Best Family Night!

Friday night was the best family night! 

Confession: We don't have a ton of "planned" family nights. Our family time usually consists of McD's or a movie before bed. But that's just the business of life right now. So when we do have a planned event, I get a little excited.

Friday was the day we went to see Santa! It's kind of our family Christmas tradition now.{ I guess if you do it the same way three years in a row, it's tradition, right?!} 

First, we visited Santa at Bass Pro Shop ... aka ... the fish store. He is the cutest Santa and they always do such a great job with pics! No one complains if you take your own pictures and they still give you a freebie! And he really listens to what the kids have to say....always a big plus!

Aren't they the CUTEST kids ever?? Or maybe I'm just a little biased!

Then, of course, we visit the fish!

And after all of that excitement, we eat dinner at Steak and Shake! That's how I convince my hubby to going out on a Friday at Christmas time. {He really dislikes traffic and huge crowds of people} 

We finished the night with a trip to the Dollar Store! Maecie found everything princess, Clayton found everything Superhero, and Mom got great stocking stuffers while Dad and Lucie perused the aisles. And of course, Clayton entertained all of the workers with his stories and explanations of everything he was purchasing.

We went early {right at 4:30pm or so}, made sure everyone had eaten, and had many distractions {fish, rides on daddy's shoulders, taking pictures with mom's phone, and straws!} It was a fabulous night. My favorite family tradition!

Gratitude Wrap-Up

So I dropped the ball on my 30 days of gratitude posts. Things got busy and a little out of control (so to say). But I thought about all that I was thankful for on a daily basis! Some of the highlights:

1. My children - Clayton who bring laughter and excitement to our home on a daily basis. Maecie who is teaching me all about how to be a princess. Lucie who is the sweetest, most cuddly baby ever!
2. My family who loves me unconditionally.
3. My parents, grandparents, and in-laws who have loved, taught and supported me in every endeavor.
4. My home and  the shelter it provides our family from the elements. It may not always be in pristine condition, but we feel safe here.
5. My gift of baking. I really enjoy baking and I love even more when my baking can bring comfort to others.
6. My large suburban that is able to carry my children, luggage when needed, a trip home from Costco and more, yet still keep my family and I safe from any crazies on the road.
7. Family togetherness ... when I was 16 years old and my aunt and uncle and grandparents moved into the same town my family and I lived in, I thought we had too much family together time. Now, I wish there could be more!
8. The gifts God has blessed me with - music, food, desire to serve others - and how they bring me closer to my Heavenly Father, my children, my husband, my extended family and my church family.

I guess all in all, you can say my family - far and near - and my blessings from God are the things I am most thankful for. Whether I accomplish all on my to-do list or not, whether I have the latest and greatest or not, I am blessed beyond measure!

30 Days of Gratitude - Days 4 & 5

I figured that at least once or twice during this 30 days of gratitude I would have to double up on my posts because of time constraints. (Did you know there are only 24 hours in a day?! Good grief!) But I didn't think it would be this early in the month....

Day 4: I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (a Mormon). I am a Christian. I read my scriptures and pray. And I am SO incredibly thankful that I live in a country where I can worship God freely, and in the way I desire. When I hear of other countries who are thrown in prison for praying or worse, I can barely fathom it. How blessed and lucky are we to be a part of a country where freedom is actually practiced!

Day 5: I am incredibly thankful for my siblings! Today is my oldest sister's birthday and it served as a reminder that I have awesome siblings. My sisters and brother and I have always been able to spend time with one another, laughing and generally having fun. In spite of our disagreements at times, we know that we can count on one another. Love them all!

My sisters and I two Christmases ago ... missing my brother...

Perspective

After reviewing my last two posts, it seems I'm becoming thoughtful in my "old age". (I just passed my half birthday and am now closer to 30 than 29! Eeek!!) Let's not turn over a new leaf now.

Sunday, my cute little family and I visited Latta Plantation. If you live in the Charlotte area and have not been there, please do so. NOW. There are so many things to do that you can go often and not get bored.

We picnicked close to the lake. Our kiddos are slight water freaks. Like every time we cross a bridge, you are sure to hear "Water!" from at least one, if not both of the speaking children. And so once we were finished eating (meaning we waited as long as we could hold Maecie off), we took a walk near the water. There are so many different trails with trees and rocks and interesting things to see and enjoy. I thought the kids might get a little bored without an actual playground, but they were so excited about nature, they didn't care.

And it was during this said walk that we met Sergeant and Mrs. Brown. Now, Clayton and Maecie are not shy children. I'm not sure where they get it from, because I will smile at people, but not really speak unless I know them. I'm not usually comfortable unless I'm in my own territory. However, this never stops these two from chatting away with whomever they pass.

Sergeant and Mrs. Brown were about in their mid to late 60's. They were seated, holding hands. And as we approached, they commented on our lovely family. Clayton pipes up informing them of his name and that he just started kindergarten. After a brief introduction, the Browns commented on how they had a child as well, but he was 32 years old now. But they have a grandchild. And grandchildren are just as precious. 

Between my middle of the night baby feedings, night time potty training, and combating a cold, I have been a little tired. A little cranky, if you will. And seeing this sweet couple, sitting on a park bench and enjoying one another's company with the quiet of nature came with a slight twinge of jealousy.

And then I thought, as the Browns commented on their child and grandchild, that they might have experienced the same slight twinge of jealousy. 

So today I'm enjoying ages 5, 2, and 6 months. Their entertaining stories, cute little dances, and army crawls!

I guess life is all about perspective.

Nostalgia...Gets Me Every Time!

Whether it's driving down a street, a smell in the kitchen, a saying, or a candy, little things can flood you with memories. And I am a sucker for remembering. 

Things that remind me of my childhood, my grandparents, great-grandparents, or other family and school friends are some of the memories I enjoy the most. They always seem to bring back the simpler times.

So when my children find a candy from "back in the day" that I haven't seen in a while, I become a pushover for the nostalgia!

One such time, we were in Home Depot to pick up a couple of items I needed for a craft project. The kiddos had been pretty good that day, traveling to a few different stores to pick up all the necessary items for my project. And I had promised them a treat for their good behavior. We get up to the check out and there are numerous candies and snacks to choose from. But something had already caught my little man's eye. When he asked for a Push Pop, I paused.

The colorful cap with the black writing. The yellow tube that sticks on your finger to push up the candy. It all sent me back to 3rd grade summer. My best friend, Kristy, and I would ride our bikes through the neighborhood and down some dirt paths to the convenience store. This little store was a bit intimidating, but together, we could do anything! And we would take whatever money we could gather from our piggy banks to buy candy. Chewy Sweetarts, Airheads, Push Pops, and Cow Tails .... memories!

Memories that make me a sucker for buying suckers for my kids! Maybe they will conjure memories for them as well!

What makes you nostalgic?

A Gentle Reminder

We spend most of our young lives going to school. We go every year for at least 13 years. Not because we will forget that 1+1=2, but because if we aren't using it daily, we will forget.

A majority go to church every week. Not because you forget that Jesus said "Love one another", but because you need that reminder after the SUV cut you off on the interstate, the cashier at the checkout gave you the wrong change, and you are starting to doubt people's abilities. 

These things don't make us inadequate, they just make us human.

This past weekend was what we Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) call General Conference. Twice a year we have the opportunity to hear from the leaders of our church, the prophet included. The speakers don't usually say anything we haven't heard before, we just need gentle reminders.

For example, in one talk we were reminded that just going to church on Sundays is not enough. We need to live Christ-like lives daily and be examples to our children, friends, and co-workers. It's not anything I hadn't heard before, yet it was a gentle reminder to live my life the way the Lord has intended.

I began a new job at the start of the school year as a music teacher for a preschool. I have the opportunity to sing songs with 1-5 year olds for 2-3 hours, two days a week. During this time, I share a scripture verse with them and have a short spiritual lesson.

Today, during such a time, I was reminded that I need to have these spiritual moments at home, with my children. I try to set an example and take advantage of teachable moments as one child takes a toy from another. But I don't always set aside time for a spiritual moment. We pray together. We read scriptures together. And yet, just taking a minute to say Jesus Christ loves you or remember to give thanks to Heavenly Father for all that you have ... well, those moments have escaped me.

So this evening I paused with my two oldest, opened up the scriptures and shared a spiritual thought with them. It was elaborate or fully planned. But it was intentional.

I am thankful for gentle reminders. I am still learning.

Late Nights

When Daddy says it's going to be a late night, I confess ... I'm a little excited!

Now for our family, this doesn't happen too often. However, when he has a big project, and can, he may plan to work late. And "late", for my hubby, means 10pm or later. 

As I sat with the kiddos at the dinner table tonight and they were being their rowdy selves, I wondered how many other moms miss their husbands at dinner. {Even when Patrick isn't working "late", he is rarely home before 6:30pm. And for a 2 and 5 year-old, that is too late to start serving dinner. They are trying to munch or taste what's cooking by 5:15, so we usually eat around 5:30 or so.... with or without Dad.} How about the moms whose husbands travel or work late as a ritual? How do they do it? It's almost like being a single mom Monday through Friday. Dinner, bed time, and everything in between is done solo. Don't know that I could do that daily. For my sanity!

And yet, I have learned to enjoy these occasions. 

It means I can have a dedicated baking/shopping day without feeling like the house has to be spotless. {Not that it ever is!}

It means that the kids will get to bed on time. {Dad has a tendency to want to spend just an extra few minutes with them.}

It means I have time to blog. {Aren't you lucky?!}

It means I can catch up on my shows that I've missed. {since nothing comes on before 9 or 10pm and I'm only allowed to watch "Dora" during the day, I get behind a day or two....Thankful for DVR!}

It also means I can eat chocolate chip cookies with milk and not have anyone steal them.

Yep ... I enjoy these late nights. 

As long as they are few and far between!

Middle Child or Terrible Twos

My little Maecie Jane is 2 years old. She turned 2 about 10 days after Lucie was born. She has gorgeous long, blonde hair with a little curl in it. {to which I'm slightly envious of!} She loves to play with her dolls, her little sister and big brother, and sing songs. But when it comes to listening to directions, Maecie has a hard time. 

When I first brought down the exersaucer for Lucie from the attic, Maecie wanted to try it out. I explained that it was a toy for Lucie and she isn't supposed to sit in it. A little later, I caught her starting to climb in. But what was funny and caught me off guard was that she told me, "Mom, don't look!", and covered her eyes {so I couldn't see her} while continuing to climb in the exersaucer. 

What might be cute and funny the first few times, isn't frustrating the 10th and 12th time! 

Needless to say, Maecie has spent a lot of time in time out. And since she has seen her brother go to time out, she knows how it works. When her time is over {I do a minute for each year old the child is}, we talk about why she was in time out. I ask why she had to go to time out, and she always responds accurately. So surely she should know that being a good listener is what we are asking her to do. 

I even try to make sure {no one is perfect} that when she does follow directions, that we praise her for listening.

So why is it still occurring daily??

And it's not just me .... she has had a hard time following directions for her preschool babysitter {who watches both girls while I teach music}. 

The thought crossed my mind ... is she starting to show signs of "middle child syndrome"? Or is it just the "terrible twos"? Or do these two things even exist?

I generally believe that the "terrible twos" phase is more of kids asserting their independence and wanting to start doing things for themselves. And middle child syndrome is more that when the child, all of the sudden, isn't the center of attention, starts to feel left out. 

We have been trying to make sure Maecie gets some one on one attention from us and that we let her do the things she can do and still be safe. We are keeping track to see if we notice things improving.

What are your thoughts? Do you think there is such as thing as "terrible twos" or "middle child syndrome"? Or kids are just kids?

It's the Weekend!

It's Friday! And all that means is .... 

I made it through the week! 

Sometimes I feel like that is a huge accomplishment in and of itself. Here are some of the things that kept me going this week and made me smile!

 I got to finally make these yummy muffins ... they are my favorite and the kids gobble them up! And they aren't too bad for you either! {recipe coming soon...}

This little big kindergartener completed his first project and chose all of his own objects. He's too big for my liking at times...

I got ALL of these clothes at consignment sales this week {they are in full force in this town} ... the kids are SET for the fall/winter season!

Who can help but smile at that face?! She's great!!

Sometimes I just need a diet coke!

This cute chica dressed herself with her new boots....she is just so stinkin' cute too!

So food, clothes, and my kids are apparently my happy place! {At least for this week!} What helped you make it through the hustle and bustle this week?

A Daily Reminder

I looked at the dishwasher full of clean dishes, and the sink, full of dirty dishes, and sighed. It's a chore I complete daily. Clean cups out, dirty cups rinsed and put in. Re-clean a dish that didn't quite come clean and put it back in the dishwasher a second time. {Please tell me I'm not the only one...}

Some days I feel bogged down with this chore. No one else in my home does the dishes on a daily basis. Yes, Clayton can help put the silverware away, and sometimes does. But now with school starting, he usually isn't home when the dishes are completed. And one time Patrick lost a bet and had to do the dishes for a week! {we bet on the Super Bowl...And I'll plan to do so again the next Super Bowl!!}

Otherwise, the chore is MINE! 

But today, I was reminded of a poem that sat in my grandmother's kitchen growing up. I can vividly remember standing in the kitchen with avocado green counter tops, looking up at the window sill, over the sink, at the small plaque that sat there. {I told you it was vivid} I said the words over and over to memorize them:

Thank God for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell;

While other folks go hungry, we are so very well.

With home and health and happiness, we shouldn't want to fuss;

For by this stack of evidence, God is very good to us.

This little poem was and still is a small reminder that we are fortunate to have the things we do. So instead of dreading the dishes, I count them as a blessing. My family has food, our health, strength and home! We are so fortunate!!

What chore is your daily reminder of the blessings in your life??

It's a Daddy Thing...

I started joining in on this photo-a-day fun. It's a great reminder to take a picture once a day. Pictures are so powerful; they can make a memory or conjure one. If my house were to catch on fire {after grabbing my kids} I would grab my pictures. They would be the things I missed the most.

So in this photo-a-day gig, you take a picture that has to do with the list created every month. I snap it and name it and post it to my instagram.  You can interpret your pictures however you prefer. And it's always interesting to see someone else's view point. 

The second day was titled "father". We were actually visiting my parents and I was planning to take a picture of my dad. However, my littlest fell asleep with daddy holding her and I could not miss this photo opportunity...

The picture started me thinking about the father/daughter relationship. My dad and I have a good relationship. I always felt protected AND if I only asked my daddy, I could get just about anything I wanted. Like when we went to Disney World and I wanted a Princess hat, all I had to do was ask my Dad and his answer was, "Anything you want, sweetheart!". {Of course, I was 17 years old at the time, so I might have looked a little silly, but he just wanted to be able to give me all of the things I wanted.}

Now that I have my own daughters, I see that father/daughter relationship from the very beginning. My hubby is so enamored with our girls. He holds them so preciously, wants to keep them so near and safe, and can't even stand to think that one day they will go on a date!

I constantly tease him that both of our daughters have him wrapped. He never denies it, but always tries to shrug it off! 

It's not just in our family ... I've seen examples of this Daddy/Daughter thing on TV as well. Recently, while watching So You Think You Can Dance {my fave summer show!}, I was able to catch a glimpse of someone else with that special bond. An 18 year old ballroom dancer talked about hiding her costumes from her Dad. He has a hard time with his little girl dancing for the world to see. My hubby had to agree {I make him watch with me!!}

Do you have a special daddy/daughter relationship? Or do you see one forming in your own family?

When Dinner Flops...

We had a great day Monday ... really, we did! I took all three kiddos to a doctor's visit {first time I've done that and they did pretty darn well}, went to "The One Dollar Store" as my number 1 calls it, even dropped off a prescription at the pharmacy. {I still haven't picked it back up yet, but you have to know your limits with 3 children!} Later, we made homemade soft pretzels that I pinned from this website here. They were amazing, by the way...

And then dinner came...

I had planned to make some Italian Chicken - chicken with canned tomatoes, garlic, basil, marscapone cheese, served over noodles - and french bread. I don't know what I did different, but the chicken was slightly dry and the french bread was flat! And then, of course, I got a little frustrated when number 2 removes the noodles from her plate and onto her napkin, number 1 demands that he will NOT eat that chicken, and number 3 just wants to be held.

Why is it that the dinners I plan and put effort into are the ones the kids dislike the most? They would be happy with hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac-n-cheese, and ramen noodles. Hubby is happy with meat and starch ... forget trying to make anything fancy. Should I just give up and make the same boring meals day in and day out?

What do you do? Do you make meals everyone loves even if you don't? Or do you try to broaden your children's {or hubby's} palates?

We are all entitled to something a little more adult meals every now and then, right?

Conquering Public Places

I confess ... three children is quite the zoo sometimes - especially when they are 5 years, 2 years, and 5 months old! Yet a friend commented, "you make 3 look so easy!". And our pediatrician has even asked, "How do you do it?" Here's the true story...

When number 3 was born, we didn't go many places. Not just because I had a new baby, but because there were three of them and one of me! I was out numbered, out handed {ya know, only having two hands} and pretty much just scared. I have refused invitations to birthday parties, knowing I would have to go alone.  I have grocery shopped at 10pm just so I wouldn't have to take the kids. I passed on fun summer outings for fear that one of the walking children might run from me and then I would have to chase after them, leaving a baby behind, or worse, running with a baby in tow. Oh the nightmares I have concocted!!

But after a couple of months of hiding, I decided I was not doing myself or my children any good. They do need to learn how to behave in public. I do need to get out of the house every once in a while to be my best self. So how do I make it happen??

>Start Small ... To start, we went to Target where they have the giant shopping carts. I strapped the big ones in the seats and placed the baby carrier in the cart. The whole way through we talked about what you can and cannot touch in the store. We also discussed why it's important to stay close to mommy at all times.

>Be Prepared ... I never leave home without snacks, pens and paper, maybe some stickers or other "happy makers". A small diversion could mean dodging a huge meltdown! If you are out to eat or have to wait in a waiting room, try some of these games. So fun!

>Plan, Plan, Plan ... don't leave home without a plan. Where are you going? How long will you be gone? Discuss this with your children so they also know the plan.

>Know Your Limits ... And when I say your limits, I mean yours and your children's. If you know they can handle the park, but you want to pick up a loaf of bread before heading home, consider your options. For me, I would get the bread before the park since my kiddos will play til they are exhausted. 

>Allow for Flexibility ... Even if you have planned and considered your children's capabilities, it might not always go as planned. So allow yourself some room to bend. If I plan to get bread first and the kids start to fuss as we pull into the parking lot, it might be better to go to the park first. Then try for bread later. {or tomorrow, which ever works!}

So when the doctor asks, "How do you do it?", I respond with, "One day at a time." ... Going with the flow and allowing your kids to be kids, while still trying to teach them.

 I might have a zoo at times. And that's okay with me! That's my confession, Mama!