The biggest role model

I am my kids' biggest role model.

Whether I like it or not I am the biggest example in my kids' life. Especially being a stay at home mom...I am with them all the time. What I do...they will see, whether I know it or not.

Being an example and role model is a silent job...it's un-seen. They see the things you do and how you act even if you don't know their watching...So what I do is something I have to be ok with my girls doing. The way I react to something...is that the way I want them to react too?

I have pierced ears...and I'm ok with my girls getting pierced ears. Even though they haven't yet. They do need to be responsible enough to not mess with them and help take care of them.

I have dyed my hair red before...there are pictures. Am I ok with my girls dyeing their hair a surprising or strange color? 

I don't have any tattoos...do I want my girls following in my example and not getting a tattoo? If I had one...I would have to be ok with my kids getting one too.  

Do I want my girls to talk clean? Yes...so that's how I talk. Have good manners?...say please and thank you? Yes! That's why I even say please and thank you to my girls. If I expect them to have good manners toward others...it only makes sense to have good manners to them too. 

I need to dress the way I want my girls to dress. As a mom of girls I need to teach them to dress modestly...even at a young age. The way I dress is a good influence on them and how they should dress. Even though they may be too young right now to understand, I can still lead by example and use this as a tool for later when they will understand.

Even just the little things I do...like how I react when I get mad. Or how I handle punishing them. It's all things that their little minds are taking in. I want their minds to absorb the right things. Am I doing the right things? Am I being the right kind of influence on them? 

This is not something that I think about as much as I should. In the midst of being mad I usually don't stop and think "what kind of example am I being right now". Am I leading them in the right direction? In the way they should go?

The Favorite...?

So you know the saying that your not supposed to have a favorite kid? Seriously, how could you even decide? But...is there a difference between a favorite kid and different bonds with them? Yes...I think so.

I love all my girls the same...but in different ways. They have different personalities. So we have different bonds...we get along in different ways...But I don't think that's the same as having a favorite.

Emma is my oldest. She just turned 4 last month (in December). We are so much alike...she is literally my mini-me...just like me. Our personalities are very similar. Even down to the little things like we don't like trying new foods. Or we would much rather wear yogo pants or "soft pants" as Emma calls them, than blue jeans. She is even more outgoing like me. And don't even get me started on her sweet-tooth she gets from me.

Ava is my middle girl. She turned 3 in November. We are less alike...she is much more like Jon. She has such a silly personality. Although she does have my sweet tooth. She is also very sneaky, and I think she gets that from me too. She once licked frosting off about 8 cupcakes without me knowing. She is very stubborn and Jon says she gets that from me. 

Leah is my youngest...the baby of the family. We will be celebrating her 1st birthday at the end of January! She is my happy baby. Sweet baby. Silly. She is still too young to know who she will be more like I think. I also feel a bond with Leah because she very well could be our last baby. Unless God blesses us with a surprise.

So...no favorites...just different bonds with different kids. Each kid has their own personality so you get along with them differently. So maybe...all my girls are my favorites :) 

Whirlwind

So you might be wondering where I've been...It's been a whirlwind the past couple weeks.

Christmas Eve we traveled to Elkhart, where my family lives. So most of the day we were traveling. It's a 5-6 hour trip... and of course we stopped at Lee's famous recipe chicken!

Christmas day, of course, was quite busy. We usually have a Christmas at my parents house and then a separate Christmas at my Grandma's house. But this year it was combined at my parents house. Double the presents. Double the chaos. But we had fun.

  

Thursday...the day after Christmas...Jon and I went on a date for lunch before he left to go home. The girls and I stayed with my parents for a longer visit. 

Saturday...my brother and his family came over to my parents house and we took the kids sledding! (my parents house sits on a hill, so we have grown up going sledding right outside our door!) 

This was the first time I was able to take my just turned 3 year old sledding!

The kids really enjoyed it :) 

My youngest watched from inside. 

Tuesday morning we went to my grandparents house to visit with them. I praise the Lord I was able to go and take my girls for this visit. 

We didn't do anything for New Year's Eve...I value my sleep too much...New Year's day it was just a lazy day with the whole family. 

The girls and I were supposed to go home on Saturday, Jan 4th, but decided to stay...I'm very glad we did.

Sunday evening into Monday Elkhart got quite a bit of snow. Monday and Tuesday were the really really cold days. In the negatives. The real feel for Monday was -45. So of course we stayed home...especially since there was a ban on driving. 

The driving ban was lifted just in time for me to have to take Emma to an urgent care for an ear infection on Wednesday...and of course that evening she started looking like she might have pink eye. 2 days later of waiting it out I decided it was just a cold in her eye. It seems to be better now. 

Saturday evening...Jan 4th...my Opa (Grandpa) went home to be with the Lord. He fought cancer for over a year...and now he is walking the streets of gold!

The funeral was on Friday...it was beautiful, he would have liked it. He was 90 years old. An amazing example and role model for everyone who knew him. My grandparents had been married for 63 years! What an amazing example of a God-centered marriage! 

Such a bittersweet time...Life is so precious. Cherish every minute you have with your loved ones. I am so blessed that I was able to see him one last time...and take my girls to see him too. We will miss Opa always, but heaven has gained a true warrior for Christ. We have comfort and peace knowing he's with Jesus.