Sand

Yesterday, when we visited the Dinosaur museum, there were 2 attractions that allowed the kids the opportunity to play in sand.



Watching them construct various structures made me think of something taught to me years ago but has taken on new meaning and become much more relevant in my life.

Imagine picking up a handful of sand. Now wrap your fingers around it and a little will fall out. Tighten your grip and even more falls out. The tighter the grip, the more you lose until you are left with just a couple of grains.

Now scoop up the sand with a cupped hand. Provide support underneath holding your fingers close together but leave your hand open and uncontrolling. You can pick up a lot of sand this way and as long as you don't try to close your hand around it, the sand will remain in your hand.

I believe the same is true with children. Close your fist around them, and they will slip through your fingers. Provide them support in an open, uncontrolling manner and they will remain with you forever.

Amazing what can be learned from a handful of sand...

Resourceful Miss Amanda

One of Amanda's favorite things to do is to go to a local shop called The Chocolate Cottage. It's a wonderful place to buy some decadent, addictive, hand dipped chocolates of all varieties. Yesterday, she asked to go and buy one of their caramel apples. Huge, gorgeous apples dipped in caramel and decorated with dark, milk, and white chocolate and all kinds of variations of nuts and candy. They are absolutely to die for! Anyway, I told her "no" and explained to a protesting little chocolate addict why we couldn't go. So, being the resourceful child she is, she raided the cabinets for our stash of Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped a few, and began to melt them between two space heaters. Next came an apple she retrieved from the box we keep in the garage which she asked me to cut for her. Her results weren't quite Chocolate Cottage stature, but were more than adequate...








How d'ya like THEM apples!!!!!!

Confessions of a Real Life Mom

Today, my kids ate chocolate chip cookies for breakfast...and I let them.
My boys can use the "F" word in a sentence as a noun, verb, and adjective. I'd like to blame the internet for that one, but they may have heard me on the phone.
I don't make my bed.
All 4 kids sleep with me and Jeff. We realize that one day they won't even want to be around us so we take what we can get, when we can get it.
My shopping cart is always full of frozen food and my idea of cooking involves pressing buttons on a microwave.
I have been known to throw a towel over an accidental wetting of the bed thinking I would clean it up in the morning. Then I didn't remember until bedtime the next day and was soooooo tired that I slept in pee pee sheets one more night.
I have a really hard time following through so I never give punishments that aren't instantaneous.
I have spanked a kid before.
I drink Coke all day.
My kids have far too many toys and I have a tough time saying NO when they ask for things with the sweetest of voices.
I don't read most labels on food because the only foods my kids will eat all contain "high fructose corn syrup" and "trans fats". I figure feeding them junk is better than starving.
We didn't get rid of baby bottles until the quads were 4. We potty trained even later than that.
I used plastic baby bottles and didn't know about BPA's.
I propped bottles at feeding time so that I could lay by the babies and close my eyes for just a minute.
I let my kids watch TV as babies and drink fruit juice. Still do today.
I look for any excuse not to mop the floor and usually end up having to do it at midnight.
Sometimes, we stay in pajamas all day.

Despite all my shortcomings as a mother, my kids are happy, loving, compassionate and smart. No one could ever accuse me of not being there for my kids. They are my life, my world, my everything. My life began the day they were born. I see so many posts where mom's are so worried about doing everything right that I thought I'd be real for a minute and give you a glimpse into my imperfect world. I try to correct my faults, but don't dwell on them. After all, I'm only human...WE'RE only human.
Hope this helps someone get off their own back and just enjoy the ride of being a mom. Kids grow up so fast. One day, this will all be over and I'll sit in my perfectly clean, quiet house and cry for the times it was full of children's laughter and chaos. Hopefully, the kids will return with wonderful memories. Then I will know that I did it all just right!

Praying For Baby Bronson

Recently, a local mother suffered what I can only imagine to be the most horrific tragedy. Her baby drowned in the bathtub. Attempts to revive him were successful but he is fighting for his life at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Her blog is brutally honest and beautifully written. Please keep baby Bronson and his family in your prayers. You can visit her blog and follow his progress here, and if you scroll down to the February 1 entry you can read the entire story of what happened.
I think I'll go hug my kids now.

Miss Moody

Yesterday, I was Miss Moody. I was NOT fun to be around and unfortunately, my kids and husband got the brunt of it.

Last night, a note from Amanda reminded me of what I needed to do...

Thanks Amanda, and I'll really try!