Words of Affirmation ~

How many of you remember specific words that were spoken to you as a child? I'm sure most of us can...some good, some bad. I remember at the dinner table growing up; my dad would say, "Whatever you do, don't ever start smoking." You see my dad lost his dad (who was a smoker) at a very young age. He found it very important to remind us daily how bad that habit was for us. I also remember Dad saying, "C*****s never quit." Those were pretty handy words to remember when times got tough. Another important goal my parents set for me and my sister was the goal of higher education. My dad was the first of his family to graduate from college and both my parents were adament that we go. I'm proud to say we both achieved that goal and even though we chose to be stay-at-home moms, it's pretty cool that we both fulfilled that dream (thanks Mom and Dad!)

Fast forward several years and now it's my turn to remind my children of what I feel is important. Yes, I've told them that smoking is bad, but I don't say it everyday. We've talked about higher education and R is already planning his college career and big R is already saying to them, "Remember what your last name is." This is, by the way, something I've heard his dad say to the older grandkids.

About a month ago big R and I went to see The Help and I loved the little phrase Aibileen would repeat to Mae Mobley, but I didn't really think anything about it after the movie. Several weeks later I came across a canvas on pinterest that someone had printed this quote on. So half jokingly I started saying this little quote to the kids (accent and all.) At first they thought I was crazy and laughed...then something funny happened; they wanted me to keep saying it. I bet I repeated that quote 50 times that day. The more I said it, the more convicted I got that my kids really needed to hear these words and they were being spoken in a way that would cause them to remember them forever.

Last night I held K's face in my hands and said these words to her...You is kind. You is smart. You is important. She smiled and went about working on the picture she was drawing. In her own little world, concentrating on yet another masterpiece, she starts repeating...You is kind. You is smart. You is important. (with an emphasis on important.) I just listened while acting like I wasn't really paying attention. She repeated the quote about six times ~ it was beautiful. The whole time I'm amazed and prayerful that those words are sinking in.

Someday my kids will look back and remember the words that were repeatedly spoken to them over the years and I hope my grandchildren get to hear these words of affirmation some day ~ You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

The Best Day Ever ~

When I got home from the grocery store on September 28th, I noticed several Monarch butterflies fluttering around our backyard. I knew it was time for the Monarchs to migrate, but this was the first time I had seen so many in our yard. I unloaded the groceries and had a few minutes before I had to pick the kids up so I grabbed my camera and snapped several photos of the butterflies. Let me just tell you, it's not easy to photograph a butterfly, and I quickly found out getting a photo of one with it's wings open was next to impossible. Oh well, better luck next time and off I went to school...

On this day, R was to go to the fair with a friend which left me with a dilemma ~ how to break the news to K. I chose the easy way out and decided not to tell her until absolutely necessary (which I was hoping would be never.) My kiddos love the fair and we had already gone on Sunday, so it wasn't like she was being completely mistreated. Anyway, back to my story...R went with his friend and K and I went home; all the while she's planning what we would do, just the two of us. First on her agenda was a picnic in the front yard. We packed our basket with whatever we could find that was portable, locked Sam in the garage (because the last thing we needed was a dog destroying our picnic,) and headed out to spread our blanket. When we rounded the corner of the house, we saw the most amazing sight ~ a sea of butterflies floating over the flowers in our flower bed. The same flowers I almost cleaned out the week before (I'm ready for pansies people!) I sprinted back to the house to get my camera and a second chance to photograph the elusive creatures. We snapped pictures in between bites of pb&j and marveled at their beauty.

Have you ever listened really closely to the flutter of butterfly wings? It's magical ~ and if you close your eyes you can imagine the sound of angels wings.

I finally found a butterfly nice enough to let me capture it in all it's glory. I'm not kidding. Try it someday, it takes persistence. :)

While we were sitting outside enjoying our picnic, K climbed onto my lap and said, "This is the best day ever!" The best day ever wasn't being spent riding rides and eating cotton candy, it was being spent on a blanket surrounded by butterflies.

Our picnic eventually came to an end. We loaded up her scooter and went to the park and then came home for "do it yourself" pedicures. We had fun! Yes, she found out the next day her brother got to go back to the fair, but she was only sad for a second. I really think in her little mind she knows we shared a very special day that wouldn't have happened if we had not been home, together, just the two of us.

She would be 11...

I've had this blog post idea swirling around in my head for over a week now. On the morning of Sept. 12th I was listening to the radio and the DJs were talking about the 9-11 memorials. They were asking their listeners (me) if there was anything in our lives that we memorialize year to year and how God has healed us over time.

I immediately thought of our sweet baby girl and the tradition we started 11 years ago.

Here we are at the cemetary on Christen's 1st Birthday

R worked so hard in that little plot of dirt. We planted trees and spread lava rock and rejoiced in the miracle of life. In the midst of our sorrow, God had blessed us with hope for the future ~ Christen would soon have a baby brother.

July 26, 2002

This was the picture that started the tradition. I really had not set out to do this every year. It's just something that happened. Instead of blowing out the candles and singing, "Happy Birthday" we sat as a little family smiling...for we were blessed.

July 26, 2003

July 26, 2004

July 26th, 2004; now this was a special day. Just about two hours before heading out for our traditional birthday picture I found out that R was going to be a big brother. I cannot tell you how it made my heart sing to find out this wonderful news on Christen's 4th birthday. Once again...blessings.

July 26, 2005

Look at those sweet little faces. So happy to be able to share this day with our sweet babies.

July 26, 2006

I remember as a child feeling very uncomfortable going to cemetaries. It's always amazes me that my kids are totally fine with it. They've grown up knowing this is where we go to celebrate their sister's birthday. They run around looking at headstones. Now that they're older they like to read them. They fix the flowers that have fallen out of vases. They are especially interested in the smaller headstones...

July 26, 2007

I love these pics from 2007. I wish I could go back and hug those little people that have grown so much over the last few years.

July 26, 2008

K's 4 and R's 7 and we're smack dab in the middle of summer baseball, but we make the drive south to the cemetary to take flowers and a picture. Our little family is growing and K talks about her sister as if she's right there with us. I love how this little girl, who was born almost 5 years after we said good-bye to her sister, keeps her alive in her heart.

July 26, 2009

K went with me this year to pick out the flowers. She loved the butterflies and helped me arrange the vases.

July 26, 2010

This picture almost didn't happen. My camera had just enough battery to take one picture. Thank you God for this one picture.

July 26, 2011

Here we are this year. I love these pictures. I love how the kids are posing behind Christen's headstone. I love how, in their hearts, they know they will see her someday and the cold stone that makes her real today will be replaced with loving arms.

This is our memorial. This is proof that God is a God of hope. We will keep going every year and we will keep remembering what God has brought us through.

We love you sweet girl...

A campout for Socks

This was one of those mornings. It started out fine; they always do. I woke up in plenty of time to get ready and I'm usually in a pretty good mood. Then 6:45 rolls around and I have to wake "the bear cub." Some mornings are great, but there are some mornings that I'm convinced aliens descend upon our home in the middle of the night and replace my sweet 6 year old with a grouchy bear. Well, this was one of those mornings. I will spare you the details and just say that I wouldn't have won any "Mother of the Year" awards today. K was banished to her room for most of the short morning before leaving for school, so I could at least fix lunches and feed R breakfast. Before you think I'm too horrible, she did get to eat breakfast; after she shut her brother's head in her bedroom door, which resulted in a much needed spankin'. My blood pressure is rising just typing this...

Anyway, we finally made it out the door (most of the tears had subsided by this time) only to find the Tahoe was locked with the keys inside. After running back in the house to get the spare key, grinching the whole way because someone had locked the car, I hear K say, "Socks is locked in the car." What?!? That cat had spent the entire night in the Tahoe! I was really worried about what I would fine upon opening the door, but luckily he has a big bladder and apparently a taste for beef jerky because he had ripped open an empty package of jerky and licked it clean. There's no telling what goes through that cat's mind, but I wish I knew sometimes.

We finally decided that Socks locked himself in the Tahoe. R had left the door open for a few minutes the night before, that's how he got in in the first place. The way the morning was going, I'm surprised Sam hadn't been in there as well.

Here is Socks trapped in a much smaller box.

I will end this blog post on a much happier and sweeter note. No one wants the images of my horrible morning swirling around in their head all day. So I will leave you with this old journal entry I came across this morning:

Written August 29, 2009

On our way to school to take Socks our cat for R's Show and Tell, he was under the seat meowing (crying.) K said, "Do you think God is in the kitty's heart saying, 'It's o.k. It's o.k.?'"

I just love that girl (even if she is a bear in the mornings.)

The Best Smoothie Ever

K at 11 months enjoying, you guessed it, The Best Smoothie Ever.

How my smoothie recipe came to be is a rather long and interesting story, and maybe in the near future I will bore you with the details, but for now I'm just going to share the recipe.

The Best Smoothie Ever

*2 Cups Kefir (I use the strawberry/banana flavor)

2 Cups cold water

Handful frozen strawberries

Handful frozen blueberries

about 6 frozen cherries

*1 pkg Unsweetened frozen Acai

*Scoop whey protein powder

* scoop Garden of Life fiber

*2 Tablespoons Coconut oil

I learned about Kefir and Acai while reading a book called the Perricone Promise by Nicholas Perricone about 7 years ago. This smoothie recipe has evolved over the years. I just started adding the protein powder, fiber and coconut oil in the last few months. Needless to say, I have to make the smoothie without all that stuff, pour it up for the kids and then add the rest of the goodness just for me. I've been able to pull the "protein powder wool" over their eyes the last couple of time I've made it, but the coconut oil is a no go. Of course, if I had started 7 years ago with the oil (and I do wish I had) they wouldn't know the difference and we would all be happy campers. Anyway, every time we have this smoothie, which is about 3 times a week, I feel really good about what's going into their little bodies. My mom, who is getting over some pretty major intestinal stuff, was told by her gastrointerologist to start taking Kefir. Hmmmm...should it upset me that it took a man in a white coat telling her this to make her believe it? Maybe, but whatever works. I've only been preaching for 7 years, but whatever. :) Mom told the doc about the smoothie I make and how my kids consume kefir quite often and he was very impressed...yes, I did pat myself on the back and say, "I told you so." I'm really not that big of a brat, but when it comes to health and wellness, I'm pretty passionate. I also realize that people are not going to listen to me because I do not have the appropriate letters at the end of my name, but that's ok. I'll keep reading and learning and taking care of my little corner of the world.

I hope you try the smoothie, and if you do please let me know what you think.

I do have to say, I have the best parents ever! They saw my love of smoothie making and bought me a Vita-Mix ~ the greatest blender in the world! Thanks Mom and Dad ~ Love you both bunches!