A dum dum sucker + a cookie - shoes = a winning mama moment

Yes, I drive the carpool TO school...and this morning the boys amazingly slept until 7:10...which means they watch their cartoon and then it is time to eat breakfast, get dressed, and get out the door by 8:15. When we are up at 6 or even 6:30 we have a much calmer start to the day...I am not complaining though - 7 am wake time today was wonderful!

However, getting out of the house was a little rushed. I remember grabbing Henry up and telling myself to pop back inside and grab his shoes - just bring them along. Well, I forgot. But, I wanted to get groceries....so I chanced it. Henry hasn't ridden in a cart for several months. Advice to any parent verging on this stage - DO NOT LET THEM WALK! THEY WILL NEVER RIDE AGAIN!

All the way in I explained to Henry that he would have to ride today because he didn't have shoes on..."NO! WALK!" was his response. So I whipped out a dum dum lollipop and shoved him in the seat, buckled him, put my shoulders back, and held my head high and began...then as we passed the bakery (which is the second section in our shopping route he started screaming, "COOK!" He wanted the free cookie...so I got him that too...so yes, I bribed him to ride with a lollipop in one hand and a cookie in the other. We made it through but the lady that checked me out couldn't believe that I forgot his shoes (yes, she was like 19 years old)...because by that point he was whining to "Walk!" again.

We survived but his face was a sticky, chocolaty mess at 9 am! Yes, things here are not all perfect and smooth - I did what I had to do - with my head held high. Did you have an impressive mommy moment today? ;)

Books that inspire the spirit of the season...

This is the time of the year when the book box in our living room overflows with all the holiday and winter books that I have collected over the years. The boys sit quietly looking at them independently and bedtime is less of a battle when we remind them to go pick a few before heading up. I can't wait for the tree to add to the ambiance of reading holiday stories. I thought I would share a few of my old favorites. Of course there are so many to enjoy but these are the ones that I always look forward to...

1. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

The story of believing! I have yet to see the movie and am okay with that. The book is magical all by itself. May you always hear the ring of the bell.

2. Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

Lois always does a fantastic job with her books. The pictures are so fun.

3. How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss

This book is entertaining for adults too. I chuckle at the story and love reading a book with a good rhythm.

"Twas the night before Christmas and at the North Pole,
Santa was rockin' and ready to roll.
His seat belt was buckled, his reindeer were fed,
And five billion toys were stuffed into his sled.
There were dolls that said "Mama" and dolls that said "goo,"
Dolls that made music and dolls that made poo.
There were dolls that grew tall at the push of a button,
And a doll, best of all, that didn't do nuttin'."

4. Twas the Night Before Christmas

Charley had this one memorized by the age of three. It is tradition.

5. My Penguin Osbert by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

I love this story. Someday when I am in the classroom again I will use it to teach creative writing and writing with details. The little boy in this book asks for extravagant items but doesn't always describe them clearly in his letters to Santa...and the adventure follows.

What are your favorite holiday stories?

Holiday recap

Amazing moments from our family's Thanksgiving Extravaganza...

Amazingly, I barely cracked my computer during our 5 days of travel. I also didn't take as many pictures as I had hoped...and the ones I took were disappointing. I haven't felt really bloggy lately and it is making me a little sad. I hope that the month of December inspires me again.

Travel is easy with two little boys. I love that I can say this. Our boys have grown up travelling long distances to see those they love. Today we made it from my parents house to our home without getting the boys out of the car (6 hours). BAM! We eat in the car and there is very little commotion.

We were able to squeeze in a night with Ed's high school friend Mike and their family. The boys love playing together, the mom's catch up, and Ed and Mike have little smiles as soon as they see each other.

Ed's Aunt Katy hosts Thanksgiving EVERY YEAR! She hosts it at her magnificent table! The meal is amazing, canasta is fun, and almost everyone sleeps at their house. Thank you Aunt Katy for making your house open to all of us.

My brother was in charge of making the turkey this year at my family's dinner. He did an amazing job. The rest of the meal was 95% dairy free.... I think. Both my sister and brother live dairy free lives right now. We managed to have everything we traditionally have and we were able to make most of it dairy free. I don't think anyone could tell :) My sister's plate was as full as mine! I am so proud that we were able to do this so that the meal was fantastic for all.

We were able to see both Great Grandparents...Ed's Grandma Penny and my Grandpa Schnooksie.



Our little picky eater, Henry, napped through one Thanksgiving feast and he sat totally overwhelmed at the other. Later in the day he did enjoy a piece of bread and butter; note the butter smile on his face.


Saturday night we once again pulled out some childhood board games that we used to play with my grandma. At one point we all had tears rolling down our faces from laughing so hard. I love having this time with my family and I love that Ed is there sharing in it with me.

It amazes me how a year ago Ed and I had siblings expecting babies. To think that a year from now life can change in such huge ways. Loved this little moment that I caught...

It was a joy to see Morgan and Eli again. Both are doing so well. Eli is still a little hunk of love. He is a tiny guy but gives such BIG JOY!


Amazingly, at both celebrations all who were invited attended. Everyone felt healthy. I found this amazing -this year especially.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. The time always goes way too fast. But before we know it Christmas will be here. Yikes - there is so much to do these days. Time for some shut eye. Happy Monday all!

Grace in Small Things #36

So it is that time of the year,
when our family packs up and spends a ton of time in the car,
getting to all those that we love.
We eat, play games, eat, catch up, watch football, celebrate, drink, eat, and relax.
Thanksgiving is a time to pause and realize all that we are thankful for.
Grace in Small Things has really helped me pause more often to realize life is filled with people, moments, things etc to appreciate and find thanks in. Today I am thankful for...

1. Last night Ed and I had date night. The boys did great with the babysitter. We had dinner and saw a movie and came home smiling.

2. Health- last week it was questionable how hard our house was going to be hit with the seasonal sick crap. But we survived. The boys are pretty healthy ( a little cough here and there) and I am doing better too. And from what I hear - all those that we hope to see for the upcoming Thanksgiving festivities are feeling good too.

3. Ed was able to take off this week so that he could get an extra day of hunting on Monday. Yesterday he had some jobs to do around the house - he wanted to clean out the dryer duct thingy and then he wanted to put up the Christmas lights. It was too rainy and wet to put up the lights but he did get a few basement jobs checked off his list. I also was able to go get a haircut without 2 kids in tow running circles around my chair. Yay! The boys love when their Daddy is home for an extra day.

4. Charley's conference for preschool was yesterday. The teacher once again started out by saying, "I would take a class full of Charleys." And I remember when I was teaching and held conferences that if I said this to a parent I really hoped that they understood how much I meant it, and what a compliment it was....I sure hope she means it too, because this compliment means the world to me. She said he is listening, independent, a good role model, polite, where he should be or above, excited, sings a little, plays nice, etc. She said he also gets silly with the kids which they like to see too. She noted that he has started writing his name mirror image backwards lately - which can be common at this time, especially with left-handed writers. I have noticed that too. So we will work on that - without him knowing we are working on it. Overall the conference was good. I am having some issues with preschool this year but Ed has calmed me down, the conference helped, and I will relax now. Thank you friends who have listened to me blabber on about preschool. Charley loves his class, his teacher, and the routine and that is the most important thing.

5. Today we will hop in the car and travel all over to see family (and even some friends) for the Thanksgiving holiday. We have so far in our "married with children" life been able to see both families every holiday the best we can. We love that both sides of the family value large family celebrations, time to get together and just "be". It is always a struggle to figure out how we are going to see everyone when holidays fall awkwardly during the week. And now with two kids it is harder to put them in the car for long drives every other day. Christmas is really hard. Easter we do it. And then Thanksgiving. I am really thankful that we are included in all of our families celebrations. I am especially thankful that my children already show a huge excitement for the festivities. I am also very thankful for my mom and dad - who have given up having us home on Christmas the last year or two. They also have given up having us home on Thanksgiving for the last few years. They have been so flexible to make "our Thanksgiving" and "our Christmas" on a different day so that my sister and I can share in our other husband's families celebrations. I have grown up in a family that had traditions and holidays that were celebrated when the people could be together, not necessarily on the day that the world celebrates. Santa even came on a different day for us. I just want them to know that I really appreciate that they have been flexible and I am sorry that Thanksgiving day and Christmas day are once again a different day for you this year. And GREG! You too - you always go with the flow and let your bossy sisters rule the roost. We LOVE that you are so considerate of our extended families.

Anyways, holidays are probably one of the biggest stresses when you get married. They get that much more complicated when you have children - Mike, Becca, Raina and Andy will feel that this holiday season when they have in their hearts that EVERYONE wants to experience Morgan and Eli's first Christmas with them. Ed is so relaxed and is so willing to go with the flow with my desire to be everywhere at the same time. I think he would often times consider a quiet Christmas and Thanksgiving at home...however, he has a GREAT time once we have arrived and taken off our shoes. So today - we begin our hours upon hours in the car.

Happy Thanksgiving friends - I hope that you are able to celebrate the way you want, with the people that you love, in a pair of pants that allows for flexibility - because if you are lucky like me...this is your chance to stuff one too many of Grandma Charlie's potato dumplings down the hatch.

Three days down...

Last year at this time these were my thoughts. For some reason this year the weekend of being a hunting widow has been harder for me...maybe it is the fact that the boys aren't 100%, maybe it is that I am not 100%, maybe it is that last weekend was supposed to be my weekend and it wasn't. Maybe it is the fact that I don't have my camera. Ed is guaranteed 3 weekends a year of fun getaways - to revitalize, replenish,and recharge. These weekends are planned and all he has to do is confirm and go. When he goes hunting he is essentially unreachable - I can't pester him with emails or phone messages. Bless this time for him and I hope he understands the value and importance. I am so glad he gets it.

I guess, you will notice I have written quite a bit about this topic - of "me" time. I think because this time of year hits hard. It gets darker earlier - the ease of a change in scenery by heading outside for those long two hours between 4pm and 6pm is no longer an option. The holidays are upon us and the stress of fitting everything in - stretching the normal monthly dollar to manage extra groceries for things that need to be baked or cooked...and then of course the ever stressful present shopping. Add to that the energy that your children have about all the excitement of the season. All of it weighs heavily on a mother's shoulders. So it is around this time when I realize that "single" parenting is an enormous job that I am so glad I don't have to do daily.

One of my new years resolutions ( I know it is early but I want to remember this one)is to find time where I can replenish my soul, recharge with mama energy, and remind myself that every moment is precious with these two little buggers who make me smile one minute and grit my teeth the next. It might not be golf outings twice a year or hunting in the woods...but something that allows me the feeling of "I can't wait to get home and see my family."

Today was about not doing my hair and wearing sweats all day. It was about playing 10 games of Memory and 6 games of Go Fish (thank you to the bowling party goodie bag). It was about dumping toys out of every bin and making a mess out of the house (but that is the sign of a good day). It was about having the neighbor girls over for some fun, eating hot dogs for lunch - again, and and an extra Dora cartoon. It bothers me on days when the house is a pit and my hair looks like it did when I woke up (I did shower I just didn't follow through with the rest). Yet, I realize that what matters today is that we had a fun day.

And you ask...who protects us when daddy is gone...my knight in shining armor! Can't wait for your return tomorrow Ed. Love you!

HAHA! Raina!

WHA-HA-HA-HAAAAA! My evil laugh!

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Grace in Small Things #35

1. We survived two 5-year old birthday parties...one at a bowling alley and one at an inflatable indoor park. Charley had a super time and I loved taking it all in. The two moms who threw the parties amazed me. I hope they are sitting back with a cold brew or a glass of wine tonight realizing how lucky their kids are to have them as moms.

2. A bowl of neapolitan ice cream...hits the spot.

3. I love knowing that those I love are enjoying the weekend: My parents are enjoying a weekend with good friends and the Packers. My husband is enjoying the quiet woods while hunting. My sister is having a nice weekend at home with her family. My brother is having an adventure. My mother in law got to shop with her daughter. My friend Lynelle is enjoying a weekend away with the girls. My friend Jesse is on a family vacation. My friend Sarah is due any day now with her third miracle! And so on....

4. I am thankful that Charley has been so patient about eating his Halloween candy. I Loved this idea...we still have a mighty big bowl of Halloween loot leftover. This might be in the plans for next week.

5. I appreciate that every night before I got to bed I reflect on the day and always look forward to a new day tomorrow...a fresh start...

Santa doesn't buy the toys - he makes them!

So during one of Charley's less than finer moments today I of course had to bring up Santa...Here is our conversation:

Mama: Charley, this time of year you have to really watch it.

Charley: Watch what?

Mama: Watch your behavior and your choices.

Charley: Why? Why this time of year?

Mama: Because, this is the time of year when everyone that loves you is thinking about giving you a special gift...including Santa. You remember, he is watching to see if you are making good choices.

Charley: Well I do want a Wii from Santa.

Mama: Well, that is a big gift. Those are expensive...you better make really good choices.

Charley: Well mama, don't you know! Santa doesn't buy the presents. He makes them.

And I will end it here because this stuff is tough - man being a parent can actually make your brain hurt. I went into this longgggggg explanation on how Santa knows how much things are at Target and then thinks about the choices a child makes...and I think eventually, Charley wandered from the kitchen and I was still explaining to the apple I was slicing how Santa rationalizes the toys he "makes" and gives. HAHAHA! Now I have tears coming down my face. Seriously - if I wasn't a hunting widow this weekend I would have a glass of wine in my hand.

Kept my cool...

So tomorrow is a huge day for Charley. He has two birthday parties - one after another...one bowling and one at an indoor park thing where there are blow up slides etc. He will be exhausted. These are his first two "real" birthday parties. I just first mentioned one of the parties this morning but didn't mention both. And I didn't even remind him where the party would be held. I was trying really hard to not talk about it because if he got sick and had to miss them it would be devastating. While he was at school this morning I took Henry to Toys R Us to get birthday presents...

On a side note...these being our first two birthday parties..I have no clue what people give at these things... how much they spend...and I have no idea what toys they have. I just knew I couldn't take Charley this time.

So I brought Henry. When we got home I put the big bag up on the washer and dryer - PLOTTING that I wouldn't even show them or talk about the parties until Saturday morning. So when Charley got home from school what did Henry do....He toddled into the laundry room and yelled, "Charee! ------- Charee! ----See! See!" So cute but yet it was not how I planned to get through this day.

So Charley went into the laundry room and there stood Henry pointing at the big Toys R Us bag. Nice! So the excitement began. For the rest of the day I could tell Charley was ruined of all rational thought. Everything was emotional and blown out of proportion. He was feisty, mean, and even said things to me like, "If you turn that off I will come hit you." This is not something my Charley ever says. The excitement of the birthday parties is either to blame...or tomorrow when he wakes he will be full blown sick....or he was just really tired and will be a changed man. I did convince him to take a nap and he slept for over an hour! I figured he would have some popcorn and a movie time with me tonight..but Heck NO! Not when he was acting like he was. So he was in bed and I was out of there by 7:20.

Let it be known that I kept my cool extremely well tonight and even tried reading a story from his bible and tried to relate it to our day (the story I read was about Saul who didn't treat Jesus or his followers nicely. Jesus made Saul blind and then led him to see again...I don't know it was really too short to get too much more detail...but in the end Saul could see and saw that he was NOT treating people respectfully and he was a changed man. They changed his name to Paul...)yes, I was Jesus in my discussion with Charley. We decided no one would want Saul to come to their party...but Paul would for sure be invited! He decided as Henry's big brother that grump Saul would not be a good big brother for Henry. We talked a little about respect and listening...So tomorrow I told him, "I hope when you wake you can see again....that I am your mama who loves you and wants to bring you to 2 fun birthday parties...etc." Am I good or what! Hilarious!

To end...I left his room at 7:20 and he was sleeping by 7:45...even with the long nap! Incredible- the boy was tired. I just pray that he wakes a changed man. He was definitely not himself today. I am so excited for him and can't wait to share in the fun. He is a lucky boy and he is a good boy...but damn that kid is exhausting!

And as I type this I am finding out that Oprah is announcing her retirement! WHAT! My life is over! More on this issue later! Night!

Grace in Small Things #34

1. I've Got a Feeling by the BlackEyed Peas is an excellent song. It is great for working out. I have been craving my exercise time so I can listen to this song. It makes me want to work out and it makes me feel so happy...maybe it is the memory of the Oprah kickoff flash mob dance thing...I don't know. But it is great! I have worked out 4 times this week so far! I have to note this because it motivates me to keep going. Do you have a favorite workout song...I could use a recommendation.

2. I got both boys to nap today. I can tell Charley is on the verge of catching what Henry had. He has also been very crabby in the afternoons. He has a very big and exciting day tomorrow...and I convinced him his chances of participating tomorrow would increase drastically with a little extra sleep...so he took an hour and half nap duct taped to his bed (just kidding).

3. The Christmas bins are about to rise from the depths of our basement. Charley has been begging to decorate and I am going to cave very soon. It just doesn't feel like Christmas yet...with all the sunshine, green grass, and mild temperatures...so we will give it a go when the sun sets...today or tomorrow.

4. Sausage pizza...for some reason I am obsessed with it. And I really want to kick off my widow hunting weekend with it..ha! But Charley is due to eat pizza twice tomorrow...is it fair to make him eat it for dinner tonight?

5. The board game Trouble. We have been playing nightly against daddy and he wins every time. Charley and I will work hard to figure out our strategy this weekend so we can take him down when he gets home!

Frugal Food Friday #2

You will probably notice that one of the ways I save is by using our freezers. Our freezer in the kitchen is packed full and our deep freezer in the basement is too full too. I am campaigning for another freezer because I really think it saves us time and money.

Tips today:

1. When you buy things like applesauce or spaghetti sauce buy them in large containers. If you are like us - we don't eat a ton of sauce on our spaghetti. And sometimes we head out of town and the applesauce or spaghetti sauce go bad before I am able to use it. Why buy large containers...well for the price. It is way cheaper to buy a large jar than a smaller jar. So take the large jar and portion it out in zip bags...I usually do one cup servings or two if I know I will want more. If you lay them flat in the freezer they will freeze in nice flat packs. They will stack easy. They pop right out of the bag when you want to thaw or they can thaw in the bag in the fridge over night. When I had baby food eaters I bought applesauce in a large organic jug and then froze it in ice cube trays, popped them out, and stuck them all in one Ziploc bag and when I needed a serving I just grabbed what I needed. That works for any baby food you make.

2. A cheaper way to get a nice amount of chicken for soups, casseroles, enchiladas etc...buy a whole chicken. Wash it, throw it in the crock pot with a cup of water, and cook it for 8 hours. When you get home you can take the chicken off the bone and you have yourself way more for way less money. I think you can buy a small Golden Plump Chicken for $3.59 at Target. And organic ones or cage free birds there are only a few bucks more...I hate taking the meat off the bone when it is all hot and juicy and slimy. So I usually put it in the fridge over night and take it off the next day when it is cold. But it is way cheaper...

3. And yesterdays potato egg recipe really is quite affordable. Give it a try. I dare you!

This week I am excited that green grapes were on sale at Target for $0.49 a pound on Monday! And they were good. Sometimes grapes aren't good ones - these were.

I also found today that Nathan's hot dogs...our favorite were on sale for $1.79 a pack...instead of their normal $3.99-4.99 a pack. I bought three packs. Threw two in the freezer and have one ready for the boys.

Sausage Egg Baked Potato Adventure...

So tonight for dinner I was feeling a little adventuresome....you'll understand after you read the blog that inspired me...I had to be feeling nutty. These intrigued me. The recipe is from here.

Like the blogger it took way longer than 45 minutes to bake my potatoes- but I had time. I used huge potatoes too. Ed and I liked them enough. Charley didn't love them and Henry wouldn't touch them. Ed and I agreed that the concept was great but we might try some alternative fixings...maybe a little veggie or some cheddar cheese...but overall they would be an amazing thing to whip out for guests. They look pretty cool. You could totally make these ahead of time and then just plop the egg on and bake. Here are the results of my adventure tonight...it took 2 hours...because the potatoes I used were huge. I think next time I would still use huge potatoes but I would bake them half way first in the microwave. I do not agree with the 10 minute prep time. It took me a little longer to clean out the potatoes...but the time is for a single batch and I doubled mine...so 20 minutes would make sense. The expense is not much. Butter, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, and breakfast sausage of some kind...all can be very affordable!

So here is a picture of them before they baked:


And here is a picture of them after they came out of the oven. I think I did a pretty damn good job for my first try!



Are you trying a new recipe this week?

They melt in your mouth...and down your chin...not in your hand!

Henry is still dealing with a little bug. Today his cough is much much better but he now is working on a nice low grade fever. He is eating like a champ and took an okay nap, he has yet to catch up though on a few shorter naps this week and then of course the midnight trip to the ER on Monday. So he is tired..you can see it in his eyes in this video.

Today he got up from nap and I could hear the pitter patter of his little feet and his little grunt as he climbed the stool. Then I heard the Halloween candy bowl get dragged on the counter, some candy wrestling around, and then a few more grunts as he climbed down. Then he appeared at my side with what he wanted.

Here is Henry enjoying some m&ms....they aren't PEZ...but you can tell they are so good...they don't melt in his mouth but they definitely melt down his chin. The crunching could definitely become a pet peeve if they weren't so adorable.

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Things that are making me smile these days...

1. I love making my boys breakfast every morning...cleaning up - not so much...but discussing it a bit with them, surprising them, or just being bossy mom and saying this is what we are having. It is a joy to watch them devour it. I think it is the meal where they eat the most.



2. Preschool mornings are going great. The mornings aren't rushed or crabby. Charley is excited to go every school day. We have a great carpool system set up which means I only have to drive two out of the 6 times each week.

3. This blog made me smile. It is a little long but I love some of her thoughts on the outlandish list of Oprah's holiday gift ideas.

4. Last night I fed the boys an early dinner. Once the boys were in bed Ed and I had a yummy dinner while watching How I Met Your Mother together. It is the one show we enjoy together each week.

5. Working out - I have used my elliptical 6 out of the last 9 days! I am up to 30 minute workouts on there. I WILL continue with this. This has resulted in a ton more water consumption. It must be the enormous amount of sweat that results in one thirsty mama!

6. Henry is more like himself and far less coughy. We will head in for a check up with his doctor today. He slept good last night - me, I was still up checking on him every hour or two but he slept well.

7. Henry loves his big brother and is constantly reminding me that he is not here when Charley is off playing somewhere or at school. He asks, "Char-E?" after nap everyday.

8. I have a friend that knew I had a late night on Monday and could use a little help justifying having a movie afternoon with Charley. She dropped off her favorite popcorn (Boyscout brand). She and I are popcorn loving girls. Thanks Jesse! It was a treat! We'll have to find time to go get the movie theater stuff again soon.




9. PEZ - you know the old candy that you stick in the dispenser. Henry has learned how to work it and enjoy it. It totally makes him happy and so extremely proud. I give him four at a time and after filling it and then handing it to him, he waddles away and then turns and says, "Byeee (while waving)." He is so proud. Then from across the room I watch him find a spot and eat them all in less then 20 seconds. SO cute!

10. Anticipation of Thanksgiving travels - We will make our rounds visiting family and even some friends! Can't wait to hold babies, visit, consume unbelievable amounts of calories, and play games! It goes fast - I am always too full - but it is oh so much fun!

You know you are a mom when...

You know you are a mom when you realize life is out of your hands and the gift of motherhood doesn't take a break - not for one night, one day, or one moment.

This past weekend both boys were supposed to go to grandmas. But the boys got sick so mama's plans changed. One boy ended up going north but the other, with his runny nose, stayed home. He got to witness Girls Night.

My friend Kim was supposed to arrive that evening free of her little miracle, Tommy. But on her 40 minute drive here she got a call that resulted her in picking her son up from Grandma's and bringing him along for Girls Night.

And Molly well she showed up with one of her little miracles attached at the boob -she is nursing...easier to bring baby.

Did we all mind - not in the least, but would it have been nice to stay up chatting and having a glass of wine knowing we could sleep until 8 instead of 5! Yes! One of us was up at 5, one at 6 and one at 7! Motherhood doesn't stop.

Now last night when I wanted to sleep motherhood kicked it in high gear and off to the ER I went with my little Hankers. There was no where else I would have wanted to be...except sleeping peacefully, knowing Henry was healthy boy.

Today, I have a friend who had a funeral to attend. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. She has twin boys - good friends of Charley. She had three of us friends all willing to watch so she could go and be with her family and not worry what her boys were doing. They are safe - but motherhood doesn't stop when things like funerals come along.

Motherhood - changes by the minute. And what makes mothers amazing - we keep up, for the most part, we roll with the punches, whether we are sad, scared, worried, grieving, sick, overtired, or distracted. We ARE mothers - we keep going -and going- and going!

Midnight run to the ER

Henry started the croup-y barky cough yesterday afternoon and by bedtime I was getting worried....and by 11:43 PM we were heading to the ER. I called our doc and the nurse had me hold the phone up to him and she said 10 minutes in the bathroom with the hot shower going and then take him in. He had the strider part of the croup going on. He sounded amazingly better after the shower and was a good little patient at the nearly empty ER (SCORE!). His lungs sounded great which confirmed it was croup. They did a dose of steroids and then we headed home back to "da-EE, Char -EE, and sha-ER." The three things Henry kept telling me during the little midnight outing.

He was up at 6 this morning and sounds better but the cough still sounds so horrible and his little eyes are so tired. Low key is the word for today! Henry immediately pulled up his pj pant leg to show Charley his ER band. I will call his doctor in a bit to see if they want to see him.

Happy Tuesday all! We wish you a healthy day!

PS One tired mama here today...and one tired daddy at work. To help me get through the day I put 5 new songs at the top of my blog playlist...hope you like them. Always looking for good music to share...any suggestions!

Sometimes you have to force yourself...

So this weekend the boys were SUPPOSED to head north so that Ed could get ready for hunting and the boys could have some time with Grandma. Charley had a fever thing go on in the evening on Thursday night. I saw my dreams of a weekend of "me time" disappear quickly. On Friday he was fine and I started to get excited but then the fever appeared around 4 pm again! So to make a long story short - We canceled plans and decided - better safe than sorry.

On Saturday morning I woke up realizing that I barely ever leave the house anymore by myself. I am either leaving with the boys attached to my hands (love that they hold my hands by the way!). I am trucking them hear and there. And then when evening comes I just want to be home with my family. Friends who know me well know that I am a homebody - I would rather host than go out or go visit. I like to be home when it is cold and I like my evening routine (our boys go to bed nicely around 7 so it is quiet and calm here). I used to have Bunko with school friends once a month. I used to be on the MOMS club board and we met at least once a month to hash things out. However, realizing that by not leaving the house by myself I am starting to feel a little "not myself." So Ed said, GO! Still go Christmas shopping, get yourself a hot chocolate, go have lunch...whatever, but go! So in tears I left the house - wanting to turn around and insist that we meet for lunch.

I spent most the morning doing a little bit of Christmas shopping and a little bit of "me" shopping. I walked the mall and had lunch by myself and read my book. When I called to check in, Ed and I talked and we decided he would take Charley north with him later that afternoon and Henry would stay with me. I had two of my girlfriends over for some dinner, wine, and chatting. They got me motivated to set some goals and work towards them. We will get together again in a few months to check in. I am totally pumped!

Even though I would have been just fine having family time again this weekend it is so good for my soul to breathe, remember that I don't have anyone attached to me, I am a woman of my own who is also a mother. I think this is an issue that some stay at home mom's can find themselves with. By not leaving the house for a job that we have worked hard to independently achieve, we can at times lose our self and find we are living for your kids, about about kids, and life is the kids. This goes for moms that work outside of the home and dads, too.

My kids are my life...however, before them I was a woman that Ed fell in love with. I was a teacher...with my Masters. I was a girl friend who enjoyed an occasional martini. I was a reader of many books. I was a movie go-er and popcorn eater. And I know that I am still these things and many more because of my role as a mother and wife. And if I don't take time to remember this and nurture it, I won't benefit my children or my husband.

So thank you Ed for encouraging me to GO! And thank you mom for the pep talk! And thank you Molly and Kim for coming and hanging out! It is amazing what support from loved ones, some time with the girls, a little time to myself, and some shopping can do for a person - especially for a mom.

Frugal Food Friday #1

Someone asked me for some tips on cheap meals and to motivate me to continue my goal of grocery shopping on a budget I am going to try and post a tip or two on Fridays...how we try, and I mean TRY, to live frugal with our food. If you have any tricks email me and I will give you credit and share!

Today I started brainstorming and so I will just grab three items off my list to share. I am no expert and many of the ideas I have gotten from other blogs or books or friends...and many of them are obvious but for me, when I read a tip from someone it motivates me and reminds me what I already know...or it makes me think about something I do in a different way. So some of these things might be so dumb. But like I said, I think this will motivate me to keep up the frugal shopping.

Many grocery stores give you credit if you bring your own bags to haul your goods home in. Target now is doing this too! You get 5 cents off your bill for each bag you use. It might be small...but think about how many times you run into Target and how many bags you carry home. You could easily pay for a can of cream of mushroom soup with the bags alone!

Second, Big savings for us has always been taking a recipe and splitting it in half and making a 9x13 pan of something in two 8x8 pans. Freezing one for another night. Ed and I tend to overeat when we make a whole pan of something and I get lazier about making side dishes if we have a huge pan of something. So by making a half pan I have to supply sides that give us a healthier meal and better portions. I also found that sometimes the leftovers would end up getting tossed because life got busy and they just sat there. Just an idea.

Third, One of the ways I have started saving on our grocery bill is committing to only buying meat when it is on sale. If chicken isn't on sale then we eat something different that week. If a meat item is really nicely priced I will stock up a bit. Another thing I have noticed at Target is they discount their meat if it is going to expire. The other day I bought ground turkey and it was $2.50 off making it under 2 dollars for the pound. If you do this you do have to commit to freezing it right away, cooking it up and freezing it, or using it. But you can really score some deals if you catch one of these deals. I have noticed them more often.

Off the topic....

One other thing that has been on my mind....please do not heat anything in plastic. I know everyone knows this, but periodically I read an article about this and it reminds me how careful you have to be about reheating. I freeze in plastic but I haven't microwaved in plastic for years. Every Christmas I ask for more Pyrex storage bowls...if you are stumped on what to ask the "Big Red Man" for Christmas this year...Pyrex storage dishes. Don't chance it!

This is why you have two....

I am totally reaping the benefits of having two children these days. All morning they have been conversing and enjoying each other's company. They even had a disagreement and worked it out. It sounded like this:

Charley: Mama, can I watch Backyardigans? Henry do you want to watch Backyardigans?
Henry: NO! (yelled)
Charley: Please, I want to watch Backyardigans.
Henry: NO! DORA! Yelled louder.
Charley: Please Henry.
Henry: NO! D-D-D-Dora!
Charley: That's kind of funny Henry. (laughing) Dora has a girl in the show.
Henry: Boots!
Charley: Yes, you are right. Boots is a boy.
Henry: (pointing down at his feet) Shoes?
Charley: No Boots doesn't wear shoes. He wears BOOTS

This morning Charley hung out with us instead of going to school because for 4 hours last night he had a temperature. Not today though! He is all himself...but who knows...we'll see what the rest of the day brings. It is now up in the air how the weekend will turn out. Ed says I jinxed it.

So this morning the boys played for an hour at the kitchen table with play dough. Charley talked to Henry the whole time and even worked with him on sharing and saying Please! Henry gave Charley the burger making thing for his birthday. It is a little dippy but Charley has played with it for hours already!

This would be why two is worth it. This is why three isn't as overwhelming to think about.

What makes my week sane?

As we near the end of the week I always think back and wonder how we got through the week, faster than expected, happy, and healthy. When I started staying home I knew it was going to be a challenge not to feel isolated. I knew I was going to work REALLY hard not to spend money like I did "before". When I had a day off of work we would go all out: a pricey activity, lunch out, dinner take out, a little shopping for myself or Ed or Charley...it added up fast. But since making the decision to be home I have had to pinch a bit more and think about things.

One of the areas that I have really cut back on is shopping - why do I need to shop for myself when I just wear t-shirts and jeans daily. I do know I do not want to be one of those mom's that is submitted into Oprah for a mommy makeover, so I do try to not wear cozy pants every day of the week - and I hardly ever wear sweat-like clothes ALL day.

In the last month or so I have really tried hard to enjoy the kitchen so that we weren't tempted to eat out as much. My meal group also helps with this (tonight's Cheeseburger soup is like eating take out - thanks to Gwen!). After spending a few weeks really watching what I spend at the grocery store I realize that for us to have a yummy salmon dinner (all four of us) we can do that for 15 bucks if we make it ourselves (and Target has some great fresh salmon already seasoned). I will admit that going out to eat is still a treat for the person who makes decisions and cooks most of the meals...and then cleans up. However, to see the bill arrive and to think that I could have made each of the meals the four of us ordered each night of the week for all of us - drives me crazy....I actually feel yucky for the next few days because of this. Guilty. So eating out for lunch or dinner is occurring less often.

Getting back on the subject. At first staying home was scary because there wasn't an automatic group of coworkers I could chat with around the "water cooler" or in the "lunchroom." I wondered if I would have to live without friends. Would I find women to relate to and be able to talk about my babies with. But no worries, I got involved with MOMS club and other activities...and have made some lifelong friends.

Staying home can feel confining but I really feel lucky to be surrounded by other moms that have the same goals because this week - I spent our grocery money and then $2 for a tiny pizza for myself today (since the boys got theirs for free). That's it. The rest of the week was free fun. And we weren't confined to our house...

We walked to a park with Jessie and her girls.
We walked to the park with Heather and her kiddos.
We stopped at park just us.
We went for a long hike with Melody and her two boys.
We had Henry's class.
Charley had preschool.
Charley had a playdate and went on a playdate.
We went to storytime at the library.
We had lunch with Lynelle and Elly after touring the Papa Murphys.

So some people can't imagine being home daily with their children...because they would feel isolated, secluded, alone....and I HAVE MANY DAYS LIKE THAT! or because it costs to much to entertain ourselves...I am surprised often. But this week - because of friends, we had a busy, almost overwhelming week. All for the cost of $2. Thank you friends for hanging out with us.

So, how do I stay sane?
The quick answer: Friends!
Love you all!

Let's just imagine...

You are a mom of ...well at least one child... which means you are constantly thinking about someone else...their sleeping, their eating, their entertainment. As you wander the house during the day you bend down numerous times to pick up toys, often the same exact toy that you picked up 10 minutes ago - and you often wonder why you even attempt. In your ear you hear, "Mama...Mama....MAAAma!" All day long. If you are in my house you hear, "Mama, do you know what?" millions of times a day.

But imagine if you had a day (JUST A DAY - because they are your life!) to have the house all to yourself. Imagine if you had two evenings to occupy yourself without the bedtime routine and the feed the whole family deal (which I do love but day after day it can get exhausting). What if you could wake up when you wanted to? Play your music! Watch what you wanted or have silence!

Wouldn't it be overwhelming! I have experienced this...once or twice...maybe three times - and though it is a gift it also is so overwhelming that it is hard to enjoy. A friend said, when she thinks of things she would do if she had the time she writes them down. Then when she gets a moment she knows where to look. So what would you do...with a day, an evening...a WEEKEND!

What was for lunch?

I know my mom and sister are waiting to see the pictures from this morning's Papa Murphy's pizza tour. We got to see how they shred the cheese, the huge mixer where they make the dough, the machine that flattens it out into pizza dough circles (no one is tossing them up into the air or rolling them out), and we got to see inside the giant cooler that keeps things fresh! Then the boys each got to make a little pizza (which they sell for $2 a piece on a daily basis - didn't know it). Charley made one with cheese and mushrooms and Henry had one with sausages on it and a few mushrooms. It was a great outing. We got home and heated up the oven and baked up our pizzas. It is cooler out today and definitely more dreary - so it was a perfect cozy lunch. Thanks MOMS Club for planning it and thanks Papa Murphy's!!

"No running with Sticks!"

Four boys on their "ship" ( A dock that has been taken out of the lake).

This morning we went on an outing to a county park. We met some friends (Charley's friend from preschool last year and Henry's friend from our ECFE class this year - mom's destined to be friends). We have had a few playdates and the boys get along great...and even more fun is the chit chatting that us moms get when we see each other. I LOVE chatting with her and because we really don't know much about each other it is such fun learning who she is. She is a mother of four and so patient loving. I feel inspired after hanging out with her.

So today her little boy was going to come over for the afternoon but we thought it might be fun to get the little ones together too. So we met at the park and went for a "real" hike. All four boys hiked the whole hour and forty five minutes. The leaves were all down and how relaxing to shuffle through. Charley and his buddy found dead trees to climb on...tried to build a bridge across a creek, and of course found sticks that turned into guns. From afar I found myself repeatedly shouting, "No running with STICKS!" Henry was a little cranky but smiled at different times. It made me think of my childhood growing up in a wooded neighborhood where lots of time was spent just puttering in the woods. It was an hour when I was so glad I had bundled us up and taken the time because watching them play with nothing but sticks was PURE JOY! I am a mom of boys and I hung out with another mom with her two boys - we watched them be boys - while getting in some girl talk! A PERFECT morning.

You know you are a mom of boys...

When sticks become guns!

Grace in Small Things #33

1. I appreciate going to the park with a friend and having her keep a close eye on Henry because I am keeping a close eye on her little one. Isn't that what mom friends are for! Tag Teaming!

2. I was able to whip up a balanced meal within 1 hour of knowing Ed WAS going to be home for dinner (he was not going to be home for dinner).

3. Another beautiful fall day. We hit a park in the morning and we hit a park in the evening. Eeking every last minute of comfortable out of these November fall days.

4. Another meal group swap this month. My freezer is bursting with meals and ingredients..we made a Costco run this weekend. I should not have to spend more than 30 bucks a week on bread, milk, eggs, and fruit and veggies for the next month or two. We are stocked on so much stuff.

5. Time with my boys one on one. Henry and I had his class this morning. He is still pretty clingy but he is liking his teacher and is smiling a lot more. Charley and I had a nice afternoon together playing and learning. Feels good.


Curious for those that read my blog...what do you like to read on here...updates on the kids...pictures...what we are eating...how we are spending the day....my reflections on life...activities I keep them busy with...and is the music annoying? Just curious.

I Got to Give a Haircut!

Growing up I always played school and it was inevitable that I would become a teacher. I also played a lot of house - so to be a mom seems about right. I also dreamed I would be a hairdresser, work in an eclectic salon, wear fashion that was on the cutting edge, and change my hairstyle all the time. Didn't happen....at least not yet.

So today, the weather is gorgeous - even more beautiful than the weekend. I wish Ed could be home to putter around today. It is in the 60's! Amazing for November in Minnesota. So Ed called to check in and I whined about not having anything to do outside. I asked if he could give me some direction. He told me to get out the trimmer/saw thingy and work on the front bush.

My response, "Meaning you want to come home to no bush in front of our house?"

He said, "Whatever I do will be fine; it can always grow back."

So Charley and I went out to work on the bush. We are in need of some landscaping work...and this is the only substantial growth that we have in the front of our house. So I hate to think it wouldn't be there...our house would be really plain then. But I also got excited....

So here are the before and after pictures! This is so fun!

Before

After

In closing, I think I did pretty good for the first time.....however, sadly I think this bush is on it's last winter. Anyone need a haircut?

He's more than a brother...he's a superhero!

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. ~Marc Brown

These last few weeks I have been pondering the idea of changing my blog a bit. I wanted a title that would be more fun. I wanted to take out our last name in case it was read by anyone other than friends and family, which by the way it is not listed out there in any public way! It is listed the same as my other blog but without the last name in our title. I tossed around the idea of trying a different blog host...like Wordpress, Typepad etc. In the end I decided on the title "For the Love of Naps" and I stuck with Blogspot. This is not the point of this post though. The point of this post is to acknowledge my brother...the superhero. He has been encouraging from the start. He has given me feedback on my writing and blogging. He has given me praise which has meant the world to me...because he is a doctor you know. During the last couple weeks not only has he started his new job as a professor but he has also spent HOURS brainstorming and helping me find contentment in my title and other blog decisions. There were evenings when he went back and forth on instant messaging/ ichat tossing around names. He helped Ed and I troubleshoot issues we had with posting and formatting. He has been a superhero.
Credit needs to be given.
Many of his title ideas were SERIOUSLY considered...however, he said,
"you have to feel it."
Thank you Greg! You inspire me in many areas in life. Thank you for being so supportive! Thank you for the hours of listening me ponder all the details.
Thank you for being a superhero of a brother.

And the winner is...

Kimmer! A jar of homemade applesauce (and another little something) will be heading your way!

Happy Saturday evening everyone! I hope you got outside and enjoyed the beautiful fall day! We cleaned gutters, finished raking, trimmed down bushes, cleaned out the garage, rearranged the living room furniture, did the kid project at Home Depot, mowed a bit, swept, and more. Tomorrow...church, a Costco stock up shop, and more outdoor chores. What is the opposite of spring cleaning....fall ?

Christmas list ideas....

Tomorrow I have to have a list to my aunt for a grab name gift...price limit of $25. What should I put on it. It is a hard list to make. On my dad's side of the family we draw names and exchange gifts around Christmas. Ugh....it is hard enough to come up with lists for our immediate family...Any ideas...

Be Present for the Give Away

The November Give Away will end on Saturday at 8 pm. At this point Ed will draw a name to see who wins a jar of homemade applesauce and another little treat...mailed or delivered. You can reply to this initial post. Or you can respond here.

Or you can read this other amazing reminder to be present with your children and respond here. What's for dinner?

Summer days - long gone!

This is the time of year when I think back and remember feeling like I had the whole summer ahead of me. We would have plenty of days to play in the sandbox, run through the sprinkler, stop at a park, go for walks, blow bubbles, and play with chalk.

Now is the time when I wonder - why didn't we stop at the parks more. We never drew the big board game with chalk on the driveway. We hardly ran through the sprinkler and the sandbox didn't get enough time with us. We walked a ton but we should have walked more. And there were friends that we never spent a summer day with...like we planned (Kimmer).


This is the time of year when I love the cozy dark evenings, yet hate that Ed often doesn't see our house in the daylight (since he often leaves before the sun is up and gets home after the sun is down). I love the leaves changing and falling, but it also means colder temperatures - which means kneeling down, helping with shoes (no more sandals ), zipping jackets, recovering lost mittens from odd nuks around the house, and the hat battle.

Here in Minnesota the winters are long. It takes a ton of effort to convince myself and the boys to get outside for some precious vitamin D time. But living in Minnesota also means you get surprise gorgeous days...when the sky is an endless blue, the wind is calm, and the sun warms your face. It is days like yesterday, today, and hopefully tomorrow when it takes a little less effort to bundle up and head out to enjoy the fresh air.

This morning before Charley went to preschool we played hide and seek among our trees. We waved goodbye to Chuck. Then I, in my pjs, pulled out a lawn chair and with my cup of cider sat and enjoyed Henry in his pjs puttering around with the rocks and his car. Fresh air! Sooo good. Last night we stopped at a park as the sun was setting...and boy does the air cool quickly. But the sun on the boys happy faces reminded me to take advantage of these last comfortable days of fall! Hopefully we have a few more this month.

Grace in Small Things #32 Books

So many of you wrote that you would spend your extra hour or part of your hour reading...which makes me wonder what books you would be reading. I go through chunks where I go through a mountain of books. I go from book to book and then I fall into a valley where no books thrill me. I am kind of in a valley right now. I've read several good ones and lately mindless TV takes up my evening...even though I know I fall asleep earlier (always a good thing) and sleep better when I read before bed. So my grace today is for only five (because there are far more) of my top book choices...in no special order...

1. The Twilight series - surprisingly, Devoured it!
2. Any Jodi Picoult book - her best is probably My Sister's Keeper but her newest is great too.
3. The Harry Potter series - savored them and even reread them a few times.
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett - absolutely fabulous!
5. The Other Boleyn Girl

So...what are your top 5 books.

Maybe I can build myself a mountain of books to enjoy this cozy month of November!

Being present....

I always enjoy this blog. This month she posted: Gratitude + Contentment = Joy. All I can say is WOW! Such a good outlook on life.

Lately, I have had anxiety about many things - mostly involving the health and well being of my boys. There are other moments when I get caught up in the worry of keeping the house cleaned up, a healthy dinner on the table, the laundry kept up, correspondence with friends and family, playdates and outings that keep us busy, and so on. Then there are other moments when I am so busy analyzing if my choice of being home is the best thing for myself, my marriage, and my boys. All of these things can weigh heavy on my shoulders at spontaneous moments during the day.

My goal lately is to be present in the moment and to be present with my boys. Slowing down, getting down at their level, taking a break from the worries, the computer, the cleaning, and just playing. Sitting down at breakfast and chatting with them instead of unloading the dishwasher. Being present because even though it stresses me out to think of all the other things I need to get done...I always feel more happy and productive if I take time to just be a mama to my boys.

I am so grateful for these simple days. Making my boys meals, driving Charley to preschool, taking Henry to storytime, taking walks, watching them go from playing nicely to whining and driving me crazy. I am thankful for cozy pants and slipper days. I appreciate the friends and family that correspond, call to say hi, email a message....and it is my challenge to focus on this gratitude and contentment in life. Because like the blog reads...Joy is living in the moment with gratitude and contentment.

The month of November is a time to think grace. It is time to celebrate families, traditions, and time. If you had an extra hour in your day today what would you do with it? What gives you the feeling of contentment? What brings you joy? Share a thought and you will be in the running for a November treat....a jar of homemade applesauce and a little something else :) Become a follower and you will have your name in twice! You have until Saturday at 8pm to share.

What to do with all the loot?

This afternoon while Henry was napping Charley finally felt inspired to sort through his bowl of candy (weird, I know, since most kids want to dive right in the night of!). For an hour he worked on sorting and then graphing what he got. We obviously didn't graph all the different types. Not only did he practice his counting, but he also compared amounts, read labels, worked on his cutting, gluing, and coloring skills, and he ate some yummy candy! Mission accomplished!

Practicing our cutting skills while getting the labels for our graph.

Taking his time and recording his results.

And we're done! Kit Kats are his favorite!

And his social life begins...

Today Charley got two things in the mail! Both birthday invitations! He has only been to his family friend McKenna's birthday parties! So this is a big deal for both him and me. They are both on Saturdays in November and we are scheduled to be home at this point. YAY! I need to find out if it is a drop off party or if I am expected to hang out..either way it is fun! I can see this could get out of control with his neighborhood friends, family friends, and school friends....

Any parents out there that have any advice? How do you deal with all the parties? All the gifts? How do you say no if you already have other obligations (not to the birthday child but to your child!)? So interested in what you have to say!

Grace in Small Things #31 National Housewives Day

Yes! It is an actual holiday - at least some of my friends are claiming this. And I believe them. But today it is National Housewives Day. So today I will be thankful and find grace in 5 things that I appreciate about being a housewife today and not in years past.

1. Dishwashers: I HATE unloading it. But boy am I grateful that I can load it and push wash!


2. Washing machines and dryers: Mine may sound like it is ready to take off into outer space, but I sure do appreciate not having to carry loads to the river to wash by hand. And my days of using the laundry in the dorm basement or at the laundromat have GLADLY passed.


3. Pizza Places: When it is that kind of day - I appreciate being able to swing by and pick up a hot, cheesy pizza that doesn't cause more dishes and counters to be cleaned up.


4. A Bathtub: Not only does it clean my boys on a nightly basis but I have one of my own that I can enjoy on nights when the housewife duties have me needing a glass of wine and bubble time.





5. Freedom: As a woman of today, I had the chance to choose to not only become a wife but to have children and take a leave from my career of teaching to be a housewife. And though some women might not make this same choice, we all can agree that our daughters will grow up with the freedom to choose their own path.


On a side note: when thinking about what a housewife is...I looked it up and was linked to the common web resource...Wikipedia. TAKE NOTE! YOU CAN NOT ALWAYS TRUST EVERYTHING YOU READ - even when you think it is posted on a reputable site: Check out how Wikipedia defines housewife. CRAZY!

A parent thinks she has it all figured out...

and then daylight savings time hits!

Sleep is one of the biggest challenges a parent deals with. At first it is getting them to sleep, racking up good sleep hours, and catching a few zzz's yourself. Later it is about routine, putting them to bed so that you can have some evening time to yourself. Then the focus is napping, how much, when to put them down, how long to let them sleep - do you dare ever skip the nap?! Then you get in a groove and you know what to expect every night. You might not be happy with the hour of rising in the morning but you at least know what to expect. But then Daylight Savings time hits and

SMACK!

You are once again obsessed with sleep and how you are going to get back to good.

Henry has been waking up around 6-6:15 (prior to Saturday's clock change). His body clock is firmly set and there is barely any variance to his morning routine. When we turned the clocks back this year I knew it was a possible life changing event. My hour of wake would soon be 5:15! Sure enough, the first morning he was up at 4:57. Yesterday it was 5:09. Today though - 6:15! Yes, those are bells you are hearing, angels rejoicing, a parade marching down our street! We'll see if it was a fluke or if it only disrupted us for two mornings! Charley on the other hand is still a little mixed up but he is at least able to lay quietly and rest when he sees that his clock doesn't have a 7 on it.

Daylight savings time is not my favorite thing.

Fun in the leaves

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Testing

Alright, for my sister, I will give up the cutesy background. That seems to be the issue right now. We'll see if I can handle the simple black.

Thanks for all the input! 5 people have followed over so far! WOO HOO!

Why the move...

So September 7,2008, a good friend encouraged me to sit down and just putter around with blogging. Who would have thought that it would have become something that has become such a big part of my life. I started blogging to help keep track of my boys' lives. I have been terrible about filling out baby books and organizing photo albums and now realize that this allows me to not only keep track of the typical things but also the little conversations and quirky personality stages that they go through. I am so thankful to have a friend who inspired me to take the time to give it a try.

Maybe my boys won't give a hoot, but if I could have a journal of my mother's that gave insight into her day to day thoughts and feelings as I was growing up I would devour it. To be able to read little stories of my childhood would be hilarious. To know what got her through the long winter afternoons...how she dealt with three kids coming home from school all jabbering away about our day...how she survived making dinners and lunches all those years.

As a stay at home mom I find that my blog gives me something that I do for myself - even though it is mostly about the boys. But the day to day life at home can at times be lonesome or isolating. I find that I start to appreciate this special time less and less from time to time and since I have started blogging I have noticed more gratitude. Each day I strive to find that moment that I want to remember or reflect on. In NO WAY are my days just filled with happy baking, playing, and inspiring motherhood moments - even though some of you might think that as you read...but it is really hard to write about the less top notch moments (like this weekend when Henry and I had a power struggle over a freakin' hotdog during dinner with guests.) I try to include honesty with truth of less prouder moments because I have found that my blog has become more than just a record of my boys lives..it is a way for me to appreciate, reflect, and slow down and be present for all these precious moments that occur in my life.

Blogging has encouraged me to practice writing. Growing up I struggled with the rules of writing. My mom wanted so badly to get me a tutor so that I could get some help with the rules. I will shout from the rooftops that I still don't have a clue when to use lots of punctuation. I use the word 'that' too often and I use .... way too much. I type like I speak and for me it works. I AM NOT a writer.

Blogging has turned me into a MAC girl. Soon after I began blogging my husband and I started fighting over the computer at night, my brother announced he was going to sell his one year old MacBook. We jumped all over that and my life has never been the same.

Blogging has given me resources to other mom's who have inspired me to cook, bake, craft, and try many other ways of thinking and living. I LOVE to read blogs. This is one of the reason I am changing blogs. By getting rid of our last name in our title...and in all old posts (along with any friends or family's last names..)I trust I can correspond with other bloggers by commenting and interacting with them. It is such a fun part of blogging.

Blogging has also inspired me to slow down with my photo taking. To take more pictures. To look at life a little different. I want to keep growing as a photo taker.

Blogging has made many of my friendships stronger but has also brought new friends into my life. I know that friends of friends/family have read my blog and I encourage you to email or throw a thought out there. My blog is no longer just for the grandmas. I am excited to make some new friends through it!

We all have our passions, hobbies, and interests...the things that relax us. That make us happy. That give us pride. My boys are my life right now. I have put my teaching on hold and have chosen to enjoy this time. And some people might think it is silly, but blogging does help "make my day" as I capture and think differently about everything...from making dinner, folding laundry, playing matchbox cars, guys, and blocks, to finding time for me and the other people in my life. Blogging is a little thing...but isn't it the little things that mean the most.

We will kick off the new blog with a give away later this week!

Welcome!

Halloween 2009

The first part of our Halloween was devoted to Charley's birthday. After Henry's nap we dove into some Halloween fun. Well, my boys actually won't touch the inside of a pumpkin. Next year we will question whether we even attempt to carve. Uncle Mike and Grandma helped too.


Ed and I did some carving.

For dinner we had homemade mac and cheese. During dinner we discussed trick or treating and Charley informed me he would share one box of DOTS with me (since he knows I like those- I do like them but really I just hate the idea of him eating those chewy sticky ones). Once it was time to get our costumes on and go chaos began. Henry didn't want to put on his costume. Morgan wasn't too thrilled either. We attempted to get a picture but the stress level was high. But heck, this is what holidays are all about.



This is as good as it gets.

Then we took off for our first stop at the neighbors across the street. I was feeling overwhelmed just getting us all out the door. So when our neighbor offered up the bowl of candy to Charley and she said, "You can take as much as you want." Charley replied, "I will just take these two boxes of Dots. One for me and one for my mom." Tears appeared ...I am a blessed mama.



Trick or treating with daddy.


Watching Ed and his brother Mike trick or treat with the boys was fun! Brothers being dads together.



Henry walked almost the whole way! At one house the lady gave him two pieces and he reached in and took three more.



Morgan was a trooper and was a happy rider all evening!


And after the kids were peacefully sleeping the adults poured out the trick or treat sacks (yes, amazingly Charley didn't dump it out ...odd, I know). It is still a thrill to sort the candy and see what was most popular.

This was the second year in a row that we have spent time with Uncle Mike, Aunt Becca, and Grandma Charlie....could we have a tradition on our hands. Ahhh...traditions, the things that make our children realize they are part of family.