Cartersville Family

My 5 year old has been going through a rough spot lately.  She has started kindergarten this year.  However, she sometimes acts like she’s 13.  She even has that teenage attitude thing going on.  Lauren loves to watch tv.  She would watch it all day if I let her.  I don’t of course and don’t get me wrong, she is bright and loves to do other things as well, but she gets mesmerized by that old tv.  We have been working on being unselfish, obedient, honest and respectful to authority with her lately.  I think some of the show she watches, even on the Disney channel, have influenced this attitude of selfishness and disrespect for parents.  So on Friday when she got in trouble for lying and disobedience she was told that her punishment would be no tv for 1 week.  Of course this was devastating and harsh in her eyes.  She complained but we held firm.  At first, there was “nothing else to do” and she whined a lot.  But in the two days without the tv, I have noticed a difference.  She is playing better with her sister and she has stopped asking about watching the tv.  It has encouraged me to spend more time with her and I think that has helped too.  This is not a deep major break through, but it has taught me something.  Even at a young age, outside influences really affect my kids.  Be it good or bad.  All this to say, that we will be watching a little less tv in the future.

Michael talked in church today about the importance of being in a small group. I have to agree 100%. We have been a small group since January and I look forward to it every week. It is such a great time with friends. We even pay a babysitter to watch our kids so we can go. I have learned so much about my group and we have prayed through some tough stuff. I know that I have people out there that will miss me when I’m not there. Michael explained that not working on your personal/spiritual life makes everything else out of balance. Our journey group allows us to keep that balance. I encourage everyone to become a part of a journey group. Make is a priority. God will bless the sacrifice and pretty soon it won’t be a sacrifice. You will wonder how you every got along without it.

I remember the days when my mom had a hot and healthy meal ready and waiting for my family at dinnertime.  She always managed to have everything done at the same time and it was tasty too.  We had a variety of items and she always made our favorites on special occasions.  When I go “home” for a visit, she still makes my favorites and I get to relive the “good old days”.  Now that I am a mom, i want to know how all those “perfect meals” got done.  I tell you, between my baby boy fussing and falling down, my 2 year old whining and saying she’s stinky, and my 5 year old falling over famished and “starving”, it is a wonder that we have any dinner at all.  Why do kids pick dinner time to be on their worst behavior of the day?  It doesn’t matter how many snacks they have been given all afternoon, or that they had a two hour nap or that there is a movie playing on the tv, they choose the time when daddy walks in the door to unleash their furry.  I don’t really like to cook that much. I have about a handful of meals that I cook well and I don’t have much variety.  I am trying to be a “good mother” and provide nutritious meals for my family, but after all the prep, eating, fighting with the kids to eat and the clean up afterward, I just assume we go out for pizza or chick-fil-a for dinner.  I wonder, how many fried chicken nuggets can my children consume until it’s a problem?

I love the “new car smell” that comes with buying a new vehicle.  Unfortunately, i haven’t had many new cars in my life.  But a close second is the smell and look of my car after i had cleaned it out.  I just got finished “detailing” my car and i feel great about it.  I will never know how my children can possibly get that many crumbs and trash in the seats.  It reads like a snack diary as I vacuum out various types of crackers, fast food remnants and cookie crumbs.  Gross!!  After I am done cleaning my car, I swear that i won’t let the kids eat or drink in the car anymore.  If you are a mom, you know how long that lasts!  Well, it won’t be clean and neat for too long, but at least i can go to bed knowing that there is no longer a trash pile of goldfish in my backseat.

Well, I am sitting here in my home office covered in red paint splotches.  I helped to paint my husbands new office today.  I have painted a lot of walls in my day and I must admit that I actually like painting.  I find it relaxing.  I also like the feel of a changed space.  It is amazing what paint can do to transform an object or a space.  My two-year-old thought I had boo-boos all over because of the red paint.  She wanted to kiss them all.

Yesterday we sent our little Emma who is two to her first day of preschool.  We have been prepping her for weeks now and she was ready.  Her older sister started Kindergarten last week, so she thought she was starting Kindergarten too.  Anyway, she walked right in and started playing.  No looking back, no tears, no hanging on to mommy’s legs.  I am so proud of her.  When I picked her up, she couldn’t stop chatting about her day.  She colored a raccoon, she got to use finger paints (a very big deal) and she had goldfish for a snack.  Oh, to be little again.

As the “middle child” she has to compete with her ever-popular and vibrant older sister and the cutest little baby boy you have ever seen.  She was so excited yesterday to have something that was just hers.  Her school, her backpack, her experiences.  She loved telling Lauren about them. I think she will hold her own just fine.

I am so amazed each week at the volunteers who work with my children at church. My three kids love going to Kidventure. My little Emma is 2 and she is heartbreaker. She has such a sweet spirit and anyone who knows here just falls in love with her. The ladies who work with her on Sunday morning are exceptional and they really invest in her life. They teach her about Jesus and how much He loves her. Emma doesn’t realize what a blessing that is yet, but I do. Recently one of her teachers was on vacation and saw an exit sign with her name on it. I guess there is a city somewhere named “Emma”. Anyway, the teacher took a picture and sent it to me with a note to say that she had prayed for my Emma and that she missed her. WOW. I love that we have such dedicated people working with our children. Kudos to all the Kidventure volunteers.

Watching tv in the evening when all the kids are in bed is something I look forward to. It represents relaxation to me. Just like everyone else, I hate it when all my favorite tv show take a summer hiatus. That means I have to find some other “summer tv series” to watch. There didn’t used to be anything good, but I have found a few favorites this year. I just love “Burn Notice” on the USA network and “The Closer” on TNT. I am a sucker for designing and cooking reality shows, so I look forward to “Top Chef” on Bravo and HGTV’s “Design Star”. Now, I am actually disappointed when these shows end because I don’t have any regular season favorites.

One of my friends, Tanya, let me know about some more kid’s consignment sales around town. They usually happen in late summer and then again in late winter. Here is a link to a website that lists almost all of them - some are good - some are ok - and there are some that are not even listed on here like the one at Trinity United Methodist in Cartersville. There is a HUGE sale in Rome in September called Twice Is Nice and the stuff they have there is amazing - lots of boutique dresses for the girls and some really high end stuff, but good prices and they have a ton - in fact the sale runs for a full 7 days - and most of these sales you can put clothes into and be a seller as well.
Thanks Tanya