New Year Excitement

I have spent the last week contemplating resolutions plans for the new year.  Yes, I have made resolutions before, only to fall back into the same pattern within a few months or sometimes even weeks.  The tree and Christmas decorations are put away, but life can't go back to what normal was a month ago.  This year is brand new and exciting.  This excitement cannot diminish in a few weeks or months.  Not this year.  And because of this, there will be no resolutions.

One year, I did the One Little Word creative thing, but in typical me fashion, I stopped by the sixth month.  Now my failure to continue that creative process coincided with the birth of a tiny human being, but regardless, I want to do things on my terms and not a predetermined schedule. 

This year I am dreaming big.  And why not? I have only just begun writing them down, but they will be written down and visible.  And yes, some of those plans include the traditional New Year's resolutions because I am not going to lie.  I'm need to lose the baby weight from the baby that is going to have her third birthday in June. 

...to be continued due to a tiny person requesting cuddles on the rocker. Now if only I could get her to turn off Barney Christmas.

5 Things

1.  It is 6:17 p.m., and I could call it a night.  I'm exhausted; hence the cup of coffee sitting in front of me.
2.  We all love Mary Poppins.  The girls watch it after bath and before books each night.  With it being Kate's newest obsession, it is also going to be the theme of her 2nd birthday party.
3.  I'd like to start an end-of-the-year countdown, but June 20th still seems like a long time.
4.  Grace and I just cleaned up the playroom, but I'm pretty sure Kate just demolished it again.
5.  Yep, Olaf just made his way next to the computer.

And now I must leave because Kate is scaling the piano - the joys of an almost two-year-old.

My One Little Word

I stumbled upon Ali Edward's One Little Word project by accident.  Actually, I was doing my usually perusing of blogs, and something made me stop.  I'm excited for this journey; however, I'm fearful I will continue to do what I do best...procrastinate.

So...what should my one little word for 2014 be?  My gut reaction was gratitude, but that words seems to be my go to word and I'm thinking I need to push myself out of my comfort zone.  Blessed?  Positive?  Give?

My word?  Well, the word came to me in today's homily at Mass.  My 2014 word will be serve.  How can I be of service to others?  How can I serve?  Who can I serve?

Bring it on 2014.

UPDATE:  We'll last night some new thoughts popped up into my head.  I was dragged in a different direction for this word.   I can still bring in some of my original plans but my new word encompasses so much more of my life for the new year.......CHANGE.

5 Things

5.  Thankfully, the weather is slowly turning to fall weather.  I'm over the heat, and can't wait for more football, pumpkins, apple cider and homemade doughnuts.

4.  Sometimes all we I need is a 2-hour nap in my bed.  I still feel like crap, but at least I'm not grumpy anymore, and I can breathe through my nose.

3.  Woohoo to me.  I'm going to just say it.  I'm proud of myself.  I've continually gotten up at 5 a.m. three days a week to do Cross fit.  It's officially a habit. I love how I feel, and I love coming home to read the paper, enjoy a cup of coffee or two in the quiet of the moment.  I need this solitude more often.

2.  With Matt back coaching at the middle school, he was able to go to a Friday night high school football game with me and Grace for the first time.  And Grace did not let us down.  She showed her Daddy just how much she loves the band, "her" dancers, the Chick-fil-A cow, and concessions.

1.  Me + Matt + Grace = One HAPPY family.  Love them. 

It's a Tradition

I received my "Back to School" itinerary for my in-service week in the mail today.  I guess it's official that my stint as a stay-at-home mom is soon ending. I'll get 115 hormonal seventh graders instead of my four going on thirteen year old Grace.  She makes good practice for the drama.  It also means we only have four days to tackle a few unchecked boxes on  your summer to-do list.

As a family, we have been creating these summer lists ever since Grace was a year and a half. At least now, she has quite a say in what goes on the list...hence fishing.  Sorry for the lack luster picture though, but I'll fill you in on the details.

This summer we've: chased fireflies, played in the park, jumped in a bouncy house, caught some fish (to the dismay of Grace...she was soooo excited and then utterly freaked out by the bass on the hook), took a boat ride on the Chain of Lakes, played mini golf, went to the zoo...too many times, swam in a pool (a lot...which is why we never made it the actual beach), baked Halloween and Christmas themed cut-out cookies (yes, in July), story time at the library, played barbies, made crafts, had a water fight, play, eat bbq, go bowling, play baseball, blow bubbles, have a picnic, go to Chuck E.  Cheese, smores and a bonfire, read, summer reading, travel (8 cities in Michigan, 2 in Wisconsin, 1 in North Carolina), visit the Children's Museum, hike Sleeping Bear Dunes and  tour Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.

We have four days to go to the actual beach that is literally 20 minutes away (shameful...I know), visit Puff (the white goat that Grace loves) at Bergy's, have a living room sleepover, and have a lemonade stand.

One item on Grace's list will not get accomplished - visit Evan.  We tried, but his family was on vacation when we traveled to North Carolina.  Evan was a boy in our daughter's class last year.  He moved away, and it broke Grace's heart.  On the last day of school, they had a "wedding" and got married.  We know call him "the boy who shall not be named" because if you do slip up and say his name, then she starts crying.  I really can't take the crying.

So...that was our summer.  Sadly, our summer ends in four days.  FOUR DAYS!  I do believe I will make sure to get in some extra snuggles.  Thankfully, she still snuggles with me.

catching fireflies

As Grace and I were driving home tonight, I noticed the flickering neon green lights on the side of the road - fireflies.  We had "catch fireflies" on our summer to do list last year, but she never did, so tonight instead of going straight in for books and bed, we grabbed her butterfly net and set off to catch fireflies.

Catching fireflies is a rite of passage.  It is a true sign of summer.

I do believe we will be doing this again, and a little fun was needed after a week that included:

1. pink eye
2.  which led to strep and an ear infection
3.  four straight days of a fever
4.  25 minutes of screaming over taking medicine
5.  said medicine spit out on the couch, on her body, in her hair.
6.  still more crying in the bathtub because of medicine
7.  20 minutes later I managed to get some of the medicine in...the next five days are going to be fun.

so...a little fun catching fireflies was much needed for all of us.

Grateful to Be Mama

Dearest Grace,

    When you were born four years ago, I latched onto the song by Darius Rucker titled "It Won't Be Like This For Long".  I knew the sleepless nights would end.  Thankfully, you only made us zombies for a little over a month.  I knew the things I once cherished when you were itty-bitty would soon be gone as you grew into each stage.  I knew things would change. 

   As Mother's Day rolls around tomorrow, I want you to know that I love everything, every single thing about you.  I love that you still call me Mama, even when you yell for me in a creepy horror flick whisper.  I love that you still call me to get you each and every morning instead of getting out of bed yourself because then I'd know you'd saddle up to my side of the bed and probably scare the daylights out of me.  I love that you stall at bedtime.  Sometimes, for a drink, sometimes to go to the bathroom, but mostly when you call me back upstairs just to tell me you love me one more time.  I love our nightly story time that sometimes becomes the rosary.  I love how you still ask me to sing you bedtime songs.  Your favorites right now are "You are my sunshine", "Father, I Adore You", and "Refiner's Fire".  I love how you still wake me up in the middle of the night if you have to go to the bathroom.  You can do it yourself, but you told me you don't want to be alone.  I love making crafts with you.  I love your kindness, your laughter, your kisses, your snuggles, your hugs.  I love our lunch picnics in the front yard.  I love your sneaky little mind.  I love your gracisms.  I really do love everything.

    And I will continue to find that things won't last like this for long, but until then I'm going to keep on waking up every morning being grateful that she hasn't completely grown up just yet.

funny book

So my little break with a book and a comforter included a cup of coffee too.  It's seven o'clock at night and I'm cup two - I'm turning into my mother.  But I digress.

The book...


is HILARIOUS and TRUE and JUST WHAT I NEEDED BEFORE I START MY WEEK WITH 7TH GRADERS WHO ARE ALREADY COUNTING DOWN UNTIL THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.

My favorite section = The Road Trip. 

Waiting

I should be tackling an item on the never ending to-do list of my life.

Instead, I'm just sitting here doing nothing.  Just because I can.  Matt is at a meeting, and Grace is bumming around town with Grandma and Papa.  I keep getting calls from her updating me on what she is doing.  They have gone something like this:

Grace:  Mama, can Grandma and Papa take me to the dog store?
Me:  Did you ask them?
Grace:  I will.

or

Grace:  Mama, can I eat over here (I learned later meant the Chili's at the mall.)
Me:  Did you ask Grandma and Papa?
Grace:  uh huh

Next on my list...curling up on the couch with a comforter and one of new books I just checked out from the public library.

Two Things

1.  Are you open to the gifts from God?  Are you willing to accept what he has in store for you?  God calls on the ordinary.  Are you ready?  Lent begins in three days.  Am I ready?  Just a few snippets taken from today's homily that resonated with me.

2. This summer I attended the funeral for my friend's dad.  I'll never forget what her brother said during his eulogy.  "My dad always had time for us.  Even after a long day at work, he never said no when we asked him to do something."  Wow!  Years from now, I want to make sure I've said YES!  All that other stuff can wait.  It can wait until Grace is grown and on her own.  So tonight when she asked to walk to the park for the second time today, I said

Welcome 2013

We will open the book.

It's pages are blank.

We're going to put

words on them ourselves.

The book is called

Opportunity

and its first chapter is

New Year's Day.

-Edith Lovejoy Pierce

What's in store for you?

We are Blessed

This year we stayed put.  No flights with the possibilities of weather cancellations or getting half way home and then hopping on a bus for a drive that would only get us four hours closer to our destination only to wait for my parents to drive those four hours to get us.  Yes, we stayed put.  It was hard.  It was weird. No, snow on Christmas.  Even Grace didn't understand that there wouldn't be snow.  It was her first without snow too.  

But,

We are blessed.  We had a truly wonderful Christmas.  Candlelight dinner with the "fancy plates and cups" as Grace puts it.  (Note:  We've been using the fancy cups daily now.)  I brought a little of home to Virginia - homemade gnoochi on Christmas Eve.  (With the amount of cooking I did, I felt like my mother.)  Mass at St. Marks's.  Getting our three year old up on Christmas morning.  (Yes, you read that right.  We heard her in the monitor for 20 minutes.  I finally just had to go in.  I couldn't take it any longer.  Her response as to why, "Mama, I was just resting.") Dinner with Matt's parents, Skype with my family, and lots and lots of playing dolls and Headbandz and watching Cinderella.

It Has Been Too Long...

Seriously, where has the time gone?  I've let half the year go by without writing a single post.  My apologies. I have no excuses.  Well, maybe a few...like getting sucked into the world of Pinterest.  At least I can say that I have made quite a few of the "pins" I liked.  Honestly though I've just been overwhelmed with everyday life.

However, I'm back to blogging and starting off on positive notes.  It was Thanksgiving yesterday.  A day to give thanks and be grateful.  And boy am I grateful for...
1.  Grace  - How did I ever live without this child?  I love how sweet and caring she is and her Gracisms and her sense of humor and her obsession with Christmas (It's a year round thing in this house.) and her sweet tooth and her craftiness and our nightly bedtime routine and singing "Father, I adore you" and every.single. thing.
2.  Matt - I sure lucked out marrying this man.  He pushes me when I need to be pushed and supports me and lets me put up an obscene number of Christmas trees and is a fantastic dad and works hard and loves us both.
3.  Christmas music - year round.  But I'm really thankful for the fact that Grace has moved beyond singing ONLY track number 2 on the Glee Christmas CD (Deck the Halls), that she calls  Fa La La La.  We now listen to tracks 4, 6, and 7.  And if I'm really lucky she lets me turn on the Christmas radio station only in the hopes that Jingle Bell Rock will be playing.  If it isn't, then back to the cd we go.
4.  A great group of students at school.  It doesn't make all the other stuff go away, but it is soooo much easier when the kids aren't adding to the stress.
5.  Staring at the Christmas tree all lit up.
6.  Skype - Missing family on the holidays, so we were able to get to video chat for almost an hour.
7.  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
8.  An extra comforter on the bed to get super cozy and warm.
9.  free shipping
10.  Knowing that I can buy the rest of my Christmas presents without leaving my house....thank you online shopping.

Connecting the Dots

Well, it was only a matter of time before Grace connected the dots that the loud music playing outside is actually the ice cream truck.  It is quite hilarious to watch her put her hand to her ear and say, "Do you hear it?"

Stalling at bedtime is becoming a routine.  Every night she calls me back to tell me there is something round like ball.  That's it.  Who knows what it is.

And the sheet monster still visits.

I Choose Happiness

Who couldn't love Tinker Bell Easter eggs with neon colors and glitter?

"I don't like rhombus.  It's a diamond."  Gotta love geometry and an-almost-three-year-old.  Thank you Starfall.

In response to us and Terri asking Grace if she wanted to look for the hula hibiscus with Mickey Mouse, she said, "No, I'm not in the t.v."

Jelly Beans...not the black ones or the white ones though. Yuck.

Pinterest and the soon-to-be crafts that will be done when I find a spare minute.

A Few Gracisms

1.  Birdies, come out.  Come eat my birdseed.  I can't eat it.  I'm not a bird.

2.  Mama, come lay with me.  Don't go on Daddy's side of the bed.  It has germs.

3.  Mama, there is a monster eating my sheets.  Why is the monster eating my sheets?

Spring Into Everything New

January 2?  Is that really the last time I posted?  Well, I apologize.  But...I was kind of busy with:

1.  Buying a new home.

2.  Painting the entire home.  Let's rephrase this.  Matt and some awesome people painted this home.  I was fired.  I am a pathetic painter.  Terrible.

3.  Moving in.

4.  And well, we are still making this our home.

on top of life and working and football and track.

Grace just being Grace.

 Grace playing with her t-ball set.  (yes...left-handed)

I will soon have pictures of the house.  The only room that I can say is finished is Grace's bathroom.  Can we say hello Tinkerbell?  And in other Grace news...

• She still asks for "fa la la la" on the cd player EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.  
• We had a few days last week where the Halloween costume came back out.  After day two, she spilled ice cream on it and into the wash it went.
• Our next craft will be to make bird feeders.  She tells me the birds our hungry. 
• She's still loving the princesses, but she's added My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake (aka Strawberry Cake) to the mix.

New Year, New Things

First, I've missed this (writing). And quite frankly, there are tons of things I should be doing right now instead of writing, but sometimes things need to be put on hold for my sanity. It's the new year, and with that comes resolutions. I believe last year I wrote anti-resolutions, but this year I'm going more simplistic.
1. Spend more time outside. Granted this is easier down here where the temperature was 65 degrees. Not sure I would be thinking about this if I was still back in the U.P. Although, we did have fun sledding on multiple days.
2. Be more mindful. This fits into so many aspects of my life right now.
3. Find the time to do some exercise. I'm not making a plan of do this or do that for x amount of time because I never do it.
4. Get back to to-do lists.
************************************************************************************
Hmm...some updates:
1. We are in the process of buying a house. Can I say I hate this process? It is stressful. It is confusing. And there are so many questions and what ifs. Ugh...
2. Grace is still our Grace (and sometimes Gracie). She fills our life with sooo much joy and laughter. Currently she is painting her thank you cards while I write this post. She loves anything princess and pink and watches Tinker Bell daily. She has been a hoot this Christmas. She was obsessed with baby Jesus in the nativity. She "fixed" the Christmas tree every single day.
3. We spent a week in the U.P. over the break. I love getting to see my family, and Grace loves spending time with Landon, my nephew who is only one year older than she is. I ate way too much food, played Farkle and Phase 10, built a puzzle with my dad and Caleb, and just spent time with my family.

And we have one more day of football until we have to go back to reality...work.

Joy

Even though it was extremely difficult to understand the priest last night, I did walk away with two very important lessons.

1. We are called to be humble and simple.
2. In order to experience JOY, we need to remember what the letters stand for.
J= Jesus, always comes first.
O= Others, we must think of others.
Y= Think of yourself LAST

Merry Christmas!

Living in Grace's World

1. Grace is love with the nativity that sits underneath the tree. The other day, we overheard Grace talking to baby Jesus. "Baby Jesus, this is your mommy. Listen to your mommy."

2. A picture of Mary was in the church bulletin. Matt's mom told Grace that was Jesus' mommy. Grace studied the picture and finally said, "Jesus Mommy doesn't have shoes. Grandma, she needs shoes. We need to get her some." Matt's mom asked Grace is she had any money. Grace's response, "At home, but Grandma do you have any now? She needs some shoes."

3. The ornaments need to be rearranged daily.

4. Taking a bath at 2 in the afternoon and spending the rest of the day in pajamas.

5. Pink, pink, pink, pink.

6. Singing to random strangers in stores. So if a toddler comes up to you and starts singing Jingle Bells....well, it just might be Grace.

7. Princesses....man, oh, man...the princessess

8. Reading her Christmas books before bed....all of them...and sadly she knows when I try to hide some.

9. Playing powders...also known as playdough.

10. Running and running and running like a crazy girl.