Tag: gratitude

children, family, gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood

Thankfulness is the Game (Happy Thanksgiving!)

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I am thankful for each and every one of you that takes time to follow my little blog.  Whether you are inclined to so because we are related, because you are my friend or because we share a similar experience in life, motherhood or otherwise, I am thankful for you.  I am thankful for a husband who accepts me as I am, on good days and on bad ones, too.  I am thankful for my boys who continue to amaze me.  Sometimes this aforementioned amazement borders on mind-numbing frustration depending on the day you ask me.  Most days are awesome and some days are not and should never be mentioned again (blogging about them is the exception of course!).

I don’t know if this motherhood thing is going to get easier.  I have a sneaking suspicion that in some ways it will and in others, it will only increase in complexity.

I’m game if you are.

What do these guys have in store for me next?
gratitude, humor, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

A Call of Acknowledgement

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All anyone wants in the world is some acknowledgement.

Full Speed wants praise for his good grades and high-flying karate kicks.

Full Speed attacks!

T.Puzzle wants to show off his muscles after drinking his milk and have me say how impressed I am (his four year old guns are massive by the way).

I told you T.Puzzle's pipes were massive

How often do the Moms of the world get acknowledgement?  In my experience it is not an everyday sort of occurrence.

Last week Mad Dog’s team at work took Boss’s day to the next level.  Not only did they show appreciation for Mad Dog, they also sent me flowers.  I appreciated that they understand the impact on our family of having Mad Dog work such a demanding job.  I work hard to raise our boys and run our household and a lot of times Mad Dog isn’t able to lend a hand because of his own work commitments (bazillion late day conference calls, anyone?).

It feels good to be acknowledged.  Actually it feels great.

I dedicate these flowers to all the Moms, wives and partners out there who make a house a home and keep their families going no matter what the circumstance.

Gorgeous!

I will be scheduling a conference call later with all of you so we may discuss this at length.

children, gratitude, humor, kids, marriage, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Are You Ready for Some Football?

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Do you ever wonder if we complain about something just to give ourselves something to do?  How can I be upset that my husband loves football?  It’s not like I didn’t know this before we got married.  If any of you know him, he will gladly recount his famous “The Buckeyes are Why I Got Married” story. 

So, he may be less available to me on the weekends and/or we will have to plan our weekend fall activities around Buckeye games.  It could be worse.  I could be forced to watch the games and I’m at a point in my life that I would much rather read a book or go to a movie with a friend or start my hair on fire… you get the drift.

There is an upside to all of this.  Everything has an upside if you scrutinize it enough.  Mad Dog is involving our boys in his football passion.  They already are reciting Buckeye related phrases on command and Full Speed is becoming much more invested if they win or lose.  This means the boys will be spending more time with Mad Dog. 

Maybe I like to complain about football because I feel so left out.  Maybe I’m worried that I will be completely forgotten about on weekends and have to eat my meals in solitude or go for long, contemplative walks by myself.  Or maybe that sounds like a little slice of heaven.   

Maybe I should complain less and embrace more.  Maybe football season will become my very favorite season after all.

children, gratitude, happiness, humor, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Birthday with a Bite

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A lady doesn’t share her that it’s her birthday unless she’s shopping at a shoe store that offers a birthday discount.  Then she will shout it from the highest mountain top if needed.

So, my birthday was the thirteenth.  As you can tell I was pretty psyched for my $5 off birthday coupon at the shoe store.  Before I went shopping I had a lovely breakfast with my boys.  I told them that some of the best presents I had were their Dad and the two of them.  I said that I was very lucky to have two of the best sons in the whole world. 

“I love you no matter what,” I said.

“Even if we bite somebody?” asked T.Puzzle.

T.Puzzle has an unfortunate history of biting.  I would like to say it’s a phase but if something last three years and has yet to stop, that’s more likely a life habit (life sentence?) than a phase. 

I didn’t hesitate to reply to him yet it pained me ever so.

“Yes, T.Puzzle.   I love you even if you bite somebody.”

Unless you bite me! 

 Did I say that out loud?

children, gratitude, happiness, humor, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

3 Categories

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This has happened to me countless times.  I’m on an errand of some sort with the boys that inevitably places us in a too small, overcrowded waiting area.  This week it was for my allergy shots.  Part of the problem is I stubbornly refuse to use electronic devices to keep them entertained and quiet.  They each are allowed to pick two hotwheels cars and must use their imaginations to pass the time.

It quickly becomes an experiment on a sociological level.  I am able to divide the people in the waiting room into three categories:

1.  People who think my lively boys are adorable and highly entertaining.  Which naturally they are.

2.  People who have never raised boys, who rarely are around boys and who clearly wish that the world was child-free. These are my favorite category of people.  They are so bright and cheery.

3.  People who don’t care.  No, wait, these actually are my favorite category.

Small spaces, big spaces, crowded or deserted, none of this changes that my boys are who they are.

Thankfully I happen to fall into the first category so it works out.