One of "those" Days

Ever have one of "those" days?

I think you probably know what I'm talking about. And, if not, you either can't remember anything or your life is perfect. Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone out there can relate.

This is what I mean...

7:55a.m. "Ruff! Ruff! Ruff! RUFF!!! RUFF!!! RUFF!!!!!!!!!!"

(It was Autumn...barking in her crib. And, apparently it was my alarm clock this morning, too.)

I just love it when I don't get up with sufficient time to get ready for the day (not). I was up way past my "bed time" last night with my 5 year old who kept bugging his baby brother and would not go to sleep! I think we finally crashed around midnight.

I roll out of bed, still only half awake, and stumble over a few toys and piles of clothing into her room, her room that apparently wreaks of urine. What in the world happened in here?! I grab her out of her crib and notice she is soaked. Head to toe soaked. Yes, soaked in pee.
(Either the babysitter last night didn't change her diaper before putting her to sleep, or her SIZE 5 diapers don't hold enough anymore?! How could that be?! Or, maybe she pulled it halfway off.)

Into the tub she goes.

Beckett is screaming in his crib, but I can't get him just yet, I need to get Autumn's hair and everything else washed, as well as start some breakfast for the kids...and I knew Jeff had given Beckett a bottle around 6:30a.m. so he had to be ok, at least for a little bit!

I run into the kitchen and notice Jeff made extra oatmeal for the kids and left it in the pan...how sweet of him! I throw some frozen raspberries in 3 containers, dump oatmeal on top, put the lids on, throw in a bag with spoons, and sippy cups, then go on to portion out formula for Beckett and put it all by the front door).

I run into my room to throw some clothes on (a mere sweatshirt and jeans) and manage to run a brush through my hair 3 times. I keep a pony tail holder on my wrist, and I know I can put my hair up while I'm driving to school. Perfect!

While I'm jumping around putting on my last sock, Suddenly Autumn starts yelling from the bathroom "I poopy momma!!! Poopy in tub! Mommy poopy in tub!!!" She starts screaming and crying. I rush into the bathroom to find that she has pooped in the tub. The tub that is also filled with toys!

Ughhhh...the job of a mom isn't always pretty. In fact, it's hardly pretty. There's hardly anything glamorous about it. But, the rewards (I think) are pretty priceless. And, as a lot of seasoned moms keep telling me, "It get's easier."

(While all of this is going down, Beckett, the 10 month old baby, is now screaming uncontrollably).
Sometimes, ok, a lot of times, there is more than one situation that needs your attention. Who knew that these precious darlings, that you've basically already given your life up for, would also ALL need you all at once?!?!

Scooping out the poop.
Draining the tub.
Rinsing off the toys (for now).

Finally, I get Autumn all clean, dry, dressed, hair brushed. Now for that screaming baby...

I look at the clock. It's now 8:35. We need to leave in 5 minutes for preschool. 5 minutes. Did I mention 5 MINUTES? To be out the door and on the road. And there's 2 more children to get ready.

Oh yeah...suddenly it hits me! Friday mornings (and Monday mornings) I have chiropractor appointments RIGHT after dropping Ethan off at preschool!
(because I broke my tailbone giving birth to Beckett and have been having 2 treatments a week ever since).

That means I need more than just the bare minimum...good thing I have the food packed. I throw a couple diapers in my purse and decide to at least bring my screaming baby a bottle. WHERE ARE ALL THE BOTTLES?!?!?! Somehow we have managed to only have 2 bottles left. And I can't find one. And the other one is in Beckett's crib. And I absolutely refuse to buy anymore bottles because we are DONE having kids and we only need them for 2 more months.

We will survive. We will survive.

Open the door to Beckett & Ethan's room, and see Ethan, my 5 year old, throwing toys in Beckett's crib, and on top of him. Poor baby. No wonder he is crying. I firmly tell Ethan to put on some jeans and pick out a shirt. He so nicely asks "Should I put on socks too?" Oh, thank you for getting the picture! Except he doesn't do it. Any of it. I have to remind him 6 more times.

I open up Beckett's pj's, open up the diaper, oh good, he went #2! (maybe he won't go when we are out and about). I begin to wipe him up and notice...it's not just in the diaper...the poo squirted all the way up to his neck. Ughhh...I check my clothes. Yep. On there too. Oh, and in the crib. I silently cry, Lord, help me!!!

I do not have time to bathe him. I wipe him up best I can, it had to be a 7 wipe wonder. There goes trying to use minimal wipes on diaper changes. Oh well. I throw on the first thing I see in his closet, and go on to put socks and shoes on him. Ever try to put socks and shoes on a wiggly baby? Ohhhhh my goodness. That takes talent!!!

Ok, screaming baby still needs bottle. Mommy needs new clothes. Rip off the sweatshirt, run in the kitchen, wash the only bottle I can find, and make it for him. I start shaking up the bottle as I run back into his room, and the milk starts squirting EVERYWHERE...leaving a trail of milk rain drops from the kitchen to his room. Then I remember, oh yes, this bottle leaks if I don't screw it on JUST RIGHT. The ONLY bottle like this that does this. Ughhhhhhh...

Baby gets bottle. All is calm for a moment and then... "Ethan!!! Put a shirt on PLEEEEEAAAAASEEEEE!!!!"

We race to the front door, throw on shoes and coats, I grab everything humanly possible, it's surprising I wasn't carrying something on my head, and slam the door shut.

I might have looked a little like this...(pic my friend posted on twitter recently)




















Quick, get everyone is car seats, and rush away.

The car ride.
Ahhhh...the car ride.
You mommas and papas know what I'm talking about! I pass Ethan his raspberry oatmeal and he eats on the way to school while we listen to Hillsong's "Bones." [sigh]

I pull into preschool...then I look at the clock. 9:26. Really? We are 26 minutes late. I hop out, open Ethan's door. Oh, good, the oatmeal has spilled everywhere.
Have you ever tried to wipe up spilled oatmeal? It's sticky and does not wipe up easily! After about 5 minutes and another 3 wipes, I ask him, "Do you want to skip preschool?" He gleefully says "Yes!"

Onto the chiropractor we go...

Did I mention preschool is in New Brighton, and the Chiro is in Maple Grove...it's about a 14 mile, 20 minute drive. At least we will be on time for the 9:45 appointment.

Ok, dragging 3 kids into a chiropractor appointment (where you are laying on a table) isn't exactly the most enjoyable, or easy! We get through the appointment with the help of the movie collection I keep on my iphone. Thank God for technology!

Leave the chiro, realize today at 3:00 is my last practice for my cheerleaders and we are having a team party (I coach a team of 6th graders at MCA) for which I need to bring some yummy yums.

Load up the kids, we all head to Target, and of course there is not one "big" cart in sight. You know those carts that look like a train and hold a million, (or 3) kids?

Ok, fine, forget it, throw Beckett in a single cart and make Ethan and Autumn follow me through the store...yeah...that is so fun! (not).

Deep breaths. Deep breath. The kids did great a Target! phew!

Now, a quick stop at the bank and then home for lunch.
We managed to have a fun lunch and talk about shapes.























Then, as I was getting Beckett ready and put down for his nap, Ethan and Autumn managed to attack eachother. Physically. Here are Autumn's battle wounds. Ughhhhh...






















I just got Autumn down for a nap now and felt like venting. I needed to vent. So I decided to do a blog post. Something I almost never take time for anymore. So here it is.
So many times I feel incapable. Like everything is all crashing down at once and like "I just can't do this."And, in the most broken, stressed out moments, that's when I find my strength in the words from God like this:

Matthew 5:3 "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more God and His rule."

2 Corinthians 12:9 "Each time He said, 'my grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

Psalm 128:2 "You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!"

Isaiah 41:10 "Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."

Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy."

Anyone else out there ever have a day like this?

And now, I am about to leave for cheerleading practice. I get to coach some of the sweetest 6th Graders at MCA. I love devoting time to these precious girls and am excited for a fun last practice!


















Thank God, it's Friday!

Our Newest Family Photos

In February we did a family photo session with JM Photography. I'm really impressed with our photos and thought I'd post a few of my favorites!










































This baby headband, necklace, and tutu were all made by me especially for Autumn!
I started making baby headbands shortly after Autumn was born in September. I've had a lot of people tell me that I should sell them. I may start selling them through my website www.prestigiouspetals.com (I will update about it when the time comes!)
























Isn't she a love?


Family Shot



















My little man...


















His dark chocolate eyes just make my heart melt.



We had a few enlargements made...I asked Jeff to stand by them so you could see the proportions















These are the pictures that were englarged:

Life Update

Last week was rough. Ethan was sick, then I got sick, then Jeff got sick. And all on different days...and it lingered about 2 days each. So we all didn't get much good quality time together. Anyways, I'm glad we're all feeling better now!

Last week was also one of those weeks where Jeff and I were just both kind of struggling with where to go from here. What to do in life, what jobs to have, wanting to be in God's will, but not knowing how to get there...
Ever have one of those days where you just don't know what you should be doing in life and you start looking at your circumstances and the job you have and just feel like there's gotta be more to life than this? That was like our week last week. The devil was just really putting depressing thoughts in our heads and it was really a tough battle. Thursday when Jeff stayed home from work because he wasn't feeling good, we just had a long worship session and just had to THANK God for all He HAS DONE and WILL DO. It seemed like all hope in things was failing, but when we turned our eyes on God, the burden was lifted. Even in the natural it just seems like things aren't going good, but when we completely give it to God and stop giving thought to it, that's when we feel free. That's what I've been doing this whole month it seems (just keep on giving any thoughts to God), but last week I started taking those thoughts back into my own hands. Just wondering what God has for me. I just want to be in His perfect will and it's so hard to know what that is sometimes. I feel like I just need to take steps of faith and just ask Him to close doors where they need to be closed and open them where they should be open. That's the other thing, I haven't been working much (only at the flower shoppe which cancels out Ethan's daycare) and so I've gotten worried about money so much that I have been tempted to go back to Eagle Street. I know I am not supposed to go back there and it was like I kept getting this image in my mind or sentence in my mind (probably Holy Spirit led) that kept saying "It's like a dog going back to its own vomit"
Enough said. I'm not going back as tempting as it is sometimes. It was such good money. Man!

All this to say, sometimes the devil tries to sidetrack us with thoughts and situations happening in the natural, but we have to keep our eyes focused on God and how HE cares for us and how He takes care of the birds and He'll take care of us too. Somehow we always seem to make it. And it's because of God's provision. I just have to keep focus on that. Our God is supernatural and He will always provide.


Here's a little story...some may say it's a coincidence, some may say it's favor!

Jeff wanted to go get some beans for coffee from Starbuck's...so we went there to get it and if you pay with a Starbuck's registered gift card, you get a free drink. So, we decided to load a card and then pay for it and get our free drink.
I guess you could say it wasn't really planned and the money would come out of our grocery fund...we decided we'd put $20 on the Starbuck's card. Don't know why $20 since beans cost $10-$12. I pulled $20 out to put on the card. After giving the cashier the money, I looked on the floor and said, "Jeff, I think you dropped this" and he said "I didn't drop that, I didn't even have a $20 bill in my wallet" The $20 bill was folded so I knew it wasn't in my wallet either (I keep my cash straight). After talking a little bit about it, we realized it was a random $20 and that paid for the $20 re-load on the starbuck's card. After finding it, it was like God was saying to me that He'll always make a way to provide. Even for the little enjoyable things in life. Some would say it was a coincidence that we found $20 on the floor and decided to put $20 on the Starbuck's card all at the same time, but some of us (me) would say that is just one way our supernatural God works and one way that we get favor in small situations like that. (Thanks, God for the coffee money...haha)

I hope whoever reads this finds some encouragement in it, and if no one reads it, that's ok too because I really just enjoy journaling about life. Let GOD be your source of provision today!!!!