Stay tuned ...

Kendall brought a friend home from school today. This friend is spending the entire weekend with us. And we have to take pictures and journal the entire visit. I will be sharing the visit with you just as I share it with Kendall's teacher and classmates!

Stay tuned ...

39 Things Every Mom Should Know

I read this article in Parents magazine and just had to blog about it. So many of these things remind me of my beliefs before I had Kendall. Actually, they are the complete opposite of what I believed my life would be like as a mom.

But now, after being a parent for 5 years, I have to agree whole-heartedly with most of this.

So new parents and parents-to-be, take notes ...

1) You never have to go to obnoxious kid-themed restaurants. Ever.
2) Don't make birthday parties a huge deal.
3) Do your chores while kids are awake.
4) Put Band-Aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?
5) If the kids are awake, be awake yourself. (If you are sick, pregnant, or it's the middle of the night, ignore this advice.)
6) Just throw away the poopy underwear.
7) Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.
8) Teach your kids not to pee outside unless you're camping.
9) Buy cheap shoes when kids are little. Feet grow super fast.
10) Don't forget about board games.
11) Embrace their quirks.
12) That stain won't come out, and it's OK.
13) At some point it will be February and bleak. Just wait. Things will get better when it warms up outside.
14) Always get boys' haircuts at barber shops instead of hair salons.
15) What's the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?
16) Never stifle a generous inclination.
17) Try to like what they like.
18) Teach them to pump on the swings ASAP.
19) If your child falls asleep occasionally without brushing her teeth, don't wake her; baby teeth do eventually fall out.
20) Sometimes it's hard to think of natural consequences to punish bad behavior. In these cases try threatening with clipping their toenails or some other dreaded activity.
21) Get used to zerrissenheit - a state of disjointedness; it will be a new normal for you.
22) Buy kids deodorant before they need it.
23) Teach your children to make their own breakfast.
24) Use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about a top sheet.
25) Remember clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.
26) Don't administer a punishment that hurts you more than it does them.
27) Always pack wipes.
28) Do not allow the word wienies in your home.
29) Dress your little girls like little girls.
30) Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked.
31) It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.
32) Buy quaint little wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.
33) Just say "No" to any toy or doll that comes with packets that have to be mixed with water.
34) Teach them to like cool music.
35) Don't buy the most expensive school-picture package. It's a waste of money.
36) Give out awards for actual achievements.
37) You're never too old to dress up and decorate your house for Halloween.
38) If the school year, new babysitter, or karate class gets off to a rocky start, don't totally stress out about it.
39) Independence is a wonderful thing. So is together time. Make sure you have a healthy dose of both.

I Swore I Would Never Do It

But conformity was my only option here.

After being a slave to Harry Potter for years, getting in line to buy early copies, waiting to see movies in the theaters, I swore to myself that I would not succumb to the Twilight hype.

But succumb, I have.

I read the first book with skepticism. Several other parents at the pool were reading it at the same time, and we all tried to hide the covers of our copies while our kids played. After finishing the first book in record time, I tried to find New Moon at the library. After not having any luck, I asked the librarian and she said I was looking in the wrong section. (Apparently Twilight is a young adult book ... Who knew?!) The library couldn't find a copy anywhere this side of the Mason-Dixon line, so I went to my last resort -- my 13-year-old niece.

Yes, I borrowed my niece's book.

Anyway, after she warned me that there wasn't as much Edward as I probably was hoping for in New Moon, I began reading and couldn't put it down. (At least I'm teaching my kids good reading habits, right?) When New Moon was done, I couldn't find a copy of Eclipse, so I was forced to read some Shopaholic junk until I came across a paperback version of the one I truly wanted.

I found Eclipse at Kroger for 40% off with my Kroger Plus card, and took that as a sign.

I'm now reading Eclipse and can't stop. I'm a Twilight junkie. But part of me wants to slow down because, just like the Harry Potter books, there is an end in sight. I only have one more book after this one and then I'm done. Then what will I read???

But even more exciting now is the prospect of watching all these movies once I finish the books. I will not watch any of the movies until I've read all the books ...

But just to whet my appetite (and yours, if you're interested) I found the trailer for New Moon. And now I'm really excited about seeing the movie!! (And yes, all you Disney Channel movie watchers, that is Sharkboy as Jacob Black.)

I'm a Sucker for a Deal

Oh, how I love the consignment sales.


I love everything about them ... the purging of my own things to sell ... the tagging ... the anticipation of the hunt when I am shopping ... finding a great deal on something I would have paid 3 times as much for in a store ... all of it.


And this year I had a shopping buddy with me to help (ahem, well not really "help"). Tanner and I got up this morning and were ready to hit the All for Kids Sale at Mt. Paran. I usually go to the pre-sale on Thursday night as a seller, but last night just wasn't an option for me. So Melissa, Ashley, Tanner, and I hit the sale this morning. And I'm sooooooooooo glad we did!!


I could seriously spend hours in that place. Now that I don't have to dredge through the baby clothing, it is fun to look at the big girl stuff. Most of it is junk, truly, but every once in a while I find something really cute. And I have to have it. And since Kendall outgrew all of her little velour jumpsuits (which are some of my favorite things to dress her in for fall and winter) I was determined to find at least one this morning. I was also on the lookout for jeans and Polo-shirt style dresses that you can put leggings or tights underneath. It took me all of 1 1/2 hours to find all that I needed.


First, we hit the shoe "department." Not much in the way of little girl shoes now that Kendall's in a size 12. I was hoping for a pair of slippers and a pair of Keds. No such luck on either front. In boys, I wanted a pair of brown boots/shoes and more Crocs. We did manage to find a pair of red Crocs for a dollar. But that was it.


Second, I tried looking at clothes for Tanner, but he really doesn't need anything for fall, and he completely wasn't into shopping for clothing. He has jeans and khaki pants, long sleeve Tshirts and sweatshirts. He doesn't go anywhere, so he really doesn't need a lot of clothes. (He did get a train ... like he needs more of those.)


I hit the JACKPOT with Kendall's clothes though. Why am I so excited, you ask? Because usually it is hit or miss with these things -- last time I drove all the way up to the church and searched for 2 hours only to leave with 2 or 3 shirts. But this time I got 18 pieces of clothing (some full outfits) for a measly $61.00.


How excited am I???


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!


My two favorite things (which I'm sure will also be Kendall's favorites) are a Gymboree navy and pink striped dress and a hot pink velour Princess sweatsuit. Yes, my girlie girl will absolutely love her new clothes. As much as I loved finding them.


Oh, how I love consignment season ...

Bad Luck Couldn't Bring Us Down

Keri (my SIL) and I have been trying to put together a family weekend trip for a few months now ... we were thinking beach or something similar, but when the invitation from Tim's grandparents came to visit them at their campground this past weekend, we couldn't pass it up. I've been talking to the kids about going camping for some time now, but we've never actually taken them. I figure they are old enough now that even if they only get to sleep for a few hours, we can manage. So we - meaning Tim and I with the kids, Tim's sister and her hubs, and the in-laws with their birds - all decided to make the trek to Lake Lanier and the Lockheed campground for the weekend.

Early in the week I began worrying about this trip simply because they kids were so out of whack with school starting. But they were raring to go on Saturday morning. We had our bags packed, the boat packed, and they were awake at 6 AM (yes, after telling me that they didn't want to get up early on Saturday). I made sure I left food for Sugar and Snickers (Snickers spent the weekend with Nana), and we prepared to leave.

Now usually if there is a little bad "luck" right before a trip, I blow it off. Things happen -- you can't plan for everything, right? But this trip was just oozing with bad omens from the get-go! First, Tim tried to crank the boat on Friday night (and thank God he thought to try it), and the battery was dead. Apparently a light had been left on or something. So he had to fiddle with the boat battery all night long, and eventually we just left it plugged in all night to charge. Then Saturday morning Charlie (FIL) called at 7:45 AM to tell us that they were going to be late because the battery in the motor home exploded when he cranked it. After all of this, we were on our way, excited about the fun to be had and the quality family time.

Upon arriving we set up camp. While the grandparents and parents had RV's, the children decided we would sleep in tents. I mean, it is camping, right? Of course, Tim and I must have some luxuries from home -- he packed our portable air conditioner (kinda like a window unit, if you will) and we used it in the tent. We borrowed a massive tent from some friends (and I'm glad we did) so that we could put two air mattresses in for all 4 of us to sleep together. It took 6 adults to get that darn tent up, but it was well worth it. Then the men set up Keri and David's tent (which they borrowed from us), and staked it right into a huge ant bed. Yes, more bad luck. After getting all the tents set up it was time to hit the lake. So we all sunscreened up, loaded the coolers, and headed out.

It was a lot of fun to have the whole family on the boat. We anchored in a cove and floated and swam for a few hours. Kendall and Tanner got to spend some quality time with their great grandparents, grand parents, and aunt and uncle. We lived a life of leisure for the rest of the day, went back into shore to eat dinner, and then decided to head back out for another ride on the boat. By this time Tanner was a complete wreck because he was so tired. I allowed him to bring Lovey because I thought he might want to close his eyes and take a little nap while we were out. If Lovey wasn't in the glove compartment, he was secured inside my swimsuit cover-up, except for the 1 milli-second when Tanner tried to pull him from my dress ...

And ...

You guessed it. Lovey went for a swim. A deep, dark swim. And he sank fast.

By the time we spun the boat around to go back and look for Lovey, he had found a new home among the fish.

And it was the most painful cry I've ever heard from Tanner. It was as if we had removed an appendage. The desperation in his tears was unbearable; I sat there and cried with him, right on the side of the boat while everyone else scanned the lapping water. But Lovey was nowhere to be seen. With a devastated baby boy, we headed back to camp, trying to convince Tanner that Nemo needed his Lovey more than he did. And also trying to sweet-talk big sister into letting Tanner use her lovey for the night (which she did).

The night ended with S'mores, which Kendall and I loved, but Tanner was only interested in the chocolate. We turned in around 10 PM, and the kids slept like champs on their air mattress on the other side of the tent, even without Lovey.

Day two went much more smoothly, with an early wake up at 6:45 (trying to keep the kids quiet in the tent was a waste of time). We packed up the tents, which was much easier than pitching them. Grandparents, kids, and grandkids headed out on the boat again, and this time we headed ashore on one of the beaches. Tanner was in his element then, and he played and built sand castles. Kendall explored and swam. We had so much fun ...

So even though there was some trauma in this "vacation," we're glad we did it. My phone died the first day we were there, so I had no connection to the outside world. Thought I would die, but it was actually relaxing not to check Facebook statuses and emails. We also had no clock, which you would think would make us crazy, but we just kinda went along for the ride. We ate when we were hungry ... we drank when we were thirsty ... we slept when we were tired ... and we played when we were awake. Great family time ... no TV, no computers, no work, no pressure.

Can't wait to do it again ... minus the bad luck!

She Loves Deeply <3

After receiving lots of advice about how to handle Kendall's anxiety attacks over school, I sent her teacher an email this morning voicing my concerns and asking for her thoughts. She gave me a call this afternoon (as opposed to responding to my e-mail, which I LOVE), and this is what she had to say ...

About 5 seconds after she enters the door, she stops crying. She usually says she wants Lovey, so she is told to get Lovey from her backpack and to hold onto it as long as she needs to. After about ten minutes of holding Lovey, Kendall comes back up to Mrs. Nations with a big smile and says she's done with Lovey. Lovey goes back in the backpack without another mention for the rest of the day.

Kendall has a very best friend, Allie. They do everything together -- centers, recess, hold hands, giggle. Mrs. Nations even mentioned they had to be separated at nap time because they were "having so much fun together." :)

Kendall is a hard worker. She pays attention, she tries hard, she does her best work. She's gracious and generous with her affection.

Kendall is not the only crier ... there are three who seems to be having anxiety issues in the mornings. But, Mrs. Nations says that the separation is difficult simply because Kendall "loves deeply." I love the way that sounds ... let me say it again. She loves me deeply -- and that's why it's so hard to be away from me. And just as she loves me deeply, she will learn to love Mrs. Nations deeply as well.

So now I am breathing a huge sigh of relief. Ahhhhhh. My baby is fine during the day. She is being loved and well taken care of. And I truly believe that this woman God has sent to us is an angel. An angel from Heaven above. And I am so thankful! And as she was telling me all of this on the phone, my heart was bursting with pride and emotion. She loves me deeply. How awesome is that to hear?

(This just verifies my "Love Language" theory. I just needed to hear those Words of Affirmation to know that everything is going to be OK!)

Hard to Handle

So we're on Day 4 of kindergarten now.

Kendall still can't understand why I wake her up before the sun comes up every morning and then not let her stay home when she says her tummy or her throat hurts.

We stumble our way through breakfast, devastated that we don't have time to watch Martha Speaks before heading out the door.

This morning was the first morning I haven't walked her inside to her classroom; we decided to let Olivia from across the street walk her in. I was thinking this might make it easier to separate -- quick, like a Band-Aid. As I pulled up into the carpool drop off, Kendall exclaimed, frantically, "Why are we going around the circle???" I told her that Olivia was going to hold her hand and walk her into Mrs. Nations.

The response?

Sobs. Terrible, weepy, wet sobs.

And that was just from me.

Kendall's crying was much louder and much worse.

So as the teacher opened the door and helped Kendall from the truck, I saw the look on Olivia's face. She had to be thinking, "Why did I volunteer for this?" But being the awesome friend that she is, she took Kendall's shaky little hand and led her into the building. I had to drive away before she even got in the building.

And now I'm crying, knowing that I sent a crying baby into a building of kids she doesn't know with adults she doesn't know. I know that she is well taken care of at school. My brain knows that her teacher has been teacher for 13 years and will take good care of my baby. My brain knows that she will be taught, fed, loved, protected -- but my heart knows that she really wants me. And that no one can do it like I do. (And yes, secretly, a part of me doesn't want her to love anyone else!)

So here I sit, hoping she's doing OK. I really want her to like school; I was such a bookworm my whole life. I loved school. I loved learning and socializing. I loved going somewhere new. I still love school -- I guess that's why I became a teacher. And now I want to be a kindergarten mommy, who goes to eat lunch with my little girl and reads to her class. But I know I can't do that until she gets settled. The last thing she needs is to have to say a teary goodbye twice in one day.

I know it will get easier. (It certainly can't get harder.) Maybe once she gets used to the schedule, the crying will stop. She has to know how much I miss her during the day ... and she has to know how much she's not missing at home. I mean really, Tanner and I aren't doing anything fun that she's missing! And hopefully she will realize how wonderful her teacher is and how much she loves her, too.

Here's hoping that week 2 is easier.

And she can be a bookwork like her Mommy!

Happy birthday, dear Tannerbug ...

Three years ago right this second I was giving birth to the most precious, most amazing baby boy in the world.


Three years ago Tim and I had my very last baby.


Three years ago I looked into his pretty blue eyes and saw my soul.


And today I am watching him run around, independent and strong. Listening to him tell his stories and laugh. Thanking God every moment for the gifts in my life.

Happy birthday, my little Bug!

All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten

This morning has been interesting, to say the least. I slept better last night than I expected I would; I thought I would be a bundle of nerves. We decided to put the kids to bed early since we had to get up so early this morning. Kendall only took a little while to fall asleep, but then she finally passed out and didn't wake until this morning.



Of course, this morning I woke Kendall up at 6:15, and she was not very happy because it was still dark outside. Usually it's against the rules to get up before the sun's up. She got up and didn't want any breakfast, of course. I got her dressed and we loaded up the school supplies to head out the door. I take her picture every year on the fist day of school, and this year was no different. After I snapped it, I looked back and thought, "When did she grow up so much?" She looks so much bigger now. I remember when I first bought her little LL Bean backpack and how huge it was on her. Now it fits perfectly. She carried her own nap map into the building. She didn't want to grab my hand until we entered the building. And when I walked her to her classroom, she stood next to the "Welcome" sign for me to take another picture and then headed right in. No tears. No apprehension. Just a quick hug and look back before she went to her seat.


Unbelievable. My baby girl is growing up. And now that she is back at school, my day has gone by slowly. Tanner and I have a had a good time, but he has grown very talkative without Sissy to compete with! I guess I'll have to find somethings to keep him busy now ...