{ insta-catch up}

So it's been a while since I've joined Jeannett for Insta-Friday.

So here's what we've been up too!

::  Alex's first ride on a carousel ::  Mike and Alex on the Ferris wheel ::  Alex and I on the big trucks ::

::  Evan's first grade concert  ::  new "big boy" car seat  ::  Alex secretly wishes he was born in the '80s ::

:: dinner at my favorite restaurant ::  new glasses  ::  honeybee necklace  ::

:: valentine's breakfast date  ::  waiting to watch the LEGO movie  ::  Alex does fabulous at this urology check up ::

::  cute thank you note from the sister missionaries  ::  RSVP'd to this wedding  ::  homemade sesame chicken...yum!  ::

{ books I read in February }

I'm a huge reader.  I grew up in a household where my mother, sisters, and I would read books as if our very lives depended on it.  We all pretty much could or really would finish a book within a day or two of starting it.

 

For the past few years, I have gotten away from reading. I would maybe read a book or two a year - but with the kids, it made it hard to find that time to read.  However, I realized that for my own personal peace of mind, I needed to start reading again.

 

So I have.

 

 

1.  Writing Jane Austen by Elizabeth Aston

I actually liked this book and will probably read some more titles written by Elizabeth Aston.  The main character, Georgina, is a writer and is asked to complete a manuscript that was started by the famous Jane Austen.  Georgina who has never read Jane Austen nor wrote from the same century as Jane, spends the book figuring it all it.  It's pretty entertaining.  I have never read any Jane Austen either but after this book, I figured I should give her a try.

 

2.  The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

I think the only reason I finished this book was because I was so confused and really wanted to know what the heck was going on.  You never find out the name of the person who perspective it is written from, but you gather that a religious movement took over the US and now women have no rights.  Those who are able to reproduce are given those who are in high society and are forced to mate.  It's kind of sickening.  However it came highly recommended on several reading lists but I'm not exactly sure why.

 

3.  The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

I love Nicholas Sparks...except his endings.  They never end the way I would love them to end.  This particular book is about high school sweethearts who ended their relationship after high school.  It took the funeral of a beloved friend to bring them back together to fulfill his final wishes.  Like I said, I love a good love story written by Nicholas Sparks...just not his endings.

 

4.  Where we belong by Emily Giffin

I love this author and I'm currently working on another one of her titles.  The book is written from both the perspective of Marion and the daughter she put up for adoption 18 years ago.  Marion who thought she had it all figured out, had her world crash down when the daughter she gave up for adoption came to find her.  Kirby had been trying to figure out how she fit in the world and finding her birth parents was the only way how.  By the end they both find the place they were meant to be. 

 

5.  Room by Emma Donoghue

I'm not going to lie, I never got past the first chapter of this book.  And it was painful.  It is written from the viewpoint of a 5 year old whose mother is being held in a room against her will.  Maybe it was the storyline that made my skin crawl or the fact that my 5 year old never sounded the way the main character was written to sound like - but I just couldn't bring myself to finish it.

 

I already have a stack that I'm working on for March.  What are you reading?

 

 

 

 



{ haircut }

Today Alex had another first....his first haircut. 

 

I'm not sure why we had waited so long, but his hair was getting a little out of control

 

{ before }

 

We had asked my sister in law for the name of the girl that she takes her children to, since one of our nephews has autism and another one is only 4 months older than Alex, I figured if she loved someone, that was who we needed to take Alex to.

 

{ during }

 

Alex wasn't too sure about the whole idea.  At least there were no tears.  Just the constant shifting around because he wasn't sure he wanted her to touch him, let away cut his hair.  However, it well.  So well in fact, we may make her our permanent hair dresser.

 

 

{ after }

 

Alex's hair is still pretty much the same length, except a bit shorter and trimmed.  I was surprised how fluffy and curly his hair was once he had his bath.

 

But he's so darn cute!



{ TGBTL :: Pinterest obession }

So it's been a few weeks since I have joined The Girl Between the Lines Blog Linkup - but I'm once again joining Lauren & Hayley

 

 



This weeks prompt ::

Share your top 5 Pinterest Pins this week.

Like everyone else, I'm a little pinterest obsessed.  I probably pin far too often and with so many things that I will probably never get the time to do with two little boys, but it's my favorite website.

1.  Every girl deserves a photo like this.  ::  Pinterest wasn't around when I got married almost 9 years ago, so I love to browse the pins in the wedding section.  I came across this picture and told my husband that when we have our family pictures done this fall I absolutely must have a picture taken like this during our session.

2.  Brownie Batter Overnight Protein Oatmeal ::  I love pinterest for all the different recipes I can find.  Since I have realized that I finally need to shed the lbs and become a more healthier and happier version of myself, I have been looking at different healthy recipes to start my day off with.  I haven't tried this one yet but I'm planning on picking up the cocoa powder tomorrow and will give it a whirl on Friday.

3.  Cross Fit at home workouts :: Same idea with the overnight brownie batter protein oatmeal, I've been looking at workouts that are fun and get me up and moving.

4.  DIY chandelier ::  One of my goals this year is to make our small apartment feel more like home.  Since Mike returned to school for at least 2 years, we will continue to live here until he graduates and we know where he will find a job with the MN DNR.  We are starting with our master bedroom and I've been looking at chandeliers and other things that I can make and hang from the ceiling to make the room more personalized.

5.  DIY Cardigian Revamp ::  As you can tell, I'm a bit in love with DIY projects.  While most of my wardrobe is made of scrubs, I would really like to dress things up a little bit when I'm not at work. Since I love to shop at thrift stores, I've been looking at inspiration for how to dress up some of my finds.

I'm looking forward to seeing the other favorite pins from those who are from the blog linkup and if not, please leave me your pinterest link because I would love to see all the things that inspire you!

You can follow me here.
 

{ kidney update }

{ yay for ultrasounds }

 

Today we spent a good portion of our afternoon at the University of MN Amplatz Children's hospital.  For those new to the blog, Alexander has hydronephrosis in his left kidney.  This basically means that his kidney is retaining fluid because of an obstruction where his kidney and ureter meet.

 

Last time we met with his urologist was back in early July, so it was nice to see her again.  Alex was a perfect patient for both the ultrasound tech, and for his doctor.  His kidney is still large and severely diluted.  However, it's stable.  The kidney continues to still grow on target and Alex is relatively healthy.  He has not had issues with UTI's or kidney infections and besides issues with ear infections, you would never know that my spirited, bold 1 year old had such a problem.  Since the kidney is stable, we'll continue to just monitor it for now and won't have to go back until August.

 

My feelings about this course of treatment have changed.  I haven't always agreed with the "wait and see" approach.  But I can understand why his urologist is hesitant to take Alex into surgery.  Alex having surgery to put a stent in could be argued either way and as for now, Alex has no indicators that his hydronephrosis is getting worse nor are we battling recurrent UTI's.

 

He's happy and healthy and is most likely to turn me grey before I'm 30.  I do worry about the health of that left kidney and what waiting could potentially do to weaken an already weaker kidney.  But I have confidence that this is the right thing for now.

 



{ on sundays we go to church }

Today I rushed through my clients to make sure I got to church as close to starting time as possible.  The idea of handling two small children on his own scares my husband down this his very soul.  But making the habit of attending church was something that we, as a family, needed.

It was difficult to enter the church in my scrubs, but it wasn't my appearance that I was worried about or that would really affect how much my Heavenly Father wanted me to be there in that time.  Luckily I had only missed the first verse of the opening song. 

Alex did well during sacrament and we then spent the rest of our time in nursery where we played with toys and had snacks.  In this time I could feel the spirit with me.  I was home in the walls of the church I had been in since my parents had divorced back in '99.  Where I had spent early mornings in seminary learning the from the scriptures and Wednesday evenings as a youth for church activities.

Mike and Evan attended their classes and got the spiritual food that they desperately needed and while I didn't hear many of the messages that were being taught in those walls today, I was where I belonged.  Because on Sundays, we go to church.

{ TGBTL :: Life now }

It's that time of week again and I'm joining TGBTL with Lauren and Hayley.

 

 

This Week's Prompt: We all imagined what our lives would like like when we were "all grown up"... how does that compare to what your life looks like now?

 Last night I laid in bed with my husband, listening to the quiet of our small apartment and asked him if the life we have now was what he thought his life would be like.  He said both yes and no.  While where we are in life, still living in our first apartment and him just now returning to school wasn't the plan...me and the boys were always apart of his picture what his life plan.

I, on the other hand, looking back to where I thought I would be at this time 11 years ago as I was finishing my senior year in high school, was completely different.  The plan had been to go the North Dakota and obtain a double major in Biomedical Sciences and Lab Technology so I could work through med school.  I had planned on working with a horse trainer and to help train a few of the horses she had as an undergraduate.  I thought at the time I would marry my then boyfriend and have a huge family since both of us came from large families.

But life happened.  I needed a knee surgery and which kept me from working with horses for a few years.  I learned that the person who I though would spend the rest of my life with, wasn't the person I thought he was and our relationship was extremely unhealthy.  I, then, gave the one boy who I never thought things would ever work out a chance and ended up engaged within 3 months of us dating.  And while I never did finish my degree because I moved home and married and started a family, I'm not all that sad about it.

I look at where I am now and love where I am.  I found a home in my husband and children.  The home I had been looking for since my parents divorced.  I look at the rest of my life and see the possibilities.  I still have time to finish a degree in the healthcare field when it's time.  Horses will always play a roll in my life, especially since I know quite a few women in their 80's who still get out there and run barrels like no other.  I still see at least one more baby if not more, Mike and I had always agreed on a large family.  And I really couldn't see spending my life with anyone else than the man who is still right next to me watching police dash cam videos on YouTube.