Kids schedules and how much is too much?

Busy, busy, busy! I have my plate full. Both of my boys are playing baseball of some form. One is playing on the Pee Wee league which is right above the Tball team. The youngest boy would is playing on the pre Tball team. My daughter is doing ballet/tap. Two practices a week per boy and one for my girl. Oh and they are all on different days. No double ups here. I lucked out really. I am able to see all three kiddies do their thang, yes I said thang....love me for it. On the other hand it is tiring. I am bushed, sacked out, down for the count. I often wonder if allowing them to do these activities is healthy at such a young age. Mainly I am thinking about the twins who are three.








Tonight at the practice for pre Tball many of the kids got tired and walked off the field (including my own) saying they were done. They have obviously not heard Tom Hanks screaming "There is no crying in baseball". But they are three (mostly) and four years old. An hour and fifteen minutes for practice is stretching it.












Don't get me wrong I think that activities for children are good for them in all ways. I just don't want to be the mom that has so many things planned for them that they don't have time to take a breath and just play and use their imagination. The theory of keeping your kids so loaded up on activities will keep them out of trouble, in my perspective, is false. I think it leads your children into a major blow up in young adult hood. The freedom of being in charge of your life and your desires. It can cause a melt down. Kid will push the boundaries. They will rebel. I think that when you keep them so busy it will come at a later date when it is most important to be focused and not burnt out. Purely my opinion.





It was kinda cute to see my firecracker of the bunch burn out for the night. That boy has so much energy and spunk I just wanna hug him and then swat him on the tush. He deserves both most of the time.

Oh IKEA how I thought I loved thee....

What can I say about IKEA? Let me give you a rundown of my one trip, so far, to IKEA.



So, I decided to spend the day with my mom. Our plans you may ask? Why lunch and some shopping of course! Or as we like to think of it "browsing". The IKEA store is located in downtown Atlanta so from my mom's house it's a good drive but not to bad. First we set the trusty GPS and then we were on our way. We did stop and eat lunch at the Golden Corral, my mom refers to it as "The Hungry Heifer". I think any buffet should be named as such.




Pulling up to this massive building and driving into the parking deck is no small feat. Many people seem to love the IKEA. I am sitting on my hands in excitement of what is to come. You see I have "browsed" through the catalog and saw many wondrous things.

We finally found a place to park and my mom noted that we were on isle C. "Very smart of her" I think. We are on our way! Up an escalator then another. It is custom at the IKEA to start at the top and work your way down. Must not miss a single item! There were so many people. You had to be careful if you stopped to look at something in the isle or somebody may run you over with their cart. The kid's section was my absolute favority favorite! So cute and so much fun! My mom picked my kids up some things after torturing me on what I thought they would like. Half the time I am clueless on what they would be thrilled with or not. I mean kids throw a wrench in the best of ideas. I will say that my decisions were SPOT on! My little girl loves her china (very durable of course) tea set. The eldest boy thought his Bull dog stuffed animal was squishy enough and sleeps with it in his bed. My little boy has been driving me nuts by asking me repeatedly to assemble his wooden train tracks. So on we go!

Yes, we ended up getting a cart and filled it with plants and doodas. Let me tell you about these carts! You can roll them sideways! Yes I said it sideways! I thought that was so cool! They even hook to the flat escalators! European inventions at their best I say. Until we get to the parking deck...

Uhm, yeah, when you park your car in the parking deck remember what floor you were on. I mean there are signs to remind you and all but when you are super excited to just get in you will forget these little trivial things as we did. Yes, we did. Up and down the C isle, no car. Get car keys out and press the lock button several times. No echo of a beep. Then realization after walking the whole parking deck that "maybe" we were on the other floor. Sigh. I mentioned the plants we put in our cart, did I mention they were five feet tall? I had to pull the dang cart behind me because I couldn't see where I was going. Right before we found our car the thing turned sideways and BIT me! Yes! It reared around and tried to smack me in the butt and missed. Not before taking a nice long bite out of my heel! *Insert pouty face here*. The cart ruined my experience all together! Well that and I really don't like feeling like cattle being pushed into a corral. Other then that it was fun. It took us over two hours to make it through. No wonder they have food stops on the way. Hydration is a must! So if you ever go to IKEA be prepared to get down and dirty and maybe take a Valium before hand.

My first "REAL" blog!

My three amigos. The pure joys of my life and the givers of my gray hairs.

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! My very first "REAL" blog! Wowza! I am sooooo excited, ecstatic even. I have been reading many a blog for a couple of years and loving the insight on other people's lives. Call me a voyeur if you will. Yes, me I like to watch. Get yo mind outta the gutter people, you know what I mean. No matter how much I connect to those I read I still feel like I could do a great comparison with my own family. Oh what an interesting family I have...*big grins*. Thanks for reading and welcome to my journey of blogging!

Love,
TIMM
*yikes I didn't realize that my blogger name spelled out Tim...sheesh!