Loving Monday Mornings!!

I LOVE my Monday mornings! Really, I do! Does that make me weird? Maybe, but I'm fine with that because for me there's something great about Monday! Here is how the blocks fall for me. Tuesdays are usually my errand days; the week is young, so I usually try to book my appointments on these days. Wednesdays TJ has pre-school in the morning so we're up early and out the door. I drop him off and promptly go to my churches ladies bible study - K gets to play with her friends and I get great fellowship time with mine! We are usually done in perfect time for me to pick up my boy at the end of his day. Thursdays and Fridays I like to leave for fun things (like play dates) or any errands not completed earlier in the week or relaxing mornings, because it is almost the weekend. Saturdays - definitely a relax morning, but of course house-cleaning is calling for sure by Saturday! Sunday is my day off (well as much of a day off that mothers get, lol), but Monday morning..

Monday morning is just something else.

Monday morning my alarm sounds early (well not too early, just 8am, which is early enough for a gal like me) and I know I have to be up and start my day because otherwise we'll be late for TJ's pre-school (nothing like having a motivator, lol). To start a fresh week, a fresh day, with a clean slate just feels good - right. Every gets up, fed, dressed, and ready for the day. After TJ gets dropped off I have two hours, two hours that I like to designate to cleaning up from the weekend (is it only me that has a hurricane house by Monday morning after only one day of not cleaning???). Mind you, I typically also get to have 'coffee' and snack time with my beautiful girls (one of the benefits they don't tell you about nursing is that you HAVE to have a break every 3 hrs or so, I think God's so smart, knowing that us mom's need to sit down for a break every few hours, lol. please no comments on the nursing comment, this post is not intending to be the grounds of the ever popular nursing vs bottle debate - I agree with both) Anyway, back to Monday morning, I find that getting up in good time, getting ready for my day (including eating breakfast), having some dedicated time to cleaning up, this gets me a great start to my week!

Do you love your Monday mornings too? What does the beginning of your week look like?

Something to make you smile on Monday morning :)

**disclaimer: not all my Monday mornings go as planned, (isn't that just life!) but this is how I aim to start my week :)

Faces of Christmas

Here's a sampling of our Christmas; filled with family, food, and fun :)

Making Choices

So this new year has started off busy! Not only has it been busy but it's also come with some challenges as well. Today I've been having a bit of a hard day and so in an effort to throw off the down/stressed mood, I'm going to make a choice and be thankful for the blessings I do have!

1. beautiful white snow, I just love how it covers the world with a blanket of 'clean'
2. a good morning that didn't entail rushing out the door like crazies and we were still early :)
3. great fellowship at ladies biblestudy
4. the fun multi-colored lights still shining outside my door
5. a baby that sleeps all night
6. my son that did wonderful at the dentist for his fillings (no freaking out!!)
7. pb & j sandwiches and jello for supper (jello for the boy with a frozen cheek, lol)
8. pajama and movie nights!!
9. good friends that are willing to watch the kids
10. a warm house where I can turn the thermostat up because it's -30C outside!
11. the ability to pay my bills without leaving the comfort of my couch :)
12. silly kids :)
13. a husband that works hard so I can stay home with the kids
14. a mother who happens to call just when I need to talk to someone :)
15. a God who is in control, especially when I'm not!!

I hope that I'll have some time to blog more later and add some holiday pictures :)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

If you hadn't noticed, I am off on holidays. So here's to wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful start to the New Year!! Blessings!

WW: The Many Face's of 'R'

WW: Cousins

There is about four and a half months in age difference.

Santa?

I suppose this is post is in the season of the holidays but in contrast to some of the things mentioned in the last post. As a Christian mom, I have been trying to teach my children the true meaning and purpose of Christmas. Now for many of you that also have similar beliefs, where does Santa fit in? I am not one of those people that believes that I can keep my children away from the commercialism or the hype of a big jolly man dressed in red, especially when different members of family and friends enjoy this part of the season. I have decided that I will tell my kids of the stories (or let them watch the Christmas shows) that have Santa as the main character since I don't really want them clueless when Grandma asks if they want to put some milk and cookies out! (just an example) Along with this, I have also told my kids that Santa is not real *gasp*. The problem I have now encountered is that my soon to be 5yr old, when asked anything reguarding Santa, proudly and smugly announces "Santa's not real". Why is that a problem you ask? Often this announcement comes in the presence of children hold on to the fact that Santa is real (and shocked parents who do not want there children to find out this devistating fact). So where do I find the balance between teaching my children what I think is right and being considerate to what others are trying to teach their children?

Loving the Holidays!

I love the Christmas season!! We have enjoyed so much of it already. The decorating, the baking, the shopping, the family time, the anticipation, the gifts (we had early Christmas with my parents since we are going to my in-laws for Christmas this year), learning the true meaning of Christmas (kids bring a whole new perspective on this one!), the excitement and wonderment that the kids exude has me re-living my childhood memories :) It is always special to have just experienced childbirth close to this time of year as well - thinking of Mary travelling on a donkey at nine months pregnant!?! How much you want to bet that she could relate to my feelings of soreness and swollen feet!! Imagining having to give birth in a barn?!? And yet as a mother totally relating to the feelings of wonder while looking at your newborn baby - how much more did she treasure these feelings, knowing that she had just given birth to the Savior or this world!! Being a mom, it has sure added another dimension of meaning to Christmas!!

1 Month!!!

I cannot believe it! My little baby girl is one month already!! I know this is just the beginning and as R grows time will go by faster and faster! So I have been asked how things are with three kids, how I've been adjusting, how I've been feeling, etc. At this point things have been going well and I was able to adjust to a new 'normal' slowly and at my own pace since it just so happened that my husband didn't have work for 3.5 weeks (not by choice! I was ready to get him out of the house by 2 weeks!). So far the hardest thing for me has been dealing with K and TJ. It started off really bad since they had 3 days of no consistant parenting (when I was induced and during my stay at the hospital). As soon as I got home it was time to pull way back and get back to a disciplined life for them. It helped, but I also know that there was some acting out due to the changes in the house. I don't have AS much time for them as I normally did and that took it's toll on the kids. I feel like I'm getting much better at giving my two older kids the attention that they need (although some days it's difficult and I know I could have done better).

Altogether, I am feeling good. I am feeling positive. I am trying to keep momentum from day to day and trying to also leave behind the bad days and start on a positive note the next day. I do not feel overwelmed and take it one day at a time. I try to continue doing 'fun' stuff for me and for the kids so 'baby' does not overtake our life - plus she's at that great stage that she sleeps just about anywhere and a lot of the time, so why not get out!! I know that a more difficult time is coming.. when I have three little monkeys running around!!

More about my sweet little girl... she is really starting to look around and notice things a lot more already. R really LOVES to kick - for example, the other night she had been fussing a little (I knew it was bed time/feed time for her) so I quickly got my other two in bed and by that time she was angry with me (hehe.. it's almost cute when little ones get angry) and I thought she was hungry, so I first put her down to change her and guess what? All she wanted to do was get out of her blanket and kick.. she was totally happy just to be able to move around! Right now she is laying beside me, kicking at my leg and cooing.. sounding like a little lamb :) I am so blessed to have my sweet girl!

For All Mom's & Mom's to be!

A friend posted this video on facebook and I loved it so much I had to share it with all of you. Enjoy!