Life unplugged is GREAT! I really am enjoying my time away from the computer. And I feel like I'm getting so much accomplished. I've had time to inventory the freezer, redesign our budget spreadsheet, clean the outside of the washing machine, and develop a new favorite font... Century Gothic... I know, I'm a nerd.
The kiddos are doing great. Ira was sick this past week, nothing more than a fever and lack of appetite. He spent a few days on the couch watching TV and is back to his normal question-filled self. We haven't spent as much time outside lately as I'd like to, but we're working on getting out earlier in the morning before it gets so STINKIN hot!!
Ruby is growing, growing, GROWING! She weighed 14 pounds last time I checked and is getting so LONG! She is sleeping so much better! At one point she was sleeping through the night, then I got sick and my milk supply suffered big time, (it's finally back to normal now) but she's started nursing during the night again... like 4 times... YEESH! I've been somewhat of a zombie lately!
Andy and I are working on some goal-setting with our budget, trying to save more money to put towards paying off our student loans. We are SICK of them!! I'll let you know how that goes.
As I said, life is good. I'll post some pictures so you can see what we've been up to lately!
Andy and I before going out for our 5th Anniversary. 5 years and 2 kids later, I am more in love with him than ever!
Ruby-roo is determined to suck her fingers. I think it's absolutely adorable... although I don't feel that way during the middle of the night when she's slurping away at them... and I probably won't feel that way when we can't just throw them away like a binkie...
Ira and Ruby are best buds... I think they both look like they're up to something in this picture!
Ira experimented with riding his bike "two-wheels" (no training wheels). He could go straight for a mile and can turn only right. He wanted the training wheels back on for now, which is fine with me - he'll learn when he's ready.
We had professional pics of the kids taken at Portrait Innovations. We had a tux rented for Ira for my brother's wedding, so I decided to take advantage of it and have 4 yr. pictures taken in it as well.
I may be biased, but I'm pretty sure this kid could be in advertisements.
As could she! I LOVE my sweet kiddos!
Ira being the ring bearer at my brother's wedding. And yes, he is carrying drumsticks instead of the rings. Guess who's got Uncle Drew wrapped around his little finger...
My brother Drew and my sister-in-law, Abby!
We finally made it out to the field to help with harvest. Ira could not WAIT to ride the combine with Grandpa!
Ruby, not one to be left out, wanted to ride on a combine too.
So Andy, Ruby and I hopped in a combine and cut all the way around the field (they'd just started a new field.) It brought back memories of when Andy and I were dating and he was working at the farm. I'd go out and ride the combine with him. So fun to share it with our kids now!
Sorry it’s been awhile since I blogged. I’ve been introspecting a lot lately. A lot of it has to do with the fact that Ira will be starting Kindergarten in the fall of 2011. To you, that may seem like a long time away, but to me – it seems like it’s just right around the corner. I absolutely cannot believe that my time at home with my precious boy is drawing to a close. I’ve already spent nights crying about it to Andy. I can’t even fathom what I’ll be like next summer. I’ll be a mess, that’s all I can say. I know that some parents put their kiddos in daycare/preschool at 4, but I’ll be honest and say that I am SELFISH and I want my little boy home with ME. I will reluctantly give him to you when he is 5. But you’re not getting him until then! For the next year and three months - he is still mine. And it might sound trite, but I am going to CHERISH him until then.
So, as I said, I’ve been introspecting. And as the title indicates – something’s gotta give. Life has been busier since Ruby was born, obviously, that’s part of adding new children into the mix. And as I’ve blogged about before – she is not the best sleeper in the world. I thought that I would still have time during the day when it was just Ira and I because she would be napping. But that’s just not really the case. And I’m not upset about that fact. That’s part of being a mom. And that’s the whole fact of the matter. I am a MOM. I am a child of God, striving for heaven (first). I am a wife (second). And I am a mom. Those are my priorities right now – or at least that’s how I’m trying to re-order my life. Lately though, those haven’t exactly been my priorities. I spend time on Facebook, keeping up with friends. I spend time blogging and reading others’ blogs. I spend time cutting coupons and shopping for deals. I spend time watching TV, (not during the day, but still), baking, cooking, budgeting, and being a sister/daughter/friend. And there is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things. But right now, I’m finding that other things are much more important in my life.
So after a lot of thinking on the matter, I’m pretty sure I’m going to give Facebook the boot. I’m not getting off of it completely, I’ll still check in when I can. But right now, it just tempts me to waste too much of my time on things that don’t matter. And I’m pretty sure that God isn’t going to post the secret to eternal salvation on Facebook… pretty sure that’s found elsewhere. And that’s really what matters.
I’d like to keep blogging, not because I think any of you care too much about our goings on, but because I like that it’s a journal to look back on. I’ll also probably keep couponing/deal-searching, because I’m already seeing results in our budget. Plus, that’s hard to get too carried away with since we live 30 minutes out of town and don’t have the gas money to go into town much more than once a week.
And I actually want to spend more time on a few things:
-my prayer life/reading/studying about my faith
-cultivating REAL friendships… not “oh yeah, we’re friends on Facebook friendships” – but actual real friendships
-talking and doing things with my hubby (we’re pretty good about this, but it usually happens AFTER everything else gets done for the day – meaning we stay up LATE most nights) and I’d like to make it more of a priority.
-being a mommy. I know that I’ll be a mom forever, but you only get your kiddos wholly to yourself those first 5 years and I’m coming to see that those years FLY by WAY TOO FAST! I know I’ll cry on Ira’s first day of school – but I don’t want to be crying because I have regrets over the way I spent his five years with me.
With that, I think I’ll bid you adieu and get Ira up from quiet time to go play in the rain! God bless!
Andy and I before going out for our 5th Anniversary. 5 years and 2 kids later, I am more in love with him than ever!
Ruby-roo is determined to suck her fingers. I think it's absolutely adorable... although I don't feel that way during the middle of the night when she's slurping away at them... and I probably won't feel that way when we can't just throw them away like a binkie...
Ira and Ruby are best buds... I think they both look like they're up to something in this picture!
Ira experimented with riding his bike "two-wheels" (no training wheels). He could go straight for a mile and can turn only right. He wanted the training wheels back on for now, which is fine with me - he'll learn when he's ready.
We had professional pics of the kids taken at Portrait Innovations. We had a tux rented for Ira for my brother's wedding, so I decided to take advantage of it and have 4 yr. pictures taken in it as well.
I may be biased, but I'm pretty sure this kid could be in advertisements.
As could she! I LOVE my sweet kiddos!
Ira being the ring bearer at my brother's wedding. And yes, he is carrying drumsticks instead of the rings. Guess who's got Uncle Drew wrapped around his little finger...
My brother Drew and my sister-in-law, Abby!
We finally made it out to the field to help with harvest. Ira could not WAIT to ride the combine with Grandpa!
Ruby, not one to be left out, wanted to ride on a combine too.
So Andy, Ruby and I hopped in a combine and cut all the way around the field (they'd just started a new field.) It brought back memories of when Andy and I were dating and he was working at the farm. I'd go out and ride the combine with him. So fun to share it with our kids now!
