New blog

Well, it's time for a change.  Since pinterest took over my life, I've become a better mom and teacher. I decided to change up the direction of my blog after being introduced to so many via pinterest, so I am now blogging about my pinning adventures and my family here:

http://pinsandprincesses.blogspot.com/2012/03/welcome.html

PLAYTIME!

SO October is designated by Attachment Parenting International as AP month, focusing on playing with your kids.  Great ideas here:http://apmonth.attachmentparenting.org/ .  Basically, an idea a day on how to be more playful with your kids.  So we've been trying it out..  sorta.  I've just made it a focus to play, snuggle, interact more with the kids.  They've put on dance recitals, we've had tickle fests, and just downright, make your heart smile, fill your soul, snuggles and hugs.  It's been... uplifting.  And how sad I have to be reminded to take time for my kids. 

It must be working.  Last night, when saying her prayers, Sophie said "Thank you God for this day.  I really loved it!"


This week, we've done the unthinkable.  We sold our tickets to this week's VT home game.  We needed the money for the tickets, plus we save a lot on parking, gas, food for tailgate, etc.  It was the smart thing to do financially.  But another underlying reason is that we need to focus on our little family.  Our little love stories, because these precious gifts are only here for a short time.  We'll start the day off by watching AK cheer for the elementary football team, hoping to follow it up with a brunch picnic in the park, and then a little housework before cheering on our Hokies from home.  As a family.  Together.  In love.

Here are a few pics from the fun so far this week.

I had a big lapful of happy!

Beauty is only skin deep, otherwise, it's fun!

Sundays

 

I love Sundays.  They uplift, rejuvenate.  After church, we go to my Mom's for Sunday "dinner," I nap, and often, we end up outside.  I've come to cherish these times.  This week, I took my camera, and the girls and I headed out for a walk.  I recently discovered picnik, and went with the idea of taking photos that would end up as vintage processing worthy.  Told you I am a romantic. We spent some time in the "orchard" and then traipsed down to my grandparents' old barn.  I'm still not sure about the two of the girls.  At first, I loved it.  Now, I think it looks a little.... Twilighty.



I love Daddy's apple trees.  We spent a few Sundays picking them.  It was so surreal to realize that he planted them years ago, and we've done NOTHING to them in the 2 years since his death, and yet, we get lots of apples.  Some things just happen, you don't have to make them happen, and live continues to go on.........

This was part of Daddy's wall..  What he needed to grab and go.  The tools of his trade.  And like most of his things, we've left them right where he did.  He loved this time of year, his "hunting" had diminished to just climbing up a tree, and surveying all the wonders of the world around him.  He started hunting for beauty...



I call this one the grapes of wrath.  I love Daddy's grapes.  This year, so did the animals.  We didn't get ANY.  Not one.  One week, they were underripe.  The next, they were gone.  Fair trade for having apples?  Circle of life? 

Part of what I love about being at Mom's is that the girls pull out my old toys.  AK has decided she likes to throw and catch my baton, if only to be in flag corp one day...  We'll see.  She wants to cheer, too, and I have NO idea how that will all play out...

Ahhh.. the swing.  Since Daddy put it in, we've all spent countless hours going back and forth, shooting the breeze, adding quilts and chairs to the landscape so we can all just be together.  That's what it's all about.


You know, time is fleeting.  This economic stress is enough to make me lose my mind.  I really feel like the world is crashing in on me.  And then, I hear "watch me, Momma" and see the smile as she catches the baton.  Or "Mommy, let's skip school today and just snuggle."  Oh baby girl, how I wish we could.  Why can't every day be Sunday?

SMILE! These will make your day!

This little fellas father was killed in service one month before he was born...

So my facebook feed has been LIT UP the past few days - people must have too much time on their hands.  Anyway, people have been posting pictures that had be in tears - both from their poignancy to their hilarity.  So I  posted a collection of the best here, hope they make your day, and I can come back later and smile again!

Sayonara September!

"September, September, a month we will remember..."  My 4 year old has been singing this song from pre-k all month.  She has no idea how right she is.....I am so glad to see this month end.  It started off with a fire in one of the local elementary schools that destroyed the building.  Followed by lots of stress at work for me, oldest daughter having a stomach bug once, and me twice, the death of a dear Uncle, the 2 year anniversary of my father's death, the death of a sweet dear neighbor,  my nephew being hit by a drunk driver, my husband getting the very short end of a stick at work, resulting in substantial monthy income loss, and my brother having a tractor accident in which a rock was thrown into his leg, and bone, shattering the bone and creating potential for serious infection later.  Yeah, it's been one of those months. 
But the whole reason I created this blog, other than to vent to the air when I don't want to burden those around me, was to force myself to look at all I have to be grateful for, right?  No one wants to read pity parties day after day.  So my goal this morning is to find the good in each situation.  The school fire was at 3 am, so no kids were hurt.  HUGE blessing.  I lost 5 pounds with the stomach bugs, only 15 more to go!  My nephew was not injured at ALL in the accident, even though his car was totalled.  My Daddy, while oh so greatly missed, because he was my backbone and cheerleader, is not in pain any longer.  Oh so missed.  My brother saw a doctor that understood the potential ramifications of his injury and did surgery immediately, minimizing risk of bone infection.  As for my husband's work.  That's hard.  I'm not sure how we're gonna pay our bills.  But, one thing is that he will have less stress in terms of responsibility.  Once he gets over the depression...

So today, my school calendar is clean.  My home calendar - you gotta check out Cozi - is JAM packed.  Lots of activities and responsibilities, the most important being my comps exams for my Master's Degree.  I don't have the misconception that it is going to be any less stressful.  But one day at a time, turns into one month at a time, and last month is gone...  My Wish is that October will be kinder and gentler to us!

The simple things

So, the birthday was a big hit.  Squirt was very pleased with the attention she received.  I took her little sister, our 4 year old, with me to buy her another card and few more birthday goodies.  Lil' sis decided they needed fish.  I think this was brought on by all the people that won goldfish at our county fair last week.  She picked out the fish, rocks, and tanks.  We went with Bettas, they are so pretty.  So of course, little bit picked out the closest to pink she could, which was maroon.  Thought she had named it Hokie, but she's called it Virginia all day, so it may have split personalities.  But he has pastel jewels and a few lime green, glow in the dark rocks.  Her sisters is turquoise, the closest she could find to lime green without venturing into "puke green" territory.  Black and lime green rocks. 

So why all these details?  Last night, Squirt's facebook post was that she got a fish.  No, she didn't mention the more planned, carefully pre-purchased and selected items.  It was her sister's last minute gift idea that stuck out in her mind.  And the fact that her little sister put such thought into it made it even more special.

This post could go on and on...  I had originally planned to make a list of all the simple things that make me smile.  Maybe a photo post someday.  Wouldn't that be cool?  An album of all the simple things that make you smile?  Bring it out on rainy, bad days, and shine on!  Challenge you to do it!

Today

Today is my "baby's" birthday.  It marks the beginning of the end of a lot of things... her last year before being a teenager, her last birthday at the school where I work, the last birthday I can celebrate of her's before I am officially "THE PARENT OF A TEENAGER!"  All of the above bring me sadness. 

But, see, I tend to dwell on the pain, and tomorrow.  So Today, it's all about her.  I need to make this precious, sassy, sensitive, moody, active baby o' mine understand that she is cherished. Loved.  Needed. Wanted. Understood.  Appreciated.  It's time to get this relationship completely solidified so we can venture into the teen years in a good place. 

Tomorrow, it will be her un-birthday.  I'll have to start all over again.  And everyday.  Because that's what motherhood is. 

But today, we'll have muffins with a candle, birthday card in the lunchbag, facebook posts, and her favorite, pizza, for dinner.  Because I am grateful for her. Everyday. And I wish that each day she will understand just how special she really is.  Today is going to be a good day.  I'm gonna make it that way.

Happy Birthday squirt!