Our summer schedule is quickly filling up. I feel like I should cancel everthing to make summer last longer. We have camping trips coming up, a trip to visit the Wigtons, a few other possible trips. I feel stressed already. Dave has been working long hours the last three weeks and I haven't seen him more than a few minutes a day and I am tired. The girls miss him like crazy too. He got rained out at work yesterday and came home at normal time and Emma talked his ear off! I still can't believe that Emma starts school in a few weeks. I feel kind of bittersweet about it. I am excited to spend more one on one time with Sammi and excited for E cuz I know she will love it but I will miss my big girl! And I am not sure how I feel about the public school curriculum. They seem to miss all the articles on how children learn best.

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Ugh, I am sooo sick. I hate throwing up! I have definitely done my share today. I am starting to feel better now though. My girls took good care of me today. And of course Dave did all the real work!

I had my first run of the season last night. It was cold and damp but I had a great run, which surprised even me. The girls are both getting so big, I just can't believe it. Emma has her kindergarten screening next month and Sammi is finally stringing a few words together. They are both ready for summer and to get outside. We are planning a family trip this year and we are all eager to go to Florida and soak up some sun and visit the grandmas. Last week I took Emma rollerskating and man that is entertainment. She can't wait to go back and practice more, but I was so sore from holding both of us up that I could barely move that night. It was a lot of laughs though. The kids were so terrible at it when we got there. By the end they were all scooting around with no hands! We have roasted marshmallows this spring, too. I am not at home right now but when I get home I will post some pictures. Yay for Spring!

I am my worst enemy.

I, like every woman, am my biggest critic. I never live up to the ridiculously high standards that I set for myself. I see women around me and believe that by all appearances they have it all together. (I know that they have issues that I will never see). I never keep my house clean enough, I don't spend enough time with my kids (oh, I am always with them but cleaning and cooking while shouting at them to go play doesn't count), I don't cook as healthy as I would like to, I don't recycle enough, the list of my "failures" goes on and on. I have lofty goals and think I should reach them all today. But I have been trying hard to take a new approach. I have a mantra, "I am doing the best that I can". I repeat it over and over to remind myself that I am doing the best I can today, right now. Tomorrow may be better or worse but for today's circumstances and moods I am doing my best. I am trying to prioritize what is really important. Who cares if my house is dusted? If you care then don't come over. In 20 years I want my kids to remember that I sat on the floor, dust bunnies and all, and played with them. So I made a list of all the things I do that I should be happy with.
I cook lovingly (sometimes begrudgingly) for my family almost everyday, twice a day. Maybe I don't make everything from scratch but I am health conscious and make a lot from scratch. So what if occasionally I give them spaghetti-o's and hot dogs.
I read to my girls everyday, without fail.
We recycle.
We try to reduce our carbon footprint with our cloth napkins and we even cloth diapered for a long while.
I always try to do what is best for my kiddos whether it be breastfeeding, co-sleeping or birthing them naturally.
We had a good day today and I am going to go to bed and say my prayers and praise myself a little bit. I don't need to be so hard on myself, I need to be happy where I am and work slowly towards important goals. I am wasting time I could be spending with my girls with this negative nelly behavior.
I love my family and wouldn't change them a bit!

Trick or treating at Haunted Hallways with Aaron, Andrew and Ashley.

Chillaxin!

Emma with our new van, I think she may love it more than I do!



Em reading to Sam

I really am going to try to blog about once a week. I am just so incredibly unorganized. Anyways... I am sitting here listening to my girls play campout. It is so funny to listen to Emma try to convince Samantha to do what she wants. Emma is my mother hen and loves to be in charge. Sammi is for the most part willing to do whatever big sissy is doing. Emma made up a bed on the floor and put dress up clothes on Sammi. After each change they come in and show me. They are wearing jackets since it is cold outside at their campsite, lol! Emma's games are never simple, the more elaborate the better! Now Sam is hiding in here with me and Emma is trying to bribe her back into the campsite. Today in the van Sammi was imitating every dance move Emma made. What a blessing to watch these two together everyday.