What a great weekend...

A busy weekend as usual, but with a lot of fun thrown in. Saturday was my mix it up day...
Once a month I head to the Mall of America with a some friends to attend a Mix-it-Up workshop. Never heard of Mix-it-Up you don't know what you are missing....It is the "best" thing I have discovered since chocolate :) go here to find out more about Mix-it-Up www.mixitupmeals.com I actually love to cook, imagine that!
Kevin and the kids joined me this time and we made a day of it at the Mall of America. We went to the Dinosaur Walk exhibit, Anthony loved all the Dinosaurs, Yahaira was completely unimpressed (she slept thru the whole thing) see pics above. We enjoyed shopping at the mall, it was the kid's first time, they did awesome, one always wonders about taking three small children to a crowded busy environment such as that. I was thrilled to visit a couple of Scrapbooking stores, found some great new papers, can't wait to use the frog one. I also found a new pair of shoes, they are called Crocs and they are so unbelievably comfortable you don't even know you are wearing shoes. I love these! When I saw the kiosk across the way I made a bee line for it...it took only a moment after I tried them on to know I had to have these. I had read a lot about these shoes and was curious but skeptical...So glad I got to see them and try them. I was hooked from that moment on. Want to see what they look like? Go here www.crocs.com mine are red. I am wearing them right now, and my feet are so happy...One warning they are so light weight you won't know you are wearing shoes...Walking in them for the first time was quite the challenge, my feet knew they had shoes on, but I couldn't feel them.
Sunday brought church, Anthony sang, I love when the little kids sing. In the afternoon we attended a Valentine Pool Party hosted by Eve. She is Anthony's age...The kids had a blast! Yahaira cried and cried to go back in to the pool. I send my praise to Eve and her family what a wonderful afternoon we had, big thanks for including us. Attaching some pics...Yahaira had a hat and shoes to match her swimsuit, I know overkill, but dressing little girls is just too much fun :)
after the pool party we went to Mt. Lake to visit our neighbor Dennis. Dennis is in the nursing home there, he looks so much better, this is for now a short term thing until he attends the pain clinic in early march. We hope the outcome will bring Dennis back home, but for now he is being very well taken care of. Well the laundry is calling my name :)
good night,
debbie

:)

It's Friday!!!!! woohoo (insert happy dance and peppy music here)
Now that I got that out of my system....
I have to share a book I just read, actually I've had it for a bit just haven't had the chance to read it. It is called The Twelve Gifts for Healing by Charlene Costanzo. I had read her first book, The Twelve Gifts of Birth, loved it. It is a perfect gift for the mom of a newborn, or the mom of a twenty year old...Love this book. So when I seen the next book I new without a doubt I would love it, (are you sensing that I really love this author?) It was another touching book, but the thing that got me wasn't so much the story itself, as the story behind the story. The reason this book came about, well it just makes me love this author even more. (ok I will try to find another word for love, but hey it's working) wondering what this fuss is all about? Maybe you have read the first book...Well I won't leave you hanging here is the place to go.... www.TheTwelveGifts.com visit you will enjoy.
and have a great weekend....(picture the big smile on my face)
Debbie

Is it Friday yet?

Do you ever look at your calendar and just want to skip a day? Today would be one of those days...There is so much going on, I think I may meet myself coming and going a few times today.

Well Beckie is on her way to Mexico.. For spring break. yikes! Actually I am quite comfortable with the whole trip. She is going on this trip thru the college, it is a more service orientate trip and it will be an awesome experience for her since Spanish is her minor. But, the mom in me is just simply freaked by all the things I won't be able to protect her from. It is another country for crying out loud. So I will focus on the positive, she has a good head on her shoulders, even tho if that head weren't attached she would lose it on occasion :) It is chaperoned, (ok no feed back on that topic) well, I don't seem to be doing so well on the positive do I? It will be fine, she is going to have a great time. Now to stop that little green monster in me who is wishing "I" were the one going somewhere tropical and warm.

Tonight is Cassandra's last danceline performance. On one hand I am so glad this season is over but I know for Cassandra it is a bittersweet event...She has become friends with the girls on the team and it is especially hard when the Seniors leave. Next year she will be a senior....yikes!

1 more day till Friday, I think I can make it....
enjoy your day, share a smile with someone today.
Debbie

The rainbows are back!

This morning my kitchen floor is covered in rainbows.... One of the daycare kids exclaimed "the rainbows are back" During the winter months the sun doesn't always reach our kitchen window, so the prism hanging in the window naturally doesn't throw colorful rainbows all over the kitchen... I look forward to the day the rainbows appear, it means we are moving into spring and summer... I can't wait!

I ate at a new restaurant yesterday, it is a called Encore Coffee Shop. My work schedule doesn't allow for trips out during the day, but yesterday I took advantage of Josh being home and went to get us dinner. Amazing food, great service...My next goal? To actually eat a meal in the restaurant :) This store is in the former Opera House, I never realize how beautiful it was inside, there has been a lot of renovation and work done to restore it to it's original look. They have done an amazing job.

Well Josh went home yesterday, it was so wonderful to have him home. Not just so I could run to get take out...Although that sure was a nice break. He is growing into such an amazing person. It felt right having him home again...I know the little ones sure enjoyed having Josh around.

I've been trying to get some scrapbook pages completed...I have finished some, perhaps not as many as I wanted to, but a few is better than none. Hopefully Friday night's crop will help me attain that goal.

Took a car seat safety training yesterday, and once again I looked at the instructor and said there is what in my car????? This was a 1/2 hour training, I need to take a 4 hour training in the next few months to maintain my license for daycare...Ok I admit I was wondering what they could tell me a 1/2 hour that I didn't know ...Well as I stated earlier I discovered several new things. Last year when I took the training for Yahaira's car seat I discovered there are little latch hooks in your rear view window area of your car that you use to anchor the car seat with...Now when the instructor told me this I just looked at her and saidI don't think so, but being curious I checked it out, and guess what ???? There are three of them in the window...Ok I would have probably died never knowing they were there...And I'm sure the picture of Kevin and I in the back seat with our heads crammed into the tiny space near the window discovering these hooks was entertaining to say the least....So yesterday when she told me that the new car seats now have an alternative for latching the seat rather than using the seat belt. I just looked at her again with that same blank stare and said "I don't think those u-hooks are in my seats." she just smiled and said "just check" Ok I did, wouldn't you? And I am such a dork, they even come with little sticker thingys that show you right where they are...Ok owned the car for almost 2 years and not once have I noticed those little sticker thingys. And honestly I will never not notice them now, they are so prominent. Good grief, wondering what else is hiding out in my car...
enjoy your day...The sun is shining here...Life is good!
Debbie

I'm back

ok so it has been a week, (where does time go???) and honestly I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted...of course to say it has been busy is a bit of an understatement, but really aren't we all busy? So with some prompting, reminding, and simple nagging, (thanks Kelli) I will post more frequently, It is all a matter of making time. Life at the Haycraft's has been a blur...caused by little sleep and over active calendars...usually it is a blast. I do love the busy, chaotic moments in my life, but when several days in a row occur with minimul sleep well the result is far from pretty. ...I could star in a horror movie and need no makeup. Baby has decided to be awake at night, she is the party animal right now, of course if we are holding her she sleeps...remember what it's like to try to sleep while holding an infant...ok I didn't do it well the first time around, I still haven't mastered it this go round...not one to be left out Yahaira has joined in, awakening several times during the night...no they don't time it together, what fun would that be....this is where the blur comes in. of course the practical side of me thinks since i'm up I should get things done I don't get to during the day, but somehow the remaining family members take exception to the vacume cleaner running at 2 am :) guess they don't want to pary with us. on another note, my current phrase of choice, is "where's Yahaira" (kinda like the where's waldo books that were so popluar when the kids were younger) the difference, usually it is uttered with a sense of dread...not that I am worried she is hurt or lost...no simply because I don't know where she is and what she is doing, the important point would be what she is doing....This child can destroy a room in seconds...often while you are present. water is her favorite play thing, our record for outfit changes would be 4 by 10 am. My cupboards have been rearranged countless times, things are moved to new locations, places that make sense to yahaira but not to anyone else in the house. did I mention she can destroy a room in seconds? it is a sight to see, not one you recover from quickly. yesterday she went up to her room, and came down with shoes, of course she was missing her pants, but hey clothes are an option, it just so happened a daycare mom was here, and she is oooing and aahhhing over yahaira's shoes, so she picks her up to put her shoes on, after she puts her down, we both discovered that yahaira had no diaper on, and the one she had taken off had been a dirty diaper, could have died when I saw the mess left on the daycare mom's coat, she was cool about it. It was with much fear that I ventured upstairs to see what awaited me...there are not enough words to put that scenerio into print...use your imagination, it will be friendlier. Well time for the day to begin...I pray the energy needed to make it thru the day arrives soon. have a great day...until next time. Debbie

happy valentine's day

do you every feel as tho the hype for this holiday is so huge and so overrated? I married a guy who doesn't buy into the commercial holiday hype, translation he doesn't give gifts, cards, flowers ect to show his love, that would require effort and planning. There is no way I am going to get that diamond ring, just so he can show me his love. Flowers? perhaps when I die. and only if someone else orders them. Chocolate? slim chance, usually given when I am in the midst of a diet which chocolate is not on the menu, thanks for the support honey you are the best :) There is no where to turn at this time of February, the tv is full of ad's, as are newspapers, magazines and stores, "show your love this valentines day buy her this, or this ,or this." For one who rarely receives anthing for this holiday it is down right depressing. Of course love is not defined by gifts or tokens, I do know this, but hey it would be awesome to be that woman in the commercial who is actually eating out, at a table with linens on it even, having conversation with her companion, in sentences how novel is that? and you know the little black box containing the diamond (insert your choice: ring, bracelet, necklace) would actually be thrilling. I know that makes me guilty of buying into all the commercialism and hype, but admit it.....secretly you too would love to be that women just once .... I for one would love to be surprised every now and again. Enjoy your day, me I'm going to enjoy the chocolate I bought for myself, life is always better with chocolate :)

why do you scrapbook?

I read in a magazine yesterday, an article on scrapbooking. The author felt that it was an evil hobby, designed to make women feel inferior and unworthy. She felt that scrapbooking doesn't show the real part of life, just the perfect moments. She wondered about the less than perfect moments and how you would scrap those. While I understood her veiw was with humor in mind I found myself wondering where she had been and what her exposure to scrapbooking had been. That if she felt only perfect moments could be preserved what kind of albums had she been viewing??? Personally my spin is I scrap it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. Ask my oldest who went thru a phase of not wanting her picture taken, I used what I got, usually her backside.Hey she is a part of our family and if that is what she presented, that is what I used. I have numerous pages in albums that could be described as blackmail pages. I completely believe in preserving the evidance for future use. I've even scrapped some of my more embarrassing moments...ask to se my Ebay page sometime. One of my first ventures in buying from Ebay and it wasn't pretty...I love Ebay it could be a topic for a future post. Of course there are pages in my albums of the big moments, but for the most part my albums are made up of the ordinary, everyday moments. I feel you seem to remember the big moments, but those day to day ones seem to get lost in the business of life. Those are the things I want to preserve. My life is truly not picture perfect, but that doesn't matter, that isn't the reason I scrap. So I will continue to scrap, the big moments and the not so big or perfect moments, after all, preserving our memories is why I scrapbook. Debbie

we have snow!

Ok I'm not a huge fan of the white stuff, but honestly this winter has been insulting. My theory if you're going to have to deal with snow then let's have snow! to deal with, not this little inch here and little inch there, for crying out loud it takes more energy to move that inch. For the record I don't move snow, it isn't part of my job description. It looked promising at the beginning of winter, not sure what happened but it's gone. Now we have little piles of black snow, with a lot of bare patches mixed in, grass/lawns in the winter are not pretty, there is no color anywhere. How depressing. Yesterday when it began to snow I found myself wishing for enough snow to warrent a snow day, yes I would trade having all those kids home just to have a beautiful view out my window again. It was a fairy tale kind of snow, even the daycare kids commented on how pretty and magical it was. ( l love my job, I am often reminded of the great things in life, do you remember the last time you thought snow was magical) Of course it didn't last, it melted away by mid afternoon, so now add mud to the previous view, oh joy! The second wave last night was annoying more than anything, no melting just very slippery roads and intersections. in a word yuck! So why can't we have mounds of snow, but make sure those roads stay clear and drivable, shouldn't be that hard, really I don't think it's too much to ask.
on a different note, our neighbor is in the hospital agian. Kevin took him out to the er last night, in horrible pain from spasms associated with his catheter. There has been talk on previous er trips that he needs to go to a nursing home, I fear it is becoming a reality rather than talk. Pray for him and his family as they face this new decision. Today I hope to complete the final preparations for the scrapbook class I teach tomorrow. The butterflies have already set in, I always do this get so nervous and worry I will look like a dork or something. It always ends up being a fun and interesting experience. until next time, hope you find magic in your day. Debbie

life with a toddler

Lifewith a 21 month old is exhausting. Time must soften your memories. (is that just a nice way to say I'm becoming senile?) Because I don't remember it being so exhausting, Of course it has been 16+ years since we have had a toddler in the house, but I had forgotten how tired you are just trying to keep up with them. Yesterday I accomplished nothing more than just putting out all the little "fires" she began. Busy does not even begin to describe her, it is like she woke up one morning and her curiousity exploded. Now if i step back and look at this from a distance it is simply amazing to see how normal she is, that her actions, and energy, are very typical of a child her age, what a blessing it is to be able to use normal and her in the same sentence. Yesterday I wasn't appreaciating the normal at all. I was on high alert from the moment she awakened. She has perfected the "MINE" scream, several daycare kids are probably still in shock from the affects of that. Her new word for the day was "please" (yes I realize that most parents would be thrilled to have their child using proper words and displaying manners) let's clarify here, she knows what the word is for, but her choice in ways to use it left much to be desired. Please was uttered as she held the bag of M&M's 10 minutes after breakfast....or Please was said as she had a death grip on one unsuspecting little guy and was removing the toy from his hands. The look I received as I made her give the toy back was priceless, "What!!!?? I said please" "yes honey but you can't inflict torture to carry this out"
Later I found myself wondering why??? did I applaud when she pulled the chair over and crawled up to watch me do dishes a few weeks ago? what independence, what creativitiy, what a remarkably talented little girl....ok so yesterday when she used the same chair to crawl up and open the drawer we keep snacks in and then proceeded to consume a large quanity of chocolate I wasn't doing the happy dance. Good grief my initial reaction was that is "My" chocolate and sharing with you wasn't on my agenda today. (for the record I did not scream mine, :) but I sure wanted to)
I wish I could say she eventually slowed down, she didn't...in fact when she finally fell asleep I was afraid to move her for fear of awakening her. My prayer for the evening was "Please let her sleep all night, and Pleeeeeeeaaaaaase give me enough energy to keep up with her tomorrow. The amazing thing? I wouldn't change it for the world.

 

 

Happy Monday!

It is sad when you look forward to Monday. Lately our weekends have been so busy/crazy that the chaos that is usually Monday seems calm. This past weekend was no exception. Friday night it was off to the wrestling match, Danceline was performing, of course with wrestling it is harder to know when they will dance so we arrive early, so as to not miss it. One does not arrive quickly with little people in tow. Just a note wrestling is perhaps my least favorite sport to watch, I just don't get it. The little ones are having a blast, they like wrestling, guess they understand it....Or was it the soda, popcorn and M&M's I was feeding them to keep them entertained? So i't 7:45 and still no performance which means Kevin needs to leave, he is going on a retreat for confirmation and they leave at 8pm. No big deal, I can handle the 4 kids, after all they are going to have to perform soon right? It's after 8 and the baby starts fussing, dirty diaper so I glance over and there are still several guys standing waiting to wrestle so I figure I have time to change her, off we go with Yahaira in tow, she is in a clingy no one but mom mood lately, I am learning to walk well with a small body attached to my leg. Finish the diaper duty and come around the corner heading for the gym and guess what? yep the doors are shut and they are beginning the performance, I can't get in. Well we listen to the performance from the hallway, it sounded great, (said with much sarcasm) welcome to my life, only I would sit at a sport I don't like waiting for a performance I don't get to see. I would love to say after that the weekend became calmer, it didn't. Baby was sick most of Friday night and Saturday morning, I guess out of sympathy I too had the flu symptoms, oh joy. Everything that needed to be done on Saturday didn't happen, which meant that Sunday was the catch up day...So do you see why I'm glad to begin Monday? It is calmer. We did manage to keep the appointment for pictures on Sunday at Nichole's. I love the way she takes pictures and we did get some awesome shots. This time itwas for Rose, her 6 month pics, and Cassandra some pics in her Dance uniforms. Check the link in the sidebar to my photos on Flickr.
Enjoy your Monday, I know I will.
Debbie

and so it begins....

I have been reading blogs for awhile now, fascintating to say the least. Often I would think I should do this, I have things to say...some would say I never shut up. So after much debating (with myself) I decided to just do it. Can one just do it when they have mulled it over for weeks? That is so me cautiously checking the water with my toe before jumping in. So here it goes my first blog post....and I have nothing to say. :) Laughing at myself as I try to think of something witty or wise to begin this venture. Realizing that at 9 am on this Sunday morning just breathing is a mighty feat for this girl. So enough with the need to be wise, I will settle with "I am here!" more to come later. When I wake up.