Thanks for everything

I have been deep in whatever it is that I do and haven't been on the laptop in days.  I wrote this post last Sunday early in the morning.  It seemed like a good idea to post it now (or never).  Happy Thanksgiving.

For as long as I can remember, the power of the written word has always surpassed the spoken word.  I enjoy writing and I love reading.  As a mom, I find comfort in expressing my ideas and struggles and thoughts and ramblings here and in my other daily writing.  I have also spent a lot of timing stumbling onto other moms who use writing as an outlet and support tool.  One of my favorites is Rachel at finding joy ,  she is lovely and encouraging.  Today she framed gratitude as a choice, a powerful concept that is not easily implemented especially in the throws of parenting.  Her challenge was to write down ten things that you are grateful for.  I've been throwing a few things out her and there for you but here is my list.

Giving. 
True statement, I don't really like to get gifts.   Now wait.  I love things, I want lots of things but I'm not very good at receiving gifts.  giving is always a more blessed way to live.  I love this time of the year because there are so many different ways to give.  With Junior League programs, community and church projects, a helping hand, and of course gifts.  I am trying to seize more opportunities to give to those around me.  Even just a simple note of encouragement.  When was the last time someone sent you a "Thinking About You" card (NOT A FACEBOOK POST), a real card in the mail.  More of you and less of me actually gives more to me. 

My Starbucks Mug.  
This mug is with me 7 days a week, sometimes all day long.  I have been known to rinse it out after a long day of drinking coffee and fill it with red wine.  My mug is versatile like that.  I tease my kids about their comfort items but don't we all have and need our comfort items? 

Family support.
My kids were at my parents house ALL DAY yesterday.  With that kind of support I could be with friends all morning at our Annual Pinterest Party (more on that in another post), run errands alone, and take Keith to a party without interference.  My life isn't hard but family support makes it MUCH easier.

Laughter.
Laughing hard.  I laughed hard at Sy eating poop on Duck Dynasty (3x).  I laughed really hard with my friends at the Pinterest party.  But I laughed even harder at Keith, "MOM LOOK AT THE CRACKHEAD!"  That's a nutcracker to everyone else.

Priorities.
Kevin is my on-going example of putting first things first.  In a society that revolves around instant gratification and ME, he shows us everyday that his world revolves around his wife and his kids.  He tells us and shows us the depth of his love every day.  Raising these kids to be incredible human beings is a full-time gig, everything else falls away.

Chores
So much of mothering and homekeeping is a "rinse, lather, repeat" process.  Having kids who understand and can do chores brings me such joy.  Up until last week their participation in chores was less helpful and more obligatory (on my part).  I would prefer to do it myself and not have to deal with the way the kids do it.  But my boys are finally helping with chores that I can appreciate.  Drying dishes!  YAY! Unloading the dishwasher! YAY!  I just found 8 more minutes in my day.

Time
Speaking of which..... as many times as I have to repeat myself and keep my toddler from destroying the pantry/bathroom/garage/office, I can't rescue this time.  Minutes to read to Keith, minutes to snuggle with Patrick before lights out, minutes to create a comfortable home, minutes to cook, minutes to plan, minutes to choose.

Appliance locks.
We have had the same refrigerator since Patrick was a baby.  I don't remember having to lock the refrigerator buttons with either of the boys.  "Lauren, please don't push my buttons" is a standard refrain at my house.

Health.
If my chief complaint is boogers and kids coughing in my face, I count myself lucky.  A week of colds is tiring but as far as illness goes, we have been sheltered from major ailments.  

The Cosby Show.
Last month I started to record "The Cosby Show" for the kids.  We watch an episode (or two or three) every night.  We laugh at the stories, we talk about the lessons, and we repeat the funny lines again and again.  Even now if I say "Justine" both boys will start singing "JUSTINE!  JUSTINE!"  Good times.

Kindle Cuddles.

Kindle cuddles on a chilly fall Sunday.  A slow and quiet Sunday (at least for a few hours) allows this mama to cuddle on the couch with Patrick, blankets, and Kindles.  The house wasn't clean, the laundry wasn't done, projects weren't completed.... All the more reason to take a few minutes to cuddle and read.  I am SO thankful for these minutes.

Over-employed

Today I taught Lauren the sign for work.

Source:Lifeprint.com

Lauren doesn't say much but she does say, "Where Dada? He gone."  This morning, after working  many days without a day off, Kevin overslept.  Going between night shift and day shift, some days without an actual break in between (that's 24 hour shifts), and today was the first day he overslept.  I doubt he was late to work, he just got there 20 minutes later than his regular early time.  

So the kids saw Kevin this morning for a few minutes (which is unusual) and then Lauren started with the question.  She thinks she's funny so at first she was pretending that he was sleeping, shushing her brothers.  "Where Dada?  SHSHSHSHSH!"  But she's a quick study and I don't know why I hadn't taught her the sign before (except that I am pretty slow on the uptake).

I am so grateful that Kevin is over-employed and happy to take care of and provide for his family.  If hard work was easy, they would call it easy work.  We make lots of sacrifices and we will reap the benefits at some point.  Until then the limited time we have together is cherished.  We are blessed.

Everyday

Growing up is about moments.  Knitted together the moments make memories and a childhood.  This morning we had an extra 12 minutes before we needed to leave for school.  Instead of begging to turn on the TV, the kids played with dominoes.  I didn't demand that they played nicely together, they just did.

 Last night, our night lacked the sunshine and roses.  Kevin left for work and I was on my own.  One kid flooded the bathroom.  Another sneezed right in my open mouth.  Another seemed to be unable to complete a task without arguing with someone.  My throat hurt from yelling (Bad mommy).

 When they aren't fighting over whose turn it is to breathe. Or who sat in the chair first.  Or what day it is.  When I stop and take a look, discarding the list, allowing for imperfection.

Then we have moments of peace.  Just simple, boring, happy peace.  And I will always be thankful for that.

Pinterest Fail (yeah thanks.)

I'm thankful for failure.  Humbling failure.  There is nothing like failure to remind you that easy things aren't always easy.  I have a way of underestimating the skill, time, and resources needed for a project.  Failure (if you are really willing to look at it, square in its ugly face) also acts as a cautionary tale, a guideline for how not to do it. 

I'm not always willing to stare at my failure and analyze my missteps.  I would prefer to keep moving forward, no looking back. My recent Pinterest Fail I threw in the garbage and didn't tell anyone.  I was trying to make the cute DIY tank top from an old t-shirt (Source: Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth). 

Cute right?  That's not the one I made.  The one I made and put in the garbage can looked like a mock turtleneck.  I'm the only person in the world who sets out to make a cute tank from a t-shirt and manages to make a (lopsided) turtleneck.  FAIL.

I never examined the reason I failed at that Pinterest project.  Maybe I wouldn't have failed again if I had actually considered why my tank top failed.  But I didn't, so when I set out to make these pretty yarn balls (Source: Hostess with the Mostess) for my mother-in-law's birthday party.....

I ended up with this utter failure!

During the 24-hour drying period my balloons exploded at random intervals.  Do you know what happens when a balloon covered with glue and gunk explodes?  It sounds like a gunshot AND the gunk tends to fly all over the place.  Thank goodness I read the instructions and set the project up outside!  That was about the only thing I did right.  

I overinflated the balloons so the stress and weight of the yarn and gunk was too much.  I also attempted to accomplish this project while dealing with my littles.  Parenting with your hands covered in glue and yarn isn't really parenting.  It's screaming from the garage and then running down the street trying to grab your child without  using your hands. * parenting fail and crafting fail.  

The balloons didn't start popping until later that night.  And I just laughed.  There was nothing to do but laugh.  It was a ridiculous failure and I owned it.  I knew I had messed up.  I texted my sister-in-law and she laughed too.

This is me.  Perfectly imperfect and grateful for that.

Keith's Laugh

I am so thankful for people who remind me how awesome my kid is and what a wonderfully intoxicating laugh he has.  He laughs and you can't help but smile and laugh too.  I've been in the classroom and seen a room full of kids fall out because Keith started laughing.  He's not laughing in this picture, he's totally pouting.  He's pouting in the way that only he can pout.

Mom, you made me the middle child because you love me the most?

I agreed before I really understood his question.  Keith, our middle child.... sigh.  He needs to be loved in a whole different way.  I'm not always good at it.  I'm tired and can't field another question or listen to another argument.  I beg for quiet and get a tidal wave of noise in return.

Mom, there are cross-country kids. They go across the whole country and back.

And I create my own noise.  I ask him to make his bed three times and the fourth request is a (loud) command and he still doesn't do it.  I give him complicated instructions and wonder why he doesn't complete a task.  My voice is white noise. My voice is mostly ignored for his flights of fancy.

Mom, I was laying in bed, did you hear me talking to myself.  I made a really good "ch" sound CH-CH-CH-CH-CH

People wonder how he is doing in school and I totally get what they are really saying.  There were moments this summer when  we wondered how Keith would possibly survive Kindergarten.  He's surviving, he's thriving.  He holds on for 3 and a half hours and reserves his worst for me.  But I get his best too.  I'm his soft place to land, his respite after a long day, his scratching post, his book buddy, his mom.  We unwind and laugh and dance and sing.  I slow down and stare into the eyes of the baby boy in the pictures on my wall.  Yesterday I was ready to give him away, today I will keep him.  He is a part of me, the laughter of my heart and for that I am thankful.

A Grateful Heart- Day 20, 21,22, 23

Oops.  Running behind.

Day 20: Today we took pictures and the rainy weather that we woke up to tapered off in time.  The world after rain always seems so nice and fresh.

Day 21: A whole week at home with the kids started with all three kids playing in Patrick's room.  I could hear screams and giggles all the way in the kitchen.  We never have time for these shenanigans after breakfast and Lauren is never allowed in Patrick's room (Legos etc.). 

Day 22:  Anticipation.  My kids are so excited for the holidays.  I think the days leading up to the holidays are so fun.  Advent calendars, school Christmas programs, holiday parties, baking.... it is like a month of Christmas.

Day 23: A warm bed and time to sleep in.  My kids slept in, I played around on Pinterest and ate crock pot oatmeal in the quiet of the morning. 

A Grateful Heart- Day 17, 18, and 19

Day 17: WOW Fresno isn't known for Fall weather but this day is absolutely perfect.  So perfect that I forced myself to take a break from my agenda and get the kids outside to play.  Gorgeous days, loud music, warm cookies and a big glass of wine....the good life.

Day 18: Opportunities to give a little and take a lot.  My membership to the Junior League of Fresno buys a lot of things.  One of the most cherished is connecting and giving back to the people in the community.  One of our projects is called Girl Power.  We work with a group of foster girls throughout the year.  Once a month there is a special theme that focuses on empowerment, self-esteem, health/nutrition, etc.  I finally got the chance to participate and it was really such a great event. 

Day 19: Positive and encouraging women.  I will tell you more about the party itself when I get my pictures uploaded.  Until then, today was a reminder that I am blessed to have sweet, smart, and talented women in my life.  Women who aren't afraid to laugh out loud and can actually make me laugh on a regular basis.

A Grateful Heart- Day 15 and 16

Yesterday was a weird day.  Sort of a Mr. Bean day only Mommy Style.  I won't go on and on about my antics but I will share this: I almost burned the house down.  Remember how much I love to multitask?  Well, I was trying to make dinner and shower..... cut to me (naked) trying to deal with the burning pot, crying baby, and screaming smoke detector all at once.
I'm grateful for smoke detectors.  Go check your batteries people.

Today is a better day.  And today I am grateful for Bar Keepers Friend for saving my cherished Calphalon pot.  From my husband, in reference to the burned pot, "I've never seen anything like it.  You are lucky you didn't burn down the whole house."

A Grateful Heart- Day 13 and 14

Doubling down seems appropriate for these thanks.  I am thankful for multitasking and my Crock Pot.  See how they are coordinated like that?  Now I have to get back to stirring my beans and doing 4 other things at once.

A Grateful Heart- Day 12 AND Tales from the Pavement

11 Weeks until the Half Marathon
Distance: 5.40 miles
Time: 53:07 minutes
Avg Pace Per Mile: 9:50

Today you get a two-fer *gratitude and running.  I am grateful for the pebble in my running shoe.   On the final half of my run today I picked up a pebble in my shoe.  I was running to my parents house and there aren't any sidewalks out there!  This meant running on the pavement and dodging cars in the gravel.  It was fun, until the pebble. 
Here is today's submission in the running as a metaphor for life files.  The pebble is an annoying distraction that can completely mess with your focus.  I've heard that running is a mental sport and I believe it.  I was pacing at under 9:00 minutes before the pebble and suddenly I was running an 11:00 minute mile. 
Last night at Bible study we talked at length about doing all things for the Lord.  We discussed how we can get distracted by our own agendas and forget that we are supposed to first be serving the Lord. Our worries are like the pebbles, tiny bits in the grand scheme of God's glory.  However, it is almost impossible to not focus on the pebble.  Only with God's help can we overcome the tiny pebbles that distract us from the bigger picture.
For me today, focusing on the run and not the pebble in my shoe was so hard.  The same way that mean and lame people, financial worries, annoying politicians and other daily pebbles are so distracting.  I didn't stop and take my shoe off.  I said a prayer and kept going.  I ran faster and prayed harder and soon the pebble lodged itself behind my pinky toe. 
Thanks Pebble.

A Grateful Heart- Day 11

Today I am grateful for the men and women who have served and serve this country.   I am thankful for our fathers, our cousins, our neighbors, our friends and the quietly nameless servicemen and women who we will never know.  I am proud to be closely connected to people brave enough to  stand up and protect the precious freedoms of our country. 

I am especially touched by the families of the men and women who are deployed.  We often go hours and days without seeing Kevin.  It is really hard. I cannot imagine saying goodbye and not seeing him for months or longer.  That being said, I know that my husband would take up arms and join the ranks if he was needed.  And I would sadly and proudly support him.

God bless our troops and our country.

A Grateful Heart- Day 9 and 10

Day 9:  A Gorgeous Day!
My dear friend Ang has been dealing with sick kids (of varying degrees) for a couple of weeks.  I pray for her daily and hope her kids are better soon.  I think it is really easy for us to get caught up in what we don't have  and what our kids aren't doing right.   We forget the important blessing of good health.  Log onto Facebook this time of the year and the posts are peppered with stories of ER trips and antibiotics.  You will even hear about the really sick kids who will only survive by the grace of God.  So today on this sunny Wednesday I am so grateful that my boys are healthy enough to run and skip and jump the entire walk home from school. 

Day 10: Baby Nap
Lauren is a true third child.  Her nap schedule tells that tale so clearly.  She rarely gets more than one nap per day but her little body demands a long morning nap.  Sometimes three hours or more.  9:00 am until her body is hungry for lunch (sometimes as late as 1:00!).   This is my time to work, clean, make phone calls, pin (As in Pinterest, don't cha know), blog, work, pick up dog poop, watch some Housewives (next gen All My Children), and of course drink coffee (these are things that are actually on my to-do list.).  I am so grateful for naptime!

A Grateful Heart- Days 2-8

I conveniently missed the last seven days of gratitude.  I already knew that Day 2 was going to be dedicated to Kevin.  As it turns out, he's getting the entire week.  Seven reasons I'm grateful for Kevin:

• When he fills in for me, I have confidence that the kids are not only loved and fed but on their schedule too!
• He's sentimental. He loves dreaming as much as he loves
• He is my biggest fan. Especially now that I am a runner (haha.). He coaches me and cheers for me.  I look forward to sharing my accomplishments with him.  I run for him.
• He happily helps me cook and clean.  And although I've gotten better at asking for help, he's awesome at reading my mind.
• My kids adore him.  He's their superhero.
• He fixes my tire at 6:00 am.
• He gets up early and works hard for us.  Sometimes this means little sleep and no time off. Then he turns around and puts a Halloween costume together.

Halloween Round-up

I already told you how I feel about Halloween so I won't say it again.  I will say this, Halloween is a lot of work and seems to extend for weeks before the actual trick or treating happens.  Okay, so I had fun this year.  Halloween in Kindergarten is fun, whatever, this too shall pass....

Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch
The pumpkin patch was a lot of fun.  Patrick loved the hayride and riding the bus with his buddies.

Best Buddies

Dimitri, Patrick and David

Patrick's class.  I love these kids.  I get to spend time with them on Fridays and they are really fun.

 

When you are Keith, any excuse to dress up will do.  

We love pumpkins!  Keith is kissing his pumpkin.

The completed products.  Patrick's has ears.  Keith's has three eyes.  Kevin's is the little one.  We had fun.   The boys proudly designed their own faces. 

The Halloween Crew (in part).  I love this picture because Keith is either  trying to pull off Jack's mask or he's just harassing his cousin.  Either way.  Funny 

Keith was a spider because that's what Patrick was when he was two (he declared that next year he will either be Harry Potter or a Spider).  In the chaos of getting four kids ready to go and Keith being Keith, his hat with his sparkly spider eyes got left behind.  He did however manage to make sure he had gloves (because Jack's Batman costume had gloves), Patrick's baseball gloves.  He happily told anyone who would listen about his gloves, "I got goves, Pat-pat beisbol goves."  Patrick was a ninja with a small arsenal.  He was very into it, look at his face.  Hilarious.

And finally, the little ones.  Keith, Ava and Ryder with their lollipops (aka Popsicles).  Keith told me that he had fun hiding under the table with Ryder eating candy.  "I hide from you."

If you are looking for Keith, he is probably hiding in the corner trying to squirrel away his candy stash.

As for me, I am glad that it isn't October anymore.  And unlike last year I am totally skipping the Thanksgiving holiday for Christmas decorating.   The cards are ordered and the fun can begin the minute we get 23 boxes of Christmas joy out of storage.  Merry Christmas!

A pocketful of thankfulness

Psalm 31:19
How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.

1. A husband who sorts, washes, drys, folds AND puts away ALL of the kids' laundry on his short week.
2. A son who would rather cook with me than play with his superheroes.
3. A home office that is far away from everyone else and equipped with everything I need to stay focused and happy.
4. A Momtourage that is in full effect on a regular basis these days.
5. Friends and sisters who laugh with me and commit themselves wholeheartedly to my storyline.
6. Gas for under $2
7. A job that pays the bills and is fun too.
8. Positive, encouraging K-Love
   
9. A 19 month old who is a champion sleeper and the best audience for his dad (he laughs and oh's and ah's at everything Kevin says).
10. A new job assignment for Kevin that borders on too exciting. It is like magic.
11. Too many blessings to count.
    

Somebody get Thanksgiving a publicist

Thanksgiving is kind of like your 19th birthday. You are just coming off the high of turning 18 (Halloween), moving toward the joy and happiness of 20 and 21 (Christmas and New Years). Nineteen is just a nondescript rest stop between 18 and the wonder that is 20 and 21.

Personally, I love Thanksgiving AND I loved turning 19 but then again I also like Steely Dan (Hey Nineteen? Get it?) . Maybe it is because I don't LOVE love Halloween? Or maybe it is just my personality? (My favorite day of the week is Thursday. Because it reminds me of all of the promise of the weekend.) Or it could be my love of orange and brown....

I spent all day Friday talking about key messaging and target audiences. Come to think of it I spent most of the week talking about marketing and communications. ***If I could advise the old fogeys who blessed me with a degree in the science of politics, I would tell them to add a whole quarter on communications.*** So I have PR on my mind. Plus, there is all of this craziness with the Christmas holiday inching into Thanksgiving's territory (Turf War!!!!). Even my sister is selling out Thanksgiving for the promises of Christmas (Christmas isn't just a disease, it is a dirty addiction that always leaves you hung-over).


Here it is Free of Charge, Thanksgiving's marketing recommendations!

1. Re-think the turkey branding/identity. There aren't many cute turkeys out there. How does an odd looking bird compete with Santa?
2. Maximize on the consumerism. We're American, we love Christmas because we get to spend thousands of dollars. Making a list of what we are thankful for? Where is the consumerism in that exercise?
3. Copyright, trademark and reserve the rights to all Thanksgiving related food. Charge Christmas usage charges and sue for infringement.
4. Creep into October. Halloween doesn't need it all!
5. Let the music carry your message. We have Christmas songs, why don't we have Thanksgiving songs? Nothing puts you in the mood like a little ditty.
6. Demand a full week of vacation... or at least a five-day weekend. Anyone who has ever cooked a Thanksgiving meal for more than 5 people knows that you need a full day to prepare. And everyone will love you for it.
   

Mad love Thanksgiving. Get here soon so we can get you over with and move on to our true love, Christmas.