The best worst case scenario?

So I was taking my two oldest to school today because my husband has a men's group he attends at church every Wednesday morning.  I was excited for the kids to go back to school since the cold weather kept them home Monday and Tuesday.  They were excited to go back too.  The morning went perfectly!  Kids were dressed, fed and in the car on time to get to school.  We have a half hour drive to school and were all set!

We had the heat blasting since it was 0 degrees outside, brrrrrrr!  As I started to go up a hill about 30 seconds from our church, I saw some lights come on the dashboard.  None of which concerned me until it said, "engine power reduced".  As I pushed the gas pedal to the floor I realized I was losing power and speed.  I quickly put on my hazards and found a place to pull off of the busy highway I was on, which wasn't easy from all the snow we have had!

The kids immediately started saying, "Why aren't we moving mom?  Why did we stop?  We have to go to school!"  Aaahhhh!!  I'm sure my pregnancy hormones didn't help but all I wanted to do was break down and cry.  Why isn't my car moving?  It's freezing out?  How am I going to get the kids to school?  How am I going to get this car to a repair shop?  And how much is THIS going to cost?!

So what's the "best" in this worst case scenario of being stranded on the side of the road pregnant with four little kiddos in back?  My husband was 30 seconds away!  And of course, he swoops in and saves us just like a daddy/husband should!  He is often on the road at different business meetings 30+ minutes away so that fact that he was right there was like a miracle.  When he got to where we were, he immediately hopped in the driver's seat and was able to back the car into a nearby driveway.  How he is able to back into tight spots with traffic whizzing by, I'll never know, but I sure am thankful he can.  He was immediately switching car seats in the freezing cold weather and getting everyone buckled in while I was able to stay warm in the car.  He was on the phone calling the car repair shop and getting everything figured out before we were even five minutes on the road.

Luckily we found out that the issue is a moisture issue that often occurs when the weather is soooooooo cold and not something like the transmission, that's the next part of this "best worst case scenario".  When we finally arrived back home with all the kids, I felt such a sense of relief that my hubby was able to take care of everything.  It's really wonderful to be taken care of by someone.  I'm so blessed to have him!

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Busy Mommy Blogger

The cloud is lifting....

It has been such a long time since I have been able to blog.  Well, not just blog, eat, play with my kiddos, carry a conversation, read, or just plain anything that you need to have your eyes open to do!  I feel so blessed to be pregnant AGAIN!  But the nausea with this little one is worse than any I have ever experienced and I have had nausea with all of my children.  I thought I was sick with my last little one but that was nothing compared to this baby!

That being said, I am 13 weeks now and FINALLY feeling better.  I have the best husband.  He would come home and allow me to just go straight to bed until the next morning for the last two months.  I hate to complain because I'm really just happy to be having another baby.

I have no problem complaining about this winter though!  When is it ever going to be over?!  It's enough to allow expletives to come flying out of my mouth in a whirlwind every time I have to step outside and choke on the cold blast that hits my face and freezes my snot before it can even drip out of my nose.  Thank goodness for self control or my children would be learning a whole new vocabulary!  And if it's not F****** freezing out, it's SNOWING!  Not just a little, like blizzard snowing.  Like don't even bother going outside, you'll be buried before you start playing, snowing.

I live in Wisconsin so I get it, we have winter.  Every year.  I like having four distinct seasons, but this is a little over kill don't you think?  Winter came early and has been unrelenting since it's arrival.  ENOUGH ALREADY!  I am ready for spring.  That damn groundhog better not see it's shadow AND be accurate because I am not ok with six more weeks of winter!!

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Busy Mommy Blogger

Back to normal!

Wow!  It has been an E-TER-NI-TY(!) since my last blog!  I have tried to get on the computer but the overwhelming sensation to throw up is just too strong and I end up closing the laptop before I even get started.  Well, we have had Christmas, Christmas break, and New Years Eve/Day (with a bad Badger loss) and now the kids are back in school and I find myself at home with just the babies again!

Of course my pregnancy nausea is still lingering like a constant reminder of the little life growing inside of me.  I would say that I hate the nausea that accompanies pregnancy but the truth is that even though it can be difficult to deal with, it is my only reminder of that little baby until I can start to feel him or her moving around so I don't totally hate it.

Christmas was a whirlwind of toys, wrapping paper, driving and SNOW!  We had a ton of snow before during and after the holiday.  Our Christmas Eve mass was wonderfully peaceful except for my two year old who appeared to have taken a five hour energy drink before the mass.  We sat for two and a half hours watching It's a Wonderful Life before church and we were all exhausted but my little man could not be tuckered out.

Christmas was magical as well.  Santa did not disappoint.  He may not bring a lot but he does bring items from the kids' wish lists so they were all very pleased.  We then drove into Madison, reflecting how next year it will be nearly impossible to put any stuff in the car with another kiddo in the car!  The kids opened up gifts from Grandma and Grandpa (Great Grandparents too!) and even though we couldn't stay too long due too extra child energy and of course my nausea, we had a really nice time!

The Packers won!  Yeah!  Now we are in the playoffs and hopeful for a successful post season run.  New Years Eve was uneventful as usual, we were both in bed before the new year.  And New Years Day brought a disappointing end to the Badger season as they lost in the Capital One Bowl.

All in all, our holiday break was a fantastic one and went by way too fast.  Now it is back to the grind.  Christmas decs have been put away and normal life can resume!  Please forgive my lengthy absence, I hope to be back to feeling better in 4 - 6 weeks, if past pregnancies are any indication of how long my nausea will last!

Thanks for reading!

Busy Mommy Blogger

Happy Birthday baby!

My youngest is officially one.  I can't believe that one year ago I was holding this teeny, tiny little baby in my arms.  I was so excited to have another little girl.  She has proved to be the most amazing baby ever.  She is so content and peaceful.  She loves her mommy so much.  I have never had a child so attached to me that whenever I am not within eye sight she cries.  That may sound annoying to other people, but I love it.  I love how she always wants to cuddle with me, play peek a boo with me, and how she always cracks a smile with me.

My baby girl slept through the night at 3 weeks old!  I could not have felt more blessed, I love my sleep and with three other kiddos to take care of, I was so glad I could get a full night's sleep.  Nursing was hard at first but once she got the hang of it, she never looked back and is a beautiful chubby baby!  My baby girl never complains.  When it's time to get in the car, she is happy.  When it's time to eat, she is happy.  When it's time to sleep, she is happy.  I love how "go with the flow" she is.

I feel so blessed to be able to be her mommy.  I am so excited to watch her grow and learn.  I can't wait to see how she will be in a year, two years, five years and more.  But right now, I am excited for her to learn how to walk.  She has been working so hard walking from chair to toy to couch, etc.  I am so blessed to have such a beautiful baby and can't wait to watch her blossom.  There will be some sadness in my heart, as there always is, when she is not the baby anymore, but I am excited to see what kind of a big sis she will be too!  Thank you God for choosing me to be her mommy!  Happy birthday baby!

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Busy Mommy Blogger

Where are all the Christmas lights?

We live in small town suburbia and as I was driving with my kids to the store tonight I noticed how few houses were decorated with Christmas lights.  We decorate every year, of course, with small children it is their favorite part of the season, seeing all the lights.  But even if we didn't have kids, I would still decorate, maybe not as much or maybe not as meticulously, but I would at least throw something festive on the house and bushes.

So where has this lost art of Christmas light decorating gone?  Is it just too much of a pain to go out in the cold and put lights up for a few short weeks only to have to either take them down in the cold or leave them on the house until spring?  Is it too much to expect the other houses in the neighborhood to help the festive mood by adding some twinkle to their normally mundane houses? 

I can remember as a kid how fun it was to drive around at night and see all the houses lit up.  Now, if you want to see lights you have to go to a special "Enchanted Park" or a "Candy Cane Lane" where houses are all decorated.  I understand we live in a world where not everybody celebrates the same holidays and I'm certainly not suggesting that everybody need decorate their house, I'm only saying that it feels that we are becoming lazy in our holiday output and could afford to kick it up a notch.  I mean, how can you not smile and feel like a kid again when you see a row of finely lit houses?  Maybe it would put a little more of the "holiday spirit" into us all.

Thanks for reading!

Busy Mommy Blogger