Tag Archives: life

faith, mommyhood, My Big Jesus, women

The Boy I Loved. 

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus!  
Not that long ago, I was a silly, young girl, head over heels for a boy I had just met. Not long ago, that boy was a breath of fresh air to a girl who’d sworn off dating for a while. Not long after that, the boy and girl decided they’d get married. And buy a house. And have kids. And never sleep again. 

Really, 8 1/2 years -since we met- isn’t long in the grand scheme of things. But it feels like an eternity sometimes, when I think of what’s happened since then. When I think of places we’ve traveled, jobs we’ve had, people we’ve grown closer to or drifted apart from, it feels like a lifetime already lived. There’s so much water under that bridge we’ll have to raise it if anything else happens. 

But every now and then, there are glimpses of the silly, young girl and the boy who was a breath of fresh air. For instance, last week, Hubby and I had a lovely date night planned, going to a nice restaurant in the neighboring city where Hubby attended college before seeing a concert. Long (frustrating) story short, dinner at the nice restaurant didn’t work out, and we were a little too pressed for time to try making new plans. We ended up at a pizza and beer joint where we ordered dinner by the slice at a counter, and ate in a dirty booth. Not that I had anything against pizza and beer (I love it! Promise!), it just wasn’t what we’d had in mind. We were dressed up and ready for a fancy meal. But you know what? We had a great time. We’d gone to that pizza joint a hundred times while we were dating, with and without friends, and it was a fun little throwback to our younger, freer selves.

You know what else? After a couple of hours of music and dancing, before we headed back home to responsibilities and a babysitter to pay, we went to the location of our first “hang out.” (I’m hesitant to even call it a date.) We ended up right there in another dirty booth, eating gargantuans at the Jimmy John’s on the edge of his college campus. We giggled and flirted and touched our feet under the table with butterflies in our tummies, remembering who we had been 8 1/2 years ago. We reminisced about those old times, and talked about how we love where we are right now, even when it’s hard. 

I looked right across the table and into the eyes of the boy I loved. And I was thrilled to see that my husband looked just like him. 

mommyhood, siblings, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Y’all. I was talking with my friend Andrea last night, and we decided that pretty much every single thing that comes out of EK’s mouth is a hilarious one-liner. In five minutes, she said enough hilariously random things to fill up an entire post. But catching (and recording) every single thing she says is impossible, so alas… I’ve only got the highlights. SO. Here they are!

EK, unprompted: When I was a baby, I pooped, and it was YUCKY!

EK: I had yummy snack at school today, but I only ate the cupcake. I didn’t eat the chicka chicka boom boom popcorn.
An hour later, I realized she meant Boom Chicka Pop.

At dinner one night:
EK: Mom, make sure you eat all your steak and drink all your wine.
Me: Noted.

Showing me this picture:

Me: I like that rainbow on the side! And is that a cabana on the beach?
EK: No, it’s a toot.
Me: A tutu?
EK: Nope, a toot. On the beach!

The same night…
Me: How many layers of lip gloss did you just put on?!?!
EK: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! I just wanted to be really sparkly.

Important conversations with our friends…
EK: Drew, do you love your mom and dad?
Drew: Yes, I do.
EK: Does Lauren love her mom and dad?
Drew: Yes, she does.
EK: Well I love myself. And even, you can love yourself or your neighbor!

The problem with choosing your outfits…
EK: I want to wear my new dress!
Me: Okay, but when we go to he playground, we should probably wear something else.
EK: I don’t want to go to the playground.
Me: Well, we made plans for everyone to go to the playground, and we’ve already told them all.
EK: I want someone to come sitter me while you go to the playground.

J’s new thing: “Go away.”  It’s used as a response to being asked to do something, being told it’s time to go/go to bed, when his sister appears, or when he is unhappy about anything else.

J, swirling his blanket around and growling: Did you saw that?!

J’s word for trash can: crash chan

EK stalling bedtime in an unprecedented stream of consciousness: Can you pray to Jesus while you sleep? You two (Hubby and me), you pray to Jesus while you sleep and I will and then J will. And D when he watches us do it will do it too. And he will get big like you and you and pick me up, because he’s pretty small yet. Wait! I have something to tell you. I want special drinks in the morning… (whispering) hot chocolate… And a giant cupcape. To eat.

EK on breakfast: I need to drink my smoothie so I’ll be big like you. If I don’t, I’ll turn small like D.

EK on growing up: I want to be a mommy like you! And J can be the daddy, and D will be our baby!

EK’s term for “That’s interesting!” is “That’s entering!” She’s used it at least a hundred times in the past two days.

What hilarious things do your kids say? What phrases are they stuck on?

holidays, home, mommyhood, random thoughts

Currently – and a Fun Family Day!

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Happy Monday! This one is definitely overdue, since I missed last week! This will be a nice little update for the pat couple of weeks. Link up or comment and let me know what’s going on in your life currently!IMG_0614

Celebrating || Valentine’s Day and birthdays! We never really do much for Valentine’s Day, but I can’t let it slip by without acknowledgement. Because it was a Sunday, we went to church as usual (wearing red, obviously) but Hubby got EK and me some flowers in the afternoon, followed by a friend’s birthday celebration; Hubby’s long-time best friend turned 30, so naturally we grilled steaks, let our kids stay up way too late, and enjoyed a little snowfall!

Listening || to Taylor Swift in honor of her Grammy. You go, T-Swift. I love you and my kids do, too!

Wishing || for warmer weather! We were at the park a couple of times this week and it was still a little chilly, even though it was sunny and beautiful. Saturday was lovely and comparatively warm, but I’m ready for shorts, tank tops, and flip flops!

Enjoying || our local “dinosaur park”! J is digging dinosaurs at the moment so even though we’ve been before, it was special for him. The playground equipment has dinosaurs incorporated throughout, and you can climb on them and everything! My bigs love it.

  

Loving || yet another cool spot in our awesome town. There’s a new park-type place in our downtown called “Artivity”. It is a modern art/architecture combo, and you can climb on it, sit on it, walk underneath it, and see it light up at night. It’s actually quite cool, and it’s on top of what used to be a pretty yucky parking area.  Hubby and I visited it one evening while we were out downtown, and took the kids the other day after the dinosaur park. 

Our super fun adventures on Wednesday got me thinking… do any of you have a family day? Even Hubby (the ultimate homebody) said he had a great time getting out of the house earlier than usual, and trekking around with the kiddos. It made me want to designate Wednesday (the morning that no one is in school or working) as our family morning to romp around and explore. AND everyone was super tired and napped well after it. BONUS! What would you do on your family day?

mommyhood, siblings, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Hey y’all! Happy Tuesday! I don’t know about you, but yesterday was the most underwhelming snow day there ever was. We sledded approximately four times, and the ground was showing through. It was a huge disappointment, especially considering how cold it still was. Anyway, here’s a bit of humor from our week! 

 Me to Hubby: I’ve got rehearsal tonight.
EK: I’m going to really miss you while you’re at horsell tonight.

Me: Stop! I’ve got a cramp in my foot!
J: You gotta crap in your foot?

EK: Does J have school today?
Me: Yes, you both have school, and I have work today.
EK: And Daddy has work to clean up the kitchen?
Dying.

I found EK’s sippy cup in her underwear drawer in her room. When I asked her about it, she just said she needed somewhere to put it.

EK, trying to play pretend: J, you’re going to be my sister.
J: I not a sister. I Joseph!!

Every time I turn on Disney’s Robinhood (the animated one), J says, “The Jungle!” which is what he calls Jungle Book. I suppose talking animals all seem the same to him.

EK: Look, Mommy! I’m gonna do something so cool!
I’m pretty sure this isn’t what it’s made to do.

J: Mommy! I’m a princess! 
Oh yes, of course. That’s a beautiful dress, J.

EK: I have a baby in my tummy!
Hubby: Oh yeah? Who’s the father?

Ek’s Sofia figurine was in the middle of the floor, and Hubby stepped on it. He exclaims, “Agh! Sofia the worst!” So naturally, I launched into a rousing rendition of that song from Robinhood that all the animals sing: “Too late to be known as John the First, he’s sure to be known as John the Worst! A pox on the phony king of England!” Except I sang, “She’d like to be known as Sofia the First, but she will be known as Sofia the Worst!” J burst out laughing (he had just woken from his nap), and I asked him if he thought it was funny. He got really serious, and said, “No!” as if he was upset I had offended Sofia.

Overheard while my big kids were playing together…
EK: We can do it! I know we can!
She’s such an encourager.

As J chases EK around the kitchen…
EK: Daddy! Help! Can you save your baby squirrel from my mean old Joseph?!

So what are you kids saying these days?

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! Our week has been full of visits from the grandparents and football! Here are some funnies from my big kids.

EK, entering the kitchen: Something smells delicious in here! (It was Caesar salad, and she ate a ton of it. Because she isn’t your normal threenager.)

J is constantly going up to D and wiping his face saying, “Da baby spit! Da baby spit!”

J came upstairs with the exercise ball…and I said, “Wow! That’s impressive! How did you get that up the stairs?”
J: Cause I got balls!
There was obviously no response for that.

EK: I like the beast better than Belle.
She’s got a thing for bad boys.

Apparently “peanut butter and jelly sandwich” is very difficult to say:
EK: Pinit butter and jally shammick
J: Shammich butterrrrrrr

J and I had a sweet minute the other day where we were the only ones awake, and we did a craft. While we sat at the kitchen table, an airplane (or helicopter) flew overhead. J then launched an argument – with himself – over whether it was an airplane or helicopter. This lasted for several minutes.

EK, eating chips and salsa: I need a water to slow me down!

EK runs up and shows me this:and says, “Look, Mom! It’s a picture of me and my booger! I’m pretty funny.”

The other morning at breakfast, EK had a five minute long concerned rant about why Cinderella didn’t eat breakfast. Apparently she had noticed that she fed all the animals breakfast, and took breakfast trays to her step-mother and step-sisters, but never ate anything herself.

EK: Look, Mom! I took it to-part! (Instead of apart.)

I was eating fried zucchini sticks with ranch…
EK: Can I have one?
Me: Sure! (Hand her one)
EK: (frowning and sputtering) Ugh!
Me: What’s wrong?
EK: I want a different one with no ranch.
Me: But I thought you liked ranch?
EK: I only like it on my salad.
Definitely not my child.

J’s current misnomers:
Beads=beans
Popcorn=hopcorn
Thank you=thank whew

Did anyone else notice a definite food trend this week? What are your toddlers talking about?

crafts/diy, holidays, home, mommyhood

Currently

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Hey Monday! I’m a little tired from staying up late to watch the game (especially since we lost) and then D deciding he hated sleep… So maybe this is just a short one. I’m linking up with Becky at Choose Happy, and we’d love for you to join us! Comment or join the link up and let us know what’s going on currently!
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Watching || Tarzan! My kids are digging it right now… And J keeps asking for it by saying “Tardanz”. It’s pretty cute.

photo found on imdb.com
Listening || to D get better and better at repeating sounds. It’s really cute to hear him babbling syllables that we say a lot. I’ve got big hopes to hear “Mama” really soon!

Decorating || Valentines for the kids’ preschool classes! EK and I spent an hour today before her nap putting together treats for her classmates, and helping J do his. It was really sweet to hear her say a little something about every kid in her class. It’s still new to me that she would know so many kids that I don’t know and don’t witness her spending time with. She’s very kind about them. Since our preschool (like many others I know) is totally nut-free, instead of candy, we chose glow sticks, Play-doh, necklaces, and valentines that can be colored!

Well there’s a short update for ya! What’s going on in your life?

faith, home, mommyhood, My Big Jesus

We’ve Got a Good Life

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus!  

Sometimes, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day grind, where you’re cleaning something about 60% of the day, and preventing disaster the other 40%. It’s easy to say “no” more than you say “yes”, to forget what your hair looks like when it’s styled properly, and to pay more attention to how many bananas you have left than what your toddler is jabbering on about. But recently, I got a glimpse into our lives over the past few years a whole – the highlights – and I was more than pleased. 

Recently, Shutterfly ran a promotion through their app to order 250 free prints straight from Instagram, in the 4×4 square size. I’ve never uploaded any of my Instagram photos to my Shutterfly account, and since they were free prints, I decided to do it. (Nevermind that shipping ended up being enough to cover the cost of the prints, but I digress.) I didn’t pay much attention to which ones I chose, as long as they had people in them, preferably my kids, and weren’t all pictures of random food I’d eaten. Once I had chosen 250, I ordered them and basically forgot all about them until they arrived.

Once they got to my house, I decided I’d take down my Christmas cards (yes, I know that it’s February), displayed in the kitchen on the cabinets, and replace them with the pictures. I always have trouble taking down the cards, because the kitchen looks bare without them, so this seemed the perfect compromise. I knew I didn’t have room for 250, so I started to sift through them. I learned a few things:

  1. I have had Instagram basically since I had kids. There are pictures of all three of my beautiful babies, from the first moments of their lives.
  2. I use Instagram a lot. There are pictures of literally everything. Check ups at the doctor, first steps, weird faces, play dates, and sweet sleeping angels are all documented here in this one place.
  3. We have incredible family and friends. There were lots of pictures of my kids loving on my friends, grandparents smooching the kids and playing in the floor, and parties galore for every occasion, and n occasion at all.
  4. My kids have grown very quickly. I know this is normal, and that it will likely always be this way, but I can’t get over how a few short months ago, J’s face was mostly baby fat, D still slept 90% of the time (oh, how I miss that some days!) and EK was a mere fraction of herself in conversation and craziness. 

These photos, these sweet faces, happy times and hilarious memories, were the perfect reminder that what matter most isn’t the grind. It isn’t whether or not I forgot to replenish the yogurt supply, or if we watched the whole second season of Sofia the First in less than a week. It’s about the snuggles in the mornings, the prayers before bed, the silly somethings whispered in my ear, and the health (physical, emotional, and spiritual, even) of our children as we lead them through this life. The highlights aren’t necessarily an “accurate” representation of life as a whole, but they sure are the parts worth remembering. We’ve got a good life. 

books, food, home, mommyhood

Currently

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Y’all. It’s already February! How can that possibly be? I feel like Christmas just happened. January got a complete pass this year. Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?! (There is a right and wrong answer, by the way..) We will obviously cheer for the Panthers, Peyton Manning or not. Go Cam! 

 Anyway, here is a little bit of what’s been going on in my life. I’m linking up with Becky like I do every week, and with Jenna and Anne since it’s the first week of the month. Comment or link up and let us know what’s going on with you currently!

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Reading || Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic. It’s real, and it’s encouraging. If you’ve got little children, it’s a must.  

Eating || cilantro and kale salad! And maybe also some huevos rancheros. I’ve been eating eggs like they’re the newest, coolest thing, and on top of a cilantro and kale salad is a perfect place for a couple sunny-side ups with some tangy citrus vinaigrette. Just sayin’. 

Dreaming || of skiing. I know it’s out of the question this year, but the snow we had last week was a reminder of how much I’d love to be on some slopes!img_5772

Hearting || Bethel. I’m drinking in their music right now, and losing myself in “In Over My Head (Crash Over Me)”. Go give it a listen; you’ll be glad you did.

Enjoying || this warmer weather! I know I just said I’d like to be skiing, but I must say, going outside without jackets has its appeal. It’s short-lived, I know, but I’m loving it. I got outside and vacuumed out my car, and let the kids run free. It was glorious.

So tell me… what have you been up to currently?

mommyhood, siblings, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Hey Tuesday! I can’t believe it’s here again already. Hope your week is off to a good start! It’s pajama day at school for the kids, so hopefully they come home talking about everyone’s jams and how they had pancakes for snack. Anyway, here’s the good stuff! We’ve got a whole lot of one-liners this week. 

 Because J really likes food…

J: I want da cumbers!!! (Cucumbers.)

J: Can I have da yogit now? (Yogurt.)

J: I want some more ‘cado! (Avocado.)

J: Ew! That’s dagusting! (Disgusting, obviously.)

Anytime J is singing a song and you join in, he says, “No! It’s my tuwn!”

EK, showing me a fake phone: Mom! Look at this one! It’s my dad laughing, with his tongue sticking out!

J, pointing to a turtle: Look mommy! It’s a toodle!

Me: Come sit with me!
EK: I have to put my panties on first!

EK, eating a Girl Scout Lemonade cookie, but not knowing the name of the cookie: This has got lemonade in it!

After I put raspberries on her plate…
EK: Thank you, chef!
Me: That was easy.

EK: My soft taco won’t let me pick it up!

EK: Would you get that boo-boo off for me?
Me: What boo-boo?
EK: The one on my lip!

Every time he rides on my back…
J: Hold tight, Mommy!

Lauren: Who is coming for your birthday?
EK: Santa Claus.

EK: Want some lispick on? (She means lipstick. She was actually holding lip gloss. But what really is the difference?)

Me: Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!
EK: Bitty body boo!

And just to further prove that he learns things from EK, when we were swinging the other day, J said, “Look mommy! I’m pumping my legs!” Cue my baffled face.

What are you kids talking about these days?

faith, mommyhood, My Big Jesus

Motherhood Is a Battle

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus. 

As a mom, I am called to do a plethora of things. Not the least of these is to fight for my children. I fight for them to be treated fairly, given any and every opportunity, for their health, their happiness, and, if the need arises, their very lives. I am happy to fight those battles for them as long as I can. 

But sometimes, I feel like all I do is fight. I fight against the sink full of dishes or the endless loads of laundry. I fight veggies into mouths. I fight shoes onto feet. I fight urine and spit-up out of carpet and bedsheets. I fight the clock to finish dinner in time to bathe before bed. I fight for guilt-free alone time. I fight for quality time with one or two or even three, that isn’t taken up by “Stop that!” or “Don’t hit your sister!” Choose your battles, they’ve told me. Well, choosing my battles seems like a battle in itself. 

When I’ve fought battles all day, I’m weary of myself. I dislike who I’ve become after the stress of the day has worn me down. I need a break, or encouragement, or a big glass of wine. But what I try my hardest to do is focus on the One who can pull me up, out of the muck and the mire, and remind me who I am. He can drag me out of the pit – where sometimes you can find me wallowing – and restore me the my fuller self. He is the conqueror of things big and small. He has conquered death, so what battles of mine can He not win?

Jesus is a conqueror. In Him, I am also a conqueror. When I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle, He can win for me! He take take all the ugliness – the exhaustion, the anger the guilt, and the sadness in me – and weave them into a beautiful tapestry that tells the story of who I am, without being overpowered by those emotions. It can show those feelings, as well as the beauty – the joy, the love, the excitement, and the peace – that shows when He shines His light through me. He has already conquered, and will keep on conquering. I need only to be still.