Not a Parent on Accident

I'm not a parent by accident and I don't know that I believe anyone is. We might not chose the perfect time or be in the perfect situation but we all make the choice to be a parent. I choose daily to love my kids. I choose to take care of them, to nurture them and to make sure that they're happy. I choose to show them how to be the best that they can be by trying to give them my best.

Everyday I'm reminded why I chose to be a parent.
And everyday I'm thankful I did.

Healthy Shmealthy

I love to eat healthy. I also love bacon, chocolate, cookies and margartias. There's been a lot in the media about obese children in society and how the parents play a vital role in that outcome. I fully agree. But living at either end of that spectrum is not what it might seem. Hell, some of us are just happy IF our kids eat ANYTHING. My kids are somewhere in the middle. Thing 1 loves oranges, Thing 2 despises them. T2 loves cottage cheese, T1 refuses. They both love apples, meat, and carbs but share a hatred for leafy greens, chili, tomatoes, and potatoes. Correction, they love fries and hashbrowns.Every morning we eat breakfast. EVERY MORNING. Because we don't have a snack after dinner (dessert is naturally a part of our meal), I know that they're hungry when they wake up. I give them a cup of milk and a snack, mainly toast or a banana, within 10 minutes of venturing downstairs. This buys me time to get something to drink and open the curtains. Breakfast itself comes within an hour. Don't think that I'm June Clever and have eggs, bacon, pancakes, freshed sqeezzed orange juice, and coffe cake ready to go. No. Some mornings it's eggs and toast. Somedays it's cheese quesadillas. Today it was chocolate chip banana pancakes.T1 had syrup with hers and T2 had yogurt with his (he hates syrup). Healthy, not at all. But there are somedays when I throw healthy out the damn door and am just thankful they ate off a plate. Today was one of those days.

Summer Fun

Wow...a month already? It's amazing how life can go by so fast at some times and so slow at others. The past month has been full of hot summer weather, stuffy noses, sleepless nights and yet we still have found time to have great times with wonderful friends!One of the things I have loved about living in the Willamette Valley and especially in Yamhill County is that there is always something to do. Sometimes you just have to find it. Lately our saving grace has been a wonderful swimming hole that is locally called The Donkey Ponds. We love this place! The waters are slow moving and shallow enough that both of the Things can play in the waters edge with no worries. We have enjoyed this little oasis so much that we wanted to share our fun times with good friends. It the days that we have together, watching our kids play that makes leaving here so much harder.... 

Normal boys eat rocks right?

These are not our dogs, Marley just makes random friends!

Friendships that will withstand the distance!

Kid Corral

Lions & Tigers & Bears? Nope, try Draft Horses, Goats & Bunnies

We did it. We braved our first fair since having the Things. As we climbed into the truck for a long journey home from the Washington County fair Matt looked at me and said "Thank God that's over!" Really? I was tickled pink with glee, and sun, that it went so well. He was shocked at my happiness. Yeah lunch was $30 for 2 sandwiches, 2 hot dogs and 2 drinks BUT no one got hurt, no big fits were thrown, we avoided all rides (the boy is three inches too short), and we never lost a child. I'd say that's a success! The longest part of our fair visit, other that trying to convince both kids to eat without bothering the couple at the end of our shared picnic bench, was the livestock. Man I LOVE the 4H and FFA kids! Marley was in heaven looking at all the animals and wanted to touch every one of them. With the exception of sheep, apparently they're scary. Cows, goats, pigs, bunnies...you name it and my kids were hands on. When we came to the Draft Horses I was quickly thrown into a panic as my 39" daughter took off running for the legs of one of the largest horses I've ever seen. Ever. She was quickly scooped up by a 4H teen boy and put back outside of the rope that clearly said "Stay Behind". (Two thoughts: Shouldn't a 3yo be able to read?, and Man, where are that kid's parents!) That young man was my hero for the day. I hope that the Things' passion and love for animals will continue to grow and I love that my kids are so in love with most animals but unfortunately in order to accommodate all their requests, I'm going to have to buy a zoo. Or move in with Jack Hannah.

Little People, Legos & Lip Gloss

Thing 1 & Thing 2

I love being a SAHM. I love to clean and cook and my kids are mainly good. I won't lie, there are times that I feel like I'm climbing the walls craving adult human interaction. Is it enough for me to go back to work? Not yet. I think about it. Wearing adult clothes, having "lunch" without someone spilling or poking my food, having that part of me that knows I'm good at doing something other than being a mom and wife. But seriously, today I slept in until 8am, played with Little People, Legos and lip gloss and went "grocery shopping" alone for an hour when really all I did was eat a cookie (or four) and enjoy a magazine in the truck before I ran in and grabbed 6 things. Maybe part time is the way to go. Ideally I need to find someone who will hire me to organize/clean their space, do their shopping and provide some nice conversations. Until then I'll have to settle for a life with these two!