Why blog and why the title?

Braids and Battles accurately describe my daily routine. You may think I wrestle and wrangle my girls to fancify them with ribbons but actually the bathroom conversation this morning began with Jadyn handing me her brush while saying, "Could you do something really cool that you've never done before." Quite a request to give a swollen-eyed, contact free, knotted morning-haired mom. I could barely focus on her hair through the annoying right eye that was twitching due to lack of sleep. But in a matter of minutes my mission was accomplished and she walked out of the bathroom ready to face another school day. The brush was passed to Liberty as the relay race of morning routine continued.

Meanwhile, down the long hall I hear growls and warrior voices from my boys as they try to occupy themselves while waiting to load the purple van for school. Without guided play they'll be wrestling, sword-fighting, or chasing each other with obnoxious passion that usually ends in one or both crying. Love shared between little boys looks messy to me, a girly mom. But, I'm trying to figure out how to fuel the energy and keep them busy before sleepy neighbors find a broom and bang their ceiling in hopes of silence.

This is my life. The movie "UP" says it best: "It's the boring things in life I'll miss the most." Routine sometimes brings feelings of boredom, but in reality I love these moments most. This blog is my attempt to celebrate this gift of life through the beautiful moments and the simultaneous hiccups.