Are we rich?

I don't think I ever realized until today how blessed my children and I are. I don't think I ever felt so rich or over indulged...and trust me we are far from rich. We are a single income family. Money is tight, sometimes beyond tight and seems so scarce that we don't know what we'll do. But we pull through, we always do.

 I don't think I knew exactly how blessed we were until today. And the realization shocked me. I have a friend with multiple children. The children are good friends of my girls. The parents are loving parents...very involved in their children's lives. They make sure the children are in the right school district, have plenty of food, extra treats and snacks, hey make sure homework in done before they kids go out to play and they are particular that their children follow safety rules and be respectful, etc.


And I really thought that their home was a lot like ours. Cluttered (maybe a bit neater) since the Momma was more particular about when and where the children eat treats than I am.. She always cares more about what they do if a treat as  they dropson the ground. It's off limits. Whereas my philosophy is blow/brush it off and go ahead. Children eating sand shocks her. My girls have both gone through this phase and my response is simply...it's not going to feel good later. :)

So I knew there were some differences...but overall, I felt like we had more similarities than differences and perhaps we still do...

But the other day, I had a reason to enter into their home. I'd never done so before since they live close by...we'd just visited outside...but as I entered the home I was shocked. Not because it was filthy, it wasn't (although mine has been at times). Not because it was cluttered, it wasn't (although mine regularly is). No I was shocked by the sparceness of it. It was bare. In the livingroom there was a couch, a tv and two pictures on the walls. In the children's rooms I saw one doll and no books, puzzles, etc. There are five children living there. ONE DOLL!! Now I know there are a FEW other toys there...but that is all I saw.

This gave me pause. While playing outside the children have toys, a trampoline, bicycles, and such. But indoors....nothing...or very little at least. And I thought back to their reactions upon seeing the girls many fine things. They love to come in our home and play in the girls rooms. Or upon being given a birthday invitation to one of our daughter's birthdays I was told, we don't celebrate ours at all. Hmmm....

And it made me realize how different our families are. I think the children of both are loved and cherished and blessed in both, but I definitely think mine are more indulged. Honestly, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. I was definitely indulged as I grew up...spoiled even, but it was good for me. Yes, you read correctly because it taught me so much and made me want to strive to provide the same for my own family one day. And we try to...

Are my girls, blessed. Yes, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Their biggest worry is whether or not I'll get to the store tomorrow to pick up the next thing they decide they want or whether their sister will be nice. They have no reason to worry about more than this. If something breaks, it will most likely be replaced (assuming it wasn't abused in the process). It something is used up...we'll get more.

So are my girls indulged (and a bit spoiled)  you better believe it. Camps, Lessons, Sports, Toys, and Travels abound in our home. And I think it made me realize, not only do my children have love, but they have things. Now we just have to make sure they realize, that to whom much is given...much is expected. Because my girls certain have much given to them, through love and things, intellect, skills, etc.

Do I do enough to make them realize what is expected in return? I think I do. They see no difference between themselves and their friends. They truly love and respect their friends and willingly share their things day in and day out. And even when my patience wears thin, and I begin to wonder why their friends mistreat the girls toys or act a particular way..or don't know what peaches are when we have them for snack...I have to stop and remind myself. They are different. They've not been given what my girls are. But it's good that they are friends with my girls. They are loving, caring children...to whom much also has been given in love and caring even if not much is given in things.

And it was good for me to realize that those without come in all shapes and forms. It doesn't have to mean the child is going hungry for there to be a lack there.

So as I ponder through this, I find myself answering questions. Do we do too much for the girls? I don't think we do. We expect a lot from them in return for what they have. We try to expose them to culture so they can become well rounded and we want them to respect people, but work hard to make good lives for themselves so they can provide just as good of a life for their children one day. Which brings me back to wondering, is my little family actually rich...yes indeed we are: Spiritually, Emotionally, & Materially. But then again, I guess I never should have doubted that. :)

 

Summer Safari

Today began our first day of Summer Vacation, and what a day it was. Ella Rose had her preschool program...which Evie Alice fussed her way through. We quickly followed this by getting a flat tire, but we still managed to cram a tremendous amount into our day and I'm determined we aren't going to waste a minute of our summer vacation. Ella Rose is out of school for 12 weeks and I plan to savor each moment of it. So in addition to all the excitement that I mentioned the other day...we are going to have a Summer Safari at-home-camp too. Now this at home camp will be loosely themed and the schedule will be play as we go, but here are the basics that I've outlined so far...each week will have a theme.

When I began to think about this I started digging through other mother's blogs of successful stay-at-home camps and adventures. The most helpful site that I found was one where a mom had successfully created and successfully held summer camps for her children the past two years...and so I swiped a lot of her themes and then combined them with other themes and ideas that I found from other creative mothers to create a mish mash of themes which we will attempt this summer...You can find her page at http://tropichomeandfamily.com Just search for her summer camp ideas.


So with that said the themes for the Summer Safari Camp are:

Week 1: Wildlife explorers
Week 2: Artist/Artisans
Week 3: Trains!
Week 4: Up in the Air!
Week 5: Pirates!
Week 6: Mad Scientists
Week 7: Ocean Wonders
Week 8: Camping/Pioneers
Week 9: Welcome to the Jungle
Week 10: World Travelers
Week 11: Out on the Ranch
Week 12: Water Week

I've also assigned jobs to each day.

Mondays are Park/Pool days.

Tuesdays are Library/Craft days

Wednesdays are Trip days  

Thursdays are Cooking days

Fridays are Pool/Education

 

 

Then as far as a daily schedule goes we are going to play it by ear...BUT I want to fit certain things into each day include nap time (2 hours), a story time, and a themed snack. Then a few times a week, I want do a craft/science experiment, handwriting/ math or language skill each day. Other than that, my goal is to have the girls outside at least 4 hours each day.

 

They'll easily play all afternoon outside if I let them so this shouldn't be too much of a stretch. I'll try to update each week with pictures and descriptions of how the week went.

Welcome Summer, these Game Rangers are going to have many wonderful Sundowners!

Boop doop de doop!

 

Summer time and the living is BUSY!!!

I can hardly believe it. I've been a stay at home Momma for a year now and summer time is upon us once again.Wow! The time certainly has flown.

But, you wouldn't know it's almost summer time by the weather we are having. I even had to put a light jacket on Evie Alice and me this morning as we ran out of the house to do an early morning errand...nonetheless...summer is here. Ella Rose has one more day of school and then she officially becomes a pre-k girl.Where has the time gone? How can my big girl be ready to go to pre-k. And how am I going to feel when it's time for her to go to kindergarten in a year....hmmm....

Thankfully, we are able to put off her entry into public school this year. So she will be completing her pre-k in the same school that she did her two year old preschool and three year old preschool tenures. I am so thankful she's staying put..but nonetheless the transition seems huge to me. How can my baby be so BIG!

And summer hasn't even started but it's already packed! Granted it's packed with fun filled activities...but it's still slam full. Josh was joking just the other day with Ella Rose that she will need a vacation from her summer and I do believe that's true.

So what have we got planned for the summer? Well, here's the mega-long list. Ella Rose is doing Dance camp, Gymnastics Camp, "School camp" three days this summer and swimming lessons. Evie Alice has a Dr's appt for her eye that doesn't track properly, story hour at the library, weekly play dates
 and many family activities planned. We are going to participate in the summer reading program from the library. We will see a few of the kids summer movies when we can fit it in to
our schedule we are going to Camp CoCo...our family camp in Arkansas...taking a family trip to the beach, and visiting Disney World and Universal Studios on the way home from the beach....then of course there are play dates, trips to the pool, a dance recital, and Vacation Bible school that I'm directing and the girls are participating in.

I can hardly wait! Now if the weather would just cooperate...we would be good to go. Bring on the triple digit weather.... so the fun can begin. :)

Boop doop de doop.

 

Lovely, soft, cloud dust filled days. Thank God.

Today made me wonder if I'd inadvertently moved to Ireland on a warm summer day (since their hottest days are in the 70s). Not only did the temperatures here rival your usual Irish summer weather (low sixties) but the softing (rain) also modelled the Irish experience exactly. So I found myself ," thinking back to my Irish Summers of days gone by. How I loved my summers there and listening to people say, " 'tis a lovely soft day, thank God," as they carried own with their every day lives in the softing rain.

 Rain didn't stop or slow down lives there...it wasn't an inconvenience. It was a blessing. Whenever I'm out and out in the "softing" I often think of my adventures in Ireland. And today was no exception.

   So the softing rain today and the cool temperatures as of late have made me wonder on more than one occasion whether we've moved to Ireland, and are simply unaware. Seriously though,  the weather has been quite wacky as of late...and living in south Georgi mid-sixties are regular occurrences in mid-February...but rarely seen in early May. Usually, we are hitting the mid to upper 80s and preparing our bodies for many days of 100+ weather during the summer. This year, that preparation seems absent...no today could be a nice February way or even a warmer March day...but definitely does not feel very May-like.

So I decided that since we've moved into Ireland's climate whether or not we've actually moved that the girls and I would have an Irish adventure today. We would walk to the neighborhood market and pick up some ingredients for supper tonight. So we set out on a very Irish-like adventure with the girls loaded into their double stroller we began to walk to the store. Another of the things I loved about Ireland was being able to walk every place in town we wanted to go. My little sister and I had a regular path worn between our flat and the grocery store. The refrigerator for the family was similar in size to a large dorm frig and so we had to make multiple trips by foot to the store each week. Those trips were fun...and honestly, just finding the grocery store was an adventure since it was situated back in a mall on the lower level.

Of course today, there was no search for the store. We simply had to head up the street hang a right at the light, walk past our church and the neighborhood store would be one block ahead. So off we went. Now, unlike our trips to the "grocery" in Ireland when we were visiting a truly Irish supermarket...in this case our neighborhood market carries only the very basics.  Usually, I frequent it only when I realize at the the last minute that I'm out of a crucial ingredient. But today, although I needed a few ingredients for a squash casserole and some baking soda to make blueberry muffins I really just wanted to get out of the house, exercise, and spend some time with my girls.

 And so off we went. We walked in the softing rain, neither girl seems to care and nor did I. In short, we had a blast. I found myself noticing details I'd missed out on as I'd sped by them in my car. I'd not noticed our church sign  listed the family service. I'd missed sharing how to suck the honey suckles properly with my daughter. Of course, our walk remedied both of these problems. Ella Rose was amazed by how sweet the honey suckle tasted. And I found myself thinking back to memories of my own Momma teaching me the very same things.

And continuing in the line of creating memories, I decided it was time to create some cloud dust (mixing flour and canola oil) in order make play sand for the front porch. The girls had fun building sand castles with it on our covered porch despite the softing rain...and our dear Daisy dog jumped the fence repeatedly just so she could join in on the fun.

Days like this make the cooler weather not seem so bad...after all those Lovely soft days gone by contain so many fond memories....So summer weather even though I long for you...I'm appreciative for these memory filled moments of cool early spring like soft days with jumping daisies, clouds on the front porch, and softing rain falling while my girls and I explore the wonders of childhood all over again.
 

Ranty...Rant...Rant

Here lately every time I get on facebook I just want to scream. There are people claiming that the Boston bombing was a conspiracy and a set up by the government. So obviously paranoid and also so obviously NOT true. There are legit articles about a situation where a five month old baby was removed from his family by CPS because they sought a second opinion for his care and removed him from the hospital AMA in order to do so...while taking him to another facility. Nonetheless, the parents are charged with severe neglect and he was removed. That frustrates me... and makes me want to question what some portions of the government are doing. And then there's the group that regularly posts things against C-sections which makes my blood boil including articles claiming that births in the hospital aren't necessary but just do it at home and that our country should promote home births. Excuse me?!?!

The c-section thing is the one that hits closest to home for me and I've bitten my tongue and bitten my tongue until I think I might just bite right through it. Why does this hit home? Because I've had two c-sections and I'm SO thankful that I did. When I was pregnant with my dear Ella Rose I explained to my OB that the only way I would okay a c-section was if my life was in danger. I had a typical pregnancy and there didn't seem to be any reason for alarm until I went into labor. As I labored for 15 hours my blood pressure began to elevate and by the time they performed the emergency c-section I had no doubt it was c-section or death...there was no alternative.the chances that we both would have made it through the delivery without the c-section were slim to none. And I was right...I had SEVERE pre-eclampsia. Had I been trying this at home (as this recent article suggested should be an option to all "normal pregnancies" I would have most likely not lived through the exprience. Was I low risk, yes. It was my first pregnancy and we had no reason to suspect I'd have any problems. But there were complications and a c-section was needed to keep us both alive. The epidural didn't work...and so I slept through the actually delivery of my beautiful four year old. We both survived the situation and life moved on.

Fast forward two years...and I'm once again in labor with my precious Evie Alice. The American Assoc. of Physicians had updated their rules and regulations and I'd scheduled a repeat c-section since I *know* that's the safest thing to do...but I was worried because they'd not let me schedule the section before 39 weeks of pregnancy. My first bundle of joy arrived before 39 weeks and I just "knew" my second would too...and she did. So...once again I went into labor. Now part of me hoped that I could experience a normal labor and delivery without a c-section, but once it started I again knew that wasn't possible. So after a few hours of labor I was given magnesium sulfate, an epidural that did work and had another emergency c-section. I was informed that my recurrent pre-eclampsia had once again reared it's ugly head and that it was the MOST SEVERE level and the worst case that this doctor had ever seen. The magnesium sulfate had to be started before the c-section even began...and once again I survived and have another beautiful daughter as a result.

But the idea that a c-section makes my deliveries any less valuable or that the doctors intervention is wrong just boils my blood. Now I know the individuals posting these articles would claim my c-section experiences aren't what they are talking about...but they are! They have no reason to assume that my experiences are different from those of other women who experience a section. Does the U.S have a high rate of intervention with births? Yes...but does that mean it's unnecessary? No.

These OB doctors know what they are doing...and c-sections save lives. To refuse one when faced with pre-eclampsia or the threat there of or even the unknown is idiotic. Medical help exists to make our lives easier. Why refuse it? It makes no sense...

Would you refuse a heart bypass...or help from any other medical issue. Of course you wouldn't so why refuse the help offered while delivering a baby. There are my two cents. I hope I've not offended anyone, but if I have...then I have. My rant is done!

I hope you have a great day!

Boop doop de doop
 

Weightloss and late night discussions

Late in December or early in January I embarked upon a new goal, I decided that I was going to lose a substancial amount of weight this year. Now, I know many people make weight loss resolutions each January, and many do not follow through, but I was determined to be different. One of the ways I'm different is that this honestly was my first weight loss journey. I'd never dieted. Yes, I'd lost and gained weight over the years but never consciously set out to do so. The other difference was the support of four wonderful ladies. Three of these ladies I'd never laid eyes upon or even heard of before the journey began, the fourth was Ella Rose's teacher last year in preschool. Together, we've journeyed together through weight loss for 10 weeks...and weighed in weekly. And now, after ten weeks we've lost 124.5 lbs cumulatively.

So tonight my husband was teasing me as he said something about my forcing him to sit through yet another episode of The Biggest Loser...and that's why we ended up watching his TIVOed show Revolution. Let me tell ya...I loved the first episode of Revolution, and it reminded me of a book I'd recently read. I only wish I could remember the title of that book. But that's another story for another day. The premise of his show was that the electricity goes out...and doesn't come back on...and then the show fast forwards 15 years. It really makes you think.

When I was in college I will never forget sitting around in a philosophical discussion of reality and a visitor commenting on how humans are the only species that has created something that will destroy them. Something to think about, huh? Technology which is supposed to make our lives so much easier...may make them harder. But it definitely would make our lives much harder if those of us so used to it truely didn't have *any* of it anymore. No, I'm not talking about rejecting it just like the Amish do, but truly having no technology. It would destroy us...or make like much harder.

Anyway...so my mind wandered through all of this as we watched the show. Then as the show ended my husband called me "his biggest loser" and asked whether I'd lost the most on my team. I'd not. One of the other ladies who was relatively the same size I began at lost 16  more pounds than I did...making her current weight loss 37 lbs.

So his next question was, "Does she have children?" Which she does. And I told him she has more children than I do and manages a full time job outside the home.

But what really made me beam was when he said, "You do know being a stay at home mom is a harder job than any in the workforce, right?" WOW!! I was amazed that he recognized this. Nonetheless...it's true. I love it, but it's true.  And I can honestly say that made my night.

And so now...with my kitchen clean, my children and husband sleeping...I thought I'd take a minute to share that morsel with you. And I know I will go to sleep tonight dreaming pleasant dreams with the knowledge that my husband truly does know how hard I work each and every day.

Good night y'all!

Boop doop de doop

God Bless those who work outside the home...

It's nine fifteen on a Thursday evening and I've just wiped down my coffee table for the fourteenth time today. Each and every time I've wiped over it, I've removed sticky fingerprints and love smudges from my little ones. And so as I wipe over it for the last time this evening, I find myself thinking back to how much my life has changed in the last year. A LOT! My husband and two daughters are snuggled up in their beds sound asleep. The house is quiet and I've stopped for a moment to blog as my mind wanders to days gone by...

 After I had my eldest daughter, Ella Rose, people used to ask me, do you remember what it was like before you were a Momma. Honestly, I did. I remembered with vivid clarity what life was like before that and in all honesty sometimes longed for those days...when things became too overwhelming. Then I had my second and the memories began to fade. Now, as a Momma of a two and a four year old, I can honestly say: I don't remember my life being much different than being a Momma. It's who I was meant to be...and I'm where I was meant to be. Granted after having my second there were moments I wondered what I'd gotten myself into.

I remember one pointed instance when Evie was a few weeks old, she was sitting in her swing and Ella Rose (who was barely 2) and I were attempting to have supper together. Josh was out of town for work and so it was just the three of us...for what seemed like an eternity. For whatever reason, Evie Alice began to cry that evening and something must have happened (I can't say I recall what, but so did Ella Rose) and in my frustration and complete feelings of being overwhelmed, I joined in and cried too. So there the three of us sat crying. And I remember reaching out to Mom's who had more than one and asking how they did it. And I got an answer from a friend that she'd been where I was, but it got easier with time. And so it has....now Evie Alice is older than Ella Rose was when that incident happened...and Ella Rose is FOUR! Wow...how time flies.

But as time flies...I was thinking tonight about how my life has changed since I decided to stay at home full time. And I can honestly say, I don't remember what life was like before this. Sure, I remember teaching and getting up etc...but how to make it all work together and smoothly and still do ALL the things that fit into my daily life today, I don't know how it worked...I just don't. For instance, would I have had the energy to have wiped down that coffee table the thirteenth or fourteenth time today had I been working? Granted, the girls wouldn't have been here to mess it up a dozen times because they'd have been at the sitters, but I am not kidding when I say all fourteen times happened after 12 pm today. Ella Rose didn't get home from preschool before that...and Evie doesn't destroy the coffee table without her sisters help. :)

I do however remember what I thought as a working Mom that life would be like as a stay at home mom. I thought I'd meet up with a group of friends multiple times a week. We'd sit around and have coffee or tea...talk and our children would play (at my house or theirs). Our homes would be sparkling clean because we'd have plenty of time to clean them. ha ha! We would have hot cook meals for our husbands on the stove and supper would be ready when they walked in the door. And the supper part is usually true,  but just as thrown together here most days as it was when I was working because that was something I strove to do even when I was gone from home 10 or more hours a day.

I thought I'd have daily creative activities for my girls to do and that despite the cut in pay money would be plentiful and life would be grand...in every way imaginable. And life is grand, but that money that I thought would be so lush and abundant was quickly gone after the school year began. A Refrigerator needed replacing, the washer went out, my husband's car needed a new engine and so on and so forth. And yes, there have been weeks if not months when I worried about how the lights would stay on...the mortgage paid, the food put on the table. Those things have been worries....but they've all happened. The mortgage has been paid, the food goes on the table, and the lights have stayed on. On top of that, the girls have been able to stay in their activities of gymnastics and dance, and even soccer when Ella Rose requested it. None of that is to say my worries were needless they weren't. I've found myself saying to them many times: We are going into the store to get toilet paper, don't ask for anything. There's no money for anything else. Or I'll get that for you tomorrow...there aren't enough "pennies" for that today. :) Heck, I've even emptied my daughter's piggy banks and my husbands to get gas to drive to a consignment sale to buy my daughters new clothes....and prayed my way home on fumes of gas.

My house is rarely sparkling... my friend's rarely come over, and play dates are a couple of times a month rather than multiple times a week, my creativity for activities for the girls is often lacking. I'm short with my girls much more often than I thought I would be.. and often find myself questioning my parenting decisions, the TV entertains them more than I ever dreamed I would allow it to.
But our lives are BETTER for it.

Yes, you read correctly, our lives are BETTER for it. I don't miss out on a moment. Not one...I get to volunteer for any field trips that occur. I do get to do volunteer work in the community. We've found sources for free food...so food is now over abundant rather than lacking. The waiting for presents and treats teaches my girls the importance of delayed gratification. I get to take them to parks, and story hour at the library, tie dye shirts at home, or berry picking. We visit the local dairy and see how cows are actually milked...and have our nightly stories at home. The girls play with their toys here at home and have friends in the neighborhood. The things we buy them truly get used. They've bonded so closely together they swear they are best buddies forever...and I believe they will be. I get to see their imaginations expand daily through being puppies or mommies, choo choo trains, dragons, dinosaurs and more. And I wouldn't give the world to be any place else.

So no, life isn't what I thought if would be like when I began this journey. I don't sew all my daughters clothes, scrapbook fabulously, while sporting a sparkling home, and model children, all while preparing a steaming hot meal each evening from scratch. Although, most of my meals are from scratch. :)

But I have the time with my daughters. I have the time to give to my husband and my community. Anything Josh asks me to do, I can fit it into my day. I also usually have quiet time to read each day...something I rarely got to do while teaching. It was such a luxury I didn't even manage it during most vacations from school, honestly. And I can truly say, life is good.

Which brings me to this, God bless those who work outside the home. I don't know how they do it. I know I did...and not too long ago, but nonetheless...God bless them

Good night!