A Project for Lent

The last couple years, the writer of one of my favorite blogs has done a Lenten project where she clears 40 bags of unneeded/unused items from her home.  Read all about it here.  She calls the project 40 Bags in 40 Days.  I'm excited this year to be doing the project in our home!  Today I filled my first bag and I am excited to see what I can accomplish over my Lenten journey.

Making a List...and Checking it Twice

Sunday marked T's 6th birthday AND one month until the new school year begins.  I think it always feels like summer goes by quickly, but this particular summer is actually the shortest we've had.  So, how are we coming on our summer bucket list you ask? I've crossed out items we've completed/are in the middle of doing.  Obviously we didn't stop reading library books after only one visit.  In fact, we've done a few of our bucket list items more than once.   Let's take a look...
1. Water Slide Park
2. Amusement Park
3. Build-a-Bear Workshop
4. Cotton Ball Bunny
5. Back Yard Inflatable Pool
6. Go to a Baseball Game
7. Visit the Children's Farmstead
8. Visit the Botanical Gardens
9. Visit the Rose Garden Park
10. Make a Summer Salad
11. Melted Crayon Art
12. Make Playdough
13. Go on a Bike Ride
14. Read Books for the Library's Summer Reading Program
15. Make Fruit Salad
16. Paint Pictures
17. Walk to the Park
18. Sing Songs About Summer
19. Go to the Zoo
20. Visit Our Grandparents and Other Family Members
21. Have a Play Date
22. Swim at Sejla's Pool
23. Go to Vacation Bible School
24. Go to Art Camp
25. Go to Ballet Camp
26. Go to Gymnastics Day Camp
27. Play at the Splash Pad
28. Draw with Sidewalk Chalk
29. Paint Ceramics
30. Go to the Downtown Library
31. Have a BBQ
32. Ice Cream Shop
33. Weekend Trip to the Zoo and Children's Museum in a Neighboring State
34. Children's Museum (local)
35. See the Saint Louis Arch
36. Go Fishing
37. Go Camping
38. Make S'mores
39. Mommy/Taylor Date
40. Mommy/Kendal Date
41. Daddy/Taylor Date
42. Daddy/Kendal Date
43. Farmers Market
44. Go to a Parade
45. Go on a Walk Every Day the Weather Allows
46. Donuts with Daddy
47. Hike the Nature Trail
48. Story Time at the Library
49. Have a Picnic
50. Ride the Mini Train
51. Movie Theater
52. See a Puppet Show
53. Go on a Bug Hunt
54. See the Curious George Traveling Exhibit
55. Children's Art Center
56. Mini Golf
57. Spend a Day at the Lake
58. Visit a "Big Kids Climbing Park"
59. Visit Our Favorite Park
60. Walk or Bike Park Trails
61. Science Museum
62. Review our Preschool and Kindergarten Skills
63. Go on Papa's Boat
64. Summer Chore Chart
65. Find Art Projects in Library Books and Do Them

It's never too late to start a chore chart is it?  We were out of the state for a lot of June visiting family and never seemed to get that one going after we got home.  It need to start...tomorrow...So we're at 43% completion and have less than month of what is "technically" summer vacation to go.  But, let's be honest, I have no intention of going to Build-a-Bear, so we'll never get 100% (Sorry, T).  I also feel that our summer has been jam-packed full of activity.  I think we'll give this list until Labor Day and see how many things we can check off.

Our Summer To-Do List

Last year, we moved to a new state to kick off the summer.  Feeling out our new area provided many adventures for us, but also took away from some of the traditional summer time activities in which we'd generally participate.  Since I know it's quite possible my husband's job will be taking us on a new adventure to another state next summer, I really want to make the most of our time over the next few months.  The girls and I collaborated on a list of things we'd like to do this summer.  While there are plenty of no-cost summer activities, knowing we want to make the most of our time here could also prove a bit pricey for us this summer!  I'm sharing our list below, and will provide updates on what we've accomplished throughout the summer.  I can't wait to get started...but first T needs to finish up kindergarten!  Due to FIVE snow days, an extra week of school was tacked onto the calendar.  It was such a bummer to have to go back after Memorial Day (as least as far as I'm concerned).  But, this week is a fun one for her with Field Day, Fun in the Sun Day, and getting to bring treats to celebrate her summer birthday.

Our Summer 2013 To-Do List

1.Water Slide Park

2. Amusement Park

3. Build-a-Bear Workshop

4. Make a Cotton Ball Bunny

5.Back Yard Inflatable Pool

6. Go to a Baseball Game

7. Visit the Children's Farmstead

8. Visit the Botanical Gardens

9. Visit the Rose Garden Park

10. Make a Summer Salad

11. Melted Crayon Art

12.Make Playdough

13. Go on a Bike Ride

14. Read Books for the Library's Summer Reading Program

15. Make Fruit Salad

16. Paint Pictures

17. Walk to the Park

18. Sing Songs About Summer

19. Go to the Zoo

20. Visit our Grandparents and Other Family Members

21. Have a Play Date

22. Swim in Sejla's Pool

23. Go to Vacation Bible School

24. Go to Art Camp

25. Go to Ballet Camp

26. Go to Gymnastics Day Camp

27. Play at the Splash Pad

28. Draw with Sidewalk Chalk

29. Paint Ceramics

30. Go to the Downtown Library

31. Have a BBQ

32.Ice Cream Shop

33. Weekend Trip to the Zoo and Children's Museum in a Neighboring State

34. Children's Museum (local)

35. See the Saint Louis Arch

36. Go Fishing

37. Go Camping

38. Make S'mores

39. Mommy/Taylor Date

40. Mommy/Kendal Date

41. Daddy/Taylor Date

42. Daddy/Kendal Date

43. Farmers Market

44. Go to a Parade

45. Go on a Walk Every Day the Weather Allows

46. Donuts with Daddy

47. Hike the Nature Trail

48. Story Time at the Library

49. Have a Picnic

50. Ride the Mini Train

51.Movie Theater

52. See a Puppet Show

53. Go on a Bug Hunt

54. See the Curious George Traveling Exhibit

55. Children's Art Center

56. Mini Golf

57. Spend a Day at the Lake

58.Visit a "Big Kids Climbing Park"

59. Visit our Favorite Park

60. Walk or Bike Park Trails

61. Science Museum

62. Review our Preschool and Kindergarten Skills

63. Go on Papa's Boat

64. Summer Chore Chart

65. Find Art Projects in Library Books and Do Them

Time Lapse

Obviously, there's been a HUGE time lapse between blog posts.  On the very day I posted about pregnancy and infant loss, our friends' infant son passed away from SIDS.  Almost 7 months later, we think of and pray for them every day.  Hug your children tightly each day and know what a blessing they are.

I continue to go back and forth about the direction I want this blog to go...and instead of posting I've been over-thinking it and posting nothing.  I do know that is NOT the direction I wanted it to go!

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

 Today, October 15th, is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.  We remember those babies lost as a result of miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, and any other infant death. 

In March of 2008, I was teaching kindergarten, in grad school, and loving life with my 8 month-old daughter.  My husband and I were shocked to learn I was pregnant.  I was having another baby.  Then, less than a week later, I wasn't...

I had what was considered a "threatened miscarriage" with my first child, but I knew what I was experiencing this time was different.  Of course, it was a Friday.  I didn't want to spend the weekend wondering and worrying.  Since my regular doctor was unavailable, I asked to be seen by any doctor or nurse practitioner who could fit me in.  Then came trying to arrange for a substitute teacher to cover my class during the middle of the day. As I drove to the clinic, I realized I hadn't eaten lunch and decided that could be contributing to my increasing stomach pain.  It was a Friday during Lent, so I ordered a fish sandwich at the drive-thru, but couldn't eat it.  Four years later, fish sandwiches still trigger memories of that day.  At the clinic, I met with a nurse practitioner who sent me for an ultrasound.  For as kind and understanding as that physician was, the ultrasound tech was the complete opposite.  She went so far as to tell me "I don't know why she's having you do this when you haven't done any blood tests."  I felt like a failure...and that was before she performed the ultrasound.  I was then sent back to the waiting room.  As this was not my first ultrasound, it was obvious to me what the technician did (or didn't) see, even if she didn't have the authority to tell me.  I looked around the waiting room and wondered how many of the women were there for prenatal visits.  Then, I noticed a coworker also waiting.  It took all I had not to make eye contact with her, as I knew I would burst into tears.  When I was called back to meet with the physician, the second I stepped into her office, I lost it.  She didn't need to tell me what I already knew.

I went home and slept and was comforted by my husband.  That evening I had grad school.  It was the final weekend of class and we were presenting final projects.  I went early to talk with my professor.  He told me to go home and that I could come the next day and give my presentation.  The perfectionist in me knew I had to stay.  I wanted to see others give their presentations.  I watched, then went home and made some changes to my own final project, all while so many emotions were flooding through my head. 

Time went on and I was sad, but knew all along that I had not done anything to cause my miscarriage.  I believed God had a plan for me and my family.  Three short months later, I was pregnant again. 

As I write this, a spunky three-year-old is snuggled up beside me.  She was part of God's plan for our family.  As hard as it is to know that I lost a child, I also know the one beside me now would not have been...

Earlier this year I read Heaven is for Real.  I have always believed there is a baby waiting for me in Heaven, and the book has only made me more excited to meet him/her someday!   I pray for strength, love and support for all the women and families remembering a baby, today.

This is It...

This is it...the last full week of summer before we have a kindergartener.  On the first "official" day of summer the girls and I made a list of all the things they wanted to do during summer vacation.  It looks like we have a lot to get done this week!   Here's how we've been doing with our summer to-do list:
1. Go Swimming at a Waterpark
Go to a Park
3. Eat Ice Cream on the Deck
4. Play Hide and Seek
5.Play Duck Duck Goose
6. Play Ring Around the Rosey
7. Ride Bike as a Family
8. See Brave at the Movie Theater
9. Go to a Pool
10. Go to the Library
11. Sidewalk Chalk
12. Make a Butterfly Craft
13. Paint our Nails
14. Have a Luau
15. Go to the Zoo
16. Go to Chuck E. Cheese
17. Plant Flowers
18. Make Cupcakes
19. Make Popsicles
20. Mommy/Taylor Date
21. Daddy/Taylor Date
22.Daddy/Kendal Date
23. Mommy/Kendal Date

I think we can knock out 4-6 today since it's rainy.  We haven't made cupcakes, but we made cookies.  Does that count?  We're hoping to go to the zoo this weekend because it will be cooler.  Kendal tried the nail painting on her own.  It was nothing short of a miracle that there was not red nail polish all over the carpet when her big sister let me know what she was up to.  I think I'll pop over to Pinterest now and find a butterfly craft. :) 

Confessions of an Email Hoarder

My name is Kimberly, and I am an email hoarder.  Tonight, I undertook the task of purging a large number of emails from the inbox of my 2nd most important email account.  Let me explain.  I have an account that was my primary account in 2000.  This is now my go-to account for sharing at stores and online when signing up for rewards cards.  I check it once every two weeks.  It ranks lowest in importance.  I created an account in 2005 or 2006 that became my primary account.  It got bumped down a peg when I created a new account about five months ago.  My primary account gained even more relevance when I chose to become a full-time SAHM two months ago and gave up my work email account.  Anyway, back to account number two.  After deleting some emails tonight, I noticed I still had almost 600 emails in my inbox.  That's right SIX HUNDRED.  And...I'd actually opened them all.  They were just sitting there.  What were these gems of messages I'd saved you ask?  Well...about 20 library books due in 3 days notices, 10 failure to deliver messages, advertisements for sales at a variety of stores...the usual must-save junk I never delete.  However, there were some fun "trip down memory lane" emails.  I found an assortment of invitations and itineraries for trips and holiday parties, online proofs from photo shoots for our family, messages and photos from friends before we only shared through Facebook, a welcome letter from my new boss when I landed an awesome job, receipts from toys I ordered online for the girls, and MANY emails from fellow students and instructors during grad school.  The majority of my saved emails were from 2007-2009 when I had an infant, started grad school, and then was pregnant again.  Obviously I didn't have time for frivolous tasks like cleaning up my inbox!  :)  I also tend to save emails relating to school or work until I'm certain I will NEVER need them again.  Truth be told, I had one such grad school email from 2006.  So, now only 16 messages remain in my inbox.  Here's to hoping the hoarding is over and that in 2018 I'm not blogging about a message I still have from 2012!