I've been dealing with a good bit of stress lately. Stress pretty much from my job. I've really come to resent living here and I'm not sure why, there are plenty of good things here but in my mind I can't shake the oppression of the area and wonder if this is the right place for the boys to grow up. This has really been affecting my moods and its hard for me to snap out of.
I've been letting things get to me that I shouldn't and been bringing that stress home to my poor husband. He told me the other day that I need to focus on all the good around me and not the bad, and its true, being a pessimist it is hard for me to see all the blessing that surround me each and every day.
I am in the early stages of trying to realize how blessed I am, I've decided to make a list of things I am thankful for!
1. A job - this one I need to be more joyful about...still working on it but thankful to have one none the less
2. A beautiful house in a safe neighborhood
3. 2 sets of grandparents and 1 set of great-grandparents close by for the kids to enjoy (and us too!)
4. being and staying healthy
5. 2 running cars
6. A boat so we can get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and go swimming
7. A husband who loves me
8. 2 wonderful kids that keep me on my toes and keep me laughing
9. Plenty of food in our kitchen
10. The clothes on our backs
11. my dishwasher and washer/dryer!
12. Family
13. Zumba
14. Green grass
15. fresh strawberries from the garden
16. green beans from the garden - ok, i'll stop my self on these and just say ANYTHING fresh from the garden!
17. fresh, clean air
18. The sound of my kids' laughter
19. snuggling with Jack after a long day
20. I'm thankful that God loves me no matter what, even when my sin makes me black as night on the inside, He can see past it all and loves me anyway.
There is so much more to be thankful for but, unfortunately that is all for now
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
She Works Hard for the Money
I've been comtemplating my career lately, wondering if I should just give up and realize that I'm not ever going to find something that makes me happy and just go for a career that can earn me mad cash. The major problem of living in a small town is that schooling is limited and so are the jobs.
My problem seems to be that there are too many things I would be interested in doing and I can't seem to pinpoint one that I feel would make me truly excited to wake up for everyday.
I've known too many people that go to school and either can't find work in their field and have to go back to school or have simply gotten a degree and ended up becoming a stay-at-home mother, not using their schooling (btw, there is nothing wrong with that in my book).
HOWEVER, I do feel greatly disrespected when people tell me I need to quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom.
Why?
There are many reason why I work: my sanity, the bills, being able to maintain the lifestyle we choose and provide for my children etc...I will remind you that this is a JOINT decision between a husband and wife, so why does the working mom take much of the blame?
So yes, I work a full-time day job AND a full-time night job and it works for us!
Do I miss my kids?
You bet.
Do you really have to work?
In this day and age with the bills - YES
Aren’t you concerned about not being there for your kids?
Sometimes. But when they really need me (us) I'm there in a heartbeat.
My problem seems to be that there are too many things I would be interested in doing and I can't seem to pinpoint one that I feel would make me truly excited to wake up for everyday.
I've known too many people that go to school and either can't find work in their field and have to go back to school or have simply gotten a degree and ended up becoming a stay-at-home mother, not using their schooling (btw, there is nothing wrong with that in my book).
HOWEVER, I do feel greatly disrespected when people tell me I need to quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom.
Why?
There are many reason why I work: my sanity, the bills, being able to maintain the lifestyle we choose and provide for my children etc...I will remind you that this is a JOINT decision between a husband and wife, so why does the working mom take much of the blame?
So yes, I work a full-time day job AND a full-time night job and it works for us!
Do I miss my kids?
You bet.
Do you really have to work?
In this day and age with the bills - YES
Aren’t you concerned about not being there for your kids?
Sometimes. But when they really need me (us) I'm there in a heartbeat.
Did you hear about that study on children of working moms?
And your point is..? Oh, showing them responsibility and what a strong, independent woman is...I see.
It must be nice to get a break from the kids.
Oh sure, cause the stress I get from my day job is soooo worth it.
Why have kids if someone else is going to take care of them?
I (we, big props to my hubby) love our kids, because I chose to work 8 hours out of 24 doesn't mean I'm not taking care of them and teaching them the things they need to know.
I’d miss my kids too much if I worked.
I do, most days ; )
Women should be at home with their children.
Hold on, wait a minute, no you did not. This one makes me burn. It takes 2 to make a baby, why does the responsibilty always fall on the mother? "Because it just does" is not suffiicient answer.
You shouldn't do (insert activity here), you are a mother.
And? I can't enjoy my life because of that? Really? If I (hubby included) wasn't able to get out and do the things I (we) enjoyed, what is the point? Experiencing these things (me= zumba, hubby = fishing) keeps us sane which equals a happier home life for everyone involved.
So please, respect a working mom (and dad), the only 'good job, momma' I usually get (really, ever get) is from my husband, I wish more could be as supportive as he.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Pantalones de Mujer
This has been on my mind for a long time and now, after I've returned home from a most excellent vacation, I feel I must let it out.
LADIES - NO ONE LOOKS GOOD IN CAPRIS.
There, I said it.
It is solely my opinion but really, you can't tell me that they are more comfortable than regular pants or shorts, I mean, come on, does the shorter 3+ inches than pants really make it so?
Why women choose to wear short pants that cut off at the worst possible place on the body is beyond me.
Capri pants do nothing for you. If you are short, you don't look good in capri pants. If you are fat, you don't look good in capri pants. If you are tall, you don't look good in capri pants.
I will still love you if you choose to wear them but if you ask me if I like your pants or if someone looks cute, be prepared for my, as always honest, "no".
LADIES - NO ONE LOOKS GOOD IN CAPRIS.
There, I said it.
It is solely my opinion but really, you can't tell me that they are more comfortable than regular pants or shorts, I mean, come on, does the shorter 3+ inches than pants really make it so?
Why women choose to wear short pants that cut off at the worst possible place on the body is beyond me.
Capri pants do nothing for you. If you are short, you don't look good in capri pants. If you are fat, you don't look good in capri pants. If you are tall, you don't look good in capri pants.
I will still love you if you choose to wear them but if you ask me if I like your pants or if someone looks cute, be prepared for my, as always honest, "no".
Thursday, March 1, 2012
20
20 pounds in 7 weeks. That is how much weight I've lost thanks to changing my eating habits, Body by Vi and ZUMBA Fitness.
I've tried quick fix diets before with limited success, but then I had a friend and fellow ZUMBA instructor tell me about Body by Vi and how it worked for her. I sampled some of the product and loved it.
It is 2 shakes a day, and let me tell you - they are so good (there are hundreds of different recipes out there so there is no chance of bordem)! Snacks in between and then a sensible dinner - easy!
If you are interested in more information, go to amyerickson.bodybyvi.com and check it out.
My goal is to lose 25 more pounds by May; I'm going on a nice little get-away with my sisters to Cancun - I'm so excited!
Monday, October 10, 2011
A Few of my Fall Favorite Things
I don't think I could survive without this product! BioSilk Silk Therapy fills in the tiny voids in the hair cuticle to make it smooth and soft.
Curly haired people listen up - since our hair needs extra moisture this is a great product. I definitely can feel a difference when I use it!
This is not in production anymore but is easily found on the internet. Calvin Klein's Obsession Night is my most favorite perfume, hands down! I always get compliments when I wear it. FYI, this is the men's version (there is a woman's line) so yes, I wear men's cologne but it has a feminine scent about it that I love.
Fall weather means Fall boots! With my recent weight loss this means that I can wear this style - I'm so excited!!
Thank you Jennifer Lopez! I found these JLO jeans at Kohls and love love love them! Jeans that actually fit my body type, more room in the tummy with a skinnier leg - finally!!!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Dog Days of Summer
 | ||
Where has Summer gone? I'm way behind in updating!
Jack LOVES to swing. He also loves wearing his cape. He is a very interesting boy and makes us all laugh with the things he says and does!
 | |||
| Kyle has been doing a lot of Bass fishing lately, he's really good at it! |
I have been teaching Zumba 4 nights a week and have been really busy! I love teaching! Both Kyle and I have also been reading the Harry Potter books along with Wes so that took up most of my evenings as well. If you haven't read them, I highly suggest them, they are so well written and have a really good story line - and NO its not about witchcraft or that other junk at all - don't judge until you try!
Lastly, we have added a new member to the family.
Meet Sugar! Super sweet dog who is so well behaved and loves to snuggle. We all adore her!
Part Lab, part Pit, part awesome! Love this dog!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
PDD-NOS
I've been contemplating this post for a few months. Its not something that is easy to share or that we really want to talk about. I dont' want to talk about it, I cry, then I feel stupid, so I mostly avoid the whole conversation.
I'll keep it short and start from the beginning.
Wes was an early talker, from his first word 'pup' (for our dog PuppPupp). His speech was so clear and easy to understand. He loved books, he would cry on and on for books, he couldn't get enough! He loved to jump in his jumper, he would jump for a good hour or two at a time - slobbery but happy!
He would have books memorized at 16 months and 'read' them back to us. We always thought he was pretty smart but we were first time parents and didn't let it get to us because we weren't sure what the norm was.
I started to notice my once fluent boy was stammering and repeating words and his mouth couldn't quite keep up with his brain. He liked to have order and line up his cars and trucks by color or size, none of these things really bothered me at the time. He would obsess over counting sprinklers or signs when we went on walks and would freak out if he missed one and we would have to start over again.
Come Kindergaarten time he had major seperation issues, I remember very clearly the teacher having to hold him down, on the ground while I left the room, he fought so hard to get to me and all I could do was turn and walk away. He had a hard time making friends in school, he wasn't interacting the way he should have, he wasn't paying attention, he couldn't keep his hands off the other kids. We received phone calls about twice a week for his teacher. I was mortified as a parent, I couldn't believe my sweet boy was acting out and being horrible in school! I was embarrassed and ashamed and felt like a horrible parent.
Wes was also starting to act out at home, he would throw terrible tantrums over seemingly small issues. There was no calming him down and all he wanted to do was fight and physically try to hurt us. We tried many forms of discipline, had many people try to tell us what to do and offer us advice and books and 'you need to do this, try this ect... Nothing worked.
1st grade started out so promising, the calls from the school were far less, a few here and there, but Wes seemed happier and was learning by leaps and bounds. He discovered a passion for reading, and I mean an insatiable thirst (he is just finishing up the Lord of the Rings books, and polished off the Chronicles of Narnia in no time at all). We would buy him The Magic Treehouse Books and he would have the first one read within 30 minutes - no kidding! His reading scores were off the charts at school and he was growing bored. His teacher said in her 17 years of teaching she has never seen a students with such high reading scores AND comprehension.
We just thought he was really smart.
Then trouble started happening, he would get in fights at school, other kids would pick on him, he was beat up so badly by some other boys that they were suspended for a week and Wes was moved permanently off the school bus to a different route. My boy had trouble making friends. He couldn't understand the social cues of the other kids, he had no idea how to play imaginary games, he doesn't know how to interact or what it is to be a friend. He has so much anger inside of him over this, it is so hard to see him want friends but not know how to make friends. He plays alone in the schoolyard, mostly kicking snowbanks and watching the other kids play.
We got a call from the school saying they wanted Wes to be observed in the classroom. At this point I assumed it was for behavior issues and I agreed it was a good idea. The woman from the school called me and introduced herself to me and let me know what her job was. I hung up the phone after our conversation and replayed the conversation in my head. Did she just say autism? nope not my kid, not happening, why??...then I started crying, not my son, please God not my son.
We tried not to let it get to us, they still hadn't observed him yet so we don't know for sure. Kyle bought a book on Autism and we started to do our own research. It was all clear now. We originally though he had Aspergers Syndrome, come to find out he has PDD-NOS.
Its hard, he looks like a normal kid and in alot of areas he is! He has horrific meltdowns, people think he is a spoiled child and I've often heard people (yes, other 'adults') yell at him, not knowing his condition and that his brain won't let him process his actions, unaware that its not socially acceptable to flip out in public.
This unofficial diagnosis from the school has helped us in many ways. We are disiplining him more effectively, but its not always easy. The school system has far exceeded our expectations and I cannot put into words how awesome the staff is, how wonderful Wes 1st grade teaching has been.
So now you all know.
Please keep Wes and Kyle and I and little brother Jack in your prayers.
I'll keep it short and start from the beginning.
Wes was an early talker, from his first word 'pup' (for our dog PuppPupp). His speech was so clear and easy to understand. He loved books, he would cry on and on for books, he couldn't get enough! He loved to jump in his jumper, he would jump for a good hour or two at a time - slobbery but happy!
He would have books memorized at 16 months and 'read' them back to us. We always thought he was pretty smart but we were first time parents and didn't let it get to us because we weren't sure what the norm was.
I started to notice my once fluent boy was stammering and repeating words and his mouth couldn't quite keep up with his brain. He liked to have order and line up his cars and trucks by color or size, none of these things really bothered me at the time. He would obsess over counting sprinklers or signs when we went on walks and would freak out if he missed one and we would have to start over again.
Come Kindergaarten time he had major seperation issues, I remember very clearly the teacher having to hold him down, on the ground while I left the room, he fought so hard to get to me and all I could do was turn and walk away. He had a hard time making friends in school, he wasn't interacting the way he should have, he wasn't paying attention, he couldn't keep his hands off the other kids. We received phone calls about twice a week for his teacher. I was mortified as a parent, I couldn't believe my sweet boy was acting out and being horrible in school! I was embarrassed and ashamed and felt like a horrible parent.
Wes was also starting to act out at home, he would throw terrible tantrums over seemingly small issues. There was no calming him down and all he wanted to do was fight and physically try to hurt us. We tried many forms of discipline, had many people try to tell us what to do and offer us advice and books and 'you need to do this, try this ect... Nothing worked.
1st grade started out so promising, the calls from the school were far less, a few here and there, but Wes seemed happier and was learning by leaps and bounds. He discovered a passion for reading, and I mean an insatiable thirst (he is just finishing up the Lord of the Rings books, and polished off the Chronicles of Narnia in no time at all). We would buy him The Magic Treehouse Books and he would have the first one read within 30 minutes - no kidding! His reading scores were off the charts at school and he was growing bored. His teacher said in her 17 years of teaching she has never seen a students with such high reading scores AND comprehension.
We just thought he was really smart.
Then trouble started happening, he would get in fights at school, other kids would pick on him, he was beat up so badly by some other boys that they were suspended for a week and Wes was moved permanently off the school bus to a different route. My boy had trouble making friends. He couldn't understand the social cues of the other kids, he had no idea how to play imaginary games, he doesn't know how to interact or what it is to be a friend. He has so much anger inside of him over this, it is so hard to see him want friends but not know how to make friends. He plays alone in the schoolyard, mostly kicking snowbanks and watching the other kids play.
We got a call from the school saying they wanted Wes to be observed in the classroom. At this point I assumed it was for behavior issues and I agreed it was a good idea. The woman from the school called me and introduced herself to me and let me know what her job was. I hung up the phone after our conversation and replayed the conversation in my head. Did she just say autism? nope not my kid, not happening, why??...then I started crying, not my son, please God not my son.
We tried not to let it get to us, they still hadn't observed him yet so we don't know for sure. Kyle bought a book on Autism and we started to do our own research. It was all clear now. We originally though he had Aspergers Syndrome, come to find out he has PDD-NOS.
Its hard, he looks like a normal kid and in alot of areas he is! He has horrific meltdowns, people think he is a spoiled child and I've often heard people (yes, other 'adults') yell at him, not knowing his condition and that his brain won't let him process his actions, unaware that its not socially acceptable to flip out in public.
This unofficial diagnosis from the school has helped us in many ways. We are disiplining him more effectively, but its not always easy. The school system has far exceeded our expectations and I cannot put into words how awesome the staff is, how wonderful Wes 1st grade teaching has been.
So now you all know.
Please keep Wes and Kyle and I and little brother Jack in your prayers.
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