Ugh. I’m stuck home with the kids all day!
On The Bright Side: I’m home with the kids all day.
Oh the transitions of Bright Side Mom… A supportive message to all moms who go through the same daily struggles and give a glimpse of humor in the stresses that can be part of our day. This site is where I will be posting excerpts from OTBS, a comical mix of optimistic notes on pessimistic comments from a mom’s daily life with her family, as well as others I have written for mothers, parents and children. I now include homeschooling and our health choices of essential oils and Juice Plus.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
OTBS #24 - Salesman
My son, sitting in the toy box pretending to be a toy salesman: “Would you like to buy this toy sir?”
Me, because I don’t want to have to clean up a whole bunch more toys as he pulls every toy out of the box pretending like this: “No thanks.”
My son: “But it’s ON SALE!”
On The Bright Side: There is just no response for that.
OTBS #23 - Sleepless
Well, I couldn’t fall asleep until after 5:15 am, then was up with the kids at 6:30am. This should be an interesting day.
On The Bright Side: I should be so exhausted that I won’t have a clue what’s going on around me, even when the kids are screaming or crying… I should be able to tune out pretty well…
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
OTBS #22 - Bed Crawler
On The Bright Side: It finally got me to change my sheets and now I can’t wait to slip into bed tonight with nice clean sheets. Yay! Something to look forward to!
OTBS #21 - Contamination
On The Bright Side: Well, they certainly are building up great immune systems.
OTBS #20- Broken Bones
I broke my toe on my son’s leg while running to get the phone because I was so excited to get to speak to an adult.
On The Bright Side: I have the right shoes to wear from all the other times I’ve broken my toe. Plus, I got to speak to an adult!
Friday, February 24, 2012
OTBS #19
My child is bored on the very long car trip to
On The Bright Side: We now know how many cell phone towers there are for 1000 miles from our house.
OTBS #18
The baby is screaming at the top of his lungs for over an hour on the airplane and there is nothing that can be done to stop him.
On The Bright Side: I now have the whole row to myself.
OTBS #17
On The Bright Side: I’ll have a mechanic in the family.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Great Big Thing
THE GREAT BIG THING
By K. Horgan McLain
Do you like to measure things? Aidan did. He loved to measure things so much that he even had is very own measuring tape. And boy did he use that tape measure as much as he could!
Aidan measured the windows in his bedroom. He measured how tall his bed was and how high his ceiling was. He measured the pictures on the wall and the width of the table. He would measure things both big and small, like the fingers on his hand and the length of his legs. Aidan measured everything he knew including how big the clouds were and how small the bugs were. He measured the stars and the moon. He measured flowers and trees and houses and bees. He measured the beach and he measured the mountains. You just couldn’t stop Aidan from measuring wherever he went.
But then Aidan came along something he didn’t know. All he knew was that he wanted to measure it. It was so warm and lovely he just couldn’t resist, but it was really big. So, Aidan got out his measuring tape and started to measure the size of this thing. He pulled his tape out all the way but that wasn’t enough. So Aidan went and got another measuring tape from his room, where he had quite a few since he loved measuring so much. He pulled that tape measure out all the way and still wasn’t done measuring this great big, pretty thing. So he got three rulers from his room and lined those up with the two measuring tapes but he still didn’t know the size of this thing.
Aidan got sad because he couldn’t finish measuring it, but what was it that made it sooooo big? Aidan’s mommy came by and saw that Aidan was sad and stopped to see what is wrong.
“Why do you look so sad, Aidan,” she asked. “Because, mommy, I’m trying to measure this great big thing but I don’t have enough measuring tapes and rulers to finish because it is just so large!” Aidan said in a small, sad little voice. “Silly boy,” exclaimed Aidan’s mommy, “Do you know what that is?” Aidan shook his head no. “My sweet child, this is something so big that goes on forever and ever and ever and you will never be able to measure it because even all the tape measurers and rulers and yardsticks in the world will never get to the end of this thing. It just goes on and on. Would you like to know what this great big thing is?” asked Aidan’s mommy. Aidan nodded his head yes eagerly. With a bright smile and a tight hug Aidan’s mommy said “This great big thing is my love for you. It can never be measured and it can never be made smaller and it will always be growing bigger and bigger. No matter what you do or where you go, it will always be vast and large and will always get bigger.” When she finished explaining this to Aidan, she looked at her son with a warm, loving smile and Aidan was happy.
OTBS #16
My three year old is now nicknamed “the negotiator” because he negotiates everything from bed time to how long a bath he takes to what he will eat to how many books we read at night and on and on and on.
On The Bright Side: I’ll have a lawyer in the family.
OTBS #15
Baby’s worst diaper rash EVER. Poor thing is in so much pain.
On The Bright Side: He and my husband took an Epsom Salt bath together and I got to listen to them playing and laughing and bonding. It brought tears to my eyes and just warmed my heart.
OTBS #14
I woke up to my two year old in the play room that is covered by fine and flakey baby’s rice cereal. He was throwing it in the air yelling “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!”
On The Bright Side: It was a great picture opportunity that I’ll enjoy years down the road – many years down the road.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
OTBS #13
Having just moved to a new city
On The Bright Side: I get to go out in my sweats and jeans a lot and since no one knows me here, no one knows that I should actually look better than this!
OTBS #12
Woke up to a poopsplosion, gave him a bath, did the laundry, vacuumed, thwarted off a life threatening disaster to child number 2, made the beds, had to clean up another poopsplosion, all by 11am…
On The Bright Side: This is the day the Lord hath made. Rejoice and be glad in it.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
OTBS #9
It’s sleeting outside! This of course makes it impossible to take the kids out in this cold, wet weather! I get soaked putting them in and out of car seats and freeze to death!
On The Bright Side: Those few extra pounds I gained over the past couple of months ought to help keep me warm.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
OTBS #8
I’m exhausted all the time.
On The Bright Side: It gives me an excuse to start drinking caffeine again.
OTBS #7
At the playground today a child actually got herself stuck on the equipment and couldn’t get out. We had all we could do to free her with one pushing from one end and one pulling from the other end, all while the poor girl cried and cried.
On The Bright Side: Mothers ALWAYS come to the rescue of
another mother and her child. Moms are never alone.
OTBS #6
My first Valentines Day with my husband was so romantic. I made sure to be primped and have freshly shaved legs and dressed my best for a great evening together. 6 years later we are eating at home, with the kids upstairs fighting, me in my t-shirt and sweat pants and have in no way primped OR shaved my legs.
On The Bright Side: My husband leaves his sox on at night and we keep the lights off now so no real damage done…
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
OTBS #5
On The Bright Side: They have learned to count to ten very early in life from all the times I count out loud while praying for patience.
OTBS #4
On The Bright Side: At least he thinks of me during the day.
OTBS #3
On The Bright Side: I’m so relieved that the moron who posted a dresser online sold it out from under me. I was the first to respond and first to call at 9am when they said to but somehow someone else bought it. So glad I didn’t have to spend that money today.
Monday, February 13, 2012
For That I Am Blessed - a poem
A little poem I started last night when I couldn't sleep... It stuck with me and I put it down on paper today. For that am blessed...
FOR THAT I AM BLESSED
All the boys are sleeping
But I am wide awake.
I guess drinking caffeine
Was just a big mistake.
My mind is going in circles
Thinking about my to-do list.
All the chores and errands…
And that list is making me pissed.
Not because I have a list,
For that I am blessed.
I’m honored to be of service
To my houseful of little pests.
But the list is going on and on
And over and over in my head
When all I want to do is shut my eyes
And fall asleep in my messy bed!
Now there is one more problem
And that is the loud snoring.
It’s next to me as I lie in bed
And through my head it is boring.
Again, I’m not mad because the snoring is there
For that I am blessed as well
To have a sweet husband by my side
Even with his dirty feet smell.
But the snoring just keeps reminding me
That SOMEONE in this world can sleep
While I lay here wide awake once more
Wishing I didn’t hear a peep.
A peep, for that matter
Is driving me crazy!
The house is peeping and creeking and shifting
The noise it is amazing!
I know, I have a home
And for that I am blessed
To have a roof over our head
And 10 rooms that are a mess.
But the noises are deafening
While I lie here trying to dream
And listen to sounds a house makes
When it needs a good clean.
I could keep going on, you know,
With all that’s churning in my mind.
All the lack of sleep
Is sure to leave me blind.
I have learned a great message,
And for that I am blessed
To learn the good out of the bad
Will make me my best.
But the lesson learned
Is what keeps me most awake:
I guess drinking caffeine
Was just a big mistake.
Was just a big mistake.
OTBS - Optimism #2
On The Bright Side: I guess this gives me a wonderful opportunity to ponder life and all the challenges I get the joy of trying to solve… aaahhh… what a great night and what a blessing to still be awake while the rest of the house is snoring away. I get to have some “me time” now.
The Tambourine Prince
THE TAMBOURINE PRINCE
The Tambourine Prince is a musician at heart.
He likes to play music,
He likes to make art.
“But there’s just one problem” said his friends so sadly,
“You are not very good. You play quite badly.”
But the Tambourine Prince wouldn’t give up.
He started with sand blocks, the triangle and such.
He wanted to spread music and make people smile.
He wanted to bring joy across all the miles,
But the odds were against him.
It was looking quite grim.
Until one day he realized
It’s not how he played for others that mattered.
It’s what he hears in his heart, what makes it pitter patter.
And that was the day he became the Tambourine Prince.
When he realized that music came from inside
Inside his soul, his heart, his spirit.
And that is the day that others wanted to hear it.
So the Tambourine Prince, now he wears a crown.
A crown that is so special and silver and round.
This crown is a tambourine, so shiny and bright.
The sides are of wood and the top is quite white.
When he puts on his crown and picks up a flute
Or tuba, guitar
Or drum to boot!
He makes beautiful music that everyone hears,
And they listen and dance.
When he stops there are cheers!
But there is magic you know
With his tambourine crown.
When he plays a new instrument he pops all around.
He goes to a new town, or village or city.
Those instruments take him to places quite pretty.
And he plays his music up high or down low,
In the sky
on the ground
on a boat
what a show!
He sees new mountains
New rivers
New sunsets
Every time he beats on his very own drum set.
The ocean gets bluer or warmer or greener
When he picks up an instrument
be it bassoon, saxophone or symbols, you see now?
So now his friends tell him he’s magical, wonderful, amazing!
But he doesn’t care. He knows it’s just praising.
But what a gift to spread joy and music from the heart,
It’s a cinch!
And amazing things do happen when you are a Tambourine Prince.
OTBS - Optimism #1
My day started at 5:30am with my child waking me up. That’s way too early.
On The Bright Side: At least I got to watch the sun rise.
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