What We've Been Doing - and a Message for a Special Reader

We've been cuddling, enjoying a blanket of flowers even in winter...

We've been being kids...being goofy and creative and growing mustaches (wait...can kids do that?!)

We've been having fun helping out around here, working hard, learning new skills...

He's been admired a few times through my camera lens...and off "lens"...

They've been playing...I've been watching...

...and playing some more...

We've been baking gluten free casein free yumminess - they've been saying things like "this isn't so bad at all" and "I love our new diet, we're so healthy!" I've been smiling. 

We've been twirling...

Boys and girls prancing and dancing and spinning and skipping - loving leggings and the feeling of movement when all cooped up... we've been fine with boys doing ballet (the hubby says ballerinas make the best soccer players. No sexism in this house.)

We've been experimenting with nature - keep your fingers crossed those pink flowers change color from their rainbow inspired drinks. 

We've been doing our best with what we have. 

* one of my dear blog readers asked me how it is that I don't get overwhelmed with having four kids. I would like to say in a blunt loud way (kindly of course) - I DO! I get very overwhelmed. I'm learning each day that motherhood is just a roller coaster of emotions, some days I want to spend every second with my kids, some days I would like nothing better than to fly the coop (and I have...just got in the car and sped off. Don't worry...there was an adult left at home haha). I've had the torrents of hot tears from "why can't I be more kind and patient? I'm so lonely...I want to have a conversation with an adult! One moment in the bathroom without explaining WHAT I'm doing in step by step fashion would be awesome." I have had meltdowns that I'm not proud of, I have hurt feelings, I have laid in my bed under covers just because I couldn't find a hole that was big enough to cover my body. I don't always know "how I do it."
  I think what it all comes down to is how we handle ourselves as moms when we are overwhelmed - but there should be no guilt in feeling anything. I think what we want to overall know is "how will our kids describe us when they are adults?"  Will they remember that mom sometimes got upset but that she also apologized and learned from her mistakes. Will they remember that mostly we smiled and played and were creative and that we were good listeners? Will they remember acceptance? I think what matters is the OVERALL picture of your motherhood style...not the teeny mistakes and the tid bits of actually being a real human and letting children see that we are just that - human.
 I will tack on to this just one more bit of advice that I'm also going to apply to my own life (starting next month)- when mom's are overly tired and hormonal it's never really a good time to teach or do crafts and things that are super hands on, messy, several steps...for me that spells disaster.
  There can be days when cups of tea, small treats, coloring and even long movies are perfectly appropriate - if you are a stay at home homeschooling mother you never have a day off...a hour off...a minute off. If you don't give them to yourself and also teach your kids EMPATHY towards YOU - they will miss out on the opportunity to be considerate. Have grace for yourself as you do for others.  There...that's it dear reader - if I come up with more I'll write a book. :)  We are all learning and usually the pics that I post are of the good times, not the meltdowns and the dirty dishes and the pee stains on the carpet. Blessings *
~ Alyssa Spring