Juggling my roles as wife, homemaker, and mother of four
My four year old asked for a drink the other day. I always pour the kids small amounts since we have a propensity to spill things round the circus. When I handed her the glass she said to me, “Now Mom, that is what I call HALF FULL!” I couldn’t help but chuckle, guess we know how she sees the world.
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As my 4 yr old sat coloring in the waiting room this afternoon the mom beside me commented on her neat job of staying in the lines.
Then we both did a double take and looked over at each other.
Don’t mind the fact that the dress is green and should “really” be yellow… I love the fact that my girl goes against the flow and colors it how she wants… sure give Belle purple hair and a green dress. Why not?
But, what is up with that neck line? Seems a bit low cut don’t ya think? I am hoping that somehow the coloring book missed a line or something. But it sure looks to me like she was coloring it in correctly…
Never expected that from Belle… Ariel maybe, but Belle… with her nose stuck in a book… ya gotta watch those good girls I suppose!
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On the wall in my bedroom, tucked away in the corner on my side of the bed is a shadow box in which I pressed some dried flowers from my wedding bouquet. I’ll confess I don’t look at it often, but when I do I smile and remember that special day.
My children, however, don’t share my sentimentality.
The other day my 5 yr old and I were sitting on my bed and she said, “Mom, why do you have those old dead flowers hanging on your wall?” I told her that Daddy had given me those flowers on our wedding day. I of course thought this obviously answered her question. But she looked up at me like I was crazy and said very matter of factly, “But now they’re dead.” (as in so why do you have them hanging there now Mom?) It was then obvious to me that she thought her mom was crazy for hanging dead flowers on her wall. I then remembered the conversation I had with her brother a few years ago when he asked me why I had poop hanging on my wall. I told him it wasn’t poop, they were dried flowers from my wedding. “Oh,” he replied, “they look like poop to me.”
Something tells me 50 years from now when the kids are cleaning out our house and divvying up our our belongings, none of them are going to be fighting for the right to take mom’s dead flowers to their homes.
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The other day I was driving my oldest two children home when they suggested I text their Nana to see if the younger two were asleep so we’d know if we needed to enter in the backdoor.
I told them I couldn’t text while driving, but maybe if I got a red light I could send her a quick txt. (I know, I know….)
Well the light was green and as we got rather close to our street my 5 yr old daughter says, “Mom, you gotta send the text!” “I can’t,” I replied, the light was green.
“Well Mom, I’ll watch the road for you and tell you if your going to hit something.”
“Thanks, but it doesn’t work like that, I need to be watching the road myself.”
“Why Mom? Don’t you know this road pretty well, you drive on it all the time?”
I then went on to tell her while I know the road, I don’t know what the other cars are going to do on the road. And even though she promised to keep an eye for me, I think it would be better for me to watch.
Can you just imagine? Well, officer, I know I wasn’t watching, but she was my lookout…yea… my 5 yr old in the back seat… she promised to keep an eye out for me….
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Now that my oldest 2 are at their tutorial two days a week, I find myself with just 2 children at home on those mornings. It is a truly odd feeling and a dynamic I am not yet used to. Though I am sure it is nothing compared to the strangeness I’ll feel next year when I am left with only my lil man two days a week.
I am hoping to use this time to
1. take care of errands
2. stay on top of housework/laundry
3. enjoy some quality time with my youngest two
I was thrilled when I learned our library will be hosting story time a few times a month on the same mornings as our tutorial. When I told my 4 yr old that we’d be going to story time this week she responded, “Story time, what’s story time?” meanwhile simultaneously, my oldest child said, “Awh, story time… I remember story time… I loved story time!”
And there ya have it folks…evidence that you truly don’t parent the same way each time around.
I remember with my oldest and even when his little sister came around, we went to story time… all the time… we were regulars…even hitting up more than one library. Then number 3 came along and we went for a bit.. as I sat nursing her in the back row, trying to keep my toddler sitting quiet and encouraging my 3 and 1/2 yr old to go ahead and sit up front without Mommy… you can easily see with that beautiful picture how story time slowly became a think of the past… that and the fact that for awhile I banished myself from the library as a way of keeping my overdue fines in check. Topped off with the fact that I couldn’t really go to story time on days we were schooling at home, b/c we had school work to do.. and then number 4 came along and he needed a nap in the morning, plus the girls played so nicely together when there brother was gone, why not take advantage of that time to catch up at home….yada, yada, yada… you end up with a 4 yr old who doesn’t even know what story time is.
I am happy to report that story time was a huge success this morning and we plan to return next month for more stories, songs, and crafts!
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6 Flags Amusement park offered a free ticket to any K-6 grade student that registered for their Read to Succeed program and completed 6 hrs of non school required reading. As a bonus, the teacher who enrolled the student also got a free ticket. So, that meant this home schooling momma got a ticket for herself and her son to 6 Flags.
I kept track of his reading in the spring and when he completed 6 hrs of recreational reading, unannounced to him, I registered him for the free ticket. The tickets arrived at the beginning of the summer. I then offered him the ticket if he read 10 books this summer. Sneaky, I know!
He worked hard and achieved the goal though. And thanks to a dear friend who watched my other 3 children, we were off for a day together at 6 Flags as his reward!
He was particularly looking forward to riding his first real, roller coaster. When we first arrived the 2 wooden coasters that he was tall enough for, were not running though. So, we enjoyed the kiddie coaster as well as a few other rides.
When we saw the roller coaster was open, we set off to find the entrance and wait in line.
I gotta tell you, I don’t like roller coasters. But, he was so excited and I didn’t want to ruin his fun. So, we waited in line. The whole time he’s bouncing up and down. “Wow… it goes 60 mph… that’s awesome… wow… look how long it is Mom! Are you so excited? I was not so excited, but figured at least it didn’t go upside down, surely we could get through this.
We sit in the seat. It’s going up the hill… he’s raising his arms, he’s so excited…
And then we head down…
He’s white as a ghost and says, “Mom, I don’t like this.”
Poor guy…
I put my arm around him and as it twisted and turned and careened down the hill, I just kept repeating, “We’re ok bud… we’re going to get through this… we’re ok bud.”
The ride ended and we got off.
He says, “Wow Mom, that was a lot of force on my body.”
As we set off for a snack he asks if I liked it. I tell him how typically with rides like that I really dread going on them but once I am on them, they aren’t really as bad as I thought.
He laughs and says, “It was the exact opposite for me! I was so excited before and once I was on it, I really didn’t like it.”
Funnel cake and soda… perfect food for our “post roller coaster” tummies!
We then set out for the Lazy River… He LOVED the lazy river.. granted he wasn’t all that lazy as he jumped in and out of the inner tube the whole time… but he did pause a few times and say, “So Mom, what do you wanna talk about?”
We really enjoyed our day at the park. The lines weren’t long, the weather was perfect, and I cherished that rare one on one time with my oldest. I will confess that I was kinda grateful he didn’t LOVE the roller coaster as it meant we were done with coasters for the afternoon. I think when my daughters reach 48 inches tall, I’m sending Scott!
My favorite memories of the day are probably the smile on his face when he scored the black tea cup on the tea cup ride… the way he always gave me the first inner tube when we were getting into the lazy river…and driving with him in the old fashioned car…
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My roles as wife, homemaker and mother of 4 feel much like a circus with 3 rings constantly vying for my attention. Life is often chaotic but I'm loving every minute and wouldn't want it any other way. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. I won't let you miss a thing.
Visits Since April 2008
