Truth in the Tinsel

I. Love. December.
When I was growing up one of my favorite thing about the Holidays was adding an "ornament" every day to a large felt advent tree that we had as we counted down the days until Christmas.  I love the idea of counting down, preparing our hearts, making space.

Last year we bought this(yes, I bought it, lots of ideas on pinterest for making one.  I'm just too lazy)

and every day was filled with a different fun activity or a place to serve.  I compiled a list in November and filled each little door with a slip of paper telling the kids what we'd be doing that day.  One day we shopped for toys for needy kids, one day we read a new Christmas book, or delivered meals, or attended a Christmas program, or made cookies...

This year when we pulled out the house, the kids couldn't wait to get started, and yesterday, on December 1st I realized I hadn't done a thing.  I'm a little disorganized this year.

So our first day I decided to use to introduce our "Truth in the Tinsel" advent.  If you haven't heard of this little e-book, it's an awesome way to tell kids about the story of Jesus as you lead up to Christmas.  Each day you read a Bible verse together, make an ornament, and talk about a piece of the Christmas story.  For example, yesterday the ornament was a candle because Jesus came to bring Light to the darkness(Isaiah(9:2-7).  We really wanted to try this last year, but the ornaments, though simple and created for kids, required a lot of supplies that I hadn't collected. Because I'm disorganized. (sensing a theme?).

BUT this year, they added something just for disorganized, barely holding it together moms like me.

 PRINTABLE ORNAMENTS!  So now, my kids color an ornament and we read scripture and talk about it and clothespin it onto some yarn (with clothespins I haven't bought yet. Surprised?)

We're having fun. :) 

Kyler's 'light'

Yard Sale

Just putting some preschoolers to work.  Learning how to clean a yard-sale purchase is a pretty important life-skill in this house.  Love having these little helpers around.

 

Dear Husband

Dear Husband,
Please come back.  Seriously I think it every time you go out of town.  I don't know how people do this on their own.  Taking care of 3 littles without you is hard.  We're fine.  We're making it.  I'm not pulling my hair out yet.  But the house may not survive. 
When little boys don't nap and there's no daddy to take them outside to play so mommy can catch up.  This is what we end up with.

A very dirty house that I'm blogging about instead of cleaning because after finally getting them all tucked in I'm completely wiped.  We have also borrowed a guard dog for the weekend.  She's pretty ferocious.


Oh and your daughter is sleeping in your shirt.
We miss you!

for the 3 yr old

Sweet little man,
This post is three months late, but I figure you'd rather I write this three months late than skip it.  And trust me.  You are such a delight at 3 years old that you will want this post included in the way we remember you as a child, and you are also such a busy little guy that you will need this post as a warning because if your children take after you they will make you incredibly happy and proud and very very tired.

Kyler - how dearly loved you are.  You gave us a run for our money in your twos.  Quite literally, as you often took off running as fast as you could until you were halfway down the block before we caught up with you.  Often without pants on.  When you were caught you'd immediately turn, smile and come barreling toward us as though your cuteness would win us over and you could avoid discipline.  That tactic actually does work with many of the other adults in your life.  Because you are so dang cute.

Your memory is incredible.  It scares me actually.  You will reenact entire scenes from movies with your toys and will often quote lines from tv shows or movies you've seen if you can find a way to relate them to what's going on around you (you get that from your dad).  At three years old you can read dozens of words, not because you understand phonics or how words work, but just because you memorized them while we were teaching your sister.  And now it's impossible to read to you without interruption as you insist on pointing out every word you know.

We still often find you sleeping in peculiar places.  On your floor, under your mattress, under your bed, or most recently, in your laundry basket.  I think you just play hard.  Really hard. Until you crash.  

You are so funny.  I love how your vocabulary is growing and the craziest things come out of your mouth.  When you turned 3 you were just getting the hang of potty training, but putting your underwear and pants on was another story.  You'd often come walking out of the bathroom saying. "These in trouble. These in trouble" when you couldn't get your legs through the right parts of your clothes.  The other day you yelled to your dad that "My underwear is disobeying!  It's being disrespectful!!!"  Seriously, I love you.

You're in a superhero phase.  Anything with a cape and a mask and you're sold.  Your first words of the day are typically "Is my batman shirt dirty?"  if I try to put anything else on you.  At this point you have several superhero shirts that you rotate between, but the Batman shirt is your favorite.  We got you Batman rain boots for Christmas and you literally wear them almost every day.  I don't think you've ever seen a Batman cartoon or show, or any superhero show for that matter, but still you're obsessed.  I think Superhero obsession must be hidden in male genetic code.

You're afraid of car washes and I'm always afraid the workers are going to think I'm hurting you from the way you scream in terror when we drive through.  But you've recently started something new: you shut your eyes real tight while we go through and then after we're out you ask us if you were brave and we tell you that you were and you smile.  Now you ask to go to the car wash just so that you can prove to us how brave you are.

I love the way every time you see a flower or a weed or even a long piece of grass next to us you pick it up and say "This flower is for YOU."  But you've started pretending like you don't like kisses from me and pushing me away if I try in public.  But I steal them anyway and you giggle.  Because you're not allowed to be too old or too cool for Mommy's kisses yet.  

You are so busy little one.  Your mind never stops and you never stop and everyone who knows you comments on your 'energy.'  You are passionate.  Oh so passionate and you feel your emotions strongly.  You cry hard and you laugh hard.  Actually if you start laughing too hard we have to stop everything and make you stop laughing because you will literally laugh until you throw up.  You're persistent and when you get your mind set on something you are very slow to give up.  Hold on to that son, it exhausts your parents now, but that will be a strength that will serve you well when you are a grown man.  You are rough and tumble and always dirty and into something.  Just the way little boys should be.

We love you buddy.

 

Centerpieces & the trouble with Pinterest

There is a reason this is not a crafty blog.  I enjoy creating things with my hands (especially if it's cheaper to make it than to buy it) and I love doing projects with my kids.  (see evidence below)

Carson really just ate the cheerios the whole time.  But he was there. :)

BUT it's not the kind of thing I do every day, and still somehow I am responsible for providing tablecovers and centerpieces for Darby's preschool party tomorrow.  The tablecovers I'm fine with, though I confess I did not follow the suggestion to call the mom in charge of napkins to coordinate colors, so if this is a brown & maroon Easter party we're in trouble.
But centerpieces?  For 4 yr olds? 

I went to the party store hoping to find reasonably priced tablecovers and some magical easy CHEAP Easter-themed item for the tables. 

{Tangent Warning} :)
While we were there I decided to see if they had any 'Rapunzel' plates for my soon-to-be 5 yr old who has requested a 'Rapunzel' themed party.  I felt a twinge of guilt as I picked up some pre-made 'Rapunzel' invitations.  Hadn't I seen some super-cute handmade, personalized invites on pinterest?  Where a braided string of yarn wraps around the tower invitation?  Who even buys store-bought invitations anymore?  Only lazy failure moms.  As I stood there in the aisle, this thought came to my mind: "Who are you trying to impress with this party?"  Will my almost 5 yr old care or even remember what her invitations look like? 


The introduction of pinterest has upped everyone's game.  We're not limited to our own ideas, now all of our parties can be just as awe-inspiring, and birthday parties are far more involved and crafty than they used to be.  But here's my question - who are we doing it for?  Is it for our kids?   Or am I really just trying to impress the other moms?

For me, that's what it is.  Trying to impress other moms.  With my kids' birthday party.  It's sad really.  I turned tootsie pops into super-heroes for Kyler's party, complete with fancy bubble stickers with the first letter of their name on the cape.  His party was at a bounce house so that was the only crafty thing I did.  Do you know how long that took me?  H O U R S.  Do you know what Kyler remembers from his party?  Bouncing.  His friends.  And his batman cake that we ordered from Target.

Now, I have some friends that really just love this stuff.  They love being creative and crafty and take a great deal of pleasure in hand-drawing little ninja eyes on each cupcake and making fruity fake sushi (Hi Candace!).  It's therapeutic and fun for them.  That's awesome.  Go for it.  Your kids are only small for a time so live. it. up.

But for me -  It's not about fun and too often I find myself stressed out just trying to keep up.  As if somehow my love for my kids and my own worth as a mom is directly related to how 'cool' their party is.   For me, the desire to throw the perfect pinterest party is not about blessing my kids with a great party.  It's not even about a creative outlet and fun. 
It's about me. 
It's about trying to find approval from everyone else and putting my identity and value in being the perfect party-throwing super-balanced mom instead of where it should be found: in Jesus, who lived and died and rose again.  For me.  The imperfect, disheveled mom who just can't get it right and buys store-bought invitations. That's going to have to be enough.  And He is.


So back to the (unnecessary) Easter centerpieces.  Here's what I came up with.  Maybe it's lame.  Ok it is a little lame.  But it was cheap.  It took about 5 minutes and puts the Easter focus where it belongs, I hope. (that's a $2 place-card holder from the party store and I cut the cross shape out of a paper plate)

Sick Days and an Eye Update

It seems we haven't gone a week without someone in this house being under the weather since about the middle of February.  Fevers, ear infections, pink eye, bad colds and bronchitis, not to mention both Darby and Kyler are going through some brutal treatment at the dermatologist for a rash that just wouldn't go away.  It's exhausting.  And somehow a little wonderful.  Yes - there are plenty of times that I wish for a moment that these sweet littles would stop needing me and I want to make a "No one touch Mommy" rule because I'm so worn out by all the touching and the clinging and the whines and the cuddling (worn out by cuddling?  Yes.  Judge me if you will but that's where I'm at).

But as often happens and as I've written about so many times before - I have to stop and remember how much I will miss this.  They're growing up way too fast and and there's a chance there will never again be babies in this house and I will long for the days that my sweet three year old just wants to be carried with his head on my shoulder.  All afternoon. 
There's a book that everyone loves where a mother sneaks in her grown son's window to rock him.  That's weird & kind of creepy.  But this is the time for it, for the snuggly affection and rocking, and the million kisses even if I have to steal them.  I'm drinking it in.  We've done lots of rocking lately, lots of cuddling in front of Toy Story, lots of head scratching and back rubbing, lots of nose-wiping, and many many days when I realize my shoulders are covered with baby snot and tears and peanut butter at the end of the day.  It's sweet.  And it's hard.  Really really hard but the more I take the time to realize the sweetness of it the more crazy in love I am with these three little ones and what a privilege it is to have these years with them and it makes me want to freeze time.  Capture every moment and breathe in deep.  So I try.  And it helps that in this house sick kids make for very very cute moments like these:

tshirt, pull up, and rain boots.  Love him

Also a quick eye update for those that have been asking:
Darby: awesome.  Cleared to not see the ophthalmologist again for 5 years.  Yay!
Kyler: looking so so great.  perfect pressures and just had to have his prescription changed because his vision has improved!  Still doesn't need any eye drops, just using glasses to correct the vision damage caused by the glaucoma but he is doing awesome.  Praying that the surgeries he had when he was a baby would continue to keep his pressure stable for the rest of his life!
Carson: Also looks great.  No glaucoma but has his mama's bad vision and needs glasses.  The doctor said for him we would wait until his bad vision created a problem to put him in glasses.  So sometime between next year and kindergarten. :)
and...
Conor:  his eye pressure is looking good.  The surgery last May seems to be doing a really good job of controlling his pressure.  BUT he has a cataract in that eye that they will be removing April 12th.  We'll post more about it as it gets closer.  It's a scary surgery on Conor's eyes, but necessary and the doctor we have is the absolute best.  The good news is that after the surgery he shouldn't even need a contact in that eye, and his glaucoma should be better controlled after the cataract is removed as well.
SO....that's the update. 
Overall we're encouraged, optimistic, and thankful!  But we would definitely appreciate your prayers as it gets closer to Conor's surgery! :)

Alright, time to continue disinfecting the house....

A 30th

What???  A new post?

I can't think of a better way to hopefully jump back in than with a celebration of my beautiful, smart, & all around wonderful old sister.  Cory turned 30 this month.

Cory, you were my first friend and the very best sister I could ask for.  You bring so much joy to our lives and we are thankful for your ever-present honesty (even if it's about the birthday present we gave you), your courage to try new things, and your infectious, head thrown back laugh.  Thank you for loving your niece and nephews so well and being patient with them even when they're driving you crazy.  They adore you and they will be better people because they know you.  Thank you for never forgetting anything. ever.  Thank you for always letting us borrow your dvds.  Thank you for teaching us about love and conviction and never to let any one else decide what you're capable of.  And most of all: thank you for being my sister.  I love you.

And now a few party pictures.  I was supposed to be taking more pictures but I failed.

Callie - the second cutest party guest (second only to Cory)  Callie belongs to my cousin and his beautiful wife.  Is she not perfect?  I'm stealing her.

Gluten-Free Birthday cake with strawberry, lemon, and chocolate tiers.

Bonnie - Cory's 'best buddy' (a local college student who chooses to spend some of her time every week hanging out with Cory.  We love her and she's become part of the family in many ways)

Darby and Aunt Cory.

The Scooter

Maybe not everybody struggles with this.  Maybe it's because my kids are still so young and still so cute - but when my there's something that they see and want and ask for so sweetly.  I want to say yes.  Every time.  I don't of course.  These three are well accustomed to the word 'no.'    

But even though I say 'no' to the majority of the things they ask for, most of the time I WANT to say yes.  I love to make them happy.  I do.  I love to see their little eyes light up with wonder and delight and their big smiles and declarations that "You are the BEST mommy in the WHOLE world."  I mean who wouldn't love that?  But making them happy is not my primary goal.  I am far more interested in their hearts, in their learning to be content and learning to follow Jesus, than I am in them being happy.

Yesterday that was put to the test.  Darby and I were in the front yard when we heard all the neighbor kids playing down the street.  Darby hopped on her bike and rode the three doors down to see her friends who regularly will bike up and down the sidewalk together.  When we got to the neighbors' driveway we discovered that the big Christmas gift for many of her friends this year had been: scooters.  They were all on their cute little pink and blue scooters racing around the driveway.  While I talked to one of the other moms Darby and her friends took turns trying out the new scooters.  My sweet neighbor even gave her son's old Toy Story scooter to Ky since her son had gotten a new one for Christmas.  I think that might have been what set it off.  The jealousy.  The discontent.  We got home from our impromptu play date and Darby was devastated.  "EVERYONE has a scooter but ME!"  "I feel left out.  It's not fun to feel left out." "Why didn't I get a scooter Mom?"

I should mention that this girl did NOT have a disappointing Christmas.  She got the princesses with the rubber clothes she asked for and at one point made the comment. "Oh!  My LaLaLoopsy doll!  I have so many new things I forgot about her!"  She is by no means deprived.  But, our sweet girl who is terribly concerned about fitting in (already - at four years old) was literally in tears about being left out of the scooter fun.

I'll confess to you.  My first thought was that I was sure there were scooters at goodwill or the consignment store and they could not be that expensive.  $10 would fix this.  We could get her a scooter so that she could ride around with her friends.  I know that emotion of wanting so badly just to be a part of things.  I remember it well and my mama heart just wanted to fix it for her so she didn't have to feel that way...Thankfully my next thought was a little more wise than the first.  'Where does it stop? If we buy her a scooter and fix this problem what does that teach her?'  That anytime she doesn't have what she wants Mommy will rush in and fix it for her so she doesn't feel sad?  Thankfully her friend Luke arrived to play for the evening and the scooter was forgotten for a time.

But this morning, on the way to preschool it came up again.  A little voice from the backseat:  "Mom, I'm just so disappointed that I didn't get a scooter and all my friends did."  Praise God for the wisdom he gives just when we need it.  I reminded her that we have been blessed with so many good things and that we need to work on being content.  I asked her to list 5 things she was thankful for. Here's her list.

1. My princesses with the rubber dresses so I can change their clothes.

2. My LaLaLoopsy Doll

3. My bike.

At this point Kyler pipes in "I'm thankful for my Toy Story Scooter.  I love my scooter!"  Thanks son.  Just what we needed.  

After she composed herself from the tears her brother's interruption brought she continued:

4. My friends

5. Jesus.

And also my family and my home.  I have lots of good things!

'So Darby, when you start to feel jealous and discontent what will you do? '

'I'll just remember all the really good things I already have.  Like Jesus and my family.'

Then we arrived at preschool and she went off a much happier girl.

It's so hard.  In many ways it would have been easier to assure her that we would get her a scooter or promise her one for her birthday.  But this will certainly not be the last time she is disappointed that she doesn't have something 'everyone else' has.  She's not going to find happiness by acquiring more and more 'stuff'   It will never be enough.  

If we teach our kids that their disappointment can always be fixed instead of letting them feel it then I think we are doing them a disservice.  Our kids need to feel disappointment.  They need to feel left out sometimes.  They need to experience the hard emotions that are part of life so that we can walk them through it and point them to Jesus.  Because one day they will experience disappointment we can't fix and they need to know where to turn.  Our job is so much bigger than raising happy kids.  We want to raise kids who have learned to be content, who look to Jesus to fill their needs and follow after Him with all their heart.

Of course it's still fun to make them happy.  She'll probably get a scooter for her birthday in May so that she can ride around the neighborhood with her friends this summer.  I'm just not going to deprive her of the opportunity to work through contentment in the meantime by letting her know it's coming.