Project 52:12 | Grinning

Project 52:12
Motherhood is:

Grinning.
Cause some days that silly face
is all you got.
Embrace it.

To be honest, I have felt a little bit swamped lately. Not much time has gone into my blog - which drives me crazy! I have been scouring the house for anything and everything to tag for my garage sale next week. Clothes, lamps, dishes, ALL my decor and the list goes on and on . . . it's all going bye-bye.

So in between my cleaning rampage, daily home maintenance (ha!), sickness, kid time and any needed bookwork everything else has been neglected. And I'm left tired! Now, I'm just trying to decide if I should embrace my new level of tiredness as normal.

So today, for my sanity, I am changing up the routine. It's on to Hobby Lobby for some therapy with two little grinning (hopefully) faces in tote. And not to replace everything waiting in the garage for the big, two day "moving" sale
(which I'm praying won't have a rain delay).
It is RED. I am looking for splashes of RED. Nothing too extravagant, just a little touch of happiness for that perfect spot.

Adios!
 

Project 52:11 | Guiding

Project 52:11

Motherhood is:

 Guiding

 our children as they

engage in the game of Life.

An umbrella of opportunities

awaits as we take on the challenge to

parent the next generation.

This is no small task.

I do a LOT of guiding these days. I figure I will for the next eighteen plus years or so. It just comes with the territory. Sometimes I feel like a broken record. And other days my guidance is rewarded with a kind, generous and obedient attitude. 

Boy do I cherish those moments!

It seems we are constantly trying to "figure out" our children. What discipline method works best? or Can I minimize how frequently I discipline by using clearer instructions and better management? The list could go on and on. There is never a dull moment in parenting, but there is always room to learn and make improvements.

 

Now, if only I had TIME to bury myself in the stack of books awaiting me on my kindle app! Too much on my list for today. Maybe tomorrow . . .

(p.s. I love to get FREE books for my kindle app & right now  

Crock Pot Cooking: 50 No Fuss Recipes is FREE!)

Project 52:10 | Graced

Project 52:10

Motherhood is:

 Graced

with all sorts of beauties.

Consider the blessings

bestowed upon mothers

and contemplate the rewards.

As for me, I am extraordinarily thankful.

 

I'm so thankful to be a stay-at-home mom this year. Although it has it's challenges, there are so many freedoms that accompany this career.  An afternoon at the park, meeting comrades at MOPS on a Wednesday morning or craft time after breakfast are always nice treats. And on weeks like this that include sick kiddos, it's nice not having to scramble for a substitute or work up an extra set of plans 

for the class while I am away.

These may seem like small pleasures, but they sure add up quickly.

And I wouldn't change a thing.

Project 52:9 | Generational

Project 52:9

Motherhood is:

Generational.
Each and every family creates their own traditions.
Customs with deep roots.
A passerby may observe them as peculiar, quirky or unimportant
but rest assured they are prized treasures.
The matriarch perpetuates the practice
and the heritage continues.
Carry on, mothers, carry on.

This is the art of noodle making.
 Where I come from, we eat noodles instead of dumplings and they aren't bought from a store they are homemade. Homemade noodles with roast and mashed potatoes has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. When the "kids" make it back home to visit, we are guaranteed at least one meal with homemade noodles. We eat until we are stuffed and then we get another spoonful.
And the welcomed, unspoken rule: No one eats just one helping.

My mother has fond memories as a young child of learning how to make noodles from her Grandma Estie. And after watching my mom roll out and cut the dough countless times over the years, I have learned this special art. Now, my mother has taken it upon herself to train Sadie. Honestly, I don't get too many opportunities to practice and perfect noodle making because my mom stocks us up when she comes to visit. It is not uncommon for her to whip up 18 eggs worth of homemade noodles. We bag and freeze them and I'm set - at least until her next visit.  : )

So I must confess that this picture was not taken in 2012. It was captured during one of my mom's visits last fall. To me, this photograph speaks volumes and I felt it was worthy of Project 52. 

Thank goodness, motherhood is generational.
And thank goodness for homemade noodles!