Simply Put

It has been one heck of  a year for us...and it is amazing to think of all the things we have been thru, or done in this past year.  I don't think we could have possibly fit in anything else into 2009.  It was literally, jam-packed.  Although, it took us down some pretty bumpy (we're talking potholes the size of the Grand Canyon), it has also brought us to a beautiful, serene, resting spot. I could not have picked a better end to 2009.
So, here we go again.......

Every year, like people all over the world, I make a list.  For some people these lists last a week, a month or even the whole year.  I have been pretty good about setting goals in the past, that I somehow manage to meet by the end of the year.  Sure, sometimes my list seems a little wishy-washy.  Kiss my kids every single day, say I love you to my husband every night.  Easy Peasy.  Every year I resolve to do more, do less, be something.  This year, part of my list (the important part) has already been formed, spoken, and voiced to various people. 

Because, this year I realize I do the best that I can....my kids and husband know I love them.  I am a good mom, I am a good wife.  This year, in 2010 I am going to do something good for me....and in turn, my family
will also be rewarded from my resolution.

 My resolution is to SIMPLIFY my life.   The goal is to declutter the areas of my life that are weighing me down.  This will include cutting out negative people, activities that suck the life and time away from what is important to me.  I will simply eliminate things that do not add happiness to my life. 



1) Simplify socially, I will facebook socialize less, and share less with people I hardly know...I will socialize less with people who are negative and filled with drama.


2) Simplify driving- I will not answer my phone while driving. Good thing Kyle drives most of the time.

3) Simplify our eating, going back to the natural, healthy, basics...(this does not mean simpler meals like Hamburger Helper, it actually means the opposite-- more from scratch, know exactly what is in your meal kind of meals) 

4) Simplify my entertainment- Play more board games, play with my kids, play with my husband (don't be dirty, I was talking about the wii).  Really let myself forget the complexities of life, and roll on the floor with laughter with my children, without ever letting the thought of a bill that needs to be paid or a ringing phone disturb us.


5) Simplify my liquid intake.  Again, less complex drinks (wine, margaritas, beer) and more good ol' H20.  I can't bring myself to getting rid of coffee--but,it really isn't all that complex, is it?

6) Simplify my closet and my makeup case.

7) Simplify my relationships with my husband and kids- No matter what, simply Love them.


8) Simplify my scrapbooking style, so that I can catch up!

The last one is not simple, but it has to be done-- I need to find out what I want to do when my kids go off to school in less than 2 years.  Do I go back to get my masters? If so, in what?  Do I find another job teaching?  Do I change my entire career path?  Do I open my own business?  I have been a mommy for the past few years, I haven't put much thought into the next step for me...but, I do know that I am not the type to sit at home til the kids get home...

Oh, also...I hope to get re-engaged in 2010 ;)   Isn't that exciting!!



So, with this-- I give an eager "goodbye," to 2009, and I look excitedly ahead to 2010

Happy New Year.

See you in 2010.

Messy Love

I have had pretty good luck with potty training with my first being a daughter.  Then my son came--and we keep getting close, but then we slide down that slippery slope made of pullups and wipies.

2 days ago, he was quiet.  Every mother of a toddler boy, knows that when it is quiet--there  is something wrong.  So, I called for him, and he didn't answer--then I asked if he was going, "potty," in his pants--and he said from the bathroom-- "no."  But, in that shaky voice, I knew he was.  I swung open the door, thinking I would find a boy standing in the diaper, not on the toilet, doing his business. 

Instead, I found my sweet boy, pants off, sitting upon his potty, doing his business...in the potty, by himself, in the potty....WOOHOO!   (Did I mention, in the potty?!!)  He looked at me, and put his hand up, and said. "please, go now."  I understood quickly, he wanted his privacy.  After he was done, we threw him a little vocal praise party-- let him call grandma, the whole 9 yards.

Then yesterday, Jaxen told me he had to go potty, so he went into the bathroom and did not want my help.  I let him have his privacy, thinking this was the key to the potty training for him alll along.  After a little bit of time had passed, he ran to me, excitement all over his face--saying he did it- he pooped in the potty!  Again, I was happy for him, and as he walked away I saw traces of his "business" on his little cheeks.  Uh-oh.

I told him we needed to clean up a little, and we went to the bathroom together-- where I walked in on a very big, mess. ( I am trying not to use too many descriptive words, for fear of gagging).  It was smeared on the toilet seat, and on the floor.  I started to clean him up first, and as I was wiping him down-- he began to say in a soft voice, "forgive me...forgive me?"  This was the first time I have ever heard him apologize in this way, and it made me smile through my frustration.  I told him of course I forgave him.  I explained to him that if he needed help, he needed to let mommy help him, and it was okay to ask for help.  He then looked up at me, with sweet eyes, and said..."friends?"  This I have heard before, and I love it when he says it, and reaches to hold my hand as he says it.  I told him we would always be friends, no matter how big the mess. 

And, as I went to take his hand, I said..., "Is that poop on your hand."  He looked down at his right hand, and said without hesitation or embarassment, "yes."  And, then he looked at his left hand, and said..."not this one."  I had to laugh.  He saw the positive in this stinky situation, he saw no mountain (or pile of sh*%) standing in his way , to show his mommy how much he loved her and was sorry. 

How could one not learn and be humbled by this act of determination and love.  My 2 year old, "terror," full of undying, unwavering, messy love---He truly amazes and inspires me.

So, yes, Alexis was easier and less messy to potty train, but Jaxen shows me how to love in the midst of any kind of CRAP.

The Cleaning Fairy makes me so Happy, I could...

One evening I informed my daughter that she had to tidy up her room, before anything else the next morning.  She agreed, however. the next morning she slept in...for a very long time.  I thought she must be getting sick, and needed her sleep- so I let her sleep.  I took the opportunity to tidy her room for her, before she awoke.

When she did wake up, she went to her room to clean it--only to find it was already clean.  She ran downstairs, ecstatic that someone had cleaned her room for her.  The only possibly conclusion, she could come up with is that a, "cleaning fairy" must have done it while she slept. 

Being a mom, that believes in miracles-- I didn't tell her otherwise. 

2 days later, my sweet 4-year old daughter was still revelling in the amazing, "cleaning fairy."  She asked me that evening, if the cleaning fairy would clean her room again...  Being very suspicious of this question, I went to her room--to see a very big mess.  I told her that the, "cleaning fairy," may or may not come, but that maybe it would be nice to surprise her with a clean room.  So, she cleaned up her room, and crawled into bed.

As we were doing our bedtime routine, we talked about our favorite part of the day, and said our prayers:
"Dear God, thanks for sending me a cleaning fairy, and please send my mom one to help clean up my dad's stuff.  Amen."   (oops, I guess I shouldn't complain about picking up daddy's dirty clothes anymore)

Our conversation about the fairy continued:

"Do you think God will send you a cleaning fairy, mommy?"
"Yep, I am sure whatever cleaning fairy cleaned your room, will clean my room." (sneaky, huh?)

"Do you think I will ever see the fairy in real life, mommy...or, does she only come out at night?" 
hmmmm...
"Sure, sweetie, we will probably see a real fairy when we go to Disney World."
"Will we see other characters, too?"
"Yes, we will see Cinderella, Buzz Lightyear..."

My son joins the conversation
"BUZZ LIGHTYEAR???!?!?!"
"Yes, Buzz Lightyear."

"I would be so happy, so happy, I would poop."

Wait a second....

"what?"

Yep, that's what he said....

"You mean, like, you would be so happy you would poop in the potty, right?"
"right."

phew.

I can only come up with 2 reasons for this strangely funny comment from my 2 year old son.  He equates mommy's happiness of him pooping in the potty, with a high level of happiness.  Or, he would be so happy he would always poop in the potty--like a trade off.  However that comment came to be, I will laugh about it for a long time....when he is not looking of course--- ;)