I grimace as I write this post and wonder what you will think of me broadcasting one of my many weaknesses.
If someone were to ask me if I were a fight or flight type of person, I would invariably have to reply FLIGHT. This may surprise some who think because I may speak my mind about some things I would be more of a fighter. I'm not. There are things that I stand my ground on for sure, but in most cases when there is an unpleasantness I would rather take the Scarlett O'Hara approach and think on it tomorrow, or frankly, not at all.
When things are stressful or uncertain and I don't really care to deal with them, I read books. Lots of books. I think I use them as an escape from a reality I don't particularly care to deal with at the moment. It is purely selfish and completely time wasting, not to mention not very good in the fulfilling of any mothering/housekeeping tasks I may have.
I am not saying that it isn't okay to take some time out for yourself every once in a while. By all means! I am merely confessing that there are times that I immerse myself in the literary world too much just to put off thinking about the real world.
Zane keeps telling me to write a book and at least get paid for my whimsy.
Alas, I confess my dreams are not filled with page provoking sparkly vampires. And my grammar isn't so great either. :)
So there you have it. My name is Mary and I am a terrible book addict at the most inopportune times...mainly when there are decisions to be made, or upcoming changes I fear I can do nothing about, or when life just simply overwhelms. I confess the latter has been inflicting me the most as of late.
How about you? Are you a fighter or a flighter?
5.04.2011
5.03.2011
Compliments
I've been remiss lately that I haven't been as complimentary to others in recent years as in the past.
Why is it most of us think something kind of others and then keep it to ourselves?
Life is too short.
I hope you take the time today to say what you think, to one you love, or even a stranger. And while you are at it, maybe pay yourself a compliment too. It is something we do too little in our overly critical society.
One more thing: if someone else says something nice to you - just say a sincere thank you without argument. I have been utterly guilty of brushing off compliments and I resolve to do better.
Happy day everyone!
Why is it most of us think something kind of others and then keep it to ourselves?
Life is too short.
I hope you take the time today to say what you think, to one you love, or even a stranger. And while you are at it, maybe pay yourself a compliment too. It is something we do too little in our overly critical society.
One more thing: if someone else says something nice to you - just say a sincere thank you without argument. I have been utterly guilty of brushing off compliments and I resolve to do better.
Happy day everyone!
5.02.2011
Silence
Excuse the lack of posts as of late, but I find myself at a loss for something to say.
Or maybe I'm just waiting for something profound to say.
Or perhaps I am just waiting until I have a clear direction in our life. We knew this stay in Twin Falls was a short one, but this school year is coming to a rapid conclusion that is leaving me a bit breathless and unsure of where we will be next.
Or perhaps, I am just plain TIRED. :)
Baby Boy was cute today. He can crawl wherever he wants now and it has opened a new world for him. Today he crawled over to the curtains and was playing peek-a-boo and laughing so hard at himself in a laugh that said, "haha - look at me! I'm doing it by myself!"
Two of my babies will be 3 and 5 on Thursday...deep breath...it is truly amazing how fast time goes by. I will be saying that about my children every year until I take my last breath.
Speaking of - I feel a bit cynical. Bin Laden is dead - you read it all over facebook today. My only thought when I heard the news? Well, glad they got him finally, but there will always be another one all too willing to step up. Nice of Obama to take the credit. But to be fair, I think whoever was in the White House would regardless of their party. I will say I am so glad he had the foresight to not close Gitmo...dork. :P
Or maybe I'm just waiting for something profound to say.
Or perhaps I am just waiting until I have a clear direction in our life. We knew this stay in Twin Falls was a short one, but this school year is coming to a rapid conclusion that is leaving me a bit breathless and unsure of where we will be next.
Or perhaps, I am just plain TIRED. :)
Baby Boy was cute today. He can crawl wherever he wants now and it has opened a new world for him. Today he crawled over to the curtains and was playing peek-a-boo and laughing so hard at himself in a laugh that said, "haha - look at me! I'm doing it by myself!"
Two of my babies will be 3 and 5 on Thursday...deep breath...it is truly amazing how fast time goes by. I will be saying that about my children every year until I take my last breath.
Speaking of - I feel a bit cynical. Bin Laden is dead - you read it all over facebook today. My only thought when I heard the news? Well, glad they got him finally, but there will always be another one all too willing to step up. Nice of Obama to take the credit. But to be fair, I think whoever was in the White House would regardless of their party. I will say I am so glad he had the foresight to not close Gitmo...dork. :P
4.25.2011
The life and times
It's been awhile!
My husband got home around midnight last Saturday. Needless to say, it was heaven on earth having my family together again - at least for a few days.
Hubby left to go to an interview at the stake center Tuesday evening. He'd been gone about 15 minutes when I looked and saw Brother Bear walking around in a circle on the drive way then drop to his knees crying. I ran over to him and he looked up with tears streaming down his little chubby cheeks and cried, "I wost (lost) my daddy! I wost daddy!" I assured him that dad was only gone on an errand and would be back soon, but he just shook his head and cried into my shoulder, "I wost my daddy, Mommy!" It almost made me break down. Sweet boy. Needless to say, it was very hard for Zane to leave and go to Utah for work later that week, but you do what you have to do. We are grateful for his job and right now his job is a few hours away, so we get to see him on the weekends. When you think about it, it's not too different from many other dads who have to work long hours during the week and only see their kids on the weekend. It's good for the transition time too - I get NOTHING done when Zane is home because I just want to be with him. :)
Speaking of Utah, I was able to get Baby Boy in to the allergist and *drum roll please* Baby Boy is not allergic to dairy or nuts!!! Hooray!! He is most certainly intolerant, and I was advised to not give him any dairy or nuts until he was tested again at 2, but the prognosis is great and now I don't have to worry about any horrible reactions when I give him food! To celebrate I fed him some soy yogurt - you would have thought I was giving him the world. :) It was so great! I wish I had taken a video of him slapping his hands on the tray and bouncing up and down mouth open wide and squealing. He has recently learned to crawl. Although it is pretty funny because he refuses to do so if I am anywhere near. Funny baby. It is so amazing how fast they grow! I'm going to have a 3 and 5 yr old in less than 2 weeks. My oldest will be 7 six weeks after that, and my baby is already 8 1/2 months old. Life is good, my love is home (albeit on the weekends), and I am very blessed!
I've missed the blogging - so expect to start seeing things more regularly again. :)
My husband got home around midnight last Saturday. Needless to say, it was heaven on earth having my family together again - at least for a few days.
Hubby left to go to an interview at the stake center Tuesday evening. He'd been gone about 15 minutes when I looked and saw Brother Bear walking around in a circle on the drive way then drop to his knees crying. I ran over to him and he looked up with tears streaming down his little chubby cheeks and cried, "I wost (lost) my daddy! I wost daddy!" I assured him that dad was only gone on an errand and would be back soon, but he just shook his head and cried into my shoulder, "I wost my daddy, Mommy!" It almost made me break down. Sweet boy. Needless to say, it was very hard for Zane to leave and go to Utah for work later that week, but you do what you have to do. We are grateful for his job and right now his job is a few hours away, so we get to see him on the weekends. When you think about it, it's not too different from many other dads who have to work long hours during the week and only see their kids on the weekend. It's good for the transition time too - I get NOTHING done when Zane is home because I just want to be with him. :)
Speaking of Utah, I was able to get Baby Boy in to the allergist and *drum roll please* Baby Boy is not allergic to dairy or nuts!!! Hooray!! He is most certainly intolerant, and I was advised to not give him any dairy or nuts until he was tested again at 2, but the prognosis is great and now I don't have to worry about any horrible reactions when I give him food! To celebrate I fed him some soy yogurt - you would have thought I was giving him the world. :) It was so great! I wish I had taken a video of him slapping his hands on the tray and bouncing up and down mouth open wide and squealing. He has recently learned to crawl. Although it is pretty funny because he refuses to do so if I am anywhere near. Funny baby. It is so amazing how fast they grow! I'm going to have a 3 and 5 yr old in less than 2 weeks. My oldest will be 7 six weeks after that, and my baby is already 8 1/2 months old. Life is good, my love is home (albeit on the weekends), and I am very blessed!
I've missed the blogging - so expect to start seeing things more regularly again. :)
4.14.2011
New goal
My new goal is to not plan. Ever. I think my plans must make God laugh. What is that saying? "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
So no more planning. No more speculating. I am not going to plan anything past next week. Or even past tomorrow. That would be even better.
I'll still have goals. But no more plans.
Totally doable, right? :)
Oh, and by the way - I fixed a credit on a saying I posted a while back. The quote: "Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow, For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep," was by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton. :) Thanks Karen!
So no more planning. No more speculating. I am not going to plan anything past next week. Or even past tomorrow. That would be even better.
I'll still have goals. But no more plans.
Totally doable, right? :)
Oh, and by the way - I fixed a credit on a saying I posted a while back. The quote: "Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow, For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep," was by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton. :) Thanks Karen!
More sighs
It's a good day when you can look at your children, the Cheerios covered floor, the milk covered table and sigh contentedly and smile.
It's easy to forget to have joy in this life, but oh so important to remember!
I love these following quotes from Gordon B. Hinckley: "Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged. Things will work out." "Stop looking for the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight."
Have I mentioned I will get to wrap my arms around my husband in a few days? Insert another content sigh. I can think of very little that compares with the ability my husband has of wrapping his arms around me and literally lightening my load. It's like having a vice around your lungs and his arms magically take it away and allow me a full breath of air that I didn't even know I was missing. I don't know how that works, but it never fails, and I have missed it fiercely.
*sigh* Life is good and I am blessed. :)
It's easy to forget to have joy in this life, but oh so important to remember!
I love these following quotes from Gordon B. Hinckley: "Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged. Things will work out." "Stop looking for the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight."
Have I mentioned I will get to wrap my arms around my husband in a few days? Insert another content sigh. I can think of very little that compares with the ability my husband has of wrapping his arms around me and literally lightening my load. It's like having a vice around your lungs and his arms magically take it away and allow me a full breath of air that I didn't even know I was missing. I don't know how that works, but it never fails, and I have missed it fiercely.
*sigh* Life is good and I am blessed. :)
4.10.2011
Sighs
I have decided that my kids have too many clothes.
This is sometimes good, as I can go quite a while without doing any laundry and we all know how much I LOVE laundry.
This is also bad - case in point: last night, I folded and folded and folded only to sigh, sit down with a smile of relief, and then realize there was another load in the dryer and promptly emitted a sigh of another kind.
This is sometimes good, as I can go quite a while without doing any laundry and we all know how much I LOVE laundry.
This is also bad - case in point: last night, I folded and folded and folded only to sigh, sit down with a smile of relief, and then realize there was another load in the dryer and promptly emitted a sigh of another kind.
4.08.2011
Why are lessons learned the hard way?
Guilty confession: We were stupid. We got into debt. The past year and a half we have been actively trying to follow the Dave Ramsey guide to getting out of debt - as FAST as we can.
Glad we aren't learning this later in life and are still relatively young enough to fix it before we are too old.
The point?
I felt my lungs constrict when facing the reality of no paycheck from the military. Can't help but feel grateful he is off active duty as of April 15 and has a job to come home to. Just praying for no lay-offs from that job. But even they give you the courtesy of 6 weeks of severance when laying you off.
Just intensifies my determination to get us out of debt and get our savings to the point we have at least 3 months worth of expenses saved (I really would rather 6-12 months). Wish we were already to that point - my lungs probably wouldn't have constricted as much.
No worries by the way, we will be fine! It was just a MAJOR wake up call to increase our intensity.
I know a majority of you who read my blog are smarter than we were, but just in case, if anyone else may be looking for a debt solution - Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" is an AMAZING book!
Glad we aren't learning this later in life and are still relatively young enough to fix it before we are too old.
The point?
I felt my lungs constrict when facing the reality of no paycheck from the military. Can't help but feel grateful he is off active duty as of April 15 and has a job to come home to. Just praying for no lay-offs from that job. But even they give you the courtesy of 6 weeks of severance when laying you off.
Just intensifies my determination to get us out of debt and get our savings to the point we have at least 3 months worth of expenses saved (I really would rather 6-12 months). Wish we were already to that point - my lungs probably wouldn't have constricted as much.
No worries by the way, we will be fine! It was just a MAJOR wake up call to increase our intensity.
I know a majority of you who read my blog are smarter than we were, but just in case, if anyone else may be looking for a debt solution - Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" is an AMAZING book!
4.07.2011
Am I crazy?!?
Yes. Yes I am.
I am determined to teach Baby Boy how to crawl before hubby gets home for a completely selfish reason.
He is in that stage where he wants to be mobile, but can't quite catch on and I need him to be able to get where he wants, or even better follow me around. He cries whenever he is not able to see me, and since our vacation he wants someone to walk him around all day. No more sitting down and playing for him! :) He also HATES being in my wrap, or front carrier.
Today I was worried that I had accomplished nothing because I was lazy. Upon review, I did not accomplish one thing on my list because I had at least one child in my arms at all times. All 3 boys wanted to be held and snuggled throughout today.
A friend of mine has this quote on her blog: "Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow, For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep." -Author Unknown *UPDATE* Another friend of mine found the author to this poem, it's Ruth Hulbert Hamilton. :) Gotta give credit where credit is due!
So true. I am definitely satisfied with my day. I accomplished nothing and everything.
I also concluded that Baby Boy will be going into the backpack tomorrow. :) Maybe that will be better than the front carrier.
4.06.2011
A thought for the night
Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. - C.S. Lewis
Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness. - Dag Hammarskjold
Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness. - Dag Hammarskjold
4.05.2011
Recycling
I'm all about reducing waste, reusing, etc.
My family is awesome at recycling...SICKNESS.
It all started when Princess got sick while we were in California. Then Baby Boy got it by the end of the week. Then it passed on to me and the other boys by that weekend. Princess has been fine, but it has never left Baby Boy and now the boys and I are getting sick AGAIN. Did I also mention we passed it on to my sister, her boys, and my mom? :{ I promise I really do try to make sure our hands are all washed and clean, and coughs are into elbows.
Super duper. I'm exhausted.
Want to know what's really wacky? I had my first night of uninterrupted sleep and I woke up panicked that I was going to find Baby Boy not breathing in his crib. That's how unusual and rare a full night of sleep is around here. It was also the first time in forever that I haven't had both Brother Bear and Baby Boy sleeping on either side of me at some point during the night.
After the disorientation and panic subsided, pure gratitude swept in for this exhausted mama. :)
My family is awesome at recycling...SICKNESS.
It all started when Princess got sick while we were in California. Then Baby Boy got it by the end of the week. Then it passed on to me and the other boys by that weekend. Princess has been fine, but it has never left Baby Boy and now the boys and I are getting sick AGAIN. Did I also mention we passed it on to my sister, her boys, and my mom? :{ I promise I really do try to make sure our hands are all washed and clean, and coughs are into elbows.
Super duper. I'm exhausted.
Want to know what's really wacky? I had my first night of uninterrupted sleep and I woke up panicked that I was going to find Baby Boy not breathing in his crib. That's how unusual and rare a full night of sleep is around here. It was also the first time in forever that I haven't had both Brother Bear and Baby Boy sleeping on either side of me at some point during the night.
After the disorientation and panic subsided, pure gratitude swept in for this exhausted mama. :)
4.03.2011
Weekend recap
We had a great time in Boise this weekend. Not sure I can say the same for Grandma and Grandpa... :) I'm teasing.
So Grandma took the older kids to the, in Cowboy's words: " 'Z' z-z-ZOO!" Happily ate at Red Robin (yay for no dairy or nuts menu items!), got Krispy Kreme donuts, had to go back to Urgent Care this time with Princess, attempted to watch an AWESOME General Conference amid 4 crazy children running around, and loved spending time with my parents.
Note on the trip to Urgent Care: Princess ran into the latch on the gate with her eyeball. You don't mess with eye injuries in my experience, so gratefully it occurred when the doctor's office was still open. Also grateful there was no penetration into the eyeball, just a small scratch and a good size "bruise" on the white part of her eye. It looks pretty gross and makes your eyes water whenever you look at it, but I was grateful it wasn't worse. Don't have a picture to post yet, but it's pretty nasty.
Oh, and I'm glad Grandma and Grandpa have DVR - they aren't used to the having to catch every other word of Conference over the kids. Yes, I am admitting - my children are NOT stellar Conference watchers. Even with games. Being at Grandma and Grandpa's exacerbated the crazy and silliness. Oh my! :)
I see my husband in exactly 14-15 days (depending on how long it takes him to drive home). Even if he will only be home for a few days before heading to who knows where for work, I'll take it! :)
So Grandma took the older kids to the, in Cowboy's words: " 'Z' z-z-ZOO!" Happily ate at Red Robin (yay for no dairy or nuts menu items!), got Krispy Kreme donuts, had to go back to Urgent Care this time with Princess, attempted to watch an AWESOME General Conference amid 4 crazy children running around, and loved spending time with my parents.
Note on the trip to Urgent Care: Princess ran into the latch on the gate with her eyeball. You don't mess with eye injuries in my experience, so gratefully it occurred when the doctor's office was still open. Also grateful there was no penetration into the eyeball, just a small scratch and a good size "bruise" on the white part of her eye. It looks pretty gross and makes your eyes water whenever you look at it, but I was grateful it wasn't worse. Don't have a picture to post yet, but it's pretty nasty.
Oh, and I'm glad Grandma and Grandpa have DVR - they aren't used to the having to catch every other word of Conference over the kids. Yes, I am admitting - my children are NOT stellar Conference watchers. Even with games. Being at Grandma and Grandpa's exacerbated the crazy and silliness. Oh my! :)
I see my husband in exactly 14-15 days (depending on how long it takes him to drive home). Even if he will only be home for a few days before heading to who knows where for work, I'll take it! :)
4.01.2011
So completely inspired
A friend shared this link on Facebook this morning.
I feel so inspired, touched, awed, moved...
Can you imagine our world if we were all a little more like this 13 year old?
I feel so inspired, touched, awed, moved...
Can you imagine our world if we were all a little more like this 13 year old?
3.31.2011
Taste of summer
Oh sunshine and warmth, how we have missed you in Idaho! :)
Took Baby Boy in to an urgent care in Boise (we're visiting my Mom and Dad for the weekend). Poor kid has an ear infection and bronchitis. On the way back from the pharmacy I took a little detour - well, actually the GPS took me on a detour, BUT I loved what I saw!
First, I drove through a neighborhood I want to live in - chalk full of bike paths, playgrounds, parks, and I saw a ton of families (old and young) biking together. Then I passed by a park that had a small pond where kids were fishing and feeding ducks, across the way a young team was playing soccer, and there was an awesome playground next to that. The temperatures were in the mid 60's and I was LOVING the scenes before me!
So I bought some bubbles, jump ropes, inflatable beach ball, and sidewalk chalk. Want to take a guess at what we will be doing ALL day tomorrow???
Aw summer...I can almost taste your sweetness! :)
Took Baby Boy in to an urgent care in Boise (we're visiting my Mom and Dad for the weekend). Poor kid has an ear infection and bronchitis. On the way back from the pharmacy I took a little detour - well, actually the GPS took me on a detour, BUT I loved what I saw!
First, I drove through a neighborhood I want to live in - chalk full of bike paths, playgrounds, parks, and I saw a ton of families (old and young) biking together. Then I passed by a park that had a small pond where kids were fishing and feeding ducks, across the way a young team was playing soccer, and there was an awesome playground next to that. The temperatures were in the mid 60's and I was LOVING the scenes before me!
So I bought some bubbles, jump ropes, inflatable beach ball, and sidewalk chalk. Want to take a guess at what we will be doing ALL day tomorrow???
Aw summer...I can almost taste your sweetness! :)
3.30.2011
Modern times
This is how my thought process started:
I sucked out Baby Boy's nose last night with the bulb syringe, gave him some Tylenol for his fever, numbed his gums for his teething, and turned on the nebulizer to give him a dose of Albuterol before bed so he could breathe, and before stepping out of his room, I turned on the humidifier.
Then I got to thinking, how many of my babies would have lived past infancy, or their toddler years had I lived 100 years ago? Even 50? Frankly, I wouldn't have even lived past infancy.
As romantic as it sometimes seems to go back to the "simpler times" I am SO GRATEFUL to live in a day and age where my babies have access to the medicine and technology that keep them alive!!
I am also grateful for modernized washers and dryers, dishwashers, fridge/freezers, pretty much the whole kitchen...indoor plumbing, hot water, ELECTRICITY, digital pianos that sound authentic but are easy to move and never have to be tuned...
:) The list could go on and on. What modern thing are you most grateful for?
I sucked out Baby Boy's nose last night with the bulb syringe, gave him some Tylenol for his fever, numbed his gums for his teething, and turned on the nebulizer to give him a dose of Albuterol before bed so he could breathe, and before stepping out of his room, I turned on the humidifier.
Then I got to thinking, how many of my babies would have lived past infancy, or their toddler years had I lived 100 years ago? Even 50? Frankly, I wouldn't have even lived past infancy.
As romantic as it sometimes seems to go back to the "simpler times" I am SO GRATEFUL to live in a day and age where my babies have access to the medicine and technology that keep them alive!!
I am also grateful for modernized washers and dryers, dishwashers, fridge/freezers, pretty much the whole kitchen...indoor plumbing, hot water, ELECTRICITY, digital pianos that sound authentic but are easy to move and never have to be tuned...
:) The list could go on and on. What modern thing are you most grateful for?
3.28.2011
Quicky
We are HOME.
All but Princess are SICK.
It's so bad.
GRATEFUL for a sacrificing mom who is on her way on a shuttle from Boise right now to come and help!
GRATEFUL for a super fun and AWESOME vacation! I'll post the rest of the pics and a couple of stories when I feel better.
Conversation at the dinner table:
Cowboy: "Mom, I want to go to the tree of life and eat some of the golden fruit!"
Princess: "Yah, me too! I'd eat TWO! Wouldn't you Mom? I really love the tree of life!"
Cowboy: "You can't have two - you only get one so there's enough for everybody!"
Princess: "Okay, well, Mom or Baby Boy can have the other one."
Cowboy: "Baby Boy can't eat off the fruit of the tree of life!"
Princess: "Well, we could smash it up real good, cuz he needs some too!"
Cowboy: "Yah, so does Dad and Brother Bear! Mom, can we go to the tree of life soon?"
LOVE!!
All but Princess are SICK.
It's so bad.
GRATEFUL for a sacrificing mom who is on her way on a shuttle from Boise right now to come and help!
GRATEFUL for a super fun and AWESOME vacation! I'll post the rest of the pics and a couple of stories when I feel better.
Conversation at the dinner table:
Cowboy: "Mom, I want to go to the tree of life and eat some of the golden fruit!"
Princess: "Yah, me too! I'd eat TWO! Wouldn't you Mom? I really love the tree of life!"
Cowboy: "You can't have two - you only get one so there's enough for everybody!"
Princess: "Okay, well, Mom or Baby Boy can have the other one."
Cowboy: "Baby Boy can't eat off the fruit of the tree of life!"
Princess: "Well, we could smash it up real good, cuz he needs some too!"
Cowboy: "Yah, so does Dad and Brother Bear! Mom, can we go to the tree of life soon?"
LOVE!!
3.24.2011
3.23.2011
Lovely
The only thing that could make it better is the presence of a certain Army hubby/daddy!
And maybe Mommy remembering sunscreen so poor kids don't get skin cancer...thus the pink hat on Cowboy (couldn't find his, and he was so sunburned he needed something)!
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