HELLO!

I've been slacking lately!

Not too much new, though. We had a good Thanksgiving. We just went to my parent's house for lunch. It was delicious! We had turkey and all the trimmings. We didn't do much else, just hung out and enjoyed eachother's company.

I've been doing some cooking/baking but, hope to do more for christmas. I would like to make cut out sugar cookies, try my hand at gingerbread and maybe one other thing - I have to decide! I made homemade carmel the other day. It turned out very yummy but, it was pretty hard. I borrowed my mom's candy thermometer. I don't think it was accurate! It had very good flaver but, was more the texture of a hard candy than a chewy carmel! I am going to have to buy my own thermometer and try it again, I think! Something really yummy I did though- I heated a cup of milk in the micro until it was very warm, then put a couple of carmels in there. Yum. It was very good! I also made homemade bread for the very first time. It was okay-- for a first timer! I will try that again sometime soon as well. My mother-in-law is going to give me her family's recipe for Stollen. Yum. I can't wait to make that. I think it calls for cardemum so, I will have to get some of that from the store. Matt asked for peanut butter cookies on Sunday so, I threw those together that afternoon. Yummy. Nothing beats a chewy, peanutbutter cookie and a cold glass of milk!

I am still stressing out about my milk supply. I've tried the herb Fenugreek for increasing supply but, I don't think it's working. I wont bore you with all the details though.

So, I think Maddie has pink eye! Her ped. called in some antibacterial eye drops this morning just based on her symptoms. She started those at about 10am. I am using some precious vacation time for today.. hoping I will still have enough left to take off the days I wanted to before Christmas and New Years. I will have to crunch the numbers when I get into work tomorrow morning. It will be close!

I am thankful..

for a good report from Maddie's PreK teacher at her conference last night! She said Maddie is doing super well and is very ready for K! She said she thinks Maddie will be "ahead" in K and already knows a lot of things they will learn in the Fall (sight words, etc) She admitted that Maddie is one (of two) of her "favorites" and that she consistently has good behavior and listens well. She also told us all about Maddie's "boyfriend", Joey (who she talks about all the time at home) and how she always catches Maddie eyeing Joey on the carpet during circle time. LMAO!
I am so proud of (and thankful for) my big girl!! She is growing up so fast. I cannot believe she will be going off to school in less than a year!

I'm thankful for....

My flat iron. Seriously. If you saw my hair this morning, you'd understand.

Thankful & a Funny

Things I am thankful for today..

In times like these when the economy is so bad and there are many people going without, I am thankful for generally just being able to have food on the table. More specifically, I am thankful for my Hubby who makes delicious dinners for us every night while I am still at work. Here is what he made last night. Yum!


I am also thankful for this beautiful time of year. I love Fall when all the leaves are turning colors and blowing around. I love the "crinkle" they make when I walk through them. Even though it looks quite gloomy outside today, I am still thankful.

Now for a funny: Maddie LOVES that song by Queen, "We Will Rock You". She's been going around singing, "Having my mom all over the place! We will, we will ROCK YOU!" I finally realised she was meaning to sing the line "Wavin' your banner all over the place". Too funny! She is so, so silly. Not to mention, cute!

Here are a couple of pics from.. just a minute ago!

Thankful

I was reading an online friend's blog who, in honor of the coming holiday, is posting one thing per day that she is thankful for. Now, I am starting a little late but, better late than never right?! I will try to post more than one per day to make up for lost time So, let's see.....

I am thankful for family. Not just my hubs and our two beautiful little girls but, also for my sisters, my parents and the hubby's fam. We are both fortunate enough to come from close-knit families and have parents that remain married (RIP T.Q.M.). That is probably some of the reason we get a long so well and have such a sense of family and togetherness. There is nothing either of us love more than to spend a lazy day together at home.. making pancakes for breakfast, watching the Packers, movies, playing outside etc., etc. And my sisters?! What can I say. They are my best friends and I would do anything for them.


I am thankful for nap time! Seriously. Times like this when I am alone in the house (well, Lily is asleep in her room, Matt and Maddie are outside doing "End of Fall" yardwork/cleaning up) are a rare thing and something I treasure. It gives me a chance to re-charge and energize for the rest of the day. Not to mention a chance to write here, catch up on the news and all of my online friends!

Anyway. Not much planned for the day. Cleaning up a little, doing "weekend stuff" (laundry, a little grocery shopping, packing lunches/breast milk bottles for Monday, etc., etc.) Maddie and I talked about making banana bread or brownies or someting but, that is about it! More later.

How Did I Get So Lucky!!?

Sometimes I think to myself, "What did I do to deserve this life?" I have two beautiful little girls and a wonderful hubby! I also feel fortunate to have a job and coworkers that I enjoy, friends that I love and family that mean the world to me!




Matt and Maddie, a few weeks old.



Spaghetti face Maddie!



Maddie's 2nd Christmas


3 year old Maddie!



Maddie and newborn Lily!


Me and the hubby!

TIRED!

Why am I so tired, you ask!? Ms. Maddie woke me up at 4:00 this morning! She came into bed with Lily and I (Lily had just woke up to nurse and was falling back to sleep when Maddie came in). Normally, this would not be a problem but, this morning Maddie felt especially chatty I guess and began asking me questions and telling me stories. I told her repeatedly that it was time to sleep and not talk. She then started crying and woke up her sister. I told her she needed to stop and go back to sleep. That didn't work! I started counting to 3 and still, nothing! So, I took her back to her room and closed the door. She proceded to cry and scream so loud I thought for sure either a) the neighbor would knock on our door or b) the copps would! She stopped 1/2 hour later. I put Lily back in her crib and was just drifting off to sleep when.. you guessed it, the alarm went off! Oh well. This is motherhood, I guess. I swear, having a 4 year old is 10x harder than having an infant!

Speaking of having an infant. Lily has got to be the best baby, ever! And no, I am not just saying that because I am her mommy. She sleeps so well (here she is nursing a month or two ago) and is almost always happy. Now, if I only we could get her eating some solids! Don't get me wrong, we plan on nursing until she is ready to stop but, she is sucking me dry, quite litteraly! I am pumping as often as I can at work and still not meeting her needs. I haven't had to supplement with formula yet but, my stash of frozen milk is dissapearing quickly! It is majorly stressing me out as I don't want to have to introduce a 6month old to formula when she's NEVER had it before!

Anyway. Back to work! Will write again soon!