Translation: Achieved

Sometimes Craig sends me little love notes via email. One of his most recent messages said this:

"Soda is on sale at fry's. 4 for $8.88. yummy."

What he really meant was this:

"Please, please, please buy me some soda at Fry's. Then I promise I will stop drinking yours. And also you are a wonderful, funny, hot wife who is too good to be true."

I'm so glad I have learned to translate Craig's secret love language. It sure makes for more flattering emails, I can tell you that!

I sure love my handsome soda stealer and his little accomplice.

When You Just Don't Wanna

Do you ever think about how much of life is made up of doing things that we don't want to do? Like getting up in the morning. Or going to bed at a decent time. Or exercising. Or not eating all of your children's Halloween candy. Or folding laundry.

 Believe it or not (and I say this to myself as much as I say it t anyone else), doing things we don't want to do is actually good for us. It keeps things in perspective. It helps us to be strong. It puts us in a position to help others. It grounds us. It makes us appreciate those fleeting moments of ease and rest. It prepares us for the challenges of life.

I didn't want to get up before the sun this morning, but I knew I needed to. And I'm so glad I was able to make sure the girls got safely to school with a real lunch in their bags. (And their hair brushed.)

I didn't want to run this morning, but I knew I needed to. And I'm so glad I got a chance to get out and do something for myself before focusing on other people all day.

I didn't want to go on three errands with Spencer and Alexa in tow this morning, but I knew I needed to. And I'm so glad I got those three things done at the beginning of this crazy week.

I didn't want to sweep up Spencer's Cheez-It mess this afternoon, but I knew I needed to. And I'm so glad I didn't have to step on cracker crumbs for the whole rest of the day.

I didn't want to sit here and blog tonight when I have a hundred other things to do to get ready for Thanksgiving, but I knew I needed to. To remind myself that just because I don't want to do something, that doesn't mean I shouldn't. And one day I will be glad I took the time to record something about a normal day in the life of a Mom With Small Children.

A mom who doesn't want to do things. But does them anyway.

And now, I don't want to go tackle the formidable pile of laundry awaiting me in the other room. But I know I need to, so I'll do it anyway.

And tomorrow, I'll be so glad I did.

Bing Crosby, Are You Listening to Me?

"It doesn't often snow at Christmas,

like it's meant to do.

But I'll still have a glow at Christmas,

because I'll be with you."

There's nothing like The Pet Shop Boys to get me in the Christmas mood. Now all we have to do is get through Thanksgiving and it's smooth sailing 'til December 25th.

Travel Weary

It's hard to imagine that it's possible to actually sleep like this while traveling.

When was the last time you slept this well in a car?

Me? Probably 1984.

Holiday Faking

We are contemplating putting our Christmas tree up this weekend. What that means is that we felt ambitious and dragged it into the house tonight, but after moving furniture around and dealing with a couple hours of Standard Family Chaos after what was already a really long day for both Craig and I, we ran out of steam. So, the tree remains on the floor in pieces, and we are hoping that we can tackle the job tomorrow with a little more Christmas spirit than what we were able to muster tonight.

I have to know: Does Christmas decorating get any funner and/or easier as children get older? Every Christmas I think I understand more and more why my dad was always in kind of a rotten mood when it came to pulling out all the decorations and putting up the tree. I feel like this should be a wonderful, magical time. And it probably is...for the kids, anyway. (At least I hope it is, despite my grumbling.) Me? I'm usually simmering a little bit inside because the whole process completely stresses me out. (This should be made even more interesting this year because I have a feeling that our little Spencernado is going to be haphazardly removing ornaments from the bottom half of the tree for 30 days or more.) 

Do all parents just have to fake it every year? Please tell me it gets better.

In the meantime, I am going to reminisce as I look at these photos from last year and soak up all of the cuteness I see while blissfully forgetting the stress that I was undoubtedly feeling at the time. 

Okay, that's better. Thank goodness Santa brought me selective memory for Christmas last year. I use it almost every day.