drip, drip, drip

That's the sound of my nose. 

I had *just* thought to myself, Self-it's been a REALLY long time since you have been super icky sick. And then WHAM!! Not two days later, I am death warmed over. :(

That'll teach me. 

Even Steven.

Matt and I have committed to each being more strict with our spending. I like to spend on Starbucks, clothes, shoes and knickknacks from this wonderful place while Matt big-pink-fuzzy-heart- loves the Itunes store and all the fun apps for his phone and iPad.

Tonight, I see that Matt is playing 'Angry Bird' on his ipad. {if you don't know what this is, find out! it's sooo fun!} The following conversation ensued:

Matt: And, before you ask, yes I bought this today from Itunes.
Nicole: How much was it?
Matt: $4.99.
Nicole: Welllll, I bought a Starbucks today so I guess we're even.

I swear we will get this down, folks. Just not today, apparently. :)

I think I will, I know I will, I will!

I will take a shower today and shave my legs!!
{funny story: last week I started shaving my legs and then two little creatures started screaming and so i stopped mid-shave and haven't fixed it yet. it's pretty funny looking! ahhh, life with littles!}
I will brush my kids' teeth before 2pm.
I will drink my whole cup of coffee before it gets cold.

Mason is home with some kind of earache {there's a chance he is making it up but I am too tired to fight it, and didn't want to be that mom that sends her kid to school and then he gets sent home because he is *actually* sick. So he stayed home.} We have a doc appt this afternoon.

Theo is on the upswing of croup. He is clingy but guess what clingy also means?! SNUGGLY! so I am taking it!

Will has a yucky cold too. And I have four lbs of A&P homework to get done! and you know what? I will!

My babies will all feel better soon! I will accomplish all of my homework! and shower! AND shave! completely! ha!
Positive thinking, people. I am trying it out!




I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillipians 4:13

on being kind.

The one thing I have learned about motherhood is I have so much left to learn.

But you know what friends? I am a good mother. And I will not tolerate being yelled at by another mother {also a perfect stranger} who parents differently than I do. And yes, I had that experience this morning. And you know what else? I didn't handle it like I should have.

I am not blameless here. I have looked at other moms who have snot running down their baby's face and judged them. I have looked at other mothers who have had their children out at 10pm at Walmart and judged them. I have looked at a mother whose choices for their children I felt was wrong - and {you guessed it} judged them.

Then guess what happened when I judged those moms? I found myself at Target after a crazy bout of sickness that overtook our house, just trying to get some food in the cart, in the car and into our pantries. After checking out, I looked down and saw my son had snot running down his face. I found myself at Walmart at 10pm, buying diapers and Tylenol because my husband was out of town and there was no other choice but to take the kids with me. I found myself being judged by the choices I made that others do not agree with.

Yes, I am a good mom. But I am not better than you. We are all trying to do the best we can, with what we have been given. And it's haaarrrdd. Gah, is it hard! So, please {and I am saying this as a reminder to myself as well} let's pull each other up and stop making motherhood harder than it already is!

It's true what they say about me.

I am crazy. 

Example: Just today I thought, it would sure be nice to put on clothes at the beginning of the day and have the same clothes on at the end of the day, with no toddler food-prints left on me. 

5 seconds later, I thought, I really want another baby. Yep, I am certifiable. 

In the same breath, I ache for more children and yearn for the ones I have to be just a bit older. 

Do your own thoughts contradict themselves?

Mom Fail

Tonight we:

had dinner at SuperTarget. Please don't judge...we are both mentally and physically exhausted and we intended to eat out but had to stop at Target first and thought, well hey! they have pretzels and cheese AND juice! that's a well balanced meal, right?

were those parents who wandered around a store later than our kids should have been awake.

are up at 11pm, prepping:
lunches for me, my guy and the 6 year old {Spring Semester starts for me tomorrow!}
trying to get Christmas stuff off the table and into boxes
preparing a house for our pt nanny to start.


Lots of changes happening- some I am ready to share, some not. {NO, I am not pregnant!}

I am super sad about leaving my youngest boys for 8 hours a day, two days a week.
BUT I did the evening college thing and I nev-ah see my 6 year old (especially with his dad having him during the week too) and this way I get to put my kiddos to bed at night and not miss all the things I was: Back To School Night, Daphne's choir concerts and acting performances, helping with homework. I will still be staying home with my babies 3 full weekdays and I don't have to leave until 10 in the morning on the other two days. So it's not horrid. I am just SO USED to being there for their every need. How do I explain all the little things only a mama knows? I am just sad about it.

I really, really like our nanny though- she came with glowing recommendations and the kids love her already.

Plus, it's 4 evenings or 2 full days. So I made the decision and here it begins. I will be aching for my littles tomorrow. :(

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

I want to remember how I feel right now. I want to remember that even when I am frustrated at 2 year old temper tantrum #30 of the day and it's 4:18pm and I have no idea what's for dinner nor a desire to try and figure that out, I still want to remember that this life is beautiful.

With all its imperfections {like bickering with my love over something so stupid this morning, ugh} there is beauty. Glorious beauty. All around me{like my two toddlers regularly napping at the same time in the same room. nothing short of a miracle right there}.
2011 will be the year I make myself focus on the beauty and not the imperfections.
And lest I forget, I will keep reminding myself:

Well, hello there 2011.

Last night was super fun!

Mason was actually scheduled to be with his dad this New Year's Eve but his dad had a little fender bender and couldn't pick him up. Apparently he had been calling all day to pick Mas up, which:

1. We are always home and he knows that- he could have just swung by.
2. I lose my phone pretty much everyday. {no, i am not kidding.} If anyone knows of a do-hickey that would permanently attach it to me, um, that would be great.

SO he didn't pick him up.
His response: Well, if you would have answered your phone, I would already have him with me.
My response: Thank GOOD NESS he wasn't in your car during an accident! Right? {Maybe there is GOOD reason I always lose my phone.}

Anyhow, we switched our schedule and Mason was able to stay HOME for New Year's Eve!!

We put babies to bed, played cards, ate junk food, jammed to some tunes and counted down until the New Year!

Is anyone else as EXCITED as I am about this new year?! Seriously...I am thrilled for a fresh start. Not that things were all that awful...just ready for a new beginning for:
school
my weight loss
time with my kids {which should be more plentiful since I switched my school schedule around}

I am SO SO SO SO SO happy to welcome in this year!!!!

Happy New Year Friends!