We are moving! The past few weeks have been crazy! In one week I found new tenants for our side of our duplex, a new daycare provider, and a new place to live. Ben needs to move to Eau Claire for his job and we thought this might be happening for a little over a year now. We finally got the confirmation and I worked my tush off in order to get everything done in time! We moved in with my parents today and will move into our almost brand new duplex in the one and only -Altoona, WI on May 15th! We needed to find a place on the South side of Eau Claire and after a lot of searching we found the perfect place in my hometown! It is just as close to where Ben needs to be as many of the places we were looking at in Eau Claire. Also it is on a quiet residential street a block away from 10th street park! It will be wonderful!
I am a little nervous about missing our duplex in Osseo. It is where we were living when we got married and it was the place we brought Gracelyn home to, but we still own it. So who knows? We will probably live in Altoona/Eau Claire for the next two years and then we will decide at that point where we want to settle down. It is probably going to be between Osseo and Altoona....our hometowns. My job is in Osseo and his can be in either Osseo or Eau Claire...we will see! I am just excited to be moving! It has been so much work and it will continue to be, but I think it will be fun living in Altoona again.
We have found a wonderful new place for Gracelyn to go to daycare and our new duplex is beautiful! We get to be landlords and renters at the same time! Eventually I would like to sell the duplex in Osseo, just not yet. We have some decisions to make in the next couple of years, but I am totally content to not worry about it all yet. We have time! I will post pictures of our new place once we move in :-)
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Mommy Lessons
I have found that I am constantly learning new things about being a mother. It is an ever changing job. As your child gets older, so many things change. In the beginning you find yourself concentrating so much on meeting their basic daily needs. Your life becomes making sure they take naps, are fed, and their diapers are dry. As they get older, things get a bit less black and white. Do I let her do that or not? Do I allow her to do that herself or help her? Do I stay firm with the decision I just made or do I cave? Is the decision I am about to make going to scar her for the rest of her life? Aaahhhh... the list can go on and on.
Here is a perfect example of one of my dilemmas. Osseo-Fairchild High School put on a production of the "Beauty and the Beast" this weekend. Many people told me I should bring Gracelyn to this play. I thought she might be a little young yet. So I struggled with whether or not I should bring her. I finally decided that if and when she couldn't sit any longer, we could just leave. I knew she would love the singing and the dancing and that might be enough to encourage her to sit and watch. I finally decided to tell her that mommy was going to take her to a "big girl" show. I told her that only big girls got to go to shows with their mommies. She was very excited and kept telling her daddy that ONLY "big girls" got to go.
We show up at the school all ready to go to the show and find out that the show is completely sold out. I never thought about getting tickets ahead of time! I felt horrible! I had totally built the whole thing up and now we couldn't even go! Thank goodness I learned this lesson when she is only 22 months old! She didn't even let it bother her. I told her we would go home and do something else special. She was fine with that! Her daddy told her that they could make strawberry shakes together and she was in heaven! So I learned that I should buy tickets ahead of time before I tell my child we are going to do something! At four, Gracelyn might not have been able to brush it off like she did today.
As the due date of my brother's baby girl gets closer, I would be lying if I didn't say I was thinking about having another baby. I see little babies all around town and it makes me want to get pregnant again. But, then there is the responsible part of me that says now is really not the time. Financially, it is much more responsible to wait another year to try to get pregnant. Also, I want to be in a home where there is enough room for four of us. Our duplex is really not big enough for another baby. We also might be moving to Eau Claire in the next few months. I know that now is just not the time to bring another baby into the fold. Gracelyn must agree. She LOVES babies. Loves them! If we see a baby at a restaurant she will say, "My go see baby" over and over until I take her over to go see the baby that we don't know. We probably freak a few people out, but most people think her interest in babies is cute. So the other day we were chatting and I asked her a few questions. I thought I knew what her answers would be. I was wrong!
Me: Gracelyn, do you want a brother?
G: No
Me: Do you want a sister?
G: No
Me: Do you want mommy to have a baby?
G: No, You are my mommy!
Now, you might look at this convo and say, "yeah this might be a reason why she does need a sibling". And don't worry we will try to give her a sibling eventually. But it actually made me feel better. Even though she LOVES babies, she obviously understood that she wasn't quite ready to share mommy and daddy. Eventually she will have to, but not yet...
I think there are advantages and disadvantages to having your kids spaced apart or vise versa. Clearly there is no right or wrong answer. It is such an individual decision that each family makes. For us, we are in a situation where space makes most sense. I also am familiar with space, since my siblings and I are spaced 5 years apart. Ben is familiar with not much space at all! He is exactly one year younger than his older brother and a little more than a year older than the next in line! Families are such a gift no matter the space! I am feeling the baby ich and eventually it will get scratched...right now I am just enjoying my almost 2 year old!
Below you will find a picture of Gracelyn and I all ready to go to the "big girl" show. Below that you will find pictures of what the real excitement was for the day - making a strawberry milkshake!
Here is a perfect example of one of my dilemmas. Osseo-Fairchild High School put on a production of the "Beauty and the Beast" this weekend. Many people told me I should bring Gracelyn to this play. I thought she might be a little young yet. So I struggled with whether or not I should bring her. I finally decided that if and when she couldn't sit any longer, we could just leave. I knew she would love the singing and the dancing and that might be enough to encourage her to sit and watch. I finally decided to tell her that mommy was going to take her to a "big girl" show. I told her that only big girls got to go to shows with their mommies. She was very excited and kept telling her daddy that ONLY "big girls" got to go.
We show up at the school all ready to go to the show and find out that the show is completely sold out. I never thought about getting tickets ahead of time! I felt horrible! I had totally built the whole thing up and now we couldn't even go! Thank goodness I learned this lesson when she is only 22 months old! She didn't even let it bother her. I told her we would go home and do something else special. She was fine with that! Her daddy told her that they could make strawberry shakes together and she was in heaven! So I learned that I should buy tickets ahead of time before I tell my child we are going to do something! At four, Gracelyn might not have been able to brush it off like she did today.
As the due date of my brother's baby girl gets closer, I would be lying if I didn't say I was thinking about having another baby. I see little babies all around town and it makes me want to get pregnant again. But, then there is the responsible part of me that says now is really not the time. Financially, it is much more responsible to wait another year to try to get pregnant. Also, I want to be in a home where there is enough room for four of us. Our duplex is really not big enough for another baby. We also might be moving to Eau Claire in the next few months. I know that now is just not the time to bring another baby into the fold. Gracelyn must agree. She LOVES babies. Loves them! If we see a baby at a restaurant she will say, "My go see baby" over and over until I take her over to go see the baby that we don't know. We probably freak a few people out, but most people think her interest in babies is cute. So the other day we were chatting and I asked her a few questions. I thought I knew what her answers would be. I was wrong!
Me: Gracelyn, do you want a brother?
G: No
Me: Do you want a sister?
G: No
Me: Do you want mommy to have a baby?
G: No, You are my mommy!
Now, you might look at this convo and say, "yeah this might be a reason why she does need a sibling". And don't worry we will try to give her a sibling eventually. But it actually made me feel better. Even though she LOVES babies, she obviously understood that she wasn't quite ready to share mommy and daddy. Eventually she will have to, but not yet...
I think there are advantages and disadvantages to having your kids spaced apart or vise versa. Clearly there is no right or wrong answer. It is such an individual decision that each family makes. For us, we are in a situation where space makes most sense. I also am familiar with space, since my siblings and I are spaced 5 years apart. Ben is familiar with not much space at all! He is exactly one year younger than his older brother and a little more than a year older than the next in line! Families are such a gift no matter the space! I am feeling the baby ich and eventually it will get scratched...right now I am just enjoying my almost 2 year old!
Below you will find a picture of Gracelyn and I all ready to go to the "big girl" show. Below that you will find pictures of what the real excitement was for the day - making a strawberry milkshake!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Pudding...Enough Said
And take your daughter to work day...on a Sunday afternoon. Welcome to the life of a Tow Truck Driver!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Parenting 101
Christmas 2010! We had lots of fun. My camera lens broke :-( So, I had to use my old camera for some of the following pictures. You will be able to tell which ones. You don't appreciate how nice your camera is until it is broken! I have ordered a new lens...got it for half price on Target.com...but I have to wait like a month to get it.
How do you all feel about time outs?? Is Gracelyn too young? I can tell you that I know she understands most of what I say and knows exactly what she is doing when she is naughty. I will tell her not to do something, she will do it, and then she will look up at me, tilt her head, smile, and say, "hi mama". Seriously! I am going crazy! Any input would be great.
I have learned, however, that a 20 month old knows way more than I thought they did before I became a mother! Way more! We have full blown conversations! "Do want some milk?" - mama "Yes" - gracelyn Pause "No night night ma-ma" - gracelyn "No you don't have to go night night yet" - mama "I love you mama" - gracelyn (backstory - I usually ask her if she wants a drink before she goes to bed. So now if I ask her if she wants something to drink at night - she assumes its time to go to bed - smart cookie that girl!)
Also, the girl has her dad wrapped around her little finger. How am I supposed to raise a empathetic, respectful, non-spoiled child if he always gives in?? Can you tell I am having one of those days? I have a bad cold and a child who is testing me at every corner!
Night Night!
How do you all feel about time outs?? Is Gracelyn too young? I can tell you that I know she understands most of what I say and knows exactly what she is doing when she is naughty. I will tell her not to do something, she will do it, and then she will look up at me, tilt her head, smile, and say, "hi mama". Seriously! I am going crazy! Any input would be great.
I have learned, however, that a 20 month old knows way more than I thought they did before I became a mother! Way more! We have full blown conversations! "Do want some milk?" - mama "Yes" - gracelyn Pause "No night night ma-ma" - gracelyn "No you don't have to go night night yet" - mama "I love you mama" - gracelyn (backstory - I usually ask her if she wants a drink before she goes to bed. So now if I ask her if she wants something to drink at night - she assumes its time to go to bed - smart cookie that girl!)
Also, the girl has her dad wrapped around her little finger. How am I supposed to raise a empathetic, respectful, non-spoiled child if he always gives in?? Can you tell I am having one of those days? I have a bad cold and a child who is testing me at every corner!
Night Night!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Let it Snow!
So, it has been an interesting weekend for us Wisconsinites hasn't it? My husband has been working nonstop since the snow started. Unfortunately we financially benefit from other's misery... So, I can honestly say that while this storm was unkind to all of us, we will be able to pay our property taxes next month no problem. So, there are ups and downs to every situation! This is a picture of my car...buried in snow!
So while my husband was out working, Gracelyn and I were stranded in the house. Now, this has its advantages. I am all caught up on laundry, the house is clean, and Gracelyn and I got to spend lots of mother daughter time together. Gracelyn also went pee pee on the potty twice this weekend! While she is not ready to wear big girl underwear yet...she does like to practice! She insisted on wearing her big girl undies over her pants. And yes she is holding a tampon in her hand. I did take it away from her right after I took the picture. She is convinced that they are some sort of "treat".
We also did some holiday banking!! She thought this was quite fun and tasty! Christmas 2010 here we come!
P.S. Notice her pretty toes! We did that too, after she poured an entire bottle of clear nail polish on her pants. Yeah, her mom didn't think she was strong enough to open it herself. I was so wrong!
So while my husband was out working, Gracelyn and I were stranded in the house. Now, this has its advantages. I am all caught up on laundry, the house is clean, and Gracelyn and I got to spend lots of mother daughter time together. Gracelyn also went pee pee on the potty twice this weekend! While she is not ready to wear big girl underwear yet...she does like to practice! She insisted on wearing her big girl undies over her pants. And yes she is holding a tampon in her hand. I did take it away from her right after I took the picture. She is convinced that they are some sort of "treat".
We also did some holiday banking!! She thought this was quite fun and tasty! Christmas 2010 here we come!
P.S. Notice her pretty toes! We did that too, after she poured an entire bottle of clear nail polish on her pants. Yeah, her mom didn't think she was strong enough to open it herself. I was so wrong!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Christmas Card 2010
Mod Snowflakes Christmas Card
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
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