Calling all mothers...

I have always prided myself on having well behaved children. We have been told how good they are from strangers in the mall, Dr.'s office, and we have even had someone pay for our dinner one time and was told the reason they wanted to do it was because it was refreshing to sit next to children that had manners and was well behaved, and not screaming and making a mess. Now with that being said I want you to know that they are kids and they do make messes and they are loud and they do not always use their manners...but they are also precious and I personally think that they are the best kids...(most days..hehe and I can say that I am the mom!) But here is where I need the help of you other mothers. How do you know when you are being too hard on them?? Where is the line between letting them be kids, picking your battles if you will?? I do not feel that I am hard on them, maybe I am?? I do not want them to be perfect angels all the time, I mean where is the fun in that?? I am asking all of these questions because I want to hear from you moms out there on what you think...We are having some issues with Tyler (7yr old 2nd grader)right now and it is almost as if he is having anxiety attacks..and it is all about something he "thinks" he has done wrong or could have done wrong?? It is has gotten worse in the last few months, and today I got called to pick him up from school because he got so upset (about something very small....) that he made himself sick, physically sick. So I just want to hear from you all and see what you all have to say about it?? I do not want him to feel this way anymore...I do not want him to get sick over small things anymore..and I want him to know that no one is perfect and it is ok to make mistakes. We tell him this all the time and it is just getting worse..it is like he is too hard on himself...how do you help someone with that? Especially when that someone is 7yrs old?? I am pretty open to some suggestions right now, I am worried about him. Please know that he is loved and told daily how proud I am to be his mother and how blessed we are because of him.

A Lunch Date....

Every once in awhile Warren and I are lucky enough to get to have a lunch date, and we usually end up talking no stop about the kids, the house, or some other everyday life issues. Today was a lunch date day, they are usually not blog worthy let me tell ya, but today was different. We just went to Subway and while sitting there eating lunch we started off with the same ole same ole talk..then I'm not sure when or how but we stopped talking about the kids and life and just talked. You know the talking and cutting up that we use to do, about nothing and for nothing other then to have fun and enjoy being with each other kind of talk. I was laughing at him(the boy always has jokes, people tell him all the time he should do stand up) and even when he was making fun of me and my poor attempt at telling a joke(I thought it was funny..he said it was more my delivery then the joke itself..go figure) I realized how much we miss out on when we are so concentrated on the kids and everyday things. Don't get me wrong we still (try to) make time for just us but it doesn't always happen. Like I said earlier and when we do, we still only end up talking about the kids or something else...why is that?? Are we too busy?? Do we put the kids, and life above all else?? or are we just that comfortable with one another that we take our relationship for granted?? What ever the reason I have decided that from now our lunch dates are off limits to anything other then having a good time and being Kari &Warren again....for an hour we are not mom&dad, we are not in charge of anything (work or church), and most importantly the phones go off. We have been together for a long time (in Dec. it will be 12 years of marriage..we dated 4 years before that)and we have been through a lot together. Some might even say we grew up together(seeing as we were 15 when we started dating and 19 when we got married)and today at lunch was a great reminder of why we are together, we enjoy each other and we get one another, we can just give looks sometimes and not even have to talk to know what the other is thinking. I am blessed with a great husband that is supportive, a great father, and takes great care of his family and most of all loves me for me. Thanks for the lunch Warren..I love you!

I'm still here...

Its been a week and I have not posted..very unlike me! I have been sick with mono and last week was the worst week yet. I am a little better this week and back up trying to do my everyday normal things. This weekend is my ladies retreat at church and I am still not where I need to be on some of the details. But, I figure it will all work itself out, I mean it always does!!! The kids are in soccer and loving it, Tyler has a coach this season that really knows what he is doing and he is learning so much. Warren is coaching Emily Klair this season and so far so good...if we can just get her to stop being so nice (did I really just type that??) I have a lot I want to talk about and share just not real sure how to go about it, I've started several post and then end up deleting them, there seems to be alot going on in my little head right now!!! Maybe when I feel better I can get them posted???Hope that you all are not as busy as we seem to be and hope that all is well with you and yours!!

Oh My Goodness...

"Oh my goodness..really??? I am in awe right now!! How do we have that much stuff that we do not use or need?? I am almost..no I am embarrassed of all this stuff!!" This is something I said over and over today. I have been preparing for a yard sale this weekend and going through all of our things from clothes to toys to everyday items that we do not use anymore...and I can not believe my eyes!! How in the world did the kids get so much and why do they not use it or play with half of it?? Its funny that we live in a world that is all about bigger and better and more more more..and I thought as a parent I was doing a decent job of teaching my kids that less is better and you appreciate things more...but looking at this ever growing mountain of toys and clothes, I see I am not doing a good job of that at all. So, tonight I reminded the kids that when they got home from school tomorrow most of, if not all of their toys would be packed up and taken to Nanny's for the yard sale. I really thought that they would whine or complain or even ask why?? but to my surprise all they said was.."ok, mom!" So, I guess that is my cue that it is time to get rid of them and to not look back. It got me thinking why is it we tend to hang on to things, or get things we do not need, when there are kids in the world going to bed hungry? or not having anything to play with other then a plastic bottle, or clothes that are too small or too big, or shoes that do not fit?? Yet again my kids help me have another "reflection" moment and since I am seeing myself in my true "reflection" alot here lately I have to say I am not liking what I see at all. I have alot that I need to change and work on, and it is amazing to me how humbling it can be to see your "reflection" !! So I want to ask you, If you took a good look at your "reflection" would you like what you are seeing??

Just a little behind..sorry :)

I am just now getting these posted of Emily Klair's first day of school....but better late then never!! right??

So far this school year is going great for both kiddos. Tyler loves his teacher, and really seems to enjoy going to school!! He is learning so much..hard to believe he is already in 2nd grade. Emily Klair is adjusting well and seems to really love her teacher and it seems she may be more like me (yet again) all she talks about is the social part, how many friends she has made and not so much about what she is learning!!

Oh yeah and a "dress code" update...I have bought some new pieces of "uniforms" that have meet schools approval and Tyler's...He has now said "these are not so bad mom, at least they are not as nerdy as they could be.." so it is all working out!!!