- My house always has a few piles of clutter. Ryan never complains. I try to keep our room clean and clutter free, so when I wake up in the morning I can pretend that my whole house is clutter free. Then I step over a pile just outside my door. Ryan said it took him 2 hours last night to clean up after dinner while I was in Boise. "I know" I told him. It's the same cycle over and over twice a day. That's why I always point out the chores I accomplished when he walks in the door! (And on actual scale of tidiness, I would give myself 7. Ryan says 8.)
- I fold the laundry always right out of the dryer. Lately it has sat folded, in nice piles, on my kitchen tables for up to 2 days later. Maybe 3. My family is really impressed when the table is clear, "Wow mom, the kitchen is clean!".
- My sink is usually empty by the end of the day. I don't like waking up to dirty dishes. I make breakfast, pack lunch and empty the dishwasher then.
- I told Ryan my hobby is the park. I wish my hobby was the gym. If I went to the gym as much as I go to the park I would look awesome. I just know it. I mean sometimes we go twice a day to the park- isn't that how much time professional body builders spend at the gym?
- Lately, tending other kids has been too much. I have no problem when I offer. I don't know why. But it's when I get the phone calls that someone needs help because they are going into Boise that just makes me panic. Drive time alone is 2 hours. Then add on errands. So, I wrote one of my favorite blogger moms, CloverLane, and she told me to say, "I can't do it today. My kids need me alone." Ryan ran mock phone calls with me. I owe him a happy wife when he gets home-
- I worry about meals. I told my family I wanted to have 10 recipes or so that they crave. I might have 3. Ryan tells me almost every night that he was "craving this!" He's teasing. I go to bed often thinking about what I have to do to get dinner ready the next day. I love my weekly menu board, and plan for the week on Sunday. Lately, with schedules or something, I've offered the kids cereal or mac n cheese or breakfast for dinner and you should have heard the cheers. Ryan laughed at me. The kids could care less about my meals!
- I'm not patient enough. I was thinking about this and how if Jackson is reprimanded too strongly or feels really upset, he throws up. I'd say on average it happens twice a week. Some people might say that he has some serious control already. Maybe. But I think it has forced me to be softer and gentler. I guess throw up can teach you that.
- I think about holidays and things to celebrate. I plan for them. I know it probably is so silly. But it takes the monotony out of the routine. And I like to feel like there is something special to do just around the corner. And even though I'm not the funnest mom, I hope my kids remember that there is always something to celebrate.
- I don't care to travel. I hate hotels. They creep me out. We have been known to book a hotel, arrive at the hotel, and then go to the store to get me my own linens. I am totally exposing myself here. But Ryan puts up with me.
-Almost always, no matter what, we have family prayer (minus Ryan) in the morning and scriptures and family prayer every night. Even when I am by myself I do this with the kids. If it is missed, I feel like something is missed. So even though I might be yelling, "Kneel down! Be reverent!" and there is no presence of sacredness. It is done. But, tooth brushing is not done every night for the little kids. I know. It should be.
- Tanner is turning into the most pleasant boy. I would have never thought. I really am enjoying him now. We laugh at the little kids together and he is trying to be more and more helpful around the house. Someday, when he will understand, I will apologize to him that I ever thought he was a rotten child. Daily I tell him how he is such a good boy, and I hope that tape runs in his head, and not the impatient mom I was with him as a baby. He was upset this week and I tried to put him on my lap and, he sat for a minute to please me, and then moved. He's too big for that now. And it is going by so fast.
- I hope my kids see how much I deeply love their dad. I hope they see me adoring him. I need to do that more.
-Just today, Emma asked me as I was loading every one into the car and rushing along, why I was sad. I think I was more flustered. As we were driving to base for swim team I told Emma, and they all listened, that I felt like sometimes I have too much work and can't get all my jobs done. Landon said, "Hey! You don't have a job!" Maybe not like dad, but someday I hope they see that even though I am not the best mom and do make mistakes, that I try hard and will never quit on them. Or give up on them. Or give in when they want that TV in their room. But that they have been the sweetest job I will ever have in my life.
10 comments:
You are such a good mom. Whenever I think about Moms who can do it all- I think of you! I mean that too- I always talk to Matt (the hubby) about how I can't figure out how Moms like you do so much so well and I am just surviving. Keep up the good work!
You do have the sweetest job and your kids will thank you some day. Oh, I hear you, about the "other" kids thing and recently went through the exact same thing. I now tell people that we don't baby-sit, but we do like very occasional "invited" playdates. Also, I have proof that you are a great mom, because you make other moms try harder.:) One time we had you guys over for dinner, I ran upstairs to change a diaper, came back down and you had done all of MY dishes. I remember calling my mom and saying isn't that sweet that Lacey did all of my dishes and mentioned how I had never seen dishes get done that quickly. My mom replied "you have to work fast when you have little kids." So now, whatever undone chore is at task, I attack it quickly, thinking of how you attacked the dishes that one night, and repeat to myself, "I've got to work fast." I think that dinner with you guys was more than five years ago, but your influence still gets me through my weeks. Keep up the good work, I hear the mommy years go by quickly.:)
I hear you girl!
I'm so glad you also have laundry sitting folded in your house for days on end! To me you are a supermom so I'm glad to know that you also have weaknesses (not just the chronic underachievers like me!) Your kids are so lucky to have you, I'm sure one day they will grow up and realize how awesome you are! Thanks for being such a great example of the mom I want to be...
1)at least it is folded laundry...mine is thrown in the laundry baskets for days=)
2)you are one of the most creative and fun moms around
3)there is something about being prego and adding more kids to the mayhem that sets me over the top too...i very often made other "plans" but now baby is out and older...my ability to handle more kids is slowly returning=)
i love you lacey! seriously i wish i was closer to you. you are truly one in a million!
I really liked reading that. You are such a great mom and wife. Much more so than you give yourself credit for. All your hard work is paying off, I've always thought Tanner was a good kid! Mom's like you make me want to be better.
Lacey, I wish I were more like you. My clean level is maybe a 5. I love that you make big deals out of little holidays. I bet it makes your kids so excited. You make me want to be a better mom and I only have the two kids and here you are workin on 5.
Lacey - I LOVE YOU! I want to be like you! Ever since the day I met you, I have aspired to be like Lacey!! I really do miss you - I know it's been nearly 4 years since you left, but I often find myself thinking how you would do something or react to a situation!
I love the mom that you are. Nobody is perfect, but you are up there with the best of moms. I'm just glad to know that you don't always get your kids teeth brushed. If I could only be more like Lacey...Hopefully one day.
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