Normal Day

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day, I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return." -Mary Jean Iron

Love Love Love this quote. Let me please more appreciate our "Normal Days"

Relief

I am feeling much better day.

Thank goodness.

Losing it.

Another Mom friend of mine once said that after having a HORRIBLE day with her children that night she took 12 birth control pills. This made me laugh so hard, and made me feel much better to know that she has hard days too.

Today has been such a day that I just made my appt. to get my tubes tied. (only kidding..but slightly only kidding) The kids screamed and fought, the baby cried and cried. The oldest didn't listen and the youngest couldn't be sat down for a second without a fit. The house was destroyed and my emotions were on edge. I feel useless, tired, annoyed, and worn-out. I know other parents deal with this as well, I know I am not alone in this fight, but some days it feels awful lonely. Sometimes it's all I can do to not yell again, or to not run out of the front door as fast as I possibly could. My sweet husband reminds me that not all days are like this, the kids aren't always horrific. And I know that, I remember that too.. it's just hard to see the sunlight shining down when there's a bitter storm rolling in . I want so badly to be the very best Mother to my children. So does that count then? Me wanting to be good?? Do I get any points for trying my hardest but failing about 45% of the time?

Parenting is tough, especially being a stay at home mom. Would I change that? Never. Do I have days when I wished that I had a part time job just so I could escape?? For sure!! Blogging is my journal for our children, so children here's some advice. Parenting is tough, more so if you have three small children ages 4 and under. It's a hard road, that seems never ending and without much praise, but it's worth it. You're going to want to quit, you're going to want to sleep and function normally but the truth is, nothing is normal after you have children. Life completely changes and only for the better. You kids are lucky you're so cute, or else I would have quit on you a long time ago. I think now I'll go make some cookies. Yep.. that always make things better in my book.

** After calling Ben and crying to him on phone and basically having a huge pity party, he came home early and consoled and comforted me. Of course when he came home all was well.. but it sure is the thought that counts. (You're the goods Honey)

***This little cartoon made me laugh.. that's my life motto for sure.

(mean while there are yummy chocolate chip cookies in the oven to make me feel better)

January in pictures.

Abby's certificate of awesomeness..... This is what Finn was doing while is big sister was getting her yellow belt. Oh... I could eat him.

Oh Man.. this IS the cutest pictures I have ever seen of McConnell.
Abby and Dad made their first ever homemade whipped cream. YUM!!
Mac has taken a recent liking in his little bro. So sweet.

Finn has found the door stopper thingy ma-bob.
He's pretty proud of himself. Finn is also starting the first steps of crawling....

Where you think you're goin???

I just finished my first class of my online schooling. It was super easy, but I still found myself questioning why I decided now was a good time to go back to school. Yes it will be hard with having to take care of kids,the home front and being in school, but I'm just taking it one class at time and we'll see how it goes. I am pretty sure it will only take me about ten more years to get my degree... haha.. I've got nothing but time!!!But in the mean time I am trying my very hardest to enjoy my babies before they grow up and think I'm corniest person alive.

Hiii-Yaaa

Abby has been in karate for a few months now, and she just moved up the ranks to the yellow belt. She had to perform all the right moves, and she did so awesome. You could tell that she really understood that it was important to show and do all the many things that she has learned!! She wasn't even shy about it either, which is HUGE for her.
Mom has been sick all week and quite frankly is sick and tired of having a home full of sick people. (Ben has totally lucked out, actually he did roll is ankle pretty bad a couple of weeks ago in church b-ball, so I guess he did get it in his own way) But the sickness is hopefully on the outs now, and we are ready to get some things done off of our ever long and never-ending To-Do list.

House of the sick

Our boys have been sick, and horribly miserable. I thought for a second that it was the flu, what with the fever, running nose, and hideous cough... but thank goodness it wasn't the flu. Just a nasty virus to make them ornery and a little bit more ornery. I don't blame them... just wished they slept more : )

McConnell was sick first, then Finn got it of course. I liked how the doctor mentioned that I should try to make sure the boys don't come in contact with each other.. that just makes me laugh. Poor Finn though. He's still pretty sick. And it hurts my heart. Every time he coughs my heart aches and my body hurts for his poor little helpless body. I finally couldn't handle hearing his congestion and the wheezing so I took him to the Urgent care and he had an ear infection. The doctor even had Finn get chest x-rays to make sure he didn't have pneumonia.. umm yeah that's an awful and scary thought! I had to hold him down while he was getting the x-rays. Poor thing. Thankfully the chest x-rays looked good and no pneumonia. Abby wanted to go with me to the doctors and me being the fabulous mother that I am, I told her that she could come with us as long as she "didn't drive me crazy." Abby was of course sweet and helpful and kept on asking me if she was driving me crazy and if she was being a good girl. Yep.. I am a horrible parent..

Abby then did something so sweet that makes me cry just thinking about it. Finn was on the doctor's table crying because he was tired and sick and I was trying everything I possibly could to get him to laugh or be happy, then Abby says "Mama play peekaboo." So I did and of course the Finn-Bug loved it. And of course Abby turned the situation around and taught me something and I LOVE her so very much. And I realized she is growing up too fast, and I felt bad telling her that she can only come if she doesn't drive me crazy. Well... there's a wonderful parenting experience. This life is all about learning and growing.. and Abby is teaching me so much. She is the coolest kid I have ever met. She still sleeps with us at night and I cherish it.. she cuddles with me and loves me and forgives me everyday for my shortcomings. And she told me when I walked down the stairs to go to church today that I was beautiful. Thank you Abby, but I'm not nearly as beautiful as you.

Finnegan

I am pretty sure, babies don't come much cuter than this....