Do it With Gusto

Today I got to go and help out with my 8 year olds Scout group. I really didn't do much but crowd control(I was asked to help just a couple of hours before hand), but it was fun to be there with C. That boy is just the sweetest thing ever!! While we were there the whole group walked over to the park to help and clean it up. As we walked he stayed right by me and even held my hand.(I think most 8 year olds would be way too cool to hold their mom's hand right in front of everyone). It was so fun to be with him and talk to him about what is going on in school. I don't get these one on one moments with him nearly enough as he has gotten to an age that he loves to go and hang out with his friends. All summer long, the first question he would ask me was if he could go to his friend's house who lives around the corner. So, today it was one of those moments as a mom that you just want to freeze frame. It felt so gratifying to be holding my son's hand and just listen to all that he had to say. My heart was bursting with love for him. I hope he never gets too old to hug me in public, in fact I think if he hasn't yet, then I am hoping that he never will.
This morning he had run to pick up aforementioned friend to go and catch the bus. I had walked outside in my pj's just to see that they had connected with him so he wasn't out at the bus alone. I couldn't see him because he was still on the neighbor's porch. I called his name and he said, "I am right here". I said, "I just wanted to make sure you were ok". He then came running up to me (I thought that he must have forgotten something important he needed). He threw his arms around me(with his buddy not too far off) and said, "I love you Mom". Seriously, what 8 year old kid does that?
We are making a pretty big move here shortly and he has been exercising his faith and asking the Lord to help him to not be sad about it. I am so proud of him in every way. He is smart as a tack, sweet as pie and handsome too. I am allowed to brag, I am his mother! I have 3 other equally wonderful children, but today I had a lot of fun with C and I wanted to jot it down.

Today was such a great day! The weather, although forecast to be rainy, turned out to be beautiful. My husband was home all day and we spent it with our kids. We even topped it off with roasting marshmallows over some nice coals on the back patio. As I write this, the smell of campfire smoke is still lingering on my cardigan I wore to keep the evening chill away. My kids played happily together most of the day and I didn't even check my email or look at work etc. Glorious! It isn't too often that I feel this kind of satisfaction at the end of the day, so I just had to hop on here and write about it. I wish I could bottle this feeling and open it on the gray afternoons when life seems heavy and hard. I hope everyone else had a good memorial day too. I am thankful for all those in uniform who have sacrificed so much, even their lives, to protect my liberty and way of life.

I am thankful for each good thing I have in my life, but here are a few I have though about today.

Liberty and Freedom
A Comfortable Home
A Sunny Day today
A Devoted Husband
Sweet kids

In September, life changed for me. The kids went back to school and I got a job working from home. I had a baby in June and with the added responsibility of a squishy little infant and a new job, my head began to spin. I think it spun for about four months straight. I know that many moms out there who may be reading this will have little sympathy, as many moms wear several different hats and have to jugggle house work with work work(not that house work isn't work work, but you know what I mean), but hear me out. I have been grateful for the added income which I call my mad cash, you know, money I get to do whatever I want with and don't have to answer to anyone about. Let's be honest though, as a mom that usually means extra socks and onesies that your husband may not think is necessary, but since you do the laundry, you know it is. As grateful as I have been, I have cut certain things out that I just don't have the same time for anymore. One of those has been blogging. Occasionally I will jump on and read a couple of the blogs that I favor, but posting on my own, forget about it.

Well, my head is beginning to rest on my shoulders the way it used to and I intend to start writing more. I really enjoy it. My faith encourages me to keep a journal, but it is one of many aspects of my life that I am not quite succeeding as I would like to be. So, I hope that one day, all the posts I have already written and those I have yet to write will serve as a little history for some of my experiences.

One other thing that I will be doing every time I post is writing a few things I am thankful for. A woman at church got up to share her experiences in keeping a gratitude journal. She said it changed her life and brought her so much joy.

Some things I am thankful for right now are:

A tall glass of ice water that I can get in 10 seconds flat(remember when only the rich kids had an ice dispenser on their fridge?)

A soft rocking chair where I love to escape the noise and nurse my sweet Jane.

A car that starts up without fail every time I turn the key.

Hot showers.

PS. I saw Megamind today and I almost teared up, I mean it's so sweet to see the redemption of a evil, blue genius. No really, I was dreading it, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. It is probably playing at a sticky shoe near you and I suggest you take your kiddos to see it. Speaking of the sticky shoe, my kids asked me on the way why we never go to the 8 dollar movies that are down the block instead of the 3 dollar one that is 15 minutes away. I said because there are 4 of us and when we go to the 3 dollar theater, it saves us 20 dollars to go out to eat or something later. Well, when we got home and I starting cooking dinner, my "smart" son said, "Wait, I thought you said that we went to the 3 dollar movie so we could go out to eat?" Man, I hate it when they use things that I have said against me.

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

Today'sMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?

My Holiday wish for my family is, continued health and love for each other. Those are 2 things that can't be bought. I also wish for a more grateful heart to appreciate all that the Lord has blessed us with.

2. What is your Christmas morning / Hanukkah Nightly tradition?

On Christmas morning we all line up from youngest to oldest and we wait for my husband to go out to our family room and make sure that Santa came. Then we walk into the room and the kids run to their designated spots to check out what Santa brought to them.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?

To have my husband home every night.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?

Every night in December when we drive into our neighborhood, we go the long way around. We drive slowly past each decorated house and just ooh and ahh.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?

We made up cheesy games that were so fun. With lots of brothers and sisters there is never a dull moment. We also spent plenty of time in front of the old nintendo. We recently downloaded the old super mario bros. and my kids thought I was a rock star because I knew all the game's secrets!

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?

Warm homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas/Hanukkah-away-from-home trip?

I think it would be fun to take the family to Hawaii for Christmas, Melikilimaka Baby!!:)

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?

The top three for me are a DS XL, a DS XL and a DS XL.:) I have 3 kids who desperately want to have a DS, but I just can't make it work in my brain to buy 3 of them. And how do I buy it for one kid and not the others? I thought about buying one for them all to share, but let's be honest, that would probably end in disaster! That is why this giveaway is so amazing!

People keep asking me who baby Jane looks like. I always feel a little narcissistic claiming that she looks like me. Today though I found a picture that shows just how much she does look like me. Check it out!




I know the picture of me is small and a little worse for wear, but can't you see it?

To all moms everywhere... You are amazing! I don't know how you get up and do it everyday. Life just zooms by and it seems like I never even have a moment to breathe . However, we did have a really fun Halloween and I wanted to put up a pic or two of some of the fun we have had this month! I found myself thinking at several points along the way this month, "so how did this tradition ever get started"? I mean who would think of taking a pumpkin, scooping out the guts, only to carve a face in it? At what point did children start going out and knocking on doors shouting trick or treat, to be rewarded with candy while dressed up as all sorts of characters? Don't get me wrong, I love these things, but really, if you were to explain some of these rituals to someone who didn't grow up experiencing it, they might look at you like you are a bit crazy. This time of year always signals the passage of time and when I look at these pictures of my kids, I can't believe how big they are getting. Especially the wee one in the pink! Oh, how I wish I could slow her down a little!

Tonight was one of those nights. Looking at the kitchen just made me tired. Maybe I exhausted all my cooking mojo on yesterday's project, or maybe it was another night cooking for the kids(husband gone) that would most likely result in many upturned noses with disgusted faces anyway. Whatever is was, we ended up in a drive thru. Starts with a Mick and ends with a dees.
In my efforts to make it like a real dinner, we brought it home and "set the table". A cute neighbor girl who is friend's with my daughter was eating with us and she said, "Wow, I don't think I have ever eaten Mcdonald's on plates before." That must give me some extra mother points right(with the minus for fast food, if I carry the one I might break even)?

I even added some fresh produce in a fruitless attempt to balance out the meal a bit.

In the end though, the evidence was right before my eyes. The red boxes full of fat-filled french fries were empty. The plate with my "produce", not very fancy, just a sliced apple seems to be completely full.



I guess it is a good thing I cleaned up most of the table, but left the apples out. By the end of the night, the kids had one by one moseyed their way back to the table for a slice or two. Their bodies must have been screaming for some real food.