While He Was Napping

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A Letter to My 30-Year-Old Self

I wrote this about two weeks ago as we were driving in the car on a family vacation.  The boys were watching movies in the back and Mr Napping had his earbuds in, so it was a relatively quiet moment.  This letter is for me.  It’s not a fancy recipe or an easy tutorial.  You won’t read it and think “wish I could mom it up like her.  She’s got parenting figured out.”  Because I don’t.  Not even close.  I didn’t get it ready to post like I wanted when I wanted to post it, so I wasn’t going to.  You’re not missing out on much.  But then I got the group invite on Facebook today for my 10 year High School Reunion and started feeling old (and maybe a little unaccomplished in life) again.

So, I decided to post it anyway.  Maybe I can grab a little moment in time and freeze things for just a few seconds.  I was talking to a friend the other day about how we don’t really remember the little things about our babies.  The little sounds, the tiny fingers, the details.  Hopefully, with this, I can take some of the details and remind myself of them in the future.  When I’m senile and I’ve forgotten everything, you know.  So, read on if you wish.  You won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t.  This post is for me.

Dear 30-year-old Me,

Tomorrow you turn 27… when did we get so old?  Anyway, I write this hoping that, when you look back in three years, you’ll be able to see growth and accomplishment. And maybe a few places you can set new goals and continue growing or make corrections,  if necessary.
Right now, you’ve got three kids (all boys, you know), ranging in age from 4 months to almost 5 years. Little N hit 4 months just today and he is growing so fast. His gummy smiles and more frequent giggles brighten every day. His gray-blue eyes twinkle like his daddy’s and I can already tell he will love mischief and adventure – just like his big brothers, whom he adores by the way. He is such a good baby, sleeping 5-6 hours at night and so happy all day. He puts himself to sleep and even spits out his pacifier before he drifts off.

Little J is talking up a storm. By far, my favorite is when he says, “luh loo, mommy.” He is such a tease and loves to laugh. He still climbs as high as his nerves of steel let him (which is TOO high). His laugh is infectious and sometimes I just have to tickle him so I get to hear it. I hope I never forget what it sounds like. He bounces back and forth between wanting to be a big boy and do everything himself and hanging on to his babyhood just a little longer. A common phrase right now is “I did it!” I hope he will be able to keep saying that for many more years.

Big J will be starting kindergarten next month and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Some days, I can’t wait to get him back into a routine with other authority figures and more responsibility. He grows so much more when there’s a high level of consistency, which with two other needy kids is sometimes hard to provide. But, my baby is growing up and I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready for peer pressure, mean kids, homework, and vacations only during school breaks. I’m not ready to let my chubby little blue-eyed baby turn into a boy. Once he starts this new growth spurt, it’s not going to stop. And I don’t want to miss anything. I want to keep him snuggled on my lap where I know he’s safe. He doesn’t always like me, but I have learned to handle his little boy tantrums. I’m not sure I can handle any teenage angst.
So, Momma, I hope you enjoy these next three years. I hope you remember that by the time you read this, that little kindergartner will be almost eight! Don’t miss the next three years buried under piles of laundry, mountains of dishes and the pressure to write more blog posts or increase your social media presence. These three little boys are the ones that need your presence. They are your biggest fans and followers. They are the only three numbers that matter. I promise.

Momma, don’t forget to keep your marriage burning. In three years, you’ll have been married for the last 9.5 years (hopefully!). Remember why you fell for that tall, blue-eyed guy with the dark hair in the first place. Support him and his endeavors and give him reminders of why he is so awesome. Give him time to develop his relationships with the boys (and get yourself a little break). Love him the best you can and never miss a chance to let him know just how much you do.

One more thing, Momma. Don’t give up on yourself. Wife and mother are very important roles, but don’t lose yourself completely. There will be days, I daresay, that you’ll dislike or even hate that these roles take so much time, energy and work. The days you climb into bed frazzled, exhausted and dreading sunrise or the next middle-of-the-night feeding session with the baby are the moments to remember that you’re not alone. It’s okay to ask for help. You can still be supermom, even if you don’t do everything yourself.
Take time for your interests and hobbies. Work them in when you can. Get the family involved. The day will come when you can bake, sew, photograph and blog without interruptions every five minutes. While you may not miss those interruptions, you will miss your babies. So, make your hobbies happen, but don’t sacrifice the kids. Stay in the moment. Be there. Listen and play, read stories, paint pictures. Cook and sew with them. Teach them. Love them.
Momma, do your best and never give up. You are awesome. You may not change the world, but contributing three respectful, kind and generous boys to it is no small feat. Good luck! Always remember, tomorrow is another day. Enjoy them as they come, even if sometimes that simply means surviving. You got this.  Happy birthday.
Love,
Me

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Washi Tape Summer Boredom Buster Jars

Well, hello friend! I’m so glad you came to visit today! Looking for a boredom buster activity to help you out with the kids? Thousands of people on Pinterest have loved this Washi Tape Boredom Buster Jar and I know you will too.

Here’s a question for you…Can you feel it? Feel what? The warmer weather, the longer days. The school bell’s last ring of the year.

It won’t be long now before school is out and the kids are home!

Every. Single. Day.

Does that make you a little nervous? Because it makes me nervous.

Day after day after day of refereeing the Brother Bickering Match isn’t my idea of a good time. Back when I didn’t spend my days chasing three little hooligans and trying to keep them entertained all day, I lived for summer. Now, I’m a little apprehensive when summer hits full force.

We live in the desert, which means that it’s too hot to play outside from about 11 am until around 5 pm.  That’s a lot of hours inside. Climbing and bouncing off the walls. Pulling out every toy we own, all at once. Hiding in the closet eating chocolate.

That last one might be me.

I have a hard time coming up with ideas of things for us to do on the spot and my boys get tired of the same thing all the time. So, I put together a list and then made us our very own Boredom Buster Jar. Actually, two jars… they wouldn’t all fit in one! There’s no excuse now. Let the fun begin!

WASHI TAPE BOREDOM BUSTER JARS

 

 

Materials:
– Craft sticks
– Permanent Marker
– Washi Tape in seven designs
– Jars or containers to hold your sticks

Directions:
– Gather ideas of activities your kids would like to do. Include things like projects you can make together, things they can do on their own, activities that will help get the wiggles out, and even places to go. I had a running list on my phone that I kept adding to for about two or three weeks. When I came upon something else I thought my kids would enjoy, I’d add it to the list.

Want a great list in just a few seconds? Check out my list with 168+ activities and ideas of things to put on your craft sticks!

– Write each activity on a craft stick with a permanent marker. Doesn’t need to be fancy, just legible. You could type them up on the computer, print them out and then glue them on the sticks – but that’s too time intensive for me.

 

 

DIVIDING THE ACTIVITIES INTO CATEGORIES

I divided the categories up so that my kids would be able to use the boredom jar on their own.

By putting the activities into categories, I was able to control the kind of activity and still allow my kids to choose what they wanted to do, randomly or by picking sticks until they found something they liked.

I thought about our typical day and the kinds of activities we like to do. Then I considered how involved I am in different parts of my children’s days. I came up with seven categories.

My categories were:

  • Things we can do
  • Things we can make
  • Energy Bug – activities that help focus their bouncing off the walls into something a little less destructive
  • Quiet time activities – things for my preschooler to do on his own while his brothers nap
  • Family activities – things we wanted to do as a family, like outings. This was perfect for weekends!
  • Outside play time – activities to do outside. A lot of these involved water
  • Fun with food – activities to do with food, often ending with snack time

– Tape each stick in a single category with the same color washi tape. You could also paint the ends or use some other method of distinguishing the sticks.  Washi tape was quick, easy, and mess-free. If you have a problem with the tape sticking, a small piece of scotch tape or a swipe with a glue stick should fix the problem.

– Store your sticks in a jar (or jars…) and the next time boredom strikes, prepare to be a superhero!

Did you download my list of 168+ activity ideas to put on your craft sticks?
GET IT NOW!
I did the hard part for you, the rest is cake. And you’ll be so glad when you need a distraction and you can just grab the boredom jar and quell the storm.
Maybe the jar is too much? Just print the list!

PROMISE, it’ll be a lifesaver.

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Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade

I love lemonade. But not just regular lemonade. Not that stuff you get out of the soda fountain at fast food restaurants. The good stuff. Real lemons, real sugar and a delicious add-in. Or two. Yummmm…  my newest experiment got a little tropical. And it was amazing. You gotta try this Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade.

STRAWBERRY PINEAPPLE LEMONADE

Looking to make a splash at your next BBQ or get together? Or maybe you just want to get a little fancier than that juice or soda can? Beverages sometimes get left out of the meal plan. Someone grabs a couple 2-liters or a few 12 packs of soda at the store. But your beverages don’t have to be after thoughts.

Make an impression with this delicious twist on lemonade – a summertime favorite. 

STRAWBERRY PINEAPPLE LEMONADE RECIPE

Yield: 8 Servings

Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade

Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup strawberry puree
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar (or to taste)
  • 3 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup pineapple puree (pineapple juice or crushed pineapple will also work)
  • 1 gallon water

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved and well mixed.
  2. Serve over ice or chill in the fridge.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 203Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 28mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 1gSugar: 47gProtein: 0g
© Krista

TOO MUCH STRAWBERRY PINEAPPLE LEMONADE?

Sometimes, you don’t need a whole gallon of lemonade (I’m not sure why you wouldn’t, but maybe you don’t) so here are the directions for a single serving.

Yes, the directions are slightly different and the amounts aren’t exactly proportionate. I know. But, it is easier to just blend 3 strawberries than to try to get one eighth of 3/4 cups of fruit puree – which is an obscure decimal that converts to somewhere between 1 and 1.5 tablespoons. I think.

So, don’t get huffy and math-y on me and tell me I didn’t convert the recipe above correctly – because you’re right. I don’t write web articles because I’m a math whiz, y’all. That’s why I do it this way. It’s not rocket science, it’s lemonade. And it’s delicious. That’s what matters, right?

SINGLE SERVING STRAWBERRY PINEAPPLE LEMONADE

Yield: 10 oz approx

Single Serving Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade

Single Serving Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp strawberry puree (approximately 3 strawberries blended well)
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 Tbsp pineapple puree (approximately 6 pineapple chunks)
  • 8 oz water

Instructions

  1. Blend strawberries and pineapple chunks until smooth.
  2. Mix fruit puree and remaining ingredients in a glass.
  3. Stir well until sugar is dissolved and serve over ice, if desired.
© Krista

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Spinach Avocado Quesadilla

I’m a momma.  A stay at home momma.  I make lunch.  Seven days a week.  I hate making lunch.  I get stuck in this rut of trying to make something easy and quick that my kids will eat.  My kids aren’t particularly picky, but they have the attention span of… wait, what was I saying?  They get bored easily.  So, lunch has to be quick and easy to make as well as quick and easy for them to eat.  And Big J has a weird sensory thing about getting food on his hands.

We have the usual fall-backs: Mac & Cheese, PB&J, hot dogs, spaghetti-O’s… you know, kid food.  Bland and somewhat boring.  Although, I have a weird thing for Spaghetti-O’s.  I get bored with their boring food, but I don’t have time to make everyone separate meals everyday.  So, I have to find ways to liven up their food so I don’t get insanely bored with eating.  Because I like to eat… it should be enjoyable.  This is my newest favorite spin on the quesadilla!

SPINACH AVOCADO QUESADILLA
 
Ingredients:
– 1/2 ripe avocado
– 14 pepperoni rounds
– spinach leaves
– shredded mozzarella cheese
– 2 wheat tortillas
Directions:
– Lightly butter a frying pan over medium heat.  Place one tortilla in the pan.
– Mash the avocado and spread it over the tortilla in the pan.
– Lay down the pepperoni in a single layer across the avocado.
– Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese over the pepperoni in a thin layer.
– Lay down a layer of spinach over the cheese.
– Sprinkle more cheese over the spinach.  Place the other tortilla on top.
– Flip the quesadilla and cover for approximately 2-3 minutes.
– Remove from the pan, and cut into slices.  Serve.
So there you have it.  A quesadilla for grown ups.

 

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.

 

 

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15 Games for Large Groups

My dad’s siblings rotate who plans their family reunion each year. My poor aunt and uncle have actually planned four reunions in the last two years due to some unexpected and unfortunately timed occurrences that required a lot of adjustment to plans already in place.
However, they have been super awesome and haven’t complained, at least not to me. Haha. The latest schedule of events had my brother, a cousin and myself planning a family game night. Now, Mr Napping and I enjoy a good game night. But, not many of those include nearly 50 participants, ranging in age from mere months to eight decades. How do you entertain that many people with such differing interests, abilities and attention spans?!?
So, I dusted off my thinking cap and brushed the cobwebs from my brain and tried to think of games that lots of people with different abilities and attention spans could play.  Our portion of the night doesn’t start until around 8pm, so we won’t have a lot of daylight.  We opted for a photo scavenger hunt (we’re conning people into taking and sharing photos at this reunion… mwawawah) and Pictionary.  Hello cheap games that new families can afford to host.  But, I’ve come up with some other ideas too.
– Photo Scavenger Hunt.  We are having people use their cell phones.  I have made up a list of items to find.  Because we want photos of people, and not just objects, the items specify people or groups of people to include in the photos.  For example: “A father and daughter”, “Two generations” “A grandparent/grandchild set” and the like.  We have set up an email account that photos can be sent to for submission.  We decided to have each person be their own team and award points individually.  One point goes to each person in the photo as well as a point to the photographer (whoever submitted the photo).  The person with the most points is the winner.

– Pictionary.  You know how this works, right?  There are strips of paper with people, places, or things written on them.  Divide into two teams.  Teams take turns choosing an artist to draw what is on the strip of paper they choose.  Their team then tries to guess what they are drawing.  We are doing this on a window with window markers.  Easy clean up and we don’t have to worry about a ton of paper.
– Water Balloon Volleyball.  Divide into even teams and give each pair a towel.  Each person holds one end of the towel.  Typically about 8 players, 4 sets are on each team (16 total players in each game).  A water balloon is then placed in one of the towels and the pair holding that towel flings the water balloon to the other team, who then try to catch the balloon in one of their towels.  The team who lets the balloon pop awards the other team a point and the net serve.  A net is optional to divide the teams, although a line on the ground works too.
– Pass the Water.  This game is pretty easy and something that is suitable for a lot of age ranges.  It’s also an active game so the wiggle worms should be happy too.  You will need a large bucket full of water and smaller buckets for each team.  Each participant gets a cup.  Divide into equal teams.  Each team stands in a line with everyone facing the bucket full of water.  On the “GO” signal, the person at the front of each line runs up, fills their cup, runs back to their line and faces the bucket of water again.  Then each team races to fill the bucket at the end of their line.  The catch is that the water must be passed from cup to cup over the head.
– Charades.  Similar to Pictionary, but act out the topic on the slip of paper instead of drawing it.  No talking!
– Human Knot.  Stand in a circle and each person grabs the hand of someone across the circle.  The circle then has to untangle itself by stepping over, under and untwisting the knotted hands..  The key is that every one grabs two different people’s hands and not the hands of someone they are standing next to.
– Kick the Can.  One (or more) person is “it” and they are trying to protect the ‘can’.  You can use an actual can or another object.  “It” tries to tag the other players to get them out of the game, while the other players try to kick the can.  If the can gets kicked everyone else wins the game.  If “it” tags everyone or successfully guards the can for ten minutes, they win.
– Touch Football.  The basic rules of American football without the physical contact.  Tackles are made with a touch (one or two hands, decided before play begins).  
– Capture the Flag.  Divide players into two teams.  Each team has a “flag” that they hide.  The flag can be anything really, as long as the other team knows what it looks like.  Teams hide their flag and then try to locate and capture the other teams flag.  Players are eliminated from the game if they are tagged by any player of the opposing team.  The first team to capture the other’s flag wins.  Night alternative: Glow sticks for an increase in the difficulty level. 
– Balloon Stomp.  Divide into equal teams.  Each team gets the same number of pre-filled balloons (your choice of water or air).  The objective is to pop the other team’s balloons while keeping your team’s balloons intact.  The last team with balloons wins.
– Simon Says.  Players line up and one person gets to be “Simon”.  “Simon” gives the other players directives (jump three times, clap your hands, hop on one foot) beginning with “Simon Says”.  If Simon leaves off the “Simon Says” of the directive, players don’t complete the action.  Any that do are eliminated.  The last player wins. 
– Dodge Ball.  Basic baseball rules, but you use a large rubber ball instead.  Players are divided into two teams.  One team plays the field while the other runs the bases.  One at a time, players from the running team are “pitched” the rubber ball by rolling it on the ground.  The runner then kicks the ball and runs around the bases, like in baseball.  Tagging the player or catching the ball before it hits the ground is an out.  The running team gets three outs and then the teams switch positions.  Game play can last as long as you want.  
– Last Man Standing.  This is a more active, less inebriated version of “I never”.  Each person sits in a chair in a circle with one person standing.  The person standing up says “I’ve never…” and then fills in the blank.  If you have done whatever the stander says you have to move seats.  You can’t move to your immediate left or right.  The stander tries to get a seat while everyone is moving.  Whoever is left without a chair starts a new round by stating their “I never…” statement.
– Ninja.  Players stand in a circle. One at a time, each player makes a single move and tries to touch the player to their right.  If the touch connects to the target, the target is eliminated from the game.  If not, they get a single move to touch the person to their right.  After players make their single move, they are frozen.  Any movement disqualifies the player.  The winner is the last player standing.  This is a fast-paced game and good for older kids.
– Sardines.  Like Hide & Go Seek in reverse.  One person is “it”.  “It” goes and hides while the remaining players count to a specified number with their eyes closed.  Players then go hunting for “it”.  When they find “it”, they hide with them as quietly and compactly as possible.  The group gets larger and harder to hide as more players find “it”.  The objective is to not be the last one to find “it”.

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