That Mom....

Well, yesterday turned out to be the day that I was That Mom. 

Oh, you know her.

She doesn't come to the school assemblies.
Her kids don't have the supplies they need to make a picture frame out of recycled material.
The one who lost her car rider line name tag for one of the kids....after a mere two weeks of school.
The flighty one who laughs too loud and says things without an edit button at inopportune times.

That would be me, folks. 

Every nine weeks, our elementary school has what is known as a Wildcatter Extravaganza. It is only for the 3-6th graders because I guess the little kids aren't worthy of the praise and awards they would really be stoked about unlike those too cool 6th graders who could give a rat's bum. The awards presented are basically Honor Roll awards, Perfect Attendance....you know the drill. 
Well, let me just say that through the first two years of this whole Extravaganza...I assumed it was an in school celebration/brouhaha....like a pep rally for grades. And I also assumed that means that parents did not attend.

Well, that is where I was wrong.

Parents come.

And I wasn't one of them. 

Luckily, my kids understood and didn't really mind.
Of course, this could just be their way of letting me off the hook and then sending me their therapy bills later on down the road.
But what really gets my goat is that I'm wondering what the other parents think. What is wrong with me?! Who cares what they think??

This is my daughter's last year in elementary school.

Last. Year. 

Then she moves on to the God forsaken place known as Junior High.  You know when you read that a shiver went through your body. And if junior high was a piece of cake to you may be the first to pin a rose on your nose. Like literally....pin a rose on your nose.

Junior High is all pimples and mean girls and more classes and different lunches from your friends and riding the bus which is a special kind of hell. 

But back on track......

I was going to attend all of the Wildcatter Extravaganzas this year because after that, there will be no more. 
Of course, there will still be End of the Year awards and such but nothing as fluffy and happy as an EXTRAVAGANZA.

I have not been to one! 

I have missed three of these award assemblies already.

Slacker mom alert. Slacker mom alert.

I always tell myself on Friday, after seeing the super helpful reminder post from the school on their Facebook page, that I will be there Monday. Very important. Do no forget. 

And then Monday rolls around.

Monday with all of it's hot coffee, therapeutic laundry folding, quiet house......

And I forget!!!

My brain is literally mush for some reason.

Do you want to know how I remembered.

Facebook. Stupid Facebook. Because the parents who actually make it a point to remember these things get to post pictures of their children winning these wonderful awards. And then I gasped and about dropped my coffee and then......I cried. Because I felt like an awful mother. And then my best friend sent me pictures of my sweet daughter receiving her awards because she is so stinking smart.....I felt like a failure.

So, I come to terms with the fact that I have messed up big time, again. And I move on with my day.

I sit down at the computer to pull up a recipe for dinner and guess what I find?

The paper from Griff's Science teacher showing examples of all of the fun materials we can send to class for them to make a picture frame using all recycled or reclaimed materials!
Guess what the deadline was for those materials.
Yep. Monday. 
UGH!
Seriously?!
I quickly checked his schedule on the fridge to see when his science class was.
Hours ago. That's when. 

I went into panic mode. Which always involves cleaning for some reason. So I clean my bedroom. I clean out my dresser, ridding it of pajamas and crap that has been sitting in there for way too long. I cleaned off the dust magnet known as the top of the dresser where I collected all of the buttons I could find and squirreled them away in a glass jar....JUST in case his class decided to do the actual project on Tuesday and she was just giving that deadline because parents can be slackers. But never me. :/ 

After cleaning the entire room and dusting everything in sight, I then went on to bake cookies so the kids would have nice, warm, chocolate chip cookies when they got home from school. You know, because if your mom is going to be super crappy....it would be great if she could at least make you cookies. 

I drove on to the car rider line...with my one sad name tag in the window because I lost Griffin's early on....we've gone over this.....I'm over the shame.

When Griffin gets in, I ask him how his day was. Rhys luckily stayed after school for art practice with my best friend who happens to teach there...and she even took her to get a milkshake and fries afterwards...therefore helping me without knowing it. 
I ask Griffin if they did their picture frame project today.....I'm hoping and praying he says No.
Once again, I am wrong. 
They totally did it. 
I tell him I'm so sorry, that it totally slipped my mind this weekend to get his stuff together for the project. He assures me it's okay and acts like it's no big deal. I tell him, trying to save grace, that I found a bunch of buttons because I was hoping that you wouldn't be doing the project until the next day. He tells me again that it's fine. That I can just save it for next year or even for the next kid...which leads to a whole conversation about him wanting a little brother he can pick on....not happening.
When we get home I basically trip over him trying to Vanna White the cookies I made for their after school snack.
Once again, he's unfazed.
I always make cookies.
But he's happy.
As he always is after school.
Although,  I totally asked if other kids forgot their supplies too....and he answered with "Yeah, a LOT of us."...and I silently sighed and felt like not such a horrible mother....because I'm not the ONLY ONE!
Hallelujah.
Not all of us are perfect 100% of the time. And if you are....you are a big, fat, stinking liar. 
Sorry, that was harsh. 
But for real! 

I guess maybe it wasn't such a big deal I forgot the supplies. How many times have I sent extra supplies? So, why does it bother me that Griff needed to use the "extras"?
Or maybe Rhys isn't permanently scarred because I blanked and didn't come to the assembly.
I'm a dang good mama.

I make sure my kids grow up in a happy home.
We laugh.
We eat good food.
We make fun of ourselves and each other.
We adore our dogs like they are little people.
We love music.
We love each other fiercely.

So, just to let you know.....I'm with you.

Sometimes, we really screw up.

And sometimes, we just are normal and forget things. 

Or maybe we buy our children's approval with homemade chocolate chip cookies....you know...whatever your vice is. Own it. 


You are loved, man.

Sometimes, it's nice to hear that you're normal. 

Will your kids remember family game nights, snuggling on the couch watching movies together, impromptu date nights, popcorn and apples for dinner....yes! Of course, they will.

Will they remember the one time you mess up out of the hundreds of amazing things you are purposeful and do with them throughout  their childhood? No.

Breathe, Mama.

This too shall pass. 





And I leave you with this....we are all That Mom eventually. Heck, depending on the town you're in...maybe you're always That Mom. 
The most important thing is that you are the mom God intended you to be for the kids He gave you. You might be a little nutty....like me.
You may be super Type A personality but living in a laid back city...not me.
You just might be the mom who makes it to everything because you actually write things down and remember them.....and if you are that mom I would really appreciate a post it note my way, my friend.

Here's to moms of all kinds.....may our children be happy, our homes in a little bit of disarray and laughter forever in our hearts....you are enough.

It's funny...because it's true. 

Full Moons bring out the best in me....

That was a complete lie.

My PMS is in full on crazy mode right now.

This might be made even worse by the fact that the new puppy is waking up in the middle of the night to go outside. Let me just remind everyone that I did  not want this puppy. Yet, WHO'S waking up in the middle of the night and stumbling outside into the freezing cold? ME.


I also started a new "diet" which I'm opposed to but summer is coming and those oh, so wonderful nights of cookies and milk are now attached to my stomach like a permanent muffin top. It's a shake thing....a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch. This could be the reason behind my moodiness because let me tell you, I love food.
I enjoy food. I eat slowly. I savor every meal. And now I'm supposed to drink this shake and feel satisfied? We'll see how this works.

It's cold outside. I live in Texas. I should be thankful for the cold, right?  In a few short weeks I'm sure I'll feel like I'm frying from the inside out but right now I am craving a day of nice, warm sunshine. I find myself drifting towards sunlight like a dying plant. Does a Vitamin D deficiency cause you to become confrontational? Yeah, I thought so.

We have Small Group tomorrow. Small Group is when teenage boys descend on my home with their non stop hunger. I love when they're here. I love being connected with them each week and that they know we love them and accept them even at this age when sometimes you really just want them to go into a cocoon for a while and emerge a nicer, less smellier version of themselves...we still accept them.
Hosting Small Group also means I need to clean my house. Although they are teenage boys and could care less about what my house looks like....I feel the need to clean it top to bottom. Last week, I went on strike and didn't mop the kitchen or bathroom floor at the prompting of my own teenage son who asked why I clean BEFORE they come over and make everything messy? Good point, Son.
I will still clean and hopefully mop the floor but I'm not promising anything because I am so tired right now I'm not even sure if I'm actually writing this or just dreaming about writing this.

I have a dentist appointment in the morning. I have a major phobia about dentist. Like MAJOR. I call to make an appointment and literally can't breathe. They obviously put this information in my file and tend to talk to me like a child...which I can't say I hate. because it's oddly soothing to be patted on the arm continuously while someone is drilling in your mouth. I have to put on my big girl panties and deal with it. And one way I plan on dealing with it is promising myself real food for lunch tomorrow (as soon as I have feeling in my mouth again)...and I'm talking Whataburger. Take that stupid shakes.

I will save the rest of my rants, raves and ramblings for another day because I can feel my slipping from the slope of politically correctness.

Have a great rest of the week and please pray for me that I don't have a massive panic attack at the dentist tomorrow.

Fun with Felt {Betty Lukens Felt sets review} and a bit of homeschool nervousness...

As most of my readers know....I will be homeschooling our little man this year for Kindergarten.  I am feeling such a combination of feelings about it all.  I'm excited to start something new.  I'm nervous to start something new too.  I'm a bit lost...where to start?!  I'm questioning my ability as a teacher and also pumped to gather new skills. 

This is the first review in conjunction with the new homeschooling journey.  I saw the Fun with Felt sets as a sponsor ad on one of my favorite homeschooling blogs, Confessions of a Homeschooler, and was intrigued.  It seemed like an easy activity that we could use as a teaching prop as well as something that could keep G occupied for awhile just making up his own stories.  Imagination is a wonderful thing and I encourage the kids as much as I can for them to use the one they were blessed with.  Easier said than done, of course. 

We received the Ocean scene and animals set and also the Day of the Dinosaurs set.  G picked them out after we looked online so I knew he would love them.  While waiting for them to ship he asked me every.single.day. if the mail woman was going to be bringing his "felt stuff".  When they finally arrived, he was ready to play. 

Like I mentioned before, we won't be starting homeschool until the bug kids get to school so I wasn't planning on using them as a complete educational tool just yet.  Basically, he wanted to play with them, and we would use them as a stepping stone to discuss the animals and Dino's in a fun way but not turning it into a full blown lesson. 

He loves them!  He likes that it's large and he can sit at the dining table and spread out all of his animals and play.  His sets have also migrated to his bedroom where he has some rare alone time.  They are super easy to store because they're flat, we have ours on the bookshelf in the boys' room. 

G doesn't lack imagination so it's fun to listen to him playing with his sets and living in his little world. Betty Lukens promotes the use of imagination and they want to inspire your child to use these sets as a building block to other lessons. 

I love all of the other sets they have and wouldn't mind getting a few more.  I really like the Rainforest and Space sets.  I am excited to get to know this brand and include Betty Luken's products in this blog as a great homeschool resource.  I also really dig that they have dress up sets too....paper dolls but better!

We will definitely be using the felt sets as we include the Ocean and Dinosaurs in our lesson plans and curriculum.  You don't have to be a homeschooler to use these great sets.  These work for everyday play and they even have Bible sets to use at home or even for Sunday School!

This is an exciting journey and I am happy to receive any suggestions, recommendations, helpful tips you guys may have in the whole homeschooling area.

Reality bites...

It is Wednesday but feels like Monday to me. 

It's one of those weeks where as the mom I feel a bit overwhelmed. 

You know the feeling....I'm sure of it.  If you are a woman, a wife or a mom.  You know the feeling.

A little bit grumpy, a bit peeved at things people may do and probably not that much fun to be around. 

As a stay at home mom I sometimes get the feeling that others, including my husband, may think I have all the time in the world to do anything I need to. 

I don't. 

And sometimes, I just don't want to.

There, I just word vomited all over this page.

I will now complete my day by pretending I am lying on the beach or floating in the ocean.  Maybe, I'll go lay on my bed and close my eyes and turn my sound machine on the waves setting super loud.  Do you think everyone would get the picture?

Now, as I reread this and kind of want to punch myself in the throat because it's whiny.  And complaining. 

And last night, I attended a Hat and Scarf party for a friend of mine....you've heard of her...the infamous Mrs. Holly who is an amazing teacher.  She is going through chemo for breast cancer right now.  I am amazed with how strong she is and how she is handling it all and I have no doubt that she will kick cancer's boo-tay.  So, it puts things in perspective.  For sure.

I will post this picture of my kiddos being sweet with a gorgeous backdrop to lift my spirits.

Orange Beach :)

And I will list things to look forward to this week:

-seeing an old childhood friend while she's in town with her kiddos.
-youth group pool party tomorrow (say Wha??....but I'll be hanging with some pretty cool friends while the kids drown each other play in the pool. 
-I'm going to try to sneak in an alone visit to a sweet new baby this week. 
-I intend on using my vintage bowls even more this week. 
-R and I need to catch up on Project Runway because it came on while we were out of town
-G's Tae Kwon Do has an exhibition coming up and I can't wait.  These kids are cray amazing.


Ah, I feel better now.

Thanks, friends, for letting me vent.

Enjoy the rest of your week and your reality.....

Paradise found once again...Hampton Inn and Suites in Orange Beach, Alabama

It was quite a day getting from Sandestin to Orange Beach today.  We checked out of Sandestin around 11 and headed out.  We stopped by the outlets and visited my friend J. Crew before getting to Orange Beach.  We also stopped near Ft. Walton and took some beach pics that we weren't able to take at the resort because of all the people on the beach.   

When we got closer to Orange Beach I was surprised by how white the sand is.  A white sand beach = vacation for me...and Florida is obviously not the only place for it.  Right past the Florida/Alabama line is when you hit the Orange Beach area and from what I've seen it's pretty busy around here and has lots to offer. 

Driving up to the hotel, I loved seeing that the Hampton Inn and Suites was the not a sky scraper-like condo, it was a beach hotel.  Directly on the beach, super cool and modern it is pleasing to the eye.  It's bright and happy and so is the staff!  You walk in and feel how new this place is.  Every detail has been thought of in the decor here and I am totally digging these bright colors. 

View of Hampton Inn and Suites from the beach

Lobby/hallway to pool

Dining area

Decor around the hotel

After checking in the kids were starving so we went on a search to find something for an early dinner.  There's plenty to choose from and the front desk staff had plenty of recommendations.  We wanted to get the "lay of the land" before finding something to eat so we would know what all was in the shopping center across the highway....when we started to drive across on a green light...another driver decided that he didn't like stopping at red lights...so we got hit. 

I've never been in a car accident, unless you count the minor school bus accident when I was like 10 but those are built like tanks.  The truck hit us in our back passenger side door, right where R was sitting.  I thank the good Lord above that this fender bender didn't turn out any worse.  We are all perfectly fine, if not just a little shaken up, and the car door and fender have dents but nothing that can't be fixed.  Everything on the car, including the door, is working properly.  The man who hit us immediately knew he was the one who had screwed up and even told the police officer so.  He has insurance and the police report has been typed up so we will all survive.

Now, for our vacation.....I can't wait to explore this area and this hotel even more.  The kids have been eyeing the pool like the little piranhas fish they are so I have a feeling that will be hit up very soon.  We loved dinner tonight....even after the fender bender we were all still starving.  We chose Tacky Jack's and it was a winner!  We ate bayside and it felt great out there.  It was breezy and nice and the food was amazing.  We all had burgers and fries (and their homemade chips) and were sufficiently stuffed when we got back. 

Not too stuffed to check out the beach though. 

The view from our room....beautiful.

This heron was gorgeous and he let me get so close. T and I watched him catch his dinner.

Orange Beach water tower past the dunes

Sandy toes.....

View of the pool from our room

Here's a sneak peek at our room that is also saturated with color in fun and peaceful tones.  They have done a great job keeping this room functional and spacious while fitting everything that is needed.  The desk area in the middle of the room was a brilliant idea, it's a bit of a media center with the flat screen TV that swivels where you can watch your fave shows from bed or the living area.  The comfy desk chair has come in handy for me....while writing this for you.  I noticed that there are tons of outlets in the room which for a family, especially with a teenager, this is important.  The Hampton Inn and Suites is known for it's complimentary breakfast, including waffles and it.is.good.  Who doesn't like a free breakfast?  They also are known for having rooms that are like a home away from home with a little kitchenette with a sink, small fridge and microwave and this really helps families out.  When you want a snack in the middle of the day or a cold juice box, you don't feel like walking to a grocery store or keeping a cooler iced down.  Hampton Inn and Suites is all about keeping everyone happy.  So am I.  So, the Hampton Inn and Suites and I are going to be great friends.
Hampton Inn and Suites has a lot of fun...they also love to include their guests in on the fun.  They have a promotion going on right now, Picture Perfect Alabama, where you can share certain pictures on their Facebook wall and receive prizes.  They also have another little treat for you if you write on their Facebook wall while you're here, just let them know in the lobby that you've shared the love. 

Living area (seriously cute rattan print on that sofa) and desk area

G enjoying the view from the balcony

Tomorrow B is on his own with the kids most of the day because listen up folks....I have my first real spa day planned.  I am an avid massage fan...who is not.  I love a good facial too.  But I usually don't have the time to have a full spa day all for myself. 
I'll be visiting Fusion Spa Salon in Orange Beach, an Aveda salon.  Fusion is located in The Wharf and has some wonderful options for being pampered. They have countless choices for anyone you can think of.  Who's pumped?  This girl!  I will dish all about tomorrow night.....unless I'm so relaxed I face plant into the sand when I get back.  Until then, you can always check out Fusion on Facebook and here so you can browse the treatments that you would enjoy.

You can find Hampton Inn and Suites on Facebook and Twitter, join in on the conversation!  If you have a question about the area, the hotel, the beach, the location....just ask.  Someone will get back to you, they are on top of things here. 

Can't wait to keep you guys updated.

Happy summer, peeps.

What makes you jump for joy?

Many things make me happy. 

My family.

My kids.

My dog when she sits on her bottom and has her front paws out....and she looks just like this

photo credit:Squidoo

a good movie
the jokes my kids tell me
looking at old pictures
swimming
the beach
sunshine
rainy days....

I'm pretty easy to please.

But what makes me jump for joy?

Probably when my kids all play together without fighting. 

Really, anytime that they are getting along and enjoying themselves makes me extremely happy.

Sweet pics like this can only come after moments like in this next picture....

ah, sibling love

If you would like to be inspired by some writing prompts head over to BlogHer.

Weekend. Over. (Photo a Day June 9&10)

Summertime has squelched my food budget....if I had a budget that I stuck to, which I don't.  Which screws me every single week. Once again I ended up at the grocery store on a Sunday afternoon aka the worst time ever to go to the store.  I had a list, I conquered that list and then some.  And it cost roughly 2 million bucks.
Having a teenage son is like having a cow for a pet....inside the house.  That eats non stop and then complains that we have NOTHING in the house.
Just wanted to get that out of the way.

This weekend was actually wonderful and summery.....

We had a Birthday party to go to and this was my view (photo a day #9)

G had a blast...and so did R even though she pretty much hung out beside me the whole time.  Good friends, good food....and good entertainment. 
On the subject of the entertainment....have you ever noticed how a clown or a person in costume (Chuck E. Cheese, etc) somehow turns completely sweet, well behaved children into mouthy and snippy kids? Not to the other kids but to the clown! 
How many times have you seen that giant rodent getting kicked or a clown being called names?  I really wonder why these things create these emotions in the kids.  So strange.
I guess if some guy in makeup and big shoes tried chatting me up and trying to make me laugh I might be a little confused to.

After the kids were wiped out from the party we decided it would be a good time to go clothes shopping! Great idea, right? 
No, it really was fine.  G caught about 10 minute nap on the way there so he was good while we were shopping.  It's a Town Center, so no mall just sidewalks and shops.  G snagged an amazing fedora that he now claims is his lucky hat and I'm sure it will be worn everyday until a new lucky omen is found. 
G loved crossing the street at the stop signs and he was jiving along with his new little hat on and proceeded to shake his fist at a car waiting for us to pass and say, "Hey!  I'm walking here!" in a Jersey accent that I didn't even know he possessed. 
We spent the most time in Barnes and Noble though, where I could live happily. 

And that would be the best part of the weekend.  Just G, R and me shopping around, walking, chatting, yelling at cars that were doing nothing wrong, and sitting on the floor at the bookstore and being completely and utterly happy.

Photo a day #10
best part of your weekend

R had made her way to look at other books and was finding her own happiness...within a safe distance from me of course.

I hope you all have a fantastic week. 

T has another week of strength and conditioning camp and I plan on starting my pre-vacation deep cleaning.  If you want to join a photo challenge, head over to Fat Mum Slim and click away.

Peace out, my friends!

Brothers and sisters pushing buttons, runny noses and low grade fever. Hello weekend.

G-man has been feeling awful all weekend.  He's had a low grade fever, just enough to make him feel yucky.  Yesterday, he also started to have a sore throat, runny/stuffy nose and goopy eyes.  It stinks to be sick during the summer. 
He still wants to go out and play even when he's in a horrible mood and the big kids seem to be hitting every nerve. 

I'm hoping he gets better soon because I think he's getting a touch of cabin fever.

Check out that pitiful tear....I finally managed to get him to smile after he had enough of the big kids

One of the big kids walked up....look at that face.

We did find a pretty cool little inch worm, these always remind me of Slimy on Sesame Street

T, a teen, still can't quite grasp that he's going to 8th grade

R, my soon to be 5th grader

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Memorial Day! 

Days like this.....are what make everything alright.

G has had a low grade to moderate fever since yesterday afternoon and luckily this all fell on a weekend where Daddy can help out with Mr. Sicky Pants. 

This morning, we all slept in....T didn't drag himself out of bed until around 2.  I treated myself to a pedicure because I was sick of staring at my naked toenails.  While there....my nail tech told me that my itty bitty hot pink mole on the said of my calf was considered lucky.  Not sure if this is just something she made up or it's a Vietnam thing but hey, I'll take luck anyway I can get it.

After my fortune teller visit/pedicure I was itching to keep on going for the day.  I nixed the idea of taking R to the antique shops nearby and decided we would head to "town" and finally get some more Duck Tape (duct tape or duck tape...that is the question, I found it here, and they are pretty interchangeable) because she has been on a creative kick.  We have so many duct tape wallets laying around it's not even funny.  She now has her eyes set on an Etsy shop.  We'll see.  I told her I wasn't quite sure of the demand out there in the Etsy world for another duck tape crafty pants. 

By the way.....by town....I mean 25 minutes down the road.  In Small Town, Texas, nothing is really close by unless you live in a city with more than 10k people.  So, that means that the closest Target, mall or bookstore is about 30 minutes away. We're used to it so that honestly isn't a bad drive.


R and I included The Boy in our Duck tape hunting trip and he was super pumped about stopping at Hobby Lobby.  We all had fun though despite the lack of testosterone in the store.  T managed to find a Goo Goo Bar which he hasn't had since a hurt tooth incident that called for a dentist appointment.  After Hobby Lobby, of course we had to go to Target.  We also made a stop at Chick fil A where we laughed and stuffed ourselves with waffle fries. 

We also made fun of T's hair.  He couldn't get it to go down for anything before we left the house so he had a sideways Alfalfa going on.  I promised I wouldn't post the pics on Facebook....so I'm not.  Just here.  hee hee

In Target, R found the only thing that would make her life complete.  A set of fake nails that are said to last for 7 days.  I'm not betting on it.  I can relate to this extreme need.  I used to wear my one fake nail I snagged from a carnival of some sort all the time.  It wasn't a fake nail, rather a fake top half of a finger.  Strange, I know, but it slipped on over my finger and I totally felt like a grown up with it on. 

While walking into Target, I dared T to keep a British accent the entire time we were there.  He had to keep it even if he had to ask a Target employee a question and when he had to call his Dad to ask about a video game.  He did pretty good and lasted about 35 minutes.  There was no prize...just the satisfaction of seeing people's confused faces listening to the boy who was obviously faking what he thought to be a British accent. 

So, a good day over all.  B and little man stayed home and played baseball in 30 minute intervals so he didn't get too hot.  Baseball is G's newest obsession and he has even started turning his precious baseball hat around the right way and that has not happened in the 2 years he has been sporting it.

1. R and her amazing duct tape wallet and out of control fake nails
2. Target turned library
3. The hair do of the day...and the attempt to cover the camera
4. The look over the shoulder as I faked him out, telling him a certain cute girl had just walked into Chick fil A.
5. The smile :)

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! 

Keeping up with the (internal) Jones's....life in the pressure cooker

Feeling the pressure....

If you are a parent then I can pretty much guarantee that you have succumbed to the parent pressure that seems to hover over us like a smog cloud.  We talk to our kids about peer pressure and shiver at the thought of our kids actually giving in someday.  We lecture and give examples and read books about keeping our kids feeling good about themselves and standing up to those who are pressuring them. 

But what about the parent pressure we put on each other?  I've never been a victim of some parent on a street corner trying talk me into buying the newest iWhatever yet I still feel like I'm pressured.  I haven't witnessed other parents hovering in a corner of a junior high bathroom tempting me with fliers for the best camp to send my kid to or watched another parent open up their trench coat to display the newest Abercrombie clothes to buy.  Yet, I still feel pressure and I know that I am the one doing the pressuring.

It isn't that bad with the younger kiddos, they are 5 and 10 and luckily the only thing they want more of is toys...which we can plainly see they have enough of and it's easy to say "no" and move on.  With our 13 year old, it has gotten worse as this first junior high year has gone on.  I have a feeling that because he is a boy, I have probably gotten off easier than the parents with girls this age.  Only because of the clothes....as long as his pants are long enough and his shirt fits, he'll wear it.  The only clothing issue this year would be the shoes.  He wanted a pair of Jordan's....which he promptly got for Christmas.  I'm sure next year the Jordan's will be out of the picture and a new fad will ensue.  And I know that I will get those too.

Why?  Because the shoes are the smallest of the parent pressure issue. 

Ever since he hit about 4th grade, we have been trying to make sure he is involved with every single thing he wants to be involved in.  Whether that be a sport, a camp, a group of friends, parties, dances, vacations.....it's never ending. 

There are certain things we will do every year....vacations being one of them.  I have said before, that making memories with my kids is super important.  But at what point do these memory making things become too much? 

Our teenager and our 10 year old are both going to camp this year.  2 camps, as a matter of fact.  Church camp and regular camp.  Both camps will be a few days away and both camps are a few hundred bucks.  T will also be attending the Auburn Soccer Camp after our family vacation. 

We are already trying to plan for next summer while we're at it!  I was introduced to the EF Tours a few months back and the Summer 2013 trip to Italy sounded like an amazing experience for T and I both.  There goes a few thousand dollars....each.  Just last night, T was offered to go in on another trip with EF to Washington DC and New York.  He also expressed that he would love to go to Cambodia for a mission trip that summer. 

He will be in 8th grade next year.  8th grade!  I see the ridiculousness of this, yet I still feel the need to figure it all out somehow.  He doesn't need to go anywhere next summer but I pressure myself into these crazy ideas that we can handle it all.  And he's so up in the air, as most teenagers, that I don't think he is even focused on one of those trips.  Did I mention that next summer will be our 15th wedding anniversary? 

15 years is HUGE.  I have always wanted us to go somewhere really nice for our 15th anniversary.  All of us, as a family.  Which would be virtually impossible while also sending our teenager around the world. 

This seems easy.....15th wedding anniversary only comes once.  T will have plenty of time to travel and experience these wonderful things. 

But sometimes, telling your kid no can be so hard.  And this is why this generation is spoiled rotten with impossible expectations...we are raising them this way.

I feel the need to fit everything in when really I should be focusing one making one thing really count. 

Running everywhere, making sure everyone is included, that they can be at every party, every concert, every movie opening night...is just crazy talk. Yet, we all are fully fluent in that crazy language.

I need to pray for more confidence and strength in my parenting. 

What do you feel the most parent pressure about?


I am joining the Women Living Well blog hop for the first time today, what a wonderful thing to stumble across on days like today. 

It takes a village....{K5 Learning Review}

Every parent needs a little help when it comes to helping their children learn.  The saying is correct, it really does take a village to raise a child...and sometimes that village includes an online learning tool. 
K5 Learning is a wonderful tool to include in your everyday routine.  Your pre schooler through 5th grader takes an online assessment of reading and math skills than move on to work independently on over 3,000 lessons and activities.  All of the lessons are animated and interactive, keeping even the youngest child's attention.  Parents can have as little or as much participation as they choose, K5 Learning does a lot of the work for you.  The lessons are chosen automatically, according to the results from the assessment taken at the beginning.  Progress is tracked, just like a report card, so you can log in as a parent and see how each child is doing on their lessons and where they may need more work. K5 is extremely easy to use for both parents and kids alike. The log in page alone is easy enough for kids to manage on their own.
G, my 5 year old really enjoyed the reading activities and my 10 year old daughter liked testing herself on her math skills.  The reading for G was a great exercise for his sight words and right on point with the age level.  Both of the kids really gravitated towards the opposite things, like I said, G loved the reading and R liked the math and that's really what they stuck with.  They enjoyed what they did with K5, though. R loved challenging herself with her times table.  It kept their attention and their focus for a decent amount of time.  Plenty of time to get what they needed for the day.  In my opinion, K5 Learning makes a wonderful supplemental tool to your child's education. 
I only see K5 improving as it grows.  I would love to see K5 expand to junior high levels in the future.  It is definitely worth a try, especially with the 14 day free trial.  After the 14 day free trial K5 is still very affordable.  At $25/month or $199/year and there are great discounts for siblings, a wonderful price for an amazing program. 
The most important part of learning is using it repeatedly.  Keeping all the new things they learn up front and fresh in their minds is important, which is why I believe in K5 Learning and all that is stands for.  I stand for anything that proves to help educate a child in a positive, reaffirming way. 

Try it out and let me know what you think!  I'm sure K5 Learning would love to hear from you and they are always quick to respond to any questions.  You can always try out the sample lessons just to see what you think. 

If you are a blogger with children, you could review K5 Learning for yourself for free!  A great opportunity for any parent blogger who is shopping around for way to enrich their child/children's education. 
Mention my name or blog if you try it out, I would greatly appreciate it. 


You can find K5 Learning on Facebook and Twitter so you can pick the brains of other K5 users.