Wisdom, Whimsey, and a Whistle.
Helping Moms Live JOY! No matter the challenges you face, or will face, as a mom, you have been divinely equipped to face them and grow through them. God is the Potter and you are the clay. He is molding and fashioning you and, through you, your children. That truth holds great beauty and divine security.

About Tracey

On a good day you’ll find me outdoors hiking and squeezing in some writing. I love my man and my children, [read more]

Help for Moms Who Wanna Have Fun

Jan
27

Part of my m.o. is that I am a mom who likes to have fun with my kids. Now it wasn’t always this way mind you, I went through my exhausted who has time for fun stage, but God snapped me out of that and I have never looked back.

I realize that not all moms are naturally inclined for fun – that’s why I wrote a post over at MomLife Today with a few tips for funness! Listed below are the ten suggestions for fun I challenged moms to try – I hope you will give one or two (or ten) a try!

1 – I will perform an airbrush concert that will leave them speechless and/or giggling with wild abandon!

2 – I will place my hair in pig tails and/or moose it straight up and act like that is totally normal for me, with an eyebrow raising “what?” when they all look at me like I am crazy!

3 – They will “catch me” sitting in front of the TV laughing hysterically watching cartoons of some sort (or an animated movie) even though I am not accompanied by a child.

4 – I will declare a “do nothing day” where the entire family will stay in their p.j.’s, eat things that do not require cooking and are offered in no logical order whatsoever. Pizza for breakfast, cereal for lunch, dessert for dinner, fruits, veggies, chips whenever. No structure – totally random.

5 – Dress completely different than you normally do. If you are a jeans and t-shirt mom, then dress it up. If you are a dress it up mom, then put on some jeans and a t-shirt. Surprise them with a totally different look.

6 – After dinner one night, declare a “story night” and share stories of memories from when you were a child, especially memories where you (or siblings/friends) messed up, did silly things or felt awkward – then they will know you dealt with the same things they deal with and you are doing just fine. Lots of giggling is the goal!

7 – Short sheet everyone’s beds. Which means you fold the very bottom of the top sheet up to the top of the bed and fold it backwards and make it look like the normal folded area at the upper portion of your flat sheet. When they go to get in bed their legs get stuck because it’s been folded up. Make sense?

8 – Wear your clothes inside out (and backwards, if possible) see how long it takes everyone to notice…then invite your children to do the same! You will be the inside out family for the day.

9 – Prepare a “load” of water balloons, place them in cooler outside and when the opportunity presents itself and your children least expect it…fire away!

10 – Loud music, furniture against the walls, flashing lights! Oh yeah, I’m talking dance party…with you leading the way! You can go online and find the electric slide, the cupid shuffle or even swing dancing instructional videos. Big fun!

As you might guess, I have learned that laughing and being light hearted with my children creates a bond that leads to closeness when the need arises to talk of serious matters.

Go ahead, I double dog dare you to give some of these ideas a try!

Family Reunion

Jul
28

Time marches on.

For me that was easily and eerily obvious this past weekend when I gathered with extended family at a family reunion.

How in the world can “cute little Jackson” be the father of an 18 month old? It literally blew my mind to see him chasing that little guy around the yard. Him a father…really? Wasn’t it just a couple years ago that he was bragging about finally being able to drive? Obviously it was more than a couple years ago!

Then there’s that accompanying nagging thought, “Dang, I must be gettin old!” Say it ain’t so!

I must admit, with each passing year of my life I do enjoy the “I honestly do not give a rip what other people think about me” freedom that coincides with the aging process.

Allow me to provide you with some “age old wisdom” {groaning as I type those words} even if you do not yet consider yourself ”aging” such as I do…go ahead and start “not giving a rip” now…it will save you a whole big bunch of needless fretting. And it will make life more fun!

Come to think of it…that’s why an 18 month old runs around in a yard…he doesn’t give a rip and he wants to have fun!

So, right now, blow your child’s mind and join me in a little new found freedom and have some rip roarin fun -  meander outside and run around in the yard for no apparent reason!

“Mom, Can We Make A Mud Pit?”

May
23

Uh…yeah, I guess so!

      

This is why it is important to be a fun mom – you help your children create memories!

Moms N’ Paintball!

Mar
2

I just spent the last weekend acting like a teenager! I went to a women’s retreat that was held at a youth camp and they offered some primo activities. I was 20 stories high on a zip line, I strategized my way through three rounds of some serious paintball battles and I danced the night away at an 80′s Dance Party! (Oh yeah, headband, leg warmers and the bump – quite the site!) 

I can honestly say…I felt like a teenager. Totally free to be Tracey…not Bill’s wife, not mom, not Mrs. E, not the professional, just Tracey.  It was awesome!

And yeah…God did slap me upside the head several times as I heard some seriously awesome truth from a gifted teacher.  Somehow all the fun increased the intensity of the messaging.

I highly recommend all you moms out there seek out an opportunity to just have fun – be daring, silly, wild and crazy!  Sometimes we lose site of who we are in our “roles” and taking the opportunity to set the roles aside and declare, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is a memory making, and exhilarating experience.

My children stared at me drop jawed as I described my victorious paintball attack and they promptly declared, “Mom…you are a beast!  Next time we play paintball will you be on our team?”

Priceless.

Teen Trash Talk

Feb
16

Comments from my teens in the last 24 hours that made me laugh:

Procrastinators unite – tomorrow!

I’m the good kid…right mom?

If I eat macaroni and cheese now can I still have dinner, in an hour, when we eat?

Here mom…thought you might want this week old peanut butter and jelly sandwhich.

I am worn out.  I only got three hours of sleep Friday night and four hours of sleep Saturday night, so I don’t have to go to school tomorrow…right?

I need some money, for off-campus lunch?  Thanks…you didn’t have to give me money you know?

Just because I’m cleaning the bathroom doesn’t mean I have to clean the shower! Right?

Of course I don’t have any homework, I never do my homework.

You mean if I don’t do my chores I don’t get to watch 24? That’s brilliant mom…that one will work!

Now, what do I have to say about all that teen trash talk…MomLife – you have to laugh…or you’ll go nuts!

Coke = Unexpected Happiness

Feb
5

What could you do, that is unexpected, that would bring someone happiness like this?

Snow Day Fun! (“Fat”)

Jan
30

Ever have one of those “fat” days where you were just daggum happy? I just did! (The “fat” is compliments of my teen daughter…she added that when I walked away from the computer…and no, I was not just insulted – that means “great” in her world!)

We have some fat friends who were traveling out of town, so their four children came over yesterday and are spending a few fat days with us. (More “fat”…compliments of my daughter!)

Last night and today we were hit with a majorly fat ice storm…woo hoo – no fat school! The day was filled with pj fatness, snacks, card games, giggling, x-box games, snacks, ice skidding, line dancing, snacks, loud music (lot’s of Lecrae) guitar playing, laughing, snacks and my favorite…a dance off!

Watching a bunch of kids dance without interest in what anyone thinks of their moves is a very fun thing. Of course my moves caused a laugh or two – but I held my own.

I call a day like this a “memory maker” and that’s my favorite…well, that and smiling! (Love the movie Elf!)

And hey – it shouldn’t take an ice storm for a mom to just stop for a day, set the responsibilities and chores aside and have some serious memory making fun!

Go ahead…have a snow day…EVEN if you have no snow! You’ll have a very “fat” day!

Confession Time

Jan
23

For over two years now I’ve had this secret habit of visiting a man’s website.

I am compelled to go there…I try to stop myself…but I just can’t. What is it with that?

I especially find myself going to visit “him” when I’m sad, mad or simply if I’ve had a bad day. He gives me what I need…I guess…to make it through the rest of my day.

Is this healthy for me?

Well, some people would think it was very healthy and may even be inclined to join me there…other people would think it was foolishness.

What do you think? Go check him out!

Hello…anyone home?

Dec
12

The last three weeks have been a blur for me!

We traveled “home” to see family over Thanksgiving and spent the entire week visiting, eating and reconnecting. Whenever I travel back home I purposefully “unplug” from all social media and I must admit it was rather pleasant to not be constantly checking up with things on my blogs or twitter.

Upon our return from all the family fun hubby and I promptly left to go to an event as representatives of FamilyLife and that visit consisted of lots of meeting, greeting and you guessed it…more eating. The event itself was amazing because I met so many interesting people who are working to help save marriages and families!

When I finally did make it back to our home, because I had been gone for nearly two weeks, it seemed everything there and at work was piled up so high that I needed hiking boots to make it to the top of the piles.

Add to that the need to decorate for Christmas and tackle all the items on my December “to do” list and you can probably understand why this personal blog of mine has been lacking in posts!

Sometimes you have to wonder if trips away from home are worth it!?

Especially when you put on your favorite pair of jeans and it seems as if they mysteriously shrunk while you were away!

Meeting Steven Curtis Chapman

Nov
12

If you have not yet heard the CD Beauty Will Rise, by Steven Curtis Chapman, I suggest you go right out and get yourself one.

I just spent this past weekend with Stephen Curtis Chapman, his wife Mary Beth, and several other people who believe in what they are doing through their showHOPE ministry. If you didn’t catch the Orphan Sunday event on November 8th, I encourage you to go watch it now.

I met Mary Beth first. As she bounded over smiling, it was easy to see why she is so well loved by all those who work with her at Show Hope. She was friendly, gracious, and interested in learning who the striking young girl was who accompanied me–that would have been my daughter! (You know how much a mom appreciates others who are interested in her child.) After our little chat, as Mary Beth walked away, I wondered silently how she has managed to put one foot in front of the other these last 18 months.

When you take a listen to the new CD, I think you’ll get a peek into just how she and her husband have managed to survive the loss of their precious Maria.

As we listened with rapt attention to Steven and his special guests–the Children of the World International Children’s Choir–my daughter, along with her father and me, sat entranced by the beauty the music offered to our hearts … more so than our ears. I was struck by the fact that this father who lost a daughter just over a year ago was on stage surrounded by an amazingly adorable assortment of smiling, singing children who no doubt brought to his mind the sweet cheerful singing of little Maria. I remember hearing when the tragedy happened that she loved to sing and they even shared home video of special moments of her singing giggles.

When we met Steven he looked each of us square in the eye, thanked us for being there and smiled broadly, though I did detect a shy shrug as we complimented him and thanked him for our evening. He was quick to agree when we asked if we could take a picture of him with our daughter, a photo that was instantly placed on her facebook page via her father’s iPhone!

As we left, our daughter asked if there would be any way we could go visit Maria’s Big House, the children’s hospital/orphanage that Show Hope built in China. Hmmm … that sounds like a great idea!

This post was written for FamilyLife MomBlog and was originally published there.