In Stitches

Tuesday evening started off like any other. Jim had been working in Perham for the last week, and after a week of flying solo we needed to burn some steam. Josiah grabbed his bike, I grabbed Cooper, and we headed out for a walk/bike ride with the neighbors. Fresh air and getting to move did wonders for all of us. After a late supper we started getting ourselves ready to snuggle in bed and wind down. Being totally exhausted from having Jim working out of town for the last week and a half and following my usual routine of getting myself to bed around midnight, I decided when I got Josiah ready for bed around 8:30 that I would also hit the sack. 

I should have known what was coming. While I got myself ready for bed he bounced around my room dancing like a maniac to Elmo's ABC songs. Just as I was finishing up came the dreaded "crack," immediately followed by the telltale wail. I turned to see him picking himself up off Cooper's dog bed (next to the rail of our bed), and as I got there (a whole 10 feet away) a nice thick trail of blood ran right down his cheek. Oh lovely! We quickly headed for the bathroom, cleaned the blood, and discovered a nice 1/2" long cut above his eye. Yessss! Jim's current trip had already yielded 3 bloody noses (ask me about that one someday), and now I was pretty sure that list was going to include stitches as well. After confirming with my personal nurse (LOVE having a good friend across the street in the medical world), I threw on enough clothes to hide my pjs, chucked the ipad in my purse (aka: the greatest distraction ever invented), and headed out the door. I was not excited about this trip, and Jim of course wasn't answering his phone. First emergency room trip as a parent and I was totally running solo. Yesss, again! We checked in and sat down to wait with the other 20+ people. Fortunately we found ourselves seated next to a family with a 4-yr old boy, and Josiah quickly found a friend (thank you, Lord, for that distraction!). 

Jim called a few minutes later to tell me he had just finished working for the day (13+ hours), and since he'd worked late he was....SUPRISE! on his way home now instead of coming Wednesday. I'm pretty sure that at that moment I felt the clouds part and heaven shining down around me. Thank you Lord for arranging that, and thank you Jim for working so hard! Finally at 10:15 we were admitted into the ER, and one of the nurses applied an antiseptic to the cut to numb it and help stop the bleeding. Then we began our second phase of waiting. Here he is with the glop on his face...he looks SO old in this picture!

We counted everything in the room that we could and chatted about the million questions Josiah had about all the equipment and people around. He was so brave, even though he was clearly nervous. He even asked the physician how many stitches he was going to have. We passed away the time chatting and playing a few games on my phone, and Jim finally arrived with minutes to spare. Josiah wasn't bothered by the cloth the doctor draped over his face to shield his view, but when the first stitch went in the change was instant. We went from totally calm and relaxed to crying hysterically, even though he still managed to keep himself pretty still. Thank goodness Jim was there so that there were two of us to comfort and distract. We ended up with just 3 stitches. It was a clean, straight cut, and the doctor worked quickly. Here's the latest battle scar:

5 minutes later he was up and holding onto dad's neck to relax (Mom always gets trumped after Dad's been gone awhile). Another 5 minutes and a little of Jim's humor and he was smiling away. 

One of the nurses came to tell him that an ambulance was there, and she offered to let him go see it. He jumped on that opportunity and off they went! He came back with an even bigger grin and an adorable teddy bear wearing a yellow rain coat and hat. Apparently the ambulances get all the good toys. :) Here he is!!!

We finally made it home at 12:30, totally exhausted, but also a little giddy since we had Jim back. After getting unloaded and having a snack we all made it to bed shortly after 1:00. Wish I could have slept in with my boys...6:15 came fast this morning!!!

Lake Belle Taine, August 2012

Oh, how we love the lake! Three years ago when our beloved Sunset Lodge on Potato Lake was sold to developers we weren't quite sure how'd we'd ever replace it, but my parents have definitely found us a new sweet spot. The greatest thing about them having a cabin is definitely being able to visit throughout the year, and not just one week each summer. I know we all feel instantly relaxed when we arrive, walk through to the porch, and savor that first deep breath as we take in the lake.

Last week was no exception to this. The weather was cooler, so we didn't live in the lake like we did over the 4th of July. Instead, we spent a lot of time at the golf course, fishing, or playing games. Since my entire family was there, we had non-stop entertainment from Josiah, Zoe, and Claire. It's so much fun to see how the three of them already love to be around one another, even though they're so young.

Highlights of the week for our family:

• having my whole family there, and especially getting to love on our nieces Zoe & Claire
• family range session at Headwaters (yes, I golfed too!)
• using our new goggles to dive for golf balls in the middle of the lake (ok, so I floated out on my floatie while Jim dove, but someone had to supervise Josiah out there!)
• breakfast at the Great Northern with just the mommies and kidlets while the daddies golfed
• having my grandparents and aunt and uncle from Burnsville join us for a few days
• multiple coffees at Bella Cafe
• celebrating Zoe's 2nd birthday
• flea market excursion, which produced a bag of marbles, Ziggy the Zebra beanie baby, & 3 painted rocks (2 penguins and 1 turtle)
• Josiah outfishing Jim 24 to 4 off the dock

Favorite quotes from Josiah:

• (As we're devouring breakfast at the Great Northern) "Mom, when you swallow your food does God get squished?" (We've been visiting a lot about how God lives inside us lately.)
• "When I grow up I'm going to be a police officer so I can help chase the mean guys. Yeah, and then I can get a sword, and poke 'em in the butt!" (Jim started calling people who do bad things "mean guys.")

Favorite pictures! Enjoy!!!

In front of our favorite breakfast place...if you haven't been there you NEED to go. Order the french toast!!! 

All 3 kids love books...what a surprise with 2 librarians and an elementary teacher in the fam!

Getting ready to spot for my brother as he attempts water skiing for the first time in several years. Got up on the first try too!

Eating Uncle Gary's stir fry on the porch. My two adorable boys!!!

Who needs to swim when you can fish!?

Surprisingly, we haven't eaten at Compeneros in Dorset yet this year, but we did stop for ice cream and a quick picture on the infamous burro on our way back home.

My favorite way to enjoy the lake! Best floatie ever!!!

What a stud!

Terrariums

The last thing I want to admit is that summer break is flying by and the beginning of another school year is rapidly approaching. Where, oh where, did the time go?! We have less than 3 weeks to go, and I'm determined to spend as much quality time with Josiah as I can. Today's activity = terrariums!!! Here's a peek...

Our supplies...

...start with big rocks on the bottom...

...then fill with cactus soil...

...add plants...

...and the rocks Mom and Dad handpicked on their honeymoon...

...and voila! Josiah's terrarium!

We can enjoy this together for many years to come (or until a ball knocks it off the shelf)!!!

Pinterest: Blogs & Blurbs

Oh, how I love Pinterest. It's saved my life...just kidding! Well, actually it has returned my enthusiasm for constantly finding new teaching ideas, solved many organizing dilemmas, introduced me to the world of blogging, provided many yummy recipes, and sparked many brilliant ideas. I refuse to feel guilty for spending a few minutes each day pinning when it's been such a great resource and SO much fun. It's also what prompted me to begin blogging and hatched my blurb plan.

Let me explain... I didn't really begin reading blogs until around Christmas of last year, and it didn't take me long to decide that I wanted in on the fun. Two blogs later, I'm hooked! Then a few weeks ago I pinned an idea for making family yearbooks through Blurb. At first I dismissed the idea since I've always used Shutterfly, but the more I considered it the more it makes sense. My former brilliant idea had been to just create Shutterfly books for all my kids individually, but making a family yearbook (and then ordering copies for everyone to take with them when they grow up, maybe...someday down the road) just makes so much more sense. The deciding factor, though, was the realization that I could incorporate blog posts into this book. Holy cow! Talk about making two hobbies suddenly go from being exclusive to working hand in hand. Totally resonates with my resolution to simply my life this year and "work smarter, not harder."

I am definitely not a fabulous blogger, yet, but I've found that I do really enjoy it. It has the same therapeutic quality as journaling, even though your thoughts are being broadcast to the world. Still, I have neglected to write many times when I should have because I've felt guilty investing the time. Now, however, as I'm narrating the day-to-day I can use it to string each year together. Woohoo!!! I am just so excited to begin working, and I may even work my way backwards all the back back to our wedding. After all, if a scrapbook I began 9 years hasn't been finished yet, it probably won't ever be (yes, our wedding album...how embarrassing). Josiah's baby book and the journaling I attempted can be included, the unfinished Christmas scrapbooks can be included...so many fragmented projects can all be incorporated and finally finished! And the best part...new purpose for my blog!!! I will probably still post about some of the projects I'm working on, because that makes me excited too, but the main purpose will be to tell the story of our family. Which means...when I make each blurb book most of the journaling will be done already! If you've read my earlier posts, you already know that I'm great at starting and not finishing, and if you have ever scrapbooked you know that journaling is the final step. How awesome to not have to try to remember and detail events from months ago!

So...I know have to wrap up this post so that I can begin another which will, of course, go in our blurb book for 2012!!!!

Favorite Summer Pictures (so far)!!!

I would love nothing more than to sit down and do these pictures justice by creating separate posts and narrating each event, but...alas...it's 12:38 am. This is normally not a cause of alarm, however I've just realized that there are only 3 weeks remaining until school begins. Considering that I haven't gotten out of bed before 8:00 all summer presents a problem. So for now, here are just a few of our favorites. I'll tell the stories later!!!

A Sleepover...3 Year Old Style

Oh how I love watching my sweetheart grow and experience things I remember from childhood. Last night we had an impromptu sleepover with our neighbor, and they lived it up big time. Full bath with lots of splashing and a squirter (the ceiling was a little wet), wearing their matching pajamas, and squishing side by side on the bed with Jim to read Oh the Places you Go (Dr. Seuss is Jim and Josiah's favorite, besides Waldo)...then wrapping up the evening by giggling and whispering instead of going right to sleep. Listening to them from the next room made my heart smile. :)

So I am also, admittedly, on a mission to be one of Josiah's friends' favorite moms and known for cooking all things yummy, and I stayed up late to bake a special breakfast just for the boys. We have 5 lbs of "to die for" blueberries, and I found a super scrumptious recipe on Pinterest. Here it is! http://www.alexandracooks.com/2011/06/29/buttermilk-blueberry-breakfast-cake/ I stayed up until after 1:00 waiting for that puppy to finish baking! Not only that, but trying to double a new recipe that late at night usually takes me twice as long because I'm paranoid about doing everything correctly and doubling ALL the ingredients. AND this one required butter and eggs at room temperature, which I managed to NOT realize at the same time. Oops! Anyway, after staying up extra late neither of them ate more than two bites...turkeys!!! Oh well, more for me, right?

The sweetest part of the sleepover was this morning, when both kiddos came and snuggled with me in bed. How much longer until Josiah grows out of his snuggling phase? I'm afraid it can't be too much longer since he's already three and a half, so I'm going to cherish every minute until it's gone. Anyway...we spent the remainder of the morning playing T-ball in the backyard, retrieving golf balls out of the pool (using the golf ball retriever since it's a whole foot deep), jumping off a toy tote into the pool over and over...here's a few action shots!!!

Finishing!

If there was an award for starting the most projects I'd win hands down! If there was an award for not finishing the most projects, I'd win that too. I am notorious for having great ideas and starting them, but I am not a great finisher. Jim's classic example of this is the stack of books with bookmarks (all usually less than 1 cm worth of pages away from the front cover) sitting on the top of the shelf next to my bed. I also have at least 5 unfinished scrapbooks (at one point in my life I did actually work on these), and organizing projects either begun or hatching in my brain in every room in our house. AUGH! No wonder I make myself stressed and frustrated, and no wonder I always feel like I haven't accomplished anything at the end of the day when I haven't even sat down. Can anyone else relate?

My mission for the summer is to simply finish. Finish a book before I start another, go through the stacks of paper I've piled in the office and kitchen to file "later," finish the hosta bed in the back, finish staining the fence...you get the picture. I know that I will never be able to finish all the things I've started or begin to tackle all the other things I'm itching to start, but I have actually managed to finish a few things things I set out to do! If you read a few weeks ago, I DID finish cleaning out ALL my kitchen cupboards and install a shelving system in our garage. Woohoo!!! Current projects to finish: cleaning out clothes, filing and wrapping up paperwork in more places than I can count, clean out the bathroom cupboards, deadhead and prune in the yard, and finish reading Inheritance. Think I can do all that in a week and a half? Wish me luck!!!