0 In 2022/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

A Fun and Yummy Easter Activity: Resurrection Rolls

One of our family’s favorite Easter traditions are making Resurrection Rolls together. Not only is it a fantastic object lesson, it’s DELICIOUS!

Making the rolls together is a fun and tangible way to teach your children about the Resurrection. They make a wonderful treat for Easter weekend.

This year, I was making rolls early to take pictures for this post, and only two of my sons were available. When the other two heard we did this without them, they were disappointed. I gladly promised we’d make another batch before Easter.

Here’s what you’ll need:

8 large marshmallows
1/2 stick of butter, melted
Crescent Roll Dough
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Cooking spray
Tin pan

What You’ll Do

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Read John 19:38-42 to your children. Explain to them what each ingredient represents.

3. The butter represents the embalming oils. Put butter in a shallow dish in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to melt.

4. The marshmallow represents Jesus, white and pure because He was without sin. Dip the marshmallow in butter.

5. Pour some cinnamon sugar in another shallow dish. The cinnamon sugar is like the spices they used to prepare His body for burial. Roll the marshmallow in the spices.

6. Spread out one section of the crescent dough on a plate. The crescent dough represents the linen cloth they wrapped Jesus in. Place the marshmallow in the triangle of dough and wrap the marshmallow completely.

Option – Dip it in the butter again to keep it from sticking to the pan. Or place directly in a muffin tin covered in cooking spray.

7. Place the rolls in the ‘tomb’ – (the oven). Bake for 12-15 minutes.

8. When the muffins are barely brown on top, take them out of the ‘tomb’ and let them cool for about 5 minutes.

9. Let your kids open up their roll and discover what happened. (Spoiler alert) The roll is empty!

Here’s a short video showing you what to do:

Thank you for reading and Happy Easter!

Are you wondering what RESURRECTION means and what it has to do with Easter? CLICK HERE!

April 10, 2022 By Kathryn

2 In 2022/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into Our Last Few Weeks

It’s been awhile since I’ve given you a peek into our week. I’ve been busy living life and have not taken the time to write about. So, I’ll try to quickly catch you up on our Minnesota life.

January

My Mom was in Minnesota!

I was so excited to welcome my mom back to Minnesota. It had been 2.5 years since her last visit. January in Minnesota is not the best time to visit, but we made the most of it.

Volcan Snow Park

Neither of us love the cold, but we got bundled up to check out the Vulcan Snow Park in St. Paul. The sculptures were works of art and the maze was super cool!

https://youtube.com/shorts/SJOK8hBmfSk?feature=share

Como Zoo and Conservatory

We took mom to one of my favorite places in the Twin Cities – the Como Zoo. She discovered why I love it here so much. I always enjoy the beauty and warmth of the Conservatory, especially in January in Minnesota.

The flowers smelled heavenly.

We explored the quaint town of Northfield, MN

The picture of Clark and Mom was taken in front the bank where locals put a stop to the Jesse James Gang.

Sisterhood Ladies Night

Another highlight of Mom’s visit was the ‘Sisterhood’ ladies night at my church, with guest speaker Susie Larson.

My mom has loved Susie for YEARS. She listens to her podcasts, reads her books, and sends us her books. When I found out that Susie was speaking at our church on the week my mom was coming to town, I was THRILLED and felt like it wasn’t just a ‘coincidence,’ but a way for God to show us His love. Susie Larson is an amazing communicator, and mom LOVED getting to finally meet her.

When I moved to Minnesota, I attended this ladies night called “Sisterhood” all by myself. I came alone, sat alone, and went home alone. It was a good night, but not my favorite way to attend a ‘ladies night.’ Fast forward three years, and I can’t tell you how happy my heart was to come with a bunch of sweet neighbors and friends (plus mom). We came together (in three cars), sat together, and went back to our neighborhood together and it meant SO much to me.

Before mom left, I snapped this picture. This will be the last picture where George is smaller than Grandma.

Thanks for coming to visit us Mom!

February

My mother-in-law in Minnesota

In February, my mother-in-law came for a visit.

Mill City Museum

We took Nana to the Mill City Museum. This was once the home of the General Mills flour plant.

Did you know flour can be as explosive as gun powder?

A flour explosion destroyed most of the building. What remains is now the “Mill City Museum.” The General Mills factory has relocated to another town.

George ‘reenacting’ a pose from our visit almost 3 years ago.

George with my mom 2.5 years ago, and with Nana in February:

Click here to read more about the Mill City Museum.

We found a beautiful old window at the museum and stopped to take some pictures.

The boys and Nana were being goofy. I loved how this elderly woman on the side was watching them.

It did warm up enough one day for us to take a winter walk.

Thanks for coming to visit us Nana!

March

Bye-bye-Basketball

We finished the basketball season with a weekend in Iowa. Clark’s team got invited to a regional tournament, and it was a great way to end the basketball season.

I’m thankful for these sweet basketball moms

Wrigley’s World

I can’t give an update without a peek at Wrigley. He is such a good dog. We are crazy about him!

My neighbor sent this picture. Wrigley walked over to see if her dogs could play. He was peeking in the window as if to say, “Come out and play with me!”

The boys had Wrigley try on their hats:

Thanks for reading! Hope you are having a great week. Leave me a comment and let me know what you’ve been up to!

March 17, 2022 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Christmas/ Family/ Food/ Inspiration/ Joy/ Minnesota/ Motherhood/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: Winter Edition

Christmas lights, music, & cards

Thanks to every single person who took the effort to put up Christmas lights this year or send out cards. It definitely brought Christmas JOY to our family.

The new Hawkeye series on Disney Plus

When Ted asked me to come watch Hawkeye with him and the boys, I brought a book to read. I’m not really in to the “Hawkeye” character, and didn’t want to watch this new show, but I did want to hang with the boys while they watched it.

Little did I know how much we would ALL enjoy it. The storyline was so engaging and the characters were endearing. We just finished the final episode on Disney. I said to Ted. ‘Let’s watch that series again’ (I never say that. It was truly THAT GOOD)!

Good and Gather Kettle Chips and Everything Dip

If you are near a Target – get THESE CHIPS and THIS DIP. Thank me later.

The Heads Up app

In The Wild sticker book

This sticker book that makes the most beautiful creations. It’s fun for kids ages 6-10 (and their moms).

Lactaid Egg Nog

Fun fact: I never tasted Egg Nog until college. Since then, I’ve tried lots of different flavors, and this one is my favorite. Have you tried it?

The Fa La Latte from Caribou

The Fa La Latte is an egg nog latte. It’s SO good. I’m making the most of the season with all this EGG NOG, and making up for lost time I suppose?!

Luke’s drawing

I read the Christmas story from Luke 2, and asked Paul and Luke to draw what they thought the story looked like. I’m saving this one!

Wrigley in the snow

Wrigley is a kid in a candy store when there is fresh snow on the ground. I can hear him thinking: BEST DAY EVER!!!

This miraculous e-collar

Wrigley is the SWEETEST DOG. However, when he’s outside and not on his leash, he doesn’t always come back when you call him. If he’s not done playing, he will run AWAY from you when he sees you coming toward him.

This became a HUGE problem two times in December. Once when I had to go to work and couldn’t get him inside. Another time when he ran onto the pond and we weren’t sure if it was thick enough to hold him. Paul was a wreck thinking his dog might go through the ice and there was nothing we could do.

Enter the world’s best invention. A collar that beeps, vibrates or shocks. (We don’t use the shock)

The very first time I gave Wrigley a gentle vibrate and beep and said “COME,” he immediately came and sat next to me. I was shocked and overjoyed how well it worked then, and how will it continues to work. I only needed to use the vibrate twice, and now he obeys when he just hears the BEEP!

This device is usually $50, but they are currently 20% off. This was the best $40 I ever spent.

YouTube videos the whole family can enjoy

https://youtu.be/-N8860D2ITY

There are so many ANNOYING YouTube Channels. However, there are a handful that we can all enjoy together.

Mark Rober – a former Nasa scientist who makes entertaining videos by creating gadgets and fun experiments.
Dude Perfect – a group of guys that met at church and now make trick shot videos and a ‘game show’ called Overtime.
Fantastic 2 – I can’t NOT mention the channel my son’s created. 🙂

The Love of a Dog

Sweet Wrigs loving on Paul when he was sick

Click here to read the story of how we got our dog.

And most of all…spending time with my family!

Thanks for reading! Happy New Year to each of you.

December 26, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In Christmas/ DIY/ Memories/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys

5 Cute and Easy Ornaments to Make with your kids!

Have you put up your Christmas tree yet?

We put ours up over the weekend, and as we hung the ornaments, the ones that made us smile and brought back the sweetest memories were the ones we made together.

Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas

Here are five fun holiday ornaments my boys enjoyed making, and I think your family will have fun with it too.

You can keep them for your own tree, or gift them to loved ones.

1. Hydro-Dipped Painted Ornament

Click here for instructions!

2. Hand-Print Ornament

This is a precious way to capture that sweet tiny handprint. These make me smile every time I hang them on my tree.

Directions:

Paint your child’s fingers.
Help them press their ‘painted’ fingers on the ornament.
Clean your child’s hand.
Let the paint dry.
Use permanent markers to turn the fingerprints into snowmen.
Add the date.

Click here to buy white acrylic paint and colorful markers.

3. Perler Bead Ornaments

This takes time and patience, but it can be calming and relaxing.

Click here to purchase Perler Beads.

Perler Beads make a great Christmas gift for children ages 6-9.

4. Popsicle Stick snowman

Set out paint, buttons, stickers, string, and construction paper and see what your kids create! The possibilities are endless.

Add your child’s name and the date to the back of the stick.

Click here for popsicle sticks.

5. Salt Dough Ornaments

These are a classic. We enjoyed making these so much last year, my boys are already asking if we can do it again this year.

Click here for instructions.

Which one of those I listed is your favorite? Leave me a comment.

Send me a picture of your family’s favorite homemade ornament.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Love,

Kathryn

Disclaimer: The items I recommended from Amazon are affiliate links. If you purchase an item I recommend, I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!

November 16, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Games/ Memories/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

Minnesota’s Largest Indoor Nerf Gun Arena – Tactical Urban Combat

If you live in the Twin Cities and are looking for something fun to do with your family, or perhaps, needing a birthday party idea – you should check out Tactical Urban Combat.

It’s a huge, super fun, indoor nerf gun arena!

The boys, ranging from age 10 to 14, battled it out for a birthday party and had so much fun (and burned so much energy).

You can come with just yourself – and join other players – or bring a group of up to 20 people!

When you arrive:

Sign in
Go to your designated battle ground
Pick your nerf gun from a large display on the wall
Get your ammo and safety gear
Break into teams
A staff person will go over rules and instructions…. then …

The Battle Begins!

They had an amazing time running around, hiding together, ducking behind and peeking out from the obstacles placed strategically around the arena.

They could switch out nerf guns if the one they were using wasn’t ‘accurate’ or ‘powerful’ enough!

The kids had an hour to play – during that time the party host lead them in several games and battles – including Team Elimination and Capture the Flag.

It’s a great place for kids, or for adults that want to feel like a kid again. It’s also a unique way for parents to engage and make memories with their kids.

We went as a family on a separate day and had SO much fun. Here’s a peek:

Check out one of their two locations:

Mall of America: 340 West Market, Bloomington, MN 55425 – or –

Eden Prairie: 8251 Flying Cloud Dr. #1020, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA

Would you like more ideas for fun things to do around town?

We loved the Crayola Experience! Click here to read all about it.

Click here for some money saving ideas for Nickelodeon Universe, the amusement park inside Mall Of America.

Click here to read about our FlyOver America experience inside the Mall.

And lastly, here’s the Minnesota Bucket List!

Thanks for reading! Have fun playing and exploring with your family.

October 4, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Family/ Free stuff/ Games/ Memories/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

Five Free Ways to Have Fun with your Family this Fall

Most of our kids are back in school, sitting 8 hours a day, often times wearing a mask. Getting out in the backyard, enjoying fresh air and family time is perfect for fall.

The temps are more mild and kids are ready to burn some energy after a long school day. Playing together not only helps you and your children ‘de-stress,’ but also strengthens the bond with your kids!

Here are FIVE free games to play with your family!

1. Dog tail:

Pull out the longest socks you own.
Everyone tucks one sock into the back of their shorts, like a dog tail.
The object is to grab everyone else’s “tail” (or sock) while keeping your own.
Say GO and the last one wearing a sock wins!

2. Mr. Fox, what time is it?

Select one person to be Mr. or Mrs. Fox. This person will stand with his or her back to the rest of the players.
All other players line up on the other side of the yard/field. The players take turns asking Mr. Fox what time it is. (“Mr. Fox, what time is it?)
The fox will then respond with a time, such as 3 o’clock. The players must then take the same number of steps forward (in this case, 3 steps). These steps may be as large or small as the players wish, no matter how close they get to the fox.
When Mr. Fox is ready, he will respond to “What time is it?” with “LUNCHTIME!”
When the kids hear ‘lunchtime,’ they will run back to the starting line and try not to get “tagged” by Mr. Fox.

3. Create an Obstacle Course

Work with your kids to design an obstacle course in the backyard and time each other to complete the course.

4. “Vote with your Feet!”

This is a take on the “Would you rather?” game, except your kids have to run to one or the other side of the yard.

If they “vote” for the first one, run to the right. If they vote for second, run to the left.

Would you rather….

Be Superman or Batman?

Eat Pizza or Hotdogs?

Ride a roller coaster or a water slide?

Go to Target or Walmart?

Laugh or cry?

Jump high or run fast?

Have summer all year or winter all year?

Be really smart or really funny?

Drive a truck or a sports car?

Go back in time or go to the future?

Be able to fly or be invisible?

Have ONE great friend or 20 pretty good friends?

Be in the Mountains or at the Beach?

Take a ride in a speed boat or helicopter?

Go Skydiving or Swim with Sharks?

Build a Sand Castle or Play in the Waves?

Go Skiing or Ride a bike?

Watch a Movie or Read a Book?

Go Rock climbing or Swimming?

Own a Cat or a Dog?

Write a Story or a Draw picture?

Clean the Bathroom or Vacuum the carpet?

Ice Skate or Roller Skate?

Drink Pop or Water?

Play Inside or Outside?

Take a Shower or Bath?

Take a trip to Australia or Italy?

Go Fishing or Make slime?

Play a Video game or Board game?

Have more time or more money?

5. Be creative with sidewalk chalk:

Lay down and trace each other – then decorate with clothes, faces, etc.
Write a word of encouragement for passers-by
Use tape and color in the spaces like stained glass

What game will YOU play outside this fall? Leave me comment!

Thanks for reading!

Love,
Kathryn Egly

September 20, 2021 By Kathryn

1 In 2021/ Family/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

5 Tips to Start the School Year Strong!

This post was originally written for the Help Club for Moms group, but I thought I’d share it with you as well!

Starting the new school year can be a little crazy if you are a ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants’ or overly laid back person like me. Lots of rushing, perhaps some yelling, maybe tears, and forgetting important things (like lunch) have all been a part of our mornings because we had no systems or routines.

So, here are some changes I’m making this year to start the school year strong.

1. PRACTICE your Morning Routine.

If you want to prevent a super stressful first day of school, begin your ‘back-to-school’ routine a few days beforehand. Slowly start going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. In the morning, “play” like you are going to school. Work out the kinks and see how long it takes everyone to get ready. Mom tip: Take the kids to the park when everyone gets ready on time!

2. Prep the Night Before

Have your children get in the habit of prepping for school the night before:

Clothes laid out?
Ipads charging?
Backpacks and shoes by the door?

3. Get out the calendar

Whether you use a paper calendar (like me) or a digital one, take time to add activities right away – school breaks, conferences, parent-teacher night, and even testing dates. Put important dates on the calendar NOW, so you have time to plan ahead.

4. Email the teacher

As soon as you get the teacher’s email address – send him or her a short and quick note, letting them know how thankful you are that he/she will be investing in your child this year!

The benefit of this is two-fold:

– You establish a positive relationship from the beginning.

– The teacher’s email is now in your contacts, so when you need to email the teacher during the school year, you aren’t scrambling to find the paper that contains the email address.

5. Set the Tone

You set the tone for the attitudes in your home. If you keep a positive attitude, it’s more likely that your child will as well. Focus on the positive and share what you are excited about regarding the new school year. If your child is feeling stressed or anxious, listen to them and pray with them. Remind them that you are available, and God is always with them.

Hope those tips will help you this year! Praying this year is a great one for you and your children.

Click here for a Back-to-School Gratitude practice.

August 19, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Faith/ Family/ Inspiration/ Joy/ Minnesota/ Raising boys

Our Focus Determines Our Feelings

Do you want to have a better day? Then let me ask you a question: What do you see when you look at this image?

Did you say a black dot?

You’d be right.

HOWEVER, do you notice anything else besides the black dot?

If you thought: “white space,” then you’d be right again! There is actually more WHITE space than black.

Very few people point out the WHITE space. It takes a little more effort to even notice it.

Let’s say this dark spot represents the problems in our world. The white space is the GOOD stuff happening. There is ALWAYS good stuff, we just tend to overlook it. The black dot GRABS out attention. It’s EASIER to notice, and it’s TALKED about more!

If you watch or read the news, the focus is almost exclusively on the ‘black dot.’

We need to PAY attention to what we are PAYING Attention to!

We can’t control the negativity in the world. We can’t prevent the ‘black dot.’ We CAN control what we watch, what we listen to, what we talk about, and what we FOCUS on!

What we FOCUS ON determines how we FEEL!!!!!

Let me say that again in a different way…

Our focus determines our feelings

A couple of months ago I told my boys we were going to the arboretum. In typical kid fashion, they were like

“The arboretum…to look at trees? Mom, that’s BORING!”

So I turned it into a game. I let them bring their school iPads and I said: “Whoever takes the best picture, gets $1.”

Suddenly, their attitudes changed. It was a competition! They had a goal. They had something to focus on.

Look at these incredible pictures and the beauty they found that day:

Paul was on the hunt for flowers and found some!

We got home and my boys proudly showed their dad the pictures they captured. My husband pointed out that our boys would have missed this beauty if they weren’t on the lookout for it.

They FOUND beauty because the LOOKED for it!

You FIND what you LOOK FOR!

Beauty and goodness aren’t hard to find, they are just overlooked.

What’s wrong is ALWAYS available, but so is what’s right. We find what we look for.

Change your FOCUS because: Your FOCUS determines your feelings!

Thanks for reading and please consider subscribing.

Click here to see more pictures and read about our day at the Arboretum.

Here’s the YouTube version of what I wrote above:

Please share this post with whomever might benefit from it.

July 22, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Inspiration/ Raising boys/ Saving money

Six Super Simple and Budget-Friendly Gifts for Teachers!

Most teachers deserve a million bucks and an all-expense paid trip around the world.

What I WANT to give my sons’ teachers, and what I’m able to give them are two different things.

You don’t have to break the bank to show your child’s teacher some love and appreciation. As a former teacher, it’s often the least expensive things that are the MOST appreciated!

Here are 6 simple gifts ideas. Perhaps you could give your child’s teacher one item every day on the last week of school? Or one item each day on the FIRST week of school. No matter what you give and when you give it, your teacher will enjoy a simple surprise.

1. A special drink

Get your teacher hydrated:

2. Candy or gum

What teacher couldn’t use a little sugar boost most days?

Click here to order chocolate bars.

Click here to order peppermint patties!

Click here to order gum 12 packs of gum for $10:

3. Special hand soap

Teachers are always washing their hands, so some fancy or pretty smelling soap comes in ‘handy!’

Click here to read some benefits of hand washing.

4. A healthy snack

Clark heard his teacher talk about her love for Brussel Sprouts, so he insisted we bring her a bag – and she LOVED it.

Another teacher loves protein bites, so I’ll send some to help her get through the last week of school. Click here for recipe.

5. Lunch

Whether you make it or buy it, your child’s teacher will LOVE not having to eat their sack or school lunch for a day.

Just send a note to school letting your child’s teacher know that tomorrow’s lunch is on you. Send a menu to a local restaurant and ask them to circle what they’d like for you to order, or let them know what you’ll be making! Either way, this will be a SPECIAL treat and they will LOVE IT!

6. A hand-written note

Most teachers would LOVE to know they are making an impact – so write and tell them how they’ve made a difference in your child’s life!

Of all the ‘teacher gifts’ I received over the years, this is the one that I’ve kept through many years and many moves, and it STILL makes me smile:

A heart-warming note from a student who struggled in school.

All these gift ideas would be great for the bus driver, the specialists, the school nurse, the custodian, the principal, as well as the office staff!

Would you like a few more ideas? Click here for what to give and what NOT to give!

Thanks for reading, please consider subscribing!

May 24, 2021 By Kathryn

4 In Memories/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Raising boys

The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day was approaching and as a mom of busy little boys, I was wishing for three things:

A clean house,
A little pampering,
A good night’s sleep.

I planned in advance so that Mother’s Day would be the best ever:

I scheduled someone to clean my house a couple days before Mother’s Day.
I invited a couple friends to meet me at the nail salon to get our nails done.
A good night’s sleep was very unlikely, but a girl can hope and dream, right? (pun intended)

Little did I know that it would be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Mother’s Day/week.

Thursday morning a cleaning lady was to arrive at my house at nine am. I LOVED the idea of having a clean house for Mother’s Day weekend. I’d be able to play with my kids while someone else cleaned the toilets – YAY! What a gift.

The morning came and went, and no one showed up. I called and they had forgotten to add me to the schedule. No one would be coming.

I wasn’t going to have a clean house for Mother’s Day.

That’s okay…at least I’d get some time that night with some girlfriends and get my nails done!

Ted would take care of the boys after a busy day at work. He would put them to bed so I could have the evening with my girlfriends.

Well, traffic was really bad that night, and Ted got home late. The minute he walked in, I passed him the baby, and headed out the door.

I rushed into the nail salon and found my friends already getting their nails done. I sat in an open chair next to them.

“I’m sorry ma’am,” the manager said, “we are closing in 15 minutes and aren’t doing any more nails tonight.”

My heart sank. No pretty nails for Mother’s Day.

I chatted with my friends while they finished getting their nails done, and we walked out together as the salon closed. We weren’t done talking, and it was cold and raining outside, so I suggested we sit in my car to carry on our conversation. We chatted for another hour and then I tried to start my car – it was completely dead.

Unfortunately, none of us had jumper cables and we could not call our husbands to help. They were all home with sleeping children.

We looked around for a kind person who may happen to still be out on this cold, dark, wet night. We spotted one person. I asked him for help and miraculously (like an angel!?), he came over with jumper cables, started my car, and we all made it home safely.

Friday morning I got up early. I had a Mother’s Day Tea to attend and wanted to have time to take a shower and put on nice clothes. I got myself ready, then got each of the boys ready. As I was putting our baby into his carseat to leave… he spit up all over me. All through my hair, down my shirt, my skirt, and onto my shoes.

I frantically searched my closet to find another outfit to wear, quickly wiped the spit up out of my hair, and raced into my first Mother’s Day Tea … just in time.

Around 3 AM on Mother’s Day morning, I woke up to the sound of Clark crying. I went in to check on him. He had thrown up – all over himself, his pajamas, and his bed.

This wasn’t the Mother’s Day morning or good night’s rest I had hoped and wished for.

In fact, I decided it was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Mother’s ~~Day~~ … week!

I lifted Clark out of the messy bed, gave him a warm bath, and put him in clean pajamas. I changed his sheets, tucked him back into bed, said a prayer, and rubbed his back until I thought he was asleep.

I crept out of Clark’s room, thinking about how tired I was, and that I’d probably only get another hour or two of sleep before the baby woke me up, when I heard the sweetest words:

‘Happy mudder’s day, mama.”

In spite of Clark being sick and tired, he somehow remembered that it was Mother’s Day.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that my FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS had blinded me to my FIRST WORLD BLESSINGS!

In spite of how bad things are going, we can find something to be grateful in every situation.

My house may be messy, but it’s warm and it’s ours.
My nails might not be painted, but my hands are strong enough to hold and care for my children.
My car might have died, but I have a car to take my kids where we need and want to go.
My kids are healthy. When they spit up/throw up – I have extra clothes and sheets – and a washing machine and dryer to clean the laundry.
I have a husband who cares for me and our boys so that I can get away to be with girlfriends.
I have friends that sit and chat with me. Then they stayed with me, in the cold rain, until my car got started again! And bonus – they are friends who encourage me to be a better wife and mom. (PRICELESS!)
And the biggest blessing of the week…I GET to celebrate Mother’s Day because I have children!

Now that I look back on all my Mother’s Days…this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Mother’s Day, was actually my favorite one. It allowed me put things in perspective and see the gifts and blessings I so easily take for granted.

When I began focus on my blessings, I realized that this was a …

WONDERFUL, fantastic, so good, very blessed Mother’s Day!

Don’t let 1st world problems make you forget your 1st world BLESSINGS!

And by the way, while I tried to plan the perfect Mother’s Day week – Ted planned a really sweet Mother’s Day.

He got me flowers. He had the boys color me pictures. He picked up some delicious food so I didn’t have to cook. He told me to get away for a few hours to read and relax.

While I was gone, not only did he take good care of the boys – the house was clean when I got home!!