Snow Daze

 

 

We wished for snow, hoped for snow, kept our fingers crossed that we would get enough to stick. We get it, lots of it. It's freezing, temps are below zero with the wind chill, roads are bad but that's okay, because we were hoping for a Snow Day. We get two Snow Days in a row, not leaving the house, feeling the itch to get out for just a little while. Still freezing, we bundle up but we can only play outside for a short while because it is so cold. Dreaming of all the things we would do if it wasn't quite this cold but trying to remember that we have been waiting for this snow, the kids are excited and love it. Glad I just bought me & Charlotte new snow boots, wishing I had got her a new snow suit....Promised the kids that we will go out and build a snowman as soon as it gets just a tiny bit warmer, maybe by Monday. Mommy's trying to not go completely crazy in the house and this morning grandma & grandpa offer to have the kids over to spend the night tonight. Offer. Wow. I think we all just might  make it through the Winter after all.

I {Heart} Boys.

Mine anyway. Well, actually all boys, but my little boy especially.

Did you know that a boy can make anything be a gun? Nail polish? A spatula? Dinosaur?

All guns. Anything and everything can become a weapon.

*Little boys make the very best spies. A case of dental floss becomes a walkie talkie, binoculars have X-Ray vision and play cameras take real pictures of the bad guys being spied on, aka: me and the dogs.

*Boys are great at making forts, hide-outs and caves...all they need is a table, chair, pillows, stuffed animals and a secret corner of the room. My little guy might just be the best hide-out maker in the whole Midwest.

 

*Boys love anything with wheels-to play with, to ride in, to look at and admire.

*Boys can make a superhero cape out of a dish towel, an old camera case into a secret spy-pack and my scarves apparently make the best superhero belts ever.

*For a boy anything is a launch pad; a bed, chair, table, steps...you name it.

Oh but my most favorite things about little boys? They give away a million kisses a day, they really love their mommy so much, they make great big brothers, they think their daddy is the coolest person in the whole world and just generally melt your heart and make you thank your lucky stars that YOU get to have a little boy just like this.

Snow Day?!?

We are expecting between 4-7 inches of snow by tomorrow and are keeping our fingers crossed for a SNOW DAY.  I'm not counting on it but I am thinking that the possible high winds might just be our ticket in. Eric is almost too optimistic and on his way home from work stopped and got a bottle of wine and then stopped at the library and checked out The Wizard Of Oz for us all to watch tomorrow. Oooh, Eric not being able to go to work, no pre-school for Wyatt.....all four of us hanging out in our pajamas all day, fixing a big breakfast, watching movies and watching the snow fall. That sounds like a really good day to me.

Keepin' It Real::

I got an email the other day from someone just letting me know that she reads my blog, enjoys keeping up with us and likes to see what we are up to, she also had a couple other nice comments and questions. She asked me how I can stay at home with the kids full-time and find time to do so much fun stuff with them along with housework, errands, and daily life. She said she has a hard time just keeping up with her house and kids and ends up tired and stressed and wishes she made more time for the other stuff. Don't we all. We emailed back and forth once more and she said one of her resolutions for the new year was to be a better mom, to do more things with the kids and to try and get out of the house more. I told her I was going to write about her email and she said she didn't mind, SO.........

First of all, if my husband read that email it would give him the biggest laugh and I'm sure would really make his day. I am so not THAT mom. I think one reason we do have time for some of the fun stuff is because I let the other stuff slide (way too much sometimes); the house is far from spotless, today I am way behind on laundry and I have barely started in on all the organizing I need to do in this house-and there's a lot. I should be taking a shower right now while I have a chance but instead I chose to type this while one child is at pre-school and the other is watching Max & Ruby. We have the same fighting, time-outs, tears, dog running away and eating garbage and coming back home and throwing up all over the house, just like everyone else. There are messes, piled up dishes, meltdowns and near mommy--breakdowns, every day is not baking, sledding parties and nights out with friends. I know that sometimes I catch myself reading other people's blogs and for a split-second think, "Man, she really has it all together..." and then I remember that these blogs are only a small slice of their lives, and it's often the good times, the fun times and the triumphs that we talk about.
*I'm going to save the  rest for later because right now I really do need to get a couple things done before school pick-up....I'm running late.

Sledding Party::

Just wanted to share a few pictures from the Sledding Party at my Uncle's house on Sunday. I went outside and quickly snapped a few pictures before I hurried back inside-it was probably in the single digits yesterday, which is just way too cold for me! Remember how when you were younger you could go up and down the hill over and over and you didn't care how cold it was or that you really couldn't feel your face anymore? Those were the days. After  the outdoor fun everyone went inside for cookies, brownies, apple pie and hot cocoa.......the best part of the day.

During a short break from "Cops & Robbers" I had some of the cousins jump up on the bench in the hallway for an impromptu Bench Monday shot where Wyatt replied; "Ummm...hello mommy, it's Sunday!" I told him it's okay to cheat sometimes. Happy Monday!

And A Happy Little Morning To You, Too.

Today starts the first day of officially working on one of my (most important) goals: to regularly schedule exercise into my day. And today I got up...and I did it! Imagine that. I was up before everyone else, the house is freezing and dark-but let me tell ya, it feels so good to say I am going to do it and then actually do it. I have gotten so lazy since the time changed here in the Fall and it's cold and oh, so much harder to get out of bed, so this is quite an accomplishment for me. Besides getting up to exercise, I really need a little quiet time in the morning by myself so I am ready to get the day started....and now I think I am.

*Need a little inspiration, motivation on setting schedules/routines, working on goals, starting new habits, etc.? Check out SimpleMom, some great stuff there! And thanks to Maegan for the link, I have found some really helpful information there.

2010

For the last few days I have been working on my list of resolutions goals for the new year but I'm still not quite finished. Like I mentioned before, I am not really one to make grand resolutions, swearing off this, vowing to never again do that.....mainly because I know myself and I know I would not stick with things I resolved never to do again. Why set myself up for failure when I know in my heart these are things I will not follow through with?  But on the other hand I think that in the past I have used this as an excuse not to set goals for myself, to let myself off the hook, to take the lazy way out...I don't have to vow to always do this or to never again do that, what I am doing is setting goals for myself, steps to take, things to begin.
A few important areas I know that need work are: setting aside time/scheduling exercise for myself, organizing the house better and purging/donating things we do not need, meal planning and healthier eating for myself and my family.  Believe me, there are many other areas of my little life that need improvement but this is where I am starting.

I am excited about the new year and what it will bring. So bring on the new calendars, blank journals and fine-point sharpies because I'm ready for a fresh start.