Bath Time=Bubble Time

Once a week we've been switching up the kid's bath time routine with a treat in the BIG tub, filled with lots of bubbles! They have been loving it!

Reaching Out & Making Friends

One day a few weeks ago Nate came home from school and very excitedly told me that a new boy had joined his class. When he told me that like him, the new boy had also just moved here, I decided that I needed to take advantage of reaching out to another family with similar circumstances as ours.

I asked Nate's teacher to pass on a note to the boy's mother, Terri, explaining that we too, had just moved to the area and that I would love to connect with her. It wasn't long after that we began talking, and wow, are our situations similar! Like us, their family has also had to move several times to several different states (for a job) over the last few years. After spending an hour talking on the phone one day, I hung up feeling like I had just undergone a therapy session with someone who really, really knew my frustration, bitterness, exhaustion and sadness. Yet, we also shared one other really important aspect- a desire to prioritize being positive throughout it all, as hard as that can sometimes be! So, yesterday, we got together with Terri and her children and the kids and I enjoyed our first play date/mommy get together since moving to Birmingham.

It was wonderful! While all of the kids played, Terri and I had the chance to get to know each other more and to enjoy a real lunch- one that consisted of foods needing a fork, and other than what I normally sneak off of the kid's plates or have a chance to grab from a box in the pantry!

After four hours, we left to head back home, the kids having spent most of their energy, and I feeling content with the opportunity to have so much great conversation. Jules fell asleep in the car before we even left their neighborhood, and after so much play, we all enjoyed a focused and accomplished afternoon.


Thanks Terri!

Cupcakes, Anyone?

Oh.....

My....

Goodness....

Seriously....

We are in Cupcake Heaven over here today!

Red Velvet Heaven, anyone??

Or, maybe you'd just like to simply devour the Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting instead??

Pete really came around this Christmas and scored for Juliana, the little up and coming family baker, some of Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake mix.

Good Job Pete...

Did, I already mention how amazingly luscious these are???

Well, they're amazing, really. If you don't believe me, just go and buy yourself a box. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Oh, and while Pete and Juliana spent the afternoon baking cupcakes and homemade bread, Nate and I went shopping! Not knowing what was going on at home, we couldn't help but stop by the bakery ourselves for some yummy cupcake treats of our own!



There is nothing like a cupcake to bring on the smiles...

Today's Memories: Januaray 21, 2010

After multiple visits to the the living room-after bedtime, Nate finally told me that he is afraid of the dark-the outside dark, that is. So I thought it might help if I turned on a small light outside on our deck and take him out to look at the moon and stars.

After a minute or two, he looked up at me and asked, "Mama, why is the moon laying down?"

It was so sweet, I almost didn't want to tell him the truth!

Today's Memories

After "supposedly" spending time playing with her brother upstairs, Juliana comes running downstairs....

"Mama, mama, come and see! I cleaned my room, it's beautiful!"

Me: "Wow! Um....where did you put everything?" I ask, with a huge sinking feeling in my stomach. (we still haven't unpacked everything in Juliana's room and there had been several piles on her floor).

Juliana: "No place, mama! (while giggling wildly)"

Then I turn to see this...

Oh, no...

On Rhythm and Routine

As you may have seen while visiting here, over the last few weeks I've been really struggling to establish some sort of daily rhythm in our lives to help us all achieve the best of our abilities. It's been hard with all of the moving around here and there that we've done (I know, blah, blah, blah) but I think I have finally wrapped my mind around what it is I really want to achieve through a good solid routine.

What I want:

• My children to get more sleep
• ME to get more sleep
• Well prepped mornings that run smoothly (and preferably don't involve me running around searching for missing shoes, last minute lunch prep, or forgetting to pack Nate's teddy for "bring your stuffed friend to school " day- yes, it's true, I did forget-awful, isn't it?!
• Scheduled/routine learning time for the kids each day
• Scheduled/routine house-hold maintenance for me each day
• Less TV for the kiddos
• More creative time for all of us
• Quieter, more relaxing evening ritual time (no more crazy, hollering, splashing bath times!)
• Evening time for Pete and I-alone (could this ever be accomplished?!)
• Less anxiety each day over unmet expectations- I thought it was your night to give the kids a bath!
• Giving the kids a positive, predictable, secure, dependable day- each day, so that one day soon, they can feel comfortable establishing their own independent routines.

A few weeks ago, I came across this Waldorf inspired post about bedtime rituals (geared toward children). So I decided to take a leap and put an earlier bedtime to the test. The result:

My children have been in bed, stories read, prayers said, hugs given, by 7 pm each night (more or less). And amazingly they are still waking at their normal times (Nate: 7 am, Juliana: 4 am-okay, just kidding! But she is usually up around 6 am or so).

Wow.

• More sleep for the kids- check
• More evening time for Pete and I, alone- check
• More time the night before to prep for mornings- check
• Quieter bedtime rituals- check
• On our way to creating those dependable and oh so valuable rhythmic days- check!

We're getting there...

What successes, big or small, are you feeling these days?

Words to LIVE by:

To accomplish great things, we must

not only act, but also dream;

not only plan, but also believe.

-Anatole France