Welcome to The Nest Eclectic

The Nest Eclectic
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

For All the Moms Out There


Oh, the joys and trials of being a parent. I think most of us bloggers have children. Mine have just left the nest but I know many of you out there are just getting started with your brood. That got me thinking about all the years of experience and wisdom out there of blogging mothers who have seen and done it all. The late nights, the tantrums, the first steps, first day of school, graduation and all the days in between that really do fly by. Sometimes when you are in the thick of it it's hard to live in the moment. I remember days when I wondered if they would ever grow up, but they do and way too fast!

This is one of my favorite pictures of my kids. Ashley was oh so unhappy at that moment!

Recently, I found a great blog that belongs to a young mom, Jen, of  Little Miss Penny Wenny. Like me she is a fairly new blogger. She is full of energy, great ideas and has done some great projects. Last night she posted that her cute little boy, Trav, had accidentally killed her laptop with a bottle of water. Her story brought back memories of things my kids did when they were small that didn't seem funny at the time but are funny memories now.
It also made me think of the poem my mom gave me when my kids were little. Growing up, my little brother was ornerier than all get out and tried my mom's patience on more than one occasion. He was always getting into some kind of mischief and I had my moments as well. Somewhere along the way, she found this poem and hung it inside the door of one our kitchen cabinets. When my kids were small, she passed it on to me and I hung it in a spot where I could see it every day. As you can see, the poor thing is kind of tattered looking but the words still hold true.
 

Mother's Prayer

Oh give me patience then wee hands-------
Tug at me with their small demands.
And give me gentle and smiling eyes--------
Keep my lips from hasty replies.
And let not weariness,confusion, or noise------
Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.
So when, in years to come my house is still------
No bitter memories its room may fill.

copyright 1968   Margaret H. Schwab

Here are a few of my favorite memories:

                                                                             Then
                                                                         


                                                                          and now
Thanks for letting me reminisce!
Jodie

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Keeping It Real


I have a plaque I recieved as a gift that serves as a great reminder to me to find something to enjoy and appreciate in each day. It says, "The time to be happy is now, the place to be happy is here."


Over at  Miss Mustard Seed's blog, she was commenting on the entries in her Copy Me Challenge, how great they looked, and how she felt like she was behind on things she wanted to do with her home due to her business. She seemed worried we thought her home was always perfect and photo op ready. Well I am here to tell you girls if there is one thing I have learned in my 47 years it is that life is messy and nothing is perfect!

When I was in my 20's there were people I was amazed by and a little jealous of because their lives appeared to be so perfect.  Over the years I have come to realize no one's life or home or is always perfect, even though in blog land it might appear to be. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. When we visit someones home we are usually seeing it at its best, all shiny, clean and  picked up. That is what I like to call the "Faux House", that is not real life. Many times before company comes, I make a swing around the house with a big basket and gather all the loose paper and things that are laying around, then stash the basket in the basement. I guess that is one good thing about getting older, you learn the truth about life and start to care less about what other people think.

I really admire Miss Mustard Seed, she is so creative, is great at what she does and is an inspiration to many others. I know she lit a fire under me to create! Thanks Marian, we love what you do.
                                                               Joyfully,
                                                                 Jodie