Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Happy 3rd Birthday Brody
I hope that all your dreams and wishes come true little man... You are one awesome little boy and I am so lucky that I get to be your mommy. I love you!!!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Happy 7th Birthday Delainey
May all your dreams and wishes come true Delainey... mommy loves you more than you will ever know. You made all my dreams come true by finally making me a mommy!!! I LOVE YOU PRINCESS!!!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Amazing song...
Listen to this song... it is amazing and speaks volumes...especially for Special Needs Families
Happy Holidays 2010
*this is our 2010 Holiday card and Holiday Letter, they will be going out in the mail, but wanted to share it heres well*
Happy Holidays 2010
Wow! 2010 is already coming to an end, and honestly I cannot believe that it is almost over. It seems like just yesterday I was sitting at the computer writing last year’s holiday letter. It has been another fun and exciting year at our house.
Chad is currently working at Coventry (has been since 2008) and is really liking it. This past summer he was able to completely rebuild a bike as a project and you could tell that he had a lot of fun taking something was complete junk and turning it back into a really nice motorcycle. It was a fun project for him and a cousin of mine… he was really proud of it.
Delainey is 7 and currently in the 1st grade and loving it. She has been staying really busy with swimming (all year) and she really enjoyed soccer over the summer. We missed the registration dates for fall soccer, but we have it on the calendar for spring. Delainey was able to participate in a special “Demonettes’ dance camp this fall, she really enjoyed it. She is enjoying 1st grade and all the new challenges that have come with it. She does miss the ‘free’ time that was more available in kindergarten but she is doing really well. It is shocking to see what 1st graders are learning… I mean she can read already. It is great and thankfully she is really smart and it comes fairly easy to her.
Shelby is in her second year of preschool and having a really good year so far this fall... She currently receives occupational therapy once a week for her SPD and it continues to help a lot for her sensory issues. She is doing well in school and thankfully she has teacher who understand her current needs/quirks. The school year is going so much better this year because of her amazing teachers. Shelby is also active in swimming lessons and is doing really well.
Avery is also in her second year of preschool. She is doing amazing! She is kind of a little stinker in that she likes to ‘pretend’ that she doesn’t know what is going on a lot and in fact we were really concerned for awhile about her educationally…that is until we went to her conferences this past October and learned that our daughter has almost reached all the milestones for the year…and it is only October. She definitely pulled the wool over our eyes.
Shelby and Avery will turn 5 the day after Christmas.
Brody is well… Brody. He is certainly all boy and doesn’t quit…ever. The kid wakes up every morning and 5am and does not stop until he goes to bed at 7:30pm. He is very talkative and has an amazing vocabulary for a 3 year old. He loves watching football and is obsessed with anything motorcycles or cars. We are currently working on potty training and well, it’s not going well. I am fairly confident that he will go to kindergarten in diapers… but it goes with his personality. He is currently enjoying having two friends who come over to play M-F for a few hours each morning and he really misses them when they are gone. Brody will turn 3 on December 4th.
I am still in the Social Work program at Minot State University, and also a member of my Student Social Work Organization here in Bismarck. I am really enjoying it and the projects that they do. I have cut my class load to ½ times so that I can focus a bit more on the children and their activities and give more to school than simply just getting it done. Plus I don’t want to go back to work full time until Brody is in kindergarten so I want to stay in school to stay ‘up’ on the changes in social work. I am currently the President of MOMS Club of Bismarck and am really enjoying it, but I am fairly certain that this will be my last year involved as a member of the board. It is fun to connect with other moms in the Bismarck/Mandan area but with Brody going to preschool next fall and such it is becoming time to turn the reins over to the ‘next’ group of members. They are going to do awesome! I have also become more active in some Special Education groups in Bismarck. You wouldn’t believe the number of families that struggle to get their children the appropriate education that they deserve simply because someone else isn’t doing their job. It is heart breaking. I have met so many amazing people because of this and it has certainly lead me into a new direction with my forever career.
As a family we had an exciting 2010. We were given the honor of being the 2010 North Dakota Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes. We had a lot of fun participating in the walks in Minot, Fargo and Bismarck. We raised over $5000 as a family team at the Bismarck walk and Delainey was given an amazing honor of being one of the top 250 youth walkers in the country! She alone raised $826 for the March of Dimes. She not only received the Top Youth Walker Plaque at the Bismarck event, but she also received a special pin and letter from the March of Dimes office in New York. We are very proud of Delainey.
Here is to an amazing holiday season and a very happy new year! I know that there are certainly changes coming for our family! Merry Christmas!
Love the Krumwiedes
Chad, Kristin, Delainey, Shelby, Avery and Brody
Chad, Kristin, Delainey, Shelby, Avery and Brody
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
In my next life, make me a man *stolen from a friend*
I saw the following blog on a friend's blog the other day and I HAD TO STEAL it... because I could have written it myself, hands down...especially after the past few days. THANK YOU EMILY FOR LETTING ME STEAL YOU POST...well I guess I didn't actually ask to steal it... it just did, you can actually see Emily's whole post and visit her blog by clicking this text.
I decided that I want to be a man in my next life. Not that I don't appreciate all the perks of womanhood. Child birth, breast feeding - just to name a few!
But it seems that men are pre-wired differently than a woman.
* They do not wake when they hear a crying baby - much less their own crying baby.
* They are not awaken by their preschooler whining in the hallway in the dark of night to be tucked back into bed after a midnight potty trip.
* They appear inept at running a washing machine, much less separating clothes and initiating such a task.
* They do not appear to know where their children's clothes go - after they are magically washed and before they are worn.
* They do not know how to decide on dinner when it is merely breakfast time.
* They are not able to buy cards, even for their own family.
* They have lost the ability to sign a card, even if it is for his family.
* Forget about Christmas cards. Someone else will handle the pictures, the format, the letter, etc. It must magically happen like everything else.
* They lose the ability to pick up after oneself. Dirty dishes are left steps from the sink. Underwear are found in the living room - or maybe just the bathroom.
I am sold. In my next life I am putting my request in now to be a man. All I have to do it outdoor maintenance, take the cars in for oil changes and watch sports. ~ maybe even while scratching myself and drinking beer.
I decided that I want to be a man in my next life. Not that I don't appreciate all the perks of womanhood. Child birth, breast feeding - just to name a few!
But it seems that men are pre-wired differently than a woman.
* They do not wake when they hear a crying baby - much less their own crying baby.
* They are not awaken by their preschooler whining in the hallway in the dark of night to be tucked back into bed after a midnight potty trip.
* They appear inept at running a washing machine, much less separating clothes and initiating such a task.
* They do not appear to know where their children's clothes go - after they are magically washed and before they are worn.
* They do not know how to decide on dinner when it is merely breakfast time.
* They are not able to buy cards, even for their own family.
* They have lost the ability to sign a card, even if it is for his family.
* Forget about Christmas cards. Someone else will handle the pictures, the format, the letter, etc. It must magically happen like everything else.
* They lose the ability to pick up after oneself. Dirty dishes are left steps from the sink. Underwear are found in the living room - or maybe just the bathroom.
I am sold. In my next life I am putting my request in now to be a man. All I have to do it outdoor maintenance, take the cars in for oil changes and watch sports. ~ maybe even while scratching myself and drinking beer.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Holidays and Sensory Processing Disorder
The holidays are certainly a time of stress for our family, but specifically for Shelby (and more and more Brody too). The change in routine, the crowds of people -- in our house--, the excitement that her brain just can't grasp a handle on, people touching her things, people wanting her to 'be quiet' or worse "just sit still".
Thankfully I came across an amazing mother and blogger, Hartley. Hartley has 3 amazing children...she blogs about her family's sensational life at her blog Hartley's Life with 3 Boys. She can also be found on facebook under the same name...check her out. Today on Facebook she posted "Do you struggle with family visits during the holidays?"... Hartley's mother Helen Nickelson wrote a post on Hartley's blog and I wanted to share pieces of it here with you. You can find the whole piece on Hartley's blog HERE. Here are just the highlights that I wanted to share that REALLY stuck out to me. Please if you know a sensational child... take the time to read the article in full at Hartley's blog. Thank you!!
Believe your child. Firstly and most importantly, believe your daughter or son when they tell you what challenges their child(ren) face and what accommodations they need. Seriously, they KNOW what’s going on. They are not making this stuff up. I realize it’s difficult because you don’t see it. You’re not there every day and most kids can “keep it together” for short periods…like when they are with their grandparents.
Understand that your child and her family may not be able to come to your home for holidays because the trip would be nearly impossible for your grandchild. The change in routine, the lack of structure may be too much. Understand, too, that when you come to visit, you may need to stay in a hotel, because the disruption could be too much. There are many things we need to understand.
Understand when her child has a meltdown, that it is much different than a “fit” and is NOT the result of bad parenting or lack of discipline. And it shouldn’t be embarrassing to anyone other than the judgmental bystander. You know, the one who shakes her head or rolls her eyes. One day, you won’t even notice that person. That will be, as Oprah would say, an “aha moment” for you. I hope it comes quickly for you. It is a wonderful feeling.
Remember, this is not your problem to solve. Your child is fully capable and the best person to know what needs to be done. Your job is to listen, to actually hear what she is saying, to be there for her, both emotionally and physically. Understand when she tells you they cannot do something, or go somewhere, you desperately wanted the whole family to do, that she isn’t trying to punish you; that she is only doing what’s needed to keep her child calm & regulated. Don’t show your disappointment, it only makes her feel worse.
Acceptance. Finally, accept that life is what it is. Just because it’s different than what you imagined or experienced as a child or parent, doesn’t make it less than. If your grandchild is comfortable, calm and regulated, any experience will be enjoyable for him and that will make it enjoyable for his parents -- and THAT should make it enjoyable for you.
All priting in italics is taken directly from the article by Helen Nickelson with is posted on the blog Hartley's Life with 3 Boys. For the Complete article pleas visit HERE.
A special thank you to both Hartley and her mother, Helen for sharing this with us. The two of you are amazing and I wish I personally had more people like the two of you in my life and in the lives of my sensational children. THANK YOU!!!!
Thankfully I came across an amazing mother and blogger, Hartley. Hartley has 3 amazing children...she blogs about her family's sensational life at her blog Hartley's Life with 3 Boys. She can also be found on facebook under the same name...check her out. Today on Facebook she posted "Do you struggle with family visits during the holidays?"... Hartley's mother Helen Nickelson wrote a post on Hartley's blog and I wanted to share pieces of it here with you. You can find the whole piece on Hartley's blog HERE. Here are just the highlights that I wanted to share that REALLY stuck out to me. Please if you know a sensational child... take the time to read the article in full at Hartley's blog. Thank you!!
Believe your child. Firstly and most importantly, believe your daughter or son when they tell you what challenges their child(ren) face and what accommodations they need. Seriously, they KNOW what’s going on. They are not making this stuff up. I realize it’s difficult because you don’t see it. You’re not there every day and most kids can “keep it together” for short periods…like when they are with their grandparents.
Understand that your child and her family may not be able to come to your home for holidays because the trip would be nearly impossible for your grandchild. The change in routine, the lack of structure may be too much. Understand, too, that when you come to visit, you may need to stay in a hotel, because the disruption could be too much. There are many things we need to understand.
Understand when her child has a meltdown, that it is much different than a “fit” and is NOT the result of bad parenting or lack of discipline. And it shouldn’t be embarrassing to anyone other than the judgmental bystander. You know, the one who shakes her head or rolls her eyes. One day, you won’t even notice that person. That will be, as Oprah would say, an “aha moment” for you. I hope it comes quickly for you. It is a wonderful feeling.
Remember, this is not your problem to solve. Your child is fully capable and the best person to know what needs to be done. Your job is to listen, to actually hear what she is saying, to be there for her, both emotionally and physically. Understand when she tells you they cannot do something, or go somewhere, you desperately wanted the whole family to do, that she isn’t trying to punish you; that she is only doing what’s needed to keep her child calm & regulated. Don’t show your disappointment, it only makes her feel worse.
Acceptance. Finally, accept that life is what it is. Just because it’s different than what you imagined or experienced as a child or parent, doesn’t make it less than. If your grandchild is comfortable, calm and regulated, any experience will be enjoyable for him and that will make it enjoyable for his parents -- and THAT should make it enjoyable for you.
All priting in italics is taken directly from the article by Helen Nickelson with is posted on the blog Hartley's Life with 3 Boys. For the Complete article pleas visit HERE.
A special thank you to both Hartley and her mother, Helen for sharing this with us. The two of you are amazing and I wish I personally had more people like the two of you in my life and in the lives of my sensational children. THANK YOU!!!!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Brody looks like who??
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Look-alike Meter Fun
Awhile back I did this, and thought I'd do it again just for fun. I often say that my children are a perfect combination of both of their parents and I think this little 'test' shows it... if you'd like to have fun with this yourself you can do so by visiting myheritage.com.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sickness surrounds
About two weeks ago Delainey got sick. She had a raging fever that lasted for 6 days and two trips to the pediatrician to finally be given an antibiotic for a sinus infection. She is still taking the medication, but honestly she doesn't seem any better other than the fact that she no longer has the fever. She is still a dripping nose mess. She of course has that amazing 'look' to her that tells you she has wiped her nose a millions times and constantly needs to be reminder to blow her nose not to sniffle. I finally had to tell her today that when she does that sniffle thing, the snot in her nose goes straight into her lungs and THAT is why she coughs all night long.
Brody seems to be the 'next' victim on the illness train. He came down with a pretty heavy duty fever last (Sunday) night. It gets to as high at 104 without the tylenol/motrin combo on board. I caved and took him into the doctor tonight (Monday) and while told that his tonsils are red and the size of golf balls that he is strep free. They of course sent the swab for culture and we will hear from them in 48 hours or so. He is so lethargic that it is just scary. I mean if you KNOW this kid, you know he NEVER slows down and for all of today, he just sat on my lap and cuddled.... is it wrong for me to kind of enjoy THAT part of it.
Hope this finds you well and healthy...
Brody seems to be the 'next' victim on the illness train. He came down with a pretty heavy duty fever last (Sunday) night. It gets to as high at 104 without the tylenol/motrin combo on board. I caved and took him into the doctor tonight (Monday) and while told that his tonsils are red and the size of golf balls that he is strep free. They of course sent the swab for culture and we will hear from them in 48 hours or so. He is so lethargic that it is just scary. I mean if you KNOW this kid, you know he NEVER slows down and for all of today, he just sat on my lap and cuddled.... is it wrong for me to kind of enjoy THAT part of it.
Hope this finds you well and healthy...
Monday, November 1, 2010
What do you want from me...
I think we all go through times in our lives where we feel like we are drowning or like we are currently floating on the river watching both our oars floating away. We all have those moments (don't pretend like you don't) where nothing makes sense and we feel a little mental... I have secretly been listening to this song alot lately because it makes a lot of sense to me and it helps me more than I realize. And regardless where you are in your life, I think we can all take a small piece of information from this song.
Happy Hallowbirthweenday to me!
On a side note that shocked the shit outta me... my DAD called me ON my birthday to tell me Happy Birthday. This was the FIRST TIME EVER!!! Granted his wife probably told him too... but still I'll take it. And another first, HE ended the call with "I love you kid"... and I actually WANTED to respond with the "Love you too Dad" instead of the "yep bye' I normally give. A page has certainly been turned in that book... for me at least.
Friday, October 22, 2010
President Obama: It Gets Better
I know that this message was aimed towards the recent suicides because of bulling and homosexuality. But I believe the message that President Obama is sharing is a good one for everyone to listen to and take to heart.
Like will get better. Right now things may be difficult... things may seem like they can not get any worse. But today is today... tomorrow is another day and it will get better.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Thankful Thursday
So today I am going to tell you the things that I am thankful for!
I am so very thankful that for my four amazing, wonderful, healthy children. They may drive me to tears and to the edge of my sanity some days... but in all honesty... they drive me period. They drive me to wake in the morning, they drive me to be a better person, a better friend and certainly they drive me to be a better mother. Without them my life really would have NO PURPOSE... I am so very blessed to GET to be their mom!!!
I am thankful for my friends. Let's face it... I have pretty awesome friends. I may not always be the best friend to them at times and vice verse but in the end I know that we have got each others backs it it were to come to shove...
I am thankful that I am able to be a stay-at-home mom to my children. It leads to tight ends with the paychecks, but in the long run I know that it is what is best for my children and for myself. That doesn't mean that there aren't days when I often think that I would be a better "working" mom.
I am thankful that while I am staying home with my children, I am also able to pursue my dreams of becoming a social worker, by attending college most of the time full time. I couldn't be happier about this. I mean really... I get the best of both worlds. I am able to stay home with my children now while they are young, and I am going to be able to get a fairly decent job when they are all in school. Pretty cool!
Thanks for stopping by and reading my Thankful Thursday... Hopefully it can inspire you to be thankful for what you have as well.
-Kristin
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Interesting development
As you know our blog is now private. This was at my husband request. He recently learned that some things were being said about our family (specifically me and one of our children in particular) that really upset him. I had alot of emotions on this anger, sadness, regret, resentment, fear, and many more.
The two emotions that are affecting me the most would be the sadness and the anger.
The sadness because I was connecting with several people all over the country with my blog, the sadness because of a few people and their very hurtful comments other family members are no longer able to read my blog, sadness because I often share some actual good information.
The anger is the emotion that I am having the hardest time dealing with. It wasn't just my blog that had to be made private, I also had to remove people from my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I have had to change my life and the way that I do things because some people feel the need to make themselves and their lives 'feel' better by tearing my family down. I am angry because one of the people who said these hurtful things, pretends to care about my family. This person acts as if we matter...when frankly we don't. We are very much an 'out of sight, out of mind' situation for this person...I do feel something other than anger for this person... I feel sadness for them...for someone to be that mean and spiteful something must be going on in their life that they have to act this way...because I can not see how a person in a happy place could inflict that kind of pain on someone.
I am angry because I am not able to fully confront these people without harming others. I am angry that someone would call me a liar. I am angry that I now have to censor who I really am because other people are stuck in high school and have to act like they are better than others. I am mostly angry because of what was said about my child. I'm an adult... I can handle your basic "high school" cattyness... trust me, I survived high school BALD for god sakes... but don't mess with my child. Children are innocent... you mess with my babies and gloves are off.. and no that is not a threat... it's a promise.
I spent literally HOURS pouring over my blog to see what I had said that could be so interesting that it would fuel the gossip mills hundreds of miles away, and searching for the lies that supposedly exits... I found nothing on either aspect. Where there a couple posts that if I hadn't lived them myself would I step back and go "really? Wow"... yes... but then question ME about the situations mentioned, don't start dinner table conversations about me or my children. And apparently my life is so exciting that it needs to be discussed over cocktails hundreds of miles away...
I was talking about this whole situation with a friend today and her statement really helped me see the 'light' on this whole thing... "WOW... you have an super small blog... imagine what that MckMama lady in MN must go through". It also got me thinking about the train of thought of... it's my dang blog. I mean really... if you don't like what I'm writing, or don't believe it... then don't freaking read it... plain and simple. WOW... Rocket science I tell you
Oh yea... back to the point of this rambling. This afternoon I received an email from someone asking if I was still doing the blog because it said says its not able to be read... I am struggling with how to respond to this email... especially since the email was sent by one of the people who has said some of the items in question. Chad of course has his thoughts on how it should be handled... even though part of me agrees, I don't think that is the best way to handle it.... so I'll think some more.
So to those of you who are reading this.. Thank you for being supportive of me, my family and most importantly my children. Thank you for not judging us, or making us the topic of gossip. Thank you for being better family to use than the family that is biologically ours. Thank you!
The two emotions that are affecting me the most would be the sadness and the anger.
The sadness because I was connecting with several people all over the country with my blog, the sadness because of a few people and their very hurtful comments other family members are no longer able to read my blog, sadness because I often share some actual good information.
The anger is the emotion that I am having the hardest time dealing with. It wasn't just my blog that had to be made private, I also had to remove people from my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I have had to change my life and the way that I do things because some people feel the need to make themselves and their lives 'feel' better by tearing my family down. I am angry because one of the people who said these hurtful things, pretends to care about my family. This person acts as if we matter...when frankly we don't. We are very much an 'out of sight, out of mind' situation for this person...I do feel something other than anger for this person... I feel sadness for them...for someone to be that mean and spiteful something must be going on in their life that they have to act this way...because I can not see how a person in a happy place could inflict that kind of pain on someone.
I am angry because I am not able to fully confront these people without harming others. I am angry that someone would call me a liar. I am angry that I now have to censor who I really am because other people are stuck in high school and have to act like they are better than others. I am mostly angry because of what was said about my child. I'm an adult... I can handle your basic "high school" cattyness... trust me, I survived high school BALD for god sakes... but don't mess with my child. Children are innocent... you mess with my babies and gloves are off.. and no that is not a threat... it's a promise.
I spent literally HOURS pouring over my blog to see what I had said that could be so interesting that it would fuel the gossip mills hundreds of miles away, and searching for the lies that supposedly exits... I found nothing on either aspect. Where there a couple posts that if I hadn't lived them myself would I step back and go "really? Wow"... yes... but then question ME about the situations mentioned, don't start dinner table conversations about me or my children. And apparently my life is so exciting that it needs to be discussed over cocktails hundreds of miles away...
I was talking about this whole situation with a friend today and her statement really helped me see the 'light' on this whole thing... "WOW... you have an super small blog... imagine what that MckMama lady in MN must go through". It also got me thinking about the train of thought of... it's my dang blog. I mean really... if you don't like what I'm writing, or don't believe it... then don't freaking read it... plain and simple. WOW... Rocket science I tell you
Oh yea... back to the point of this rambling. This afternoon I received an email from someone asking if I was still doing the blog because it said says its not able to be read... I am struggling with how to respond to this email... especially since the email was sent by one of the people who has said some of the items in question. Chad of course has his thoughts on how it should be handled... even though part of me agrees, I don't think that is the best way to handle it.... so I'll think some more.
So to those of you who are reading this.. Thank you for being supportive of me, my family and most importantly my children. Thank you for not judging us, or making us the topic of gossip. Thank you for being better family to use than the family that is biologically ours. Thank you!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Purging...
The definition of purge according the the Webster Online Dictionary is as follows:
There has been a needs to be alot of purging going on at our house. Some physical (stuff) and some emotional (guilt, resentment, etc). And because I am being kind of a 'wimp' with my current purge, I think I will still with the physical purge for now because 1) it's easier and 2) I don't have time for the emotional purge right now. But in the process of working on the physical purging I am working on some of my emotional purging. I have been letting things build up (both physically and emotionally) for some time and it seemed that this morning the damn just simply broke. Not sure what it was but I just felt the need to get a handle back on things... I needed to get back into control of my life... and right now having control of my home is the aspect that I am going to tackle first. Wish me luck... Oh and be on the look out for a crap load of stuff to be going on bisman, facebook etc. It has GOT TO GO!!!
I mean seriously folks... it is going to be monumental... it is the great purge of 2010. It will go down in history :)
transitive verb
1 a : to clear of guilt
b : to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
b : to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
2 a : to cause evacuation from
b (1) : to make free of something unwanted <purge a manhole of gas> <purge yourself of fear>
(2) : to free (as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleeding
(2) : to free (as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleeding
c (1) : to rid (as a nation or party) by a purge
(2) : to get rid of purged>
There has been a needs to be alot of purging going on at our house. Some physical (stuff) and some emotional (guilt, resentment, etc). And because I am being kind of a 'wimp' with my current purge, I think I will still with the physical purge for now because 1) it's easier and 2) I don't have time for the emotional purge right now. But in the process of working on the physical purging I am working on some of my emotional purging. I have been letting things build up (both physically and emotionally) for some time and it seemed that this morning the damn just simply broke. Not sure what it was but I just felt the need to get a handle back on things... I needed to get back into control of my life... and right now having control of my home is the aspect that I am going to tackle first. Wish me luck... Oh and be on the look out for a crap load of stuff to be going on bisman, facebook etc. It has GOT TO GO!!!
I mean seriously folks... it is going to be monumental... it is the great purge of 2010. It will go down in history :)
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
People that Come Into your life...
When I was 14 I learned that a dear friend had been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, he was only 13. I spent time with him during his treatments and I often teased him about being a baby when it came to the nasty medicines that he had to take, or even worse this mouthwash that made those of us around him want to gag while he was using it. I was there when his body began to be ravaged by the cancer, I was there when his parents told us that we probably shouldn't visit anymore (they wanted to protect us) and I was there at his funeral. It is very hard for a 14 year old to wrap their mind around their friend dying... especially from something like cancer... I mean it is an 'old person disease' right.
We all began to heal. We spent a summer enjoying our youth and remembering that life was precious. This was a fragile age for most of us. Some of us matured because of this moment in our lives, and sadly some of us picked paths that were less than optimal.
In the fall of 1995 I began to have what seemed like the same cold over and over. I would go to the doctor, they would give me a prescription and I would get better while on it. I was diagnosed with everything from strep throat to mononucleaosis, at one point my doctor at the time even asked my mother if I was a hypercondriac. Around Thanksgiving I began not eating, or barely eating. Around Christmas I began losing weight like you wouldn't believe (even then I was a bigger girl, so I was ok with it). This cycle of illness continued. I began falling asleep in class, and falling behind in school. My teachers believed that I had fallen into the same habits of my circle of friends and was on drugs.
On the March 7, 1996 I woke up with a very swollen face. My mom believed I had an infected tooth, in fact I had these weird green things coming out of my gum line. My mom couldn't get me into see the dentist or even my regular doctor so she got me in with a pediatrician (I had been seeing a family doctor because you know 15 year olds are way too cool for a pediatrician). My mom was unable to take the day off of work to take me to the appointment so my grandmother did. I was admitted to the hospital because of some 'inaccuracies' (hemoglobin was at 5, platelets were at 52,000 and my white count was at 156,000) in my blood work, I was told I had some type of infection.
When I was admitted to the hospital it was the normal ask you a bunch of questions, start an iv etc. But then it got scary... you see I overheard the nurse tell my mom that a certain doctor would be in to see us shortly. If I hadn't already been pale I would have lost even more color. My grandfather noticed the change in me and asked what was wrong... I smiled and said "nothing... I just want to go home so I can go on vacation with Jessie" ( I was supposed to go with my best friend at the time to go visit her dad over spring break)... but inside I knew what was coming. Dr. R came in and introduced himself to my family and when he took a look at me he said "Kristin... you shouldn't be here"... I again smiled and said "I know". We both knew what was coming... my family did not. We went through all the testing and I was sent down to x-ray. During my time in x-ray I gave myself a pep talk. I told myself that I was going to be fine and that I needed to be strong. I had to keep a positive attitude because I wasn't going to let cancer win. During my time in x-ray the doctor was breaking the news to my family, that I in fact had cancer, leukemia to be exact but they were unsure of what type. I was brought back upstairs once my family was able to compose themselves... but as I was wheeled into the room, all it took was looking at my grandfather with tears in his eyes and I knew the truth. I stood up from the wheelchair, walked to the bed and said " I need 5 minutes by myself. Everyone out"... no one listened... so again I said " I need everyone out NOW"... everyone left except my grandfather... I looked at him with the tears in his eyes and said "Please papa...I need to process by myself. I've got this.... no matter what you hear in here, please do not come in or let anyone in until I ask you to... please". My grandfather left the room and stood in the hallway with my mom and my grandmother. I then proceeded to throw the biggest temper tantrum EVER... I threw stuff, I cried, I screamed, I yelled, I begged, I pleaded, I screamed and cried some more and then I just stopped. I walked over to the sink in the room, got a wash cloth and washed my face and calmly opened the door to the room and told everyone they could come back in.
I told everyone that there was no more crying... if you wanted to cry you had to do it some place else because I didn't have time for it. I also told my mom that I would be the one to tell people. I wanted the words to come from me and not from others etc. When people came to visit I would calmly tell them what was going on, and then tell them if they needed to cry they needed to leave... I didn't have time to be sad. Everything happens for a reason even if we don't know it...
I quickly entered into my treatment phase. At one point a 3 yr old little girl was placed in the room next to me, she also had leukemia. We became fast friends... she would often come into my room on the rare times that her parents had to leave, and we were in fact amazingly close (we are still in contact but she is way to cool for some old lady now... she will graduate this year from high school and I can't wait to see it...). I met several people during my battle with cancer.
There was one specific person who really touched my life while I was sick. I still remember seeing this person brought up to the floor via wheelchair with the 'classic' bald head covered with a cap and I remember saying "who's that" since the person looked about my age. The nurses of course couldn't tell me, but I was a pro by this time.. I was going to figure out who this person was because damn it I was dying (not literally) for some friends. Don't get me wrong, my friends were there for me... but they weren't. One friend happened to get grounded right at the time of my diagnosis and her parents just would NOT GIVE IN... my mom actually drove to their house and alot of screaming insued but my friend was able to come visit me ( although I don't think our friendship ever recovered from my illness... just my feelings on the subject). But back to the kid in the wheel chair... I was very 'sneaky'-- well as sneaky as a kid with an IV pole with a blazing orange bag of "killer koolaid" hanging from it, I waited until the kid was 'admitted' and 'settled' and then I just kept walking around the 'loop'. The Cancer Kids were 'required' to make at least 2 laps each day around the nurses station so I pretended I was doing that... ha! Eventually the kid in the room saw me walk by with my 'amazing' chemo hair style (you know the one I'm talking about) but she was really shy and didn't say anything. So I gave up.. I was like 'seriously... I am not going to beg you to be my friend' and just stopped walking. Eventually my doctor came into to see me and I mentioned that I was interested in talking with the other cancer kid and he said he would see what he could do... :)
We ended up meeting that night over pepperoni pizza ...between the two of us we finished off a large... and then we both promptly threw up in our basins that went anywhere food would be consumed. We looked up at each other over our puke buckets and just started laughing... We became best friends from that moment on. It was awesome. We knew what the other was going through... we talked about boys and how could a boy want to date a girls with no hair who threw up at the drop of a hat, we talked about getting better... we even talked about not getting better. We talked about growing up, about not growing up. We talked about everything and I mean everything. We developed a friendship in a few short days of her stay -- her chemo was less intensive than mine at the time-- and it continued. We looked forward to seeing each other each time we would be in. This was before email, Facebook etc. we had to actually write letters... :) I have them all. When her mom would be able to stay she often brought her younger sister and we would all talk. We formed a bond that was amazing. Because she was from out of town and had 3 other siblings at home her parents weren't always able to stay for her entire treatment so we would take advantage of my mom during these times. We would request things like "Red Lobster"-- and totally get it, or one night all the cancer kids over took the family lounge and had our version of a party... the snacks included, meal replacement milk shakes, beef jerky, clam chowder, any candy under the son oh yea and of course don't forget the anti nausea meds and chemo that was on 'tap'.
In October 1996 I had my end of chemo party. It was during my end of chemo party that I learned that two of my friends would also be ending chemo... but for other reasons. Their cancers had spread to far and there was nothing left to do. I remember having a talk with my dear girl friend about this because I didn't understand... I just didn't because you see she looked fine, her hair was growing back, she had color, she was walking around like everything was fine... she looked so healthy. We promised we'd stay in touch... we promised to be there for each other through the end... and we wrote almost daily to one another until she couldn't any longer.
I still remember the day I learned of her passing...my mom told me to go straight home after school... which was weird because I was normally allowed to hang out with my friends after school. I came home and my mom told me that she was gone... I had never cried so hard in my life... never. I had never felt a pain that deep... we were supposed to get better together... we were going to go to college together, she was going to teach me how to play basketball, we were going to have babies together -- well not together but you know what I mean--... but we didn't. Her life ended on her terms with her in charge. And she was my person... you know how we all have that person... the one that comes into your life and makes everything clear... the person who helps you to understand things about yourself that you didn't know... I went on to get married like we talked about (her mom and sister came to my wedding), I went on to have the babies we talked about-- She has a name sake in one of the kidlets, but even though we are not technically doing these things together in the way that we had planned... I know that we are still doing them together.
I found the following 'essay' the other day when I was looking online and thinking about her and it fits totally. You can find the text of the article HERE, these are in no way shape or form my words... just words that could have very well been written for me from MY PERSON. So today... take a moment to remember someone who came into your life and think about their purpose...because we all have a purpose and we are all someone else's 'person'....
We all began to heal. We spent a summer enjoying our youth and remembering that life was precious. This was a fragile age for most of us. Some of us matured because of this moment in our lives, and sadly some of us picked paths that were less than optimal.
In the fall of 1995 I began to have what seemed like the same cold over and over. I would go to the doctor, they would give me a prescription and I would get better while on it. I was diagnosed with everything from strep throat to mononucleaosis, at one point my doctor at the time even asked my mother if I was a hypercondriac. Around Thanksgiving I began not eating, or barely eating. Around Christmas I began losing weight like you wouldn't believe (even then I was a bigger girl, so I was ok with it). This cycle of illness continued. I began falling asleep in class, and falling behind in school. My teachers believed that I had fallen into the same habits of my circle of friends and was on drugs.
On the March 7, 1996 I woke up with a very swollen face. My mom believed I had an infected tooth, in fact I had these weird green things coming out of my gum line. My mom couldn't get me into see the dentist or even my regular doctor so she got me in with a pediatrician (I had been seeing a family doctor because you know 15 year olds are way too cool for a pediatrician). My mom was unable to take the day off of work to take me to the appointment so my grandmother did. I was admitted to the hospital because of some 'inaccuracies' (hemoglobin was at 5, platelets were at 52,000 and my white count was at 156,000) in my blood work, I was told I had some type of infection.
When I was admitted to the hospital it was the normal ask you a bunch of questions, start an iv etc. But then it got scary... you see I overheard the nurse tell my mom that a certain doctor would be in to see us shortly. If I hadn't already been pale I would have lost even more color. My grandfather noticed the change in me and asked what was wrong... I smiled and said "nothing... I just want to go home so I can go on vacation with Jessie" ( I was supposed to go with my best friend at the time to go visit her dad over spring break)... but inside I knew what was coming. Dr. R came in and introduced himself to my family and when he took a look at me he said "Kristin... you shouldn't be here"... I again smiled and said "I know". We both knew what was coming... my family did not. We went through all the testing and I was sent down to x-ray. During my time in x-ray I gave myself a pep talk. I told myself that I was going to be fine and that I needed to be strong. I had to keep a positive attitude because I wasn't going to let cancer win. During my time in x-ray the doctor was breaking the news to my family, that I in fact had cancer, leukemia to be exact but they were unsure of what type. I was brought back upstairs once my family was able to compose themselves... but as I was wheeled into the room, all it took was looking at my grandfather with tears in his eyes and I knew the truth. I stood up from the wheelchair, walked to the bed and said " I need 5 minutes by myself. Everyone out"... no one listened... so again I said " I need everyone out NOW"... everyone left except my grandfather... I looked at him with the tears in his eyes and said "Please papa...I need to process by myself. I've got this.... no matter what you hear in here, please do not come in or let anyone in until I ask you to... please". My grandfather left the room and stood in the hallway with my mom and my grandmother. I then proceeded to throw the biggest temper tantrum EVER... I threw stuff, I cried, I screamed, I yelled, I begged, I pleaded, I screamed and cried some more and then I just stopped. I walked over to the sink in the room, got a wash cloth and washed my face and calmly opened the door to the room and told everyone they could come back in.
I told everyone that there was no more crying... if you wanted to cry you had to do it some place else because I didn't have time for it. I also told my mom that I would be the one to tell people. I wanted the words to come from me and not from others etc. When people came to visit I would calmly tell them what was going on, and then tell them if they needed to cry they needed to leave... I didn't have time to be sad. Everything happens for a reason even if we don't know it...
I quickly entered into my treatment phase. At one point a 3 yr old little girl was placed in the room next to me, she also had leukemia. We became fast friends... she would often come into my room on the rare times that her parents had to leave, and we were in fact amazingly close (we are still in contact but she is way to cool for some old lady now... she will graduate this year from high school and I can't wait to see it...). I met several people during my battle with cancer.
There was one specific person who really touched my life while I was sick. I still remember seeing this person brought up to the floor via wheelchair with the 'classic' bald head covered with a cap and I remember saying "who's that" since the person looked about my age. The nurses of course couldn't tell me, but I was a pro by this time.. I was going to figure out who this person was because damn it I was dying (not literally) for some friends. Don't get me wrong, my friends were there for me... but they weren't. One friend happened to get grounded right at the time of my diagnosis and her parents just would NOT GIVE IN... my mom actually drove to their house and alot of screaming insued but my friend was able to come visit me ( although I don't think our friendship ever recovered from my illness... just my feelings on the subject). But back to the kid in the wheel chair... I was very 'sneaky'-- well as sneaky as a kid with an IV pole with a blazing orange bag of "killer koolaid" hanging from it, I waited until the kid was 'admitted' and 'settled' and then I just kept walking around the 'loop'. The Cancer Kids were 'required' to make at least 2 laps each day around the nurses station so I pretended I was doing that... ha! Eventually the kid in the room saw me walk by with my 'amazing' chemo hair style (you know the one I'm talking about) but she was really shy and didn't say anything. So I gave up.. I was like 'seriously... I am not going to beg you to be my friend' and just stopped walking. Eventually my doctor came into to see me and I mentioned that I was interested in talking with the other cancer kid and he said he would see what he could do... :)
We ended up meeting that night over pepperoni pizza ...between the two of us we finished off a large... and then we both promptly threw up in our basins that went anywhere food would be consumed. We looked up at each other over our puke buckets and just started laughing... We became best friends from that moment on. It was awesome. We knew what the other was going through... we talked about boys and how could a boy want to date a girls with no hair who threw up at the drop of a hat, we talked about getting better... we even talked about not getting better. We talked about growing up, about not growing up. We talked about everything and I mean everything. We developed a friendship in a few short days of her stay -- her chemo was less intensive than mine at the time-- and it continued. We looked forward to seeing each other each time we would be in. This was before email, Facebook etc. we had to actually write letters... :) I have them all. When her mom would be able to stay she often brought her younger sister and we would all talk. We formed a bond that was amazing. Because she was from out of town and had 3 other siblings at home her parents weren't always able to stay for her entire treatment so we would take advantage of my mom during these times. We would request things like "Red Lobster"-- and totally get it, or one night all the cancer kids over took the family lounge and had our version of a party... the snacks included, meal replacement milk shakes, beef jerky, clam chowder, any candy under the son oh yea and of course don't forget the anti nausea meds and chemo that was on 'tap'.
In October 1996 I had my end of chemo party. It was during my end of chemo party that I learned that two of my friends would also be ending chemo... but for other reasons. Their cancers had spread to far and there was nothing left to do. I remember having a talk with my dear girl friend about this because I didn't understand... I just didn't because you see she looked fine, her hair was growing back, she had color, she was walking around like everything was fine... she looked so healthy. We promised we'd stay in touch... we promised to be there for each other through the end... and we wrote almost daily to one another until she couldn't any longer.
I still remember the day I learned of her passing...my mom told me to go straight home after school... which was weird because I was normally allowed to hang out with my friends after school. I came home and my mom told me that she was gone... I had never cried so hard in my life... never. I had never felt a pain that deep... we were supposed to get better together... we were going to go to college together, she was going to teach me how to play basketball, we were going to have babies together -- well not together but you know what I mean--... but we didn't. Her life ended on her terms with her in charge. And she was my person... you know how we all have that person... the one that comes into your life and makes everything clear... the person who helps you to understand things about yourself that you didn't know... I went on to get married like we talked about (her mom and sister came to my wedding), I went on to have the babies we talked about-- She has a name sake in one of the kidlets, but even though we are not technically doing these things together in the way that we had planned... I know that we are still doing them together.
I found the following 'essay' the other day when I was looking online and thinking about her and it fits totally. You can find the text of the article HERE, these are in no way shape or form my words... just words that could have very well been written for me from MY PERSON. So today... take a moment to remember someone who came into your life and think about their purpose...because we all have a purpose and we are all someone else's 'person'....
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate, neighbour, co-worker, longest friend, lover, or even a complete stranger) but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.
Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some people move our souls to dance.
They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom.
Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon.
They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts,
and We are never, ever the same.
Some people move our souls to dance.
They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom.
Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon.
They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts,
and We are never, ever the same.
And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart. Everything happens for a reason, nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience help to create who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.
Make every day count!! Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself; it will be hard for others to believe in you.
Monday, October 4, 2010
When I became a mom...
When I learned that I was going to be a mom I had big dreams for myself as a mother. I sat down and wrote in my journal several evenings when I was pregnant and 'talked' about what kind of mom I was going to be. I promised myself (and my unborn child) that I would be THAT mom... you know what mom I'm talking about. You know...the mom who brings the cookies to school, or the mom that is able to go on the field trips with the class, the mom that made craft projects with her children all the time.
Well let me tell you... I have failed, miserably...especially lately. I swore I wouldn't be the mom who yelled (yes, I know shocking to learn that I yell at my children), I swore I wouldn't sweat the little things... but I do. Heck this morning alone I came unglued because of silly things like lost socks, a coat forgotten at school last Friday *here's were I tell the truth and say and in the long run it was MY FAULT the coat was left as school... I mean I am the one who picked the children up from school, probably should have made certain the 4 yr old had her coat huh??*, broken crayons *really...what kind of wacko gets upset about broken crayons* and it wasn't even noon.
Thankfully I have forgiving children... they love me regardless of my faults *and let me tell you... I have them in spades*, they love me even when I am mental, when I'm crabby, and they especially love me when I am doing right by them. And when I realized this just this morning when I apologized to my 4 yr old for being upset we forgot her coat, she looked at me and wrapped her arms around me and said "Its ok mommy... I love you anyways".
So I have finally realized that yes, I was a much better mom before I actually had children. I also realized that while I have faults, my children love me regardless of them as I do them. But that doesn't mean I don't still want to be that mom that I wrote about in my journal... I'll just have to keep working on it :)
Well let me tell you... I have failed, miserably...especially lately. I swore I wouldn't be the mom who yelled (yes, I know shocking to learn that I yell at my children), I swore I wouldn't sweat the little things... but I do. Heck this morning alone I came unglued because of silly things like lost socks, a coat forgotten at school last Friday *here's were I tell the truth and say and in the long run it was MY FAULT the coat was left as school... I mean I am the one who picked the children up from school, probably should have made certain the 4 yr old had her coat huh??*, broken crayons *really...what kind of wacko gets upset about broken crayons* and it wasn't even noon.
Thankfully I have forgiving children... they love me regardless of my faults *and let me tell you... I have them in spades*, they love me even when I am mental, when I'm crabby, and they especially love me when I am doing right by them. And when I realized this just this morning when I apologized to my 4 yr old for being upset we forgot her coat, she looked at me and wrapped her arms around me and said "Its ok mommy... I love you anyways".
So I have finally realized that yes, I was a much better mom before I actually had children. I also realized that while I have faults, my children love me regardless of them as I do them. But that doesn't mean I don't still want to be that mom that I wrote about in my journal... I'll just have to keep working on it :)
Busy weekend...
This past weekend was the 'final push' for the Ereth/Oster wedding events. They had their reception this past Saturday in Mandan. Congratulations to them and the beginning of their new life together... and also a special Thank you to them for letting me be part of not only their special day on Saturday but also being part of their amazingly beautiful day in South Dakota. Congratulations you two... may all your dreams and wishes come true...TOGETHER...
On Sunday we went to Papa's Pumpkin Patch here in Bismarck, and little did we know that it was going to be the beginning of a new life to my cousin and his now fiancee. My cousin Ryan (who is more of a brother to me than a cousin) proposed to his girlfriend, Rachel. She said YES... although if you listen close to the video ... you will heard 'no no, don't do this"... :)
Congratulations Ryan and Rachel... we can't wait to be a part of your special day... Love you both more than you know... I can't wait to have Rachel as a sister... :)
Oh...and here is a cute picture of my kids from at the Patch.
On Sunday we went to Papa's Pumpkin Patch here in Bismarck, and little did we know that it was going to be the beginning of a new life to my cousin and his now fiancee. My cousin Ryan (who is more of a brother to me than a cousin) proposed to his girlfriend, Rachel. She said YES... although if you listen close to the video ... you will heard 'no no, don't do this"... :)
Congratulations Ryan and Rachel... we can't wait to be a part of your special day... Love you both more than you know... I can't wait to have Rachel as a sister... :)
Oh...and here is a cute picture of my kids from at the Patch.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
A Huge Honor...
In June of 2005 I learned I was expecting twins. This was extremely scary to me. I mean everyone who learns they are carrying twins has that "oh ****" moment... don't tell me you didn't :) I mean yes Chad and I were over the moon, in fact Chad will tell you that he is the one who noticed the second baby on the ultrasound ** and this is in fact true. The ultrasound tech was already to be done when Chad literally SCREAMED "there is second heart... I see it"... **.
But because of our history of miscarriages and other complications (high blood pressure, hypermesis, and eventually pre-eclampsia) learning we were expecting multiples made what was already a high risk pregnancy even more high risk. What was supposed to be a 30 minute ultrasound to find a heartbeat for the SINGLE baby we believed we were pregnant with turned into a 150 minutes of appointments between the in-detail ultrasound and meeting with my doctor, who I vividly recall taking one look at me as I am white a sheet and Chad is dancing into room thinking he was some super stud and saying "Kristin... you can't let us do something the easy way can you"... I of course (being the smart butt that I am) responded with "Hey... if you get vacations to the Virgin Islands because of me and my awesomeness, I don't see why you are complaining"
We hashed out a very good care plan, we went from normal monthly visits to having visits every two weeks from the beginning. The counselor we spoke with suggested that I get in contact with Sidelines, which is a National Support Network for women who are going through high risk pregnancies, she also suggests that we not tell family and friends we were expecting twins for a short time. We didn't... in fact I don't believe we told anyone in our families until well into the summer, oh and looking back I really don't recommend that. I mean for some people this is probably best... but for me it was really hard, especially with what would happen in our future.
I looked at the Sidelines website, but got busy. So I didn't actually sign up for support. I just looked around. I read as much as I could, and I was more lucky than most people pregnant with twins, because our brother and sister-in-law (Chad's brother and his wife) were also expecting twins, and were due around the same time as us.I was extremely sick and had some cases of spotting etc during the pregnancy but thought all was well.
In September I began spotting a bit more than my doctor was comfortable with and he sent me for a detailed ultrasound. It was during this ultrasound that we learned that my cervix had shortened significantly. I was placed on bed rest at home... thankfully Delainey (who was was 22 months old at the time) was easily entertained with videos and reading books with mommy, and a husband who worked nights and was able to 'babysit' us for a bit in the mornings once he got home from work.
With weekly doctor visits and me following the orders that doctors had been giving us, I was able to return to doing 'normal' activities with the promise to not over do it around Thanksgiving. So I tried not too, but I know I did more than I should have... I knew that BIG changes were coming for Delainey. She was going to go from not only being an only child to having two sisters... but she was also going from being the light of her grandparents, and uncles and aunts' worlds to being the oldest of 6 grandchildren in a very short time. (During our pregnancy we learned that Chad's other brother and his wife were also pregnant ), I wanted to make these last few months of my pregnancy special for her. We planned a pretty big birthday party for her, her grandparents from the Twin Cities came... they even brought presents from Delainey's uber special Uncle Brian and Auntie Tracy ** I don't believe we have gotten Brian back yet for that damn sit and spin or that weeble tree house yet...hmmm**.
Thankfully my health (and the health of the girls) was doing well. Everything was going really good. Until December 22. My doctor had left for the holiday weekend, so I called a NP within the practice. It was 4pm the Thursday before the Christmas Holiday, part of me can understand where the NP was coming from... part of me will never understand. My concerns were brushed off, I was sent home. Friday and Saturday I was miserable but I refused to let Delainey's last Christmas as an only child be ruined. I worked through it. I tried to smile and be happy... I forced Chad to take a picture of us as a family in front of the Christmas tree, I didn't care if I was in my pajamas and hadn't moved off the couch in almost 2 days.
Delainey had and AMAZING Christmas... I was happy. December 25th I didn't move from the couch at all. I barely moved... Chad made me go to the hospital to be checked. He demanded that I get looked at. So I went, they sent me home again. That evening I got worse, I began to vomit and shake and was so dizzy I would just lay on the bathroom floor. I began having contractions every 3 minutes, Chad carried me out to the car at 7am because we both believed my doctor (rather than the on call doctor) would be on staff at that time. When we arrived at the hospital we learned that our doctor was not going to be on staff until the next day, I was ready to just go home... Chad lost it. I mean all out lost it. He demanded that the staff do something... he demanded and I quote " that lazy ass doctor get his rich ass outta bed and come look at my wife and my daughters, because if you can't get him on the phone, I'd be happy to go rip his happy ass outta bed and bring him here myself". We were admitted, we thought we were getting care, (we weren't).. it wasn't until a dear friend of mine who is a nurse on the same floor saw me there. She realized what was going on and got things going. She knew I wasn't a 'complainer' she knew if I was there SOMETHING was wrong. Our girls were born a mear 36 minutes after we received our diagnosis. Our girls spent 11 days in the NICU, and once they came home I was able to breathe. It was during those late night nursing sessions that I went back to the Sidelines website and applied to become a volunteer.
I was a volunteer to quite a few ladies, some with experiences such as mine (multiple miscarriages, infertility, hypermesis, multiples etc) it was rewarding. So very rewarding. In fact I met one of my dearest friends via Sidelines. I supported her during her pregnancy in late 2006 early 2007 and we STILL talk today.
In late April of 2007 I learned I was pregnant. In May 2007 I learned we were again pregnant with twins, but this time it was even more scary because of complications that were learned during that very intense ultrasound. In fact in this blog post is probably the way most of our friends and even some relatives will learn that at one time Brody had a twin. It was devastating to us. Not that any of our other loses weren't... but this one especially because we had seen the bond that twins can have. We had seen the very special relationship that Shelby and Avery had with each other, so we mourned, not only the loss of our child but the loss of our child's special relationship with his sibling.
Because of the rules Sidelines has I was unable to volunteer during my pregnancy, but I was still able to speak with the friends I had made through the organization, and as soon as I was able I went back to helping others. I have loved the experience of helping others through their own high risk pregnancies, I have celebrated with many and sadly mourned with others... it has been a very rewarding experience for me.
A while back I was asked to fill out a form in regards to being chosen as a Volunteer of the Month for Sidelines. Well October is my month... I couldn't be happier or more honored to have received this amazing honor... THANK YOU SIDELINES.. It means so very much to me... THANK YOU.
If you'd like to read the write up you can do so by visiting the following link.
http://www.sidelines.org/volunteer-spotlight/october_volunteer/
And if you feel that you would be interested in helping others in a similar please feel free to do so. It is a very rewarding experience and I have learned so much during my almost 5 years of being with the organization.
Thank you again....
-Kristin
But because of our history of miscarriages and other complications (high blood pressure, hypermesis, and eventually pre-eclampsia) learning we were expecting multiples made what was already a high risk pregnancy even more high risk. What was supposed to be a 30 minute ultrasound to find a heartbeat for the SINGLE baby we believed we were pregnant with turned into a 150 minutes of appointments between the in-detail ultrasound and meeting with my doctor, who I vividly recall taking one look at me as I am white a sheet and Chad is dancing into room thinking he was some super stud and saying "Kristin... you can't let us do something the easy way can you"... I of course (being the smart butt that I am) responded with "Hey... if you get vacations to the Virgin Islands because of me and my awesomeness, I don't see why you are complaining"
We hashed out a very good care plan, we went from normal monthly visits to having visits every two weeks from the beginning. The counselor we spoke with suggested that I get in contact with Sidelines, which is a National Support Network for women who are going through high risk pregnancies, she also suggests that we not tell family and friends we were expecting twins for a short time. We didn't... in fact I don't believe we told anyone in our families until well into the summer, oh and looking back I really don't recommend that. I mean for some people this is probably best... but for me it was really hard, especially with what would happen in our future.
I looked at the Sidelines website, but got busy. So I didn't actually sign up for support. I just looked around. I read as much as I could, and I was more lucky than most people pregnant with twins, because our brother and sister-in-law (Chad's brother and his wife) were also expecting twins, and were due around the same time as us.I was extremely sick and had some cases of spotting etc during the pregnancy but thought all was well.
In September I began spotting a bit more than my doctor was comfortable with and he sent me for a detailed ultrasound. It was during this ultrasound that we learned that my cervix had shortened significantly. I was placed on bed rest at home... thankfully Delainey (who was was 22 months old at the time) was easily entertained with videos and reading books with mommy, and a husband who worked nights and was able to 'babysit' us for a bit in the mornings once he got home from work.
I was a volunteer to quite a few ladies, some with experiences such as mine (multiple miscarriages, infertility, hypermesis, multiples etc) it was rewarding. So very rewarding. In fact I met one of my dearest friends via Sidelines. I supported her during her pregnancy in late 2006 early 2007 and we STILL talk today.
In late April of 2007 I learned I was pregnant. In May 2007 I learned we were again pregnant with twins, but this time it was even more scary because of complications that were learned during that very intense ultrasound. In fact in this blog post is probably the way most of our friends and even some relatives will learn that at one time Brody had a twin. It was devastating to us. Not that any of our other loses weren't... but this one especially because we had seen the bond that twins can have. We had seen the very special relationship that Shelby and Avery had with each other, so we mourned, not only the loss of our child but the loss of our child's special relationship with his sibling.
Because of the rules Sidelines has I was unable to volunteer during my pregnancy, but I was still able to speak with the friends I had made through the organization, and as soon as I was able I went back to helping others. I have loved the experience of helping others through their own high risk pregnancies, I have celebrated with many and sadly mourned with others... it has been a very rewarding experience for me.
A while back I was asked to fill out a form in regards to being chosen as a Volunteer of the Month for Sidelines. Well October is my month... I couldn't be happier or more honored to have received this amazing honor... THANK YOU SIDELINES.. It means so very much to me... THANK YOU.
If you'd like to read the write up you can do so by visiting the following link.
http://www.sidelines.org/volunteer-spotlight/october_volunteer/
And if you feel that you would be interested in helping others in a similar please feel free to do so. It is a very rewarding experience and I have learned so much during my almost 5 years of being with the organization.
Thank you again....
-Kristin
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Totally Ticks me Off Tuesday...
this will be sort and sweet... here is what ticks me off
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING
Happy Tuesday Folks
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING
Happy Tuesday Folks
Monday, September 27, 2010
Jason Derulo - Ridin' Solo (Official Video in HD)
I am LOVING this song... nothing like rocking out in the mini-van to this tune.
Check it out... it can speak volumes
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
well....
if your holding your breathe for my life to return to the 'regularly scheduled programing' soon... Don't cuz you will die
I mean really. How hard is it to understand the request of " I do not want to take any more Ritalin based medications.".... I know that I often do not come across completely clear with my thoughts, especially when I am in the current status, but really... pretty sure you can not confuse that.
I went to my doc today armed with my list of questions/concerns, and the things that I have been feeling/experiencing.... and I am no where.
I left with a prescription for basically the same medication that I have been taking for the last year that has not been working for the past few months... only now I take a RIDICULOUS amount of it. Even the pharmacist asked if I was sure this was correct, when I said that is what the dr gave me, he went to the docs office to make sure that it was correct... I was instructed to try it for a week and if it doesn't work out we can re-evaluate at that time.
How hard is it to listen to someone... I do not want to be on Ritalin anymore... it doesn't work, I don't like what it does to me etc. Shouldn't I have a say in my treatment plan? I mean really...after all aren't I the patient?
Also I want to know what it is about THAT specific doctor's office that makes me completely lose my backbone... I mean I normally have no problem telling someone what is on my mind, but when I get in that office I turn into a bumbling fool almost *hence the note so I wouldn't lose track of my thoughts*. If this appointment had been for one of my kids, I would have stood up and said "Listen here buddy"... but I didn't.
Maybe the doc does in fact know what he is talking about, and maybe it will help, but honestly I don't want it to, because I want off all Ritalin medications.
Vent over... for today. Ask me again tomorrow when I haven't slept because I was on a Ritalin high all night long :(
I mean really. How hard is it to understand the request of " I do not want to take any more Ritalin based medications.".... I know that I often do not come across completely clear with my thoughts, especially when I am in the current status, but really... pretty sure you can not confuse that.
I went to my doc today armed with my list of questions/concerns, and the things that I have been feeling/experiencing.... and I am no where.
I left with a prescription for basically the same medication that I have been taking for the last year that has not been working for the past few months... only now I take a RIDICULOUS amount of it. Even the pharmacist asked if I was sure this was correct, when I said that is what the dr gave me, he went to the docs office to make sure that it was correct... I was instructed to try it for a week and if it doesn't work out we can re-evaluate at that time.
How hard is it to listen to someone... I do not want to be on Ritalin anymore... it doesn't work, I don't like what it does to me etc. Shouldn't I have a say in my treatment plan? I mean really...after all aren't I the patient?
Also I want to know what it is about THAT specific doctor's office that makes me completely lose my backbone... I mean I normally have no problem telling someone what is on my mind, but when I get in that office I turn into a bumbling fool almost *hence the note so I wouldn't lose track of my thoughts*. If this appointment had been for one of my kids, I would have stood up and said "Listen here buddy"... but I didn't.
Maybe the doc does in fact know what he is talking about, and maybe it will help, but honestly I don't want it to, because I want off all Ritalin medications.
Vent over... for today. Ask me again tomorrow when I haven't slept because I was on a Ritalin high all night long :(
Monday, September 20, 2010
Jump in... sink... hopefully swim
I have been struggling.... alot.
I have been struggling with friendships, relationships, parenting, school, house work, work work, etc. Right now I do not think there is a portion of my life that I am not feeling like I am drowning in.
I have never made it a secret that I had ADD nor have I ever tried to play off that it doesn't effect my life in almost every faucet. I get over involved in projects, I leave things till the last minute, heck I forget about things all together. I don't think before I act alot of the time, and we all know that I certainly talk/respond before I really have a chance to think about what it is I am going to say. A dear friend of mine will often look at me and just say "filter"... and up until I wrote this blog post only she and I knew that was a way for someone to 'reel me in' when it comes to my impulsivity where my ADD is concerned.
I don't think people understand what it is like to live with ADD. I am certainly not looking for a sympathy card nor am I trying to make excuses for the way I act and do things... I am just trying to organize my own thoughts and maybe in the long run help someone else understand what it is like to live with ADD. Sometimes I get the feeling that people think I do some of the stuff that I do on purpose... like I get a kick out of making people mad at me for things that I should know how to get done etc.
I wish that I could explain what it is like to live with ADD, but I can't. You have to live it to understand, and only those who have it 'get it'.
Hopefully soon I will get things figured out with the help of my docs and life will again be at a better pace and everyone will be able to function at a happy level :) So dear friends, please bare with me as I dance around this delightful period of my life... hopefully soon it will be back to your regularly scheduled programming.
I have been struggling with friendships, relationships, parenting, school, house work, work work, etc. Right now I do not think there is a portion of my life that I am not feeling like I am drowning in.
I have never made it a secret that I had ADD nor have I ever tried to play off that it doesn't effect my life in almost every faucet. I get over involved in projects, I leave things till the last minute, heck I forget about things all together. I don't think before I act alot of the time, and we all know that I certainly talk/respond before I really have a chance to think about what it is I am going to say. A dear friend of mine will often look at me and just say "filter"... and up until I wrote this blog post only she and I knew that was a way for someone to 'reel me in' when it comes to my impulsivity where my ADD is concerned.
I don't think people understand what it is like to live with ADD. I am certainly not looking for a sympathy card nor am I trying to make excuses for the way I act and do things... I am just trying to organize my own thoughts and maybe in the long run help someone else understand what it is like to live with ADD. Sometimes I get the feeling that people think I do some of the stuff that I do on purpose... like I get a kick out of making people mad at me for things that I should know how to get done etc.
I wish that I could explain what it is like to live with ADD, but I can't. You have to live it to understand, and only those who have it 'get it'.
Hopefully soon I will get things figured out with the help of my docs and life will again be at a better pace and everyone will be able to function at a happy level :) So dear friends, please bare with me as I dance around this delightful period of my life... hopefully soon it will be back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Not Me Monday
It most certainly was not me who volunteered to 'bring' potato salad to our MOMS Club Annual Family picnic and then run out of time, and because it wasn't me who ran out of time, it certainly was not me who stopped at the grocery store and purchased 3 pounds of their potato salad. ** to clear the air, if I had stopped at a grocery store and purchased potato salad I would NOT have tried to pass it off as my own, because even in a moment of desperation I would not want people to even THINK that grocery store potato salad was mine ick*
It was not me who had her family ATTEMPT to take family pictures on Sunday morning... nope. And since it wasn't me, it also wasn't me or my children who after an hour at the capital grounds got ONE decent picture. Granted the picture, if there were one of course, is amazing and I wouldn't be able to wait to get my hands on it, but still 60 minutes multiple different shots/poses etc and one stinking picture :(
Yesterday was grocery store day... and since it was grocery store day, you know that it was NOT me who fed my children Pizza Hut for dinner... I mean really, what kind of mom spends almost 2 hours grocery shopping only to feed her children boxed pizza... not ME!!!
Happy Monday folks!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
True Confessions Tuesday
Tomorrow starts the new CHALLENGE over at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, so I want to prep myself with a good old fashioned cleanse before it starts, but not the kind of cleanse that costs lots of money and makes me and my stomach miserable for days.... nope I am getting all the 'bad' out there and just letting it go from here, so here is my True Confessions Tuesdays.
- I have been eating like crap lately. In all honesty though, I have been doing it on purpose. You see I knew that this day was coming and I wanted to get my REALLY bad stuff out of the way ( you know like the cheese buttons we had for dinner last night).
- Emotionally I have been stuck in my trunk.. (this is a reference to the conscious discipline parenting style, meaning that I am not thinking things through)... some of it is the fault of others, but in the end it still comes back to how I let other people affect me and my emotions. Just because someone is a jerk to me doesn't mean that I have to be a jerk to other people.
- I am completely lacking the ability to say "no" lately. This is one of the BIG things about my ADD that really gets me in trouble. I spread myself far to thin and because of my
wonderfulhorrid organizational and time management skills I end up in ALOT of trouble. - Exercise has been a demon I have had no desire to exercise from my life... yesterday was literally the FIRST time I went for a walk in MONTHS...
- My house is a disaster. Nothing in its place and no place for anything
- School is kicking my ass the semester, but this is because I am not really giving it the all that it deserves.
- I miss my friends. I have been working several mornings each week, and while I get to hang out with one of my friends while I do it, I still miss my other friends too.
- My parenting lately has certainly been less than stellar... again I have been hanging out in my trunk and really need to work myself into my engine.
- I want a pair of jeans that fits that does NOT have a 2 as the first number of it
- I will try to be more positive and gracious. My life may not be the way that I want it, nor is it perfect, but it is still better than the lives that some have.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Angry
I don't think there is any other way to put it other than just putting it out there... I'm angry.
I'm angry that people can make choices without having to think of how they affect others, but it seems like every choice I make (even the easy ones) are always made after I think about everyone else first and always think of myself last.
I am angry that even when someone asks me my opinion (on something that affects me or my family) they still do whatever it is they wanted to do in the first place.... I mean really why bother asking if you are going to do what you want???
I am tired of people thinking they can treat me like complete crap, and when they are done with their tantrum act like everything is ok... well it's not. Think about it, people say mean hurtful things when they do that and just expect someone to flip a switch and be ok with that crap they said.
I am angry that I lack the ability to say no
And last but not least, I am angry that I have to buy new tennis shoes!!!! lol
I'm angry that people can make choices without having to think of how they affect others, but it seems like every choice I make (even the easy ones) are always made after I think about everyone else first and always think of myself last.
I am angry that even when someone asks me my opinion (on something that affects me or my family) they still do whatever it is they wanted to do in the first place.... I mean really why bother asking if you are going to do what you want???
I am tired of people thinking they can treat me like complete crap, and when they are done with their tantrum act like everything is ok... well it's not. Think about it, people say mean hurtful things when they do that and just expect someone to flip a switch and be ok with that crap they said.
I am angry that I lack the ability to say no
And last but not least, I am angry that I have to buy new tennis shoes!!!! lol
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Happy Grandparent's Day
Our children are so blessed to have amazing grandparents, and great-grandparents who love them so much. So here is our annual Krumwiede Kid Shout out to Grandma, Grandma Connie, Grandpa Mike, Grandpa Terry, G'Ma Stacey, Grammie, Grammie Scott! WE LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!
And we certainly can not forget to say Happy Grandparent's Day to our amazing Great Grandpas in Heaven.... Papa, Gramps, and Grandpa Scott.... We love you and miss you all three every day... you are in our hearts and always on our minds....
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
This one is for you Baby M...wherever you are
This is an amazing song for not only adoptive families *they are featured in the video* but for families in general. Our children are meant to be... they were always part of our picture, part of our story, regardless of how they join us and for how long they stay... they were and always are MEANT TO BE!!!!!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Shelby and Avery's First day of preschool
It's that time of year again in which we pack up our kidlets and pass them along to their teachers and walk away silently wiping our tears as their moms (and dads). Here are a few pictures from Shelby and Avery's first day of their second year of Preschool. We are very blessed that they are able to attend Bismarck Early Childhood Education Program here in Bismarck.
Shelby and Avery on the front steps
Avery and Shelby outside their school
Both the girls ran up to one of their teachers in the hallways,
while they are in the same class there is a teacher and an aide
in their room.
while they are in the same class there is a teacher and an aide
in their room.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Delainey's First Day of FIRST Grade
Today was Delainey's first day of FIRST grade... I can not believe that my oldest daughter is in first grade already. I mean it seems like just yesterday that it was just her and a I all day every day....
But gone are those days.... she now spends her days in the circle of her friends rather than in the circle of my arms. There are days that I am ok with this, and there are days that I am not. We want for our children to grow and mature and to be able to rely on themselves, but there are certainly days that we wish that they still wanted/needed us to do everything for them... well at least I feel that way some days.
Here are a few pictures from her first day of school... ENJOY!!!
Here are a few pictures from her first day of school... ENJOY!!!
D,S, A and B under the name of the school on the building
Monday, August 16, 2010
Not Me Monday
Without further ado... here is my "not me" Monday.
Last week it was certainly not me who had 9 children at my house (14, 12, 10, 7,6,5,4,4,2) at my house during the day for more days than not. It also was not me who added an additional two (ages 7 and 3) one day just for fun. It would have been quite an experience if it had been me. Also if it had been me, I certainly would still be thankful to 'only' have four children.
It most certainly was not me who told her 6 yr old to 'shake it off' after she feel off the monkey bars at a family fun night. And since it wasn't me, it certainly was not my 6 yr old who now has a broken wrist and a bright hot pink cast....and since it wasn't me or my kid, this certainly can not be a picture of her getting her new cast
It was also not me who bought herself a king size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup at said grocery store... but know that I didn't eat all four... no really I didn't.... oh come on, like my four kids would really let me have a candy bar all to myself.... I got about one cup by the time it was done...
It is certainly not me or my family who will be eating a whole lot of noodle dishes this week...not not me.
Happy Monday everyone!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Eminem - Not Afraid
Earlier today I took a silly internet quiz "What Eminem Song are you", and this was the song this was the result that I received. You have to listen to the lyrics, but for me personally it makes alot of sense for me personally....
Monday, August 9, 2010
stream of consciousness
Yesterday was my friend's bridal shower, her mother and matron of honor put on a very nice party and it was very nice and I know that the memories of that special day for her will last a lifetime.
Last night I was able to spend several hours with my best friend from the Twin Cities. I was completely shocked when I walked into their hotel room (they were passing through on their way home from a family vacation in Yellowstone, and stayed the night here in a hotel) and saw just how big their oldest has gotten... it brought tears to my eyes and I just had to hug him, I used to babysit him when he was less than 2 years old and now he is almost 13 years old, 5'10 and wears a size 11 shoe, he now has a younger brother who is going to be going into kindergarten who I have only seen like twice his whole life.
I loved this special visit with my friend, but in the end it made me sad. I have missed her so much in the past almost 8 years that we have been in Bismarck. Our lives are seriously parallel in so many ways that we could easily be the same people. She has been there for me in times when no one else really was, and she was also there for me when I really needed a friend and vice verse. I knew that I missed my friend, but I didn't realize just how much I really missed her until we were hugging goodbye last night and as I walked out of the room I burst into tears... and lets face it, I don't have time to cry. I promptly came home and started looking up Grad Schools in the Twin Cities....
These feelings certainly do not mean that I don't love my friends here or that I wouldn't miss people here if we were to move, but it is no secret that I haven't been happy in our current location for awhile. I am tired of the drama and everyone being up in my business whenever they want to be. I do miss the Cities, and it seems that I have remembering more and more over the past year just how much I do miss it, or should I say that I have been remembering why I left here. Either way.... I think some big choices are going to be made after I finish college when Brody starts kindergarten.
Last night I was able to spend several hours with my best friend from the Twin Cities. I was completely shocked when I walked into their hotel room (they were passing through on their way home from a family vacation in Yellowstone, and stayed the night here in a hotel) and saw just how big their oldest has gotten... it brought tears to my eyes and I just had to hug him, I used to babysit him when he was less than 2 years old and now he is almost 13 years old, 5'10 and wears a size 11 shoe, he now has a younger brother who is going to be going into kindergarten who I have only seen like twice his whole life.
I loved this special visit with my friend, but in the end it made me sad. I have missed her so much in the past almost 8 years that we have been in Bismarck. Our lives are seriously parallel in so many ways that we could easily be the same people. She has been there for me in times when no one else really was, and she was also there for me when I really needed a friend and vice verse. I knew that I missed my friend, but I didn't realize just how much I really missed her until we were hugging goodbye last night and as I walked out of the room I burst into tears... and lets face it, I don't have time to cry. I promptly came home and started looking up Grad Schools in the Twin Cities....
These feelings certainly do not mean that I don't love my friends here or that I wouldn't miss people here if we were to move, but it is no secret that I haven't been happy in our current location for awhile. I am tired of the drama and everyone being up in my business whenever they want to be. I do miss the Cities, and it seems that I have remembering more and more over the past year just how much I do miss it, or should I say that I have been remembering why I left here. Either way.... I think some big choices are going to be made after I finish college when Brody starts kindergarten.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Totally Ticks me off Tuesday
I feel that it is time again for another installment of Totally Ticks Me Off Tuesday that was originally created by my blogfriend MidWestMommy . So here is my current list of things that are ticking me off:
- People who think they are funny but really in the long run are just being jerks. You know what I am talking about... said person says something - that is an insult- and assumes that if they laugh or put a smiley face after the typing that it makes it not only ok, but funny.... NEWSFLASH... it's not funny... it's mean.
- People who have to micromanage EVERYONE else but yet can't seem to get their own shit together. I mean really... if you can't be in control of your own life, you should probably leave the rest of us alone until you have that all figured out.
- I have shared this one before and I will share it again... Passing judgement on others.
- Dishes... No really. No matter how much time I spend in front of my kitchen sink, they never ever seem to get all done.
- Laundry... same reason as the dishes.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Shame on you Target and Best Buy
Shame on you Target and Best Buy! It has been brought to my attention that both Target and Best Buy have decided to donate $150,000 to the campaign fund of GOP gubernatorial candidate in the state of Minnesota.
I am sure that some are ok with this, and that is your right... but I for one am less than impressed. I have been a long time fan of Target and Best Buy, but after this it will be a LONG time before I shop there again.
I looks like Target may have gained shoppers when they decided to no longer carry prescription birth control in their pharmacies but will now be losing just as many if not more shoppers for supporting an anit-gay candidate in the state of Minnesota.
If you'd like more information on the story you can obtain it by visiting THIS link.
Shame on you Target and Best Buy....
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Quote of my Thursday....
"Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality especially while you struggle to keep your own." -- Marguerite Kelly and Elia Parsons
Makes sense doesn't it.... I had to go re-read this quote *which happens to be the signature on my email accounts* after I was told that I am "just" a mom.... part of me was hurt/offend and the other part of me what like why yes I am.... :) Happy Thursday Everyone!!
Makes sense doesn't it.... I had to go re-read this quote *which happens to be the signature on my email accounts* after I was told that I am "just" a mom.... part of me was hurt/offend and the other part of me what like why yes I am.... :) Happy Thursday Everyone!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
I know this is supposed to be wordless but all I can think of when I see this picture is
"MORE COWBELL"
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
New article posted at Examiner.com
I recently started writing for an amazing website www.examiner.com. So far I have posted three articles for them and the most recent was posted just a few hours ago. I would love to be able to share them with you. If you would like to visit my current page you can do so by visiting HERE. I have also posted a new tab on the side with the link as well.
So please feel free to stop by and read my articles any time. I will be trying to post at least three per week.
Thanks
Kristin
So please feel free to stop by and read my articles any time. I will be trying to post at least three per week.
Thanks
Kristin
Monday, July 26, 2010
a thin line between right and wrong
In the past week we have been dealing with some serious behavior stuff going on around out house. We have had to deal with the following items destroyed or needing hours of work to repair:
I am not mad about the materials that have been ruined/broken but the trust of my children. for example when a child takes things, that they know are most certainly NOT THEIRS) when they have been put into their place and sneaks them out of those spots to play with them -- or in this case destroy them-- it isn't about the damage done to the toys/belongings, it is about respecting people and their things. In the case of the iPod the child had to not only get out of their room during rest time, go into my room, climb my dresser and get into my jewelry drawer to get said item, then went into the bathroom, filled the sink with water and proceeding to soak the electronic. When asked why this was done we got several answers ranging from " I didn't do it," "So and so did", "I was mad", and my favorite "because".**to answer the question of where was I at this time, I was in the basement switching over laundry**
I often wonder if other moms (and dads) have to deal with these types of behaviors? I am in need of advice on how to handle this (other than locking myself in the bathroom -- its the one room in our house with a lock-- and just crying.). If you have solutions for stuff like this , please feel free to list them in the comments section and I will post the suggestions at a later time so that others may be able to share in the knowledge.
Thanks everyone--
Kristin
- a 16GB iPod with over 100 songs and 4 movies (stuck it in a sink full of water to 'wash it')
- several reading books (coloring, writing, tearing pages)
- drew on a bed (large pictures that for some reason even though drawn with pencil took hours and a lot of elbow grease to remove)
- colored on several toys
- stepped on (and broke) toys
- nail polish on tshirt, pants, and shoes
I am not mad about the materials that have been ruined/broken but the trust of my children. for example when a child takes things, that they know are most certainly NOT THEIRS) when they have been put into their place and sneaks them out of those spots to play with them -- or in this case destroy them-- it isn't about the damage done to the toys/belongings, it is about respecting people and their things. In the case of the iPod the child had to not only get out of their room during rest time, go into my room, climb my dresser and get into my jewelry drawer to get said item, then went into the bathroom, filled the sink with water and proceeding to soak the electronic. When asked why this was done we got several answers ranging from " I didn't do it," "So and so did", "I was mad", and my favorite "because".**to answer the question of where was I at this time, I was in the basement switching over laundry**
I often wonder if other moms (and dads) have to deal with these types of behaviors? I am in need of advice on how to handle this (other than locking myself in the bathroom -- its the one room in our house with a lock-- and just crying.). If you have solutions for stuff like this , please feel free to list them in the comments section and I will post the suggestions at a later time so that others may be able to share in the knowledge.
Thanks everyone--
Kristin
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