Exhausted!!!

So...yesterday I admitted something to my best friend Regina something that I really hate to admit.  I'm exhausted.  I just feel REALLY guilty saying it.  As I type, I'm looking at my husband who has finally gotten a much needed opportunity to crash on the sofa. He works soooooooooooooooooooooo hard.  Good...no great, right?? Well, yes and no.  Sometimes it just really leaves me feeling inadequate and guilty for not doing my part.  He's been working non-stop even putting in overtime, taking care of the girls when I'm at work, still manages to clean, do laundry, and today he prepared a full course yummy meal.   Oh and he still managed to workout. Whew!...the mere thought exhausts me.  Me?  This weekend, I was too exhausted to do anything and during my work week, forget about it.  I honestly don't know how he does it.  The hours just don't add up.

I too would love to be able do it all, but I can't.  Ugh!  I hate admitting that I out loud/in print because I do honestly have a desire to...it just doesn't happen.  In fact the parts that I generally do hold down have gone wayward.  It's been really bad for the last week or so.   I went out of town a couple of weeks ago and have yet to catch up.  I'm ready to go to bed as soon as I get home from work, but when I go to bed, I find myself constantly waking up and looking at the clock.   My mind is CONSTANTLY busy. This coupled with the fact that the girls are at a demanding stage has just worn me down (this "stage" includes constant fights, jumping in and out of their beds, emptying body wash all over the bathroom floor, running me all over the church - resulting in a wipeout -yes, by me...ok...don't get me started...not tonight anyway).  At least I think that's what it is.

Is it awful that reading this Pioneer Woman post made me feel somewhat better. Because like KT, I often wonder how in the world she does it ALL.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday which begins the 40+day journey to Easter and marks the beginning of Lent.  "Lent" comes from a word meaning simply "spring". It's about God's call to restore us, make us new.  I begin this season somewhat fragmented and look forward to something new and refreshed in the season.  Exhaustion is just not for me so here I am with an open heart, prepared to make more room amongst this chaos of life for God.

Flashback Friday (on Saturday)

Jen, mom to Jae has one of my favorite mommy blogs 525,600 Minutes .  I've enjoyed watching her little girl, Jae, grow over the last year or so.   Jen is a great photographer and captures the most beautiful candid moments of her girlie.   Last week she started hosting Flashback Friday.  I meant to participate and forgot and once again, I'm late, but still wanted to play. 

Here is my flashback pic.  It's taking it back................... way back.  To my kindergarten year.  Yesterday my cousin tweeted that this appeared in the Mardi Gras Bulletin in our hometown.  I had to see it and am so glad she scanned it for me.  We don't have many pictures of us growing up so it's always fun to see anything from the early  years.

Denhamtown Elementary
Bogalusa Louisiana
Kindergarten Class of 1986

Yeah, I should probably be embarrassed.  But...I'm not.  ha!

Not much - but just for fun - $5 giftcard to your choice of Starbucks or Target to the first person that comments with the correct guess to identify me amongst the crowd of very poor looking children here! ha! Should be pretty easy :)  Leave your email address so that I can email you and get your address...

Wanna play, head over to Jen's blog and link up!






ETA:  First two people guessed right!  Ok, girls, I think I know how to contact you both.  I will do so later today to send you both a g/c.  Thanks for playing :)

52 Fridays

As you can probably tell, I have a thing for taking pics.  I'm not a photographer, but I'm loving learning about photography.  It's a great creative outlet and in the process, it will be a future gift for the girls.  This year, I transformed my 365 blog  into a 52 Week Blog for my three.  I feel like I can actually get this done this year.  The 365 was just a bit too overwhelming and I ultimatey failed...

but now...All For Mommy...Something New.  A new project that I'm pretty excited about. And a promise to not create one more blog...geez!

My Twenties

This is Me.  And tonight I say goodbye to my twenties.  I wanted to remember how I looked (with the pimples that I was promised would go away when I said farewell to my teens, gray hair streaks, and racoon eyes and all - no makeup) and how silly I was...that although sloppy, I can still "kinda" do a bridge-kickover. Sure, I wanted it to be a back walkover and could only dream of it being a back handspring, but I hey, I'm nearly 30 and have birthed 3 babies so I say, "Not Bad"!  Here I am with a hilarious outtake.


Here  (listen for my cheerleaders!) and Here (the outtake!)

Yes, I'm real mature! Only a mature mom would ask her nine year old to capture her so gracefully on the eve of her 30th Bday...

So long Twenties!  It's been REAL!

Spring Break - It's Over Now...

Spring Break is over now so it's back to life/work/school as usual.  I feel blessed that I was able to be off to spend some quality time with the girls...especially MacKenzie.  My favorite part of this week was having Mommy Daughter Day with her on Monday.  We definitely have to make time to do it again soon.  We had  a blast.  We chuckled over how carefree life was when it was just the three of us...how we could just come and go as we wanted...and didn't have to plan a trip to the grocery store like it was a huge affair... my how times have changed!

Some pics from Mommy-Daughter Time are below.  We had lunch at one of her favs (IHOP), got pedicures at a new Nail Spa near our house (loved it...we'll be back!), Went Shopping, & Had a Movie Night.   Oh and just for fun...we found a random spot and took some fun pictures :)  What a blast!  The day was full and so is my heart...I love my MacKie!!

5 Random Bits About Toliver Mom - Part 2

See my original Post Here

1) There was a year in middle school that I only ate a large chocolate chip cookie, ice cream sandwich, and Capri Sun for lunch EVERYDAY.  Thank God for youth, growth, and maturity.  Lord knows I couldn't     do that today!

2) I really wish I had more time to hang out with my girl friends.

3) I'm supposed to be doing the 30 Day Shred -- ummm...I'm going to have to start over!

4) I'm starting a photography class in a couple of weeks with my boss/friend!  Super excited about that!

5) I can hardly believe it's time for me to start planning NiNa's first B-day Party.  I haven't the slightest what we are going to do!