company!!

We have some company this week.... Jefferson is back visiting us for the next week or two while his adoptive-parents got called up to go flood-fighting in Bismarck (along with Bobby). It is strange to hear his bell jingling around again! Mason is LOVING LOVING LOVING having him - he chased him around for two hours straight tonight. "Follow me kitty!" "come here kitty!" "kitty come play with me!" is all we heard!

Glad to have the extra company here while Bobby is gone- he too got called to go help with the flood fight in Bismarck - he was called at 10AM Saturday morning and by noon was at his office helping coordinate/plan/making travel arrangements, etc. and will be gone anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks. We are hoping it is closer to the 1-week estimate! But I remind myself that I am so lucky he isn't gone for a year at a time, and that certainly makes a week or two seem not so bad! I am so incredibly proud of him for taking this on!

One thing I learned back when Bobby went to help with the flooding in Fargo is that there is a LOT more to the process than simply shoveling sand into bags. Checking people/equipment in and out, paperwork, developing a work schedule (alternating shoveling/throwing/etc so people don't get too worn out each shift...), sleeping arrangements, food, the list goes on and on! Who knew?!?!

I am really hoping that this rainy weather ends very soon. It has been very depressing not to be able to spend anytime outside.

hurray for long weekends!

so I just realized this morning when I woke up that it is a LONG weekend this weekend! Made my day! And the sun is actually SHINING outside instead of the rain that we have had every weekend for the past month it seems!

last weekend we spent a lot of time cleaning-out/rearranging the "old" scrapbook room. Now it is more of a playroom/family room. Still a work in progress but it is getting there... Mason is loving to spend time in there!

Softball season has *officially* begun. Bobby is playing in 2 leagues this year - we like that we are able to get to all of his games in Warren, and will try to get to some in Grand Forks this year too.

Mason loves to watch baseball with his daddy at home, but when we go to watch his games, he wants to run out on the field and play!

Mason has been wearing this cookie monster costume/outfit around today- bobby picked it up at a garage sale for 50 cents-- it has been money well spent! Mason loves to run around and say "I'm cookie monster--- rroaaarrr!!!"

it's a beautiful day!!!

what an absolutely gorgeous day it was today - we spent so much time outside, without jackets even!

I tried to get my flower beds weeeded out to see if it will help my plants grow - I think they all died over the winter (yes they ARE the kind that are supposed to come back, I know that much!). they are still all brown and crunchy; not even a hint of green...

This is us at the Shout house a few weekends back with our friends who are moving away :(

baby bump pics - 20 weeks and 24 weeks. I think I am just as big now at 6 months as I was at 9 months with Mason. A good excuse to shop!!!

Right now am watching Army wives - I used to love this show, and then had stopped watching it because it was on the same time as Brothers & Sisters (which I hear is being cancelled?!?!!!). I am feeling very lost since I have missed over a year, but forgot how much I like this show.

happy mother's day!

happy mother's day to all my mom friends -- and of course to my mom!

the past few weekends have been busy - two weekends ago was Easter, and last weekend Bobby & I got a weekend away! Friday night went to a wedding reception (so fun to see so many friends!) and stayed at The Lodge on Lake Detroit -- such a wonderful hotel! Thanks to my friend Katie for recommending it; if you are ever staying in DL I would for sure recommend it! To make things even better, Bobby suprised me with a manicure/pedicure/facial at the spa the next morning! (thanks honey you're the best!).

Saturday we went down to Mpls - I got some "much needed" shopping done while Bobby played in a poker tournament (he won!! almost enough to cover what I spent shopping, haha!). Then we went out to a dinner at Seven restaraunt and out with our friends Jay & Tracy, who are moving to Utah in a month :(

We've also had our 24-week doctor appointment and got to see Baby B again! He is growing growing growing; August will be here before we know it!

This weekend I am excited to have a family weekend at HOME with nothing planned! Hopefully the sun will come out today and we will be able to get some good outside time in!

weekend

Another weekend has flown by-- hate how fast they go... Bobby & Mason "celebrated" all of our new snow on April 16th by making a SNOWMAN! The rest of the snow has melted today but Frosty is still standing in our yard!

Saturday night we went to the Shrine Circus- for some reason, Bobby & I both remembered the circus being a lot cooler when we were kids!!! But Mason had a great time - his favorite part was riding the elephant before the circus. I was worried he was going to be afraid but instead he kept talking about wanting to go on again and again!

...time to watch a movie w/my honey :)

school

Mason had his very first day of school on Tuesday of last week! He went to his first night of ECFE, and had SUCH a blast! As soon as we walked in the door he was laughing and running to and from all of the different play areas - it was a very very busy hour! He had such a hard time leaving - hope that it goes better when it is time to leave tomorrow night. The first picture is what he had made at daycare earlier that day - chickies out of his foot prints. I can't imagine the mess that made...6 kids with yellow paint on their feet!

((...and did you notice the rainboots in every picture? We still wear them everywhere we go!))

Wednesday we went to see my grandparents who just got home from Florida. It is so nice to have them back so close again.

Bobby, Mason & George before the Sioux game Thurs. night. Mason insisted that George wear a jerzey too!

We went for our first family walk yesterday - it is SO nice to only see small piles of snow here and there - so nice that Mason can play outside everyday again.

rainboots

found these froggy rainboots @ target today - aren't they just the cutest? Mason seems to like them too -- he wore them ALL around the house today!

And now some venting...

Awhile ago I saw this video on "mompetition" on the today show website.. I really liked it because it seems to be so true! On the comments below I also came across this website http://www.themompetition.com - so very funny! And it really only is so funny because of how true it all is. . . sadly!

Been thinking about all of this a lot today/yesterday when Bobby and I were talking about a project I was wanting to under-take, and he said to me, "you don't have to compete, you know," and told me what a wonderful mom/worker/wife I already was. ((love you honey, thank you for the reality checks when I need them!!!)) It's really stuck in my mind.

The thing of it is, is that I really hadn't thought of myself who compares/competes with other moms. It's like there is this unmentioned expectation out there for women to need to do it ALL - and do it all the fastest/healthiest/homemade-ist/best/confident-est/busiest etc. With the biggest smile on your face!

That feeling like you should be busy enough to hardly manage but yet appear to do it all with ease. Supermom. Superwife. Supercareerwoman. Supercommunityservicewoman.

I think that beneath the surface what it amounts to is insecurity.

So for the next week, I'm going to make it a point to not try compare myself to others.

Real or TV people :)

Becuase I probably do it a lot more than I even realize. Even unintentionally.

Wish me luck!