Today I appreciate...

1. My Meal Group: This is our second month of meals. We meet for a little play date. Exchange our meals and leave with three fun meals that are frozen....just waiting to be thawed and devoured. The challenge, relaxing and using them whenever...not over thinking it. Last month I used one when I didn't want the kitchen to get all messy...the night before guests arrived. Another night I used it when I wanted to go out to dinner like a normal human but with two kids and a husband that doesn't get home until 6...Friday nights are usually eat at home nights. So waa-laa a yummy meal that I didn't have to cook. The other meal I used when I didn't have groceries in the house and it saved us!

2. Play dates: Today's play date was with my meal group. It really doesn't matter who Charley is going to play with. It is just so nice to head to the relaxing comfort of someone elses house once in a while, where there are different toys (even if they are girl toys)that will occupy your child. Meanwhile, I get to gab with other moms. There is always the small talk, catching up, but I usually walk away motivated, more at ease, or excited about a new idea. Thank you Paula and Jessie for today's conversation!

3. Drive up drop off and drive up pick up at Charley's preschool! What a blessing today. It is ...I don't even know what it is doing outside..maybe raining, maybe snowing, maybe sleeting. Either way, when picking a preschool we thought about many things. And other mom's said that the preschool we did pick would be so nice for me because I don't HAVE to get out of the car to drop him off or pick him up. I didn't think too much of this since I knew I would be the mom who went in to get a peek. BUT! I have learned that I trust the system, and though I will most often take Charley in and pick him up...there are going to be days like today when staying in the warm car and not having to get Henry out will be a treat! So thank you friends who pointed this out and good job Sarah and Ed for picking this preschool!

4. Cell phones: This morning I woke up to no phone, no tv (although our tivo did work so Charley could still get a cartoon in) and no Internet (yes, my heart did pound and I started to sweat over this one. I frantically called Ed wondering...DID YOU PAY THE BILL, How are YOU going to fix this? He didn't know what was going on. Then my friend Lynelle called and said her power was out. AHHHH! How did she call...on my cell phone, that has been dead for the last three days because I couldn't' find my charger. However, in this crisis I was able to find it. I was chatting with two friends today and we all laughed over the comment...WHAT DID THEY DO IN THE OLD DAYS...when we didn't have cell phones. And I know Greg, that with every improvement we lose something but this morning when I had lost my ability to blog and couldn't call Ed immediately to check to see WHAT HE DID to cause this (haha!) I realized what a loss my cell phone would be!

5. Oh gosh, I am realizing I could go on and on with things I appreciate. I appreciate the next 2 hours...especially if Henry naps and Charley has a blast at school. How will I not waste this time.

What do you really appreciate today?

An Awesome Batman Mask

So, being unenthusiastic about this batman mask project I put it off. I convinced him if he took a nap there would be a Batman mask waiting outside his door. I tried and my boy just isn't going to nap for me anymore. So he had quiet time and played by himself for awhile. Which he does anyhow but now I just need to make it just an automatic for his after lunch time. Meanwhile, Ed called and explained that he never told him that I would make a mask with him today. He said he told Charley that he could be Batman next Halloween and we could make him a mask for that. HA! HA! Anyways, my sister emailed and said, just make a band and put the ears that he drew on and be done. So I gave him a black piece of paper, deciding that I would have him actually make this. He drew his ears and I cut them out. He caught onto my plan of stapling them to a band and explained,

"No Mama, I want it more real (while moving his hands from the front of his face over his head to the back of his head). I want it to come down more. I want it real." So I looked up a picture online and this is what we ended with and I must admit....it rocks in my eyes...took less than 10 minutes and now he just awaits his pjs to be washed.

The thing I love most about this mask: I cut the eyes one time and they actually fit where his eyes go. And the ears are drawn by him. HOW ADORABLE!
So here ya go!

Today's Challenge for Mama!

This morning during our pancake breakfast, without sausages...Charley informed me that he wanted me to make him a batman mask for him to wear with his batman pajamas, "the ones that zip up." He had it all planned out and it sounded so planned. I finally asked, did I say I was going to make this mask? and he replied, "No, Daddy said last night at bedtime." HA! HA! HA! Thank you for giving me this task today Daddy! I am saying that with sarcasm. He described it to me and then stood in front of Henry and said "Can't you wait to see me in my cool batman mask little brother?" Henry just laughed!

So I was trying to clean up and thinking hard and fast how I would do this. So I told him to find me a picture. He said, I will go draw one....and this is what he drew. But he said, "But I want the ears to be more leveler. So they are even."
HA! HA! The verbal skills of my child could cause me to lose my sanity over these projects where he demands perfection! HA! HA!



I put the whole project off for a bit and left him at his drawing table. I went and put Henry down for his nap and got a quick shower in. I came down and walked by his desk and there was this picture.



Now at first I looked at this picture turned and couldn't believe that he had drawn such a great train with a skate blade instead of wheels! HA! HA! Am I a mother of a son or what! BUt then he said, "No mama, turn it. It is a boot. And this thing here is the windshield wiper that wipes away the rain." (Windshield wiper is the blad that sticks out the left side of the boot) HA! HA! But look at that boot! What an artist. Not sure if he is going to ask me to make the boots too...in which case I might be in even more trouble.

Stay tuned for a picture of my boy as Batman...but first...library class, lunch, and hopefully a nap! My day, thanks to daddy. Maybe one of these days I will leave him here with the boys and plant a grand idea for him to tackle!

This tries to put me over the edge every day...

However, because my son enjoys eating so much and he is so fun to watch eat...I somehow do not need to be committed to the loony bin for the scene that appears under his chair every meal. I swear sometimes I want to cry as I deal with it. The cheerios...oh, they are easy. The dust buster devoted to only this area of the house gets those quick. It is the wet oranges, mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, etc...that has me on my hands and knees. But I pat myself on the back because I don't just feed him cheerios, even though that would be so much easier. I let him feed himself and enjoy this crazy time in his eating life. Even if the cottage cheese dries and needs to be scraped off the floor. Mom - you deserve to go out to dinner tonight because you dealt with this for three kids!

Doing My Part

Living Green! It is sweeping the world...thank goodness. And many people, I believe, still think that what they do won't impact the world because you are just one little person...but look at last Tuesday's election. People believed and voted and change happened. It was about a year ago that a friend motivated me to invest in some grocery bags. It took a few times to feel comfortable using them but now I use them every time and feel sick to my stomach as I leave watching so many plastic and paper bags leave alongside me. I rarely forget mine...I think yesterday was the first time in months. I keep them in my car. I just think...if I can get to the grocery car with two kids under the age of 5, with my purse, wallet, list, coupons, and a sippy cup and snack...oh! Don't forget the nuk...and my grocery bags! Then ANYONE CAN DO IT! I also use the produce bags that you can order online for so cheap (and yes, I will order those bags for my family that I offered too...bad me!)

I have also started converting some, not all, of my cleaning products to green products. I have my mom addicted to Meyer's spray cleaner. LOVE IT!

My one thing I am also really proud to do is napkins. I haven't bought a package of white everyday paper napkins since last December! YES! My mother in law is an amazing seamstress...or sewer...not sure the right term. But she made me some cloth napkins last year for Christmas. We use them for our napkins everyday!

Those are just some of the little things I do to help contribute to a greener world. The things you choose to do can be simple, little, and they might even save you money. Recycle, stop using so many ziploc bags..get some small containers, buy food in larger quanities rather than the snack size. Don't buy the individual containers of pringles...buy a big tube and put a few in your lunch. I try to buy my yogurt in a big container instead of all individual...but the flavor selection is then limited. And for gosh sakes! Don't throw your cigerette butts on the ground. First off I would love for you to quit smoking so you can see the world greener for longer but if you are going to smoke use the ashtrays. Last spring I was in Georgia with Ed and I was standing along the river that opens into the Ocean watching dolphins go swim by and a business man was standing maybe 5 feet from an ashtray and he flung his butt into the ocean. It took everything in me from marching over there and giving him a piece of my mind.

Little, easy, just one thing. You might catch the green bug and add something new next month and soon our world will have a better outlook for our grandchildren and their grandchildren...

Okay, stepping off my soapbox!

P.S.
Let me know if you want to know where to get produce or grocery bags...however almost every major store offers them for very cheap now!

Need an Ego boost

Become the mother of a 10 month old. When he is eating his breakfast...leave the room for a second (yes, be safe only a second), and when you return you will get a welcome that is off the charts. You will feel like Oprah when she walks on stage each day. Oh and to step it up a notch...head right for the box of Cheerios and pick that up! WOW! Now that adds fireworks to the whole experience. I love you Henry!

Missing His Brother

Most times that I bring Henry downstairs...after nap or a diaper change...Charley hides and we have to find him. He is most likely in the same spot every time but being the mom of a four year old means playing along and letting him believe that you can't find him so Henry and I search. So this morning and all day Henry was craning his neck and looking around for his brother. It made me sad but also very happy to know that Henry is aware of the busy brother he has. It was a quiet day here. We did this last year. Ed took Charley up north during this hunting prep weekend. But last year I was pregnant and uncomfortable. My mission last year was to get all of our xmas shopping done, which I did. This year I am just trying to enjoy this time. It is overwhelming though. I am not sure what I should be doing. I know on Sunday when daddy and Charley arrive home I will look back and wonder why I did this or why I didn't do that. It has been a nice day. We hung out at home and then went to the mall to walk a bit. We had a "fancy" lunch at PF Changs. Henry ate on a plate for the first time. He didn't make too much of a mess there. Tonight my mission is to get my meals made for the meal coop I am part of. I swap meals with three other moms once a month. We have one meal left from October so I will thaw that tomorrow and that is one thing I don't have to worry about tomorrow. If you have friends that want to save time...get a meal coop going...

Okay, getting off on a tangent here but meal group! My friend Sarah opened my world to them. There are four of us. Each month we make four meals to freeze and then swap the meals. So in my freezer I have four meals all prepared and just ready to eat. It has been a blessing on busy nights or nights when I don't want to make a mess of the kitchen or when I want to feel like someone else cooked for me. Anyways...back to the original message.

Henry misses his big brother. Mama misses her son...and her husband. Absence does make the heart appreciate those things in your life. I can't wait for hugs from my two boys.

This is reality!

I write on here a lot about all the wonderful things in my life...but there are many of these moments. (I am going through pictures and ordering a ton and came across this one from CHarley's recent birthday weekend!) I am laughing so hard as I post this!

Charley's weekend adventure

This afternoon I hugged and kissed Charley as he packed up and heads to Grandma Charlie's for the weekend. Daddy has to prepare for hunting so Charley is tagging along to get some one on one Grandma time. Though I have been looking forward to the weekend with more quiet time, some one on one time with Henry, and a little space between Charley and myself it is really hard to watch him drive away. What advenutures will he have without me? It is okay though, I do so much with him that it is good for us to have time away from each other to grow, be independent, and gain an appreciation for our time together. This was our conversation as he left:

Mama: Charley you can call me if you miss me.
Charley: I know but I won't.
Mama: Okay, but you can if you want.
Charley: Will you be sad when I am not here. Because you can just pretend I am here.
Mama: That is right Charley. I will just pretend you are here. See ya later. Have fun and be a good traveler for Daddy.
Charley: Bye Mama!

Is that what it feels like when they are bigger and they leave for summer camp for the week or worse college for the semester? Yikes! It will be quiet here. But I need to relax and enjoy this time and I am promising myself that I will only spend a little time catching up on cleaning. The rest of the time is to rejuvinate so I have more gas in my engine when Sunday rolls around much too fast.

Grandma Charlie, Enjoy him this weekend. He is really looking forward to sausage. He said, "Grandma usually makes sausage when I am at her house. Most usually she does make sausage!" HAHAHAHA!

The First Snow Fun in 2008

Today we had our first biggish snowfall...it was beautiful. When Charley noticed it his eyes lit up and his smile was huge. What a difference a year makes..because my eyes lit up too, I no longer have a baby growing inside me, keeping me from getting down on my knees to roll a huge snowball. So new entertainment for this stay at home mom. I got the boys fed and then put Henry down for his nap. Charley and I bundled up and went out for some snow fun. How much fun is it to play outside with a four year old in the snow! It is so fun to see Charley's abililty to move in all his gear progress to the master level. What fun! The winter that is coming awaits us with loads of fun!