I would love to be able to say that I have neglected this blog because I have been filling my days with wonderful, fun, memory making, creative adventures with my children. Since I really want to be honest, even online (which I hear is a rarity these days), I will tell you the truth.
I have been sleeping in every chance I get, even if it means that my children are starving (to death they will tell you) while they fill their minds with useless information as they watch TV. I have also been napping whenever possible while they once again starve (their words, not mine) and watch DVD's and play the wii. I have snuck in some reading time - no, not the curl the kids up on your lap and read Dr Seuss kind - the hide in the bathroom or out on the porch so you can finish your suspense novel kind. And then there is always Pinterest in case I get bored. :)
We have been busy, however. Baseball/Tball occupies a whole lot of our evenings. And we've had cub scout day camp and our church campout that yours truly was in charge of. Our annual family vacation to Bear Lake is coming up in a couple weeks. I have truly tried to follow the themes for the week. Maybe not always quite in the detail that I had planned but at least a couple of fun things a week.
Last week was Dr. Seuss week. We had green eggs and ham for lunch one day and the two oldest played out the book - kind of like a readers theater for the younger ones. They loved their eggs green. :) We also did a game based off the title, "Oh the Places You'll Go". While we were out running errands one day, I brought along a regular number dice and a colored dice. Red meant go straight, yellow meant turn right and green meant turn left. The number dice told us who many blocks to travel. The kids took turns rolling the dice. The only downside was that I had forgotten how much anxiety my children have and that sponteinity is NOT in their vocabulary. We drove through some fairly frightening areas of the city but ended up making it just one block away from a freeway entrance to return home when the timer went off. :)
This week is Castle week. Castle is one of my favorite "mom" shows. No, we did not sit down together and watch re-runs, especially not the steamy season finale! We had grand plans to visit a house built to resemble a castle and have lunch and play at a castle park but then one of the kiddos caught pink eye. Knowing how much parents dread this "disease", we opted to stay home. One day, the kids built the floor plan for a castle with blocks then we looked up pictures of the inside of Buckingham Palace on line. Today, they are having a fairy tale movie marathon. Tomorrow, we will be building a castle based cat house for our new kitty additions to the family. A has already drawn the outside of it to scale. ( I figure that counts as math review, right?)
Other than that, we are surviving. Next week is the 4th of July and we are looking forward to the small town celebration that our town has every year - complete with a 10 minute parade, the redneck waterslide, foot races for all ages, firemen's ball, bingo, candy drop from an airplane, patriotic program and an awesome fireworks display. It reminds me what I love about this country and that there is still good left in America. :)
Next post I will catch you up on a few of my ramblings (and rantings and ravings). And eventually, I'll share our journey as a family with kids with different abilities - I prefer to think of it that way.
Hope you are surviving summer - only 8 weeks left in our school district!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Summer 2012 Week 1
Well, it has begun. Summer. This week I opted for a PBS show to base our activities around. Dinosaur Train. It actually grows on you and I find myself referring to Dr. Scott the paleontologist as my expert on all things dinosaur.
Last year, I scored an amazing deal on a pass that gets our entire family into the local dinosaur park, the train museum and a nature center for an entire year. It expires the end of June so I am putting all of the activities that can happen using that pass as #1 priorities this summer.
Today we visited the Dinosaur park and saw all of the different species and fossils and fun stuff. The kids had a blast. It was the hottest day of the year so far so I am glad we went early. Plus, it is almost deserted right after opening! :) When we got home, we had a carnivore lunch of scrambled eggs with ham and cheese. We decided that we don't want to be carnivores. Ugh.
Tomorrow we are making fossils and then re-discovering them later on in the day using plaster of paris, toy dinosaurs that always seem to be laying around (until I want to find them in the morning), a under the bed storage box, used up paintbrushes and a thing of play sand. And we're going to have an omnivore lunch. :)
Wednesday is movie day - Land Before Time - easy day for Mom. And a herbivore lunch.
Thursday we are heading to the train museum to fulfill the train part and having dinosaur chicken nuggets for lunch.
Friday is my day off! :)
Today I did make my own discovery (as Dr. Scott says we should) - I will not be taking all of my children with me to the grocery store without my hubby there EVER AGAIN! Way too much of an adventure!
Last year, I scored an amazing deal on a pass that gets our entire family into the local dinosaur park, the train museum and a nature center for an entire year. It expires the end of June so I am putting all of the activities that can happen using that pass as #1 priorities this summer.
Today we visited the Dinosaur park and saw all of the different species and fossils and fun stuff. The kids had a blast. It was the hottest day of the year so far so I am glad we went early. Plus, it is almost deserted right after opening! :) When we got home, we had a carnivore lunch of scrambled eggs with ham and cheese. We decided that we don't want to be carnivores. Ugh.
Tomorrow we are making fossils and then re-discovering them later on in the day using plaster of paris, toy dinosaurs that always seem to be laying around (until I want to find them in the morning), a under the bed storage box, used up paintbrushes and a thing of play sand. And we're going to have an omnivore lunch. :)
Wednesday is movie day - Land Before Time - easy day for Mom. And a herbivore lunch.
Thursday we are heading to the train museum to fulfill the train part and having dinosaur chicken nuggets for lunch.
Friday is my day off! :)
Today I did make my own discovery (as Dr. Scott says we should) - I will not be taking all of my children with me to the grocery store without my hubby there EVER AGAIN! Way too much of an adventure!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
22 hours and counting....
In less than 24 hours from this exact time, summer vacation begins.
I have a confession to make. I do not enjoy summer vacation. I am not one of those moms who LOVES to have my kids home all day long, day after day, for three months. I also am not one of those moms who cries on the first day of school when they send their darlings back to school.
I personally think that we should take lessons from the Japanese culture. Long school days, long school weeks, long school years.
I like my children. Really, I do. But I kinda prefer them in small doses.
My youngest will be heading to pre-school in the fall. I'm already making plans for the 7 1/2 hours a week that she will be gone. And none of them include scrubbing toilets or doing laundry. Or volunteering at any of the schools. I know, I know. What kind of mom am I?
Probably not a very good one. I start out every summer with the best of intentions. I have a schedule posted on the fridge of what time we will be getting up, doing chores, eating healthy meals, doing crafty fun activities, going on adventures, having learning time (so they don't forget all they learned in school), etc. By the second week, all that is out the window and I try just to make sure they don't kill each other, that the TV is turned off for a few hours a day and that they eat something besides popsicles.
Last year, our entire summer was unplanned. A friend and I decided we were going to start an Internet craft type business. We spent hours a day working on our "creations" while our kids generally ran amok - having water fights, jumping on the trampoline, playing on the swing set, jumping from the swing set to the trampoline while having a water fight - and eating their weight in popsicles. And they thought it was the best summer they ever had.
Too bad the business failed miserably and my craftiness died right along with it. No more fun easy summer for my kids with a pre-occupied mother! Oh no! The schedule is back up on the fridge along with lists of a thousand and one healthy food choices that don't include popsicles and a comprehensive list of activities they can do both inside and outside if they are bored (including nasty chores).
Actually, this summer will be a happy medium - and I hope that HAPPY is the key word. I have designated a theme for each week that centers around the name of a TV show.
I will post about our themes each week. It is a fairly laid back approach with hopefully enough structure to keep them in line and me sane. A couple of adventures a week, a couple of fun and relatively healthy meals to go along with the theme, a craft, game or movie that relates to the theme. Nothing elaborate. Nothing overly time consuming. Nothing overly strenuous on Mom or kids. Nothing expensive.
Which leads me to the other thing on my mind. Money. Things are so so darn expensive right now. Somehow, my husband informed me, I have to cut costs somewhere so our family debt doesn't resemble the national debt. He wants a balanced budget - you'd think he was trying to get elected President or something.... Let the fun begin. Maybe I'll discover some great money saving tips that I can pass along to all of you. Guess I better cut back on all those days at the spa, my weekly manicures and pedicures and massages... Just kidding. I'm lucky to have my toenails painted for church when I get brave and wear sandals. My budget is already limited - this will be as adventurous as summer vacation!
Let the fun begin!
I have a confession to make. I do not enjoy summer vacation. I am not one of those moms who LOVES to have my kids home all day long, day after day, for three months. I also am not one of those moms who cries on the first day of school when they send their darlings back to school.
I personally think that we should take lessons from the Japanese culture. Long school days, long school weeks, long school years.
I like my children. Really, I do. But I kinda prefer them in small doses.
My youngest will be heading to pre-school in the fall. I'm already making plans for the 7 1/2 hours a week that she will be gone. And none of them include scrubbing toilets or doing laundry. Or volunteering at any of the schools. I know, I know. What kind of mom am I?
Probably not a very good one. I start out every summer with the best of intentions. I have a schedule posted on the fridge of what time we will be getting up, doing chores, eating healthy meals, doing crafty fun activities, going on adventures, having learning time (so they don't forget all they learned in school), etc. By the second week, all that is out the window and I try just to make sure they don't kill each other, that the TV is turned off for a few hours a day and that they eat something besides popsicles.
Last year, our entire summer was unplanned. A friend and I decided we were going to start an Internet craft type business. We spent hours a day working on our "creations" while our kids generally ran amok - having water fights, jumping on the trampoline, playing on the swing set, jumping from the swing set to the trampoline while having a water fight - and eating their weight in popsicles. And they thought it was the best summer they ever had.
Too bad the business failed miserably and my craftiness died right along with it. No more fun easy summer for my kids with a pre-occupied mother! Oh no! The schedule is back up on the fridge along with lists of a thousand and one healthy food choices that don't include popsicles and a comprehensive list of activities they can do both inside and outside if they are bored (including nasty chores).
Actually, this summer will be a happy medium - and I hope that HAPPY is the key word. I have designated a theme for each week that centers around the name of a TV show.
I will post about our themes each week. It is a fairly laid back approach with hopefully enough structure to keep them in line and me sane. A couple of adventures a week, a couple of fun and relatively healthy meals to go along with the theme, a craft, game or movie that relates to the theme. Nothing elaborate. Nothing overly time consuming. Nothing overly strenuous on Mom or kids. Nothing expensive.
Which leads me to the other thing on my mind. Money. Things are so so darn expensive right now. Somehow, my husband informed me, I have to cut costs somewhere so our family debt doesn't resemble the national debt. He wants a balanced budget - you'd think he was trying to get elected President or something.... Let the fun begin. Maybe I'll discover some great money saving tips that I can pass along to all of you. Guess I better cut back on all those days at the spa, my weekly manicures and pedicures and massages... Just kidding. I'm lucky to have my toenails painted for church when I get brave and wear sandals. My budget is already limited - this will be as adventurous as summer vacation!
Let the fun begin!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Raising Girls
I have two daughters. One is 4. The other is 13. They are exactly nine years and 19 days apart. Our oldest, A, is very much an individual. She doesn't follow trends. She likes what she likes and hates what she hates and is not influenced at all by others. Our youngest, M, is already a fashionista. You wouldn't necessarily guess that from her choice of clothing sometimes - red and hot pink DO NOT go together but try to convince her! She loves make up, high heels, nice fabrics and loves to have her nails painted.
I'm the type of person that feels just as home in jeans and my hubby's flannel shirt with my hair in a ponytail, no make up and tennis shoes as I do in a "power" suit, heels, hair in an up-do, with make up all done. Usually, however, I gravitate to the first look rather than the latter one. I'm a stay at home mom. Other than going to the mailbox, working out in the yard and the occasional trip to Wally World, I don't really go out much. A power suit and heels, while it does help me feel very competent, really doesn't fit in my world of doing dishes, picking up messes, wiping runny noses, chasing the dogs and/or kids up the street, and folding laundry.
A few years ago, someone made a remark to me that really stung. They said that because of how I dressed and took care of myself, I was setting a bad example for my girls. I did consider the source of that comment and for a long time, although it hurt, I kinda blew it off.
Lately, I'm wondering if that person was right. A always dresses respectably for school, jeans or khaki's and typically a button down cotton shirt (she switches between a classic and a whimsical look depending on her mood). She tries to do her hair but she's not willing to spend more than about 5 minutes on it and she wears very little, if any makeup. She prefers to wear her tennis shoes, even though she has loafers, sandals and cute ballet style shoes. If her socks match, that is a plus. In her world, it just doesn't matter. However, her teeth are always brushed, she showers daily and isn't stinky (I consider that to be a great victory - I've walked the halls of her school and body spray can only cover up so much of the unclean smell!). But it is her attitude that if people only like her because of how she dresses or how she looks, then they aren't worth having as friends.
In my heart, I applaud her for that attitude. And in my mind, I cringe. She is going into the 8th grade. And people aren't always nice or accepting. Especially other girls. They can be downright cruel. I am thrilled that the worldly, temporary surface things don't matter to her. But I also know how great I feel when I know that I look nice. For some reason, nothing says confidence like a great hair day and a pair of heels. I want her to feel that feeling. She is kind of an irony, my daughter. Since she has the attitude that she does, you might think that she is ultra self confident. Nothing could be farther from the truth. She has trouble looking anyone in the eye and is extremely shy. I'm still scratching my head and trying to figure her out and I've been her mom for 13 years now!
And I did realize this morning that I need to try a LITTLE harder to improve my own appearance. As I was getting ready this morning, M asked if she could pick my shirt. I was just planning on wearing a t shirt and basketball shorts - its Monday, my day to catch up after the weekend. I agreed and she picked out a white cotton shirt with a few gathers around the waist and sleeves. When I questioned her about why she picked it, she simply said "Because it is bootiful, Mommy." Then she begged me to put on a little makeup. Usually she wants me to do this because my eyelashes are completely blonde and since she is Hispanic, she likes our "eyes" to match. But today, she said that she wanted me to put on makeup and wear that shirt so I could be "bootiful".
I did swap my basketball shorts for more appropriate capris to match the shirt. :) I have two beautiful girls that are total opposites on the spectrum and a mom that is stuck somewhere in the middle. I want my girls to focus on being beautiful on the inside - that is the most important thing. But I also want them to feel good about the beautiful features that God has given them on the outside too.
Maybe it IS easier to be the mom of boys.....
I'm the type of person that feels just as home in jeans and my hubby's flannel shirt with my hair in a ponytail, no make up and tennis shoes as I do in a "power" suit, heels, hair in an up-do, with make up all done. Usually, however, I gravitate to the first look rather than the latter one. I'm a stay at home mom. Other than going to the mailbox, working out in the yard and the occasional trip to Wally World, I don't really go out much. A power suit and heels, while it does help me feel very competent, really doesn't fit in my world of doing dishes, picking up messes, wiping runny noses, chasing the dogs and/or kids up the street, and folding laundry.
A few years ago, someone made a remark to me that really stung. They said that because of how I dressed and took care of myself, I was setting a bad example for my girls. I did consider the source of that comment and for a long time, although it hurt, I kinda blew it off.
Lately, I'm wondering if that person was right. A always dresses respectably for school, jeans or khaki's and typically a button down cotton shirt (she switches between a classic and a whimsical look depending on her mood). She tries to do her hair but she's not willing to spend more than about 5 minutes on it and she wears very little, if any makeup. She prefers to wear her tennis shoes, even though she has loafers, sandals and cute ballet style shoes. If her socks match, that is a plus. In her world, it just doesn't matter. However, her teeth are always brushed, she showers daily and isn't stinky (I consider that to be a great victory - I've walked the halls of her school and body spray can only cover up so much of the unclean smell!). But it is her attitude that if people only like her because of how she dresses or how she looks, then they aren't worth having as friends.
In my heart, I applaud her for that attitude. And in my mind, I cringe. She is going into the 8th grade. And people aren't always nice or accepting. Especially other girls. They can be downright cruel. I am thrilled that the worldly, temporary surface things don't matter to her. But I also know how great I feel when I know that I look nice. For some reason, nothing says confidence like a great hair day and a pair of heels. I want her to feel that feeling. She is kind of an irony, my daughter. Since she has the attitude that she does, you might think that she is ultra self confident. Nothing could be farther from the truth. She has trouble looking anyone in the eye and is extremely shy. I'm still scratching my head and trying to figure her out and I've been her mom for 13 years now!
And I did realize this morning that I need to try a LITTLE harder to improve my own appearance. As I was getting ready this morning, M asked if she could pick my shirt. I was just planning on wearing a t shirt and basketball shorts - its Monday, my day to catch up after the weekend. I agreed and she picked out a white cotton shirt with a few gathers around the waist and sleeves. When I questioned her about why she picked it, she simply said "Because it is bootiful, Mommy." Then she begged me to put on a little makeup. Usually she wants me to do this because my eyelashes are completely blonde and since she is Hispanic, she likes our "eyes" to match. But today, she said that she wanted me to put on makeup and wear that shirt so I could be "bootiful".
I did swap my basketball shorts for more appropriate capris to match the shirt. :) I have two beautiful girls that are total opposites on the spectrum and a mom that is stuck somewhere in the middle. I want my girls to focus on being beautiful on the inside - that is the most important thing. But I also want them to feel good about the beautiful features that God has given them on the outside too.
Maybe it IS easier to be the mom of boys.....
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mothers' Day
I've decided that there are two different groups of moms in the world. Those who LOVE Mothers Day and those who HATE Mothers Day. Very few sit on the fence on this one. I personally LOVE it! However, my mom HATED it! She always said that it made her feel guilty for all the things that she didn't do and all the things that she wasn't. It drove her crazy to have people talk about their perfect moms when she knew that she would never measure up.
I, on the other hand, while also being VERY aware of my shortcomings, I love presents! Any excuse to shower me with presents becomes a reason for great celebration! The first year that we were married, we were not yet parents or even trying to be parents. My hubby, a couple of days before Mothers Day, asked me if I wanted a present for Mothers Day. I informed him, very pointedly, that if there is EVER a reason to give me a present, he should just do it! And being the wonderfully obedient husband that he is, he has never forgotten to get me a present. :)
Growing up, I remember asking my mom what she wanted for Mothers Day. Every year, we got the same answer. She just wanted us 5 kids to be obedient and get along. What a lame present! I caught myself saying those exact words to my kids this past week when they asked, "Hey Mom, what do you want for Mothers Day?"
I know I am not a perfect mom. I yell at my kids. I'm not patient. I don't get up every morning and make the older ones a hot breakfast, heck, most days, I barely mumble love you and have a good day from my bed when they tell me they are leaving at 7 am. I really don't like cleaning my house (it is never spotless). My garden struggles and I usually end up buying green beans and tomatoes at the case lot sale while my neighbors bottle their own. At 8 pm, I am done being the mom for the day and I retreat to my room, turn on my favorite police type shows and am out of commission unless there is a drastic emergency. I don't read to them for hours a day and I never read to them in utero. They think that classical music is Waylon Jennings and Keith Whitley and The Beach Boys. Very rarely do the scents of homemade cookies or bread meet them at the door when they come home from school. And I usually don't get down on the floor to play cars or Barbies.
But..... I love them. And they know it. Today, D came home from church with a paper flower. On each petal there was a sentence describing their mom that they were supposed to finish. Here are his answers:
1 - My mom makes the best: FOOD
2 - My favorite thing to do with my mom is: TALKING
3 - My mom is good at: LOVING
4 - My mom is as beautiful as: A RAINBOW
5 - My mom teaches me: THE GOSPEL
6 - My mom loves me because: I LOVE HER
7 - I love my mom because: SHE UNDERSTANDS ME
And when it all boils down to it - As long as my kids can say these things about me, I'm okay with that.
I, on the other hand, while also being VERY aware of my shortcomings, I love presents! Any excuse to shower me with presents becomes a reason for great celebration! The first year that we were married, we were not yet parents or even trying to be parents. My hubby, a couple of days before Mothers Day, asked me if I wanted a present for Mothers Day. I informed him, very pointedly, that if there is EVER a reason to give me a present, he should just do it! And being the wonderfully obedient husband that he is, he has never forgotten to get me a present. :)
Growing up, I remember asking my mom what she wanted for Mothers Day. Every year, we got the same answer. She just wanted us 5 kids to be obedient and get along. What a lame present! I caught myself saying those exact words to my kids this past week when they asked, "Hey Mom, what do you want for Mothers Day?"
I know I am not a perfect mom. I yell at my kids. I'm not patient. I don't get up every morning and make the older ones a hot breakfast, heck, most days, I barely mumble love you and have a good day from my bed when they tell me they are leaving at 7 am. I really don't like cleaning my house (it is never spotless). My garden struggles and I usually end up buying green beans and tomatoes at the case lot sale while my neighbors bottle their own. At 8 pm, I am done being the mom for the day and I retreat to my room, turn on my favorite police type shows and am out of commission unless there is a drastic emergency. I don't read to them for hours a day and I never read to them in utero. They think that classical music is Waylon Jennings and Keith Whitley and The Beach Boys. Very rarely do the scents of homemade cookies or bread meet them at the door when they come home from school. And I usually don't get down on the floor to play cars or Barbies.
But..... I love them. And they know it. Today, D came home from church with a paper flower. On each petal there was a sentence describing their mom that they were supposed to finish. Here are his answers:
1 - My mom makes the best: FOOD
2 - My favorite thing to do with my mom is: TALKING
3 - My mom is good at: LOVING
4 - My mom is as beautiful as: A RAINBOW
5 - My mom teaches me: THE GOSPEL
6 - My mom loves me because: I LOVE HER
7 - I love my mom because: SHE UNDERSTANDS ME
And when it all boils down to it - As long as my kids can say these things about me, I'm okay with that.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Ahhhhhh.....A GetAway!
Well, right now, I am laying sprawled on a king size bed with my honey, with REAL tv (the food network) on in the background. That is the ONLY background noise. There is no whining, no complaining, no "she's looking at me" or "he's touching at me". Our children are located approx 400 miles away. At last update, they had lunch, naps and snacks and are happily playing outside at Grandma's house. My incredible husband and I have spent the past 8 hours in our minivan, listening to music, talking, snacking, talking, a little nap for me, talking, a couple of pit stops, talking, a quick lunch with a dear friend, talking. It was wonderful!
We talked about friendships and politics and religion and his career and our kids and the state of the world and dreams. I read him part of the novel I've been working on - I had a completely captive audience - he couldn't fall asleep since he was driving AND he couldn't watch tv or find something else to do. Hee Hee Hee. But most importantly, we reconnected.
In our lives, sometimes we only end up talking in passing. Usually I greet him from the kitchen when he walks in the door with something like "Hi Honey. How was your day? Well the kids did this and this and this and they are driving me crazy and this broke and this isn't working and my friend said this and this and I just can't believe it!" Then he goes upstairs, puts his work stuff away, comes back down, is mauled by the kids, grabs a snack and starts working on things around the house. Then we eat dinner, always an experience (and a loud one), get the kids settled into bed and then we sit in front of the tv. We watch our favorite shows then climb into bed, most nights with a sleepy goodnight and a quick peck.
This little getaway has been wonderful. It is just a simple, quick trip that we took so we could attend my sister's wedding in another state. But I think that it is just what we need. Actually, when I took the kids into the dr for checkups the other day, the nurse watched them for two minutes, took a long look at me and said "You need a vacation."
Yes, I do. And so did my hard working hubby. And we needed the time together. To get back on the same page. Realizing that our kids are doing JUST FINE with someone else (and I believe that 9 hours in, so are their caregivers - we will see if Grandma and Grandpa survive) will help us to do this more often.
And in the meantime, we will probably cuddle, watch some REAL tv, talk some more and have a wonderful drive back - not to mention remember just how in love we were on our wedding day as we watch my sister marry HER best friend and sweetheart.
Reality of being parents will come back to us quickly once we arrive home. But for now, we are just us. And that is a good thing to be sometimes. :)
We talked about friendships and politics and religion and his career and our kids and the state of the world and dreams. I read him part of the novel I've been working on - I had a completely captive audience - he couldn't fall asleep since he was driving AND he couldn't watch tv or find something else to do. Hee Hee Hee. But most importantly, we reconnected.
In our lives, sometimes we only end up talking in passing. Usually I greet him from the kitchen when he walks in the door with something like "Hi Honey. How was your day? Well the kids did this and this and this and they are driving me crazy and this broke and this isn't working and my friend said this and this and I just can't believe it!" Then he goes upstairs, puts his work stuff away, comes back down, is mauled by the kids, grabs a snack and starts working on things around the house. Then we eat dinner, always an experience (and a loud one), get the kids settled into bed and then we sit in front of the tv. We watch our favorite shows then climb into bed, most nights with a sleepy goodnight and a quick peck.
This little getaway has been wonderful. It is just a simple, quick trip that we took so we could attend my sister's wedding in another state. But I think that it is just what we need. Actually, when I took the kids into the dr for checkups the other day, the nurse watched them for two minutes, took a long look at me and said "You need a vacation."
Yes, I do. And so did my hard working hubby. And we needed the time together. To get back on the same page. Realizing that our kids are doing JUST FINE with someone else (and I believe that 9 hours in, so are their caregivers - we will see if Grandma and Grandpa survive) will help us to do this more often.
And in the meantime, we will probably cuddle, watch some REAL tv, talk some more and have a wonderful drive back - not to mention remember just how in love we were on our wedding day as we watch my sister marry HER best friend and sweetheart.
Reality of being parents will come back to us quickly once we arrive home. But for now, we are just us. And that is a good thing to be sometimes. :)
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Don't let them out of your sight!
So sorry to all of my local friends if there is a new sign at the Flower Nursery up the road that says "NO CHILDREN ALLOWED". Pretty sure that is my fault. Indirectly. It is really the fault of my two darling youngest children who seem to think that anytime their lovely mother is occupied means that they can take off running. And silly me, I thought I would show them that it is a good thing to actually PAY for things that you want so I was paying for my tomatoes and other various plants that are still sitting on my front porch, unplanted. Silly check out girl at the counter who assured me that they would be just fine and there is NOTHING that they could harm. And silly me, once again, for believing her. There happens to be two dogs that come to work with their owners each day at the nursery. One of them is old and flat out refuses to acknowledge the presence of any children. The other is still fairly young and loves to play chase. As it so happens, so do my children! While I was checking out, I believed that yet another rousing game of chase was on.
That was not the case. The children were missing. Not completely missing just not easily located on the two acre plot that makes up the nursery. I checked all the greenhouses. I checked underneath all of the tables of plants. I checked behind all of the trees. No blonde haired little boy or black haired little girl. This mom was starting to get a bit nervous especially because the nursery is located on a busy highway. But knowing that they were much more likely to get into a lot of trouble rather than get splatted on the highway, I continued my search. After about ten minutes that seemed like an eternity, I spotted them trudging up the path behind the main area of the nursery. Their shoes were making a squishing sound and their pants were dripping with a strange green substance.
They were so so excited to tell me about the wonderful pond and the slimy green water that they waded into trying to catch the fish and the frogs. Ahhhhh. So that is where they had been. Chasing the dog had turned into something so much better! Chasing frogs and fish in a decorative pond that had the purpose of displaying all of the water plants available for sale at the nursery. I hadn't know that it existed because water plants are not in my landscaping plans, mainly because this experience would become a daily one.
So, I apologize to all those out there who have well behaved children, who stay planted at their mommies sides while their mommies shop for tomatoes and flowers and bushes and even while they do the boring things like paying for their purchases. If you find that your children are not allowed in a store, it is probably because mine have been there recently!
That was not the case. The children were missing. Not completely missing just not easily located on the two acre plot that makes up the nursery. I checked all the greenhouses. I checked underneath all of the tables of plants. I checked behind all of the trees. No blonde haired little boy or black haired little girl. This mom was starting to get a bit nervous especially because the nursery is located on a busy highway. But knowing that they were much more likely to get into a lot of trouble rather than get splatted on the highway, I continued my search. After about ten minutes that seemed like an eternity, I spotted them trudging up the path behind the main area of the nursery. Their shoes were making a squishing sound and their pants were dripping with a strange green substance.
They were so so excited to tell me about the wonderful pond and the slimy green water that they waded into trying to catch the fish and the frogs. Ahhhhh. So that is where they had been. Chasing the dog had turned into something so much better! Chasing frogs and fish in a decorative pond that had the purpose of displaying all of the water plants available for sale at the nursery. I hadn't know that it existed because water plants are not in my landscaping plans, mainly because this experience would become a daily one.
So, I apologize to all those out there who have well behaved children, who stay planted at their mommies sides while their mommies shop for tomatoes and flowers and bushes and even while they do the boring things like paying for their purchases. If you find that your children are not allowed in a store, it is probably because mine have been there recently!
One of the Many Rewards
We were driving home the other night from an eventful family shopping trip to Walmart (not going into that on this post) and D, my 10 year old son piped up from the back seat of the Suburban. "Hey Dad. Today in school I had to answer some questions from the birthday bucket (I guess on their birthday at school they draw a couple of questions from a bucket that they answer to help their classmates get to know them better) and one of my questions was 'who is your hero?'. I said that you were, Dad. My other question was 'If I were to get stranded on a deserted island, who would I want to be with me?'. I said you again, Dad. I chose you 'cause you have taught me everything I know and I figured we could just sit and fish.".
I got a little teary. Okay, I got a lot teary. I realized how lucky I am to have married a man that CAN be his son's hero and best friend but most of all, who CHOSE to put enough time into making it happen. D also wants to be what his dad is when he is all grown up. My husband works as a maintenance guy for a local school district. We are not rich by any stretch. I'm a stay at home mom. But what is important to my kids is that their dad can take time off to take them on field trips, he's home every day by four to play with them, he's off for Christmas break to help them make cookies and take them sledding. They don't seem to care that we can't clothe them in the name brands or the latest styles or take them to Disneyland. It's the little things. Fishing, sledding, shooting hoops, bike rides, blowing bubbles, waterfights, jumping on the trampoline, sharing popsicles.
I saw this on Facebook and it reminded me of WHY we are parents and how the little things are what make the difference. Hope it touches you as much as it touched me.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150765551480935
I got a little teary. Okay, I got a lot teary. I realized how lucky I am to have married a man that CAN be his son's hero and best friend but most of all, who CHOSE to put enough time into making it happen. D also wants to be what his dad is when he is all grown up. My husband works as a maintenance guy for a local school district. We are not rich by any stretch. I'm a stay at home mom. But what is important to my kids is that their dad can take time off to take them on field trips, he's home every day by four to play with them, he's off for Christmas break to help them make cookies and take them sledding. They don't seem to care that we can't clothe them in the name brands or the latest styles or take them to Disneyland. It's the little things. Fishing, sledding, shooting hoops, bike rides, blowing bubbles, waterfights, jumping on the trampoline, sharing popsicles.
I saw this on Facebook and it reminded me of WHY we are parents and how the little things are what make the difference. Hope it touches you as much as it touched me.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150765551480935
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Stuck!
Yesterday I ran away from home. I had enough and I grabbed my car keys and drove away leaving dinner half cooked, the laundry in baskets - mostly clean but not folded and the house in the state of disaster. I left one child screaming "Mommy don't leave" in the driveway, another one ranting and raving in the kitchen about how I am on my cell phone way too much (slight roll reversal there), one working hard on his 10th bucket of rocks that he was picking up out of the yard for punishment and one oblivious to it all with his nose in a book. Before you pick up the phone to call the police on me, my husband was home and is perfectly capable of caring for the children.
I have a friend on facebook who is just returning back to work after maternity leave after the birth of her first baby. She has waited many years to become a mommy and it is killing her to leave her baby home. As I sat in my happy place (beside a flowing stream about 5 min away from my house), in a way I was almost jealous of all moms who work outside of the home. Adult conversations, a reason to actually get dressed in something other than sweats, put make up on, have an in box that empties by the end of the day and stays empty for at least a few hours. I did work at a "real" job once upon a time and I loved it. Loved every second of it. Then I had my first baby and my hubby and I decided that every sacrifice we had to make was worth it for me to stay home. Then three years later, baby number two came along and I continued to stay home.
It's not easy. We struggle every month making the money that comes in somehow equal the money that goes out. My in box of laundry and dishes are never empty - as soon as I think the laundry is done, someone spills on their clothes, pukes on their clothes or it is just time for bed and they all change out of their clothes. The second the dishes are done and the kitchen is spotless, someone is hungry or dying of thirst or remembers that they need to bring cookies for their youth activity that night.
Vacation days do not exist unless you count packing up, keeping children entertained on a road trip, unpacking, etc. Sick days are usually spent doing what I do everyday just maybe a bit slower or with more interruptions for trips to the bathroom.
We now have four children. I still stay at home if you count as staying at home the endless errands, trips to the school, dr appointments, preschool, field trips, and in our case therapy appts.The inbox of laundry and dishes never are emptied. Someone is always hungry, thirsty, bored or just plain needing something urgently.
Last night, I threw a small stick into the stream. It went a few feet and then got trapped between a couple of rocks. No matter how fast the current hit it, it wiggled a bit but stayed stuck. That is exactly how I felt at that moment. Literally stuck. By the end of my self imposed "cooling off" period, I had thrown a couple more sticks into the water. None of them got stuck. They just seemed to go with the flow, bobbing and shifting WITH the current, avoiding the rocks as they quickly were carried out of sight.
Going with the flow is not always easy for me. I'm pretty much a control freak in every sense of the word. But I learned something from the sticks. If you don't go with the flow, you get very very stuck and you are constantly having the waves crash over you. If you shift with the flow, the waves become your friend, helping you get downstream where maybe the current is a little calmer.
I came home refreshed. My children didn't die without me there. They were finishing up dinner when I walked through the door. And after I ate, we had a long talk. And as of this morning, it appears that all of us remember what we talked about. Our home is quite a bit more peaceful today. I'm sure that will shift as well but for now, this stick is sure enjoying the slower current.
I have a friend on facebook who is just returning back to work after maternity leave after the birth of her first baby. She has waited many years to become a mommy and it is killing her to leave her baby home. As I sat in my happy place (beside a flowing stream about 5 min away from my house), in a way I was almost jealous of all moms who work outside of the home. Adult conversations, a reason to actually get dressed in something other than sweats, put make up on, have an in box that empties by the end of the day and stays empty for at least a few hours. I did work at a "real" job once upon a time and I loved it. Loved every second of it. Then I had my first baby and my hubby and I decided that every sacrifice we had to make was worth it for me to stay home. Then three years later, baby number two came along and I continued to stay home.
It's not easy. We struggle every month making the money that comes in somehow equal the money that goes out. My in box of laundry and dishes are never empty - as soon as I think the laundry is done, someone spills on their clothes, pukes on their clothes or it is just time for bed and they all change out of their clothes. The second the dishes are done and the kitchen is spotless, someone is hungry or dying of thirst or remembers that they need to bring cookies for their youth activity that night.
Vacation days do not exist unless you count packing up, keeping children entertained on a road trip, unpacking, etc. Sick days are usually spent doing what I do everyday just maybe a bit slower or with more interruptions for trips to the bathroom.
We now have four children. I still stay at home if you count as staying at home the endless errands, trips to the school, dr appointments, preschool, field trips, and in our case therapy appts.The inbox of laundry and dishes never are emptied. Someone is always hungry, thirsty, bored or just plain needing something urgently.
Last night, I threw a small stick into the stream. It went a few feet and then got trapped between a couple of rocks. No matter how fast the current hit it, it wiggled a bit but stayed stuck. That is exactly how I felt at that moment. Literally stuck. By the end of my self imposed "cooling off" period, I had thrown a couple more sticks into the water. None of them got stuck. They just seemed to go with the flow, bobbing and shifting WITH the current, avoiding the rocks as they quickly were carried out of sight.
Going with the flow is not always easy for me. I'm pretty much a control freak in every sense of the word. But I learned something from the sticks. If you don't go with the flow, you get very very stuck and you are constantly having the waves crash over you. If you shift with the flow, the waves become your friend, helping you get downstream where maybe the current is a little calmer.
I came home refreshed. My children didn't die without me there. They were finishing up dinner when I walked through the door. And after I ate, we had a long talk. And as of this morning, it appears that all of us remember what we talked about. Our home is quite a bit more peaceful today. I'm sure that will shift as well but for now, this stick is sure enjoying the slower current.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Oh the Lessons We Learn
I discovered something the hard way today. One of my lovely children gets carsick. We went on a beautiful mountain drive after lunch and church today. Its been a while since we took a drive and we are in charge of a campout for our church in June. We decided today was a perfect day to check out the campground.
1st problem -The road that connects the valley area we live to the mountain valley area where the campground is has to be the most windy, steep, bumpy (but yet still paved) road in the whole world. It makes me nervous because on the one side of the road is a steep grade going straight up the mountain while the other side of the road is a steep grade continuing down the mountain. I usually just try to close my eyes and grip onto the hand holds as tight as I can as we round the endless corners and switchbacks.
2nd problem - I'm pretty sure my son was looking at the window and saying to himself: Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree. as we passed them going just a tad bit faster than the posted speed limit.
3rd problem - When we got to the campground, we were hoping to have a chance to walk around and stretch our legs for a while and get a feel of the area so I could know what activities were possible etc. But oh no! Our plans were foiled by thick chains and huge locks and big signs that said "No Pedestrian Traffic". And being the fanatical law abiding citizen I am (NOT), and knowing that I am trying to set a good example for my children of obeying all posted signs, I opted not to climb over the gate in my skirt and go exploring. SOOOOO......
4th problem - We turned right around and went back the way we came. Around a curve, up a hill, down a hill, around another curve. Switchback. Switchback. Switchback. Curve. Curve. Curve. Tree. Tree. Tree. And then it happened.
Just as we came out of the mountain pass and were driving through the neighborhoods less than seven minutes from our house (and bathroom facilities) the most dreaded sound that is feared by all moms started coming from the very back seat. You know the sound I'm talking about, don't you? I hope so, because I really don't want to go into any more detail. And then the groaning starts...
"Mo-o-o-o-om, C threw up!" "Mo-o-o-o-om, I don't want to sit back here with him!!" "Mo-o-o-o-om, it stinks, oh it stinks. I think I'm going to be sick too." So we open all the windows. Then the other whining starts. "Mo-o-o-o-om, the wind is ruining my hair." "Mo-o-o-o-om, I can't hear the radio with the windows open!" "Mo-o-o-o-o-om, C is looking at me and breathing his throw up germs on me!" "Mo-o-o-o-o-om, I can't hear you talk because the windows are open and the radio is too loud!"
Finally, we get home and the real fun begins. The cleanup. I honestly never realized the nooks and crannies my minivan had. Ugh. Shudder. Try not to gag. Fall in love again with Lysol/Clorox wipes and removable seats and my garden hose. And yes, all of my neighbors, my child did strip out of his church clothes and down to his undies before I would let him in the house. The clothes were hosed down with the booster seat.
Lesson Learned from today: Note to self: C needs travel sick medicine if we are going on any sort of windy, bumpy, steep roads and someone will ALWAYS need the puke buckets within a week after you have taken them out of the van where they haven't been used for a year. :) I LOVE BEING A MOM! :)
1st problem -The road that connects the valley area we live to the mountain valley area where the campground is has to be the most windy, steep, bumpy (but yet still paved) road in the whole world. It makes me nervous because on the one side of the road is a steep grade going straight up the mountain while the other side of the road is a steep grade continuing down the mountain. I usually just try to close my eyes and grip onto the hand holds as tight as I can as we round the endless corners and switchbacks.
2nd problem - I'm pretty sure my son was looking at the window and saying to himself: Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree. as we passed them going just a tad bit faster than the posted speed limit.
3rd problem - When we got to the campground, we were hoping to have a chance to walk around and stretch our legs for a while and get a feel of the area so I could know what activities were possible etc. But oh no! Our plans were foiled by thick chains and huge locks and big signs that said "No Pedestrian Traffic". And being the fanatical law abiding citizen I am (NOT), and knowing that I am trying to set a good example for my children of obeying all posted signs, I opted not to climb over the gate in my skirt and go exploring. SOOOOO......
4th problem - We turned right around and went back the way we came. Around a curve, up a hill, down a hill, around another curve. Switchback. Switchback. Switchback. Curve. Curve. Curve. Tree. Tree. Tree. And then it happened.
Just as we came out of the mountain pass and were driving through the neighborhoods less than seven minutes from our house (and bathroom facilities) the most dreaded sound that is feared by all moms started coming from the very back seat. You know the sound I'm talking about, don't you? I hope so, because I really don't want to go into any more detail. And then the groaning starts...
"Mo-o-o-o-om, C threw up!" "Mo-o-o-o-om, I don't want to sit back here with him!!" "Mo-o-o-o-om, it stinks, oh it stinks. I think I'm going to be sick too." So we open all the windows. Then the other whining starts. "Mo-o-o-o-om, the wind is ruining my hair." "Mo-o-o-o-om, I can't hear the radio with the windows open!" "Mo-o-o-o-o-om, C is looking at me and breathing his throw up germs on me!" "Mo-o-o-o-o-om, I can't hear you talk because the windows are open and the radio is too loud!"
Finally, we get home and the real fun begins. The cleanup. I honestly never realized the nooks and crannies my minivan had. Ugh. Shudder. Try not to gag. Fall in love again with Lysol/Clorox wipes and removable seats and my garden hose. And yes, all of my neighbors, my child did strip out of his church clothes and down to his undies before I would let him in the house. The clothes were hosed down with the booster seat.
Lesson Learned from today: Note to self: C needs travel sick medicine if we are going on any sort of windy, bumpy, steep roads and someone will ALWAYS need the puke buckets within a week after you have taken them out of the van where they haven't been used for a year. :) I LOVE BEING A MOM! :)
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