A Happy Family : What I REALLY Want for Christmas

How many times have you thought...."I should smile more."  OR 

"Uh, my kids never do anything right!"

OR EVEN  "Why is everyone driving me crazy?!" (that's my favorite).

Well, I hear myself saying many things like this (and lots of others) in my mind practically every day. As I thought about what I wanted for Christmas this year, I thought about some cool things (that we can't afford...) and some much needed pampering (that I wont get...) and a list of things I would like my family (husband) to do for me (that will never happen...). Then I realized that ultimately, I just want to be happy and feel not so overwhelmed or irritated at those around me.

So, as I sat waiting for my prenatal visit I found a short article talking about being your child's cheerleader. I found it to be refreshing, wonderful, and I think it works with husbands and other family members too...and so I will share.

Be Your Child's Cheer Section
from Working Mother Magazine, Dec/Jan 2012

1. Show How
    Model behavior you wish to see in your kids. Lead by example, be honest, and treat them with respect.

2. Give Kisses
    Show children unconditional love. I kiss my sons on the forehead and tell them Mommy and Daddy love them all the time.

3. Listen Up
    Evenings are my favorite time to truly pay attention to my kids. It's a time when we're relaxed and ready for conversation.

4. Encourage
    Help your child become good at something and then take pride in his/her ability. That confidence goes a long way.

Don't be such a Scrooge this Christmas and be more Christ-like!

Give love and you will get love back ♥

the legend of sleepy hollow

i've heard this day was coming...ever since that february morning in 2000, when the ultrasound tech said "it's a boy!"...people told me, prepared me, warned me.

the part they all left out was that it literally happens overnight. or overday. i sent my 11 year-old son off to school with a mid-morning snack and a sensible lunch. he returned home, famished and near to death, and proceeded to eat me out of house and home.

this is not a joke. the eating!!!! hollow legs are real, i have a testimony of that.

and just when i thought i could count on my firstborn to manage the saturday morning cereal extravaganza--while i got a few more zzz's--he started...sleeping in?! since when did a child of mine appreciate snoozing past sunrise?

it's going to happen to you one day, ya know. the legend of sleepy hollow...

in the mirror

I've never been one to look at my reflection in the mirror and gasp in horror. I'm fine with my appearance for the most part. I mean, I wouldn't mind a little lift, tuck or shot of botox just for fun, but I'm certainly comfortable with who I am physically (well aside from my normal pregnancy freakouts about the amount of LBS I've put on)...Today, however, as I glanced at myself while washing my hands I had the strangest feeling. Not one of "who are you?", or "You need some fixin up.", but one of "DANG, you are a MOM!". I know, it's a little bit late for that revelation, and maybe it's my hormones talking as I'm gearing up to birth my fourth child. I just can't shake the thought that I. AM. A. MOM.

                                                                     ...what the heck?

Also, lately when my children are calling for me or talking to me or expecting motherly things out of me...I have been so caught off guard. Like maybe there is someone standing behind me they are talking to, or they have mistaken me for another woman, or I am in a wicked time zone and everyone around me has everything all wrong and that in fact I'm not a mom

 ...just a girl who needs a mothers love too.

Maybe the true feelings here are those of a young girl, who just went along with life, grew into a woman and somehow is trying her best to fill the shoes of a mom she didn't ever expect to be. I feel like motherhood, for me at least, is just something that happened...and keeps happening. As I look into these little faces who call me mom I can't help but think of how undeserving I feel to have them bless my life. Grateful for their presence for sure and for the lessons they teach me everyday. Somewhat scared that I see "little Sunnys" in them, and somewhat relieved, as I look at my reflection through their eyes and not through my own, I understand that yes, yes you do deserve them and

...YOU ARE A MOM!

Inspirational Time Out

Last weekend I took some time off with a friend of mine to go to Time Out for Women. We had a great time without kids or husbands or work of any kind!

We had a blast in out plush hotel room and got to eat at Joe's Crab Shack...and take our time!!!! (when I take my 2yr old out to eat, I feel like the faster I eat the less crazy he will get)

But the best part was listening to the speakers and hearing the inspiring music.
One of my favorite speakers was Emily Watts (author of many books like Being the Mom).
She gave us a few tips on How to be a Better Mom and Wife and Friend:

    *Develop a Thick Skin - don't take things so personally, you will get hurt less and understand where people are coming from more...this also allows you to have a more Christ like view of others.

    *Expect Hard Things - especially from your kids! if you expect more out of others then they will strive to achieve more. "The path to happiness is paved with whining." So, let then whine...

    *Create Happy Traditions - make small, simple, inexpensive and non-time consuming traditions that add memories and joy to your family. (like singing a song before bed, having personal time with each kid once a month, or even a family pizza night) Simple pleasures make a house a home!

    *Think of Yourself as a Person! - if you only feed yourself your kids breakfast leftovers, or never treat yourself to a new outfit...what kind of grouchy, malnourished, crazy woman will everyone have to put up with??? Treat yourself as you want to treat others! "Your family deserves a Mom who is a person!"

    *Catch everyone doing something RIGHT - this goes for the kids, your husband, your friends, and even yourself! We go around all day long saying 'No' and correcting others actions and our own. Why not take some time out to notice when the kids are doing something good, and praise them for it. Tell your husband how much you appreciated him dressing the kids for school in the morning (even though no one had matching outfits and half of your daughters hair is filled with 10,000 hair bows).

I was really happy when she told us about all these simple and yet inspiring ideas to help me be a better woman. I tried out just a few of these after my 'Time Out' weekend and I felt the spirit so much stronger in my home. I felt more blessed to have a great husband and felt that I had a bit more patients for my active son.

The only person I missed was Hilary Weeks...but I found her on YouTube:

I am go grateful for so many wonderful blessings in my life and with my family. I hope that you can feel how much Heavenly Father has blessed you in your life as you strive to find more joy in each moment especially as we get close to the holiday season!



my real job

first off, i'd like to welcome myself back to blogging! yay! i have really missed it...have you missed us? we were all kind of off in reality, being stay at-home moms...you know the drill.

2 of my girlies got to spend an extended weekend with a beloved aunt, and last night was officially "pass-off" night...we both drove 2 1/2 hours to meet up in a kansas walmart so i could get my flesh and blood back in my possession. gee, i missed them! they are always so cute, but i love how cute they are when i haven't seen them in a while :)

while the girls promptly fell asleep in the back of the minivan--which, by the way, i love. you should get a minivan--i had the pleasure of listening to a cd of cherished songs from my childhood. i just let it play over and over and over...and i got to think over and over and over. it.was.great.

several of the songs are little children, singing about their mothers. they sing about mother watching over them while they sleep. they sing about their mother telling sweet stories. they sing about their mothers holding them. about a mother's smile, a mother's prayer, a mother's love.

it dawned on me as i listened to these sweet baby voices, that the real job of a mother is all of those things...it is to nurture and grow and love and teach these incredible little people in our care. so often we (and i mean me, i assume it's you too?) think of a mom's job as laundry and dishes and diapers and cleaning windows. and i guess that's part of it...i mean, i do think it is my responsibility to provide a clean environment for my children, to feed them and wash their clothes. but in all honesty, those are really caregiver jobs, the sort of stuff that can be done by any parent, any family member, any hired helper.

the real stuff of motherhood is often just as messy as oatmeal and yogurt smeared all over the kitchen table, even when it's less visible. our real job is to make sure that when our children think of "mother", they think of the time we spent with them. they think of the things we taught them. they think of our love, our smile...

today i need to mop my kitchen floor and put away about 17 loads of laundry. but then, i will have some snuggle time with my baby girl. i will have a meaningful and humorous conversation with my 11 year-old. i will listen intently to the important events in the life of a popular 2nd grader. i will hold the hand of my oldest daughter while she says her prayers. i will welcome the shower of kisses from an affectionate kindergarten boy.

because that is my real job...

days like this...

I had a one track mind this morning. It was simply to get my kids to school "on time". However, we all woke up at 7:30...school starts at 8:00! Ugggh, seriously we sometimes forget that an alarm clock is useful. As I lifted my head off the pillow, looked over and read the time I thought "here we go again, annoying".

To my delight Matthew was laying next to my bed on the floor fully dressed, ready to go. I walked out of my room to wake Kenny up and he too was dressed with just his hair to wet down. Thank goodness. My anxiety to get them to school on time in part comes from me just naturally wanting to be responsible,and in part because we have been receiving notes in the kids' backpacks.

The school has been sending home reminders of:

 "what time school starts" and
 "you will be considered tardy if..." and
 "if you are having trouble getting your children to school, we recommend letting them ride the bus".

Hopefully, these notes haven't been sent to JUST the Martins.

I got the kids in the car. Pulled up to the drop off lane and bent over to tie Matthews shoe (he's still learning), lifted my head up and the nice lady whom my husband swears is "overly" nice to him, was waving at me. I waved back. I scooted a little further up, the boys popped outta the car and the school principle was there to greet my boys good morning as they started up the steps. She slso waved at me,
smiled and then...there was this awkward look she gave me, kind of a look of confusion. As I drove away, I registered very quickly why she looked at me funny. I tilted my rear view mirror down to take a peak...and this is what I saw:

I mean only worse b/c on my way home I patted my hair down a little to make myself feel better...this was taken by Matt as I walked through the door after drop off. He too looked at me funny and then asked "did you wear a hat or anything? did anyone see you?" I couldn't help but laugh! My goal was to get the kids to school on time, and that didn't involve me getting "ready" in the least bit.

Well, here's to being a mommy!

Embarrassing,
                              crazy,
                                             hilarious,
                                                                frustrating,
                                                                                        joyful moments and all.

Black Friday: My Favorite Holiday!!

For those of you who know me, I get super excited for Black Friday!
I love the holiday time of year and all the good deals flying around. It just warms my heart and makes me feel like a kid again.

LOOK AT ALL THOSE HAPPY FACES!!

Many people are afraid of the Black Friday shopping experience...

MANY PEOPLE ONLY SEE THE CRAZY...

...however, it can be very pleasant if you want it to be. Just remember that the most important things are Being Prepared, Taking Friends who are just as excited as you are, and Don't Rush!! If you plan to make a plan and are able to have a few buds to help you accomplish all that everyone wants and expect there to be crazy people but vow not to be one, then you can have a GREAT TIME. :)

IT'S ALL ABOUT PREPARATION!

So, since it is not even Halloween yet and I am already blogging about this, you might understand the reality of this day as an observed holiday for me. Last year I signed up to get updates on when the major stores put out their holiday adds on Black Friday.net. They are totally awesome and I have already gotten about 5 emails!!!! This is why it has been at the forefront of my mind instead of Halloween....


I highly recommend getting the hook up and getting ready for this awesome World Holiday! ;)

It's Pumpkin Patch Time!

I love this time of year...the leaves change color, the air gets cooler and our hearts get a little warmer.
We all are ready to go out in search for the best pumpkin....which means, a local Pumpkin Patch!

TIPS FOR YOUR PUMPKIN PATCH OUTING:

1. Dress in layers. It can get colder out on the farm with the wind so be prepared by layering clothing and having hats, scarves and gloves handy.

2. Take a friend or family with you. Groups always have more fun. This is a great time to create traditions for your family and spend good times with close friends. Creating memories of perfect autumn days.

3.Don't forget the camera! If you are into still photography or video bring a camera...or two. If you have a few other adults with you it makes it easier to snap some great photos of the happenings of your outing without being worried about keeping a super close eye on the kids. But don't forget to get a few of photos of YOU too!! (take a large cross body bag that allows you to stash your things and gives you hands free fun)

4.Take your time. Although we didn't really have any other plans the day we went, it was so much more fun knowing that we were not rushed to "get in, have fun and get out". Especially if you have a larger group of people/kids, it will take more time for everyone to play and find that special pumpkin. So, enjoy the moment and just let go.

5. Pick the pumpkin that speaks to you. There are so many alternatives to pumpkin and gourd decorating these days. Spend some time walking the pumpkin patch and find the shape, color and size that really fits you and what you plan to use it for. You don't only have to carve your pumpkin...there are lots of stickers, draw on images, and add on products out there to help you express yourself perfectly. Below are some links to great ideas!

Pumpkin faces , Carving Patterns , Pumpkin Projects for Kids , Carving & Decorating Ideas



sample from Martha Stewart *zombie pumpkins*

Happy Pumpkin Picking!

and there it is...the perfect little white pumpkin.

A *homemade* Fall Bouquet

So, I have been looking through a lot of Martha Stewart Magazines and I keep seeing these awesome flower arrangements with the vase filled with apples, leaves, pine cones etc...

                      with apples                                 or heart candies (one for every occasion)

BUT...I don't have the money to buy a bunch of apples or other products to fill a vase, plus, I don't want to deal with the mess factor.

SO, I came up with a good solution! Use scrapbook paper!!

There are tons of realistic scrapbook papers out there with all kinds of items. And best of all they have one for every season and occasion for under $1.

Here is the tutorial for my version that is budget & time friendly:

First Collect: Your print of scrapbook paper

(approx. 1-2 sheets depending on the size of the vase)

A vase that you like

(I thought it would be easier to work with a more square shape than round)

Flowers that will fill your vase and hang over the top edge slightly

and scissors & scotch tape

Second: Cut the paper into two pieces that will wrap around the inside of your vase

(this makes it easier to make is fit more snug)

Third: Trim off the excess from the top of the vase

Fourth: Tape the two pieces to each other...

(make sure to overlap the print close to a corner or the "back" of the vase)

...then to the top of the vase to secure it.

(don't let the tape overlap too much on the outside of the vase,

but most of it will be covered by your flowers so don't panic)

Fifth and Final: Place your flowers inside the vase making sure that they sit low enough to hang over the top making the arrangement look full and beautiful!

Then, step back and look at your beautiful creation. :)

I am excited to switch out the paper for other holidays! I got more color neutral flowers so that they can carry me through more seasons.

I wanted to know how much this would all cost so here is my breakdown:

Vase: $7 (on sale at Hobby Lobby)

Paper: $1.18 (2 sheets at Hobby Lobby)

Flowers: $10 (I got 2 prearranged flower bunches on sale at Hobby Lobby)

---------------------------------

total: $18.18

For my next one I will only have to spend the $1.18 on paper since I have the flowers & vase!

You can just call me Charlotte Stewart now!

Clean UP

I keep telling myself that "One Day, I will NOT have to clean up after my child!"

And stop finding really BAD photos of NOTHING on my phone!!!

Will that Day EVER come?!
Some days, I wonder...

Heartbreaking...

This is absolutely terrible...

What would you do?

Read the heartbreak here...

My heart aches for this mother...

CD vs DD

I'm close to havin' this kid...

So my question is...

??? CLOTH DIAPERS or DISPOSABLE DIAPERS ???

This is my third baby and the first two did disposable diapers...

Loved them!  But have you seen the PRICES?!  Ouch!

And I plan on many more children...

What do you think?  Have you tried cloth?  Anyone absolutely love them?  

The wonderful smells of motherhood!

Sometimes I feel like Toucan Sam, my nose leading the way to a smelly discovery. This very amazing talent of mine didn't turn up until I became a Mommy! Tell me this is you too?

I spent most of the day yesterday catching myself smelling different things. "what am I doing?" I thought. I mean really does my very first reaction have to be to sniff something to see if its right? As if I can't determine something gone bad by any other means...like intellectual deduction, or some sort of mathematical equation or plain common sense?

Nope, not gonna work...I'd rather act like a wild monkey...it just seems faster.

I sniff my day old laundry that has been left in the washer, at least three different garments, to see if it needs to be rewashed...again.

I sniff a random shirt that is laying on the floor in the armpit part to see if it's been worn.

I sniff the mayonnaise jar to see if it's expired b/c the taste is off...instead of looking at the expiration date on the bottom.

I sniff my children's breath to make sure they've brushed their teeth and their heads and hands to make sure they've washed properly.

I sniff old rags in the sink, you know, just to be sure they are mildewy.

I sniff shoes and swimsuits, bags and old toys, leftovers in the fridge, blankets and towels...you name it, I've sniffed it.

Heck I even sniff bottoms on occasion! You know what I'm talking about right? When your kids are in diapers, and sometimes when they are not, you hang them upside down and take a HUGE sniffy whiffy to see if they've pottied...and then you want to THROW UP!...and then you think "why did I do that?"

Ahhhhh

The Wonderful Smells Of Motherhood



Etsy: Do what you Love and get Paid!

I have recently become a fabric hoarder...with the intent to create all these wonderful things and sell them at my local farmers market. However, I have been going to the local market for about 4 months now and have found that the products that I have made just are not selling as I wish they would.

So, my next move was to search for other Arts & Crafts fairs where the products that I make would sell a bit better. That proved to be true! (Ya, for me!!) BUT, there are only so many of those fairs during the year...so what do I do the rest of the time??

This is when Etsy becomes my answer.
For those of you who don't know about Etsy it is an online place where anyone with the wish to sell handmade or vintage products can create a virtual store and sell to people just in your area OR all the way around the world! Pretty Neat!!
The best part is that they make it so easy to set up an account and start selling! Plus, each listing (product) you sell will be listed for 5 months and only cost $0.20!!!! That means that if you don't sell it in 5months they just take it "off the market" and only charge you $0.20. If you do sell it they just take a very small additional fee at purchase.

I know that there are tons of you S@HMs that are super creative and at times make things just because...so, why not get paid to make things??? We all know that the easier buying stuff is for the consumer the more likely we are to buy. So, get the Internet hook up and plug some stuff in to Etsy and promote it through your Facebook account and let the world know that you can be bought for a price! :)

I know I am...

  Handbags, Totes, Cross Body Bags, DiapeRoo, eReadeRoo, Child Bow Ties, and More...

Be Patriotic!

We are approaching the 4th of July weekend!
I love this time of year because despite any personal or political views we all just become Americans!
I am proud to be an American (as so the song sings...)!

I hope each of you will find ways to show your Patriotism...here are a few ways we will be making a Red, White & Blue splash!

Endry will be sporting his new "stars n stripes" bow tie at church.

My "fireworks" shoulder bag

Super cool pen!

(to write all those 4th of July notes :))

The best for last.....the way cute and super comfortable T-Shirt Skirt!

(it will keep you cool and happy)

How will you show off your colors this weekend?!

What does summer make you think about?

It's "officially" summer around here! My house is full of my three children and I know the other mothers who make this blog are FULL of summer activities and a house of kids ALL DAY LONG too! Oh how I long for the time when we have year round school! I think THAT would be awesome.

 I mean really, who in the heck needs like 3 months off? What do mommy's and daddy's that work full time do with their children? I know day camps and things are available but my goodness that would get expensive! It would just be easier to go year round... in my professional mommy opinion...so there.

Posts this summer will be sporadic due to our schedules/our lack of schedules...which really does make it that much more difficult to get a post in. Lack of motivation, lack of sleep, lack of just plain EVERYTHING! Really uplifting right??? O-well this blog is all about being real, and that is really how we all feel.

So check in now and again throughout the summer. I mean we will still be living, breathing, experiencing motherhood in HIGH doses so surely there will be a story or two to tell.....

Summer makes me think of Amanda (she's been gone almost 4 years)...which makes me think of these two angels..Kody and Allie!

 Love them to pieces and miss their mommy so very very much!

unexpected lessons from a wedding

my baby sister got married last weekend...sniff, sniff...

i expected the weekend to be busy, sleepless, emotional, full of good food, and to have to smile my face off. it was all of those things (and more)...

what i didn't expect of my sister's wedding weekend was to learn some new stuff. stuff like...

the correct pronunciation of the word "cognac"...kind of a surprising thing to learn at a safe & sober wedding, but that's what i get for having a sister with an english degree.

my grandma's plan to hitchhike back to the hotel...minus the thumb, add some leg, haha!

ibc root beer from the fountain is just as perfect as ibc root beer from a dark glass bottle.

gps is a joke. for reals, i prefer to get directions the old fashioned way...much faster, less stressful.

when put on the spot, my kids can behave just fine in a fancy italian restaurant.

apparently, cloning is totally possible and totally real.

always check your order at mcdonald's. failure to do so results in a hungry group of kids and babysitters.



and one more thing...my family has grown so fast!

Recently my sweet Belle belle said to me:

 "mommy, I want to be a mommy just like you when I get big".

I couldn't ask for a greater compliment!

Remembering the Past

As I was listening to NPR the other day one of the reporters was doing an expose on triggers of remembrance. I felt much of the imagery push me back through much of my past dropping me off along the way at many of my favorite moments. Ultimately, I felt a little swept off my feet.

    *Have you ever looked through old photographs or found an old T-shirt you use to wear in High School? *Have you heard a song playing or taken in a deep breath of a awesome familiar smell? *Or even just looking at one of your kids reminds you of how old they have become?

Sometimes the past is difficult, and even a bit painful to remember. At times it is because it was dark and lonely and hard, or it was beautiful and funny and a once in a lifetime moment! No matter how it felt then...it will always make you cry now. 

I recently thought back to an important time in my life when I served a mission for the LDS Church in Ecuador almost 10 years ago now. And every time I reach back to that time....it is like it was yesterday! I can hear the sounds and smell the smells...

I remember the first family I taught who lived in a cane shack on stilts.

They were so humble and unaware of the huge world around them and they were even less aware of all the things they DIDN'T have!

Yet, they were grateful for every morsel of food and every loving embrace and every cheerful smile.

 I also remember....

Being the tallest person, everywhere

(except when we were around other American Elders)

And the most sweetest women I ever met. One (left) with such a sweet spirit that she walked 3 block in cold rain to fetch water and matches just to make me a warm drink. The other (right), her mother, who had lost one leg to a simple illness and prayed for the missionaries to come every Sunday to read to her from the scriptures since her and her daughter were illiterate.

And then...

...my final thought rested upon my favorite companion that became one of my most dear friends.

There is nothing I could say that would help anyone understand the love that I have for her.

Her heart is so pure, her conviction is so true, and her love was so genuine...

The outfit she is wearing in this photo may seem strange but it is her native dress...she is a full blooded Otavalo Indian (Native Ecuadorian). Her people have been blessed for hundreds of years with miracles and witnesses of God.

So, you can see that Remembering this Past is not done lightly, or quickly. Parts are painful and parts are extremely joyous, yet as my tears flow for each part, I am glad they came and I pray they will stay forever in my heart.

*keep your memories close to your heart and remember to make room for new ones*

Will You Be Swimming This Summer?!

If you plan on taking your little ones, or a friend's little ones...this is a necessary read!  Click the very large link below...  Have a safe summer!

...drowning DOESN'T look like drowning...

we're all in this together...

it's an age-old battle...okay, maybe just decades-old...the battle of "stay @ home moms" vs. "working moms"...

you know what i mean. whether we've been involved in a full-blown war of words on a daytime talk show, or a private gossip-ish phone conversation with our bestie, or even just had the thoughts in our heads...we moms (women) are pretty good at passing judgement on others of our kind. why do we do this?!

i've heard s@h moms accuse working moms of not loving their children. i've heard working moms call s@h moms lazy. i've heard s@h moms point the finger of "materialism" at working moms, and working moms say that s@h moms have nothing to contribute to the world. and many more, you've all heard them too.

harsh! and in every case i know of, totally false. i believe the truth is that we have more in common with each other than we sometimes think...we are all moms! at the end of every single day, when our babies are snuggled safely in their beds, we mothers are just hoping we have done the best thing for our families.

we serve chicken nuggets and frozen lasagna and homemade enchiladas...and we love our children.

we push them on swings and set them in front of the t.v. and drop them off at preschool...and we love our children.

we take them to the doctor and take them to dance class and send them outside to be bored...and we love our children.

because really, whether you stay home or go to work, don't we all know the exhaustion of having a newborn? can't we all recognize that look on our child's face that says "i'm gonna blow"? doesn't every mother's heart go pitter-patter when their preschooler marches off in a backpack bigger than they are? doesn't every mother wonder how to manage the pile of papers that come home from school? don't we all know our kids' favorite lullaby? doesn't every mother wonder how that laundry pile got so flippin' huge? don't we all hope our kids have good friends? can't every mom tell the difference between a mad scream and a hurt scream? in the end...don't we all want our children to be happy and grow into wonderful big people?

we're all in this together. we might go about it in different ways, but our end goals are the same. moms...and all women...can be a powerful force for good and awesomeness in our world, and i'm proud of that. stay @ home moms, working moms...we are moms, and we are the same.

Secrets of Being a Good Mommy {part 3}

Last, but certainly not least...

{part 3} of "Secrets of Being a Good Mommy"...

If you want to read {part 1} just click here!

If you want to read {part 2} just click here!

As you all know I don't want to  paraphrase what these lovely mothers had to say... 

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have!

***********************************************************

"What's the secret to being a good mommy?"

Here's what lovely mommy #3's response was:

"The poem (especially the last verse) that I used to read so often is this:

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew

And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo

Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

-Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

This has been my philosophy - always make time for your family.  THe rest of the world will spin on by - and there are always many good things that can take away from your children far too often.  My husband and I decided we would be satisfied with less material things and swap those things with Mommy-time.  Even though I remember the times I took the sofa cushions off to find loose change to by mild (did NOT enjoy those days), I remember with much satisfaction the hours of coloring, learning to write numbers and letters, sewing doll clothes, and such with a house full of happy children.

It's really a state of mind - let me give you an example.  When one of daughters was only 3 months old, I had a kidney stone and had to be hospitalized for a few days.  I was nursing my little baby, my other daughter was 20 months old, another was 3, and another daughter was 4.  I was so sad - and knew that I had very little to offer the Lord as far as what I would do or give Him if I could just get better and return to my little home.  My husband and I had very little materially, but I remembered that the Lord simply asks for a broken heart and a contrite spirit - I had both of these.

So I made the Lord a promise - rather a covenant.  I told Him that if I could get better and go home, I would never, ever, again watch a soap opera on TV.  Seems like a silly thing to covenant - but I knew I could be a better mother if I was not watching such things as soaps in my home.  I also promised that I would never, ever, again complain about sweeping my kitchen floor, or washing dishes.  NEVER.

Now, because I decided to change my state of mind about two rather mundane things, I have been able to keep these promises to the Lord.  I have never again watched a soap, and I have never again complained about housework.  NEVER!

In return, the Lord has blessed me so abundantly - well, you know.  The Lord is never in our debt - He blesses us for each small sacrifice, for each righteous decision.

Mercy - that was more than I intended to write, Jaz!  But I have really enjoyed reflecting for a few minutes.  I've had my daughter's children for a few days while that are in DC, so my house looks unusually disheveled this morning!  I think I'll go turn on some pretty music and wash a few more dishes.  But then again, if my grandson wants to go upstairs and play a game of boxing on the Wii, well, that might take priority!!

I love you - I love that you are trying with all of you might to be a wife and mother.  Thanks for giving me an opportunity to reflect.  I've got a big smile on my face.

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That was worth the read, wasn't it?

I know being as fabulous as this mommy is a rare thing...but wouldn't we all be the better if we just tried?

I wonder what her children have to say about her?  I'm sure they sing her praises!

I've heard her husband refer to her as "Mother Theresa" on more than one occasion... 

She is what I would like to be kind of like as I grow in this magnificent calling as a mother!

I love how she kept her promises!

I am a lucky lady to even know her!

I hope you all enjoyed what these wonderful mothers had to say.

Their advice is priceless and can help us grow in motherhood to be the mothers we each strive to be!

Till next week...