Too Blessed to be Stressed!

As you may have noticed from my serious lack of blogging lately, things have been a bit nuts around here! In our almost 11 years of marriage, and 5 years since we've had a kid or kiddos, the last 5 months have absolutely been the most time-challenging and busy for us! Obviously it's because I am working full-time hours, between 36-48 hours a week. I have never felt so pressed for time, always needing more, and NEVER finishing my to-do list, but just crossing things off and adding even more! Chris and I have split all the household tasks right down the middle, and he has seriously impressed me with his lunch packing, laundry-folding, grocery-shopping, bath-giving abilitlies! We literally meet at the door most days and give each other a quick re-cap of what's been done and what hasn't, and then do it again 12 hours later!

Even though this is a stressful and busy time for us, it's a good kind of stress! We have good jobs and great kids and this whole experience has actually brought us even closer as a couple and family, because we have learned to appreciate our time together even more! We have also been in church since January and really look forward to going each week (Chris takes the boys on the weekends I work), and I know that our closer relationship with God has given us the extra strength and patience we have needed!

All that being said, I am (and have been!!) on a waiting list since August to go part-time! I never dreamed when I took this job in May that #1, it would be so difficult to work 1 or 2 extra nights a week or that #2, it would take this long to switch to part time!! I am trying to be patient because our unit is short-staffed right now, and I LOVE my job, but I'm gonna need a change to come soon! However, I just used some of my full-time earnings to book our first Disney World vacation next April!! I am SO excited! We are surprising the boys and I can't wait!

As for the rest of the family, Chris is doing so great since his surgery and has lost 103 pounds! We need to go buy him some more new clothes...it's one of the things on my to-do list! He stays ridiculously busy at work, and comes home and works until midnight some nights. He never complains, but rather thanks me for how hard I work. He's such a good guy!!

Ayden is doing super in his pre-K class at Mom's Day Out. I am so impressed with how much he has learned just since August, and how great his writing skills are getting to be! He has lots of fun and is such a good boy, I'm so proud of him! He is also rocking on the soccer field!

Ethan loves school ("gool") too! Everyday when I am driving them to MDO, we pass several schools and lots and lots of school busses. At the beginning of the year, Ayden started counting them every morning. Recently, Ethan has joined in the game, and he will sometimes spot the first one! He hollers from his carseat, "There is it! Bus! 2!"(like he's counting, lol!) It's so cute! He is good at MDO except he won't nap!

At home, Ethan has earned the nickname "Mc Screamy". His screaming starts early and peaks around 4-5 pm. Everything is "MINE!" and the answer to every question is "NO!" and in between he screams just to scream I guess. It's HIS way or the highway, and there is no "distracting or redirecting" this kid, his mind is set on what he does or doesn't want to do and he is going to kick and scream and fall on the floor and go limp and whatever else it takes to prove his case. Good times! ;) Needless to say, we don't go a lot of places with him right now! Somehow in between his screaming fits he weaves in an amazing amount of cuddly preciousness to keep me sane! He loves crawling in our laps to read and will sit and look and listen to books for a long time now. He is saying new words and phrases almost everyday, and Ayden will often say, "wow, Ethan is talking now!" lol!

I am going to wrap up this post for now (it's a rare afternoon where BOTH boys are napping!) and hope to come back in 1-2 days to post a ton of new pics (I'm SO behind!!) I am on the first of FIVE DAYS OFF! Looking forward to our neighborhood block party, date night, the pumpkin patch, and celebrating my 31st birthday! It's gonna be a fun weeekend!

Lots of laundry, dishes, shopping and cleaning to do too......but too blessed to be stressed!