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New Friends, Motherhood and Growth
We are well into the autumn schedule. Boys are at school, my toddler and I are settling into a great routine, which includes some Disney Channel, Lego-time and lots of books. Plus lots of crock-pot time, a newly-painted bedroom and garden canning and storage for the winter months. It has been a great fall so far! But I’m taking on new adventures too. This year that includes MOMSNext. I’m a huge advocate for MOPS. That organization turned my life around from being a lonely mom with not many friends in a new area with a toddler and baby, to an involved mom part of a group; wanted, loved, befriended, needed. …
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Craft Stick Fun
A simple art project. Simple smiles. Simply fun! As my boys are getting older projects at school have grown more and more complex. In the process I have picked up a few art-project supplies kept tucked away for a rainy day. Popsicle sticks were needed for a diorama of Iceland. Pipe cleaners were needed for a science experiment involving borax. Markers are kept out of reach of a toddler. Glue, scissors and paper all quickly rounded up. All this is the the perfect making for a morning of fun. My friend, *L*, 4 years old, checked out a book from the library last week, “Craft Stick Mania”. Today we set ourselves up at…
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Bullying and our Military Children
I am a mom. Mom of a senior in high school, a 3rd grader, a 1st grader, and a toddler. My 3rd grader is a bit on the small side. He’s never been on the ‘charts’ and we have even been to a specialist just to be sure all is well. All is well, medically, and his stature has been chalked up to genetics and that is a-ok with me. However, already at 9 years old I have witnessed a few instances of the ‘bigger kids’ picking on the smaller (same age but some twice his size). One instance of apparent bullying was a fellow soccer player, church friend and school mate pushed my…
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Growing Older in Mom’s Arms
A journey is coming to an end as a new one begins for this mom. Baby Boy *L* is a year old. It is amazing the transition that comes at about this age; from sleep deprived confusion full of unknowns -to- frenzied chaos as I try to stay just one step ahead oh him. So I sit here in this stage of reflection (well… quite honestly I don’t do much sitting lately). I am holding dear what I loved about the baby-boy and now watching him turn into a toddler. Remembering the sleepless nights as I now enjoy the 7AM wake-ups. Cherished are the sleepy cuddles, breastfeeding moments and the ‘drunk-baby’ look as he drifted off to sleep.We…
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Ode to the Coffee Bean
Just the thought of you motivates my legs to bear the full weight of my zombied body at some ungoldy hour as I trudge down the stairs in the morning; Your sweet aroma awakens my senses, helping my eyes to see beyond my nose, aiding my nose to take in the sweet perfume of a fresh new day (I”m sure that is what it is … as opposed to last night’s garbage or yesterday’s dinner dishes); The site of your sweet juice flowing into my favorite mug reminds me that ‘this too shall pass’: the baby will someday sleep through the night, the toddler will soon not be afraid of the monsters in his…
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What did we do before the slow-cooker?
This afternoon while I put together lunch for my toddler & preschooler I started “cooking” dinner, meaning throwing together food in the slow cooker. Tonight it is lasagna. So now I can go through the rest of my afternoon not having to give dinner a second thought. You have no idea what peace of mind that brings me! In fact, I can’t imagine that I will have a bad afternoon having that off of my chest. The hardest hour in this house is from about 3:30pm to 5:00pm. (Sadly it’s more then an hour.) I don’t know why but if there is going to be a breakdown (by myself or…
