O Christmas Tree, Our Christmas Tree

There is a song by Michael McLean about how this woman cries when she takes her Christmas tree down, for the memories and the season have come and gone.  The song is a bit too sappy for me to remember any more than the first line of the chorus, but perhaps it is because I can relate to it.  For I am very attached to our Christmas Tree.

Even if it is a sad little Charlie Brown Tree, Christmas does not seem to have the full effect without a tree. I can remember as a child hanging little wooden ornaments on our fake tree which seems huge at the time, and also sitting in the dark living room, illuminated only by the soft glow of the lights.  We had a little plug-in device that when pushed would pulse the lights to Christmas songs. Those simple memories are some of my most prized childhood experiences, just to name a few. 


Our tree has a bit o' history to it, however.I acquired this tree many years ago whilst single from my awesome aunt Patti.  It is a fiber-optic tree so when you plug it in, has a beautiful sparkly effect, encapsulating the shimmer and magic of the season. 

The ornaments are mostly original, but we have added our sentimental pieces through the years. 
The best items on our tree are the picture ornaments we take each year.  Royal started this tradition our first married Christmas and each year we take a picture of our family, and hang it on the tree.  It is one of my favorite traditions we have.

So, now that we have two kids, I am just thankful that our tree is still intact. I now get to sit in the embers of our tree with my children and make more memories of this special moment.  Sure, the top tilts forward in a 10 degree incline and the once symmetrically placed balls are placed in a disheveled matter within the unlaced ribbon strands, but to me, it's still OUR tree, and it truly makes our Christmas bright. 

The Leaves are falling Down

Just in time for Thanksgiving, wanted to share something awesome about the season-















crunchy leaves on the ground!

















Happy Holidays!

It All works out in the Wash *(My grandma always says)

I just have to say,
that I noticed my last post was 5 weeks ago.
That I have had several "Posts To-Do" that I have even written on my "To -Do" list.
All of which are very clever and insightful and delightful.
But today I about had a crazy moment.

I love my children. Dearly. They bring me the absolute utmost joy.
But today I felt like a horrible mother, nay, a horrible person for the way I treated them.
I had so much to do, and even prayed that I would be a good mother through it.
But eventually I had to ask Royal to give me an hour alone when he got home.

Sadly, I didn't spend that time meditating, or shopping or even being alone.
I spent it trying to work with some Young Women that have been off the radar.
I don't know why I chose to do that, but I do know that I prayed for some opportunities
to help these girls.
And maybe that's why everything happened the way it did.
I made contact. It was good.
And then, I came home, and kissed my husband and
looked in my beautiful girl's eyes
and rocked my baby to sleep.
It turned out to be a good day after all.

It was a Good One

Other than the weather giving us an uncharacteristically warm September, all other signs have pointed that summer has come to an end. Here is a bit of our season in recap:


Grant wore out his shoes














We made Truck Pool again!














We went to a few cabins,



















We did lots of swimming,




























We enjoyed dozens and dozens of popsicles,
















and played outside with our friends.















Although we are looking forward to new seasons and future holidays, we truly had a WONDERFUL summer! Hope yours was grand!

In the Morning. . .

What does 7:00 AM mean?

10 years ago: ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz. . .

7 years ago: Did I really just go to bed 3 hours ago? Oh, well, better get ready to go to class.

3 years ago: Man, gotta shower, how much time till work?

1 year ago: These cute kids are cutting into my beauty sleep.

Today: Sweet, I was actually able to use the treadmill and get a shower before the kids are up.

Disclaimer: Actions represented in the "Today" section may or may not happen everyday. Subject to multiple conditions and actual comfort of bed.

So, now I'm curious as to what the future will bring to me at 7 in the morning.

Moments That Matter Most

Just wanted to share a little pick-me-up with you. This is beautifully shot, and a great reminder to what we need to do in life. It shares a great spirit!

Purpose

We have been having a lot of rain lately. I am a lover of the rain. It is fresh and pure, and can bring a "newness" to the world. But when you have 2 kids romping inside all day, it can be a bit burdensome. Typically it has made me feel a bit soggy, and hoping that it would clear up. That is, until I planted my garden.



Suddenly the rain played an important role in my endeavor. No longer was it an invisible wall to our fun, it was now a necessary enrichment to the little plants I am hoping to benefit from in the future. I have not needed to provide water for my little tomatoes, they have been naturally nourished, as it should be.



This experience has made me wonder-- what else in my life am I feeling "burdened" by, that I have really just neglected to find its purpose. What am I putting up with, that I could actually find value in. I think it can be metaphor to any adversity we face. Are we just "enduring", or do we find the value of the experience while we are still in it. And that's when I began to see, a different kind of newness that the rain can provide.

Food Snobs

When we go shopping, our purchases usually focus around the products that are the least expensive. Great Value is the "name brand" that typically resides in our cupboards because we have found that you barely notice a difference. . . in MOST things. There are a few things out there that we just need to have a specific brand of. The reproduction of that food is not even worth masticating. Here is a list of things that we do not skimp on at our house:

*Oreo's








*home cooked tortillas (thanks, Custers. . . I can't go back to precooked.)








*Cheetos (crunchy, please!)










*Crunch Berries (I practically lived on these while pregnant with Grant)










*Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce










*Cinnamon Toast Crunch










*Hidden Valley Ranch

This, by the way, is an unfinished list, and I will undoubtedly add to it, as we remember the food necessities that we like to have in our life.






So. . . . , are you a food snob about anything?

Dear (month of) April,

Remember when you represented birds singing, flowers blooming, beautiful pastels, and the ushering in of warm weather and sandals. Please return to that.

Signed,
Usually love the snow, but this is getting old

A Mother's Creed

I,
Da'nelle Robins,

do solemnly swear,
that as a mother
I . . .

• Relinquish the rights to a full, uninterrupted shower, unless taken after 10 PM
• Will no longer wear black
• Will reach into a baby's mouth to retrieve any small object he/she may have found
• Give up a consistent night's sleep for the next 2-5 years. I will instead compensate it with 2-3 blocks of sleep intertwined with 5 minute accidental naps during the day
  
• Will comb and style my daughter's hair even though she will undoubtedly take it out on the way to somewhere important
• Eat my meals only after I have prepared, cut up, and fed my children first. I understand that doing so will generally leave my own food cold and required to be consumed quickly.
• catch vomit with my hand and wipe disgusting messes from all parts of my children's bodies
• will learn how to walk, cook and do Pilates with baby weight* (*baby weight is the weight of a child that holds on to you wilst trying to move or do exercises)
• must learn to sacrifice my way of life, my pride, my selfish wants, and take every opportunity available to teach a principle about what is happening
• Willingly allow my patience, nerve and personal space to be tested to the utmost degree

In return, I will. . .
receive more joy, love and happiness that I could ever have known to be possible.

Signed, Da'nelle Robins

Mothers Who Know

I found this awesome video about being a mother, and since that is 95% of my day; it really touched me. I just love Sister Beck and how timeless her words are. I hope you can recognize her message and become inspired through it.

It is about 8 minutes long, so watch it when you can sit down and appreciate it.

P.S. You may need tissues

Naked Baby Walking

Last month Grant decided he wanted to start walking. He had some great attempts during the day, but always looked like a drunken sailor as he wobbled across the floor.
One night while getting ready for bed, he took off in his official white trash uniform. For some reason, it really helped him as he was able to move so freely and unencumbered.

Only to add to his success was the assistance of a one-handed pink stroller push.

These photos are going to come in real handy in the future, right about the time he starts thinking he's too cool for mom!

So without further adieu, here is: Naked Baby Walking.

Creativity Burnout

Being a mom has really shown me a new way of living in real life. To maintain sanity, sometimes you have to be a little creative. Now to my credit, I have been a school teacher, so I know how to make mundane things seem interesting. This skill has come in very helpful as a mom. For example:

Not Creative: Lucy, stop!
Creative: Lucy, I can tell you are going to be a good soccer player, but please don't kick your brother's head.

Not Creative: What the. . gross!
Creative: Grant, thanks for helping us get our money's worth out of these diapers by filling them to maximum capacity.

Not Creative: Lucy, get your clothes on, NOW!
Creative: Lucy, let's use some of that energy and you can bunny hop right into your pants here.

Not Creative: C'mon, buddy!
Creative: Grant, it sure is fun to find your Cheerio landmines on the ground- that explosive crunch keeps me on my toes!

If you have ever read the book "Just Go to Bed" by Mercer Mayer, I think he portrays it very well. Here the dad is trying to be patient and creative with his little Critter, but by the end he's having a bit of creativity burnout.

This is why I think moms have a creativity outlet of their own. Whether its scrap booking, crafting, cooking, blogging, running, preschool, or whatever else, they just need something to refuel their creative juices after being squeezed dry during the hours. So whatever it may be for you- carry on faithful soldier- and make it a good one!

Home Accessories

Soooooo, do you ever wonder if sometimes you are the one who owns the children's furniture. . .


. . . or that they actually own you?


This isn't what I anticipated when I planned out my home decor.

Oh well, I am sure it is just a phase that will pass,

in like 10 more years.

I think it was stated best by an actor in the TV Show "Men of a Certain Age" who once said, "One day you wake up and your tripping over tricycles and your house smells like poo." You said it, buddy!

The Neverending Cycle

Dear Da'nelle,
In behalf of all of your home flooring, I would like to thank you for mopping me (about) once a week. Even if it only stays in that condition for a matter of hours. It could sadly even be measured in minutes. Anyways, thanks for trying.

Sincerely, Your kitchen floor

P.S. The bathrooms would like to speak with you next

How to Have a Lion Party

Upon Lucy's request, we had a Lion Party for her 3rd birthday. You can do the same, just do the following:

1. Make a Lion cake (this one looked good, tasted gross.)












2. Make lion hats for the kids (unfortunately 2 "cubs" were sick)












3. Have an adorable 3-year old who is just learning what birthdays are all about.












You know- cake and presents.
(P.S. This photo brings back so many of my Pony memories!)












We love you , Lucy!

My Wardrobe

My sweet mother in law took me for a well needed clothes shopping trip for Christmas. It did however, make me realize the evolution of my wardrobe in the past 5 years.

Remember when I had the professional desk job at UVSC? Yep, that was me- fun, stylish, current. I matched my shoes to my bag, and had several to choose from (both shoes and bags.) I was embellished in scarves, dangling earrings, and bracelets and had no problem with those darling 4 inch strappy heels around the office. My hair was always coiffed into an elegant or sassy 'do, I loved perfume and Clinique products, and was willing to try a new fashion just for the hey of it. Loved it.




Enter my school teaching years. Well, I still tried to stay fashionable, but due to the excessive amounts of bending, kneeling and walking, walking, walking, I had to trade in the high heels for conservative "teacher shoes." Oh, I got the cutest ones I could find, but when you are hauling a ginormous bag of math papers and spelling lists in addition to your computer, purse, lunch, and any other scholastic project at hand, you just have to give a bit. By this time I felt pretty set for the day if I had earrings AND a necklace on. Not to mention that I now had 1 child and my lack of energy was apparent in my limited hairstyles.



Then I became. . .the PE teacher, nay a PREGNANT PE teacher. Don't get me wrong, it was a pretty sweet gig for a pregnant lady, but I couldn't put on my stinky sneakers and ratty ole' workout clothes for the kids. So I was once again lead to purchasing a new wardrobe. This was tricky- I couldn't wear the same thing every day, but getting huge workout clothing is kind of an oxymoron. Thanks to Danskin, I was able to get some decent pieces, within my size range (fortunately I don't get too huge during pregnancy) and was able to be "presentable" day by day. Oh, I did wear my stinky old sneakers by the way and my hair specialty this time--long bangs and a ponytail. (um, sorry, I couldn't find a picture of me teaching soccer in a mu-mu.)




Okay, so now I have arrived at: Stay at Home mom. The phrase along can conjure a wide array of images that we all know too well. For me it turned into the mismatched, leftover, overused, underutilized outfits of yesteryear. I am trying to reinvent my style while still being frugal and functional. By now I have two categories of outfits: 1)Going out of the house and 2) Staying in. I think it's self explanatory. Although I do now have a little more time for hairstyles and jewelry, my focus is on purchasing anything that will survive spit-up on one shoulder and boogies on the other. 2 words: Machine Washable.

So needless to say, thanks for the clothes, Robyn.