A Typical Sunday

Want a peak into a typical Sunday for us? Let me re-cap this week's for you.

5am--baby wanted to nurse.

530am--I got up to exercise (wanted to make sure I got it in...but I was yawning a lot during the first service, so I may forego the early workout on Sundays)

630am--girls woke as I was getting ready, interacted some with them--but Bean got up to dress them.

See, I need to be at church at 7:30am on Sundays. Miss Rose likes to come with me to get a donut and go to her early Sunday School class. Gracie is old enough to not want to be left out, so she usually comes too

7am--baby wakes again--I decide to do a quick nursing and save the bottle for Bean to feed her later

7:07--Bean decides he might as well come early with us and just take care of the baby at church

We scramble to finish gathering everything and get out of the door

7:21--finally leaving, about 5min late

7:22--I get 1/2 block down the street and realize I left the coffee pot on in the mayhem to leave (I'm a creature of habit and throw off my routine and everything gets messed up!)

7:37--get to church, I am late, but make it in for the closing prayer of our brief staff meeting

7:45am--I have a few tasks to complete prior to the first service. Bean buys the girls donuts, which they eat after their applesauce

8:00am--girls just want to be with me, but I'm working.

8:05am--Lily is fussing, she's still in her jammies which are now spit-up and drool soaked. I pick her up out of the carseat to find she's exploded all over her jammies and the carseat. I think all the poop shot out of the diaper.

8:06am--there are no wipes in the diaper bag. Bean runs over to the nursery to borrow some.

8:10am--Lily is finally changed. Gracie now stinks. Bean takes big girls to Sunday School where he changes Gracie.

8:30-9:30--we fight with Lily to keep her asleep during service. It's naptime, but she's fidgety. Finally she conks out

10am--Bean is teaching a little girl guitar, Miss Rose and her cousin are telling me of their plan for cousin to stay with us and come over for the day, Gracie is tired and clingy, Lily is ready to eat--I am running the Information Booth at church.

10:10am--a friend is feeding Lily her bottle, Miss Rose and cousin are off to SS and Gracie is with me

10:30am--Bean takes Gracie to her class, he leaves with Lily to go grocery shopping

11am--our number pops up...Gracie is poopy again...they don't change diapers in the 2yr old class

12:20--I'm done praying with people at the alter (great service and message!) and getting the girls. They are all the last ones in their class (always the pastor's kids)

12:30--I bribe the girls (my 2 and their cousin) with Breathsavers to sit calmly while I finish up my duties.

12:40--leaving church, Bean calls with a screaming Lily in the background

1pm--home, feeding Lily, Bean's feeding the girls

2pm--Bean leaves to go back to church for his custodial gig

3:30pm--Gracie wakes, is pretty out of it

4:30pm--Gracie pukes all over and has a slight fever (teething related most likely)

There is a bit more, but it's pretty mundane.

THAT is my crazy Sunday!! It's pretty much always like that with a few variables. It's a unique situation since I'm working on Sundays but my family gets to be with me. And because Bean is pretty involved with worship on Sundays, it's just an entire family affair. We were spoiled the year we lived next to the church because I would have babysitters come over and help with the kids when we had early mornings.

My kids do love going to church and being there (even if Miss Rose won't dress up!) and I am so thankful for that. As they get older, they may not want to be there so much "extra" but that's okay. Right now it's great that they feel safe and comfortable and enjoy being there and going to their classes.

This is why though, it's a bit crazy at times, to be a pastor and the mother of small children! (Oh and I forgot to mention the short break I had to take during the 2nd service to go pump...that too comes with the territory right now)

Shred Update

April is quickly coming to an end--which I can't believe!

I've been pretty faithfully shredding. I missed a few days last week due to travel. There have been many days I didn't want to do it or could have found excuses not to, but I have made myself. Even waking before 6am to make sure I do it.

I've found that mornings are much better and it's worth it to get up early because I may not get it done later in the day. Evenings are especially out.

Jillian Michaels will kick your butt! I just moved up to Level 3 yesterday and wow--a whole new intensity. There are a couple moves I just can't master yet--I don't have the physical ability. But it gives me something to work towards.

While I haven't seen any results on the scale, my body definately is changing. Once I can get the scale to start moving ( a whole other topic) I think I'll be even more pleased. I've banished desserts from our house this next week in an attempt to get the scale moving.

I'm looking forward to the end of the month because I won't have the mental pressure to do the workout daily. But I know that I am going to keep it as a part of my exercise line up. I have a race coming up in June, so I need to get back to running to prepare. But on the days I work, even running can be a challenge, so it's great to know I can wake early, Shred for 20 min and have a great workout!

The Summer of the Dress

I've never been a "girly-girl." My brother was just 18 months younger than me and we played together a ton growing up. I was very into my baby dolls, but most of my time was spent outside playing pioneer, Davey Crockett, cowboys and Indians and the like.

However, I always enjoyed getting dressed up for church on Sundays. Most of my dresses were hand me downs, but I loved them. I remember during my fifth grade year I was really into carrying a purse, especially to church. I think all I had in it was a few one dollar bills and some lip gloss. For some reason, the feminist in me reared her head and I refused to carry a purse for many years after. I much preferred large wallets or purse backpacks. And when I think about some of the dresses and outfits I put together for church over the years...I was in great need of fashion help!

I fear that even though I'm more balanced now, Miss Rose has picked up a little too much of my tomboy-independent-girls rock attitude. She is extremely opposed to wearing dresses or even skirts. She wants to wear jeans, old tshirts and her beat up shoes to church on Sundays. She wants to wear that all of the time.

About 50% of the time I don't want to fight and let her choose her own clothes for school. The other 50% I risk the argument and put my foot down on her clothing. When she is much older I know she'll look back at photos and ask me why I let her dress that way. I figure if I try to downplay it, she'll eventually grow out of it.

When it comes to my own everyday clothing, I am definately about comfort and function. I really only dress up--complete with hair and full makeup--for work and church on Sundays. Even some of those days are more casual or thrown together--depending on how much time I had. Of course, I've dressed Miss Rose with that same attitude--function and comfort.

Perhaps that was a mistake. Perhaps I should have embraced her girly side more earlier in her life. I'm sure she'll find it--just like I did. I'm all about a great purse and good shoes now. When the occasion calls for it of course. Not just to grocery shop.

Gracie however, is still young and impressionable. She has quite an opinion on her clothes--which Miss Rose didn't have at two. Gracie has her favorite jackets (jack-jacks or jacky as she calls it). If I choose the wrong one, she'll go to the closet and say "no, this one." She LOVES to stay in her jammies. Shoes are also a big thing. Last week it was the new white sandels I bought her for Easter. This week it's black little ballet flats (which she wore with too big of socks and jeans a few days ago).

So I've decided for Gracie, this is the summer of the dress. I'm going to put her in cute summer dresses as much as posssible! The right ones are just as cool as shorts and a tank top. Makes diaper changes (and potty training soon) easier too.

Who knows, in another year Miss Rose will probably be all about dressing up and I won't be able to get Gracie out of her tennis shoes. Good think Lily is coming up behind them. I'll have another girl to dress for a few more years before she can make up her own mind.

A friend gave me a whole bunch of clothes her daughter had outgrown for Gracie--and what do you know---there were several casual dresses. It's meant to be!

Frankly, I'm on the hunt for some cute dresses myself. They can be much more flattering than shorts, especially for a body still recovering from two pregnancies in two years.

A Photo Update

Clearly, blogging time is slim to none right now. Which is a bummer because I have (what I think are) some pretty funny blog topics in mind. I guess they will have to wait.

But for now, here's a little update in photos of life lately.

I know I already shared about Gracie's birthday, but here's a bit more.


Our little monkey Gracie turned 2...

Mama made an attempt at a creative cake...cupcakes that looked like Curious George's balloons.

Gracie had so much fun (during her nap time) that she conked out on the couch minutes after we got home.

Gracie went to her first Easter Egg Hunt.

Miss Rose is an Egg Hunt pro!

Bean and his firsts two girls. Yes, that's a scowl on Gracie's face. Why, we're not sure. Sometimes she just decides she's bent out of shape.

Mama and the "big" girls.

Gracie striking a pose.

No, it's not choking...it's sisterly love. I decided not to fight Miss Rose about wearing a dress and settled for a cute top and capri's on Easter.

And little Lily showing off her Easter duds. Yes, she looks like she has clown feet. No, she doesn't. It's just the fact that her shoes are a bit too big (is there a such thing as shoes that fit a newborn?) and the angle of the shot.

I learned that if I want a photo of all the kids together...it's better to try on a day other than the holiday! It wasn't worth waking Lily to get her in on the photos at church...and by the time church was over we were all done! My mom does have a shot on her camera of all of us, but I haven't seen it yet.

Lily has begun to develop a bedtime around 9pm...so maybe, just maybe I'll be able to blog more.

Shredding Update...

I'm still at it! I had to miss 3 days due to a minister's conference. I brought the DVD and a small DVD player with great intentions, but I spent very little time in my room and was of course caring for Lily too--so no shredding. I was having some issues with my back, so it probably was good that I rested. Level 2 is a real tail-kicker, but I like it. I'm still not sure how much weight I've lost, if any. My body is really resisting losing right now. I guess it's just from nursing and the post-pregnancy adjustments. I think I have lost inches though and I'm feeling more toned and strong. Next week...Level 3!

My baby is 2!!

Is it odd that I still think of Gracie as my baby, although she no longer is the youngest? I guess if she's the baby, Lily is the newborn. Perhaps the strangest thing for me today was the fact that my baby turned 2, and I already have another one. And I'm not the only one thinking that! Several people at church mentioned it to me. Life is a beautiful thing and I'm so happy that God has blessed me with three gorgeous daughters!

Gracie loves monkeys, so we had a Curious George birthday. She's been talking about her "monkey birthday" for a few weeks now. She has a slight obsession with "sprinkled donuts" and when she saw the cupcakes with sprinkles today, she kept asking for "sprinkled donut."

A "small" gathering for us is close to 50 people (including kids and babies of which there are a lot). Seriously--the majority are family and then a few close friends who are more like family. We had the party at a park and everyone just hung out, chatted, played some whiffle ball and enjoyed the beautiful weather we were blessed with today.

Unfortunately Gracie was a bit tired going into the party and it was during her naptime. But she still seemed to enjoy it and realize it was for her. She just wasn't as animated as a rested Gracie would have been. It was fun to celebrate her!

I had planned to post her birth story on her birthday...but it isn't quite finished. So I will try to do that tomorrow. She made quite an entrance! In fact, none of my children's deliveries have been standard. They make a statement with the circumstances surrounding their arrival to the world.

Probably a very telling fact. My girls like to make their mark and let you know who they are and what they want. Hmmm....unfortunately it sounds a lot like their mama, I will admit it. How did that happen?

What a night, what a Champ

Wednesday night was one for the books in our house. After getting off the phone with a nurse about 10:30pm, Bean went out to purchase some fever-reducer administered other than orally, for Gracie who wasn't keeping a thing down. She was burning up at 103 by then.

After he returned home, the medicine was administered and we waited for it to take effect. Gracie was finally a bit more comfortable and we headed to bed by midnight. We decided to put Gracie in the pack-n-play at the end of our bed in case she vomited or needed attention during the night. Lily of course was next to me in the co-sleeper.

We did not get much sleep. Gracie ended up in between us most of the night for comfort. Bean was A CHAMP and primarily took care of her. I was passed out from being so tired. It probably didn't help that I had been awake at 5:30am that morning to Shred. I still was up a few times with Gracie or Lily.

Let me take a minute to brag on Bean. He is such a great father and contributer to the family. He does whatever is needed, wakes during the night when I need assistance with something, runs out for medicine late at night. Bean went into work late on Thursday so he could take Miss Rose to school while I stayed home with the sick girl.

I'm happy to report Gracie is doing MUCH better. She wanted to be with me on the couch all morning on Thursday, but around noon her fever broke and she got off the couch some to play and eat bland foods. I guess it was one of those 24-hour viruses but so far the rest of us are healthy.

SHREDDING
I'm done with Day 3 of The Shred. There is definite soreness in several areas of my body. For some reason my calves are the worst. It hurts to just walk around and going up stairs--KILLER! Hopefully in a day or two they'll adjust to the exercises. The routine is getting a bit easier--but I know in 7 more days we move up to Level 2 and it will be a new soreness!

I've decided to not weigh myself this entire month. I usually get on the scale several times a week...which isn't the best. On one hand it does hold you accountable--but on the other hand it can be quite depressing when you think there should be a change and there isn't. In the last 4 weeks my body has changed, but the scale hasn't. Hopefully when I weigh in on May 1st there will be some change on the scale--but really I'm counting on my clothes being looser!

Are you serious?

I came home this afternoon to a lethargic Gracie, burning up with fever on the couch. I had seen her at lunchtime and she was a bit out of it and didn't want to eat. She's cutting her back molars, so I gave her Motrin and figured she'd perk up.

It was not to be so.

She clearly felt terrible. She hardly tolerated touch and just laid on the couch. I gave her motrin, which she vomited up with the conents of her stomach from the day, less than 30 minutes later.

Bean brought her to the bathtub where she vomited a bit more. Poor little thing kept saying "messy" in her feverish, quivering voice.

I quickly cancelled my responsibilities at church for the night, but Miss Rose was very upset to have to miss her class. Thankfully a friend who lives near us was already at church--so Bean took her and the friend brought her home.

This is the glamorous life of a parent. Bean has been right here the whole night. Lily isn't running a fever any longer, but has strong opinions about being held.

Last I checked, her temperature was 102.9. I'm hoping it's a simple virus that will pass quickly. Since she was a baby, whenever Gracie runs a fever she usually vomits. It sometimes seems more related to the fever then to whatever illness she has.

It can't always be like this, right? It's just a bad spell. Everyone will get healthy and we'll find a routine.

Gracie turns 2 on Sunday and we have a party planned. I certainly hope everyone is healthy and whole by then.

Shredding
I did it this morning! I was actually able to get out of bed at 5:30am, which is just 30 minutes earlier than normal on a workday for me.

People pretty much think I'm crazy for getting up so early to exercise. In some ways I agree. But I've learned over the past few years that exercise has the ability to keep me sane. I'm sure it's related to the endorphins and adrenaline. Plus my state of mind can also be closely related to how I feel about my body.

So sacrificing 30minutes of morning sleep is well worth it. This has been a busy, crazy day--but all day long I've felt good that I already exercised.

Trust me though, I won't be getting up EVERY morning at 5:30. The days I'm home with my babies, I'm sure I'll exercise later in the morning or afternoon.