Confessions of an Exhausted Teacher/Mom

Tonight I write in order to remind myself how the important stuff is the small stuff. How does the saying go, "Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff." And then there's the one that says something about one day you'll realize the small stuff was the important stuff...

Anyway, Today was one of those days... I'm literally exhausted... up at 6 (ish), work, just a few weeks away from our first try at Texas"s newest state exam and trying to cram in any material we haven't gotten to yet, along with sharpening and developing the reading and higher-level thinking skills that are required to even begin to know what math to do for the problem, Math Club after-school which wears me out every-time, and then home with my boys after work... I quickly threw together some Chicken Tortilla Soup, and was thinking I'd serve the boys up theirs and just keep going on all the things I need to accomplish before I shut my eyes tonight.

But, Bryce said, "Aren't you going to sit with us?" (We usually do eat together, but obviously I wasn't in the right frame of mind, and I quickly said, "No, not tonight!", and immediately felt guilty.) So, I changed my pace, and mind and sat down to eat with my three boys. It's funny how once we sit, and start to eat, and we settle down, it is obviously something we've all come to need in our lives. We pray, and we share our "Bests and Worsts" and we laugh, and I fuss at them about their manners, but something good always gets discussed, and I am always so glad the pace slowed enough for us to enjoy our meal together.

Thank you, Lord, for my 12 year old, 8 year old, and 6 year old blessings, the ones who call me mom, and who I take for granted far too often.  I am so blessed, and my cup runneth-over. Amen

If I had a 100...

Jayden brought home this sheet that he filled out on the 100th day of school. It really shows his personality... I found it quite amusing!  He filled in the blanks to 10 questions about 100.

1. If I had a 100 dollars, I would buy a TV and PS3.
2. If I had a 100 pencils, I would sharpen them.
3. If I had a 100 mosquito bites, I would go to the doctor.
4. If I had a 100 friends, I would throw a party.
5. If I had a 100 legs, I would get them tangled.
6. If I had 100 eyes, I would look in every direction.
7. If I had a 100 hands, I would eat a 100 pieces of candy.
8. If I had a 100 heads, I would head-butt myself.
9. If I had 100 feet, I would kick myself.
10. If I had 100 arms, I would connect them to my shoulders.

Where's our Winter?

Finally... A Photo Cube!

I finally made a photo cube... I'm so excited!  I've seen this idea everywhere in blogland, and now on pinterest, so I took one of these cubes my dad cut for me this summer, and modge podged photos to it, painted and sanded the edges, and I love it!

 I used the pictures I recently printed from Summer Vacation at Lake Michigan this past summer.

For Mothers

Found something I loved reading today, and hope to apply.  Click here and read this, especially if you have sons

Here is the short version.. I love this!

25 Rules for Moms with Sons

Written by: Tabitha Studer at www.studerteam.blogspot.com

November 2011

After a mostly fruitless search for “rules” for mothers with sons (and a particularly hard momma day), I was inspired to write my own list to remind myself of what’s important, especially during those days that being a mom to an ever-squirming, ever-curious boy is both challenging and exhausting. Granted, my list will not be conclusive and may not be entirely uncontroversial. So agree, or disagree, or take with a grain of salt - but I hope to inspire other moms who are loving, and struggling, and tired, and proud, and eager to support the boys in their lives. You are the most important woman in his life, his first teacher, and the one he will look to for permission for the rest of his life. From "Can I go play with them?" to "Should I ask her to marry me?" It’s a big job, but as the mumma, we're up for it.

1. Teach him the words for how he feels.
2. Be a cheerleader for his life
3. Teach him how to do laundry
4. Read to him and read with him.
5. Encourage him to dance.
6. Make sure he has examples of good men who are powerful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.
7. Make sure he has examples of women who are beautiful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity
8. Be an example of a beautiful woman with brains, determination, and integrity.
9. Teach him to have manners
10. Give him something to believe in
11. Teach him that there are times when you need to be gentle
12. Let him ruin his clothes
13. Learn how to throw a football
14. Go outside with him
15. Let him lose
16. Give him opportunities to help others
17. Remind him that practice makes perfect.
18. Answer him when he asks, "Why?"
19. Always carry band-aids and wipes on you
20. Let his dad teach him how to do things
21. Give him something to release his energy
22. Build him forts
23. Take him to new places
24. Kiss him
25. Be home base

Tonight's Pinterest Recipes

Tonight, we made a yummy "Silly Supper" (breakfast for dinner) recipe. It was really good, and easy. We used ham instead of bacon since we are trying to use up our ham from New Years' Day.

http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2011/02/beautiful-bacon-egg-cheese-wreath.html

Then, we used the donut maker again, and tried this recipe this time, and frosted them with chocolate icing and sprinkles.

See Jayden's hand reaching for a donut? 

Pinterest

Thanks to Pinterest for helping me with the follow-through on ideas I find online, I have been back into project mode lately... mostly with cooking since I kinda' have to do that for my family anyway.

Instead of buying these at Sam's I made them for the boys to eat while they watched the MSU Bowl game..

I also made cake balls on NYE for the first time.... What could be better than chocolate cake mixed with chocolate frosting, and then dipped in chocolate coating???

And, the Ham n' Swiss Sliders... yummy!!!

And, a big thanks to my beautiful assistant Bethany, my friend's daughter for helping in the kitchen!

This is a pic of the homemade Cherry Limemade I made with Sprite zero. I actually liked it better than when I order a diet one at Sonic. I also made the best potato and ham soup Monday night that I've ever eaten.  I also painted the butcher block that my houses my kitchen knives... pictures to come! I'm loving pinterest!!!

Next up, I want to turn a tablecloth into a rug!

It's a New Year!

Today we each wrote our resolutions on our chalkboard, and I tortured the boys through a few pics. I thought this would be something cool to do each New Years' Day.

(p.s. no make-up)

Bryce Tyler Baird 11 years, 11 months

Do what God wants me to do, not what I want to do.

Give 100 % to everything I do!

Have fun!

Jayden Gregory Baird 8 years, 5 months

Be God's Man
Be a good quarterback.

(I'm surprised that one of his resolutions isn't to sabotage all my pics!)

Rylan Taylor Baird 6 years, 8 months

 Be nice. 

Read the Bible. 

Make good decisions. 

Resolutions for 2012

Mine are:

Listen without interrupting.
Listen without judging.
Go on more walks.
Eat more veggies.
Take care of my health better.
Drink more water.
De-clutter.
Dance more.
Learn a lot.
Hug more.
Smile more.
Fear less.
Read more.
Worry less.
More Faith.

I am a little late getting in, but pinterest has officially consumed my life... the ideas are endless, and finally a way to keep up with them.  I made these last night from a recipe I found on pinterest... they are for a cookie/candy exchange Monday night... my perfect treat... salty, sweet, and of course, chocolate!

You can find this awesome recipe by clicking here...

No flash, please!

Much more pleasing to the eye with no flash, right? I see a section of lights out... oh well! I just thought I'd post. I take a photo of our tree every year, but didn't use to to know the no-flash secret. These days, I really don't like using a flash at all, unless I'm using it as a fill. Merry Christmas! Happy Photo-taking!

Choosing my Battles

I am suuuupeerrrr busy these days! Who isn't right? As a mom, I toe the line of enforcing what I say, and trying to choose my battles wisely. The current battle I decided against, was the battle of the shoes with Rylan.

(terrible pic, you can tell I had my focal spot in the top third of the pic from a photoshoot... oops) I had to document this "poor" child's shoes! He has been wearing these shoes looking like this for over a week now - yes, this is child number three with a tired, worn out mama! His other shoes we bought new at the beginning of the school year de-soled themselves, and he refuses to wear shoes he has to tie (and he had a very nice pair in his closet!), so he was actually wearing these!  I am too tired to fight the battle in the mornings, so I let him! Well, tonight I finally found him a similar pair of slip-ons so tomorrow the school can take him off the list of kids who need free stuff! :) Besides with a face like this.... who would notice his shoes, right?

photocredit: Mark Allen Smith 

Comfort Food

I had my first ever root canal today. I only put it off for about six years. So, on this rainy night, chicken noodle soup was the perfect choice. I am so glad my boys are big soup fans like mom.

I boiled two boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded them, and added them to chicken broth, chopped celery and a chopped carrot. I then added one can of Cream of Chicken, and a bag of egg noodles. I heated it to boiling, and then simmered until the noodles were right. All three boys love it!

Happy December!