House

Dear House,
You are a great house. You keep us warm and dry, and you are amazingly patient with the 2 adults, 3 kids, 2 dogs, and 1 cat that reside in and around you. However...what is with the mess?

Seriously house, I do a pretty darn good job of keeping you clean, despite the 2 adults, 3 kids, 2 dogs and 1 cat. I clean, I wipe, I pick up, all day long! So why, WHY can you not just keep yourself clean??? 2 days ago you were spotless (as long as no one looked too close) and clean. The toys were picked up from your floors, and your sink was empty and clean. So why are you such an incredible mess today? REALLY, is it too much to ask that you just keep yourself UP a little! I mean, the kitchen, the kitchen is awful! And don't even get me started on the piles of toys you've let collect on the floor. And then there's this questionable spot on the floor next to me. It looks suspiciously like dried spit-up. I mean REALLY!

Please House, you need to sit yourself down and have a little talk. Your letting yourself go, and you need to do something about it. Get some therapy, if you need it. Just please straighten yourself up. Now I have to go clean the kitchen you've let get so messy.

Sincerely,
The frustrated mommy that lives here.

Tomorrow!

We have this great tradition, my friends and I. When it's one of our birthdays, we celebrate with a Girls Night Out! We aren't a wild bunch (although on occasion the margaritas have come out!), but we CAN have some SERIOUS FUN! Tomorrow night is our night to celebrate this friend, and I CANNOT WAIT!

Top ten reasons I'm looking forward to tomorrow night:

1: This mommy gets an evening OFF!

2: My kids get to have some special Daddy Only time!

3: I don't have to cook dinner tomorrow!

4: I don't have to do dishes after dinner tomorrow!

5: I will laugh a LOT tomorrow night!

6: I will eat GOOD FOOD!

7: I will get to talk, and talk, and TALK to my friends, without being interrupted by the young ones!

8: I will eat Chocolate!

9: I will RELAX!

10: I will celebrate one of my dearest friends!

Smoother Waters...

Aaaaghh! It's 8:59, and I only gave myself 'till 9 to blog!!! OK, I'll type fast!

So many times, my blogs about Ellie are about our struggles. My little teenager wrapped up in a 5 1/2 year old body. So today I wanted to blog something Positive about her. She is a beautiful, smart, and when she's happy, an absolutely delightful child...

She's almost 6, she reminds me almost daily, and she doesn't need me much anymore. I've been SO impressed with her attitude the last few days. Usually our mornings involve Lots of prodding from mommy, to get her Up and Dressed. The last few days she's happily rolled out of bed, with minimal prodding, and gotten herself dressed QUICKLY! Today she positively Popped out of bed with a Smile on her adorable face, and proceeded to get dressed SUPER FAST! She even MATCHED HER CLOTHES. Oh, the delight I feel in that! School has been good for her, and good for me. Seriously, she needs the Challenges that school provides for her, and the structure, she does really well with Lots of structure.

Having said that, I know that there is something else that makes a Huge difference, and that's Me. When I'm calm, rested, not stressed out and running absolutely everywhere, She is happier. She feeds off Me. Even if I think I'm hiding my stress from her, she feels it. Now, don't get me wrong, there are times that I'm doing just great, and she isn't! But the last few days, I've been very relaxed, very un-stressed, and the smile on her face today, it was absolute Proof to me that She needs me to be like that!

Interesting, that I can't hide my true self from her. A lesson I'm learning. Not only do I need to model being a Godly women to my children, I actually need to Be a Godly woman.

Thank you God, for this Strong child of mine. You have taught me SO much through her. Thank you for the reminder, that what we are on the Inside is so important to our children. Thank you for helping me through the "rough" years we've had, and blessing us with smoother waters lately. In Jesus name, Amen.

Something to think about...

I read something today, it was about Praying aloud. I read it here, a place I'd never been before. It was one of those moments that I think God directed.

I pray. I pray daily. But I rarely set aside an actual Time to spend with God. I have a really hard time doing a Daily Devotional. I know it's something that I need in my life. When I do actually set time aside to study God's word, I know it blesses me. So why do I still struggle with this area? I am selfish. I won't get myself up early, because I want my sleep. At night, I want "Me Time" to watch TV, or flip through a magazine. I feel stretched to the brink many times, what with all the mommying, driving, cleaning, laundrying...I tend to think "I just need some ME time!" When in all actuality, I probably need some GOD time! Anyway, the Praying aloud idea really struck me. It doesn't have to be Loud, it can be a whisper, as Jennifer emailed me. What a Great Idea! I've prayed out loud before. Usually in my car when I'm alone. It definitely makes me focus more on my words, my heart. It's something I'm going to try everyday. It's not a Devotional, but it's a start. A step in the right direction.

Maybe she's was testing me...

This morning I went to get Annie out of bed, after she'd called out Moooommmmmyyyyyyy. (which, by the way I love the fact that she assumes she's not allowed to get up on her own, it makes my life SO much easier!) I love this moment every morning, her sweet, sleepy little body reaching up for me to cuddle and hug. Usually the first words out of her mouth are something about her beloved Woof Woof (her stuffed dog that is never far from her side), or a question about what we're doing today. Today was different though. Today as she swiped her hair out of her face to see me she said...

"Is it my Birthday?"

I said nooo, it's not your birthday sweetie. (not even close, it's in August)

"But I'm 4 now!"

Nooo, no your still 3 sweetie.

"Oh, OK!"

I'm not sure where that came from, maybe she was dreaming, or maybe she just wanted some presents. I don't really know.

I do know one thing though, She is just absolutely precious!

Austin the Marauder

Austin isn't feeling too well. He's had a cough for a week and a half, and now has a fever to go along with it. You would think that because he's not feeling 100% well, he'd be a little easier to keep up with...



No.



In the last 5 minutes he's pulled things off shelves in 3 different rooms.



The other day while I was on the phone with Alana, I let him loose without watching him too closely, for approximately 15 minutes.



It was like a Path of Destruction as I walked through our house afterwards. Boxes of toys had been pulled down in the playroom, drawers had been opened and emptied in the kitchen, a bucket of markers had been dumped out in the dining room, toys had been flung through the living room along with a few picture frames...Oh, and back in the kitchen, my darling boy has learned to navigate the step stool, and therefore anything on the counter near the step stool is "fair game" to him. That day it was a package of cookies, with sprinkles and icing of course, that he pulled down, and helped himself to.



And then, just when I'm about to go crazy, he gives me this smile...



Help!

She might not be the next Rachael Ray...

Me: Annie, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Annie: Ummm...

Me: A dancer?...A princess?...A mommy?...What about a Chef, like Rachael Ray! You could cook mommy food!

Annie: I'll cook you eggs.

Me: OK!

Annie: Strawberry eggs.

Me: Ok...

Annie: They'll be Green!

Me: ok...

Annie: And I'll cook you Blueberry eggs too!

Me: hmmm...

Annie: And they'll be Black!

Me: Allrighty then, sounds interesting!

So... who's coming over for breakfast tomorrow?