Hi Jesus, I love you!

Recently, my sweet J has decided that she wants to talk to Jesus. She tells him, "Hi, Jesus! I wuv you!" everytime we walk outside. I'll hear her playing in the playroom and just giggling and I'll ask, "What are you doing Jorgia?" The answer is usually the same (unless Jessa is playing with her) "Playing with Jesus momma. You come?" The best Jesus moment however, was definitely when she told her daddy, "I'm going to go tickle Jesus!" (Procedes to run away with tickle monster gloves on). 

Why am I telling you this? 

Because it's amazing. 

She's talking to Jesus. 

I don't care what she's saying, and neither does he. I guarantee you, all of the words and phrases she says right now that I can't fully understand - he does. And I have no idea what he says to her because she can't tell me. But what I do know, is that my daughter will be 2 in 2 weeks, & I'm in complete and utter awe at her child sized faith. 

From the moment we found out I was pregnant, the very night, Joe prayed. He prayed for me all day and he prayed to my stomach and for our "Jbaby". He prayed for many things and has continued to pray for many things during our sweet babies lives but he always ends with, "....and we pray that these children run to you and become men & women of God." Everytime. 

I'm not saying J is like this simply because we prayed. That wouldn't be true. I know that she's like this because of our actions. But, watching J, it is pretty obvious to me that my 2 year old (might as well call her that!) has stronger faith than I. 

What? Did I just say that??? 

Yes, I did. No error. You read that right. 

More faith than me? Yes. 

Why? Because I've spent my entire life at church. I've spent my entire life hearing bible verses, being prayed to, being prayed for, going to church camps, youth groups, and having God's word chirped in my ear. And although this has happened, I strayed. And although this has happened, I only recently started talking to God like he was a person. Just talking to him daily as I would any other person. 

And here she is, my sweet J, beginning her relationship with The Lord. And talking to Jesus more than I am. 

And I know, I know, relationships with God are not a competition. 

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying I look up to my daughter. 

That faith, that faith to trust me, to trust her father to lead her in the right direction, to trust us when we tell her that He is good, that faith is flawless. That faith is beautiful. That is the faith I strive for. 

& really, isn't that the type of faith we should all strive for? A faith that is not shaken, that doesn't question, only wants more. More knowledge, more worship, more of Him. 

One day she might ask questions, wonder, stray. But here's what I know - it's not my job to raise a Christian child. It's my job to model how a Christian woman should be. What they choose later in life will be completely up to them. But I will be encouraging her faith along the way, guiding her. So that when the day comes that her faith does raise a question, she can stand firm. 

I'll remind her of these days for the rest of her life. How her child faith inspired me to keep going, keep reaching, keep learning. 

I am incredibly blessed to be her momma. I can not wait to see what God had planned for her. 

XOXOX, 

Harmon Housewife 

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Okay people, before you totally disregard this recipe as I previously would have - I'm telling you, TRY IT. 

I have never, I repeat, never tried a turkey meatloaf recipe that was even decently to my liking. Until tonight. 

I'm honestly not sure if I'll even go back to beef because of how much my crew enjoyed this recipe! I had a pound of ground turkey & I really just wasn't in the mood for Mexican food (what I usually use ground turkey for). So I stepped outside my cooking comfort box & made this. So, so, so, so, so, so, so glad. & as always, this recipe is toddler approved :) 

Are you ready for the best turkey meatloaf ever? Hope so, cause here it is! 

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground turkey 

1 can rotel 

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup quick cooking oats

4 tsp beef bouillon 

8 tsp minced onion 

1 tsp onion powder 

1/4 tsp minced garlic 

Directions: 

--Preheat to 375 degrees. 

1. Combine all listed ingredients and mix well. As my J says, "Work it girl! Work it!" -You want to work that meat mixture until it's totally combined! She's my favorite cheerleader :) 

2. Once your ingredients are well mixed, grab a little from the mix & roll into a ball. Put in a muffin tin. (I didn't measure the size of my "muffins" I just put them in and they reached the top of the muffin tin). My mix made 12 perfectly sized "muffins".

3. Bake for 40 minutes. 

4. Top with ketchup glaze of choice. 

5. Bake for additional 10 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Try this, doooooo it! 

If you still need to be convinced, here are the nutritional facts from this recipe- before ketchup glaze. This is for 1 muffin! 

XOXOX, 

Harmon Housewife 

Supermom Doesn't Live Here

I've been made fun of many times for the schedule I keep my household running on. I've been judged for choosing not to breastfeed my twins. I've been given the look (you know the look) at parks while my toddler screams for a drink of soda she's not getting. I've hid in the bathroom to enjoy a fudge round by myself. I don't cosleep. Some of you who are reading this have just lost interest in this blog because you're reading that in actuality, I'm no supermom. 

Supermom. I hear that comment daily. & although, yes, it's a compliment. It's also a burden. Yes, it's a burden. Who can live up to that? Not me. I yell. I cry. I play. I question. I love. Just like you. 

Are you supermom? What makes a mother a supermom? 

Is it because I have 3 kids under the age of 2? That can't be it. There's probably thousands of mothers who have kids this way. 

Is it because I do planned activities with my babies? That can't be it. There's also thousands of mothers who do this. 

There's also thousands of mothers who work all day long and come home after a long day and still try and interact with their babies educationally. Exhausted. Frustrated. But present. They look forward to those few hours all day at work. Are they supermom? 

I can tell you this- not once have I heard a working mother be called a supermom. Not once. 

Do they not love their kids just as much as a mother who stays home? Do they not juggle the same amount of motherly chores, wifely duties, and life stress as mothers who stay home? 

I'm really wondering what YOU define supermom as? 

Because I can tell you, supermom doesn't live in this house. 

A real mom does. A mom who loves. A mom who yells. A mom who plays. A mom who sleeps. A mom who dreams of her prepregnancy body & who has not fully accepted the marks my sweet babies left behind. A mom who does no cosleep. A mom who does not breastfeed. A real mom lives here. A mom with flaws, dreams, and fears. 

A mom who does her best every day to keep it together. 

Supermom doesn't live here. I don't believe she lives anywhere. But I do believe there are super moms that love everywhere. 

XOXOX, 

Harmon Housewife

Fall Plans

So, in the fall I'm planning on working with J and my babies. I do daily but for J, I'm ready for set lessons/activities. A friend of mine is planning on doing this as well, she's the one who approached me about it! We will work with our girls & get together with them for more learning opportunities. She has a teaching background so educational play is very important to her & her family as well. We don't have set plans yet but we have discussed a few things. I'm a total freak about planning so I already emailed her a "unit" plan. She is coming up with things as well so it will be a group effort. I just want to get your minds thinking about our plans so that if you're looking for something for your sweetie, maybe you can get ideas from my weekly post about our "homeschool". 

This is not school. Our kids are not "school age". But any age, is learning age! & we're taking full advantage. 

I couldn't find a curriculum I liked. & frankly, I don't like "curriculums" because I don't like being bound to only certain things. But, I do like having a plan. So I write it out curriculum style and go with the flow as time passes. Each week, I'll load my plan & let you know what did/didn't go as planned. I browsed Pinterest, Google, bing, and all over the internet to get ideas and start thinking and have a great first couple of weeks lined up already. Are you ready for a brief glimpse? Read on. 

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Here's how our week will look: 

One day I will have moms group. Two days we will work intentionally on activities/subjects/projects. And two days will be free days but I will have manipulatives that are topic related set out. She'll also have the option of these manipulatives the day we have moms group, but moms group usually takes up our entire morning with travel, play, naps, etc. So that's the basic breakdown. 

Here's an example of topic/activities:

Topic - Creation - "Self & Environmental Awareness" 

Examples of we will do for activities/projects: 

-nature walks

-visit zoo and/or aquarium

-grow plants

-discuss friends

-discuss families 

-books related to self, family, nature, etc.  

-cook family recipes 

-discuss feelings

-discuss body parts

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I have certain objectives I want to meet for J. I will share those & a more detailed plan with activity/projects when I share the full schedule. Here's the thing, just like I modified ideas and plans to make this, you can modify my plans to make yours. Every child needs different learning opportunities and different objectives depending on their developmental level. Use these, tweek these, omit these. Whatever fits your family. I'd love to see you do some of my plans with your littles so if you do decide to, make sure and tag me @harmonhousewife on Instagram or post to my Facebook page directly.

So my twin sweeties won't be ready for set lessons in the fall. & that's exactly why each week I will post a bonus section with play ideas for 6-12 month olds. 

I do hope you'll follow our year & hopefully get some ideas or at least your creative juices flowing! 

XOXOX,

Harmon Housewife

About This Blog

If you follow my blog & wonder why I don't post too often...I have 3 kids. Under the age of 2. 

Speaks for itself. 

I also don't enjoy blogging unless I'm really feeling the topic tug at my heart. The words flow out when I wait to be inspired & I think that helps it to be more relatable. Not everyone will agree with my views, not everyone will agree with my parenting. But I am completely sure that when a topic tugs at my heart & I write about it- someone needed to read it. 

Other things I write about are activities I do with J. We're still doing activities but I'm really waiting until August so that I can share my 2 year old curriculum with you week by week. I found many that I like online but couldn't find the right fit, probably bc I'm a nitpicky ex-teacher. So I created my own. & I can't wait to share it with you. I'll also be giving you ideas to occupy the other babies during the time you'd need to work with your 2 year old. Stay tuned, I've got a fantastic plan for the fall! 

& then, of course, I write about recipes I make for my family. Obviously, I've been cooking for them but again, 3 kids under 2. Give me a break! 

You won't find daily updates here. 

You will find parenting. You will find mistakes. You will find comfort. You will find that like many moms, I'm always wondering if I'm doing this motherhood thing right. 

XOXOX, 

Harmon Housewife

Don't Forget to Remember You

There's this feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I leave my house alone. The feeling that I'm abandoning my babies. The feeling that they'll miss me. The feeling that I'm abandoning my husband. The feeling that my house can't run without me. The feeling that I'm selfish for going anywhere alone. 

I have this need to know what's going on almost as soon as I leave. I demand pictures. If I call & you don't answer, I'll keep calling until you do. & even if I gave you a 45 minute spill on what needs to be done, who needs to be fed, where the medicine is, what they can/can't do, and where all their favorite things are- I promise I'll think of something I forgot. And then I'll proceed to call you again. 

And even when you tell me everything's fine, I'll still have an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that you're not doing something right. That you're not doing it how I would do it. You don't know if that's Jessa's hurt cry or her hungry cry. You don't know that you need to make sure that J gets her meat before her veggies & fruit or she won't eat the meat. & you definitely don't know that Joey won't nap unless you hold him. 

So this feeling, this terrible anxiety, guilt, frustration, and sadness all mixed into one. This feeling, it doesn't go away. It sits there and it gets quieter as each mile passes but it doesn't go away. It's not supposed to. 

Is this how you feel too Mommy? Is hard for you to leave because of this feeling? 

Go anyway. 

Yes, this is a terrible feeling. But that doesn't mean it's bad. It means, you're an amazing mother. 

Amazing mothers, need time to be amazing women. Amazing mothers, need time to be an amazing wife. Amazing mothers, need time to be an amazing friends. And amazing mothers, need time to remember they're amazing. 

You need to go to that workout class to let some steam out. You need to go to dinner with your friends so you can remember what it's like to eat hot food, to dress up and feel pretty. You need to be taken out on a date by your husband to remember the spark you have. He may need to be reminded too. 

Your children will always come first, always. But it's ok to leave them in trusted hands so you can take care of yourself too. It's ok to let a baby cry so you can shower. It's ok to love yourself. 

It's ok. 

It's ok. 

It's ok. 

So, when you get the feeling, remember why you're leaving. Remember the great feeling that comes when you're heading home. Remember the feeling that comes over you when your child runs to you like they haven't seen you in years. Remember the patience that will be restored in you. Remember the happiness you feel to be back home caring for your babies. The happiness that was wearing thin because you were preoccupied with sippy's, bad dreams, spills, and horrible fits. When you get that feeling, think of everything you will gain from remembering all the things you are aside from being a mother. 

Being a mother is the most important, rewarding, and challenging duty you will ever have. But sometimes, you need time to remember that. Because it's so easy to forget. 

XOXOX, 

Harmon Housewife 

Jessa

My only baby who looks like me. 

At first, you were always so serious. I was curious to when you'd smile. & one day you did, and then you never stopped. 

I've since learned that's just you. 

You don't want help. You don't want to be held all day. You want freedom. But, you still want momma. 

You want to play without being bothered. You want to pick your own self up when you fall. You want to explore alone. But you still want momma. 

You are beautiful. You are strong, you are determined. You are fun. You are a challenge. 

My biggest challenge thus far as a mother is you. I'm learning how to balance being your momma and being your sidekick. I know you need both, but learning when to be what is hard. 

I want to save you all the time. I want to cuddle you during nap even though you sleep better without me. I want to run to you when you fall over even thought you don't cry. I want to be your momma, but I'm learning all you need is a sidekick. 

When you need momma, you'll let me know. And I'll be there, waiting. I can be your sidekick because that's what you need. But even when you don't know it, you need momma too. 

You need the kisses you don't ask for. You need the cuddles during naps that you don't seem to like. You need to know that when you fall, I'll always run to you. 

Jessa, you are strong. But it's okay to be weak. You are determined, but it's okay to let loose. & Jessa, you are a challenge. But it's okay because I needed one. 

So I'll be here. No matter what title you need, I'll be here. 

& no matter what title you ask me to be, I'll always be momma too. 

XOXOX, 

Momma.