The Golden Hours

A little over a month ago, I made a very simple change that has had an enormous impact on how I view my days.

I have always referred to the evening hours, when dinner needs to be on the table, baths need to be rendered, and homework needs to be completed, as the witching hours.

From the time my children step off the bus in the afternoon, until they are tucked safely into their beds at night, our house is a mass of activity and confusion. There are notes to be signed, bikes to be ridden, Frisbee's to catch, and dinner to be made; Teeth to be brushed, lunches to pack, scriptures to be read, and chores to be done.

Somewhere along the way, I began to dread those hours, and I didn’t like that I couldn’t look forward to those moments, when my family was gathered together, with true happiness.

I thought long and hard about what I could do, because my attitude set the tone for our home.

If I was stressed out, my kids would be stressed out. If I was rushing, they were rushing. If I got loud, they got loud.

I didn’t like the environment that my home had become, and I decided that I needed to do something about it.

So I decided to call these busy hours “The Golden Hours” .

This small decision was exactly what I needed.

Instead of dreading the busyness, I embraced it. I look forward to those hours, because they are full of magic.

It’s my privilege to have the opportunity to stay at home with my children .

It is my privilege to be the one that patches up a skinned knee.

It  is my privilege to discipline my child, and it is my privilege to teach them that their brothers and sisters will be their best friends for the rest of their lives.

I am lucky that I get to cook for my family, and that we get to sit down to dinner each night as a family, and talk about our days.

Do we still argue with each other? Yes. Is dinner sometimes late? Yes, and sometimes it even comes from Taco Bell.

But at the end of the day, I know that we are happy, and that my kids feel loved, and they know that the relationships we have with each other are the only ones that matter.

I now look forward to those few special hours, because they truly are golden, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Summer Plans: 100+ things to do with your kids this summer

With less than a month left until school gets out, I am making Grand Plans to ensure that we have something to do every day.  (And I just counted, we only have 80 days of summer vacation. That is not even a full three months. I remember summer being so long!)

I am in the process of making a 100 Days of Summer advent calendar, and in each pocket, there is going to be a slip of paper that has what we’re doing for the day inside.

Of course, when I say Grand Plans, I mean that I am willing to go on a few day trips.  The majority of the summer will be spent at home, and these are the things we will be doing (you know, in addition to our regular every day things like practicing the piano and swimming). I present to you:

1. run through the sprinklers
2. wash windows
3. have a picnic
4. go to the beach
5. go to a waterpark
6. have a BBQ
7. make s’mores
8. go camping
9. go to the river
10. movie day
11. wash the cars
12. write a letter to someone
13. make cookies
14. have a lemonade stand
15. go to the zoo
16. visit a museum
17. make popsicles
18. blow bubbles (foamerator!)
19. watch the fireworks
20. have a watermelon seed spitting contest
21. make cards (birthday, thank you, etc)
22. Have an Unbirthday party
23. lay on the grass and watch the clouds
24. bird watching!
25. scavenger hunt
26. make a quilt
27. read a book
28. make a treasure hunt
29. have a game night
30. stay up late and watch a movie
31. make a movie
32. go fly a kite
33. make a bird feeder
34. learn first aid
35. learn a new song
36. make up a funny skit and perform it for your friends
37. water balloon fight!
38. make your own ice cream
39. go bowling
40. draw a self portrait
41. make your own pajama’s
42. learn about an animal
43. go on a day trip
44. visit “downtown”
45. make your own jam
46. give yourself a pedicure
47. make a dish you’ve never made before
48. plant some flowers
49. play kickball
50. start a collection
51. go on a bike ride
52. make a fort
53. have ice cream sundaes
54. see a movie at the drive-in
55. go to the park/playground
56. decorate a shirt
57. have a parade
58. learn about the night sky and find constellations
59. make a family flag
60. go to a free concert in the park
61. be a secret helper - do a nice deed for someone, and don’t tell them about it!
62. feed the ducks at a pond
63. go fishing
64. play hopscotch
65. make strawberry shortcake
66. have a summer Olympics
67. go on a factory tour (day trip: We’re going to Hershey’s!)
68. make your own pizza
69. make snow cones in your blender
70. go on an alphabet tour - snap photos of all the letters in the alphabet
71. have a puppet show
72. have a “board” day - play board games all day!
73. do a science experiment
74. make taffy
75. learn to hula hoop
76. play hide and go seek
77. build a time capsule
78. build a rocket
79. make a marshmallow gun and have a marshmallow fight
80. climb a tree
81. visit the fire department
82. paint a room in the house
83. catch a bug
84. learn a swimming stroke
85. get a haircut
86. visit a farm and pick fruits and veggies
87. go to the temple
88. SWAP! - take your friends kids for the day, and then they’ll take yours for a day.
89. ride a scooter
90. watch all the Star Wars movies
91. watch all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies
92. write a story
93. get a junior ranger badge
94. go to the county fair
95. learn a new card game
96. make play dough
97. learn a dance
98. see the sunrise
99. have a musical concert or talent show
100. make a diorama
101. learn a new word - try to use it as much as you can!
102. put together a puzzle
103. make a maze
104. decorate cupcakes
105. play Frisbee
106. hunt for four leaf clovers
107. go on a boat ride
108. take a train
109. make a collage
110. make a sandcastle... out of graham crackers!
111. build an obstacle course
112. build a model car
113. mini-golf!

I’m getting excited for summer! How about you?

Rule of Life #43

We have allergies.

Which is to say, that during certain times of the year, both me and the DadGuy have problems breathing.

During the day, this is “no big deal” but at NIGHT,

Well…

That’s a completely different story.

RULE OF LIFE #43: If you have to mouth breathe when you lay down, it is most polite to turn your head away from whoever you are sharing a bed with.

Last night I was finally comfortable, and drifting off into a peaceful slumber when DadGuy decided to roll over and mouth breathe on me.

I do not like being breathed on.

And when people are facing each other, and mouth breathing, the air gets hot and stale and stinky.

It is very unpleasant.

So I had to roll over, which was fine, but it took another 8 minutes to find a comfortable configuration in which I could fall asleep.

But then DadGuy rolled BACK over.

Which allowed me to roll back over because I wasn’t that comfortable facing that direction and besides, my ear was hurting.

At any rate, I could finally lay the way I wanted and all was glorious in the land.

Until the DadGuy ONCE AGAIN rolled over and breathed his hot breath of allergy season upon me.

So I shoved him in his face.

Which startled him, AND made him roll back over.

Which is exactly what I was going for.

The end.

Taylor Turns Four

If you haven’t guessed, Taylor turned four.

I love her hands!

It was a very exciting day, and we did all of her most favorite things.

Mostly, we went out to lunch at “Panda Bear Express” and then we did “princess stuff” which consisted of putting on dresses, our wedding flowers, and using nice words.

Princesses always use nice words.

This is her excited face. I like it.

Her day was wrapped up by eating her one of her favorite dinners, pizza with hot wings and Kool-aid, and singing Happy Birthday FOUR times.

Her cake looked delicious, but of course, she had to make sure. 

The verdict: “’Dis b’rosting is very delicious.”

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Name: Taylor Evangeline Bingham

Age: FOUR

Favorite Shows: Spongebob Squarepants

Favorite Food: Panda Bear Express (chicken and noodles aka mandarin chicken and chow mein)

Favorite Song: I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Toy: Teddy Bear and Coconutty

Favorite thing to do: clean up

Favorite Reads: That’s not my Fairy!

Favorite Thing: being a helper

Favorite People: Daniel. Blayne. Thaddeus. Daddy. Mom.

stuff I like. because I like stuff. or as my 5 year old would say: DUH.

I decided I’m going to tell you all the stuff I like. Because I like stuff, and you don’t live in my head. I consider this my public duty and also, my good deed which I from this point on hence forth and forever declare that extends from one “stuff I like” to the next.  (I have to cover my bases.)

• Right now, I am liking my sewing machine. This is no way, shape, or form, affects you, and I don’t care. BECAUSE I LIKE IT ANYWAYS. And I am making a quilt.
• I like that Courtney makes fun of herself. People that make fun of themselves are the best kinds of people. Trust me. I know these things.
• Roasted Garlic Triscuits are delicious.

Now let’s talk about things I DON’T like. I have to tell you the things I don’t like because WHAT IF, one day, you are wondering whether or not I like something? This will just help you get a better feel for me as a person, which I would very MUCH like for you to have.

• I do not like when my kids get sick on MONDAY. Because we were just all together all weekend, and they should go to school.
• I do not like when my kids are home from school and the POWER GOES OUT.
• I do not like when the POWER GOES OUT FOR MANY, MANY HOURS. It is rude of the power, you know?
• I do not like having sick kids at home and NO TELEVISION for them to watch.
• I do not like cleaning bathrooms in the dark.
• I do not like NOT getting to do my laundry when I choose. I needed to do it TODAY because I cannot do it TOMORROW or the next day, or even the day after that. I needed to do it TODAY because certain people did not have underpants.
• I do not like when my kids are sick, the bathrooms are dark, and we need underpants.
• I WOULD like to reiterate that last statement. sick kids – no lights – bathroom problems. DO YOU COPY?
• I do not like when the ice in the freezer melts together into one huge ice chunk of doom.
• I do not like when my power goes out, my house phone doesn’t work, my cell phone is dead, and I have a conference call scheduled.
• I do not like Pokémon.

And that is all.

Unrealistic Expectations

Tonight we were getting our backpacks ready for school tomorrow.

Make sure homework is signed, snacks are set, and all. that. jazz.

Which is when I saw a sheet of paper that said my child had broken a rule.

And there was a space for my child to write what they did wrong.

AND I QUOTE:

I talked in the bathroom. I will work on being quiet.

Then there was two lines for signatures, one for the student, and one for the parent.

So I had my kid sign their name.

And then *I* wrote:

Really? Talking in the bathroom? This is the dumbest note I have ever signed. Caroline Bingham.

Because really people, you can’t talk in the classroom, you can’t talk in the hall, you’re not supposed to talk in the bathroom? WHAT IF YOU NEED TOILET PAPER? Yes, Virginia, I get it. Good school systems, blah blah blah. On the other hand, freaking CHILDHOOD.

Pieces of Me

Sometimes when I see people’s furniture makeovers, I gag. The line between distressed and completely ruined is a fine one that many, many people cross.

Answer me this: if the girls that I visit teach read my blog, and vice versa, does that count? It’s always awkward in person, because I’m all “Hey! How are you?” and I ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER. I just have to pretend in case my partner doesn’t read blogs and/or facebook. (no really, there are people that don’t read blogs. and it’s okay if I talk about them… because they don’t read blogs.)

On the flip side, what about all the people at church that read your blog, but don’t generally speak to you, but that will reference something that happened or something you shared? It used to make me nervous because what if they used it against me? Then I remembered that the blog me and the real me and pretty much the same thing. But you have to admit, that is is slightly disconcerting to realize that the whole ward knows YOU and you don’t know THEM.

I just referenced LDS culture and half of my readers are asking themselves, “WUH?” 

My brother said he get’s annoyed when jerky people call themselves assertive or confident or strong or funny. I think my brother thinks I’m annoying. (Also: I AM funny.)

I always read my emails at least twice before I send them. First, I read the way it should sound, then I read it in what I refer to as the jerk off setting, which is to say, do I sound like a douchebag in this email? And if the answer is yes, sometimes I send it anyways. (see above)

Whenever someone tells me that they couldn’t believe what I just said, my internal response is, and always will remain, “You should hear what I’m NOT saying.” Also: Can you picture my face? It looks like this:

 

I am getting a new sewing machine this week. Or early next week. Whenever it gets here.

I like rain, which is good, because it’s raining here RIGHT NOW. This piece of information serves of no importance whatsoever other than now you know.

THE END is the absolute best way to end blog posts.

The end.

He had a birthday, shout HOORAY!

Danny had his golden birthday this year. Which is to say: he turned the same number as the day he was born.

Translation: Daniel turned FIVE on the FIFTH day of the FIFTH month in the year two thousand and eleven.

It’s kinda a big deal.

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*photo taken on Danny’s birthday eve.

Me: “How old are you going to be tomorrow?”

Him: “’Dis many…. One, two, three, four, FIVE…. ‘Dat’s a lot.”

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The OFFICIAL birthday mugshot.

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I love this picture and wish it wasn’t blurry!

He asked for a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

It was delicious.

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Blowing out the candles

In fact, it was SO delicious that he couldn’t wait for it to cool down.

FACT: He ate half of the cake.

FACT: I had to piece together the remaining bits to make a little birthday cake.

FACT: He didn’t really care because, as he told me, It was HIS birthday cake.

FACT: Danny is awesome.

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licking the frosting

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Testing out his cool new scooter

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Name: Daniel McCune Bingham

Age: FIVE

Favorite Shows: Spongebob Squarepants

Favorite Food: Sandwiches. Chicken sandwiches

Favorite Song: Spongebob Squarepants

Favorite Color: Green and light green

Favorite Toy: monkey

Favorite thing to do: play with my toys

Favorite Reads: Captain Underpants

Favorite Thing: everything!

Favorite People: Derrick. Dylan. Stephen. Spongebob Squarepants. Tad. Daddy. Mom. Blayne. Taylor.

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FACT: Love this kid!

The Evolution of Grocery Shopping: A Poem

A long time ago, in a land far away,

I was a newlywed bride.

I worked all day, and I cooked all night;

An amateur chef, I was, bona fide.

 

I would spend hours, chopping and dicing,

Using my most favorite knife,

All for the love, of the before-he-was-known

As the DadGuy, part of my life.

 

Then one day, while preparing a dish,

There was a small bout of distress.

Because it turns out, that the bride was with child,

And the kitchen, it did oppress.

 

For the next couple of years, from O’three to O’seven,

The bride was confined to her bed.

She was not a good baker, not of bread nor of children,

And the DadGuy did all in her stead.

 

A few more years later, when the baking was finished,

Again in the kitchen began,

A torrid love affair of a vegetable nature,

It was divine, oh yes, it was grand.

 

Then one fateful day, over a fabulous dinner,

Consisting of 87 ingredients,

The DadGuy announced, “We must move, here and now!”

And I promptly gave my consent.

 

We moved to a far away land full of trees,

And flowers, and rainfall, and deer,

It was a far cry from the desert wasteland

That for so long was our home and frontier.

 

The new stores were confusing, and they didn’t hold much,

Of the food I was used to preparing.

The carts didn’t seat four, didn’t even seat two!

It was then and there I started swearing.

 

“How can they expect me, a mother of four,

To navigate those tiny aisles! 

Just look at this basket! The cart only seats one!”

And on and on I would complain of my trials.

 

DadGuy volunteered, to take over the task,

Of filling the pantry with food.

He used coupons and price-matched and always had snacks,

And therefore, we concluded,

 

That he made a much better grocery store runner,

I admit: I do not grocery shop,

Because DadGuy, he is the coupon avenger, and I, well,

I am not. 

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Disclaimer:

This wondrous post (of whom it is sponsored)

by the lov-er-ly Coupon Castle,

has items for upwards of seventy five,

percentages off retail prices.

Confession:

In addition to all the usual ways I waste time online, I can now add “digital scrapbooking” to the list. 

P.S. Use coupon code SAVEMOM50 at checkout to receive 50% off the software

Real Time

Once upon a time, the newest 5 year old in the house had a birthday.

And on this blessed occasion, I did what any good blogging mother of four would do,

And I grabbed the camera and took eleventy trillion photos because, after all, we live in a digital age.

And then after the birthday was over, and Daniel was looking oh so very FIVE,

DadGuy said to me, “I need to take the camera to work tomorrow. I have to take pictures of the jail.”

Because, apparently, that is in his job requirement.

(He is an accountant, be-tee-dubs)

And I said, “Okay,” because, really, what else does one say to that?

No, you can’t take photos of the county jail as per your inventory or whatever requires…

Yeah, I don’t think so.

So the next day, the husband takes the camera to work for his work type of thing.

And then he leaves it at work.

And then you remind him to bring it home.

And he leaves it at work again.

And then 6 days have past since the glorious fifth birthday,

And you remember why “blogging in real time” can be frustrating.

Because sometimes in real time, you have no time.

Sometimes you have days and weeks that run into each other,

And those days, and weeks, and sometimes even months steamroll you into the ground,

And you just do the best that you can, with what you have.

Which sometimes happens to be a new five year old,

And a camera locked in a desk at the county offices.

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This post, that is about nothing in particular, is sponsored by the lovely people at The Coupon Castle, where you can find almost anything for 75% off. Even cameras.

Let’s Have A Chat

Readers, there has been something I have wanted to discuss with you for awhile, but I just haven’t.

UNTIL TODAY.

Because today seemed like a very good day to talk about such things. 

Readers:



More specifically, I would like to talk about the amount of clothing I have versus the amount of clothing my husband and children have.



What makes this even MORE obnoxious is that I seem to be the only person in the house who only wears one outfit per day.









And on and on and on.

Times 4 children.

Plus one dad that has to come home and change out of his “work clothes”.

Basically, I always have massive amounts of laundry.



But we’re not talking about the laundry today.

(Though if we were, I would probably tell you that I hate it…. but we’re not, so I’ll keep that little nugget of information to myself. YOU’RE WELCOME READERS.)

I want to talk about why I have so few clothes.

You see, I purchase clothing based on whether or not I can wear that particular item on its own, without any clothing “helpers.”

What do I mean by this and what is a clothing helper?




You see, when I get dressed in the morning I like to put on a shirt.


A (singular) shirt.

And this (singular) shirt must: have sleeves, cover my bosom, cover my stomach, and cover my back.

In fact, I do a tricky little test with my shirts…









And this tricky little test weeds out a lot of potential shirts, because, well, there’s just some things that should remain covered up…. especially in public.

Granted, the toes thing is more for skirts, BUT STILL: TOTALLY APPLICABLE.

At any rate, I like for the shirt to give me the right amount of coverage.

And I don’t want to wear layers, because it’s hot and muggy where I live, and I feel like I should be able to put on a shirt and call it a day, thankyouverymuch.

Which is why everyone has way more clothes than me.



The End.

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DISCLAIMER: This story is sponsored by NoVae Clothing. NoVae Clothing is having an after mothers-day BLOWOUT sale this week only! For every $50 you spend, you’ll receive a $10 gift card.  Head over now before everything is gone! And don’t forget to follow NoVae on Facebook!

It's 4:44 on a Friday afternoon, and I am sitting at the computer, in my pajama's.

I am in my pajama's, because I haven't showered yet today.

I haven't showered yet today because I haven't finished the laundry.

I haven't finished the laundry because "high-efficiency washers" are only energy efficient, not time-efficient.

The reason that matters is because when someone has an accident at night, as someone's are wont to do, that particular laundry load can take more than two hours.

For one load.

It's really, really stupid.

Which makes me think about who these washer and dryers are really targeted to, because let me tell you this: not a family with more than 2 kids.

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We've been home for about a week (? or more. my days run together) and people keep asking me A) if I miss Arizona and B) if I would ever move back.

Answer: A) I miss certain things and a few people, and B) not on purpose.

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I always tell people that I am working on projects, and they always want to know what the projects are. And sometimes I can tell people specifics, and sometimes I can't. It's not that I'm trying to be secretive, it's just that  the details are not up for discussion at that point in time.

I will tell you I am finishing up a project that has been in beta for a few months, and we are in pre-launch mode. I will also tell you that this is going to be awesome and amazing and if you have ever dreamed about taking your blog or small business to the next level, and earning money and all that jazz, then you should leave me a comment and I will get in touch with you.

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Danny turned FIVE yesterday and he received about a hundred phone calls from different family members singing happy birthday to him.

 Danny requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday. I obliged. When I went to frost the cake that had been cooling on the counter, there was a knife on the counter and huge chunks missing from the cake. When I asked him why he did it, he said, "It MY birthday cake." and then looked at me like I had just asked the stupidest question in the history of questions.

Meanwhile, he got a green scooter for his birthday, and has pronounced it the most bestest present ever.

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I need a new sewing machine. Do you have one? Do you like it? I need suggestions. Also: they should really let you try those things out before you buy them and bring them home.

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 Remember when I broke up with Facebook? I un-broke up with him, so if you want to be my friend, that would be awesome.

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My washer dinged. I'm going to switch the laundry and have a shower. IN THAT ORDER. 

Freschetta Pizza Giveaway

It’s tradition at our house to have pizza and veggie dippers every Friday night.

And if your husband family is anything like mine, they prefer to stick with a pepperoni or cheese pizza, while I prefer “fancy” pizza with things like artichoke hearts, or spinach and mushrooms…. Which is why the new Freschetta By The Slice is a happy addition to our freezer. I can throw a family friendly pizza in the oven for everyone else, and then get my gourmet on via the microwave.

FRESCHETTA By The Slice Spinach & Mushroom Pizza

GIVEAWAY:

Win a three piece kitchen storage set from Freschetta PLUS a coupon for a complimentary Freschetta By The Slice pizza.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment, telling me what YOUR favorite pizza topping is!
2. Share this contest with your Facebook friends
3. Tweet this giveaway

DETAILS:

Giveaway ends Thursday, May 5, 2011 at midnight, EST.  Maximum three entries per person. Winner will be chosen via random.org. Please leave your name and email address in your comment. Winner will be notified via email.

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DISCLOSURE: I am a member of the Freschetta Fresh Connection Team and received a kitchen storage set (it’s awesome) and pizza (it’s tasty) for freesies. All opinions/thoughts/ideas/expressions/etc. are my own. For reals.