Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Just a minor setback...

Our house was on lock-down last week...we've all been sick.  I have been sick with a cold for THREE weeks now!  UGH!  The girls have had stuffy OR runny noses, Madelyn has had a cough and even Ben stayed home last week when we both were hit with a 24hr bug.  The aches, pains, fever, cough, sore throat...at least we were goin down together! :)

Back to the grind this week - back to school, back to playing, back to cooking & cleaning.  By next week I'm going to have my menus planned out for the week ahead, it will help greatly with shopping trips and planning dinners.  I've been struggling with that after the holidays.

Lots to start prepping for -- Bens Birthday, Valentines Day, Madelyn's Birthday...Em's in April -- it's all happening way too fast, I can't get it in my grasp!!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Happy Friday!!

Friday, ahhh, the weekend is upon us...  Do you ever wake up to one of those days, the way it starts - you just know it's going to take you over?  Well, mine started that way - but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let this day slam it's ugly door in my face!

It started with a certain drama queen screaming in her room at 7am, which woke up the little drama queen - but she woke up happy, she always does, arrgh  ...  So then it was a kicking and screaming fit on the floor that she didn't want to go to school - ok, keep calm, Mom - maybe I'm not awake yet, how did I get up these stairs without any coffee anyway???  Trying to take charge of the situation and get this queen ready for school was not working - so --- the worst possible thing in the world is about to happen to her - Toy.Story.Friends.Are.MINE  The screaming stops and she's pleasantly eating breakfast....

Until...time for shoes and coat to get to preschool...tantrum #2 begins, but I'm determined and stand my ground...we finally make it to school...she has forgotten all about her Toy Story friends who are mine for the day and she's thrilled to see her teacher...and so am I! :)

Back at home, Em and I have laundry going, I just finished working out, gotta pay some bills, get lunch ready for the misfit when she arrives home and then (crossing fingers) it will be nap time...

Take that you Friday!! 

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Before I know it --

we're going to be celebrating a few certain little girlies birthdays...one who will be four and one who will be two!  Sometimes I feel like the soon-to-be four year old is actually turning, hmm - maybe 13??  And the soon-to-be two year old is turning, well, TWO!  (It's evident these days!)

I just can't believe that my babies are growing up - I find myself having real life conversations with Madelyn sometimes.  It wasn't that long ago that little bug was cozy in the bassinet next to our bed.  Coming home from preschool today we discussed why the electricity went out the night before - which involved the following:

electricity is in the power-lines, which are held up by the poles, and maybe there was a fender bender on the icy roads, or maybe a tree fell, and she is really concerned that someday WE might actually cause the power to go out if we had an accident. 

The scary thing with her - she actually gets it, she's a gem, she's so smart and blows us and so many away.  She loves all her little friends, she loves school - loves learning new things, loves pretending and dressing up.  We enjoy such fun things these days - I can't imagine our days any different!

And Emily.  She slept in that very same bassinet, wrapped up nice & warm - like a squeaky little burrito.  Now she's going to be two.  She certainly has the attitude of a two year old!  She says "no" in the cutest, most innocent way - but she means it - boy does she mean it!  And the minute she doesn't get her way, find the nearest earplugs and prepare to hear an atomic bomb!  She is so fun, she's a free spirit - she's a little dare-devil and she's adventurous, she learns alot from her big sister.  Who she ADORES.  I can't imagine one without the other!  She loves music, she loves to dance - bopping her head up and down, and sometimes if the mood is just right - she'll put her head and hands on the floor and turn in circles.  She loves to serve tea and coffee "mo tea?" she says to us.  She has a favorite little kitty, who she named "mama" - and a favorite little baby, who she also named "mama" (original, isn't it!?)  She gives herself curls by twirling her hair and has a delicious little thumb that helps her get to sleep at night! 

These birthday plans - hope to get them done, March 2nd and April 6th will be here before I know it!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Happy New Year!

Yes, yes, you are seeing it clearly - this is a new post on The Jones Family blog!  I didn't keep up much in 2010, I'll scratch that and start fresh this year...

When I think of the past year - I think about the major events that happened and where we are now, starting another new year.  I think of how, at the time, some those events seemed never-ending and they were (what I thought) some of the worst days ever.  Now looking back - I am thankful that everything fell into place the way it was meant to.  I am thankful that the few months I felt like a single mom, Ben DID in fact come home safely and wasn't far away somewhere faced with danger and fighting.  I am thankful that after all the headache with selling and buying a home, we are happy and living more comfortable than we ever thought in our new home.  I am thankful that our children wake up each morning healthy and excited to find out what the day is going to bring.  I am thankful for our loving, supportive family and awesome friends that we couldn't live without!

New Years Eve we stayed in, a quiet night with the girls.  They were in bed like normal - maybe this next one we'll see if they can stay up late???  Ben and I watched a movie and flipped on the crazy count-down with about 10 minutes to go.  I always get that weird "lump in my throat" feeling, like I have so much I want to say and so little time to say it...and then it's over, the ball is down and everyone kisses - then we went to bed!  HAHA

No real resolutions, just things that are important to think of every day, not just at New Years.  I AM excited to say that I can cross off one of my goals from last year...but continue to "maintain" - my goal of getting back in shape for 2010 resulted in a 32 lb weight loss by the end of the summerl!  WOOHOO!!  I'm really not comfortable having attention on myself, so it's hard for me to share this news, but I feel great - physically, emotionally - all around :)

We're excited for this year, Madelyn turns FOUR, Emily turns TWO!!??  Gonna finally get some real vacation time in, Emily will start preschool in the fall (perhaps!).  I'd like to get my creative juices flowing and start some personal projects - photos, sewing, decorating, baking, a little of everything :)

To all of our family and friends that follow us on our blog...Happy New Year!  May this year bring you all the health and laughs and love that you all deserve!  I promise you'll have more to read this year while you 'keep up with The Joneses' :)