She left me no choice...

We had been talking about it for quite some time leading up to....ADISON'S FIRST HAIRCUT.  No doubt that God has a sense of humor- he certainly had a hand (and a giggle) in making this memory one I could NEVER forget.

Wednesday night November 9, 2011
...was a great night at home with the family.  Enjoyed a nice dinner, sat down for family movie night (we watched Cars 2) and all was well.  Daddy was relaxing in his recliner.  Mommy was catching up on some journaling.  Krystin was in and out of things as she was busy finishing homework and preparing for the next school day.  Adison was watching the movie and playing.

I'm not sure how neither one of us (I nor Brad) noticed that Adi had slipped away to her room for any length of time but as children do so well... she managed to get some "alone time" of her own.  When she made her way to join us in the living room again it took a few minutes for me to catch a glimpse of what she had done but when I did...I froze.  Speechless.  Heart sank.  Disbelief.  Adison Clare had cut her own hair.


We were careful to be sure she didn't have access to scissors but she
managed to find these tucked away in her hair accesory drawer........
you guessed right my friends, she cut her hair with newborn fingernail
clipping scissors that come in those newborn care kits.
She's innovative, I'll give her that! 

If you know me...you would think that I would have lost my temper and yelled and screamed a bit.  You might even ask if I punished her.  But God knew what he was doing...he was testing my recent revelation of  GRACE!  I'm hoping I passed...I feel like I did or, at least did well because I did none of those things.  I stayed calm and had her take me to the "scene of the crime"...

She grab up some of the hair around her face...

...I'm guessing she was trying to give herself from layers...



...she actually did a good job, she pretty much just framed her face!



To see the wad of hair she had cut scared me...based on what I had discovered when I looked at her hair she didn't look like she had but that much so of course, I quickly checked again!  I was pleased to find that my original assessment of the damage was accurate...it seems that once she realized what she had done she tried to wad it up and hide it (which made it look like more).  As devastated as I felt at first, I had to be thankful that she didn't cut it shorter than she had...she had at least done a job that could be easily fixed.  Of course we had a discussion about how we shouldn't use scissors to cut anything without an adult's help...especially hair!  We should always leave that to professionals. I was surprised when I shared the story that most people asked if she was "in trouble" or "punished" for her actions.  And I can see how you should or would want to make a lasting impression on your child so that they would know what they had done was wrong...but was it really wrong or just a normal, unintentional kid mistake?  I chose to leave the impression but without any further damage to her little heart...had I yelled and screamed and punished her she would have been stricken with fear and guilt.  That's not what I was going for.  So we talked, I treated her how I thought I would want to be treated in the same situation...and all was good.  I have no doubt she learned her lesson. 

Devastated, heart broken, light-headed!
You're probably thinking...devastated? Heart broken?  Light-headed?  Yep!  All those things describe how we felt initially because Adison's hair has been her trademark since she was born.  The child has AWESOME hair...ask anyone who knows her.  Or, anyone who doesn't because we can be walking around in public and perfect strangers comment on her hair, it's the first thing they notice.  We became so accomodated to the hair that was literally past her butt at 3 and 1/2 years old we were in shock.  And a bit disappointed...we had been discussing how to make her first haircut "special" (insert chuckle here).  Well she make it "special" alright....and left me no choice.  Her actions forced my hand...after much procrastination and avoiding...it was time to REALLY schedule the haircut!

And so, I did it.  Brad's mom and I took her to my dear friend Angela Martin at Agape Salon...I had complete faith in her to 'repair the hair'.  Adison was excited, Mommy had accepted and well, our trusted hair expert was about to break down in tears as she cut...

The deed was done...and done beautifully.  It was a big change...but it was a must.  Angela took about 4-5 inches off of the length, tapered it around to the front a bit and evened up the pieces she cut in the front.  To top it off, Adison did such a good job that Angela had enough time to spare to also cut Mommy's hair!  A mommy/daughter haircut day=special.

Dear Adison,

When I say you never cease to amaze me...believe it!  You keep things so interesting.  You help us make some great memories.  You ROCK chick!

Love,

Mommy

P.S. please don't ever cut your own hair again, at least until your an adult.  Thanks ;)

Someone noticed...

Yesterday I received a message on Facebook from a friend who I haven't seen in YEARS.  We weren't ever "close" and don't keep in touch but isn't that the magic of social networking...you get to be impacted and inspired by the lives of others.  In this case, the message was simple but contained a loaded question...

Her question:
" I wanted to ask you something...I know you work and yet you seem to get so much done and still have time for yourself. That has been my biggest struggle since becoming a mom especially a mom who works. Do you have any tips or advice you might be willing to share with me? Thanks so much, I hope you have a wonderful week!"

As I read this I couldn't help but think...Really?  You're asking ME????  And then I stopped and thought...Wow, she's asking ME.  What a compliment,  and what an affirmation...somebody thinks I'm doing a pretty good job with this busy life!  Instead of just replying...I decided to pray and seek God for how He would have me respond because I didn't want to just respond, my desire was to bless.

And so I wanted to share a bit of my response because it was what I feel a "God breathed" thing.  Even as I was typing my response I found myself reflecting on my personal journey of growth and revelation...so far (Lord knows I still have a LONG way to go).

My response:
"Wow...you have asked a loaded question and made me smile all at the same time. First off, I am able to do all that I do only by the grace of God, really...literally. Getting to this place of "balancing" the juggling act of my life has been a process...better yet a growing process. I used to live in a place of EXTREMELY overwhelmed all the time and it turned me into someone I didn't like very much (and others didn't enjoy either) and I realized that there was NO way I would be able to keep going the way that I was for any real length of time. So...I stepped back and looked and my life...I am a mom, wife, employee, daughter, friend, assistant cheerleading coach, barrel racer, involved in youth leadership, housekeeper, cook and so much more...how can I do all this and still enjoy life as well as be the type of person that I so desire to be. It was then that I totally started to feel like God was speaking and revealing some things to me: 1. Stress can be managed but you have to be deliberate and consistent...which sometimes mean saying NO. Whether it be no to someone, or something...it's a necessary response. 2. Get Healthy. I had to start watching what I ate (the crap I was eating before really messed with me and I had no idea how much until I stopped eating it), getting enough sleep (tough but doable), and EXERCISING (changed my energy level dramatically) 3. Choose the influences you allow. To say it that way doesn't make a whole lot of sense but I had to re-evaluate the things that I allowed to affect me. Mainly the people I let in my "world". 4. First things first. I had to learn to prioritize what was important for each day. For me, I start EVERY day @ 4:30 am, in prayer and reading the bible. Personally it just starts my day off right and helps me put things in perspective. 5. Plan and be prepared. Although no day ever goes completely as planned, I have to have an idea of how things are going to go. BUT, I also have to remain flexible because Lordy knows the bottom falls out sometimes. 6. Be prepared. I leave my house by 6:30am and usually don't get home most nights until 8 or 9pm. That means each night I plan and pack in advance for the next day. I lay out vitamins, prepare protein shakes, pack my workout bag, pack lunches, pack toddler "diaper" bag, "pre"-prepare breakfast (yes, I am anal retentive about my kids and hubby having a full breakfast every morning- so I crack eggs or lay out the toaster and bread or sit out supplies to make muffins, I even pre fill the kettle with water and put my tea bag and stevia in my cup for hot tea), iron and lay out my clothes...yea my nights are busy but really it doesn't take me that long. I can usually get all that done while Brad gives Adison her bath. Then I take everything I will need...workout bag, diaper bag, cheer bag, youth bag...whatever the day will demand and place it by the door ready to go for when I tear out of the house the next morning. 7. MAKE time for yourself, CHOOSE the time and place like it's a mandatory thing and DO it. At first it was only 5 minutes here or there but I have found that it gets easier to spare more as you learn to "time manage" (if there is really such a thing) and stick to your guns because you realize how important your "me" time is. My daily appointment with myself is... I working out during my lunch hour at work or else I would never get it done. Most of the time, ok ALL of the time there are other things I would rather be doing but I suck it up and do it anyway. While I workout I get to escape and worship, pray, read (on the elliptical) or listen to my favorite music. That is awesome me time. 8. Finally I'll close up by throwing in some of little slogans I have been inspired to live by: Think positive, speak positive and surround yourself with positive. Live life on purpose. Be fabulous. Enjoy every moment. Have fun. LAUGH. RELAX. Life is short...live it up.

I know I've probably rambled on and on but having a daughter that is 13 has made me realize that time slips away WAY to fast. It's like I blinked my eyes and she is almost grown and I want to enjoy EVERY single moment because my kids are only little once. You can't get these years back. And I don't want to look back with any regrets. As a mom, I have been given the AWESOME task of showing my girls how to live. So, I have decided to LIVE the way that I want them to live. I want them to plan ahead, be prepared, be happy and responsible...so I have to be those things so that they can see how.  I want them to be AMAZING moms so I have to try to BE an amazing mom. When I got that revelation it changed my life.

I don't know if anything I have said will help or if it will even make sense but I hope that it does. And thank you for asking for my input...it means more to me than you may know."

I realized in my response that I am passionate about not just doing life...but doing life WELL.  Am I perfect, absolutely not!  Do I fail, absolutely (daily as a matter of fact)!  But the point is that I'm trying.    I am no longer the person that I used to be and I thank God EVERY day for the work that he is doing in my life.  I like me better now...

To look back makes me giggle and cringe at the same time.  Oh the joy of growing and changing....of being teachable.  There are a lot of things I "used" to be but those things did not make me like myself when I looked in the mirror...those things I did not want my beautiful girls to become. 

It's interesting how such a simple question can make you reflect in such a deep way...yet another reason I am proud to be the daughter of such an amazing KING!! Thanks God...if I haven't told you today, YOU ARE THE BOMB! 

Halloween!

In years past, it has always been that I was working on days like Halloween so I am always SO rushed once I get off work to get everything done and everyone ready to head out for festivities.  This year, I purposely tood the day off so I could prepare and have plenty of time to have fun with my kids...and that I did!

Adison and I spent the majority of the day hanging out at home...playing games, cleaning up the house and eventually heading out to the grocery store where we purchased cookies to make and lots of healthy fall foods to cook up during the upcoming week.

Once 3 o'clock rolled around and we were able to get Krystin from school the real fun began...
Cookies, Icing and Jack-O-lantern carving fun!

I always enjoy activities in the kitchen with my girls.  The conversations are usually interesting and the giggling...well, constant!  Anticipating a big mess with the Jack-O-Lantern carving, all 3 of us dug out our aprons and tied them on...bring on the goo!!  Krystin did not hesitate to dig in and get her hands dirty, Adison on the other hand was not so sure.  Needless to say there were a lot of..."EEWWWW, GROSS" expressions coming from my 3 year old.  Of course, being Mommy I just HAD to utilize the opportunity for a teaching moment with the pumpkin so as we went step by step through the carving process...I turned it into a story of sorts.  I explained the the pumpkin was a lot like us to start with...plump and without a lot of shape...just round.  Then when we let God start to work on us, he opens us up (as we cut open the "lid") and Jesus comes inside to start scooping out the 'icky' stuff inside and making us clean from the inside out (as we scoop out the pumpkin "guts").  God then begins to carve us into what he would have us to look like (as we carve the Jack-o-lantern's face) and he places a light in us that will shine out for the world to see (as we place the candle inside).  My desire is that my children would see God in EVERYTHING that they do!

By then, our friends were arriving and it was time to get dressed up and head out for some trick or treat fun!  This year was a little bittersweet for me though considering this was the first year that Krystin decided she was too old to dress up :(

This year Adison decided to be a cowgirl...aka "Outlaw Adi".  YEEHAW!

Dressed and ready to go we headed out and met up with some other friends...ready to take on the neighborhood and collect some serious candy!

Although Adison was one of the youngest of the bunch...she was determined to keep up (literally running) with the big kids and had a blast with the whole trick or treat experience.  Each and every house produced the same reaction as she came away with reward for her effort...."Mommy, Mommy, look I got TREATS!!!!!"  Over and over, house after house, up and down hills until finally she just couldn't take it anymore and ended up finishing the night from Daddy's strong and able shoulders...

By the time we were done trick or treating, everyone was starving...we had worked up quite an appetite! So we headed off to the nearest restaurant and finished up the night, then headed home with our treasures and treats and an exhausted 3 year old who crashed quickly. 

Although Krystin did not dress up this year, she played the amazing role of big sister and helped watch after every step Adison took.  She would guide, direct and even accompany Adison to the door of some houses along the trick or treat route.  Krystin is a supreme example of a protective and AWESOME big sis!

Good times...memories made!

Dear angel girls,

Don't ever take the connection of sisters for granted.  You are so lucky to have each other...take care of and love each other ALWAYS!  Have fun together and enjoy life!  And don't forget to do everything that you do to the glory of the God who made you.

Love,
Mommy

Fall is in the air!

Time to play catch up considering my internet has been on the brink for a couple weeks...

Our weekend adventure began indoors on a Friday night.  Krystin, Paige (Krystin's BFF and one of my favorite teens) and I decided to make homemade granola.  Healthy and YUMMY!  Here are a few photos of the process...

I must sadly admit though...as amazing as these girls did putting together what promised to be a delicious batch of granola....I burnt it, to a CRISP...  Very disappointing!

Not a tasty treat :(

Despite the burnt to a crisp granola...I was determined to pull off my plan for Saturday morning to have a breakfast granola "bar".  In order to do this, I had to wake up and RE-make the granola...this time I let the girls sleep since I messed up their perfectly good original batch!  Amazingly enough, this batch didn't burn but I will tell you it was still a bit crispy for my taste (it actually took me several batches to get it right, come to find out the recipe I had used had a misprint in the cook time...go figure) but despite it's crispy texture, we enjoyed a delicious, do it yourself, full of health, granola "bar"... consisting of granola (of course), bananas, toasted coconut, vanilla greek yogurt, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberry puree.  Turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself and all the girls enjoyed it!  Who said healthy can't be fun?

After breakfast we all got ready to head out to the Eliada Home Corn Maze for a fun day outdoors.  Now, fall weather and I have a love/hate relationship because I do NOT like cold but I don't mind "cool" so we waited until mid-late morning to head out for some fun.  This was Adison and Mommy's first corn maze experience but Krystin and Paige made sure we looked like we knew what we were doing!

We started out with some photo-ops (typical mommy stuff) then we headed of to the corn cannons, moo train,  hay bale maze, corn box, hay ride...whew!

 By then my crew was hungry so we chowed down on some chick-fil-a and headed back out to the real deal...the corn maze itself.  Adison being the natural born leader that she is, made it a game to play follow the leader (she was always the leader) in and out and all around the maze as we punched off checkpoints and tried our best to make sense of the map we were given.  It took us about 45 minutes to make the 1.6 mile route and when asked if they wanted to go for the 2.8 mile route...I got a unanimous- NO!  Before heading home we just had to hit a few things for a second time...

So we headed to the tube slides.  A little backstory is necessary here--Adison is SCARED TO DEATH of slides.  No reason, no bad experience to contribute it to, she just decided one day that slides were the devil.  Needless to say, when we arrived that day, the first attraction we saw and visited was the tube slides and as I expected...Adison absolutely refused to participate.  When it comes to fears like these at an age like this, I don't force things because I have no idea where the fear stems from...I just let her work it out in her own time and in her own way.  Well, by the end of the day my little fearful girl cleared that hurdle and was an overcomer!  She begged to go down the slides (with Mommy of course)  Once we got to the bottom the first time, it was on!  We must have gone down that slide at least 10 or 15 times (or should I say it felt that way!)
I was so proud of my little overcomer...way to go Adi girl!  Things aren't always as bad as they seem you see, if you live in fear...you might just miss out on some pretty awesome stuff!

Much fun was had at the corn maze...so much that we just couldn't take anymore.  We had visited every fun thing they had to offer at least twice, survived the corn maze without getting lost and conquered fears.  It was shaping up to be one of the most awesome fall days EVER!!

I just had one more stop to make before heading home.....the Farmer's Market on Brevard Rd.  I am a local, a native, better yet I still live on the same piece of property I was born and raised on...that's right...VERY NATIVE.  But, I have never been to the Farmer's Market so, once again, Krystin and Paige in all their experience...took me through the Farmer's Market.  We shopped, observed, smelled the aromas, tasted the cider, bought pumpkins and collard greens and then we were finally homeward bound!

Days like these make me feel like a kid again and I soak up and enjoy every single minute of it.  I laughed almost all day at the fun my kids (Paige included) had.  This day was FILLED and brimming over with JOY and happiness.

Dear angel girls,
Don't ever forget to relax and enjoy this life.  Have FUN and LOTS of it!  God has given us this big awesome world and a lifetime to experience it...live it up!
Love,
Mommy