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

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

#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

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!!

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!!

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!

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