10 on Tuesday

Okay, I know many of you are wondering where the pictures are, but you should be happy that I am finding the time to blog (I promise to work on adding some new pictures)! Life has been quite hectic since returning to work and trying to adjust has taken some time. So, today's 10 on Tuesday is a reflection on the last couple of weeks or returning back to work full time!

10. We now have 2 angels in heaven watching over us. On Tuesday, April 19th, my dad's mother passed away. It's amazing how this woman had the tenacity to beat the odds every time she turned the corner. At her age, she battled several different kinds of cancer like no one ever had! She was an amazing woman and it's hard to imagine that we can't just pick up the phone and call her anymore. I had a harder time with this death, possibly because it had only been about 7 months since my other grandma had passed, or maybe it was the fact that I couldn't visit her every day like I did Grandma Betty, or maybe the fact that my dad is an only child...not sure, but it has been hard!

I was cleaning through our cards today---and this woman didn't miss a birthday, holiday, anniversary, you name it. As I was going through them and sorting into new baby cards, holiday cards, birthday cards...I found an Easter card, from her, dated April 10th. I have a feeling she knew that Easter this year was going to be a little different. We miss you and love you Grandma Lou!!

9. With that being said, the weekend prior to me heading back to work was kind of a blur....her funeral was on Good Friday, we celebrated Easter by attending church with my grandfather in Geneva (home of the other grandmother that passed away in September), and we celebrated our princess's fourth birthday on Easter Sunday! Looking back at the calendar, Grandma passed away exactly 8 weeks after Kendyn Lou-Douglas was born and a week before Kayin turned four.

8. The first week back was bittersweet...I was more than ready to have a routine and get our family back on a schedule, but yet wanted time to grieve and didn't have that opportunity.

7. We couldn't have asked for a better sitter for Kendyn. Due to the amount of pregos and new babies at Kayin's daycare, we needed to find someone for Kendyn. Luckily, our good family friends J & A offered to help out!! I am pretty sure A is around most of the time, but every now and then I know J gets a turn! They have three amazing girls and another one on the way...she is SUPER MOM and rocks at watchin' my kid (and when Kayin gets a chance, she goes too)!!

6. Do you ever feel that there isn't enough time in the day to get the littlest things done? When I was home on maternity leave I felt like I accomplished soooooo much and could get everything on my "to-do" list crossed off. Now, I purposely write things I have already done on a "to-do" list so I can feel good about getting something done....even if it was accomplished before I wrote the dang list!

5. After some hard thinking and pro/con lists, I have leapt into the world of selling MaryKay!! I attended a meeting about 4 weeks ago and honestly had no intention of signing up to be a consultant. However, after talking with my director and laying some things out on the table, I figured "Heck, what is there to lose? I LOVE make-up, enjoy seeing how happy good lookin' skin makes people feel, and getting to know some pretty amazing women, I figured...GO FOR IT!!" So, if you are ever in need of some product, let me know!

4. This past weekend, the kids and I, okay...mostly Kayin and I, planted our pots!! And boy was it fun!! I went into Campbell's Nursery around 5:45 on Friday night...started pulling some things into my cart when I noticed I was doing what I DID NOT WANT TO DO THIS YEAR!!! Purchasing the same ole' flowers I ALWAYS do! So, I asked for some assistance and wouldn't you know, they were closing at 6:00. Well, I was bound and determined to get help from someone and luckily, "J" recommended to come back Saturday morning, EARLY (as it was Mother's Day weekend) with pictures of the pots and their dimensions.

Well, I did just that! Went home that night, snapped a few photos, took some measurements and returned back on Saturday morning. In about 30 minutes, we had 7 boxes loaded with flowers and plants and none of it was even remotely close to what I have planted in the past. The teacher in me, of course, took notes as to what plants/flowers went into each pot and where as well attached the identification tags to the pictures of the pots so next year, if I like what I have this year, I can be ready!! And yes, I do promise to get the pictures up soon!

3. I still have yet to see any of the royal wedding coverage...I don't even think I have seen a picture of Kate's full wedding attire!

2. Last week Justin took the kids for their check-ups. Kayin has to follow up with an orthopaedic opthamologist. One of her eyes is not 20/20 vision...I wouldn't be surprised if we end up getting glasses down the road. When she was born, her right eye looked as though some of the iris had "leaked" into the pupil. I can't quite remember what the technical term is, possibly a detached iris strand? We have always had to get it checked out and Dr. R wasn't overly concerned, but wants us to keep an eye on it. Kendyn was weighing in at almost 12 pounds!! He is following his sister's path in being long and lean! He is in the 85th%ile for length...and he certainly didn't get it from me!

1. Assessments, Assessments, Assessments.....and REPORT CARDS!!!