State Fair Fun

Yes, I know the state fair was over last weekend but it's been busy and all my good intentions of sitting down to blog about this day only amounted to intentions but never fear, I am finally sitting down to document this day to look back on.  Because what a day it was! It was by far one of our best family days this summer!

I feel like I am like most women.  I get an idea in my head about how wonderful an event or trip is going to be and I see it all unfolding beautifully like a Norman Rockwell painting but as the event actually unfolds there are mishaps and bickering and who forgot to bring a paci...ANY ONE out there hear what I'm sayin'?

As I reflected on all those failed less than perfect outings, I realized that sometimes it was just a lack of planning.  I did more wishing and hoping for perfection than planning to aid that happy day along.  So instead of another family day biting the dust, I said NOT THIS TIME!! And I planned.  Which, in all reality, took about 10 minutes so why I never planned before is beyond me?

I found a map of the fair and printed it out.  Andrew and I discussed all the things we wanted to do during our day, things that the boys would be interested in.  Then we went about figuring out where best to start, etc.  We also nixed conservation world because, in my humble opinion, that place is the biggest waste of time for a bored mom, toddler, and baby.  No thank you.  (A small piece of me attributes that non-stop as a part of this years fair success :)) I also stated the the See It, Eat It rule.  We were going to the fair.  It was going to be a day of fun.  If you wanted ice cream and we saw it but hadn't really had lunch yet, who cares? See it, eat it, and let's be on our way.  See- such a simple plan but it led to LOADS of fun!

We arrived at the fair upon opening which was great because I swear we were never crowded at anything we did.  It seemed as soon as we finished up something a large group of people arrived.  I don't mind crowds I just like to constantly be going and so waiting is sometimes hard for me. Especially with two little ones who don't wait well either.

The first stop we made was right inside the gate at the Little Farmer's Helper.  This is where kiddos grab a basket and make their way through different exhibits of farm life, learning about what cows make, or how seeds are grown, all while collecting trinkets that tie back to the learning.  I of course love this educational part of the fair, and Hudson loves it because he is into all things farm.  It is so neat to see him learn about the agriculture and industry that is a large part of our state and to be so interested in how it all works.

The second part of that area is where little ones can ride on toy tractors, see baby chicks, and do some other activities. AKA- HOG HEAVEN! Give Hudson a tractor to ride on and he'll be your friend for life.  We also went to see the big Clydesdale horses and we had to walk and look into
every stall.

From there we entered the fair and (only because the food vendors weren't open yet) headed towards the big slide.  Last year, probably due to poor no planning, we didn't do the slide with Hudson.  I wasn't sure if he would want to do it because he can be a little scared to try new things. Ride a huge tractor? Sure. Go down a tunnel slide at the park? Take it or leave it.  So this was going to be a gamble but we bought our tickets and began our walk up the steps.  I'm not sure if you can tell from his face or not but he loved every second of it! So much so, that Andrew got to take him down the second time!

Beau was super enthused at this point.

No, seriously!

We then decided to heads toward the pony rides because still, no food vendors were open.  I know, I know. It sounds like we went to the fair for the food.  We did.  100%. That and the memories.  But mostly the food. :)

After the pony ride the vendors were open and everyone was getting a little hungry.  So we got corn dogs, fries, and a lemon shake-up.  Fair food staples.  Hudson loves him some fair food!

From there our family continued our trek towards the animals.  Cows, horses, pigs, llamas; we saw them all.  Hudson was fascinated at all the animals...just as long as he didn't have to get too close.  As we made our way towards the animals, we shared some dessert. Tom Thumb donuts and a deep fried brownie.  Even Beau got in on the fair food action!!

After all the animals we took Hudson to see the fire engine. He loves police cars and fire trucks so thought it was pretty neat to get to sit up in one.  There is something magical that happens with parenthood.  All those experiences you have forgotten about or that somehow have dimmed overtime, you get to experience through the eyes of your children.  It is such a humbling and wonderful thing.  I love watching their excitement!

From there we went to the Dairy Barn. No trip to the fair is complete without seeing the Butter Cow...or an ice cream cone.

Four hours later, filled up on fair food, our boys were reaching exhaustion.  So we took one more ride down the giant slide and headed back towards our car.

A week later and Hudson still references the fair and asks when we can go back.  I love building memories together as a family and having fun, simple traditions.  Until next year!

Nine months

How did another month pass by already??!!? This first year with Beau is going waaaayyy too fast! Every day this little boy lights up life with his precious personality.  He is such a fun baby and as much as I want time to slow down, I am in love with all the new things he is learning and how he is changing every day!

Sleep: You are still waking up a couple of times a night.  According to our doctor visit yesterday, you are a *tiny* peanut and need to be getting more calories, which is probably why you are waking up.  You just want to eat and fill that little tummy! But once you are full you are right back to sleep.  You sleep about 12 hours each night and take two naps every day for a couple of hours.  You love your sleep.  And you must have your deer blankie to sleep.  You absolutely love that guy!

The deer blankie is always with us!

Food: To increase your calories, your doctor and I decided to switch you to formula for these next few months.  It was such a hard decision to stop nursing your but I still get plenty of cuddles when we rock and bottle feed.  You transitioned so easily to the formula to and are drinking it up! You still eat three meals a day of baby food but we got the green light to begin giving your more table food.  I can't wait to introduce you to new foods and flavors!

Social: You love watching other people.  You are so intrigued with what is going on around you. You also love outings. To the store, the museum, the zoo, the park. You are into everything- drawers, cabinets, trying to climb stairs! It definitely keeps me busy.  You also pull up to everything and try to walk away (not successfully..yet). You are into whatever your big brother is doing.  You like to be his little shadow.  I love watching you to interact; the sweet things Hudson says to you, the way you laugh when he is being funny.  I pray that you two will always be best friends!

Milestones: You are not only army crawling but crawling on your hands and knees now.  Even more fun is your bear crawl.  That is your method of choice and oh man are you ever fast!!! I can only begin to think of how on my toes I will need to be when you do start walking.

I love you so much Beau! I can't wait to see what the next stages of life bring!

A day at the movies...just not the best movie pick

This past week has been a ride, that's for sure! We had grandiose plans that got waylaid due to some illness at our house.  Let's recap, shall we?

On Sunday, I noticed that Hudson sounded a bit hoarse when he woke up.  But Andrew assured me that it was "just allergies" and "look (as Hud is coughing his head off) it's breaking up".  So I put my mom intuition on hold and went with it, because honestly, Hudson was playing and eating just fine.  Fast forward to Monday night, well like 1 AM Tuesday morning, and Hudson awakes screaming, crying, and coughing, which sends this mama into middle of the night panic mode trying to figure out what's wrong and console him.  I move him into my bed (Andrew is already gone for the week), calm him down, and try to get some sleep, noting that he definitely has a fever, sounds a bit wheezy, and we will not be rendezvousing at Cherry Berry with friends or meeting up with Hudson's godmama the next day.  The next morning after a visit to our wonderful pediatrician- diagnosis: CROUP! In August?!? Which, in case you aren't entirely sure, "Croup is a common respiratory problem in young children. It tends to occur in the fall and winter. Its main symptom is a harsh, barking cough. Croup causes swelling and narrowing in the voice box, windpipe, and breathing tubes that lead to the lungs. This can make it hard for your child to breathe." Thank you WebMD.

We were prescribed some steroids and since I am a bit neurotic and tend to think worst case scenario when it comes to my babies' health, Hudson slept in  my bed again on Tuesday. I do not mess around with breathing and when the doctor told me, "if Hudson would wake up in a coughing fit and you can't calm him down and his breathing becomes strident, just pack up and drive to the ER with the windows down.  That is worst case scenario; probably won't happen." You know you'd put your baby in your bed too! So thinking I had peace of mind, I thought this would ensure a good nights sleep.  Welllll not so fast, Bekah.  That night, Hudson woke up an abormal number of times, and I noted, "Hmmm, he feels oddly warm to me." Sure enough, I spent Wednesday alternating Tylenol and Motrin hoping to break the fever.  No such luck.  Wednesday night was another LONG night.  So Thursday morning I was on the phone to the doctor *again*.

For the record, I do not call the doctor often.  We are blessed that our kids are sick rarely. Beau has only been to the doc for his well baby visits and Hudson has been maybe a handful of times in his short life.  I am usually a "ride it out kind of girl".

***Sidenote- we also have a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, and a wonderful nurse friend with *five* kiddos of her own, so I can always call in reinforcements if I am unsure before making the full-blown doctor office call. It cuts down on the crazy. Ahem.  

However, after explaining to the nurse on the phone that yes, Beau was eating and playing fine and having wet diapers and no, he has no other symptoms they told me, "it's probably just a virus.  Push liquids and give him Tylenol and Motrin to keep him comfortable."

If you are thinking, umm, hey lady, your title to this post makes no sense- to you I say, I'M GETTING THERE!!

You see, our town has a children's movie series that runs during the summer.  Every Thursday of the summer they show an older kid's movie during the day and offer a discounted ticket price and include your child's drink, popcorn, and fruit snacks for the movie.  It is a *sweet* little deal and I had been wanting to take Hudson all summer long.  Yet, lo and behold, it was the last week and we hadn't gone and neither had our little playgroup. So we had made this plan to take all the kiddos.  I was so sure waking up Thursday that we would be a no-show because we would be at the doctor, but just like that, no doctor's appointment necessary and I was packing up the kiddos, taking Beau (and his meds) to my MIL and toting Hudson (who was on meds and perfectly fine to be around others because we were past the contagious period) to the theaters.

Now if you recall my post here Hudson had just had his first movie theater experience and LOVED it! I was so looking forward to a repeat of that.  And, I was looking forward to him sharing in the magic of the movies with his sweet little friends!  I mean, look how excited and into it they all are!

And then the previews ended and the movie started.   Horrific FAIL!!! The last movie showing on this wonderful summer series was Disney's Chimpanzee, where "Disneynature takes moviegoers deep into the forests of Africa with 'Chimpanzee,' a new True Life Adventure introducing an adorable baby chimp named Oscar and his entertaining approach to life in a remarkable story of family bonds and individual triumph." (Thank you Fandango) I see now on this movie review site that the movie is suitable for children "ages 6+". Every kiddo in our crew was 5 and under.

This movie was not a cartoon, featuring real live chimps (no voice overs or animated moving lips) and was narrated by a man unseen. It was over my head let alone theirs. After about 15 minutes, the kids started asking to leave. Not all at once; just every so often an, "I want to go home." "Is it over?" Hudson and I took three bathroom breaks in that short time and I was asked at least 5x if we could go get Beau. After enduring another 15 minutes, I gave in to his requests. Later that afternoon, I texted my mommy friends to apologize for our early exit. This is a reply I received..

The little monkey's mother was eaten?! Obviously, we had not done our homework on this movie choice! Needless to say we will be reading a few more reviews before we venture out to our next movie.

Fortunately, Friday was a fever-free, happy-go-lucky day for the Bruce brood and we continued that spirit into the weekend! So thankful for memories, the fun and not so fun, I get to make being a wife and mom! 

Thankful

How can it already be August?!!? I swear we were just getting out of school for summer break and filling up our calendar with play dates, trips to the zoo, library, and museum, picnics and swimming.  And now back to school ads are filling up the TV screen, the radio waves, and the newspaper.

And for the first time in five years, well like twenty years, I am not going back to school in the fall.  Not as a student and not as a teacher.

I hadn't really let that thought sink in much when I handed in my resignation letter a few months back.  Didn't really take time to think about how that would change me.  But oh my, it's a weird feeling.  Not having a classroom to prep, little trinkets to buy, and looking back at old plans and blogs for fresh ideas.  It is a surreal experience.  And to be honest, I am a bit sad.  I loved being the classroom.  I loved the new set of kiddos I met each year.  I loved being able to teach them new material in fun and interesting ways.  I sure did love all the things my students taught me.

I also really loved that independent part of my life being all mine.  I am learning that being a stay at home mom is hard.  And anything being all yours is, well, rare. I can count on one hand the number of times I have not been interrupted in the bathroom this summer, or eat a meal without having to stop 762 times. I can count on my other the number of times I have gone somewhere on a weekday in non workout apparel or blow dried my hair or applied makeup.  I don't have those twenty minutes between drop offs at the sitter and school to gather my thoughts or decompress after a long day.  And there are some days that I go almost all day without an adult conversation.

Yet, even though all those changes are challenging me in a whole new way, I really wouldn't trade it.  This summer has given me so much insight to my boys.  I have got to live life day in and day out with them, just the three of us a lot of the time as Andrew has been working away.  They have leaned on me heavily and I have had the opportunity to feel how strong I can be in God's strength.  (There ain't no way this mama could have done these past three months on her own *without* the strength of the Almighty!) I haven't had to miss one, single part of their day; one special moment; one first.  And I won't have to now.

One thing I always struggled with as a working mom was how I felt like I was missing the most impressionable years.  Birth through 5 are such important years in a child's development.  Those are the years parents can really start instilling truths to their kids about who they are, what they believe, right and wrong.  I couldn't imagine missing out on that.  ***That being said, I know some of the BEST mamas who work full time outside of the home and having AMAZING kids!!*** For me, I have always struggled with balance.  Andrew's job opportunity transferring us away has given me the opportunity I don't know if I would have had otherwise.  And I am thankful for that.

So this fall, I wish all my teacher friends the best of luck as you begin another year.  For I know all too well how important your jobs are.  You are responsible for the greatest gift we have in the world, children.  I am so thankful that I get to take full responsibility for my greatest gifts, Hudson and Beau.

A weekend wrap-up and NEWS!

This weekend was filled with lots of family time and I loved every minute of it!

Saturday morning we took our boys to the Razzle Dazzle Parade.  Every year our town has a street festival that runs from Friday night to Sunday night.  There are rides, food vendors, street vendors selling items, and bands. Our boys loved the parade.  I am even more convinced that Hudson will do something in music.  Maybe not as a career but definitely as a hobby.  He loved the songs, the bands, the dancers.  He drank it all in.  And I loved how as we recapped on the ride home about what he saw he was naming instruments. "Drums, trumpets.." I swear that year I spend coaching the dance team and he was in utero all that music and counting out the steps became a part of him.  So sweet!

That afternoon while the boys napped Andrew and I were talking about Hudson and how he was coping with everything that had been going on the past few months.  Hudson and Andrew have always had a special bond.  I really think that Hudson has always preferred Andrew.  Now don't get me wrong, I know my boys loves me but his connection to Andrew is so strong and has been since he was an infant.  With Andrew being gone five days a week for the past few months and us moving I think it has been a little confusing for our big boy.  Together, Andrew and I brainstormed what they could do together.  We decided a guys' night to the movies would be a good remedy! Hudson LOVES movies but has never been to the theater.  He is a kid who watches movies, and I use the term "watches" loosely.  Because he usually is asking us a million questions throughout the movie and running and dancing around to the songs in them.  Not really a sit and take it all in kind of kid.  I was slightly bummed that I would be missing this first but knew how special this time would be for Hudson and his daddy.

After Saturday night church, while the big boys headed off, I went back to my parents where we were going to have a special dinner for my dad. My dad has worked for a very long time in a job that requires him to travel, a couple of months at a time often.  This weekend he was preparing to go away for another long stint of travel.  So I decided to give him a little send off dinner.  My dad loves southern food, soul food, spicy food, and sometimes, a little something sweet.

So I prepared him some slow cooker jambalaya and lemon crunch cookie cake!


Oh.mi.word people! I was selfishly elated that Beau was down and Hudson was out because it allowed me to enjoy this wonderful delicious dinner without pausing to pick up a baby or food off the floor, etc! And my sweet Dad loved it too! I linked the websites to these recipes below because everyone should enjoy this party of flavors! Both were so good!

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Lemon Cookie Crunch Cake

After dinner, I hung around waiting for the boys to get home to tell me about their night.  I heard their car and waited by the door and I am so glad I did! Because when Hudson walked in he was beaming! I mean grin from ear-to-ear, slap happy excited, beaming!! They had went to see Despicable Me 2.  He had bags under his sweet blue eyes, and an M&M stained mouth, but boy was he happy! He told me all about the movie and popcorn, and M&Ms.  And every time I asked a question, he would jump up and down and stutter out an answer and then giggle as if he was privy to the best secret in the world.  

We got him calmed down enough for bed (my goodness it was a quarter to 10!) and then Andrew filled in all the details.  Hearing Andrew recall the night was almost as sweet as Hudson's recollection.  He was just as excited.  It is amazing how living through experiences with your child ignites a child-like reaction in us as parents.  

On Sunday I went for a run with some friends.  Prepping for this half marathon in October is serious business but I am loving pushing myself to reach that goal! Later in the day we spend some time with Andrew's parents.  We played outside, took walks.  It was such a nice day and our boys were tired last night!

I am so thankful for weekends like that.  I look forward to the day that we are all together in our new home..YES! You read that right! Our offer was accepted on the ranch that we saw when we were moving things a couple of weeks ago and the inspection came back clean!  Hopefully by the end of the month we will be together again!!! 

In the midst of this transition, God continues to teach me different things.  He is teaching me about my marriage and how Andrew and I communicate; ways that we communicated ineffectively before and how to change that.  He is challenging me to focus on Him and His plan which, in turn, helps me take my focus off a lot of petty things that Andrew and I used to bicker about.

The greatest lesson, the lesson that prompted the acceptance of this job, was contentment.  The fact that God is enough.  Nothing else matters.  Take away all earthly possessions and HE is still enough.  Andrew and I talked endlessly about raising our family in a simple way of life.  Not meaning without electricity or running water, but in a spirit of contentment.  Yes, we want our children to be ambitious.  Of course we wish them success.  But we want them to strive to honor God's goals and plans, and find success in that; NOT in what the world deems as success.  

As we have taken one step forward, two steps back in this whole moving ordeal, God continues to remind me of this lesson.  In a sermon, something I read, heck, even a thread on my newsfeed.  

I am so grateful that God is giving our family this opportunity and is speaking to my heart.  But the truth is, God wants to speak to each of us.. He is enough for each of us.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well.  

Sweet memory

Today the boys and I were out running errands.  The weather has been terrible so we were at the children's museum this morning but while out I forgot to get a change of address form at the post office.  So- post nap- we ventured out again.  I'm not sure if it was the sucker from the lady at the post office, but Hudson was quite chatty as we drove back across town.  He is so funny; very curious, a questioner, observant, and usually has a comment or question about everything.

So as we were driving he was pointing out everything he saw out his window.  I much as I hate to say it, I am not always tuned in during our car rides.  Hudson's voice is so small that I don't always hear what he is saying and because everything he says is important (which it is) if I don't hear him correctly he gets a little upset, repeating it until I do.  You can see how this can be a *tad* distracting.  

But today was different. I was tuned in to his cheerful commentary of our drive.  To the birds he was pointing out. To the "BIG FISH!" he saw as we drove past the old tackle shop, now turned bar (I think?).  

We then past St. Mary's, a hospital in our town, and Hudson commented on their big flag.  I told him I saw it and then reminded him that that was where baby Beau was born.  I asked if he remember when he met Beau with Mommy at the hospital. 

"Oh yeah, I went there," he replied.

A few moments passed and then I heard him again from the backseat, "Mickey was born at the hospital."

"Mickey was born at that hospital?" I replied, a mix of confusion at his statement and humored that Mickey could come into a conversation about things being born because I was quite sure Hudson didn't really understand the birth concept.

"No, no, no." (His standard reply when I speak on a topic incorrectly.) "My Mickey was born at that hospital."

It dawned on me.  Andrew and I had bought a present to give Hudson at the hospital when he came to meet Beau.  He chose a Mickey that said several catch phrases from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Hudson remembered. I love that my sweet boy remembers that day, even if it is just the Mickey.  That day was one of my favorite memories, and today, I got to relive it again. 

Walking by faith

So much as happened over the last week.  It has been a busy summer of packing and house hunting, making offers, and praying God's will so we can all be together in Pittsfield.  Our family has been so blessed to have the help of our family and friends as we are transitioning.

As you know, Andrew and I had made an offer an home that had been accepted.  This home held a lot of my dreams for our family- a forever home, a home to expand in, a home to make our own.  The downfall of this 100+ year old gem was that it needed a new roof.  Upon inspection we learned that the roof had 0 life in it.  Andrew and I talked, crunched numbers (several times) and made a plan of what we could do to fix the roof situation.  We presented that to the seller.  Never in my mind did I think that the seller wouldn't split the cost of the repair.  Yet that was what happened.  On Monday she countered and it Andrew and I realized, that without her meeting us halfway, our yellow house, would never be ours.

That was a tough blow.  I really had envisioned changing that house into our new family home.  It was where I saw us in Pittsfield.  And, at that time, there were NO other prospects on our list.  I was feeling very low.  Honestly, I wasn't sure what God's plan was.  I went out with a group of friends that night and told them about it.  I can not say enough how blessed I am by these women.  Their words of encouragement give me so much strength.

Poor Andrew.  I know I haven't been easy on him through all of this.  Although our boys are so sweet, they are at ages that they both need lots of attention.  Doing that all day/all night (see our previous post about Beau's "sleeping" habits) without your partner can be exhausting.  Add to that the unknown and there have been many times that I just have not been as gracious as I am called to be.

Adding to our stress, we were closing on our home that Thursday.  We had to have all our things out- and we didn't have a place to take them!! Talk about a stressful situation.  We loaded everything Thursday morning into two, yes, two U-hauls. The LOOOONNGG ones! Our closing was scheduled for that morning but got pushed back to late afternoon, throwing off our whole day.  Andrew and I have moved before but  across town and across state are VERY different games.  There couldn't be any trips back and forth when you are driving two hours one way.

Given our situation, and me being a terrible, crazy, emotional the less than understanding wife, Andrew and secured storage units to take our things. He also had set up a home for us to walk through that he thought would be it.  To be frank, when he sent me the link, I looked at it for about a millisecond before deciding I hated it.  I just wasn't in a place that was very...open... to other places.  Ahem

Theme so far of this post- Bekah= difficult human being

After successfully closing (PTL) on our home, we began our drive over, with Andrew and my dad following behind in the two U-hauls. Two hours, by yourself, in a car, is a long time when you are used to getting about two minutes to yourself.  It gave me a lot of time to think, and a lot of time for God to start working on my heart.

When we got there, the first thing we did was go to the walk through Andrew had set up.  SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I am just as shocked to type it- but- I LOVED IT! It was anything grandiose or overly different.  But it was homey and it was a house that Andrew and I could make our own. A ranch with room to grow after we finish the basement.  A place that I can raise our family, walk our boys to school.  A backyard big enough to add a swing set and make an area suitable for fall nights around a fire pit with family and friends.

So where are we now? We are still separated.  Most of our belongings are in a storage unit two hours away.  The boys and I are with my parents.  And we still don't have a house..yet.  An offer has been made; we are playing the waiting game.

And where am I now? At peace.  The yellow house wasn't meant to be.  But this  move, it is *still* God's plan.  I don't know how or why, but even in the midst of all the crazy, unknown, and hard parts of this entire situation, I don't doubt the decision Andrew and I made months ago to take this job.  It's weird, and my friends remind me and agree, that even the road getting there has not been one that has been easy, and I have often times wondered what God was doing, I know that this  move is the right step.  That blessings are waiting for our family in following what we know God has called us to do.  I have had to learn to lean on my faith in a very personal way.  God is not showing us the game play, he is leading us, one play at a time.  I can only believe that His plan is the best, trusting in Him, not the seen.