Five Minute Friday: Deep Breath

My friend, Laura Beth, inspired me to partake in "5 minute friday," a writing prompt started by The Gypsy Mama. The writer in me loves writing prompts. Each Friday she posts a prompt and encourages her readers to spend 5 minutes in response to that prompt. A bit stream of consciousness style. Love this idea. The prompt this Friday, Deep Breath.

Breathe in. Time has stopped. The kids are in bed. John is in bed. Life has stopped for just a few minutes. A few minutes to collect myself. To stop myself. To remind myself. To sort through my scattered thoughts.

It seems life moves full force, like a freight train. How did we get here? I looked at my husband the other night as we were eating. I looked at our three beautiful children. Then I asked, "How did we get here?" It seems just yesterday I was lacing up my running shoes and racking my hands, nervous for the race about to begin. Life was simple then. I didn't know it. But it was.

So I take a deep breath. Here I am. 15 years, one husband, and three kids later. The days move fast. The years, faster. All the more reason to take a deep breath. To stop before more time slips away. To breathe in and remind myself of my purpose, my roles the Lord has given me. To live each moment as a good steward with what the Lord has given me: a husband, a home, three children, a relationship with my King.

So tonight I am reminded to take a deep breath and to stop, to remind myself that life is not a race and to slow down in order to live purposefully this life the Lord has given me.

Mommy's Moment: A Christmas Challenge

Okay, so, Christmas is clearly a ways away. But today I had an idea. I am setting a goal to spend no more than $100 on my kids' Christmas. That is $33.33 per child. I'm a bit hesitant to make that goal. BUT, I want to TRY to do it. Money is tight these days. But thanks to programs like Swagbucks, Zulily, MyPoints, survey sites and a new site I just joined, EverSave...I can earn free money to put toward's my kids' Christmas. If you aren't a member yet of EverSave or MyPoints, sign up through me! Let me know and I'll send you an email! I'll get free money to put toward a purchase. If you aren't signed up with Zulily...click the link below. Every time someone signs up under me and makes a purchase, I'll get $15. And of course, the same goes for you when someone signs up under you! Here's the link:

http://www.zulily.com/invite/jharman454

As I make purchases for my children, I'll post what I spent and what I bought. I also have a few items in my gift closet that I purchased during the Target clearance sale back in January. I will include those prices (they're still on the box) as well if I decide to put those items under the tree.

So, I'm excited. Excited to see if I can do it. Excited to see the Lord's provision in creative ways. And it holds me accountable for making wise decisions regarding spending money toward our Christmas.

And of course, with this post I can't not put a button on for Swagbucks. I've earned over $500 in Amazon gift cards simply by searching the web with their search engine. So, if you're one of the few out there who have not jumped on the bandwagon..click the button below. For every 450 points you earn you can cash it in for a $5 Amazon gift card. And they've added lots of new gift cards too that you can earn. And, I'll earn your points along with you up to 1000!




So, Christmas Challenge 2011 is on! Anyone want to join me?

Disappointment

I know, I'm only four, but I've had my share of disappointments. Mommy's refusal to let me wear the butterfly skirt, flower shirt, and navy blue knee high socks out in public is one. Another is the fact I can't have a treat after every meal. But nothing is more disappointing to me than Easter egg hunts. If I could make lists, that would be my number one. Let me explain.

Last year, I attended my second egg hunt in our neighborhood. To put it in a nutshell, they began the egg hunt before my little legs could make it to the starting line. The result, I stood in the middle of the field, tears streaming down my face with an empty basket. Talk about embarrassing. But, there was hope. They directed me and a few other's with empty baskets to a small area with a few more eggs. However, I was outdone again, but this time by adults. Yes, adults were jumping in front of me and hoarding the eggs in their shirts. Mommy stood up for me. The greedy adults, however, paid little mind to Mommy's plea. In the end, the hunt was a disappointment, my first egg hunt disappointment.

This leads me to my SECOND egg hunt disappointment. We arrived this year prepared. Daddy asked the officials if the adults would be reminded to only let the kids gather the eggs. Apparently Daddy wasn't the only adult who gave this reminder. Grant and I scanned the field of eggs. We mapped out our plan. Then, we waited. and waited. and waited. It seemed we waited forever. But we were patient. We gazed upon the eggs set before us. We imagined what goody lay inside. We could almost taste the sweet candy melting in our mouths. And we hoped. We hoped for that golden coin. What did it mean? What would it bring for us?

Finally, the officials called Grant's age group to the line. Basket in hand, he was ready. Parents were reminded to only point out eggs and let the children put them in their basket. We had high hopes for Grant. He was one of the older ones this year. His legs were stronger. His arms, more muscular. Yes, he was ready. The caller gave the command. Grant and Mommy were off. However, it seems most parents did not heed the advice of the caller. As Mommy recalled,

"One parent scooped their child up and ran with him as if he was a football."

The chaos was appalling. Parents went ecstatic. By the time Grant picked up his first egg (and tried to open it then and there unaware of the consequences of that fatal move), the eggs were gone. In fact, those greedy parents who managed to throw eggs into their child's basket had, in fact, gathered eggs in my designated section. Leaving only a handful for us to hunt.

And, there stood Grant. He managed to gather one more egg in the mad rush. He stood proud, though. He, HE, himself, found those two eggs. Mommy didn't throw his in the basket. It was the work of his little hands and feet. I told him to raise his head high. Be proud. Even after a one year old, who's basket overflowed with eggs (can you say "competitive parent?"), tried to take Grant's TWO eggs from his basket, I told him not to be ashamed, that he earned his eggs. That boy will grow up and still be expecting his daddy to help him while Grant is a successful business man, reaping the benefits of hard work and some blood, sweat, and tears.

He stared blankly at me.

After watching that fiasco, Daddy coached me. He laid before me a plan. A plan of success. Make a beeline to the back of my section. Start gathering eggs. But, you see, it was a failed plan from the beginning. I was ready, yes. But I was outnumbered. Outnumbered by boys taller and faster than me. By boys and girls armed with more experience. More tenacity. More drive. So, when the caller yelled, "GO!" I did run. I made a beeline. It just seems so did everyone else. And before I could reach down for an egg...they were all gone. It was only due to one boy's disinterest in one of his many eggs, that I was able to get one. It was last year all over again. I froze. My eyes welled up. I looked back at Mommy and Daddy and I cried. Daddy came to my rescue. Tears of disappointment rolled down my cheeks.

So, when one mentions disappointment, I can't help but think of egg hunts.

However, thanks to Mommy and our neighbor, Mrs. Julie, I'm beginning to rebuild. Rebuild my respect for egg hunts. Shortly after my "after egg hunt" nap, my friend Emma, Grant, and I, enjoyed another egg hunt. One where we weren't competing against over zealous parents and more experienced kids. And I must say, this time I was not disappointed.

In Training

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommies out there. I spent today in training with my mom.

Today marked a first for me. I went for a run with Mommy. I've been asking for awhile, you see. Most of the time, okay, ALL of the time, except for today, the answer has been no.

Today, I hit the jackpot.

Mommy told me to throw on some running clothes and lace up my sneakers because today was the day.

Well, I don't REALLY have running clothes. But we made do with the clothes I had. I picked it out all by myself. It was important to look as much like Mommy as I could. And, as far as lacing up the sneakers go, my Nike's are all velcro. So, no lacing required.

But, in a few short minutes I was ready to go. I reminded Mommy that we need to stretch before we run. So stretch we did.

And then...

WE WERE OFF.

I soon realized, however, that running is hard work. So, I had to stop. And, I advised us to stretch, again. So, hands and feet on the concrete, we stretched. And then we walked. And then we stretched. And then we ran. . .for 3 paces. And then we walked. And then we stretched. And stretched. And stretched. It seems I have quite the knack for stretching. And, it's a lot easier than the actual running. So, why not looked like an experienced runner while actually not having to put forth much of the effort? I even showed Mommy the stretches we do in dance class. As Miss Anna calls these stretches, "a good hurt." I reminded Mommy of that as we stretched.

Overall, my first run was a success. Mommy and I talked about flowers, trees, bugs, sitting in clouds, telling lies (of course we should never do this), and I showcased my new song for her about Jesus.

I can't wait for our next "run."

The Great Outdoors

We play hard.

Anyone who stops by our house between the hours of 3pm and 7pm will likely find us outside. At the end of the day the remnants of our fun cover our skin. Dirt. Grass. Food eaten in a hurry. Sticky residue from spilled bubbles. Occasional sunscreen left over from sprinkler jumping. Lots of chalk. And most importantly, big smiles. Bikes, swings, leaves, bugs, friends, and imagination all work together to ensure endless hours of fun. It's a kid's wonderland. We can't help but SMILE!

Body Movin'

Busy Bee. Yep, that's me. Now that I've gotten my roll on I've found a new love. Movement. I can't contain myself. My Bumbo sitting days are practically behind me. It keeps me from performing at my best. I've managed to roll my way halfway across the den. My goal: to make it all the way to the edge of the carpet. I hear hard floors aren't conducive to comfortable rolls. Besides rolling, I try my best to get my hands on anything around me. My favorite, the remote control. And if I do have to be contained, I prefer the jumpey, bouncing, contraption. It's the best for developing the athletic legs I need to progress in movement. I've heard Mommy say more than once that I may just be her most active baby. I'm proud. Perhaps this is the beginning of my Olympic career in gymnastics. They have floor exercise don't they? I think I'm well on my way to dominating the floor exercises.

Mommy's Moment: For Sanity's Sake

Music blaring. A swerve here and there. A few honks of the horn. Conversation that has quickly elevated to an enthusiastic yell. Perhaps a Chinese fire drill.

Or maybe not.

What seems like antics of a new driver taking a joy ride with her friends is actually a 30 year old mother driving her three exhausted kids home from a playdate right during "that time." You know, "your time." Also known as, naptime, that precious break that reels back in your sanity just before it has altogether disappeared. To lose that time to the car power nap means you may just lose your sanity. So, what's a mom to do? Protect it. Protect it using every resource available.

Candy is always the first option. At least in my book. Suckers work great. But not always. If you've got a chomper, then that sucker is gone before you've hit the first red light. So, you've got to have a back up plan. Next up, the "talk really enthusiastically as if you're about to drive up to the gates of Disney World" plan. This works sometimes. Those dosing eyes suddenly JOLT open. It's like a dose of adrenline surging through their tired bodies. You know, like it's Christmas morn. However, if the ride is long, they soon grow weary of this voice as they realize there is actually nothing special about to happen.

Don't give up.

Take three.

Do the unexpected.

Honk the horn. Yes, kids love to hear the horn honk (just be careful where you're honking the horn). Or perhaps roll the window down. A fresh gulp of air may brighten those tired eyes.

Lastly, and most importantly, be aware that this requires perserverance from the mom. You will grow weary of these antics. You will want to give up. You will want to let the child sleep. But don't. Press on.

Why?

Your sanity is on the line.

Pillow Talk

I like pillows. A lot. I gather all the pillows around the house to make my masterpieces. Inside, I like to make a pillow house, though I get frustrated. They fall. A lot. I cry. A lot. Other times I make a pillow path across the floor. Grant and I like to lay on them. But, more than that, we like to jump on them. Well, the other day while Mommy was distracted, I gathered some pillows (from our beds) and took them outside onto the sidewalk. What says comfort like wonderful, soft pillows under a warm, sunny sky? I thought it was perfect. However, Mommy wasn't as thrilled. But, she still managed to take some shots of me before we had to take them back inside.

Homeschool Diaries: Fish, Gumballs, and Hippos

A little late posting our homeschool update...three letters late. But we're trucking along.

The Good: Lots of good to share that I am so excited about. We are creating word families. So far -ed words and -ad words. Hannah is a master rhymer. She may just be the next Busta Rhymes. Yep. She's that good. So when it comes to word families, well, we have some fun. The highlight has been watching her point out words when I ask her to find them. She was so excited to find "dad" when I asked her to locate it on the list that she practically bombarded John on his return from working to exclaim "I can read 'dad'!"

Also, we've improved in our cutting skills, thanks to a tip from Grandmama. Thumbs up. What has been a major frustration for me and Hannah has made a turn for the better. So much better that all Hannah wants to do is cut. She still needs lots of direction but we've come a long way baby. And Grant, well that little guy will probably catch on to cutting much faster than Hannah did.

On a patriotic note, Hannah and Grant can recite most of the Pledge of Allegiance.

All in all, I'm seeing some progress and it's exciting.

The bad: Well, I'm still trying to manage occassional meltdowns (from me and Hannah). I'm also trying to teach Hannah and Grant that we do not sit on the tables nor stand in their chairs. As a public school teacher, I would not obviously allow that. But then again, we're not in a public school setting. Also, we're still only on the letter H. My goal is to complete the alphabet by the end of the summer. That's helping me stay on task. Most often I am teaching in my pajamas because, well, I just can't muster up enough umph to get out of the bed early enough to shower beforehand. Therefore, showers are happening much later in the day. Time management is always an area of "needs improvement" for me.

The funny: Did I mention Hannah and Grant were standing in their chairs and sitting on the table? Hannah still manages to wear her swimming attire to "school." Grant manages to wet the floor every so often at "school." Funny? Well, better funny than disturbing. Perhaps we're not making a great case for the "socially awkward" card that gets played when it comes to homeschooling.

Conversations with...Grant

Grant. My little buddy. He is a passionate, firey little guy. The cuddle bug of my bunch. His words can melt my heart.

Just today...

I'm taking him in from playing outside in the sprinkler.

Carrying him up the stairs: "Mommy I like when you hold me. I like to put my arm on your arm."

The past several days...

Me: Why do we celebrate Easter?

Grant, emphatically: "He came back!"

The past, oh, hundred days...

Grant: Mommy, I pee pee-ed/poo pooed in my pants.

Me: Grant, why do you keep doing that?

Grant:I don't know.

Me: Do you care?

Grant: no.

And so many days,

"Mommy? Love you."

What We Do For Fun

What do you do for fun? We feed cows. And some donkeys. Well, when I say we, I mean Ada and me. Grant's a scaredy cat. And Kate, well, she's too little as is baby John. What says Friday night fun like riding in the back of a truck down a dirt road and stopping to feed cows? Okay, yes, Mommy is from Alabama. AND it just so happens that so are Mrs. Laura Beth and Mr. Scott...so...it is fitting. And we did have shoes on. Or did we? I can't remember. But I do know we all had fun. Who's up for some cow tipping next Friday?

Mommy's Moment: Zoo

Exhale. Today. Today, I came close to losing my mind. Take three kids to the zoo? No problem. I was a teacher. I took a whole class to the zoo before. Three kids, piece of cake. Ha. Ha, Ha, Ha. Taking my three to the zoo, became a zoo in and of itself. But before I move on, my deepest thanks to my great friend, Kim, for bringing us along on her pass. I am grateful. Grateful to spend time with her and her kids. Grateful to get out of the house for a bit. Grateful because my kids got to experience something they hadn't gotten to experience before.

I had high hopes. Hopes that including spending time at each exhibit talking about the animals, watching them in their habitats, and even finding animals that start with different letters of the alphabet. I hear you laughing. Keep laughing. Because of course, that NEVER happened. Instead, within in minutes of arriving my dear, sweet, precious Kate LOST IT. I brag about her a lot. Today, I won't. In the midst of massive lines of school children and other strolling moms and dads with better behaved kids, I pushed through with Kate screaming. And who was there to echo her cries? Mr. Grant. You see, I needed his blanket. I was going to crawl into a corner and hold tightly to it, hoping all the problems would go away like they always seem to do when he cuddles with it. But seeing as though DFACS may intervene I decided for a more practical use, to block the sun from glaring into Kate's screaming face. Perhaps that will calm her down. Well it didn't. It did fire Grant up. So, there we roll, past the lions, elephants (heck I don't even recall what animals we passed by in those moments) with two of my little animals making their own exhibit of themselves. I was reliving our Walmart runs all over again. In desperation, I picked Kate out of the stroller. Silence. Go figure. Believing I was stronger than I am, I decided to TRY to stroll Grant (it's a double stroller) with one hand while holding Kate in the other. We only made it to the next exhibit. Grant, too heavy for me, rode in 32 week pregnant, Kim's stroller while her two walked with Hannah. Doing something I always frowned upon during my "oh so wiser before I actually had kids" days, I carried Kate on my hip while pushing an EMPTY double stroller. Yes, I was one of those moms I passed judgement on years ago. Did I say motherhood is humbling? Gulp. I swallow my pride again.

And, while we're talking about doing things I'd never thought I'd do, let's add another to the list. I breastfed in public. I hold NOTHING against moms who do this, I am just super self conscious and often opt to do it somewhere in private. Not today. I did not have that luxury. Thankfully, my "Udder Cover" came in handy. Go ahead, laugh. That's what they call it. So I sat, hoping to appease my ever so fussy Kate while looking carefully at each side of my "cover" to insure I was fully covered. It worked. After lunch was had by all I will say the trip calmed down a bit. Kate slept. Grant forgot momentarily about his "Blankey Boy" and found excitement in all things animals. Hoping for those Kodak Moments, I kept my camera in hand. Yeah. It didn't happen. It was all I could do to help corral our kids and make sure they didn't end going home on a school bus with kids in red shirts. By the time Nolan had to go to the bathroom again, Kim and I looked at each other, both thinking the same thing but hesitant to say it..."Let's Go." We said our goodbyes. We walked our separate ways. By the time my crew made it to the van crankiness set in. Hannah complained her legs hurt. Grant remembered Blankie Boy and insisted on taking it back from Kate. Mouths were thirsty. Heads were aching. Within 5 minutes of leaving the zoo, two little heads with eyes closed bobbed to the side in the back. Kate, on the other hand, squealed in delight. I do believe she was the most excited of all to be making our way back home.

Happy Zoo Day. We'll be returning when Kate is three.

One Thousand Gifts: 31-40

Thankful. It's Monday. A reminder of thanksgiving. I sit. Contemplate. Why should it take this long to create a short list of thanksgiving? Why is my heart not naturally inclined to "give thanks in all circumstances?" But I will write. I will stop. I will remind myself of the Lord's goodness in my every day.

#31: my children's laughter, the sweetest sound I know and a reminder of the Lord's goodness to me through these three precious lives I get to encounter every day.

#32: a pantry that is full of food and a freezer that overflows, a reminder of the

Lord's provision for our family.

#33: a messy house, a reminder that life is lived here, fun is had, imagination is

fostered.

#34: dirty feet, a reminder of warm, sunny days spent outside enjoying the Lord's

creation.

#35: dirt roads, a reminder of peace in the midst of a fast paced world

#36: sore muscles and feet, a reminder of my able body to move and run, a luxury

some do not have.

#37: tired eyes, a reminder of a baby whose needs I am able to meet through

snuggling and feeding in the middle of the night.

#38: worship music, a reminder of the character of God when I don't have time to sit

and read His word.

#39: a great camera, a reminder of ways I can capture sweet memories with my

family.

#40: a great camera, a reminder of my husband's love for me as he saved for months

in order to surprise me with it.

Please Don't Go

No. Wait. Don't leave. You're at the right address. We know. You thought you were perusing a J. Crew site. Yeah. We get that alot. With our killer magazine poses, it's a mistake anyone could make. But it's just us, Hannah and Grant. And, if you gaze long enough, you'll discover that real fast. Did you see what Hannah is wearing? Sheer lack of style. My thoughts exactly. Can you believe Mommy let her out of the house? For Mommy's sake I'll confess the look was totally inspired by and executed by Hannah. It's a miracle I let her get close to me, let alone take a picture with me! But, as usual, I was lookin' good. What says carefree and cool like some atheltic pants paired with an awesome bug shirt? Bug shirts are my favorite...along with dogs, frogs, anything Cars or Toy Story...well, the list could go on. But the point is, I've got style. Style my sister does not have. And, if it weren't for her, well, I'm thinking more people would be falling for the J. Crew bit.

Trouble...

In the words of Ray LaMontagne I sing my tune,

"Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble,

Trouble been doggin my soul since the day I was born..."

Yes, it seems trouble follows me. You see, I feel deeply. Way down deep. Into my soul deep. So deep that my wails, like Ray's soulful cries, fill the house. I'm a bit dramatic. But that's how us soulful cats are. Dramatic. Can someone tell my Mommy-O that?

Cause "feels like everytime I get back on my feet she come around and knock me down again.."

No. Not abuse. But it seems everytime I get it back together, something happens, and boom, I'm in trouble again.

So, I sing my soulful cry.

Blog Star

It seems I'm getting a lot of air time lately. On the blog. Not on the basketball court. Immobility equals lots of camera time. And, more pictures means I've gotta come up with more to talk about. Well, big news today. I'm 6 months old. Yes, I've reached that special milestone. I'm halfway to one. Tomorrow I go for my check up. That is, if these allergies (so we think) clear up a bit. Darn, no shots for me tomorrow if they don't. Anyone know how to sneeze on command?

As of late, I've been rolling over. But, of course, you've already seen that. But what you haven't seen is my ability to semi-sit on my own. You know, where you lean forward, Mommy's hands out just enough distance to grab ya if you start teetering. I've found in the process that I'm good at bending in half. In fact, I can stay that way for awhile. Mommy was impressed. Of course, we have pictures to document that special feat. And of course, I'll be back with further commentary.

Sleeping through the night. Ha. I still like to wake Mommy up once every night. It seems she's growing weary though. The fact I had to cry it out last night let me know, my game may be ending. Apparently, I am way behind par in regards to Hannah's and Grant's amazing abilities to sleep through the night. I'm oh, four months behind. I just find that I need a little more one on one time with Mommy. And, being the youngest it seems my only chance is between 2 am and 3 am. Go figure.

I'm eating lots. I love squash. I love carrots. I love pears. I love applesauce. And, I love to make a mess with it all.

And, seeing as though the pictures have uploaded, I'll end my rambling here. Because, really, who is that interested?

And yes, Mommy fiddled around with the pictures some. That's why they look, uh, different.

Sisters

I love my Kate. I think she loves me. How do I know? Well, everytime she sees me (well just about) she lets out a BIG squeal and a gummy smile. I think I'm a good big sister. I watch her a lot for Mommy. You know, while she goes to the store. JUST KIDDING. I'm her playmate while Mommy makes supper, lunch, or breakfast. I keep her entertained while she's waiting on Mommy to pick her up out of the crib. I make loud, squealing noises that I've found only she appreciates. Mommy does not. She enjoys my dancing. But, who doesn't? I help her roll over whether she wants to or not. And I talk, a lot, to her. It seems she's about the only one who appreciates my verbose speech. She never tires of it. So I confide in her. She can keep a good secret. But maybe that's because she's a locked vault. She can't talk. I'm not quite sure how that will work when she actually learns how to talk. I'll let you know.

One Thousand Gifts: 21-30

Today I am thankful for:

#21: a meaningful talk with a good friend

#22: warmer weather

#23: a park that's walking distance from our house

#24: God's irretractable love for me because of Christ

#25: birthday cake

#26: the number of times my children tell me they love me each day (and they are many)

#27: Kate's easy going personality

#28: new clothes thanks to some birthday money

#29: Grant's poo poo potty success ON MY BIRTHDAY (the best present ever)!

#30: 3 new leads for John's business