Category Archives: mommyhood

mommyhood, siblings, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Happy Tuesday! I hope you’ve all been successful in your back-to-school shopping, and getting some late summer relaxation in before the fall starts with a bang! Here are a few of our favorite funny sayings from this week. There are some pretty weird one-liners at the end, so read the whole way through! Enjoy!! 

 EK: When I was outside, by myself, picking up mushrooms out of the dirt, I heard a horse say, “Neeeeeeeigh!” I don’t like it when horses is loud. Sometimes they wake me up at night.
(The only redeeming quality of this statement is that there are actually horses in our neighborhood.)

J comes crying up the stairs, and Hubby can’t get him to calmly say what’s wrong. He’s crying about his lamp and a trash can. Hubby gets him calm and in bed, and goes to EK’s room.
Hubby: Why was J crying?
EK: Well, he turned on his monsters lamp. (It’s a Monsters, Inc. lamp.)
Hubby: What happened then?
EK: Well, I told him if he didn’t turn it off I would throw it in the trash can.
Hubby: Well that made him very upset.
EK: Yeah…

Heard from a friend at church when she was with J….
J: When I get bigger, I’ll be a man who cooks only apples.
Friend: Okay… whatever you say!

J, in the car: When we get home, I want water in a cup and to watch TV.
Me: You know what I want to watch? Volleyball!
EK: I totally told you!

J, all the time now: Let’s play wolleyball! Mom! Can you play wolleyball with me?!

EK, upon first seeing/hearing about water balloons: What are they?
Me: It might be easier just to show you.
EK: But what are they?
Me: I’m going to have them ready in just a second.
EK: But what are they?
Me: Give me a minute.
EK: But what are they?
Me: …..!!!!

J, above: Is this a castle head, mama?
Me: Yeah, I guess it does look like that!


J, above: Look, mama! We’re chefs!
Me: ….uh….

Me: It’s almost nap time.
J: Is it firty?
Me: It’s 1:55.
J: I don’t know that letter.
Me: It’s actually a number. It means five minutes until nap time.
J: A nummer? Can we make food then?
Me: Um. After nap..?

And now for some random but hilarious one-liners…

J, to EK: My mama’s gonna put my shirt on, then I’m gonna tell you a secret!

EK, looking at the sky: Aww! That sunset gon’ make me cry!

J, at bedtime: Go to bed, Mama. I’ll stay right here.

J, at 6:50am: Can we play water balloons?

EK, pointing at the baby: Mom! D has a brow! He looks like a pirate!

J, unprompted: Mom, I wish my donkeys would come.

EK, showing me something (?) on her Leap Pad: You’ve got to eat a snack, like apples on an airplane.

Well, I hope you enjoyed those tidbits of what life is like around here. What do your kids say that’s just too crazy?

food, home, mommyhood, random thoughts

Currently

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How is it possible that summer is almost over? I can hardly believe that it’s halfway through August, and we are gearing up to get back in the schoolyear routine. I won’t lie – I love it. I love the routine, the schedule, the way my kids love school and the way it improves them to have it in their week. But before we get back into the swing of things, we’ve got a couple more weeks of being lazy, sweating, and relaxing. Here are a few things I’m currently up to…

Planning || my best friend’s baby shower! She’s due at the end of October, so I’m planning things with a few of our friends to celebrate her baby girl! I’m so excited! I’ll post about the shower after it happens – don’t want to ruin your surprise, Lauren!

Anticipating || Another friend’s gender reveal this weekend! I’ve never actually been to a gender reveal party, and the only “gender reveal” I did with any of my kids was let EK devour a cupcake with blue icing and post a photo on Facebook. So, needless to say, I’m excited to see what they choose to do! AND I can’t wait to start getting a few things for the baby, once I know the gender!

Stressing || about toddler life. J has proven more difficult (in some ways, at least) than EK was in regards to toddlerisms. For instance, he’s been doing this (disgusting) thing where he takes a bite of something, decides he doesn’t like it or want it, and just holds it in his mouth for a super long time. Like, up to half an hour. And it’s been different things… a bite of squash, a BBQ flavored potato chip, a spoonful of yogurt, a bite of okra. It’s not like it’s been spinach every single time or something. But it is GROSS and I’m over it. He also tantrums more often and more intensely than EK did. I’m certainly not giving in to it (like bribing him out of them), but it’s uncharted territory to figure out whether to just leave him in the living room floor, or move him to his room, or try to sit him in time out. He just goes belly-down and kicks his legs on the floor. Yikes.

Baking || a garden fresh squash bake! We had a few large squash from the garden, and I wanted a creative way to use them up. My big kids don’t really like squash, so I didn’t worry about choosing a recipe they would like. After scrolling through twenty or so recipes for “stuffed squash” of many varieties, I settled on making my own. I had read several with sausage, and several with a grain of some sort (quinoa, etc), so I stuck with sausage, and added grits, fresh tomatoes (also from the garden) and some pepper jack cheese I had in the fridge. It was delicious!


Well, that’s about it for our last little bit of summer here. What are you doing until school gets started again? Or has it already started for your family?!

faith, home, mommyhood, My Big Jesus, random thoughts

Childhood Unplugged

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus. 

I bet you read the title to this post, and thought I was one of those no-technology, stick-to-the-outdoors sort of moms that somehow get their toddlers to eat vegetables at every meal, and don’t even have televisions at their houses. 

I’m definitely not one of those. 

My family has regular movie nights, where we watch entire movies, even beyond our “expert”-allotted one hour of screen time and right before a later bedtime. My kids eat veggies when they’re in pasta sauce or baked into muffins. And get this: we don’t even go outside some days, especially if it’s all that hot. 

But sometimes, we have opportunities to live life unplugged. My daughter has a keen imagination and could play dress up for hours. My older son loves wooden trains and tracks, and spends entire mornings rolling them along the tracks or on table edges, seeing if they’re going to crash when the magnets carry too much. They love coloring, blanket fort building, helping in the garden, and recently, the Olympics have brought on a random but fun interest in volleyball. My oldest and I are reading our first chapter book together, and imagining the pictures as we go along. 

I’m not pretending that we do these things every day. Sometimes, we don’t have a totally unplugged day for weeks at a time. But when we do… when I forget I have an iPhone, I don’t care what’s on TV, I lose track of time, and we just play… Those are the times I feel like I’m sharing my own childhood with them. I remember days of reading book after book, throwing sheets over the dining room chairs and hiding underneath, filling giant coloring books with crayon colors, and swinging for hours. I love sharing my favorite movies with them, or playing reading games on the iPad, but sometimes, somehow, unplugged is just sweeter. 

Now, I’ll be crying by the end of tomorrow about how my preschoolers won’t stop fighting, and I’ll have broken the unplugged magic by lunchtime, but hey- it can’t be every day. 

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! I haven’t had a chance to get this one up until now, so happy afternoon! We’ve had a funny week with the kiddos, so here are the highlights!

Hubby is trying to talk to his dad…
J: Daddy! Stop talking and close your eyes!

EK, looking at above picture: Okay- that’s pretty cute.

J: He stole it!
Me, to D: Can you give that back to J?
(D puts it in his hand for a split second, then snatches it back.)
J: He don’t wants tooooooo! (Dissolves into tears as I laugh at the irony.)

J: Look at I found! (Any time he wants to show anyone anything.)

J, when asked why he wasn’t taking his nap: I got a bad poop! (And starts taking his diaper off.)

One night after bedtime, I found EK at the top of the stairs about 45 minutes after I’d left her in the bed. I asked, “How long have you been here?!” She sighed a teenagery sigh and answered, “Five hours.”

J called this my “Cinderella glass”:

EK, as picture below: But I don’t have the same costume as them!

EK: But I want dinner!
Me: You remember the avocado and carrots and oranges? That was dinner.
EK: But I want something cooked in a pan!
Me: …….

Me: Would you like to hang out with our friends tomorrow?
EK: I wanted to go to the mall tomorrow.

J: Daddy, I love you. So do you have a baby in your tummy?

Listening to Jesus Loves Me…
EK: What’s this song? (She definitely knows it.)
J: The Bible of the book. From summer camp.

EK, after VBS: We went to the playground today, and I kick-ed dirt.

We’ve been putting conditioner in EK’s hair to help it get longer, and she’s now obsessed with how soft her hair is. Then this happened…
EK: Daddy! Look how soft my hair is! (And she did a little flip of her hair with her hand.)
J, running up: Mommy! Look how soft my hair is! (And he starts rubbing his hair with both hands, a la an Herbal Essence commercial.)
EK: Yeah, it’s because we condition it. (Like it had all been her idea.)

J’s newest word confusion: Choke and joke. Usually, it’s that he’s trying to say joke but says choke instead, and it’s a hilarious mix-up.

When we ask the kids to “Say cheese!” for a photo…
EK, nicely: Cheese!
J, screaming as loud as he can: CHEEEEEEEESE!
D, smiling: Shhhhh!

Well that’s it for today! What are you kids saying that’s silly?

faith, mommyhood, My Big Jesus, my journey as a mother, women

It Is Important. 

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus. 

 Sometimes, at the end of the day, I look back and can’t think of a single thing that happened. I can’t think of anything I accomplished, or anything that was done.  There isn’t a checklist that got finished, or a project that was completed. I mean, I made meals that were at least partially eaten, and then I probably cleaned the rest off the floor.  I made bottles, changed diapers, maybe took the kids to the park. I might have helped with some craft, or at least handed out markers and paper. I probably turned on a movie, folded a load of clothes, or filled and ran the dishwasher.

Those things are so mundane to me sometimes. And often, they’re littered with scoldings, time-outs, or even shouting. Sometimes there are tears- theirs and mine. I get wrapped up in the second-to-second happenings: “He called me a name!” and “She pushed me!” I can’t let those things go unaddressed, lest they happen ten times more often. But I tire of punishing and reprimanding and repeating my pleas to “apologize” and “forgive”. I tire of the endless dirty laundry, and potty breaks with a “buddy”.

I was so overwhelmed by these things that last week at church, survival was my prayer request: day-to-day grace and patience in my crazy-busy, yet accomplishing nothing, stage of motherhood.

The gal who prayed for me, sweet woman that she is, happened to know exactly where I was – really knew. She not only prayed straight through to my soul as a fellow believer, but as a mother who had been (fairly recently, too) exactly where I am. She didn’t offer a cliche about how the days are long and the years are short. She didn’t encourage me to cherish those moments when they need me so much. She said simply that it was hard, she had been there, and I’d survive these intense years. But the biggest thing that hit me was this: the work that I’m doing is important.

Let’s say that together: It. Is. Important.

When I look around my frequently messy home, or catch sight of my often dirty hair, I can be discouraged that I did so much while accomplishing so little. I’ve got grubby handprints on every window in the house, snot on my jeans, and no one has gotten out of their pajamas. Am I even doing it right? But the answer is undoubtedly yes. I am doing it right, because I’m loving my kids, including lovingly disciplining them. I’m doing my best to raise them to be kind, helpful, and independent. I’m giving them endless snuggles, smooches, and hugs. I’m reading them books, and teaching them as much as I know how to teach. I’m praying for them, with them, and in front of them. I’m leading them, hopefully, into a relationship with Jesus. That work is Kingdom work, and it IS important.

 

home, mommyhood, random thoughts

Currently (Out of My Routine)

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Y’all, I know I said this with the last currently, but I wasn’t kidding: I’m a summer slacker! It’s glorious. I just spent a couple of days at the lake with Hubby’s family and I am refreshed. I will be at the lake again this weekend for our cousin’s bachelorette. I am looking (far) forward to a September week at the beach. I am hoping for at least two weeks’ worth of pool days before it closes for the summer. Our kitchen is full of ripe, vine-fresh tomatoes and huge okra, yellow squash and colorful peppers. I am summer happy.

So now, I’ll give you a real update on a few more things that I’m Currently up to…

Exploring || how to entertain three kids for the last few weeks of summer. I mentioned the pool; it’s hard to be there when all three kids are awake. We either miss D’s morning nap, or we have to wait till everyone’s afternoon naps are finished. Or else I’m only taking one or two kids.

Hearting || our local children’s museum. We’ve had a membership there since EK was my only babe, but we’ve loved it every time we’ve walked in the door.

Watching || still Gilmore Girls. I know y’all think I’m going really slowly, but we just haven’t watched much tv this summer. I’ve been reading LOTR and now the new Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (fangirling!) so I haven’t been spending my nights watching tv. But anyway, I’m committed to finishing the old GG before the new season comes on Netflix in November!

Eating || popcorn! Skinny Pop, Boom Chicka Pop, and some sort of Himalayan Pink Salt flavor from our local grocer, but I’m addicted to the salty popcorn! I ate some Trader Joe’s kettle corn, and it was good – but I think it’s the salty that I love.

What are you up to currently?!

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say 

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Happy Tuesday, folks! It’s a lovely day for some funnies, and I’m posting from Lake Norman, so without further ado, here they are!

EK: A monster got Miss ‘Tona! (J’s teacher)

J: We gotta find her and hug her and take her away from the monster!

J, when farted next to: You tooted on my nose and that was not nice!

EK comes upstairs and gets in our bed…
Me: What do you need, babe?
EK: A snuggle.
A minute passes.
Hubby: Did you get in our bed and immediately toot?
EK: *giggling*
Me: Gross. You gotta go.
EK: *screws up her face*farts again*
Me: You’re like a man! Go! Daddy is gonna sleep in YOUR bed.
EK: *giggles*farts*
Hubby: Okay. Stop flexing your abs. Get out.
EK: Can you walk with me?
Hubby: Nope. You got up here just fine.

J, on morning breath: It smells like dogs out here.

EK: When you grow up, you’ll be a daddy.
J: Yeah. I’ll be a daddy and take daddy medicine!

EK, pretending: I’m going to a party!
J: I wanna come to the party!
EK: You can! There’s going to be sweet ladies there.

I was walking the other day through a parking lot with just the bigs, holding one hand on either side of me. We came to the curb, and without me even pausing or knowing what was happening, EK counted, “1, 2, 3!” and they jumped off at the same time. It was as if they’d been practicing for that moment.

EK, to me: Even if you’re just wearing pants and a shirt, you still look like a princess.

EK: Every time we pass (our friend’s) house, their cars aren’t there. I guess I’m right. They’re going to a different house. It’s five ounces away.

100x a day…
J: Can we watch Speakle Me? (Despicable Me)

Leaving the pool:
EK: My knees is hurting!
Me: Why is that?
EK: Because I swam so faster. And that’s the way Jesus made me.
Me: Well, I guess you’re right.

J: Mama! El’ K! Do you wanna snuggle under my Batman blanket?!
Me: 😍

J, watching The Sorcerer’s Stone and seeing Hedwig in her cage: Mom! That baby bird is in jail!

A few minutes later…
J: Mama! This is my favorite movie I ever saw!
Me: You’re my favorite child.

Also during the movie…
J: Mom! A talking hat!
J: Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo!
EK: I think that hat is being rude.
J: I like it, mom!
J: Mom! That talking hat says, “Gryffinoooooooo!”
J: They’re eating food, Mom! Look at all those peoples eating food!

J, on his favorite restaurant: I want to go to Chickalay. I will eat all my chicken and all my French fries, and ride the yellow slide!

Me: I can’t find my duffel bag…
J (no lie): Your duckel fag?

EK: I can’t wait to get smushies! (Slushies)

J, doing anything remotely acrobatic, like climbing on a stool: Look how strong I am!

Well, there they are: the sillies of the week. What are your kids’ sillies right now?

health and fitness, mommyhood, women

I work out for me. 

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This past week, I noticed that I was angry a lot. I was frustrated about every single thing, big or small, that might normally just annoy me. It’s really hot outside. It’s really hot inside. We’ve been busy, but not really in a fun way. The kids are messy, loud, and getting on each other’s nerves. I’m not getting enough sleep. The 2yo is acting particularly threenagery (let’s just say that’s a word) recently. All of these things are things I can usually take in stride. But the past week or two, they’ve been building up, clogging my good feelings and just plain stressing me out. 

Finally, I realized that I hadn’t been keeping up with my workout routine very well. Now, I’m not an every day-er, or even a certain days of the week-er. Maybe those are the reasons I hadn’t gotten any exercise in. But either way, two weeks of no exercise is not good for me, and I finally realized it. It was time to stop making excuses about my busy schedule and the heat. 

You see, I don’t necessarily put on weight or get flabby from not working out. I mean, if I didn’t for a long time, I’m sure I would. But I don’t immediately see the effects of laziness on my body. (Not that a SAHM mom of three under five should in any sense be seen as “lazy”.) But I temporarily forgot that my body, my mind, my soul, all need some exercise. 

Working out isn’t something I personally do to see a magic number on a scale, fit into a certain size, or or achieve a certain “goal” (screw the thigh gap). I do it for the way it makes me feel. It helps me work through frustration. It helps burn calories and energy, and exhaust me into sleeping better. It sets a healthy example for my family about the importance of exercise. It is “me time”. It sets the tone for my productivity. It even makes me feel great about that glass of wine that’s coming in the evening. In short, makes me feel good. I don’t need a better reason than that! I do it for me. 

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Hello and happy Tuesday! After a fun (and admittedly emotional) weekend of the tiniest member of our family turning ONE, I’m ready for some humor! Hope you enjoy these funnies!

EK on public toilets: These aren’t so loud as blenders.

Me: Let’s get you some shorts, buddy.
J: I don’t want some shorts. I’ve got some legs.

EK approaches J to apologize for biting him (I know- it was a whole thing).
J: I’m sorry you bited me on the arm. Can you give me a hug and a kiss now?
EK, turning to Hubby: Did you hear that?
Hubby: I did. Why don’t you do that?
EK: I’m sorry, J. (Gives him a hug.)

EK has a gown with a bunch of female superheroes on it. She came upstairs after getting ready for bed while we had friends over…
EK to the room at large: There’s no boys in my nightgown. (Not a typo.)
Sam: Keep it that way.

J, all day long: Can you say, “Yes I can have some candy?”
Me: *giant eye roll*

J, picking up a phone: Hello, Lucy. It’s Gru.

EK singing “Jesus Loves Me”
J: Stop singing, EK!
Me: It’s okay if EK is singing.
J: (Sigh!) It’s okay if you sing the Bible, EK.

This very concerned helper…J: Mom! I’m fixing Diesel! (Because that plastic wrench is actually going to help whatever the problem is.)

EK: I don’t like ranch (dressing).
J: I do!

My friend sent me this gem. They were on a chair lift at a theme park…
S: Look how high we are! It looks like we’re a hundred years old!

While EK was with her grandmother…
EK sees the picture of herself as a baby, in a bikini at the beach.
EK exclaims: Oh how cute!
Annie: Do you know who it is?
EK: No.
Annie: It’s you!
EK puts her hand to her chest and says: Oh… that makes me so happy – I am going to cry!

J has had several booboos recently, and calls Band-Aids “ban-dangs”. I die every time.

So what are your kiddos talking about? Any hilarious mispronunciations?

home, mommyhood, My Big Jesus, random thoughts

5 Random Jobs I’d Like to Have

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This post first appeared on My Big Jesus. 

As a SAHM, I don’t get too much time to dream of jobs I’d like to have. However, these are five jobs I think I’d like to have, if only when I retire. 

Bartender. Not a late-night, dance club bartender, but I’d love the afternoon slump through happy hour shift. I’d love to be the one to know your usual, hear your crazy, frustrating or silly stories, and cheers you to new life phases. Hubby and I have a local pub we love, where we did their 90-day club (going to their bar every day for 90 days). We grew to love that afternoon/happy hour, because that’s when we made friends with the bartenders (who we still hang out with).

Clerk at a bookstore. I wouldn’t really like to work at Barnes and Noble, but a local books-and-coffee or even used bookstore would really appeal to me. I like being surrounded by books, and I like helping someone find their next read. Maybe I’d even get a discount!

Doula. I’m not a very scientific or medically-minded person, but there’s something truly beautiful about the birth of a child. Being able to assist families in the birth process seems like such a meaningful thing. And after having three of my own, I think that I could be around pregnant mothers and newborn babies every day of my life and love it. 

Sous chef. I might not be the most creative chef or the best cook on the planet, but I can follow directions and I love being in the kitchen. I like chopping, stirring, sniffing and sampling. Isn’t that what sous chefs do?

Photographer in Disney’s Magic Kingdom. I’d love to take pictures of families as they come into the MK for the first time. You know, the one where they’re wearing mouse ears the first day, and Cinderella’s castle is in the background. The happiest place in the world, filled with smiling, happy families (at least until they get hot and tired), posing for their first photo. 

What are your dream jobs?