Snowfall!

So today as I sit here watching the snowfall, I can’t help but remember how fun snow days were when I was little. I remember hoping for snow, or ice rather, so that I could miss school. As a child, and even as a teen, I wasn’t worried about roads or safety; I just wanted to have a day off school! I have always been more of an indoor girl, so I never have had a desire to play in the snow. I just wanted school to get dismissed so I could be with my friends. I would much rather watch out the window. It is so warm and cozy. Maybe even a nice cup of hot chocolate and your favorite TV show!

But then you have kids and snow days are so different. I actually dread them. I don’t think it’s pretty, I don’t think it’s fun, I just want it GONE! I know it sounds horrible, and even as I type I feel a little bad letting my true feelings out. But if I am being honest, I am not a great driver when the roads are normal. So then you add ice and snow and I’m a disaster. I am sure Jamey, although he would never say it, cringes at the thought of me driving our kids around on slick roads. I am that girl who does all the wrong things when I hit patches of ice. You would think as a daughter of a car guy I would be a little better than that, but I am most definitely not. (I bet my parents just learned something they didn’t want to know about me with that confession. Lol.)

And remember how I mentioned I am more of an indoor girl? Being the daughter of a self-proclaimed “beach bum,” you would think that would also not be the case. I could spend every day, all day, without even setting foot outdoors. But I have kids so that is never an option. We are outside in the hot sun, we are outside in the rain, we are outside in the cold, and they don’t seem to care. They just want to be outside. 

Funny how that worked out. But all Bryson and Brystol can seem to think about is when their next few hours playing outside will be. So this week has been averaging about 30 degrees and we have been out. A lot. I have tried my best to bundle them up as best as I can, but I feel like there aren’t ever enough clothes to keep them warm enough out there.

We are in the process of moving, yes moving, again. (That will be another blog post someday.) But we have been in between houses for a couple of weeks and are staying with my mom and stepdad. Poor them, I know. But it was 75 degrees when we packed to stay with them for two weeks. So, as you can imagine, I didn’t think about gloves, hats, warm jackets. Those are in storage. And I don’t mean where I can get to them. Oh no, they are in a random unlabeled box thrown about in one of the two storage units we have. There is no finding them. On Sunday I decided to try Walmart and Target to find an inexpensive jacket for each of them. But we live in Texas. There are swimsuits out, not a jacket in sight!

So for about a week I have been sending them outside with three sweat jackets on each. Brystol has been wearing my mom’s gloves and hat. And somehow Bryson found his gloves and hat in my car. Yes, my car. I know, how do you not know something like that is in there? Well I have the messiest child on the planet who feels like the 3^rd row of our car is his own personal campsite. I don’t even go back there. I don’t even want to know what is back there. I’m just waiting for one of neighbors to come out and explain to me how my small children shouldn’t be outside without proper clothing. But let’s face it, the kids don’t even feel it. I asked them Monday if they were cold and they both said no. Bryson gets annoyed when I just mention putting on a jacket. Yesterday he refused his gloves and within minutes his hands were so red, but he still insisted he didn’t need gloves. Later when it was time to come in, he was very irritated that as his mom I didn’t “make him” put them on. That child – darned if I do, darned if I don’t. One day I will learn how to properly parent him, but at this point, it’s a crap shoot!

This “beautiful” snow is also hindering our move this weekend. We have been at that super stressful part of buying a house where the lender and mortgage company have asked for every document we could ever have. Every statement, every letter, and every dollar we can come up with. It has been very exhausting, especially being a mom of three little ones who don’t exactly leave me much time to sit at a computer. But today, Friday, is finally the day we are set to close. The U-Haul is ready, our wonderful friends are ready, cable and internet are being turned on, and electricity has already been turned on. Then it snows. Not “kind of” snows. Like really snows. Like schools being let out early, appointments cancelling, jobs closing early kind of snow. ON THE WEEKEND WE ARE MOVING.

I don’t know about your husbands, but mine is one of the most stubborn men I know. (In a good way, babe, I promise.) And he was insistent that it would be fine. That was until the cable people called to cancel and U-Haul isn’t renting trucks in this weather. Not much a stubborn guy can argue with there. So on what was supposed to be such an exciting day for us, as we are all so anxious to get into our new beautiful home, instead we are watching the snowfall from Nana and Pappaw’s house. Thankfully, they have opened their home to us and have been so wonderfully accommodating to our not so little, or quiet, family. So as we put off moving for another day or two, I can’t help but dislike this weather even more. And I am sure, though they would never say it, they are ready to have their quiet home back to themselves! 

But all our kids see is beautiful white fluffy snow. They see God’s wonderful creation with such a childlike innocence. So for today, and maybe again tomorrow, I am going to suck it up. I am going to bundle up my littles as best I can and watch them enjoy the snow. They will never know how much mommy hates it outside. They will never know I was envisioning this wonderful first weekend in our new home. Because that is what we as parents are supposed to do, protect their innocence. And can’t we all learn a little something from our children? 

Mother of 4

I am new to this blogging thing and I actually have no idea what I am doing, so bear with me. But I do love to write. It is my passion, it brings me joy and serves as such a release for me. But as a mom, a mom of young kids there is no time to write. And when I say I have no time, I mean it. There is no exaggerating the amount of chaos that occurs in my day. Yesterday I was on my 6^th load of laundry and I just started to cry. For no reason. Or maybe there was a reason, but I didn't have time to actually figure it out because my main role at home is a referee.

So my plan for this blog is to write as often as I can. Which may be daily, may have to be weekly, and it may never happen after this one blog. But I am going to try. Because I am already feeling my stress level decrease.

Let me start with the basics. I have 3 kids at home, but I am a mom of 4. That’s a hard topic for me to explain. My sweet Brody was 10 months old when he tragically died in a choking accident. He was my first born. He was the sweetest soul, he truly brought joy to everyone he met. Especially to his mom and dad. We were a family, a very happy family. The day Brody died was the absolute worst day of my life. A day that 6 years later I can remember every single detail of. But it is not the day I try to remember in my head, it is the 10 months of pure joy he brought to me. He made me a mom, he showed me how true love really was. And he showed me how much I truly loved his dad. And I will always be a mom of 4. Not 3.

Bryson just turned 5. What a monumental birthday for him. He was so excited to show us how fast he is now that he is 5. How tall he is now that he is 5. How good his ninja skills are now that he is 5. He is the most rambunctious child I have ever met. He requires my constant attention. It is like a mad house when he is around. There is never a moment where he is still. He eats like a grown man. Insists on wrestling constantly. He has mad fit throwing skills, I have never seen anything like it. He loves his dad more than life, they are two peas in a pod. But amidst all that chaos, he has such a tender heart. He is so sensitive, and so loving. And did I mention that he is really funny?  He is the definition of a boy and gives me a run for my money every day.

Brystol is 3, but will turn 4 next month. And whew, these little toddlers should come with a warning label. She thinks she is 16. She told me the other day, “all I hear coming out of your mouth is blah blah blah!” Brystol is beautiful. Brystol is dramatic, she is sassy, and she is the girliest girl I have ever met. She can fit into any crowd, always so easy going (in public). She loves dance. And when I say loves dance, I mean she wakes up every day asking if it is “dance day!” Brystol is the best big sister, always helping with the baby. And she literally lets Bryson antagonize her all day, every day. And she just goes with it! She has no idea how easy she makes my life, and for that and so many more reasons, we adore her.

Brynlee is 6 months old. Aww my baby. It is so different when you know that it’s your last baby. Every stage she goes through makes me so much more emotional than the last. When she first smiled, cooed, laughed. And now she is sitting up all by herself, and eating baby food! It is all happening so fast!! Bryn is what I call her. The kids call her “Brynny!” She has a smile that will light up a room. She is constantly entertained by her crazy brother and sister. And man, does she love her momma! Everything Bryn does reminds me of Brody. She has all of his mannerisms and his sweet soul. It is funny how God works that out. Right when we needed it most.

So those are the reasons in a nutshell I spend most of my days so exhausted to even think straight. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love staying at home with the kids. It isn’t something that I have always had the opportunity to do. I have always worked up until I had Bryn. So this stay at home thing is new to me. I am still learning all the tricks to keeping my sanity. And still learning all the inexpensive play dates around town!

I feel like sometimes when Jamey gets home I am literally throwing kids at him. But I haven’t ever heard him complain about it. Ever. He is truly the hardest working man I know. He sometimes comes home to all 4 of us in our pajamas. And I don’t mean new clean pajamas because we are ready for bed, I mean the night before’s pajamas. And he sometimes has to bring take out home with him. Because although I have been home all day, dinner hadn’t even crossed my mind. But again, he never complains. I am not sure how I ended up with someone who adores us like he does, but even at our worst, he still does.

I feel like I could write forever, I forgot how much I love it! But I guess I should wrap it up, in 3 hours Bryn is going to wake up ready to eat and in 7 hours I am going to have to get our family of 5 dressed and ready to go to church - where we can’t wear pajamas or skip the make-up, and I actually have to brush Brystol’s hair. So for now I shall sleep, or at least try!