Luck of the Irish!

On Saturday morning, we decided it would be fun to bundle up the kids and take them downtown for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade. It's sad for me to admit that this was Jackson's first parade he's ever seen. Well, if you don't consider the parades he saw in Disney World when he was only one years old - but somehow I don't think that really counts. He was SO excited when we told him we were going to a parade, which I found hysterical when I'm sure he didn't even really know what a parade was! It was a balmy 42 degrees outside, so we got the boys in some warm clothes and headed downtown.

The first thing Jackson noticed once we found a place to sit down were all the people carrying around green flags. He immediately started pleading for one. Now usually I'm pretty cheap when it comes to things like that, but the look on his face was just too hard to say no to. So we found a nice guy selling all sorts of St. Patty's gear and Jackson got his very own $2.00 flag. He loved it. Thought it was the coolest thing ever.

He had such a blast waving his flag all around. Keeping him from hitting all the people around

us proved to be quite the challenge though. I sure felt bad for the nice family who was sitting next to us, especially the soft spoken teenage boy who kept getting whacked in the face. He must have younger siblings for being as tolerant as he was!

Charlie hung out in his stroller and enjoyed looking at all the chaos surrounding us. Each time the wind blew, he made the silliest face followed by a beaming smile. I may be biased, but Eric and I sure do make cute little boys...

Once the parade got started, Jackson was completely awestruck. He loved seeing the marching band and cheering and clapping with the crowds. It was a really fantastic day and I truly enjoyed that quality time with all three of my boys.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone!

Sleep, snot, and stories... Oh my!

I am not kidding, for the last two weeks I have been planning on writing in this blog every day, but somehow each day seems to get shorter and shorter. I have decided that I truly need to grow another pair of arms so I have the ability to do more. It is now almost 11:00 PM on a Friday night, and realistically I should be getting to sleep since Charlie is snoozing away in his swing. If history repeats itself, I can plan on being up again in about three hours when he wakes to eat. Whoever said that babies start sleeping through the night at this age can step far away from me now!

Life has been awfully hectic around our household. It's not that anything major has been happening, every day just seems to have something substantial going on. Over the last few days, we have all been struck down with a nasty cold. AGAIN. It is never ending. It started last Sunday while at the park with the boys. Jackson was having a blast playing with another little boy on the equipment. Next thing I know, he's running up to me with green snot pouring out of his nose and covering his entire face. Not exactly a picture moment. Call it mother's instinct, but somehow I just knew we were in for another illness. My poor boy has been sick over and over again since October. Good 'ole preschool. The cough followed a few days later, along with Mommy joining the Booger Bash. Eric got a touch of it but seemed to fight it off before it got too bad. And bringing up the tail end, little Charlie has started coughing today. Talk about pure panic setting in after our hospital fiasco last month (seriously need to devote an entire post about that). I'm just praying that we will all fight this off quickly and no trips to the ER will be required.

My newest obsession has become library books. I kid you not, I have been spending most of my computer time logged onto the library's website, putting tons of books on hold. I have rediscovered just how much I love reading.

My latest find that I really enjoyed was "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. Now I was one of the millions of people that enjoyed reading the Twilight series, I will admit that. They were fun and enjoyable books to delve into. But there was something really great about this book, I'm not even quite sure what it was that pulled me in so deep. I thought the character development was fantastic and the story was just such a ride. It was definitely the book that has reminded me just how much I love to read. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing story.

I have made a goal to myself to read 35 books in the year 2010. I was going to make it 50, but decided since I'm just getting back into the groove of reading, I better not push my luck. But I have to say, there's something to be said about choosing to sit down and read rather than zone out on the television and literally feel my brain turning to mush!

The smell of motorcycle fumes, dancing in the air.

When I first met Eric, he always talked about his dream of someday owning a motorcycle. His dad always had one and it was a passion that he shared with him. I was very adamant that he would never ride a motorcycle if I had anything to do with it. They terrified me. Being the kind of man he is, Eric shelved his desires for a bike because he knew my fears were very real.

When his 27th birthday started rolling around, I started noticing how strong he was feeling about wanting his very own bike. I didn't think much of it - truthfully thought it was just some macho thing that I couldn't understand. How very wrong I was. His dream of owning a bike was so much more than just some crazy surge of testosterone. He had visions of being able to go on long rides with his dad, sharing something special together. Being on a bike brings a sense of peace to his soul that I'll probably never be able to understand. I finally got it - I realized this was something he really did need.

So on the day he turned twenty-seven, we headed for the Honda Motorcycle dealership and we purchased his very first motorcycle. I don't believe I will ever forget how happy he was that day. It brought so much joy to my heart being able to see that spark in his eyes. He wanted to ride that thing everywhere all summer. Needless to say, he was slightly heartbroken when summer ended and he had to store it away for the winter.

I was always very clear with him that I would never be getting on the back of that beautiful motorcycle. Poor guy - all he wanted was to take me on a long ride through the countryside. I'm not sure how it happened, but he managed to convince me to take a short ride last May. Keep in mind, I was sixteen weeks pregnant with Charlie at this time! I was stubborn and acted like I hated it, while secretly inside I was yearning for more. It was exhilarating. I already started thinking about the next summer when I wouldn't be pregnant anymore and we could really go riding.

Well, two days ago was the most beautiful day we've had in the last few months. The sky was crystal blue and the sun was absolutely beaming. Guess who's idea it was to go for a ride? You got it - ME. My lovely mother-in-law agreed to watch the boys for a little while and we hopped on the bike.

Let me tell you - it was the most amazing ride ever. We rode out into the country around Liberty Lake and I truly felt alive. To feel that warm sunshine on my face absolutely rejuvenated me. Not only that, but I felt really close to Eric during our ride. We don't get much alone time these days, so even that 20 minute motorcycle ride together was perfect. I have to admit that I'm so ready for summer when we can go on longer rides together. Who would of thought I'd ever be saying that?

And can I just say - Jackson thought seeing his Mommy and Daddy on the motorcycle together was just about the coolest thing on the planet.

Sleep? What is that?

Not quite sure what is going on over the last couple days, but Charlie has been extremely clingy. I'm fairly sure that he's going through the famous "three month growth spurt." Not only have I been unable to do housework for more than five minutes at a time, but I'm getting literally no sleep at night. Seriously, it's like we're back in the newborn phase where he's up every 1-2 hours to nurse.

It's weird though, I feel really guilty even complaining. I feel so blessed to have this beautiful little boy and I continue to remind myself during those late night feedings. So what if the laundry is piling up a little more than normal, or I haven't been able to deep clean our bedroom and bathroom the way I'd like? I have this amazing, healthy baby who I should be focusing on right now. This time with him being snuggled up on my chest and looking into my eyes while he nurses is such a short time and I know I'll miss it once it's gone.

I was able to improvise a little yesterday morning and threw him into the Baby Bjorn while I prepared the Bean and Bacon soup in the slow cooker for dinner. He actually enjoyed facing forward and looking around! But once the afternoon rolled around, I finally rose the white flag in surrender and we spent the rest of the day in my bed, watching movies and nursing. It was actually a wonderful bonding opportunity. I have been keeping myself so busy lately so it was wonderful to just slow down and spend that time with him.

Needless to say, I'm depending on lots of coffee to get me through each day and hopefully this growth spurt will be brief. Just trying to enjoy every moment and take it all in.

His squeaks and smiles make every sleepless night worth it...

Breakin' out the slow cooker

Okay, can someone please tell me why I haven't been using a crock pot before today? My mom gave me a very fancy slow cooker two years ago for Christmas. Take a guess how many times it has been put to use? One time. Only once in two years... what has been wrong with me??

Today is Eric's 28th birthday. I decided I wanted to cook him a nice dinner that he could come home to after work. I found a healthy recipe for a Cranberry Pork Loin Roast. It sounded so yummy, and since we're both on track with healthy eating, I decided this was the perfect dish to attempt for my sweet husband. Keep in mind I have never cooked a roast, so I feel this is quite the challenge for me. Or so I thought! I have decided that the slow cooker is the most amazing invention of all time.

It literally took me ten minutes to brown the roast, throw it in the pot, cover it with the cranberry mixture, and voila! Here it is, cooking away in the afternoon:

This roast turned out AMAZING. The entire time we were sitting and eating I kept stating that I couldn't believe I made this. It was so tender and full of flavor! I know it seems silly that I'm dedicating an entire post about my pork loin roast, but I'm very proud of myself... I can't help it!

The slow cooker has officially become my new best friend. How did I ever survive without you, dear friend?

Here is the final product, before being drizzled with the incredible cranberry sauce mixture:

Happy Birthday Jackson

Dear Jackson,

Well my son, today is your fourth birthday. I have to admit that so far, this has been the best birthday I have spent with you. I opened my eyes this morning to see you standing by my bed with the brightest smile on your face. You snuggled up with me while I quietly sang "Happy Birthday" to you so we didn't wake up Charlie who was sleeping in his swing. You let me cover your face with kisses and kept announcing that you were finally four. No longer three, but four. You were so very proud.

I have spent many moments today reflecting on the day you were born. It truly feels like yesterday. I can still feel you moving around inside my tummy, yet here you are running around and telling clever stories. How have you grown so quickly? The first moment I laid my eyes on you changed my life. I knew I would never be the same and my life has been better because of you.



This last year has brought some tremendous changes in you. You started preschool in September and I have seen such growth on so many levels since. You have learned how to trace your name, recognize numbers, and your social skills have absolutely exploded. You have truly become such an amazing little man. When I pick you up from school, I love watching you run around and play with your best buddies. Damian and Grace have become your closest friends and it's so fun to see. I love receiving all of your fantastic art projects. We have a special box to store every single one of them. It has filled up very quickly!

How can I even begin to describe how much joy you bring to my life? Every moment is an adventure and I treasure the time I get to spend with you. There is no doubt that you are strong willed, which can be a challenge sometimes. But I know that in the future it will be a very positive personality trait. You are one of the sweetest little boys I have ever seen and I still can't believe you're mine. You're my little boy. God has truly blessed me for allowing me to be your mother.

I love you, my special boy. Happy Birthday and I can't wait to experience the next year with you.

Love you always,
Mommy

Done with winter

I am in complete disbelief. We have been planning for weeks for Jackson's preschool birthday celebration. I spent hours frosting 48 sugar cookies, my sweet mom helped me put together party bags for all the kids, I spent hours at Leah's house to create a poster board with pictures over the years (well, she did it all!). And what happens on the big day? Jackson woke up this morning with a fever, sore throat, and cough. AGAIN. This is the billionth time he's been sick in the last few months.

Can I tell you how much I wish winter would just end already?

My poor little guy is such a trooper. When I first told him I didn't think he'd be able to go to school, his little bottom lip pouted out and it just about shattered my heart in pieces. But he's pretty darn content now, snuggled up in my bed watching "Monsters Inc." I'm pretty sure I'll be able to talk with his teacher and plan on them celebrating his birthday on Monday instead, but it still just stinks.

Now all I can pray for is that Charlie doesn't catch this again. That's a whole different story for another day. I just keep focusing on the fact that spring will be here soon and hopefully we can all be healthy for more than one week at a time!