weekend

On Friday evening Mike, Lexy and I (Brooke went to the homecoming game) went to a meet and greet for my friend Tiffany's newest additions to her family from Ethiopia (these two make 9 kiddos total). Camille and Henry are both SO adorable! I wanted to pack both up and bring them home with us...watch out Tiffany :-) Hopefully I get to spend a lot of time loving on those two!

On Saturday morning, while I had to work, Lexy had her last soccer game of the season. I hate that I missed it but Mike, Brooke and Kenzie were all there to watch and Brooke took lots of pictures for me to see what happened. Lexy was so excited that they all got a really neat medal for participating! I talked with Lexy later and she said that she wants to play soccer again so it looks like we'll be signing her up for indoor soccer in the spring.




I'll also be missing Brooke cheering at the football game on Tuesday night and she's the captian that night! But Mike said he and Lexy would go. I REALLY don't like missing things that are important to my girls!!! I keep trying to focus on the fact that me working is bringing us closer to getting our adoption homestudy. Both girls keep talking about getting a new brother or sister (or two) and are excited. Last night Lexy was watching a commercial about a train and track and told Mike and I that if we get a boy baby that she was going to give him that train...just from her! Lexy has said several times that she thinks we need two brothers (one for her and one for Brooke)...hmm sometimes kids know things before we do :-)

Saturday evening we had a pizza and movie night. We watched Horton Hears a Who with Lexy while Brooke and Kenzie worked a face painting booth for cheerleading and then we watched Clockstoppers with Brooke and Kenzie. Our little movie place in town is closing down so they are selling all their movies so we not only bought those movies but I bought a few that the girls have been wanting for Christmas. Woohoo some more Christmas shopping done!!

The busy life and Focus Friday

This week has been full. I had my first day at work on Tuesday evening...oh my was I sore the next day! I'm just not used to standing on my feel for 5.5 hours! On Wednesday evening Lexy had a soccer game. It's amazing how good these little 4 & 5 year olds have gotten! Lexy had a big cheering section with Mike & I, Robin & Kenzie, Papa & Grammy and Mammaw & Tom. Lexy didn't make a goal at this game but at the last game she did!!!

Also on Wednesday, my brother & sister-in-law found out by ultrasound that instead of being due in March (like they were told by blood test) they were instead due to have their baby TODAY (Friday, Oct. 2). Talk about a HUGE shock! So I spent yesterday going thru all my baby stuff and taking what I have for a boy to them. I can't wait to meet my new little nephew!!

There was a football game last night but because of volleyball conflicts the girls weren't able to cheer but Brooke and a couple of the other girls (that don't play volleyball) went to the game to cheer from the stands. This video is from the last game that the girls did cheer at...

FOCUS FRIDAY

Last weeks goals...

1.) Continue to walk and organize the house. Sell as many things that are listed on Craigslist as I possibly can to get them out of here!! We only got to walk on Monday but hopefully we'll be back to it next week. I have sold several of my items on Craigslist, starting to see some progress on getting the basement cleaned out!

2.) Try to get a rountine down for working without feeling guilty. On the evenings I work I won't have much time at all with the girls and none with Mike and I won't be here to fix dinner. Tuesday was the only night I worked this week so it wasn't too bad. I made pasta salad for dinner before I left and all went well while I was gone. This week will be a little more crazy as I work Sat. morning and Lexy has her last soccer game and then I work Monday, Tues. (Brooke has a football game to cheer at) and Friday evenings...and Mike is on call for his job this week!

3.) Buy my mom's b-day present. The girls did this. Happy Birthday Mom, sorry you have to work today!

4.) idk...I knew something would come up and it happened to be going thru all my baby stuff for my brother and sister-in-law!

This weeks goals...

1.) Continue to walk, organize and clear out the Craigslist stuff from the basement.

2.) Make some quick freezer breakfasts for weekday mornings.

3.) Not get stressed out over working and missing so much this week. Enjoy the time I do have with my family.

4.) Plan to go to the BIG craft fair next weekend.