Survived

I survived an unexpected trip to Myrtle Beach.

• No husband
• 1 set of grandparents
• 2 nights
• 3 days
• 4 kids
• 5 hours of “Are we there/home yet?”

Whew.

Independence

Independence isn’t always celebrated with fireworks, for my son the small steps he is taken are most often rewarded with a high five and a hug.  For him it’s a series of small victories and accomplishments, for me, it’s a time of biting my tongue, standing back, and letting go.

I’m watching the small accomplishments with pride and a little regret.  Today it’s carefully pouring his own drink, tomorrow he’ll pedal away, and next week or so it may seem, I may catch a glimpse of his brown eyes as he glances in the rear view mirror.

A Little Nursery Rhyme

The two year old would like to share.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksIIQOImwH0]

Smug Parenting

So much of parenting style is dependent on a child’s personality.  My oldest is a nonstop ball of energy, emotional, headstrong, and full of curiosity.  The middle son sees the elder boy’s stubborn nature and raises the stakes with a streak of defiance.  The baby?  Well, she’s so young that it is hard to tell, but I believe I see a patient nature with a desire to please.  With her, it would be so easy to believe I knew it all, that all babies should listen to a firm, “No. Don’t touch,” and that they quickly learn to self-entertain.

It may sound as though I am critical of the boys.  While they can drive me to distraction I have a gut feeling I am in my rough years with them and these personality traits may set their paths straight once the foundation is laid.  The stubborn nature I find frustrating now may serve them well when others want them to stray.  Their curiosity and boundless energy are easy to view as assets once they have a respect for property and a handle on containing it at appropriate times.  I won’t lie, it is exhausting.

Happy Mothers Day

to my mom, Tim’s mom, and all the moms and women who have cared.

Operation Strawberry By the Numbers

Ingredients

• 2 adults
• 5 kids
• 6 buckets
• 45lbs of strawberries
• 40lbs of sugar
• 10 boxes of pectin
• 2 1/2 cups lemon juice

Yields

• 3 cups strawberry salsa
• 1 strawberry shortcake
• 4 qts frozen strawberries (margaritas? Yes, please!)
• 5 1/2 GALLONS of jam
• 1 utterly destroyed kitchen
• 1 exhausted Heather

Who wants toast?

Parent Hack: Swiffer?

Who can afford all those disposable cleaning products?

Not us.

Car Nuts

Tim and I are admittedly odd.  Neither of will ever admit a lack of knowledge to the other, if there is any chance for it appear as a weakness. This means, I allow myself to ask about things in the steel industry and he feels free to ask questions concerning all things Internet.  He is a gamer and doesn’t spend much time on any site that isn’t focused on obliterating billions of ones and zeros over and over.

That said, neither of us know much about older cars.  Anything pre-1965 and we are admittedly clueless. The other day we together and we passed a lovingly restored car from the fifties.  I noted it and asked what kind it was.  He replied, “I honestly have no idea, you could call it a Packard Bell and I’d believe you.”

Now, for us, all old cars have been dubbed Packard Bells.

Only One Thing Could Make Her Cuter

and that would be if these weren’t taken at 5:30am.

Early Morning

I love it when nature obliges and a morning is dreary enough for my children to believe me when I say, “It’s too early, go back to sleep.”