Folded Laundry

10 Reasons I Don't Get Enough Sleep

The sacrifices we make as moms are endless. These sacrifices can become especially noticeable at night, in the wee hours, when we are forced to leave our warm and comfy beds and interrupt our precious few hours of blissful unconsciousness. I've realized these are my top 10 reasons for getting out of bed in the night...

1. "Mommy, I can't find my teddy bear."
2. "Mama- I need to pee. No, you have to come...because its DARK!"
3. I have to pee.
4. Baby wants to nurse.
5. Turn on the fan for my husband.
6. Turn off the fan because I'm shivering.
7. Kick the dog off the bed.
8. Fight for blankets.
9. Urine, vomit, someone's thirsty...pretty much pick a fluid, going out or in...and I end up out of bed.
10. I have to pee...again.

I don't believe I will ever rest peacefully again. These reasons only seem to change as my children age, instead of disappearing. While I grumble and stumble around in the dark now, I dread the future nights spent out of bed for a missed curfew, screaming girly slumber parties, and the quiet emptiness when they move out. 

What/who keeps you up at night? 

10 Moments From Our Christmas Tree Hunt

Off we go!

There it is! Our perfect tree!

Cutting it down

Thankful for a strong Daddy to carry it down!

Binding up the tree to fit it in the truck

Sadly, the best family pic we got. Haha

I forgot how messy a real tree can be!

Clean up crew

All ready to decorate!

Advent Activities

So we are already 4 days into our advent activities and loving it!

Today we filled out our Christmas lists...

We've decided not to introduce the magical fat man, Santa, and instead keep Christmas focused on Jesus. Thus, instead of letters to Santa, our kids are filling out Christmas wish lists for US!

 

You can find the printable I made for our lists here!

 

This is our first year doing advent activities, now that our oldest is finally big enough. I searched high and low for a list of perfect experiences rather than gifts, chocolates or stories, because I wanted our advent to be filled with memories instead of just stuff. 

I had a hard time finding things that the whole family could do, so I ended up making my own advent calendar and baby/toddler friendly family activities. Here are a list of 10 of my favorites (that aren't simply picking out or decorating a tree) we will ALL be doing this year:

In no particular order...

1. Take a photo every hour of the day.
2. Dinner in a fort, followed by a Christmas lights drive!
3. Making a candy nativity scene instead of a gingerbread house.
4. Making a card and mailing it to a friend/family member of our choice.
5. Unplugging from ALL electronics for a whole day. Family time!
6. Christmas music dance party.
7. Snowman building.
8. Slumber party by the Christmas tree.
9. Delivering Christmas treats to our neighbors and nearby family.
10. Polar Express movie night with a hot chocolate bar.

What are your favorite advent activities? 

 

A Mom's Thanksgiving

It's that time again. Everyone is posting their 30 days of things that they're thankful for all over my social media timelines, and I have to admit, sometimes I gag a little.

I started this post with the intention of writing 30 things I'm NOT thankful for this time of year, but before I could even finish, I began to have a change of heart and jump on the bandwagon. Maybe you'll have one too. Here are 10 things I think we moms have every reason to give thanks for all year round...

1. Dark circles under our eyes.

I hate these. If you're a mom, its likely you have these too to some degree. I hate how tired and worn I look in the mirror some mornings and how much they seem to have aged me since I became a mommy. Dark circles, or if you're even more unlucky, bags under your eyes are a part of life now, and I've found a way to be thankful.

These dark circles come and go with our sleep (or lack thereof) and mean we were able to spend precious moments in the night with our babies at their most vulnerable. Those quiet minutes (and sometimes hours) in the middle of the night snuggling and rocking, singing and soothing, when only mommy would do. As much as I hate my dark circles, someday I will miss them, so for now, I am grateful.

{This may also make you thankful for good concealer and strong coffee. :) }

2. Stretch marks.

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Again, not pretty, but a badge of honor, because you carried your babies to term and were left with physical scars to remember that special time in your life.

Not everyone is given the opportunity to experience pregnancy, and these women would probably consider stretch marks a small price to pay to feel a little person kick for the first time or sport a beach ball belly under a less than flattering maternity shirt.

I am thankful then for my stretch marks because they mean I carried and delivered 2 healthy baby girls.

I am thankful that no matter how much they fade or shrink, they are the only tattoos I carry to remind me of my special 9 months with each of them.

3. Laundry.

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Its tedious, its annoying, and it can seem never-ending, but I am thankful.

It means my my family has plenty of clean clothes to wear.

It means my daughters have enough to eat when I spend time rubbing stain remover on ketchup marks.

It makes me smile to see grass/dirt stains and wear spots on my 3 year old's pants because they are the remnants of a good time had, can only be a result of play, and often accompany her sweet laughter. 

It's an honor to pick off melted crayon, soak a paint stain, or find a smiley face sticker in the lint tray because it means they are learning, creating, and growing. 

I am thankful for laundry.

4. Sweatpants.

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I am thankful for sweat pants. Ok, not for their flattering fit, or the fashion statement they make, but for their existence. I love getting dressed up as much as the next girl, but sweat pants mean comfort in my home.

They allow me to romp around the play room with my daughters, chase the baby in circles, snuggle my husband at bed time, and not think twice about ironing dress pants.

This also makes me thankful for jeans and t-shirts when I have to make myself presentable. :)

5. Ponytails.

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I don't know about you, but I seldom have time to style my hair. Often blow drying it is a luxury I don't get to indulge in. Therefore, I am thankful for ponytails. I am thankful they're in style, I am thankful that they're easy, and I'm thankful to be able to throw my hair up and look put together. 

6. Cold season.

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Alright, so I'm not REALLY thankful for this one, but a decent cold or flu running through our little family does make me appreciate our health the other 95% of the time.

7. Pinterest.

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Because...obviously.

I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. I find it to be an enormous time-suck, and it can really do a number on a mom's self esteem to see all these other crafty moms or do-it-all chefs blogging away about their awesomeness and leaves me wondering where they find the time to do it all.

However, it has also become a resource for homeschool, a go-to for new dinner recipes, and a wealth of creative ideas to enhance our holidays and organization.

I am thankful for evil Pinterest...there, I've said it, you know you are too.

8. Those toys scattered everywhere.

You've heard the jokes about stepping on legos in the night. They certainly have a ring of truth to them.

It can be annoying to see an overturned toy box, dolls or trucks scattered all over the room you just cleaned, or find army men and barbies in places you never would have imagined, but for all this I am thankful.

I am thankful my children have toys to play with, toys we can donate, and toys I can secretly toss out or switch off when they aren't looking. I am thankful they have these tools to learn to share with, enhance their imagination, and build memories upon.

The occasional lego on the floor was once a tall tower my daughter was happily building, or a castle the baby was gleefully smashing in Kenzie's absence. 

9. Snow

I hate the cold and I hate snow. If I had my way it would snow 1 week a year (just for Christmas) and then melt away magically.

I hate shoveling, driving in blizzards, scraping off car windows, and wearing a coat. Since having kids though, I have found a reason to again be thankful for winter and snow.

I am thankful for their excitement when they see the first snowflakes of the season, for sledding in the yard, tiny snow angels in my lawn, and how cute my kids look all bundled up like eskimos.

10. Thanksgiving

This one was never going to be on the list of things I'm not thankful for, but I am so thankful for it I am including it no matter what.

I LOVE holidays. I love to cook, I love for family to get together, I love anything I can make a really big deal out of and any chance to celebrate.

Thanksgiving ranks just under Christmas and birthdays in my book. I am thankful for good food and good family. I am thankful that we have so many thanksgiving dinners to choose from and attend, and I am thankful for this yearly reminder of everything I have to be thankful for. 

10 Reasons (You May Not Have Thought Of) Why Being A SAHM Is The Best

10 Reasons (You May Not Have Thought Of) Why Being A SAHM Is The Best

1. The schedule. Sure I don't get any time off, but I wake up when I want, go to bed when I want, and for the most part do what I want (while dragging along a few kidlets), but at least I'm never lonely! I don't have to find a replacement if I'm sick or call in for time off when my kids get ill...bonus.

2. My alarm clock wakes me with kisses. (She also poops her pants...but that still beats waking up via heart attack to loud beeping).

3. I can take a nap, sometimes, on the job. 

4. My bosses love it when we wear pajamas all day long.

5. I don't have to pack a lunch, buy a lunch, or take anyone I don't like out to lunch.

6. I don't have to pay for day care or hear that my child has been bitten, kicked, bullied, gotten sick or caught lice from their classmate. I can also monitor what my children are exposed to (i.e. I have only myself to blame for a new naughty word or that less than wholesome breakfast of popsicles on the sofa).

7. I get paid in hugs and kisses.

8. I will never miss a first step, chance to kiss a boo boo, school function or sporting event.

9. Bad weather means movie days in the play room instead of long commutes and treacherous driving conditions. (And let's face it...kids' movies these days are pretty funny.)

10. No 2 days are EVER alike. 

 

Tuesday 10 | Update

Where have I been?

Here's a little update!

1. Klara is WALKING! That's right! 10 months old and walking around! She is either much more cautious than her older sister was or much smarter. She prefers to only take 4-5 steps at a time while grinning like a madwoman and then slowly lower herself to the ground. We are convinced she could go much further if she wished, but she prefers not to let us in on her little secret yet so she can whine and be carried a bit longer. 

2. Kris is currently handicapped. Sadly, with no real one moment or injury to attribute it to, my hubs has partially torn his rotator cuff. He is sadly confined to a reclining position with ice on his shoulder, or walking around with his arm strapped to his body...he is not excited. After a few visits to the ER and one orthopedic Dr's appointment under our belts, it looks like next week we will be discussing the possibility of surgery. Pray for a speedy recovery for him!

3. Our family Ultimate Burger Cook Off is this weekend at our house! Men vs. women, so if you have any tips, tricks, or the ultimate burger recipe...send it my way (hit the contact me portion on the blog here) or tweet me. Help us girls bring home the victory!

4. We had our first class at our new church to become full members! We will be meeting with the pastor for the next few months until we have covered everything. If you are curious, we are joining a WELS Lutheran church after growing up in ELCA churches, that is the reason for the classes.

5. Kenzie has started homeschool for preschool! We are using the Sonlight program and looooove it. You can check out the curriculum's here. I've also been incorporating some extra things on my own. We're slowly going through the alphabet, our numbers, colors, and learning little tidbits like our address and phone number. She is excited every day for "school" and is doing incredibly well!

6. The Good Morning Girls Proverbs 31 study is drawing to a close...but it doesn't have to be the end! For those of you in my group on Facebook that expressed interest, friends, family, and anyone else who wants to join us, I will be leading a study using THIS blog, facebook, and twitter starting in a few weeks. We will be reading the book What Women Fear by Angie Smith. Here is a link to the book if you'd like to purchase it, otherwise it is available on itunes and kindle etc. I'll be posting the study guide in a week or two and will be creating a Facebook discussion group and twitter hashtag to follow! Shoot me an e-mail if you'd like to join us!

7. I will be throwing my second baby's first birthday party in only a little over a month! Time is flying! Check out my pinterest if you want to see birthday party ideas or send me any fun ones!

8. My husband's business is off and running and keeping him busier than ever! We are so proud of him and all his hard work and determination! Make sure to follow him on twitter here, after you follow me of course!

9. I am looking for guest posters! If you're interested (whether you have a blog or not) contact me and we will get you scheduled!

10. I promise to blog more! I certainly got out of the "groove" for a while there and neglected the blog. Now that you are up to date we can begin again! 

 

10 Things You Should Start Doing As A Family

1. Make family dinners mandatory.

 Why WOULDN'T you? In case you are still on the fence for some reason, here's 2 statistics that should sway you:

    Adolescent girls who have frequent family meals, and a positive atmosphere during those meals, are less likely to have eating disorders. (University of Minnesota, 2004)

Kids who eat most often with their parents are 40% more likely to say they get mainly A’s and B’s in school than kids who have two or fewer family dinners a week. (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University)

2. Family devotions/read the bible

How to: 

• Pick a time
• Read from God's Word (there's no right or wrong way to do this or place to start)
• Discuss
• Pray together

3. Set a tv timer and stick to it.

Because yuck...we all know what happens to couch potato kids.

4. Exercise together

Again...couch potatoes. You don't have to sign up for a boot camp, just get off your butts!

5. Go to church.

 Studies show that children who go to church learn many valuable life skills outside that translate outside of church. Children who attend church/mass with their families 

• increase their  average life expectancy by 8 years
• significantly reduce their  use and risk from Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs
• dramatically lower their risk of suicide
• rebound from depression 70% faster
• dramatically reduce their risk for committing a crime
• improve their attitude at school and increase their school participation
• learn right from wrong
• find an extended family - this is especially important today where biological families can be spread out over continents 
• they statistically improve the odds that they will lead an active church life in their adults years. Granola Catholic

6. Plan a vacation.

Show your kids the world, relax, bond.

7. Learn something new.

Self explanatory. Take a class, try a new hobby. Letting them watch you outside of your comfort zone will help make your kids more daring to venture outside their own as well as strengthen bonds.

8. Laugh

So the baby's diaper just exploded in public, you locked your keys in the car again, or you got to the store only to discover your toddler left her shoes at home. Your life isn't a sitcom (although it can sometimes feel like you are being pranked on a tv show) so there's no laugh track to guide you..make your own laughter. Dealing with stressful situations with a sense of humor is a wonderful gift to pass down to your children.

9. Read Books

Slow down. Involve the whole family, enjoy a good book, get them hooked young!

10. Practice being thankful.

Teach your children to appreciate the people and things around them. By valuing what they were given freely in life they will be more willing to share their talents and time with others, especially those less fortunate.

10 Summer Ideas

Summer is here! How are you going to spend it with your kids?

Here are 10 ideas I know we will be doing:

1. Visit a zoo.
2. Collect bugs, chase butterflies.
3. Go to the beach.
4. Ride bikes.
5. Fly a kite.
6. Play in a sprinkler, make a slip and slide.
7. Have a family BBQ.
8. Camp in the backyard.
9. Have a picnic.
10. Star gaze.

Share yours!