Today I am Thankful

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of the year.  I love how things seem to slow down just a little between Halloween and the last week in November, and how people seem to focus more on spending time with their family and friends. Maybe it's the holiday tradition that makes people more aware of the good things in life during this time of year or maybe there is just something about snuggling up on the couch with your family on a chilly fall night that reminds you of the small things in life that make you happy.  Or- maybe we are just resting up for the Christmas season! ha
Whatever the reason, I want to take a few minutes to think about all of the things that I have to be thankful for.

I am thankful for my mom- who calls me every morning to wake me up and tell me the weather for the day even though I have two alarm clocks and at least 25 weather channels on TV. (some are even hi-def mom!)  She has the biggest heart of anyone I know.

I am thankful for my dad, who still makes me feel like "daddy's little princess" when we are together.  I will always think that he hung the moon.

I am thankful for my brother, although I'm sure he spent the first 10 years of my life trying to get rid of me, he has spent ever other year since then being the best big brother any one could ask for.  And I'm thankful that he has such a wonderful wife.  She is my favorite sister!

I am thankful for my loving husband, who can make me absolutely crazy one second and make my heart smile the next.  True love isn't perfect- but it is beautiful.

I am thankful for my 3 beautiful children.  They make me smile, always.  No one can ever prepare you for the love you feel when you become a mom.  It is all consuming.

I am thankful for the amazing friends that I have, who are more like family.  Life would not be complete without them.

I am thankful that we have been blessed with good health.  That is one thing that can not be bought or earned.

I am thankful for my job, no one could have a better boss or work for a better company.

I am thankful for a home that is full of love and happiness.

I am thankful for all of the small things that we take for granted on a daily basis- like having food on the table when we are hungry, beds to sleep in when we are tired, and the freedom to make my own choices.

I am most thankful for God who has carried me through this life with love, patience and forgiveness.  And who has blessed me with way more than I could ever deserve!

I hope that all of my wonderful friends and family have a great Thanksgiving.  I hope everyone eats too much yummy food, spends too much time in front of the TV with their family and has at least one lazy relaxing day over the long weekend!

Life According to Chris

Every year for as long as I can remember, we go to my Grandma's house on Christmas eve to spend time with our family.  As many people know, sometimes there are family members that you only see a few times a year.  Between children, work and all of the other things going on in life, we are blessed to have just those few meetings where everyone can spend time together catching up.  My cousin Chris and his family are a part of my family that we don't get to see very often, so it's always nice to spend time with them when we can.  Several years ago, during our Christmas eve dinner, Chris made the statement that he was "too blessed to be stressed".  Now, I'm sure people have been saying that for years, to most, it's just a cute little phrase.  But to me, it put a lot in my life at that time into perspective.  It had been a rough year for me that year, and I was starting to feel the strain.  That little phrase made me realize that the things I did have were truly blessing, and absolutely priceless.  Even now, when I start to feel over whelmed with the small things in life, I repeat that little phrase and somehow it always brings me back to reality.

  Sometimes I think that people (myself included) can get so bogged down with the many many things in their life that have gone wrong, that they can't see the things that are perfect.  It's so easy to dwell on the job that's stressful, the bills that need to be paid, the house work that isn't done, or the car that needs to be repaired.  All of the hard things in life can be so over whelming when they all seem to happen at once.  But, when you step back and look at the blessings in your life, it makes dealing with the difficult stuff a little more managable.  Sometimes, you just have to stop worrying about the things that are going wrong in your life and remember your blessings.  No, it won't fix the problems you have- but it will help you make it through them with a little more grace. 

From Jack o' Lanterns to Turkeys to Silver Bells

Every year, fall starts out the same way.  There are a few cool mornings followed by hot afternoons.  It seems like summer will never fade away.  But then one day in late October, the heat wave breaks and it finally feels like fall.  It usually happens just in time for trick or treating, and this year was no different.  It was hot the week before Halloween, but by Sunday the kids needed turtlenecks and tights under their costumes.(except for Luke, he wore jeans)  And then October was over, and it was time to move on to November.  As I packed up all of our Halloween decorations, I thought about  how much I love Thanksgiving.  When I was growing  up we never left the house on Thanksgiving.  It was one of those rare times that we spent the whole day together without any plans with anyone.  My mom and I spent the morning in the kitchen cooking while my dad and brother watched football. Then we had our Thanksgiving lunch and spent the afternoon watching the same two movies every year- Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story.  It was the official kick off to the Christmas season.  And it was great.  But then we grew up and got married.  Now our traditions have blended and changed a little.  A few years ago, my mom said that it was my turn to take over Thanksgiving.  I was so excited!  I love cooking, and I couldn't wait to share the same Thanksgiving day tradition with my girls.  And of coarse, Derek is all about sharing the football watching tradition with Luke!  This will be the fourth Thanksgiving at our house.  But this year will be a little different- my mom's entire family will be there!  It's the first time that we have all spent Thanksgiving together.  Of coarse, there is a lot to do in the next few weeks to get ready, but I can't wait to spend one of my favorite holidays surrounded by the people that I love the most. 
 And after everyone is gone, and all of the left overs are put away- Derek and I will drag out the Christmas decorations.  We will spend the evening untangling lights and decorating the Christmas tree with the kids.  We'll probably watch A Christmas Story and make hot chocolate...  I just love this time of year! 

Pop Tarts or Oatmeal

Going to the grocery store with our kids is always an adventure.  There are aisles and aisles of temptation for them, and they want one of everything- especially the junk food!  I try to buy and cook healthy foods for my children, but sometimes they put up a fight. It's not so bad in the produce department because they all love fruit.  But once we get to the drinks and snacks, it gets a little ugly.  They are soft drink junkies.  After a few dentist appointments, we decided to limit them at our house.  The sugar was destroying their teeth, so I can't imagine it was doing anything good to their bodies.  And they certainly don't need caffeine- they have enough energy!  I will buy soft drinks if we have company coming over, and they kids order them if we go out to eat.  This has been the rule for over a year, but every time we go to the grocery store they act like it's breaking news.  Olivia almost always has a melt down.  I swear she is addicted to coke... And then we get to the breakfast aisle, this is when the claws really come out!  All three of them love pop tarts- I refuse to buy them.  I show them the oatmeal- they refuse to eat it.  Emma wants chocolate chip granola bars, and Luke wants grits.  Olivia wants to go home.  We all agree on cereal, but of coarse they all want a different kind.  So, I pick out what I think looks like the healthiest and we move on to the wine aisle... I'm gonna need it when we get home! 

WWJD

I remember the days when everyone at school wore a colorful WWJD bracelet.  We all had tons of them- one for every day of the week.  And we would trade them or give them to our best friends like my kids trade silly bands.  But when is the last time anyone has seen a WWJD bracelet?  Now in a time of political correctness, it's wrong to even imply that you believe in Jesus, God and Heaven.  Now you have to tiptoe around so that you don't offend anyone.  It's ok to wear profane clothing, swear with every breath, or do what ever else you want to do, but as soon as someone mentions the Bible- all bets are off!  You are automatically a holy roller, or an absolute idiot for believing in something so old fashion. 

I don't expect for all of my friends to have my exact belief, but I pray that they all know Jesus.  I'm not perfect and I don't always do the right thing- but I am thankful that God has forgiven me for that!  I don't try to "shove" my religion onto other people, but at the same time, I'm not going to hide the fact that I am religious.  It is that religion and my faith that has carried me through many many tough times in my life.  And God willing it will continue to carry me through anything I may face in the future.  God Bless.

Should I Stay or should I go?

    Do you ever have one of those mornings when you wake up and just don't think you can face the world?  Today was one of those days.  I sent the kids off to school and laid back down for just a minute.  After my one minute had turned into several, I thought- there has to be a good reason to stay home today.  Anything?!?  Nothing came to mind.  And I was pretty sure that calling my very understanding boss to tell him that I just wanted to sleep all day wasn't going to cut it.  So, I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, put on my makeup and left for work.  And, today has been a great day.  The one thing I have realized about days like today is this- I have never regretted making myself get up and move on.  The hardest part is the first step.  I think you can apply that logic to lots of things in life.  Like exercising (but usually the hardest part is the four days after you exercise when you can barely move), cleaning the house, or cooking dinner instead of going out.  So from now on, when I think of something that I really, really don't want to do, I will get up, get dressed- and move forward.  I'm sure that when all is said and done, I will thank myself.

Stuck in the Middle

Everyday at our house starts the same way.  I hit snooze 5 times, and wake up at the last possible minute (which, by the way is 7:13) and the fun begins.  First, Derek wakes up Emma and then Luke, and then Olivia.  Then Derek goes back to Emma's room to wake her up.  He then gives up on Emma and Olivia and makes breakfast for Luke who is patiently waiting in the kitchen.  I wake up Emma and then Olivia.  Then I yell at Emma.  They roll out of bed.  While the girls spend their morning yelling at each other over hairbrushes, chewing with your mouth open, staring at each other- or whatever else Emma can do to aggravate Olivia, there is Luke.  Stuck in the middle.  He quietly puts his bowl in the sink and heads off to his bedroom to get dressed.  He comes out ready for the day with a big smile.  He puts on his socks and shoes, brushes his teeth, makes his bed and picks out his snack.  And the girls are still in my bathroom screaming at each other because Emma left water on the counter and Olivia won't give her the right hairbrush.  Sheesh!  I think saying that the girls in our house are not morning people may be a small understatement!  But, by 7:45, everyone is ready to go!  I hug and kiss my 3 sweet children and send them out the door with my wonderful husband.  And off to school they go, hopefully to learn something fabulous.

If I could turn back time (or at least slow it down a little)

This morning I was watching Olivia straighten her hair.  I offered several times to help her, but she insisted that she could do it on her own.  And she did, without any help from me.  As she walked out the door to go to school, I couldn't help but think where have the last 9 years gone?  I remember every detail from the first ultrasound, to her first steps, to her first day of school like it was 2 seconds ago.  My mother always told me not to wish my life away, that one day I would wake up and realize it had gone by too quickly.  Well, mom, today is that day.  Today is the day that I looked my baby in the face and realized that the baby face is gone.  She is turning into a young lady with each passing second- and they are passing by to fast! 

So, if I could give some advice to any new moms out there, it would be this...  Read a bedtime story, even if she asks a million questions.  But a ship out of leggos, even if he is just going to tear it apart.  Help them tie their shoes and tuck them in at night.  Because one day will come when they will say to you- It's OK, you don't have to.  And that is a sad, sad day.

Missing the Looney Toons

As I raced to find a hairbow and bloomers for Emma's cheerleading uniform Saturday, I thought about the good old days...  And yes, I am officially old enought to call them that!  I remember being a kid and looking forward to Saturdays.  We would sleep past 9:00, and then spend the morning sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons.  Saturday mornings would last forever... and then when the Looney Toons ended, my mom would turn off the TV and make us go outside and play.  At our house now, we spend Saturdays a little differently.  Now if I sleep past 8:00, it's too late.  I rush around the house finding bits of the kids 27 piece uniforms- socks, shoes, pants, hairbows, pom poms, bloomers- the list goes on and on.  So I ask, do we really need to wear the right socks this week???  Usually the answer is no.  And then we rush from one game to another just hoping that we can make it on time.  And then it's home to do what ever didn't get finished during the week.  Saturday isn't a day to relax anymore...it's just another work day.  But at least it's spent with three happy kids!

Just HOW does a mom know EVERYTHING???

Today as I was spending a wonderful late lunch break at Target (the happiest place I know of) my phone rings... It was Derek.  He picked the kids up from school and Emma's teacher said that she was having trouble keeping her hands to herself.  Anyone that knows sweet little Emma knows that is the truth!  So, the question is, do I want to talk to Emma.  Well, sure I do!  I say, "Emma, did you have a good day?"  YES.  "Emma did you get in trouble?" NO, NOT EVEN A WARNING!  "Emma, no one said to you- don't do that again?"  WELL, there was this one time... 

You just have to know what questions to ask, and the truth will slowly come out!  So of coarse, I carried on with the mother's interragation to get to the bottom of it all.  After I said I was going to call the teacher, Emma said "you're not really going to are you??"  Of coarse I was bluffing- but she didn't know that!  Then, voila!  The WHOLE story!  .... and that is how mom always knew you were lying.

Being a mom has uncovered so many childhood mysteries :)

My Family

I love talking about my family life ALL of the time, so I might as well blog about it, too!  I am a mother of two beautiful daughters and one very handsome son.  My husband Derek and I have been married for almost two years.  It is the second marriage for both of us.  I tell everyone that the first marriages are for practice.... which I don't actually believe but it makes me chuckle.  I was married during my first year of college and had Olivia a few months later. Two years later our sweet Emma came along. Fast forward through a few tough years, and I found my prince charming. Complete with a little prince of his own.  And now we are one big happy family, just like the Brady's.  Minus Alice, which I am still lobbying for on a daily basis!
Being a wife and mother is quite possibly the most challenging job there is.  We are doctors, taxi cab drivers, chefs, maids, psychiatrists, religious leaders and rule enforcers on a daily basis- and then we have to take care of the children too!  Trying to raise children to be smart, kind, ambitious, trust worthy, punctual, and out going is not an easy task.  Throw in school days, sleep overs, and sports- and you have a full time job.  But, wow- the reward is amazing!  Watching an innocent baby grow into a loving child is priceless.  I would have ten more babies if Derek would let me- but trust me, he won't!  So, I will just spend my days enjoying the wonderful family that God has blessed me with.