When I found out Tulsa was getting a new children’s museum, I was beyond excited. I grew up going to the Harmon Science Center and still mourn a little every time I drive by the building with its Bishop Kelley High School sign of betrayal. Those were the very best field trips.

Allie and I had the chance to visit the Tulsa Children’s Museum with some of our dear friends just a few days after its grand opening. Even my direction-challenged self found the location quite easily using the address on their website (Google will lead you to their downtown headquarters, by the way, which isn’t the right place). It’s north of downtown kind of near the Gilcrease Museum in Owen Park, not too far from highways 75/64/244/412. But again, I’m not the best with directions, so PLEASE don’t take my word for it.

Right now, there are two main rooms open with exhibits that change about every four months. The room to the right was more of a big kid room, which we didn’t spend too much time exploring. But it had a variety of cool hands-on learning exhibits and a few centers with rubber bands, pipe cleaners, and all sorts of supplies for kids to make their own gadgets and trinkets. I can’t wait until Allie’s a little older so we can take full advantage.

We arrived right when the museum opened, and I’m kind of glad we did, because as the time flew by, it started to get a little more crowded.

Allie’s conclusion? She loved it, had so much fun that she passed out in the car, and we will be going back again very soon!

Here are the details: It’s $5 admission for people who are 2 and older. (Bonus: Allie is FREE for a few more months!) They do have a variety of memberships available if you have many children or plan on frequently attending the museum. According to their website, they offer summer camps and workshops, and you can also book the place for parties and events.

Here are some of the highlights of our morning:

climbing up this cool exhibit made of packing tape!

toddling through the tunnels with Miss C!

and…

weeeeeee!

This was Allie’s favorite by far.
Like the bank, the ball shoots up the tube, swirls all around…

then comes out right here!

she loved these tables designed for tinkering

and, of course, that there were tons and tons of her very favorite things: friends and balls 

Tulsa Children’s Museum, we’ll definitely be seeing you!

Monday mornings are always a little rough in our casa.

Allie Girl looks around the house (“Dad? My daddy?”) for a little while, used to JT being there the last few weekend mornings, until we establish that it’s Monday again, so he’s at work.

Then I go and do something like this…

Wow. I’m thinking Allie and I need to venture out for some coffee pronto! I’m planning out my workouts and meals this week because I’ve been kind of lacking in this area and then end up scrambling to get to Crossfit or throwing something together on the stove in a hurry. Time for an intentional clean-up when it comes to my time! On that note, with my newly focused time and energy, I’m determined to enjoy the little things. 

Yesterday, church just didn’t happen for us. Allie has been sniffly and going through a funky phase, and when that happens, I flat-out won’t take her to church or the gym child care for the other kids’ sake. So we got dressed and went to enjoy the sunshine at the Sunday market at the Guthrie Green (JT had never been). After an interesting encounter involving Sampson and a grumpy merchant, we took Allie down to the lawn because she wanted to watch the Zumba class (including a rather large, shirtless man) shaking it in all their glory.

Well, then she saw the splash pad and it was all over.

No swimsuit, no problem.

I wanted to share what’s making me smile this morning.
Maybe it will be contagious

That’s some good stuff, y’all.
I’m remembering that even MONDAYS are included in that “glorious living” and “overall purpose.”

Last, but not least. This video. It just speaks for itself.

On my first Monday as a “stay-at-home mom” (here’s the story if you missed it!), the second my husband left for work I felt a little helpless. What was I supposed to do while my independent child was playing with her toys? I cleaned up the house, prepped dinner, fed the dog, and then did what any other mom would do.

I took to Pinterest.

Upon searching “Toddler Activities” and weeding through broken links, ideas that were too old for Allie, and stuff that involved way too much crafting and mess for a person of my caliber, I found a few simple things for us to do.

I’ll let the pictures explain.

First, I made her a simple n0-mess finger painting station:
Ziploc bag filled with a few dabs of tempera paint,
taped to a surface with painting tape. Easy.

Seems cool enough, right? But Allie Brooke was not impressed.

She did later take great interest in peeling off the tape. I’ll keep that in mind for next time.

Next, I made her some salt dough: 1/2 cup salt + 1/2 cup water + 1 cup flour
I loved salt dough as a child.

 But this dough looked an awful lot like the dough they give babies before meals at Andolini’s.

Only saltier.
One bite and Allie was done forever.

I think we’ll stick with story time and play dates. Yes, lots of those!

 PS: Special thanks to BlogHer for featuring my last post yesterday! It’s an honor!

Well, friends, it looks like you’re going to be seeing a lot more of me here.

(I couldn’t think of any more proper way to begin this post than by being my usual random-with-a-healthy-serving-of-awkward self.)

Since we last spoke, my job of six years was outsourced overseas. It’s taken me awhile to process things in such a manner that I’m ready to write about it. But how could I not write about it? That’s who I am. It’s what I do!

I’m not going to go into specifics about my job, but I do feel the need to be transparent about what this means for me. What it’s meant for me. And let me preface this by saying I’m 1) not complaining by any means, 2) not trying to determine what’s right or wrong for working or non-working parents, and 3) not looking to start something. So don’t get crazy!

For the last 20 months, and even before that when I was cramming work into every nook and cranny of free time trying to prepare four weeks of work before maternity leave began, I have been a work-at-home mom (or WAHM, as we’re known in Mommy circles). My life has consisted of waking up early, sometimes napping in the middle of the day, staying up late, dropping Allie off to go work at coffee shops, being tied to my google chat for work emergencies during business hours, having a front row seat for Allie’s first 1.5 years of life, getting texts in the parking lot of story time and having to pack Allie up to go put out a fire.

And lots and lots of mommy guilt.

Many, many moments of questioning if Allie would be more challenged at a daycare that would help her develop instead of being raised by a mother who, from 9-5 on weekdays, was often tied to some sort of screen, who sometimes snapped if her daughter asked for too much attention, and stuck her kid in front of the TV on those days her toys just weren’t cutting it. Don’t get me wrong. I know Allie has turned out okay. My amazing mom really stepped up to the plate and became SuperNanny a few days a week. SO grateful. And I made it a rule to be intentional about being attentive to Allie, showing her I was happy to be spending time with her, and remembering that family is top priority. Always. I knew that, most of the time, work could wait as long as my phone was close. I wouldn’t change that for anything.

But then one day we were in Allie’s play room, listening to our Praise Baby Pandora station. She was off in her own little world, wandering from toy to toy while I typed away. And then she wandered up to me, took residence in my peripheral vision, and gave me a smile the size of Texas. When I realized what she was doing, I just about burst into tears. My baby girl was making a typing motion like I was, looking up at me with her big sapphire eyes for approval.

Look, Mom, I imagined her saying. I’m you.

I’m grateful for the flexibility I had to make an income as a WAHM available for Allie, but from that moment on, I realized something had to change. I’ve always wanted to be the type of mom that’s synonymous with laughter, creativity, and vitality. Not a lump in front of a computer. So this job loss is definitely a blessing in disguise.

It’s been an interesting transition, losing the only job I’ve had as an adult. Losing my primary form of non-family adult interaction. Losing a part of my identity, though not all of it. The first few days were kind of, not necessarily a mourning period, but a time of reflection and closure. In retrospect, I realized how many things I could have and would have done differently. I’ve realized how much more balanced my life is now. (My house is clean! Dinner is on the table by the time JT gets home! I’m happily doing creative things with my girl! I’m working out more!) But the primary lesson I’ve reiterated over and over again is this:

Don’t wait. Live now. Enjoy now.

So while I’m searching for freelance jobs during this stay-at-home mom period, whatever the next step may look like, you’d better believe that’s what I’m going to be doing!  The good Lord only knows how many times I imagined what life would be like as a stay-at-home mom, how Allie and I would spend our days. So that’s what we’ll be doing and hopefully sharing some fun stories along the way!

–

Shameless plug time, since this is my website and all! If you know of anyone looking for contract writing, editing, and/or publicity services, I’ll bake you cookies for life if you’ll send them my way! (LaurieTomlinson.com/consulting is where to find me!)

I can’t believe it’s been 9 months since I last posted a monthly update about Allie. But right now, she’s so much fun I just couldn’t miss it. Can you believe she’s going to be 2 in 4 short months? This mama is in denial! Though it seems like she turned 5 overnight not too long ago. She’s definitely transitioned from pokey little baby to busy bee toddler.

Normally I’d launch into specifics, but she hasn’t been measured since her 18-month appointment (33 inches, 28 pounds) and she’s definitely had a substantial growth spurt since then. In fact, we just made the move to size 5 diapers and some size 6 shoes last week

While she was slow to speak at first, she’s talking more and more these days and seems on the cusp of full-blown conversation. Her favorite thing to do is count, except right now it sounds more like “Nine, ten, nine, ten.” Yes, her favorite word is definitely nine, but other favorites include hat, stars, car, bottle (for any drink), door, ha-muh (hold me), BOO!, mom, my daddy, a ball, hi, a bite (for all food), and most recently to our trepidation, MY’S! (mine)

We are in a really good stage right now. Her tantrums are fewer in number and further apart, and it seems we’ve passed the phase where she is super frustrated because she can’t communicate with us. She is sweet by nature, very social, theatrical at times, tons of fun, and very rarely in a bad mood.

The rest I will let the pictures tell.

love my little family!

An hour ago, I was listening to music, getting a lot of work done, and thinking about what I was going to make for dinner.

But everything changed with one innocent social media break.

It started with one retweet: “Stay away from the finish line of Boston Marathon. There’s been an explosion.” Since then, reports have been forthcoming, each one worse than before.

My news feed is filled with friends and fellow runners expressing their devastation on social media–and I can’t look away.

Are their loved ones okay? they wonder. Why would anyone do something like this? What is it about this week of April that historically reeks of tragedy?

When things like this happen, my thoughts naturally turn toward my daughter. She isn’t even two yet and she’s constantly smiling. All she knows is security. The faces she sees and recognizes on a daily basis are all people who love her. She trusts them because she senses that they are good to their core.

She doesn’t understand evil. She doesn’t understand that there are people in this world who would rig bombs at a high-traffic area during one of the United States’ most historic sporting events.

I think this is the worst part of being a parent: knowing that one day our children’s eyes will be opened to the existence of evil in this world, whether they are victims of a senseless crime like Aurora or Newtown or the Boston Marathon or the Oklahoma City bombing, or they become prey to bullies and people who kill just to kill or are mean just to be mean.

Call me naive or ignorant, but I don’t know how parents who don’t know the Lord can cope with things like this. My faith is the only thing that reminds me that there’s hope in these situations. That God gives people inexplicable comfort when it doesn’t make sense and inspires people to wrap their arms around the wounded when they need it the most.

I hope I can always point my daughter toward the cross as she becomes increasingly aware of sin, when things like this inevitably shake her world.

Praying for every individual who was affected by this tragedy, directly or indirectly, that they will feel warmth and hope in the middle of this. That God will give them glimpses of his comfort and love, no matter what they believe.

I’m not going to write about not writing in my blog. I’m just going to share something amazing that a friend found looking through old picture CDs.

The characters: JT and me, having what was probably our first conversation ever.

The setting: Church camp in 2005, Camp Windermere on the Lake of the Ozarks. He was a youth group sponsor, and I was doing PR and drama ministry for my university.

What I remember: I’ve always been so frustrated that my usually sharp memory fails me when it comes to the details surrounding meeting JT this week. We didn’t meet again and start dating until about a year and a half later, so this picture really excites me. (Thanks, Jill!)

My favorite things about this picture:

• I’m wearing a shirt that says “Your Mom Has a Mullet,” and black with brown. Glad I was all What You See Is What You Get and he still was smitten with me.
• We were about to play my district’s (I grew up going to this church camp) fun traditional game, Outpost, which is like a mixture of capture the flag and a military strategy game. I was clearly on the yellow team, judging by the flags.
• Our good friend Trevor is in the background (yellow shirt), my lifelong family friend Bryan is behind us in the black shirt, and I formed a very “special” friendship/inside joke with the guy in the white shirt Timmy, who later helped JT with my engagement ring!
• I reeeeally wish I knew what we were talking about, what on earth I was doing with my arms (stretching with one of the handkerchiefs, maybe?), and why it looks like JT has a beer belly, when he clearly is very trim. Maybe I will find out the answers to these clearly important questions in heaven

So I’m pretty sure Jill posted this picture just in time for the most epic Throwback Thursday ever.

Meanwhile, this morning, Allie revealed that it’s also Throw-up Thursday, so I have to cut this short. Please pray/keep your fingers crossed that JT and I don’t join the party!

No matter what happens, these worship songs have been keeping me going. Here are the youtube videos and the lyrics that I love most!

Okay, I can’t pick just five:

Do you have any favorites I should check out?

Sometime between Monday and Tuesday when the rest of you were sawing logs in your warm beds like wise people, I got a burst of creativity and productivity. Sometime between Monday and Tuesday, a friend posted this link on Twitter to an article on Huffington Post: “18 Things You Should Say Yes To.” I can’t, for the life of me, find who originally posted this, but do let me know if it was you!

Anyway, that’s not the point, really. The point of this article is the point. I know I personally spend so much time telling myself what I can’t do that I don’t focus on what I can do, if that makes sense. I think everyone could use a little more indulgence. A little more I’ll allow myself to do this, even if it has to be in moderation.

So here’s my list. You knew it was coming.

You should say “yes” to:

Staying up late when creativity strikes. It’s scientifically-proven you will sleep more soundly and beneficially if you get the creative monster of your system. Granted, the control in this study is only me, but I’m certain others would vouch for this if tested!

Car singing. At the top of your lungs. It’s therapeutic and the people in the car next to you are just jealous. Promise.

A sprinkle of Heath Bar bits. On vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt, chocolate cake. I even added some to my sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving. They make the world go ’round, y’all, probably figuratively and literally, if the world were to eat too many.

Taking a time-out to really notice beauty: The other evening, I had to explain to Allie what we were doing pulling into an unfamiliar neighborhood on our way home. But you see, this brilliant sunset had just exploded over the Tulsa skyline — I’m talking golds, purples, pinks — and I had to get somewhere with a better view. I think it’s my mission as a mom to teach her the importance of showing appreciation, reverence, and pause for true beauty. It’s just good for the soul.

Reflection: In my life, prayer and scripture are vital for growth. I think if anyone wants to keep moving forward, he or she needs a healthy combination of guidance and accountability to make sure that happens.

Gratitude: Maybe this goes hand-in-hand with the two above it, but I think saying yes to genuine gratitude goes a long way, especially when that gratitude is expressed. And not just during the month of November in your Facebook status If more people paid the generosity shown to them forward to other people, this world would truly be a better place!

Going to the movies by yourself. You know that movie no one else wants to see with you? Go see it without them, preferably when the theater is empty and you don’t have a juvenile delinquent’s bony elbow jammed in your forearm, so you can enjoy the movie to the fullest. But if it’s a book you really want to read or a TV show you really want to watch instead, then by golly, have at it if it will press refresh on the ol’ brain. It’s been working hard for you!

Power naps. Even if you don’t fall asleep, lying down and clearing your mind completely for 5-10 minutes does wonders. Don’t know how to clear your mind completely? Promise yourself you’ll devote the same 5-10 minutes of your undivided attention to your most pressing tasks when you wake up instead of trying to do everything at once. Plus, you need this for the whole staying up late bit we talked about earlier.

Appreciating your body. It does a lot for you, no matter what size or shape it is. So cherish it, take care of it, sing Brian McKnight songs to it. Repay its total awesomeness. And for goodness’ sake, focus on its amazing design instead of your perspective of it.

Keeping a notebook in your car at all times.  You never know when you’re going to get an idea, think of something you need to remember later, or run into a long-lost friend at the grocery store. Sometimes a smart phone just can’t beat paper and pen.

Making it happen. Remember what we said earlier about how awesome the human body is? Remember that you run that body and are capable of anything you set your blood-pumping, four-chambered heart to. Stop telling yourself no, quiet those lies that you’re not worth it, and say yes to getting after it! There is nothing you can’t do with a list or two, some strong coffee, supportive friends, and the power of good old-fashioned hard work!

To be honest, I didn’t even read what that person’s 18 things were, so I might be doing it wrong. I could probably come up with a billion other things, but those are the 11 that were most important to me right now.

Off the top of your head, what would you highly recommend saying yes to? Do any of these resound with you?

So it’s been a minute since I’ve posted — over a month in fact. Let me just tell you up front, it’s not for the same reason it was last time. I think every time I open up WordPress, there are so many things I need to write about that I just close it and decide I’ll write later

But on the Monday after Thanksgiving, I felt like there was no better time for a fresh start. A fresh start on this blog, a fresh start on good habits, and a fresh start on making things happen.

So here’s a small update on where I’ve been. First and foremost, I’ve been introducing Allie to everything I love about fall and enjoying the season with my wonderful family and friends. Having a toddler is an entirely new ballgame, friends. Next, I’ve been focused on work. And all of my extra time has been devoted to my manuscript, which I hope to send off around the first of the year!

There’s something else. I have a project in the works that I also hope to debut soon. I’ll say up front, in case you missed it earlier: No, it’s not a baby! At least not the living, breathing, human kind. It’s a new website/creative project in its beginning stages that I’m really, really excited about and can’t wait to share more details.

In the meantime, here’s a picture of Allie in case you’re not following me on instagram and haven’t seen her in awhile. Can’t wait to fill you in on everything that’s happening with her; this is such an exciting stage!

Welcome back to The Corner Slice blog! Thanks for not forgetting about me