Vacationing with kids

The countdown to vacation is on. 

And preparing to leave with three active girls is proving a TAD more difficult than when they were just toddlers.  Everything I lay out gets scrutinized..."why do we need to pack those pajamas?"   Or there are the helpful suggestions of other things that should be included in the packing.  Even more nerve-wracking is the minute you think you have something packed into a tote, crossed off the list and staged ready to be put in the truck....you turn around.....and it's missing half the items.  Really?!?

Sad to say, it might have been easier when the girls were small and I had to add 3 pack 'n plays, 3 booster seats, 3 strollers (or a triple stroller), diapers & wipes for 3, etc......  Now, every Buddy, Pillow Pet, Dream Lite, favorite stuffed animal, second favorite stuffed animal, game, book, movie....must be included.

Yesterday I let the girls help chose their outfits to be packed.  Poor Teagan didn't quit understand why it wasn't necessary to bring her Steelers jersey, red fleece Santa sweatshirt, rain boots and Stompeez.   I am the queen of over-packing, but that might have even surpassed me.  She only agreed to removed the items from her pile when I assured her it was better to leave a little extra space in the suitcase in case she wanted to buy something new while we were away. 

Time is running out, the girls excitement grows by the minute.  Only one more day left until the big circled VACATION DAY on the calendar arrives.  For every time I roll my eyes at what they come up with next....I just think to myself, just wait til they are all three teenagers!

In just a couple of days the sand will be beneath my toes, the salty sea air blowing in my face, the shrieks of the girls as they chase the waves and time spent with family will be all that matters.

(Until it's time to pack to come home.)

The Mundane

Here I am...returning to the blogosphere after another lengthy absence.  I wish I could say I was off on wild adventures, whisked away to an island paradise, relaxing at a luxury spa.  Turns out, it was normal...ordinary...mundane.....life.  Well, to be honest, not much ordinary about it, but it's all a part of life.

Tonight I found myself in the company of a group of people connected by a common denominator.  While I cannot speak for the group as a whole, I am sure the majority of them would welcome some sort of normalcy or ordinary.   

The world spins around us and in spite of us.  What an awesome ride.  Filling us with joy and grief, gains and losses, triumphs and failures.  It is true there are things in our lives that are totally beyond our control.  Events and people that throw us for a loop no matter how much we try to maintain normal.  However, how much do we over-complicate things in our own minds, when we think that worry and fear may consume us?  How many of us create drama at our own hands?  There are times in our lives where we'd welcome ordinary ourselves. 

I hear (sometimes too often) that God only gives us what we can truly handle.  Every once in a while I just want to say "Gee, Lord, I appreciate your confidence in me, but how about a little slack today."   A topic of discussion within tonight's group, was the presence of another person entering our lives at a time when perhaps we needed it the most.  By some gift of God, we find ourselves in the midst of someone special.  Maybe that new presence in our lives is just God's reminder that there are other people there to pick up the slack with us.  They are probably just an ordinary person, but probably the voice to remind to release the hurt, unfortunate and painful.  Letting go...letting God.

Rejoice in the mundane.  Embrace the uneventful.  For it is in the simplicity of everyday life that we have the opportunity to find the truest gifts.  Our lives and the world are far from ordinary, but perhaps in those times we are able to realize just how fortunate we are, how far we've come...and how far we've yet to go.   Today I give thanks for a little bit of normalcy.

Playing dress up

As is the case with (most) young girls, at some point they go through that magical princess phase.  For us, it began early last summer with Maya and Riley...and now Teagan is in full force.  In any given day, I assist with at least 38 wardrobe changes into various princess costumes.  Our 8 hour stint at Disney in February sure added fuel to that fire.  I mean, when one of the very first things that happens to you at Disney is this.....

 

 

...it's hard not to get wrapped up in magical fairy tales.

 

More recently, the girls have also begun taking part in another little girl right of passage.... playing wedding.  Last summer their babysitter got married and invited us to the wedding.  The girls have been mesmerized by this, and weekly (at least), we have a wedding.  With each other, with stuffed animals, with throwing flower petals and dancing at a reception.  They are really into this....so much so that Maya was as bride for Halloween.  I fear the days when I am going to have to pay for three weddings!

 

Yesterday morning we were in yet another discussion about weddings and getting married.  Maya brought up beautiful princess wedding dresses and I asked if they wanted to see Mommy's wedding dress.  You would have thought it was Christmas morning, complete with giddy shrieks and jumping up and down.  I pulled the dress out from the back of the guest closet...

 

and we played dress up!  A little girl's dream come true.

 

Teagan

Maya

Riley

 

Maybe paying for three weddings won't be so bad after all!

"Must do" vs "Want to"

Ok, so this rarely happens!  An afternoon with "nothing" to do.  The girls are napping.  The laundry is done.  The dishwasher is loaded and counters cleaned.  The toys are put away.  Dinner laid out.  Work out done for the day.  Emails are caught up.  The neighbor is mowing the yard.   The house his quiet and....FREE TIME FOR MOMMY!  Two hours.....and GO......

Ok, what to do first? 

I'll print the items for baby shower invitations I am making.  Out of blue ink.  Next....

I'll work on the class project for their teacher next week.  Out of light magenta ink in the photo printer.  Next....

I'll make peanut butter cookies.  Out of Crisco.  Next.....

ARGH....if only I had run to the store this morning instead of coming home to pick up the toy room, do the dishwasher and plan dinner.

OK, so I'll start some scrapbook pages.  But that means getting halfway through with something and having someone wake up early and that will probably be more hassle than it's worth.  Maybe I'll come back to this one.  Next....

I'll work on my blog.  I am stumped.  I'll write SOMETHING....even if it's my list of things that I have time to do but aren't getting done.  But how can I not find SOMETHING to do......

And then I remember there are some things that need filed away in the office.  And an insurance item that needs a phone call and a letter typed and emailed for signature.  And some hand washing that I could tackle.  And the little "must dos" are starting to sneak into my mind and my "want tos" are slipping away. 

Most days the "must do" out weighs the "want to". 

So I'll take one for the team today and keep plugging away on the little things that aren't fun, but necessary.  Tomorrow is "Best Friends Day" round 2 starting with Riley.  This past winter I took a day with each of the girls by themselves and we did shopping, lunch out, errands.  Now that we are nearing the end of the school year, it's time to do another fun day with each of them.  On our list tomorrow will be buying new ink and Crisco (among other things).  She wants to eat lunch at Wendy's and we are going to buy Teagan's birthday gift and several other stops.  We'll be laughing and making memories. 

A "want to" and a "must do" all rolled into one!

Tips on Parenting

Yea, I got nothin'!

In the greater scheme of things, I have been a parent a mere fraction of a lifetime.  There are people out there with 70 year experience of 10 kids or more.  I am sure they would have tips on parenting. 

You see, I just sort of float along on this ride called life and hopefully no one falls off.  Just when I think I've got it all figured out, they grew up on me.  They think and speak for themselves.  As they gain independence they (definitely) form their own opinions.  They have developed friendships outside of our immediate family.  On a daily basis they do things that make me scratch my head and I wonder how they got from point A to Z....and I missed it.

We were playing at the park yesterday and I just sat on the bench and watched them for the longest time, completely lost in their own carefree worlds of make-believe and pure joy.  We had no where to be, no task to complete.  Just a wonderful morning in the fresh air after being trapped all winter.  I am sure to the casual onlooker it seemed as if I was not interested in what my girls were doing and  preferred to sit by myself rather than interact with them during play.  Actually, it was quite the opposite.  I often times get so wrapped up on being right in the action during our daily activities, I forget to take a step back and just watch my kids be kids.  Yesterday I made my own memories as Riley raced her shadow down the big slide and Maya pushed every empty swing in the row trying to make them all go before the first one stops and Teagan picked all of the tiny "flowers" at the edge of the fence post to use as tickets for her airplane rides. 

So, my "tips", not just for parenting but for enjoying the ride of a lifetime...

Love
Observe
Participate
Go with the flow
Appreciate
Encourage
Savor

APB: Spring

In spite of the brightly shining sun on the way to school this morning, I was scowling at the temperature in my truck that read 17 degrees.  The girls were mildly disappointed when they asked if they could wear their new Easter dresses to school today for their Easter party and I told them it was too cold.  In fact, according to Scott Sabol's long-term weather outlook on Fox 8 this morning, I am wondering if it'll even be warm enough on Easter Sunday for the dresses!  Where is spring?!?!?  It arrived yesterday, but I sure don't see it anywhere in the near future! 

I hate cold weather.  Which in Ohio puts me in a mildly bad mood from November through mid-March usually.  By then, temps reaching the 50's at least means we can be outside flying kites, riding bikes, swinging at the park or a whole host of other things that gives us fresh air and some much needed vitamin D. 

Exhibits A and B.....taken exactly 1 year ago today (March 21, 2012) at our beach:

 

 

Sliding and swinging in short sleeves and bare feet.  Now that's what I'm talking about!

 

So, Mr. Groundhog, I must say I am a little disappointed in you!  Where is the spring you promised us just 6 weeks ago?  If I hear about another winter weather advisory or significant accumulations I think I might lose it!  I think we could all use a little warm weather and sunshine.  Let me know if you find any laying around somewhere.  I'd be very grateful! 

 

 

Feelin' Lucky?

So today, I think, the population of the Irish increases about 387%.  Yup, I have Irish blood running through my veins, we are all sporting our green attire and the corn beef & cabbage are simmering away in the slow cooker.  (Smells delish!)  I think about the "luck of the Irish".  I think about luck in general.  Good luck.  Bad luck.  Dumb luck.  Lucky in love.  No luck.  And all the luck in the world. 

The events of the past few weeks (with the recurrence of a few seizures) has caused me to really think about some things and try to get a handle on perspective.  What has to be done now, and what can (and should) be put off til later in an attempt to "take it easy". I am lucky that I have numerous friends and family that have helped out.  I am lucky that we have access to one of the top notch medical facilities in the world. 

Last summer my sister gave me a book called "Mom Spa:  75 Relaxing Ways to Pamper a Mother's Mind, Body, and Soul" (by Jennifer "Gin" Sander).  While I would love to say I've had time to read the book cover-to-cover and indulge in all 75 relaxation tips (twice), what I actually have done is thumbed through the book on occasion and tried a few here and there.  I took the book from my nightstand drawer this week and I opened to tip 43 "Send in the maids".  Done and DONE!  Turning over the weekly scrubbing of tubs & toilets, dusting, mirrors and mopping the hardwood floors is something I am more than happy to have someone help me with.  But, more than what I found on those pages was what I found IN those pages. 

Tucked in the binding of tip 43 was a pressed 4 leaf clover.  Whether my sister placed it on that page intentionally or just a random spot she picked I can't help but think it was very lucky that I happened to find it now.  Not that I wouldn't have thought it very cool (and thoughtful) had I found it months ago....but I can't help feeling that I was supposed to find it now!

I am a very driven person that is used to doing things for myself.  It's difficult, and often an inconvenience, to have to ask others to do things for me.  I take pride in a job well done, and well done by my own two hands.  What that 4 leaf clover made me realize is that we all have things going on that have need to be done by ourselves.  At least we think they do.  As much as I like my house cleaned a certain way, if someone else does it and it frees up some time to snuggle and read books and color with my girls, then does it really matter?  Laundry washed, promptly pulled from the dryer and hung and/or folded.....or tip #23 to read a book sitting by a window so that you can not only lose yourself in the characters, but take time to absorb the world around you.  So, maybe the dryer gets set on the "wrinkle free" cycle and allows a little extra time to get some fun reading in.  Paying household & business bills (ok, so this DOES have to be done)....but equally important is tip 66 to enjoy "creative calm".  Tip #50....exercise.  It's not only good for your body, but it's good for YOU!

Regardless of what has to be done, there is always time for what you want to be done.  Thank you, dear sister, for reminding me that pampering a mind, body and soul are the only things we have to do ourselves!  Taking care of ourselves is the best way to take care of everyone and everything around us.  If we are lucky, we have a long life ahead of us, time to do all the things and say all the things we want and need to accomplish.  If we are lucky we realize early on that things can and will wait.  If we are lucky we have people that will drop everything to come help out in a time of need.  We are lucky, we have people that we will drop everything for to help them out in a time of need. 

Are you feeling lucky?  Or, are you feeling lucky!