Valentine

valentine

Valentine

I am re-posting this for the very reason I talk about in the post!

valentineAhhh, Valentine’s Day..That’s my day, right? Having a last name of “Valentine” certainly has pressures and expectations every year on Feb 14th. I always have intentions of making the “big day” the BEST of the year. Certainly a ‘Valentine’ child should bring valentine cards filled with all the bells and whistles to put in all of the little classmates elaborately decorated boxes…Um, how about 10 year old cards found in a drawer with a lame piece of candy taped to the card. Thankfully, my children know the drill year after year and are happy as can be about it. The problem is this– the day sneaks up on me and before I know it, I’m too late! (It doesn’t help that tax season is starting to heat up about then). Put it this way, your Valentine’s Day is probably a lot more spectacular than mine. The kids didn’t even have milk for their cereal. I tried to hide my “fault” by approaching my husband saying, “let’s not give anything to each other this Valentine’s.” He confessed to me later that our youngest son, Luke, had confided in him that I was feeling guilty because I didn’t get anything for his dad…

Earlier Years, Fat Pants

fat pants

Earlier Years, Fat Pants

fat pantsI’ve been thinking about the years when my children were younger. There is a bit of longing for those little bitty ones that made me laugh and cry! Baby Luke was really quiet for one of his naps. When I opened up the door, he had stuffed all of his pants with clothes and called them fat pants. He brought them into the living room and lined them up. I have no idea where he came up with that…ha! It’s interesting how we tend to long for what has passed or what is yet to come. Somewhere along the way we need to convince ourselves that now is pretty great too.

Parent Payback

parent payback
parent payback

parent payback

Parent Payback

Every once in a while, don’t you just bask in the parent payback?  Sometimes it doesn’t come around as much as I would like it to!  But, if you are lucky it may come. I was reading through some of my old journal entries and found one that almost made me giggle. My little pre-teen can be quite volatile in his moods these days and will act like I pretty much just bug him. This is what he said to me about a year and a half ago, “Mom, I feel bad for kids that don’t have you for a mom, don’t you?”  I am hoping that maybe, possibly, hopefully he still feels that on occasion:).

Children Bedtime Rituals

Children bedtime rituals

Children Bedtime Rituals

Children bedtime rituals

You’ve heard it time and again, but it’s true…!  The children don’t stay little long and before you know it, they’ve flown the coup.  Embrace the time you have with your little ones.  That’s easy to say and much harder to do as you deal with 2 and 3 year old antics. Yet, continue to tell yourself, it IS worth it. Consider some bedtime rituals. My older children have told me they especially loved the nights after the lights were out, when I would go in, lie on their bed and just talk with them.  Actually, I mostly listened and let them pour out their little hearts to me.  There is something about that time of night, lights out, alone with mom that really gets them talking. I found that the children wanted this ritual even as they got older. They really enjoyed when I would take turns asking each of them (if more than one child was in the room) the same question such as “What was the funniest thing that happened to you today?”  “What would you love to have for dinner if you could have anything?” “Do you know my mom and dad’s name?” “Tell me the name of two continents.” “Would you rather me scratch your back, play with your hair, or rub your feet?” But mostly they just wanted to talk about their day.

First Attempt at Poetry

Poem

PoemHmmm, so I’ve had a few requests for more of my writing attempts…And I mean ATTEMPTS!! So, I guess I will throw another piece out there. This poem was written in the winter when I was longing for heat.

Trapped

Laying still and warm

Beneath scorching suns harm.

My mind is sagging,

Senses drift languidly.

Pictures swim fluidly

On my mind’s stage,

Images dash away

With stark screeches of play.

Roughness beneath me warm

And hard felt, then forgotten.

Consciousness drifts among

Clouds in azure sky.

Pool water lapping near,

Shimmering diamonds

The sparkling scatters with

Plunging bodies.

Swirling around me

Chirping voices, life, buzzing

Heat radiates up

Lulling me further.

Images and sound knock about

Shooting crazy half dreams

Through me,

Swimming and colliding.

Children squeal

I hear them, but don’t.

My body is heavy, sinking

Concrete digs into me unaware

Captive in sleep

Heat caressing, trapped in,

Water spits cold shock

I leap to awareness.

--Julie Valentine

Embarrassed

Embarrassed

EmbarrassedI was incredibly embarrassed the other day. I’m certain my face turned 5 shades of red…As I was signing up the children for Barnes and Nobles’ book club, I could not think of the years of my children’s births!!!!! I was standing there forever trying to figure out the year! The clerk was FLOORED! Brain freezes happen, but did it have to happen with THAT? Finally, very very flustered, I said, “Well, I have 11 kids and there are more important things to remember…” then I booked it out of there….red face and all. Sigh…Please tell me moments like that aren’t mine alone!

My disclaimer is the fact that I am a mother of 11 children. Yes, I birthed them all myself. Hope that will cut me a little slack…

Body Language

Body Language

Body LanguageBody language says it all…almost.

Experts say that if you took 100 % of the communication we receive:

7 % of communication is ‘received’ by words

38 % of communication is ‘received’ by sounds

55 % communication is ‘received’ by body language

That is huge!! How are people reading you? It makes me want to stop and consider what body language I am using as I interact with my children,  and for that matter my husband. Could I be giving signals I didn’t intend? To be an engaged parent it takes A LOT of listening.

Do you ever catch yourself doing the blank stare after a 15 minute monologue from one of the children about something they love, which you may not (like Pokémon or superheroes)? I think I will try to do a little more POSITIVE body language these days. Notice those around you. We are all quite masterful at our body language communication.Body Language

 

Valentine

valentine

valentineValentine

Ahhh, Valentine’s Day..That’s my day, right? Having a last name of “Valentine” certainly has pressures and expectations every year on Feb 14th. I always have intentions of making the “big day” the BEST of the year. Certainly a ‘Valentine’ child should bring valentine cards filled with all the bells and whistles to put in all of the little classmates elaborately decorated boxes…Um, how about 10 year old cards found in a drawer with a lame piece of candy taped to the card. Thankfully, my children know the drill year after year and are happy as can be about it. The problem is this– the day sneaks up on me and before I know it, I’m too late! (It doesn’t help that tax season is starting to heat up about then). Put it this way, your Valentine’s Day is probably a lot more spectacular than mine. The kids didn’t even have milk for their cereal. I tried to hide my “fault” by approaching my husband saying, “let’s not give anything to each other this Valentine’s.” He confessed to me later that our youngest son, Luke, had confided in him that I was feeling guilty because I didn’t get anything for him.

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