Here’s some recent photo goodness:

They are growing right before my eyes and every day is special.  It’s so difficult to watch them grow up and become their own personalities.  As much as I love them and understand that this is part of life, in these moments I truly understand what it must have been like for my own mother to “let go” of her four children.

Dawson will be 7 years old in just a few months.  SEVEN.  It seems like yesterday that I was holding him in my arms and rocking him to sleep.  His life is no longer an off-shoot of mine.  He has his own life, separate from me.  He has experiences at school that I know nothing about.  When he gets home he tells me about his friends, what he’s learned, the emotions he feels when things happen during his day.  He is making his own memories and some day this little boy will be a man.  How do I get over the immensity of this fact of life that is staring me in the face every day?  Oh how I wish I cold slow down time.

Owen is almost two years old and I’m now realizing that everything I’ve experienced with Dawson is coming down the pipe with my youngest child.  My baby wants to be like his big brother so much, and it seems like he’s growing up twice as fast as Dawson is.  I don’t know how this is possible.  Owen is so full of energy and is always smiling.  When I look at his face I see how much he loves life.  I see how much he loves Dawson.  He is ready to conquer the world.

I can help but shed some tears.  I’m sad these little birds have to leave the nest some day, but I’m so lucky to be their mother and to watch them take flight right before my eyes.

I spent most of the last year just trying to cope.  Last January, my grandmother’s house burned down.  That was a hard thing to deal with.  I still cannot believe the house is gone.

The first part of last year was tough financially.  Just after Owen was born in October of 2009, I was without a job and spent most of my “maternity leave” worrying about paying for medical bills and mortgage payments.  It wasn’t until last February that I found a job through and employment agency.  It started out very part time, and in June I was given full time hours in another department.  In November the company hired me on permanently and while it’s fabulous to have a job, the work is stressful and there is so much I wish I could discuss about it, but I’m not about to be Dooced.  Let’s just say I work my ass off but I’m treated poorly (as are a few of my co-workers).

We’ve had a lot of illness in our family, too.  It seems like 2010 was a host for mega viruses that pretty much wiped us out.  The kids and I had the flu in June.  It was just awful.  Dawson was stricken with pneumonia in October, a month after kindergarten started, and missed a week of school.  Owen had his first nasty cold that lasted a month, and Doug and I both caught bronchitis in September.  Even my parents were sick right before and during Christmas.  My dad had the flu and mom caught walking pneumonia.  I’m praying 2011 is a year of good health.

We lost loved ones last year, also.  A family friend passed away from cancer.  He was a patron of my dad’s tavern, and a good friend to my father as well.  I called him “Uncle Bernie” because for so many years I saw him almost daily.  He truly was a part of the family.  Another friend died from liver failure, just last month.  It’s devastating when those we love leave this world too soon.

But instead of dwelling on the negative parts of last year, there were some wonderful things, too.

Just before Easter my friend Greta was welcomed into the Catholic church.  She had converted from Presbyterianism, and she had asked me to be her confirmation sponsor.  It was such an honor and I’m so lucky to have a friend like Greta.  She is always so positive, even when it seems like the whole universe is taking a dump on life, she can find the good.  Being her sponsor made me realize how important my faith is to me.  It truly renewed my belief in Catholicism and I’m so grateful to Greta for giving me that opportunity.

Then, in early November, my best friend Amanda’s son Gunnar was baptized.  Gunnar was born 5 weeks early, June 14 and Amanda asked me to be his Godmother.  Once again I was so honored.  I have such wonderful friends.  Gunnar is my first Godchild and I look forward to watching him grow in the Catholic faith, just as I do with my boys, too.

Christmas was wonderful this year.  This is the first year I did not go overboard in the present department.  We got the kids only a few presents and only the things they truly wanted.  Just to see their faces as they opened their gifts was enough for me.  The holiday went by too quickly.

We had Christmas at our house this year, and I spent Thursday and Friday (I had off at work) cleaning like a mad woman.  Then Saturday my parents, siblings,  aunt and uncle came over for Christmas dinner.  The day was over before I knew it.  Sunday was depressing.  I think it was the post holiday let-down and the fact that I had to go back to the stress at work the next day.

I’m so glad 201o is over.  2011 will be great — I’m determined to make it the best year yet.

This shit is getting old.  Yes, I said shit.  I can’t help it.  I’m reprimanding myself for not blogging.  Again.

The big news of the past few months:

Dawson has finished his year of 4K (4-year-old kindergarten).  He had a wonderful year.  He started out shy and quiet and ended the school year as a bright, outgoing and super happy boy.  He did miss half of the last day of school because he threw up.  It was the day of his 4K concert and I’m thinking the usual nerves that come with stardom got the better of him.  His teacher called for me to pick him up early.  I was bummed to miss all the little ones singing songs and dancing the hokey pokey, but I was more nervous about my son being sick. Turns out he was fine the next day.  I’m blaming stage fright.

Owen is almost 8 months old.  He’s nearly 25 pounds, almost 29 inches in length and he eats a lot.  We’re still nursing, too.  My baby has no intentions of weaning and I’m okay with that.  I just don’t know where he puts everything he consumes!  He eats rice cereal in the morning, baby food 3 times a day and nurses quite a bit throughout the day and evening.  He has been sleeping through the night, save for a few growth spurts that have caused him to wake up at 3 a.m. for a snack.  He will be the child to eat us out of house and home.  He is going to be a linebacker in the NFL.  Mark my words.  You should see his thighs.  Massive.

I have gone back to work.  I started a job with a temp agency back in February and have been working part-time hours ever since.  I like the flexibility that this opportunity brings.  I’m able to be home with my munchkins for the most part, but I also get to interact with adults and bring home a little cash, too.  I’m still searching for a full time job (since my contract with BlogHer ended in October) but this economy hasn’t rebounded as quickly as I’d hoped.  I’ve had interviews left and right, but the trouble is there are so many applicants for so few positions.  I’m just taking my time, trying to find the right job.  I had an interview last week that was fantastic and they will be contacting me this week with their decision.  Wish me luck!

Our calendar has been packed with parties and events.  We had two graduation parties we attended that last two Saturdays, not to mention church picnics, birthday parties and kids adventures.  I have been taking Dawson to the Lowe’s Build & Grow project days and he has such fun building the kits.  Yesterday he made a picture frame.  It is really cool.

This summer is looking good, too.  Two weddings, a bridal shower, baby shower and a mini-vacation are coming up.  I’m very excited!  I’m keeping the kids busy with swimming lessons, and Dawson is playing T-Ball and Soccer this summer.  I want him to have as much fun as he can before kindergarten starts this fall.

What are you all doing these days?  Any big summer plans?

It’s 5:47 a.m., I’m wide awake.  Couldn’t sleep.  Nose still stuffy, I’m now feeling some congestion.  Is it allergies?  Delayed onset of a cold?  Swine flu? (Dear God, I hope not.  Please help me feel human again.)

It’s July 12, 2009, and the weather this morning is frigid for July.  Wisconsin summers are typically humid.  We’ve been in a cold snap for almost a week (or more, I’ve lost track).

It’s Sunday, and in 4 hours we’ll be off to church.  Our parish festival began Friday evening and ends tonight.  This morning’s service is a Polka Mass.  While Dawson and I enjoy the music, poor Doug (who dislikes polkas very much) will be cringing for an hour.

It’s too early to be awake.  I’ll try to go back to sleep, only to lie awake in bed and think about things.  My thinking will turn into worrying, as it usually does, and then I’ll get out of bed and start cleaning things to take my mind off everything else.

I think I might be hungry.  I’m starting to feel nauseas.  Oh, the joys of pregnancy.

5:53 a.m.  Random Sunday blogging.  Good times.

Good Morning, y’all…

To be completely honest, I haven’t felt the desire to blog — not the way I once did.  I mean, there are days that I have things to say and there are many days when I have no idea what to blog about.

I was reading Wired magazine the other day, and there was a little blurb about blogging and how it might be time to pull the plug because it’s just not what it used to be.  It also mentioned Jason Calacanis and his decision to end his famous blog this past summer.  (Truthfully, I think he quit blogging because the Queen of Spain intimidates him with her awesomeness.)

Anyway, for a split second I thought about quitting the blog.  Then I realized how much I would miss it.  I just need some motivation.

So, I signed up for NaNoBloMo again this year to get my rear end back into the blogging big time.  But not only will I be posting daily, I will be commenting daily as well.  My goal is to comment on ten new blogs (in addition to the ones I regularly comment on) every day.  It’s time to spread the love and get back on top of the game.

And, I have a request from each of you.  To inspire some writing on my end, I am opening up the comments as your forum to ask me anything.  Is there something you want to know about me?  Do you have questions about anything I’ve written before?  Hit me with it.

I’ll do my best to post answers to your questions.  Thank you in advance for your participation!

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Alyssa has given me the opportunity to write for JUST CAUSE as a contributing editor, writing about JUST FAMILIES. I’ve written my first post about my family’s plan to go Green for Earth Day, and beyond.