When I was a young girl, my mom got to play the role she always wanted – that of a full-time mother.
She had 5 daughters and loved us well. She prayed for us and with us. She sang to us and with us. She only played uplifting music in our home (and in the station wagon).
She had a garden and made our food from scratch, but I didn’t appreciate this at all. I’d cry on “meatloaf” night. I preferred McDonald’s or Taco Bell over her homemade food. Now that I’m an adult, I’d pick a home cooked meal at mom’s over any restaurant!
She didn’t have “Pinterest” – but made birthdays special for us. I do use Pinterest, but still can’t seem to make my cakes as pretty and tasty as hers!
She taught us how to eat healthily and exercise. (Thank you Jane Fonda!)
There was no internet, so nothing could be ordered online. Instead, she took all five of us with her to do all the errands and shopping on a weekly basis. She taught us how to make a little money go far. We went to garage sales together and always used coupons.
She made our clothes (with fabric and a sewing machine!) and did our hair.
She took us to the library and allowed us to check out lots of books – even though that meant keeping track of all those books for all those girls! (I LOVE books!)
Mother’s Days as a single mom passed without much celebration or appreciation for the hard work she did all day, every day. She continued to love us, care for us, and provide for us. The investment she made in us, and prayers she prayed for us, have resulted in five daughters that love her, love God, and love others.
My sisters!
I pray that my four sons will grow into men who do the same – love their family, love God, and love others!
Mom, I’m not sure how much I said “thank you” growing up…or if I showed you any appreciation for all that you did for me when I was young. However, now that I am a mother, I’m so incredibly grateful for the incalculable investment you made in my life (and continue to make) – and for teaching me how to be a mom!
2. Pamper her! A massage, facial, or manicure. Anything to make her feel pretty and relaxed!
Mom will love a SPA Day; a runner up would be a Spa Kit. I love bath bombs or a good bath scrub!
3. Hire someone to clean for her! This is such a treat for mom to get a break from cleaning. I have four boys and the messes never end. I LOVE having someone clean for me every once in a while!
4. Give Mom some time alone! Every Mother’s Day, my husband gives me a couple of hours just myself. To nap, read, slowly sip my coffee (while it’s still hot) and just relax. With four little boys, that is such a precious GIFT! Once my kids are older and out of the house, this one might change to “time with everyone together!” I get to enjoy that most days, so a quiet break is a gift to me.
5. Homemade gifts or cards. Sweet hand-made cards from my boys are some of my most treasured possessions!
Other options that mom should love:
A plant or fresh flowers:
A pressure cooker for a mom that likes to cook (I love mine):
I went to church and invited the congregation to be a part of Summer Serve! We are asking for people to help with Supernova Kid’s Camp (VBS) and/or jump in to serve three times this summer in New Life Kids – once in June, July and August.
Afterwards, I ran to the store to grab a couple of things. Luke found a tub of cheeseballs. He’s been begging me to buy them for weeks. They were on sale this week, so I agreed. He was so happy and wanted to carry them all around the store – even though the tub was almost as big as him. When we got to the car, he began to buckle the container into his car seat. He was more worried about his snack making it safely home than himself.
Luke and his precious cargo!
That night I went out with some girlfriends to Till Kitchen to celebrate their birthdays!
Sunday
Sunday evening we met some friends at Venezia park for a nerf gun war! My boys had so much fun. I loved watching them run and play and laugh with their friends – all different ages, all playing together – and NO TEARS from anyone! (And no one asking for, or playing with electronics!)
I usually do as little as possible. Luke and I take it easy, read and play.
Relaxing with Luke
Luke spent some time riding his “motorcycle” …then found one little dirty spot and proceeded to use an entire bag of wipes to clean it. I sent the picture to my mother-in-law (Nana) and she sent a similar picture to me – Papa was doing the same with HIS motorcycle!
Mondays are the busiest days for the big boys. They have school, then go to chess club (they LOVE Chess club!), then I pick them up, pass out snacks, cleats and shin guards, and take them to soccer practice.
This season has been my favorite sports season so far. We signed the boys up for YMCA Soccer. George and Clark are playing on the same team. I found a time slot where all 3 big boys have the same practice time on the same field each week – which is only 5 minutes from our house. All games and practices are on this one field! There is also a playground for Luke. I can push him on the swing and watch all three boys practice! I love it. Plus, because we are members of the Y, it was cost effective. I wish every sport would make it this easy on mamas. Paul is having fun and Y soccer is the perfect fit for him. George and Clark say it’s not as competitive as the previous league they played with, but how competitive does it need to be for 8 and 10 year olds?! Anyway, with four busy boys, it’s probably the only season that will be this easy on me – so I’m savoring it!
For future reference – any #boymoms have any advice on how you handle sports schedules and still have sanity and family time?
Tuesday
Luke had preschool, so I got to grocery shopping ALL.BY.MYSELF. It’s a vacation to walk the aisles slowly and methodically, all by myself. Then, I met my friend Beth for lunch. This lady was my FIRST friend in Colorado Springs. We met in the church parking lot on our family’s first Sunday morning at New Life Church. We had both just moved to Colorado Springs, and connected from our first ‘Hello!’ Unfortunately, she is moving this summer. They’re an Air Force family and her husband will begin working in the Pentagon this summer – so they are headed to DC! We had a delicious Thai lunch and could have kept talking for hours, but I had to pick up Luke from preschool.
I’ll miss you Beth!
Wednesday
Today was a work day for me. We all arrived early for rehearsal. We have planned something special for all those coming to The Gathering Conference next week.
New Life Family Ministry Team Rehearsal
Then we had a staff meeting to go over every detail – hour by hour – of the event. It’s going to be so good – phenomenal speakers, good music, fun activities, lots of fabulous “breakout” sessions, great food – I can’t wait!!!! Ted’s taking care of the boys so I can be there for all of it.
I also spent time on Wednesday preparing for our Friday night service, as well as a Breakout Session I’ll be leading at The Gathering on Volunteerism.
PS – If you want to join us for The Gathering, PM for a discount code!!!
Thursday
Luke had preschool so I ran errands, did some cleaning and some writing.
Friday
The boys had no school today so we met some friends to play at Fox Run Park. This is the park where Clark found a snake, tried to sneak it home, but instead LOST it in the car! The big boys played soccer and the little guys went looking for fish, frogs, and turtles in the pond. Paul got his hands on a turtle and they all begged me to let them keep it. (I said no.)
It’s always a good week when Mom’s in town. She only comes to Colorado once a year, so we make the most of our time together when she’s here.
She flew in Tuesday night, and the first thing she got to do was babysit my kids!
WEDNESDAY
I work on Wednesdays and thankfully, she loves to spend time with her grandkids.
That night we went to New Life for the First Wednesday service. It was an incredible night of worship. We went with all four boys – thankfully it’s a relaxed family service, so they got to dance around with their friends. If you live in Colorado Springs, you’ve got to come! It’s the First Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM.
THURSDAY
Thursday morning Luke had preschool, so mom and I got to go our Mom’s group/Bible study. Up until now, my mom has only participated with the group online, so I loved getting to introduce her to so many of the ladies in person!
Thursday afternoon my mom kindly offered to pay for a pedicure while she watched the kids. (I’ve got a good mom!)
George decorating cookies with Grandma
I went to a salon close by that I’d never been to before. My pedicure was a little uncomfortable … at one point I felt a sharp stab in the corner of my toe. By that night, my toe was swollen.
FRIDAY
Friday my toe was still hurting but I got through the day by wearing comfy shoes. At church that night we baptized about 30 people. I love being a part of those special nights. Two of my sons were baptized a few months ago (I wrote about it here).
All the people getting baptized Friday night came up on the stage for prayer.
SATURDAY
We to the Pioneer Museum and then to LarkBurger for dinner. My mom agreed that their chicken sandwiches and fries are some of the best things she’s ever eaten!
That night, Ted stayed home with the boys and my mom and I went to see The Apostle Paul movie. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a GREAT movie…I recommend you see it! It truly brings the Bible to life and I hope more movies like this are made! There are some frightening parts, so it’s probably best for children 12 and up.
Toe is still sore – wearing comfy shoes and limping.
MONDAY
The boys took the day off school to spend time with Grandma. We planned to visit Cave of the Winds, but Luke was up sick the night before, my mom wasn’t feeling good, and my foot was only getting worse, so we decided to stay closer to home and hike in the Garden of the Gods. That’s always an amazing place to visit.
Mom and Luke resting
That afternoon I decided to go back to the nail salon to show them my swelling toe and they told me it was an ingrown toe nail. They soaked it and then DUG at it with a knife. This is the toe that I didn’t want to touch because it was hurting so bad. The lady DUG at it with a knife. And she wouldn’t stop. She kept digging until she got a piece of my toenail free. It hurt so bad I just start crying right there in front of everyone. She squeezed it at the end and asked if it was better. “NO! You just dug at it with a knife – please stop SQUEEZING it!”
TUESDAY
Luke had preschool so mom, and I got to be Tourists in our Town. I got to show her all around town and drop copies of “Climb, Soar, Swim, Soar” off at Terra Verde and the Pioneer Museum who now have them available for sale! I’ll write about where we ate and what we did in a future post.
Mom and me time!
That night mom watched the boys so Ted and I could go to dinner.
WEDNESDAY
I had to take my mom to the airport. It’s so hard letting her leave because I’m not sure when I’ll see her again. Mom, I love you and visit again soon! Thank you for spending the week with us!
TOE UPDATE:
My toe continued to get worse. I should have gone to the doctor rather than back to the scene of the crime. The lady who was digging at my foot caused a serious infection. My entire foot got so swollen that I couldn’t wear shoes. It hurt to walk. I was putting everything on it to make it heal, but nothing worked so I finally went to the doctor and got antibiotics. The doctor said I could lose my toenail. What was supposed to be a nice, relaxing gesture from my mom – turned into two weeks of severe pain and possibly the loss of my toenail?! I’m not sure I’ll ever get another pedicure!? Have any of you ever had that happen? I have pictures, but they are really gross. If you want to see a picture – I am going to post some under my review of this nail salon here: YELP REVIEW. https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=GrsJ5Nir8YjXaNN91ZzTUg
Thanks for following along on week with mom! I’ll post out our DAY DOWNTOWN soon! Subscribe so you don’t miss a post.
A few months later I asked my sister if she would shop for me. I wanted to know how a “sister fix” would compare to a “stitch fix.” My sister enjoys shopping, knows my style, and I like that she knows how to find a bargain. She agreed to do it.
Below are my “Sister Fix” outfits that cost about the same as a box from Stitch Fix.
SISTER FIX PROS:
Sister buys things on sale – I get more for my money.
She knows my style.
She shopped, took pictures of outfits and mailed everything to me.
I loved nearly everything she purchased. I couple of items did not fit or didn’t look as good on me as they did on the hanger.
STITCH FIX PROS:
They ask lots of questions to understand your style.
They mail everything to you.
I spend NO time shopping or returning items.
I can try things on right in my own home and pair them with things I already own.
The box is fun to receive – it’s like Christmas morning.
They include a picture/style card of exactly how to wear each item.
They include an envelope to ship anything you want back at no additional cost.
If you refer people, you earn money towards free clothes!
$15 dollar credit towards your first FIX: http://stitchfix.com/referral/14898853 if you use that code to save yourself money and try Stitch Fix, I’ll earn money too!
SISTER FIX CONS:
Sister spent a lot of time picking out clothes for me – not convenient for her.
She took pictures, boxed and shipped everything – more of her time.
I had to go and return everything I didn’t like – my time doing stuff I don’t enjoy.
She sent me pictures of how to ‘style’ the items she sent, but I accidentally deleted it before the clothes arrived. (She resent them later!)
STITCH FIX CONS:
Items can be pricier than what I’d normally spend. I’m a TJ Maxx, Target and thrift store shopper!
I’ve heard it takes 2-3 shipments before they really start to understand what you want and like.
I only kept 1 item from my first “fix” – because I didn’t love the other items, and they were more than what I wanted to spend
DISCLAIMER:My sister was partially horrified and partially cracking up when she watched this video below. She does not want her name attached to it!
She said I did NOT follow her advice in how to WeAR/Style the items she sent! We LAUGHED together about this – we are so different. She is a perfectionist when it comes to STYLE, and I did not LAYER and STYLE the items correctly. Sorry Sis! I need you to come and “style” me … I guess sending me clothes is not the answer – you actually need to come to Colorado and show me HOW to wear my clothes!
Anyway … the pictures above show the styling, the video shows the individual pieces and the fit!
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! What should I keep? What should I never wear again!
We loved spending a week being “tourists in our own town” over Spring Break! This “staycation” was exactly what we needed. Time together, exploring our beautiful city. There are still SO many things on my bucket list to do an see around town, but we got to check a few things off the list.
We weren’t sure how our boys would do with all the walking and climbing, but they were TROOPERS! They enjoyed it and didn’t complain at all!
We walked through a mountain cave to an elevator which took us up to the Eagle’s Nest Landing – once you are on the landing, you get a spectacular view of the waterfall.
Next, we walked up 224 VERY steep stairs alongside the Falls. The boys did surprisingly well – I was in front and George actually asked me to “go faster!” (Ted carried Luke most of the way!) If you conquer all those steps, you are rewarded with a beautiful trail to explore.
We spent time exploring at the top before we came back down and watched the very large trout play in the pond.
After all this hiking, we were hungry and everyone wanted Larkburger for dinner. We all love this place, and I love that we can get sandwiches for $3 during Happy Hour!!
Tuesday
Being a member of the YMCA means that you get access to all the campuses around town… each place has something unique for families to enjoy. Today we spent a few hours at the Cottonwood Creek Rec Center. They have a wave pool, lazy river and huge slide – it’s like a smaller version of Great Wolf Lodge.
Wednesday
I went to work in the morning for a couple of meetings and to do some Easter preparations.
After work, we went to another YMCA – the Garden Ranch location – where they have Rock Climbing and Jumpy Castles for kids!
Clark rock climbing
Thursday
First – in honor of Easter – we quietly snuck outside to “egg” our neighbors before they woke up. Go here to read about that.
After that, we went to the Western Mining Museum. Our oldest son George, age 10, had been begging us to take him back here since his first visit a few weeks ago with his class on a field trip.
The boys loved “mining for gold” (aka “playing in mud”). They found some fun little gems and everything you find; you get to take home!
There are lots of machines and hands-on stations. I recommend taking the guided tour that happens twice a day. The tour guide explained how the machines were used and fired each one up so we could watch how they work. The Guide taught us a lot about the history of Colorado mining. Outside the museum, there are more machines to climb on and explore, plus tons of room to run and play.
Friday
In the morning, all four boys went to the dentist to get their teeth cleaned. I love our dentist’s office – they have a room with four chairs and all my boys can get their teeth cleaned at the SAME TIME! Can I tell you how much I love that?! It’s a pediatric dentist – so the lobby is well-equipped for kids, the staff are GREAT with kids. Since the boys all did well during their visit – they each earned a “token” which they redeemed for a small prize. There is even a playground as you exit the building!
That afternoon we enjoyed a couple of hours downtown. First we stopped at Story Coffee. It’s the cutest little coffee shop next to Acacia Park. And when I say little, I mean TINY…as in TINY house TINY. It’s not a place you’d sit and enjoy a private conversation or a board game. However, just outside the coffee shop is a park with tables. My latte was perfect and the baked goods we ordered were delicious.
After Ted and I loaded up on caffeine and the boys on sugar, the boys threw a football with Ted and played in the park.
That evening I went to New Life Church to serve in the children’s ministry during our incredible Good Friday Service.
contain endless opportunities for adventure and discovery
To end our week of “Touring our Town,” we had dinner at Phantom Canyon. This was a restaurant we visited during our first trip to Colorado Springs almost three years ago. The ambiance of this place is very cool – it’s in an old building downtown with large windows, tall ceilings and exposed ductwork. The staff is friendly and the restaurant has quality service. However, I wasn’t crazy about the menu. Lots of fried food. We ordered hamburgers and fries for the kids, which they enjoyed, but the hummus, soup and salad Ted and I shared were okay – but not something I’d care to order again. This place won’t go on my list of best restaurants in Colorado Springs.
Sunday
I arrived New Life church by 7:00 AM to prepare for the guests that would be arriving for the 8:00 AM service. Ted and the boys arrived later and we attended the 10:00 AM service together. I stayed to serve again for our third service. It was great day at New Life!
After church the boys enjoyed opening their Easter baskets and hunting for eggs in our backyard.
They had a second egg hunt to look for Resurrection Eggs. After the boys found all 12, we opened them one-by-one together and talked about the Easter story using the little items inside each egg. This was a fun activity, and you can probably find the eggs on clearance at Hobby Lobby and save them for next year. (That’s what I did last year!)
We enjoyed (and when I say enjoyed, I mean I couldn’t stop eating) a White Chocolate Raspberry Nothing Bundt Cake given to us by the Newman family. That cake is dangerous. It’s way too good!
That wraps up our week of adventure in Colorado Springs. We are grateful for time together as a family exploring our beautiful city! This was SO MUCH better week than last week!
If you don’t have a copy yet – a recommend you purchase my Colorado Springs Children’s book entitled – Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore!
Ted went skiing all day at Vail with some friends from Chicago. He had so much fun but at the end of the day, while skiing a black, slipped on ice and slid (head first!) more than 200 yards down a mountain. While sliding, one of his ski’s popped off and was jabbing him over and over in the side, until he could get himself to stop. He left that day with a gigantic bruise on the left side of his body.
Monday
Ted let me know that he wasn’t feeling well and decided to get the “Ski Wound” checked out. Well, the doctor called the wound “BLUNT TRAUMA” and found that he had internal bleeding. They admitted him to the hospital and began running tests to find out more about the internal bleeding.
Tuesday
The hospital trauma team met with Ted and went over his two options to further investigate where the bleeding was happening: option #1.) cut Ted open, option #2.) put scopes inside to identify where the bleeding was happening. They landed on option #2 (thank God!).
I spent the day in and out of the hospital between all the drop offs and pick ups and regular mom stuff. More waiting for answers and for an opening to get the scope done.
Every Tuesday, our local Chick-Fil-A has a family night and this week they had planned a mall-wide Scavenger hunt. Though I wanted to skip this and just be with Ted in the hospital, I had already promised the boys we would go. Having Daddy in the hospital was stressful on all of us, so doing the Scavenger Hunt was a nice way to take our mind off of that and just have fun together!
Scavenger Hunt Mission: Try on a HAT at the Hat Store
Mission: Do a Taekwondo kick by Mr. Taekwondo
After the Scavenger Hunt, a sitter came to our house so I could spend time with Ted at the hospital. The nurse let us know that they should finally be able to fit Ted in for a scope sometime that night, but she didn’t know when.
Since we didn’t have any specific timeline, Ted thought I should go home and be with the kids.
It was so hard on me having Ted in the hospital. I was TIRED physically and emotionally. Not having answers, not knowing when he would be released, not knowing if he was okay, so much waiting and trying to be strong for our boys while their Daddy was in the hospital was HARD! Thankfully, I have a sister who is a nurse and she was able to help me through all of this. I was able to cry on the phone with her and she prayed with me and helped me know that the waiting and not having definite answers is NORMAL!
Late that night, Ted called to let me know that he was going in for the scope. I hated not being there with him! He called me again about 2 hours later to say all was well. They had found bleeding, cauterized it, and now he was going to try to rest.
Wednesday
I brought the boys by to see Ted, then dropped them off at school. Luke and I went back to the hospital and hung out with Ted.
I asked the nurse if she had any idea when he would be released. At first, she said they might want to keep him another 24 hours! UGH! Thankfully, since Ted was doing well, they finally released him and by the afternoon we were ALL able to head home. YAY!
It was SOO good to finally have Ted back home. I’m incredibly thankful for HEALTH and LIFE and FAMILY! The doctors said this could have been much worse.
Thursday
Ted rested and worked from home, and started feeling better!
That night was Family Night at New Life. It’s a fun and free event we do once a quarter to bring families together. There is a central “theme” and then activities all over the church that teach that theme. I took the three big boys and let Luke stay home with Ted.
Friday
Ted was feeling good, the injury was getting smaller, and he went back to work!
Thank you to a friend Corey for this sweet bouquet!
That was a rough week! This week is going to MUCH better! Ted is off and the boys are on Spring Break so we are going to do some fun touristy things around town!
As a mom with four young children and a Children’s Ministry Director, I love seeing children reading (and UNDERSTANDING) their Bibles. There are so many different shapes, sizes and translations, but here are a few of my favorites. With Easter right around the corner, I can’t think of a better gift to give a child than a Bible.
The Bible App Storybook Bible for Kids– A very simple version of the Bible with only a couple sentences per page and bright, happy, colorful illustrations. This would make a good Bible to read with the littlest of children. Recommended for ages 0-5
Jesus Storybook Bible – A Bible that really is a “story book!” I’ve been reading a chapter in the mornings to my kids. It’s an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand “story” of the entire Bible and helps children understand how the Bible is one fascinating narrative. For ages 2-8
Adventure Bible For Early Readers – Good first ‘Chapter and Verse’ Bible for kids. NIrV (New International READERS Version) is easier for kids to understand than some other translations. If kids aren’t able to understand what they are reading – they won’t want to read at all. For ages 5-9
The Action Bible – Comic strip style bible – great for boys and young readers. Recommended for ages 5-10
International Children’s Bible – Another great “chapter and verse” Bible for kids! This is a translation that is easy for kids to read and understand!
Recommended for ages 6-12
Do you have a different Bible recommendation? Leave me a comment!
Easter is just around the corner, and my kids are so excited! I’ve been slowly collecting little things for their Easter Baskets. If you’re interested in any of the items for your family, click on the picture and it will take you directly to that item on Amazon. If you decide to make a purchase, I will receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Do your kids go through socks as fast as mine do? This is why my kids are getting socks for Easter instead of candy. (I’m only halfway kidding) Thankfully, my boys still LIKE getting new socks, so this is FUN for them!
I like for my kids to have a BLANK pad of paper somewhere close by at all times. Whether you have a child who is 2 or 22 – they will DRAW and draw and color and draw if given blank paper and pencils. This set I’ve linked to below is a pack of four for only $7.99- perfect if you have more than one child’s basket to fill.
The erasable colored pencils below are something my son has asked for, and they are only $3.39 on Amazon right now – less than half of what they cost in the store. The twistable crayons are a great price too! I’m getting my bigger boys the pencils and the little guys the crayons.
This Devotional has amazing reviews Amazon and was written by a fantastic author and speaker: Louie Giglio. We just received ours in the mail and LOVE IT!!!! It’s got fascinating facts about Creation and such good insight into God’s word. It’s a book that my boys and I will enjoy together
If you haven’t yet purchased a copy of “Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore!” …. then NO basket will be complete without this book! Find it on amazon buy clicking here. This book has all 5 star reviews and is a fun Colorado adventure story for kids ages 1-10. You will enjoy this story and learn some fun facts about Colorado Wildlife!
I’m thankful that I’ve been able to be home with my kids since becoming a mama. While I’ve always done something to bring a little money in, whether that’s working part-time, selling on eBay, or watching other children inside my home, my main role is wife and mama. (I wrote a little more about this, click here to read)
It’s been a JOY to be the mom of four precious boys – to watch them grow and learn. It’s a big job, and I’m usually exhausted by bedtime, but it’s so very rewarding! I’m grateful to my husband for how hard he works so that I can be home with them. He also supports me and cares for our boys so that I can work part-time at a job I love. My mom stayed home for the first few years of my life and those were precious memories.
Clean up after dinner. (Ted will do this if he doesn’t have work to do! He’s also the world’s best laundry folder!)
Ted and I now have some time to read/watch a show/ work on blog/book or ministry stuff.
Go to bed between 9:30 and 11.
This is a typical SAHM (stay at home mom) day. I also work some days/evenings and those days look differently. We also don’t have sports and activities every night – thank goodness!
What’s your day look like? What’s your feedback on my day? Leave a comment!
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