I just re-read my post on my word for 2014. I had words for 2015 and 2016 also, but I didn't write about them. Both years were hard. They were just hard and to be honest, I can't recall what words I settled on. This year I am going to put my word where I can see it. Where I can remember. Where I can focus.
I still strive to live minimally (as in 2014), but it doesn't usually work. I forget or find something we cannot live without or just can't get rid of that because, well, it's a memory, even if I haven't looked at it in 5 years.
2015 and 2016 - I'm ready to break up with them. We saw loss, those two years and I - loss of close friendships, of family, of faith. Loss of self-confidence, of patience, and of grace - mine for others, not God's for me. Don't get me wrong - we had some good times (Cookie Monster A) and honestly I can't really complain. My home is intact, my family is healthy (enough), I have freedom to come and go as I choose. I cannot legitimately complain. I'm not living in a war-torn country, wondering if today is the day that my children die. I'm not hoping to find enough food to feed my family. We are so blessed. I became so cynical anyway.
So my word for 2017 is restore. So many things need restored in my life. First and foremost, I have to work on restoring my faith. Don't get me wrong. I still believe in God. I still believe and hope on Jesus. But my commitment to my faith and to my church is lacking. I have held grudges and not given grace. I have allowed my faith life to be rocked to the core and not fought back to hold on. Thank God for His grace, that will allow me to run back to his mercy seat where grace will find me.
I need to restore my attitude, starting first with gratitude - restoring thankfulness in my heart will spin my world on its axis and will ensure that no matter what comes my way, 2017 will be okay. I don't know what my future holds, but God does. He has already seen it so is ready to carry me through. How can I be anything but thankful for that?
My health and the health of my family is of utmost priority this year. We have gotten a little lazy with our food choices and our lack of exercise in this joint. You can surely tell when you look at a couple of us. My health has tanked since I tore that first meniscus, then another, then the hubs broke his leg. I got lazy on cooking and lazy on doing any type of exercise, since my knees just can't hang. That is what I kept telling myself anyway. There are other ways to exercise, besides walking and running (which my doctor has instructed me to absolutely no do) and I have access to those. I have the head knowledge and the means to make sure that my family eats healthy. If I don't teach my kids now to eat healthy and love it, why could I possibly think that they would suddenly learn it in their 20s? So this is the year that we restore our health.
Friendships. There is so much to say about friendships, but I'm gonna just lay it out there like this: I have a few friendships that have cooled tremendously. I know I am to blame as the others are too. I let *feelings* get in the way of keeping those friendships thriving. My feelings get hurt and I just shut down. There isn't anything I can do about that now. But for 2017, I can start fresh and restore relationships that are salvageable.
There are so many other areas I can restore - my career (the annual question - do I go back to the state to finish or start something new), peace, furniture, to name a few - and I intend to do that. To focus on restoring what can be restored and let go of what cannot (living minimally).
Restore is my word for 2017. What's yours?
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Sunday, June 5, 2016
I'm Glad She Lost Her Money
Tonight Sister thought she should ignore my instructions and my warnings about taking her money out of the house and keeping it in her pocket. That $70 was her birthday money she received over the last 3 days. She took it to church in a yellow plastic bag with her name on it. That makes it safe, right? Unfortunately it fell out of her pocket and it is gone.
I'm glad she lost her money.
No, I'm not being vindictive. I'm not wishing her heartache or sadness. I'm not trying to be punitive or harsh.
Because she lost her money, I saw a side of my child I had not seen before. If she hadn't lost her money I wouldn't have seen this in her.
For starters she didn't freak out like I expected that she would. She calmly (or at least when I saw her) alerted the adults around her that the plastic bag with money was gone. She walked around looking for it everywhere for about a half hour. Sister didn't cry obnoxiously. She didn't blame anyone. She simply accepted that most likely it was gone and it was a result of a choice she had made. When I asked her if we learned a lesson, she said, "I already learned this lesson, I just forgot."
Sure, she cried a few tears, but I never saw them. She didn't pout, she didn't whine, and she didn't throw a fit. The Hubs and I were so impressed with how well she behaved, how mature she acted, and the way she accepted full responsibility that the anger (or maybe frustration) we had at her at church quickly melted away. When we got home we decided that while she needed to feel the sting of consequences of not listening to me about taking her money out like that, we wanted to reward her for her mature choices and actions. And hey, it IS her birthday money. We told her that we would give her half the money she lost. Again she accepted full responsibility and told me that it was her fault, we didn't need to give her money.
How my heart melted at what happened next.
I told Sister that we should pray about it. That sweet soul bowed her head and said, "Dear God, thank you for this day. Even though I lost my money, it was still a good day. If the person who has my money needs it more than me, I ask that you bless that money for them. If they don't need it more than me, please let them return it. Amen."
I can't even.
Bless.
Do I wish she hadn't lost her birthday money? Yes. Am I glad I got to witness this test? Absolutely. She already is a precious, sweet girl; full of compassion and mercy.
She is going to be an AMAZING woman of God.
I'm glad she lost her money.
No, I'm not being vindictive. I'm not wishing her heartache or sadness. I'm not trying to be punitive or harsh.
Because she lost her money, I saw a side of my child I had not seen before. If she hadn't lost her money I wouldn't have seen this in her.
For starters she didn't freak out like I expected that she would. She calmly (or at least when I saw her) alerted the adults around her that the plastic bag with money was gone. She walked around looking for it everywhere for about a half hour. Sister didn't cry obnoxiously. She didn't blame anyone. She simply accepted that most likely it was gone and it was a result of a choice she had made. When I asked her if we learned a lesson, she said, "I already learned this lesson, I just forgot."
Sure, she cried a few tears, but I never saw them. She didn't pout, she didn't whine, and she didn't throw a fit. The Hubs and I were so impressed with how well she behaved, how mature she acted, and the way she accepted full responsibility that the anger (or maybe frustration) we had at her at church quickly melted away. When we got home we decided that while she needed to feel the sting of consequences of not listening to me about taking her money out like that, we wanted to reward her for her mature choices and actions. And hey, it IS her birthday money. We told her that we would give her half the money she lost. Again she accepted full responsibility and told me that it was her fault, we didn't need to give her money.
How my heart melted at what happened next.
I told Sister that we should pray about it. That sweet soul bowed her head and said, "Dear God, thank you for this day. Even though I lost my money, it was still a good day. If the person who has my money needs it more than me, I ask that you bless that money for them. If they don't need it more than me, please let them return it. Amen."
I can't even.
Bless.
Do I wish she hadn't lost her birthday money? Yes. Am I glad I got to witness this test? Absolutely. She already is a precious, sweet girl; full of compassion and mercy.
She is going to be an AMAZING woman of God.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
It is done!
Wow. That title made it sound like a chore. Like I am excited to be done with it. Like it is a horrific thing I am finishing and moving on. It wasn't anything like that. It was so far from that I can't even explain it. What we did wasn't extraordinary. It wasn't remarkable or amazing. But in 2014 we did something in our family that I honestly did not believe we could do.
We read the Bible all the way through as a family.
Was the first paragraph some un-fancy build-up then you thought "THAT is what she is excited about?" We didn't go deep sea diving. We didn't climb the tallest mountain (or with my knee, even the smallest of hills). We didn't go zip lining through a rain forest. We didn't go on a mission trip to help save orphans or feed families. But...
we read the Bible all the way through as a family.
I am not tooting our own horns. I'm really not. Other families have done far more amazing things for humanity and the planet. This really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but it is to me.
This is what I learned.
1) We can do it! I had no doubt that the hubs or I could do it. We have both read through the Bible before a couple of times. We just never have together.
2) If we put our minds to it and it is important enough to us, we can do something long-term. Sometimes we have these brilliant ideas and they last two weeks. Sometimes we say we will do it but it never gets farther than the discussion. Like organization. Or Bible study together. Or cleaning and organization.
3) It is important. Not only did it carve a few minutes of time every night to family only time, we were focusing on God's word during that time. It wasn't a selfish time, or a time to just spend together because we have to. It was time well spent. A quiet time with family and God.
4) My kids heard the Word. Sure, they hear it often throughout the week, at Sunday School and church or in books we read at home. They also heard it every single night. This ensured it. (Disclaimer: it wasn't every single night for 365 nights, but it was probably at LEAST 350+ of those nights. If we missed a night we made it up next day, except the week of Hayley's wedding - we might have missed 3-4 nights then, but we made it up.)
5) My kids not only heard the Word, they WANTED to hear the Word. I thought we would have to practically pull teeth to get them to sit through it every night. NO. Not even the 18/19 year old complained. He may not have always wanted to sit there, but not one complaint came from his mouth. Even the littles waited for that time. They looked forward to that time to sit down and cuddle with mama and dad and big bro before going to bed. If I ever said "time for bed" and we hadn't read yet, they were quick to say "after the Bible, right?".
6) Reading this Book all the way through from start to finish gave us a broader picture. In Sunday School, you hear the "important" stories. Adam and Eve; Moses; Samson; Kings Saul, David, & Solomon; Jesus; Paul. They are all important stories, don't get me wrong. But they don't give you the big picture. They don't help you see that since the fall of man, we have a God who is lovingly and painstakingly trying to woo us back to Him. You don't see that throughout history, He has been building up, story by story and brick by brick, to our redemption and restoration. Reading it page by page, story by story, my kids have a better understanding of what the Word is, who God is, and who they are in His story.
7) Hearing the Word of God out of your children's mouths is amazing. A was a good reader. She has been since the moment the reading light bulb came on. However, reading from the Bible, I honestly believe, has helped her become an even better reader. What is more precious than hearing your 7/8 year old read Scripture? Or how about that 5 year old who can't read yet, or is barely reading now, but wants so badly to "read it" that you take the extra time to read a half sentence and have him say it back? P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S.
Sure, there was a LOT they didn't understand. Shoot, there is a LOT I don't understand. But they have heard it. They craved it. They have hidden it in their hearts. I pray that this first reading was the first tiny seed of many seeds in years to come that fall on good soil and produce a great crop (Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:20). I pray that it was a foundation for their daily reading of the Word in many days and years to come.
Sure, reading the Bible all the way through in a year isn't something that people are amazed by and that some would even call foolish. However, it honestly was the best thing we have ever done. I didn't write this post so people would think "YAY Traver fam!" I didn't writ it so people can be amazed at our feat (and for us it was a feat!!). I wrote it so you can know that with small children it IS possible if you really want to do it AND So I can remember in years to come why I felt so blessed at the end of this year.
A truth quote has been floating around Facebook. I believe this wholeheartedly so I am going to end this post with this anonymous thought:
"If we don't teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to."
We read the Bible all the way through as a family.
Was the first paragraph some un-fancy build-up then you thought "THAT is what she is excited about?" We didn't go deep sea diving. We didn't climb the tallest mountain (or with my knee, even the smallest of hills). We didn't go zip lining through a rain forest. We didn't go on a mission trip to help save orphans or feed families. But...
we read the Bible all the way through as a family.
I am not tooting our own horns. I'm really not. Other families have done far more amazing things for humanity and the planet. This really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but it is to me.
This is what I learned.
1) We can do it! I had no doubt that the hubs or I could do it. We have both read through the Bible before a couple of times. We just never have together.
2) If we put our minds to it and it is important enough to us, we can do something long-term. Sometimes we have these brilliant ideas and they last two weeks. Sometimes we say we will do it but it never gets farther than the discussion. Like organization. Or Bible study together. Or cleaning and organization.
3) It is important. Not only did it carve a few minutes of time every night to family only time, we were focusing on God's word during that time. It wasn't a selfish time, or a time to just spend together because we have to. It was time well spent. A quiet time with family and God.
4) My kids heard the Word. Sure, they hear it often throughout the week, at Sunday School and church or in books we read at home. They also heard it every single night. This ensured it. (Disclaimer: it wasn't every single night for 365 nights, but it was probably at LEAST 350+ of those nights. If we missed a night we made it up next day, except the week of Hayley's wedding - we might have missed 3-4 nights then, but we made it up.)
5) My kids not only heard the Word, they WANTED to hear the Word. I thought we would have to practically pull teeth to get them to sit through it every night. NO. Not even the 18/19 year old complained. He may not have always wanted to sit there, but not one complaint came from his mouth. Even the littles waited for that time. They looked forward to that time to sit down and cuddle with mama and dad and big bro before going to bed. If I ever said "time for bed" and we hadn't read yet, they were quick to say "after the Bible, right?".
6) Reading this Book all the way through from start to finish gave us a broader picture. In Sunday School, you hear the "important" stories. Adam and Eve; Moses; Samson; Kings Saul, David, & Solomon; Jesus; Paul. They are all important stories, don't get me wrong. But they don't give you the big picture. They don't help you see that since the fall of man, we have a God who is lovingly and painstakingly trying to woo us back to Him. You don't see that throughout history, He has been building up, story by story and brick by brick, to our redemption and restoration. Reading it page by page, story by story, my kids have a better understanding of what the Word is, who God is, and who they are in His story.
7) Hearing the Word of God out of your children's mouths is amazing. A was a good reader. She has been since the moment the reading light bulb came on. However, reading from the Bible, I honestly believe, has helped her become an even better reader. What is more precious than hearing your 7/8 year old read Scripture? Or how about that 5 year old who can't read yet, or is barely reading now, but wants so badly to "read it" that you take the extra time to read a half sentence and have him say it back? P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S.
Sure, there was a LOT they didn't understand. Shoot, there is a LOT I don't understand. But they have heard it. They craved it. They have hidden it in their hearts. I pray that this first reading was the first tiny seed of many seeds in years to come that fall on good soil and produce a great crop (Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:20). I pray that it was a foundation for their daily reading of the Word in many days and years to come.
Sure, reading the Bible all the way through in a year isn't something that people are amazed by and that some would even call foolish. However, it honestly was the best thing we have ever done. I didn't write this post so people would think "YAY Traver fam!" I didn't writ it so people can be amazed at our feat (and for us it was a feat!!). I wrote it so you can know that with small children it IS possible if you really want to do it AND So I can remember in years to come why I felt so blessed at the end of this year.
A truth quote has been floating around Facebook. I believe this wholeheartedly so I am going to end this post with this anonymous thought:
"If we don't teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to."
Monday, June 9, 2014
Congratulations! You are grounded!!
I have been a parent for 23 years. In that time, I have had disorganized ideas of discipline. Some things stuck, some ideas didn't. I am not a huge fan of spankings, but believe me, I have delivered my share. I like the idea of timeout, but really, I think I might be the only one who benefits from those. Now that the littles are older, I have implemented grounding all over again. That always worked with J. Not so much with H. H wasn't into TV or computers or games, so what was I grounding her from? Not much. With J, I always unhooked the PS2 or the Xbox 360 and the TV until he earned it back. With the littles, for some reason I had a hard time making it stick. Or I could never come up with the right amount of time.
After perusing the Internet for summer fun a month or so ago, I ran across this little goodie: Grounded?? I immediately got started on my own list. I copied some from her list, used some from her list with different point values, and came up with some items of my own. I know this list is a work in progress, for example, I am thinking I really don't want my 5 year old to fix dinner for us by himself or do a load of laundry from start to finish.
I debated whether to have them earn 500 points. It seemed too easy. But really it isn't as easy as one would think. Just because I would rack up thousands of points a day doesn't mean it is easy enough for the littles to do it. However, this is discipline, a punishment for not-okay behavior. It shouldn't be easy. So I am going to go ahead and stick with 500 points for now. They still have to do their regular chores - straighten up their room, pick up their toys, etc. These are in addition.
A is already up to 140 points since this morning. I now have empty trashcans, 2 clean toilets, the living room/dining room dusted, and a sweet note (even if she wrote it to get points).
Oh my goodness. I am not going to lie. This is my new method of discipline. A clean house? Yes, please. I kinda hope they get grounded every week. (jk, really, I promise...)
After perusing the Internet for summer fun a month or so ago, I ran across this little goodie: Grounded?? I immediately got started on my own list. I copied some from her list, used some from her list with different point values, and came up with some items of my own. I know this list is a work in progress, for example, I am thinking I really don't want my 5 year old to fix dinner for us by himself or do a load of laundry from start to finish.
I debated whether to have them earn 500 points. It seemed too easy. But really it isn't as easy as one would think. Just because I would rack up thousands of points a day doesn't mean it is easy enough for the littles to do it. However, this is discipline, a punishment for not-okay behavior. It shouldn't be easy. So I am going to go ahead and stick with 500 points for now. They still have to do their regular chores - straighten up their room, pick up their toys, etc. These are in addition.
A is already up to 140 points since this morning. I now have empty trashcans, 2 clean toilets, the living room/dining room dusted, and a sweet note (even if she wrote it to get points).
Oh my goodness. I am not going to lie. This is my new method of discipline. A clean house? Yes, please. I kinda hope they get grounded every week. (jk, really, I promise...)
Saturday, March 22, 2014
March date with the Littles
Man I love my kiddos. They are fun to be around and they are funny. I wish I had thought of dating my kiddos when the bigs were little. Times were different then, though, and it never dawned on me. So for those of you who are just starting out in your married lives or with your little ones...date your kids. And date your hubs. It gives you good times and great memories. Your kiddos will look forward to spending that special time with you and they will remember and know you liked being with them.
Okay, off my soapbox. This last weekend was Mama/A date day and Daddy/B date day.
A and I started out at the food pantry. This is by far one of my fave things to do with little girl once a month. Somehow we miss it every now and then and I cannot imagine why. I love watching her interact with people she knows, love watching her keep my table stocked, and love watching her think it is good and fun to help others. During this time we forget what toys we want, what shows we want to watch, etc and focus on what others need. But we obviously don't forget how to make silly faces.
Then little girl and I rode up to CoMO with Daddy and B and we went to a Mizzou softball game. Yes, I had some crazy hair. I got a pic of us, but somehow never bothered to get one of the game. Sadly, the Tigers lost by 1 to UK, but UK was a higher ranked team (UK was 8th, MU was 16th). We still had a great time. I tried to explain the game of softball to her. She played tball last year, but they didn't have strikes or outs and everyone ran around the plate, so she hasn't caught on yet how that all works. I hope we can get it figured out soon since baseball/softball starts up the end of next month!
Then we met up with Daddy and B again, who had been out hiking somewhere. We took the kiddos to Cosmo Park, but it had been partially torn up so we didn't stay long.
Next we went to the Columbia Mall and had dinner and the littles rode on the carousel.
After a full day of being outside, running around, and food (pantry and the mall), we settled in for a van ride to grandma's, complete with more food and drink and the movie Sinbad.
I know I said it before, but date your kiddos. Sometimes we spend so much time reading how to be good parents, researching fun things, looking into how we can improve our kids {grades, skills, chances} that we forget to just spend time with our kids. They will be much better humans in this world when they know their parents love them by spending time with them. They don't need more busy-ness, more programs, more sports. They need more YOU. Glennon Doyle from Momastery posted this picture on Facebook earlier today and it is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Wish I had known this before.
Okay, off my soapbox. This last weekend was Mama/A date day and Daddy/B date day.
A and I started out at the food pantry. This is by far one of my fave things to do with little girl once a month. Somehow we miss it every now and then and I cannot imagine why. I love watching her interact with people she knows, love watching her keep my table stocked, and love watching her think it is good and fun to help others. During this time we forget what toys we want, what shows we want to watch, etc and focus on what others need. But we obviously don't forget how to make silly faces.
Then we met up with Daddy and B again, who had been out hiking somewhere. We took the kiddos to Cosmo Park, but it had been partially torn up so we didn't stay long.
Next we went to the Columbia Mall and had dinner and the littles rode on the carousel.
I know I said it before, but date your kiddos. Sometimes we spend so much time reading how to be good parents, researching fun things, looking into how we can improve our kids {grades, skills, chances} that we forget to just spend time with our kids. They will be much better humans in this world when they know their parents love them by spending time with them. They don't need more busy-ness, more programs, more sports. They need more YOU. Glennon Doyle from Momastery posted this picture on Facebook earlier today and it is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Wish I had known this before.
Monday, March 10, 2014
I'm bored
Oh my goodness. I love snow. I really do. I am a winter baby. Love it. Love Fall. Fave time of the year is from September through February. Without a doubt. But old man winter is playing a joke on me this year. Kind of like ~ watch what you wish for, I'm gonna give it to you in spades. We have had more snow than I can remember in recent history, except maybe during that blizzard a couple of years ago. We have also had the coldest temps I can remember. And school was canceled a time or two in January. Then four or five days in February.
I love my kids. They are some precious little people. I do realize that I was blessed abundantly by four kids who want to be good all the time and who truly understand the Bible or are striving to. So let me just lay that out there. I know I am blessed. I know they are good.
I also know that I have two chatty-Cathy's living under my roof. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, blah, blah, blah, talk, talk. All day long. Sometimes loudly. Sometimes quietly. Sometimes to me, sometimes about me. Before you get all "Gee, I wonder where they get it", yeah, I know, their DAD talks a lot too. Okay, and maybe me too. But still.
Almost two years ago I made everyone downsize from the too-big-for-us-but-we-are-filling-it-up house to a way small one. Did you know that when there is a snow day and they can't go outside, that our way small house is SMALLER? Especially when mama is exhausted because she doesn't know how to sleep anymore? Try four snow days and two weekend days in a 7 day period of time? At one point I told A "Only boring people are bored. Go to your room and use your imagination." This is what she came up with.
After one of those many February snow days, I decided I was going to finally get around to doing an I'm bored jar that I had done research on. The template I liked best I found at Shabby Beach Nest. I read through her ideas and some could work and some couldn't. I am so thankful she left some blank ones. I thought up more of my own and included those. So I worked on them. They are done. Now maybe there won't be so many "Mama, I'm bored" convos. I am super excited to start using them with my kiddos. And I made them just in time for the RiDiCuLoUs amount of snow they predicted for that next weekend (which didn't materialize). Don't fret ~ there are some chores in there too. Ha ha, you're bored? It is called Idea Roulette {I'm so darn clever}. You can't figure out how to use your imagination? I'll help you. Got a chore? Too bad.
Yeah, I'm mean like that. But I bet a time or two of getting a chore will help encourage and grow the imaginations.
Love it.
I love my kids. They are some precious little people. I do realize that I was blessed abundantly by four kids who want to be good all the time and who truly understand the Bible or are striving to. So let me just lay that out there. I know I am blessed. I know they are good.
I also know that I have two chatty-Cathy's living under my roof. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, blah, blah, blah, talk, talk. All day long. Sometimes loudly. Sometimes quietly. Sometimes to me, sometimes about me. Before you get all "Gee, I wonder where they get it", yeah, I know, their DAD talks a lot too. Okay, and maybe me too. But still.
Almost two years ago I made everyone downsize from the too-big-for-us-but-we-are-filling-it-up house to a way small one. Did you know that when there is a snow day and they can't go outside, that our way small house is SMALLER? Especially when mama is exhausted because she doesn't know how to sleep anymore? Try four snow days and two weekend days in a 7 day period of time? At one point I told A "Only boring people are bored. Go to your room and use your imagination." This is what she came up with.
After one of those many February snow days, I decided I was going to finally get around to doing an I'm bored jar that I had done research on. The template I liked best I found at Shabby Beach Nest. I read through her ideas and some could work and some couldn't. I am so thankful she left some blank ones. I thought up more of my own and included those. So I worked on them. They are done. Now maybe there won't be so many "Mama, I'm bored" convos. I am super excited to start using them with my kiddos. And I made them just in time for the RiDiCuLoUs amount of snow they predicted for that next weekend (which didn't materialize). Don't fret ~ there are some chores in there too. Ha ha, you're bored? It is called Idea Roulette {I'm so darn clever}. You can't figure out how to use your imagination? I'll help you. Got a chore? Too bad.
Yeah, I'm mean like that. But I bet a time or two of getting a chore will help encourage and grow the imaginations.
Love it.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Dating My Kids
Back in December, Michael and I had two brilliant ideas. Mine was that we needed to start dating our kids. His was we should start reading the Bible all the way through as a family. Both were great and both started in January. We have done a spectacular job of keeping up with both {so far}. In January, Daddy and B went on their date. They walked around at Shooter's Club and dad showed B how to shoot. B was too scared to do it himself, but he enjoyed watching Dad. They walked around some more, then went to JC and met A and I for lunch. Afterwards they went to Lowe's and got a project to build together.
A and I started our day out helping at the food pantry. Then we went to JC, had lunch with the boys, got her ears pierced, and went home to give each other mani/pedis.
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| silly kids playing at the mall |
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| scared to get her ears pierced |
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| I'd say panicked at this point. |
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| then happy it was all over |
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| home pedi |
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| working on her own nails |
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| doing mine |
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| working on his monster truck |
After the party, A, B, Daddy, and I went to JC to see Frozen. Kids loved it. Jury is still out as far as I'm concerned. Then we ate at BWW. Really nothing needs to be said here. Just based on that alone it would have been a great day. Had a great meal, then headed to Barnes & Noble where each kiddo got to pick out a new book. We drove Daddy and A back to his car and they headed home. B and I got a Frosty from Wendy's then I took B bowling for the first time. That boy is a hoot. He was super excited. He would "throw" the ball (aka roll it gently) down the lane, then would drop to the floor, lean to the side and watch the ball go down. All I can say is thank goodness for bumpers. If I hadn't the bumpers for him, I would have had half the score I did. I didn't even have good scores. We were all tired, so we went home, where I got to fix A's hair for her date with Daddy at her school's dance.
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| the kids love playing this game at the movie theatre (above and below) |
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| BWW - one of the BEST. PLACES. EVER. |
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| "reading" the book A picked out at B&N while A is playing at the mall |
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| He was super excited to put on bowling shoes. |
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| good job, B!! |
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| Crazy kid did this nearly every time he bowled. |
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| or did this. He is watching the ball roll down. |
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| She wanted a sassy pose before her pose with Daddy. |
These are great times. I hope when they are older they can look back at these dates and days with fond memories and smiles. Love dating my kids.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
{My word for} 2014
As I sit here typing the title for this blog post, I struggle. I first typed 2013, I backed it up and then typed 2015. I backed it up one more time and finally got that 4 right. 2014. A year I honestly thought would never come. It is going to be a big year. A year of firsts and a year of lasts. Wait...I had to backspace and change laughs to lasts. But it will be a year for laughs, too, and I am sure a year for tears. There are a few things I am pretty certain of, Lord willing, and a few that I will be surprised by.
In 2014, my last kiddo will graduate preschool (again!! they do it every year) for the last time, 3 days later J will graduate from high school, and 6 days later H will graduate from college. A few days after that, H is moving to another state. Which state that ends up being, time will tell.
In 2014, my last kiddo will start kindergarten and my oldest will brave her way into the workforce. J will start college and A will be in 2nd grade.
In 2014, A will start either piano or dance lessons, or both, depending on who wins this one. B will FINALLY be old enough to do swim lessons and tball in Cali in the summer and soccer in the fall. He has been waiting HIS. WHOLE. LIFE. for this.
I know we will suffer losses, but I also know we will gain much more.
I am super excited for this next year and what it will bring. I have so many expectations, so many things I think MIGHT happen that I won't even list here just in case...
So that leads me to my word for 2014. If you have read some of my posts lately you won't be surprised.
Minimally.
I want to live minimally.
I want there to be less junk, less excess, less pride, less prejudice, less stuff, less stress, less of me (both figuratively and let's face it physically!!). When there is less, when one lives minimally, there is always more. More time with family, more time with friends, more memories, more blessings, and most importantly when there is less of me there is more of God.
So as we get ready to kick off 2014, I look back over the last 22 years. Happy New Year, y'all.
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In 2014, my last kiddo will graduate preschool (again!! they do it every year) for the last time, 3 days later J will graduate from high school, and 6 days later H will graduate from college. A few days after that, H is moving to another state. Which state that ends up being, time will tell.
In 2014, my last kiddo will start kindergarten and my oldest will brave her way into the workforce. J will start college and A will be in 2nd grade.
In 2014, A will start either piano or dance lessons, or both, depending on who wins this one. B will FINALLY be old enough to do swim lessons and tball in Cali in the summer and soccer in the fall. He has been waiting HIS. WHOLE. LIFE. for this.
I know we will suffer losses, but I also know we will gain much more.
I am super excited for this next year and what it will bring. I have so many expectations, so many things I think MIGHT happen that I won't even list here just in case...
So that leads me to my word for 2014. If you have read some of my posts lately you won't be surprised.
Minimally.
I want to live minimally.
I want there to be less junk, less excess, less pride, less prejudice, less stuff, less stress, less of me (both figuratively and let's face it physically!!). When there is less, when one lives minimally, there is always more. More time with family, more time with friends, more memories, more blessings, and most importantly when there is less of me there is more of God.
So as we get ready to kick off 2014, I look back over the last 22 years. Happy New Year, y'all.
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