The mom of Grumpymoms.com

The Day My Life Changed!

2010-12-30T23:36:00.004-05:00

As 2011 is almost here I can’t believe how my life has been transformed and how it all started……

January 1st, 2 years ago was an amazing turning point in my life. Winter is never an easy time for our family, both my husband and I have seasonal businesses (smoothie shop, and a painter) so every winter it can be depressing, it’s cold + we’re broke = Miserable. This particular year we were more then broke but in severe debt due to three large builders claiming bankruptcy and leaving my husband and our family out of A LOT of money. I woke up this morning as I have started ever Jan 1st, with the thought that I’m going to get healthy. I jumped out of bed, blew all the dust off our vintage Gazelle (if you haven’t seen the Tony little infomercial it’s a very cheap elliptical kind of thing) that has sat in our bedroom forever. My husband was still in bed looking at me like I was crazy and a little annoyed because he was still trying to sleep. Fifteen minutes into my vigorous workout the one piston completely blows and my workout is over. “Are you kidding me!!!?” I yelled in my misery and frustration and without thinking I threw on layers of clothes, hat, gloves, jacket, and grabbed my ipod to go for a run around the block. My husband says “it is 10 degrees outside, are you crazy?” Probably, but with the stress I had bottled up it was better for everyone that I went around the block.

As I got two thirds of the way around the block I came to a part on my run with no homes, just farms all around and suddenly both my knees froze in pain and I was stopped dead in my tracks. I heard a voice, as clear as day say, “take off your ipod”, it was the strangest thing, but I did. Out of nowhere it sounded like a freight train was coming from behind me and with a gentleness and a comfort that I have never known I hear “Lean Back, “and as I type this tears are in my eyes as I remember the power of the wind coming behind me and carrying me, and I heard “How much greater are you then the birds of the air and I feed them everyday, do not worry about tomorrow but put all your trust in me.” As I stood on the side of the road sobbing and in awe His last words were, “Go run! “ I ran all the way home without a single pain in my knees.

I ran in the house sobbing and freaking out and shared what had happened with my husband and we hugged and knew that everything was going to be ok. This began a journey that I could never have imagined. I believed in God my whole life but I NEVER knew the love that He had for me and for each one of us. I heard it growing up, that He knows every hair on your head, He knit you together in your mother’s womb but could that really be true? Could the God of the universe who made everything know and care for each one of us that intimately?

Over the past two years this is what I have learned about life and God
#1 Life is short. Eternity is forever!
#2 God’s plan for our life is 100 times more amazing then we could ever imagine but we will only learn how amazing when we give Him 100% of ourselves.
#3 I’d rather live this life for Him then for this world because He is all that matters!
#4 Someday we will all stand before God and account for our lives, I don’t want to be lukewarm and spit out , I want Him to welcome me home and to hear Him say, well done good and faithful servant.
#5 The most amazing thing that I’ve learned over the past two years is when you believe with all your heart that God sent His one and only son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins so that you may have a personal intimate relationship with God through the Holy spirit you are changed. The Holy Spirit lives in you, guides you, and strengthens you. You have the power of God living inside you and all it takes is faith.
#6 You can sit in church all your life and do all the good works you possibly can but if you don’t have a personal relationship with God where He speaks to you and you get excited to read His word and He is the most important part of your life then it means nothing.
#7 It can be hard, keeping your heart and your mind in the right place but God knows everything and His grace is sufficient to make us new every morning and He knows your thoughts before you speak them so just be real, ask for forgiveness and try again.

Francis Chan the author of Crazy Love has this great prayer that I have hung on my desk and this is my prayer…..

“Jesus I need to give myself up. I am not strong enough to love You and walk with You on my own. I can’t do it and I need You. I need you deeply and desperately. I believe you are worth it, that You are better than anything else I could have in this life or the next. I want you. And when I don’t, I want to want You. Be all in me. Take all of me. Have Your way with me.”

and bring on 2011!!
Love, Shannon

Flirting at 5, am I in trouble?

2009-11-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

A couple days ago my little Trey, who just turned five, completely showed off for a girl. Am I wrong to think this is a bit to soon for this behavior? You be the judge.... We are at the grocery store getting a few essentials, while I'm standing at the deli counter getting cheese (which is an essential in our household) my kids were fumbling through the little clearance rack full of random items for extremely cheap. They brought me over a “All About Police” video for a reduced price of $2.00 so of course I said sure. Moving to the bread isle we are on to essential #2 when Trey picks up the police video out of the cart and with a loud deep voice says, “Mom, we have a predicament”. With his strange 15 year old demeanor I look up at him with a perplexed, “huuuh??”. He starts, “Yes we have a real problem, Taylor (his younger sister) is much to young to watch this adult movie.” Still saying this very loud with a deep mature voice, so I start to look around. Sure enough there is a little girl with her mom, around six years old standing right behind me and he was looking right at her as she said all this. My jaw drops and I completely pretend not to notice what was going on. I said, “ok we need one more thing and we are out done, lets go”. He goes over to his little sister and gently bends down, holds her hand and yells loudly over his shoulder, “come on Taylor it's time to go to the next isle”.

I thought our flirtation was over until I was checking out and Trey runs to help me bag groceries, he puts the bread in the bag then picks the bag up, places it in my cart and looks to the isle next to us and waves and says “Hi” to the same little girl. Oh my word, you have got to be kidding, I didn't know he could bag groceries?? It was time for us to go and he turns to this little girl and says “Nice to meet you!!” and waves good bye. I was speechless, shocked, and a little proud that he was actually pretty good at flirting, I'm still wondering where he learned it.

Getting a tattoo with frosting and sprinkles

2009-10-25T15:37:00.010-04:00

I tried, and did good until the tractor cake, illness, and birthday, birthday, and anniversary. What was I thinking trying to be all healthy in the month of October. My boys turned 4 and 5 and we had a little birthday party for them and their friends at a farm. I was determined to make a tractor cake. A week before the party I did a dry run with the boys to get an idea of how to do it and with donuts, cake, and delicious butter cream frosting I was happy with my results. Then the torture set in of the tractor cake calling my name so loudly from the refrigerator. I probably ate the whole trailer, the grill and a large tire (also known as a chocolate donut). Diet....what diet???

A week later time for the party and I busted out my cake again with one difference, I made a frosting using Crisco instead of butter. It tasted the same but for me, knowing what a stick of Crisco looks like I couldn't eat it. So instead I put the tractor on a sheet of brownies, nothing repulsive about those, so after the party of course, what was left? Brownies....did I eat them? Did you really need to read this reply, of course I did, remember NO self control. Here was my finished product with a little family shot on the tractor at the farm. (I don't have four kids, the one all the way to the right is Trey's buddy, Tucker!

Once I got all this out of my house it was actually their birthdays and I bought them each a slice of cake instead of torturing myself.

On October 19th after all of these festivities was our seven year wedding anniversary. I really can't believe it has been seven years but I also can't believe I have three kids either. I must say that over the seven years having a newborn is by far the hardest thing on a marriage, or the hardest thing I've had to go through so far. Last night I watched Marley & Me for the first time only because it was on HBO and I taped it on my DVR (oh how I love my DVR). Anyway, it made me see the experience from a man's side which I never really thought about to be perfectly honest. When I was in it, I could only see him waking up and going to work like nothing changed and my whole world was turned upside down. Now I realize how hard it is on them as well. I'm thankful we made it through and it made us stronger, and we still love each other!! Good reason to celebrate, so out to dinner we went. We went to Arielle's Country Inn in Sellersville, PA or kind of out in the middle of nowhere but the BEST meal I ever ate!!! I don't think it had anything do with having no children, although I must say that was a real treat, but the food was amazing. I was truly licking my plate!!!! Again, diet out the window!

Then illness, we have all been fighting this nasty cough which has travelled through each one of us and is lingering. The idea of exercising could have made me cough out a pile of flem just thinking about it.

Ending on a good note I am feeling better, ran this morning, haven eaten pretty good today and all I can say is I won't give up, just give in every once in a while!

2009-09-30T21:20:00.002-04:00

So a little history on me and my food issue, I love food, I love bread, butter, anything with chocolate and peanut butter combined, and my list could go on and on. I also NEED to be healthy, which to me is to feel good and be strong not just for me but for my kids. Unfortunately finding the right balance is a daily/ hourly challenge. For example we had a play date this morning and I made some healthy cookies but I proceeded to eat FIVE of them. Yes they are healthy but not 5!!! I just can’t stop myself!!
Do to this food problem I have to exercise a lot to be able to eat, but again it is a daily struggle to push myself. I have been running and proud that I just did my first race, a 10k with my kids and husband cheering me on! (By the grace of God I finished it in 54min.!!) It felt good but I can’t seem to budge the muffin top that I’ve discussed in a previous post.
So I’m going to get really serious and see if I can budge it. I will be doing two things, I’m going to write down everything that goes in my mouth and I’m going to do my Insanity tapes by Shaun T that I do love, but also hate because they kill me. I am going to chart my progress for myself to look back on and if nothing changes in one month, I’m done. I will except my muffin top and maybe just tattoo it with some frosting and sprinkles!

2009-09-28T01:11:00.001-04:00

Our summer started at the beach in California for my sisters wedding and it ended at the beach in Ocean City, Maryland with a million wonderful memories in between! I am so terrible at this blogging thing but to be honest I need to do this for my kids. Reading back over my old posts makes me smile even if I only sign in once ever six months, something is better then nothing. I am going to take the time to write a little letter to each of my babies!

Dear Trey,
How quickly you have grown from my sweet little baby to the coolest little boy! Your little brother looks up to you so much and when you’re not looking he watches everything you do and is taking mental notes. (Both the good and the bad things, by the way) Your little sister loves you so much that ever time she wakes up from her nap she says, “Where’s Trey?”, shrugging her shoulders with hands in the air and a curious look on her face. You started the summer on a real soccer team and it wasn’t your favorite sport but you stuck it out and got a medal at the end and I promise I won’t make you play soccer. The best activity we did every Tuesday was swimming lessons. You are such a fish that they didn’t have to teach you anything because you let them know that you “already know how to swim”. I’m a little embarrassed that my 4 year old swims better then me, maybe they have some adult swim classes. I think you have finally given up your thumb: your friend, your comfort, my enemy. I’m sorry that I gave you such a hard time about sucking your thumb; you are so tall and look so big until you sucked your thumb (all day long). I will forever miss the baby in you but I won’t miss your thumb, let’s pray that your sister won’t keep this terrible habit.
You are amazingly smart! I can’t teach you, show you, Google you enough information. You’re favorite TV shows are the history and the science channel and you love going to the library to check out hundreds of books about space, science experiments, and dinosaurs. I love watching you grow and learn, and seeing you teach your brother and sister so much. You are full of energy, love life, and are the best big brother in the world, I love you!!

Dear Evan,
My little artist and musician that I adore!! You have such a gift and passion already that is shocking! Today as you were coloring me a beautiful picture you said “Mommy, I am going to be an artist when I grow up” and I have no doubt that you will be. You also asked for a “real electric guitar for your birthday with a speaker (it must have strings and no buttons). Amazing!! You are so sweet that I’m not sure you have a mean bone in your body. You love making your sister laugh and love wrestling with your big brother. Trey might be bigger then you but when you guys wrestle you would never know it. You took piano lessons and loved it, you took swim lessons and just liked it but you are ready to be on a real soccer team as soon as you turn 4! You are the best helper and a great listener, if I need something you are the first one I ask, I love you!

Dear Taylor,
I still can’t believe you are a girl, and such a girl at that. Having two older brothers and playing with trucks since birth has not stopped you from caring for all your baby dolls as if you gave birth to them yourself. Today you took toilet paper and were wiping your one babies behind and saying “good job” like they just went on the potty. You have taught our family how to love someone more then we ever knew possible. You are sweet beyond words, you make us laugh all day long, and if we are honest you definitely run the house. Some of your highlights this summer was the knock knock joke your brothers taught you in the back seat of the car “knock knock”, “who’s there?” “Pizza”, “pizza who?”, “pizza butt” LOLOL…. I know you don’t get it but if you could hear your delivery it makes us all laugh every time even after the tenth time you’ve said it. You are also potty trained and when you have to go to the bathroom you come running saying, “I have to go potty, soooooooo bad!!!!“ You should hear the drama in your voice. We all adore you and love you so much!!

XOXOXO
Mommy

Looking my best

2009-05-28T23:34:00.003-04:00

So I've been sick, sooo sick so the past week I really haven't left the house. Except for the one night I had to go to the grocery store because we had no food and one diaper. I thought I would run in and run out in my sick clothes (sweatshirt, sweatpants, no make up, a fire-engine red nose, and tissues in hand.) As I'm heading to the diaper aisle don't I see a friend from high school that I haven't seen in 16 years (I can't be that old). Of course I give my excuses for looking the way I do but isn't that always the case. When you actually have 5 minutes to look good you see no one, but when you look terrible, everyone you ever knew comes out of the woodwork.

I know it's almost June.....

2009-05-26T21:46:00.000-04:00

My life has been so busy and I hate that I haven't documented all the wonderful moments over the past months. Let me TRY to recap with some of the lessons I've learned in the past two months.
Lesson #1 I hate the winter. Now that the weather is warm and the kids can be outside 24/7 it makes me realize how much I hate the winter. The only thing the winter is good for is making me appreciate how wonderful the rest of the seasons are!
Lesson #2 My sister is complete! She got married on the beach in Malibu, CA to a wonderful man that I know God put on this earth just for her! The person you marry should make you a better person and these two together are perfect!
Lesson #3 I can do anything!!! If I can fly on an airplane for five and a half hours with three kids 4 and under, I can do anything! The stress and the packing leading up to the flight were a thousand times worse then the actual adventure.
Lesson #4 Never to limit my kids capabilities! I don’t know about anyone else but for me it is easy to avoid situations that you think your kids might not handle well. In actuality you never will know until you try. Over the past two months I have done so many things with my kids that I will never limit their capabilities again!
Lesson #5 Three and four year old boys are obsessed with potty talk! It could just be my 4 and 3 year old but the past couple months it has gotten worse. Everything ends with poop and they have my one year old little girl saying it too. I hope it is just a phase.
Lesson #6 I’m getting older no matter what. I can’t stop it, I turned 31 and I need to suck it up and be thankful that I made it another year and hopefully I have many more to go. I’m not sure why I dread getting older, I just do.
Lesson #7 There is only 24 hours in a day. I’m realizing I can’t do it all; I’m getting better at delegating rather then putting it all on myself. So my gift to myself was a cleaning lady from heaven named Renee. I love being a mom but Lord how I hate cleaning!! A clean house that I didn’t clean is better then ANYTHING!!!!
Lesson #8 Good health is so valuable. As I’m typing this my head is so jam packed that it is affecting my vision, my throat, and my brain function. Hopefully in a week or so I will be able to breathe again and oh how I will thank God!!! Until then it is honey, lemon, hot water, and a prayer!

Mom, I have POOP!

2009-04-02T10:48:00.001-04:00

I can not believe how the time flies, everyone says it but it’s still so hard to believe. When my little girl walked up to me this morning and said, “Mom, I have poop!” as clear as it sounds, I thought to myself, “That’s my baby who just informed me that she either has a poop or has to.” Where did the time go? How could I already be potty training for the last time?
Turns out she didn’t poop yet and as I type she is walking around naked waiting for the poop to come. Say a little prayer that it comes on the potty instead of my Oriental rug. A;ldghoWHRWIGNOOSDNL
AHHHH…That was so close…I heard the grunting, I ran, picked her up suspended in mid air, and went running to sit her on the potty. She did it!!! She pooped on the potty, or should we say, mommy did it. Don’t worry; I don’t think she will be potty trained this month but maybe in the next couple. To be continued.
Again, where did the time go? Trey, my oldest, is signed up for REAL soccer. He is on a team and they play another team, so to me that is real soccer. I’m sure it will look more like swarms of bee’s huddling around a soccer ball, but we all have to start somewhere, right.
Evan, my middle man, is taking piano lessons only because he begged for the past six months. He says he wants to be a “rock star.” He also wants to take drum, guitar, and cello lessons I‘m not sure I even spelled that right. His love of music is amazing and I can’t wait to see what he does with it.
Well, I must go play Hullabaloo now, and hopefully it won’t be a month before I post again.

Is it almost March??

2009-02-25T01:39:00.001-05:00

Where did February go? I know there is only 28 days but it felt like 10! Here are my top 10 February highlights!
#1 Kids singing in winter musical (I’m still so proud)
#2 A couple good snow storms which made for some great sledding moments in the backyard!
#3 The sale of some eggs. We have 10 chickens if you didn’t know, which means we get 10 eggs a day. We had eggs coming out our ears but we put a little sign out front of our home and we now have happy neighbors getting brown organic eggs for their families!
#4 My sister came home with her soon to be husband! It is crazy to think of my little sister getting married, although I still can’t believe I have three kids.
#5 I’m getting organized, one room at a time. I started with my over cluttered laundry room and I’m feeling good!
#6 Everyone stayed healthy!! Thank God, there is nothing worse then 3 sick kids!
#7Evan started Piano lessons. He is only 3 but he begged and begged so he is doing it and loving it!
#8 Taylor is fully walking, and sometimes running when she pretends to act like her brothers.
#9 Trey has started golf again. It’s freezing but he doesn’t seem to care, he loves it!
#10 The greatest highlight is my husband is working. Things were looking a little dark for a while but thankfully business is picking up and hopefully now we can pay our mortgage….YEAHHH!!!

So Proud...

2009-02-07T09:42:00.002-05:00

Last night was the Winter Musical for the pre-school classes. This was a big night, the kids performed in the auditorium of the elementary school. For me it was a scary night because my 4 year olds track record with public performances was 0-2. The first big performance was in the pre-school gym for thanksgiving. He was dressed like and Indian and instead of singing with the class he stood beside his teacher hiding instead. His second debut was the Christmas play in his little classroom for 20 parents. He stood like a statue staring at me while all the other kids rang bells and participated. I was just happy he didn‘t run and sit with the teacher again. So last night I prayed, “Dear God, please be with Trey so he isn’t scared!” Evan’s class went first and my little peanut stood in the front and sang his little heart out, and Trey was waving and yelling, “Hi Evan!!!” One other group went and then it was Trey’s class. He marched confidently up the steps to the stage and stood directly in the center, right in front of the microphone that he seamed extremely excited about. He sang, he did movements, he even said “Thank You” to the crowd loudly in the microphone in between songs. I thought to myself, who is this child? It couldn’t be my Trey that has severe stage fright. I was so proud, relieved, and thankful that he made it through the entire performance and did great. When he came off the stage I met him with a huge hug and said how proud I was of him and the smile on his face was from ear to ear. You could see he was proud of himself.
Here is were grumpy mom comes in. So we get home, and tuck the babies into bed. Anthony and I go downstairs to watch the video to see how it turned out and you will never believe it. I could just cry writing this, it is in fast forward? I didn’t know that was even an option on the camera but for some reason the entire video has no sound and is in hyper speed. That is so my luck, all the other performances I have on video and you either can’t see him because he is hiding on the teacher lap or he is just staring at the camera. Maybe next time!L

2009-02-05T20:44:00.002-05:00

This was a dumb thing on facebook that I felt obligated to do so here is it. 25 Random Facts about me.

1. The only reason I am doing this is peer pressure!
2. I have three babies (4, 3, and 1) and prior to having them I never changed a diaper.
3. The Lord is my strength and my purpose for all that I do.
4. I have ADD (not clinically diagnosed but I know that I do).
5. I own a store called Planet Smoothie and despite some of the stress, I love it. I adore my staff and it is the most fun job in the world!
6. I started a website called Grumpymoms.com because being a mom is the greatest and most rewarding job but it is also the most humbling, stressful, and frustrating job in the world!
7. I have 10 chickens, I know surprise to me too, but we get fresh organic eggs daily for us and all our friends and family!
8. I LOVE exercise! There is nothing greater then putting on my I-pod and getting one hour of “ME TIME” unfortunately with three kids I don’t get it often.
9. I am constantly hungry; I could eat all day long!
10. Interior Design is my joy, and my gift but it quickly becomes a full time job so until my kids go to school it will stay as my part time fun!
11. I am a terrible writer, my grammar and spelling is that of a 6th grader and I still question when to use the right “there, or their”.
12. It is still a miracle to me that I graduated high school and I am praying that my kids won’t follow in my footsteps. Trey’s pre-school teacher said he is wonderful BUT he likes to be social rather then doing his school work, God help me.
13. After having two boys that I adore, I prayed that I would have a little girl and I thank God every day for her!
14. My husband and I have been together for 13 years, he is my best friend, the greatest dad, and insanely talented.
15. I talk to my sister almost everyday, I love her and miss her and dream of being able to have play dates with our kids someday!
16. I wish I didn’t need sleep; I would be able to get so much more done!
17. We just got Verizon Fios and I’ve become a TV junkie because for the first time in 4 years I am getting to tape shows and watch them when my babies are in bed…I love it!
18. I have amazing parents; they have supported who I am and all my dreams no matter how crazy! I pray that I can give my kids that same gift.
19. I renovated 2 homes with my husband prior to kids. He says I am his best employee; I’ve done roofing, siding, tile, hardwood, painting, demolition, and carpentry.
20. I hate cleaning; I find it pointless because every time I turn around it is a mess again.
21. I love music and dancing, especially with my kids!
22. My whole family loves going out to dinner, probably because we don’t do it often.
23. I feel a vacation is the best part of life; I would like to live on vacation someday!
24. I am a terrible driver; I’ve had way too many accidents.
25. I want to do this again in 10 years when my babies are 14, 13, and 11 and I will be 40, that will be interesting!

2009-02-01T15:05:00.003-05:00

I got an e-mail from my oldest son’s pre-school teacher, Ms. Lisa.

“I have to tell you about Trey's prayer request today. It was so funny and very sweet and cute. He prayed to God for him to find the money for his dad to buy a new coffee maker because his old one broke and if his dad doesn't get his coffee in the morning he'll be sick. I tried very hard not to laugh. He is way too much. I love him!! Lisa”
My husband accidentally broke his coffee pot a couple weeks ago and has been using a little steam espresso pot instead;

(Just in case you don't know what I am talking about.)

he gets the same caffeine intake in just a cup of espresso as he did drinking 5 cups of coffee. I’m not sure which is better?

Trey confessing this to his whole class has me wondering, what else is he telling his class?

About a year ago when Taylor was an infant the whole family needed to desperately get out of the house so we packed up and went to one of those indoor jungle gym places. As my husband and I were sitting with Taylor in her infant carrier this sweet little girl approached us, she had a big toothless smile, red curly hair pointing in every direction, shoes untied, and stains on her shirt but you had to immediately love her. She came over to us to see who was hiding in the little car seat and she started. “Hi I’m Sarah, my mom and dad want another baby” Oh really, Anthony and I looked at each other and smiled. “I really want a brother” she said. Then she says “Yeah, my mom says she’s getting to old though”, I said “Oh?” thinking to myself, do I stop her? She kept going, “Yeah, she turns 36 on Friday and my dad is 38, and she is not happy about it.” “Wow, that’s interesting”, I say to the little girl as I see her mother notice that her daughter is talking to strangers. If only she knew what she was telling us. The little girl said, “She’s really cute” about Taylor in the car seat “I wish my parents would just go to the hospital and get one!” We both started to laugh and with that her mother comes over and says “Sarah, I hope you aren’t bothering these people” We laughed and said “No, she’s funny!” I thought to myself, I hope my kids don’t do that but sure enough it looks like we are on our way!

I am Choosing Happiness

2009-01-28T00:01:00.004-05:00

Happiness is a choice we make every morning. You can wake up and say “Ugggg, it’s snowing” or you can say, “look at that beautiful snow”. The greatest challenge is to find happiness right where you are. Don’t look over the fence. Stay planted in your own back yard and be grateful for every morning you wake up and you can make a choice. We can be negative or strive to see the positive. Life is what you make of it.

It is so easy for me to think of all the things I would love to have. I would love a finished basement, closets organized with labeled bins, a laundry room that would somehow make me love laundry, a kitchen so big that I would never have a stack of tupperware come flying out at me when I open the door. I would love to never worry about money, saving enough, having enough, making enough. I could go on and on with my dreams but what I really need to do is focus on what I do have.

I have a husband who adores me, and God bless him, still finds me sexy after having 3 kids. My children; they are the greatest gift in the world. They are healthy, smart, charming, loving, and so funny and I can't imagine my life without them. Our old farmhouse that drives me crazy but is loaded with character, and was completely refurbished by my husband's bare hands. God has blessed my family with more then I could have ever dreamed and none of which I could have ever bought in a store.

I'm adding this to my New Year's Resolutions: CHOOSE HAPPINESS!

New Years Resolutions Already in the Toilet

2009-01-25T11:06:00.000-05:00

#1 Eat healthy, and exercise……I’ve eaten ok until I made a huge lasagna this weekend and consumed at least 5 servings of a healthy cake which is still cake and eaten in large quantities is completely unhealthy. I try to exercise for 30 minutes, that is nothing yet I find it so hard to fit it into my day when I am drowning in dishes and laundry, but I’m still trying.
#2 Play more with my kids….I play and then I poop out. I have such good intentions when I start activities but I don’t know what happens. My body is playing but my mind is checking off my “to do list“. I wish I could throw the “to do list” out the window.
#3 Be a Better, More loving Wife… I was really good for about a week. I focused on the positives instead of harping on the negatives. I tried to be extra affectionate and he looked at me like I was an alien from Mars because that isn‘t my style. But I could still use some work.
Those are my top 3, I have many more areas in my life that need polishing but I am a work in progress. A new years resolution needs to be a daily dedication because each day brings it’s new challenges. I’m going to keep trying to be good but right now I really want more of that delicious, healthy cake!

My Little Flower Girl

2009-01-16T09:23:00.000-05:00

I haven’t been this excited since my wedding day. My baby girl is going to be a flower girl twice! Both brides loved this dress, what do you think?

When I got the dress in the mail I was so excited get it on my little princess. As I pulled it over her head she was not happy but once I got the dress on her and stood her on the floor she was transformed. She was no longer my little baby; she was now my little girl. She put her hands down to her sides to feel the puffiness of the dress and let out this giggle of excitement. She started pointing and smiling as she looked over her very first party dress. Her older brothers wanted her to dance in but I was lucky she could walk.
What is it about little girls and that instant affection for baby dolls, dresses, and anything pink? After having two boys I couldn’t imagine how different a little girl could be but it is night and day. I feel so lucky and I have to thank God for my amazing baby girl!

Beware - Evil Mom Ahead!!

2009-01-02T08:48:00.002-05:00

I went to sleep last night with my house looking nothing short of a garage sale. Everything out, toys, jackets, books, dishes, shoes, clothes, for all to see. The problem is no one came last night to buy it. When I walked down the stairs to the disaster this evil woman comes stirs inside of me. She is really ugly! I hate my husband for still sleeping upstairs, I would rather throw all the dishes in the trash rather then the dish washer, and start yelling at my children when they want to play with toys because, “Doesn’t anyone notice MOMMY just cleaned up!!!” My feet are cold but my maid is so far behind on laundry that I am wearing one of my husbands sock and one of my own because I couldn’t find a matching pair. As soon as I finish my venting rampage I will go scrub this disgusting house, make everyone breakfast, do a thousand loads of laundry, and start all over again in the afternoon…..Happy New Year:(

Wine + Hullabaloo = Party!!

2008-12-30T23:43:00.002-05:00

Tonight with dinner my husband poured me a glass of wine, that usually means he’s looking to get lucky…terrible, I know. That is a whole other topic entirely…stay focused. So as I finished my glass of wine the dinner conversation at the table just got better and better and I found myself just laughing for no real reason. My sneaky husband generously re-filled my glass while I was making my 13th trip to the kitchen for who knows what! Now, I don’t drink often, as a matter of fact it is so rare that I can’t even remember the last time I was officially drunk. Being pregnant for so many consecutive years has left the urge of alcohol back in my early 20’s. SO me and 2 glasses of wine….look out!!! My kids got the game Hullabaloo for Christmas and it is a great game! It is even better after 2 glasses of wine. So picture this, me not standing so well, my husband looking at me so embarrassed that I’m hammered off of 2 glasses of wine, and my 4, and 3 year with a look of excitement greater then Christmas morning that all of us where going to play this game together. The music starts we all start dancing and get on our first spot (you throw a bunch of colored shapes with pictures all around the floor) and then it is like twister. “Put your hand on the green circle, spin to an animal and act like that animal, touch your nose to a triangle and at the same time put your knee on a square.” Oh yes, can you picture this we laughed so hard and had so much fun that we played Hullabaloo well past bedtime! I can see why people could get addicted..LOL

My Mom Confessions!

2008-12-27T15:12:00.001-05:00

I'll let you in some of my holiday secrets, my mommy confessions. (If you are reading this please leave me your mommy confession!)

Did you ……..

coordinate outfits for family photos? Yes, what a nightmare

bribe your children with candy to make them smile? No, that would have been a good idea!

send out tons of cards to show off how adorable your children are? Yes, I love sending and receiving them

did you or your kids pick out daddy’s present? My kids made it!

shop before 8am or after 10pm at night? I thought I never would, but Yes

lie to your children that Santa is watching? Yes

let your children know the True meaning of Christmas? Yes and we will be having a birth day cake for Jesus this year!

promise you will start your diet in January? Yes!

How many………….

hours of sleep were lost due to shopping or present wrapping? At least 10

times to did you yell at your children to not touch the ornaments? 20? I lost count

Christmas cookies did you eat? That will be my little secret, but more then I should!

times did you make it to the gym? 1, I’m just donating this month

items did you end up buying for yourself? The sales were crazy this year, I couldn't help myself

hours were spent in standing in lines? at least one

times did you hug and kiss your babies whether they are 1 or 40? a million

OMG, there is a mouse MY the house!!!!

2008-12-23T21:20:00.001-05:00

No, I didn’t capture a picture of the mouse. I just wanted to show how creepy these gross, little, monsters are. I always loved the charm and caricature of an old farm house. The wide plank floors, archways, old hardware, and creaky hand made doors add so much charm. With that charm you get poor insulation, cracks in walls, and plenty of little crevices for sneaky little mice to get in. The other day I found little mice droppings, which look like black rye bread seeds in a drawer in our kitchen and I screamed. The idea of a mouse in my kitchen makes me want to throw up just thinking about it. Of course I make my husband set a trap, I tell him to set five but he thinks I over react. So he caught the mouse last night, Yeah, but you will never believe it. I heard another one, so I pull out the poison pellets and put them in the drawer. With that I walk away and in a matter of seconds that mouse was ripping into the poison, I hear him munching and I freaked and told my husband. He freaks that I put mouse poison in our kitchen so he stupidly goes to the drawer to take it out. AYHYYAHOAUODAO!!!!!!! The mouse JUMMPPPED OUTT, “AYYYYYYY” I scream and run as fast as I can into the other room and instead I slip and fall face flat on the floor and now I’m screaming more because I’m on the floor with the mouse!!!! OMG (Oh my God) I can’t take it, I will not sleep tonight, the mouse ran under the oven and until I see another mouse in the trap I will not sleep….PRAY FOR ME!

I ate a whole gingerbread house...

2008-12-22T14:39:00.007-05:00

I bought a little gingerbread house kit thinking, what a fun activity to do with my kids. We built it, covered it with icing and candy and I have found it to be irresistible. I didn't even know I liked gingerbread but when you coat anything with enough sugar it tastes delicious. After we built it we were all excited to bust into it. It started with the tree and some gumdrops. When the tree was gone I moved on to the house, but how do I inconspicuously eat the gingerbread house with no one noticing. I moved to the back corner of the house and began chipping away. As the house got weaker and weaker I knew it would soon fall and the boys would say+ "Who ate the gingerbread house?" So to save myself the humiliation I got the kids excited to crush it and put it in a plastic bag. I told them it would stay fresher that way. This made my new gingerbread eating obsession even easier. Over the course of the past week I have managed to eat an entire gingerbread house all by myself with just a little help from my kids. Does this mean I have a problem? Is that borderline eating disorder? I'm easing the pain by telling myself that when the holiday's are over I promise to be good but why is it so hard?

NOTE TO SELF: Next year skip the gingerbread house!

Santa is running out of time!

2008-12-19T13:49:00.004-05:00

Snow and ice are covering everything and this was my last chance to be Santa while my kids were at pre-school. I shouldn't have procrastinated so long but I don’t even know what to buy. Last weekend we were supposed to go see Santa. Call me a bad mom but when we got to the mall and the line was 300 kids deep I told the boys that Santa likes letters better anyway. They were fine with the idea of sending Santa a letter but the problem with the letter is the indecisiveness of it. We currently have the letters sitting on the table with two lines saying “Dear Santa, We were very good boys this year and we would love......." Blank, I only let them pick one thing and they can‘t make up their minds. Hence, I have not a clue what to buy. I just realized I need to get off the computer and get those letters to Santa done because I only have 5 days left.....God help me!

Feeling Guilty

2008-12-17T13:35:00.003-05:00

My kids watched way to much tv this morning and I'm feeling terrible. I scrubbed toilets and sinks, did loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, organized the toys and was feeling so accomplished until I realized that my children were being so good because I forgot to turn off the tv. I can't even think about how many hours were spent watching Yo Gabba Gabba because it will make my mommy guilt worse. The normal episode of me cleaning the house goes something like this.

#1 I start a load of laundry get everything in and someone yells "I went poopy" so I drop everything run to wipe a butt and realize the bathroom is gross.

#2 Start cleaning the bathroom then my one year old comes in and starts playing with the toilet so I pick her up.

#3 Start reading one year old a book, realize the books are a mess and start organizing the books.

#4 While organizing the books someone says they are hungry.

#5 Make lunch

#6 Feed lunch

#7 Clean up lunch, while cleaning up lunch my one year old starts playing with the dirty dishes in the dish washer so I close it and will clean up later then remeber laundry

#8 Darn it I never started the washer! So I start the washer and go to put some laundry away.

#9 While putting laundry away I realize it is nap time so laundry gets pushed to the side.

#10 Ahhh nap time, put my feet up, read a little magazine and enjoy some quiet time.....I don't think so

#11 Yelling "Trey get back in bed", "you already went to the bathroom", "you can have a drink when you wake up", "stop waking up your brother", "You don't have to sleep, just rest your eyes", "Daddy is going to be home soon", ......

#12 One year old wakes up because she already got a good 1 1/2 hour nap in while her brothers were stalling.

#13 Dinner, what are we going to have for dinner?

#14 "DING" Laundry's done, change it over, start new load

#15 Dinner, what are we going to have for dinner?

#16 Baby just dumped cheerios all over the floor

#17 Cleaning cheerios

#18 Pull the vacuum out, forgot kids were sleeping, now everyone is awake.

#19 Husband walks in and nothing is done, and what the heck is for dinner?

2008-12-04T22:39:00.003-05:00

It's amazing how much I love and adore my children after a couple of hours of me time. I got a haircut and did some work and enjoyed a little peace and quite!!! AHHH...I feel like a new mommy. When I got home tonight from all my running I hear a little voice yell down the stairs "mommy?" It was 10pm and my boys weren't sleeping. Normally they would be in big trouble but I ran up those stairs to give them the biggest hugs and kisses. I let them know how much I missed them and loved them and they layed down with huge smiles on their faces. After all the loving I changed into my pajama's and within about 5 minutes they were both already fast asleep. The comforting touch of a mommy.....until tomorrow.

Never Again!!

2008-11-28T07:29:00.002-05:00

I did it.....I got up at 4:30am this morning and set off with a list in hand of all the great sale items I was intending to purchase. I didn't get one of the items on my list and I don't know why anyone would torture themselves by shopping on this stupid retail established holiday. It was a joke, the lines wrapped around the stores. I could have stood in line all day for a $19.99 truck, but I'd rather not. None of the items on my list were that great of a sale that it was worth spending all day in a line. Take Old Navy for example. It just so happens I was in Old Navy just a week a go and got some great things for so cheap. This morning during their "Extravaganza, humongous, honkin' 3 day BIG weekend sale" items that I bought a week ago were more expensive. Carter's said the whole store was 50% off but all the items were full price, as much as $34.95 for a pair of jeans, sorry but on sale that is way to much to pay for kids jeans. Who is really winning on Black Friday....not me.

Happy, Sad, Loving, Annoyed, Fun, Frustrated!?!?!

2008-11-10T23:12:00.003-05:00

It is amazing how many emotions I go through in a day. This morning I woke up happy, I was ahead of schedule with getting everyone ready to run out the door to preschool. Suddenly, I was sad when I read the calender for my kids school to find out my oldest needs his library books and Thomas the Turkey?!? Thomas the Turkey, oh my word, I totally forgot and that makes me the worst mom. Thomas was this little cut out Turkey that all the kids in the class had to take home and put in a disguise and it was due today. We are supposed to leave in 10 minutes and I say to my oldest, "What in the world should we dress Thomas the Turkey as?" with that he says fireman and he glued and cut and we assembled together. Wow, made it in the car only a couple minutes behind schedule. They gave me big kisses goodbye and I thought, " Oh, I love these kids so much". Before I knew it, it was time to pick them up and once they were all in the car and I just got so annoyed. Trey was teasing his sister, Evan was crying because he dropped his school bag, Taylor started to scream because of Trey's teasing. I yelled, and just lost it. I'm sure I could have handled it better but I will make a mental note to try not to freak out again. Once we were home they played and everyone started to calm down but I hate that I can get so frustrated. I will try better tomorrow. We shall see.

Woo Hoo Halloween!!

2008-11-02T22:08:00.003-05:00

Halloween was never one of my favorite holidays. The meaning behind it always scared me. Now having kids I must admit it is fun. When else do you get to knock on peoples doors and they hand you candy? It was also a great way to meet the neighbors. So here they are, my little munchkins, Thomas the train, a duck, and a fire fighter.

After about the third house Thomas says, "this is really fun!" and I am thinking oh my goodness my arms are going to fall off. My little duck isn't walking yet and she felt more like a 40 pound turkey. We hung in though and even made it to the firehouse, and my little firefighter couldn't have been more excited! The aftermath of Halloween is a house filled with candy, and God knows I have no self control so I must get it out of my house!!

Ahhh, I just love family time!

2008-10-20T14:50:00.002-04:00

Two days of 100% family time! No work, no TV, no cooking, no cleaning, just wonderful family time. THE PLAN Leave our house at 1pm on Saturday, kids will take naps in the car, wake up fresh and ready to go at our first destination. THE REALITY Taylor (love her), napped almost the entire 2 hour car ride. Trey fought his eyes falling asleep the entire way and kept trying to keep his brother awake with him. Evan got 30 minutes of sleep despite his brothers attempts. THE PLAN Get to Dutch Wonderland, kids put on costumes for the Trick or Treat at the park, and just have lots of fun. THE REALITY Spent lots of time putting together the costumes for no one to want to wear them ( I new that would happen), instead we just had lots of fun!! One of the first rides the kids wanted to go on was the Twirling Turtles (Blaaaa). It didn't help that I was already a little carsick from turning around 300 times to keep telling Trey to stop teasing his brother and to pick up cheerios that dropped all over my back seat. After the Twirling Turtles I stuck to the simpler rides and had the kids go on the one's that said No Adults (Thank God). THE NEXT PLAN drive from Dutch Wonderland to The Hershey Hotel, the kids would fall asleep in the car and we could put them right to bed and my husband and I could watch some TV and relax. THE REALITY They did fall asleep in the car but once we got to the hotel it was like someone pumped their blood with caffeine! They were so excited that I feared they would never go to sleep. After running down the hall to the vending and ice machine, eating all the Hershey kisses on the pillows, telling stories, playing go fish, wrestling in the huge bed, we finally realized we had to shut everything off and just go to sleep ourselves. By 9:00 all lights were out, TV off, and everyone fell fast asleep.

The next day went very smooth. We went to Chocolate World and everyone loved the history of chocolate tour and the trolley ride. The 3-D movie didn't go over so well though. A bunch of chocolate popped out of a box and I think my boys thought it was going to hit them in the face. We had to quickly run out of the theatre with them in hysterics (maybe next year). The last part of this trip was Hershey Park. The park was huge and we saw maybe 20% of it but it didn't matter. We had so much fun seeing our kids having fun that we didn't have to go to every ride. They were so excited to be able to go on the same ride 10 times if they wanted to. Before making the 2 hour drive home we stopped for a quick dinner and my oldest, Trey who fought sleeping the entire trip, fell fast asleep before our food even got to the table. THE PLAN HOME We would feed them, drive home and they would all fall fast asleep. Once we got to our house we could put them straight to bed. THE REALITY It happened!!

Birthday, Birthday, Birthday!!!

2008-10-17T22:30:00.000-04:00

This week was just one big birthday party. Monday my little Evan turned 3, and Friday my big Trey turned 4. With the birthdays so close I tried really hard to make each day very individual and special for each of them. No matter how much I planned for this there were still moments of jealousy. Evan woke up on Trey's birthday and started to cry "why isn't it my birthday anymore?", I wasn't sure how to answer that other then "because it's not honey, it's Trey's so lets make it special for him" and he was over it. I only had to break up a few fights over sharing their new toys, but no broken bones!

Tomorrow, for the grand finally of the week we are going to Hershey Park, overnight! The idea of traveling 2 hours in the car and packing up 5 people for one night is a bit overwhelming but "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"

Who wants a cupcake?

2008-10-12T22:10:00.001-04:00

Today I baked my very first “school” cupcakes! Tomorrow my two year old will turn three and he gets to take show and tell and a snack. So tonight I baked up a storm and turned out some pretty cute cupcakes if I do say so myself. Evan (my 2 year old requested orange icing because orange is his favorite color) so I ran with it and this is my result.

As I finished the cupcakes and placed them in the little cupcake carrier, that I just purchased for this special occasion, I felt this little happiness. One because I am excited to have Evan carry those cupcakes to class tomorrow with such pride, two because I’m moving into the next threshold of motherhood. No longer is it just changing dirty diapers. I am now a mom of a pre-schooler, baking cupcakes for his class! I know it is such a simple thing but special and it makes me happy!

It Just Hit Me!

2008-10-05T13:45:00.003-04:00

I just realized why I often get frustrated with my mommy roll. As I was folding laundry this morning my husband was replacing our 300 year old back door. (My husband is wonderfully handy, he actually renovated our entire old farm house before children). Then WHAM it hit me! My job is like replacing the back door every day three times a day. I do laundry, clean the house, cook meals, but it never ends. If I could just finish something and never have to do it again that would be so rewarding. Back to my laundry!

Loving a quiet Sunday!

2008-09-21T16:00:00.004-04:00

We woke up this morning and started the day like every other morning, Evan (our 2, almost 3 year old ) waking us saying "my bellies hurting!" He wakes up starving every day! Our Sunday morning "thing" is Strawberry Pancakes. I make the pancakes, my oldest son makes the syrup (1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 a package of strawberry jello, and 2 Tbls. of cornstarch) which needs to be stirred over low heat for a long, long, long time until it thickens, and everyone else waits patiently! After inhaling our delicious breakfast with lots of sugar we decide it was time to take out pet turtle to a better home. (We found a turtle in our backyard about a week ago and have kept him a little bit longer then we should have.) So as a family we got out the stroller and the bikes and traveled about a mile in a half to a little lake to let the turtle go. My boys, so big, rode their bikes all the way there with a little huffing a puffing but no giving up! Once we got to the lake the little turtle ran and dove into the water and seemed very happy! Getting home was a little tougher as the boys were a bit more tired but we made it.

We played outside and I pruned our out of control tomato plants and then it was time for lunch. We ate some homemade pizza from the night before and some brownies for dessert, yes I know, don't make me feel guiltier then I already do. So to work off my atrocious day of food I decide to go for a run which turned into a walk as I almost threw up because of all the crap in my stomach. As I was walking a long and enjoying the beautiful day I began to appreciate everything. Appreciate the sun shining, being able to walk, and sing, and thinking of my beautiful family that I so truly adore and all I can be is thankful. When life gets you down, money is tight, things aren't easy, stop and take a look at all that you have and not what you don't and I know you will be like me......Thankful!

Hope you have a great day

Is it just my husband?

2008-09-12T23:15:00.000-04:00

So I work occasionally and many times my husband will watch the kids while I go to work for a couple hours at night. He is great with the kids but my God, the house is a disaster when I get back! Well tonight I just couldn't resist to take a picture and document what an idiot he can be (sorry honey, it's true) Ok... This is what the sink looked like when I got home.
This is what it looked like after me loading the dishwasher for 15 minutes!!!!!

Can you believe how well this man packed a sink FULL of dishes just to avoid emptying the dishwasher and then reloading it? I felt like throwing the dishes at his head!!!

Summer is gone:(

2008-09-10T15:09:00.003-04:00

It's getting cold and the leaves are starting to fall and I can't believe the summer is gone:(

My boys started pre-school and we are all loving it! Mommy gets something done for a couple hours and the boys get to play with kids other then each other. The only problem is that I feel guilty for not being emotional or sad that they are going to school. Is that wrong that I didn't tear up or feel anything but excited?

Little Taylor has started crawling and my house is officially on lock down. No small toys on the floor, outlet covers on at all times, baby gates in place, and praying that she doesn't find the one death trap that I missed (I'm just sure I forgot something)!

I've started the invites for the kids big birthday bash which will be in October and here is the one quality photo we got while my husband clicked the camera and I jumped around like a baboon to make them smile, so close!

It also took me forever to come up with a catchy wording and this is it " We're so excited, we hope you can join in the fun, because Trey, Evan, and Taylor turn 4, 3, and 1!" I know, so poetic!

Well grumpymoms has been hopping lately, we have lots of new moms to share their advice, to tell their story, and to be our comfort so moms we thank you for joining the family!

Trying to loose the muffin top!

2008-06-24T21:56:00.002-04:00

I'm hungry....I hate being hungry, but I don't think their is any other way to loose this muffin top, or as some call it, a spare tire. I am so impatient, one pound a week is not worth the work and the effort it takes and it is driving me crazy! I'm not ready to give up yet so I'm going hardcore. No sweets, no condiments, no cheese, fat free dressings, tiny portions, and only extra lean protiens and run, run, run! No, No, Fun:( I have to tell myself this is not forever but just until I get to a good place then I don't have to be crazy. For now I'm CRAZY, HUNGRY, FAT, and GRUMPY!

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2008-06-22T22:50:00.001-04:00

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We made it to church!

2008-06-22T21:12:00.004-04:00

My husband and I used to frequent church, it was something we enjoyed together on a relaxing Sunday morning. Then we had baby number one, then pregnant with baby number two, and the excuses piled up so we saw church about 5 times in the past 4 years. Today friends invited us to visit a church they just started attending and I was truly looking forward to it. My husband on the other hand was not looking forward to packing up the troops and running around the house on his only day off, but we were going. Eight AM everyone started waking up, and I quickly got my self ready knowing it would be my only opportunity. Once I was downstairs it was a flurry of making, feeding, and dressing everyone, while my husband took a shower and got himself ready. And he was stressed?!? But we made it, and even on time! It ended up being a great day of quality family bonding and we just might try it again next week!

The Day the Lights Went Out

2008-05-09T14:54:00.005-04:00

Babies napping, boys are playing with their trains, and I am trying to clean, do dishes, laundry, and pay bills online all in the same breath when BAM.....the power goes out. It is a rainy cloudy day so the house is dark, dishes and laundry shut off, no computer so I can't pay bills, so I just played! We got out flashlights and built a big train track, then we read books, and even made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the floor of the living room because that had the most light. When the power finally went back on two hours later we all looked at each other and I thought we should shut off the power more often!

One mom at a Time

2008-05-01T21:39:00.004-04:00

The reason I started grumpymoms.com was to break open the mask of motherhood and to help moms be the best they can be. I think being a mom is the toughest and greatest job on earth and if you can say you have NEVER been grumpy, YOU ARE LYING! It is tough and their are times that I can get so frustrated with my kids, or my husband, and it doesn't mean I don't love them it just means I am human! I always wanted someone to say to me "It is ok to not like being a mom sometimes", or "it is ok to want to run away from it all", "It is ok and here are some ways to make your life a little easier!" Well I stumbled across this inspirational story and this is my goal.

I want to help one mom to have a better day, and if every day we all try to help one mom...think of the possabilities!

The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, 'Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over.''
I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. 'I will come next Tuesday', I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house, I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.'Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!'My daughter smiled calmly and said, ' We drive in this all the time, Mother.' 'Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!' I assured her. 'But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks,' Carolyn said. 'I'll drive. I'm used to this.' 'Carolyn,' I said sternly, 'Please turn around.' 'It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.'After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, 'Daffodil Garden.'
We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.'Who did this?' I asked Carolyn. 'Just one woman,' Carolyn answered. 'She lives on the property. That's her home.' Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.On the patio, we saw a poster.

'Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking', was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. '50,000 bulbs,' it read.
The second answer was, 'One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain.'
The third answer was, 'Began in 1958.'For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, almost fifty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived.
One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.
That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time, often just one baby-step at a time and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world … 'It makes me sad in a way,' I admitted to Carolyn. ' What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? 'Just think what I might have been able to achieve!'My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. 'Start tomorrow,' she said.She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, 'How can I put this to use today?'Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
Until your car or home is paid off

Until you get a new car or home

Until your kids leave the house

Until you go back to school

Until you finish school

Until you clean the house

Until you organize the garage

Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 lbs.

Until you get married

Until you get a divorce

Until you have kids

Until the kids go to school

Until you retire

Until summer

Until spring

Until winter

Until fall

Until you die...There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money. Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watchin!!!

Why do we front?

2008-03-15T23:48:00.003-04:00

Why do we buy things we can't afford, say things that aren't true, and put ourselves in debt to live a false front? Do we think people will like us more if we have cute shoes? Does it makes us feel better about ourselves if our kids are dressed well?

What has this world come to...? Media makes us believe that we need things to be happy but it's not true. Nothing in this world will ever make you happy. You need to look in and up and realize that it is not about the car we drive, the house we live in, or the clothes we wear. It is about loving people fully, giving all that you can, cherishing the small things, and focusing on all the things you have instead of all the things you want!

It seems so simple, but why is it so hard?

Enjoying my kids.....finally!!

2008-03-12T17:02:00.002-04:00

With having kids so close together it can definitely be a challenge. There was a time when I felt like all I ever did was discipline and those days are fewer and far between. I hate that feeling when you say to yourself "I am the worst mom, my kids are out of control!" but you have to remember they are learning their boundaries and you are the teacher. Well, they have learned their boundaries, they still have to be remind every once and a while, but what a joy they are!!
I can take them anywhere, out to lunch, shopping, bank, the gym and we now have fun!! I didn't think this would ever be possible! My advice to any mom with a child 3 or under...STAY STRONG, REMEMBER YOU ARE THE MOM and I promise it WILL pay off!!

I now know I am REALLY a mom!

2008-03-08T11:41:00.002-05:00

The other night we went out to dinner with the 3 kids for the first time since our baby girl came. Things I learned!

#1 My boys are getting so big (Evan now 2 and potty trained, Trey is 3 and acts like he is 10)

#2 I don't have to stress (When you let go and stop trying to control everything I think everyone relaxes not just you)

#3 Enjoy and live in the moment (Hearing the giggles, listen to their stories, and just enjoying them exactly the way they are makes everyone happy!)

#4 I also learned I am definitely a mom!

As we were driving home from a fun family night out Evan says to me "Here Mommy", so without thinking I reach my hand to the back seat and as he places something in my hand he says, " I got that bogger all by myself". Soooo Gross!!

Taking the time!

2008-02-16T16:10:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my parents watched our kids overnight for the first time and WOW how nice it was. In the day to day stress of life, money, work, kids, and the house it is hard to take the time to work on the marriage. Often that is the easiest thing to let go because you think, "he's not going anywhere". Well I must say it was wonderful to go on a date with my husband. To get all dressed nice with no spit-up on my shoulder. To really have the time to apply make-up and do my hair. Then sitting at the bar to have a drink while we wait for a table....I could have waited all day. Then to eat and talk and not have a single distraction, it was so nice. I am truely going to try to do this at least once a month because I'm realizing that to have a happy home you need to start with the marriage. Even though there are days I could kill him, there are also days I need to remember the wonderful qualities that made me marry him!

2008-02-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

Why is the grass always greener? When you're a stay at home mom you often dream of going to work and when you work you dream of staying at home. This week I got to do both. On Monday I was home and Tuesday I was excited to go to work. Wednesday I was still excited to go to work but by 5:30 after picking up the kids and driving home trying to think of what I was going to make for dinner, I was tired! Then on Thursday I watched a 1 and 3 year old along with my 3, 2, and 10 week old. By last night I was beyond tired and today I was the happiest woman alive. Only 3 kids, and I got to stay in my pj's all day! But Monday I was complaining, "I've been in my pj's all day and I was running around after 3 kids!?!" The grass is always greener!

In my next life!

2008-02-03T11:23:00.000-05:00

In my next life I want to come back a man just so I can see what it would be like to

Wake up every morning and get just myself ready and walk out the door without an extra thought.

Come home from work and feel no guilt in watching TV or reading the newspaper.

Not HAVE to do a single thing around the house unless someone asks you.

Close the door while going to the bathroom and not have anyone banging on it asking "What are you doing?!?"

Not hear a single cry in the middle of the night.

Have my dresser filled with clean sox and underwear and not worry about how they got there.

Have someone cook my meals and clean them up.

After having three kids can still ask, "where are the diapers?"

So Scary

2008-02-01T23:02:00.000-05:00

So scary!! My baby girl went to the hospital Monday and made me re-appriciate my babies. A simple cough in my boys caused my 8 week old baby girl to stay in the hospital for 3 days and I pray I will never be there again. It's terrible that sometimes it takes something like this to take a step back and appriciate what you do have instead of often thinking about what we don't. I will wipe my kids noses, clean up vomit, administer medicine at 3am and just be thankful it is a minor inconvience but they will survive and in the comfort of our own home!

Not enough hours in the day

2008-01-15T17:18:00.000-05:00

I either need more hours in a day or more money so I can hire people to do my 101 responsabilities. When someone discovers how to take care of the kids, take care of the house, and take care of yourself please let me know. I was crazy all day yet I did nothing. I tried to do a load of laundry, just one. Every time i would start folding a shirt something would happen. Example: I reach into the dryer and pull out a kid size green shirt. I hold it up and shake it to get all the wrinkles out because it had been sitting in the dryer for a coulple hours when I hear a loud shreiking scream, not one you can ingnore. So I drop the shirt and run to find my oldest son sitting on his little brother becuase he took his helicopter. As I break up the wrestling match their little sister wakes up because of the screaming. Now baby has to eat, 45 minutes later I go back to the dryer to fold the close only to realize that they are just a wrinkly mess so I'll run the dryer for 15 minutes. Now the boys were hungry so I made lunch, fed lunch, cleaned up lunch and realized the boys were a mess and I couldn't remember the last time they had a bath so i threw them in the bath. Then it was nap time and finally I went back to that green shirt, I pick it up, shake it and it's time for the baby to eat and as the story goes 45 minutes later i go back to the green shirt and everything is wrinkled once again. This pattern repeated it self most of the day until finally at 7:00 after dinner was fed and cleaned up daddy was home and I got to go outside and fold that stupid green shirt!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

So much fun but so exahusting!!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

A day Off!!

2007-12-15T12:23:00.001-05:00

As a mom we don't get sick days, or holidays, or just a good old day OFF! I'm so excited because today is my day OFF! My baby is 3 weeks old today so that means I haven't had a good nights sleep in a long time, especially if you count pregnancy. So I made these crazy plans over 3 months ago. Let me tell you the story....
I own a smoothie shop called Planet Smoothie I have had the store for over 5 years. One of my girls that has worked for me since she was 15 is turning 21 today and I agreed to take her out. I knew I would have a newborn and I wasn't sure how this would work, but I was willing to try. Let me tell you, I am so excited!! We are going to AC for the night....a whole night with no children and just a bunch of fun. I almost feel like I'm dreaming or hallucinating from lack of sleep. We will see how I feel tomorrow,but I'm excited!

I't official, I'm grumpy!

2007-12-10T16:36:00.000-05:00

Well, so exciting I had a baby girl named Taylor Christine Saturday, November 24th. After having 2 boys (Trey 3, and Evan 2) it is really fun to have a little girl. First week went really well, adrenaline kicking and the excitiment of our new family helped. Now we are just starting week 3 and exaustion has hit the excitment of baby sister is leaving and we are all a bit stir crazy! (It's not worth the energy to leave the house with three kids under 3) All that leaves me super grumpy!! I realize that I have no patience when I'm tired so I started drinking coffee. I hate coffee, I put chocolate syrup and fancy creamer with a splash of coffee to try and choke it down and it works. It gives me energy but I think it also reaks havoc on my stomach because I kind of feel sick. I'm not sure what is worse sick or tired, for now I'll take sick! I know this is temporary but it's crazy how quickly you forget how hard these first weeks are. Wish me (and especially my family) luck!

Almost left my kids at the grocery store!

2007-10-25T22:39:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days were I almost left my kids at the grocery store! I just needed to make a quick stop for some essentials, milk, bread, and cereal. As we are walking into the grocery store I am trying to find a "car cart", the cart with the little car on front that allows me to grocery shop with some sanity. NONE! At this point I am standing in the grocery store with no cart and a 2 and 3 year old who simultaneously TAKE OFF in opposite directions. Meanwhile I am nine months pregnant and in no mood for what I knew was about to ensue. So I decide to catch the slower of the two children, my 2 year old. Once I caught him he began to scream bloody murder as if I was cutting off a limb which on the positive caused my 3 year old to come running back to see what was happening. But as you can imagine the entire grocery store is looking at me like I am beating my child. I have the 2 year old in my arms and I grab my 3 year old by the hand and drag them back outside of the grocery store. As I stand in front of the regular carts, still no "car cart" I contemplate what to do. #1 Leave the grocery store without any groceries only to get home, have no food, and have to traipse back out to the grocery store. #2 Scream at my children to only have them look at me like I've lost my mind which at this point I had #3 Just leave them in the grocery store and pretend they aren't my kids or #4 Try to pull it together and come up with a new solution. I opted for #4 I stood there for a couple minutes to contemplate what I was going to do and this is what I came up with. My 2 year old is in the seat of the regular cart and I put my 3 year old in the basket. I then pulled a pen out of my purse and preceded to put an X on my 3 year olds hand. He looked at me and said "Mommy, get it off I don't like it" and I said "that is your first time out when we get home, if either of you don't behave you will get more X's which equal more timeouts." It was a miracle, I actually had two new children in the grocery store! I still couldn't get a "car cart" so I was able to get the essentials; bread, milk, and cereal! Now I just needed a nap!

Another Exciting Day

2007-09-27T13:09:00.000-04:00

I'm kidding....Just another sink full of dishes, laundry everywhere, diapers to change. I wonder often if there are moms out there that truly enjoy the mundane tasks that we have to do everyday, all day. I dream of the day that I can have a maid that just cleans up behind me and the rest of my family. Why is it that when we become a mom we loose so much of who we are by taking care of everyone else? Why is it that men get to continue there lives everyday as it was before? Why do I love my kids so much it hurts and in the same moment think dear Lord I can't take another minute of my life? It makes me feel so guilty to be frustrated by my little world because I know things could be much worse, but I am determined to make life better! I want to learn to enjoy the mundane daily life that is mine and I will not rest until I find the secret and share it with every mom that is just like me!