First of all, for those of you who aren't pop culture junkies like me, I'll tell you that the title of this blog is a line from an old rock song by The Offspring (old being about 15 or so years ago--I think). At the beginning of the song, the lead singer says the line and then the guitars and drums hit hard. That was my morning today. Like a soft warning came the words, "gotta keep 'em separated," and then the proverbial crap hit the fan. Boom! But even in a decent-sized home with 3 floors, how do you keep 4 children away from each other?
For the sake of this blog and to prove my point, let's assign each of my children a name. Dallin can be "gasoline", Elijah "nitrous oxide" (NOS), Amelia "pure alcohol", and Felicity "rocket fuel" (these are just the most explosive substances I could think of; I always hated chemistry classes). When brought in contact with a spark, all 4 substances are totally flammable / combustible. All morning, if one my children came in close contact with another child, it was as if one was that flammable substance and the other the spark. Kaboom! Oh no, today my children could not simply be as oil and water and not mix. Nope. They had to burst into flames. By default, I became the firefighter. Funny that as a young girl I always wanted to marry a firefighter (it's that man in uniform fantasy), but never did I have the desire to be one.
Constantly putting out fires during our morning routine means that I am regularly running up and down 2 flights of stairs. That is neither an easy nor an enjoyable task for me right now!
Allow me to give you some examples of what I mean when I say sometimes I "gotta keep 'em separated", as much as they are drawn together. (Moth and the flame, anyone?). This morning Amelia wanted to give Dallin a hug. Really, what's wrong with that? Well, Dallin was having none of it. He pushed her away while Elijah grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back. Mean! Here's another example: Felicity spent much of the morning pretending to play volleyball with a balloon Dallin had blown up for her a few days ago. Great! She was leaving me alone and having a great time while not hurting herself or anyone else. Enter Amelia and Elijah who decide it would be fun to play keep-away with Felicity's balloon. What do you think happened? She screamed like a banshee, she did. If you were 3 years old, what would you have done? One more example from this morning involved Amelia reading a story book and not letting Felicity look at it at the same time. Why couldn't Felicity have looked on while Amelia read? I know not. All I know is that another fire was set.
And let's not forget the frequent fires that begin because someone didn't get the placemat, bowl, spoon, cup, etc, they wanted to eat their meal with! Those are the most fun. Not! What's next? "She's breathing my air?" "He's giving me dirty looks?" I already get complaints like, "I wanted to say the dinner prayer!" and "I wanted to sit next to Mom!" Somebody give me a break!
Lord, give me patience and compassion, and give it to me now!
Richard and I try to teach our children that someday when they are all grown they will live away from each other and miss the time when they saw one another every day. We tell them that once they have families of their own, they will call one another "friend" instead of "brother" or "sister". Of course they don't believe us now, but I have no doubt that what we say will come true. One of Richard's best friends is his little--I mean younger--brother Lawrence. They talk and text often. Lawrence still cracks Richard up. In fact, he puts me in stitches each time I talk to him, too. As for me and my sisters, we don't talk as much as we could / should, but I miss them sick and wish they both didn't live so far away. Dena is in Arizona and Juli is in California. They both have children, too, and it makes me sad that my children don't know their cousins well.
Okay. I need to stop before I get weepy, something that comes much too easily for me these days. But before I go, I want my children to know just how much I love them--challenges, obstacles, tough times and all. Furthermore, I acknowledge and recognize that childhood is a time for learning and growth, trial and error, and that as their mom it is my job to lead and guide them, holding their hands and carrying them when necessary. It is a job I am up to the challenge for. I love you Dallin, Elijah, Amelia, Felicity and Aubrielle.
Love, Cara (Mommy)
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
House Rules
Everyone has house rules such as cleaning up after yourself, being helpful, and expressing gratitude. Well, I would like to take a moment to list a permanent record of my house rules, since my family seems to keep forgetting. Yes, I'll openly admit that many of them are anal retentive, though I refuse to apologize. It's just the way I am, and the way I want to stay, too. After all, you have to admit that anal retentive persons keep a cleaner house and run a tighter ship.
Here is my list of rules, in no particular order:
01) Do your chores each day to the best of your ability, remembering that quality counts.
02) Be helpful to others, particularly those who are younger, smaller or shorter than you are.
03) If you're going to play music, play it loud!
04) Do not sit at my kitchen table and expect to eat before you have accomplished everything that is expected of you.
05) Display common courtesy.
06) Use common sense! (Richard, this includes you.)
07) Compliment others liberally and lavishly.
08) Never say "hate". Instead use "dislike" or "I don't care for".
09) Do not tattle tale.
10) Wash and flush after using the bathroom.
11) Be affectionate.
12) Be observant. (If the floor has just been mopped, don't walk across it; if someone is sad, give them a hug; if someone is sick or hurt, ask what you can do to help.)
13) If you make a mess, clean it up. We don't employ a maid.
14) Do not chew with your mouth open, speak when your mouth is full, or shovel food into your mouth as if you haven't eaten in days. No double-dipping.
15) Do not exclude anyone who wants to play with you.
16) Use kind words and do not name-call.
17) From kindergarten we learned: take turns and keep your hands and feet to yourself
18) Say "I love you" countless times a day to your friends and family members.
19) Tell Mom what sounds good for dinner.
20) Remind Mom and Tera when you have an early-release school day.
21) When vacuuming, make clean straight lines.
22) Make sure homework is done in a timely manner.
23) Do not waste your time, or the time of others.
24) Remember that dinner is only served once a day, so come when you are called.
25) No nose picking, nail biting, throat clearing, or expelling noises or smells from any part of your body.
26) Unless it is an emergency, do not interrupt a personal or telephone conversation.
27) Do not throw anything in the house!
28) Do not leave hand prints on Mom's stainless steel appliances.
29) All of President Hinckley's B's apply: (Be Grateful, Be Smart, Be Clean, Be True, Be Humble, Be Prayerful...). So do the Ten Commandments.
30) Do not waste time, money, food, electricity, water, gas, heat, soap, shampoo, etc.
31) And most importantly, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
And the list could go on, but I will spare you and my family. Ahh... I feel better now that I have gotten that off my chest. Being the type of person that I am, I will likely think of other rules I wish to add to my list--probably in the middle of the night when struck with insomnia. It's my lot in life--it's not a lot, but it's my life!
Cara
Here is my list of rules, in no particular order:
01) Do your chores each day to the best of your ability, remembering that quality counts.
02) Be helpful to others, particularly those who are younger, smaller or shorter than you are.
03) If you're going to play music, play it loud!
04) Do not sit at my kitchen table and expect to eat before you have accomplished everything that is expected of you.
05) Display common courtesy.
06) Use common sense! (Richard, this includes you.)
07) Compliment others liberally and lavishly.
08) Never say "hate". Instead use "dislike" or "I don't care for".
09) Do not tattle tale.
10) Wash and flush after using the bathroom.
11) Be affectionate.
12) Be observant. (If the floor has just been mopped, don't walk across it; if someone is sad, give them a hug; if someone is sick or hurt, ask what you can do to help.)
13) If you make a mess, clean it up. We don't employ a maid.
14) Do not chew with your mouth open, speak when your mouth is full, or shovel food into your mouth as if you haven't eaten in days. No double-dipping.
15) Do not exclude anyone who wants to play with you.
16) Use kind words and do not name-call.
17) From kindergarten we learned: take turns and keep your hands and feet to yourself
18) Say "I love you" countless times a day to your friends and family members.
19) Tell Mom what sounds good for dinner.
20) Remind Mom and Tera when you have an early-release school day.
21) When vacuuming, make clean straight lines.
22) Make sure homework is done in a timely manner.
23) Do not waste your time, or the time of others.
24) Remember that dinner is only served once a day, so come when you are called.
25) No nose picking, nail biting, throat clearing, or expelling noises or smells from any part of your body.
26) Unless it is an emergency, do not interrupt a personal or telephone conversation.
27) Do not throw anything in the house!
28) Do not leave hand prints on Mom's stainless steel appliances.
29) All of President Hinckley's B's apply: (Be Grateful, Be Smart, Be Clean, Be True, Be Humble, Be Prayerful...). So do the Ten Commandments.
30) Do not waste time, money, food, electricity, water, gas, heat, soap, shampoo, etc.
31) And most importantly, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
And the list could go on, but I will spare you and my family. Ahh... I feel better now that I have gotten that off my chest. Being the type of person that I am, I will likely think of other rules I wish to add to my list--probably in the middle of the night when struck with insomnia. It's my lot in life--it's not a lot, but it's my life!
Cara
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Cara No See Feet
Were I part of tribe somewhere, that would be my name right now, as I cannot see my feet, and haven't been able to for sometime now. You may wonder, just how important is it to see your own feet? Consider the next time you want to check to make sure your shoelaces are tied. Consider the next time you want to trim your toenails or paint them. And here's the kicker: the next time you want to zip up your high-heeled hooker boots so you can paint the town red. For these reasons and many more, it is important to be able to see your feet.
Today I am 34 weeks along in my pregnancy--6 weeks to go! Over the course of the next 6 weeks, my baby will continue to grow and put on weight at a steady pace. This I know to be true. Sometimes I wonder just how much bigger my belly can possibly get, and can my skin actually stretch any farther without ripping. Sometimes I understand when I get comments like, "Do you really only have 1 baby in there?" and "Shouldn't you have had that baby already?" and "Wow! You're huge!" When you are less than 5 feet tall and normally 100 pounds, where else is the baby gonna go but straight out front?
Tonight after family scripture study, Richard and I gathered all of the children around us in preparation for family prayer. Before we called on one of them to offer the prayer, at the suggestion of my best friend Tera, we asked each of the children to voice something specific they wanted to pray about this week. (This is a super idea because then each member of the family knows what the others are concerned about and then we can help pray for that concern). Most members of my family had concerns about me and baby Aubrielle, myself included. You see, last night upon returning home from Mom's Night Out with my girlfriends, I climbed into bed and laid down only to begin 90 minutes of contractions and difficulty breathing. It was a little scary because as much as I don't want to be pregnant anymore, I also don't want to have a premature baby. Thankfully the contractions stopped, my breathing improved, and I was able to get some sleep. Richard is convinced that the contractions were brought on mainly by my tendency to "overdo it".
Yesterday closed out a particularly hairy week for me and my family. That is the one and only reason I didn't blog for almost a week! Each day was filled with appointments with doctors and dentists, visiting teaching, being visit taught, late work nights for Richard, Relief Society Presidency responsibilities, etc. Yesterday Richard practically begged me to take it easy and leave all of the heavy housework to him. As if I could just sit around with my feet up while he attended a meeting and ran errands! No way! As an anal retentive person, I need and crave that feeling of accomplishment and a job well done. So while he was gone I got most of the house scrubbed. No sooner did he get home than we were all outside working. While I cut the hair of Richard and both boys, weeds were pulled, yards were raked, the garage swept and the dog (he's more like a horse) was bathed. Needless to say that I never sat down till I went out with my girlfriends that night. It was too much.
I am grateful that my family is sincerely concerned for me and the baby. I am pleased to not be alone. To all of you who have prayed for Aubrielle and me, I thank you. Know that I have felt the power of those prayers given on our behalf, and that I will reciprocate with much alacrity.
Since I've just swallowed an Ambien, I will bid you all goodnight before I start misspelling words or writing incomplete sentences. My closest friends would never let me outlive that!
Love, Cara
Today I am 34 weeks along in my pregnancy--6 weeks to go! Over the course of the next 6 weeks, my baby will continue to grow and put on weight at a steady pace. This I know to be true. Sometimes I wonder just how much bigger my belly can possibly get, and can my skin actually stretch any farther without ripping. Sometimes I understand when I get comments like, "Do you really only have 1 baby in there?" and "Shouldn't you have had that baby already?" and "Wow! You're huge!" When you are less than 5 feet tall and normally 100 pounds, where else is the baby gonna go but straight out front?
Tonight after family scripture study, Richard and I gathered all of the children around us in preparation for family prayer. Before we called on one of them to offer the prayer, at the suggestion of my best friend Tera, we asked each of the children to voice something specific they wanted to pray about this week. (This is a super idea because then each member of the family knows what the others are concerned about and then we can help pray for that concern). Most members of my family had concerns about me and baby Aubrielle, myself included. You see, last night upon returning home from Mom's Night Out with my girlfriends, I climbed into bed and laid down only to begin 90 minutes of contractions and difficulty breathing. It was a little scary because as much as I don't want to be pregnant anymore, I also don't want to have a premature baby. Thankfully the contractions stopped, my breathing improved, and I was able to get some sleep. Richard is convinced that the contractions were brought on mainly by my tendency to "overdo it".
Yesterday closed out a particularly hairy week for me and my family. That is the one and only reason I didn't blog for almost a week! Each day was filled with appointments with doctors and dentists, visiting teaching, being visit taught, late work nights for Richard, Relief Society Presidency responsibilities, etc. Yesterday Richard practically begged me to take it easy and leave all of the heavy housework to him. As if I could just sit around with my feet up while he attended a meeting and ran errands! No way! As an anal retentive person, I need and crave that feeling of accomplishment and a job well done. So while he was gone I got most of the house scrubbed. No sooner did he get home than we were all outside working. While I cut the hair of Richard and both boys, weeds were pulled, yards were raked, the garage swept and the dog (he's more like a horse) was bathed. Needless to say that I never sat down till I went out with my girlfriends that night. It was too much.
I am grateful that my family is sincerely concerned for me and the baby. I am pleased to not be alone. To all of you who have prayed for Aubrielle and me, I thank you. Know that I have felt the power of those prayers given on our behalf, and that I will reciprocate with much alacrity.
Since I've just swallowed an Ambien, I will bid you all goodnight before I start misspelling words or writing incomplete sentences. My closest friends would never let me outlive that!
Love, Cara
Monday, March 16, 2009
I would rather...
...scrub toilets, clean out the refrigerator, change poopy diapers, shampoo the dog, pull weeds, wash windows, etc. than go to the dentist. But that is just what I did today. Yes, it was just a routine cleaning without any fillings or (Heaven forbid!) root canals. However, I'd still rather do all of the jobs listed above than have anyone working in my mouth. I hate it! I'd even rather go for an annual visit with my gynecologist, if you know what I mean. My aversion is that bad.
So I'll openly admit that one of the worst parts about having someone working in my mouth is that it means I cannot talk. That's torture to me, as I am a rather garrulous person. Then there is the fact that you have to keep your mouth stretched open for an hour. Ouch! And let's not forget all of the scraping and picking that goes on while your mouth is open and drying out. Yuck!
My best girlfriend Tera shares my sentiments. So much so, that she claims she'd rather have a Cesarean Section than go to the dentist. Although I, too, have also had 4 Cesarean Sections, I don't know that I'd go as far as to agree. After all, each time you have a Cesarean Section, there are needles involved, and you don't want to get me started on those!
Okay. Now you all know of my severe aversion to dentists. Such is the reason I hadn't been in about 7 years until today. You think that is bad, Richard hasn't been since we got married almost 14 years ago. He's in for it, because I made him an appointment. He was none too happy about it, either. He can just grin and bear it, though, because as a man there is so much he never has to do. Am I right, ladies? I think so!
That's enough about dentists, those crazy people who stick their hands inside the mouths of strangers. Disgusting!
Cara
So I'll openly admit that one of the worst parts about having someone working in my mouth is that it means I cannot talk. That's torture to me, as I am a rather garrulous person. Then there is the fact that you have to keep your mouth stretched open for an hour. Ouch! And let's not forget all of the scraping and picking that goes on while your mouth is open and drying out. Yuck!
My best girlfriend Tera shares my sentiments. So much so, that she claims she'd rather have a Cesarean Section than go to the dentist. Although I, too, have also had 4 Cesarean Sections, I don't know that I'd go as far as to agree. After all, each time you have a Cesarean Section, there are needles involved, and you don't want to get me started on those!
Okay. Now you all know of my severe aversion to dentists. Such is the reason I hadn't been in about 7 years until today. You think that is bad, Richard hasn't been since we got married almost 14 years ago. He's in for it, because I made him an appointment. He was none too happy about it, either. He can just grin and bear it, though, because as a man there is so much he never has to do. Am I right, ladies? I think so!
That's enough about dentists, those crazy people who stick their hands inside the mouths of strangers. Disgusting!
Cara
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Mr Fix-It
That's Richard for you: Mr Fix-It, though he has been known to break things, too. Today is a good example of why I refer to my husband as such. This morning while the rest of our family was getting ready for church, Richard put a roast and potatoes in the crock pot to slow-cook for dinner. Rather than line the kitchen sink with a grocery bag before peeling the potatoes, he merely peeled them directly into the sink. He then proceeded to send the peels of 5 pounds of potatoes down the garbage disposal at once. Needless to say, the disposal was none too happy about this. You guessed it: the sink clogged up. Needless to say, I was none too happy about it, either, and I was sure to let Richard know of my feelings. After all, how can a cook survive without a functioning kitchen sink?
But it was time to leave for church. We had to go, leaving behind the smelly, disgusting mess. Upon returning home from church 4 hours later, Richard went to work trying to remedy his mistake. In the end, it was necessary for him to take the pipes apart below the sink, resulting in another mess though ultimately fixing the problem. Hooray!
Let us all extol the praises of Mr Fix-It!
In our married life, Richard has fixed, built, replaced, painted, and renovated nearly everything inside and outside our homes. And although he loves to use his power tools, the man can work the hammer! Just some of the home-improvement projects / jobs he has accomplished are (keep in mind he is completely self-taught): crown molding, wainscoting, painting, finishing a basement from concrete and insulated walls, landscaping and sprinkler systems, tiling, basic plumbing and electrical, shelf building, etc. Please note that he also does all of his best work after the rest of the family has gone to bed at night. No, he is not a Weekend Warrior. He's so much more!
Had I kept track of all the home-improvement projects Richard has done on his own through trial and error, and estimated the amount of money it has saved our family, no doubt it would be in the tens of thousands. Thank you, Mr Fix-It! For your time, talent, skill, and much more, I am so grateful that you are my husband. After all, you're a handy guy to have around!
Oh, and Mr Fix-It, I'll be sure to pay you later for your services in a way that only I can. Hee, hee!
Love, Cara
But it was time to leave for church. We had to go, leaving behind the smelly, disgusting mess. Upon returning home from church 4 hours later, Richard went to work trying to remedy his mistake. In the end, it was necessary for him to take the pipes apart below the sink, resulting in another mess though ultimately fixing the problem. Hooray!
Let us all extol the praises of Mr Fix-It!
In our married life, Richard has fixed, built, replaced, painted, and renovated nearly everything inside and outside our homes. And although he loves to use his power tools, the man can work the hammer! Just some of the home-improvement projects / jobs he has accomplished are (keep in mind he is completely self-taught): crown molding, wainscoting, painting, finishing a basement from concrete and insulated walls, landscaping and sprinkler systems, tiling, basic plumbing and electrical, shelf building, etc. Please note that he also does all of his best work after the rest of the family has gone to bed at night. No, he is not a Weekend Warrior. He's so much more!
Had I kept track of all the home-improvement projects Richard has done on his own through trial and error, and estimated the amount of money it has saved our family, no doubt it would be in the tens of thousands. Thank you, Mr Fix-It! For your time, talent, skill, and much more, I am so grateful that you are my husband. After all, you're a handy guy to have around!
Oh, and Mr Fix-It, I'll be sure to pay you later for your services in a way that only I can. Hee, hee!
Love, Cara
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The "Pile of Derby"
Huh? What on earth is a "Pile of Derby"? Well, it's more commonly known as the "Pinewood Derby", although Mimi (6 years old in a few weeks!) would disagree. The Pinewood Derby is held annually at our church building for all scouts and leaders. At the Pinewood Derby, races are held between all scouts who build a car from a kit to certain specifications. Each car is run down a track against another car, and scores are kept. In the end, cars are seated according to number of wins. Single elimination races are held until a winner is determined. The process is similar to the college basketball final 64 tournament or March Madness.
At first Elijah did really well in the races. He began by winning eight races in a row, though his car succumbed to mechanical problems in the end. Ultimately his car lost in the quarter finals. Though Dallin's car began slow, he won many races toward the end. Sadly, his car failed to make it past the first round.
Both Dallin and Elijah designed their cars, and Richard cut them out. The boys each then hollowed out the middle of their cars out and filled them with molten lead, in order to achieve the proper allowable weight. Once the cars were sanded and painted, wheels were added and adjusted. The cars were then ready to be weighed and checked in at the races. Gentlemen, start your engines!
Richard was among the three finish line judges, and one of two scorekeepers. According to him, many races had to be rerun, as they were too close to call. He says that at the Pinewood Derby, they are not blessed with replay technology, leaving all judges to their own faculties to call the winners. Richard enjoyed this job, and enjoyed the races. As a young scout himself he participated in the Pinewood Derby three years in a row as a racer. Each year he participated, he placed in the top three.
The pack leadership wanted each participant to receive a trophy of recognition for his hard work and preparation. Dallin and Elijah each received trophies: Dallin for "Most Fascinating"; Elijah for "Most Amazing". All three of my boys had a great time at the races. For the girls, there were snacks and tables to play and color at. For me it meant socializing and supervising the girls. All in all, it was a fun family activity.
No doubt we'll be there next year. Be there, or be square!
Love, Cara
At first Elijah did really well in the races. He began by winning eight races in a row, though his car succumbed to mechanical problems in the end. Ultimately his car lost in the quarter finals. Though Dallin's car began slow, he won many races toward the end. Sadly, his car failed to make it past the first round.
Both Dallin and Elijah designed their cars, and Richard cut them out. The boys each then hollowed out the middle of their cars out and filled them with molten lead, in order to achieve the proper allowable weight. Once the cars were sanded and painted, wheels were added and adjusted. The cars were then ready to be weighed and checked in at the races. Gentlemen, start your engines!
Richard was among the three finish line judges, and one of two scorekeepers. According to him, many races had to be rerun, as they were too close to call. He says that at the Pinewood Derby, they are not blessed with replay technology, leaving all judges to their own faculties to call the winners. Richard enjoyed this job, and enjoyed the races. As a young scout himself he participated in the Pinewood Derby three years in a row as a racer. Each year he participated, he placed in the top three.
The pack leadership wanted each participant to receive a trophy of recognition for his hard work and preparation. Dallin and Elijah each received trophies: Dallin for "Most Fascinating"; Elijah for "Most Amazing". All three of my boys had a great time at the races. For the girls, there were snacks and tables to play and color at. For me it meant socializing and supervising the girls. All in all, it was a fun family activity.
No doubt we'll be there next year. Be there, or be square!
Love, Cara
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wanted: A Cattle Prod
Someone get me a cattle prod so I can use it on my children! Seriously, must it take so long for them to perform their simple chores and personal hygiene routine? I'm just asking. And I'm thinking that a cattle prod would be an effective tool to a busy, multi-tasking mom like me, who must rely upon her children to not need constant reminders that time is slipping away and they best get the lead out of their behinds! Poke, poke! Get to work! Work now, play later! Timers aren't effective, neither are threats. Much to my chagrin, dangling rewards in front of their faces hasn't born fruit, either. What's an anal-retentive mom to do? (I like things done my way!)
Once Richard leaves for work each morning (about 5:30a.m.) I am on my own with four kids who must get ready for school and for the day. Meanwhile I have to take care of my own chores and personal grooming. Each morning while I shower, the old adage remains true: When the cat's away, the mice will play. Scratch that: it's true no matter what time it is in the morning or what I am doing. My kids are not stupid. Nope, in fact, they have figured out that our house offers many excellent hiding places. They have also figured out that Mom cannot be in two places at once. My kids also know for a fact that, given my current condition, I am not going to chase them through the house. Heck, lately I have a tendency to get winded just walking up a flight or two of stairs. And since I cannot see my feet, it is necessary for me to be extra cautious so as to not harm myself or my baby. A fall at this point in my pregnancy could be disastrous. My kids know this too, and thus are much quicker than I am.
Why can't my children remember to brush their teeth? Feed the dog? Put their dirty clothes in the hamper? Make their beds? Argh. Was I this helpless as a child? I must have been, and now I am paying for it. (Sorry, Mom and Dad! I get it!) Why is it that I must babysit my children every minute they are supposed to be doing their chores? And what's with the slow pace? It's reminiscent of molasses in January!
We are all up by 5:00a.m. and don't have to leave the house for school until 8:15a.m. each morning. Seems to me like enough time to get everything done, and be sure to leave the house with a full belly. At our house, the rule is that all chores and hair must done before you may sit at the kitchen table and partake of any food. Richard and I made this rule, foolishly thinking that hunger would be a powerful catalyst to get the work done and not waste time. Hah! At least half the time one or more of the kids runs out the door with a banana or a granola bar. Not ideal.
The question is, how do we solve this problem? I assure you, I have no idea. While I would like to figure it out before Aubrielle is born, I'm not counting on it. Once my baby is born I know that my mornings are going to be even crazier. The only way I'm going to get through that transition is with the help of my Heavenly Father, and I know I must ask for His help through prayer. I also know that prayer is the answer to all of my problems, concerns, frustrations, etc. Maybe I just need to be reminded from time to time.
I acknowledge that I am neither the first mom to experience parental angst, nor will I be the last. I also acknowledge that when my outlook is positive (ie: the glass is half-full) I am aware of how truly blessed I am to be the mother of four of the cutest kids ever. (Okay, so I am a little bit biased.) I also know that being a mom is simultaneously the most difficult and most rewarding job I will ever have in my life. (I could never have said that about my job at the tax and financial planning firm before I became a mom.)
I feel better now that I've vented a bit. I love my children--each and every one of them, challenges and all. Here's hoping I do my best by them, especially since that is what they deserve.
Love, Cara
Once Richard leaves for work each morning (about 5:30a.m.) I am on my own with four kids who must get ready for school and for the day. Meanwhile I have to take care of my own chores and personal grooming. Each morning while I shower, the old adage remains true: When the cat's away, the mice will play. Scratch that: it's true no matter what time it is in the morning or what I am doing. My kids are not stupid. Nope, in fact, they have figured out that our house offers many excellent hiding places. They have also figured out that Mom cannot be in two places at once. My kids also know for a fact that, given my current condition, I am not going to chase them through the house. Heck, lately I have a tendency to get winded just walking up a flight or two of stairs. And since I cannot see my feet, it is necessary for me to be extra cautious so as to not harm myself or my baby. A fall at this point in my pregnancy could be disastrous. My kids know this too, and thus are much quicker than I am.
Why can't my children remember to brush their teeth? Feed the dog? Put their dirty clothes in the hamper? Make their beds? Argh. Was I this helpless as a child? I must have been, and now I am paying for it. (Sorry, Mom and Dad! I get it!) Why is it that I must babysit my children every minute they are supposed to be doing their chores? And what's with the slow pace? It's reminiscent of molasses in January!
We are all up by 5:00a.m. and don't have to leave the house for school until 8:15a.m. each morning. Seems to me like enough time to get everything done, and be sure to leave the house with a full belly. At our house, the rule is that all chores and hair must done before you may sit at the kitchen table and partake of any food. Richard and I made this rule, foolishly thinking that hunger would be a powerful catalyst to get the work done and not waste time. Hah! At least half the time one or more of the kids runs out the door with a banana or a granola bar. Not ideal.
The question is, how do we solve this problem? I assure you, I have no idea. While I would like to figure it out before Aubrielle is born, I'm not counting on it. Once my baby is born I know that my mornings are going to be even crazier. The only way I'm going to get through that transition is with the help of my Heavenly Father, and I know I must ask for His help through prayer. I also know that prayer is the answer to all of my problems, concerns, frustrations, etc. Maybe I just need to be reminded from time to time.
I acknowledge that I am neither the first mom to experience parental angst, nor will I be the last. I also acknowledge that when my outlook is positive (ie: the glass is half-full) I am aware of how truly blessed I am to be the mother of four of the cutest kids ever. (Okay, so I am a little bit biased.) I also know that being a mom is simultaneously the most difficult and most rewarding job I will ever have in my life. (I could never have said that about my job at the tax and financial planning firm before I became a mom.)
I feel better now that I've vented a bit. I love my children--each and every one of them, challenges and all. Here's hoping I do my best by them, especially since that is what they deserve.
Love, Cara
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