Cascade

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!
The girls and I just got back from a little post-holiday clothes shopping. What a nightmare! I have to admit I'm so ready for the girls to go back to school. It's not that I don't love spending all the extra time with them, I do. I'm just tired of the bickering! The constant tattling, whining, complaining, arguing, fighting, temper-tantrum throwing, grabbing, snipping on and on and on. Add Averyinto the mix, and well, that is more than any mere mortal can handle!

So anyway, we get home from the mall, I put the baby down for nap and send the girls downstairs to play and I plop in front of my computer for some "down" time. Check my email and head to MSN to catch up on the happenings of the day. I click to watch a video and it begins with a Cascade commercial. You know the one? It's talking about the holidays and it goes through all these different families sitting down to dinner; small families, new families, old families, lonely families, laughing families, baby's first holiday dinner. The tears start coming! How can a commercial bring me to such tears? Because it reminds me again of what is truly important. Family!

They may bicker and fight, but they won't forever. One day I'll wake up and realize my house is totally quiet and wonder why. Then I'll remember, they're gone. Those 3 little girls have grown up and moved out. (Hopefully off to college!) So for today, I'm going to try to relish in the noise and cut them a little slack. I'm going to enjoy the constant stream of questions from Ella and the music coming from Claire's room. I'm going to get on the floor and play ball with Avery and read with Claire. I may even do some art with Ella!

Have a great New Year! I'm off to the kitchen. We've got some Easy Bake Oven cooking to do!

These are a few of my favorite things....

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm sitting in my office on Christmas night, reflecting upon my Christmas so bright!


My husband's in bed, with nothing to do, but hold on to his bucket 'cause he's got the flu!


Darling Claire sleeps, no movement to see, as she is so tired from playing the Wii.


Sweet baby Avery, giggling and talking, still so excited from her day of first walking!


Poor little Ella, sipping water from a cup, "just a little bit" so as not to throw up!


So what about mom? Sit in peace for a minute. Relax and look for the good that is in it.

My poem is short, but it isn't wasteful. Take a minute to stop and think why you are grateful.


My Gratitude List:



1. Baking with my girls. We had so much fun baking bread and cookies this year! We made our usual Strawberry Bread and it turned out great. So we decided to try something new as well. We "made" my Grandma Johnson's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. We followed the handwritten recipe from January 5th, 1974 to the letter. I even checked everything twice as we did it. Well, all I can say to those of you who received them, sorry! It's the thought that counts!



2. Gingerbread houses. Thanks to my good friend Ashley, we made real gingerbread houses for the first time ever this year! She "preassembled" the houses and brought ALL the decorations! (She really is too good to be true!) Then, after a slight "discussion" over who gets which house, we decorated. Oh, to watch our little designers at work! Ella ate her way through most everything and still managed to make quite the house. Claire concentrated and studied the aesthetics of her house to make sure it was just perfect! Jack, Ashley's son, took advantage of as many decorations as possible. In the end, they each had a beautiful and unique house. The best part, I didn't stress about the mess! I watched as sprinkles flew, frosting smeared and gummy drops rolled, but I did not make a fuss! I just smiled and snacked and cheered them on. How nice it is to be in the moment and not miss a thing.





3. Friends and Family. I want to thank you, my friends and family. This has been a hard year in some ways and a great year in others. Things haven't always gone the way I wanted, but thankfully haven't gone the way they could have either!

My girls are healthy! Last year at this time, Avery was battling a respiratory illness that she just couldn't kick. So far this year (except for the flu tonight) we have been 100% healthy!

I'm in love with my husband! I don't say that enough, but I am. I've reaffirmed this year, that despite his many, many flaws : ) he is the man for me. God knew what he was doing when he planted me in Ames, at the park, when that sexy man was playing softball! As they say, the rest is history. Not only am I blessed with a man that is "on my side", my children have the best dad too!

The possibilities are endless! That is my motto for the next year! The possibilities are endless! Our life will change in the next year. There is no doubt about that. But, today I can see it as an exciting adventure that God is leading my family through, not as something dark and scary.

And when my optimism fades, I go back to you! My friends and family! The ones who stand by me in the happy times, the scary times, the crazy times and the best of times.



These are just a few of my favorite things!

God bless and come back in a few days to hear all about our Christmas! And tell us about yours! We'd love to hear about your favorite things too!

3 minutes

3 minutes. That's all it took to set the world right. 3 minutes. That's how long I needed to put everything in perspective. To remember what's important. To calm my mind and heart. 3 minutes with my baby in my arms.

I snuck into Avery's room tonight to put something away and I just couldn't resist picking her up and snuggling. I lifted her sleeping little body up and put her on my shoulder. She instantly settled in, nuzzling up against my neck. I could feel her little body with each sweet breath. I could smell the unmistakable scent of a clean, young baby. I felt her warm breath on my neck. I smiled as she gently stroked my back. I sat in her rocking chair, her warm body nestled up to mine, and realized, again, just how blessed I am. God has given me the most amazing gift.

3 minutes was all it took for me to remember how much I love my feisty little baby. 3 minutes was all I needed to remember her sweet smile. It was all the time I needed to hear her contagious laugh, her heart-warming "mamamama". 3 minutes was all I needed to fall in love all over again with this amazing baby of mine.




10 minutes. 10 minutes is how long it took that little booger to fall back to sleep. Teach me to wake a sleeping baby!!!!

Offensive

While playing Webkinz with Ella. We were shopping for new bedroom furniture for her newest webkinz.

Ella: "Mom, every thing is so offensive!"

Mom: Thinking to myself that I agree some of the color combinations are a bit offensive, I'm surprised my 4 year old picked up on that. I say, "offensive? why do you say that?"

Ella: "It just is. All the beds and everything are just so offensive!"

Mom: "oh, honey. They're not offensive. We'll find something you'll like. I can help you pick it out."

Ella: "You can't help. You'll pick something offensive, just like Claire"

Mom: A little offended, but still trying to be helpful I say, "No, I'll pick out something very nice. Do you like this?" Showing her a lovely pink canopy bed with matching dog-bone accented vanity set.

Ella: Crying now... "it's all to offensive! I'll never get anthing! I'm going to run out of money!!"

Mom: Light bulb coming on... "Oh, expensive, it's all to expensive!" Laughing and happy I figured it out.

Ella: "It's not funny!" and runs out of the room.

Mom: Thinking, "we'll it's a little funny.... Ella, honey, come here. We'll figure this out! : )

God bless her!

Enjoy this icy day and the extra time with your kids!

Table dancing

We took the night off tonight and it was soooo nice. Claire was suppose to have her school Christmas program tonight, but the snow took care of that. So then we were going to go to swim team practice, as usual. But then, I had a moment.
I stopped (something I really should do more often) and looked around. Here is what I saw:

It was 5:20, we had to leave in 40 minutes if we were going to, barely, make it to practice.
My husband was blowing snow, bless his heart.
The big girls were playing in that same snow.
The baby was HAPPILY playing by herself in the "kitchen room" (Ella's name for the upstairs playroom b/c it has the play kitchen in it).
I was trying to make something for dinner that would satisfy both the kids and adults.
Claire had homework.
Ella and Avery needed baths.... you get the idea?

So, I said to myself, "Self, take the night off. Enjoy the evening. Play with the girls. Give baths. Catch up on laundry. Lighten Up!!
And we did just that.

What a wonderful night! We ate (pasta with chicken, yeah, big surprise!). The girls told stories about their day. Claire did her homework, man that kid can read. I was listening to her tonight wondering, "who taught her to read like that, when did that happen?" Such a blessing that I can easily take for granted!

Then the big show! The girls turned off all the lights, except for the "spot lights" above the fireplace. They lined up the dinner chairs along the back of the family room. Then they took turns "performing" on top of the coffe table to the music of the Fabulous Traidmarxx. It was amazing. The best ballet (Ella) and tumbling/singing/dancing (Claire) I've ever seen. Avery loved it! She sat in a big chair between mom and dad, clapping and laughing!

Then, off to bath (thanks Dave!) and bed. I had enough energy left to put away laundry and finish, yes finish! our Christmas cards.

So, tomorrow night, we're off to swim practice! But that's okay. Because tonight, I was in the moment. Tonight, I enjoyed my kids and my husband and didn't worry about what needed to be done, or what should be done. I took the time to watch as they danced on the coffee table and quietly thanked God that we have never gotten around to replacing it with a nicer one!

Big news

Okay, so big news today. I'm thinking about going back to work full-time! I know it seems crazy, but 7 years on the "home" job is starting to take it's toll on this poor lady. Don't get me wrong, I love it! Especially the getting up at 8:00 and showering at 9:00 part, but the constant cleaning, wiping, candyland playing, diaper changing, tea party throwing and talking to Build-a-Bears can get a little old.

My husband has been great! Not only has he supported all of us the last 7 years, but I think he is having a harder time accepting me going back to work than I am! How lucky am I?!

Now, I can't tell you how grateful I am for the opportunity I've had. I have loved every minute of watching my three peanuts learn to walk, talk and eat (well except Avery who still refuses to do the first two!). My mommy groups have been awesome and I have met life-long friends while being a SAHM. I was able to go to grad school and complete my master's while staying home and that was awesome. I love volunteering and doing all those special things that I have the privilege of doing while home. But, I just have that feeling... it's time. Change is good, right? Besides, I can still do that stuff while working. Lucky for me, I have some of the best examples of working moms around! I just hope I can do it as gracefully as them.

So, now the process begins. We have to find a nanny, which could be hard, as it seems to be quite an ordeal. If you know anyone that would fit the bill, let me know.

I'll keep you posted on our progress. We'll call it.... Operation: Get Janelle out of the House!

Stay warm and sing at least one Christmas Carol a day. I swear it makes the day a little brighter, try it!

Welcome to our family blog

Welcome to our page! I have always enjoyed viewing my friends pages, and have been quite envious at their seemingly endless amount of time to devote to such activities, so I decided to start my own.

Our lives have been moving at their always frantic pace this year and I've been feeling like I'm missing it. You know, missing the small moments. I've been so concerned about getting shoes and coats on, getting teeth brushed, finding the baby, that I don't always catch the cool stuff. Like Ella celebrating Jesus' birthday by eating a chocolate poptart (funny story, ask me about it) or Claire dancing around the living room singing and entertaining her baby sister. I don't want to miss those moments of "ah-ha" that Avery has when she learns to hurdle over the baby gate, or scale the pantry shelves.

So, I'm going to start watching for those moments again, and writing them down. Not just for you all to enjoy, but also for me. For me to notice, appreciate, laugh and stand in awe and gratitude of.

So, please, stop and enjoy.

Love: j