Quarantine's got me like...

Wow! I haven't updated this blog in 3 years. 3 YEARS! How does that even happen? Life. Life get's busy. I originally started this blog as a way to journal my kids' life. Seeing as I have failed to update in 3 years well.... there goes that. But yeah, life get's busy. AND then... it slows down. Because... QUARANTINE! Yep, I figured I'd jump back in seeing as how we'll be home for the next month and really, there's no excuse anymore. 

March 15th is the last day my kids were out of our house. Ok, ok... that's not exactly true. I did pile them in the car one day to go thru McDonalds... but they didn't have shoes on, they were wearing the same clothes that they'd had on for about 4 days and they didn't get out of the car until we pulled back in the garage. So technically, March 15th was the last day they've been out of this house for fun. That was the last time they were at my parent's house for Papa's birthday. Quarantine's been rough, y'all. I'm getting real tired of babysitting my parents' grandkids. Yeah. I said that. For real though, besides the few times Mama and Papa have dropped by for a few minutes, my kids haven't gotten to see them. Did I mention that quarantine's been rough? 

But let's look at the bright side. My family is healthy and safe. We have a stocked fridge, enough toys to last us for days, craft projects lined up to get us through and oh, yeah... we have enough toilet paper to last us at least another week or so. 

When this quarantine happened we were just getting back from a mini vacation to Green Bay and Chicago. Yep, we were in Chicago right before this all happened. GO figure. Anywho, we got back and things got real. Our fridge was bare because I had cleaned it all out before we left and we were down to like 2 rolls of toilet paper. NO big deal, right? We really didn't see this all coming. I guess that's what happens when you don't pay a lot of attention the news. Lesson Learned. So, when the rumors started (before the official announcement) I was frantically trying to get groceries and toilet paper. I wasn't one of those crazy people that was trying to hoard enough food to last us through an apocalypse...I was just trying to get enough food to last us a few weeks. OH and to stock my fridge.... remember when I said it was bare? I got lucky and went to our local Dollar General and found a pack of toilet paper before they got slammed and nothing was left. Whew. I headed to walmart and wouldn't you know that almost everything was gone?? C'mon people, what are you really going to make with milk, eggs and bread... and 1,000 rolls of toilet paper?? Ugh, I digress. 

What was that? The Bright side? Oh yeah, that. Ok, well in all seriousness, this quarantine has been a lot of fun. My kids are playing, their getting to facetime with their friends and this Momma has crafty ideas coming out of my ears to keep them entertained. We've gotten to spend a lot of time as a family and eat a lot of home cooked meals. Ok, ok... those first few weeks we did get a lot of take-out. BUT we were trying to support local businesses. However, this past week I decided that we were going to have home cooked meals everyday of this month. I even made a nice little meal calendar so I would know exactly what to order with my groceries. We even made a new rule that our kids HAVE to try whatever Momma cooks... and so far they've discovered that they actually like what I'm cooking. I mean, who would have thought? 

We've gotten a lot of work done on our house too. We've spent a lot time outside and today we did a lot of yard work and sprucing up outside. I even took my Christmas decor down from the front porch last week! I mean, come on, if that's not a win then I don't know what is! Let's be honest, last year that stuff stayed up ALLLLL year long. I even decorated my front porch for Spring/Summer. See, quarantine isn't all bad! We've got a checklist going of things we want to get done. That includes power washing the house and doing a thorough cleaning of our windows. 

Let's get real. In all honesty, this time for us to slow down from our fast-paced lives has been a welcomed change. I still have A LOT of school commitments to keep up with (#teacherlife) but slowing down has been nice. Before all of this, we literally had something every night. Wrestling, Ninja Class, Team Ninja Class, Wrestling, Piano... We were busy ALL. THE. TIME. I'm not complaining, we enjoy being busy but slowing down is also just as great. 

Now, that teacher life. WHEW! Shout out to all of you teachers who have moved to online learning and are figuring it all out as you go! I'm going to be a pro when this is all over. Our school has moved to distant learning and yesterday I spent the day finishing up packets and packing my student's things up. It was roughhhhhh. At first, when this shut down happened and they announced it for a week, I was happy. Not gonna lie. I could use an extra week off. But then it kept getting extended and the reality that I wouldn't get to see my kiddos at school anymore became a harsh reality. There's a lot of opinions about this "online learning" and I won't go into all of that or get political. But let me say this... it's hard on teachers. I'm not going to get to say a proper goodbye to my students at the end of the year. I spend MORE time with these kiddos than I do with my own kids. I love them each like their my own. They've taught me so much this year. I miss their smiles, laughs, silly jokes... the list goes on. We're not going to get to have our Kindergarten graduation and I won't get to see them in their cap and gown. Not to mention, their parents won't get to see that either. Like I said, Rough!!! So people, take it from me. Your teachers are taking this hard too. And yes, we're still working hard behind the scenes so we can continue to educate our students. Let's be real, I spend MORE time now working on lessons than I do in the classroom. That's because not only am I working on lesson plans but I'm also making my lesson plans available to parents, making videos for our lessons, posting story time almost every day for my class, the list goes on. No, this isn't time off for teachers. We are still working hard every single day. Ope, that's right. I said I wouldn't go off on a rant. Ok, Rant over. 

Anyway, this post is long. That's enough. I'll be back on here writing because like I said, Quarantine. In all seriousness though, I hope each and every one of you are staying healthy and safe. I don't take this situation lightly, by any means. I am totally aware of the fact that my family is very blessed to be able to stay at home during this time. We thank and are praying for everyone who is still working during this time. 

That's all folks. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay 6 feet apart. AND wash your hands! 

Ami 

Private School

WOW! ONE year! That's how long it's been since i've updated. there's no excuse. NONE. :) 

There are time when we get asked... "why did you send your child to private school? Isn't that expensive?" 

Let me tell you... Sending Gabe to a private, Christian school this past year has been the BEST DECISION we have EVER made. Hands down. I can't even put into words how happy we are with our decision. So... let me take you back to the beginning. Back when we were making this decision. 

Finances have always been our biggest fight. Biggest struggle. When we had Gabe our credit card bills got higher, the medical bills kept coming and our credit went down the drain. Literally. But hey, it's a work in progress and we're almost completely debt free! WOOOO!!! I always knew that I wanted to send my kids to private school. There are some personal reasons that I won't disclose but some others that I will. I wanted him to be in a Christian environment. I wanted him to get more attention. I wanted him to have smaller class sizes. I wanted him to get a quality education. 

I had no doubt that we wanted to send him to Unity. My niece had already been going there for a few years so sending my kids there was a no brainer. Yes, I was worried about the cost. Let's be honest, when it's all said and done we could buy a few brand new cars for the price of their education. Priorities people... it's all about priorities. 

I knew that the tuition would be a sacrifice for us. I knew that it would take some balancing, some serious planning and sticking to a budget. But I also knew, without a doubt, that my children HAD to go to this school. 

Around this time last year the school had Open House for new families. I told Jesse that I was going to go... to tour the school, meet the teachers and take a look at the curriculum. We had pretty much decided at this point to keep him back a year in K4 instead of going to Kindergarten. But I told him that if I looked at the curriculum and felt like he should go on to Kindergarten then we'd do that... if not, we'd keep him in K4. 

I went to that Open House. I toured his building, met the teachers and took one look at the curriculum. I seriously looked at maybe 2 pages and thought... "Wow, he has to go to K4. There's no way we can throw him into Kindergarten at this school. Their K4 program IS at Kindergarten level." I got the information packet that had the tuition and other fees in it. I took it home. I won't lie to you all... the price was a little intimidating. I had an idea of what I thought it was... but yeah, i was wrong. SO, SO wrong. 

I went home that evening and told Jesse about the school and the curriculum. I explained that he would be learning at a Kindergarten Level in K4. He would leave that program knowing how to count to 100, count by 5's, 10's... he'd know the alphabet (which he already knew), but he'd know the sounds they make and how to recognize each letter individually. He would leave that program being able to read. Then I explained how they talked about kids from their school testing better than others. I was sold. Jesse was sold. Then i told him the price. I expected him to say NO. I expected a "we live 2 blocks from the school and it's free. he's going there." BUT Instead he said... "OK. This is what we have to do." There was no arguing. There was no worrying about the cost. It was simply this is what is best for our child and we will make it work. 

Flash forward to today. We are almost at the end of our FIRST year. And we are SO, So sad to see it end. We love the teachers, the program, the school... EVERYTHING about this place. So when people ask me why we send our children to a private school, why we spend THAT much money on it, I usually just say it's because we felt like this is where our children need to be. It was our own personal decision. I make it short and sweet, because if I gave my actual answer, we'd be talking allllll day long. But let me tell you now. 

Fair warning, you might find some of my reasons a little silly. I get it. But this is MY own personal opinion. Take it as you will. 

I LOVE that my child is going to a Christian school where he learns the Lords Prayer and others. Where he is surrounded by teachers who truly care and pray for him daily. He starts everyday off with Pledges... First to the American Flag, then to the Christian Flag and then to the Bible. Pledges are followed with the Lord's Prayer. He is taught a Bible lesson daily. They have chapel every week where he gets to sing praise and worship songs and here different pastors throughout our community speak. I can't tell you the number of times he has come home singing a new song or telling me a scripture he has learned. My child is learning at a Kindergarten level. Though some may question our decision to hold him back a year... I have no doubt in my mind that this was the BEST decision for him. He is in a smaller classroom where he gets more time with the teacher. I feel safer knowing my child is at this school. And I know that might sound ridiculous to some but they peace and comfort that comes with knowing that your school is prayed over daily is amazing. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that if something were to happen my child would be in good hands with teachers that would do anything and everything they could to keep him safe. Don't get me wrong, I know that every teacher would do the same but like I said, knowing that your school is prayed over daily is very, very comforting to a Momma. 

There are some who might think that because it is a private, Christian school we don't deal with bullies and such. That is absolutely not the case. I'll be honest... I was naive at first and thought this too. But what I have learned is that when these problems do arise, they are handled very differently. The teachers talk to the students instead of yelling at them. They look at scripture and they pray about what they have done wrong and they talk about the right way to correct the behavior. Do i still worry that my children might be the victim of bullying in the coming years? Yes. Do I still worry that my child might be a bully himself? Yes. But what I know is that if this ever does happen, it will be dealt with constructively. 

I've had the great pleasure and opportunity to work at the school the past few weeks while one of Gabe's teachers in his building is on maternity leave. It has been the BEST time. I absolutely LOVE getting to see my child every day and watch him learn. It's been an eye opener and only confirms to me that this was the absolute best decision for our children. 

Lincoln will be going to Unity during the next school year. It's going to be hard. It's going to be stupid expensive. But you know, that wasn't even an argument. Because we both see how important it is to send our children here for the coming years. Jesse and I may not see eye to eye on religion all of the time but THIS. This we 100% agree on. 

So when people ask me how much it is? why do you pay so much? The answer is simple. It is worth it. Would I like a brand new car sitting in my driveway? Yes. Do i like driving a car that's half as old as me? No. Do i realize that if we didn't send our kids to a private school we could have a new car sitting in the drive right now? Yes, yes I do. But let's be real for a second. A car. A new house. Material things. They are just that... Material things. They don't matter. If you would have asked me that 10 years ago I would have said heck with the school I'd rather have a flashy new car to drive. But like i said... they're just material things and my child's education... Well, that's something that he will use for the rest of his life. So how do we afford it? Why do we pay it? Because in our eyes... a Great education is one of the best gifts you can give to your children. :) 

when you have to eat your own words

If you remember, several months ago I posted about our terrible, no good doctors visit. If you're not up to speed as to what I'm talking about I'll give you the quick (well the quickest version i can) run down. 

So, our favorite pediatrician, Dr. Pav, retired last year. It was a sad, sad day and honestly I am still a bit traumatized. I didn't know what we were going to do. He had been the boys' doctor since birth... we love that guy. He would end every visit by telling my that I'm a great mom and that I'm doing everything right. The boys loved him and most importantly, he loved the boys. We had a special bond... with Gabriel being so little when he was born it was nice to know that we had the best doctor caring for our little man. And then came my little ninja, Lincoln, and Dr. Pav jumped right in and cared for him just as well. When he retired I was so upset because I thought there is no way anyone could replace this doctor. But i tried. After a few recommendations to a doctor here in town we thought we'd give it a shot. It was so close to home and more convenient. Well, this doctor that we saw was terrible. and i mean TERRIBLE. She judged me for our personal beliefs, asked me "does he always talk like that" when she walked into the room and then said "I guess that's a good enough reason" when I told her I didn't know my family's medical history. I AM ADOPTED. I DON'T know my family medical history. As you can probably tell, I still get heated when i think about that visit. And for her to ask me " does he always talk like that" well, that just burns me to the core. A little sidenote: Lincoln was behind on his speech- he's come a LONG, LONG way. He needed tubes in his ears... the ninja just couldn't hear us talking which then led to him not being able to "talk" as well as he should have. So, for her to ask me this was just down right aggravating. Since that happened I have said that never again will I visit this facility. Even after the manager of the office called to apologize- I was dead set on never, ever giving them my business again. I just couldn't believe the way we were treated. It was appalling and just downright rude. Anyway, that's the short version. You can read the long version here. 

Dr. Pav used to give his clients his home number in case of an emergency. You can only imagine that since he retired I had thought about calling him 10000000 times. If we're being honest here, my kids haven't been to a doctor since that last visit because I haven't worked myself up to switching doctors yet again. SO, imagine my surprise when I'm scrolling through facebook today and see that Dr. Pav is COMING BACK! YESSSSS!!!! He is going to start seeing patients at Rea Clinic in Sesser. I mean seriously- you can not even fathom my excitement. I've been soooooo excited about this all day long. I can not wait to get my kids back in to see him. Rea Clinic has been on my "NO" list for quite some time now but this, well this just made me a customer again. Plus, it's in Sesser and i have no issues with the Sesser office. I AM SO EXCITED!!! 

So, not that they will ever see this but Dr. Pav we are soooo happy you decided to come back out of retirement. We miss our pediatrician and as a mother i can't imagine my kids seeing anyone else. Rea Clinic, GREAT Move on your part. You won back my business today and I must say I can't wait to visit your facility for as long as our favorite doctor is there. 

When Momma Loses her Cool...

You all know what I'm talking about... don't deny it. You know, that moment when you as a MOM lose your cool...

For me, the happy mom turns into the angry, sleep deprived mom that just wants her child to go to sleep. Usually, this happens about 5 hours AFTER i've put the ninjas to bed. And typically, actually 99.9% of the time it is Lincoln who refuses to sleep.

It never fails, almost every night I will put him down between 8:30 & 9:30. We say our goodnights, give kisses and I shut the lights off. I say "I love you" and head out the door. Fast forward to about 10 minutes later... Lincoln's up. He usually starts by playing with toys in his room, turning on the lights or opening the door. If i'm not upstairs- then it's the little footsteps coming down the stairs and his little head peaking around the corner.

Back to bed we go. Again. and Again. And Again.... AND YES, AGAIN! Seriously, i keep my cool for a few hours as this routine just keeps on going. Finally, around midnight or 1 A.M. when i'm really tired and ready to go to sleep and just sick and tired of putting that kid back in his bed... I LOSE it. I threaten no tablet, no playing in the morning... anything I can think of. It doesn't phase him. NOw that Jesse is back to work,I threaten to wake daddy up. NO response. HE doesn't care. He just does not want to go back to bed.

SO then, Momma really loses it. YOu either go to bed or go sit outside. By yourself. He laughs and says NOOOO!Of course, it doesn't phase him because he knows there is absolutely no way that I would actually stick his cute little behind outside. But the threat of it should have some effect, right?

Tonight folks, well tonight I had enough. This kid just WILL NOT sleep. EVER. seriously, i don't know if he ever does sleep. honestly. Sometimes I fall asleep on the couch before he goes to sleep because i'm so tired from trying to stay up until he's passed out. and then he's up at the crack of dawn. I'm not kidding.. the CRACK OF DAWN that kid is in my room saying "Hi Momma" in his sweet little voice. WHEN DOES HE SLEEP? WHY WON'T he sleep?

I've tried everything. EVERYTHING! i'm not even kidding. Regardless, I've got to find a better way of getting this kid to realize that sleep is good... it's GOOD. it's necessary for momma. it's necessary for the happiness of this home. haha. but seriously. I'm trying to be a more present and happier momma because these are the days I will not get back. But shoot, this kid makes it hard for momma to be happy when it's 1 AM and he's still awake....

Can you relate? I know you can.

the start of 2016

So, now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over I thought I'd do a little update. 

I regret to tell you this. I lied. I did. it's true. You know how I said we were only buying the boys a tablet and one big toy each, yeah that didn't happen. I went a little overboard. I couldn't help myself. As much as I wanted to stick to my plan, I just couldn't. I stayed up on Black Friday shopping online and found so many deals that I couldn't pass up. Plus, It was Christmas... and kids should have a magical Christmas, right? So unfortunately I didn't stick to my plan but my kids did have a wonderful Christmas. 

I Love Christmas time and I'm really sad that it's over. Christmas is my favorite. My house looks so bare now that all of the decor is down. My mantle looked so sad...but thankfully I've got some new decorations up there that Im' actually liking... a lot. 

Anywho, this weekend brought on some nasty stomach bug for this family. It wasn't fun at all. BUT thankfully it was only a 24 hour bug and we all seem to be on the mend. Friday was our 5th Anniversary and Jesse and I finally got to celebrate tonight a little by going out to dinner and a trip to wal-mart! WOOOO!! BIG party! haha. NO, but seriously it was nice.. and we're kid free which is even better so I'm able to get some much needed work done tonight and get my house cleaned. AHHHH, at least it will be clean for a few hours until the boys come home tomorrow. 

So I was watching the movie "Mom's Night Out" yesterday and I literally felt like I was watching my life...again. It's the second time I've watched the movie and I swear I laugh so hard throughout. You know those Mommy melt-downs she has in the movie. Yeah, I have those... a lot. I mean seriously... A LOT!

But here's what i know... 

I"m not a perfect mom. I fail every single day. ALL. THE. TIME. I lose my cool a lot especially when the boys are screaming and fighting and acting like a dinosaur 24/7. But I often find myself hating that I got so mad at the end of the day because these are the days, the moments that I won't get back with my children. These are the times and the memories that I want to cherish and hold onto forever.

So, at the beginning of this year I made a goal for myself to be more present with my children. TO laugh more and yell less. To snuggle, hug and kiss as much as I can before they're too old and too cool for me. One thing I'm doing is reading the Book "5 Love Languages of Children." I'm super excited and can't wait to finish it! 

That's all for tonight folks! I got a house to clean and laundry to fold. :) 

we don't poop in the floor.

Can you relate? Come on, I know I'm not the only mom that has said this...more than once. Let me set the scene for you. 

The boys have been in bed since 9:30. Gabe has been asleep since about 9:45. It is now 1:30 a.m. and Lincoln is wide awake. 

I've been working on my embroidery orders downstairs. Jesse just went to bed about an hour ago. All was calm. We thought Lincoln had finally passed out. But, that little ninja. He tricked us all. 

So, I'm working away when I hear little footsteps coming down the stairs. I yell, "Go back to bed." 

Does he listen!? Ohhhh, heck no he doesn't.

Then I hear: "Hi Momma, I pooped." 

So, I check his butt. Sure enough, he pooped. But it's not the nice, hard regular poop. It's the nasty, stinky, runny poop that just runs and runs. UGH! 

We head to the bathroom and I start to clean him up. "I pooped Momma" Yes son, yes you did. 

We're all done and we head back upstairs to go to bed... AGAIN. 

A few minutes later, the lights start turning off an on. 

"LIIIINNNNCCCOOOLLLNNNN!!! I swear, if you're not in that room in your bed by the time I get up there you are going to be in BIGGGGGG trouble" 

Fast Forward 30 minutes. 

"Hi Momma, I pooped" 

"WHATTTT!!???" 

Yep, you guessed it... he pooped again. 

Son, we why are you pooping so much? Why does it stink so bad? Why is it so nasty? WHY OH WHY are you not potty trained yet? 

So this time we head straight to the bathtub. I've convinced myself that it's the only way we are really going to get him clean and get that stink off of him. 

So, 1:00 a.m. and bath time it is! 

We head back upstairs... and it's then that I notice that not only did he poop but it is on the floor and the top 3 stairs. 

"LINCOLN!!! Did you slide down these stairs with your poopy butt?"

"YES, Momma! I lub you Momma" 

"I love you too, Lincoln. BUT we do not slide down the stairs in our poop!" 

"Ok, Momma. HAhahahahah" 

There's poop on my stairs. There's poop on the floor upstairs. The whole stinkin' upstairs smells like poop. So what do I do? I grab the cleaning supplies, clean the whole stinkin' thing and sanitize as much as I can. 

What's a mom to do? 

Why does my kid poop so much? 

Why is he not asleep? 

Why is it 1:30 am and my kid insists on being a dinosaur. 

At least, maybe...dinosaurs don't poop? hah!

I can hope, right? 

SURPRISE!

No, we're not pregnant. Don't even go there. I'm pretty sure Jesse would kill me. Like, For REAL! haha. Though, I do want a girl... but that's under discussion for the next 5 years. lol. 

Anywho, I'm planning this super awesome birthday surprise for Jesse. It's top secret. I'm so excited myself that I'm having trouble not revealing the surprise to him. To be honest, if I pull this off without him knowing what it is- I'm going to be super, super proud of myself! I let it slip the other day that the money I had put back in a top secret location was for his birthday surprise. (Mainly because he couldn't figure out how that money just "disappeared") So, I caved...kinda. I told him that it was for his birthday/Christmas (since they're 5 days apart) and that it was a secret and when it's time, He will find out what it is. I gave few details... 

1) you have to be on location to help me pick it up 
2) it's Big and I'm not sure I can carry it on my own
3) it's super legit and you'll be totally, crazy happy when you receive it
4) it may involve some driving time and I hope it fits in our car
5) No it's not a 50 inch computer screen or a new desk

OK, OK... not all of these actually pertain to his gift. But what's a girl to do? I had to throw him off just a little so I wouldn't give it away. I broke the news to him last night that the delivery date got pushed and it might actually arrive after Christmas. Oh well, it'll still be awesome and a nice little "after-Christmas" present and excitement. 

I am SOOOOOOO excited about this. 

More details coming soon. 

SHHHHHHHHHHH....it's a surprise! 

Love, 

Jesse's Super Awesome, Amazing, Totally Secretive Wife. 

Thankful. Grateful. Blessed

I love the Holiday Season. Christmas time is my favorite... i just love the decorations and the smell of Christmas in my home. It's wonderful, just wonderful. 

As I sit here and think about this past year, I'm reminded of everything that I have to be thankful for... 

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, fought it and came out better than ever. I'm thankful for my children to have her and that she is doing so much better. 

Lincoln was having issues with ear infections and his speech. He got tubes earlier this year and is doing so much better. We did Speech therapy for a few months and he "graduated" because he was doing so well. I'm thankful that he's doing so much better and is still our crazy little ninja. 

Gabriel just keeps getting older on me and started his 2nd year of Pre-K. I'm thankful that he's learning, making friends and creating memories. I'm thankful to have such a smart, funny, handsome little boy who overcame the odds and is thriving despite what some said in the beginning. 

Lincoln fell out of the shopping cart at Walmart in May and fractured his skull. It was awful. Just awful. I'm thankful for the sweet Angels above who protected my little boy. I'm thankful that the damage wasn't any worse than it was and that at our follow-up appointment they said he was doing Great. 

We took our very first family vacation to Gatlinburg this year. I'm thankful that we had the means to go on a family trip. I'm thankful that our friends daughter, Shelbi got to go with us to help with the boys. I'm thankful that we got to create special memories together. 

Gabriel started using the Potty FULL-TIME! I never thought we'd see the day, but one day it just clicked and Boom, no more diapers! I'm thankful for this transition. I'm thankful that I only have 1 stinky butt to change instead of 2. 

My embroidery business really took off this year. I never thought I would make that much money from it and lately, I've been making triple what I have in the past. I'm thankful for this opportunity to work from home and still contribute financially to the family. 

I made a change to get healthy this year, thanks to Plexus. I'm thankful for my sweet friend who introduced me to these products. I'm thankful that I am on the road to a healthier lifestyle. 

I'm thankful to have such amazing friends in my life. I don't know what I'd do without that lifeline of laughing, sharing and drinking wine on occasion with friends. 

Jesse lost his job at the end of September. That's never something that you anticipate but it happened. I'm thankful that despite him being unemployed we still have food in our fridge, a roof over our heads and clothes on our back. I'm thankful that we are still a family. I'm thankful that he's been home with us for the past few months and that the boys have gotten to spend more time with him than they ever have. 

This past year Jesse and I had some issues, like all married couples do, I suppose. I'm thankful that we decided to work through them, together, and come out on the other side better than ever. I'm thankful that we never give up on each other no matter how much we drive each other crazy. I'm thankful to have such a loving husband who is an amazing father to our 2 boys. 

Most of all, I'm thankful for my family. For those 2 sweet boys that drive me crazy and are making my hair turn gray way too soon. I"m thankful that I get to snuggle, laugh and kiss their sweet cheeks everyday. I'm thankful for our health and all that God has provided us with.

Being Present with your children

Ok Christmas, you got me. I'm stumped. I have no idea on what to buy my kids for Christmas. 

See, I was THAT mom when I first had kids. You know, that Mom that wanted to give my kids everything. I told myself, Ok- I had (almost) everything I ever wanted as a kid, why shouldn't my kids get the same? (We won't talk about the Teddy Ruxpin bear that was on my list for Santa consistently for a good 5 years...somehow, Santa never got the memo that I wanted one. Even though I would circle, highlight, bookmark and draw arrows on the page in the JcPenney Christmas catalog... did i just date myself by mentioning that catalog?) Ok back on topic now... I'm ashamed to admit that I spoiled my kids. Against Jesse's wishes I bought those boys everything under the sun and then some. I'm not trying to brag by any means about this, in fact, I'm actually calling myself out on what I never should have done. 

I always had this vision that when I had kids they would have everything they ever wanted while being raised to be respectable to others, know the value of a dollar, be caring, loyal and loving. Well-rounded you might say. I never want them to brag to others about what they have. In fact, I try my very best to teach them that others may not have as much as they do and that we are very fortunate to have these things. But now, I'm changing my game plan. Maybe call it a new-years resolution of sorts. 

This year, I'm stumped. Christmas has me stumped. I have no idea what to get those boys. I don't want anymore toys in this house. They have enough... especially since they're new favorite toys are a pack of dinosaurs I bought at DG for $1. All of those toys that cost $20+ sit in the toybox. (I will admit though, I've been a pretty savvy shopper. A lot of their "nicer" toys have came from Goodwill, the kidsignment expo, yard sales and from the sale sites on fb. I honestly try not to spend full price on toys when I can avoid it.) So, Christmas. I decided that we would by them each a tablet for Christmas... you see, they fight over my phone CONSTANTLY. They fight over the iPad even worse. It's a never ending battle. My fix is to buy them each the same tablet so there won't be any fighting over the "bigger" one. It's a win-win... car rides will be much easier. Quiet time will come more often. And my tv won't have the constant sounds of cars, mickey, george or dinosaurs. See, mom wins too. I also decided to get tickets to Monster Jam and Marvel Live for them. Their at the age now where events like this will be remembered. Plus, time with family doing something they love is worth more than any toy, right? 

Now, of course, it's not Christmas if kids don't at least get a few toys. We're going to get them each a couple of smaller toys that I know they will love and actually play with. Other than that- Nada. Zilch. Nothing. 

Back to the basics. Let's keep it simple. It's so easy to get wrapped up in buying everything for your kids. I'm guilty of it. But you know what, the LOVE of your child can't be bought. When they get older, they'll never remember the $60 toy you bought them for their birthday or Christmas. They're going to remember the nights you snuggled in their bed or laughed with them until you cried. They'll remember building forts and playing superheroes. Racing cars around on their track. Jumping on the bed. Playing outside in the snow. Chasing them around, flying them like their an airplane, reading their favorite book. Just being there. In the moment. Being Present. That's what our kids are going to remember. And you know what, I want to have those memories with my boys. 

I'm guilty of getting caught up in my own stuff and not stopping to realize that this time right now, with my children... it's the most precious time I'm ever going to have. I have to remind myself that my "stuff" isn't nearly as important as making memories with them. So what if the dishes don't get done or the house isn't spotless... Who cares? My kids want my attention NOW. And before I know it, they will be grown up and not want "Mommy" anymore. So I'm stopping more. Worrying less. My house isn't perfect. I'm a hot mess most of the time. But I am PRESENT with my children. I'm creating that special bond with them and making memories that will last a lifetime. Sure they drive me crazy most of the time... but what did I expect with 2 boys? Sure, the constant sound of 546542313 questions a day gets a little annoying... but one day, those questions will stop coming. One day my house will be silent and I will miss the screams and jumping and roaring from those 2 sweet boys. 

What I'm trying to say is that it's easy to get caught up in buying your children everything. With social media it's so easy to compare what you did or didn't get your children-especially with the constant pictures of what others got theirs. I know, sometimes I see things other parents get their kids and think, "Man, I'm a terrible mom. My kids didn't get nearly that much." But you know fellow mommas, It's not a mommy war. We don't need to compete. Our children are happy no matter how much we spend on them. They know no difference between a pack of $1 dinosaurs compared to a pack of $50 dinosaurs. They don't care. Let's not compete anymore... Just be present with your kids. 

I'm not really sure what my main point of this post is. I guess it's that there's no need to feel like you have to "spoil" your kids. They don't need everything. They just need us to be in their lives. To show them how much we love and adore them. So join me, starting now... Let's be in the present with our kids. Let's make those memories with them that they will one day tell their children about. Let's set a good, Godly example for our kids... Teach them right from wrong. To be respectful, caring, honest and loving. 

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" 

Proverbs 22:6

An Open Letter to the Mother of the Bully at School

Dear Fellow Momma, 

Let me first say, I'm not trying to put you down. I know that kids will be kids no matter how hard we try. I know that bringing a new child in the picture isn't always easy for our little ones and that sometimes they act out and go on the defensive. We've been there too. I know that it's an adjustment and sometimes it jsut takes a while to make it through...

I see you, everyday. I see you with your children walking up to get in line for drop off at Pre-K. I see the look in your eye- that look that says, "Man, I'm really looking forward to these 3 hours that my oldest is in school." I've been there. I'm still there. Last year, I couldn't bear the thought of sending my first born, my baby, my little boy that fought so hard for his life in the beginning, to school. But then that day came and I was actually relieved. It feels weird to say, but yes I was relieved. I had a few hours at home each day with my youngest. Those hours were just for us, bonding time, a little quiet time and some time for him to be the only child- if only for those few hours. I missed my child greatly during those hours but I also cherished those times with my youngest. 

As any mom can probably relate, I was also worried. Worried about my kid's day at school, if he was making friends, if he was learning, if the other kids were nice to him, if he was nice to the other kids...all of those things were in my mind. I was also worried for his safety. In this day and age, you never know what can happen and the thought of something happening to my child when I wasn't there to protect him still haunts me every single day. 

You see, that boy of mine, the one in class with yours, he's very special to me. He was my first born. We fought hard those first few months of his life for him to be here. He fought even harder. He's the strongest little boy that I know and he inspires me everyday to be better than I was the day before. So for him to have a "friend" that's a bully in school just irritates me to the core. I hate it. I just plain hate it. I don't like to see my kid get picked on by others. I don't like him coming home from school and telling me that so and so pushed him down or spanked his butt. The "ME" inside just screams to march up to you at pickup or drop-off and tell you how it is... that the next time your child touches mine we will have problems. But the "Mom" in me says to let it go, handle it politely and teach my child the right way to handle it. 

I won't lie, I've told my child to defend himself several times. He has such a soft heart and he hates to disappoint or hurt anyone. When I said, "Well next time, just push him back," he said "NO that's not nice I'll tell my teacher." As a mom, I was proud of my child for choosing the right path on handling this. I felt good about my parenting skills in knowing that I was raising him up in the right way. But part of me wanted to scream. Part of me wants your kid to get a taste of his own medicine. 

My child knows that it's not nice to hit, push or spank other children. He knows that he needs to tell his teachers if any of this happens. He knows not to "fight" back though sometimes his daddy and I wish he would. You see, we too are raising our children in church. We also teach them to be polite, respect their elders, say please and thank you and to share and be obedient. Though we have our days where things don't always go smoothly, most of the time- he's a pretty dang good kid. He knows that Jesus wouldn't want him to hurt others, instead he wants us to show HIM to others and teach them how to be nice instead. You can understand how frustrating it is when my child is only trying to do right, yet your child is constantly bullying him for no reason other than he can. 

I get it, I get it... my child is one of the smallest in the class and it makes him an easy target. But did you know that my child was born at 2 lbs. 3.6 oz at 30 weeks? So it's safe to say that he's always going to be a little smaller than others. Did you know that a day after he was born he dropped down to 1 lb, 15 oz.? Did you know that he spent the first 2 1/2 months in a NICU and that he almost died in the first hospital? Did you know that he was life-flighted to Cardinal Glennon because the doctor didn't know what was wrong with him? Did you know that we waited almost 2 weeks before we were even able to hold our child? Did you know that I had to leave him in an incubator, in a dark room in a hospital by himself at night? I didn't get to hold him in my arms those first few months at night and feed him and bond like you did with yours. Instead, I sat by his bedside, praying that God would take care of him and see him through all these hard times. I slept in his hospital room at night in StL listening to alarms going off all the time and jumping up to make sure he was still breathing. I bet you didn't know that the doctors didn't think that he would be this "Advanced" at this age and they said that he would probably have delays. I bet you don't know how hard we worked those first few years of his life to get him caught up to the other children his age.  I bet you didn't know that every single day I thank God for my baby because I know that every day with him is a gift and it's a miracle that he's here. Do you understand now why I am so frustrated with the fact that your child is bullying mine? 

My child came home from school a few weeks back and said that another kid in his class spanked him and sent him to the corner. Today one of his friends pushed him down while they were waiting to go in. In front of everyone. You asked your child to tell mine that he was sorry and your kid refused. He looked my kid straight in the eye and REFUSED to say he was sorry. HE PUSHED my kid to the ground. That in itself demands an apology. What did my kid do to him? Absolutely nothing. Then when my child told the teacher about it while they were lining up, your kid pointed his finger in my kids face. REALLY? SERIOUSLY? Do you know that it took everything I had not to march up to you and demand an apology? 

I'm so mad. Frustrated. Furious is actually more like it. I want to scream at the top of my lungs and tell my child to just punch yours in the face. But instead, I'm praying for you. I'm praying that God will help you get better control of your child. Maybe you're praying for the same thing too. Maybe you're at your wits end with him and have no hope left. I get it. We've all been there before. I'm praying that you get through these tough times and that your kid will eventually "grow" out of it and start playing nice again. I'm praying that you realize that maybe this too is just a phase. Maybe he's acting out because he's not the only child anymore. Maybe he's not used to being around so many kids. I don't know. I just don't know because I don't walk in your shoes. But I do hope that one day things get better. I hope you know that you're not alone and that we have all struggled with our kids being disobedient. 

I hope you realize where I'm coming from. I hope you know that I'm not trying to put you down, but instead I'm trying to explain that yes, we've all been there but there is hope. I hope you understand where I'm coming from in the sense that I don't like my kid getting picked on. I don't like bullies. I want to protect my children and I don't want them to ever have to face a bully. They're only in Pre-K... my goodness, their only worry should be whether or not they are going outside to play that day. I want my child to leave each day for school happy and excited to see his friends and play. I don't want him dreading the thought of going to school because he's getting bullied. 

I'm that mom. I'm the mom that will stand up for my children no matter what the situation. I'm that mom that teach my children to be polite and understanding of others. To help instead of hurt. Though sometimes I want them to just stand up for themselves- I will teach them to handle situations in the right way. I see you doing the same... I pray that we can all get there and have a bully-free zone at school for our kids. 

Sincerely, 

Ami

My follow-up with the doctor's office...

Remember my rant the other day about my visit to the doctor's office with Lincoln? Well, I left a review on their facebook page about our experience there and how extremely disappointed I was in the way we were treated. You can read my review below: 

"I'm only giving 2 stars bc the staff in front office was great. If not for them, I would give 1 star or less. I took my child in to be seen and was scolded for personal preferences in Healthcare decisions, made to give my reasons on those personal preferences when I should have never been asked too, told that my child would basically die (for lack of better words) if I didn't follow the doctors recommendations, and asked "does he always talk like that? I can't understand him" when my 2 year old was speaking. He's 2!! I just transferred here due to our pediatrician retiring but will be switching again and not coming back here. The lack of respect was appalling and the attitude towards my son was absolutely ridiculous and uncalled for. I came here on high recommendations from others and left extremely irritated and disappointed. My family will no longer visit this facility and will not recommend to anyone."

Shortly after leaving this review I got a comment saying that their compliance officer would be in contact with me soon to discuss and rectify the problems I had stated. 

Fast forward to this afternoon. I received a call shortly before 11:30 a.m. not from the compliance officer, but from the manager of the clinic. She was very nice and asked me if I could explain the situation to her in my own words. I did. Politely. I've cooled down a lot since Monday morning and wasn't on edge like I was then. I told here everything that happened, everything that was said and how extremely disappointed I was in the way we were treated. She apologized for the doctor's behavior and said that she never should have pushed her personal opinions on healthcare decisions on me and that she should have been more "polite" in handling the situation. I agreed. 

I explained that we have NEVER before had an experience like that with a doctor. I told her about our relationship with Dr. Pav and how he was always open to listen to my thoughts and agreed with me in the decisions we made concerning healthcare. I also explained that Lincoln is only 2 and we have had issues with his speech in the past due to him needing tubes in his ears and that situation is getting better. I was very taken back by the fact that the doctor would even say something about the way he talks. He talks just fine. 

The lady I spoke to today was very nice and apologetic. She said that they strive to build a good relationship between clients and doctor's and she is very sorry that our experience was less than satisfactory. She offered me a few other pediatricians that are at the facility that we could always see instead. Since I'm not on edge as much today, I told her that I would consider seeing the other doctors but as of now, we have switched back to our previous doctor's office. She also said that she wished I would have asked to speak to the manager (her) while we were in the doctor's office so she could have handled the situation there. I totally understand that. Had I not been so irritated I probably would have went straight to her office. I apologized for leaving such a bad review on their page. I explained that I left the review shortly after leaving the clinic and I was still very upset about the matter. I've cooled down a lot since then and the review may have been a little harsh. She kindly said that she understood and again apologized for our experience. 

Overall, I'm very happy with the follow up from the clinic. In all honesty, I wasn't sure I would actually hear back from anyone. For them to care and actually call to see what had happened makes me respect the facility a little more. I do appreciate her being apologetic and apologizing on behalf of the doctor. I will say, a call from the doctor apologizing personally would be the icing on the cake. But we all know that probably won't happen... right? 

I don't think I've ever actually had a follow up from a bad review that I've left before. But then again, I haven't actually left very many bad reviews in my lifetime. However, this involved my child and the way he was treated so I suppose that's why I left it. 

What would you have done in this situation? Have you ever had a terrible experience with a doctor? 

Just another normal day...

Typical conversations in our house on any given day...

1.

Me: Lincoln, you're stinky... did you poop?

Lincoln: ummm, no.

Me: yes you did... I can smell your bottom all the way over here. Come here so I can change your butt please.

Lincoln: (running in opposite direction) Nooooooooo!!!!

Me: (chasing after him) yessss!! You're stinky!

2.

Me: ok, do you guys want to watch a movie. Go show me which one you want.

Lincoln: (running to tv- swiping it like a phone while I scroll through netflix)

Gabe: No Lincoln... it's my turn to pick! Yiu got to pick last time.

Lincoln: (crossing arms) No!

Gabe: Mommy, it's my turn. Lincoln got his turn last time.

Me: (shaking head wondering if it's bedtime yet)

3.

Gabe: (crying)

Me: Gabriel, why are you crying? Do you need to go take a nap... you're very grouchy.
Gabe: No, I'm not grouchy and I don't need to take a nap.

Me: then stop crying please.

(Crying continues...)

Me: ok, go lay down and take a nap or stop crying.

Gabe: I not take a nap. I'm grouchy.

Me: yes, yes you are. That's why you need to nap!

Gabe: (crossing arms) No, I cant!

*typical day in the Schiff household. Can anyone else relate?

On another note, how about Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani? I like Gwen and all but I'm #teamMiranda all the way. Not very classy how they announced they were together right before the CMA Awards... come on people, show a little respect. #rantover

Lincoln goes to daycare...

Today marks a very eventful day. Lincoln started daycare for 2 days a week!! This momma is excited!

I know what you're thinking. But Ami, you're a stay at home mom... why daycare? Isn't that pointless? Well no, no it isnt. Now don't get me wrong.... I love my kids. More than anything. Anything! But sometimes, let's be honest here, momma needs a well deserved break! Not only is this a nice little break for me, but it will also give Lincoln some more social interaction with kids his own age. I'm a huge believer in the fact that kids need to socialize and this is the perfect opportunity for him!

I dropped him off early this morning. Before we left home, he was super excited. When we got there, he was a little unsure and started crying. BUT, I haven't heard from them yet (3 hours later) so I suspect that he's doing just fine.

Let's hope for a good day. After our awful doctor visit yesterday we could really use a fabulous day today! :)

My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dr. Visit

I know it's been a while but i'm getting back into this blog. This time I PROMISE. Like, FOR REAL PROMISE! Let's start this new found blogging time here on Life As We Know It with a little story about my visit to the Dr. Office with Lincoln this morning. Hold on... it's going to be a wild ride! 

So let's start with few facts. Lincoln starts daycare tomorrow for 2 days a week. He has to have a physical in order to start. Our pediatrician, Dr. Pav, retired in October. (Don't get me started... it was a sad, sad day and I'm still not fully recovered from the loss). But that's another story.... 

Anyway, so I take Lincoln to a new doctor here in town (for the sake of this poor dr. I won't give out the name). But, I had received several high recommendations on her and thought what the heck? It's in town, convenient, much closer... let's give it a shot. Boy, was I in for a treat this morning. 

So, I had to wake Lincoln up to get him ready. Keep in mind, I'm sick too and feel awful. I'm already grouchy and in no way, shape or form in the mood to deal with anyone's B.S. today. But I kept telling myself, this is so close... you only have to drive a few miles and you're there. No big deal. HAH! 

I got there early to fill out all the paperwork since Lincoln is a new patient. We finally get that all done and get called back. The nurse, oh she was a breath of fresh air... Lincoln could sense that too and was already on his way to a meltdown. GREATTTT! So we can't get him weighed by standing on the scale so she asks to move him to the counter scale. Ok. FINE. So I pick him up and set him on the counter. "You need to lean back and not touch it!" Ok... let me let go of my kid so he can fall and bust his head. yep, that's a great idea. 

Moving on... we're in the room waiting for the doctor. When she first comes in Lincoln was talking and she says, "Does he always talk like that? I can't understand him" Are you kidding me? He's 2 first of all, secondly- he had issues because of his ears and not being able to fully hear us until he got tubes put in. He's actually talking a lot more now and a lot plainer. We did speech therapy for awhile and he "graduated" because he was doing so well. AND she's going to basically scold him for not talking "clearly." Insert punch in the face here. SERIOUSLY! But i kept my mouth shut and just smiled a "i really hate you right now but i'm going to be polite" smile. Then she says ok I need to check his "Wee-wee" or what do you call it at home? Ummm, i don't know, I said...we don't really have an "official" term. (See... i'm already super impressed). She sees he has a pull up on- (that's all he wears now because he wants to be a "big boy") and says, oh he's a little young to be potty training already. First of all, he's 2 and he's not too young. Secondly, it's none of your business. OH EM GEE. Then she says ok Let me go see if we got the shot records from your previous doctor. OK. go right ahead. 

(Let me say before I go on, we choose not to give our kids the MMR vaccine until they're 3 or older. That is our PERSONAL PREFERENCE. If you have issues with this, please keep them to yourself. I'm not about to battle the do's and don'ts of vaccines with you- nor am i going to debate why or why my kids should or shouldn't receive them. IT'S MY OPINION!) can you tell i'm on edge today? 

So, the doctor comes back in and says something like "I see you don't have the MMR vaccine." Yes, I said- we are waiting until he's 3 to do that. "Why?" It's my personal preference. "Ok then, why?" Because it's my personal preference. "Yeah but why? I need an explanation" OK then... I studied this subject in college and I believe that It CAN sometimes link to autism and I'm not going to vaccinate my child with the MMR until he's 3. (Yes, I know there's no scientific proof... don't get me started...)"You realize that if there is a measles outbreak and he catches it... he WILL die" Ummm.. ok. Are you resorting to scare tactics? That's what's going through my brain right now.  He will be 3 in about 6 months- I'll take my chances. He will be fine. Already about to punch her in the face, right? 

Then I'm asked about our family medical history. I say, Well on my husband's side there's nothing too much really and on my side I have no idea. "Why don't you know?" Because I was adopted when I was 4 months old. "Ok, I guess that's a good enough reason!" YOU GUESS! YOU STINKING GUESS IT'S A GOOD ENOUGH REASON!? SERIOUSLY!!!! Ok, let me fly to Korea, hunt my birth mom down, find out her medical history and then i'll report to you. UM, NO! 

At the end, she said, ok let me go get your papers. If you need anything, just give us a call. I 'KINDLY' replied "That's ok, we won't be coming back here ever again." Seriously. Never ever ever... coming back here again...ever ever ever. (ok, maybe i was singing taylor swift in my head just then).

I left so frustrated and just downright mad. I have never had an experience like that at a doctors office. Never has my child been treated like that in a doctors office. I'm disgusted and soooooooooo ready to just punch that doc in the face. HAH! I left a review on their website about my terrible, horrible, very bad experience there. The Schiff's will NO longer be visiting this facility. I'll drive the 30 minutes to Carbondale instead. WHY oh WHY did Dr. Pav retire? We miss him soooo much! : (

I wonder what will happen...

... if I make a conscious effort to stop yelling at my kids when they are misbehaving and START being more calm.

You see, at our MOPS group at church one of the ladies made a comment about a little girl coming to her home one time and saying that she liked it there because her mom was so quiet or peaceful... something along those lines. Forgive me, I can't remember the exact quote. But you get my point, right? 

Anyway, it seems like I am always yelling or speaking sternly to these two crazy kids of mine. "Don't climb on that, Stop hitting your brother, We have to share, We go pee in the potty, Don't put that in your mouth, Stop throwing your food, Please don't climb on me, Don't play in the cabinets, Get down before you fall." 

Sound familiar? Anyone? Anyone?? 

Truth is, I have 2 little ninjas that are constantly searching for the next thing to do that will seriously injure them. NO joke. And my words seem to go in one ear and out the other. THEY. KEEP. DOING. IT. All the time. Ok, maybe not all the time... but they're boys- so what do you expect? 

Anyway, for the next 30 days I am going to do a little experiment. I'm going to consciously make the effort to stop yelling and start speaking calmly to them when they are misbehaving. I'm anxious to see how things will change. Will they listen better? or worse? Will they too become more calm? Will the tantrums over sharing stop? 

It's important that we set good examples for our children. They REPEAT everything. Gabe has heard me say "Go stand in the corner" so many times that he has started to tell Lincoln to "Go to the corner." Crazy thing is, Lincoln listens to him! haha. Back to the point, we MUST set good examples. Our children learn and are molded by what we say and do- by our actions. I know for a fact that I want my kids to be well mannered, well behaved children that people want to be around. I want them to love God and show him to others. I want them to be the friend that their friends know they can rely on and seek advice from someday. I want our house to be a "safe, fun" house that their friends want to come to. 

So Mommas, do any of you want to join me on this little journey? It's bound to be a fun ride! 

Motherhood Perfection. It's overrated.

Hi! I'm Ami. I have a great family, a few great friends that I can call family and an awesome husband and kids. My puppy is always properly groomed. My car is always clean and my house is always spotless... 

NOT! 

Well, if you saw my fb posts you might get this impression. Truth is... It took me a good 10 minutes to get that one good picture of both of my kids smiling... and even then, one of them isn't even looking at me. I had to spend another 5 minutes cleaning that area they are sitting/standing in to free it from cars, cheerios and other random toys. That picture of our puppy Rylee was taken 4 weeks ago after she got groomed...I've been saving it for a rainy day. And I only post the cute pictures of my husband and I- which are few and far between. Those selfies? well most likely they were taken when I actually had to get "Dressed" like on a date night. 

Truth is. I'm a Mom. Wife. Daughter. Sister. Friend. I have 2 boys that want and deserve my undivided attention 99% of the time. I rarely make it out of my house without looking like a bum who just came off the streets. My house is almost ALWAYS a disaster with cheerios, cars and random toys scattered throughout. I most likely have changed Lincoln's diaper 5 times in the past 20 minutes because he won't leave the stinkin' thing on (pun intended). There is a constant sound of cartoons playing in our house. And those kids... oh my, those kids... well they find every way possible to injure themselves. 

I realized recently that from the outside looking in our lives may seem perfect. When I hop on facebook and see all these posts of everyone's "perfect" lives I easily become mad or envious thinking "well, how in the world do they pull that off?" AHA! Then it comes to me... we live in a day and age where media is overtaking our lives. It's so easy to edit those pictures or just post a happy status so everyone will think life is perfect. 

There are days when I'd like to hop on facebook and post something like... "well, my kid took his diaper off in the middle of the night and peed in his bed, the husband got off late which means no play time for the boys and no rest for me, my house is a disaster and i don't even care at this point, and my kid won't sit on the dang potty to poop to save his life. 'i'm about to pull my hair out or lock myself in the bathroom...which is pointless since the boys will somehow find their way in." 

Instead, it's usually a happy post about how loving my kids are and how they're brightening my day. 

If we Momma's are being real... then let's be real about this. Yes, our kids are awesome and we can't imagine life without them. Everyone knows that. My kids are my world. But OH MY GOSH... there are days when I literally want to scream. There are those days at the store when I'm dragging them both out because they saw a toy they wanted and I said no and their screaming... and the only thing I want to do is spank their little behinds and put them in timeout. But I don't... because someone will see me and call DCFS on me when they should be wasting their time calling about the Mom that just called her daughter a little "B" and screamed at her the whole way out. I have those days where I literally feel like a single mom because my husband is off to work providing for us and he's tired and rarely gets to spend quality time with us unless it's on the weekend. And I don't complain because who am I to complain about my husband giving me this opportunity to stay at home. There are those days when we wake up late, throw on some clothes and make it just in time for Gabe to go to school. And there are those days when I literally weigh my options as to whether we can make it for 6 more hours without milk so I don't have to take the boys to the store and just wait until Jesse's home to watch them. Because we all know that going to the store alone is 100 times better than going with 2 kids. 

We've all been there. We've all sat in the parking lot at Wal-Mart wondering if we really need those 5 things because disturbing the sleeping kids in the back is a battle that you don't want to fight. All of us Momma's have begged our kids not to go to sleep for 5 more minutes just so we can make it inside the house. And we're all guilty of feeding our kids quick and easy meals because we just don't feel like cooking. :)Let's be honest...we've all been there. 

I'm not sure this post made much sense... but the point I'm trying to make is to not judge yourself so harshly Mom's! It's so easy to hop on Facebook and see all these wonderful posts and instantly compare yourself to others. It's easy to think that everyone else's life is perfect.... it's facebook- it's easy to edit and post what you want. Being a mom is a full-time job. It's hard. Really, really hard. And if anyone tells you different, they're lying. My life is far from perfect. But I do have a great family, great friends I can call family and an awesome husband and kids... I Really DO! I don't compare myself to anyone anymore... because quite honestly, those boys of mine... they are what make my world go round. 

Night! 

Mouse

There's a mouse in my house. Jesse's at work. I'm doing the only logical thing I know to do: sit on the couch with my feet up until Jesse gets home...which is 4 hours from now. We've set traps and the stupid thing hasn't been caught yet. I hate these creatures. I hate it being in my house. I now have to scrub my house from top to bottom. I will not be able to function correctly until it is caught and dead. That is all for tonight. The boys and I are camping out on the couch. : (

Catching up with The Schiff's

As I said, I"m making it my personal goal to update this at least once a week from now until the end of the year. Let's see how this goes. Anyway, let's do some catching up on the Schiff's. After all, that is what this blog is about, right? Our family and the kids! :) 

A lot has happened since I truly updated this blog... Jesse got a new job! He got hired on with a company after working for a contractor for a year. We get FREE health insurance (amazing) and to top it off, he just got a pay raise. We took a few pay cuts with the past few jobs but now, we're back in business. :) The new mines that he is working at is also a 20 minute drive from home... so much better than the hour drive he was doing. The only downside is that he works like crazy and only gets every other Saturday off (maybe). Sundays are always a day off. The upside to that is more money...which means more things getting paid off... which also means a GOOD Christmas for the boys...which also means tht we are doing very well at the moment. BUT, we all know how our life goes so I don't want to get too caught up in the moment. But yeah, life is good. Let's pray it stays this way. 

Gabriel started Pre-K this year. Seriously! WHAT!? I debated on him going but since his friend Madilyn was going to be in his class, we decided to take the big plunge and send him. It's only 3 hours a day, but heck- he seems to love it. A future blog post about this subject will happen with much more detail. 

A few weeks ago the boys had their friend, Luke stay the whole weekend. It was soooo much fun. I just loved turning the monitor on and listening to Gabe and Luke have a conversation when I put them to bed. It was so darn cute. We had a busy weekend... again, blog post on this will happen soon as well. 

Other than that, it's just the usual grind around this house. Summer has come and gone and it's officially FALL! I LOVE FALL! Who's with me? I LOVE everything about fall... especially the fact that I get to where hoodies and UGGS and not feel bad about it. haha. Lincoln is his crazy, busy normal self. That little boy sure keeps us on his toes. About 2 months ago he fell while playing with Gabriel, hit the corner of our tv stand, and cracked a hole in his head. I. WAS. TERRIFIED. Luckily Jesse was home and was able to calm us both down. I took him to the emergency room and waited 2 hours only for them to tell me that it was already healing and nothing to be concerned about. I'm really glad I sat in a waiting room full of sick people to be told that. YEah, a lot of fun. Seriously though, that little boy climbs on everything. We joke and say that he is constantly trying to find a way to kill himself... but the sad thing is, it's true. Everything he's not supposed to do, he does. We recently moved both boys into their own room (they share). We'd always wake up to find them both standing at the door. We just couldn't figure out how Lincoln was getting out (we never had this problem with Gabe) because he never did this while he was still sleeping downstairs. Well, obviously he was climbing out... so we turned his crib into a daybed. Now, he just climbs into bed with his big bro every night. It has got to be the cutest thing I ever did see. They truly are best friends and I Love that. 

I still can't comprehend that Christmas is almost here! Where in the world did this year go!? I've gotten a little headstart on my Christmas Shopping... but we still have quite a bit to get. I had made a list of specific things I wanted to get the boys... I've gotten most of the things on my list. Now, it's just a mtter of finding little toys here and there for them. Again, this year we aren't buying all BRAND NEW toys. For as much as the boys play with things, we figure buying some used things is just as good. They'll never know- plus it saves us a bunch of money. I mean really, toys are EXPENSIVE these days. We spend a certain amount on each boy (give or take)... so I set aside 1/2 of that amount for brand new toys and the other half for some used things we find at goodwill, savers and swap pages on fb. Gabe really wanted a pirate ship and a big firetruck. I got lucky and found both at the kidsignment sale this past month. I spent 10 bucks on a ship that is normally $45... and 5 bucks on a huge firetruck that I'm sure both boys will love. I also found 2 Imaginext dino's for $5 on a swap site that Gabriel is going to love. One big present that I'd like to get Gabriel is a Tricycle. He seems to really like them now... so we told Santa that's what he wants. haha. :) I'll post more on our Christmas shopping later... once we're all done. Don't want to give everything away now! 

Ummm, did I mention that I had my first Migraine/Sinus Headache last month. OH. MY. GOSH. I honestly don't know how people with chronic migraines do it. I had one for 1 day and thought I was going to die. Literally. Well, more like I wanted to just crawl in a hole and not come out until it was better. This thing woke me up at like 4:30 am... it was the WORST Headache pain I've ever had in my life. I thought I had had a migraine before but after this one I now know I was wrong. Anyway, I took everything I could that day... tylenol, excedrin, ibuprofen and nothing worked. I couldn't even move without my head pounding. I couldn't sleep because the pain was so bad. Plus, I had to take care of both boys who just didn't understand that Mommy was in terrible pain. I took all the advice people gave me... Wrapped my neck and head in a cold towel, took a warm bath, kept all of the lights off, took excedrin migraine, drank caffeeine... NOTHING worked. I just got sick and threw up anything that I tried to eat or drink... which wasn't much bc I didn't eat hardly anything because my head hurt too bad to even walk to the kitchen. So eventually, I was just throwing up water and tea. YUCK! ARound 5 that evening my mom ended up taking me to an Urgent Care Clinic. The PA came in and after discovering that this was my first migraine, she sent me to the ER to make sure it was nothing serious. We had both boys with us and sitting in an ER with them just wasn't going to work. So I decided to just go home and tough it out. Thankfully, my dad met us on our way back and turned around and took me to the ER. We were there for several hours... I got a CT scan to make sure there wasn't anything serious. Thank God it came back clear. The dr. came in, asked me a few questions, and then pressed on all my sinus points. He then concluded that it was a Sinus headache and said the goal was to get my pain level down. Honestly, my pain was at 10! It took them FOREVER to bring me medicine. So there we were... sitting in a dark room because the light hurt. Finally the nurse showed up with a round of meds that was supposed to make me feel better. I got a steroid shot, Zofran, Sudafed and Dilauded for pain. It took another hour or 2 for those to even kick in. They sent me home with some medicine and pain killer to take if it got worse. I came home and sat on the couch for about 2 hours, drinking tea- waiting to feel well enough to go to bed and sleep. I had gotten sick on the way home and threw up.. again. So there I sayt... just waiting to feel better and not throw up anymore. FInally, I made it to bed (Jesse was sleeping and getting up for work a few hours later) and slept the whole night. My mom took th eboys to her house... knowing that I was in no shape to take care of them that night. Plus, it was close to midnight by the time we got home... and the boys were already asleep. They didn't mind getting to have a sleepover with Mama & Papa though. I woke up the next morning feeling much, much better. Never again do I want to experience a painful headache like that one. I honestly just wanted to curl up in a ball, crawl into a hole and never come out. 

Alright, that's about all I got for tonight. My house needs picked up and then I'm going to bed. We're going to the pumpkin patch and a birthday party tomorrow... so I need some sleep! :) 

Have a good one!