Summer sleepovers

One of the kid's favorite things to do is to have friends over to spend the night so we managed to squeeze in a few before we went back to school! 

Well, our family is one week into a brand spankin' new school year.  I am choosing to not think about that this year marked the LAST year of elementary school for Noah...Ugh.  Didn't he just start preschool last week???  Lilly is happily into first grade, and has waited for homework her whole life... (reminds me of someone else I know...me)

The funniest thing on the first day of school.  Of course Annie had to pack up her little "pack-pack" as she calls it and take it with her to drop the kids off.  She traipsed dutifully into first grade, finds a cubby, hangs up her bag and sits at a desk, big as you please.  

"I be fine Mom"  she says in her little three year old banter.  (With the paci firmly planted in her mouth)

Same thing upstairs if fourth grade.  She hangs up her backpack and is sure she can work in this room.  Finally, we take something to Nana in the kindergarten class and she has found herself a haven of blocks and crayons and a plethora of wonderfulness.  She cried when I made her leave this time.  We stopped by the library to say hello to some friends.  She peeps in and says, "Hewe's my woom!"  Alas, I had to remove her from school in tears.  And NO I'm not sending her to PreK this year.  She's my only one at home and she is going to remain my baby for a while!!! 

Anyway, school is going well so far.  Both kids love their teachers and are in class with some of their buddies so I hope things continue to go smoothly from here out! 

Too much info about yours truly...

My blog was nominated for an award.  For what I'm not sure....but it gives me an opportunity to blab about myself and I'm sort of vain (and a touch of an over achiever) so here goes.

I was nominated by my dear sis in law who blogs at             

www.kimberlyparsley.wordpress.com

She's beyond talented in the writing department, a mom of two beautiful kids, and we are married to brothers, but more than that, we're friends.

Per her blog my instructions are to

a) tell 11 things about myself (which could be combined with b but see description of myself above)

b) answer 11 questions from the person who nominated me

c)  nominate three blogger friends (with fewer than 200 followers) and ask them 11 questions to share with us.

Got it?  K.

Here are 11 random facts about me

1- I am a licensed hairdresser and own a small salon.  I like doing hair, but detest the late hours and weekends
2- I wanted to be a doctor my entire childhood. 
3-I am scared to death of snakes and needles
4-I am prone to clumsiness (and by prone I mean I fall,  a lot)
5- I am a worrier
6-I am a full time student at WKU (NOT TO BE A DOCTOR)
7-I am a procrastinator
8-I thrive under pressure
9-I am not organanized.  At all
10-I probably have a mild form of adult attention deficit disorder (this isn't a joke, I probably do)
11-I have never had the desire to live anywhere but a small town

And now for Kimberly's questions....

1. When you’re feeling down, what song, movie, or book is sure to chase away your blues?
 Depends.  If I'm overwhelmed and frustrated I listen to Christina Aguilera's "Fighter"  I know it's about cheating or something but it makes me feel like I can kick butt.  Movie I would have to say Gone with the Wind (just because I love it) and book, I'm not sure which to pick, but I'd have to say when I'm at the lowest I pick up my Bible.  

2. What do you do when you get really angry?
 Truthfully, I say things that I really regret later.  Not proud of it, but it's the truth.  And cry.  

3. What is your least favorite food?  
 Ham...the texture...the smell...gags me

4. What character from literature or history do you wish you were more like?
Jesus but probably not for the reason you think.  I really wish I had the ability to always see the best in people.   


5. What is a skill you wish you had, but don’t?
Organization.  I am seriously envious of organized people.  I have made several failed attempts the key word being failed

6. If you could go back and tell the seventeen-year-old you one thing, what would it be?
Sleep.  Sleep in.  Sleep late.  Sleep all day, because someday you're going to have three miniature people who live with you who get up at 4 or 5 and think sleeping until 6:30 is giving you a break.
That and all the people who think you're making a mistake marrying your high school sweetheart at 18 are WRONG. Times will be tough but you'll grow up together and almost 15 years later he's still the one. 

7. What is the most indulgent thing you’ve ever done for yourself?  Spent a girl's weekend in Nashville last Christmas.  Eating, laughing and shopping.  We stayed up way too late in the hotel and I didn't feel one bit guilty about my poor husband tending to our kids by himself. 

8. What’s your favorite part of your day?  Despite my answer to number 6 I would have to say morning (post coffee morning).  I feel like it's a chance to do better than yesterday and as a Mom I'm constantly wanting a second chance.

9. What character trait do you most admire in people? Kindness  and gracefulness

10. Do you search the house to find your presents before the big day or do you want to be         surprised?
As a kid I searched high and low.  Today, I want to be surprised.  
 
11. The bad boy or the boy next door?  Is it ok to say "neither"?   I choose country boy.  Blue jeans, boots, farmer's tan, and a little dirty from working all day.  

Now for my nominees...

Brittany at www.blakeandbritt.blogspot.com

Lesley at www.thespainhowardfamily.blogspot.com

and Nadina at www.kngnalexander.blogspot.com

and for my 11 Questions for these lovely ladies.

1)  Why do you think the person who nominated you is Awesome?   OK OK I"m kidding.

The real questions
1)  You have 24 hours to spend doing anything you choose...what do you pick?

2)  What is your best quality?

3)  What is the quality about yourself you'd most like to change?

4)  What is the most rewarding and the most challenging aspect of being a mom?

5)  Your favorite date night?

6)  What is your most vivid childhood memory?

7)  Skinny jeans....take them or leave them?

8)  What is your biggest pet peeve?

9)  One material possession you can't part with?

10)  Movie you could watch over and over?

11)  If you had to choose one statement by which you try to live your life around, what would it be?

Spring has Sprung?

With our volatile weather lately I hesitate to even post this.  Going from temperatures in the seventies one day to snow the next has me in a whirlwind.  However, these shots were taken a few weeks ago when the weather was warm and pretty!  Maybe if I post them the warm weather will come to stay.  Maybe?  Oh well, Kentucky spring I guess. I won't complain too much because I know we will snap our fingers and it will be 90 and I'll be wishing for cooler temps.

This post is going to give a shout out to my wonderful friends at Creekside Creations and Crafts.  (www.creeksidecreationsandcrafts.blospot.com) or you can find them on facebook.  These ladies are so so sweet and talented.  They keep my girls in stylish duds for all seasons and are so patient with me even when I can't make up my mind and Annie is "shopping" and disassembling their shop.  Not to mention that sweet Natalie is a life long friend of my hubby's.  They go way back and I might have some video of them singing together at senior banquet...but that's a story for another day. 

Anyway, if you are an addict for custom clothing and monogrammed items like I am it would benefit you greatly to give these ladies a visit.  They are located in Chalybeate next door to Creekside nursery. 

Finding out who "They" are

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner (www.kellyskornerblog.com).  I have never done this so we'll see how it goes.  However, she and some other mommy bloggers are doing a series that I feel passionate about so here goes.

The series this week is about playing with your kids.  As a mom of three, my playtime with my kids has evolved over the years.  The good Lord above saw fit to give me a sweet son as my first baby.  This was nine years ago.  I spend hours dreaming about the books we would read, the art projects we would do and the places we would go.  Fast forward a couple of years and I found out my rough and tumble boy wanted nothing to do with Mommy's quiet books and educational games.  What he did want was someone in the floor playing barn, tractors, cowboy, etc.  Then he wanted to be outside.  All the time, outside.  Hot, cold, dirty, wet.  He didn't care.  He thrived outside.  I'd never been an outside girl, but I learned how to be.  This experience taught me, as much as anything, that this little person was not a mini me.  He, however young, was a unique person who had preferences, likes and dislikes.  It was my job as a Mom to facilitate him to becoming who "he" was.  Not a recreation of myself in him.  That was a big lesson to learn.

Fast forward a few years and I've been blessed with two daughters.  At last, the time had come for quiet games and girly stuff.  Trust me, that happens.  But they also want to play dirt, mud, water, mess.  Is it from having a big brother?  Maybe, but maybe it's just the exposure to the world that they need to see it's a fun, huge, sometimes scary place.

I will be the very first to admit, sometimes I don't take the time to set aside play time with my kids.  I am focused on the house, the laundry, my business and when I get a free minute many days I want to sit down with a cup of coffee and a book.  Not a Barbie doll.  However, I realize, as much as I realize anything, that my time with these sweet people is limited.  There are a limited number of years when the most important request to them is to play Candyland with me.  I am still striving to learn to live in the moment.  The moments I have with them. 

As I thought about this series I thought back on my memories of playing with my mom.  My mom is outdoorsy.  She is active.  But guess what? My memories of playing with my mom are reading books for hours. My mom doesn't read much now.  We played school.  We played office.  We played "quiet" games that to me were loads of fun.  It has taken me 32 years to realize that she let me play what I wanted.  She was a young mom and didn't have access to "mommy blogs" to give her ideas about "centers" and "busy bags".  She took the cue from her child and went with what I wanted to do.  I can't recall anything elaborate or expensive toys.  But I can vividly remember spending hours playing with her and I never remember thinking she was bored or wanted "time to herself".  As a mom myself, I realize she probably did want time to herself and probably got tired of spending hours playing school.  But I never knew it.  I knew that I was loved and my mom was my best friend and wanted to play with me.

If I can give my three children any of these memories....then I will have done something right. 

My Beloved

Once upon a time I had maybe six regular readers who have all since become majorly disenchanted with my lack of updating this blog.  Forgive me.  I would promise to do better but that's probably um a LIE.  I will not even attempt to catch up on the family things...birthdays, Christmas, etc.  Just know it's been fun and it's been busy.  Busy being the operative word here.  But really in a household with three kids a dog, two cats, a husband and wife....well you get the picture.

One thing that you should probably know is that due to my lack of spare time I have enrolled full time in WKU to finish my degree.  Yes because I am crazy.  In all seriousness, it has haunted me for a long time that the chapter of my life then was left "unfinished".  Would I change a thing now?  NO.  Working as a hairdresser and then opening a photo studio allowed to me be a stay at home mom for 9 years.  I have been present for every important event of my kids lives and I wouldn't change a thing.  Looking back on Noah's toddlerhood, before we found out the severity of his health issues, if he hadn't been close to me, it's very possible he wouldn't be with me today.  And for that I am thankful.  For nine years my family has been commited to me staying home with the kids.  This entailed me doing the mom thing all day, while Trav was the engineer.  He came home at 4:30 at which time I turned parenting duties over to him and I either went to the salon or the studio.  It worked.  For a long time it worked.  But now 2/3's of my kids are in school and I feel pulled to BE HERE for them at night.  For suppers.  For baths.  For talks about their friends.  For questions.  I feel in every cell of my being they need me here.  Just as much as they needed me at home when they were babies.  So to make a short story longer, I am trying my best to finish my teaching degree.  The advent of technology is allowing me to do the bulk of my work at home via the internet and attend class on campus one full day a week. Yes it is hectic.  Yes I drink a lot of coffee.  But at the end of the day, I feel like it is the best for my family.  I love to do hair.  I love to be in the studio.  But the reality is that those are jobs that people depend on after THEY get off work and on Saturdays.  The other reality is that we are living in a fragile economy and I need some stability that doesn't require being self employed. 

Am I dead set on getting a full time job when I graduate?  Not sure.  At that time all of my littles will be in school.  So maybe.  But maybe I will sub.  I don't know what the future holds.  We shall see. 

Tumble town

Lil has taken dance since she was three but this year the class times didn't work out for a brand new kindergartener! So we decided to give gymnastics a whirl!

She went yesterday with Maggie and Stephanie to try it out and reported she "wants to go back!".
Thanks steph for taking care of my girl and for the pics!
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