give me a minute...

I use this site, for the most part, to show off pictures of my kids, my house, my family, and even great shopping buys on occasion. I underwent a hysterectomy a week ago yesterday. I don't think I was prepared for what followed. I guess I knew it would hurt, but nothing prepared me for the extent. The pain has been sharp and consistant. Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't like being down for long. I thought I would be able to power through this and get on with my life in a few days. This is officially kicking my butt! The frustration of being so tired, not being able to start the summer with my kids at the pool or at the park. There is nothing like knowing that your three year old can ABSOLUTELY out run you. But there has been other pain as well. I turned 31 a few weeks ago. This just seems like a surgery for a 50 year old. I have three of the most amazing kids on the face of the earth, but the removal of the organ which bore those miracles brought up emotions I didn't know were there. That, I was definitely not prepared for. We are thrilled with our family and satisfied that we are done. Being in the prime childbearing years of my life however, my hormones still think another baby would be a good idea. One more thing I wasn't prepared for. My family and friends. How amazing are the people in my life? My husband really stepped up to the plate. He was truly Mr. Mom this week. My mother has been invaluable. I came out of surgery, said hello to my husband, and asked "where's my mom?". She satyed with me in the hospital for two boring days and then came back up this week to take care of me and the kids. This week would have been impossible without her. And my friends...oh my friends. The meals, the phone calls, the visits. With all of the pain and frustration came an overwhelming sense of love. Thank you all for your embrace. I will remeber it most of all. And I promise, more pictures of my flowers and children in the days to come.

graduation number 2

Okay, so this is a long post because of soooo many pictures. They turned out so good, I had to share. I mean how much cuter could toe-headed cousins be? Or Janielle striking a pose? Love the pose Janielle...very sexy. We had a blast at the best park in Kansas. I absolutely love the public park in Lindsborg. Not a penny was from the city, and Topeka doesn't have a park that can touch it. We seem to always have fun with friends and family. We certainly had that in spaids last weekend.

The kiddos were excited to see Bubby (as always) and couldn't wait for him to make it over to the caf. What a wonderful, artery clogging, ham and soft serve ice cream, lunch at the caf in Lindsborg. It really was great...really.

When it was all said and done, Ben graduated from college. None of us could be prouder of you Ben. I know you have come a long way and worked really hard. You desesrve it Bub!

ps...recovering rfom surgery ok...wish I were feeling better and am frustrated at the pase of recovery. should be up and around soon.

graduation number 1

Alright, we had yet another one of those weekends. A weekend that will supply me with blog photos for a week. In a matter of two days we had a rehearsal, a birthday party, a wedding, a high school graduation, and a college graduation. In three different cities to boot! These pictures are from our nephew Matt's high school graduation. We missed the ceremony, but we were happy to spend some time with the family at the reception. The picture above is of Will's whole family. He has 4 siblings. Getting 3 of 5 in a picture is one thing, getting all of the siblings and grandchildren into one picture was an act of God. The picture below is of the graduate (the oldest grandchild) and our dear Parker (the youngest). It is definitely a mutual admiration society.
As a ps...please keep me in your prayers tomorrow during my surgery.

rag rolled red head

Morgan and I decided to try something new a few nights ago. She took her shower and we rag rolled her hair. It was a huge success. We have to do HOURS of curling during Nutcracker, so I was suprised when she actually wanted to try these. We put them in wet, she slept in them...kinda like the good old pink rollers...and the next morning...

This is what we got. They turned out great. The tangles we always get with the pick rollers weren't an issue. The curls don't look as frizzy and she slept like a baby. We will definitely do this again. She got ons of attention in school on Tuesday because of them. I think her teacher spoils her a little anyway, but she actually called to say that she about died when she saw those little red curls bopping through her door!

our secret garden

Welcome to our garden of surprises! When you move into a new house you're never quite sure what's in store. We have been pleasantly surprised so far. The snap dragons below have come up in yellow, pink, purple, and white. And the vines above are clematis. I know this because my friend Laurie about stroked out when I told her I was going to prune it way back or take it down all together. In the winter it was not at all pretty. I think it is about to bloom...who knows what color. Its all been kinda exciting. Stay tuned for more pics once it finally breaks free.

pottery party

What could possibly be more fun than taking ten 6 and 7 year olds to a pottery store on a Saturday morning? Nothing I tell you, nothing! Parker was quite literally the bull in the china shop. I could have used an extra body just to monitor the three year old!!!! It really was a neat birthday party. The kiddos were all very creative and the mugs really reflected the kids personalities. Morgan was so serious in all of the pictures I took, she was really focused on the painting. Parker finished his camoflauge themed mug in a record three minutes. I love birthday parties. Watching my children grow and change is amazing. Celebrating their entry into our lives is a precious time for me. Even if it includes fragile objects, paint, and way too much sugar!

the ever talented hood

Mark Hood sent me this picture and a few more this morning. His talent never ceases to amaze me. Along with being a great friend, author, and the guy who sold our house in 13 days he has the best eye for photography of anyone I know. I love the perspective in this picture. From the darkness to the light...optimism. For any of you who know Mark, that one word sums up his personality. I think a blown up version of this pic is going to end up on my hearth room wall...yeah!

little red is 7

My perfect little red headed baby girl turns 7 years old today. I can't believe it. Its seems like yesterday when these pictures were taken. She was such a high maintenance baby with the colic and feeding issues, but I wouldn't trade her for the world. No one captures my heart the way she does. She is my special, cuddly, snuggly child. She notices things most people wouldn't. I have to hurry her up all of the time, but I think she sees things we don't. The details on a flower, the way a bird flies from one tree to another, and the little things added by an illustrator of her favorite books are never lost on her. I love all of my kids for different reasons because they are such very different people. I love my little Momo because of how deeply she feels and how completely she loves. My babies are growing up...sigh. But what cool people they are becoming.

cupcake sprinkles

I love to bake cupcakes. Sometimes I will go months without baking just to remember...I love to bake cupcakes. The girls are finally getting old enough they can help as well. Yesterday we found some bright colored sprinkles at the store and decided it would be a perfect day for baking. The girls helped stir and crack and of course decorate. I can never decide exactly how to decorate something, so cupcakes are perfect. They can each have their own personality, and a mistake is just an excuse for a little snack! Fluffy egg whites made these tiny cakes light and airy. Out of 18 I think we have three left right now...big hit with a dinner party last night. The girls were so proud and I enjoy the creative time with them.

Corner's of my Home

I got the idea for this blog from my sister's site. This is my absolute favorite corner in my home. I should say my favorite room. It was really hard to narrow down one corner. This room is the primary reason we bought this house. I love my kitchen. Let me say it again...I LOVE my kitchen. I love the windows. I love the counterspace. I love that I can see the kids playing in the backyard. I love that my whol;e family can sit in the kitchen (they all sat on the floor of my 10x10 kitchen at the old house). I love that we can entertain without me being sucked into the black hole of the kitchen the whole time. I love that my kids can sit at the table and do their homework while I'm making dinner. Did I mention that I love my kitchen? The next step will be painting it. I think I want to paint it a light lemony green color. Will wants me to test a wall first...where is your adventure honey? I dare to say that Will's favorite corner of the house is on the other side of that table in the hearth room. The leather furniture, the fireplace, and the plasma are definitely his relaxation zone. What it really comes down to is being together. The kitchen has been the heart of the home since our grandmothers packed lunches wearing their aprons. It's definitely the heart of my family.

what a week

I am beginning to wonder where all of my time goes. Actually I am far beyond wondering. With all three kids going in different direction with different activities 110% of the time, it can get a little overwhelming. We have dance lessons and choir practice and the ever present potty training of Parker (a futile fight up to this point). Any brilliant ideas on that? He just has less than zero interest. Dad's deployment, my upcoming surgery, and Will's crazy schedule are all just extra blips on my radar. Cooking, cleaning and lawn care. Dusting, laundry, and child care. It's easy to get overwhelmed and cranky and desperate. But then I come across a picture like this one. She looks so relaxed and peaceful. Morgan always does. She is the slowest child on the face of the earth, but I have a lot of lessons to learn from her. She takes the time to notice the bug on the flower, the picture in the book, and the fun in everything. Slowing down is good. I have the most amazing blessings. I have the opportunity to stay home and take care of all that stuff. I have the opportunity to notice and capture my children at this precious time in their lives, as long as I remember to slow down and take a lesson from a 6 year old red head.

da boyz

da boyz
Originally uploaded by heidijayhawk.

The youngets and the oldest of the Wise grandkids sur ehad a blast this weekend. Matthew will be graduating from high school in a few weeks. Where has the time gone? Parker sure thinks Matt is cool, and Matt didn't seem to mind being adored. We managed to spend Sunday afternoon with ALL of Will's siblings minus Trisha. That's something to accomplish. We visited the infamous Nu Way and I my stomach didn't even protest (too much). Thanks for the fun Wise guys!

cute coke ad

This is one of the funniest commercials I have ever seen! Will sent it to me in an email. I have tried to explain it to a few people, but its not nearly as funny as watching the real thing. This is an actual Coke ad. Enjoy!