Parenting
A Month of Parties
Monday, 06/29 05:26 PM
Saturday started the month of parties here in the blender.
Saturday we had the first of two Star Wars themed parties - this one for Pea who turned 9 yesterday. He had 8 of his friends over and they played Star Wars games, ate Star Wars-themed foods and blew out the candles on a Star Wars cake.
This weekend, along with being the birthday of our beautiful country, we are also doing a joint fete for all three of the boys: Bear turning 7, Pea turning 9 and Monkey turning ONE! Doing a 4th themed party complete with flag cake, fireworks and BBQ. The next day we head over to celebrate a friend’s son’s birthday.
The weekend after that, we are heading back to Indiana to help celebrate my nephew’s birthday. I’m so homesick right now, for some reason, so I am looking forward to seeing my sister, parents and the rest of the family.
The weekend after that is Bear’s Star Wars themed party. Basically a remix of Pea’s party except that I’m planning on letting them use the Slip n Slide and pool. I’m a brave mom, I know.
Bear’s actual birthday is the 22nd. Then he leaves for Disney World with his Daddy on the 25th.
While I LOVE birthdays, I am having a really hard time with the pace that this month is going to go by at. Seems like it isn’t even July yet and it’s already planned away.
Have big plans for July? Leave me a comment - I would love to not feel like I’m the only one who has this much going on.
Saturday we had the first of two Star Wars themed parties - this one for Pea who turned 9 yesterday. He had 8 of his friends over and they played Star Wars games, ate Star Wars-themed foods and blew out the candles on a Star Wars cake.
This weekend, along with being the birthday of our beautiful country, we are also doing a joint fete for all three of the boys: Bear turning 7, Pea turning 9 and Monkey turning ONE! Doing a 4th themed party complete with flag cake, fireworks and BBQ. The next day we head over to celebrate a friend’s son’s birthday.
The weekend after that, we are heading back to Indiana to help celebrate my nephew’s birthday. I’m so homesick right now, for some reason, so I am looking forward to seeing my sister, parents and the rest of the family.
The weekend after that is Bear’s Star Wars themed party. Basically a remix of Pea’s party except that I’m planning on letting them use the Slip n Slide and pool. I’m a brave mom, I know.
Bear’s actual birthday is the 22nd. Then he leaves for Disney World with his Daddy on the 25th.
While I LOVE birthdays, I am having a really hard time with the pace that this month is going to go by at. Seems like it isn’t even July yet and it’s already planned away.
Have big plans for July? Leave me a comment - I would love to not feel like I’m the only one who has this much going on.
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Summer Fun
Wednesday, 04/15 06:56 PM
Stretching A Buck has a great giveaway going on!
Check it out here and leave me a comment giving me some ideas on how to keep the kids active and happy this summer!
Yoplait Get Active Prize Packs
Check it out here and leave me a comment giving me some ideas on how to keep the kids active and happy this summer!
Yoplait Get Active Prize Packs
Moving at the Speed of Life
Wednesday, 04/15 11:38 AM
I cannot believe it has been five months since I last posted! Sooo much has been keeping me busy that I haven’t even opened my laptop except to update the calendar.
Monkey is 9 months old now. I just cannot believe that he is almost a year old already!
Monkey is 9 months old now. I just cannot believe that he is almost a year old already!
Monkey at 9 Months
We also took all four kids to get their picture taken together - finally. It turned out wonderfully!!
Special K turned 15 on Monday. It’s hard to believe that in one more year she will be able to drive. YIKES!
Anyway, now that things are settling down here, I am looking forward to sharing life in a blender with you again.
Routines
Tuesday, 08/26 09:21 AM
In the spirit of the back-to-school season, I decided that I look at my daily routine and see how I could improve things. Thanks to The Thrifty Oreganic for giving me some great ideas for how to make things run more smoothly around here. So here is the tentative new school year routine:
Routine:
7:00 am Wake up. (this is assuming that the baby has nursed at 5:30 and gone back to sleep like a good little Monkey)
Morning:
* Shower
* Do morning devotions while having coffee/tea.
* Wake boys and help them get moving.
* Make breakfast.
* Clear dishes to kitchen.
* Boys get ready for school while I clean up kitchen.
* Check to-do list for day’s activities.
* Dress baby
* Get Bear in taxi to school
* Drive or walk with Pea to school
Morning chore: (this is assuming that I don’t have something scheduled in the morning) 15-20 min. max!!!
* Monday: laundry (wash/dry/fold)
* Tuesday: bathroom #1 spiff (spray/wipe down all surfaces, clean toilets)
* Wednesday: laundry (wash/dry/fold)
* Thursday: bathroom #2 spiff (spray down all surfaces, clean toilets)
* Friday: organize a "hot spot" (a cluttered area of neglect)
Mid-morning outing: (Around 10 am) This is the time in the day I designate for an errand or time "out" of the house
* Walk to park or store
* Grocery Shopping
* Play dates or meetings
* Library trips
Home for lunch (around noon):
* Prepare lunch
* Eat lunch (w/ Pea on days when he wants to have lunch at home)
* Nurse Monkey down for nap
Afternoon (1:00-2:30): Chores
* Vacuuming/Sweeping/Mopping of all floors
* Laundry (wash/dry/fold)
* Do any prep work for dinner.
Late afternoon (whenever baby wakes up):
* Prepare after-school snack for kids (Special K at 3, Pea at 3:45, Bear at 3:55)
* Play with Monkey
Early evening (i.e. The Hours of Insanity)
* Prepare dinner while trying to keep Monkey from screaming, answering homework questions
and keeping the TV OFF!
* Sit with boys to go over their Awana verses
* Eat Dinner when J gets home
* Family time until 7:00 (episode of tv show, game, etc.)
* Monkey gets a bath, snuggles, nurses and goes down (hopefully asleep by 8:00)
* Boys get washed up, pajamas, stories, prayers and bed (in bed by 8:30)
Evening (i.e. Ahhhh time)
* Check my "to do" list for the next day
* Check e-mail, blog, update websites
* Chores (clean up kitchen, pick up living room)
* Make sure backpacks are ready for school the next day
* Spend time with hubby
Sleep (hopefully by 10:00)
* Nurse Monkey on demand and hopefully get 5 hours of sleep before starting over again.
Routine:
7:00 am Wake up. (this is assuming that the baby has nursed at 5:30 and gone back to sleep like a good little Monkey)
Morning:
* Shower
* Do morning devotions while having coffee/tea.
* Wake boys and help them get moving.
* Make breakfast.
* Clear dishes to kitchen.
* Boys get ready for school while I clean up kitchen.
* Check to-do list for day’s activities.
* Dress baby
* Get Bear in taxi to school
* Drive or walk with Pea to school
Morning chore: (this is assuming that I don’t have something scheduled in the morning) 15-20 min. max!!!
* Monday: laundry (wash/dry/fold)
* Tuesday: bathroom #1 spiff (spray/wipe down all surfaces, clean toilets)
* Wednesday: laundry (wash/dry/fold)
* Thursday: bathroom #2 spiff (spray down all surfaces, clean toilets)
* Friday: organize a "hot spot" (a cluttered area of neglect)
Mid-morning outing: (Around 10 am) This is the time in the day I designate for an errand or time "out" of the house
* Walk to park or store
* Grocery Shopping
* Play dates or meetings
* Library trips
Home for lunch (around noon):
* Prepare lunch
* Eat lunch (w/ Pea on days when he wants to have lunch at home)
* Nurse Monkey down for nap
Afternoon (1:00-2:30): Chores
* Vacuuming/Sweeping/Mopping of all floors
* Laundry (wash/dry/fold)
* Do any prep work for dinner.
Late afternoon (whenever baby wakes up):
* Prepare after-school snack for kids (Special K at 3, Pea at 3:45, Bear at 3:55)
* Play with Monkey
Early evening (i.e. The Hours of Insanity)
* Prepare dinner while trying to keep Monkey from screaming, answering homework questions
and keeping the TV OFF!
* Sit with boys to go over their Awana verses
* Eat Dinner when J gets home
* Family time until 7:00 (episode of tv show, game, etc.)
* Monkey gets a bath, snuggles, nurses and goes down (hopefully asleep by 8:00)
* Boys get washed up, pajamas, stories, prayers and bed (in bed by 8:30)
Evening (i.e. Ahhhh time)
* Check my "to do" list for the next day
* Check e-mail, blog, update websites
* Chores (clean up kitchen, pick up living room)
* Make sure backpacks are ready for school the next day
* Spend time with hubby
Sleep (hopefully by 10:00)
* Nurse Monkey on demand and hopefully get 5 hours of sleep before starting over again.
1st Day of School Madness
Monday, 08/25 07:32 AM
Special K starts school tomorrow...not just any school, though, HIGH SCHOOL. Yes, your beloved Erin is the parent of a high school girl. If that doesn’t totally add salt to the I’m-turning-30-in-less-than-a-month wound, I don’t know what does.
As part of this new adventure in higher education, Special K had to attend an orientation last Thursday from 8am until 2pm. Was it free? Nooooooo. It was $20! And for that $20? They got dogfood burgers, cheap crap for their lockers and a day of teachers and administrators talking at them. Do you think they heard anything past the first 10 minutes? NOPE. Special K was with her friend and they were busy comparing schedules and picking out the cute guys in their new fishing pond. That alone was worth at least $20 in their eyes.
Anyway, I digress. Back to tomorrow’s exciting, momentous occasion. Since I still have to finish getting school supplies for Pea and Bear, I decided to be nice and get K an outfit for her first day of school. I’m 29, so I am TOTALLY still hip and fashionable, right? I can SO get her an outfit that she will be thrilled to wear.
God, I am so so so so so soooooooooooo naive. I should have gotten her some poly blend elastic waist granny pants and a tshirt silkscreened with a kitten playing on it for all of the joy and gratitude I felt upon handing over said outfit.
I am SO not ready for high school.
As part of this new adventure in higher education, Special K had to attend an orientation last Thursday from 8am until 2pm. Was it free? Nooooooo. It was $20! And for that $20? They got dogfood burgers, cheap crap for their lockers and a day of teachers and administrators talking at them. Do you think they heard anything past the first 10 minutes? NOPE. Special K was with her friend and they were busy comparing schedules and picking out the cute guys in their new fishing pond. That alone was worth at least $20 in their eyes.
Anyway, I digress. Back to tomorrow’s exciting, momentous occasion. Since I still have to finish getting school supplies for Pea and Bear, I decided to be nice and get K an outfit for her first day of school. I’m 29, so I am TOTALLY still hip and fashionable, right? I can SO get her an outfit that she will be thrilled to wear.
God, I am so so so so so soooooooooooo naive. I should have gotten her some poly blend elastic waist granny pants and a tshirt silkscreened with a kitten playing on it for all of the joy and gratitude I felt upon handing over said outfit.
I am SO not ready for high school.
A Moment of Peace
Tuesday, 08/19 11:46 AM
Monkey and me
The big kids are outside enjoying the end of summer vacation. Monkey nursed himself into nirvana and his contentment was mezmerizing to watch. I decided that I needed a picture of us so I opened Photo Booth and snapped this picture. His chubby cheeks and wide eyed gaze captured forever.
Exactly five seconds after the photo was snapped, Monkey puked half his meal on himself and me. Then Bear came tearing in soaking wet, demanding a towel while dripping all over the hardwood floor.
Back to reality.
A Tribute to Moms Everywhere
Sunday, 08/17 07:53 AM
I know we have all probably seen Anita Renfroe’s Mom Anthem on YouTube. Well in case, like me, you didn’t get all of the lyrics here is another version that I just watched on The Happy Housewife:
The Mom Song- LIVE from Northland Video on Vimeo.
Enjoy!
And remember to give your Mom a HUG today or at least call her and tell her Thank You!