Just life

I had 5 kids under the age of 6 for 48 hours this last weekend. Did you know there are actually some people who do that? Like on purpose? Crazies.

"Lost" Finale - LOVED it, can't stop thinking about it

Sooooo looking forward to SYTYCD

Leaving on Saturday for a week-long trip to UT to see family. can't wait.

It's suddenly about a bajillion degrees here. Or 90. But the humidity has been through the roof and that counts for something...something like the difference between 90 and bajillion.

Swimsuit season is almost here, and I'm not where I thought I'd be (i.e. not quite back to my pre-pregnancy weight). Seriously, what's the deal? Is it my age, or the fact that it was the third time around that's done me in? Well, I'm blaming my gym for not taking babies in the childcare (until 16 months!). Could also have something to do with the way I eat, but lets not focus on that...

I'm on the countdown. In less than 9 months you WILL find me at the gym everyday.

It's Alex's last week of preschool - and today was her first ever fieldtrip and school bus ride. Big news around here.

Noah is almost done with Kindergarten. Can I handle first grade? Noah being gone the whole day? (yeah, probably)

My kids are getting so...BIG. OLD.

So is my baby. She's sitting well, rolling like a maniac, playing with toys, making all kinds of new sounds and, at this rate, will probably never learn to crawl because mostly she is in my arms. It's alright by me. Avery brightens all of our days. (stop growing, baby)

This should be a fun summer. The kids are signed up for a bunch of little community ed classes, nature camp, swim lessons, and gymnastics. I'm purchasing the pool pass this week. And planning a road-rip to Chicago to see my sis.

Over the next few weeks we are losing many of our bestest friends here in Rochester. A serious downside to this path that we are on. And now I'm crying so that's all I have to say about that.

We took the kids to an animal shelter recently. Bad experience. Embarrassing and hilarious at the same time. Let's just say we are so NOT ready for a dog. Unless the dog happens to be blind and deaf, right kids? (true story)

This was Us

8 Years ago today

A few moves, a few kids, a lot of school, a lot of debt for school, some hard times, but mostly Good.

Wonder what the next 8 years will bring?

I'm still loving it.

And him.

Could this be my new life please?!?

Paul is on a research rotation this month.

He still takes call

He still moonlights (and you wont hear me complaining about that)

BUT...

He's not going in so early in the morning. In fact, some mornings he's actually here when we wake up!

Going in later also means staying up later. With me!

And not being in the OR means when I page him...he calls me back! And can talk for more than 45 seconds.

none of this waking up at 4:30am, disappearing long before we get out of bed, no contact all day, coming home at dinner time, squeezing in some study time, and then going to bed at 8:30pm with the kids.

none of that thank you. sign me up for the "researchers wife" life please

We're loving it!

Ok. I know we chose this life. And it's really not that bad. In fact, I spend most of my time reminding myself that it could be worse (I have a lot of "surgery wife" friends). I also know that doctors are not the only ones in the world who have difficult schedules.

And while being a doctor (or his wife) is stressful, and while we medical wives sometimes feel like we're doing it on our own...we're not.

And I'm grateful and in awe of the military families out there.

Really, I'm glad that Paul's a doctor.

Just a few of the perks?

Job Security. Enough said.

It's also convenient to have a doctor around for all our medical problems/questions (if you can get ahold of him)

And for being a doctor, Paul definitely chose one of the better fields, as far as lifestyle goes.

But sometimes I still dream about that "other" kind of life...

40 hours a week

no nights

no weekends

no holidays

and just a phone call away...

a girl can dream right?

Just the Beginning

Mother's Day (possibly my most favorite day of the year) has come and gone.

But we're just getting started around here...

May is the month I look forward to:

Mother's Day

Our Anniversary

My Birthday

Throw a couple of birthdays in from our extended family and it's also the month that causes Paul the most stress.

Sorry Paul - lucky for you I'm low maintenance (right???)

But THIS May might top all previous (and possibly future) years.

2 Reasons:

May 23rd - 2 1/2 Hour Lost Series Finale!

and just when I will be mourning the loss of one of my most favorite tv series of all time...

May 27th - So You Think You Can Dance Season Premiere!

one of my other most favorite series of all time

It's like ABC and Fox got together and arranged a little birthday present just for me.

And just to get you in the mood, here's probably my favorite routine from last season

(by some of my most favorite dancers of the season)

Yeah. I love hip-hop.

What? I'm from the East Bay.

And there are just some parts of that California Girl in me that will never die.

Bet your Mother's Day wasn't as good as mine

I mean, how can you top this?

(do you see it?)

Here's a closer look for you.

For about a nanosecond I wondered if it was Paul - he did leave church early with the baby...

Then I read the note.

A dead giveaway Fowlers!

Paul and I died laughing.

And the kids loved it. Couldn't stop making jokes about it.

(Noah's were pretty funny)

Ok, here's what I really got for Mother's day.

Not to mention sleeping in until 8:30, waking up to cards and signs from Paul and the kids, a delicious dinner made by Paul, a nice family drive that afternoon.

And that chocolate cake (from my favorite bakery) was delish.

The best part? Paul was on call - and DID NOT get called in.

It was a good day.

Alright, I really hate pictures of just me but someday the kids might want them??

(Yeah Paul never makes me feel silly for taking them or anything)

Mm-hmmm, I'm wearing sweats on Mother's Day. Don't you?

And I never get pictures of me with the kids. This was no easy shot but I told them "that's what I want for Mother's Day." Pretty sure I used that line a lot yesterday...

And with those three how could it not be a perfect Mother's Day?

Love these kids, so glad to be their mom

(even if they make me kinda crazy)

I'm Lucky : )

And we LOVE our moms and grandmas!

Like I said, Lucky.

Happy Mother's Day

p.s. Noah took care of his end of Mother's Day all on his own.

Cards, signs, a homemade gift.

He's so grown up.

For Four Days

These two came to visit us this past weekend.

(my sister Tiff and her almost one-year old Madden, recent Chicago transplants)

The kids had been on the countdown.

Ok, me too.

And it lived up to all our expectations, even if the weather did not.

the weekend included but was not limited to:

cousin playtime

The Princess and the Frog, "Don't make me light my butt!" (one guess who said that)

mall playplace

good food

lots of treats

movies

HGTV

30 Rock (and a certain scene we watched about 25 times at 12:30am and laughed so hard we cried) and Modern Family

late night talks

lots of laughs

not enough sleep

a few catnaps

the park

picnic in my minivan

getting hit on (cuz I'm hot - or cuz my sister is. yeah probably that)

So Much Fun.

I mean really.

As usual, picture taking was not high on my priority list.

Here's what I've got (thanks to Tiff)

"How's my lipstick, I mean chocolate?"

Avery l-o-v-e-d her cousin Madden.

No really she did!

(he looks innocent here, but he actually just got done whacking her in the face)

It's ok, we all had breakdowns when they left.

Alex could do nothing but watch movies the rest of the day or else she would be crying so hard she couldn't breathe (her explanation, not mine).

Thanks for coming Tiff!

The perfect weekend.

p.s. Alex told me today she wants Tiff to be her mom.