Erin Akin Carroll

around here lately…

Jun162012

number one

I have a weird thing for laundry detergents. If I happen to use someone else’s detergent while visiting their house, I become obsessed with that scent and end up switching detergent when I get home. A couple of years ago, my parents were using Cheer and I loved it. So we switched to Cheer.

While we were on vacation, my mom brought some Tide with Downey fabric softener that smells like lavender. Now I’m obsessed with that scent and we’ve switched our detergent to this one. I have even been excited about doing laundry! Yummy. (*Not a paid endorsement.)

number two

The Gamecocks are back in Omaha! We went to the Super Regional game against Oklahoma on Sunday night. And then there was a rain delay. And then the rain really came and the whole game was just called off. And then we won the next night. I think a 3-peat would be pretty amazing. Go Gamecocks!

number three

I taught VBS this week. My friend Anna and I taught the 3 year old class. The first day was challenging as we figured it all out and learned how to budget our time to stretch out the activities. But it was so much fun! I already know that I want to do it again next year with the 3 year olds. Our theme this year was “Where in the World…” They learned about countries and we’ve done lots of fun crafts with hot air balloons. And they learned all about God’s love and trusting God. Hudson and Hayes had a lot of fun in their classes, too.

number four

Even though Hayes had a lot of fun in his class, I could tell by Thursday that he really wasn’t feeling well. On Friday I made an appointment for him to see the doctor as soon as we left VBS. Our appointment took over an hour and Hayes ended up having a strep test, which really upset him. On the way home, I got pulled over for speeding. (I was going 32 in a 25.) With my kids in the car I am always really conscious of how fast I’m driving, but yesterday, Hudson and Hayes were both screaming crying because they were so tired after sitting at the doctor for so long. I just was so eager to get them both home and down for naps. And I got pulled over. And then I started crying, too. It was the first time I’d ever cried to a cop. I think he was scared because all three of us were crying. I’m so thankful that he let me off with just a warning. I know God was using him to tell me to slow down and to just take it easy.

number five

Hayes is still feeling really sick. Hudson was just a little under the weather, but he seems better now. I am hoping that by Tuesday Hayes is much better. We’ll be staying home all day until I know he’s back to his normal, happy self.

number six

I ordered some adorable outfits from my friend She She Made. I just love these outfits so much! I can’t wait to put Hudson and Hayes in their matching crab shirts. I was just really excited to get a few new things for Hayes since most of his clothes are hand-me-downs. And Hayes goes through about 3 outfits a day due to excessive drooling. But aren’t these outfits SO cute?

number seven

I’ve still been really wrapped up in reading Twilight. I’m almost finished with Eclipse. Bella gets on my nerves and I’m still on Team Edward. I love being able to read on my iPhone Kindle app, but it definitely sucks the life out of my phone.

number eight

A few weeks ago I posted about my breast feeding experience. That afternoon I got an email from Rita Rubin from msnbc.com asking me if we could chat about a story she was working on.

The story was posted on msnbc.com last Monday and I think it was very interesting and very informative. And I enjoyed reading so many of the comments there, too.

Rita did a great job telling my story and the only thing that wasn’t quite accurate was my age. I’m not 30 yet! hee hee

I hope you’re all having a great weekend. Happy Father’s Day and Go Gamecocks!

I need help. There. I said it.

Filed Under: Faith

Jun142012

I was recently asked by Courtney DeFeo , “What surprised you most about motherhood?”

I thought it was an interesting question. It took me a while to think of my answer.

There have been so many things that have surprised me about motherhood and parenting. I am surprised on a daily basis. There are very few things that are actually predictable.

And then it hit me.

Before Hudson was born, I was protective. I think I was mostly protective of myself and my time with him. So many people were eager to meet him and hold him, and all I could think of was how much I wanted to keep him all to myself and with TC. And I didn’t want to ask for help. I was determined to not need help.

I refused help, and was just determined to get it all done myself. Not the smartest plan, really.

Because while that may have worked alright with just Hudson around, it certainly wasn’t going to last much longer when we found out we were pregnant with Hayes.

So what has surprised me about motherhood?

I need help.

I need help and I need wisdom. I need advice and I need support. I need it from the new moms, the experienced moms, and the women who just love my children and love me.

It takes a village to raise a child, right? It doesn’t take a martyr mom who is overtired and bitter because she refuses to accept help.

I need the wisdom, council, love, prayers, and extra hands from the women I love. Some of them have ideas and they’ve been there. Some of them have a sweet smile and comforting hug to offer when things are tough. And some of them have extra hands and lots of energy when I need to get out and run errands.

My boys have amazing grandmothers who would drop anything for them or for TC and me. We have an incredible babysitter who is like family to us now. I have supportive friends who hold my kids and comfort them if they fall down and I’m not there. We have a support system who has loved on us and brought meals or sat with one child when the other had to be rushed to the doctor.

So I think that’s what surprised me most about motherhood. I thought I could be supermom. But I can’t. Supermom, to me, is made up of about 20 other women in our lives and they are the ones that help me keep it together.

God bless them all.

What has surprised you the most about motherhood?

Live Positively This Summer

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Jun142012

This summer has this really special theme to it already. The theme is simplicity. We’re getting back to basics, and we’re starting in our town. We are really fortunate to have access to some really amazing recreational family activities in Columbia, South Carolina.

One of our favorite things to do is to just get out in an open space and let Hudson, Hayes, and the dogs run around. We have the absolute best place to do this so close to our home. We love going to Finlay Park in downtown Columbia. It’s right in the middle of the city and has some really great views of our city’s skyline. To me, there’s something so great about being in the middle of your city and being able to really enjoy the outdoors and run free.

photo via Urban Planet

I was recently introduced to the wonderful America Is Your Park campaign. Coca-Cola is calling everyone out to vote in the third annual America Is Your Park campaign. Our parks provide a place for friends, neighbors, and families to be outside, be active, and enjoy being together. There were 13 million votes for favorite parks to win money for improvements in the America Is Your Park campaign. This year is no different. United States park-goers have the opportunity to vote for their favorite park to win $100,000 from the Coca-Cola Live Positively initiative and the prestigious title of “America’s Favorite Park.” You can vote for your favorite park by visiting LivePositively.com/parks and clicking on your park’s name.

While you’re on the site, you can learn how to earn more points for your park by “checking in” from the park and find more voting tools to help rally your community. You can vote for your favorite local, state, or national park until July 15, 2012. You can do all of this on the website and you can find more ways to encourage friends to vote, too! How amazing would it be do create a movement in your community to get people to the park and then help your park win $100,000? It’s really so simple and such a wonderful opportunity to be outside and be active! When Todd and I were dating, we used to bring Boudreaux to Finlay Park almost every Saturday. We’d let him run and run and run chasing the tennis ball. He loved running up to new people and he always wanted to try to jump into the little pond.

Then when Hudson was born and later Hayes was born, we have loved taking them to Finlay Park, as well. There are always children running around, families having a picnic, and you can always count on seeing an ultimate frisbee or flag football game while there. Finlay Park is also the host of Columbia’s Summer Concert Series. Every Saturday from May until August, local bands play at Finlay Park for a free concert. Families and friends are invited to come out with their picnics, lawn chairs, blankets, and dancing shoes, of course! Food and drink vendors are there and it’s really such a great time to have fun in the summer time and be outside. And for free! On June 23 our wedding band, The Root Doctors, are playing, so we’re planning to be there. I hope that you’ll all visit LivePositively.com/parks and vote for your favorite park, then get all of your friends and neighbors to do the same.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Only legal residents of the 50 U.S. (and D.C.) who are at least 13 years old and reside within the U.S. at the time of participation are eligible to vote for a Park. Participate on behalf of a Park by: July 15, 2012. The 3 most popular Parks will be offered a grant and there will be 1 Wild Card drawing at the end of the Contest to award an additional grant. To participate, for Official Rules, and complete details including grant descriptions, visit www.LivePositively.com/parks. Void where prohibited.

accentuate the positive

Filed Under: Faith, Uncategorized

Jun132012

I see a lot of stereotyping around the blogosphere. Some moms are accused of being too positive. Some moms are accused of being too negative. Some moms are praised for keeping it real even if it is negative while others are criticized for writing with the same language. It’s tough to find a good balance. We all want to share our realities.

Because, let’s face it. The days are hard. They can be really hard. Especially when you’re new at it. Any time a new person is added to a family, boats are rocked. Little lives are changed and big lives are loaded up with more responsibility. It’s just part of the routine.

It may take a year or two to create a new routine and find your new dynamic. And for some people it just comes more easily. A new baby is born and they’re out jogging around the block with a quadruple stroller the next day. No big whoop.

It wasn’t that way for me when I lived in that season. The months after Hayes was born (and honestly the months right before he was born) were tough for me. I was tired and stressed. I felt completely out of control.

But if I walk around with an attitude that says, “I’m not very good at being a mom. I know so many things better than I know how to be a mom,” I’m not going to get any better at it.

If I put my kids to bed at night and spend the rest of the evening thinking about how hard it was, why would I want to get out of bed the next morning and do it all over again?

So, sure. Some days are hard. There are days when very little gets accomplished and the boys just spend the day whining and crying. And there are days when everything runs smoothly the way I like and I’m just so excited about how great life is.

Some days I walk around like a zombie and have no desire to do anything other than collapse on the couch when they’ve gone to bed. And there are other days when I feel like the Energizer Bunny and want to write and I want to cross things off my list.

Focusing on the positive may not completely change the reality, but it may help my outlook on the reality. Kids are loud. They talk back. They don’t obey and they make me angry, frustrated, and sad. That’s all true.

But why focus on any of that? Do I really want to introduce my kids to someone and immediately follow up and say, “They’re a real handful!”

I’m not even really sure what I’m getting at here. But there will be days when I need to vent. But I also really want to remember the good stuff. I want to relate to other moms who are in this season and get down on the bad days and feel proud on the great days.

But this summer, I’m aiming for simple fun. For fewer distractions and lots of togetherness. And meltdowns will happen and it won’t be perfect. But I don’t expect perfect. I just expect my kids to be themselves, and I love them for who they are. So how could I focus on anything other than the positive if we’re all just trying to have a little fun together?

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