The "er" months...

The “er” Months…

I will be the first to say I am so excited the holidays are here. I believe that the fall weather creates such an amazing change in everything from what we wear, to what our favorite stores look like, to the way our children behave (they are worried that Santa may be watching) and of course, there is a certifiable reason to shop! Who could not love this wonderful time of year?

Of course, being in Florida it doesn’t get too cool ever, let alone at the first sign of an “er” month. What is an “er” month? My daddy used to say that you could get prepared for all the holidays as soon as it is September 1st. Because September ends in “er” it is time to as they say “drag out the holly”. So I do every year. Earlier than my neighbors and early enough they think I am nuts. C’est la’ vie. Tell the truth though…doesn’t the house being decorated, the smell good candles, and the pretty lights just make you feel good? So why do we only do it for a month? Why do we rush to get it all up and then become so sad because it has to come down so soon? It doesn’t make sense.

So…right here, right now I am starting a new tradition and invite all of you to join me. Let us pay respect to Halloween or our little goblins will be sad. Let us enjoy watching them trick or treat and really relish how precious they are while they are still precious and not rebellious. But then…Let us embrace the idea of a beautifully decorated home for Thanksgiving. Let us start the normally rushed, laborious process of holiday decorating slowly and at our own pace. Let us enjoy the preparations instead of a letting them becoming just another stress in our already hectic lives.

I have really thought this out. For us busy Mommies this is a wonderful time management tool! I love anything that right off the bat gives me an extra few weeks to accomplish a goal. Think about all the wonderful decorations you will be able to find and actually buy, as you will have more months to fit them into our already depleted budgets. This will work with gift giving also. If our house and heart are already prepared for the season, we should naturally find ourselves looking for gifts earlier…not at the last minute. We will have more weeks to search out the perfect gift or that impossible to find gift and even better, even more weeks of sales. This will be wonderful and our gifts will be more thought out and personal.

Why don’t you really enjoy having that light-up Santa and Rudolph on your roof and watching your children play around the nativity scene for a little bit longer? Life is short, the holiday season is shorter, and if you could extend one why wouldn’t you?

Next year when September 1st rolls around and you are thinking about what to do with that last weekend of summer…just enjoy it and if that involves dragging out the Christmas lights…then more power to you! You wouldn’t be alone.

A day in the life....

So...less than two years ago I would wake at 5:30, pour myself a hot cup of coffee and catch up on the news. I would put on a tailored suit, my favorite heels and grab my briefcase. I would wake my four year old and get him ready, but that wasn't usually too big a deal. He is pretty easy in the morning. After dropping him at pre-k, I would go to work. My boyfriend & I had just found out we were pregnant and we were overjoyed! I decided it was time to take some time away from my career. It wasn't really designed for pregnancy (what is?) with it's travelling and it could be particularly stressful. I loved that life, but alas, all good things come to an end!

What is the saying...when one door closes another opens? I ran into being a "stay at home mommy" (I am barely ever actually at home) with the same passion and ambition as I did in my previous career. I thought, hey, I used to work long days before and still come home prepare dinner, read with and tuck my son in and even occasionally watch a movie with my honey, this is going to be great I will be home all the time...I can get so much done! Ha-Ha....Illusions of greatness or is it delusions of grandeur? Since then we had a bonus baby he is just a month old now...my daughter is 13 months! Yes, I seriously believe God laughed at the look on my face when we figured out we were pregnant. Oh well, we are blessed!

Current count is one vivacious six year old (Sugarbutt), one 13 month old who is just hilarious (Doodle), one 1 month old who keeps mommy awake all night (Littlest Dude), Superman who works out of town all week and we only get to see on weekends and little ole me! Nice to meet ya!

Now that you have enough insight into my life to realize my learning curve....let us fast forward. I just caught a little of an Oprah episode the other night that surprised stay at home mommies with a break and Oprah sent Nate in to spend a day in the life of. Oprah actually reviewed the list of accomplishments for the day for the moms and I thought, I never feel like I am getting anything done, but I am doing most of that stuff. I decided to keep a list for a day...maybe then I could give myself a much needed pat on the back. I recommend this for everyone...it is better (and way cheaper than therapy). Here was my day today...a day in my life...

Up at 5:30 (at least 5th time for the little guy) making bottles for both babies.
Laid back down for "15 minutes".
Woke back up 5 minutes before my 6 year old's bus picks him up.
Actually got him on the bus.
Started laundry.
Loaded dishwasher.
Swept.
Vacuumed.
Put out dinner for tonight.
Called the cub scout list to remind them to get groceries for this weekend's camp out.
Went to use in-laws printer (mine is broken) to get ready for finals (did I mention I am in college full time?).
Flip and fold laundry.
Study while little ones take a morning nap.
Make lunch and feed daughter and self. Bottle for littlest dude.
Call in refills for kids prescriptions.
Get ready to head to town for errands (this includes packing, making bottles, final changes, one more final change, redressing my daughter who thinks it is funny to be naked, changing littlest dude's diaper again...finally leaving).
Go to bank.
Go to Walmart.
Go to McDonald's in Walmart because Doodle (my daughter) is screaming (did I mention her nose has begun to run?) and maybe chicken nuggies will help!
Have rude women ask me with a nasty tone, "What are you going to do about that?" Of course her "that" happens to be my two screaming babies (because of course Littlest Dude is screaming...his sister is and I mean, is there a better reason?).
I respond with, "Leave them with you and go home and catch up on all the sleep I haven't got lately." She left....quickly. Good for her!
Get everything I was supposed to get for the camping trip and the long sleeve shirts for my son (it has been getting chilly out).
Get out of large retail store...quickly!
Go to pharmacy pick up kid's scripts.
Wonder what I am forgetting.
Go home, just in time to get Sugarbutt (6 year old) off bus.
Get dinner ready.
Baths for all three kids.
Take two little ones, Doodle and Littlest Dude, to Grandma and Grandpa's.
Run truck through car wash for $5.00 Super Tuesday.
Take Sugarbutt to Cub Scouts. (I am the den mother!)
Pick up Doodle and Littlest Dude.
Home and bed for all three of my little angels (funny how the word angels goes so well only at bedtime).
Give Doodle something for her nose, the stuffiness and runniness have gotten worse!
Get a call from Superman.
Have to end the conversation after just a few minutes, Doodle is up and running a fever and Littlest Dude just woke up for a bottle!
Call Superman back and tell him goodnight. He asked about my day...I just laughed!

Anyways, I am going to go get a bath (a quick one because someone is sure to wake up and need me)! I encourage everyone to make a list. It made me realize that even when I have had a bad day and think nothing went well or was accomplished...I have succeeded!

I am new to the blogging world and I enjoy any feedback I can get. I will try and post again very soon. Take good care and God Bless!