Grandparents Day!

My kids are so dang lucky!! They had Grandparents Day at school today and we're blessed to have both Grandparents come.  My parents traveled from Boise to be with them today. And even though Mike's Mom is just down the street, they don't get to spend too much one on one time with her.   They were beyond excited, in fact, they were all up earlier than usual today!
Grandparents Day was always so special for me growing up.  I had an awesome Grandma! And still do, she will be 95 this year! My mom would get us dressed up in our finest dresses and do our hair so pretty. We did a big program every year and then they would come in our classrooms for some special one on one time and then my Grandma went the extra mile and took us to lunch and sometimes shopping.  We always went to our favorite restaurant, Plush Pippen.  It had my favorite minestrone soup and you were served your very own mini loaf of bread! Then we ended our meal with a big piece of homemade pie! I remember feeling so loved and special on this day.  I think memories and special moments like this one help mold us into the grown up people we are today.  I loved spending time with my Grandma.  She is a very special lady.  She's tough, spiritual, a great cook, and her fashion sense was and is still impeccable.  She had a way of turning ordinary into fascinating by the way she decorated or threw a party.  I do believe this is where I got my party planning skills from!  She loved having her family all together and creating a space of love and laughter for us all. My Granner was also a beautiful eloquent lady.  She had lived a hard life, losing her husband so young and raising two boys on her own.  She loved to dance and was very good at it.  She always had beautiful ball gowns that she wore and would get dressed up with my Grandpa Jim and go to the dance hall.  She wasn't as hands on in my life, but I knew she loved us.  I painted her a picture years ago and she hung it in her home and had it there until she passed away.  She was 98 when she died.  I am grateful for my children's grandparents.  They love my children in their own special way.  My children always feel loved and special when they are around.  They are good examples of doing hard things, strong faith, and unconditional love.

 This was last year's Grandparents Day! 2012 (Forgot to get one this Year)

Snowfall and Smoother Mornings

Wow, not even October yet and we have snow in the mountains this morning! I love fall, but definitely not ready for winter yet.  The air is crisp this morning and as the girls left for school  I couldn't help but think that I would rather be cuddled in a warm bed with the three of them.
That being said, our morning went a lot smoother today.  I think I stayed mostly calm for the hour that they were awake.  Cayden was a little grouchy this morning, but that can be attributed to late nights and being a teenager, right?
I really tried yesterday to show my children more love.  I am realizing how often I am distracted when I am with them, either on my phone, or talking to someone else or just my thoughts wandering while they are talking. I am trying to be in the present with them.  To focus on them and their needs when they are with me.  I started the one-on-one time with them.  I have to say, it was a little awkward approaching them about it, they kind of looked at me like, what?  But once I explained better they were all excited about it, especially the girls.  I told them that we would have 10 minutes of alone time to do whatever they wanted with me.  Brooklyn was first and she decided that she wanted me to teach her how to curl her hair.  She's been asking me for some time to help her with this, but I just hadn't taken the time to do it.  We had so much fun together.  I first explained to her the safety that comes with handling a curling iron and then showed her how to do it.  She tried it out on herself and then on me.  You could see the pride and excitement on her face as she let go of that first curl.  And of course it looked perfect, because she is so good with things like this.  I felt like it was a real bonding moment between us and it was doing something so simple, but in her eyes it was a grown up thing and I know she felt loved and respected.
Avery and I played Uno together.  We laughed and talked as we played.  Avery is very easy to talk to, and there is never a silent moment with her.  She loves to tell me about her day or what she is learning at school.  We played 3 times and she beat me every time!
I didn't get a chance to do 1on 1 with Cayden and Sophie yesterday, but I took Cayden to lunch on Tuesday and I had some time to just chat and be together.  And right now, Sophie and I get lots of time together.  
I really think this made a difference in how our day went yesterday and how our morning went today.  I can see how this will create a more loving, stable atmosphere and make the kids feel important and special.  It's only 10 minutes, but I feel like it speaks volumes to them about how much I love them, respect them and want to be with them.
With fall in the air, I thought I'd share a yummy cookie recipe. I made these last week before my kids got home from school and they were a hit! They have my new favorite food, Biscoff spread.  If you haven't tried it, you must.  I got mine at World Market, but I know Trader Joe's and even Walmart sell it.  These cookies would go great with a cup of warm apple cider!

Banana Biscoff chocolate chip cookies

adapted from  http://passthesushi.com/fall-back-with-peanut-butter-banana-cookies/

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup Biscoff spread

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Prep:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a mixing bowl, combine bananas, biscoff, and sugars. Beat until smooth. Add baking powder and salt. Stir until combined.

Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. 

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto a  greased cookie sheet, or

covered in parchment paper.  Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt. ( optional, but love the flavor it adds).

Bake for 11-13 minutes.  

*I think these would be great with butterscotch chips, toffee chips or white chocolate chips too!

Rough Mornings

I hate hard mornings like this one was today.  No one will listen, I'm repeating myself over and over again, there is teasing going and homework to finish.  By the time everyone leaves I am completely at my wits end! I hate the boiling feeling inside of me, the one where you feel like you want to explode and you know if you do it will be on the one child that probably deserves it, but really just needs your love the most.  I've been reading the book, Deliberate Motherhood, by the Power of Moms.  The chapter I am reading is all about loving our children and how most of the time they just need love.  I really need to remember this, especially with B.  She is my one child that doesn't express herself and can be very stand offish, but out of all the my kids needs love and acceptance.  I read a quote last night that I really loved, it said,
"Instead of strategizing about ways to help them behave,implementing new discipline techniques, or finding new ways to react to tense situations, she focused solely on dishing them out an extra large serving of love."
I loved this and doesn't it sound so simple? Just love. No time outs, taking away iPods, yelling, and threatening. Just love. Sounds so much nicer, peaceful and is something I am quite good at when I am calm. :)  Now I need to learn to practice that in times of stress and aggravation.  I am definitely a yeller. I came from a home where my mother yelled, (she was a great mom, don't get me wrong), but it is very easy to take on those traits.  Sometimes I feel it's the only way to get through to my kids and to think maybe just a hug or putting my arms around them and letting them know that I am here and I am listening could control all the turmoil that is going on at that moment.
So my goal for today is to
1. LOVE more! Even if I am boiling with hot lava running through my veins and feel like I may erupt at any second! I am going to take a big deep breath and just remember to love them.

 2. I am going to set up one on one time with them today.  Give them my undivided attention, even if it is for 10 minutes to do something they enjoy. I will put this strategy that I heard from Positive Parenting Solutions, with Amy McCready, to work.  She said that it will tame the disputes and disciplining and also help with sibling rivalry.  She claims that if the child is getting their emotional needs met there is less of the power struggle with our children.
I know things will never be perfect and like everything else in our lives, motherhood is a journey, that never ends, but I can make our day to day lives better by implementing these strategies into our home.  I feel better already and I think my blood has gone back to a nice peaceful flow through my body and is no longer at a boil!

"When the going gets tough, love harder!"

Finding my Passions

It's been a while, but I have been developing this craving for something more in my life and I remembered how much I love to write and show my creative side.  This blog is a great way for me to do both.  At this point I feel like it will be a collaboration of many things so you will never know what your going to get.  It may be on fitness one day and the best dessert you've ever had the next! I have a passion for many things and I hope to be able to share them in a creative way with you! So I hope you'll join me from time to time and see what fun things I have to share.  I would love to hear feedbacks and comments, so feel free! Thanks for stopping by!