tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40090870030627656592024-03-13T07:05:26.177-04:00haztwinsthe twinerific world of a working momJackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-51214601418793476432015-11-08T23:59:00.001-05:002015-11-08T23:59:47.203-05:00Why we vacation....Recently I had a conversation with the Haztwins in order to prep them for our upcoming vacation to Disney. Since they were asking me a bazillion questions about many minute details of our upcoming trip.... I decided we needed to discuss the possibility of how we need to react if things don't go quite our way on the trip. I explained to them that sometimes rides are closed or menus change or a line for something we were really looking forward to is too long, etc. I also explained that no matter what happens that we are still on vacation with each other and that they are very lucky to be going to Disney for the fifth time. <br />
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What do you think happened after that conversation?! Well my little Diva went to school and told her friends how she was going to Disney for the fifth time!! Which prompted her to return home to Daddy with the question, "Are we rich Daddy? So and so says we must be rich if we've been to Disney so much." My answer to her question? Do you think you'd still share a room with your brother if we were rich? <br />
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Everyone has different priorities in life and ours are making memories. Jim introduced me to Disney World over 13 years ago and we have been going ever since. Instead of jewelry or other expensive gifts, we decided to buy a timeshare. I can definitely say that it was one of the best decisions that we've ever made. Yes traveling with kids is more stressful and can be more expensive than traveling in our childless years, but seeing that Disney magic through their eyes is amazing. We've made it work even on years that the mortgage crisis caused income loss and job instability and having two kids in daycare. We've driven 4 times (including once in my prius) to save money and have had trips where there were no extras. Diamonds may be some girls' best friend, but I prefer strolling down Main Street USA to that spot in front of Cinderella's castle where Jim asked me to marry him and having a family photo taken before hitting up some of our favorite rides. <br />
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On vacation, we step away from our busy lives of working, commuting, activities, homework, etc. We don't wrapped up in the laundry and housework. We are together for the duration of our trip and sometimes we're lucky enough to have friends or family join us. We get to play dress up and eat in castles and meet characters and go on rides and travel around the world all in the same day. It is truly magical.... even when it rains, or a ride is closed or things don't go quite our way. We are still together as a family..... making memories. <br />
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Before we know it.... they'll be all grown up and probably won't think going on Splash Mountain with Mom & Daddio. When that happens, maybe I'll get some diamond earrings..... or probably Jim & I will treat ourselves to the Disney resort in Hawaii because that would be so much more fun! (In my opinion anyway..... and no judgement if you prefer the diamonds :) </div>
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Stay tuned for more details from our most recent trip including tips on driving to Disney with kids! </div>
Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-25212919812912348062015-09-09T23:41:00.003-04:002015-09-09T23:41:32.392-04:00Haztwins turn 7...Today they turned 7 and I got a bit emotional....<br />
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How did this happen??<br />
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I wasn't the mom who cried when they turned 1..... because I secretly was thanking God that we made it through that first year still intact! I was counting the days until doing fun stuff with them wasn't so much work that it wasn't actually that much fun. And now we are there..... I can actually sit in the beach chair for a bit and watch them splash in the waves. But it makes me wonder how long will it last. How long will I still be the center of their universe? I hope for quite some time to come... <br />
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I'll never forget the tears that were shed in our struggles to have these 2 and how thankful I was when the nurse told us we were having twins. Having twins meant never having to go through all of those struggles again. And having twins has blessed me with some of the greatest friends that I could ever wish for. <br />
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Today was a great day! I was able to take them to Dunkin Donuts this morning to get treats and then see them off to school. And I was able to surprise them with balloons at the bus stop this afternoon with Mom-mom (who usually picks them a few times a week)....<div>
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And when Jim got home we went out to dinner (our original plan had a few hiccups, but we recovered and had a great night)....</div>
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Today they turned 7 and I simply am amazed at the young people they are becoming. They have their moments for sure, but they can also be the most thoughtful and amazing individuals when they want to be. I wish I could have captured them exchanging gifts that they had selected for each other this morning. They were definitely excited to be receiving gifts, but they were equally if not more excited to GIVE their carefully selected gift. There were so many smiles and hugs between these two this morning and it warmed my heart. I'm so thankful that I get to be their mom!<br /><br />
Thank you to everyone who wished these two a happy birthday today. If you've been in our life for a little while or forever, know that I am thankful to have you in our support system. We are truly blessed!<br />
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<i>"Those blessings are sweetest that are won with prayers and worn with thanks." ~ Thomas Goodwin</i><br />
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-3323786451212229542015-08-29T23:18:00.002-04:002015-08-29T23:18:44.032-04:00Back to blogging....Well it has been quite some time since I've blogged and since we're about ready to head back to school, I guess there is no better time to get back to blogging.... right?!<br />
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I'm just wrapping up a week off from work and am so thankful to have spent a lovely week at the beach with the twins. It has been an entire year since I took a whole week off from work and it was SO NICE! I did not drive for an entire week when I normally drive 70 miles round trip each day! I loved watching the kids have tons of fun and to be able to enjoy our time together instead of rushing through our short evenings after work and school. <br />
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The kids rode their bikes, played on the playground, went to the boardwalk to go on the rides, played in the waves, dug in the sand, saw cousins and friends...... and just had a great week. <br />
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It was the perfect way to end the summer..... Tuesday they head to SECOND GRADE!!!! I can't believe it. I have ambitious plans to bring better order to our routines after a stressful and bumpy transition to first grade. I'm hoping for a smoother year, but am ready to tackle whatever comes our way. </div>
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Counting down the days until our next vacation in just 2 months this time instead of a whole year! Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-66842663122301827922014-08-24T00:14:00.001-04:002014-08-24T00:14:35.445-04:00Prepping ahead....My new goal for the fall and beyond is to prep ahead....<br />
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Prep what ahead?? As much as humanly possible. <br />
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I'm a life-long procrastinator..... I'm not going to lie. And becoming a first time parent to 2 children at the same time didn't help that at all. I thought as the twins got older our lives would be less hectic and it would be easier to catch up. In some ways it is, but with full-day school, homework and after school activities not to mention a full-time job and a 70 mile round trip daily commute.... it is hard to stay on top of all the things that need to be done at home.<br />
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One thing that I really need help with is meal planning and prep! I've seen a bunch of freezer meal workshops popping up, but with a picky hubby none of the menus I had seen would work for us. Until now! A friend from high school was having a Wildtree Freezer Meals Workshop.... I took a look at the menu figuring it would again not work, but it did! All of the menu items were things that I don't currently cook, but sounded good (except one which I was able to substitute easily). I went back and forth about whether to sign-up and even showed it to Jim and he encouraged me to try it out. <br />
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Here is the menu that we would be creating (I did not make the meatloaf):<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Comfort Food Workshop Recipes:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Honey Balsamic Chicken drumsticks </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Italian "Medallions" (chicken tenders) </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Italian Flank Steak</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Chipotle Lime Fajitas</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Slow Cooker Chipotle Lime Chicken </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Smoked Mozzarella Chicken with pasta </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Hearty and Delicious Meatloaf</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Adobo Grilled Chicken</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;">Best Burgers EVER</span><br />
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I had never heard of the company, but signed up anyway. (The company is certified organic. We are not an organic family, but I thought that might peak some interest from organic friends.) The workshop cost $78 and for that fee I received all of the pictured items, plus the recipes and some shared ingredients. On a side note - as I typed this post I decided to head on over to the Wildtree website to see what I would have paid for all of the products that I received had I only purchased them and not attended the workshop. I was pleasantly surprised the product total came very close to the fee that I paid (without even tax & shipping added in). <br />
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I received a grocery list and spent about $100 on the other necessary items for the 10 meals that we'd be making. I decided that this was an excellent opportunity to test out the Shoprite from home service since the workshop was on a Tuesday night and I wanted the meats to be fresh. I also figured that since I'd be using the majority of what I ordered right away, that it would give me a good chance to inspect what the shoppers chose. I placed my order on Sunday night so that I could pick them up on Monday after work. I ordered a ton of meat, produce and other groceries. I was very happy with everything they chose. There was one small error with something being wrung up twice but I called and it was very easily rectified. I would definitely use this service again to save time during our busy weeks. <br />
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I went to the workshop with my bags of meats and chopped veggies. A few of the recipes I felt had way more food than we'd be able to eat in one sitting and Jim is not a leftovers guy so I split them into 2 bags/meals. It was fun to make prep the meals as a group. We were given detailed recipes and instructions so that we can replicate the meals that we like. We were also given labels for each bag with the cooking instructions and an inventory sheet with any additional ingredients we would need to make each meal along with suggested side dishes. <br />
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So far we have enjoyed 3 of the meals that we made and I have to say that they were INCREDIBLE and SO EASY and QUICK! Our first meal was the Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp.... OMG! This was definitely a spicy recipe, but you could adjust for your family's taste. Bonus here my friends..... Jim has NEVER eaten bell peppers. When I made our plates I tried to give him as few as possible since I knew he'd be picking them out and my plate had A TON! All of the sudden I see him reach over to my dish to scoop out some of mine. I almost fell off my chair (if you know Jim.... the man doesn't try anything new!)...<br />
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We have since had the Italian "Medallions" which I made with a rice side and some veggies. There were leftovers because the kids had already eaten at Mom-mom's. Jim actually liked the chicken so much that he took it to work to put over his salad at lunch and LOVED it. Tonight we had the Italian Marinated Flank Steak and it was SO delicious. </div>
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I love that all the prep work is done ahead of time for these dishes. It is so much easier to come home to a thawed out completely prepped and marinated meal with the instructions RIGHT on the bag (no trying to remember where the recipe for this particular dish is) and so far they have cooked within 20 minutes! I'm in LOVE and so is Jim. He told me tonight.... I don't know which I liked best and do you have what you need to make these meals again! I can't wait to try the rest. </div>
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Oh and the consultant.... is a fellow mom of twins! Check out her site....<br />http://www.mywildtree.com/TARAJO/</div>
<br />Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-79558879034354867962014-04-05T23:36:00.001-04:002014-04-05T23:36:21.765-04:00A busy Spring is here! I'm very thankful that this snowy, frigid winter is behind us and hopeful that better weather awaits us this spring and summer. 2014 is already speeding by before our eyes. It is hard to believe that in just 2 1/2 more months the Haztwins will be finished with kindergarten! What?!?! When the heck did that happen! <br />
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We've had a CRAZY winter.... with 8 school closings and 4 two-hour delays that resulted in no AM kindergarten.... I don't think there were many weeks that the kids didn't have at least 1 day off. However, they have still learned SO much! They are reading simple books on their own, writing sentences and have recently started copying books and even writing their own stories! They got awesome report cards and their conferences went very well. I was so happy that in both of their sample work they wrote something nice about their teachers. I love to see that they have developed a special relationship with their teachers, even though that does make it tough when it is time to move on. My favorite sentence in their sample work would definitely have to be.... "My mom is fun"<br />
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After 2 months of physical therapy and getting custom orthotics, I'm sad to say that I'm having more problems and pain. I'm very frustrated after a trip back to the orthopedic doctor which resulted in him telling me to stop wearing my orthotics as he thinks that the arch support might be forcing me supinate and the reason for the increased pain on the outside of my foot. I have requested an MRI to see if there is something else going on in the area as this has been going on for far to long in my opinion and I did have a previous injury and pain in this area as well as evidence of bruised bones on my initial x-ray in November. But my request by this doctor has been denied. I was told by his medical secretary that he is confident that he hit the diagnosis right on the head and that there is no reason for further testing. That removing the $400 (although covered by my insurance) custom orthotics should help and that I should not need any further follow up appointments with him. I'm planning to discuss with my physical therapist this week to see what she recommends, but I don't feel that telling a 32 year old to choose which pain is better to deal with is the best option when we haven't explored to see if there is anything besides the plantar fasciitis going on. I could go on and on with my frustrations.... but right now I'm just hoping that more physical therapy or perhaps a second opinion with another doctor.<br />
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Looking ahead to a busy next few months includes a trip to Virginia for a wedding, Easter, a follow at DuPont for Summer Lou's ears, a business trip to Dallas for me, a benefit for my mom's scholarship, a trip to Vegas to celebrate our 10th anniversary, Jim's 39th birthday, Summer's dance recital and finishing up kindergarten.... and that is all by the end of JUNE! Stay tuned for lots of excitement from the Haztwins.... Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-84048778100327824242014-02-02T10:30:00.002-05:002014-02-02T10:30:25.950-05:00Thankful for progress....I'm counting my blessings with my friend Aurie... <br />
<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2014/01/thankful-for-prayers/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2014/01/thankful-for-prayers/</a><br />
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I'm not going to lie.... I had a rough week. This is typically my busiest time of year at work anyway... add on a few extra projects and I am a bit stressed. It didn't help that I was let out of the immobilizer boot that I've been wearing for the past 10 weeks only to be in pain STILL!!!! Granted not as much pain, but not as much better as one would hope to be after 10 weeks! <br />
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So I've had a short fuse this week, but it's getting better. I'm thankful for the following things this week...<br />
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<li>I was fitted for custom orthotics to hopefully ensure that once my foot is better... it doesn't flare up again! And they are covered by my insurance!!!! </li>
<li>I went to the local running store to be fitted for the right sneakers. After explaining the situation they told me it would be best to wait until I had the orthotics to insure the proper fit. Since I'm not sure how long they will take to be made and go through all the insurance approvals, etc. I decided to check out the sidewalk sale they were having. The older models were 40% off, but if there was just one pair left of a style it was only $25. I was determined to find something for $25 and as luck would have it... I found these (original price $120)! After a week of wearing them... I'm super happy with my bargain. I'm hopeful that my orthotics will fit in them, but if not... it was still a great buy.</li>
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<li>I was prescribed a special type of physical therapy called Graston therapy, which is kind of like a massage with metal instruments. It is strange, but is supposed to help with soft tissue injuries and I'm really up for trying anything that will make this go away for good. I was super excited when I arrived at my first session and the woman at the check in desk told me I had NO COPAY! Especially since I'm supposed to go 3 times per week. On top of the therapy she has given me great stretching instructions and had me do a ton of exercises on Friday to build my strength and range of motion. She even said she'll get me back to running! I'm not about to jump right back into that since running is what started all of this, but I'm hopeful that she thinks she can get me that much better. I'll just be excited to get back to Zumba! I have class passes burning a hole in my pocket, but I'm trying to wait until I have worked my way through a few more weeks of physical therapy. </li>
<li>I'm thankful that I have not gained back any of the weight that I worked so hard last year to lose despite not being able to exercise much at all. And in fact.... since I've been cooking more at home and not eating out nearly as much... I've lost a couple additional pounds during my exercise hiatus. </li>
<li>I'm thankful that my husband sensed how upset I was this week and had a super positive attitude (we're usually the other way around), but it made me realize how silly I was being and that I just needed to take a deep breath and realize that it will all be better in a few weeks. </li>
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So this week I'll be working on keeping a more positive attitude and working hard in my 3 PT sessions to get this foot well enough to Zumba. <br />
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-81527985582800315062014-01-22T23:44:00.003-05:002014-01-22T23:46:39.333-05:00Sometimes a good lesson is learned....If you are a mother I'm sure that you can relate to often feeling like maybe you could be doing a better job at something. Lately I've been feeling pulled in too many directions. It's my least favorite time of year at work.... year end. Blah.... add in some snow storms, sick days, the holidays, extra projects and some days I feel like I have so many hats that I'm not really doing a good job at any of them. But some days something happens that makes me smile and I remember what I'm doing it all for. My family. <br />
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I've had 2 such examples in the past few days that just warms my heart so much and reminds me that no parents are perfect, but that we are raising thoughtful children. <br />
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A Disney commercial came on TV. We have a Disney timeshare and the kids have already been to Disney a few times, but now that they are at an age to understand we try to emphasize how much the trips cost and have them save money for their own souvenirs. Upon seeing the commercial both kids said how much fun we had in Disney this past September. Summer then turned to me and said thank you Mommy for spending all the money on our trip.... it was so much fun! And Cole agreed! We got through to them and their deep appreciation warmed my heart! <br />
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Lots of snow! Snow, snow, snow yesterday and Jim was stuck at work. Like literally stuck there. They were allowed to leave at 1pm and after 40 minutes he still wasn't out of the parking lot of the complex. All roads were gridlocked so he went back into the building to wait and finally got home 4 hours after being dismissed. So we were home and I decided I needed to shovel and yes I am still in an immobilizer boot, so I had one snow boot and one large red Target bag tied around my other boot to head out for shoveling and the kids came out too. My sister had gotten them these tiny snow shovels a few years ago and they went to town. They were so into it that they didn't want to sled down the hill or play, they wanted to help shovel.... I decided it was a good time we learned a very important lesson about helping others. My neighbor recently lost her husband so I sent them over to work on her steps. They worked together as a team and did an amazing job. And the best part.... she and her elderly mother were sitting at the table by the front window and the look of complete delight on their faces and they watched these tiny 5 year olds clearing the steps made my heart so happy. She came to the door and thanked them and oohed and aahed over them. Then she slipped them a little something for their hard work and they said, THANK YOU! (when we got home we discussed that although it is nice to get rewarded for helping, that we help because it is the right thing to do and we never ask for money). After this Summer was ready to head inside, but Cole wasn't finished so I sent him to the neighbor on the other side to clear off what had come since she had been out to shovel. He worked so hard and made sure every drop of snow was cleared off of those steps. Here are some pictures of my little cuties. <br />
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Makes me happy that even though I'm not with them so much of the time that once in awhile I do get through to them about something important to me... </div>
Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-53147531389677261552014-01-19T23:29:00.000-05:002014-01-19T23:29:28.305-05:00Some weeks are tougher than othersSome weeks breeze right by and before we know it we're at the end, but others just seem to never end and have lots of stumbles...<br />
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Last week was one of the weeks. Nothing absolutely awful and unrecoverable happened, but just a bunch of little bumps that made for a very LONG week. <br />
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I'm working on rolling out some new software at work and that has made for 4 trips to our Lawrenceville office in the last 2 weeks which is a rarity for me. Let's just say there is a tad more traffic traversing up 295 than my normal trek down the shore. In the end this will be a very good thing, but when we're already in our very busy year end... adding more training and hashing out new routines is making for more hours, which thankfully can be done remotely. <br />
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Tuesday morning I woke up to Summer at my bedside crying that her right ear hurt. While I was thankful that it wasn't the ear we spent close to a year trying to heal from the problems caused from her tube falling out... I was very concerned. You see in all the ear infections, sinus infections and usually inflamed tonsils.... this chick has NEVER complained that something hurt. Not EVER! She would not remove her hand from her ear. After giving her some medicine to help with the pain, my MIL was able to watch her so I could head to work until the doctor's office opened and call for an appointment. Our physician's assistant who has seen us through all of our illnesses took a peek in her ear and said well thank goodness she finally complained of pain because this is the worst ear infection she had seen in over a year. She expected that it would rupture so we were prescribed ear drops on top of an antibiotic. Oh what a treat it is to pin your child down as she screams like you are stabbing her all while trying to count ear drops actually making it into her ear. She also wanted it wiped out constantly since it was draining from rupturing. Lots of fun, but could be worse :) <br />
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Cole has trouble staying dry through the night. He doesn't want to wear pull-ups anymore to bed and can stay dry most nights if we put him on the potty before we head to bed. But not always. This week it seemed to be every night that he was getting up wet... which means changing sheets and changing clothes in the middle of the night. <br />
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Add in Jim getting sick again last week.... he finally was able to get in to see the doctor of Friday and has another sinus infection. Last night I went to bed not feeling well and between the kids both getting up a record number of times in one night and me struggling to sleep as it was.... it was a very rough night. Luckily realized how rough a night I had and let me sleep until I was feeling better keeping the kids occupied downstairs. <br />
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Here's hoping for a less bumpy week.... Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-90343369634784111622014-01-16T23:09:00.002-05:002014-01-16T23:09:58.189-05:00The blessings that I wear every day...<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Linking up again with my friend Aurie to Count My Blessings...</div>
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2014/01/counting-blessings-all-the-time/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2014/01/counting-blessings-all-the-time/</a></div>
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I'm not one to change my jewelry much. I basically wear the same stuff almost every day only changing it up for special occasions. And pretty much all of the jewelry that I currently wear was gifted to me and I am very thankful for what this jewelry means to me. </div>
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My rings... include my engagement ring that I received in front of Cinderella's castle in Disney World, my wedding band and my Tiffany notes band that my hubby gifted me for our 5 year wedding anniversary. </div>
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My earrings... these heart studs were a congratulations gift that I bought myself at Tiffany's in NYC on a trip with some of my family on the day that I found out I got my first job out of college. I have worn them almost constantly since then and just celebrated my 10 year anniversary with my company yesterday! </div>
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My bracelet... my Pandora bracelet and pink heart charm were gifted to me by my Dad & Stepmom for my 31st birthday. I bought the Cinderella carriage charm in Disney World. Jim bought me the S & C block charms last Christmas and the cat and heart with love in several languages for Mother's Day. <br />
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My necklace... my Origami Owl necklace that my dear sister-in-law gifted me last Christmas. It was a total surprise and came complete with charms that mean a lot to me. An Eiffel Tower, a heart that says "Sister", a treble clef, a starfish and the kids' birthstone. Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-41327085013082062992014-01-11T23:27:00.002-05:002014-01-11T23:28:41.951-05:00Counting my Blessings...I'll be trying to continue linking up with my friend Aurie's Counting Your Blessing link-up. I really love the opportunity to stop and remind myself of the blessings in each week, both small and large.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2014/01/counting-blessings-even-in-the-messy/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2014/01/counting-blessings-even-in-the-messy/</a><br />
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Here are some of the things that I am thankful for lately....<br />
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I'm thankful for Cole's headphones that I snagged second hand after a horrible episode with Cole at the movies .... they enabled us to enjoy the fireworks on NYE with no meltdowns due to the noise. He absolutely loved them and Summer thinks they are like glitter in the sky. He also likes to go to the movies now! <br />
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I'm thankful that in a year when there weren't many presents under the tree that the kids had realistic expectations of what Santa could bring and that they were actually more excited about the little crafty gifts that we made to give out to our family. They continued by making pictures and books, whatever they could find and wrapping it up to give to people. It warmed my heart and reminded me that gifts don't have to cost a lot to mean a lot. <br />
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I'm thankful that I got a nice review from my boss this year. Sometimes I feel that I have so many hats that I'm never quite doing a good enough job at anything. I'm not being a good enough worker, mother, wife, house keeper, friend and the list goes on and on. In a year that I've made schedule adjustments at work because I felt that I needed to be home earlier for our new kindergarten, homework, activity schedule, it was nice to hear that I was appreciated as a hard worker. <br />
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I'm thankful for an awesome movie date today with my kiddos and my sister-in-law. We went to see Frozen (which the kids saw while I was away last month), which I thought was an amazing movie! Very well done! And we saw it in these amazing recliners! So we got in some nice cuddle time while watching! <br />
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Mother Nature has certainly thrown us a few curve balls in the last month or so, but so far we've made it through and had some fun playing in the snow when we can. The kids have already had 3 snow days from school and we still have A LOT of winter left! Yesterday was a real doozy! Jim and I both left for work and didn't make it very far from home due to the freezing rain that quickly coated the roads with a layer of shimmery ice. We both decided to turn around and come back home until the temperatures increased and the ice melted. There were 71 recorded traffic accidents in our township alone! So thankful that we weren't in any of them! I am bummed that this made me miss my appointment with the orthopedic doctor and his next available appointment isn't for 2 weeks! But I'll take it as a sign that I needed some more time in the boot. What's another 2 weeks after 8... right??<br />
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<br />Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-2626868132357083252014-01-01T23:07:00.003-05:002014-01-01T23:07:43.165-05:00Heading into a New Year 2014! 2013 was a busy year for sure and it definitely had its share of ups and downs. <br />
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The kids graduated from Pre-K, were registered for and started Kindergarten in 2013. Their graduation ceremony was so adorable and well done. Jim and I are so proud of how well they did in Pre-K as well as how much they are doing in Kindergarten. They LOVE doing homework and learning new things. <br />
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We spent a week at the beach in Sea Isle in June and it was really nice to just relax and spend time with each other. Plus we had several visitors to stop down and spend time with us too! And we had an awesome family vacation to Disney World for the kids' 5th Birthday. Plus I also was fortunate enough to have a fabulous girls' weekend in Disney with my sister-in-law! <br />
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A major goal of mine in 2013 was to work on getting fit. And I'm proud to say that I stuck with this ALL year with the exception of the last 7 weeks while I have been wearing an immobilizer boot to heal an injury. I tried out running, but that didn't really work out for me and is how I started my injury. Then I found Zumba, which I've fallen in love with and over the summer I got into Bosu Bootcamp as well. I have lost 12 pounds this year which has been a major goal for awhile that I have failed many years to act on. I'm so very proud that I've actually found a type of exercise that works for me and have stopped making excuses for why I can't do it. I am counting the days until I can get back to the gym.... which I never thought I'd actually be saying!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12 pounds lighter in 2013!</td></tr>
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We have also had some major challenges & disappointments in 2013.... Jim's company went through major downsizing and his position was eliminated in October, but we were very lucky that he was offered a step down position. We've also had some financial difficulties with our rental property and are in the process of putting it on the market (fingers crossed). <br />
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We added a cousin to the family this year when my cousin had her baby girl on Jim's birthday! We were very nervous for this dear girl to arrive as my cousin had some medical scares during her pregnancy, but luckily other than being a very tiny peanut.... she's perfect! My dear cousin Kate got married on Black Friday and Summer & Cole were the Flower Girl & Ring Bearer. It was a beautiful day as we welcomed Jay into the family officially! We also had a very devastating and unexpected loss of a dear family member. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud Momma with the Flower Girl & Ring Bearer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vW8A7yZQcXM/UsTkuz1chOI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/Zc7OsUXacVs/s1600/Kate+&+Summer+-+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vW8A7yZQcXM/UsTkuz1chOI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/Zc7OsUXacVs/s320/Kate+&+Summer+-+wedding.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer with her godmother, my gorgeous cousin, Kate! <br />
I just love this shot! </td></tr>
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Pushing forward to 2014 we are setting more goals over here for the Haztwin family.... <br />
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Number one on the list is most definitely selling our Florida rental property, which will relieve a big financial strain. I seriously love that house and if I could move it up here and live in it I would, but having a house that far away is just too much. <br />
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As long as all continues to go well in Kindergarten.... the Haztwins are going to full day public school in September! Seriously I may take the day off and have a freaking party to celebrate the end of daycare tuition being direct debited out of my checking account. If anyone wants to join me... let me know! <br />
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Getting out of this boot, strengthening my leg, getting the right shoes and possible orthotics so that I don't have to deal with this again. And then getting back to the gym! I am hoping to get back to a 3x a week workout schedule at the gym and then maybe also adding something at home too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My BFF.... Ugh!</td></tr>
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On the home front.... I have been doing better with cooking and meal planning, but I'd like to do better with that. I also really need to clean out and organize this house.... BIG time! I have downloaded a planning binder and am hoping that it will help me with a plan of attack. <br />
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Jim and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary in August and are hoping to be able to celebrate with a trip or something special if we can. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4ph3ISrplQ/UsTkvNMjkCI/AAAAAAAAA1c/VMWkJqeWOik/s1600/wedding+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4ph3ISrplQ/UsTkvNMjkCI/AAAAAAAAA1c/VMWkJqeWOik/s320/wedding+photo.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Wedding - August 7, 2004</td></tr>
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<br />
I hope to be able to spend more time at the beach again this summer. The kids really love it.... although I'm not sure if Summer likes the beach or just the ice cream man! Seriously.... ask my sister... she almost walked 2 blocks to the ice cream shop because Summer would not stop talking about when the ice cream man was coming (like wouldn't stop talking for 2 hours!). I'm also hoping to calm down our weekend schedule a bit and spend more quality family time together.... the kids are growing up so quickly and we need to cherish these moments together. I'm really loving how magical the world is to them and want to explore with them. <br />
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So that is it.... those are the goals.... check back to see what we accomplish this year! What are your goals? Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-60873984307240925172013-12-22T21:09:00.000-05:002013-12-22T21:12:44.812-05:00Thankful for my husband... Linking up with my friend Aurie's Counting My Blessings blog.... <a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/12/counting-my-blessings-one-at-a-time-2/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/12/counting-my-blessings-one-at-a-time-2/</a><br />
<img alt="CountingBlessings" height="150" src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" width="150" /><br />
<br />
During this season of hustle and bustle it can get quite stressful to get it all done! <br />
<br />
Add in a big family wedding, an unexpected loss and a long weekend trip to Disney with my sister-in-law and well... you guessed it.... I'm a little bit behind! <br />
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Last weekend I went to Disney for 5 days with my awesome sister-in-law. It was just the two of us and I think it was actually my husband's idea for us to go together. I am incredibly thankful for this trip and the time that I got to spend with my sister-in-law. I count myself very blessed to have gained an additional sister from my marriage and even more blessed that she and I have become the best of friends in recent years. <br />
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I am thankful that my husband got the kids excited for my trip by making fun plans to keep them busy at home, but also by having them make pictures of their favorite ride in Disney that they wanted me to do. I was surprised that they were so very excited for me to go on my trip and have fun! <br />
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I am thankful that he drove us to and from the airport... even when our flight home got delayed and that meant picking us up around midnight. <br />
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I am thankful that while I was gone he not only got a tree but got all of the decorations from the storage unit and decorated it with the kids! <br />
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I am thankful that he sent these incredible gifts to our hotel room that were waiting for us when we arrived. The Christmas ears got us much attention in the parks as they were SOLD OUT! <br />
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I am thankful that he made lots of plans to keep the kids busy while I was gone including going out to dinner, seeing a movie and going to Chuck E Cheese. Plus my parents took them to a play so they were booked solid while I was gone. They were so excited for their jam packed weekend with Daddy that they told me not to worry that I was missing it.... they were sure that I'd have plenty of my own fun with Aunt Chele. <br />
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But most of all I am thankful that he and the kids had a wonderful opportunity to bond with each other and enjoy each other. They don't always get that chance when I am home. I love them with all my heart, but it was very nice to have a girls' weekend away. Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-63001895750490504052013-11-22T23:07:00.001-05:002013-11-22T23:07:51.050-05:00Thankful thoughts during a hectic weekIt's been a bit of a bumpy week in more ways than one, but we still have plenty to be thankful for...<br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg"><img alt="CountingBlessings" src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" height="150" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/11/counting-blessings-in-the-midst-of-sickness-and-stress/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/11/counting-blessings-in-the-midst-of-sickness-and-stress/</a><br />
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<ul>
<li>I'm thankful that I found an amazing and easy recipe for lemon bars and that I was able to cheer up a few people who needed cheering up this week with said lemon bars</li>
<li>I'm thankful that I found an entire pack of pink pencils that I was able to have personalized for Summer Lou... I think she might have a heart attack when she finds them in her stocking Christmas morning. (there will be some blue ones for Cole too)</li>
<li>I'm thankful that I got a great deal on Cole's main Christmas gift</li>
<li>I'm thankful for the Cheryl & Co cookies that were delivered to my friend at work when I was having a rough day and that she knows to run to my office with them first whenever she gets them.... best cookies ever!</li>
<li>I'm thankful that my husband (whose been rather sick this week) got my a pumpkin spice latte as a surprise one night this week when he knew I had a rough day at work</li>
<li>I'm thankful that my new orthopedic doctor was so accommodating of my schedule. The office called to tell me that the doctor was needed for a surgery and wouldn't be able to keep my 1:50pm appointment and could I come earlier since he'd only be in the office until noon. I explained that I worked 35 miles away and that it would be difficult to come earlier unless they had something first thing in the morning. She asked if she could call me back after she checked to see if the doctor would come in at 7:45am before his first scheduled patient to see me.... and he agreed! </li>
<li>I'm thankful that even though I was hoping to be out of this immobilizer boot much sooner (so far I've been in it a week and really it's not so bad) than a couple of MONTHS.... that I am fortunate enough to have wonderful medical coverage through my employer and that the doctor thinks that this non-invasive treatment will work. I'm hopeful that we are on the right path even though it is going to take much longer than I anticipated. Now in addition to my boot for the day time.... I have a night splint to sleep with. Aren't they just beautiful! </li>
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<ul>
<li>I'm thankful for the fantastic report cards that both kids received today... Here are some excerpts... "Cole is an enthusiastic learner who loves to participate. He makes good choices and consistently used his personal best effort on a daily basis." and "Summer is a wonderful student. She seems to really enjoy school and shows an interest in learning. Summer also participates often and puts forth her best effort." </li>
<li>I'm thankful that the kids love school so much and that this is what my sliding glass door looks like. It was a little hard to capture, but I'll try to point out the highlights... </li>
<ul>
<li>I love you mom</li>
<li>Miss Summer & Miss Cole (can you tell we haven't had any guy teachers yet for them to understand that he would be Mr. Cole?)</li>
<li>tally marks in groups of 5</li>
<li>counting to 100 by 10s</li>
<li>a clock</li>
<li>The cat sat on the mat (this sentence was written without any help at all)</li>
<li>10+11 = 21</li>
<li>5+5 = 10</li>
<li>Do you eat turkey on thanksgiving (I did help her spell this sentence, but she came up with it as her "question of the day")</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-34638121549305221552013-11-18T23:17:00.000-05:002013-11-18T23:17:25.518-05:00Another week to be thankful for.... Looking ahead our schedule is about to get incredibly hectic, but part of the reason is why because we are very blessed to live near to so many of our friends and family. It always makes for a busy holiday season and while it can be stressful.... I absolutely love having so many people we love nearby! <br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg"><img alt="CountingBlessings" height="150" src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg</a><br />
<br />
Here are some of my top blessings that I'm counting this week... <br />
<ul>
<li>I'm thankful that 12 years ago on November 9, 2001 that Jim and I went on our first date and that we hit it off from the start and although we've had our ups and downs we're still going strong! </li>
<li>I'm thankful for being invited to the kids' friend's house for the Eagles game last week we all had a blast! </li>
<li>I'm thankful that Summer & Cole's teachers are thoughtful enough to coordinate things to be easier for me without me even having to ask. This week that had already coordinated with each other to make themselves available on the same day for me to come in for both kindergarten conferences on the same day even though they were assigned different days for their classes. </li>
<li>I'm thankful that I was able to get into an orthopedic doctor the day after my primary doctor referred me to one so that I could start healing my foot/ankle for my very busy holiday season... fingers crossed! </li>
<li>I am thankful that I was able to go to my twin moms' convention and catch up with my friends and thankful that I was able to represent my club as member of the year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</ul>
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<ul>
<li>I am thankful that Cole had a big cheering section for his last soccer game, especially since I couldn't be there and that Uncle Chris was able to take a team shot with their trophies to send to me! Did I mention how awesome it is to live near so much of our family?</li>
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<ul>
<li>I am thankful that as I went through Cole's folder from school that I turned over one of his worksheets and found this! He was told to write sentences or sight words on the back of his worksheet and this is what he wrote. I'm not going to lie... I balled my eyes out! </li>
</ul>
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-10299296772051234542013-11-09T22:45:00.002-05:002013-11-09T22:46:11.982-05:00Giving thanks for Halloween and beyond... I'm linking up with my friend Aurie's Counting your Blessings Link up.... I missed last week, but had started a draft so this week I'll be incorporating two weeks of thankful thoughts into this post... <br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg"><img alt="CountingBlessings" height="150" src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/11/blessings-in-the-mess-counting-blessings-link-up/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/11/blessings-in-the-mess-counting-blessings-link-up/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Here is my last week's list...<br />
I know it may seems strange to be thankful for Halloween.... a holiday that is based around candy! But that is what I'm thankful for this week among other things.<br />
<ul>
<li>I'm thankful that I got the opportunity to jump on the soccer field and coach Cole's game last Saturday. It was really fun!</li>
<li>I'm thankful that New Katie, Uncle Kevin and Allie were able to make it to see the game</li>
<li>I'm thankful that my MIL was able to take Cole to the dentist for me when his appointment needed to be rescheduled because our dentist is having surgery (and I'll be praying hard that she does well because she is the best dentist ever!) </li>
<li>I'm thankful that I have a great boss who tells me that my family comes first and I was able to take Halloween off to make great memories with my kids</li>
<li>I'm thankful that not only was a chosen to be a parent helper in Cole's classroom for his party, but also that both kids' teachers went above and beyond to let me be involved with both S & C (not only letting me visit Summer's class as well, but actually suggesting that I get Cole from his class to take a picture with me and the kids together)</li>
</ul>
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I'm thankful for the technology that allowed me to participate in a conference call for work in between the "big school" party and the afternoon daycare party</div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that my neighbor is home on maternity leave and always seems to have that one thing that I forgot I didn't have which in this case was a lemon during my conference call to keep my banana ghosts from browning! And I have to mention that Summer was SO excited about these treats from me that she ate it first before any of the other treats! </div>
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</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that they were SO excited to start trick or treating as soon as they got home from their party at daycare and that since we finished so early (due to being the first trick or treaters) they were equally excited to hand out treats on the front steps</div>
</li>
</ul>
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Now for this week.... </div>
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<ul>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that my mother in law was willing to come over and help me empty all of my kitchen cabinets while I fixed shelves, purged unneeded items, wiped everything down and found nice new homes for everything. I'm not really good with sticking with a task until it is completed and she really helped with get so much done! </div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful for the internet that helped me to find an amazing recipe for beef brisket and that it turned out absolutely delicious and I got 2 thumbs up from my kids! They ate so much and even ate vegetables which are a major struggle lately. </div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that my mother in law was also able to watch the kids 3 days this week while they were off of school which was such a huge help!</div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that I was able to take another day off this week and that living social had an amazing deal on the Please Touch Museum during the summer. I was able to plan ahead with a friend to get together during teacher conventions this week and take our kids for a fun day out! We had a really great day!</div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful for getting to see my SJMOMS friends this month</div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that Cole decided that he was going to really play soccer today and run and try his hardest! He did such a great job and was so excited that Grandma & Grandpa were there to cheer him on. </div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that we were able to get together with some friends and their kids tonight for the kids to play and for the grown-ups to catch up and eat dinner. </div>
</li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm thankful that I got a 50% off coupon when I rented Cole's suit for Aunt Kate's wedding that we were able to use for Jim to get a much needed new suit today! </div>
</li>
</ul>
Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-67694847253400091182013-10-25T22:50:00.001-04:002013-10-25T22:50:22.925-04:00Another week that I'm linking up with my friend Aurie's Counting Our Blessings blog.... I'm really loving recapping the week while recounting the great things that we were blessed to do! I hope you are enjoying reading what we've been up to. <br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg"><img alt="CountingBlessings" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2845" height="150" src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/10/on-not-giving-up-counting-blessings-link-up/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/10/on-not-giving-up-counting-blessings-link-up/</a><br />
<ul>
<li>We were able to see 2 of my aunts and 1 of my cousins from Long Island at my sister's housewarming party. It was a great day. The kids had a great time running around my sister's yard and we had a good time chatting and catching up with everyone. </li>
<li>Cole scored 4 goals at his soccer game on Saturday! And he had a huge cheering section! </li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>I volunteered to help the coach at soccer practice on Monday night since the assistant wasn't there. Cole thought this was the coolest thing in the world and I really had a lot of fun.</li>
<li>Summer was such a good girl just sitting and coloring until Jim got to soccer practice so that I was able to help the coach</li>
<li>That our daycare listens to me when I have concerns and is willing to help me work through them. Cole has been having a very rough time adjusting to a small rest time instead of a 2 hour nap each day. That on top of the busier days at big school has taken a huge toll on my boy. He's been having trouble listening and last week cried every night about how tired he was. I was able to make arrangements with the school to take him to his old Pre-K class after lunch to take a nap. They said the one day he was the last one up and he's been so much better this week! I'm so thankful they were willing to accommodate us! </li>
<li>I'm thankful that the dance teachers are so thoughtful that even though one of Summer's teacher's told me she got kicked in class.... her other teacher called me when I got home to make sure that I knew what happened. </li>
<li>I'm thankful for our zoo membership and that we are able to take friends with us and for a beautiful day at Boo at the Zoo with my best friend, her hubby and their baby girl!</li>
</ul>
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I love our mix and match day outfits </div>
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We had a great family night at the book fair this week.... the kids got to dress up in their Halloween costumes and pick the books they wanted with their birthday money that I had stashed away for this occasion. We were so happy to see that both of their teachers were there... Summer's teacher even had her baby there! Here are our choices! </div>
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<ul>
<li> Meal planning is still going very well and we have drastically reduced the amount of take-out that we are all consuming.... saving us money and making us healthier.... which I can happily say has contributed to me being 15 lbs lighter! </li>
<li>Cole was also the Star of the week and here is his poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hope you have all had a splendid week and even though we all have rough patches... stopping to smell the roses helps to make the thorns not seem so bad. Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-36324664916061492582013-10-17T23:24:00.001-04:002013-10-17T23:25:18.139-04:00More blessings to count.... I'm really enjoying linking up with my dear friend Aurie's weekly Counting our Blessings meme! It's been a stressful few months for me with lots of schedule changes for everyone and we're still not quite adjusted, but it's nice to stop and smell the roses that we are blessed with each week. <br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/10/on-not-giving-up-counting-blessings-link-up/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/10/on-not-giving-up-counting-blessings-link-up/</a></div>
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<ul>
<li>I'm thankful that my sister-in-law was able to pick up these awesome shoes for Summer to wear as the flower girl in my cousin's wedding</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>I'm thankful for how handsome and grown up Cole was when he was fitted for his tuxedo for the wedding</li>
<li>I'm thankful that I'm getting back on track with working out and although I can't get to the gym as much due to the activity schedule at the moment.... a new Sunday class just got added with one of my favorite instructors and I'm totally psyched to have more options that will work with our new schedule! </li>
<li>I'm thankful that my wonderful husband is so supportive of me leaving the house as much as I do to workout and go to my SJMOMS activities, etc. </li>
<li>I'm thankful for Jim's awesome aunt who brought us an amazing dinner that was big enough to last 2 nights....which saved me from cooking those nights. </li>
<li>I'm thankful that we did not have plans last weekend and were able to have a mostly quiet weekend at home getting some stuff done around the house. </li>
<li>I'm thankful for Cole's very understanding soccer coach who was so encouraging when Cole completely lost it at practice on Monday because he is having such a hard time adjusting to no nap and asked him to be the stretching captain at the end (after he sat down for a much needed break)</li>
<li>I'm thankful for the wonderful relationships that we've built at our daycare that when I found out Cole had an issue at "big school" via email from his teacher.... I was able to send a text and a comforting face was able to give him big hugs and make him feel better. </li>
<li>I'm thankful that Summer was able to read almost an entire sentence of a book to me (and not all of them were her sight words)</li>
<li>And .... I'm thankful for this....</li>
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-85008729670552039412013-10-13T08:44:00.001-04:002013-10-13T08:44:04.964-04:00Another week with more blessings to count...It's been a long stressful week at work... quarterly closes are my least favorite... and this one was especially problematic.... <br />
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<ul>
<li>I am thankful that Jim was given a chance at a different position and so far is liking his placement</li>
<li>I am thankful that he had a few extra days off and was able to run some errands for me</li>
<li>I am thankful that Cole scored 2 goals in his soccer game last weekend and that Grandma, Grandpa & Aunt Yiz were there to see it! </li>
<li>I am thankful that my in-laws had a great trip to Disney and brought us some amazing gifts back.... I got an awesome Mickey fedora that I'm waiting to sport :) </li>
<li>I am thankful that Summer and I were able to attend an amazing shower for my dear cousin Kate and spend time catching up with my family. I was so proud of my little girl who was super shy at the get go, but wound up blossoming into this grown up who was super into all the "pots and pans" that Aunt Kate received</li>
<li>I am thankful for pumpkin muchkins that someone keeps bringing to my office</li>
<li>I am thankful that I got back to the gym 2 times this week.... once with my awesome sister-in-law</li>
<li>I am thankful that I am getting back into cooking, which is not only a huge cost savings but also much healthier for our family</li>
</ul>
Hope you have plenty to be thankful for this week! <br />
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-83836919300871875202013-10-10T23:47:00.001-04:002013-10-10T23:47:58.661-04:00My Disney World Travel Tips... So here are some of my favorite tips for traveling to Disney with kids. We've been to Disney more without kids than with kids, but we've now been to Disney with our twins 4 times. This definitely doesn't make us experts, but we definitely have found some valuable tips in our opinion. <br />
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<ul>
<li>I like to pack each outfit (complete with socks, underwear and accessories) in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. This helps make getting ready in the mornings MUCH easier, especially if someone is helping you get them ready. No digging in different places for socks, shirts, etc. As they get old enough to dress themselves, my kids enjoy getting to pick their outfit for the day. </li>
<li>Take an extra outfit per kid in a Ziploc bag (I really like using Ziploc bags!). This keeps the outfit dry and it also provides a location to put a potentially wet/messy outfit back inside. </li>
<li>Several of the parks have water splash areas (Magic Kingdom & EPCOT definitely), so I pack a swimsuit in a.... wait for it..... Ziploc bag! </li>
<li>I also like to put our autograph books with their pens in a Ziploc bag. Then I can keep them easily accessible in the back of the stroller and not worry about something spilling or one of the frequent afternoon rain showers that hit Florida ruining them. </li>
<li>You can take a small cooler into Disney! No glass or alcohol is allowed, but other drinks, food and snacks are. We don't pack lunch, but you certainly could. We bring several bottles of water for the day, some juice boxes and snacks for the kids. </li>
<li>If you want to eat in sit down restaurants or character meals.... MAKE RESERVATIONS and make them as far ahead of time as possible (up to 180 days in advance for most restaurants). Due to the popularity of the dining plans it is quite typical for there to be no same day reservations available in the parks. </li>
<li>Make a rough game plan for each day of your trip. I usually make a chart of the park hours including the extra magic hours for each day of my stay. If I will not be taking advantage of the extra magic hours.... I steer clear of that park. (Extra Magic Hours - each day a different park opens early or stays open late for those staying on Disney property only)</li>
<li>Once I have this rough plan of how we will spend our days, I plan our meal reservations. (Park hours usually are released 10 days prior to when you can start making meal reservations) This is especially important if you won't be getting park hoppers because you do need to use a park ticket if you are eating in the park. </li>
<li>I like to pre-order the Disney Photo Pass CD as you can save $50 on the price it would be after you arrive. I would highly recommend this especially if you will be going to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique during your stay. On our first visit they took 87 photos of my daughter, some of these are surely photos that I could have gotten myself but they have a set that they take of the reveal through different mirrors and I certainly could not replicate those amazing shots! I was able to get all of my photo pass photos downloaded instead of having to choose to print at $15 per photo through the Photo Pass site. I have not yet upgraded to the Photo Pass + as I didn't feel we would use enough of the meal/rides that it includes to be worth the higher price. </li>
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<ul>
<li>The characters do tend to pay a bit closer attention to children that are dressed as them. While this is not always possible for every character it is something to keep in mind. It might be as simple as a private photo with a special pose or words like "oh I thought I heard my mice friends poking around my closet this morning, but it must have been you trying out one of my dresses". Makes for a cute little memory!</li>
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<ul>
<li>Gift shops are a plenty in Disney World. In fact, just about every ride dumps you into a gift shop. What we have started doing with the kids is save up money in their piggy banks in the time leading up to the trip. We then put that money plus gifts they received or a little extra from us on a gift card for each child. That is their present money for the trip. They can choose any gifts they want, but when the money runs out.... that is it. It has really worked out for us with little to no meltdowns. If I felt they were spending too quickly, I tried to explain how many days we have left and how many presents worth of money they had left. Sometimes we even took pictures with my phone to "think" about an item. </li>
<li>I have tried a few different Disney World apps. I really love the new Disney Experience app put out by Disney (previous apps were by outside companies and not as great). All your meal reservations are available within the app. There is also a great "Here and Now" button that will give you all the current wait time and fast past distribution times for the rides you are near. It will also give you nearby restaurants along with their menus! </li>
<li>You can now fast pass the Princesses in Magic Kingdom and Mickey Mouse. And I recently found out by talking to a cast member that a fast pass with Mickey Mouse does not affect your ability to get your next fast pass immediately.... because everyone should get to see Mickey! </li>
<li>If you've seen the parade and/or fireworks before or just don't think your kids will sit through them.... this is the best time to hit the rides. Much shorter wait times in our experience. </li>
<li>Last year we had some problems with being afraid of the "dark", which is not even especially dark. But when you go from bright, sunny outside to dim lighted to keep you cooler inside lines it can seem darker than it actually is, which apparently freaked my kids out and eliminated a bunch of rides. I thought about what I could do to combat this and came up with glow bracelets. I bought several packages of them from 5 below and kept some in my bag each day. I told the kids this was there own light if they got scared. It really worked late. This would also be helpful if you're out and about at night for the fireworks shows since the glow items sold in the park cost a fortune. </li>
</ul>
Ok... that's all I have for now :) I'm always happy to chat about Disney if you have any specific questions.... let me know! <br />
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</ul>
Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-41275494805738577322013-10-03T22:55:00.002-04:002013-10-03T22:56:34.573-04:00Counting my blessing during a stressful week... I knew this week would be stressful.... but as luck would always have it... it was a bit more stressful than I had ever anticipated...<br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg"><img alt="CountingBlessings" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2845" height="150" src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/10/counting-my-blessings-one-at-a-time/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/10/counting-my-blessings-one-at-a-time/</a><br />
<br />
Despite being dealt one of the biggest lemons we've been given in quite some time... we still have plenty to be thankful for<br />
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1) I'm thankful that I planned ahead last weekend and cooked most of Sunday. I cooked for the whole week... I made crockpot oatmeal for my breakfast, I made a big batch of smoothies and froze them for my lunch and I precooked dinners for the week. This has made mealtime stress this week absolutely zero. I also am feeling great having not had any takeout this week (except for a little snack after my SJMOMS meeting last night). This has also saved a great deal of money with not eating out as well.<br />
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2) Speaking of my SJMOMS group... I am thankful for being part of such an amazing group of women and to call many of them my friends. They have made my life with twins so much easier and I don't know what I would've done without them. <br />
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3) I am thankful that we were invited to a friend from school's house and had a great family play date. It was nice for the adults to enjoy dinner and socializing, while the kids played nicely with each other. <br />
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4) I'm thankful for my fabulous neighbors who watched Cole when Jim was running late from work so I could pick up Summer and her friend from dance without dragging him along. <br />
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5) I'm thankful that even though my husband lost his job in a huge layoff this week that he was given the opportunity for a lesser position instead of no job at all. <br />
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6) And I am thankful for this... Summer did this at school today and I think I will try to add a picture to each of these posts showing off what they are learning this year. <br />
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Have a great weekend! </div>
Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-83030271041164708952013-09-28T14:24:00.001-04:002013-09-28T14:25:51.393-04:00Counting my blessings...Today I'm linking up with my dear friend Aurie's Count Your Blessings meme....<br />
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I try very hard to look at the bright side of things as often as possible (even though it can be difficult at times). The rules are simple – write a post listing 1 or 100 blessings you’ve found this
week.<br />
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<img src="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CountingBlessings.jpg" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/09/new-counting-our-blessings-link-up/">http://www.ourgoodfamily.org/2013/09/new-counting-our-blessings-link-up/</a><br />
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Here's mine for this week:<br />
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1) I'm thankful that we are settling back into our crazy new school routine after a fabulous week on vacation<br />
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2) I'm thankful that we went for our 5 year old check-ups and haven't seen our beloved Physician's Assistant since our 4 year old check-up because other than some issues that we had to see Summer's ENT for we've had a healthy year. Just a few years ago we were there weekly for 3 months one winter.... and this is NOT an exaggeration!<br />
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3) I'm thankful that we have seen the same PA since the twins were born and that she really remembers when they were tiny babies and always remarks that you can't tell they were preemies!<br />
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4) I'm thankful that when the PA asked the kids if they could count to 10, Summer said I can count to 100 and Cole said I can count to 109! We are seriously blessed by the awesome daycare they attended and so far their new kindergarten too! I seriously can't believe all the things they have learned in their short lives. <br />
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5) I'm thankful for my family that is always there to help me with the kids or talk to me when I need advice. <br />
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6) I'm thankful that I was able to get out for 1 zumba class this week... hoping to fit more exercise into our new schedule as we get used to it. <br />
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7) I'm thankful for the beautiful weather that we had today for Cole's first soccer game and for a surprise visit from Grandpa to cheer him on! Oh and that Summer was well behaved even though she cried for 20 minutes last night about how going to his game was going to cancel her day that she had planned of playing with her dolls and coloring. <br />
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8) I'm thankful for my husband who secretly searched the internet for the scarf that I fell in love with last week in Disney, but when I went back to buy it found it was sold out! <br />
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-6312514085078722082013-09-22T20:00:00.000-04:002013-09-22T20:00:53.354-04:00Our last day in Disney...
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friday<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My initial plan was to spend all day at Magic Kingdom on Friday
finishing up things we hadn’t gotten to yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, since we hoped back into Magic Kingdom so many other days when
we finished up at other parks we decided to start the day at EPCOT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove over and headed in the gates…. I hit
Starbucks and discovered that I could use snacks from my meal plan for our Frappuccinos!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Jim headed to get us all Fast Passes for
Test Track since everyone enjoyed it so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we headed over for my very favorite ride Soarin’ with only a 10
minute wait!!!! Unbelievable!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
super excited that everyone was tall enough to go on this ride (40”) since
Summer wasn’t tall enough last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was so much fun and Summer had a blast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cole…. Not so much, but he was brave and powered through for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it was time for Test Track!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids had so much fun that they wanted to
ride it again, but Daddy had to leave to check in on our rental home so we got
our own Fast Pass tickets and then headed over to see Belle in France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Summer then reminded me that it was snack
time so we found her favorite Funnel Cake and shared while waiting for Jasmine
& Aladdin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After pictures and
autographs with them… we took the boat back towards Test Track!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a bit nervous to be taking both of them
on the ride by myself but we did great and then Daddy was back to meet us for
lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a yummy lunch in Mexico we
headed back to park at our hotel and head into Magic Kingdom for the last
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First stop… Tinkerbelle!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The line was a bit long, but air conditioned and with a TV playing a
Tinkerbelle movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got to see
Tinkerbelle and Rosetta!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Summer loves
Tinkerbelle… she’s been her the last 2 years for Halloween and probably would
be her again if it wasn’t for Sofia coming out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next we hit Small World again… then Summer & Jim went
back on Thunder Mountain (10 minute standby line!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they got off Cole decided he wanted to
do Splash Mountain to see Brer Bear and Brer Fox from the ride videos that Jim
had showed him on you-tube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that was
only a 10 minute wait too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cole was nervous for the big
drop, but Summer was not at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
picture (which is of the monitor taken with my phone so not super clear), she
is giggling with her hands straight up! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we got a snack on the way to the boat to the
Polynesian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a great dinner at O’hana
luckily with activities for the kids and then headed back to our hotel before
the water slide closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had some
great pool times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Cole is a huge rule
follower so when the lifeguards started getting the nets prepared to close the
slides he wouldn’t go on the slides again and tried to stop Summer from going
until we asked the lifeguard how much time was left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out he thought they’d put the nets
up without warning and he’d get stuck coming down the slide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it was time to pack for home and have
one last red velvet cupcake from the Contemporary, which I know I am just
mentioning now…. But they are to die for and we had quite a few this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our week was full of fun, giggles, firsts, and thank yous
but was not free of meltdowns and disagreements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there were more smiles than frowns
and really with a crazy on the go trip of this nature…. That’s really all you
can ask for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially when we usually
spend 10 hours a day away from each other and are not used to being together
24/7 for an entire week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made lots of
fun memories together as a family of four and I’m already working on the timing
for our next Disney trip in probably about 2 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the sign says when you leave Disney “See
you real soon!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-70773504543661482722013-09-22T08:17:00.000-04:002013-09-22T08:17:56.052-04:00Pirates and Princesses...Thursday was our day for special activities. The deal was.... that they could do these special activities but they were coming out of their souvenir money (which I'll cover in another post). <br />
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First up was Cole! He decided that he wanted to go on the Pirate Adventure Cruise that he did last year again. The cruise departs from the Grand Floridian.... parents are not allowed to go with the children and they are gone for 2 hours. (now if we could only convince Summer that she wanted to go too, we'd be in awesome shape!) All I can really tell you is that they ride this boat around to the different hotels on the water in search of buried treasure which they find and each kids gets a treat bag out of the treasure chest. They also have a snack and read a story about pirates I believe. I did get a few more details this year than last out of Cole as to where some of the stops were, but there is this pirate code and he won't share much. But I do know that he had a blast and the Pirates that run the cruise are really into it and work really well with the kids. Added bonus..... I had no idea that when I booked this 6 months ago that I was booking it for National Talk Like a Pirate day! <br />
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We took the monorail back to pick Cole up from the boat and then took the monorail to Magic Kingdom. Summer wouldn't stop talking about picking up her umbrella so we had to get that first. After a few rides which included climbing the Swiss Family Treehouse (which I hope to never do again, especially when it is 90 degrees), we grabbed fast passes for the BRAND new Princess Fairytale Hall which had just opened the day before and then had lunch. </div>
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After a somewhat heated discussion between my daughter who believes she is 25 and not 5 about why I only brought her Belle dress and not her Sofia dress, which luckily Jimmy was able to difuse without too many tears.... it was time for Summer's visit to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!</div>
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It did not take her long at all to warm up this time to the attention and Cole decided that instead of having special time with Daddy that he wanted to stay and watch Summer's transformation! </div>
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Then it was time for meeting Cinderella in her new home in Fantasyland.... </div>
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After seeing Cinderella and Aurora.... we headed for the park exit so we could get over to EPCOT for dinner. We got trapped in Town Square as the parade began and actually wound up with a great viewing spot with no effort so with no where to go... we stopped and watched. </div>
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Well Coley didn't really watch.... he was a sleepy pirate. I especially like how he pulled his bandana over his eyes before falling asleep. </div>
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Summer watched the parade intently and as Belle passed us and caught a glimpse of Summer done up and dressed as Belle with her special Happy Birthday Princess Summer pin.... she blew a kiss right to her! How magical and of course..... Mommy missed that Kodak moment. </div>
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Then it was off to the Monorail and into EPCOT! The kids really loved any time that we got to ride the Monorail! And loved that we could see it at our hotel. Once at EPCOT we went to Innovations for our FREE and very short lined Disney Visa photo with characters spot. If you have a Disney Visa bring it with you to Disney and currently the photo time is 1-7pm (but does change). Characters rotate, but this time we got Minnie & Goofy. You also get a free 5x7 print from your photo shoot. </div>
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Then we grabbed fast passes for Test Track, went on the Donald Duck boat ride in Mexico and then headed for dinner with the Princesses at Akershus in Norway. Everything claims that the princesses in this dinner rotate, but we've been there 3 times and have seen the same 5 princesses each time (not complaining though because we love all 5).... Belle, Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella & Ariel in the sea foam green ball gown. </div>
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After dinner we had to get Funnel Cake because Summer had been waiting all week to go to EPCOT for Funnel Cake. We got one to share and a duck nearby caught wind of the eating and started pestering us which caused Cole to stand up in the stroller screaming for the duck to get away.... pretty hysterical. </div>
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Then it was time for Test Track.... which Summer LOVED and held her hands up for the whole time. Cole was undecided.... he liked it but also wasn't crazy about the inside somewhat dark part. However when we went back on Friday that's all he talked about was riding it again. Then we picked up our free picture and headed back to the hotel for bed! One more day left..... </div>
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-68416795978353521552013-09-21T23:03:00.001-04:002013-09-21T23:03:30.591-04:00A Disney Junior day!Wednesday! <br />
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morning we headed into Hollywood Studios for breakfast at Hollywood & Vine
with the Disney Junior Characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had a yummy breakfast with Jake, Oso, Handy Manny & June from Little
Einsteins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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kids had a great time and then we headed out to see the princess in training…
Sofia the First!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Summer wore her Sofia dress and shoes from Aunt Chele and had to wear her hair down just like Sofia for the visit! </span>We waited as patiently
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THEN
we met up with Miss Stephanie one of the kids’ teachers from daycare who is
interning at Disney for the semester.</div>
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We saw the Disney Junior Live on Stage and then headed to take pictures with Buzz & Woody before using our Fast Passes for Toy Story Mania. </div>
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Then the skies opened up and poured rain! And it was not the 5-10 minute rain shower that happens pretty much daily at this time of year in Florida. So we called it quits.... the kids were ready for a rest anyway. But they both said their favorite part of the day was seeing Miss Stephanie! And then Summer said well Sofia was first and then Miss Stephanie! </div>
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I got some food from the quick service restaurant in our hotel and we ate in our room.... then Summer passed out for quite some time and Cole played quietly with his Legos the entire time she slept. </div>
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After Summer's nap and the rain stopped we hit Magic Kingdom since it was just a quick walk to our hotel. Summer decided she wanted to order one of the painted umbrellas she had seen with the rest of her money. Then we rode Small World again which Cole decided he loves and calls Little World. After that we hit Enchanted Tales with Belle which we got to at a perfect time because people left the line due to the parade getting ready to start. We had never done this ride before since it just opened within the last year. It was super cute and you could take pictures at the end with Belle on your photo pass. Then we visited Ariel with her fin in her Grotto with the kids really enjoyed. </div>
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The fireworks were going off as we were in the new Fantasyland section and it was really a beautiful spot to stop and watch!</div>
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Then of course we had to hit Goofy's Barnstormer, Dumbo and the Speedway again before heading back to our hotel! What a great night! </div>
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009087003062765659.post-14197316945577750492013-09-19T23:56:00.001-04:002013-09-19T23:56:24.615-04:00Another day in Disney...Tuesday! <br />
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Tuesday was our planned day out of the parks... <br />
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We started off with our very first visit to Chef Mickey's! <br />
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Mommy epic fail.... I forgot the autograph books, but luckily we had already gotten autographs from all of the characters that would be there so the kids were ok with just getting pictures. </div>
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After a yummy breakfast with the characters.... we got ready to hit the pool! Which was basically.... let's go on the huge waterslide over and over and over. Summer was really nervous but got over her fear and decide to try it and LOVED it. In the picture below you can just about see her brown hair in the splash right below the slide! What a brave girl that doesn't mind her face getting wet anymore. </div>
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Then Cole decided that he was going to talk me into joining them on the waterslide! He told me that it wasn't scary and that he would hold my hand up to the top of the 20 foot waterslide. Then he told me how to sit so that I didn't go to fast and to wait for the light at the top to change from red to green before I went. After we've been trying to convince him not to be scared and try certain rides I had to take my own advice and his and try the slide. What a fun morning. After some lunch and relaxing in our room... we headed over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and dinner. </div>
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We had our very first visit to the Lego store and Cole chose a very nice little starter set of Lego City collection. He was super excited and couldn't wait to get back to our room to put it together. I couldn't believe that when we did get back after dinner that he sat at the table with Jim for over 2 hours to put it all together!!! We checked out a few of our other favorite stores and then got to meet up with a friend that recently relocated to the area just before our dinner reservation... </div>
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It was so nice to give her a hug and see her sweet girls and their little toes! Cole & Summer enjoyed seeing some other twins and then told me later... those twins look the same, not like us we don't look the same! </div>
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Then it was time for dinner at Raglan Road that is probably my favorite place to eat in Disney World. It is a Irish Pub and so delicious! They also have Irish entertainment every night. Either dancers or bands, etc. Summer got invited up on the stage to dance with the Irish dancers and she was so excited and did such a great job! </div>
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I need to figure out how to post videos to my blog.... as soon as I do I'll post the video of her on the stage! </div>
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When we got back to our room.... the boys got to work on building the legos. It was hard for me to not jump in since I'm the typically putter together in our family. Summer also was having a tough time without daddy's attention so I took her for a walk to get some drinks to kill some time. Cole was SO excited and has played with his Legos every time we've been back in our room! </div>
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Jackie Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329912095675953476noreply@blogger.com1