The Flu

Thursday afternoon I started to feel a sore throat coming on...

By the time Tyson got home from work - I was full-on sick and heading to bed.

I ran a fever all night, body aches - absolutely MISERABLE. Friday morning - Tyson took the older two kids to school and I got to stay in bed with my buddy, Nolan. If you've ever felt like death AND been responsible for a bouncing-off-the-walls (literally) two year old...then I am TRULY sorry for you. I used the iPad as much as was humanly possible. TV? sure. Snacks in bed? fine. At some point I probably would have handed him a crayon and let him go crazy...

Again, by the time Tyson came home - I was buried in my bed. I knew it was the actual flu...because the ONE year I don't get a flu shot...I'll surely get the flu.

These two loyal boys were HAPPY as can be to spend hours in bed with me. Cooper never left my side, because he refuses to pass up any opportunity to nap.  Fortunately - I am feeling a ton better today...still not 100% - but SO much better than Friday. And I'm praying that NO ONE else in the family gets it.

Mother's Day with Josie

A couple weeks ago - Josie's school celebrated Mother's Day with all the moms. It was a super fun, super special day with my favorite girl.  She performed a few songs and showered me with gifts. We had tea & snacks together...and she discovered she likes bagels. BIG DAY.  Can't believe her first year of preschool is almost over!

Read to me

One of my personal goals for 2016 is to get my items into a few local shops and boutiques. My "read to me. please." shirts are now selling in the Northville Public Library's gift shop. BIG moment. Super excited.

And my "model" was there to help me celebrate the occasion. We were going for the "extra enthusiastic" look. Nailed it.

Ladies Who Lunch

While Jack was at camp - I decided to spend a morning with my Josie. We used to get LOTS of one-on-one time - but then Nolan came along... So last week Josie and I got dressed up and went downtown Northville for a play and lunch.

Our cute local theater is doing a production of Little Red Riding Hood. Josie LOVED it. She was SO into it...so much so that she yelled out at the Big Bad Wolf - not once, but TWICE...DURING the show. Eeeek. It was really funny. And luckily - we were far from Broadway. But she was SO into the play, she couldn't contain her excitement. 

After the play - we grabbed some lunch at a fun local diner and, of course, ice cream - because it was Josie's special day. 

Happy Mother's Day!

 One of my favorite moments as a mom.

 Love to a few of our favorites! Thanks for being the best moms, aunts, grandmas, great-grandmas, and friends we could ever ask for...Love all of you!

And finally - a little something Jack brought home for me.

Happy Mother's Day to all the MOMS out there! We love you!

33 Years

 This past weekend the Beckers arrived in Northville from Indiana AND Idaho! I'd like to say that they all came JUST to celebrate my birthday - but in reality Devin just happened to be passing through Detroit. He needed to meet Nolan and the timing worked out perfectly!

Josie never misses an opportunity to entertain. Luckily for her - she can always find a captive audience in her grandparents.

We watched Jack play in his first indoor soccer game. It was...ummm, interesting?!? He did well, but was lacking some focus on the court. I will give him credit for having LOTS of energy.

Saturday night we got a babysitter and headed out for an ADULT ONLY meal. I can't even tell you how excited I was for this. Like - WAAAAY TOO excited. Pretty sure my father-in-law thinks I need to get out more. But here's the thing...wine, sushi, adult conversation, an uninterrupted meal... These are things most people just take for granted. Not me. This is a delicacy. A rarity. I embraced it. I loved it.

See that face? That's the face of one PUMPED mom. For MI peeps - we ate at Shiro in Novi and it was really delicious!

So great having Devin there with us! We missed Kristin - but she isn't traveling these days...since our niece is about to be born (due Feb 19th)!!! We miss the Idaho Beckers. Hope they move east soon.

After we relieved the babysitter (who was stellar) - we ate some cake and called it a night.

My 32nd year of life was pretty amazing. I grew my little business to just the right size and I became a mom for the 3rd time. Really excited to see what the next year holds for me... hopefully more nights out so I don't seem so lame on my 34th birthday. :)

Special THANKS to all the people who sent me some love on my birthday. I love hearing from so many people on that day. Throughout my life I've been blessed to cross paths with so many amazing people...whether it was elementary school, studying abroad, or partying in a frat house...I've made new friends in Michigan, while holding on to some of my best friends from birth, elementary school, high school, college, and grad school. I have an amazing family (original and through marriage). I know I am very blessed in love, friendship, and family. Thank you.

Me & my Boo

Just messing around with my new computer (early Christmas gift)! Nolan wasn't as excited about it as I was.

That's me with twin Nolans. I kind of look pissed. Probably good I have babies one at a time.

Oh and this is me with my identical siamese twin. We both had babies - and we're freaked out by it.

Thank you, Steve Jobs, for providing me (and my children) with endless entertainment via PhotoBooth on Apple Computers.

Mother's Day

I had an AWESOME Mother's Day. But I felt a tad guilty...because I didn't spend the day with the people who make me a "mother." To be fair, I spend every waking moment with them - so I was actually thankful for the Mother's Day I had {not that I don't love my family...I do}.

Anyway - Sunday morning we woke up. I got some great gifts: a new candle, a teapot, some maternity clothes, and a pair of stay-at-home Mom pants {aka: yoga pants}...add in some hugs and kisses from my kids - it was already a great day. But then I packed the kids up & sent them off to the lake with Tyson (and Nancy). And I had an ENTIRE day ahead of me. I didn't know where to start.

I started with a project that began last August. This is embarrassing. Here it goes: I started painting Josie's room when we moved into our house in August. Basically - I got sidetracked...for MANY months and I also "lost" the can of paint in the garage all winter. So I decided Mother's Day was THE DAY to get that project finished. I spent the morning "framing" the baseboards, door, closet, window, etc. Then took a lunch break.

I ate lunch in a restaurant BY MYSELF - with a book. Amazing. Then I got a car wash - What's that I hear? Nothing? No screaming? Amazing. Then I vacuumed out my car - again...no one yelled at me for being too loud or that I needed to "rescue" a toy. Amazing. After that I was feeling very accomplished. I stopped at the nail salon for a pedicure. You guessed it - Amazing.

Back at home I kept working on Josie's room. Tyson called to say he'd be home around 9pm. I took the dogs on a walk, did some laundry, and vacuumed. Then I waited for the gang to arrive. Josie was REALLY excited about her finished room...and so was Tyson. And I was able to say, "See everything I can do when you give me an entire day?"

Here is the finished product. Still need to add new curtains. Maybe by...oh, next March - that will get done.

More Farm, More Ice Cream

Monday night I was sitting at the computer working when I received an email from Jack's teacher. It was titled: FIELD TRIP TOMORROW. I panicked. Pregnancy Brain (yes, that's a real thing) had struck again. I was SURE the field trip was Thursday. Nope. I immediately contacted Josie's sitter and  - PHEW - she was scheduled to come Tuesday. Seems I gave her a date "May 13" from the permission slip... So all Tuesday plans were scrapped and Jack & I headed to the Kensington Park Farm.

There were TONS of new baby animals to meet! Jack got to pet a baby pigmy goat and a lamb. We also saw a bunch of ducklings, piglets, and a calf.

This is the Draft Horse, Mary. She came out to say hello - but her boyfriend, Max, didn't.  Jack learned that horses wear shoes...which he thought was hilarious.

The Dairy Cow, Pearl. Fabulous name. Jack really liked her.

It was a muggy day and these pigs were enjoying the coolness of the mud. Interesting pig fact: their gestation period is 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days.

As we pulled out of the MetroPark there just happened to be a Dairy Queen. Jack didn't see it, but I did! We stopped for a pre-lunch treat...because Mommy & Jack dates are rare & they deserve to be special. Tyson asked Jack what the best part of his field trip was and he said, "Ice Cream!" For the record, I did make it a "teachable moment" by reminding him that ice cream comes from milk, and milk comes from cows - like Pearl. See - it was actually educational.

Mother's Day: Preschool Style

On Thursday Jack's class held a special Mother's Day Tea. The moms got tiaras! We also watched our kiddos perform a few songs - which was hilarious! Jack was surprisingly very animated! After the performance, we enjoyed tea and snacks. Of course, it was too much to ask for a good picture...

This is my loot from the celebration! My magic wand took a beating once it got home.

Jack answered a few questions about me. For the record, I believe the "favorite food" and "favorite drink" answers are just HIS favorites. I was shocked I didn't see "oreos" and "wine" as the answers.

I also got a very cute, hand painted flower pot - WITH a real flower...which I will try desperately to keep alive. I have the opposite of a "green thumb."

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms out there!

Director of Operations

A high-five to all of the fellow Director's of Operations out there... To those who are full-time Director's and those who are Director's while holding down other careers, too.

Articles Worth Reading

Having a newborn allows me to enjoy an hour of productivity around 4am everyday. Unfortunately that productivity comes in the form of reading online and not doing laundry. I have been meaning to share some articles I have read. Most are about Motherhood or parenting, so if they aren't your cup'o'tea - I'm not offended. If you don't have time to read them now, save this post and come back when you do. I promise - they're good!

The first was written by a blogger named Glennon Melton. She wrote it for the Huffington Post. It's hilarious! It's called "Don't Carpe Diem." You can read it by clicking HERE.  It's laugh-out-loud funny...which didn't bode well for Josie's 4am feeding while Tyson was trying to sleep. Seriously, read it!

The next article was from a blog called Brooding. It's called "When Mean Girls Become Mommies." It can be read by clicking HERE. It's about the difficulty moms face in raising healthy, happy children...and how we can often become judgmental of each other & ourselves. A more serious read...but good, nonetheless.

The final article was sent to me from my friend, Kelly (mommy to Madison).  It was written by Simcha Fisher, a mother of NINE, yes, nine children.  The article is called "To The Mother With Only One Child." She reflects on how difficult it was being a mom when she just had one baby. Here is one of my favorite lines from her article: "My husband got to leave the house every day, and sleep every night.  He got to go to the bathroom alone.  I hated him for it." You can read her article by clicking HERE.

That is all for the moment. But don't be disappointed. I have many more 4am feedings ahead of me...and many more online articles to read.

Shots of Jack

Happy Sunday!