What not to spend your time doing

Worrying! I often, too often, find myself worrying. Worrying about the what-ifs, the maybes, and the God please don't let it be's. I am just a born worrier I think. When I was younger I would worry about my grades, worry if I was good enough, worry if my friends were mad at me, and when I would find out everything was ok (which 98 percent of the time it is) the release of tension and stress (and sometimes migraine headaches) was almost immediate. Now that I am a wife, a mom, and an adult I have tried my best to let go of these worries. I know they aren't good for my health (and who wants more wrinkles from stress? not me). A couple of quotes have stuck with me that I try to repeat when I am faced with a worry. "If you aren't going to stress about it in six months, don't stress about it now." Good one, right? The other one I most recently read definitely has a double edged sword, "Change is coming, prepare for it." We don't live forever, the walls at some point will come crashing down. At this point the what-if's usually creep in, what if this bad change is now? Then, I usually fall back on my faith, "God will never give you more than you can handle," "If He is for me than who can be against me?" Well, unfortunately, just watching the news can make you wonder just how much people can take. I know two of the closest people to me deal with it much better than I do, which is probably why I was put in both of their paths. My mother. I can call my mother crying,worrying, boo hoo-ing to her and she is calm as anything, puts it in prospective, says it will be fine, and 9 times out of 10 I will call her when the issue is resolved and it is just that, fine. My husband. "It is what it is." Great words that often brings things back into prospective for me.
How do you all deal with worry? I would love to know and the lack of headaches and wrinkles from your advice will be appreciated too!

Back to School!

In many ways to me M will always be about this age, however, this picture was taken about three years ago when back to school meant three hours, two days a week. Now, starting this year, back to school has come to mean 6 hours, 5 days a week, also meaning we are spending our days very differently than we did just three weeks ago when it was still summer or three years ago when I only had one little one to take care of. Some of the changes have been challenging and others inspiring.
Challenges include (but are not limited to) me feeling like a race car driver trying to find the quickest way across town to M's school; moving in and out of slow lanes of traffic, and all the while trying to maintain the best fuel efficiency possible. Also gnawing at me is the feeling that I am missing some secret way that will cut my travel time by even more, but I think that might just be my competitive side peeking out.
But just as I'm about to be overwhelmed by the challenge that being in that car sooo long everyday brings, I have to remind myself of all of the good that has transpired in the two short weeks since M started kindergarten. It is nothing short of a gift to get to have some one on one time with the littlest. To see her out of the shadow of her sister and see what she is interested in without the outside influence of a six year old is fun to watch. We have also had more time to work on her letters, numbers, shapes, etc. without the added pressure of making sure the oldest is being stimulated also. Speaking of the oldest (and inspiration) it is inspiring and reassuring to see M come out of the classroom door (outside corridors) as the end of day school bell rings, confident with her backpack and listening to her teacher for instructions. Even better is to listen to her babble on during the trek home about what she learned, who she played with, and discussing what she learned about unhealthy lungs today at school.
And so bring on the bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils and let these great school days continue!

The Summer I didn't want to see go

I have been thinking about this post the past few days as I'm wrapping up loose ends around here with our two week trip to California pending. After we get back we will have approximately 1 day to be ready for M starting Kindergarten, bright and early on August 16th (this is the way we roll here in the south with super early start dates).

When I looked for the picture to attach with this blog I looked in (of course) the Summer2010 file and was immediately flooded with memories of one of our best summers (I'm hoping I can say that with each summer that passes). This was a summer of many firsts. This was the first summer that my girls played together, and played really well together at that. Hence, this was the first summer I wasn't designated playmate for M. This was the first summer my older girl was water safe, finished her swim lessons, will start swim team in the fall (fall being mid-August when school starts and we are still having heat indexes to pass the days), and just as important learned a flip turn, and went off what normal people call the 3m spring board, but to those of us lucky ones who knew about the high dive at SPRA call the 3m, yes, the high dive. Over this summer I went from looking at K as a baby to a little girl; a beautiful, fun loving, really observant, kind hearted girl. And, this was the first summer that girl showed us just how big she is by using the potty for just that. Summer 2010 was both of my girls first concerts, something I couldn't claim until I was eighteen, they are way ahead of me. This summer K learned how to drink out of a big girl cup (after a good example from her cousin), and one of my favorites, M became a reader this summer, what a beautiful thing.

For our family this was the first summer we didn't go up north which was hard in many ways not to be able to see our families, but it also meant we had more time for our just the four of us family, which is never a bad thing. This summer marks our first trips to Huntsville, AL and, the day after, California (husband has been, but this will be the first taking us along, I'm sure the experience will far out weigh his previous trips there :)

Usually summers here in Louisiana are hot, unbearable, and I'm counting down the days until our Saturday mornings consists of playing outside in cooler weather while College Gameday is on inside. Believe me when I say I will not complain when Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium get here, but honestly, the heat did not affect me so much this summer. Maybe I'm getting used to it, or maybe I was just soaking in all of our "firsts" to notice. What a great summer.

Break from Routine

As I'm sure I have mentioned before, I am definitely a woman of routine. Between our mornings of chores, gym time, and waiting for daddy to get home for lunch, and then afternoons of errands/pool time, cooking dinner, and finally evenings of semi-coolness enough to play outside our days are pretty, well, routine. I have heard for safety reasons you should mix up the comings and goings from your house; can't say I have done a very good job at this. Most days my day is planned even before I'm done eating my pb and honey english muffin. However, on those few sweet, glorious, beautiful days that the errand list is non-existent, or, the weather is cool enough for some morning time outside, having a moment out of routine feels nothing but perfect. To have a moment to sit and let the heat from the sun and sidewalk that I have found a spot to sit on while the girls do sidewalk chalk soak into my body can relax as me (almost) as much as being at the beach. Another hidden moment I love is when the weeding is all done in the backyard and, again, I have a moment to just sit on our back porch and watch our girls, digging, putting on talent shows, or just loving on each, there really is nothing better. Nothing planned, organized, or needed, just a moment of perfectness wrapped amongst the craziness that is the life of having little ones.

When daddy is away

There are so many disadvantages when DG travels: Only me taking care of the girls (no handing off when he walks in the door so I can have a much needed moment), missing adult conversations, not conversations centered around Fresh Beat Band, glitter, or Barbie (not all bad topics every now and again), not to mention no help unloading the dishwasher (my least favorite chore), and no one to get the new roll of TP from the cabinet above the refrigerator that is so darn hard for me to reach. Kind of fortunately our girls don't know any different (he has traveled a lot for all of both of their little lives), and as my wise mother in law said, what is normal is different for each family. So although my husband missing out on everyday adventures, and not so everyday events (birthday parties, trips, etc) may not be seen as normal to others, to us it is and we make the best of it when our magic is gone for a few days. With the help of cell phones, email, winkball.com, and of course treats and stories when DG comes home our lives are for the most part smooth sailing and very blessed.
So as to not dwell on the poor me attitude of my husband traveling ( I know many other wives who have a lot tougher things to deal with), there are some hidden advantages with husbands traveling. Meal time is a lot easier (you all don't want to know how many pancake dinners my girls have had while the husband travels), tv time revolves around chick flicks (You've Got Mail, one of my favorites), and I can go ahead and put the light ash blonde back in my hair and pretend the sun just lightened it up ;)
Don't get me wrong, when he walks through the door and the magic is back all is right with the world and as it should be, until he pulls out the suitcase and starts packing again...

Our SIX year-old

I am pretty much in shock about where the last six years of MG's life have gone. Countless blessings, prayers, laughs, and a few tantrums down the road of childhood and here we are parents to a six year-old girl. This birthday has hit me harder than I pictured it would and I think it has everything to do with when I look at M I definitely don't see the baby pictured about ( what a darling baby she was though), not a toddler, but a full on girl. When did this little girl stop playing with other's shoelaces (one of her favorite pastimes as a baby) and start (almost) mastering tying her own shoes? When did she change from hiding in the house and locking all the doors when the neighbors dog was near to wanting to become a veterinarian? And, what happened to the little toddler, arms crossed, defiantly telling me "I'm not never going to grow up?"
This new stage is a little daunting and I'm wondering if any other moms look at this stage in the same light as I am. I know how to parent babies, I'm good with toddlers, but what about girls, and God help me, preteen and teenage girls (which can't be far away considering how fast the last six years have gone)? I take comfort in the fact that both M and I have sort of learned as we have gone from this point on, remembering my mother asking me while pregnant with M if I even knew how to bathe a child, harsh, but an honest question at the time. Now six years later, thank-you very much, I think if I would get an evaluation for this stay at home mommy job I would be doing a.o.k.
I do know one thing for certain. When M was a baby I told my friends that having her (and KG a few years later) was the best thing DG and I ever did. At the time my childless friends snickered and I suggested they get their heads out of the gutter (jokingly of course), but until you have a child you really can't understand this fully, and then when you do have a child you understand it completely.
So the next years of raising this brilliant, likable, unique girl will undoubtedly hold blessings from the one who gave us this most precious gift, prayers, laughter, and I'm sure a few tantrums, but I'm in for whatever the future holds and I'm thankful DG and I get to raise these special girls even if I am a rookie at it all. Happy sixth birthday, MG.

Friday Night Pizza

There are definitely some family traditions not worth keeping up with (example #1 Sauerkraut on New Year's, yick), but one we have kept in our family is that of Friday Night Pizza. When I was growing up Fridays were celebrated like no other day, because along with weekly pizza Friday meant my dad having a couple of days off work, high school football games, and the arrival during football season of my aunt and uncle in town for the Penn State games just to name a few. My mom would alternate between her homemade pizza (known pretty well by family and friends), ordering, or us going to a local pizza shop. I can remember many a swim practices wishing I hadn't eaten so much pizza prior to practice, but it was just that good. Unfortunately (and fortunately) things change, and my replica of Friday Night Pizza is not always hit with high marks. Take for example tonight when I attempted to do the homemade pizza bit. Comments from my soon to be six year-old included, "Mom, please don't try this again," " Next time bake the crust alone for 40 minutes," and " Mom, I taste nothing but flour," (have I mention my un-love for cooking or how my husband thinks my next blog should be about my adventures in the kitchen?) But it is about the thought and consistency, right? The knowing that whether daddy is out of town or not, whether a football game is being played this weekend or not (although now cheering for another team), we will eat as a family and on Friday night we we celebrate the coming weekend and have pizza (even if this means children do not eat the pizza and mom must make pb & j as to not sacrifice their nutrition). I will keep trying to hold on to this tradition (even if I surrender and just order some Papa John's) and pray my children continue it when they are mom's and not think of Friday Nigh Pizza as I think of Sauerkraut on New Year's :)

Curbing!!!

I can't believe I have forgotten about writing about one of my most favorite pastimes, curbing! For those of you who don't know or use a different term (junking, dumpster diving) curbing is when you take something that someone else has put out to the trash. I do have some dignity and won't actually open a trash can and take out an article out, but, for example, if someone is moving and leaves something that I can salvage I will. I have loved curbing before it was considered "green" to do (that is an excuse I like to use as to why I do it; we don't want it to end up in a landfill!). Growing up, our neighborhood had "riff raff" days a couple of times a year where people would put out bulky items that they didn't want (thankfully our Parish takes bulky items once a week, what a treat!). I would come home hauling a new to me container, chair, etc. begging my mom to let us keep it. My mother only fed my love and would either refurbish it or find the perfect spot for each item I lugged home.
I recently had a friend come over and speaking about a mutual friend she said, "did you know that like half of the stuff in her house she has gotten from other people's garbage??" At which point I laughed and said, let me show you around my home :) Take the above picture as example A. The plant container, Adirondack chair, and two captain's chairs, yes, you guessed it all were set to fill up space in a landfill, but with a little sanding (thank-you, hubby), paint, love, and even help from the kiddos they all turned out pretty well. We (yes, my husband now occasionally curbs too although he is much more selective) have come across some other treasures that now grace our home including an old coat hanger, old windows (so great hanging up), shelving units, wicker baskets, and the list could go on. It is great because it is so conducive to the style we love. Freecycle also now has "curbside alerts" that are always a fun adventure.
I love when people find out where some of our things have come from and love even more when I find out I'm not the only one who is taking full advantage of recycling in our community :)

chores

There will come a day when my day isn't defined by how many loads of laundry I complete or the number of cheerios I pick up off of the ground, but for right now love it or hate it, chores are a part of mine and my girls day. My chores are dictated by the wonderful, awe inspiring, almost life changing flylady rules (www.flylady.net, please check it out if you like your house looking company clean all the time and who doesn't??) and slowly but surely my girls are taking on a more active role in what they do to help keep our home livable. Our five year-old's responsibilities include but are not limited to cleaning up her bathroom daily, picking up her dirty clothes off of her floor and putting them in her dirty laundry bin, putting away her folded clean clothes, helping me sort clothes for laundry, getting her own drink at mealtimes, clearing her dishes, drying the countertops after mealtimes, washing her sister's hands, and the inevitable clean up time which I will get to later. Our two year-old will help put her clothing and washcloths away in their specific drawers, dry her bench that she sits on at mealtimes, and help with clean up time. We don't use charts or stickers (tried them in the past and we either couldn't stick with them or the novelty ran off and they didn't work). I try to set a good example and verbally remind them that at certain times I can't do something "fun" either because I'm working on my chores. Of course please don't think I have a perfect home where my children are merry maids because that obviously isn't the case, but just giving them some responsibility in the upkeep in our home is hopefully going to help them learn to respect their surroundings AND I recently read that one of the best gifts you can give a child is the gift of work because we are raising in fact men and women that are going to have to take care of and respect their homes one day.
So, onto the "clean up time." The clean up time in our house is a hard time because although I try to encourage cleaning up after each activity after a day of play there are various parts of barbies, play kitchen, baby doll, paper, and craft activity remnants scattered through out our house. We opt for either a 4:50 pm clean up time (right before I start to make dinner) or a 6:30 pm clean up time (right before bath). We always start with a "time to put the toys away" jingle stolen from The Little Gym (an amazing place you also need to check out if you have not) and from there I switch it up in the hopes that one strategy will get my girls moving. These strategies include making a chart on the chalkboard of everyone's names and we mark off by 10's of things we pick up (yes, there are that many little bittle things around), or charting off by the different colors of the toys we are picking up,or each being in charge of a room, or playing UPS man that one person delivers a toy that needs to make it back to its rightful room, or even just saying I will only have one "best helper" tonight (in which cause my ultra competitive five year-old hauls booty to be the winner).
It's tiring just writing about it, but it is so worth it to sit down at the end of the day, put my feet up on the sofa and relax in a clean space (even if I do spot yet another cheerio on the floor).

Errands

As much as I wish I could say that our days at home solely consist of craft time, imaginary play of trips to the grocery store (as pictured above), and nap time, they don't. In our real world we go on an errand usually everyday. This is a must do either because we have a need, or, I simply need to get out of the house for a bit because I'm going a little stir crazy. There is something therapeutic for me just to be in the car, have a moment to listen to a non taylor swift song (can you tell my children love tay tay (as they lovingly call her) at the moment, and regroup before reaching our destination, even if that destination is as simple as the drive thru at the bank. With the age of my children (five and two) I can honestly say, too, that most days errands that consist of us actually going inside somewhere usually end better than ok with my oldest giving me an idea for a snack I hadn't thought of at the grocery store, or us reading a book together at the library, or even the girls taking turns getting the stamps at a self service station at the post office. I can also say, honestly, that it hasn't always been this easy. Anyone who has lugged around a rear facing baby carrier with a baby in it knows that it could prepare you to be in a weight lifting competition, add a crying baby at that and you are in for a fun filled errand time. Such fun, in fact that when I only had M and I was still teaching and juggling working and being a good mom, that upon a return from trying to get groceries I put her carrier down on our kitchen floor and literally went to my knees to pray about someone helping me (and He did, allowing me to stay home where there is already enough to juggle). Yes, errands have definitely gotten easier, to the point now where if I don't have my girls with me on an errand I feel naked (that would not be good), and extra light. After talking to a friend about this who feels the same way,the conclusion is easy. Of course you feel light without your nearly 80 lbs of security blanket, loving children surrounding you. They definitely make the errands more entertaining and fun, even if by chance a taylor swift song does come on the radio.

For the Love of Books

I love books. I have been a reader since Babysitter's Club and Nancy Drew were cool, and as a stay home mom one topic I can still feel up to date on in a conversation is books. I have lovely memories of my childhood friend having the whole collection of Berenstain Bear books and spending a good portion of a sleepover with her not doing our nails or watching movies, but reading her beloved collection, me insanely jealous of all of these perfectly ordered stories. Books have brought my mother-in-law and I even closer together in the fact that we like the same kind of storyline and she feels naked without a novel in her hands.
I see glimpses of my girls love of reading and books when the older one painstakingly puts her bookmark in her place after victoriously reading a page, when my younger one corrects me if I read a word different (trying to be funny) than what is in one of her favorite books, and when they would rather read Peter Pan than watch the movie, good stuff.
With my history it is no wonder that the first thing I look to organize in my girls rooms are their bookshelves. Putting their Berenstain Bear collection in order, along with Dr. Seuss, Give a Mouse series, etc., and even having monthly books that are rotated at the beginning of each month obviously shows books are really precious to me, and hopefully to my girls too.
*I can't let this blog pass without passing along two irreplaceable websites involving books: www.paperbackswap.com and www.goodreads.com, for the love of books, check them out :) *

A Weekend Away

Any excuse I have for getting away from the daily routines of chores, cooking, and errands I am all for, so when my husband had to take a road trip out of town for the weekend and suggested the girls and I come along, I immediately began the packing list for our adventure. My husband travels quite a bit and so I must say I have become something of a pro of getting bags, snacks, and activities for along the way together; careful not to forget the necessities of good night story books, ziploc bags of cheerios, fruit cups, and of course extra napkins, plates, and sippy cups. This trip was to New Orleans and although we have done the sight seeing other times, when your husband is traveling for work and you are along for some time with him, he is still there for work hence not with you every minute. I try to be a good mom but I also know my limits. Trying to find my way around a city I'm not too familiar with and finding things that probably cost money to do and wondering if your two year-old will even enjoy them or if you will spend most of the outing chasing her doesn't sound like fun to me. What does sound like fun may sound simple to some, but it works for our family. Picnic dinners of pizza by the hotel pool discussing lizards, clouds, and everything in between works for us. My oldest and I playing silent Uno in a mostly dark hotel room while the two year-old naps (so proud of my five year-old for being respectful of the baby's nap time) works for us. My girls eating cheerios and having juice boxes in bed while watching cartoons while Mommy gets ready for the day (Daddy having been out the door hours before for his work) and then us all going to enjoy a free breakfast (hotel MUST) works for us. Even Daddy making it back to the hotel room and he and I whispering about his day and catching him up on ours seems to be a good way to end the day. There is nothing complicated, expensive, or extravagant about our weekends away, and that's just the way we like it.

The Smell of Chlorine

I would be lying if I said I didn't love, love, love that one of the ways we spend our days is at or around the pool. If I wasn't so focused on my two year-old's insistent independence (and my fear of her not ready to be so independent) in the water I would be reminiscing over the literally thousands of lifetime memories that are associated with that all so distinct smell of chlorine. Memories of my dad taking a whole spring break at the beach to teach me how to do a flip turn, crawling into my parent's bed one Saturday morning asking if I could join the swim team like my older sister, reading my name in print on a crisp white sheet of paper stating I had indeed made the high school team, working with my best friends as lifeguards at a pool I believe to this day to be one of the best around, teaching swim lessons, watching my future husband swim his last college race , the list could go on and on. Although this list is grand and distinguished it doesn't hold a candle to watching my girls make their own memories at the pool. How their faces light up when I ask after our morning chores are done ( just the way my mom did) if they want to go to the pool, watching them make new friends, my older one trying to "surf" on her kickboard, my youngest trying on her bubble floatie for the first time (didn't last too long, 'too tight on belly, mama'), my girls watching their daddy in amazement as he disappears under the water for what seems to them an eternity only to come up magically at the other end of the pool, or, M's head bobbing up and down as she gets breastroke for the first time. Swimming is just such a lifetime sport and not just for the total body workout it provides. It is true that swimming is in my girls blood (as a friend recently pointed out to me), but more so, hopefully, it will be in their memories too. Long after the chlorine scent has left their skin, and the swim suit lines are gone, their legacy as third generation swimmers (and the fun they had in the water) will somehow keep them connected to their parents and grandparents.

Hunting for Treasure

Lucky for us we live on a dead end street. Dead end really gives a false sense of reality though because at the end of our road is really where everything begins. My fearless husband and oldest were the first to traverse this unknown land a few years ago, coming upon a stream (housing gar fish and nutria), trails, snakes, and the occasional egret. They soon shared their secret with the baby and I when the baby was old enough to start exploring no man's land. Last year, though, we came upon the best kept secret hidden among thorns and overgrown weeds; blackberries. Like little jewels just waiting to be plucked, these little morsels of goodness had to have been left especially for our family from angels, or so we like to think. Last year our blackberries grew on the edge of a sloping hill leading to the stream, and also on the slope. The girls and I would pick on level land, while DG ventured down the hill (as most overgrown boys would do). This year we checked on our blackberries weekly, and with a new keen eye for blackberry bushes even began noticing more bushes around our town (M referring to one road not as its traditional name, but as "Blackberry Valley" for all of the treasure it held on its banks). Finally we thought we had come to our first day of picking, and, in long pants (so to avoid the poison ivy), bug spray, and bins, we were on our way. As we approached the stream we saw that our neighborhood's landscapers had trimmed down the level land before the sloping hill leading to the stream to make way for more trails (didn't they know these were our berries?). I had visions of only my husband making the trek down the overgrown slope in search of treasure, but I should have known better. Daughters trust their Daddys, even on sloping hills. Off my oldest went, while the two year-old and I found a shade tree to sit under. The scene that unfolded before us was something that a picture wouldn't do justice. They were both close enough that K and I could see them, but far enough away that I felt like I was peaking in on what I know someday will be just a distant memory of a day that went by too fast.

Bath Time!

Our whole family loves the water; the pool, the ocean, "the lake," and the bath is no exception. Bath time is never rushed in our home. When we just had one child, she would play (as seen in the picture above) while I would sit on the edge and read my latest novel, not minding the few water marks that were sure to end up on my book. When the second baby girl came along, bath time turned more into double duty time. When K was still too little to bathe with her sister, I would put K in her exersaucer or bouncy seat and would have a moment to really visit with M and catch up on her day, and maybe even include a quick lesson on categorizing using bath toys. The next chapter of bath time came when the baby was old enough to bathe with M, and M couldn't wait a second longer for it. This time was filled with giggles, bubbles, and barbies.

Now we are in the next chapter of our household bath time. My oldest sometimes still wants to take a bath with the little one (who at 2 isn't as little as she used to be), but mostly wants to take a shower in mommy and daddy's shower. So, K's bath time is the double duty time. While K is playing with her toys, making her Barbie's expert divers, and using foam letters to spell her own words, M has tasks all her own. We sometimes do workbook pages ( I don't homeschool, I'm not that good, but I do supplement where I can), or, she'll go on a hunt around the house for new words. It is really a special time for both girls. K isn't old enough to bathe alone, so I am not called away from her attention for the million other things on my list for the day, and for M, K can't put her own drawings on work M has been working hard on.

I have to say though that my favorite part of bath time (as of late) is toward the end. The Barbie's are taking a break from their springboard practice, and M has hunted all of the new words she can. Usually about this time both girls are ready for a couple of songs (which of course always do sound better in the bathroom). Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle, and Hickory Dickory Dock (by the way we went up to the clock striking thirty the other night with our own rhyming words) fill our bathroom, and, for just a moment, all seems right with the world, even if there are a few watermarks sprinkled here and there.

The Very Best Baking Team

I am by no stretch of the imagination a talented cook. Yes, I can pull a meal together for guests, but do I enjoy cooking? At this point I'm not sure. I know as a stay home mom it is part of my job description, but I can think of several other things I would rather be doing than cooking. I do, though, like to bake (different than cooking as my wise mother- in- law pointed out to me once). Maybe it has something to do with chocolate, licking the batter, or the smells, but recently I think my love for baking has a lot more to do with the support staff I have been given in the last five years. My older girl has loved to help in the kitchen since she was big enough that her eyes could peak over the counter's edge, and now that my youngest is just about that age, the story is no different. The two of them together could play restaurant, iron chef (yes, iron chef), and grocery store everyday, but when I say the magical words referring to baking or they hear the mixer going, all bets are off and they are lugging their chairs/stools to get a better look, help, and of course, sample the goods. Obviously baking with your child is not just fun and games (although they don't have to know that). Lessons in measurement, science, and reading coincide with all of that chocolate goodness beautifully.

I don't know whether my children will grow to be chefs or bakers, or both, but I do know that when they make their own cookies in their own house there will not be a doubt as to where their first memories of those smells, tastes of batter, and flour spills came from.

The Great Outdoors

Oh how I love our outside playtime. My oldest would spend every waking moment outside if I would let her and my youngest would until she got hungry, thirsty, or hot. My outside time with my girls is cherished because of the adventures we have, the vitamin D I get, and the lovely break of routine that comes within the walls of our home. I don't want you to think that we live on acres and acres of land with oodles of swing sets, balls, and other toys at my girls disposal (this is the farthest thing from the truth), but there is something so magical about what lies outside our front door.

On any given day my girls will catch ladybugs, butterflies, or something unidentifiable (which can make me a little nervous) and put them in their "habitat" ( a netted enclosure M got for a birthday gift last year). Outside time also usually involves sidewalk chalk. My oldest had designed grocery stores, towns, drawn still life's of plants and flowers in our yard, while my youngest investigates different colors and begins her life as an artist. Other favorites of my girls involve riding bikes around the driveway and front walk while pretending they are going to the church or doctor's office, and of course involves someone directing traffic. One must do every other day (unless it rains) is watering our gardens. The girls each have a watering bucket that I fill up for them numerous times and they help me water. Because of the hot climate of where we live it is no problem if by chance they feel like they themselves need a little watering too and it just adds to the fun and keeps us cool.

I try and spend at least an hour a day with my girls outside and the beauty of it is that it is for the most part it is free fun, so educational, and getting sun kissed isn't half bad either :)

Devotional Time

In a perfect world, this would be how my daughter would be put together everyday; fancy dress, a little necklace, no stains, you get the picture. Also in a perfect world my devotional time with my kids would be uninterrupted, thought provoking, and a real time for reflection. Instead, at this age it usually ends up more along the lines of this:
I really have no excuse, I had one of the best examples of how to run a kids devotional time from a family we lived with after Hurricane Katrina (that in itself is a whole other story for a whole other time). At breakfast every morning she would read a bible related story, talk to the kids about it, and it was awesome and organized.
Currently I'm using a Veggie Tales devotional book, and honestly the time isn't all that bad. My oldest did remember the verse from yesterday, but our discussion was being held as the younger one drove her car up and down the hallway, such is life sometimes I guess. I would love to hear how others handle this time, I know there is no perfect answer, but this is definitely something I want to fill my girls days, so that hopefully it becomes routine enough that it fills their days even when they are all grown up and know how to eat spaghetti without ruining an outfit ;)

New Season/New Blog :)

I have had in my mind wanting to switch topics for my blog and as I come upon summer (it is already averaging in the high 70's, so summer literally does feel just around the corner), I thought now would be a perfect time. I want to focus on how the girls and I fill our days. I read an article today in a local parent's magazine focusing on day camps and other activities where you send your child away for the day, and in some cases days. This may definitely work for some families, but after having the preschool year filled with routines the thought of having freedom to choose day to day activities and keep my kids close sounds nothing short of heavenly. I do have bursts of creativity and I hope that by documenting our daily adventures it will inspire my creative juices. I also hope that after writing I hear from other moms about how you are filling your days and, don't worry, I will then copy your ingenious ideas!

On a side note, I cannnot let this blog go by without mentioning that this week, I will be celebrating not one but two of my very oldest, dearest friends becoming first time moms. Even though we are at different stages of parenting it will be fun to see their input on ideas and feedback on how they are filling their days (this may be as simple as trying to catch a nap while the baby sleeps:)

Happy (almost) summer to all of my favorite moms out there!

The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away

Morning time (especially when my oldest doesn't have preschool) is very laid back in our house. Changing out of pj's doesn't usually happen until 10:30 a.m., the girls lay around and wake up for the day watching one of their favorite shows and this is the time when I get the majority of my house work done, so we can have the rest of the day for fun and activities focused around the girls. Usually things run smoothly as the girls are happy to have this time together; eating some cheerios, and snuggling together on the sofa. Pretty picture of our mornings, right? If only it were this way everyday ;). There are occasionally some mornings when something is a bit off like a day last week. As I was putting in a load of laundry I could hear two voices raising, one saying, "Animal Planet!," and one saying, "Minnie!" Yes, it was the girls arguing over what morning show they would watch. As I entered the room I went into the all too common mantra of we are so lucky just to have a tv to watch our morning shows, and, do you really think this makes God pleased right now? I say these kinds of phrases often and I guess on this particular morning He knew I might need a little back up. Out of nowhere our power shuts off! Priceless. I wish more than anything that I could have somehow captured my oldest's expression of shock. Oh, you better believe I ran with it, going into a little speech about how the Lord can just take something right away and do you see how He is always watching? It definitely carried the right affect and both the girls. They were silent for a few moments until the power eventually turned back on, and since that morning we haven't had an argument about a morning show to watch :)

Answered Prayer

Two days ago I learned two things about God; #1 he has a really good sense of humor, #2 he doesn't work within our parameters.

We are moving. Have a mentioned this? My husband has been working two jobs and an opportunity has come up where he will only have to work one job and have 40 days less travel (yes, we counted). Moving involves a lot. Change of address, selling a home, packing, unpacking, and in my mind it all starts with an all important cardboard box. I know of these wonderful companies that provide boxes for you when you use their company to move you, and even stores that sell boxes, but, what fun would that be? And so for the last few weeks we have been on the hunt for cardboard boxes. In grocery stores, at the YMCA, through friends, any box right now is a jewel to me. Two days ago we hit a wall and have a lot more packing to do, but had run out of boxes. As we got into the car for an afternoon errand, I said to my oldest daughter, let's say a prayer that God will send us a box, even just one box, so that we can get some more packing done. Upon driving down a quaint little road I saw in the back of the parking lot (being honest, near the dumpster) of a locally owned hardware store a box (it almost seemed to glow), but then again that might have just been my excitement over answered prayer!
We pulled around to the back of the parking lot and I jumped out of our SUV and picked up the box, it was a real beauty and I had big plans for that box. I opened the back of our SUV and at that point I knew I was in the midst of an everyday miracle. The box that was divinely sent to us was so enormous it in no way fit into the back of our full size SUV.
I smiled immediately and knew that God was smiling too. I knew exactly what he was trying to communicate to me. When we pray we have exactly in mind what we need, down to the exact measurements. God wants to bless us and provide for us in ways that will never even fit into our small minded lives, in ways we cannot perceive if we just trust him and let him do the measuring. Yes, He does have a good sense of humor, but more than that He is a teacher and I think He saw a teachable moment and teachable moments can even happen by a dumpster in a parking lot.

Glimpses of Grace/Good Luck/ Goodness

The last five months in our home have been a bit of a rocky road. During what I consider "rough times" I usually think to myself, at least it isn't this, or that, but unfortunately during these last few months it has seemed to be one or more of one of those things that you mostly conjure up in your mind to make yourself realize things could be all that much worse. Between my dad's scare with his heart, my niece's birth complications, and my father-in-law's fall, as my one friend said, "what is going on with you guys??" I really can't explain it. And, through it all I have, at times, been walking like an 80 year-old woman due to a "severe L5 herniation" (so severe that during my first attempt at an epidural shot the nurse asked if I had been in a car accident). I really can't pinpoint a specific time I hurt my back, but since last winter it has gotten progressively worse and after two epidural shots my doctor felt that I needed back surgery, but because of caring for two young children as my full-time job, and having a husband working two jobs, that is easier said than done. Recently hubby and I decided to meet with my doctor to talk seriously about my back surgery, and were set for an appointment next Wednesday. Honestly though with every other topic floating around our house, I handed this one to the man upstairs because there were just more important things to deal with.
So, I was so surprised when my physician's assistant called me yesterday to say that my doctor has other doctor's coming to watch him at his job next Friday and had chosen me to be his example for the surgery if I was interested. It was such a feeling of someone else taking care of things and making a decision for a moment and felt so nice falling into my lap, and, it felt so good to get some really good news. Just since yesterday more has fallen into place concerning the surgery. My husband will have time off and our insurance with cover the surgery 100%. Amazing how God has billions of other tasks but obviously knew it was time for my surgery and lined everything up just as it should be.
Today came with potentially more good news (hallelujah, I'm feeling some much needed blessings falling down on our family), as my father-in-law is doing better with his walker and instead of looking at the option of transferring from his rehabilitation center to a nursery home, he is looking at possibly going home in a week with in home care.
I don't want to come across that I don't feel blessed daily, or that grace doesn't touch me daily, because it does, but (as we all are) I have also been feeling tried lately and at times like these there isn't a better feeling than answered prayer and getting to see even a glimpse of how God works behind the scene every second for plans of good.

Stepping out of my comfort zone

I must say that I have some of the best life long friends around. I'm lucky enough to have had the same group of core friends (including my mom and my sister) almost all of my life. We have shared our first sleepovers, first cars, first loves, and the list of firsts could go on and on. Unfortunately this core group at this moment literally lives around the world, but because of email, skype, and cell phones we often don't feel that far apart. For this reason I had often felt unmotivated to really get close and get to know the people who surround me now; mostly my children's friend's moms whom the kids are in one activity or another together. Don't get me wrong, I loved getting to know them, I just almost left part of my heart closed to them because I felt like that "life long friend" position was already more than filled.
As my oldest started to go to preschool and do more activities and become better friends with children all of that started to change. I want to be the mom that is friends with the other moms, who is in the know about happenings at school and outside of school, and the result has been more than amazing. It has been such a blessing to get to know other moms who have the day to day struggles I have, and even more neat to notice that the kids that my kids love are the moms that I love.
There are definitely somedays when I wish I had my fabulous four standing around me at a kid's party when havoc is all around and I could just imagine what each one would say, but, thankfully God has placed even more blessings of friendships in my path that I can create "firsts" with.

Unanswered Prayers

As many of you know about a month ago my husband's dad fell from a ladder while putting away Christmas decorations at their church, suffering three skull fractures, broken ribs, broken collarbone, and two broken vertebrae. My husband flew immediately up north to be with him and to help his mom in any way he could. The five day trip turned into seven after Pap's condition hadn't stabilized and my hubby knew in his heart he just needed to stay a couple of extra days. That week for both of us was really hard. Hard on me for having to try and keep things "normal" for our two girls while fielding calls about updates and praying to God that Pap would pull through, and, harder on my husband who upon coming home admitted it was probably the hardest week of his life for obvious reasons. On the Saturday morning that DG was supposed to fly back home I was selfishly relieved that my partner in this life was going to be once again by my side. And so when I woke up that Saturday morning to learn that my husband's hometown had gotten something absurd like 18 inches of snow and that not only could he and his mom not make it to the end of their street, not only did they not have power, but he wasn't going on any flight and neither were the other number of passengers flying out of Pittsburgh because alas the airport was closed. As I heard all of this on the phone DG had to ask me if I was still there because I was speechless. How could God after handing us a week like that put this as icing on the cake? I felt helpless at the moment and wondered why my prayer of having my family together again wasn't answered. Soon I would be reminded, yet again, of why I'm not in control and why He always has our best interests in mind.
That afternoon after the snow plow had been down DG's childhood street, DG and his mom still without power decided to trek to the hospital where they would have power and DG would get in another visit before having to head back south when the weather cleared. Through out the week Pap's mental state was below average at best. When you have three skull fractures it is easy to see why one would be confused as to where he is, the year, and even recognizing a family member. DG and his mom expected that Saturday to be no different than the past week had been. But God had a reason for keeping my husband up north one more day and for not answering my prayer. As my husband and his dad talked that day there was significantly more recognition than there had been the whole week prior to this point, his dad even asking about our girls (his grand girls). What a high note for my husband to be able to leave on and what a difference one day made. Thank-you, God, for unanswered prayers.

Loving your Enemies

It really stinks that we have to have people in this life that we don't get along with. Even the word "enemy" sounds so severe as it rolls off the tongue. I would rather spend my days thinking about the things I love most in this world; my husband, kids, and some good dark chocolate, but God must have known we were going to have our share of people step into our lives that would push our buttons for one reason or another, and luckily gave us some good instructions on how to deal with such people. Even more lucky for me is an everyday miracle that always seems to come to mind when I encounter an "enemy" in one form or another.

Before I became a full time mommy I taught fourth grade. Fourth grade (in my mind) is the perfect age to teach. Too old to have tie shoes and too young to get the sassy mouth, on most days. Of course in every class you have some strong personalities and unfortunately some teasing that coincide on some not so perfect days. This happened one day with a boy and a girl in my class who had never gotten along particularly well, escalating to the point that notes were sent home, feelings were hurt, and I was still wondering how/if the issue would resolve itself the next day. I was prepared for more counseling the next morning, and planning on a class meeting to help smooth over the argument from the day before and to make sure it didn't ruin a second day of learning and a happy classroom environment.

As the two entered my classroom the next day I said a prayer that all would go well. Little did I know that God was about to use the lesson a set of parents taught their daughter the night before to help not only "A," but the 25 others of us in that room learn first hand about loving your enemy, a lesson I will never forget.

The girl walked over to A's desk, pulled out some activity books she had brought for this boy, along with a new set of pens, and a picture she had drawn for him. "A" looked at "J" with a look I will never forget. His eyes grew soft and an innocent smile came across his face. I think I had to look twice to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me as they hugged.

Thank God I was blessed enough to have in my class a set of parents who go by the same rule book as I do and had taught their child the best way to deal with an enemy, better than any class meeting would.

It wasn't supposed to happen that way

"It wasn't supposed to happen that way." It definitely doesn't seem like it should have happened that on what was supposed to be a date night for my husband and I turned into my husband flying up north to be by his dad's side in the trauma unit. And in the days that have followed since my mind has tried to reason that things should not have happened that lead up to that horrific accident, although my heart tries its best to remind me that we are not to understand all things. Thankfully for all of us, that "it wasn't supposed to happen that way" works both ways, negative and positive, and as my mind was coming to grips about the latest hand our family had been dealt God sent down an everyday miracle not a moment to soon.
My day had been heavy with worry; worry about my father -in-law, my mother-in-law, and how we were ever going to find strength to pull through this one smiling. Thankfully I have two little girls to keep my mind off of things, one who was anxious to get to the Dollar Store to spend her hard earned $2 that her daddy had given her after helping out at home. I ended up picking up a few extra things and M gave me her money and tossed her goodies in with my things. I paid with my debit card and tucked M's money in my wallet. Unknown to me, this was just a small piece of the puzzle that God was shaping for my personal miracle.
We got home after twenty minutes of sitting in traffic and it was clear that we all needed our outside playtime. The day was really beautiful and we were being silly (much needed) taking turns hula hooping. As it was M's turn she began spinning with the hula hoop instead of just doing the hip action and found better success at it that way. As she started to twirl around a second time she tripped and started falling back, and as she did the purple hula hoop came up and smacked her in the mouth. As soon as I looked at her I knew something was amiss, her scared eyes giving her away. As she opened her mouth I saw what the matter was. Her front tooth was missing, and not just any front tooth. The front tooth that her dentist had told us not even a few months ago was attached improperly and would never come out on its own and would have to be removed when the other front tooth fell out. Coming out with a hula hoop? Wasn't supposed to happen that way...
In the moment my next thought was that the hula hoop had come directly to her mouth forcing her tooth inward, logically making me think M had swallowed her tooth.
"M, did you swallow your tooth?," "Mommy won't be mad, I just need to know," "The tooth fairy will still come honey, just tell mommy if you think you swallowed your tooth," comments followed for about thirty seconds until we were all pretty clear she hadn't swallowed her tooth, and, after searching through the grass and finding one lost front tooth we all were thankful that she indeed hadn't swallowed her front tooth. If the hula hoop came directly to her mouth, how did the tooth escape the other way? It wasn't supposed to happen that way...
Much later that evening M was laying in bed and I got a call from the tooth fairy that I needed to fill in for her on last minute change of plans. The bad news is that I never carry cash and she told me the running rate for M was $2 a tooth. I wasn't supposed to have $2 folded perfectly waiting for their glitter aka pixie dust application, but I did.
Thank-you God for everyday miracles that make us say, it wasn't supposed to happen that way.

Keeping It in Check

Being a stay home mom is the BEST job in the world for me, it is my calling, but that doesn't mean it is always easy, stress free days, filled with eating bon bons. These hard days usually coincide with my husband's travel schedule, the more days he is gone things seem to build up, adding up to a hard days work. Last week I was having one of these days. It didn't help that the weather had been rotten and we hadn't gotten out of the house in a few days, whatever the reason I was on edge, the kids were testing me, and my husband couldn't get home from his 8 day trip soon enough.
As I was cooking dinner that evening my not so good day turned into something of a pity party, wishing my husband was home to help, wishing I could have but a moment of peace. As soon as I am having these moments more often than not the man upstairs will find a way of putting things into perspective for me. My reality check was the thud I heard coming from the great room and the wail of my daughter. My one year-old had climbed up onto the loveseat and had slipped of, thankfully only having a small bruise on her cheek to show for it. Oh it could have been so much worse, giving me something truly worthwhile to worry about. With that the pity party ended and the thankful prayers began, the first one being a prayer of thanks of the ways He has of keeping me in check and aware of just how blessed and protected I am.

Grace like rain

We do reward our children for jobs well done, and, on occasion we bribe them. As M's preschool Christmas program loomed before us, I began having visions of last minute breakdowns, shyness kicking in full gear, and other not so pleasant thoughts. M is now five years old and honestly has blossomed into a direction following, kind to new people (and new situations) kind of girl. Unfortunately, this hasn't always been the case. We had our fair share of meltdowns and stubbornness in her toddler years that still haunt me as planned events such as a preschool programs come up. So, I do the only thing I know and talk her up, over prepare her, and let her know a treat awaits her if she does the best she can.
The program went off without a hitch with M remembering every word to every Christmas carol and twirling at the exact time all of the other sugar plum fairies were. And so on the way home M knew that she had earned a beloved "treat." Wouldn't it be nice if children wanted 20 minutes of quiet time for their treat, or maybe a scone from a coffee shop? This is not the case with either of my children, so at precisely 11:50 am, off we went to the golden arches for a reward lunch. I prepared myself for semi-warm fries, cleaning off crumbs from a table before we sat down, and a balancing act to get the tray of food to the nearest booth. Nothing could have been further from the truth for our experience there that day.
Critics will say someone was being overly friendly, but I know differently. The manager of the restaurant made us feel as though we were having a four star dining experience. He personally took our order, told us to go sit down that he understood a young mother trying to handle two children with carrying food was no easy task, brought extra napkins, brought extra toys, and the list went on. This manager wished everyone who left the restaurant a Merry Christmas and really tried to be helpful to others, but in so many of the cases people were too busy to notice.
Blessings are mentioned countless times in the bible. God wants us to be blessed, sending down blessings and grace like rain ( to quote one of my favorite Christian songs). Since starting this blog on everyday miracles my eyes have really been opened as to what He is doing for Us, everyday, are yours?

Good Timing

I am a woman of little patience. My husband knows this well, my children know this well. I crave to have things done on time, in order, and the moment I say so. Although my husband may disagree, I AM working on it! I work on it when I am in a slow moving line at the grocery store, when we have slow service out at a restaurant, but mostly what puts my bum in gear on working on it is when I see the same trait appearing in my children, not a good feeling to know you are responsible for that. How do I work on patience? Honestly, it has worked more on me. After I read that God's timing is always perfect and really thought about it, it stuck with me. When a babysitter wasn't right on time, that scripture came to mind and instantly soothed me. Who am I to argue with Him about timing of things? When my husband isn't home right on time, obviously the Man Upstairs had bigger plans for him at the moment than helping to cut chicken into bite size pieces for a one year-old. I have tried to instill this scripture into my children, reminding them that when things don't happen on their time it is ok.
Amazingly enough, as I have repeated this mantra in my head, something crazy has happened. More and more moments of Thank-you God for amazing timing have happened, and less of "why is this not happening my way?" moments have come to pass, small miracles.
One of these miracles came as an early Christmas miracle. It had been raining for the past week (who am I kidding? probably the past 13 days) in our state and finally this day the sun was shining!! The girls and I broke free of the house to soak in some much needed vitamin D. On my mind were thoughts of some of Santa's presents that were to be delivered early from the workshop and how I was going to get everything done as December 25th quickly approached. As the UPS man came to a halt at our driveway I wasn't too anxious knowing my oldest isn't a fluid reader yet, so any package from Santa I could play off as something for Daddy's work. The UPS man came down off of the truck and informed me that for some reason Santa had put a picture of the play kitchen on one side of the box it had come in and as he said this, glanced to my two girls playing in the front yard. He then when onto to say that he could put the large box (one that I couldn't slide, let alone carry) picture side down in the corner of our garage.
As he excited the garage I literally gave him a high five (the high five is still cool on most given days) and said God bless, and meant every word of it, God's amazing timing just filled up our yard. Think about it. If it had been raining, no way would I have let any man into our home to hide a box without my husband home, and the other consequence would have been some magic being stolen and Santa and I having to cover our tracks rather quickly as to why two little girl's play kitchen hadn't come on Santa's sleigh. No doubt about it, an everyday miracle. THANK-YOU, GOD, FOR YOUR PERFECT TIMING.