Being Female

I love being a woman.

I love crying at commercials for no apparent reason. I love feeling guilty over *everything*. I love worrying (when my kids are the ripe-old-ages of 8, 7, and 3) that they might not choose to live as respectful, responsible adults who work hard and love the Lord. I love constantly criticizing my body, even things that I have no power to change (unless I had $10,000 and a good surgeon laying around). I love that I'm only 30 and already I forget what I was going to get in the time it takes me to walk across the house. I love feeling like I should be contributing financially to our household, but realizing that it's not really possible (but again, still feeling guilty). I love not being taken seriously when I'm talking to someone on the phone about our mortgage or something else of equal importance (no, you do not need to talk to my husband).

I love being a woman.

I love the memories I have of each of my babies kicking me from the inside and the amazing wonder of it all. I love that I can cry and I don't really need a reason. I love that I get to greet each of my kids with a smile every day when they get off the school bus. I love that I can trust the Lord (He knows my heart) and fully trust Him with my children and their futures. I love that as I fold my family's articles of clothing in the middle of the day I get to say a prayer for them and their day individually. I love that I don't regret not being around for each of my kids' (many!) milestones and that I have the priveledge of remembering vividly each "first." I love having a husband whose arms fit around me just so and whose hands hold my heart. I love that when I look at my body I see wrinkles from laughing so hard so often and stretch marks from growing three beautiful babies.

I love being a woman.

Wordless Wednesday

*Might Have* Monday

I might have fallen so in love with my new gadget (the BodyBugg) I got this past week that I would totally marry it (you know, if I weren't already married. Minor details.).

I might have dyed my hair ala "box method" a couple of days ago. Carter looked at me (right when I was getting started) then back at the box and says, "Um, Mom... Even if your hair ends up the exact color as this girl's, you're still not going to look anything like her." Thank you very much, son.

I might have fed my kids cereal for breakfast before church yesterday (sans milk - what? we were out...). Followed by McDonalds after church for lunch. Followed by pizza for dinner. I know. Not winning.

I might have been a little disappointed when I woke up this morning and realized that it was a weekday... beings that I forgot to pack lunches or even get backpacks and lunch boxes out from under the pile of crap in the back of the suburban from last Thursday when I threw them all back there but since the weather is FINALLY showing signs of fall, I'm still happy - on a Monday! Monumental, I tell you!

What might you guys have done lately???

New(est) Addiction

It's going to be bad, you guys... Real bad.

I'm not going to get laundry done ever again I know, NOT new information. I hope I still have time to bathe my kids...

I've been introduced to PINTEREST.

Where I've found stuff that makes me choke on my coffee, like these:

 

And great crafty ideas like these:

Anyway, amidst this new found LOVE, I'm realizing that my time is precious (hello!? I NEED Pinterest!) and:

So, try it out. It's addicting though. REALLY addicting. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Honesty is the *best* policy? Really?

We've always taught our kids the importance of being honest. Even if it means there are consequences (the consequences for lying will ALWAYS be harsher than being honest about something you've done wrong) - but can I be honest? Sometimes I wish we didn't stress this quite so much... For example:

When I was working out to a circuit training video, Jack looks at the people on the video and then back at me and says, "Are you doing what they're doing, Mommy?"

While trying to see the computer screen through the sweat dripping in my eyes I reply, "Yup."

"Well, it sure doesn't look the same..."

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And then this morning while I was painting my toenails:

"It's okay, Mommy, you just need a little more practice... then they will look good."

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Now that I think about it, I'm wondering if we should just change our "Honesty Policy" to:

 "Silence. Give it a shot once in a while."

*Might Have* Monday

We might have taken the kids to Costco after church yesterday and considered all the free samples they ate their lunch.

I might have let Jack sit on my lap and steer the car down our (long!) driveway this morning after Talie and Carter got on the bus. I might regret this in the near future (like the next time we get in the car).

I might have gotten unreasonably excited when my parent's gave Jeff his belated birthday present this weekend and I found out it was tickets to the civil war football game in November. Like SO excited that I'm not even sure he wants to take me with him anymore.

I might have taken three or four breaks this morning during my 30 minute workout and checked FaceBook because I SO didn't feel like working out. You know how many of my friends post something new in a 30 minute time frame in the middle of a Monday morning? None. The fact that I know this? LAME.

Getting Nailed

You know how sometimes the things your kids say can knock you over faster than if you got hit by a bus?

Yeah.

That.

The conversation looked a little (or exactly) like this:

Carter (completely out of the blue): "So, Mom, did it hurt the first time you got nailed?"

{I'll just give you a minute to collect yourself - although I was not granted such a gift...}

Me: "I'm not sure I know what you mean..."

{I surprised myself at how good I apparently am at pretending to be calm... and also at how fast I can start sweating...}

Carter: "No, I think you do. So... did it hurt? I heard it does."

Me (wondering if I taught them how to use my cell phone lest they have to call an ambulance after my heart attack): "Son, I really don't know what you're talking about."

{If I deny it convincingly enough will the fact that I do know go away???}

Carter: "Just tell me, Mom - does it hurt when you get nailed?! I know you've done it! ...You've used the hammer and missed the nail and hit your finger - so does it hurt?!?"

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Alrighty Then

It's been a monthandahalf while, blah, blah, blah.

Moving right along.

No, really, we moved right along. I just didn't document it on my blog because I've been a bit busy. Moving, remember?

So, yeah, we have renters in our house, we're done with all the remodeling (until next summer) at my parents' house, and we're settled in. Eating fresh blueberries and other wonderfully organic food out of the garden, playing outside in the glorious sunshine (okay, shade, it's been over 90 degrees this week!), having lazy afternoons down at the lake, and making plans to get cows and chickens in the spring (seriously, and I'm SO excited!) - I think we can handle this.

Natalie and Carter started school today (6 minute bus ride instead of the 45 minute bus ride they had last year - HOLLA!) and I feel like there is FINALLY some semblance of routine and normalcy around here besides the fact that I say "Goodnight" to my parents before heading to bed, like I did when I was 15.

Also? Our summer flew by (did yours!?) - somehow I lost our summer bucket list somewhere in the middle of June (and by "lost" I mean purposefully disregarded it because it was depressing to think about all the things we didn't seem to be getting to while we were doing the much too adult-like job of throwing drawers full of junk stuff in boxes and duct taping them shut for the storage unit). But there was a lot that we did get to do and I'm very thankful for that (more on that later).

So anyway, friends, this is pretty much just an, "I'm back and I'm sorry for the lack-of-blogging this summer. There are no excuses. (Well, there are, but I'm too tired to make them up right now)" post.

It's good to be back, I missed you guys!