Thankful Fridays | laborofwonder

The Peanut To My Butter

by motherofwonder

I am so excited that it’s Friday I could just sing…or dance! And I just might! We sing and dance while we clean, and little do they know- that’s the plan for today. A good ‘ol cleaning cleverly disguised as a dance party! I love it! If you tell me you’ve never had a dance party while cleaning not only will I not believe you (c’mon, I know you’ve let a move bust through the tunes while cleaning.), but I will defriend you. Unfriend. Whatever, we’ll be through. If you really haven’t. Crank up some of your favorite tunes from when you were in high school… and find yourself a’dancing! And then we can remain friends.

Now back to our regular programming.., I was so happy just a few minutes ago, and it seems my mood is fading fast. I’d better get to ~~cleaning~~ dancing as fast as I can so that I don’t lose my good mood completely. Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

So now we’re really back to our regular programming. It’s Friday, and I’m thankful. After a weekend that felt like it lasted a week, I’d never been so excited to see my children. 4 days was at least a day too long to be separated from them! But I am very thankful for my parents (and littlest brother) for having them, and the kids had so much fun. It’s very apparent our separation was much harder on the mama than the children.

Mostly, I am thankful for hubbyman. I wasn’t sure he was so supportive of me becoming a doula, but he has been amazing. During the weekend he’d make me a drink, and let me debrief. And he’d get up and make breakfast, and more importantly, coffee, before I’d head back in. After 6 hours worth of driving, 21 hours of sitting on the floor trying to soak in every word, and 3 hours of coffee runs… it left me completely exhausted. Mentally, physically, and definitely emotionally. Hubbyman has been so great. He’s put the big kids to bed and come up to find me still cuddling with littlest (What? After the weekend, I needed some extra cuddles!) and has taken him and put him to bed as well. And encouraged me to have some down time, some quiet time, and that it was ok to do so. He has done that almost every night this week. The first night I fell asleep on the couch, and the nights after that I’ve only spent maybe an extra hour awake and up, lounging on the couch. But it has been amazing for my own self. I actually have slept better, and better yet- I wake up, feeling like I actually got some sleep! And I am really shocked by how much more patience I have during the day. Apparently, I was really needing some down time. Where I’m not mom, and I’m not in charge, and even if it’s just mindlessly watching TV, I’m allowing myself some time to unwind, relax, and just be. And apparently, that’s exactly what I’ve been needing. I am so thankful to my hubbyman, for allowing and encouraging me to have some time for myself. (It’s like he knows me or something.)

photo credit: mc-random-25: theBERRY

Not only has he allowed me some time, but he was been incredibly supportive. He recently accepted a new position within his company and has promised to find ways that I could attend births, without having to stress over childcare, because he’d simply come home and stay with the kids. He is an incredibly hard worker and in his previous position they kind of let him do what he wants because of that- I’m hoping his next boss feels that way too! I will be doing daytime childcare for friends starting late fall/early winter, and so I’m trying to get all the births in that I can before then! (I have 3 on the books between now and then.) A local hospital has a great program where they offer doula services. While it’s unpaid, it would be a chance to get a good number of births under my belt, and stay active in the birthing community, and be able to schedule it. I’m going to wait a few months into doing childcare before officially signing up (I don’t want to over extend myself), but I’m very excited. And I love how supportive hubby is. He understands why I want to do it, and believes in it whole-heatedly. And is truly willing to explore every avenue possible so that I can do and achieve things that I want/believe in. It’s incredibly endearing. If I am successful in anything (be it professional or personal), a great portion of it is because I have his support. And I am so grateful.

Photo Credit: thestencilsmith.com

And now we’re off to my dance party! I hope you all have wonderful, dancing weekends as well!

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

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I Choose

by motherofwonder

There’s my sign. There’s your sign. As I begin another journey. I’m telling you, you can begin yours too. No matter what you’re doing, where you are, or who you are… there’s your sign. We’ve all been waiting for something, right?

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out who I am and what I want to be, or do, in this life. It’s good to know that no matter what point I’m at, it’s never too late to choose another route.

And so today I am leaping in, with both feet. A new horizon. A new career. A new start.

Today I am thankful for the people in my life who encourage, support, uplift, and call me to tell me to take a deep, cleansing breath. I am thankful that with them, and often because of them, I am strong. I am determined. I am starting anew. It may not have be the life I pictured as a little girl. But it is definitely the life I want as an adult. It’s been a journey to this point, but as of today, I am choosing my life. I am (continuing) to live with intention. And I’m being intentional about it.

*Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts! Cross your fingers, this is a big weekend for me! Full of lessons, note-writing, training, and probably not a lot of sleep! Plus Littlest will be spending two nights IN A ROW away. (For the first time.) I already miss him. Hubbyman has promised to tell the grandparents that they can drop Littlest off with his daddy at any point over the weekend. I know they won’t, but his words were comforting to my mama heart. May you all have a weekend filled with new adventures, incredible food, and unending wine bottles!

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

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Lego Land

by motherofwonder

So we missed out on visiting my brother yesterday. And Biggest spent a good chunk of time, unmoving, on the couch. Which is pretty unusual for him. By lunch time he was willing to go for a quick stroll to the store for smoothies (hello! pump this boy with Vitamin C!) and ham! (2 of my Bigger Two’s favorite foods. Roll it in spinach and they’d be set for life. I know, my kids are funny, little creatures.) Ok, so I maybe, might have, insinuated that he could pick out a redbox movie. But that wasn’t until we were already on the way to the store. If he really didn’t feel good enough, I would not have taken him. He’s not like death bed sick, but he’s cold sick. Where he has a cough when he lies down, has a bit of the sniffles (thankfully it’s not like the snot running down his face kind), and is all around stuffy. Which, obviously, doesn’t feel very good. But we were down to our last box of tissues and Biggest thought it would be cool to pick out his very own box.

The trip was rather uneventful. Littlest fell asleep while walking around the store. (And of course woke up as soon as we strolled into the driveway.) On the way home we received a phone call from another brother of mine. Whatcha Doin’? He asks in a tone, that for him, always means, I’m a little bored and wondering if you have something to do that I’ll think is fun. That or, I miss the kids. Or I’m hungry, what are you making for dinner? But I digress. I told him of Biggest’s congestion woes and said we’re mainly just having a snuggle-up-on-the-couch kind of day. Having a feeling he’d be showing up, I picked up a couple of his favorite snacks and headed home.

The kids quickly snuggle up on the couch, munching on their ham, to watch a movie while I try to quickly do some “sprucing” before their uncles arrive. Thankfully our deck is arranged in such a way (with lattice for sides so that there’s no railings or slots or anything to worry about children slipping through) that a baby gate keeps Littlest in and he is free to “color” to his hearts content. By color I mean, eat chalk. Since that’s mainly what he seems to do.

Can you see the chalk on his face and the corners of his mouth (from eating it)? Its also all over his legs and arms.

Lo and behold, the Uncles show up. Along with over 15 lbs (that’s right, POUNDS) of legos. Biggest squeeled in delight. MissE squeeled in delight. Littlest dumped it all out, in delight. I also knew hubbyman would love this as well. In fact, I’m not sure who enjoyed building legos more. Biggest or his Uncles.

the tower started out as the chrysler building, but between all the other things being built, he ran out of blue and yellow. The tower is close to 4 feet tall.

While he is still a little sniffley, but he slept all night through- in his own bed. Wanted breakfast. And wanted to play legos vs watch a movie. So I’m thinkin’ that’s progress.

Welcome to Lego City

So…. I’ll just get to it. I am soooo thankful for such wonderful brothers who are amazing uncles!

I am thankful that even though visit with one uncle didn’t work out, we were able to reschedule for this weekend!

I am thankful Biggest didn’t get really sick.

I am beyond measure thankful that Littlest is more than well on his way back to his happy, clowning self.

I still can’t eat in the same room with him (or he won’t eat. He’ll just climb out of his high chair and cry and fuss and WILL.NOT.EAT.), but he has started eating more. And is overall happier. Which means hubbyman can come home without me bursting into tears for the first time in weeks.

I am thankful for a girl who is so mothering that she takes all of Littlest punches with humor. Sometimes literally. (*Sigh*)

I am thankful for warmer weather. (I’m just itching to get the garden all planned out and started)

I am thankful for all the flowers I transplanted from the house I grew up in. It is so fun to see them grow, and know where they came from.

I have more to be thankful for but they’re not quite ready to be shared (No, no baby news… why does everyone go there?). Hopefully next week there will be more to be thankful for, that can be shared out loud! (Or online…)

I’m thankful for hubbyman. My feet get so cold at night, I could never sleep without him.

Also, I am thankful for legos.

I am also thankful they're keeping them off of the floor and out from under my feet!

Family Life According To Me Thankful Fridays Things Kids Say

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Ode To Sangria

by motherofwonder

This week has felt like it’s been a taste of extremes. We’ve had moments that felt like they were tastes of heaven, and nights that have surely been a taste of hell. Last weekend Biggest spent the weekend with his grandparents, and so I was left with just the younger two. And we had so much fun. Miss usually hangs with her bigger brother, so it was fun to see her and Littlest learning about playing together.

These two are something else. Miss is a chatter box and Littlest is the proverbial head strong bull in the China shop. They’re a little yin and yang, but usually, it works out. She’s mothery, and he’s fearless. She taught him to climb up all the ladders, and he taught her that the biggest tunnel slides are not so scary.

I just love that I captured their expressions!

On the way back we took a path through the “jungle” (a wooded trail), and Miss paused, looked closely at this pile of birch logs, followed by a sigh and a shaking of her head, nope, those aren’t diamonds.

Our weekend was followed by the crankiest, angriest Littlest boy we have ever seen. He has those terrible “2 year molars” coming in. Seems a little unfair, since he’s not even two. At least if he were 2, he’d have more words to convey his feelings. Yesterday was the first day all week for his nap to last even an hour, and last night he only woke up twice. Which in comparison is pretty good. However, his second waking was at 3:30 and while his teething medicine calmed him quickly, he lay restless and awake until around 5:30. Let’s just say this mama is going to need a lot of coffee for survival purposes today.

In the midst of the sleeplessness and the fussing, I am thankful.

I am thankful for the fun I had with my 2 littler ones.

I am thankful for the fun Biggest got to have- even if it was without me.

I am thankful I was with my dad when I locked my keys in the truck.

I am thankful that teething doesn’t last forever.

I am thankful for my hubbyman.

I am thankful for my family.

I am thankful for my friends.

I am thankful for friends who come over “just to hang out.”

I am especially thankful for the full pitcher of sangria I have sitting in my refrigerator. So thankful, I’m even willing to share. Some.

(for my sangria recipe, go here. Do it. It’s worth it.)

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

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Choose Joy

by motherofwonder

It sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? To just choose joy. But it’s not. But I’m trying. The truth is, when we first became parents, hubbyman had a bit of a short fuse. But his patience has grown with every year, and every child. And the sweet, sweet man that he is prays for patience and a softening of his heart, every night. Heartmelting, right?

My story is not so heartwarming. I’m pretty sure I was much more even-keeled, cool, calm, collected, and patient when I was a brand new mommy. But the brand new, wide-eyed mommy soon became the mommy of three. Three of the age where we’ve had 2 times of 2 in diapers (Biggest & Miss, and then Miss and Littlest. I guess by the time of littlest she was down to just nighttime, but still.). Which means that they are still ages where they often wake up at night. Ok, so the bigger ones don’t get up nightly and sometimes they’ll both stay sound asleep for weeks. (Ok, they don’t sleep for weeks, but they stay asleep, in their own little beds every night for weeks.) But Littlest normally still wakes at least once. Usually twice. And I’m with them all. day. every. day. EVERY. DAY. I guess what I’m trying to say is that they have worn me down. My sweet little children that look like they could do no evil have (on more than once occasion) left me hiding and crying in the bathroom. My ego and my pride feeling bruised and beaten at the fact that I’ve been outdone by three children under five.

Part of the problem is my own fault. I am not good about fulfilling my own needs. Allowing myself a break now and then, instead of the every few months that it usually ends up being. Hubbyman gives himself breaks in the form of projects in the garage, working in the yard, or planning things on the internet, or drowning himself in the latest political debacle. What does that mean for me? Well, it means that after having a baby on my hip, a girl hanging on my leg, and a big boy who follows behind me closely… it means that I am also the caretaker for the evening. Suffice it to say by the time the kids go to bed, I have to stay up for another hour, just to regain some sense of self before going to sleep and doing it all over again! But when I take a breath, a very deep breath, I can remember all the things I really love about them and staying home with them. And I can refocus on the truth: that there’s really no place I’d rather be, no job I’d rather be doing, than staying home with them. And that’s the truth. And today I am choosing joy. I am choosing to end this post, turn off the computer, turn off the cartoons, and really listen to their sweet words, to really play trains, even if he won’t let me choose my own words to say. To brush a million different dollies’ hair, and to take Littlest to the bathroom for the bazillion time, just because he likes to sit on the potty and sing songs to me. And that’s a whole lot to be thankful for.

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

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Sunshinier IS A Word…Now

by motherofwonder

This was was supposed to be super warm and I guess I just assumed that also meant nice and sunny. Unfortunately, during the day yesterday it was blah. Gray and dreary. Until closer to evening and then the sun came out. But the sun gives me motivation and I was planning on it. I feel bad for my children some days. Because the sunshinier (whatever, I can make up words) it is, the more motivation it gives me for cleaning. In fact, if hubbyman wanted to come home and play with the kids outside, I would HAPPILY spend the time inside cleaning, alone. I’m weird like that. So my plan was to get all my cleaning done this morning, we’d have lunch, and then we’d spend the rest of the day outside. But littlest and biggest have been unordinarily whiny and clingy. It’s a trade off apparently, because MissE has been extraordinarily helpful. So we’ve been playing trains, talking about all the baking they’d like me to do this weekend (cookies, donuts, and if they have to eat actual food, then they’d prefer chocolate chip pancakes. And maybe daddy could cook some bacon.) . Speaking of bacon… that just reminded me of something. This was a facebook status of mine, from last week (I think):

I made (gf) chicken and dumplings the other day and after eating, Evan asked, “How come Daddy doesn’t know how to cook like a mommy?” I responded with laughter. Then he added, “You should teach him, before he’s 100.” I responded with, Whew, at least I have a few years. It’ll probably take until then to teach him. Evan shakes his head, sighs, and says, “At least he’s a good bacon cooker.”

Oh children. And when recounting this story to hubbyman, Biggest looked at him, and said You really don’t cook like a mommy.

And on that note I am thankful for a sense of humor.

I am thankful for a hubby and children with a sense of humor!

I am thankful that the tree trimming ~~idiots~~ people did not break anything. Other than a couple of shingles on the roof. (Not only did a big branch land on a piece of patio furniture, but one landed on our skylight… talk about that-coulda-been-a-disaster. Especially as I was standing right under it happened.) I will be even more thankful if the roses they trampled, and the lilac bushes they stacked their wood on, survive. I had a dream they ruined my roses (which are admittedly the only plant that I’m apparently capable of/willing to baby), and planned to go out and ask them to be careful around them. But there was no knock on the door, no one saying, Hey we’re here and gonna get to work! No, they just pulled in and went to work… on all corners of the house. I couldn’t exit from anywhere! At least not without having to fear for my life.

I am thankful for a hubbyman who has a backbone made of steel. There is nothing that man is afraid to say. To anyone. Or at least most anyone. If you want something done, or need to call customer service- have him do it. It’s phenomenal.

I am thankful for all this sunshiney weather. It has helped me to sleep better at night, wake up more awake, and just feel better in general. Oh I love sunshine.

I am thankful that all of Biggest’s dental work is done, save one quick visit that is merely cosmetic. (He has lines on his front teeth where enamel never formed. At least those spots hardened, whereas all the work he had done was because the other spots did not harden.) He has been such a brave boy- we’re so proud of him!

I am thankful that for whatever reason, the stars have aligned and my house has remained in some sort of balance for about a month. It’s amazing. I feel much more zen.

I hope you have lots to be thankful for and wish you a house full of organization and good food!

Like · · Share · March 9 at 11:52am

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays Things Kids Say

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Here Comes The Tooth Doctor, Again

by motherofwonder

Ugh. I am one tired mama today. Littlest has his last teeth coming in. Can I just mention the fact that they’re big, huge molars? And my wouldn’t-ever-take-a-pacifier-if-his-life-depended-on-it baby has become obsessed with chewing on them. Since he never used them, we had 2, that MissE used with her dollies. Littlest has taken them over, and unfortunately, we are now down to one. But I know it’s just a phase and with his age, I’m hoping it passes before I lose the last one and ~~am forced to~~ break down and buy another one. And when you’re sleep deprived, or coffee deprived, it’s hard to clearly understand what all angry, fussing baby’s deal is. I think I should just wear his teething tablets around my neck. On the plus side, he didn’t wake up until 4am (and then slept/cuddled with me, until 8). Which is much better than midnight and 1am, and 2:30am, and 4am, and 6am… that it’s been for the past week.

Today is also take 2 on Biggest’s oral woes. It’s just heartbreaking. Part of it we could not have helped (his teeth have spots where there is no enamel, and the rest of them have very soft enamel) due to genetics and them developing that way in utero. We do, however, wish that we would have taken him in sooner and wonder about how different the results would’ve/could’ve been had we done so. We may have ended up here anyways, but you can’t help but ~~be critical~~ feel the mom guilt and wish for a different outcome, especially if it means less/no pain for your child. But we are neither here nor there. No, wait, we are here. So that’s what we’ve got. I’ve already got the jello cooking in the fridge. And by cooking, I mean chilling. If you didn’t understand that, there are bigger problems afoot.

But amidst of it all, there are things to be thankful for. I don’t know if you all are getting tired of my Thankful Fridays, but I have to tell you. I’m not. I mean, I am… it comes around and I feel like rolling my eyes and my heart’s not feeling very thankful. But I go through the motions. And in forcing myself to think of a list of things to be thankful for, I find myself truly feeling thankful. And I’m telling you, you should try it- especially if you don’t feel like it.

So here it is, here is my list, here is what’s in my heart today…

I am thankful that Biggest is still being very brave in the face of the bright lights of a dentist office. I am thankful the Dentists must be very gentle and nice, because he still says he really likes his teeth Doctors. I am thankful that hubbyman has taken it upon himself to take Biggest. Every. Single. Time. He has been gentle and thoughtful of his boy, and it sounds silly, maybe, but it has been a bonding thing for them. Did I mention he takes off of work to do this? That’s huge.

Ready!

Aim!

Fire! (Daddy took the day off after Biggest's first dental procedure and this is how they spent the afternoon)

I am thankful that Miss E is showing some signs from losing some of her shyness. Normally she freezes completely when people (other than immediate family) talk to her, but yesterday she was willing to stay with new friends versus going somewhere with mommy. It’s pretty huge for her.

Playing with her big brother at the children's museum

I am thankful that Littlest finally slept a little better, and seems to be in better spirits today. I haven’t ventured my hand into his mouth to see if they’ve finally broken through (his teeth), because, well, he has no qualms about biting the hand that feeds him.

Yes, I am very handsome.

I am thankful for my mama friends and their little ones! It’s good for me and it’s good for the kids!

I am thankful for Maple Syrup! (Yes, you heard me right.) My family makes maple syrup! It’s my favorite time of year and we’re heading there this weekend- I’m so excited! Hopefully I remember my camera and take lots of pictures!

May you find lots of things (or at least one thing) to be thankful for today.

Family Thankful Fridays

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Thankful For Weekends

by motherofwonder

I’m aware today is actually Friday, but yesterday was a Friday of sorts for us. Biggest has been having some work done on his teeth due to… well, we’re not really sure. Either too much fluoride in the water when I was pregnant or something along those lines. Whatever it was, it caused his teeth to develop with spots of little to no enamel. So now they’re getting fixed, filled and pretty-fied. Today is his second trip (and he still has another one, or two visits after). He was scheduled for next week, but they had a cancellation today, so hubbyman decided to take the day off (*collective gasp* I know, right?!). So for us, last night was the beginning of our weekend!

I am thankful for a short week and a long weekend!

I am thankful for a husband who continues to consciously making an effort to make sure his family is at the top of his priorities.

I am thankful for a big, strong, brave big boy.

I am thankful for a dancing, talking, twirling, talking, singing, talking chatterbox of a MissE.

I am thankful for a littlest boy who makes an effort to make everyone around him smile and laugh.

I’m also thankful for dentists who are patient and gentle. Hubbyman’s been going with Biggest (because when I took him -to a different dentist- we had a horrible experience), so I haven’t witnessed it. But even after having to get the Novocain shot and work done, he happily went to the dentist again. He seems to really like his “tooth Doctor’s” (as he calls them).

I am thankful for in-laws who are coming tonight in for a visit. And how excited the kids are to see them.

And also the bottle of my father-in-law’s homemade plum port wine he’ll bring me (*fingers crossed*)- they’re good to me.

I’m thankful for a father-in-law (who not only makes wine!) but will be helping hubby with some projects

I am thankful for a day at the home & garden show this weekend- with Miss, Littlest, and my Mom-in-Law! So many ideas! And so many wine-slushy samples!

I am thankful that we finally have enough snow for sledding- and a hubbyman who’s made a point to come home early enough to go sledding with them (they’ve been promised another round this afternoon).

I am thankful for family and friends who keep me grounded and help my survival.

I am thankful for my virtual, blogging, interesting, funny friends that keep me feeling like maybe I am normal after all!

I am thankful for weekends!

May you find lots to be thankful for in your weekend too! Happy Friday!

Life According To Me Thankful Fridays

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Finding A Sense of Humor

by motherofwonder

With Monday being a holiday I keep thinking I’m a day behind. Well, I probably still am, but the week has continued without me! Which means that even though I keep thinking that today is Thursday… it is actually Friday! I’m not sure what to write today. Partly because I have about a million things that I could write about, partly because I have not been sleeping well lately (and am therefore completely exhausted), and partly because snuggling on the couch with my snugglers sounds a lot more appealing at the moment. So I’ll keep this short and sweet. For your sake as well as mine. (As tired as I am, who knows where these mumblings could lead us?!)

I am thankful for a hubby who put all of the kids to bed last night. Next time, I’d suggest changing baby before sleep so that he doesn’t pee all over his mama in the middle of the night.
I am thankful for a baby/little man who peed in my bed at 4am. I’ve meant to wash the bedding all week. Now I have to.
I am thankful for a little man who now carries anything he can, everywhere, to use as a stool so that he can spend a ridiculous amount of time turning lights on and off. Just because he finally can. This is waaay cheaper than a babysitter. And just as effective. Maybe I’ll have enough time to put those sheets in the wash.
I am thankful for observant children. They noticed right away that daddy had tracked in dirt and snow that melts and turns into a mud puddle all throughout the kitchen.
I am thankful hubbyman remembered his lunch. My observant children have deducted from the footprints, that it happened while daddy was making his lunch.
I am thankful for a dog who chewed up one of biggest’s favorite dinosaurs. Leaving just a body. He needed a reminder of why we always have to pick up our toys. I wish it weren’t such a tearful one, but I’ll take what I can get.
I am thankful the dog choked on and then threw up the dinosaur parts. Maybe not he’ll stop attempting to eat them.
I am thankful that hubbyman surprised us by coming home for a quick lunch. I enjoy practicing patience, and maybe needed the practice. I’ve been given the opportunity, since now everything I say is countered with I want my daddy! Why did you make him go back to work?
I am thankful it’s still morning. It’d be a shame for a day like this to fly by.
I am thankful for a sense of humor.

Happy Friday everyone! Remember- there’s always something to ~~drive you to drinking~~ be thankful for!

*An hour after posting this, I went to put Littlest down for a nap. I came back to find something amazing. So I have two more thankful entries for you:

I’m thankful for children giving each other hair cuts. They needed ones and now I don’t have to do it.
I am thankful I didn’t have to give or attend MissE’s first hair cut. I’d probably be emotional about it. Big E just did me a favor.

Family Life According To Me Thankful Fridays Things Kids Say

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Does This Go Together?

by motherofwonder

Now I may have missed the actual time line to join in with all the bloggers that followed along with the 100 Way to be Kind To Your Children (from Toddler Approved!– who also happens to have totally awesome pinterest boards!). But does that mean it’s too late for me to work on being kind to my children? Absolutely. Not! Just in going through the list, I’ve found that not only will it be beneficial for my children, but it will be healthy for me too. It’s letting go of some of the pressure, some of the ideals… and just holding onto the fact that some days survival is good enough.

This weekend we will be creating like crazy! We are going completely organic (and homemade) in the cleaning products. I’ve made dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent before. (I liked the former but wasn’t impressed with the latter.) We use a homemade solution in our carpet cleaner. But as we continue on in our lives, trying to live with as much intention as we can… we came to the realization, did we really intend to put lots of chemicals on (and therefore into) our bodies, let alone our children’s? I think we all know the answer to that! So this weekend we will be traveling deeper down that path. Hubbyman made shampoo last weekend. He seems to like it. I’ll admit it does smell good. Hopefully I remember to charge up the camera so we can really document the process, as well as the outcome. An added benefit to making these things ourselves (other than the obvious health benefits)? Money. Pennies on the dollar, folks. Another benefit, you get to choose how they smell! Which for me and my smelly sensitivities is fantastic. My choices (of essential oils) lemon and tangerine. Together = heaven. Or pretty close to.

And since we’re on the topic, you might want to go ahead and read the 5 Grossest Things You’re Eating from the Supermarket. Or even better, The 15 Grossest Things You Eat. Might make you think twice. Or lots more. If you read those 2 alone, even without doing any further research, I don’t think you’ll ever question why we buy our beef from a family farm. Or why we buy organic milk. Or why we make just about everything from scratch. And why I like to can my foods myself.

On another note- I woke up thinking today was Thursday. So imagine my surprise (and delight) that today is, in fact, FRIDAY! (*insert a big WOHOO! here*) And so… I’m going to start with my kindness, get my butt off of here, and make my kids clean their rooms! Hey, teaching them the importance of proper organization is showing them kindness, right? I like to think so!

*I am thankful for people I have never met, or have only met briefly. At least in person. I’m part of a MN Cloth Diapering Mamas group and they are so sweet (and just about the only group of mamas I have ever seen remain mama drama free. It’s refreshing!). And not only that, they have been willing to make donations to my brother & his expecting wife’s cloth diaper stash! Woohoo! It may not seem that exciting, but trust me when I tell you it is! And one of my absolute favorite diaper makers, Softbums (go ahead, like their facebook page too- tell them I sent you!), has offered to make a donation (in diapers)! This is incredibly amazing- and when I called my sister-in-law she definitely shared my excitment. (Plus, the softbum diaper style is her favorite. And out of the 2 diapers I got her for Christmas. One was a locally made by LetJoy Diapers (like her page while you’re at it too!), and the other was of course the adorable giraffe style Softbum. (I tried adding a picture, but for some reason, wordpress is not cooperating at the moment. Hopefully later I can add it in, because it is so cute that I really wanted to keep it for Littlest. Even though he has several softbum diapers himself, it’s the only print one that we don’t have!)

*I am thankful for girlfriends. With kids. Without kids. Girlfriends can be big lifesavers. And an evening with them can be so refreshing. Even without wine (last night it was *homemade* specialty lattes!). But let’s not kid ourselves, an evening with girlfriends and wine, well, only coffee can compete with that.

*I am thankful for children who love their mama. Possibly more than any other person in the world. (I say possibly, soley on the off chance hubbyman is reading this. I give them pretty much all of my time and attention. And while Daddy is still their hero and the funnest of the fun, Mommy is the favorite.)

*I am thankful for children who are very independent. You know, for the most part. (And sometimes this backfires, like the other day when I caught Biggest teaching Miss who was teaching Littlest how to fly and be super heroes. Which, in reality, meant that they were wearing their hooded towels as capes while jumping off the top of the bunkbed to fly.) Remember this, closed doors = children up to no good.

*I am thankful that I enjoy cooking. Seriously, life would be a lot harder for this foodie family if that was not the case. Plus, my coffee wouldn’t have been quite as good without the homemade (yes, that’s right- you may now bow at my feet.), delicious donuts that I added a swipe of cream cheese frosting too. Yum.

*I am thankful to be married to a man who sees the big picture, even when I just want to focus on surviving the next ten minutes.

*I am thankful for any and every person who stops by, says hello, or just reads a line or two. I’m always surprised, humbled, and blessed by the people who (both in person and on-line) tell me they read what I write. And occasionally, they enjoy themselves. You are the people that keep me sane. (See, now I hooked you in- you can’t stop reading, or else I will lose my sanity. And then you’ll feel the guilt. Gotcha. I’m kidding. Mostly.)

Happy Day of Friday to You and Yours from Me and Mine!

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