It's been a while...

Well, you will never catch me saying that parenting young kids is a breeze! Not even when I'm old and have forgotten what it was really like. This last few months have been busy and wonderful and hard and rewarding. Definitely not a breeze, but also definitely worth it. Sorry it's been more than half a year since I have posted here, life seems to have a way of being so much busier than I expect it to be! Here are a few things that made me happy today: -My number two acting out all kinds of things from the Calvin and Hobbes books he has been reading, like making a time machine from a cardboard box and making up sports with crazy rules. -Going shopping with my number three and picking out her outfit for her first day of Kindergarten. She had so much fun feeling grown up and special. And I had so much fun watching her! -Number one grinning from ear to ear as he rode his friend's motorized scooter here and there. -My view from the kitchen window when I saw number four running, ecstatic, into number one's arms and then watching him lay on his back in the grass and fly her over him like an airplane. It was a moment of pure sweetness and happiness. -The family walk we took together after dinner. Until number four had a kicking, screaming meltdown and had to be carried home in a certain way that prevented her from smacking OR kicking Mr. Handsome in the face. Bit even that was fun to watch :) It was a good day. And a good 7 months.

A Sweet Moment WIth Number Two

I had a lovely day today.  I did a lot of things that made me happy.  Getting dinner all ready in the morning again, spending the day helping my sister, having a nice afternoon and evening with our family.  Everyone ate all of their dinner and we had ice cream for dessert (Number Two had to buy it with his own chore money because we have a family rule that if you kiss someone, you have to buy everyone ice cream...he is six, by the way...), and I worked hard on a surprise project for Number One and Number Two.  They fell asleep around 8:30. Then I sneakily moved them to my bed, and Mr. Handsome and I proceeded to take down their old bunk bed, put up a new (to us) set of beds, and then I successfully transferred them into their new beds, all without waking them up. Oh, and I also had to switch mattresses around, so I had to move Number Three to Number Two's new bed while I swapped out her mattress, then put her back in her bed with a different mattress, then switch the boys. WHEW! But it went off without a hitch, and the boys will wake up very surprised in a new bed.Probably my favorite moment of the day, however, was when I practiced a song I am trying to learn on the piano.  I was hacking my way through Moonlight Sonata, and Number Two came up next to me, laid his hand gently on my arm and whispered in my ear, "This is a very beautiful song, Mom!" Then he gave me a sweet smile and scampered off.  That made me feel so good.  All in all, a great day!

The new bed, just before the swap:

Whew, I am exhausted. But happy.

Whew, I am exhausted!  I'm just going to get right down to my list for today:

-Getting things done during Number Four's nap always makes me feel good and useful.
-Getting dinner going in the crock pot and the bread machine before 9:30 in the morning made me feel amazing.  Take that, horrible hour in between the end of school and dinner time when Numbers One, Two and Three (okay, usually just Two and Three) are thoroughly grumpy and Number Four inserts herself between me and whatever I am attempting to do and demands my full attention and both hands!  Booyah.
-Doing some prep work for a service project I lead this evening made me smile all the way from the inside out.
-Laughing with a good friend is so therapeutic. 

Friends are Good. So are other things.

Well, hello there!  I missed a few days as we have been working hard on our kitchen remodeling project until the wee hours of the morning.  But today was a good day.

I didn't take any pictures, but here is a short list of the things that made me feel happy today:

-A good friend watched Numbers 3 and 4 for me this morning.  It was lovely to have a little head space and get a lot done.  Being productive makes me feel happy.
-A kind stranger offered me a bunkbed for my kids' room.  Isn't it awesome when people are generous and kind?  This world is a good place.
-Mister Handsome was super helpful whenever he got the chance.  It was much appreciated.  Also, I felt like we had a lovely, happy day together.  Being married rocks.
-Number Three played some amazing make believe games today while I folded laundry.  Some involved using her powers to make ice rainbows and sliding down them together.  I love her little mind.
-I got together with some good friends (who coincidentally are also my counselors in the Young Womens organization at church) and we discussed and scheduled some really awesome activities for the young women for the next few months.  I am really excited about them.  Using my brain and heart to make a difference in other peoples' lives really makes me feel on top of the world.
-Pumping iron with Mister Handsome was also surprisingly fun.

So you see, I had a lot that made me smile today.

It started with a snuggle.

This morning I was woken up early by my Number Two.  He informed me that Number One was downstairs cleaning the basement, and that he just didn't want to help him.  Instead, he wanted to snuggle me.  I honestly had to fight the urge (sad as it sounds) to tell him that I just wanted to sleep and that if he were a nice boy, he would go help his brother.  But then I remembered my goal.  And so I tucked him under my arm and he wrapped his little arms around my neck and we snuggled.  Knowing that he loves me so much and needs my comfort and attention made me happy. 

So without further ado, here is a small list of things that made me happy today:

-Redirecting the breakfast-time grumbles by helping the kids make a list of fun things we might be able to do after school.  The list made me laugh. 

-Sharing some homemade noodles with a pregnant and nauseous friend so she wouldn't have to cook dinner tonight made me fell like even though I can't do everything, I can do something.  The look on her face made me smile.

-Number Four wanted to draw on my camera lens instead of smile.  Just one of many two year old moments today that made me laugh.

-Number One's incessant air quotes.

-Seeing my children playing together always makes me happy way deep down inside.

-These spunky piggy tails.

-When Number Three scootched her dinner plate way over so she could sit right up next to me.

-The way Number Two owned the "pretend you're sitting in a chair against the wall" competition, and the way Number Three was the undisputed champion of the "lay on your back and hold onto someone's ankles and to that ab workout where you almost touch your feet to the floor and lift them up again as many times as you can" competition.

It was a good day.  I was glad that I made a mental note (and took some pictures) of the things that made me happy today, because after tucking the kids into bed, all I would naturally have thought about was how the previous 30 minutes had taken every last ounce on patience that I posessed and made me want to scream.  But instead, I gave myself a few minutes of relaxing time, and then thought back over all of the times that made me smile.  What a great way to end the day.  I like my new tradition.  Day one was a success!

Setting Sail on the Chipper Ship!

Hello world!

A friend of mine said something the other day that struck a chord.  She said that our children wouldn't always be young, and our families wouldn't look the way they do now forever.  This is but a moment.  Our lives are always changing, and this picture we have right now is not what our eternity looks like.  This got me thinking.

I am a stay at home mother to four beautiful, energetic, engaging, incredible children.  I chose this, and I am glad that I did.  But I have lived far too long in the rising tides of griping, negativity, and self doubt.  My life isn't perfect.  Life never is.  But this day, I am climbing aboard the chipper ship!

This blog is dedicated to helping me realize, document and remember the things in my life that make me happy, the little things that bring a smile to my face, and the moments that make my heart sing.  You are all welcome to come along!

Love,

Caroline