Things August Taught Me
It's been a while! And I miss you all. So I thought I would put on my comfy jammie pants, sit down with my piece of chocolate and share all the things I've learned last month, some random and some profound, as though you were sitting here curled up on the couch with me, talking like friends. (By the way, all that means my writing is comfy too... i.e. barely edited.)
Okay, August, here's what you taught me:
1. This summer has been busy. I thought that those years when the little ones are just starting to walk and they are into everything were the busy years. You know, where you feel like you can't ever actually do anything because your toddler might climb up on a table, figure out the child safety lock lid on the Nyquil bottle and proceed to pour the entire bottle down their front all in the time it takes you to pee (not that I would know anything about this, ahem). Like so many other things related to parenting, I thought wrong. Right now, we are brimming on the "soccer years," you know, music theater lessons, midweek kids club at church, soccer practice, soccer games, friends, extra classes and I am now beginning to fully understand why moms of older kids refer to their cars as taxis. Yes. My kids are potty-trained and relatively independent when it comes to playing with toys and brushing teeth... but my kids keep me busy nevertheless. Parenting changes over the years, but I am not so sure it ever gets any less difficult or busy.
2. Somewhere in my mind I think I imagined kids went from eating like picky two year olds to ravenous teenagers sometime in their preteens. And here is yet another thing about parenthood I imagined incorrectly. I used to be able to plan my meals and do one big shopping trip a week. I don't know when it started happening, but it feels like everyday I am either going to the grocery store or talking about how I need to go to the grocery store. Budget aside, I cannot keep up with my kids' appetites. They eat SO much and SO many times a day. I want to ask if this is what the teen years look like, but I am fairly certain this is only a glimpse. *sigh*
3. Mike is rarely able to make it to church with us because of his work schedule. I have been seeking the Lord, desiring to a place where we can live out our faith before our kids, a place to share what life in Christ means to us, to grow and learn as a family. I came across this devotion. I loved how truth is not watered down but it's presented in a way my kids can grasp it and Mike and I can be spurred on in our faith too. I love how opportunity for discussion is woven through it and how there is a simple activity we can do (or not do) to further demonstrate the topic. I also love that it doesn't take too long (Hi. I have squirmy kids. You too?). Two weeks in a row we have managed to set aside one night for family night. We eat a good home-cooked meal. We look each other in the eyes and talk about life. We do a devotion. We pray. Then we eat dessert and some other family activity (movie, walk, board games, legos...) It's so simple, it only happens once a week, but it just means so much. Game. Changer.
Okay, August, here's what you taught me:
1. This summer has been busy. I thought that those years when the little ones are just starting to walk and they are into everything were the busy years. You know, where you feel like you can't ever actually do anything because your toddler might climb up on a table, figure out the child safety lock lid on the Nyquil bottle and proceed to pour the entire bottle down their front all in the time it takes you to pee (not that I would know anything about this, ahem). Like so many other things related to parenting, I thought wrong. Right now, we are brimming on the "soccer years," you know, music theater lessons, midweek kids club at church, soccer practice, soccer games, friends, extra classes and I am now beginning to fully understand why moms of older kids refer to their cars as taxis. Yes. My kids are potty-trained and relatively independent when it comes to playing with toys and brushing teeth... but my kids keep me busy nevertheless. Parenting changes over the years, but I am not so sure it ever gets any less difficult or busy.
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2. Somewhere in my mind I think I imagined kids went from eating like picky two year olds to ravenous teenagers sometime in their preteens. And here is yet another thing about parenthood I imagined incorrectly. I used to be able to plan my meals and do one big shopping trip a week. I don't know when it started happening, but it feels like everyday I am either going to the grocery store or talking about how I need to go to the grocery store. Budget aside, I cannot keep up with my kids' appetites. They eat SO much and SO many times a day. I want to ask if this is what the teen years look like, but I am fairly certain this is only a glimpse. *sigh*
3. Mike is rarely able to make it to church with us because of his work schedule. I have been seeking the Lord, desiring to a place where we can live out our faith before our kids, a place to share what life in Christ means to us, to grow and learn as a family. I came across this devotion. I loved how truth is not watered down but it's presented in a way my kids can grasp it and Mike and I can be spurred on in our faith too. I love how opportunity for discussion is woven through it and how there is a simple activity we can do (or not do) to further demonstrate the topic. I also love that it doesn't take too long (Hi. I have squirmy kids. You too?). Two weeks in a row we have managed to set aside one night for family night. We eat a good home-cooked meal. We look each other in the eyes and talk about life. We do a devotion. We pray. Then we eat dessert and some other family activity (movie, walk, board games, legos...) It's so simple, it only happens once a week, but it just means so much. Game. Changer.
4. At the end of July, I took the kids with me while I ran errands at Target. Petsmart was next door having pet adoption day. We call Petsmart the "free zoo" and I am not above bribing my kids to behave in Target with a trip to the "free zoo." This trip always comes with the following pep talk: "We are not getting anything. No pets are coming home with us. We can only stay so long, so when I say it's time to go, you don't cry, you say, 'Yes, mom'." On this particular trip though, I walked by another standard issue dog cage and saw a puppy with big brown eyes, ginormous ears, brindle coat and spotted feet. When I said "Hi," she nuzzled me and licked my hand. Maybe it was the fact that I was still grieving the miscarriage, maybe it was the ears and the puppy-dog eyes, but I threw my own peptalk aside. I couldn't leave without that puppy. We brought her home and named her Pepper. She has already chewed through every pair of shoes my son owns save but one pair I am currently guarding with my life. I gained another "child" to potty train, and, so help me, if she pees on my brand new carpet one more time, I will scream. If you would have told me that one day I would grow up and have a dog that would sleep in my kids' beds I would have told you, "That's impossible, I'm not much of a pet person." Somehow our hearts and our home have expanded and made room for this big-eared pepper-coated puppy. She's become apart of this family, and we kinda love her. Perhaps, what I have learned is that when you are grieving a loss, pet adoption day should be avoided at all cost... then again, perhaps, I learned exactly the opposite.
5. Minivans are magical. No really. Stow and go seating, two back rows so kids can be kept out of punch/pinch/poke/slap/tickle range from each other, doors that slide open at the push of a button and do not bang into another car when a rough-and-tumble three year old determines he is opening his own door and without help thankyouverymuch... They're magical, I tell ya. My car from college completely bit the dust a few weeks back and now I get to experience the magic for myself.
6. The car I just mentioned that died... it died the same week I was pulling together my homeschool stuff for the year, the same week I was knee-deep in ribbon and doilies and L M Montgomery quotes for my sister's bridal shower that week, when, between homeschool curriculum and a bridal shower, it felt like I was all of a sudden hemorrhaging money and had zero time to car shop or have the what-is-best-for-our-family-and-budget talk with my husband... Is it just me, or do cars always die those weeks?
7. We are into our fourth week of homeschool. This year, I decided to establish a good routine. I now wake up, make coffee and a good breakfast, I eat my breakfast away from the kids (well, most mornings anyways), and read my Bible and pray. Homeschool only starts when Momma is caffeinated and fed, spiritually and physically. This has been a game changer. For whatever reason, last year I just couldn't find my groove, at least not consistently. This year, I am placing the greatest value in my priorities on inviting Jesus into my day and starting well. I am also placing value on routine and homeschooling and it's meant being consistent and saying no to some things I wish I could say yes to. But you know, I am loving homeschool this year...LOVING it. My kids are loving homeschool this year. It just kinda feels like I am doing exactly what God is asking me to do in this season.
5. Minivans are magical. No really. Stow and go seating, two back rows so kids can be kept out of punch/pinch/poke/slap/tickle range from each other, doors that slide open at the push of a button and do not bang into another car when a rough-and-tumble three year old determines he is opening his own door and without help thankyouverymuch... They're magical, I tell ya. My car from college completely bit the dust a few weeks back and now I get to experience the magic for myself.
6. The car I just mentioned that died... it died the same week I was pulling together my homeschool stuff for the year, the same week I was knee-deep in ribbon and doilies and L M Montgomery quotes for my sister's bridal shower that week, when, between homeschool curriculum and a bridal shower, it felt like I was all of a sudden hemorrhaging money and had zero time to car shop or have the what-is-best-for-our-family-and-budget talk with my husband... Is it just me, or do cars always die those weeks?
7. We are into our fourth week of homeschool. This year, I decided to establish a good routine. I now wake up, make coffee and a good breakfast, I eat my breakfast away from the kids (well, most mornings anyways), and read my Bible and pray. Homeschool only starts when Momma is caffeinated and fed, spiritually and physically. This has been a game changer. For whatever reason, last year I just couldn't find my groove, at least not consistently. This year, I am placing the greatest value in my priorities on inviting Jesus into my day and starting well. I am also placing value on routine and homeschooling and it's meant being consistent and saying no to some things I wish I could say yes to. But you know, I am loving homeschool this year...LOVING it. My kids are loving homeschool this year. It just kinda feels like I am doing exactly what God is asking me to do in this season.
Favorites from my kitchen last month:
PW’s Sloppy Joes. Confession: I had never eaten a sloppy joe in my whole life till my sister tried this recipe and swore it was amazing. It is yummy, easy and kid-friendly, which is pretty much the trifold holy grail of family cooking. I make it without any tabasco and pepper flakes because I have spicy-food-hating kids, but I definitely add those in after the munchkins are served. I do not hate spicy food.
Cooking Light’s Jerk Chicken and Stuffed Mini Bell peppers. Another confession: I love this recipe's homemade jerk, it's worth the time to chop and blend those ingredients. BUT between homeschool and my husband's schedule requiring an early dinner, I just don't have that time right now. I have been using a McCormick Jerk seasoning mix and a tub of chive cream cheese spread with a little sour cream and cilantro mixed in. We eat the chicken, the peppers, and a heap of broccoli and our tummies feel warm and happy and guiltfree... with about 15 minutes of work. Hallelujah.
I am hoping to get the chance to sit down with you all again. I feel chock-full of words and encouragement. Until then, would you share with me one thing you learned in the month of August? Or maybe share a recipe you've been into? I'd love to hear from you! (I'd also love some fresh dinner ideas **wink wink**)
By Grace,
Amanda Conquers
PW’s Sloppy Joes. Confession: I had never eaten a sloppy joe in my whole life till my sister tried this recipe and swore it was amazing. It is yummy, easy and kid-friendly, which is pretty much the trifold holy grail of family cooking. I make it without any tabasco and pepper flakes because I have spicy-food-hating kids, but I definitely add those in after the munchkins are served. I do not hate spicy food.
Cooking Light’s Jerk Chicken and Stuffed Mini Bell peppers. Another confession: I love this recipe's homemade jerk, it's worth the time to chop and blend those ingredients. BUT between homeschool and my husband's schedule requiring an early dinner, I just don't have that time right now. I have been using a McCormick Jerk seasoning mix and a tub of chive cream cheese spread with a little sour cream and cilantro mixed in. We eat the chicken, the peppers, and a heap of broccoli and our tummies feel warm and happy and guiltfree... with about 15 minutes of work. Hallelujah.
I am hoping to get the chance to sit down with you all again. I feel chock-full of words and encouragement. Until then, would you share with me one thing you learned in the month of August? Or maybe share a recipe you've been into? I'd love to hear from you! (I'd also love some fresh dinner ideas **wink wink**)
By Grace,
Amanda Conquers