22:52 Technology

My mother lives 3,000 miles away.
Alaska is a long ways from Arizona, and at times I feel every single mile that separates us.

With the wonder of modern day technology, it feels just a bit closer.
Have you ever used Skype? Or the Hangout on Google Plus? It's a marvelous way to communicate face to face.
Our family, living in six different homes in three different states, have all been able to face chat at one time on Google Plus.  Good stuff.

As fun as our virtual hangouts are, the ability to play scrabble together is almost better!

Back in the day, playing my mother in a game of scrabble was basically murder.  She's the word game queen.  I wonder if I might just stand an occasional chance now though, with the Tournament Word List and Google at my fingertips.  Shhhh! Don't tell!

We are currently tied in our first game.

22:52 Technology

With this rack of letters though, I have a premonition that it's all downhill from here!

Now if only I had a smarter phone, I could wile away the long hours involved in airline travel playing scrabble...

This afternoon I'm on my way to Minnesota for a long weekend to attend a cousin's wedding and visit my dear Mummu and Pappa.  While I'd love the newer technology of a smart phone and it's apps, nothing beats good old-fashioned "visiting".  I can't wait to hug my grandparents and stay with them again!

I'm linking up to Anita this week.  Head her way, and enjoy your weekend!

21:52 Laughter

is the best medicine.

Am I not correct?

And like I've said before, our baby brings a lot of good medicine to our home.

21:52 Laughter

She was tickled pink to be given a marshmallow (albeit an un-roasted one) on our recent camping trip. Cue the hilarious fake laughter here.

But goodness! My baby doesn't really look like a baby anymore! Now that is not funny!
Why must they grow so quickly?  Where did the luscious newborn scent go?  Where are my tiny snuggles and where is the downy soft hair?  And how and when did you learn to fake laugh?!

I loved all of the baby phase, yes, but I guess if I'm being honest, I love watching her grow too. She's such a delight and I don't know what we'd do without her smiling little face.

This week, I'm linking up to Amber.  Head on up north to see what's tickling her funny bone.

20:52 Mother

I was asked several times if I had a nice Mother's Day.
I guess this question surprises me. Yes. Yes, of course it was nice.
Dean cleaned the house for me on Saturday while I lay sick in bed.  Then on Sunday he stayed home with a puking child while I went to the park with the other kids. Later that day, he hosed down the puke blankets and sheets for me.
He was kind enough to hold off being sick himself until after we had all crawled into bed, and Mother's Day was technically over.
Sounds like it kind of sucked, but I really did have a nice day.  What wasn't to love about it? I felt pampered and loved simply because my husband served me all. weekend. long.  Gosh but I love that man!

Perhaps it's because I have five young children, or perhaps it's because I look at motherhood as my job, but either way, I don't get too hyped up about Mother's Day or set high expectations.
To know I'm thought of and thanked is enough.  With that knowledge, I can go about my day happily. A day that involves dirty diapers, hungry children, and a growing laundry pile, regardless of the fact that it's the second Sunday of May.
I suppose I'm a 'glass half full' kind of gal too.  I'm usually finding the good in a day, a moment, a circumstance; and the good in my weekend was all the small things I didn't have to do.

I guess I also am as realistic as I am optimistic.

And honestly, I kind of feel like it's Mother's Day at least twice a month.
Like on the days that Dean says of course he is willing to pick up dinner on his way home from work.
Or the days that my kids and I enjoy lots of snuggles and giggles on the couch.
Or the times when my nine year old son comes bursting in the door and launches himself into my arms.
Or when my daughter presents me with a card she drew herself.
Or when the three youngest take a nap, all at the same time! For two whole hours!

So yes, I am incredibly blessed! With a wonderful mother and mother-in-law, with an incredibly supportive spouse, with great friends, and with five beautiful children who make my days worthwhile.

I mean, just look at that smile!

10:52 Mother

And because I thought you would get as much of a kick out of this poem as I did, I'm going to share something I stumbled across on this big ol' world wide web.

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

by Beth Brubaker

If you give a mom a muffin, 

she'll want a cup of coffe to go with it.

She'll pour herself some.

Her three year old will come and spill the coffee.

Mom will wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks.

She'll remember she has to do laundry.

When she puts the laundry into the washer,

she'll trip over shoes and bump into the freezer.

Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.

She'll look for her cookbook (How to make 101 Things With a Pound of Hamburger).

The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.

She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.

She will look for her checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse, which is being dumped out by her two year old.

Then she'll smell something funny.

She'll change the two year old.

While she is changing the two year old, the phone will ring.

Her five year old will answer and hang up.

She'll remember she was supposed to phone a friend 

to come over for coffee.

Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.

She will pour herself some more.

And chances are,

if she has a cup of coffee,

her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Yep, pretty much sums up my days to a "T"! And it's great!

A Picture of my Wednesday afternoon

Amber will have more to share about mothers.
Have a great weekend you all, whether you're a mother enjoying the beautifully mundane or not!

19:52 Night

This boy will not put his book down.

Oh, I'm glad it's books rather than video games, but sometimes, homework and chores and some shut eye need to happen.  He doesn't exactly share my opinion.

19:52 Night

The bright side of this situation is that he never fights going to bed.  It means that he can read!


Head on over to Amber to see what night-time looks like up in her corner.

18:52 Quiet Place

This time of year, the best 'quiet places' are outside.

This is the place to be. 

18:52 Quiet Place

Warm sunshine.

Bare feet. 

Good book.

Soft, green grass.

It doesn't get much better than that!

I don't mean to rub it in or anything, but I'm guessing that Amber is not able to enjoy some quiet on a picnic blanket just quite yet! 

Our Board of Good Qualities

When it comes to my children, I am a worry-er.
Are they getting enough of my attention?  Will they stand up to bullying?  Am I raising them to be confident and loving?  Is my impatience scarring them?  Do they know how incredibly wonderful and special they, as an individual, are?

Sometimes it keeps me up at night.  Because during the day, life gets kind of crazy and I have no time to ponder anything as I try to keep this ship afloat and sailing.

And it's funny to me how we can be sailing smoothly along and yet, at the same time seem to be taking in water.

Smooth sailing example:
After one of my late night worry sessions that involved positive self images, I came up with an activity for the family to do together.  I pulled out our big chalk board and set it up by the dinner table.  I told everyone to think of something they are really good at.  After we were done eating, I wrote everyone's name on the chalk board and, starting with Dean and I, proceeded to write down everyone's self-proclaimed strengths.

I want my kids to have self confidence.  I want them to recognize their own good qualities and feel good about them.  I want their self-esteem to be their armor so that they thrive in environments outside the safe walls of our home.

I tucked away the bit of knowledge that my son said "I don't know if I'm good at it, but I like to play basketball" while my daughter said in a sure voice that "I am good at reading and coloring".
Food for the night thoughts.

After everyone was done explaining what they were good at, I told them they now had to come up with something good about every other member of the family.  This definitely took some time as there were six people giving six compliments, but I really wanted them to think positively of each other and find the good in each other.

I want my kids to think of others.  I want them to be kind and compassionate, and lift each other up. I want the knowledge that we have their back, always, empower them to turn their thoughts outward and be thoughtful of and helpful to those they encounter.

And I was pleased that everyone was able to do it.  Each of the kids recognized something good in everyone else.  The older kids especially surprised me with what they noticed and thought.  Our board of good qualities was full.

Taking on water example:
Elaina was in my arms erasing what I was writing for much of the time, so I handed her to Dad.  She then proceeded to crawl and walk all across the table, stepping into a plate of chicken enchilada.  Her howl at being put on the floor was hard to hear over.
Then, once the little boys' turns were over, they quickly lost interest in the activity and started wrestling and screeching at the table.  As usual, they didn't listen when we tried to quiet them down and separate them.  Dinner ended with kids bouncing every which way, the noise level near ear piercing decibels, and one child in a time out for biting another's bottom.

I have no idea if this little self-and-sibling-praise-activity will stick with the kids, if it will even help achieve the goal in mind, but I have to believe it will.  I have to hope that I'm instilling the values in them that I want rather than the faulty ones I demonstrate.  I have to believe that they'll remember the love, the sense of belonging, and the lessons rather than the chaos that always accompanies anything we do as a family.  I have to hope that I'm learning how to parent fast enough and making a difference now before they are all grown and gone.

I have to keep on believing it.
I have to.
Because it makes the smooth sailing feel like flying
and the bailing of water feel effortless.