Simply Impressive

by motherofwonder

Yesterday, my hair dresser/brother-in-law came over to #1) Give hubbyman a haircut! (He’s in a wedding this weekend, and we’d like a little less shaggydoo for it) and #2) To have me make him a wonderful vegan meal! So I am made stuffed peppers! I found hundreds of recipes, so I did my usual (look hundreds of recipes over, decide I only like one ingredient from each recipe) and combined them all…

So, here is today’s version of stuffed peppers, which in my opinion ALWAYS look impressive- no matter what you’ve put into them. And the more you put into them, the more impressive they sound!

Take 3 large, red, sweet peppers (you can use any kind, I love the flavor of red and orange, personally), cut the top off and take seeds out.

You can cook this in a 5qt slow cooker (mine is too big!), so I just did them in a 2 1/2 qt dish. Basically you want it big enough that everything fits and you can still get a lid on, but small enough that they don’t move or slide around. So whatever size that may be for you (which will of course depend on how many peppers you make as well. I’d of made more, but we’re leaving for out of town tomorrow and worried they’d go bad… and then I found out they’re great to freeze, so now I wish I would have made a couple more!!). Anyways, put peppers in dish, and set aside.

1 cup cooked rice (or quinoa)

1/2 onion

1/2 yellow zucchini, sliced

1 1/2 cups spinach

1 cup mushrooms

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3/4 cup spaghetti sauce (meatless)

1/2 cup of water

*While I had the rice cooking, I threw the spinach, onion, garlic, and mushrooms in some olive oil and sauteed. This next step you probably don’t have to do, but for consistency’s sake I threw it all in my food processor (just so it was more uniform, not to puree it).

Next mix rice, sauteed veggies, salt, pepper, and any other herbs you’d like to throw in (I threw in a pinch of oregano and basil) in a large bowl. This is what the kids had for dinner- it was so, so, so very yummy. I added in a pinch of cheese thinking it would need it, (don’t get me wrong, it was fantastic with it) but it was really good even without the cheese. Seriously, like it would be a terrific side in any meal, not just stuffed in peppers. So good. (Can you tell that I liked it, and was very impressed with my creation?)

Stuff rice mixture in the peppers. You don’t have to pack it in, but fill it. Next mix the water and spaghetti sauce, pouring half into the bottom of the dish and the rest over/in the peppers.I topped with quarters of the squash and threw some into the sauce in the bottom as well. For color and taste! I cooked covered at 375 for 30 minutes and then uncovered at 350 for 10 minutes.

So good! Hubbyman declared it the best began meal he’d ever had! If not making it vegan, I probably would have thrown cheese into the rice mixture. This would be a great option for a Meatless Monday meal! Have to have meat in it? I think it would go really well with a shredded chicken.

Gluten Free Impressively Simple Life According To Me Recipes

1 Comment »

Young & Fun VS Old & Cranky

by motherofwonder

I am young and fun! Ha! I may look younger than my age, and for that I’m grateful. Most of the time. It’s this weird contradiction where I’m sad and slightly offended if I’m not carded for my glass of wine at dinner, but I’m also slightly offended when people insinuate I’m not old enough to have children, or at least don’t look old enough to have children. Such is the story I encountered today.

We live a little less than a half mile form our local chain grocery store (or grocery shop as my children call it), and about 3/4 of a mile from our local natural health food store- therefore we walk to them, probably about once a week. Well, hubbyman and I have decided we want to add more raw foods into our diet, and what better time to start than summer?! So I loaded up the kids and headed out.

I’ve talked about people’s thoughtlessness before (and outright rudeness as well), and thankfully today I had my wits about me, and was ready to turn this woman’s pettiness into my own form of amusement. To start with, as we wandered around the store, I was asked twice (by employees), are they all yours?! (No, I like to pick up children along my route and take them grocery shopping, just to see if I can survive it.) Then I was given the run down on why was I buying gluten free, and how people shouldn’t go gluten free just as a fad diet. I insisted that my daughter had to eat gluten free, and it was likely our whole family has gluten intolerances, as we all feel so much better from the change, can notice a difference when we do have it, and Celiac runs in both sides of the family. Ok, so I didn’t say all of that, but I did tell him that I really beneficial for our whole family. And this man just kept going! At least he was a customer and not part of the store (for the store’s sake). But he just kept going on about how “young people today just glom onto whatever latest fad and food trend there is without thinking or researching anything out for themselves.” I’ve never been berated over buying candy for the kids,but gluten free, apparently that really gets people riled… And then as I stood in the checkout line, the Bigger E children were standing with their arms wrapped around my legs, due to the ridiculous amount of strangers talking to us, the last dose of ageism occurred.

The lady who was working the check out counter, had obviously had a rough morning (or a rough life, I’m not sure). You could see it in her face as much as in her demeanor. She was not going to be the highlight of my day, or at least so I thought! As I waddled to the register with the kids clinging to my legs, and littlest E in the cart, clinging to my shirt, the lady gave me one of those wide-eyed-with-arched-brows kinda looks, where you just know some lovely comment is about to spew out of her mouth.

Aren’t you a little young to have a baby?

At first I’m appropriately taken aback, quickly followed by thinking up a hundred different “Aren’t you a little old to…” zingers. I had to bite back the words when I thought to myself, I’d rather be young and fun than old and cranky! But what I did say, with a laugh, was this: I am. Don’t tell my husband, or my other two kids. She looked a little shocked and a little horrified, and completely speechless. Biggest E began to protest at this point (which I think only led to more shock on her part, judging by the look on her face. Which was either due to Biggest E’s age or maybe she actually realized how offensive what she said was. That’s what I’m hoping.), he loudly declared, “You ARE old enough to have a baby!” At this point I grabbed my groceries, and said with a smile and a chuckle (and possibly an eye roll), “Well, have a good day!”

As we left the store, Miss E asked, “Why did that lady say that you are not big enough to be *LittlestE’s* mommy?” I really wanted to respond with, Well, she’s not young and fun like your mommy, she’s just old and cranky. But I knew that wasn’t the road I wanted to go down with her (or she’d probably be saying those words to me tomorrow!). So I told my girl what I believe to be the truth: “I don’t think she was having a very good day, and sometimes people say things that aren’t very nice when they’re feeling cranky.” Biggest E pipes up with, “Like when you’re grumpy?” I nod, yes. At which point he starts singing, “Shake, shake your grumps away, shake, shake your grumps away…” And Miss E (who’s shaking her grumps away along with Biggest E) adds, “We should show the lady how to shake her grumps away. You know, with shaking her booty.” I’m pretty sure had that lady witnessed this conversation, her grumps would have been shaken away. I know mine were.

Family Life According To Me

7 Comments »

TGIF

by motherofwonder

Today’s Thankful Friday is all about the kiddos. Some days it’s easy to forget just what a privilege it is to be their mama. With all the heat we’ve been having, we’ve done lots of fun activities to keep ourselves entertained and cool! And everywhere we’ve gone I’ve had people (strangers even!) come up to tell me how well behaved the E children are. And they really are. But just like most people probably think I’m well behaved… sometimes I lose my cool too. And it’s just so easy to sometimes equate busy with naughty. My kids are very busy. Always on the move, always talking, and always playing… and sometimes when they’re not moving or playing in the way I want or the place I want, or with more toys than I would want, it’s easy to feel like they’re being naughty, when in fact, they aren’t, they’re just energetic vocal children! So today I’m thankful for the fun we’ve had during these hot, hot days; the friends we’ve gotten to visit with; and the little people in my life who make it all worthwhile. And I am so thankful for them each individually. I know some people say that they don’t have a favorite, and some of them say they do… I never could. They are each so different and bring joys in different ways.

Biggest E is my sweet boy. He is the one to tell me that he loves me more than anybody he’s ever known. Loooves bear hugs (he’s not happy until he’s practically knocked you over) And gives kisses for days. (tonight he asked if he could also share his kisses with his daddy. After careful consideration, I gave him permission, just this once. He told me not to worry, because he was willing to give me kisses for all the dark times and all the sun times.)

Miss E is just a wonder to behold. Not only is she beautiful, she is smart, and she is sassy. And I’m fairly certain she’ll have her parents outsmarted in no time. But she is my girl. She wants to sit and paint our toenails together. She likes to sit in the bathroom while I shower and talk to me. She’s always a willing partner to go shopping with. And while the red in her hair may show signs of her temper, she is growing more compassionate and thoughtful as she grows. Even last summer, at just under 2, as soon as she’d wake up in the morning, throw her arms around me, and declare, “Oh, Mommy, I was missing you!”

And my youngest E, well not only is he my medical miracle, he is such a happy, good natured boy. He makes the funniest faces, and has the silliest laugh. And even by 6 months, he was already a hugger. He loves to throw his hands around my neck. He’s also into kisses, especially if he sees his siblings getting in on the action, he’s quick to push them out of his way to lay one on me. And he’s such a cuddler (really, they all are), he’s always willing to get a quick snuggle in before going off to play.

I wouldn’t change any of them, and I love them all dearly… through and through.

Family Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

Leave a comment »

The Good, The Bad, and The Hot

by motherofwonder

So the worst day in like…ever, was this last Sunday. We had over 85% humidity. The only other place in the western hemisphere to suffer through that, was the Amazon Jungle. Blech. Actually, the day itself was not the worst day ever. While the morning (it was 90 degrees by 9 am. And 100 degrees by noon.) was a hot, sticky, whine-inducing one, we escaped the heat by going to the Science Museum (and finally putting our membership to work!) with friends, followed by burger grilling and enjoying the cool of their air conditioned home (along with their sweet little baby girl- you know me, I’m always down for some baby time. Especially newborn babies!). The days since then have been hot, hot, hot. The kids are all running around sans clothing (and I can’t say I blame them, so I’ve given up -for this week- trying to convince them to do otherwise), they’re all red-faced, and hot, and whiny… so basically they’re just smaller versions of myself. I’ve thought about, and even sat down to, write a post…but I was just so whiny, I was sure nothing good would come out of it. That’s basically been my attitude towards these last 5ish days of extreme heat- that nothing good will come out of it.

Most days I’m a glass is half full kinda girl, but these last days… I’m pretty sure my glass is empty, because everything evaporated in this heat. That’s how I’m feeling. That said, I feel like I should make a small disclaimer: I do not dislike heat. I love summer (like love summer), love the sun, enjoy being out in the sun. What I do not like is the fact that I don’t have a place to go to escape the heat, or cool down! We have no air conditioning. There I said it. (*insert pity here, I know, it’s awful*) If the house were somewhere I could go to cool down, enjoy a cold glass of water, or sleep without waking up in a pool of my own sweat, I would totally feel differently about this weeks’ weather. In fact, I might even go out enjoy more of it. But when you just get miserably hot, only to come home to the same amount of heat without relief… can you see how one would start to feel like nothing good can come out of this weather? Especially because littlest E does NOT like to be hot. At all. Not even a little. He gets really cranky, and refuses to take naps (even in the coolest places you can find, if it’s a little hot, he just gets mad!). And the biggest E is not a whole lot better. So they’re whiny and every time we return to the house (after a cool-off outing), Biggest E cries, “I don’t want to go back to this hot house!” And I don’t blame him. Not in the least. .The only one not really complaining is Miss E. She’s such a peach. But she’s the only one, hubbyman and I wake up all hot and cranky, so our interactions are not the highlights of each other’s days either. That said, all that gross, sweaty, miserably hotness…some good has come out of it.

The kids and I enjoyed a festival that I enjoyed as a kid, with my dad and brother. We spent the afternoon with my parents; Biggest E spent the afternoon with his arms wrapped around his grandma’s neck. We spent a day (even hubbyman! He attempted to work on a project, but it was just too hot to continue!) with friends. We ran errands as a family. I know it sounds mundane, and I know it won’t have been the highlight of hubbyman’s week, but as the person who ends up usually having to do those things all by myself (missing out on precious family time) or as the only adult with all three of the children. Neither option is really my preference, so for me, I loved going as a family and enjoying our time together as we escaped the heat. The kids and I also got to enjoy yesterday going on rides and escaping the heat at the mall, with my dad and my brother! I’d had a ticket for rides that I got almost a year ago, and it turns out they don’t expire! So if I don’t count the fact that I’d previously purchased it, it was like it was free! And then last night, we all hunkered down, downstairs (where it’s possibly ten degrees cooler), with about ten fans. The kids played together famously, and hubby, baby, and I laid in bed and watched a movie. We don’t get much quiet time together like that! So all in all, there were good things to be had. And for that, I am grateful. I will also be grateful when we install the cooling unit (not this summer, but before next)!

*I’ll post pictures of some of the fun, as soon as I find my charger. I know, I can never find anything!

Family Life According To Me

1 Comment »

Thankfully Friday

by motherofwonder

So I forgot all about yesterday being Thursday and failed to do an “Impressively Simple” post…boo on me. I actually had forgotten about today being Friday… so when I remembered that, I remembered what I should’ve done yesterday. But what I did do yesterday was get the whole upstairs of my house deep cleaned, organized, and even rearranged! Yay me! Which is very impressive, and not at all simple! : )

The things I’m thankful for this week…

Uncles who take the big ones on a movie date (how else could I have gotten it clean?!)
A sweet little boy who was happy to just play near me while I cleaned!
A husband who believes in living as organically as I do (maybe even more!)
living so close to the farmer’s market!
impromptu visits with like-minded friends
A garden that is chalk full of growing peppers!! (mmm, just think of all the yummy salsa!)
A bowl full of raspberries picked from my very own yard
Rain! (you won’t hear me say that very often) It’s keeping the imminent heat wave at bay!
A gray day that is encouraging us to cuddle up together and just have a day of snuggling and play!
While there are dishes to do, and toys to pick up… upstairs is organized! I am SO thankful for that! Seriously, feng shui for sure! I feel so much better to have that done!!
that I have friends to make plans with! (friends I have made plans with this week and for next)
The fact that it’s Friday and hubbyman will be home for the weekend!!!

And my littlest boy turned ONE!! (I'm not really sure I'm thankful that my last baby is growing up... no, no, I am... just... waah! *sobs*)

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

Leave a comment »

Things You Should Say (To Boys)

by motherofwonder

So as we had some quiet family time together on the couch tonight, we were doing our infant massage techniques on our kids who are no longer infants, while the actual infant (who, waah!, is no longer an infant either, but now a toddler) watched from the sidelines with interest. We began to just talk, and the big Es are currently obsessed with telling you their favorites and so their lists came bubbling out. Then they talked about things like when they get married, and when they are grown ups, and asked questions like, Will we be huuuge grown ups? And would it be ok to wait 90 years before becoming a daddy? And as we told them that it wasn’t necessary to wait 90 years, but preferred to wait until they were really grown ups and were married. I couldn’t help but think about all the things I wanted to tell them, and teach them. There are so many things, about so many different topics, but I’ll try to limit myself… And so today will be part one: The things you should say to boys (or things I want to say to my boys).

Be respectful. To everyone. Everywhere. People have hurts that sometimes aren’t visible, treat them accordingly.
Talk to others in a way that wouldn’t leave you embarrassed if you found out your mama was listening.
Learn to listen (for most men this is an acquired skill, I’m pretty sure). Really listen, not just hear someone making sounds, but the words that they’re saying.
Treat all women in the manner you should treat your mother: polite, respectful, helpful.
Be courteous- even if you think it’s not appreciated or deserved. Maybe especially then.
Be honest.
Violence (against anyone) is never really the answer.
Never look down on someone for the way they dress, how they look, or what they believe.
Be compassionate.
Never treat people as disposable. They’re not. Even if you date her for a week and find out she’s suuuuper annoying (even if I agree)… you will still treat her as an individual with feelings. Just not an individual you’ll marry.
When you are dating, try and behave in a manner you won’t be embarrassed to recount to your wife. Or your mother for that matter.
Never make fun of tears. No matter if they’re from a girl or a boy. Pain is pain. (Compassion my sons!)
A strong man is someone who knows and accepts his weaknesses (or tries to strengthen himself in those areas).
Feelings are not a weakness in a man. Embrace them.
Don’t be run by emotions (or hormones), think things through.
Think before you speak.
Don’t let anyone push you around. Be your own man.
Learn to take charge and to be responsible for things. It’s ok to know what you want- and to go for it.
Don’t just follow ANYONE just for the sake of a) trying to look cool or fit in, or b) not having to make an actual decision yourself. Neither reason will suit you in the long run.
Know that you were made to be EXACTLY who you are.
Know that life really isn’t all about you.
Reach out a helping hand, whenever you possibly can.
A man of faith is a lot stronger than a man with no beliefs.
You’ll stand a lot taller, the more time you spend on your knees.
Family is a blessing. (Whether you like it or not!)
Dream dreams, wish wishes, and love your loves. No matter what others may say or think. (Except for your mother, of course.)
Be secure in who you are, because you will always have people that will support you.
No matter what else you do in life, what you wear, who your friends are, what your job is, how much money you make, or where you live… remember that your mama loves you. And please always live nearby.

Family Life According To Me

4 Comments »

Times a Million

by motherofwonder

Last night something happened that makes everything I do worth while. Times like a million.

Most nights hubbyman is in charge of putting the bigger 2 to bed. Which usually entails these rituals: put jammies on, brush teeth, each pick out a book, take turns with whose book gets read first (listen to the argument over who’s book was read first last time), read said books, say prayers, turn lights off.

Well, last night, when they’d finally reached the bedtime prayer time, Miss E asked if she could pray for mommy being home. (*feel free to insert your “awww” here*) Which is sweet enough in itself, but coupled with the fact that she normally says she wants to pray, but doesn’t usually actually do it -at least outloud- makes the next part especially tear-jerking. She prayed, and thanked God for a mommy who stays at home with her.

And it’s the little moments like these that confirms why we’ve chosen to have me home with the kids, reaffirms the benefits to having a parent at home, and makes all the thanklessness of the daily routines all worth while. Times a million. And three.

Family Life According To Me

1 Comment »

Alone In A Land of (Facebook) Friends

by motherofwonder

Do you have a best friend? Do you have a large group of good friends? Do you have people you can count on to celebrate life’s victories as much as mourn life’s pains? There are times when we can all get lost in the monotony of daily living. No matter what your social, martial, educational, or any other status may be, we all need someone. That’s the way we were made, heavily ingrained in our DNA. It’s often during those times when we can feel ourselves becoming lonely. As if we’re lost in the abyss with no one else to cling to. I have those moments. As I age, and probably more truthfully, as I’ve matured, over the years I have those times less and less- thankfully. But there are still times when I have a tendency toward the melancholy. As we grow older, we also become more involved in our own lives, our own families, our own careers, and it can be easy to lost sight, or lose track of, friendships that once shaped who we were and at times, who’ve held us together.

I have a terrific group of friends. I have some that I’ve known for years and years. I have some that became family when life (or the military) threw us all far from those that share our blood. I have friends I can count on to go and have a good time with- to leave the cares and stress of life as a stay at home mom, well, at home. I have friends that I can call and pour my heart out to. These are people that I am most myself with. I am also unshakably thankful for these friends.

But what of the ones lost along the way? The ones you’ve lost touch with, the ones you’ve moved away from, the ones you’ve grown away from… are they forever lost in the abyss of “we used to be friends.” Because I am definitely a feeling personality-type, the loss of a friend -of someone my heart has loved- stings a little. No matter what the reason, whether a conscious decision, distance, or just time. And in this age of technology it’s so easy to have their lives flaunted in front of our faces, just out of the grasp of an actual relationship. We are all “friends” with everyone we’ve ever known without actually being their friend, or them being ours. It’s such a strange concept. And as I look through my list of Facebook friends (the majority of which are people I went to college with), the ones that strike me most are the ones who even if briefly, we thought we’d thought we’d always be friends, or at least could not picture a circumstance where we would not longer be friends. And that’s not to say that if we picked up the phone, or the laptop, and left them a message that we wouldn’t find that same friend on the other end… but how often do we actually do that? Especially if it’s been years since your last conversation. Reaching out (you know, something other than a generic “Happy Birthday!” or some other form of mundane agreeance with a status update) is a scary thing though, it leaves you with a kind of first-date jitters. Which is silly, really, because you were friends at one point, right? But still, it’s hard to fight the feeling of the unknown, you know, the will they like me? Will they think I’m funny? Will we have things to talk about? Will we still have things in common? Will they like my children? What if our parenting styles clash? Or the bigger questions- what if they just don’t like me? What if something happened, or something was said, that I don’t remember and they want to rehash it? What if it turns into a sob-fest of why they don’t want to be my friend?

Last Friday, I got together with an old friend who I’d basically only maintained a facebook-friendship with for the last 4 years, seeing each other only briefly and intermittently at best, in between. And to be honest, it did feel like a first date. Only one where you have known the person for a decade and a half but lost touch and decided to reconnect kind of first date. Ok, so maybe the technicalities of it weren’t like a first date, but it felt like one… Well, we were best friends throughout jr. high and high school, and even most of college. She was even one of my bridesmaids. Even though we lived far apart, went to separate schools, and really had very separate groups of friends. As we got older, we just drifted apart. I’m not sure if something happened, or if something was said (on either side) that instigated the drift, or if time and distance just did its part. Truly, I have no idea, but what I do know, is that she was in college (and then grad school) and dating her hubby-to-be; I was a military wife and expecting our first baby. We had very busy, time and life consuming things going on. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to be her friend, or that I specifically chose to not be her friend… it just kind of happened.

Flash forward almost 5 years. We’re now civilians, we have 3 children, and a house in constant motion (and remodel). She’s married, a teacher, an a mother to a sweet little girl. We’re not the 13 year old girls we were when we met, but thank the Lord for that! And where I’m leading with all this is just that, sometimes we have these ideas in our heads, these expectations, of who people are, and how they need to be… that they can’t always hold up their end of the deal we’ve made in our minds. And sometime’s we’re not mature enough, or open-minded enough to really see the big picture. To see that just as we grow and change, so do our friends. So you can either bend, and adjust to the new boundaries of the friendship, or you can break. So I could say, you know, it’s nice to see your pictures on facebook, but I don’t actually want to spend time with you in person, since we haven’t done it for soo long- why start now? (Which really just means, I’m terrified of being rejected by you.) Or I could say, we were such good friends, yes, time has passed…but maybe now we have even more in common (motherhood bonds even the most different of individuals), and can use the thorough knowledge of each other’s back-stories to help support each other as we embark on this new stage in our lives, and a new stage of our friendship. So the next time you’re face-to-face with someone from long ago, or maybe the next time you’re making small talk with someone new, or maybe the next time you’re simply creepin’ on someone’s facebook page, following the steps of their life without actually being a part of it… just step up, take a deep breath, and believe in the fact that you are someone worth being friends with. And maybe that someone will be worth being friends with too. Besides, life is too short to be lonely. So don’t choose to be.

And really, with as big of “friend lists” as we all have, none of us should feel lonely.

Life According To Me

1 Comment »

The Tough Answers

by motherofwonder

So we all know life has some tough questions, but sometimes the questions come easy and it’s the answers that are the hard part. Such was my experience today.

Today we were sitting at the table having lunch, when I got asked such a question. Biggest E was asking me if I named him when he was still in my belly. I said yes, and then told him the story about how I came home from work one day and told his daddy that I knew what his name was, and that was what we named him. Then Miss E asked about her name, and we talked about who she was named after and why. Frankly, I was enjoying this line of questioning, and was completely unprepared for what came next.

Mommy, how do babies get out of the mommies’ bellies? Um, what? Mommy, what do the babies do to get out of the mommies’ bellies? (pause for moment of panic) Well, they come out of the mommies’ bodies so that they can be born. **But where do they come out of the mommies’ bodies?** (pause for longer, bigger moment of panic. Trying to think of appropriate ways to describe to my 4 1/2 year old where babies come out of) Before I’ve stopped panicing, he simply asks, Did God just make a special place for babies to come out of? (Huge sigh of relief) Yes, God made a special place for babies to come out of. And did He make a special way for them to come out? Yes, sweet boy, He certainly did.

Thank the good Lord for pauses and moments of panic- sometimes that’s what we need in life before doing and saying something unnecessary.

Family Life According To Me

Leave a comment »

Thankful Friday

by motherofwonder

Sometimes I think I can get a little too stuck in this, “Well, this is just how my life is, right now…” mentality instead of: Look at how great my life is! I mean I’m always tired (last night I was up with kids until after 3:30am and then they got up at 7:30 this morning!), I’m always hungry (I’m nursing and chasing the kids- constantly! It’s always one or the other!). And I’m always behind on 3 things: laundry, dusting, and showering. Sometimes I get so caught up in all the things I’m doing, I forget the wonderment of it all. And so today, (actually I’m thinking of making every Friday, Thankful Friday, where I take a moment to acknowledge all the good things I have in my life) I am taking at least these few moments to commemorate the things in my life that give me lots of love, laughs, and joy:

1. Littlest E has the silliest, goofiest laugh… and he shares it almost every time I look at him. Plus, he’s a hugger. Really. Always has been. Throws his arms around you and squeezes. Heart melting.

2. Our puppy (who just celebrated his first birthday!) is such a good boy. Seriously. He’s a lab, who gets tired out after playing fetch for like 5 throws. He’d really rather spend his day cuddled with one of the kids. Or napping next to where they play. Seriously, he is that big of a sweetheart, and that much of a big ‘ol baby. Love him!

3. Hubbyman has been making a big effort to be more present in his time at home. Playing with the kids (without the distraction of a project in the background) and in doing things (like the dishes!!) around the house, on a daily basis. I am so thankful for the partner he is- in our marriage and as a co-parent.

4. After always thinking that I didn’t really have a preference about having a daughter, I find I enjoy having one more and more each and every day. She is a girl who knows what she wants and she will either melt your heart or break it to get it! And I love that about her! She is my sweetie pie that would gladly sit by my side as I cook or clean and just keep me company and entertained with her chatter.

5. My oldest is growing by leaps and bounds, it always amazes me the things he understands more and more on a daily basis! He’s currently obsessed with lying and telling the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. If you ask him to tell him the truth (if you know he’s not giving you the whole story- and you have to specifically say, “Tell me the truth.”), he will. Begrudgingly, but he will. And he will not tolerate you telling him something that he knows to not be the truth. He may have a black and white view point, much like his father. He is also a sweetheart of a boy, who LOVES to give kisses and bear hugs. Truly. He’s not happy unless he’s hugged you hard enough to knock you on your bee-hind.

6. I have wonderful friends. Seriously. They totally rock. And I lived with one of my bffs for a month and a half this summer. And I love her more than ever. That’s how cool my friends are. Another friend came for a 2 week visit that he had to drive cross-country for! And we loved every minute of it! You know how sometimes by the end of a visit you’re like, “Get gone already!” This was not that way. We try almost daily to get him back here! And that’s just two examples! We are blessed with long time friends as well as newly made ones. They do our lives good- as a couple, as a family, and as individuals.

7. I find it totally amazing to witness the firsts of my children. First words, first steps, first time they see fireworks and point and “ooohh” and “aaahhhh” over every single one (Seriously, Littlest E truly did that). Total wonderment over the joy I feel in getting to be a part of their little lives.

8. I am 5lbs away from what I weighed in high school. Did I mention I’ve had 3 children in the last 4 years? I’m pretty proud of myself. No, maybe everything doesn’t fit or sit the same as it did back then, but I have earned every curve of my body, and I’m (learning!) accepting them.

9. I love the amount of laughter that goes on in my household. I am continually thankful for their sweet giggles amongst each other, and the ones they share with me. I am thankful for the way my husband and I can laugh together- and at each other, as much as at ourselves. Even the biggest hurts can feel manageable if you can intertwine laughter into the equation.

10. I am so appreciate to have this space. To have a place where I can say what I think and write how I feel. It’s empowering, liberating, and equal parts confusing…hey! I’m still learning! I feel more me, as an individual, when I can be open and honest about life, love, children, parenting… and living. Plus, where else would you find fabulous dinner ideas?! (*giggle, grin, and eye roll* yes, I even roll my eyes at my self. But you know, in a thankful, self accepting way)

These are by no means the only things that give my life joy, or in any particular order.I just needed to take a moment and internalize all the wonderment I do have in this crazy, busy, kid-filled life of mine. And to acknowledge that I love it completely, even if, at times, it doesn’t sound like, or feel like, I do.