Family and Hot Chocolate..

This is Anna's picture of our family. Love it.

Ummmm..... and does this look like the YUMMIEST hot chocolate EVER?!?! Well, it was or so Anna said.

Have a good day everyone!

No talking, just showing...

Instead of talking about what we have been up to.....

I will show you.

So, basically, the leaves changed, Anna had her 5th birthday, we bought pumpkins like we do every year, William scored 5 goals, YES 5 in his last game, it snowed and we turned on the fireplaces, and last but NOT least, we stayed at mom's work... Hotel Monaco!  Oh and a little jaunt to City Creek!

I'll be blogging more.  I miss it badly.

When is your "my time?

Here it goes... 

• I miss my kids like crazy. LIKE CRAZY!
• I am not a good housekeeper even though I religiously pin ideas off of pinterest on how to keep my house clean in 30 minutes a day. Whatever... I don't care who you are. It's not possible with small kids to keep your entire house clean for longer than 30 seconds.  If you were to tell me different, I wouldn't believe you.
• I am desperately in love with B. He is literally superman or Ironman if he had his way, right now. He cooks, kind of cleans, makes the kids lunches, helps them with homework, takes and picks them up from gymnastics and soccer and works like a mad man to get his day job done.
• I work way too much
• I eat horrible
• I don't exercise anymore
•  I don't sleep at all
• Between leaving for work every morning at 7AM working like crazy, I come home and still work. Emails, texts messages, cooking, cleaning, wiping down, picking up, reading school emails, spend as much time with the kids as possible before they go to sleep...  you get the picture.

Someone said to me the other day and it has stuck with me, " Kelly, I get that you work and have to juggle kids and schedules and that is stressful and hard, but can I ask you a question? When is "Kelly time"?"  Now this question was out of the blue and actally very random for the moment that it was in. I stopped what I was doing, looked up and was completely shocked that I already knew the answer to the question.  There was no delay in my response... " when I am in the shower and when I sleep, even then, I still get interrupted 80 percent of the time."  I went about my task at hand and was immediately saddened.   This person didn't say anything back to me. She just smiled at me. The kind of smile that says, I love you.  All she said was, "You know this is a problem.  I can see it and so can your family.

 

When I was a stay at home mom, I had time. I was always with my kids, so I would seek out time to get away for some" Kelly time". Girls nights were regular, weekend cabin trips with the ladies or my family, date night with my sweetheart every Friday was a necessity. Over the last 6 months, I have had 3 date nights, 2 girls nights out and have been extremely inconsistent with communicating with my friends.  When I was home everyday, I would have done anything to get out for some my time and now I will do anything to stay in. Ironic. I know that I need time with my B and I need time with my kids, but I also need time with just me too. To read, write, run, talk to my dear friends and learn about their lives, talk to my husband and hold hands and kiss.  You know, everyday little things that make me happy are unfortunately going by the way side and I feel like I am lost.

 

So I have a question...

 

The question is "when?" When does a full time working mom do this and not take away the little time that they have for their family?  AND, do you think it's important for a mom to have "My Time?"

I know there is no greater gift than being a mom and that includes being there for them and wiping their tears, hugging them when they have accomplished something and just being there when they need you.  But I also know that I am a better mom, when I have taken care of my needs as well.  I just can't seem to justify that right now and it makes me sad.  So ANY advice would be wonderful!

Happy...

This makes my heart happy.

(William and my dad reading.)

 

They like the structure...

What's a first day of school without some silly faces on the front porch?

AND, they are actually EXCITED to go to school and have some structure!  Who's kids are they anyway?!  They must get that from B!  I have I mentioned I LOVE uniforms!  Creates a no fighting, hassle free get up and get dressed kind of mornings!

 Anna has a new uniform this year. She only has to wear it on Monday's but I think she looks pretty dang sassy either way!

Today...

Anna is sick and because of that I am doing laundry. YUCK!  Brandon is in Las Vegas, working, working, betting on numbers 8, 9 22 and 30 (shhhh.....) and working.  Mara is downstairs drooling over her new Justin Bieber stand up and William is watching Star Wars Return of the Jedi for the one millionth time secretly wishing that Jedi's were real and that he could be one of them.  I can hear the tunes of My Little Pony, Star Wars and Justin Bieber all echoing in my home at the same time while I sit here and type for a brief moment of therapy.  Is writing therapy for anyone else?  We cannot go to church today because of Anna being sick.  I am sad about that, but maybe we needed this down time.  I just hope this is a 24 hour deal...  My house is a distaster but I have no desire to get up and clean.  I can do it later.

Yesterday I took the kids to the DI. We all really do love that place. It's full of so many hidden treasures. I found a vintage book. A beautiful hard back, 1953 edtition of the Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I have never read this book. I have been interested in it though ever since I found out that J.K. Rowling's love for reading and writing came from her mother reading this book to her. Not only that, it's the book where she starting daydreaming about a character by the name of Harry Potter. We are going to start reading it tonight as a family. I love that I will be discovering something new right along with my kids.

I have a long big week ahead of me.  Full of lots of different things.  My parents are coming into town for a while and staying with us.  I have 2 doctor appts, a photography session at the hotel, lots and lots and lots of work at work and the first UofU football game on thursday and a ton more that I am certain will come my way! In the meantime, since I can't be at church today I went looking for inspiration and as I always do, I found this.... Love it and I wanted to share.  Happy sunday everyone.

Our new favorte...

I love in the summer when my kids live in their swim suits and their hair goes 5 shades lighter because it is always being kissed by the sun. We went kayaking a couple of weekends ago and now it is our new favorite activity as a family.WE LOVE IT! 

I have missed being home this summer.  I saw a mom who had posted a comment on FB about wanting summer to be over so she doesn't have to deal with her kids anymore.  It wasn't that matter of fact, but it may as well have been.  Oh, what I wouldn't give to be dealing with my kids right now.  BUT, all in good time.  It will happen sooner rather than later and I am excited about that.  Life is always an adventure.  As mentioned before in an earlier post, things are going to change, but it may take a little bit longer and that's ok.  If there is anything that I have learned over the past 10 years it's patience.

 William is going through the "don't take a picture of me" phase.

We ended that weekend with a sleepover with the girl cousins.  I truly love where we live.  It makes for awesome pictures and even better memories.