Baths, and PJ's, and just because I can

I realized a few days ago that we've never taken a picture of all 3 kids in the bathtub together. A daily occurrence around here, and one that I admittedly sometimes face with dread after a long day, and a day when the daddy Calvary wont be coming home until after the bedtime routine is finished. But these are the moments- chaotic and tiresome and seemingly endless now- that I will one day look back on with longing. There's just something about deliciously smelling, clean kids in their jammies that makes it nearly impossible not to snuggle them. So here is our last month of PJs, robes, and birthday suits.

Fun in the Kitchen

One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2012 (yes, I'm a nerd) was to work on being more relaxed and easy-going. Now you may be saying to yourself, "hey, wouldn't an easy-going person NOT make New Year's Resolutions based on the fact that resolving to do something is, in principle, kind of uptight?" And to you I say, "baby steps, my friend, baby steps"

Anyways, here we are in mid-October and I'm questioning the amount of progress I've made toward my goal. So today, with John working at the office all day and my only plans being to remain in my pajamas for as many hours as possible, I decided it was time to get cool, and be that mess-loving, easy-going mom my kids never knew they were missing out on.

I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back to create a fun, kid's cooking/baking experience for little ones who love to be involved in the kitchen. And mine do. Whenever I try to sneak away in the afternoon to start whipping up dinner, it's never more than 10 minutes before I have two little helpers sitting Indian-style on the counter arguing about whose turn it is to dump ingredients and whose turn it is to stir. And while its fun bonding for us all, my mild germaphobia along with a tendency to get overwhelmed by a huge mess, make it a continual growing and stretching experience for me personally.

So for this project, you basically take a muffin tin and fill each cup with all different textures and types of food/spices from your pantry. I used dried rice, marshmallows, spices, pasta, sprinkles, sugar, beans, cinnamon sticks, etc etc. You get the idea, just use whatever you want. Then give each kid a bowl with some flour in it. Spread out measuring cups, spoons, spatulas, whisks, a few spices for shaking and water for mixing, and let the chefs go to town creating whatever their little hearts desire. This blog-which I would link you to if I could only find it again!- suggested putting all supplies in one of those under-the-bed long storage bins to help contain the mess. And I would say this is a must! Thankfully I had one of these bins hanging around still from my college dorm days.

The kids LOVED this, and once they realized it wasn't actually an all-you-can-eat buffet of "these taste spicy mommy," they got pretty serious about their cooking. They played and played until they had used up all the ingredients and created big soupy, delicious looking concoctions of goop. I convinced them both to taste their yummy creations, to which they both ate heaping spoonfuls, and then quickly spit out in disgust. But I enjoyed a good laugh. It was only once they came up with the brilliant idea to move each other's "soups" back and forth into different containers by scooping it up with their hands that not-so-easy-going mommy came back and we had to call it a day. But it was a great, tactile learning activity for a rainy morning and one that I'm sure they will be begging to do again in the future. And I feel one step closer to being that easy-breezy girl who laughs in the face of that big, giant mess.

Because it's the best therapy money can buy...

and it doesn't cost a single dime.

I am a runner. I am not a fast runner. I am not a competitive runner. I am not a group runner. I am not the kind of runner that spends time planning routes. I do not run long enough distances to warrant wearing a water backpack. I do not own a sporty watch that beeps at me to tell me how fast my pace is because I do not care. I run to enjoy the feeling of being completely alone, to mentally work through the days successes and failures, and because I have more than a just casual affinity for ice-cream.

And it feels so good to be back pounding the pavement again after almost 11 months off. Here are some of the songs I am loving sweating to this summer:

Barton Hollow-The Civil Wars
Free Me-Joss Stone
What Makes You Beautiful- One Direction
Stronger-Kelly Clarkson
Princess of China- Coldplay and Rihanna
Love you Like a Lovesong- Selena Gomez
Faster- Matt Nathanson
Free- Graffiti6
Somethin' 'Bout a Truck- Kip Moore
Part of Me- Katy Perry

and then the cool down....

New York-Snowpatrol
I Wont Give Up-Jason Mraz
Poison and Wine-The Civil Wars

Randomness

I haven't been very good at taking pictures lately or keeping up on "keep-saking" activities, which always gives me anxiety. You'd think without Facebook and TV I would have endless hours to fill with these things, but ever since my friend lent me the first book in the Hunger Games series, I have become a bit preoccupied.

According to my camera, here is what has been happening so far in March...

Eli had his first preschool musical performance, which was much anticipated. Unfortunately, stage fright got the best of him and he stood like an angry statue on the stage while his classmates danced and sang their hearts out. He would occasionally make eye-contact and give us a nervous smile but then immediately recomposed back into his solemn self and refusal to participate. Oh well, he still got ice-cream afterwards and still hasn't stopped talking about what a great job he did on the stage since.

My favorite time of the week....lazy weekend mornings where daddy makes waffles and I pretend I am a guest in the house. Norah is always up plenty early to help lend a hand, while Eli has to be woken and convinced to come downstairs and grace us with his presence.

The kids and I celebrated Saint Patty's day pregnancy-style, with a big fat shamrock shake from McDonald's. And it was delicious, up until my yoga instructor informed me the next day that these little gems have 700 calories.  Uh thanks??

 Norah has started taking an interest in potty-training herself and can often be found perched on our furniture or jumping off the couch in her birthday suit. Her reward of choice is a mini-marshmallow, which Eli insists on rewarding himself with as well each time she goes.

 And hard to believe that we are enjoying 75 degree weather in Ohio in March. Lunch picnics on the deck are in full-swing. Here I tried to delight the kids by giving them a bit of iced-tea with their lunch, only to have it rejected as "yucky." More for me I say!

And finally, this little boy is going to be 4 years old next month and I can't believe how big he is. He is every bit as silly and ornery as 3 year-olds come, and then some. He is VERY excited to meet his new brother or sister in June.

Organized with a side of crazy

This post is mainly for my sisters, Kim and Sarah. They love to tease me about my mad love of all things neat and tidy. I blame my Grandpa Harry. He and I both see the world through color coordinated-clearly labeled in the correct drawer- lenses. Its just in my blood. Either you get it or you don't. So laugh away girls, this one's for you...

Over Christmas John had some time off work to relax, sleep-in, and cross a small project off the ole' honey-do list. I have been longing for a sink in the laundry room for some time now because I do quite a bit of stain management around here and have grown weary of lugging heavy buckets full of sloshing water between the bath and laundry room. There is always something soaking in Oxy-clean here. So John and my Grandpa Harry worked on the plumbing, drywalling, and counter-top installation together- enjoying 2 days of close quarters and jamming to the oldies station on Pandora.

And it turned out beautiful and is now oh so convenient to soak, rinse, wash, or even just get a quick drink should I become suddenly parched while folding.  I wish I would have taken a before picture to give you a better idea of the changes, but I didn't. So just imagine this room looking not nearly as pretty...and without a sink.

Is it really so weird that I sometimes like to shut myself in my laundry room to enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet? I think not.

So here are my tips for optimal organization of this very frequented, too often neglected space for you aspiring OCD'ers out there. 

Bright, cheerful colors just make washing dirty socks and crusty peanut-butter way more fun. And don't forget to use color-coded hangers for each member of the family. This makes putting clothes away in the right rooms a snap, even for your husband. 

Who says you can't have a decorative plant and and fancy hand-soap in there? I say Yes You Can! Because if it makes you smile on sheets day, then you're worth it.

Oh how I love wicker baskets. It doesn't matter what kind of crap you put in them, that crap is guaranteed to look fabulous. And for Heaven's sake, label them! You don't have to use these fancy tags, but I say its craft store money well-spent if you do.

Do I look like a millionaire? Please. Inexpensive cafe curtain rods double as excellent drying racks and only cost about $5 apiece. So don't shrink your favorite pair of jeans just because you don't have anywhere to hang them. That's just silly.

Is that wall-art you ask, in your laundry room? Why yes, if you consider an old spray-painted

frame turned stain-removal 101 chart art, then it is. Free and educational is always a good idea. 

And last but not least, don't settle for that unsightly cardboard box cluttering up your beautiful space. Are they paying you to advertise for them? Instead, put your detergent in a simple glass canister for a much more elegant look. And it couldn't be any more convenient when you're in a hurry. Which is probably always.

Are you inspired yet? I think I can already hear you powering up your label maker.

Song of the Week

Every once in a while I hear a song that hits me right in the gut; one that God uses to change my perspective on a hard situation I'm walking through or a bad attitude I'm stuck on. I have been wearing out the repeat button in my car, on my ipod, and on my computer with this one. It is just that good.
Thought I would share it so you can all go and download it and then have a good cry with me over how generously, how fiercely, and how unconditionally God truly does love us.

Costello Pool Rules:

1. No throwing
2. If you must carry water out of the pool, be a dear and use it to water mommy's flowers
3. Splash others with caution, they will have the right to reciprocate
4. Clothing is optional, but use of the slide in your altogether is at your own risk
5. No potty in the pool.
6. Kindly keep it to yourself if you forget #5.
7. Drinks are on the house, snacks may incur an extra fee.

Mix Master

If I ever come across a genie in a bottle I already know that one of my wishes will be for a soundtrack to accompany my life. That there will always be music playing in perfect tune with the highs and lows of my day. I'd wish for that, and a personal hair and make-up stylist to be waiting for me in my bathroom every morning so I can drink coffee and catch up on the latest US Weekly current events. Ahh, it would be grand.

A few weeks ago when I was knee-deep in repainting the office, I found my collection of CD's stashed away underneath our desk. When I put the room back together, instead of replacing them there, I stuck them in my car so I could listen to all of my old favorites. And ever since, every drive I take has become a trip down memory lane. Before Ipods and MP3 players were all the rage, I used to pride myself on making a mean mixed CD. I made them for myself, for my friends, and for my sisters. Music is totally therapy for me so I have mixes made to cover every emotion and for every occasion. For example, the short list of CD titles includes...

The Feel Better Mix (aka the break-up mix)

Songs to Cry With

Ride to Work Mix

The Long Drive Home Mix

Party Mix

Morning Mix

Morning Mix Vol 2

Pure Country Lovin' Mix

Alum Creek Mix

Praise and Worship Vol 1, 2, 3, and 4 mix

Songs that Make me Happy Mix

Cool-down Mix

Date Night Mix

I love Celine Mix

God Bless America Mix

Random Mix

Love Songs 

Love Songs Vol 2

Love Songs Vol 3

Ultimate Love Songs mix

Angry Mix

Running Mix

Rachel Mix

Rachel's Awesome Pop Mix

Oldies But Goodies Mix

And the list goes on and on and on. I love how you can not hear a favorite song for 10 years and yet when you hear it again you remember every single word to perfection, even the extra
"yeah's" and "uh-huhs". And it takes you right back to the time when that song really meant something to you and you can remember all those emotions again like it was yesterday.  I cannot listen to the Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces CD without remembering how much I loved driving to high school with my sisters, blasting our music and stopping at McDonald's to get Cappuccinos and breakfast burritos on the way. Or when Aerosmith croons I don't Want To Miss A Thing I am 18 again watching Armageddon with John and he's telling me he loves me for the first time so unexpectedly. And even with those first few beats of Lose Yourself, (the one and only Eminem song that I have ever liked) I can see myself pounding the pavement, running the mile loop around the UC campus again and again while I trained for my first marathon and played this song on repeat so I wouldn't quit. I don't think I would have completed it without that song. And I still get goosebumps when I play the mix of our wedding music and I remember how it felt to stand there with my dad and see John so overcome with emotion waiting for me at the end of the isle and the beginning of our new life. Music is powerful, at least it is to me. I used to tell John when we were dating,"If you want to know what kind of mood I'm in, just pay attention to the mix I'm listening to." And I think that still holds true today. 

40 Days.....

Personal fact: I did not grow up in a charismatic church. I grew up in a church where people might start to get uncomfortable if you raise your hands during praise and worship. It was a good church, just not a dancing in the isles kind of church. I have really had to work hard to stretch my understanding and acceptance of what worship is and can be to different people as I've gotten older. I feel like I have come a long way. That being said, John grew up in a very charismatic church, by my standards. I used to feel very uncomfortable when I went there with him while we were dating and I'm sure I asked him more than once if he was part of a cult. Everything, except the gospel message, was different from all that I had known my entire life. It evoked a lot of conversations and some disagreements between my future husband and me. I was very narrow-minded and I can admit that now. We had to visit many churches once we got married to find one that was a good mix of both of our desires in a church.

Last Sunday we went back to John's family church to listen to his dad give a sermon on the Grace of Giving (which you totally knocked out of the park dad, if you were wondering).  I stood in the back rocking, hushing, and pacing with an overly tired, sickly Norah who refused to go to sleep in my arms until the last 5 minutes of the service. The head pastor mentioned at the end that he was leading and challenging the church to begin a 40 Day Negativity Fast. Basically 40 days of not complaining, not whining, not nagging, not fighting, not pouting, not overreacting, not nit-picking, not gossipping, and not saying nasty things or thinking nasty thoughts. It is not 40 days of ignoring problems or becoming a doormat to everybody else, but 40 days of recognizing when a negative thought surfaces, and giving it directly over to Jesus and focusing on His love, His grace, His forgiveness, and His contentment in our lives. My ears perked right up and I was anxious to join in on this church's challenge. Lord knows I tend to dwell on the things that aren't going right in my life much longer than I work on seeking out the positive and amazing things that God is doing for me. To me, this will truly be a tough challenge. I've noticed already in the past few days that I've had to bite my tongue often and that I'm a lot quieter than usual. John may feel like he has won the marriage jackpot. No nagging? Cha-ching!

The book called "Igniting Faith in 40 Days" is supposed to be used in conjunction with the fast. It is a short 40 day devotional book that focuses on claiming God's power over your life. And I have to admit, even this book feels like a stretch for my innermost beliefs on the Holy Spirit. But as John regularly reminds me, it is OK to be uncomfortable. God desires to stretch us and grow our faith, not by keeping us in the safety of our own net, but by asking us to step out on a limb. We have committed to reading it every morning during breakfast for 40 days. 2 days down so far, 38 to go. Eli awoke early today and I read the devotion as the 3 of us sat at the counter eating cereal while he repeatedly asked "why are you reading that?"  and finished with an "amen" at the conclusion. Hopefully something will somehow sink in for him as well.

So, if you hear me being a Debbie Downer over the next few weeks, please kindly remind me to zip it. And I encourage you to join me in this quest to conquer to constant negativity in our lives.

And breathe....

If you know me at all, you know that I am a teensy-weensy bit of an organizational freak. I take great pleasure in making things look neat and tidy. When my house looks like a tornado hit and we are tripping over piles of messes here and disasters there, you will find me in the pantry lining up the cereal boxes or alphabatizing my spices. I would rather organize my extra stash of toilet paper into a grand paper pyramid than mindlessly pick up stuff laying on the floor. My label maker and I are pretty tight if you know what I mean.

Our house has a lot of great features that I love, but big closets isn't one of them. We have to utilize every last inch of space to make things fit and to achieve that neat and tidy look that helps me sleep easy at night. Our downstairs coat closet is a prime example. Let me just tell you how much I do not love digging through  piles of hats and gloves and scarves to bundle up myself and the kids every time we leave the house. Although my baskets are pretty and are appropriately labled "adult gear" and "kid gear," it still has been driving me nuts. Last week during a play-date at my friend Brittan's house, she showed me her newly and fabulously organized coat closes thanks to an idea she had read in a magazine. It was a total "Ah-Ha!" moment for me. So brilliant, and yet so simple. Just purchase a basic over-the-door shoe organizer and you will never have to dig for those gloves, that clutch, that umbrella, or that anything again. Isn't organization just beautiful? Come on, you know you want one...

Boys will be boys

So it turns out that the stereotypical concept that little boys naturally engage in bizarre behavior such as sticking random objects up their nose is absolutely true and not just something people say....at least not in this house. I can only guess that the dinner conversation went something like this inside Eli's mind:

  Eli to self: Hey look at these peas. They are green like my boogers.
  Self to Eli: Yes! Green and very round, just like the shape of the holes in your nose
  Eli to self: Maybe I should stick one up there and see how far it will fit.
  Self to Eli: Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that.

It turns out he can get it pretty far up there, as in almost to the point of no return.

And with the help of a flashlight, a nasal aspirator, tweezers, and a watermellon lollipop were were able to dislodge that sucker in a mere 15 minutes. To which Eli delightfully exclaimed,"there it is!" and popped that slimy pea right back into his mouth. Mmmm, yummy.

You know you're a mom when...

you go out shopping at 4am on Black Friday and your first purchase is a buy 2 get one free case of Earth's Best organic baby food. And you know you're an uber dork when you actually say "Wahoo!" to the cashier as she rings it up and confirms that, yes indeed, that third case is actually free. And you know she thinks you're crazy when you act like you're lucky you got there just in time before it was all sold out because of course most parents would be heading to Babies R Us at this pre-dawn hour to buy toys and trampolines and dancing Mickey dolls, and are not bolting straight back to the diapers and food isle. And you know there's little hope for ever improving knowing that you spent the past 3 Black Friday extravaganzas being the first only person in line at Walgreens at 4am to snatch up those buy one get 2 free candles that are never going to run out. So cheers to shopping for whatever deals make you happy!!

Daddy would be so proud

In his popular book Bringing Up Boys, James Dobson writes, "Young boys bask in their mother's femininity and womanliness during infancy and toddlerhood. Fathers are important then, but mother's are primary."

Ok good, so this is totally normal then. Just checking...

Growing and growing

Hard to believe Norah is already past the 4 month mark and halfway to 5. She is at an age that I just love where she is cooing and interactive but will still fall asleep easily in my arms when she's tired. And this baby gets lots of cuddle time because she does not enjoy being put down for very long. It's so hard to get things done during the day but I keep reminding myself how quickly this stage will pass. I just strap her in the Ergo and let her snuggle up for a nice long nap while I do laundry and try to keep Eli from doing things like locking himself in the pantry in attempts to eat an entire Costco bag of Craisins or peeing on the refrigerator (both true stories). There is nothing better than feeling her warm baby breath sound asleep against my chest. Here are her latest developments and discoveries...

Starting to reach for toys with hands and feet and shoving everything in her mouth

Learning to eat rice cereal from a spoon

laughing and cooing and loving to be tickled

Finally sleeping through the night peacefully in her crib! This I am 95% thrilled about and 5% saddened and already picturing her heading off to college.

And even some early signs of crawling.