Nightly Mantra

Every night after prayers I pretty much always tell myself the same thing:

Tomorrow is going to be better than today.
I am going to stay positive and try and not get angry.
I am going to not just be home with my kids, but be present.
I am going to be the best Mom I can be.

I have been saying this for, oh, about 5 years now.

Some days are better than others, but I really feel that if I keep reminding myself of how I want my days to be I will slowly make it happen.

Anyone else have these thoughts?

Menu Update

Okay, so this week I made:
Tuna Tetrazzini (sp??)
Taco hamburger sloppy joes
baked chicken
and tonight?
drumroll please....
I will be attempting salmon.

So far, everything has been a HIT (especially the sloppy joes!).

I'm excited to see how the salmon turns out.

Thanks so much for all the helpful and yummy ideas.

Two Random Thoughts

How is it already August 3rd?

Why is it that the minute I lay my finger on the phone my kids start acting like wild chimpanzees?

Activity Level

Sometimes I really do not know if my kids are getting enough activity or too much activity.
I guess on a day to day basis I would prefer if they do something other than just hang around the house. Some days it just means a trip to the park, other days it means the zoo or the library or something like that.
Evenings are different because most of their scheduled activities occur at that time - like swimming or dance.
The days can seem so long and I feel like a bad mom if we just "hang out" all day.
What makes it hard is that Laila is at that age where I really can't do much of anything with her. If we're outside she wants to eat rocks, climb stairs, eat sand and find trouble wherever she can. And, she refuses to sit in a saucer at this point.
Taking her places is a little easier if she can be in her stroller, but she has to be distracted and entertained at all times or she freaks out because she wants to get out.
I cannot wait until she can walk!!

So, how much activity do your kids usually get during the day?

In Defense of us "Computer Literate"

So I just have to say it. I am not afraid of being here.

It may seem to some that the privacy walls are crashing down around me because I choose to put my life out here in the big, scary World Wide Web. And although my privacy would be more intact if I didn't choose to have a blog, I really don't see how it's necessarily a bad thing.

I have said it before, but the reason I started this blog (a few years back now) was to keep my friends and family - most of whom I barely ever get to see - sort of involved in our day to day lives.
For some strange reason, it's important to me that my children's grandparents and aunts and uncles get to see how my children are growing and changing. Must seem odd, I know.

I realize there are creeps out there. There are sick and demented people who prey on young children. I know this.
Am I really a horrible mother for putting my children out there for anyone to see? Maybe I am.

I choose to not live my life in fear. If someone really wants to come after me or my family they don't need a blog to follow. Try Googling your name and you will see your name, phone number and address appear. All you need is a name. It's that easy.

I have had such a positive experience in the blogging world and not one bad one. I have reconnected with old friends, I have been inspired and learned a great deal about life.

Is it sad that I choose to spend part of my day here writing about my life or reading about others? And, which is worse?

I am not a pathetic housewife with no life who sits on her computer living in a fantasy world. This is not but just a teeny, tiny part of who I am and what I do.

The world is not what it used to be. We are all, whether you like it or not, pretty much an open book to anyone who wants to know about us. You can either roll with it or against it.

Happy 1st Birthday Laila B!!!

When I look back on this day last year I am shocked and amazed at how the rest of the year has gone. My little angel came in to this world with full force and it's been a little funny how she's been sure to have her presence known since then.

For the first 6 months of her little life I wasn't sure what to think of her. She had crazy, crazy, crazy fits, didn't sleep and screamed so loud even the neighbors could hear her.

And then, as if a switch had been flipped, her fits stopped and she started sleeping like a champ.

Her personality now is complex. She can be really easy going, but then if she doesn't get what she wants she will definitely let you know.

She is freakishly strong. If you dare (and I mean dare) take the remote away from her you will need both hands and a lot of will power.

Laila is usually a happy little girl. She adores her daddy - even more so than the other girls did at her age.

She's a fairly picky eater and doesn't fare well at restaurants at this point. After about 10 minutes she usually decides it's time to get out of her hi-chair and act out if you don't let her crawl around, which I don't let her do, which means she acts out.

She knows when she makes a funny. She mimicks facial expressions. She loves music and has her own dance moves.

She's standing on her own and likes to walk around with my kitchen chairs. This means that when you walk in to my kitchen you will usually find all 6 chairs pushed in all corners of the wall.

In my eyes, Laila is still a baby. Her little hands and feet. Her lilly white skin. Her nearly bald head. Her baby laugh. Her genuine cries and tears.

Thinking about her turning one brings tears to my eyes too. Here's my littlest girl turning in to a real person. Before I know it she'll be out riding a bike with her sisters and anticipating going to school.

So that's why today when she was ready for her nap I wrapped her up in her little pink blankie and rocked her an extra, extra long time so that I could watch her sleep in my arms.

I love you so much it hurts, baby girl.

Happy Birthday.

Moorhead Fun

We ran around Moorhead like chickens with their heads cut off this week. There is SO much to post so I'm just going to give you the highlights:

* Papa and Grandma's love, home and home cooking.
* Running in to my best friend - at random! - minutes after arriving in to town.
* Anthony's "hair cut"
* Pout Boutique
* Lunch at the O.G. with Kris including repeat trips to the O.G. bathroom with Delaney.
* The new and improved West Acres.

** Highlights from Bonnie's house:
* Laila trying to eat Brady.....again.
* Tons of kids playing really well together.
* Big Wayne and Jean
* Ross deciding since he couldn't find a swimsuit we was just going to "wear this" as he ran outside buck naked.
* Laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.
* Delaney loving only the men folk. This is going to be a problem some day.

* Sitting in Marilyn's porch talking about life.
* Mo's tacos.
* My cute, adorable, sweet cousins taking good care of my girls.
* My new Isabelt. I love it!
* Great Grandma and Grandpa.
* Getting good decorating ideas from my aunt's house. Man I love that house.
* Hanging out with my BFF and friends who I dearly miss and never get to see.
* Alex's polka dot number.

The girls and I REALLY had a good time. Thank you to all of you who let us in to destroy your homes, made time to see us and for all the love, hugs and kisses.

Pictures to follow.