Let's do this again!!

So yesterday was the much anticipated first day of school. 

Although, it didn't seem that new today.  

Kennady is doing first grade again. 

     This was a decision that came with very deep thought, and compilation.  Kenna's birthday is in late October, and she is young.  She is quiet, shy, self conscious, and easily intimidated.  She had a very bad Kindergarten year.  She had a wonderful teacher, that was a very bad match for her.  Going into Kindergarten she was only 4, and very worried what others thought about her.  She needed a teacher who could make her feel comfortable and nurture her special personality.  Kennady's teacher was great.  I don't have anything negative to say about her as a teacher.  She just wasn't great for my daughter who needed her self esteem boosted.  She needed someone to tell her  that it is OK to make mistakes.  So at the end of Kindergarten we were faced with a hard decision.  Is she socially ready to move on?  We decided that it was in her best interest to go to first grade and be in an all day program, but knew coming in that she might need to repeat. I figured I would rather her do two years of an all day program, than two years of a 3 hour program.  I actually am VERY happy with my decision.  I wish I could go back in time, and not of sent her to Kindergarten to begin with, but then again, I feel like having two years of first grade is going to push her ahead. 

     Then there was last year.  We had the MOST  amazing teacher!  She was warm and nurturing.  She welcomed Kennady with hugs and made her feel good about her self.  She praised Kennady's strengths and gave her roles to show them off.  She was a PERFECT match for my daughter, but there was a lot of damage to make up!   So we chugged along hard.  Kennady was maturing leaps and bounds.  Everything the class did, she kept up, but she still struggled with her self esteem.  She was the youngest and one of the smallest kids in the class.  Her report card came, and we were impressed.  Her grades looked good, she received no area of concerns, and yet her teacher was still recommending retention for Kennady. This decision was soo difficult  to make for our family because Kennady could keep up with the school work.  She was reading at a level that didn't qualify her for a reading recovery program.  This made my choice harder, because she was RIGHT there, just needed a confidence boost.  I think when you are so unsure of yourself in a school environment it effects your academics.  When all you are worried about it getting something wrong, you miss the opportunity to get something right!   

What a hard choice!  When your child can keep up, with a lot of hard work, it is really hard to hold them back, but I had a lot of trust with her teacher.  I know there is a lot of pieces to the pie.  So putting our ego aside, we decided why not give her time to mature.  What would make her self esteem grow more than  to take the pressure off of her, and give her time.  She has a birthday where we were able to give her this gift without having to even deal with her being too old for the next grade!  This year she feels great about herself.  With the help of a teacher who catered to her unique personality, Kennady is sure of herself! 

Instead of keeping up, she is going to lead!  

I made the mistake, of sending her to school to early when she was not ready. I am not talking about ABC's and 123's, there is WAY more to being ready!  I am fixing my mistake by giving her time, and I am proud of her! 

I sent her off to BIG Kindergarten at 4 yrs old!

My biggest struggle with this path we have chose is I don't want others to think  that Kennady is not smart. 

I feel like she is such a bright child, but simply needed more time to mature into a young lady who has the confidence to succeed!

Watching her eager to go to school this year, instead of not wanting is such an exciting change in our home!  This year is going to be great, I just know it!!  I told Derek, I am not looking at it they we are holding her back, most parents with a child with this late of a birthday, put their kids in a young five program, therefore giving them another year.  We did just that, simply in a different order.  If only I would of known how fragile she would be in a school environment.  I make mistakes, I am not perfect, and I don't always know what the right choices are, but when I make a mistake I find a way to fix it, and giving Kennady another year is for sure the solution to my mistake!!

Home Sweet home

My house is not large.  

My house is not extravagant.

My house is not always tidy.

My house can be crowded, cramped and unorganized.  

I might have weeds in my flowers.

I might have dishes in my sink.

I know I have dirty laundry piled up.

But. It. Is. Our. Home.  There is no place like it.  I don't need bells and whistles.  I'm not that kinda gal.  I need a deck.  A fire pit.  and a large yard.  That's it. 

So when you come to my house, don't think about how your kitchen is bigger, think about all the meals I have prepared in my tiny kitchen while my family waits with hungry bellies.  Think of how many birthday cakes I have baked for special girls on special days.  Think of all the bottles I prepared. Think of all the dishes I have washed  while hearing my lil ladies play in the room next door.  That is what matters, not the size of my kitchen.

 Kadee fell asleep by my feet as I was doing dishes...

When you see my bedroom, all tiny and sweet.  Don't think of how much bigger your bedroom is.  Think of all the thunderstorm nights that 3 lil ladies have snuck into my tiny room.  Think of all the nights that my girls have been sick and Dad slept on the couch for his girls. Think of all the late nights I climbed out of bed to hold a crying new born. 

When you see my bathroom, small and unorganized.  Don't worry about it's size and chaos.    Think of ALL THE HAIR I have to do on a Sunday morning before church.  Think of all the new babies I have washed in that old paint chipped tub!  Think of all the mornings I didn't feel well, while pregnant with my girls!  

When you see my family room with used furniture, stained carpet and chipped walls.  Don't think about how I should paint, and replace carpet.  Think of all the movie nights we have had on that couch.  Think of all the popcorn spilt by careless girls.  Think of all the fun  the girls had when they were carrying that toy, that scraped my walls.  Think of all the laughter and tears we have shared in this room. Think of all the forts we have created. Think of all the birthday and Christmas presents tore open.  Think of how many times you couldn't see the floor because 3 lil ladies were playing with barbies. Think of how many arguments of " I had it first"  I broke up in this room. 

This home is my first home as a family.  We have brought 2 brand new babies home from the hospital to this house.  We have had birthday parties, Christmas parties, and just plain parties here. We have painted the walls, added some decor, but most importantly we made this house a  home.    We made it a safe secure place for our family.  It doesn't matter the size.  The paint color.  The old carpet or used furniture.  

I am so blessed everyday to have a place to call home. And even more thankful that it is THIS home :) 

The smell of Summer

Ahhh Summer air?  Do you feel it?  Do you smell it?  I woke up this morning, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, ladies still sleeping........so I slipped outside to the back deck. I sat there bundled in my blanket to shield the warm morning breeze.  What a beautiful morning!  I was so content just sitting there, watching the birds, sipping my toffee flavored coffee with coconut creamer..mmmmm, enjoying my new pots and flowers, these are the days I cherish so greatly. What is it about summer that makes you feel rejuvenated?  The bright colors of green leaves, and yellow flowers?  The smell of fresh cut grass?  The presence of care free children getting to enjoy life without the structure of school?  It is magical! 

Summers were special for me as a kid. My mom was home.  She made sure to make them memorable. She took me, along with the whole neighborhood, on adventures.  She forced me outside to get dirty!  She cooked 3 meals a day.  Ahhh summer as a kid! I want to make those memories for my children.  I want them to remember me as the mom who went on nature walks, canon balled in the pool, and got dirty with them! Summer for me, as a mom of school girls, is magical.  It is a short few months, where I don't have to send my babies away for long days.  They get to stay up late with me cuddled on the couch, and sneak in my bed for long mornings.

Summer is up north trips, shriveled fingers from the pool, and the smell of sunscreen.  It is long boat rides, sun hats, parks and dirty faces.  Ahhh Summer!

This memorial weekend, was the kick off to making our summer special.  The beginning to making summer memories.  We went to Morely, MI to our family property on the Little Muskegon river.  Speaking of summer memories, I have so many from " the river" .  A childhood full of camping with family and friends, outhouses, leaches, crawdads,  tubing,bug spray, smores, canoeing, and campfires, and hopefully my kids remember the same!  It was a short weekend for us, but relaxing.  We sat by the river as the girls ran around.  We put our feet in the icy cold water.  We played scrabble, and I won. ( you didn't think I wasn't going to mention I won?? I mean Dude, I kicked some scrabble butt!)  We made memories!

We cut our weekend early on Monday to race home to open our pool!  I have always wanted a pool! My mom always wanted a pool, but our yard growing up had too many trees.  OH man, I wanted a pool as a kid, and  so what do you do as an adult when you didn't get something as a kid, you make up for it with your own kids!  SOOO, we got a pool:)  Last year the pool was a big hassle! Cutting down a tree for it to fit, digging the dirt out,setting it up, getting water delivered,  buying a cover, building a deck. Although, I am aware that it will still be a lot of work, I am looking forward to being able to simply enjoy it this year.  Yup, a girls got plans to float for 3 months straight, with nothing but a diet coke in hand!  AHHHH Summer!!!  ( by the way this AHH is like after you just take a drink from a cold can of pop on a hot day, not the ahhhh the kids have no clean socks and the bus will be here in 5 min. kinda AHHH, just to clarify) 

What will you do with your summer to make it memorable?  

I plan on.........

Trips to the park

Splashing in the pool

Catching lighting bugs

Going up north

Having bonfires

Sitting on the deck with my morning coffee

Swimming in the dark

Cooking on the grill

Going to Cross Roads village

Staying up late

Walking barefoot

Making french toast

Having a sun kissed nose

Meeting other moms for summer play dates

Going to the movies on a rainy day

Going on family bike rides

Fishing with Dad

BUT most of all, I plan on enjoying my girls for the few months,  I have them fully!

Yes, summer is short, all good things must come to an end, but because of that, I am going to make it as memorable as possible! 

AHHHH SUMMER!!!!

Oh, and off the subject, but I thought kinda funny, Kadence just brought me the bug spray and said" Mamma, I need this, I'm stinky!"  Poor kid thought it was perfume all weekend, and I had been dousing her in it cause she stinks! She probably wasn't  too far off!  Kids got some Stanky FEET!

they say the best presents come in small packages, I say they come with snotty noses!

 Warning:  This blog (  I really hate that term)  is full of run on sentences( I really hate ending a sentence) , improper grammar, and a whole heck of a lot of rambling....ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I always knew when  I was a little girl, that I first and foremost wanted to be somebody's Mommy. I pictured myself being this "cool" mom with super hip clothes, living in a beautiful home, with the best behaved kids in town.  Wow that is not really what I got, I am not that cool most of the time, I shop at garage sales, and well lets face it my kids can be kinda bad, but  if I only knew how blessed I would be. I knew I wanted to have a big family, but I didn't anticipate it to happen so quickly.  I can remember when I found out I was pregnant with Kadence I cried the whole pregnancy.  I wasn't planning on having three kids so close together.  Derek insisted that it wasn't my strongest motherly quality that I openly was disapointed.  Now, I am not gonna sugar coat anything, sometimes she still makes me cry, but I wouldn't trade her for the world!  In my defense when Kadence was born I had a 3 yr old, 2yr old and a newborn baby.

      Today as I tuck my lil ladies in bed I watch as my three babies hug and kiss each other as they say goodnight.  It melts my heart.  The best present I could have ever given them, is each other.  They can disapear into a messy toy room for hours, or entertain each other on a spring day making mud pies.  Who doesn't want that?  A couple weeks ago at Kennady and Karsyn's frist soccer practice, we had to explain to them that you can't play soccer holding hands.  " Dude you're gonna red rover someone! " 

I feel so overhwhelmed with joy that I was able to give my children built in playmates, but more importantly, built in forever friends!  

Ok so back to reality....This "blog"  WILL not be all rainbows and unicorns, so let me appalogize if it seems that way.  It WILL be about dirty laundry, too many dishes, and back talking little girls.  Oh my, can they talk back!!!  Just last week I was curious if a six year old  is too old for the fire station abandoment  law.

With all the chaos.  The arguing. The back talking.  The whining.( don't get me started on whining)  there are these moments that everything freezes, and all the good out weighs the bad.  If we didn't have the ugly, we wouldn't cherish these special moments!

I love that my girls have their own room, but sleep together instead.  

I love that I told Kennady to clean her room, and Karsyn said quickly "I'll help you sissy"

I love watching little hands cupped over little ears, telling little secrets to each other.

I love that Kenna packs tissue from her classroom for their bus ride home, just in case Karsyn has an accident

I love that sometimes when I am unsure what Kadence is asking for, Kennady and Karsyn understand her.

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

-- Marion C. Garretty

Sisters are like the meatballs in spaghetti.....

the gum in a blowpop

the frosting on the cake

the peanut butter in a reese's

the chocolate chips in a cookie. 

Let me take a quick min. to acknowledge my sister. I can't write a whole passage about siblings and not mention how great of a sister I have. 

To me, you can give your kids all the toys in the world, amazing vacations, your sole attention, but the best gift you could possible give them, is someone to share their childhood with!  Someone long after you're gone, to "remember when" with. To me, the best present doesn't come in a small package, it comes with a snotty nose!

Ok so I typed this a couple days ago.  It sounded great.  I promise. Then my computer froze, and I had to retype. I don't know about you, but I am not a retyper.  It makes me mad.  I can't refocus.  So I appologize for the rambling and unflowiness ( is that a word!?! )

Mothers Day

So this week has been a week of reflection.  As two of my youngins are celebrating their births, and Mother's Day all bundled in so tightly, I have been deeply thinking about how important my role is as a Mother.  What is the definition of Mother?  Is it a clean house?  Is it dressing your kids in cute clothes? To me being a mother is the most important job I could have.  I have to protect these three special gifts that were given to me. It is unconditional love.   It is nurturing, discipline, and dedication.  Today was one of those "perfect" days.  If you are a Mom you know what I am talking about.  One of those days where you truly enjoyed your kids and your time together.  Unlike, some days, when you rest your head on the pillow, you question your abilities.  Did I yell to much?  Did I hold them enough?  Did I listen to them enough?  Did I tell them I loved them enough?  We have all had those days, which makes "perfect" days all the better.  My house is a mess!  Dishes overflowing the sink.   My laundry pile is heaping.  One pile of dirty, and then of course the baskets of clean that have yet been put away, but instead shifted from different rooms in the house.  I have bills to sort and business work to do.   BUT none of that matters!  Today I could have sat inside and told my kids to play nicely, mommy has a lot to get done.  Instead, I chose to celebrate my gift of motherhood. We went on a bear hunt in our woods.  We went on a fourwheeler ride out back.  We sat on the porch swing.  We did piggy back rides.  We got muddy, and ate brownies, and pizza.  Today was PERFECT!  I want my kids to remember me for living in the now, and not dwelling on things that do not matter.  I want to be the mom with the girl wearing a dora dress up outfit and rainboots because it meant a lot to her.  I want to be the Mom who takes her kid to the Grocery store in PJ's at bedtime because I couldn't pass up a toothless grin asking " can I come ".  I want to be the Mom that leaves laundry an exchange for parks, dirty dishes for the movies, and vacuuming for cuddling.  

I have learned so much about being a Mom but here are a few things I would like to share:

1. I've learned that the way you planned to do things before you were a mom - and the way you actually do them after becoming one - are two very different things.

2. I've learned that time passes 63,000 times faster once you have a child.

3.  I've learned that if it's quiet ... there's probably trouble.

4.  I've learned that kisses fix just about everything.

5.  I've learned that my mom was a freakin'-awesome mom when I was growing up.  Wonder woman, to be exact.

6.  I've learned that God is even more awesome than I thought.

7.  I've learned that being a mom is the hardest, most important, most rewarding job there is... and one I wouldn't trade for the world.

Today I accomplished the world and nothing all at the same time. I held them long, and told them how much I loved them!  So if you come in my house, maybe the laundry is neglected, but there are three smiling faces, who know they were not!  On that note here is a cute little poem.

Some houses try to hide the fact that children shelter there.

Ours boasts of it quite openly, The signs are everywhere---

For smears are on the windows Little smudges on the doors;

I should apologize, I guess for the toys strewn on the floor---

But I sat down with the children and we played and laughed and read;

And if the doorbell doesn't shine, Their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose The one job or the other---

I want to be a housewife, But first I'll be a Mother.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Life lessons for my daughters

Learn from your mistakes.

Be yourself.

Play in mud puddles.

Learn to drive stick shift.

Call people back.

Sing in the shower.

When given the opportunity, wear a costume.

Never take a picture, you wouldn't want your Dad to see.

People can change, but you can't change them. 

At least try.

Never shove someone off of a boat. (  A pool is ok )

Dance crazy.

Read everything you can.

Stand up for what is right, even if you stand alone.

Pet puppies.

Smile.

Don't smoke. ( if you do....quit!)

Hold the door open, even if you have to stand there forever.

There is a moment when arguing you know you are wrong. Stop arguing. 

You can tell me your secrets.

Tip well.

Walk barefoot.

When wearing a skirt, use the finger tip rule, even as an adult.

Coloring your hair, is a lifetime commitment.

Catch lightning bugs.

Return shopping carts.

Wear your seatbelt.

Take bubble baths. 

A wrap dress is flattering on everyone.

Be responsible.

Drink milk.

Let loose.

Respect your mother.

Eating ONLY cures hunger.

Notice the beauty around you.

Watch the amount of caffeine you take in. ( I have set a bad example)

Read fine print.

Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

Don't get hair cuts on a whim. or tattoos. 

Take naps. 

Don't sleep your day away.

Don't over pack.  

Don't call anyone's home phone after 9pm.

Study hard.

Travel often.

ALWAYS use your manners.

Don't be afraid to say no.

Keep your credit good.

Always wheat bread.

Offer your seat to a pregnant lady.

Wash your face.

Send thank you notes. 

Call your Dad often.

Don't live beyond your means.

Don't obsess over weight.

Never marry a man that doesn't say blesss you when you sneaze.

Be loyal, pick a team, and stick with them.

Buy a cute umbrella.

Don't eat yellow snow.

Pretty aint enough.

Always look for the toilet paper before you sit down.

Cry.

You can't have the best of everything, but you can make the best out of anything.

Don't wear white shoes till after Easter.

Go to church.

Always wear clean underwear.

Wear sunscreen. 

Don't grocery shop hungry.

Get an education, than career, than married, then kids....that order.

God is watching. 

Your dates are not allowed to do anything to you he wouldn't do to your Dad.

Life is too short....order the fries.

Don't scowl...you'll get wrinkles.

Be a trend setter.

Rememer, that I love you more than any other person in the world.