Guest Post from Snow Central

Checking Facebook for the 40th time while stranded in the some 11 inches of snow we have,

(it's another snow day at the University of Kansas)

 I came across this little article: "16 things we forget to thank our moms for." 

Since I've been in college (and being 2000 miles away from my best friend aka mom) 

I've become much more appreciative of her and all that she does for me and our family. 

It's almost as if the writer of this list spies on my life 

and then wrote this article on everything my mom does for me.

Snow Day!

16 Things We Forget To Thank Our Moms For  

1. All the times she had to double as best friend/counselor/therapist/costume designer/hair stylist/coach/all-around-solver-of-every-problem-ever. I remain unconvinced that moms aren’t actually superheroes in disguise.

2. Forgiving us when we forget to call.

3. Listening to all our pointless dramas when we do remember.

4. Being the kind of person that we actually do want to become — because as we all know, it’s inevitable.

5. Having the incredible prowess only a mother whose babes have been scorned could — mama bear protects her cubs, sometimes excessively, but we love it, let’s be honest.

6. All those times we yelled “MOOOOMMM!!” through the house to find out where our white shirt was or what time so-and-so was getting home and all the other questions we just couldn’t go to Dad for.

7. All the things she reluctantly bought us at the cash register of any given store, all the clothes and things we didn’t really need (but insisted we did). Growing up and understanding the value of a dollar really makes you reconsider just how much moms sacrifice.

8. For all the home cooked meals or pizzas we didn’t have to pay for ourselves. Equally phenomenal. Equally missed.

9. Putting up with our middle school phase.

10. For giving us our siblings, whom we simultaneously once wished to sell and now are best friends with.

11. And oh yeah, for that whole “giving birth to us” thing.

12. For being our first, and at some points, only cheerleaders, who were and are proud of every little thing we do.

13. All the time she spent picking us up from practices; bending over backwards to make sure we had new cleats and costumes; and were at every game, rehearsal, and play date we planned.

14. Doing her best, even when things were most difficult in the family. Moms have this incredible magic sparkle glue that keeps it all together when it would otherwise fall apart.

15. Dealing with Dad.

16. Being the boss woman of the house (and of our lives). And for being living proof that there truly are people who can honestly just do it all.

source

 Love you much mama!!!! 

Advice for New Moms

I have written several posts about mothering,

my most recent one being here about mothering multiples.

In case you are a new reader, I am a mother to four children

and a step-mother to four more children.

I have a daughter who is 19, a daughter who is 16, and twin boys who are 13.

My step-children range in age from seven to nineteen.

I am also a working mom,

but I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with my children

for twelve years, until my twins started kindergarten.

 

Here area a few things I have learned as a mother that I would like to pass on:

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

This is a big one, and I had a major problem with this...and still do sometimes. What may seem really important today may not be so important in the long run. We all have dreams of being the "perfect" mother and no one is...some mothers may appear that way, but they have issues just like the rest of us. Try to figure out what is REALLY important to you, and then spend your time fulfilling those dreams, not the silly little things that will not add value to your life.

 

Cherish Every Moment...Even the Bad Ones

They grow up in a FLASH...I swear it feels like yesterday that I was playing beauty shop with my #1when she was a toddler and here she is a Sophomore in college. I have another one who is now a Junior in high school. The older my children get, the faster the times seems to fly by. I can remember the midnight feedings, being dead tired, dying for my babies to sleep through the night....but now I miss those intimate moments with my babies, in the wee hours of the morning, when everything is so still and quiet, and I could just cuddle and hold them while I was feeding them....there is no more cuddling and holding with 13 year old twin boys....I am lucky if I can get a hug from them these days!

 

Take Care of Yourself

I am still horrible at this....so learn from my mistakes. You CAN NOT be a good mother to your children if you are not taking care of yourself. For some people, that is as simple as taking 15 minutes to read a book or maybe 30 minutes to work out...for others it may be a weekend at the spa or a girls' night out once a week. Whatever renews your soul and lifts your spirit, MAKE the time to do it. Being a mother is often an overwhelming job...in the early years it's physically exhausting and in the later years it's emotionally exhausting. Be kind to yourself and you will be kind to your children.

 

Love Your Children For Who They Are....Not Who You Want Them To Be

All parents have hopes and dreams for their children....and that is exactly what they are...YOUR hopes and dreams. I mean let's be realistic here...who dreams for their child to fail a class or get fired from a job? We raise our children with the morals and values that we hope to instill in them, but ultimately they are going to make their own decisions at some point, and sometimes those decisions are not going to be good ones. It is so hard to sit back and watch your child make a really bad choice....but it is even harder to remain calm, loving, and supportive when their failures happen. We can offer advice, we can discuss benefits and consequences, but we can't (and shouldn't) control our children's lives. Part of their growing up is learning from the mistakes they make. You may wish for a football player who in his heart, wants to be in theater. You may wish for your child to attend your Alma Mater, but your child may not want to go to college. Look beyond your children's choices and past your own expectations into the heart and soul of your child, and love them for the unique and special individual that they are.

 

Make Your Marriage A Priority

One of the best things you can do for your children is to keep your marriage strong and healthy. Your children are going to learn from you what a good relationship is, what to expect in a relationship, and how to deal with conflict. It is so easy to get caught up in the rat race and before you know it, you no longer feel connected to your husband and you have grown apart. Schedule date nights...even if they are date nights at home where you play cards or watch a movie...stay connected and really love each other...especially through the tough times.

Being a new mom is such a special time in your life.
It can also be a very scary time and a stressful time as you navigate your way
thought new adventures such as potty training and preschool.
Hang on to the precious moments!
 



Here comes trouble...

I was looking through pictures that I am going to use for another post, and came across this one...

 

Just a glimpse into life with twin toddler boys...never a dull moment.

BTW they pasted an entire Costco size box of mini-pads...this is just one wall.

 

What happened to all of their toys?

They are moving....clearly one of them is going to be an engineer.

Notice their lack of  actual beds...they literally took them apart during their nap one day.

 Let me just disassemble the baby gate myself so I can get into mom's office...

 

This is what I found on the morning that the boys "big bed" was arriving...

Out with the old...imagine my surprise when I came downstairs to find the mattress in the street.

To the curb...#3 is the planner and the worker and #4 is the moral support.

The neighbors wondering where their mother is...do these children have ANY supervision?

 

Their big boy bed...

My sweet little angels....they both wanted to sleep together on the top bunk.

 

It almost makes me sad to see the pictures from when the twins were toddlers...that time went by far too quickly....I am so blessed that I was able to be at home with my kids.

 

Gotta love my boys...even when they are pasting mini-pads on the bathroom walls.

 

 

 



Summer Reading List

I had to LOL when I titled this post because the only reading I'm going to have time to do this summer is during the one week I am at my Michigan parents' house while the triplets are in sailing school. I might be able to sneak some in between baseball games during the week I'm in Cooperstown, NY with my twins in August....not yet sure what the schedule will be for that week.

Here are the books that are on my list...they are from all genres so it is a pretty random list!

I'll See You Again is a memoir written by a mother who lost her three daughters in a tragic accident. It details her journey through grief and how she found her way back to hope and love. I have a personal and professional interest in the area of grief, and find stories like these to be both educational and inspirational.

 

 

How Lucky Are You is a story about three friends and how they struggle to keep their friendship alive through loyalty and betrayal...this is definitely some "chick-lit" but looks to be in the same genre as the Emily Griffin books, which I LOVED!

 

 

The Weekend Makeover looks interesting as I am horrible about scheduling "me" time, and I often feel just as overwhelmed at the end of the weekend as I did on Friday.

 

 

That's My Son is a book that I definitely need to read...the subtitle speaks for itself "How Mom's Can Influence Boys To Become Men Of Character" and they have sequel called That's My Teenage Son (which I will be reading next year when my twins boys turn 13)

 

 

The Gift Of An Ordinary Day is a mother's memoir about a family during times of transitions...changes in jobs, children growing up, etc. and finding time to enjoy the moment. Another thing I need to work on...enjoying the moment.

 

One Thousand Gifts is a book that my friend, S, recommended and it is about finding the blessings in our every day life. It is a spiritual book, and there is also a Devotional and a Study Guide that you can purchase to go with this book. I have been buying most of my books on my Nook, however I think this is a book I want a hard copy of.

 

 

 What is on your summer reading list? I am always looking for new books!