Every week, a whole heap of fabulous women get together and write for Five Minute Friday. This month is no different, despite my 31 Day Writer's Challenge. Today's prompt is... NEW Go.
Doesn't it always happen? When you've made the plans, and thought out each and every detail, that it all just goes kaput in a matter of minutes?
As my car lurched forward toward the stoplight and it slowed to a snail pace, my mind raced. Maybe I can make it to the next parking lot I see. I did. But then the plans I had made for the day, well, they flew out the moon roof with the integrity of my tires. The rest of the day was a snowball of the best laid plans for grocery shopping, house cleaning and finishing of laundry rolling more and more steadily down the hill and out of my reach.
At the end of the day, I felt defeated (by the lack of car in my driveway) and unaccomplished. I'm a stay at home mom! This shouldn't be so hard! Why can't I just complete one. stinking. task?
But then as I tucked the kiddos in, sat down to decompress, a thought struck me and somehow I was able to see the good in the day. We met new friends at soccer, Miss E had a great day of school, we had a family dinner with all four of us at the table that I actually cooked. From scratch.
It's funny how we can feel totally out of control, then God just stops us in our tracks and shows us what's good. He gives us a sense of renewal and peace with a dash of hope just for good measure.
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
When the going gets tough, this is my mantra, and the newness it gives, well, it's unending.
Stop.
Hope y'all have a great weekend! If you're looking for all things encouragement, stop on by throughout the month of October for the Encourage Daily Campaign!
Every week, a whole heap of fabulous women get together and write for Five Minute Friday. Today's prompt is... Hold
Go.
I can't remember the last time I did this. Put things on hold. Patiently waited for the next thing to come.
Graduate high school. Graduate college. Get a job? No. Graduate graduate school. Get a job. Get married. Have children. Buy a house. Move. Buy another house. Move.
Pause.
On hold. Time to breathe in the fresh air of giggles and runny noses and silly stories and middle of the night need for snuggles.
Pause. Notice the sun filtering in through the acred trees. The way she holds his hand to make sure he doesn't stumble. His immediate apology when he's wronged her in some way, by means of a tight squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.
Wait. Enjoy the extra few minutes of sweet baby sleep, sipping coffee, smelling the quiet of the morning.
All of our lives are meant to keep moving forward, looking toward the next best thing. But I want to be on hold. I want them to stay right here where I have them, holding them in the palm of my hands, being a part of their every day, every moment.
With all the heavy posts recently (here and here and here), I thought I'd throw in a little crafty craft to lighten the mood!
My birthday/Mother's Day gift from Mr. Kuda was a little closet office to call my very own. After having my laptop float around the house, I cannot tell you what a blessing this little space has been! I will definitely do a post on the office itself, but I thought I'd show you a little project I completed as a part of the office.
This little ditty took no more than 30 minutes. So easy! And it was the perfect addition to my little (and you'll see at a later date, it is just that: little) closet office.
Supplies:
* Open frame, any size
* Stainless steel sheeting (I used 28 gauge)
* Tin snips
* Push points
* Notched picture frame hanger
How To: 1. Start off by snipping the stainless steel with your tin snips to the measurements needed for your frame. There's a bit of a learning curve, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. I found that if I didn't close the snips all the way and kept a continual scissor motion, the cut line was much smoother.
This was my first cut...
And this was my second...
It got better. I promise. And I wasn't really too concerned, given that the edges would be hidden by the frame.
2. Using a flathead screwdriver, push the push points in around the frame, spaced evenly. My frame is 11x14, and I used two on the shorter side, and three on the longer side. Depending on your frame, you may have to use a hammer to tap the screwdriver a bit to get them in. Be aware that they are a little thin, so if you apply too much pressure, you'll bend them.
The trick is to get the "point" as flat as possible, and push the perpendicular part toward the frame.
3.Last, but not least, you need to hang your frame! I chose to use a notched hanger, but of course choose whichever method you think is best. This was the quickest and easiest method for me, especially since all I had to do was measure to find the center, then push it in with my own two hands. Easy as pie!
4. Accessorize! Hobby Lobby is my go to place for inexpensive doo dads, and of course they didn't disappoint... I found a magnetic eraser and dry erase markers, which was perfect for this project. Further, a sweet friend of mine had made these magnets for me. Perfect!
And there you have it! I wish it looked this organized all the time, but sometimes it does get a little out of hand. Here's what it looks like right this second...
Some kiddo artwork, a birthday party invitation, and a reminder of why I stay home :)
Hope you enjoyed this! It really is the perfect addition to an office space, or even the kitchen/mudroom/foyer... wherever your home base is. Have fun!
Y'all. It is our very first real summer in the Kuda household. Miss E finished up her first year of preschool, and starting today, Summer vacay is on!
In that, I'm finding all of these summer bucket lists, and then reading how we're ruining our children by not letting them run free. These are all in the same newsfeed as an article telling me how I should micromanage every single moment of summer to make sure it's the BEST. SUMMER. EVER.
Oy vey.
Being the Type A person that I am, I had even gone as far as preparing activities to do with each of the kiddos, by theme, switching them up every other week. Further, I had scoped out every free program, library class, and play date to keep ourselves busy through the summer months.
And then I regained my sanity and decided how we're going to do summer this year. And that's how I came up with...
Throw away the schedule.
Not like when we have quiet time or Mr C's nap. Or heck, I'm not really going to change bedtime. But you know what? The library class can wait. Miss E wakes up every morning, asks what day it is, then asks me, "What do we do on ____?" And the answer, aside from vacation weeks, has been the same each and every week day since September. The only things we will stick to as far as the kiddos are concerned are the classes we have already paid for, which will only go through June, and the two week-long camps Miss E is signed up for (and let's be honest, who wouldn't want to go to a Princess Ballet Camp? That's what I thought.). Not only am I throwing the schedule away, I'm throwing the ball into their court. That being said...
Try to say "yes" more. Yes to "Mommy can we have dessert for snack?" And Yes to, "Mommy can we paint with chalk?" And Yes to, "Mommy can we go on a car adventure?" I got that one the other day. Yes, honey, we can.
"Mommy, can we go for a walk in our pjs?
Read more books.
This Spring I ended up reading more books than I have in the past year. They were really good (Highs included Something other than God, Surviving Motherhood, and I jumped on the The Fault In Our Stars bandwagon. Worth the hype.), and I just feel like I'm starting to get my cognitive groove back after having E and C. A couple I have my eyes on are Dinner: A Love Story and What Alice Forgot. There are others, but I'm not making any lofty goals this summer. And that brings me to...
Don't make any lofty goals.
I have started umpteen crafty crafts for the new house, and none of them are complete. It's driving me bonkers. And while I do think there's something to said for a little list to help a girl get going (you'll see more of that on an upcoming post), I'm not going to fret this summer about them. Projects will get done, pictures will get hung, walls will be painted. Eventually.
Go outside. A lot.
I'm finding the more time we spend outside, the more time I get to see the kiddos do things they wouldn't necessarily do by themselves. Mini hikes in the woods behind the house, scavenger hunt for critters, etc. They pushed rocks in our driveway with miniature rakes for forty-five minutes this afternoon. FORTY-FIVE MINUTES. And later? Miss E told me her favorite time of today was playing with rocks with Mr. C. Go figure.
And there you have it. Nothing epic. Nothing earth-shattering. We will relax this summer, and leave the rigorous schedule for later.
Every week, a whole heap of fabulous women get together and write for Five Minute Friday. Today's prompt is... Grateful Go.
All I have to do is look around me, and I count the blessings before me. Three of the most different, frustrating, wonderful beings on this planet, two of which we made together.
I'm grateful for mommy-daughter dates, afternoons full of sun and water and giggles, helping daddy, sharing toys. I'm grateful for those five precious minutes of reading a book meant for only me. Grateful for a husband who encourages my alone time, encourages me to be just me whenever I feel I'm about to lose my identity apart from "mom."
And he just totally interrupted my five minutes! And now we're both giggling about it. And now I've lost my train of thought....
Somehow I've ended up as this stay-at-home mom, thrown my degrees aside, given up my adult-ness in exchange for diapers and tantrums and tears-for-no-reason.
But they're mine and I'm oh so grateful. For the ability to give life. For the husband who works beyond measure to give me this chance. For the support of strangers in this new town. For this precious life we've been given.
Stop.
I've been a little absent lately, mostly just because I haven't really found the time to keep my head on straight, much less write a decent blog post. In addition to my sweet family, I am SO grateful for all of the love I've received from my dear friends in our new town. Thankful this week for the reminder that we are all in it together as moms, and we must continue to encourage one another!
Every week, a whole heap of fabulous women get together and write for Five Minute Friday. Today's prompt is...
Glue Go.
Today, my brain is glue. Sticky. Slow to move. Then stuck.
Stuck in the haze of this season of life. Not remembering the minutes of the day, but know I've run yet another marathon. Longing for alone time, then longing to smell the sweet scent of spring in the hair of the little ones surrounding me, needing every part of my soul. Selfishly yearning for moments of freedom, then running after those moments wishing I could hold them tight in my palms so they make an imprint I can't forget.
I am glued to this place, to this moment in time. Wanting out, but then aching when I can't have more of it. More of the constant questions, endless giggles, silly silly girls and boys, running without abandon, trying things new. I pray these things are glued onto my brain, in my mind so I have access eternally.
Every week, a whole heap of fabulous women get together and write for Five Minute Friday. Today's prompt is...
Paint Go.
We're all artists if you think about it. We all paint the picture we want others to see, whether it's family or friends or those in the community. But we do it, because sometimes we just don't want to let others in. We do it because our own reality seems too hard to let others see. We brush strokes of perfect careers, of perfect children, of perfect lives.
We went out for lunch today. I've had a bit of a rough winter, and I'm trying to be less serious, more spontaneous, trying to remember what childhood is all about. And Mr. C. had already napped in the car this morning, so I knew he wasn't going to nap again today.
So we went. And they were so good. So sweet. So well behaved. I'm sure I had some sort of smug look on my face. I was so proud. But wasn't it just a facade? Wasn't it me just hiding the fact that I haven't slept in days? Or that Miss E had a 45 minute tantrum this morning because I had asked her to go downstairs to get her shoes on (the horror), making us late to school?
And then, after we had played in the little play house, as I silently nodded to myself, you're such a good mom, someone landed on someone in the tube slide. There was crying and shrieking. Mommy saying we have to go. MIss E throwing a fit because she wants ice cream. Then really throwing a fit because I say no.
Paint splattered all over Chick-Fil-A. A mess of my emotions. Of my patience. Of my fear of judgment and loss of control. Of everything. Spilled all over the floor. And as it happened, our lives became more exposed for what they really are. Our beautiful composition revealing its true colors. A momma who is tired, just trying to get through this day, praying to our sweet Lord for more than a few hours of sleep, for the patience I don't have.
As we drive away, I'm able to take a breath. To look in the rearview mirror, tantrums subsided. The beautiful illustration of our lives, one paint stroke at a time in refreshing, vibrant new colors.
I'm not sure about you, but sometimes (and I'm saying this when it's been raining for 3 days, and we've all just about had it with each other and this house) it's just necessary to have some sort of activity at the ready when the kiddos are getting restless.
Who me? I never get restless...
Wait. An endless activity, perfect for rainy days, and only $10? Yes, my friends, it's true. And here's how I did it!
First, I went to Target and rummaged through their $1 bin. I know I've mentioned this before, but I cannot tell you how much I love this! Here's what I found: perfect little tongs sized for Miss E, little Chevron patterned buckets, and mini-scoops. After grabbing some rice and split peas, we were ready to go!
I had the plastic bin and dinosaurs at home already. I poured in the rice and split peas...
Then added all the fun goodies...
I collected some tops from Mr. C's pouches of food when we're on the go. I thought it added some nice color, and gave Miss E something to dig for.
After giving Miss E the rules of her new bin (nothing in the mouth, and when you pour it has to be over the bin), she was ready to go!!
And don't forget the clean up! Miss E is always at the ready when it comes to cleaning the house. Picking up her toys? Maybe not. But using a "sweeper" to help mommy? Absolutely!
Miss E asks to play with this every single day. I try to limit it to a few times a week to keep it new, and so I can use it to my advantage (Cooking dinner, anyone? This is a perfect distraction!). That being said, it's perfect to incorporate into Tot School every day. Just switch out the smaller items with the theme you're using that week. I just happened to have dinosaurs lying around, and they were perfect for this bin.
A few things: Our bin is small. Homes in our area are small and expensive, so it is what it is. I have a friend who made a much larger one, and it is AWESOME. But we just don't have the space to store something like that. Secondly, we used rice. I love the color contrast with the split peas, but it is a bit messier than if I had used any sort of dried beans. You can see the dust from the rice on my jeans in the above picture, as well as on Miss E's face in the first picture.
And that's it! It took me no time at all, it was super cheap to do, and most importantly, it's a crowd pleaser! Even Mr. C enjoys watching his sister play, and helps by spraying all of the rice all over the room with his hands. That's what we have vacuums for, right?
I have two totally related, but somewhat off-topic things to say about this week. First, we don't OWN The Very Hungry Caterpillar. WHAT?! I hadn't realized it until we were at the library a couple of weeks ago searching for 'H' books, when I discovered a barely used copy, then promptly snatched it up as Miss E LOVES butterflies. And since spring is on it's way (or so I thought on that particular warm-ish day), I thought it would be a perfect break from our letters as we lead into the week before Easter.
Second, Miss E says "Catta-killer" instead of caterpillar. I almost can't stand the cuteness, and it makes me want to freeze her in time and never let her grow up. It's that cute.
On to Tot School! We had SUCH A FUN WEEK. I have to shout that to you because it really was just so natural. I definitely worked harder to get things together, but the activities just flowed so nicely, and it really felt like a successful Tot School week.
We actually started over the weekend with reading the book. By the time we started structured activities, she was so excited! We even wore some awesome socks for the occasion...
Can I just say that Pinterest was my hero this week? In addition to the Tot Pack, I found a ton of fun stuff on Pinterest, too. Our first activity was to paint a leaf, and we used a white cotton ball as the egg. Miss E got a kick out of it.
The mom from Mommy Montage found this awesome video. Miss E loved it! Such a hit, and she requested to watch the "catter-killer" change into a butterfly over and over again.
Since the book is so colorful, we decided to do some much needed work on colors. I'm pretty sure Miss E knows all of them, but every once and awhile she throws me for a loop. Since she's really into glueing, we made a colorful caterpillar! Then we used puffy balls to match the colors. I used a different number for each color, so we also worked on counting. She was "eh" about this activity after the glueing stopped. I will say she asked to do it again tonight, so I think I'll keep it out next week, too.
I know it's hard to see, but she was particularly sensitive
about the camera this week. Two-year olds. Sheesh.
The next day, I found her doing this in her bedroom... Organizing her bows by colors. I think it's starting to make sense to her!
We did a bunch of Tot School Packs, with the most focus on color ID and tracing. I also laminated the size/sequence caterpillars and butterflies, which she liked, too.
Look at the beginning of the week above, versus the end of the week below. She's really starting to figure it out!
I loved listening to her complete this: "First, he eats straight, then he eats zig-zag, then he eats square, then he eats wavy lines!"
We matched different fruit found in the book to the corresponding colors. Miss E liked it best when I placed the colors, and the she took one picture at a time to match them.
She also enjoyed matching the fruits/colors this way:
And here, Miss E was completing the small to large sequencing:
And of course, since glueing is her main squeeze right now, we counted (and glued) to complete a depiction of the life cycle of the caterpillar/butterfly. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but I wrote down the numbers so she could match them. We even put the corresponding number of "glue dots" to glue each piece. She just loved it.
I could keep going (we did so much this week!), but I think this shows a pretty good portion of what we did. Of course, Mr. C was there to help along the way...
How sweet are they? So much love.
And one more for good measure... I'm starting to see such an amazingly sweet relationship between these two grow. It melts my heart!
I mean seriously. I almost can't take it!
Melts. My. Heart.
Welcome to my corner of the web! So happy you've joined me. I'm a wife to Mr. Kuda and a momma to two sweet kiddos and a pup. I love God, crafting, and eating Hot Tamales. And chocolate. Always chocolate.
