A Child's Ten Commandments

Reading this just makes me want to do everything to be a better Mom.

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don’t restrict me unnecessarily....

3. Housework will always be there. I’m only little such a short time—please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.

 

8. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.

9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.

*Feel free to print off and put on your fridge for a daily reminder of how to treat your kiddos! **A Child’s Ten Commandments to Parents, by Dr. Kevin Leman

Growing up

So my husband is off his 'vacation' from school and has to go in at 8 in the morning. So last week he brought Jeanne to school in the mornings a little earlier than usual. Her teacher doesn't get there until 7:30, so if the kids are dropped off before then, they go into a different room with another teacher. Jeanne did not like this at first at all. She would cling to his (or mine when I had to bring her) legs and cry her heart out.

When I brought her this morning, before we even got to the door, she took off running towards the other teacher, threw her arms around the teachers legs and said "hi mama". I did not take offense to her statement because Jeanne uses that phrase as a term of endearment. She says it to my mom, sister, husband and next door neighbor. I was happy that I didn't have to hear her cry, being that it usually makes me tear up. But as I walked out, I realized I was a little sad inside. Sad because I realized I longed for her to need me. She is growing up and I am not ready!
 

Then, she has on this cute pair of 18-24 month jeans that I got on sale (why do kids clothes cost more than $10 regular price amazes me). As she was walking around this morning, I realized the jeans had real pockets in the front and back and a real zipper. It's like she is a person. Yes I know she was always a person. But, to me she was and is still my baby. Not a big girl in big girl clothes. She needs to stop growing! But I am enjoying this stage as she can interact with me and my husband a lot more!

Pinterest

So apparently the new craze is this website called Pinterest. When I first saw people posting of what they "pinned", I was determined NOT to check out the site. Why post up pins of what other people do on a board? Then this past weekend, I visited with my cousin in Birmingham (we were checking out the area for possible residency). She had recently gotten into Pinterest and explained to me how it worked. Now I am 'addicted'.

Unlike other people, I am not posting things that I dream I had. I am posting things that I will try to make and will have. I have found several outfits that are totally my style, and I will begin hunting them down at Goodwill, Plato's and other consignment shops this weekend. I am determined to try all the recipes I pin. And I will print out all the crafts and do those as well. As for the home board, those pictures are what I am looking for when we look for a house. Great ideas for me later.

Yes you will find cute pictures of animals and such, but I have such a joyous heart, I had to share!
If you ever get bored, click the Pinterest button on the left to check out my page

A Hard Decision

In December 2008, I brought home a fluffy French Bulldog named Clive. He stole my heart the first time I saw him. With Shawn in school, working late hours and weekends, I wanted a dog in the house to keep me company. I didn't like being alone. I knew getting a pet was a big responsibility, and I researched and studied Frenchies. I knew full on that they come with allergy problems, breathing problems, and sometimes require extra care. At the apartment, Clive didn't suffer any allergy problems that couldn't be fixed with a little benadryl. I loved having him run around, acting all spastic, and cuddling with his fluffy self on the sofa.

Then in 2009, we found out we were expecting a baby. This of course was not a planned thing, but life happens. So my extra money started going to a savings account for Jeanne. Shawn and I decided we needed to move into a house so we would have more room. We found a nice little rent house with a great backyard for Clive to run around and play. Soon after moving in January 2010, Clive started having allergy issues. He would break out in hives constantly. So I decided to do allergy testing on him, and wouldn't you know it, he was allergic to every plant, grass, flower in our backyard. So I put him on an allergy serum. One shot a month wasn't so bad. It seemed to be working well until this last summer/winter.

Clive had a bad allergy attack in the summer of 2011, so I brought him to the vet and got him on some antibiotics (his itching/scratching caused a skin infection). $300 at one appointment. In November, it was time for his semiannual checkup at the vet. >$300 for all his shots, heartworm med, and flea medication. A week or so later, I had to bring him back because he had another flare up. Another $300. Then in December, he had the worst flare up I had seen on him. >$400. So in two months, I had put >$1100 in vet bills on my credit card. The money was hard, but what was worse was Clive had to take 3 pills twice a day for 3 weeks. He was totally not himself when he was on the medicine (**Note: I know what most of you are thinking. He is a just a dog. Well you are WRONG. He was my pet. I knew how he acted. The meds totally changed his attitude.)

So after the New Year, I talked with Shawn and we came to a heart-wrenching decision. I felt like Clive was suffering, so I called the breeder I got him from. I explained that I didn't have the money to continue him on medication if he got the flare ups, but more importantly, I didn't like having to put him on the medicine in the first place. I didn't know if when we move for residency, that it would be any better for his allergies. So, I moved Clive back to Texas this past weekend. It was hard to put him in her car and watch him leave (**Again, if you never had a PET that you were responsible for, you don't know what it feels like, so no snide comments). I miss him, but I know he is doing just fine. She breeds and raises Frenchies, so he is frolicking with his family. I will miss his sweet, squishy face for a while.

New Year's Resolution

So I decided that my New Year's Resolution would be to read the Bible in a year. I found a website that breaks down the Bible and marks which sections to read each day so it can be completed in a year. I am thoroughly enjoying it so far. I wish I would have done this sooner. I am finding my self getting behind a day or so, but I find time to catch up within the same week.

The other part of the resolution is to delve deeper into what we believe and why. I want to be able to teach my children (child right now) throughout the year the Catholic beliefs to holidays, parts of the Mass, etc, but I need to have a better understanding first. Growing up, after catechism was taken out of public school, my mom continued our education of the Catholic beliefs. We had activities that explained all the parts of the Mass, holidays, Feasts, Holy Days, and now I can't seem to remember them all. I have been searching other moms' blogs and found great places to start.

We still haven't sent in our places for match. We (my husband and I) have narrowed them into somewhat an order. Now we are taking weekend trips to some of the places so I can see the areas and get a feel for the possibilities. It's less than 2 months away that we find out where we are moving!!

Happy New Year

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. My little one had a ball being with our family. She helped as my sister, mom, and I baked cookies. She helped rolled the dough into little balls, then tried to eat them. Pop, her grandpa, bought her a few new toys to play with before Christmas. She got a little 4-wheeler that she has to move herself and some balloons with the rubber band on the end to bounce. I enjoyed watching her get so excited.

For Christmas Eve, we (grandkids) put on skits at Mamaw and Papaw's house. Jeanne stole the show! She was not scared at all about being the center of attention.

We had a wonderful time at Copper Mountain, Colorado after Christmas. It was nice getting to see snow (being from South Louisiana, I have seen and remembered snow 4 times in my 27 years, all of which was in north Louisiana). We all had a good time once we got there. The first day with the flights being delayed and such was not fun. Jeanne was excellent on the plane! She stared out the window and "oooh" "ahhh" at the sites below. She slept during the second flight, which was 2 hours.

My  mom, husband, and I all tried the skiing. It was hard at first! Ok, it was hard all 6 times I went down the slope!!! But it was fun trying something new. The speed scared me, but the funny thing is, I kept going! Pop took care of Jeanne while we all skied. They played out in the snow and watched all the people going down the slopes. My sister, brother, and his friend snow boarded. That was crazy! They did well with it on the second day.

It was a wonderful trip, but I am glad to be back. I should have taken a picture of my desk when I got into work this morning. Funny thing is, work doesn't take a vacation just because I did!! :-)

Getting ready for Christmas

So once again, it's been a while since I have written on here. Shameful? Probably. But this is a blog for a working mother. So finding time during the day is hard, and by the time the little one goes to bed at night, I am exhausted. Today I am manning the front phone for a few hours, so I have time to start this.

As much as I didn't want to, we partook in the Santa part of Christmas. I can't destroy an image that has been around for years, but I wanted my children's Christmas to remain focused on the celebration of the birth of Jesus. We have the 'Elf on the Shelf' game that we do to keep Jeanne on her toes. I did find a cute advent calendar to count down to Jesus birthday. She enjoys helping me put the manager scene together each day.

We are very much looking forward to the Christmas holidays. I love being around my family. Today is my husband and my second anniversary. We have had our ups and downs, working through what has been called the "7 year itch". I love him dearly and I love that he is a great father with Jeanne. We are going eat at an old favorite tonight! I am looking forward to it.

We are heading to family this weekend for our big Christmas celebration. We usually start off at 4 pm Mass then to my grandparent's house for Christmas Eve. We have done this every year since I was born, except the year of Hurricane Rita (my family and grandparents lost our home, so we had gathering at my Godparent's house). We grandkids usually do a skit for the adults, then sing, eat, exchange gifts, and have a jolly old time. Jeanne is older now, so I am looking forward to her reaction to it all.

After Christmas, we are planning to go skiing. I am not so much looking forward to this trip. Well, not to the air plane ride with a toddler. I am ready for the snow. I apologize ahead of time if you are on the flight with us. I have never taken a toddler on a plane, and she is normally not a fussy child, but that is a long time to be good.

Well, I am probably not going to be on till after Christmas. So for all that read this, Merry Christmas!

"And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." -Luke 1:26-38