May Madness

It's a well-kept secret that May is the new December. It's crazy y'all. And I forget how crazy it is until it's here. So there's no pre-planning or prep, it just appears with it's programs and parties and gobs of gift buying and testing and field days.

But it's all fun right? How can all that fun stuff be stressful?
I don't know how, it just is.

And it's hot, like 90 suddenly, which I'm fine with, but then you have to prepare kids for the sun with lotions and hats and sunglasses.

And there's allergies, which this year have been really bad for our eldest, so we're trying to enjoy the beautiful weather but we can't because she's coughing like an 80 year old smoker; so we're stuck inside, watching tv, because they're too tired from school and all the testing prep to do anything stimulating.

Oh yeah, and there's bugs out there now which every year they forget about and so the appearance of bugs is new, and freak-out inducing.

I think I used to like May, or maybe I liked the idea of May. You know, warm weather, flowers, end of school, (or as we know it: stinky kids, itchy eyes, and test anxiety), it's conjures good (but flase) images.

But we're off to Disney soon, and testing will be over soon, and swim team starts soon (that's a good thing, right?); so it's all good.

Spring!

It's Spring! It's Easter! I'm back! (hopefully)
Here's to new life, warmer longer days, and hopefully a renewed interest in blogging. I've attempted re-starting things numerous times and even written a few blog-post-starts, but just haven't been "feeling it" lately. ^J^ and I were talking yesterday about how we failed on our Lenten disciplines and how doing a discipline during the 50 days of Easter seemed like a good idea instead. There's something about Spring that's inspiring and makes one feel more productive, so hopefully I can make the time and have the interest to make this place one of my areas of renewal. I'm not promising a daily post, but something has got to be better than letting months pass with no blog entries! Also trying to renew the no-wheat/primal thing and exercise.

So far this week I walked a few miles Monday, took a yoga class yesterday, and walked again today so we're off to a good start! Food-wise I'm doing ok but the Easter basket temptations are getting to me.

Kiddos are back to school after a good Spring Break last week, it wasn't long enough though and I think we're all feeling Spring Fever already. We head to Disney in less than a month though so that'll help. I am nervous about taking the kids out of school for a week so close to the end of school and testing week, but I also feel kind of justified in doing so since Spring Break was also Holy Week and we don't get a real break/vacation since ^J^ has his busiest week of the year at this time. I'll try explaining that to their teachers but I'm not real sure how it will fly.

Ok, I'm off to make some afternoon snacks, but I'll leave you with a few Easter pics of the cuties.

Silence is Golden

My house is quiet. It's an amazing sound. We've had days and weeks of snow, and sickness, and a revolving door of house guests that have led to not having a full, normal week back to the routines since before Christmas. I'm hoping this is our week to all be well and in school without weather interruptions. I mean it is mid-February, shouldn't we have at least one week of normal this winter?!

The snow days were quite fun though, and since everything shut down and the roads were covered with 7 inches of fluffy beautiful snow, J got to be home with us too. We had snowball fights, went sledding, made lots of comfort food (and ate way too much of it), read, attempted snowmen, watched movies, played board games, made rainbow looms galore, ate snow cream, and more. We really made the most of the time together and it was quite nice actually. I hear people on Facebook complain about too much togetherness, and sometimes I am right there with them; the kids are fighting, my patience is thin, but none of that happened this time and it was so nice. I'm calling it our Snowcation. Sure we lost a few scheduled school breaks including 2 Spring Break days, but we had an unplanned vacation at home to all be together and enjoy. Spring Break for us is a non-event this year anyway because it's Holy Week and we can't go anywhere since that's kind of the busiest week of the year for a clergy family. We tend to move our Spring vacation to another week and just pull the kids out of school for a few days. This year we're moving it to May and headed to Disney! I'm a little nervous about pulling A out at this time of year with testing and all but it'll be fine. I hope.

Ok, I'm off to enjoy the silence. Although I'm feeling a bit paralyzed by all the choices: do I take a walk, clean house, read, watch a show, go shopping, do yoga, or just sit and stare and listen to the silence?

Here's a look back at the fun we had last week:

My snow walk before kids came home for 3.5 snow days:

Then the snow really started falling and the fun began:

"Me Pray!"

Life is busy and good. Happy 2014 btw...

I want to write more but I have a few precious minutes in between kid-bed and me-bed, so this will be short, but I did want to share M's prayer at dinner tonight. Yes, you read that right, our 2 year old extemporaneously prays at dinner...is she a PK or what? 

First of all, she volunteered herself to pray:

Daddy: who wants to pray tonight?

M: me!

Daddy: ok, go ahead

M: Ank yoo God for food...famawee...A, H, mommy, daddy...(long pause where A volunteers help), yes! Gwacie! yes, (thinking...), Elmo, Daniel Tiger, yes! (We're trying to mouth amen)...Gram, papa, Amen. 

She knew exactly what she wanted to say and us rushing her along when she paused to say amen wasn't at all necessary. She was going to say amen when she was finished and how cute is that she's thanking God for her favorite tv shows?! Of course! Thank you God for Girls, Mad Men, Scandal, Friday Night Lights! For toe-tapping music, thought-provoking movies, and escape-to-another world books; and for all the other morsels of cultural contributions that bring us a bit of entertainment and relaxation. 

Amazing these little people.

Glimpse

How's this for a glimpse into my life: I'm home with 2 kinda sick kiddos today. M stayed home yesterday b/c of fever and cough and now her brother is home. He's not totally sick but sick enough that I didn't feel good sending him in but now that he's home, I'm seeing this as more if a mental health day. 

I'm currently trying to get them both to take a nap before school pick-up of A in an hour and a half. M willingly went to her crib after she saw H lay down, and I'm currently hiding in the bathroom while she puts herself to sleep for maybe the first time in a year. We typically hold her until she falls asleep and then transfer her to her bed, but she was fighting me so much that I just put her in the bed and patted her back a few times before saying I'd be right back. She's been quiet for 10 minutes so I'm hoping the coast is clear. 

Anywho, exciting stuff over here. Not sure how you are containing yourselves...

Full weekend ahead yet again but all fun and goodness at this time of year. Tonight our Advent calendar activity was to have a camp-out in the living room and watch a Christmas movie. Tomorrow we go watch a friend's daughter perform in a shortened version of the Nutcracker and then come home to bake cookies. J and I have one of several church Christmas parties in the evening and then Sunday is J's birthday! 

Lots of activities make me love the nights at home when we have nothing planned. Sitting in a cozy house with only the tree lights on is the best.

And this Cindy Lou Who impersonator is awesome too. She's practicing her ballet moves by the way. Oh and she DID put herself to sleep! Yay!!!

Festivities

The holiday season is picking up with events galore. This past weekend was pretty full, but I didn't really feel the Christmas spirit until A's dance recital on Sunday. It was a cold yucky day with rain that you wished would just turn to snow already, and we traveled uptown to see the recital. The city was lit up and it's always fun to walk around the fancy buildings with their decorated trees. A and other dancers did their routines to holiday songs and we watched the famous Singing Bears afterwards (which M loved this year!). Then we bundled up and came home for Ginger Peanut soup and a little tree decorating.

Our girl after her hip-hop recital

Yesterday we finished the tree and it is always so fun to see the kids pull out and remember their old homemade ornaments. M was good about the ornaments, she loved looking and so far hasn't acted interested in taking things off the tree. Also, so far, none broken this year! That may be a record for this family! 

We finished the night with Christmas donuts from Krispy Kreme (our Advent calendar activity of the day). 

Tonight J and I are headed to a fancy party of Sewanee alum, looking forward to attending a party hosted by one of the most well-known Charlotte families who also happen to own a chain of department stores...I may have to sneak some pictures :) 

Ok, off to do some shopping. We're almost finished which is a big deal for us to be so close to done this early! It's been fun and stress-free this year too thanks to a parishioner who watched the kids for us Saturday so we could have a day to shop (and we were able to go see Catching Fire too!). 

Slow Down, shhhhh.

My favorite time of year is here. Advent. I'm hoping to blog more in the quiet times I have, or will make myself have, as we enter this season of intentional quiet and slowness. It's hard though, the culture tells us to rush, and be loud, and look in all directions. Even my driving time, which is usually a time to reflect (or get my to-do list in order), has become distracting with all the fun decorations. I love it of course, and we even purposely went driving around last night to look at the lights; but all these distractions of the cultural season just mean we have to be so much more intentional about making time for quiet and waiting.

It IS so hard though. This is the first quiet I've taken since Advent started on Sunday, and it's Thursday. But it's necessary. I know it's all just a little too much when I start criticizing everything in my head, and then I start messing things up: I burn the bacon, I get mad at the toddler for taking her hairbow out 8 times (um, just stop putting it back in dummy!), I pull-out in front of people. My mind is distracted and I have this longing to stay in and not talk to or see anyone. And then I realize I need to create, write, listen to music, go for a walk, knit, etc. As an introvert, these things are refilling my energy stores that have been depleated by daily life. By the exhausting task of talking to the grocery store check-out person, by Wednesday night church dinners, and by living with and loving on 3 young kids. All things I enjoy but things that wear me down. 

Trying to be better about the quiet and downtime with the kids too. Although they are quite a loud bunch. :)

These things are helping:

1.) No cable. We only use the Roku for tv watching now which means no commercials. Can I tell you how nice it is not to have commercials during this time of year? VERY.

2.) Limiting activities. We purposely didn't sign the kids up for too many activities for the Winter. H is done with golf and A is almost done with dance for the season. It allows us more time at home and together.

3.) Our advent calendar. I opted out of the "stuff" Advent Calendar this year. And went back to the envelopes with fun activities that we did a few years ago. This time though, A and H added their own ideas and they are really into it so far. Tonight's activity is to go shopping for the child we chose off the Angel Tree at church. 

4.) Following the Want, Need, Wear, Read guidelines for Chirstmas Gift ideas. It cuts down on the more, more mentality at this time of year. 

5.) Also, this new to us album and this old favorite. Good stuff.