cha cha cha chia

Have you ever had a chia pet?

 

Basically you smear this clay figure with seeds and then sprinkle water on them every day.

My parents gave the kids Chia Pets for Christmas.  

They are actually quite fun.

This was my first experience with a Chia Pet.

This little dog was the winner if the contest is most hair/fur grown.

Sponge Bob had a harder time growing hair especially on top of his head due to the angle.  

His head slants, so the water ran right off.

His back got pretty hairy though.

We followed the instructions and they actually grew fur? or uh foliage?  

 I just don't know what to call it.   

It was a fun thing to do!  

The kids really enjoyed watching their little clay figures grow and grow.

you do what you do and they do what they do

As the mom of two beautiful kids I have learned to not compare kids.  It was not easy and sometimes I slip up, but for my sanity it had to stop.  I try not to compare my kids to each other and I try not to compare my kids to other kids.  

My kids are completely different.  

For example: Layla was a great baby.  She was easy to sleep train, she was an early talker but physically she was lazy.  Hayden was a cry baby.  He cried for the first 6 months of his life.  When he wasn't sleeping, which he actually loved to do, he was crying.  He hardly ever said a word but lifted his head up 2 days after we brought him home from the hospital.  

He was completely different than his sister.  

Another example:  Layla drank formula until she was 12 months old.  Hayden hated formula and was drinking regular milk and eating solids at 6 months old.  He stopped crying all the time when he got 'real' food.

Why am I telling you this?  

As a mom of 2 kids, ages 6 and 3, I have learned you can't compare the two children.  I think it is human nature to compare kids.  

I also think it is human nature to compare moms to each other and to other moms....

Why don't I look like her?  Why is her house so clean?  Why does she drive that car?  Why do her kids sleep and mine don't? 

Why are we wasting the effort comparing ourselves to one another?  

We are who we are and God has us in this stage of life for a reason.  There will be lows and highs.  We all need to realize that.  I have let go of so much stress simply by NOT comparing myself to another mother or person.

It is hard for some of us to see the neighbor down the street that has a 4000 square foot home.  If we aren't in the same financial status as them, do we want the mortgage they pay?  Just because their house looks nice and big doesn't mean their life is any better.  Just because they have a Lexus parked in the driveway doesn't mean they are rich.  They may be struggling to pay for that gorgeous car and their marriage may be suffering because the husband is always at work to pay for that car.

Source: stumbleupon.com via Angie on Pinterest

We shouldn't compare our lives to the lives of someone else.  We just don't know what is going on inside their lives.  Let's focus on ourselves!

I think being confident in who we are and what we are doing comes with age.  

As a brand new mom I spent time when Layla was really little comparing her to another baby boy her age.  I didn't know any better.  I thought she should be doing the same things HE was doing.  Today both kids are great.  They are excelling in school and I feel silly thinking back to the wasted time I spent worrying about her development.  I totally stressed myself out worrying about why she wasn't walking when he was.  Those days of worry could have been days no stress, but I was wearing myself out with worry.

All this said for a reason... 

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I have learned to focus on my family.  The four people in my house need my attention.  I need to be stress free and worry free so I can focus on our family.  I don't need to be worrying about things beyond my control.  I try not to worry about things that aren't my business.  When I am weak I say a prayer.  I pray that God reminds me to live in the moment and understand this is all happening for a reason and soon my "now" will be tomorrow. Life goes my so fast.  Be happy!


Andddd I am stepping down from my soap box now.

Source: etsy.com via Angie on Pinterest

Have a great Monday!

Our Saturday in iPhone pictures

Saturday we took the kids to the Fort Worth Stock show and Rodeo and I didn't take my big Canon camera.  Are you shocked?  Never fear...my iPhone was there!  I am so happy about the amazing pictures the iPhone takes.

We were very very sad when we arrived and the Rodeo was sold out, but we made the best of it.  I had no idea the rodeo would be sold out.  Gary and I were both shocked!

On our way!

The kids loved seeing all the animals.  They had TONS of questions about why people were sleeping in the barns in areas next to their cows.  I asked Layla if she wanted to move to a farm so we could raise and show cattle.  She said, "No thanks!"

Look at sweet Elsie the Borden Cow.  Her horns are super shiny and Elsie is very nice.  She just laid there on her super soft mattress while millions of people pet her head.  Bless her heart...I hope she takes her vitamin C...oh the germs!

It was a cold and windy day...Layla's hair was wild!

Can you tell Hayden was thoroughly enjoying himself?

After walking all through the animal barns we looked at some of the other exhibits. 

The tractors {and the fact that they are ginormous} were a huge hit for both kids!  

We had to play a few silly games.  The kids went fishing and got nasty stuffed animals as prizes.  Hayden was not impressed by the loudness of the midway.  Luckily neither kid asked to ride any of the rides.  I always worry about carnival rides. 

I loved taking pictures of them though.

Cotton Candy is the best treat ever.

This is what happens after a sleepover with family friends on Friday night AND walking around for over 2 hours at the Stock show.  These two munchkins were e.x.h.a.u.s.t.e.d!  Gary and I stayed up way to late playing cards the night before.  I don't know what we were thinking.  I guess not getting to see the Rodeo was a blessing in disguise.   One of us may have had a meltdown right in the middle of the whole thing, and it may not have been a kid!  I am way to old to stay up late.  Saturday night Gary and I were in bed and sound sleep by 9:00pm. Early bedtimes are great especially when we had such a fun day!

flashback friday

10 months old

1 1/2 years old

3 years old

I can't believe how much Layla has changed.  I can barely remember her at 10 months old!  I am so thankful for a huge online photo gallery.  I love to look back in the past.  I hope to always be camera crazy.  I want the kids to have all these memories when they want to look back to the past!

Have a great weekend!

{insert fun title here}

I am so proud of my little Layla Kate.  She is doing a super job conquering 1st grade.  It makes me so happy to see her reading so well.  When I was a little girl I loved to read and I am hoping she enjoys reading as much as I did, and still do.  I really like to see 100's on her writing papers.  Her writing is getting better every day.

Hayden is feeling under the weather today.  It makes me sad for him.  He is so stuffy and congested.  We were supposed to have a lunch date with friends at Chic-fil-A today, but we called in stuffy.  I'm glad we are home because I have wiped his nose so much he is getting a chapped face.  Poor little guy.

His face lit up when we set up his train set!  He loves that train set and loves the sounds it makes.  It has a remote control and he thinks that is the best thing ever.  The engine even puffs fake smoke ever so often. It is a 'mack daddy' train set and we have enjoyed it so much!

Daisy the dog wasn't to excited about the train.  It put her on edge.  I think this is the first time she has been exposed to it.  Hopefully she will be nice to it and not chew any of it's pieces. 

We got some much needed rain this week.  I feel like it rained all week, but it was only 2 full days of rain. Our backyard still had standing water today.  I took this picture on Tuesday.  While we are thankful for the rain we are thankful for a bit of sunshine today!  It is a pretty winter day today.  

Tomorrow the high is going to be around 68 degrees which is even prettier than today so Gary decided he is smoking a brisket.  Yum!

I cleaned the house this morning.  Hayden was pretty quiet since he is feeling yucky, so I had the chance to really get some scrubbing done.  It wore me out.  I am exhausted.  I am happy to have it clean for the weekend.  A clean house is one of my favorite things.

That is all I have on this Thursday afternoon.  I'm heading to the kitchen check on dinner.  I'm cooking a chicken recipe in the slow cooker.  I have used my slow cooker so much lately.  I love how easy it is!

jumping and rolling

Really Dude? 

Huh?  This isn't acceptable behavior?

I'm gonna jump Mommy!!  Are you watching?

Ugh!  What is it with boys standing on furniture? And jumping off of it??

Wild man.  He needs to be tamed.   

He is a fun little man.  I really enjoy my days with just he and I during the day while Layla is at school.  I had so many days with just she and I before he was born and now I get that with him when he isn't in preschool.

Hayden helps me with the chores sometimes.

This is the dreaded linen closet.  The kids feel free to help themselves to blankets, throws and pillows whenever they so desire.  Keeping this closet clean is impossible.  

When I am feeling super lazy I love to do the 'shove and go'.

You know, you have done that trick.  You are so tired, but need to hide all the blankets and throws from the kids latest fort built in the living room.  You nicely fold all the blankets, but can't seem to fit them in the linen closet so you just shove them in and hope they don't dump out on you the next time you open the door.  Oh yes, the 'shove and go'.

Our linen closet has sheets, beach towels, bed pillows, throw pillows, old sentimental handmade quilts, baby blankets and linens for our travel trailer.  The closet is stuffed to the max.

I fold all the sheets which is a hard job at times.

And I roll all the beach towels, throws and small blankets.  Rolling is so easy and super easy to maintain.

Who need this much stuff?  

I am embarrassed by all the stuff in there.  I think I am subconsciously expecting a super cold winter with no electricity.  After people see this blog post they will be flocking to my house if there is a winter white out.  Soooo....if you are feeling a bit frustrated with your linen closet organization and you are doing to much of the 'shove and go'...try rolling your items.  

Happy Tuesday...Have a great day!