Day of Thanksgiving...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I will admit, I have not been feeling very Thankful this week, and I have a bad attitude and I need to fix it. I have a slight problem when it comes to stress. Just a little one. One that causes me to freak out at the wrong times, over react to stupid things, not sleep, think of the worst possible scenarios, and eat alot of chocolate. I am finishing off a large bag of M&Ms right now as we speak.

And really its kind of stupid. I cannot control everything, but I want to.

I cannot make people get things done faster, but I want to.

I cannot plan out the next few weeks to fall exactly where I would like them too, 

when I would like them to, but I want to.

I have a slight problem with Control Issues.

It is Thanksgiving though. A time to reflect and look at all that I have, all that I have been given by my Heavenly Father. And right now, I need to. Because all I can think about is all the stress in my life, how I can't control it, and how I want to and all the other things that go along with it.

Though I am enjoying the M&Ms...

So here is my list of 10 things I am Thankful for:

1. My husband - He is my strength, and my rock. We have had difficulties and pulled through. I have had difficulties and he pulls me through. He makes myself and the kids laugh, and I will be forever grateful for that...especially with weeks like this.

2. My Gracie - she drives me absolutely bonkers...especially now that we are hitting that preteen era, but she is my sun. She is almost always so happy and carefree. She laughs at everything, and is SO GOOD with her brothers. I wish I could be more like her...that's probably why she drives me nuts!

3. My Brody - He is so smart, and kind and thoughtful...and so much like his dad. The quiet shutdown type when he's upset and mad. But the rest of the time, he is a great kid and such a great helper. He helps keep me sane from the chaos.

4. My Cooper - He is my energizer bunny, and I only wish I had enough to keep up with him. He is so silly and goofy. He keeps us all laughing. I'm also grateful for him, because, being the baby, he has reminded me of how fast time goes, and how much I need to enjoy the little things in life.

5. My House - It is warm, it is dry, it is beautiful. I am not a great decorator, but it is my home. It has our families touches everywhere, and I love that.

6. My Parents - I love my mom and dad. I am so grateful for being able to live close again, and I am so grateful for them being in my children's lives. I talk to my mom almost everyday!

7. Dustin's Parents - I am lucky and I have 2 moms and dads! I am so grateful that there are in my kids' lives as well, and that they are so helpful with them. I am so grateful for them raising the son that they did so that we have the Husband and Father that we do.

8. Our families - I'm talking brothers, sisters, aunts uncles and cousins. I am grateful for being so close to so many of them again. I love watching nieces and nephews grow up. I love having family dinners and evenings playing and enjoying together.

9. Our friends - my adopted family. I am so grateful for my friends. I am especially grateful for my friends in California, the ones who pulled me through some of the hardest times of my life, though they probably didn't even realize it! My friends are the family that I have gotten to pick!

10. Our health - We are healthy, our kids are healthy. We do not have to worry about any major medical concerns and I am forever grateful. 

I know the list is much much longer, but it would take me a LONG time to write ALL the things I am grateful for. But I'm glad I did write these things. Sometimes when life is hard, stressful and not going our way, we tend to look at all the bad stuff and forget all the good things that are happening to us. The little things that make life beautiful. The feel of the autumn breeze on your skin, the sound of my children's laughter, the smell of pumpkin pie in the oven, the taste of ice cream melting in your mouth. All the little things that make the big picture even better. All the little things that make up life. All the little things that make dealing with the stress and confusion all that much easier.

I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for all my blessings that he has given me and helped me obtain. I am thankful for friends, family and possessions that we have. For freedom and the gospel and the knowledge of the truth. For children and laughter and cool breezes and warm sun.

And for M&Ms...

Back to School

Its back to school and I am excited!!

There is a part of me that is sad, because this little dude is now in Kindergarten.

And four days a week, until lunch he will be gone from me and I will be alone in the house. 

So I am a little sad. I want him to still need me like he did when he was little. There is a part of me that wants to weep and cry because he is getting bigger, but I haven't.

I am sad that they are growing up, and that time just slips by so fast, but I am excited for the time by myself. And that makes me feels bad. It makes me feel a little selfish. Especially when I hear of parents that can't bear to watch their kids go off to school. They are so upset and sad that they are sending their kids out on their own, they actually cry. And then I feel bad, because I have a huge grin on my face.

I was a little teary when the other two went to school for the first time. Gracie was the first and ALL DAY kindergarten so maybe a little more understandable. 

And Brody was just so quiet and shy and I was worried about him making new friends and speaking up for himself in class. I was wrong on both parts...

But little dude is just so excited, I have to be excited for him, and I am sad, but also ecstatic that I have the morning to myself...4 mornings a week...

I get to run and not worry about being home. I get to clean and not have someone follow me and ask me when I will be done. I can read through blogs and emails and not feel guilty about being on the computer. I can write, blog, read as much as I want and not feel bad because there is no one around.

Does this make me a bad mother? Because I'm not sitting at home crying because my baby is at school? Because I have no one here that needs me ALL THE TIME? 

I sometimes think it does and I feel bad that I get excited for my kids to go back to school. 

I have to remember that everyone is different. And everyone deals with things differently. Just because I'm not weepy, doesn't mean I don't love my kids any less. I have to pick him up in a half hour and I am SO PUMPED to listen to him tell me about his FIRST DAY!! I get anxious when the other two are late coming home after school because I haven't seen them all day (especially when they don't come home for lunch) I like having them home for holidays and summer...

But...

I also like time for me. And I like alone me time. 

Hence, why my kids go to bed at 8. I like quiet in the evenings.

I need that time to recharge. I start getting cranky and agitated at about 9:30 pm so if the kids are still up pushing my buttons its not pretty. I NEED that time for ME.

So I can be a BETTER MOM.

So these mornings will be great. Because I will have the time for me, to get some of the stuff done that is harder, or at least not as enjoyable, when the kids are around. Time to recharge and get ready for the afternoons and evenings that are starting to fill up with Play dates, Sports, Dance and Homework.

I have to remember that it doesn't make me a bad mom, because I'm taking care of myself.

So I can take better care of my kids.

Jamie and Jody are moving!!

It was the last time these Yahoos would be together for a while so we needed a BIG picture of them!!

Jamie and Jody and Wyatt and Cole moved to Houston, Texas! Ya for them, Sad for us...

So they came for a few days before their big drive down there. I'm so glad. It is so nice to spend time with family, and the kids had a great time. 

You know, I will miss them, but I'm excited to be able to go see them as well.

 I've never been to Texas, so this gives me a whole new area to discover!! 

And, its a lot warmer there in the winter, so now we have a winter destination 

and a GREAT excuse to go!

I have to go to Texas, I have to see my nephews!!

And I will admit, there are a lot of things I miss down there, so I am even a slight bit jealous.

 Especially the Mexican food. I can only imagine it is SOOO good in Texas! 

Oh, and the fact that it doesn't snow...I hate shoveling the walk!

So we will miss them. But so happy for this opportunity for them. 

Wyatt and Cole are sad, but excited as well. They have a pool in the backyard! Who wouldn't love that!

So, til next summer, Godlonton family, we love you and will miss you, 

but wish you all the best in your new adventure. 

And we hope to be able to spend many adventures with you in your new home!!

 

Thrifty Thursday...Homemade Cleaners

So, I gave myself the challenge of blogging more. It is my 'Journal' in a way and with making the blog books, I'm hoping this keeps as a great record of our family for my kids to enjoy in the future. That being said, I hope I can add a few tid bits of advice I am learning on MY adventure of being a wife and mother. So, I am starting 'Thrifty Thursdays' with my tips on how I save a little money for my family by being a SAHM (Stay at Home Mom).

This first post is about Homemade cleaners. I am fairly OCD about my house, but not crazy. I actually don't like to clean, but its a necessary job. Since I have been a wife for 12 years, I have done ALOT of cleaning. I've learned a few things:

1. ALL cleaning takes work. Elbow Grease is usually the best cleaning method!!

2. I found that I HATED commercial cleaners because they never seemed to rinse properly off surfaces, and the smell nearly did me in.

3. Many things in your kitchen work just as good and don't smell near as bad.

I am not an ORGANIC person, nor am I one to worry obsessively about what chemicals are in my home. But when I figured out that these Kitchen type ingredients worked just as well, and were WAY cheaper, I haven't looked back!

My first experience with 'Natural' cleaners was actually Bubble Bath from Avon. My Mom used in to wash walls. It smelled great, cleaned well and made the walls nice and shiny! Now this isn't a 'Natural' cleaner by any means, but much more gentle than others. And so I tried it on a few other things. I found it to be great on the tub to get rid of the 'ring' on soap scum. And when my kids started wanting to help around the house. I didn't hesitate fo them to stick their hands in the bucket and wash things.

Next it was Vinegar. My mom always said vinegar water and newspapers made the best window cleaner. I tried it, and then on my mirrors. I then did a little research online and found that vinegar has been used as a natural cleaner for years!! So I started using it as my All-Purpose cleaner. Just a large spray bottle 1/3 full of vinegar and the rest with water. Now, my daughter doesn't care for the smell, but it dissipates quickly once its dried. And it works on everything and leaves every surface nice and shiny. I did try this thing I seen on Pinterest, where you take Orange Peels and let them sit in Vinegar for a few days, then use that vinegar with the water for the cleaner. It does have a better smell and it cleaned well, but you can't use in on windows or mirrors, because it has just a touch of orange oil from the peel so it leaves a residue behind that you see on glass surfaces. 

With my research I found lots of other ideas to help around the house. 

Baking Soda works great on stains, and as a scrub. I use it on the tub or shower when they are super scummy. It does leave a film if you are not careful, so you need to rinse well!

Vinegar - windows, mirrors, floors, surfaces. And my kids like spraying the baking soda and watching it fizz! I haven't tried it, but its supposed to work as a fabric softener as well.

Borax - is a natural deodorizer. I don't use it often, because they don't recommend it on the skin for too long, but sometimes in the laundry it helps.

Bleach - is a chemical, but it is natural. You can't use too much, but I like it for after a sickness has passed through the house. A splash of bleach in a bucket of hot water helps ease my mind of the germiness!

Rubbing Alcohol and Hydrogen Peroxide - Again, a natural chemical. A little Rubbing Alcohol in the vinegar cleaner really makes things shine and disinfects. Hydrogen Peroxide is a great stain remover when mixed with Baking Soda, and it also disinfects. 

The Natural Chemicals are not great in large amounts, but, when used in cleaning, small amounts are ok. At least I can pronounce the ingredients!!

So this is how I clean my house. I have had a few looks from some people when I talk about it. I'm sure they think my house is not 'CLEAN' because I don't use Mr. Clean or Pinesol or whatever else is out there to clean the house. And its not for everyone. You have to take the time to mix it up. And sometimes its a little extra elbow grease for some things. But they work. And I don't worry about what my kids are getting there hands into when they are helping around the house. Or what little hands might get into if they find the cleaning cupboard! 

Next time, I'll tell you how I went Homemade with Laundry and Dishwasher detergent! I honestly don't know if I will ever by Detergent again!!

Happy Birthday Brody!!

This dude is now 8!!

Crazy right?!

I mean this is him when he was born, how can he be so big already!?!

Just look at that little bundle of blue...

We always joke that Brody is our good kid. He is a little more quiet than our other two kids, and he is the first one to listen and obey when he is asked to do something.

He loves sports. Any sports. He loves to watch any sport on tv. When we would go to the Angels games, even at age of four, he would pretty much sit and watch a whole ball game and ask questions about what was going on. He loves watching hockey on tv.

And he loves to play sports too. 

Especially hockey!

This child is most like his two parents than the other two. Both Dustin and I were quite calm children, as is Brody. He is also alot like his mother, because he worries alot, and is always concerned about what is going on and what others will think. Its good in some ways, others its not!

And he's most like his dad in the fact that, when he is upset or mad, you just have to let him be. I am always trying to get him to talk about what is upsetting him, and his dad just says:

 "Let him be, he will come around."

And sure enough he does. He just needs a little space and time like dad.

He is such a smart kid. He can read chapter books and do math in his head. He does very well at school and we have really noticed an increase in his self confidence this year. He is a little more out spoken and is really showing his opinion! I am glad, but sometimes I miss my quiet child, when the outspoken smart aleck comes to town every once in a while!

Like the other day, he was really speaking out, getting a little snarky and I said he had better watch it or I was going to get mad, and he says to me:

"You can't get mad at me, I'm the good kid!"

You are a good kid Brody, and I love you so much. I am so proud of all you can do and all you are willing to do to help out around the house. I know you are going to do amazing things someday and although I want you to stay little forever, I can't wait to watch you shine!!