Mother’s Day

A few things I’ve learned about motherhood since becoming a mother almost 6 years ago:

1) Sometimes my heart is so full that it spills over and leaks. Usually out of my eyes.
2) Watching children do/see/learn/experience something new for the first time is magical.
3) If you can survive your child’s second year of life, you can do anything.
4) It is some sort of law of Mother Nature, that when you are trying to leave the house because you are late to get somewhere, one of your children will poop.
5) I’m pretty sure that these will be the best years of my life.

This Mother’s Day, I was showered with hugs, kisses, and some spit up. Homemade cards and breakfast, afternoon hikes and cuddles, and my baby falling asleep in my arms. Lots of laughter, tickles, and some ice cream. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Growing, growing, growing…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whew! It’s been some time since we posted here. Things have been busy for the Bultmans here in San Diego.

Here’s a recent photo of the three little wonders. They are keeping us busy, testing us, challenging us to grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined. But as I sit here tonight going through photos from the past year I’m amazed at how fast they are starting to grow up.

These little people keep us on our toes, reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously, that and I really wish that the ipod shirt that D is wearing actually worked…. in real life….. and I could pause each of them when I felt so inclined – any of you parents reading this, tell me you wouldn’t spend some your hard earned cashed on an item like that!?  Come on and respond to the blog post that you would want one… then I’ll contact Apple and some programmers and get a project started to fund it.  :P
Cheers.
Luke

What’s for Dinner: Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Source: Lulu the Baker

I found this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks back and knew I had to try it. With a healthy amount of vegetables, we found the chowder satisfying and flavorful. Our kids loved it, ate seconds, and asked for some leftovers the next day. Our oldest can be quoted saying, “This is my favorite dinner ever, Mom! I like it even more than macaroni and cheese!” Coming from a five year old, that is a powerful statement. Click on the photo above for Lulu’s recipe.

Here’s what our version looked like:

Do you have a favorite soup or stew? Please share!

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Our oldest son lost his first tooth this month. He is growing up too quickly for our liking! It had been loose for a couple of weeks and was hanging by a gummy thread after school one day. With hardly a touch to it, the tooth fell out. He was so excited!

We stuck with tradition and told him to put his tooth under his pillow so that the tooth fairy could come and visit. He couldn’t wait to go to bed that night. He sleepily emerged the next morning with his tooth fairy gift in hand – a handstitched tooth pillow for his future lost teeth.

Included in the fairy’s pillow was a tiny certificate of congratulations as well as $5. (What he doesn’t know is that his money was regifted from a birthday present he received 6 months ago that we just never put into the bank!)

What do you remember about losing a tooth? Did the Tooth Fairy come visit you?

Cleaning, Purging, and Organizing

A New Year is symbolic in our society of a fresh, clean start. While many of us make resolutions to improve the quality of our lives, I also use it as a time to take a look at our physical inventory. Christmas and Birthday’s are the two times of the year that I go organizational crazy. This usually happens because new items come into our home. Out with the old, in with the new. My husband can see it coming a mile away. With a crazed look in my eye, I go about purging our home of “stuff” – unused movies, toys, books, clothing, etc. You name it, I will purge it. I usually begin with the question, “Have you used this in the last month?” If not, it may disappear into a donation pile.

Today, we unpacked from our holiday travels. Our children received a few new movies for Christmas. As I was putting them away in our entertainment center, I decided to dust. Dusting lead to purging some movies and electronic paraphernalia. And purging lead to some organizing.

I use baskets, plastic crates, and photo boxes that I already had at home to help organize. I like to use these items to organize for two reasons. 1) It keeps items neatly contained and easy to find and clean up. 2) When our items no longer fit inside the storage basket/crate/box, it is time to purge in order to make room for newer items.

I tend to use photo boxes for more adult items since they are more difficult for children to open. Inside the photo box are some of my husband’s Play Station games and controllers. I put our family DVD’s in the baskets to make it easy for the children to reach.

My favorite part of organizing the entertainment center was looking at our pile of donation or potential yard sale items. Our five year old sorted out 6 DVDs that he no longer wanted or watched and I added an additional 10 DVDs and VHS tapes that we had buried in the back.

Now, off to work on the kid’s toys….

How do you sort and organize your electronics?

The Power of the Blanket

It’s that time of year! Time for warm tea, wool socks, good books, and most importantly, my blanket. The one that sits on the closet shelf for most of the year, only to be brought out in the cooler temperatures.

A few years ago, during a Black Friday shopping trip to Target, I found my blanket. And, as everyone knows, Black Friday shopping means getting a head start on shopping for others as well as yourself! This was my special purchase three years ago. My blanket is the ultimate blanket – big, warm, and soft. It is everything a blanket should be and more!

When the leaves start to change and the temperatures drop, I curl up on the couch and if I have my blanket around, I’m a goner. My blanket is like fabric Melatonin. It puts me to sleep instantly. Considering I have three young children, I suppose that isn’t hard to do. Nevertheless, my blanket is an instant source of warmth, comfort, and relaxation. I love it. It’s a family favorite to snuggle in, as well. Tonight, after a particularly fussy evening, I swaddled my little one in it. I told him, before I wrapped him in it as he was fussing, “D, don’t resist the power of the blanket. Don’t even try. It will not work. You will not win.” After five minutes, all was quiet. He was sound asleep, sleeping like a baby.

What helps you fall asleep at night? Do you have a special blanket too?

I take my kids to Costco for snack time.

I take my kids to Costco for snack time. Don’t judge. Anyone who has been to Costco or any of the other major bulk stores knows that they are good for buying 25 pounds of beans as well as their samples during 3pm. It just so happens that picking up my son from kindergarten and snack time coincide, so why not go get snack and do some shopping at the same time? It’s a win win for everyone!
Last week, we were able to try some new foods that we might not otherwise try. My oldest son loved the fried calamari and thought it was rather tasty. This is not a purchase I would normally make so I was happy he had the opportunity to enjoy it. Son #2 asked for more meatballs simmered in A1 sauce. And, I found out that both boys love broccoli cheese soup. Who knew? My oldest told me, “Mom, Costco is my favorite store. I love going here!” Well, kiddo, that makes two of us!

What stores do you love going to? What stores do your kids love?