Proud Mommy Moments

One of my favorite blogs is The Daily Dribbles.  The author of that blog is really good about being real and honest about what it's like to raise a family.  I find myself checking in on her blog every day to see if there are any updates.  Weekly she posts her Proud Mommy Moments...I think this is a fabulous idea!  So here goes....

We go to dinner with family friends every Friday.  They have children the same ages as ours, everyone gets along and we all look forward to Friday Family Dinner.  It's just great conversation with great people that we enjoy spending time with.  This Friday, said family is out of town.  They are in sunny Las Vegas (while it's 30 degrees and snowing here) so I hate at them just a little bit.  Needless to say, this means no Friday Family Dinner, bummer.  M has been itching to color Easter eggs, to the extent that he's asked me EVERY SINGLE NIGHT THIS WEEK if we could color Easter eggs.  I've managed to get the eggs cooked, but we've not gotten around to coloring them yet.  It's just too chaotic during the week!

We've got plans all weekend, except for tonight (because our friends are in Las Vegas working on their tans....ehem), so I thought this would be a terrific night to stay home and color Easter eggs!  If we're going to color these eggs dinner needs to be ready and waiting when we walk through the door.  I'd planned to make crockpot chicken tacos, but I just plain ran out of time this morning!

As I was driving to work I called J and asked him if he was up for whipping up dinner.  I told him it would take 5 minutes.  I walked him through step by step what to do (8 minutes later...rather than the promised 5 minutes) he had dinner going for us!  I'm super proud of him for being willing to give it a try.  Now when we get home we will be able to feast on his yummy chicken tacos and then color our Easter eggs!  HOORAY!!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Baby crocs....OH MY!  A pair of these may or may not have made their way into my home for L's Easter basket.

**Thanks Target for letting me snag a pic for croc props**

 
Possibly the best blankets EVER!  They are super stretchy and cuddly, and best of all they are breathable.  L is now 6 months old...and he's only just now gotten too wild that he can't be swaddled anymore.  He still LOVES to cuddle up with these blankets though.
**Thanks aden and anais for letting me snag a pic for props on your awesome blankets.**

**disclaimer.....all opinions expressed above are my own.  I've not been paid or reimbursed for use of either of these products. 

Easter baskets....check!

I'm a list maker, even if it's just a list that I'm keeping track of it in my head....the list exists!  I like to have a plan, and I like to be able to check things off of that list.  It gives me a feeling of accomplishment or at the very least some idea that SOMETHING is getting done!

Easter crept up on me this year, and I've become all but consumed with the idea that I'd done NOTHING to prepare.  Granted I still have a little bit of time before it's actually Easter Sunday, but still NOTHING!?!?! Pathetic.

So, yesterday I hauled myself to the store and took care of Easter baskets.  It is VERY easy to get carried away and spend oodles of money at Easter buying loads of things that my kids don't need, or particularly want for that matter.  I tried to be practical on what I purchased as we're going on vacation in a few months, and summer is just around the corner.  I racked my brain thinking about what I could fill their baskets with that they could actually use.

J, M and L are all getting swimming themed baskets.  Two birds.....one stone, right?  Swim trunks, towels, flip flops and pool toys.  I figured they all need stuff to go swimming both at home and when we go on vacation.  Why go to the expense of filling their Easter baskets with expensive junk cheap toys things they don't really need.  I'll fill them with swimming things, they'll be thrilled and I've just filled two needs!  Plus J and M are getting candy too....I mean what's Easter without candy?

Easter....check!
Summer preparedness....check!

Tumbling Tuesday.....

It's been a long time since I've posted anything.  That's not to say that there hasn't been anything going on, it's more that things happened, I got busy then it seemed like I was too far removed from the thing that happened so I went on with my life.  Now, I'm overloaded with many things in my head and need to dump some of what's bouncing around so I can free up some coveted real estate in there!  This seems like a FINE place to do just that!

I continue to feel like even through I'm running on all cylinders from 5:30am to 8:30pm every night, I'm failing miserably as a parent.  J (aka oldest) never has homework, he's very smart and never has to study which is great but I don't want him thinking that schoolwork will always come this easy for him. M (aka middle) needs to hone his reading skills, when is there time for that?  I'm sure his teacher thinks we are just awful parents that have taken no interest at all in our child's education.  L (aka youngest) gets nearly all of my attention.  He's a baby, and he screams the loudest.  God made mommies so that they would tend to their babies needs....I cannot just let that baby cry!

Easter is two weeks away....WHAT!?!?!  How did that Happen?  I'm usually ahead of the game and have bought Easter stuff and MAYBE even started thinking about filling the eggs.  I've not even bought a single piece of candy yet.  How did it sneak up on me so fast?

I've got to start thinking about what on earth I'm going to put in Easter baskets for my kiddos!  J knows the deal, M sort of believes (this may be his last year) and L hasn't a clue what's happening, he's more concerned with who will be giving him his next bottle. 

I have two Easter activities that I do with my kids every year (a Christian Easter egg hunt and making Resurrection cookies). Neither activity is difficult, but I do need to do a little prep beforehand.

We're in the design phase of putting together a family vacation.  The logistics of planning a trip that will keep an 11 year old, a 6 year old and an 8 month entertained or at least content is somewhat of an undertaking.

We have turned to bribing J and M with money for vacation.  They're each starting with $50.  Money can be earned and money can be lost.  If they are asked to do something more than once they lose money.  If they do something without having to be asked, they earn money.  So far they've both earned extra money, but there's more than two months until vacation I'm a little fearful.

My house has taken on a life of its own, and not in a good way!  I got mostly caught up on laundry this past weekend, but there are still two baskets that need to be folded and put away.  The kitchen is in a non-stop state of needing tidying, the bathrooms are.....never mind about the bathrooms, my room looks like 5 people LIVE in there.  What is happening??

I've got to get a cleaning schedule that I can actually stick to!

OK, now that I've gotten all of that all of my chest I can move on.....maybe.

Resurfacing....

After succumbing to a cold that took over, I'm finally starting to feel better.  I missed three and a half days of work, went to urgent care to discover a double ear infection and a nasty sinus infection.  I've been on meds for a few days and can say that I'm about 80% better.  My resistance is still really low, I tire very easily but I'm on the road to recovery.

....and it's a sunshiny day to boot!

Gray on the inside....

This cold has a hold of me in such a way that I can't see around it.  All I can do is sit and and try to not be suffocated by it.  I do not feel the warm yellow sunshine that I should feel when smiling and wishing well of others, there is only gray.
Then, for a moment I can breathe. The coughing and sneezing are gone.  The inability to breathe has passed and I feel a tiny sliver of light blue.  A hope that the sunshine will return soon.  And then as quickly as it came.......it is gone.
Soon enough, this will pass.  But for now, there is only gray.

Monday Musings

Truth is....

Truth is....I'm beat!  Getting adjusted to the sleep cycles of an infant is not something that is easily done!

Truth is....babies don't mind coughing and sneezing right in your face.  I've got the cold that Youngest has had for a few days.

Truth is.....I wish I could just succumb to the cold for a couple of days, crawling into the darkness of my bedroom and the comfort of my bed.  Unfortunately, Mom doesn't ever get the luxury of being sick.

Truth is....I LOVE having 3 boys!  They are all 3 so different. 

Truth is....it continues to amaze me how much your heart grows with love for another baby!  It seems like at some point there would be a limit.  Alas, there is not!

Truth is.....the worry grows too!

Truth is....as much as I would LOVE to stay home with #3, be home when Oldest and Middle get on and off the bus, that is probably not the best idea. 

Truth is....I really hate to say that out loud, because it makes me so sad to think about.

Truth is.....*sigh*  *sniff*

Truth is....Oldest only has a couple of weeks of his basketball season left. He's turning into such a good player.  His games are so fun to watch, I'm going to be a little sad to see the season end.

Truth is....I won't miss rushing home from work to take him to his 6:30 practice on Wednesday and Friday evenings.  Whew!

Truth is....we're gearing up to host a Super Bowl Pajama Party!

Truth is....I can hardly wait.  I really love being around good people.  Surrounding yourself with good people brings out the good in you. 

Truth is....I'm glad I have a week to clean and tidy the house! 

Truth is....why do I worry over what the house looks like?  There will be 7 little boys (ages 11 and under) running wild.  When it's all said and done, the house will be a mess....but the boys will have had fun and that's what matters!

Truth is....when I visit friends I couldn't care less how their homes look, I'm there to see THEM!  Why do I think they will judge me on the appearance of mine?  They won't.....it's just that's how things live in my head.

Truth is....I feel better now that I've unloaded some of my stress!