Target Friday

When we were younger, my grandfather would often take my sister and I out to do things.  Out to breakfast at the nearest donut shop, where his coffee would be spilled on my stuffed dog, and cause him to have a "spa day" when we got home.  Trips to a near by park, where we filled duck's tummies with stale bread.  No matter where where we ended up, my sister and I absolutely cherished these days...looked forward to them almost as much as Christmas!!    We felt "older".  That's all most children ever tends to want to be, "Old Enough".  Old enough to do the fun stuff.  To feel like they are just as important as the adults. 

My favorite place though?  Barnes and Noble.  These memories stand out the most in my mind.  We'd always start it off in the cafe. (Yes, Barnes and Noble Cafe... Not Starbucks.  Man, do I feel old!)  We'd take our hot chocolate over to their little bar, and shake every powdered spice on the whipped cream. A little chocolate powder.  A dash of vanilla.  Some nutmeg.  And of course, the cinnamon.  Then we were off to find a little table where we could sit and converse for a while. Whatever we felt like talking about.  Have questions about witches?  Wish Balto was really your puppy?  Concerned over the hard times your favorite book character was going through?  Nothing was off the table.  Absolutely nothing.  Once we were done with our drinks, we were off to find books.  This was our time.  As long as we stayed together, we were allowed to look at books by ourselves, while he went over a few aisles to look at his.  My sister and I felt very special.  Like we were adults.  These outings shaped our childhoods.  And trust me when I say they were shaped in the very best of ways.  My grandpa is very smart, and he knew what he was doing! That's for sure!  =)

I look at my children, and I know I want special memories for them too!  Traditions they will look back
on, and think "that was awesome, wasn't it?".  For some, it's "Family Game Night".  Others go out to dinner the same night every week.  Or maybe you're a "Family Movie Nighter".  For us, its "Target Fridays".  Target Fridays are definitely my current favorite.

Every Friday we go to Target.  The same Target.  Every Friday. Rain or Shine, it doesn't matter.  The staff in the Starbucks know my kids (yes, now it is Starbucks), and make them feel special.  The boys hand them their chocolate milk, and wait patiently to have it scanned.  Atticus' favorite spot is the big window where he points out cars as they pass by.  "RED! ANOTHER ONE!  THAT ONE'S BIG! MOMMY, A TRUCK!!!"  We love watching cars, and laughing at kids passing by.  Once Luke and I receive our drink its cookie time! The baker usually sees Atticus coming, and has cookies ready for him.  She waits patiently until Atticus asks for his cookie, and always finds it cute when he reminds her that he needs one for "his baby" too.  While the kids are munching, and slurping Luke and I get our grocery shopping done.   When the kids are out of their snacks, we stop by the deli.  The lady here also knows us and our kids, and always makes sure to leave a couple slices out of the bag for the kids to munch on.  We finish our last minute, forgotten groceries and head to the kids clothes, and toy aisles.  Let me say first, that my kids do not get a "reward" every time we go out to the store during the week.  But Fridays, Fridays are special.  Fridays they are allowed to get something.  Sometimes its new shoes.  Sometimes its a new hat.  And sometimes its a new toy.  But Fridays they are allowed to get something SMALL.  Because Friday's are special for us.  Not to mention, this also tends to create some good brother bonding when we get home.  They are both so excited about playing with their new car, or playing outside so they can wear their new hat/shoes that they tend to spend the afternoon playing together.

Fridays are a win/win for everyone.  Our routine makes grocery shopping usually go relatively stress free, and they create memories that we will all hold on to. The consistency also allows my children to know what they can expect, and creates an environment where my husband and I can catch up.  And we have some time carved out every week that we know we'll be able to spend as a family.

And I love our family. =)

It's almost always better to just say "yes"

In a world full of fears and scary possibilities, it is very easy to find yourself saying "Don't" and "No".  Don't climb that tree, you might fall! Don't ride your bike around the neighborhood, its not safe! No, you may not eat raw cookie dough, you might get salmonella!

Although all of these are sad, kids should be able to be kids, this last one is the most commonly asked by my son.  He wants... no, needs to take a huge spoonful of that cookie dough!  Seeing the opportunity to turn that "can't do" into a "can do", I went to my good friend Pinterest.  Surely another mom or two had already found the answer and pinned it. 

The link to the following recipe was broken, so I cannot give credit at this time.  However, if you believe it to be yours, please speak up. =)

Eggless Cookie Dough:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (softened)

1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup milk

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

That's it.  Just mix it together.  Voila la!  Yummy in your tummy!

My boys and I had just as much making it as we did eating it. =)

Did you always want a family so young?

Have I always wanted to have a family so young?  My answer? absolutely.  My husband's?  Absolutely not. 

My husband comes from a family where you don't have kids until you're completely settled.  His mom and dad adopted him when they were already in their 40s and knew that they had the means for him and his brother.  I come from a fairly large family.  A family that realizes the time you have today is not time you can use tomorrow.  A young family. 

My mom was very young when she had me, and you know what?  I have always been thankful.  I've been able to have meaningful conversations, go see movies, and learn to garden with my Great Grandmother.  I've been able to spend every day with my grandparents, and they are still able to do just about anything with me.  Wanna go jogging? Sure, why not!  Wanna go walk around the mall? Let's go!  Want to sit down and make a puzzle? Which one should we make? Can you help me with this bacteria model that's due tomorrow?  Get your shoes! We're going to Hobby Lobby!

And my mother?  When I hit my teen years, she hadn't forgotten what it was like to be a teen.  Her high school memories were still so fresh that she knew EXACTLY what I was going through.  It's true, more times than not my mom are more like best friends than mother/daughter... but most of the time, that's better for me.  I have someone I know I can turn to, for anything, anytime.

Now that I have kids of my own its only gotten more awesome.  Unlike many other people my age, I have a brother my son's age.  Is it weird from time to time?  Yes, no doubt.  But the other 90% of the time, its pretty fricken awesome.  My son always has someone to play with.  My mom and I can hold meaningful conversations because we're going through similar things.  It bonds my mother and I in ways I never thought possible.  And it is amazing.

What's even more amazing?  Watching my Grandmother still play with my kids.  Hop through the grocery store over every line.  Dance in the kitchen, just because we can.  To see them snuggle up to read with her on the same recliner where she held me as I cried over starting Kindergarden.

In addition, last week I also had the privilege to watch my uncle wrestle with my boys! To listen to their conversations, and receive funny pictures of them while I was out on a rare date night with my husband. My uncle has always meant so much to me, and now he's going to mean a lot to them.  This is a never ending circle of love... and I'm loving it.

We are able to be such a closely knit family.  Is it hard to have a family before we have everything laid out, and perfect?  More times than not.  But the rewards are far greater than any house a college job could buy.  And this is time I could have never could have had back.  Memories that might never have been made it I had waited 10 or so years...

Diaries always know what's in your heart. Even when you're 24.

It was one of those nights. One of those nights where you want to tear out your hair. Every. Last. Strand.  Where nothing seems to be going right.  The toddler's screaming because he just woke up from a nap.  The preschoolers are dumping out every tub of toys they can get their hands on. Your dog's getting into the trash bag full of everything you just swept up from behind the dryer.  You find the sippy cups stashed under your preschooler's bed because he didn't want to stop playing to put them in the sink. And then you turn around and your child is getting into the drawers on your bedside... the one where you keep things that you find precious. And then it happened...

He brought me my old diary.  The one I wrote in during middle school.  The one with the hearts in the corners, and my name written with Luke's last name.  It happened just at the right time. I could feel the break down rising.  But then I opened it up to find the following passage:

"Someday my dream will come true. Someday we'll be married.  We'll have a house of our own. I can see our child running down the hallway, yelling out my name.  Crying out tears that only I can wipe away because I'll be their source of comfort.  Someday.  Someday will be perfect."

That someday is today.  And today is perfect.

Sometimes we just need to remember to take a moment to be thankful for all we have.  I did marry the love of my life.  We may not own a house, but we have a house.  We have a roof over our heads.  And that house?  Its full to the brim of love and life.  Of little hands grabbing at us and wanting us to play games. To push little trains through tunnels.  To go outside and blow bubbles.  And yes, sometimes needing the comfort that only a parent can bring.  These days are to cherish.

There will be another someday.  The someday where all this time is gone.  Where they will have houses of their own.  Little voices calling for them.  And this, this will all be a memory of time gone by.  Today is what we have.  And I vow to make the most out of every moment possible.

Because one day he won't fit in this towel... My bathroom will stay clean... The toilet paper will stay in it's spot. Because one day, I'll miss this.

Everyone Needs Training Wheels At Some Point...

It starts... This new journey of mine. I've wanted to start a blog for a while, but I wasn't sure if I really wanted to.  I mean, how much personal information do you put on here.  You've got to keep your kids safe... is putting anything about them on the internet a good idea? And your thoughts, do you really want people to argue with you?  To say you're doing it wrong?  Parenthood is hard enough, right?

So for now this is still private.. because everyone needs training wheels.  That's how you learn to do anything.  How you figure out how much to lean to the right, how much to lean to the left.  Knowing that you have to balance everything if you want to stay up straight..  I'm sure there will be some skinned knees, but I also know the feeling of wind through your hair...

...so here goes nothing..