Williams World

Things I love

2010-04-17T07:18:00.001-07:00

I Love reading other blogs. I love to see that I am not the only one that does things a certain way, or I find new ideas to do new things that I had not thought of before. We all have busy lives and sometimes that hinders getting things done. However, I thrive on busyness. In some people's eyes, it is sad that one can be that way. But I think alot of moms can identify with me of that truth. I have been home for 8 weeks with our newborn. Being home all day makes me brain feel like mush. I can do the cooking, cleaning, bills, take care of the kids etc, but its almost as if that is not enough. I can understand why so many moms have play groups, work from home, have blogs etc. Its that need for stimulation other than catching up on Desperate housewives all week long.

I am a working mom. Even with three kids, I will continue to work outside the home. I find that the outside stimulation with my work (which is very detail oriented and requires research) helps my mind and then I can organize all the other things in our home that need to get done each day. I dont feel like my brain is not functioning because there is so much going on in it, I have to prioritize it all. I think if I did stay at home, I would get a good schedule down, but because I have never done that, I dont know how to make one. Im used to being gone all day working.

I feel that working makes me a better mom. I can talk to other adults and moms during the day while away and when I come home, my family is my priority and i can relax from the demands of the day at work and focus on things at home. Sure, sometimes it is overwhelming, but i love every minute of it. I love being super busy and getting things organized.

This time at home has allowed me to think about things like that. I have been working on organizing things more so that when I do go back to work, it is not so crazy at home that nothing gets done. By reading other blogs and seeing what other moms do with several kids has really given me some great ideas too that I would like to implement. It has given me a new challenge and I feel refreshed again!

What kinds of things do you love?

New Baby and being at home

2010-04-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have looked at my blog over and over and thought that I should update and post...but then I get sidetracked and it doesnt happen. We are now a family of 5....and loving it so much!
Nolan is 6 weeks old. Born Feb 19th at 7:46am weighing 8 lbs 12 oz and 20.5 inches long. He is so laid back and such a great fit in our family.
The first few weeks were spent recouperating from the c-section and getting up my strength to take care of everything for when Don went back to work. It all seems so natural having a third child, not near as hard as I thought it would be. However, I have not gone back to work yet, that will be the true test.
What I am finding being at home though, is that there is way more work now than ever and I cannot get it all done. It takes me all day to do what I used to be able to do in a few hours. But, I would not change it, as this little man is so great.
Today, I organized our bills, and things to get ready for taxes, did 5 loads of laundry and 2 loads of dishes. Got the grocery shopping done, and made dinner. Even though it didnt feel like I got alot done, reading it all typed out, I really did get alot done.
The kids are ALL in bed and we are catching up on dvr'd shows and Im updating the blog. One would think that with being home all day I would keep this thing updated....apparently not ha!
Here is a pic of Nolan when he was born...so proud ;)

27 days

2010-01-23T04:17:00.000-08:00

27 Days to go until Nolan Edward enters this world.....wow. Its mind baffling to me at how fast this pregnancy has gone. And how fun, interesting, and wonderful it has been.

We have yet to still paint his room, get things organized and ready for him to be here. But I do have a plan ha! The room should be painted next weekend. I have the diaper bag almost ready, my bag will get packed this weekend and then the miscellaneous things I need to get done will happen in the next 2 weeks or so. I dont expect him to come early, but I want everything done just in case for some reason I happen to go into labor on my own.

so far, I have gained a little over 7 pounds with this guy, but they think he will be at least 9 pounds or bigger based on how I am measuring and how he feels, "solid" according to our doctor :) I dont know if that is good or bad. But we are so excited about meeting him and bringing him home to his sisters. If I dont post before we have him, will do when we have him. Making time for anything else these days is getting harder. I guess that is another way to get prepared too:)

My time is so busy

2009-12-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

I can see that its been since summer when I last posted. As I have progressed in pregnancy, my time has dwindled. Its funny how just being pregnant takes so much time. And I dont think it is the being pregnant part, its the preparing for the baby, maternity leave, taking care of the things that have always been so normal, but adding in baby appts, holidays, a side business.....it all makes such a difference.
We are down to 8 weeks now until Nolan is born. We found out in September that it was a boy this time. We are thrilled, and the girls are so excited, since all they wanted was a brother. We are working on trying to get his room completed, although it is taking a while since we are so busy. We hope to have it done by the new year.
Its hard to believe that 2009 is almost over and then 2010 will be here. Its also hard to believe that this pregnancy is almost over and we are going to be holding out son soon too. We are in awe over it all. We are very thankful we have been given this opportunity to have another baby, since Im pretty sure this one will be our last. I will keep everyone posted as to how things are going as we start our final countdown in january :)

Where is time going?

2009-09-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

I can look at my post and see that I am very bad at updating. Life is already crazy and baby number three is not even here yet.
Summer has come to a close and fall is quickly setting in. Sydney is in first grade and i believe there are about 19 kids in her class this year. She was a little apprehensive when she first started school because none of her friends from kindergarten were in her class. But, she has already made new friends and is loving all the new things she is learning. She has also started going to the Boys and girls club after school which provides even more stimulation and friends for her.
Bella is quickly approaching her 4th birthday. she is in daycare while I am at work and helps with the babies that are there in preparation for her sibling that is coming in February. We will find out on Sept 23 what we are having and keeping fingers crossed for a happy healthy baby.
work has been super busy, and my Scentsy business that I have on the side is also picking up very rapidly. I have plans on using my income from that to support my 12 weeks off work since I dont have much PTO at work right now.
We did just get a van, in order to accomodate three kids, so that has been our newest news. We are enjoying the roominess of it, now just trying to get used to less gas mileage than what we were getting with the car. We are really trying to make sure everything is in place before the baby comes. My official due date is feb 18th, but we might have the baby a few days later due to C-section scheduling. We are doing things a little differently with this baby. We decided we are not going to vaccinate this one.
There is tons of research posted on the web about vaccines and what they do to children and I feel that if our bodies were created perfect and equal in the eyes of God, then I need to trush Him with my childs health. I believe that He is leading us in this direction right now. I feel very satisfied and ok with the decision that has been made and am now just working on the other things to boost our immune systems to get through the winter. The girls have both been well for several months now and we are very thankful for that.
So, i guess that is about it right now. will post as soon as we know what we are having.....

Vacation and babies

2009-06-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

We are on vacation in Sunny and very HOT California, visiting my husbands family. And we are having so much fun.
We finally figured out the secret to keeping our kids asleep in the same bed all night. Together. Friday we went to a waterpark since it was 100 degrees, and we needed to stay cool. I had bought the spray sunscreen in a can.....and that did nothing but get us even more burned. We applied every 2 hours and it was spf 50, but that just magnified our skin 50 times apparently. I burnt worse than everyone else. Ouch. After the park, we went to the local county fair and were there for almost 4 hours. Walking. Riding Rides. Eating cotton candy and ice cream. The kids fell asleep in the car and didnt budge when we put them in their bed, washed their feet and put their jammies on them. They didnt move all night long. It was heaven. They woke up this morning refreshed and ready to go, which we did more of that wearing out stuff today. We slept till about 9 this morning, ate breakfast at our hotel and went down for a nap at 1030. Yes, an hour and half after waking. We have alot of sleep to catch up on. We then went to lunch at 2 after we woke up and then to my sister in laws house for a bbq and swimming her pool. Dinner wasnt served until 8 so they swam for a good 4 hours, and we didnt get them to bed until 11, so here is to another night of great sleep.

The weather has been very hot, tomorrow is supposed to be 105. We just found out a week ago that we are expecting baby number 3. What is interesting about this is that we are hoping for a boy. Part of me is scared because with two girls, I know just what to do. With a boy, I have NO clue and it scares me to venture into the unknown. Well, at my sister-in-laws tonite, we did the necklace test. This is an old wives tale where you hold a necklace above the palm of your hand. If it goes in circles, it is a girl and if it goes back and forth it is a boy. When it stops you are done. So, the first time and second time, it went in circles to represent the two we have. Then it went back and forth to represent that we are having a boy. The next time we did it, it did nothing, meaning we are done after this one. This is so interesting because we knew we were done at 3, but this was weird seeing it done. And it will be interesting to see in Sept if we are in fact having a boy. So, if anyone has ever done this test, I would love to hear what you think.

That is about it for now, sorry I dont have any pics to upload, but when we get home next week, I will upload some pics of the fun we have been having. I normally am not one to like hot weather, but right now not only do I like it, but food is my best friend and tastes SO yummy and therefore I cannot get enough:)

Farting Birds

2009-06-04T20:28:00.001-07:00

The thunder and lightening really bring out the best in people, especially our girls. This is the first time they have ever heard thunder and really seen a storm like this. In an effort to help the kids not be so scared, I told them that the thunder was just a bunch of birds farting as they flew by. This made them laugh and accept it a little easier than some scientific conversation about cold and hot air that is way over their heads. That is what they are running around telling people now is that the thunder is birds farting.

I know, at first I wondered what I had done by telling them that. Then when I saw that they were not scared, and it helped them accept a sound that really scared them before, it made me happy to know that the little comment which helped their imagination made things all better. What I didnt see coming was this conversation:

Bella: "Mom is there going to be anymore Sunder? (thunder)"

Me: " No, Bella, the thunder is all over now"

Sydney: "well, I think it was Angels bowling, not birds farting"

Me: "Yes, it could have been that too"

Bella: " I dont like sunder", " It was birds farting, Sydney"
"and mom, I just won't be your friend anymore"

Me: Not sure what to say to that because I was too busy laughing at how she had to get the last word in to both of us.

So, needless to say, the storm has passed, everyone is safe and the Farting birds have moved on to taunt another family!

Mothers Day

2009-05-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful Mothers day here at the Williams Household. I spent alot of the day just watching the kids in awe at how cute they are, how smart they are and how sensitive they are to making sure I had the best day possible. It was then that I realized, they do this everyday, not just on the Mothers day "holiday".
It seems that I get so busy with work and making sure the house is clean and all the other "things" that occupy me, that I forget what its like to just sit back and watch. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family. My husband, he put so much into this Mothers day. He and the girls went and got me a digital picture frame thing, helped the girls pic out a card and write in it for me. He went and got me a massage and the perfect card. We went to breakfast and then took a morning nap (which was pretty great too) and then I just enjoyed every moment today with the kids. They truly are a blessing and we are so lucky to have such great kids. Today, made me realize that I need to just take this kind of time every day to enjoy EVERY moment, not just once a year.

A calm day

2009-04-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

I know I said I would update this blog everyday when I started it 7 months ago. I had no idea how busy my life would become after I started it. Our youngest daughter is 3 years old. Right after we started this blog, she had tubes put in her ears for chronic ear infections. She always seemed to have a cough with those infections, so I new for sure that would go away. But it didnt.....so we started seeing the allergy doctor in our community to see if he could figure out why she was coughing so much. The diagnosis that came to us in November, was Asthma.
Unfortunately, I dont think that is what she has. Every ASthma medication that she has been given, does nothing for her cough. AND, she only coughs when she has a runny nose which is 90% of the time. My mommy diagnosis is that she is post nasal drip or sinus issues....which when it drains, causes a tickle in her throat and that causes her to cough. Once she gets to coughing, nothing stops her until she vomits up all the snot, and then she is good for the night. But getting to that point is horrible to watch as well as see your child in pain.
At her appt this last week since she started coughing again, the doctor gave her a nose spray that is for allergies/colds. It dries out the nose within 30 minutes and lasts for 6 hours. There are no side effects and it is not addicting. It is interesting. And it WORKS. which makes my mommy theory that much closer to being true. She has been on it since Wednesday night and has not coughed at all. So, we have an appt with an ENT doctor in a few weeks to explore the sinus area and see if that is really the cause of her coughing. I am ready to get her off all the steroids that her body does not need and ready for her to have a normal 3 year old life of playing and sleeping good after a long day and then not have any night coughing. I know we will get there, but for now, while we go through this trial, my blog posts are few and far between and I will do my best to get better. My kids are really funny right now and I need to get better about posting that :)

2009-02-21T20:04:00.000-08:00

The other day my husband and I were talking about our relationship. It was so great because we reminisced on how we met and the course that our relationship has taken since then. Just to fill you in so you know our history, it started like this:

I had just gotten out of a 4 year relationship and was working at a place that went on strike. I had to cross the picket line everyday and so a guard service was brought in to protect us as we crossed that line. Well, there was this very handsome guard with dimples that I looked at everyday and I was trying to figure out how to ask him out without seeming like I was too needy or forward. So, the guard that actually worked at my work, got this man's phone number for me at the hotel he was staying at. i was not supposed to know that information, but I told him I would keep a secret.

This man's name was David. At the time, I did not know that Don and David were two different people. They looked about the same when I drove by at 45 mph and both had great dimples. I went on a date with David and all he did was talk about his friend Don and how sad and depressed he was etc. It was an odd evening, one I was not sure I wanted to repeat. Anyways, the next morning, I received a call from David on a cell phone. Don's Cell phone. When I called later that day to tell David that I didnt want to go out that night, Don answered, and his voice was so sexy and he was so easy to talk to, not at all sad and depressed like David talked about. After work, I did some of my errands and then I went up to that hotel to see Don and we stayed up all night talking. It was the most fulfilling time I had had in a long time. My initial thought was that he was going to be a one night stand for me. I am the type of person that is very committing and faithful and did NOT do one night stands, ever. However, after the breakup of the previous relationship, I wanted to try not having feelings. That did not work at all. After spending several hours talking, (poor Don got no sleep and had to work the next day) I felt so refreshed and new again, and that one night stand thing didnt pan out that way.

In talking with David on the night we went out, he said his friend Don was visiting from California and that he would be moving back there when the guard contract was over. So, when I was talking to Don, I told him I would be his " present" until he went back....but he said he lived in Oregon now and would not be going back. This was good news to me as I could see this relationship going pretty far. We continued to see each other every day for several hours after work and talked and really got to know one another. When he was done at the guard job, he moved in with me and then a few weeks later proposed to me. We had known each other for 9 weeks when he proposed. No one thought it would work out, but it has been the best thing next to my children that has ever happened to me. We married 7 months after we met and will be celebrating our 7th anniversary this year.

What we honestly can say about our marriage is how great we flow together. We have our issues as all marriages do, but we laugh when we fight because we know that fighting means there is growth to be had in our relationship. The one thing I can say that my husband has helped me with is growth. He has shown me what it means to have an open mind about things. He comes to our marriage with an open view of things so when we do have a disagreement, I am able to look beyond that at the big picture. He is a great father to both of our girls and he is good at surprising me with the little things when I least expect it. He is such a strength for me when I need it and we laugh alot together. I can honestly say he is my best friend.

We both strive for that true "intimacy" in our relationship. That is when we get down to the nitty gritty in talking and we do that almost weekly. It is such a gift that he is so sensitive and a great listener. I am truly blessed! 7 years has gone by so fast, here is to many more to come!

Another Year Older

2009-02-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I am officially 29! And I felt it this weekend. My birthday was Sat, Valentines Day. I love having my birthday on that day because even though it is a holiday (sort of) it is still my day. I made a hair appt and went and got some color. Then Don and I went to dinner at a new restaurant in Albany, called Cascade Grill. It is a fantastic steakhouse and the service and food were excellent. We came home and played Candyland with the kids, then after they went to bed watched "Fireproof". It was a good movie. Unfortunately, the great day didnt last through the weekend. I got the nasty stomach bug going around and that kept me up Sat night so I slept Sunday away. When I woke up today, not only did my house still look like last week, but I was not very prepared for the week ahead. I try to keep up on things throughout the week in order to have a mostly relaxing weekend and get prepared for the week to come. But, sometimes, mom gets sick and life at home kind of stops. I have to say, My hubby did as much as he could for me while I was down. He took care of the kids and made sure I got my rest which is important and picked up the house of the clutter. The only thing that was not done, was dinner and laundry, but I didn't feel that hungry anyways.
So, Monday is done and now we have the rest of the week to look forward to. Nothing exciting happening with us - just low key:) Have a great week, everyone!

Accomplilshed weekend

2009-02-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

I finally got my mound of never ending laundry all caught up. I am trying to enjoy it for right now because it will start over tomorrow. It is washed, folded and put away. The girls room's got painted this weekend also.
Bella's room used to be the office and it was an olive green color. Not suitable for a little girl. She loves yellow, so we painted it yellow and now just need to add some decor on the walls. Syd's room was pink and green and she was ready for something a little older. So, she got a taupe color that has a lavender undertone. Very sophisticated and we are working on getting her walls decorated as well. As soon as I can finish that part, I will show the before and after photos. It was a very busy weekend and I am ready to rest now, but Monday is right around the corner and so we will be starting over. It is a pretty busy week ahead. Same old day to day - work, school etc and then Friday, Syd has a school Valentine party that I am taking off work early for, and then Sat is my birthday. I am pretty excited about that because Don and I will have a date without the kids that night :) It is overdue for us.
So, that is all for now- I got a break from all the caught up laundry and thought it was time to catch up the blog!

Time to update

2009-01-20T19:31:00.001-08:00

OK, it really is time for me to update this blog. I log in everyday to look at all the updating everyone else has done, and yet, I dont take the time to update mine. And I am tired of looking at the same old thing. So, here goes.

Since my last post, I have started selling Scentsy, made it through Christmas in California and New Years, a round of colds, An ear infection for Bella, a case of fake Strep for Sydney, a Sinus infection for Don, a dentist appt and the Inaugeration that took place today.
Our life has not slowed down one bit since the holidays, and I would not trade it for the world.

Here is a typical day in our life.

Up at 5 am. Get kids breakfast, get them dressed, teeth brushed, bag packed for Syd to go to school and bag packed for Bella to go to daycare. While they are eating/watching cartoons, I am showering and getting ready for work. Don gets dressed, gets them their medication and out the door he goes. Once I am ready, I grab my coffee, drop them at daycare and head into my full time office job. I work from 7-330 or 4, Don works the same hours, give or take a few. then it is pick the kids up, make dinner, do homework, baths and bedtime. Catch up on laundry, do the dishes, prepare lunches and dinner for the next day, fold some clothes, place a Scentsy order, read a chapter in whatever book I am reading and then go to bed to start all over. If time, check Facebook, the blog and email. No wonder I cant find time to update my blog.

Tonite was the same routine, but the kids were fighting more than usual. I overheard them in Bella's room shouting at each other. It went like this:

Bella: " I hate that"
Sydney: "Why?"
Bella: "Because, I hate that" (and throws something)
Sydney: Also throws something
Bella: "Oh my God"
Sydney: starts laughing
Bella: Breaks out in laughter too

How can you not love a fight that doesnt turn into them crying and tattling on each other. It was nice.

They are sleeping now as 5 does come pretty early and they get up at the first sound of my alarm.

So, that is about all with us for now. Hopefully, I can make a record and post again before the week is up :)

Thankful part 2

2008-12-03T21:52:00.000-08:00

Wow, I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We were very busy with many things. My husband and I both had a 4 day weekend so we planned a trip to Bend once Thanksgiving was over to spend some much needed family time together.
If you dont know, Bella was diagnosed with Asthma 3 weeks ago and we have been battling what meds to put her on and what will help her cough so we all can get some rest. The first medicine they tried was singulair which she is still on and it worked great. But only for a few days. That is when they decided that she needed an inhaler. Albuterol was added. That quit working so a steroid was added. The only problem is, the pharmacist told us we did not need a spacer so because of that, Bella ended up ingesting most of the inhaler instead of it going into her lungs and she became sicker than a dog while we were in Bend. So, instead of playing all weekend in the snow, we were taking care of her in a hotel. Poor Syd didnt get to do anything, so we will have to make it up to her soon.
Anyways, I took her off that steroid and let it work its way out of her system and then Monday night we started all over with the coughing. Yesterday, the doctor called us and said she should have never been on the first steroid because it is not for anyone under 4 and she is only 2. They now have her on Symbacort and it is working well. She ate double of everything today and has so much energy and is NOT coughing. I am so thankful that she is ok and that there are knowledgable doctors out there that listen and help.
So, that is where we are at now. The kids are already asleep and I am headed that way myself, but here are a few pics of our few minutes in the snow in Bend this last weekend!

Im a bad Blogger

2008-11-16T17:06:00.000-08:00

I have been gone a while from blogging....it seems like life has just taken over - literally everything. Our house was so messy, we took this weekend and re-organized EVERYTHING. We tried to deep clean and d-clutter everything in sight. I can say that we did well on the kitchen and living room. Redecorated a little and moved things around. As the holidays are starting to approach rapidly, Im trying to do too many things and what I really need to do is slow down and enjoy every moment.

I have to say that alot of blogs that i read really inspire me to decorate and get into the spirit which I have been bad at doing in the past. The kids are really into the holidays this year as they understand what it is all about. Last week I visited a store called Real Deals in Corvallis and found an awesome sign that reads, "Thankful hearts gather here." I hung it on my mantel so it is the first thing we see everyday. It really inspires me to stay positive and be thankful for everything, including my daughters Asthma which she was just diagnosed with.

I didnt really want to hear that she has Asthma, she is only two. But, the thankful part to it, is now I dont have to run to the doctor at every little cough and wonder why it hangs around for 4-5 weeks when she has no other symptoms. Now, we know what to expect and what to do for her. That is a blessing instead of always questioning what was wrong with her.

So, that is all for now. Time for us to have dinner and finish this mess that was created in order to be more organized !

Blessings

2008-10-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

Can I say, WOW?!! As busy as we have been, we have been abundantly blessed.
A little history so you understand. One year ago, my husband was laid off from work. He was home for 4 months with our girls while trying to look for a job, trying not to think about how he was going to provide for our family, trying to be our rock while I worked and also tried to figure this all out too. The first blessing was that he was able to cash out what retirement he had and that paid our bills for 2 months. We then were at a point we qualified for WIC and this is our last month - they certified us for a year because we were at the income qualifications. The first blessing of the new year was that he was able to get on at the hospital where I work which at the time we did not know what great things that would bring. He has been working there for 10 months and we have had our struggles. There have been sacrifices of him having to work weekends just so we can afford part time daycare and gas. We have commuted on all the days we could together, and done as much as we could to make our schedule normal when we were all together. And the entire time I kept praying, asking God to keep taking care of our family. Whille Don was off, we still had a roof over our head, food to eat, and warm clothes to wear. Times were tight, but we have been so thankful to just have that. As I have prayed, things have gotten rough at times, but we have already been taken care of. Well, last week my husband became the Assitant Manager of the department he was hired in. Because things have been tight, we have alot of bills to catch up on and the kids were in need of some clothing that we have not been able to buy. Well, two different people from my work, randomly asked if we needed clothing and both girls got some hand me downs, which are like Christmas for all of us. Of the things we received, there were dresses in them, which is another thing I wanted to get for them so they could wear them to Church. It was just so much - almost like overload. God is Good- and is taking care of our family in so many ways. I just wanted to share those blessings:)

For Jill, I love the Barnes Yard. Sorry I didnt participate, but that is great. Any ideas for us?? Williams House seems so plain - which we are not, but I didnt really put alot into it when I started my blog.
For Melanie, Love that you are current on your blog. Little Nae Nae is a doll - love her pics.
For Jasmine - Preston is so adorable and a fan is the best white noise there is - our kids cant sleep without it and they sleep better with it and then we dont have to be quiet:)
For Natasha - you need to update your blog :)

For me - everyone is asleep and I am catching up on Greys, ER and Army Wives. This week has been so crazy busy that we have not had a chance to watch anything, so that is what I am doing now all alone :) Mommy time is good. I should be doing laundry or something, but relaxing is the best energy booster.

First Open House

2008-10-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Tonite was Sydney's first open house at her school. I was rather excited about this because there are days that I feel so out of the loop with what Syd is doing. If you have kids, you know that they dont tell you everything even if they do talk non-stop. I was hoping that by going to this I could see what she does during the day as well as find a way to stay in contact with her teacher.
While we were in her classroom listening to her teacher explaining what they do, she asked if anyone had any questions and Sydney raised her hand. I was anticipating that she might ask her teacher to talk about something great she did in class. Much to my surprise, she caught me off guard. She says, " I wanted you to ask my mom what she did." I looked at her and said, "what?"
She looked at me and said, "what do you do mom?" I had no idea what she was talking about. She then said, " What do you not do, mom?" My mom does Not sing me to sleep at night." So, there I was stunned, blushing and the room of parents was laughing at her comment of what I, as a mother did not do. It was too much.
We then got to meet her best friend Lisi that she has had since school has started to then find out that she lives down the street from us so now we know where she lives.
We got a tour of where the gym, library and music room were and as the open house came to an end and Sydney walked her sassy self out of the classroom, I managed to get an email address of her teacher so I could be kept more in the loop other than through my 5 year old. It was an interesting evening :)

Jill is right

2008-09-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, Jill this post is for you. I got a kick out of your blog comment tonite. Where do you find the time and if you dont have a computer, how do you update your blog?
My time seems so stretched thin - really thin this week. Bella had her tubes put in Monday morning. What they dont tell you is how horrible it is. They say, "oh, it takes ten minutes" and they fail to tell you that after you get there at 630 to check in, your dr could be on call and show up 2 hours later to then bump you because they felt like it. So, our 7 am surgery happened at 9 and then we were there 2 more hours because Bella was so disoriented and every noise hurt her since she has not been able to hear for the last 18 months. her ears were full of infection. to add to that, Sydney has had homework all week for school and I feel like a bad mom sometimes because I dont have the energy to do the homework. But I make myself do it since all she wants is my attention. Then to add to that, I realized that I had so many piles of laundry to get done since I have neglected that for a while. Anyways, my energy leaves me by 7 pm and i forget to blog. But, I will agree, I like reading other people's blogs and love the new posts....I just need to work harder at mine. So, Jill, I will work harder at it for you!!:)

Can life get too crazy?

2008-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Just when I think I will keep up on something, like my blog, life takes over and every hour of the day seems to be filled up. My friend Melanie was in labor last time I updated anyone and since then, she has had her baby girl, my oldest child started Kindergarten, My youngest child got an ear infection and is now scheduled for Tubes, I have been vomited and coughed on, spent 2 hours in the ER, Played tag with the school bus and school personel and been to the doctor twice and pharmacy three times to get meds. I am surprised I am not insane yet.
Honestly, this seems to be how my life is every week. If the kids are not sick, or the laundry has not overflowed, then there are bills due, grocery shopping to get done, or tv to catch up on. I have not really gotten into TV much this summer since A - there is nothing on, and B - I have been too busy trying to fit everything into my all too short day.
I never realized that having a child in kindergarten would really change how tired I would be. We get up at the same time, but Sydney is so tired from the stimulation of learning at school that she does not get a nap and so by the time we get home, dinner is now served at 430 and she and Bella both are in bed by 700. I have to say that time is nice because I have a whole evening ahead of me, but I feel old because I quickly follow to bed by 8. We dont have much homework, but they send home a packet of stuff for us parents to read each week and it is alot of stuff so that takes up time. Not to mention the fact that we have to help Syd memorize things and go over rules and stuff. She is loving school and thriving with it. She has a best friend named Lisi and they hold hands and eat lunch together. It is too cute.
To add to a normally exhausting week from school, Bella was diagnosed with yet another ear infection. This would be number 11 and so we saw an ENT doc today and he scheduled her for surgery for next Monday morning. She will be getting tubes and we are so glad. Maybe now she will sleep better, eat better and most of all hear and talk better. She has been sick for 2 weeks with this and a nasty cough and so we have lost a lot of sleep.
It is only Tuesday and feels like it should be the weekend. All in all though, we have some great kids and our time with them is so valued. Even with them being sick, they are still funnier than ever.
So, this blogging is MY time and it is very valued. It is short lived MY time as my youngest has poured all my shampoo and conditioner into the bath with her, my oldest is coloring a cake for a contest and my husband is watching Return of the Jedi. I take what I can get.

Babies

2008-09-05T19:39:00.001-07:00

My Friend Melanie is in labor as we speak. She has been having contractions all day long and I think finally might be headed to the hospital. Childbirth is one of her biggest fears and so I know this part is pretty tough with the pain and all. We are trying to keep in touch so i can go and see her before the baby is born. There are so many things to look forward to becoming a mom. And there are trials too. Last night I was measuring meds for Bella who has another cough and runny nose. I turned away for a second and she got ahold of the benadryl bottle and took a nice big swig. This has never happened before for us, so i panicked, unsure of how much was in the bottle before she drank it. I called poioen control to see what they would say. Based on the info I told them, she had not had enough to go to the ER, but I had to monitor her for 2 hours and it was already 8 (past her bedtime) and she had no nap yesterday. I then spoke to the on call pediatrician and she gave me the same info. We kept her up for an hour and nothing changed about her at all, so I called poison control back and they said I could let her go to bed. I let her sleep with me as i wanted to make sure she was breathing ok and all that. She slept really good and then was groggy this morning, but everything is ok. Something about that little life that is a piece of your heart, you want nothing bad to happen to. As a mom, I would do anything for my kids to keep them safe and well. My friend Melanie is embarking on this experience now. She is going to be an awesome mom and I think really be blessed with just how great motherhood is.

I'm a slacker

2008-09-04T18:35:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I have meant to blog this week but it has been crazy. I took Tues off so I could go with Syd to her school for some things and ended up only being there for an hour. They tested her on her fine motor skills and such and it was funny on one question. The teacher asked her if she had a dog. She says. " No, my parents wont get me a dog, but that is ok because I have Bella." It was so funny and probably not the answer she thought she was going to get.
Then Wed back to work I went. Today, I had to take Syd to have a health Assessment before school starts and she did really well with that. She was quite disappointed that she didnt get to start school today, but we marked days off her calendar and now she only has 4 days left. I am really starting to get excited for her now.
Bella has been in her own mood too. She doesnt understand why sissy has to go to school and leave her behind. She is trying to cope the best she can as a two year old and is being funny in her own way. She was sitting with me on the couch this morning and farted and said," whew whee mommy, u stink". which is cute because she did it and tried to blame it on me!!
My parents are taking both kids tomorrow night which is nice, I need to finish cleaning house and maybe will try to get some scrapbooking done.
For now, I still have to bathe kids, do laundry, clean the kitchen, try to get some reading in and maybe even watch some tv before I colapse :) This is just a day in my life and I would not trade it for the world!

Our family time

2008-09-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday for Labor day we went and hung out with our friends Brock and Natasha and their two girls Madison and Alex. Our kids are the same age and so they really had fun playing together - there was actually no fighting which was really nice. We rode our bikes up Bald hill in Corvallis and it was so much fun. I was the one lagging behind because I dont ride enough and so the hills were kind of tough (we went 10.9 miles) but when it was all over, it didnt seem that bad. It was fun to have some family time together as well as hang out with friends and relax.
When we got home, the kids were in meltdown mode as they did not have naps, so once dinner was done and they had their baths, they were asleep in no time.
I took today off work because the school that Sydney is going to is having open house for the kindergarteners and she will meet her teacher today as well. Im excited, but its still wierd to think I have a 5 year old starting school. She is already dressed in her school clothes and waiting for 2 pm to get here. She thinks she will be there all day, and its hard to explain that we are only going for a little while. It was definately nice to not have to get up early today after yesterdays bike ride, but Im not getting very much done since Bella thinks I should be holding her and Syd keeps asking me when we are going to school. Don as the car, so the plan right now is to ride our bikes to Syds school since it is only 2 miles away and get some excercise at the same time.
So, once we get back from that, I will post again to let everyone know how it went meeting her teacher and seeing her school!

KIDS!

2008-08-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

The family is quite tired today. We had our friends Chris and Jenn and their three kids Kierstyn, Morgan and Gage and Chris' mom over for dinner on Sat night. Our kids love to play together, and I had to laugh today when Syd woke up with attitude and sassiness. Our friends' kids are 12 and 8 and so Syd tried to act older today with how she was talking to people. It comes out more especially when she is tired, but oh boy - look out for when she is 10 or so....
The first thing she did today was call me by my name instead of Mommy. I asked her why she was calling me Kirstan and she said, "Because that is your name, isn't it?" It was so hard not to crack up at that.
Then she was talking to her Poppy and was getting sassy with him. She said she was so smart so my dad (Poppy) asked her what 10+10 was and she said I dont know that, I am only 5. She is smart with what she says in tone and in logic!
It has been a weird day too. It has rained off and on and the kids have been cranky since we stayed up pretty late last night. They have already taken naps and I am currently doing laundry while thinking about what to do for dinner.
We have plans tomorrow to go to Corvallis and ride bikes with our friends Natasha and Brock and their girls, I guess we have to wait and see what the weather does though....Im just glad I have two more days off to get our house work done so this week goes by smoothly!

Oh Brother!

2008-08-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well where do i even start? Totally taken back that Kirstan has gotten so into the whole blog thing. i'm the computer savvy one. when i had a friend tell us to join MySpace, Kirstan was all up in arms about joining or doing anything like that. When it came to texting, she was totally against that as well.

Now here we are and she has become a total Cyber blogging, MySpace, texting maniac!!! i hardly ever go to Myspace or never was really into blogging. texting i do as it's a quick and easy way to communicate with friends and what not. I'm a guy, come on! There is no sitting on the phone for days on end talking about everything under the sun like you wonderful women can do. When we as men get on the phone it's short and sweet and we get out what needs to be said without an indepth interview about every detail.

I guess that's what makes us different and compliment each other so well is that we are so different. it kind of balances us out. Not to mention our two wonderful daughters who keep us guessing day to day on what will be said or done. They are so much like each of us that it's really scary when you see yourself in your child and the crazy things they say and do.

Our children are a product of us, so cherish every day with them because they grow up way too quick.

Well i guess I'm done now and hope you all enjoy our family blog.

ITS The Weekend

2008-08-29T20:28:00.001-07:00

Its Friday night and not a sound in my house right now. We recently have had some changes - like our schedule so we get up around 5 since we have to be at work by 7 in Corvallis. We also changed daycare providers, so this week the kids not only get up at 5 with me, but they are adjusting to someone new taking care of them and so they were really cranky tonite. When this goes on for 5 days in a row, meltdowns erupt from my girls as early as 5 in the evening.
We went to Walmart to get some additional groceries for some friends we have coming over on Sat night and the girls fought the whole time in the store. Some days I just want to crawl under a clothes rack when they act that way, but anyone that is a parent understands, which is why I dont take them with me that often. Saves us all some grief.
After we got home, they had dinner and baths and they were asleep by 730. Don is at a movie with his best friend, so I am actually getting some Mommy time - it is really nice. And I am spending it blogging.....thats why this one is longer than the others because I dont have a 2 yr old asking me what or why and I dont have a 5 yr old staring at me asking when I will be done. I should be doing laundry or something, but instead I am goofing off and it feels great!
This weekend we are doing a few things. We have a bbq dinner with friends Sat and then hang out at home Sun and then bike riding with our friends Natasha and Brock in Corvallis and then Tues is the start of School festivities for Sydney. She doesn't actually start Kindergarten until Sept 8, so this week is her open house and meeting teachers and doing assessments and stuff. She is really excited about getting to go to school. I guess that is all to report on for now. Nothing really that funny today- just an exhausting Friday where we are hoping to get some good sleep and be refreshed on Saturday!

Word of the day : WHY

2008-08-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Why has become Bella's favorite word. Sydney went through the stage at the same age, but I forgot just how many times one person can say why.
"Bella you need to get your shoes"
"Why mommy?'
Bella, can you please get your sweater?"
"Why mommy?"
This continues no matter what I say or ask her to do.
Syd doesnt make it easier on me. She asks questions like, "why do we have hair"? And last week it was. "why do we have necks?"
Her best question was asking me how babies were born. I said that we push them out (not thinking that since I had c-sections, she was going to question what I just said) and she did. So I explained how they come out as brief as I could and when I was done, she said: "Mom that is so gross and you are going to jail for telling me that"! I could not stop laughing at that one.
We get stuff like this every week from them - and never know what they are going to come up with next. All I can say, is keep it coming girls. I want to capture as many wacky Williams moments as I can, for they are growing way too fast for me.

A day in the life

2008-08-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

Wednesday: Hump Day: ready for the weekend day: kids were home with daddy day and he is going crazy....Ahhh if only the husbands could live a day in the life of Us - Women.....how would they deal with the multitasking of our brains. The millions of thoughts we can have in one moment about what to do for dinner, the budget, what to wear the next day, what the kids are going to wear the next day. Gifts to buy for friends, who has a wedding or baby shower coming up, did I pay the bills? Planning the next grocery list, trying to schedule play dates with friends for mommy time. Excercise, laundry, meds, shower - shave our legs?? Yes, these are things we think about all the time...because we are women - we are pretty close to Wonder woman and We DO it all.
Today Sydney sang Mary had a little lamb a million times and Bella says No way hososose (jose) to everything Syd does, so Don was a little crazy when I walked in the door. I think it is quite comical...they will go to daycare tomorrow and Don and I to work and our schedule will return to normal for a few days. I'm ready for the weekend!

Im a Blogger

2008-08-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

So, I finally joined the world of bloggers. My husband gave me the one eyebrow look of why, and I just shrugged and said "because". I find it interesting to read and keep up on how everyone else is doing and this way, others can do the same with ours.
Our family is pretty typical you could say. Don and I have been married for 6 years and we have two little girls. Syd is 5 and will be in kindergarten full time this year and Bella is two and a half - they do keep us busy. 3 out of the 4 of us are left handed so we do have our moments where we are all at each others throats....but otherwise, we are a well rounded family that loves to spend time together.