Workings for Mom 1

Just a few things that help keep our fast-pace lives run smoothly. Pre-plan dinners for the week. Sunday-Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs/salad Monday-Grilled Chicken/Potatoes/Green Beans Tuesday-BLT's/carrot sticks and Dip Wednesday-Trader Joe's Turkey Chili/corn bread Thursday-Left over Night/Broccoli Friday-Pizza/salad Saturday-Rice and Bean Burritos/chips and salsa This stays on the fridge for N and I to reference for grocery shopping (done on Saturdays) or whoever is going to have the most energy to cook dinner! INVOLVE YOUR KIDS WHEN COOKING. THEY WILL EAT ATLEAST 80% MORE!!!!

Save me Soulemama Sling

Yes, my baby is almost not a baby but I really wanted an excuse to try and make Soulemama's Baby Sling (featured in Homemade Home). I was in Target the other day with both kids and it was NOT going well. Peach is in that wonderful phase where there is no reasoning what-so-ever. She refused to sit in the cart and only wanted to be carried. I quickly problem-solved and went to the baby carrier isle. Yes, I swiped a sling off the shelf, opened the package and strapped my Peach on my side. When I got to the check-out, I soooo wrapped it back up and put it back in the package and told the lady I was not going to purchase the sling. Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule's crafty sling, I finally had a reason to make one. Peach will probably be grown out of it in two or three months or at least this lovely stage but for the next few months I will carry it with me where ever I go!

Letters

Dear Peachy,

I love your sweet baby smell and frizzy bed head when you wake up. I love chasing you and hearing you giggle. I do not like it when you take your diaper off and go to the bathroom on the floor. I love that you sleep with two B's. I am worried about your tummy and promise that we will fix it! I want you to be a strong, confident and sincere little girl. I want you to know God and feel God. I will miss our days together during the week and I will long for story time and weekends. I love you!

Mama

Dear Punky,

I love your smile and laugh. I love snuggling up next to you and touching noses. I love your face when Daddy is telling you crazy stories. I love your three year old words (except when you are feisty) I do not like it when you are mean to your sister. I love it when you get her out of bed and say, "good morning Patey girl"! I love your love to learn (letters/letter sounds/nature/transportation/the world). I sometimes get annoyed by your question "WHY?" I love when you fake laugh. I am worried that I don't give you enough attention. I am worried that you are aggressive and impulsive because of me. I want to teach you to solve problems peacefully. I want you to be a strong, confident, kind and sincere little boy. I want you to know God and feel God. I will miss our sword fights and Peter Pan adventures. I love you!

Mommy

Dear N,

Another school year is about to begin and you remind me every year that all the worrying inside my belly helps nothing. Even though I never listen to you, please keep telling me that. But please understand that it will probably never stop. With each year I grow as a teacher, mom and wife. Thank you for a wonderful summer. I am thankful that we are finally on the same page as parents. It only took us three years but better than 20! I love the stories you tell Charlie. I love that Charlie wants to snuggle with you now (after 3 years of mommy 24/7) it is a nice breather. I love how you fold laundry, please do more of that this school year. I love your 11 second hugs. I love you!

K

Findings

The kids on the Island discovered a newborn opossum abandoned in the grass. It was a remarkable sight to see. It was still breathing when we found it and we carefully placed it back in the wood line in hopes that its mama would rescue her baby.

Island Time

We have just returned home from a week on Kelley's Island. We set sail last week to surprise my step dad with a Hawaiian 60th birthday party on wheels. We successfully surprised Greg and brought some much needed rain to the Island too! It was a great beginning to a beautiful week on the Island.

It wouldn't be a vacation for myself if I left there with out some form of medical condition. Yes, by Tuesday I finally was able to see something other than the four walls of the bathroom. Our days included golf cart rides into town for shopping or for N, walleye bites at the local Pump. We jumped from Sandy Beach to Rock Beach, and hit the jet ski for some action. My two children have to be the only children out there that have fallen asleep on a jet ski. Yes, out like a light! Wish I had the camera for that one!

Each day was ended with a home cooked meal by Nana and of course topped off by Papa T's ice cream. Our Tinker Bell settle for snow cones. Later in the evening once the peeps were off to bed, my brother, sister-in-law, N and I would find time to wind down, laugh and gripe.

With four kids under the age of 5, there was not much R&R. I did not finish the one book I had hoped to read and I lacked sleep for a week. But there were more moments this week that made me smile than there were moments that made me grumble. So, I consider our time on the Island successful and memorable!

Kelley's Island is really like no other place!

Did you ever notice?

My whole life I have been drawing strawberries using red, green and black. I have always made black little dots for the seeds on the outside of the strawberry. My three year old and I were having family drawing time. I wrote three items down on paper and put them in a hat. He chose "strawberry". He chose the colors red, green and yellow. My big mouth asked him why he chose the color yellow and he said, " because Mommy, the spots are yellow." We took a strawberry from the fridge and sure enough my observant little man was right! That is my sharp-eyed boy!