We almost got caught breaking the law for these pictures!

I was driving on a newly opened portion of road yesterday, when I almost fell out of my seat while turning to look at this awesome barn. I was so excited I had a hard time containing my squeals of delight. But both boys were alseep in the car and I didn't want to risk losing my moment of peace.

So this morning, after circling three times to figure out our entrance strategy, Cody, me and the boys, climbed over a gate and had ourselves a little photo session at this abandoned barn. It was amazing, you can even tell that it was once painted Barn Red!

Just as we were about to leave and climb back over the gate Cody saw a police car parked right next to our car. Oh boy. We decided to hang back behind some trees to see if he was waiting for us or if he was catching speeders. Luckily, about a minute later, he went after a speeder. Phew!

McDonalds = McBliss

It took 30 years (3 ½ years after the birth of my first child) but I have just now discovered the delight and splendor that is McDonalds or Chick-fil-A or anywhere with an indoor play area. I did have an unhealthy affair with MickeyD in college, but that's for another time. I blame my tardiness on the fact that my kids can’t eat fast food and so we have only been there a handful of times. In fact, until a couple weeks ago, Kyle would point at the Golden Arches as we’d pass and say, “Bunny Rabbit!” He had no clue what he was missing. Barrett saw the colorful tubes through the windows as we were driving by the other day and his eyes were like saucers.

Bribery may have led us there today, if I recall correctly. I packed their lunch, got
myself somethin’ there and read a book in warmth while the boys had a glorious time wearing themselves out at the indoor the play area…nice.

Oh, and this is what happened on the way home. Both of them. Funny. Since I have declared Barrett’s naps dead and buried, he’s taken about 5 naps! Couldn’t get him to blink for more than 5 seconds before the declaration!

Keepin' it real

A recent conversation about how we as bloggin’ mamas sometimes paint a portrait of a perfect family, home and children made me reflect. If I have been misleading, let me be clear, we are flailing most days, scrambling to find the right words to say in the parenting book, getting locked in the bedroom by the 3 year old, and then chasing him around the house when he refuses to go to the corner. I can assure you that I am completely humbled by this experience of being a mom and I hold no delusions that we are a “picture perfect” family.

I do understand how reading mommyblogs can make one feel alone in her struggles, though. I do not plan to start complaining about my husband and children and venting here on the ol' blog, however. I feel that would be damaging to my relationships with these people I care so deeply about. I don’t mind talking about my own blunders and “real mom” moments like last week when I wore a sweater that I knew had a kid’s dried up snot mark on it. Or when I Dustbustered muffin crumbs off my boys—okay, I have done this more times that I care to admit. Or I could tell you about the time I was making muffins and I could not figure out why they were taking so long to bake. An hour later, I realized I hadn’t turned the oven on! Yup, I’m a real mom! Just the other day Barrett wore rain boots to school, not because it was raining. He didn’t wear them because he loves them and he insisted (which is what I hoped the teacher would assume). Nope. He wore them because his one and only pair of shoes got covered in Play-doh, and washed. I knew his shoes were soaked and it was freezing outside but I still failed to throw them in the dryer to get them dry in time for school. With each step the rain boots seemed to squeak, “bad” “mom”, “bad” “mom.”

I have bad days too. Really. Bad. Days. where my husband comes in the door and I cry in relief that he is home and I actually survived. I am sure my poor husband loves coming home to someone who acts like I’ve been on a deserted island being chased by hungry feral beasts and swarmed and picked at by buzzards. But some days, it’s just about like that—but not because of what the kids do and say but because I do not always know how to respond to what the kids do and say. I learned from my college roommate Jenny, that it's me, not them. She was an elementary education major so she knows.

The Books on My Nightstand

In an attempt to regain balance and therefore be a better mother, wife, friend, human, I am giving myself some much needed "me" time to recharge. Writing that just now makes it sound like I am rationalizing, as if I don't deserve it (I know I do and so does everyone). Reading is one luxury I have put on the back burner for many, many months telling myself that I'm too busy and too tired and that I don't have the time. Recent events have sent me running to the bookstore in search of enlightenment and answers and have reminded me how much it comforts me to read. I am not much for fiction, but I dip my toe in occasionally. Here's what I'm reading...and yes, I am reading them all at once. Maybe you'll find something good on my list. I'd love to hear your suggestions too!

The Last Lecture --Randy Pausch I am a latecomer on this one--I had too much going on when everyone else read it.

The Shack -- My friends from Barrett's school talked about this book at the coffee shop so much I had to get it even though it's fiction. If you haven't heard about his book, I'm sure you will.


The Wednesday Letters -- Also fiction, but I like it because I can see it becoming inspirational in my life.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia --okay, I got stuck in the middle and I haven't picked it up in a long time. She's in India. I enjoyed Italy.

Parenting With Love And Logic (Updated and Expanded Edition) -- I also have the "Early Childhood" edition but this one has additional info and useful charts. I realized recently that I had let my L&L techniques slip and I needed to reread.

What Your Explosive Child Is Trying to Tell You: Discovering the Pathway from Symptoms to Solutions -- I don't like the title, but this book is really helpful. It addresses many reasons why a child my act out including allergies (like my kids have) and how to handle it. I had a major
"a-ha" moment reading this book.

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name --This is more for the kids, but I'll just share it here anyway. It's a childrens' Bible. Barrett and I sometimes read this during his quiet time.

so proud

I am so proud of Barrett. I have been trying to get him to stay in his bed at night and he kept (I think on purpose) pooping in his pull-up right after I left the room. So last night, I put him in his underwear and he kept them clean and dry all night! I heard some stirring first thing this morning and when I went to check it out, I found Barrett on the potty! I am such a proud mommy! Mission Impossible? NAH!
(BTW, I covered the mattress with absorbent waterproof things just in case but I had a hunch he was pretty ready!) Hopefully this will be the start of many more dry nights!

Since I don't like to post without pictures, here's a couple of the boys in their "starship pajamas" so-called because of one of their favorite books, Little Boy. I just love kids in their pajamas!

He's got soul

Watch this video of Kyle playing the harmonica. Their Aunt Shelley gave him a musical instruments set for Christmas and this little harmonica is a new favorite. Thank you, Aunt Shelley for passing on the Drum Set!! As far as I know, Kyle has never seen anyone play the harmonica, so I have no idea where he gets this. . .

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So we can all Rest in Peace

R.I.P.

Here lies Barrett's Nap

July 24, 2005 - January 13, 2009

It was a long, slow, painful death but

totally necessary for the slumber health

of the entire family. The loss of

mommytime will be greatly missed.

If he naps he stays up way too late. He's been resisting naps for months and months now. It seems early to me, the girl who napped through kindergarten, but he's different from me in almost every way.

Barrett and Kyle on God and prayers

The other night driving home, we were looking at the stars and Barrett asked how the stars got there. Before I could put my answer into words, he said, "God put them there!" I said proudly, "That's right!" Then he said, "OR maybe a man on a really tall cherry-picker truck put them there!" I tried to convince him his first answer was the right one, but he really loves trucks...If only God had a truck in the creation story. . .

I always like to say a prayer with them that my mom taught me and then let them thank God for their blessings. (The "Now I lay me down to sleep prayer" always put bad thoughts in my head right before I went to sleep) This is the prayer my mom taught me:

Father in heaven, hear my prayer

Keep in your loving care.

Be my guide in all I do,

And bless all those who love me too.

Tonight Barrett thanked God for "Mommy, Daddy, my bwudder, my big teddy bear, my starship pajamas, hot cocoa, my fireman boots, and my car sheets."

Dear God, please make Barrett stay in his bed tonight!

Elvis sighting!!

Today was Elvis' Birthday so to celebrate we went to Chuy's and took Gigi, "The King's #1 Fan."We all had a great time. There was an Elvis impersonator and I think Barrett was moments away from becoming a backup singer...or possibly stealing the show. He kept getting on the stage and when we were in the car on the way home he told us he wanted a microphone and a white shirt and white pants and white shoes and a belt with a big belt buckle. He said, "Maybe Santa can bring it for me." He also said he wanted a skateboard. This one stumped us, until we figured out he meant stage. So, in addition to the whole Elvis jumpsuit and microphone, he also wants a stage to stand on! It does make we wonder how big an impression this really did make.

The "Elvis" was in the bar area and when we were seated at our table we could no longer see or hear him. After a few minutes, Kyle got a very concerned look on his face and said," Where's Elvis da King?" So cute!

Kyle behind his Elvis mask

Did you know?

some of the best handmade toys are in trouble? not to mention work-at-home mamas and dads who are trying to make a living and stay home with their kids by selling these wonderful toys!

Think of all the great handmade toys on ETSY! They are in trouble because of a law that may be passed soon. you can read about it here...
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia
and sign a petition to save great toys and toymakers.

more kid talk

Today I had Kyle in the shopping cart with me in the sticker aisle at Hobby Lobby when this converstion occurred:
Kyle: "I need da keys!
Me: "You need the keys? To what?
Kyle: "To the basket so we can go!"

Later as I was getting the boys in the car after picking Barrett up from preschool:
Me: "Hey Barrett, you're passing the car. This is our car."
Barrett: "This is not our car!"
Me: "Yes it is."
Barrett: "No, it's not!"
Me: This is our car, you just don't recognize it because it's clean."
Barrett: "This is our car??"

(our car is always excessively dirty because our driveway is a .25 mile long dirt road. And yes, this is my excuse for now. I don't know what it was when I didn't have a gravel driveway.)

Sushi for kids

I saw a similar recipe in Family Fun magazine months and months ago in a Dr.'s office and thought that I could convert it to something MY kids could eat. That recipe used a rice crispy treat base, but B and K can't eat that so I just used jumbo marshmallows. I cut slits in the marshmallow and Barrett pressed in small pieces of dried fruit (pineapple and strawberry). Then he wrapped strips of fruit roll-up that I had cut to the proper height around the marshmallows. As we worked on these, I talked to him a little about real sushi and showed him a picture of real sushi. He enjoyed snacking on the dried fruit until I let him dig into his little masterpieces!

Since I'm on the topic of dried fruit, if your kids like dried fruit as much as mine, I highly recommend getting a food dehydrator. Huge money-saver and I can even make my own fruit roll-ups with it...and there's no dyes or high-fructose corn syrup in these!

I'm sure if you google you can find the original recipe from the magazine.

I never thought I'd hear THOSE words come out of my mouth

Just today I said the following:

"Honey, I don't think your gingerbread man needs a penis."

and earlier to the other child,

"That's why I make it a point to never pick my nose with a helicopter propeller."

"If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun" - Katherine Hepburne

We just let the boys wear their pajamas all day today. Had to snap these pics. My favorite things about these pictures are Barrett's boots are on the wrong feet, Kyle's Curious George Band-Aid, they are both holding little trucks, and the whole look the've got going on with the rain boots, beanies and PJs. Love those boys!