It seems completely impossible that 2011 has arrived. I just read over my blog here from the beginning and can't believe how much has happened since I started it in 2007. Just amazing how things change!
We had an wonderful Christmas season just past. Amazing instances of people being so kind and generous, great opportunities to tell others of how richly God has blessed us, and enough trial and trauma to keep me believing that there is NO way I could get thorough my life without a knowledge of and relationship with a Savior who loves and cares about me and my heart's desires. I am a woman richly blessed and grateful for the grace abounding in my life. So very undeserved, but so thankful for it all.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Yes, It Really HAS Been Forever, and Yes, It is Kinda a Cop-Out Post
Yes, yes, yes, I know it has been ridiculously long since I have posted. I have NO idea how my life got SO crazy and SO overbooked this fall, but when I looked at the calendar on September 1st and saw October was also almost all booked up, I knew I was in trouble!! Somehow soccer, Bible study, MOPS, Homeschool Ministry, along with the regular demands of a husband and 4 children, got the best of me and kind of sent me into survive, divide, and conquer mode.
The good news is soccer for the 4 & 5 year old is OVER (NOTE: I will NEVER again sign up for a volunteer organization for sports for little people. It is one thing to plan a end of season party for a team of 13-16 older kids. Something else ENTIRELY when you are put in charge of planning a party for an ENTIRE squad of teams of 5-13 year olds! I WILL pay the extra $20 per kid to have someone just teach my kids to play and arrange games. SO worth it! Lesson learned!!)
Bible study is great, a chance once a week to engage in intelligent conversation with like-minded women over an AMAZING study by Beth Moore! ALL good!
MOPS is off and running and all the planning and meetings and brainstorming is paying off in a great group of women enjoying an AWESOME time together a few times a month! WIN!!
Homeschool ministry re-registered plenty of members who REALLY want to be part of what is happening, our complete Electives re-work has been a roaring success, and we are halfway through hosting 65 kids on Fridays for a virtual trip through 5 countries. Moms and kids all seem to be enjoying it, and, best of all, we are SHARING the workload! In our CO-OP!! IMAGINE!!! WIN!!
Of course, after everything started settling down the past week or so, we all started dropping like flies from a cold/allergy/Swine Flu mess that has tagged each of us. Everyone except Norman is on the mend - he just really got it yesterday, so he has another couple days, but we all have had a quiet and mellow week and a half and are on the mend. All is well!!
I always find these things on Facebook interesting, so for those of you who have not yet given into that amazing timesuck, uh, social network, here are a few of those "All About Me" things that got passed to me and I completed. Posted for your entertainment and enjoyment!
***********************************************************************************
Getting to Know You Better ('nother darned quiz that's making the rounds)
Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 11:12am |
Getting to know you better!
If you've been tagged or you are reading this, you have the honor of copying all these goofy questions, writing your own response, and tagging 25 others. You have to tag me so really you just need 24 more people. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your title as "Getting to know each other!", tag 25 people including me (tagging is done in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.
1. What time did you get up this morning? 3:45am (my "late" day!)
2. How do you like your steak? medium-well
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Tale of Desperaux
4. What is your favorite TV show? I don’t really *watch* tv anymore, but will occasionally check out Extreme Makeover Home Edition. and medical reality tv on TLC or Discovery channel.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Beach!! LOVE the beach!! Or Tuscany. Either would be fine.
6. What did you have for breakfast? hard boiled egg, 24 oz coffee, 2 slices of wheat toast. Now off to have more coffee!
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Vietnamese or Italian
8. What foods do you dislike? Not a big fan of Indian food - curry is NOT my thing. Other than that, I will eat most things (obviously! :o) )
9. Favorite Place to Eat? Vietnam Garden or Maggiano's
10. Favorite dressing? Caesar
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan most days (mom-mobile), or my 1998 Ford Ranger - LOVE my lil' truck!
12. What are your favorite clothes? Brown Nike shorts, tank top. NOT a clothes person! Oh, and my teal jammie pants! I could LIVE in those (and sometimes do!!)
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Australia; Ireland; Scotland; Italy
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Definitely1/2 full!
15. Where would you want to retire? I'm pretty sure I will die working!! :oP
16. Favorite time of day? Late nights
17. Where were you born? Kansas. Manhattan, Kansas.
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football!!
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? mom.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? No clue
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Everyone!
22. Bird watcher? nope. not enough patience!
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night, totally night!
24. Do you have any pets? Yes, 1 dog and 4 kids!!
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? not really
26. What did you want to be when you were little? a teacher, or a singer. oh, or a truck driver.
27. What is your best childhood memory? Wow. Hard to say. Loved camping trips to the mountains, and summers laying around the pool and "borrowing" my dad's car for joyrides out to Hunter's Island!
28. Are you a cat or dog person? DOG!!!
29. Are you married? Yes, for 16 1/2 years amazingly enough!
30. Always wear your seat belt? No
31. Been in a car accident? Yes
32. Any pet peeves? Hypocrites and cowards.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Bottoms Up's Chesapeake pizza. Oh.my.gosh. THAT is pizza!!
34. Favorite Flower? Sterling silver roses
35. Favorite ice cream? pecan praline
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero
38. From whom did you get your last email? Karen B.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Barnes and Noble!
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? yes! and that's all I'm saying about THAT!
41. Like your job? NO!! Really, really hate it!
42. Broccoli? yes
43. What was your favorite vacation? BEACH!! and an AMAZING camping trip to Loft Mountain when I was 17 or 18....
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? MCC homeschool ministry moms
45. What are you listening to right now? Chaos and Mayhem arguing who is stronger - Hulk or Spiderman
46. What is your favorite color? purple and grey
47. How many tattoos do you have? Zero, but I have mine all drawn and planned!
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? Not sure!
49. Coffee Drinker? OH yeah! LIVE on it!!
50. What time did you finish this quiz? 11:10am
15 Books
Sunday, July 5, 2009 at 7:22pm
Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose...
1) The Bible - New King James Version. Essential toolbox for my life. Like the NKJV - more readable than the KJV, but with some on the "poetry" still left.
2) Anthem - Ayn Rand. A small but SO powerful book about the loss of individuality and the importance of the one.
3) Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand. Truly profound, and a bit too close for comfort in this day in this country.
4) A Gift for All People - Max Lucado. The book that I put together with the personal testimony of my friend D, which brought me to salvation in Jesus Christ.
5) To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. The first really "grown-up" book I read. Made me think about issues I never even knew existed.
6) Eric - Doris Lund. Profoundly affected my 15 year old thoughts on life and death.
7) The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams. My FAVORITE book of all time. Such a true story about love and belief and trust and care. LOVE this book!
8) Mothering Your Nursing Toddler - confirmed so much of what I already knew, and changed for the better my relationships with my 3 youngest children.
9) A Walk Across America - Peter Jennings. Read this after my mom did in the early 80's. SO fed my desire to pack up and hit the road. I still re-read it once every couple of years.
10) Walking the Trail - Jerry Ellis. The first book I read that made me truly proud to be 1/4 Cherokee Indian.
11) I Love You Forever. Another children's book that makes me cry every.single.time. I read it. Such a clear, simple, true message.
12) I Love You the Purplest. We've changed the characters to Benjamin (instead of Julian) and Max because it TOTALLY personifies my middles. I have phrases from this book to put up in their room. LOVE IT!
13) You are My I Love You. Such a true and beautiful picture of the relationship of parent to child.
14) The Five Love Languages. Changed the way I deal with my husband and children SO much for the better.
15) Wild at Heart. First time I read it, it was loaned to me by a man friend. Have since bought my own copy. Probably the most eye-opening book about the inner character of men and insight into what makes them tick. Totally use this book in my life here in Boyland!
I never do these things, but.....there's always the first time!!
Monday, January 26, 2009 at 9:04am
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
******************************************************************************
1) Wow, I am shocked that more than one person cares to know more about me!
2) I am amazed and shocked at the turns my life has taken in the past 6 years!
3) I am very grateful for the turns!
4) I NEVER imagined I would be a mom, let alone one of 4 children. Sometimes it still kinda takes my breath away!
5) I am a little nervous cause I have this recurring feeling of "I've forgotten one of the kids!" even when they are all sitting right here.
6) The thing I miss most about working full-time is having the money available to go snow skiing. I SO miss it, and hearing snow is forecast almost makes me cry.
7) I used to think that people who had more than 1-2 kids were odd, and more than 4 were not even something I could really imagine! When I was a Den Leader, I had a Cub Scout who came from a family of 6 kids and I was just gobsmacked!
8) WOW, Amanda was right! 25 things is A LOT of factoids!!
9) I am 1/4 Cherokee.
10) I was adopted right after I was born, a total God thing, in my opinion. I am SO grateful for the family I was given, and so grateful to be given to my family.
11) One of my favorite things to do is drive. I LOVE to drive. Vehicle and destination are unimportant. I love the trip.
12) I am touched and amazed at the truly special person that is my oldest son.
13) For all my online, websurfing, spreadsheet-making ways, I still much prefer paper and pen for my planner, to do list, and especially poetry writing. I feel my writing loses its heart and soul when I try to develop it on the computer.
14) I am continually surprised by the things my husband can do - home remodeling, woodcrafting, being patient and calm with a tantruming 3 year old.
15) I love fiercely, defend passionately, fight tenaciously, and pursue intensely.
16) I am such a different person now from the person I was 10 years ago, I feel like it is a whole separate life sometimes.
17) I love dogs, but can only be around most of them for short amounts of time, because of my allergies.
18) I miss horseback riding most of all the things I left behind from my childhood in Kansas.
19) I hardly watch TV anymore, and really don't miss it at all!!
20) Learning to knit is something I have always wanted to do.
21) I could live on salads, beef stroganoff with homemade noodles, and brown rice.
22) Oh, and coffee. HAVE to have my coffee.
23) I smoked from the age of 14 until I was 30. I quit because my then 7 year old son asked me why I wanted to smoke and die and leave him. Don't tell me indoctrination doesn't work!! :o)
24) I still sometimes miss smoking, but NEVER want to smoke again!
25) My biggest inspirations and mentors are my Granny and my aunt Sarah. Amazing women, and truly blessings in my life.
whew!!!
All you wanted to know, and probably WAY more! That should hold everyone for awhile!! :o)
The good news is soccer for the 4 & 5 year old is OVER (NOTE: I will NEVER again sign up for a volunteer organization for sports for little people. It is one thing to plan a end of season party for a team of 13-16 older kids. Something else ENTIRELY when you are put in charge of planning a party for an ENTIRE squad of teams of 5-13 year olds! I WILL pay the extra $20 per kid to have someone just teach my kids to play and arrange games. SO worth it! Lesson learned!!)
Bible study is great, a chance once a week to engage in intelligent conversation with like-minded women over an AMAZING study by Beth Moore! ALL good!
MOPS is off and running and all the planning and meetings and brainstorming is paying off in a great group of women enjoying an AWESOME time together a few times a month! WIN!!
Homeschool ministry re-registered plenty of members who REALLY want to be part of what is happening, our complete Electives re-work has been a roaring success, and we are halfway through hosting 65 kids on Fridays for a virtual trip through 5 countries. Moms and kids all seem to be enjoying it, and, best of all, we are SHARING the workload! In our CO-OP!! IMAGINE!!! WIN!!
Of course, after everything started settling down the past week or so, we all started dropping like flies from a cold/allergy/Swine Flu mess that has tagged each of us. Everyone except Norman is on the mend - he just really got it yesterday, so he has another couple days, but we all have had a quiet and mellow week and a half and are on the mend. All is well!!
I always find these things on Facebook interesting, so for those of you who have not yet given into that amazing timesuck, uh, social network, here are a few of those "All About Me" things that got passed to me and I completed. Posted for your entertainment and enjoyment!
***********************************************************************************
Getting to Know You Better ('nother darned quiz that's making the rounds)
Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 11:12am |
Getting to know you better!
If you've been tagged or you are reading this, you have the honor of copying all these goofy questions, writing your own response, and tagging 25 others. You have to tag me so really you just need 24 more people. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your title as "Getting to know each other!", tag 25 people including me (tagging is done in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.
1. What time did you get up this morning? 3:45am (my "late" day!)
2. How do you like your steak? medium-well
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Tale of Desperaux
4. What is your favorite TV show? I don’t really *watch* tv anymore, but will occasionally check out Extreme Makeover Home Edition. and medical reality tv on TLC or Discovery channel.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Beach!! LOVE the beach!! Or Tuscany. Either would be fine.
6. What did you have for breakfast? hard boiled egg, 24 oz coffee, 2 slices of wheat toast. Now off to have more coffee!
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Vietnamese or Italian
8. What foods do you dislike? Not a big fan of Indian food - curry is NOT my thing. Other than that, I will eat most things (obviously! :o) )
9. Favorite Place to Eat? Vietnam Garden or Maggiano's
10. Favorite dressing? Caesar
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan most days (mom-mobile), or my 1998 Ford Ranger - LOVE my lil' truck!
12. What are your favorite clothes? Brown Nike shorts, tank top. NOT a clothes person! Oh, and my teal jammie pants! I could LIVE in those (and sometimes do!!)
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Australia; Ireland; Scotland; Italy
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Definitely1/2 full!
15. Where would you want to retire? I'm pretty sure I will die working!! :oP
16. Favorite time of day? Late nights
17. Where were you born? Kansas. Manhattan, Kansas.
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football!!
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? mom.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? No clue
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Everyone!
22. Bird watcher? nope. not enough patience!
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night, totally night!
24. Do you have any pets? Yes, 1 dog and 4 kids!!
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? not really
26. What did you want to be when you were little? a teacher, or a singer. oh, or a truck driver.
27. What is your best childhood memory? Wow. Hard to say. Loved camping trips to the mountains, and summers laying around the pool and "borrowing" my dad's car for joyrides out to Hunter's Island!
28. Are you a cat or dog person? DOG!!!
29. Are you married? Yes, for 16 1/2 years amazingly enough!
30. Always wear your seat belt? No
31. Been in a car accident? Yes
32. Any pet peeves? Hypocrites and cowards.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Bottoms Up's Chesapeake pizza. Oh.my.gosh. THAT is pizza!!
34. Favorite Flower? Sterling silver roses
35. Favorite ice cream? pecan praline
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero
38. From whom did you get your last email? Karen B.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Barnes and Noble!
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? yes! and that's all I'm saying about THAT!
41. Like your job? NO!! Really, really hate it!
42. Broccoli? yes
43. What was your favorite vacation? BEACH!! and an AMAZING camping trip to Loft Mountain when I was 17 or 18....
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? MCC homeschool ministry moms
45. What are you listening to right now? Chaos and Mayhem arguing who is stronger - Hulk or Spiderman
46. What is your favorite color? purple and grey
47. How many tattoos do you have? Zero, but I have mine all drawn and planned!
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? Not sure!
49. Coffee Drinker? OH yeah! LIVE on it!!
50. What time did you finish this quiz? 11:10am
15 Books
Sunday, July 5, 2009 at 7:22pm
Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose...
1) The Bible - New King James Version. Essential toolbox for my life. Like the NKJV - more readable than the KJV, but with some on the "poetry" still left.
2) Anthem - Ayn Rand. A small but SO powerful book about the loss of individuality and the importance of the one.
3) Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand. Truly profound, and a bit too close for comfort in this day in this country.
4) A Gift for All People - Max Lucado. The book that I put together with the personal testimony of my friend D, which brought me to salvation in Jesus Christ.
5) To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. The first really "grown-up" book I read. Made me think about issues I never even knew existed.
6) Eric - Doris Lund. Profoundly affected my 15 year old thoughts on life and death.
7) The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams. My FAVORITE book of all time. Such a true story about love and belief and trust and care. LOVE this book!
8) Mothering Your Nursing Toddler - confirmed so much of what I already knew, and changed for the better my relationships with my 3 youngest children.
9) A Walk Across America - Peter Jennings. Read this after my mom did in the early 80's. SO fed my desire to pack up and hit the road. I still re-read it once every couple of years.
10) Walking the Trail - Jerry Ellis. The first book I read that made me truly proud to be 1/4 Cherokee Indian.
11) I Love You Forever. Another children's book that makes me cry every.single.time. I read it. Such a clear, simple, true message.
12) I Love You the Purplest. We've changed the characters to Benjamin (instead of Julian) and Max because it TOTALLY personifies my middles. I have phrases from this book to put up in their room. LOVE IT!
13) You are My I Love You. Such a true and beautiful picture of the relationship of parent to child.
14) The Five Love Languages. Changed the way I deal with my husband and children SO much for the better.
15) Wild at Heart. First time I read it, it was loaned to me by a man friend. Have since bought my own copy. Probably the most eye-opening book about the inner character of men and insight into what makes them tick. Totally use this book in my life here in Boyland!
I never do these things, but.....there's always the first time!!
Monday, January 26, 2009 at 9:04am
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
******************************************************************************
1) Wow, I am shocked that more than one person cares to know more about me!
2) I am amazed and shocked at the turns my life has taken in the past 6 years!
3) I am very grateful for the turns!
4) I NEVER imagined I would be a mom, let alone one of 4 children. Sometimes it still kinda takes my breath away!
5) I am a little nervous cause I have this recurring feeling of "I've forgotten one of the kids!" even when they are all sitting right here.
6) The thing I miss most about working full-time is having the money available to go snow skiing. I SO miss it, and hearing snow is forecast almost makes me cry.
7) I used to think that people who had more than 1-2 kids were odd, and more than 4 were not even something I could really imagine! When I was a Den Leader, I had a Cub Scout who came from a family of 6 kids and I was just gobsmacked!
8) WOW, Amanda was right! 25 things is A LOT of factoids!!
9) I am 1/4 Cherokee.
10) I was adopted right after I was born, a total God thing, in my opinion. I am SO grateful for the family I was given, and so grateful to be given to my family.
11) One of my favorite things to do is drive. I LOVE to drive. Vehicle and destination are unimportant. I love the trip.
12) I am touched and amazed at the truly special person that is my oldest son.
13) For all my online, websurfing, spreadsheet-making ways, I still much prefer paper and pen for my planner, to do list, and especially poetry writing. I feel my writing loses its heart and soul when I try to develop it on the computer.
14) I am continually surprised by the things my husband can do - home remodeling, woodcrafting, being patient and calm with a tantruming 3 year old.
15) I love fiercely, defend passionately, fight tenaciously, and pursue intensely.
16) I am such a different person now from the person I was 10 years ago, I feel like it is a whole separate life sometimes.
17) I love dogs, but can only be around most of them for short amounts of time, because of my allergies.
18) I miss horseback riding most of all the things I left behind from my childhood in Kansas.
19) I hardly watch TV anymore, and really don't miss it at all!!
20) Learning to knit is something I have always wanted to do.
21) I could live on salads, beef stroganoff with homemade noodles, and brown rice.
22) Oh, and coffee. HAVE to have my coffee.
23) I smoked from the age of 14 until I was 30. I quit because my then 7 year old son asked me why I wanted to smoke and die and leave him. Don't tell me indoctrination doesn't work!! :o)
24) I still sometimes miss smoking, but NEVER want to smoke again!
25) My biggest inspirations and mentors are my Granny and my aunt Sarah. Amazing women, and truly blessings in my life.
whew!!!
All you wanted to know, and probably WAY more! That should hold everyone for awhile!! :o)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Not Me! Monday
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
This past week, I most certainly did NOT discover that I had not only never ordered birth certificates for both Mayhem and The Princess, but I seem to have lost my marriage certificate. I am MUCH more responsible than that and make sure ALL my important papers are all in their place!
I also did NOT stand in line and pay $36 to get the above referenced documents because my husband said we were going to need them SOON!! For official documentation!! For the State!! NOW!!!
And my hubby did NOT, after I had stood in line, and filled out forms, and paid $36, tell me, nevermind, we really don't need them right now.
I also did NOT resort to calling in a couple favors with my buddies Chris and Alec at Firestone to get my van fixed within 4 hours of taking it in, and for $150 less than it really should have been. Goodness knows it was painful enough to pay all that money. Would I grovel, too?? Well, not grovel, but smile and say things like, "We like bringing the van here, but really have to watch our bottom line.." "A Valued Customer discount? AND my $10 off survey coupon?? Why, that would be great!! Thanks!" No, not me!!
And I did NOT actually promise sweet rewards to my hubby if he would remove from the house for 3-4 hours ALL of our spawn, to give me some MUCH needed time alone to write, and eat popcorn, and sip tea, and listen to the quiet. And I would NEVER laugh at him when he told me what a HARD time he had with them all, wild and excited at Chuck E. Cheese. Nope, Not Me!
SO, see, as this week's Not Me! Monday shows, sometimes it IS really ALL about me!!
Have a great week!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Praying For Stellan
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
Today's Not Me Monday post is actually a Pray For Stellan post. He's back in the hospital, struggling and fighting. Please take a moment and keep sweet Stellan and the whole MckFamiliy in your prayers today!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Not Me! Monday
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
Things are rolling along full summer speed ahead here and I am trying to stay caught up with the craziness that is my life. So, when the opportunity for a 24 hour retreat away from hubby and kids presented itself, I did NOT whoop and holler with excitement at the prospect! Nope, not ME!
And when training my sweet hubby where to throw the 312 papers he was going to deliver for me that Saturday morning, I did NOT mutter something to the effect of not understanding how he can do wonderfully challenging work all week, and still want to argue with me about whether or not it really IS a right turn I want him to take! Nope, not ME!
And upon returning to my real world a week ago Saturday night, I did not feel both happier to see my kids than I thought I'd be, and sadder than expected that my respite was over! Nope, not Me!!
And of course, I did NOT spend all of last week cleaning and sorting and organizing to atone for the fact that I went relaxing for 24 hours. Nope, not ME!
And my clumsy, uncoordinated, and stubborn side did NOT rear its ugly head on Friday evening,and since hubby was busy out in the shop and the kids were playing outside, I did NOT decide to move a VERY heavy 4 foot tall bookcase myself, and while pulling it across the floor, I did NOT trip, causing myself to fall, and the bookcase to fall on me! And of course, since I am NOT nearly as stubborn as I used to be, I did NOT work and heave and push said bookcase off of me, causing my back to REALLY hurt for the next 3 days. No, not ME!!
That's all for now! Tonight it's off to Panera for Homeschool Mom's Night Out, and a MUCH needed break from the chaos I love!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Independence
Independence is a big deal in our house these days. It seems like EVERYONE is pushing the envelope to experience just a bit more of it than they have right now. That makes for a certain level of tension and conflict that we are immersed in at the time.
It starts with T-Time, who, at 16 and a half, is stuck in that awkward not a kid, not quite grown place. He is totally capable of entertaining himself for an hour or more playing make believe with his brothers and sister, and then turning around and staying up til 1:00am talking on the phone with his friends and wanting to "just be left ALONE!!!" Sometimes he wants the privilege with none of the consequence or work. Don't we ALL??!!??! I feel we are coming into that "Oh, so that's how it works!" kind of times, which can be such a eye-opening dose of reality. It's a tough, in-between, figuring it all out kind of time that is exciting, but difficult in its own way. We are right there!
Benjamin Blue is the next one in line. At 5 and an half, life is full of challenges and things he can and cannot do. He is VERY much the rule follower, likes to know what is going on when child and is uncomfortable with change, for the most part. When I told him yesterday he needs to keep working on learning how to tie and zip his OWN clothes, he was very unhappy, again. We have had this conversation before, but we have to revisit the difficult changes over and over again. While it is gratifying to see him when he finally takes that next step, the process to getting there can be exhausting!
Mayhem is next. For all his VERY advanced verbal and physical skills, he IS three. And my challenging child. And ALWAYS wants to do what the older boys are doing. He is always pushing ALL the limits in his life, testing boundaries and guidelines, and, while I know that is just the way he is made and will serve him well later in life, it can really be a long day when he is in one of those moods. And they happen. A LOT!
And the Princess. Little Sass. I always imagined I would have a sweet, cuddly, calm and quiet little girl. Well, she IS sweet and cuddly, but so NOT calm and quiet!! Goodness! She is a riot!! At 20 months, she already has a GREAT sense of humor! She yells "Hell-O, Hell-O" at the TOP of her lungs, and then when you finally acknowledge her (for the 400th time that hour!) she smiles and says "HI!!" Over and over. She carries two baby dolls at a time around the house, gets right in front of you, sighs, and says "Heabby" (heavy.) She wants to climb every chair, bed, table and couch we own; throw every toy; and push the boys around when they won't let her play. The "safety" gate we bought to keep her safe in her room at night was a joke, and is now a "privacy" gate for the boys to have a place to build Legos without the wrath of baby breaking each creation! She HATES the stroller, tolerates the car seat, and is content in her sling, but only for so long, and when she's done, you'll know it! She is ALL about "MINE" and "ME" and "HAVE". It's all about independence!
So if you see me and I seem a bit tense, and a bit protective of the hour or two I have by myself that day, please understand, it's all about being in control of what I want at that moment in time, and a bit of independence. It happens, but not nearly as often as I might want and need, but just enough to recharge my battery and fill my tank to get ready for the next go-round on the merry-go-round of this life we are living!
It starts with T-Time, who, at 16 and a half, is stuck in that awkward not a kid, not quite grown place. He is totally capable of entertaining himself for an hour or more playing make believe with his brothers and sister, and then turning around and staying up til 1:00am talking on the phone with his friends and wanting to "just be left ALONE!!!" Sometimes he wants the privilege with none of the consequence or work. Don't we ALL??!!??! I feel we are coming into that "Oh, so that's how it works!" kind of times, which can be such a eye-opening dose of reality. It's a tough, in-between, figuring it all out kind of time that is exciting, but difficult in its own way. We are right there!
Benjamin Blue is the next one in line. At 5 and an half, life is full of challenges and things he can and cannot do. He is VERY much the rule follower, likes to know what is going on when child and is uncomfortable with change, for the most part. When I told him yesterday he needs to keep working on learning how to tie and zip his OWN clothes, he was very unhappy, again. We have had this conversation before, but we have to revisit the difficult changes over and over again. While it is gratifying to see him when he finally takes that next step, the process to getting there can be exhausting!
Mayhem is next. For all his VERY advanced verbal and physical skills, he IS three. And my challenging child. And ALWAYS wants to do what the older boys are doing. He is always pushing ALL the limits in his life, testing boundaries and guidelines, and, while I know that is just the way he is made and will serve him well later in life, it can really be a long day when he is in one of those moods. And they happen. A LOT!
And the Princess. Little Sass. I always imagined I would have a sweet, cuddly, calm and quiet little girl. Well, she IS sweet and cuddly, but so NOT calm and quiet!! Goodness! She is a riot!! At 20 months, she already has a GREAT sense of humor! She yells "Hell-O, Hell-O" at the TOP of her lungs, and then when you finally acknowledge her (for the 400th time that hour!) she smiles and says "HI!!" Over and over. She carries two baby dolls at a time around the house, gets right in front of you, sighs, and says "Heabby" (heavy.) She wants to climb every chair, bed, table and couch we own; throw every toy; and push the boys around when they won't let her play. The "safety" gate we bought to keep her safe in her room at night was a joke, and is now a "privacy" gate for the boys to have a place to build Legos without the wrath of baby breaking each creation! She HATES the stroller, tolerates the car seat, and is content in her sling, but only for so long, and when she's done, you'll know it! She is ALL about "MINE" and "ME" and "HAVE". It's all about independence!
So if you see me and I seem a bit tense, and a bit protective of the hour or two I have by myself that day, please understand, it's all about being in control of what I want at that moment in time, and a bit of independence. It happens, but not nearly as often as I might want and need, but just enough to recharge my battery and fill my tank to get ready for the next go-round on the merry-go-round of this life we are living!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Memories,,,,
A comment on one of my Facebook pictures a week or so ago got me to thinking...
Norman and Thomas spent the last few weeks making me a screen door for the back door of the house. When I posted pictures of my beautiful custom made door, someone asked if it slammed, and it just made me think about the amazing way certain sounds and smells bring to mind such strong memories.
My slamming screen door reminds me of Wednesdays with my Grandma and Grandpa during the summmers when my brother and I would visit my dad. The front screen door there slammed and sounded JUST like mine does now. That first slam of the morning would be followed by the smell of freshly baking homemade chocolate chip cookies. Yep, after we ate our small "variety sampler" choice box of cereal, Grandma always had a large, hot from the oven cookie for my brother, my cousin, and me. Each baked and served on a square of aluminum foil with the edges upturned.
Other sounds and smells are just as vivid at evoking specific memories. I barely actually remember my great-grandma, Bobe, but the smell of White Shoulders perfume reminds me of her bathroom where she had old-fashioned perfume bottles with atomizer bulbs on them, and the bedroom where there were two twin beds with white chenille bedspreads. And the smell of Suave Strawberry Essence shampoo and conditioner smells JUST like the bottled strawberry soda we drank there.
It's amazing how many smells bring specific times or people to mind...
Banana bread always makes me think of Christmas, even though I haven't been able to eat it for 20 years...
Cigarette smoke brings a smile to my face, as it reminds me of fun, though wild times....
I think of my dad when I smell English Leather or Aqua Velva...
I get melancholy when I smell Matchibelli or Grey Flannel, mind filled with the people they bring to mind.
The smell of mimosa trees reminds me of summer evenings in the front yard with friends...
Clean Linen and cucumber melon flavors remind me of my sweet friend D, who indoctrinated me to into the world of candles and the enjoyment of their fragrant flicker...
Norman and Thomas spent the last few weeks making me a screen door for the back door of the house. When I posted pictures of my beautiful custom made door, someone asked if it slammed, and it just made me think about the amazing way certain sounds and smells bring to mind such strong memories.
My slamming screen door reminds me of Wednesdays with my Grandma and Grandpa during the summmers when my brother and I would visit my dad. The front screen door there slammed and sounded JUST like mine does now. That first slam of the morning would be followed by the smell of freshly baking homemade chocolate chip cookies. Yep, after we ate our small "variety sampler" choice box of cereal, Grandma always had a large, hot from the oven cookie for my brother, my cousin, and me. Each baked and served on a square of aluminum foil with the edges upturned.
Other sounds and smells are just as vivid at evoking specific memories. I barely actually remember my great-grandma, Bobe, but the smell of White Shoulders perfume reminds me of her bathroom where she had old-fashioned perfume bottles with atomizer bulbs on them, and the bedroom where there were two twin beds with white chenille bedspreads. And the smell of Suave Strawberry Essence shampoo and conditioner smells JUST like the bottled strawberry soda we drank there.
It's amazing how many smells bring specific times or people to mind...
Banana bread always makes me think of Christmas, even though I haven't been able to eat it for 20 years...
Cigarette smoke brings a smile to my face, as it reminds me of fun, though wild times....
I think of my dad when I smell English Leather or Aqua Velva...
I get melancholy when I smell Matchibelli or Grey Flannel, mind filled with the people they bring to mind.
The smell of mimosa trees reminds me of summer evenings in the front yard with friends...
Clean Linen and cucumber melon flavors remind me of my sweet friend D, who indoctrinated me to into the world of candles and the enjoyment of their fragrant flicker...
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