Honk if you feel my pain.

The kids got new beds! This is great news becuse they have needed the new beds for awhile now, but we haven't been able to find the "right" beds. We did find some we liked on Saturday and they were delivered yesterday. The kids had been really excited to get their new beds until it was bed time. I had spend a good portion of the day getting their sheets washed and their rooms put back together. Then when we said that it was time for bed they did nothing but cry and throw fits. It took us forever to get them to lay down and try them out.

Daddy was in little princess' room for a few hours trying to get her to go to sleep. Little dude just cried for a bit, but came into our room at about 3 because he was "sick" (that is his way of saying that he wants to be in our bed not his). I took him into his bed again, and he just cried, and cried. Which woke up his sister and made her cry. While I tried to get her back to sleep, I decided that I was going to give up. I took my little princess into our bed to cuddle with daddy. Then I cuddled with little dude in his bed. I ended up sleeping half the night in his bed. By 6:30 I couldn't sleep anymore. I was too annoyed. So I got up to clean my house. Wonder what today is going to be like? I will need to cancel my guitar lessons just to take a nap with the kids.

Sometimes we just need a break.

My little dude had the chance to spend the night with my parents last night. This was so nice and very needed on many levels. He got to spend all day with Grandpa, and he loved every minute of it. Mommy got to spend all day with little princess and no one even cried. We went shopping, went to a friends house, went to lunch and went to see daddy at work. It was really fun to just spend time with her. We don't get to do that very often.

When it came time to pick up my little dude, he was in such a great mood. He was nice to his sister, he was sharing better, and he wasn't hitting. It was funny because he wouldn't stop talking about all the things he did. What he had to eat, where he slept, every little detail. I loved it.

I think that he just really needed a break from mommy, and the same four walls that he is confined to every day. I almost wanted to ask my dad if he could stay longer, but I really did miss him. He wakes up every morning and comes into my bed and cuddles with me for a little while. I missed that this morning. The first words that come out of his mouth every moring is "where is daddy?" but instead my little princess was asking "where's [little dude]?" (she doesn't call him that. She used his real name) It was a little sad. When we went to the store I even missed him asking me for a treat every minute or so. I think that we really needed this time away from each other so we could realize that we can, and will miss eachother.

Now that he is home he was even willing to clean his room, and help his little sister. I am not sure how long this will last, but I will take what I can get!

Let's Share Dinner!

Ok I had so much fun with my last post and the emails that I got, that I decided to start another blog. Recipes to Share or Let's Share Dinner. I am really excited about it and I hope that you will all stop over and check it out. I will need everyone's help with it to make it fun.

Go check it out and send me emails of your favorite recipes!
Let's Share Dinner

It's dinner time!

Ok, I think that I am going to change things up a bit. I have been thinking of new things to make for dinner. I am tired of the same old things. Does anyone have any great recipes that they would like to share? Some thing fun, easy, tasty, anything. This will be fun to see what kinds of recipes I get!

If you want to email them you can send them to pittakgr@hotmail.com .

Oh here I am!

This week has been pretty crazy. My internet has been down all week so I have been going nuts! So today's post is going to be about all the things that I wanted to post about all week. Some parts are kinda funny, some are only funny to those that weren't involved, and some parts are just kinda sad. So here we go. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago I caught my little princess in my lipstick. She used the entire tube by trying to put it on. She has done things like this all week. I bought all brand new makeup on Friday and Monday morning she got into it and used everything that I bought on herself and for some reason the carpet. It isn't all gone, but I was still pretty mad. Then yesterday while I was in the shower she got the fingernail polish out and painted her entire body. She has been really keeping me busy! It is hard to be mad though, because she just wants to be pretty and wear make up. Check out this picture that I took of her with the lipstick. What do you think the look in her eyes mean?



So we move onto my Wild Indian. He is being just exactly that! WILD! WILD! WILD! I just don't know what to do with him when he is that wild. We are working on it though, and it is getting warmer outside. So maybe we are getting closer to a solution. We shall see.

Every spring time my husband gets really excited to start on all his yard projects. Well, this year he has a little help from a friend that owns a landscaping business. (and has a bobcat) Last Saturday his friend came over and they came up with this idea to make the pond in our back yard bigger. They got all excited and decided that they were going to start on it that day. I have always loved that my husband was spontaneous, but I must say that this was a little ridiculous. First of all the snow had just barely melted. Second, there was no more than 10 minutes of planning beforehand. Third, I am still not sure why they decided to use the bobcat to dig it up. They weren't supposed to be digging very much. So with the result of #1 and #2 they got the bobcat stuck in the back yard. The ground was way too soft still and it got VERY stuck. It was quite the site so of course I had to take pictures. Check out the slideshow. I guess we can still say that boys like to play in the mud!

View Stuck Bobcat Slideshow.


So with all that was going on this week I was still really grumpy. Yesterday my little dude slammed my little princess' hand in the front door. I had to take her to the doctor becuase I wanted to make sure that she didn't break a bone. She was in so much pain. It made me cry to see her so sad and so hurt. Her thumb nail is very black and she cries every time anything brushes up against it. But just before I was getting ready to leave some dropped off a beautiful basket of cookies and stuff inside. I don't know who it is from, but it had a card on it that said "Have a nice day" Once again I cried. It was so nice to know what someone was inspired to do this for our family becuase we have all been a little grumpy. If the person that sent it is reading this please know that it was such a lovely thought, and we enjoyed it very much! It brought such a wonderful spirit into our home. Thank you!



Well I think that is it for now. I always feel better after talking about the things that are on my mind. Thank you internet for letting me share a bit of my craziness.

Blah Blah Blah

Dumb name for a post, I know. It is kind of this little joke that my friend and I have going. When we are bored and have nothing to say we just say "Blah Blah Blah" Well, I have a little bit more to say than blah blah blah. Infact, I have a ton on my mind. This post is going to be about a few things, so the best I could come up with was that.

As we all know, I can not wait for spring. I want to let my litte dude out side to play. For now on I think that I am going to call him my wild indian. He has way too much energy. He is really driving me crazy! I feel like I am always yelling at him to "get down" or to "stop hitting" or "calm down you are too wound up". Today I took him to the doctor for his 3 year check up. While we were there he was so crazy that the doctor told him that it isn't nice to hit. Then we went to grandpa's house and we had to leave becuase he was being to crazy. I am starting to get really embarrassed when he acts up like that. I feel like everyone around is thinking about what kind of mother I am. Or thinking that they need to say something to him because what ever mom is saying is obviously not working. I really don't know what to do. This sucks because it isn't like potty training, I knew he would get that eventually no matter what method I used. With this though, however I try to fix this problem it will in a way form how he reacts to things. I can't screw up. In some ways I feel like I already have though. AAAAGGGGHHHH! I hate not knowing how to fix things!

My little princess is being very needy and very moody lately. She will cry over anything. She usually is the sweetest little thing, but I think that she has been picked on way too many times so now it is starting to make her a little sassy. In some ways I think that it is good. Some ways I think that is sucks! She has been getting into everything lately. I can't keep up with her. In the last week she has colored on every wall in my living room. Ruined an entire tube of lipstick by tying to put it on. She has made the new world record for taking the couch cushions off the most amount of times. And has dumbed two cups of Dr. Pepper on the floor. Oh, and she won't keep her clothes on to save her life. This is something that I will not tollerate! I have a neice that takes her clothes off all the time, and I swore that I will never let my child do that. I do win this battle with my littl girl, but still. It is an on going battle.

I have no solutions to any of these things. I don't want to effect my kids in a bad way, but freaking out is the only thing that comes to mind. I do have two short term solutions to my grumpiness though. First is to climb into bed with a HUGE bowl of chocolate ice cream (the cure for any bad mood). The second is to book my trip to Mexico! I need a vacation!

In Memory of Kirsten Jordan.

This post will be very hard for me, but I have been thinking about it for a week or so now. So bare with me while I get out a few emotions.

Tomorrow, March 17th, is the birthday of a true friend of mine that past away a year and a half ago. She was very tragically killed in a car accident on her way home from a family vacation to Hawaii. She had left behind a very amazing husband, and her 7 month old daughter. At the time my daughter was only 4 months old. Before she died we spent many hours on the phone together talking about our babies. We had all these plans for them to be best friends growing up. Even while we were pregnant we went shopping for all those cute little outfits for our girls. Our friendship was growing stronger through the bond of motherhood. She was an amazing friend.

Two days before she left for Hawaii, I called her because I really needed someone to talk to. I had been suffering from Post Partum Depression, and had just recently been trying to get help. She was some what of a social worker and always gave great advice, and had a laugh the would brighten anyone's day. I was feeling really down about myself and I knew she would cheer me up. I remember telling her how I felt so inadequate as a mother because I couldn't handle my heavy load. I remember saying to her "I don't see why I am the only mother in this world that can't do it. I see people every day handling more than me. Why is it that I can't do it?" What she said to me next were words that ring through my head often. Not only because it was the last thing that she said to me, but because they are words of wisdom. Words that made me realize so much about motherhood. She said "What you don't realize is that there are people out there that look at you and think, If she can do it. So can I." What she made me realize is that I will never know anyone's true feelings. I can not live my life looking at other people and wanting to be like them. I can just try my hardest and hope and pray that it is enough.

The day that I got the news that she had been killed. I shut down. I could not imagine life without my kids. I couldn't imagine leaving my kids behind. I couldn't help but to constantly think of her daughter that was now having to grow up without her mother. I thought of her husband and how he was feeling to have lost the love of his life at such a young age, but having to be strong for his daughter. I was so sad to have lost such a close friend. To know that she wouldn't be there anymore was so much more than I could bare. I cry to this day thinking about all the emotions that I felt. I take comfort to know that she is watching over me and all of her family and friends. I take comfort in remembering the wisdom that she shared with me, and how much she touched my life. I take comfort in knowing the legacy that she left behind through her daughter and by just being who she was.

I miss her so much every day. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her, that I don't hear her laugh. I can't wait for the day that I get to see her again. But until then she has given me the strength to be a better mom. To accomplish more things. To overcome more obstacles. To just be me. What a legacy!

I love and miss you Kirsten! Happy Birthday!

We all get to fight giants!

I bought this hilarious new movie for my kids. Junior's Giants It is about a kid named Junior that has a problem with his temper. It starts off with Junior sitting in a church class learning about the story of David and Goliath. The teacher tells the story then says:

"Every one of us will have a chance to fight our own giants."

Junior raises his hand and asks "Will I get to fight a giant?"

The teacher says "Well metaphorically, yea."

Junior raises his hand again and asks "What's a metaphore?"

The teacher axplains it to him. Then obviously confused Junior says "So to be clear, do I get to fight any giants yes or no?"

The teacher says "Umm, Yea!"

Junior's reply "THAT IS SO AWESOME!"

This is so funny to me because Junior just doesn't get it. In the movie every time he looses his temper he has to go fight a little, Scottish giant named "Tude". (Yes he is little and Scottish) He getts bigger and harder to fight as Junior's temper gets more out of control. This really is a funny movie, but it has been really good for my kids, and for me. It has made me think a little about the giants that I have fought in the past and the best way to overcome them.

I feel that I have fought many giants, and I feel that there are more to come. That is all about learning and growing and living life. I have even been fighting my own "Giant, Tude" lately. (I am not so sure that mine is Scottish though) I think this story is great because it shows that sometimes our giants really do start out small, but we are making them bigger with how we react to them. They are easier to fight when they are small, but we don't realize then that it is even a fight. If we try to fight them when they are big, at that point it is overwhelming and seems impossible to fight.

What is the solution then? Well, for Junior his friend gave him some great advice. He said "Live and Let God." Junior didn't know how to do that so he asked his mom. She told him that he needs to start by praying. She also told him a scripture that is in the Bible "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self control. If we live in the spirt, let us also walk in the spirit." So here is my advice to myself and to anyone else that may be having this same problem. Anytime that I hand my problems over to God it always seems better. I want to try to live and walk in the spirit. All of these things will help me be a better person. It will help me with anger, confusion, jealousy, bitterness, loneliness, sadness, anything that may be troublesome. This scripture, I feel, is the outline for a happy, healthy, peaceful life. Let us all "Live and Let God"!

What a weekend!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. We have been out of town. We went up to Idaho where my father-in-law has a ranch. It is always fun to visit them and wonder around in the most beautiful country they live in.

The kids were wonderful all weekend! I was really proud of them. Daddy and Grandpa made a fireplace mantel. The kids and I made cookies with grandma, watched some movies, colored a bit, and went sledding. Well, it was more like being pulled behind a 4 wheeler on a sled. It was a blast though! We all has so much fun!

Here is a little slide show of the pictures that I took. They were taken with our little handheld camera and I was sitting on the back of the 4 wheeler taking most of them so they aren't the best quality.

In some of the pictures you will see the horses that were following the kids around. They thought that was pretty neat! You will also be able to see how beautiful that place is! I love going there any time of the year. It is so peaceful and absoluty beautiful!

View Idaho Slideshow

Reliving a memory.

One of the best memories I have of my childhood was spending time with my dad in the living room in front of the record player. We would lay on the floor for hours listening to music and singing all the words to the songs. I have loved to sing as long as I could remember, and my dad has loved to sing even longer than that. I remember my dad playing a song called the Dueling Banjos from the movie Deliverance. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002KEL/102-4169640-2348938?v=glance&n=5174 This song really inspired me, along with this entire experience, to learn to play the guitar. Ever since I mentioned that I wanted learn to play, my parents were always really supportive. My dad and I always joked that he would learn to play the banjo and we would play together. I don't think he really knows how much that would mean to me to be able to play together like that! Maybe someday!

What great times we had! If it wasn't for him taking the time to sing with me, and teach me about different instruments and music, I am not sure that I would have learned how to play the guitar. Today I got to relive a little bit of this memory with my father. I got a new book of guitar music from the 60's and I had a few questions. So I called my dad. He got online and pulled up a bunch of songs that we used to sing together. So what do we start doing? Sing! He was at work, me at home and we just sang to the songs like we used to when I was a kid! This was so much fun for me because it brought back so many memories. My dad and I have always been able to enjoy this together and many years later we can still do this. I love that I have this connection with my dad. I hope that by teaching my kids to play the guitar and how to sing will help them to have great memories like this someday too.

10 Reasons why Mommy isnt going crazy!

#10 It is no longer Monday.

#9 I got to talk to a friend that is about to have a baby on Friday.

#8 I woke up to a mostly clean house.

#7 I get to go to a birthday party for a friend tonight.

#6 I got to take a nap with the kids.

#5 I saw an old friend at the store today.

#4 My valenties flowers were replace with beautiful new ones.

#3 I got the new Harry Potter movie.

#2 Daddy didn't have to be to work until late this morning.

#1 My little dude looked me right into my eyes and said "Mommy, I can see me in your eyes."

Control

Sometimes we all get a little frusrated with life. Sometimes we feel as though we are not in control. Right? The more I try to be in control, the harder everything seems to become. The more I tell my kids "no" the more grumpy they get. The more I try to organize, the more I get unorganized. The more I try to figure things out, the less I actually figure out. Why is this? In the last few weeks I have learned a big lesson about this, here is what I have learned.

My kids can't always be told no. Sometimes they need to win a fight. Sometimes they need to hear that they can do something that they don't usually get to do. Doesn't eating a cookie before dinner every now and then make you happy? Kids do need direction, and they do need boundaries. I am not saying that they need to be let loose every now and then. What I am saying is that no one, no matter the age, can not enjoy life if they are always being told "no". A good friend the other day related a child to a parking meter. You need to fill it up in order to use it, and if you want to stay longer you need to keep filling it. With a child you need to give time, love, and attention frequently in order to keep them going. When they start getting grumpy try filling them up, and replenish them with that time, love and attention. Stop what ever it is that you are doing to "fill them up."

We don't know who are children are going to become. We don't know what they are going to grow up and accomplish. What do you think that Abraham Lincoln was like as a child? Do you think that he was always asking why? What would have happened if his mother always said "just because, now stop asking!" He was obviously taught how to be and honest leader. Who do you think taught him that? I would guess him mom. Do you think that Elbert Einstein was into everything as a child because of his curious mind? What would have happened if his mother always told him to leave things alone. I think that we need to step out of the norm sometimes and let our kids make a mess every now and then, let them get into things, let them do what they want sometimes. We really can't always say no. What is that teaching them? That they can't be curious, or that they can't explore new things?

I have this wonderful picture in my mind of how I want my house to run. In a perfect world it would be clean, organized, peaceful, the kids would play perfectly together, dinner would be ready when my husband gets home, and we would be able to have the kids in bed at the same time every night. Well, in order to get most of these things done every day, the kids pretty much have to be out of my hair. I don't want that, my kids don't want that either. Another great friend of mine offered this advise to me when I was about to have my first child "A long time down the road your kids won't even remember if your house was clean, or if dinner was made on time. They will remember if you took a few minutes to read to them, or to sit down and watch a movie with them. If your house gets messy, or if things don't get done don't beat yourself up over it. What is important is that you are spending your time with your family." That wonderful advice has truly helped me with being a mother. I really want my children to remember the good things in life. I want my kids to have a good time growing up. I want to be there for them when they learn, laugh, play, cry, and fall down. In order for me to do that I need to make sacrifices. I need to listen to their every need and learn when to say yes. I need to learn that I can't always be in control!

Me. All about me!

Yep! It isn't kidding!,
originally uploaded by weeksphotos.

I have been thinking lately about who I am, what I represent, and where I am going. So this brought me to the idea for my post today. I wanted to share some of the things that you would see around my house that represent me. I have put a little description on each picture incase you are wondering how it fits into my life. Feel free to ask any questions.

I wish I could be at the lake again.

DSC_0039s,
originally uploaded by weeksphotos.

Here are some pictures that we took at the lake this last summer. I am really tired of the cold, so these pictures take me back to a time that makes me feel warm and fuzzy!