Is there such a thing as Thursday Surf? :) Because I have some GREAT new reads for you!

Most recent post by Sparkle Mama is an incredible post about her and her families journey to financial freedom and inherent inability to feel stable in the moment. Following a financial program, they have ceased paying their mortgage and are paying off all their other debt. They are awaiting a short sale or foreclosure, and are now feeling like temporary guests in their own home, until they have a more concrete plan.

I can relate to that in-between feeling having experienced a foreclosure, as well as my 8 moves in 5 years! Ugh! , I hate it. The stress it causes makes me anxious, and NOT a happy person to be around. So what has Sparkle Mama done in order to feel more like she has a plan? She's pregnant!! :) Yayyyy!

Congratulations Sparkle Mama! 

Natural Parents Network just posted an ironic post (given my recent discussion on my preschooler), on Parenting the Spirited Preschooler. I LOVE LOVE LOVE, did I say LOVE?, the suggestions of checking diet, keeping to a schedule, toddler-wearing, and relating to your preschooler as ways to help with the 'spirited' behavior of a crazy toddler!

I, too, struggle with the discipline and "control" of my preschooler at home and in public when his energy takes over :) I am lucky in that my toddler is typically respectful and overall a good listener, but I was SO glad (and relieved that I wasn't the only one) to read this article!

What were your favorite reads this week?

Who has the time?! ... and other realities of Working Motherhood

It has clearly been far too long since I've been able to work AND get my kids where they need to go AND take care of said kids AND blog AND go to school. Just like any other mama, I struggle with the day to day responsibilities of family, work, home, activities, and maintaining my own sanity!

I am now the mama of an official preschooler. My little boy is too quickly becoming a little man! But wow, with the age of 4 comes a whole new set of issues; the 'why' finally dwindles, the tantrums get fewer and further between, and the ability to 'wait' increases by about 1 second. Now, I have found, comes the corrections, the specifications, and the absolute inability to focus for more than a half a second! o.m.g!

What I already find myself regretting, is my inability to properly function as a 'working mother' (who ISN'T a working mother, right?). My days off are spent catching up on cleaning, laundry, and attempting to spend time with kids. Baby A, inevitably, takes the majority of my time. My little koala.

My little Spiderman is a bit more self sufficient, but nonetheless wants to constantly barrade me with questions, watch an endless array of movies, play with action figures (which of course requires my presence lol), color, and create various 'projects' that do little except make a mess of my house.

On top of all of this of course, my husband and I share the responsibility of getting our teenager where she needs to go (usually in her original home town, which is about 40 minutes from where we currently live), and make minimal attempts at making sure our dog is still alive at the end of the day lol! And lastly, I am back in school- so there is homework. Ahhh, how I have missed homework (yes, I am a total dork).  Albeit it's certainly not as easy as it used to be- 3 kids, husband working typically 7 days a week, so no sitter, trying to read/write between naps, while trying to clean house, and spend quality time with the kids. Wowww...

So how do YOU make sure the potentially little time you spend with your kids is full of quality? And do you really think quality is better than quantity when it comes to spending time with your kids?

I am not so sure.

I had a little over six months as a SAHM after Baby A was born. Near the end of that, I was SO happy to go back to work. I wanted a life again. I wanted to be ME again, and not just 'baby A's mommy' or 'spidermans mommy'.  So now I've been ME again for about  nine months- and I'm not sure my kids are benefiting.

It's stressful trying to get everyone where they need to be, being on time (which to be honest, I never am), still not benefiting financially, and then feeling like I have NO time to actually spend with my kids- as in, spend WITH them... in the moment.  The quantity of in the moment parenting time can be what kids need most.

What are your thoughts?

Guest Post: September to Remember

Check out my guest post today over at Little Hearts (Gentle Parenting Resources) for her trip down memory lane in her September to Remember Series. Enjoy!

NNM Update

Given the recent break, I wanted to remind you of a couple features of our blog here at NNM;

-Be sure to check out the NurtureMe Store, which features products mentioned here on the blog.

-Check out some of our new 'buttons' down the sides of the blog- I only place ones I feel very strongly about and encourage you to check them out. Be sure to tell them NNM sent ya!

-If you haven't already, check out my latest guest post over at Spiritual Momma.


and, of course, find NNM on Twitter and Facebook

:)

Happy Summer!

Summer FUN! A Glimpse into my Month Off....

What have YOU been doing this summer? My little ones have been having a blast! Many a beach day here in Maine, and some fabulous birthday parties;

Spiderman and mama on his 4th Birthday

poolside fun with their BFFs

the Birthday BOY!

the birthday GIRLZZZ! Both 1 year old!

Sissy :)

She loved her new doggy!

cupcake coma at my niece's 4th birthday party!

in the pool with his new, what else, Spiderman toy! :)

I love living on the Seacoast!

No Baby A, napping face down in the sand is NOT a good idea :)

Spiderman, decked out for the sun on his friends boogie board!

too much salty sea air for Baby A :)

friends <3

why yes, when staying at a hotel, lollipops are apparently a perfectly acceptable breakfast option :P

Baby A and her new Baltic Amber Teething Necklace, compliments of Stork Organic Baby Boutique

Even the dog got in on the summer fun action!

and hubby too! <3

Tell me about YOUR favorite parts of summer.

Did you miss me??

What I expected to be a brief hiatus to catch my breath, turned into an overall blissful summer month with my kiddos! So while I apologize for the absolute LACK of blogging, what kind of mommy-blogger could I really claim to be if I didn't enjoy some much needed, much enjoyed, time with my kids.

So WHERE the heck was I??!

Well, our family dynamics have changed once again... in a GREAT way! While the circumstances surrounding the change were at first scary, and overall emotionally trying- we are SO happy and glad to announce that my beautiful stepdaughter, who we will call Sissy (as she is the big sister), has joined our home on a permanent basis! I know I speak for all of us when I say we could not be happier that she is with us all the time!

My Spiderman just ADORES her, and little baby A is thrilled to have some female support in the house! :)

But what on earth do I do with a teenager??! Lol

I will take any and all suggestions! As we quickly approach the coming school year, her Freshman year of high school, I am planning a Family Calendar and a chore board so that everyone feels equally useful and accountable in the house. We are saving up for school shopping ( a teenage girl can cost some serious bucks! lol Plus, little Spiderman starts Pre K, and Sissy is involved in many sports- cha ching!), and I am eagerly awaiting (like a total DORK) shopping for school supplies- my absolute FAVORITE (yes, I am a total dork) activity of all time!

Stepmoms are supposed to be scary, right?

Eek. I have never liked the term "stepmom". My thoughts immediately turn to Disney's Cinderella, Julia Roberts in the movie Stepmom, and every other cinematic evil portrayal of the "s-t-e-p-m-o-t-h-e-r". (shudder).

But luckily, my stepdaughter has a very involved and active mom, and I have fallen nicely into the essential role of "big sister"/ "mom when needed" lol. I am here for whatever she needs, but tend to side with her on a lot of issues (as her father and I's parenting styles are totally opposite), so she likes that- as you can imagine. :)

So now that she is a more permanent member of the home, does my role change? Am I giving enough attention to each child?  Does our routine change? 

I have found thus far, that no. Nothing changes. We just roll with the punches, and when you sit back, and watch/observe/welcome the little changes... everything will naturally fall into place. Everyone finds their place. Everyone feels important. Everyone feels loved.

How do you handle step parenting? Or any change in the family dynamic?

Mama, Are Ghosts Real? Welllll.....

I'm assuming my kid is like everyone else's, in that the questions keep coming. Some of which are normal, some bizarre, and some you wonder HOW they ever even thought of such things! But what about the questions where you feel like there is answer you should say, based on your own parenting experiences/books/advice from others, etc. but you find yourself saying something totally different.... and how do you make such responses age appropriate?


Several such experiences have happened recently, let me explain;

1. History: One of my little Spiderman's dogs passed away at his dad's house.
   Question: Mama, Nina lives in the sky now and I will never see her again.

So how do you respond??

Here's how our conversation ensued;

Mama; Well, that's not true exactly. When you die you go to Heaven, and you will see her again when you go to Heaven.

Spiderman: When will I go to Heaven?

Mama: Hopefully not for a long, long time.

Spiderman: If I went to Heaven, you would never see me again.

Mama: Well, I would see you when I went to Heaven. But hopefully you won't go to Heaven for a long, long time. Most people that go to Heaven are old.

Spiderman: Old like what?

Mama: Old like..... umm... dinosaurs.

Spiderman: Dinosaurs aren't people.

Mama: Ok, good point. Ummmm, old like.....

Spiderman: Old like Grampa (referring to my 60 year old father LOL) ??  :)


Ahhhh, gotta love 4 year olds!


Ok, next topic. Similar, although on a totally separate day.

2. History: Spiderman watches some cartoons that involve superheroes and other "bad guys" and other crazy, imaginary figures.
   Question: Mama, are ghosts real?

What would you say?

The voice inside me said "just say no. Simple. Conversation done. This is what you have been told a million times. "

Here is how the conversation ensued;

Mama: Well, some ghosts are real.

Spiderman: Why?

Mama: Because sometimes, before people go to Heaven, they still live on Earth for a while, but only some people can see them.

Spiderman: Are they good guys or bad guys?

Mama: Every ghost is different, you need to ask them if they're nice or not- just like you would when you met a new friend.

Spiderman: So it's ok that some of my friends are ghosts?

Mama: (hmmm, truth or imagination? Not sure, but just gonna go with it...) Yes.

Spiderman: Ok, cool. Thanks mom.


LOL! Again, out of the mouth of babes!


How do YOU handle the tricky questions?? And what are some of the tricky questions you've encountered?