Murphy's Laws for Moms

One of the aspects that I have loved about my life has been my role as a military spouse. It has allowed me to travel, meet new friends, and have experiences I never dreamed of. But, it's not always the glitz, glamour and drama that you see in the movies, on TV, or in the videos of surprise reunions all over the Internet. As an Air National Guard spouse, I've learned that there are many misconceptions about what the modern day military looks like - especially within Guard units.  Here are what I consider to be the top five misconceptions faced by the modern day Guard unit.  The Weekend Warrior No longer does the Guard look like an organization who only work one weekend a month and two weeks a year - especially if you fulfill a position that requires you to stay current with training requirements and military readiness. Also, for many reasons, there are fewer support staff available to fulfill needs and responsibilities, thus increasing work demand on those still serving...

Since becoming a parent, I have noticed that I just don't have the time, space or mental capacity to deal with a lot of things.  And, yet, I have a lot of things - excess.  It's gotten to the point that I'm stressed about the clutter and storage of items in my home.  I'm frustrated that I never seem to have enough time for everything I would like to do.  And, all of this excess is straining relationships that are important to me. It's not just the physical possessions that I have that are causing stress.  It's everything.  It's the things that get in the way: checking out Facebook, watching TV, doing chores, making decisions when the possibilities are endless, and so much more. Then, this past September, I was invited to participate in a Bible Study with a local group of women (all from different churches and denominations).  During this time, we began reading and participating in Jen Hatmaker's book, Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess . ...

Over this past weekend, I learned something.  If you've read any of my blog, you'll probably be thinking, "Well, duh! It was bound to happen."  But, for whatever reason, I didn't know it would happen.  I was dumbfounded.  And, I might have yelled at my child when it did happen. The sound of a toilet flushing in my house is not an uncommon occurrence.  However, when I hear it, I almost always cringe...What is my child flushing down the potty today?  Please, oh, please. Let it be bodily functions. Throughout the past year - as we've been potty training my 3-year-old - he has managed to flush dog food (the smell will make you nauseous), PB&Js (which will clog the toilet), My Little Pony figurines, toothbrushes, and more down the potty.  I have become quite adept at getting the toilets in my house back into working order after these incidents.  However, this weekend, something new happened. My children love to fish.  They've been severa...

There's something about becoming a mom that changes your perspective.  No longer are you living a life just for yourself.  Your decisions now take on a deeper impact because they not only impact your future, but also the future of your children. Choosing the battles you fight become more and more important because not every battle has lasting meaning.  If I choose to let my daughter go to school with her hair unbrushed suddenly doesn't make as much sense as letting her learn independence through getting herself ready in the morning.  Eating a home cooked, well-rounded meal that may take hours to prepare isn't as important as letting my kids have a backwards dinner (i.e, starting with dessert and working backwards through our courses - although still ending with another dessert) so that my kids benefit from enjoying gathering together as a family at mealtime. Becoming a mom changes your perspective.  I look around me and see dangers that I want my children to a...

I do believe this statement is true. But, it brings into question: what are the 3rd and 4th children's roles?

As a parent, one thing I've come to highly value are avenues for my children to expend a high percentage of their energy.  As infants, this usually just meant having tummy time and attending playgroups where Mommy could get a little bit of adult time while Baby got much needed stimulation from his/her surroundings. As my children grew, I had to become more creative in finding ways to use up their energy because it was exponentially increasing.  Because we live in the Pacific Northwest - and get close to nine months of dreary, rainy weather - this meant purchasing a small indoor (think 80s exercise style) trampoline and converting our dining room into a playroom so that the kids had plenty of room to play and run around.  On good weather days, we'd go to the park or play outside with chalk, bikes, and more.  During the summer, we would get out the inflatable pool and have some water fun. But, as my children continue to grow, these things are not enough.  My hus...

I've been a bit slow on the setting of New Year's resolutions - or maybe I've already blown many of the ones I've set. My patience has been tested (by my kids), my house is a mess (thanks to my kids), and I haven't even gotten a shower every day  (primarily due to my kids having a snow day the 1st day back from Winter Break).  But, kids don't have to impede on your New Year's goals. Many people are still following through on them.  For those of you still wondering what you're going to improve this new year, consider eating better and getting in shape, I heard of a program you might want to consider.   My twin sister, who is an Arbonne Independent Consultant, has been telling me about a 30 Days to Healthy Living program she's doing with her husband. This program is more of a clean eating program as opposed to a diet.  During the 30 days, she's going to eliminate highly allergenic foods from her diet (gluten, dairy, soy,artificial sweeteners/fl...

Why is it that when I pull out my vacuum, my children seem to not comprehend its purpose? It's not as though I never use it. On the contrary, it's highly used to clean up...after them. Is it the fact that this creature of cleaning isn't as exciting as the physical act of making the disasters for which it's needed? Is the vacuum really a mythical being that only comes out in fairy tales of clean homes and well-behaved children? Whatever the reason, the vacuum's existence and purpose is continually unknown by my children. Then, I remember, the last time I actually had a clean house was before I had kids. So, maybe the act of it actually helping me clean is truly the myth.

I love back to school time.  Whether it's for summer, winter or spring break - or even just a Monday after a very exhausting weekend - I love it.  It means that, as a parent, I am finally getting a necessary rest from my children.  Don't get me wrong, I love my children and I love spending time with them.  But, sometimes absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.  Especially considering the amount of work that I can accomplish (both in the house and for work) during the school day.  I am finally able to find time to both start and finish the laundry, clean the house, and even think about what to make for dinner.  I can also find time to enjoy a hot cup of coffee (emphasis on the *hot*) and a lunch where I am not constantly telling others what they need to eat or proper mealtime etiquette. But, back to school also means that my children's time is filled with learning things other than new methods of sibling revenge or causing parental insanity....