I just remembered why we don’t go out to eat very often.

We’ve all had those moments, right? You know, when you take your children out in public only to realize later, you wished you had just stayed home.   I normally don’t fret about taking the children out to eat as long as the following conditions are met: 1.  It must be kid friendly.  2. If I am taking both [...]

Read Full Post »

“My tummy is broken”

  Matthew has a pretty high threshold for pain.  So 6 days ago when he came up to me with with his hands over his belly and a look of pain in his eyes, I knew something was not right.  “My tummy is broken”, he said sadly.  Then he burped.  I figured it was just [...]

Read Full Post »

Another storm

It’s been over a month since my last post.  I still had the Christmas theme template activated.  It’s nice to finally change that.   The last month has been pretty much a blur.  Christmas has come and gone.  We survived 2 weeks of the kids being out of school. But just barely.  Just because Christmas break [...]

Read Full Post »

Coping

I am often asked how is it that I am able to cope with all the stress that goes on in my life. People often say “I don’t know how you do it!  I’d go crazy!”  I do take these comments as complimentary.  But I also think people tend to underestimate themselves. My response to them is usually,  ”You’d be surprised at [...]

Read Full Post »

Matthew Claus

I have such creative children.  A few days ago, Alec (9yrs old) surprised me with his wonderful Christmas story that he wrote http://greatvillage.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/i-must-be-doing-something-right/. And today, Matthew invented a simple sleigh using a bath towel! These ideas do not come from me.  The best part of their projects is the fact that they think of them all on their own.  [...]

Read Full Post »

I must be doing something right.

Yesterday my 9-year-old son Alec asked me if he could write a Christmas story on the computer.  I was a little apprehensive about the idea because I know how this kid’s mind thinks.  But how could I say no to my son who wants to express his creativity through writing?!  So, I said, “Ok, but there are two [...]

Read Full Post »

One person’s bad day can be another person’s good day.

Weekends are always our most difficult times with Matthew.  One minute he can be the sweetest boy and then the next….BOOM!  In our house, there are a lot of “BOOM” moments.  John and I spend most of our weekends tag-teaming.  It’s hard and anything but ideal.  For the past several years we have come to dread [...]

Read Full Post »

Christmas decorations……a double-edged sword.

As I have mentioned in a previous post, I really enjoy this time of year. But I am noticing that the long list of holiday things I enjoy is becoming shorter and shorter every year.  For example, one of the things I use to have fun doing was taking pictures of the boys for our family Christmas card.  It’s fun when [...]

Read Full Post »

Too much tinsel

I haven’t put up our real Christmas tree yet.  I did, however set up an artificial one that my mom bought for us last year.  The boys were anxious to decorate.  It didn’t take long for me to put the tree together and it was nice that the fake tree came with the lights pre [...]

Read Full Post »

Count your blessings

Remember to count your blessings. This is something that God is repeatedly telling me on a daily basis.  So many times I find myself thinking. “This just isn’t fair!”  For example, when I get a last-minute phone call to go take the kids to the park and meet up with friends.  Easy thing to do, right? Especially since we [...]

Read Full Post »