One on One

Organizing my time for each kid

Find time to spend with each kid individually can be difficult sometimes just because of time constraints and just life.

However, on this day I was super lucky and was able to spend some genuine one on one time with both the kiddos!

The hubby and I make an effort to occasionally (like once a year if we are lucky) to take each kid out by themselves and make it their special date. Our kids are so close in age neither one of them knows life without the other nor what it is like to get that individualized attention.

Haley and I hit up the nail salon to get some much needed wanted pedis. It was SO nice! I love hanging out with her chatting about girl stuff!

Who doesn’t just LOVE Denny’s! It was about 9:30 at night and Haley was at a sleepover and the hubby was out on a bear hunt and Cody said he had been crazy pancakes and he thought me and him should hit up Denny’s.

So I said SURE WHY NOT!?  He must have caught me at a moment of weakness.  I have to drive 25 minutes each way to get there and it was late, I was tired, but I didn’t hesitate!

Yup – there is my boy! All swagger like huh? We had the best time just the two of us chatting about the day and how dad’s hunt was going.  It was so nice to enjoy his company just together.

We try to make each kid feel special individually. Some days it is tough to carve out individual or special moments for each of them.  I like to hope that the moments we do have create a lasting impression and a great memory for down the road.

Is there anything you do for each kid? I would love to hear any ideas!



This is SO hard!

This is SO hard!

It is hard to live it, it is hard to admit it, it is hard to feel these feelings!

Raising kids can be SO hard! I remember everyone telling me about the terrible two's and how teenagers will kill ya!

But I have to say that raising tweens is exhausting!

Don't get me wrong I wouldn't give it up for anything. I love my kids more than anything in this entire world. But I take my job as a mom very seriously! It seems tweens are stuck in this odd place of not being a little kid but they really haven't figured out who they are and it is so easy to fall in line to follow others (some of which we wish they wouldn't).

I know it is my job to teach them about God, life, manners, treating others the way we want to be treated.

I know it is my job to teach them how to care for themselves, how to wash dishes so they can do it when they move out, how to sweep, mop, dust so their future home is not nasty. It is my job to teach them how much laundry detergent to use to get their clothes clean but not too much to be wasteful.

I know it is my job to teach them how to feel good about themselves without seeking it from outside influences. It is my job to teach them to build self-esteem but to have internal drive to do even better!

It is my job to get the truth from them without breaking their spirit totally.

It is an exhausting job! It is my most serious job!

I understand how some parents want to check out. Is it easier to turn a blind eye? Maybe for a second but I don't believe in the end.

It is exhausting. Some times I just think, please let's make it through the day without an incident, without me having to dig to get answers, without attitude.

That is probably not going to happen. And that IS OK. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I remind myself that there is no greater gift from God than my children. What a blessing and miracle each one of them are.

Sometimes I have to repeat this several times. And sometimes I am reminded some animals eat their young.

To all my other mothers of tweens - WE WILL MAKE IT!

To all my other mothers of toddlers - WATCH OUT! 



Natural Consequences

There once was a really cool kiddo that got some really awesome glasses! He loved them so much he wore them every day all the time and his parents were so impressed and so happy that he was actually wearing his glasses.

About a week after he got the glasses he looked very panicked and confessed he couldn't find these really awesome cool Nike glasses. His mom had a slight meltdown and lost her mind for a moment and then gathered herself to get the rest of the story. Come to find out the really awesome boy had taken the glasses off and put them on the tailgate of his dad's truck while he was riding his bike. Oops he forgot to get the glasses before his dad left to go the gym! The glasses are NOWHERE to be found!

Well the mom was the least of his worries. Having to tell his dad was a completely different story. It wasn't as bad as he had built it up in his head. The momma probably reacted quicker and louder than the dad did.

The Natural Consequences are this: Mom and Dad buy cool awesome pricey glasses. Glasses get lost. The really cool kid is going to have to come up with the $200.00 to buy new glasses. Xbox 360 games - SOLD, DVD movies - SOLD, Nintendo DS - SOLD - only $40.00 left to earn to get new eyeglasses.

Natural Consequences  - that is all this momma can say!

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Non-Toxic, No Phosphates, Healthy for our Home and our Earth.

Excuse Me, Hello? I am talking to you?!

Ever had one of those moments where you have completely lost your mind? With your kids? Well, today was it for me. My oldest looked at me like I had 3 horns growing out of my head and like what in the world has happened to you?!

Seriously people, I haven't felt good. You hear me brushing my teeth and you continue to just repeat Mom, Mom......... Hey Mom.......... WHAT?!!!!

I thought I was going to lose my mind. I flipped out and was like what in the world do you want from me??!

Then after they tried to get out of my room quicker than you had ever seen, I felt terrible for how I had just over reacted.  I felt like I was going crazy, I mean I was brushing my teeth and you repeat my name I don't know how many times but when I speak to you I have to repeat the same thing like 5 times before you hear me but that is OK.

It's been a trying day that is for sure. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love my babies (I know they really aren't babies when they are this old). It's just been a rough day, but as I always tell my kids - this is a new moment so let's start it over and have a great day!

They look innocent enough? I do sure do LOVE them to pieces! Tomorrow is a new day!

Science Fair Projects

When we moved to Arizona we specifically picked the school district we are currently in after doing a lot of research trying to find the best school district and best educational opportunities. Well sometimes it can be a double edge sword because you end up having to work on projects that you personally can't stand.

For our family that is SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS!! Those 3 dreaded words!

Although it isn't our favorite time of the year we take science fair seriously and I make my kids do their own projects. I will oversee the project and help monitor the progress but they are going to do it themselves. Here is one of Haley's projects feel free to use the idea for one of your kiddos.

Haley did Acetone fingernail polish remover vs. Non- Acetone fingernail polish remover - which one works best?

She took 6 fake nails (to use humans we would have had to get special permission) and she painted each nail and painted 2 coats of the same fingernail polish on each nail. She let each nail dry the same length of time.

She then took each nail polish remover and wiped each nail in single strokes until the polish was removed and you could see the white nail underneath. She counted each stroke and documented each nail. She did 3 nails each for both types of remover since this is recommended to test the accuracy of the test.

Her board is designed to document the scientific method. She covered the board in black paper (with a little help from me) to make it stand out and look different than everyone else's.

In the end her experiment demonstrated that the Acetone fingernail polish remover worked best. What do you think?

Reading Reading and MORE Reading!

I remember when my oldest started to school. I thought in a way it was going to be a relief and free or at least not the cost of daycare.  Bwahahahahahah! I am still laughing at myself. I remember crying because I felt like a failure of a mother because I couldn't teach my kids how to properly write their ABC's.

As they got older the assignments changed and we were introduced to a reading program required by the school.  You  know, read so many books, take tests, get points = part of your grade.  This is a great program especially if you have a kid that likes to read BUT I have one that can't stand it and I have one that is slowly finding out she LOVES to read certain books.

We came up with an incentive to "make it worth their while". Other than the fact they had to do it and I expected them to do it why not give a little motivation? I mean adults are motivated right? We like raises, bonuses, extra days off for doing a good job - so kids are no different. We implemented the reading goal jar.

What a simple system huh? A glass Mason Jar.

Together the kids and I came up with incentives that they would love to have.  Some of the items maybe cost a little money and some of the items may not cost me one penny. Each kid had their own jar and we created the incentives for each kids separately and it was "prizes" that they wanted and I agreed to. Here is a list of examples of the items they kids listed, we put on small pieces of paper, and dropped in the jar folded up:

1. Friend spend the night

2. Go to the movies

3. Pick what is for dinner

4. $5.00 item of their choice at the store

5. Go to skating rink

6. Pick place to go out to eat

7. Skip responsibilities (chores) for the day

These are just some examples of what the kids would choose to put into their own jar. At my kids' school they have AR goals they have to meet. Well to get to pull from the jar my kids had to meet their AR goal.  Sometimes if they were struggling we may have alternative ways to get to pull from the reading goal jar but for the most part they had to meet their goal.

It's a simple system but as I was talking about this as I was blogging one of my kids asked if we could go back to this system. Give it a try, tweak it, change it, use it if you want. I hope it helps you help your kid(s) meet a goal they may have or you may have for them.



Beiber Fever? Will.I.Am? Are you Down With the Sickness?

Did I even spell Beiber right? Well, having kids young helps me stay "connected" to my kids, at least I think it does. I have to say that we do have some things in common, we like a lot of the same music and movies but sometimes I feel disconnected when they look at me like I have 3 eyes. BUT we try very hard to stay connected with our kids.

We have taken the kids several times to the Pumpkin Patch an hour away. This year Michael got to go with Haley's class on a field trip! I told him she will always remember her daddy going!

Watch out people! These 2 are one in the same!

Super Fun Vacation time in Phoenix

Haley and I had a great time at the Sweet 16 Party for Miley Cyrus a few years ago! Yes, I splurged and bought the tickets and it WAS worth it! We were the only ones on the entire ride!

Cody and I both got all dressed up to head out to the neighborhood Halloween party. Haley was a witch and dad was a Dr. (ignore the evil red eyes we have lol)

Having so much fun with my mini me.

Trying super hard to teach Cody his ABC's when he was 5. Trying to stay connected every was possible.

We had a blast at Metal Mulisha!

We took the kids to the Grand Canyon.

Cody and I hanging out at his 2nd Nascar Race!

Haley and I love to shop together! She goes for great deals too!

Michael and Cody love to go hunting together! Good ole country boys. They have to target shoot!

We jam it out, hang out and watch movies, take them for family activities. Trying to build memories the kids will always remember. Sometimes it's the small things that we never know that will stick. But I love making memories with our kids and I hope to stay connected by staying involved.

What sort of family activities do you do? I would love to hear about them.

Getting it Done

Some days you just have to get it done!  I took some time off while the kids were on spring break because the kids were out of school and Haley had her birthday and I had mine all in the same week. So why not take some time off to spend with the kids and just get some things done!

We started the day off with two dental cleanings at 7:40 am and followed up with a quick but thorough trip to the grocery store. We were able to get home and I was able to get all the laundry caught up as well as cleaning up some of the clutter that has accumulated through the last week.

We then headed back into town to go to the second round of appointments. I decided since I was taking some time off I was going to try to get some of the kids much needed appointments done and getting their eyes checked is one of those things we often let slide.

Cody completing the depth perception test.

Haley taking her turn at 1 or 2, 3 or 4, 5 or 6

Both kids got their eyes dilated. This is the first eye doctor I have gone too that they didn't charge us for the dilation. Turns out Cody needs some glasses for reading, video games, watching TV. Haley ended up not needing glasses this time which was the opposite from the last time we went to the eye dr.

We had a lot of fun trying on different frames.

He did really like these frames - you know big and chunky is the style now.

He was cracking us up with all his stylish faces!

We compromised with some glasses that are slightly bigger than these.

He is going to get some really cool Nike glasses that are black with lime green!

So I consider today a total success! Two mouths with super clean teeth, two sets of eyes totally checked out and a piece of mind to know that my kiddos are healthy! Being a mom is sometimes exhausting and trying to keep it all together and not forget something can sometimes be tough. But knowing that my kids are healthy and having a fun day out with them is worth all the running around and craziness!

What Did I Say??

I was so excited this morning about what I was going to blog about! I had it all planned out in my head and I wanted to share my excitement about my cleaning fairy coming today! (which let me add, for a mom's sanity it is the best thing ever and I have the best cleaning fairy ever - you know who you are!)

BUT..... while trying to get myself ready for work as well as my two tweens my plans just went flying out the window.

As I was trying to get out the door for work my oldest came walking down the steps and I said come on down. He decided to try to assert some independence and take a stand (or sit) by sitting down on the middle of the steps. I looked at him and said please come down here and he so kindly told me he didn't feel like it. Dilemma Dilemma!

WHAT DID I SAY?

Well at this point it was on. I was telling myself this isn't a power struggle. It is my house, I am the parent, he is the kid. If it was just that easy and that actually worked.

We were already discussing the fact that his Xbox would have to wait until he could bring one of his grades back up. But now I have an awesome Xbox 360 that I might just have to learn to play since it will have a new home in my bedroom.

The morning went from bad to worse when I realized while kissing him on the head goodbye that he hadn't washed his hair. In these moments I think what did I yell say? How many times have we had this same discussion? Don't get me wrong I am so happy and thrilled and I see the positive in the fact that my tweens like taking showers, they don't refuse, and it isn't a battle to actually get them in the shower. However, it seems to be an ongoing issue to get the shampoo from the bottle onto the hair (and to get the toothbrush to the teeth).

I took a deep breath and told him that I hoped he could wipe the slate clean and start his Tuesday over and have a Terrific Tuesday ( I am sure he was thinking the same thing to me), and we would discuss this mornings events later this afternoon (after he attended afterschool tutoring).

I try to remind myself it isn't their person vingeance against me and he is plotting some dirt covered, greasy hair attack against me personally. They are just simply tweens trying to find themselves, making mistakes, and thank goodness they have parents that are so willing to help them find their place when they have stepped out of line.

Who knows what this afternoon will hold and what the outcome will be. But for all of you moms that are struggling with attitudes, snubbed up noses, and kids that look at you like they want to burn a hole right through you - you are not alone. My sister often reminds me that if my kids are always happy with me, I apparently am not be doing my job. I love my kids and I love my life, I share this today because I know I am not alone in my struggles to raise 2 tweens and I hope my struggles provide you with some comfort in knowing you are not alone either.

Anyone know any fun Xbox games?

"If you have never been hated by your child you have never been a parent.  ~Bette Davis"