Bear Hug Picture Time

Today as I took advantage of a day off, I realized it is so easy to get wrapped up in work and forget to sit back, laugh and live  to the fullest. So as the summer quickly approaches, I make a vow to stop, play on the slip and slide with my children more and never, ever be afraid to get a little dirty while making memories!

Photo Tip of the Weekend:
How did I get this picture? IF you do not know my 2 and 4 year old, then you would think they are just cute loving brother and sisters...right? You might be able to get pictures that way but I always say give your sibling a "bear hug" and a "tickle monster" when I want them to pose. NEVER, ever say those horrible words like "say cheese" or "smile please".

Also because it is super sunny here in Texas, I always put up my pop up umbrella off to the side of where we are going to "play"....yes it is all about thinking 2 steps ahead of toddlers!

Scared of rules no more!

This is my Mimi's (great grandmother) precious table. When I was growing up, it was in the "nice" living room and we were only allowed in there on Christmas. I am not sure who actually went in there any other time. This table originally had a big piece of glass on it (No, it is not on there now!) 

My kids love it. They call it their dancing table. No it doesn't match anything in my house so for now it will be our dancing and laughing table!

Oh my poor Mimi is turning in her grave for sure!

Scared of Forgetting People

I still have one of my great grandmother's Kleenexes in  a Ziploc bag so I can remember her smell. Today as I wore one of her shirts, I could remember her warm smile and her loving heart. Oh how I miss and love my Mimi. I wish you could just bottle up these things and keep them safe but in reality the only memory that can last forever is the one in my heart.  

Scared of Forgetting.

My kids do the cutest things. Now I sound like every other mom...of course,  my child is the first one to ever say or look that cute!! Heck, I have another blog that tracks their every movement. http://ourgreatestcatch.blogspot.com I also have about a million pictures of them doing everything from standing, crying, laughing. staring, reading, sitting on the toilet and sleeping. I also have hours upon hours of video. Yes I have a problem. Yet I do not want to forget one moment. They are all so unique and they all put a smile on my face and in my heart.

I found a few ideas of tracking their progress this new year. I will not lie, last year, I tried to take a picture every day. Taking a picture every day was not the problem, keep track of when I took a picture and then sharing it was the problem.  So then I found this...epic fail also due to note cards are easy for a toddler to resort for you.http://pinterest.com/pin/154459462189607400/  Then I thought about the a memory jar-http://pinterest.com/pin/154459462189649963/

As I was trying to make do,  I notice my grocery list pad would be the perfect fit. Somewhere on www.pinterest.com I had seen something similar but now for the life of me cannot find it. So I wanted to make something cute but no time for it now. I started out with a legal note pad, drew a line through the middle (I have 2 kids and did not want to play favorites), then on the far left side wrote down #1-31 and started tracking everything cute, adorable, funny thing my children say or do by the day. In reality it is just a one line sentence about my child for the day.
 What will I do with these? Of course, hoard them and embarrass them one day. But in the mean time, it helps me keep my sanity when J is throwing his 3 year old temper tantrum or my little C is practicing her high pitch scream in the car after a long day of work! This weekend I will work on my cute version for you to track your memories too. Until then, as long as I put it on paper and get it out of my clutter filled brain, I have accomplished another "Scared No More" Task.
Resolution #5: Put my thoughts on paper!