I Wonder If They Know

I intended on being asleep almost an hour ago.  After 10 hours at the hospital with my clinical group I am tired.   My feet hurt and my eyes are heavy but I can't get them off my mind.   The little girl whose fever spiked just as our shift ended.  Her bright red cheeks and nervous father keep crossing my mind.  The baby, all alone, facing surgery in the morning.  The child with the long list of medical problems who smiles and asks for his one guilty pleasure - root beer. I wonder if they know how much they inspire me.  I wonder if they know how helpless I sometimes feel, wishing I could do more for them.  I wonder if they know how much I wish they had a mom and dad to love them all night long.   I wonder if they know that they keep me up at night.  I wonder if they know that I linger a little longer in the doorway when I tuck my kids in a night.  Sometimes I wonder how we do this.   Then I wonder how could we not? 

Egg-cellent Saturday

Today was our first lazy Saturday since January.  And it will be our last lazy Saturday until June.   Cooper has made sure to keep us extra busy with his sports.   I suppose we wouldn't have it any other way, but we did enjoy not having to race out of the house for one day!  It was especially nice to be able to push my morning workout past the 5:30 time slot!  Except that gave me many more reasons to try to skip it.  

I spent the morning baking cakes for the ham and dandelion dinner that the fire company was hosting today and talking to my brother, Kyle.  He stopped by and we chatted for a long time about all

things baby.  It's still hard to believe he's going to be a dad in a few months.  It's pretty cool to have something like kids in common.  With 11 years between us it's sometimes hard for us to relate to one another.  Now, though, we will have kids to discuss! 

 After running a few errands, we dropped the cakes off at the station and had a quick visit with pappy.   Later tonight Kinley declared that was her favorite part of the day.  

Cooper attended his first lacrosse game today with our neighbors.  I feel like he doesn't need introduced to anymore sports but he had a great time hanging out with his friends.   After lunch both McKenna and Cooper played at the neighbors house which meant I was able to get a lot accomplished while Kinley napped. 

Later in the afternoon I picked up my kids and their friends and headed to

Church to fill eggs for the Easter Egg hunt scheduled for next Saturday. 

They did a fantastic job and together with about 10 other people we filled well over 1000 eggs!

I had made a lasagna for dinner which was in the oven when I got home and we all shared some time playing games and watching TV this evening.  

It's finally time for bed and though this was one of the most relaxing days I can recall in recent times, I am more than ready to hit the sack!

Family Time

I have so many things to blog about but I just recently got my favorite computer back from the shop.  It's the one I upload all of my pictures to, so I am way behind.

For now, it's back to iPhone pics.

Sunday we went to Lewistown to spend time with Mom Mom and Pappy.  It was wonderful to spend normal time with them.  Time that didn't revolve around doctors appointments or hospitalizations.

Kinley had her first shopping trip to the Bon-Ton in Lewistown.   Mom-Mom was excited to start buying clothes for my new nephew!   We are all thrilled for Kyle and Cady.

We had lunch at the Bel-Vue.  I haven't been there in years and luckily it's every bit as yummy as I remember it.

Earl is usually not a fish eater so he got roast beef.  He quickly regretted that decision and declared the Bel-Vue fish pretty darn good! 

We did actually have McKenna and Cooper with us, I swear.   I have pictures of them on my camera that I'll add later.  For now, Kinley and I are off to Geisinger with Pap for, what else, another appointment.  Sure glad we snuck in some fun time this weekend!  

Buzzer Beater

The buzzer has sounded on the 2014 UpWard Season.

We're so proud of our star player.

Love you, Coop!  Can't wait to see you play next year!

Out With the Old

I've been planning to update the kids bathroom for a couple of months.  I really like the curtain and towels that are in there now.  I had carefully selected them before we moved to this house.  It's the only thing that has ever hung in there.

However, the kids are getting older and I was never able to get a matching towel for Kinley. 

I had been on the hunt for an appropriate, gender neutral shower curtain to update the bathroom.   I poured over many different sites online and couldn't find anything that caught my attention.    Then yesterday I decided to check the kids bathroom isle at Target and I found just what I was looking for!

I'm in love with all things chevron these days.   At first I was thinking the chevron rug would be a little much...but I kind of like it.   I really like walking past the bathroom and seeing these bright colors.  

All in all, a great update as we head into spring and a new season of our lives too!

Spring is Really Coming

It's cool and rainy out today but this is how I found the kids yesterday morning.  While I was finishing last minute breakfast clean up they were happily riding their scooters in the driveway.  "It just makes me so happy," McKenna exclaimed.  Not even a few days of rain and colder temps can dampen her enthusiasm.  She's sure spring is really coming now!

Not Me Monday

It's been years since I posted a "Not Me Monday".   But given the day that I had, I decided it was NMM worthy.

Today definitely did not start out with Kinley and I waking up in Cooper's bed.  Seems the only people who slept, and slept in their own bed were McKenna and Earl.  The dog did not barf in Cooper's room promptly at 6am either.  

Kinley did not throw two dozen tantrums between the time she opened her eyes and the time we left for school.  That is approximately 50 minutes in case you were curious.    Upon dropping her off (read "peeling her off of me") at daycare , I did not get a note that said there was a head lice outbreak in said daycare.  Nice.

I feel it's important to pause here and point out that between the hours of 9am and 1049am I was actually able to fold a load of laundry, prep two meals and look over my notes for class tomorrow.  And then....

Well, I did not get a call from my mom saying that my pap's procedure scheduled for tomorrow was postponed. No big deal except for all the things that were rearranged for Tuesday.  While talking to my mom the school nurse definitely did not call and say that Cooper was in her office with a sore throat and fever. Oh, and she did not suggest that he more than likely had strep - still, again?  No one knows.   I did not have to call the clinic and pick up a new prescription which would ultimately take 4 wasted doses until Cooper kept it down.   

It is important to point out that in the course of today I did not drag kinley back out of the daycare, crying - still, again?  I don't know.  Apparently she had an okay day while she was there.  Perhaps it's me that she doesn't like.  The staff did not say that she had a 15 minute nap and that she coughed the rest of the time.    Would have been nice to know.  

I digress.  I did not text my mom something on the order of "everyone here is crying and I can't wait until the cleaning lady leaves so I can burst into tears too." Never mind, that really did happen.   And she really did come over, armed with hugs and her own medicine in an attempt to get Cooper to take his.  

I did not serve the kids sandwiches for dinner because I didn't have the strength to coax them to eat the chicken I had made.  I also did not eat candy for the first time in a month!  Good lord, did my neighbor ever catch me at a bad time!  

I did not find a library book upstairs tonight labeled "14 day book" that I have no clue when we checked out.  Chances are I could have bought us all a copy with the amount of money I will owe the library tomorrow.  

Oh yeah, speaking of tomorrow, it's definitely not the first day of clinical tomorrow.  Nope. And Kinley definitely did not just interrupt me to tell me her head and throat hurt.  Though I'm not surprised since my throat is definitely not scratchy either.  Sigh.  

Believe it or not, I could continue with this Not Me Monday but reliving it is tiring.  Perhaps that's why I quit these posts in the first place!  Let's move on to Tuesday. 

Weekend Review

This weekend was a whirlwind even more than normal, I think.  

Friday evening the girls and I hung out and did girly stuff like painting our nails while the boys were at basketball.  Kinley kept asking for "sprinkles" for her nails.  They are actually known as "sparkles".

Saturday morning brought another trip to the doctors office.  This time for Kinley and a case of croup.   We managed to make it to Cooper's basketball game though.   We were home for a couple of hours before Cooper and I had to leave for a birthday party.  Spider-Man made a special appearance and Cooper had a great time. 

Kinley and Cooper have been asking to have a movie night in her room.  Saturday seemed like a good night.  It lasted about 30 minutes before Cooper decided he was too tired and went to bed!

Hmmm...what is there to say about this picture?  I caught these two right before bed as they were chatting.  Earl is so good about just sitting and talking with McKenna and staying connected with her. She still thinks he's a bit crazy though!

My mom treated Tighe, McKenna and Cooper to a trip to the movies on Sunday afternoon.  I probably could have sent Kinley but felt she was better off at home.  She has not been feeling well or sleeping well and that is just a bad combination.

So she set up her very own movie theater where the two of us watched Cinderella. 

We even spent some time outside later in the afternoon.  Life is good when you can finally get to the swing set!

A few more crazy pictures from before bed last night.  

For some reason, McKenna's room seems to be our gathering place before bed.  It drives her nuts!  But she's still a good sport about it!

So, that's our weekend in review.  It was pretty fun!   We have special plans for this next weekend too!  Can't wait to share.

Spring 2014 Pops Concert

 For weeks we have been hearing about McKenna's upcoming Spring Pop's Concert.  She was thrilled that the event was being held at Bucknell.   The kids worked so hard, having only about 7 chorus classes to prepare 7 songs.  The weather was rough on them, but you would have never known that the way they sounded tonight.

The dress code is black and white and was the perfect chance for McKenna to wear one of the outfits Mom-Mom bought her for Christmas.

 Cooper joined us for the concert but we left Kinley at home.   We weren't quite sure we could enjoy the concert with a two year old along.

 I'm so proud of her.  She just loves to sing!  I wish I had a good picture of the huge smile that was on her face the entire time she was on the stage.

Love you, Kenna! Great job!

Random pictures from last week

As of this afternoon I had 1,024 pictures on my iPhone.  Yikes!   I should get better about clearing them off but it's hard to choose which ones to keep and what should go.   Plus, the kids love to look through them! 

These are just a few from last week.  

McKenna loves to snuggle with Kinley.  It's a rare night that Kinley is a willing participant though. 

My growing girl.  I am going to secretly borrow this scarf someday when she is at school.  It's so cute. 

More snuggles!

Friday we went to Sweet Frog.  Kinley had more yogurt on her face than anywhere else.  

Cooper and his Lucky Charms - our almost St Patty's Day treat!

I love that Tucker likes to take a nap with Kinley some days. 

Seriously, he's my child!  Enough said.