Tales From the Grocery Store

The grocery store seems to be the testing grounds of my parenting skills. It's where my kids put all of their bad behaviors out on display and it has become a place of dread for me.

I think the big chains have recognized this and so they have tried to make their stores mom friendly offering free cookies, donuts, t.v. carts, car carts, bench carts, and even penny pony rides. And yet, there are days when even a live pony pulling my cart couldn't save me and my kids from disaster.

Today it was my fault. The clock clearly read nap time and still I had to squeeze a trip into Meijer (our mega grocery store). What was I thinking? It's the Friday of Memorial Day weekend! So there I was in a packed out parking lot with no make-up, "humid" hair, and 2 crabby kids...and this is before we entered the store. Somehow we survived the trip. I bribed the kids with an ice cream cone and there were only a few instances of me calling out numbers while strangers looked at me like I was nuts. "That's 1"...."That's 2"...."That's 3!!!!!!!!"

Just when I thought I was the only overwhelmed mother in the store, I spy another mom. She's got the bench cart with 2 kids on the bench and a baby in the front of the cart. Her cart is 1/2 full and you can tell that she's trying to make it before the kids hit melt down. Now, if you've driven one of those carts you know it's like driving an 18 wheeler and you need plenty of room and speed to swing it around to the next aisle. She rounds the corner at full speed hoping to make the turn to the next aisle. What she can't see, I can, and that is another bench cart fully loaded with 3 kids powered by another mom hitting top speed and ready for the turn. My mouth dropped into a "oh, no!" just as they collided. Both moms were visibly shaken by the crash but all 6 kids were unharmed. Both moms were also clearly embarrassed by their cart skills or rather lack of... I had a good chuckle and before you think I'm mean, it wasn't at them. I offered the 2 moms a smile saying, "Slow it down ladies. We all need to get out of here before nap time." In that single moment we clicked. I love that about fellow moms. we are all in the trenches and we're all in this together.

Things I Love Thursday: Coffee Mate

First off, do you really think that Coffee Mate is sending me any free product for this post...ahhhh, no. They know when they have lifelong addict. So my opinions have only been swayed by the fact that I wake up jonesin' for the stuff every morning.

There was one unfortunate morning that I woke up *gasp* with no Coffee Mate in the house. My husband, bless his heart, sets up the coffee maker for me when he leaves for work so that all I have to do is stumble out of bed and push a button. I know, he's Mr. Wonderful! I woke up that particular morning, shuffled my way into our kitchen, saw my husband's act of love (coffee people...) and just about cried when I remembered that I used the last drops of that fantastic mix of chemicals and faux flavor creamer the day before. I posted a note on fb thinking that surely someone would understand my pain and went on with my morning. I survived but not happily as I dressed the kids, got one on the bus, and started tidying up the place.

The amazing thing is that there exists a Coffee Mate fairy! Somewhere around 10:00 my door bell rang and there she was, dressed in a darling little cotton dress with a smile that went from ear to ear, with a bottle of Coffee Mate in her outstretched hand. I swear I saw a bright light behind her and heard angels singing. This all goes to illustrate my post from yesterday, Friends don't let friends mother alone.

I love Coffee Mate and I LOVE LOVE Coffee Mate fairies!

This post is a part of THings I Love Thursday hosted by The Diaper Diaries

Friends Don't Let Friends Mother Alone

Moms need friends. We need friends to vent to and tell us when it's time to be quiet and suck it up (I can't even type "shut-up" let alone say it). We need friends to stand along side in the tough times and take us out for a girls night in the good times. We need friends to share the mile markders with and cry with when the mark seems too high. Friends understand, listen, and encourage. They will talk recipies, breast feeding, poop in the bathtub (kid poop...do I really need to clarify?!), where to find the deal, and everything and anything in between. When I reflect on my journey as a mother, I'm amazed at how much of it is defined by my friends.

Reaching out to friends can take some courage. I was recently on fb and saw a post from a friend that is distanced from me in miles and years gone by. She was frustrated, hurt, and ready to hang the towel. I was thrilled to see how many people in her fb community reached out to her to offer a note of encouragement or some practical help. It made me feel good about the human race and it got me thinking about a phrase I recently heard, "Friends don't let friends mother alone". It's sassy and oh so true!

My girlfriends love me in ways that I couldn't live without and my heart is just bubbling over with gratitude and praise for them today. They are my sisters from another mister. I feel secure knowing that they are only a phone call away. If I'm having one of those days, they will swoop in with a hug, a play date, or anything else I need. They are a gift from God and I don't mean that in a trite, stitch it on a pillow way. They are tangible proof that I have a God who provides for my every need, even my need for freindshhip.

If you are feeling lonely in mothering, it's time to run up the flag for help. Deposit some time and words into your current friendships reminding your friends how much they mean to you. Ask people clearly for what you need....be bold. Plug yourself into a community that can support you like your church or a local mom's group. Six years ago, I signed up for a MOPS group that was operating out of my church. I found friends and mentor moms to build supportive and encouraging friendships with. Shameless plug: MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is where I recently read that tag line, "Friends don't let friends mother alone". I also joined a Bible study that offered fantastic childcare to my kids while I was able to go deep in the word of God with other women who became bosom buddies.

So, I declare today as the day to give thanks for the friends you have and the day to search for teh friends that you need!

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
-Walter Winchell

Book Review: I Am Hutterite

I received a copy of the book I Am Hutterite for review recently from the publisher Thomas Nelson. I was intrigued by the book's cover photo and the idea of learning about the Hutterite community through a memoir.

I found the beginning of this book to be far from a page turner. The author attempts to retell the story of generations before her. I experienced a strong disconnect between myself and the text. I found the timeline hard to follow and the voice of the author lost in the pieces of narrative that she has tried to piece together.

The memoir really begins to take shape almost a third of the way into the story, as the author retells her personal story growing up in a Hutterite community. The stories and tales offer glimpses into an otherwise private community. I was fascinated to read about the Hutterite traditions of marriage, parenting, and even the mundane daily tasks. The author takes the reader through the small joys of daily living, a deep tragedy suffered by the family, and through the many conflicts of living in community. The reader follows this family as they leave the Hutterite community and make their own way into living and functioning as a family apart from the Hutterite community. The author, in many ways, shares her deep desire to recapture her Hutterite memories and ways of life as she tells her life after the family's exile.

The author is able to strike a chord of resonance in her audience by revealing how deeply ingrained a person's childhood circumstance and family is into one's identity. While my childhood greatly differs from one growing up Hutterite, it seems clear to me that I am in some way defined by my parents, siblings, church, and childhood experiences. I believe the book's greatest impact comes in the epilogue where the author writes, "The Hutterite culture has defined me in ways that can never be erased. In my heart, I will always remain a Hutterite."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Winner: CSN $40 Giveaway

And we have a winner...

Jennifer of Studio JRU. Congrats Jennifer and happy shopping!

Jennifer has a website where she sells beautiful and inspiring art...be sure to click on over!I personally love this....

Random Car Sighting

So this has nothing to do with anything and while I promised myself to keep the word "random" out of my blog posts, there is no other word to describe this...



What you are looking at here, is a car whose owner has crossed some line, some boundary, something. Yes, those are 2 deer mounted onto the back of his car. No, I do not know if they are fake but they are mechanized (is that the right word even?!) so that they talk. Their lower jaw moves up and down and the 2 deer appear to have some sort of conversation. I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying because my 2kids were going nuts in the backseat. I meanwhile, was digging frantically through my purse, finding my camera so that I could capture this moment. Note the hats....snazzy!

So the guy driving the car appeared normal but who does this? And my answer is this...either the guy has no kids to chase around, feed, clothe, bathe... Or, he had a few too many kids and they drove him crazy and driving this.

Random!

Cozy Coupeless

First off...do you have yourself signed up for the giveaway? Scroll down to the May 13 post and leave a comment already!

Secondly, I'm cozy coupeless. It's a new stage of life and I'm adjusting. Once again, I know, it's silly. It's the first time in 6 years that we haven't owned a cozy coupe. A friend was having a garage sale and well, there's only so much bikes and scooters, and big wheels that should be permitted in one household, so I sold it. And now,...I'm cozy coupeless.

I guess in the scheme of things, it's not like I'm sending my first born off to college but still, it's another marker. I guess I just have to tell myself what I say to my kids, "we say goodbye to old things so that we can say hello to some new ones".