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]

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Peach Preserves-YUM!

Jul
8

Another summer memory in the making! Literally.

I woke the teens up at 7:00 a.m. loaded them into the X-terra, met up with some friends, went to a nearby orchard and we picked us some yummy peaches…sticky juice running down our chins, as it is totally legal to nibble while plucking!

As if that wasn’t enough fun, we stopped and got some jars, a 10 lb. bag of sugar and high tailed it back to the kitchen.  Oh yeah, this little Mama made some slammin peach preserves today! Of course I couldn’t have done it without the help of my own Mama…she was runnin the show and she had us all playing a part in the preservin’ of the peaches! Even Dad helped out – thanks for all the peach peeling!

We ended up with 30 jars! We made some great, fun memories and my teens learned a new skill! My Mom even said to my daughter, “Someday you and Tracey will be doing this without me.”  My daughter replied, “Yeah, and my daughter will be helping us!”

We also made a bigo yummy peach cobbler, it’s in the oven now and the house smells… well – peachy!

We preserved more than peaches today – and that is what being a Fun Mom is all about!

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Fun Mom Ideas

May
29

A friend asked me for some ideas of fun activities over the summer and since all moms are on the look out for things to do I figured I’d just blog about it! I am guessing lots of you are probably recognizing that summer is here and your children are already saying, “I’m bored”, what’s a mom to do?

As far as I’m concerned, summer time means no agenda. We drag our children from task to task during the school year, so for me summer is not so much about what we do, it’s about who decides what we do!

In our home I try to approach summer days by asking my daughter and son what they’d like to do. Usually they have an idea, if not I throw out some suggestions. Now realize, Mom, you’re opening yourself up to having to do something that may not sound so thrilling to you. But hey, since you usually set the agenda, turn off the to-do list part of your brain and let them choose. It’s actually fun to see what they come up with!

Here are a dozen examples of how we’ve spent some summer hours:

  1. Prepare something yummy—cookies, bread, homemade popsicles. (Deliver some to a neighbor or friend!)
  2. Trip to the local park with a football, frisbee and and ice chest of water and enjoy random fun.
  3. Bike riding, horseback riding, go-cart riding, dirt bike riding. (Yeah, we like “riding.”)
  4. Marathon game playing day. (We take turns choosing the game to play.)
  5. Creativity with Play-Doh and cookie cutters. (Yes, mine still enjoy Play-Doh!)
  6. Play loud music and perform for each other. (Hair brush mic optional.  Warning: “old” dance moves will get you laughed at … big time.)
  7. Enjoy a lazy pajama/movie/popcorn day. (This is a gift to mom, you HAVE to do nothing with them—WAY cool!)
  8. Pull out paints/pastels/pencils/crayons and produce masterpieces. (Grandparents are VERY happy to receive summer surprises in the mail!)
  9. Library day choosing books, audio books, and videos.
  10. Outdoor play—wiffleball, kickball, four square or pickleball tournament. (If you don’t know pickleball, learn about it, amazing game, great fun no matter how unathletic you are!)
  11. Water gun/water balloon fight. (Mom gets to pull out the hose if she’s losing!)
  12. Go to the sports store, farm equipment store, electronic store and wander aimlessly looking at all the cool stuff. (No purchasing, just looking—it can be done!)

The idea is not to pack a lot into one day, these fun-filled hours were spread out over time.

What I have learned is that children just get plain old sick and tired of always having to do what we want, so the joy of summer for my children are the days that they get to do what they want. Even when it’s unglamorous and boring to me, I fake it and end up getting into it and we have some serious fun together—it’s about creating memories and having no agenda!

So, tell me what your children come up with – that will give me some ideas for some summer suggestions when mine draw a blank!

(This post was originally published at FamilyLife MomBlog.)

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May Madness Moms part 2

May
20

How are you this fine May fellow moms?

I am fine, just a little busy this month. Off the top of my head…

  • Band Dinner & Auction Volunteer
  • Kentucky Derby Party for Teens
  • Organize National Archery Tournament Hotel and Bus plans for 30 + families
  • Substitute Teach
  • Awards Banquet
  • Work projects for FamilyLife.com
  • Welcome Teas for New Women to FamilyLife
  • Update/Remake of Personal Website (yeah, this one)
  • Untold meetings and e-mails for MomLife Today.com
  • Plan Summer schedules
  • Register for camp
  • Trap tournament for Son
  • Trap tournament for Daughter
  • SAT & ACT prep and test stuff
  • Getting my butt kicked daily by Jillian Michaels 30-day shred
  • Band performance for Graduation
  • Dinner for MomLife Today team at my home
  • 3 sets of overnight guests
  • 14 year old boy sleepover
  • Horse with medical issues
  • Video and video editing for MomLife Today.com
  • Preparation for daughter’s 12 day “Junior Trip” with school
  • Quizzing daughter for her finals
  • Quizzing son for his finals
  • Homemade goodies for teacher
  • Meetings, phone calls, e-mails
  • Posts for MomLifeToday.com and MomLifeOutLoud.com

Really – what else could one mom pack into a month? I bet your list is longer!

I know…wah, wah, wah…forgive me I needed to vent!

(Truth be told…I love every minute of it and being a mom to two healthy, active, involved, fun loving teens  is the greatest thing ever…ever…ever! And being a part of encouraging other moms is icing on the cake!)

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Why men should do the dishes!

May
10

Yesterday, my hubby and two other men but on a grand Mother’s Day celebration for three families that was absolutely fabulous!

There were 17 guests at the well thought out affair and all were seated at one very long table skillfully put together with card tables and layered tablecloths. The place setting were mix and match China with hand crafted place cards and seats of honor for each of the moms in attendance. Our orders during the flurry of preparatory activity were to sit, talk and do absolutely nothing. We gleefully accepted our orders and conversated happily while fathers and children worked steadily to serve and honor us.

When the dining, toasting and edifying words to each of us came to a close our “before meal orders” remained in place after the completion of the meal. Children cleared and scraped, while men put leftovers away and dove into the sink to tackle doing the dishes. It was during that later chat fest that I made a very interesting observation. They were bonding.

Men should always be made to do the dishes after a family or fellowship event. I overheard some very heartfelt, jovial and downright bonding conversation going on amongst the men as they went about their after dinner clean up.

That’s when it hit me…the reason women are considered relational and men are not is because when women clean up after a meal and do dishes we share our lives and have very real bonding sessions. And traditionally where are the men at that time? Parked in front of a television watching football, or golf, or Nascar.

So…if your hubby doesn’t bond with guys, maybe it is because they just won’t bond if they are sitting and staring at a television. I’m guessing if you don’t tell them why you want them to do the clean up the whole conversational bonding thing might just happen. I am guessing it will make you as happy as it made me!

Oh, and if you can get them to do the cooking too, it makes for a very relaxing event for you!

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Lesson From a Baby

Apr
22
Yesterday I enjoyed a very special treat! I got to spend much of the day with the nine month old daughter of a very good friend who had a doctor’s appointment.

Truth be told, part of me thought it would be a bit of a stretch to spend several hours with a baby because I have a tendency to be “high task” and somehow manage to fill every moment of every day getting something done.

Well, sweet little Isabel cured me of that affliction.  I am way better off having spent my day crawling around on the floor, chatting incessantly, singing silly songs and exploring every flower, bush and creature that could be found in my yard.

My day was made complete when for no apparent reason little miss Isabel crawled over to me, gingerly climbed her way to a standing position looked me eyeball to eyeball and just paused. As if to say, “I like you, spending time with you makes me very happy.”  Then she plopped back down on all fours and went right back to rattling my sunglasses case.

Imagine my further delight when it was time to go and she squeezed me happily, held on tight and slowly took her time returning to mom.  I thought I was doing my friend a favor by watching her little one, when actually she was doing me the favor!

As I have reflected on my day with Isabel, God has brought to mind that maybe, just maybe I spend too many hours of my day in task mode when instead I need to seek out relationship.

I wonder who needs me to look at them eyeball to eyeball, pause and say, “I like you, spending time with you makes me very happy!”

Something to ponder…and act on.

Filed Under: Be The Mom, Children Tagged With: 2 Comments

TV Family Movie Night is Back

Apr
13

OK friends, this Friday may just be the “re-start” of something great! Years ago Friday nights used to be “Family Movie Night” on network television. However, as we can all attest to, settling down with your family in front of the TV these days requires speed and accuracy with the remote. You know what I’m talking about, all of us have become professionals in our ability to mute and even push the off button in the blink of an eye!

The jury is out, since this Friday is opening night of NBC’s new endeavor, but I have it on good authority that advertisers out there realize that moms are fed up with the choices on network television and a few of them got together and decided to give family friendly TV an attempt.

So yes, we will be making some homemade pizza, popping some popcorn and baking some cookies as we gather around the TV and see if we can be “safely” entertained without being offended by content or trashy commercials.

Now, if you plan on joining in on the fun…don’t blame me if it all turns out bad, do not shoot the messenger. I’m just here to inform. If you do check it out, come back afterwards and leave a comment and then maybe we can decide together what the general consensus is!

Family Movie Night or Family Movie Fail?

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My “L” is back!

Apr
6

It has been a while since I posted – initially it was because my “L” was missing, but I did manage to get my keyboard repaired and as you can clearly read…my “L” is back!  (See my last post!)

Our family just returned from a funeral…that’s another reason why I have been silent for a bit. 

It is amazing how you can be plugging along with your life and  have so many “things” that demand your attention and various ”to do’s” that grab your time, but one phone call about a death of someone you love and things and to do’s slip silently into oblivion.

Going through grief and death with others has caused me to spend some personal time reflecting on what I spend each day doing as the seconds tick by in my life.  As a result I have recalled a phrase my husband has used with me many times, “do not let the tyranny of the urgent, pull you away from the important.” I’m not sure if he heard someone else say that, or if he came up with it himself – but I do know that his point is a good one.

Look at your “to do” list today…if this were to be your last week, is that really how you would want to fill the “tick tocks” of your day?

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Teenagers = Danger To Adults

Feb
25

Teenagers. You have to love them, or you would go mad trying to deal with the mood swings. I mean really, one minute you are enjoying a perfectly yummy salad dinner and having a normal conversation, the next minute you are dealing with someone who thinks you are a lunatic.

So, at dinner last night when my daughter was clearly exasperated with our ineptness as adults, parents, and humans because we were not seeing things her way, my brilliant husband uttered the following:

“Did you know that when teenagers turn 15 they emit a chemical that eliminates all brain capacity of their parents? Really, the parents lose the ability to think rationally.”

My daughter was all over that, she readily agreed and said, “I believe it, that’s so true!”

Then my husband added, “And you know what else, they emit that same chemical at school and the same thing happens to all the teachers!”

Immediately, she shouted, “Yes, I knew it!”

And we ended our meal laughing, poking at each other and recognizing that it takes a little humor to deal with each other as we wade through the deep murky waters of living with each other… when we want to control…and she wants independence.

Come to think of it, we have used humor since she was a toddler. Can you relate?

(This post was originally published @ http://www.familylifemomblog.com/ )

Filed Under: Be The Mom, Teen Children Tagged With: Leave a Comment

Valentine Solution for Hubby

Feb
11
For Valentine’s Day this year I decided to just come right on out and tell hubby the pressure is off! Rather than him sweat it and try to figure out what wonderful thing he could do for me…I asked that we plan the evening together. 
I suggested we invite another couple over to our home for dinner. We’ll set the table with china and have everything all sweet and romantic…our guests will arrive, he and the other hubby will go get take out from a nice local restaurant and wave to all the other couples waiting patiently to be rushed through their dinner. My friend and I will relax and chat incessantly until their return with our yummy meal.

The four of us will then be able to enjoy a long, slow leisurely dinner in the comfort and quiet of our comfy, cozy, home – with refills of everything at our fingertips, romantic music wafting through the candlelit air and a roaring fireplace right in the dining room! Now…that’s a night of quiet romance.

Hubby is excited knowing the evening is something I want and I am excited about the fact that I can relax and not feel rushed at a restaurant. We can enjoy preparing for the evening together and serving each other throughout the night. We are also happy about helping our friends benefit from a night out and then seeing them safely out the door…just moments from their own driveway.

A lovely evening…far from the hustle and bustle of restaurant fanfare.

And…there is something to be said for that much relaxation happening, just steps from the bedroom…or that roaring fireplace! Oops TMI?

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Epic Fail!

Jan
27

Teenagers: so quick to voice their opinions.

The other day my sweet daughter, upon observing a little mistake I made while preparing dinner, made one of her humorous quips, “Epic fail,” followed by a shake of the head and a slight smirk.

“Excuse me?” I replied.

She repeated, “Epic fail.”

“That sounds like a good title,” I said. “I should do an “Epic fail” post … what should I write it about?”

To which she retorted, “Would you like your epic failures in alphabetical order, or in order of annoyance?”

So I called her bluff and asked her to go for it and tell me about my “epic fails.” She provided the following:

You use way too many words to make a very brief point.
You have no math skills.
Your random outbursts of singing and dancing are just awkward.
You’re computer illiterate.
You have a habit of having full-scale conversations … with yourself.
Your shoes.
Your strange ability to burn yourself every time you open the oven … in the same spot … same place … and no, it’s not the oven’s fault.

Then she said, “That’s all I can think of off the top of my head…can I call Dad and ask him if he can think of more?”

I must say, I am so pleased that I have the opportunity through this blog to share our little bantering session with you and keep her ever mindful that should she experience her own little “epic fails” I have my computer (and my illiterate skills with it) at the ready to get it all down in print!

That is one way I will always get the last word!

(This post was originally published at www.familylifemomblog.com )

Filed Under: Be The Mom, Teen Children Tagged With: Leave a Comment