Giggling.

Pitter-pattering of feet racing across the kitchen floor.

The dog barking, as she chases her tail, excited by all the commotion.

The ding of the microwave, telling me that my mug of cocoa is ready.

These are the sounds that filled our house this morning.

A welcome difference to the past two mornings — both hectic.  Both full of “I know; I know!!!!!!!!”  “I don’t want to wear THIS coat!!!!”   “Wahhhh!”

For the laughter and the happy sounds this morning, I am thankful.

What sounds have filled your house today?

Shared over on Mama’s Losin’ It.

The post Morning Sounds first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Sometimes it is easy to see all the negative around you, that’s one of the reasons I started doing a weekly Thankful Thursday post.

Toys cover the living room floor, tumble off shelves, and seem to multiply overnight.  It can drive me crazy.  But, even as the chaos makes me nutty, I am thankful that my children have so many people who love them and give them gifts on birthdays and holidays.

Out. Of. Control.  That sums up the past 2 nights getting kids down for bed.  And I don’t just mean the kids.  I could spend hours going over all the things I did wrong.  But mistakes are made for us to learn from, and thankfully tonight went much smoother.

And then there’s the big one for the week, which probably contributed to the craziness of bedtime from the past 2 nights.

This week the husband is on night shift.

I hate night shift.  I hate having to keep the kids quiet so Daddy can sleep.  I hate having to sleep in our king-sized bed alone.  I hate that when he does wake up, and the kids are all excited to see him, that he often has just enough time to eat dinner with us before he winds up having to leave for work yet again.  I hate not getting to really talk with him.  I hate the sad looks on the kids’ faces as they watch him get in his truck.  I hate the stress we all feel by the end of the week.

But, I can choose to look at it another way.

I am thankful that he has a job that allows me to stay home with the kids.  I am thankful that he isn’t away for weeks on end, that he DOES get to come home at the end of his shift.  And, while he is on night shift, he often leaves little treats for the kids to find in the morning — donuts or a lollipop; I am thankful that he finds little ways to let us know he misses us, too.

Take a moment to look past the negatives this week and look for the positives.  Leave a comment telling us what you’re thankful for this week.

Or, link up your own thankful post!

Shared on Lovely Little Whimsy, The Fontenot Four, Six by the Bay

The post Seeing the Positive — Thankful Thursday first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Happy Thursday!

One day closer to the weekend and time for some happy thoughts!

This week I am thankful for spring weather!

We have been able to have several picnic lunches this week. Our first was a walk to the pond, where my son was excited to find that Papaw had brought back the box of construction trucks and other sand toys, ready for some serious play this season. It was hard to contain his excitement long enough to get him to eat!

Although it was still sweatshirt weather, which meant Mommy had to remind them to stay out of the water several dozen times, we all had fun reuniting with the sand toys.

We have also gotten to picnic at the park — no sweatshirts needed that day!

I lost count how many times they went down all the slides. And the grin on Monkey’s face while I pushed him on the swing? That was priceless.

Have you gotten to enjoy some outdoor time yet this spring? I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to!

And, if you have your own Thankful Thursday post, or other post related to being thankful, I’d love to read it! Link it up below, just be sure to link to your actual post.

Linked up this week with Black Tag Diaries, The Fontenot Four, and Six by the Bay

The post Thankful Thursday — Spring Picnics first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Thank God for kids.

It has been an emotional week for me.

I have written briefly before about some things in my past, and the importance of forgiveness in order to move forward.

Sometimes forgiving yourself is the hardest part.

There are people I owe apologies to, things I want to make right.  And so I’ve reached out to do that with someone I had not spoken to in over 15 years.

And memories have flooded back.

It would be easy to allow myself to drown in the emotions.

But kids have a way of not letting you stay down long.

They are full of life.

They race by, chasing each other at they play.

Their laughter is infectious.

As we were driving down to my parents’ house, we were listening to the radio.  A song came on the radio that speaks volumes to me.  “Jesus, take the wheel…..I can’t do this on my own…”

And just as my thoughts began to become introspective, there were my kids.

“Is her car going to be okay?” from my son, who loves cars.

He continued to inquire about the car, pulling me back from my thoughts.

Thank God for children.

For their hugs that come out of the blue.

For their innocence.

For their laughter.

For their vitality,

For their wet kisses left on your cheek.

For the fresh way they help you look at the world.

For the way they easily forgive our faults.

For their unconditional love.

Thank God for children.

Have your own Thankful Thursday post, link it up with us!  (Be sure to link to your actual post, not just your homepage.)

This week’s Thankful Thursday post is linked up with Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop, Black Tag Diaries, The Fontenot Four, Six by the Bay

The post Thank God for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Last Thankful Thursday I shared a few things that my kids did to make me smile.  This week’s Thankful Thursday post was inspired by Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop prompt:  Someone you talked to today.

And the winner is:  my sister!

Whenever Aunt C. calls, the kids know I am going to be on the phone for a while.  You see, my sister is a talker.

With 7 years between us, we didn’t always have much common ground.  When I was into baby dolls, she was in to boys.  When I was just starting to get interested in boys, she was married and having her first child.

Now a days?

With hundreds of miles between us, telephones help keep us connected.

We swap stories about what our kids have done lately.

We talk about how men can’t seem to get their dirty clothes in the hamper.

We sneak around behind our parents’ backs… (Shh…. My parents don’t know it yet, but my sister’s family is meeting us in Florida this year!)

When we call each other, “Hi,” is not necessary.

If I start the call with, “Why can’t Hot Wheels fall into an empty toilet instead of one that’s been used?” she doesn’t skip a beat.  She’s been there.

If I answer the phone and hear, “I’m sending my son to you,” I know there is a story coming.

My own two little ones keep life interesting.

But my sister?

My sister runs a daycare in her home.  She is never out of stories!  Daughter slathered her brother in my good lotion?  I no sooner tell my sister and she is laughing and telling me about the cake she baked for church that her youngest and the rest of the daycare kids demolished.  And then she is going on about what happened the day before that, poop up to the child’s neck…  (I admit it, sometimes I call her just to feel better about my own day…)

This week I’m thankful for telephones.  And sisters.  And the phone calls sisters share.

Leave a comment telling me who you enjoy talking to on the phone most.

And, if you have your own Thankful post, go ahead and link it up with us!

Linked up with Black Tag Diaries, The Fontenot Four, Six by the Bay

The post Thankful Thursday — Sisters first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

They say laughter is good medicine.  And I think kids write the best prescriptions….

This week I’m thankful for the things my kids have done and said that made me laugh.

***

My daughter was hard at work at the kitchen table.  “How do you spell ‘slippery’?” she asked.

I carefully spelled it for her.

Then she asked how to spell ‘floor.’  By then she had my interest.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Turns out she was making a sign for the floor.  She had spilled some water, and evidently to a 5 year-old it is easier to make a detailed sign to let people know the floor is wet than to wipe it up with a towel.

Got to love it.

Then there is my son.  Daddy was helping him back into his clothes for bedtime, and he said, “I need my funderwear.”

It sounded a lot like “fun to wear,” and you know, with superheroes all over them, I bet they are fun to wear.  (I see a great marketing thing here, if someone wants to jump on it, we just want a little cut for the 3 year-old’s college fund…)

***

What funny things have your kids said or done this week?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

And, as always, if you have your own thankful post this week, be sure to link it up with us!  I love to see the list grow!

Shared on these great blogs: Black Tag Diaries, The Fontenot Four, Six by the Bay

The post Thankful Thursday — Funny Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.