10 secrets

I haven't been blogging for awhile now and I am having a difficult time getting back into it. After reading my friend Sarah's blog and how she started doing the 10 day you challenge to get back into blogging, I figure that I might as well try it too! I have a feeling it may end up harder then I think.

So here goes nothing.

10 Secrets About Me



1. I really enjoy the kid's Disney show Good Luck Charlie.  To the point where I saw a new episode was coming on and I make a point to turn it on that channel- and the kids were sleeping. I used to hide it from Matt but now I just embrace it.


2. I went through a 'rough patch' when I was about 18 years old. Not my proudest days and a lot of sadness and darkness but yet it's what made me who I am now.


3. I got cited with underage drinking when I was 18 (see #2) I almost didn't post this because I really am not proud of that, but then I thought who I was then is not who I am now and that dark moment in my life is actually what helped me to turn around and see some light, so I need to own that.


4. I wanted to be a mom of 3 or 4 boys (This was before I had any kids. God usually has different plans)


5. I have dyscalculia.  I had no idea that is what it was when I was school I always just felt stupid and let that get to me with academics in general but now I know that I wasn't stupid after all and I wish I didn't let it affect me the way it did (and still does) Claire is pretty good with math and knows her left and rights better then me (yes, I still mix those up way more then a 28 yr old should.) I think she will be OK. Emily concerns me though, just because she is so much more like me.


6. I am not a good parent all the time. Sometimes(a lot of time) I don't play with the kids (right now Noah is napping and the girls are exploring outside with umbrellas and book bags filled with their lunch- and I am in the house typing this --I am right at the sliding doors so I can see and hear them at least--) I don't think I am as involved as I could be with their play. I feel guilty about this a lot. but I really do get bored playing with them all the time!


7. Don't upset me or you WILL pay!  haha. I am sweet. I really am. I am not bothered by much, I get along with a lot of people. People that some that others don't even get along with. I guess at times I am a pushover even, but if I feel strong enough and I feel very serious about something or very wronged, it will not be good. It takes a lot to upset me like that, but if I am, I am VERY good at just cutting you out of my life and washing my hands clean of you!


8. We have 2 pet rats, Lucy and Cuckoo. This is a secret because I told myself and Matt that that we would not get any more small animals, but we did. I guess in a way I didn't want to fully admit it to myself that we do have them, because that would indeed make us officially an animal farm. I haven't told anyone but now it's a good time to announce it! I really like them, one is litter trained and the other one, well we are working on it! Rats are great pets for kids- the best rodents you could have!


9. I am the biggest procrastinator. Well this is truly no secret to anyone that really knows me. I really am terrible at it, so much so that if I am not careful, it can affect my life.

10. I am impulsive (see #8).  This is usually a bad thing but I have heard some say it can be good. I would like to see how.

So that is me and I make no apologies for it!

Next time I write, it was be 9 Loves- I have a feeling that one will be much easier!

Have a lovely day and I hope to see YOU do the day '10 Day You Challenge' as well!

I am trying to get back into things here! Now that summer is here and I have all three kids with me, it's hard to find the time to do anything such as clean, run, much less work on my blog. I think it's going to take time to figure out my new summer schedule and by the time I figure it out, school will be starting and I will have to figure out something new since I'll have a child in kindergarten and one in preschool every other day.

I need to get motivated and I know I really need to learn to WAKE UP BEFORE THE KIDS.  But it is so hard to do!   I could get a lot done if I could wake up earlier. Too bad they don't wake up at 8:00 anymore, it would have been much easier!

Six years ago I was in South York , PA in my apartment. I belive I was in my bed with my best friend, my maid of Honor, Ang. My bridesmaids in the next room sleeping. I was so lucky to have such great girls near me and supporting me the night before my wedding!

Rewind about 1 and a half years..

It's winter time. I'm 19 years old, and living  in west York, with my parents. My brothers friend is visiting. I run/bounce down the stairs and practically fall as I open the door and enter the kitchen.  I see a guy with his (ex?) girlfriend. If only I knew that guy was going to change my whole life.

June 18th we will be married for 6 years. While I know 6 years isn't much, I feel like we have gone through quite a lot. We have gotten pregnant just a few months after getting married, having Claire just a few weeks after our first anniversary. We have had a child about every other year since then. We have moved 4 times and one of those times was completely away from all family and friends, 600 miles away from the life that we knew. In those 6 years we have gone through some hard times and some really wonderful times too.  I can confidently say that I love him more now then I ever have. I won't say these 6 years have all been easy but I wouldn't trade them for anything because I have learned much more then I could imagine. More about myself, more about what a family means. I am not the same person as I was before, and that is a good thing. 

I couldn't have picked a more opposite person from me. If you pick a trait about me, most likely Matt will be opposite. But what meshes so well is our core values, our morals, and beliefs and that is the glue that has held us together and kept our bond stronger then ever. Without him I would be less, I wouldn't have been pushed, I wouldn't have learned. I truly believe that we are perfect for each other. We teach each other and learn from each other all the time. 

I often think of that wintery day when I opened the door and saw him for the first time.

Claire-isms

Here are just a few Claire-isms. I'll have to write more as I get them she makes me laugh! :



"Is she real?" (talking about Selena Gomez) "Does she live on the TV or on Earth?"

Me: I'm going to go and make myself look all pretty (I was getting ready to go out)
Claire: Yeah, you don't look too pretty.. but you look great for summer camp

"Every girl in the world is pretty. And every boy is pretty .. I mean every boy is cool"

"Mom, I'm going to marry Noah, because I love him"

Leprechauns Don't Visit Us

Yesterday Claire was telling us all about Leprechauns: they are as big as your thumb, did ya know? I was told that about 45 times. Also, if you don't put your toys away, they will play with them at night and if you don't do your dishes, they will do them (sounds like a good deal to me!) they make food for you and leave coins around you house. Her friend Hailey got a few coins and she gave one to Claire. Claire seemed a little sad that the Leprechaun didn't seem to come to our house. Really? we need to do another thing that involves tricking our kids into believing in something that isn't real? I have no problem if parents want to do this but I really have a hard time doing it, myself. Call me lazy, call me cynical, call me anything you want, and maybe you're right.. but I still hate it.. how about just enjoying the day without having to be sneaky about it? I hate the whole Santa thing, I don't tell Claire he's real but I don't tell her he isn't real either, I think she'll figure it out on her own. and if she asks me, I will give her an honest answer. It just stresses me out to think someday I may have to tell her it's all fake.. She knows the real meaning, and that is what am most concerned about. I know I'll have the same problem with the Easter Bunny. It annoys me to keep up this pretend thing. But the Leprechaun? no. we are just not doing that. Maybe if we were Irish, but we aren't. She was talking about her friends and how the leprechaun visited her. Matt then blatantly says out loud, "You know, Hailey is probably Irish, that is why the Leprechaun visits her. he doesn't visit you, you're Dutch." way to be graceful about it Matt! So I try to intervene with..."but you get to celebrate St Nicolas day, and other kids probably don't get to celebrate that!" She was a bit upset by this..but then she decided that she still believes in the Leprechaun afterall and I'm happy to say we didn't damage her too much after this conversation...that's the great thing about kids.. they are going to believe what they want to believe no matter what you tell them. If they want to believe, they will.

What I'm dreaming about...

     As we are getting closer to moving into our home (getting our furniture and things on Saturday!!) I am dreaming of making a whole now look in our house and slowly changing the decor to something that I find is more 'me'.  I want to decorate it with the things that make me happy.  This will be a long, slow process because I do not have a lot of money to just throw into things.  And even if I did, I couldn't do that!   I'm happy to use a few things that I already own and love but has no idea what to do with.  It makes me so happy to know I can bring my beloved things back to life.  So what am I thinking about that is making me so darn happy you ask?
 well hold on, I'll tell ya!




    My old steamer trunk that Matt got for me for only $20 at a antique shop while he was on a business trip in New York.  I really had no place to put it, our house was oddly shaped and did not allow much furniture so the poor thing was just stuck against a wall, getting no love. It became a place to put junk.  It is dated to late 1800s to early 1900s. I would love to fix it up (if I had any idea how to) and keep it around and let it grow old with us.  First step is to get rid of that god-awful smell inside!


   Here is a picture of me (that Claire took), with the trunk in the background being abused and used as a place to put purses, laundry and random junk in general (so embarrassing- I can't believe I am even posting a picture of the mess)- poor lil guy! I'm so sorry, I will take better care of you, I promise!:

 The second thing I am dreaming of is my salt and pepper shakers that I previously talked about








   The third thing I am dreaming about is this chair:

    And don't you dare say it's ugly because it isn't- I love it and I can't stop dreaming about it.  Unfortunately, in all our cheapness, it just costs a bit too much for us, especially when there are other things that we actually need (say, a dining table!) so you better believe that I am saving up a little money at a time for it. I will have this chair!




   So that is what I have been dreaming and smiling about these days!






   Tomorrow the movers will be here and we will enter pure chaos, I'm sure. I will be sure to take plenty of pictures! I am positive it will be quite a sight to see- thousands of boxes in our tiny house and the kids climbing and jumping off of each one.  Wish us luck tomorrow and I wish everyone a great day!

Salt and pepper shakers

A about two years ago years ago while at Morning Star, (a flea market) I spotting a pair of salt and pepper shakers. They seemed old and not in very great shape. They were quite useless as salt/pepper shakers, seeing as how they were only about 2 inches tall. It was a little Dutch boy and a little Dutch girl. Looking back now, I wonder if they really are Dutch.. maybe German? Now that I have the Dutch last name and my kids have dutch blood in them, I feel a closeness with Dutch things and quite honestly, I'm a tad jealous that I am not Dutch! So in my Dutch-envy, I just assumed these little figures were Dutch.. and I will continue to think that no matter if it's true or not because it makes me happy!.. Now back to the point of the story.. I found these lovely little things and stopped and admired them for a while and then went on my way. I kept thinking about them. I came back and looked at them again. They were $8 I believe. not expensive- certainly something I could afford but still a little much for something broken down and old. And really.. what am I going to do with them and why do I even like them in the first place?? So I walked away again. Later on, I just got to the point where I couldn't take it any more, I just needed to buy them and I had no idea why. I just loved them, even they they were old, ugly and served no purpose- they needed to be mine! So I bought them. And I was thrilled with myself for doing so. I get home and found that I had no place to put them. They didn't match my decor and they are just so small. I put them on the mantle only to get swallowed by the busyness of the junk mail, keys and what not on the mantle. I put them away at Christmas and then forgot to put them back up. Now I know they are packed in one of my boxes.. and the movers are driving them through a few states and back to mommy! I miss these little guys and I honestly can not stop thinking about them- I know it's crazy, and stupid but it's true! I hope to God I find them and they aren't broken. I am planning in my head a special little spot for them so they can get the attention they deserve..