30 Things to Be Thankful For....

Well I didn't succeed to posting each day of thanks....oh welllll...  I am fing busy!!!  Being a single Mom that works 12 hours a day (with driving and traffic and picking up kids) I am not complaining just saying.  And surviving life with twin 3 year olds that go to two schools and one with special needs with extra curricular activities and tons of therapy appts and them being sick....  Well I didn't get a moment....yet.  I have so much to be thankful for and I for ME want to take a second.  Think.  Write down what I am thankful for and what makes life so grand.  Life is about family and friends not surviving.  I want to stop for a moment and write down at least 30 things I am thankful.  This should be easy.

I am going to write down 30 things I am thankful for.  This will hopefully not take me too long since I have so much to be thankful for this year.  In no particular order.  Just rolling it out.  It is so much happier to read what we are thankful for than reading about people bitching about "OMG why would someone post what they are thankful for???"  Like I care!  --  well if you don't care, please don't read.  I don't need your negative energy anyway.  I choose and it is hard but I choose to be happy at this moment and be thankful.

1.  A Job - not a job where I want to be for life-- but I am very thankful the people there.  They are nice, happy, and make it enjoyable, yes I said enjoyable to be there.

2.  For giving me 6 plus years at UOP that sadly ended this year in my first layoff in my life but I grew from it and everything is meant to be and it was a lesson learned.  No one understands a layoff unless you've been in one.  I loved working there and got a Masters while I was there.  Not too shabby.

3.  My children.

4.  My Kirra Ruthi Ideker.  Her happy, smart, red headed preemie self.  She is so inspiring and happy and bundles of joy.  I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE her!!!!!!!!  If I knew Kirra would turn out so kind and happy and on track when the doctors in the NICU told me she had a 50/50 chance in the hospital the first few days of life.  She is a miracle and one of the highest academically in her class and she only goes 1 to 2 times a week.  Her NICU doctor was wonderful and so kind from another country.  You get close with someone you see twice a day for months and months....  She actually now is in Hawaii (moved there) to live on an island and work in a hospital out there.  Kirra is my best friend.

5. My Baili Julia Ideker.  Her lovely, sweet, happy, sweet bundle of joy.  She is literally my rock.  She has been put under about 10 times that I can think of.  She has been through a LOT for a 3 year old and is a trooper.  She is sooooooooooooooooooooooo happy!  If you are NOT a doctor she will be your best friend.  All she wants is you to be kind and smile and she literally will hug you and love you.  She just doesn't trust doctors or hospitals.  I believe she is an old soul.  She seeks out kind people and unkind people she really can read them.  It sounds funny but so true.  She is very smart, happy, and lovely.  She is my best friend.  Love HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6.  My aunt Jane and family for helping me with the girls sooo much.

7.  The twins Dad for loving them and makes them his everything.

8.  The twins Grandparents Randy and Terry in Seattle and for them letting us live in their home here.  Also my close relationship with them even though I am not with their son and them loving my twins.

9.  The twins other Grandparents in Seattle.  For loving and caring for my twins so much.  Gramma Julie and Grandpa Allan that love my girls so much.

10.  My Dad.  For all he does with the twins and helping us.

11.  Denise for being so good and the twins "Nana."  My girls adore her!!

12. My Sisters being so good to my twins and wonderful Aunts.

13.  For the twins 3 uncles (Joe, Adam, and Drew) in Seattle and their Aunt Megan.  The girls adore them.

14.  For food on our table.

15.  COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!

16.  Computers, apples, I am semi addicted to technology which is why I work on computers all day for my job/career.

17.  Cold Air and RAIN.

18. The Beach.

19.  Disneyland.  Never been but would like to go one day.

20.  Walks in the cold air with my girls.

21.  Going to the cabin in Pinetop.

22.  Yoga.

23.  Rice Krispy Treats.

24.  Courtney and Carolyn my sisters.

25.  My family.

26.  My Mom even though not in person but in spirit with me all the time and creating what I am today.

27.  A warm bed.

28.  Friends.

29.  A good boss that is KIND and genuinely happy.  Yes I can tell.

30.  NJ Housewives- yes I like it.

Well that didn't take long.....  I am very thankful for many things and I need to remind myself once in awhile to stop and smell the roses.

Love,
Mama

My Mom Ruthi

As I walk through the journey of life, I remember.I remember how you helped me to grow with love, truth, and honesty.I remember how you helped me to choose the right path with values, morals, and self worth.I remember how you gave me dreams with hope and confidence.As I remember, I pray to be a mother like you, to shape my children into strong adults, full of hopes and dreams.You made me who I am today, and I will always remember you in life's passings for no one could touch my life as you have.

Silly Pictures. Cuteness.

Taken on 11/14/12.

Mommy, Kirra and Baili.

My Babies.

Never Grow Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qutPepOdc

A great song by Taylor Swift:  Never Grow Up.

I don't want my girls to be 4.
I don't want them to grow up.
I wish for them to have the great life of being a kid.
Forever.
And ever.
No worries.
No hurting.
No issues.
No sadness.
The happy life.
My twins are my babies forever.
I remember year 1 - we were glad we made it half of that time in a hospital in and out.
Year 2 was another milestone too we have made it.
Lots of walking and crawling milestone for Baili and talking.
Year 3 Baili was walking and Kirra was talking A LOT and knew her ABC's and 123's.
Year 4 we are talking and my little angels and growing tall and lovely.
Every year I saw this is my favorite year.
I am up for big changes this year.
Let's stay simple K and B.
Never grow up.
Be happy.
Live more.
Be more practical little ones.
Life is short.
Girls becoming little girly girls.
Purple.
Pink.
Life as we know it.
B and K now understand their middle names (thier Gma's names).
K says she busted my name.
Not sure what that means but when she says that when someone has the same name as her or Baili (first, middle, or last).
He busted my name!

Sweetness from Kirra and Baili
K:  I love you Mommy.
All the time everyday all day for no reason.  Yes she melts my heart.
K: I want a purple cake for my b-day.
Me:You want an ice cream cake?  There are not purple ones.
K:  What about raspberry?  Raspberry has a purple look to it Mommy.
Me: Dam Kirra all this critical thinking you do.  Messing up my plans...
B:  Mommy love too. (translation Mommy I love you too.)
B: Barbie play pink!
Me:  Baili why all the blonde barbies?
B: Love Barbie!
Me: (She only likes the blondes) no clue why?
K:  Mommy you are my favorite and I miss you so much when I am at school.  So I just dream about you and Baili.
Me:  I love you too Kirra more than all the stars in the world.
B:  Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 
Me: (When I come home from school or to pick them up.)
B: Kiss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pucks up.
Me: hugs and kisses
K:  Mommy I want to be a carwasher when I grow up as an ADULT.
Me:  How about a lawyer?
K:  No a car washer.
Me:  Man really?
K: Yes, I wash cars and trucks and make them beautiful just like my Grandpa and Gramma and Daddy did.
Me:  Where?
K:  Seattle.  Remembebeber?  
Me: No.
K: Oh I forgot you busted you were in Phoenix and left me.
Me:  You were visiting I didn't leave you.
K:  You busted me.  I want to wash red trucks like Grandpa.
Me:  Thinking is Grandpa Allan a car washer?
K:  We wash trucks and have fun!
Me:  Okay bear.
K:  Mommy I want to go to the railroad train park.

These are our conversations.  All. The. Time.  Both girls are so freaking funny.

I don't want them to be four.  But I understand each age it keeps getting better and better!

Love,
The Mommy.

More Days of Thanks....

Day 10:  Today I am very thankful for the nurses at St. Joe's Hospital that saved my girls in the NICU almost 4 years ago.  Every single one of them.  There are so many but still a few I keep in touch with.  We were in the hospital there for 4 months and they saved my daughters lives.  We are forever thankful for everyone there for saving their lives.  SO THANKFUL.  I still remeber the night nurse "the purple nurse."  She loved purple.  Purple glasses, purple contacts, purple hair, purple scrubs, the purple nurse.  What a nice lady she was.  Funny thought that Kirra is in love with the color purple since she could talk.  Maybe a connection?

Day 11:  Today I am thankful for colder weather.  Not that 62 as a high is cold but I am so thankful for colder weather.  It feels like fall finally!  God I hope it stays cooler all week.

More Thanks for the Month of Thanks!

Here we go...

Day 5:  I am thankful for my twins.  God blessed me with twins and I am so thankful.  This was a surprise and a blessing times two.  They have each other and they literally are number 1 in each other's lives.  Their number one concern 100% of the time is how each other is doing, where they are, and how they are.  It's really nice to know that two other people care as much about them as I do or even more if possible.  Thank you God for blessing me with my wonderful twins/children.  This was God's plan that I followed and it has been such a blessing.

Day 6:  I am thankful for my aunts.  My aunts have helped through the process of having my twins.  Especially my aunt Jane.  She is always helping me with my girls and I am very thankful.

Day 7:  I am thankful for my sisters.  I am lucky to have two sisters that care so much.

Day 8:  I am thankful for my twins Grandma in Seattle and Grandpa.  The girls are lucky to have two sets of Grandparents in Seattle that care about them so much.  Since my Mom is not here, I find it very important for my girls to have all their grandparents in their lives and to learn about who they are and where they come from.

Day 9:  I am thankful for my cousins.  I love them all and feel so blessed that I can call them any day and feel very close to them no matter how long it has been since I have seen them.  I love every one of them so very much.  I love seeing all of our kids play too.  The second generation.

I threw in some pictures from Halloween Day.

Love,
The Mama

30 Days of Thanks.....If I Can Keep Up.

Ok.  So I thought I will write each day this month of why I am thankful since I have so much to be thankful for.  Instead of broadcasting it on Facebook or somewhere else I thought I would put it on my blog.  Those who want to read it great.  Mainly a reminder for me.  I may do a few days at a time.  Like today, 4 days in November have passed.

Day 1:  I am very thankful for my Dad.  All the stuff he does and for me-- taking good care of my pool and yards each week.  He is a great Papa to my children and his girlfriend Denise (Nana) is so great to them too.  I am very thankful for both of them in my life and in my twin's lives.

Day 2:  I am very thankful for my insurance.  We use it almost daily with my daughter Baili.  We would be on the streets without it.  I am not kidding either.  I am so very thankful for her assisted insurance Baili gets as a secondary insurance.  It's beyond amazing.  This insurance allows Baili to get OT, PT, SP, and MT, at school and home weekly and for her to see any doctor or hospital at a moments notice without worrying about major debt.

Day 3:  I am thankful for my home.  I live in my kids grandparents home which is very nice.  I am so very thankful to have them in our lives.  I am thankful for our relationship too.  Grandpa Randy and Grandma Terry are a blessing to my children and myself.

Day 4:  I am thankful for my friends.  I have so many nice friends that I have known for years and years.  I am very thankful to have them in my life.