December

Earlier this month one of my friends asked if I could go to a movie, to which I replied..."Um, I think I'm free January 13th. Does that work?" You didn't know I was so important, did ya? Seriously, my life is flying by and I'm not even sure that I am taking it all in. So, so busy.

We began the month by going out to Sandy Holler farms and climbing all the up to the top of a mountain with a saw. Then we chopped down our very own Christmas tree and drug it back down the mountain. They had trees at the bottom of the mountain but we don't roll that way. It was the Griswold tree experience and all of its glory as we carried a baby in the Bjorn, Oliver whined about walking and Josiah ran so fast downhill that he couldn't stop and slammed face first into a tree. We dressed extremely festive in Christmas sweaters and worked up a pretty big sweat in the 75 degree weather. It was a perfect day and we really did pick the perfect tree.

The following weekend Lil came into town and Jaime and I took off for a full twenty-four hours to celebrate 9 years of marriage. That morning we ran 14 miles in Bent Creek and I had the run of my life. It was a moment when all the stars aligned and my body, mind and spirit were all working in perfect harmony. I ran the whole way, climbed almost 1,000 feet in elevation and went fast! I even got a little choked up and thought, "I'm really gonna run a marathon! That's so awesome!" It was a great start to a fun day. We checked into the Princess Anne Bed and Breakfast around 3pm after walking around downtown and Jaime using part of his Christmas bonus to buy a new bike. It's pretty sweet and since he and I are almost the same size, I fit on it too. Yay! That night I took every bit of perfectly balanced wellness I found that morning and threw it out the window. Seriously, it was wild. Too wild. And that's all I'm gonna say about that. Thank goodness those kids keep us chaperoned so well because Mommy and Daddy need it. Yikes.

The next week Josiah and Oliver had their Christmas program at school and it was adorable. I was so proud of Josiah and how well he overcame his fear of singing on stage! Last year he was so miserable during the whole performance but you never would have known this year. He is growing into a fine little human. I don't have any pictures because I missed the memo that in order to get a seat (and a SuperMommy award!) you must arrive 3 hours before show time and was left standing in the back row with all the other cool people who showed up at 11:45. Oh well, I hope my kids still know that I love them. Here they are that morning.

The next weekend I ran 15 miles in Bent Creek. Correction, I suffered through 14.4 miles in Bent Creek and quit before reaching that final .6 because I'm pretty sure I would have died if I went any further. I was VERY hot and overdressed because when I started that morning it was freezing and then it suddenly became summertime mid-run. I was also hungry, thirsty and depressed. Not a good day. But those are the days that make us tough. The weekly mileage is really getting up there and by the time the Saturday run rolls around I just want to lay in bed with the rest of America and eat Christmas cookies. I can do this. I will do this.

The next week I prepared a big birthday celebration for my husband who was turning 34 on the Mayan predicted last day on earth. Other people were joking about December 21st alot, but I didn't think it was very funny. I really wasn't ready for the world to end yet. The only good I could find in it was that I wouldn't have to run a marathon in March. So the big day arrived and BOOM. I got the freaking flu. Like lay on the bathroom floor and pray that the world ends flu. Ugh, it was retched. So, I sent my husband out all day with the three kids to celebrate his birthday. He took them to Papas and Beer and got the Sombrero and ice cream. The image of a solo dad and three kids wearing a sombrero while waiters sing Happy Birthday is enough to make me wanna marry him all over again. That night Bill was in charge of his birthday since I was praying to be put out of my misery. I think they had fun. Honestly, I don't remember. The following four days went like this. Oliver SICK. Corinne SICK. Josiah SICK. Christmas Eve with my grandparents in Lawndale where we all looked liked we had been or should have been hospitalized for some form of E-coli. I'm sure they were so glad we came  visit. Ugh.

Christmas Day was actually really nice and we were mostly on the mend. We woke up early, opened presents and then went to visit my dad and had big feast. The first in about five days.  All in all, a success!

Going into 2013 I can only hope to slow down a little and enjoy the little things more. These are the best days of my life and I want to remember them. So cheers to the world not ending and new beginnings. Happy Holidays Y'all!

Are those YOUR kids?

So here we go! Another attempt at rebooting this whole blogging thang. Corinne is 9 months old today and I am slowing getting my life back. She is so cute, really, I'm not just saying that because she's mine. She is the CUTEST BABY IN THE WORLD. See for yourself:

She is happily non-mobile with the exception of scooting on her bum across the hardwoods. She is a tiny little thing weighing in at just barely 16 pounds. But don't let her small size fool you as her personality is nothing short of electric. Her most recent claim to fame is "The squeal". It sounds kinda like this: "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" I don't know if it's a happy sound or a mad sound. I'm thinking it may just be a "Yo look at me" sound. Poor thing is starved for attention. As I'm sure anyone can tell by the 2,000 photos I upload daily via facebook. Seriously, I take out my phone to call Jaime and catch her posing and smiling. No Corinne, just a phone call. No need to go all BabyGap on me.

Josiah is now four and a HALF and don't you even think of leaving off the half. We had a party to celebrate it. He is doing fantastic in his new preschool this year. Rocking Pre-K and proving to be a rocket scientist. Actually, he isn't a rocket scientist yet but he will be very soon. So. Many. Questions. They never stop. And really hard questions that I don't know the answer to. Just the other day he asked me, "Mommy, do you really know what your talking about or are you just making it up?" Sheesh, I thought I had a little longer to make up answers to his non-stop quiz. He is amazing and so, so wonderful in every way.

Oliver is three, no half yet, just three. No need to get ahead of ourselves. I really love Oliver. For about a billion reasons but one is because he and I are so similar. Don't get me wrong, I married my husband because he puts other husbands to shame. He is a smart, good-looking, non-stop, a liv-in off the land, cable TV shunning, type of man who runs a million a week and refuses to buy new shoes EVER because he already has shoes. He is intense and I love him. He could save our whole family in a hunger games type of situation, I'm sure of it.  And if for some reason anything ever happened to him I'd look to Josiah for help because he is a carbon copy of his daddy. Anyway, back to Oliver. He and I live by another set of rules. We could lay around and watch cable TV all day if Josiah and Jaime weren't pushing us out the door.  Oliver's idea of moving fast is going to his room and waiting for a bit before its time to go. He doesn't like to be rushed and NEVER, does anything that he doesn't feel like doing. Seriously, if Ollie says no, I don't even try to pull out the "You're gonna do it because I said so" because he really won't do it. He'd rather take a two hour time out and chill in his room. He is super imaginative and spends a good part of the day talking to people who aren't there. He is best friends with his turtle, Crush, and loves his baby sister so much. He is a sweet soul and I love him very much.

And then there's me. I'm just chugging coffee and trying to keep up. I would complain but what's the point? I don't have time. More importantly I know there is nothing else I'd rather be doing. I love, LOVE, being with my kids. Even when they're nuts. I'm a little nuts myself so it's all good. I actually just had this conversion today about how crazy people get shit done. I defer to my inner running mantra when I want to join the ranks of whiney mamas:  Suck. It. Up. Life could be worse. I could have to get a job. Um...No. God forbid that ever become necessary because after trying to fill out an application to work at a charter school (so my kids could get in, don't judge me) I needed a large glass of wine. Seriously, I can't even turn something on the Internet into a word document anymore. And references? Who, my kids? Other peoples kids? The lady at the park? Yikes. Looks like I'll just be 1 in 4000 joining the lottery. Ugh, schools stress me out. So yeah, that's it. Oh, and I'm training for a marathon and have run almost 60 miles in the last two weeks. Why not? I have tons of time. See what I said about crazy people getting stuff done?   

As Christmas approahes and Jaime and I celebrate our 9th year as husband and wife I'm so grateful for how blessed we are. The things I struggle with aren't even a blip on the radar of real life problems and for that I'm very, very lucky. Thank you universe. Thank you. .

  

Lucky

My blog has taken such a hit these 5 months and I am kinda bummed because I was just looking over some older posts and love that I took the time to document so many things. Now it's like there is a huge gaping whole in my life from August until November. Which couldn't be further from the truth. Life is CRAZY busy.

For starters, I am nearly 22 weeks pregnant and recently found out the gummy bear in my belly is a GIRL. I wasn't sure how to react to the news. I didn't think we would ever actually have a girl and when making the decision to try for a third baby it was the least of my motivation. I think when you have two boys everyone assumes you really want a girl. But honestly, aside from having my eye on a certain Pottery Barn flowery bedspread and my desire to plan a huge extravagant wedding, I really didn't care. I was prepared to skip all of the teenage drama and issues that come along with girls; body image, going out in a boys car, my sons friends spending the night to hang with their beautiful, only slightly younger sister. Uh. But thankfully I can depend on Josiah and Oliver to sock the first person to lay a finger on her and if they don't Jaime will not be far behind. This girl will be traveling with an entourage at all times and I am sure she will simultaneously love it and hate it. I so am excited to be doing this the third time around with something and someone totally new. I can't wait to meet her. I have a feeling she may be the prettiest, sassiest little girl ever. And she will definitely be the best dressed because lets face it, after 4 years of buying crap with trucks on it I am ready to move on.

In other HUGE news it appears we will be staying in Asheville for a while (alot) longer. Thankfully we have lots of houses at the beach we can visit when our blood begins to freeze because we are building a new house! It has been in the works for a while but I haven't said anything until it was a done deal. This week we secured the contract and permits and they begin to clear the lot next week. In the contract it states that "Time is of the Essence" and we are guaranteed to close in 120 days. This baby is due in 131 days so time being of the essence is a sore understatement. I am freaking out a little bit actually! The house is going to be in our current neighborhood but on a wooded lot across from the park... the very last lot that the builder was actually saving for himself but has since made other plans. We are starting from scratch and designing the floor plan to be our own. There will be 3 bedrooms upstairs, two downstairs and a playroom! So thankfully this bunk bed situation can be adverted until further notice and our kids will each have their own space. We will finally have a guest room again and I am so glad. Lil-feel free to quit your job and become my assistant. I can pay in hugs from your grandbabies. Aside from the much needed extra space our builder is giving us all of the upgrades; granite, hardwoods floors throughout, a garden tub and duel shower in the master, huge deck, fenced in yard, wood burning fireplace, pretty much our dream house... And we are SO excited. Mostly, I am happy to keep building on the foundation that we have made the past 7.5 years in Asheville. We have the best friends ever and it's only going to keep getting better. Hooray!

Going into the holidays I am amazed at how much we have to be thankful for. Is this really my life? How did I get so lucky? We will be on Topsail Island for Thanksgiving and Wilmington for Christmas. Jaime and I will celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary in December and then after New Years we will be busy making moving preparations and then this baby is due March 7th... So don't expect another update until well, maybe summer?! Happy Holidays to all!

Excuses, Excuses.

I think it may have been two months since I last wrote a blog. And while I am not usually a fan of excuses of any kind, I have been totally out of the loop. Besides all the usual with swimming, hiking, playdates, vacation bible school, out of town guests, laundry, sweeping/mopping, cooking, cleaning, etc, etc... I'm pregnant! Again. For the THIRD time. And just in case you're wondering, it doesn't get any easier. For about 4 weeks I thought I was going to have to hire a full-time nanny. "Sick" doesn't describe those four weeks. And thank heavens there were only four of them. For the first time in my life I found food repulsive and combined with already naturally low blood sugar and hormone increases I was starving and but throwing up every time I ate. Since Mom's can't call in sick and the full-time nanny is out of the question since we have no money because we have a baby every year well, I persevered. And I kept going. It was like a month long marathon. And speaking of marathons, I was determined to run the Asheville Half again regardless of my pregnancy status and continued on with my training program. That is until last weekend. Every week was fine, until the week I ran 8 miles, was pouring sweat and panting up a huge hill. My head was screaming at me; "WTF are you doing? You haven't eaten in a week, this hill is huge, it is 90 degrees outside and you already did this last year UNDER your goal time. What are you trying to prove?" So, I made a detour and headed back to the Y. And the decision was actually quite liberating. I still plan on being a beast in the gym and even ran 6 miles yesterday...but it was because I felt like it, not because I thought I had too. I actually enjoyed myself. Whatever, I guess I will just have to settle for regular old awesome instead of superwoman.

So here I am nearly 11 weeks and still no doctor appointment. I go in 9 days and can hardly wait to see the hopefully 1 babies heart beating inside of me. I feel certain with all the sickness and what appears to be a giant uterus that something is going on in there. Seriously, with the third baby I think you start to show the day you conceived. And I actually lost 4 pounds during all that craziness so it isn't ChicFilA weight. When I look down at my expanding waist line all I can think is what will I do if its twins? Seriously, what would I do? Twin boys. I can see it now. AH!

In addition to our new addition Josiah finally had his dental surgery and did awesome. It was beyond scary for Jaime and I but everything I am lacking as superwoman he must have picked up and become super-kid. He has a very expensive "robot tooth" now and we only have to go through it ONE more time. Fingers crossed it goes just as smoothly.

I turned 28 last week and can hardly believe that Jaime and I have been together for nearly 10 years, married for 8, own a home and have 3 children. I always thought by the time I turned 28 I would start to look for someone to marry. Ha! I couldn't be happier with the path my life has taken and am kinda digging the fact that I'll only be 45 when my youngest goes to college. I'm thinking sailboats and islands and still being young enough to rock a bikini. Woohoo!

And I am not the only August birthday. Ollie is turning two next week. I am so devastated over this I am not even throwing him a party. What happened to my little baby?! He is a full blown talking tot with an attitude problem. And I love him more than anything. Rather than a big fiesta we are going camping all weekend and focusing on him one hundred percent. Whatever he wants, he's gonna get. Because you only turn two once.



Here is a pic of our growing family and hopes that I will get back into this now that I crawled off of deaths door. Cheers!

Vacation

Long, long ago in far away land... there used to live two kids. They had very few responsibilities and lots of time. However, they thought they were stressed. College is just so taxing and paying $700 a month in rent (back when both worked, so really like $350) can really take its toll. So obviously, these kids needed lots of vacations. And they took them; 5 weeks in Europe with little more than a backpack and a train ticket. The Greek Islands, a summer in Costa Rica exploring every rainforest and hitting up each beach on the Pacific Coast. Exotic Islands like Culebra in the Spanish Virgin Islands, Skiing in Colorado in the Winter. Ah, Life was good. Throughout their courtship they often spoke of children and how they couldn't wait to get their little babies passports and take them to foreign lands. After all, they wanted their children to be worldly, cultured and educated. Why didn't more parents travel with kids? How hard could it be?


Well, very hard, unless you are Angelina and Brad. Yes, that is the lesson learned after 2 kids and about 9 years. Children require a boatload of stuff. Even for a minimalist parent. And I think it cost's over a gazillion dollars to check a bag these days. And should you still be able to afford 4 plane tickets and 5 checked bags (you know after the mortgage, doctor bills, frequent trips to the ER, the dentist, minivan payments, preschool, enough groceries to feed an entire farm, clothes, shoes, replacement shoes for the ones they loose, etc...) then you still have to ride on the plane with them. And considering I have to be heavily sedated to even enter the airport the thought of caring for two screaming mad men across the ocean scares me worse then the actual plane. So yeah, all exotic vaca's need to be taken while the children are with babysitters. And besides, they get tons of culture already from Handy Manny and Dora. They don't need to come with us to Mexico.

But it IS summertime and these kids deserve some fun. So, we do our best to take them anywhere that is 3 movies away in the minivan. Anymore and it just isn't worth it. This past week with visited Greensboro, NC for the 4th year in a row for the annual CPA festival at The Embassy Suites. Think Cedar Rapids but with accountants instead of insurance agents.

On Wednesday we went to Emerald Point Water Park and it may as well have been the beaches of Tamerindo. I really don't know who had more fun, Jaime and I or the kids? We went down water slides and jumped off of pirate ships. It was fabulous. On Thursday Jaime had to go to his accounting school and I ventured off the North Caroline Zoo in Asheboro with the kids solo. This is the point where I tell anyone with kids: NEVER, ever, go to the North Carolina Zoo with your children by yourself. You have to take someone else. That place is too hot and too large. We walked, literally, from North America to Africa. There were supposed to be little trams to take you around but I couldn't find it. I was stuck on the Baboon trail and the bus was on the Zebra trail. Oh and did I mention that since I am crazy and obsessive about my workouts I had gotten up at 5am to run 5 miles before heading out on this adventure? Thursday was a marathon of a day to say the very least. I was so excited to see Jaime after his class that I wasn't even mad at him for being gone 11 hours. I did however leave him in the room after dinner to put the kids to bed while I went down to reception and cashed in my two free drink tickets.

Friday morning got off to a slow start with all of us overly exhausted and I was eternally grateful for the Television. Thankfully the boys stayed transfixed by Nickelodeon (No TV for 6 weeks and they go into a trance when it comes back. Yes!) They laid there until 10am and I was thrilled. We ended up having a pretty great day after that and went to the Science Center and out to lunch. We picked Daddy up around 2:00pm and began to make our way back to Asheville.

It was a fantastic couple of days. I am so amazed at how grown up and well behaved the boys are getting. This year was 100 times easier than last year. And although we were all hot and over walked at the zoo, no one lost their cool and we survived. We won't do it again, but I am glad we did it one time. These are the days memories are made. I never would of imagined 9 years ago that two little blond boys could fill up my heart and make me love a trip to Greensboro so much. Nothing else matters at this point except enjoying every second with them while they still love me and want to hang out with me. One day, I won't be cool anymore and we will have to force them to go on trips, at which point a bribe to Costa Rica may be in order...

The Absense of Cable TV

Sometime in elementary school this boy in my class, who had one of the nerdiest and nicest dads ever, brought in letter for show and tell. He explained that he and his Dad together had gotten rid of their TV and it had been an entire year since they had last watched. The letter he was holding was from the President who was writing his congratulations after they had written him explaining what they had accomplished. Wow! I was floored. Both that a kid could not watch TV for a year and that the President of The United States actually cared! I was insanely jealous, I wanted one too.

But there was no way I could ever get a letter like that. We watched the Andy Griffith show every night during dinner and my Dad would never give up TV for a letter from George Bush Sr. He would consider that a major rip off. Also, I had no brothers or sisters living at home and I needed my friends in TV-land. So, I ogled his letter and lived in awe of that kid until we graduated from high-school. Now through facebook stalking I have determined that he is the director of a large global software company in Washington DC and probably chilling with Obama doing stuff besides watching TV. But I digress. Here I am now 20 years later and Jaime has canceled the cable.

We are almost one month in and oddly enough, I have survived. We still have a DVD player/Netflix and will pop in the occasional movie when we are feeling close to heat stroke or getting washed away by the rain...but for the most part we are now part of the elite no TV crew. I don't know how my neighbor feels about me showing up on her porch every Monday night begging to be let in to watch the Bachelorette but I am feeling pretty good about our choice. I just stared my 9th book of the year. Jaime and I are playing board games after the kids go to bed or hanging outside on the porch and actually talking to one another instead of siting in a trance on the couch too tired to move. It's really kinda nice. And just look at all the fun we have been having! Never a dull moment in the Conley Casa.

Mucho Familia

Last weekend Jaime, the boys and I made the 7.5 hour trek (YES! It took 7.5 hours, blame boiled peanut stands and who the hell knows what else that made this trip two hours longer than usual) down to Wilmington to keep my sisters 3 children for the weekend. From Friday to Monday we would be responsible for Lila (1), Oliver (1), Josiah (3), Luke (4) and Kayia (7). Read: That is 5 children under the age of 7.

Friday night was rough. We were totally out of our element and had no idea that 5 kids would be so hard. We are so used to the craziness that comes with 2 that we honestly had no idea it could get any worse...until we doubled our two and added one more. This coupled with older kids who simply don't like going to bed at 7pm (WHY?) made everything super scary. We ate take out pizza and watched a lot of TV on Friday. Forget good parenting, it was all about survival.

Saturday morning I awoke with a new attitude and was moving along quite well making breakfast for all of the kids who woke up before the sun and were running hot laps through the house screaming. My cheeriness was put on hold when Jaime burst into the kitchen. "I can't watch this many kids!" he panted, completely out of breath. "Go take a break", I told him.
"Oliver just fell down the stairs! I can't watch this many kids!" he repeated. And so began Saturday.

We somehow managed to get all 5 kids dressed and to Luke's T-ball game by 9am. We were only 4 minutes late and forgot his hat, glove and water. Still a success! After playing at the park we went home to attempt naps. They had to be exhausted, I could barely stand up. Everyone laid down quietly and Jaime tells me he is going for a run. Later gator, he was gone. 15 minutes later, everyone woke up. From this point until around 6pm it is all a blur. Their were tears and temper tantrums (mostly from Jaime and I) and tons of laughter and love (the kids). They were having the times of their lives. Seriously, the love between those cousins was almost enough to make me agree to do this again. At 6 O-clock Lil and Marty showed up. I overheard Lil ask Jaime, "What can I do?" and he replies like a steadfast business man in charge of the accounting department, "Get into that kitchen and do WHATEVER Kelley tells you to do." After that, I knew things were going to be okay. Lil was washing babies, I was cooking and watching out the window as Marty took a screaming Lila on a walk through the yard. When the kids were clean and in their pj's we put them down in front of a movie and the Conley's went and fetched us grownups a fabulous smorgasbord of Chinese food. Their kindness and generosity nearly brought me to tears. You see, there is not much that I can't handle. And there is even less that I will admit I can't handle. But I was in way over my head and they saved the day. THANK YOU Yaya and Grandpa!

Sunday morning we were up again with the sun. Jamie looks at me with renewed look of hope in his eyes, "This is just like a basketball game you know you're gonna lose. From here on out, its all about running down the clock baby". And that's exactly what we did. We took them all to a berry farm out of town that was an hour drive each way (2 hours down!) and we left them in that field picking berries for over 3 hours (5 hours down!). We ate snacks then took them to the beach for for 3 hours. Lila and I walked the loop and ate more snacks. Before I knew it was dinner time again and guess what? Sunday is a school night, time for BED! I have never seen kids so exhausted. After they went to sleep Jaime went for take out and we ate approximately 1,000 french fries and a gallon of ice cream in a celebratory effort. I crawled into bed and briefly awoke at 11:30pm to hear my sister close the door behind her. Ah, freedom.

So in hindsight, nearly a week later, I am actually looking back on the trip with fond memories. I remember some of the best times of my life were with my family at my grandma's house. Josiah has talked non-stop about his cousins all week and I think he may have had the greatest trip of his life. Here are some pics from the weekend. Enjoy!