Family Vacation: May 2015

When Brian & I discussed our vacation plans for this summer, we knew we wanted to go with his mom's side of the family & somewhere that nobody has been to. In the 11 years we have been a couple, we haven't been on a vacation with them. So we were very excited to have the chance to spend time with everyone for a few days. We also knew we would only be able to plan a shorter trip because of some families' work commitments, softball tournaments, etc. Our decision was quickly made to go to.....Cincinnati, OH. I was very excited to take the kids to the zoo & aquarium (I heard great reviews on both). My sister-in-law found a hotel just outside of the city that was much cheaper than we expected (awesome for our budget!) plus it was close to many restaurants & shopping. 

Day 1: Brian & I left around lunch on Saturday & made great timing along the way. I packed plenty of snacks & movies for the trip to occupy the kids; not only on the way to & from but also while we were in the hotel room. I also packed some lunch trays for everyone so we wouldn't have to stop for food on the way. Timing was on our side because once the kids finished lunch, Levi fell asleep shortly after. Our drive was about 3 1/2 hours & very pleasant, with only 1 potty stop along the way. :) We were the last to arrive (because I went to STL the day before with my other sisters-in-law to see the NKOTB concert) that afternoon so all we were able to sneak into our evening was dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory & a trip to Bass Pro Shop.

Day 2: Zoo day!!!

Brian, his brother Jim, & 4 of the boys

Jim wasn't as thrilled about the zoo as some of the others

This was the best pic I could get at the end of a long, hot day

Our only family pic taken on vacation

Day 3: Aquarium & touring day

KY Firefighter's memorial

Historic church inside an arboretum we saw on our way back to the hotel

It was a very serene drive

Another chapel hidden in the trees

On Day 4, we packed everything up & headed back to IN. The kids were worn out every night from our daily adventures, swimming, & general play time with all of the cousins. My only regret is that I didn't take more pictures (I got caught up in the fun times we had & forgot to take pics...oops!) We enjoyed the time we spent with everyone: Nana, Papaw Rick, Nathan, Chrissy, Taylor, Degan, Jim, Nicki, Lilly, Liam, & Daniel.  This was a big group to get together but I'm so glad we made it work!

April's Mid-Month Update

Outside my window . . . it is very foggy. I believe it's suppose to rain today too.

I am thinking . . . of how tired I am this morning. I'll blame it on the weather. :)

I am thankful for . . . my mom. She cares for the boys while we work & I couldn't be more grateful. I know our kids are in great hands & I don't worry about much while I'm gone.

I am wearing . . . pj's. I really should start getting ready for work but this is more fun. LOL

I am going . . . to have a good day at work. A positive attitude is what will get me through the day.

I am wondering . . . what we'll get ourselves into this weekend??????

I am reading . . . 'One Night in October' by Chad Cain. He's my 3rd cousin & just published his 1st book. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it & see what his book is all about.

I am hoping . . . to get several things crossed off of my to-do list this weekend. I need to get the boys' summer clothes stash out of the basement, sort through it, wash everything, & put it away. I also need to pull out of the clothes they no longer fit into. Our poor coat closet has turned into a catch-all so I want to pull everything out of it & properly organize it.

I am looking forward to . . . our vacation next month.

I am hearing . . . Levi eat breakfast & Logan playing a game on the other computer.

Around the house . . . dirty windows. I didn't realize how dirty they are until this morning. Someone should really clean those things!!!

One of my favorite things . . . my quiet time late at night after everyone has gone to bed. It's my time to relax & just do what I'd like to do...mostly read.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . I have to work today & tomorrow. We have a birthday dinner for my nephew tomorrow night but no other plans for the weekend. More than likely, we'll spend our time outside as long as the weather is good. The boys LOVE to be outside & I adore watching them explore.

From Frumpy to Fabulous!

We have 2 bar stools that I'm particularly in love with. They are plain & simple but for some reason they've been my favorite since we got them. And the best part is that I found them at a garage sale.....for $25 for BOTH!!!! Now we use our bar stools a lot since we eat at our kitchen island for every meal. So that's 3 meals a day * 7 days a week * 52 weeks a year = a lot of eating & a lot of messes to be made. It never fails that every meal involves a spill of sort kind from one of the boys (primarily Levi). Therefore, our chairs start to look nasty very quickly. Evidence below:

(Really gross, I know. Please don't judge!)

I decided to give my chairs a scrub to get rid of the nasty stains. I only used 2 household ingredients: baking soda & Dawn dish soap. Add some hot water & you have yourself a very cheap, easy cleaning mixture. I couldn't find my scrub brush that I normally use so I just used a dish cloth & it worked quite well. I went over the fabric twice with my cleaner & this was the end result after it dried:

 





I'm very pleased with how my chairs turned out. There is 1 pesky stain left but this is a vast improvement compared to 'before'. Now if only I could keep the kids from getting them dirty again........







Go Rest High On That Mountain!

My grandpa & Logan

 

On Wednesday February 11, 2015, my grandpa went to be with our Lord. He lived an amazing life for 89 years. He lived his life true to the bible & anyone who knew him would attest to this. He served our Lord through his church, volunteering at our local food pantry, our family Christmas tree farm, & in his every day life. I'm beyond blessed to have had such a wonderful role model & man in my life. He was a very kind hearted, soft spoken, loving man & I will miss him dearly. Below are some pictures I wanted to share to show you a little bit about my Poppy. :)

 

My wedding day: 3-4-06

My family (including my uncle Bill from ND) celebrating my Poppy's 89th birthday last March

Poppy teaching Logan how to sort the pecans they gathered

Obviously, I was VERY excited about my rocking horse: 1986

 

Logan & Poppy enjoying a cookie & Ski in the barn: 3 years ago




 



February's Mid-Month Update

Outside my window . . . it looks dreary. We're suppose to get a lot of snow with the winter storm that's heading our way. I don't have high hopes but we'll see.

I am thinking . . . of a lot of life changing decisions to be made. I want what is best for our family but am torn on what to do. :(

I am thankful for . . . a husband who helps me catch up on chores on our only day off together. Now that I work more, the house gets neglected more than ever. Today we tackled the play room: organized, trashed an entire bag of broken/mismatched toys, donated 1 trash bag + 2 Target sacks of toys to the Christian Life Center, rearranged the furniture, & hung a couple cute decorations. We aren't done but it's an amazing start! (Pics to come soon)

I am wearing . . . my church clothes. I splurged last week & took advantage of Kohl's winter sale & my Kohl's cash & get myself some really nice, comfortable outfits to wear.  

I am going . . . to dread this work week since I work 4 shifts in a row.

I am wondering . . . how this month's budget will look compared to last month's???

I am reading . . . 'The Auschwitz Escape'. I'm normally not a history buff but this book is interesting & has opened my eyes to what Germans suffered.

I am hoping . . . to finalize the plans for Levi's birthday party next month. I have the date & theme but need to work on the menu, party/food supply list, & reserve a bounce house.

I am looking forward to . . . Brian building a storage unit for the boys' play room. We purchased the supplies tonight & all I lack is ordering the tubs from IKEA.

I am hearing . . . 2 little boys eating ice cream. Yes, I know it's February, but that hasn't stopped a Gaiser before. :)

Around the house . . . are clean rooms. Brian & I worked our rear ends off today to clean the house. I'm enjoying this moment because I know it won't last long.

One of my favorite things . . . is spending a day at home with my family. No particular plans or menu; just flying by the seat of our pants.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . I'm off work tomorrow but work the rest of the week. We may go to the DU banquet on Saturday night but that's all that is planned so far.

What if.....

 

 

I saw this post on Pinterest earlier & giggled at first (about the eating your brain part). The more I thought about this quote, the more it makes sense. I'm an organized, list-making planner & when something doesn't go according to how I 'planned', my anxiety rises. To many people this sounds strange but to others you can totally relate. Either way, this quote got me thinking about my 'what ifs' in life:

 

WHAT IF........

I stayed at home with the kids instead of work? Would we be able to afford it?

 

Logan isn't prepared for kindergarten? What do we do then?

 

I had left the house on time? Would we have been the car involved in that horrible wreck?

 

I didn't answer that call from Brian so many years ago? Where would we be now?

 

 I didn't loose our precious baby? Who would you have become?

 

Cancer didn't exist? Would my father-in-law still be alive?

 

I stopped worrying about the 'what ifs in life?

 

 

I've come to realize over time that worrying about things that are out of your control is simply a waste of time. God is in control & knows exactly what is/isn't going to happen & when. I truly believe that putting your trust in Him will take the 'what ifs' away. It isn't an easy thing to do (trust me!) but it's worth it. I believe I'm now a happier, less stressed, organized, list-making planner thanks to letting my 'what ifs' in my life go.

 



 





January's Mid-Month Update

Outside my window . . . it's pitch black out & I just got home from work. I can't wait for it to lighten up more. This darkness is depressing!

I am thinking . . . of all of the things I'd like to do with our tax return....wishful thinking, huh?

I am thankful for . . . heat. It's a simple thing to be thankful for but I'm such a baby when it comes to cold weather that I couldn't imagine not having it. Plus, it makes me think of those who go without it (whether homeless or can't afford it). I will say an extra prayer tonight for those people. 

I am wearing . . . my comfy clothes while I wait for dinner to finish. 

I am going . . . start tracking our expenses this month. Brian & I did this for a couple years but lost the vibe when we moved last fall. New year, new intentions. It's time to get back on track!!

I am wondering . . . how soon we can get Levi into an ENT. My poor baby needs tubes in his ears. 8 ear infections last year has lead us to this point. :(

I am reading . . . 'The Auschwitz Escape'. I'm normally not a history buff but this book is interesting & has opened my eyes to what Germans suffered.

I am hoping . . . for good news when the Trailblazer goes to the repair shop on Monday. Brian started having trouble with it last week & replaced the battery (thinking that was the problem). Unfortunately, it wasn't. So Brian has been driving without heat the entire week because every time he turns it on, the truck tries to die. So off to the repair shop she goes...

I am looking forward to . . . the weekend. It's my long work week so I'm ready for some times with the kiddos.

I am hearing . . . Madagascar going in the living room.

Around the house . . . are piles of clean laundry waiting to be put up. All of the laundry is COMPLETELY caught up & that is a miracle within itself. I need to bask in this moment. :)

One of my favorite things . . . seeing the boys greet me when I come home from work. It melts my heart.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . Work tomorrow then spend the evening at home, Brian has to work on Saturday but we're taking Logan to the Ice Men's game that night (I won free tickets from work!!!). Then we'll spend a relaxing day at home on Sunday after church.