Mud Mouth & Lilacs

Discussion – Time & Presence

April 9, 2011

"...Something I read in one of our study books is from a book called Grace Base Parenting by Tim Kimmel …it stated that our child's three driving inner needs are 1) A need for security; 2) A need for significance ; 3) A need for strength. So the three valuable gifts we can give our children are: love, purpose and hope. Isn't that powerful! Let us grow our children up so they may have roots but also wings to fly! ... :)"

April 11, 2011

"... My oldest son Levi just turned two in February, and LOVES to play outside. He brings me his jacket and shoes, takes my hand, and says "OUTSIDE!! Peeez!" It has been raining so much lately and I would rather just stay inside where it is warm and dry. But I know it is important to him, so I've been bundling both my boys up in warm coats and taking them to our backyard even if it is overcast and sprinkling. Just even for a short amount of time.

Levi mostly likes to play in the dirt and this at first was annoying to me. I'd rather have him play on his plastic play structure, cozy coupe car or sandbox. Mostly because, he gets the mud and dirt all over himself from head to toe. BUT I have decided that he is washable. I usually just strip him down when we come back inside and give him a quick bath. He is thoroughly enjoying himself and it isn't hurting himself (with the exception of when he ate dirt and he got his mouth washed out! lol! see photo) Like Dr. Reivich shared in one of her stories about driving her boys around and getting lost and she was cranky but her boys were laughing - she made the decision to step back and just enjoy the moment. Sure, I could MAKE my son stay out of the dirt, but what good would that do other than just serve my own selfish desire to keep my son clean and make less work for me in the long run. I think it is important to let my boys enjoy life and if that means some dirt under the finger nails and down the diaper, so be it. :)"

Discussion – Savoring Spring

The question was about what are your favorite spring scents and what memories from your childhood do they make you think about? (paraphrased)

For me there are several scents that come to mind when I think of my favorites, especially ones that have memories attached to them. But I limited this post to my top three:

*Lilacs- They are probably one of my very favorite flowers! Even though, they bloom here a little later in spring, the scent of them reminds me of the two large lilac bushes that grow on the boundary of my parent’s lawn. My mom is a huge gardener and I think of her spending hours outside, humming as she weeded and pruned and made her garden a display of beauty for everyone that drove by. I have one small lilac bush in my backyard at my house now, and I love when it starts blooming and take deep breaths drinking in the glorious smell! Wonderful scents and memories…

*Dirt – The smell of dirt, especially freshly plowed dirt, brings me back to growing up on the farm and riding on the tractor with my dad. He was a farmer all the years I was at home. He loves this time of year, and the crops just planted and some of the seeds just starting to grow. Such a special memory.

*Grass – Freshly mowed grass takes me back to the days of running track. I actually get a little tingling in the bottom of my stomach as I think back to track meets and getting so nervous before I would run a race. Even though I can’t run like I used to, the smell of grass makes me want to put on my running shoes and take off down the road for a jog!"
 

Being a Present Parent

Discussion – Time & Presence (Being a Present Parent)

Note: See my first post from today for a little more explanation of where these entries are coming from!

April 6, 2011

"As a work from home mother of two young toddlers, I find I get distracted by having my work computer right in our living room so it’s too easy to hop on the computer and work off and on throughout the day which is great, but it also makes it too easy to then get involved with checking my work and then personal emails, facebook, etc. And before I know it, an hour has gone by... The idea of being “unplugged” so I can be in the moment with my children when my energy levels are high and my mood is right is something I want to improve on. I think for me, just turning off the computer monitors and screening my calls and not having a kid’s video playing - even if it is for 15-30 minutes at a time to just be there with my kids will be something invaluable that I will look back on and cherish. They say these years when they are small goes by way too fast and I want to enjoy my kids as much as possible and instill in them that they are valued and loved and that spending quality time with them is important to their mom.

Since my boys are only two and one, they can’t tell me all that they enjoy doing quite yet, but I do know they LOVE to read and I try to spend time reading to them before nap time and before bed time. They sit in my lap and I let them pick the books they want to read, even if it means reading the same one over and over. Another thing I have done a few times, is have an actual “tent” time where we built a tent in our living room with a table and blankets. I am going to do this more often because not only does it literally shut out distractions, but it will bring me closer with your children and make it easier to “be in the moment” with my kids. I built a tent for my two year olds birthday in February. We had so much fun. We giggled and laughed all morning. I agree that shared laughter is something that is so powerful and deeply connecting and personal. I kind of feel like laughing with my children is a way I can communicate love to them beyond communication barriers even at such a young age.

I also liked the idea of a “mini-date” to the store with my kids. Right now it is really tough to take my kid’s with me as they are two and one and quite a handful when together so I end up going when Isaac is home to watch them. But I think if I took one of them, for a short amount of time, it could be a really fun experience. I also enjoy taking my boys to our backyard but usually let them run around on their own while I sit there an watch, because I am so tired! LOL! But I think by taking a few minutes with each of them while out there to point certain things out like flowers, birds or leaves it could make even something small like that feel more special for them and myself. Again, like Dr. Reivich said (paraphrasing of course), take advantage of what you have available in the real world and transform these every day moments into something sustaining for our kids.”

April 7, 2011

"I have been trying to incorporate some of the things I learned during the webinar to my life and family. A couple things that really resonated with me were just spending times with my boys where we are unplugged from media.

Another was the tent idea. This has been something really fun for me and my boys. I enjoy building forts with blankets and a card table, etc. but don't have the time/energy to do that every day. So we've mostly been using our Thomas the Train pop-up tent. It's quick, easy and has the same effect. I'm not able to squeeze all the way in, but both boys fit in and I play with them by sticking my head and upper body in. They think it is sooo funny. We giggle and laugh and sometimes bring books in the tent, or a toy or two.

But mostly it is just the experience of laughing and being together. I am finding I can do this daily or several times throughout the week. They even drag it out and want me to help them put it up. Such precious times and memories that I will treasure in my heart. Here is a photo from today. Pretty cute if I say so myself. :)"

I'm Back! Post #1 of ??

Well, it's been a while...I have been meaning to get back to my blog for quite a while but there always seems to be something else that comes up or fills my time. So tonight, since Crowdtap is down for maintenace, I thought I would share some of my answers to the discussions they have had sponsored by Fishful Thinking (http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/FishfulThinking) in the discussions in Crowdtap - which here is a link if you are interested in joining! It's free and I have been a member, with no catch, for about two months now. I have gotten selected for two of Old Navy's sample shares in which I got a free pair of jeans along with three of my sisters - and then just this last week I was able to pick up my free dress from Old Navy as well as three of my sisters. I've also made over $80 in amazon.com money which is quite nice! :)  Like I said they are currently down for maintenance, but copy this link and try it! :) http://bit.ly/fJDdV8

I really enjoy these discussions because it's a bunch of mom's sharing about the challenges and joys of parenting. I was lucky to be able to listen to a webinar by Dr. Reivich in which I refer to in a couple of my answers. She shared about being a present parent and some helpful ways to easily incorporate that in each of our families/lives. I didn't want to lose all the things I shared, so I thought I'd put them in my blog, and get this thing updated per my sister & cousin's request - two birds with one stone so to say.

We are also doing a parenting study in our church's Community Group. I am so eager to learn how to be the best mom I can be. All of this is perfect timing for me. So without further delay, here are some of answers - and there's a lot here....Maybe I'll put them in a few different posts....Here goes!! Oh and here's a cute photo of the boys playing in the backyard yesterday - when it was actually sunny! :)

FREE OLD NAVY JEANS?! WHAT?!!! :)

I belong to Crowdtap, an online review panel that answers questions, joins in discussions and sometimes, like me, get to sample new products and share the review and great news with all of my friends!  I wrote this last night and wanted to share it!

Me & My Three Sisters got our free sample Old Navy ankle jeans today - plus I had to make a few other purchases while there! ;) I was so excited to be chosen as one of the participants in this sample share. After I received the coupons in the mail yesterday, I could hardly sleep last night knowing the next day me and my three sisters, Melissa, Mindy & Miranda were going shopping for our free ankle jeans!!!

PARTY TIME: I told my sisters the good news yesterday at my sister Miranda’s 27^th birthday party. She had come home from out of town for the party so it was a double party with a birthday and the celebration of free jeans from Old Navy in our near future! We made plans to go shopping together this afternoon! The local Old Navy is about a 45 minute drive from my house so my sisters and I made a day of this exciting event! We ate lunch and headed off for our adventure at the mall!

A BIT OF CONFUSION: I came prepared and was glad I printed off the page you sent out about the dates on the backs of the coupons being a typo because they were a bit hesitant about us using the coupons. The store manager had never heard of Crowdtap and it was the first she had seen/heard of the coupons/samples so I tried to fill her in as best I could. I also explained that this was the first sample share so there were a few glitches being ironed out. We also discussed the possibility of Crowdtap informing the Old Navy stores about who they are and events/promotions like this in the future. So on behalf of the Moscow, Idaho Old Navy store I am forwarding that request to you. Another thing I should mention is there was some confusion among the associates as to what exactly the “ankle jeans” were. At the suggestion of the associate, Megan, which is my name, she said to pick a few different styles and that we would ring them up and hopefully one of our selections would work.  They were very nice about it and as it all turned out, there were no problems when they rang up the items and we all got great new jeans and had a wonderful shopping trip. I am so excited to share the photos and write the review on these jeans! It was an awesome day!!!! 

The Style & Function: I tried on the Rockstar Crop, the Diva Relaxed Skinny and the Diva Super Skinny Cuff in both the Tipai wash and the Mekong wash. I really liked all the styles and had a hard time making a decision on just one! I ended up choosing the the Diva Super Skinny Cuff in Tipai which is a medium blue wash with slight worn detailing throughout which I absolutely LOVE! I like the weathering kind of detailing so they look like they have been well loved, which they will be, while still having the hip and modern cut and fit. I tried the jeans on with a girly floral print top (the ruffled gauze top in the purple floral print) and a white cardigan. I will attach the photo.  

I ended up buying the entire outfit (shoes purchased separately) because I loved the mix of the femininity of the floral blouse paired with the edginess of the worn look of the Super Skinny Cuff Diva jeans. I am going to be able to wear these with my tall zip up boots right now since there is still snow on the ground, as well as with my wedges, flats and sandals for spring and summer. They are very versatile which for me is really important. I am a mother of two and have to make a dollar stretch. I need my wardrobe to be not only affordable, but also be filled with items that I can mix and match for all four seasons. So although these pants are probably geared more for spring/summer, you will be finding me wearing them all throughout the year. I am blessed to work from home so I will be able to wear them at home, running errands, going to church (because our church is casual) and just hanging out with family and friends. 

The Fit: I can wear both size 12 & 14 in Old Navy pants but with these I had to go with the size 14. I would probably recommend that if you go back and forth between sizes to try on the larger of the sizes first – the rise is lower on this style and the ankles fit close to the body and might be tight on some ladies legs. I am comfortable with that style though. I like the way these pants hug my body. I have larger hips and thighs and I feel like these jeans do not accentuate that but rather slenderize and lengthen my legs making me look taller and leaner which every lady can appreciate! The quality as usual from Old Navy is top notch while still able to keep the price affordable! I also like that they are comfortable so I will still be able to chase my two sons – Levi 2 and Wyatt 1 - who are both very active and keep this mommy “on-the-go!” 

My Friends:  My sisters who were the recipients of my three friend coupons were very excited and happy with the entire experience as well. Melissa, chose The Rockstar Crop in the black wash. She was a little disappointed to have to go up a size from her regular number to get the right fit but she was happy with a dark jean to dress up or dress down. She was a bit hesitant when I told her we were getting “ankle jeans” but she ended up really liking them.  Mindy, 37, chose The Diva Relaxed Skinny jeans in the Miwok wash (lighter blue). She liked the way the jeans fit and especially liked the worn spot and wash detailing. She has a 14 year old daughter and is looking forward to being the hip “Soccer Mom”!  My sister Miranda is 27 and a slender 5’10”. She ended up purchasing The Diva Super Skinny Cuff in the dark wash. She was very excited about the free jeans! 

Conclusion: My sisters and I recommend trying on several sizes and styles in these jeans to find the right fit and look for you! I think they would be great for a variety of ages, body shapes and walks of life with the various cuts, colors and styles available. These jeans are perfect for my life and lifestyle! Overall, I am VERY SATISFIED & EXCITED with my jeans!  I will be telling all of my friends about these new jeans – and Crowdtap!!! I really enjoyed writing this review. And a HUGE THANK YOU for the opportunity and wonderful experience of being a part of the first Crowdtap sample share! I hope to be a part of future samplings. Thanks!

To become a part of Crowdtap, visit:

 http://crowdtap.com/invitations/4d545a0e137bb00c63000273

Irish Name, Irish Twins, Irish Temper

I guess it is fitting that a girl with an Irish name, would have Irish twins and an Irish temper!

Isaac is out of town working on his car's brakes at my parent's shop (about 45 minutes away) and he called and asked me to stop by a car supply store to pick up some brake fluid. I said sure and took the boys in with me. Levi took off running up and down and around the isles. I was trying to ask the guy behind the counter for help and as I was running after my son, he was asking me what kind I needed - I said it was for a Subaru Impreza - he asked what year the car was, etc, etc. I DON'T KNOW! Then Levi ran back into the employee only area while I was trying to call Isaac but since he was at my parent's shop, I got my mom instead. Poor mom. I got a little snippy and ended up hanging up on her - not on purpose, but because I was toting Wyatt on my hip, trying to talk on the phone, and trying to chase after my two year old in my high heeled boots! I knew I should have worn sneakers! Plus I have a new phone on top of it and tried to answer a call from back from Isaac and accidentally hung up on him as well! Aaaaaaaa!


I purchased what I hope is the right brake fluid, (while a dad from our church held onto Levi - he and his son walked through the store door at the perfect time!) threw the kids in the van, well I didn't literally throw them in but you know what I mean. While I was buckling Wyatt in his car seat, Levi crawled into the driver's seat while at the same time stepping in my fresh cup of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato! He was screaming because it was hot while it spilled EVERYWHERE -which reminds me I need to go clean up that sticky mess, ugh! I had only had two sips!!!!!  What should have been an easy stop when I was out running errands with the boys, quickly spiraled out of control and left me in, well instead of tears, a fit of anger! But I wanted to cry!

 
I HATE crying! When I was a young girl, I would cry at the drop of a hat - disappointing a teacher or coach, or getting a reprimand from my parents and I would burst out into tears. But now that I have "matured" and become an "adult" I have turned my girly tears into madness! I don't yell or scream but I just feel this frustration bubbling to the surface and by that point, you better just run the other way or else face the red hot birth mark that lights up my forehead and you know the volcano is about to erupt!! I am typically slow to anger and it doesn't happen often but it's typically my husband that gets the brunt of it. I kinda remember, not screaming, but talking VERY LOUDLY when I finally got ahold of him. I wanted him to know how much trouble he had caused me.

I called back to apologize to my husband after I had cooled down - the same as my spilt coffee - and after I had purchased another coffee, but I didn't get a hold of him. I was thinking of that verse, "In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry"...Ephesians 4:26  I think I didn't do so well this time but thank the Lord he forgives and with His help we can do better next time!

Now I am left wondering and hoping that I got the right brake fluid! I think I remember saying that it BETTER be the right kind cuz I WASN"T GOING BACK! :) Guess I'll find out when I go out there later for my sister & mom's birthday party once the boys wake up from their nap. Now I better go clean up the van...