"myyy fave-it"

If you ask my boys what color is their favorite, they will say, "Zack's favorite is green, Kyle's favorite is blue, and Evan's favorite is red." Now, you may ask, does a 2 yr old really have a favorite color? I don't think so. So let me explain how my boys picked their colors.

When I had just 2 little boys, and was sleep deprived, I had trouble remembering who had the sippy cup with stars and who had the one with stripes, or who used the yellow twisty straw and who used the red. You get the picture. So I decided to buy solid color items, and assign each color to a boy. I chose green for Zack because of his green eyes, and blue for Kyle for the same reason. Since Evan had hazel eyes, I just chose red for him. Well, my attempt at organizing sippy cups has now morphed into the extreme. Each boy has a cup and plate that is "their color," they each have clothes hangers that are "their color," they only play with play-do that is "their color," and when offered a lollipop at the bank, they try to find one that is "their color." When Evan was just over a year, he would get upset if his brothers had something red, and he'd chase them around saying, "myyy fave-it." For his birthday, Kyle asked for a blue balloon cake. It is really quite amusing. So, let me warn you, if you offer my boys a balloon at your child's birthday party, expect to wait a while. . . as they search for "their color!"

Shhhhhh! I'm trying to sleep!

Motherhood and sleep deprivation. . . they go hand-in-hand, don't they? This morning, as I awoke from a 5 hr snooze, I was remembering how tired I had been these past 5 yrs. I figured out that from the spring of 2005 until the spring of 2010 I had been either pregnant or nursing. For me, that meant little sleep!
When I first became pregnant in 2005, I had morning sickness EVERY NIGHT, so I had a terrible time sleeping. I would often be awake at 2 or 3 in the morning eating dry cereal, then would need to be up by 5:30 to get ready for work. My biggest complaint of pregnancy is it's invasion on my sleep habits! Then, as all mothers know, sleeping did not improve when baby arrived! I would be up nursing through the night, then up for work by 5 each morning (of course, I had to wake up earlier to get baby ready for the day!). This continued in some form or fashion for 5 yrs! Whew!
Now that I'm neither pregnant nor nursing, things are not so tough. Of course there are night's when I'm awakened because someone had a nightmare or wet the bed, but most nights, I sleep a good 7 hrs or so. So, for all you mothers who have newborns, I UNDERSTAND! And I want to tell you to keep "plugging on." Things will get better, and sleep will come eventually. Sweet dreams! :)

NO FOOD FOR OVER A WEEK!?!?!?!?

Tomorrow should be the end of my 10 day fast, but I'm actually not sure I want to stop (can you believe it!). I've lost 13 lbs and feel great - not hungry at all. This is the second time I've done the Master Cleanse, and I'm pretty sure I may do it again. Some people think I'm crazy and my mother in law thinks I'm starving myself, but I'm pretty sure I have enough fat reserves to last well over a month without eating! LOL
Let me explain why I chose this plan. In May of this year I lost a baby at 20 wks along. Let me say, in those 20 weeks I had gained quite a bit of weight. And if you add that weight to the extra lbs I never lost due to being pregnant 3 times in 3 years, it equalled an overweight, unhappy woman! I couldn't seem to get rid of my "belly weight" even with diet and exercise. It was very discouraging! I began researching different diet ideas online, and came across a website about fasting ( http://falconblanco.com/health/fasting.htm ). It sounded like it may actually work! I had tried WW in the past and also some diet books, but REALLY, when you have 3 small children, it is hard to take the time to count calories or add up points!
Long story short, the fasting worked! I lost 20 lbs, had more enery, and felt GREAT! Unfortunately I have a weakness for Turkey Hill ice cream, and by August, I gained back 8 lbs. But still, those other 12 lbs stayed off! As the cold weather approached I took out all my winter clothes and they were tight on me :( I decided to do the fast again. After 9 days I really do feel great and wondering if I should extend my fast. I have no doubt that it has benefited my health and since it is a process that is found in the Bible, I think it is a much healthier option than diet pills or prepared meals (I always wonder what they put in those!).
I would like to end by saying that fasting is not as daunting as you may think. For me, it was much easier to refrain from food than to buy, cook, and eat a specific meal each day. It also helped that I fed my family things that are not my favorite (like ham and sausage). Although it may seem extreme, it worked for me! And I will say, when you deprive yourself of something (like food) other things seem to take on more value (like family).

Boys play "dress up?"

During my 10+ years of teaching kindergarten, I always had a large container of "dress up" clothes for the children to play with on rainy or snowy days. They loved it! Most often it was girls putting on dresses, my old shoes, and carrying around purses. I had a few men's sport coats, but they were only used occasionally. Now that I'm a mom, I have no "dress up" box (to my boy's dismay). I'm thinking of starting one.

On any given day, my oldest son decides what he is going to "be" for the day. Sometimes it's a police officer, other times it's a fireman. He has also taken the role of detective, mechanic, and doctor. Recently, he has wanted to be The Lone Ranger (thanks to watching it on Hulu). He gets quite annoyed if I don't have the proper equipment for his "daily gig," so last night I fashioned a black mask for him to wear over his eyes (he woke up early just to put it on). And I don't know if it's good or not, but his younger brother is now following in his footsteps. We actually did our grocery shopping with two cowboys last night!

My plan is to head out after halloween to buy some accessories for the boys. My oldest really thinks he needs a sword and his brother wants a cowboy hat. My conclusion is that "dress up" is definitely not just for girls! I think it helps develop their imagination, I'm just hoping they don't decide to be defence attorneys some day! LOL

Sick Kiddos

Have you ever read the book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? It's one of my favorites, because, like the book says, "...some days are just like that." I awoke this morning to one little boy in my bed saying, "Mom, me no feel good." After 20 min. or so, another came in with a stuffy nose and a request to cuddle (highly unusual for that one, so I knew he didn't feel good). My youngest slept til 9, which is highly unusual for him, and I soon realized it was due to him not feeling well either. I could tell, it was going to be a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
Now Mondays are "clean up from the weekend" day, so I couldn't just ignore the mess surrounding me. My boys (though young) still are asked to help with clean up. It may seem "mean" to have my poor, sick children picking up toys and putting away their clothes, but I assure you, they would not have laid quietly on the couch and relaxed! Today I gave them candy for helping because I knew they were not feeling "up to par," and I definitely didn't require as much as I would on a typical Monday. I want them to learn that a cold is not the worst thing in the world, and that the "show must go on." :)
Now, that being said, I would like to add that my boys still have plenty of time to be "kids." With all the sickness, there was more reading books instead of building forts, watching DVD's instead of playing outside, and using Play-Do instead of jumping on the bed. However; the problem with sick boys is that it makes them more grumpy! Though I tried to do some housework and have fun activities for the boys, my youngest seemed to cry "at the drop of a hat" and my middle son had a few tantrums when things didn't go his way. By lunch, I was really needing a break!
At 2pm, I declared it was nap time. My older two boys happily went to there room to read books for a few minutes. I then held my youngest in the rocking chair as he took his nebulizer treatment. As I looked around, I realized there were no toys littering the living room, the kitchen table was cleaned off and dishes were in the sink, and I had somehow managed to do four loads of laundry. Whew! There's plenty more that could have been done, but as I glanced down at my 2 yr old, who was sound asleep, I remembered how much more valuable he was than a mopped kitchen floor.

The Nitty Gritty of Closely Spaced Kids

When I'm out in public, there are many things I hear from people regarding the fact that I have 3 boys so close in age. Many times I hear, "Three boys?!?! You must have your hands full!" Or, "Wow, they must keep you busy!" And my favorite, "Are you going to try for a girl?" Now, I know these people just feel the need to say SOMETHING, but it almost seems as though they feel sorry for me. DON'T! I love my boys :) They DO keep me busy, but what mother DOESN'T feel overwhelmed at times (whether they have 1 or 8)?
Some people say children born within 2 yrs of each other are considered closely-spaced, others say if they're born within 18 months of each other, it's like having multiplies. I do know it was a bit straining for the one month that I had 3 in diapers, but I really don't think it compares. Kudos to all moms who are raising twins or triplets - you really have your work cut out for you!
Now I will say, some days are much better than others. My boys are very active, and my middle son is what I would call "high spirited" (LOL). When all three are crying or fussing at each other, I have to take a deep breath and whisper, "I love you, I love you, I love you." :) I will say, it helps to have lots of activities planned throughout the day. I don't usually keep to a set schedule, but I do have one. Most days go about the same way: breakfast, play, preschool, craft, lunch, nap, DVD, outside, dinner, bath, books, bed! Of course, chaos is dispersed throughout the day. I have found gum stuck to the bathtub, popcorn stuffed in shirt pockets, crayon on my piano keys, and cereal dumped all over the floor, but fortunately none of these things were life threatening problems, and I laugh now as I think back on all of it!
If you have closely spaced children, take time to love them and laugh with them! Now that mine are past infancy, things are much easier! I'm hoping things just keep improving! "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord!"

Breakfast on the go!

How many of you moms feel rushed in the morning (even after preparing the night before) and grab a granola bar or pop tart to give the kids as you head out the door? I found and modified a muffin recipe that my boys LOVE! They will ask for them morning, noon, and night! And because they are so moist, there are few crumbs, which makes them great for eating "on the go." Thought I'd share my recipe :)

Yummy Healthy Muffins
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c white flour
3 Tbs flax seed
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

4 Tbs Smart Start butter blend
1 whole egg & 2 egg whites
1 c plain yogurt
3 Tbs honey
1 c brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Mix dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, blend butter and eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. According to your likes, add chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, etc.
Grease muffin pans. Fill half way with batter (this yields 18 child-size muffins). Bake 15-18 min or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

The blogging game :)

I decided to start a blog because so many of my FB friends enjoy reading about the craziness of my life! (LOL) I don't know how it will go, so bear with me. My boys are currently ages 4,3, & 2 and they are ALL BOY! I really hope to connect with other moms of closely-spaced children. . . we can laugh and cry together :)