Five Question Friday #18

It's finally Friday. Don't you just feel like some weeks, just drag on? This week has felt like that. I think I'm just tired. Possibly coming down with something. Or maybe we're just trying to find a rhythm still. I don't know. But I'm just happy the weekend is here. Let's get the Five Question Friday underway.

1. Do you apologize to your kids if you're wrong? Yes, I think it's important for them to know, even grown ups can be wrong. We're also the kind of parents, that believe in parenting by example. It's tough, but I think it's beneficial.

2. Do you have a class ring, Letterman's jacket, or similar obscenely priced high school "must have"? Yes, I was one of those kids. I had a Yearbook, Letterman's jacket, and a Class Ring. Now 2 of the 3, are stored in the attic. And my ring is in my jewelry box. A piece of jewelry that I wore for 10 years, I probably haven't worn it in over 10 years.

3. If you could be one age for the rest of your life, what age would you choose? My late twenties. But I'd like to be done with school, and being a resident. I'd like to have all my kids by then. And I'd want them to be small. Pretty much, my life now, just me in my late twenties.

4. What is your favorite (unused) baby name? Unused baby names, that's both tough and easy. For a girl, Emily. And for a boy, Jason.

5. If you could make your child like something what would it be? I'd like for my kids to always be adventurous and hardworking. I think those are very important life skills.

Wickedly Cute Pillows!

I think I've mentioned on here, a time or two, that I really enjoy the Etsy shop, Little Miss Momma. Have you checked out Ashley's blog? It's also a must see! But I recently came across some of her Halloween pillows, and I'm struggling not to go and buy them all! They'd definitely add some fun to our house.

How about a little trick or treat fun? I think these would be perfect in a chair. Looking outside. Something fun to greet visitors.

Or these cuties! I'd love to put a dozen of these, on our couch. In the family room. Because they're so fun and playful!

Maybe you're feeling a little wicked. This would be a fun pillow to add into the mix. Definitely a conversation starter!

But my favorites are these "Wicked Witch" pillows. Perfect! And do you notice how cute, all these pillows look together?

Yes, I've been dreaming about adding these beauties, to our house. And our Halloween decor. What do you think? Something you like too? Do you have any other fun, and festive ideas for me? I'd love to hear about them. I'd also love to find some new Etsy shops, to fall in love with. :)

I Miss...

Last month, I spent some time with my friend Hillary. And her beautiful baby girl. In a few short seconds, I fell in love, with this sweet baby girl. And within minutes, I missed having a baby at home.

I miss the sweet baby smells. All the cuddling. The baby coos. I miss those delicious, half sleepy smiles. I miss late night feeds. Time talking, when the house is fast asleep. I miss sweet fingers tightly holding onto my fingers. I miss itty bittie clothes on laundry day. I miss sweet lullabies. I miss tiny toes to kiss. And silly baby hair to comb.

Yes, I miss having a baby in the house. Our baby is now 2 1/2 years old! Where did all the time go? Almost 8 years ago, I became a mommy. I never realized how quickly the years would fly by. And how sad I'd be, when I could no longer have a sweet baby to hold.

I miss my babies, being babies. But I'm so happy to watch them grow. Something about this trip, just made me think, I'm never going to have babies again. I can't lie, it makes my heart ache. There's just something about a sweet baby. In about twenty years, I'll happily welcome some sweet grand babies.

Five Question Friday #17

I'm feeling a little crazy this week. I'm getting the finishing touches, completed for Ethan's birthday. On a side note, when did my baby grow up? He's going to be 8 years old! I've also been looking for birthday stuff for Logan. His birthday is in December. In our family, the boys' birthdays are in the Fall. The girls' birthdays are in the Spring.

Other than that, I'm still trying to find a rhythm. 3 of my kiddos are now in school. I've yet to figure out some work days. And I just volunteered to be a Class Parent. Oh, and I got voted to be the schools' VP of the PTA. I'm still now sure how I feel about that. Did I mention? The hospital also volunteered me as a Fundraising Queen. Pretty much, I have to organize some upcoming events.

But I'm trying, to not let all of this get to me. I'm enjoying all the one-on-one time with Daniella. I'm secretly loving it! It's really allowing me to soak up all of our time together. And really enjoy my baby. I'm trying to keep her as young as possible, for as long as possible. Does that makes sense? I think I'm still kind of wanting another baby. So I'm trying to make my baby, stay young. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, here are this week's Five Question Friday.

1. Dream job...realistic and completely unrealistic. My "realistic" dream job is being a SAHM and MD. I think that's going pretty well. Don't you? For about 6 months now, I've averaged 3 days a month, as an MD. Just enough to keep me interested in medicine. And keep me sane. More importantly, tons of time with my family. My "unrealistic" dream job...I need to think about this. I'd enjoy something involving traveling, shopping, and tons of spas. Any jobs like that out there?

2. Do you fart in front of your significant other? I was so weird about this. I completely hid this, well into my marriage. I'm positive, that Patrick, really believed women didn't fart. I know that we're both MDs. And he should know better. But I'm positive that's what he thought. My MIL is so lady-like. I'm almost 100% certain, that she's never past gas before. No I'm not lying! But during my 1st pregnancy, I had the worst gas ever! It just showed up during my last trimester. After that, I figured why try and hide it. My hubs knows I'm human.

3. What's the furthest you've ever traveled from home? How far and where was it? When we were first married, we definitely couldn't afford a real honeymoon. But Patrick and I promised, the first time we got a decent amount of money, and we had a home, we'd go on a trip. When Patrick got this job, immediately, we knew what we had to do. We planned a trip. Called our parents. And Patrick and I went to Paris. For 10 days. It was heaven! Honestly, it has been the only trip we've gone on, without our kids. That wasn't for work. We really need to do some kind of trip, to celebrate our 10 years of marriage.

4. How do you celebrate birthday for your kids? Family only or friends? ... Alternate for those without kiddos: How did you celebrate birthdays as a kid? On their actual birthdays, we have a family dinner. Just Patrick, the kids, and I. The birthday kiddo gets to pick the menu. And of course, we have cake and presents. Then on the weekend closest to their birthday, we have a birthday party. We invite friends and family. Honestly, usually just friends, and grandparents come. We live pretty far from our families.

5. Fave thing about fall? Just one thing? I can't do that! I LOVE FALL! I love the colors. Warm and rich. I love the smells. Spicy and comforting. The cooling weather couldn't be better! I enjoy cooking soups, stews, and comfort foods. Baking is a must! Nothing is more comfy than boots and chunky sweaters. Oh, and lots of cuddling with my family, and cozy soft blankets. Yes, I LOVE FALL!!!

Serenity

Immediately, this prayer came to mind. Patrick and I, came out to Tennessee. Our good friend, and her baby, have been through so much! It pains me so. My heart just breaks for them. Both of them. To have gone through so very much, so much hurt and pain. I don't really want to go through all of it. I think you should read the story from Hillary, herself.

Recently, a colleague of ours, contacted Patrick. If he'd be interested in this surgery. We all agreed. It was for such a good reason. I called my parents. And they agreed, to come and stay with our kids. For about a week. Because Hillary needs us. Plans were made. And here we are, in Tennessee.

The surgery was completed. A complete success. Complicated and long. But successful. Patrick and Dr. Sam were the lead surgeons. I sat with Hillary and her brother. As we were updated, I would explain to them exactly what was going on. I tried to keep my friend distracted. To keep her mind off of what was going on. I did everything that I could, to be a good friend. A comfort. A solid support.

Baby C is now doing well. Actually, better than expected. Which is such a relief. My friend and her baby girl, deserve such a good life. To be healthy. To be happy. I want that for them. For these amazing souls. I've only known for just under a year. But I swear to you, I feel like we've known each other for a lifetime!

This prayer, was just perfect. As an MD, we are trained to think,that we can do it all. We should be able to fix every problem, that comes our way. Every single time. But in reality, we know that we're just human. Not every situation is fixable. It's unfortunate. Heartbreaking.

The Serenity Prayer, was the one prayer, that I had hanging in my locker. The very first day that I worked at the hospital. At the beginning of every shift, I read it. And at the end of every shift, I read it again. It's the one thing, that gave me courage, when I was full of fear!

Yesterday's surgery, required courage, wisdom, and serenity. We all pray that Baby C will heal. Completely. That she will have the same chances in life, that my own kids have. I pray that God gives grace, wisdom, and patients to my friend. Most of all, I pray that God gives my friend strength. This is a long road that she's on. She needs all of our strength, love, and prayers. Please say an extra prayer, for this beautiful family.

Halloween Wreath

I was just searching, for a fun Halloween wreath idea. I want something really fun, for our side door. The one that our family uses, to come in and go out through. As a family, we rarely use the front doors. Those doors, are used for company. And they already have gorgeous wreaths on them.

I've been searching and searching. I seen some black wreaths at Target. But they're pretty pricey, for what they are. Nothing fancy. And honestly, nothing too fun. Basically, they're wreaths made out of black flowers. And they were $40 a piece. Not too fun. Now you know why, I was so excited, when I saw this picture.

Let me start out by saying, I'm not a "crafty person." Not at all! I want to be. I'm just not there. Yet. I'm trying to be more and more crafty. This might just be the project, that turns me into a "Crafty Maven." :) This wreath looks like it's made out of a wire ring, some tulle, and some ribbon. Possibly, the tulle is just tied on? I can handle this!

Looks like Daniella and I have to take a shopping trip. I want to make a big wreath like this. I'm pretty sure, we'll all enjoy it. Just something fun. To make the whole family smile.

Five Question Friday #16

I'm going to admit it. Having 3 kids in school, is kicking my butt! I can't get a schedule down. I feel like I'm always racing around. I need to seriously sit down, and get me a good schedule going. If not, Daniella and I, are going to go crazy. Her naps are getting cut short. Dinner has been late, all week long! And I'm going to need, about 20 cups of coffee, every day! With that, here is this week's Five Question Friday.
1. If you had a weekly newspaper column, what would you name it? Babbling Brooke. Hey, that could be fun. Now I just need to find a newspaper, that needs another writer.

2. Who is your mentor/inspiration? This is going to sound a bit cheesy, but my hubby. Patrick is so good, at so much. His heart, is ginormous! My hubs is so caring, loving, patient, and the most faithful person that I know. Patrick is a hard worker, always puts his family and friends ahead of himself, and loves to give back. I've always aspired to be like my husband.

3. What is your wake up beverage of choice? Coffee, coffee, and more coffee. This is hilarious! From the time that I first got pregnant with Ethan, until after Daniella was 18 months old, I didn't have a single cup of coffee. That's years people! This coming from the "Coffee Queen" herself. But I didn't drink it  for years. My drink of choice was cranberry juice. And while I still drink a glass of cranberry juice, every morning, I'm coming back to coffee. Especially since the school year started. I'm actually drinking half a pot, a day now. I need to slow down there.

4. Would you wear your mom's clothes? You know what, ya. I would. My mom is a very stylish lady. She has some amazing clothes! My mom has developed this amazing "Classic Style." Everything that she has, is classic. Great looking. And amazingly tailored. Now that I'm thinking about it, "Mom can I raid your closet?"

5. When you were a kid, did you put posters on your wall? If so, what were they of? I became the "Poster Queen," as a teen. Do you remember Tiger Beat and Seventeen? I had subscriptions to both. My walls were covered with bands, 90210, and gosh, anything from those magazines. Crazy!

I Want This...

If you know me, you know that I haven't always been a decent cook. It's no lie. While most girls were learning the basics from their moms, grandmas, whomever, I was studying. Dancing. Working at the mall. And dreaming of being a doctor. I didn't have time, to think about silly things. Like how would I feed myself, when I moved from home.

In college, I was horrible! I sporadically ate. Whatever I could find, whenever I'd remember. I wasn't a fan of the cafeteria. I avoided it like the flu. Even fast food, seemed impossibly difficult to get a hold of. So eating, was the most random thing I did. For years.

In med school, I got worse. Honestly, I lived off of hospital food. Jello, sorbet, and graham crackers with PB, became my staple foods. I'm not going to lie. My kitchen, was rarely used. Unless, Patrick was around. He grew up, with an amazing mom. Learning all about things like cooking, cleaning, those sorts of things. His dad also taught him all about mechanics, basic house fixing, etc. Me? Well, I could ace any exam. I knew how to save lives.

But things changed. After we got married, Patrick and I would cook together, at least one night a week. He was slowly teaching me the basics. When I got pregnant, I completely embraced all things domestic. The Food Network, became my "Holy Grail."

I also have my dear and close friend to thank. She is an amazing cook and baker! You should try her yummy creations. In fact, Patrick and I used to hire her. To cook for us, when we entertained. I was still learning. Not quite to "Guest over for dinner," status.

One day we had this long talk. About things like cooking. See, Lola completely self-taught herself how to cook. She comes from a family of amazing cooks. But other than one aunt, no one really taught her. Like most of us, she realized that she needed this basic skill, shortly after leaving home. Much trial and error, watching PBS and Food Network cooking shows, and lots of cookbooks later, Lola is the most amazing cook!

My first cookbook, came from Lola. It was a local cookbook. That I still have. Lots of yummy recipes. Food that Patrick had grown up eating. Lola not only taught me about cooking with methods, not just recipes, but about collecting cookbooks. We'd go to thrift shops looking for old cookbooks. And we'd hunt down our favorite new cookbooks. Yes, my friend taught me a lot about cooking. I'm so grateful! And with that, she sent me a link about this cookbook.

First of all, I really enjoy watching Marcela's show, Mexican Made Easy. Such delicious food! Simple, easy to make, and so delicious! Have you ever watched the show? It's one of my favorite cooking shows. Between, I hear that Marcela is going to be on a bit of a "tour" of sorts. She's scheduled on lots of shows, in the coming weeks. I hope I get to catch her cooking on daytime. I always learn so much from her!

This cookbook is now on the top of my "Must Have" list. When can I go to the bookstore? I really want this one in my collection. And I'm positive, that my family would benefit, from this simple purchase. We're big Mexican food lovers around here. Oh, well is doesn't hurt that we're also Mexicanos.

Welcome Back!

I didn't realize how crazy, "Back to School" would be. Patrick works 100+ hours a week. And I respect that. He's providing for us. And this job, it's something that the 2 of us talked, at length, about. I especially love, that Patrick works so hard Monday-Friday, so that he has Saturday and Sunday off. Just so he can spend time with our kids and me.

With that, comes a lot of responsibility for me. Yes, we're lucky. I get to call on some help. From time to time, I call a friend/babysitter. Who helps with my kids. If I'm busy with work, or have a lot of things, I can call for some help. It doesn't happen much. But when I need the help, I can get it.

The last few weeks have been crazy! I've been so busy. We now have 3 kids in school. That's 3 teachers to meet. 3 Parent-Teacher Conferences. 3 groups of parents. Thankfully, only 1 PTA. Which now, I'm a big part of! I didn't see that coming. But I was elected. And I'm going to look at that, as being a blessing. Oh, and I'm the "Class Parent" for all 3 of these classes.

Count to 10. I need to breathe. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm feeling like a bad parent. A bad mommy. I know that I shouldn't. But it's just the way life is. I question these things, when life gets tough. We've had so much going on. I know that Patrick feels bad. He wants to be around for all these events. But he has to work.

Earlier, when I was putting Daniella down for a nap, she hugged me. So tight. And kissed me. Whispered in my ear, "Mommy, I wuv you." In that second, I knew all of this. was well worth it! I'm going to get through this. I know, once the kids start to settle into school, and we get a schedule going, it's going to be OK. Thank goodness, that we did most of our "Back to School" shopping, weeks ago. That, plus all of this, might just push me over the edge. Until then, I'm going to curl up, and watch some TV. And eat a little chocolate. Yes, life isn't that bad.

Never Forget

10 years later, I still get emotional. At times, overly emotional. That day, will forever be engraved in my memory. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those families, who lost a loved one. On September 11, 2001. And all those families, who have lost someone since. My heart breaks. So much has changed in our country. So many people have sacrificed their lives, to ensure our safety. I will never forget. And I'll be sure, to continue to tell the story, to the next generation. I'll Never Forget! God Bless the USA!

Five Question Friday #15

I can already feel it. This weekend is going to be an emotional one. 10 years ago, I sat on the floor, and watched hours and hours of 9/11 coverage. Lately, I've been watching all the specials that I can find. Only while my kids sleep. But still. I feel like I'm reliving those days again. I'm going to try and keep busy this weekend. Keep my TV watching to a minimum. And show my kids how to be patriotic. In the end, I can never forget that day. That time. And I never want to forget it either. I better move onto this week's Five Question Friday. I'm starting to get too emotional around here.

1. What ringtone do you have on your cell phone? Long Hot Summer. I'm really loving that song right now. Usually I have the regular "ring." You know, the default. But my hubs downloaded this amazing one for me. :)

2. What is your favorite memory from this summer? Just recently, we met Patrick for a picnic lunch. We met at the hospital. And we all walked to a local park. For 2 hours, we just enjoyed the summer evening. And Patrick. We couldn't have asked for a better evening. Dinner was amazing! And we got a lot of time, to play with our kids. It was a great way to spend a summer evening. Family time!

3. Paper books or ebooks? Definitely paper books! I do have a Kindle. But there is just something about holding a book. Especially a really good book. When you fold down the corners of the book, to save your place. Or for my kids, when we all snuggle up to read. I really enjoy that. And getting to look at all the amazing pictures. Yes, we like paper books around here.

4. If you could have one home upgrade what would it be and why? That's tough. We have a relatively new house. With everything, that we had really ever dreamt of. But if I had to pick something, I'd like a really fun and interesting family room, on our basement level. I think as the kids get older, it would be nice to have an area of the house, for them to hangout. Especially when their friends are over. A place with fun games, a TV, a small fridge. Something cool like that. Heck, it would be nice now. When I'm trying to do something, I could send Patrick and the kids down there. :)

5. When was your first serious boyfriend/girlfriend? I was in high school. I dated the same guy, the entire time I went to school. I really thought he was my "forever love." But then, we turned 18, and headed off to different colleges. Honestly, after the 1st semester away, we never talked to one another. We just drifted apart. Crazy!

Kid's Mud Bar

Unfortunately, in our family, we don't have many "lazy days." I wish we had more. The kind of days, when you stay in your pjs all day. Just hanging out. Enjoying family. Usually, we have a full day of things planned. Everything that we didn't get done during the week. Ethan usually has a soccer game. Many times Madelyn has some sort of dance thing. Saturdays are usually days filled with lots of family time. And running around town.

Our weekends, are also the only time that Patrick has off of work. Literally, Saturday and Sunday. And not all the time. Because of his position at the hospital, he has many conferences to attend. Weekends around here are insane! Rarely lazy and relaxing.

This past weekend, was very different. We had nothing planned. I had completely stocked our fridge and pantry. We had everything that we needed, in our home. And we took full advantage of it. Patrick was off of work. This was the last weekend of summer. Our kids are going back to school this week.

Saturday was such a lazy day. Everyone slept in. Way in! The first sounds of life, came around 10AM. When Daniella came looking for her Daddy. They have their own Saturday morning traditions. It lead to a casual family brunch. Eaten on the floor, on picnic blankets. All in our family room. It was such a relaxing time.

All the while, we were watching PBS. And we happened on a fun, and new show. At least it's new to us. B. Organic. Michelle is the most talented person. Has all these amazing ideas. I was hooked! Surprisingly, so was my hubs. And our kiddos. We watched 2 episodes. Got lots of ideas. I took notes. And when B. Organic was over, the kids asked for one of these.

What is this? A Kid's Mud Bar. Made from old wood, extra kitchen supplies, and just stuff you have around the house. Yes, we were all excited! Patrick promised, we'd get one of these goodies. Daniella is already planning out her mud pie recipes. Yes, she's got recipes! This is going to be such a fun family project!

Love These Guys!

In case you haven't noticed, I usually don't blog on the weekends. Much less on a holiday weekend. That's family time. But I've been wanting to share something with you. A while back, my friend Lola, sent me Il Volo's CD. Immediately, I fell in love.

I bet you didn't know, that I really enjoy classical music. But I really do. Every once in a while, I can convince Patrick, to go to a Symphony concert. If I'm really lucky, I can get my hubby to go to an Opera. Yes, I'm a huge fan of classical music.

I want you to hear Il Volo. They're a group of teenagers, who sing amazingly! Honestly, I just enjoy listening to their music. You'd think they'd been singing for 20 years. Not just a handful. They're that good. Why can't I have talent like that? But Il Volo is amazing! So take a listen. You'll enjoy it.

Five Question Friday #14

Summer is pretty much over. This weekend, I feel, is the official end to summer. It makes me sad. My kids will be going back to school. Mommy is not sure how she feels about this. A 2nd grader, a 1st grader, and a 3-days-a-week preschooler. What the heck? When did they grow up? We got all of our school shopping done. Patrick is taking the weekend off. It's going to be good. Right now, it's time for Five Question Friday.

1. Shoes in the house - yay or nay? There's no rule in our house. But somehow, no one wears shoes in the house. It's more of a "We don't like to wear shoes" thing. Actually, it's a pretty good thing. It means there is less stuff coming into the house. It's a pretty good thing.

2. What do you call them- flip flops, slippers, thongs, etc? Around here we call them flip flops or flippie floppies. The second is my kids' favorite.

3. What song are you almost embarrassed to admit you know all the lyrics to? I'm a child of the 80s and 90s. There are so many embarrassing songs, that I know. But the one song that comes to mind is from later in my life. "The Thong Song." How and when did I learn this?

4. What is the best quality to have in a friend? Hands down, it's loyalty. If you have a loyal friend, that's all you need. Not to mention, with loyalty, everything else falls into place. You know there will be trust, respect, and love. Loyalty is just so important. A loyal friend will be there for you in good times, and bad times.

5. Do you know what you want for Christmas? That's tough. I haven't even thought of it. But the first thing that comes to mind is, redoing our bedroom. Or at least new bedding. Maybe Patrick and I can do that for ourselves. You know you're an adult, when that's your Christmas Wish List.

Counting Down the Days...

Until we get to go to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze. Our family always enjoys that. It's a tradition around here. One that we count on, every year. Picking out a pumpkin for everyone. And having so much fun in the maze. Yes, it's exciting! And just one of the things, that I look forward to every Fall. In case you didn't know it, Fall is my favorite season! Is there anything special that you just love about Fall? Anything special that your family does? Something that we should try?