Body Image

I am one of those odd women who has never really had body image issues. I actually like my body. Ok I say that, but lets face facts: I have always thought I am to tall (5' 11"-6' depending on who is measuring), and after 3 kids my favorite parts have changed just a little. but all in all I am very satisfied with my body. While teetering on the see-saw of normal to overweight I have never felt fat. I have my days when I look in the mirror and think I look HOT and the days when I think not so hot. But mostly I just don't think about how my body looks all that much. Until... I see a overweight woman holding one of my babies and... I get jealous. Yes you heard me right. Jealous. Why you may ask does this cause me to be jealous? What kind of weirdo am I? Well.. while being blessed with a long relatively easy to maintain body, I am not blessed with a baby friendly body. The length of my sternum is LONG and I am not big chested. Babies are constantly head butting me in this no fat zone area. I feel like I'm going to knock a baby out! In my head I picture babies looking at my body and thinking "I don't want to cuddle that!" But they look at a heavier more endowed woman and think "Now that's my spot!" I know, I know. Babies don't think like that! It's all in my head, but there it is. My body image issue.

Things My Mom Tried to Teach Me and Things She Should Have Told Me!

My mom is one awesome lady! I know she's my mom and I should think that, but I know it's true 'cause other people have told me that too. She tried soooo hard to prepare me for adult life. She made me help her in the kitchen, taught me how to clean house, and how to keep a clean house. Did I listen? Did her lessons stick? Well.... yes. However I am not good at implementing them! My house is NEVER as clean as hers, my cooking needs help, and I am not good at making my kids pick up after themselves. How in the world did my mother get 4 children to make their beds every morning? How did she get us to pick up our toys when we were done playing.. every time? I don't remember my mom ever yelling at us to get it done. My few memories of whoopins have nothing to do with not picking up after myself. What was her trick? I wish she had told me! My mom is a lead by example kind of lady. You can look at any situation she is dealing with and watch the magic happen. She has conquered uncooperative school systems, raising 4 children, and experienced natural disasters with such grace it is impossible not to see God working through her. That's not to say my mother never gets rattled. She is human, at least that's what she tells me. I'm still not sure. She can lift you up with words of encouragement, even when you have let her down. She can stay calm and shove a tooth back in her baby's head when it's knocked out by a church pew. (My littlest sister Adrianne accomplished that one.) She will go up against a school system when they are not meeting her children's educational needs. All the while never raising her voice or being disrespectful. I am not my mother. She has shown me MULTIPLE times how to handle situations like that. I can stay calm in a medical emergence, and I can lift people up when they need encouragement. I can listen like she does without judging. But.... you know that verse in the bible that talks about the tongue being a sword. Well.. I got that tongue. And man do I have a temper. I joke about my fuse being short, but it's really true. My fuse is REALLY short. I get mad quick, and lash out sometimes... in a not so pretty way. My mom should have told me how hard it really is to raise multiple children. She made it look so easy. Yes we fought, and lied, and didn't always treat our parents with the respect they deserved. But we also deeply love one another and tried to do our best... most of the time. How in the world was she able to meet each one of our unique needs and never freak out? How did she stay calm in the face of 3 very different girls and one boy trying to tear each other apart throughout the week? How did she get us all to clean our rooms and pick up after ourselves without threatening us with bodily harm? I wish she could have told me! I know she tried to teach me!

Quest for a Activity Bouncer

This past weekend I was on a quest for an activity bouncer for Joy. The ladies at church told me Joy really enjoyed the one in her bible class so I figured it was time to get her one. My great plan was to have a garage sale... in 100 degree plus weather... I am officially insane. It was so hot during the sale that I thought multiple times of giving up, but I powered through and got er done. And it was worth it! Joy has been enjoying her new toy, and so have the big kids. They are so good with her! When Joy isn't in her bouncer Paige is putting her babies in it and letting them have a good time too. Dylan just likes to push the music buttons for Joy. I think Joy secretly likes her toy because it seems to draw the kids whenever she is in it and that is instant attention! 

 

OHH THE HEAT!!!

Oh my gosh! It is soooo freakin' hot outside! Today we are already tied with our all time high of 113f. I have a feeling we are going to break it. Fires are breaking out everywhere in my area. I can't hardly take it, plus my kids are going stir crazy from being stuck inside. Ok, I'm going crazy too. I have always been a summer person. I love going to the pool and having outdoor adventures, but this summer has broken me of that! I am seriously contemplating a move to Alaska's far north! I HATE the cold. So that's saying something! I will risk achy joints just to be cool for a while. It's so hot David and I can hardly sleep at night we are so hot! This has got to end NOW! Please!

My Baby is 9!

How dare my little boy get so big!? I keep telling him to stop, but he just won't listen! I love that he is growing into such a responsible young man. He usually does what is asked of him without attitude and a bunch of questions. He tries very hard to take care of his things, and he is soooo respectful of authority. He had a GREAT birthday. He got a DS, a few games, a new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, and a nerf gun. He loved everything he received... especially the DS. I can't keep him off of it! This year I had the idea of a silly string fight with his friends. This went REALLY well. They all thought that was just the coolest thing. We had a sleep over as well and the boys stayed up until 3am. Good thing I'm a night owl! All in all I think he had a successful birthday! Happy Birthday Dylan!!