Sweet Friday

This week was for spring cleaning, getting back into our routine, and freaking out over
"The Walking Dead" season finale.  Seriously, do you watch "The Walking Dead"?  If not, 
jump on Netflix and catch up NOW!!  It is amazing, one of the best shows out in my 
humble, pop culture addicted opinion.  I am so sad that the season is over but boy did 
the finale close things off with a bang!

We had to practice some tough love parenting this week.  We've been begging Isabelle to
clean her room for weeks now: asking nicely, then bribing, then threatening, you get
the picture.  She is a very responsible little girl who finishes her chores everyday without
much prompting from us.  But, when it comes to her room, she's a free spirit.  Things
have gotten completely out of control and, despite our warnings, she took no initiative to
get things cleaned up.  And so, after much discussion and consideration as to how to
handle things, Shawn and I went upstairs and cleaned her room FOR HER while she was
at school.  I felt really bad about it at first: this is her space, her things, and I felt like we
were intruding.  But then, after about 10 minutes of sifting through the wreckage, I got all
Bill Cosby on her ass and my guilt turned into anger.  Is this kid serious?  Is this room
serious?  A lesson needed to be learned here, privacy or not.  We spent the next three
hours sorting, sifting, organizing, and purging.  Here's a before photo, just in case you
thought I was being dramatic.

Three hours, 3 bags of trash, and 4 bags of items to be donated to charity later, Isabelle 
came home from school and we brought her into her room to show her our work.  We had 
a LONG talk, there were tears and apologies and promises made all around.  She took it like 
a champ, though, and helped us carry all of the bags downstairs.  Despite her frustration, 
she thanked us for what we did and admitted that her room looked "awesome".

I came to a couple of realizations while cleaning my daughter's room.  1.  I have no idea
where all of this crap came from.  We are very frugal people who do not buy our
children excessive amounts of THINGS.  We don't shop just to shop: we shop when we
need things, for holidays, and to give to others.  The amount of STUFF that has accumulated
in our child's room forced me to have what we call here in the South a "come to Jesus
meeting" with myself.  Apparently, we are buying more STUFF than we are admitting.  It's
time to get real and reevaluate how many items are making their way into our home and
for what purpose.  I sent the grandparents a copy of this photo with a long message
begging them to please get on board with us and stop buying so many THINGS.  Our
girls obviously have enough, more than enough.  Let's all come together and think of
creative gifts rather than more possessions.  2.  We need a better system to prevent this
from happening again.  Nightly room checks, rewarding a clean living space, whatever it
takes.  I really don't want to have to do this again.  I blame Shawn and I just as much as
Isabelle for letting this go so far, we obviously need to be more diligent with our
inspections.  We were in the military, for God's sake.

A few links for your weekend viewing pleasure:

If you are in the Deep South region this summer, you should really check out JazzFest,
it's amazing.  While you're at it, who doesn't love a summer fest on the beach?  Check out
the killer line-up for Hangout Music Fest!

On letting children have their space.  My mother and I often debate the differences
in parenting from one generation to the next.  She refers to my generation as
"helicopter moms".  And she's right.  We need to hang back more.

Life isn't perfect and pretty all the time, no matter what Facebook statuses and 
Instagram posts would have us all think.

Speaking of honesty, this post is dead on.

The evolution of politics related to new generations.

I've been researching cloth diapers like crazy.  Geez there are a lot of options out there.
Cloth diapering mamas: please send me links, share your knowledge, help!!  Please and
thank you.

Happy Friday!!

Parks and Flowers and Stuff

We had an overabundance of free time this week thanks to the Stanford Test: a
standardized test given to school aged children in our state.  Because the kids were busy
testing all week, the teachers were kind enough to give them a break from any and
all homework, tests, projects, and after school activities.  Parents often talk about
how difficult it is to raise little babies: the sleepless nights, the frequent feedings, the lack
of mobility.  But I, personally, find the school age phase to be more difficult.  Isabelle is a
busy, busy bee and our whole family is busy as a result.  We spend most afternoons around
the kitchen table calling out flash cards, reading stories, and solving word problems.
Shawn and I take turns carting her to and from her various activities, enjoying our moments
in the car as they give us time to talk and catch up.  She is growing and becoming her own
little person, a girl with lots of interests and friends and talents.  She enjoys being out in
the world, learning new things and putting herself out there.  It can be tiring, though,
moving from one thing to the next, working all day and then coming home to another
busy schedule.   And so we relish weeks like this one, weeks when we can come home and
just enjoy each other.  

Isabelle welcomed the break to just be free and Shawn and I enjoyed the chance to just
enjoy our kids.  As luck would have it, spring decided to appear on our doorstep just in
time for our "break".  We took full advantage, heading outside every afternoon as soon
as Isabelle stepped off the bus.  We took long walks, went to the park, and rode our bikes.
Side night: our kids rarely play at the park.  We live on 4 acres, a yard big enough to
have adventures far and wide.  Our friends and family all have big yards as well and all
this open space is why we left the city to move home.  Why would you drive to the park
when you can just step outside your back door and enter your very own wonderland?
Of course, since we don't do it often, going to the park is a VERY exciting adventure for
our kids.  The novelty of it, seeing all those big play scapes and hanging out with new kids,
they think it's the coolest thing.  It's the little things that make them happy, the
coloring outside the lines.  Doing little things like that, slowing down a bit and abandoning
our routine for a while, those things keep us young.

Sweet Friday

Hello, Friday!  You are my favorite day of the week, except for maybe Saturday.  I always
pop out of bed with a little more spunk on Fridays, knowing it's my last day of work for
the week.  I have more energy, a more positive spirit, knowing that whatever bullshit
comes my way, who cares?  The weekend is almost here!  Sometimes, we make big plans
and look forward to them all week.  Other times, we just coast into the weekend with
the excitement of the unknown looming over us.  Let's sleep in, eat breakfast for dinner, go on
a date!  It's how I get through my work week: the stress and exhaustion and missing my
family.  I work for the weekend.

This week:

1.  I went to my first dance class in, well, I'm embarrassed to admit how long it's been.  It was
a jazz/hip hop class and I actually kept up without completely humiliating myself. My
dance teacher later told me that she couldn't tell if I was enjoying myself or not because I
was wearing my "poker face".  Oh no, I was having fun.  I was just wearing my poker face
to disguise the fact that I was completely out of breathe and every muscle in my body
was screaming "What the heck are you doing?!!".  It was exhilarating  though, to move
my body to the beat again.  I'll be back next week, poker face and all.

2.  Shawn cooked breakfast for the whole family, all by himself.  He surprised me one
morning with eggs, bacon, and biscuits and the biggest smile on his face.  Before the
accident, this was a regular occurrence in our household as my husband is a very talented
cook and loves to be in the kitchen.  This was the first time he's braved a meal all by
himself, finding new ways to make things work when his left hand doesn't give him all that
he needs.  We gave him a million kisses and words of encouragement and ate every single
bite.  Another milestone.

3.  Our satellite TV took a nose dive this week and completely shut down on us.  A brand
new modem was installed and Shawn had everything up and running in no time.  But, he
had bad news for me: when our old unit broke, so did the DVR.  Meaning every single thing
I had stored on the DVR was deleted.  Forever.  Is it sad to admit that I wanted to cry?  I had
so many VERY important programs to watch on that damn DVR, gripping tales such
as  "Project Runway All Stars", "The Bachelor" and "Grey's Anatomy".  I had to get over
it, though, and move on like a big girl.  I consoled myself by spending the next half
hour programming our brand spanking new DVR, filling it with lots of new trashy
favs.  Technology can by a biotch sometimes.

Here are a few photos of the girls looking adorable.  Happy weekend friends!!

 

Sweet Friday

Last night, I completely forgot about bed time.  This was not a very Liv thing to do: I tend
to run a pretty tight ship around here.  Our family has a natural flowing schedule, our
girls have rules and know about consequences, we all have chores and responsibilities.  But,
on this particular night, our ship took a detour.  Our yearly Halloween costume
catalogue came in the mail and we sat at the kitchen table looking through all of the
costumes, making plans for the holiday, and eating a late night snack: cereal, of course.
I glanced up at the clock a few times, noticing the hour and realizing that my girls were up
way later than normal.  But then I would look back at them and how happy they were,
sharing their cereal and looking at prospective costumes, their heads bent together in
sisterly love.  Screw the schedule, there were important things we needed to discuss.
Should the girls be matching leopards or should they go as Little Bo Peep and her long
lost sheep?  What nail polish should Belle wear this week and hey, listen to what Brees
just said!

We didn't play by the rules that night. Instead, we took our time and lived in the
moment.  These two little girls love each other so much and bring such joy and light to my
day.  I love watching them interact, their love for each other growing deeper and
stronger every day.  They are sisters, they are bonded.  And they are very, very serious
about Cheerios and Halloween.  As well they should be.

Sweet Friday: After the Storm

At the start of this week, I never thought that we'd make it to Friday.  Shawn was in
the hospital, Hurricane Isaac was slowly making his way to Louisiana, and Isabelle
caught scabies.  Yes, SCABIES.  There has been a huge outbreak of this highly contagious
skin rash in our area and my poor girl fell prey.  Off to the pediatrician we went where we
were given a cream that the whole family was instructed to apply from head to toe.  We
then had to wash all of our linens, towels, pillows, and teddy bears.  To say that I went
on a disinfecting rampage would be an understatement.  I put my stress and anxiety to
good use, taking all of my energy out on my vacuum cleaner.  By Tuesday, the entire
house was sparkling and Isabelle's skin was healthy and itch-free.

During the great skin mite debacle, I was simultaneously stocking up on key
hurricane preparedness supplies: candles, batteries for our flashlights, bottled water,
and nonperishable food items.  I filled up the gas cans for our generator in case we lost
power, secured all the patio furniture, brought in my container plants and herbs.  The
girls helped me set out the board games and we made "Welcome home" cards for Daddy.
I visited as many of my patients as possible, making sure they were as prepared as we
were, filling up their medicines and directing them to shelters as needed.  From Monday
to Wednesday, I think I slept a total of 6 hours.

But then Shawn came home and Isabelle started feeling better and I looked around
and realized that everything was done.  All that was left was to sit back and let the ball
roll where it may.  After work on Wednesday, my mama came over and we cooked shrimp
stir fry for dinner.  We watched the Weather Channel and tracked the storm between cups
of tea and good conversation.  The work was done and it was pure joy to sit around with
my family, to be together and healthy, riding out the storm.  

Our parish was lucky: the storm blew right by us with only a few inches of rain and
heavy winds.  We have branches to clean up in our yard but the trees stood firm,
relatively unscathed.  Our home is solid and undamaged, our family together again.
Other parts of Louisiana and Mississippi were not so lucky and our prayers are with those
still fighting through the storm.  When people ask me why I chose to live in a place
that regularly sustains such extreme natural disasters, my answer is simple: because it is
home.  There is no place in the world that could ever replace my Louisiana, no place
could ever compare.  My heart and soul belong here, tied so deeply to this place, my roots
and my culture.  We made it through another week, another storm.  Long live Louisiana!! 

Sweet Friday

This week was all about finishing the birthday cake and then getting back into my 

clean eating groove.  It was full of errands and doctor's appointments and meetings and 

the never ending game of playing catch up.  This week, both girls woke up in the middle 

of the night, on the very same night, and vomited all over every surface within a
5 foot radius.  You would think that being a nurse would prepare me for waking up at 
3 in the morning to crying children covered in vomit, stripping beds while 

simultaneously comforting their sick little hearts.  

It does not.  

This week, Shawn felt much stronger and we spent more time outdoors.  Despite 

the blistering heat, feeling the sun on his skin raised his spirits up to soaring 

heights.  Isabelle, the biggest helper of all, learned how to fold towels and made a salad all 

by herself.  She has shown a big interest in the kitchen lately and I am teaching her 

every age appropriate skill that I can.  We are both loving having that time together.  

Brees has been busy coloring pictures, taking care of Daddy, and cutting herself down 

from two naps to one.  Both girls have grown so much this summer, my mind can't 

quite wrap itself around all the changes that have occurred.  I just want to close my eyes 

and remember them exactly as they are right now: eager and precious and energetic and

 full of love.  These really are such happy times.

This week, I am thankful for a job that I love, the family I am so blessed to come home

 to, and the strength and energy to make sure that they are all taken care of.  It was a 

good week and we are all healthy and happy.  A person can live a very rich life when 

they remember to focus on such simplicity.  

Sweet Friday

I can hardly believe that a week has gone by since Shawn was discharged from the 

hospital.  It feels as if we have lived a lifetime this past week, the days stretching longer 

and more full than I ever thought possible.  After leaving the hospital, we spent the 

night with Shawn's family in Arizona, enjoying dinner and our first night of freedom.  It 

was the first night my husband and I were able to sleep side by side in the same bed, 

my anxiety high as I cautiously watched him sleep.  Though I was happy to be out of 

the hospital, the pressure of being responsible for his well-being, the fear of something 

going wrong: it weighed heavily on my heart.  I prayed myself to sleep that night, focusing 

all my energy on being thankful that I could rest my head on his chest as I have done 

so many nights before.

We left early the next morning: Shawn, Uncle Gary, Uncle Scott, and myself.  We drove 

24 straight hours home to Louisiana, the uncles switching places back and forth behind 

the driver's seat, Shawn summoning all of his strength and patience to sit in a moving

 vehicle for that long.  We talked and listened to each other's stories, stopped at 

questionable truck stops, laughed and made the most of our time together.  This 

whole experience has brought our family so much closer and the ride home was the 

perfect way to solidify it all.  

As we drove down the long driveway leading up to our house, I felt a deep sense of 

peace  and reassurance.  We were home, our home, the place we feel most alive, 

most comfortable.  We held our little girls for the first time in weeks, followed them

 around the house as they showed us all the cards and gifts they had made for us while 

we were gone.  We gathered around the kitchen table and enjoyed my mama's home 

cooking, bonding over a hot meal the Louisiana way.  It was a very surreal moment:

 realizing that we had made it, thankful to be present and together, but also sad that we 

had missed so much.  Three weeks had gone by and the world had continued to move 

and change and grow while we were gone.  Where do we fit in now?  How do we pick up 

the pieces and move on?

And so we have spent the last few days trying to figure that out.  We immediately set

 to work unpacking and organizing, rearranging the house to make Shawn more

 comfortable, holding Brees as much as she requested and reading Isabelle an extra story 

or two before bed.  I ran errands, returned phone calls, bought groceries and became

 a regular at the pharmacy.  We went to the first of many follow-up appointments 

with Shawn's long list of doctors, a successful visit that left our spirits high.  I cooked 

and cleaned and gave our pets some much needed attention, watered plants and 

called repairmen.

This is the next chapter, the part of our story that involves us binding together as a

 family and making the most of this situation.  The trauma and stress will not break us, 

we are so much stronger than that.  Through faith, love, and hard work: we made it

 through this week.  One small triumph after another, we will get through this.  

Together.