School Started--like a month ago....

As much as I love summer, I was ready for school to start!  And you would think with all of the EXTRA time I should have, this blog would be updated daily. But, of course that is not the case, I am still behind on my housework, work and life, as always...    This year Aspen started 4th grade, this means she is going to a new school.  She was very excited about that! She has a great teacher this year and are so happy!  Brylee started 2nd grade, and has an awesome teacher as well!  And Porter FINALLY started kindergarten!!  He LOVES it!  He asks every 5 minutes "Is it time to go to school yet?"  Over and over!  I am so glad he likes school!    Here's to a great year!!! 

 

 

No time for myself...

 

Today I am pretending that I have a fancy new kind of French tip pedicure, and not that the polish is chipping off my toes like crazy!!   Ugghh, it's so trashy......

Just a little off the top...

We all got haircuts, even the vacuum!

 

 

 

Man, I have a glamorous life.....

Playin' catch up!

Because I am so far behind with my blog I will be doing some random catch up posts.  I am really just doing it for our own "journaling" purposes so feel free to skip or scan over them -these ones are for me! :)  

 

Aspen turned 8, June 7, 2012, we had her party at "Hand's on"  it's a little place they can go pick out something to paint, then it is fired and picked up later.  Aspen is always been my crafty artistic child and she loves doing stuff like this, so it was a perfect choice for her party.  And I had a ton of stuff going on that week so it was a great option over my home! 

 

So focused...

Aspen loves cows so I made black and white cupcakes.  It is pretty hard to get the frosting to actually look black so I used a TON of black food coloring, it stained everything, fingers mouths and lets just say that 24 hours or so later there was some concern about the color of my children's poop :)

Mom vs. Mom

A friend of mine shared this great blog post on Facebook and I had to share it too!  I love this!  Unfortunately, it is really hard to do, it is hard not to compare and then criticize (yourself and others).  But as hard as it is, I am going to make it a point this week to remember this and enjoy ME, the ME who is still in her robe at 11:30 in the morning, the ME who has dishes in her sink, the ME who has a basket of unfolded laundry on the bottom of my bed, the ME who's kids are sitting in front of the TV right now.... because I excel in other areas, and I should focus on those and be grateful for them instead of dwelling on all of the areas I suck at!! And even worse dwelling on all of the areas that everyone else excels at!  Please read this, let me know what you think...

http://lovingmylot.com/2013/08/23/mom-vs-mom-the-war-i-didnt-see-coming/

Being a good mom sometimes means being the bad guy...

There is a very hard part of parenting that I struggle with very frequently.  It's the making a consequence -then following through with that consequence.  Here's how it goes.... I let my kids know up front what is expected of them (completed chores, a certain behavior-good or bad, finished meals, etc. ) then I let them know what the consequences or rewards will be.  For ex.  Do this chore, we will go do this, don't and you will miss out.  Hit your sister, spend time in room or have something taken away -Kindle, play time, etc...  The hardest part is that I hate to actually not let them have the promised thing or do the promised activity. I will spend hours yelling at them to hurry and finish threatening repeatedly, and give them until the very last second, and then some, to finish.  And it is a miserable experience for all of us!  But, I rationalize letting it slip here and there because I want so badly to go do the fun thing together as a family. I want these fun things for my kids.  I hate when a kid misses out on ice cream because they didn't finish a meal. I do everything in my power to make sure they get the reward, sometimes even to the point of changing the expectations...   Well, I have decided that can't continue to happen, my kids are all old enough to understand choice and accountability.  And it sucks--BAD!! So, right now as I type, Brylee, Porter and Brian are at the movies enjoying there popcorn and treats.  I am at home with Aspen while she is STILL trying to finish her chore that she was assigned 4 HOURS AGO!!!!  She is sad, I am sad and Brylee was really sad for her, but I can't let that change the consequence-right??  This mom thing is hard. 

I just pray that I am doing it right....

Date nights!

Brian and I try to go on frequent and regular date nights.  We usually try to plan them on payday, that way we feel fine about spending the money :) You know, pay ourselves first... Normally date night consists of going to dinner then running errands, grocery shopping, basically doing the stuff we have a hard time doing with all 3 kids.  Sounds exciting huh?  The last two weeks we decided to mix it up a little bit - first, we were invited by a friend of ours to come do a "Nine and Dine" down at Blue Lakes Golf Course, that is where you play 9 holes of golf and then eat at the course restaurant.  Now Brian was very excited about this, Blue Lakes is a private course where you have to be a member or a guest of a member to play there.  He has played there a few times and loves it down there, and always raves about the food.  I was not as excited about this, I DO NOT play golf, I don't know how and don't really care to learn how either. Brian assured me it would be fine, he said his friends wife didn't really play either. I just knew this was going to be an uncomfortable evening for me!  So, I get all dressed up for date night (I always try to look nice fore date night, because the rest of the week I look pretty scary)  We get there and everyone is not only totally dressed for some serious golf, but they are all very obviously much wealthier than we are.  Brian's friend shows up and his wife-the one who doesn't play much- is all ready for golf in her visor and golf outfit, shoes, the whole nine yards.  And of course at every hole she is talking about how far she needs to hit so that means she should use this or that club... She even did practice swings!!!  Me?? I just grabbed whatever Brian handed me, walked right up to the ball and hit it (well sometimes I missed and had to try again, but I eventually made contact!!) I sucked, it was uncomfortable being the only one who had no idea what I was doing, but I can laugh at myself--in fact I did MANY times.  And I always enjoy being with Brian. It was beautiful down in the canyon.  And the best part---DINNER!!  I ate my food enjoyed my husband and even said I might try golf again. Well, probably not, but that's what I told Brian!

 The next week we borrowed our friends kayaks and went down on the river and Kayaked.  So much fun!  Relaxing, Beautiful and different!  We talked the whole way--well, except for the part when I was apparently not paddling fast enough and Brian was a mile in front of me--  We both talked about how there are so many places we haven't taken the opportunity to explore around here.  We have lived here for 7 years and have not seen many of the beautiful places our area has to offer.  We are definitely going to be exploring some more!

 

If you don't go on a regular date night DO IT!!  If it's hard getting babysitters or becomes too expensive, trade with a friend!! It makes such a huge difference in our relationship, and our kids like the time away from us too.   

Does it really help??

So, I just got done ironing my sweats. You know, so they will look "nice".  I was just wondering... is that kind of like putting lipstick on a pig--no matter what I do they are STILL sweats!!!   (and don't judge me-it's raining outside, and I plan on cleaning my house so YES I am wearing sweats today---ALL DAY!!! and I may or may not be going to the store and anywhere else I need to go-in my sweats)

i AM doing this!!!

I know there are going to be some non-believers, but I am ready to start blogging again!!  Only this time it's going to be a little different.  I have struggled with the "normal" blog where people put only the good stuff, I mean the REALLY REALLY  good stuff, the "too good to be true" stuff, the stuff that leaves us all feeling like crap.-Please tell me I am not the only one who feels like that when reading some others blog!  It's no wonder we feel like failures as mothers and wives, when we are constantly bombarded with everyone's "Highlight Reel".  Real life is not what you see on Facebook, blogs and especially not Pinterest!!  I have had many different conversations with different friends and family and it's amazing how many women feel like they just can't keep up.  I want to make my blog as real as I can get it, yes it will still be used as a type of journaling for my family, but I don't think I need to sugar coat everything or make it seem all roses and sunshine in order for my kids to feel like they had a good childhood.  In fact sometimes it would be nice to see that my mom struggled with some of the same things that I struggle with.  So, my blog is going to be the good, the bad and the ugly.  If you are looking for a perfect world to take a peek at - you are at the wrong blog!  I also hope to be able to find humor in as many situations as possible, so it may even be a little entertaining too.  I do tend to be a sarcastic person, if that offends you, then you should probably stop reading, too.  I only have one blog requirement -- NO JUDGING!!  If I am going to bare my soul, my deepest darkest secrets, then I would appreciate it if you didn't judge me. Just come, read, and comment - then have a great day!  Here we go...