Why Are All The Posts Titled "Where Has The Time Gone"??

Once again, here I am with the same title as the previous post....3 1/2 years ago!!!  So much has happened since by last post, it is unbelievable.  Kiddos are now 12,10,7 and 4.  Time really does fly by.  I have been back to work for almost a year now and Jas has left a job / started a job / left a job / been a stay at home dad / started a job (all within the last year)!  We have had quite a journey the last year but it is making me realize that sometimes I need to slow down and remember at the end of the day, it is JUST THE SIX OF US.  That is what this life is all about.  Remembering why we got married, why we had one, two, three, four beautiful children, why we educated ourselves, why being focused on our family is the most important.

I recently filled our a questionairre for work that asked very simple questions about myself....how would you describe yourself, what are you good at, what do you like doing.  These questions were very difficult for me to answer.  I realized I had stopped thinking about all these things in life that seem so simple.  I have committed to remembering these things and start focusing on the important things in life.....

Where Has the Time Gone???

I have a feeling I am going to be saying this a lot...."Where has the time gone?"  So much has happened since I last posted.  Here are some family updates before we get lost in the Holiday Spirit!!!

Queen Bee has turned ONE!!!!  I can hardly believe it.  This has been the most amazing year so far with so many wonderful blessings and Harper has definitely been the biggest GIRL blessing God could have ever given me.  One of my biggest fears in life is being a mom to a little girl and what our relationship will be but I can't imagine loving any little girl more than I love this one.  I can only hope that I am blessed with as much love from her.  Here is my little angel on her 1st birthday......

Worker Bee #3 has been busy with preschool and is loving every bit of it!!!  He is learning so many things that it is unbelievable.  He is a little sponge.  He already knows all his alphabet (uppercase and lowercase) and is now mastering the sounds of all the letters.  He will be reading before we know it.  He is spunky as ever and is my little challenge these days.  I have loved watching him interact with Queen Bee who he absolutely adores.  Here they are on Halloween.

Worker Bee #2 has now moved on to basketball and wrestling.  I don't know what it is with him and wrestling but he loves it!!!  I am hoping he gets up the courage to tackle a couple of tournaments this year because I know he will do AWESOME!!  He is becoming more confident in himself and remembering to make the RIGHT choice, not the one that everyone will laugh at.  He still is full of all kinds of laughter and I can't help but smile every time I hear his little giggle.  He has defiantly inherited his dad's smile that can melt any girl's heart.

And then we have Worker Bee #1......Everyday he is getting closer to turning 9 and then I really think "Where has the time gone???"  It just seems like yesterday when Jas and I were bringing our first little guy home.  I remember staring at him for hours wondering how I was so lucky to have been blessed with such a beautiful baby boy.  Now that baby boy has decided he needed to have his own room and be able to close his door when he needs sometime to himself (watching Sportscenter without interruption).  It might take me awhile to get used to this.....I'm thinking 4 or 5 years!!!  I know he knows he still needs me sometimes, at least that is what I am hanging on to.

As for the Pres and VP....we are just along for the ride at this point.  Trying to let every moment sink in and not let it pass by too quickly.

The President Has Lost Her Mind

I think I may have lost my mind......

Lately I have been struggling with Worker Bee #2 and #1 going back to school and now #3 being in preschool.  I was so excited to spend some one on one time with Queen Bee but forgot the little detail of her only being 10 months and having her own agenda durning the day....NAPS!!  So my grand idea of using all this "free" time to spend with my baby has been replaced with productive time spent cleaning the house, doing laundry and mowing the yard.  Not exactly what I had in mind.  So now instead of wondering "When I am going to get to all these exciting daily tasks done?", I have been asking myself a lot "What do I do now that all these things ARE done?"  I started to feel like I was in a funk.  A funk that I couldn't get over.

And so my never resting mind came up with this.....

I felt like I was starting to miss some of the aspects of my working mom life.  I missed the emails, phone calls, organizing tasks and most of all, the fulfillment of accomplishing a days work.  I started thinking about the aspects of my working life that I didn't miss......long hours, deadlines and sometimes work having to come before my family.  Now don't get me wrong, I am accomplishing many things during the days but my VP can only come home so many days and tell me the house looks nice and he is happy their is a hot meal on the table before it gets a little old.  I was on a mission to find something to fill this void.

So what did I find???

As crazy as it sounds (and believe me I have had the same thoughts you are about to have) I am going to start my own business through Premier Jewelry Designs.  I am so excited for this great opportunity to start my own business and have a very flexible schedule to work around the VP's crazy traveling schedule and to still be able to keep up with all the many activities of the Worker Bees.  I am excited to be able to "work" on my own schedule and do everything that goes with it on my own time.  Will this add another level of craziness in this six person business we already have???  Most definitely, but I am up for the challenge.  I need a little getaway some days with some socializing and fun so why not make a little bit of extra cash on the side!!!

So there it is.  I'm sure everyone thinks I have lost my mind and have totally fallen off my rocker but instead I think I may have gained a little spring in my step the last few days.  We only live once, why not have everything you want......or at least try to get it??

Worker Bee #3 Has Left the Nest

Tuesday my little Worker Bee #3 left the nest and headed off to preschool for the first time without looking back.  I thought I was all prepared for this day.  Who wouldn't be???  A couple of hours for Queen Bee and I to spend some quality time together, just by our girl selves.  This did not go as I had planned....

As #3 and I arrived at preschool we discussed how I would be leaving him at school and be back to pick him up a few hours later.  I should have known how things would go when I got absolutely NO reaction to me leaving him there.  We walked in and one look at all the toys and kids and he was off.  No goodbye, no hug, no "Mom, can you stay here with me?"!!!  I suppose this is what I should have hoped for but as I drove away tears came to my eyes as I realized my little buddy was gone.  He was the one who was always at home with me to have some good conversation and a good laugh.  Queen Bee wasn't going to be able to provide that for me for awhile and currently was more interested in having a nap than entertaining me.

When I picked up #3 from preschool I was very excited to hear how his day went.  When I asked him he just walked towards the door and said "Boooooring!!!"  What???  I could you be bored with this many kids and toys.  When asked if he was coming back the next day he turned and looked at me and said, "Uh, yeah!!!"  So as we discussed his day on the way home I learned everything that had happened that day, including him meeting his teacher with the Iowa State shirt on who he swears has Awesome for a name.

So I guess now my mornings will consist of me getting some things done around the house while #3 enjoys every moment at preschool and Queen Bee naps away in complete silence with her big brother out of the house.  Us girls will just have to come up with some activities of our own while all the worker bees are away.  I'm thinking maybe a few photo shoots to start us off.....

SUMMER IS OVER!!!

So summer is officially over.  Bee #1 and Bee #2 are officially back to school and Bee #3 is not so patiently awaiting his first day of preschool.  As you can see from the date of the last post, I didn't once update the blog ALL summer.  We are all now trying to get on some sort of schedule and hoping to get back into the swing of all the sports and activities that go on this time of the year.

Bee #1 is now in 3rd grade.  I don't know where the time goes.  He is so excited to have so many of his buddies in his class this year, he can hardly stand it!!!  His best bud from the old daycare is finally in his class so hopefully he will be able to maintain so self control during class!!!

Bee #2 in now in 2nd grade.  He was SO excited to find out he was going to have the same teacher Bee #1 had last year.  He is loving the fact that he now at Titan Hill with his older brother and they can discuss all the things that happened during the school day.

Bee #3 will be starting preschool shortly after Labor Day.  I have a lot of mixed feelings about this but he is so excited.  He will be going five days a week for two and a half hours each morning.  I don't know if I will be able to stand the quietness of the house.

Miss Queen Bee has been keeping me on my toes.  She just turned 9 months last week and is crawling everyone and into everything.  Why did I want her to crawl????  You would think I would have learned my lesson by now!!

I hear Bee #3 trying to sneak out of "Quiet Time" and I can't hear Queen Bee so I know this means trouble!!!  Off to round up the employees!!!

Company Update - FINALLY

It has been very busy the last couple weeks at Ruiz, Inc.  Bee #1 and Bee #2 have been busy with sports pretty much every day of the week.  I love how they are very active boys.....helps me to "control the crowd" a little better when they are partially worn out.

Tyler has been playing on two soccer teams and is playing player pitch baseball.  He was very excited last week when they finally got to play a game after having several rained out.  I was so proud of him at his first game.  He had the first hit for the team in the first inning and turned around and made a double play in the bottom of the inning.  I would like to think he got his athletic skills from me!!!

Grant has been very busy with sports, too.  He is playing soccer and football right now.  I have been very impressed on how he has improved at soccer since the fall session.  He is playing with the older kids and has done a great job of holding his own.  He has been versing his older brother quite a bit in the last couple of weeks and has definitely been giving Bee #1 a run for his money.

And then there is Bee #3......his biggest enjoyment about watching the others play sports is the snacks he gets to keep him entertained!!!

As for Queen Bee, she has a big day tomorrow.  Little Miss Harper will be SIX MONTHS tomorrow.  I can't hardly believe it.  The last six months have gone by so fast!!!  There were a few times when I wondered what I would do with myself if I decided to stay home.  Let's just say I haven't even had any time to think about that happening.  Between taking care of my four beautiful children, trying to keep up with all my company responsibilities at home, helping out a new friend fulfill her dream and trying to find a few moments with my wonderful husband, there haven't been very many moments to stop and think about how truly blessed I am to have this opportunity to run this company from home.  Every day I am thankful for a very supportive VP who loves his family more than life itself.  Tonight I will head off to bed and make sure to thank God for all my blessings!!!

Company Vacation

The company took a day off to remember HE IS ALIVE!!!!  It was extra special this year due to the older workers starting to understand what Easter is all about.  The boys all decided to give up candy this year for Lent so all the wanted to know this morning was if they could have some candy for breakfast!!!  Even Queen Bee thought she might like some, too.

The day started a little rough with the hustle and bustle getting through Easter baskets and getting ready for church.  Luckily we made it to church and the workers enjoyed the stories of the Resurrection......and even understood it for the most part.  My heart warms every time I hear them talk about the story of Easter and ask their well thought out questions.  I pray I will know the answers.

A couple of weeks ago our pastor said something that I can't get out of my head.  He said the scariest part of the Bible for him is where it says (paraphrased), "those who are abundantly blessed are the ones he will ask the most of".  I have to admit this scares me a lot!!!  I have been reflecting on this a lot this Lent season and have been thinking of all my many blessings.  I know God has big plans for me and I hope I can live up to what he will be asking of me.  He has given me more blessings than I could ever imagine.  I hope your Lent season was as meaningful as it was for this company.  This will be a tough one to top!!

Blessing #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5!!!