"One step forward...two steps back"

Or is it "Two steps forward, one step back"? I can not quite figure that out right now. As far as responsibilities and duties, I seem to have a difficult time finding the right balance. I suppose it all comes down to time management. Let me explain...

It seems like when my house is in good order (not perfect, but picked up and mostly clean), I am less stressed. I know this. But, it also seems like when my house is in good order, that there is less time to do school with Rylee, call a friend, catch up on my blog or email, etc. So, I set out to rectify the school issue and put aside more time to spend with Rylee. Then, dinner is late, the dishes are overflowing the sink and the same load of laundry I put in the washer at 8:00 am is still sitting in the washer.

This past Sunday night I started to get a little stuffy. I figured I was coming down with a cold. Monday I felt tired and very sneezy, but was really OK. Tuesday night I only got a couple of hours of sleep between my achy ears and head and Gracyn waking over and over. I had a fever as well as congestion and achiness all over. Matt actually stayed home from work to help care for the kids and do the necessary running around that comprises my Tuesdays. By yesterday, I felt mostly better and was fever free. I found no clean pants for Noah, so I had to dress him in a pair he had worn the day before. Don't worry...they had only been worn a few hours the day before, but it quickly became obvious we were in crisis mode as far as laundry was concerned. I had to use a big dish towel just to wipe Gracie's hands after breakfast because all the dishcloths were dirty. So, yesterday I started putting the house back in order. You ladies know how it gets when you are sick.

It seems like I can get a couple of areas of my life to really run smoothly, but then I turn around and the other areas have fallen into neglect. I feel like one of those circus acts where the guy starts spinning china plates on top of a pole. He gets one spinning, them moves on to the next, then the next. After a few moments he has to go back to the first plate to get it spinning faster again, or else the plate crashes to the ground. Every day its painfully obvious that I am NOT Super Mom or even Super Woman, for that matter. One day my kids are thriving and the house is kept up, but I have neglected to send out several birthday cards, my laundry room looks like Kilimanjaro, I have not spent any time reading my Bible or praying, and I realize with horror that I cannot remember how many days its been since my kids were bathed. Ouch...just keeping it real. I know I can not be the only one who struggles with the balance of life. Motherhood seems to find me striving to keep a tenuous balance of the different areas of my life. One day I am Super Wife, but Lousy Mom. The next day I'm Martha Stewart, but griping at the kids for tracking mud into the freshly cleaned kitchen and annoyed that once again school took a backseat to life.

I guess it comes down to this; choices. How do I choose to spend my time? I'm the first to admit that I spend too much time on the computer. I also know that I need to pray for wisdom and grace. Wisdom to know how to prioritize my day and spend my precious time, and grace to stick with that plan and manage it all. It does help to know that I am not the only one who deals with these same dilemmas. So, fellow mom's, its confession time. Let's be honest and take off out "Super Mom" cape and mask and share. Did your kid have to wear dirty clothes like mine did this past week? Do you have leftovers that are weeks,not days old in your fridge like I do? Does your yard look like a toy graveyard like mine does right this minute? Please share and make us all feel a little better...Are you brave enough to be honest and keep it real?

Overheard...

Overheard today while I was loading the washing machine with yet another load of laundry:

Rylee, to Brock, my nephew, "I really wish there were six of us kids in my family!"

Awww! I love that she wants to be part of a big family! I asked her about it to be sure I had understood her correctly, and she confirmed that she would love there to be lots of kids. What a great kid. I'm happy to hear that as its always been a desire of both Matt and I to adopt from the Foster Care system. We also would like more biological children as well, so its likely that Rylee will get her wish ; )

Baby Girls...

Reason #1 why baby girls are so much fun...



...you get to paint their itty, bitty toes with sparkly pink nail polish.

I'm feeling inspired....to sew!

I received a super frustrating call a few hours ago from someone who promised to pay me a month ago for money they owe me. While it looks like I'll be getting it (hopefully!) in a few days, I was so flabbergasted by their lack of regard and disrespectful attitude, that I literally was shaking as I got off the phone with them. To distract myself, I cleaned up the kitchen, then decided to check out some cute kids dresses on Etsy.

How cute is this little dress? These style dresses are called "pillowcase" dresses, and are sometimes literally made from vintage pillowcases. My favorites are ones like the above, with funky or whimsical patterns. I love the simplicity of the design, with the girlie embellishment of the matching bow. I did a little research and found out that they are about the easiest clothing item you can make. While I do not own my own sewing machine, my sister already gave me permission to use hers to craft some of my own matching pillowcase dresses for Rylee and Gracie. You can actually wear them year round by slipping a long sleeved shirt under the dress and pairing it with leggings or tights. You can also wear them as shirts rather than dresses, as the child grows. Just pair them up with a cute pair of capris or leggings. They are so versatile. While I'm no expert on a sewing machine, I know I can pull this off. Maybe Rylee's American Girl Doll, Jenna, will even find herself with a new dress! So, I'm envisioning cute and girlie bolts of fabric with matching ribbons, and maybe even some embellishments like ric-rac or funky buttons. The Etsy prices are great, so its almost not worth my time to make them myself, however, I have not felt "moved" to sew in years. Don't you feel inspired?

Edited to include the following: Please click on picture above to view the entire dress. I'm not sure why its only showing part...any ideas??

A new favorite song...

"By Your Side" by "Tenth Avenue North" (you can hear this on my play list in the sidebar)

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life


Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

Thoughts on George Washington's Birthday

As I glanced at the calendar yesterday morning before church, I realized it was George Washington's birthday. I mentioned it to Noah and Rylee, who are both very interested in him (perhaps because his image is found on money??). Noah said, "Wait a minute...George Washington is real?" I said, "Yes, Noah. George Washington was a real man, our first president, but he died a long time ago." Noah said, "Oh cool! Wow!"(his excitement was not over George dying, but the fact that he was real.) Perhaps in Noah's mind he was more like a super hero?

Later, after church, we had a potluck lunch. Rylee noticed that someone had brought in a large, decorated cookie cake for dessert. She wondered why someone brought it and I said it was for dessert. "Oh! They must have brought it in because they realized it was George Washington's birthday!!", she exclaimed. Too funny.

As we were gathering our things and leaving church, Noah carefully folded up his coloring sheet from Sunday School and tucked a little "note" in with it. He turned to me and said, very seriously, "This is a birthday card and a gift for George Washington." Well, if that isn't the most thoughtful thing! George Washington has gone from a make believe super hero type of a guy to a real, living person. Now, how to make him realize that George Washington was alive, but is no longer. Oh well...at least at this young age he knows who George Washington is.

Valentine's Day Fun

On Valentine's Day, we were treated to a fun party at our friend, Kristyn's house. It was wonderful to see her great family again. Her sister even brought her 5 day old son to the little party! We love those newborns. This is Kristyn's daughter, Maia, holding "Jofus", I mean Joseph. Isn't Maia a doll?



This is Kristyn's son Mekai, joining in the festivities. He's a cutie. He and Noah added some rough and tumble "boyness" to the otherwise mostly female party.



This is Gracie, Maia, and Maia's cousins. They were all hamming it up for the camera,especially Gracie.

Because our weekend was so packed, Matt and I were not able to celebrate Valentines Day then. Last night he arrives home, walks in the door and tells me to get ready to go. "Go where?" I say. "Out to dinner with me for a belated Valentine's Day dinner". "Awww...that's sweet honey, but this is the first I'm hearing about it and I have not called anyone to watch the kids." I say. "I have it all taken care of. Your sister Cindy should be here any second." As he says this, she pulls in. She even brought Happy Meals for the kids! I was relieved the house was halfway decent and picked up. I was originally going to bring Gracyn, but we decided to leave her with her siblings, and she did great. Not a peep out of her, even though she is teething. Matt and I enjoyed a really nice dinner together, without any kids. That is the first time in almost a year we have been without Gracyn, at least. As we arrive home, we hear loud laughter before we even open the door. Cindy was pulling the kids by their pant legs around the living room while they laid on blankets on the hardwood floor. They were nearly crying they were laughing so hard! So once again, Matt proves he's quite romantic, and once again, my family is there for us by letting us have a night out without kids. Sweet, huh?