Mother's Day 2012

This is the season of parenting we are in. 

Busy.

Family time looks different than it did when we had toddlers.  Our weekdays are full of practices and games, one sport or another.  One parent going here, and the other parent going there.  Rarely are the five of us together at the same time.  And now we are in the season of Sunday games and Sunday recitals and Sunday tournaments.  Our schedule is packed.

It just is what it is.

Would I have rather been in church this morning?  Yes.  But I would have been torn.  I would have missed half of my heart.  I would have missed my people doing what they love.

So the question is, do we separate our attention?  Or, do we embrace the new season of family time?  How do we find balance in the midst of this season?  I don't know the answer.  I'm still trying to figure this parenting stage out.  I'm not perfect.  I make mistakes, but I'm learning to give myself grace.

I don't know much, but what I do know is that I would have missed seeing Zeb's helmet with my name written on it and his little hand-drawn heart.

I'm so glad I saw that sweet sign of affection {especially from him}.  I needed that.

With my whole heart, I needed that.

It's the little things that matter most during this season of busy.

Happy Mother's Day from an imperfect momma who is taking in the deep breath of grace today. 

"Happy Other's Day!" (Wit age 2.5)

Well, I hope all you mommies out there feel honored and rewarded after Sunday! Actually I hope you feel that way everyday. I hope your family confirmed that the work you are doing to raise your children is hard work.

Valuable work.

Worthy of a calling work.

Blessed work.

But if they didn't, you have my permission to spend the better part of this year reminding them yourself.

Amen?

Sorry I am late in wishing each of you dear sisters "Happy Other's Day".

The reason I am late is because this is how my "Other's Day" went down.

The toilet.

Literally. 

Early Saturday afternoon I felt the gurgles, which quickly progressed into painful cramping. One thing led to another and I spent Sunday on the throne of mercy.

Is that TMI?

Anyway, watching my family leave for church and a special lunch (MY SPECIAL LUNCH) really made me an emotional basketcase.  I was depressed and sick and honestly, smelly.  No one hugged on me.  They looked at me from the doorway and then ran as fast as they could the other direction.

Sadness.

Loneliness.

I wished for a relaxing day, a "day off" if you will.  But this isn't what I hoped for.  It was torture.

Anyway, I did do something quasi-enjoyable with all my alone time.  I read a book.  I haven't read a book in FOREVER.  It was awesome.  Other than the fact that I felt like I was going to die, it turned out not-so-horrible.

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time.  It was perfect for a sick-stuck-in-bed day.  Lots of intrigue, murder, mystery, revenge and plot twists.  I would recommend it.  There are some questionable parts related to some, who am I kidding, most of the characters but it's nothing that you haven't seen if you own a TV.  And since this is 2011, pretty much everyone I know has a TV.  You have probably faced some of these storylines.

Honestly, it wasn't the worst day I have ever had.  And if you took out the severe cramping and all the whatnot it would probably rank right up there as the perfect way to spend "Other's Day".

How about you?  How did you spend your special day?

I promise I won't be jealous if it happened to include yummy food and sweet children who actually hugged you without plugging their noses.

I pinky swear.

Confessions of a mother and a GIVEAWAY!!!!

I have two confessions to make regarding Mother's Day. Both of which I am not super proud of, but hey. It's real life, baby.

1. Every year I buy my own Mother's Day gift in advance. In other words, I go shopping and spend too much then feel the need to justify it by calling it my Mother's Day gift. But in fairness it's usually something that I need. So that makes it all better.

Last year I coveted this...

So I bought it.

Showed it to Skip and said "Happy Mother's Day to me!"

Yeah. I know it's a rolling cooler (yawn). But I have a deep obsession for bags of any kind. And I like picnics. There you have it.

I already have my gift for this year.  I bet you are dying to know what I chose but that will have to wait!

2.  Now this is the confession that I am cringing at while I type.  On the actual day of the big celebration, I don't really want to be "on duty".   A mommy rarely gets time off.

***cringe***

If you are still here, let me explain.  We always go to a restaurant with Skip's family after church.  There are 20+ of us and we usually sit at one big table.  I still have a toddler that needs A LOT of attention at mealtime so Skip and I are usually down on one end with most of the little kids.  Not that I don't love my kiddos, I just want Mother's Day to be a day off.   I don't want to cut food, wipe noses, referee any fights, or make a dozen trips to the salad bar.  I just want to sit down and stay down.

(Do you still like me?)

(I hope so)

Last year I shared this with my mom and she offered to help.  She kept my kids for the day while Skip and I went out to celebrate his mom.  Guess where we sat?  THE MIDDLE.  With the grown ups.  It was awesome.  Totally selfish, but totally awesome!

After lunch I took an amazing nap and then went out (sans kids) to celebrate my mom and grannie.

I was so relaxed that day AND I gave my mom the best Mother's Day gift...time with her precious grandchildren.

See.  Maybe I'm not so selfish after all.

If you are anything like me, you jump at the chance to treat yourself to what you really want on Mother's Day.

Peace.

Quiet.

Nap.

A rolling cooler.

I would love to offer each one of you a day filled with peace and quiet and yummy naps.  I can't do that.  I would love to buy all of you a rolling cooler.  Can't do that either. 

But I can offer you something else you might really want...

A giveaway! 

A special treat from one of my real-life, super talented friends.  Who also happens to be a hero of mine!  She's a rockstar mom.

Jeannette at TOO CUTE designs is offering one of my lucky readers a TWENTY DOLLAR gift certificate to spend in her Etsy store.  She has lots of goodies for sale, or you can place a custom order.

Just look at some of her amazing MOM gifts.

This Mom Power tee shirt is fantastically fun.

I really love that you can choose your own fabrics and colors.

Grandmas, you can enter too!

Jeannette's talent doesn't stop there.  Her bags are ONE OF A KIND and fabulous.  Twenty dollars would go a long way towards this one.

Or this one.

Oh, somebody stop me!

Here is a custom nursing cape for the brand new momma!  I had one of these for nursing in public.  One word... LIFESAVER!

To make working in the kitchen fun, you NEED a beautiful apron.  I love mine and have it monogrammed.

Yummy!

I will give you three ways to enter this AMAZING giveaway!  Three entries possible!!

1.  Visit TOO CUTE designs by Jeannette on Etsy and come back here to tell me how you will spend the $20.

2.  Become a "follower" of this blog, or if you already are tell me.

3.  "Like" TOO CUTE designs by Jeannette on fb, or if you already do tell me.

Giveaway is open until NOON on THURSDAY, MAY 5th.  I will notify winner via email!

Now, do you want to see my Mother's Day present this year?

I thought so.

Not nearly as lame as a rolling cooler.

Happy Mother's Day to me.

All About My MOM...by Z-man

My mom's name is Janelle.

She is 35 years old.

My mom is 5 feet 90 inches tall, and she weighs 266 pounds. (I'd say that's pretty skinny considering my height!!)

Her hair is brown and her eyes are green.

Her favorite color is green and her favorite food is CAKE!!! (yes, sir!)

My mom likes to watch Amarincin Idol.

I love my mom very much because she is fun.

My mom is prettiest when she smiyise. (smiles!)

If I could buy my mom anything, I would buy her a flowr.

My favorite thing to do with my mom is play games.

My mom always says, NO!!!!!!! (He sure did use a lot of !!!!!!)

The thing I like best about my mom is she leds me wach TV. (Unless I tell him NO!!!!!!!!!)

The funniest thing my mom ever did was let my dog set on the char! (Hmmm. I guess I thought I was funnier than that.)

M...makes food
O..only mom I have
T...thoughtful
H...helpful
E....excited
R...reads to my sister and me

Happy Mother's Day!!! I hope you were surrounded by love today. My only wish is that my mom could have been in town so we could honor her. I love you, MOM. You are the best!! Thanks for loving me and teaching me how to do the hardest job on earth!

The Power to FREEZE

If only I was a Superhero. I would want my superpower to be the ability to FREEZE time (either that or elastic arms...Mrs. Incredible sure made that look good.) I can see the power to freeze time working to my advantage in both good and bad times.

For example, the last hour is one that I would freeze to last forever. I know I could take a picture of it; but a picture would not do this moment justice. It would not describe the peace I feel right now.

Both kids are playing independently...in the living room so I still get to enjoy them. Dinner is in the oven prepared in advance for a hectic night. Beds are made...which is really an act of God. Dishes are done. Laundry is getting caught up.

I love this moment. I know it is fleeting, but it is times like this that get me through the harder ones to come.

SO, FREEZE! What's going on right now at your house? I would love to know.

Top Ten Reasons I Love My Mom

Welcome, MOM. I know, I know I should have told you sooner about my blog, but really didn't know if was going to last. :)

Top 10:

10. Her sheets are FABULOUS. They are soft and luxurious. The thread count is 1 million versus mine that are 20.

9. Her love for cooking and her passion for teaching my kids to love working in the kitchen.

8. Her gardens and love for hard work.

7. The selfless way she serves her husband.

6. Thanksgiving...the end result and all the work leading up to it is so awesome. Did you remember to shower?

5. She always has sandwich makings...black forest ham, swiss cheese, good bread and cold milk.

4. Her perseverance in times of struggle. Watching her in the midst of a crisis is inspiring.

3. I will always be her baby.

2. "I just love Boston this time of year."

1. The way she loves my kids. She is a fun grandma who desires a relationship with them. She plays, wrestles, tickles, cooks, fishes, reads, hides, teaches, corrects, snuggles with both of them.

I love you, mom. I know I should say it more often. You are special to me.