Monday Game Plan (on Tuesday Sorry)

Well, as you might have noticed, it is getting a little crazy around here and I am finding less and less time to blog. The kids seem to be in a tag team match 24/7, which has kept me on my toes. This week is pretty busy, so hopefully I am able to keep up on the house and all the little things. My fingers are crossed.

Menu
Monday: Chicken Brushetta (we do this one a lot)
Tuesday: Chicken Fajittas
Wednesday: Sweet kielbasa and tri-pepper pesto pasta (sauteed peppers with bow-tie pasta mixed with a pre-made pesto sauce)
Thursday: Chicken with brocolli and carrots
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Leftovers/takeout
Sunday: Superbowl TBD

Events
Monday: We stayed home and I did laundry and cleaned. The fun stuff.
Tuesday: Southfield story time. (P.S. What a gorgeous library! The story time was not as structured as I would have liked, but the children's area is just simply AMAZING!)
Wednesday: Maisie's 6 month well visit and both kids get shots. Yeah me. Luckily Bob will be at the appointment to help out. I can't wait to see how big Maisie is. This last month, she has exploded!
Thursday: We have another day sticking close to home. I will probably clean as much as I can since our weekend is pretty busy.
Friday: Playdate with an old friend and Calan's first friend Emmy. Then girls night out hosted by my sister-in-law and her family at Sole Sisters in Royal Oak.
Saturday: Bob is going to a men's breakfast with our church. And then hoping to do something with the family like heading to the library or maybe the local mall that has a toddler kids area to play in.
Sunday: I have a friend's baby shower in the morning. (I think I might be on of the few people who actually enjoy's showers. Call me crazy.) and then Superbowl party. Though we have not RSVPed yet, we are probably going to Bob's aunt's for dinner and the game.


(Sorry for the delay, but I will post my Toddler Tuesday post later tonight. I will get back in the swing again. Promise.)

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today I am 31. Yep, I am officially in my 30s, not just 30, but in my 30s. And to be honest, it feels kind of great.

To think 10 years ago, I was 21. A crazy night yes, but I don't think that I would want to go back for any amount of money. In that 10 years, so much has happened. I am such a different person, and I love the person I have become. I became a college graduate and a retiree in 10 years. I became a wife and mother. I became me.

To think 20 years ago, I was a 11. And Whoa, what an awkward kid! So glad I am not her anymore. I joke that I was a nerd, who never actually knew I was a nerd, and so I tried to be who I wasn't. For a young girl, I think that is hard and confusing. I most definitely would not change my 30s for my teen years ever again.

And to think in 10 years, Calan will be 11. Time is so crazy. It can seem so long when you are going through it, but it becomes just a blink of an eye when you look back.

Not sure what my 30s will look like when I look back, but so far they have been kind of amazing. So, happy birthday to me.

Guess who started solids?

(Sorry that the camera was on unstable, I was trying to feed and take video)

We are now on day 2 of solids and I don't think that she has even eaten one bite, but it just takes time, or so they say.

Polar Bears

Still trying to get him OK with stuff on his hands. Anyone have any tips on this?

From crafts to food to books to songs, Calan and I played with polar bears this past week. Calan loves bears. They were the first animal noise he would say. So, doing some lessons on polar bears was not a stretch for us. I did try to get him to recognize that a polar bear is white, but not sure if he exactly got it. I figure everything that I am doing is just planting seeds. He might not get it this lesson or the next, but at least we are trying to do something.

Snack

I toasted half of a Sara Lee Wheat Thin Bun and spread cream cheese to cover. Sliced banana for ears and a red grape for eyes. I drew a nose and mouth with frosting gels (not the prettiest idea, but it is what I had on hand). I got the idea from here.

Craft

I had two crafts planned, but the way the week worked out we only got one done. We made a puffy paint polar bear. To make the puffy paint, you mix equal parts shaving cream and glue. Calan painted the plate and then we let it dry for a day. I cut ears, eyes, and a nose out of construction paper and just asked Calan were they went. I attached them. He held it when we were done and said bear, so hopefully he learned something from it.
The craft I didn't have time for was gluing coconut to a polar bear. I guess we will save that one for a rainy day, which this winter there seems to be plenty of.

Books

There are obviously plenty of books out there to read on polar bears like "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" I fell in love with "Mama Why?" by Karma Wilson. It is a very sweet bedtime story and Calan loved it. By the end of the week, I would pause at the "Mama, Why?" parts and he would say it. I loved it.

Songs
I sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" to Calan basically every night before he goes to bed, so this song was great because it goes to that tune and we were able to act out the different parts. (Though it was just basically me doing it and Calan turning around in circles, which is how he dances, or him just looking at me.)

Polar Bear Twinkle

Polar bear, polar bear, turn around,

Polar bear, polar bear, touch the ground,

Polar bear, polar bear, show your shoe,

Polar bear, polar bear, that will do.

Polar bear, polar bear, bend your knee,

Polar bear, polar bear, climb this tree,

Polar bear, polar bear, make a frown,

Polar bear, polar bear, sit right down.

Polar bear, polar bear, stand on your toes,

Polar bear, polar bear, touch your nose,

Polar bear, polar bear, wink your eye,

Polar bear, polar bear, say good-bye.

Up in the air

With my brief day and a half trip away from home, I am still playing a bit of catch up, and that includes figuring out my meal plan and events for the week. So, hopefully, I will have that posted soon.

So instead I'll share a little about what's been going on around here:

• Calan is finally over his cold! Seriously a toddler's snotty nose is gross and so frustrating since he won't let you wipe it. It was an interesting fine line. I wanted to wipe is nose just enough to help, but not too much that he would cry and increase his snot production to nullinvoid the fact that I wiped it in the first place. It was pretty frustrating. He got to the point that he was wiping it off with his hand and shirt so I wouldn't wipe it. That habit will be fun to break later. 
• Maisie is getting so big. I never thought her 3-6 month clothing would ever be tight on her, but they are starting to be. I can't believe it. I guess it is time to figure out the next wardrobe for her. I have some cute stuff already, but what girls doesn't need more. 
• Maisie has learned to roll from her back to her stomach, which is great except some how in the process she has forgotten how to roll over from her stomach to her back, so she gets stuck. I am getting excited for her next milestone, which should sitting up. She is still pretty wobbly, but she is getting better. 
• Bob did a great job as Mr. Mom while I was gone. He even tried to take the kids out to lunch by himself, but once he got all ready and the kids in the car, unfortunately Calan's door wouldn't shut, so he had to take them back in. But I think that it is impressive that he even tried. 
• My trip to see my grandmother was good. I am glad I went.It wasn't easy, but it was good to see her and my family. It was hard to leave, but life does go on. 

Next week, I'll be writing the kids' monthly update, so I will share more about them then. Every month seems to go faster and faster, but this one I am glad to say goodbye too. It has not been fun, but I survived, the kids survived, and hoping this month will be a ton better. 

Grateful Friday: Chance to say goodbye

My Oma and Opa and I at my college graduation in 2003.

Well, this weekend is not going to be the easiest for me. I am taking off today to say goodbye to my grandmother. She has not been well for several years, but knowing that this is the last time is not easy.

I'll be honest, I have not seen my grandmother in more than a year. I do not want to come off as insensitive or too upset. The fact is that I have watched all of my grandparents and one great-grandparent get old. I have watched them live their lives to the fullest. I have been lucky enough to be at a point where none of them were taken (as some might say) before their time.

I am so grateful to have known all of my grandparents. My grandfather passed away almost 3 years ago and now my grandmother will be joining him.

I am grateful to be able to celebrate a life versus mourn a death. And my dad's parents were larger than life. Until their health started to fail, they were the life of the party. Always the storytellers. My grandmother's birthday is a week from today (a day after mine).

I have been told I don't have to go this weekend. But I regret not being there when my grandfather actually passed. I should have gone. I am grateful this time that I have time to go up and say goodbye.

I am grateful to my family (my father, aunts, and uncles) who took care of my grandmother. They basically put their lives on hold to care for her. They promised my grandfather that they would and they did.

While I am not extremely close to my grandparents, I am grateful that they were/are there. I know that I took it for granted and I am sorry for that.

(I should say that both of my mom's parents are still in my life.)

Anything Goes Thursday: Walking Zombies

Hello, middle of the night wakings. Hello, awake children and dead tired parents. Hello, coffee.

I really thought I had it pretty easy the first 6 months. Maisie has been a great sleeper. Even with all of Calan's rocking issues, he was still sleeping and being quiet. I was rested, the kids were rested, we had our routine. Everything was going so smoothly.

And then the last 2 weeks happened. We are amongst the perfect storm. Sick Calan, Wonder Week 26 for Maisie, and I think both are teething. They have been tag-teaming who is up and who is asleep, which leaves me little to no sleep after about 3:30 a.m. (I remember the nights when I would stay up till 3:30 and sleep in till 11, oh the memories.)

Being 13 months apart has created this perfect match up of development and physical changes in the kids that has left me without a good nights rest in more than 2 weeks. I miss sleep.

Now, in the kids' defense, I have not been going to bed early in order to make up for my lack of sleep, so that is most definitely my fault. I just hope that these rough nights are numbered. I am done with them.

They have left me pretty cranky, tired, without motivation, just an all-around sloth.

Don't you love though that no matter how long your kids have you up at night, they seem to wake up with a smile on their faces like nothing happened. I love their innocence even though I want to die.

I honestly do not mind being woken up in the middle of the night as long as it is a quick back to sleep. It is the 40 minutes to 2 hour wake ups that have me up and cranky.

I am just ready for my little ones to sleep. But until then, COFFEE you are my best friend.

Wordless Wednesday: Hanging around

Big kid in a little seat. 

Double blanket time

Snuggling with bug

Mr. Potatohead

Toddler Tuesday: Fun with Kool-Aid

Flour, oil, salt, cream of tarter, and Kool-Aid

Just take these few ingredients and whip up some Kool-Aid fun with play-doh and finger paint.

Calan is once again not feeling well (I think this is going to be a long winter). However, I tried out a few fun Kool-Aid recipes I found online. I thought he might enjoy playing with Play-Doh and I thought I would try finger paint even though he hates things on his hands.

Calan liked playing with the Play-Doh up till the moment he realized he could throw it off the tray. 

And finger paint did not work for us. He hated it on his hands, and this is when he realized it got on his truck and he couldn't get it off. (Frugal tip: Use old t-shirts as smocks.) 

And, I was right. He liked playing with the Play-Doh for about 10 minutes and the finger paint was a complete flop. All I can do is keep trying different things with him and let him explore them for as long (or as little) as he wants.

Here is what I did:

• For finger paint, take 1 cup flour, 1 Kool-Aid packet, and 1/4 cup salt and mix it with 1 1/2 cups boiling water and 1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 teaspoons equals 1/2 tablespoon)
• For Play-Doh, mix 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup salt, 1 Kool-Aid packet and 1 tablespoon cream of tarter with 1 cup boiling water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Mix with fork till cool and then mix with hands till well blended kneading and adding additional flour till no longer sticky.

Things that I learned from making it:

• Don't use wheat flour. It is all that I had and it obviously distorted the color. The Play-Doh was suppose to be blue, but looks green. I ended up adding green food coloring to both the play-Doh and finger paint to get richer colors.
• I ended up using a lot more flour in the play-Doh to make it not sticky, next time I might just start out using a 1/4 cup more flour.
• I added water to the finger paint till I got the consistency I wanted. Not sure if the wheat flour made it drier, but it was really gooey and sticky at first, I wanted a thinner consistency.
• I will probably split both in half, but still using whole packet of Kool-Aid per half. I think that it will make better colors and I don't need that much finger paint or Play-Doh in one color, which is what I have now.

Monday Game Plan: Surviving

I thought I was doing really well. I thought I was getting good at parenting 2 babies and then 18 months hit for Calan and the last 2 weeks have been horrible. The poor guy has had a flu bug, a cold, and now I think his 2-year molars are coming in. Either way he is a snotty, whiny mess that is barely sleeping.

My goal for this week is to SURVIVE and hope that he gets better soon. I miss my happy playful little guy. This terrible whiny monster is not as much fun and is pretty much exhausting. 

I  was able to get a few things finished last week despite Calan's neediness. I did get all my handwash laundry done, as well as Bob and I (mostly Bob) finally reorganized the basement storage. Two things that I had been avoiding since before Christmas. 

Main goal: Survive

Menu

• Monday: Perogies, carrots, broccoli 
• Tuesday: Chicken, dumpling squash, cauliflower, mac & cheese (Tip: Lightly pound your chicken and sprinkle with a little lemon pepper and garlic salt. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. I swear, it turns out perfect every time)
• Wednesday: Chicken caesar salad
• Thursday:  Chicken parmesan
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Leftovers or takeout
• Sunday: Family dinner not hosting

Events

• Monday: Stay at home and try to get Calan better. Bob is heading to a Wings game tonight, so just me all day.
• Tuesday: Suppose to go for a stroller walk with the Royal Oak Moms Club that I am thinking about joining. Making dinner for friends who just had a baby.
• Wednesday: Again, suppose to go to my second event with the Royal Oak Moms Club, but we shall see how Calan is doing
• Thursday: Calan's Playaway class, hopefully he is better!
• Friday: Nothing going on so far. Probably a fun cleaning day
• Saturday: Standard breakfast out and farmers market
• Sunday: Standard day of church and family dinner

Have a good week everyone!

Grateful Friday: Family Saturday mornings and Sunday dinners

When you have small children, sleeping in late, being lazy all day, or eating ice cream for breakfast are not exactly possible. For awhile, I think, we tried to fight it. We tried to pass off days and hope that one of us got to sleep while the other took care of Calan. And with Maisie, forget it; we both have to be up for the most part. Seven A.M. seems so much earlier on a Saturday than any other day.

This summer we unconsciously embraced our early Saturdays. We started to use that time rather than just moving around moaning how tired we were. We get up and kind of rush around a bit to get us out of the house. We go out to breakfast and then head to our local farmers market, which is open year-round.

I am so grateful for that time together. We get a big Saturday morning breakfast without all the dishes for me to clean up and I get half of my grocery shopping done.

I am hopeful that as the kids grow, we will continue to do this. I hope that they enjoy and look forward to it as much as Bob and I do.

On Sundays, we get together with my in-laws. And yes, this happens every Sunday. And yes, we like spending time together and enjoy each others company. We get together, eat dinner, relax, play cards (euchure of course), and get ready for the week ahead. Just like our Saturday mornings, Sunday family dinners started unconsciously and it has been going on for probably 2 years. We rotate between my father-in-law's house, our house, and my brother-in-law's. The hosting house makes the main course and we all bring something. We live within 3 miles of each other.

I am so grateful that we get together as a family and that my children get to see some of their aunts and uncles on a regular basis.

My life is full of routines and simple joys. I do not live a crazy, fast-paced life. I live the life of a mom with 2 children younger than 2 and for now, I am grateful for my Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings with my family.

(P.S. Thanks to all my new followers!)

Finding New Friends Blog Hop!

As many of you know, my 2012 goal is to grow our small family blog and become one of the thousands of "mommy bloggers." Just over the last 10 days of my goal, I have gone from 20 followers to more than 70. As part of this goal, I am guest-hosting the "Fnding New Friends" blog hop. (Thanks ladies!) 

If you are not familiar with blog hops, basically look through the list of blogs below, you might find a new one you like and want to follow. And then add your blog to the list by following the few simple rules listed below. I have loved the new blogs I have found through this blog hop. (I am a blog addict.) Have fun!

<a border="0" href="http://myadventureinmommyhood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxuf85cI9u1F1YJncPqy5-Xcx4kpQjimfQi2CvZoL1ScLm9aXbDAsFrkcwv2-ksWgul2okAYwKUWCyw18m8sWbQQBtxLsR55QuNLAPOSPMnme3KXIfxWIgv4H3mFT7-yWk3fVSLR1EXg/"/></a>

Welcome back to week 41 of Finding New Friends Weekend Blog Hop hosted by Shelly from My Saving Game, Sam from Have Sippy Will Travel and Jeannette from The Adventures of J-Man and MillerBug!  Thank you all for helping make this hop so successful!  We love you tons!  Now what are you waiting for?  Let's get to hopping!  We are finding some fabulous blogs through this hop and having a great time getting to know so many of you!  So thank you for linking up again this week to those of you who are hop veterans and welcome to those who are new!  Let's continue to make new bloggy friends and increase our traffic! We do have a few simple rules for you - nothing too tough though.  So here we go!

Anything Goes Thursday: Our first baby

My favorite picture of Elle when she was 4 years old. She is now 8. 

As some of you might have read on Monday, we almost lost our 8-year-old husky/lab Elle on Sunday. It was scary, crazy, overwhelming, and just plain awful. She is on the mend and we could not be happier.

On Saturday night, Bob took Elle to his brother's house to watch the Lions game and let Elle play with their husky Layla. It is not uncommon for Elle to move pretty slowly the day after she plays and it is not uncommon for her to favor a paw or two (like sore muscles) after playing with Layla. When Sunday came around, she was pretty lethargic, which seemed pretty normal to us.

As the day went on though, she was really barely moving and needing help to get outside. I was gone at a family birthday party with our car that has car seats. Bob just thought that she probably injured her paw and was just tired, which happens often after Elle rough houses with another dog.

When I got home around 4 p.m. from the party, Bob was cooking some bacon. I tried to give Elle a piece and she barely moved her head to even smell it. She would not eat it. I touched her paws and she was not tender to them, so I began to think something else was seriously wrong. I felt her tummy area and she seemed uncomfortable when I did that. So I again thought something was wrong. I told Bob that I thought she needed to go to the emergency vet. We carried her to our car and Bob took off and I stayed back with the kids.

When I got a phone call about 20 minutes later, I was not expecting to hear "They said that if we had not gotten her to the vet in the next 2 hours, she would have died!" Bob was speechless, I was speechless, and we were both very scared and wondering what had happened to our poor Elle, who seemed so fine just the day before. Elle was bleeding internally and dying.

The vet said that it could be one of three things causing her bleeding:

1. Her liver, which had elevated numbers back in April and we had an ultrasound then that showed it was OK.
2. A tumor that had ruptured. (Her ultrasound in April showed no tumors, but could have missed something.)
3. Rat poison

At first, we both thought that it had to be one of the first two options. Maybe they missed something in April. Maybe we should have continued testing her to make sure her liver was OK. 

As we waited in the waiting room (I met Bob at the vet), we began to think of all the would have, should have, could have situations. But the bottom line is we just wanted her to be OK. 

When Elle's blood work came back, it showed that the most likely cause was RAT POISON!

We live in a city area and yes have rats and yes have laid poison down, but Elle never goes in the garage by herself, or so we thought. We thought she would never touch it. We thought it would be OK. IT WASN'T!

Luckily out of the 3 possible causes, rat poison was actually the most reversible and should not have any lasting side effects.

Elle was placed in an oxygen tank for several hours to help her breath. She was given a plasma blood transfusion. And she was give vitamin K, which is the antidote to rat poison. As of today, she is so much better. We had her checked out at our vet's office on Tuesday and some of her numbers weren't perfect, so I have to have her checked again on Friday. But she is eating, drinking, resting, and wagging her tail. She looks to be making a complete recovery. 

Prior to this incident, I had really become annoyed with Elle. Dealing with 2 babies left little to no time for our first baby, our dog. We were taking her for granted. We love our dog and are once again treating her like the princess she deserves to be!

Here are some things we didn't know before going through this:

1. Digested rat poison can take up to three days to start to show signs in dogs. 
2. If your dog is acting sick, check its gums. You want them to be pink like your lips. Elle's were white, which meant she was bleeding internally.
3. Trust your gut. (We already knew this one, but still seemed like it should be said. It saved Elle's life!)

Elle with Calan when he was a newborn. (Photo by Purpletree Photography)

Elle with Maisie. She likes the kids best with they are not mobile. 

Elle home and resting after her very scary ordeal.

Wordless Wednesday: Waiting for snow

Toddler Tuesday: One man's trash is another man's treasure

We have all heard the saying that kids would rather play with a box than the toy that came in it. Sometimes trying to come up with a toddler activity is as simple as looking in your cupboards and recycling bin.

Probably like most moms of toddlers, I have a small stash of toilet paper/ paper towel rolls, empty canisters, egg cartons, and whatever else that I might think could be a quick distraction activity when I need it.

Here are a couple examples:

• Pushing pom-poms through a container. He likes putting them in and can get a few out, but it is the fun of trying. He shakes and looks at it and tries to figure out how to get the rest of them out before starting all over again putting them back in. I have started asking him to put specific colors in, but he doesn't quite get that yet since everything seems to be blue to him. However, eventually that will click for him and will make this game a second life.

I used a small milk container and empty spice container to create this easy game.

• Black beans of fun. We have done this a few times and have tried a few different things. This weekend was pure fun and excitement. He tossed and sprinkled and had a blast feeling and listening to the different sounds the beans made in the baking pan and empty oatmeal canister. My husband thought I was nuts for this one, but since the beans are larger than something like rice, it was the easiest clean up and he had a blast. The last time I brought out the beans, I gave him different spoons/ladles to play with. This activity is a quick game however. Left for too long and the mess does get a little too uncontrollable, but for a quick mood pick-me-up, this is great. 

Using black beans, made this mess super easy to clean up. 

What are some of your favorite trash games to play with your toddler?

Monday game plan: Keeping it easy

Last week went almost as planned. Some days were better than others.

I did end up rescheduling Calan's doctor appointment. I just did not want him to get shots when he was still a little sick.

 Friday was a good surprise. A friend had her baby and we were able to watch their 18-month-old for a little while so they could get to the hospital. Fun and exciting play date.

Saturday was just too gorgeous to clean inside, so we headed to the zoo. It was such a wonderful family day. I wouldn't change it for anything.

Sunday was not as much fun. I did go to my cousin's daughter's first birthday and that was nice, but when I got home, our 8-year-old dog seemed pretty sick, so we rushed her to the emergency vet to find out that she was basically dying from rat poison. I will blog more about this later, but it was scary and so glad that she is actually going to be OK and is probably heading home this afternoon.

Bob is going to be pretty busy this week at work, so dinners are going to be pretty easy and no fuss. So here is what this week should hopefully look like:

Main goal: To get the laundry organized and hand-washed items that I have been avoiding done

Menu

• Monday: Spaghetti and salad. (Tip: Use bulk Italian sausage in your spaghetti sauce instead of ground beef)
• Tuesday: Pizza night (making dinner for friends, so we will keep it easy around here)
• Wednesday:   Pasty (U.P. tradition)
• Thursday:   Chicken Tortilla soup (frozen leftovers from a few weeks ago)
• Friday: Baked chicken, carrots, and mashed cauliflower
• Saturday: Leftovers  
• Sunday: TBD (hosting our family Sunday dinner. Not sure yet.)

Events

• Monday: Grocery shopping and laundry (the fun stuff).
• Tuesday: Taking dinner to friends who just adopted a son Calan's age from China, as well as dropping some off to our friends who just had a baby on Friday. So many new little additions. Love it. 
• Wednesday: Calan's rescheduled doctor appointment. Cleaning some of the house.
• Thursday: Our Playaway class in the morning and a play date with friends in the afternoon
• Friday: Nothing planned so it will be a much needed day at home to organize and catch up on things. 
• Saturday: Farmer's market in the morning and not sure what we are going to do in the evening yet. 
• Sunday: Church and then prepare for Sunday dinner. 

Have a good week!

Zoo in January!

I am loving the mild winter this year! It would be great to show Calan snow, but I hate the cold. So, I will enjoy this warm January as long as it lasts.

Watching the apes sleep and a mother care for her 5-month-old baby.

Maisie snug as a bug in a rug. 

Of course, Calan trying to make a new friend and the little boy is not too interested. 

Watching the seals

And the highlight: A swimming polar bear. This is probably our 8th trip to the zoo this year and the first time we have seen a bear in the water. It swam right over Calan and he pointed to the glass and said bear. Love this weather!

Grateful Friday: The opportunity to nurse

I'll be honest when I dreamed of being a mom, nursing was the farthest thing from my mind. I didn't really care one way or the other. I never really sat and thought about it. That was until the opportunity was almost taken from me before I was even able to decide. 

When I was debating whether to have a single or double mastectomy, breast feeding all of a sudden became a big issue to me. Having children all of a sudden became a huge issue to me. I was facing the fact that I may or may not be able to have children after chemo therapy and if I did have children, I may or may not be able to breast feed them. 

At that moment, I decided that not only did I want to be a mother (which I knew already), but that I wanted to be the best mother I could be. And at that moment that meant having the opportunity to breast feed my babies. I knew that I couldn't control what chemo did to my body (I understood that it needed to do what it needed to do), but I could control my surgery option. I had a hard time letting go.

I know that there are many reasons why women can't breast feed. I am just grateful that I was able to. Cancer didn't take that away from me. I am grateful that I was given the chance to try. 

I can already tell that my time of nursing Maisie is coming to an end. She is getting frustrated and starting to wean toward the bottle. I made it 5.5 months with Calan when he weaned and I thought it was because I was pregnant, but now that Maisie is weaning at about the same time, it might just be my supply issue. 

However, I am grateful that she and I had our time together and that I was given the opportunity to breast feed her. 

Anything Goes Thursday: The elusive Holy Grail double stroller still eludes me

I have two young children. Two children who are small and need to be in a stroller and will be in a stroller for awhile. I have different needs than mothers of twins. I need and want a lot of features.

In my mind, I know what my perfect stroller would include:

• Light weight
• Easy, no fail, one step opening and closing
• Side-by-side seating
• Universal car seat attachment
• Easy mobility so you don't have to be perfectly lined up to get through a door
• Snack trays
• 5-point harness
• Parent organization
• HUGE easy-access under basket that can handle the weight of a 2-baby diaper bag plus extras
• Fits easy in a car leaving space for groceries and whatever else I need back there
• Cup holders that fit water bottles as well as coffee cups
• Expandable handles for tall fathers
• Sun shades that cover from head to toe of my little fair angels 

We walked a lot this August to get out of the house.

However, I have yet to find all those things in our price range. Or anything that just comes as is. Is it just me or are all the extra attachments becoming a joke in stroller world? So what do we have you wonder? We have a garage-sale find that we find suitable for our needs, but still misses the mark. We have a Peg Perego Aria 50/50. An oldy for sure.

I love how light weight it is. I can easily get it in and out of our car using one hand. You never know when you might be holding a child while doing it. We actually store ours in the car for two reasons: We don't have a better place and I use it a lot. It fits pretty nicely in the back of our Passat Wagon. I like the dual snack trays, but hate that there isn't a parent organization system or that the under basket can't carry anything of weight at all. It works great in our city living of side walks and malls, but by no means is it meant for off-roading. 

It is a pain in the butt to get going and maneuver in small spaces. Great on walks. If you aren't exactly lined-up to go through a door perfectly, a wheel catches and getting through the door without thinking a million curse words is impossible. I am pretty sure that it will not cut it in the snow. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any this year to test it out.

It technically is not car seat adaptable, but our Graco seat does fit snuggly in it that for sidewalk, easy walks, it works. The seats do recline however so it does work for a newborn.

It is so simple to open and close. I do need two hands to open, but it is so easy and simple. 

The sunshades are a joke. Not sure what they were thinking there. 

When I was pregnant I got a lot of suggestions and recommendations, and I searched and searched. I think I became too overwhelmed that when I saw the stroller at a neighbor's whose children are 17-months apart, we settled with it. 

I am sure at some point I will become a stroller hoarder with one for every situation because the perfect double stroller does not exist.

Or does it? Have you found it? Please share. Tell me what is the best.

Wordless Wednesday: Relaxing and recovering at home

What's going on?

I am a blog addict. I love reading about others' lives and struggles and tips and joys. I love connecting with people. I love writing out my thoughts. I love blogging.

I know that there are a ton of mommy blogs out there. I am just ready to be one of them. 

My goal for 2013 is to expand our small family blog. 

Over the last two weeks, I have changed a little how I post. Each day will be a new post that correlates with that day's theme. As you might have noticed over the last two weeks, I have started to do this. Here is what you will find:

Monday Game Plan: This is where you will find what we are hoping to accomplish this week and a quick review of what did or did not get done from the week before. I will also be posting our dinner menu with a few links to the recipes that I am using. Most of the recipes are easy to prepare and convenient for a mom with her hands full. I decided that this would be a good topic for those that might feel a little overwhelmed each day. Setting my weekly goals keeps me sane, so I thought they might help someone too. 

Toddler Tuesday: Who doesn't need more ideas on how to entertain their toddler? Each Tuesday, I will share an activity or craft that I have done with my crazy toddler. I feel like he is a good test model since he has the patience of a fly, so if i can get him to do it than most likely your child will too. 

Wordless Wednesday: I am sure if you follow any blogs regularly, you might have come across a Wordless Wednesday somewhere else. On Wednesdays, I will share fun photos of my little ones from that week. What mom doesn't like to show off a little? 

Anything Goes Thursday: Here is where I will discuss any parenting issues, tips, or thoughts. Anything that is on my mind like cloth diapering for those who have liked those posts in the past. 

Grateful Friday: I will share anything I am grateful for (obviously). As my life gets busier and busier, it is nice to remember all that I am grateful for. For me it is a great way to refresh and get excited about the weekend. 

Although my daily blogs cover a lot of what I want to blog about, I will share more recipes, crafts, tips, thoughts, etc. throughout the week. My daily blogs are just a starting point of what to expect from Wilson's (almost) Irish Twins. 

I have also set up a Facebook fan page for the blog to better connect with readers as well as friends and family. Be sure to become a fan and share with your friends, too. 

Happy Blogging!

Toddler Tuesday: Salad Spinner Art

Easiest craft ever. Salad spinner, paint, and paper plates.

Calan was not feeling well this week, so crafts were to a minimum and not so easy to do with him, but we did try some artwork using my salad spinner. He loved pressing the spinner, but wasn't exactly a fan of me putting a paper plate in there. We were able to get a few before any major meltdowns.

Basically, take a paper plate and add a few globs of paint. Place the plate in the salad spinner and SPIN, SPIN, SPIN away.

Tip: Use a more watered down paint. We tried a thicker paint at first and it didn't splatter around as much as I had hoped. But when we put in his bath paints to see how those did, the splatter was much better. You could even try doing a couple globs, spin, and then add more paint to get a better outcome. Like I mentioned before, Calan wasn't feeling very well, so I didn't push him to keep trying. We got three plates and he was done.

Try using thinner paint to get more of a splattered look.

Monday Game Plan: Doctors and Organization

Well, last week didn't go exactly as planned. We went to my mother's, but Calan got sick, so we basically just hung out at home the 4 days we were there. We were suppose to come home Thursday evening, but decided to stay until Friday morning.

Calan went from having a stomach bug to a bad cold, which took up a lot of our time and attention. We still have to regroup from the holidays and take down our Christmas decorations. I felt sick yesterday, so didn't do much yesterday and Bob goes back to work tomorrow, so there is a lot to do today before he goes. And not to mention, our alma matter Michigan State University is playing in the Outback Bowl today, which means I lose Bob for most of the afternoon.

So here is the plan:
Menu

• Monday: Chicken pot pie 
• Tuesday: Pork chops with stuffed dumpling squash
• Wednesday: Chicken primivera
• Thursday: Taco salad
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Chilli with Beer bread (Tip: Add 3 tsp. of baking powder to 3 cups flour to make self-rising flour)
• Sunday: Family dinner (not sure if it is my turn to host or not, so I will figure that out at some point this week)

Events

• Monday: Organize and take down indoor Christmas decorations (too cold for outdoor)
• Tuesday: Library storytime and errands in the afternoon
• Wednesday: Calan's 18-month well visit. He is just getting over his cold, so I might reschedule
• Thursday: Maisie eye-doctor appointment. Bob is working from home and maybe taking Calan to Playaway class.
• Friday: Clean house
• Saturday: Tackle basement dumping ground 
• Sunday: My cousin's daughter's first-birthday party and Wilson family dinner

Every week I have high expectations, and every week, something doesn't get done. I guess it is just one day at a time and there is always tomorrow. 

Mulled Cranberry Tea

I know the holidays are over, but this is a great winter drink for any upcoming parties you might be hosting. I have made it several times this winter. I love it, but it is really sweet. I made it for a brunch this past November and everyone left with the recipe.
This recipe is from a Crock-pot.


Ingredients

2 bags tea

1 cup water, boiling

48 ounces cranberry juice

1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional

1/3 cup sugar

1 large lemon, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 sticks cinnamon

6 whole cloves

Directions

Place 2 tea bags in slow-cooker. Pour boiling water over bags and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove bags. Combine ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 2-3 hours or high for 1-2. Remove cinnamon sticks, lemon slices, and cloves. Serve warm. Garnish with lemon slices or cinnamon sticks if desired. Serves 8. 

I have tried it with the dried cranberries and did not like it, so I will be leaving them out from now on. It is a very sweet tea, but so festive and fun. Enjoy!