picture courtesy of fossils-uk.com

When I was growing up I wanted to be a paleontologist or veterinarian. My parents used to go fossil hunting and I grew up with a father that had a license to take care of injured and orphaned animals. We had raccoons, skunks, possums, hawks, owls, all sorts of creatures in our house. No wonder I wanted to do either of those jobs. As I got older, though, the only dream I had was to become a mom. I met my husband in high school and could dream of our life together raising our five kids. (We’ve only had three.) Now that I’m a mom, though, what else do I want to do with my life? I really enjoy cooking, reading and blogging. Maybe I should visit a life coach in Chicago, Illinois to find out the right path for me? Maybe I’ll just continue on the path I’m going and enjoy the ride for a while. I do know my current goals are to get in shape, lose weight, be healthy and be there for my kids. Maybe, maybe even work on number four.  Outside of my family life my goals are to continue to grow my blog and work on friendships that I’ve let fall to the side and enjoy the year! I can’t wait for my trips and vacations I have coming up this year. So what are your current goals? What are you working on right now in your life? Do you know what you want to be when you “grow up?”

When Charlie and I got married, we couldn’t afford the best or most beautiful rings. I love the set we got because it matches and I love the way it catches the light. Some day I know he’d like to replace my engagement ring. I’d actually just like a nice diamond set into the ring I have. If he replaces mine, though, I’d love to get him a tungsten carbide ring. My husband is a drummer and he beats his ring up, literally! He’s got a nice flat spot on his current ring. Tungsten wedding rings are tough, durable, heavy duty and will hold a permanently polished surface that can withstand even the harshest conditions.

This year marks our ten year wedding anniversary and I’ve been thinking how much I’d love to renew our vows. I’d really love to go to a beach somewhere and renew our commitment to each other in a ceremony I wanted from day 1. I think it would be nice if we could renew our vows and give each other the rings we’d like the other to have.  The two of us are so much more in love than we ever were and I’d love to say my vows again in front of my kids and show them what true love is. I want to show them that high school love doesn’t have to end in divorce and that you can marry your best friend and have your happily ever after. I want to continue showing my children that you need to renew your commitment to your love every day in order to be successful.

Have you or will you renew your vows? I picture myself 80 pounds lighter in a beautiful simple gown that I can actually move in this time, standing on the beach with the man I love and our children surrounding us.

Today we had dress up time while the snow falls outside. The kids are so goofy. This costume of Monkey’s is from two Halloweens ago. You can tell how much she hasn’t really grown lately. The arms are too short, but overall the costume still fits just fine.

I have to say, I’m really enjoying my kids lately. Do we have our hard times, oh heck yes! Yesterday I had almost lost my voice from yelling so much. (I’m a yeller, sorry.) The kids do something like dressing up goofy or telling me they love me and I melt! Little man first brought in the Supergirl outfit and I said that was the girly one which brought Monkey running. So she asked to put it on and he ran in to get different clothes. He came in with a girl’s winter hat and a cowboy vest. Goofy and adorable!

The kids got lucky and got signed up for winter activities even though I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to do winter activities because I hate the in and out of the house and car in the winter. They’re lucky it was so mild a week ago when I signed them up. Had it been today they wouldn’t have gotten signed up! Buddy is in basketball, which he’s loving. (He’s such a sport boy.) We had practice last night and while he was in the gym the littles and I were playing Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies. It felt good just sitting there playing with the little two. Buddy is back into Mom and Me gymnastics. I wasn’t able to go with him myself yesterday because Monkey had special day at preschool. He really enjoys gymnastics. He calls it “Mommy School.” Now to get the kid potty trained! He turns 3 next week. He’s dying for a Big, Big Friend cake which means a buttercream transfer from me because it’s not a popular cartoon that I can walk into Walmart or Costco and say “make this.”

Monkey is going into her third session of Cheer leading. She starts tomorrow. She learns so much gymnastics in the class. I swear she learns more in cheer leading than she did in her gymnastics class. I’ve been working with her on her days off from preschool with her letters and handwriting. I don’t think she’s learning enough in her school so it’s time to kick it up a notch. I don’t want her behind.

Ok, I think I’ve written enough of a book for now. I have laundry waiting and a driveway to shovel. (Ick, winter in Chicago is finally here.) I’ll leave you with a picture of our family when Monkey originally wore the costume in 2009. (Yes, I’m odd woman out. I didn’t have anything super hero and my sister let me borrow her pirate costume that year.)