Reason #101 why buying a FORD is not a good idea!

The pictures pretty much tell the story :-(.

Last night at about 9:30 I made a run to the grocery store, while our friend Jenny stayed at home with the sleeping kiddos. I got my groceries, loaded them up, started the truck & then went to put it in reverse, when.....SNAP! The gear shift snapped & rotated, therefore refusing to let me budge it past neutral. NICE!

Here I was in a "not so nice" part of town, with a car full of groceries, stranded in the parking lot with a truck that won't shift. By this time it was almost 10:30 p.m. & I didn't have a lot of options of people to call to come and rescue me. I had to call my hubby, (who was out of town on a business trip) and ask him what to do next.

Thankfully, Jonathan was able to get a hold of a family friend who came to my rescue @ 11:00 p.m. Dave (my rescuer) couldn't figure out what the problem was either, so we just loaded up my groceries and headed home. But not before I had one last little freak out moment! I couldn't get my key out of the ignition because of the gear shift being stuck! Yep, I had to leave my truck in the Hy-Vee parking lot (in the ghetto) with the key IN the ignition!! I locked the doors and said a little prayer. I also ran back into the store to tell the night manager at the grocery store what was going on (they don't like you leaving your cars parked in the parking lot all night). Thankfully, she knows me pretty well (I usually do my grocery shopping between the hours of 10:00 p.m & 1:00 a.m) & she said she would try to keep an eye on my truck.

So....my wonderful hubby - aka: "knight in shining armor" - left Nebraska at 4:00 a.m this morning, so that he could get home in time for me to take the kids to school. Today was McKenna FIRST day of school & I REALLY didn't want her to have to miss it because of this. After we got the kids off to school, we went to our friendly "City Name Transmission" shop (400 yards from the parking lot where my broken down truck was resting), and made the necessary preparation to have the STUPID thing towed.

So, for those of you wondering... 57,000 miles is about all it takes for a piece of crap FORD to start falling apart! Geez, my trusty little Toyota has 180,000 miles and has NEVER, EVER, EVER been "in the shop". That's right folks, I've never had a single "repair" of any sort on my corolla. Now, that's my kind of car! I'll NEVER buy domestic ever again!


F -found


O-on


R -road

D -DEAD!

Diet Coke "Detox"

Day two - feeling ill.....the headache is getting worse & there is no amount of coffee that has been able to soothe the dull ache I feel on the sides of my head. I CAN DO THIS! Diet Coke...you are EVIL-I curse the day I got hooked on you! You have no power over me!!!

*WARNING TO ALL BLOG READERS: As you you now know, I am going through a diet coke de-tox. I may be a little grumpy for the next week or so. Forgive me if I'm crabby or short with you, it's really just my lack of "PHENYLALANINE-containing-carbonated-drugs" speaking. This could get really ugly! If you see me in person & I look like hell, or am exhibiting "withdrawal" symptoms...go ahead and laugh at me. I got myself into this situation & now I have to get myself out! It's all for a good cause! But, that's a story for another post...

Party "do-over"

We DID get to throw a birthday party for Maya last weekend. Everyone was finally well and puke/fever-free for 48 hours-YAY! Although, I must admit after this last party I told myself "never again"! My house is just way too small for big party functions. I think I like the idea of having birthday parties somewhere else...where I don't have to do so much work!

Despite all the work, I think everyone had a good time. Except, maybe...the party girl :-(! Poor Maya has been working really hard on her first molars & the little thing was just a mess that day. I really felt bad for her.


Nothing made her happy. Nothing!


Not the cake!



Not even the removal of the obnoxious "Birthday Princess" hat.




We had to hurry through the cake and present time of the party, so I could put her to bed!!


THIS was the highlight of the whole party (for Maya at least). Our good friends Grant and Emma bought her a "Lily Leap Pad" doll & She LOVED it! This was the only gift that she even acknowledged that night (she found a deeper appreciation for the other gifts the next morning).

Yep, the birthday girl had to go to bed with all of her guests still "partying". But, I don't think she really cared. As soon as her little head hit the mattress, she was OUT! So, there you have it, proof that we really did have a "real" birthday party for little Maya. Maybe next year she will enjoy it a little more ;-).

Now here we are today!

WOW! What a difference a year makes...





"Happy Birthday To You..."




Maya is our little "cupcake".



*I bought this "party dress" for Maya to wear for her big "bash" tonight...but, we had to cancel the party due to sickness. ALL THREE of my kiddos have come down with a little bug, and we didn't want our friends to get sick, so we rescheduled the party for next week. But...I just HAD to try out the new dress ON her birthday...


"I'm so pretty...."


"Oh, so pretty..."


"Oh....OK, MOM...that's enough with the camera in my face!"




*I make my cakes 24 hours in advance and we had to cancel the party this morning...AFTER I had made the cakes :-(. Anyone want some leftovers?

My BABY is ONE!!

Today was Maya's first birthday! It was a bittersweet day because I'm pretty sure she is my last baby. Knowing that she is my last is exciting in some ways (getting closer to being a diaper free home!), but it's also mixed with a bit of sadness knowing that I'll never get to feel tiny feet kicking inside my tummy, or have another tiny newborn curled up in a ball, sleeping on my chest all night long. I'll really miss those things ...probably forever. Just saying that out loud makes me cry!!

I was one of those "weird" women that loved being pregnant. I LOVED carrying my children & getting to feel them kicking and rolling around inside me. I actually liked how I looked while I was pregnant (OK, maybe not the third trimester puffiness, and the extra/extra wide feet). I absolutely adored my very large, very round, pregnant belly!

I journaled my way through each pregnancy (yes, even my third), documenting each new "first", and charting everything from my expanding belly, to my expanding butt!! I spent each night parked on the sofa with my hand on my belly, feeling the kids squirm all around inside of me. I think those will always be sweet, sweet, memories to me :-).

Here is a look back...ONE YEAR ago today!

Little Miss Maya Lynnette entered the world at 5:13 a.m.!
*She was by far my fastest (1 hour 15 minutes) labor, and easiest delivery. I was so thrilled to have accomplished my THIRD med-free delivery! I felt amazing after she was born! It's funny how "experience" really changes everything when it comes to having babies. I felt very confident going into my delivery & I remember being so proud of my veteran hubby who also felt at ease in the delivery room. He and I were quite the team that day!






Do you think I could be more excited?


She weighed in @ 7lbs 12 oz & 19 inches long.



Snug as a bug...


Nursing Maya that first night. (Just in case you were wondering....we are still nursing at one year. Yay, for me!)

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*Overall I feel very blessed to be the mom of three beautiful children. Each one of my kids is so special to me in three very different ways. I love that God chose to give me such interesting , fun, and unique personalities for my children. I feel like my kids stretch me to my limits (in a good way), because they are always challenging me to do more, know more, and be more. My life really is all about them right now, but that's OK!

I don't think many moms hear that...but I think they need to!! It's really OK if you are pouring yourself into your little children. Sure, you don't get enough sleep right now, or even get to shower every day, but this time is SO short...spend it wisely! I want my kids to remember the "fun" me, the "happy" me, & the only way they are going to have those memories is if I give up a little of "me" from time to time.

The one HUGE thing my third baby has taught me is to "let go". If I had one word of advice for new moms out there it would be to "let go" more often. "Let go"... of some of the "book knowledge" you have and listen to your gut more often. Hold that baby when it cries, scoot over and let your toddler climb into bed with you in the middle of the night, eat a cookie for breakfast, go to the park when it's sunny (even if all the chores don't get done because of it!). "Let go"...of your schedule from time to time & listen to what your children want and need from you. Be open to learning their unique communication styles (no two children are alike...). "Let go"...of wanting your "former" life back. Your children really are a blessing from the Lord, even if they do "rob" you of your sleep & steal away your vanity. Don't be jealous of the sleep you "used to" get or the body you "once" had...celebrate that you have been forever changed by the blessing of children. Take comfort in this bit of wisdom I once received from a veteran mom..."When things get rough, & you find yourself at the end of your rope, know that...this too shall pass". It really will!

If I had one thing I was really passionate about it would be my children...and I'm not ashamed to admit that. Jon and I have made TREMENDOUS sacrifices so that I could stay at home with the kids & I would do it all over again if I had to. I could have a bigger home, a newer car, a big savings account, and nice clothes if I were working right now, but being here...in my home...with my kids...is what has changed me for the better. I'm eternally grateful for the past five years, and all that I've been able to learn from my children. I hope, and pray, that God will continue to make a way for me to stay with them for a few more years to come, because this has been the most rewarding journey of my entire life (sacrifices and all).




"It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't."
-Barbara Kingsolver

"Alex, I'll take USB cables for $100"

And the question is:
"Where does my USB cable disappear to all of the time?"

The Answer:
"Where is...Maya's crib?"

THAT'S CORRECT!


OK, so we are no strangers to all sorts of "cables" around our house. With a husband that works on computers by day, and plays guitar by night, well, we've got A LOT of random cables floating around our house. But, the fact that my children now fashion them as scarves, necklaces, earrings, super-hero capes, and now security blankets has me a bit concerned.

The USB cable just so happens to be Maya's favorite as of late. Every. Single. Time. I go to download pictures off of my camera I have to go hunt down the last remaining USB cable (she shorted out the first one by sucking on the end of it all the time-LOL!)& it seems like I always find it in Maya's possession. How this one made it into her crib.....oh, I can only guess that it had some "help" making it in there. What? Do you really think I let her take it to bed?? (McKenna likes to deliver "toys" to Maya when she is in her crib & I often find things that are not really "toys" in Maya's crib). How this baby is ever going to make it to her 5th birthday is still a question I can't answer....God save her, because I'm sure doing a horrible job :-0!
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On another note....


"Hi there"


Just looking out the window...


"Now, I wonder how I can't get this thing off of here..."