Soccer Mom I am Not, Mother of the Year, I am definately Not!

There are some days as a mother that you finish your day looking in the mirror and think...."I did a pretty darn good job today!  I rocked my kids world."  Today was not that day. I don't know what happened! Other than lose my patience at every turn, this day was full of whining and crying and frustration....and that wasn't just me, it was both my kids, too! Today was Hunter's last day of soccer. We decided not to sign him up again for another 8 weeks because he didn't really seem to be falling in love with the activity.  Today affirmed our decision becuase he didn't touch the ball once, spent 80% of the time with his face pressed up against the plastic wall crying for me to get him out, the other 20% sitting on the rubber grass field, picking up pieces and throwing them up in the air.  Guess who did not feel like Mom of the Year? This girl right here! I tried emphathizing, I tried bribing with frozen yogurt and ChickfilA, I tried turning my back and pretending not to see him, I tried getting out on the field and running with him.  Nothing was doing the trick. 

The rest of the day went equally downhill.  Clinging to me all day were these two children who cried for no apparent reason, whined for everything and tested my every nerve.  Guess who went to bed an hour early? 

After a long bath and some reflection time, I know what went wrong.....I depended upon my own skill and poor judgements instead of praying at every turn for God's help.  So, if you find yourself staring in the mirror at an exhausted mom, take a step back and fall into the arms of Jesus, the true caretaker of your children, and the only One who knows how to parent them best.  Tell yourself that: "You don't have to be perfect. You are a great mother.  You are pretty enough, You are smart enough. And doggone it, your children love you!"

Turning off the TV is exhausting!

I have become more convicted of the role that the television is playing inside our house. I have never been one that likes constant noise, and I really don't enjoy having the TV on "in the background" while I go about the day, but I feel like my kids are still seeing too much television.  This weekend, my husband and I made a more concerted effort to play with our kids, be creative, and explore our world without the "free babysitter".  The boys were decked out in pirate bandanas and face gear, sword fighting  and wrestling.  Addison built a tower of blocks and raced cars up ramps, colored on paper (and her mouth), a 4 foot puzzle was completed, (mostly finished by Doug who is scarily fast at puzzles), books were read, dinner was made, a band was rehearsed, 1/2 a game of "Go Fish" was played, I tried to teach Hunter how to play "Twister" (unsuccessfully), wrestling tickling matches ensued, and baths were given.  Needless to say, at the end of the day, we were all exhausted!  

Success!

I am pretty impressed with myself that I found my blogspot online that I created yesterday, (although it does help that I kept the window up on my computer so I wouldn't forget the address!)

Hunter's watching Disney Channel right now, and I normally would demand he turn off Jake and the Neverland Pirates, but he's content right now, and Addison keeps coming up to me handing me torn off pieces of the tissue paper she's destroyed, and is now proceeding to put all the pieces back in the box...what a little helper.  :) I'm enjoying my children and my coffee this morning!
Anyways, its off to soccer practice today and then visiting one of the widows from our church.

my test run

We just got back from the 20/20 Conference at Southeastern Seminary, and I have been challenged to blog.  I feel overwhelmed at the moment, but determined to figure it out! This must be how my parents felt when they first tried texting.