I'm Back!!!!

So I am back! At least for the Holiday’s!! Well out celebrating our work Christmas party I was asked by a manager to bring the blog out of retirement. She has been a huge supporter and I LOVE her to death so Beth here we go. Let’s try to get back at it.

Beth and I enjoying the Party!

Plus it is the Holiday’s so I will have Pictures with Santa, family gatherings that are too hot, kids are too tired at, Fun traditions, I have to introduce you all to our newest member of the family, Stanley and just the love and memories I want the kids to have documented.

Plus I miss writing!

More to come tomorrow!

Linds and I and the fun mittens we all got!

My Girls Part 8

As women I think we all would agree that we can NEVER hear enough I love Yous or Thank yous from the people we love... So this past week my girlfriends and I were knocked down by joy and love when our bestie did a BIG I love you and Thank you blog post. She took the time to say I love you because, and thank you cuss for each one us. I hope if you have not read them you will as you will see just why I have the best girlfriends around. KL's Blog it was a day for each friend and an amazing conclusion.

Well Mrs Smith you forgot part 8!

KL I would put on your sweater The Giver but I think those dirty old fisherman would get the wrong idea...
I think you always give 100%. You will drive 2hrs to spend 1hr holding your friend new baby. You give us your everything, your love, your laughter and your heart. Your eyes light up when you see your friends, you get excited for any bit of time you get to spend with us and we feel it. You allow us in your heart and trust us in there. Not a lot of people can say the same.
The notes you wrote us all was a true test of LOVE. I could feel it coming off the computer screen when I read them. Your joy is rising my friend and I am happy to tag along!
LOVE YOU TONS and can't wait for the memories to keep coming. Thank you for the love this week
xoxo Nic

And Mrs Kathy wanted you to know ....

Well here’s to giving it back to a fabulous friend who touched my heart and will keep my spirit soaring for weeks to come with the generous things she said about her friends. I should qualify this with the fact I know I’m not going to be as well written as you but I hope you get the overall message that I think you’re a fantastic friend.

Everyone should have a friend like you. You always have an ear to listen to your friends. Whether it is trivial everyday stuff or life changing challenges we always have your undivided attention. Even in a room full of people, when we have you engaged it’s like at that very moment we are the only person in the world. What a way to make someone feel special.

You are the queen of preserving memories on film. I truly believe you don’t leave the house without your camera… even when you go grocery shopping. And we are all the better for it. In fact I would forget some of those moments if it weren’t for your diligent photography ;). And this translates right into your unbelievable creativity. You truly have a talent my friend. You are my scrapbooking and photo collage idol.

You’re so much fun to be with, you crack us up with laughter. You’re such a good person and touch our hearts with your kindness. You’re selfless and generous, as demonstrated by the very thoughtful posts about your friends on your blog.

So I say it again, everybody should have a friend like you. But so far it looks like you’re one of a kind!

and Mrs Stewart wanted to say

KL - I don't remember the exact first day that we met. I don't remember what you were wearing. I don't remember my hairstyle (blonde-ish I assume?!?) or what the song of the day was. I don't know if I was thin or thick, if I wanted a puppy or 10 kids. What I have always known and will continue to know, is the impression that you left on me.

KL - you have an enormous heart, a heart big enough to fill an auditorium. The love that you have, and show, for your family and friends is unmatched. You show this love in a variety of creative ways - through spoken and written word, fun gifts (often handmade and GORGEOUS) and by the countless hours that you clock to drive to various events; parties, births of babies etc ... in order to support your friends. There are not many people in this world who show their love so unabashedly, you are truly special. I am so lucky to be on the receiving end of this love.

In addition to your huge heart you are immensely creative - desserts, collages, photo frames ... nothing is safe from your creativity. You can make the most ordinary things, absolutely beautiful. You have an amazing gift!!

KL - every time we talk, we laugh (often at our husbands and children ... but they will never know, right?) - I love that you 'get me' and I 'get you.'

I could go on and on for pages about all of your qualities but I think I would bore you. The last thing I want to note is what an amazing wife and mother you are. You are such a natural mother and kids gravitate to you, I am envious of this gift. You are the first to swoop up babies or engage other peoples kids in play or conversation. You offer great tips and advice, I feel like you are way ahead than the 5 weeks that separate the births of our children. I am grateful for your knowledge and skill with little ones.

KL - I love you and I thank you for everything that you have done/continue to do for me. You are an inspiration.

xo P

So to sum it up we each love you for all the same reason but also for our special bond we each have with you.
Thank you for always making us smile, for coming and sharing in our family moments, ordinary experiences and everyday life.
LOVE YOU TONS xoxoxox

See Yeah

just gonna pretend that i have been writing everyday and carry on with a post.. sorry for the lack of them :(

Toad has never ever been good with goodbye's. He cries, freaks out and or will not say those words. So when he was little his Nonna and Papa started something that made it a bit easier on him and helped Rob and I get him to the car. They would come to the driveway to say goodbye (even in the dead of winter), they would wave and do "their special" I love you as we drove out. We would roll down Jax window and they would point to their eye, then their heart then to him and the whole time yelling I LOVE YOU.

We used this for daycare too as he had trouble saying goodbye. I would stand at the door point to my eye, point to my heart then to him and say I LOVE YOU. Then he would back up I run up the stairs and do it again.(all through a window) I LOVE YOU then we wave and say have a good day (he says it too) and I love you , have a good day I love you 2x and then i say bye and he runs off to play. We never miss a day of this routine as it makes him happy and he feels better saying goodbye.

Little did I know how much this meant to me! Friday he said Bye mom, Have a good day from the play area. I said um Toad want to head to the door to do "our goodbye" he didn't even look at me and just said um no! Have a good day mom.

So i left , it didn't really bother me but today he did it again. Bye have a good one mom is what he said to me. Lovely and I are home today so we headed up the stairs and I stopped at the top tears filling my eyes as I knew that special moment each day is gone. I turned and hoped he would be there (he wasn't) and I said bye i love you, have a good day toad..

Why is he getting so big? Why is it so hard on me? Why do i want him to grow up but then in a second feel like I want him to be little FOREVER!


Toad this little moment each day made me smile. it was our thing, it was our way to start the day with love. I can picture you so small your little chubby fingers pointing to your eye and heart and then to me. Now I see you and your fingers are thinning and your growing so tall I can't wait to find our new moments. I will work hard to figure out what that looks like for Big boys ! But thanks for each and every awesome moment over the last 4 years xoxoxo

Lovely Turnes One

yeah yeah it happened 14 days ago I am sorry sweet girl...

So a year old! WOW where did the time go?? Camryn you my sweets are just a joy to be around. The last year has been some of the best times in my life, I have loved watching you figure out this world. I love that you are sweet and loving but will not sit quiet if something is happening you don't like. I have loved watched you in 365 short days make two boys fall madly, deeply and fully in love with you.

I have loved watching you perfect your wrinkled up nose smile which your Aunt P loves so much.

I have enjoyed our midnight meetings but am happy to see them get less and less since you are in daycare.

I have found your relationship with Jax to be one that I get excited to watch , you two can make each other laugh and scream in angry all in the same breath.. ah makes me think of my sister I love you Cherie xoxox

Camryn I hope you continue to light up, I hope you find joy in each day as you do now. I hope that when your older you know how cute you are as you do know. I hope you know that your dad and brother are the way they are cuss you made them fall in love with you and that they are only looking out for you. I hope you laugh easy and smile often as you have this year. I hope you take as much time as you need to do stuff (like you are with walking....) I hope you never forget that we love you, that we are here for you and that your one of the best things your dad and I ever did...

Well Lovely this past year has been just that Truly Lovely xoxoxooxoxoxox

Love ya buds!
Mom

The theme was the Princess and the Frog.. Thanks P for the awesome Cake!

Still Alive(I think)

Holy Crap! Yeah is it Tuesday it feels like it should be December.. We are alive all of us here in Gundryland. Bare with me as this post will be point form as I am doing it with one eye closed.

~Cried Nope not till today when I thought of Miss Lovely being at daycare till 5 on her birthday.. ahhh tears streaming down one open eye now..

~First day back was like walking into your childhood home but a different family was there?? Strange but still felt like home. Thank god for my girl Lindsay who took good care of me!

~Kids have not skipped a beat.. Toad is just movin forward going where I drive him and Lovely well other then being shattered by bed she is doing fine..

~Momma sure lost her morning groove but I will get it back and I will beat the morning rush(insert eye of the tiger music).

~Today at Lunch I told Lindsay she was eating like a real big girl and I was happy to see I didn't have to clean up anything after our lunch. Plus she didn't come to the table scream and say I DON'T WANT THIS FOR LUNCH... strange really.

~Tired Oh Hell Yeah...

~ It's a good thing I sit on my ass all day cuss I don't get to sit down again till 9 at my night job.

~I am glad to be back at work ..shhhhhhhh

~ I have not lost it totally.. I need a bit more time but I feel like my brain may have a chance.

~Big school sends home a lot of homework. For parents

~ Witching hour just got a whole lot worse up in da joint.

~I miss my friends !!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ New fave drivin song ....

Two days down and I have survived droppin my daughter off for the first time, I have survived 2 days in heels, I have made 7 lunches, 3 breakfast, and 3 dinners. I have heard my kids laugh still and seen them both smile. And so far none of us has died of a broken heart.

Think we may just be okay here.

A note from my mom to me and from me to JL

4 years ago I got this email from my mom, it was the night before I went back to work from mat leave with the Toad. It meant the world to me cuss I felt like noone knew how I was feeling but this showed me there was people out there that got it. My mom once felt this way about my sister and I. I have since shared this with many mom's returning to work and today is not just a hard day for me but for my buddy JL and so girl this one is for you!! A huge hug is waiting for you tomorrow morning at work, if you can do the two flights of stairs to get to me.


This is what I know:

I know how difficult it will be to sleep tonight.
I know how difficult it will be tomorrow morning.
I know how difficult it will be to leave him.
I know how difficult it will be to drive away.
I know how difficult it will be to not to call every hour.
I know how difficult it will be to concentrate on your job.
But I know this:
How wonderful it will feel to drive home, knowing what a good a job you did today and how good it will feel to have him in your arms again.
I know how it will feel putting him to sleep to awaking to another wonderful day.
And this is what I know:
You are the best parent any child could ever have and he is blessed.
You will continue to do the very best for this child every step of the way.
And I know this :
Your little boy(it said toad) is a very fortunate child and has had a wonderful (almost) year with his mommy!
Hang in there JL!!

Good To Know

Happy Saturday!!! T minus 2 sleeps till this Momma goes back to work..keep playing the following saying over and over again in my head. "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end" and that last beginning was one of my life's greatest pleasures, so yeah tears will fall....

So some things from the past week that I wanted to share.....

~Lovely seems to not be a huge fan of Bayfield.. may all be a bit too much for her.

~Accidental Traditions are fun!

~Time goes by faster when you want it to slow down...

~Letting your kids venture off alone is the hardest thing I have EVER done..

~ I am not a stable person this week... ahhh too many big things this week thank you

~ He's a big toad now..

~There are minutes, hours , days that I can't wait to go back to work.... then they do something to pull me back in.

~xoxo Ashley xoxoxoxoxo

~So my husband told me to not cry on Sunday but to instead enjoy the day! hmmmm easy to say hard to do..

~ Kids I have loved my year with you both, I have had some hard days (which you will get once you have kids) but I have loved it more then you will ever know.. xoxox thanks guys xoxoxo it was a good run!

Well this girl is off to enjoy the day with the kidlets and my hubby!