The Kids Were Here #12.....The Wrap Up

Well, here we are again. The end of another photo project. It has been fun and I have enjoyed following the circle each month. As the project comes to an end, I ask myself, what do I take with me from this project? All the reminders that my kids are messy!! No. Seriously. This is what I have to say, so take a moment and read, and really "listen" to what you are reading.....


Time flies. All too fast really. No matter what else is going on in life, kids keep leaving little reminders here and there throughout my house, showing me where they have been. However, not only does it show me where THEY have been. It often shows me where I HAVE NOT been. All the while I am working, or cooking, or cleaning, or paying bills--their little lives still go on. They create. They craft. They play. They snack. They entertain. They primp. They escape to the land of make believe. The leave notes. THEY LIVE. THEY SIMPLY BE WHO THEY ARE. And if it were not for the little messes "left behind," I may have missed it totally. So before getting angry, or upset, or aggravated with THEM, about the little messes....SAVOR THEM. Otherwise you may miss some important messages:

             OR you may overlook what stories may be behind messes like this:

And if you do take time to savor the moment you may be reminded that the little girl that was once you baby is transforming into a teenager right before you very eyes:

And when you really take time to think about it, you are hit with the reality that one day, as

the Trace Adkins song states, "You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back.......":

This is just my little words of wisdom that I hope you can take with you from today forward. Take time to stop. Smell the roses. Enjoy the messes. Smile. Laugh. Remind yourself this will one day be no more all too soon. And you will miss it. As the kids grow, the "messes" become different. Those "messes" are subtle reminders that, like it or not, kids grow....so as the messes go from sticky fingerprints to building blocks to school bags to sports equipment to make-up and jewelry...it is all documenting this JOURNEY CALLED LIFE:) 

Click here to see what Angie Workman Jackson documented for her final month

Please check out the original project here where inspiration was found

The Kids Were Here #11

My oldest daughter and her friend made some from scratch cupcakes for my youngest daughter's 9th birthday. They did a fabulous job making them and left behind some small reminders of the wonderful job that they did!

Please continue on the circle and check out what Jill Gum has captured as it was left behind

Check out the original project which inspired this local circle of what was left behind

The Kids Were Here #10

One quick trip through the kids area in the basement and it is easy to see where they have been:)

The start of a birthday card for Grandpa Steve made by Alyssa..it needs completed:)

Not sure who this is for but it is definitely a creation by Addison

Adi's little purple Converse:) I love these shoe. I may have to frame this picture

Chalk board wall

                                  Check out Kim Nehrt and what has been left behind

The Kids Were Here #9

Well that time again. Another post, another reminder of my kids and all the little memories that they leave behind. Often, okay more than often, they leave behind their school clothes wherever they fall. They leave behind the homework or project they were working on because "I am still working on that but I am just done for now." They often leave behind little reminders of who they are and the things they love in life. Regardless of what they OFTEN leave behind, they ALWAYS leave an impression on my heart. They are my loves. They are my life. They are my reason for being. I nag and I nag, and I nag some more, to "do this," "do that," "pick that up," or "turn that off." And the times they do, well sometimes I call that a miracle :) And the times they don't, well I have learned to call that a MEMORY. And that is really what it is all about....because in this thing called life, kids will come and kids will go, but memories will keep them close at heart.

Please click here to see what Angie Jackson documented for The Kids Were Here!

The Kids Were Here #8

My oldest loves her infinity scarf:)

My youngest apparently got bored organizing her earrings 

Good spot to hang a scarf I guess. I never would have thought of it.
Who knew:)

No further explanation needed here

Please check out what the kids of Tara Long left behind this month!

Check out the original Kids Were Here project

The Kids Were Here #7

Well here it is again. Time for another post and the way time is going I feel like I just posted yesterday. When in fact, I guess another month has passed. What did my kids leave behind this time? Too many things I am certain. Too many things for me to capture with my camera unless I have it permanently mounted around my neck. However, I did capture one thing which spoke very loudly to me.

It was this stack of books. A rather tall stack of books if I may say so. To some this is just a stack of books. To me this is just a stack of books. Plus more. It is the start of my daughters whole hearted effort to CLEAN her room. If you can see beyond the books you will see plenty more things that my daughter has left behind.....missing drawers, markers, clothes....you name it, it is probably there somewhere. BUT at this moment this stack of books gets full attention. Not only is it a slight "left behind" mess, it is actually the start of things to come. A clean room. A sense of completion. A proud mom moment. A happy kid, proud of herself for just cleaning her room.

So before we clean up the messes, or scold our children for all that is left behind: Look at the mess for a moment, look beyond the mess for a moment. Take it in. Take a deep breath. And just remember,
that mess may actually be the start of better things to come....

It may be a mess now, but one day that mess will be gone, and you will wish that you had it back--even if for only one. passing. moment.

                       Please click here to see what Ashley Dae Turner and her kids 
                                                    have left behind!





                                               

                                         kidswerehere.wordpress.com

The Kids Were Here #6

I am going to let the pictures do the talking this month:) Hope everyone is well and I hope you have remembered to treasure all the small "messes" left behind this month!

8 YEAR OLD "MESSES"

                                   THIRTEEN YEAR OLD "MESSES"

                Please check out Kindra Boston and her Left Behind project



                                         

The Kids Were Here #5

Well this month is short and sweet and to the point. Just as is the ONE picture I have selected for this month. This month for us has been a crazy busy one with work, school, community walks, and lot of kids activities. Therefore I must admit there have been a lot of messes left behind, not only by the children, but all of us due to the simple fact it does not seem we are ever home! However, none of those little "messes" spoke to me as strongly as this one little (yet very big and strong) piece left behind by my 8 year old. She had been having a long, tired, week of school, homework, her own activities and  her 13 year old sisters basketball games. This one particular night she had reached her limit. She was tired and crabby and she new it. I had helped her get her stuff done and cleaned up. Helped her get her school uniform ready, etc. She knew I was tired as well. She came in my room told me she was sorry and gave me a big hug. She quietly walked out, went into another room at that time, came back to my room and told me good night. And off to her room she went. I went to tuck her in and kiss her good night and then made a stop off in the computer room (where I do all the editing, blogging, etc). This is what I saw:

REMEMBER SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST THINGS SPEAK THE LOUDEST

PLEASE CHECK OUT WHAT TARA O'HARA LONG LOCATED THAT HER KIDS LEFT BEHIND!

THE KIDS WERE HERE #4

It is that time again to post those sweet little reminders that the kids were indeed here:) This time the words are few, but for me especially, the photographs say a 1000 words about who my girls are!

Wizard of Oz must mean my youngest has been here 

Spiral? Straight? Crimp?
Each day brings a new style for my girls
(My girls were here)

A colorful piece of artwork
(This time my youngest was here)

Some softball necessities
(my oldest has been here)

Sports bag on the floor wherever it lands
(yep, that softball loving teenage of mine was here)

And this can only mean one thing to me...
(my youngest has been here)


Remember, if you see a mess--First embrace it, learn from it, smile at it.....
Then take a deep breath and ever so calmly put your mom hat on:)
"For the 1000 time, please clean up your mess!!!"

             What have Victoria Kegg and her kids have left behind this month?

                Please click the link and continue on with the circle. ENJOY!

                                                                 

Check out the original Kids Were Here project