Instruction manual.

So many times I wish my kids came with instruction manuals. Like almost every day. I want black and white answers in the middle of this very gray blurry world that is raising children. 

See that cute baby? The one so accurately labeled 'Instructions not included'. Yep. He isn't a baby anymore. And sure when he was a newborn and wanted to hang out with me every morning from 3-6 AM despite all my best I-have-no-idea-what-I-am-doing-first-time-mom-not-effective-trick tricks I really wanted an instruction manual. 

But now six years later I realize that was nothing. Child's play really. Now I really really want an instruction manual. Don't get me wrong. I firmly believe that we are all just doing our best in this child rearing business and there are many great ways to do things. But sometimes I just want to know what is the right (or best) way to handle situations without having to figure it out myself. Especially when figuring it out means dragging him through my learning process. And I am NOT a quick learner. 

The most recent situation that left me wishing for a quick answer from the instruction manual was this: Isaiah was invited to a birthday party. A party in the home of a soon-to-be first grade classmate of his. A boy he or I have never met. 

What to do? My initial response was "Nope. Not going."  But my husband thought he should attend to meet his classmates (school starts next week). Isaiah was indifferent. So I polled an online group of women (a very diverse group in age, beliefs, parenting experience and geographic locations). The overwhelming response was that I should definitely have him attend the party and that I should stay...since it is in a stranger's home! Ugh. Not the response I was expecting or really wanting. 

Soooo I reluctantly RSVPed "yes" for the party. Next step. The present. Let me be completely honest here. I really dislike buying birthday presents for other people's kids. Especially kids I don't know!  How in the world do I know what they want?!? Plus we live in a very affluent area. And we are...well...lets just say not affluent:) So the small modest gifts we give seem laughable at best. And the part that really kills me? We RARELY buy toys for our own children. Think one birthday gift and one Christmas gift. We spend $10-15 per child. That's it. So yeah spending more money in a year on toys for other people's kids is kind of painful for me!

Joe graciously offered to take the kids shopping for the present to ease the pain of it all for me. Which meant an hour alone for me! Yay! They came home with a small Lego set AND all of Isaiah's school supplies for this coming year! Yay!

I thought I had this gray area figured out. Isaiah was going to attend the party with Hannah and I in attendance. (A friend graciously opened her home to Charlotte so I didn't have to bring all sorts of chaos to the party!)  Then yesterday happened. Isaiah snuck the Lego set into his room, opened it and put it together. And then announced he did not want to attend the party! That is when I really really really wanted to open up my nonexistant parenting manual. Because what was I supposed to do next?!? 

I was just a tad frustrated. And of course this fell on a call day (ie no knowing when my back-up would be home) and only one day before the party! Great. Live and learn. After much thought, I decided Isaiah would have to buy the Lego set from me so I could use his money to buy a new gift. But I was NOT loading all the kids up and driving to Target. It is my nemesis after all;) Instead we loaded up our favorite stroller and walked to Walgreens. Which really was an all around WIN. Killed time from our never ending day. Plus we got exercise. And best of all there was an Optimus Prime Lego set for 50% off! So I got wild and threw in a big box of Nerds for the birthday boy!

We lived. We learned. And now we are off to the stranger's birthday party. 

Us. Six years later. On our walk home from Walgreens. 

Update: We survived the party. And I thought getting ready for the party was hard. Silly me! That was "fun":(

National Middle Child Day

Well it was actually yesterday. But I was too busy avoiding cleaning my floors to honor my beloved middle child on the actual "holiday"!  Who knew there was such a thing?! 

So in true middle child fashion I am going to honor her (a day late) through all the adorable things she has said recently...about her baby sister:) Because let's be honest here. All those jokes about the forgotten middle child. Well there is definitely some truth there. 

And this girl. She makes the nearly perfect middle child. Just along for the ride. Sucking her thumb. Toting her "baby". Rarely complains or makes a scene. Just happy to be included. 

And now onto the cuteness direct from the middle child herself:

Her response to Hannah crying in her crib after waking in the morning, "It's ok Hannah. You have your baby. Don't cry."

Because (sadly) in Charlotte's world all you need is a thumb and a "baby" to be happy. 

After watching Hannah rub her breakfast all over herself, "Mama, she got in a praaaadick-a-mint".

Yes. Yes. Indeed she did. 

Later after breakfast. 

C: This bath is too hot!

Me: No it's not. See Hannah is in it. 

C: Thats because she can't talk!

Touché Charlotte. Touché. 

Upon discovering her sister had a dirty diaper, "Mama, you have a problem. Hannah's poopy. Change her diaper already."

Yes ma'am!

In all seriousness this child. My middle child brings me so much joy and delight every day. Her smile lights up my world! And she can make me laugh even on my crabbiest days. Sure she can be stubborn. And quietly mischievous. She challenges my parenting on a daily basis. But I can't imagine my life without her. Her hugs and 'smoochies' are the best! And she is a great little sister and big sister. God knew exactly what He was doing when He put this girl right smack in the middle of our family. Our Charlotte Esme. Oh how I love this girl!

*"baby" in our family means tabby blanket/lovey...strange I know...it's a loony story:)

My floors. My awful floors.

This purging thing is getting serious. And fun! I have been reading 'The Joy of Less' and feel so inspired. Almost every day I find more stuff to part ways with. Which means I will have less to pack and move in a year! Yay. 

I have never had such a pretty and unstuffed linen closet ever in my 10 years of marriage! Thank you Francine Jay and friend Sarah. 

Oh. And our family pictures...yep I love 'em. Meaning I enjoy gazing upon them and dreaming of just the right combination to hang on my wall right next to this sign...

Which ironically is the opposite of helpful in the purging department. Such is life. 

The kids and I went to the zoo yesterday. The FREE zoo. My favorite price. And it was great! So many animals. And the place was so pretty. Did I mention I found free street parking?!?

My husband says I am too much of a frugalist to become a minimalist. True. 

Ok. Ok. Focus. Back to the subject at hand. My floors. My floors are atrocious! They are a sticky, smeared mess. It is downright embarrassing. Really. I think Hannah could nutritionally sustain herself for a day or two if she just licked up the mess that is my kitchen & dining room floors. 

And yet I avoid them like the plague. Thus the continued purging, pictures and fun outings. Anything to keep my focus away from THE FLOOR! Oh sure I have continued to sweep it. But spot cleaning? Nope. Not a chance. It is just one HUGE spot. It is beyond spot cleaning! 

And my deep dark secret (in regards to the floors of course). I eat off of them. A lot. Gross. I know. But it's true. Because when the kids spill (or throw an entire meals worth of food down on the floor) the effort to go get the broom or vacuum just seems too great. Instead I simply kneel down and start snacking. So there you have it. The whole truth about my floors. More than you ever wanted (or needed) to know. 

So today I vow to get my sore I-pushed-three-kids-around-the-entire-zoo-and-went-for-a-0.85-mile-run self down on my hands and knees and really scrub my floors! Or maybe I will just bathe my children. That seems easier:) Plus I can always have one of the children spill their milk at dinner tonight. That way the floors will get clean without me doing the scrubbing. Worked like a charm last time!

Hhmmmm. I wonder how my floors ever got so out of hand?! It's a mystery;)

Family Pictures (version 2013)

Last week a very sweet and talented high school girl from our church took our family pictures on "our beach". She is wanting to start up a photography business and was looking for willing models. Free photo session? Yes please!

We were her very first family shoot. Talk about a challenge! Three small children are not easy to photograph...especially when one of them is more interested in eating the sand and rocks:)

I think she did a phenomenal job if I do say so myself.  But I might be slightly biased...

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And if that wasn't enough here are a few more...

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And lastly...we got caught in the rain and tried to make most of it:)

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I love them! The people & the pictures. My plan is to make a collage of canvas prints on the playroom wall using 6 of these pictures plus a "FAMILY" wall hanging. 

So. Any and all opinions on which 6 images I should have printed are welcome! I happen to be a very indecisive person. Plus I am biased so I think they are ALL great. Help please. 

{birthday} Parade

A friend and I signed our boys up for VBS last week. Which meant we inadvertently signed them up to walk in a parade and hand out candy for the church. Neither of our families actually attend said church however that did not deter our boys' enthusiasm for participating. 

So the girls and I geared up to walk the parade with the boys. And my friend waited at the end to pick up our little parade participants. 

Parade day happened to fall on Hannah's first birthday. Birthday girl was clearly thrilled to celebrate with the entire town! 

Still thrilled:) In her defense it was quite hot and MUGGY!

About half way through the parade I realized I was IN A PARADE therefore I should probably wave and smile since I wasn't handing out candy! That thought was gone as quickly as it came. Because really who has time to smile and wave while guiding/corralling 6 kids ages 6 and under during a parade?!? Not this mom. I was far too busy shouting orders..."keep up", "stay away from the car", "remember to hand out candy", "now stop giving out candy", "watch out for that car", "hurry up", "SLOW DOWN", and the most used and least obeyed command of the morning, "stay with our group"!

Oh look I did manage to wave...just once for the camera:)

Afterwards we look our crew to McDonalds for an ice cream treat to cool off! Birthday girl was happy then. As an added bonus we managed to avoid the chaos off the carnival at the end of the parade and all it cost was 0.49¢ per cone! I would say that was money well spent. Thank you friend. 

After it was all said and done, I was left wondering if it was worth it. I spent most of the time directing and redirecting the kids. I shouted each of their names too many times to count! I felt like I was the "bad guy" and ruining all the fun...or at least putting a damper on it. However when asked all the (verbal) parade participants enthusiastically confirmed that the parade was a BLAST! 

Bless little kids and their innate ability to only remember the good. The heat, humidity and near constant "reminders" from me hardly registered. To them it was a GREAT morning. They were IN A PARADE! Handing out candy. Getting lots of attention. Waving at strangers having a grand old time! Plus they got to EAT candy:)

I was just glad I had all 6 of my charges accounted for at the end of the parade! It might just be a long, long time before I sign up for walking in a parade again. It certainly isn't becoming Hannah's birthday tradition! The baked mac n cheese I made for her birthday dinner...now that might become our tradition. Parades, not so much:)