{Tea}Time of our Lives

I celebrated my three-year blogoversary a couple weeks ago...and it's been such a fast-moving blur of fun activities, first days of school & last days of school, new pets, new baby, vacations...and all the ordinary days of what to have for dinner and keeping up with the laundry!  I love having a place to journal all these memories...and mostly I enjoy sharing all of our good times! 

But I also want the kids to remember {if they ever decide to read all these posts one day!} that mothering has its seasons...and sometimes it gets stormy!  {But I bet they won't forget some of those moments too...ugh!} 

I don't get enough sleep...I spend too much time on the computer...I don't always listen to them...I'm too  hard on them...I snap at them for spilling their milk...I'm not the best helper with homework...I complain...I nag...I lose my patience...

I love being their mom...over all those little details...

I love having tea parties with little e...

I love when she wakes up in the morning or from a nap and she immediately wants to sit down for a cup of tea!  She's very serious about it...and we have a lot of fun!

I get tired of cleaning up messes...I get tired of little people/pets following me around everywhere...I get tired of watching Disney Channel...I get tired of driving around town all day some days...

I love getting to watch them learn something new...I love supporting and encouraging them at something they enjoy...I am their number one cheerleader!

They are beginning lessons for their first of six swim meets!  This is something new for both of them...and we're so excited to see what's in store...they love to swim!

Just as there are good and bad things to all seasons...love playing in the snow in winter; not the cold, long dreary days...love playing outside, swimming and no school in the summer; not the too hot, too long days where all I hear is "He/she is looking at me!"...love the mild temperatures, green grass and pretty flowers in spring; not all the rain and end-of school busy-ness...love everything about the fall; love everything about the fall!

I love being a mom to my precious God-chosen Alex, Emily and Elizabeth!  There are certainly times when I feel like all I do is laundry and cleaning up the same things over...and over...and over...

...but I don't want the kids to have a lot of memories of me complaining about putting their clothes away or getting upset about messes...it's definitely a part of mothering... and I try to remember to say "I'm sorry, mommy makes mistakes too." ...and say it often...  I want them to remember that more than the reason I was apologizing for...

...I want them to remember the bike rides, family walks, silly games, campfires & s'mores, movie nights, bedtime stories, all the hugs and kisses they'll let me give...
...the fun little decorations during all the holidays... {hard to believe it's almost Easter already... a fast-moving blur I tell you!}

{peek-a-boo Ellie!}

...and the endless tea parties with little plastic cups...

I want them to always remember above all just how much I love them... no matter what!

I love this season of my life... and who doesn't love a good 'ol thunderstorm once in awhile... ...ahem...