I don’t know how you take people who I didn’t know 4 years ago, only see each other once a year, yet feel like they are some of my closest friends. But when you blog, it happens. I so love these girls.

Staci, Becky, me, and Mandi (noticeably absent is Amanda who was home with sick kids)

I am in Atlanta for a few days with Coke learning about some of their initiatives. I’m not going to lie. Seeing these ladies was a big incentive for coming. More to come soon…..

Sisterchicks Forever!! is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

If you have been married awhile and added a couple kids to the mix you know how hard you have to work at keeping the romance alive. Oddly enough poopy diapers, stacks of unwashed dishes and leg hairs that have been sorely neglected during quick showers while the kids tear down the house outside don’t really set the mood.

So when the stars align, the mood strikes and the kids are actually asleep you should take advantage.

The hubby and I found such a moment last night but something unfortunate happened as we began to kiss. There is no great way to dance around the subject. Ryan’s breath just stank. Stink. Stank. Stunk.

And since I am clearly not so great at dancing around the subject I told him so. Well I was kind of polite about it!! But I may have told him his breath smelled like hot dogs. He protested that he had just brushed his teeth and as far as he could recall, had not had any hotdogs in the recent past. Not wanting to risk the moment passing he went off to brush again.

But after he left I realized the smell was still strong. It was like one of those smells that gets trapped in your nose and won’t leave. I may or may not have expressed loudly that this was the case as my hubby brushed his teeth in the next room.

Until he came back in, took a big whiff and noted that we clearly had a skunk right outside our window. Whoops. My bad.

Love Stinks is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

I think I’m past the wishing away years. If you are a mom you know the ones I speak of.

The “when will the sleep already?” years.

The “when will they just be able to tell me what they want?” years.

The “when will they stop telling me what they want over and over and over and over?” years.

The “when will they be able to do it themselves?” years.

The “when will they just give me a break?” years.

The “when will they stop whining?” years.

The “when will they stop fighting?” years (oh wait, I am still waiting on that one).

Now as my biggest one is needing me less (although she doesn’t realize she needs me more), my middle one is determined to be independent and my littlest one is telling me how big he is every day, I am changing my wish.

Please stay little. Just a little longer.

Stopping Time is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one::: The Advice that Changed the Way I Mother

A beautiful post for those of you who might struggle with Mother’s Day::: Mother’s Day For The Motherless Daughter

As someone who is only about 4 months away from having a nine year old this one stopped my heart a bit::: Nine is Halfway to Eighteen

This post is linked to Saturday Linky Love at Vanderbilt Wife

What I’m Reading is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

Thabiso Setona was orphaned at 14. At 14 he was left to parent his younger sister and raise his father’s cattle. He lives in Lesotho where most people live on less than $1.25 a day.

Where he lives cattle are a precious commodity. To tend to them he must live in huts in the hills with only the most basic amenities. His job is to make sure his cattle survive. Even if it means he himself will go hungry. Herd boys are isolated and nomadic. They are also uneducated, having to drop out of school to work for their families.

This is Thabiso’s life.

When Ryan asked me today what I wanted for Mother’s Day I honestly had a hard time thinking of anything I needed. I mean I could think of a lot of “stuff” that I suppose would make me happy. I am forever chasing after stuff. But my life is a charmed one. “Stuff” is the last thing I need.

Read the rest of the post over at the World Vision Blog…

A Mother For The Motherless is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

In about a month I will turn 37. I had to do the math in my head before I typed it because apparently when you get my age you lose track of how old you are unless it is a big one.

I have never been one to freak out about my age. Turning 30 didn’t phase me in the least. I have no fear about 40 nearing (mainly because 40 is the new 30). I haven’t paid much attention to a birthday since I turned 21.

I came into my own in my 30s. I am confident as a mom, confident as a wife, confident in my self. Do I still question my parenting decisions? Well if you read my blog you know I do. But I don’t dwell on it like I used to. It doesn’t paralyze me.

I am fine with the fact that I am not a crafty mom. Cause I can play a mean air guitar in our family band. I am not the mom who serves her kids warm cookies when they come home from school. But I do rock at hiding kale in their smoothies without them noticing. And I’m not the cool mom who lets her kids stay up late watching whatever they want on TV. But I hope I’m the mom who will listen when my kids need to talk.

In a week I will celebrate 11 years of marriage. We are in our groove there too. Marriage takes work, for sure. But we have learned that staying on top of our marriage, checking in with each other frequently, and making sure we stay connected in the craziness of kids, work and our schedule is the key. I am comfortable in my role as Ryan’s wife and thankfully have a husband who lets me know I am appreciated.

When I look in the mirror I am getting better at making peace with what stares back at me. This belly birthed three of the most gorgeous babies on the planet. These wrinkles around my eyes are from a life spent smiling. And the gray hairs. Well screw the gray hairs, that is what a good stylist is for.

So as I stare down 40 which is just around the corner I say bring it on. I wouldn’t go back for anything. And anyway, I make “old” look good. (I hear humility comes in your 40s……..)

In My Skin is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

At any given time a day you can find me on my computer (not all day I promise). At at any given time I am on the computer you will find Skype open and chirping.

Throughout my time in the blogging world I have made close friends all over the country. But Skype makes it feel like they are all in my living room. Sometimes all at once, all “talking” at once, with emoticons everywhere. It is my happy place.

Sometimes Ryan travels for work. And we all miss him desperately when he is gone. But when his face pops up on Skype it is almost like he is sitting across the dinner table asking the kids about his day.

And on the rare occasion Ryan and I get away together Skype is what makes us be able to focus on each other. Because we know we can check in with the kiddos and they don’t miss us near as much. And we can usually tell by the weary looks on my parents faces how things are going back at home.

Cards, letters, emails and Facebook updates are all nice. But there is nothing like being able to see the faces of the people you love. Mother’s Day is coming up. Wouldn’t your mom love more than anything to see you face to face (unless you are my mom who sees me every day. She frankly probably wants a break for Mother’s Day).

So of course you could do a boring old card for your mom for Mother’s Day. OR you could send her a rocking greeting from Skype’s “Mom’s You Rock” Facebook app. It is a fun way to rock out with a band and let your mom know how much she means to you. And the best part is, with every video created Skype will donate $1 to a fantastic charity, Save The Children.

I am really excited to announce that I have been chosen as a Skype Ambassador and will be doing some fun Skype experiments in the next few months. I actually have something really fun planned for June and am hoping you all will join in the fun. In the meantime tell me:

How do you use Skype?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Skyping My Way Through The Day is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

Growing up I always wanted a sister. Don’t get me wrong. I love my brother (and all the times he would pin me down and tickle me until I almost cried- sarcasm). But I wanted a sister to share clothes with, stay up late talking about boys with, and shoe shop with.

I never got me a sister. Never even really had a girlfriend that was sister like (actually Steph, you were pretty darn close). And now I have the sisterchicks and if it was up to me we would all find some island (of course somewhere warm) and move there with all our families.

Five years ago I was blessed with a sister-in-law. I was so thankful with who my brother chose to marry after a close call….. well if you can’t say something nice…….

For the past five years my brother and sister in law have lived in Chicago. Close enough to see them often. Not close enough to see them often enough. They have been wonderful aunts and uncles to my kids, our favorite euchre partners and our favorite people to gang up on my parents with.

Next week my brother and sister in law will close on a house 20 minutes from where we live. And I could not be more excited. First of all with them comes my niece and soon to be niece/nephew. My kids absolutely can’t get enough of their cousin and I love watching them develop a special bond.

And because I do truly love my little brother I am happy that he will be close. Thankfully he has stopped tickling me and instead tortures my girls. He must enjoy high pitched screaming.

But truth be told, I am most excited about gaining a sister (the in-law part it just a technicality). Beth already has a sister so I would never presume to take her place, but I hope to run a close second. We already got the shopping buddy thing down. I can’t quite get her to make fun or my brother regularly (I am working on it). And as soon as she pops this baby out I am hoping for some serious girl’s night outs around town with a bottle (or two) of wine.

I don’t know how long they will settle here, but I am very, very thankful for this time to have them close and involved in our lives.

A Sister From Another Mother (hmmm….doesn’t quite have the same ring to it) is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

Food for thought::: Bragging Rights

I love this perspective::: Dear Me

Pinterest used to me my first love but as time goes on I am questioning it a little::: In Which I Wonder About Pinterest

And from the marriage blog::: Dealing With Being “Stuck” In Marriage

This post is linked up to Saturday Linky Love at Vanderbilt Wife

What I’m Reading is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.

When we were out in Portland (because I was attempting to be an awesome mom), I was kind of a yes man…..or woman……whatever, I said yes a lot. Apparently without the distraction of other children I become what is commonly known as “ a sucker”.

So when Lily asked me (for the bajillionth time) if she could get her own email, I initially thought no. Cause that is insane, she is eight. But when she passed me my computer where she had googled “child safe email” (which is a rather ironic since unsupervised googling is anything BUT safe) I took a look at what my options were.

And suddenly, I was the best mom in the world. And Lily had email.

Zoobah.com is an awesome entry into email for the little people. I get to control her entire address book, both who she can send email to and receive email from. I also have the security settings set so that I get a copy of every email she gets and sends.

That is a bit overkill because the only people on her list are her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, but it is a little bit like sanctioned spying. And when she brought home the email of a friend of hers who also uses Zoobah, it allowed me to read this gem of an email:

I had to do Xtramath! It was HORRID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate that my mom can see everything I write and everything I get! Do you?

Apparently once your kids get email they also hit puberty.

Email for the Little People is a post from: The Diaper Diaries. Need more of The Diaper Diaries? Subscribe, Join me on Facebook, I'm All the Rage on Twitter and I Pin All Sorts of Things I Will Never Do.