peelosophy

My sister Katie lives in Colorado with her husband Carl and two girls, Tootie and Brooke. Over the past few months, they’ve probably visited the ER every week with one of them being very sick and the fire department has had to come out a couple of times because of sickness or crazy kid mishaps.

This week it was the fire department, which they are now on a first name basis with them. Brooke (2-1/2) managed to get her finger caught in a Starbucks cup and they couldn’t get it out. I know right?!?! How does that happen and why couldn’t they get it out?!?!

I wasn’t a disposable cup, I tried to find a picture of it on the web but couldn’t. It was a reusable glass cup that had a glass domed lid and a hole for the straw. The hole is where Brooke’s finger got stuck. She put it over her knuckle, Katie and Carl tried several things but they couldn’t get it off.

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My mind has been creeping around into places I don’t like to go.  Self-doubt seeps in.  I am making comparisons with others that don’t look like me.  Everything equals discontentment.

I recognized these feelings after a couple of days when they didn’t go away.  I am restless.  I found myself on Realtor.com, searching for something that would fill the void, something that would be the perfection that I was looking for – somewhere that I could rest.  Yesterday evening online, these places tended to be places with Master Bathrooms in desiring zip codes.

Last night, I had some sense to call a friend to talk to truth to me. I knew God was not telling us to move, it was my state of mind,  I love our home but I was too foggy to speak this truth to myself. I called Maddie, she told me just what I needed to hear and gave the assurance I needed to close Realtor.com.  THANK YOU Maddie!  Okay, I did leave one house up there for the remainder of the evening, but deleted the tab this morning, after realizing our backyard is way better.

Spring come quick!

“You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” St. Augustine

My friend, Erin, just started cutting hair and came over to give me and JJ a haircut yesterday.  JJ does not like getting his haircut, and actually last summer he acted like we were beating him when we tried to shave it.

JJ went first and a couple of minutes into it asked me quietly, “Mom. can you get me my glasses?”  I didn’t understand because he doesn’t wear prescription glasses, I clarified with him what he meant and he wanted his sunglasses. I found his sunglasses and he put them on and wore them through the entire haircut, I guess they helped him cope.  We all have our coping mechanisms I guess, Erin and I quietly giggled about it – she said it reminded her of the kid in Big Daddy with Adam Sandler.

Something fun though for all summer playgroupers over here…I asked Erin if she could come over like once a month and do kids haircuts inside during playgroup – and she loved the idea.  Now I just have to swindle a Starbucks barista, and esthetician and work on my kids cleaning machine and all my playgroup dreams will come true.…summer come quick!

For a background on how/why we do Tot School, click here.

It’s been a while since we have done any sort of Tot School!  Now we are slowly coming out of the Emma transition and have been enjoying trying to enjoy the snow and being cooped up inside.  Here’s a little peek at what we’ve been up too…

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I am feeling like I am almost completely out of the postpartum fog I’ve been in for the last two months.  I feel great, things are getting done that weren’t getting done the last couple months (i.e. Mt.Washmore) and I am optimistic about our future as a family of six.  Now, I understand this feeling may only last until tomorrow morning – but I’ll take it.

I was reflecting back today about several key things that got me through the last few months and I thought I’d share them with you.

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We had a pretty eventful weekend.  Awesome because of Saturday’s events and flop because of Sunday….

Friday night

The Olympics - I let the boys stay up to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.  Remind me that this was not a good idea.  Most of it was my fault, I didn’t remember that even though it “starts” at 6:30pm, the actual ceremony doesn’t start for an hour after that.  JJ kept saying that “this looks like the news” and Henry kept asking when the “party was going to happen”.

Then, the sadness of Luge accident.  I didn’t know about it until just then, it took me by surprise and then I had to explain it to the boys.  I probably flunked that parenting talk. And then they kept showing the accident over and over again….

The Olympics switched around things and brought the athletes out first instead of the “show” first.  The boys were getting pretty riled up from being up late, so I just put them to bed.  It was a really fun idea in my head.

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Refining Possibilities Making the Best Use of Your Time – Small Notebook:    You know when you read something and it puts words to how you have been feeling, that was this post for me.  I feel completely overwhelmed when I have a stretch of time that nothing is planned.  I question how to spend my time and if I am spending my time wisely.  It makes sense, what she is saying about, as a mom, being used to “a series of five minute tasks and interruptions”, when I’m not functioning like this I don’t know what to do with myself.  It’s so weird.

Project 52: Bucket List - I love.love.love. the idea of Project 52!!!!  John and I are pretty good about having a date night once a month…usually on the 14th which is our anniversary date.  And we always say we should do something intentional once a week, but you can imagine how that goes.  I love the direct guidelines she sets up for Project 52, that there’s a Mr.Linky so I can get ideas from other people and that the dates involve staying at home and not having to find a sitter.  Such a good idea!

Simple Mom: How to Create a Paperless Kitchen- This something I really want to do.  I didn’t grow up with paper towels but it’s amazing how they have become a staple in our kitchen.  I don’t want to get rid of them all together, but I would love to cut the use of them drastically.  I love how Tsh spelled out what her “system” was for going paperless, it takes the thought out of it for me.  Oh and how I love systems.

Our baby swing broke this morning while Emma was mid-swing.  It snapped at the hinges and she abruptly dropped to the floor.  She made a face like she was about to holler, but then stopped and looked around as if to say, “whatever this works too”.  And she just sat in the swing on the floor until we were ready to leave.  That’s my girl, roll with it and we’ll get along alright.

The swing was a hand-me-down when we got it for JJ.  Then it was worked to the bones through all the boys, the other kids I watch and several 3 and 4 year olds that took it for a ride every now and again.  It had a good long life.

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So far so good with getting back into cooking on a regular basis last week.  I really do love it and it is so much easier when I plan my menus – this post is my accountability, which I am thankful!

I’ve really been trying to stick to a grocery budget, so my meal options have been dictated by sales ads and what’s in my pantry already.  I felt like an 80-year old, when I actually got a rain check for chicken drumsticks that were on sale last week and Shop and Save was out of them.  I used it this week- I can’t believe I remembered it- and saved almost $4 on my chicken.  Is it sad this is something I get excited about?!?! I also get joy from reading my total savings that Shop and Save prints on the bottom of my receipts and then excitedly retell it to John when I get home.  He does not find the same excitement in this ritual as I.  Anyways, happy dinners this week to you!

Make sure to check out orgjunkie.com for more menu ideas!

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We are getting off a week of being sick.  The only one coming away from it relatively unscathed was John.  Henry, JJ and I had strep, George has a viral infection and Emma had a little cough and rattle.

In my opinion, one of the most frustrasting things about the kids getting sick is that I never know for sure how sick they really are – how much of our lives do I need to cancel? I struggle with questions like if it is worthy of a doctor’s visit or should they go or not not go to school, should I cancel the kids that I watch over here?

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