Day 120 - New Year's with Friends

Times have changed a lot since our pre-kid celebrations. But we have a family of friends that is just perfect!! The kids love to play and we love to drink wine and chat. We spent the night and had a great time celebrating with the Murphys!

Day 119 - Yoga

I snuck away for an afternoon class and it was a great release after such a wonderfully stressful time!

Day 118 - Christmas Part II

We celebrated Christmas with the Fitch side and it is so great to see these babies so spoiled!! They are surrounded by so many loved ones it makes me really happy.

Day 117 - Home

It was so nice to wake up at our house and have some routine!!

Day 116 - Beautiful Seascape

Our drive home was gorgeous. It was very cloudy on the way up, so it was so cool to see some scenery on the way home. Very sad to leave, but really enjoyed the drive!

Day 115 - Chair Lift

I took Paul on the chair lift for the first time. I can't believe I have one of those crazy little skiers up there on the chair lift!! It was so much fun (and work) skiing with him!! And no complaints from him either!! I always pictured toddler skiers as whining, crying, cold, tired little things. No way!! This kid loves it and is nothing but fun!

Day 114 - Christmas

Christmas just gets better and better every year as our kiddos grow up. The excitement and watching them is pure joy.

Day 113 - Skiing Whistler

This ski day was mind-blowingly awesome!! The mountain is huge and we explored some beautiful terrain that was overwhelmingly huge. What a great day!!!

Day 112 - Little Skiers

These little guys are so brave and so darn cute!!! We have harnesses for them and they just head down the hill. I love it!!

Day 111 - Whistler!!!

Here we go!!!

Day 110 - Spreadsheet

I had so much to do for Christmas: Plan a Christmas party, plan and prep for whistler, get Christmas ready, buy a house, get a new job... It was all so overwhelming. I made a very thorough spreadsheet early on with tasks for each day to complete everything I needed in time. It worked so well. I made adjustments when necessary, but this spreadsheet saved my planning season.

Day 109 - Customer Service

We took our troop to the Ski Shop last night to rent our skis for Whistler. They really hooked us up with a good price and were super patient with us. I really appreciate great customer service. They've earned some customers for life.

Day 108 - Help

Matt's stepping up and helping me out with the crazy busy season. I really appreciate it.

Day 107 - Alone Time

This is love hate... Wandering target by myself is something I don't often get to do. I hate trying to find gifts and ending up with stuff just because I need something. But wandering around appreciating some alone time is great!

Day 106 - Change

A home inspection and an interview. This day was exhausting, but so full of potential.

Day 105 - Christmas Party

We planned the Indianola Kid's Christmas party this year. I was so nervous about how it would turn out, but everything went perfect!!! We all had so much fun and the stress wasn't too bad.

Day 104 - Our Ski Shop

We went to Kitsap sports today. I had never been. One of my Kitsap complaints was not having access to a ski/sports store. I don't like to shop for these things at big box stores. You don't really get the options. Well, today I was thrilled to visit this store, chat with the owner, talk about our skiing plans for years to come with our babies. Another way this place, Kitsap county, is turning into my perfect home!

Day 103 - Babies

Something really sad happened to a bunch of little babies on the other side of the country. Today I took lots of extra time with my babies. Read extra stories, gave extra hugs, and appreciated them for all the joy they bring to my life.

Day 102 - Lady Night

This was supposed to be my second of my monthly scheduled ladies nights. I'm a little overwhelmed, so I wrote to my 2 closest friends in the group to see if they were going. They were busy too, but Ginny had time for one drink. Perfect. We met, snacked, drank, and chatted. It was only 30 minutes, but it was great to catch up.

Day 101: 12/12/12

Woot Woot!!

Day 100 - Planning

Getting geared up for vacation. Spreadsheet time!

Day 99 - Home sweet home?

Offer accepted. Looks like we're getting our house!

Day 98 - Beauty Parlor

Olivia needed a haircut. We set her up on a stool, gave her a cape, and Grandma Dawn painted her fingernails and toenails while I cut her hair. She loved it. Sat so still and felt so special. It was a really great moment with her.

Day 97 - Skiing

I haven't been skiing in YEARS!!! 8 years since I snowboarded, 16 since I skied. We went out today and it was WAY better than I remembered. Sunshine and the view and the fresh air... I pondered for a while if we'd actually be skiers. Now I have no doubt.

Day 96 - Suburban

We drove to Wenatchee in a snow storm, chains required. We drove comfortably in our loaded suburban with no problems. The space, the capabilities, the joy this vehicle brings my husband brings me joy.

Day 95 - Calm

It's loud at our house. Pretty much all the time. Tonight while Matt and I were having a serious discussion about home buying, we asked the kids to quiet down. It only sort of worked... then all of a sudden, I realized it was very quiet. Olivia was reading quietly on the couch and Paul was drawing at the art table. They looked so grown up. It was such a peaceful scene.

Day 94 - Party

Lara turned 19 today. I really wanted to make her birthday special since it would be her first away from home. She invited a few Au Pair friends over and we picked up a platter of sushi from Central Market. I made lemon-blueberry cupcakes. It was very fun and I think she had a good time too.

Day 93 - Window Clings

Christmas is so much fun now that the kids are old enough to get excited and enjoy it. Tonight I gave them the window clings that I bought at the dollar store. They had so much fun arranging and rearranging them. I took a time out from my busy evening and just sat with them and enjoyed.

Day 92 - The Plan

We had a scare today. I accidentally fed Paul some ranch dressing with eggs in it. He had a reaction. It was pretty mild, but then kicked back into gear about 30 minutes after the Benadryl took care of his hives. So we had our first Epipen/ER experience. He stayed calm and was so brave. I stayed calm and handled the situation. I didn't have my emotional breakdown until the end of the day when everything was ok again. I'm just so happy that our plan worked and we were able to spring into action when necessary.

Day 91 - The House

This house. I love this house. This is the house I want.

Day 90 - Good nights

What a great night. Matt went out with Mike to a show, Adam Corolla. I was home with the kids again. But it went great. We started our afternoon by purging our house of all the toys we don't play with anymore to make room for Christmas toys on the way. Then we had dinner and movies downstairs. We did baths and bedtimes and it all went flawless. Then I got productive again and finished toy sorting while I watched one of my shows. Great night.

Day 89 - Hot Yoga

I went to a 'Happy Hour' yoga class tonight. After a long week of Matt being gone, I totally expected a chance to unwind, relax, stretch, and release all the week's tension. I got a lot more than I bargained for. This was hot yoga and there was no relaxing about it. I have never worked so hard. I very much understand how people can really get in shape with yoga, and it is NOT the yoga I've been practicing up to this point. My muscles were shaking intensely several times as I tried to keep up with all these crazy hippies!! And I was real sweaty. We all were. And then at the end, we relaxed. A few minutes laying on our backs in the dark with our eyes closed. Then she opened these mega windows and let the fresh air in along with the sound of rain drops. It was absolutely amazing!!! I felt so good, and strong, and refreshed!!!

Day 88 - Back to Normal

Tonight my joy is knowing that tomorrow night Matt is home again.

Day 87 - Is It working?

I have been 2 weeks behind on my blog. About a week ago, midway through my very overdue spell, I realized that I have been really successful in finding the joy in my life. It's at the forefront and not something I have to seek out. I am very happy to feel this way. Not that I don't complain about life, a lot, but it's also really easy to see all the great things going on around me. I realized that this focus has really helped turn my outlook. I considered stopping the blog because I'd arrived at my goal. Well, tonight was bad. So tired and 3 cranky kids, and hours and hours of chores after a long hard day's work. And I started to try to think about the joy, the positive, the happiness in my day. It's a struggle. Even knowing how behind I was on the blog brought me down. So, here I am, when I'd rather be in bed, getting caught up. Getting one thing off my list and pouring over my memories of the day and noticing that it really wasn't all that bad. My day is punctuated with bits of happiness, even when it's bad. It's all about perspective and that's the purpose of my project. So, I won't quit, I will see this through, and see what happens to my perspective after a full year of focused shift.

Day 86 - My Bed

Matt's out of town, again. This was my scheduled night for free time and rest. Didn't happen. But at the end of the very long night, I was able to curl up in my bed. Joy.

Day 85 - Easy Dinner

Tonight we were busy. Another appointment to see another house. So I was happy to have an easy dinner to whip together. And frankly, kind of proud of myself to be able to pull together a quick healthy yummy dinner without much time.

Day 84 - A Good Hard Run

I haven't been out running in a long time. Most of my workouts have been inside and include burpees and jumping around and cardio/weight full body torture that's awesome. Today the sun was out in full force and I needed to get some fresh air and some sunshine and some burning lungs and legs. It worked. And it felt awesome.

Day 83 - Swimming

We took the kids, all 5 of them, to the pool for our activity today. Wes loved splashing. Will didn't get a chance to get in the water, there were too many babies:adults and he didn't even notice, but he had a nice nap on Grandma. Paul, Olivia, and Henry explored the water and learned some new tricks. Matt, Andy, Mark, Paul, and I all got a turn on the waterslide. Family fun.

Day 82 - Applecup

COUGS WON!!! I can't believe it!!! So fun to watch with the family and yell so loud we made Wes and Will scream!!!

Day 81 - Thanksgiving!

Kathy hosted Thanksgiving this year. So I had no cooking to do. Turns out I REALLY like the cooking and the rush of getting everything done. So I created several baking projects for myself. Me and my team (Dawn and Lara) made pumpkin pie, mini cauliflower cheese pies, stuffing (made with a homemade loaf of bread, and fancy green bean casserole. All Paul Safe. We had fun spending the day cooking in the kitchen and even had the thrill of panic trying to get everything done on time.

Day 80 - Holidays

Our first company of the holidays rolled in, Mark and Dawn. I love this season and all the fun!! It's so exciting to get started!!

Day 79 - Babies

I'm so far behind I have no idea about this day. But I'm sure I got some joy out of my babies this day. Positive.

Day 78 - Racquetball

Today I didn't have to work, so I ran a few errands in the afternoon while Lara watched the kids. Then I met Matt for an hour of racquetball. We had to look up the rules before we started, because although we've both played tennis in our lives, racquetball is a new concept. It was so much fun. For an hour we ran around the court and smashed the ball into the wall. We ended the hour tied 1-1. It was so much fun, I can't wait to do it again!

Day 77 - Hanging out

We went to Dustin and Becky's for the day. I had some baby stuff to drop off and Paul's been asking to play at Nathan's for over a year. We spent the day lounging on the couch, eating pizza, talking, and occasionally seeing a child. The kids had so much fun playing together and it's really wonderful to be able to just relax and let them play!

Day 76 - Breakdown

I had an emotional day. Not quite sure why, but I finally broke at about 5:30. Afterwards I felt so good. And I was able to calm down and just enjoy my family. We ate nachos and watched a movie. It was absolutely perfect. The peach that comes after a breakdown is so refreshing.

Day 75 - Friday

It's Friday. That's all.

Day 74 - The Gym

Tonight I went with Rhea to the new YMCA in Silverdale. I haven't been to a gym in probably 7 years. That doesn't mean I haven't been exercising... I've just been running outside or on my treadmill, or doing other exercises in the last few years. Getting back to the gym was so fun. I miss being around all the active people, the buzz of all that energy, and so many different, fun options for exercise!!! It doesn't make geographical sense for us to belong to a gym. From Indianola, any gym is at least 15 minutes. I can be done working out in the 30 round trip travel minutes it would take getting to and from the gym. So for now, I'll visit occasionally... and enjoy the newness of it all again!

Day 73 - Help

We needed to take a trip to Walmart tonight. When I got home, neighbor Kierston (8) was playing with Paul and Olivia. I knew all 3 would be disappointed if I took Paul and Olivia away to the store. So I invited Kierston to go with us. I was a little worried about the added stress I would be taking on to bring 4 kids to the store rather than 3, but I was so pleasantly surprised to learn that 8 year olds are awesome little helpers at the store!! Kierston pushed the cart while playing red light/green light around the store. I had will in the front pack and we just trudged around collecting our things. It was so stress-free and fun!! I may invite Kierston to go with us every time!

Day 72 - Limits

Last night bedtime was awful. Both big kids ended it with screaming tantrums, staggered 30 minutes a part. What a mess. Tonight, Matt's in Rhode Island and I couldn't handle a repeat of last night on my own. So we (Paul, Olivia, and I) set the expectation early and set a limit on how much I would put up with. This (so far) seemed to work very well. I gave a 3 strike rule. After 2 timeouts, the 3rd would land you in bed for the night. Paul used his first 2 within 10 minutes, but then he seemed to grasp the concept and straightened up. I'm hopeful tonight's bedtime will be a happy one. Sometimes limits are a great thing. Fingers crossed.

Day 71 - Waiting

I had a phone interview for a new job. It went well, I think... But it's the first time in my life that I've applied for a job and not been offered it at the end of the interview. I realize I'm spoiled in that way, and also had some very good help in getting several of my jobs. But still, this waiting is killing me!! I don't even know if I want to take this job, but I want them to want me!! Also, we put a very low ball offer in on a house that we're pretty sure is nearing foreclosure. It's a super long shot, but if we get it, it will be a great deal... So we wait again.

Day 70 - Anniversary

My parents came down after celebrating Henry's birthday to stay with POW for the night so Matt and I could celebrate our 7th anniversary (which was actually the next day). We didn't go crazy, but we did get to spend the night away. In Silverdale. It was so nice to spend time doing whatever we wanted to do. I still wasn't feeling great, so we didn't do much, but it didn't matter. We had the freedom to decide. Including the freedom to sleep all night!!!

Day 69 - Birthdays!

We made a trip to Bellingham for Henry's 3rd birthday party. Matt and I were sick and tired, but it was so worth it for some more cousin play time and birthday fun! I also love to remember to appreciate that we now live close enough to make day trips to see our family. It warms my heart.

Day 68 - Stockings

I've been working on Christmas stockings for the past year. Today I finished my 5th one. Now everyone in my wonderful little family has a Christmas stocking of their very own. I'm a little proud.

Day 67 - Girlfriends

The first (hopefully) in a series of nights out with some ladies. In an effort to lock down some more lady friends I set up a monthly ladies night. Tonight was the first one. I was totally sick, but I went anyways. No way was I giving up a chance for some regular socializing. We had fun. And I lost my voice. Totally worth it.

Day 66 - Bottles

Will is eating more bottles these days. The part that really makes me happy is that he seems perfectly happy to do so. We had a bit of a fight in the beginning, but now that we're almost exclusively on bottles, it makes me so happy to see him happily chug some formula.

Day 65 - Election Coverage

This was my joy today for slightly different, less mature reasons. Matt was sick in bed, so after I put the kids to bed (and was puked on by one of them, but we won't name names) I headed to the basement to see what was going on with this Presidential race I've had to hear so much about in the past few months. Lara was down there watching the coverage. I really like watching TV I care about a little bit, but not a lot, with a friend. That way, we can analyze, chit chat, and make fun of stupid people or funny looking things on TV. We laughed a lot. And it was great to hear about American politics from an outside perspective. Ironically, actually sadly, Lara knows a lot more about our political system than I do. In her highschool English class, they studied Presidential speeches. Can you believe that? Hey America... take a hint from the Germans!! We didn't even study that in our American English classes. I can guarantee you that most American high school students (and adults) don't really understand what most of these speeches are about. Wow, that was a rant. Really I was just happy to make fun of the things we were seeing on TV.

Day 64 - Poop in the Pool

This may seem like a weird place to find joy. But when you laugh that much there’s got to be some joy involved. We were just winding down at the waterpark and thinking about heading home. Matt, Paul, and I met back up with the group after a few big boy slides. When we walked up, Lara shouted, “Lisa, Olivia pooped!!” Come to find out, she actually pooped while playing in the kiddie pool. They evacuated the pool for cleaning while I rushed Olivia off to the bathroom to get rid of the evidence. We had to walk right by the pool to get to the bathroom and I was avoiding stares from the parents of other toddlers who were now screaming because they couldn’t play in the pool. We got all cleaned up and decided our time at Great Wolf was done. We made our graceful exit and I even warned another parent that *somebody’s* kid pooped in the pool. At that, we laughed some more. It’s the little things in life.

Day 63 - Water Park

We went to Great Wolf Lodge for Grandma Dawn’s 60th birthday celebration (her idea). This place was crazy!! So many people, so many slides, so much to do!!! It took us all a bit to get acclimated and comfortable, but soon we found our groove. We played in the wave pool, played in the kiddie pool, slid on some adult slides, and just had fun. Our kiddos were a little young to do everything, but what they could do, was really really fun. And I got to spend about 30 minutes with sweet baby Will asleep on my chest. Heaven.

Day 62 - Cousins

I love that these kiddos are all in the same age group. They are going to have so much fun growing up and I really love to see their relationships develop as they get older.

Day 61 - Crazy Fun

We went out tonight for Grandma Dawn's birthday. It was rad. Lara watched the kids. We had a delicious dinner, followed by dancing and gambling at the casino. So much fun. See...

Day 60 - Teeth

When I got home from work today Lara was more excited than I've ever seen. She was holding Will and visibly thrilled. I asked what she was so excited about and she squeeled, "WILL HAS A TOOTH!!!" It's very fun that Will has his first tooth, but totally awesome how excited Lara was.

Day 59 - Roots

In my adult life I have relocated 3 times. First to Vancouver for 3 years, then to Virginia for 5 years, and now we're 2 years into our Indianola lives. This is our final stop. We love Indianola for so many reasons and I finally feel home. Making friends in a new place as an adult is difficult. People are busy, they generally already have a set group of friends and don't need to add more, and finding people with similar values/hobbies/etc. doesn't always happen right away. I've been working on establishing our roots in Indianola and building our friend network. Sometimes I get frustrated and feel like I’m not really getting anywhere. Well, tonight was the opposite of that. We went to the Kid's Halloween Party at the Clubhouse and between neighbors, friends we've made along the way, and Paul's preschool class, we knew most of the people at the party. It was so great and fun and it feels so good to know we're really getting established in our home. Oh- and it was Halloween and these little munchkins are adorable!

Day 58 - My Perfectionist Husband

My perfectionist husband:  You can't ask Matt to do a project "real quick".  He needs to think it through, lay out a plan, and execute the plan precisely.  Tonights task was carving 3 pumpkins.  We're a match made in heaven.  I only like to scoop the guts and bake the seeds.  Matt only likes to carve.  Perfect.  I scooped the 3 pumpkins and Matt got to carving.  I went upstairs to put the baby down and came back to the beginning of Matt's masterpiece.  I rolled my eyes.  2.75 hours later we had a final product.  And WOW!! What a pumpkin.  Nice work Matt.  I am remembering to appreciate you for your special traits and skills.  Planning, project execution, and perfection.  Well done.

Day 57 - The Running Room

Well, the house didn't pan out... but it was fun looking at it.  ONLY because my little babies are so funny in big empty houses.  They love to look around and explore.  They dubbed the living room the Running Room.  Round and around they went.  It's so fun to watch them.

Day 56 - Future

Matt and I plan to someday (hopefully soon) become home owners again.  We've been waiting and watching the market.  Waiting and watching.  Today a new house popped up that fits lots of our categories.  We took a walk and peaked in the windows and walked around the property. It's so exciting to wonder and dream and speculate.

Day 55 - FREEDOM!!!

I got a little antsy today and needed some grown-up socializing.  Matt and I planned to go to a party at the

Clubhouse, but when it got cancelled so did our plans.  So instead, I headed out to the city! ALONE!!!!  Matt was so kind to offer to watch all 3 kids for the afternoon and DURING COUGAR FOOTBALL!!!  I was able to enjoy a ferry ride, some time in the city with Amanda, and lots of silly girl talk.  It was so great to be out and about on a normal day like this.  Left to my own devices.  With so many responsibilities these days I really REALLY appreciate times like this when I am nearly responsibility free.

Day 54 - Sometimes I know stuff

So far in my career I've made 3 dramatic changes that continually lands me at the bottom of the totum pole.  I usually get up to speed fairly quickly and that's the fun part.  I like learning new things.  It's not fun to continually be the rookie, but I do enjoy learning new things.  This job is a little challenging because it's not like anything I learned in school or any of the work I've done.  The work talk is like a foreign language.  Today I had a meeting to attend and I was the point on the project.  I brought back-up because I was nervous talking to these guys about the scope.  Well, turns out I didn't need the help.  They asked questions, I knew the answers, I provided more info, it looked like my info was sufficient, and I was adequately prepared.  It was such a relief to realize that I'm at a level where I can *maybe* start to hold my own.  Even if it is just catching back up with the rest of my peers. Somewhere, someday, my wide range of experience will prove invaluable.

Day 53 - A Package from Grandma

We got a package in the mail from Grandma Dawn tonight.  Paul and Olivia were so excited to see what was inside.  She packed a box full of Halloween fun and the kids loved it.  Silly straws, fun flashlights, treats, and stickers.  It was really fun to see them so excited.

Day 52 - Down Time

Tonight I was getting the kids in bed and had this tense feeling all over my body.  I needed a little downtime.  It would have been a good night for an early bedtime and to catch up on some sleep, but I needed some awake Lisa time.  I grabbed my current knitting project (Will's Christmas stocking) and headed to the tv.  I watched one of MY shows.  I haven't seen one of my shows since I was on maternity leave.  It was great.  I knitted and watched a funny and emotion evoking show that Matt would hate.  I felt the tensing throughout my body melt away.  It was a very refreshing feeling.  It may have been a better idea to get the extra sleep, but my mental state was much improved by having a little zombie time.  Oh, and I had some chocolate milk. :)

Day 51 - Peace

Last night was.... challenging.  There were a few sibling assaults that horrified me.  Then there was bedtime... but enough about the bad.  On to the good!!

A night like last night REALLY helps me appreciate nights like tonight.  My babies weren't spectacular, but they were good.  We had no time outs and almost made it through the night fit-free (the fits we had lasted only seconds).  We played a bit, had a nice dinner, giggled some, had baths, watched a show while I got myself ready for the next day, and had a pretty good bedtime.  After last night I really started to wonder what I was doing wrong, but tonight, everything went just right and I was able to FULLY appreciate it.

Day 50 - New Opportunities

Today I went to learn more about a new job opportunity.  I've been working at the shipyard in Bremerton for 1.5 years and it is so depressing.  The morale, the surrounding, the work... so today was a refreshingly new opportunity!  The job is at Bangor and the work is very similar to what I do now.  But the change of scenery is very nice.  The water is cleaner, the location is safer, and it's closer to home.  It may not be the perfect job, but it's just a bit better in all sorts of ways.  The idea of a change of scene is very exciting!!

Day 49 - Pumpkin Patch!

I love fall and all the fun things that go along with it.  We took the kids to the pumpkin patch today to pick out our pumpkins, play at the farm, and have a little chilly fun!  Being a parent makes silly things like this SO much fun.  I appreciate the new way I can appreciate at things because of the way they enjoy them.

Day 48 - Girl time

I needed to go to Costco for a BIG shopping trip.  Lara wanted to go check out Costco.  We had fun shopping and laughing and hunting down all our stuff.  It was really nice to have someone to be silly with and who loved being at Costco as much as me.

Day 47 - Somebody else is cooking!

Tonight Mike came into town for the weekend and Les and Kathy came over too.  What was even better was they all cooked dinner at my house!!  We had a nice evening with wine and conversation and kids.  And it was so nice to have a break too!

Day 46 - Crock Pot

Yup.  Today I am just going to appreciate my crock pot... And maybe my food processor too.  These handy kitchen appliances make my job easy.  Lara put some meat in the crock pot in the morning, and it's ready to go that afternoon.  I needed several cups of shredded cheese and my food processor did the job in about 30 seconds.  Sometimes it's the little things that make life easier, and happier. I love my kitchen tools.

Day 44 - Deutsch Nacht

I've been planning our weekly meals in an effort to not completely freak out 4-5 nights of the week about how/what to feed our family.  This week we added a theme night to our rotation.  We will have one night a week when we eat a meal that is one of Lara's favorites or hales from Germany.  I wasn't intending to make her help me cook, but tonight we had our first Deutsch Nacht and she was there with me in the kitchen!!  We also took the opportunity to practice my German skills.  It was so much fun having a friend to cook with and laugh at my lame (but improving) German!!  And dinner was delicious too!

Day 43 - The Breeze

Indianola has a local newspaper that comes out monthly.  It includes information about the community, events, and tidbits about happenings around town.  We occasionally send in family updates like birthday, Lara's arrival, etc.  I hadn't read this month's Breeze yet, so I took it to bed with me.  I read it and read specific sections to Matt that I thought he might be interested in.  I love that we live in a place where this exists and it was so fun and homey feeling reading it with Matt.

Day 42 - Dance Party

We put Will in the walker for the first time tonight.  He LOVED it, as all our kids have.  We turned on some music and then silly things started to happen. 

Will started to wiggle a little and it looked like a little dance.  Then I jumped in and started shaking it.  Paul was skeptical.  Olivia wasted no time, she loves to dance.  Then Matt was dancing.  And pretty soon Paul decided it was cool to dance too.  There we were, 5 Fitches dancing in the kitchen.  So fun.

Day 41 - Day Date!

Matt and I went to breakfast today.  All by ourselves.  Lara watched the kiddos.  It was spectacular.  We've been getting out and doing more and more of these 'normal' things and I can really tell it's making a difference.  We are having so much fun just doing whatever sounds good at the time and reconnecting, hanging out like we used to.  It's good for our family and good for our spirits. 

It doesn't hurt that the eggs benedict was outstanding (made with pesto cream instead of hollandaise ~ can you even really call it benedict ~ I don't care.) and the Irish Coffees were delightful. 

Then we went exploring Bainbridge and even went on a little walk through the woods.  Sometimes the simplest things can be the most fun.

Day 40 - Our New Normal

Life is so incredibly different now that we are a family with small children.  Today was a wonderfully normal day that was busy with play and sugar and fun.  We went to a play gym with friends Lauren and Natalie.  Then we stopped home for a quick lunch.  After that Olivia and Will headed to nap time and Paul and I headed to a birthday party of one of the kids in his class.  Matt got a birthday celebration day that included many, many hours of college football watching, with a bit of childcare sprinkled in.  It's rainy and cold outside, but this busy schedule and just some time hanging around the house gives me a very warm and cozy feeling.

Day 39 - Forgiveness

Sometimes Matt and I disagree... Sometimes we're not very nice about it.  Sometimes I spend SO much energy hanging on to my anger...

But then sometimes, just the right combination of thoughts/feelings/ideas turns my heart and I'm able to open back up to the idea that everything maybe isn't as awful and dramatic as I've made it out to be...

It's so much more fun to be happy and nice.

Day 38 - This Face

Day 37 - Dancing Queen

I'm a closet ABBA fan.  Today I got caught.  One of my friendly co-workers asked if I like ABBA because there's a local musical featuring ABBA (which I'm now plotting a trip to).  I blushed intensely and admitted that I was a closet ABBA fan.  Then another co-worker played "Dancing Queen"... my kryptonite.  I can't hear that song without spinning in circles, arms raised, embracing the music.  For 3 minutes I laughed so hard I cried, all the while trying to control my urge to dance, giving in a few times.  And this happened at work.  I wondered if any of my joy would come from this place and there it is... thanks to ABBA.  

Day 36 - Patience

Tonight I made a decision to enjoy bedtime.  I approached it with a much calmer outlook and methods.  We took our time and I let my babies take responsibility for themselves and be active bedtime participants.  It really paid off.  We had a mellow, sweet, enjoyable bedtime.  I even read a long story. 

Day 35 - Coming Home

Vacations are great, but there's something very relaxing about coming home...

Day 34 - Toes in the Sand

We had lots of fun today.  But I always love walking on a sandy beach.

Day 33 - Perfect Day

We set out for our mini-vacation to the beach today.  I love it when a plan comes together.  We had such a great day!!  Lara brought her friend Lisa, and she was a delight.  We stopped for a picnic at Lake Crescent and it was easy, delicious, and perfectly broke up our drive with some beautiful scenery.  Then we got to our fantastic littl beach cabin and everything was great.  Matt got to hear the Coug game on the radio.  We took a short walk to the ocean.  Nobody got eaten by bears.  Dinner turned out great.  We watched the sunset.  We had a fire complete with smores. Bedtime for all 3 kids was a cinch (even with P and O sharing a bed. Then we taught our German friends to play cribbage.  I just couldn't believe how perfect it all went.  There was joy all day long!!!

Day 32 - anticipation

We are going on a mini family vacation tomorrow. I am so excited to head back to the ocean. All the prep work that goes into these trips is totally worth it. Sometimes the anticipation of the fun is almost as much fun!

Day 31 - please sleep sweet baby

Will is the absolute best baby in every single way... Except one. This little cutie will fall asleep in his crib easily at bed time and even naptime. No rocking, bouncing, shushing. He just gets it done. But the in the middle of the night, and frequently, he wakes up and won't go back to sleep without a visit from mommy. I'm exhausted. Cranky. Dumb. And living in a very thick fog. We have to fix this for everybody's sake.

So tonight when sweet Will woke up 2.25 hours after bedtime I refused. I told Matt Will needed to learn to go back to sleep. We went through this with both kids and I know you have to be desperate to listen to your baby cry, but its necessary.

I was thrilled when he got himself back to sleep after 25 minutes!! 15 were cranky complaining and 10 were full on screaming. But he did it. And I can see the light!!

Day 30 - Relaxing

There has been so much to do lately and so little free time (and sleep). Today Matt came home from work sick and didn't feel well enough to go to Les and Kathy's for dinner. I considered dropping the big kids off so I could have some free time getting things done, but didn't want to be rude and it had been a long time since we went to dinner at L & K's.

So we went. Me and the big kids. And we had such a good time. They love to play at grandma and grandpa's. I suddenly realized how relaxing it could be to sit and chat with a glass of wine, no chores, and somebody else making dinner!

Day 29 - Drive

Tonight I was driving home in my zippy little car and realized I was really enjoying myself. I love little fast cars and it was nice to slow down (my mind) and just enjoy the ride.

Day 28 - Sleep

After a huge weekend of fun, and with a mid-morning doctor's appointment for the babies, I decided to stay in bed this morning rather than push myself out WAY too early.  I got some work done later in the day and stayed extra long... but that few extra hours in my bed was true joy this morning.

Day 27 - Anniversary Surprise

Today we threw a surprise anniversary party for Les and Kathy.  It was SO much fun and they had no idea.  40 years is a really long time.  What an inspiration they are.  Love.

Day 26 - Girl's Night

We had tickets to the Seattle Coug game tonight.  Unfortunately the one who REALLY wanted to go, Matt, got too sick on Saturday for a big night out... So I headed off with Mike and Shannon to the game.  I met Amanda there and what it turned into was one of the best girl's nights I've had in a long time.  We ran around making friends and being ridiculous all night.  So much fun being silly every once in a while.

Day 25 - Little friends

Our little neighbor Kierston is 8 and she is fantastic.  She loves to play with Paul and Olivia.  Takes good care of them and even helps them remember to play nice.  The kids went and played at Kierston's house tonight and then she came and played at our house.  It's so cool to see them making friends!!

Day 24 - Love my babies!!

Just look at them! So cute. Such joy!

Day 23 - Reading

Tonight my big babies sat with me for 30 minutes reading books. They were both attentive, polite, and quiet. This was a most relaxing way to unwind from the day.

Day 22 - Sweet O

Olivia is a little lady full of personality. I'm amazed how many sides there are packed in that teeny tiny adorable body. Tonight we had dinner late because of Paul's swim lessons. Olivia ate her dinner (barely) and it was looking like a naughty night with a bedtime battle up ahead. Then she turned to me so calmly and said "Ready for bed."

I did not need to be told twice. I scooped her up and carried her to bed. She was so sweet and cuddly and good too! We brushed teeth without any drama. She got her pjs on with a little help and a little on her own. Then we read a story and said goodnight. It was so nice to have this special time with my little lady and get a few minutes with her sweet side.

Day 21 - Play day

Today is the first day I get to enjoy my day off in my new work schedule.  I work eight 9 hour days and one 8 hour day in a 2 week work period.  This means I get one day off per pay period.  I love this.  It means a full day to play with my babies.  I could use it to get chores done, run errands, or do somthing fun with my babies.  I love the flexibility and I really love another day with my favorite little people in the world.  Today we went to the zoo.  It was so much fun exploring the beautiful park and wild animals with them and grandma Dawn too.  I can't wait for my next play day with my babies.

Day 20 - Canning!

Amanda and I tried out a new hobby today. It was scary and exciting and fun!! And when we were done we had these beautiful jars to show for our hard work.

Day 19 - birthdays!

I love birthdays and all the fun that comes with them.

Day 18 - Family

My parents came to town for Paul's birthday. It's always so much fun when they visit.

Day 17 - Order

Tonight we settled into a bit of a routine and it felt so nice. We didn't try to do anything too crazy and we just focused on getting dinner done and getting kids to bed. There were bumps, but they were normal and manageable. There was chaos but it was brief. For a few hours it almost felt like I had regained control of our lives. That is very satisfying. In fact, I find being in control joyful.

Day 16 - Communication

I'm having trouble pinpointing my joy today.  It wasn't a bad day by any means, but there's not a moment that I felt that joy feeling fill my heart.  We're all a little overwhelmed these days; me, Lara, the big kids, the baby, matt... I can tell we're all feeling a little stressed as we transition and find our new rhythm.  I understand that a lot of this results my stress/tension levels.  All these wonderful beings feed off my energy and if I'm not careful this can be a bad thing. 

Chaos is the current state of our house every afternoon.  For example...Paul is so excited when I get home from work and doesn't have a good outlet for his energy so it turns negative and usually towards his sister.  I need a minute when I get home to put my stuff down, change clothes, breathe.  Lara needs to download her day to me and talk about things she might need help on.  Will needs a hug and usually wants to eat.  Olivia is busy playing and then immediately wants a snack.  Matt is calling because he's going to be home late.  And somehow, I'm supposed to make a delicious and healthy meal for us all to enjoy. 

So today I spent some dedicated time talking through some of the reasons we're currently in a state of chaos in our house.

Lara and I talked about a plan to help the kids stay calm and adapt when I get home.

Paul and I talked about having special time when I get home every day.

Matt let me download at the end of the night and try to make sense of it all. 

So it wasn't a distinct moment of joy, but it is a joy to have people in my life to talk to and work with.  And I know that together we will figure out how to make this work and make the chaos into fun and love.

KEEP CALM... CARRY ON.

Day 15 - Paul Fitch, friend to all

Paul's first day at his new preschool was today. These new places and experiences don't phase him. He heads in confident and excited for new adventures. He makes me so proud.

Only one girl in his class was having trouble saying goodbye to mama. I didn't see how it went because Paul was all settled and I headed out.

When Paul got home from school he was excited to tell me all about his day. In particular he told me about sitting next to Abigail at snack. And that he and Abigail were the only kids to play in the treehouse. Then he told me Abigail did all the things he did today because he was making friends.

Abigail was also the little girl who was stuck like glue to her mommy. I asked Paul if Abigail did all the things with Paul because she was sad. He told me yes, she was sad in the beginning but then she had fun with Paul.

Now, I like to think that Paul was a hero today and saw a sad girl who needed a friend. Or maybe the teacher paired Paul up with Abigail because he was doing well adjusting and she needed a little help. Or maybe she was fine and just happened to play with Paul a lot.

Whatever the reason, I am so proud of my little man with a big heart. I know that Abigail had a better day and I'm glad Paul got to make a new friend.

Day 14 - Favorite Things

Tonight at dinner we played a game I hope to turn into a tradition: "what was your favorite part of the day?". Everybody at the table takes a turn talking about what they liked most about their day. I love that my little family is turning into a little group of sharing and communicating people. It's so fun to hear their ideas and share with them!

Day 13 - I Quit!

Over maternity leave I got a little crazy and decided that it would be a good idea to take on just a little bit more responsibility.  I volunteered to manage the clubhouse rentals for IBIC.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  Didn't seem like much work and seemed like a good way to get involved in the community.  Well...  turns out it was a LOT of work and turns out I had ZERO spare time between working full time and having 3 little babies at home. 

So I quit.  I hate quitting things.  You honor your commitment, that's how I was raised.  But there's a point where it becomes necessary to protect yourself and your family.  So I arranged for someone to take my place as clubhouse manager, passed on the information I had, and walked away. 

The relief and weight lifted from my shoulders felt SOOOOO good. Feeling in control of my life again brought a lot of joy.  

Day 12 - Fancy

This morning I treated myself to a homemade pumpkin spice latte.  It was fantastic.  I had a pumpkin spice via and I figured out how to steam my own milk.  Then I forced myself to sit and enjoy it and my babies while they had breakfast.  What a treat!!

Day 11 - 'Adorable and Totally Hardcore"

Olivia started her very first day of preschool today.  This is how a friend described the picture I posted of her on facebook.  This is the perfect description for my little girl.  I was concerned that she would cry or not want me to leave, but as soon as we got there and she saw all the fun potential she had a "Let me at it! Let me at it!" attitude.  She's totally adorable and totally hardcore.  And I underestimated her.  For some reason, I still see her as my little baby girl, but now I'm reminded to see her as the big girl she's growing into and that comes with a lot of joy.

Day 10 - New things

I love little babies, and I don't want Will to grow too fast... but we're entering my favorite phase.  The phase where he can use the upright toys: the bouncer, bumbo, and high chair.  I just love it when you can put a very entertained baby in one space and they don't move.  JOY!

Day 9 - Partners

Tonight I was in the red zone. I had to take a little time out to calm down and the deep breaths helped. I realized that I've been in this dangerous place this week with too much on my plate and not enough sleep. By the time I get home from work I have tons to do, little time to do it, and zero patience left for my sweet babies that I miss all day.

So tonight I asked for help. I told Matt that I'm in a scary spot and we tried to talk solutions, but none seemed realistic or doable. So, he did exactly what I needed. He sent me to bed.
Having a partner to lean on through these wonderfully chaotic years is so valuable and such a gift. I feel so much joy when I can see through all the madness and realize that this is what will help us last through the years as a strong and loving family.

Day 8 - New friends

Tonight was parent orientation for Paul's new preschool. Indianola preschool. The teacher had all sorts of get to know your neighbor games... For the parents. This was really intense and a little over the top cheesy, but deep down I really liked it.

The teacher told stories of past preschoolers who remained friends through high school or got married. I realized that in our small community the likelihood of knowing these kids and Paul becoming lifelong friends with them is pretty high. I had fun laughing with other parents and the thought of what the future might hold comes with lots of joy.

Day 7 - Endorphines!

Tonight was rough. After getting up at 4 am, working 9 hours, commuting 2 hours, solo grocery shopping with 3 kids, dinner prep, and 3- no-4 separate bedtimes, I was cranky. There were some glimpses of joy but I wanted more.

So I headed out at 8:15 after everyone went to bed to run some hills. It was dark and we live in the woods. Talk about heeby geebies. I heard noises in the trees, ran through spiderwebs, even confronted a real live dog.

But i did it. My lungs burn and I'm wide awake when I should be sleeping, but I feel fantastic! I'm proud of myself, I'm de-stressed, I got my alone time, and I'm ready for a new day!!!

Endorphines = JOY

(this is what it looked like when I got home)

Day 6 - Paul Fitch can swim!

These pictures say it all. This kid loves the water and it was so fun watching him play and do flips with daddy. My joy today comes from watching these little people learn new and amazing things.

 

Day 5 - Too much good stuff

Picking my joy for today is very tricky because there's just been so much joy and fun in our day; tailgating, Cougar football, showing Lara around the WSU campus, visiting Sloan, eating Sella's... and the day's not even done yet!

So I'll go back to where all this fun began: waking up to see the dawn. I LOVE to see the world just before dawn. It's so quiet and the sky is so pretty. Everything is so peaceful. I don't much like waking up early, but this time of day is full of joy...

Day 4 - Bear hugs

I love cuddling with my babies. Tonight Paul gave me one of those great big wrap your arms around hugs without prompting. This is the sweet spot; he's old enough to be able to give me a real hug and young enough to still want to. Joy.

Day 3 - Summer Fun

This summer I was very fortunate to get to spend many wonderful sunny days playing with my babies.  I felt bad that Matt had to miss out on this fun.  This weekend we are all travelling to Wenatchee and Matt, Lara, and I will continue to Pullman for some football.  I needed to work a full week, so I sent Matt out early with the big babies to enjoy some summer fun in Wenatchee.  I'm happy he gets this little break and special time with his babies.  I'm happy they'll get to enjoy some extra fun with Daddy.  This text brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart when they arrived in Wenatchee this afternoon:

"Made it.  Suits on.  Pool bound!"

 

 

Day 2 - Happy Babies!

Now that I'm back at work I miss my babies a lot.  And I worry about them a little.  I wonder what they're doing all day, if they're being good, and if they're happy.  Today I was thinking on my drive home where I'd find my joy or if I'd already found my joy. 

When I got home the JOY was so obvious I think I would have seen it without even looking for it!  Matt and I got home at the same time and walked into a silent house.  We listened and looked but didn't hear any babies or Lara.  I walked out to the back deck and heard some talking in the backyard.  When I looked down in the grass I saw Lara reading a book with Paul and Olivia in her lap and Will playing happily nearby. 

This sight filled me with JOY instantly.  My babies are more than happy and healthy, they are loved and enriched and I am SO grateful to have Lara here and part of our family for this year.  She is way more than I could have ever hoped for.

Day 1 - Fall beach night!

Today was my first day back to work. I was not too thrilled about missing my babies, the sunshine, and instead spending my hours inside. BUT to the rescue: Matt called on the way home from work with a genius idea: beach trip! This totally saved the day as we loaded up the golf cart and got to enjoy an extra day of sunshine and the beach as the days get cooler and shorter. What a treat!!

JOY

A friend on Facebook reminded me that attitude is all about perspective.  She used Facebook to post 365 days of love.  I really enjoyed watching her year through her posts and pictures and enjoyed the little things she loved every day, even the bad days.  We now have 3 babies, an Au Pair from Germany, and a lot of wonderful chaos in our lives.  It's easy to get bogged down and focus on the negative.  But these little people are just so precious and wonderful and we really have SO much to be thankful for in life. 

So I decided to start my own little project.

Joy.  I really like the idea of joy.  Just saying the word fills my heart with happiness.  To me it encompasses love and happiness and that feeling that your heart just might pop from all the good things going on. 

Joy is defined as:

The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.

I want to find a little joy in every day.  I want to take great delight in watching my little babies grow into kids.  I want to retrain my focus to all the wonderful things that are happening in our world. 

My mission: Create a daily blog with the sole purpose of recognizing the joy in my life. Here we go...