Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Orange Rhino Challenge

This is not an easy post to write. Its never easy to admit to faults that you try so hard to hide.

I yell. A lot. At everyone. Not publicly. My kids get the worse of it. My husband gets his fair share. And I hate myself for it. I hate the look on my boys' faces. I hate the way it makes me feel. I hate the mess it leaves behind. Thats a lot of hate.

Starting tonight (Jan 31st) I am enrolling myself in the Orange Rhino Challenge (you can read about it here).

Goals
  1. Do not yell at all tomorrow (Feb 1st)
  2. Walk away when the feeling to yell happens
  3. Do not yell for a week (Feb 1-Feb7)
  4. Write down triggers that make me feel like yelling
  5. Do not yell for a month (Feb 1-Feb 28)
  6. Count to 10 before speaking
  7. Do not yell for 365 days (Feb 1-Jan 31, 2014)

I don't want to be that mom. The mom that is always yelling. With soon to be 3 kids in the house, this needs to stop.

I want to be the mom I see myself being, right now, I am not her.


June Cleaver, Here I come!!






Friday, January 25, 2013

Hands On Childrens Museum

At almost 38 weeks pregnant, nothing sounds more fun then spending the morning at an interactive children's museum with 10 preschoolers, their parents and siblings. What? Thats not your idea of fun?? Well it was a BLAST! Including going down the slide, losing my phone, my son pushing someone around and only two tantrums.

The new Children's Museum in Olympia


You step into a little kids dream play area. A "garden", with a "store", your kid can make you a meal and serve it to you, there is a kitchen in a little house, an old farm truck. Then you move on and find a negative water pressure thing. Just past that is a ship with a crane, a place to build your own boat and then send it down a "river" and a climbing structure with a slide.








Past this there is a really cool rescue workers area that my child had NO interest in really checking out (bummer for mom!).


Upstairs is more coolness to discover. I hung out mostly in the under 4yr old area. It was quiet, peaceful, and Levi had a blast running around and not getting ran over.

Beyond the "baby" area, there is a stage where you can put on a performance, a cool air thing, and a construction site.









Levi and I eventually moved out of the infant area and went to explore the rest of the upstairs. When we were done there, I had the bright idea to go down a twisty slide. I did make it down, and thus discovered that 1) 38w is NOT the time to do this 2) feet in your ribs with another child on your lap really hurts and 3) I had lost my phone. Back upstairs I go, where I happen to find someone who works there. I asked if anyone had found a phone, and he said no, and asked if I checked the slide. Dude... I am NOT going back down it!! Sorry. He was kind enough to take a ride. Alas, no phone. *it was turned into the front desk and I have it back*

Oh the tantrums. I honestly expected more than two, and they came from the same child. Levi. Poor kid had played hard, was tired and hungry. I can't say that I blame him.

I know I mentioned my son pushing another kid. I do not promote bullying but if you push my kid, I do want him to stand up for himself. And he did! Sad to say, I did not witness this event, so its a second hand story.

While waiting to play with the negative water pressure thing, Jacob was standing patiently, waiting his turn (big thing for a 4yr old). Once it was his turn, he started to play with it. Another kid (bigger than him) came over and started to shove him out of the way. My spirited little boy pushed him back and essentially told him he needed to wait his turn. Dad was there watching the whole time, making sure it wasn't getting out of hand, but letting our little man learn a valuable lesson.

It was a long, exhausting and FUN day. I can not wait to go back and do it again.



Tuesday, January 8, 2013

A Challenge

I would like to issue a challenge. Can you go a week without going to the grocery store EXCEPT for three things. 1) Milk 2) Bread 3) Fresh fruits and/or veggies. Thats it. Nothing else, no last minute pizza, no soda at check out. During this week, no eating out as well.

If you think that challenge is too easy, then do it for TWO weeks.

Simple make what you have in your pantry and freezer.

Here is what our meal plan for the week will look like

Tonight - Breakfast burritos with green peppers and tomato (already have)

Wednesday -
Breakfast - overnight apple and cinnamon oatmeal
Lunch - sandwiches
Dinner - SOS

Thursday -
Breakfast - leftover oatmeal
Lunch - sandwiches
Dinner - Stuffed peppers

Friday -
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - sandwiches
Dinner - Beef enchiladas

Saturday -
Breakfast - waffles with strawberries
Lunch - sandwiches
Dinner - potato soup

Sunday -
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - sandwiches
Dinner - Chicken and Rice bake

Monday -
Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - sandwiches
Dinner - Hot dogs



See, one week. And I have the ingredients to make all of that. Its not super exciting or anything, but it saves me from going to the store for a week. And it uses up food I already have in the pantry and freezer.

What will your week look like??