A Little Love

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope you were able to celebrate the mom's, grandma's and other special women in your lives yesterday.  My Mother's Day was pretty great - now that E is a little older, she sort of understands it.  Yesterday was full of "I love you", "Happy Mother's Day", and "You are a great mom!".  Melted my heart.  She, along with A, gave me this:

Yep, I cried a little!



In honor of the little love that made me a mom, today I am sharing E's Birthday Interview.  {source - layers-of-learning.com}.  I have been waiting for her to be old enough to actually answer the questions.  My plan is to do this each year - I think it will be so fun to watch how her answers change.  I'll also do this with A once she is old enough - I'm sure their answers will be so, so different!

What is your favorite color?
Orange

What's your favorite television show?
Team Umizoomi

What sport do you like the best?
I don't like any sports

Who is your best friend?
Momma, and Teagan, and Kaytlyn

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A puppy (we might need to rethink that)

What is your favorite book?
Dora at the Beach

What are you really good at?
Sports (hmmm I thought she didn't like any sports?)

Where do you wish you could go on vacation?
McDonald's (dream bigger sweetheart!)

What is your best memory?
Playing games with Daddy

What would you buy if you had $1000?
Toys for Charlie (girl loves her pup!)

What vegetable do you dislike the most?
Green ones

If you could have a wish, what would it be?
Lots of bubbles

Who is your biggest hero?
Firefighters

Today I'm linking up with Emily from Ember Grey for Grateful Heart Monday.  Today (and everyday) I'm grateful for my babies that made my day so special yesterday.  They have taught me how to fully love, how to be patient, and to live each day with a happy heart.

What are you grateful for today?

Wishing Well

To kiss and tell... (if you can sing the next line we will be bff!)

I love lists.  I love making a list for anything and everything - "to do" at home, "to do" at work, gift ideas, packing lists, on and on and on.  I sometimes add things to my "to do" lists that I've already done, just so I can cross them off.  I also color-coordinate them - each member of the family has their own color (including the dog!).  When I joined Pinterest my heart sang - I see my boards as lists of things to do.

When Anne from Love the Here and Now contacted me about her new link up, Wednesday Wishes, my heart sang again - I could make another list of things that I wish for my week, weekend, or life in general.  I'm sure that some weeks I will have one wish, others I might have a lot.  Some might be serious, some will be light-hearted, but all will be things that I can hopefully have happen.  Afterall, isn't that the point in wishing?

This week, I am wishing for:

• A smooth trip to Indianapolis this weekend.  I always get nervous taking the littles for a road trip.  What if they don't sleep?  Get cranky?  Don't have fun?  Will the dog be ok in the car?
• Some quality time with family.  We are going to Indy to see Tim's cousin and wife.  I love that his family is so close.
• More time to read my new book.  I know I am so far behind on this, but I just started reading Gone Girl and am hooked. (no spoilers please!!)
• Strength and courage for some major events going on in my friends' lives. 
• The most happiest of days for my mom, step-mom and mother in law on Sunday.  (And wishing and hoping that the presents I ordered get there in time!)

Check back next week for the updates as well as new wishes!  What are you wishing for this week?

Who Needs Sleep?

Apparently when I go away on a girls trip, I decide to live it up and forget about things like sleeping, eating well and exercising.  I had a blast in Vegas this past weekend but am really paying for it now.  I think I slept a total of 12 hours in 3 days and today I am feeling like a walking zombie.  But, it was very much worth it and I would do it again!

We spent a lot of time at the pool (it was 90+ degrees and SUNNY!), eating/drinking, and then of course there was the Britney Spears concert!  Britney was fun, but she definitely was not giving it her all.  We know she doesn't sing live, but I really thought her performance would be better.  You could tell that she was thinking "this is my third performance this week and I'm so not in to this", and it showed.  She did a lot of older songs, which was fun, and I still managed to lose my voice screaming singing along. 

Thursday night I was up for 24 hrs, Saturday night I slept 3 hours - so I think it's safe to say I made the best of my time away!  Now back to reality - I missed my little family so much! 

Today I am also linking up with Ember Grey for Grateful Heart Monday.  My weekend trip made me realize that I have a lot to be grateful for:

- A husband that encourages me to get away and have time to myself.  He's a great daddy and had some fun daddy-daughter time without me!

- The friend I went with has been there for me for 17 years.  We've been through a lot together and knowing that we've been friends for that long makes my heart happy.

- She invited two other friends - who are now my friends.  I love meeting new people and now have two girls in Texas that I'm happy to call new friends.  (This also had me cross something off my 101 in 1001 list!)

 

What was your best "time away"?  Who did you go with and where?

Vegas with a side of Guilt

If you read my post yesterday or follow me on Twitter, you've seen that I am going to Vegas today.  This trip came about while I was home for Christmas and having lunch with one of my oldest and dearest friends.  We started talking about how we were both going to the JT concert (she in Minneapolis, me in Chicago) and that Britney would be amazing to see.  Then... it just happened!  We booked hotel, tickets, flights and began the countdown.

I'm all about girls trips.  I love getting away, having "me" time, catching up with friends.  I get so excited about them and how I'll be able to sleep in, eat what I want, etc.  Then a few days before it's time to go, major guilt sets in.  How could I leave my babies?  My husband?  What about the puppy that only cuddles with me and seriously gets depressed when I'm gone?  I feel like I'm the worst mother ever.  I fear that they will feel abandoned, and then speak of the weekend "mommy went away" years from now in therapy.  I mean, really, can't I just take some time to myself without feeling bad about it?

The answer is YES.  It's so important for women to take time to themselves.  Too often we become embedded in to our "roles" as wife, mother, daughter, friend, that we neglect ourselves.  It's ok to enjoy time away.  It's ok to need weekends for yourself.  Our babies and husbands will be ok.  I have an amazing husband that sees the value in these weekends as well.  His role is reversed as he becomes the primary caretaker, and his wife comes back refreshed.  Everyone is happy (even if my babies ignore me for the first few hours).  They will be ok, and more importantly, I will be ok.