Kominsky Family

Week 2 done & done!

2012-02-11T12:48:00.001-05:00

John was off work the past two days. Wednesday evening we headed down to Ybor for $5 spaghetti night at the Warehouse. The boys were awesome and it was such a relaxing dinner. Thursday we got back to the gym. The boys had a blast in the kids klub. I'm glad we are starting the gym routine back up. John and I get in a good workout and the kids get to play and interact with other little people. It's a win win for everyone.

Yesterday was full of errands. And then after Logan woke up from his nap we headed to the high school track. John wanted to calibrate our running gadgets. Nate had fun trying to keep up with Daddy on the track. We then had a very tasty dinner, BBQ pineapple burgers on the grill. It was a nice low key couple of days.

This morning we all got up for a family jog. Today marked the conclusion of my 2nd week of training! Go me! I've actually made it two whole weeks! Only 7 more to go in my program :)

And here's a picture for your viewing pleasure. Glow stick fun! They had a blast with them in the tub!

Finger Painting!

2012-02-06T14:26:00.000-05:00

And without the mess! I find so many cool pins on Pinterest. I can't get enough. As soon as I saw this pin today I had to try it immediately! Next time I will use bigger ziploc bags (I only had sandwich ones in the cabinet).

30 before I'm 30

2012-02-05T11:28:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about this list for a little while now. Today I actually sat down and made it out. It's not complete but I wanted to leave room for ideas that pop up. So here goes:

1. Shoot a gun
2. Renew our vows
3. Run my 1st race
4. Golf a par 3 @ par
5. Read 10 books
6. Teach Nate the alphabet
7. Lose 10 lbs
8. Unplug for a day
9. Go camping
10. Go kayaking
11. Play tennis
12. Go fishing
13. Go bowling
14. Get a poem published
15. Pay it forward to a stranger
16. Kiss John in the rain
17. Get into the best shape of my life
18. Read the Bible cover to cover
19. Eat no meat for a week
20. Do something crazy to my hair
21. Send a piece of mail every week
22. Throw a fancy cocktail party
23. Less spending more saving
24. Stargaze with John
25. Plant something
26.
27.
28.
29.
30. Throw a kick a$$ forever 29 party!

On a roll!!

2012-02-05T09:06:00.000-05:00

4 runs this week! Hmm unless today counts as a new week? Nope, I'm going to count Monday's as the start of a new week. How do I feel? I feel accomplished. I'm sure not as accomplished as my ROCKSTAR husband. This morning he ran 5 miles WITH the BUS!! Yep, 5 miles with our big ass stroller with BOTH kids in tow. That's 5 miles pushing 100lbs of weight. So proud of him and myself I might ad.

Why do I keep blogging about the Kominsky Health Initiative? Because it keeps me accountable. The more I talk about it the more it stays in my mind and at the front of my focus. Now that we've got the fitness going, it's time to work on the food. Yep, I need to start sneaking veggies into our meals. (I put zucchini in our vodka sauce the other night!) And, substituting turkey for beef (don't tell John ;)) If you know my husband you know he's a meat and potatoes kind of guy. He has no interest in counting calories or watching what he eats. Well maybe a little. But eating healthier is going to be the toughest challenge.

Let's hear it for our healthier and happier family :)

I love these crazy kids!

2012-02-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

Have you seen her?

2012-02-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

...tell me have you seen her, seen her. Oh sorry got caught up in a song. But anyway have you seen this girl? I'm going to find her again this year. Yes, I was a little heavier then but I looked much better.

Inspiration to get my booty in gear!!!

On my way

2012-01-31T19:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of the rest of my life. I am on my way to a happier, healthier me. John has been talking about signing up for a race this year. So Sunday he did! And that snowballed into signing Nate up for his first race too! And, wait for it, I signed up for a race too! Yep, moi. The girl who would in gym class strive to get the slowest time on the mile. I hate running. Always have. But you know what. I will never accomplish anything if I don't start getting out of my comfort zone. So I'm diving in head first!

The race John and I are doing is the Mud Crusade. I am super excited! I started training today. I am doing the couch to 5k program. It's 3 days a week for 9 weeks. The race is in 12 weeks. So that should give me plenty of time to prepare. I have also started tracking my calories. I'm using myfitnesspal.com. It helps keep me accountable for what I am putting in my body.

It hit me the other day that while there are a lot of things in life that I cannot change, there are things that I can change. And my lifestyle is something I have control over. So I will concentrate on that. I will make health and happiness a priority in our family. Happier mommy = Happier hubby and kids.

Before signing up for the race John kept asking me if I'm sure I can do it. And no I'm not sure, it's something I've never done. But if I don't at least try then I will never know. I don't want to live my life with what ifs. I want to live my life with, I did it!!

Perfect day :)

2012-01-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was just what I needed. It was such a beautiful day. John was off so we started the day off with a dance party at 8:00 in the morning. At first I thought we were having an earthquake. Nope, just John's ridiculous sub. Talk about super bass. At least Logan liked it.

After John's run we headed to the power plant to visit the manatees again. It's only about 10 mins from our house. It's fun to go there and let the boys run around. Since it has been so warm there isn't much wildlife activity. A little disappointing but fun none the less. Logan's shoes kept coming off so we just let him run around barefoot. I'm sure we looked like a bunch of hillbillies especially when he ran through the fresh bird do do.

We ran a few errands, had lunch, and then headed outside. We played baseball in the backyard. This January weather we are having is crazy. Usually this is the one cold month we get. Nope, not this year. It's been close to 80 everyday. It was nice to get some fresh air and physical activity with the fam.

We ate dinner on the patio. I fixed my favorite dish to make, skilletini. And at under 400 calories a serving it's also healthy! Everyone devoured it. Nate's new line is telling us all the time how he is starving. However, it's like pulling teeth to get him to actually eat. After din I got the boys bathed and to bed. John and I got to catch up on some DVR shows then called it a night early.

It was such a nice, relaxing, perfect day. The best part: John didn't bring home any work so we got a WHOLE day of Daddy to ourselves :)

Stuck in a Rut

2012-01-23T16:39:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's true. And the hardest part is I feel like there is nothing I can do about it at the moment. I have been praying for patience. It is really hard to be patient. I'm tellin ya the thought of turning 30 is looming over my head and really messing with me. Correction: messing with me is saying it lightly. It is scaring the shit out of me.

There are two things that I would like by the end of this year more than anything. But unfortunately I don't think there is much chance of either happening. I would love to be settled somewhere and either thinking about or owning our own home.

I really don't think that is too much to ask for. John has given the past 13 years to his career. I have given almost 9. But for argument's sake I'll say we have truly given only the past 4 (because before then I think we both were very happy and content with our lifestyle). I feel it's time to reclaim our lives and do what is best for us and not for John's company.

I am going to try to continue to be patient. I will give it a little more time and see where life takes us. But we aren't getting any younger. And every day that passes we don't get back.

60

2012-01-23T09:37:00.000-05:00

My dad turned 60 over the weekend. I've been having a tough time swallowing that. Not that I feel like he is old, because believe me he is full of life. It just reminds me that time goes by so fast. Also, as my parents get older it pains me even more that we live so far apart.

I didn't intend for this post to be sad. It is a celebration of Dad's 60 years young :)

Here are some fun facts about January 21st, 1952:

The #1 song was Cry by Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads
1952 was a leap year
It was a Monday
A loaf of bread was 16 cents, a stamp was 3 cents, and the average income was $4457 a yr
The hot new toys of the year were Pez, Hot Wheels, and Mr. Potato Head

And Stonewall Jackson was also born on Jan 21st.

I love you Dad! I truly am blessed to have been a part of exactly half of your life :)

Choose Joy

2012-01-15T09:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I blogged about anxiety. And today I got a big ol slap in the face from God. Well, not really. Just a reminder. He always seems to bring me back and show me how blessed I am. And really the things I'm worried about are so miniscule compared to what others are experiencing.

Since my iPod was on the fritz I haven't been listening to the Southland Sermons in awhile. I started back up Friday. And wouldn't you know it's a series about Joy. And today as I was reading one of my favorite blogs the theme again is choose Joy. Yep, God is speaking right to me. I need to choose Joy.

And as if I needed anything else screaming choose Joy at me, I posted abt my morning on FB. John called me and asked me why I would start off my day with a negative post. I was puzzled. To me the post was not negative. But when I thought abt it he's right. Who cares abt the shattered spaghetti sauce jar...no one. Again, choose Joy.

Going forward I'm going to try my best to look at the bright side of things. Put more trust in God that this life is just a vessel to get me to my true home. I am going to make a conscious effort to choose Joy. I truly believe that what you put out in this world is what you get back.

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

Anxious

2012-01-14T09:10:00.000-05:00

Anxious - Experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

This sums up how I have been feeling lately. I guess since the start of the New Year. January is always an anxious time in the Kominsky house. This is usually if/when we find out if anything is changing with John's career. So far it's business as usual.

I also feel anxious for other reasons. This is going to be a milestone year for our family. The biggest milestone is Nathan will be going to school. My baby is going to school this year! Crazy to think that I will have to loosen up my grip. I have been with him almost every single hour of every single day since he was born. Thinking of him being in someone else's care is a tough pill to swallow.

The 2nd milestone is our 5 year wedding anniversary. It is very hard to believe it has been five years already. And I can honestly say I love John more today than I did yesterday. And I will love him more tomorrow than I do today. I really want to renew our vows. In today's world there isn't much value put on marriage. I would like to celebrate our love. And I think recommitting ourselves to each other would set a great example for our sons.

The 3rd milestone is Logan turning 2 this year. I feel like Nathan made a big jump with his 2nd birthday. So by the end of the year we will have two wild boys on our hands.

And lastly, also the scariest one for me, I'm turning 30 this year. It just sounds so old. I know that it isn't old at all and in fact I liked it when John turned 30. It is just a very scary step for me. And having Tom ask me what I'm going to do before I turn 30 keeps weighing on my mind. I have to leave my 20s with a bang right?!? Wow, the pressure is on.

So there you have it. The main causes of my anxiety right now. The New Year is a such a sneaky bitch. It comes up on you before you know it. And you have to dive right in and all the pressure of trying to make this one better than the last can get you off on the wrong foot.

I just have to keep saying to myself "Take a deep breath! God's got this!"

Soo big!

2012-01-10T09:22:00.000-05:00

My babies are growing into little boys right in front of my eyes. Logan especially. He is now running. He runs everywhere. And the past couple weeks he has been big into kisses. When we ask for kisses he either opens his mouth or puckers up. It is so cute! He is starting to mock words. And when he wants something he says "That" and points.

Nathan is still our little genius. He has full on conversations with us. I usually just shake my head bc I wonder how he got so grown up overnight. He loves all of his dinosaurs and plays with them all day long. He can tell you their name, what kind of dinosaur they are, and what they eat. He has been doing this for awhile now.

They are both just so precious it melts my heart. I am so proud of the little boys they are becoming :)

In the shower like a big boy!

These are the moments that remind me of that little snuggly baby that we welcomed 3.5 years ago :)

Such a silly love sick girl

2012-01-05T12:16:00.000-05:00

I have a notebook that I pull out every once in a blue moon. It is poetry I wrote when I was a teenager. That is how I dealt with my emotions. Some things never change, ie this blog. It is just fun to look back and be flooded with memories. Mostly I think of how silly and dramatic I was.

Do you have something that you pull out every now again when you are feeling a little nostalgic? Reading through these poems I am once again reminded of how blessed am I to have boys. I do not have to deal with all the drama. From my experience boys seem way less love sick as teenagers than girls.

I'm just so glad I found my prince charming and am a far cry from that silly love sick girl I once was :) And just bc you are probably wondering I'll leave you with one of the excerpts. You can thank me for the laugh later.

Confusion (Circa 2000)
It hits like an illusion
Thoughts spin around in your mind
Searching for answers you hope to find
Getting dizzier with every move
Asking yourself what you have to prove
You scream but no sounds comes through
You wish you only knew
Your mind races
Frantically looking for all the traces
It torments until you can't take it anymore
You want to sink into the floor
All you crave is a simple solution
To finally clear up all this confusion

Year in review...

2012-01-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

Last night we rang in the new year. We celebrated the same way we usually do: on our back patio, having drinks, and listening to music. I actually like that we just stay in and enjoy each other's company.

Well let's take a look at this year.

January - Not a good month for us last year. Both boys ended up with RSV. It was a very scary couple of weeks.

February - The end of the month we had some special visitors. Grandma and Paupie came to visit! Love it when we get good quality time with family :)

March - Such a busy month! We went to Casey Key for a week with my parents. Such a great vacay! We took the boys to mine and their first March Madness game. And we became a family of 8! (well for a short while anyway)

April - This month brought our first trip (and probably not last) to the ER. We went to a Lightning playoff game and Nathan went on his first trip without Mommy and Daddy.

May - Logan's Baptism! And our first family road trip.

June - Our first family trip to the Magic Kingdom (as a family of four). And Grandpa & GiGi came to visit.

July - Super busy! Nate's 3rd birthday. Our trip to Disney with Nana. Uncle Tom and Emily visit. And our mommy/son Red's game!

August - Our 4th Wedding Anniversary!

September - Logan's 1st Birthday! Nathan started soccer. And Aunt Emmie came to visit.

October - We made a trip out to Legoland!

November - Fort Desoto and the TRexs won the championship!

December - Our trip to Indy and Christmas!

And there you have it! Goodbye 2011!

A look back...

2011-12-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

2003 - John and I started dating

2004 - We moved to Ohio

2005 - We got engaged

2006 - We moved to Lexington

2007 - We got married

2008 - We moved to Orlando and had Nathan

2009 - We moved to Tampa

2010 - We had Logan

2011 - First year in our relationship that nothing major happened.

I'm excited to see what 2012 has in store for us. 2011 was pretty uneventful. Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and blessed New Year!

I was Queen for the day!

2011-12-30T09:11:00.000-05:00

One of the presents my parents got for the boys is a huge cardboard play castle. Nathan has been asking to open it all week so yesterday I gave in. At first it was really annoying and I couldn't figure out how to put it together without help. I took a deep breath, told Nate I would try one more time, and I got it!

Nathan said he was King of the castle. He said I could be the princess. I told him oh no no Mommy is the Queen. So he said Logan could be the princess. I told him that wasn't nice and that Logan could be the prince. After a little while Logan got downgraded to Knight.

We were having a ball with the castle. I was busy ~~coloring~~ decorating it while the boys played inside. They played so well for a long time. Did I have other things to do? Yep, sure did. Was there dishes in the sink and laundry in the washer? Yep, sure was. But going into the new year I am going to try to enjoy my kids more. Time passes way too fast. Nathan will be going to school in the fall and before I know it, Logan will too.

Obviously, the house cannot go neglected every time. But when I think about it, the boys are not going to remember how many dishes were in the sink. They are going to remember the day we built a castle. Yes, John goes crazy when the house isn't tidy. But there will be plenty of time to clean later. The time I have with the boys being small is really just a fraction of a moment when you think about the big picture.

I love a quote I found recently "Please excuse the mess. The children are making memories."

Christmas!!!

2011-12-27T08:59:00.000-05:00

Christmas was tons of fun this year. Saturday night we cooked a delicious steak dinner! After we tucked the kiddos into bed John and I played Santa. I didn't realize how much stuff there was until it was all together under the tree.

Sunday morning Nathan woke up and came running to our room. "Mom & Dad, Santa came!! Hurry up and come look!!" It was very cute. So I jumped up and got everything ready. Nathan was so excited! Seeing the joy of Christmas through my child's eyes is something I will never forget.

Everyone was very spoiled this year (aren't we every year?). Nathan's favorite presents were Boris and his Imaginext TRex. Logan loved the car toy that Grandma & Paupie got for him. After he opened that he really wasn't too interested in much else. I loved everything I got, especially my awesome new watch. I've never had a watch and I feel so grown up with it! And of course the XBox from Tom was a huge hit.

After breakfast we headed to the beach. Yep, I said beach :) I told John that we never know if we will ever have the chance to do that again so we packed up and headed south. The weather was perfect. The boys had fun walking in the water and playing in the sand.

Christmas night I fixed a ham dinner. Everyone was pretty wiped out from the day. We were all in bed by 9:00. It was such a great day. We are truly blessed!

Netbook Bandit!

2011-12-23T18:23:00.000-05:00

The past few days Logan has been obsessed with my Netbook. I keep finding it on the floor :( Well today I caught him red handed! I watched him climb from the couch to the end table to grab it. I ran to get the camera and see just after he climbed back to the couch. What a little stinker!

http://youtu.be/sdRsD8SaAK4

Santa!

2011-12-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

Tuesday John had the day off. We headed out to International Mall to take the boys too see Santa. We got there early so we didn't have to wait at all. They had a winter wonderland set up. It was set up to look like Antartica. Right before you see Santa they have a room with fake snow falling. The boys had a blast playing in the "snow". Logan kept squealing with delight!

When we sat the boys on Santa's lap Logan was not having it. He was crying and trying to get down. So they hurried and snapped a few pictures and then Mommy rescued him. Nathan loved talking to Santa. He told him everything he wanted for Christmas.

Later that evening we went to Christmas at the Zoo. I enjoy this yearly ritual of ours. They have everything set up so pretty. Logan kept pointing at all the lights. Santa and Mrs. Claus were there and Nathan wanted to see them. We get in line and when Nathan sees Santa he asked me why he's not the same Santa that was at the Mall. I didn't answer him. I was speechless. I was not expecting my 3 year old to be so attentive. Nathan answered his own question. "Well Mom if there are two Santas then that means I get more presents, yay!"

**As a side note: I don't have any memories of believing in Santa. My grandma is very religious and wanted us to focus on Jesus and not Santa. So she told us Santa was not real when I was very young. I really have no experience with the whole Santa thing. So I have to ask John or make it up as I go.

I really enjoyed the whole day. As we were walking through the Zoo I was thinking how blessed I truly am. I have two beautiful, healthy boys and a wonderful loving husband. I really couldn't ask for more.

What a nude, I mean rude awakening!

2011-12-18T08:34:00.000-05:00

This morning John left super early for work. When the sun came up Nathan crawled into bed with me. I was off in the land of nod when I'm awoken suddenly but Nathan yelling "Help!" through the monitor.

I sprang out of bed and ran through the house to Logan's room. What do I find? Nathan had climbed into the crib with his brother and couldn't get out. But that's not all. Both boys are standing there looking at me in their birthday suits. Yep, Nathan apparently thought it was a great idea to disrobe himself and his brother. I asked him why he did that and he said because they both had wet diapers. Fair enough. I calmly explained that it's inappropriate to take off someone else's clothes (yes I will be reminding him this over and over throughout the years to come).

I should have taken a picture but to tell you the truth I was mortified at the site. It was truly a nude, I need rude awakening! Boys, please don't do things like that to mommy. Well at least not until I've had my coffee :)

What's that smell?

2011-12-15T19:14:00.001-05:00

We have a Griswold Family Christmas tree story in my family. This was back in 2000. In our house we always had a real tree. And even to this day I will always have a real tree. Fake trees freak me out. Yes, I'm a tree snob. A fake one just isn't the same.

My Dad had his eyes on the perfect tree. He saw it every day while working on the train near the Indiana/Illinois state line. He told my mom that he was going to chop it down and bring it home. Mom thought he was joking...

Before work he loaded up the car. He packed WD40 and a saw. During a break at work he cut it down. It was much taller than it looked. He put it up on the front of the train to get it back to the yard. Everyone who saw the train was honking and having a hay day about the big tree on the train. On the way back they got word that company officials were at the station. So when they hit a curve where a dead end road was Dad chucked it off the train to pick up later.

After work he stuck the tree in the trunk of the car. Dad said about 5 feet of tree was sticking out the back and dragging on the road. He drove all the way home like that. When he got home he had to cut a couple feet off of it to get it to fit in the house.

What's that smell?? Why are our eyes watering? Oh no! Yep, that smell is deer urine and it's coming from the tree. So what do you do when your tree reeks of deer urine? You take it to the car wash of course! I would have loved to see the faces of everyone at that car wash! Dad got it back home and put it back up. And what do you know? The smell was still there.

Dad tried everything to cover up the smell. He sprayed it with febreze. When that didn't work he sprayed it with pine scented air freshner. Yep, you read that right. God Bless my Dad :) He is always so inventive. The smell never completely went away.

We did end up keeping the tree. Afterall it was a very pretty tree. And after all the work my Dad put into it there was no other option. So that's our version of a Griswold Family Christmas tree!

Sorry it's been so long!

2011-12-14T10:57:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can't believe it is already the middle of December! The boys and I took a 10 day trip out to Indy. The timing wasn't the best but I love getting to spend time with my family. I haven't been in Indy (for more than a day) in 2.5 years. 2 1/2 years!!! That is crazy.

I got to see the majority of my family. It was so nice to catch up with everyone. And for most of my family it was their first time meeting Logan. I especially enjoyed seeing my grandmas. Seeing my kids with my grandmas just brings me back to when I was a kid.

We also made a trip to Chicago to see Uncle Tom's new place. It is very nice! Of course the boys loved the stairs. I was having a small heart attack bc of their love for the stairs. We met Tom for lunch at Rainforest Cafe. Nathan loved looking at all the animals. After lunch we walked Michigan Ave. The boys are not used to being so bundled up. It's a fight to just get Logan in shoes let alone a winter coat and hat.

Friday we spent the day at the Children's Museum. It was so much fun! There is so much to see that we didn't see everything. Nathan especially loved the Dinosaur exhibit. John thought he would be scared but he wasn't at all.

It was sad to leave. I hate living so far away. But on the other hand I was happy to get back home. I missed John terribly and know the boys did too. So now back to the hustle and bustle of the season.

Thanksgiving & another yr older

2011-11-29T16:21:00.002-05:00

Can't believe Thanksgiving has come and gone already! We had a really great Turkey Day. Grandma and Paupie were able to make the drive down this year. It was great to have family here to share the holiday with us. And since John had to work so much, it was nice to have company :) I forgot to take pictures...bummer!

Thursday night I did go to bed feeling a little emotional. This year I have been so worried and stressed about John's schedule. He had to do a 24 hr shift starting Thanksgiving night. I am so relieved that's over and he survived in one piece.

Yesterday was my 29th birthday. 29. One more year before I start going backwards. I'm not sure why 30 scares me so much. I've never really minded getting older until now. Tom says I need to do something really spectacular before I turn 30. What?!? Now the pressure's on...

John was great last night. He got out of work late. However, he still managed to bring me home goodies. Chinese takeout, a bottle of jag, a cake, and gifts! He's the best :)

Truly Madly Deeply

2011-11-19T10:58:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm talking about Savage Garden. The lyrics of this song ring so true for me. This is exactly how I feel about John. I am truly, madly, deeply in love with him. I love him more with every breath I take. And will continue to be crazy about him until I take my last one.

I know I keep talking about how much stress he in under these days. As his wife it is maddening for me. To see in his eyes how completely exhausted he is and it hasn't even really begun yet. To know that he cannot truly relax until after Christmas. To see how much he has aged when he walks in the door from work. Is it worth is? That's the million dollar question and the double edged sword.

I completely understand that he does all of this for us. The boys and I. And that's where the guilt sets in. I know I shouldn't feel that way. But watching what he endures to provide everything we need in life is painful at times. He works harder than most. And many times the reward does not match up to all the work, time, and effort he has exerted.

So this brings to me last night. He came home beyond exhausted. John has been going nonstop. I cannot even tell you when he last took a day off. He was on a work call as he is walking through the door. After he hung up he had to do some computer work. He disappeared into the office to print a few things. His phone rings again. Texts were going like crazy. And all he wanted to do was sit on the couch and unwind. Mind you it was after 10PM at this point.

He finally put down the computer and headed for bed. Laid his head on the pillow and his phone beeps again. He gets up and gets right back on the computer. Really?!? That can't wait until the morning? So we try to go to sleep again. I tell him how excited I am about his day off on Sunday. I tell him that he is not doing any work and we get him for a whole day...then my excitement is quickly deflated.

"Jen, I have a meeting on Sunday. I told you about it. Sunday is our annual Christmas kickoff meeting." And the silent tears started to flood my pillow. It sounds silly. But no one knows just how much I was looking forward to Sunday. It is extremely hard to deal with John's work schedule. And Sunday I was finally going to get a bit of relief.

I miss John. I miss family days. I miss the four of us snuggling in bed first thing in the morning. And here's where the double edged sword analogy kicks in. John doesn't work 7 days a week because he enjoys it. He works so much because he has to. In order to provide for us he has to work. I'm positive he would love to spend a lazy day with us more than I can imagine.

This is the conflict I have been dealing with. I have to keep reminding myself why I have to share my husband with hhgregg. As much as I hate it, it is a necessary part of life. And I have to keep reminding myself that if John had it his way he would pick us over work, hands down, every single time.

I just pray that one day his hard work and dedication will truly be recognized. We have given everything to hhgregg. Yes, I say we. We are a unit and any decision that John makes affects all four of us. If I had it my way we would live in a cardboard box, in Lexington, KY, and eat ramen noodles for every meal. If that meant that I got more of my husband for myself and the boys I would do it in a second. Family and love mean much much more to me than money and things.

John I just want to say that I love with all that I am. I am so unbelievably thankful for all that you do for us. There is not a day that goes by that I go to sleep without praying for you. I pray that the Lord will keep you safe and healthy. I pray that He will guide you through life and work. I pray that everything you have sacrificed will pay off. And I know that God has such a great plan in store for you. I pray for my patience and understanding that everything happens in God's time. And God has perfect timing.

PICK.UP.YOUR.TOYS!!

2011-11-16T14:05:00.000-05:00

I do not know what it is. Nathan must love hearing me sound like a broken record. He must love seeing my eyes turn red and my horns sticking out. Nothing gets under my skin more than when I ask him the same thing over and over and over. Just do it already!

Growing up I never understood why my parents cared so much about what my room looked like. My sister and I lived upstairs. There was nothing else besides our two rooms up there. Every once in a blue moon my Dad would make the dreaded journey up those steps. It was SCARY for all involved. Mom would warn us multiple times but we never listened...

Oh no! I just heard Dad open the door to the upstairs. Run, Hide, Jump off the Roof! He's coming. Shove as much junk as you can under the bed and into the closet. Too late...

The one time in my life that I was ever grounded was because I didn't clean my room. Now that I have children I completely understand my Dad. Just pick up your sh*t already!! Drives me crazy!! You took it out so you should put it back. I don't mind the boys making ~~messes~~ memories but our house doesn't need to look like a tornado came through every hour of every day.

And yes, everyone who warned me that the 2's have nothing on the 3's was absolutley correct. When Nathan was 2, yes he could be a terror. But in his defense most of it was bc his brain was not developed enough to throughly understand right and wrong. Well folks, his brain is functioning at top speed these days. By the time a child is 3 years old, a baby's brain has formed about 1,000 trillion connections — about twice as many as adults have. Case in point, he definitely gets it!

So Nathan...pretty pretty please with cherries on top, listen to Mommy and pick up your toys. I don't like turing into Devil Mommy. She doesn't really scare you but she scares Bubby. I can't even imagine what Daddy would say if he ever met her. Sometimes she hides in the closet until Daddy leaves for work. So let's keep her there, k?? Thanks!

Fa la la la la...

2011-11-14T09:10:00.000-05:00

WTH? I just googled Fa la la la to see how many la las are in Deck the Halls. The first result to pop up was a Justin Bieber song?? What is this world coming to when you are looking for a classic Christmas song and the FIRST result to pop up is the Biebs??

Anyway back to my original thoughts for this blog. We are 40 days from Christmas. 40! Where has this year gone? John is already in full Christmas mode. I love the holiday season but not the toll is takes on my husband. I just hate how stressed he is in November and December. I feel like he can't even sleep bc he is so amped up about what he has to do the next day.

Only 47 days left in this year and there is still so much coming up. Breaking Dawn is this weekend...so flippin excited!! Thanksgiving is next week. My birthday is a few days later. Followed by our Indy trip the week after that. We get back on the 12th. Then have to cram all of our Christmas fun into ~~two days~~ two weeks. Then it's Christmas before we know it. My head is spinning just thinking about it. (I know what you are thinking and no that's not why my head is spinning. No alcohol was consumed last evening.)

I am excited for everything coming up. I just need to learn to live more in the moment and not worry too much about what comes next.

Mini Vacay

2011-11-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

John took off four days last week. Friday we spent the day at Fort Desoto. It was really cool seeing and standing in a part of history. I definitely has goosebumps. And the weather was perfect. It was even cool enough for jackets.

Saturday was Nathan's last soccer game of the season. The T-Rex's were playing for the championship. And guess what!?!? They won!! I'm so proud of Nathan and John both. Nathan's first sports team and John's first gig as a coach and they win it all!!! It was awesome!

Sunday we had a couple friends over for chili and football. It was a nice relaxing evening.

Now the holiday craziness is starting. I've been praying for John's sanity for awhile now. He's going into the season with all greenhorn managers at work. None of them have been through a Christmas yet. But John is awesome at what he does and I'm sure he'll keep them all on track.

Dear Emily...

2011-11-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

Oh Skest! I wish I was there to wrap my arms around you. Or try to tell a funny joke to make you smile. I could threaten to cut someone but it doesn't sound the same when I'm not pregnant. I love you more than I could ever express. My heart hurts for you and what you are going through.

I could make this blog a big ol sob story about how sorry I am for you. But I wouldn't be telling you the truth. Yes, I do feel terrible for what you are going through but in my own way I am smiling. I say that because I am thinking of your future. I am thinking of all the wonderful people that love and adore you. I am thinking of those two beautiful little girls who no one else wanted to give a chance. I am thinking about all the wonderful ways that God has blessed you and will continue to bless you.

Yes, I have no idea what you are actually going through. Yes, it's easy for me to say that you are better off. Yes, it is easier for me to see all the positive. But I'm going to keep reminding you how wonderful you really are because it's the truth. Anyone who doesn't see that doesn't deserve to be in your life anyway. You need to be happy on your own and love yourself first. Everyone else who gets to be a part of that is just a bonus.

You are going to be great. One day we are going to look back at this and think "Wow God! You really had a plan didn't you :)." Of course it doesn't seem that way right now. I guarantee you your best life is just waiting patiently for you to find it.

Life is such a funny thing. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But Em this time you aren't the one losing anything. You have so much to gain. Just think of it as a fresh start. Say goodbye to all that baggage that has been holding you back. And don't waste a single tear over someone who won't cry over you.

Again I love you!! And you are such a great mother figure to A & Cass. Do them a favor and show them what a strong, independent woman you can be :)

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T09:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was such a fun day :) I'm not much of a Halloween person. I never have been. But once you have kids everything changes. It is so much fun to dress them up and show them off.

We carved our pumpkins in the afternoon. In Florida the longer you wait to carve your pumpkin, the better. It is too hot and they do not last long. Both boys really enjoyed cleaning out all the "guts". Logan preferred putting all the guts back in that we had taken out :)

After dinner it was time to walk the neighborhood. We always have tons of trick or treaters in our neighborhood. The boys really enjoyed knocking on doors and getting treats. Nathan would shout "Happy Halloween!!" And Logan even squeaked out sounds like he was trying to say trick or treat.

Pumpkin Patch and Legoland!

2011-10-27T11:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm a little behind on blogging. I've been busy keeping up a household, raising two little boys, and running a business. It's been busy in the Kominsky house and I just love it!

Last Sunday we went to Hunsader Farms for the Pumpkin Festival. We found this little piece of Heaven last year. We all had such a great time! The boys rode ponies and a train. Nathan loved it all...Logan, not so much!

And yesterday we headed to Legoland. It was awesome! Legoland is a new theme park that was designed especially for kids 3 and up. Nathan was able to do almost every ride. Logan even snuck on one. It was such a beautiful day :)

Whata wonderful windy Wednesday :)

2011-10-20T08:19:00.003-04:00

Thanks for nothing Mr. Royal

2011-10-15T12:36:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a crazy day. Long story short we were without Internet and cable for most of the day. As soon as we got it back someone hit the silly switch and we lost power. Really?!? And of course this happened on the one day I actually had work to do online. God has such a great sense of humor.

By the time John got home from work both boys were in bed and the power was still out. He brought home some glow in the dark party favors, which included a bottle of poison. Mr. Crown Royal in a shiny new purple box. Because what else is there to do when the power is out? I do not drink Crown, nor will I ever again after last night. I had to literally choke it down and then play a game of toss with my stomach. I won!! (not sure that's such a good thing)

It hit me immediately. Then the moon started dancing and that meant it was time for me to head to bed. So fast forward to 7am today. Where the hell is that alarm coming from? Please, someone stop that awful screeching noise! Oh wait, it's coming from under the bed...under the bed? I must have dropped my cell last night and didn't realize it bc ~~the crown had taken over~~ it was so dark since we had no power.

I felt like a giant had used me as doormat in my sleep. Head pounding beats harder than Nicki Minaj's Super Bass. Stomach saying "Yeah who's the winner now, beotch." Not quite the major league pitcher I was last night. And we had to be at soccer in a hour. I could hardly pull myself out of bed let alone sit on the sidelines and watch little people running back and forth, back and oh even typing this I'm feeling queasy. Needless to say I stayed home.

And of course Nathan came home with a medal. You could hear my heart being ripped from my chest as he walked through the door. I had to swallow the lump in my throat and hold back the tears from flowing. My baby got his first medal. And I was not there to witness it. I felt about as big as a bug. Someone please just stomp on me to stop the pain radiating through my veins. I pulled myself together and flashed the biggest smile possible.

I was completely and utterly rendered speechless. I am so proud of Nathan. My baby boy worked so hard at soccer today. His best game yet! He got the medal for Determination! John said he was completely into the game and wanted to play the whole time :) That's my boy!

So Nathan I promise you that Mr. Royal will NEVER EVER come between me and any of your games (and anything else for that matter) again. Stupid stupid poison! Him and his perfect shiny purple box have been exiled to the cabinet, never to be seen again (at least not until Nana comes to visit).

And Nathan Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you! Great job son!

Really? It's starting already.

2011-10-12T09:34:00.000-04:00

So my sweet little ~~terrors~~ boys have a few new tricks up their sleeves. Nathan taught Logan how to climb on the bed. And of course little boys can't be on the bed without jumping on on it. Yes, my precious baby boy now jumps on the bed! I feel like I'm always singing them the song "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

They have started playing together. It really is the cutest thing. They play cars, with blocks, and balls. Nathan is good most of the time at trying to include his brother in what he is doing. Yesterday he was pushing Logan around in the Little Tykes car. Only problem was Nathan thought it was hilarious to ram the car into the screen on the patio. I had to stop it before Logan ended up with whiplash.

But on the flip side of Nathan playing with Logan, it's only what Nathan wants him to play with. If Logan touches something off limits by Nathan he freaks and slaps him. Really?? Sibling bickering is starting already. They are only 3 and 1. I'm not ready for the boxing gloves. Give me a few more years of the peace!

Logan is starting to toddle around. He is taking steps and standing up on his own. It is a very exciting time for all of us. Even Nathan starts squealing with delight when Logan takes steps. We are all very proud of our baby!

And as I always say, I wish time would stand still for a just a moment. My boys are growing up on me way too fast. Someone must have hit the fast forward button when I wasn't looking because there is no way my babies aren't babies anymore. Can we hit the rewind?

Sometimes I wish I could be the Husband.

2011-10-10T15:41:00.004-04:00

Yes, you read correctly. No, that does not mean I wish I had a boy part or "wink" as Nathan calls it. I mean I wish we could switch places every now and then. Ah ha! Just came up with a great new reality show!

And, yes I know, most men are under a great deal of pressure. Pressure that I will never understand. Pressure that John will never be able to explain to me. So in that respect I would never want to be the husband...

I love my job more than words can express, changing dirty diapers and all. Well, maybe not changing dirty diapers but you understand what I'm getting at. But I feel as a mom we have a certain responsibility that the dad doesn't usually have. When you become a mother your whole life changes and not to mention your body. This does not happen to your husband.

Men do not possess the guilt that woman do. I feel like John can come and go freely as he wishes. I can not do that. For one John is an hhgregg slave so 9 times out of 10 I'm stuck in the house. But that is beside the point. I have this damn guilt!! I feel bad leaving John and the boys. And in most cases I would just rather be home with them anyway.

I need to find a way to shove the guilt aside and let myself have a couple hours off. I also need to tell myself and believe it that they will be ok without me. John is a big boy, he can handle it. I need to stop the double standard that is sometimes our life. It should be more than ok for me to leave the house every now and again without a kid or two in tow.

I need a social life. And in the past couple of weeks I have started to play peekaboo with one. It is exciting and strange at the same time. For the past 3.5 years my whole has revolved around John and our children. That will never ever change. However, Mommy also needs a life outside our house.

So guilt, get the heck outta here! You will hold me back no more! Daddy gets to play so why not mommy? Yep, you've heard it here first. Momma's getting her groove back and guilt is not gonna stop me!!!

JVKom Designs

2011-10-03T09:04:00.003-04:00

As you all know I have started a new adventure, JVKom Designs. And if you didn't know, well now you do! It is my baby and I'm having so much fun with it. Check out my shop www.jvkom.etsy.com and don't forget to like my shop my on Facebook www.facebook.com/jvkomdesigns.

I'm doing a giveaway this week. Once I hit 100 "likes" I will be giving away a bottle cap pendant or a glass tile pendant of the winner's choice. All items and handmade by myself and made to order. No two pieces will ever be exactly the same.

So come on, help support a small business owner and show me some support :) Thanks!

Don't forget the lemon!

2011-10-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

Chocolate cake gets me into big trouble. And I'm not talking about the dessert. I'm taking about liquid trouble. The Absolute Citron and Frangelico concoction. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Mmm vodka, oh wait, what was I saying?

Most if not all of our family and friends have been introduced to this sweet guilty pleasure by John and I. We even have several pictures and one video of these various introductions. It's impossible to have just one. And if you spend any amount of time with us, the bottles are bound to make an appearance.

Last night the bottles made an appearance. A private performance just for me. I'm privileged enough that that happens on occasion. And no I'm not too proud to admit it. (of course I always drink responsibly and when another adult is present - don't want anyone thinking I'm ~~an alcoholic~~ irresponsible.) And the few hours I'm in a chocolate coma and I'm on my own planet are bliss. Pure bliss! Yes, I may try to row a boat in bed. Or play sand volleyball in my living room. Or drunk Facebook...but all in good fun! Remember people I'm a real desperate housewife here.

So I urge you, if you haven't given Chocolate Cake a shot - ha pun intended! - do so now. You and your ~~significant other~~ liver can thank me later :)

And remember don't forget the sugar coated lemon! When life gives you lemons, you make Chocolate Cake shots! In the words of ~~my three year old~~ LMFAO, "Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots!"

I've died and gone to Cleaning Hell.

2011-09-28T15:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, as soon as I heard John utter the words "We are going to John clean today", I saw my life flash before my eyes. Well not really but I did almost spit out my coffee. We are all in trouble when the hubs says it's time to John clean. If you don't know him he's pretty anal to say the least. And not that that's a bad thing, just a pain in my arse sometimes.

No one can clean to John's standards except himself. Seriously. That man can scrub a floor like no other. And he has like crazy hawk eyes. He can see things that are invisible to the average human eye. And Logan has inherited his cleaning gene.

Logan is OBSESSED with the vacuum cleaner, the dishwasher, and the broom. You should see what happens as soon as I open the dishwasher. I swear he has super natural morphing powers. His hands are in there before the door is even completely open.

We cleaned for probably 8 hours yesterday. Yes, a whole day was devoted to my ~~pergatory~~ favorite past time :) Now don't get me wrong. The results are absolutely wonderful! If there is a natural disaster that knocks out all the hospitals in the area, they can use our sterile kitchen for performing open heart surgery.

Now in all seriousness I am very thankful for my husband's keen attention to detail. It may require a backbreaking effort, literally, but totally worth it. I think the World would be a better place if more people practiced the John clean method. It really is a religious experience.

I miss my wonderful lactating boobs...warning if you don't want to read abt my boobs, hurry and look away!

2011-09-26T18:08:00.001-04:00

Well the size of course not the actual lactating part.

I'm just going to apologize now to my parents and John's parents and any other family that may read this blog.

I started this blog to chronicle our life. And to keep everyone updated since we live so far away. I'm still planning on doing that...just not in a such a boring way. I feel like when I go back and read my posts it's just blah, blah, and we did this, blah, blah. I love to write. It is one of my favorite things to do. And I'm quite good at it ~~yes, I'm tooting my own horn.~~ And I want to be entertained just as much as the next person....so here goes nothing!

I'm really not one that thinks about ever having plastic surgery. And I do believe God made us all unique and designed us exactly as we should be. But come on! I'm flatter than the state of Kansas! And after having two kids I feel like my chest may even be concave (not really but you get the point).

It may be superficial for me to miss my big ol boobies but doesn't everyone have something they would change if they could? This blog subject was prompted by seeing pictures of myself from when Logan was smaller. Wowza! I'm kicking my self for not taking dirty pictures...I kid I kid.

Every time Nathan asks for something I've been telling him to ask Santa. Hmm maybe that will work for me. Dear Santa: never mind, scratch that thought. Because wouldn't asking for breasts technically put me on the naughty list?

Well enough abt my boobs or lack thereof. I'll leave you with a few Thank God's:

Thank God for my husband and him loving me, 10 year old boy chest and all.
Thank God for super duper push up bras from Victoria's Secret.
And Thank God I will never have to worry about having old woman sagging to the waist boobs :)

***Sorry if I made anyone blush....not really, you were warned!

Daddy is home and life is good!

2011-09-22T14:40:00.000-04:00

John finally got back from Chicago on Tuesday evening. The boys were so excited to see him, and so was I. They were squealing with delight when we picked him up from the airport. He was gone for way too long!

Yesterday we just ran errands and got some things done around the house. It was nice to just stay home. We were on the go pretty much the whole time John was gone. We have made a few new friends in the past couple of weeks. I think I may finally be developing a social life!

I'm excited for soccer this weekend. It will be very cute to see John with all the little kids. And this time I get to just be a soccer mommy and enjoy watching the game!

Logan is getting around with his push toy. He LOVES it! It allows him to follow Nathan around. I'm sure he will be walking in no time. As much as I don't want my baby to grow up too fast, I am looking forward to him walking.

Soccer!!!

2011-09-18T20:07:00.000-04:00

Nathan had his first soccer practice and game yesterday. It was so cute to watch all the little kids running around. Nathan wasn't really sure what to do. I had to play coach and help the assistant coach since John wasn't there. It was quite the experience.

Nathan picked the team name. And guess what he picked...T-Rex. There is a mix of boys and girls on the team. They all seemed to have a really good time. Nathan was sad when the game was over. He didn't want to leave.

I am looking forward to next Saturday when John will be able to go. It will be neat to see him in action :)

Check up!

2011-09-16T19:01:00.000-04:00

I took the boys to their well visits today. We were there forever! Note to self: Make sure John is with me next time. Nathan had to get two shots. Logan had to get four shots. They both had to have their fingers poked for the iron test.

Both boys are doing perfect. Nathan is in the 98% for his height and 67% for weight. Logan is in the 41% for height and 45% for weight. Nathan is still tall and skinny and Logie is our peanut.

So 6 shots, 2 finger pokes, and two hours later we were on our way. Logan took a nice nap. Nathan has been complaining that his arm hurts. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

We are sooooo ready for Daddy to come home and we still have til Tuesday. Tomorrow is Nathan's first soccer practice and game. I am really excited but sad John is missing it.

Busy September!

2011-09-12T16:19:00.001-04:00

Wow, this month is flying by! Logan's birthday was last week. This week Aunt Emmie is visiting! Daddy is in Chicago for work until Tuesday. And Nathan starts soccer this weekend.

We are having fun with Aunt Emmie! We spent some time at the beach yesterday. The weather was perfect! And the water is starting to cool down. This morning we went to the library for story time. Nathan really enjoyed that.

Tomorrow night I'm having a few ladies over for wine night. I'm super excited! I am in desperate need of some wine and girl talk.

Birthday Recap

2011-09-07T11:44:00.007-04:00

Yesterday was such a special day! I still cannot believe my baby is one!

The day started out not so fun. Monday night Logan broke out in a rash. I thought it was strep bc it looked like the one Nathan had in July. So first thing yesterday morning we were off to the Doc. She tested him for strep and said that it was not strep. It is just a virus and he has to ride it out. Poor baby! No fun to be sick on your birthday!

After the Doc we went to Party City to get balloons! Logan was completely mesmerized by them! We then headed home so he could take a nap and rest up for all the birthday festivities.

Grandpa came over at about 2:30. Cake time!! I bought Logan a smash cake. I did not do this with Nathan. I was feeling a little bad bc Nathan had a huge 1st birthday party. But that was also when we lived in Orlando and knew a ton of people. So I wanted to do something special for Logan that Nathan never did. So cue the smash cake. We set up the backdrop and took pictures of him with his cake. It was so much fun! He had a ball!

After cake we hung out and played with Grandpa. Then while I prepared dinner John, Grandpa, and Nathan went to the store. Grandpa has Nathan addicted to Skittles. So of course since Nathan ate the whole 2 bags Grandpa brought him they had to go get more! In they came with bag after bag of junk food and of course Skittles! So spoiled! But hey that's what Grandpa's are for, right!?

We ate dinner and then opened presents. Logan would like to send a big thank you to everyone who sent him something on his special day! By that time Logan was pooped and ready for bed. So off to dreamland the birthday boy went. I hope he dreamed of cake and balloons :)

Happy Birthday Logan!!!

2011-09-06T20:18:00.000-04:00

Wow...I cannot believe my little Logan is a year old today. Seems like just yesterday that I brought you home. You have been my easy baby from the start. I was in labor with you for only about 8 hrs compared to 24 hrs with your brother. You were very anxious to get into this world, arriving a week early! You have completed our family :)

You are such a happy little boy. And your smile is infectious and lights up the room. I love watching you follow Nathan around like his shadow. I just know that soon you two will be the best of friends. Mommy really enjoys watching you discover new things. And my favorite sound in the world is your belly laughs :)

I thank God everyday for blessing us with you. You have fit in perfectly. You and Nathan are such opposites that you compliment each other without missing a beat. I look forward to watching you grow and thrive. These early years just go by so fast. I'm trying to take it all in and absorb as much of it as I can.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much! Happy Birthday Logan!

A new look!

2011-09-02T18:28:00.000-04:00

I gave our blog a total makeover today! Please take a moment to check out our new pages! And let me know what you think :)

Nathan's 1st trip to the Dentist!

2011-09-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

This morning I took Nathan to the dentist for his first appointment. He did so good! The doctor examined all of his teeth and then the nurse did a cleaning. He did exactly what they told him to do. His teeth looked good except for a couple very minor issues. I just need to get him to open really wide so I can get his back teeth really good. So proud of my big boy!!

Accent Vlog

2011-09-01T15:25:00.001-04:00

I saw the accent vlog on Abby's blog. I thought it looked like fun and wanted to give it a try. This is my first vlog. Watching all the other vlogs it was very interesting to see how everyone around the US talks.

The instructions are to say these words:
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

Almost September...

2011-08-31T09:35:00.000-04:00

This past weekend John had three days off. On Saturday we just hung around the house. Sunday we drove out to Orlando to have our pictures taken. Yes, we drove all the way to take pictures at Picture People. We did this bc they were running 50% off their CDs. Too good of a deal to pass up and PP is no longer here in Tampa. Pictures went as best as they can with two youngsters. We got some really good shots. After pictures we had lunch with the Cravers. Nathan and Aidan were crazy as usual. Both boys slept the majority of the car ride home. On the way home we bought Logan a new big boy car seat! He LOVES it!

Sunday evening John had one of his fantasy football drafts. He recruited me to help. That was an experience. There is way more to it than I expected. Monday we started deep cleaning the house. I have a few more rooms to finish up this week. It was a nice relaxing weekend.

Next week is Logan's birthday! I am very excited (and a little sad too)! Grandpa called this morning to tell me he will be here on Tuesday! He has work to do in Tampa and the timing just worked out perfect! And then Aunt Emmie gets here on Friday!

Boys will be boys

2011-08-25T14:36:00.000-04:00

4 years!!

2011-08-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

Thursday John and I celebrated our 4th Wedding Anniversary. It is crazy to look back and see how much life has changed in these four years. We now live in Florida and have two beautiful sons.

I would like to write here what we wrote for each other this year...

John sent me two dozen red roses and this is what the note said:

"To brighten your day and remind you of an even brighter future. We have so many things to look forward to, I can't wait to see where life takes us next. With an amazing woman like you only the greatest is possible. I cherish your love daily and look forward to each moment we spend with each other. Happy Anniversary. Love, Stinky"

And this is what I wrote to him:

"As we are celebrating our 4th Wedding Anniversary, I want you to know that I love you more today than ever. Over the past 8 years you have showed me time and time again just how blessed I am. We have such a beautiful family. I couldn't have asked for a better man to journey through life with. You are everything and more to me. I am so blessed to call you my husband and my best friend. Together we can get through anything. One of my favorite things about the boys is that when they smile, I see you in them. We have our ups and downs. Mostly ups and through it all we always know what is most important: each other and our love for our family. You still know how to give me butterflies and make my heart flutter. I can't thank God enough for you and the boys. And I know he has such a magnificent plan in store for us! Thank you for being such an amazing husband and dad! I love you always! Love, Jen"

Week In Review

2011-08-14T13:39:00.001-04:00

Wednesday was the last day of Nathan's swimming lessons for the summer. He is now much more comfortable in the water. However, he won't kick his legs or move his arms. So really he's only floating not swimming. We are just going to continue to work with him here at home.

Thursday we all went to the Ray's game. We have suite seats! The suite is always a great time. Mostly because the boys can play and are not confined to a seat. The food was great. Company was great. And the Rays won. We went down to the field after the game and the boys got to run the bases. They passed out on the way home and took a nice long nap. I got all my hair chopped off...10 inches. Really big change but I'm liking it.

John has been off this weekend. We went to the gym yesterday and then hung out here. We spent some time in the pool yesterday and really just relaxed. It's been a nice laid back weekend. Now we are just getting excited for Logan's 1st birthday and for Aunt Emmie to come visit!

Same story

2011-08-05T15:55:00.000-04:00

It's time for another round of "I feel sorry for myself".

I can't help it! I see all the fun things our family and friends are doing and I get jealous. I want to be a part of it. But living so far away it is impossible to a part of 99% of the things that go on back home. You're probably thinking I just need some friends down here. And you are absolutely correct. But it's just not that easy. Especially being a stay at home mom with no vehicle. And it's just not the same as your family and friends back home.

If I could tell my 20 year old self something, it would this...Cherish each and every moment you have with your loved ones. Cherish where you came from and how you got to where you are now. Put yourself in other people's shoes every now and then. Say I love you and Thank You to the people that mean the most.

Thinking back to when John and I moved to Cleveland I was so excited. I was finally getting out of Indy and doing it with the man I love. I never once stopped to think about what my family and friends were feeling. Not that I have ever doubted my decision...just as a mother now myself, I see that it must have killed my mother.

I had been excited for every move up until Tampa. And the reason is Nathan. It pains me to get further and further away from everyone now that we have kids. Especially now that Nathan is old enough to know what missing someone is. It kills me when he says that he misses someone. He asks if we can go to Nana's house. He asks if we can go ride Grandpa's tractor. He asks if we can go play with Sadie. He asks if his cousins can come over and play. The answer is always...some day baby, some day.

So I pray to God every night that he will answer my prayer and send us home. And I know in my heart he keeps telling me "Some day baby, some day." I'm trying to teach Nathan patience and I guess I need to listen to my own words.

Quick Update

2011-08-04T07:55:00.000-04:00

In case you have been looking for our picture site, I am in the process of switching everything over to Shutterfly. As much as we loved Phanfare, it is $100 a year. Shuttefly is free! Hopefully the new website will be up and running next week. I'll email everyone when it's ready!

Hawaiian Night!

2011-07-30T15:09:00.000-04:00

Last night we had Hawaiian night at our house. I had won a Freeze & Shake Cocktails House Party. So Adam and Megan came over and joined us for a luau:) We grilled shish kabobs. They were so yummy! Unfortunately we didn't give the cocktails long enough to freeze, so we didn't get to actually try them yet. We had a great time.

And Nathan did awesome at swim lessons! He listened and did exactly what he was told. So proud of my ~~baby~~ big boy!

Nathan

2011-07-28T08:51:00.000-04:00

What they say is true. The threes are worse than the twos. I was excited to be ending the terrible twos but now we've hit a whole new set of obstacles. Nathan is such a smart and independent child, it gets him into trouble.

He gets bored very easily. And when he gets bored that's when the fun begins. John and I have tried everything. We have spanked him: he just laughs. We give him time out: he just kicks the door until we finally have to open it in fear he's going to kick a hole in it. We have taken things away: doesn't phase him. We have tried reasoning with him: goes in one ear and out the other. I'm just at a lose as to what to do. This probably is just something he is going to have to outgrow. I am going to talk to the doctor and see what she suggests.

Monday at his swimming lessons I was so proud of him. I was beaming. He was doing awesome. Yesterday, not so much. He would not listen to the teacher so he ended up getting a time out. It quickly went downhill from there. The teacher kept asking him to listen and he wouldn't. He was being such a disruption I had to take him out of the pool and we left. Very embarrassing. Hopefully tomorrow's class goes better.

He also does not eat anything. It just keeps getting worse and worse. I do weigh him regularly and he's not losing any weight but it just worries me. He drinks plenty of fluids but just does not eat. We have tried everything. Ahhh this child!

J U L Y

2011-07-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

What a super busy month!!!

John and I actually got a date night thanks to Mom. We went to see Jason Aldean. Thompson Square and Chris Young opened. It was such a fun laid back night. I always enjoy nights out with my honey!

And the most important day of the month was the 19th, Nathan's 3rd birthday!

Nana flies in every year to share this special day with us. And this year we really did it big. Nana booked us a room in Disney World!! We stayed right across the street from Downtown Disney. The hotel had a really cool pool that we all enjoyed playing in. It was literally a 2 min walk from DTD.

We hit the Boardwalk the first night and ate at ESPN. The weather was perfect!

The second night was Nate's birthday and we celebrated by taking him to T Rex!! The food was awesome! He was so exhausted though that he fell asleep during dinner. The nap was short lived. We woke him up, sang happy bday, and then headed to Build-a-Dino. He picked out a T Rex and got to build him. It was so cute watching him build his dinosaur. We then walked around and ended the evening with a little dancing.

Our last night we headed to Universal Studios City Walk. We ate at Bubba Gump's. The food was great there too. We walked around and looked at all the lights. Logan was a trooper and stayed up the whole time! He passed out as soon as he hit his carseat.

Nana left to go home today. Very heartbreaking for everyone. Again, like I always say, I wish we all lived closer.

Nathan starts his second swimming session tonight. I'm looking forward to it! This time he will be all by himself without John or I in the water. Finger crossed that he listens to the teacher!

And the beat goes on...

2011-07-06T10:40:00.000-04:00

Uncle Tom and Emily came to visit over the weekend. It was a brief but nice visit. They brought Nathan some really cool interactive dinosaurs. Since they've been out of the box he hasn't put them down! We grilled out a nice dinner and enjoyed the breezy night on the patio. John and Tom had their annual golf game in the backyard and we now have a thatched roof.

We had friends over for the 4th. We grilled BBQ chicken and all the good fixings to go with it. Nathan and Logan enjoyed playing with Mason. After dark we let off fireworks. It was a busy few days but it's always nice to have guests.

Nana comes on Friday and we are very excited. It will be a jam packed few weeks. I also plan on tearing apart my house while she is here. I need to get rid of things we no longer need and organize everything.

I just launched my Etsy site. www.jvkom.etsy.com I am excited to be doing something productive with my free time (ha free time!). It gives me a creative outlet and hopefully will generate a few extra bucks for us.

Can't believe my baby will be three in a couple of weeks. Time sure does fly when you are having a good time!

While Daddy was in Atlanta...

2011-07-01T11:27:00.000-04:00

We had a such a busy three days while John was out of town. Monday we headed out to Orlando to meet baby Noah. He is so precious! It is hard to remember when mine were that small even though it wasn't that long ago! Jackie went and picked up Aidan from school after lunch. Nathan was SOOO excited when Aidan walked in! He talks about Aidan all the time. He immediately took him by the hand and said "Come on and play with me." :)

I swam with the boys for a bit. Aidan is a little fish! It was very cute to watch the boys together. What wasn't so cute was when they went to play in Aidan's room and Nathan locked the door! Jackie bribed them to unlock it with some candy. They got the candy and did it again. My son is too smart for his own good!

Tuesday we went over to Monika's to play. It is so crazy to me that Nathan is such a little boy now...no signs of a toddler at all! He played very well with Gabriel and Gracie. Logan and Elijah weren't too sure about each other. I love watching my boys interact with other kids.

Wednesday I packed the boys up and we headed to St. Pete for the Reds game!! I was very nervous to take both boys by myself but determined to see a game while the Reds were in town. Getting to the Stadium was a joke! I'm not sure what was going on but they kept directing traffic away from the stadium! I ended up parking at a bar and we walked over. I hadn't purchased tickets yet so we went to the box office. OMG! The line was at least 200 people long. We waited probably 20 mins (not too bad) and finally made it inside. We got to our seats by the 3rd inning. The boys were both very good! I had packed us all lunch, that and peanuts kept Nathan occupied for the majority of the time. We ended up leaving at the bottom of the 7th. I would have loved to stay for the whole game but didn't want to deal with the crowd leaving. The outing was a huge success!!

Wednesday night John got home about 9:30. We were all so happy he was home! And by that time I was exhausted!

Crazy past week

2011-06-30T09:29:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday Grandpa and GiGi drove over from Orlando to spend the weekend with us. That afternoon we went to the pool for a bit. Nathan showed everyone what he's been learning in swimming lessons. We headed back home and cooked dinner. That evening Jane and I slipped out to the Casino. It gave John and Sr some good one on one time.

Friday morning we headed to the beach bright and early. We went out to St. Pete. The weather and the water was perfect. Nathan enjoyed playing the sand and Logan enjoyed floating around in his ring. We had a picnic for lunch. By about 1:30 everyone was beached out and ready to head home.

That evening we went down to Ybor City for dinner. We ate the Tampa Bay Brewing Company. The food was really good! We stopped at Game Works after dinner to play some games. It was a long but very nice day.

Saturday we just hung out here. The guys played baseball in the backyard. We grilled a delicious steak dinner. After dark we let off some fireworks and hung out on the back patio. Visits always go by way too fast.

Sunday morning Grandpa and GiGi headed back to Orlando to catch their flight. And later in the day John had to leave for Atlanta. It was a very quiet evening for the boys and I (too quiet).

Busy Busy Busy

2011-06-21T10:21:00.001-04:00

The summer has proven to be very busy for the Kominsky house and there are no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And that is perfectly ok with us!

Over the weekend we headed out to Disney to spend some time with Grandpa and GiGi. Saturday evening we went to the Rain Forest Cafe for dinner. It was really good and the kids were great. After dinner we all headed back to the resort and called it a night early.

Sunday morning we got up and headed to Magic Kingdom. It was really hot! Both boys stayed up all day. Even with no naps they were still terrific. Nathan had fun riding all the rides. We left around 4 to go back to the hotel to do some swimming. Nathan had a blast going down the water slide. He couldn't get enough! Then we had dinner and headed back home.

Grandpa is coming out here on Thursday to spend a few more days with us before they have to go back home. We have a beach day planned for Friday. Nathan gets so excited when we have visitors! I'm looking forward to John's little break from work to spend time with everyone.

Sunday night John will be heading to Atlanta. I hate it when he goes out of town but the kids and I have plans to stay very busy!

Our little fish!

2011-06-11T16:30:00.000-04:00

Nathan graduated his swimming class yesterday! He is now a minnow! We are going to wait until after his third birthday to do the next one. That way he can skip the frog stage (another parent-child class) and go straight to swimming without me. He had his first experience of being thrown in the pool, and did great. He got his first certificate!! I am so proud of him :)

Yesterday was also Logan's nine month checkup. The chunky monkey is gone and we now have a little peanut. He has dropped down to the 9th percentile in weight. However, the doctor said there is nothing to worry about bc this is normal with breastfed babies. She said everything looks great. We have the all clear to do table foods. I can't believe my baby is ready for table foods already! Doc also said he will probably be an early walker. He has been trying to stand up for a few days now.

We have such a busy month ahead. Grandpa comes into town this weekend. Then John has to head to Atlanta for a few days for work. Uncle Tom and Emily are coming to visit for the 4th. And then Nana gets here on the 8th. We are looking forward to every minute with family!

9 months!

2011-06-09T08:13:00.000-04:00

Logan turned 9 months on Monday. 9 months! Really?!? He has three teeth, is army crawling everywhere, can sit pretty well, is feeding himself snacks, and says Momma and Dada. It is really funny how he follows me around the house saying Momma over and over again.

And Nathan is about a month away from turning 3! He is such a big boy. We have started a behavior chart with him. I needed something creative to get him to behave better. Spanking him and time outs do not work. So a friend of mine did the chart with her daughter and it worked great. We are hoping we have the same results. Once he fills up the chart with stickers (there are over 200 spaces) he gets to go to Dinosaur World.

We are excited to see Grandpa next week. We are taking a mini staycation out to Disney World. It should be a great time!

More teeth!

2011-06-03T21:10:00.000-04:00

Our baby boy is now cutting his top teeth! They seem to be bothering him :( He has been waking up multiple times during the night. I just with they would hurry up and come in so he doesn't hurt anymore.

He goes for his 9 month check up next week. 9 months!! Where has the time gone? And Nathan will be three in about six weeks. Can't believe how fast my boys are growing! We are going to have a Dinosaur birthday party for Nate. He is super excited!

I've also been thinking lately and it hit me really hard that Nathan will be starting VPK next year! It's almost time for school already! Time sure does fly when you are busy being a mommy.

Swimming Lessons!!

2011-05-27T12:54:00.000-04:00

Nathan started swimming lessons on Monday. He has them Mon, Wed, Fri for the next couple of weeks. Today was his third session and he is making so much progress! I'm am so proud of him. He only has one other student in his class. That boy was not there today so it was nice to have a one on one session. I think by the end of this class he is going to be doing awesome in the water!

Grandpa came and spent the day with us yesterday. It is always so nice when family can come to visit. He bought Nathan lots of candy, a huge watermelon, and a cantaloupe. We went to the pool for a bit and then we came home and had a nice lunch. Nathan was having a blast showing Grandpa all of his toys. We are soo excited that Grandpa and Jane will be back in a few weeks to spend some more time with us!

Logan is getting so big too quick! I have started the weaning process. We are about half and half with nursing and formula. He's doing great. He has two little teeth on the bottom! I have also started teaching him to self feed. He LOVES Mum Mums. I give him puffs too but he hasn't quite figured out how to get them into his mouth. He also loves eating bananas and watermelon out of his mesh feeder. Such a big boy!!

He is very mobile! He isn't crawling up on his knees yet but he is doing the army crawl like a champ. He shoots around all over and very fast!

Happy Birthday Skest!!

2011-05-21T08:24:00.000-04:00

Today is my little sister's 27th bday. Wow...we are all grown up! Emily has been my best friend from the moment she was born. Mom says that I was such a proud big sister and after I met her I kept saying "My sissy!"

I am very proud of the woman she has become. She is such a caring and giving person. Sometimes she seems a little rough around the edges but she has a bigger heart than anyone I know. Whether it's taking care of her patients at work or helping out the hurt and injured dogs with the Indy Pit Crew, she gives it her all.

And she is freakin hilarious! When we are together we are laughing the majority of the time. Most times all we have to do is look at each other and we burst out laughing. We seem to know what the other is thinking!

I wish Emily nothing but the best in life. A few curve balls have been thrown but I think it only makes her stronger. I just hope she knows how much she is loved and admired.

I still can't believe my baby sister is all grown up. I still remember all the nights singing each other to sleep so loud, our parents would have to tell us to be quiet. Moving our beds into the same room bc we wanted to share a room. Riding our bikes around the neighborhood and playing Ghost Writer. Camping trips. Getting ready for Proms. Getting ready for our weddings. Seeing her hold my sons for the first time. Making her the God Mother of my children. So many wonderful memories with my sister.

God really broke the mold when he gave me Emily. I am honored to call her my sister. And so blessed to call her my best friend. Happy birthday Skest! I love you!! XOXOXO

Summer is here!

2011-05-18T09:07:00.000-04:00

Saturday Grandma and Paupie stopped by on their way to the airport. Nathan had a great time playing dinosaurs with them. That night Logan was up every couple of hours. He is cutting his first tooth! So needless to say I didn't get much sleep.

Sunday morning John had to go into work for a meeting. He was home by noon and worked in the yard. He took the boys out for a couple of hours so I could take a nap. It felt great! And John is getting braver...He took the boys to Lowes and Target!

Monday we ran errands pretty much all day. We did stop into the Aquarium for a bit. Nathan loves running around there and especially the splash pad outside. All three boys had fun shooting each other with water on the big pirate ship.

Goals

2011-05-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine posted something on Facebook that really struck a strong response from me. She said "Isn't it funny how your goals change as you get older." Soo true! And it made me really think about my goals. Then that depressed me. Let me explain...

I don't want John to take this the wrong way. I am very proud of everything he has done. But I also want to be truthful. We are at the mercy of his company. Yes, John does all the work to get to where he wants to be. But when you break it down, people that don't even know me are calling all the shots in my life. Crazy huh? They pick what position John holds. They pick when we move. They pick where we live. Those are big decisions that will in the future affect my children.

My goals have changed in the sense that before you have kids everything is about yourself. But once you bring these precious beings into the world everything shifts. Life is about them now. And I'm completely ok with that. I will get my time again when they are older. So it is starting to really freak me out not knowing what the future holds. Yes, no one knows what the future holds but I think the majority at least have a good idea of where they will be living and what they will be doing. Not us.

I was perfectly fine with moving all around wherever before we had our boys. But now I'm not. I really do not want to uproot them every couple of years. Once they start school they will start to develop important relationships. John and I were very fortunate that we both stayed in the same school districts from the time we started school until we graduated. I have no idea what it's like to be the new kid.

I also had a long great conversation with my father-in-law a couple months back. He really knows how to put things into perspective. I really appreciate that about him. So I guess the only thing I can do now is get with John and try to come up with a plan that works for the whole family. Again this goes back to the statement that goals are not only about us anymore. We have two little people to consider.

I'm going to pray about it and know that God will put on the path that we need to be on.

Mother's Day!

2011-05-10T12:04:00.000-04:00

This was my third Mother's Day. 3rd!! Very hard to believe that I have already been a mommy for three years. I am very blessed to have two healthy happy little boys! And I am soo spoiled! Sunday morning we all went to the grocery store. John never goes to the store with us so that was a nice treat in itself. We got home and I basically stayed on the couch watching the Reds game for the rest of the afternoon. John took the boys out for a bit. First time ever taking both boys by himself!! They came back with beautiful flowers, yummy desserts, and Starbucks! My little family is the sweetest bunch of boys ever! I love you John, Nathan, and Logan :)

Cincy Trip

2011-05-09T09:43:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been almost two weeks since I posted last. I told you it would be awhile! And this is going to be looooonnnnngggggg!

We got back from Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. Here's a recap...

John, Logan, and I all started our 14.5 hour trip on Thursday April 28th at about 4AM. The car ride was not so bad. John drove the whole way. He wouldn't let me take a turn. Logan did very well. We did run into a little traffic a couple times but I think that's par for the course. Boy were we happy to finally see Winter Woods Court!!

Friday John spent the day helping Grandpa mulch the yard. Logan and I stayed busy running errands and grocery shopping for Saturday. That afternoon Mom, Dad, Em, and Nathan all got into town! I was so excited to see my baby boy! And he was excited to see us too. Nathan helped finish up the yard then we headed over to the Creation Museum to visit Norman. It was such a great afternoon.

Saturday morning was Logan's Baptism. Father Shappelle is such an awesome priest. He married John and I. And he has now baptized both of the boys. He has such a special place in our hearts. The Baptism went great even though I called my son by the wrong middle name. There is always so much on a mother's mind! Then everyone headed back to John Sr's for a BBQ. Everyone had so much fun! And the weather was perfect! It was an especially wonderful day for the Holman crew because that was the first time all five (well 12 now) of us have been all together in years.

Sunday we spent some quality time at Grandma's house. We saw Tom and the Nageotte's off. It is always so hard to say bye to our loved ones! We really appreciate everyone who made it out to see us!

Monday we had lunch with Scot and Sue. We just love them :) They are great people. We then headed out to Indy. My brother has a cute little cozy apartment. His first! I'm so proud to see how hard he is working. We went out with him, his gf, and more friends and family. One of my best friends from High School, Matt Glover, met us out. I haven't seen him in like six years! And the Rawlings champed it out with us until around 1:30AM. They are such great friends and we always have so much fun with them! Seeing all these wonderful people really makes me miss home!

Tuesday morning I woke up sick :( That afternoon we ran errands. That evening we met Grandma for dinner. Skyline finally!! And for dessert we had UDF!! Such yummy food in Cincy!! I went straight to bed when we got back to Grandpa's.

Wednesday Grandpa took us to the conservatory to see the butterfly exhibit. It was really neat! The butterflies were so friendly that you could even pick them up! When we got back Jane came over and we grilled out a great dinner. I need to get back to the gym asap after all this wonderful food I've had all week!

Thursday we took Logan to his first Reds game!!! It was another beautiful sunny day! Tim Klanke and Mason met us there. Everyone enjoyed their fair share of peanuts of course! Grandpa got Nathan cotton candy and he devoured it in about ten minutes. And Reds won!!! When we got back Grandpa took Nathan for a ride on the Deere! He had a blast :)

Friday was time to go home :( We pulled out at about 6:15AM. We got to our hotel in Macon a little before 5. We took the boys swimming for a bit and then ordered pizza. We called it a night early. Saturday morning we got up at 4:30AM to head home. The last 5.5 hours was the longest ever!! Everyone was just ready to get home. Nathan was getting sick and could not get comfortable in the car. We stopped about 7 seven times in the first couple of hours. I've never been so happy to see Early Run Lane!!!

We had such a wonderful trip! I only wish we could come home more often. It warms my heart to be reminded of how much we are loved and missed by our family and friends. We may live in Florida now but our hearts will always remain in the Midwest. I can only pray that God has it in the plans to get us back there one day.

Thanks again to everyone who made it out to see us! We love and miss you all! We are truly blessed!

Go Lightning!!

2011-04-26T09:25:00.000-04:00

Nana got here last Wednesday and her and Nathan went back to Indy yesterday. I had to swallow the lump in my throat as I put Nathan in his stroller and told him bye. I know it's only five days but I've never been away from my baby for that long.

Sunday for Easter we had some friends over. It was a great time. We made Montgomery Inn BBQ. Everyone played cornhole and just hung out. It was a nice relaxed day.

Last night John was given Lightning tickets. It was game 6 against the Penguins. Our seats were 12 rows from the ice and right behind the goal! It was sooo much fun! Logan lasted until about 10 minutes left. They scored a goal to put them up by two and the crowd went nuts. That's when we had to call it a night.

So now we are in vacation prep mode. Today I am getting out everything we need to pack. Tonight John and I will pack everything. That way when he gets home tomorrow all we have to do is load the car. We are leaving bright and early Thursday morning. We are excited to visit home!

I don't know when I'll get the chance to blog again. So be prepared for a long one when I get back!

All Pro Dad

2011-04-18T09:17:00.000-04:00

Saturday John and Nathan headed down to the Bucs Stadium for the All Pro Dads event. It is a program that Tony Dungy started to promote better Father/Children relationships. They met Lee Roy Selmon, the Bucs GM, and a couple Super Bowl players. Before the event they got to tour the locker rooms and run around the field. From the looks of their pictures I'd say they had a great time!

I took down Nathan's changing table and redid his dresser a bit. It really looks like such a big boy room. He really is old enough now to go to a full size bed but we don't have the room right now. So the next time we move we will convert his bed.

I am so proud of him. We started a new bed time routine last month. He is now to the point where he doesn't fight us about bedtime. And he will actually go to sleep without one of us having to be in his room. Thank you Jesus! It only took almost three years!

Wednesday Nana comes to visit. We are all super excited! It will be nice to have her here to help with the kids so that I can get everything ready for our Cincy trip! I can't believe it's only about a week and half away. I'm a little sad about Nathan leaving us for the first time but it's only four days. He will have a ball and it will be a nice break.

A trip to the ER

2011-04-14T09:58:00.000-04:00

Well there's a first for everything. I had to take Logan to the ER last night. I'm sure it's the first of many more. I was changing his diaper. Nathan grabbed me around the waist and was trying to pull me down. I turned around to swat Nathan off. Logan rolled off the changing table. Everything happened in 2.5 seconds. Scary scary!

After calling the nurse on call at our Peds office they told me to take him in. She said whenever they hit their head under two years of age they always tell you to take them in.

So off to the ER we went. They took me back to a room as soon as we checked in. They told me when it's a child under one you go straight back. The nurse got all of his vitals and all of the info. He said everything looked fine but the Doc would be in to check it out. Doctor came in and said everything looked perfect but under one they always do a CAT scan. Logan was not a fan. This was the worst part. They had to strap him to the table so that he couldn't move. And I had to hold his chin. I was very uncomfortable. But it only lasted a couple minutes and we were done. CAT scan checked out perfect. Then we had to wait almost 2 hrs just to be released.

We finally got home at about 11pm. Logan slept horribly. So it was a very long night. I'm just glad he is ok. And I don't need a lecture. Obviously I know better than to turn my back at the changing table. It all just happened so fast. Thank God everything is fine!

Doctors, Doctors, and more Doctors!!

2011-04-13T07:23:00.001-04:00

I feel like for the past two weeks all we have been doing is going to Doctor appts. Nothing serious, just checkups. Our Optometrist wanted to have the boys checked out bc of John's history of eye problems. So yesterday morning to the specialist we went. They dialated both boys. Dr. Chen told us they both have perfect beautiful eyes (I was never worried but better to be safe than sorry).

Logan had to get his follow up flu shot. He did so well! He only cried for a minute and then he was fine. I think he was too sleepy to care. We hit the mall after that to get Nathan shoes and a belt for his suit. I am soo excited to see him all dressed up for Logan's Baptism.

John had a follow up eye exam. Everything looked good. Although, I am still trying to get him into the specialist bc they want him looked at as well. Trying to mesh up John's schedule with their schedule has proved impossible thus far. I will try again after we get back from Cincy.

We brought the ducks down to Bradenton yesterday. John was very sad to see them go. I was glad to see them go to a better place to live. They were getting so big and we just don't have the room for them. I know they will be much happier when they are free to roam as they please.

Both boys were alseep and in bed by 8:00, so John and I followed. He has a few big days at work coming up so we did some Bible study and praying before we hit the sack. We were alseep by 9:00. I think we all needed some rest. It was a busy busy day!

Samples

2011-04-08T17:11:00.000-04:00

J & J Photography

2011-04-07T17:16:00.000-04:00

Has a nice ring to it...

It's no secret that John has a passion for photography. He really enjoys taking pictures and is good at it. Over the weekend we brought the ducks out to Orlando to do some Easter pictures for a couple of our friends. This was our first experience with actual paying customers. And I think it went really well.

It was a little chaotic. We really dove in head first. Doing our first real photoshoot and then throwing live animals in the mix. Go big or go home right?!

So we are playing with the idea of starting our own small business. Afterall I do have a Business Managment degree. And why not turn John's passion into something more?

I'm going to start putting our business plan together. We will see where this goes. It is not going to happen overnight. And John has to find the spare time to put into it.

I am excited for this new venture. Thoughts?

Busy Busy Busy!!!

2011-04-06T09:10:00.001-04:00

We have been on the go since Saturday afternoon. It isn't easy being a mommy of six! The ducks have tripled in size in a week. We tried pictures all weekend and it was rough. It is hard enough to get human children to cooperate...well throw in four baby ducks and it's chaotic at best. We did get some cute ones but it took work!

We had a great time in Orlando on Sunday. We started the morning out by taking pictures at Jackie's house. We then went to Juliana's birthday party at the park. Nathan had fun playing with his friends. I enjoyed catching up with everyone.

Monday John's friends came over with their one year old. We got a few cute shots of him. Much easier to photgraph a child when they can at least sit!

The ducks will be going to a farm on Tuesday. It was fun while we had them but I'll be glad to see them go. We just don't have the room for them. I'm sure they will love being able to roam around freely. I'll post more pictures after I get them edited. I have hours and hours of work to do.

Silly Giraffe

2011-04-01T21:03:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to stop in and share this. Enjoy!

Ducklings!!!

2011-03-31T08:45:00.000-04:00

John and I have been trying to decide what kind of Easter pictures we want to do this year. Last year Nathan had pictures taken with a real bunny. They were super cute! I saw some pictures online of Easter pictures with baby ducklings. John and I talked about it and for what we would have to spend for the pictures we could just buy the duck ourselves and get as many pictures as we want for less. So that's what we did!

After we got home from the Zoo yesterday we starting making phone calls. Well Tractor Supply carries them around this time! So we loaded up the kids and headed south. We picked out our babies and got everything we needed for them. They are adorable!

We plan on having them for a couple weeks and then giving them to the Pet Store. It will be a cute project for Nathan. He will help us take care of them. And he already loves looking at them and petting them.

I never thought I would be a mother of 6!! And yes, they are all boys. I couldn't even get a baby girl duck. I'm very excited to take the pictures and see how they turn out!

Introducing T-Rex, Buzz, Miller, and Peepers:

John is the duck whisperer. This is his buddy Miller. He always falls asleep when John is holding him :)

Nathan is a proud big brother to the new babies!

Good Night = Good Day = Good Night!!

2011-03-30T08:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was such a wonderful day. And I have the good Lord to thank for that. Monday night John and I did our first Bible study together. It was a bit awkward and we stumbled through it. But it felt amazing to finally take the time to do this! We also prayed together for the first time in our marriage. I hope to keep this up and keep growing our relationship with God.

So that brings me to yesterday. The boys were very good all day. Nathan kept busy playing and watching his shows. Logan took a really long nap! He never naps well. I was able to get the majority of the house cleaned. I felt very accomplished! AND John met his day :)

I had both boys asleep and in their own beds by 8:20. AWESOME!! They didn't even put up a fuss. Logan slept until 3AM!!!! He NEVER does that. He usually wakes up every couple of hours. (Now he did wake up again at 4 but I did some tough love and let him cry it out) Nathan came into our room at one point but I had John take him back. Then both boys slept until 7AM!!! It makes for a MUCH better morning when Momma gets some sleep :)

So thank you Jesus :)

Thank God for my boys!

2011-03-28T15:45:00.000-04:00

One of my dearest friends just found out she's having another boy. She is absolutely heartbroken. And I've been there and know exactly how she feels. I've never blogged in detail about this before bc I don't want anyone to ever think for a minute that my boys don't mean the world to me.

Unless you have ever been in this situation you have NO idea how it feels. To dream about having a little girl of your own all of your life and then it never coming true. And it's not about dressing them up or showing them off. It's about friendship. My mom is hands down my best friend. We have such a special bond. I desperately wanted that more than anything. I am confident that my boys and I will have our own special relationships. But of course it's not the same as a mother daughter bond.

At this point I have come to terms with God's decision. I am very grateful that He blessed John and I with such healthy, amazing children. I would NEVER EVER trade them for anything. They are my life. And I am so honored to get to be their mother. I am reminded everyday just looking at them how blessed I really am.

Of course there will always be a small tug on my heartstrings whenever I see a little girl and her mother together. But God gives us what we need, not what we want. He put these two little boys into my life for a reason. I intend to make the most of every moment spent with them.

I love you so so much Nathan and Logan!

Comments

2011-03-28T09:03:00.000-04:00

Finally anyone can leave comments on our blog! I guess I had never changed the setting that only allowed members to leave them. So it's fixed! Feel free to comment away :)

Miss you Opa!

2011-03-27T09:45:00.000-04:00

I really can't believe that Opa has been in Heaven for five years now. It seems like just yesterday we were watching the Pacers game or I was walking on his back. I really miss him bunches. He was such a loving, gentle, kind, warm man. I could listen to him talk all day long. What I miss the most is the way he would call me Jenny :) No one else in the world is allowed to call me that.

I miss you so much Opa! I wish you could have been at my wedding. And I wish you could have met my boys. I take comfort in knowing that you are in Heaven sitting with God. That image does make me feel a little better and brings a smile to my face :)

I love you Opa!

Spring Training and Ybor City

2011-03-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we headed out to Clearwater for a Phillies game. We first stopped at John's work because the kids and I had yet to see his new store. We then went to Skyline for lunch before heading to the ball park. It was HOT!! Logan and I spent most of the game in the shade. Nathan and John braved the heat and sat in the grass. Nathan got peanuts, dippin dots, and lemonade. He made out pretty well!

On our way home we stopped in Ybor City for dinner. We stopped into the Rock 'n Roll bar. The food was pretty good. Then we went to Game Works so Nathan could play a little. He picked out two dinosaurs and four cars with his tickets. He hasn't put them down since!

It seems like all month we have been on the the go and I love it! I feel so blessed to get to enjoy life with the three most important people in my life :)

John's Pass

2011-03-24T09:17:00.001-04:00

Tuesday afternoon we headed out to John's Pass. It's a really cool shopping and dining area in Madeira Beach. There is a board walk right along the water that houses restaurants, bars, and shops. The surrounding streets also have a ton of shops.

We walked around window shopping. We found a shop with live alligators! John and Nathan got to hold and feed a baby alligator. It was very interesting. Nathan wasn't too sure about the gator. Then we had dinner at the Hut. It was more about the experience than the food (note to self for next time). It was a really great beautiful day!

Yesterday my patience was being tested to the max. Nathan was full on Wildman. While I was on the computer booking Nana's plane ticket for her he decided to draw "Dinosaur prints" all over the kitchen floor. Thank God for magic eraser! Then he decided he was going to make the couch his personal port-a-potty. So as I was taking the whole couch apart and cleaning it with the carpet cleaner he decided to make his arms an art canvas. He drew with pen all over them. AAAHHH!! By that time all I had to do was give him a look and he said "I better go to my room". When do I get a break?!?!?! I guess in 16 years, right? Lord help me when Logan's big enough to join in...oy vey!

March Madness!

2011-03-18T16:01:00.000-04:00

I feel like I haven't been blogging as much as I should. This month we have been busy it seems.

Yesterday we went to watch the Gators for a little March Madness fun! We took the boys to the Forum for the game. We had a really good time. They both did great. We brought lots of goodies to keep Nathan occupied. Logan slept about half the game. It was a nice family outing.

I got Nathan a potty seat that sits on the toilet. He has been doing great! He also got to pick out new underwear. He chose Cars. And he looks so darn cute in his little undies!

Time flies!

2011-03-15T17:09:00.000-04:00

It has been pretty quiet in the Kominsky house. John worked all last week and then had a three day weekend. We just stayed home all weekend and did stuff around here. We got the yard all ready for summer. Yesterday we had friends over. We played cornhole and grilled out.

Logan had his 6 month checkup yesterday. 6 months! Where has the time gone? He is now 16lbs 10oz and 27.25 inches. Doctor said he is just perfect :) He had three shots. He did ok but was pretty cranky for the rest of the day.

Nathan is pretty much potty trained. He has very few accidents and only wears a diaper at night. I am so proud of him. The next step is getting him a potty seat that goes on the toilet. He has been dumping out his potty chair on his own so it's time to get him on the toilet.

We are now looking forward to our Cincy trip and Logan's baptism. Ready to spend some nice time back home!

Caskey Key Vacation!!

2011-03-07T07:52:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday Nana and Pop Pop got here. On Tuesday all of us headed south to Casey Key, Florida. The first day was a little rainy but Nathan still got to play on the beach. That evening we drove over the Jetty. There were dolphins there looking for fish. And they were so close to us. Very neat!

Wednesday we went on a boat tour of the Myakka River and ate at Snook Haven.

Thursday we spent the day on the beach and then ate dinner at the Fish House. The restaurant was right on the water.

Friday we went to Venice and walked around to look at all the shops. We had lunch at an Italian restaurant. The food was so good!! We got home that afternoon. We grilled out and played cards. Friday night was very entertaining to say the least :)

Saturday John had to go back to work...boo!! The rest of us went to the Ybor city Market. Then we took the trolley downtown and walked around. The weather was perfect! Yesterday we just hung ou here until Mom and Dad had to leave for the airport. It is always so sad when family goes back home. But we had a very nice week with them. Thanks so much Mom and Dad for everything you do for us! Love you!!!

Vacay!!

2011-03-05T10:05:00.001-05:00

The past week we have been in sunny Casey Key, Florida on a mini spring vacation. I have lots of pictures to post. I also need to catch everyone up on the week. I will probably do that on Monday. Right now I'm going to enjoy the rest of the time I have with my parents. They leave tomorrow :( Anytime anyone visits it always goes by way too fast!!

Fun Times with Grandma & Paupie

2011-02-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

Grandma and Paupie got here on Friday morning. That afternoon we all headed to the Zoo. Nathan just loves those dinosaurs and wanted to see them again. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed the Zoo. That evening we headed to Ybor City for dinner. We went to the Spaghetti Warehouse. Dinner was pretty good, the company was better :) That night after the boys went to bed we got Cheryl to drink a shot. I say drink because it was the longest shot known to man. It only took her like an hour to choke it down! Fun times!!!

Saturday morning we went over to the power plant to see the Manatees. There weren't many left but again the weather was perfect. We stopped for lunch on the way home. For the rest of the afternoon we played on the patio.

We had such a great visit. It was very nice to finally get to spend some quality time with Ed. He really is a great man. And he loves Nathan and Logan as if they are his own. I can now see why Cheryl fell in love with him. Thanks Grandma and Paupie for the wonderful time!

Logan's 1st NHL Game

2011-02-24T07:53:00.000-05:00

Last night John and I took Logan to his first NHL game. It was mommy's first too! John was given the tickets from Channel 10 News. The tickets were for the Channelside Club. I ate sooo much! There was food everywhere!! It was very nice. Logan freaked out the first few times the Bolts scored (they sound a big blow horn). But then he slept most of the time. Nathan stayed with our sitter Rachael. He always has a lot of fun with her. I missed not having Nathan there but it was nice to get out with just Logan.

What a weekend!!

2011-02-22T11:03:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful weekend!! John was off Saturday, Sunday, and Monday!! Saturday after the gym we headed to Tropicana Field for the Rays Fan Fest. It was fun to get out of the house. Nathan got to run the bases a few times. It was neat to get to walk around the field. We are excited for baseball season to get underway!

Sunday we all went to the Zoo. They are having DinoQuest right now. It is a special Dinosaur exhibit showcasing 20 mechanical dinosaurs. Nathan was a little freaked out at times but we all really enjoyed it. The dinos are very lifelike.

And yesterday we went to the gym and ran errands. When we got home John and Nathan washed the car. The weather has been absolutely perfet! We have even ate dinner on the patio a couple of times.

We are looking forward to Grandma and Paupie visting at the end of the week. Then Nana and Pop Pop get here on Sunday. Lots of fun visits coming up! And we can't forget about our beach vacay next week! Casey Key here we come!!!

Thank You Thank You!!

2011-02-15T15:04:00.000-05:00

I wanted to say Thank You to Aunt Anna Marie!! You ALWAYS think of our boys! It means so much to us :) We really appreciate you! Wish we lived closer! Love you!!

Logan's newborn pix

2011-02-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

I finally got the rest of Logan's newborn pictures last week. Sharyn Gallant took them as a favor to us. It's crazy to think that just five months ago he was this small!

Check out this link at our photo site for the rest! http://kominskyfamily.phanfare.com/5015086

More Vday Pix!!

2011-02-13T19:35:00.000-05:00

Sneak peek of Vday Pix!

2011-02-13T08:51:00.001-05:00

Our boys are so handsome :)

Can I have your attention please

2011-02-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we took Valentine's Day pictures of the boys. I will post them as soon as I am done editing them. They turned out very cute!

I want to address something else with this post. It really really bothers me John calls me antisocial. I am not antisocial. I am just painfully shy! And if you are not shy than you have no idea what it feels like. I HATE it!! It is literally paralyzing sometimes.

It sucks for people to think that I am antisocial or stuck up bc of my shyness. I am one of the most down to Earth people you will ever meet. Being shy is just a personality trait that I was born with.

I am not antisocial!! I am not trying to avoid anyone or anything!! I have social anxiety!! And forcing me to do things outside of my comfort zone will not help me. It will just make it worse. Believe me life would be much easier if I wasn't shy. And it's not as easy as just getting over it.

We finally got out!!

2011-02-09T13:37:00.001-05:00

John was off yesterday and we did a little retail therapy at the Outlet Mall. The boys were so good!! Nathan even did awesome while we were in Brooks Brothers FOREVER picking out suits. The associate at the store even commented on how good my boys were :)

Nathan has been doing awesome with potty training! We've had a few accidents but that's too be expected. We did put him in a diaper while we were shopping yesterday. Which I'm glad we did because he slept most of the time and we were out much longer than we had planned.

Logan's follow up appointment was this morning. Doctor said everything looks and sounds great. Finally all the sickness is gone from both boys!!!

Do the Potty Dance :)

2011-02-05T20:51:00.000-05:00

I started hitting the potty training hard again yesterday. We have tried several times in the past. I always end up getting discouraged and throwing in the towel. Potty training is one of the most frustrating things I have ever done. Nathan knows what to do and that he should do it but then pees on the carpet and laughs.

BUT we had a major breakthrough today!!!! He went ALL day with NO accidents! Not one!! And he took it upon himself to sit on the potty every time. I would occasionally remind him but for the most part he did it on his own. I cannot even describe how proud I am of him! Every time he went we would do the potty dance, high five, and he would get a sticker. I tried my best to show him how excited and proud of him I am :)

It's funny what becomes the highlight of your day after becoming a parent! We even called Daddy to tell him Nathan pooped on the potty!! Who knew that pooping would become such a big event :) Soo now let's see if it sticks and if he continues to do so well tomorrow ;)

Things are looking up!!

2011-02-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

Finally I feel like I can stop worrying about the boys! They both are still coughing but that could last up to two weeks. Nathan is completely done with breathing treatments. Logan may still need some today but then I hope we can stop. SOOO glad we are finally through the worst of it!

Yesterday John was off and we just did some things around the house. It will be nice when we can get out and do something fun! We've been in the house for the past two weeks because of everyone being sick.