Here's whats happening!

I feel like we have been SOOOO busy the past few months..I barely have time to do day to day tasks anymore. I love everything we have going on, but some days I just need a break!

Kelsey is doing great in 1st grade...lots of homework though! Hayden is a little spit fire, he is learning more everyday and reminds me a lot of Kelsey at his age.

Work is extremely busy for me right now, we just got a new computer system and learning it has had it's challenges.

I am going to the Special Olympics horse show next weekend with the barn we board at. I went last year and had so much fun! This year I am doing unified riding with the athletes. Pretty much where you do a drill team type routine to music. Gonna be pretty awesome!

I recently have been introduced to Mounted Shooting and have fallen in love with it! We went to a shoot today and even Travis said he really enjoyed it. This weekend is the last shoot of the year, so I have some time to get ready for next year. I have to work with Valentino and have a long way to go.

This post is totally random, but I felt like I should write something!

Organization 101

I have SO much go on these days that I am having to try so hard to get organized and then stay that way! Most nights Travis isn't home until 8-9 and that means I am on my own juggling 2 kids and 4 animals. Yes only 3 animals live at our house, but I am at the barn 3x a week feeding there.

Here is a couple things I have found to really help me stay on track the last few weeks. I am going to try my best to keep it up!

Step 1: Routine-
A few weeks ago we started a nightly routine with Hayden that ends by him going to bed by 7 pm. A few nights into in and still today he keeps making it known that he needs to be in bed by 7. I have to do what's best for my kids but a 7 bed time is killing me! We now have no life whatsoever because I have to rush every evening to get him home, fed, bathed by 7. Some nights he doesn't even get to see Travis because he is working late. Kelsey is falling into the same routine just extended by 30-45 mins. We have seen a 360 turn in morning attitudes since they have been sleeping 9+ hours are night. (and the couple hours of alone/quiet time with my husband are really nice)

Step 2: Meal Planning-
One thing I knew I HAD to do what plan out our meals each week so I didn't have to stress after work trying to figure out what we are going eat. There are weeks I put down what day we eat what, but most weeks I plan meals depending on our schedules. I just pick 6 meals and write what I need for all of them to make sure I have everything at home. Some nights I don't get home until 6 so dinner has to be ready pronto...I have found either a meal thats already ready or leftovers are the best for those nights. The nights I get home earlier I have been able to cook a nice meal or even 2 so that if we have a busy night coming up dinner is covered. We have pizza usually once a week and then we normally go out on Friday or Saturday nights as a family.

Step 3: Clean House-
I am a freak about my house being clean if people are coming over. I will do a tornado clean even if i find out your pulling in the driveway :) So last weekend I scrubbed the entire house and go rid of all the extra clutter. Every night now I spend a few minutes picking up toys, putting away odd and ends, sweeping, vacuuming and all the other things I do. I love waking up every morning to a clean house and coming home at night to one. Hopefully this will make my weekend heavy cleaner easier also because it won't be as much to clean.

Step 4: Preparation-
This is just the 1st week of school and we have a long way to go...but every night I have gotten breakfast and lunch ready for the next day so the mornings are smoother. I make sure everyone has clothes out and ready also. Last year there were way to many mornings that involved me scrambling to make lunch and even digging clothes out of the hamper for Kelsey or Hayden to wear. I hope this helps keep me sane :)

I think that is it for now. I plan to do a update in a few months to see if this is working still or if I have had to change anything.

What things to you do to make your life easier day to day?

1st Grade/ Pre-3!

I can't believe it is already time for school to start. Where did the summer go? I am actually excited for school to start this year. Kelsey has been gone so much this summer, we really miss her. And I just want to get back into a normal routine again...(is there such a thing?)

Kelsey is starting 1st grade this year..umm wow! She says she is excited, but nervous...crazy kid.Once she sees all her friends again I think the nerves will go away and she will be ready. I really can't believe how fast she is growing up. She will be 7 in a few short weeks and she will already say well I am almost 10. not ready for that at all. Her first day went well! She told me that 1st grade isn't hard at all, I hope she doesn't change her mind!

Hayden moved over to his new classroom this week to. He is now in the 3 year old room or other wise known as Pre-3. He did much better with the transition that we thought he would. I think it really helped that his old teachers talked up the new classroom and they made it a big deal. The new room is HUGE! and they get to play on the "big kid" play ground so that is also huge. When I picked him up today he was so excited to tell me about going on the Fun Bus! He said there was a trampOline!

Orientation w/her class list

Hayden photo bombing the picture

These 2 goofs make my like complete!



I started thinking last week that next year Hayden goes to Pre-K then the following year Kindergarten...my babies are getting big! NO, it isn't time for another one :)

Have a great rest of the week!!

I might be a little crazy!

Since I haven't updated in a long time, I don't think I ever introduced the newest 4 legged member of our family.

This is Turner!

I saw a fb post from a teacher that used to work at Kelsey and Hayden's old daycare that her husband found some kittens on the side of the road. First I over looked it and said to myself...You don't need anymore animals...then I saw the pictures of them. There were 3 and 2 were black/white and one grey/white. Well growing up I had a grey/white cat named Hooch (hence the name Turner) and since becoming and adult I have always wanted another one. When I saw the grey/white one I knew that kitten was mine! I asked Travis just to make sure and he tried to tell me no, but I had already decided that we were getting it.

So a few nights later this tiny little kitten was brought into our family. He is a very playful full of energy kitty... and VERY curious. He is great with the kids, Tonka and Jinx our other cat. He immediatly took a liking to me and Travis joked for days that I now had a cat...little did we know. Hayden and Turner are the best of friends. Turner has picked Hayden as his human. Hayden calls him Timmy Turner. The things this little guy puts up with are amazing, but I know they will grow up to be best buds. Hayden carrys him around on his shoulder like a blanket and even takes him for drives on his tractor around the house. Turner sleeps where Hayden sleeps..even if that means he must sleep on my head to be close to Hayden! Craziness!

So I must be nuts to bring another live animal into our family, but I can't say no and I am so glad we adopted him!

Hilton Head 2013

We FINALLY took a family vacation with just our family this summer. It was just a 4 day trip to Hilton Head, SC but it was so worth it and it made us realize how important it is to get away even if just for a few days. We ended up taking Tonka with us because of losing Rocko last time we went on vacation. It was harder with a 70lb dog traveling with us but we really enjoyed seeing him play on the beach. He was jumping in the waves just like the kids. We we busy the whole time we were there but had so much fun.

Teaching the kids to jump into the waves, digging sinking holes in the sand, trying to build sand castles, eating like we were royalty and really just enjoying time together as a family. We went on a dolphin tour and we were able to see about 200 dophins, it was amazing! Seeing my kids and husband relax and chill for the first time in a LONG time was so worth it. At one point Travis was on the beach watching me jump into the waves with the kids and he said that was totally worth seeing the smile on your face :) I loved seeing the beach through my kids eyes.

I walked out of the house without my camera, so my iphone had to do the job. Here is a little collage I put together of some of our vacation.

We plan to take a family trip every year now!

Summer 2013

Life has been what you could call...busy! I am lucky some days to even talk to Travis :) I thought after school ending life would slow down and we would all enjoy the summer break...umm I was very wrong!

Kelsey spends half the week at my mother in laws then comes home and goes to a babysitters or my moms the other 2 days. We have been missing her like crazy, but she loves it and it gives her the time she needs with Travis' family. She has already lost 2 teeth this summer and I think she has grown 5 inches. I can't belive that she is starting 1st grade in a few weeks and will be turning 7!

Hayden is all BOY! He has a one track mind...tractors. I really think thats all he thinks about sometimes. His newest trick is when we are driving down the road he yells "real big tractor..I see it I really do" He misses his sister like crazy when she is gone, but I love seeing him get so excited to pick her up when she comes home. I told Travis the other day we used to think Kelsey talked a lot, but I believe Hayden is taking over that role...he never stops talking and usually its about a tractor :) He even walks around the house saying "nothing runs like a Deere!" 

Travis has been working a lot lately! Which I can't complain because he has an awesome job and is bringing home good money. He seems to really enjoy it and I am glad about that one. I wish there was just more hours in the day to spend time with him.

My life consists of work, barn, ehome, kids...and do it all over again! I spend a lot of time at the barn...not as much as I want to, but family life comes first. The weather has been crazy lately to and it seems like it rains almost every afternoon when I get off work.

Valentino is doing great though! I am so happy I was able to buy him. He is a pretty awesome guy. We are learning more about each other everytime I ride him. Kelsey even rode him in a show recently, she did a lead line class but loved it!
Tonka is a big ole brown dog... He is HUGE! We added a new family member last week.. a grey and white kitten named Turner.

Thats about all the update I have for now. I am off for the rest of the week for the 4th of July and since its supposed to rain we are catching up on inside things.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Motherhood Reflections

I really hate the feeling of tasks being un-finished. Something as simple as leaving dirty dishes in the sink at night or as huge as not finishing my college degree. This is the time every year I get these feelings..when I see pictures and hear about people graduating college, getting their dream jobs, getting married, buying houses, having babies. It always makes me think I messed up somewhere or that I am a failure.

Last week in the midst of all these feelings coming up Hayden had his 3rd birthday. I really can't believe my little man is now 3 years old. Then I started thinking of all the amazing things that have happen in my life the last 5-6 years. I have a wonderful husband and 2 amazing kids who love me no matter what.

I realized 2 common things that have been the same with both of my kids. When they turned 1, the bottle went bye bye and I was very diligent to get rid of it within a 2 month period. At 2 years old the pasi was taken away... it wasn't easy with either one of them, but after a couple sleepless nights we made it and stuck to our guns. And at by the time both Kelsey and Hayden turned 3 they were both potty trained fully during the day and night. After I thought about that I was pretty proud of myself and what I have become as a mother.

Then I look into their little faces and realize I am doing what I need to right now, they need me to be their mom right now. School and careers can wait they will always be waiting for me. My kids childhood won't. They are growing up faster than the blink of an eye and it isn't slowing down.

** So I know I have been absent a while... things are so busy around here! Between juggling work, kids being sick, end of the school year, barn, husband and household chores I barely have time to sit down! I hope to be around more in the next few weeks with some updates**