On The Go Mommy

Vacation Destination

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:02:00 +0000

Wow! I can't believe it is almost here...vacation. I have been looking forward to our annual trip to the beach for months now. Family, food, sun and fun - what a perfect combination.

This year's vacation will include our new addition to the family and it will be interesting to see how this will go. All the articles say a beach vacation is best for families with little ones, but I am not so convinced. The last vacation we had with a little tyke under one year old was not so fun for me. First we had to drive through a hurricane to get to our resort (long story) and second she of course came down with a cold right before we left. Needless to say, we were a little miserable by the time it was over. Of course we headed straight to the doctor when we got home and come to find out, our poor little girl had two ear infections. Well, you live and learn I suppose. As luck would have it anyway, we are nursing our 15 month old son back to health this week as he came down with an ear infection. Luckily, he is a pretty hearty kid and should recover 100% before we leave.

Not sure what to expect from this adventure to the beach. My biggest fear is how he will "enjoy" himself. Will he like the sand and sea? Will he like it too much? If he is like our youngest daughter, he would have a horrible fear of the vast body of water. She was so afraid of the water she couldn't even look at the ocean without bursting into tears. We had to have her face opposite the water so that she could play in the sand. And if he likes too much, he will just be brave enough to walk right in. I guess we will see.

I guess I do know, we will have fun no matter what. We always do. And what makes it so fun is we get to spend time with our extended family.

Mean Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 03:24:00 +0000

I never understood why little girls can be so mean. And no matter how confident you think your daughter is, she can still be crushed by one of those uncaring creatures.

We spent a good part of our family dinner tonight trying to convince our oldest daughter that the heartache of not being invited to play with a group up girls at after school care was just not worth it. She was so sure she hated day care and didn't want to go there another day.

It is so hard to watch your little ones suffer through life's most challenging moments and wishing you could be there with them throughout the day coaching their responses and reactions to these everyday encounters. (I had to hold back my urge to call the director of the day care and complain that other kids were being mean to my precious baby.)

The only thing we can do as parents is take advantage of those "teaching moments". We told her that if those girls didn't want to play with her then they probably weren't worth playing with anyway. And as soon as she found some other (more inclusive) friends to have fun with, those girls would be probably be jealous. We also reminded her that she always has a best friend in her sister and that her sister is always there for her.

I am not sure how convinced she was, but at least she has some options to ponder.

One of the most important things I think we can teach our kids is kindness. Kindness comes in many different forms, and as long as we have kindness we have love all around us. So, I suppose it is up to all of us moms to make sure our kids are kind to others.

Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:00:00 +0000

I can't believe the holidays are fast approaching. You know right after Halloween everything becomes warp speed. I am determined to get ahead of things this year. Decorate early, shop early, family pictures...Christmas cards. You name it - I want to have it done early or on time.

This weekend we will focus on Halloween. So what's my checklist:

Costumes...check. I actually ordered these online this past weekend. I was so proud of myself for actually thinking ahead.
Candy...easy. We will purchase at Sam's this Friday when I go to get snacks for the soccer game.
Decorations...this weekend's project.
Party plans/trick or treating...this will be interesting since Cooper is being baptized on Halloween. Just thought about how weird that is...

Cooper's Baptism...save the date!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:22:00 +0000

This free invite created with Smilebox

Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:01:00 +0000

So in the past couple of months our family has seen our share of changes. I had the opportunity to accept a job at a really great company. The girls have changed schools and day cares. We've decided to put our house up for sale (as soon as it is decluttered). Who know what other changes are in store for us this year?

To report on the job, the first week went well. I have met some really great folks and am looking forward to working with them. I am adjusting to the drive, the traffice and the early hour I have to awake every morning to get us off and running for the day. I am adjusting to going to bed at a decent hour...no more late nights for me.

So all these changes have me thinking about how we react to the fluctuations that life sometimes brings and how this affects the decisions we make. Do we embrace it, hate it or fear it? Do we have to have time to clearly think through our next actions or do we just jump right ready for what comes our way?

So, for me, change is good. I think I enjoy the challenge of change from time to time. I like to figure out new possibilities. I also love to see how it all unfolds. Change keeps life interesting and embracing changes satisfies the adventurous side of me. So bring it on!

Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:42:00 +0000

I just love summer for so many reasons. I know it is hot and it will only get hotter, but summer is the best time of year. The pool, the beach, barbque, family fun and no school are just a few of the reasons summer is full of fun.

So put on your sunscreen, swim suit and flip flops...I will see you at the pool!

Confessions of a "Reformed" Shopaholic

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:25:00 +0000

So I just finished listening to (yes, I said listening) a funny book called Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Why was I listening instead of reading...well, it was one way to make use of my wasted commuting time. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but I can listen to a good book on the way to and from work. It was quite fun actually.

Anyway, getting back to the book. I have to say it was a hoot. I also have to admit....I might have once been a shopaholic in college. I wasn't in debt or anything, but I could have been. I shopped just about as much as Becky Bloomwood. Although I wasn't as addicted to the labels as she.

So how do you change your ways? In light of this Financial Crisis we are in according to the news, I thought I might reflect on some daily, weekly, and monthly spending issues one could focus on to help save a little dough.

So daily, my vice is coffee. I have only recently come to really enjoy a daily cup of joe. Oh how I love the flavored concoction I can buy at Starbucks for almost $4 a cup. So I wondered if I could save some money per week by making my own. I went to the store and found some flavored brew and instant (for time's sake) I might try. It turns out that this works well for me and I save about $20 per week...or more if you count the scone or muffin I throw in from time to time.

So weekly, I usually go out to lunch most days of the week. Yes it gets expensive, but I really hate my own sandwiches. I have not really been able to bring a brown bag everyday...but when I do go out to lunch I try to make a conscious choice to spend less. Subway has a great sandwich for about $5 and if I bring my own chips and drink...it is a pretty cheap meal. Another way to avoid the dreaded sandwich is to bring in leftovers from home. You end up not wasting the extra food you cook and save your family from leftover night.

Monthly, I try to save a little at the store. We shop about 2x per month for big trips and weekly for the little things that need replacing more often. So before I go a menu has to be planned. I decide realistically how many meals I am going to cook in a two week period. I then think about what I actually want to cook and put those ingredients on my shopping list. I also add a couple of "emergency meals" just in case we get tied up and I can make the planned meal. Emergency meals are frozen pizzas, lasagnas, etc. Planning is really important when grocery shopping. I think we all tend to over purchase. You don't have to plan to the letter, but at least having an idea of a meal plan helps to control spending.

So now, I am off to see the movie..as soon as I have time!

I Can Do It!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:58:00 +0000

So what do you do when your baby has learned that she can be independent at least for some of her important daily tasks? What do you do when she insists that she can pick out and put on her own clothes (pink cowboy boots and all), brush her own teeth and hair (with toothpaste all over the bathroom), and tie her own shoes (in a knot)?

Well, this comes with mixed emotions for me. Honestly, I am sad to see my "baby" grow up. I wish she could stay 3 forever. This is my favorite age so far. She is like a little adult walking around the house pushing her doll in a miniature stroller while holding a handbag over her shoulder with her precious "make up" and "cell phone" inside. Don't get me wrong she is a challenge at times. She has always been strong willed and very smart. And learned the best "negotiation" techniques from her older sister. But by and large, she is funny and sweet and a very caring little girl.

So what's the bright side of watching your little ones take those crucial steps in gaining indepence (even if it is just tieing their shoes for now)? Well I am happy to be raising girls who are strong, independent and hopefully and eventually self reliant. I want them to know that we (Glen and I) are here for them whenever they need us, and it is okay to need your parents. But I also want to watch them dance instead of sit it out on the side lines. I would rather them take a chance and fail then to have never tried at all. You go girls!

What a ride?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:02:00 +0000

What a roller coaster ride that was for all those who stayed? I personally spent the days prior to the storm fretting over what to do…stay or go. After deciding to stay, Glen and I stayed up most of the night wondering if the wind was going to tear off the roof and leave my family and house exposed to the wind and rain. We put the girls in our interior closet where there were finally able to get some sleep. At some point in the early morning hours after I woke from a short nap, I thought the sound of the wind would never end. Then to wake up the next morning to mixed feelings as we gazed at the mess all over the yard, street and neighborhood, but thanking God we were all safe and sound and had no major damage to the house. Over the next few days after the storm, I found comfort in making contact with friends to see if they were okay, helped family and neighbors clean their yards and homes. I found joy in spending days with my kids and watching them play in the front yard for hours with their friends on the street. Like any great amusement park ride, there are things that thrill you and things that almost kill you, and I can honestly say I was glad to see Hurricane Ike screech to a halt. But this time, I won’t say “Let’s ride it again!”

My review of this trecherous ride...excellent. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

I learned a lot from my decision to stay in my home during the storm. Other than learning what doors and windows leak with horizontal rainfall, that I really should board my windows, and tall pine trees really can bend to where their tops practically touch the ground and don't actually break in half, I learned their are some truly great individuals who live with and around me.

In my unofficial survey, almost everyone I spoke to after the storm who stayed to "hunker down" in their own homes said they would evacuate the next time a hurricane heads our direction. I too was among those in that camp. But thinking about it now, I would have never experienced the true gift of a good neighbor in those days following the storm.

The folks on our street are normally very social. And I have to say I know most everyone on our street. And unlike most streets, we all know each other and occasionally spend time together. But in the days that followed the tumultuous storm, I was overwhelmed by all the care, concern and help each of us showed toward the other.

There were folks who cut down trees, raked yards, helped remove boards, shared space in generator-powered refrigerators, repaired roofs and the list goes on.

The person of which I am most proud is my husband. He spent hours helping our neighbors, some of whom he had never really spoke to, rake their yard, cut down trees, as well as straighten them. Then he spent more hours helping his parents and their neighbors do the same. He is truly my hero and such a great example to our girls.

Simplify: Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Over this past year, I have realized, we as Americans, have way too much stuff and I, personally, have too much stuff as well.

For me the quest for more stuff began as a child. I grew up in a lower middle class family. We were well fed and well kept, but there was not a lot of money for any extras. My toys would all fit in a small toy chest which my dad had bought unfinished and then painstakingly painted himself. All my wonderful treasures were kept in that small box. But as I grew I realized other kids had more toys, clothes and things than I. I realized their parents lived in nicer homes and drove newer cars. So my quest was to, at least eventually, have more. But did I really realize the consequences of my mission?

Now I have a house full of stuff: my stuff, my husband’s stuff and my kids’ stuff. Everything seems to be spilling over out of boxes, closets and cabinets. And my biggest fear is that I am teaching my daughters’ to want and need stuff too. I look at the spread of toys that not only fill my daughters’ rooms, but also spill over into about a quarter of my 400 square foot living room; frustrating me as I walk by since they are typically messy and unorganized. I look at my kitchen filled with gadgets, cookware and cups that we rarely use. My hobby room is full of supplies and gadgets. We have a collection of electronics, games and movies. More stuff than we could ever need, want or use. More clothes than we could ever wear.

I ask myself almost daily, “Do they really need all this stuff?” Several rationalizations pop into my head…“No, but we (or family or friends) spent good money on this stuff, so I just can’t get rid of it.” Or “Well, we may need this stuff later and I don’t want to have to buy more. So I can’t give it up just yet.”

So, how can I release myself of these ties to material possessions? Why do I worry about having things that make me happy? Why don’t I believe I have everything I need? Why do I store things thinking I may need them in the future?

I was recently reading an article about this subject that quoted this verse from the gospel of Luke: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). Read more of Luke Ch. 12... And in the rest of this chapter of Luke, Jesus tells us not to worry about our lives, and God will take care of us.

Do I have all of these things because I don’t have faith that God will provide for me or take care of me? Maybe. Maybe I have become too reliant on myself rather than on God. Maybe my faith has weakened as I have aged. As I think of the possibilities, I think of how I can revitalize my childlike trust and faith in God.

I think my first step is to simplify my life, but first I need a plan. More to come…

Print Your Pictures!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:03:00 +0000

Are most of your images still on your camera, your hard drive or your photo card?

Here is a great deal from Walgreens Photo Center...50 prints for $5. Hurry the offer ends on August 30. You have to order 50 prints and type in the coupon code GETFIFTY. You can order up to 5 times per account.

Here is another coupon I just got in email from Walgreens and it can be used at the Photo Center too. http://www.walgreens.com/hotbuys/default.jsp?ec=hn583_getcoupon

What we learned yesterday…

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:47:00 +0000

On the way to meet my very competent and responsible babysitter at dance class, she called in a panic. She told me that my youngest daughter, Morgan, had locked herself in the car and she didn’t know what to do. The car was running and the air conditioning was on, which is fortunate since we live in Texas and the temperature in a car in the summer can reach 120 degrees easily. I arrived about 1 minute after her call and found her frantic and my daughter crying in the car seat. I immediately called the local police department whose phone number my husband had programmed into my cell phone. After a brief description of what was happening and our location, they told me that someone would be there soon to help.

So we waited and tried to calm Morgan through the glass of the car window and encourage her to release herself from the car seat, but being so small she didn’t have the strength to push the release button on the harness and she didn’t know how to loosen the straps to wiggle herself free. By the time the first police officer arrived, Morgan had calmed herself slightly and I had found out how this ordeal occurred. Apparently, Morgan thought it would be funny to lock the door after the babysitter got out of the car to get her bag from the trunk. However, the babysitter didn’t realize the car door had shut just enough for the door lock to engage and Morgan didn’t realize the consequences of her practical joke.

At the sight of the officer the waterworks began again. I don’t think I have ever felt so helpless in my life, watching my baby cry uncontrollably in the back seat of a locked car. Usually, when one of my daughters is hurt or sad, I am right there to pick them up and dry their tears. To myself and my little Morgan, I was completely useless at this moment.

As we waited for the second officer to arrive with the lock out kit, I wished I had taught Morgan to release her car seat harness or loosen the straps. So heaven forbid, she would ever have to in an emergency, she could do so quickly and calmly. Once the lock out kit was put to use, Morgan was freed from her “not so funny” practical joke.

My oldest daughter describes this day as a disaster. It certainly felt that way at the time, but I always try to find the value in difficult situations. So what did we learn?

My babysitter learned you can’t trust a three year old. Both my daughters learned that they shouldn’t touch buttons just for fun as unknown dangers could ensue. I learned, I need to be prepared for emergencies as well as to prepare my daughters.

As moms, this could happen to any one of us. Make sure your kids know how release or loosen their car seat harnesses in an emergency. Also make sure that they know how to lock and unlock the doors of the car and teach them that the buttons and locks are only for grownups to use unless it is an emergency.

Getting it together

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:01:00 +0000

I think I constantly strive at this concept. Always trying to clean up, clean out and get things organized. Why is it such a struggle for me? For everyone? (Well, maybe it is just me.) One of my biggest problems is forgetfulness. As all moms know we live a life of constant distraction. The minute we set out to complete a task, here comes the pitter patter of little feet to stop us in our tracks. Not only do we loose our train of thought and abandon our current mission, we are off solving new and entirely different problems brought forward by those little people in charge…our kids.

I am always looking for ways to help my family stay organized. Last year, I started with the old fashioned calendar on the fridge. I bought the Mom’s Plan It Calendar because it came equipped with a handy magnet, stickers and a pretty cool pocket to hold all those extras like appointment cards and birthday party invites. But any calendar would work just fine, a start is a start, right.

First, I gather up all the school, work, and activity calendars we have, get last years calendars for birthdays and anniversaries, and all those little doctor appointment cards and any party invitations we have on hand. Then I sit down and write everyone’s events in the calendar. For recurring events like dance class or soccer, I use a sticker instead. It saves your writing hand and reduces the time it takes to complete this task. On a weekly basis, usually as I go through the school folders and mail, I add any new events or appointments to the calendar.

Having this right at eye level in the morning has been a tremendous help. My husband and I both check it before we pack up the car for school and work.

Please share your time saving tips!

Tip: Your calendar didn’t come with stickers? Assign each family member their own sticker and place there sticker on the calendar to indicate they have an engagement that day. This especially works well for toddlers and pre-readers. They know to look for their sticker.

Are you a Hannah Montana Fan? Not really, but my kids are.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:42:00 +0000

Ok, so I do just LOVE almost all things Disney, but Hannah Montana I could live without. If you ask my oldest daughter Kaylee, she is a big fan, but she knows her HM viewing time is strictly limited.

But for those of you who just can't get enough of this little pop star, here's a cool website I found through a regular Disney Insider publication that I get through my email. It has lots of great information about the parks, the Disney store, and upcoming releases and movies, etc.

In this great email publication, I came across this link for Hannah to give your BIGGEST Fan a wake up call before school. It is sponsored by Wal-Mart. So if you are interested...try it:

http://www.hannahmontanacalls.com/

Enjoy!

I did it!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:19:00 +0000

Wow. I can't believe I finally got around to starting a blog site. I have been wanting to do this for a while now. Just never had the time nor energy to figure it out. Well today is the day, and I did it!!

Why, you may ask. Well I am not quite sure myself. I think I just wanted to have an outlet to share my thoughts, ideas and feelings. I know sometimes these get losts for us moms who are always on the go whether we run a company or a household. In any event, I hope you all find this helpful yet entertaining and a place where you can share and comment as well.