Motherhood

I had plans for this week's posts... but I forgot to type them, go figure!
So in an effort to redeem myself I have included a song for your enjoyment... it pretty much explains everything...

How I Do It

I am often asked, "how do you do it?", how do I find the time to do the things I love, to sew, knit, crochet, bake, all while parenting my 3 kids.
I have no secret abilities, I can not fly around the world, make it spin backwards and give myself more time in the day (yep... superheros reign all my thoughts!), but I do have a few tricks that make my life a bit easier and allow me to find time to do the things I enjoy in addition to raising a family.

1. I stay home. While being a full time mom is no easy task it does mean that I don't need to come home from a long day dealing with other peoples problems, feed my family, deal with any possible family dramas, clean the house, tuck my kids into bed, do laundry, and then find the energy or desire to work on something other then my dreams. I can easily find a minute or two during the day to sew a quilt panel, knit or crochet a row of something or glue down some pictures in a photo journal. I can bake at 10am instead of 10pm and clean up at noon instead of midnight. While my day is still only 24 hours, how I spend those hours are a bit more flexible then they would be if I worked outside the home.

2. I set goals and I plan. We've established at this point that I am an over planner but in this case I think that is one of my strengths. I set out weekly goals (sew ___ quilt squares, finish the cowl I've been working on, decide on pictures for the journals etc) and then I plan how and when I will work on these goals so I will be successful in completing them.

3. I follow a schedule. This could probably be tied into my planning, but our family is pretty well based around schedules. After I had Zac I realized how important it was/is for my sanity to work off a schedule. I realize scheduling isn't for everyone, believe me plenty of people have teased me about it, but I need to know that at 1:30pm each day I will get a break due to nap time; or if everyone is grumpy at 3pm it could be because I forgot snack. Knowing what to expect everyday also allows for me to plan some crafty intervention times during a nap time or at the table while the kids eat their lunches/snack.

4. I prioritize. Everyone has priorities in life, creating and loving my family are mine and I will always allow/find time to do those things. Having a spotless kitchen or a tidy living room are usually not a priority for me, while we do tidy our house, I will always opt to "wait until tomorrow" to wash that pot or clean up after the kids if it allows me 10-20 minutes extra in front of my sewing machine, reading a book with my kids or alone with my mister.

5. I keep all my supplies out and easily accessible. It is so much easier to find 5-10 minutes to work on something and if I am going to spend those 5-10 minutes pulling out all my scrapbooking/journaling supplies then it's not going to get done. If I keep all my stuff in say a basket or on a shelf that I only need to pluck something off of, then when I find the time to work on a project I will work on the project, not getting ready to work on it.

6. I married a very supportive guy. My mister really is an awesome man and he knows that I need time to create, food or items, to be happy. He will almost always watch the kids to allow me a few minutes to finish something I'm working on, or get to a point that I am happy to leave it for a few hours. He's just as proud once I finish a project as I am, not sure I could ask for more.

There you have it. No tricks, no special powers - that's how I do it.

Running

I have always wanted to be a runner... but I am so very much not a runner.

Every year a town a little over from ours has a 10k race in the summer and this year I have decided I am going to do it!
My sister in law is quite the runner so I contacted her and she gave me this plan to start. I'm only on week 3 now, and still really not a fan of running, but I have seen huge improvement in my ability.
So... what do you say? Run with me and we'll do this crazy notion of a 10k in 8 months together?

Simplifying

Stuff... we have SOOO much of it.

We are currently going through a (very slow) purge of our entire house and it already feels so good.
Could we live the minimalist lifestyle? No, I don't think we could, but we could totally live a lifestyle with so much less "stuff".
With Christmas coming up (less then 2 months away now!) we know we are about to get a load more toys, clothes and what nots, to just pile that on top of what we currently have seems... extreme.
I'll keep you in the loop of our progress, we want to reduce our stuff in at least half by Christmas (eek!). Sounds like a lofty goal, but that's how I like them.

**what does the soup picture have to do with simplifying our lives and reducing our stuff? Nothing. But it was good soup, and it was super simple... what? maybe there was something behind that picture! ... no, there wasn't... I'm not that deep (soup recipe can be found here).

Adjusting

It's been 7 weeks since our family went from 4 to 5 and I can honestly say it's been an adjustment.
Having the boys 17 months apart, while sounding daunting, was a relatively easy transition. Diaper changes just went from 1 bum to 2. Nursing schedules could be adjusted to match snack and nap times already happening. Napping schedules could be adjusted so two babies slept at the same time. While it seemed difficult in theory we really didn't have a hard time in actuality.
Introducing another baby 3 years later has proven to be a bit harder of an adjustment. Zac has taken well but Eli has had troubles understanding the new demands having a baby around causes and sharing my time.
I tend to be hard on myself and expect perfection a lot. So struggling to find our stride has been a challenge for me as I really thought it would come quickly and naturally as it did with Eli.
Charlotte is a good baby. She doesn't cry very often, unless she needs something (or between 6pm-12am... she's become a bit colicy this past week...), and she sleeps well through all the crazy noises her brothers make. She smiles lots, isn't much of a talker but cuddles better then any stuffy I've ever held.
I'm hoping that we figure things out soon and can get a bit of a rhythm to our lives back but I am not wishing this chaotic time away. I know in 20 years when all my babies are off living theirs lives I'll wish for this time back.
In other news, we have taken the house off the market and the transfer we were looking forward to has been cancelled. The cancelation didn't come as much of a surprise to be honest so while disappointing it was not shocking. For now we get to focus on our 3 kiddies and loving on them while renovating the house so, fingers crossed, we can have a quick sell next spring/summer.

Leaning on Him

"For I know the plans I have for you" says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

I am a planner. I plan to a fault and when things start to fall through or not go according to plan my world tends to get a little shaken and I am often overwhelmed. Leaning on the verse above as I watch plans fall through and try to just "go with the flow". God has plans for us, and they are good, I just need to be patient and wait for Him to show us what those are... now... to work on being patient...

Coffee or Tea

What's in your cup, coffee or tea?

People always ask if you are a tea drinker or a coffee drinker. I've decided that without a doubt I am both. Is that allowed?
I drink coffee in the morning, because I need the extra help most mornings, and tea most of the afternoon/evening... so I suppose I could say I drink both, but mostly tea...
I am so excited to start a new adventure with loose leaf tea. I've discovered David's Tea and can not wait to try every flavor they have to offer. I mean seriously, Pumpkin Chai, Banana Nut, Root Beer Float, Amaretto, Pink Flamingo, Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait, Birthday Cake not to mention Mother's Little Helper!
Mmmm...
So what do you drink? Coffee or Tea?

Silence with a Flashback

The past few days have been remarkably silent on here due to a horrible bout of sickness through the house. The mister and Zac were hammered with it first and just when I thought the rest of us would sneak through without getting it I was slammed and now Eli and the little Miss C are both suffering from runny noses.
I am praying like crazy it blows through the house quite quickly at this point because we are all pretty over it. Homemade chicken soup and tea with honey will be on the menu for the next few days chased by copious amounts of vitamin C tablets and echinacea.
In other news I was scrolling through my pictures the other day and found this little gem. Look how little they were only a year ago!

Oh! It just makes my heart hurt. Time goes by too quickly!

Welcome October

October is here!!

It's no secret in my world that I love love love October. The colors, the smells, the flavours, the weather!! I have a pumpkin patch visit planned for this weekend, another for later in the month, lists of baking to accomplish, our wedding anniversary, my mister's birthday, halloween costumes, knitting/crochet and warm drinks all planned for the next 31 days (well 30 now I suppose...). October always brings on a surge of creativity and energy for me and I am so excited to embrace that as much as possible.
I also start to think Christmas around now. Seems strange but to me fall goes hand in hand with holiday planning. Christmas lists will be made and sent out to family (this one is a bit of a necessity given our distance from most family), and I will start thinking of giving ideas/plans for us to send on to family. I think I've decided that I want this year to be a bit more hand made for our extended families which could be a challenge given our new addition, but it's still something I would like to challenge myself to do.
Bring on the season!!

Musical Monday: Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait

It's Monday... again... already...
Our weekend was interesting. I'm not sure I would say it was good, but then it wasn't all bad either... We let the boys watch The Avengers after a lot of begging and it made their lives. They really really enjoyed it despite my concerns that they would find parts too scary.

Eli has taken temper tantrums to a whole new level and Zac has become increasingly needy. We expected a few set backs or changes once Charlotte was introduced and I'm thinking that's what these new attitudes represent. My mister had a work related fancy dinner on Saturday night that left me home alone with the three of them over bed time and I succeeded (!) and then had some glorious time to myself. We also came to terms with a few potential disappointments coming up in life.
We've had better weekends and yet we've had worse, so who am I to complain...

Now... on to the music...
I feel like I have spent the last few years hearing about Mumford and Sons everytime I turn around... and yet, I had never actually heard them. This weekend I decided to hit up You Tube to try and see what the big deal was.
You'll have to travel to hear this one by clicking here, but I think it's safe to say I can't believe I waited so long to hear these wonders!

School Bound

It's official... I have a kid in school.

It's also official... I am so not cool with it! 

I have debated for quite some time about homeschool vs public schooling my kids. I realize the stigma that comes along with home schooling, as I've investigated everything I have heard many unwanted opinions on the matter, but truthfully that doesn't phase me. Unfortunately introducing a schooling schedule to a 4 year old, while trying to entertain a 3 year old all while balancing a newborn... didn't seem like a recipe for success in the beginning.

So for now, I am forced to accept that public school is what's right for our family, right now, and we can reevaluate in the future.

I will admit to him having a wonderful teacher though, which he is very excited about, and a very small class (6 kids or so?), which I am very excited about.

For now... while I am not over joyed with anything to do with the process... I'm in the process of being ok with it... ask me again in a month...

August

I can not believe there is only one more day left in August! Where on earth did the month go?

That said, August was an accomplishment filled month.
I managed to:
Drink my weight in Ice Caps
Made a rag doll for the bean
Tackled my "mend" pile (except for the button sewing part)
Completed 2 books, and started 3 others
Drank water daily (not 8 glasses though... have you ever tried to do that while a person is squishing your bladder? not pleasant my friend... not pleasant...)
Made a rag quilt
Packed my hospital bag
Found the perfect recipe for chocolate cake, from scratch
Made my first mini book
Played in the water
Repurposed an old baby blanket into a new one
Made a mushy bunny
Made some exciting life decisions
Discovered that it is way more comfortable to sleep on the couch then my bed at the moment...

and that's really only naming a few. I still have a giant list of things I'd like to accomplish before this little miss arrives but I am accepting that not everything may be completed. I have the determination though that over the next few weeks I will craft myself silly, read myself into a coma and possibly clean... the cleaning is not high on the list though...

14 days to go

It's official, only two weeks left until I am holding this little one in my arms instead of my belly.

(probably my least favourite picture ever taken of myself, with horrible lighting, but it does show the belly and my "grandness" quite well...)

All in all, I am feeling a little larger then life right now and I am so very ready to be done with this pregnancy. Growing up my mom always said that pregnancy is 9 months long because by the end of it you don't care what you have to go through to finally be done. I would agree with this thought with all of my being at this point.

Due to some complications with Zac's birth Eli was a planned c-section and because of the previous section my dr has voiced his preference to section me for this little darling as well. I can honestly say I am more nervous about this surgery then I was for Eli's but love that we have a date that we can pretty much rely on. So only 14 more days of being a family of 4, and a mommy of 2, September 11 - here we come!

My Boys

Do you ever wander through your photos on the computer and find some wonderful gems you simply can't remember taking, or possibly seeing?
I did that just the other day and found two of my current most favourite pictures of my boys.

Zac is preparing to start school in a few short weeks and I really can't accept the idea... he still seems like such a sweet little boy to me that it melts my heart thinking of releasing him to the world.


While Eli is, quite frankly, a challenge. If it weren't for his chubby little cheeks and hilarious sayings I can honestly say this kid would drive me loopy.

I can't help but look at my two sweet boys and wonder what this little bean will look like when she comes out. The time is nearing and we are getting so excited to see her little face and count all her perfect fingers and toes!

A jumble of words for your Thursday reading but what can I say... my head is a jumble of thoughts...

He's Back!

Well, my mister has officially returned from his time away and we all survived.
It was not especially graceful, I will admit to that. I lost my temper more then I usually do. I lost more sleep then I usually do. I caved and allowed more TV then I usually do... but all in all, we made it. Funny that I have never found the idea of single parenting a daunting task before however lop in an 8 month pregnant belly and all that goes with that and I become a bit of a whiney baby.
We are spending the day together as a family letting the boys get their fill of daddy loving and then I am going to bed for the rest of the weekend!

(yes, yes, I confess, this picture is a year old. Apparently I don't take many pictures of the three of them together... or nice ones of my mister for that matter... look how teeny tiny Zac's little butt is though! ah! I could eat it up!)

I'm Back

I feel as though I owe you all some sort of explanation for my absence of late...
I wish I had a big detailed and elegant reason, but straight up, life got busy and I needed to drop something and this here blog was the easiest thing to step away from for a week or so.

(it's raining today...)

We had a conditional sale on our house and it was supposed to be closing at the beginning of the month, unfortunately the buyer was unable to meet one of the conditions so the sale fell through. During the time of "have we sold, have we not" limbo our planning selves got the best of us and we had so many things we were trying to figure out. As everything stands now we are expecting to be here until at least the end of September (hopefully we will sell by then!). I will have another Newfoundlander baby, the boys will be able to welcome her into the home they are used to and Zac will start school here, with the friends and teacher's he knows. While this wasn't our first choice for our final plan it is proving to be the best option of all our plans and we are confident that everything has worked out the way it should.

I have been busy preparing for Zac to start school (early I know, but to do it right before or right after having a baby seems a bit like borrowed stress), I have unpacked and organized most of the baby things we have, we've made a plan to move the boys into a room together if we are still here by the time the bean will move into a room of her own and I have started crafting again. While we were in limbo I went on a bit of a dry spell with crafting in an effort to keep the house clean and not get a project started that I would have to put down in order to move. I've decided this mentality was silly and have since been crafting like crazy.

So there you have it. We had a bit of excitement for a time but now life is back to our normal!

A Problem

I may have a problem...

... with online shopping.

I usually pace and limit myself to one order per month, or at least one order at a time (wait until it's arrived, pay it off and then order something else). I have not been quite so disciplined these days though and I can totally understand how some people can go completely crazy with the online ordering. 

I've started stocking up for after our move and ordering some things I know I am going to want but will need to pay a fortune in northern shipping costs.

Probably best to keep this between us though... not sure how my mister would handle the news...

Fishing

My mister has been off the past few days and it has been beautiful outside so we took the opportunity to take the boys fishing.

On Sunday we bought them each their own rods and then practiced casting them in the backyard (with the little weight thing they came with... no hooks).

After they were all practiced up we took them to the water Monday morning and let them cast and reel in 'till their hearts were content!

Yesterday was a bit of bummer and we didn't even have nibbles so we decided to take them out again this morning.

Although Eli didn't catch anything Zac caught a little one and it has made the little guy's life a brighter place.

I've never seen him so proud!

Week in Review

This week has been what I would call, insane!

My mister is back on shift work (which always results in me never knowing what day it is), Zac had a cavity filled (talk about making me feel like the worst parent ever), which involved happy juice medicine and a gas mask, Eli was taken to the emergency room because his eye swelled completely shut (turned out to be an allergic reaction to a bug bite). We had house showings, one complete with a bunch of what I would consider bizaro questions, I got packages in the mail that I have been anxiously waiting for, the boys played on a bouncy castle and loved their friends and I had a few hormonally driven melt downs.

A crazy week, but a good week none the less.

My mister is playing in a ball tournament this weekend and we have a good friend coming for the night on Sunday which leads me to believe the crazy times are currently on going at the moment.

I am so craftily inspired these days that I am also hoping to hunker down and create like crazy over the next few days! 

I have to say keeping this house clean while I'm this inspired is proving to be impossible. I can't create and stay clean at the same time... it's just not in my make up!

I hope you have a fantastic weekend, I know ours is going to be awesome!

Laughter

These two boys make me laugh everyday...

It's a gloomy, rainy day today so we are going to keep ourselves busy with crafts and giggles.

Happy Tuesday!