Hi friends and family! :) Today is day 23! I am to write about 5 things that I think about a lot. Here we go.
#1- Obviously my kids. I have 4 kids, so I have kids on my mind a lot! I'm thinking about what I need to do next for them, fun crafts to do with them, how their consequences are working or aren't working for each one, if they feel enough happiness and love.....and so on. I'm sure all of you would list your kids as number one as well. We can't help it...our kids are ALWAYS on our minds.
#2- My husband. He is at school a lot, and I'm always thinking about-did he eat enough before he left? Is he stressing about school right now? Hopefully he brought his water. I miss him. The list goes on.
#3- Working out. If I didn't do it yet, I think about when I will get the chance to do it, will I have the energy to do it when the time comes? Or what different workout can I put in the mix?
#4- Dinner. Ugh.....Every single day. I'm pretty good at making a weekly menu and sticking to it, but lately I haven't been. I wake up, make breakfast for the kids, and think..."now what do I make for dinner?".....sigh.....
#5- My family in Arizona. I miss them and they quite frequently enter my thoughts. I think about when I can visit them, how they are doing, and how much we all miss them.
I think about a lot. This is the top 5, but on a day to day basis my mind is flooded with random thoughts.....which is probably why I suffer from anxiety. I'd love to hear your top 5 thoughts.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 22!!
Today is day 22!!! I'm supposed to write a letter to anyone, and I'm choosing to write it to my daughter, Laura.
Dear Laura,
My sweet 6 year old girl. I can't believe in December you will be SEVEN!! You have had quite a year trying to find out who you are. Don't rush it sweet girl.....you have such a long life ahead of you for all of that. You graduated kindergarten at the top of your class, making everyone so proud of you. You learned how to read, and now are reading chapter books!! Wow!
I see a lot of myself, in your personality. We both get frustrated too quickly, and are sensitive. I've learned over the years to take a breath, slow down and go with the flow. You will learn this over time.
You are a big sister, AND a little sister. I am too. It's hard. You want to be older, yet you still want to be younger. Enjoy these years sweetheart. You are learning so much as a little sister, and being able to teach your little sister and little brother all that you know. That is special. Take your time when trying to teach your siblings, don't get upset with them.....they truly look up to you and always will.
I remember when we moved here, you were very shy and quiet.....and along the way, you have really come out of your shell and blossomed into the most beautiful little 6 year old girl. It's good to be shy at times, and outgoing at other times. Be you. YOU are special, you are the only Laura like you, and I'm so happy that I get to be YOUR mom. Thank you for making me laugh, making me smile, and making me a better mom every day. I love you sweet girl, I will forever.
Love Mommy <3
Dear Laura,
My sweet 6 year old girl. I can't believe in December you will be SEVEN!! You have had quite a year trying to find out who you are. Don't rush it sweet girl.....you have such a long life ahead of you for all of that. You graduated kindergarten at the top of your class, making everyone so proud of you. You learned how to read, and now are reading chapter books!! Wow!
I see a lot of myself, in your personality. We both get frustrated too quickly, and are sensitive. I've learned over the years to take a breath, slow down and go with the flow. You will learn this over time.
You are a big sister, AND a little sister. I am too. It's hard. You want to be older, yet you still want to be younger. Enjoy these years sweetheart. You are learning so much as a little sister, and being able to teach your little sister and little brother all that you know. That is special. Take your time when trying to teach your siblings, don't get upset with them.....they truly look up to you and always will.
I remember when we moved here, you were very shy and quiet.....and along the way, you have really come out of your shell and blossomed into the most beautiful little 6 year old girl. It's good to be shy at times, and outgoing at other times. Be you. YOU are special, you are the only Laura like you, and I'm so happy that I get to be YOUR mom. Thank you for making me laugh, making me smile, and making me a better mom every day. I love you sweet girl, I will forever.
Love Mommy <3
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 21!!
Day 21!! Today I'm writing about step kids, and blended families. So many families are blended now days, that I think a lot of people can relate to what I go through and how I feel.
For those that don't know (and those that do, I'm sorry to repeat myself so much!) I've been raising my son Nicholas since he was 3, and I was 18. Wow.....he is about to be 13 years old, and I sit here feeling like those years have literally flown by. When I met him he called me "girl". I thought it was cute, yet sad, that he only knew a couple words at the age of 3. If you have kids, you know how much we want our children to be able to speak correctly. How frustrating and stressful it feels when they barely speak clearly past the age of 2. Nicholas wasn't my "son" when he was three. It took a little more time then that to become his mommy. Nonetheless, I made it my mission to teach this child to speak. I won't bash his parents....Nick and Zoe were young, and naive in my opinion. Parenting is hard work, and that is what a lot of teen parents fail to see, sometimes. I don't believe ALL teen parents are the same....I was 18, a teen myself and took on parenting a child that wasn't mine.
I've been through the ringer with my son. Been there to sign him up for school, all his appointments, taught him to read, to write and obviously to speak. I've been there for every first day of school, and every day in between. I've disciplined, loved and taught manners. I've cuddled, frowned at, and held his hand. I have been his mom.
He used to visit his mother during summer break. It hurt our family to send him off for a few weeks. We always missed him, and it was so hard to explain to Laura. When we moved here, to Redding, where his mother lives, our lives changed even more. He went from seeing her in the summer to visiting every other weekend. Now that it's summer he is with her EVERY weekend, and I cant begin to explain how much my heart hurts because of this.
I want him to be around his mother and to know that side of his family. He has 3 other siblings that he SHOULD know. But I can't help but feel that I've lost a piece of my son when we moved here. I know it has a lot to do with age as well, but I am not going to deny that him being around his mother has changed him a little. He loves going there, it's a free for all, what kid wouldn't!? It's just hard.
There have been times that I've honestly thought to myself "it would have been a lot easier if I just acted as step mom all those years". I am glad I didn't do that, I am glad he is MY son, but it's hard to share a child you raise, to a woman that was never there. A woman that makes up stories as to why she wasn't there. It's hard.
Being the "step" parent sucks truthfully. Or maybe it's just a mom thing in general? I'm the bad guy because I am strict with grades, chores and rules. Believe me this kid has fun, but I won't allow D's and F's. Shoot me.
I've learned so much since being here. To back off a little. Let him experience some things on his own when it comes to his mother. He will see her for who she is, on his own. I try to sit back and let him tell me about his weekends, while I clinch my teeth lol!!
I'm jealous. And angry. Why does she get him when she wasn't around before? Why does he behave so well for HER?! I get it. Kids are better behaved for everyone else, but I take it personally I guess.
I'm learning to get past that, and just be "consistent, loving mom". Everyone tells me he will thank me one day.....I will be here waiting :)
For those that don't know (and those that do, I'm sorry to repeat myself so much!) I've been raising my son Nicholas since he was 3, and I was 18. Wow.....he is about to be 13 years old, and I sit here feeling like those years have literally flown by. When I met him he called me "girl". I thought it was cute, yet sad, that he only knew a couple words at the age of 3. If you have kids, you know how much we want our children to be able to speak correctly. How frustrating and stressful it feels when they barely speak clearly past the age of 2. Nicholas wasn't my "son" when he was three. It took a little more time then that to become his mommy. Nonetheless, I made it my mission to teach this child to speak. I won't bash his parents....Nick and Zoe were young, and naive in my opinion. Parenting is hard work, and that is what a lot of teen parents fail to see, sometimes. I don't believe ALL teen parents are the same....I was 18, a teen myself and took on parenting a child that wasn't mine.
I've been through the ringer with my son. Been there to sign him up for school, all his appointments, taught him to read, to write and obviously to speak. I've been there for every first day of school, and every day in between. I've disciplined, loved and taught manners. I've cuddled, frowned at, and held his hand. I have been his mom.
He used to visit his mother during summer break. It hurt our family to send him off for a few weeks. We always missed him, and it was so hard to explain to Laura. When we moved here, to Redding, where his mother lives, our lives changed even more. He went from seeing her in the summer to visiting every other weekend. Now that it's summer he is with her EVERY weekend, and I cant begin to explain how much my heart hurts because of this.
I want him to be around his mother and to know that side of his family. He has 3 other siblings that he SHOULD know. But I can't help but feel that I've lost a piece of my son when we moved here. I know it has a lot to do with age as well, but I am not going to deny that him being around his mother has changed him a little. He loves going there, it's a free for all, what kid wouldn't!? It's just hard.
There have been times that I've honestly thought to myself "it would have been a lot easier if I just acted as step mom all those years". I am glad I didn't do that, I am glad he is MY son, but it's hard to share a child you raise, to a woman that was never there. A woman that makes up stories as to why she wasn't there. It's hard.
Being the "step" parent sucks truthfully. Or maybe it's just a mom thing in general? I'm the bad guy because I am strict with grades, chores and rules. Believe me this kid has fun, but I won't allow D's and F's. Shoot me.
I've learned so much since being here. To back off a little. Let him experience some things on his own when it comes to his mother. He will see her for who she is, on his own. I try to sit back and let him tell me about his weekends, while I clinch my teeth lol!!
I'm jealous. And angry. Why does she get him when she wasn't around before? Why does he behave so well for HER?! I get it. Kids are better behaved for everyone else, but I take it personally I guess.
I'm learning to get past that, and just be "consistent, loving mom". Everyone tells me he will thank me one day.....I will be here waiting :)
Sunday, July 15, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 20!
Today I'm supposed to write about concerts I've been to.....but since I've never been to one, I'm going to write about stress as a mother.
I'm dealing with anxiety, and have been since I was pregnant with Katie in 2008. I haven't found a great way to deal with it yet. Usually I get an "attack" every week maybe once or twice and it only lasts about a minute. I feel extremely nervous, hot, and just panicked over all. Yesterday however, was a different story. I was dealing with this crap all day long. It was awful. I felt sick to my stomach because of that feeling. It made me angry, which led my husband and I to argue a little, and me to be on edge with the kids.
The day did end well, but I look back and feel like a failure as a mother. I was dealing with the anxiety and being stressed at the same time. I should have taken more breaths, relaxed and not been so impatient. Shoulda', coulda', woulda', right?
I try so hard to be "perfect" for these kids. I want them to be "perfectly happy", and well....that's so damn stressful and so far from realistic. Nothing is perfect, and normal emotions DO include, angry, sad, an even STRESSED!
Since I've been a mom, I find myself feeling guilty when I am stressed. I become short with the kids, and not as happy go lucky with them. Ugh, even writing that out, makes me feel guilty.
I'm learning that nobody is perfect, perfect doesn't exist. It's ok to feel stressed as a mom, and that what we need the most is a second to breathe. An extra hug from anyone willing to hug us, an ear to listen to us, and maybe even a drink or two! ;)
I'm dealing with anxiety, and have been since I was pregnant with Katie in 2008. I haven't found a great way to deal with it yet. Usually I get an "attack" every week maybe once or twice and it only lasts about a minute. I feel extremely nervous, hot, and just panicked over all. Yesterday however, was a different story. I was dealing with this crap all day long. It was awful. I felt sick to my stomach because of that feeling. It made me angry, which led my husband and I to argue a little, and me to be on edge with the kids.
The day did end well, but I look back and feel like a failure as a mother. I was dealing with the anxiety and being stressed at the same time. I should have taken more breaths, relaxed and not been so impatient. Shoulda', coulda', woulda', right?
I try so hard to be "perfect" for these kids. I want them to be "perfectly happy", and well....that's so damn stressful and so far from realistic. Nothing is perfect, and normal emotions DO include, angry, sad, an even STRESSED!
Since I've been a mom, I find myself feeling guilty when I am stressed. I become short with the kids, and not as happy go lucky with them. Ugh, even writing that out, makes me feel guilty.
I'm learning that nobody is perfect, perfect doesn't exist. It's ok to feel stressed as a mom, and that what we need the most is a second to breathe. An extra hug from anyone willing to hug us, an ear to listen to us, and maybe even a drink or two! ;)
Saturday, July 14, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 19!!
Today is Day 19!!!! YAY!!! Doing great! I'm writing about kids today....shocker? No. ;) We all have different views on parenting, and how we should raise our children. What we all have in common is that we want our kids to be happy. So why do some of us have such vast differences, when it comes to HOW to raise them happily? Maybe its because we were all raised differently, we have read different parenting books, and heard different parenting advice.
It all comes down to patience.
I don't think a parent that chooses to spank, loves their child less. Not at all. I've spanked, and I will do it again when it's needed. I think a 6 year old is too old, yet a one year old is too young, for that kind of discipline. I think the age that THAT kind of discipline is really needed is the toddler stage. About 2-4 years old. Thats when they are testing the boundaries and the rules like crazy. Now, I've been spanked in my day, and the way my father did it was unacceptable in my opinion. A child shouldn't be spanked with an object, an open hand and two swats is good enough to get their attention.
Honestly, I think there is a better way of getting your point across when it comes to this. I think sometimes some parents jump straight to spanking, it's how most of us were raised right? You do something wrong, you get spanked. Why can't we find a more loving approach? I've been raising kids since I was 18. My oldest is 12, and my youngest is approaching his second birthday in December (why oh why must they grow up so fast!?). I've had enough kids and time to kind of test out what works best. Haha that sounds bad. Don't worry, I didn't use one as my spanking kid and another as the time out tester. No, I am raising them all the same, but it's natural to learn more as we get older. I've learned more things to try with discipline, since I became a mom. What I've learned is simple. Patience.
Nicholas is going to be 13 in October. He has by far been the hardest for me the past two years, but there are a lot of contributing things to why that is. Yelling at him, or any kid truthfully, gets us nowhere! Do I do it? Yes. I lose patience sometimes, and the yell quickly emerges before I can even realize I'm doing it. I've learned this year to get a grip on that, because not only do I feel terrible after, but the kids tune me out. They all do.
I'm trying hard to approach my kids with love, and sternness. It's hard some days, but it's working. I can't remember the last time I spanked any of my kids. Simple time outs don't work for every child. It works for Laura my 6 year old. I can make her sit there for 6 minutes and when she is done, she apologizes and moves on. If I put Katie in time out, it shatters her. Different personalities. So, when you get the general advice of "do timeouts, one minute for every year".....try it. It might work, and if it doesn't don't resort to spanking, or thinking something is wrong with your kid. Try a new approach. With Katie I have to pull her aside and literally explain what she did wrong and WHY it's wrong. Laura gets that sometimes too, but their personalities are so different that, their discipline approaches have to be different. Not one thing works for every child. Not even every child of yours.
Nicholas is 12, so things are totally different there. Sentences are what works for him. It took me a long time to figure that out. I also like to have him sit and write me a letter about what exactly he did wrong. If its something tiny, of course he just gets the "come on, really?" look from me.
I believe that our kids really want to make us happy and impress us. They don't want us to be mad at them or disappointed in them, but sometimes we are. It's life. It's an emotion they have to learn. I get mad at my kids pretty much on a daily basis. I'm around them from the moment they wake up, to the moment they go to bed. Being kids, they mess up, they take chances and test boundaries. Our job as parents is to teach them, that its ok to mess up, as long as we try to fix it. After all, even as adults we still mess up, and we expect everyone to love us through it all. Let's do that for our kids.
It all comes down to patience.
I don't think a parent that chooses to spank, loves their child less. Not at all. I've spanked, and I will do it again when it's needed. I think a 6 year old is too old, yet a one year old is too young, for that kind of discipline. I think the age that THAT kind of discipline is really needed is the toddler stage. About 2-4 years old. Thats when they are testing the boundaries and the rules like crazy. Now, I've been spanked in my day, and the way my father did it was unacceptable in my opinion. A child shouldn't be spanked with an object, an open hand and two swats is good enough to get their attention.
Honestly, I think there is a better way of getting your point across when it comes to this. I think sometimes some parents jump straight to spanking, it's how most of us were raised right? You do something wrong, you get spanked. Why can't we find a more loving approach? I've been raising kids since I was 18. My oldest is 12, and my youngest is approaching his second birthday in December (why oh why must they grow up so fast!?). I've had enough kids and time to kind of test out what works best. Haha that sounds bad. Don't worry, I didn't use one as my spanking kid and another as the time out tester. No, I am raising them all the same, but it's natural to learn more as we get older. I've learned more things to try with discipline, since I became a mom. What I've learned is simple. Patience.
Nicholas is going to be 13 in October. He has by far been the hardest for me the past two years, but there are a lot of contributing things to why that is. Yelling at him, or any kid truthfully, gets us nowhere! Do I do it? Yes. I lose patience sometimes, and the yell quickly emerges before I can even realize I'm doing it. I've learned this year to get a grip on that, because not only do I feel terrible after, but the kids tune me out. They all do.
I'm trying hard to approach my kids with love, and sternness. It's hard some days, but it's working. I can't remember the last time I spanked any of my kids. Simple time outs don't work for every child. It works for Laura my 6 year old. I can make her sit there for 6 minutes and when she is done, she apologizes and moves on. If I put Katie in time out, it shatters her. Different personalities. So, when you get the general advice of "do timeouts, one minute for every year".....try it. It might work, and if it doesn't don't resort to spanking, or thinking something is wrong with your kid. Try a new approach. With Katie I have to pull her aside and literally explain what she did wrong and WHY it's wrong. Laura gets that sometimes too, but their personalities are so different that, their discipline approaches have to be different. Not one thing works for every child. Not even every child of yours.
Nicholas is 12, so things are totally different there. Sentences are what works for him. It took me a long time to figure that out. I also like to have him sit and write me a letter about what exactly he did wrong. If its something tiny, of course he just gets the "come on, really?" look from me.
I believe that our kids really want to make us happy and impress us. They don't want us to be mad at them or disappointed in them, but sometimes we are. It's life. It's an emotion they have to learn. I get mad at my kids pretty much on a daily basis. I'm around them from the moment they wake up, to the moment they go to bed. Being kids, they mess up, they take chances and test boundaries. Our job as parents is to teach them, that its ok to mess up, as long as we try to fix it. After all, even as adults we still mess up, and we expect everyone to love us through it all. Let's do that for our kids.
30 Day Challenge, Day 18!
Today is a blog I was supposed to do yesterday, but life gets too busy sometimes. Today I am writing about a tv show I have become addicted to. Well, sadly there are a few.
Big Brother. Comes on every summer and I love it!!! Nick and I even watch the live feeds lol!
Army Wives. It's amazing. Sunday's are just too far away!!! They should be on every other day! :)
American Idol. Duh.....love that one!
Teen Mom. I know, not a good show to promote lol, but I do like it!
Deadliest Catch. Nick and I have been watching it for a good 4 years. We cuddle up together and enjoy the show. Maybe it's the cuddling that I love about getting to watch that show :)
King Of Queens. FUNNY!!
Sex And The City. THAT is a great show! I'm currently re-watching all of them again :)
Dance moms. I know, I know. DESPICABLE!!! They are awful....but I can't look away!!
I'm sure there are some I'm missing, but these are my current favs!! :)
Big Brother. Comes on every summer and I love it!!! Nick and I even watch the live feeds lol!
Army Wives. It's amazing. Sunday's are just too far away!!! They should be on every other day! :)
American Idol. Duh.....love that one!
Teen Mom. I know, not a good show to promote lol, but I do like it!
Deadliest Catch. Nick and I have been watching it for a good 4 years. We cuddle up together and enjoy the show. Maybe it's the cuddling that I love about getting to watch that show :)
King Of Queens. FUNNY!!
Sex And The City. THAT is a great show! I'm currently re-watching all of them again :)
Dance moms. I know, I know. DESPICABLE!!! They are awful....but I can't look away!!
I'm sure there are some I'm missing, but these are my current favs!! :)
Thursday, July 12, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 17!!
Today is day 17!! I'm going to tell you what I think all my children will be when they grow up. :)
Nicholas. I see Nicholas doing something like engineering. He is into things like that, and is super smart (when he chooses to show it!!). It fits his personality completely! He says he wants to be a police officer, or maybe join the military, but I'd prefer him to not do something dangerous.....but I won't be able to stop him from doing what he wants ;)
Laura. I see her doing something like teaching. She plays school a lot, an enjoys trying to teach Katie and William all the things she learns in her class. I also see her as a doctor. She is so smart, and caring. She says she wants to be a dancer or a singer when she grows up. She loves to watch ballerinas dance away. :)
Katie. I see Katie doing theatre or something! She totally has the personality for it, but since she also likes her space, maybe she could be a drama teacher. That totally fits that little girl! I just asked Katie what she wants to be and she said "When I'm big I want to go to CHUCKEE CHEESE and give him a hug". Ok...we will revisit that question in a few more months LOL!!
William. He is still so little, but has so much personality that I can see him doing something like construction. He LOVES to fix things with daddy. He walks around "fixing" things all day. It will be fun to see what I think he'd be in a year or two. They change so quickly!
I will be happy with whatever my kids choose to be when they are older. As long as they work hard at their job, help others, and are happy.....I will be happy too :)
Nicholas. I see Nicholas doing something like engineering. He is into things like that, and is super smart (when he chooses to show it!!). It fits his personality completely! He says he wants to be a police officer, or maybe join the military, but I'd prefer him to not do something dangerous.....but I won't be able to stop him from doing what he wants ;)
Laura. I see her doing something like teaching. She plays school a lot, an enjoys trying to teach Katie and William all the things she learns in her class. I also see her as a doctor. She is so smart, and caring. She says she wants to be a dancer or a singer when she grows up. She loves to watch ballerinas dance away. :)
Katie. I see Katie doing theatre or something! She totally has the personality for it, but since she also likes her space, maybe she could be a drama teacher. That totally fits that little girl! I just asked Katie what she wants to be and she said "When I'm big I want to go to CHUCKEE CHEESE and give him a hug". Ok...we will revisit that question in a few more months LOL!!
William. He is still so little, but has so much personality that I can see him doing something like construction. He LOVES to fix things with daddy. He walks around "fixing" things all day. It will be fun to see what I think he'd be in a year or two. They change so quickly!
I will be happy with whatever my kids choose to be when they are older. As long as they work hard at their job, help others, and are happy.....I will be happy too :)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Let's all nod our heads together!!
While on pinterest I've come across so many of these little cartoons, that I must put into one post and share with all of you. I'm sure you've seen a lot, if not all of these.....but they are still so great to read and totally nod your head to! Here ya go......
ABSOLUTELY!! Nick and I have gone into the garage countless times, to scarf down a chocolaty treat before the kids catch us!!
LIARS......UGH!!!!!!
LOL, I'm sorry for the language in that one.....but you must admit....you laughed!
For all my mama friends.....we can all relate to this one sometimes!
So true. That one is for Laura, my little girl who belts out that 15 second part that she has memorized! ;)
Sigh....yes....ANYTHING is easy, when you do it half assed!
Uhhh....YES!!!
Every single time!!!!
EXACTLY!!
EVERY mother thinks this when their child is screaming, that ear piercing scream.....if not.....just wait!!
And a cute, yet hilarious one for you all :)
ABSOLUTELY!! Nick and I have gone into the garage countless times, to scarf down a chocolaty treat before the kids catch us!!
LIARS......UGH!!!!!!
LOL, I'm sorry for the language in that one.....but you must admit....you laughed!
For all my mama friends.....we can all relate to this one sometimes!
So true. That one is for Laura, my little girl who belts out that 15 second part that she has memorized! ;)
Sigh....yes....ANYTHING is easy, when you do it half assed!
Uhhh....YES!!!
Every single time!!!!
EXACTLY!!
EVERY mother thinks this when their child is screaming, that ear piercing scream.....if not.....just wait!!
And a cute, yet hilarious one for you all :)
30 Day Challenge, Day 16!!
Today is day 16!! I'm so excited that I've kept up with every single day so far!! Believe me, it's hard to find the time to get these done, with 4 kiddos! Today I am sharing a memory that I have from my childhood.
I have so many great memories. Just about every one of these memories includes my mom. She was and IS a fantastic mother. I try daily to raise my kids, the way she raised me and my brothers.
The memory I am sharing is when I had surgery on my eyes. I was 4 years old. The muscles in my eyes that control my eyes were too long, making my eyes look extremely cross eyed. Mom, have I ever thanked you for getting that surgery done for me?!! :) So, I had surgery to correct my eyes, it worked. The surgery went perfect and my parents brought me home.
I remember the pain in my eyes. It was awful. It felt like sand was in my eyes and all I wanted to do, was to rub them! That was a huge no-no, and my mom had to make sure I kept my hands away from my eyes. I remember crying because of the pain. My mom blew up an air mattress and put it in the living room. We both slept there that night. I remember several times my mom sweetly moving my hands aways from my face, as I drifted off to sleep.
I was 4. I remember THAT moment so clearly. I felt so loved by my mom. She has always been so sweet, and caring. She laid on that mattress, I am sure as uncomfortable as ever, just to make sure I kept my eyes safe, wasn't in too much pain, and so I wouldn't be in my room alone.
For some reason, I've never forgotten that memory. It's stuck with me, all these years. I love that memory. She made sure I was ok, and while I was crying from the pain, she simply held me. I even remember her telling me stories that night, I can't remember if they were made up, or stories about our family, but she talked me through the pain. I will always remember that. I mean, my mom was amazing to me, and still is. She gave all of us kids so much love. I'm not sure why that specific memory sits with me, since she was just being her sweet self, taking care of her baby. But at 4 years old, knowing my mom was laying with me all night to make sure I kept my eyes safe, and wasn't in too much pain really hit me.
So, while a lot of us parents think that there is no way a 3 or 4 or even 5 year old will remember much of their childhood, think again. They remember things that mean a lot to THEM. So give out those hugs and kisses like there is no tomorrow :) It might be a memory that your child never forgets.
I love you mom. Thank you for all you have ever done for me. For grounding me when I deserved it, hugging me when I needed it, and loving me throughout everything. <3
I have so many great memories. Just about every one of these memories includes my mom. She was and IS a fantastic mother. I try daily to raise my kids, the way she raised me and my brothers.
The memory I am sharing is when I had surgery on my eyes. I was 4 years old. The muscles in my eyes that control my eyes were too long, making my eyes look extremely cross eyed. Mom, have I ever thanked you for getting that surgery done for me?!! :) So, I had surgery to correct my eyes, it worked. The surgery went perfect and my parents brought me home.
I remember the pain in my eyes. It was awful. It felt like sand was in my eyes and all I wanted to do, was to rub them! That was a huge no-no, and my mom had to make sure I kept my hands away from my eyes. I remember crying because of the pain. My mom blew up an air mattress and put it in the living room. We both slept there that night. I remember several times my mom sweetly moving my hands aways from my face, as I drifted off to sleep.
I was 4. I remember THAT moment so clearly. I felt so loved by my mom. She has always been so sweet, and caring. She laid on that mattress, I am sure as uncomfortable as ever, just to make sure I kept my eyes safe, wasn't in too much pain, and so I wouldn't be in my room alone.
For some reason, I've never forgotten that memory. It's stuck with me, all these years. I love that memory. She made sure I was ok, and while I was crying from the pain, she simply held me. I even remember her telling me stories that night, I can't remember if they were made up, or stories about our family, but she talked me through the pain. I will always remember that. I mean, my mom was amazing to me, and still is. She gave all of us kids so much love. I'm not sure why that specific memory sits with me, since she was just being her sweet self, taking care of her baby. But at 4 years old, knowing my mom was laying with me all night to make sure I kept my eyes safe, and wasn't in too much pain really hit me.
So, while a lot of us parents think that there is no way a 3 or 4 or even 5 year old will remember much of their childhood, think again. They remember things that mean a lot to THEM. So give out those hugs and kisses like there is no tomorrow :) It might be a memory that your child never forgets.
I love you mom. Thank you for all you have ever done for me. For grounding me when I deserved it, hugging me when I needed it, and loving me throughout everything. <3
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 15!!
I was going through some old pictures today and I thought it would be fun to post some more pictures as my challenge for day 15.
This was our first family picture, taken by my brother Robert. Katie was about 1 and a half....this was shortly before we moved to California.
This was our first family picture, taken by my brother Robert. Katie was about 1 and a half....this was shortly before we moved to California.
Here is Nicholas and Nick on Nicholas's first day of kindergarten. I cried when I dropped him off, but was so proud of how confident he was! (Nick was still in the Air Force and was still having to wear his white!)
This is my mom and Katie bug at the mall in Arizona. I absolutely love this picture :)
This was Nicholas's 5th birthday party. I was proud of myself for the party I threw. The first party I gave him was when he was 4 (I met him when he was 3), and I was only 18. I had no idea how to throw a party for a little boy, and felt so guilty that it wasn't really a "party".....so for his 5th, I got my shit together and gave him a fun pool party! I won't ever forget that day.
Here is a picture of Nick chasing his girls, in our old house in Buckeye. This was a nightly thing for them and honestly, still is!! I love the excitement!
This is our wedding picture. :) Apparently there were two people taking a picture at the same time and we couldn't figure out where to look first lol!! I love this picture, I feel like we were so young there, and knew so little. I was 20 years old, raising a 5 year old and becoming a wife. I'm so proud of our little family growing into a big one :)
Yours truly, at I'd say about 1? I'm not sure, but I love this picture. We were in Germany here.
Here I am again on my first day of Kindergarten. I remember this day. I remember how my mom was so excited for me, and I remember feeling sad when I sat on the bus and drove away from her. I bet she felt that same sadness. Hehe....look at those coke bottle glasses!
These next three pictures are my most cherished pictures. This one is me holding my first baby Laura. :)
Katie joining our family :)
William completing our family....making us a family of 6 :)
These are pictures that I absolutely love. I hope you enjoyed them!! :)
Monday, July 9, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 14!!
Hi everyone, I am changing today's challenge to make it my own. Instead of posting pics of my celebrity crushes, I will give some of my best motherly advice! Hey, not as fun, but a lot more useful! ;)
#1) Don't give your kids roles to play or to try to live up to. It took me a while to learn that. You feel like you have a boy and he is supposed to like all things manly and be a leader, and girls are quiet and wear pink everyday. HA, ok so we don't think EXACTLY like that, but you catch my drift. Laura is outgoing, but more of a follower. She likes to watch others and see if things are safe before she tries it. Katie on the other hand, a complete leader, and this girl is confident in her personality. Since Laura is older, I would try to pin the leader role on her, and it just doesn't work like that. They are who they are, and we as parents have to sit back and let them be who they are meant to be. No matter what.
#2) Breathe. I should have taken that advice when Laura was a baby. I was so scared to be her mom. She was so tiny and it was all new to me. I could take Nicholas to the park, color, cook, play legos and ride bikes like nobodies business......but nurse a baby??? I wasn't so confident. I guess because my life started with a son that was 3, and not a newborn, I felt like my motherly instincts would be off. They weren't, I knew what to do without thinking, but I wish I would have relaxed more. Let things flow. Now that I'm 27 and have 4 kids, I feel like I can swaddle, nurse and soothe a crying baby like nothing! I guess our moms were right when they said you learn as you grow. It's true....with William I was so much more relaxed.
#3) Don't take every piece of advice you get so seriously. Even mine!! HAHA! ;) I remember when I was pregnant with Laura, I had people telling me to nurse for a year, to nurse for 6 months, not to nurse at all, and to let the baby decide when it was time to stop. I was so confused. Which one was the RIGHT one? Which one would make me be the perfect mom?! None. None of them are "right", yet at the same time, none of them are "wrong". Every mother has to choose these types of things on her own, and block out what anyone else says or thinks. With Laura I nursed her for 13 months. I just decided that, that had been long enough. I certainly wasn't ready to stop at 11 months, and neither was she. At 13 months, I could see she was done, and so was I. Yes, even with those months being so close together. With Katie I nursed for 10 months. She being the leader she is, wanted nothing to do with cuddling with mama all day. She was ready. I can't say I was....I still wanted to cuddle and nurse my baby, but kids, even as babies are all different, and grow at different rates. With William, I only nursed about 3 months. It broke my heart....I loved nursing my babies and when I dried up, I cried for a while. I took herbs to help my milk supply, and did everything I could think of to be able to continue nursing. It took a lot of encouragement from Nick and family to let me know that I was NOT a bad mom for not being able to nurse any longer. Which leads me to number 4......
#4) Don't think that because you can't nurse or choose NOT to nurse, makes you a bad mom. No matter how many "online moms" try to make you believe you are! It's a choice. Make your's for YOU, don't let others make it for you, or make you feel bad!
#5) Play with your kids. Simple right? Not as easy as you might think. I've noticed that not many parents actually get on the floor and play with their kids, past the age of 2. I know.....playing with barbies for the 9th time that day, is not fun....I get it. The point is, your kids, even at 6, 9, or 12, want a friend in their parents. They should have that. I make sure my kids know that I am their parent and not their best friend, but I also make sure they know I enjoy playing with them, and that I like the person they are. I certainly can make more of an effort to play with all of my kids, we all choose resting over playing with our kids sometimes, and that's ok.....SOMETIMES!
#6) Don't buy the latest, greatest name brand outfits. I mean, do it if you must, but MY advice would be to save your money. I'm raising four kids, I know just as well as anyone that kids are hard on their clothing. Save the money and buy yourself something for a change! :)
#7) Set a schedule and stick to it. Your kids will thrive from it and you will be happy you put them on a schedule one day! I had Nicholas on a schedule in a matter of a week or two, so when Laura came along it was just natural to set a schedule for her. I remember Nick not being too thrilled with a schedule for a while there. He didn't like feeling like there was a set task that had to be accomplished by this specific hour. He took it TOO seriously. I take it pretty seriously but things don't have to happen on the minute. We have lunch between 11:45 and 12, dinner is at 5, bath at 6:30, and bed at 7:30. Most of this happens within 15 minutes of these times. I'm cool with that. I just know from experience that kids do like having a schedule set. They like to know what to expect, and I do too. Try it, you might thank me :)
#8) Get a pet. I know....ANOTHER mouth to feed? Yes! It's good for kids to have something that they can help take care of. Make it part of their routine to help feed and pick up after the animal. If you have really young children, I still think it's a good idea to introduce a pet into the family. Babies watch what we do allll day, and soon will be helping out with the pets, because they think its fun.
#9) Be strict, but not too strict with what they see on Tv. Yes, I said tv.....let them watch it. IT'S OK!!! Now, I will fully admit, I need to take my own advice. I am VERY strict with what they see. I don't have cartoons on pretty much ever. Usually I just put on a movie, that I know won't scare them, and is appropriate. I let Laura choose from a few things to watch on the just for kids section of NETFLIX when she wakes up in the morning. Nicholas is allowed to watch more than the little kids, but even with him, I have a hard time letting him watch a lot. I know, I'm sheltering them.....I can't help it. I'm afraid they will learn too much, too soon.
#10) Love not only your kids, but your husband. Don't forget about him or push him to the side. He is who you have chosen to go through this life with, and you should make him feel important even when your life feels full of children. Leading me to number 11.
#11) LOVE YOURSELF. Your husband and kids take up what feels like all of your life, but don't let yourself disappear. Your husband should make YOU feel important too. Exercise, eat smart, and enjoy the ice cream every once in a while too. It's ok to do that :) You deserve to be happy!
These are some wise words I'm sharing with you all. Most of you probably already follow these, and some of you probably have some great advice to share with me, I'd love to hear it!!
#1) Don't give your kids roles to play or to try to live up to. It took me a while to learn that. You feel like you have a boy and he is supposed to like all things manly and be a leader, and girls are quiet and wear pink everyday. HA, ok so we don't think EXACTLY like that, but you catch my drift. Laura is outgoing, but more of a follower. She likes to watch others and see if things are safe before she tries it. Katie on the other hand, a complete leader, and this girl is confident in her personality. Since Laura is older, I would try to pin the leader role on her, and it just doesn't work like that. They are who they are, and we as parents have to sit back and let them be who they are meant to be. No matter what.
#2) Breathe. I should have taken that advice when Laura was a baby. I was so scared to be her mom. She was so tiny and it was all new to me. I could take Nicholas to the park, color, cook, play legos and ride bikes like nobodies business......but nurse a baby??? I wasn't so confident. I guess because my life started with a son that was 3, and not a newborn, I felt like my motherly instincts would be off. They weren't, I knew what to do without thinking, but I wish I would have relaxed more. Let things flow. Now that I'm 27 and have 4 kids, I feel like I can swaddle, nurse and soothe a crying baby like nothing! I guess our moms were right when they said you learn as you grow. It's true....with William I was so much more relaxed.
#3) Don't take every piece of advice you get so seriously. Even mine!! HAHA! ;) I remember when I was pregnant with Laura, I had people telling me to nurse for a year, to nurse for 6 months, not to nurse at all, and to let the baby decide when it was time to stop. I was so confused. Which one was the RIGHT one? Which one would make me be the perfect mom?! None. None of them are "right", yet at the same time, none of them are "wrong". Every mother has to choose these types of things on her own, and block out what anyone else says or thinks. With Laura I nursed her for 13 months. I just decided that, that had been long enough. I certainly wasn't ready to stop at 11 months, and neither was she. At 13 months, I could see she was done, and so was I. Yes, even with those months being so close together. With Katie I nursed for 10 months. She being the leader she is, wanted nothing to do with cuddling with mama all day. She was ready. I can't say I was....I still wanted to cuddle and nurse my baby, but kids, even as babies are all different, and grow at different rates. With William, I only nursed about 3 months. It broke my heart....I loved nursing my babies and when I dried up, I cried for a while. I took herbs to help my milk supply, and did everything I could think of to be able to continue nursing. It took a lot of encouragement from Nick and family to let me know that I was NOT a bad mom for not being able to nurse any longer. Which leads me to number 4......
#4) Don't think that because you can't nurse or choose NOT to nurse, makes you a bad mom. No matter how many "online moms" try to make you believe you are! It's a choice. Make your's for YOU, don't let others make it for you, or make you feel bad!
#5) Play with your kids. Simple right? Not as easy as you might think. I've noticed that not many parents actually get on the floor and play with their kids, past the age of 2. I know.....playing with barbies for the 9th time that day, is not fun....I get it. The point is, your kids, even at 6, 9, or 12, want a friend in their parents. They should have that. I make sure my kids know that I am their parent and not their best friend, but I also make sure they know I enjoy playing with them, and that I like the person they are. I certainly can make more of an effort to play with all of my kids, we all choose resting over playing with our kids sometimes, and that's ok.....SOMETIMES!
#6) Don't buy the latest, greatest name brand outfits. I mean, do it if you must, but MY advice would be to save your money. I'm raising four kids, I know just as well as anyone that kids are hard on their clothing. Save the money and buy yourself something for a change! :)
#7) Set a schedule and stick to it. Your kids will thrive from it and you will be happy you put them on a schedule one day! I had Nicholas on a schedule in a matter of a week or two, so when Laura came along it was just natural to set a schedule for her. I remember Nick not being too thrilled with a schedule for a while there. He didn't like feeling like there was a set task that had to be accomplished by this specific hour. He took it TOO seriously. I take it pretty seriously but things don't have to happen on the minute. We have lunch between 11:45 and 12, dinner is at 5, bath at 6:30, and bed at 7:30. Most of this happens within 15 minutes of these times. I'm cool with that. I just know from experience that kids do like having a schedule set. They like to know what to expect, and I do too. Try it, you might thank me :)
#8) Get a pet. I know....ANOTHER mouth to feed? Yes! It's good for kids to have something that they can help take care of. Make it part of their routine to help feed and pick up after the animal. If you have really young children, I still think it's a good idea to introduce a pet into the family. Babies watch what we do allll day, and soon will be helping out with the pets, because they think its fun.
#9) Be strict, but not too strict with what they see on Tv. Yes, I said tv.....let them watch it. IT'S OK!!! Now, I will fully admit, I need to take my own advice. I am VERY strict with what they see. I don't have cartoons on pretty much ever. Usually I just put on a movie, that I know won't scare them, and is appropriate. I let Laura choose from a few things to watch on the just for kids section of NETFLIX when she wakes up in the morning. Nicholas is allowed to watch more than the little kids, but even with him, I have a hard time letting him watch a lot. I know, I'm sheltering them.....I can't help it. I'm afraid they will learn too much, too soon.
#10) Love not only your kids, but your husband. Don't forget about him or push him to the side. He is who you have chosen to go through this life with, and you should make him feel important even when your life feels full of children. Leading me to number 11.
#11) LOVE YOURSELF. Your husband and kids take up what feels like all of your life, but don't let yourself disappear. Your husband should make YOU feel important too. Exercise, eat smart, and enjoy the ice cream every once in a while too. It's ok to do that :) You deserve to be happy!
These are some wise words I'm sharing with you all. Most of you probably already follow these, and some of you probably have some great advice to share with me, I'd love to hear it!!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 13!
Hi there! Today is day 13- three confessions of your choice. Okey doke....here we go.
1- I obsess about my weight sometimes. I think most girls do in a way. When I get to the weight that my brain thinks I need to be at, I think I look too skinny, so I stop dieting and just workout, then I gain a couple pounds, and feel like crap. It's bad, I know....but it is what it is.
2- I love being a stay at home mom, and I don't love it all at the same time. I do this for my kids, I love them more than anything and want them to have a great childhood. Being a stay at home mom is so much work. I'm with the kids nonstop, and it gets frustrating at times. I've literally thought about looking for a night job just to get out of the house and have my own identity! I won't do it though....I do too much during the day, to have any sort of energy to work at night, lol!
3- I feel judged with a lot of things, but mostly how I have raised my son Nicholas. I'm strict with ALL of my kids, it's just how I am. They are loved, and have fun EVERY day, but school is important to me and I won't allow any of my kids to earn bad grades without repercussions. My son hasn't been allowed to play video games in my house for 2 years now, because of his grades. I've been told "just let him play games and you might see a change".....really?? I have tried that...I've tried so many things, so when I get this kind of advice, it irritates me. It's simple....you choose to get bad grades, you don't get video games. That's it. All I ask is for C's and better, and if someone thinks THAT is too much to ask of a 6th grader, then continue to judge me. :)
There are 3 confessions of my choice :) Let's hear yours!
1- I obsess about my weight sometimes. I think most girls do in a way. When I get to the weight that my brain thinks I need to be at, I think I look too skinny, so I stop dieting and just workout, then I gain a couple pounds, and feel like crap. It's bad, I know....but it is what it is.
2- I love being a stay at home mom, and I don't love it all at the same time. I do this for my kids, I love them more than anything and want them to have a great childhood. Being a stay at home mom is so much work. I'm with the kids nonstop, and it gets frustrating at times. I've literally thought about looking for a night job just to get out of the house and have my own identity! I won't do it though....I do too much during the day, to have any sort of energy to work at night, lol!
3- I feel judged with a lot of things, but mostly how I have raised my son Nicholas. I'm strict with ALL of my kids, it's just how I am. They are loved, and have fun EVERY day, but school is important to me and I won't allow any of my kids to earn bad grades without repercussions. My son hasn't been allowed to play video games in my house for 2 years now, because of his grades. I've been told "just let him play games and you might see a change".....really?? I have tried that...I've tried so many things, so when I get this kind of advice, it irritates me. It's simple....you choose to get bad grades, you don't get video games. That's it. All I ask is for C's and better, and if someone thinks THAT is too much to ask of a 6th grader, then continue to judge me. :)
There are 3 confessions of my choice :) Let's hear yours!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 12!!
Hello everyone! Today's challenge was to take a screen shot off my desktop, and believe it or not, I have no idea how I would even go about doing that, and I think that's a little boring. It is a picture of me and Nick from when we had our family pictures taken....So instead of showing you all that, I will show you some pictures that I've taken that tells a bit about me and my family.
Here we go....
This is Nick and William. I've always been in love with my husband, but when William came along, I fell in love with him even more. He loves all of our children, but I can see a special bond that he shares with William, and that makes my heart so happy.
There you go....some pictures that show you a bit about me and my family. I have thousands on my computer, but I won't make you all sit through so many. :) It's funny how you can look at a picture and completely remember that moment and how you felt....I love that.
Here we go....
This is Nick and William. I've always been in love with my husband, but when William came along, I fell in love with him even more. He loves all of our children, but I can see a special bond that he shares with William, and that makes my heart so happy.
Here you can see my beloved iced coffee I made, and my sundress, sitting in my garage. This is a daily thing for me, and I can't begin to tell you how much I love sun dresses!!
Here is Nicholas and Katie. He is a good big brother and I remember, in this pic he was so proud to be carrying his baby sister. :)
Recently I got my first tattoo! This is the Celtic symbol for motherhood in a floral version. It means so much to me. I will soon be adding some more color to it :)
Here is a picture of what my yard usually looks like after dinner....well, actually most of the day. The kids enjoy having their friends over, and even though its more work, I love it too.
Last but not least is a picture of my kids. I love them so much. They have made my life so much fun, and full of love.
There you go....some pictures that show you a bit about me and my family. I have thousands on my computer, but I won't make you all sit through so many. :) It's funny how you can look at a picture and completely remember that moment and how you felt....I love that.
Friday, July 6, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 11!
Today is day 11, and that means it's time to share my favorite quote.
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them."
My mom taught me this and it's never failed me. People have a tendency to show the real them in a matter of time.
Short and sweet tonight folks! :)
-
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them."
My mom taught me this and it's never failed me. People have a tendency to show the real them in a matter of time.
Short and sweet tonight folks! :)
-
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Bad thing's can happen in good places.
Driving through my neighborhood, you would think this is a quiet place, with some kids here and there, nice yards, and sweet older people. You'd be right. I've lived here for 2 years now and I love it. My neighbors are sweet and friendly, the kids have friends right next door, the older couples love to sit outside and watch the kids play, and everyone takes care of their yards, not because they have to, but because they want to.
I've felt safe here, and then this morning that changed a little. We woke up, got ready and I walked Nick outside, to kiss him goodbye before he left for school. We opened the garage, and parked right next to our truck was an old beat up red car, with the door wide open.
My first reaction was, where is the person that drove the car? So I ran inside, told my kids to stay in the kitchen with Nicholas, and went straight to the back yard. Probably not the smartest thing to do, since the person very well could have been in the back yard with a gun. I'm a mother though.....I will protect my kids forever, so my first instinct was to find this person. I searched and found nothing.
A second later we saw a cop car driving down the street so we flagged her down. She was just as confused as we were, and her first reaction was to search the yard too. I stayed in the house with the kids, lectured them on how the police officer was doing her job and that she is a good person, as I watched her search the backyard with her gun in her hands. I thought to myself.....what if she had to use her gun? What would my kids think? So I gave them chores to keep them busy, and away from the windows.
The police officer didn't find anything, or anyone either. The car hadn't been reported as stolen either. She looked through the car and there were bottles of pills (of course), masks, bandanas, tools, and some other weird stuff. She sent a tow truck to pick it up. I didn't feel safe with it sitting in my yard. Who ever owned that car would be looking for it, or coming back for it, and I don't want them around my home.
As all of this was going on, I had several neighbors come to check on us. To see if we were robbed or something. They all found out what was going on and immediately knew to check their cars. 2 of my neighbors, one next to me and one in front of me, had their cars broken into. The police officer helped them as we waited for the tow truck and we then learned from her, that a car had been stolen, just down the street.
We were all angry. We ALL take care of this neighborhood, and watch out for all of our children, and homes. We feel safe here, and welcomed. When something like this happens, you feel like that safety has dwindled a bit. Violated. I was lucky and didn't have my truck broken into, my house wasn't touched......but I still walked outside feeling a bit mad. Some guy (I won't say woman, just because my gut tells me it was a man), had the nerve to park this car that was likely stolen, or has drugs in it, in my driveway. 50 feet away from my kids windows where they were sleeping. That's not ok.
Nick couldn't miss his class, but I could tell he wasn't happy that he had to leave. My neighbors stayed outside with me, and we all talked for hours. I'm lucky to have these people as neighbors. They don't hide in their homes all the time, yet they don't smother us either.....well maybe their kids do lol! They cared to ask me if everything was ok, and if I needed anything, and I did the same for them.
Sometimes bad things happen in good places. It's a fact of life. We will all go on about our business today, keeping an extra eye out for each other, because after all.....we all need people in our lives to look out for us.
I've felt safe here, and then this morning that changed a little. We woke up, got ready and I walked Nick outside, to kiss him goodbye before he left for school. We opened the garage, and parked right next to our truck was an old beat up red car, with the door wide open.
My first reaction was, where is the person that drove the car? So I ran inside, told my kids to stay in the kitchen with Nicholas, and went straight to the back yard. Probably not the smartest thing to do, since the person very well could have been in the back yard with a gun. I'm a mother though.....I will protect my kids forever, so my first instinct was to find this person. I searched and found nothing.
A second later we saw a cop car driving down the street so we flagged her down. She was just as confused as we were, and her first reaction was to search the yard too. I stayed in the house with the kids, lectured them on how the police officer was doing her job and that she is a good person, as I watched her search the backyard with her gun in her hands. I thought to myself.....what if she had to use her gun? What would my kids think? So I gave them chores to keep them busy, and away from the windows.
The police officer didn't find anything, or anyone either. The car hadn't been reported as stolen either. She looked through the car and there were bottles of pills (of course), masks, bandanas, tools, and some other weird stuff. She sent a tow truck to pick it up. I didn't feel safe with it sitting in my yard. Who ever owned that car would be looking for it, or coming back for it, and I don't want them around my home.
As all of this was going on, I had several neighbors come to check on us. To see if we were robbed or something. They all found out what was going on and immediately knew to check their cars. 2 of my neighbors, one next to me and one in front of me, had their cars broken into. The police officer helped them as we waited for the tow truck and we then learned from her, that a car had been stolen, just down the street.
We were all angry. We ALL take care of this neighborhood, and watch out for all of our children, and homes. We feel safe here, and welcomed. When something like this happens, you feel like that safety has dwindled a bit. Violated. I was lucky and didn't have my truck broken into, my house wasn't touched......but I still walked outside feeling a bit mad. Some guy (I won't say woman, just because my gut tells me it was a man), had the nerve to park this car that was likely stolen, or has drugs in it, in my driveway. 50 feet away from my kids windows where they were sleeping. That's not ok.
Nick couldn't miss his class, but I could tell he wasn't happy that he had to leave. My neighbors stayed outside with me, and we all talked for hours. I'm lucky to have these people as neighbors. They don't hide in their homes all the time, yet they don't smother us either.....well maybe their kids do lol! They cared to ask me if everything was ok, and if I needed anything, and I did the same for them.
Sometimes bad things happen in good places. It's a fact of life. We will all go on about our business today, keeping an extra eye out for each other, because after all.....we all need people in our lives to look out for us.
30 Day challege, Day 10!!
Hi everyone! Today is day 10 in this 30 day challenge. I've loved writing about thing's that I might not have written about before. It makes me learn more about myself.
Today I am supposed to write about one food and one beverage that I would choose to eat and drink for the rest of my life. Well...uhh boring. So I will do that AND add my favorite foods and drinks!
If I could choose one food it would be tacos. I love them, and you can do a lot with those ingredients. My beverage would be water....ha I know, boring, but I love it.
Here is a list of some of my FAVORITE foods:
-Spaghetti. I remember always asking my mom to make this when I was little, and I still enjoy it now. Who doesn't?!
-Taco salad.
-3 envelope chicken yummm!
-Chimichangas And they have to be from macayos!
-Steak.
-Shrimp.
-Salad. I know, weird but its so good!
-Jack in the box tacos. LOL...I know SOOOO bad....but SOOOO good!!
-Turkey sandwiches, made by my husband.
-My moms chilli.
-Tuna salad.
-Deviled eggs.
-Clam chowder.
-ANYTHING chocolate.
-Apple crisp.
Lets make this short and just admit I love any dessert except anything lemony. :)
Favorite Drinks:
WATER.
Long Island Iced Tea....yumo!!
Mudslides
Smirnoff Ice
Mikes hard margaritas
There ya have it. Some of my favorite foods and drinks. :)
Today I am supposed to write about one food and one beverage that I would choose to eat and drink for the rest of my life. Well...uhh boring. So I will do that AND add my favorite foods and drinks!
If I could choose one food it would be tacos. I love them, and you can do a lot with those ingredients. My beverage would be water....ha I know, boring, but I love it.
Here is a list of some of my FAVORITE foods:
-Spaghetti. I remember always asking my mom to make this when I was little, and I still enjoy it now. Who doesn't?!
-Taco salad.
-3 envelope chicken yummm!
-Chimichangas And they have to be from macayos!
-Steak.
-Shrimp.
-Salad. I know, weird but its so good!
-Jack in the box tacos. LOL...I know SOOOO bad....but SOOOO good!!
-Turkey sandwiches, made by my husband.
-My moms chilli.
-Tuna salad.
-Deviled eggs.
-Clam chowder.
-ANYTHING chocolate.
-Apple crisp.
Lets make this short and just admit I love any dessert except anything lemony. :)
Favorite Drinks:
WATER.
Long Island Iced Tea....yumo!!
Mudslides
Smirnoff Ice
Mikes hard margaritas
There ya have it. Some of my favorite foods and drinks. :)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 9!!
We meet again! :) I'm doing this blog a day early because tomorrow is the 4th of July, so I will be spending it with my family :)
Today I am supposed to write about my pet peeves. Is it wrong that I'm excited for this one? LOL! Here we go....
-Hearing people brush their teeth. Yes even brushing my kids teeth grosses me out.
-People picking at their feet. YUK!!
-People chewing with their mouth open. Oh boy, I might throw up soon....
-Drivers in a hurry.
-Drivers in not enough of a hurry ;)
-Assholes. In general.
-Back door being left open. I don't like chasing my cat, and for some reason when my door opens he is trying to escape.....hmm....:/
-Crumbs on the counter. ARGH!!!!!
-When the kids say "um" every other word, when telling me a story. I know.....I'm awful!
-When the toilet is left unflushed.
Ok I'm realizing some of these are just thing's I hate.....eh...let's go with it. ;)
-ANY time I write a blog during the day, it's like the kids know I'm busy, so they must ask every question in the world. Followed by......"why?" sigh......
-Same goes for phone calls.
-Things being put back in the wrong spot in the refrigerator and pantry.
-Girls that have a nasty attitude. What's the point?
-My son's mother thinking school is a big joke.....ok...that's WAY more than a pet peeve!
-Loud noises when my kids are sleeping.
-The mail man being really late (I know...weird)
-My shows not recording. Oh boy.....that hurts my heart!! I don't ask for much...I just want an hour show when the kids go to sleep!!!
-Lights being left on.
-When my dear husband leaves dishes in the sink....the dishwasher is RIGHT THERE!!!
-Toilet paper rolls that are all used and not replaced.
-When Nick (sorry hunny) messes with his phone when driving.
-The way Nick parks.....oh god. Who does a 4 point turn EVERY TIME they park?! And who starts to back out of a parking spot, stops to stretch and then continues reversing? WHY?!!
-When the kids leave their dirty clothes on their bedroom floor. They know better.
-Leaking sippy cups.
Are you all hanging in there?? Hope so!
-Getting a new voicemail.....now I have to go listen to the darn thing!
-Texting. I hate it.
-Showing up to anything late. I absolutely hate that, and feel so embarrassed!
-My coffee getting cold before I get to finish it.
-Hearing my doorbell ring....ever. My dog yaps her butt off, and the kids go nuts thinking its one of their friends.
-When I forget to put a dryer sheet in the dryer....argh!!
-Falling asleep during a good movie.
-Being blinded by the reflection of the sun, off of a car driving in front of me.
-When I bake cookies for one minute too long. I can tell I left them in for a minute too long!
-Finding gum anywhere but the garbage. KATIE!!!
-Getting a text while driving....I MUST SEE WHAT IT SAYS!!
Ok we can all see I have plenty of pet peeves, and I must admit, this is just the one's I'm thinking of off the top of my head, so there will be more. I'm curious to see how many of you will be nodding your head, or rolling your eyes while reading this. How we are alike, and different. So feel free to add your own pet peeves, before you know it, you will realize "wow....a lot of little things bother me." LOL!
Today I am supposed to write about my pet peeves. Is it wrong that I'm excited for this one? LOL! Here we go....
-Hearing people brush their teeth. Yes even brushing my kids teeth grosses me out.
-People picking at their feet. YUK!!
-People chewing with their mouth open. Oh boy, I might throw up soon....
-Drivers in a hurry.
-Drivers in not enough of a hurry ;)
-Assholes. In general.
-Back door being left open. I don't like chasing my cat, and for some reason when my door opens he is trying to escape.....hmm....:/
-Crumbs on the counter. ARGH!!!!!
-When the kids say "um" every other word, when telling me a story. I know.....I'm awful!
-When the toilet is left unflushed.
Ok I'm realizing some of these are just thing's I hate.....eh...let's go with it. ;)
-ANY time I write a blog during the day, it's like the kids know I'm busy, so they must ask every question in the world. Followed by......"why?" sigh......
-Same goes for phone calls.
-Things being put back in the wrong spot in the refrigerator and pantry.
-Girls that have a nasty attitude. What's the point?
-My son's mother thinking school is a big joke.....ok...that's WAY more than a pet peeve!
-Loud noises when my kids are sleeping.
-The mail man being really late (I know...weird)
-My shows not recording. Oh boy.....that hurts my heart!! I don't ask for much...I just want an hour show when the kids go to sleep!!!
-Lights being left on.
-When my dear husband leaves dishes in the sink....the dishwasher is RIGHT THERE!!!
-Toilet paper rolls that are all used and not replaced.
-When Nick (sorry hunny) messes with his phone when driving.
-The way Nick parks.....oh god. Who does a 4 point turn EVERY TIME they park?! And who starts to back out of a parking spot, stops to stretch and then continues reversing? WHY?!!
-When the kids leave their dirty clothes on their bedroom floor. They know better.
-Leaking sippy cups.
Are you all hanging in there?? Hope so!
-Getting a new voicemail.....now I have to go listen to the darn thing!
-Texting. I hate it.
-Showing up to anything late. I absolutely hate that, and feel so embarrassed!
-My coffee getting cold before I get to finish it.
-Hearing my doorbell ring....ever. My dog yaps her butt off, and the kids go nuts thinking its one of their friends.
-When I forget to put a dryer sheet in the dryer....argh!!
-Falling asleep during a good movie.
-Being blinded by the reflection of the sun, off of a car driving in front of me.
-When I bake cookies for one minute too long. I can tell I left them in for a minute too long!
-Finding gum anywhere but the garbage. KATIE!!!
-Getting a text while driving....I MUST SEE WHAT IT SAYS!!
Ok we can all see I have plenty of pet peeves, and I must admit, this is just the one's I'm thinking of off the top of my head, so there will be more. I'm curious to see how many of you will be nodding your head, or rolling your eyes while reading this. How we are alike, and different. So feel free to add your own pet peeves, before you know it, you will realize "wow....a lot of little things bother me." LOL!
30 Day Challenge, Day 8!
Back again :)
Today I am to write 3 thing's I want to say to different people. Shit. That's going to take a lot of brain power.....I mean, don't we want to say lot's of things to lots of different people? Well, here goes nothing!
#1- To my Mom, I miss you. I'm sorry that you are dealing with the stuff you are having to deal with now. I hate that I'm not there with you right now. I think of you all the time and love you so much! :)
#2- To my husband, thank you. For everything. We've been married coming up on 8 years now and you've been an amazing husband and father, and always striving to be an even better husband and dad. Thank you. I am blessed to have you in my life!
#3-To my facebook friends, first I apologize for all the silly thing's I post. I'm sure it's annoying, but you must understand that I am a stay at home mom, talking to 4 kids all day can make any sane person feel a little nutty. ;) Posting every inch of my life (ok I'm not THAT bad) is my way of staying connected to family and friends. So thanks for hanging in there, to the people that haven't deleted me....yet haha!
There ya have it. My 3 things to different people. I might have been a little more 'wordy' if my kiddos weren't hounding me for "luuuuuunch". Thanks for reading :)
Today I am to write 3 thing's I want to say to different people. Shit. That's going to take a lot of brain power.....I mean, don't we want to say lot's of things to lots of different people? Well, here goes nothing!
#1- To my Mom, I miss you. I'm sorry that you are dealing with the stuff you are having to deal with now. I hate that I'm not there with you right now. I think of you all the time and love you so much! :)
#2- To my husband, thank you. For everything. We've been married coming up on 8 years now and you've been an amazing husband and father, and always striving to be an even better husband and dad. Thank you. I am blessed to have you in my life!
#3-To my facebook friends, first I apologize for all the silly thing's I post. I'm sure it's annoying, but you must understand that I am a stay at home mom, talking to 4 kids all day can make any sane person feel a little nutty. ;) Posting every inch of my life (ok I'm not THAT bad) is my way of staying connected to family and friends. So thanks for hanging in there, to the people that haven't deleted me....yet haha!
There ya have it. My 3 things to different people. I might have been a little more 'wordy' if my kiddos weren't hounding me for "luuuuuunch". Thanks for reading :)
Monday, July 2, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 7!!
Hi everyone!! Today is day 7 on my challenge, and here is the challenge I am to write about....
--Do you read, and what are your favorite books?
Yes, I love reading. I am super busy, and by the time I get a minute to myself, I find something else to clean, or I'm just too tired to actually use my brain in any useful way. Pinterest and facebook, don't count as me using my brain.....thats just static that occupies my mind when I'm too tired to do anything else. :) Moving on...
I remember in elementary school I was the "red hot reader" every month. I loved reading so much, and tried to read as much as my brain and sleepy eyes would allow. I loved new information, the stories, the imagination that it allowed me to have. I still love all of that.
I just read The Hunger Games trilogy.....actually I have the last half of the last book to finish, but I need to find time to make that happen. That was an amazing story (so far)!!
ANYTHING Nicholas Sparks writes is incredible. Those are stories that I can lose myself in. I read a lot of his books while spending so many hours nursing Katie.
Jodi Picoult is wonderful. The way she writes is so easy to follow, so anyobody can really enjoy her writing.
Those are my favorites. When I was younger I loved all the babysitters club books, and a few others that my brain won't allow me to remember. That's what I get for writing a blog while my kids are awake lol! ;)
My kids read daily. Nicholas is not into reading as much as I would hope, but every once in a while, he gets into a book that really grabs his attention, and then he will talk about it for days. THAT is what I love. It gets my kids thinking, and using their imaginations. Kids need that now, more than ever in my opinion. So get your kiddos reading, and when you finally have a second to yourself, close your laptops and grab a book instead. Happy reading!!
--Do you read, and what are your favorite books?
Yes, I love reading. I am super busy, and by the time I get a minute to myself, I find something else to clean, or I'm just too tired to actually use my brain in any useful way. Pinterest and facebook, don't count as me using my brain.....thats just static that occupies my mind when I'm too tired to do anything else. :) Moving on...
I remember in elementary school I was the "red hot reader" every month. I loved reading so much, and tried to read as much as my brain and sleepy eyes would allow. I loved new information, the stories, the imagination that it allowed me to have. I still love all of that.
I just read The Hunger Games trilogy.....actually I have the last half of the last book to finish, but I need to find time to make that happen. That was an amazing story (so far)!!
ANYTHING Nicholas Sparks writes is incredible. Those are stories that I can lose myself in. I read a lot of his books while spending so many hours nursing Katie.
Jodi Picoult is wonderful. The way she writes is so easy to follow, so anyobody can really enjoy her writing.
Those are my favorites. When I was younger I loved all the babysitters club books, and a few others that my brain won't allow me to remember. That's what I get for writing a blog while my kids are awake lol! ;)
My kids read daily. Nicholas is not into reading as much as I would hope, but every once in a while, he gets into a book that really grabs his attention, and then he will talk about it for days. THAT is what I love. It gets my kids thinking, and using their imaginations. Kids need that now, more than ever in my opinion. So get your kiddos reading, and when you finally have a second to yourself, close your laptops and grab a book instead. Happy reading!!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
30 Day Challenge, Day 6!!
Today is day 6!!! I looked through the list of thing's I'm supposed to write about, and I'm excited to get to some of them! Some I might change though....like the "pics of your celebrity crushes" day, and the "would you rather date someone plain with an amazing personality or someone beautiful with a plain personality" day. Come on, now. That's just a waste of time.
Today, I'm writing about what band or musician is most important to me.
I have a few.
Alanis Morissette. I've loved her music since I was a kid. Seriously....even now her lyrics amaze me. Who DOESN'T love her?!
The Beatles. They have some crazy ass songs lol, but they are amazing. My kids and I dance around the living room to their songs, and I love it.
Celine Dion. I listened to a lot of her music when Nick and I were having a hard time getting pregnant with Laura. I think about that time in my life everytime I hear one of her songs.
Carrie Underwood. Her voice is beautiful and I can relate to some of the song's she sings.
Those are just a few I really love. I can go back and think about when my parents would listen to journey, and othes bands when I was little, and those have a special place in my heart as well. I think that happens to all of us.
Today, I'm writing about what band or musician is most important to me.
I have a few.
Alanis Morissette. I've loved her music since I was a kid. Seriously....even now her lyrics amaze me. Who DOESN'T love her?!
The Beatles. They have some crazy ass songs lol, but they are amazing. My kids and I dance around the living room to their songs, and I love it.
Celine Dion. I listened to a lot of her music when Nick and I were having a hard time getting pregnant with Laura. I think about that time in my life everytime I hear one of her songs.
Carrie Underwood. Her voice is beautiful and I can relate to some of the song's she sings.
Those are just a few I really love. I can go back and think about when my parents would listen to journey, and othes bands when I was little, and those have a special place in my heart as well. I think that happens to all of us.
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