Life lesson through recovery...

(Beautiful sunset picture from our Key West trip in 2004).

Ok, so things are more normal than they were three weeks ago. I am walking around with no crutches, trying to walk as normal as possible. I can pick-up my children and can walk a few steps with Lilly but Lucas is still too heavy to carry. They have both been great about holding my hand or following me, but I miss the extra snuggles.

I went out to a parking lot Sunday night to "practice" driving and making sure I was able to slam on the brakes. It's kinda weird after not driving for three weeks but I passed my test so I am able to drive this week. It is nice to have a little more freedom and not have to be "chaperoned" all the time. Haven't done any fun outings yet...I see Target in my future. The kids and I are surviving by ourselves until daddy gets home, I just still get extra tired or need to relax more than I am use to doing. Definitely back to work but trying not to take on too much.

I think God is using this surgery to teach me a lesson...well two lessons.

1. Slow Down and don't try to do so much all the time.

2. Appreciate your blessings.

Both messages are loud and clear. I am struggling with the first though. I am always just go go go. I have a list of items to accomplish and I like to check them off. I try to squeeze too much into one hour, or one day, or one weekend. God has been trying to teach me this one for over a year and I was obviously too busy to even listen! It is hard being a work-at-home mom trying to accomplish the typical stay-at-home mommy duties and then throwing 15-20 hours of work on top of that. I am use to being able to do 5 things at once and since this surgery it just really isn't possible. I am trying to re-learn that is it ok to let certain things go. It's ok to accept help when it is offered and it's ok to ask for help too. I need to stop feeling guilty about the laundry that is clean and waiting to be folded for two days now. I decided that the "to-do" list that I made this morning is going to be a goal to shoot for by Friday instead of the end of today. I am trying to let go of that need in the back of my head to always be doing something. I need to relax, enjoy my children and time with my family and friends.

I think this is where #2 comes into play. If you aren't appreciating everything and everyone around you then you start to take alot of things for granted. Your relationships, your children, your health (and ease of mobility). I have always tried to be very thankful for all my blessings, but I have realized that just because you are remembering to say thanks to God doesn't neccesarily mean your are taking the time to enjoy your blessings.

I am a firm believer in "Everything happens for a reason", or maybe better stated..."God brings something good out of everything bad".

Well, before and through this sugery God has really been working on me. My attitude, my outlook, my heart, my goals, my family. I believe that God can work miracles. But I also believe that God can't fully work on you until you actually stop and listen to Him. Allow yourself to be open enough to hear what He has to say. I am trying to take life slower and I thank everyone who has tried to help me realize that, who has listened when I needed them to. You know who you are and I love you all very much.

Everyone needs to share...

Lilly: "Hey you silly dog! You are laying on my new pillow! That is not very nice to be laying right in the middle...you need to share!"
That is Better!!
Thanks to Gram for the new fuzzy heart shaped pillow that Lilly got for Valentines Day! It is obviously teaching love to everyone who touches it!!

Train Play "Techniques"

Ok, So trains are a big part of the Hess household. Lucas is really into Thomas trains and his train table ($25 garage sale steal!). He knows all the train names by heart and doesn't always want to share...at least with his little sister who sometimes like to tear the track apart. But of course since Lucas is always playing trains Lilly wants to be a part of her big brothers world so we are always in a sharing struggle. What usually happens is Lucas will see her coming and grab a different toy to give her in order to distract her from his table.

When she makes it to the table, a different approach is taken. Now the picture above looks like Lucas being nice but really this is a "pull and push" technique where he will pull her away and push her in a different direction...sometimes done gently and sometimes not.This is his "shooing" technique, as he calls it. He saw this picture and said "That's me shooing Lilly from my trains!" In the picture above they are actually laughing and playing chase...laughing is not typically the outcome of the "shooing technique."
Another approach as she gets near the table is FULL of love...otherwise known as the "grab and hug technique"...which can turn into more of a chokehold as seen in the above picture (Yes, Lilly's head is under that hat). She tends to just giggle and enjoy the love. Really, for Lilly it is just all about the hats. She doesn't care too much about the trains but does have a couple pink and purple "girl" trains of her own...(which Lucas will sometimes give her). Having two kids is alot of work and alot of fun. They are getting to the stage where they play together pretty well and Lucas likes to tell her what to do and not to do. Or "Follow me Lilly" techinique. I think by this summer it will be really fun to watch them play...especially outside in the sun!

We LOVE books!

Well, Lilly is definitely in the "I Love Books" phase. She points to the shelf of books and crys until you get her one, then she brings it over to you, hands it to you and then put her arms up so that you pick her up. Then she wants to Sit in the middle of your lap...not next to you, but right in the middle. Then she flips through the book as you try to read the page before she turns it. It is pretty cute...until you have read the same book 26 times.

She is really into the pop-up books...you know the ones you can tear easily. We go through alot of scotch tape here at the Hess household, but I am not complaining. Here is Lucas reading his sister a book. He is a great big brother (most of the time).

Happy Day of Love!

Well, we have had a pretty good week here at the Hess household! We would also like to say Congrats to our cousin who has just adopted a little russian girl named Rita. Go here to read all about it! Gram (Tim's mom) came on Sunday and stayed till yesterday. It was wonderful to have the help and company. She kept us well fed, the house in order and gave Tim a much deserved break.

The kids loved playing games and reading with Gram. Thanks for the good times Gram!! We love you! If you haven't seem Tim's curls- here is a great picture! I think he looks amazing and I am hoping that Lilly's little curl flips that she gets in the back will turn into her daddy's beautiful curly hair!

This is what I will be doing today...and most of the weekend!
Hope your Valentines Day is filled with love. Squeeze those around you and let them know how much they mean to you!

TOP TEN(S)

TOP TEN Things you take for granted when you have a good knee:

1. Walking
2. Picking up your Children
3. Going to the bathroom normally
4. Getting up whenever you want to do whatever you want
5. Being able to carry through on a 1...2...3 timeout threat
6. Standing in one place for more than 30 seconds
7. Going up and down the 2 stairs in your house
8. Sleeping on your stomach
9. Not having to ask someone else to get everything for you
10. Taking a shower


TOP TEN reasons this week wasn't too bad:

1. Tim has made/cleaned up all the meals
2. I haven't changed any dirty diapers
3. My husband has been home all week
4. I haven't picked up any toys
5. I haven't had to work
6. I already finished one book and 2 magazines
7. Watching my husband be amazing and take care of everything, he may not do everything the same way I do but I will have to admit there are some things he does better than me
8. I haven't had to start physical therapy yet (the hard part of this surgery)
9. I get to take at least one nap a day
10. I don't eat as much b/c I am immobile and drugged...maybe this will turn into a weight loss instead of a weight gain??...(I won't get my hopes up).


Top Ten things I am looking forward to:

1. Taking a SHOWER...hopefully tonight
2. Picking up my children and feeling like I can take care of my family (it is hard to be taken care of when you aren't used to someone doing everything for you...this has been a bit of a struggle for me, but nice at the same time).
3. Driving somewhere...that will be awhile.
4. Tim's moms cooking (she comes tomorrow).
5. Scrapbooking...hoping to get to that
6. Reading more books and watching more movies
7. Eating the lasagnas that friends have brought over! Yum!!
8. Getting out of the house (for more than physical therapy)
9. Being able to jump on my husband...or just jump
10. Did I mention a shower?

Throwback Thursday...and Recovery

Well, surgery went well and I am home recovering with the help of my husband who has been waiting on me hand and foot and helping me move around the house...along with my pillows, blankets, ice machine for my knee, crutches and other misc. items. He also has been feeding me well and keeping me drugged. I tried to go back and search for some beautiful picture of my legs to post...and I quickly realized that I have never had beautiful legs...at least not in the digital era. But I did find this picture below. It is Tim and I at his brother Ben's wedding a few years back.

I think my hair is pretty cute and this dress almost fits me again. It brought a smile to my face and just thought that right now I could use that. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and phone calls of well wishes over the last few days. Don't think I will be going anywhere except therapy the next few weeks, but feel free to stop by and say hello if you happen to be in backwoods!

Bug soup anyone?

My grandmas and mom came over yesterday for a little birthday lunch celebration (for my grandmas whose birthdays are a few weeks apart from eachother). They did eat a delicious chicken salad lunch but little did they know what would follow! Lucas wanted to play his new game that he got for his birthday. They of course readily agreed with none of us realizing that it would later turn into a bowl of bug soup! Here is the chef hard at work preparing his concoction.

Everyone enjoying their spiders, dragonflys, bettles and more!

Yummo!! Eat up grandma!

This is the actual game from Discovery Toys. It is actually a matching, sorting, color, and pattern game. But they also have a recipe for Bubbly Bug Soup that you can concoct. I think it is actually one of the best games I have seen for this age group. It deals with colors, counting, building patterns, shapes (of bugs). And at the same time they are learning bug names and how to follow directions! It is always great to make learning time something fun! If you are interested go here or feel free to email my sister who just happens to sell this wonderful product! (Your welcome for the free plug Jo!) Have fun being buggy!

Upcoming Surgery

Well, for those who don't know I will be having knee surgery to replace my ACL next Tuesday. It should be very interesting since I will have weight restrictions and can't lift my children for 2-4 weeks....yes I said I can't lift my children for 2-4 weeks. I am really not sure what I will do with all of the free time...and free hands. I do have a pile of books waiting to be read and magazines that continue to get tossed to the side. So maybe I will actually catch up on some reading, some recipe finding/sorting...and maybe if I am lucky enough to prop my leg up just right I can even start a scrapbook for Lilly since she is almost 16 already.

My husband is taking some time off work and I will have Tim's mom here for a few days and my mom for a few days. So I am not worried about the kids or the house b/c I know Tim will do an amazing job. But I am worried about sitting still long enough, trying to explain to crying children that they have to come over and sit on my lap b/c I can't carry them, getting frustrated with not being able to do simple things or screaming in pain b/c Lucas jumped off my knee from the top of the couch. I am sure it will be a humbling experience and I thank everyone ahead of time for helping out in all the different ways I am sure you will be asked to do.

I think Lucas is planning on cooking for me, he has been in training...

So at least that is covered! :) Now all I need to do is teach him how to do laundry, bathrooms, dusting, vacumming, and not to forget autocad so someone can earn some money too!

Lucas' first pics

We got Lucas a kids digital camera for Christmas and he loves it. Before he had a fisher price one that I got a garage sale for 10 cents (it actually used real film) and he LOVED to use it this summer so we found a deal on the new supposedly "drop-proof" kids camera and below are some of his first pictures...

His favorite train table of course...don't look behind at the rest of the messy house. This MUST have been an odd day since my house is always spotless. ;)
his favorite sister...well most of her.

kind-of an artistic approach to the push toys.

And I thought I would share this picture of the dog that he took vs. the other end that we also have a few shots of.
and the famous self-portrait!

Alot of dog pics in the bunch, probably b/c he is fun to follow around with a camera...moving targets are always more challenging. I am sure we will share more of Lucas' famous photos with you as his aspiring photo career takes shape! What do you think?

Naked Works...but then what?

I am talking about potty training by the way. Asking for any and all advice from anyone who has potty trained a little child, (especially if that little child was a boy). We have been working at this for a little while here and there and he has gone to school in pull-ups for the last month or so and does pretty well there. The best results we have with him at home are when he is naked.
Sooo this past weekend Lucas spent 85% of the weekend naked. We did keep a fire going most of the time to keep his little cheeks warm. (Thanks to my hubby). Lucas did amazingly well. Most of the time he would run to the bathroom yelling "I gotta pee! I gotta pee!" which then Tim or I would stop what we were doing and follow his little naked butt in there (to make sure he didn't fall in and to wash hands etc.) Other times you would just all the sudden here the toilet flush and the lid close (Yes, I am training him in the proper way a man should use the toilet...by closing the lid afterward!) And half of those times he would be washing his hands by the time you got in there! Impressive!
So OBVIOUSLY the kids knows when he has to go. (Even #2 in the potty both days!) So the question is where do we go from here? We tried some "Thomas underwear" on Saturday...which were wet 5 minutes later with pee running down his leg. I guess we will try that again soon, but I guess I am wondering how you actually get the kid to just decide to do it all the time? What are the next steps in the process...or at least ideas or what worked for you or a friend? Thoughts?? Anyone...anyone??

Wordless Wednesday- Blue Eyed Conductors

Two Little Helpers

My little helper in the kitchen.

And Daddy's little helper in the Garage.

The "help" these two offer may slow you down at times...or make a mess...or accomplish the complete opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. But in the process they are learning something new and enjoying spending time with you and that is what it is really all about. Don't forget in the business of your day to be thankful for what you have and to cherish the time spent with those around you.

Pirates!

My kids are ready for the Veggie Tales Pirates Movie...are you?

This is a silly pirate.
This is a slobbery pirate.If you haven't heard of the Veggie Tales movie that comes out this weekend...where have you been? We are definitely going to hit the theatres and suggest that you do too! Check it out on www.Fandango.com to see where it is playing by you. I promise you won't be dissapointed!

Choo! Choo! All Aboard for a Birthday Party!

Lucas initial moment when we first revealed his train cake...utter excitement!!! Totally worth the effort! I got the original idea from my friend Stephanie who had made one for her sons birthday a few years back. And thanks to my siser-in-law Amanda for helping me late Friday night on this icing and candy adventure!

Lucas waited all morning to show his friends his cake...what patience!

You could tell all the kids were anxiously waiting to eat some!

His friends not only got to help eat the cake but also open presents! Good job sharing by everyone...and that is saying alot for a bunch of 3 year olds!

Thanks to everyone for making Lucas' golden birthday so special!!

Lucas Turns 3!!!

Lucas turned 3 on Thursday the 3rd. I just realized it was his golden birthday now that I write this! Well...I think it was his best so far! We went to Chuckee Cheese for his birthday dinner...

Can you tell that it was pretty exciting??

He even let Lilly ride with him...as long as he was steering!

Then we came home for a Thomas Brownie Cake!
And check out the new wheels! (Green is his favorite color). And check out the next blog to see pics of the big TRAIN party we had on Saturday!

New Years Eve...minus the little ones!

We got together with our college group of friends (5 couples minus our 10 kids) for New Years Eve. We had dinner, drinks and hung out/played pool till last call then crashed the Hilton downtown. It was great to have an adult night out!

The Happenin' Hess'.
The Hip Hoffmans.
The Marvelous Maples.

The Kick-a$$ Kearneys.

The Cute Clarks.
The totally hot sexy ladies of the evening.

And here is my stud of the night.

Everyone but the Slammin' Stamms...missed you guys!

Good times with great friends...never forgotten!!

Catching Up...

Well, I have alot to catch up on, Happy New Year to all...I will blog about ours tomorrow. But first here is Christmas Day...

As you can see, Santa did arrive with lots of goodies.
Christmas Love filled the air.
Lilly had lots of hugs and kisses for new dollies and Elmo.

Lucas had big smiles and is ready to work with daddy on new projects!

Lilly fed her new hungry babies with care.

And Lucas passed out watching a movie late morning.

Ahhhh...it was fun watching the kids excitement, I think it will only get better each year. It was also fun the next few days trying to fit all the new toys in our house. We are overly blessed and thank God for how lucky we truly are. Hope your Holidays were filled with as many blessings as ours and hope your New Year is even better!