A Bittersweet Morning

Today started like most other mornings. Bren came into my room around 5:45 and asked for cartoons. I got ready while she entertained herself and patiently waited for "Sissy" to get up. Breakfast was next on the to-do list: Chocolate chip waffles for Lexi and Regular for Bren.

The day turned unusual when we had to get dressed. Lexi, for some reason, wanted to wear a dress. And, usually, whenever Lexi wears a dress, Bren must follow. The only thing was that Bren doesn't have any dresses that aren't completely "summery". I was just about to tell her that I didn't have a dress for her to wear, when I saw "The Tote."

To all you mothers out there, you know how important and exciting "The Tote" can be. When discussing this with another teacher, she told me she thinks of "The Tote" as shopping. It's a great chance to reminisce about your older daughter's old clothes while finding new outfits for your younger daughter. I begin digging through the tote looking for a dress with leggings that Bren could sport today.

The dress she chose was one that brought back many memories. When Brenna was born, one of my aunts got them matching dresses. I loved putting them in those dresses! Bren today was wearing the one that Lexi was fitting into when Bren was born. All these thoughts came flooding into my head: my baby is wearing the big sister clothing!

I had this bittersweet feeling hit me. My baby is no longer a baby? Do I miss little babies and all that comes with them? Now that we are out of the baby stage, do we really want to dive back in?

If you would have asked them this morning, I may have actually considered it. I may have "slipped" and said I wanted another baby.

But reality set it....there is no way I want to go back to diapers, formula, and having someone be 100% dependent on me. I love my kids and want to enjoy every minute with them as they continue to grow up right before my eyes!

Here are the pictures of Bren wearing Lexi's dress (I'll look for pictures of them together wearing the matching dresses to compare!)


Pretty Girl!


Notice her pretty Jewelry? Thanks Jessica Bellinghausen!
My two big girls!
Bren is always willing to share the love! (Lexi, not so much!)

First Snow of the Year!

It was predicted that we would receive maybe an inch or two in Adel last night....and they were right! We woke up to a winter wonderland. Both girls were jumping up and down at the sight of the fluffy new snow. For me, the ONLY benefit to snow is if there is enough to get a snow day. In Iowa, 2-3 inches doesn't quite cut it...so we were on our way to school.

As I watched their faces light up as they talked about the snow, I remembered what that first snow was like as a child. You want nothing more than to jump in it...build a fort....throw a snowball.

Forecasters had also predicted that most of it would be gone before the afternoon. I felt awful telling Lexi that the chances of her getting to play in that first snow were slim. So we rushed through breakfast just to get about 10 minutes of play time in that first snow. I apologize now to Ms. Wolf and the other Adel Elementary teachers for sending Lexi soaking wet to school. But by looking at the smile on her face, it was all worth it!



Cutest Picture in a long time! Look at the love!


1st snow angels of the year!

My Daughter.... A Cheerleader?

For anyone who knew me in high school, my life revolved around sports. Competition and the desire to win has been burned into my veins; it's apparent when I play Rec Volleyball.

After the birth of Lexi, I remember thinking that I couldn't wait for her to play sports and for me to be the proud mama in the crowd. She's fast= track. She can jump= volleyball. Good hand/eye coordination= soccer.

I wasn't prepared for the day when Lexi brought home a flyer from school for a cheerleading camp and said she wanted to go. What? My daughter, a cheerleader? How did that happen?

After watching her practice her little cheers and her dance, I saw the same passion I had for sports show up on her face while cheering. I realized it doesn't matter what she does during her school years. I just want her to be involved and be happy. As long as she is that, I will be the proud mama in the crowd.

And there's always Cheerleading competitions, right? :-)

Here are a few pictures of her performing during halftime at a Tigers Football game:





Red. Black. Red. Black. Wh-wh-wh-wh-white!




She caught me! :-)n

Welcome back to Blogging, Seidl!

I'm back. I promise. When I started this blog, I was excited to post something regularly. But with every 'new' thing, the newness faded and I saw it as something I "should" do that I didn't have the time for.
Last week, we finished putting in the last of our windows for the "Seidl House Renovation". I know, we started that project in May and here we are at the end of September, but they are done (more to come on that topic.) But as I was taking pictures to document the day, Chris says, "Now you have pictures to post to that blog of yours that you never update." Which brings me back into the blogging scene.
I feel that I have very good excuses for my blogging absence. School started. And with school starting, I have picked up two new classes and a new extra-curricular activity, color guard. Add that to speech, volleyball, and all of my other obligations, my life has been pretty crazy.
But, "excuses, excuses" are over. I am ready to try and devote myself to this blog and posting at least once a week. Too many good things are happening in my life and I feel the need to let everyone know. For example:
Yesterday, we were sitting down for lunch. On the menu: Taco Salads. Since Bren is still a little messy while eating, I decided it was the best idea to take her shirt off so I wouldn't have ground taco meat running down the front of it (other moms: I know you do this too, right?) I was cleaning much of the morning and I cannot clean without the radio on. I thought it was a good idea to leave the radio on instead of turning the TV on. Brenna was working on her taco salad when a song with a great beat came on and she couldn't control herself. She began to sway back and forth, bobbing her head, and announced to the table, "Mom, I dance so much better without my shirt on!"
As smiles spread across our faces, she continues to rock on. Without missing a beat, she adds, "This is amazing. I'm taking my pants off, too!"
Moral of this story: #1: I need to let others into the interesting world of the Seidl home and #2: Begin focusing on Career choices for Bren that don't involve dancing and taking off her clothes. :)

Windows: Part 1

The Seidl household remodeling has begun. Was I nervous? Very! Jen and I had started the day out with a little shopping. On our way home, we get this picture with the caption: "What? A Hole?!?"





This is where our patio door was. After 2 days, a few funny pranks played on me and 3 trips to Menards, we got the door and 2 windows in. 1/3 of the way done! It was a relief to have the project go smoothly. I am in love with my sliding door--I've only walked into the screen slider 3 times! Here are some more pictures from the project!

"We're Going to Disney World"--Seidl Style!

We have known for quite a while that we were taking the girls to Disney World this summer. But for all of you out there that have kids, you know you can't tell them 8 months in advance or the next 8 months will be filled with "Are we going today?". So we kept it a secret--all the planning, ordering of Minnie Ears, and the anticipation. Chris and I decided to wait until we couldn't take it anymore--which was last night. 18 days out.

I had planned out the whole thing from start to finish. I had envisioned what their reactions would be like. Had I been setting myself up for disappointment? Maybe, but I was still very excited with the outcome. Their faces and cute comments made up for all the waiting to tell them!

So sit back and enjoy the Seidl's version of "We're going to Disney World!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRvBM-Ctnlk&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

"Livin on a Prayer"

Mexican, Jon Bon Jovi, and long lost sisters--obviously, last night was a night that will not be forgotten for a variety of reasons.

Quite a few months ago, a few of my friends (Amy and Christi) asked if I wanted to go to Jon Bon Jovi. Right after they ask, both of them started making fun of my youthful age- asking if I even knew who he was. Of course I knew who he was. Of course I knew a few of his songs (not as many as they did). Of course I wanted a girls night out. So Christi arranged to get us some tickets.

Fast forward to May 12th. As Amy rushed us to get ready, we headed out around 4:30 to have a delicious meal and Margarita at El Rodeo. As we were heading down to Wells Fargo Arena and in between Bon Jovi songs, Amy told us her "half sister" was also going to be at the concert.

Now, let me fill you in on Amy and her family. Amy's father was a little , how should I say it, promiscuous. He ended up with multiple children from multiple mothers (many who didn't even know they had siblings). Amy met her real father once when she was 21. When she attended a funeral this past year, she learned of these half siblings--including a sister named Sheena.

As she was telling us about Sheena attending the concert, we joked around about how Sheena was going to end up right in front of us. Amy didn't really know her or what she looked like--all she had to go off of was her Facebook picture.

Once we got to our seats, we were busy taking pictures and preparing ourselves for the big moment when Jon made his entrance. All of a sudden, a lady in front of us yelled, "Sheena". Amy jokingly responds under her breath, "Watch, it's my sister." We both laugh as we turn around and see a girl who definitely didn't look like Amy's sister. But as she sat down in front of me, we saw there was a woman sitting down directly in front of Amy who did resemble the picture.

Amy: "Is your name Sheena?"

Sheena: "um......yes."

Amy: "Sweet Jesus, It's me, Amy." (ok, she maybe didn't say these exact words, but I'm sure she was thinking it).

And the rest of it was pure magic. There were tears and moments of bonding all the way up until the concert started and after. To hear the story is amazing; to watch it happen was beyond words.

The story gets even better after you hear Sheena's Story: She was suppose to have a ticket to the concert, but at 7:15 PM, she found out her ticket wasn't at Will Call. She almost didn't come to the concert until a friend offered Sheena her ticket. That ticket directly placed her in front of Amy.

If that isn't fate, I don't know what is. Remember that Wells Fargo Arena holds 17,000 people. I'm not very good with numbers, but I know the odds of finding someone you know in that arena isn't good, let alone a long lost sister.

If Oprah was still doing shows, this would be a show she would be interested in. If I heard this story, I'm not sure that I would believe it. But I was there; I saw the unbelievable happen.

Yes, the concert was amazing. Yes, Jon Bon Jovi is great looking for an old(er) man. But the best thing was the absolute joy I saw in two women's eyes when they found something they didn't really know existed: a sister and a new friend.