Project 52 {50}

My favorite thing about you:

You need to figure things out for yourself.

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This project was all her.  From what's inside to wrapping it, to writing out the tag, curling the ribbon - Her.  She picked out the gift, the paper, the color of ribbon and the tag.  She was bent on doing it herself.  Was it perfect?  Yes.  Because I didn't have to do it, and because she succeeded in wrapping it.  She asked for help when she needed it (sometimes wrapping presents takes more than two hands, especially almost six year old hands).  

And before I get too into this, it was Christmas hat day at school - she wasn't just wearing that because she was wrapping presents, she seriously hasn't taken it off since she put it on at about 9:00 this morning. 

Both of my kids have an inherent need to do things for themselves.  Gee, I wonder where that comes from.  Yeah, I'm sure lots of kids are like this, it's kind of a kid trait.  It seems like mine have been like this from birth:  happy to figure things out - legos, writing, getting dressed...  Time permitting, I try my best to let them struggle through on their own, but dude, that's tough.  I know they need to do it for themselves, but so help me, sometimes we need to make it out the door in the next four hours.  But those times when I unleash holy patience on them and actually allow them to fight through on their own, the sense of their accomplishment is so rewarding (not just for them). 

Having patience with my kids is something I need to practice.  A lot.  I'm crappy at it.  Yes, I admitted it.  My name is Meghan, and I lack patience with my children (you can go ahead and take away this week's mom of the year prize too).  I wish things would happend when I want.  I wish they would happen how I want.  But you know what my father-in-law says about wishing? 

"You can wish in one hand and {poop} in the other and see which one fills up."  

-Glenn Roberson

And it's true.  I can wish all day long that they would figure it out, but unless I give up my do/go now schedule(every once in a while, at least), grab some patience by the short hairs and hunker down, they'll never learn and I'll be doing it for them till the day they leave for college - and that's just fact.  So a little bit of patience on my end now, truly can go a long way.  And God willing, one day I'll never have to wrap anyone's presents but hers, because she can do it for me!

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

  

Project 52 {49}

My favorite thing about you:

You fight

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Herein lies another of those moments when you fear that I may have finally lost my marbles.  Rest assured, most marbles are in fact present and accounted for.  Today.  Yup, I like it when my kids fight.  You are permitted to ask me "Why you crazy lady, WHY?!".  Well for one, because when they do it with one another, they're not doing it with me.  But also because they take nothing from each other.  Yes, they get physical sometimes (okay, about 50%), and that's (usually) when I step in (hey, I lost Mother of the Year long ago - I might as well shoot for meanest).  Lastly, some of their fights are just down right entertaining to me (until they get whiney).  

This week we have finally begun teaching the boy that it's never, okay to hit a girl.  No, not even your sister.  I know.  She can't hit him either, but it's a total double standard because if he hits first, she can absolutely whale back.  And she does.  But that's the end.  It's never allowed the other way around.  Like I said: Double Standard.  But it's important to drill home respect of the women in your lives and while it starts with modeling behavior at home, and reiterating that montessori phrase:  "USE. YOUR. WORDS." it comes down to the fact that she's a girl and you never, ever lay a hand on one.  Did I say ever?  Ever.  So there.

So, here's what this all boils down to:  Fighting is fine.  You can fight over what color the towels are, the fact that one of you always cleans up more than the other, or even that the other is sitting too close and breathing on you (yes, they've fought about this).  You may not use your hands, feet or other body parts.  Fighting is healthy communication when done the right way.  Though if we continue on this path, I'm investing in a few of those giant sumo suits and a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots set.  We'll start settling stuff my way...

Saturday night we took the kids to the Electric Safari, we came around the corner and saw the fighting kangaroos.  Jeff says "Look!  It's Haley & Kale!" So they stood over it and played around with each other.  I stood there and took the picture.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {48}

My favorite thing about you:

You're game.

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Got some hair-brained awesome idea?  Talk to my kids.  They're up for it.  Can you sell it as "Quite possibly the greatest thing they'll ever do.  In their entire lives!"?  Totally game.  My kids are most definitely "yes" people.  At almost 6 and 4.5 years old, my kids think little about their decisions.  And that's great.  They don't consider their limitations, because at that age, lets be honest:  The only thing that could possibly hold them back is their size.  We have little concept of the "Risk of life or limb" idea.  And while I'm sure that running with the bulls, or skydiving would be really great, I am not one of those people.  I strive to be, but sometimes I just want to sit in the house with my covers pulled up to my chin and watch a little television.  

We talked a bit this week about the idea of courage, and that's something my kids have in spades. We're not a family who believes in a lot of fear (though, as a mother, I have enough for all four of us.  Times infinity.  But never let them see you scared).  We dismiss the idea of being afraid of the dark.  Rather, if it's something that makes you uncomfortable; fix it.  Turn the bathroom light on yourself.  Don't like the thunder?  Lets find a way to make it less scary - discuss how it occurs, a way to think or rationalize around it.  Things you understand are far less threatening.  Afraid that you physically can't do something?  Most of the time the worst thing that can happen is that you can't and with a little practice, that can change.  Being afraid of failure is absolutely unacceptable for these two.  It's my job to make sure that they know with preparation and support anything is possible.  That's not to say that failure is unacceptable.  It absolutely is.  But to use fear as a means to keep you from even trying... nuh-uh.  

All of this to tell you that this week we went to the city's Parade of Lights with our good friends.  We all packed into my car and headed down to the madness.  It was a great time, with hot chocolate, and pretty amazing peanut butter (and jelly in a container, not on your PBJ) sandwiches.  Side note:  if you have a PB & Jellies near you:  GO!!  The kids saw a pretty well make-upped Jacob Marley, rattling his chains right at them.  Scared the crap out of them.  But with a little discussion (and distraction) before bed, we were able to talk through the fear of him.  We moved on and one fewer thing in this world for them to be afraid of.  Because, being honest again:  As they grow there will be plenty of time and things for them to be afraid of.  But if you let fear keep you from doing things, you'll never accomplish anything of greatness.  Be game for whatever life has headed your way.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {47}

My favorite thing about you is:

You're gullible.  

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Here again is where I win the "Mother of the Year" prize.  Your trust in your father and I is infallible.  I guess, as it should be.  I mean, why would a parent intentionally mislead, or (gasp) lie to their child?  Oh... Christmas time.  And a few other times (because it's just not appropriate to explain to an almost 6 year old what blood alcohol levels are, because *technically* babies really are put there by God, and because sometimes you just don't need to know the truth... yet).

So, it's Christmas time again.  And like I mentioned last week, our Elf on the Shelf: Mortimer came back.  I also explained his greatness last week as well.  But just like last year, the poor guy has barely been around a week and already he's sidelined at the North Pole.  Remember when I said I wanted to be the mom who invented him?  If I had been said mom, I would have included the clause that if you touched him he unleashed some kind of pent up vitriolic elf rage.  There would be no going back to the North Pole - I deal with these kids single handedly 365 days a year, save for when he swoops in for a month and takes on the tattling.  Is it too much to ask that he stick around for the promised month-ish?!  No slacking my little friend.  It's common knowledge that the first rule of fight club is do not talk about fight club.  And if you're on a playground anywhere in the United States, I'm pretty sure the the kids will tell you that the first rule of Elf on the Shelf is no touching the Elf on the Shelf.    

Well, the other night he brought all of our Christmas books.  He was minding his business checking out his Elf: The Movie book, when Haley was looking for one to read.  She touched the basket holding the books and accidentally knocked Mortimer over.  I imagine (because I wasn't actually there) that she reached to set him back up again, forgetting the rules, but thus touching him none the less.  To preserve the magic, the rules must be followed.  And even though I can't tell you with certainty that that's how the situation went down, I'm not dumb - and I know how this almost 6 year old operates.  

That's the thing about your kids.  You hang around them long enough and you know the words that are going to come out of their mouth, before they can even think them.  And you know how they'll react to certain things.  Except when they tell you that the lyrics to "Feliz Navidad" are absolutely not "Feliz Navidad", but are in fact "Denise Nobby Lob" or "Elise La De Da" depending on which kid you ask (but you're an idiot to think it'd be "Feliz Navidad").  Nobody can see that coming.  But I know how Haley would be in this particular situation.  Did she have good intentions?  Absolutely.  Did she honestly forget?  Yup.  But did she lie her little face off about it?  You bet.  So we had to follow through on the consequences, because the last thing you want is an almost 6 year old who starts to critically think about Christmas magic.  Yes, a few weeks ago I did say that I wanted my kids to be critical thinkers, but not this time of year.  I still need to be able to lie to them.  They need to know that Santa is real.  That Mortimer really is working for the big guy.  That I really do have the big guy on speed dial just incase.  And that God really does put babies in mommies tummies.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {46}

My favorite thing about you:

You're festive.

f/2.8 ISO-200 1/10 (why it's blurry, don't look too close...)

This week we learned that one of the local radio stations is playing all day Christmas music (yes, I know, already).  And yes, we listen to it.  Save me the lectures on how it's not even Thanksgiving, I realize this.  But here's the thing.  Thanksgiving?  Not all it's cracked up to be (if you're a mom who has to manage the kids and also a turkey).  It's an excuse to eat a big honkin' meal.  Great idea America, but if it's all the same to you, I'll cook my turkey, but I'm moving straight from Halloween into Christmas.

So yes, we listen to Christmas music everywhere we go.  We talk about which ones are my favorite (Carol of the bells by anyone who does it normal, and Christmas Canon by Trans Siberian Orchestra) and which are my mom's favorite (Ann Murry's Holly and the Ivy), and which are Grandma's favorite (Celine Dion anything) and their favorites (Little Drummer Boy and anything found in a movie: Frosty, Rudolph and Santa Claus is Coming to town - a fantastic reminder this time of year but I digress).  Our Elf on the Shelf: Mortimer also showed up early (he we needed for our Christmas pictures).  And can I just tell you that I wish I was the mom who came up with that idea?!  She's an effing genius.  Yeah, that's right, I said effing on my blog.  In a Christmas post.  That's how genius she is.  I love Mortimer; coming up with ideas for him (thank you Pinterest), and just the fact that at any point in the day I can say "Mortimer, totally saw that"!  Plus, they cut back on their tattle-tailing to me by about 50% and just send it to Mortimer.  He and I are partners in crime.  I never want him to go back to the North Pole, just actually hang out here on a shelf the other 11 months of the year.

They love this time of year, and while I can say that Christmas is exclusively great, and kids are pretty awesome too, having kids at Christmas makes life worth living.  And that, my friends, is something to be thankful for.  And Mortimer.  I'm thankful for him too.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {45}

My favorite thing about you:

Your persistence  

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We have high expectations for our kids.  Really high.  I've (kind of) joked that in having Jeff and I for parents, did anyone really expect our kids to be dumb?  I mean, I first met him in our series of honors courses in 8th grade.  We took many honors and AP classes together throughout our educational career.  I can't imagine my kids not being honor students as well.  In fact, if given the choice between best kid on the (insert sport here) team, or in honors/AP courses, I'd pick the academics every time.  Life is just easier if you're not dumb.  So I work with the kids.  A lot.  My goal was to have Haley reading before she started kindergarten, and she was.  We'll do this with Kale as well.  I try my best to have intelligent conversations with them, even if we're just driving around in the car.  When they were babies we'd talk about what color something was on a walk.  I strive to use adult words with them.  They're not afraid to ask if they don't know what a word means.  I've never had to tell them what a word means more than once.  Sometimes I have to explain things a bit more simply, but they'll grasp it and down the road we can get more complex.  We don't avoid topics, and if I don't know, we ask Siri, or look it up on the computer.  I want them to understand that curiosity makes you smarter, and it's okay not to know something as long as you seek the answer to it.  

So, persistence.  Yes, I have high expectations, Haley's teacher's are higher (LOVE).  Especially when it comes to handwriting.  I'd sent Haley off knowing that she knew how to write upper and lowercase everything.  Her teacher expects perfection.  Not kindergarten perfection, real life perfection (on one of my room mom days she needed to see my handwriting before she would let me write out sentences).  Part of her phonograms is knowing all of the sounds that correspond with the letter, the other part is being able to write the letter.  She can tell you rote what each letter sound is, in the order of common use for the first 26 letters of the alphabet.  She can write each letter such that you know what letter she's shooting for.  Perfection?  We're not quite there yet.  She had a test this week on her most recent phonograms and needed to write the letters, so we drilled.  And drilled.  AND DRILLED.  She knew the sounds so I didn't focus so much on that, but we printed out many a writing sheet, and I wrote out the letters, made her copy them, gave her the dots then she had to do it all by herself.  You could see the improvement right there on the page.  She's getting there.  And she wants to do it.  She knows what's expected of her and really tries her hardest to meet those expectations.  

How will you know what you kids are able to accomplish if you don't place those high expectations on them?  And not just academically, but physically, and behaviorally.  In our house we expect academic success (even in preschool and kindergarten).  We expect them to treat their body in a healthy way, eating the right kinds of foods to help them grow, and to exercise to be strong and capable.  We expect good manners at all times.  My job (like I've said a million times on here) is to equip them to go into the world and be successful adults.  With the persistence to meet the expectations we put on them now, they'll be ready to meet them in the future as well.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {44}

My favorite thing about you:

Your stick-to-it-ivness.

Both f/2.8 ISO-100 

Kids in general are a fickle creature.  Not my kids.  When they make up their minds thats it.  Done.  It took a long long time to train them into this, but we're finally confident in our choices. It used to be, with Kale especially, they would get a choice between A and B, they'd choose A and immediately regret that decision and go with B.  Drove us nuts.  Make a decision and stick with it.  Deal with the consequences (however they may fall), and live with your choices.  Yeah, sometimes that meant drinking milk, when you meant to pick juice, but someday it could mean something a lot bigger.  I want them to be critical thinkers, really weigh the outcome of the options they've been given and when they finally make a decision move forward with confidence. Many times in life there are no do-overs.  

What in the world does this have to do with their Halloween costumes?  I'll tell you.  Haley picked this out two years ago.  She wanted to be a devil last year for Halloween, but we sat down and talked about the fact that it might be the only year she could go as Emily Elizabeth (with Atlas as Clifford the Big Red Dog), and she decided to concede, on the condition that this year she could be a Devil.  This year rolled around and months before she knew what she wanted to be (and thankfully left the details up to me).  She got some mixed reactions (here in the land of Focus on the Family) about being a devil from some pretty important people in her life, but she confidently held strong to her convictions and never once wavered in her choice.  

Kale also knew months ago that he wanted to be a ninja.  Easy choice since he is a ninja.  He'll tell you:  "It's okay, I'll protect you, I'm a ninja" comes out of his mouth nearly everyday.  So in the middle of September we were wandering through Target with Grandma and he saw this costume.  I was wary of him picking one so early, and I didn't want him to see something down the road and regret his decision.  He didn't.  Not for one second.  

Someday they'll have to pick a college to go to (God willing), and a major, a spouse.  Serious life decisions.  I want them to weigh their options, make informed choices and never for one second regret the direction they pick.  Pick what's right for them, not the pressured choice or the easy choice.  They're the ones who have to live the outcome.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {42}

My favorite thing about you is:

You're strong.

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Not necessarily physically, although to ask you, you'd say you're the strongest person in the world.  But strong in character.  To be strong in your character at this age is no small accomplishment.  You know right from wrong and in your world, it's pretty black and white.  There is good and evil, and you unfailingly fall on the side of good.  You're like a preschool superhero.  I should make you a cape.  

Everyday when we pick you up from school, we turn the music off in the car and do our best to have a good long conversation about your day.  What was your favorite part?  Was it a good day? What did you have for snack?  Did anything bother you?  With your sister this conversation almost always lasted the whole way home.  With Kale, if I can squeeze 5 minutes and anything more than one word answers, I chalk that up in the win column. The win column has very few points in it.  But Friday afternoon, you had lots to tell me.  

Here was (according to my memory) a recounting of the conversation:

Me:  So what did you do today?

Kale:  We went outside (a VERY common qualifier of a good day).

Me:  Oh yeah?  What did you do out there?

Kale:  I told *Boy* to stop teasing my buddy!

Me:  What was he doing to your buddy to tease her?

Kale:  He was saying mean words.

Me:  That's great that you saw someone being mean to another person and you told them to stop.  That's a very big boy thing to do.  It's important to stand up to people being mean to others.  Buddies or not.

Kale:  What does stand up mean?

Me:  Uhh...  You saw something you knew was wrong, and you did your best to make it right.  

Kale:  Oh, yeah.  I did that.  

I was so proud at that moment I wanted to cry.  Kale is significantly bigger than this other boy, and sometimes (at home) he forgets his words and uses his actions instead.  Jeeze, is that a montessori sentence or what?!  But this time, when it counted, he used his words and stopped the boy.  You hope as a parent that you're raising good kids.  On the whole, if I could pick the characteristics of my kids, cute and athletic would be pretty far down on the list.  Are they good people?  Hard workers?  Smart?  Do they make good choices?  That's what I'm after.  Someone, who, when I turn them loose to the big wide world, will contribute to the greater good.  Productive members of society.  Now, here's where I jinx myself:  I think we're on the right track.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {41}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your smile.

f/2.8 1/50 ISO-250                                                f/1.8 1/50 ISO-250

I drug my feet on what I was going to do for the Project 52 this week.  Nothing was really striking me.  All week we'd be working on this tooth.  Oh, this tooth!  It was loose, really loose, like nearly 180 degrees of lateral wiggle.  Here's how the conversations between the two of us went:

Haley:  Mommy, my tooth is so loose!  Look!  LOOK!

Me:  Let me see (reach my hand into her mouth to check on the wiggle).  [Side note:  Every time I would tell her Wiggle - my word vomit would continue Wiggle wiggle YEAH! - my brain is telling me that it's probably inappropriate to sing "I'm Sexy and I Know it" lyrics to my 5 year old, but I JUST. CAN'T.  STOP.  MYSELF.]

Haley: SEE?!  It's SO LOOSE!

Me:  SO JUST PULL IT OUT ALREADY!

Only we couldn't just pull it out because Jeff was gone for a chunk of this week and I knew he would want to be around for the festivities.  So it was like "Pull it out!  But don't pull too hard!"  So the tooth (literally) hung in there till Friday afternoon.  She was sitting on the couch with Jeff and he asked if she could twist it, and out it popped.  She knew she should be happy, but there were little tears just barely pricking the corner of her eyes.  

It's like she knew (as well as I did) that this was another phase in her growing up and she wasn't quite ready for it.  Truthfully, I didn't realize that I wasn't so ready for it either.  Every time I look at her, it's a different kid looking back at me.  A bigger one.  One that's missing teeth.  And that tooth that's right next to it, front and center?  That's on its way out too.  And thus begins yet another stage of growing up. 

And for the record... A) you must be financially prepared for the Tooth Fairy.  That means cash on hand.  These kids don't accept debit cards under their pillows (well... maybe, but I'm pretty sure within moments the entire American Girl store would be located in her room - and even for a first time around, that's a little excessive for the Tooth Fairy, also, I don't carry a debit card with the Tooth Fairy's name on it - and this girl can read my name.  Plot foiled.  B) She came quipped with a $5 bill folded up in the shape of a heart and a "receipt" stating:  name, date, girl, reward amount, and signed with a flourish.  One of these nights after bedtime, I'll design up something fancy, but for now, this served the purpose. 

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.  

Project 52 {40}

My favorite thing about you is:

You're cheerful.

Learned a lesson in uploading photos to the new computer this week.  

There is so much that I love about this picture.  First of all... her calves - Jeeze!  I bet that comes from all of her cross country as of late.  Second of all, the look on the other kids' faces; pure awe.  And they should be in awe of her, look at how high that kick is!  

So last week I spoke of how being active was important to our family.  Cheer camp was part of that, and I really think that Haley found something she loves here.  Once again this week, we're going to the AF football game and she assumed she'd be cheering.  Talk about disappointment when she found out she wasn't.  That was a moment of being not so cheerful.  

So aside from the obvious cheeriness (according to spellcheck not picking that word up, that's a word, who knew?!) pictured above, my two little ones are overall pretty darn happy kids.  They have moments of small disappointment, but, en masse; happiness.  They can find the bright side in all kinds of less than ideal situations.  I'm a naturally "look on the bright side" kind of person, definitely a "glass is half full" outlook around here.  Sure there are situations that require a Devil's Advocate (it's called being realistic about the situation and looking at all possible outcomes), but to focus on the negative brings a pessimistic view of the world.  Constantly looking for the downside of things only teaches negativity.  Is that how you'd like your children to think?  There's a positive to most everything and every situation.  Find it, concentrate on it.  You bring about what you think about.  So bring about good things, positive things, cheerful things.  A great attitude attracts others with happy hearts, and isn't that what we all want to be surrounded by?  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {35}

My favorite thing about you is:

You get back up again.

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This whole "learning-to-ride-a-two-wheel-bike" thing?  It's kind of tricky. Your sister got it when she was four and a half.  Mmmhmm... blah, blah, blah, don't compare your kids, they do things when they're ready and all of that, but here's the thing, he is ready.  He's doing it.  Well, except for that whole steering thing - he can pedal, he can balance, but dang if he can't look where he's going and point the front wheel that way.  Its frustrating, but sooo a lesson in "there-are-some-things-you-just-can't-do-for-your-kids" ("Hyphenated-things-in-quotes" that's the theme for this post).  But as a parent, that's got to be one of the hardest lessons to learn.  By no means are we helicopter parents - you know the kind: they hover hover hover over their kids and get their hands/head/feelings all up in the kids' business so much so that the kid can't really function on their own without their parent swooping in to rescue them.  That's just not us - see detachment parenting.  But we are good parents who want our kids to succeed at the things they try.  Sometimes, especially when they're smaller and perhaps they're just not mentally/physically developed enough to do some things, we jump in to help - it's a confidence builder.  Bike riding?  Not one of those things.  There's only one seat (and it's not even a banana style), one set of pedals and one set of handle bars.  There will be no jumping in to build their confidence on this skill.  Know what that means?  They fall.  A lot.  Sure, Jeff chases them, holds onto the back of their bike till he's sure they have it, but he's in flip-flops and they're little and on a bike.  Did you know that there are two speeds to a kid at this stage?  Yep, so slow they have to constantly adjust the steering lest they just tip right over to the side, and lightning fast - so fast that you're sure they'd get road rash something fierce if/when they fall.    

Here's the thing about growing up - especially in the summer when they spend tons of time outside - kids fall.  They get banged up.  Heck, Haley spent the greater part of the summer with scrapes on her nose from swimming too close to the bottom of the pool (seriously... and she wore goggles like they were surgically attached to her face so it wasn't like she didn't see it coming).  I take pride in my kids' scrapes.  They're out there exploring and trying new things.  Pushing their limits (and mine), and doing the things they're supposed to in order to figure out how their body works in this world.  And I'm keeping myself out of it (as much as general safety allows).  Sure there are tears after a fall (as pictured above, he drove his bike into Daddy's truck - thank God for helmets - why did I never wear one as a kid?).  The key is being there.  Letting them know they're loved and safe when they fall, but that after a bit, it's time to shake it off, get back up and keep going.  And BOOM!  There's your little life lesson for this week, go read those last few sentences one more time.  You're welcome.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {33}

My favorite thing about you:

You're constantly saying "I love you".

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A couple of weeks ago this was a conversation I had:

Kale:  Mommy, I still love you.

Me:  Thanks Buddy, I still love you too.

Kale:  Even when I'm bad, you still love me.

Me:  I will always love you.  

Moms, say it with me:  I may not always like you, but I'll always love you.  My mom used to tell me this all the time.  It's another one of those things that you have to be a mom (or, possibly a spouse) to truly understand.  Like when you're at the third store trying to pick up last minute school supplies that are impossible to find.  Seriously?!  Unscented disinfectant wipe refills?  2 gallon zipper top Hefty bags?! Sometimes I think they put these things on supply lists as a joke.  Do you really believe that I have all the time in the world to play into your twisted little scavenger hunt?  It's the end of summer and I just want them to go to school.  I don't believe there is a difference between the Westcott and Fisker brands of blunt tip scissors.  That said, I will always buy Crayola - there's totally a difference there. But I digress.  This is supposed to be about how, at the first store the kids lost control, I had to get these things, and by store number three, I really didn't like them much.  Anyone to blame for their lack of decent behavior at the stores besides me?  Nah.  They're my kids and I take responsibility for that.  But when the man at Office Max told me they had a corral we could throw the kids in while I shopped in peace, I almost kissed him.  He was messing with me.  I almost cried.  

This week Haley started Kindergarten the first time.  There will be a second time on Monday, but more about that next week.  They read a story and were sent over to say their goodbyes with little heart shaped stickers to remind us while they were away that our little kindergartners still loved us.  I held it together, but only just barely - I really thought I'd be okay, but it was definitely emotional.  I did keep it together though, which is more than I can say about some moms in there who totally lost their shit stuff (as in: the background sound of the video of their kids' first day of school is going to have profuse and loud sniffling - not coming from a kid or a cold).  I proudly wore my sticker all morning, and last I checked it was on the corner of my bed.  My kids are always telling us that they love us.  And it's great.  It's one of those things I feel like I can pat myself on the back about.  If their behavior is any indication of what they're seeing modeled before them, then I'm not a total mom fail all the time.  If they know one thing, it's that we love them (even when we don't like them).  And that is worth a giant high five!

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {32}

My favorite thing about you:

Is your temper.

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I can hear you now. 

"What?!  You love their tempers?!  What mother in her right mind would love their kid to have a temper?!"

Why do you have to keep emphasizing the word love?  What, I'm having a one way conversation with myself, asking rhetorical questions?  Judge me! I'm entertaining and we know it.  And you were thinking it. 

Okay, so this week was tricky, it was just the three of us for most of it, and if that weren't trying enough, Kale was sick.  Again.  Yes, again.  We kicked it last week, only to go get shots when we probably weren't entirely in the clear and it came back with a vengeance.  At 3am.  All over my room.  Motherhood, Yeah!

If you were to say I had a short fuse, you'd be correct.  Having a bedroom that has smelled like puke since Monday, no matter what products you put on the floor shy of a bleach and acid combination that I'm sure would add a skylight to the family room below, will do that to you.  Stain no, stench f-yeah!  But this week marks the end of the summer for us, officially.  Believe it Washington friends, and I'll be sure to let you know when our summer starts.  I'm ready for school to go back.  Because they drive me nuts!  Because we need a break from each other and a concrete routine.  We (all three of us) get grouchy without one, and grouchyness leads to tempers.  

Bringing me back to the beginning, I love their tempers.  Mostly because, it's self expression.  They never have been ones to sit back and let things happen around them, they're participants 90% of the time and observers the other 10%.  If something makes them angry, they screw up their faces and will tell you in the most passionate of voices that they're angry.  Actually it goes more like this "I'm ain-gree" (it's a precisely enunciated two syllable word.  Duh.).  They're passionate people - and that's a good thing.  But it leads to passionate reactions and thus the temper is born, cultivated, and released into the wild that is our house.  

I'd love to be one of those mothers that has a calm and even keel reaction to my kids all the time.  But it's just not me.  I want it to be, I work on it, but dang it.  I'm humanly imperfect (shhh... don't tell anyone).  I shout, I loose my shit and get ain-gree.  Incredible Hulk angry.  But we use our words, express our feelings (passionately) and solve things (never name-calling, or accusing).  We all clearly know the feelings of the others in the house (and the neighbors might as well) and that's a healthy thing.  I deal with a heap of mom guilt over this one.  If I could snap my fingers and be a zen mother, I would in a heartbeat. But I come from a loud family.  You should listen to a conversation between me and my dad.  On cell phones.  Actually, you probably have.  In Nebraska.  We're loud.  I was a lifeguard, who never had to strengthen her voice. You get the point.  

This house may be loud, passionate, and imperfect, but we communicate.  Well and clearly.  And someday they'll learn the art of sarcasm, and we'll be darn entertaining too.  Like a sideshow. 

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful . Truly Dedicated Mommy 

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {27}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your thankful heart.

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I'm thankful for lots of things.  Top of my list is my family.  One of the smaller things?  That Kale can write his name.  I believe that when kids have birthdays they write thank you notes... it's not some new parenting theory, in fact, I'd wager that most of my friends have their kids do the same thing.  I believe that if they're loved enough to receive a present, then they should have some part in the thank you.  We have a thank you note progression around these parts:  Birthdays one through three, I'll write the note, they must provide some kind of artwork.  On their fourth birthday they need to sign their name.  Five, it's time to write the note yourself - I'll write it first, they copy the letters (very simple: Dear Blah Blah, Thank you for the Blah, I love it.  Love, Haley), this stage was pulling teeth; we did only about three at a time - makes me wish we'd only had 6 people to the party.  We're still working the system out, but the first five years I've got down.  Year six I'm hoping that I can give her a list of adjectives and she can just figure it out.  Another thing I'm thankful for?  They don't whine about this process (dude, knock on some wood for me).  They seem to enjoy writing the notes.  With Kale, I started with just five of them.  Usually getting this kid to sit down with a writing utensil for any period of time can get a little painful on my part - can't he just knock them off the table onto a pile of markers and hope something rubs off? Then for the next few I asked if he wanted to do this one for a specific friend - he was so excited that we got through all 15 of them in one sitting.  Thank goodness.  Now it's up to me to address them and (ugh!) hunt down some stamps.  Remember the days when your mom had a whole book of them in her purse all the time because that's how you paid bills?  Barely.  I do remember that one of my bridesmaid's parents gave us a roll of stamps as a wedding present - awesome!  I didn't have to hunt any down for thank you cards.

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {24}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your ability to be self-sufficient

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So a few weeks ago I read this article, which for all it's tongue-in-cheekness (What?  That's totally a word!), really resonated with me.  It's not that we intentionally practice "Detachment Parenting", but we try our best to raise our kids to not need us, because someday, God willing, they'll go out into the word where we won't be right by their side to feed them, wipe their noses, put them to sleep.  I need them to know how to do these things on their own.  My favorite part of this article (aside from mentioning "Locking the door and getting it on") was where it mentioned keeping the kids busy for hours with just the use of Legos and gum.  If you had looked in my purse right at that exact moment those would be two of the million things in there, you may have had to dig past about a hundred reciepts (why are we still handing these out for a pack of said gum?!) but you'd have found them in there.  

This week was a big step forward in self sufficiency.  Aside from Kale spending hours on the (air-conditioned) floor in the family room playing, building, creating, exploring a future career as and engineer, with Legos, Haley learned to tie her shoes.  And her brother's shoes.  Let me say that one more time:  SHE CAN TIE THE SHOES OF EVERYONE IN THIS HOUSE!!  Do you know what this means in terms of our ability to get out the door in a timely fashion?  It's means I've cut about 10 minutes off of my already precision honed get out the door strategy.  That's 10 more minutes of hanging out in bed (or actually making it somewhere on time)!  I know.  Huge.

All kidding aside, I love my kids, I like being able to do things for them, but I find it a personal triumph when they no longer need me to do it for them.  Like when they could sooth themselves back to sleep at night, when they could feed themselves with a spoon and fork, when they could walk, you get the idea.  It's my job to teach them to function as members of society, to look to and within themselves for the solution to problems.  Is it working?  Who know, but at least when I someday have to release them from the warmth and safety of my arms and our home, we'll all have the confidence that they can do this.  Just call me once in while and let me know how you're doing mkay?

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {21}

My favorite thing about you:

How proud you make us

This week you both finished preschool. This is pretty monumental in your short, but amazing lives...  

Haley, you finished your last year of preschool, and to say that you loved it wouldn't even come close to how you feel about school.  Your enthusiasm for learning is one of my favorite things about you.  At just 5 years old, I know you're going to love learning for your entire lifetime.  You absorb every piece of information you can get your hands on and store it away for when you can shock me with your knowledge later.  If I had a dollar for every time I've asked you "where did you learn that?!"  On the one hand I'm sad that you're no longer a preschooler, I'm beyond excited for what the future holds for you - Kindergarten!! If it wouldn't be entirely inappropriate, I would put HUGE expletives in front of that, because that's how excited you're going to be when you figure out that you get to go to school every. single. day.  Your hard work and determination to learn makes your dad and I so proud.  Often, we go to bed at night talking about you guys and marvel at the things you've told us, what you've learned, things you've done.  

Kale, you finished your first of three years of preschool.  Dad and I debated back and forth about whether to put you in this year or just wait and let you have two years like your sister.  But I'm so thankful you got this first year under your (very favorite baseball) belt.  You've learned to write your name, and a whole lot about the social expectations of school.  You're pretty great at sitting on your shape and listening to the teacher during circle time, and you never give a hard time when you have to stop playing blocks or cars to do the art activities.  You're a pretty laid back guy in class and are happy to roll with the routine.  Then there's gym.  If you tell me anything about your day at school it will be whether you went to gym or not and what you did there.  Never what book the teacher read you.  We're proud that you're figuring things out, and that you're a class leader.  The other kids in class love to follow you and see what you're up to, you do the coolest things.  You've made new friends of your own and play pretty well with them (most of the time, but hey, you're three!).  I'm so excited to watch you continue to grow in school and see how far you come by the time you're done with preschool. 

As much as I'd we'd like to take full responsibility for their achievements, I feel that I need to be especially thankful to their school, Holy Apostles Preschool.  Of all the things I'll miss most when we move, this school is the one thing I really wish we could pack up and take with us.  Over the two years we've been a Holy Apostles family, we've been lucky enough to have teachers that are exactly right for our kids and what they most need.  I'm especially grateful to Haley's teachers this year, I'm confident that next year in Kindergarten Haley will excel based completely upon the expectations that were set forth this year.  Their skilled preparation will absolutely benefit her and allow her to continue to be academically successful.  As a mother, I don't think I could ask for more.  I'm going to miss the school (almost) as much as the kids!

We are so beyond proud that both kids had such successful school years.  They're good kids and they really seem to excel in an educational environment.  Nothing makes this teacher over qualified room mother happier.  To celebrate (and because Jeff is also on a one week break from his Master's classes), we're off to Bolder for the weekend so that Jeff can run a race.  We'll be making a stop at the Lego Store for Kale and the American Girl Store for Haley.  We feel that hard work deserves a reward.

And as an idea of how far they've come since the beginning of the school year:

My Goodness!!  Slow down!!

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {19}

My Favorite thing about you:

Your need for exploration.

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You love to be an explorer, we've equipped you with much independence and a (very) healthy sense of curiosity.  Or at least I like to believe it's us, though it's probably more a combination of your age and the fact that you're a boy.  It's hard not to compare you to your sister, but at her age, and still, her hovering radius was and is, much smaller, she likes to be close.  Yours is HUGE.  Like, give-me-a-heart-attack-if-I-turn-for-one-second, huge.  Wide open spaces and holding your hand are my BFFs right now.  Crowds and parking lots are not (especially because you listen like a 3 year old <>).    

This day we took a exploratory trip to the park (to get mail).  Your sister convinced you You needed to have your backpack, a ruler and a yard stick.  Now, I'd like to tell you that I'd planned an educational experience where we measured things, and made observations, learned things, but in reality (if that's what you want to call it), they were your swords to fend off the bad guys.  You know the boundaries at the park, yet push them every chance you get.  You go down the hill, just out of my line of sight, you try to go in front of the mail boxes, and off to each far corner.  You know there's a climbing toy there right?  Just checking.

Kale loves to figure things out.  I get it, again, it's like I'm raising him or something, he's like me.  It won't be learned or absorbed if we don't do/find/observe/figure it out ourselves.  We question things.  A lot.  Right now he's exploring his world in a very physical sense.  It's a very age appropriate thing.  That doesn't make it easy.  Why can't they wait till they're like 25 and can at least fend for themselves before they go out and start pushing the limits of my safety bubble?  What?  It might drive me bonkers to have a 20 year old all up in my business?  All.  The.  Time.  Fine.  Fifteen.  I'm sure he'll be ready by then.  For now, I'm stretching myself to give him the (safe) room to explore his little world.  Before I know it, it'll be a great big world for him, and I hope he keeps exploring it.  I also hope he drags his mom with every once in a while.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {18}

My favorite thing about you:

Is that you're a girl.

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When we first found out we were having a girl, the first thing I asked the ultrasound tech was "Like what percentage are you talking?"  I was certain that I was pregnant with a boy.  He told me "Like 97%."  "Okay."  I was over the moon excited.  I can be a girly girl - I love getting my hair done, my nails, shopping, all things chalked into the "girl" category.

But I love how Haley is a girl.  She's a running, swimming, tumbling, artistic, holds nothing back against her brother, dress loving, girl.  She's defining how she wants to be a girl, and some days that means making a mess in the sand in the back yard and other days it means going to the nail salon for mani/pedi's.  I'll admit that when I found out I was having a girl, I was excited about doing those things with her, picking out prom dresses, and planning a wedding someday.  But my job as the mom of a girl is to show her how to be strong, healthy, intelligent, able, and sure of herself.  The same things I'm responsible for with my son.  

Yes, the blog has been a little girl heavy lately, but that's just because she's the one more willing to sit still for the camera.  It ebbs and flows around here.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {14}

My favorite thing about you is:

Your amazing imagination

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When we wake up in the morning I never know what's going to end up in my bed... lots of days lately it's been a Kale kitty and his owner.  Sometimes I get a little mama, and her baby or husband.  And throughout the day we have many kinds of family scenarios, lots of princesses, kids who run marathon laps around the house, professional painters, rock stars, police officers (who ride motorcycles), cowboys, and the list could go on for days.  

I love the different personalities and personas you act out (and not just because it occupies you with little assistance from me).  You're figuring out the world through your dramatic play, an incredibly vital part of growing up.  What's especially fantastic about this is that you rope Kale in every chance you get, you're teaching him to be a part of these things much earlier than you were, and that's going to serve him well in life.  You have no idea the many, many things you're teaching him through this.  I know one day these will quit, but for now, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you're successful at every. single. thing. you pretend.  You have the supplies to be a painter, the shoes to be a marathoner, bicycles for motorcycles, instruments for rock stars, costumes for everything.  I'm thankful I get to be around to see what you come up with - we're never bored, that's for sure. 

Last weekend we went to a fair and they had face painting.  There were lots of options, butterfly, ninja turtle, robot, fairy, pretty much anything, and for an entire afternoon (until nap), we hung out with a beautiful princess and her knight, they even got to ride their horses.  

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.

Project 52 {10}

My favorite thing about you is:

How you challenge me.

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Oh Buddy.  If I had a dollar for every time I've uttered those words this week month year... Yup, you challenge me.  Both of you.  All the time.  Often times I need to remind myself that you do this because you're thinkers, you don't just accept things, you want to know why, and you're convinced that at 3.5 and 5, you know best.  I get it.  I was am just like you.  Eerily just like you, so I can't fault you.  But that doesn't mean that I don't get frustrated and have mom moments that I'm not always proud of.  We've been doing a lot of butting heads around here as of late, and it's frustrating and tiring and most importantly challenging.  For you, me, Dad, all of us.  Challenging to keep up with you, let alone stay a step ahead, challenging to remember that you're learning and figuring stuff out, challenging to be the best mom I can be when I just want to shout, stomp, throw a tantrum just like you.  

It seems like odd number years are the ones we have the most difficulty with, and in having my kids so close together, respite from the "odd years" is short and sweet.  It seems at three we are challenged with broken listening ears (the polite, mom term for bad listeners), still lacking words to express emotions, and an independent defiance.  At 5, we've hit the sassy pants age, and I'm only a little joking when I tell you that I'm truly afraid for what the teen and tween years hold for us.  Oi.  We have sarcasm (I know where she gets it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it), back talk, and eye rolling, oh my.  

All of this, challenging.  But I'm challenging myself:  Hold my temper, Use my words, and Be a good example.  The parent that I am to them is the parent they will become to my grandchildren, allowing me to influence generations of little humans, what an impact for someone who is "just a mom".

Want to check out some other super great Project 52 eye candy?

 . Styleberry . Wicked Kate . Adventures in Mommyhood .  Lucas & Mahina . Heather Marie Portraits . Something Insightful .  

Can I link you too?  Leave me a comment.