I finished! & being addicted

I have to say that this class had to of been the most dreaded, longest class I've taken...ever!  I think my mind was not in the class 100% because during week 3 I decided that I didn't want my Master's degree in the program I was enrolled in and this class didn't matter to my new choice.  So I floated in the class and did what was necessary.  Nothing more, nothing less.  I should get an A, but would still be happy with a B.  I guess this class can be used as an elective towards my new degree plan later this fall.

Now...let the fun begin!

On another note I have been pop free for 6 days!  I decided last Thursday night that it was my last day being an addict of drinking pop.  Cold turkey quit!  The first 3 days were miserable.  Pain stacking headaches.  Noise.  Light.  I wanted to succumb to my bed for those 3 days.  I went to bed earlier than usual to fight the craving.  I ate A LOT more than usual, mostly crackers.  It wasn't easy, but I feel I can kick this addiction.  Pepsi was the problem.  Coke light was a runner up.  Now I'm loving my water with crystal light flavors.  I'm not sure how long I can go without caving in, but I'm going to give it my all!

Yesterday was probably the hardest.  I craved it.  I didn't have a headache, I just wanted it!  I had to run to the stores and just knew that I would end up buying one.  I asked Nick before I left if I would be the most horrible person if I bought a Pepsi.  He said no because I stopped suddenly and I was drinking 2 a day for the longest time.  As long as I only bought one and didn't go buy another one the next day.  Good news.  I fought the urge.  I succeeded because I walked out of both stores without one in my shopping bags!

Could drinking coffee be just as bad?  I've ask myself this every single day since quitting pop.  I put creamer and 3 tsp of sugar in every cup I drink.  Most days I drink 2 cups, but since stopping pop, I've had to enjoy an extra cup in the afternoon.  So, is it the same difference?  All the sugar, all the same?  Someone please tell me honestly that coffee is way better than a pop, lol.  I'm hoping this is the case!

I'm going to kick this unhealthy, but so refreshing, addiction to the curb and pray that i'm successful.  6 days is a lot.  I'm taking this one, one day at a time.  That's all I really can do.

Have a great day!

Almost done with school

Thoughts on school...

Tomorrow will be my last day for submitting homework and Sunday will be officially the last day for this semester.  I'm so glad to be done tomorrow!  I have an 8 page paper that needs to be fixed and submitted for tomorrow.  I should be working on it right now, but it's pretty difficult to think and remember, let alone try to fix a paper without forgetting where you left off right before cleaning up that list spill.  You get my drift.  So, once again, procrastination!  I'll work on it after the kids go to bed tonight, then again tomorrow morning.  I may just finish it tonight, but I doubt it.  There's a lot to fix.  I'm dreading it.

Once I get this paper turned it, prepping the house for the move becomes #1.  There's so much to do in this aspect also.  On Saturday I'm taking a bunch of stuff to the Airman's attic.  It's a place where you can take gently used items for ranks E-5 and below to pick up for free.  I thought about selling the stuff, and probably would make a good bit, but it's such a hassle, and I don't have the time to deal with it.

Nick still has a month until his class is done.  But his class seems easy.  He just submitted a 12 page paper and got a 200/200.  Great job, sure!  He's a great writer, I admit, but I just say it's not fair, lol.  After this class he's in, he only has 2 left and he'll have his Master's degree!  Awesome, possum!

Me, I really want to take a break from my Master's.  I'm so undecided, although I think I may have figured it out, on what i want to do "when I grow up".  After we move, I'm thinking of going to school for an MSW (social work).  I technically did 2 years of my bachelors for social work, but then decided to switch to Health Care Management.  Maybe that was a wrong move after-all?

I'm going to be calling schools in our new area for the kids to start in the fall.  Hopefully we will have good options.  I don't even know what to look for since this is all so new.

Have a great day!

From the lens of the camera...

We have been pretty busy around here...

On the 10th, I finished sorting the 3 small bins to file, shred, and recycle.  Only one medium sized bin left to sort!  I had a little helper on this day :)

Then on the 11th we practiced coloring.  This was Sterling's actual first time on paper.  She liked it!  We've only ever done it on the windows previously, but only once then because she just wanted to eat the crayons...

I helped Xander draw two fun planes...

and we watched VeggieTales.

While preparing breakfast on the morning of the 12th, I noticed Xander sitting so chill, a first...

then we worked on somersaults...

and got into trouble from throwing the nice camera on the floor.  I tend to think that if I shove things to the back of the couches this little thing won't get them...well on this day I went into the back to switch over laundry and then I hear a loud thunk!  So, I had to take a picture, you know, to make sure the camera still worked :)...

kids played outside on the patio and I was prepping dinner.

On the 14th after Sterling woke up from her morning nap we headed outside to enjoy the beautiful weather.  First up was to practice riding his new trike from nana and papa...

Sterling always finds a way to push Xander...

After bike practice, we headed to the park to ride the merry-go-round...

take a ride down the slide...

and of course enjoy the swings... 

Xander always catching a ride (wearing his new pjs from nana and papa).

On Monday, the 15th, we went to play with the twins.  They played in the sandbox then we went to their neighbors house and played with their toys too.  Fun day!...

Just because she's a ham...

and he's a turkey.

Now for today... (Cute outfits from their grandma :))  

We met the twins and their mom and went for a walk at the CTS trail.  We'll just leave it as Xander and the youngest twin did not do so well.  I swear to you that when I walk with the kids by myself, Xander never acts a fool (just while shopping, lol).  Today, oh. my. word!, we couldn't even think.  We tried letting them walk.  That ended with them way behind us or wanting to sit down and play with the twigs.  Yes, that's good, on a day we didn't want to actually walk maybe...but not today.  We even planned it thinking they'd fall asleep and take their naps in the strollers.  You know, the nice comfy rides, fresh air blowing in your face, relaxing moments.  Nope.  Too stubborn.  I will say that the oldest twin slept 98% of the walk and Sterling just talked the whole time.  Thanks girls!  The last half mile or more, we finally just stuck them in the strollers and high tailed it off the trail.  Probably the best, fastest walk we've done in a long time, lol.  It was fun though and I'd do it again...maybe once a month, lol.  From now on...play dates at her house so the kids can play in her back yard :)

I think his fits have a lot to do with him being tired.  With his resistance to take naps, he's over tired and it's wearing on him and he don't know what to do, but to have a screaming fit.  And a LOUD one.  His top 2 molars are still working their way in so maybe that's what all his fuss is about?

After our walk, we came home and cut up a fresh pineapple.  Yummy!  Sterling and I ate nearly the whole thing before dinner and finished it at dinner with the help of Xander.  Xander just wanted to sort and count his pineapple after the walk, but actually ate them at dinner...

Now, look at this big girl!  On Sunday at the park I taught her how to crawl up the steps to the slide.  Well tonight as I was changing Xander's diaper, I turned around and she was sitting in the chair.  I never put her there so i had to go grab the camera.  Then I took a video of her doing it to show her daddy.  He's one proud daddy!  I have to figure out how to post videos on here because it's the cutest thing ever! Love this girl, but she's growing way too fast!!!

And there's our life through the lens of the camera from the past 6 days

You notice there are no pictures from Saturday?  Well that's because we tag teamed my paper so we could finish it in one day (8 pages) so we could enjoy a beautiful forecast on Sunday.

Have a great day!

Nap-time dilemmas!

Oh. my. word!  How long are you supposed to let your child scream and throw a fit in there beds refusing to take a nap?  After 45 minutes I usually give in.  But, I know he's safe in his bed, he just don't want to be in there.  Nick calls me a sucker, am I?  For the past week, Xander has been on a napping strike.  Naps are good for kids.  Why won't he understand all that, lol?  If I give in to his fits and bring him on the couch, he'll fall asleep.  So, obviously, he needs his naps.  Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn!

Smile mommas (it's what I keep telling myself)!!  We're doing a fantastic job listening to all the screams we endure every. single. day!  Only about 2 years left (hopefully) of this in-saneness :)

Have a great day!

Any day

I'm SO ready for Sterling to walk on her own!  She walks everywhere...holding onto something or someone.  My pants are down to my knees a hundred zillion times a day.  The walls have little tiny hand prints all over them.  Any day Sterling!  We're waiting very impatiently for you to go on your own.

I wanted to take the kiddos to the park today, but with rain on and off it was a muddy mess.  I wouldn't care if they got muddy, but with her not walking, he bottoms would be ruined!  We don't have anything thick enough for her to scoot around on a wet, dirty ground and hopefully not get cold and sick.  It's a pain.  Not walking is limiting us.  One step at a time little girl!  She's taken 3 steps on her own a few times, but this chicken butt won't let go and go on her own completely.  Since she likes to walk, which is a really good thing, it takes forever to get across the house.  I'm tempted every. single. time to just scoop up her big butt and get to where I need to be.  But, my patient self, takes one step at a time with her.  She's happy walking, holding on, so maybe one day...hopefully very soon, one day, she'll be on her own.

 

Xander didn't want to nap in his crib today so I brought him out with me and he fell asleep in my arms within 2 minutes.  Sweet sweet boy!  I LOVE moments of a sleeping baby in your arms that are so precious.  It don't happen that often, okay, only once in the past year.  So, now, he's sleeping on the couch because I needed a drink otherwise I was going to have a cough attack and wake him.  But now, Sterling is up, so I guess his precious nap is coming to an end.  Well at least he got in an hour, I guess.  Better than not having one.

Picture review

Our week in pictures...

We went for a drive on Thursday

...Sterling was zonked out for a short time (until Xander saw trucks and was so excited and loud that he woke her)

Xander bored while Sissy sleeps

the monster is up

I've been looking for an Elmo doll for Xander for about 8 months. Well they finally had one this weekend so I snagged that thing so fast...he was in love!  Funny thing...he went took a nap with Elmo and I guess he slept on him because when he came out of his bed, he had 2 Elmo eyes sunken in on his forehead...ouch!

 

Xander got a haircut, by me!  I just did what the beauty shop ladies did and it worked great.  If you look at the picture from the road trip, you'll see his hair was out of control and desperately needed a cut.  Nick kept threatening me that he was going to buzz it all off so I took matters into my hand and pleased everyone

the final result

always trying to help, even with the heavy stuff

and he got it and ran to bring it to me

this, next to helping put clothes in the dryer, is his favorite helping project.  Now, he makes a mess doing it, but he thinks he did a great job...and that's what matters.  In time, he will learn to do it properly, but until then, I will take his help any way I can get it

...even if i have to go behind him and put it to our liking 

Last night...Sterling was twerping out for like an hour.  Nothing would make her happy.  She knew what she wanted, but can't speak, so what does she do?  After her hour long fit, she finally lets us know by angrily scooting over to the kitchen.  She wanted her bottle.  It was funny though because as she scooting with her angry self, she kept stopping and looking to see if we were coming.  Once I finally realized what she was doing, I got up and she started laughing and smiling!  What a twerp! She got her bottle and was one happy camper!

Nick and I have been watching House Hunters on Amazon Prime and we were talking about one of the homes.  We always compete to see which one they will pick and which one we like best.  Well upon doing so, I was saying how I like the exterior of one of the homes, but instead of saying exterior, I said outterior!  Wow...is that not even a word!  It should be one, it sounds good, lol!

Have a great day!

Just what I needed

Sometimes in life, things don't go your way.  For about the past 2 months I have wondered "why" about so much.  Maybe I'm just so stressed out with everything that is coming up and having to prep for it all.

Last night as I crawled into bed, I noticed a card under my pillow.  I get all giddy.  This never happens, so I giggle.  You know, the little school girl giggle.  Nick wanted to let me know how much I mean to him and what a wonderful life we have together.  He's actually had the card for 2 weeks he said and was looking for the perfect time to give it to me.  Last night was perfect.  I've felt like my life has been a perfect storm and I've become so overwhelmed.  I have to remember to take it slow and don't let things get to me so much.

This morning I opened my email from Baby.Center about 2 year olds with Big Emotions.  Oh boy, does my 2 year old ever has so much emotion.  This email was perfect to read this morning.  It said  "Two-year-olds give the biggest hugs, flash the biggest smiles, and yes, throw the loudest, most spectacular tantrums.  Because they live in the moment, their feelings are especially transparent.  It's tempting to want to keep things happy for your child at all times.  But it's also important for her to experience emotions like sadness, frustration, and anger without always being "rescued" by Mom or Dad, so she can learn to cope better with small setback."  

Wow!  How much more perfect could that have been written and sent at this perfect time?  It speaks true of Alexander!  I have to remember to stop "rescuing" the kids and that it's good for them to have all different types of emotions.

I woke up dragging this morning.  The kids and I got dressed and left to go play with friends.  It's nice to get out even when I feel like crap.  Good friends always give a good pick-me-up :)

Nick had the past 5 days off with us and it was nice to have a second set of hands helping out and I was able to 2 bins of papers sorted.  I still have 2 left.  I have them sorted into 3 bins; recycle, shred and file.  Luckily the file bin is not too full yet, but the shred is already near full.  I told Nick that I'm going to end up burning up the motor on our itty-bitty shredder.  The shredding will be broken up into days so we can hopefully prevent this.  Hopefully only another month and we'll have the movers here packing our stuff up and shipping it across the ocean.

"The Best Love

Is a Lifelong Love

That Sweetens the Joys,

Softens the Hurts,

and Strengthens

Two Hearts as it Grows."

~~J. Hund

Have a great day!

Parenting

Let's talk parenting styles, from a non-expert.  

In our house, there are 2 different types.  I parent to care, have relaxed structure, teach, soothe, and raise loving obedient children.  Nick tends to parent more on the approach that he knows best and that the kids' needs are not always as important or maybe urgent like I tend to think (maybe I should go this direction?).  Sometimes having these 2 different styles of parenting are good for our family.  Nick puts me in my place sometimes letting me know that every little whine or scream does not account for mommy's help or need my attention.  And sometimes I have to let Nick know that the kids' cries are "urgent".  For me, it's not that I think every cry is an emergency, I just feel like I have to figure out what has made the child upset and try to console them.  I have to learn that the kids have to figure it out on their own...sometimes.  

We try not to argue in front of the kids about parenting because we don't want them to see our differences.  The kids could then see our differences and use it to their advantages.  Not what we want so we try to work it out "behind the scene".  We both make compromises.

Discipline is a huge battle in our home.  Now that Xander is old enough to understand what he has done wrong, it's important to start early with positive discipline.  We both believe spanking is okay, but I believe that no mark should ever be left on a child (that means you don't spank hard), while Nick thinks it's pointless to spank if the child don't feel it to understand they did wrong.  It worked for him growing up, so it's okay for him to spank to feel it nowadays?  I get upset over this.  It's probably from my childhood, but I don't feel you should lay your hands on a child so hard that you leave marks.  It's a battle.  We're working on this one.

We do have to effective discipline methods that have been working for us.  I use the "take a break away from the situation", otherwise known as time-out.  It works for Xander.  He usually calms down from what he was doing wrong, forgets about it, and goes onto another project when he's allowed up.  Nick uses a stern voice and a hand thump.  It works.  So far for Sterling, she receives Nick's method of discipline.  It works for her.  When she's older and understands, we'll find what works for her.  I'm not sure that sitting still will work for her, like Xander.  She's too busy and always on the go.  It would be good for her to take a break, but I'm just not seeing it in her future.

I still have to figure out a discipline method for while we are out in public because obviously you can not raise your voice, get stern, and set them aside for a break without someone calling the cops on you for disciplining your child.  Most times I'll let my child scream the whole way through the store.  I don't typically give in.  But, I do get frustrated that they are screaming, so I tend to hurry it up and get out.  I go to the store for a reason, to get something, so i'm going to get what I went for.  I'm not going to leave when my child has a screaming fit.  If your a parent, you'd understand and not give dirty looks...is how I feel.  

It has been a lot of trial and error when it comes to parenting.  Being first time parents to a now toddler is a challenge at best.  Well worth every minute of the challenges, but also can become stressful.  We all have our moments, but in the end only one thing matters.  We love our family.

Happy Sunday!

Review in random pictures

wow...this is my 3rd post today!

heading out for a play date.  He's obsessed with hats these days (and so handsome in them)

This was on the 21st, eating Subway, and being a ham!

I noticed Sterling's personalized backpack she got for her birthday was not closing like it should (the black pincher thing was not tight on the string), so I emailed the company and they sent another backpack...I actually just asked them to send a new black pincher piece.  Now, I guess we'll have 2 bags.

Xander making his typical mess during snack time (apple with peanut butter)

On the 27th Xander and I finished our paintings.  His is all made with his finger/hand (except for the solid background color).  I LOVE how it turned out, love, love, love it!

I like mine too, all except the "Happy Easter".  I might change that for next year.  I put our last name in the eggs.  I LOVE the chicks and bunnies though :)

(Nick's thumb, my thumb, Xander's hand, Sterling's hand, Xander's thumb, Sterling's thumb)

Xander is so funny lately, I love him to pieces!

Cuddle time before bed

Playing while I get Xander ready before we head out for a play date

Today we went to the BMW service center because Nick's car has had a "driver restraint system malfunction" message for the past week.  We all headed into the service center and sat down at our station.  Once we sat down, everyone started coming over to look at the kids.  They all thought Sterling was older than Xander, lol.  German's are so sweet (sometimes) and funny.  They just stare at my kids and say how cute they are and how they just want to pinch their cheeks and give them kisses.  After everyone was done oohing and aahing over the kids, we finally got down with business.  It turns out that there is something wrong with the airbag system.  Not good!  So they had to make an appointment (not until May 2nd!).  While we were setting up the appt at another station, the ladies were still oohing over the kids.  Sweet Sterling I swear has a permanent smile and gives it to everyone.

Nick is off today so while he was home and the kids were napping, I ran out to a new fabric store...and i didn't get lost for my first time going!  (that's a big thing around here)  I picked up 2 fabrics with coordinating fabric so I can make dresses for Sterling.  I'm just looking for a pattern that I love and hoping to find one for free :)

Okay, I think I'm caught up now and I can stop stressing so much.  Hopefully I can start to stay caught up.

Have a great day!

Easter Sunday 2013

We had a very blessed Easter.  We spent it with loving friends, great fellowship, amazing food and fun times!

We spent the first part of the morning dying our eggs...which we forgot to take along for the egg hunt, oops!

Right after I woke up, my first task was to start making the dough I needed to make Arabic meat pies (this was after an hour of rising)

While the dough was rising, Xander was coloring on the eggs so we could continue dying them

checking out their goodies

We had lunch (well the kids and Nick, I was so busy prepping things I didn't have time), the kids took naps. They got up, dressed, snapped a few pics (at the end of the post), and then headed off to our friends.  I didn't even get a picture of the spread at the gathering.  There was so much food!  Oh, and I also learned something.  The Arabic meat pies that I love to make are an Easter tradition in Russia.  So, my Russian friend was surprised I knew how to make these and that's what I was bringing.  So, in the beginning, I feared no one would like them, but in the end they were the biggest hit at the party!

we had a guest appearance from Mr. Bunny himself

some of the kids played while waiting to start the hunt

the kids spot Mr. Bunny

...and Xander goes running in the opposite direction!

here I'm supposed to be video taping the kids picking up the eggs, but my poor baby was terrified.  The camcorder went down and I had to calm Xander down

silly bunny

daddy to the rescue this time

finally calmed him down to pick up a few eggs

Sterling even got 2 eggs (with the help of daddy of course :))

I convinced Xander to see Mr. Bunny.  When Xander was ready to get down, he said, "bye bye"

Xander with his eggs

Sterling with her eggs

Family pic with a photo-bombing bunny!

We then headed inside to eat, fellowship, and start games

This is a fun game, even the kids can play.  Takes coordination to get the pen in the bottle before anyone else

...and I guess Nick has some, lol, because he won...yah, Nick!!

After games everyone started tricking out to head home.  We stayed to help clean up and chat some more.  We're going to miss this family!

Pics before we left...

sweet hugs :)

Have a great day!