Altered To-Do List

The other night I took Drew to Insta-care.  After receiving his diagnosis, I was told by the doctor that Drew would be contagious for 24 hours and should stay home the next day.    The doctor, obviously wondering what that could mean for our schedule questioned, "Do you work?"

With a slight grin, but sarcasm in my voice, I replied, "Yes, I work very hard."

The doctor with a twinkle in his eye, knew that I knew what he had meant, and he knew of course what I meant.  And so with friendly commaderie he said, "What I should have asked was, 'Do you leave the house for a few hours each day to have a break from your kids and house?'"

We both laughed, and it was a very friendly exchange.

Do I work?
What kind of question was that?

I fix breakfast, lunch and dinner. I drive children to lessons and appointments.  I sign permission slips.  I keep our bank accounts reconciled.  I empty and load dishwashers.  I grocery shop.  I pack home lunches.  I pull out stinky sippy cups under beds and soak them in the sink.  I match socks.  I pull weeds.  I call insurance companies.  I fold pajamas.  I clean up spilled juice.  I apply band-aids.  I do load after load of laundry.  I file papers.  I keep the sheets on the beds clean.  I wipe stinky bums.  I dust pianos.  I read the same picture books over and over.  I wipe down cupboards.  I pay bills.  I make sure a goat gets fed each day.  I charge Power Wheels batteries.  I empty garbage cans.  I wipe snot off of couches.  I pick up wet towels.  I wipe crayon lines off of the kitchen counter. I water plants.  I clean pee off of places it shouldn't be.  I wash dirty faces.   I scrub marker lines off of tummies.  I put away left out items.  I organize spice cupboards.  I clean ears.  I find lost library books.  I straighten pantry shelves. I....  I....  I....  I....

I might not get a paycheck that I can take to the bank, but instead I get things like:  slobbery kisses, heartfelt thank yous, seeing a child hold a door open for some ladies coming through, sitting on the couch holding fevered children, hugs with dirty hands and stinky breath, and hand-written notes and drawings.

Do I work?
What a stupid question.

About Time

(Power of Moms Board Meeting, April 2011)

So I realize, that though I have made some brief references to The Power of Moms in the past, I haven't really taken the time to really record how I feel about this wonderful organization.

Really, the way I found The Power of Moms is absolutely no coincidence.  My first few correspondences and interactions with the site were with one of the co-founders, April Perry (orange shirt in picture, next to me) who was a complete stranger to me.  After a little, I ended up realizing that the other co-founder, Saren Loosli (next to April), was none other than Saren Eyre who I knew for a little while when she and her family temporarily lived in my ward in England.

Isn't that funny?
I hadn't seen or heard from Saren in 23 years or so, and now I get more emails from her in my inbox than almost anyone else, as a result of my role within this fabulous organization!  April and Saren are two phenomenal women who have a passion for helping mothers be deliberate and focused.

The above photo was taken at an April Power of Moms Board Meeting.  Not all board members were able to attend (some live out of the country), but it was such a thrill to be able to meet in person some of these ladies I have emailed with for over a year.  Some I have met before, but some it was the first time meeting them in April, and oh what a treat.  It may be years before this group of fine ladies ever meets together again (there are so many different parts of the country represented within this group!), but oh what a powerful group of women.  All with one thing in mind; to help strengthen the mothers of the world.

The Power of Moms byline/motto is 'A gathering place for deliberate mothers.'  Deliberate mothering is something I have always felt was important for me.  Long before I became a mother, I knew there were certain things I absolutely would and wouldn't do.  I've always felt like I have so many thoughts and feelings about motherhood, and while I have lots of fabulous mother friends, I never quite felt I had an arena to really delve into some issues and discussions of motherhood beyond potty training and the odd discipline discussions.

I believe there are no coincidences in life.  And as a result of finding this website, I have been introduced to some fabulous women, programs, opportunities and experiences.  I've loved the retreats I have been a part of, I love the women who meet together with me once a month for our Learning Circle, I love the network of women I now have connections with to learn and grow from.

Just this last weekend, I met with some more great women intent on becoming a part of this fabulous organization.  I was touched by their enthusiasm and desire to make a difference in other women's lives.  So often it seems women want to run over the next woman in line, but how refreshing to find a group of women who just want to help strengthen each other.  Another great opportunity has presented itself for June 11th.  If you're interested in rubbing shoulders with some great women, and learning some wonderful things, check out the June 11th Retreat information here...

Women need women.
Mothers need other mothers.
I promise even you can find something you'll love at The Power of Moms.

Ghetto Neighbors

While we have a park with a play-toy in the back of our house, and a trampoline and swing set in our back yard, my children often gravitate to the front of the house. My children are avid bike riders, wagon pullers, and power wheels drivers, so mass amounts of concrete and asphalt often soothe their whines better than grass, slides, trampolines and swings.

Plus, they have a little of me and my Granny in them--out front, there is usually more going on, more to see, more to look at, more to observe and so on. Plus, Drew's favorite little friend, Luke's roping mentor, my chatting partner and friend, Ellie's favorite baby to hold, etc.(all of which belong to the same family) are often outside too. Naturally, between them outside and the asphalt and concrete, it is a win-win situation to be out front instead of out back.

I have no problem sitting outside on either mine or Kari's driveway chatting away while our kids play. Kari has no problem with it either. I've alluded to the fact before (here), that these dear friends of ours are so much more stylish, classy, clean, presentable, etc. etc. etc. than us.  And though I long ago decided it didn't really matter, I was thrilled when Kari's dad told her that sitting outside on a driveway (and sometimes in the open garage if it's raining) is kind of 'ghetto'!!

Ghetto!
But, it works for us.
We love it.
I love my neighbors, I love my neighborhood, I love living in a cul-de-sac, I love pleasant spring, summer and fall afternoons and evenings spent sitting on a driveway watching kids play, and leaving all the cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, folding and straightening inside to wait for a more convenient time to be done.

Isn't pleasant weather glorious?

Sleepy Type of Pride

In the past, I have generally prided myself on my children all being good sleepers.  Naptime and bedtime around here have never been too much of an issue.  (Well if you don't count Megan who from the time she could open her bedroom door at eighteen months, comes out an average of 4,391 times before finally falling asleep.)  And I know, I know priding myself on a parenting issue isn't exactly proper, but when there aren't too many things to actually pride myself on in the area of parenting, I have always run with the fact my children are good goer-to-bedders.

Well until a few weeks ago.

When Drew has decided he doesn't have to go to bed at the same time as Luke and Joshua.  Or maybe it is Luke that has declared Drew not allowed in the room when he is going to bed because Luke seems to have some kind of issue with his head getting stepped on.  Or perhaps it is Joshua who kicks Drew out because he fears his place next to Luke in bed is threatened by Drew wanting to join them in the same bed.

Three boys in the same bed trying to go to sleep at the same time?
It hasn't been going so well.

So, instead, I've swallowed my pride and our evenings go something like this:

When the children are finally settled in bed, Mike goes to the bedroom to lay down himself (combination of recovering from back surgery and the weather preventing any evening walks, yard work or sitting on the front porch!)  I join him and we either chat, read, he watches American Idol, I work on the computer, or any other plethora of things a person does at the end of the day.  All the while Drew wanders in and out of our room and attempts to open the locked bedrooms to tease and annoy join trying-to-sleep-siblings.

After an hour or so of playing, Drew while rubbing his eyes, will point to his room.  It's his way of communicating he is finally ready for bed.

Other times, he just settles right down next to Daddy.

PS:  If it is the night before your birthday, and you keep telling your big sister that you can't fall asleep because you are so excited, your sister will convince you that an eye mask will make slumber come more easily.  And when Mom comes to check on you a couple of hours later, she thinks you sleeping with a mask on is so endearing, but all she can get is this blurry photo because heaven help us all if you wake up and we have to start the falling asleep process all over again...

And that is how we slumber around here.

Little Things

I was touched the other day by a little story my good friend Lesley shared on her blog that she heard from a Women's Conference she attended recently.  I'm sure Lesley won't mind if I quote her here,

"I enjoy Hilary Weeks performance each year at BYU Women's Conference. This year she shared a story about her daughter that touched my heart.

A few years ago Hilary and her nine-year-old daughter went out to dinner together. Hilary enjoyed this one-on-one time with her daughter and was completely captivated as her daughter regaled her with the events of her day, through mouthfuls of mac-and-cheese. As Hilary listened intently to the details of a game of freeze tag, the thought occurred to her that she would have all eternity to enjoy the companionship of her daughter as an adult, but just this short time in mortality to enjoy her as a child."

Lesley followed the story with pictures of her now adult children when they were young.  She titled the pictures, "Here is something I miss."  Her pictures struck me, and even though I never knew her kids as children, I was touched by the childish grins and poses staring up a camera.  I know I probably sound like a broken record, but I realized for the umpteenth time how much I want to love and cherish now.

And so, here is my little photo essay of 'Something I will miss':

little cowboys riding bikes:

mischievous grins:

childish pride:

pre-teen sassiness:

redneck creations:

"enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things."

In Heaven

Because she is SEVEN:

And if it isn't your birthday but you want the new baby doll, you do this:

Happy 7th Birthday

ELLIE!!!!!

A Couch Day

I haven't realized exactly how much I run from one task to the next lately, until today, when I spent most of the day on the couch holding a baby.  It was pouring with rain, so I had no one needing a push on the swing and no one I had to tell to stop throwing sand out of the sandbox.  Even the inside tasks were set aside, I forgot it's hard to do much with a baby around...

Today, we had my darling little niece, Lucy for the day. And what a great relaxing day it was, it was so nice to just sslllooww down for a day. Wouldn't you much rather sit and kiss these cheeks than cross things off of a to-do list?

Drew fell instantly in love with her.

A couple of hours into Lucy's stay, I noticed Drew had emptied Lucy's diaper bag of her wipes and diapers and put them away in our diaper basket.  It made me smile, and I thought it cute, but that was it.  Fast forward a few more hours when my brother Casey carried Lucy out the front door to go home, Drew cried.  And cried. And cried.  He cried for Lucy for about fifteen minutes.  Then I remembered the diapers and bless Drew's little heart, I think he thought she was here to stay.

I haven't broken the news to Drew yet that Lucy will soon be moving to California, he's had enough heartbreak for one day.