I know it is tricky, but come ON!

 

 

 

 

Clearly some barista in Delaware does not read my blog.

 

Finding the joy

 

 

I find that it is easy to lose the joy in motherhood.

I can quickly be caught up in the “have tos”; errands, dry cleaning, post office, making a meal, serving a meal, cleaning up a meal, laundry, folding laundry, putting away laundry, wiping counters, wiping noses, wiping bottoms (repeat).

And before I know it I have lost sight of the fact that, HOLD ON, PEOPLE! 

I don’t have to work outside the home.

I can stay in my sweats all day. 

I get to devote my ENTIRE DAY to people that I love the most: my husband and children.  Almost everything I do directly benefits my family. 

I can take these children and do whatever I want for a day! 

That is pretty freakin’ amazing, am I right?

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So on Monday night, after another long bedtime battle with Joseph, I was laying in bed “talking” to Brian (no, just kidding, I WAS actually talking. Ha!) and saying,

“I just want to go do something fun!  I really just feel like I need to get out of this house where I can stop looking at all of the messes and have a good time!”

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I was stil lso torn about the things that I SHOULD be doing on Tuesday, our fridge was bare, Joseph had his Little Gym class, etc.  So I deliberated and deliberated and deliberated and then

Cancelled everything, threw some stuff in a laundry basket that I hauled out to the van, slapped together some PB&H’s , and drove my kiddos to the beach!

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The kids were naked almost the whole time (we were the only people on the beach for the whole 3 hours we were there!)

they got filthy and soaking wet

they played with sticks and rocks and shells

We laughed

I froze my toes off in the Atlantic

I sat in the sand and watched my happy, naked, sandy babies

                                       

I built a sandcastle and watched Isaac laugh his fool head off every time he smashed it. (video coming as soon as I can edit-out my little Joseph-streaker!)

In other words I was present.

I was soaking it in.

I was JOYFUL!

It was just what I needed.

 

Haven’t you heard?

 

 

 

The Flash

 

 

is totally

 

the new Batman.

 

I think I should be able to find a few for free

(unrelated picture, but I couldn’t resist.)

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A few of you have mentioned that I forgot to post about the big playgroup gathering I hosted a few weeks ago! YIKES! 

Sorry about that. 

In my defense, I still haven’t even posted about Christmas really. 

…Wait, how is that in my defense?  Oh well, it’s late.

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I suppose the main reason I forgot to post about it is that…well.. nothing much happened.

A lot of ladies came, their kids played, Joseph hid until the last 15 minutes, there was a good group of moms from many different countries, we chatted, ate, they left, and I still have a sticky living room floor from some Apple Juice Fountains.

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The ladies were very nice (and I decided that I am not telling any of them about this blog! Muahahahaha!  That way I can tell you everything, my pretties!), but there were no shocking incidents to tell you about, no awkward slips of the tongues, etc.

Which is pretty surprising, because the first time that I went to a Meetup gathering, (same group, but different moms attended), it started off with a real zinger!

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A woman came up to me and asked how old Joseph was.  I replied ‘Three” and she said, “Oh yes, my son is 3 too.  Sometimes don’t you just want to PUNCH THEM IN THE FACE?!” (Insert wild gesticulations)

Hold up.

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First of all, no.  I haven’t really ever wanted to punch Joseph in the face, per se.

I have wanted to lock myself in the bathroom for the day,

I have wanted to tape his mouth closed,

I have wanted to send him off on the next plane to Portland to live at his Grandmothers’ houses (Hi mom!  Hi maureen!  Care to raise a spirited 3 year old? )

But I wouldn’t really choose “punching in the face” as my first descriptor word.

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Secondly, I am all for complaining about your children to your family or friends. (or the entire blogging universe. Hello!!)

I have been known to say that there are days that I want to stab myself in the eye with a fork with boredom, for example.

Or, when I have gone through a particular bad sleeping spell with Joseph (try the last 3 years and 5 months), and I am exhausted and at my wits end,  I may have told my mom that I wish that I could somehow spank him to sleep.

But, as a general rule, I think that should be something that you work up to, not an opening line to a person you just met.

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So, anyways, I was kind of hoping to meet some real crazies that I could tell you all about here.

Alas, they were just normal, nice women.

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Which brings me to my next topic,

No real progress on the “new friend” front.

There are several women that I like so far, but with lots of meetups during naptimes, I haven’t been able to see a consistent group of people often enough to take it to the next level of “friend.”

Brian helpfully suggested that the internet is a big place, and that there had to be a website where I could BUY a friend!

So sweet!

He did follow it up by saying that whomever I bought would be very lucky and end up really enjoying being my friend despite needing to take my money.

So, I think maybe he was flirting?

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Well, that’s a wrap folks!

I seem to be rambling and I am 98% sure that Brian has fallen asleep on the couch, which means that I can get some good quality snore-free zzzzs in before he realizes it and joins me!

Ooooh, the ROMANCE!!

 

You GUYS!!

 

 

Awww… you GUYS!  I have 50 followers now?!?!  Wow!  Thank you!

I wish I could reward you in some way by telling you something super interesting and funny.  But, there’s not much shaking around here.

Umm..well.. let’s see what I can rustle up.  Fun Facts!

- Well, the people who live across the street from us are currently, right this second, all sitting out in their driveway, a Greek flag nailed onto the garage door, roasting some kind of animal. (lamb? goat?) on a spit.  So, Happy Easter New Jersey style?

- Joseph cried and didn’t want to go to Sunday School today, so I let him sit in church with us, under the guidelines that he be REALLY quiet and play with his toys.  He proceeded to shush me any time I laughed at a joke the pastor made, tried to whisper something to him, or said “Amen.”

- I totally just sent Joseph to find Brian telling him that “Daddy LOVEs to play super heroes with you!  Go find him!”  Heheheheheheh.

- Speaking of Brian, this morning he started our Easter off by asking if I was going to be taking pictures.  When I replied that I was, he said “Shoot.  That means I have to put on pants.”  We are claaassy!

- Well, joke’s on me, because Joseph is back and apparently we are all playing Hi-Ho Cherry-o.  Kill me now.

Thanks again folks!  50 of you like me, and that is pretty great.  Do I hear 100?  You can have 5 more fun facts!!

Happy Easter!!

 

My computer is back up and running, and I will rejoin the blogging world tomorrow!

In the meantime, enjoy your holiday!!

 

(Don’t worry, I gave him one!)

He makes me so tired.

 

 

(But oh, how I love him!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(yelling “HELLO!”)

Joseph’s DC Pictures

 

Completely unedited, taken at the park in front of the White House!

(For the record, I always make him wear the wrist strap, and he is only allowed to photograph when he is standing on grass or some other soft material.)

(Also for the record, after every picture, he always says “That’s a good one! or “Awww…CUTE!”)

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