tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71426418868666064802024-03-09T21:45:43.440-05:00 mommy in the midwest~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.comBlogger468125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-43590435679189963372014-07-31T21:48:00.000-04:002014-07-31T21:48:00.398-04:00Goodbye Blogger, Hello WordpressHi there and goodbye! <br />
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I've quit using my blogger site in lieu of a new and improved site, <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.com/">mommyinthemidwest.com</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.com/2014/07/making-a-change/" target="_blank">Here's why I quit Blogger</a>.<br />
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I hope you'll follow me on over to mommyinthemidwest.com and enjoy your experience there!<br />
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<br />~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-91988468593916255622014-07-25T12:00:00.000-04:002014-07-29T20:40:28.800-04:00Holiday World 2014<span style="text-align: center;">So as I mentioned in my <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/07/catch-moment-365-week-twenty-nine.html" target="_blank">CTM365 post</a>, we visited Holiday World & Splashin' Safari July 17-19. I had never heard of it before moving to Indiana and although </span>it's about a three hour drive, the park is promoted heavily at home on TV and radio. We had been wanting to go and had talked about it off and on for several years, so when another long-weekend trip we'd planned fell through, we quickly booked our mini-vacation to Holiday World and invited some friends to join us.<br />
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Anyway, Holiday World opened in 1946 and has grown into what it is today. Allegedly TIME Magazine rated The Voyage the <span style="text-align: center;">#1 Wooden Rollercoaster in the Nation* and in 2013 USA Today proclaimed Splashin' Safari to be the Best Water Park in the USA*. {</span><span style="text-align: center;">*</span><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.holidayworld.com/park-tickets/why-holiday-world/" target="_blank">SOURCE</a></span><span style="text-align: center;">}I haven't been on THAT many wooden coasters or to THAT many water parks, but I'd definitely hesitate to disagree with those claims. It. Was. Awesome. </span><span style="text-align: center;">We had a blast from the time we got Thursday morning until we pulled away Saturday morning. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Things that I want to brag on Holiday World for: </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">1. Free tea, gatorade, water, soda, and lemonade all day long. Plentiful. Oasis stations at every turn. Amazing. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">2. Free parking. All the time. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. While we didn't use theirs, they do offer free sunscreen stations in the water park. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">4. The water park and amusement park is all offered at one price. The sections are connected and you don't have to leave one to go to the other. It's all one big happy place. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">5. So clean. Immaculate. Lots of shade and just a pretty place to walk or take a look around. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">6. Tons of attractions for the little kids (at least ones that are 36" or taller) - from mild to wild.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. The food. We ate lunch and dinner in the park both days along with snacks and everything that we had was GOOD. Not just so-so but actually really good. And fairly priced. They miss so many chances to bleed their customers dry but they don't. It's a refreshing change from any other theme park I've been to. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">8. Everything. All the stuff. I just loved it and can't wait to go back. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">P.S. Am I getting paid for this mini "review" or was I given tickets? I wish. I just love it that much. On July 24th they announced the next addition to the park - their first steel coaster, the <a href="http://www.holidayworld2015.com/" target="_blank">Thunderbird</a>, new for 2015. Definitely ground-breaking and already has me looking forward to our next visit. I can't wait for Theo to get big enough to ride roller coasters -- he is already asking when he will be tall enough. My little adventurer.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Moving on from my new obsession -- how about some photos? I didn't take a lot and while it stings a little to know that I missed a lot of great photo opportunities, I'm okay with it because I really took advantage of living in the moment and making the most of our trip. I didn't take any photos at all around the water park but my friend was kind enough to share ones that she snapped on her phone with me. </span><br />
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Someone crashed out during the water park both days! </div>
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Karate-chopping those geysers!</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> Thanks, Erin, for the pictures!</span><br />
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Look at these little buddies riding the canoes. Big enough to ride without mom and dad. They really thought they were something -- splashing each other and breaking the rules by not keeping their hands inside the boat!</div>
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Just riding some rides:</div>
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The first place we ate in the parks (yum)...</div>
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not the first or last map study breakout session. </div>
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End of the first night. Gorgeous weather. We got so lucky. </div>
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Dex passed out at the water park Thursday night and I couldn't bring myself to wake him up just to change his clothes so this is how he hung out for about 2+ hours. </div>
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L snoozin' in the camper. </div>
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Obligatory Holiday World posed photos:</div>
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I just love looking through all these pictures. I know these are memories that we will always treasure and look back on so fondly. This post has gone on long enough so I'll shut it down but psst... in case you haven't heard, you should go to Holiday World sometime. </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-7482454817114180152014-07-24T22:17:00.000-04:002014-07-27T23:45:10.252-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-nineAnother week of summer has zoomed by and this one was filled with fun and festivities - our first trip to a semi-local amusement park, Ryan's birthday. As much fun as we had, there was a shadow of sadness as the anniversary of my father's death passed once again.<br />
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi from Simply Stavish</a>, <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah from Nurse Loves Farmer</a>, and <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie from Behind the Camera and Dreaming</a> for week 29 of this fun, year-long project.<br />
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198/365: July 16th. The night before our road trip down to Southern Indiana to visit <a href="http://www.holidayworld.com/" target="_blank">Holiday World & Splashin' Safari</a>. Wednesday night before we left, the kids were SO excited. I don't think Dexter fell asleep until after 11pm. And then was awake before 6am. WHAT.</div>
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199/365: July 17th. The sun setting over Holiday World. I was sitting with Dexter as he slept in the stroller while the others rode a ride or two. I didn't take a lot of pictures at Holiday World, sadly. But that's alright - I was busy having fun with my babies and friends. I posted a <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/07/holiday-world-2014.html" target="_blank">separate post about our trip</a>.</div>
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200/365: July 18th. We ended our second day at the park by running around and hitting every ride that the kids could ride but hadn't yet. Loved the lights on their old carousel. Holiday World has been around since 1946! </div>
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201/365: July 19th. We camped at the adjacent <a href="http://www.lakerudolph.com/" target="_blank">Lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort</a> in this RV. I took a few pics of the RV inside and out as we were packing up to leave on Saturday morning. I never got around to taking any more pictures that day.</div>
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202/365: July 20th. Ryan's birthday. We celebrated at Ryan's parents' house with a little chocolate cake decorated like a watermelon. The boys thought it was too cute. I figured Nana would have some candles so I didn't bring any but she didn't so we had imaginary ones. It was just as fun. </div>
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203/365: July 21st. Back to life. Back to reality. Bedtime on Monday night. One word. ROUGH.</div>
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204/365: July 22nd. Theo building a Lego creation after we got home from work & the babysitter.</div>
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205/365: July 23rd. <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/07/seven-twenty-three.html" target="_blank">The 7th anniversary of my dad's death.</a> A few weeks earlier, my friend and I had planned to meet for dinner on this day. All day I was feeling down and having second thoughts but it was a nice distraction and good to reconnect since we hadn't been able to meet, just the two of us, since April. We ate at <a href="http://www.meshonmass.com/" target="_blank">Mesh on Mass</a> and I couldn't resist this appetizer that did NOT disappoint: </div>
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MILK AND HONEY CROSTINI: </div>
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CAPRIOLE SOPHIA GOAT CHEESE / BAGUETTE / </div>
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PICKLED BLACKBERRY / SWEET LIFE FARMS HONEY</div>
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Favorite pic of the week? Hmm. I can almost taste that crostini when I look at the picture. The Holiday World pictures are probably my favorite though as they represent such fun, new family/friend memories.<br />
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Does any one photo stand out for you this week?<br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-79802880536803938652014-07-22T21:38:00.000-04:002014-07-22T21:38:53.435-04:00seven twenty-threeHe had two girls. He probably always wanted a boy, but you'd have never known it.<br />
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He loved to travel. He loved the mountains. Lakes. Fishing. Beautiful views.<br />
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He was quiet and reserved but didn't hesitate to speak his mind when push came to shove.<br />
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He only wanted to retire. Enjoy his golden years. He didn't get to. Unless you call 6 months of disability "retirement." I don't.<br />
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He was at my high school graduation. He'd already had colon cancer twice by then.<br />
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He was at my college graduation. On that day, he said "I'm proud of you." That was one of MY proudest moments. His words. Not the graduation.<br />
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Bad jokes. So many bad jokes - he just laughed at himself and it was only a matter of time before I was laughing too. <br />
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Blue eyes, with green just around the pupils. Same as mine.<br />
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He had such a great sense of adventure and loved roller coasters, heights, and any other adrenaline pumping thrill. Same as me.<br />
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He held my hand and I sat on his lap until I was probably too old by society's standards. A complete Daddy's Girl.<br />
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He loved music - playing, singing, listening. He recorded favorite songs off of the radio when I was little and we listened to those tapes in the car for YEARS. Those songs are the soundtrack of my childhood.<br />
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His smile, I can still see. Big teeth. Mine are little.<br />
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He always said, "give me a hug, you big lug" when we were parting ways. And he ALWAYS said, "come back and see us."<br />
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He loved comfort food and sweets. PB + Chocolate was his favorite flavor combination.<br />
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He didn't say "I love you" a whole lot. But he meant it.<br />
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He liked shooting baskets in the driveway. Playing H-O-R-S-E. <br />
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He taught me to hit a baseball. "Watch the Ball, Hit the Bat."<br />
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He wasn't much for talking on the phone.<br />
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His voice. I miss his voice.<br />
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He called me on March 23, 2007 and said "I have pancreatic cancer. I'm dying."<br />
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My sister called me on July 21, 2007 and said "I think you better get down here."<br />
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His hands. It wasn't until he was dying that I realized how much our hands looked the same. His fingers had gotten so thin and bony and were practically mirror images of my own. Nail shape. Finger length. Hand twins.<br />
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He said he wasn't afraid of dying, he just didn't want to be in pain.<br />
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He died around 2am on July 23, 2007. It's been seven years. How has it already been seven years? Most days I'm fine. This is life now. Life without a dad. My kids don't know him. They never will, aside from the stories they hear and the pictures they see. The home videos we'll watch that are so few. <br />
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I'll risk sounding like one of my young children and pout out loud, "IT'S NOT FAIR!" It's not fair to him that he's not here. It's not fair to me, my mom, my sister, or any of his grandkids. He was only 55 years old. It's not fair. Maybe some people think I'm wallowing in self-pity. Maybe I am. But allowing myself to feel the pain and remember his characteristics and qualities is what helps keep his memory alive in my heart. <br />
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"Only time moves on to the next scene. Memory remains part of the heart forever."<br />
-unknown<br />
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Previous posts about losing and missing my dad <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/search/label/dad" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-26525122316424645722014-07-16T18:00:00.000-04:002014-07-17T00:16:50.624-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-eightI'm not one to complain about summer - ever. But why is it going by so fast? WAAH!<br />
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah from Nurse Loves Farmer</a>, <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi from Simply Stavish</a>, and <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie from Behind the Camera and Dreaming</a>.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Day 191/365: July 9th. Just a Wednesday evening playing at home. It starts out like this: "Daddy, will you help me build {insert name of dismantled Lego set here}?" It ends like this: "Daddy, that's okay. You can just finish it by yourself." </span></div>
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Day 192/365: July 10th. What time is it, Dexter? We were out to eat, celebrating the successful completion of a project I had a love/hate relationship: "Frugal June." I really need to write about my attempt to decrease non-essential spending for 30 days. </div>
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Day 193/365: July 11th. My friend's sweet baby boy at the splash pad on Friday evening. Why can't they stay this age forever!?</div>
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Day 194/365: July 12th. This photo is pathetic. Saturday was a nice day ...relatively uneventful but not without opportunities to take some nice photos. I just wasn't in the mood. This picture was the only successful {if you want to call it that} attempt to get a picture of all 5 of these wild boys having a picnic. A picnic with 5 kids ages 4 and under isn't that relaxing, for the record.</div>
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Day 195/365: July 13th. Sunday morning bowling. I could feel a cold coming on late Saturday night so while I still felt halfway decent, we took advantage of Sunday morning happy hour at the bowling alley. Ryan and I hadn't been bowling together in YEARS and the boys had never been at all. It was actually really fun and I was surprised at how much the boys seemed to enjoy it. Dex tired out on the 7th frame but Theo finished his game and Dexter's. We'll have to go again soon. Also, the tiny bowling shoes were adorable.</div>
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Day 196/365: July 14th. This is the kind of fancy dinner my kids got once the head cold was full-blown and there were 87 gallons of snot in my head. Bologna & cheese roll-ups, applesauce, and shelled edamame. Cleaned their plates...figures. </div>
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Day 197/365: A couple weeks earlier we went to a friend's house to picnic and swim. It poured down rain on the way there and our picnic ended up taking place on a blanket on my friend's dining room floor. Tuesday night Theo asked me if we could have a picnic in the living room but it was a gorgeous night so I convinced him and Dexter to take it outdoors. </div>
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I felt like my pictures were a little uninspired this week. I'm sad to not feature at least one nature/landscape shot but it just didn't work out that way. I found myself more than once feeling that me messing with my camera settings and trying to get the right shot was turning into more of a hassle, taking AWAY from the moment, and I just put the camera down. Do you ever feel this way? </div>
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My favorite picture this week is day 193 - my friend's cute little boy at the splash park. </div>
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Which one do you like best? </div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-91961594881969036532014-07-11T15:00:00.000-04:002014-07-11T15:00:02.864-04:00the fourth: 2014Huh, how about that. I guess I've never posted a 4th of July recap. Well, last year we were on a little weekend getaway for our <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2013/07/our-tenth-wedding-anniversary.html" target="_blank">10th wedding anniversary</a> but it wasn't all festive with fireworks and that kind of crap.<br />
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So here's my first real Independence Day recap. It was nice that the 4th was on a Friday which lent itself to a lovely, long weekend. Ryan's parents live on a small lake that is perfect for relaxing, jumping off the dock, floating around, and taking pontoon boat rides. <strike>They invited us</strike> We invited ourselves to come and stay for the weekend. Ryan's sister and her family were able to join us from Ohio as well.<br />
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Obligatory red, white, 'n blue outfit pics.</div>
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I mean, could they be any sillier? No. Cuter? Never.</div>
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Love them a lot.</div>
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They napped for HOURS every day.</div>
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Saturday was our 11 year anniversary so Nana and Pop Pop watched all three boys while Ryan and I enjoyed a rare double date with his sister and her soon-to-be husband. Dinner at <a href="http://www.farm-bloomington.com/index.php/food" target="_blank">FARMbloomington</a>.</div>
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Their FARMfamous garlic fries. Oh. Wow. And their homemade chipotle catsup. Yes.</div>
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Our view from the "silo" table.</div>
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Neat sights at every turn in this one-of-a-kind restaurant.</div>
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Yep, even by the bathrooms. </div>
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Although it was a GORGEOUS night to walk around downtown Bloomington, which is lovely, we wanted to get back in time to enjoy the fireworks over the lake with the boys. Aunt 'Chelle treated the boys with glow swords and glow bracelets --they may have been a bigger hit than the show.</div>
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After messing with my camera settings for five minutes before the actual show started, I gave up and put the camera down. I couldn't figure it out and didn't want to spoil the moment.</div>
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Sunday mornin' cherry eating. Theo likes the "yellow cherries." </div>
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Dexter prefers red.</div>
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There is a HUGE component of our weekend missing.... the LAKE and the sunshine that we were so lucky to enjoy all weekend. Seems like when we are all able to get together, we are cursed with cool temps or cloudy skies - or both. Not this time. Again, I chose to live in the moment and not take 500 pics. I had a drink in my hand and the sun on my skin and many long conversations with my sister-in-law. That was all I needed to make the weekend complete. </div>
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A few iPhone pics: </div>
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What'd you do for the Fourth? </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
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~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-76590616607666581812014-07-10T18:00:00.000-04:002014-07-10T23:21:55.845-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-sevenWe've returned to normal life after a crappy run that was divided up over the past two Catch the Moment posts. Woo hoo & yay for good times!! <br />
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi</a>, <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah</a>, and <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie</a> for this year-long Catch the Moment challenge. I have to tell you -- I had a hard time narrowing down my choices on a couple of the days below. When we've had such a good week and gotten this many pictures that put a smile on my face -- life must be a-okay. <br />
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183/365: July 2nd. A friend and I went to a local sunflower patch. I got some wonderful photos and posted some of my favorites <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/07/sunflower-fields-forever.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div>
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184/365: July 3rd. Okay, so this isn't a great photo at all. I took it at about 11:40pm after publishing last week's Catch the Moment post when I realized I had been too busy running around (getting ready for the long weekend) to pull the camera out once all day long. The polish looked cuter at Target. I didn't realize it was going to look like Queen Elsa had painted my toenails.</div>
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185/365: July 4th. "Hey Theo - think of something funny!" This is what I got. Love these crazy nuts. </div>
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186/365: July 5th. Our 11th wedding anniversary and dinner at a fancy (to us) restaurant. We're easy to impress but this place was really nice and we enjoyed sitting in the "silo" with the kitchen view at <a href="http://www.farm-bloomington.com/index.php/food" target="_blank">FARMbloomington</a>. </div>
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187/365: July 6th. The boys discovered a love of cherries over the holiday weekend. I'll finally be posting our July 4th weekend recap on 7/11 so check back!</div>
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188/365: July 7th. A night when I knew we wouldn't be doing anything spectacular so I just snapped a quick pic of the boys watching cartoons while I fixed dinner to get the pic-of-the-day out of the way.</div>
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189/365: July 8th. A trip to the park after getting ice cream on a warm summer night. This is the simplicity and joy that I <strike>miss</strike> yearn for during the winter.</div>
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Which picture do you like best this week? I really don't even know how to choose between the two of the boys (days 189 & 185) versus that nature one (the sunflower on day 183). I'll just print and frame them all! Yeah right -- is anyone good about doing this or am I a total failure? At least I've got my blog, right? </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
<br />~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-21484763996827037102014-07-03T23:33:00.000-04:002014-07-08T22:36:28.784-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-sixOFFICIALLY at the halfway point in this project - I feel like celebrating!<br />
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This week of photos represents two very different weeks -- the end of a bad one and the beginning of a new, fresh one. If anything COULD go wrong the last week of June,<a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/apparently-week-for-crappy-weeks.html" target="_blank"> it DID go wrong</a>. Something - no, multiple things, went wrong every day and the week just kept getting worse and worse. Sunday afternoon things started turning around for the better and this week has been great. Thank goodness. Glad to bid adieu to the end of the first half of 2014 and move on to the second half.<br />
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi</a>, <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah</a>, and <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie</a> -- the hostesses of this year-long Catch the Moment photo challenge.<br />
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176/365: June 25th. The boys wanted to go swimming but in the midst of our crummy week, I didn't feel like packing and lugging all our stuff to the YMCA after dinner. They were more than satisfied with the little blow up pool we got for Dexter's 1st birthday. They had fun showing off their jumps. I think the neighbors enjoyed the show too. </div>
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177/365: June 26th. Twenty minutes before I was going to walk into a meeting, I got a call from the babysitter. She said Dexter had thrown up and had blisters in the back of his throat. Nine kids had already come down with Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease that week so there was really no question as to what was going on. He was sick the rest of the night but woke up Friday feeling better. Ryan stayed home with the boys. </div>
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178/365: June 27th. After an early nap, Theo woke up late Friday morning blazing hot. He slept off and on all day between temperature checks and Ibuprofen & Acetaminophen doses. When I got home at 2:30 I took Dexter, who was feeling much better outside to play. </div>
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179/365: June 28th. Theo's fever continued throughout the day Saturday. It's so hard seeing him so miserable. It's so hard being cooped up in the house. Especially when one kid feels good and is going stir crazy.</div>
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180/365: June 29th. Theo's fever continued through about 1am Sunday morning. He had his last dose of medicine and woke up Sunday fever-free and feeling fine. He had blisters in his throat too so we thought it best if we stayed home yet again Sunday. In the afternoon I decided to clean out my car and the boys enjoyed their little pool again, which turned into making mud puddles!</div>
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181/365: June 30th. I kept the boys home one more day from the sitter to be on the safe side and worked a half day. In the afternoon we went swimming with a friend but I didn't even get my camera out. I realized I still hadn't taken a picture on my way to Target later Monday night. </div>
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182/365: July 1st. Last day of soccer clinics. Thank goodness. They didn't put forth their best effort, let's just say that! But we had a decent night at soccer (not their worst!) and went swimming right afterwards.</div>
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Not a thrilling week in pictures, but not a thrilling week in real life either. I'd have to say my favorite one from this week is day 176 - Theo making a big splash in a little pool! Which one do you like best this week? Might be a struggle to choose, I know! And not because they are all so fantastic! Meh. </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-76852593142142547642014-07-02T22:49:00.001-04:002014-07-02T22:50:11.824-04:00sunflower fields foreverOne of my co-workers has been telling me about her friend's sunflower field for some time now so I finally decided to check it out after picking up the boys today. It was a little hot and a lotta buggy, but we had fun perusing the beautiful varieties and settled on 7 pretty flowers to take home with us. I thought I had six, but I miscounted -- I owe someone $.34! Bonus - it was a quick, fun photography experience.<br />
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Theo wasn't really into it -- he was more interested in complaining about the bugs and trying to climb the fence to the cemetery.</div>
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Dexter liked helping me choose and snip flowers, then he would put them in the bucket.</div>
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Final bouquet. Total cost $2. (And $.34).</div>
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-35769409495580631132014-06-27T22:22:00.002-04:002014-06-27T22:26:01.953-04:00apparently the week for crappy weeksDisclaimer: Lots of whining and complaining. My blog, my right.<br />
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Anyone still reading this have an extra crappy week this week? The kind where day after day, it feels like hot steamy piles of poo are raining down on your head over and over? Seems like I know at least a few people that have had an extra terrible few days.<br />
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Just wondered.<br />
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Rather than go into a long list with bullet points detailing the variety of craps I dealt with this week, I'll just say that it's got to go up from here. Right after my kids get over Hand, Foot, and Mouth (nice way to end the fantastic week). <br />
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This time last year, I was probably crying a million tears into my pillow because this Friday 52 weeks ago was the last day that my boys spent with their beloved babysitter....their original, first, one-in-a-million babysitter who can never be replaced. I love their little Montessori school and I'm excited for Dexter to start attending in August, but things are still...just not the same.<br />
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This time last year they probably never would have gotten Hand, Foot, and Mouth.<br />
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I miss the closeness and relationship. I miss the details. I miss that I could look at the clock anytime of the day and have a pretty good idea of what my kids were up to. Now I really have no clue what the structure of their day is like. I don't know if they spend the whole day in front of the TV or if they get along or fight. Just about every day is a "good" day. Which is good, I guess. I just miss the way it used to be. Maybe we were a little too enmeshed with our old babysitter at the time, but it worked for all of us. The communication was helpful most of the time.<br />
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Our relationship with her has grown and transformed - now we are friends instead of business partners. I'm glad she and her family are still very much a part of our lives. But that doesn't mean that I don't still miss the way it used to be.<br />
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I've cried more this week than I've cried in a year. It seems like something is backfiring, getting canceled, changing, or unpleasantly surprising me at every turn. At the end of the week, I've had enough. I'm ready for a change in mojo. <br />
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I hate feeling this way. I look around and see summer, feel summer, smell summer. The Spring and Summer months make up my favorite time of year. We have had some really great weeks this Spring and Summer. But this week has taken it's toll and I'm done.<br />
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Bleh. Done with this depressing post. I just had to get it out.~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-88127562443285399412014-06-26T23:35:00.002-04:002014-06-26T23:35:57.903-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-fiveLet me start this week with an apology. My pictures are not the most inspired. I feel like I've been rushing around so much that just getting a picture -- not getting a picture I love -- was the priority. I've overbooked us/myself the last couple of weeks with plans every single night so I'm looking forward to (hoping for) some low-key days in our very near future. I love being busy and having fun but eventually, duty calls. So does the couch.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">169/365: June 18th. Lunch date with a friend from work at the historic Willard. Great food and great ambiance. </span></div>
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170/365: June 19th. Just one of a few photos I shared in <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/making-memories-thats-what-matters.html" target="_blank">a previous post about my grandma's recent visit</a>.</div>
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171/365: June 20th. A hurry up and take the picture kind of day. A friend at work gave me her iPhone 4 to borrow until I can get an upgrade in September. I feel like I've gotten a HUGE upgrade since the phone I had before (Ryan's OLD phone) barely held a charge for 5 minutes.</div>
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172/365: June 21st. What better way to welcome the official start of summer than spending a day jumping in a lake with my kids? My cousin visited with her sweet little cousin (see day 173) and we spent the whole day maxin' and relaxin' on the water. Perfection. By far my favorite day of the week!</div>
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173/365: June 22nd. Sweet little J playing on the playground before they headed back home on Sunday. I wasn't much in the mood to take photos that day but I wish I'd gotten more of her sweet face.</div>
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174/365: June 23rd. While I was working really hard to relax and entertain the boys, Ryan and his dad were doing ACTUAL work. Monday night they finished installing our new over-the-range microwave. Now we just have about 2 million other things to do before our kitchen remodel is complete.</div>
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175/365: June 24th. Another get-it-over-with kind of picture day but as it turns out, I really love this one. It was raining when I took this so I didn't even get out of the car. I'm kind of in love with this barn apparently. It always looks different based on the pretties growing around it. Remember<a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/catch-moment-week-twenty-two.html" target="_blank"> the poppy picture</a>? And the <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/02/catch-moment-week-seven.html" target="_blank">snowy winter scene</a>?</div>
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Wow, Theo didn't even make an appearance this week and there's one measly shot of Dexter. I have taken pictures of both of them, for sure, but for some reason, these are the photos that stood out to me as the ones I wanted to use for week 25. I hope you enjoyed them -- at least a little bit. I love day 175 - the barn & day 169 - lunch at the Willard. Which is your favorite?<br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-84948578129732663352014-06-23T17:00:00.000-04:002014-06-23T18:54:40.355-04:00making memories - that's what mattersI have been taking at least one picture a day since starting the <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/search/label/Catch%20the%20Moment" target="_blank">Catch the Moment 365</a> photo project, but sometimes I will go almost a whole week before looking through the photos on my camera. Tonight I started feeling like I was getting way behind on sorting, deleting, and editing photos so I popped my memory card in the computer and starting scrolling through.<br />
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Now, I know that last Thursday was...well, just last Thursday. But my heart swelled a little and I got a little lump in my throat as I clicked through the pictures below. My mom drove 6 hours to visit my grandma then drove her another 2 hours in pouring rain and rush hour traffic to my house for dinner. Usually, we are visiting her so it felt like a treat and honor to have her in my home. This sweet lady turned 80 last week.<br />
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Their mutual joy... I almost can't take it.</div>
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Our little visit was short and sweet. My <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/07/goodbye-grandpa.html" target="_blank">grandma became a widow</a> almost two years ago and while she is a healthy lady, it's impossible to ignore the awareness that every visit with her is precious. I want my boys to remember her presence, be in pictures with her, and have sweet memories of her kind personality. When Ryan and I met, we had all 4 of our parents and 7 out of 8 grandparents. Now my grandma is 'our' only grandparent (and the boys' only great-grandparent) and <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/search/label/dad" target="_blank">my dad is gone</a>.<br />
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Life is so short. Celebrate. Say yes. The dishes can wait. Spend time together. I'm not going to remember the chores that didn't get done...I bet you won't either.<br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-37218993190851718022014-06-22T15:32:00.000-04:002014-06-22T15:34:16.183-04:00a 2014 weight/fitness resolution check-in<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
I had big dreams for 2014. Big dreams for myself in 2014. I got on a roll with running in 2013 and completed Couch to 5k. Running had always scared me because of my less-than-stellar knees. No, I didn’t play sports…no I didn’t have a car accident or an injury. I just inherited really crappy knees.<u></u><u></u></div>
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So I was surprised that the more I ran, the less they bothered me. Maybe getting 25 pounds off was what helped my knees. Who knows. I learned to like running. I won't say I loved it. I kind of hate it during but love the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. It’s euphoria when I am able to push myself to meet or surpass a goal. I’m not and don’t ever plan to be a long distance runner. The furthest I’ve ever ran continuously is three and a half miles. I was completely okay with that distance, but I wanted to just be consistently getting good, challenging exercise.<u></u></div>
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For 2014, I planned to run 25 miles per month or a total of 300 miles this year. Unfortunately, in the first 6 weeks of 2014, I also experienced some unplanned obstacles. Like 2 separate stomach bugs, the flu, and 2 separate rounds of strep throat. I ran 15 miles in during the month of January somehow but obviously fell short of the 25 mile goal I needed to hit to stay on track for running 300 miles for the year.<u></u><u></u></div>
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February rolled around and I ran again but there was trouble. Not far into my run, I had a debilitating pain in my left knee. I tried to walk it off and run again but the pain got worse. Nothing popped or snapped, I never knew where the pain was coming from or why it was happening. I gave up after three attempts that day and decided to let my knee rest. That week, my knee hurt… all the time. Standing up from my chair at work. Walking towards the back of the grocery store. I was really worried. I continued to rest it. I ran once in March and it was a little better, but still hurt. <u></u><u></u></div>
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By this point I was wondering if my running days were over. I was debating seeing an orthopedist but didn't have much luck the last time I went to one. They wanted to do an MRI that would be $1800 out of pocket and we were in the middle of moving so I put it off and eventually my knees stopped bothering me as much. <u></u><u></u></div>
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I <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/04/filed-under-most-embarrassing-moment.html" target="_blank">fell in April, badly scraping both knees</a>, which gave me another excuse not to run. About a week after the fall, I noticed that I hadn't had any (internal) knee pain. I waited for another week for the scrapes to heal and could no longer resist the urge to run. I was able to run over two miles and have been running off and on ever since then, but not with the consistency I would like. Some days my knees hurt a little, some days they hurt a lot. Occasionally...rarely, they don't hurt at all. <u></u></div>
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I've given up on my dream of running 300 miles this year - obviously - but I still like getting some exercise every day one way or another. Lately it's been too humid for me to run. I'm just not that hardcore and it's too hard to breathe. <br />
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My weight has crept up a little as I haven't been watching what I eat as well as I used to. Well - I'm still watching. <span style="font-size: 11pt;">I’m still using MyFitnessPal to log calories and exercise daily. I have just been eating a lot more of what I WANT than what I should. My original goal was to lose 20-24 pounds and last year my weight loss hovered around 25-27 pounds. I'm back to about a 21-22 pound loss, which is okay, but I liked 26 a whole lot better! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">So I'd love to hear any ideas people have about keeping motivation high long-term in order to keep the pounds AWAY long term. Maintaining just isn't as fun or rewarding as losing, ya know? Neither is gaining. If anyone has had long-term success at keeping weight off, please feel free share your tips and secrets. It’s so easy to slip into old habits.</span></div>
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xo,<br />
~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-16396469085827932992014-06-19T18:00:00.000-04:002014-06-19T18:00:05.755-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm sharing yet another week of photos and linking up with <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi from Simply Stavish</a>, <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie from Behind the Camera and Dreaming</a>, and <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah from Nurse Loves Farmer</a> for Catch the Moment 365. I feel like a broken record saying "I can't believe we are {insert any number between 3 and 24} weeks into the project" and / or "we had such a great week." And while life ISN'T all roses all the time, this project is great for making me realize how good I've got it. Whether it's the big things or the little things, every day we're making memories and enjoying the ride down this crazy road we're on.</div>
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Speaking of moving on...</div>
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162/365: June 11th. We traded babysitting nights with friends in order to squeeze in a much-needed, mid-week speed date. We were able to grab a quick dinner at a Mexican restaurant near the movie theater. We'd been dying to see <a href="http://movies.disney.com/maleficent" target="_blank">Maleficent</a> for almost two weeks. Spoiler alert: It was so good! (So was that salsa and queso).</div>
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163/365: June 12th. A little water play between dinner and bedtime, which for Dexter equates to taking a bath. Soaked from shoulders to knees!</div>
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164/365: June 13th. I had to document a rare occurrence... I painted my nails. It lasted less than 24 hours, but it was fun anyway.</div>
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165/365: June 14th. I blogged all about our refreshing weekend visiting friends a couple hours away <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-weekend-was-just-what-we-needed.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div>
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166/365: June 15th. Father's Day. I typed out the interviews I did with the boys about their daddy <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/fathers-day-q.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div>
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167/365: June 16th. Sun shining through the clouds over a cornfield on my way to work. </div>
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168/365: June 17th. Not the best day ever but we managed to enjoy parts of it. I had my car scheduled for a 45 minute service that ended up taking 2 hours and 10 minutes. Which overlapped with the boys' soccer clinic. Which was a nightmare because neither of them *really* wanted to play. Meaning Theo was lying on the ground refusing to participate. And while Dexter gave it a decent effort, he saw how Theo was acting and wanted to quit too. I was able to keep him somewhat engaged but Theo was a lost cause. After we got home, ate dinner, and gave them a shower...THEN we had some nice, not-so-stressful moments picking stickers out of Dexter's Batman Lego sticker book. Then bedtime was kind of a disaster. But that's enough about that. </div>
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Which is your favorite picture this week? Mine is that Father's Day (day 166) picture of Theo hugging Ryan with the "love" art piece in the background. Love, indeed. Followed closely by day 165 - our day at the lake. </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-18286293023325865402014-06-16T23:08:00.001-04:002014-06-17T08:17:50.486-04:00the weekend was just what we neededLife with a 3 and 4 year old, not to mention a house that needs (and is semi-in-the-process-of) remodeling inside and out is busy and hectic to say the least. I feel like we are going, going, going nonstop but not with anything particularly substantial. Ryan is working on the house and I'm trying to keep the boys busy and entertained. That's the story of our life lately. It was really. REALLY. fun (and needed) to connect with each other as a family of four, all while reconnecting with some friends we hadn't seen for far too long to live only 2 hours away.<br />
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We spent the weekend with Ryan's friend from school and his family. They live in beautiful town with lakes all over the place. We'd only visited in the winter before and didn't fully realize how lovely the surroundings were at the time. I think we're both looking forward to the (warm) day when we can visit again.<br />
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Saturday morning started off with a walk to the playground and throwing rocks into a retention pond across from it. That's just about all that kids need to be content. </div>
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Such a sweet family.</div>
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Look at these two cuties (4 & 2) and their beautiful eyes! </div>
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After a bit of playing, snacking, and loading up, we headed to their parents'/in-laws' lake house. <span style="text-align: center;">Plenty to keep the kids entertained...sand...water...shells...food, food, and more food.</span><br />
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Oh yeah. And swans.</div>
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Taking a cruise around the lake on the pontoon boat.</div>
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Little mister was thisclose to falling asleep while mom drove us around.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">A milestone! Theo and Dexter got their first rides on a jet ski. And they LOVED it. I love that they are afraid of almost nothing.</span><br />
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Sole bit of photographic evidence that I was actually present.</div>
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I love her. I love her eyes. So beautiful. Inside and out.</div>
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Charmer. Life of the party. </div>
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Perfection. Bliss. </div>
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A long day winding down. </div>
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Rides on the gator.</div>
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As we were loading up to head back to our friends' house, I had to get back out of the car to snap this quick photo. Oh, to drive up to that view whenever we wanted...so gorgeous, peaceful, and relaxing there.</div>
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So when we planned this weekend with our friends, I don't think any of us realized it was also Father's Day weekend. In fact, I didn't realize it until last Monday. That's okay - I had time to throw together a book for Ryan with the boys help. <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/fathers-day-q.html" target="_blank">Read their answers to my Father's Day Q&A here</a>. The book had the interviews, some recent photos, some artwork, and tickets to an upcoming pro soccer game. He was surprised, and I think pretty pleased! </div>
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Sleepy boy on the stairs.</div>
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After enjoying a Father's Day Feast (I feel like we ate so much delicious food all weekend -- like literally nonstop "all weekend"), we went to a nearby park and then a cute ice cream shop. The town has these lifelike bronze statues all around right now to promote a local community summer event, First Fridays. I wish I'd taken the time to walk around and photograph more of them.<br />
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Some great guys - and a great girl.</div>
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There was a little festival going on around the ice cream shop we visited so of course the kids had to play on the bounce houses for a few minutes before Ryan, me, and the boys headed back home. </div>
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It was such a great weekend...returning home to all the chores that failed to get done was a bit of a disappointment after feeling like we'd been catered to by the best hosts all weekend long. I think we might see how much rent they'd charge to let us just take over their basement...</div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-28445110359145093232014-06-15T21:59:00.001-04:002014-06-15T22:05:38.091-04:00father's day q&a<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year, as part of Ryan's Father's Day gift from the boys, I decided to interview them. I simply googled "father's day questionnaire" and printed off the sheets before asking the boys what ended up feeling like a million questions. I did it while they were strapped in their carseats so they couldn't run off or get too distracted. It took quite a while to get all the answers, but it turned out cute.<br />
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Dexter's answers:<br />
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My Dad's name is: <u>Ryan Dan</u>.<br />
He is <u>6</u> years old, <u>4</u> tall, and <u>5</u> pounds.<br />
His hair is <u>black</u> and his eyes are <u>blue</u>.<br />
He is smart because he knows <u>how to play</u>.<br />
At his job, my Dad <u>fixes my house</u>.<br />
My Dad is really good at <u>playing games</u>.<br />
My favorite memory with my Dad is <u>the playground playhouse with tables</u>.<br />
His favorite food is <u>broccoli</u>.<br />
My favorite thing to do with Dad is <u>playing toy Batman</u>.<br />
It makes Dad happy when I <u>sing songs to him</u>.<br />
Dad always tells me <u>to go to time out</u>.<br />
If he could go on a trip anywhere in the world, he would go to <u>Target</u>.<br />
And he would take <u>me</u>.<br />
I'm just like my Dad because I <u>like to play Batman</u>.<br />
I really love it when my Dad <u>comes back from work</u>.<br />
If I could give my Dad anything for Father's Day, it would be <u>a toy guy birthday party</u>.<br />
What I love most about my Dad is <u>his blue shirt</u>.<br />
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Theo's answers:<br />
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My Dad's name is: <u>Daddy</u>.<br />
He is <u>5</u> years old, <u>13</u> tall, and <u>8</u> pounds.<br />
His hair is <u>brown</u> and his eyes are <u>brown</u>.<br />
He is smart because he knows <u>everything</u>.<br />
At his job, my Dad <u>makes money</u>.<br />
My Dad is really good at <u>coloring and chopping boards</u>.<br />
My favorite memory with my Dad is <u>the splash pad</u>.<br />
His favorite food is <u>soup</u>.<br />
My favorite thing to do with Dad is <u>playing Legos</u>.<br />
It makes Dad happy when I <u>play with him</u>.<br />
Dad always tells me <u>to do stuff</u>.<br />
If he could go on a trip anywhere in the world, he would go to <u>outerspace</u>.<br />
And he would take <u>ME! and Dexter</u>.<br />
I'm just like my Dad because I <u>have brown eyes</u>.<br />
I really love it when my Dad <u>plays with me</u>.<br />
If I could give my Dad anything for Father's Day, it would be <u>a kiss</u>.<br />
What I love most about my Dad is <u>his iPad</u>.<br />
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Pretty priceless! I hope the dads in your life had a special day!</div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-78325542570314923022014-06-12T18:00:00.000-04:002014-06-12T18:00:00.634-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-threeAlmost halfway through the year and this project. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?<br />
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Sorry for yelling at you, guys. I'm just in disbelief. Earlier this week, <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/strawberries-fire-trucks-2014.html" target="_blank">I posted a blog about a fun summer festival we always go to</a>. I linked back to the blog posts from the same festival from 2012 and 2013. I guess I'm feeling a little sentimental and wishing, wishing, wishing that time would slow down JUST a little bit. Seeing how much the boys change in one year, and especially over TWO years, is mind-blowing. Especially since it feels like just yesterday when we first discovered our little strawberry fest.<br />
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Okay, okay. Enough whining and crying and belly-aching. It's been another fun and busy summer week. I am loving this time of year and subsequently, this stage of the 365 project. Great summer light and doing much more than sitting inside playing Legos. Yessss. Finally.<br />
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Linking up again this week with the three co-hosts leading this project and Facebook group, <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi from Simply Stavish</a>, <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie from Behind the Camera and Dreaming</a>, and <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah from Nurse Loves Farmer</a>. Don't forget -- it's never to late to join in! You can start a Project365 any day of the year!<br />
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155/365: June 4, 2014. Just acting silly between arriving home from the sitter and heading to the YMCA to burn some energy. Dexter suddenly became obsessed with that blue bus he got as a souvenir from Disney World. Just as quickly, he's over it. Dang.</div>
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156/365: June 5th. Quick trip to a new (to us) park we'd never been to before. Theo loves swinging. Dexter does not. Presents quite the conundrum when I take them by myself and Theo wants me to push him and Dexter is roaming off, climbing up some huge contraption. Somehow we balance it all out.</div>
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157/365: June 6th. About an hour after I got to work Friday morning, I thought to check the FedEx tracking number for my wedding rings that were being shipped back from the jeweler in Tennessee. While at the jeweler, we had them size and solder the rings together. They replaced all four outermost prongs due to normal wear and tear. They also did an amazing job cleaning them. Now I can't stop staring at my pretty rings!</div>
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158/365: June 7th. First trip to the pool in 2014 was a smashing success. That is an extreme grin if I've ever seen one. What a great day at the pool...marked by the first time I didn't have to worry about them running off, chase after them around, or constantly remind them not to run, not to take someone else's toy, or splash grown ups in the face. Hallelujah! </div>
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159/365: June 8th. Some sweet neighbors down the street have boys a few years older than ours. The mom has delivered previously enjoyed toys and art supplies to us several times. On Sunday we decided to try this paint spinner thingamabob and it was really fun! We ran out of paint. Otherwise, I think the boys would have made little masterpieces all day long.</div>
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160/365: June 9th. We watched our friends' kids so they could enjoy a fancy anniversary dinner out. We walked to a nearby park, where I snapped this pic of 5 year old M running through a field.</div>
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161/365: June 10th. First night ever of soccer clinics. That was interesting to say the least! Seeing 3-5 year olds stretching and trying to lead each other was pretty adorable. Unfortunately my boys were tired from staying up too late the night before and checked out about halfway through the 45 minute session. </div>
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This week, I think my favorite picture is the one of my wedding rings. Words just can't express how happy I am to have them back. It had been about a month since the diamond fell out of my wedding band so that was definitely the longest I've gone in almost 11 years without wearing it. Now I feel complete once again. I also love the look on Theo's face at the soccer clinic (day 161). Doesn't he just look like he's up to no good?</div>
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Which photo is your favorite from this week? </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-88504892657328971022014-06-10T22:10:00.000-04:002014-06-10T22:16:15.220-04:00strawberries & fire trucks: 2014A look back:<br />
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<a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2013/06/strawberries-fire-trucks-2013.html" target="_blank">Strawberries & Fire Trucks: 2013</a><br />
<a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/06/strawberries-and-fire-trucks.html" target="_blank">Strawberries & Fire Trucks: 2012</a><br />
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Apparently this festival is now a family tradition. How do we go three years in a row and not plan our return again in 2015? We enjoyed another component of the festival this year -- fireworks at 10pm. The boys couldn't stay up late enough the last two years but this time it worked out perfectly. <br />
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We went this year with some friends who had never been before. The weather was comfortable - a change from the past two years when it was in the 80s and 90s. <br />
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As I mentioned in my posts from the past 2 years, the festival is put on by the local fire department and what makes it so neat for kids is that they can see and talk to firemen and police officers, up close and personal. They also get to climb in and on fire trucks, ambulances, and even a LifeLine helicopter.</div>
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I know I'm feeling a little sentimental after looking at the past two years' posts from this event, but ... is it just me or does it look like Theo's legs go on for days?? SO. BIG.</div>
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Waiting for the yearly extrication demonstration - my favorite part of the fest. </div>
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The firefighters rescue a "victim" from a crashed vehicle by safely removing the windows and doors using the Jaws of Life. Very neat to watch them work. </div>
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While they are helping their "patient," a LifeLine helicopter lands in the field. The patient is loaded onto the helicopter, then they fly away and circle back around, landing again in the field. Afterwards, kids can climb through and take a look at all those cool knobs and buttons.</div>
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And let's not forget the tastiest treat around town - strawberry shortcakes!</div>
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Yum, yum, yum.</div>
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Pretty interested in a free, happy-meal-quality toy that was being handed out.</div>
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The kids played on the playground for awhile. Once it began to get dark, we found our perfect spot in the grass to watch the fireworks.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Aside from a few fireworks that the boys saw at Disney World, I guess they'd never seen an entire "show." They laid down flat on their backs and watch as the firecrackers exploded overhead. Their excitement and joyous exclamations each time a new color exploded above us was too cute. Dexter even said, "Theo! It's like we're at Disney World!" Then my heart burst, just like those fireworks. Other than that, there was a lot of "LOOK! A BLUE one!" and "LOOK! A GOLDEN one!" So super cute. </span></div>
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We had a lot of fun with our friends. The next day, Theo was still talking about the fireworks and how they were his favorite part of our very long, busy, fun day. Another great time at the annual fire trucks and strawberry fest!!</div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
<br />~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-64575138449499090132014-06-04T21:35:00.000-04:002014-06-04T22:07:16.464-04:00catch the moment: week twenty-twoLinking up for Catch the Moment: Week 22 with <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi at Simply Stavish</a>, <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Behind the Camera and Dreaming</a>, and <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah at Nurse Loves Farmer</a>.<br />
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This week has been full of fun, adventure, and surprises. Whenever I think about things that have happened in the last seven days, a few highlights (and maybe a few lows) might pop into my mind. But when I compile these posts - one tiny glimpse of each day of our lives, I realize and think about how much we really do pack into each Wednesday through Tuesday. The pictures trigger memories of other things that we did on the same day. I thought I would be losing steam with this project by now, but the opposite is happening. I look forward to putting the posts together, even if there are many days where I've just grabbed the camera for the sake of having at least one pic to post from that day.<br />
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Here we go...<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">148/365: May 28th. Just a laid back Wednesday afternoon of coloring while dinner was cooking. I love coloring. Before the boys, I hadn't done it in years. Now I find myself still sitting at the table sometimes after they've long moved onto something else. </span></div>
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149/365: May 29th. One of those hit-the-brakes moments on my way to work when I saw this and many other beautiful poppies blooming in a field of wildflowers in front of a barn that I have <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/02/catch-moment-week-seven.html" target="_blank">photographed before</a>. Love this picture. </div>
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150/365: May 30th. Friday morning drop-off at the babysitter and I spent a little extra time with the boys, letting them walk over to see the fishies. Ryan and I decided on the spur of the moment to head to <a href="https://www.visitkingsisland.com/" target="_blank">Kings Island</a> for the day and I knew I wouldn't see them again until the next morning. </div>
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151/365: May 31st. Read all about Theo's rise to stardom in <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/theo-your-next-american-idol.html" target="_blank">this separate, dedicated blog post</a>. </div>
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152/365: June 1st. What better way to spend the beginning of June than at the strawberry patch, picking berries for the first time? <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/06/s-is-for-strawberries.html" target="_blank">See and read more from our visit here</a>. </div>
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153/365: June 2nd. Surprise! Nothing like coming home from an otherwise disappointing Monday to find belated birthday gifts from an old friend waiting in the mailbox! </div>
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154/365: June 3rd. One of those hurry-up-and-take-a-pic-before-the-day-is-over pics. But I like it. That's my big little boy watching Sheriff Callie before dinner.</div>
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I really like all my photos again this week, but my favorite has to be that poppy in front of the barn on day 149. So many of these pics elicit warm, happy memories for me. Hope your week was full of warm fuzzies, too.</div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-10438152715680252562014-06-03T19:21:00.002-04:002014-06-04T20:58:16.729-04:00s is for strawberries<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6qfruDkJ97jwRIMcANqhf5Sz6CSe-vHOVEY6T8zyhNzolCTHWGv7BWRlDbBnJwuoEe3fIrD8XnginCjLEnYx6FXGxXJ2cNPJ6Gn-SgbG1Rfehuvg_CCEdFwu-UI_9HALdwu2v-JPstM/s1600/IMG_8805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6qfruDkJ97jwRIMcANqhf5Sz6CSe-vHOVEY6T8zyhNzolCTHWGv7BWRlDbBnJwuoEe3fIrD8XnginCjLEnYx6FXGxXJ2cNPJ6Gn-SgbG1Rfehuvg_CCEdFwu-UI_9HALdwu2v-JPstM/s1600/IMG_8805.JPG" height="320" width="211" /></a>Sunday morning Ryan had work to do around the house so the boys and I loaded up and headed off to <a href="http://www.apple-works.com/" target="_blank">The Apple Works</a>, an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, strawberry field, and so much more, a short drive south of us. I had never been strawberry picking before and neither had the boys. It. Was. Hot. But we had fun anyway.<br />
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They were serious about finding the very best berries, dark red from top to bottom. I was disappointed after driving to the top of the hill to find that there was no one there passing out any type of container to fill. Luckily, the boys had snacked on pretzels in the car and we still had their plastic storage bags handy.<br />
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Is this a good one, mom?</div>
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Poor Dex, his little face goes bright red as soon as he gets in the sun (from heat, not sunburn). </div>
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They were entertained by the hunt and the picking until their baggies were about half full. They wandered around, enjoying their freedom, while I continued filling the bags. Isn't it sweet how Dexter's never far behind Theo? Well, on this day it was. It's not always. Ha. </div>
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After we were done picking, we drove back down the hill and parked at the store. We paid for our berries and I got the boys a small bottle of sweet apple cider. They chugged it on the porch of the store and enjoyed a cool breeze and some shade. Perfect moment in time. <br />
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The berries are small but you'll never taste one sweeter. So delicious. </div>
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It was a fun mommy, son, and son date that I won't forget. Making memories with these boys of mine - that's what it's all about. I think this might have to be a new annual family tradition. But next time we'll take Daddy. :)<br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-82730639755506878162014-06-02T21:57:00.002-04:002014-06-02T22:22:44.321-04:00theo: your next american idol?Saturday night we went to<a href="http://www.mrscurl.com/" target="_blank"> Mrs. Curl</a> after dinner. One of our favorite summer treats. It was hot out and we expected it to be busy. We were correct. <br />
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What we didn't anticipate was karaoke on the patio. While we waited in the very long line, we heard what sounded like, I don't know, a cat dying? Faintly accompanied by "Let it Go" music in the background. While we ate our treats and watched kids sing a few songs, Theo decided that he wanted to "sing Star Wars." What he meant was he wanted to sing "duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh" (etc) to the tune <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8" target="_blank">The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)</a>. The girl running the karaoke walked around asking for last requests and Theo perked up and said he wanted to sing Star Wars. Ryan was shaking his head no, afraid that Theo would be embarrassed (or maybe embarrassing) and I shook my head yes. What's the harm in it? I figured, if he has the confidence to get up there, I'm not going to squash it.<br />
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He had fun too, despite his grumpy looking face.</div>
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I went to throw away our trash and when I turned back around, Theo was on stage -- but wait. What was that familiar tune once more? Apparently at the last second, he asked the girl if he could sing "Frozen." So Let it Go played for the 14th time and he stood there smiling and holding a microphone. And not singing. But so proud of himself. <br />
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Halfway through, the girl squatted down on the stage with him and sung along. Theo did start singing and it was about the cutest thing.<br />
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I felt like he was on the stage of American Idol and just made it through to Hollywood. I was just proud of his confidence and willingness to do something outside of the box.<br />
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That night, while I was snuggling with him at bedtime, we talked about all the fun things we had done that day. <br />
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Me: What was the best part of the whoooole day? Was it going to the splash pad? Our picnic at the park? Eating those tomatoes from the Farmer's Market? Or was it eating outside and telling stories at dinner time? Maybe that steak and baked potato you liked so much? Going for ice cream after dinner? Or was it throwing rocks in the creek after ice cream?<br />
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Theo: Getting on the stage to sing was the best part of the whooooole day!<br />
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Me: Ohhh! Yes, that was fun, wasn't it?! I am so proud of you for doing that, you know it?<br />
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Theo: Why, mama?<br />
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Me: Because it's hard for people to do stuff like that sometimes.<br />
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Theo: Did you ever sing on a stage?<br />
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Me: No. Not by myself.<br />
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Theo: You should do it sometime because it's really fun.<br />
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Me: Oh, honey...I don't know. I think I would be too shy!<br />
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Theo: It's okay, mama. If you get scared, I will come stand beside you and help you.<br />
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And then my heart burst into 38 million tiny bits. I love him. <br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-5658891790599460562014-06-01T21:28:00.001-04:002014-06-01T21:28:56.904-04:00memorial day weekend 2014We traveled down to Tennessee to see my mom for the long Memorial weekend. In the couple of days leading up to the trip, I started dreading the drive there and back, assuming I-65 and I-75 would be jam-packed with other travelers. Luckily it wasn't too bad and we made good time going both ways.<br />
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We got there late Friday night. First thing on my agenda for Saturday was to drop off my rings to get that missing diamond replaced. I am getting them sized down and a couple other little things done so I've been without them for a week now. Feels like part of me is missing! Can't wait to get them back on my finger, fitting and looking better than ever. Nothing like an extreme close-up of your wrinkles to get you feeling really old...</div>
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My mom runs the office at a propane gas company and they just moved into their beautiful new facility so we were excited to get the full tour. </div>
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Afterwards, we went to the duck pond to feed the ducks and geese, then played for a bit before going to grab some lunch at my favorite local /small chain restaurant, <a href="http://petros.com/" target="_blank">Petro's</a>. A must-do attraction EVERY time I'm in town. The boys were melting down by the time we ate lunch so I wasn't in the mood to try to take pics of that delicious meal.</div>
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Ready to feed the duckies!</div>
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The rest of the day was perfect for relaxing at my mom's and decorating a cake with jelly beans. </div>
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Sunday we ate at another of my favorite local restaurants. Why am I so obsessed with food?</div>
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After lunch, we just went to the mall and Target. Typical Sunday, regardless of where we are, right? We'd actually planned on going to a cute park but it started to rain just as we left <a href="http://www.riverviewgrill.com/" target="_blank">Riverview Grill</a>. Rats. </div>
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I didn't take many pictures on Sunday. We spent the evening hanging out at mom's. Coloring. Eating. Watching TV. See, typical Sunday!</div>
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Monday - Memorial Day - we took another shot at that park and it was a great time to go. There was almost no one there when we got there around 10am. </div>
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After playing, we grabbed lunch at yet another local delight by the interstate - <a href="http://harrisonsgrill.com/" target="_blank">Harrison's Grill</a>. One of those experiences that exceeds every expectation. Good prices, great food. Everyone loved their meal. The boys behaved and cleaned their plates. After only eating so-so all weekend, I was glad to see them get some goodness in their bellies before the long drive home. We ended a great, albeit short, trip on a good note and hit the road to get back home. </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-42522157907286464432014-05-28T22:29:00.001-04:002014-06-04T20:53:58.804-04:00catch the moment 365: week twenty-oneHere's a super quick look at our week/long Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy!!<br />
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi at Simply Stavish</a>, <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie and Behind the Camera and Dreaming</a>, and <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah at Nurse Loves Farmer</a> for week 21 of Catch the Moment 365. Still rocking my DSLR for every photo taken this year!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUDll6-q1PLcscLCGS1HNFJ-yCB5oFvL83qG33R4jGrhM1Z5VK0QUjt_Sr7sqs_-aAZdYZ_j5za_VBbzZ670imtBLN-HVzJ0ULzgiKjY-X9d3d8E8qkjCf8_JF-v_0fAO5V_TfD_cbsM/s1600/5-21-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUDll6-q1PLcscLCGS1HNFJ-yCB5oFvL83qG33R4jGrhM1Z5VK0QUjt_Sr7sqs_-aAZdYZ_j5za_VBbzZ670imtBLN-HVzJ0ULzgiKjY-X9d3d8E8qkjCf8_JF-v_0fAO5V_TfD_cbsM/s1600/5-21-14.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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141/365: May 21st. My quick, fleeting, pretty unsuccessful attempt to get a cool shot during a thunderstorm before I ran out the door to meet some friends for dinner.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SRY_Gcy9wKlRP3otOFdS2eFec7E0iC9u4Z9R7j39rwRx5SreakhLBKwD24CmOh8-Bugqd-H69DuDSYQZnOWuxxnkAmYELy6mZxCB7-P6EGzd7-FCwKwNG2l6u1u42MqUR8Wr2JXl2Ck/s1600/5-22-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SRY_Gcy9wKlRP3otOFdS2eFec7E0iC9u4Z9R7j39rwRx5SreakhLBKwD24CmOh8-Bugqd-H69DuDSYQZnOWuxxnkAmYELy6mZxCB7-P6EGzd7-FCwKwNG2l6u1u42MqUR8Wr2JXl2Ck/s1600/5-22-14.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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142/365: May 22nd. We could pretend he was just really sad about the last day of school. Or I could tell you the honest truth and say he was actually pissed because I threatened him with some arbitrary make-believe punishment if he refused to let me take his picture. Hmmph. So there. Guess he showed me who's boss.</div>
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143/365: May 23rd. We went to Tennessee for Memorial weekend and stopped to eat on the way down. The boys both wanted some junk out of a little machine. The meal was oddly delicious and quick for a sit-down restaurant. The service was over the top fantastic. They asked for a birthstone bear key chain. I explained that it was highly unlikely that they would get the right one but they didn't care. And then they got their own, in the right order and everything (Dex is holding Theo's here). Twilight zone much? It was so weird. Just one of those extraordinary ordinary moments that made me smile so much. We decided the machine was magical.</div>
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144/365: May 24th. Feeding the ducks (and geese) at the duck pond in Knoxville. </div>
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145/365: May 25th. What kind of houseguests would we be if we didn't make ourselves at home? </div>
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Read: "make a mess like we do at home."</div>
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146/365: May 26th. Memorial Day. We went to a park near my mom's before we went to lunch and headed back to Indiana. I thought some little spider was quite talented. </div>
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147/365: May 27th. Back home and back to our routine. Chicken on the grill for dinner made the yummiest sandwiches on Tuesday night and the best salad for lunch on Tuesday! Grilling -- one of my favorite things about summer for sure. </div>
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So that's our week, in a nutshell. I will probably post separately about Memorial Day weekend one night this week. Hope you had a good holiday weekend and that you were able to enjoy it with someone you love. What's your favorite photo this week? I kind of like Day 146 (spider web) for something different and Day 143 for that magical moment with those dumb little bear key chains. :)<br />
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xo,<br />
~C~~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-35945884460319037562014-05-21T21:11:00.000-04:002014-05-21T22:29:30.262-04:00catch the moment 365: week twentyWoo! Twenty weeks into this project and still having fun getting to know the people in the Facebook support group for Catch the Moment 365. Last Thursday (5/15) I went to an Intermediate Photography class at the local library and now I just really want to take something more official. During the class, I was messing with the many modes and settings on my camera and finally figured out how to change the aperture. Obviously I hadn't tried very hard before, but adjusting my f-stop and using my new 50 mm 1.8 lens has changed my photos. I'm having a lot of fun playing around but the new lens is really hard to get used to since it doesn't zoom in or out at all.<br />
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Linking up again this week with the lovely ladies hosting the project - <a href="http://www.stavishclan.com/" target="_blank">Mindi</a>, <a href="http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/" target="_blank">Sarah</a>, and <a href="http://www.behindthecameraanddreaming.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie</a>.<br />
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Here we go ...<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">134/365: May 14th. Finished cupcake picks for Dexter's birthday party. <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/05/dexters-batman-birthday-week.html" target="_blank">(see party post for more</a>).</span></div>
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135/365: May 15th. There's just something so calming about those rows and rows of unread books. And also overwhelming. I recently have had the desire to get my hands on real, physical books. As someone who hasn't read regularly since long before she had children, I didn't even know where to start. Genre? Author? After my photography class, I walked upstairs to peruse and left empty-handed. Anyone got suggestions for quick, fun, interesting reads to get my feet wet again?</div>
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136/365: May 16th. Niko.</div>
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137/365: May 17th. Birthday party day.</div>
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138/365: May 18th. One of my favorite nature shots so far this year. Or ever. This is now my screensaver for my laptop.</div>
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139/365: May 19th. Water gun fight in the driveway before dinner. That look on Dexter's face, oh boy.</div>
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140/365: May 20th. Out to dinner. It was late and getting dark and it was cute that Dexter just HAD to take that monkey into the restaurant. I needed a pic and this was the best one I got.</div>
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I like this week of pics, but if I had to choose just one, it would definitely be day 138. Dandelions at dusk. Which one do you like best? </div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7142641886866606480.post-29405097419982514272014-05-20T22:45:00.002-04:002014-05-20T23:02:46.276-04:00Dexter's Batman birthday weekDexter's birthday week was quite the rollercoaster with many ups and downs.<br />
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It started on Mother's Day when Dex had a low fever all day. He laid around when his temp crept up but would be running around like a madman an hour after taking medicine.<br />
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He woke without a fever on Monday but I kept him home because I wanted to keep an eye on him to make sure he was okay. He was sluggish but okay throughout the day. I worked from home and at 4:30 I heard screaming and ran back to the bedroom where he was napping to find him in a puke puddle, crying.<br />
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I moved his mattress to the living room and covered all surfaces in preparation for the next round. Good thing. Poor buddy puked 10 times between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Not a very happy way to turn 3. Dexter got another sick day to stay home with mommy on his special day. </div>
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Trying to play but not really feelin' it.</div>
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By mid-morning the pukefest had come to an end. He took a very long nap and by the time Theo and Ryan came home, he was acting a little more like himself. It wasn't long before Theo saw the small pile of gifts wrapped in Batman paper in our bedroom and started prompting Dexter to ask us to open presents. He cheered up and his energy started to come back. </div>
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The turning point: Revelation of the Lego Set.</div>
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See that sparkle coming back?</div>
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No YOU'RE the best.</div>
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Hurrah to feeling better!</div>
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Took one bite. </div>
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The rest of the work/school/daycare week went okay. Dex still was having some tummy troubles and didn't eat well all week but no more throwing up. Some really FANTASTIC news that came from Dexter's birthday week is that we ditched diapers!! He woke up on his 3rd birthday in a diaper but hasn't had one on since. Not at home anyway. I'm not sure his sitter is quite as ready to move on as the rest of us are. I'm giving him a good, solid week or two before I tell her that we are officially potty-trained, day and night. We are taking him to the bathroom every night before we go to bed (around midnight) and he's doing GREAT!! He's very proud of himself and so are we!! Gooooo Dex!</div>
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Friday I worked a short day and went to Sam's Club when I was done to buy party food. I was excited to go there and take my time strolling around without the kids before I picked them up from the sitter. Got up to the register only to discover that I didn't have my Mastercard debit card. The only place I use it is in the ATM machine and at Sam's because they don't accept Visa. So on one hand, I was not too worried knowing that I must have just left it in the bank's ATM the last time I got cash. On the other hand, I was devastated that I just wasted an hour or more of my precious, limited time and now I was going to have to grocery shop with crabby kids in tow. And embarrassed to boot.</div>
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I did end up getting everything I needed and Ryan and I stayed up until 1am getting everything prepared that we could do the night before. </div>
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Party favor gifts.</div>
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The day of the party was stressful, as they always are. The weather was iffy. It kept getting super cloudy then would sprinkle. It looked like a tsunami could let loose any second but it never did. It stayed nice enough that we could have the party outside, which was the main thing I was worried about. However, I set up the food in the garage. I don't know what your garage looks like in pictures, but there's just no way to make ours look cute, regardless of how many decorations we put up. I barely took any pictures because I was busy prepping all day. By the time the party rolled around, I took a couple pictures of the ugly garage and more or less tossed my camera aside and sat down to enjoy some time with friends.<br />
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For food, we had the following<br />
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- fresh sliced strawberries</div>
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- GoGo Squeeze applesauce</div>
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- <a href="http://www.fosterfarms.com/products/product.asp?productcode=95038" target="_blank">these Foster Farms mini chicken corn dogs</a></div>
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- <a href="http://mommyinthemidwest.blogspot.com/2013/09/recipe-hearty-baked-beans.html" target="_blank">these baked beans</a></div>
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- <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/168885054749550085/" target="_blank">this crock pot turkey</a> (on pretzel buns with provolone and/or pepper jack cheese)</div>
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- pretzels, cheese puff balls, and chips & salsa</div>
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- lemonade & sweet tea</div>
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- cupcakes that Ryan's mom made (Dexter asked for strawberry - they were amazing!)</div>
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- homemade chocolate chip cookies</div>
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Stickers from Zazzle.com</div>
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Grown ups and big kids played things like corn hole and ladder ball outside while the little kids played on the small slide and on the riding toys in the driveway. We ate and then Dexter passed out thank-you gifts to his friends before opening his presents. </div>
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Don't ask me why, but we made Theo and Dexter mini-versions of the gift bags we gave all the other kids. Ryan and I panicked at the last minute, thinking it wouldn't be a very fun birthday party for the birthday boy if he was disappointed and confused about why everyone else got the same thing and he didn't. The full-blown version contained: </div>
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- foil pinwheels</div>
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- bubbles</div>
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- Batman cup</div>
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- mini flashlight</div>
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- mini M&Ms</div>
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- pop rocks (only for the big kids)</div>
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- Batman punch ball balloons</div>
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Without a doubt, you can bet Theo was right beside Dexter the whole time, checking out the new inventory. </div>
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Not a bad day, all in all.</div>
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I hope Dexter enjoyed his third birthday festivities, even if his entire week wasn't as great as it could and should have been. I can't believe my baby is 3!</div>
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xo,</div>
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~C~</div>
~C~http://www.blogger.com/profile/13418516434087833685noreply@blogger.com4