Day 2

Nathan and I got to go in an all day date!!! We left around 9:30am and the kids stayed home with a couple ladies (Ana's sisters Amy & Alyssa) until my mom came at 2:00 until we got back, around 8:30pm.  The main reason we went to the cities wasn't for a date, it was more for a visitation, which put a little damper on the day. A young man only 26, one of Nathan's coworkers and classmates from his apprenticeship was killed on the job, electrocuted. It was a hard thing for us, esp Nathan, to go to and experience but Nathan needed to show his support for his friend. Before we got to the visitation tho, we made several stops at thrift stores along the way, finding a couple treasures (pics for the salon and clothes for the kids). Although the pic Nathan was holding at the checkout broke and landed on my ankle giving me a nice bruise. I still took the pic (missing the frame and glass) but it hit perfect in one I already had at the salon so it was a good deal!! Then, the strangest thing happened!!...we went to this smaller goodwill in some town in the cities and it was kind of in a "ghetto" area we weren't even sure if we wanted to go in bc it looked sorts run down, but we went in anyway...and saw a classmate of the kids' from their school last year! Then to make it even more crazy, about 5 hours later when we were coming home, after the wake and everythjng, we stopped at a goodwill closer to home that we missed on the way there and guess what?? That kid and his dad was there again!! I mean what are the chances?!?! It was insane. :)

My blue sunglasses I found at goodwill :)

The garden has started producing and boy is it producing again!!! Second round of beans...

I went down to the garden with a small tote, ha! Hadda bring a bigger one the next time :)

Jaeg dumped the frozen corn all over the kitchen floor...good thing he likes to lick it up :)

And she's just cute :)

Day One

(If u read my blog often, you'll hafta scroll down and check out some posts that didn't originally get on here but are on now, one titled "breakfast in bed again" is new)

One month of posts everyday. Thats my goal!! (Which is funny bc I originally tried to post this in mid July, it's now aug 6 and I have yet to do day 2, :) but I'm back on the challenge! And since technically it didn't post, I can still make it!)

Here's day one.

Organized my laundry room. Changed the way laundry is done. The baskets on the shelves are for clean clothes! Sometimes I just don't have time to fold the clothes right away but at least I can seperate them in case we needa find something quick etc! Seperated between ours, kids, and other!! If I had more space I'd do by room but this works for now! Love it!

Before

After

On a walk, she doesn't like the stroller at Gmas, but she likes ours at home!

I was on Nathan's good list. Lemon meringue.

Can you tell us apart?? Lol!! People think Melissa and I are sisters (or twins) all.the.time. I can see it :) (we happen to do our hair similar on the same day too!)

Date night!!! And I promise he was more excited about it then the pic shows :) he just hates selfies! We went to Qdoba, then browsed some fun stores like Salvation Army and GoodWill :)

The 4th

So the previous post was suppose go on my blog back in the end of April I think but never posted so I just did it!  Now these were supposed to post in July and never did either! So sorry for last posts!)

Nathan almost missed the 4th of July again due to storm work. Thankfully he got home on the 3rd just in time for a nice weekend (& he wasn't answering his phone all weekend! :)

I got to have a few hours by myself Thursday evening. I walked around the mall, stopping at a few stores and actually having the time to try some things on! It was amazing not having anything (or anyone) in my hands! I was hoping for my friend Melissa to join me, but since he couldn't, I enjoyed the alone time (& found a few cute shirts!...on clearance of course!) 

On the 4th we headed to my parents house. We were thinking about the parade but. Sometimes it's easier these days just to skip some stuff. My aunt Carol and cousin Mark along w his family, were there. We grilled and hung out for the rest of the day. We again debated about the fireworks, but after getting home and th kids in bed, we decided that listening to them from the comfort of our bed was good enough! :)

Ariellas hair for the 4th....I won't put it next to the one I copied...let's just say this was the best I could do!

This little girl is 8 months already!

monday mumble

As always, I'm mad at myself for not posting often, as these crazy days will be but a distant memory, much of which I will forget....unless I write them down!  And I don't NOT post because I have nothing to say or that our days aren't as crazy as they once were (although I haven't gotten to the point where I miss living in a camper...)....it's just that I'm, well, busy!

Our sweet Selah is now 8 months old today...crazy crazy!  She started crawling a couple weeks ago.  Straight on her hands and knees, no army crawling, no scooting...this girl has places to go!

I'm liking the more laid back days now that school is over for the summer, although we have been debating over and over again in our minds where they are going to go to school next year.  We are almost set on a school...and even though I have a hard time saying it...it might just be a public school!!

In the beginning of May, we made a significant purchase, and bought a tanning salon!  Random, I know... It's a huge learning curve for sure, especially going right into the slower season, but we think that in the long run, it will be a good investment.  (Although we might end up selling it sooner than later since we never know where Nathan's job will take us!)

Speaking of Nathan's job....he has about 250 hot hours left in his apprenticeship and then he will "top out" and *finally (after over 4 years!) get his journeyman lineman certificate!  From there, who knows where he will go?!  Full time utility job?  On the road out to the west coast?  We shall wait and see!!

Yesterday, our 4 oldest were in a wedding!  Our friend (and young lady who used to stay with us) Ana and her pilot-fiance Caleb were united in marriage!  Ariella was the only flower girl and the boys were 3 of 5 ring bearers!  It went well, although Tiernan had to sit down mid-ceremony because he looked like he was going to pass out!  During a worship song, I looked over at Tiernan (who wasn't feeling the greatest...complained of being tired earlier while waiting for pics) and his face was super pale, I couldn't even see his lips, everything was just white.  His head was tilted to the side and I could tell he wasn't focused on the words to the song.  We were all standing, so it wasn't that obvious, but at one point, I even lunged forward (I was in the front row) because I thought he was going to tip over! I got his attention and said softly "do you feel okay?"  He just shrugged his shoulders.  I motioned for him to come over and sit by me, he did, and after a few minutes felt much better.  He said later that he felt like he was going to throw up!  Well, for everyone's sake, I'm glad that didn't happen!!

Breakfast in Bed Again!

So not long after Tiernan brought me the waffles in bed (I think the next day?  I can't remember, my brain has been tired lately! :), he brought me breakfast in bed again!  He came into my room and said "Mom, you look tired, could I make you French toast and bring you breakfast in bed?"  Ummm...lemme think...OF COURSE!

So off he went into the kitchen to make French toast...from scratch.  A little while later, he returned with a plate of 2 pieces with maple syrup on them!

I ate them and decided to take a shower before I came out of my room.  I was thinking I was going to go into the kitchen and find a huge disaster since the kids had been up for awhile and eating breakfast without my supervision.  So I prepared myself and walked in....boy, was I SHOCKED!  The kitchen looked like this!!!

Tiernan had cleaned it from top to bottom!  Not only did he make ME breakfast, he made enough for everyone and fed all his siblings, even Jaeg!  Then he cleaned the dishes, put the griddle away, wiped off the table and counters and even pushed in the chairs at the table!  I was so surprised!  What a proud mama moment!!

Some cleaning and purging around here!  Getting rid of things is one of my most favorite things to do!  This is in the master closet. 

Before

After

Who says a single stroller can't be used as a double?

Forts, forts and more forts...I get rid of the extra blankets so they strip their beds.  grrrr....

Breakfast in Bed

Last night Nathan and I were able to go out with a couple friends, Devin & Melissa  while the rest of our 10 children played at Bounce Adventure. We just brought the babies with and boy was that nice to sit and chat for about 3 hours! Speaking of babies...Selah's 5 months now!

And before our date, my parents came over and visited for the afternoon since we haven't seen them in a month bc they were in Arkansas with my sister and family. (Nathan was home from work yesterday, which has been a common thing around here lately bc of his back). The kids were happy to see Gma and Gpa and once Jaeg got up from his nap and mom and me back home from picking up the boys from school, he bee-lined it straight for Gma! He wrapped his arms around her and wouldn't let her go! He's Gmas boy alright! 

Nathan gets up for work at 4:30am each day and I get up with him. I've been trying to *stay up once he leaves too, which is sometimes super hard to do but I have been SO thankful on the days that I do. I just LOVE that quiet time in the morning! So this morning, since it's Sat, I decided to go back to bed and wanted to "sleep in". Well, I was awake of course (just not out of bed) when I had said for everyone to just give me a little bit longer and I'll come out. I wanted to rest! And then this happened....Tiernan walked in my room with this....

And says "good morning, mom!" Oh how can I resist that?! So I was up and even though Nathan and I have changed the way we (mostly) eat, I just HAD to have Tiernans waffles and whipped cream he so lovingly prepared for me :) what a sweet boy :)

Now back to making my menu and grocery list for the week!

Tiernan took me on a date!

Yesterday afternoon was a special day.  It was the first time I was taken out by one of my sons!  Tiernan has been wanting to take me out on a date, so after I picked the boys up from school, I thought it would be a good day to go!  Nathan was home because of the rain so he could be with the other kids.

Once we decided to go, Tiernan asked what he should wear.  I told him he could wear whatever he wanted.  He asked if he could wear his red dress shirt and tie.  And then he asked if he could wear a belt :)  And then he asked what shoes he should wear.  He was really getting into this!  So then I asked him what *I should wear?  He said "a skirt...a black one".  So dressed up in his shirt and tie and me in a black skirt and shirt, we were off on our date!

He wanted to take me to Arby's :)  (Mostly bc he saw a pic of a french dip sandwich that reminded him of a sub sandwich, so he wanted to try that.)  Before we got there, Tiernan prayed for the food in the van and also thanked The Lord for this special time that he and I could spend together :) We get to Arby's, figure out if we need the coupons, and then proceed inside....he even opened the door for me.  We got inside, figured out what we were going to order, and up to the counter we went.  Tiernan started, telling the lady what he wanted and then he told her what I would have too.  The lady said "You look very nice today!" and he said "thank you" with a smile.  Then I looked at her and said "He's taking me on a date."  She smiled and told me the total.  Tiernan took out his wallet and paid for the meal.  She says "You are even paying?! Wow! Where does such a little boy get money?  Do you do chores?"  "No" he says (which is incorrect but he was thinking of the money that he had in his wallet, it wasn't from chores...) "It's my birthday money.  My birthday was on Feb 23."  "Oh!  Well, I don't know too many young boys that would use their birthday money to take their mom out for dinner.  I think that deserves a shake.  Would you like chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?"  "Chocolate!"  "Now you have dessert, too!"

Wow!  The lady was so impressed with Tiernan's decision, that she gave him a free shake!

We ate our meal, just us two, talking about life.

He was excited to leave so he could ring the Arby's bell. :) ....he even remembered to open the door for me again.  I was liking getting "spoiled" by my boy!

Our next stop was Culvers to get a concrete mixer.  We had a buy one get one coupon that he used so he thought that was pretty cool. :)

Same thing there....we went up to the counter, he decided what he wanted and I told him what I wanted.  He told the lady "I'll have a mixer with sprinkles and snickers (yes, I let him splurge a little :) and she'll get the butterfinger."  She told *me the total.  *He pulled out his money, she smiled so I said "He's taking me on a date", and then we stood back a little waiting for our ice cream.

While we were waiting, a lady came up to us, who must have heard what happened at the counter, and she said to me "He will remember this for the rest of his life."

I sure hope so.  We want to make special memories with each of our kids.

He thanked me about 10 times in the 5 min drive home. "Thanks for letting me go on a date with you.....Thanks for going with me, mom".....

And I think he is starting to realize how much money going out to eat costs since he was a little taken back that he only had $3 left :)  I asked "Was it worth it though?"

And the answer was a big "yes" :)