Thanks a lot Robert Frost!

I was shown this video by one of my professors. That was on tuesday and I have watched it at least 10 times since that. I smile every time. Im sure some of you have heard of the kid president. This is him. An 8 year old boy with an amazing message.

"We can cry about it or we can dance about it."
So if you have 3 minutes to spare please watch and pass it on.




I think its absolutely amazing that a boy as young as 8 can have a better outlook on life than some adults do. I think his message is one that everyone can adopt. We can all dance, we can all laugh. Those two things alone can make the world a better place.

"Two roads diverged in the woods, and I took the road less traveled." AND IT HURT

I want one.

I would like to introduce you to Baby Benjamin Asa. My cousin popped him out after an exhausting 13 hour labor that ended with a C-section. That big ol' baby just wouldn't come out. We wanted to meet him so bad and his poor mama was exhausted. So at 3:00am they finally decided that C-section was the best option.


I honestly cant get enough of him.


Pretty sure my mom wanted me at the birth to scare me from having a kid anytime soon. I may be slightly scarred but holding that little man in my arms made all the screaming and pain and agony that I saw my cousin experience seemed to slip my mind. I squeezed him tight and everything in the world disappeared.

Dont worry. Im still not planning kids anytime soon.


My mom wants to quit her job and stay with little ben forever. I didn't think that sounded all that bad. Im thinking about doing the same. Nah, but maybe for the summer.

Cant wait to tell you more about this little guy. I sure am in love with him...

Our Weekend.

Singing in the rain and showering babies

Seems like a weird combo...I guess I could explain.


Maddie (dalton's sweet step sister) was involved with her high school's production of Singing in the Rain. This particular high school has some real talent. The singing and dancing was second to none. I ended up missing a good portion of the musical after being locked out of the aud. for quite some time. They let me back to my seat (without my ticket) right before intermission and just in time to see the "singing in the rain" scene.


Saturday was my cousins "friend" baby shower. I guess a cousin falls into the category of both family and friend so I went to both shower's. After not receiving much off of her registry at the family baby shower we hosted, Jolynn was relieved to receive some much needed items at the "friends" shower. Baby "o" was extremely active during the shower and we could see him moving around from across the room. It is such a remarkable thing to witness. I sure cant wait to see him though!

Dalton was in an ice fishing tournament with some of this good friends on Saturday. That night I offered to pick him up after having dinner with my parents. He was ready to get out of the cold so I drove to where I thought he would be. I could not find him anywhere. He was trying to explain where he was but it was dark and I just could not figure it out. The frustration and worry is only amplified by the fact that the spot where they were fishing is directly across from the Mental Health Hospital and a large, very dark wooded area. To make a long story short I was driving and crying and scared (inside the car) while Dalton is wandering through the woods of the mental hospital. We were both freaked out but I found him in the end. He ended up walking all the way out to the main road where I finally spotted him. Phew.

Sunday afternoon we met "soft grandpa" for lunch at one of our favorite local italian deli's

((Fraboni's Italian Deli, Madison WI))



Linking up here:

Grandma

Yesterday, in the early hours of the morning, my grandma took her last few breaths. I've talked openly on this blog about her fight against lung cancer, among many other health issues. I believe though, that the biggest weight on my grandmas heart was the loss of her beloved husband only a little over a year ago. I've heard time and time again how real the idea of a broken heart can be on a person. Normally I would be sitting at my computer crying uncontrollably. I am unusually at peace. My only explanation for this is the fact that I cant imagine the feeling in my grandmas heart when she was reunited with my grandpa. It gives me butterflies in my stomach.

Dont get me wrong, I wish my grandma was still here with us. I wish my grandpa was too. She spent her last few days at Hospice Care. I cant tell you that I have ever seen a more beautiful place for my grandma to be. The nicest nurses took care of her and her beautiful room suited our family perfectly.

My grandma had a CNA coming into her home a few times a week when she was still living on her own. That CNA was usually assigned to at home visits with other patients like my grandma. This past Saturday however, she received an email saying that they needed her help at the hospice center. She didn't know that she would be assigned to my grandma. Pure luck? I don't think so. Someone matched those two again and our family couldn't have been more touched to see her CNA talk to her like they were the best of friends.

The nurses and doctors at Hospice continued to remind us that hearing is the last sense to go. They encouraged us to talk to my grandma and reminisce about all the things we loved about her and tell her whatever we felt on our heart. We laughed and smiled knowing that grandma could hear everything we were saying. My mom and her siblings talked about all the garage parties my grandma and grandpa used to have. We talked about holidays and fond memories of time spent together, as a family.

Grandma continued to fight on. We are convinced she was happy listening to all of our fond memories.

She stopped breathing in her sleep with my aunt and mom sleeping on the couch in the same room. It was the way we wanted it. She didn't struggle. Instead, she drifted off and carried on her way to see her beloved husband.

We will miss you grandma.

Lets catch up over a box of thin mints

A lot has been going on. Lets catch up. Feel free to indulge in a box of thin mints like I have already covered.

Its about that time to sign up for classes for next semester. I don't understand why this process becomes so stressful. They give you a time and a date that you can register and its a mad dash with people running across campus to get to a computer. It also seems to be that your computer completely malfunctions when you click "add" next to that class that has only one seat left. So at 11:00 on thursday, be thinking about me sitting at my computer having several small mental meltdowns. (say that 5 times fast)

Also on thursday, Dalton and I are headed to Madison to see the Broadway Musical Jersey Boys. Im surprisingly really looking forward to this. His whole family is going and we are going to have a nice dinner and get all dressed up. I like occasions to look fancy. Dalton on the other hand is not very excited about the "dressing up portion."

In other news... The dorm building that Dalton and I live in had the most bizarre thing happen this weekend. Someone was cooking meth in their dorm room. Yes. Cooking meth in a dorm room. Supposedly its the latest fad to cook meth out of a liter water bottle but I don't think that the end result is supposed to be a fire in a trash can followed by 600 residents having to evacuate at 2am. All that and now he gets to spend some time in the slammer. I guess dorm life may have prepared him for that life? Nah. I don't think so.

Daltons mom's house is really coming along. Its amazing how quickly everything goes once the drywall is finished. It has been so much fun being apart of the process. This weekend Dalton and a few friends worked on laying some of the wood flooring.






His mom has the best decorating taste and she found some old barn boards from a farmer. I almost fainted when I saw the finished product.


We also carved our names into the concrete while it was still wet.




Dalton let us get in the lift and he hoisted us up over the lake.





Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I haven't seen too many black friday ads yet but I am excited to create my plan of attack on that crazy morning. Do you know any websites that share the ads early? Im impatient.

And I will leave you with a picture of my step dad in honor of Veterans Day. He's the best. Thanks Jim.





Im linking up here.

78 years young.

My beautiful grandma will be turning 78 next week. My brother shares the same birthday as her. Something he has always treasured.
You can read my previous posts here and here.



They gave her four to six months and she completed 8 weeks of radiation.
At home hospice care has been a life saver for my mom and my aunt. They aren't left with every hard decision and the stress of taking care of their sick mom has been lifted off their shoulders.

Recent struggles:
Shingles
Weight loss
Back and shoulder pain
Slight confusion
Depression

Triumphs? She doesn't hold anything back. It makes us giggle all the time. I asked her if it was weird for her when the at home nurses would give her a shower. She quickly responded with well I wash my own face and privates. and she also has been so happy because the nurse massages her back for her after she gets out of the shower. I tell you they really are amazing. If nothing else they make her smile.

She has the best cravings too. My mom brought over a pan of her favorite frosted brownies and after a few days there was almost nothing left. She is under 90 pounds so anytime something sounds good we are sure to get it for her. She has my mom stop every morning before work and bring her a donut.

She has still been getting out on friday nights to her favorite supper club. Last friday she even had the whole bar singing happy birthday to her. What ever it takes to make grandma smile.

Hello Monday

This weekend we took my grandma on a little outing to buy some fall mums for her patio. She has been feeling better lately as long as she continues the pain meds for her back. She enjoyed seeing all the mums.

Hello to cool mornings and beautiful fall mums.

Hello to time spent with my grandma. I cherish every minute of it.

Can you spot the critter?

Hello to individuality found in every living thing

Its starting to feel like fall in Wisconsin, and I cant complain. I love the cool mornings.
Im linking up here.

Hello to a beautiful new week.
xxxxx

Embracing with Mom

Everyone has always said that my mom and I look alike. (Although they say that about my dad and I too.) This photo screams mother and daughter....And I love that.

((This quote comes from this wonderful artist. Check her out))

Hello to the last week of summer

Hello to time spent with my mom...

Hello to wholesome foods that keep us healthy

Hello to embracing family traditions

Hello to canning which means chili, tomato soup, and other nummies all year long

hello to the last week of summer.
so bittersweet

InstaFriday

Im linking up at life rearranged for InstaFriday.
Head on over there to check it out.

A few target trips. I can't resist the cute dorm stuff

I had lunch with one of my favorite teachers from high school who was in town for the afternoon. I finally got to meet her 8 month old twins. Adorable...but exhausting

Shame on me. But it was delicious. My ever-growing stomach and ever shrinking wallet are both happy that there isn't a Dunkin Donuts closer to my house.

Ike finally getting the chance to be the walk-er instead of the walk-ee

We had a belated birthday get together for my dad. I made this. It was an absolute hit.

Im hoping to get out and have some fun this weekend. No work for me!

We decorated for fall this week at work and now I'm really anxious for fall to get here. Chunky sweaters, boots, pumpkin candles....ahhh

Happy Friday