Tis the Season

"How delightful," said Pooh, "to be so brand new."

The Advent season is once again upon us! The story of a less-than-ideal birth, a cherished baby, a Mother in awe trying to absorb it all, the promise fulfilled, a glorious message of hope…oh, joy! There’s always a huge celebration when a baby is born, how much more so when that baby is our promised Savior! I’m thankful we have the chance to celebrate that same birth, the turning point in our history, every year. I’m so in love with that little baby in a manger. 

It's also fun to reminisce about Christmas in the past, the ones that I shared with my own little babies. We got the ornament above when Grant was a newborn and I remember that precious time when I see it. Since both my kids were born in the fall, I spent two Christmases with little babies. It was such a wonderful time and gave me a new appreciate for the Christmas story.

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, here are a few resources for your advent adventure...

A beautiful Advent prayer: “May this entire Advent season bring us back to your manger, back to your cross, back to your empty tomb; and moving forward with you into your new creation story.

We started our Advent calendars yesterday; a fun tradition we started a few years ago. As we count the days to Christmas, the kids find fun stuff like candies and coins and little toys in their numbered pockets. My friend shared an idea for a Jesus-centered Advent calendar here. 

We also lit the Hope candle in our Advent candle wreath today. For more info on how to put together an Advent candle wreath, click here.

And thanks to the suggestion of my musically inclined friend, I’ve been listening to these Christmas tunes all week.

Regardless of what craziness this holiday season brings (and there will be craziness!), I pray we all have a peace “that transcends all understand.” 

All About Grant

My sweet boy turns 5 years old today! I know they’re growing up, but somehow, it still surprises me. And since he’s my baby, his birthdays are always a little bittersweet for me. But I sure love the little boy he’s turning into. He brightens my day with his sweet spirit, numerous cuddles and funny jokes. He has the sweetest heart that I’ve ever seen. He’s so sweet, in fact, that sometimes I think he was switched at birth and somehow we took home the wrong baby. He seems too sweet to belong to us and that we accidentally took home Mr. and Mrs. Sweet’s baby home. Well, if that’s the case, I’m not giving him back now!

As silly as it might sound, sometimes I feel like I’m running out of time with these kids. They are growing so fast and declaring their space and independence, sometimes to my relief and sometimes to my sorrow, and our roles and interactions are always changing. I see the future coming at me at a whirlwind speed. I wish I could bottle them, like a jar of pickles, and take them out when I’m ready. Unfortunately, life doesn’t give us that option.

I especially feel these “growing pains” with Grant. As Sienna grows, there will be more tea parties, shopping, weddings and babies, etc. to help us grow together and continue to cement our bond. I think it’s different with boys. As the Bible says, “therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Ephesians 5:31) It’s biblical and it’s absolutely the right thing. There’s no way I want to raise a dependent Mama’s boy. Still, my heart breaks a little because I know these awesome snuggles and cuddles that I get from Grant now are numbered and the giant clock of time is ticking away.

We have this very sweet exchange. I’ll be tucking him into bed and cuddling with him and I’ll say, “I’m going to miss you when you grow up.”

He’ll say, “I know, but I have to grow up.”

I’ll say, “Yes, you do.”

Then he’ll say, “I’ll still love you.”

And I say back, “I know.”

All of that is true. And I can take some comfort in that fact.

So, in honor of Grant’s 5^th Birthday, here are 5 fun facts about Grant…

1) He is SUCH a boy! Besides being fearless, he’s interested in all boy stuff…trucks, tractors, trains, etc.

2) He loves Chinese food. He and Daddy have special lunch dates at the “panda restaurant.”

3) He wants to be a crossing guard and “a builder” when he grows up. Here he is training to be a crossing guard.

4) He loves Ninjago Legos. Here he is with an early birthday present. He doesn’t seem the least bit excited, right?

5) He loves school. He’s learning his alphabet and how to write. He’s even learning cursive. It’s a lot…as he tells me after school, “my brain is full!”

Happy Birthday, Grant!! We love you and we can't wait to see how you continue to grow and amaze us this year!

All About Grant

My sweet boy turns 5 years old today! I know they’re growing up, but somehow, it still surprises me. And since he’s my baby, his birthdays are always a little bittersweet for me. But I sure love the little boy he’s turning into. He brightens my day with his sweet spirit, numerous cuddles and funny jokes. He has the sweetest heart that I’ve ever seen. He’s so sweet, in fact, that sometimes I think he was switched at birth and somehow we took home the wrong baby. He seems too sweet to belong to us and that we accidentally took home Mr. and Mrs. Sweet’s baby home. Well, if that’s the case, I’m not giving him back now!

As silly as it might sound, sometimes I feel like I’m running out of time with these kids. They are growing so fast and declaring their space and independence, sometimes to my relief and sometimes to my sorrow, and our roles and interactions are always changing. I see the future coming at me at a whirlwind speed. I wish I could bottle them, like a jar of pickles, and take them out when I’m ready. Unfortunately, life doesn’t give us that option.

I especially feel these “growing pains” with Grant. As Sienna grows, there will be more tea parties, shopping, weddings and babies, etc. to help us grow together and continue to cement our bond. I think it’s different with boys. As the Bible says, “therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Ephesians 5:31) It’s biblical and it’s absolutely the right thing. There’s no way I want to raise a dependent Mama’s boy. Still, my heart breaks a little because I know these awesome snuggles and cuddles that I get from Grant now are numbered and the giant clock of time is ticking away.

We have this very sweet exchange. I’ll be tucking him into bed and cuddling with him and I’ll say, “I’m going to miss you when you grow up.”

He’ll say, “I know, but I have to grow up.”

I’ll say, “Yes, you do.”

Then he’ll say, “I’ll still love you.”

And I say back, “I know.”

All of that is true. And I can take some comfort in that fact.

So, in honor of Grant’s 5^th Birthday, here are 5 fun facts about Grant…

1) He is SUCH a boy! Besides being fearless, he’s interested in all boy stuff…trucks, tractors, trains, etc.

2) He loves Chinese food. He and Daddy have special lunch dates at the “panda restaurant.”

3) He wants to be a crossing guard and “a builder” when he grows up. Here he is training to be a crossing guard.

4) He loves Ninjago Legos. Here he is with an early birthday present. He doesn’t seem the least bit excited, right?

5) He loves school. He’s learning his alphabet and how to write. He’s even learning cursive. It’s a lot…as he tells me after school, “my brain is full!”

Happy Birthday, Grant!! We love you and we can't wait to see how you continue to grow and amaze us this year!

In The News: Ideals, Mothering, Exhuastion and More!

Just stopping in to share some random news articles and blog posts that have caused me to stop and ponder things. Especially, as the to-do lists mount in my life and the endless running these past few weeks, combined with some rather sad news stories, I’ve been drawn to some interesting discussions on ideals, balance, mothering, slowing down, etc. It’s interesting how we seek out what we feel lacking in our own life.

I know it’s a lot of reading but I hope you’ll take the time to read one or two – or all – of these articles. I promise there are nuggets of wisdom and blessings buried in all of this! 

“Exhaustion is not a status symbol”

As a somewhat-former workaholic and as someone currently trying to find balance between productivity and family time, this article resonated with me on so many levels. The article includes great advice about feedback and boundaries in the workplace. But it also puts into words something I felt and subconsciously knew but never fully recognized until recently: “‘Crazy-busy’ is a great armor, it’s a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we’re feeling and what we really need can’t catch up with us.”  I was guilty of that during my late college years and early professional life. Productivity feels really good but it’s also a way to numb and hide from the harsher realities of life, almost like a drug.

The main source of my exhaustion now? Mothering!!

“Why the Battle for Joy is Really Worth It”

We’ve all been here. A very relatable story about rushing, losing our cool and having to take a hard look at what our priorities are and how our actions reflect it.

"What do I want my children to remember — my joy in clean floors, made beds and ironed shirts — or my joy of the Lord? You will be most remembered — by what brought you most joy."

And more on Motherhood…

"I get to be the one"

My friend Martha wrote a beautiful post about mothering. It came to me on “one of those days” and was such a blessing to me. In fact, it might be one of the best posts on motherhood that I’ve ever read. “I know that even when it gets hard, when I stop and take a breath this motherhood thing smacks so very much more of undeserved privilege than hardship.”

And, sometimes, you just have to laugh...

My copy of “A Year of Biblical Womanhood” by Rachel Evan Held just arrived in the mail and I am so excited to read it. The absurdity of it, of course, is hilarious. It’s so far from our current thinking and culture. I’m sure there were many applicable lessons learned. God blesses those who “seek earnestly,” right?! Although some might be taken back by such a discussion, but I think she sums it up best: "They thought I was making fun of the Bible, when I was really trying to honor the Bible by having more honest conversations about how we interpret and apply it. I'm hoping that when people read the book, they see that." I can’t wait to dive in! Take a moment to click through her slideshow of photos. I was giggling the entire time.

Life is crazy. Here’s to hoping we all find the balance and encouragement we need for today.

Comfort Food for Fall

I haven’t been keeping up with my blog as much as I would like because things have been so busy lately. I honestly have no idea how professional bloggers are able to blog every.single.day. The thought amazes me.

I do want to take a minute to tell you about some awesome new recipes I’ve tried lately. Believe me, you’ll thank me for these yummies! Combined, they make the perfect fall dinner.

To start, I used Picky Palate’s Pesto Ranch Chicken with Rachael Ray’s Roasted Potatoes and Pepper recipes as my guide. I switched a few things up though.

First, on the chicken recipe, I bought a package of chicken breasts and a package of chicken thighs and separated/split the meat between two freezer storage bags. I also bought two prepackaged pesto sauces (in the refrigerated section at the store) for each bag of chicken. Basically, I was planning to double the recipe. In the freezer bags, I poured one package of pesto over each bag of chicken. Instead of using a ranch dip package, I made this homemade ranch dip recipe and split it between the two bags of chicken. I’m trying to move away from prepackaged ranch dips to save money and save us from a slew of preservatives. Plus, this tastes SO MUCH better!

Then, I put both bags of chicken in the freezer to use at a later time, like on a crazy hectic Monday! I put one bag of chicken in the fridge the night before, and in the morning, pop the chicken into the crockpot and let it cook on low all day. Then, you only have to cook the potatoes in the evening. (And I still have the other bag of chicken in the freezer for another night. Score!)

Last but not least, for dessert, I suggest Peanut Butter Nutella Apple Nachos. The only change I would suggest is to add a tablespoon (or two!) of peanut butter to the Nutella before you warm it up. 

Look! My kids are eating fruit without a fight! 

 

Enjoy!!

My Little Garden in the Desert

It’s amazing how we can be blessed in the most unexpected ways.

When we were moving to the desert of El Paso from the lush green of Columbus, I distinctly remember having a conversation with myself (Yes, I talk to myself. Yes, I’m crazy.) about what our new house might be like and was bracing myself with the idea and possibility that I would have a rock and dirt yard. The thought of it was a little depressing. I like pretty things. I wanted a yard for the kids to run around and play in. I encouraged myself with the thought of a huge cactus garden, maybe buying some of those pretty blooming cactus, and what I could do with it and how it might be kind of fun to build a huge cactus garden.

But, instead, I got this….

 And these....

 And this picturesque setting....

In the land of sand and dirt and rocks, I truly believe it's a miracle that I have these enormous flower bushes. I was expecting so little and yet God blessed me (us) with the perfect house. We have a great little house (The Little House in the Big Desert?) and the most beautiful yard and flowers. And the best part, they require almost no work. It’s safe to say that I don’t have the best green thumb. I basically water them and that’s it. They grow into these beautiful blooming bushes that attract huge butterflies and humming birds (my favorite) and other neat little birds. I am so happy in my yard. And I feel so blessed and thankful. 

Stay-at-home Mother Does Not Equal Housekeeper

I was chatting with another Mom outside of Sienna’s school and she was telling me about how she decided to go back to work part-time. She told me, “I was only at home for about two months but I was losing my mind. I can only clean the house so much.”

I was floored. I sat there and nodded, hoping that I was keeping a poker face and trying not to look shocked and horrified.

Of course, it’s one thing to think something like that. Let’s face it, that’s what most people think about stay-at-home moms. But to actually come out and say it, especially so nonchalantly, to me – someone she knew was a stay-at-home mom – was a bit surprising.

First, what a gross simplification of what stay-at-home mothers do! Second, is that what she thinks I do all day? Clean? If so, where does she think my children are while I’m cleaning?

I’ve been a lot of things during my journey as a stay-at-home mom. I’ve been unsatisfied. I’ve been lonely. I’ve been ungrateful. But, I have NEVER, not ever, thought my house was too clean! Or had too much time for cleaning! No ma’am. And I’m a clean freak. I could easily clean all day and that would be sort of fun for me.

Instead I skim on the surface of “keeping-it-all together” – most days I’m making beds by noon, barely keeping the laundry at a manageable level in the basket, finally loading the breakfast dishes along with lunch and afternoon snack dishes into the dishwasher, and if I prioritize and schedule a few days out, I might be able to squeeze in an extra chore, like clean a bathroom or dust. And I know that this is how most stay-at-home moms feel during the day.

I don’t spend my day cleaning. I spend it running at a dizzy, almost panic-attack-inducing speed. One kid needs to go here, other kids needs to go here, this paper need to be signed, this check is due, the kids need snacks, this errand needs to be done TODAY, rush to extracurricular activities, plan a play date, kids want to play a game, homework time, we’re out of milk again…the list goes on and on. If anything, I need to go back to work to relax!

Being a stay-at-home mom is more than a full time job. It takes a lot of effort and time to take care of children (even those in school), to nurture and develop them, and keep them happy and entertained during the day. Cleaning is only a small fraction of my day.

In addition, most stay-at-home mothers are involved in “Mom Groups” like MOPS or parenting-related Bible studies or involved in volunteer work or run home businesses or all of the above!

I’m not sure where or how this misconception came into play but the idea that “stay-at-home mother “equals “housecleaner” must come to an end. It’s insulting to stay-at-home moms, and to the children they tend to, and it doesn’t represent the full picture of what the job entails.