tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29747787658172693492024-03-12T21:05:18.413-04:00...of one kind, and anotherSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.comBlogger285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-58747548625934467112017-08-21T11:54:00.002-04:002017-08-21T12:05:32.406-04:00Why I am excited for the kids to go back to schoolI'll admit, I used to be that parent, the one who complained about people who were excited for their kids to go back to school. Who said things like "Do people really not enjoy their kids so much that they need to celebrate being away from them?" in disgust. I probably even was bold enough to post it on facebook. Because I was SO confident that I would never desire time away from my kids and that my kids would be perfectly happy spending 24 hours a day 7 days a week in my presence for the rest of eternity.<br />
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But here we are, the first day of school and I am EXCITED to send them back.<br />
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But no, I haven't decided that I don't like to be around my kids.<br />
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My oldest is in 4th grade this year (how did that even happen?!), and this kid lives for school. We do a lot at home, and I know I *could* meet his needs here if I wanted. But he loves school. He loves the constant challenge that it brings. He loves competing with peers. Talking over ideas with other kids in his class. He's what some would have in years past called a nerd, but in the coolest possible way. He just loves learning. All. The. Time. School is such a positive experience for him, and one that I am happy to give him.<br />
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My second is in 3rd grade and has spent the summer writing letters to friends and making lists of things he wants to do to get ready for school and once school starts. He's my organizer. He loves the predictability of the school day. That lunch happens at a certain time, that gym happens on a certain day, that he knows exactly how long he'll be doing any given thing and can plan ahead for days at a time to be mentally prepared for what is next. When he's home, I think I drive him a little crazy that we don't eat lunch at exactly the same time each day. Or that I can't tell him exactly what we'll be doing 2 Friday's from now. He craves structure and routine beyond what is possible while at home. At least not without making me completely crazy trying to keep up with the plan and no room for adjustment.<br />
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My 3rd is in 1st grade and has been asking me how many days until she goes back for the last 3 weeks. She can't wait to see her best friend, to get to know her new teacher, to pick out what clothes she will wear each day and plan out how she wants me to do her hair. She loves to learn and is agreeable and adjusts to pretty much any situation. I know she will thrive wherever she is planted, but school brings her joy, so it brings me joy.<br />
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It's not that I can't stand my kids, or that I could never homeschool, or that I need *me* time (though don't get me wrong, I do need that sometimes too). But that I'm helping them grow by sending them to school, I'm giving them experiences and challenges that they love. And we are lucky to have a fantastic school that provides them with these things. 5 years ago I was scared to start our public school journey and didn't know what to expect, but what I have seen has gone beyond any expectations I could have hoped for. My kids are loved, and learning and thriving with teachers and staff who truly love what they do and want to help my kids succeed, not fit a mold.<br />
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So I'm excited that they are back at school today, and I can't wait to hear all about it when they get home!<br />
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And the 2 littles and I had fun grocery shopping and wandering the aisles of Target<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-57349225142144235092017-08-18T13:42:00.000-04:002017-08-18T13:42:38.212-04:00Back to School!We start school on Monday, I can't believe the summer is already over! But we're all more than ready to get back into some sort of routine.<br /><br />This year, with a new baby coming in just about 7 weeks, I'm feeling some extra pressure to get organized from the start and set ourselves up for a smooth school year.<br /><br />We've spent this week getting ready for school, and I thought I'd share a few of the things we're doing to make mornings easier.<br />
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I try really hard to make the kids healthy and varied lunches. But I'll be honest, by December, we usually fall into the peanut butter and jelly rut (which works since my kids like peanut butter and jelly) and eventually we are scrambling in the mornings to even get those made. <br /><br />Enter frozen ahead of time homemade uncrustable sandwiches! For the days I know are coming when I just don't have the time to make lunch or even get the kids to make their own sandwiches. Grab in the morning and they are thawed by lunch!<br />
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<br /><br />I picked up this <a href="https://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Cook%27s+Tools/Prep+Tools/Cut-N-Seal/1195" target="_blank">Pampered Chef cut and seal tool</a> a few years ago and it makes the perfect copycat uncrustable sandwiches using your own favorite ingredients. <br /><br />We typically fill ours with natural peanut butter (we are not a peanut free school, Sunbutter is a great alternative if yours is) and strawberry jam. But you can use any sort of filling that freezes.<br /><br />I spoon the filling into the middle of the bread to leave the edges clean and save those in the freezer to make french toast casserole of stuffing later. No waste!<br /><br />After they are all assembled, I flash freeze and then throw them all in a freezer bag to grab as needed.<br /><br />So now we have 4 weeks worth of sandwiches in our freezer for the days we just don't have time to make lunch!<br />
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Next thing we did to speed up the mornings, was prep some overnight oatmeal that they can quickly get out themselves in the morning for breakfast. <br />
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I bought some extra half pint canning jars to make sure we had 25 dedicated *just* to school day breakfasts.<br />
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<br />There are a million recipes for overnight oats on pinterest. We've used some in the past, but mostly just wing it at this point with whatever we are in the mood for. We went simple this week, and I let the kids pick out some pie fillings. We've also done various fruits and honey, but this is a quick way that requires very little prep work. This week they picked strawberry, blueberry and pumpkin.<br /><br />So here are the ingredients I gathered:<br />Quick oats<br />Coconut milk (you can use regular milk and even yogurt in addition to the milk, but we like to keep ours dairy free)<br />Chia seeds (especially helpful if you aren't using yogurt to help thicken it up)<br />Blueberry and Strawberry canned pie filling<br />Canned pumpkin<br />Honey (to add to the pumpkin since it's not already sweetened)<br /><br />I am kind of terrible at following recipes and even measuring. I mostly cook by adding things until it looks/tastes good. So all measurements are approximate. <br /><br />I added about 1/3 cup of quick oats to each jar.<br />
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<br /><br />Then 1T of chia seeds.<br />
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<br /><br />Scooped a few spoonfuls of pie filling or pumpkin into each jar, and about a tablespoon of honey to the pumpkin jars.<br />
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Poured milk over the top leaving a little bit of head room to allow for shaking. (sometimes you have to wait for the milk to settle into the oats a bit and then add some more)<br />
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<br /><br />Put on lids, and shake! This is the kids favorite part, and with 25 jars at a time, I am happy to have some help. The pumpkin is thicker than the filling, so a few of those required stirring by spoon to mix completely.<br />
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<br /><br />And that's it! They last about a week in the fridge for most toppings, so we are set until next weekend on school morning breakfasts. If your kids prefer hot oatmeal, they can be heated in the microwave, but mine like it better cold, which means one less step for me!<br /><br />Hoping we can keep this routine up for a while to make mornings run smoothly.<br /><br />Next, I am brainstorming and researching ways to make getting dressed in the morning a little bit easier each day.<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-344018435329004102017-05-14T08:17:00.002-04:002017-05-14T08:17:44.020-04:00Why Mother's Day Isn't All About Me (and why that's okay)As a child, I loved Mother's Day. A special day I got to show my mom and Grandmas how much I loved them. Now I was homeschooled, so probably failed with that on the mom front a lot. Obviously my mom wasn't going to make cute school crafts for Mother's Day for us to give to her, instead she spent her energy making sure we honored our Grandmothers with special crafts or gifts. She put herself aside and made the day about honoring HER mother and mother in law. I am sure that wasn't always easy when obviously everyone wants a day all about them. But my mom taught me a lot about self sacrifice and honoring others.<br />
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That doesn't mean we ignored my mom or didn't celebrate her at all. We all celebrated together. As a family. I loved Mother's Day because it was a day to be together. I got to see my Grandmas, Grandpas and cousins. It was a great family celebration. The dads would all grill or some years we'd just order pizza or chicken. So the moms didn't have to cook, just enjoy the celebration.<br />
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I've been so honored to be included in that celebration over the last 10 years since joining them as a mom.<br />
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But the internet is a dark and lonely place sometimes. As Mother's Day approaches lately, I find myself becoming agitated and annoyed. The internet tells me that women deserve flowers and gifts and a day all to themselves because it's all about them. It complains about their selfish mothers or mothers in law who want to see their children on this day. I know these are women who are hurting from other experiences and it's just coming out in this way on this day. But it's easy to let it eat away at you. It becomes a day where no one wins, where we tear each other down. Where we compete for who has the best marriage based on how spoiled they were and their facebook photos.Where we compete with who has the worst Mother's Day based on what they didn't get that they deserve. Where those who care about gifts are told they shouldn't and those who don't are told to stop making it all about them.<br />
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It makes it hard to find any sort of joy in the day at all.<br />
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But that's when I am thankful for my mom. My mom who taught me with her example that it isn't all about me, that I wouldn't be here if not for her and my grandmas who deserve to be celebrated. One day my day will come where my kids and hopefully grandkids gather around to celebrate with me. But until then, I am perfectly fine celebrating with them. We're all in this together. They know better than anyone what it's like. I am so happy to have them as examples in my life of what motherhood is all about.<br />
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Happy Mother's Day Mom, and for the gifts you have given ME that will last more than just a day.<br />
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-16860515465983092862016-06-11T13:00:00.000-04:002016-06-11T13:00:10.159-04:0033. Visit Hale Farm<br />
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I'm helping my mom with an early learning initiative at Hale Farm. We're coming up with ideas for preschool and kindergarten aged visitors to learn about what's going on through hands on activities throughout the farm.<br /><br />So today, we went on a field trip to walk through the farm and brainstorm some ideas for different spaces. The kids had fun visiting some of their favorite spots while we were there too!</div>
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<br />First stop was the first settlement cabin, the boys practiced lifting a yoke for water buckets and a big cast iron dutch oven. Jobs they might have helped with 200 years ago.<br /><span id="goog_1925252841"></span><span id="goog_1925252842"></span></div>
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Cicadas everywhere! And so loud in the woods!</div>
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Stopped at their favorite site, glassblowing, to see what was going on. They got to see a vase this time.</div>
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Hanging out by the general store.</div>
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Comparing the schoolhouse to their elementary school, and Noah trying on the dunce cap</div>
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The pretty red faced Tunis</div>
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Nathan spotted a fawn hiding near the trail on our way back!</div>
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It was a great trip, we came up with lots of fun ideas, and the kids had an awesome day. Looking forward to many more Hale Farm trips this summer!</div>
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-85593383481806236672016-06-09T13:00:00.000-04:002016-06-09T13:00:28.897-04:0031. Pick StrawberriesWhen I wrote this down on my list, I planned on visiting a berry farm (and we still might do that at some point), but my dear friend Lisa just happens to have TONS of strawberries growing in her backyard. So she invited us over to share some with us. The girls got to play with their best buddies who they missed seeing this week, I got to chat with one of my best friends, and we got some amazing berries to take home!<br />
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<br />I always forget how much better fresh berries tastes than store bought berries that are picked unripe and then left to ripen on their way to the store and on the shelf. These are so much sweeter and juicier. We probably could have eaten them all tonight if we wanted, but trying to make them last at least a few days!Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-86479947479249962202016-06-08T13:27:00.000-04:002016-06-08T13:27:00.264-04:0019. Be flower girls<br />
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Anthony's sister Anna got married last weekend, and we had a blast! The girls were flower girls for the first time, and it was everything they ever thought it would be. Elise is still talking daily about how much she loved it and how beautiful she was. No confidence issues with this girl ;)<br />
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<br /><br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-86078533916946392532016-06-07T13:18:00.000-04:002016-06-07T13:18:24.457-04:001. Build a Swingset We did it! (well mostly Anthony did it, I just held some things here and there and dodged beams falling on me)<br /><br />And the kids couldn't be happier! They've spent pretty much all day every day playing outside since school has been out. So nice not to have to drive to the park to swing on swings. <br /><br />Everyone is learning some important lessons in taking turns to. 3 swings, 4 kids.<br />
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<br /><br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-39681755129975511612016-04-23T14:39:00.000-04:002016-06-07T13:19:14.403-04:00What Should We Do This Summer? When I was in high school and college, I used to make a list every spring of things that I wanted to do during the summer. It was a fun way to get excited about summertime, plus just an excuse for my list obsessed making self to make another list.<br />
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I've made my "50 Things To Do This Summer" list a few times since I've had kids, but it's been a few years, and my list has definitely changed to be a bit more kid and mom friendly. So here is our list for this year, some things are very specific to our family, I've made a graphic of more general fun summer activities for a Catholic family! I'll be linking up here as I blog about our summer adventures!<br />
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<li><a href="http://makingmoremischief.blogspot.com/2016/06/1-build-swingset.html" target="_blank">Build a swing set</a></li>
<li>Eat ice cream/popsicle/frozen yogurt</li>
<li>Fly a kite</li>
<li>Go to the zoo</li>
<li>Blow bubbles</li>
<li>Swim</li>
<li>Visit all of the parks in the park system</li>
<li>Plant a garden</li>
<li>Go fishing</li>
<li>Camp out</li>
<li>Run a race</li>
<li>Library summer reading game</li>
<li>Paint something </li>
<li>Draw with chalk</li>
<li>Play baseball</li>
<li>VBS</li>
<li>Ride bikes</li>
<li>Watch fireworks</li>
<li>Be flower girls (okay, so we can't all do this one)</li>
<li>Grill</li>
<li>Try a new recipe</li>
<li>Make ice cream</li>
<li>Have a party</li>
<li>Go for a long walk</li>
<li>Play with cousins/friends</li>
<li>Sew something</li>
<li>Knit something</li>
<li>Go to the farmer's market</li>
<li>Have a bonfire</li>
<li>Go garage saling</li>
<li>Pick strawberries</li>
<li>Pick blueberries</li>
<li>Visit Hale Farm</li>
<li>Go to morning mass</li>
<li>Read lots of books</li>
<li>Movie night</li>
<li>Ride the train at the outlet mall</li>
<li>Go out to dinner</li>
<li>Have a dance party</li>
<li>Visit the splash pad</li>
<li>Play in the rain</li>
<li>Go to a baseball game</li>
<li>Build a fort</li>
<li>Go see a movie</li>
<li>Work on a craft project</li>
<li>Go to the fair</li>
<li>Play in the sprinkler</li>
<li>Have a water balloon fight</li>
<li>Have a picnic</li>
<li>Make s'mores</li>
</ol>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-75276957147830484192016-04-05T16:50:00.000-04:002016-04-05T16:51:56.292-04:0010 Thoughts About The 9 Month Sleep Regression1. I am going to be stuck in this chair for the rest of my life.<br />
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2. I need to teach Elise how to make dinner.<br />
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3. Remember when I used to do things? Anything?<br />
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4. What do people who don't use baby carriers do?<br />
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5. I vow, that as soon as this sleep regression is over, that I am going to make good use of my time and always fold my laundry right out of the dryer. <br />
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6. Coffee is the best.<br />
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7. Maybe if I just move reeeeeeally slowly, I'll be able to put him down and use the bathroom alone.<br />
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8. Nope. Didn't work, back to the chair. <br />
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9. I should have put dinner in the crock pot this morning, why did I think I'd have time during "nap time"?<br />
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10. The other kids are being so quiet. That probably means they are doing something they shouldn't. I don't even care because at least that means the baby is sleeping. <br />
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-77943135572034118672016-03-28T14:18:00.001-04:002016-03-28T14:18:22.554-04:00People Work to Earn Money<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my somewhat failing (thanks Max!) spring cleaning attempt, I came
across this gem from Noah and it was too good not to record somewhere
for easy reference in the future.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noah is going to be a race car driver, driving a car filled with water</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkey is essential </td></tr>
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<br /><br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-2569871631706391512016-03-25T22:05:00.000-04:002016-03-25T22:05:36.704-04:00Good Friday<a href="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/9604_892840464840_3665757804217987763_n.jpg?oh=414f78698c530466d95d2b9ef17612d3&oe=5788C7CB" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/9604_892840464840_3665757804217987763_n.jpg?oh=414f78698c530466d95d2b9ef17612d3&oe=5788C7CB" width="320" /></a>Well, today didn't turn out quite like I had planned.<br /><br />After Mass last night, Nathan could not stop coughing, we had to use his albuterol inhaler for the first time in a few months, and I think the incense is to blame. So we decided to stay home from the Veneration of the Cross and give him a bit of a break before the Easter Vigil tomorrow. He already seems to be doing much better, so I think it was a good call. Kind of sad though since he probably was looking forward to going more than any of us.<br /><br />It ended up being a pretty low key day, we talked a bit about what today meant, Maddie was interested to know that this was the day that Jesus died (she kept asking after Mass last night if Jesus had died yet). And then tonight, we prayed the Stations of the Cross.<br /><br />I took the kids to see the Life Teen Living Stations of the Cross last week, so it was still pretty fresh in their minds as we read through each station. <br /><br />We used the candle holder that my dad made when I was younger, and the kids took turns blowing out the candles after each station until we were left in darkness. <br /><br />It was a nice way to end the day and really reflect on it's meaning.<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-23887667142032104672016-03-24T09:31:00.001-04:002016-03-24T09:31:41.100-04:00Holy Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
These next 4 days are my favorite of the whole year, I love the anticipation of what is to come in just a few days. So much tradition. One of my favorite things about the Catholic Church is the rich history, and that what we do has meaning. </div>
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<br />Today we celebrate Holy Thursday, the night of the Last Supper. <br />Last night we talked about what that meant, we read over <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26:17-30&version=NASB" target="_blank">the story</a> as a reminder. Nathan talked about how this is where Jesus told us that the bread and wine would become his body and blood. That this is where we get the Eucharist. </div>
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<br />Today we're going to be making this <a href="http://www.catholicicing.com/holy-thursday-last-supper-craft/" target="_blank">Last Supper craft from Catholic Icing</a> (once we finish our chores). Thinking about baking some <a href="http://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2009/04/judases.html" target="_blank">Judases</a> later, and then tonight, we'll go to the Holy Thursday service at church. The kids get excited every year about the procession to the temporary chapel and waiting with Jesus. I won't even pretend I have perfect kids when it comes to behavior in Mass, but they've always been great during the Triduum. They know something is different, and they want to find out what it is.</div>
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<br />I'll be back to update later with some pictures from our day, happy Triduum! </div>
<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-51084672655653789622015-10-26T20:32:00.000-04:002015-10-26T20:33:12.877-04:00When you are defeated by a swing.If you follow my posts on facebook, of if you've spoken to me in the last week and a half, you know that my life has been consumed by a swing. Or rather, the lack of a swing. <br />
<br />
We didn't start out using the swing with Max, and then when he was about 6 weeks old, I pulled it out just for fun one day. And it was like magic.<br />
<br />
I could get Max to take a 2 hour nap if I laid in bed with him until he fell asleep and then I would sneak away, but I could get him to take a FOUR hour nap if I put him in the swing and turned it on. <br />
<br />
I was pretty adamant that I didn't want him to be dependent on the swing. That I would just use it on the days that I *really* needed a break and didn't have the time to devote to getting him to sleep somewhere else. I wasn't going to take the lazy way out of this, I'd be a good mom and rock or lay with my baby to help him transition to sleeping on his own one day.<br />
<br />
But like with anything else, that didn't last long. Because who has time to lay with their fifth born child in bed for an hour just to get him to sleep one extra hour. That's hardly enough time to just do all of the things you missed doing during the hour you were laying down. Eat, pee, clean up 1/4 of the mess the toddler and preschooler made while you were ignoring them in the hopes they would just stay quiet enough for the baby to go to sleep, get some water, sit down...and then pick up the baby who is wide awake from his nap and ready for some more one on one attention. <br />
<br />
And then of course there was the sleep regression, or growth spurt, or whatever I was calling it that day to describe the baby being a baby and making it hard for me to do, well, anything without him strapped to me. <br />
<br />
So we started using the swing a little more, and a little more, until the afternoon nap every single day we were home, was happening in the swing. He started to rely on it a little, I started to rely on it A LOT.<br />
<br />
And then it happened. After 8 years, 5 kids of my own, several friends and nieces and nephews using it without issue, the motor died. <br />
<br />
Just when I couldn't live without it. <br />
<br />
So I did what any frugal mom does, I googled "How to fix a Fisher Price cradle swing motor" and happily found several tutorials explaining exactly how to do this. And for really really cheap. I was thrilled!<br />
<br />
I could have bought an $8 Airwick air freshener and taken it apart and used that motor, but soldering seemed like a skill I would wait to learn another day, and I opted for the $12 motor pre soldered on ebay. ebay told me that it was estimated to arrive in about a week. I could handle that, a week with no swing. <br />
<br />
Nope.<br />
<br />
Aside from the week before Max was born, probably the longest week of my life. Why oh why did I get so attached to being able to put him down?! I feel like by baby #5, I should just know better. <br />
<br />
A week came and went and NO MOTOR. So far all that had been done was print a shipping label. At this point, I was already wording my disappointed feedback in my head "Don't you know that when someone orders a new baby swing motor and it's an emergency?!" "This isn't something to take your time shipping" "Lives are at stake here"<br />
<br />
So I was a little desperate, and probably going a little crazy now that reality had set back in and I had to hold my own baby for naps again, or spend more than 30 seconds getting him down for a nap.<br />
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Finally, a week and a half later, the motor arrived. I felt like it was Christmas. Miraculously, Max was taking the longest nap he'd taken during all of this, so I had plenty of time to pop out the old motor and put in the new one while Maddie napped and Elise <strike>played quietly</strike> watched a movie in the other room.<br />
<br />
And then I actually watched the whole video about replacing this thing. It was more complicated than I had imagined. <br />
<br />
20 some screws removed and an hour later, I'd taken the entire swing apart. Wires everywhere, grease all over my hands, too many screws to remember where they even went if I ever got it back together again. <br />
<br />
Here was the moment of truth, what I had been waiting for, dreaming of for a week and a half. The video tutorial told me that if I had it all connected right, when I turned the swing on, the little lever inside would stare moving back and forth at the speed of the swing. If it was moving slowly, all that meant was that I had the wrong wires attached and I had to reverse the polarity by switching the wires. <br />
<br />
I was feeling rather proud of myself at this point, I had a problem and I fixed it myself, even if it was way more complicated that I originally thought it would be.<br />
I turned the swing on and held my breath, it moved! But slowly. No big deal, just switch the wires. Easy enough after everything I'd been through.<br />
<br />
Switched the wires, turned it on again...and nothing. Wouldn't even turn on. <br />
<br />
Adjusted it a million more times, switched wires back and forth to try and figure out this issue. Read 5 million comments on the video from people saying "Wow! It worked perfectly!" searching for just one that had the same issue as me. Nothing. <br />
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It's sitting in my dinning room still taken apart wires everywhere and a pile of screws, and I'm searching facebook garage sale pages for a *new* swing...while holding a sleeping baby. <br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-74426067054265212382015-10-01T07:00:00.000-04:002015-10-01T07:00:05.972-04:00Pumpkin and Coconut Curried Black Beans and RiceIt's that time of year again! And I don't have morning sickness this year making it impossible for me to even look at pumpkin without feeling sick. So more pumpkin recipes to try out!<br /><br />This one was really different from my normal pumpkin recipes I try out, but it was really good! I was nervous the kids wouldn't like it, but they even asked for seconds! Anthony said "It was actually alright" which is a pretty high rating from someone who hates pumpkin.<br /><br />I skipped the cilantro because I didn't have it on hand, but I bet it would have been an interesting garnish! <br /><br />And no pictures, because...I just forgot to take any.<br />
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<b>Pumpkin and Coconut Curried Black Beans and Rice</b></div>
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Ingredients</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 green pepper, chopped (Optional. I've done it both ways, and either way is great.)</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 large yellow onion, chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 lb. black beans, rinsed</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree </li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">4 tablespoons tomato paste</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 tablespoon curry powder</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">2 teaspoon cayenne pepper </li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 teaspoon cumin</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 bay leaf</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 can coconut milk</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">1 Tablespoon kosher salt</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">3 cups chicken stock</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">3 cups water or 6 cups if you don't have stock</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">Cilantro</li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients">Plain yogurt</li>
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Instructions</div>
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<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Saute green pepper and onion for 5 minutes.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add garlic and saute for another minute.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Add sauteed vegetables and all other ingredients except cilantro and yogurt to slow-cooker</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Set the slow-cooker on high and let it go about 8 hours.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Check water level from time to time, adding more if necessary to prevent burning.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions">Garnish with cilantro and a dollop of plain yogurt.<br /><br /><br />Original recipe found <a href="http://getalonghome.com/2011/01/pumpkin-coconut-curried-black-beans-rice/">here</a></li>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-57199028985344140342015-08-26T17:42:00.000-04:002015-08-26T18:03:37.677-04:00Crock Pot Pumpkin Mac and CheeseI planned on saving this post for October, but it turned out so much better than I thought, I just can't wait. <br />
<br />
So this recipe was a bit of an experiment, and just kept changing the more I looked for recipes.<br />
<br />
It started out as just "crock pot mac and cheese" but then I realized that I had forgotten to buy any eggs this week, so the recipe I was going to use was out. As I searched for other crock pot recipes, I kept finding things I didn't like about them, or ingredients I didn't have.<br />
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Finally, I stumbled across a pumpkin mac and cheese recipe made on the stove. But I was still hanging on to this crock pot idea. So I decided to wing it and it just sort of morphed as I went.<br />
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<u><b>Ingredients</b></u><br />
2 cups of milk<br />
4 tablespoons of butter<br />
2 tablespoons of honey<br />
1 teaspoon of ground mustard<br />
1/4 teaspoon of cloves<br />
1/4 teaspoon of ginger<br />
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg<br />
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon of pepper <br />
a sprinkle of red pepper flakes<br />
2lbs pasta of your choice<br />
1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree<br />
3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese <br />
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I added all of the ingredients through the red pepper flakes to the crock pot and turned it on high.<br />
Once the butter melted, add pumpkin and whisk thoroughly. <br />
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Then I turned it down to low and just whisked every so often throughout the afternoon. This is definitely not a throw everything in in the morning and leave it dish, the pumpkin and milk will start to burn, even on low. I put it in around lunch and it was perfect for eating dinner at 5:30 <br />
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Since every time I make mac and cheese noodles in the crock pot I am less than impressed with the texture of the noodles, I just decided to do the sauce in the crock pot, and cooked my noodles on the stove since that doesn't take long.<br />
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When I put on my water to boil, I added 3 cups of cheese to the crock pot and mixed well as it melted<br />
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Once the noodles were done, drain and stir into the cheese sauce in the crock pot.<br />
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And that's it! This is my new favorite fall comfort food. Cheese, pumpkin, spice. It's delicious!<br />
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Rave reviews from the kids:<br />
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Noah: This is SO good! Can you make it again?<br />
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Nathan: Can we add some hot sauce to this?<br />
Me: No, it tastes good just the way it is.<br />
Nathan: Not to me.<br />
Me: What?!<br />
Nathan: Just kidding, I love it! It's the best thing you've ever made!<br />
(this kid...)<br />
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Elise: It's the best thing in the entire world.<br />
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Me: Maddie, do you like it?<br />
Maddie: Yeah!<br />
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<br />*edit<br />This makes A LOT of macaroni and cheese. So if you don't have a bunch of kids who eat like horses, you may want to halve the recipe. Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-43635263927638963682015-08-17T17:18:00.003-04:002015-08-17T17:18:50.838-04:00Two Months Old!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lrdBUuhrARI/VdJOtiMzaOI/AAAAAAAAAms/cIuIRjRSRAY/s1600/DSCN1786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lrdBUuhrARI/VdJOtiMzaOI/AAAAAAAAAms/cIuIRjRSRAY/s320/DSCN1786.jpg" width="240" /></a>Max is two months old today! I can't believe how quickly that went!<br /><br />He's such an easygoing baby most of the time. Pretty easy and content as long as his needs are being met. This kid takes GREAT naps. Sometimes up to 5 hours at a time. I know it won't last, but I'm enjoying just how well he sleeps right now. <br /><br />He's smiling a lot, sometimes when we're getting ready for bed, he'll just look up and smile at us for a while, he loves to be talked to. <br /><br />He won't have his check up for another week, but he's definitely growing. I put a 3-6 month outfit on him a few days ago expecting he'd still have some room to grow, but it fits perfectly! We've officially outgrown newborn clothes and most newborn diapers. <br />He's starting to reach out to try to touch things, hasn't figured out he can grab yet, but likes to try to touch our faces if we get close enough. <br /><br />LOVES being worn in a wrap. If he's having a fussy day, or is sleepy but we're not at home, I just put him in the wrap and he's out within a minute or so. We purposely plan any errands around his nap time so I can just wear him while we shop and he sleeps the whole time.<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-11818757076554971712015-08-11T20:32:00.000-04:002015-08-11T20:32:12.117-04:00New Mom Advice<div style="text-align: center;">
This post is for my sister-in-law Marian who is expecting her first baby in a few weeks. There were cards to write advice at her baby shower, and I sat there, with no thoughts at all about what to tell her. So here is your advice <3<br />
<br />
<b>1. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. </b></div>
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I've known you long enough to know that you and I share in this pride of being able to do things ourselves without any help. It feels amazing to accomplish things on your own, and I encourage you to embrace the hard work and overcome challenges, because you will seriously feel like a superhero...but when you're reaching a breaking point (and we all do), don't be afraid to admit that, and ask someone to help you.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What my living room looked like my first day home alone after Maddie was born. I thought it would be a good time to catch up on laundry. Don't be stupid like me.</td></tr>
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<b>2. At the same time, don't be afraid to tell people no. </b></div>
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Sometimes accepting help is more tiring than just doing it yourself, and all you need to do is relax in your messy house for a day to recover instead of having someone over to help you. Don't be afraid to speak your mind when it comes to your baby. He's yours. You don't owe him, or an explanation of your parenting choices to anyone. Don't worry about making anyone happy but Austin, everyone else will get over it.<br />
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<b>3. Some days, your house will be a mess, your baby will be screaming, you'll forget the last time you took a shower...and that's totally okay. </b></div>
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I promise you we've all been there, and some seasons of life are a little more messy and stressful than others. Remember that it's not forever, but it's okay that it's like that right now. Snuggle the baby, put on some Netflix and just enjoy these moments when he's tiny. Forget about everything else. In 8 years, you'll look back and all you'll remember is how tiny he was, and wish you could go back to when just sitting on the couch holding him was all it took to make him happy. You won't remember the things that don't matter.<br />
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<b>4. Take SO many pictures. </b></div>
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Take pictures of him sleeping, videos of him sleeping, take 100 of the same baby pose that he will lay in for the first few weeks when he's not really doing much else. You may laugh about it later, but you won't regret capturing those moments to look back on as he grows. You'll never get to go back and take more, so just take a million now to be safe.<br />
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<b>5. I know you know this one, but for when you have those moments of "I am totally messing up my baby!" (which we all wonder at some point), forget what he is "supposed" to be doing, and just do what works.</b></div>
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If that means he only naps while you hold him, then hold him. Sleeping in the wrong place is better than not sleeping in the right place. I promise you he will eventually sleep in his own bed and you haven't screwed him up for life by holding him while he sleeps.<br />
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<b>6. This is so cliche, and people with kids scoff at this one all of the time like it's an impossible feat, but seriously, sleep when the baby sleeps.</b></div>
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Everything and everyone else can wait. Sleep whenever you can in the beginning, or it's some unwritten rule that the day you skip napping, the baby will decide it's time to party all night and after being awake for 36 hours, you'll be kicking yourself for not just taking a nap instead of folding laundry.<br />
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<b>7. Talk to other grown ups.</b></div>
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People who don't care if the only time you have to have a conversation is while feeding a baby, changing a diaper, or pacing with a baby who is crying and won't go to sleep. You will go crazy if you don't talk to people who understand reason and logic and will start to wonder if the world still exists outside of your house. So text, call, invite someone over, come to my house ;) and talk. Even if all you talk about is spit up. It will feel good to talk to someone who doesn't wear diapers.</div>
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<b>8. Don't be afraid to leave your house with the baby by yourself.</b></div>
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The first few times will be hard and overwhelming, you'll feel like by the time you get ready and leave it will just be time to feed him again so what's the point, but it feels SO fantastic to know you can do it. Bonus, he'll get used to leaving the house and doing things with you, so as he gets older, it will be no big deal and won't be super stressful for either of you to be out and about. It's so worth it. </div>
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<b>9. Drink water and eat food.</b></div>
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Sounds like a no brainer, but you will not believe how easy it just is to forget some days when you are so caught up in taking care of someone else. You'll reach a point where you feel like a Sims character who suddenly realized they are so hungry they are going to die. Don't get to that point. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first anniversary dinner when Nathan was just a couple of weeks old</td></tr>
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<b>10. You will love this little person more than you even knew was possible.</b></div>
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Alright, so not so much advice as just a fact. But it's true. You'll wonder how it's even possible. And you'll love Brian more because of Austin. It's an amazing thing to suddenly be holding this tiny person that you made, that grew inside of you. It's just crazy. Nothing can really prepare you for that.</div>
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I'm so excited for you to meet him!</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-16511071433682224962015-08-10T15:56:00.000-04:002015-08-10T15:57:20.404-04:00The Busy Life of Max<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I mentioned in my catch up post, that for a little baby, Max sure is getting around! I was a little surprised when chatting with Anthony over the weekend just how many places this baby has been already in his short (not quite) 8 weeks of life! <br />
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I was a little worried that having a new baby would keep us from getting out and having fun this summer, but if anything, this ended up being a busier summer than most!<br />
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So here's a quick summer recap of things we've been able to do since Max was born.</div>
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We started off slow with just playing in the pool in the backyard. Somehow Anthony blew this entire thing up by himself without a pump. I still don't know how he didn't pass out</div>
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Had our first cousin play date with now 8 kids between us instead of 6!</div>
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Attended his first graduation party for Aunt Bernadette (and slept through most of it!)</div>
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Went to his first 4th of July fireworks (and again, slept through the whole thing)</div>
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Has put up with lots of crafting from mom</div>
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Attended Music in The Valley at Hale Farm</div>
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Went to his first Indian's game. And witnessed his first Indian's loss :(</div>
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<br />Went blueberry picking with friends<br />
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All before he was one month old!</div>
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Stared off his second month of life by refusing to be put down ever, so helping me pack for vacation. Thank goodness for babywearing!</div>
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Spent week at Cedar Point doing a lot of this</div>
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While the big kids had tons of fun on rides and playing with cousins, aunts and uncles</div>
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Went to a cousin birthday party</div>
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Hung out at several playdates</div>
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Went to his Aunt Marian's baby shower and celebrated his new cousin Austin who will be arriving soon!</div>
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Had his first trip to the Medina County Fair! (too busy sleeping to be pictured)</div>
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And even got some dancing in at a wedding<br />
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It's been a busy summer! But so much fun! And having a new baby only slowed us down a little :)</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-38722165588123929232015-08-03T15:48:00.000-04:002015-08-03T15:48:24.256-04:00When sleep is less importantLast night, I stayed up way too late. It wasn't because the baby was up, or Noah was scared, or I was dealing with random insomnia, though all of these things are common occurrences around here. It was because Anthony and I were talking.<br /><br />These are some of my favorite moments of being married. When everything else stops, and life stands still for a while (or at least it seems like it in the moment, not so much when I wake up the next morning). <br /><br />We talked about our kids, the qualities we see in them that we love, the not always so little anymore people that they are becoming. <br /><br />What values we want to instill in them, changes we want to make as they get older, ideas we want to make sure are not foreign to them by the time they enter middle school, high school, college and adulthood. How to familiarize them with ideas at home before the encounter them outside of our little bubble at home. It's weird to picture our kids as teenagers and adults dealing with these things, but I know it will be here before we know it.<br /><br />It's been almost 8 years since we became parents, and in 8 more years, we'll have a child getting ready to drive! And it flew by in the blink of an eye. <br /><br />We talked about how we'd be surprised if Nathan becomes anything but an engineer or a programer. How at 7, his brain already seems to just work in that way. He's so much like Anthony is scary sometimes.<br />
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How Noah would make the most amazing manager of literally anything. He knows what he wants, and he's going to make it happen. When he cares about something, he's the hardest working kid I've ever met. He'll be passionate about whatever he decides to do.<br /><br />Elise is destined to work with children, whether it's in a classroom or care setting, or being the best mom there ever was, or both! She has a natural desire to take care of others and teach them how to do things. When her and Maddie are alone, we'll often hear her teaching Maddie new words, or helping her do something she wants to do. She'll be great at it, and look good doing it!<br /><br />It's fun to dream about what the future could hold for Maddie and Max, Maddie already has a desire to be in charge, keep others in line and organized. I can't wait to see how that develops over the next few years. And Max, well, he's just the cutest baby that ever lived. and that's enough for right now.<br /><br />So I was a zombie when Noah woke me up at 4, and less than fully functioning when our day started at 7, but it was worth it staying up half the night talking and dreaming about the kids and and our future plans. There will be time for sleep later.Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-35967594455720231452015-08-03T15:13:00.000-04:002015-08-03T15:13:03.490-04:00A lot can happen in a yearI came home last night after a week long vacation, closely followed by a birthday party, and I had the sudden overwhelming feeling that life was going to fast. That I needed a break to slow down, and focus on the small things that were happening while I was worrying about the big picture.<br />
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I decided I needed to write in my blog again. Even if it's just to post a few pictures, or some cute things the kids said.<br />
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Logged on this morning and was shocked to see it had been 11 months since my last post! SO much has happened in almost a year since I wrote that post!<br />
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So before I jump in to our life *right* now, here are the big important updates from the last year.<br />
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Since last August, we had an early miscarriage, then quickly found out we were expecting Max! We also found out he'd have a cousin close in age (8 days apart!), and another who is due in September! 3 little boy cousins in 3 months! <br />
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We finally sold our condo, and are officially homeowners again. We're having fun thinking of home improvement projects to chip away at over the next few years.<br />
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Nathan finished 1st grade and has taken off in both reading and math. He recently finished "The Indian in The Cupboard" series, and will spend hours a day reading once he gets caught up in a book. He was diagnosed with Asthma last fall after spending a scary 3 days in the hospital after his first attack. It's been really well controlled since then thankfully, with no major issues. We found out he's allergic to dogs, cats, and dustmites, so we've been able to limit exposure when possible.<br />
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Noah finished kindergarten, and made SO much progress this year! While he likes school, he was happy to have a break this summer and spend more time at home playing. <br />
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Elise had her second eye muscle surgery in January, and no more turning! It looks like she will not need anymore surgeries in the future, which is great news! She's still acting like a teenager (sometimes a 20 year old) stuck in a 4 year old's body. She'll start preschool this fall and can't wait!<br />
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Maddie is 2, and loves being a big sister. She insists that Max is her baby, and has adjusted so well to sharing her mom. She's super bossy, and keeps the big kids (and mom and dad) in line. Making sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to do. We start speech therapy in a couple of weeks since she's taking her time putting words together into phrases, and just recently started saying more words at all. Her receptive language is amazing though, it's so funny to watch her act just like Elise...she just doesn't talk much.<br />
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And then there is Max, not quite 6 weeks old and already jumping into our busy life. So far he's gone blueberry picking, spent a week at Cedar Point, visited Hale Farm and Village, and attended his first Indians game. He seems to be just as relaxed about life on the outside as he was on the inside (and on making his way out as well. I'll post about that another day).Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-62903768317494419822014-08-30T23:40:00.000-04:002014-08-30T23:40:44.069-04:00AsthmaIt's been one week since one of my scarier moments as a mom (ok, the scariest), and I figured I might as well write it all down before I forget.<br />
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It started probably Friday night if I had to really pinpoint a time. We decided in an effort to help the boys go to bed without distracting each other, that we would bunk their beds. So we moved their furniture, vacuumed every inch of the floor that had been covered by beds, and then bunked them.<br />
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The next morning while at the farmer's market, we noticed that Nathan had a little bit of a cough. Chalked it up to allergies, and made a mental note to start giving him his Claritin again in the morning.<br />
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The day went on completely normal, just that little cough that got a little worse as the day went on.<br />
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He woke me up at 6am crying because he was coughing so hard that he couldn't sleep. He seemed slightly out of breath, but mostly it just seemed like he was worked up and tired because he hadn't been able to get back to sleep. I got him some hot water with a bit of peppermint and had him breathe the steam for a while. It seemed to relax him enough that he was able to sleep the rest of the night. I decided that I would take him to urgent care in the morning since his cough seemed pretty bad, and after a small wheezing incident earlier in the summer, we were concerned he may have developed asthma. <br />
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By the time he woke up at 9, you could tell he just didn't feel well, he was tired, wheezy, and still coughing. Without eating breakfast, we headed straight to urgent care. When we got there, he was so tired he cried about having to open the door, but once inside, chatted with me as we watch Nickelodeon in the waiting room.<br />
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They called us back, took his pulse ox, and then we went back with a nurse. The Dr didn't seem interested in seeing him. But after just a few seconds with the nurse, she called the Dr in. He hardly had to look at his at this point labored breathing and told someone to call 911 and they put on a mask with a breathing treatment and oxygen. The Dr quickly explained to me without going into too much detail in front of Nathan, that kids that young have a hard time breathing, then get less and less oxygen and more carbon dioxide in their lungs, and then they just fall asleep. At which point, I realized just how serious this was and felt instantly guilty that I got him back to sleep at 6. <br />
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The EMT's came, and Nathan had his first ambulance ride to the Medina hospital just down the street. He had a second breathing treatment in the ambulance. We were at the hospital no more than a few minutes when they asked if we would like to be transferred to Akron Children's or Cleveland Clinic main campus, because his condition was too serious (for a child) to be treated there. He was on continuous breathing treatments and oxygen during the 2 hours that we waited for the ambulance from Akron Children's. It was just near the end of that time that he started to perk up a little bit and show interest again in watching tv or answering questions. He was scared, and wanted to hold my hand. Right around this time I went to the bathroom and dropped my phone in the toilet. I can't think of a worst time to completely cut off my communication with Anthony and anyone else. Thankfully, I was still able to text (but not make or receive phone calls) until shortly after we arrived at Children's, so I could at least share where we were going.<br />
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When Akron Children's EMT's got there, they checked out the bloodwork, x-rays and his stats since arriving at Medina, and determined that he would be automatically admitted to the PICU. So he then took his second ambulance ride to Akron Children's.<br />
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We got there, the EMT's were fantastic at explaining a bit to me as we walked through the hospital to get to the PICU. Telling me who would be in the room, where I would be able to sit, and what they would be doing before talking to me. It really helped me mentally prepare for the rush of people who came in when we got there. <br />
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Once things settled down after the initial rush, I was able to talk to the Dr about exactly what his condition looked like. Severe enough that he needed to be on constant oxygen, and albuterol and a steroid for at least the next several hours. Not severe enough that he needed a breathing tube placed unless he started to get worse, but they didn't think that would be happening. Best case scenario, he would be moved out of the PICU the next morning and would get to go home the next evening. Worst case scenario, we could be there for the good part of a week. And when I woke up that morning, I thought we were just headed to urgent care for a breathing treatment and a follow up with our Dr during the week. It's crazy how fast things went from bad to BAD.<br />
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Anthony had to wait for some help with the other kids before he could come up, siblings were allowed to visit, but no one under 2, plus it wasn't exactly a great environment for a bunch of kids. I stayed with Nathan throughout the day, Nina came to keep us company for a little bit. Nathan loved having the remote to himself, and became more and more demanding the better he felt. We could also tell he started feeling better when he started complaining more about his IV and the mask he had to wear for the oxygen and albuterol. He took a few short naps and got some much needed rest. <br />
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Anthony arrived around dinner time, and I headed back to be with the other kids for the night (and to eat since I hadn't had the time to eat anything all day!). Shortly after I left, they were able to lower his dosage slightly, and then throughout the night were finally able to slowly wean him off of needing to wear the mask 100% of the time and he could tolerate room air for an hour at a time. He started getting hungry, and was making jokes that Anthony was made of bacon and hot dogs among other foods.<br />
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Monday morning, he got to eat for the first time since Saturday night! He was starving, and ordered what sounded like half the menu :)<br />
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Anthony stayed with him at the hospital for most of the day, while I was home with the kids and getting updates. He was completely off of the mask by lunch, and moved to the regular floor around 2. Anthony had class that night, so I was able to come up and spend several hours with him. There was a game room on this floor, so we got to play air hockey, Candyland and Lego Star Wars on the playstation. He was still wheezing, but looked SO much better than when I had left him 24 hours before. Lots of energy, wanting to talk to me and tell me all about what he had done that day (apparently I am much better at air hockey than Anthony). I got to eat dinner with Nathan and Anthony when Anthony came back from class, and then again, headed home to be with the little kids. <br />
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Tuesday was fairly uneventful (in a good way!), he continued to wean off of the albutrol until he only needed it every 4 hours. Anthony and Nathan went to a class offered at the hospital on asthma and learned about his at home plan, and then he got to come home!<br />
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It was a long and exhausting 3 days (that felt more like a week), and I admit that I asked him probably 100 time a day the first day he was home if he was okay, and if he could breathe alright. I woke up several times throughout the night to check on him too. Sort of like that first night a baby sleeps through the night and you just can't believe they are actually okay. <br />
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Since he's been home he's run around the house like a crazy person, played at the park, went on a hike, and he's still using the albuterol 4 times a day, but hasn't had any wheezing or difficulty breathing. <br />
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The rest of the kids developed coughs a few days after he came home, and mine showed up yesterday, so my best guess at this point is that it was a combination of the dust, allergies and getting sick all at the same time that triggered the attack. We meet with his allergist next weekend, and hopefully with some more knowledge, can avoid something quite so severe in the future.<br />
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I only took one picture while he was in the hospital, the night before he came home. While I wish I had one to compare it to so that you could see how much BETTER he was by the time he was getting ready to come home, it just never crossed my mind when he was still feeling so sick and all hooked up to everything.<br />
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<span id="goog_1021619784"></span><span id="goog_1021619785"></span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-88967705950870245452014-07-01T17:17:00.001-04:002014-07-01T17:17:50.197-04:00Love Picture"Mom, do you see this picture I made? The one with the two hearts? That's you and Dad, it's a love picture". - Noah<br />
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<br /><br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-38308756827330944212014-06-11T23:16:00.001-04:002014-06-11T23:16:14.917-04:00PackingThere really isn't much I enjoy more than packing for a trip, unless I am packing with 2-4 little helpers climbing all over me. These 2 were very interested in the fact that I was packing their clothes today. Maddie kept trying to take things out of bags and put them on, while Elise was trying to convince me to pack more clothes for her.<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-56016891298385055372014-05-28T18:03:00.001-04:002014-05-28T18:03:35.988-04:00Maddie 1Obviously Maddie didn't answer these herself, but I tried to answer how I think she would, or based on things she enjoys doing so we can look back later. <br /><br />Hard to believe she is 1 already!<br /><br />1. What is your favorite color? Unlike her sister at the same age, she doesn't seem to have much of a preference. <br />
2. What is your favorite toy? The little people princess castle and babies, she LOVES baby dolls lately. <br />
3. What is your favorite fruit?Before her party I would have said blueberries, but now that she's had them, she loves strawberries!<br />
4. What is your favorite tv show? Frozen? She still mostly doesn't notice the tv is on, but will stop and dance for catchy songs<br />
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese<br />
6. What is your favorite outfit? She likes dresses that are long enough to chew on if she's in the mood, but not so long that she trips on them while she crawls. <br />
7. What is your favorite game?Probably "baby monster" with the big kids<br />
8. What is your favorite snack? Frozen peas<br />
9. What is your favorite animal? She loves my grandma's Pomeranian Ebony, but seems to be a little freaked out by most other animals so far. <br />
10. What is your favorite song? Twinkle Twinkle Little Star<br />
11. What is your favorite book? There are a few with textured spots to touch<br />
12. Who is your best friend? Mom<br />
13. What is your favorite cereal? Hasn't tried any yet<br />
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?Chase the big kids<br />
15. What is your favorite drink? Milkies<br />
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas was fun since she was starting to be able to unwrap things for herself. <br />
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Mom ;)<br />
18.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes<br />
19.
What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Shredded chicken and black beans<br />
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20. What do you want to be when you
grow up? So far she seems pretty set on staying a baby forever.<br /><br />In addition to this list, she's cruising, and really really wants to
walk. She'll walk all over the place if she has something to hold on to.
<br /><br />Saying just a couple of words. Mama, Dada, yum, hi. She likes
to wave constantly. She really thinks she can talk, but isn't quite
there yet. <br /><br />She loves music and dancing and playing with her big
brothers and sister. She is a very no nonsense sort of little girl, no
fear, and not interested in all of that girly stuff like clothes and
hair stuff like her sister. She does love jewelry and shoes though.<br />
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<br />Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974778765817269349.post-78722838178723416262014-05-16T15:22:00.002-04:002014-05-16T15:22:55.534-04:00<br />
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Finally getting used to her bed, one week before her birthday. What is it about being one that makes them suddenly grow up so fast?</div>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13049540116550667159noreply@blogger.com0