Every so often, I need to pull up my big Mama panties and do something I'd rather not. Clean up puke...decide what to do with a sippy cup full of milk that was found under the couch after months of hiding...dye Easter Eggs...make cut-out Christmas cookies...carve pumpkins. Moment of honesty here: I can NOT find the strength (or big enough panties) to actually carry out those last two. Early on in my mothering career, I took one for the team and did it...but now? Now with 5 kids vying for knives and flinging slimy pumpkin seeds all over and the rolling/rolling/rolling out of cookies? I decided that it takes years off my life...and I figure, when my kids grow up, that they'll appreciate me thinking of them long term and realizing that they'd rather have their good ol ' mom around for a few extra years than carving a stupid pumpkin. ( Shhhh ...don't burst my bubble, let me believe this one. Sigh . Okay, maybe this year I'll have to dig deep to f...