Thankful!

...so very thankful!!

So What Wednesday!

 

Linking up with Shannon over at Life After I "dew"

This week I'm saying So what if...

-It is 9:45 at night and I am just now writing this post! I had a full day of getting stuff ready for my SIL's garage sale. I mean...I just kept finding more stuff to get rid of!

-The day I got off weight restriction from surgery, I cleaned my entire house and was actually one happy mama, being able to vacuum again! I mean, it drove me crazy to not be able to clean for 3 weeks! Ick!

-If I finally lost 10 lbs. and then had a cheat day and ate a whole bowl of popcorn to myself. I tell you...popcorn is my weakness!

-I let my kids stay up till 10 o'clock last night watching a movie. It is almost summer and I am the mama...so there!

-I am procrastinating about making Abby's 6th birthday invitation. Part of me doesn't want her to turn 6 and my mind is telling me if I keep putting it off, she won't get any older. 

-I am scared silly about school being out! I love my kids and can't wait to spend summer with them, but I think I am going to try and pack too much into every day and wear us out too soon. Control and pace!

-If I have had the same 10 things on my To-Do list for the last month, I will get to them someday....hopefully!

-

I Choose...

...to stay home with my kids. 

I love raising my kids, getting to see them grow up and be part if their every day!

BUT...I will be the first to say, that it doesn't mean I don't have rough days?!

. . . . . . .I mean, being a mom is a 'job' right?! . . . . . . .

Jobs have good days and bad days, so I am entitled to mine too...right?!

Sometimes staying home, I feel like everything has to be perfect. Things have to stay clean and I have to fit so much into my days. 

Things aren't always easy and life does throw you curve balls now and then. All you can do is do your best and raise your kids to the best of your ability. 

They look up to you...they watch your every move...they learn from your example...they are always learning and always growing!

They love you for you, not for what your house looks like, not for how fancy your dinners are, not for how your dress...

just.for.you!

There are days I think about how I would like a desk job, how I would like wearing something other than yoga pants and tank tops, how it would feel to pick up my kids at the end of the day, from someone elses care. That's where I stop wondering. I think that part would 'kill' me! I couldn't do it. I choose the job I have, raising my children and watching another family too.  

I chose to be here through all the temper tantrums, the 'snot wiping,' the arguments, the cleaning up after, the homework...you name it!

Those somehow don't ever outweigh the hugs, the cuddles, the kisses, the sweet words, the pictures, the fun games, the adventures...

Jobs can all have their days, but let me be the first to say, even though every days isn't a 'piece of cake,' I chose this and 

I.LOVE.it!

Too soon the kids will be out at school everyday and I will be missing all these moments, so for now....I will soak them all in and enjoy every minute!

It's all about MOM!

 A re-cap of my relaxing mother's day as a mommy of 4!

(better late than never)

 The mom's and their girls!

 Family photo...any everyone is looking! Win!

I {heart} my boys!!!

God picked me to be a mommy to these 4 littles! I am so blessed and couldn't be happier!

Kendall, her mama, my mom and my brother

 The soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.

Hanging out ay my brother's new house for the afternoon

 My one and only!

 Awww!

 My bro and I! Love him!

 Best buddies!

I can't imagine life without my kiddos. Each day is blessed and growth beyond words! Being a mommy is an amazing experience...the love you have for your kids is not measurable!

Saturday Satisfaction

What you'll need:

 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup melted caramel (I made my own - recipe below)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Sea salt

Directions:

 Melt butter

 add marshmallows and stir until smooth

add Rice Krispies...

...and mix well

grease a 9x13 pan and flatten Rice Krispie mixture into the bottom of the pan. Let cool completely.

Cut into squares, size of your liking.

Melt chocolate chips and dip the bottom of each bar into the chocolate

Drizzle melted caramel over the tops of the bars

crack sea salt over the top of each bar

 Enjoy your perfection and bite of heaven! 

Yum!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Caramel sauce
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Whisk together all ingredients, except for the vanilla, and bring to a boil. Reduce head and simmer for 6 minutes. Whisking often. Add vanilla (slowly) and cook for 1 more minute.

Friday's Letters

Dear week - I couldn't be happier that you are finally over! This week was a tough one and just about everything went wrong. Thanks for never showing your face again!
Dear weekend - Couldn't be happier that you are here!! With the week that I had you are welcomed with open arms! Not to mention...this is our first camping trip of the year and we are all so excited!
A.ton.of.fun....here.we.come!
Dear hubby - Thanks for bearing with me this week..I promise to be much more pleasant and loving from now on...just had to get that week out of my system! Love you!
Dear BFF - Thanks for always making me smile! The coffee and card you delivered yesterday made my day! No really, I laughed at the card and the coffee made me a happy mama! I am so glad we are friends!
Life.is.easier.with.you!
Dear garden - I am going to attempt you this year with hopes and anticipation that you will grow and produce like no other 'terrible green thumb' has ever seen! Time to start tilling and planting!
Dear SIL - Thanks so much for getting me these wonderful Cool Sculpting treatments. Since my appointment, April 29th, I have lost 10 lbs and my pants are now too big. {time to go shopping} I haven't been able to run, like I want to, since my surgery, but come next week and I can get out and start running and shed some more pounds to get my much wanted body back!
Dear my oldest brother {Sean} - Thanks so much for helping us out by storing our camper throughout the winter! We really appreciate it! Thanks also for helping us try and figure out why the lights weren't working and then taking your time to tow it, an hour our of your way, to our house for us! You rock! Love you!


Have an amazing weekend!

Sunscreen.bug spray.campfires.food...here we come!

Spreading Even

...among 4 kids!

I think I am doing a good job, and then I get 'told' otherwise. I have tons to share and I know with 4 kids, that I have to make sure I am giving my attention and love evenly.

How do you make a 5 year old understand why babies seem to need more attention, which in their minds can be misinterpreted as loving that child more?! 

'Mom, you love Blake more than me, cause you hold him and give him more snuggles than me.'

{not words I ever want to hear!}

Abby has hit a sensitive age and needs more attention and 'snuggles' than usual. I will be the first to admit, I need to put more things on the 'back burner' and snuggle and cherish this time with my kids. They are only little for so long and will only let me give them hugs and kisses, until they become 'too cool' for them.

Blake is a mommy's boy and is quite attached to me, so I am usually the one to be holding him. Babies grow too fast and so I am soaking up all the love and snuggles that I can get BUT I have to remember that my other kids don't understand how 'needy' and dependent babies are. In their minds, I am just giving Blake more attention and more love than them. 

How do I make them see that I love them all the same?

I will be trying hard to make sure I get 'alone' quality time with each of my kids. During nap time, time when Blake doesn't need my attention, time when I can get quality one on one time with my other kids and focus all my attention on them. Read books alone with them, play one on one games, do art projects, snuggle and watch movies, draw with chalk, and just hang out!

The.cleaning.can.wait

The.grass.can.grow.one.more.day

The.dishes.can.wait.in.the.sink.till.after.bedtime

This is the most important time of growth in their lives, when they learn the most and soak up everything they see, especially what they see us do. They look up to us and watch out every move.

This.time.is.crucial.for.shaping.them.for.their.future!

Those extra 5 minutes of time, talking about what happened during their day, really do matter.
The extra 5 minutes of checking Facebook can wait, it will be there later.

 

Life is too fast and too short to not 'stop and smell the roses.'

How do you make sure that you are giving your time and love evenly?

Crepe Paper 3d Flowers

 

What you need:


* Glue
* Crepe paper
* Background paper
* Pencil


Cut your crepe paper


Pour glue in a shallow dish for dipping

Put your pencil in the middle of your crepe paper square and fold the edges straight up

Dip in the glue and put on your paper


Keep filling in your flower to your liking


Add the stem and leaves and wa-la...a fun art project that keeps the kiddos busy for awhile!

Inside and Out!

Oh the joys of computer issues! Makes blogging come to a hault, although I didn't get my blogging time in this weekend, I did have a great weekend!

 (you'd think my new laptop wouldn't have issues after 2 months)

Back to the pen and paper of the good ol' days!

  . . . . . . . .

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, I wish you looked different?! 

I wish I had straighter hair...

I wish I had a better smile...

I wish I had straight teeth...

I wish I had less curves...

I wish I had higher cheek bones...

I wish my forehead wasn't so big...

 I wish my nose looked different...

?

I am pretty sure I am guilty of many of those!

As women, we are TOO HARSH on ourselves. We often times judge ourselves more than we judge others. {we.shouldn't.do.either} We don't view ourselves as the beautiful people that God made us. We look for the flaws, more than the good. We often expect ourselves to be and look perfect. {there.is.no.perfect!}

I was watching this THIS video that my friend sent me the other day and it really hit me. I might wake up and look in the mirror and from day to day, not always like what I see...BUT I am beautiful! If we all looked the same, it would be a boring world! Just think if Picasso made all the same paintings and everywhere you looked, there was the same painting. OR God only made the world in one color, so everything you looked at was red. OR There was only one song that was played over and over and over on the radio, so that is all you heard every day.

This would be one boring world!

Change is good! Everyone is different and that what makes everyone unique!

Lets be less harsh on ourselves and more complimentive! Lets give ourselves a few more 'pats on the back,' a few more smiles, instead of frowns, a couple more 'attaboys' instead of insults, less judging and more 'rewarding.'

Let's all face it, no one is perfect and you are made the way you are for a reason! 

Life is too short to take time to judge yourself...live it out and live it proud of who you are!

Sun & Tea!

 One of the best things about your kids, is watching them play the way you did as a child. Abby asked it have a tea party outside with her pig and needed a blanket to sit on.

What better blanket than the one my mom made me and one that I had tea parties on as a little girl?!

Just a little sunshine, a blanket, a tea pot and a friend!

Sometimes I wish I was still a kid. So innocent, fun a such a BIG heart!