Inspiring Mama Thoughts!

Check out this blog Raising Five on a GREAT two part post regarding discipline, love and leadership as a mom! It hit home for me! Enjoy!

Mmmm, salads!

It's salad week here at the Fischer household. We ate too much food this weekend! It's time for a little restraint!My favorite? It goes back to my days working at The Bird (aka Red Robin). It's the Whiskey River BBQ Chicken salad. It's not on the menu anymore but you can order and they'll make it for you. It has the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, chicken w/ BBQ sauce, black beans, onion straws and ranch...I think that's it!? Sooo yummy! I'm doing my version at home tonight minus the onion straws (only because my family isn't a big fan). Bon Appetite!

Tradition

It is our tradition in the Fischer household to cook, bake, plan then pack our car as full as it can possibly get, fill our tummies at Kyle's mom's house, wrestle around with the nieces and nephews and then we are off to our weekend at the beach.
This was by far the best weather we have ever gotten during our Thanksgiving weekend at the beach. We ate junk, went for walks on the prom, played in the sand, ran from the waves, relaxed, played cards and just enjoyed each other! It was such a blast! If you want to see a few more pics just go here to our flickr account.
I love the tradition and memories!

I'm thankful for....

This is not an all encompassing list...just a few of my favorite things! Before the rush of getting the pies in the oven or the kids dressed up for the gatherings, I'm just taking a minute to think about being thankful.

My hubby... I'm just going to brag on him for a minute! He is such an amazing man who takes great care of us. Despite his crazy travel schedule he leaves notes, gifts for us while he's gone and makes sure he gets in a phone call before the nights over. He gets home from work and dives right in with the kids! He doesn't complain when there is no clean underwear in the drawer but always praises me when the house is clean or the laundry actually does gets done. The other night he actually tackled the random sock pile (yes, I know you have them too!!) and made all the matches. He is officially declared the sock King!! Not to mention he is pretty darn handsome!

My little darlings! They are a whirlwind sometime but they are so amazing! Enough said.

The food!!!! OK, I'm a little passionate about this secret love of my life! I am passing on this article that lays out an easy way to plan out your Thanksgiving meal. It's full of wonderful ideas, recipes and a daily planner. The Sweet Potato Crunch is a Fischer family favorite that is made annually!

Ohhhh, how there is so much more! I have been truly blessed! It's really all about friends and family and I am so thankful for that! Where would I be without you all! I praise God for blessing me with you. I keep hearing this from different places the radio, the sermon on Sunday and different people to take some time to "count your many blessings". I get so wrapped up in my little world sometimes that when I stand back and take a look at things, I mean, really take a look at things I am taken back by what God is doing in our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Still here...

Yes, I am still here just trying to keep up with life, phew! It's wearing me out! I'm convinced that mommies should have a built in massage fund built into the monthly budget! :) Oh yeah, we're down to one income now. Hmmm...guess I'll have to hit up my hubs for this next one!

This was one of those hairy days. Does anyone else have those? It seems every step of the day was a challenge. We had falls. Colds with drippy noses, sore throats and congestion that makes it hard to breathe from the nose so the binki keeps falling out. We had a playdate but for some reason things just didn't click with the little guys. We had short naps which led to a cranky evening. Daddy is working late tonight with the big sales presentations this week so they are stuck with my face all day long.

And for mama, she's tired! But thankful for another day with the little ones. Thankful for God's strength and patience to get through. I could do without another day like this for a while but incase it is right around the corner I praise God for His promises that never change.

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’”
Lamentations 3:22 (NIV)

Time to rest!

Arms

Oh, my little one...it's not every night that you need me anymore. I cringe at the thought that our midnight meetings to comfort and cuddle are dwindling. There was time that I thought they would never end. But now, you are growing up; it's so right and in God's plan but it's hard for your mama to slowly let go.
You just woke up...I blindly searched for your Binky in the dark corners of your crib and whisked you into my arms. We settled into the rocking chair, cozy blanket around us, you nestled your head into my chest and I lightly rested my head on yours.
God thank you for these moments to quietly cherish.

A little more personal...

I have recently been so inspired by some Christian woman who are on line and sharing where they are at. I love the idea of this being a place where I can completely open up and reflect; not only on my family but everything. I've been particularly encouraged in my walk with God through hearing other women's journeys. I've waffled on my purpose for this blog. I think I have many hopes for it. I take great joy in documenting my families journey, milestones, small moments and more. I've hoped it can be a place where I can decompress and sift my thoughts at the end of the day. I've dreamt of it being a means to sharing where I am at with God and what he is teaching me. This all takes vulnerability and that is a bit of a challenge for me. So bear with me as my posts may seem a bit scattered. Stay tuned, it should be an adventure!:)

John Deere Gator

It's pumpkin cleaning time! Tomorrow night we have "Pals Pumpkin Night" at school. We bring our cleaned out pumpkin and carve it there. Then all the kids do a costume parade and have treats. It's a fun evening. So last night we cleaned out our pumpkins and enjoyed caramel apples that we made earlier in the evening. Daddy is off on business so we tried to fit this in before he left because he has to miss out on our carving night at school.

Our costume? Well, this year Collin has requested to be a John Deere Gator. It's homemade of course because there is not such thing as a John Deere Gator costume. Here it is...done for the most part. It's not perfect but one of the really great things about four year olds is that they think it's amazing no matter how it turns out. Kyle is working with one of the guys from his lighting team to make us some headlights and back up lights.

Don't know how I feel about this whole Halloween thing. I think I would be just fine with enjoying the season without it. How things look so different when you got little ones of your own!

Rubber Boots

Don't you just love rubber boots??? It's like unwritten permission to throw all the momma rules out the window and have fun. Yesterday the boys and I headed to the store and picked up a pair for each of the boys. Brody's still figuring out how to walk in them since they take up half his legs. Collin loves the fact he can put them on and off in a snap. We broke them in yesterday after we got stuck in a down pour during our walk. Collin thought it was hilarious to dance in the rain while Brody took great pleasure in splashing in the puddles. We were completely soaked but it was so much fun. The night ended with cereal for dinner (captain crunch - shhhh, don't tell anyone, it was a special treat while daddy is out of town), bath and book. Daddy comes back tomorrow. We are all very excited.

Autumn

I LOVE Fall! The trees changing colors, the cool breeze, pumpkin pie, apples from the orchards and of course the pumpkin patch. We made it last weekend between Kyle's business trips. It was great family time as you can see from the smiles. Brody was a little too small to enjoy it last year but was full speed ahead this year. Collin thrived in all the excitement and particularly enjoyed the hay maze and inflatable pillow. Brody was most enthralled with the corn pit. Unfortunately, that means momma goes in too. Note to self...must tuck in shirt. It's not so fun picking corn kernels out of your pants!! I don't know if it's Brody's squeal when he sees the farm animals, or the delight on Collin's face when he sinks into those apple cider donuts but it almost seems magical. One of those precious outings I anticipate every year due to the joy we receive out of it! Sadly to say...we spent as much on the food there as we did on the admission! LOL!

Humbling Parenthood

I don't think I've ever had such a close association with humility until I became a parent. Just when you think you've kind of got it down, they throw another curve ball at you. Our latest curve ball is another bite while nursing...actually it was an almost bite. Brody was about to chomp down and to my amazement stopped. I looked at him and gave him a big smile but he obviously had flashbacks of the first biting experience where I yelled "ouch". He just began to cry and cry and wouldn't nurse. I tried again later that night...nothing. He hasn't nursed at all today. So...guess we are weaning. Or more like, weaned. I had visions of it going so smoothly like Collin's and we would cut out a feeding here or there and before I knew it we would just be doing it once before bed and then poof we'd be done. But nope, it was all or nothing with this little whippersnapper.
Good news is, without me caving to nurse him at night to go back to bed once I got him down he slept for longer than he has in months. Maybe it was God's provision.
Brody's baby dedication is tomorrow at church. We have the family coming and then over to our house for brunch. It's always quite an endeavor to get things ready for a gathering with two little ones. Collin is so excited to have people come to church with him and has been looking forward to showing off his church and choosing who he is going to sit by. I love that he can participate in the baby dedication and see the emphasis on God in our lives.

Kyle is off on a business trip this week. He returns tomorrow night. This one was only three days. At the end of the night, we always ask Collin what made him happy that day and what made him sad. The last two nights, what made him sad has been that daddy went on a trip...tonight what made him happy is that tomorrow is day number3!
It has been so wonderful soaking up the sun the last few days. As blinding white as my legs are right now it still feels good to slip on those shorts and run around with the boys. We've spent time at the park, running around the yard, bike rides and just having a popsicle. Brody sunk his toes into the sand at the park and loved it...wasn't as fond of the taste!
Collin is mr. talkative these days. He has the knack for engaging just about anyone (particularly adults) into conversations. It wasn't long ago he had the whole post office discussing why people speak different languages...do we have a politician on our hands??? Some of his highlights: after thanking Collin for helping with Brody he said, "it's my pleasure"...."look mom, it's a fly wearing a yellow jacket"...."wow, that lady is BIG" (this stated on a very quiet city bus)..."mom, why don't girls have a penis" (this stated in a very quiet park restroom)..."how did Whinnie (our dog) come out of your tummy?"...the list goes on and on. It's not only the words but the demeanor. It's so grown up and professional.
Brody is physically changing. His third tooth came in last week. Yesterday,he decided it was time to try giving me a bite while nursing. After my quick "ouch" he looked at me with a smirk and quickly give it another try. This time with a much louder "ouch" he melted into tears and hurt feelings. He refused to eat. I thought I had found the worlds fastest way of weaning. But, after a walk with the family, bath and PJ's everything was back to normal...and not another bite! He not only is crawling but he's crawling like a mad man! It's like he's been looking at all these things for the past 10 months and now he's bound and determine to explore every square inch of the house. Look out world here he comes! I wish his sense of adventure would spread into his eating habits...I think he will be happy with yogurt, pear puree and sweet potato puree for the rest of his life! Oh well, I guess it could be worse.
Well, off to get into some cozy clothes for this weary mom and relax. Signing off.

Growing Up

It wasn't long that Brody stayed that little baby stage. He's growing up all so fast...just a couple days ago he moved from the up on the knees stage rocking back and forth to putting one leg in front of the other and crawled a little bit. Another tooth has popped out too. Where has the time gone! He's got opinions about what he wants to do and is finicky about what food he chooses to eat. And whoever came up with those "puffs" (they didn't have them when Collin was born) is a genius! They are a wonderful gift to be able to get through my own meals while he has fun with his first finger foods!
Kyle and I went to Collin's first conference last night. It was so great to hear all the things he is doing in school and to see that growth. He's turning into such a little man! He's cutting, writing, making friends, participating in circle time and obviously has the teacher enamored.
It is such a treat to see them as they turn into their own person. It's also a bit heartbreaking as they venture off without you to make their own life decisions (however so small at this age) as well as having to face some of life's successes and failures.

Collin

Collin
Originally uploaded by Kyle and Anne Fischer.

This is a snapshot that we took at the bowling alley during our Spring Break. The genuine smile just makes me so happy. We've had a fun time this week. We've met up with many friends and had lots of little adventures. What a treat!

First Tooth

Brody finally had a tooth pop through today. The poor guy has not only been sick but teething as well. It won't be long before he's chewing on the same food as us!

When I was tucking Collin in for a nap today I asked him what we could pray for. He said, "Daddy". I said, "What about Daddy?". "That he's here all day today." Ohhh, doesn't that make your heart melt! Then, very sweetly added, "and Mommy too." That's my boy!:)

The sunshine was so great today. Kyle mowed, edged and I got some more weeding and flower planting done. I have Spring fever so bad! Can't wait to get outside more often! Love it!!! That probably means I should do some spring cleaning to?!?!

Grace

At night, Collin has a little devotional that we read from that is for preschoolers. It's adorable. Last night's or the night before (who knows the whole week is running together) was about grace. We read about God's grace and what it means to show it in our lives (in a very kid friendly way, of course). I think that God may have planted that one in there for me because this week has all been about Grace.
I don't know if it's been that Kyle is gone, or that he's sick or that maybe he's just trying to be more independent but Collin has put me through the ringer this week. It didn't matter the issue, Collin had to have a say in it. I am proud to say after much prayer...grace was exhibited (during most of the week...hey, no one is perfect right?!?)
Biggest grace has been God providing the breaks when I needed it the most. Unexpected naps...a little sunshine to get out and do some gardening...evening drives for everyone to relax.
I'm happy to say that Collin is turning the corner with this latest version of the flu! This was marked with his excited announcement from the bathroom, "Wahoo, it's not green anymore!". Brody seems to be in the thick of it. It's so sad to watch little ones suffer through these things. Our water bill this month is going to be humongous taking warm baths to help with congestion and freshen them up multiple times during the day. We got the humidifiers going, Vick's rub, Tylenol, elevated bed, juice, water...you name it, we are doing it!
I am so blessed to have the friends and family that I do. I received many phone calls from people asking how I was and offering to run to the store and such (thanks for the diapers and chocolate Stacey...lifesaver!:) It has truly been a demonstration of grace to me...during a rough week, the encouragement was so helpful!
We are all very excited about Kyle's arrival early tomorrow. The huge time difference and distance make it hard to connect during the week. It will be so nice to have him home. We made darling little matching t-shirts for the three of us to greet Daddy with at the airport. The fronts say "Welcome Home Daddy" with little drawings that we all added to our shirts and the back all say "We love daddy". Hopefully he'll know how much he's loved and missed while he is away. We'll pack up our little breakfast for the car ride and make a pit stop at Dee-Dee's coffee shop (Coffee's On) as we venture out early in the morning. It's actually a lot of fun!
Time to disinfect the house all over again!:)

Smile Brody

Smile Brody
Originally uploaded by Kyle and Anne Fischer.

I'm just trying to figure out how to connect my flickr picture account with my blog and interchange photos. I love this picture so thought I'd give it a try.

First Word

Well, the St.Patrick's Day meal was creative but at the end of the day I was sitting there eating it by myself with my little son who wasn't feeling well wanting nothing to do with it. Oh well!

At the Family Life Conference we just attended (more on that later...would recommend it to anyone), motherhood was described as "Long days and short years". We all gave a chuckle, knowing exactly what she was talking about. This was one of those long days...sick, cranky, antsy little ones that are stuck inside can make for time to pass rather slowly. But when the end of the night comes and I get loves from Collin and Brody babbles away through the monitor as he drifts off to sleep - it seems like the most amazing job ever and I'm thankful for my day.

Brody definitely started saying his first word today. All day long he has been saying "momma". I know, I know...he doesn't know what he's saying yet but he knows it gets my attention and I'm sure encouraging it!! Just for the record, I give just as much time to promoting "Da-da" as I do to "ma-ma". He has also started making that popping sound with his mouth when you put your lips together and stuck them together as you pop them open...ok, that made no sense at all!:)

Airport

The boys and I drove Kyle to the airport today. He's off to China for the week. He did such a great job getting ready for this trip. Yesterday, he came home with a present for each of us. Wow, that has never happened before! Well done, Daddy-o! Collin got a little trick soap along with a sack of gold chocolate coins. Kyle slipped two into Collin's calendar slots for each day he is gone. Brody got a cute little toy. My present was the best though...a box of See's chocolates and a package of home spa products from Bath and Body works. The best part...a card!!!!! I LOVE getting cards from him. They get read over and over.

It never fails, someone always gets sick when Kyle leaves. This time it's Collin. He's got an awful cold. He's been a trooper but I can tell he's miserable. So, it's been lots of TV, liquids and rest. In that order, too!:)

Tomorrow is St.Patrick's day. Growing up, this has never been a holiday we celebrated. Although, I've always thought it is fun. So tonight, I decided to add a few decorations to lend to the excitement. A little trail of St.Patrick's day confetti starts at Collin's door and leads out to the living room coffee table. There I left, a homemade paper place mat with decorations of rainbows, pots of gold and four-leaf clovers. Displayed on the place mat is a box of lucky charms, bowl and spoon (green of course) and a light up four leaf clover pin. For dinner we will be having: Irish stew, green jell-o, Irish freckled bread, St.Patricks Day punch and the grand finale....green rice crispy treats!:) Even with a sick little one, we'll have fun!

Well, I'm quickly crashing after a long day of a constipated baby (who after several day of prunes has finally found some relief), flying snot rockets, speedy meals and little rest...so I'm signing off for the night.