Thursday, June 27, 2013

Job Description of a Mom

I'm on vacation with my family this week and, while I'm away, I thought I would give myself a little break from writing.  So, I'm rerunning some old posts for your reading enjoyment!  I have gained lots of new followers in the past couple months (Thank you and YaY!!!), so these post may be new to many of you.  Hope you enjoy them!


~This was originally posted on August, 12, 2011~


A few weeks ago, I took my girls out to get some frozen yogurt.  While we sat outside and enjoyed our treats, we ended up discussing what they want to be when they grow up.  Megan commented that she did not want to be a mommy when she got older "because it's too much work!"

In a completely unrelated part of my life, I have been asked to review and critique a particular job description.  (Not a job for me, btw).

Put the two together and, you guessed it - I started thinking about what a mom's job description would look like.  What I have actually come up with is not so much a description, but a list of all the different jobs that are encompassed under the title of MOM.  At some point or another, all moms will find themselves in the following "occupations" (whether we meant to or not!):


  1. Teacher - Not only do we help with homework and correct their manners and grammar, we are expected to have the correct answers to endless questions.  We explain everything from simple addition, to how colors mix, to why you shouldn't hit your sister.  In short, it is up to us explain how the universe works.
  2. Nurse - We change dirty diapers.  We clean up vomit.  We kiss and bandage cuts.  We administer medicine.  See?  Nurse.
  3. Chauffeur - Until children can drive themselves (Lord help us!), we have to get them EVERYWHERE they need to go.  We take them to school, church, birthday parties, playdates, soccer practice, softball games, dance class, doctors and dentist appointments - you name it!  One particularly busy day last week I spent a total of almost 4 hours in my minivan taking kids back and forth.  I am definitely a chauffeur - it's just too bad I don't actually have a fancy limousine with one of those fancy privacy screens between the front and back! :)
  4. Chef - No matter whether we prepare the meals ourselves or grab some take out along the way, we still have to figure out how and what to feed our brood three times a day (plus snacks!).  With crazy schedules and picky eaters, that is no easy task!
  5. Waitress - "Mommy, can you get _______ for me?"  That is something I probably hear at least a hundred times a day.  Unfortunately, I never get any tips!
  6. Fashion advisor - Especially with three girls (all of whom have very different opinions about clothes), I have to be a fashion advisor more often than I would like.  Sometimes, my advice is not well received, either.  This is one part of the job that was definitely easier when they were too little to talk and they wore whatever I put on them! :)
  7. Hair Dresser - Again, this is something that is probably a bigger deal for moms with daughters.  One of mine wants her hair short; one wants it super long and refuses to get it cut.  I constantly deal with curls, braids, and tangles.  No wonder my own hair is usually in a ponytail!
  8. Maid - This one is pretty obvious.  As moms, we do dishes and laundry, make beds, sweep and mop, wipe up spills, and organize closets.  We straighten toy bins and bookshelves.  We pick up shoes and book bags and dirty towels.  I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the picture.
  9. Secretary - We are the ones responsible for scheduling doctor appointments, dentist visits, parent conferences, and extracurricular activities.  We have to fill out all the paperwork and permission slips.  We have to remember all the birthdays and holidays.  Personally, I have three calendars in order to keep it all straight - one on my computer, one on my refrigerator, and one on my phone!
  10. Safety monitor - OSHA has got nothing on us moms!!!  How many times a day do you say "Be careful" or "Get down before you fall" or "You'll poke your eye out!"????  And if one of our precious babies does get hurt, we blame ourselves, of course.  "If only I'd been watching more closely" or "I shouldn't have let her do that."  As they get older we teach them about stranger danger and I've already had conversations with my two oldest about internet safety.  Keeping kids safe these days is no easy task.
  11. Lawyer/Judge - I can't even begin to estimate how many hours a day I spend settling disputes - who sits in the front/back; whose turn it is to pick a t.v. show; who gets to go first; who goes with dad and who goes with mom.  Occasionally, I also have to figure out which one is telling the truth and which/if one is being less than honest.  It is never ending!!  
  12. Event Planner - We plan birthday parties, playdates, sleepovers, and school parties.  We organize fundraisers and fellowship events.  Once in a while, we may even plan a date night with our hubby or a vacation.  Who knew that some people actually get paid to do this stuff?!?
  13. Psychologist - Now I have been accused of being slightly over-analytical.  However, every mom I know has, at one time or another, thought "What is going on with my kid?  Is he/she stressed/sad/feeling neglected?  Should I be concerned about ADD/ADHD/etc.?"  And most importantly - "Is this normal and how can I fix it?"  Psychology 101.
  14.  IT technician - In my house, my hubby is the super tech.  But, on the everyday basis, it is often up to me.  The computer won't connect to the web.  The DVD player won't work.  The Wii won't connect.  Can you out that song on my iPod, too?  Who has to figure it out??  Me!  
  15. Magician - O.K. this is the last one.  I just thought of it when my little one brought me a broken toy and asked "Can you fix this?"  It also comes into play when they say things like "I wish it would stop raining" or "I can't go to sleep" or "I wish these peas tasted like chocolate cake!"  Too bad the hospital was out of magic wands and owners manuals every single time I had a baby there!!!
I'm sure most of you have read those articles that explain the salary a mom should receive if she were to get paid for everything she does.  I found ones that said about $60,000 all the way up to $115,000 or more.  There are multiple arguments stating also that these numbers are utterly ridiculous.  The fact is that the job of being a mom often seems unappreciated.  We don't receive a paycheck.  We may occasionally receive a "thank you," but even those can be hard to come by.  So why do we moms (and dads) do all that we do???  Because, even though they sometimes drive us crazy and even though their demands are often unreasonable, we love our kids and they make our job worthwhile.  In the end, we receive much more than a paycheck!

There are 15 things on my list.  Can you think of something I forgot??  Leave a comment and add it to the list!   

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Mommy Blunders

I'm on vacation with my family this week and, while I'm away, I thought I would give myself a little break from writing.  So, I'm rerunning some old posts for your reading enjoyment!  I have gained lots of new followers in the past couple months (Thank you and YaY!!!), so these post may be new to many of you.  Hope you enjoy them!


~This was originally posted on May 14, 2012.  Have a laugh at my expense as you read this one and then feel better about your own "blunders." ~

O.K. y'all - I'm not Catholic, but I'm hoping this confession will absolve me of my sins (or at least my guilt!) and probably make you feel better about yourself! :)  As moms, we all have to stick together and help each other out - in that realm I had a major FAIL last week.

A friend called me on Monday and explained that she was having to go out of town on short notice for a funeral.  Not a fun little vacay, but a funeral.  She was trying to work out all the child care logistics of leaving three kids and a hubby for 24 hours on short notice.  She had one simple request - Could I pick up her 4 year old son and take him to preschool on Wednesday and then bring him back home - a sitter would be there with her littlest one and he just needed transportation.  I would be taking my daughter to the same preschool anyway, so of course I agreed.  It really would be no extra trouble and, more importantly, would help out a friend.  I even ran into her later that day at lunch and we talked about her trip and some of the logistical maneuvering it required.  Then Tuesday came and went.  Wednesday came and went.  Thursday came and went.  Friday, I was out and about when I happened to drive by the restaurant where I had bumped into her on Monday and it hit me like a ton of bricks - I FORGOT HER KID!!!!!!!  Seriously, after I saw her that Monday, it never crossed my mind again until that moment.  What was wrong with me?!?!?  I can't recall a time when I ever felt so guilty, so embarrassed, and/or so much like the scum of the Earth.

I pulled into a parking lot , called her immediately, and apologized profusely.  Fortunately, she was extremely understanding and forgiving.  She said it was "no big deal".  Her son was fine and had just stayed home that day with the sitter who was caring for her baby anyway.  She had every right to be angry and disappointed with me, but she wasn't.  She gave me grace that was undeserved!

Despite her forgiveness, I still feel terribly guilty.  I don't forget things like that.  I was voted "Most Dependable" in high school, for Heaven's sake!!!  I am the one who has to remember all the dates - birthdays, appointments, special events - everything.  I am NOT the one who forgets.  To make it worse, in this case, I didn't just forget a birthday or someone's lunchbox - I forgot someone's kid!!!  Someone else's kid at that. (I think I might have actually felt just slightly less guilty if it was at least one of my own children.)  Aye, aye, aye!

Well, if you have read this far, you have probably vowed to yourself that you will never ask me to transport your child(ren) anywhere, ever.  However, if you ever change your mind - due to faith, bravery, or pure desperation - I assure you I WILL NOT FORGET!!  In fact, I will put it on every calendar in my possession.  I will place about 2,000 sticky notes in prominent places around my home and in my car.  I may even have it tattooed on my right arm!!

(And to my sweet, forgiving friend - I am still really, really, really, really sorry!!!)

So, what are some of your biggest mommy blunders?!?!  Come on  - nobody's perfect.  Please share and maybe we'll all feel just a little better about our own mishaps!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Tuesday Ten Vacation

Hi readers!  I'm on vacation this week, so I'm taking a vacation from my Tuesday Ten posts as well.  In the meantime, you can click HERE to read some of my previous Tuesday Ten posts and/or you can leave me a comment to suggest some future Tuesday Ten topics!  

Thanks for stopping by!  Come back next week for a new Tuesday Ten!


The Golden Spoons

Monday, June 24, 2013

TALKING IN ALL CAPS

I'm on vacation with my family this week and, while I'm away, I thought I would give myself a little break from writing.  So, I'm rerunning some old posts for your reading enjoyment!  I have gained lots of new followers in the past couple months (Thank you and YaY!!!), so these post may be new to many of you.  Hope you enjoy them!


~This was originally posted on March 8, 2012~

Motherhood (and parenthood) open our eyes to many, many new experiences.  We discover a new level of intensity in our emotions.  We become acutely aware of someone else's schedule; someone else's needs; someone else's health.  We feel a responsibility and burden more immense than we have never dreamed of carrying, but the load is lightened by the overwhelming and indescribable love we feel for our children.

We also, in the course of parenthood, learn to appreciate - simple things - like never before.  For example, privacy - as soon as the first child is mobile, privacy disappears.  Every time we turn around, there is a little person under our feet, looking over our shoulder, or knocking on the other side of the bathroom door.  And what about sleep??  Remember when you could pull and all-nighter in college??  Parenthood brings a whole new level of tiredness which makes us need and appreciate sleep so much more.

Today (and most days), I have an appreciation that has grown tremendously in the past few years for something I certainly took for granted before motherhood - Silence.  I went on a field trip with my first grader today and spent about 4 hours surrounded by squeals, yells, and incessant talking.  Then I came home to my three daughters and, like every other day, there was more squealing, yelling, and incessant talking topped off with some singing, giggling, fighting, and random noise making.  There was absolutely no silence.  I cannot even begin to count the number of times I said "Shhhhhh!" today.  Then, there is the inevitable decibel climb that occurs - I "Shhhh" but they don't hear me over their own noise.  So, I say "Be Quieter" and I am again unheard (or ignored) through their static.  I get louder - they get louder - I get louder to be heard - and so on and so forth.  It's maddening!

Why is it that children are so loud all the time?  It's kind of like WRITING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ALL THE TIME.  THERE IS NO LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR DOING IT; NO REASON TO ADD EMPHASIS TO EVERY SINGLE WORD.  IT IS SENSELESS AND UNNATURAL.  PLUS, AFTER A WHILE, IT GETS REALLY ANNOYING, DOESN'T IT???

So why is it that kids seem to talk "in all capitals" all the time?   I have a couple theories.  One is that they are just so used to noise - T.V., radio, etc. - that, to them, it is actually the silence that seems unnatural.  It is also this constant background noise that spurs their continual decibel climb upward.  Another, more ethereal possibility is that children are just filled with such exuberance and excitement and joy they simply can't help it.  (Hey, I warned you it was ethereal!)  The last possibility is that I'm just getting old.  I used to teach preschoolers for Heaven's sake!  I don't recall the noise of my students getting under my skin ten years ago.  However, after a day like today, I swear my ears were seconds away from bloodshed.
Photo Credit
Pretty sure I look like this sometimes - I Know I feel like this!
Somewhere in the back of my mind I can hear my mom saying "You will miss all that noise some day. When you bring the kids to visit, the silence is deafening after you leave!"  I'm sure that is true, but for now, maybe I'll just invest in some industrial strength ear plugs!
Do you have any secret weapons against the noise???

Thursday, June 20, 2013

If I could have dinner with anyone in history . . . . .

If I could have dinner with anyone in history I would choose my maternal grandmother and my paternal grandfather.  


If you have read this blog much at all (or just glanced at the header) you know that family is very important to me. I'm don't just mean my hubs and kids, either.  My extended family is also very important to me. 

Unfortunately, I never got to meet my maternal grandmother.  Her name was Jewel (isn't that a great name) and she passed away before my brother and I were born.  I hear that she was a great lady and an extra specially wonderful cook.  If my mother is anything like Jewel was, then I know she was a wonderful woman.  I loved Papaw, my maternal grandfather.  I used to help him in his garden and and watch him build things in his workshop.  Looking back, though, he always seemed a little lonely to me even after he remarried.  I'm certain he missed Jewel.  I've missed her and I never even got to meet her. I would love the chance to sit down with her - even just once - eat something incredibly delicious from her kitchen and just spend a little time getting to know her.

I was very close to my paternal grandmother.  I called her Mamaw.  For a long time, I was her only granddaughter and, after having two sons and three grandsons, she put me on a bit of a pedestal.  I remember cooking with her, grocery shopping with her.  The third blog post I ever wrote was about how much my oldest reminds me of my Mamaw.  However, my paternal grandfather, Paw, passed away when I was three years old and I have very little recollection of him.  I seen pictures and know my dad looks just like him.  My guess is my dad acts a great deal like him, too, but I would love to be able to sit down with him.  I'm sure he would have all kinds of stories to tell me and I would gladly soak them in.

Even though both of these grandparents were gone too soon from my life, I am grateful that they are part of my history and I am proud to say they were my grandparents.  I hope they are all four - Mamaw, Paw, Papaw, and Jewel - walking together on the streets of Heaven.  And I hope that, when they look down on me, they are proud of what they see~



Finish the Sentence Friday


This post was written as part of Finish The Sentence Friday which is hosted by the following bloggers.  Please give them a visit and see all the other blogs that participate as well!

Stephanie at Mommy, for Real

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A Chores Experiment

I have struggled for quite some time to find a way to get my kids to do chores around the house.  I have tried daily chores.  I have tried charts and lists.  My most recent effort has been to do Saturday chores.  Basically, every Saturday, I give each of my three girls a list of 3-4 chores to do.  I try very hard to make sure they are reasonable and fair, but my directions are inevitably met with whining and complaining.  For example, I typically assign them each a section of the playroom to clean.  The conversation starts like this:

Child 1 - "Why do I have to clean up the marker?  I didn't get them out!!

Child 2: "She's not doing anything.  she's just sitting there watching us clean!"

Child 3: Cries

Child 1: Yells at Child 2 - "Stop putting stuff in my section for me to clean!"

Child 2: "I'm putting it in your section because that's where it goes!"

Child 3: "Moooommmmmyyyyy!!!!  They're fighting!"

Child 1:  "Well, I'm cleaning and she's yelling at me.  And #3 isn't even cleaning.  She's just telling on us!"

Child 2: "You're not cleaning!  you're just throwing more stuff in my section for me to clean!"

And so on and so forth until . . . . .

Me: Yell, Yell, Yell - "Just Forget it!  I don't know why I bother asking you to help.  Just go to your rooms and I'll clean it up!"

In short, we all really, really dislike chore time because we all know how it will end.  It is miserable for everyone.

In the past, I have never paid my kids to do chores.  I figure it is their responsibility.  After all, I am asking them to clean their rooms and the messes they made.  I do waaayyyy more chores than them and I don't get paid, right?  I guess I want them to take pride in a clean, orderly space and I feel that should be reward enough.  Obviously, "clean and orderly" aren't all that important to them.

Well, this past Saturday, there were chores that needed to be done.  They all had stacks of clean laundry that had been sitting in their rooms for a week.   Their rooms were messy and the playroom looked like a bomb had exploded.  Hubby was outside doing some yard work and I was not looking froward to implementing the Saturday chore torture routine.  So, I gave it a little thought and decided to give them some incentive this time.  I told them that this time they could earn money for doing their chores.  I reminded them that we were going on vacation soon and that they would be able to use the money for souvenirs.  I gave them a list of chores, each with a dollar amount attached.  I told them that if the chore was not done properly, they would not be given the full amount.  I also told them that money would be deducted for complaining, whining, fighting, or tattling.  Let me tell y'all - it was light someone lit a fire under these girls!  They jumped right in and got to work.  Their rooms were spotless.  Their clothes were put away properly.  The playroom was organized.  The best part - there was no fighting; no whining; no yelling.  They each earned the full potential reward of $7.

Now, I 'm re-evaluating my previous approach.  Maybe they are too young to have the intrinsic motivation I am hoping for.  If so, maybe bribing rewarding them with a little cash is o.k.  After all, parting with $21 was soooo much easier than all the yelling and arguing that would have surely taken place using the "old" method - my sanity is completely worth $21!!!  As a bonus, they can work on their money management skills if they continue to earn some cash.

So how about all of you??  Are your kids required to do chores?  If so, do they earn money for it?  What system works for you?


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Tuesday Ten - A Belated Father's Day Post for my Hubby

Last week, for my Tuesday Ten and in honor of Father's Day,  I posted a list of things I learned form my dad.  However, I most certainly do not want to overlook my wonderful hubby who is a fantastic dad to our three girls.  So, it may be a couple days late, but for this week's Tuesday Ten, I enlisted the help of my girls.  I asked them to tell me some things that makes their dad a great dad.  Here's what they came up with:
 
The Golden Spoons


Ten Things That Make Our Dad Great
from Rachel (10), Megan (8), & Emily (5)


  1. He is silly and he makes us laugh.  But, he knows when to be serious, too. (Rachel)
  2. He disciplines us when we need it, but he's not mean.  (Rachel)
  3. He is easy to talk to because he is laid back about our problems.  He helps us see which problems are big ones and which ones are not such a big deal.  (Rachel)
  4. He is good at math and helps us understand it.  Science, too.  (Rachel & Megan)
  5. He is really smart. (Emily)
  6. He helps us when we need help. (Emily)
  7. He is cuddly like a big teddy bear and I like to snuggle with him.  (Emily)
  8. He is encouraging.  He encourages us to try new things and to do our best.  (Megan)
  9. He is hardworking.  He works really hard so we have plenty of money for food and the other stuff we need.  (Megan)
  10. He is awesome! (Megan)  (Yep!  I'd say that pretty much sums it up!) 
Happy Belated Father's Day!!  
Thanks for all you do!  We love you!!!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Mornings - Bah Humbug!

You know those people who get up at 5am to go to Zumba or spin classes?  Or those other people who get up early to journal or blog?  Maybe you are familiar with folks who wake up and are immediately happy and ready to face the day.

Well, I am NOT one of those people.

I am soooooo not a morning person!  It doesn't matter if I am woken up by the alarm clock, the kids, or the birds chirping cheerily outside my window - getting out of bed is the hardest part of my day.  Once I do get up, I like to take my time waking up, although this is not always an option.  Ideally I could wake up no earlier than 7:00am and have an hour or so of "quiet time" to drink a cup of coffee while casually checking Facebook.  Then, I might not dislike mornings so much.  Sadly, of course, mornings like those rarely happen.   I know, I know - "Each new day is a new opportunity for happiness;"  "The early bird gets the worm" and all that jazz.  Well, I don't like worms anyway and I still don't like mornings!

My kids are sleepers, too, which can be a good thing or a very bad thing.  Of course, on Saturdays or summer vacation days I like love that they will sleep until 7:00 or 8:00 or even later.  Even better?  They are old enough now to entertain themselves for a while so I can catch a little extra shuteye. 

The problem comes, however, on school mornings.  Their alarm clocks NEVER actually wake them up.  So, on school mornings, I have to drag my grumpy self out of bed and then go room to room shaking and waking all of them.  Most mornings, Megan is pretty cooperative.  The other two- not so much.  Finally this year, the oldest (5th grade!) would get herself dressed and come downstairs only semi-comatose.  The youngest is quite possibly even worse than me.  On most school mornings, I literally had to sit her up and forcibly dress her limp body - like something akin to dressing a rag doll.

Since I don't like mornings, I can't really blame them or be upset with them for feeling the same way.  Despite that, though, take just a moment to ponder this equation:

1 grumpy mom + 2 grumpy kids + 1 additional sometimes grumpy kid + the typical morning rush = ???

Let's just say it's usually not pretty.  Fortunately, we are just ending our first week of summer vacation which means we have many more mornings of sleeping in and NOT waking up grumpy (hopefully) before we have to go back to that dreadful routine!

How about you??  Are you a morning person?  Are your kids early risers??


Finish the Sentence Friday


This post was written as part of Finish The Sentence Friday which is hosted by the following bloggers.  Please give them a visit and see all the other blogs that participate as well!

Stephanie at Mommy, for Real

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Tuesday Ten - Things I Learned from my Dad

This Sunday, June 16th, is Father's Day.  I thought that, since I wrote Ten Things I Learned from my Mom, I would make this week's Tuesday Ten Ten Things I Learned from my Dad!  So, here goes . . .


The Golden Spoons


Ten Things I Learned From My Dad

1.  Not to throw like a girl - My dad is a big sports fan - especially baseball and basketball.  When I was younger, I played some sports myself including basketball, softball, and tennis.  Thanks to my dad, I don't throw like a girl!  I throw a ball properly. ;-)  That's not to say that I have a super strong arm - I do not.  However, I do have a proper technique!
2.  The Importance of history - My dad loves history.  He taught high school history for over thirty years and he reads books about history all the time.  He can recite dates and spout off historical facts as if he, himself, was a history book!  Through hearing him discuss history, I have learned how important our history actually is; how every event has shaped how we live today.  It has also made me painfully aware of how much today's history books are missing and I hope I can teach my daughters as well as my dad has taught me.
3.  The importance of family - This coincides with #2, because your family IS your history.  Even if you don't like all of them; even if you don't know all of them, your family is where you come from - they are your history.  My dad has shown me how important and meaningful keeping up with family connections can be.
4.  The joy of competition -  Through sports, my dad has taught me how much fun a little competition can be.  I always enjoyed playing for the win and seeing how far my team could go.
5. You can't win 'em all -  This kind of goes along with the last one because, although winning is obviously more fun, nobody wins every time.  My dad taught me that's o.k.  You still hold your head high and just try harder the next time.
6.  Stubbornness - I realize that stubbornness can be a negative thing, but there is also something to be said for knowing yourself and not letting anything sway you away from that foundation.  My dad holds firm to his beliefs and convictions.  He has never taken the popular stance on an issue just because it was what everyone else did or because it was easier that way.  He is confident in who he is and what he believes and he does not falter.  Ever.
7.  How to treat a woman and have a strong marriage -  My mom and dad have been married for 40+ years.  Their marriage is strong because they respect each other and communicate effectively.  I have never once heard my dad raise his voice or treat my mom like anything other than an equal.  When I was old enough to begin dating and searching for "Mr. Right," I had high expectations of how I wanted to be treated in a relationship because seeing my dad with my mom taught me how a man should  treat a woman and let me know that I should not settle for anything less.
8.  To appreciate the simple things in life - My dad is the only person
I know who goes into Kilwins' with 20+ ice cream flavors from which to choose and orders vanilla every time.  He just doesn't need the frills.  He is perfectly content with the house my parents have lived in for nearly 40 years.  His car is almost older than my marriage.  And, that's o.k. with him because he realizes that there are more important things in life than just "stuff" and he is content with "simple" blessings.
9.  How to speak in front of a crowd - My dad was a teacher, so he spoke in front of students all day long.  However, I have also seen him speak in front of a church congregation and I have seen him give several speeches.  He is honestly one of the best speakers I have ever heard or seen.  He never seems the least bit nervous.  He speaks slowly and clearly.  He makes his point concisely.  I have heard many others who should take a few lessons from my dad.
10.  Faith - In my post about my mom, I said, "There was always an undertone of Faith in our house as I grew up.  It wasn't an in-your-face kind of faith, but it was always there.  That solid foundation has allowed me to further explore my own personal faith as an adult."  Of course, my dad was a big factor in that as well, so he deserves credit for it, too! 

Happy Father's Day Daddy!!!  I love you and admire you some much!  I'm so glad you're my dad!!


Monday, June 10, 2013

Summer Bucket List

Today is our first official day of summer vacation!  Wohoo!!!  Last week, for my Tuesday Ten, I wrote about things I am looking forward to this summer.  In it, I mentioned that I wanted to make a summer bucket list of things to do with my girls.  Well, I did make one!  And, that's a good thing since last Friday was their last day of school.  The girls gave some input and I added some things, too.  Here's what we cam up with - 25 things we want to do this summer!

I really hope we get to do all of these things!  We have already been in the pool, so that's a start.  We have a trip to the beach already planned and are thinking about going to the zoo this weekend.  Maybe at the end of summer, I'll have to post an update and let all of you know how much we got done!! :-)

How about you?  What's on your bucket list this summer?

Sunday, June 9, 2013

I'm featured!!

Good Sunday morning everyone!!! I am very excited to be featured today as The Sunday Sip on More Than Mommies!!! Grab a cup of coffee, or tea, or juice, or whatever you like and come on over to check me out!
(Click the button below)

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Thursday, June 6, 2013

Turning Points

Last week, when I first saw the topic for this week's Finish The Sentence Friday, my wheels immediately started turning.  "I hit a turning point in my life when  . . . ."

At first, I thought about the big ones - marriage, having kids.  Then, I decided those were too obvious.  I wanted to write about something more personal; more unique to me and my life.  So, I dug deeper and came up with a few more possibilities:

 - Going to college - I grew up in a small town where my older brother was an athletic star and student body president.  BOTH my parents were teachers at my high school.  Being on my own in a college dorm that was a couple hours away from home, away from the magnifying glass, was a sense of freedom that I had never experienced before.  

 - Finally being free from psoriasis - I was diagnosed with psoriasis when I was 9.  For years, I slathered on creams, tried different kinds of treatments in an attempt keep it in check, and let my self image crumble mostly silently.  I hated it with a passion.  (In fact, I still don't talk about it much.)  Eventually, I stumbled upon a cure - pregnancy.  There was someone new looking back at me from the mirror in so many ways.

 - Deciding to be a stay at home mom - a decision that was not made lightly.

 - Starting my blog - I started it on a whim and never imagined the connections it would allow me to make.

I continued mulling these over for a few days, trying to decide on which one to focus.

Coincidentally, this week was also my kids' last week of school.  Monday, I woke each of them up cheering "It's your last Monday of kindergarten/2nd grade/elementary school!"  Today, Friday, as many of you are reading this, I am at their school watching them get their final awards as they finish their respective grades.  I'll also be watching my oldest "graduate" from 5th grade and prepare to begin middle school on the fall - a turning point; certainly for her as well as for me.

At some point during this crazy, busy week as I made my way through all the celebrations with all of these thoughts swirling through my head, I realized that our lives are chock full of turning points.  Some of them are big; some are small.  Some we find hard to swallow; some we gladly embrace.  Some we don't even recognize as turning points until later on.

It is these turning points, though, that make life interesting.  If everything always stayed the same, there would be no sense of progress; no excitement; no struggles; no sense of joy when we come out on the other side.  I realized that I simply cannot single out one individual turning point that has been more significant than any other because it is all of them together - big, small, good, bad, happy, sad - that have made my life what it is right now.  And, I wouldn't change any of them because right now is pretty good -no, right now  is really, really good - just the way it is! :-)



Finish the Sentence Friday



This post was written as part of Finish The Sentence Friday which is hosted by the following bloggers.  Please give them a visit and see all the other blogs that participate as well!


Stephanie at Mommy, for Real

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Tuesday Ten - Things I'm Looking Forward to This Summer

This is my girls' last week of school.  The year has just flown by.  As the girls get older, each year gets busier and busier.  This year, I am more than ready for summer vacation, so I thought I would make this Tuesday Ten all about Summer Vacation!!


The Golden Spoons


TEN THINGS I'M LOOKING FROWARD TO THIS SUMMER

1.  No schedules - The girls have a few camps scattered here and there, but, for the most part, we are free and easy going.  There are no after school activities.  We don't have to have dinner at a certain time each evening in order to make it somewhere else on time.  Bedtime is flexible.  Everything is just more relaxed.
2.  Sleeping In - I've admitted before that My Kids Are Sleepers and, coinciding with the whole no schedules thing, we ALL get to sleep in most days during the summer.  It's blissful, really!
3.  The beach - When I married into this family, I also married into the tradition of spending a week at the beach every summer with my husband's family.  To some, this may sound torturous, but I love it.  I get along great with his family and I love the beach.  We always rent a big house together and have a great time.
Source
4.  No packing lunches - During the school year, packing lunches and planning meals is the bane of my existence.  My three girls are all picky, but in different ways which makes packing lunches a scientific/mathematical equation that even Sheldon Cooper couldn't decipher!  I'm so glad I'll get a break from at least the packing lunches part of that for 3 whole months!!!!  Yippeeeee!!!

5.  Hanging out with friends - We are fortunate to have a pool at our house, so ours is the hang out spot in the summer.  We have friends over often.  The kids get to splash in the pool while the parents get to sit back and relax!
6.  Time to visit with family - My parents and older brother only live about two hours away, but with crazy schedules from September to May, it is hard to find time to get together.  The summer gives us time to see each other more often.  My brother and his wife have three kids about the same ages as mine, so the cousins always have fun together and I enjoy visiting with my brother, my sister-in-law, and my parents!
7.  The mountains - Often, those times visiting with my family are spent, at least in part, in the mountains.  I grew up going to the mountains of NC, so I find something very comforting in going back there and I am glad to share it with my girls, too.  There's just nothing quite like a day in Blowing Rock!
Source
8.  Grilling - I am not the griller at my house.  That would be my hubby.  I love when he can grill, though, because it means I am only partially responsible for dinner and the clean up afterwards! ;-)
9.  Thunderstorms - Given the recent severe weather in Oklahoma, I hesitated to put this one on the list.   Fortunately, we don't get much severe weather here - nothing like the terrible tornadoes they have in the midwest. It's usually just your run-of-the-mill thunderstorm.  I just love to cuddle up and watch the lightning flashes and listen to the rain and thunder.   
Source
10.  Spending Time with my Girls - I'm sure that, at times, we will drive each other crazy and, by August, I will probably be counting down the days until they go back to school.  But, right now, I am looking forward to just hanging put with my girls this summer.  I hoping to make a summer bucket list with them soon.  It probably won't have 100 things on it like some do - maybe just 25-30 - but it will give us something to accomplish together and something to work on when we they get bored!

So what are you looking forward to this summer???  What's on your summer bucket list??

Next Week's Topic: Ten Thing I Learned From My Dad 
(Remember, Father's Day is June 16!!!)
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