Downsize

Just like everyone else our lives have gotten extremely busy. I don't want to be one of those mothers who is always rushing around, feeding kids in the car as they drive from one thing to the next. I don't want to be too exhausted when I come home that I am annoyed with my kids and won't play with them. I want to be the relaxed fun mother who has it together.

I thought I was on my way with having 99% of my Christmas shopping done before the beginning of December. In fact I was completely done Christmas shopping by December 15th. Pretty good, over a whole week before Christmas. But then we went on vacation at didn't come home until late on the 23rd. So what did I do all Christmas Eve? Wrap presents. My kids were so bored, I kept telling myself they needed a day to just relax and veggie in front of the TV, we ran them everywhere on vacation. But it really was me who needed them to be distracted so I could get my things done. It seems even my greatest plans of being organized, and having it together have a way of sabotaging themselves. Maybe I plan too much... maybe I am not as organized as I have convinced myself.

I am the type of person who likes to set goals for the New Year. I even write them down, because I heard somewhere that "a goal is only a wish until it's written down." So as I ponder what my goals could be for next year, I realize that the biggest thing I need to do my life is downsize! Downsize my daily to-do lists, downsize my anxiety of my sweet husband not having a job ( along with the rest of the country), and downsize my expectations of myself and my kids. I feel like I expect way too much from everyone especially myself. Downsize is my buzz word. So to all my peeps who actually read this... any suggestions for some simple downsize living?

Here he goes again...

I'd like to share yet another conversation with my 3 1/2 year old. After quite a frustrating day, where I had a "to do" list a mile long and only accomplishing a few items I was very agitated. The kids didn't help me much choosing this day as the day to quarrel over every little thing. I mean everything, dirty looks, sitting in the wrong chair, sticking out tongues. This list could go on and on.

Finally I lost it, after hearing for the what seemed like the ten thousandth time from the boy that his older siblings had done something to annoy him this conversation took place.

LG: " Mom... Vai stuck his tongue out at me. " Looking towards Vai he said,"Now you're gonna get it!"
Me: "JUST SHUT UP!!!!"

LG: " Oooohhhhhh, Mom, you said a bad word. Your gonna get in trouble. Heavenly Father doesn't love you anymore!"

At this point this was the thing I needed to just break out in laughter. Leave it to a 3 1/2 year old!

Kids Say The Dandiest Things

Last evening I decided to take my mom and my and two younger boys for a drive. We stopped at a couple stores and visited with some friends and family before returning home. On the drive home, our 3 year old was singing along with Michael Jackson since we were driving in mommy's car who is way excited about her MJ collection CD she got from going to see his movie. At any-rate, while stopped at a red light, I all of a sudden heard my boy chanting, "Obama, Obama, Obama, Obama". I thought to myself," What song of MJ's does he start chanting Obama?" With curiosity filling my head quickly, I asked him, "Son, who is Obama?" He replied right away with ; "He is a god". I got even more curious with his answer and wondered where he was headed with it. "A god of what?", I asked again. "A god of the lords" he replied. Before the light turned green I was already rolling through the intersection because I could not contain my laughter and amazement at this child's answer.

Still filled with laughter, I quietly thought to myself; "O.K. son, I know we made history in the U.S. this past year with President Obama being the first President who is a man of color, but easy on calling him a god before we get zapped by the real God". Hahahahahaha. I love kids and their innocent ways of thinking and expressions.

Potential

I have been pondering over something the last week or so. A few weeks ago I asked Vai to read me a book. I picked out a book that I thought he might have a little trouble with but wanted him to work on his reading and figured I could help him with what ever words he couldn't read. He is only in the first grate and is just learning how to read. As he read this book to me he knew every word. I was shocked that my first grader could read words like museum. I didn't have to help him at all. I was very impressed with the reading program the school uses thinking that I could never read that well when I was in first grade. Then we went to Vai's parent/teacher conference, we were told that he is doing well in everything and is at the top of his class. Then the teacher explained that Vai's reading lever has exceeded that of the other students. The scale they use wants first graders scoring a 14 by the end of the school year. Vai had already scored a 17 and it was only the 2 month of school. He is reading way beyond his grade level.

I tell this story not to brag about my brilliant child (well maybe a little bit)! But mostly because as we walked out of that conference I was so excited and had this great desire to further his reading skills. I am not an avid reader, I wish I was. I struggled to get through my reading assignments in college. If I do read for pleasure it is because I have been sucked into a book that I can't put down and my entire life is put on hold until I finish my book. So needless to say I don't read for pleasure too often. However, I want things to be different for my son. I want to take this advanced reading skill and nourish it so that he will love to read. To me having a great reading ability is very key to success in life.

Then it got me thinking.. Did my parents ever have conferences like this when I was a child? Were they told that my skills were past the benchmark and I was considered advanced? Did I have a great potential as a child and now I am not living up to it? I know I have many talents and skills but am I being the best self I can? Am I living up to my potential?

This conference with Vai's teacher has really made me reflect on my life and how I am nourishing my abilities and growing myself. Just as much as I want Vai to succeed I should want the same thing for myself. Then Tata showed me a news report that said "Mommy's need time outs too" It was about a new book that talks about the mother' s guilt for taking any time for herself. So again this begs the question; "What can I be doing to live up my potential?"

As I try to balance all the demands of my life I do hope that I will be working on my self to develop the best self I can.

Kids know everything

I'd like to share a conversatin I had this morning with my three year old son.

Son: "Mom, you need to change."

Mom: "Change? What do I need to change?"

Son: "Your hairstyle!"

So true son,... so true.

Celebrations continued....

Yep, we are still celebrating...

Celebrations

August is a crazy busy month for us! One in which we have many celebrations and since we are too exhausted from all the partying to go into details we figured you could just have a look see.

Vai turned 7!

Pooters turned 2 months!

10 years of wedded bliss!

Great Jr. Giants season with friends!

First day of First Grade!

First day of Kindergarten!

Our next celebration will occur on Thursday the 27th when Nau comes from Fiji for her first visit to America! We can't wait!