THE IMPORTANCE OF A DOOR

The following story is one of the cutest and funniest I have experienced with my boy Branson.  He is so smart, funny, and witty.  Here goes:

Branson has been a terrible two-er lately.  Love him to death, but he has.  When he is in time out in his room, he has taken to slamming his door.  Normally this is an action I wouldn't react to, and normally he would probably only do it once since it didn't get him any attention.  However with his sister sleeping just feet away, I can't let him do it.  So, I told him quite a few times he better stop or daddy will take his door down.  He didn't stop.  Ryan grabbed his tool box, went to work on the door and calmly carried it out to the garage.  Of course this prompted meltdown city from Branson, you would have thought we took away his Mr. Elephant or his nightly Dora or something important.  Anyhow.  We told him that he if he behaved the rest of the day he could have his door back tomorrow.  Periodically he would check in to make sure that was still the plan.  So "tomorrow" rolls around, and Ryan is doing some handy man stuff around the house with his tool box.  Branson goes and gets his (toy) tool box and heads into my room.  I hear him banging on something so I go in there and ask him what he is doing.  His reply: "I'm taking your door.  I'm going to put it in the garage.  You can have it back tomorrow."

I don't know why, but this tickled me to death.  Smart, smart boy.  We both got our doors back that afternoon. 

OVERCAST

Check out my beautiful children!  We've been having some overcast and humid weather in Reno the last week, and I'm loving it.  My skin and hair don't love it, but the rest of me does.  It's so nice to be able to go outside with the kids in the evening and not have the sweltering heat beating down on you.  Not that they notice.  The kids just always want to be outside.  Even if it's 100 degrees, or -100 degrees.  So after dinner we take it outside, jump on the tramp, climb the fort ladder, look for butterflies/grasshoppers/hummingbirds and dragonflys. 

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

After having a few long and deep and heart wrenching felt discussions with other mothers who's opinions I value, I've come to a conclusion that I thought only existed in me; It's not always roses being a full time mommy.  In fact, sometimes we down right despise it.  Doing even the simplest of tasks like changing a diaper, or reading a book can make you see red.  WHY??? I don't know.  But I do know it's ok to feel that sometimes.  And as long as it's only sometimes and not all the times, I know I'm doing a damn good job.  Or at least the best I can.  Kids are stressful and taxing!  Some days I wake and get absolutely nothing accomplished, and yet I'm exhausted by 4 pm.  Add to that making dinner, cleaning up dinner, cleaning up toys, bed time, and then what is supposed to some sort of intimate time with your partner, and I'm pretty sure I should be medicated.  Some days I half-ass it.  Some days the kids win and they get to sit on the couch and watch Dora all day long.  And eat PB&J for lunch, and maybe a quesadilla for dinner, with out the sight of one veggie or piece of fruit (ok, maybe sometimes this happens for more than one day at once...).  There are days that  the screaming, whining, crying, fussing, hitting, throwing, pushing, &  "NO"'s make me want to pack a bag and head out of town.  These days I think not nice things about people that I love, and never mean a word in those thoughts.  I then end up thinking not nice things about myself, which is the worst possible thing for the mental well being of a mommy.   I firmly believe that this is directly related to, with out getting into too much of the psychiatric nonsense that no one wants to hear, the fact that long ago our ancestors had the help of all loved ones.  Really, not even that long ago this was common.  You know that saying, "it takes a village to raise a child"?  it really used to, and it really still does.  In fact I was at a wedding last month and an older lady asked me where my kids were.  When I told her they were at home with daddy, she replied, "you sent some family over to help him, right?".  There ya go.  Problem solved.  This lady (and all you other mothers, lol)is not meant to do all this by herself.  I have a strong admiration to those women and men raising kids in a city with out any support system.  I couldn't imagine where I would be if I didn't have the help of both Ryan and my parents.  Actually, I know where I would be.  In a padded room with a straight jacket and a numbing pill cocktail.  Sometimes, that sounds really, really nice.

But, MOST of the time, I look at my kids and remember that I am their leader, and how I respond to them will teach them their future responses.  If I can just walk away when I see red, and not let them know I am seeing that color, then I can come back in 5 minutes and start fresh.  I often tell my kids and husband that Mommy needs a time out.  In fact I know I need it way more often than the kids do.  Time outs coupled with the unconditional support of my husband give me the small amount of sanity that keeps me from running. 

In short - not really, right? - it's ok to not always be Susy home maker.  Some days you have to be Big Bad Bertha. 

SUMMER TIME AND THE LIVIN IS CRAZY

Summer means busy time!  June and July flew by, and it's already a week into August.  I'm not even sure what we've been doing, but every day we do something (everything) and by 9 pm I'm lucky to have enough energy to flop on the bed and will my shoes off. 

Keenan has left us, we have a void, but he is off having fun in Disney World before he starts his Sophomore year of highschool.  I still can't believe it.  In my mind he still likes remote control cars and is shy (he is SO NOT SHY).

Branson is a little boy.  Fully potty trained, on his own accord, and speaking as if he is an adult.  He and Noa are starting to interact, and sometimes it's even sweet.  But mostly he is discovering that "his" toys are not just "his" anymore.  Thats fun!

Genoa...this little girl is going to have me running.  With in the last 2 weeks she has gotten 2 teeth, started sleeping in her own room, is crawling, pulling up on things and trying to stand.  Lord HELP ME.

Ryan is busy with work, and running a little less.  Which he shouldn't be, since he is going to run a 72 mile race in October.  I'm pretty sure that is the definition of insane.

Me - well.  I'm exhausted.  I'm tired.  I'm good, I'm happy and going crazy all at once.  Kids do that to you, you know.

Hope you enjoy the pictures from our anual family photo shoot, by www.jessilemayphotography.com