Summer wrap up....

Summer is winding down, my two girls start school in approx. 13 days I believe.... It's been an amazing summer! Laura and Rachel swam again this year.  Laura worked hard on the 7&8 year team, she's learning to love the butterfly stroke, and is excited for next year!  Rachel rocked it on the 6 and unders. She was the fastest in her group on the team, and came in 3rd in the city in both free and back at the City Meet.  She should have gotten 2nd in City, but the timers suck. If everyone at pool can clearly see she got 2nd and the times don't that tells me something is wrong...  Emily has had fun at the meets playing with her friends, and will be on the team next year.  She is currently in swim lessons but doing great!

We spent a great deal of time at the pool. We also took about 10 days and went to Hatteras and Duck, NC.  Beautiful weather and great relaxation.  Dave and I had a getaway to DC for a another National baseball game. We went to a lot of cookouts and just had a busy fun summer!

I am presently in back to school mode.  Trying to wrap up some shopping and get my house together.  My house seems to fall apart in the summer with us never being inside.

Looking into September we will be celebrating Emily's 5th bday, going camping, and playing some soccer!

Worst Blogger ever...

Oh man, when I signed into blogger today I couldn't believe how long it has been.  Yikes! If your looking for me you can always find me on Facebook posting pictures of our happenings.  It's just hard to find time to sit down and blog.

So what have we been up to, since about February?  We have stayed busy that's for sure! The older girls finished up swimming, I didn't put them in the Spring session, as baseball and tball started up, and I figured one sport is enough.  Baseball and T-ball are going well for everyone.  I was worried Laura wouldn't like being away from her sisters, but she is doing great!  She's on a team with some great kiddos, and is doing really well.

We took my parents to a major league baseball game in April- to see the Nationals.  We had a blast, and they have become our team! Dave and I have planned a trip just the two of us this June to see another game, and spend the night.  I found a great deal on Groupon for a sweet hotel, and I am counting down the days! (44 to be exact!).

Dave and I left our local gym Planet Fitness and bit the bullet for One Life.  I have no regrets! I was on the fence about it as Planet Fitness is close by, and it's hard to beat $10 a month, but we are super happy.  I am loving the classes, Dave is even doing classes too.  So far my favorite is Body Pump.  I also like the fact the membership gives you access to another gym (Crunch), and their express gym in City Center.  I have already been to all three.

I did a color run 5k (Color me RAD), it was a blast! Dave took the girls and watched, but next year we might do it as a family if they come back to the area.  Dave and I also signed up for a triathlon called Life's a Beach.  It's a slacker race, and not that hard to prepare for.  It's a 200mm swim, 5 mile beach cruiser race, and then a 2 mile run.

I have also become obsessed with running a half marathon. Let's get one thing straight, I have never ran more then a 5k, I feel pretty good when I do one , I can run the whole thing, but I am not setting records.  I know I need to build up, and want to start with doing a 10k.  I have been toying around with doing a 10k soon, there is a race the end of the month, but I don't think I will be ready in time....I am trying to run more when I work out, in a semi training type thing, but it's been hard.  With Dave's schedule, the kids, and me working it's hard to be able to take the time for the runs. All my runs lately have been on a tread mill which is super boring, but it's been raining all the time, and running in the rain sounds terrible to me.  Sorry, I am a wimp.  Also, my running shoes suck.  I plan to get some new ones for Mother's Day, but in the mean time I am trying to tough it out.

The older babies turn 6 and 7!

Some how the years have flown by and I am now the mother of a 7 year old, 6 year old and a 4 year old.  It seems just like yesterday I had three under three.  I have survived thus far...but you know what.  I am sooo lucky and blessed.  These girls are amazing.  Sure sometimes they do things that drive me batty, but they are good kids.

So Laura turned 7 on February 6th.  We had a family party, and she asked for a heart shaped cake, which I attempted to carve.  She seemed happy with it, hey, that's all that matters =)  She asked for some items for baseball which starts up soon, and one of those nice Speedo swim bags.  She also got a few charms for her Pandora charm bracelet, and a pearl for her add a pearl bracelet.

Before Rachel's actual birthday, which was the 23rd, we had a friend party for Laura and Rachel's buddies.  They had some family friends, and some school friends come, and we had a party at the Ft. Eustis Aquatic center.  This went very well.  You don't have to be military to book it, it's extremely affordable (seriously the cheapest I have gotten away with in years), and it's like a mini water park inside.

We just had Rachel's family party yesterday on her real birthday.  She is now 6, and Rachel takes her birthday very seriously.  She wanted to be in charge of the entire day, and referred to herself in 3rd person all day ("the birthday girl wants to...") It was a riot.  She asked for a high school musical cake, so I printed a picture of the HS musical people and a picture of Rachel, laminated it, and then attached tooth picks to the back.

Rachel asked for pretty much everything Laura asked for, so she got a swim bag, some baseball things, etc etc.   We had a early birthday party with family, and then later on she wanted to go back to a paint your own pottery place in Port Warwick.  We just went to a birthday party there last weekend, so the girls go to pick up what they painted then, and they sat down and painted bowls that they want to use for their morning cereal.  The girls love going there, it is fun, but I feel like I need a Xanax the whole time as I am afraid something is going to break the whole time.

updates...

I am the worst blogger ever I know, but I still refuse to throw in the towel just yet.

So what's been happening since my last post?

1. My last grandmother died.  She was 95, and last year suffered a major stroke and had been living in a nursing home in bad shape.  It was a blessing that she didn't have to suffer anymore, but heart wrenching to see my grandfather grieve for her.  They were married 73 years.  She was the very definition of a grandmother, and will be missed greatly.

2. I survived returning to swim class.  Rachel apologized and apologized, and wrote the girl a letter, etc etc.  The mom apologized for losing it, and all is well.

3. Laura turned 7.  Can you believe it!? Where do the years go?!

4. The winter blues are getting to me, and I have to force myself to get off the couch and into the gym.  I need warmer weather.

5. I went to a board meeting at our pool to learn more about the pool happenings etc and next thing I know I become a board member, and I am in charge of hiring kids that run the concession stand and man the gate.

6. Swim booster meetings start up this month and I guess I will learn how involved that is.  Yes I am committing myself probably beyond my time, but it's for my kids, and our local pool which I have always loved. Remind me of this when I am stressed out.

The dark side of parenting...

So it's been a day.  Laura was up all last night crying over her ear hurting.  We figured it was either swimmers ear or an infection.  Regardless to the doctor she went, where it was confirmed to be a rather nasty infection.  So I stayed home, tried to baby her, and run the others to school and organize the house some more.

Later Rachel had swim practice, and I was taking a moment to relax and read a book.  It was the start of a new session today at swimming, and there were a few new kids.  A new girl after a little while got out of the pool and said she didn't want to swim anymore.  She was crying, and and just refusing to get back in.  I just kept reading, and then her dad arrived to watch, and he was trying to tell her to go in, and she held her ground.  Finally after they begged her to say what was wrong, she told them that a girl had told her she was a bad swimmer and didn't know how to swim right.  Guess who the mean girl was?  My daughter.  The mom got up and went to my daughter immediately and went off on her , I got up, and apologized and asked what had happened ( I didn't know what was said at that time), the mom hauled off and said that her daughter was excited all day to come, and then told me what my daughter had said.  I was embarrassed and upset, and apologized over and over, she stopped me and said for the future she didn't want my daughter to say one word to her daughter again.  I got Rachel out of the pool and of course I was flipping out inside, and Rachel was already crying.  She apologized to the girl, and I told her I was sorry to, and that she deserved to be the pool too.  The mom left with her, and I apologized to the dad who seemed to be easier on me about it, and said we would work it out.  I wasn't sure if I should leave right away with Rachel or what.  The other girl had left, and Rachel was saying she wanted to leave then too.  I still don't know if what I did was right or wrong, but after 5 minutes I made her get back in.  I figured Rachel was embarrassed and wanted to the easy way out, so I made her finish practice.  I talked to her coach, and told the coach that I was sorry, and asked them if they talked to the mom again if they would apologize again for me.  I also let the coach know if the girl didn't want to come back because of my child I would withdraw mine.  That may sound crazy, but if the girl wants to swim and is that upset by my daughter then I will do what's right.  The coach said they wouldn't let it come to that, and they would just separate them.

I had a long talk with Rachel about how what she said was hurtful, and how upset she made the other girl. Rachel can be a bit of a spit fire, but in school and other settings, her manners are always raved about by teachers.  Heck this December I got a email from the room mom saying how my daughter helped a fellow student who was upset, and how caring she is of the kids and their feelings.   Rachel knows she did wrong, and I really don't know why the heck she would do such a thing today.  I almost feel like printing that email and showing it to the mom, while screaming " I swear my child isn't always an ass!"

I of course don't like the way the other mom went to my four year old first to yell at her before talking to me, and I don't like how she doesn't want to work to make things better, and would rather my child not say a thing to her again.   If I could have it my way I would invite the girl on a outing or playdate to do something nice for her, but I don't think it's going that way.  Maybe next practice it will be better.  Lucky for me it's my husbands turn to take the kids to swimming as I work later that day,  so I have filled him in on everything and have asked him to try to talk to the parents.  I hope the girl comes back to the next practice and it's not a complete disaster.

I know kids will be kids, but I am upset that my daughter said something hurtful.   The girl was new and was trying something different and was being brave, and I hate that my daughter ruined today for her.  I just hope Rachel can learn from it, and that it doesn't happen again.

Brain dump post....

1. Dave turned 34 =)  I baked him an insane chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting by Paula Dean so you know it was out of control good and bad for you.
2. Sampson died.  He was a boxer that Dave and I bought out Senior year of college up at Ferrum.  He was a sweet dog, and lived out his later years with my parents, as they fed him better, and we were so caught up with the kids, he sorta just would up there.  Don't get me wrong a lot of it probably had to do with him getting upset being left alone a lot during the day, so he would destroy something of mine, and then I would go after him to punish him.  He had a good like, after being told twice before he was one years old he wouldn't make it.   When we first got him and took him to the vet he was very sick, and were told he would die.  He made it.  Then we were told he needed knee surgery which was insanely expensive, and our option was to do it or put him down.  He got the surgery.  Seems fitting after a rough beginning he went out peacefully in his sleep.
3. We got snow. Enough for the kiddos to enjoy some sledding and fun with friends.
4.  The girls are signed up for c- league and tball!  Rachel went back and forth between tball or soccer, and then as Dave went to sign up her sisters she changed her mind and said she wanted to do tball.  Makes it easier for us so that's fine!  They are doing 10 more weeks of swimming, and I wont be signing them up for the last session, as that will be in the middle of ball season, and they deserve a break before summer swimming starts up.
5. I have read 7 books this month which I know is just insane.  Just a lot of time inside in this cold weather, and reading at lunch breaks, or car pool lines.  I recently finished Defending Jacob, which was such a page turner, and The Fault in our Stars which was a heart tugger.
6. I need to get busy with birthday planning for the girls.  I don't have much to do for their friend party, but I need to get those invites out, and plan their individual family parties, which will probably be simply cake and ice cream.
7. Work is busy.
8. I found a little more time to work out in January which pretty much meant I have had to drag my butt out of bed early and get to the gym.  It's hard, but when I go I never regret it.
9. I have had a nasty cold these last few days, and I have been glad we got snow so I could stay inside in my pjs and just rest.
10. Emily had her first sleepover at a friends house with out her older sisters coming along, and she was so stinking excited!  She's growing up fast!

Goal progress....

We are at the half way point of January, and I am working hard to stick to my goals.  I have already read 5 book this year.  I am a bit of a speed reader, but I also make time for it in the morning, and I usually can be found reading during my lunch breaks.

I do most of my reading on my iPad or utilize the local library.  If you have a ipad or another device you can read epub format books I, I strongly encourage you to check out tueble.com .  It's a website with a crazy amount of free books.  Not that I have ever done this... I am just saying....

This year I have read the Carrie Diaries ( I know nothing profound or educational, but they were fun reads), and a few other fun books.

I am staying steady with the gym, and workouts at home on days I can't get to the gym.

I am working on stressing less.  I returned to work after a long break and so far I have not lost my marbles yet.

I have been trying to declutter when able and work on trying to get in a cleaning pattern.  Still a work on progress with that.  With kids you can't be do but so much, and let's face it they are always behind me making a mess =).

We are staying busy with swimming club with Laura and Rachel, and this month Emily is doing lessons through the Parks and Rec.  She is having a blast.  This means we have swimming every day of the week except weekends for now, but hey.  It's all about the kids and they love it!

I am busy planning Laura and Rachel's birthday party.  We booked the aquatic center at Ft. Eustis which they are super excited about.

Let's hope my goal progress continues!

More Vinyl Adventures....

I have had so much fun with my vinyl Silhouette machine!  I even got a new one for Christmas since mine was pretty much ancient...  I got the Silhouette cameo, and it's AMAZING. While I was decluttering and dechristmasing the house, I took back my craft room.  I used to scrap and stuff in it , but it's been quite a while since it became anything more then a storage room....

I set up my machine and lap top in there, and I am determined to spend maybe an hour a week or so doing something fun in there.

So... what vinyl projects have I been up to?  Well I made all of the teacher gifts for all 100,000 of the girls teachers.  They were similar to this one I made for us, but the teachers had polka dots, and most of them got solid white soaps dispensers.

I made several things for birthday parties that we went to, and at Christmas time I helped a few people out with personalizing Christmas gifts....

I also made a few car monograms for myself, and the another lady bought three...

I made zombie stickers for my husband, brother in law, some people bought some, and then I put one of my dad's present which was an ammo  box

With my newest machine I made a decal to put above the kiddos art area in the hallway, and a cup for my husband to use to watch the big game with...

It's been a ton of fun creating!