Friday quote

When I find a good quote, I like to repost it. There are so many ups and downs when parenting. It's so hard to remember your sweet little baby when he's balling his head off for an hour. Or when your almost 3 year old has a tantrum. I do my best, as every parent does, I'm sure. You just have to roll with it I guess!

I wanted to share a few pics of my sweet FIVE month old baby, and my silly 2 year old. I really love them!

Oh....here's that quote. It's pretty much the truth. I need to remember it all the time!

"My attitude shapes my children’s behavior. More than any other variable, it is my attitude that calls the shots.”

My Heaven on Earth

I found this picture I took at Black Star Farms a year or so ago, and fixed it up a bit. I'm going to frame it and hang it somewhere in our house. I just love it. Beautiful horse, beautiful barn, beautiful vineyards.

My sweet tooth

Good gracious. I have SUCH a sweet tooth, and it needs to be pulled out!

I recently joined the new up and coming 'thing' on the world wide web; Pinterest. It's basically a big old pile of stuff, like recipes, fashion, pictures, decorating ideas, and whatever else you can think of. You can share and "pin" items that you like. It's pretty much pointless, but I have seen some pictures and recipes of things I really, really, really need to make. Well, not really, because they're full of butter and sugar, and all things deeeelicious.

I do figure it's better that I just look at all of these recipes instead of actually making and eating them. If I had super metabolism, I would eat cookies,cake, ice cream, bars, and candy for every meal. But, I don't. I have van Baal genes (No offense, Dad. I'm proud to have them! Usually...).

I do find in general though, I love to bake. I love baking more than I like cooking, and this is the first problem. My husband is also addicted to cookies and needs a daily snack; kind of like my 2 year old son. Hehehe. So, what's a good wife and mom to do? Just not make any sweet treats ever?! That would make me a very mean lady. And I just can't do that.

I did find a recipe on Pinterest though, that I will most certainly be making very soon. It only had 5 ingriedients! Here is the recipe so you can share in my very sweet tooth.

http://www.notrachaelray.com/2011/09/27/5-ingredient-mm-peanut-butter-bars/

"I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert."

Boys should be Boys

I have started reading a book called, "Boys Should Be Boys". It's by the same author as a book I read last winter about things that make you a better mother. I figured I should read a book about raising boys, since I am not a boy and don't know anything about them. Besides that they like trucks, food, and girls. Hmm. So anyways, I'm about half way through this book so far, and I am finding it to be very interesting, thoughtful, and eye opening. It is a geared a little more towards raising the teenage boy, but this is something I will need to be prepared for in a few years anyways. The book is constantly reinforcing that our boys are being bombarded by bad media, bad influences, and poor parents. I'd have to agree. Not only is this happening to boys, but girls as well. The author is a pediatrician and has seen her fare share of boys throughout their growing up years. She stresses the need for parents to always be present, vigilent, and understanding. Apparently, boys develop emotionally early, but things like common sense and maturity are later.....like early twenties. Interesting....eh? That explains alot...he,he, he!

Last night I read a chapter titled, "A Mother's Son". The chapter is about the effect mothers play in their son's lives. The first paragraph hit me like a ton of bricks. It goes like this:

" Beneath the ethereal joy a mother feels at the first sight of her son lies a nugget-sized ache wrapped in fear. Her infant son needs her. She loves him unconditionally. But she also feels the ache of knowing that he will grow into a man and leave, and one day belong to another. She will protect, adore, and nuture this tiny boy until he becomes a man, and then the ache will feel overwhelming. As a man he will leave, and life as mother will never be the same for her. From the moment she clings, she prepares herself ever so slowly for the eventual release."

I wish this wasn't so true, but it is. It's so strange because I really did/do feel this way. I knew since the day my boys were born that our relationship will forever be special, but this time where they are completely mine is very, very fleeting. It brings a tear to my eye. On the other hand though, I am proud and looking forward to raising two boys into men of character, faith, strength, and love. At least I hope to do this.

By they way....I need a daughter at some point. I will keep going until I get one. ;)

"A daughter is a daughter for life. A son is a son until he takes him a wife."