Summer Blessings

Summer has arrived.

 DAY 1 of being HOME FOR THE SUMMER with my incredibly social 5-year-old and my sweet, yet continuously on-the-go 2-year-old!

First thought that came to mind was, "What in the world am I going to do to keep us all from going insane?"  We have been accustomed to busy schedules since this past Fall...school...waking up at a certain time and scrummaging to get out of the door.  Packing lunches, interrupted naps, playgrounds full of kids, paints and dancing....... While the kids were in school enjoying their social interactions, I'd grocery shop and tackle those hard-to-do errands...

It's funny how things change so quickly.  Hollister has only been going to Kindergarten for a little over 8 months.  I've been so adjusted to school being a part of our days, that I feel like we are going back in time.  

Just two days ago our family disconnected cable. HUGE CHANGE FOR ME.  That was something we've wanted to do for a long time now.  I finally DID IT.... I have to say I believe it was perfect timing.  When the kids start complaining about being bored....the easiest thing to do would be to turn on NICK JR.  They would get sucked in SO QUICKLY that I could get away with pretty much anything and they not notice.  This is NOW not an option.  

The morning started off with a nice 8 AM breakfast around the table.  Unlike school am breakfasts, this one was a bit more thought out and a whole lot less disorganized.  Play time followed.  The boys seemed to play fairly well together.  Hollister would ask to play Wii and Gideon would plead for me to turn on "Melmo"..... but I'd gently remind them that "we aren't watching TV right now." They would give me a little look and then run off embarking on some other adventure within our walls.  

They spent most of the morning playing while I tackled a few things around the house... However, around 11 I decided to give them a little project.  I took out some ziti noodles and a box of markers. What better to do with noodles than color them bright colors?  The boys sat at the kitchen table for a good 45 minutes really enjoying the fact that they had mad noodle decorating skills.  I sat beside them and worked on my own little craft project.  It was nice!  Just sitting a the table, working side by side with my little ones.  They would get really excited and show me a new color or design.  I realized how precious and special these times are.....how amazing they can be (both those times and my kiddos).  During the school year we had very little time to spend doing home projects.  Everything was very fast paced.  But, today, we were sitting, talking, coloring and laughing..... I felt so happy....as did they. After the noodles dried, we strung them with yarn and made necklaces.... Hollister seemed most proud of his.  


The rest of the day was fairly laid back.... Lunch around noon.  Quiet time followed shortly after.  I took that opportunity to do some cleaning and reading.  And, let's not forget the two most important things I do after putting the kids in quiet time: 1) Fix a cup of coffee...and 2) Light a candle!  I  usually feel worn out at this point in the day.  Today, I was feeling pretty good.  Possibly from not having to run from place to place.  


Later in the afternoon we had story time.  The boys crawled up on the couch beside me.  Such a sweet time.  I realized how much I enjoy spending time with them....reading to them....coloring with them.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.  


We had a great first day home.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was so thankful and blessed that we were all smiling and happy by the end of the day.  I feel like I now have a huge blessing that has been given to me..... a summer blessing.  A summer to spend with my two boys.  I know there will be those days I want to pull my hair out...where I'm begging for just FIVE MINUTES PLEASE....We all know those times where we run to the bathroom, shut the door and pretend to pee, when in reality we're just trying to catch our breath, sneak some chocolate and collect ourselves.  However, this summer my goal is to take advantage of the time spent with my two precious boys...and to never lose sight of how blessed I am to have the opportunity to spend all day with them.  I am one blessed mommy. 

Memorial Day and Last Day of School!

This week has been unusually busy..... 

Beginning with MEMORIAL DAY... For the first time in our life as a family of 4, we ventured out to LIFETIME FITNESS on Monday morning for family swim time.  It was an absolutely beautiful day to attempt this adventure.  Despite that fact that I left my bathing suit bottoms on the floor of my bedroom and had to swim in OLD NAVY shorts...it went really well =)   Hollister is very afraid of water getting near his face.  He avoids sprinklers, showers, pretty much anything that sprays water- at all costs..... Our main goal of the day was to see if we could get him excited about swimming.  

After a LOT of splashing around and semi-bubble blowing, he finally allowed us to carry him out to the 3 feet deep area.  By the end of the hour, he was walking around by himself.  Of course we were within his reach if he were to slip, but he gained quite a bit of confidence... He was already asking when we could go back.  We definitely achieved our first goal of warming him up to the idea of deeper waters.  Now all we have to do is get him to go under.  Baby steps..... 

Tuesday morning was Hollister's last Kindergarten class.  Rex and I were there to witness the sweetest ceremony for those who are going into first grade.  Each graduate walked over a bridge, shook the hand or hugged his or her teacher, received a HUGE sunflower and posed for a picture.  All the while, a violinist played in the background.  I caught myself getting swept up in the emotions even though those weren't my children.  I believe it was a feeling of gratefulness.  Feeling so blessed that we have an opportunity to witness such sweet times in our kids lives.  I know next year I will be watching Hollister crossover....and I will be one of those blubbering mommies in the crowd.  

A WHOLE LOT TO LEARN....

I am fully aware of how long it's been since I have written.... Maybe I'm a little OCD.... There's definitely a lack of motivation at times to write, but what great practice it is to type my thoughts....to process.  I'm an external thinker....that's basically what this is, right?

Over the past several months a lot has changed..... Perhaps part of me neglecting my blog was the part of me that had NO IDEA what to write or where to begin--There seemed to be an overabundance--my life felt a bit chaotic....my mind was all over the place.  I was vulnerable. Add my super girly emotions to that, and I was a hot mess....A recipe for possible disaster.

What have I learned???  

It's simple really...

I have a whole lot MORE to learn =)

I know that sounds discouraging, but it really isn't...It's quite freeing when you think about it!  I expected so much out of myself....I placed so much pressure on many areas of my life...When something was less than great...when I fell short of my personal goals, I would feel frustrated and angry.  The discouragement would soon take over and I'd QUIT.... No matter what it was: a chore, a diet, cancelling a commitment, any type of "plan"..... If it didn't go as expected, it was BROKEN. I was done.  I would have rather bowed out than fail.  How wrong is that way of thinking?  If we never give ourselves room to fail.... how do we learn?  Isn't a part of learning making mistakes....And, trust me, I've made plenty of mistakes over the years.  I'm so thankful that the Lord is a gracious and forgiving God.  Now instead of thinking back on those shortcomings and feeling disappointed in myself, I am trying to approach those same situations or "failures" differently today as they approach.... Knowing that I may not get it perfectly the first time.... but it has to be better to try than to give up.  If I stop trying, I'll never know if I was fully capable of reaching my goal.  Not only that, but I have God here at all times....to help me, guide me and teach me.  All things are possible with Him!

I've learned more than I could write in this one blog, so maybe I'll touch on a few things here and there.  Most importantly I've realized that the only constant in my life is my Lord....  Life changes, people change, situations and circumstances change.....but my LORD is forever the same.  He is always here and always willing to help us, show us great and wonderful things.  He listens to our heart's cry....He knows our minds...our struggles....and BOY do I struggle at times =)  The Lord is willing to teach us and show us the way.  

The Lord loves us unconditionally.....He created us in His image.  He died for our sins so that we might live and have everlasting life.  How amazing....how loved we are.