Winters Kids

Just a little update about what in the world we're doing these days…

Mother’s Day

May 9th, 2011 by karli

I read an article earlier this week suggesting that about 78% of women don’t like Mother’s Day. For various reasons it makes them uncomfortable or sad. And I can totally understand that. In the past, it’s seemed kind of lame to me. Forced gifts, potted flowers that I’d manage to kill in a day or two, and cold breakfast in bed (because by the time you get it all together and get it up the stairs to the bedroom, what breakfast isn’t cold?).

This year I got a new perspective.

This year my husband focused less on a gift and more on the giving. He planned ahead. And he put in a TON of effort. Not to do any big thing… but to do ALL the little things. He made breakfast, lunch, dinner AND dessert. And he did all the dishes. And he got the kids ready for bed. He spent darn nearly all day in the kitchen, and by the time it was over he was exhausted.

There is, of course, the side of me that was just excited about this so that he can see what it takes just to simply survive one day as me. Not that he’s ever judged me when the house isn’t clean when he comes home. No, far from it. But who doesn’t like it to have someone walk a mile in their shoes?

But mostly, this was one fantastic Mother’s Day because he devoted every ounce of his soul into serving me today. Not pampering… there were no peeling of grapes or fanning with palm leaves, and my feet are still badly in need of a pedicure. But genuinely lifting the load from my shoulders and doing too many little things to count. And it was nice.

The article I read said that one reason mothers don’t like Mother’s Day is because they hear all kinds of stories of wonderful mothers who did amazing things and never raised their voices and always baked fresh bread, and it makes the rest of us feel incompetent, and adds to our list of stuff we wish we could be better at. But then it went on to say that what motherhood is really about is all those little things. The feeding of three square meals a day (plus snacks), and providing a safe and loving home where the kids can spill paint and pee on the floor and go to bed on (almost) clean sheets knowing they’ll get to wake up and do it all over again and that their mom’s going to be there for them.

So, thank you honey, for showing me how important all those little things are. How nice it is to go about a day knowing it’s just going to be there. Maybe if that’s all I do for my kids in this lifetime, I’m most of the way there.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a big thank you to my mom. If there’s anyone who did (and continues to do) all those little things, it’s my mom. She did the big things too, but – as a single mom for much of my life – she managed to get dinner on the table almost every night. She kept us safe. She kept us warm. She kept us clothed, and bought us instruments and computers and got me through college. And we knew that no matter what, she would be there fighting for us till the end of time. And even today, I know that she’s got my back, whether I’m having my own babies, or navigating this tough sea of motherhood, she’s there supporting me, serving me and cheering me on. And though I always was grateful for it, I know now just what a big deal that really is. So, thanks mom.

This is the kind of Mother's Day bouquet I can get behind... one I don't have to water!!!

The Munchkins that make it all possible

Posted in Holidays, Parenthood | 5 Comments »

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 3rd, 2011 by karli

It’s Mylie’s first official year in school and so it’s our first official year to make “Teacher Appreciation Gifts.” Awesome! Luckily, as time goes on and I become more and more of a grown-up, I learn more and more about planning ahead. It’s a neat trick. So this year I was prepared and knew just what I wanted to do! I saw these cute gifts on Our Best Bites and thought they’d be perfect(ly easy). And they were! I think they turned out super cute if you ask me. We even made some for our church teachers, Mylie’s dance teacher and Nolan’s music teacher. So cute.

Posted in Crafts | No Comments »

The Executive

May 1st, 2011 by karli

This little boy makes me giggle every day. He says the funniest things and makes the funniest faces. Sadly, he is also one sensitive dude, and gets pretty upset if you laugh at him. So I do my best to snicker to myself and guffaw when he’s not looking. I mean, come on…

Posted in Nolan | No Comments »

So Grown Up

April 30th, 2011 by karli

Sometimes I have a hard time knowing what to say about Mylie. This little-getting-bigger-by-the-hour person can infuriate me more than just about anyone on the planet. She’s bossy, indignant, stubborn, whiny and not very introspective. She has horrible listening skills. But there are so many more things about her.

*She’s helpful. If I ask her to run upstairs and grab something for me, she will usually run up and do it immediately… even if I tell her she can wait until she’s done with what she is doing.

*She’s responsible. I can trust her to follow the rules, which let’s me feel good about letting her go ride her bike in the neighborhood or go get the mail for me and other big-girl chores.

*She’s real. She lives 100% on the outside. What you see is what you get. She holds nothing in. Nothing. Ever. Like, no internal monologue. Refreshingly, this means she doesn’t play moody mind games that girls like to play.

*She LOVES to write notes. Every member of our family receives on average about 4 cards, notes or journal pages a day addressed to us. They’re taped to the walls all over our house. They’re on every flat surface we own. And they mostly say the same things over and over with similar pictures. But they’re sweet.

*She is a fantastic dancer. What we love to watch even more than her routines from class are the routines that she makes up. She is constantly choreographing new stuff, and she is amazing at capturing the feeling of each song she chooses. The Tangled Album, Chronicles of Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean are among her current favorites to choreograph.

*She’s an even better reader. The girl probably reads at a 4th grade level. Unfortunately, her reading far outpaces her vocabulary, so even though she can read most any word, she often doesn’t comprehend it’s meaning. I’m sure they’ll even out soon.

With all this good stuff, I feel bad that I often dwell on those negative things. I wonder why she’s always talking back, and why when I try to sit and have a conversation with her about her behavior she glazes over and immediately asks if she can have a snack or watch a movie. I wonder why at the age of almost six she still fights me about using the bathroom, and occasionally has accidents from waiting too long even when I’ve tried to tell her I know she needs to go. And I wonder why she falls on the floor screaming like she’s dying for what seem to me to be tiny little grievances.

I need to remember, however, that I would feel awfully bad about myself if someone were dwelling on all my negative character traits instead of focusing on my positive ones. It’s so hard as a mom trying to maintain sanity, but I need to give her more” attagirls” and less “what were you thinkings?” And I need to remember that I’ve got a good twenty-four years on her and there’s a lot of learning she has left to do. Even though my Father in Heaven expects me to be perfect even as He is, He doesn’t dwell on it when I fall short. Luckily for me, He picks me gently up and tells me how precious I am. How much more, then, does this sweet, precious and so-grown-up little girl need that from me? Yep, I guess I have a lot of learning left to do too.

Posted in Mylie, Parenthood | 2 Comments »

The Best Medicine

April 28th, 2011 by karli

Got the “Will This Winter Ever End Blues?” I’ve got a little something that’ll cheer you up! Take a gander at this (and make sure your speakers are on!):

Feel free to laugh at either Oliver or Daddy – whichever you find more amusing. There’s nothing quite as sweet as a baby’s first giggles.

Posted in Oliver | 1 Comment »

He’s My Brother

April 27th, 2011 by karli

Just a few shots of the homeboys kickin’ it…

Posted in Nolan, Oliver | No Comments »

A Little Easter

April 24th, 2011 by karli

Since our Easter Weekend was spent mostly focusing on a dance competition, we were a little more low-key about the whole thing than we have been in the past. We didn’t make it to our favorite egg hunts, but the Easter Bunny still did make an appearance at our house and was nice enough to come Sunday morning (which is typically reserved for the more spiritual side of Easter) instead of Saturday morning. Luckily, we have super late church (2-5pm this year!) so we had plenty of time for egg hunts. a special Swedish pancake breakfast by Grammie and lots of treats before heading to church services. Suffice it to say that most of the day was spent in our jammies, with chocolate covered teeth, examining the cool gifts the bunny brought.