So...We Made It

I woke up this morning full of so much gratitude.

The sun was shining, there was a nice breeze outside, our household was running smoothly getting the kids fed and off to school, we had family scripture reading and prayer before Husband left for work, the kids were happy, I was happy...everything felt great. 
It truly was a picture perfect morning - one that I was able to soak in and thank God for.

My heart was very full.

Little did I know...

Those feelings were a very tender mercy from Heavenly Father preparing me for the rest of the day.
The beautiful calm before the storm.

Not that anything too disastrous or horrible happened...
Everybody is healthy and safe and fed and taken care of...
I'm not exactly sure happened, or when, or how...

But sometime about midday, I felt like I was holding on for dear life.
I felt very overwhelmed.
I felt like things were falling apart.
I felt frustrated that kids weren't listening, weren't remembering, weren't responding, weren't etc etc...
I felt (and heard) myself saying and doing things I wanted to take back.
I felt in over my head.
I felt like I couldn't (and/or didn't want to) fix it.
I felt like I couldn't breathe.
I felt done.

I tried to warn my kids...
I'm not having a very good day...
I don't have a lot of patience today...
I really can't handle that today...

And then I felt like a horrible mother...
My poor kids...
I can't believe I said that...
I should do everyone a favor and just get out of here...
My poor husband...
What is wrong with me...?
And we're having another one...??!!!

And then I remembered.

I remembered the feelings I had this morning - how grateful I am for the feeling in our home; how grateful I am for such wonderful kids; how grateful I am to be a mom and for how much I'm learning and growing; how grateful I am for Husband and our amazing relationship; how grateful I am to truly feel happy...

And even though a part of me felt sad for a minute that I had let myself slip away from those feelings of gratitude into a pit of frustration and impatience, I soon found myself feeling grateful once again and able to recognize the gift that it was to start today full of such wonderful feelings.  It was the extra cushion I needed to soften the blow of the rough day ahead.

I'm not a horrible mother...
I do love and cherish my family...
It's good that it bothers me when I don't treat my family the way I want to treat them...
I'm a good mom because I care...and I try...

Thoughts and feelings that I needed to come. 
And I was so thankful that they did.

I am glad today is over.
It definitely was one of those that I just wanted to end because I wasn't getting very much right.

But days like today are important.
They keep me humble and keep me turning to the Lord for help and for strength.
And in a strange way...they help me see how far I really have come.

And the good news it...
We made it.
Thank heavens.



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So...Right Now...

Right now Second Daughter...

::is the socialite of the family.  she always has a play date or late over in the works.
::is really good at making friends.
::knows she's good at making friends and is confident being around new people.  i love this about her.
::is still called "Little Middle" even though she is no longer the middle child.
::thinks of special outtings for us to go on every day.  i wish i could always say yes.
::is days away from graduating from kindergarten. 
::is reading Magic Tree House books on her own.
::is the one who gives me the most grief, but usually the one to follow through and obey first.
::has an incredible imagination.
::loves to snuggle with me. 
::rubs my belly and talks to her baby brother in utero.
::prays every day for our family to be together forever.  i love that this is important to her.
::still loves to paint.
::is learning to play the violin.  she is a natural.
::refers to her friends as her "crew."
::doesn't know how to tie her shoes yet, but is determined to master it this summer.
::loves to ride her bike so much.
::tells me frequently that she wishes she could ride her bike every where.
::tells me frequently what she wants to be when she grows up - a construction worker, a grocery bagger, a Costco employee, a bug studier, a worker in a pencil factory, or just a plain mom.
::loves to play on the computer.
::really really really does not like getting in trouble.
::wants to live next door to me when she grows up.
::loves to play soccer, swim, and wants to play softball just like her big sister.
::is a lover of treats - just like her mom.
::is very tender hearted.
::takes things very literally.  she doesn't respond to sarcasm very well.
::has a super sense of smell.  she can almost always guess what i'm cooking without looking.
::has a great sense of direction.
::has an amazing memory.
::teaches me a lot about loving others unconditionally and being a friend to everyone.
::is a wonderful girl and we love having her in our family.



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Monday Memories 049::Money Makers

homemade money bank and hard earned cash, 2010

One day while shopping in Walmart, four-year-old First Daughter fell in love with this wedding Barbie.  Trying to avoid buying our children whatever they want whenever they ask for it, and seizing an opportunity, we used this strong desire of hers to our advantage and encouraged her to earn her own money to buy it.  This was a brand new concept to her.  Earn money?  Spend my money?  Do I have money???

 

Up until that point we did not give allowance, or have any set jobs for the kids around the house.

Our kids were still pretty young.  I asked them to help me around the house, but nothing that was their responsibility and no real way for them to earn money.  This is when we started.

 

We started paying them a small allowance each week (I think it was 10 cents for each year old they were) and then made it clear that we expected them to help with chores around the house because that's what it means to be in a family - we all work together and help out.  They also had a specific chore that was their responsibility each week.  I think First Daughter's was to empty the trash and Second Daughter's was to clean all the door knobs.

 

First Daughter wanted that wedding Barbie so badly.

It was perfect motivation to begin teaching the concept of earning, saving, and spending.

We made money banks out of old formula containers.

They each had their own where they stashed their cash.

We taught them to pay their tithing (which they got very excited about.  it's fun giving those envelopes to the bishop!)

 

I think that Barbie was around $12.

Between allowance and birthday money, First Daughter saved up enough to go shopping.

It was an exciting day.

 

Both girls came with me to Walmart, money banks in hand.

First Daughter ran up to her Barbie and held it tight.

She was so excited and so proud.

 

Second Daughter, on the other hand, did not have a plan for her money.

She was not saving for something specific.

She went up and down the aisles looking at everything, trying to decide what was worth spending her money on.

Even though she was very young, she took her time and was careful with her purchase.

 

I was actually quite impressed with her self-control.  Numerous times she would find something she liked, but when I asked if that's what she wanted to spend her money on, she refused over and over again.  She was not quick to give her money away.

She finally settled on this set of Play-Doh.
She has always loved anything arts & crafts and she was excited to buy her own.
She spent only a couple of her dollars which left her with some to spare.

It was a fun first experience with our kiddos introducing the concept of saving.
They still get excited about earning money, saving money, paying tithing, and spending their own money.

Right now we are saving as a family for a play set for our backyard.
We have a jar in our kitchen window that we fill with dollar bills, quarters, and pennies as they come.
The girls still earn money weekly and often put their weekly earnings into the play set fund.
It has been fun to watch and fun to be a part of.
We've already saved $85!

At this rate we should have a backyard play set in about 5 years :)



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So...We Need Not Worry

"We need not worry if we can't simultaneously do

all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do.  He has spoken of a time and a season for all things.  In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life.  We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time."

 

 

Elder Richard G. Scott

from "For Peace at Home"

General Conference April 2013

 

 

 

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So...Right Now...

 

Right now First Daughter...

 

::is looking and acting so grown up.

::is honest about life being tough as the oldest, but she bears the responsibility very well.

::is so loving and so helpful with her little brother - she will be a natural mother someday.

::is confident in who she is and what she does.  she doesn't worry about impressing others.

::is excelling at school, piano, soccer, and softball.

::is a caring and thoughtful friend.  

::is sensitive to other people's feelings.  

::thinks deeply about life.  asks mature questions about God, relationships, and life.

::requires thorough explanations on why things are they way they are.  is learning how to be ok when she can't always get this explanation.

::is a really good negotiator.

::is twitterpated over a special someone.  i love that she talks to me about it.

::tries to improve her relationships with others and is learning that she can't control other people's feelings and actions.

::writes in her journal about things that affect her - things that excite her, things that frustrate her, things she hopes for, and things that are meaningful.  she is good at describing her feelings.

::writes funny stories.

::has a special relationship with her dad that i hope never fades.

::is taking preparation for baptism very seriously and asks important, thoughtful questions about this decision of hers.

::believes that God answers her prayers.  she quickly turns to prayer when she is scared, hurt, lonely, or needing help.

::is reading Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets.  i love being able to talk books with her.

::loves to listen to Pandora and knows the name and artist of almost every song on the radio.

::can almost always be found with a few hair elastics on her wrist.

::is an athlete and outdoors girl who also loves to get her hair curled, nails painted, and makeup done.

::loves to chat before bed.

::is our Brown Eyed Girl.

::loves to watch Once Upon a Time with me.

::loves having dance parties.

::is planning and scheming a backyard bash for her friends (and more!).

::is such a joy in our family and a great example to us all.

::is loved and adored by her family.

::is growing up before our eyes.

 

 

 

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So...16 Favorites

tulip festival at Thanksgiving Point

01::family pass to Thanksgiving Point.
02::longer, warmer evenings.
03::open windows at night.
04::Son's opened mouth kisses.
05::taking a day to appreciate our mothers.
06::the opportunity to be a mother.
07::baby #5 growing and kicking away.
08::third trimester - the countdown begins.
09::sunday dinners with Brother & Sister-Inlaw-To-Be.
10::summer right around the corner.
11::a new blog banner.
12::maxi skirts.
13::game night with friends.
14::a dreamy backyard space to play in.
15::my husband.  he's my favorite.
16::an eight year old girl.



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So...Camera Shy

 

One of my favorite things is having updated pictures of my kids.
It makes me so happy.
I try to get their pictures taken at least once a year - more during their first year - and it was time to get all the kiddos' birthday pictures.

I must tell you about Camera Shy.
They are my new favorite find.

These shots our from a photo shoot they took of our kiddos a week ago.
The session was 45 minutes long.  I could pick and choose between backgrounds, group shots, individuals, outfit changes - anything I wanted - in the 45 minute time slot.

After the shoot, we waited 1 hour while they edited the shots.  (We grabbed some lunch while we waited).  When we came back they had a slide show ready for us to view the shots (which all turned out adorable) and I felt zero pressure to buy prints or packages, add embellishments, or anything else that cost extra money.  And to be honest, that made me want to buy prints even more! 
If I wanted to buy prints, they were only $4 per sheet.

The whole experience was only $89 total and that included a CD with 45-50 edited shots that I could take home with me and print whenever I wanted. 
Amazing, right???  I definitely thought so.

There was no sitting fee per child.
There was no extra cost for the copyrights to the photos.
There was no scheme to get me to purchase extra sheets (we're just going to throw out these pictures of your kids we already printed...unless you want to buy them).
There was no wasting of my time looking through montages, borders, special effects, and what-not that I wasn't interested in.
And the sheets that I got printed were ready instantly.  Like in 5 minutes.
It was the most amazing photo shoot experience of my life.

PLUS - they have adorable backgrounds (real backgrounds, not backdrops), cute furniture and props, and bright fun colors to add to your shots.

I really really loved our experience at Camera Shy and feel the need to tell everyone about it!
No, they did not ask me to spread the word, and no I am not getting compensated for posting about this (this isn't that kind of blog anyway :) ).
I just wanted to let you know about this amazing find.
If you live in the area, or are coming in town any time soon, call and schedule an appointment.
You won't be disappointed!



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