The Swing of Things

It's been a pretty interesting few weeks.  I feel like things have completely changed.  JJ is in SK and growing up so quickly.  She amazes me with the things she is learning.  Sometimes she asks questions that seem so grown up.  She even lost her first tooth!  I had trouble sleeping that night because I was so excited seeing how excited she was!

Tee is in "school" for the mornings.  She is amazing me too.  Yesterday she called, "mum!, mum!, mum!" from her crib.  She even looks in my eyes to show me things.  I still get scared about what the future holds for her, but the amount of growth we've seen in the past 6 months is exciting.  She loves her worker.  We have been blessed in that area.  Whenever I talk to her worker I can see in her actions and words how much she really cares about Tee.

People have asked what I've been doing with my "free time".  I'm really not sure.  I have felt busier than ever.  By the time we get back from taking Tee to school, I clean, work out, prepare food and then she's on her way back!  The mornings go so fast!  The next thing you know I'm waiting for the bus!  I have been able to enjoy doing more things and feel stronger than ever because of it.  Next week I start doing the home reading program in JJ's class and I'm excited that I get to be part of it.  I really like being connected to both of the girl's classes.  They are at a really good facility with great teachers and  I'm thankful for the opportunity to be involved.

Things are pretty set up for the rest of this year, but starting in January things are thrown up in the air again.  Our worker who takes Tee to school and appointments will be going back to her regular job so we'll have to figure out a new plan.  We will also have to decide what to do about Tee's education ... there are several options for her.  It leaves me feeling lost again, but I have to remember how long it took to work things out for this term and how wonderfully it's turning out.  God worked behind the scenes in a process to get us where we are today and I have to believe that He'll carry us through this next year.

Firefly Photoshoot

A shimmering reflection
One chance to remember
This moment
To blaze it in your memory

A flicker, a reminder of what once was
A recollection
A flame that burns in your mind
Reviving your thoughts
And forever capturing your treasures


Firefly Photography
By Tiffany Million

 

  

I don't know ... maybe

I have this idea floating around in my head.  I'm not sure how it would work or if it would ever work, but sometimes it pops in and I wish that I could implement it.  The best way I can think of to describe it would be "a Christmas cookie exchange" for everyday life.

There are certain things that I'm good at making or doing.  When you do something over and over it becomes easy and part of your routine.  For example, I make zucchini muffins, shepherd's pie and chicken casserole on a regular basis.  I can do it with my eyes closed.  I have a friend who is amazing at making cookies and makes homemade lasagna.  Wouldn't it be nice if we shared them with each other?  I'm not talking about a recipe exchange.  I'm just saying if you made some extra and shared it with each other you would have something different and tasty waiting in your freezer.  It doesn't take much more time or money to stretch it a little farther.  So, maybe on Thursdays you make some extra of what you're having and trade it with someone else.  Not sure how it would work.  I just know that certain people are really good at making certain things.


It kind of came to me when I was making a shepherd's pie.  I decided to add a little extra to the pot and pan.  Only took an extra minute.  I used the extra to put in a loaf pan and put it in the back of the freezer.  I knew in my head that I had a meal to whip out if I was having a busy day and it didn't seem like any extra work or money.  

Same can go for other areas.  I am good at some things that my friends aren't good at and my friends are good at things that I could never accomplish.  It just seems more economical and easier to me.  Someone told me that they felt like every family was an island.  We do have to put our own family first and every family is different, but it would be kind of cool to pair up with a couple families that are similar.  Share/trade off babysitting, share/trade toys and clothes, make some extra muffins with your batch ... I don't know. 

Sometimes it seems hard to keep your own family afloat so some of you may be rolling your eyes at me.  However,  I do know that I cannot make gingersnap cookies like my friend, but I can make really good peanut butter cookies.  It would be nice to experience a bite of each.

'A' is for Apple?

'A' is for Apple.  'B' is for Ball.  'C' is for Cat ....

Not in my world .... Here is the alphabet for Moms.

A is for A LOT of toys on the floor

B is for boogers

C is for crafts
D is for diapers ... thousands of diapers
E is for empty milk bags
F is for fingers that need to be washed continually
G is for giggles
H is for hungry all the time
I is for I love you
J is for jumping on stuff
K is for wet kisses
L is for leaky diapers
M is for Mommy? Mommy? Mommy?
N is for No!
O is for ooopps!
P is for poop
Q is for Quiet time

R is for riding in the stroller

S is for sippy cups

T is for tickles

U is for uh oh! (that's a Tee specialty)

V is for inside Voices

W is for wipes

X is for the funniest eXcuses.

Y is for Yo Gaba Gaba

Z is for zerberts on the tummy     

  

               

What do you think Mommies and Daddies?

With JJ being home for the summer I've been thinking about something.  I'd love to hear your input on the topic.  How much time should we spend "playing" with our kids?  I ask this because so often I feel guilty if I am not playing with the kids and doing what they want.

We usually spend our mornings exercising, cleaning, cooking and going on walks.  I sometimes feel bad that I am not on the floor playing what they want, putting them in a program or making a super awesome craft.   There certainly is time for that in the day, but I have been thinking about that.  Maybe that's a good thing.  I don't know.

Growing up,  I don't remember my parents spending their days 'playing' with me.  They certainly were around a lot.  My Dad was often working on the farm and my mom was always busy with something.  We often played on the farm or were part of what my parents were doing.   Why do I feel such a need to entertain my children?  I don't think I should feel bad if JJ spends the morning doing chores with me.  How else is she going to learn how to do laundry, clean the house or cook meals?  We actually have a pretty good time doing it and we get the opportunity to talk while we do it. She's getting to an age where she asks lots of questions about what I am doing.   I totally understand that part of this is being home with the kids.  If I was away from the kids all day and I only had a bit of time with them I wouldn't want to spend that time folding laundry.  But stuff does have to get done!

Before I hear back from anyone I probably already know the answer.  It's probably about balance.  Letting your kids experience work and chores, but also having time to play with us, other friends and on their own.  I can't run a camp all day and all summer. 

This being said, in a little over a weak my life is going to change.  JJ will be in school and Tee will be in her program in the morning.  I have spent the last 5 years and 2 months as a stay at home mom.  My life has literally revolved around taking care of these girls and I have involved very little in my life outside of that circle.  I know I still have Tee in the afternoons and there is so much to do around the house in the mornings, but I feel like a season is done.   I am rather excited about it and pleased that I have been able to physically do this.  The last little while has been hard, but I know that things are coming together.  I still have so much to invest into those two little girls, but it's time to open their world outside of mommy.

I can't wait to have the energy to do new and exciting things and meet them after school with homemade treats and be fresh to hear all about their day!  Maybe even have a clean house for a couple hours a day???

how i met your father

How I Met Your Father ... episode 1.

Kids, it was the Fall of 1998.   Your father and I had just started our first year of college.  We didn't know eachother at all.  Although I'm sure our paths crossed that warm September day, we were merely strangers finding our way in a sea of boxes and furniture until later, when fate brought us together.

Your Aunt Karen and I were taking part in a co-ed small group meeting.   Each person was paired up with a guy.  I was paired up with this tall guy who I barely payed attention to.  We were forced to sing a song  together which was slightly awkard, but kind of fun.  At the end of the evening we all went our seperate ways.  Although I saw this tall, dark stranger around campus, our paths didn't cross much until the last day of school.

We were all at the zoo for the day and my group of friends spent a better part of the day with this guy and his friends.  It seemed that one of the guys had a crush on my friend.   All I remember was that this stranger  I had sung with was grumpy and not a whole lot of fun to be around.   We found out later that he was just bummed that he had to say goodbye to his friends the next day and didn't want to spend the day watching his friend try to pick up a girl who wasn't too interested in him.

That was it kids.  That was the year I spent with this guy.

How I Met Your Father ...episode 2

Kids, remember the tall stranger I sang with back in the fall of 1998?  Well, 4 years later our paths crossed again.   It was the summer of 2002.   I was leading a camp with your Aunt Becky and your Aunt Sarah.  We worked with the younger camp, but the older camp would often have volunteers come in for trips.   This is where I ran into this guy again.   We chatted a few times while loading buses, but nothing really ever became of it.


Later that year I was chatting with a good friend.   I knew that she had become friends with this guy and I asked about  him.  I had noticed the summer before that he seemed like he had turned into a good guy.  She instantly got ideas in her head.  For the next few months she made attempts to set us up.  Nothing really happened until one day we started going for walks and talking.  We walked and talked for hours.   It was during these walks that we learned everything about eachother.  Nothing was ever said, until one day he asked me if we officially wanted to do stuff together.   

Not too many people knew about our relationship so it was a bit of a surprise, but we do have your Aunt Jennifer to thank for re-introducing us. I didn't want to tell too many people about him and my boss at work quickly referred to him as "he who has no name". It  didn't remain a secret much longer.   He had won my heart by T.P.ing my car, sending me roses, bringing me chai teas while I was working and coming over just so I wouldn't be bored.  By the summer of 2003 we were in love and on Halloween that year, he showed up on my doorstep in a Mountie Uniform and asked me to marry him.


And kids, this is how i met your father.

 

Uncontrollable fits of laughter CONTEST

Okay guys .... I need to laugh.  You know, those times when you are giggling so hard that you can't control yourself.   When you think back and you break out in a giggle just thinking about it.

Tee drinking from a straw makes me giggle.  Her little face is so stinkin cute!  She has great lips.

Or thinking about JJ's face when she saw that the cookies were gone Christmas morning.  She couldn't believe it.

There are just some things that no matter what, they make you laugh.  I'll never forget the time my family was out for dinner.    Matthew was still somewhat new to the family.  We had been talking about personality types, but my family had moved onto disabilities.  Poor Matthew was still stuck in the last conversation and blurted out, "Lisa says I'm different"  It was so funny for the rest of us who were in the current conversation.  I still don't think Matthew knows what was so funny, but I'm sure everyone at the restaurant thought we were a pretty special group.


Some of the best giggle fits are when you are in church because you know you have to control it.  I'll never forget sitting in a row  with my family as a child during a baptism when a little old man came out in his gown.  He had forgotten to wear pants underneath and his little legs were sticking out.  I'm sure he didn't look that funny, but when one person starts up in church it's VERY contagious.   Even my mom was trying not to laugh while scolding us.  I don't remember the image of the person .... it just remember the giggles.


I've written before about my friend Ali.   Many of my giggle moments include her.   I will never forget the evening of hyperboles.  Even Matthew laughs when it's mentioned.  

Laughter is good for the soul!!!   It also burns a lot of calories  ;)

It's been a stressful week with Tee.  I don't know what's going on, but I need a good laugh.   Tell me your funny stories or something that makes you giggle and I'll put your name in a draw.  The prize?  Something funny. he he.