Finding the Time

I was busy with one kid, but really busy with two. We went on vacation. We've had family in town, and I've been frantically working on my summer to-do list.

Some things (blogs, for example) just end up taking a back burner to others.

Paternity Leave

Mr. Bean's last day of paternity leave. He's been asleep for hours. String Bean has been asleep for hours. Jelly Bean has been asleep beside me on the couch for about an hour.

We are all still in our PJs and sleeping through the lunch hour.

Why can't paternity leave last forever?

When You are a Mom...

You will appreciate the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. All the stress of pulling off the perfect Christmas is behind you and most of the hosting of dinners and parties have passed. You have a week to relax with your husband home (hopefully) and your child(ren) have all the new toys they could possibly need to keep them entertained. Christmas decorations can be left up until New Year's Day without anyone questioning your ability to keep house.

Ahh...vacation!

Irons in the Fire

Ever feel like you have too many irons in the fire? That pretty much describes the last couple weeks for me. Nothing much is going on, but too much of everything is going on.

Mr. Bean has been on vacation. We've been moving things from one storage area to another and going through and consolidating all of it. I've been putting in many more hours at work than I'm supposed to in a given week trying to get ready for the school year. Plus there are several family and extended family things going on (nothing negative). Sprinkle in a few vacations and it has been crazy.

Here is hoping the craziness settles down a bit. I believe that begins with Mr. Bean going back to work in the morning!

Indianapolis

We are in Indianapolis visiting my parents. They claim Indy is the half-way point between our houses, but I know we are getting the better end of the deal driving-wise.

As you read this post, we are at the Indianapolis Zoo. I'll be sure to tell you all about it when I get back. We are excited to meet with Grace and her husband Chris who live in the Indy area. Grace was one of Mr. Bean's former student employees at the college.

This is going to be a fun weekend. I hope you are having a great weekend. What are you doing now that the kiddes are out of school?

Finally a Winner!

I'm happy to report the last day of our vacation in Door County, Wisconsin went without incident with String Bean. Among the highlights were a ferry ride that she found quite thrilling and a visit to an ostrich farm that happened to have an up-close and personal view of a black bear!

Our next vacation? To Indianapolis in June!

Today was Not Better

Although String Bean got a great night of sleep, she did not have a better day today.

We visited the Cana Island Lighthouse. After hiking to the island (ok, that sounds more dramatic than it is), we went into the lighthouse. String Bean decided she should crawl up to the second floor of the "home" side of the lighthouse. Around the third step, she slipped and smacked her face on the step and she has a nice purple bruise to prove it!

After several tears were shed and String Bean had recovered from the incident, I carried her up the offending stairs. While there, she found some kid-sized chairs to sit in. She made the mistake of asking her father to come sit in the chair beside her. Instead of moving her fingers from between the chairs, she left them and Mr. Bean managed to pinch them tightly. Luckily (?), this was on the opposite hand than the one she got caught in the elevator door on Sunday.

So, today was not String Bean's day either. Maybe tomorrow.

Not String Bean's Day

Despite the rain, we are having a good time on vacation. String Bean...has had some challenges.

It all started this morning when we took her swimming. There is a kid's pool here at the hotel! Perfect. We took her down and Mr. Bean got in the pool with her. She was standing up and the water came up to about her chest. I took her bouncy ball she'd been playing with all weekend and kicked it into the pool. I did not know she was going to dive head-first into the water to retrieve it. After a couple seconds fully emerged in the water, Mr. Bean picked her up and she coughed a couple times then signed "all done" repeatedly. For the rest of the 10 minute pool trip, she sat crying, clinging her ball, and signing "all done" whenever she felt like we might make her go in the water again. Sorry, kid. Just because you have a near-death experience does not mean you get out of swimming lessons later. Following the pool, she got a bath. It may as well have been just another pool. Same reaction.

This evening, we were in the hotel room. After a few coughing fits and several looks of "Mom I have something in my throat," I invited String Bean to come sit on my lap. As she was passed from dad to mom, she started dry heaving. Of course, Mr. Bean squealed like a girl and jumped in fear of puke getting on his fashionable clothing. Nothing came up on him.

While sitting on my lap, String Bean started puking up the contents of her stomach. Being the quick thinkers we are, my mother-in-law and I caught all the throw up in our hands. We went into the bathroom and cleaned up the rest. A little on the onesie and a drop on the hotel room carpet and the rest in the sink. Mr. Bean cleaned up the sink, I cleaned up the little bean and my mother-in-law cleaned up the solitary drop off the carpet.

An hour later, and String Bean is sleeping soundly in her room (Yes, it is a 2 bedroom condo we are staying in). It was definitely not her day. Hopefully tonight she does not wake up every 2 hours and hopefully tomorrow is better.

Door County, Wisconsin

Starting today we are on a mini-vacation! Mr. Bean's parents invited us to join them for a few days in Door County, Wisconsin. For all you stalkers out there, we're staying at this hotel in Sister Bay. We'll see you poolside.

Last night, we spent most of the evening preparing for this trip. Kids need so much stuff when you go on vacation. I think Mr. Bean and I are taking up half a suitcase and String Bean takes up the other half plus a diaper bag, a books bag, a toy bucket, and food galore since she's so picky and we do want her to eat this week.

We'll be back in the Chicagoland area on Thursday just in time for our friend, McParkinson to visit!

Bon voyage!

The Problem with Vacation

Christmas has come and gone. Our long road trip, complete. We are enjoying the last few vacation days Mr. Bean has before going back to the grind. There are a couple problems with vacation, besides the obvious of not having enough of it.

The biggest problem with vacations is getting off schedule. We've been staying up late and sleeping in all morning. It is past noon and I've just now gotten dressed. Sundays are difficult when you get up for church and it is 3 hours before you've gotten up the rest of the week!

Another problem with vacation? It goes by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday when Mr. Bean came home from his last day of work and we high-fived in celebration of a couple weeks off. What do we have to show for it? A few more pounds, some Christmas gear, and that to-do list that remains untouched.

Don't get me wrong. We love the vacation tie, but I guess we need a lesson in time management to make the most of it next time. We will research that topic during our next vacation...yeah, right.