Quotes I LOVE

here are some quotes that at times I wish I could YELL to/at people...but I don't.


"Your living is determined not so much by what your life brings you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."


"If you don't like something, change it.  If you can't change it, change your attitude."

Water Fun And Other Stuff!

Well I have finally been cleared for all activities and SWIMMING!!! Let summer begin!  HOORAY!  This weekend we went up to BEAUTIFUL Traverse City to stay with my sister and her family for the weekend.  Jared also had a 100 mile big ride he was doing Sunday morning called The Ride Around Torch - (Torch Lake that is).


Of course as soon as I got the all clear to resume activities and swimming I got sick!  Yes I have had a nasty cold and Temperatures over 100 and a probable sinus infection...AWESOME.  Thursday night I was Non-Operational so Jared took Tenley duty until Saturday morning - staying home and working from home on Friday to take care of her - let me tell you it was awesome.  I didn't realize how much work it was mentally to always be thinking, ok she ate at this time, she needs to sleep for this long, and then she'll eat at this time, so what do I have time to do in the time that she is sleeping.  Instead I just laid around.  I took a nap, played on the iPad, and that's about it....AMAZING.  My favorite thing is overhearing Jared and Tenley playing.  I came downstairs one time and I hear Spanish music playing and I look in at them and they are dancing around and Jared looks at me and yells "IT'S SALSA!!" with a huge smile on his face and then he and Tenley continued to dance around the house.  Later he was changing her diaper and they were listening to reggae music! haha and Jared was saying "Show me your moves Tenley, OOOO that's a good one!" haha I love my family!   I also enjoyed the day a lot cause I got to just hang out with Duke, which I have missed severely and I could tell he needed some snuggles and special attention.


Anyway, back to our adventures in TC.  We had a great time, mostly hung out and did nothing which was awesome, but Tenley did go swimming in the lake for the first time and... SHE LOVED IT!  Of course - she is our child, if she didn't like water something would be seriously wrong - a possibly switch at the hospital??? JK.


I am trying to figure out my life balance between work, Tenley, Jared, Duke, house chores, Michelle time, and all of that.  I am not willing to give any of it up so I just have to figure out how MUCH time I can give to each thing.  So this week that is my mission ... to come up with some sort of schedule for myself.


Life is amazing here, I told Jared the other day, I am perfectly content with our life.  I really don't feel like I am missing anything I would want.  I don't want really anything else either.  I am just so happy with everything.

In her beach outfit ready to head up to TC

Swimming with her cousin

Safe with her Dad

Duke had a GREAT time!

Love her. 

Warming up Snuggles

Relaxing

She loves her Dad!

Parenting...

Well the first month of parenthood....


So far so good.  Honestly I feel like we have always had Tenley in a way.  I don't feel like life has changed that much.  I am a person who plans for the worst and hopes for the best, and I am happy to say things are going as I had hoped.  I have been able to continue life and we have fit Tenley into OUR lives instead of stopping ours and revolving it around her.  All you people who always say - your life is gonna change so much, say goodbye to your freedom, you and Jared will never have time to do that anymore (whatever that may be at the moment) I say You are wrong - for sure our lives have changed, but not in the way you all make it sound.  Now I know that we have only had Tenley here a month and I also know that right now is pretty easy cause she is a good sleeper and she pretty much just sleeps, eats, and then hangs out for a little while.  HOWEVER, I am convinced that Jared and I can maintain a life where we don't feel completely overrun by what Tenley needs or is doing, one where we can still enjoy the things we want to, travel, go places, go out on dates, and so forth.  I think it is a mindset that you have and I am convinced that if anyone wants to not let their kids run their lives they can have it that way.   Jared and I always said we were not gonna let kids run our lives, we would still do things we wanted to do, and go places.  Yes it may be more difficult, Yes it may take longer and require a lot more pre-planning, bathroom breaks, and feeding stops...but it IS doable.  


I don't know why people always like to tell you the bad things and brag about the awful things, "I got 2 hours of sleep every night and we could never go anywhere"  The truth is you could go somewhere whenever you want to but you didn't want to - because if you did you would have - as stated previously - it won't be as easy or maybe as enjoyable as when you would go without your kid...but you can go (unless serious medical conditions won't let you...but can you get a sitter?).  


Of course you are gonna have those times and moments and hours that are NOT FUN, but that won't be your whole life.   I have definitely walked out of the room when Tenley is being fussy and crying cause I couldn't take it anymore, I have definitely called Jared crying a couple times cause I was tired and overwhelmed, but that's ok.  We made it, and the good sooooooo outweighs those moments - THAT is what I focus on...not the few bad overwhelming times.


Luckily I have some awesome friends and cousin who encouraged me telling me that it would be super fun to have Tenley and I could still do all the things I wanted to...they were right!  Why people spend so much time saying negative things is beyond me...now I am always hearing..."well just wait till she's a teenager" or "wait till she starts moving"  I am aware that every stage will bring new challenges, but I am ready for them and am confident Jared and I will figure them out.  


So for all you people who are pregnant with your first kid, don't listen to all the negative things out there, you can do it!  You can still have a life, hire a sitter that you trust if you want and leave the kid for a while, it will be good for both of you.  Here are some things that I think have helped me remain "normal" and not Tenley consumed:

• I take a shower every day (I don't understand the people who's big accomplishment it is to take a shower - your kid can cry for a few minutes while you take a shower)
• I get ready every day - put on make up, clothes, I don't let myself sit around in my PJ's
• I get Tenley ready everyday
• Tenley is on a schedule so I can plan my day and know about what time she will be eating 
• I plan things  -  I give myself a couple chores everyday to get done.  - Groceries, running to the bank, laundry, meeting friends for a walk, going over to someone's house - get out of the house.
• Jared HELPS!  Jared does the night feedings on the weekends, when he gets home from work he does most of the diapers for the rest of the night, and he puts her to bed every night by reading her stories and getting her PJ's on.

Without Jared I might have a different attitude about the whole thing.  I am truly blessed to have the best hubby ever.  He loves spending time with Tenley and is always doing what he can for her and to make my life easier.  Jared and I have always loved working on projects together - when we have a mission.  We love doing stuff with Duke together and training him, and we love doing stuff with Tenley together.  We are definitely on the same page when it comes to how we want to do things with Tenley and we had discussions prior to her getting here on who would be responsible for what.  I am so thankful that we have such open communication and share the same goals in life and raising Tenley.  

WOW I realize I was all over the place in this post, but that is just how my brain is working today I guess.  

Today: Right now Jared is out biking with a friend, then today we have a big day of weeding outside...if we can stand the heat, and then running errands!  Tonight I have some work to do and Tenley is excited to hang out with her Dad for a while. Duke is hoping to play outside if it cools down, but right now is enjoying laying in the sun inside.

Sorry for my rant...but please if you are one of those people who tells preggo people or parents with kids bad things...just think of something positive to say instead of bad things...remember all the good times you had with your kids instead of the bad ones and pass those along.

Of course you are going to have hard and bad moments, but don't let those be your memories and what you pass on.  

Hangin out on the couch

Loves her swing

Bedtime Stories with Dad!

Thank you to my friends and family who have passed on all the GOOD memories and encouraging words and not the "just wait till..." statements!

Life Lately

Life at the Vermeulen household has been pretty great.  We are enjoying having Tenley around and learning more about her each day.  Duke is the greatest big brother ever, although I do feel bad for him, he has seemed to embrace his new role and is more independent - I wish he still needed me like he did before, but he does have days where he'll wander over to me and ask for some cuddles...I love that.

Jared has been busy with his Triathlons.  So far this year he has done two - the first was the Grand Rapids Tri where he did a Sprint distance and got 3rd in his age group!   Second he did the South Haven Tri at the Olympic distance.  This was his first time doing that distance and he got 4th in his age group!  I am so proud of him for all his training and dedication.

I  have been super busy with work lately, and trying to balance that with Tenley.   She has come with me on many appointments and showings - so thankful she is a content baby and that I have awesome clients who don't mind if she tags along.  I have about 5 deals pending right now so that is awesome! I feel so blessed to have finally found a career that I love!

I am trying to come up with a hobby for myself, I have so many different things that I want to do so it's more about honing in on one or two.

Here are a few pics of life around here:

Don't know why this decided to be sideways but oh well 

Tummy Time with Dad and Duke

Duke and I hanging out while Tenley got her bedtime story from Dad

South Haven Tri - on his Birthday

South Haven

Tenley meeting her cousins in Traverse City - they all loved each other!

I have more to write, but I have been going at 99MPH since 7am - it has been a CRAZY day with work - running here there and everywhere, and now I am going to go watch something pointless on Hulu.