May 2013
4 posts
2 tags
I'm a Type-A, Controlling Crazy Person
I’m getting on a plane and going 4,355 miles from my children for 6 days tomorrow. I’m terrified. What if they need me? What if they fall and break something? What if they don’t wear exactly the clothes I would have picked out for them? What if there is a car accident with the baby sitter? What if I miss something special on Cy’s last day at school?
What if… This...
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;...”
– I’ve gone through some busy seasons at home, and I’ve gone through busy seasons at work, but as the two collide here at the end of the year, I’m exhausted. I’m overwhelmed and can’t seem to finish coherent thoughts. I may not have gone through the suffering the writer...
2 tags
You Are Loved
It was Mother’s Day. I wore a new dress. I got the dress out of a need for something that fit my post-partum body while being insanely cheap. (I think I bought it from Walmart in a late-night diaper run.) I still felt as frumpy and dumpy as I ever have wearing it.
I made a typical mistake that morning and asked Cleve how it looked. He gave me a half-hearted, “It looks alright.” Or something like...
3 tags
'Twas The Night Before Staff Retreat
I wish I could say that the long, drawn-out process below is rare for us, but getting all of my home responsibilities accomplished takes a second full work day many times. A peek into the life of a working mother the last 14 hours before getting out of town for a couple of days:
6 p.m. I get home after working a little late getting caught up before being out of town the rest of the week. I walk...
February 2013
1 post
4 tags
Cy's Special Day
Watching your kids grow can be sad. I’m sure I will cry on the first day of kindergarten and every other “last” and “first”, but I hope I’m better known for celebrating the other days - what comes between the “first” and the “last”. That’s where the fun and the growing happens. That’s where our kids gain the dangerous faith Jen Hatmaker talked about earlier this week - a brilliant post of brave...
January 2013
2 posts
Even more simple.
I didn’t think the simple life in West Virginia could get more simple. But the winter brings quiet serenity - not to mention no snakes.
We picked up our summer adventure right where we left off but just for a short weekend trip. We returned to the same cabin…
After we warmed the house up from -8 degrees and thawed the frozen pipes, we had a wonderful two days of playing in the...
2 tags
Dirty Diapers II
17,000.
Whew. It’s been our biggest parenting battle to date. And now it’s over. Charlotte, 3 years old, is finally fully potty trained.
I wish I could adequately explain how much I dislike this one parenting task. I’m terrible at it, and apparently my children aren’t too great at it either (I’ve probably said this to you before).
I can think of a dozen possible...
December 2012
1 post
5 tags
November 2012
4 posts
2 tags
Unexpected Thanksgiving Blessings
We had no Thanksgiving plans. We’ve spent today lounging around watching the parade, joining half of Chapel Hill for carry out from K & W Cafeteria, and watching football. Depressing, right? Not at all. It’s even refreshing.
The craziness of this week with Cleve having surgery so quickly after breaking his arm last week brought many unexpected blessings.
Blessing 1:
I’ve enjoyed this...
2 tags
He always came home.
Today I’m thankful to celebrate my father on Veteran’s Day and not on Memorial Day.
No matter where the military or life took Daddy, he always came home. He may have come home changed or even broken at times, but he still made it.
There are multiple times he escaped death and kept his family from remembering him on Memorial Day. Instead, my little sister and I are only here at all because he came...
2 tags
Testing 123
Mobile mama just got a lot more tech savvy. For the past two years I’ve been working from home 20 to 30 hours a week and taking care of the kids and home. Now I’m back working out of the house so in order to do everything that I’m committed to well, I’ve had to make some adjustments.
Number one. Upgrade to iPhone 5. My downtime and drivetime commute to work just got a...
5 tags
30 Sucks!
All I ever wanted growing up was to be a wife and mother. I had career ambitions but being a wife and mother topped them. As a little girl I would daydream about getting older… Starting with high school and boyfriends then college and meeting my husband. I had my “happily ever after” all figured out. But then what? As a little girl, I never considered what was after I reached...
August 2012
1 post
3 tags
Packing up and moving on...
It’s been a while since I’ve written. There is a very good reason. Since getting back from West Virginia, we have been in the middle of a crazy, wonderful storm of action, travel, and decisions.
Let me start by saying how thankful I am for God’s guidance and creative speaking to us through this season.
Since leaving Chicago more than a year and a half ago, we’ve been in a...
July 2012
3 posts
4 tags
Watching the Clouds Roll by: The Simple Life
We spent the past two weeks getting away to an area that Cleve is very passionate about - the Monongahlia National Forest and Pendleton County, WV, where Cleve’s father’s family is from.
We got a great deal on vrbo.com on a cabin (two weeks for the price of one). It was a simple one bedroom/one bath with a loft for the kids to sleep in. Quaint. And all we needed.
The family has an...
3 tags
Tips for Traveling Often and Cheaply
Cleve and I have been asked several times how we’re able to get away so much on church and ministry incomes. Well, most people aren’t rude enough to actually ask it like that – they’re more creative - although we’re not easily offended. It’s actually pretty simple.
First, we make getting away for quality time a priority. It’s a fun way to take a break from day-to-day chaos and focus on our...
3 tags
“No More Baby Weight” Challenge Part 1: Complete!
Almost four months ago, I insisted it was time to get rid of the baby weight. My goals were 18 to 20 pounds and two pants sizes by July 4 – that’s roughly one pound a week from when I started.
Update
I’ve currently lost 18 to 19 pounds.
Lost 1.5 pants sizes (2 in a few brands, 1 in more).
I’ve officially lost all the “baby” weight gained but never lost during three pregnancies over four...
June 2012
6 posts
3 tags
"I just want to settle down."
Settled is a state-of-mind.
This is a revelation I came to last week. My heart’s desire is to be settled. I’ve said “Yes, Lord, we will go wherever in the world you lead… As long as we can stay there.”
Since getting married, we’ve moved around a lot more than I ever imagined. In this season since moving back to Nashville of transition and waiting and not knowing where we’ll go next, we’ve been...
2 tags
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5 tags
Vacation: What Are Your Priorities?
Cleve and I have heard from multiple parents (mostly dads) that going on vacation with small kids isn’t “worth it”. I get their point. They’re saying that you pick up and go to a different place to do the same things you do at home: discipline the kids, cook, clean, laundry, etc. I just disagree with it.
One of the first mornings of our vacation this week, I started to wonder if...
Useful Resource: Family Packing List
Whether you’re planning a summer trip to the grandparents, going on a much-needed beach vacation, or renting a cabin in the woods for winter break, the packing list doesn’t change very much from trip to trip.
Mom’s Travel Tales has lots of useful resources for on-the-go families including this one-week packing list. It’s a great list if you are flying and staying in a...
May 2012
3 posts
3 tags
A wife's perspective: Creative Missions
I’m a project manager. It’s what I do and a big part of who I am. I take the vision cast by a dreamer and I put legs on it. While he doesn’t necessarily “need” my help, the visionary I wake up thinking about is my husband. How can I help him fulfill the plans God laid for him? Last year at this time (shortly after I began MobileMama), I told you about Cleve’s...
3 tags
DocMama: Help diagnose
He obviously doesn’t feel good. Something is hurting him. You wish more than anything he could just tell you. So, you take him to the doctor assuming she’ll be able to tell you what’s wrong. Dead end. Nothing “seems” to be wrong.
Help me.
Here’s what we know:
14-month-old boy
No ear infection
No strep (or apparent red throat to the doctor)
No congestion...
1 tag
My Private Sanctuary
It’s very small at less than 3’x3’.
It’s a place where I can daydream. It’s a place where I can gather my thoughts. It’s a place where I can pray. Some days it’s the only place I can do these things.
It’s somewhere no one can tattle-tale or cry (besides me, if needed) or beg for something. I get to adjust the temperature exactly as I want it.
...
April 2012
2 posts
2 tags
Kids Say the Darndest Things - Spring Edition
A few things I’ve managed to write down over the past couple of months.
Cy: “When I die, I go to heaven.” Me: “Yes, and mommy and daddy too.” Cy: “Yeah, baby!” … “And when charlotte and warner die, they’ll go to heaven.” Charlotte: “I’m not going to die.” “What does Jesus like to watch on tv?” -Cy...
5 tags
Little Miss 2-year-old
We’ve almost made it. We’re not quite there yet. And we still have one more to go.
Charlotte will be 3 in May.
We’ve now experienced the second year of life as parents twice. All experienced parents know what I’m talking about. That second year is hard. But it’s also one of the most fun. I’ve never wanted to scream louder or laugh harder than during this...
March 2012
3 posts
3 tags
Time to get rid of the baby weight
I’ve always been terrible at trying to lose a few pounds. When I was a freshman in college I tried to lose some weight before spring break away with friends. I couldn’t fathom going to the beach with my new friends looking like I did. Thinking back, I laugh; I would love to be that weight again. I busted my tail for months to only lose a measly six pounds.
Then a few years ago, before...
3 tags
Sling Me!
“Sling me,” Cy says.
I walk into the playroom to see Charlotte push Cy as hard as she possibly can (not all that hard) into their slide/sports climber structure. Cy laughs hard as he hits the side of the ‘building’ and dramatically crumbles to the floor.
“What are you doing?!?!”
Cy giggles back, “We’re playing Angry Birds!”
“No,...
4 tags
It's all about the cake: Warner's Birthday...
It’s been almost two weeks since Warner’s first birthday and our celebration at my parents’ in Georgia. First birthdays are special. My mother was responsible for taking photos, and unfortunately, they are still in Georgia, so here are some mobile photos I grabbed in the middle of the chaos…
It was another combo party with a cousin. Christen is turning 4, and she had a...
February 2012
2 posts
5 tags
“The end of an era… you might say”
When Rachel moved out and Chandler moved in on Friends, Monica defined an era as “a significant amount of time”.
It’s the end of an era at our house. Warner is one year old. My last baby isn’t a baby anymore. I’ve spent the past 5 years and 3 months either pregnant or nursing.
I’ve been unexpectedly emotional about Warner’s first birthday. It’s certainly bittersweet. On one hand, I’m ready to move...
5 tags
Low Cost, Low Time Custom Kids' Valentines
I heard a wise working mom say, “Just because it’s on Pinterest and you have the talent to make something yourself doesn’t mean you should.” I couldn’t agree more!
This was not one of those projects for me.
The kids and I took a few minutes last week to get started on Valentines for their preschool class.
Cost: $3 per child (pretty much exact same as the...
January 2012
2 posts
5 tags
What's in a name?
Naming our children has been the most time-consuming thing Cleve and I have ever done together. Cy was named the night before he was born (10 days past my due date), Charlotte was named in the operating room, and Warner was named in the L/D room just prior to my c-section.
We both take this responsibility very seriously. Too seriously, if that’s possible? Look at names in the Bible…...
4 tags
Sleep? What's that?
I left Warner for the very first time over night this weekend. It wasn’t easy.
These are the first two nights in over a year that I’ve spent away from all the kids (big kids have had grandparent sleepovers).
So, this week leading up to my quick trip to Seattle (for a work project), I finally tackled sleep training for Warner. I’ve avoided teaching him how to sleep through...
December 2011
2 posts
3 tags
Kids say the darndest things... Christmas Edition
Some of the fun stuff overheard at our house over the past few weeks:
“Santa doesn’t want to see a dirty kitchen, Mommy” -Cy
“Why do you not like ‘grandmaw got run over by a reindeer’, mommy? Does it freak you out?” -Cy
Getting up from kitchen table in the middle of the meal, Charlotte: “I’m going somewhere.” Mommy:...
6 tags
Son of a Nutcracker!
We have had such a wonderful Christmas season so far. Preschool parties, handmade gifts, Christmas cards, tree decorating… ‘Tis the season!
Some highlights:
Christmas Countdown I tried a new advent countdown with the kids this year. It’s a work in progress. For each day, there was a fabric pouch with candy for the kids and a gift tag telling us what to do that day - everything...
November 2011
3 posts
5 tags
365 Days
One year ago this week we packed up and moved from the Chicago suburbs to Nashville (again.)
Cleve has led our family on many adventures in the past 7 years. He is the most spontaneous and fun person I’ve ever met. I love this - even if I resist at times. I’ve taken more risks and been on an incredible journey because he is leading our family. This past year may take the cake for our...
3 tags
Toddler proof your Christmas Tree
Warner is at that perfect age (9 mo this week) this Christmas season that he can get into everything but not understand (or at least respond well to) “no”. He’s crawling, pulling up, and climbing on anything he can get a knee on. So, I brainstormed how we could still have a Christmas Tree with this busy guy around.
What do you do for that six month to around 15-18 month age of...
3 tags
Actions Speak Louder...
It’s my mother’s birthday, so a few thoughts dedicated to her today. Happy Birthday, Mama! Of all the things my parents taught me, one lesson often reminds me of so many other lessons… Actions speak louder than words. Included with the valuable lessons were a few unintentional lessons from Mama’s actions… like pinching as a form of discipline (mostly used on Daddy)...
October 2011
1 post
2 tags
"It takes more muscles to frown than to smile."
I thought about this old saying a lot yesterday for some reason. It hit me that this is a concept true for so many areas of our lives.
It takes more energy to be mad than happy. It takes more effort to be stingy than to be generous. It takes more effort to hold yourself back than to invest in others. It takes more effort to save than to spend… oh, wait… this doesn’t apply to...
September 2011
3 posts
1 tag
Who doesn't love a good deal?
We all love to get a good deal. With sites like livingsocial.com and woot.com, we’re all going to movies and eating cupcakes at 50% off. Sometimes coming across a good deal online or at the outlet mall isn’t enough.
What about items you need right now for a specific need? We all have our tips and tricks. Here are a few of ours based on recent purchases. Online search We needed a...
2 tags
What happens when Mom travels?
Last week, we ventured into new territory. Cleve and I both traveled for work, and we took the kids with us! It turned out pretty well thanks to our unique working conditions and support system.
We’ve covered what happens when Dad travels - you hold on to your hats and keep the kids busy. But what happens when working moms have to travel?
Here are some things we’ve either already...
1 tag
Helpless
Have you ever felt helpless?
A friend in our small group suffered a stroke last week after giving birth less than two weeks prior. We don’t know much yet about her recovery. She’s in the hospital and will be for some time, I imagine. She has three little boys at home including a kindergartner who just started school, a two year old who misses his mommy so much, and a newborn who...
August 2011
2 posts
4 tags
My new obsession: Pinterest
Have you seen this new site or seen your Facebook friends “pin” items to their walls? I’m a huge fan of this new way to keep up with both fun ideas for home and travel and brainstorming for work. I multi-task work, home, and play 24 hours a day, and this helps me keep it segmented while not forgetting an awesome idea I find online.
Basically, you create pin boards for each area...
2 tags
Homemade is better: Creating traditions
We celebrated Cy’s fourth birthday a little early this year. We had a combo party with his cousin, Lilli, this past weekend at my parents’. I loved their homemade Rocket ship/Barbie cake. Aunt Laura did a great job as usual - even with this crazy request for the combination cake.
I remember having family parties growing up at my Grandmother’s. A birthday didn’t pass...
July 2011
4 posts
2 tags
When the cat's away...
…the mice will play?
Who am I kidding? The kids have a ton of fun with Cleve. I just try to keep up!
Cleve has traveled more this year than ever before. I only have two partial days of pre-school a week to help me with the older kids, so I have to get creative. This week Cleve is leading a session at Echo Conference in Dallas.
Yesterday was a lot of fun, and I managed to clock 5.25 hours....
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Breastfeeding Baby Doll →
“‘Breast Milk Baby’ Breastfeeding Doll Heading To U.S. Retailers” is the headline that caught my attention on Forbes. Check it out.
We will not be purchasing this doll for our children, but I did find it fascinating. It probably doesn’t surprise me as much as some others that this doll exists (although I’m a bit shocked there’s a market for it.)
Both of...
2 tags
Quick Tip: Chinese with kids
Who says you can’t eat out with kids? We do it all the time - entirely too much actually. We’ve learned all kinds of tricks so that we get the best of all worlds. Chinese is a particularly difficult “food group” to take picky and messy children out to. At Panda Express, our trick is to ask for a children’s meal with the sweat and sour chicken - freshly cooked minus...
2 tags
June 2011
6 posts
2 tags
Empty Bassinet
Our last baby (if God so wills) is sleeping in his own bed tonight. Against all my emotions, he’s left the bassinet that sits in our bedroom. Actually, he out grew it. My healthy four month old has been sleeping pretty well for a while now, but I just loved having him close. He feels so far away upstairs.
Every time Warner out grows something, it’s bittersweet to part with it. First...
