Little Monsters

Here are our cute little monsters on Halloween!

We've gone to our friends' house for three years in a row. Mr. Mister and PeyPey have been buddies since they were babies and now Mr. Newton has a buddy too!

Daddy thought we should let Mr. Mister just eat as much candy as he wanted to tonight, but I had to draw the line on that one. I think we made it through without too much sugar overload, but I don't think he'll forget about the rest of the candy like he did last year!

Fall Fun

We had an impromptu day of fun on a beautiful fall Sunday at my parents' house this weekend. Sundays over there used to be a regular occurance, as we'd go there after church, which was five minutes from their house. But a little over a month ago, we started going to a new church in our own community, on our side of town. While it's been a good transition, I really miss hanging out there on Sundays with my sisters and their families, too. We just have to be more intentional now to make it happen.

So this was a fun day spent watching football, playing outside, and enjoying a great meal together.


Showing off his new skill - sitting up!

Grandma getting in on the fun!

My Smiler

And this is what Mr. Newton did all weekend.

Smiled at people. 

He loves to smile. 

And to stick that tongue out.

  He is so sweet.

Adventures in Pennsylvania

Our very fun weekend consisted of:

apple picking at the orchard...

Bobbing for apples...

Fishing (and catching some fish!)...

 Tractor rides...

Hanging out by the lake...

 Some good cousin time...

And my first NHL game... I'm an official Penguins fan!

Did you notice there are no kids with us in this picture?  Mr. Newton will now drink milk out of a sippy cup (since he never took a bottle) so I am now free! And what better way to celebrate than a fun night out with my husband. A big thanks to our Pittsburgh family for loving our kids while we went out!

Grandma and Papa

We got home yesterday from a very fun trip to Pennsylvania.  I will post pictures of all our fun activities tomorrow.  But I had to share this story real quick.

Today, Daddy was telling Mr. Mister a story about when he was little.  Afterwards, Mr. Mister looked thoughtful and when I asked him what he was thinking, he answered, "I wish Grandma and Papa were my mom and dad."  

Isn't that so sweet?

(By the way, I didn't take this personally. It makes me really happy that he loves them so much and has so much fun with them.  That's what grandparents are for!)

Holding On

Thanks to all of you who left encouraging comments on my last post.  It's so good to remember that other moms are in the same boat and that experienced moms say to play first and clean later (thanks, Mom).

I was refreshed tonight by the sweetest moment with Mr. Mister.  After he was tucked in bed and the lights were off, I leaned over to give him a kiss and he put his arm around my neck and whispered in my ear, "I'm holding on so you don't go anywhere."

I teared up right then and considered it ironic that those are the same words that go through my mind daily.  Even in the chaos, the challenges, the disobedience and tantrums...I just want to hold on to him so he doesn't go anywhere.  Kindergarten...college...everything in between.

So I cuddled up with him in his bed and we talked and prayed together. My heart felt such peace in that moment as well as a tiny ache in knowing that he will indeed go somewhere some day.  And it will be good because that's how life is supposed to work.  But I will treasure these sweet moments along the way.

The Mother's Dilemma

Disclaimer:  This post is just me processing my life.  I realize that there are moms who are busier than me and moms who work full time or have more kids or whose kids don't sleep much or whose husbands work late or who are going through traumatic life circumstances.  So I'm not looking for sympathy from everyone who is just as busy with life.  And I'm not complaining either.  Just processing and being real.

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Sometimes I just feel like I can't keep up with everything.  There are rings in my toilets that need to be cleaned, visible dirt on my carpets that needs to be vacuumed up, toys laying around that I swear I just put away, random things that don't seem to have a home but shouldn't be thrown out either so they end up sitting in the same place for a long time and that eventually becomes their home, and laundry that I've given up hope on catching up with. Most of the time I just dress my kids in clean clothes out of the laundry basket instead of putting them away in their drawers.  So if you see them wearing the same things over and over, that's why.

And that's just the house.  Then there are emails to write and phone calls to make and dinners to plan and cook and errands to run.  And when two kids don't nap at the same time all day, that leaves my first free time at 9pm after they are both finally asleep, at which time I have a decision - go to bed early so I can actually get up early and feel like I get some time before mommy duty starts, hang out with my husband and finish all those conversations we start throughout the crazy evening, or do some of the things on my to do list so I can feel even the slightest bit productive.

And so it is, the mother's dilemma. But, it is so worth it.  I wouldn't trade days at the park and museum and mornings of reading books and doing puzzles and making playdough and playing with flour and glue and playing in the sandbox for anything in the world.  I'm just being honest that it can be hard. 

So, I'm realizing that I need to adjust my expectations.  Instead of feeling entitled to a couple hours in the afternoon like I used to get when Mr. Mister was the only little one around, I need to just be thankful when I do get an overlap in nap time.  That's easier said than done.  I'm trying to lay down my agenda but the truth is, I just feel better when there's some order in my life and I get a small chunk of quiet before I go to bed. And maybe even a shower.

So my mantra remains...It's just a season.  Someday I'll have a lot of time and my house will stay clean longer than 10 minutes after I clean it but then I'll miss having little kids and all the fun activities and cute cuddles that come with them.  And I remind myself several times a day that a clean house and order in my life are not my life's purpose.  Loving God and raising my kids to love Him are.  And there is much more eternal purpose in those things than my shiny toilet bowls (although those do make me happy.)

P.S.  You may be wondering how I have time to write a blog post in the midst of this chaos.  I will let you in on my shameless secret:  Elmo videos on YouTube in Daddy's office.  Mr. Newton is napping and Mr. Mister thinks he's working with daddy.  Have I ever mentioned that I have the greatest husband in the world?

Future Artist

I love this picture that Mr. Mister drew when we were playing school one day. I think it's the cutest little kid drawing!

Hurrying

As I left the grocery store a couple weeks ago in the pouring down rain and Mr. Newton screaming (as he had been since we entered the checkout line, but at that point what was I going to do?), I realized that to hurry is not innate.  The rain and the screaming had no impact on the speed at which Mr. Mister moved toward the car and into his car seat.  I found myself getting very impatient, appalled that he could not see that this would be a great time to move a little faster.

I recently read this blog post called Rush Hour on the Moms of Boys blog (one of my favs).  It challenged me to slow down and enjoy the pace that Mr. Mister sets.  There's much more awe and enjoyment in a toddler's world than in the rushing, running late, cramming in as much as I can life that I tend to live.  I still might not be super patient in the rain with a screaming baby, but it's encouraging to slow down more often!

Handsome Boy