Kids.......

Kids.....oh my sweet little kids, I love you more than you'll ever know. I wish I could say that I completely understand you all the time (because let's face it, I'm your mom and I should know right?!) but, the fact is.......I don't. I so badly wish I could go into your little minds and figure out your thinking and why you do what you do. I wish I could figure out why my adorable, sweet little son feels the need to run up to me and say, "Hey mom, take this!", while bending over with his little tush and farting and running away (can we just say, gross!) Now mind you he is only four and at his age farting is amazing and fascinating to him. And I know I'm not the only mom that has a kid that thinks farting is awesome, as my daycare kids feel the need to tell me every time that they do it. But kids are fascinating to watch that's for sure and they are also hilarious to watch. I just wish I could figure them out!

So I'm still learning about the weird things kids do, as most parents probably are, and almost every day they do something that leaves me with the deer in the headlights look. For example.....look at these blocks and capes.....

They look exactly the same don't they?! But oh no.....I guarantee that they are not the same. You see the ones on the right were in someone else's hand, being played with, so therefore that makes that toy (which is the exact same as the other) WAY more important then the one on the left. Anyone else just completely astonished about this?! I mean no matter what I say or do to convince the child (the one that is screaming and crying because they want the "cool" toy) that it's the exact same toy, they will never be convinced.  That would be like me going into a store and I see someone in the aisle with the product that I'm going for. Just doing the weird grown up thing, holding it in our hands and reading everything about it before we make the decision to buy it (we are all guilty of this) and I come up and take it from them because they touched it and so therefore it has to be WAY better then the one on the shelf right?! Well of course we wouldn't (well I hope that you wouldn't do that). And I know, we as adults wouldn't think to do that, but why is it that kids do this over almost everything!? Does the other toy have magical special powers? Is it that in some way the kids are secretly jealous that the other child made something way cooler?! Whatever it is that goes through those little tiny minds when they do this, I wish I could figure it out! I wish I could somehow make a collar that reads their minds, you know like the collar for Dug the talking dog wears in the Movie Up? Wouldn't that be awesome???!! But instead the only way I found to resolve the issue was to ask the child (in this case, the child with the way cooler version of the toy) if they wanted the other one (you know the exact same replica) and switch......doesn't sound easy does it. But what would you know....it worked! The kids switched the toys and in some odd way the world is fine again! I mean what just happened??

Like I said I wish I could totally understand why kids do things and why they are at sometimes a little complicated. But then again if I knew how to really understand them, then life wouldn't be full of craziness and fun right?! Although I'll admit, I would go through a lot less wine. But none the less I sometimes enjoy the chaos and silly crazy things they do (even though I want to pull my hair out and possibly start wearing a gas mask due to Riley), but it makes me laugh and therefore that makes me HAPPY! So the lesson I learn every time the kids are just the slightest bit crazy is to sit back and laugh (that and have a glass of wine), as they are silly tiny humans and let's just face it, they are the best tiny humans in the world!

Seasons of life......for some reason I keep hearing this phrase and also find myself giving this advice to friends. But yet this is so true! We are all in a season of our lives and everyone's season will look different. For instance your season of life may be starting a new job, finishing your senior year in college, moving to a new city or state, having a newborn, starting a new life being married or even just finding yourself in a complete rut. Whatever your season is just know that it's just that, a season...it won't last forever and it will change just as seasons do.

I found myself really pondering on this thought as we did some furniture shopping this weekend. As we sat there, we were faced with a reality of getting either a leather couch (that let's face it, it's easier to keep clean with kids) or a fabric sofa (with in all reality the possibility of having crusted little boogies on it from the kids). I sat there really thinking if I really knew what this phrase meant to myself. I'll admit i'm no expert in this area but I do know I've learned a lot over the years and through my own experiences with the phrase. I've learned to let things go and not to hold onto everything bad or bitter in my life. I've learned that what I may really want, may not be a reality for awhile. For example the fact that I would love for my house to look like a picture from a magazine (but let's face it who wouldn't!) but that's just not our season right now. Our season is most definitely that our home is most functional and kid friendly. That our sweet little home is more based on my job (having to run a daycare in the living room and main area of the house) and that in this season we are giving up some of our space in order to run my business. We are in the season of life that is based around kids. Everything we do is based on our kids and putting them first and having fun!

As I went through my week I found this "season of life" phrase running through my head. I tried to sit back and observe everything, everything from the way I found myself thinking about life, the piles of laundry that need to be done, the cleaning that is eagerly awaiting for me and the way the kids play. As a mom and like all moms you know that your kids grow up way to fast! Elise was home from school two days this past week and I realized she's not such a little girl anymore. Even though she's only 7, she displays a little "grown up" personalty. She's not always a fan of having a house full of kids around while she's home and already tends to do the teenager thing of resorting to her room all day. Although there are times where she becomes a child again and plays outside with the others and colors to her hearts content. Although I'm not ready for her to really grow up, for her this is her "season of life". I often look at her and remember the sweet little baby girl I brought home. But she's not so little anymore and although I'll always hold onto those memories, I have to jump into this season of life with her before this to passes way to fast and changes.

As I continued to ponder this thought all week, I am too, in a new season of life with just being newly married. My sweet little family is in this new season together as we all learn and grow with the season. We may not have all the answers to this season that we are in, but we have to remind ourselves that it won't last forever as seasons come and seasons go. We get through them by having high hopes and dreams for the future. We hope to one day have our dream home that really does function well for our families needs and that one day I won't have to work as much so that I can spend more time with the kids. But for now we are content with the way things are as we can't rush this season. We just have to embrace it and enjoy the season we are in. Enjoy it by making sure we are spending time with the kids and making new traditions with them that they will remember, having fun and laughing at dinner, being silly and not serious all the time (Brandon is a pro at this, while I'll admit, I'm still learning) and making time for each other. Making it a point that we have date nights and not just date nights by ourselves but with friends. To make fun days with the kids so that they won't remember me as the mom who is always telling them to clean up their mess. We need to just sit back and let life happen.

It took me a long time to really understand it, but by the end of the week, I'll admit, I felt much better. I was able to look back at the week and truly feel comfortable with my new season of life. Ready to embark on this new season and just live life with a new perspective. Living my life with a daily reminder that this won't last forever so I need to embrace it and remember every moment and make the most out of it. Hold onto everything (even if it's not what I had planned). Because a season is just that, a season, it won't last forever as it will change just as season's do.

I remember hearing this song way back in high school and every now and then it comes up in my head. After listening to it again it's a perfect fit for our new season of life.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiPvNnJyfLPAhVLTCYKHTFyDZkQyCkIHjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWNRHYMIZF_k&usg=AFQjCNGUcZR6hYrdDU2fxEwLFB5jhV1SNg&sig2=Xr6PbQsDERvtOPgI7XtDyA&bvm=bv.136593572,d.eWE

My new Journey

Welcome to my Journey, my new journey and a fresh start on life.  I've recently gotten married to my high school sweetheart and the Love of my Life! We were married on Oct. 9th, 2016 and we are still reminiscing our gorgeous, dream, fantasy wedding!  Not only am I a new wife embarking on this journey with my handsome new hubby, but I'm also a mom of 2. My 2 beautiful (but also a handful) kids are Elise age 7 and Riley age 4. They are the most complete opposites personalities, as they are true girl and full on boy. We most certainly have lots of make believe and fairy tales as well as Nerf  gun wars and fighting the bad guys.  Although they can be a handful at times they are the best kids ever! And now they have the best step dad ever as they have welcomed Brandon into their lives to share all the fun and make believe that he can handle!

After having my little girl I really wanted to stay home and not work but the timing just wasn't right. So Since she was about 2 years old I've run a daycare from my home. I've continued the daycare to this day and work along with my sister. We are always getting the questions of, "how do you do what you do?" or "how do you have patience for that", but my most favorite and one we get all the time is, "how many do you have?" Well on any given day we watch a total of 11 kids ranging in the ages of 7 months to 7 years. And yes you read that right we watch 11! That does include my two kids of course though! I'll be honest some days are crazy and some are wonderful. We get through the day by laughing at the small things, picking our battles and a lot coffee! I love all my daycare kids and even though they may drive me crazy at times I wouldn't change it for the world!