July 06, 2011

some things you might like

July 06, 2011/ molly balint

On Monday evening, we packed up the kids and headed out to our town's 4th of July parade. I admit, this is the first town parade we've attended since we moved here. Generally, our 4th weekend is overrun with a lot of family in town, but this weekend was a quieter one. So we had the chance to make our own fun. I swear these parades make you kinda fall in love with your little town. It also gives you the chance to become acquainted with every dance group and baton-twirling troupe your town has to offer. Though personally, I found the cloggers to be where it's at.

I also spent some time catching up online and on pinterest over the weekend....here are a few lovely things you might enjoy:

Amanda's post this morning : Yes, I LOVE the chair. But I so get that last paragraph, about the need to just make, even when there are so many other "musts" awaiting your time.

(In)courage : 16 Ways to Find Personal Rest : I really need to be better about number 6. Finding a babysitter. I really don't have a babysitter for my children outside of family....can you believe it? I could use a good, trustworthy babysitter.

I am absolutely ADDICTED to making these bracelets. They are so fun. If you can finger knit (or even if you can't), you'll love these. I have since passed my addiction on to the girls.

Homemade mozzarella. Enough said.

Choose a chore. I'm always looking for ways to keep it interesting.

DIY Blue Glass Canning Jars. This is a drop everything and try it craft.

Love this ring. Thinking it might get caught on everything, but still love it.

Isn't this the truth??

This is wedding weekend. I'm thinking of wearing my hair in something like this. Thoughts?

And one more good thing that I don't want to forget....yesterday afternoon as Emma was flying out the door to go to the barn she said to me, "Oh, Mom. My room isn't as messy as it looks. I'm just airing out my clothes. Bye!!"

If that's what "airing out" looks like, than apparently my whole house is "airing out"....off to find some order in the madness.

Have any goodness to share? Leave it in the comments, if you please!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

June 27, 2011

somebody hold my hand

June 27, 2011/ molly balint

Just an hour ago, I dropped Emma off in the woods. For the next four days she'll be off at 4-H Camp.

We checked in, dropped sunscreen and bug spray with the camp nurse, got checked for head lice, and tucked her in to her top bunk. She met her counselors, her Nanticoke tribemates, and she latched on to her friends.

I checked to be sure she was okay. "Are you nervous? Are you sure??"

And I checked again. And then maybe even one more time.

And then that was it. I'd done all I could do. I kissed her--a big wet one right on the lips.

She said goodbye to her sisters.

And she gave Birdy the biggest, longest hug and kiss of all of us.

There was no working up to this. No easing in to being away from home for so many nights. Suddenly she was just ready. Fearless.

And all this week, I'm going to tell myself that her independence is a sign of good parenting, and that she misses us, and this afternoon we'll probably write her a letter--because nothings better than camp mail.

I'm ready for this, right? Growing up is a good thing.

I think.

March 10, 2011

we'd do it all over again

March 10, 2011/ molly balint

♥ a side note : voting ends some time tomorrow for Circle of Moms Top 25 Creative Moms. You can vote once a day. Would you mind taking a moment to cast a vote for me? Thank you! ♥

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I travelled a lot as kid. A father working for commercial airlines meant the freedom to explore lots of places and states, countries, national parks, attractions...

But with all this traveling, many of the "attractions" just a few hours drive from my home, are places where I have never been.

And so, when given an opportunity through Dan's work to take a (free!) weekend to Ocean City, Dan and I knew that despite our lack of attraction to the beach scene (not to be confused with scenery), we had to cash in on the offer.

My children (who apparently don't get out much) were through-the-roof excited about the trip. (In hindsight, I'm thinking I could have saved myself a lot of repetitive clarification and re-telling of every minute detail about the trip, if I'd simply sprung the plan on them 20 minutes before departure.)

Anyhow, from the roadtrip (that excitement lasted about 20 minutes), to the hotel stay, to the pool, to the dinners out, and to dream-of-all-dreams: a visit to Assateauge Island, the girls were mildly enthusiastic. Since January, every journal entry (65 more days until Ocean City!), every dinnertime prayer (thank you God, that we get to go to Ocean City!), every bedtime conversation (How many hours does it take to get there? How big is the pool? Will we really see wild ponies?) has had something to do with the trip.

And so, last weekend it finally arrived. Ocean City is a quiet place in the dead of winter. But in a way, it was kind of nice. The beach is cold and windy and seventeen different shades of grey. And it is beautiful.

We went to the beach. We ate hotel food and sat through banquets and videos about the history of Dan's company and International Harvester. We swam in the hotel pool and spent dollar upon dollar on wacky arcade games. We collected shells and saw wild ponies.

We had meltdowns.

We (meaning me) wondered at which point the parents begin to have fun on vacations.

And we slept like rocks that first day back home in our beds. Birdy, clocking a 15 hour sleep.

And I've decided that for me, the best part of vacation is this part. The looking back. The relief that it's over and the joy that we did it.

The forgetting of the maxed out tired baby, the endless laundry, the packing and unpacking...

And the remembering of their pure joy and excitement and enthusiasm....

And that we'd do it all over again.

March 01, 2011

good for the heart

March 01, 2011/ molly balint

I'm extremely guilty of attempting to fit way too many things in on the weekends. But when my weeks are full, and I really need to be home in order to do things like, oh, I don't know, homeschool my children, oftentimes the weekends are my only chance to get the to-do list done.

On Saturday, one of the things on my list was to workout. And suddenly, I discovered it was late afternoon-- I still needed to shower before going out for the evening with my cousin. I needed to make dinner. I needed to keep working on lessons plans. But I really needed to exercise.

So instead of slipping off to the gym, alone, (and you know me, feeling guilty about it) I plopped Birdy in the backpack and took the children who weren't napping (good girl, Elizabeth) for a walk.

It was the most beautiful exercise I've had in months. I said it on habit, but I hope my children never ever take for granted the beauty in their backyard.

We crossed the stream (there's a hole in my Muck Boot boot!) and walked and walked, following the mowed paths around my uncle's dormant cornfields. It was breathtaking, cold, beautiful, funny and sometimes a little back-breaking with that chubby toddler hanging from my shoulders.

The girls rolled down hills,

stomped in mud, kept tabs on the barn cat that followed us the whole time,

jammed sticks down fox dens,

scraped notes into the mud for their uncle, and did their best to stay in plain sight of their littlest sister on my back, who whined only when she couldn't see what her sisters were doing.

Sometimes this kind of exercise is best not only for the body, but also for the heart.

February 14, 2011

jiggity - jig

February 14, 2011/ molly balint

I am home.

By the time I lugged my large suitcase and multiple carry-on bags up the sidewalk and back into the dark, quiet house late Thursday night, my exhaustion had reached ridiculous levels.

When I fell into bed beside my husband, I have to admit I was a bit miffed that I didn't get a bigger welcome home. He mumbled, rolled over, attempted to rouse himself from sleep.

What? You weren't waiting up? Ready to welcome me with over-sized hugs and big wet kisses? Didn't he realize how tired I was--emotionally, physically, mentally?

By the time I finally settled in to bed, he was awake enough to talk. "I am so glad you are home. These three days have been hellish."

I was completely unaware.

My poor husband went on to explain all the events of the past three days, beginning with the first morning, when Birdy managed to swallow a piece of mettalic glittery confetti. This, in turn, led to uncontrollable dry-heaving, vomitting, and most scary of all----spitting up blood. He called in for help (it's always nice to have a former-EMT uncle in the valley) and watched her carefully as she played normally after all the drama, as if nothing happened. Then came the morning nap. More spitting up, more blood and finally the glittery red star ejected itself from her gullet.

And things continued to go downhill from there--a baby who wouldn't sleep. Who discovered she could stand up in her crib---but couldn't get down. Dishes. Cooking. Mess. Nap-less children. Less than hearty meals.

Ugh. The poor thing.

When I called to check in (multiple times) daily, my children and Dan would reassure me that everything was fine. No one spoke a word to me about the troubles at home because Dan knew, from all the way across the country, there was nothing that I could do, but worry.

At one point, Mary said to me, "Mommy. We have a surprise for you when you come home. But Daddy says we can't tell you." Her voice was so chipper and excited. I had memories of last time. What could it be this go round? A new kitchen floor? A painted bedroom? A remodelled bathroom?

Turns out the surprise was a vomitting baby.

I guess, upon return, it should have been me--embracing my poor, exhausted husband. My nights alone in a luxurious but all-too-quiet-for-good-sleep hotel room didn't seem quite so sacrificial. My inability to sleep on the airplane rides felt slightly less deserving of sympathy.

But you know what? He didn't make me feel an ounce of guilt.

Somehow, I came home feeling more appreciated, needed and loved than I have in a long time.

And San Francisco? It was fantastic. Amazing, amazing people---Whitney and Heather, Kristen, Kristina, Hadley, Denise, Kami, Marie , Sara, Whit, Carolyn , Betsy ... not to mention Scott, Dina and all the others at BabyCenter and MOMformation--I'm not even coming close to mentioning everyone. It gave me a new vision for momformation, for the mission of BabyCenter. I am in good company over there, with amazing people who truly care about the journey of motherhood.

There is lots to love on this Valentine's Day--the goodness of being home, of scribbled valentines, spring-like weather, and surprise donut runs. I hope your day is filled with sweetness and goodness. And as always, thank you for coming to this space and sharing in these moments of sweetness with me.