My #OOTD “Fashion” Blog

January 9, 20152 Comments

These last few weeks have been marvelous. Over Christmas break I got to spend two whole weeks at my parents’ house relaxing and enjoying the holiday festivities. I got to spend two whole weeks eating other peoples’ food that other people cooked and that other people cleaned up after. Two whole weeks of allowing others to do the vacuuming and the toilet scrubbing and the taking-out-the-garbage. It was…extraordinary.

Between not-cooking and not-cleaning I found myself with a rare gift: down time. And, since I was on vacation, I decided to use my new-found downtime in the most productive way I could think of: mindlessly perusing the internet.

I visited all of my favorite time-kill sites–Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. And as I was clicking through the cat memes and the how-to-be-a-better-parent articles I discovered a new (to me) phenomenon: #ootd. Now, for those of you who might be new to the intricacies of the hashtag, #ootd stands for “outfit of the day”. It’s used by fashion bloggers and budding fashionistas to show the world what cute outfit they are wearing that day. In other words, this is how the fashion world says I should look. If you search online for #ootd you’ll come up with thousands of results like this (titled: “Ring in the year with style”):

Well, wouldn’t you know it! I was thinking of buying that exact same strapless sequined number to wear for preschool drop off! That sparkly clutch would probably hold a credit card AND a diaper! And those shoes! They’d be perfect for Costco runs and trips to the pediatrician! OK, not really.

While my clothing will probably never grace to pages of Glamour Magazine (heck, I don’t think my clothes even know what Glamour Magazine is), I’ve still got style. My style. The style of a busy stay-at-home mom who chooses comfort over fashion. And yet, the #ootd phenomenon has inspired me. I think I will join the ranks of fashion bloggers and give you, dear friends, a highly anticipated glance into my wardrobe. I now present to you: Allison’s #ootd.

Day 1
Since this outfit is representative of 90% of the outfits I wear during a given week, I thought I would present it first. Notice the comfy (read: stretchy) yoga pants and technical t-shirt, perfect for chasing after toddlers and wrestling a preschooler. The necklace is from the last half-marathon I completed, to remind me that before the Christmas slump I used to be active–it’s a medal of inspiration, really. Flip flops because…flip flops. Day 2
Sometimes I change out of my yoga pants so I can interact with other humans who don’t wear yoga pants every day. I put on a dress and some leggings (glorified yoga pants) to wear to my mid-week Bible study. The watch really goes better with my yoga-pants wardrobe, but I still like to know what time it is when I’m wearing a dress. Boots complete the look, wouldn’t you say? Day 3
My other go-to outfit: jeans, a t-shirt, a scarf, and some comfy shoes. I got the scarf at Penny’s (an Irish clothing chain that I really do hope will find its way to America soon!) and the shoes are knock-off Chucks. I think the total cost of this outfit was about the same price as a dinner at Red Robin. Day 4
I know you’re getting jealous of my unique sense of style and incredible eye for fashion, but I have just a few more gems for you. Outfit deets: tank–Tesco (an Irish grocery store. Yes, the grocery stores there sell clothes.); cardi–Target (basically an American grocery store that sells clothes); shoes–Toms (because I like giving shoes to people in need). This outfit is awesome because it’s layered (a practice that is apparently quite en vogue). If I get too warm, I can do the oh-so-fashionable tie-the-sweater-around-my-waist trick.
Day 5
Yes, I wore this. For an entire day. And, yes, it is as comfortable as it looks. The hoodie is circa 2003 from The INN (the college group where I met Jon–he probably fell in love with me because I was wearing this sweatshirt). The yoga pants (yes, I know, more yoga pants) are Lululemon (that’s fashionable, right?). A messy bun and slippers complete the look. Day 6
I didn’t even wear this outfit this week, but I just wanted to show you that I do own clothes that are not yoga pants and jeans. Outfit deets: dress–Old Navy; belt–Debenham’s (Irish Macy’s); necklace–LivingSocial deal (I have no idea what company actually made it, but I love it. Unfortuantely the beads have started to come loose and I keep reattaching them to the necklace haphazardly. I guess the interesting shape just gives it more character); shoes–H&M. Day 7–A Super Boy Bonus Feature!
David saw me modeling my wardrobe and he wanted to show off his duds, too. Here he is in his #ootd: an outfit he put on while he was playing at the neighbors house. Since all of the clothes belong to another child, I’m not sure where you might find these incredible pieces. If you do borrow clothing from the neighbor girl, however, I suggest you borrow a skin-tight midriff-exposing shirt and pants that you wear low enough on your waist to expose a band of blue undies. Suuuuuper cute.I hope I’ve offered you some wardrobe inspiration with my outfit of the day picks. And, when in doubt, just put on yoga pants. Comfort will never lead you wrong!

The Thankful Project

November 21, 2014November 21, 2014Leave a comment

Parenting is not always glamorous or cute or even fun. The other day I was sitting on the couch watching both of my kids cry at me, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. These sweet, crazy, LOUD children were crying at me again. And in this moment I had a choice: I could succumb to the anger and frustration that were starting to boil up inside me, or I could be thankful. Yes, thankful.

Thankful for these sweet, crazy, LOUD children who I had desperately longed for and prayed for. Thankful that the reason I get to witness a hundred fits each day is because I am able to stay home to help raise them. Thankful that they have lungs that are strong and work well–really well. Thankful that I could comfort them in their time of need. Thankful–just thankful.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to document some of these ordinary moments of thankfulness–perform a little thankful project, if you will. For the last couple of weeks I’ve kept a notebook on my kitchen counter and, every time I’ve noticed them, I’ve written down the things that I’m thankful for. What I’ve found during this little experiment is that I’m looking for more reasons to be thankful–and, as a result, I am feeling more thankful. Some of the things that I wouldn’t typically pay any notice to are becoming fuel for my thankful heart. Things like:

The sound of Jacob’s sweet little toddler/man voice
The feel of David’s long body curled up on my lap
Morning snuggles with my boys in my bed
The smell and feel of Jacob’s hair
That I kept my cool during David’s hour-long tantrum
Hearing the sputter-breath at the end of a tantrum that signals the screaming is over
Having a BBQ outside in November
Meeting my friends’ kids and seeing my kids befriend these kids
Having a washing machine in my house so I can easily wash things any time I need to
That I have choices of schools for my children–even if, for the life of me, I can not make up my mind on which choice to choose
Solo runs to clear my head
Making my kids laugh
Getting the best parking spot in the lot
Friends who point me to Jesus
Building sandcastles with my boys
Bedtime.
Meeting new babysitters who can help us
Patient teachers who pray for my son
Getting out of my comfort zone and meeting new people. It’s always worth it.
Feeling transported back to Ireland every time I sip Barry’s tea
Working with an honest mechanic
Salted caramel cupcakes. Oh my yum.
Being the first shopper to walk in the door at Costco on a weekday morning
Reminiscing with old photos
Disposable diapers and rubber gloves
My handyman husband who fixed our stuck door–I probably would have just dealt with it forever, and been annoyed every single time I used it.
That I can turn on a cartoon for the kids and get a 20 minute break
Neighbors that have welcomed us to our new neighborhood and made us feel like family
Reading books with my boys
Hearing leaves crunch underfoot
Seeing David and Jacob give each other hugs on their own, just because
Amazon Prime
Baking muffins with my boy and hearing him squeal with delight when he cracks the eggs
The opportunity to pray with my boys when things aren’t going well and we need some help
Our weekly gardening service
David and Jacob signing their prayer song at dinner time
Jon’s dedication and passion for his job–that he works hard for our family so I can “work from home”
Watching Jon and the boys wrestle on the bed at night
Throwing marshmallows for the boys (it’s a Peterson thing…)
A full fridge and pantry that are only ever empty because of neglect, not need for resources
Stealing a few minutes to read a magazine
Welcoming visitors into our home
Baking cookies for the old man that reminds me of my grandpa who lives down the street
The boys eating carrots like they’re little rabbits while we walk through the farmer’s market
Parks that we can walk to
A garage that keeps my car toasty on a frosty morning
Watching our dog, Bota, watching the squirrels in our yard
Giant cardboard boxes that can be turned into hours of imaginative entertainment
Planning surprises for my boys
The smell of the earth after it rains
Splashing in puddles
Fresh flowers on my mantle
Spending one-on-one time with each of my boys every day
Organizing things in my house
The feel of Play-Doh squishing through my fingers
Drinking hot chocolate with my boys
Jacob doing “upside downs” (somersaults)
David getting dressed by himself
Talking to my mom and sisters on the phone
Hearing babies cry in church
Being able to find my way around with less and less help from GPS
Studying and learning at BSF
Hearing that David and Jacob wanted to sit together and hold hands during the large group time at church
Little notes from my cousins
Having a camera on my phone to capture life’s little moments
Feeling Jacob play with my hair in his tiny toddler hands
Playing at library story time with Jacob
Rest
Finding the perfect gift for someone I love
Listening to David playing Toy Story and using all the voices for the different characters
Yoga pants
Shopping for deals
Fresh, clean sheets on my bed
Kissing boo-boos better
The way Jacob snarls his nose
Receiving letters from our sponsor child at World Vision
Time to write
Jacob’s curly hair when he wakes up from a nap
Writing our annual Christmas letter and reflecting on the past year
Hearing my favorite songs pop up on Pandora
Listening to the conversations of my kids and their friends
Teeny tiny socks
Wearing pretty jewelry
Making blanket forts
The way Jacob calls DVD’s and CD’s “ABCD’s”
Stroking soft little baby ears
The way David sticks out his tongue a bit when he’s concentrating really hard on something.
The appearance of red cups at Starbucks
Rainbows on my drive home
Unexpectedly running into someone I know
Wearing flip flops
Jon bringing home dinner so I don’t have to cook
Watching the boys playing nicely together…for a moment
Hearing my kids say what they are thankful for
Friends around the world
The smell of coffee brewing–even though I don’t drink it, I love the smell
Jon making me chai tea before he leaves for work
That my kids are still little–this stage of life
David asking me, “Can I keep you forever?”
The clicking sound David makes with his tongue when he’s falling asleep
The sight of two sleeping babes curled up in their beds

…and the list goes on. My new goal in this busy time of motherhood is to continue this Thankful Project, to look for new ways to appreciate each moment. And to you, Friend, may you find many moments of gratefulness in your own life.

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Real Life Facebook Photo Captions

October 24, 2014Leave a comment

Earlier this week a friend of mine posted a link to this blog. The blog features these idealized, picture-perfect stock photos of families that they edit to include true-to-life captions. It’s hilarious.

At the same time, though, it was a bit of an eye-opener for me. I mean, how many times do I post a photo on Facebook or Instagram that is “picture-perfect”, only to have the underlying story be so much more “realistic”? If the photo includes my children, there is almost certainly an unpleasant reality to the happy photos I share with the world. For instance, if I were telling the truth about these photos, this is what the captions would actually read:

“My mom is a drill sergeant. She woke me up at 6 AM to make me fold the mountain of clothes that I threw around my room last night when I was supposed to be in bed sleeping. Now I’m exhausted and I can’t even stay awake through the thrilling experience that is shopping at Costco.”

“My parents tried to do something really nice for my birthday by taking me to watch my heroes, the toys from Toy Story, skating at Disney on Ice. I repaid them for their generosity by having a meltdown at the souvenir stand when they said I couldn’t have all of the ridiculously overpriced toys they were selling at the show. I was throwing such a royal fit that I got carried out of the arena like I was Prince Ali.”“The only reason we’re sitting still right now is because we are licking jam off our fingers. We spent the rest of this playdate stealing toys from our guests and screaming any time it was suggested that we might share.”
“Our new bunkbeds are great. We like trying to fly off of them. And the rails taste really good. It’s also quite entertaining watching mom try to change sheets on the top bunk after I pee on them.” “I begged mom to buy me a new ball and, since she wanted to have a pleasant day, she broke under pressure and actually gave me what I wanted. It only took about 5 minutes for my little brother to throw the ball off the pier into the ocean. Mom hasn’t bought me another ball since then.” “Mom told me she’d give me a lollipop if I kissed my brother.” “Mom made the mistake of giving me “choices” on school picture day. She offered me three shirts to choose from, and I chose all three. When she tried to make me choose just one, I tore off all my clothes and refused to get dressed until I could choose my own outfit. I wore all three shirts for school picture day. #ftw”

So you see, life isn’t picture-perfect–especially life with kids. Every day is filled with its own challenges and meltdowns and refusals and fits. But thankfully, life is also filled with beautiful moments. Either way, get your cameras ready. We’re making memories here, folks–even if they are a bit shy of reality.

A Birthday Love Note To My Son

August 5, 2014Leave a comment

As a mother, I am the first woman who will love my sons. I want to love them well. I want to show them what true, genuine love looks like so they will recognize it when they are older. For now, though, they are still my babies. My babies who are growing and changing every single day. Last week, in fact, my youngest son celebrated his second birthday and I found myself wondering again, “Where does the time go?”.

Since before my boys were even born, I’ve been writing them love letters. Every year on their birthday I write them a special birthday letter to commemorate their special day. Last year I shared Jacob’s first birthday letter and now that another year has passed, it’s time to share birthday letter #2. Happy (belated) birthday, sweet Jacob: may all of your dreams come true!

A Love Letter To My Son On His Second Birthday

July 26, 2014
Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean
You are 2 years old!

Dearest Jacob,

Happy second birthday, Snuggle Bear! This has been one incredible year for you, for all of us. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that you have experienced more in your two short years than many people do in their entire lives! This has been a busy year for our family, to say the least. In fact, right now as I write this letter we are flying over the Atlantic Ocean toward our next adventure. Life never slows down, so I hope you enjoy every minute of it!

This year we were living in Cork, Ireland. We moved from Seattle all the way to Ireland just a few weeks before your your first birthday. I was just thinking about how you have had three birthdays now, and have woken up in a different country on each of your birthdays thus far (born in Seattle, first birthday in Ireland and today, your second birthday, started off in London). I don’t think we’ll be able to keep that trajectory up for much longer, but it is pretty interesting!

We had so many exciting adventures this year in Ireland that it’s hard to even remember them all. We visited castles and cliffs and beaches. We drove tractors and milked cows. We spent countless afternoons watching the animals at Fota Wildlife Park (the giraffes were always your favorite). We visited medieval towns and Viking villages and ancient landmarks. I know that you won’t remember any of this, but you did it and you were there and it was incredible. As you get older I will show you pictures and tell you stories about Ireland. I will remind you of the wonderful friends we had there and the beautiful places we visited together. And, even if my words become your only memories of that time in your life, Ireland will always be a part of your story.

While we were living in Ireland we seized the opportunity to travel through Europe. You were a trooper and a fantastic little traveller! In London you saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and the massive Tower of London. In Paris, you went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and gazed into Mona Lisa’s eyes at the Louvre. In Spain you rode on camels and learned how to say “Hola! Adios!”. You saw the world this year, and travel will always be a part of your story.

And when we weren’t out traveling or “adventuring”, as I called it, we had our daily life. The life where we walked David to preschool in the morning and then went running on the trail by the water. The life where we went to the Farmer’s Market and drank hot chocolates. The life where Daddy would come home from work and give you wrestles and helicopter rides. The life where you loved reading books and playing with “colors” and chasing Bota through the back yard. The life where Day-Day was your friend and your mentor and your hero. The life where, in this one short year, you learned how to talk and walk and run and jump and climb and hit your brother back. It’s been a big year for growing and changing and learning. All that you have learned is now a part of your story.

And the story continues. We are traveling across the world again, right back to Seattle where it all began. We are spending a few weeks in Seattle visiting our family and our friends and our favorite places. Then we will move on to the next chapter of your story: California. I don’t know what this next year will bring us, but I’m just happy I get to spend it with you.

This year you have been to so many places, done so many things and experienced so many changes. And, despite all of the changes and crazy adventures we’ve taken you on, you have stayed the same: sweet, cuddly, attentive, curious, gentle. You have a magical way of brightening our days and calming our fears with your sweet smile and your snuggly hugs. I love you more than words can say, Jacob, and I am so glad that I get to be your mom. Happy second birthday, sweetheart, and may God bless you this year and always!

All My Love,
Mommy

Packing For A Desert Island

July 18, 2014July 18, 2014Leave a comment

Well, folks, it’s happening. I’m officially losing my mind. We are currently moving full speed ahead for The Big Move next week–that is, our second international move in 12 months…with two young children…and a dog…and more stuff than a family of four should legally be allowed to own. It’s no wonder, then, that packing all that STUFF has been at the forefront of my mind.

Last week I was contacted by Man Crates, an awesome new company that creates unique gift crates for men (I actually can’t stop drooling over their bacon crate–do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had proper bacon?). Man Crates had a challenge for me: If I could pack my own desert island survival kit, what would I bring? So, with all of my packing know-how and current expertise in stuff I decided to take them on. Here are the 5 items I would chose to save if (God forbid) the cargo ship carrying all of our worldly belongings sinks in the Atlantic and I happen to end up on an island with my lone surviving things:

1. Sunglasses
Let’s get one thing straight here. If I’m going to be stranded on an island, it’s going to be a sun-drenched tropical island. You know, one of those lush beauties with pristine white sand and crystal clear water straight out of The Beach. And for this, I must have my sunglasses.

2. Cake
Cake is the one essential food group that I can not, will not live without. The world is a better place because of cake. Yummmmmm….cake.

3. iPhone
How did we ever live before iPhones? I mean, really. This little device that costs a small fortune, fits in my pocket, and allows me to wast countless hours of my life. I would bring my iPhone to the desert island so I could post photos to Instagram of the beautiful sunsets on our beach and update Facebook with the details of our new island life. I would play Candy Crush with the waves lapping at my feet and maybe even download an app to help me find fresh drinking water on the island. If I got desperate enough I could text someone to come rescue us…but not until the cake runs out.

4. My Favorite Babysitter
I know that this is a bit unorthodox as a “thing”, but every parent knows that a good babysitter is indispensable. I debated whether or not I should leave the kids at home for this little escape to the desert island, but the truth is I kinda like them and I think this would be a great hands-on learning experience for them. You know, something they’ll look back on when they’re teenagers and say, “Wow, thanks for exposing me to the wonders of the world, Mom.” So, the kids are coming–but I’m bringing help. The babysitter will play with the kids while I nap under a palm tree, and then she’ll forage for fresh fruit and berries while our family goes on a nature hike. The best of both worlds, folks.

5. Running Shoes
I love to run. No, really, I do. Running allows me to explore new places, gain some energy, and de-stress. It also helps me burn off all the cake-calories. I’ll just make sure I install a reliable GPS app on my desert island iPhone before I leave for a run–wouldn’t want to get stranded or anything.

So, there you have it: five items that are essential to my existence. And, to be honest, this whole “stranded on a desert island” thing actually sounds pretty nice right now. I think I’m going to call the movers and just tell them Nah, I’ve got this. My iPhone and running shoes fit in my purse, so forget all the dishes and duvets and boxes of winter clothing. I’m moving to a desert island where I can lay in the sun all day eating cake.

Now I turn the question to you: What would be in your desert island survival kit?

Life Lessons I’ve Learned From My Mom

May 8, 2014May 9, 20142 Comments

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend I thought it would be fitting to dedicate a post to the most important woman in my life: my mom. Not only is she the source of my physical life, but she has shaped virtually every other aspect of my life as well. I would not be the woman, or the mom, that I am today if it was not for her love and support and guidance over the years. I could never put into words all that she has taught me, but here are just a few life lessons I’ve learned from my mom:

Show your love
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Mom is love. She loves God, she loves my dad, she loves me and my sisters, she loves my husband and my kids, she loves her friends–and she always makes sure that we know it. Day in and day out, she demonstrates her love through her words, her actions and her motives. Her whole life is driven by love, and you can not help but reflect that love to others when you are in her presence.

Have fun!
The second, and equally important, lesson I’ve learned from Mom is to enjoy life. Mom is always laughing or making other people smile. She also looks for ways to make life exciting. Whether it’s going on a new adventure (like backpacking through the Grand Canyon) or learning something new (like taking up paddle boarding), she always has something new to keep things interesting–and she always invites us along to take part in the fun.

Put Jesus First
Mom loves Jesus and she has always led me to Him. She prays for me, with me, and over me. She reads her Bible with me and I grew up watching her read the Bible herself. She encourages me in my faith, and she is always growing in hers. She is cultivating a legacy of faith for me, and my kids, and future generations. It’s beautiful.

Follow your passion
Mom has always encouraged me to do what I love, even if that means making some sacrifices along the way to make my dreams a reality. For me, this came into play when choosing my career, knowing who to marry, juggling my priorities in life, and being willing to step out courageously when it was time to make difficult decisions. I have seen time and time again in her life that following your heart can be the quickest way to happiness.

Cultivate friendships and community
Mom is the best example of a good friend that I can think of. She never thinks twice about opening her heart, her hands, or her home to a friend in need. She invites neighbors over for dinner, she drives friends to appointments, she volunteers at her church. She is invested in the lives of the people around her, and everyone benefits.

Don’t be afraid to get dirty
This one is a bit less conventional, but it’s a necessary part of life: Get dirty! From digging in the actual dirt of her garden to walking with me through the messy issues that come up in life, she’s never afraid to get her hands dirty.

Stay active
My parents are seriously some of the most active people I know. They run marathons, they surf, they hike, they cycle, they swim, they paddle board, they ski, they snowshoe, they skim board–you name it, they do it. Whenever I go to see my parents I actually have to train for a few weeks beforehand so I can keep up with them. Mom has been hiking with me since I was a baby in her backpack, and she’s never stopped setting the example for what a healthy, active life looks like. Some day, maybe when I’m a grandma, I’ll be as active as she is!

Be there
I can not think of a single dance recital, sporting event, singing competition, science fair, or debate tournament from my years growing up that my Mom did not come to and cheer me on. When I move (which has been an average of once per year for the last 9 years) she always helps me pack up house and then visits me at my new place–even if it’s halfway around the world. She has always been there, physically and emotionally, to support me. It means a lot to know that she is there for me, always encouraging me no matter where life takes me.

I could go on and on and on and on about all that I have learned from my mom over the years. She is an inspiration to me and I look forward to many more years of lessons that I will glean. I love you, Mom! And to all of you amazing mamas out there, keep up the great work–your kids are watching you and learning every day. For better or worse 🙂

Life With Boys

April 25, 2014Leave a comment

I grew up in a family of all girls. My world as a child revolved around ballerinas, princesses, frilly dresses and “playing” house (oh, the irony…). Fast forward a few years and the roles have been reversed. I am now the only female in a house run by boys (children and husband counted in that tally). And, as you might expect, my world is a bit different now. Life with boys usually leaves me dumbfounded and, sometimes, just plain shocked. I offer you the following examples of how my life has changed now that I am living a life with boys:

1. On a beautiful Spring afternoon I took my 3-year old son out to play in the field across the street from our house. As we laid in the grass some daisies caught our eye. David started picking the delicate flowers and I taught him how to make daisy chains.

As I was adding the final flower to our daisy chain I looked up to show David our beautiful creation…only he wasn’t sitting behind me any more. No, he had stood up, turned around, dropped his pants down to his ankles (remember, we’re in the field in the middle of our neighborhood) and was peeing all over the daisies. No daisy crown for you, son.

2. Due to my boys’ destructive tendencies, I have become an expert at mending all manner of broken things (clothes, toys, books, the family dog).

3. David and Jacob will just be walking along and, all of a sudden, they’ll stop in their tracks, lay down in a pile of mud and start making “snow angels”. For no reason.

4. Most days when I go to put on my shoes or boots there are little surprises waiting inside for me:

5. When I point out a cool bug for them to look at their first instinct is to smash it to smithereens.

6. All of my kitchen gadgets are tools with much more creative uses than they were originally designed for. The salad tongs are screwdrivers, the meat mallet is a hammer, the wooden spoons are drumsticks, the whisk is a light saber, the pastry cutter is a violin and the vegetable peeler is its bow. As a result, my boys have enjoyed hours of endless entertainment from my gadget drawer…and I have to re-wash every kitchen tool every day.

7. I always check my drinking glass before I take a sip of water. You never know what might be lurking inside…plastic soldiers:

…or grapes (but we wanted to see if they’d float, Mom!):

8. I am trying to allow David to exert his independence and help get himself dressed for school in the morning. Nine times out of ten, though, we end up with something like this:

9. I find myself uttering ridiculous phrases like “Don’t pull your brother’s penis!” and “Quit peeing on the picnic table! That’s where we were going to eat dinner tonight!”.

10. We have actually coerced David into eating his dinner by allowing him to run laps in the kitchen. For every bite of food he ate, he got to run one lap around the kitchen. It was the only time this month that he ate his entire plate of dinner in one sitting (even though he wasn’t exactly sitting).

11.Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) revolves around balls: basketballs, baseballs, footballs, tennis balls, rugby balls, soccer balls, golf balls, bouncy balls, bowling balls. Our house is littered with balls. Our topic of conversation at dinner revolves around balls. A good day or a bad day depends on how many balls we played with and whether or not they were full of enough air. Even our food must be referred to in ball terms if there is any hope of getting my boys to eat it (Have you tried your pea balls yet? Look at that chicken–it almost looks like a football! Did you know that the best soccer players eat all of their broccoli?).

12. Every time they see a dandelion they roar with all their might (Get it? DandeLIONS?).

Yes, life with boys is a challenging, head-scratching, patience-testing, learn-more-each-day experience. In the end, though, I wouldn’t have it any other way. My boys have taught me to be more spontaneous, to enjoy getting messy, to use my imagination in new and creative ways, and to laugh more. They are the apples of my eye, and I wouldn’t trade them for all of the frills and fluff and lace that money could buy.

What Happens When My Back Is Turned

February 21, 20142 Comments

I have two sweet, adorable, loving, havoc-wreaking sons. In the last week or so I think they have teamed up together and made some sort of secret pact to destroy my home, my sanity and, possibly, each other. They’ve always loved getting into mischief together, but lately they’ve taken their escapades to a whole new level. It seems that every time I turn my back–to wash some dishes, change my clothes, or (God forbid) pee in a room with a closed door–I turn around to find utter and complete disaster. And just so you know I’m not making this up so I have something to whine about, here are a few examples from a 2-day period this week:

Reason my back was turned: I was making breakfast
Time elapsed: 6 minutes
Resulting disaster: 3 large tubs of toys were dumped down the stairs and strategically scattered in the most debilitating places to step on them with bare feet.

Reason my back was turned: I was washing dishes after breakfast
Time elapsed: 4 minutes
Resulting disaster: Remember all of those toys that they threw down the stairs before breakfast? Well, now they shoved half of them out the mail slot and into the pouring rain outside our front door.

Reason my back was turned: I was vacuuming the hallway outside the bedroom door.
Time elapsed: 3 minutes
Resulting disaster: Both boys climbed on top of Jacob’s (rickety) changing table. They opened a bottle of Purel and smeared the contents around the room (well, at least one room got cleaned today). They took every book off the bookshelf. They emptied all 5 boxes of clothes from the changing table. They pulled all of the blankets out of Jacob’s crib. They attempted to empty the diaper pail (Haha! Mom scores 1/2 a point for preemptively moving the diaper pail off the floor).

Reason my back was turned: I made a phone call to schedule a doctor’s appointment
Time elapsed: 2 minutes
Resulting disaster: Every drawer in my kitchen was emptied onto the floor (the floor which, by the way, is covered in filth because I apparently can’t afford to turn my back long enough to clean it properly).

Reason my back was turned: I was getting dressed
Time elapsed: 4 minutes
Resulting disaster: They dumped 4 rolls of toilet paper into the toilet, tried to flush the toilet, and then started swirling around the overflowing mess with a toilet brush. Oh yeah, and the other half of the toys that didn’t get shoved out of the mail slot? They were in there, too.

Reason my back was turned: I was going to the bathroom (the upstairs bathroom, not the gross one that they just demolished downstairs)
Time elapsed: 30 seconds
Resulting disaster: They emptied every drawer and basket in David’s closet and moved the clothes to the floor on the other side of the closet (by the way, I’d just finished folding the laundry and putting all of the clothes neatly away in said drawers). They dumped a bin of shoes and boots down the stairs for good measure.

Reason my back was turned: I was loading the stroller into our car. So we could leave the house and take my childrens’ destructive tendencies elsewhere.
Time elapsed: 1 minute
Resulting disaster: David emptied and entire box of Kleenex and began throwing them around the kitchen like they were big, fluttery snowflakes. This is him cleaning up the mess–good luck to anyone who tries to take a tissue out of that box…

I’m exhausted just looking at these photos again. And the *best* part is, I know that this is only the beginning. Oh, Lord help me. Some day they’ll be big boys–and then teenagers— with access to things like rope and knives and fire and other mischievous boys. For now, though, we’re doing what we can to quench their quest to destroy. With super-effective deterrents like zip-tie locks on our cabinets:

And scarves tied around the drawers so nobody (not even me!) can open them:

And baby chains tying down the handle of the diaper pail:

And duct tape over the mail slot:

We’re living in Fort Knox here, folks. I know that this is a battle I’m probably just going to lose again and again and again. And, even though it drives me crazy, I’m kind of okay with that. They are, after all, little boys who are exploring their world. They’re testing their limits. They’re experimenting (maybe they’ll grow up to be amazing scientists some day?).

In the meantime, though, know that I’m watching you, boys. Even when my back is turned.

Allison And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

October 18, 2013October 18, 20132 Comments

David’s most recent obsession is this book called Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. It’s about this poor boy, Alexander, who is just having the worst day ever. I enjoyed reading this book as a child and now my son is obsessed, too–I guess that misery really does love company.

As I’ve been reading this book over and over and OVER to my son, I couldn’t help but put myself in Alexander’s place a time or two. Sure, Alexander, you got gum stuck in your hair and your mom forgot to pack you a dessert in your lunchbox and you fell in a mud puddle–it really is terrible being a kid. But I think I’ve got you beat. You think it’s so hard being a kid, but just try being a mom. Just try it. I dare you. If you did, your day might go something like this:

Allison And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

By: Allison

Last night I only got 4 hours of sleep last night because Jacob is teething and David had a nightmare about the shadows on his ceiling and just as I was finally starting to drift off to sleep our dog barked at the neighbor’s cat. This morning as I was walking down the stairs to make breakfast I tripped on a rogue Lego and now my foot has a tiny brick-shaped bruise on the bottom of it. I can already tell that it is going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very-bad day.

When I started to make breakfast there was no milk left in the jug. Who drinks all of the milk and puts the empty container back in the fridge? Oh well, I didn’t have time to eat anyway. I had to get both kids dressed, fed, cleaned up, lunches packed and off to school before it was time to drive Daddy to work. I decided that I should get dressed, too, but none of my clothes looked cute this morning. I just put on yoga pants and a dirty t-shirt and called it good. I think I need to live in a place where it’s acceptable to wear grungy clothes and flip flops every day.

I think I’ll move to Hawaii.

After I got everyone else where they needed to be, I had exactly 2 hours before I needed to be back at the preschool to pick David up. I ran (literally, ran. This is the only exercise I got today) to the grocery store to get more milk. Then I ran back home do a few loads of laundry, iron Jon’s work shirts, vacuum the carpets, sweep the floors, feed Jacob a snack, put away the breakfast dishes, clean the bathrooms, take out the garbage and mow the lawn. In the rain. Ugh.

I think I need to move to Hawaii.

When I picked up David from preschool I noticed that he was wearing the “pants of shame”: he’d had a potty accident at school. David was the last pupil dismissed because the teacher wanted to talk to me about The Accident. Apparently it was pretty bad and they had to cut his pants off of him. Great, I actually liked those pants. It’s definitely a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

On our walk home from preschool Jacob was screaming because he was hungry for lunch and David was whining because I wouldn’t let him play Angry Birds on my iPhone and I stepped in a pile of dog poop on the sidewalk and I walked right through a fresh spider web and got the nasty web strands stuck all over my face. It’s been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I knew that it was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day because after lunch I tried to do an art project with the boys but David colored all over the kitchen table and Jacob ate all of the crayons. David put glue in his hair and Jacob smeared paint all over his body like he was some sort of native warrior. After the art fiasco I tried to give them a bath but we didn’t have any hot water so I had to heat kettles of water in the kitchen (downstairs) to fill the bathtub (upstairs) and then when I finally got the tub full and warm enough for their fragile little bodies David decided to pull the drain-stopper and all of the water vanished before I could stop it.

When I move to Hawaii at least the ocean is warm and I can just give my kids a bath at the beach.

During nap time Jacob bit his tongue trying to jump out of his crib and David snuck out of his bedroom and emptied the contents of the bathroom garbage can all over my bed. Neither child slept so now they are both exhausted and cranky. This is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I got a calendar reminder to file our taxes next week.

Next week, I said, I’m moving to Hawaii.

While I was trying to make dinner David threw a temper tantrum because his orange ball had dirt on it and the dog looked at him funny. Jacob slammed his fingers in a drawer and he wouldn’t stop howling like a wounded wolf pup unless I held him. I burned the chicken and the pasta pot boiled over and I overcooked the broccoli so it got all soggy. I hate soggy broccoli. David spilled a full jug of milk all over the kitchen floor (the same jug of milk, mind you, that I already had to replace this morning) and Jacob threw his entire plate of dinner on top of the dog. I had to microwave my dinner 3 times before I ever got one single bite in. It has been a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.

At bedtime David refused to put on his pajamas, he bit my finger when I was helping him brush his teeth, and it took over an hour to convince him to stay in his bed after lights-out. When we finally got both boys in their bedrooms I went downstairs to try and relax for an hour before my bedtime but there were no good shows to watch on Hulu and the book that I’m reading has somehow disappeared. I couldn’t find my cozy slippers and the dog didn’t want to snuggle with me. I told Jon I’ve had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

He said some days are like that.

Even in Hawaii.

*Disclaimer* Although all of the events in this story have actually happened to me, they have never all happened simultaneously in one single day. This is God’s grace to mothers! I love my children and I would take all the bad days in the world if it meas that I got to keep loving on my boys each and every day, through the good AND the bad. That being said, I still wouldn’t mind a trip to Hawaii. Without the children.

My 100th Post: 100 Reasons I Love Being A Mom

September 27, 2013Leave a comment

Today I am posting my 100th entry to this little blog of mine. Over the course of my last 99 entries I’ve written about many subjects, but the overarching theme has definitely been “mommy life”. I’ve written about hot topics such as what it takes to be a mom, how to prepare yourself for parenthood (Good luck with that one!), how I attempt to get things done with my kids around (Again, best of luck), how we discipline, how we travel with our kids, what I feed my kids, and the ridiculous things that I do as a mom. Lots of…mom stuff. So, for my 100th post I thought it would be appropriate to write about my favorite mom-topic: how much I love being a mom. I could probably share with you a million reasons why motherhood is the best “job” in the world, but I’ll practice a bit of self control and stick to 100 (100th post, remember?). And now, here are the top 100 reasons why I love being a mom:

Snuggles
Hearing my baby say “Mama!” all day long
Getting to see God answer my prayers for my children
Ugga Muggas
Seeing that first ultrasound pictures of the life growing inside me
Parenting with my husband
Having my family be my full-time “job”
Waking up to children’s voices instead of a buzzing alarm (I just wish those sweet little voices would learn how to sleep past 7 AM…)
Going to children’s museums and kiddie playgrounds
Teaching them new things
Seeing the light in their eyes when they learn something new and have that “Aha!” moment
Growing in the virtue of “patience”
Singing lullabies
Tiny naked bottoms running to the bathtub
Bubble baths
The smell of a baby
Kissing boo-boos
Watching my older son teach his little brother (mostly it’s just him teaching the baby how to get into mischief, but I’m sure it will come in handy some day)
My new-found appreciation for all things “balls” (if you know David, you know exactly what I mean)
Hearing a small voice say, “I love you”, and knowing that he really means it
Watching first steps (and first everythings!)
Having an excuse to eat chicken nuggets and Mac ‘n Cheese
Witnessing innocence
Playing!
Watching my children grow and change
Hearing David say the phrase, “So, I was thinking today we could…”. He sounds just like his Mommy.
Splashing in mud puddles
Nursing my baby until he falls asleep in my arms
Re-watching classic movies like “The Lion King” and “Cars”
Exploring new places with my kids
Stroking feathery-soft baby hair
Learning in a whole new way how to trust God each day
Celebrating holidays through the eyes of a child–it’s magical
The hilarious things they say
Wrestling (even though Daddy definitely has me beat in this area!)
Seeing bits of me and my husband in our children
Kissing their sweet, soft, pudgy little cheeks
Teaching my kids God’s Word
Comforting my kids when they are upset
Painting with our fingers
Baby laughs–there’s no problem in this world that a baby laugh can’t cure
Reading with my children
Oggling their teeny-tiny clothes
Being the one they run to when they are scared
Priority boarding on airplanes
Helping them
Praying with them
Sharing in their joys and sorrows
Learning from them
My son’s excitement to see me when I pick him up from school
Trying new things
Wiping away crocodile tears
Listening to David talking to and playing with other children
Seeing how excited they get over the little things in life
Knowing that I helped create something AMAZING
Sharing in my kids’ curiosity
Nourishing and sustaining another life with my own body
Being appreciated
Watching David DEVOUR his broccoli and turn up his nose at a cookie (he may not be my child after all…)
~~Feeling~~ Acting younger than I am
All the cute baby gear
Planning their birthday parties
Because my kids rock!
Helping to shape a young life that will influence the world long after I’m gone
Doing the mundane…but having it feel purposeful
Watching my kids sleep
Lazing around together in our jammies
Watching David dance and sing
Mimi and Gigi
Taking the boys swimming
Buying bunch after bunch after bunch of bananas
Doling out M&M’s for potty successes (and always sneaking a few for myself…)
Having picnics together
Baby kisses (they feel more like baby licks, but I know that he means them lovingly)
Blowing raspberries on their tummies and watching them squirm
Swinging on the swings and sliding on the slides with them
Watching them spend hours on a “meaningless” task like putting balls in a basket or throwing rocks into water
Playing Peek-a-boo and Pat-a-cake
Encouraging them
Witnessing David’s unique sense of style (which usually includes 3 layers of basketball t-shirts and nothing else)
Brushing their teeth and seeing new teeth appear in their mouths seemingly every day
Being humbled by my children
Tickling my baby during diaper changes
Bedtime. ‘Nuf said.
Counting tiny fingers and tiny toes
Holding their hands
Seeing David’s “cheese face” when we’re taking his photo
Unconditional love
Watching Jacob crawl at lightning speed when he sees something he wants across the room
Challenging them and being challenged by them
Sharing in their dreams
Hearing my baby clap when he’s excited
Helping them see their potential
Cuddling when they don’t feel well
Meeting new friends with my kids
Watching David DOMINATE at Angry Birds
Experiencing old things from a new perspective
Finding toys in random places to remind me that my children have been here
Laughing uncontrollably when David rolls down a hill and then (dizzily) tries to run back up to the top
Loving them. I just love loving them.

So there you have it, 100 reasons I’m one of the luckiest people in the world. Thank you for letting me be your mommy, boys!

We Love, Teach, Grow

My journey through motherhood

Tag: mom