Good ol' TONKA

There is nothing like a wild ride, given by your sister, on a Tonka truck.  Big enough to haul a sizable load and sturdy enough to get her to her destination without injury (thank goodness)!  These trucks come highly recommended by the preschoolers I know, especially this one.  He was the inspiration for our Tonka dump truck purchase.  I have a feeling this truck might be around long enough to witness these girls driving real trucks!

Rain magic...

When light spring rains set in and all indoor opportunities are exhausted,

reach for the pint-sized umbrella to share with a friend.

Marching outside barefoot in the fresh puddles

makes a lasting impression

Forget the boots, hats and gear,

just grab an umbrella to share with a friend.

My big girl experienced this with her friend last week.  

Who doesn't have fond childhood memories of walking and playing in the rain with or without an umbrella?

It is always unplanned and spontaneous making for fabulous preschooler fun!

And the babe sleeps....

After 9 long months sleep has finally come!

A multitude of thanks to Dr. A and Dr. Ferber for their expert help!

Monthly Organization: Project 2 "Mom's Center"

I am a stacker and a dumper.  I stack papers and dump things into drawers.  I am a very neat stacker and dumper but just not an organized one.

A few months ago at a mother's meeting I attend, a professional organizer came and spoke with us.  She highly believes in these little "command centers" for moms.  We all have a place where we dump and stack...mine is in the kitchen.  It's the place I first come to when I arrive home with "stuff."  I have a little metal basket that I dump things into daily.  This sad little basket gets so overwhelmed with "stuff" that I often don't know what the contents are.

So, this month I thought I'd make my own little "Mom's Center."  I used the ideas of the professional organizer and tailored it to fit my needs.  I used a desktop file to make files for all the papers I usually "dump."  I went to this lovely store to get the file and folders.  I made files for the following areas:

Shopping List
Menu
Coupons
Preschool
Kid Activites
Home Projects
Babysitter
Pet Sitter

You can make whatever files you need.  These are just some of the files I created.  I am sure I will create more as I use the "center" more often and find out what my specific need are.

I also found a little matching box of sorts that sticks to the file box with magnets.  It is perfect for the keys, pens and notes.

Because the file box is metal, I can also use these hefty magnets to attach little notes or photos.

The trick with the "Mom's Center" is to go through the files weekly.  We'll see if I can commit to that....

At least the overall look is much more organized than the old dump basket!

"I'd rather be a mother..."

"I'd rather be a mother than anyone on earth

Bringing up a child or two of unpretentious birth...

I'd rather tuck a little child all safe and sound in bed

than twine a chain of diamonds about my [carefree] head.

I'd rather wash a smudgy face with round, bright, baby eyes

Than paint the pageantry of fame or walk among the wise."

-- Meredith Gray

Happy Mother's Day!

photo by Sherry Hammonds Photography

It's coming

Summer is just around the corner.  I can feel it in the afternoon air.  It is becoming thick with heat.  Hopefully this summer will spare us the oppressive heat we endured last year.  Nevertheless, with the coming summer, comes so many wonderful things...  

rides on swings

late-afternoon swims

sprinkler fun

the watering hose

sleeping in

fun with friends

exciting harvests from the garden

road trips

creek adventures with the dogs

bare feet

the sound of the ice cream truck

the sun on your skin

freckles

sandals

fireflies caught in a Mason jar 

What are you looking forward to doing this summer?

Crib tales

I often stand here in the middle of the night waiting...

waiting for Momma or Dada to come.

I sometimes talk, scream or cry.

Sometimes, I wonder how I will retrieve the Binky that I dropped down...

usually Momma comes to my rescue and finds it among my toy baskets.  

I can "drop" things pretty far away now.

I am just not the sleeper that the rest of the family expects me to be...

I am not hungry, teething or hurting.  I am just awake.

So, until they find a way to get me to sleep all night long, I will continue to be here...

just waiting with my Lulu and Binky.

What will you be doing at 2am?

Momma's note:  I hate Ferber....I was so proud that I never had to use him with my first child but it seems like  he is our only hope with the sleepless babe.