Hi Mamas! I had originally written a post that I think is a little heavy and, well, I'm just not feeling too serious today. So, I'm gonna switch it up and instead share a funny in hopes of just making you laugh. Don't you think we need to laugh more? I do! So sit back and enjoy this little sliver of shenanigans of what I like to call my everyday life, Lord help me. I'll set the tone and say that Gentry (Ring 3) loves to secretly take my phone and take pictures.
Several weeks ago, we were in full swing ball season. One in softball, one in baseball, and, well, one just ready for the party. One Monday, a super hot one, Graci had day games. I packed up everything for an all-dayer: Toys, sidewalk chalk, 3 bag chairs, bottled water, snacks, lunch- you get the idea. Imagine John Candy in Summer Rental, you know where he's walking to the beach carrying EVERYTHING, that's me. I don't know how it's possible, please I know exactly how it's possible, to be utterly exhausted before reaching the destination. We reach the ball field and I am in full John Candy mode carrying all of our junk to the field. I can't be bothered with making two trips-two trips are for sissies and by sissies I mean smart people. Somewhere in the middle of the chaos of carrying 3 bag chairs (except they don't have bags so let's be real, they are just chairs, totally-hard-to-handle-not-convenient CHAIRS ), two coolers, a backpack, sticky hands, and a phone. WAIT where is my phone? I couldn't find my phone anywhere. I looked and looked. I went through all by bags- Nothing. I went through the car-Nothing. I went through the car again, because I don't know, I thought maybe God may have mercy on me and put it in my car the second time- Nothing. I finally gave up the search and went to the concession stand for some sunflower seeds. While there, I asked if anyone had turned in a phone. A sweet, teenage girl laughed a little then said it was at the front gate. Let that sink in, LAUGHED A LITTLE. We trekked back up to the front gate and sure enough the lady had my phone. She said....wait for it....wait for it, "I went through you pictures to see if I could recognize you in any of them." Then she LAUGHED A LITTLE. Oh Lord have mercy, what was on my phone??!! I politely said thank you and hurriedly walked back to our chairs to swipe through my phone.
I gasped! The first three pictures on my phone were of Jason, my husband, standing in the living room in his underwear flipping through channels of the TV per the request of one very demanding three year old. IN HIS UNDERWEAR! A set-up? I think so. :)
Stay Strong, Mamas!
Erica
Friday, July 17, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
When you make a mistake, say "I'm sorry."
Before I was a teacher, I was a nail technician. It was a super, fun job. I had many clients but really they were more than clients; they were family. We celebrated together births of children, marriages, new houses and listened and comforted each other during life's hardships. They became part of my circle and I looked forward to every appointment.
One morning, when Graci (our oldest) was little, I was having a particularly rough day- already. Nothing was going right, I couldn't find my keys, and we were LATE. The ultimate trifecta in a recipe for a bad day. The chaos of the morning had turned me into an order-barking-dictator and it wasn't pretty. Get dressed, now! Stop playing! WE. ARE. LATE. Hurry! Hurry! HURRY! GET DRESSED!
Monday, June 29, 2015
What I know about summer
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT SUMMER...
1. If you go to bed with a full pantry, in the morning there will be nothing left but the healthy stuff.
2. SIX ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER. Seriously, six rolls of toilet paper in four days. My kids must have the cleanest fannies or they're eating it. I have no idea. It really could go either way.
3. If I plan a fun outing, a fight will be sure to ensue. It's has to be one of Murphy's hidden laws. In fact, I know it is, "if you plan something fun, no fun will be had" or something like that.
4. Swimming in a pool counts as a bath. I'm just saying, don't judge me.
5. Shoes=optional Of course, unless I need to run to the grocery store. Then a full on search is required because no one, I repeat NO ONE, can remember the last time they had their shoes on, (in a whisper voice) including myself.
6. When at the pool, I never really ever get to sit down. Sure I dream up these crazy fantasies about reading a book while listening to nature as the rings play nicely with each other. HA! I spend most of the time refereeing fights, grabbing floats, Popsicles, and goggles which is why I'm so exhausted when we get home. (SEE #4)
7. There is a TIME WARP. 8 AM is both the middle of the night (Ring 1 and 2) AND the middle of the day (Ring 3.) Now, sit back, let that sink in a second. Mind=BLOWN.
The secret is, although it's not much of a secret, I LOVE IT. All of it. Every last bit of it. The fighting, suntan shoulders, Cheetos fingers, a million kazillon toilet paper rolls in the trash, and swimming pool bathtubs. Summer ROCKS in all of its imperfectioness! (I'm pretty sure I just made that word up.)
Stay strong, Mamas!
1. If you go to bed with a full pantry, in the morning there will be nothing left but the healthy stuff.
2. SIX ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER. Seriously, six rolls of toilet paper in four days. My kids must have the cleanest fannies or they're eating it. I have no idea. It really could go either way.
3. If I plan a fun outing, a fight will be sure to ensue. It's has to be one of Murphy's hidden laws. In fact, I know it is, "if you plan something fun, no fun will be had" or something like that.
4. Swimming in a pool counts as a bath. I'm just saying, don't judge me.
5. Shoes=optional Of course, unless I need to run to the grocery store. Then a full on search is required because no one, I repeat NO ONE, can remember the last time they had their shoes on, (in a whisper voice) including myself.
6. When at the pool, I never really ever get to sit down. Sure I dream up these crazy fantasies about reading a book while listening to nature as the rings play nicely with each other. HA! I spend most of the time refereeing fights, grabbing floats, Popsicles, and goggles which is why I'm so exhausted when we get home. (SEE #4)
7. There is a TIME WARP. 8 AM is both the middle of the night (Ring 1 and 2) AND the middle of the day (Ring 3.) Now, sit back, let that sink in a second. Mind=BLOWN.
The secret is, although it's not much of a secret, I LOVE IT. All of it. Every last bit of it. The fighting, suntan shoulders, Cheetos fingers, a million kazillon toilet paper rolls in the trash, and swimming pool bathtubs. Summer ROCKS in all of its imperfectioness! (I'm pretty sure I just made that word up.)
Stay strong, Mamas!
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Dear Teenage Daughter,
Hi Mamas! I have struggled with today's post. I've written it and deleted it a half dozen times. I write it and think this is too personal. Delete. Write it again and think is this right. Delete. You get the pattern here. Even though I'm still a little uneasy about this post, I believe in it.
Several years ago I listened to a sermon, I have no idea who it was- Joel, Joyce, my pastor, a guest pastor- no idea, and I made a mental note because what he/she said rang true to me. The pastor talked about sex and how to teach your children that their bodies are treasures. I started my treasure talk early with each of my children and it sounds something like this you are such a treasure, look at you run fast your body is a wonderful treasure. As our two younger kids get older, that talk will become deeper but the treasure part will be familiar because I laid the foundation for it.
Here's the big talk. I have this talk with our oldest daughter often; it is normal in our house to talk openly. I feel like I have to work overtime teaching my kiddos what is important, because the world sure as heck never gives up in trying to teach them what pretty is or what cool is.
What if you were given a treasure box full of gold and riches. Would you show it to everybody? Would you tell everybody that you had this box full of riches? Or would you hide it, waiting for someone to come along that you loved and trusted to share it with? Your body is your treasure. It's not for everybody to see. It's your treasure, given to you as a gift and it should be protected and cherished.
It's HARD raising young girls. I never know if I'm doing or saying the right thing but I think if you stand on LOVE and TRUTH, how can that be wrong? Stay strong, mamas!
P.S. This post was teenage daughter approved which makes me even prouder of her. :)
Several years ago I listened to a sermon, I have no idea who it was- Joel, Joyce, my pastor, a guest pastor- no idea, and I made a mental note because what he/she said rang true to me. The pastor talked about sex and how to teach your children that their bodies are treasures. I started my treasure talk early with each of my children and it sounds something like this you are such a treasure, look at you run fast your body is a wonderful treasure. As our two younger kids get older, that talk will become deeper but the treasure part will be familiar because I laid the foundation for it.
Here's the big talk. I have this talk with our oldest daughter often; it is normal in our house to talk openly. I feel like I have to work overtime teaching my kiddos what is important, because the world sure as heck never gives up in trying to teach them what pretty is or what cool is.
What if you were given a treasure box full of gold and riches. Would you show it to everybody? Would you tell everybody that you had this box full of riches? Or would you hide it, waiting for someone to come along that you loved and trusted to share it with? Your body is your treasure. It's not for everybody to see. It's your treasure, given to you as a gift and it should be protected and cherished.
It's HARD raising young girls. I never know if I'm doing or saying the right thing but I think if you stand on LOVE and TRUTH, how can that be wrong? Stay strong, mamas!
P.S. This post was teenage daughter approved which makes me even prouder of her. :)
Friday, June 19, 2015
Be the GOOD
Good morning, Mamas! I had planned to write today about Father's Day, how we made homemade gifts this year, and share a few of those recipes but I can't- too much is on my heart this morning. I woke up this morning and the sun was shining. (I can't tell you the last time the sun has been out. Oklahoma drought? pst.) I looked in on my kiddos and I swear my heart grew as I watched them sleep. Tangled in curls, big t-shirts, where-did-the-time-go hands and feet, sweet faces totally relaxed and without a care in the world and I wondered... Has every generation of Imperfectly Perfect Mamas worried about raising kids in a cruel world? War, abuse, hunger, senseless acts of violence... the nightly news is too much to bare but it's just the thirty minute news. These acts of violence and despair happen every second of every day all of the world. It's easy to loose hope and to parent out of fear. My default is to protect my children from the world and to shelter them from all that is cruel and this is a REACTIVE approach. BUT this morning the sun was shining and it was a reminder to me to be a little sunshine in a world that has certainly felt gray lately. When I feel like the world is caving in and I have no control, I do something kind for someone else. It's amazing what the shift of energy can create. Be a little sunshine today. Be love. Be kind. Be understanding. Today, I choose to be PROACTIVE and to teach kindness and love regardless of what the world is trying to teach us. I stand on LOVE. My childhood friend Mr. Rogers, okay we weren't friends but I loved him, once wrote, "when I was a boy and I would see scary things my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Be the GOOD in the world. Stay strong, Mamas. You are imperfectly perfect.
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