Get On The List {guest post}

This was written by a long-time friend of mine.

She posted it on Facebook and I asked for her permission to re-post it here.

I think this is beautifully written and something many of us moms need to hear.

Enjoy! 

 

I recently came to understand something about myself and more recently came to understand it well enough to articulate it. It's a reality some people already understand and nurture. But for many of us men AND women I think it is easily forgotten, overlooked, or possibly difficult to understand.

My children will always be my greatest accomplishment in life. I often look at them even in the simplest moments and feel my breath catch, with a pride, love and gratefulness that I won't attempt to explain. When I look at them I want to be the best FOR them. I want to get it ALL right. Unrealistic I understand...but none the less, my desire.

I am a stay at home mom, which as I have heard said many times, has got to be one of the hardest jobs. I always thought hard meant physically demanding. I was wrong. Cooking dinner, cleaning, errands, laundry, potty training, making forts, doing crafts, I need to go potty, I need a snack, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy....yes it is physically demanding. But it is also mentally exhausting. Being tired puts a strain on your mentality, and my desire to get it RIGHT puts a strain there too. The realization that they spend most of their time with me puts more pressure. It's not just about keeping them fed and the house clean. I'm creating little precious people. No pressure right? I want them to be confident, respectful, nurturing, curious, determined, talented, passionate, and so much more. I have to instill those things in them everyday. And it's NO easy task. It's easy to get frustrated...it's hard to slow down and try to make more things a learning experience. I feel like I'm failing all the time. I get frustrated with MYSELF all the time. I'm kicking myself all the time. But slowly with more success..I become more confident in what I'm doing. My children become more confident in what I'm doing. Slowly, things begin to fall into place. But as soon as it all clicks a new "phase" hits and the learning curve beings once again. But it's all worth it when you hear your children say please and thank you to strangers. It's worth it when your children confidently say hello or wave at someone. It's worth it when your children pick up a dropped item for a stranger. It's worth it when you see your children comfort each other. When you see them learn, when you see them conquer something, when you see them succeed. It's amazing. My job is hard and very important. I want to be the best.

Who am I? A mother and a wife. That's who I am TODAY. But who was I before that? It may not seem important who I was before..because this is my life now. But who I was before is important because its what made me who I am today. Behind every mother and wife is a woman with her own set of needs. Easy to overlook I think. The one who is looking after everyone else's needs in fact has needs of her own. It's the WOMAN in us that makes us great at what we do. I feel like that gets forgotten...even by the women. It's like planting a flower bed, not watering it, and then wondering why they are struggling to grow. Wondering why they aren't flourishing and blooming.

Of course my family always comes first, number one on my list. Always has and always will. But I have to get somewhere on that list too. I have to make it my goal to be on that list in order to be the best in the areas of my life that I am needed the most. I need a BREAK. Maybe go grocery shopping alone, go ride my horse, go to quilt class, cook dinner without a child hanging on my leg, a pedicure, a walk, a change of scenery, something. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. But a break. Time away. That hour away is when I grow. It's when I reflect on life, and things I can do better. It's when I get revitalized and energized. It's when I get to talk and get ideas from other moms. That is when I nurture me...the woman. That nurturing is what I mean about getting on the list. It's what improves me, makes me better at everything. It's what builds my confidence. It makes me eager to get back to my life as a mom and wife and be my best.

If men could try and remember the woman she was and remember that woman is still there. She always looks after everyone else's needs so help to look after her needs. Women you are your best advocate...you have to be. It's easy to see how men might forget our needs because we forget too when life gets busy. So do yourself and your family a favor...get on the list.

-Sarah G.

Chapstick Bandit

My toddler always steals my Chapstick. Always! I can't hold on to one for more than a day or so before she has used her magical seeking powers to find it and eat the entire thing. 

This has been a long, exhausting, frustrating battle between me and the baby of the family. After months and months and months of failed hiding spots and secret locations, hubby says "Why don't you just put it in an empty pill bottle?"

Child proof top.

My hubby is a lifesaver!

Take that Super Baby!!! 

Now who wants to bet on how long it takes her to figure out how to open a childproof top? 

uSwim

I have to share this pretty cool site I found.

When my husband deployed in the summer of 2011,

I had a bright idea to teach my kids how to swim.

That's when I found this site.

 

Note: As I'm writing this, the site is not working. But try again later, trust me, its worth it! 

Or add them on facebook! https://www.facebook.com/uSwimLessons

I was pregnant with our 3rd child in 2011,

I don't know what I was thinking.

Teach my kids how to swim...

ain't nobody got time for that!

Anyway!

Two years later, I am actually going to teach them how to swim.

Every summer I plan on putting them in swim lessons

but for one reason or another it just doesn't work out.

Now that I actually have my husband home and

I'm not pregnant, I feel like we can do this thang!

It is a completely free instructional website out of Australia.

Their lessons are very easy to follow. They have videos

for every step of the way. There are printable lesson plans

available to take with you to the pool. And when your child

completes a level, they get a certificate!

My 6 year old should know how to swim by now.

My 3 year old is fearless and loves the water.

I think by following uSwim's guidelines, we will have

some official swimmers on our hands really soon!

We took the kids to the pool yesterday and started

teaching them how to hold their breath under water.

By the time we left, my timid 6 year old was able to go

completely under the water for a few seconds on her own.

My 3 year old was also holding his breath for a few seconds

but had a hard time staying under water without laughing!

We plan on being in the pool A LOT to get them

comfortable with being in the water.

 

You never know when they will need to use this valuable skill.

I hope you find uSwim as useful as I did!

Ps. No one paid me to tell you this lol

The Dirty

A few weeks ago I asked you to participate

in a survey about germs. I was very curious what people

knew about germs and how they handled them in their own lives.

I've been reading up, and although I feel like I knew most

of this stuff, a few facts really took me by surprise.

How often do you replace your toothbrush?

 Once a month: 6.67%

Every few months: 66.67%

Once a year: 0%

Whenever I feel like it needs to be replaced: 26.67%

I hardly ever remember: 0%

The American Dental Association recommends replacing your

toothbrush every 3 to 4 months. I'm pretty good about following

this guideline, although I usually have to replace my toothbrush for

other reasons, like my baby put it in the toilet.

How you store your toothbrush is also very important in the

amount of germs it contains. If you keep your toothbrush uncovered

near your toilet, particles from the toilet end up on your toothbrush every

time you flush. If you keep a cap on your toothbrush, the moist environment

harbors bacteria. The ideal way to store your toothbrush is upright in a cabinet,

or away from the toilet, where it can dry completely between brushings.

 How often do you wash/replace the bed sheets?

Once a week: 13.33%

Every other week: 40%

Once a month: 20%

When they're dirty: 13.33%

I hardly ever remember: 13.33%

More than once a week: 0%

To be completely honest, I am a once-a-monther. I know its not as much

as it should be, yet this seems to be manageable for me at the moment.

I am responsible for 4 beds in this house. I have it mentally noted that the 1st of

the month means clean bed sheets for all. However, I always wash sheets after

someone has been sick. And I always use the sanitize setting on my washer.

 Once a week is ideal for bed sheet washing. Your sheets quickly build up

with dust mites, body oils, sweat, saliva, and dead skin cells (your body sheds

about a million a day and dust mites feed off of them!) Keeping all of this in check

with a weekly hot wash can reduce sickness and allergies. It is also recommended

to wash your pillows at least twice a year since it is perfect breeding grounds for bacteria.

Hmm maybe I can boost this up to twice a month.

What do you think carries the most bacteria in a hotel room?

Shower floor: 6.67%

Remote control: 80%

Bed sheets: 13.33%

Bathroom sink: 0%

Well you guys got this one right. The remote control, as well as the light switches,

door handles and telephone are the germiest places. Almost everything in a hotel

room is disgusting in one way or another, but the room cleaners pay particular attention

to disinfecting the bathrooms and beds. Wiping down door handles and remote controls

are low on the priority list.

To protect yourself in a hotel room, bring sanitizing wipes and wipe down everything

when you arrive. If the bed has a bedspread, remove it, these are not routinely washed.

You can request an extra blanket if you are cold. Inspect the mattress for bed bugs before

you sleep in it. Wear socks or slippers at all times. And one last thing, don't ever use 

the whirlpool tub! "In one study, 100 percent of water samples taken from whirlpool tubs 

 tested positive for agents that can cause rashes, urinary-tract infections, or pneumonia. 

The pipes of the whirlpool, rather than the tub itself, are where the germs hide." (cbsnews.com)

True or False: The spice rack is actually one of the most

germ-free places in your kitchen because of the sanitizing

properties of many spices.

True: 33.33%

False: 66.67%

This one is false. Not really in need of an explanation, just curious to see what you thought.

Just don't forget to wipe down those jars every now and then since you sometimes

use spices while handling uncooked foods. 

 Out of 60 outdoor playgrounds swab tested, how many do

you think came back positive for fecal matter?

25 percent: 0%

50 percent: 0%

75 percent: 40%

100 percent: 60%

I guessed 75% on this one. The answer is 100%!!! This one took me by surprise.

I know germs are prevalent wherever kids are involved, but since the question

was about an outdoor playground, I was thrown off. Although sun-lit play structures

typically have fewer germs than shady ones, dirty kids are everywhere. Keep your

babies safe by washing hands or sanitizing immediately after play, especially before 

they eat anything. 

 Help your kids stay healthy and prevent the spread of germs by...

1) Establishing healthy handwashing habits. Wash at appropriate times and

wash correctly. Teach them to sing the ABCs the whole way through.

 2) Making sure they cover when they cough or sneeze. Even better, teach 

them to use their arm. Sneezing or coughing into your hands and then 

touching things doesn't make much sense. It is now recommended to use 

the crook of your arm to keep the spread of germs in check.

 

Smart Snacking

I saw this on Pinterest and knew I had to copy it...

My kids are snackers.
I try to make good decisions when shopping for their snacks.
The cheapest and most convenient snacks are typically the unhealthy ones too
so I've really had to pay attention. 

I've always kept a bowl with a mixture of easy grab foods for them.
It usually contains individually packed crackers, cookies, boxes of raisins,
fruit leather, and granola bars. I try to stay away from gummies and crap snacks.

This fridge idea opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for my little ones snacking needs.
I don't know why I didn't think of this before!

I splurged a little on the packets of apples and guacamole but I figured they were worth it. 

Although the bowl of mixed goodies stays on top of the fridge and they only get
access to it once or twice a day, this one is a little more accessible so I added baggies of
prewashed fruits and veggies so I don't feel bad about how much they decide to eat. 

If you have any ideas of convenient healthy food I can keep on hand
in our snack bowl or in our fridge box let me know!

Let Them Be Little

A few days ago, I shared this picture on my personal Facebook page...

It gave me a little bit of a reality check and since then I have been

seeing my children in a different light.

It also reminded me of a song I heard during a MOPS meeting back when

we lived in Oceanside. Our guest speaker sang "Let Them Be Little" which

was another eye-opening moment for me as a new parent.

If you haven't heard it, here's Lonestar's version...

     I'm writing this post because I want all of us parents  to remember that these babies will not be babies for long. I feel like we all need that reminder from time to time.   Don't get so caught up in raising them that you take all the fun out of being a kid!  

When my kids look back on their childhood some day, I want them to

remember the day mom let them throw Styrofoam peanuts all over the house
and then we "fed" them to Mr. Vacuum. Or the time we had ice cream sundaes for dinner because it was too hot to cook. (Hasn't happened yet, but now I think it might!)   Before we know it our kids will have to face the serious parts of life, why not let them enjoy this time while they have it? I'm really guilty of letting the tired-me get the best of me.

I get impatient, I get annoyed, they ask me to read a story or play

a game and I reply with "Not right now, Mommys tired".

 One thing my kids LOVE to do that really annoys me is they pretend the

vacuum is a monster. They stand in front of it and run away screaming when

it gets close to their feet. They do it every single time I vacuum and it makes

doing the chore that much more difficult for me. I usually shoo them away 

or tell them to go find something else to play with but this week I realized, why not?
Why not pretend the vacuum is a monster?

They will only be kids once, and who are they hurting?

I'm knocking their fun and imagination because it inconveniences me.

That's what it comes down to.

So I encourage all you parents to loosen up a little.

Ask yourselves "Why not?" a little more often...

and let them be little :)

Wordless Wednesday

21 Questions to Ask Your Kids

Inspired by Shantel at Just Another Marine SAHM

And just a disclaimer, I asked them these questions totally

separately. So much cleaning and nothing's ever clean!

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
Kayden: "Say polite words."

Davin: "I love you."

2. What makes Mommy happy?

Kayden: "Hugs."

Davin: "Happy."

3. What makes Mommy sad?

Kayden: "No hugs."

Davin: "Mean."

4. How does Mommy make you laugh?

Kayden: "Tickle me."

Davin: "Tickle."

5. What was Mommy like as a child?

Kayden: "A love heart."

Davin: "Go in the crib."

6. How old is Mommy?

Kayden: "How old are you? 17?"

Davin: "10."

7. How tall is Mommy?

Kayden: "15."

Davin: *puts his hand on top of my head*

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?

Kayden: "Clean the house."

Davin: "Cleaning up."

9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?

Kayden: "Go run errands."

Davin: "Leave."

10. If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?

Kayden: "Cooking."

Davin: "Letters."

11. What is Mommy really good at?

Kayden: "Changing Britton's diaper."

Davin: "Cleaning."

12. What is Mommy not very good at?

Kayden: "Cleaning the dog's teeth."

Davin: "Not cleaning."

13. What does Mommy do for her job?

Kayden: "Runs errands."

Davin: "Not cleaning."

14. What is Mommy's favorite food?

Kayden: "Meat."

Davin: "Fish."

15. What makes you proud of Mommy?

Kayden: "Baking cookies."

Davin: "Cleaning up."

16. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Kayden: "Belle."

Davin: "Kayden."

17. What do you and Mommy do together?

Kayden: "Go run errands together."

Davin: "Be proud."

18. How are you and Mommy the same?

Kayden: "Our noses."

Davin: "Matching."

19. How are you and Mommy different?

Kayden: "Our hair."

Davin: "You're the mommy and I'm the kid."

20. How do you know Mommy loves you?

Kayden: "You snuggle with me."

Davin: "Giving me some hearts."

21. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?

Kayden: "The commissary."

Davin: "Work."

My daughter Kayden is 5 (almost 6!) and my son Davin is 3 :)

Do this with your own kids and share! It will be great to read at their wedding or something lol!

Why is there so little yellow brick road?

Last night I was browsing the internet for curriculum
options for next year's homeschooling.

I was checking out the Moving Beyond the Page site,
(which, by the way, I am a fan of)

and I came across this video.

It's a lecture by Colin Stokes that explores how popular
movies, books and other media affect our children's character.
He specifically talks about gender bias and how this is shaping
the minds of our young boys and girls.

He uses the Bechdel Test to determine gender bias in a book, show or movie.
It's a simple 3 part test that goes like this...

1. Are there at least two women?
2. ...that speak to eachother?
3. ...about something other than a man?

Ninety percent of popular movies don't pass this test.

My interest peaked when he brought up an image of Pixar's
main movie characters...boys.

If you have a few minutes to spare, watch the video and

let me know what you think. I found it very interesting but

I'm even more interested in your thoughts about it.

It has definitely made me think about how I'm raising my
son and my daughters.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Everyone is celebrating Theodore Geisel's birthday today!
(Better known as Dr. Seuss.)

Dr. Seuss is near and dear to my heart for a couple reasons.

I absolutely love his books, who doesn't? But I have enjoyed
them my entire life and now enjoy reading them to my kids.

"One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" was the very first book

I ever read completely on my own.
Kayden's first book was "Go Dog Go".

As I grew older I began to understand the messages behind many
of his stories. The history and background to some of his writings
are always interesting to learn about.
Did you know that Yertle the Turtle was originally drawn with a
mustache and was created to represent Hitler?

One of my favorite books we have is
Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss
which is a collection of stories and essays about Dr. Seuss.

Theodore Geisel lived in San Diego with his wife until he passed away.
To be more exact, he lived in the little seaside community of La Jolla.
We frequented La Jolla's beaches when I was a kid (we still do)
and I remember looking for Dr. Seuss' house as we drove around.
La Jolla is also where I saw my husband for the first time :)



I love seeing people get all Seussed out around this time of year!

 

Even our local Marines took the time to read to students today.


Official USMC photo by Kelly O'Sullivan

So in honor of Dr. Seuss and National Read Across America Day,
take your kids to the library this weekend or spend it with
a good book of your own. After all...

Does Your Face Light Up?

I remember the first time I saw this clip on Oprah.
It has stuck with me ever since.

Those of you who are around me in person have
probably noticed how I always greet children
around me with a big smile, a big hug, or a compliment.

Well that video is exactly why.
If you didn't watch it and went immediately to
reading this, please watch it before you go any further.

When I had my first baby, my daughter Kayden,
I remember being terrified and thinking
"Every single thing I say or do with this child will
mold her into the type of person she will become."
It scared me! I was so afraid of messing her up!

The further I traveled down the parenting road,
the more I relaxed and acknowledged that we as
parents will make mistakes, but kids just want to be loved.

I had a friend come over today (shoutout! Sam Bam!)
And for a minute I was horribly embarrassed of what
a complete wreck my house is.
But do you know why my house isn't clean?
Because we haven't had time! The kids and I have
been having such a fun busy week bowling, having friends
over, spending all day Wed with our friends and going to the park,
then going to a Girl Scout ceremony for my oldest daughter.
This morning we woke up and headed out for a Valentine's
Day party with our play group.

So my embarrassment quickly vanished when I
realized that I put my kids before my house cleaning
this week, and that's the way it should be.

Children are such special creatures and we should really
pay attention to the way we treat them and the things we
say to them.

I have some personal goals to work on with my own kids:

1. Friday Game Night - Davin is at the age (3) where he can

kind of understand how to play games, take turns and

lose graciously. Not only will regular game nights strengthen

these qualities in my kids, we'll be getting some good quality

time together as well.

2. Saturday Movie Night - We do this probably once or

twice a month but I want to do better about making it

a weekly tradition.

3. Dinner Around the Table - We are very good about doing

this when Andrew's home. But when he's gone, I slack. The

kids sit at the table and I sit on the couch or take bites of my

dinner while unloading the dishwasher. I need to get better

about eating dinner together even when hubby's not here. It's

how Andrew and I were both raised and I feel its important.
4. Listening - I really try to do this, but I do need to get a little

better. Getting down to their level, giving them my full attention

and truly listening to them. Whether its a "silly" story they have,

or a complaint, or a question, I want them to know that what

they have to say is important to me and important enough for my

full, undivided attention.

Whether you have kids or don't, please let your face light up

when one walks into the room :)

My Babies, Nov 2011

Our Bug Farm

Welcome to our farm.

Ok I know its not much, but we've got a lot going on here!

I think everyone knows about the butterfly habitat

that everyone talks about.

I snagged it on sale on Amazon a few years ago for 

around $8 and just never got around to getting it out.

We got our baby caterpillars last Saturday and

it will take a few days for them to grow and make

their cocoons.

Then we have the Sea Monkeys which was a stocking

stuffer this past Christmas. We've done Sea Monkies

before but they are cheap entertainment for the kids.

Then Santa brought Davin this ant farm which

we think is so awesome. Its called the AntWorks farm

and they have a couple different versions on Amazon.

We were so excited to get our ants and have loved

watching them build their tunnels and work together.

The habitat isn't very big though and they

filled this one up pretty quickly. Here is a pic from last

week and a pic from this morning. 

The kids are loving watching the progress of our

bug farm and learning how they each grow and live.

Some pretty cool products if you have kids!

The HMB

The HMB is one of my favorite tools!

It stands for Home Management Binder.

I created mine about 4 years ago and got the

idea from a group I was a part of on CafeMom,

back when that was cool.

It is my household guide book and is responsible

for keeping me sane on a daily basis.

 I will give you an idea of what I keep in my

personal HMB and hopefully you will be inspired

enough to make one!

I can't tell you how useful it is!

Section 1 - Monthly Planner

Monthly calendar

Weekly menus

Grocery lists

Schedules

Section 2 - Expenses

Budget sheet

Bills schedule

Debt snowball worksheet

Receipts/warranty information

Section 3 - Household

Password list

Trip packing list

Auto maintenance paperwork

Travel plans

Contracts

Section 4 - Cleaning

Daily chores

Weekly chores

Monthly chores

Spring cleaning breakdown 

Section 5 - Emergency

Info for babysitters

Family ID information

(thumbprints, recent pic, etc)

Medical consent forms

 Copies of insurance info

Home inventory w/ pictures

Evacuation plans

Section 6 - Home Projects

To-Do lists

Home wish list

Magazine cut outs, printed ideas

Garden information

That is my HMB in a nutshell. To give you a

head start on your own HMB, I designed some title

pages and added them to my Etsy store!

If you plan on making one you will need to get

a 3-ring binder, page protectors, and dividers.

"Stressed is desserts spelled backwards!"

Deployment Countdown

Today marks one month since Daddy deployed!!!

We are ecstatic and are going out for ice cream to celebrate our accomplishment.

I think its so important to do something with your

kids to help countdown a deployment. 

 

This time, I made an ice cream cone with six scoops for the six

months Daddy will be away. For every month we will remove

a scoop and go out for ice cream!

Last year we colored a pizza and had a pizza party every month.

 

I also love the idea of giving the kids a "Kiss From Daddy" every day.

When the jar is gone, Daddy will be home!

This countdown I found at Etsy is adorable!!

For myself, I keep the DoingTime app on my phone.

I like the visual of the pie chart.

Here's to the New Year and many Daddies returning home!