Tag Archives: mommyhood

fashion, food, food, home, mommyhood, random thoughts, women

Currently 

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Happy Monday, all! I am SO ON TIME with this week’s Currently that I’m surprised by myself. Anyway, I’m linking up like I do every week with Becky at Choose Happy, and also, because it’s the first week in October, I’m linking (on Wednesday) with Jenna at Gold & Bloom and Anne in Residence.

Eating || pumpkin muffins and lattes! I’ve been experimenting with recipes for both, typically of the gluten and dairy free variety. When I find my favorite I will post it!  Another think I’ve been totally crushing on are the toasted graham lattes at Starbucks. YUM. As you might recall, I’ve got a certain graham cracker obsession right now, and these fit the bill nicely.

Exploring || our lovely new weather and according wardrobes. It’s that time of year when I see what I need to get for the kids and Hubby and me. We are hard on stuff, and the kids are growing so fast!! I found a few things at Old Navy last week (among them are this chambray shirt and this shift dress), and we’ve ordered some things for Hubby. J miraculously fits in some of his stuff from last year, so I’m hoping we won’t spend too much for what we need for the cold.

Wearing || boots and scarves… And raincoats. The hurricane is blessedly far enough from us that all we’re getting is lots of rain and some wind. We are so thankful to not be flooded or destroyed. But this week we see the sun, and are thankful for that, too. EK has been asking when the sun would come out!

my front yard around midday last week.

Admiring || my Hubby this week. He is working on a recording project in the studio, and he’ll be working 12+ hour days all week, including his birthday on Wednesday. He is working hard and missing us, I know, but I’m proud of him for being excited about and dedicated to his work. He’s the best husband and dad I know.

Collecting || the “toy crumbs” from all over the house. Pieces of puzzles, pretend food/dishes, and other miscellaneous toys litter the floor in almost every room, and this week my goal is to clean up and organize at least a little bit on the days the kids are in school. Hopefully it’ll look a little better by Thursday afternoon than it does right now!

Anticipating || my church’s centennial celebration on Sunday! All 5 worship services that happen on Sunday mornings are combining for one mega service this weekend, and all the worship bands are combining to make it a huge deal. I am SO EXCITED to have this experience! If you are anywhere near central NC, check out Reynolda Church’s centennial celebration. We would LOVE to see you there!

Well, that’s a little bit about what’s going on in my life this week! What about you? What are you up to currently?

faith, mommyhood, My Big Jesus, women

Doing Life Together

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus!

As humans, we are made for community. God created man, and then said he needed a companion. We need each other. We have the ability to help each other, enjoy each other, and make each other better people. There are countless cliches about community and being together: “It takes a village.” and “Two heads are better than one.” and “Birds of a feather flock together.” They show just how much we are meant to be with other people.

In the world of moms, there has been much talk recently of having or finding your “mom group”. Frequently that group is labelled a “tribe”. Tribe is an old word that’s making a reappearance in our culture. It makes me think of a bunch of people literally living together, in huts within a few hundred feet of each other, nomads even. Webster defines tribe as “a group of people that includes many families and relatives who have the same language, customs, and beliefs”.

Well, that’s really what it is, right? People living together, in similar stages of life, in at least semi-close proximity, surviving the trenches of parenting and doing life together. And – thank goodness! – those people I’ve got! My tribe won’t bat an eye when I call to ask about a weird-looking poop, or with questions about how to deal with my preschooler’s attitude. My tribe will come over to help us escape the rainy day (week!) boredom or meet us at the park to get the blues out of our systems. My tribe doesn’t think I’m a bad mom when we’re having Chick-fil-A for the fourth time this week.

It’s not always easy to find your tribe, but once you’ve got it, it’s a relief. It’s a great feeling to have someone you can chat with while the crazy swirls around you. It’s nice to be totally real, unaffected, and just plain relaxed around someone. Those people may be few and far between. Those people may be those you least expect. But be brave – strike up conversations, seek out those around you. Find your tribe. You were made to be a part of one.

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say 

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Happy Tuesday, everyone! The weather is cooling off (and raining all the time – yuck) so fall is finally here! I wore my boots for the first time on Sunday, and man it felt good! We are just gearing up to get busy around here, with school in full swing, fall activities everywhere, and the holidays just around the corner – I know, I know… already?! Anyway, here are some fun things I’ve heard this past week. Enjoy!

The Omelette Saga…
Hubby, to me: Would you like an omelette?
Me: That sounds great!
Ek: I wouldn’t like a omeleck, please. (Then repeat that sentence 30 times.)
Hubby: Okay. We get it. No omelette.
(Hubby fixes omelettes; they look amazing. EK starts crying.)
Hubby: What’s wrong?
EK, crying: I waaaant aaaaa ooooomeleeeeeck!
Hubby: Why would you tell me you didn’t want one about 30 times then?!
EK, still crying: Oooooomeleeeeeeck pleeeeeeease!!!!!
(The dearest Hubby in the world then fixes her an omelette. The next 20 minutes are consumed with conversations about the omelette, how it’s made, complete with hand motions, what’s in hers, and the fact that it is indeed omelette and not omeleck.)

On weather…
EK: It’s so windy outside!
Hubby: Isn’t it a beautiful day?
EK: No, it’s a fancy day, silly!

Me: What would you like for lunch?
EK: Chicken nucksecks. (Nuggets, of course.)

J spilled some water on the floor while washing his hands, and pointing to it, said, “Mess! I mess!” He gets it, you guys.

My in-laws recently had to put down their dog, and when EK asked Annie where Molle (the dog) was, Annie said that she is with Jesus now. EK has been repeating an elaborate story about how Molle went to Jesus and asked to go live with him, and Jesus said, “Yes!” and Molle said, “Yippee!” It’s been odd but endearing.

At lunch…
Hubby: J, are you all done or do you want some more?
J: I want some more! (About as articulately as I’ve ever heard him say anything.)
Hubby: Well, you couldn’t have put that any more clearly.

Nicknames…
J, calling up the stairs: Hey, babe! Babe!

As I was putting J to bed the other night, he said this: “Mama? I wan’ El Kate.” It totally melted my heart.

Snuggling on Saturday morning on our bed, with both the big kids…
J, climbing on top of everyone: Yay!
EK: Agh! I can’t make this happen!

Overheard from another room…
EK, doing a puzzle with Annie: I’m not a baby ANY. MORE.

And you might have seen a little bit about this on my Instagram… The highlight of EK’s week was a trip to the mall, because we rode the little train. If you recall her train obsession, you know it was a big moment, so obviously I took a bunch of pictures.

  

That face makes me want to go to the mall every day!

So what are your kids doing and saying lately? I love hearing what other kids say!

faith, mommyhood, My Big Jesus

I Said Yes

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus!

As the mom to young kids, I say no a lot. I say no to everything from throwing food on the floor and drawing on the wall to hitting siblings and screaming in restaurants. I feel like I only have negatory words in my vocabulary; let’s not do that, don’t touch those, and no, thank you.

So this morning, when I went out with my daughter, I decided I would say yes as much as I could. Could we have smoothies for breakfast? Yes! While we are shopping in Old Navy, could she choose a new dress. Yes! Could she wear it to church tomorrow? Yes! Could she ride the choo-choo? Yes!

Just a few simple yeses went a long way. Most of them were ones I would’ve said yes to anyway. We needed to have breakfast, so why not smoothies? I knew we were going to look for a couple of fall dresses for her at Old Navy, so when she chose her favorite, of course I said yes. And her favorite yes of the day was easily the train ride.  

 What looked to me like a silly little “train” driven by a bored-looking fellow was a wonderful surprise to my three year old, train-obsessed daughter. We rarely go to the mall (who has time to drag kids through the mall on a regular basis?!) so I didn’t even know train riding was a possibility. We were both surprised, and while $3 a piece to ride a thing made to look like a train for a 4 minute trip around a quarter of the mall seemed like a waste, it made my daughter’s day. She was so ecstatic about being on a train that she wanted our picture taken, her picture taken, and she still has the tickets the conductor gave us in her room. 

 It felt incredible to be able to say yes. I often get weary of not letting my kids have the answer they want. It’s not much fun to say no all the time, because I really do want them to do and have everything. It’s even worse saying no when they’re too young to understand that I have their best interest in mind. So today, saying yes felt especially good, both to me and to EK.

When we are asking the Father for something, really, really hoping for it, but it isn’t what He has for us, we don’t like getting no as the answer. But He wants to give us a thousand yeses, wonderful blessings better than whatever we could think to ask for. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need better than we can understand, and so he tells us no sometimes. He gives us a no to make way for the yes.

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! We have a nice, slow week we’re settling into, and I couldn’t be happier. Here are a few funnies from the past week to brighten your Tuesday!

 
EK, looking at Hubby holding D: Aw! Wook at his small toes! Aw! Wook at that! He’s putting his foot on your weg! AWW! WOOK! He is SO CUTE!

I have several friends that work at the college I went to, one of them being my college roommate Anne, who I sometimes pick up and take to lunch. One day, EK was with me and we drove to campus to see another friend. As we pulled onto campus, she said, “Mom! Is this where Anne lives?!” When I told Anne about it later, she said she certainly was there more than anywhere else!

EK: What time is it?
Hubby: 7:53
EK: Woah! Cool!

Annie: EK, your shoes are on the wrong feet.
EK: It’s okay. It doesn’t manners.

J drops his fork: Uh oh! Fook!
Me: Careful, there…

We have a book called “Build a Burrito” and it’s a counting book in English and Spanish. EK always insists on trying to say the Spanish before I do, and also says “turrito” instead of burrito.

EK, showing her folded slice of pizza to Hubby: Daddy! When you was a little boy you made your pizza a taco like this!

(I’m realizing in this moment that we’re obsessed with tacos.)
EK: I want a soft taco! A soft one!
Lauren: What do you want inside your taco?
EK: M&Ms!
Lauren: Girl after my own heart!

Hubby goes to wake EK up for church, and she pulls the covers over her head.
EK: Dad! Leave me alone!
Hubby: Are you 16?!

Halloween.
EK: Daddy, what are you gonna be for Halloleen?
Hubby: A toothbrush!
EK: No. I’m gonna be Mulan and you be Mushu.
(EK has vacillated on costume ideas from Doc McStuffins to Mulan and back.)

Before EK goes to bed, I ask her what her favorite part of the day was. This week, this was one of her answers: “Wearing a princess dress and dancing with my brother Joe.” Melting a mama’s heart. 

Picking up EK from school, with D in the car: Aww! I really missed you, little Davis!

I thought we’d end with a sweet one! How is your week? What are your kids saying?

faith, mommyhood, My Big Jesus, women

Clumsy Girls Need Grace

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This post also appeared on My Big Jesus!

Hubby and I always talk about things we hope get passed down to our kids, and things we hope skip right over them. For instance, I had years of braces, but Hubby has naturally straight teeth. Guess which one of those I hope my kids get? Most of those things we talk about won’t manifest until a little later (a couple more years, at least!), but there’s one thing I’ve already seen in my daughter that she got from me…

Her clumsiness.

That actually would be a good royal name for her. More applesauce, Your Clumsiness?

At least once a day, I hear her cry out from across the house. I know nothing major has gone down, because it’s been so frequent that I can pretty much tell you what’s happened. She has stubbed her toe. Almost every single time. Or maybe she dropped something on it, or stumbled off of her plastic, high-heeled princess shoes, or hit her elbow on a doorframe. You know – the usual.

Part of me totally understands. It’s truly frustrating to trip over nothing and have bruises up and down your legs you don’t really remember getting. It’s a pain (ha ha, right?) to bump knees and elbows and toes on everything that sticks out one millimeter. It stinks to be a little less coordinated than the average (already uncoordinated) three-year-old. But the rest of me knows I have one job: teaching her that every little bump or bruise (or thing that doesn’t go her way) can’t be a big deal.

That’s where I’m a fault. Sometimes, I’m the one who makes a giant deal out of a spill, or a crash of something breakable. I’m the one who shouts in pain when I stub my toe – or like this morning, when I hit my knee getting in the car, and exclaimed, “Ouch! I think I broke my leg!” I hit it pretty hard, okay?!

It just isn’t practical to make a huge deal out of a stubbed toe. Or spilled milk. Or a bruised elbow. These things are going to happen, and she and I both need a lesson in patience and shrugging things off. We sometimes bring out the worst in each other, making big deals of things we shouldn’t. But it’s a learning process. I’m hoping to teach her to let it go earlier than I learned – because I’m obviously still working on it even now.

I know that what we need is grace. We need a reminder that we aren’t perfect, we will never be perfect, and it’s okay that way. If we were perfect, we wouldn’t need the love and blood of a Savior to redeem our imperfections. Because we screw up, we react poorly, and then we feel guilt about it, we are human. And humans need Jesus to cover their sins and screw ups with amazing grace. A lesson in grace for my clumsy girl is also a lesson in grace for me.

mommyhood, parenting fails

Parenting Fail #2351

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Tonight, we had some friends over for dinner. Hubby had been working on a bolognese all afternoon, and we were all really excited. As usual with tomato-based sauces for dinner, we took the kids clothes off before they got their food. (Anyone else try to save laundry this way?)

When everyone was finishing up, we started taking dishes to the sink, cleaning up a bit, and sipping the last sips of our wine. I look over at J, still in his high chair. His hands are hidden behind him, and he says, “Poop!”

My friend Andrea and I look at each other. Did he just say “poop”? I get up, and realize his hands are behind him, in his diaper. I look at his hands. There’s a questionable substance. In my head, I’m going back and forth: Meat from the sauce? Poop? I can’t tell. Should I smell it? Oh gosh, I don’t want to deal with it if it’s poop. Do I just dump him in the tub? Out loud, I say, “Oh no. Please don’t be poop. Oh God… I think it’s poop! RYAN!”

You guys, praise the Lord for husbands who save the day. Hubby saves mine almost daily, but this takes the cake (at least this week). He scooped J up and took care of the poop problem. What a guy.

Moral of the story: If I hadn’t taken his clothes off, he probably wouldn’t have been able to touch it. Blerg.

Anyone else have a recent poop story to share? I know we all have them sometimes. PLEASE tell me I’m not the only one!

mommyhood, random thoughts

Currently

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This may be my latest Currently yet! Sorry for the delay, but Monday (and apparently Tuesday of this week) just are busy these days. So, here it is… What I’m up to currently, linking up as usual with Becky at Choose Happy!

Drinking || lots of coffee. Partially because I’ve been needing the boost, and partially because fall and coffee go perfectly together! Because I make my coffee one cup at a time in the keurig (I have the little cup you fail with your own grounds) I can adjust the caffeine. Sometimes it’s full caffeine, sometimes it’s half-caff or decaf, so that I don’t give myself the jitters!


Sleeping || not as much as I’d like. D is still only sleeping about three hours at a time at night. Maybe four in the first stretch – which is inevitably the one of the night, that starts around 9:00 usually. So I don’t get those four hours, because sometimes EK hasn’t even gone all the way to sleep yet. So I’m feeling the effects of not having any more than four hours at a time in a whiiiiiiile. Hence the coffee.

Watching || James and the Giant Peach with the kids. I haven’t seen it in forever (read: since it came out) and honestly had forgotten about it. But I found it this morning, messing around on Netflix, trying to find something we hadn’t seen eight times. They are loving it!

Planning || a trip to Georgia in October to see my family! My parents come visit fairly often, but everyone else usually comes twice or three times a year. We are excited to go down there and spend several days!

Well, that’s a little update for y’all! What are you up to currently? I’d love to hear!

mommyhood, things toddlers say

Things Toddlers Say

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! I hope you had a great weekend and a good Monday! That’s all you can ask for on a Monday, right? Just good. It won’t be great, because it’s Monday.

The weather here in NC is amazing, and I’m drinking copious amounts of coffee in my enjoyment of the morning chill. Here are a few funny things to read while you enjoy the chill near you!!


Reasons my preschooler is crying:
Her bite of cookie wasn’t big enough.
She couldn’t get her underwear right side out.
She wanted to wear tights with her shirt instead of pants.
There was too much toilet paper in the toilet. (She put it there.)

Reasons my toddler is crying:
His (20 minute) shower was too short.
He had to wear a diaper.
He threw his dinner in the floor.
We went out without putting shoes on him.
He wanted to eat an apple, and I said, “Okay, I’ll go cut it up.”

EK to Hubby: Daddy! You’re getting so big! (I’m pretty sure she meant this as a compliment, like when we say it to her or her brothers.)

Heard on the monitor at 4:00am…
J: Wahhhh! I want Mommy, Daddy, Annie, Gon Gon! Wahhhh…. (And then the sound trailed off and he was back asleep.)

New verse to “Wheels on the Bus”
EK: The man on the bus says, “I need to poopy. I need to poopy. I need to poopy.” The man on the bus says, “I need to poopy.” all day long. (Just like a man.)

EK: I’ve got a bug bite.
Hubby: I’ve got one, too.
EK: Aww! Can I scratch it for you?

A sign that we are too big HP nerds…
Me: …and after this we can go to the grocery store. We can just walk down to Harris Teeter.
(A couple minutes later) EK: Necie, will you walk with me to Harry Potter?

Watching the end of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets…
EK: That man has a frog in his throat. (Talking about Dumbledore.)

EK: Can I have some checkup and French fries? (Obviously she meant ketchup.)

I signed up to donate some Lysol spray to EK’s preschool classroom, and sent it to school with her yesterday. When she was getting out of the car, I said, “Don’t forget to give that to your teacher!” And then she told the teacher (not hers) that was helping her out of the car, “Yeah, this is for when I tee-tee on the couch!”

Well, those are my little funny things from the week! What are your kiddos saying?

health and fitness, mommyhood, pregnancy

I Choose to Run

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Feet pounding the pavement. The rhythmic sound of my breathing. The fresh air, and the birds chirping. The stroller I push is heavy with my two big babies inside. But I wouldn’t trade this hour of my day for anything. The clear air clears my mind, lets me have a quiet moment, even if it isn’t exactly relaxing.

I can’t always plan this hour into my day. Now that I have three children, one of them needs to be occupied elsewhere. (Read: Hubby needs to be home.) But when I can get this time in, my body, mind and soul all feel better and freer. The rush of endorphins I feel is enough to make me want to do it again, even without the other benefits.

Getting back into running after this last pregnancy and delivery honestly wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, especially since I dropped off the exercise train way before I delivered. I was doing only yoga at the end – which is basically zero cardio when it’s prenatal yoga. My muscles were itching to get back to moving long before I actually could; I’m pretty strict with myself about waiting to start everything back until I’m 5 or 6 weeks out. My first run was a tough one, but I managed to get (running and a little walking) a mile and a half without too much struggle. The subsequent few runs worked me up to a little over two miles so far (I’m almost 7 weeks out). And (TMI – beware) I’ve been pleasantly surprised that my bladder seems to be holding itself pretty darn well… even better than a few months after I delivered J. I guess that just shows you how different your body can be from baby to baby.

My fitness goal this time around has changed a little. I’m blessed to be able to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly and easily, and back in all my clothes pretty soon. So instead of using those as targets, I want to make a diet change (I let myself eat like a jerk – mostly increased portions and extra desserts – when I’m pregnant/nursing) and build muscle. So, here in the blog world, I’m claiming it: I want to be toned! That’s the goal. Running for cardio and legs (also mental and emotional well-being!), and I’m going to keep up with a little yoga since it’s good for my joints and my core, and I’m going to ramp up the arms. No teacher arms for me!

What have your fitness goals been recently? Have you instituted a diet change along with them? What works for you and your busy schedule?