Check it out

I have suggested this blog to many of my friends and am posting it for all to have to opportunity to visit. Fair warning -- it is addicting! This amazing mother of 4 is on a spiritual journey with her equally amazing husband and children. She is an inspiration to me to be a better wife and mother, as well as a better friend. Her faith in the Lord at every turn in her journey is unwavering -- a true light for Christ in this world. Be sure to click on the left side to start from the beginning to get the entire story!

Bring the Rain

Meet Fuzzy

Jillian has a new pet -- a brown fuzzy caterpillar! She spied him on our walk down the path after Kindergarten today. I'm quite surprised she found it, as we we're hustling as fast a we could through the hundreds of grasshoppers that have taken over our overgrown neighborhood (but that's another story). We tried to get it to climb on a stick, but instead it curled up tight into a ball. So we marked the spot and ran back to the house for a jar (um, huffin' and puffin' -- I gotta get to the gym!). Now Fuzzy, or Gabrielle as Jillian wants to call her(?) has a cozy home complete with a stick and leaves. Of course, she isn't getting any peace and quiet in there as Jillian just can't leave her alone. Now I've got to figure out a way to keep this thing alive so I don't have a sad girl. Anyone experienced in the capture and care of fuzzy caterpillars?

Be Here

One of my personal goals is to be more real, to show my true self. It is one of our goals as leadership in MOPS this year, to be real and authentic in order to encourage our moms to get to know one another and develop meaningful relationships. My intent for this blog was to enable family and friends that live far away to keep up with my ever growing, ever changing kids. And I'm sure that is the motivation for you to check the blog on a regular, or not so regular basis -- to see what cute pictures are posted and to hear about funny things the kids did or said or see their accomplishments big and small. Well, now you will occasionally have to suffer through my thoughts . . . sorry! I am also trying to be more purposeful in the interactions and time I spend with my kids. Rather than trying to keep them busy while I clean, cook, organize, etc. I am simply trying to "be here" with them while I have them at home.

As I watched the girls this morning while they were waiting for the bus, I thought how great it is to just be a kid. They were cold waiting outside in the wind, and so took cover in the garage. This immediately turned into a ballet class. Now, neither of my girls has ever taken ballet, and from the looks of things their friend Reese hasn't either! It was fun to watch them take turns giving instructions -- the steps and moves they created were, well, let's say inventive (as opposed to graceful, which I think ballet is supposed to be). Then the bus rounded the corner and they scrambled to get their backpacks on and race the bus to the corner, giggling all the way. And I thought, wow, I wish my days were like that -- filled with anticipation, fun, laughter, friends, security . . .

Yesterday -

- On the way to swimming lessons, Delaney informed me that "mom, when I'm older, I'll likely settle around these parts." Around these parts??? Where in the world did she pick up that phrase?

- I was actually excited when Elliott ate an entire chicken mcnugget at McDonald's for dinner last night. Does that make me a bad mom? Those of you that know him well, know that Big E doesn't eat much more than fruit and breakfast food (yogurt, cereal, pancakes, bagels). So I was thrilled when he ate something that resembled meat and might have had a trace amount of protein. Lord help me, but Delaney, Jillian and I all celebrated his "sucess" with cheers and applause!

A lesson for mommy

Not that I need any more, but this is just another reason that I love my Jillybean! Okay, I know I'm a bad mom -- today I was racing to get home from our morning errands, and knew I was barely going to beat the bus to our house. Well, the bus beat me and because I wasn't home, took Jillian along for the remainder of the route. I called the bus company just to check in, and the nice lady on the phone radioed to the driver. "Auntie Sheila" was enjoying Jillian's company and would drop her off on her way back in -- about 45 minutes later than Jillian usually gets home. Feeling terrible and worrying how this would affect Jillian's feelings about riding the bus from now on, I busied myself with putting away the groceries and playing every kind of ball he could dig out of the garage with Elliott. Finally, after what seemed to me like forever, the bus pulled up to the driveway. Expecting to see tears and hear "mommy where were you?" I walked down the driveway to meet my princess, who came bounding down the steps of the bus and skipping across the street. As she flung herself into my waiting arms, Jillian joyfully told me "mommy, I got to see where all my friends live!!!"

I'll be thinking of this the next time things don't go my way.

School girls

1st Grader - Delaney

Kindergarten - Jillian


Off to the bus they go - umbrellas up and ready for the rain!

On his own . . .

Elliott was missing his sisters this morning. It is unusual for him to be home with just mommy, so he had to find ways to keep himself entertained. My personal favorite? Tucking his sippy cup under a couch pillow, covering his eyes and counting to 3 and exclaiming "ready or not here I come!" Seriously -- he did this three or four times and it was laugh-out-loud funny every time.