Absent

I don't even know when or how I started reading blogs.  I think I somehow got directed to a cooking blog and from there I noticed a list of blogs that she liked reading.  I clicked on one.  I do remember it was the Pioneer Woman's blog.  (I'm sure you know who I am writing about??) From there I was hooked.

I loved the opportunity to take a glimpse of other people's lives, mainly women - mothers.  It sort of validated my feeling of frustration, happiness, sadness, and overall life with little kids.  Some of them gave me encouragement and I quickly found out that I wasn't the only mommy that was feeling that way on that day.  My blog list has continued to grow and I havee found some that I completely love.  Crafting, Sewing, Photography, Decorating, the whole nine yards.  But you know what else?  They make me feel a little inadequate at times.  My house is far from decorated, in fact very far from it.  I am not a sewing marvel, although one day I hope to be pretty awesome at it.  My cooking will probably never gain me a show on the Food Network and I'm still learning to use my DSLR. 

I originally wanted to blog for other people -to have this following, but I'm now going to blog for my family, my kids.  I want to give them the opportunity when they get older to have a glimpse into their own lives.  What I or they might have been feeling on a hot day in August.  What we did on the days leading up to Thanksgiving.  What our normal everyday life was like when they still liked to be at home and around mom and dad.  So that's that.  We'll see how I do.

C is for Cookie

I can't wait until I've eaten all of these cookies because then they can no longer taunt me.  I bought them "for the kids" and so my little Daisy Scout could get some goodies.  We missed the laptop by a mere 1,940 boxes.  She's bummed but there's always next year...

Indoor Fun

Saturday afternoon a friend of mine and her kids met up with me and my kids for a little indoor adventure.  Located in a fitness center,  they have a large area downstairs where you can sign your kids in for two hours of crazy, running around, acting like a goofball fun.  It's sort of like half obstacle course, half gymnasium.  Ball pits, slides, climbing ropes, tunnels, and more the kids had an absolute blast.   Well they had a blast that is until a boy younger than my 6 year old decided it was okay to shove her off a wall.  With only minor injuries received I wanted to punch this kid's lights out.  However, that would NOT have been very wise or would have been a good teaching opportunity so I gently reminded him that it was not okay to push.  But seriously, I wanted to know where his mother or father was??  He is not pictured here by the way.

This little girl was waaay more interested in the water fountain, which kept her occupied since she was too small to join the big kids.

Then it was back to the house for pizza and dragging out every toy known to mankind.  I'm so grateful for the chance to get together with friends.  It makes me so happy!

Sounds of a Saturday

* The wind whipping around so ferociously I'm sure to find pieces of my house laying about the yard tomorrow.

* The song "Kiss The Girl" as my little "M" watches the Little Mermaid.

* A few snores and some heavy breathing as little brother naps downstairs.  I'm convinced he has a sinus infection and will visit the ped. on Monday if he's not feeling better.  Poor little guy.  I hate when my kids get sick :(

* The crock pot lid rattling as a roast is cooking.

* The sound of the heaters clicking on and off, again.  It was so nice to not hear that until the nighttime yesterday as temps were close to 70.

Valentines

Valentines Day has sort of lost it's appeal to me over the years.  I used to think it was such a silly, stupid holiday full of things you were supposed to do, supposed to say, supposed to feel, supposed to buy.  However having said that, my kids are super excited for this holiday so in turn they've made me a little excited too.  We've been swimming in cards and treats the past couple of days between grandparents, preschool parties, 1st grade parties, Daisy Scout parties.  It seems like the holiday that will not end and it's not even officially here yet!

I've enjoyed watching M carefully pick out the right color card to go with the right classmate and all her reasoning as to why she has chosen that one or this one.  She's giving out packets of Fun Dip because it seems that nowadays you can't just give someone a card without something attached to it.  I remember my valentines in elementary school were rarely accompanied by any sort of treat, but ho hum, that was decades ago.

My little J likes robots so I made him cards to take to preschool out of Starbursts and some card stock I had laying around.  We received the class list on Tuesday and his party was Thursday (today).  Not much notice so I did the best I could.  Here's a look:

We were practicing writing "J"s.  He's getting there. 

It's the little things

Laundry day is a fun time around here for this little girl.  I'm almost positive she would have stayed here for most of the morning if I hadn't needed to wrestle the basket away from her.  It's always the most mundane objects that kids seem to love.  Buy them the newest, best, most sought after toys of the season and what do they really want?  A laundry basket.  Love that!  Some of us could take a lesson from this.

Dear Stomach Virus

Oh how I mocked you just this morning when I told my neighbor how none of the kids have gotten sick yet and then wham!, tonight you get my first born. 

I've heard through the grapevine that you have not been kind, but I'm begging.  I'm not all that into cleaning up vomit without having the thoughts of doing it myself.  I have an intense fear of it, really.

If you think you can hit the rest of us let me just say that for the past 2 hours I've been armed with Lysol wipes, so think again.

Thanks,
Me

Our Late Night Visitor

For the past year our son has been creeping into our bed in the wee hours of the night or morning or both.  I try to take him back to his own bed almost every time I hear him try to wiggle his way in, but honestly there are some mornings I wake up surprised to find him in bed.  My husband likes to complain all the time about him staying put at nighttime but does nothing to return him to where he belongs, it's left up to me.  Honestly I can't even do it myself some nights because let's face it, I still have an 18 month old that wakes up during the night.  I know, ugh!  (I was never one for the cry-it-out method so I still go in and rock her back to sleep.  Oops!)

He desperately wants a Pillow Pet ever since big sister got one and I figure this may be the way to keep him in his own bed.  I plan on making a chart for him and if he can stay in his bed for 2 weeks straight then he can pick one out.  He was excited for the potty chart that I made when we began potty training and I'm guessing it gave him a sort of feeling of control over the whole process.  Perhaps he just needs a little motivation?  Once  he has it and comes over to our room to sleep I'm taking it away for one night.  Hopefully I can put an end to (some) of the madness.

Cooking Kiddos

For the last three weeks my son has woken up and wanted me to make pancakes for breakfast, but only on the weekdays.  My answer was of course no way jose!  I don't have time to do that right now! 



But this afternoon I told him that today was the day.  We could finally make a batch and he was in all his mixing and stirring glory. 

 I usually get an anxiety attack while cooking with the kids.  The mess, oh the horrible mess... but I know that they love to help me and it does teach some important lessons and all that good stuff so I usually bite the bullet and let them do some things here and there.  One important thing that I have learned over the years is to get everything ready before hand.  The utensils, ingredients, and recipes.  That way I can maintain some sort of control over the whole process instead of running to get the sugar while someone has their arm up to their elbow in the flour container throwing it all over the place just to pass the time until I return.  It really makes for a smoother and (somewhat) less stressful time. 

I was a little hesitant on letting him take them off the griddle but he was very careful.  He's such a thinker and very meticulous.  I'm pretty sure he'll be a mathematician or an accountant or an engineer.

Resolution Smesolution

What is it about one little day that happens to kick off a new year that makes one totally rethink their life?  I mean truthfully you could decide to lose weight, be nicer, save more money, etc. any old day of the year.  Just pick a date.  But nooo, it has to start on January 1st.


I have been thinking the past couple of days how to truly transform my ways and stick with it.  Maybe 'transform' isn't really the right word that I should use.  "Transform"  seems more like magic and there will be no magic involved here.  It will take a lot of hard work on my part but I think I'm ready.


* We have been attending church as a family more regularly and I would like that to continue and become even more frequent.  I believe that it's very important to teach my children that there is a purpose as to why we are here and help them to lead a good life.


* I would like to yell less and talk more with my kids.  I'll admit with constant name-calling, tattling, screaming, fighting, and everything else that goes along with having 3 little ones this will by far be my toughest challenge!  I'm tired of the yelling and I know that my kids are starting to model my and my husband's behavior and it's begun to bother me a great deal.


* Stop procrastinating!  Oh my, I don't know if I can do this or not.  This is on my list every year.


How about you?  Is there anything you want to change?