parenting exhaustion

Melissa 2 Comments

Parenting has been so… hard lately.

I can’t even think of one thing in particular. (Well, I can think of SEVERAL THINGS IN PARTICULAR, but they are not fit for the blog. TRUST ME. They are that good. Or that bad. You know what I mean!) So its not just one particular child or one particular issue. Its just… everything.

Maybe its stress that is impacting all of us, right down to little Colin.  Maybe its the upheaval of moving and of an increased amount of traveling for both me and my husband at work. Maybe its just the end of the school year craziness.  Whatever it is, it seems like things just aren’t quite normal around here. The whining and such is at a high point. The house is a mess, everyone is tired and sniffily and coughing (Thanks, Allergy Season!), and our schedule is so packed it is getting hard to fit anything else in.

Whatever it is, it has been rough over here. I can feel my patience running thin by breakfast and I hate it. I don’t want to be a naggy, frustrated, shouting mom.

I want a lazy Saturday, lounging around in our PJs and watching a movie on impulse while gobbling cereal on the couch. I want to have time where we’re just at home – no one having to rush to a game or rehearsal or practice or work… just hanging around. I want to have a movie night with popcorn and snuggling. I want to go out and do something fun – not because its some kid in preschool’s birthday party, but just because we want to.

Maybe soon.

 

cinco de mayo favorites

Melissa

I LOVE Cinco de Mayo! I love Mexican food for entertaining – its so easy and fun and casual.

Not to mention, I am kind-of well know for making an amazing margarita. Here is my super-dooper secret recipe. You will LOVE it!

Easy Frozen Margarita

1 can frozen limeaid
1/2 can triple sec
1/2 – 1 can tequila

Blend with ice. Serve in glass rimmed with salt. Designate a driver.

Some of my Cinco de Mayo staples?

cincodemayo

These are the best black beans. My kids love these. We use them as a side dish or to make tacos! Although, carne asada tacos or carnitas are always a good option. For something a little more gourmet, try Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Salsa (amazing!!).
What are you making for Cinco de Mayo? This year I’m thinking I will try fish tacos! Don’t these look yummy?
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7 weeks

Melissa

Seven weeks from today there will be movers here.

Packing up our house and loading everything up to move us into storage.

Seven weeks, you guys. SEVEN WEEKS.

(breathes into a paper bag)

I just want to cry. How are we going to get everything done that we need to do? Go the places we want to go, see the people we need to see?  With the end-of-the-school-year craziness and my husband’s parents arriving from overseas for a visit, I’m just seeing life flash before my eyes.

too-busy-people

Half of me wants to stay awake and not miss a moment. The other half wants to wake up in August!

THE house

Melissa 14 Comments

Its been quite a ride these past few weeks.

We listed our house for sale. Within one week, we were under contract.

I didn’t tell you. I KNOW! I’m sorry. It was just so surreal, I was so afraid to say something too soon. But we’ve passed all the inspections and we have a moving van booked, so I guess its official enough!

Step One: Sell House. CHECK!

And on to Step Two: Find New House. CHECK!!!

We had the craziest, most stressful ride finding a house.  We’ve been watching the market where we were moving for months and months and there were several houses we were excited to see.
And, of course, they all sold like the day before we got there.
So we went up at looked at a bunch of houses – most of them were not much to get really excited about – but one really caught our eye. It was a gorgeous house – so much charm and over 200 years old. We were a bit nervous about such an old house that needed a bit of work, but it was just so lovely. We saw it again, started pricing out the repairs, getting excited. We really could see our family living there. We called to make an offer….

and it sold right out from under our noses. Its a long story… but it was frankly heartbreaking. The kids, especially Elizabeth, were really sad.

Then that very day that we were licking our wounds from losing that house… we found about another house. A better house.
We were able to drive around the neighborhood where we quickly fell in love. We couldn’t go inside, but we realized that we were very VERY interested in this house.
The more we found out about this house, the more interested we got.

I couldn’t get away, but the day it went on the market, my husband was the first one in to see it. He called me and said “We’re making an offer. NOW.”

We rode a roller coaster for the next 36 hours. We got the dreaded “multiple offer” call. We thought we had it – then we thought we didn’t. Then… we did. We really did. We signed the papers and headed up to do the inspection over the weekend. And… this is happening.

We found our dream house. We found the one. I walked in the door for the first time and started crying. I was speechless. (And if you know me, you know how RARE that is!) I couldn’t believe this was going to be our home.

We cannot wait to live here, to raise our kids here, to build our lives here.

outside

I can’t wait to share it with you when we move in!!!

 

going green for earth day

Melissa

Every year around this time, I’m reminded about all of the ways I want to go green. And the many ways that I totally fail. I really, really do want to be super green, but honestly, life just gets in the way and I run out of time or its just too much for our busy lives. But there is one way that we have gone green that I wanted to share. Washdrops is a product that we’ve been using for several years now to clean our cars. And – are you ready?

Its not only green, but it actually is EASIER and CHEAPER than traditional car washing.

Really!!!

41nFCIZZjVL._SL210_Washdrops is a NEW unique Wash and Shine Solution. Use only one bucket, no hose, no rinse! You can wash any average-sized vehicle anywhere with only one gallon of water and one fluid ounce of Washdrops powerful yet gentle proprietary scientific formula. Plus, Washdrops leaves a beautiful shine! My car looks so much better when I use Washdrops, as opposed to the traditional hose and soap method.

I used to wash my car with dish soap. Because soap is soap, right? WRONG. Dishwashing detergent will remove everything from the surface of your car –that will include stripping the polymers of the paint surface and drying out the paint on your car. Dish soap and laundry detergent are actually counterproductive because they speed up the oxidation process and shorten the life of your car’s paint. Not only that, traditional car washing used almost 100 gallons of water for just a ten-minute wash! While Washdrops only uses about ONE GALLON.

Washdrops helps comply with the US  Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water Act. It is biodegradable, solvent-free, butyl free, phosphate free, ammonia free. Washdrops is completely non-hazardous – you can even dispose of Washdrops on a lawn or flowerbed.

That’s a pretty clear GREEN winner to me!  I love when little, simple discoveries can make a big GREEN difference!!!

disclosure: this is a sponsored post

 

 

latest colin quotes

Melissa 1 Comment

Colin: Mom, I really need a cell phone.
Me: Who are you going to call?
Colin: Grandma. Marcus. Uncle Chris. You know. My people.

I mean, he’s FIVE.

“Mom I have a LOT of work to do when I grow up if I’m going to be a builder and a race car driver AND a motorcycle racer. And I want to do everything in the world so I may not be home much!”

“Why can’t I wear this to school, Mom? I AM a pirate, you know.”
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This kid….

 

 

i’ve been quiet this week…

Melissa

…because I’ve been BURSTING with things I couldn’t tell you.

First of all… Meet Jacob.

jake2

My new nephew. This sweet, sweet, darling new love in my life!

jake3

I can’t get to see him fast enough. My husband had to restrain me from jumping in my car and driving 12 hours roundtrip in a 24 hour period. I am dying to kiss that little face. He’s even cute when he does this:

jake4

Then this morning, my brother-in-law, came home safely from his tour in Afghanistan.

HE's HOME

God hears our prayers. Oh yes, he does!!!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

dream house

Melissa 2 Comments

Our realtor thought the kids requests for our new house were hysterical. So may I present…

Ellie’s Dream House

  • a fenced in yard for the dog I’m getting.
  • maybe a doggie door. Unless we get a big dog, then we should probably not have one, since it would just get stuck trying to use it when it got big.
  • a nice street where we can walk the dog without getting run over by a car.
  • to be able to ride my bike to school.

Gracie’s Dream House

  • a window seat in my room.
  • a space where I can practice dance without running into furniture. Probably in the basement, so I can jump and tap dance.
  • a kitchen with bar stools so we can eat breakfast and help bake cookies.

Colin’s Dream House

  • a house that’s good for playing hide and seek, with lots of places to hide.
  • a swingset.
  • a treehouse with a ladder I can bring up so my sisters can’t get in.
  • a place where I can ride my bike all day long.

Its astounding, really, that we haven’t found a house yet with these criteria!

the epidemic of hate

Melissa

As I’ve been reading up on the Day of Silence – a student-led national event to end anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools – I’ve been shocked and saddened by what I’ve seen.  The antagonistic attitude and message of hate towards homosexuals from the Christian community can be enough to turn your stomach.  These issues are certainly a hot topic – the cover of my time magazine this week was a lesbian couple kissing. Its everywhere. But regardless of how I feel about it personally – there is an epidemic of hate and intolerance in the world that needs to stop.

GLSEN’s 2009 National School Climate Survey found that nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and more than 30% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety. Did you read that? More than THIRTY PERCENT of students are missing school out of fear. Another GLSEN study found that in the course of a single school year, two-thirds of teens reported being verbally or physically harassed because of their perceived or actual appearance, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, race/ethnicity, disability or religion.

Its not just about sexual orientation, folks. Kids are bullied for their religion. Their disabilities. Their race. Their clothing, their acne, their parents…. everything is fair game.

That is wrong. I don’t care what religion, race or sexual orientation someone is.

I will stand up. I will teach my children to love their neighbor – whoever that neighbor might be. I will teach them that our differences are something to be celebrated.  I will teach them to speak the truth of the Bible, but we are not the ultimate judge. I will teach them to be love and lights in this world and that calling people derogatory names is NOT part of that equation. I will teach them to stand up for people who are being hurt.

I will teach them the value of a human life. And of a human spirit.

 

stuck in the middle

Melissa

One minute she’s asking to buy a book that – upon my skimming – includes kids talking about being gay and bi and whathaveyou. (Let’s just call it “mature content” not suitable for a 10-year-old.) And she’s upset and confused when I say no.

The next minutes she’s asking to buy a stuffed animal with her birthday money.

This in-between stage is rough.

She’s so big, but not quite. She wants to be a teenager, but not quite. She still wants to play with toys, but I think she feels a little silly sometimes. Like she’s too big to be having fun. Its so hard to predict how she will react to things or what she is thinking.

While I am loving seeing her grow up and seeing her change into a young woman, its so painful sometimes. Like when you see that adolescent awkwardness starting to peek through the little girl exterior. Like when she wants to talk to me about something she heard or saw at school that confuses her. Like when she wants me to help her do her hair so she looks pretty. Like when she wants to confess who she has a crush on. I love that she will share with me (and yes, I know that won’t last forever!) but it also breaks my heart a little.

I want her to hang on to her childhood as long as she can. To keep playing. To keep begging me for stuffed animals. To keep from growing up too quickly.