It's raining, it's pouring...

I'm NEVER letting my kids go around other kids again!!!

Okay, Okay, I know that I can't keep my kids away from friends. I am just very tired right now.

Last week we had VBS and Sophia absolutely loved every minute of it. She came home singing new songs, and asking me to sing her new songs, that unfortunately I don't know the words to (but I will find out the words). 
In the morning during the young kids VBS Olivia and I stayed home and watched Erika's two youngest children so that she could help at church. Oh we loved having Hadassah, and John over to play!

During the day and evenings my mom watched my children because Jeremy runs the youth group and we had activities for them too!! Here is a short list of crazy things I did last week.

Hiked Sugarloaf mountain
Hiked Hogsback Mountain (in the rain)
Played big ball volleyball
Stayed up past midnight every night! lol
Caught a nasty cold,

Hey that's a lot for a 25weeks pregnant lady. But back to my kids.....

VBS was over and the mission group that came to help had left.  Sunday morning I noticed my girls had weird blisters on their feet and hands. We took them in and they both had hand, foot and mouth virus, and bad! It had actually started forming on their bottoms too. So I have two little ladies with break outs on their hands, feet, mouths, and bottoms :(

Olivia (as usual) got the cold I have right away, and today Sophia woke up with it. And to top things off.....Olivia might have ringworm...uuggghhh I feel bad for my poor husband who gets up early for work. He isn't sleeping well because we are all coughing all night. But I am grateful for how he takes care of us when he gets home and is super exhausted.

I'm glad this week has been a little cooler and rainy because I would be very bummed if it was nice out and we had to stay indoors. My dishes and laundry and piling up but that's okay, there is plenty of time for that later.
 Hopefully by the end of this week we will all be healthy again.

It's been a while....and my belly is starting to get big! People keep asking if I'm sure it isn't twins...YES I'm sure it's NOT twins. But we did find out we are having a boy, YAY!!! He was weighing big at 20 weeks, which is normal for my pregnancies. Sophia was 9 and half lbs. and Olivia was almost 9 lbs. So yes this is probably going to be one big boy!!

Jeremy is very excited to be having a son. He isn't going to know what to do with a boy around though lol. He is such a good daddy to our girls, I don't know how many people have said how wonderful of a dad he is to his girls, but it has been a lot!

I'm trying to not buy too much new stuff (which is hard) but I have been trying to buy second hand. I'm selling a bunch of stuff I have that is just cluttering our house so that I can buy some boy stuff.

We are still stuck on names for this lil boy :)

DEER!!!

Yesterday I took the kids to Presque Isle even though it was raining. Sophia sang, Rain Rain go away, the whole way there and it worked!! It stopped raining when we got there and didn't start again until we were done walking around the island. We were in search of deer and the first half of the walk we didn't see any. I was pretty sure we wouldn't either since the city took most of the deer out of there. But as we were walking Sophia started yelling, "mom deer, mom deer!" I said, "no hun there aren't any deer." Then of course I looked over and BAM four deer were standing right next to us! I could almost touch one. We kept trying to get it to come closer but it just stood there, even Olivia was calling to it. That really made the girl's day seeing those deer lol kids are so funny.

pregnancy blues

When I was pregnant with Sophia and Olivia I never cried about how I looked or that I was gaining weight. I was just so proud to be pregnant and loved everything good and bad that came with it.

This pregnancy is different...

I cry every time I go to get dressed and can't find anything to wear (I'm in the weird size stage) My maternity is too big and normal stuff too small. I cry when I look in the mirror and see the stringy hair and pale face, and the double chin that is already starting to show it's ugly self.

I don't think it helps that people keep making comments either. WOW you're showing? or is that just chub? Well yes at 13 and a half weeks I am showing and alot!! My baby is already measuring big (they all did) I can't help that I give birth to 6 month olds!!! haha yes they are pretty big babies at birth.

It's not even the bump that makes me cry....I LOVE my bump! It's the huge love handles that are just flapping over my pants :(  I swear they have tripled in size since I got preggo!
The other day Jeremy says,"hun you're not fat, you're having a baby." I replied, "the baby isn't growing out of my sides!"
 I didn't look so flabby with my other two children and even after, my body seemed to bounce back pretty fast.

This has been a very weepy pregnancy. I cry over...
food

clothes

my children

thinking about the girl's birth

my hair

my pale skin

if Jeremy seems annoyed or unhappy in any little way

just about everything!!!

I really can't wait until I get to the stage, that's my favorite!!

what an honor!

On Mother's day a man in our church asked if he could speak with Jeremy and I. I wasn't very sure what he wanted to talk about, see Jeremy has been helping this man out through the addiction program at our church. He has turned out to be such a nice guy and is really getting his life back together. Jeremy has gone to court with this man many times (as the director of RU) to be a voice for this man so he could get his kids. He has really changed since we first met him a year ago. He has sobered up, never misses church and is a big help around the church, has a job, and is now helping others at our addiction program.

 Well back to the question he wanted to ask us.....He said he had prayed a lot about this and talked to the pastor about it and he wanted to know if Jeremy and I would be the ones to take his boys and raise them if anything happens to him. He said our home is the kind of him he would want his kids raised in and he couldn't think of anyone else he would rather have take care of his kids! Of course we aren't expecting anything to happen to him but still it was such an honor to be ask this. He is getting all the legal stuff together so it will be in his will or whatever.

With all the doubts I have about being a good enough mom (mostly put there by others) and all the criticism I have had from others about my children (mostly from people without kids) This really made me happy to think that someone wants ME to raise their kids if anything happened to them.

 I am so proud to say, I am a good mother who is raising her children to love God, church, and others. I might not be perfect but God has made me who I am. I am very honored to have someone else think so too.

Thank you Lord for the beautiful sunshine today!

It is gorgeous outside right now. This morning I heard some birds chirping, what a wonderful sound of spring. The air is a little chilly but the warm sun on your skin is wonderful. I'm very happy that spring is here, I'm just hoping it stays. We seem to always get a snow storm  right when things start to melt and everyone thinks spring is here. I'm keeping my fingers scrossed that spring is really here. This warmer weather makes me happy

Good parenting award..haha

Well it all started on Saturday...

 Mom and I took the girls shopping for the day to get Sophia some clothes for summer. We were walking through Kohls looking at clothes and the kids started to get a little agitated. It was lunch time and they were also tired because we stayed up late the night before watching Yogi Bear. I guess I didn't really notice but some lady had been watching me as I shopped. Sophia was getting whiny and I had to get stern with her, then Olivia started to cry so I took her out of the cart, held her and put Sophia in the cart. We started to walk away from the children's clothes to go take a quick look at the shoes, before we went to get ice cream.

 Then I felt a tap on my shoulder with an excuse me miss. I figured my kids must have dropped something. The lady went on to thank me for keeping calm with my children and showing good parenting in the community. She then passed me this white envelope and said she would like to give me an award. I kindly said thank you and she walked away. I guessed it was just someone wanting to get info out about some parents group or something. When we got to the car I opened the envelope and looked at the stuff inside. There was a free one day pass to the "Y", someones email I was supposed to contact so they could put my name in the paper, and an invite to a dinner. Great starts put people out into the community to watch for adults who show good parenting with their children. I was kind of proud of myself, yeah it's not like it was anything big but lately I have really been under attack by some people telling me I'm not a good parent or I don't handle my daughter right and she is out of control. This really lifted my spirits to have a stranger think I was doing a good job with my kids.

 The sad thing is some of my friends made fun of me about this. Instead of being happy for me they acted like it was just a big joke or saying "well I should get one too, I'm a great parent", or "Oh look the mother of the year is talking to me I feel so lucky"....really hurt my feelings.

But like my mom said, "God gave you these children because he knew you and Jeremy would be the best parents for these girls and the best at raising them, that's why He didn't give you someone else's kids....He gave you yours"

Even If this "award" is just them trying to get more parents to join Great Starts, God knows when you need a little uplifting and He sent it at the right time, from a complete stranger.

Husband saves the day...

Sophia is driving me nuts right now! haha but I love her so much. She has been goofy all day, and it's been enjoyable listening to her and Olivia play today. Yesterday was not so fun, I thought I was going to just lose it! The kids whined all day and I was having morning sickness all day, and they were climbing all over me! I did NOT want to be touched.

 Around 7:30pm Jeremy looked at me and said, "get dressed and go somewhere" I asked where and he said anywhere I want. The thought did cross my mind to drive 3 hours to Green Bay and get a hotel and shop the next day.......BUUUUTT I don't think that's what he was talking about. I called my mom,  picked her up and we went shopping at Kohls and Walmart. It was nice to get out of the house and away from the whiny kids for a few hours. I didn't come home til midnight and the kids where in bed and the house was clean. Once again my husband saved the day! Today ended up much better. The kids were pretty much happy all day. We had three very yummy meals. I got to lock myself in the bathroom and do my nails and toe nails. Yup I'd have to say today was much, much better.

Well my crazy Sophia girl is in the bathroom getting ready for bed and calling for me. I let her stay up way late tonight because she was such a good girl today. I think we are going to go snuggle and fall asleep in her fort (we made the bottom bunk bed into a fort with a blanket) maybe we will read a book with the flashlight first :)

Cravings?

While pregnant with both my daughters I never really had pregnancy cravings. Yes every once in a while I really wanted something and would eat it just because I was pregnant. This time around WOW the cravings have come!! Someone mentions a food and I almost go into tears wanting that food RIGHT NOW!!! Jeremy had it so super easy with me the first two pregnancies, but to tell you the truth I think he likes running and getting me stuff lol.

Last night I was so tired after church and not feeling the best. All I wanted to do was eat the chips my mom brought me because I HAD to have them. Went to the cupboard and gone my chips were gone! Jeremy and the girls ate them all. I very kindly turned to my loving husband and asked, "hun, were are my chips?" The look of terror came across his face. He replied, "Oops we ate them, I'll go get you more!" He jumped right up and put his shoes on. I didn't ask for him to get more but he so kindly did. Well if he was going to the store he might as well get pizza too, then I don't have to make dinner (oh and maybe another kind of chips).

He returned with two bags of chips and pizza. I was a very happy momma that night :)

So since I never had cravings with my girls, maybe this time we are having a boy? I don't know either way I am happy :)

have I lost my mind? yup!

You know sometimes as moms we make mistakes...some serious and some not so serious. Somethings are just plane ol' common sense, but it seems like when you have kids common sense slips your mind.

Like last night.....

I put Olivia to bed and thought it would be fun to let Sophia play with playdoh. Sophia doesn't get to play with it much because Olivia will eat it lol. I always give Sophia a cookie sheet and set her at the table, she loves making "pies" and "cookies" with her little rolling pin and cookie cutters. But for some reason I let her play on the living room floor. I still gave her the cookie sheet, while thinking, she always keeps the playdoh on it so it will be ok. HAHA not the case!! Of course she kept the playdoh on the cookie sheet like a good girl, but what I failed to realize is all the little pieces that fall off. For example...when using a cookie cutter with playdoh, there is always the little pieces that stick in the corners of the cookie cutter. Or the parts stuck to the rolling pin.

 My carpet was covered with tiny, little pieces of bright, colored playdoh!

To my surprise, it wasn't hard to clean up! I now understand why my mom always made us play on the kitchen floor. I picked up the larger pieces and vacuumed the rest. There was a couple spots that got stepped on and wouldn't vacuum, but no worries, I just put a wet towel over them and they washed right up.

So this silly mistake of playdoh in the living room didn't turn out too bad. BUT next time my children want to play with this colorful, clump of joy.....it will definitely be at the kitchen table.

A perfect date

My husband is very bad at planning surprises. He always gives himself away. But with much thought and love he planned a date night for the two of us and even got a babysitter with out me know. We hadn't been on a date alone since Sept. I believe. We went to the Casa Calabria for some yummy Italian food.

I was so excited to go out with my husband, I couldn't stop smiling, I was like a giddy, little school girl who's crush just smiled at her. I wasn't able to get myself all done up for the night but still the same my husband smiled across the table at me like I was the prettiest thing he ever saw.

The next morning I wasn't feeling well, so Jeremy got up with the girls and let me sleep in. And to top it all off he made breakfast and brought it to me in bed. When I finally felt a little better I came down stairs to a clean kitchen (dishes done and everything).

My wonderful husband puts up with alot from me with my mood swings and crying spells. But he still loves me.

I love you so much Jeremy Paradowski!

A blog I follow called A Mommy's blessings post a blog titled "focus on your family....not the laundry"! What a great idea :) I think that's what I'll be doing today.

Just saving a little

My husband and I are working on trying to cut cost were we can. The other day I brought the idea to my husband that we should try cloth diapering. On average for one child being in diapers for 3 years (I potty train sooner around 1.5 yrs) it will cost a family about $2,300!! FOR ONE KID!! We want 5 kids, I didn't even want to do the math for that one. I just can't believe how much money would be spent on something we throw away daily! That's a lot of money to throw away.

So my search began...
I started looking for the easiest diaper out there, because Jeremy is not liking the idea of changing a cloth diaper. I was looking for an one size all-in-one diaper and I found this all-in-two diaper called "Best Bottom Diaper". The cover is wipable on the inside and the inserts snap in, all you need to do is snap out the soiled insert, wipe anything that might have gotten on the cover and snap in a new insert. NO STUFFING INSERTS!! Jeremy got really excited when he saw how easy these diapers are.  I ordered one cover and 3 inserts just to test try these diapers. I can't wait for them to come in.

Next I contacted a friend of mine who just potty trained her daughter (also cloth diaper babies potty train sooner!) she has tons of "bumGenius" diapers. she is letting me borrow some to see how I like them.

My friend Katie makes her own cloth diapers and really liked the sound of the "Best Bottom diapers" and after I get mine she said we can get together and see if we can make some.

So in all I have many options on saving money in the diaper area. Oh I also am going to make my own cloth wipes :) I'm very excited to get going on cloth diapers.

I'm not doing it for "the environment"
I'm not "going green"
I'm not trying to "save the planet"
I'm not against disposable diapers

The bottom line is....I just want to save some money...maybe we will be able to go on a family vacation with all that saved money :) I see Disney in our future!

Can I have a minute please?

Why is it that I can be in the living room with my daughters and they are playing so nice and not bothering me. BUT then the minute I walk into the kitchen and sit at the table to get on the computer all chaos breaks loose!! They start fighting over that one blue lego out of a hundred, or screaming "I gotta pee-pee, I gotta PEEEEE-PEEEEE" , or begging me to "build a house" from legos. My youngest will stand at the gate we have between the living room and kitchen and shake it (it's metal and makes a banging noise) and she will screech as loud as she can.

I'm guessing it's the gate...The grass is greener (or the toys are shinier) on the other side lol

Speaking of shiny toys, the other issue I have is the laptop...and this is why I sit at the kitchen table now.

My children think it's like a fabulous toy that only mommy and daddy can play with. Both my children try to sneak their fingers on to the laptop and push buttons while I'm on it. You see this little hand come from around the back then they strike! pushing as many buttons as they can before I can grab them. My youngest is quick! Olivia (almost one) actually grabbed the laptop once and tried to run off with it!

And even now as I'm typing this Sophia is at the gate yelling for help with one of her toys :)
Some times I wonder if the gate is more of a help or bother....but that said...I LOVE MY CHILDREN!!!

Little John Douglas...welcome to this world!

Tuesday Feb. 22, 2011 was an amazing day! I got to be a birthing coach for Erika Swanson (not that she needed coaching on her 11th child) But it was so much fun waiting with her to go in for her c-section. At first they were only going to let one person in with her and so I told Heather to go in because she had the camera. They let us both go in but they said one had to sit in the corner out of the way, so I took that spot. Who knew from my corner I would be able to see the whole thing!! It was awesome to see how fast they work and then when they pulled the baby out I started to cry. I got to see this beautiful baby boys first breath, first cry, first moment in this strange new world!!! He was so healthy and beautiful, felt all proud as if it was my child being born. Of course when my children were born I was overjoyed beyond words, but it was a very neat experience to see a baby join this world and not be so exhausted from the joys of labor.

I think I found my calling....I need to become a doula!! I love everything about child birth!!

Break out the flipflops baby!!

The weather has been sooo nice the past couple days!! Sophia and I wore flipflops to church last night, daddy thought it was crazy but it made me and Sophia so happy :) I'm looking for more days to wear my flipflops, I don't like shoes to much (even though I have tons of them). I love painting my toenails fun colors and showing them off! Sophia loves it too!

Today it has been wet and foggy (not very pretty) and it's supposed to get cold again. :(

I can't wait til SUMMER!!! I have so many plans or going to the beach and park with the girls. I think this summer is going to be alot of fun. Both girls are at an age were they can play (Olivia was a lil baby last summer) and we are going to spend every minute we can outside.

Just a side note...I HATE SPRING!!! I hate the mud and the wetness and how everything looks so dirty. Well I do like the smell of spring and that summer is just around the corner.

Come on summer, I am ready!

My beautiful Angel

After 4 positive pregnancy test that kept getting lighter and lighter I got 2 negative test and then a miscarriage. I knew something was wrong from the beginning and God did too, so He saw fit to take my baby home to be with Him. This miscarriage seemed harder than the last one 3 years ago, maybe because I knew what was going on this time? I cried it out for 2 days and with the support of my wonderful husband I am back to feeling normal.

I'm not mad or upset, just a little sad. But awhile ago I said an emotional prayer to my Lord that my children are in His hands and that my husband and I will raise them to serve Him. I prayed that I would rather Him take my children now then have them grow up and not serve our Lord Jesus. Now I don't know why He choose to take this one home, maybe my baby would have suffered with an illness, or maybe it just wasn't our time for another child. I don't know, but God does.

I thank the Lord for my two beautiful daughters, for my wonderful husband, and for His goodness to me!

The chorus our church picked for this month goes like this:
   In His time, in His time: He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord, please show me every day as you're teaching me your way,
That you do just what you say in your time.

Everything is in HIS time :)

Not a goodbye, but a see you later

Isn't it funny when we become "grown ups" the toys we want are things that make our housekeeping easier? I so badly wanted a Shark steam mop, not jewelry, flowers, or chocolates, but a MOP!! For Mother's day last year my wonderful husband got me one, let me tell you mopping was no longer a chore!! I could get all my mopping done in about 10 minutes. I love this mop so much I even took it over to my friends house and did her kitchen for her.

Last Tuesday I was blessed with new flooring in my kitchen. I was so excited to be getting nice wood floors laid until half way through the guys told me I can NOT use my steam mop on these kind of wood flooring. I was pretty upset about it for a little while because the kitchen is the largest floor space I have to mop and I waited so long to get my new toy. But then I stopped and thought about it, I was so happy to have this beautiful floor being put in my kitchen, who cares if it's going to take me a little longer and be a little more work to go back to old school mopping. I am blessed to be able to rent this house from my church and to be able to help them remodel the house so it will be worth more when we build our new church and sell the house and church.

So I have put away my steam mop and still smile every time I walk into this beautiful kitchen. One day (hopefully soon) we will own a house of our own and I will make sure I have floors I can steam mop. So until we meet again, I will miss you steam mop we had a great year together :)

Two became one

  When I got married my husband and I became one. So when someone trashes my husband they are trashing me too! Today this man, to my husband's face, was talking down to him and belittling him. As my husband just stood there, smiled, and just said "well if that's how you feel", MY blood started to boil. It took every ounce of my strength to not tell the guy off and punch him in the face! I was so proud of the way my husband handled it, but boy would it have made me feel good to put that guy in his place. I don't put up with people belittling my family or showing disrespect. The thing is the guy kept saying "don't take it personally" What is that all about???? The guy was telling my husband that his kids are above him and don't need to be in his Sunday school class anymore because it's too childish and he tells him NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY??? My husband is a great preacher and teacher and does great with the youth group and RU ministry, if he wasn't, the pastor of the church wouldn't have put him in that kind of leadership!!

Just had to vent a little lol I figured it was better than punching a fool.