From A Mother To A Child

Thought I would share this ... I read it on my friend Kate's Facebook page recently and was really touched by it. I don't know who wrote it or where it came from.

Letter from a Mother to her child: 

"My dear child, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. 

If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. 

When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a child? 

When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, sweetheart, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day.

The day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionaly lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. 

And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. 

When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my wonderful child. "

Happy Mother's Day!

Having had a parent who was ill and slowed down sooner than they would have liked, I can tell you that having patience and perspective with ageing parents makes a world of difference and transforms those frustrating moments into tender bonding moments.

(it was originally a letter from Mother to daughter but I changed it to be to a child as I have two boys and thought it applied equally to both genders.)

A Nice Mother's Day Gift

I was recently enjoying a rare and peaceful moment to myself while at an indoor play park was looking through a recent Today's Parent issue. The page I turned to included stories from readers of their best mother's day gifts.  This one caught my eye so I thought I would share because it was so different, but sounded just great:

"On Saturday I check into my Jacuzzi suite at a hotel for a night alone.  I take books and bubble bath and leave my cellphone, worries and stress behind. I get 19 hours of uninterrupted quiet me-time. On Mother's Day, I meet my hubby, kids and mom for a wonderful brunch where I get homemade cards - and someone else does the dishes! Buffy LaBonte-Sias, Whitehorse"


It's sometimes hard to ask for or find the time just for us as individuals. Or we get the time and then, much to our own fault, fill it with laundry, other chores or things that "can't wait."  Kind of a nice idea to have the tradition built into Mother's Day.

My birthday is the same week as Mother's Day so I get the royal treatment two weekends in a row! I've had my birthday waffles and homemade birthday card so this weekend can only get better and better.

What are your Mother's Day traditions?

Enjoy ladies!

Friday's Fabulous Mom: Laura Lueloff

This Friday's Fabulous Mom is Laura Lueloff. For you long time readers out there, you will recognize Laura's name as she has been a guest blogger in the past sharing fitness information and survival tips for Disney world. Laura is a friend of mine who is an absolutely wonderful Mom and filled with so much zest for what she does.  I know you will love learning more about her today!

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I’m Laura – the household CEO, mother of 2 awesome kids, an entrepreneur, master planner, fitness guru, and wife of almost 10 years to Jeff.  We have lived in Aurora, Ont. for almost 8 years now and never want to leave – we were meant to live in this town.  Our son Owen just turned 6 and our daughter Taylor is just over 3 and I could not be any prouder of them both.  We are an active and busy family and are always on the go.  I run my own business called Transition Fitness – I offer personal training and teach Stroller Fitness classes in York Region.  Fitness & well being has always been my passion and when I left my corporate sales career in the big city I decided to turn my passion into my new career.  My outlook on life these days is all about balance, perspective and making the most of each day.

Fabulous Mom Laura with husband Jeff
and kids - Owen & Taylor

How does a day start for you and what’s being served for breakfast?

 My day starts EARLY.  I am usually up between 5:30-6am (weekends too!).  I actually really like waking up early as this gives me a little extra time to get a few things accomplished before the kids wake up – a workout, business stuff, cleaning etc.  I make the most of this “quiet” time.  Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and I try to encourage the kids to eat a complete and wholesome meal at this time too.  We love smoothies (frozen blueberries, yogurt, banana, soy milk).  We might have this with some healthy cereal, whole grain toast or homemade oatmeal.

Favorite bedtime story(ies) currently on the must-read list for your little ones?

For Owen – Brady Brady by Mary Shaw – this series is outstanding as it combines the humour of a boy obsessed with hockey with some really great and meaningful messages.  High interest for boys and perfect for sharing some laughs together.  We also like to read science based books about cool & interesting animals too!

For Taylor – we have just graduated from Dora and moved on to authors such as Phoebe Gilman – (Jillian Jiggs series) or Victoria Kaan (Pinkalicious).  Great rhymes, silly stories and cute characters – I have read them so many times I have them memorized!

Tip or Trick for getting those daily vegetable servings in

I really try to introduce the kids to a variety of vegetables just to see what else they might like other than just mini carrots!  I have had some luck and they do happen to love broccoli & asparagus (what a relief!). I find making homemade soups, casseroles, chili and pastas are a great way to “sneak” veggies in without really hiding them.  Veggies such as cauliflower, zucchini and carrots are also very easy to hide in muffins, loaves or even cookies. 
 
Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?

BLITZ…..this is what I call it when mom gets “Clutter Cranky Syndrome.”  I find about once every two months I will go through the house and create three piles: garbage (mostly toy bits, loose or random pieces), piles to reorganize into our multiple types of storage bins, and items to donate.  Now that the kids are a little older we are encouraging them to keep a lot of their toys in their rooms and we do keep one specific room as the designated “playroom.”  It works well as it really is their space decorated with their artwork and has become the local headquarters for all things Star Wars and Princess.  Perfect for play dates as well as the kids can rummage through the room, the bins and the closet for toys to play with.

If you had an entire afternoon to yourself, what would you do?

If this was an afternoon completely by myself it would start off with a leisurely run through Fairy Lake in Newmarket, then maybe some shopping at stores that seem impossible to bring the kids with me (ie HomeSense or Lemonberry).  I would love to end it off meeting a friend for a coffee or if there is time maybe head to a spa.  I guess that is a lot in an afternoon – might need a day!

How do you squeeze in the ever-so-important time for just you and your husband?

There is no doubt that having young kids (especially close in age) really takes its toll on quality couple time.  We have recently found a fantastic babysitter who is the first person we have ever left the kids with other than grandparents.  This is a big step for us, but it has been great.  Our Monday – Friday is so busy (since I work most evenings) that Saturdays are really our night to actually get caught up.  When we do not have a sitter, we do try and put the kids to bed and then make our own dinner or order in a little later.  This gives us uninterrupted time to actually talk.  We’re hoping to have a real “leave the house date” soon and the plan is to play golf and go for dinner.

Your go-to family meal that you know will be loved by all, eaten by all and serve some nutrients too!
I polled my family for this one ...  hands down winner:  my homemade lasagna. Always a hit, perfect for a family meal with lots of leftovers and I also love serving it to a crowd.  I use extra lean ground beef, ricotta, spinach and zucchini as the primary ingredients.  I try to keep it healthy and make enough that I can freeze it for weeknights when you are out of quick ideas.  The runner up meal would be my burgers.  I cannot justify ever buying the frozen ones when it is so easy and MUCH more healthy to make your own.  My secret to keeping the burgers moist is to use a combination of beef and pork (lean meat of course!)

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Now you can understand why after I visit with Laura I am always inspired and filled with all sorts of ideas on family time, organization, fitness and food.  Thanks Laura for sharing all these great tips and sharing with us your daily routine.

Friday's Fabulous Mom: Cathryn Hagel

Cashmere & Carrot Sticks' fabulous Mom for this week is Cathryn Hagel, the Farmer's Trophy Wife. You may remember Cathryn from our Closet Cleanse earlier this year. Well, this spunky, stylish Mama of two is back for some Q&A with C&CS.  Cathryn lives in Alberta and lives and loves the Western life ... so I thought it only fitting with the Calgary Stampede being on right now to shout out this fabulous Mom!  After you read all about Cathryn, be sure to check out her blog - the Farmer's Trophy Wife. 

 

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My husband and I farm together with his family on a 3rd generation cattle and grain farm in Southern Alberta. We have two darling kids, Cassie age 3 and Hudson age 1 1/2. I am a Labour & Delivery nurse in my spare time and love anything and everything to do with our western lifestyle!

  

Cathryn & Her Kids


 How does a day start for you and what’s being served for breakfast?
My husband's day starts earlier than ours...poor thing! He's up and out of the house around 7...while the rest of us sleep in till 8 or 9 if I'm lucky. Breakfast is as random as the day - toast, cereal and fruit depending on how long ago I went grocery shopping!

Favorite bedtime story(ies) currently on the must-read list for your little ones?
Since the sun is out so late, we've all been getting to bed later and later. We try to go visit my husband out in the field or play outside till late..this cuts the book time out because everyone is EXHAUSTED by bedtime. But usually any book is popular, they aren't picky!

What’s on your bedside table right now?
A stack of magazines about a foot tall! I am addicted to home and style magazines and read and reread them till I'm sure I've got everything out of them!

Tip or Trick for getting those daily vegetable servings in:
We grow a garden every year, and the kids have always been big veggie fans...so I don't actually have any tricks. If they aren't sure about eating it, we make them take one bite. If they hate it, good enough for us. If they love it...well...great!

Something you do as a Mom that June Cleaver would approve of …. And something she would raise her eyebrow at?
I try to use as much home grown or local stuff as possible when making meals. But since pregnant with #3...frozen pizza and kraft dinner have been a frequent meal.

Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?
I pack a bunch of stuff away when the kids aren't around, they are still little enough to not notice if something is missing. Then every 6 months or so I rotate out the toys. And I give A LOT away to Goodwill. You only need so much stuff.

If you had an entire afternoon to yourself, what would you do?
Sigh....that would be fabulous. I would head into town for a Starbucks, pedicure and an hour or two of shopping by myself. That would be a fabulous afternoon!

How do you squeeze in the ever-so-important time for just you and your husband?
Well...farmers rarely take hours or days off. His day starts at 7 and ends around 11 during the summer. So if we get to go say hi or go for a ride in the tractor/sprayer/baler for a bit, that's about as good as it gets. From November to March is when we spend the most time together...all he usually has to do daily is feeding cattle and maintaining the yard (snow!) and anything else that pops up. We try to take the kids swimming or do family stuff during these months!

Something special unique thing that you do for your family that you hope they remember fondly in the future:
I like making little things into "adventures." We go checking cows or take my husband a lunch and try to hit as many puddles as we can or see as many baby animals as we can find. Farming is a lifestyle and kids remember the little things like catching frogs or riding horses more than anything else.

Your go-to family meal that you know will be loved by all, eaten by all and serve some nutrients too: 
Hmmmm...homemade potato soup and buns are always a hit and so easy!! Check out my blog for my favourite recipe and try it tonight!!

 

Friday's Fabulous Mom: Allison Boyd

Cashmere & Carrot Sticks' fabulous Mom for this week is Allison Boyd. Allison is a woman who radiates energy and whom always has a smile on her face.  I'm sure you'll enjoy reading all about her and her Mom ways today.

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I am Allison Boyd and I live in the lovely town of Aurora, Ontario. I have been married to my best friend Jason Boyd since 2000. I am the mother of Abby (aged 8) and Cameron (aged 6). I love my family and am grateful everyday to wake up to these three beautiful faces. I own my own business in health care marketing and love what I do! Outside of work and kids activities I personally enjoy Zumba, rollerblading, socializing with friends and reading.

Allison and her beautiful family

What’s on your bedside table right now?
Now this is embarrassing……my computer, iPhone, TV remote, various home decorating magazines, note cards….hmmm…not recommended items to send oneself into a deep peaceful sleep!!! Loved this question as it made me think I should probably change this!

Something you do as a Mom that June Cleaver would approve of …. And something she would raise her eyebrow at?
June would approve of my high expectations on manners. June would NOT approve of me letting my 8 year old stay up until 11pm on a school night and watching “Say yes to the dress” when my husband goes out of town.

Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?
Marry my husband, aka: neat freak! LOL. Jason and I are a match made in heaven when it comes to having a clutter-free home. I think it helps when a couple has the same philosophy on this topic.  I would consider our family the “anti-hoarders.” Since the kids were little, every 6 months or so we take a trip to Good Will. We get the kids involved and go through the toys to decide as a family which ones they are ready to donate.  It has always been an added benefit to give the kids the sense they were really helping another child.

If you had an entire afternoon to yourself, what would you do?
If  “by yourself” means away from the family or work, it would be to spend the afternoon on a patio with girl friends. I definitely miss the days when there were endless hours to sit all afternoon and chat (thank goodness I now have my book club! J). If “by yourself” means truly on my own, then an afternoon at the spa is my perfect afternoon.

 How do you squeeze in the ever-so-important time for just you and your husband?
We are very, very blessed to have both sets of grandparents live in our town. This has given us a lot of opportunities to be together alone With such support we have been able to travel and have many “date nights.”  As the kids have gotten older, we are seeing more and more time together as the kids are starting to play with friends outside of our home. What a strange feeling to have a few hours on a Saturday when our kids are off at friends.

Something special or unique that you do for your family that you hope they remember fondly in the future:
 From the time the kids could stand/walk we have had “mom –led” family dance parties in the kitchen. Hip –hop, hard rock, reggae, pop…the kids may think that every Mom breaks into dance at any given moment.   My hope is when the kids leave home they remember a home filled with love, laughter and music.  It is impossible to feel sad when your’e dancing, so we make it a part of our daily/weekly activities.

Your go-to family meal that you know will be loved by all, eaten by all and serve some nutrients too!
The latest is quinoa and tofu stir-fry. It's packed with protein and flavor. I feel so good when the kids eat this meal.

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Thank you so much for participating today Allison and giving us a glimpse into your life. I definitely can't wait to see the hip-hop version of your kitchen dance party at next book club!

You're Stuck With Me

So instead of being introduced to this week's Fabulous Mom ... you're stuck with me. I messed up on my scheduling a bit so you'll have to wait until next week to meet our next Mom. But, in the mean time, I thought since you tune into this blog, it's only fair that you know a bit more about me so I have answered a few of the questions I would normally pose to the other Moms.
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My name is Tracy and I have a wonderful husband and two sweet sons. I am a stay-at-home Mom and although it is the most challenging job I have ever had, would not change it for the world. I am  really enjoying watching my children and family grow and find the integral role I play in their lives and the support I can provide to them so rewarding.

I started this blog approximately a year ago and find it a great way to vent share a lot of what I am going through as a Mom and a woman - the ups and downs, the funny, the frustrating, the new, etc. I have always enjoyed writing so it has been an experiment in that as well.  Being a parent of two young kids, there are periods when there isn't a lot of time for anything but kids... this blog has been my 30 minutes here and there for me.

How does a day start for you and what’s being served for breakfast?

Typically one of my little ones wake up at six or just before. Husband and I take turns getting up. We usually venture to the couch in our living room for a show, then breakfast around 6:30 or 7. At some point showers and getting ready happen, but it's all sort of a blurrrrr. Breakfast is usually cereal and fruit, except on the weekend when we step things up a notch with waffles/pancakes/eggs.

Favorite bedtime story(ies) currently on the must-read list for your little ones?

With my eldest son, the Frog and Toad series was a hit for awhile and right now it is a unique selection of books from our trip to the library last week. My youngest loves anything with animals, and flaps to open (rip).

What’s on your bedside table right now?

Nothing ... I am waiting for a delivery from Chapters with the 2nd and 3rd books in the Hunger Games series.

Tip or Trick for getting those daily vegetable servings in:

Wish I had one. We insist that the kids always have to try the food that is on their plate and if they don't, there is no dessert if we are having any or seconds of their favourites.  During the winter when I cook more casseroles I mash up cauliflower (or another vegetable) in a lot of things as it virtually disappears. Another trick is pureeing a lot of sauces and stews so the kids don't become fixated on the chunks of "stuff."  I don't believe in catering the meals to my kids so I'm hoping that with time and persistence, they will become a bit more adventurous.

Something you do as a Mom that June Cleaver would approve of …. And something she would raise her eyebrow at?

I don't think June Cleaver would like the fact that sometimes I clip my kids nails in their rooms (hey, you have to do what you have to do), but she would definitely approve of me hanging three loads of laundry on my clothesline yesterday.

Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?
No secret. Constant tidying up. Trying to enforce the "clean up one toy before starting with the next" rule and baskets, baskets, baskets!  This way things can be sorted and put away and look somewhat tidy even if they're not. Oh and constantly going through and removing toys/giving away/handing down that are not being used or are no longer suitable. And of course, don't buy so much! (Kids don't need it).

Something special unique thing that you do for your family that you hope they remember fondly in the future

On each of our son's first birthdays we made them a time capsule to be opened on their 16th birthdays. We have a huge family and a lot of people came to the first birthday parties so in lieu of gifts we asked that everyone bring something for their time capsule - picture, story, family information, card, etc.  Everyone participated and it will (hopefully) be a wonderful gift and memory for them when they are older.

Also, being a stay-at-home Mom is something that means a lot to me and my husband. I hope that the kids remember a lot of the things we got to do together and at some point appreciate the choices we made so that I could stay home and why we made them.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday's Fabulous Mom: Laurel MacDougall from Ducks in a Row

Cashmere & Carrot Sticks fabulous Mom for this week is Laurel MacDougall. Laurel has a wonderful blog - Ducks in a Row - that is a "must visit" for all of you out there.

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I am Laurel MacDougall.  I have 3 darling children - my oldest daughter will be 9 next month, my son is the middle child and he is 6 and my youngest daughter is 3.  I've been married to Tom, a geo technical engineer for 12 years and we live in Colorado.  Tom works very hard and I am a stay-at-home mom.  I teach piano lessons out of our home to 12 students, plus my own kids.  I love to blog, run and exercise, read, make my home a special place, organize and de-clutter everything, and try to keep us all healthy and active.



Our fabulous Mom Laurel and her family



How does a day start for you and what’s being served for breakfast?

I just wrote a post about our breakfast routines, click here to view it.  A typical day for me usually starts between 5 - 5:30 am and goes something like this.

Favorite bedtime story(ies) currently on the must-read list for your little ones?

I am not sure we have must-reads.  We visit the library about once a week and we fill up a basket of books.  I also organize our books by month.  This helps us rotate through all the books we have.  My oldest usually reads on her own and she is into Harry Potter right now.  My middle son is just starting to be an independent reader and my youngest loves any book.  We usually do have some Dora ones from the library that she loves to check out.

What’s on your bedside table right now?

Oy, I have way too many books on my nightstand.  I just finished Mindless Eating and found it fascinating.  I've been trying to get through the Chronicles of Narnia all year.  I always read my scriptures.

Tip or Trick for getting those daily vegetable servings in

I think if there was a tip that was always successful, someone would be a millionaire!  My first piece of advice is to be an example.  I eat salads almost every day for lunch and my kids see that.  I always serve vegetables, usually a salad, at dinner.  It's not really an option - they have to eat it.  They usually wait for me to say "eat your veggies" but they don't usually complain and know they have to eat them and why.  I also make sure there are veggies that I know they like.  I.'s favorite is lettuce, G. likes beets and cucumbers and broccoli, M. likes carrots.  I asked my kids what advice they have and my oldest say "drench them in ranch - they're way better that way."  We don't do that, but I guess that might work.

Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?

My biggest piece of advice is to not have so much!  My kiddos have their favorites, but getting something new is a VERY special occasion!  Second, have a place for everythingand make sure you put the toys away together several times to teach them where they go.  If there isn't a specific place (it helps if it is labeled) then they are going to end up all over the house on the floor - guaranteed!

Something special unique thing that you do for your family that you hope they remember fondly in the future

Most of what they do, I hope they will remember.  Building memories is a big motivator for me.  Our favorite times are Family Movie Nights on Friday nights.  We make pizza together and watch a movie.  We also have Family Night every Monday night.  I am not sure how unique those are though.  I have found that my kids are just as happy, if not more, when we spend time together.  They love going to the park, playing in our back yard, building Legos - probably more than going to a movie theater, going out to eat, or spending a lot of money.  They do talk fondly, though, of our Disney world trip that we took last year.

Your go-to family meal that you know will be loved by all, eaten by all and serve some nutrients too!

Tacos - everyone customizes how they want it.  My youngest has a ton of allergies and tacos allow her to eat gluten, egg and peanut free.  My son loves meat, but not cheese - so that's how he makes his.  My oldest thinks tacos are "awesome."  My husband eats them with everything on them and I eat them more as a salad.   They're always served with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, black beans, ground turkey or chicken, cheese, sour cream and tortillas.  They are quick and everyone eats them.  In fact, we are having them for dinner tonight! 

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Thank you so much Laurel for being one of our Fabulous Moms - it's a well-deserved title.  Please do take the time to check out Laurel's blog - Ducks in a Row - where you will learn even more amazing stuff about this woman and her family.

Reminder to everyone that the giveaway for this week ends today at noon with winners being announced either this afternoon or on Monday (depending on my schedule :)). Click here to learn more about the giveaways and here for information on how to enter - hurry!

Friday's Fabulous Mom: Erin Wahba

Cashmere & Carrot Stick's Fabulous Mom for this week is Erin Wahba! 

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My name is Erin Wahba and my husband Jonathan and I are the proud parents of Ethan (4), Sophie (2) and expecting baby #3 at the beginning of July.  Our unofficial first baby is our 5-year-old cocker spaniel named Reilly, who we all adore but who at times, can be just as much work as the kids!

Our fabulous Mom, Erin, her kids, Ethan and Sophie, and dog, Reilly

Prior to having Ethan I was an elementary school teacher, but ever since having Ethan I have been a full time stay-at-home mom.  While being a stay-at-home mom has definitely been the most challenging job I have ever had, I wouldn't change it for the world. I treasure these early years with my kids and know that they go by far too quickly. That being said, there are the times when I'm quite envious of my husband's business trips where he is guaranteed both a full night's sleep (or two)  and some adult conversation.
  
What’s on your bedside table right now?
My Kobo! I love to read but life with kids just doesn't seem to allow me to get into books as much as I would like, or I do get into them and then with every spare second that I have, I'm jumping for my reader. If you are looking for two very different but equally good reads, I would highly recommend, "Room" by Emma Donoghue and "Secret Daughter" by Shilpi Gowda.  I managed to polish them off thanks to a four-day trip my husband and I were able to take (just the two of us!) about a month ago and I enjoyed every second of these two books.

Tip/Trick for getting those daily vegetable servings in:
Through trial and error, I have noticed that my kids tend to eat many more vegetables when they are not served with a meal.  Both my kids prefer raw veggies to cooked ones so I started serving the veggies as snacks and appetizers.  I'm not too sure why but veggies will be devoured as an appetizer while they will be picked at as a side!?  Yet another mystery of the toddler/preschoolers psyche!

Something you do as a Mom that June Cleaver would approve of …. And something she would raise her eyebrows at?
June Cleaver would be very proud of the fact that I make my bed every day and insist that my children also do so. Truth be told, when they are out of sight, the perfectionist in me can't help but straighten their sheets and pillows though. Something about a bed made first thing in the morning just sets the tone for starting the day off right.  Mrs. Cleaver however, might raise her eyebrows at the fact that if we are at the park or in the backyard and my son has to pee, I don't mind letting him go in a bush. Given that he sees this as a thrill and he often waits until the very last second when playing, it works for both of us.

Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?
One of my biggest clutter challenges as a mom was what do with the artwork that my children bring home from both nursery school and Junior Kindergarten.  While I didn't want to part with all this treasured artwork of their early years I also knew that the anti-hoarder in me didn't want piles and piles of artwork in scrapbooks.  As a solution, I decided to take pictures of all my children's artwork.  I then print the pictures and put them in a photo album where I write the title of the work, the date they did it and where they did it.  I have found it to be a really neat way and clutter free way, to watch their progress.  The kids frequently pull our their artwork albums and LOVE looking through a book compiled of their creations. Of course, I do still keep a few favourite or sentimental cards or pictures and either frame them for our toy/play room or keep them in a memory box :)

How do you squeeze in the ever-so-important time for just you and your husband?
My husband and I have always enjoyed going out to dinner together - it's one of our guilty pleasures! However, with two kids, busy schedules and finding a babysitter, it really doesn't happen as much as we would like. Our solution to this problem is to frequently have in-house date nights on Saturdays where once the kids are in bed, we are able to enjoy some wine and cook a nice, slow dinner and even better, enjoy it without eating at the warp speed that usually occurs when the kids are around. We love this time together even if we do end up talking about the kids for most of the evening ;)!


Something special/unique that you do for your family that you hope they remember fondly in the future:
Something I do for my kids that I know they don't appreciate yet but hopefully will in the future is that I write them each a letter on their birthdays.  When I was pregnant with both of them and now with number three, I often wrote them short letters telling them how I was feeling and how excited I was to meet them.  Feeling overwhelmed with emotion and disbelief as my first born's first birthday approached I decided to write him a letter which included all the amazing things he had learned/done in his first year and expressed the emotions that I felt over that year as well as him turning one.  From that grew a tradition and each child now has a sealed letter for each of their birthdays which are stored in their memory boxes.  My hope is that they will enjoy reading them when they are old enough and that they will be kept as treasure of who they are, where they came from and just how much they were and are loved on the anniversaries of their births.
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As you can see just from these questions, Erin is a sweet and thoughtful Mom and has a wonderful family. Thank you Erin for sharing with all of us, some of the special things you do for your family and how you make a difference every day!